Who built Solomon's temple in Jerusalem and why was it important?

Answer 1

A:

As the name implies, tradition tells us that Solomon built the first temple in Jerusalem. During the late monarchy, from the time of King Josiah, it became the only place in the kingdom of Judah, where God was permitted to be worshipped.

Some scholars note the similarities in design to the Bronze Age Canaanite temples, and speculate that it might have been built by the Canaanites long before the time of King Solomon. Whether the first Temple in Jerusalem was actually built by King Solomon, or merely attributed to him centuries later, the biblical account indicates that it was used for the worship of many gods, including the present Abrahamic God. The Temple even had horses and chariots that were dedicated for the sun god, until they were removed from the Temple by King Josiah as inimical to monotheism (2 Kings 23:11).