Solomon recieves a diplomatic visit by a monarch of a distant state, the Queen of Sheba, probably to negotiate trade relations. We have a summary of the riches-gold,precious stones, almug, shields, large shields, horses, (the booty of the Davidic wars?) Solomon's large harem leads to idolatry since he allows each foreigner to bring her own god. He provides the cult for Ashtoreth, Milcom or Molech, and Chemosh. He even builds altars for these astral deities. The editor explains that this disobedience to Yahweh is the reason that all but one tribe to be removed from the Davidic house. Hadad, an Edomite prince who fled when David conquered Edom, revolts against Solomon after David and Joab are dead. Rezon, who escaped David's Syrian conquest, establishes an independent state at Damascus in Solomon's time. Jeroboam revolts from within. All the tribes, except Judah, revolt against the Davidic dynasty. The ten tribes elect Jeroboam as king. Now we have two kingdoms, the South under dynastic rule, the North under a strong-man rule. The capital of the rebel kingdom is Shechem( where a covenant of fidelity had previously been made between the Lord and his people). Jeroboam promotes local shrines, expecially at Bethel(known in Amos' time as the king's sanctuary) in competition with the centralized worship in Jerusalem.
Solomon recieves a diplomatic visit by a monarch of a distant state, the Queen of Sheba, probably to negotiate trade relations. We have a summary of the riches-gold,precious stones, almug, shields, large shields, horses, (the booty of the Davidic wars?) Solomon's large harem leads to idolatry since he allows each foreigner to bring her own god. He provides the cult for Ashtoreth, Milcom or Molech, and Chemosh. He even builds altars for these astral deities. The editor explains that this disobedience to Yahweh is the reason that all but one tribe to be removed from the Davidic house. Hadad, an Edomite prince who fled when David conquered Edom, revolts against Solomon after David and Joab are dead. Rezon, who escaped David's Syrian conquest, establishes an independent state at Damascus in Solomon's time. Jeroboam revolts from within. All the tribes, except Judah, revolt against the Davidic dynasty. The ten tribes elect Jeroboam as king. Now we have two kingdoms, the South under dynastic rule, the North under a strong-man rule. The capital of the rebel kingdom is Shechem( where a covenant of fidelity had previously been made between the Lord and his people). Jeroboam promotes local shrines, expecially at Bethel(known in Amos' time as the king's sanctuary) in competition with the centralized worship in Jerusalem.
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