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NOTES

ON THE

First Book of the Kings, commonly called, The Third Book of the Kings.

IT is not certain who was the author of the two Books of Kings: some have ascribed them to Jeremiah, and some to Isaiah; but others with more probability suppose them to have been composed by Ezra from the records which were regularly kept both in Jerusalem and Samaria, of all publick transactions.

The first Book of Kings contains the history of the reign of Solomon, of his successor Rehoboam (in whose time the ten tribes revolted under Jeroboam), and of the kings of Judah and Israel, to the end of the reign of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and Ahab king of Israel, or of the ten tribes. It comprises a period of 126 years. Both the books of Kings are cited as authentick and canonical by our Saviour and His Apostles.

CHAP. I.

Verse 5.-Adonijah the son of Haggith] That is, David's son by Haggith. Adonijah being David's eldest son now living took advantage of his father's weakness, and set himself up for king.

6. his father had not displeased him] Had not found fault with him for this conduct. Hence David appears in great measure to have brought this evil on himself by his too great indulgence of his

son.

21.-shall be counted offenders.] Shall be deemed guilty of death, for aiming at the kingdom.

42.-for thou art a valiant man,] Rather, "for thou art a virtuous man."

50.- caught hold on the horns of the altar.] Conscious of the crime he had committed, he fled to the altar for safety and protection, as that was a privileged place, not by the appointment of the law, but by the custom of all nations.

CHAP. II.

Verse 5-thou knowest also what Joab-did to me, Joab had always conducted himself with great insolence to David, especially under his heaviest affliction, 2 Sam. xix. 7, and lately had set up Adonijah to reign, while he was yet alive.

The dying advice which David gave Solomon

respecting Joab did not proceed from a spirit of revenge: his conduct in this respect was prudent and not unworthy of a just and religious prince. He does not direct Solomon absolutely and unconditionally to put him to death, but tells him to "do according to his wisdom;" as if he had said, "Though you have now pardoned Joab through policy, as I was compelled to do myself by the exigency of the times; yet, should he of fend again, act according to your discretion, and then punish him, as a hoary-headed murderer, and a confirmed traitor, with death."

He

and shed the blood of war in peace, &c.] killed them while speaking to them in a friendly manner, and was not ashamed to appear with the stain of their blood upon his clothes and armour.

9. Now therefore hold him not guiltless:] David's intention was not that Shimei should be put to death for having cursed him: but he directs Solomon not to trust him, but to look on him as a suspicious and dangerous person, and if he should again offend, not to spare him, as David himself had done. David was not false to his oath in giving this direction concerning Shimei; for the meaning of that oath was, as appears from the context, that Shimei should not be put to death that day by the sword of Abishai, who wanted inmediately to kill kim.

22.- ask for him the kingdom also;] The meaning is, Do you call this a small petition? You might as well ask the kingdom for him. For the laws of the government made it illegal, for any one besides the king and his successors to take to himself any of the royal widows, concubines, servants, or any thing else appropriated to the prince. Solomon therefore considered this as a new scheme on which Adonijah had been put by Joab, in order to carry on again his designs against himself and his government.

23.-against his own life.] That is, to the loss of his life. Adonijah was worthy of death, as having been guilty of treasonable practices, which it would not have been consistent with the safety of the kingdom, to have pardoned.

28.-caught hold on the horns of the altar,] It is declared at Exod. xxi. 14. that if a man committed a presumptuous murder, he should be taken even from the altar and put to death.

43. Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the Lord, &c.] Although Shimei's journey was 'not' undertaken with any evil design, yet he hereby incurred the double guilt of breaking his oath to God, and of disobeying the king's command..

CHAP. III.

Verse 2. Only the people sacrificed in high places,] The only blemish in Solomon's govern-, ment for a long time was, that he indulged the people in their ancient, though now forbidden, custom of sacrificing upon high places.

7.-1 am but a little child: &c.] Solomon calls, himself a child, only in respect to his skill in the management of publick affairs, as is signified in the last words of the verse, "I know not how to go out or come in," that is, how to govern so great a people.

9.

