therein build an altar to God, and offer a sacrifice. Araunah replied, that he freely gave him both the threshing floor, and the ploughs, and the oxen for a burnt-offering; and he besought God graciously to accept his sacrifice. The king said that he took his generosity and magnanimity kindly, and accepted his good will; but he desired him to take the price of them all; for that it was not just to offer a sacrifice that cost nothing. And when Araunah said he might do as he pleased, he bought the threshing floor* for fifty† shekels. And when he had built an altar, he performed divine service, and brought a burnt-offering, and offered peace-offerings. With these God was pacified, and became gracious to them again. Now it happened that Abraham‡ came and offered his son Isaac for a burnt-offering at that very place; and, when the youth was ready to have his throat cut, a ram appeared on a sudden, standing by the altar, which Abraham sacrificed in the stead of his son, as we have before related. Now when king David saw that God had heard his prayer, and had graciously accepted of his sacrifice, he resolved to call that place the altar of all the people; and to build a temple to God there. Which words he uttered very appositely to what was to be done afterward; for God sent the prophet to him, and told him, that there should his son build him an altar.

Six hundred shekels of gold, 1 Chron. xxi. 25.

The mountain of the house, or mount Moriah, by Mr. Maundrell's measures, page 105, was about five hundred and seventy-one cubits wide, and about nine bundred and eighty cubits long-thirty-five acres, which if it all belonged to Araunah, might well be worth those six hundred shekels of gold or 1251. which we have 1 Chron. xxi. 25. and a small part of it with the oxen and instruments, would be much more worth than those fifty shekels of silver 51. 18s. which we have 2 Sam. xxiv. 24, and here. So that the larger number in the Chronicles is, in all probability, the true number.

What Josephus adds here, whether from his copy of 2 Sam. xxiv. 25, or of 1 Chron. xxvi. 26-30, or from other places belonging to David's history, of which already VII. 4, is very remarkable; that this mount Moriah was not only the very place where Abraham offered up his son Isaac long ago, but that God had foretold to David by a prophet that here his son should build him a temple, which is not directly in any of our other copies; though very agreeable to what was in them; particularly in 1 Chron. xxi. 26, 28, and xxii. 1, to which place I refer the reader.

CHAP. XIV.

OF THE GREAT PREPARATIONS MADE BY DAVID FOR THE HOUSE OF GOD, AND HIS APPOINTMENT OF SOLOMON TO REIGN, UPON ADONIJAH'S ATTEMPT TO GAIN THE KINGDOM.

AFTER the delivery of this prophecy the king commanded the strangers to be numbered; and they were found to be one hundred and eighty thousand. Of these he appointed eighty thousand to be hewers of stone, and the rest of the multitude to carry stones; and of them he set over the workmen three thousand and fivet hundred. He also prepared a great quantity of iron and brass for the work, with many large cedar trees; the Tyrians and Sidonians sending them to him; for he had sent to them for a supply of those trees. And told his friends, that these things were now prepared, that he might leave materials ready for the building of the temple to his son, who was to reign after him; and that he might not have them to seek then, when he was very young, and by reason of his age unskilful in those matters; but might have them lying by him, and so might the more readily complete the work.

So David called his son Solomon, and charged him, when be had received the kingdom,‡ to build a temple to God: and said, "I was willing to build God a temple myself; but he prohibited me, because I was polluted with blood and wars; but he hath foretold that Solomon, my youngest son, should build him a temple, and should be called by that name. Over whom he hath promised to take the like care, as a father takes over his son; and that he would make the country of the Hebrews happy under him, and that not only in other respects, but by giving

* About an. 1057.

Three hundred, 1 Kings v. 16.

This power of naming a successor was here assumed by David, and for some time afterwards, (as it appears by the story of his grandson Rehoboam,) was continued in the Jewish state. It was a privilege that, in after-ages, was granted to severa! good princes; but among the Israelites it did not prevail long, because the constitution of other nations, (to which the Israelites affected to conform themselves,) was different. Pool's Annotations, and Patrick's Commentary. B.

it peace, and freedom from wars, and from internal seditions which are the greatest of all blessings. Since therefore, thou wast ordained king by God himself before thou wast born; endeavour to render thyself worthy of this his providence; as is in other instances so particularly in being religious and courageous. Keep thou also his commands, and his laws, which he hath given us by Moses; and do not permit others to break them. Be zealous also to dedicate to God a temple, which he hath chosen to be built under thy reign. Nor be thou affrighted by the vastness of the work; nor set about it timorously. For I will make all things ready before I die. And take notice, that there are already ten thousand talents of gold, and a hundred talents of silver collected together. I have also laid together brass and iron without number; and an immense quantity of timber, and of stones. Moreover thou hast many thousand stone-cutters and carpenters. And if thou shalt want any farther, do thou add somewhat of thine own. Wherefore if thou performest this work, thou wilt be acceptable to God, and have him for thy patron." David also farther exhorted the rulers of the people to assist his son in this building and to attend to the divine service, when they should be freed from all their misfortunes; for by this means they should enjoy, instead of them, peace and a happy settlement; with which blessings God rewards such men as are religious and righteous. He also gave orders, that when the temple should be built, they should put the ark therein, with the holy vessels; and he assured them, that they ought to have had a temple long ago, if their fathers had not been negligent of God's commands; who had given it in charge, that when they had got the possession of this land, they should build him a temple. Thus did David discourse to the governors, and to his son.

