Solomon Meaning: Peace and the Biblical King
Solomon meaning is linked to peace in both a source gloss and a narrative. Solomon is glossed peaceful by Easton and Smith.
Last updated October 15, 2026
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Solomon meaning is linked to peace in both a source gloss and a narrative. Solomon is glossed peaceful by Easton and Smith. Hitchcock lists peaceable, perfect and one who recompenses. First Chronicles 22 connects Solomon's naming with promised rest and peace during his reign.
Solomon; Jedidiah is the additional name given through Nathan in 2 Samuel 12. First Chronicles 22 places the name beside a promise of rest from enemies and a task of building a house for God's name. That passage gives a direct literary connection between Solomon and peace. It does not say that every part of his reign will meet every moral demand.
Solomon Meaning and dictionary readings
| Historical source | Entry wording | Source record |
|---|---|---|
| Hitchcock | peaceable; perfect; one who recompenses | Hitchcock: SOLOMON |
| Easton | Solomon Peaceful, (Heb. Shelomoh), David’s second son by Bathsheba, i.e., the first after their legal marriage ( 2 Sam. 12 ). […] | Easton: SOLOMON |
| Smith | ( peaceful ). […] | Smith: SOLOMON |
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Bearers, aliases and passage context
Solomon; Jedidiah is the additional name given through Nathan in 2 Samuel 12.
First Chronicles 22 places the name beside a promise of rest from enemies and a task of building a house for God's name. That passage gives a direct literary connection between Solomon and peace. It does not say that every part of his reign will meet every moral demand.
Second Samuel 12 records the birth of Solomon and the additional name Jedidiah given through Nathan. These are two names attached to the same royal child in that account. Jedidiah should not be presented as a different king, and its gloss should not be substituted for Solomon's.
The peaceful name does not prevent 1 Kings 11 from criticizing Solomon's later conduct. The text says that his heart turns after other gods. Reading the praise and criticism together keeps a name explanation from becoming an idealized life story.
The older dictionaries offer expanded glosses and historical estimates. Here the peace connection has direct backing in Chronicles. Perfect and one who recompenses remain Hitchcock's alternatives. A dictionary entry's alternatives are not proof that the biblical narrative calls Solomon morally perfect.
The selected 1 Kings 3:5-15 scene shows Solomon asking for an understanding heart to judge the people. The response concerns discernment, wisdom and the conditions of his life as king. It gives substance to his early reputation for wisdom, while the later criticism in 1 Kings 11 concerns his changed allegiance.
Selected passages in three editions
The panels quote a selection. Other references in the explanation identify related scenes; read their full context in the named biblical book.
2 Samuel 12:24-25
King James Version (eng-kjv2006, standard 1769 text)
24 ¶ And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.
25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.
World English Bible Classic (eng-web, US spelling)
24 David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her, and lay with her. She bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. Yahweh loved him;
25 and he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he named him Jedidiah, for Yahweh’s sake.
American Standard Version (eng-asv)
24 And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon. And Jehovah loved him;
25 and he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, for Jehovah’s sake.
Before (WEB Classic): 22 He said, “While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows whether Yahweh will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ 23 But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”
After (WEB Classic): 26 Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city. 27 Joab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah. Yes, I have taken the city of waters.
1 Kings 3:5-15
King James Version (eng-kjv2006, standard 1769 text)
5 ¶ In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
6 And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
7 And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;
12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.
14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.
15 And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.
World English Bible Classic (eng-web, US spelling)
5 In Gibeon, Yahweh appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask for what I should give you.”
6 Solomon said, “You have shown to your servant David my father great loving kindness, because he walked before you in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with you. You have kept for him this great loving kindness, that you have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is today.
7 Now, Yahweh my God, you have made your servant king instead of David my father. I am just a little child. I don’t know how to go out or come in.
8 Your servant is among your people which you have chosen, a great people, that can’t be numbered or counted for multitude.
9 Give your servant therefore an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this great people of yours?”
10 This request pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
11 God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have you asked for riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice,
12 behold, I have done according to your word. Behold, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, and after you none will arise like you.
13 I have also given you that which you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you for all your days.
14 If you will walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”
15 Solomon awoke; and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of Yahweh’s covenant, and offered up burnt offerings, offered peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.
American Standard Version (eng-asv)
5 In Gibeon Jehovah appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
6 And Solomon said, Thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father great lovingkindness, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great lovingkindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
7 And now, O Jehovah my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child; I know not how to go out or come in.
8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
9 Give thy servant therefore an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this thy great people?
10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life, neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies, but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern justice;
12 behold, I have done according to thy word: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there hath been none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honor, so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee, all thy days.
14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.
15 And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream: and he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and offered up burnt-offerings, and offered peace-offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.
Before (WEB Classic): 3 Solomon loved Yahweh, walking in the statutes of David his father, except that he sacrificed and burned incense in the high places. 4 The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
After (WEB Classic): 16 Then two women who were prostitutes came to the king, and stood before him. 17 The one woman said, “Oh, my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house. I delivered a child with her in the house.
FAQ
Does Solomon mean perfect?
Hitchcock includes perfect among several glosses, while Easton and Smith give peaceful. Chronicles directly connects the name with rest and peace. Keep the attribution visible instead of presenting perfect as an agreed translation or a verdict on Solomon's conduct.
Related meanings
Biblical names and their meanings
How to study Solomon
Read the peace promise in Chronicles beside the naming in Samuel. Then keep the criticism in Kings within view. This comparison shows why a peaceful name does not prove a faultless life. Jedidiah is useful as an alias for the child, with its own naming context.
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Verdict: Solomon in the biblical passages
Solomon meaning has a direct peace connection in Chronicles. The other names and glosses stay attributed to their sources. Peace in a name does not erase the later criticism of the king.