Give-thy servant an understanding heart], After the example of Solomon, we should all learn to labour after, and beg of God, in the first place, true wisdom, which consists in fearing Him, and the gifts and graces of the Spirit necessary to that end.

15.—and, behold, it was a dream.] Not a mere ordinary dream, bat a divine vision.

16. that were harlots,] See the note respecting Rahab, Josh. ii. 1.

25.-Divide the living child in two,] Solomon said this for the purpose of discovering who was the true mother.

26. Then spake the woman &c.] On Solomon's ordering the child to be divided in two, the real nother begs that the child may be saved, even though it be given to her adversary: but the pretended mother is clearly for dividing it: this gave Selomon a full conviction that she who expressed

tenderness and compassion for the child, was its true mother, and accordingly he ordered it to be given to her.

CHAP. IV.

Verse 19. he was the only officer-in the land.] The only officer in that part of the land, though it was much greater than the other parts.

20.-eating and drinking, &c.]. Living in perfect plenty and security, and being highly satisfied with their situation.

21.-the river] That is, the river Euphrates. 25.-dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree,] A phrase signifying the peace and plenty which the people then enjoyed.

29.-largeness of heart, even as the sand] A mind very comprehensive of all sort of knowledge.

31.-he was wiser-than Ethan] Solomon not only'excelled in wisdom the people of the East country, and of Egypt, which were celebrated for their wisdom; but he was also wiser than his contemporaries; than Ethan, author of the 89th Psalm, than Heman, author of the 88th, and their brothers, Chalcol and Darda, sons of Mahol, or "the choir."

32. he spake three thousand proverbs:] Of these all that are remaining, are preserved in the books of Proverbs and of Ecclesiastes.

-his songs were a thousand and five.] In ancient times wise men were wont to convey their instructions in songs, that they might be more easily remembered. None of these compositions of Solomon were thought to be divinely inspired, but the Song of Songs, which has therefore been joined to the sacred books.

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the tabernacle) was the place where the ark (or oracle) was to stand, whence the whole room is called the oracle.

21. he made a partition by the chains of gold before the oracle;] The most holy place was separated from the sanctuary by a partition: before which there was a vail also; which hung upon golden chains.

36.the inner court] The court wherein the priests officiated.

CHAP. VII.

⚫ Verse 2. He built also the house of the forest of Lebanon;] This was probably built in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem, and derived its name, perhaps, from being built on a cool and shady mountain, and surrounded with lofty trees.

15.-he cast two pillars of brass,] To these pillars Solomon gave the names of Jachin and Boaz, which signify "direction" and "strength;" perhaps he designed them to bear allusion to the two memorable pillars of fire and of the cloud which conducted the Israelites from Egypt.

26.—it contained two thousand baths.} A“ bath” (the same as the ephah) is thought to have contained eight gallons. The use of this "brasen sea" was for the priests to wash their hands and feet at their entrance into the temple.

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Verse 9. There was nothing in the ark, save the two tables of stone,] The passage in Hebrews ix. 4. appears to be inconsistent with this, where it is affirmed, that in this ark" was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded," as well as "the tables of the covenant." To explain this, some understand, in the passage in the Hebrews, that the golden pot, &c. were not placed in the ark, but by it, or near it, which the word in the original language warrants. Others under. stand, that, before the ark had any settled abode, all these things were placed in it; but that when it was carried to the temple, the two tables only were left in it, every thing else being carried to the treasury of the temple.

10.the cloud filled the house] The cloud of glory which formerly resided in the tabernacle, descended now into the temple..

24. Who has kept with thy servant David, &c.] This relates to that part of God's promises to David, which had respect to his son's building for Him a house.

27.-will God indeed dwell on the earth ?] That is, though God is pleased to let this be called His

house, and to say He will dwell in it, yet this is not to be understood in the common notion of dwelling in an house; but only, that though God is every where, yet He will be here in a special manner, and will have respect unto the prayers of His servants.

81. If any man trespass &c.] In any great debates of right, injury, or trespass, between man and man, where an appeal is made by oath before Thy altar; do Thou, who alone knowest the heart, clear the innocent, and punish the guilty.

43.-that this house is called by thy name.] That is, "that it is Thy house."