David was now in years, and his body by length of time was become cold and benumbed; insomuch that he could get no heat by covering himself with many clothes. And when the

* Of the quantity of gold and silver expended in the building of Solomon's temple, and whence it arose, see the description of the temples, chap. 13. And of the distinct parts of that temple, see the other chapters of that description thereto belonging.

physicians came together, they agreed that a beautiful virgin,* chosen out of the whole country, should sleep by the king's side; and that this damsel would communicate heat to him, and be a remedy against his numbness. Now there was found in the city one woman of superior beauty; her name was Abishag, who sleeping with the king, did communicate warmth to him. But of this woman we shall speak more presently.

Now the fourth son of David was a beautiful young man, and tall; born to him of† Haggith, his wife. He was named Adonijah, and was in his disposition like to Absalom, and exalted himself, as hoping to be king, and told his friends, that he ought to take the government upon him. He also prepared many chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. When his father saw this, he did not reprove him, nor restrain him from his purpose, nor did he go so far as to ask wherefore he did so. Now Adonijah had for his assistants Joab, the captain of the army, and Abiathar the high-priest. And the only persons that opposed him were Zadok the high-priest, and the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah, who was captain of the guards, and Shimei, David's friend, with all the other most mighty men. Now Adonijah had prepared a supper out of the city, near the fountain, that was in the king's paradise, and had invited all his brethren, except Solomon; and had taken with him Joab, the captain of the army, and Abiathar, and the rulers of the tribe of Judah: but had not invited to this feast, Zadok the high-priest,

* It is the observation of Galen, in his fifth book Of the Powers of Simple Medicines, that nothing so effectually procures heat and health as the application of any thing young to the stomach: the advice of David's physicians therefore was not amiss; but it had been sinful advice, and such as he could not have followed, had not this young woman, whom he took to bed with him, been bis concubinary wife. In those days such wives were allowable: and that she served him in this capacity, is very manifest from the account we have of her in Scripture, for whereas it is said, that the king knew her not, this certainly implies, that he might have had carnal knowledge of her without sin or scandal; whereas it is said, that she lay in his bosom, this phrase every where in Scripture denotes what was the sole privilege of a wife, concubine, Gen. xvi. 5. Deut. xiii. 6. Nor can we ima

gine why Adonijah's desiring her in marriage had been so heinous a crime in Solomon's account, had she not been the king's wife, and he, by this means, had designed to revive his pretensions to the crown. Pool's Annotations. B.

+ 2 Sam. iii. 4.

About an. 1058.

Nathan the prophet, nor Benaiah, the captain of the guards, nor any of those of the contrary party. This matter was told by Nathan to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother; that Adonijah was king, and that David knew nothing of it; and he advised her to save herself, and her son Solomon, and to go by herself to David, and say to him, that he had indeed sworn that Solomon should reign after him; but that, in the mean time Adonijah had already taken the kingdom. He said, that he, the prophet himself, would come after her, and, when she had spoken thus to the king, would confirm what she had said. Accordingly Bathsheba agreed with Nathan, and went in to the king, and worshipped him; and when she had desired leave to speak with him, she told him all things in the manner that Nathan had suggested to her; and related what a supper Adonijah had made, and who they were whom he had invited, as his intimate friends. She also said, that all the people had their eyes upon him, to know whom he would choose for their king. She desired him also to consider, how, after his departure, Adonijah, if he were king, would slay her and her son Solomon.

Now as Bathsheba was speaking, the keepers of the king's chambers told him, that Nathan desired to see him. And when the king had commanded that he should be admitted, he came in, and asked him whether he had ordained Adonijah to be king, and delivered the government to him or not? for that he had made a splendid supper, and invited all his sons, except Solomon; as also that he had invited Joab, the captain of the host, and Abiathar the high-priest, who were feasting with applauses, and many joyful sounds of instruments, and wishing that the kingdom might last for ever. "But," said Nathan, "he hath not invited me, nor Zadok the high-priest, nor Benaiah the captain of the guards. And it is but fit that all should know whether this be done by thy approbation or not." When Nathan had said thus, the king commanded that they should call

In 2 Sam. vii. 12, God had promised David by Nathan, that he would set upon his throne a son that should proceed from him, which plainly signified, that none of his sons already born were to be the person; and in 1 Chron. xxii. 9, &c. he declared by the same prophet, that after his father, Solomon should reign, and build him a house. This Adonijah could not but know; and therefore his setting himself against the decree of heaven made his sin the greater. Patrick's Com anentary. B.