In what approximate year is Ecclesiastes attributed to Solomon?

• A. 700 BC
• B. 1,000 BC
• C. 935 BC (Solomon's later years)
• D. 500 BC

Answer: (C)

Dating Ecclesiastes in relation to Solomon helps place the book within biblical history and explains the traditional attribution. Ecclesiastes is part of the Wisdom Literature and is traditionally linked to Solomon, the wise king who reigned in Jerusalem. The reflections on vanity, the repeated phrase about life “under the sun,” and the emphasis on a long, experience-filled reign all echo a ruler looking back over a completed career. Because of that traditional connection, scholars commonly situate the work in Solomon’s later years, near the end of his reign, which is around the late 10th century BCE. The approximate year given—about 935 BCE—fits Solomon’s later years, hence the notation “Solomon’s later years.”

Dates like 700 BCE are post-Solomon, during the divided monarchy, which doesn’t align with the traditional setting. A date around 1000 BCE is close to his early reign rather than his later years, and 500 BCE is well after the exile, far removed from Solomon’s time. So 935 BCE (Solomon’s later years) best aligns with the traditional attribution and the perspective of the book.