59.-let these my words,-be nigh unto the Lord] That is, let them be always in the remembrance of the Lord.

63.-two and twenty thousand oxen, &c.] These were not all offered in one day, but during the feast, which lasted fourteen days.

65.-from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt,] From the northern to the southern extremity of the land of Israel.

66.

On the eighth day he sent the people away:] That is, on the day after the last seven days of the feast.

CHAP. IX.

This chapter is to be compared with 2 Chron. vii. 12. to the end, and Chap. viii.

Verse 13. he called them the land of Cabul] It is commonly thought that Hiram called them by way of derision "Cabul," which signifies a dirty country, or displeasing. The reason of Hiram's refusing these lands probably was, that the Tyrians, being very commodiously situated for navigation, were in a manner wholly addicted to it, and were therefore unwilling to remove from the sea-coast, and settle in a country where they could only live by the labours of agriculture.

28.-they came to Ophir,] It is not agreed whether this was some country in the East Indies, or on the coast of Africa.

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-to be as the sycamore trees] By the "sycamore" is here meant, a tree called the Egyptian fig. This was very common in Egypt and Judea: and appears to have furnished the more ordinary timber, as cedars did the most precious.

28. And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, This was contrary to the Law; see Deut. xvii. 16. and the note there. Hitherto all the great conquests of the Israelites had been made without the use of horses and chariots. And though Solomon in defiance of the Law introduced them from Egypt, yet this new force proved no security to his kingdom, which was torn and divided upon his death.

CHAP. XI.

Verse 1. Solomon loved many strange women,] Solomon committed no fault in marrying Pharaoh's daughter, as she was a convert, according to the common opinion, to the Jewish religion. But in marrying so many other women besides, he committed two sins against the law, the one in multiplying wives, and the other in marrying those of strange nations, who still retained their idolatrous religion.

Solomon, notwithstanding his wisdom, fell into great sins, after he had enjoyed a long course of prosperity. This should be a warning to others against the snares and temptations, to which such a state naturally exposes them.

Thongh Solomon was, in the main, a virtuous and religious man, yet we are not to suppose that the whole of his conduct affords a fit model for our initation. We must not follow even good men, in doing evil. The tailings of such persons are recorded in Scripture, to deter us from sin, not to encourage us to it, or make us easy under the commission of it.

4.-his wives turned away his heart] He was seduced to idolatry by his numerous heathen women. So fatal au evil is lust to the best understandings, which, whensoever it possesses them, it perfectly besots, and reigns over them with uncontrolled power.

If the wisest of men so greatly erred, who dare be off their guard? Even those who have received the greatest favours from God ought to improve by this example, and confess, that, notwithstanding all these advantages, they may fall into the greatest disorders, and become wholly corrupt.

-his heart was not perfect with the Lord] The meaning is, not that he forsook the true God, but that he joined with His worship the worship of false gods.

25.—he was an adversary-all the days of Solomon,] That is, during the remainder of his life, from the time that his wives publickly exercised their idolatry, unto the day of his death.

28. made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.] Solomon appointed him to superintend the revenue of "the house of Joseph," that is, the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.

-36-that-David-may have a light alway before me] Meaning that the posterity of David may not be entirely extinct, that his race may not remain in obscurity and oblivion.

41.in the book of the acts of Solomon?] The kings of Israel were accustomed to maintain skilfulpersons, who committed to writing all that passed in their reign. Out of these annals probably, the sacred writer of this book took what he thought most useful, and omitted the rest, which he did not judge so necessary and instructive.

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16.-neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse:] They hereby renounce all subjection to the posterity of David, whom, by way of contempt, they call the son of Jesse, referring to the meanness of his origin.

From this time the nation was divided into two kingdoms, called the kingdom of Judah, which consisted of the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and the kingdom of Israel, which consisted of the other ten tribes.

24-for this thing is from me.] I have ordere l and contrived this matter for the just punishment of thy fathers falling from me.

26.And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:] Jer 1boam fearing that if the people went up at the stated times to worship at Jérusalem, they might be led to revolt from him and return to Rehoboa n, separated them from the national worship prescrib ed by law, and established the idolatry of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.

