Books of the Bible Attributed to Solomon

King Solomon, son of David, is traditionally associated with the authorship or inspiration of several books within the biblical canon, primarily those categorized as wisdom literature. These include the books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon (also known as Song of Songs) ^{[2, 3, 4, 13]}.

The book of Proverbs explicitly states in its opening verse, "These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel" ^[2]. While various sections of Proverbs are attributed to Solomon, other portions are assigned to different authors, such as Agur and King Lemuel ^[5]. Adam Clarke notes that the book of Proverbs, as it exists in the Bible, contains only a fraction of the 3,000 proverbs Solomon is said to have spoken according to 1 Kings 4:32 ^{[8, 9]}. The Hebrew title for Proverbs, mashal, originally meant "a comparison" and can also be translated as "parable" ^[5].

The Song of Solomon is also directly attributed to Solomon in its first verse, "The Song of Songs, which is Solomon's" ^{[3, 4]}. This book is recognized as one of the 1,005 songs or poems Solomon composed ^{[8, 13]}. While some traditions suggest Psalm 127 might also be "by or for him," the Song of Solomon is the only one of his many songs preserved in the biblical canon ^[8].

Ecclesiastes is widely attributed to Solomon, though the book itself does not explicitly name him, instead referring to the author as "the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem" (Ecclesiastes 1:1). This description strongly points to Solomon ^[13]. The Babylonian Talmud records a debate regarding the canonicity of Ecclesiastes, with Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya initially suggesting it was merely Solomon's wisdom and not divinely inspired. However, the prevailing view affirmed its divine inspiration and inclusion in the canon, acknowledging that it represents only a portion of Solomon's vast wisdom ^{[9, 10, 11]}. Augustine of Hippo also references Ecclesiastes in his writings, associating it with Solomon ^[14].

Beyond these canonical books, historical and apocryphal works are also linked to Solomon. Josephus, in his Antiquities of the Jews, mentions Solomon's wisdom and his ability to solve riddles ^{[6, 7]}. The book known as the Wisdom of Solomon, while not part of the Hebrew Bible, is included in the Septuagint and considered deuterocanonical by some traditions ^[1]. This book is a pseudepigraphical work, meaning it is attributed to Solomon but was written much later.

The biblical account in 1 Kings 4:32 states that Solomon "spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were a thousand and five." This verse highlights the extensive literary output of Solomon, much of which is not preserved in the Bible ^{[8, 9, 10, 11]}. The "Book of the Acts of Solomon" is mentioned in 1 Kings 11:41 as a source for further details about his reign, though this book is not divinely inspired and has since been lost ^{[12, 15]}. These lost works underscore that the biblical canon contains a selective record of Solomon's wisdom and literary contributions.

