yet, since I have sworn to spare his life, "bring thou his hoar head down to the grave with blood;" or as it may, and probably should be rendered, "bring NOT his hoar head down to the grave with blood." Solomon evidently understood the command in this latter sense; for while he executed justice upon Joab, he spared the life of Shimei. He ordered him, indeed, as a seditious and evil-disposed person, to build his house in Jerusalem, and to remain under the eye of the court, on the pain of death. Farther than this he did not understand the command of David to reach. Shimei accepted the conditions, which Solomon imposed, with gladness, and dwelt in peace at Jerusalem. It was only when he violated these conditions, and gave ground for suspicion that he was again bent upon his seditious work, that Solomon passed sentence of death upon him. He did not perish in consequence of David's charge, (and this makes it perfectly clear that David never intended his death,) but in consequence of his own restless and lawless spirit. He died no doubt as a traitor, for we are told at the time of his death that the kingdom was then established in the hand of Solomon.

Then followed, in the closing scene of his eventful life, these last words of David: "David the son of Jesse, said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet Psalmist of Israel, said, The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the light of the morning when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. Although my house be not so with God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure: for this is all my salvation and all my desire, although he make it not to grow. So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David." After a reign of forty years, he died, in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour. As a warrior, he was brave, prudent, keenly alive to the sufferings of his soldiers, and beloved and trusted by those whom he commanded. His brilliant victories testify to his ability. As a king, he was wise to counsel, and energetic in carrying his plans into execution. He was kind to the suffering, and impartial in the execution of justice. He used his power as one accountable to God. As a man, he was affectionate and generous, noble in all his impulses, forgiving to his enemies and grateful to friends. As an inspired poet, his name and memory have been and will be cherished by every pious heart. As a worshipper of the true God, he was steadfast, sincere, humble, and trustful, a pattern to those who

came after him. And though he fell grievously, yet he submitted to reproof, humbled himself before God in the truest repentance, and obtained an abiding sense of his mercy. He may justly be numbered among the greatest and the best, not only of kings, but of men.

SECTION X.

SOLOMON KING-HIS SACRIFICE AT GIBEON-DEATH OF ADONIJAH AND JOAB-SOLOMON PREPARES TO BUILD THE TEMPLE-THE TREATY WITH TYRE AND EGYPT.

SOLOMON came to the throne, when the country was in a profound peace; which lasted, with but slight interruption, during his long reign. He began his reign in the spirit of that solemn charge which he received from the lips of a dying father. It is said of him that "he loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father; only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places." It will be remembered, that while the ark was brought to Jerusalem, the tabernacle and the brazen altar remained at Gibeon. Thither the young king, having called his chief men, went, to commence his reign, with a solemn public sacrifice to God; for that was the great high place, and there Solomon "offered a thousand burnt-offerings.' On the night following the sacrifice, God appeared to him in a dream, and said, "Ask what I shall give thee." And Solomon said, "Thou hast showed unto David thy great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee. And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king, in stead of David my father; and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give, therefore, thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad; for who is able to judge this thy so great a people." The petition of Solomon was peculiarly acceptable to God, and God said, "Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life, but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king; behold, I have done according to thy words: I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart, and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments,

as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days." After this answer to his prayer, Solomon awoke from his vision, returned to Jerusalem, and offered burnt-offerings before the ark of the Lord, and made a feast to all his servants.

The gift which Solomon had received, he had immediate occasion to exercise. There were two women dwelling alone, in the same house, each with an infant child. Through the neglect of the mother, the child of the one died. Aware of her loss, she arose at midnight, and went and exchanged her dead son for the living one of her companion. The true mother of the living child brought her complaint before the king, and claimed her son. But the other denied her crime. Each one claimed the living as her own. There appears to have been no evidence of any kind, by which the controversy could be decided. Solomon saw that the only way to determine it was by an appeal to the instinctive affection of a mother for her offspring. And the king said, "Bring a sword, and divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other." But the heart of the real mother answered at once to the appeal, "and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it; while the other said, Divide it." The wise plan of the king succeeded, and he gave sentence, "Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it; she is the mother thereof. And all Israel heard of the judgment, and feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment."

