“Solomon, son of David, who was king in Jerusalem, and mastered and controlled all spirits of the air, on the earth and under the earth. By means of them also he wrought all the transcendent works of the Temple.” - Testament of Solomon
The archetype of the Royal King and Master of Magic & Wisdom
Builder of the Temple
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The one who commanded the Djinn and mastered them and used the lower daemonic forces to work for Him
God gave King Solomon “wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore” (1 Kings 4:29).
The Wisdom of Solomon, also known as the Book of Proverbs, is a collection of aphorisms and wise teachings attributed to King Solomon. He was deemed wiser than all the sages of Egypt and the Middle East, and even wiser than some ancient paragons of wisdom. Solomon's reign of wisdom was so famous that news spread to distant shores, and even the Queen of Sheba sought out the man behind the rumor. Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the LORD, and the wall around Jerusalem.
The archetype of Solomon
- Knowledge, Wisdom
- Riches/wealth (all types)
- Nobility, Royalty
- Charity
- Magic Power
“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” - Proverbs of King Solomon
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Legends of the Jews and Midrash Mishlei describe Solomon's mechanical throne ascending with golden lions and eagles that roar and flap to intimidate visitors, symbolizing dominion over creation; spirits and demons operate it, but it rejects pretenders, affirming his wisdom-derived authority.
Expanded in Legends of the Jews from 1 Kings 3, Solomon's sword test reveals the true mother's compassion, but midrash adds that angels whisper the solution, and the false mother is exposed as a demon in disguise, underscoring his supernatural insight granted by God.
Midrash in Targum Sheni to Esther and Legends of the Jews portrays the Queen of Sheba testing Solomon with riddles about threaded pearls and genderless chicks, which he solves using demons and the hoopoe bird; impressed, she converts.
Solomon: Magus-Priest-King
Foundations of Solomonic Magic
- Origins in the Hebrew Bible (King Solomon)
- Influence from Jewish mysticism (Kabbalah, Merkavah, Hekhalot)
- Apocryphal sources (Testament of Solomon)
- Integration into Christian, Islamic, and esoteric European traditions
- The ideal of the Magus as Priest-King
- The Solomonic Current within the Western Mystery Tradition
- The Solomonic ideal: Wisdom, Authority, and Alignment
The mythic archetype of the wise Magician King The philosopher-king One who is total master of himself, and so master of his kingdom Beloved and respected by the angels, and commander of the demons
Wearing a magical ring that gives dominion over all
In grail tradition, he is ancestor of Galahad
Binder of Demons, Builder of the Temple * Solomon, David’s son, builds the First Temple, gains wisdom, and is linked to mystical demon-binding in occult lore (1 Kings 5-8, Testament of Solomon)
King Solomon as Archetype: Solomon embodies wisdom (from God) but also occult mastery, invoking demons (via the Seal of Solomon) to aid construction, as per grimoires like the Key of Solomon. In Masonic myth, he's the Grand Master, but esoterically, he represents the magician-king balancing pagan and monotheistic elements, drawing from his biblical polygamy and idolatry.
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“I, Solomon, King of Israel, Son of David, didst consider that it was impossible to accomplish or to perfect any work unless it were first well understood.” ― Mathers, S. L. MacGregor. The Key of Solomon the King (Clavicula Salomonis).