Tell me more ×
Mi Yodeya is a question and answer site for those who base their lives on Jewish law and tradition and anyone interested in learning more. It's 100% free, no registration required.

King Solomon [1 Kings 11 (4)] “had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines;” How many children did he have? Three. The question is referred to at http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_children_did_King_Solomon_have Do we have a different/better answer?

share|improve this question
I don't have a better answer, but I just want to say that the odds of Shlomo HaMelech having children with the extra 700 wives and 300 concubines is rather low. – avi Sep 3 '11 at 21:26
1  
@avi, why do you say so? – msh210 Sep 4 '11 at 2:39
His palace was not big enough for them all to live there. – avi Sep 4 '11 at 6:18
1  
@avi: so who says he didn't have other palaces all over the country for them? (The Gemara, Bava Metzia 86b, in fact says that each of these thousand wives had her own quarters.) – Alex Sep 4 '11 at 15:56
2  
Like the Mashgichot that verify factories in china :) – avi Sep 4 '11 at 19:04
show 4 more comments

1 Answer

up vote 8 down vote accepted

Only three of his children are named in Tanach: his successor Rechavam, and two daughters named Tafath and Basemath, who married two of Shlomo's officials (I Kings 4:11,15).

R. Chaim Dov Rabinowitz (Daas Soferim) comments that it seems likely that Shlomo had 100 children or less (which would of course mean that most of his wives were childless), since in Eccles. 6:3 he speaks of that number as a peak of human potential.

share|improve this answer

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.