Why did Solomon build the supporting terraces mentioned in 1 Kings 11:27? The Hebrew Term “Millo” • Root meaning: to fill, heap up, or pack with earth and stones. • Usage: appears with David (2 Samuel 5:9), Solomon (1 Kings 9:15, 24; 11:27), Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 32:5), and in later post-exilic repairs (2 Chronicles 33:14). • Function: a man-made embankment or stepped stone revetment shoring up the City of David’s northeastern slope. Historical-Architectural Setting David’s capital occupied a narrow ridge south of today’s Temple Mount. As population, administration, and royal ritual grew, that ridge needed: 1. A broad, level acropolis to host the palace-complex, armories, and auxiliary buildings (1 Kings 9:15–19). 2. Stronger defenses over the steep, erodible Kidron slope vulnerable to siege engines. The millo, a gigantic retaining structure packed with earth and faced with ashlar, achieved both aims by “filling” space and creating stable terraces. Strategic and Defensive Purposes • Secured the Gihon spring: Terraces buttressed the slope directly above Jerusalem’s only perennial water source, shielding tunnels and channels carved later by Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 32:30). • Eliminated the “gap in the wall”: By welding earlier Jebusite-era fortifications to new casemate walls, Solomon closed weak points exploited in Iron-Age warfare. • Elevated the palace: Stationing the king’s residence on artificial height signaled power to allies and deterrence to enemies, fulfilling the promise that David’s dynasty would be “secure forever” (2 Samuel 7:13). Urban Expansion and Administrative Needs • Population surge: Census figures for temple labor (1 Kings 5:15–16) imply tens of thousands of workers present; adequate housing required terracing. • Temple support: Priests, Levites, scribes, and foreign dignitaries frequented Jerusalem (1 Kings 10:24). Terraces provided storerooms, treasuries, and governmental offices (cf. 1 Kings 7:51; 2 Chronicles 32:27–28). • Commerce: By flattening slopes, Solomon could extend the north–south “Royal Quarter” roadway, streamlining tribute and trade arriving via the newly opened Red-Sea fleet (1 Kings 9:26–28). Religious and Theological Dimensions • Typological foresight: Just as God “stretched out” the heavens (Isaiah 42:5), Solomon “filled out” Jerusalem, prefiguring the eschatological city whose Builder is God (Hebrews 11:10). • Covenant symbolism: Strengthening the city underscored Yahweh’s promise that His Name would dwell there (1 Kings 9:3). The terraces literally upheld the earthly throne of the Davidic messiah, foreshadowing the risen Christ who reigns eternally (Acts 2:30–36). Labor Policies and Political Fallout The corvée forced mainly northern workers (1 Kings 5:13; 11:28). Jeroboam, foreman over “all labor of the house of Joseph,” saw the resentment firsthand and rebelled. Thus, the very project designed to stabilize Jerusalem catalyzed division—demonstrating how even wise kings can provoke unrest when glory projects eclipse compassion (cf. Deuteronomy 17:20). Archaeological Corroboration • “Stepped Stone Structure” (Area G, City of David): 20-meter-high retaining wall of fill faced with terraces, dated by pottery and radiocarbon to the 12th–10th centuries BC, matching the biblical millo’s description. • “Large Stone Structure” (Eilat Mazar, 2005): A monumental edifice atop the stepped support, interpreted as a palace of David/Solomon, explaining why massive terraces were prerequisite. • Bullae and seal impressions (“Belonging to Hezekiah,” “Belonging to Isaiah the prophet”): Found within fill layers abutting the stepped structure, confirming continuous royal use and repairs of the millo into the 8th century BC, aligning with 2 Chronicles 32:5. These finds support Scripture’s chronological integrity and the historical plausibility of the Solomonic building campaign. Consistency with the Broader Scriptural Narrative Genesis–Kings presents a linear, coherent story: creation, covenant, kingdom, division, exile. The millo episode sits at the pivot where Solomon’s golden age turns toward judgment. Yet God’s redemptive plan continues, climaxing in the resurrection of Jesus—the true Son of David—whose kingdom requires no stone buttresses, for “the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple” (Revelation 21:22). Application and Significance 1. Practical stewardship: God’s people may employ engineering ingenuity to secure worship and community life. 2. Cautionary tale: Monumental success can spawn spiritual complacency and social injustice; only humble reliance on God preserves unity. 3. Trust in Scripture: Archaeology, textual consistency, and fulfilled prophecy jointly vindicate the Bible’s reliability, inviting skeptics to examine its claims about the risen Christ, who offers far greater security than any wall. Conclusion Solomon built the supporting terraces to enlarge and fortify the City of David, protect its lifelines, accommodate temple-state growth, and display covenant kingship. The project’s scale points beyond itself to the ultimate King whose resurrection guarantees an unshakable, eternal city for all who believe (Hebrews 12:22–28). |
    |