Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in his father David’s city; and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 43. Solomon slept, and so forth That is, died. He was then about fifty-eight years of age, having reigned forty years. Challoner.—S. Chrysostom, at different times, seems to have entertained opposite opinions on this head, ( Bible.) which has been a matter of controversy among the Fathers, as it is at present with us. We ought to adore and imitate, with trembling, the silence of Scripture. Calmet.—Septuagint seem favourable to Solomon: (Proverbs 24:32.) “At last I did penance, and looked forward, to embrace discipline.” Bible.—But the Hebrew Chal. and Vulg. have nothing similar. Calmet.—Some think that the Book of Proverbs, as well as that of Ecclesiastes, was composed by him after his repentance; and that he expresses his sentiments of affliction and self-condemnation, (Proverbs 30:2) and his opinion of all earthly gratifications. Eccles. 1:2. and so forth Bible.—Yet this dreadful uncertainty may serve to keep us all in humble fear, and teach us to work out our salvation with trembling. Calmet.—If Solomon really repented, ( Bible.) he might not have time or power to remove all the vestiges, and the very foundations of the idolatrous temples, which Ezechias also neglected in ruins, as no longer dangerous, and as so many monuments of the folly of Solomon. But Josias caused them to be entirely removed. 4 Kennicott. 22:13. Salien, A. 3059. The daughter of Pharao would probably imitate her beloved husband. Pineda.—Sadoc seems to have departed this life about the same time with Solomon; as his son Achimaas, who had married Basemath, the king’s daughter, succeeded him in the pontificate, at the commencement of Roboam’s reign. Chron. Min. Hebrew Salien.