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Abstract

There are few true heroes or villains in the biblical record. Most fully-developed characters in the Old Testament are not so easily labeled. They are heroes who sometimes did wrong, or they are villains who sometimes did right. Hero or villain--they each have something to teach us. Saul, David, and Solomon reigned over Israel as a United Kingdom. They were neither all badnor all good. The portrait of Solomon painted by the author of the Chronicles, however, is very positive. He blossoms under the Lord’s blessing; he labors and sacrifices to build a beautiful temple worthy of the presence of God; and he receives a divine pat on the back for his efforts. Despite his many faults, he is still heralded as the wisest and richest man who ever lived.