No king in the stories of the Bible so speaks to our imagination as King Solomon, who ruled Israel after King David. The Bible depicts Solomon's reign as an era of unprecedented prosperity due to his wisdom, a quality bestowed upon him by God. In a dream, God had asked him what he wanted most, and Solomon replied, “an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil” (I Kings 3:9).

Solomon reorganized his realm into 12 districts that cut across tribal boundaries so as to central­ize power in Jerusalem. To pacify tribal sensibili­ties, he continued his father’s policy of marrying wives from many tribes, as well as from those nations with whom he struck an alliance.