A. C. 992. Heb. thou hast added wisdom and goodness to the fame. + Or, rails. : 7 Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard. 8 Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom. 9 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice. 10. And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon. 11 And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones. 12 And the king made of the almug trees ++ pillars for Heb. a prop. the house of the LORD, and for the king's house, harps also k 2 Chron. ix. and psalteries for singers: there came no such * almug trees, nor were seen unto this day. 10. k 13 And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon So she turned and went to Heb. accord gave her § of his royal bounty. ing to the hand of king Solo mon. Heh the desire of Solomon which he desired. 1 Levit. XXV. her own country, she and her servants. 1 KINGS ix. 17-23. 17 And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether, 18 And Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land, 19 And all the cities of store that Solomon had, and cities for his chariots, and cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build.in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion. 20 And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which were not of the children of Israel, 21 Their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bondservice unto this day. 22 But of the children of Israel did Solomon, make no bondmen: but they were men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers' of his chariots, and his horsemen. 23 These were the chief of the officers that were over Solomon's work, five hundred and fifty, which bare rule over the people that wrought in the work. 2 CHRONICLES VIII. VER. 18. 18 And Huram sent him by the hands of his servants ships, and servants that had knowledge of the sea; and they went with the servants of Solomon to. Ophir, and took thence four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and brought them to king Solomon. 2 CHRONICLES IX. VER. 13-29. 53 13¶ Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hun- A. C. 992. dred and threescore and six talents of gold; 14 Beside that which chapmen and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15¶And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one target. 16 And three hundred shields made he of beaten gold: three hundred shekels of gold went to one shield. And the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. 17 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold. 18 And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were * Or, captains. fastened to the throne, and stays on each side of the sitting place, and two + Heb. hands. Tons standing by the stays: 19 And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps. There was not the like made in any kingdom. 20 And all the drinking vessels of king Solomon were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold: § none were of silver; it was not any thing accounted of in the days of Solomon. Heb. shut up. Or, there was no silver in them. ivory, Or, ele. phants' teeth. 21 For the king's ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram: every three years once came the ships of Tarshish bringing gold, and silver, and apes, and peacocks. 22 And king Solomon passed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 23 ¶ And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, that God had put in his heart. 24 And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, harness, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year. 26. 25 ¶ And Solomon m had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and m 1 Kings iv. twelve thousand horsemen; whom he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. 26¶And he reigned over all the kings "from the river even unto the land n Gen. xv. 18. of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt. 27 And the king † made silver in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar trees made be as the sycomore trees that are in the low plains in abundance. * That is, Euphrates. + Heb. gave. 28 ⚫ And they brought unto Solomon horses out of Egypt, and out of all o 1 Kings x. lands. 2 CHROCLES I. VER. 14 TO THE END, 28. 14 P And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen : and he had a thousand p 1 Kings iv. 26. x. 26, &c. and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, which he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. 15 9 And the king ‡ made silver and gold at Jerusalem as plenteous as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycomore trees that are in the vale for abundance. q1 Kings x. 27. ch. ix. 27. Heb. gave. 16 'And § Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the r 1 Kings x. king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price. 17 And they fetched up, and brought forth out of Egypt a chariot for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so brought 28. ch. ix. 28. Heb. the going forth of Solomon's. the horses was A. C. 992. they out horses for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, by their means. *Heb. by their hand. s 1 Kings x. 1, &c. Matt. xii. 42. Luke xi. 31. 2 CHRONICLES IX. VER. 1—13. 1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great company, and camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. 2 And Solomon told her all her questions: and there was nothing hid from Solomon which he told her not. 3 And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built, 4 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attend+Or, butlers. ance of his ministers, and their apparel; his † cupbearers also, and their apparel; and his ascent by which he went up into the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her. + Heb. word. § Or, sayings. Or, stays. ways. a Ecclus. xlvii. 14, 15, 16. 5 And she said to the king, It was a true report which I heard in mine own land of thine § acts, and of thy wisdom: 6 Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: for thou exceedest the fame that I heard. 7 Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom. 8 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the LORD thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice. 9 And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold,.and of spices great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave king Solomon. 10 And the servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, which brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious stones. 11 And the king made of the algum trees || terraces to the house of the LORD, and to the king's palace, and harps and psalteries for singers: and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah. 12 And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went away to her own land, she and her servants. a CHAPTER VI. Wisdom of Solomon. 1 KINGS IV. VER. 29-32. 29 ¶ And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. 30 And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. 31 For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezra- A. C. 992. hite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about. 1 KINGS IV. VER. 33. 33 And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. 1 KINGS IV. VER. 32. 32 And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. THE PROVERbs, in five parts. PART 18. PROVERBS 1. 1 The use of the proverbs. 7 An exhortation to fear God, and believe his word. 10 To avoid the enticings of sinners. 20 Wisdom complaineth of her contempt. 24 She threateneth her contemners. 1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; 2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; 3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; 984. * Heb. cqui 4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man know- tics. ledge and + discretion. + Or, advise 5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and ment. a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels : 6 To understand a proverb, and ‡ the interpretation; the t Or, an elowords of the wise, and their dark sayings. 7 The fear of the LORD is § the beginning of ledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. quent speech. know- b Job xxviii. 8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: 28. Ps. cxi. 10. cipal part. c ch. iv. 1. & vi. 20. 9 For they shall be || an ornament of grace unto thy head, || Heb. an and chains about thy neck. 10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: The Book of Proverbs may be divided into five parts. The first is a kind of preface, and extends to the end of the ninth chapter; it contains a series of admonitions, cautions, and encouragements to the study of wisdom. adding. A.C. 984. 12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: + Heb. Wisdoms, that is, excellent wis dom. e ch. viii. 1, &c. 13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: 14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse: 15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them: refrain thy foot from their path: 16 d For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. 17 Surely in vain the net is spread * in the sight of any bird. 18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives. 19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof. e 20+ Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: 21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, 22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? 23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. 24 ¶ Because I have called, and ye refused; I have vii. 13. Zech. stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; f Is. lxv. 12. & Ixvi. 4. Jer. vii. 11. f 25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh h; 27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. 28 & Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: 29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: 30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. 31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. 32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. 33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil. |