This piece of false policy proved the ruin of Jeroboam and of his family, which, had be trusted in God, and not in his own wisdom, would have been established in the kingdom.

28.-behold thy gods, O Israel,] Jeroboam

could not himself believe, nor expect others to believe that these idols had really been their deliverers; he merely meant them as symbols or visible representations of the Divine presence.

29. And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other -in Dan.] He set them up at Dan and Beth-el, the former as being in the north part, the latter in the south part, of the kingdom of Israel.

On account of this infamous idolatry into which Jeroboam seduced the ten tribes of Israel, he is generally spoken of in Scripture, as "Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who made, Israel to sin."

32.-ordained a feast in the eighth month, &c.] The feast of Tabernacles was by law to be cele-, brated on the fifteenth day of the seventh month; this he presumptuously altered to the eighth month.

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2-Behold, a child shall be born-Josiah by name;] This remarkable prophecy foretells an action that exactly came to pass above 340 years afterwards. It describes the circumstances of the action, and mentions the name of the person that was to do it. Hence it affords a noble argument that this book was written by the inspiration of the Spirit of God.

upon thee shall he offer the priests &c.] The meaning is, not that he shall burn the priests alive, but, as is explained in the execution of this prophecy, that he should slay the priests of the high places, and then burn their bones, as, he did the bones of those that had been buried, and thereby defile this altar. See 2 Kings xxiii. 15. &c.

7.-Come home with me, and refresh thyself,] Though a cure had been wrought on the body of Jeroboam, his mind remained insensible to those feelings which ought to have been excited by this event. Instead of promising a reformation in his conduct, he only invited the prophet to a banquet and a present.

9.-nor turn again by the same way] The reason is obvious why this prophet was forbidden to eat or drink with the people of Beth-el, because he was to have no familiarity with idolaters; but why he should not "return by the same way" is not quite so evident. Perhaps God gave this injunction to the prophet for the purpose of concealment, lest Jeroboam, intending to do him some mischief for his severe denunciations against his altar and method of worship, might send some men after him to bring him back.

18.-Lam a prophet also as thou art; &c.] It is somewhat obscure, whether this old prophet of Beth-el was a true or a false prophet. If a true prophet, why did he lie to him? If a false one, how could he foretel him of his end? He was probably a true prophet, and the man of God knew that he was a true prophet; and the lie which he told was not perhaps with the intention of doing him an injury, but an officious lie, to persuade him to go home with him. He desires to have the company of this good man; and, seeing no arguments will persuade him, invents a falsehood of an angel having spoken to him, and commanded him to bring him back; and so the poor man is deceived and undone.

Hence it appears that they who were honoured with the gift of prophecy, became not thenceforward incapable of sinning. We also learn from this history, how fatal is the effect of lying.

22.-thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.] Meaning that he should lose his life before he got to his own country, and so should not be buried in the sepulchre of his fathers.

24. a lion slew him:] It might appear that the offence of the prophet hardly deserved so severe a fate; but then we should consider, that he could not but be sensible that God had in a special manner made known His will to him, and that the particular injunction of not eating or drinking in the town of Beth-el, was as much the will of God as any other part of his commission. The punishment therefore of this prophet, was, no doubt, designed to admonish all others to obey God's commands strictly.

It is worthy of remark, that the deceiving prophet was not punished, but the deceived one was. We are taught from this instance not to pass any judgment, as to God's final favour or disfavour, from His outward dispensations, any further than we have special grounds for it. The prophet that was spared appears to have been a much worse man than the prophet that was punished. But his account was adjourned to another time, or another world. Every history supplies us with many similar instances of the best men being taken off first, and the worst being left behind, to live longer and repent, or to meet with a severer doom. This is no argument whatever, against the being and providence of God; for a life to come will adjust every seeming inequality, and set all things right.

28.-the ass and the lion standing by the carcase:] This circumstance seems to be mentioned, to shew that the lion acted by a supernatural direction. In the ordinary course of things, this animal would not have attacked the man, unless impelled by the cravings of hunger; and, that this was not the case in the present instance, is proved by the fact

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