Solomon's harem

[daisies89]

Supposedly, Solomon didn't actually have that many wives and concubines? How many did he likely have? If he wanted to impress people, why didn't he marry the concubines? Why is having 700 wives and 300 concubines more impressive than having 1000 wives?
What are the most accurate portrayals of Solomon's court in fiction and in non-fiction?
Thanks.

 

[Kevin Snow]

There is something fundamental in 7 and there is something fundamental in 3 which makes 10. You can divide it fundamentally in 2 ways: either have 5 on 5 to make 10 or 7 and 3 to make 10. The former expresses perfect balance in composition while the other expresses perfection in 1 thing, the 7, with another perfect thing, the 3. So they are 2 different ways to express perfection, one in its composition and the other in its singularity.

The fact that he had 700 and 300 is probably on purpose. He must have had many more wives than concubines and purposefully made sure to finish them at 700 and 300 to be complete. 1000 is the 2nd order completeness after 100. So he could have done 70 and 30 but that would have only been first order completeness and he figured he would ten fold it to make it all the greater.

In short he did this on purpose. Since he already had at some point some concubines then he had to make the two groups balanced in some way. It's really a different time isn't it? Now we are to be content with 1. Which is the number of everything: perfect unity.

 

[συνείδησις]

Some writings attest that the settlement of Silwan on the Mount of Olives across the Kidron Valley from the City of David was used to house Solomon's foreign wives and concubines. That settlement (village) could have been as long 1 km extending from the northern extremity of Silwan (across from Gihon Spring) to En Rogel, and possibly down the Kidron Valley to Azal River.

Rauwolff [1535-1596 AD] (Travels, par. 3. c. 4. p. 233) says,”before Mount Zion toward the south, at the other side of the rivulet Kidron, lies the mount of transgression, called Mashith, 2Ki 23:13, this is higher and steeper than any hereabout; there you still see some old walls of habitations, wherein the concubines of Solomon did live;” and Mr. Maundrell [1665-1701 AD] (Journey from Aleppo, &c. p. 102) observes, that below the hill stands now a village called Siloe [Silwan], where it is said he kept them.
John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible, 2 Kings 23:13

Over against this Fountain on the other side of the Valley, is a Village called Siloe [Silwan]. In which Solomon is said to have kept his strange wives, and above the Village is a Hill called the Mountain of Offence; because there Solomon built the high places mentioned 1 Kings 11.7, his wives having perverted his wise heart, to follow their Idolatrous Abominations in his declining years.
A journey from Aleppo to Jerusalem at Easter, A.D. 1697, Henry Maundrell, pg. 101, (1703)

 

[Wick Stick]

Peasants marry for love. Kings marry to cement treaties and alliances.

Having 700 wives was impressive because it meant that Solomon headed an alliance of 700 cities. 300 concubines likely represent additional alliances with tribal chieftains.

 

[Doctor.Sphinx]

Peasants marry for love. Kings marry to cement treaties and alliances.

Having 700 wives was impressive because it meant that Solomon headed an alliance of 700 cities. 300 concubines likely represent additional alliances with tribal chieftains.

Isn't a wife sort of a position (with more status), whereas concubine is more of a job (i.e. to produce children)?

 

[joshua 1 9]

Supposedly, Solomon didn't actually have that many wives and concubines? How many did he likely have? If he wanted to impress people, why didn't he marry the concubines? Why is having 700 wives and 300 concubines more impressive than having 1000 wives?
What are the most accurate portrayals of Solomon's court in fiction and in non-fiction?
Thanks.

The general belief is that a wife has children and a concubine does not. We know that the biggest family today is Genghis khan He is a common ancestor for 16 million people today.

There would be no difference between the DNA of Solomon and the DNA of David. So they go by the descendants of David today, not Solomon.