Comments on: How old was King Solomon when his daughters Taphath and Basemath were born?

By: Jim Day

Jim Day — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:41:52 +0000

Hi Rob thanks for your answer. It seems reasonable to me.
Sorry about confusing the wives with concubines – some men have a low sperm count and perhaps spread himself to widely – but I take it you agree that he had few children, posibly only the 3 mention in scripture. I have often heard people assume that he a multitude of kids – I do not think we can assume that.

By: Rob J Hyndman

Rob J Hyndman — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 04:10:33 +0000

Actually, it was 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3). I don’t know of any further information about his children, or his ability to produce them. But presumably, with 1000 sexual partners, he was likely to contract a sexually transmitted disease, and that may have prevented further children.

By: Jim Day

Jim Day — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:12:00 +0000

300 wives and 700 concubines – and only 3 recorded children – no allusions to other siblings and since Rehoboam had no brothers challenging his throne, it would seem that 3 was Solomon’s lot. I imagine there was a bit of palace gossip about his virility.
Is there anything anywhere to substantiate either the number of his children or his virility?