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(9) THE VISIT OF THE QUEEN OF SHEBA. 1 Kings 10:1-13.

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2 Chronicles 9:1-12.

I And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions. 2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. 3 And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king which he told her not. 4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built, 5 and the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his min-ance of his ministers, and their apparel; his cupisters, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and 'his ascent by which he went up into the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her. 6 And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom. 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. 9Blessed 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 judgement 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. II 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 the house of the LORD, and for the king's house, harps also and psalteries for the singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen, unto this day. 13 And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants.

I 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 train, 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 not any thing 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 attendbearers also, and their apparel; and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her. 5 And she said to the king, It was a true report that 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 half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: 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 judgement and justice. 9 And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and spices in great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave to 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 for the house of the LORD, and for the king's house, and harps and psalteries for the 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 to her own land, she and her servants.

a Heb.standing." bOr, "his burnt offering which he offered in," etc. added wisdom and goodness to the fame." e Perhaps, sandal wood," "which he gave her according to the hand of king Solomon."

c Or, sayings." Or, "a railing."

Heb. "a

d Heb. thou hast a prop. g Heb.

135. THE GLORY OF SOLOMON.

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(1) THE PRINCES.

1 Kings 4:1-6.

1 And king Solomon was king over all Israel. 2 And these were the princes which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest; 3 Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, 'scribes ; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder; 4 and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; 5 and Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; and Zabud the son of Nathan was priest, and the king's friend; 6 and Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the levy.

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(2) THE COMMISSARIES.

1 Kings 4:7-19, 22, 23, 27, 28.

7 And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided victuals for the king and his household each man had to make provision for a month in the year. 8 And these are their names: Ben-hur, in the hill country of Ephraim: 9 Ben-deker, in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Beth-shemesh, and Elon-beth-hanan: 10 Ben-hesed, in Arubboth; to him pertained Socoh, and all the land of Hepher: 11 Ben-abinadab, in all the height of Dor; he had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife: 12 Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth-shean which is beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel, froin Beth-shean to Abel-meholah, as far as beyond Jokmeam: 13 Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead; to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; even to him pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and brasen bars: 14 Ahinadab the son of Iddo, in Mahanaim : Ahimaaz, in Naphtali; 15 he also took Basemath the daughter of Solomon to wife: 16 Baana the son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth: 17 Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar: 18 Shimei the son of Ela, in Benjamin: 19 Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan; 'and he was the only officer which was in the land.

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22 And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal; 23 ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and gazelles, and roebucks, and fatted fowl. 27 And those officers provided victual for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month: they let nothing be lacking. 28 Barley also and straw for the horses and swift steeds brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.

(3) SOLOMON'S WISDOM.

1 Kings 4:29-34.

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, and all the wisdom of Egypt. 31 For he was wiser than all men ; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all the nations round about. 32 And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. 33 And he spake of trees, from the cedar 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. 34 And there came of all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.

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14 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold, 15 beside that which the chapmen brought, and the traffic of the merchants, and of all the kings of the mingled people, and of the governors of the country. 16 And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one target. 17 And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pound of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. 18 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the finest gold. 19 There were six steps to the throne, and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were stays on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the stays. 20 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. 21 And all king Solomon's drinking vessels 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 nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.

27 And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and Icedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the lowland, for abundance.

23 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. 24 And all the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom,

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SPLENDOR.

15 And the king made silver and gold to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the lowland, for abundance.

a Heb. maneh." ¿ Or," arms." Heb. " hands."

2 Chronicles 9:13-20, 27, 22-24. 13 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and threescore and six talents of gold; 14 beside that which the chapmen and merchants brought: and all the kings of Arabia and the 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 he made three hundred shields 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 fastened to the throne, and 'stays on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside 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 king Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold: silver was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.

27 And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the lowland, for abundance.

22 So king Solomon exceeded 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

1 Kings 10.

which God had put in his heart. 25 And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.

1 Kings 4:26. 26 And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.

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(5) SOLOMON'S CHARIOTS, 1 Kings 10:26, 28, 29. 26 And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, which he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. 28 And the horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt; and the king's merchants received them in droves, each drove at a price. 29 And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.

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2 Chronicles 9.

wisdom, which God had put in his heart. 24 And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.

HORSEMEN, AND TRAFFIC. 2 Chronicles 1:14,16,17.

14 And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, which he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. 16 And the horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt; the king's merchants received them in droves, each drove at a price. 17 And they fetched up, and brought out of Egypt a chariot for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their

means.

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2 Chronicles 9:25, 28.

25 And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, which he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. 28 And they brought horses for Solomon out of Egypt, and out of all lands.

(6) THE EXTENT AND SECURITY OF THE KINGDOM.

1 Kings 4:21, 24, 20, 25.

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21 And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life. 24 For he had dominion over all the region ⚫ on this side the River, from Tiphsah evento Gaza, over all the kings on this side the River: and he had peace on all sides round about him. 20 Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry. 25 And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, all the days of Solomon.

2 Chronicles 9:26.

26 And he ruled over all the kings from the River even unto the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.

a Heb. in their hand." 6 Ch. 5:1 in Heb. c Or," beyond the River." d Some authorities read," with all his servants."

PART III.

SOLOMON'S FALL AND END.

136. THE STRANGE WIVES TURN AWAY SOLOMON'S HEART.
1 Kings 11:1-8.

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I Now king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; 2 of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go among them, neither shall they come among you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. 3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. 4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6 And Solomon did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father. 7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, in the mount that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon. 8 And so did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.

137. GOD'S ANGER AND THREATENING.

1 Kings 11:9-13.

9 And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded. II Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. 12 Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it, for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. 13 Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but I will give one tribe to thy son, for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen.

138. SOLOMON'S ADVERSARIES.

(1) HADAD THE EDOMITE.

1 Kings 11:14, 21, 22.

14 And the LORD raised up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom. 21 And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the host was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that I may go to mine own country. 22 Then Pharaoh said unto him, But what hast thou lacked with me, that, behold, thou seekest to go to thine own country? And he answered, Nothing: howbeit let me depart in any wise.

(2) REZON THE SON OF ELIADA.d

1 Kings 11:23, 25.

23 And God raised up another adversary unto him, Rezon the son of Eliada, which had fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah. 25 Ánd he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, beside the mischief that Hadad did: and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria.

a Or, "besides." b Heb. "is with thee." c For a fuller account of Hadad, cf. 1 Kings 11: 15-20. It will be found in its chronological setting in §89 and accompanying footnote. d For a fuller account of Rezon, cf. 1 Kings 11: 24. See §86, with accompanying footnote.

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