While this was taking place, the restless spirit of Adonijah was again at work. In his extreme old age, David, by the advice of his servants, had taken Abishag the Shunamite among the number of his wives. Her beauty attracted the love of Adonijah, and he came to Bathsheba, and urged her to ask from the king Abishag for his wife. The design of this request appears in the way he urges his suit. "Thou knowest," he said, "that the kingdom was mine, howbeit, it is now turned and become my brother's, for it was his from the Lord." Adcnijah knew well that the request was a treasonable one, and thus Solomon understood it. For when his mother urged the request of Adonijah, he replies, "Why dost thou ask Abishag for him? ask also the kingdom." Solomon immediately adopted the most stringent measures, and treats his brother as a condemned traitor. "God do so to me and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life." And he sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, "and he fell upon him that he died." This was certainly summary justice; if indeed any state policy can make such arbitrary measures fall under the name of justice. But it is difficult for us to enter fully into all that was implied in Adonijah's suit; and it would seem probable, that there were other signs of his treasonable disposition,

which led Solomon so instantly to punish. This probability is increased, by the fact that Abiathar and Joab-Adonijah's supporters in his former conspiracy-are here again connected. with him. Their punishment immediately follows. Abiathar was banished to his own possessions, at Anathoth, and deprived of his priestly office-a fulfilment of the threatening of God to Eli, "that the priesthood should depart from his house." Abiathar was the last priest of the house of Ithamar, (of which family Eli was,) and the priesthood returned again to the house of Eleazar, in the person of Zadok.

When Joab heard that his partners were punished, he fled unto the "tabernacle of Jehovah, and caught hold on the horns of the altar." Benaiah was sent to bring him from his sanctuary, but Joab refused. He trusted to escape justice, through the protection of the altar. Solomon, however, well understood that the altar could be no sanctuary for the hardened criminal. Benaiah was again despatched to go and slay him, even at the altar; "that thou mayest take away the innocent blood from me, and from the house of my father, which Joab shed, who fell upon two men more righteous than he." So Benaiah went as commanded, and fell upon the "hoary criminal," and slew him, and he was buried in his own house, in the wilderness. Thus fell David's wicked but bravest general. Justice had at length overtaken him, and a broken law was executed.

As Zadok was made priest in the room of Abiathar, so Benaiah was placed in the room of Joab, as captain of the host.

With the crushing of this conspiracy, Solomon's throne was established in peace. Around him were gathered, as chief men and counsellors, the sons of his father's friends. "Over the tribute were twelve general officers, whose charge it was to provide for the royal household; for every day thirty measures of fine flour, and sixty of meal, thirty oxen and an hundred sheep," besides other things in like profusion. The whole nation enjoyed an unparalleled state of happiness and prosperity. His kingdom swelled into vast dimensions-"from the border of Egypt to the Euphrates, and from Dan to Beersheba: Judah and Israel were many as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry; and every man dwelt safely under his vine, and under his fig-tree."

In the midst of this worldly prosperity Solomon remained faithful in his attachment to the true faith, and to the charge which had been laid upon him. "He determined to build the temple for the name of the Lord, and an house for his kingdom." "Of those who were strangers in the land, seventy thousand men were numbered to bear burdens, and eighty thousand to hew in the mountain, and three thousand six hundred to oversee them." While engaged in these preparations

he received an embassy from Hiram, king of Tyre, congratu lating him upon his coming to the throne. An alliance had. existed between this king and David. Their territories lay contiguous, and were mutually necessary for each other. Solomon entered readily into the kind designs of Hiram, and a league and treaty of commerce was made between them which lasted throughout their days.

To the embassy of Hiram, Solomon replied, "Thou knowest that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the Lord his God, for the wars which were about him on every side. But now the Lord my God hath given me rest, and I purpose to build an house to the Lord my God, as the Lord spake unto David my father. And the house which I build is great, for great is our God above all gods. But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I, then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him? Send me now, therefore, a man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, that can skill to grave with the men that are with me, whom David my father did provide. Send me also cedar-trees, fir-trees, and almug-trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants, even to prepare me timber in abundance. And behold I will give to thy servants twenty thousand measures of wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and an equal number of baths of oil and of wine." Hiram entered cordially into the plans of Solomon. He seems to have been a worshipper of the true God: at least he recognized fully his gracious providence. "Because the Lord hath loved his people, he hath made thee king over them;" and he adds, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who hath given to David the king a wise son, endued with prudence and understanding to build an house for Jehovah. At the same time he consented fully to the treaty stipulations which Solomon had proposed. The Tyrians were to cut the timber of cedar and fir, and deliver it at Joppa, the nearest seaport to Jerusalem; and the Hebrews were to deliver, in turn, the grain, and oil, and wine, which had been agreed upon. A man skilful in all the curious works which were to adorn the temple, was found and sent to Jerusalem. He was of mixed descent; his father a Tyrian, and his mother of the daughters of Dan-of the same name with the Tyrian king.

Solomon immediately raised a levy of "thirty thousand men," and sent them to Lebanon, "ten thousand a month by courses, to aid the Tyrians in hewing the timber, and squaring the vast blocks of stone." The work was thus fairly commenced, although as yet the ground had not been broken upon which that splendid structure was so noiselessly to rise.