Sources

Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Solomon, Wisdom Of — [[1157]Wisdom, The, Of Solomon, BOOK OF]”
Proverbs “Proverbs 1:1 (BSB) — These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel,”
Song of Solomon “Song of Solomon 1:1 (LEB) — The Song of Songs, which is for Solomon.”
Song Of Solomon “Song Of Solomon 1:1 (NASB) — The Song of Songs, which is Solomon's.”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Proverbs, Book Of — The title of this book in Hebrew is taken from its first word, mashal, which originally meant "a comparison." It is sometimes translated parable, sometimes proverb as here. The superscriptions which are affixed to several portions of the book, in chs. (Proverbs 1:1; 10:1; 25:1) attribute the authorship of those portions to Solomon the son of David, king of Israel. With the exception of the last two chapters, which are distinctly assigned to other author it is probable that the statement of the superscriptions is in the main correct, and that the ma”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 5, section 1: . How Solomon Built Himself A Royal Palace, Very Costly And Splendid; And How He Solved The Riddles Which Were Sent Him By Hiram.”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 5, section 1: . How Solomon Built Himself A Royal Palace, Very Costly And Splendid; And How He Solved The Riddles Which Were Sent Him By Hiram.”
1 Kings (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Kings 4:32: He spake three thousand proverbs - The book of Proverbs, attributed to Solomon, contain only about nine hundred or nine hundred and twenty-three distinct proverbs; and if we grant with some that the first nine chapters are not the work of Solomon, then all that can be attributed to him is only about six hundred and fifty. Of all his one thousand and five songs or poems we have only one, the book of Song of Solomon, remaining, unless we include Psa 127:1-5, Except the Lord build the house, etc., which in the title is said to be by or for him, though it appears more ”
Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Megillah 64a.13:10: It is taught in a baraita : Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya says: The book of Ecclesiastes does not render the hands ritually impure because it is the wisdom of Solomon, and not divinely inspired. They said to him: It was certainly divinely inspired and that is the reason that the book of Ecclesiastes was added to the canon; as was it this alone that Solomon said? Wasn’t it already stated: “And he spoke three thousand proverbs, and his poems were a thousand and five” (I Kings 5:12)? Solomon spoke many proverbs, but only a portion of them were canonized in the Bi”
Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Megillah 64b.13:10: It is taught in a baraita : Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya says: The book of Ecclesiastes does not render the hands ritually impure because it is the wisdom of Solomon, and not divinely inspired. They said to him: It was certainly divinely inspired and that is the reason that the book of Ecclesiastes was added to the canon; as was it this alone that Solomon said? Wasn’t it already stated: “And he spoke three thousand proverbs, and his poems were a thousand and five” (I Kings 5:12)? Solomon spoke many proverbs, but only a portion of them were canonized in the Bi”
Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Megillah 7a.10: It is taught in a baraita : Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya says: The book of Ecclesiastes does not render the hands ritually impure because it is the wisdom of Solomon, and not divinely inspired. They said to him: It was certainly divinely inspired and that is the reason that the book of Ecclesiastes was added to the canon; as was it this alone that Solomon said? Wasn’t it already stated: “And he spoke three thousand proverbs, and his poems were a thousand and five” (I Kings 5:12)? Solomon spoke many proverbs, but only a portion of them were canonized in the Bible.”
1 Kings (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Kings 11:41: The book of the acts of Solomon? - These acts were written by Nathan the prophet, Ahijah the Shilonite, and Iddo the seer; as we learn from Ch2 9:29. Probably from these were the Books of Kings and Chronicles composed; but the original documents are long since lost.”
1 Kings (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Kings 4:32: 4:32-34 proverbs . . . songs: Solomon wrote much of the book of Proverbs and composed Pss 72 and 127. His knowledge of plants and animals reflected his careful observation of nature (see Prov 6:6-8). Solomon’s wisdom and literary prowess (see Matt 12:42) are reflected in the Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes. No wonder many, including kings (1 Kgs 10:1-9), sought the wisdom of Solomon.”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 20.--OF DAVID'S REIGN AND MERIT; AND OF HIS SON SOLOMON, AND THAT PROPHECY RELATING TO CHRIST WHICH IS FOUND EITHER IN THOSE BOOKS WHICH ARE JOINED TO THOSE WRITTEN BY HIM, OR IN THOSE WHICH ARE (part 2): against him. Let us put him to the question with contumely and torture, that we may know his reverence, and prove his patience. Let us condemn him to the most shameful death; for by His own sayings He shall be respected. These things did they imagine, and were mistaken; for their own malice hath quite blinded them."(3) But in Ec”
1 Kings (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 1 Kings 11:41: We have here the conclusion of Solomon's story, and in it, 1. Reference is had to another history then extant, but (not being divinely inspired) since lost, the Book of the Acts of Solomon, Kg1 11:41. Probably this book was written by a chronologer or historiographer, whom Solomon employed to write his annals, out of which the sacred writer extracted what God saw fit to transmit to the church. 2. A summary of the years of his reign (Kg1 11:42): He reigned in Jerusalem (not, as his father, part of his time in Hebron and part in Jerusalem), over all Israel (not as”

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