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1 Kings 11:13,35,36
Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom;but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen…

1 Kings 12:19,20
So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day…

2 Samuel 5:5
In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.

ruled over Israel
Solomon's rule over Israel marks a period of unprecedented peace and prosperity. His reign is often considered the golden age of Israel, characterized by political stability, economic growth, and cultural development. This period of peace allowed Solomon to focus on building projects and the administration of justice. The united kingdom under Solomon is a foreshadowing of the future Messianic kingdom, where Christ will reign in peace and righteousness (Isaiah 9:6-7). Solomon's rule also highlights the importance of wisdom and discernment in leadership, as seen in his famous request for wisdom from God (1 Kings 3:9-12).

The little word “So” links Solomon’s enthronement to everything that has just happened:

• God had granted him extraordinary wisdom in answer to prayer (1 Kings 3:12).

• The nation had already tasted that wisdom in his famous judgment between the two women (1 Kings 3:28).

• With the people standing in awe, the narrative now moves naturally to his settled kingship (compare1 Chronicles 29:23 and2 Chronicles 1:1).

In other words, because God acted and the people recognized it, Solomon’s reign begins on a foundation of divine favor and public confidence.

Solomon is more than a royal name; he is the son promised to David whose throne God pledged to establish forever (2 Samuel 7:12-13).

• His very birth carried the assurance that “the LORD loved him” (2 Samuel 12:24-25).

• Earlier chapters show him offering sacrifices at Gibeon and receiving wisdom there (1 Kings 3:4-15).

• Later chapters will reveal him as temple-builder (1 Kings 6) and author of many proverbs (Proverbs 1:1).

Taken together, these snapshots remind us that kingship in Israel is covenantal: the king’s legitimacy rests on God’s promise and the king’s success depends on obedience (see alsoDeuteronomy 17:18-20).

To “rule” is to exercise God-delegated authority for the good of God’s people (Romans 13:1 affirms that principle broadly). In Solomon’s case:

• His wisdom became the practical tool of governance (1 Kings 3:28; cf.Psalm 72:1-4, a prayer for the king to rule justly).

• Chapters 4-10 will detail how his rule produced order, prosperity, and international respect (1 Kings 4:20-21).

• Ruling well meant stewarding justice, economics, and worship—all under the Lordship of Yahweh.

The phrase marks the extent of Solomon’s authority: a united, twelve-tribe nation in its golden age.

• Verse 21 quickly adds that his reach extended beyond Israel proper “from the River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt” (1 Kings 4:21).

• Peace on every side (1 Kings 5:4) fulfilled earlier promises of rest in the land (Joshua 21:44).

• His forty-year reign (1 Kings 11:42) stands as the high-water mark of national unity before the later division.

1 Kings 4:1 is a compact declaration that the God-blessed, wisdom-filled Solomon now sits firmly on David’s throne, exercising real authority over a united Israel. The verse transitions the narrative from Solomon’s personal preparation to the public implementation of his God-given mandate, setting the stage for the kingdom’s most prosperous and peaceful era.