Riddles and secrets of past centuries attract the inquiring minds of modernity and give them generous food for thought. The ring of Solomon is an ancient artifact that excites the imagination of lovers of mysticism. The story of a magical decoration that gives wisdom, strength and enlightenment to its owner has several interpretations. Until now, there is no consensus among scientists about the appearance and purpose of the ring. There are at least five versions of the legendary artifact. Each of them is unique and may well be reliable.
The legend of the gifts of angels to King Solomon
The great Yahweh (Jehovah) gave the king the opportunity to command demons. Eight divine angels descended to the earth and gave the king a stone that gives power over the elements of the wind and all spirits. The next stone, presented to the ruler, ruled all living things in water and on land. The third stone was endowed with the power of change: its owner could turn mountains into plains, drain rivers and make the land fertile. And the last angel brought the fourth stone, which allowed Solomon to become the master of all good and evil spirits in heaven and on earth.
The legendary ruler gathered four talismans together and encrusted a ring with stones. Since then, it has become the greatest treasure of the wise king. The strength of the ring was required by Shlomo (Solomon) during the construction of the Jehovah Temple (Jerusalem Temple).
Legend of the Apprentice and the Demon
All the legends about the wisest king of Jerusalem are mainly taken from the Bible, so many of them have something in common. However, one of the very first news about him, researchers called the European grimoire. This oldest magic book is called The Testament of Solomon, and it also tells the story of the magic ring.
During the construction of the Jerusalem Temple, King Solomon noted that one of his youngest and most beloved apprentices is becoming darker and sadder every day. The ruler asked the young man what trouble had happened to him. It turned out that every evening after the end of the working day an evil demon came to him, takes food and earned money, and also sucks blood from the thumb of his right hand. Then Solomon went to the temple and prayed until the archangel Michael appeared to him, who brought the magic ring. The ring enabled the ruler to tame all evil spirits. He subjugated seventy-two demons to his will and with their help completed the temple. Then he imprisoned them in a copper amphora, sealed it with the same ring and threw it into the lake.
But the remaining demons told people about the king’s untold riches hidden in a vessel. An amphora was found, and the enclosed spirits burst out. King Solomon's ring no longer had the former power, and the once powerful king became fun for evil forces.
Ring of Solomon: The Parable of the King and the Sage
Another version of the legend of the magic ring is the most common and has a romantic connotation.
As a young and inexperienced ruler, King Solomon received a ring as a gift, which possessed magical powers. In any difficult period of life, it was worth taking it in hand, as the troubles went away, but the young man did not attach any importance to this.
After some time, his state suffered a terrible crop failure, people were dying of hunger. In confusion, the ruler ordered the merchants to sell all his wealth, and feed the people with the proceeds. And then he remembered the ring, took it in his hands, and ... nothing happened. On its outer side, the ruler saw signs in an ancient language that he knew. The inscription on the ring of King Solomon read: "Everything will pass ..."
Decades passed, Solomon became a wise ruler and a happy man. Now he did not part with his talisman. Suddenly his beloved wife died, and his grief and longing were endless. In desperation, the king took the ring, read the inscription, but she did not reassure him, but angered him even more. The king wanted to throw the ring into the lake, but accidentally noticed on his inner side the new wise words “And this will pass ...” And so it happened.
At the sunset of his reign, making the last preparations before going into oblivion, Solomon sat and reflected on his life. He took his talisman, read the famous inscriptions and thought about the corruption of being. Another phrase appeared on the edge of the ring, until this day invisible to his eyes - “Nothing passes ...”
Legend of King Solomon and the Jeweler
Once King Solomon saw a man fully dressed in gold robes, and asked a passerby who he was. This was a famous jeweler. The governor ordered him to make such a ring within three days that would amuse the saddened, and make him too joyful to be sad.
Not knowing how to make such a ring, the jeweler turned to Rahavam, the son of Solomon, asking for help. Then the wise youth scratched three letters with a nail on three sides of the ring - Zain, Gimel and Yod. “And this too will pass ...” the king read, twisting the ring, and in spite of all his power and innumerable wealth, he became sad. And when the evil demon threw him to the ends of the world, Solomon on his way home looked at the ring and he became more cheerful.
The Legend of King Solomon and the Ring of Peace
Another version of the legend says that Solomon was the wisest ruler, but he was constantly overcome by sharp changes in mood. Then the king turned to the sages of Jerusalem with a request to help him solve this problem. The next day, the chief sage presented the ruler with a ring on the outside of which there was an inscription: “It will pass ...” Solomon constantly wore a jewelry, and when he was tormented by emotions, he looked at the words and became calmer. But once this phrase did not produce the usual effect, but angered the sovereign even more. In anger, he wanted to throw away the ring, but in time he saw the inscription on the inside: “And this too will pass ...” Since then, Solomon’s ring has become his talisman and guardian of his peace of mind.
What did Solomon's ring look like?
Today, there are several versions regarding the appearance of the ring. According to one of the most common, it is a thick ring with three inscriptions in the language of the ancient Jews. According to another version - an ordinary ring with three letters, scratched in a circle on the outside. Another legend says that the powerful ring of Solomon, the inscription in the original on which looks like this: גם זה יעבור, looked like an ordinary round ring with notches. In the "Testament of Solomon" the artifact is described as an iron ring with a pentagram, not oxidized by the action of water.
There is also a version that the magic ring was made of white metal, encrusted with stones on four sides.
Mysterious inscription on the ring of Solomon
Muslim legends testify that the power of the ring was in simple truths about the decay of being. The question of what is written on the ring of Solomon, and whether it is written at all, remains controversial.
Many Arab sources testify that King Suleiman really possessed supernatural power and wisdom due to his adornment, but there were no inscriptions on it. It was inlaid with only four magic stones. Jewish sources, such as the Talmud, say that the inscription on the ring was the name of God, which was the king’s main wisdom.
Magic ring - myth or reality?
Today, many researchers and simply curious people are looking for the answer to the question: is Solomon’s ring a parable or an ancient artifact? No one will give a definite answer. Indeed, according to legend, the jewel is located in the tomb of the king, guarded by a two-headed dragon. And the one who finds him will become the ruler of the whole world.
Perhaps archaeologists will be able to solve this riddle, but for now, humanity should remember one of the most ancient truths: “Everything will pass!”