Chapter XXIV
Ver. 1-P. David Numbers the Peoi-le. 1. again th» anger of the Lord was kindled agninst Israel, and lie moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel ami Judali—" Again" carries us back to the (ormer tokens of his wrath in the three years' famine. God, though He cannot tempt any man (James 1. 13), is frequently described in Scripture as doing what He merely permits to be done; and so, in this case, He perjnitted Satan to tempt David. Satan was the active mover, while God only withdrew His supporting grace, and the great tenipter prevailed against the king. (See Exo^ius 7. 13; 1 Samuel
2ti. 19; ch. 10. II); Psjilm 105. 'Z5: Isjiiah 7. 17, &c.) The order was given to Joab, who, tliough not generally restrained by religious scruples, did not fail to represent, in strong terms (see on 1 Chronicles 21. 3), the sin and danger of this measure, and used every argument to dissuade the king from his purpose. Tlie sacred history has not mentioned tlie objections which he and other distinguished otticers urged against it in the council of David. But it expressly states that they were all overruled by tlie intlexible r'esolution of the king. 5. they passed over .Toi-dan—This census was taken first in the eastern parts of the Hebrew kingdom; and it would seem that Joab was accompanied by a military force, either to
8-39. A Catalogue of his Mighty Men. 8. Tliese be the names of the mighty men whom David had—This verse should be translated thus: He who sits in the seat of the Tachmonite (t. e., of Jashobeam the Hachmonite), who was chief among the captains, the same is Adino the Eznite ; he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time. The text is corrupt in this passage; the numlier eight hundred should be three hundred. [Daviixson's Herm.] Under Joab he was chief or president of the council of war. The first or highest order was composed of him and his two colleagues, Eleazar and Shammah. Eleazar seems to have been left to fight the Philistines alone; and on his acliieving the victory, they returned to the spoil. In like manner Shammah was
aiil in tills troublesome work, or to overawe the people who might display reluctance or opposition, the rive» of Gad— " Wady" would be a better term. It extends over a course estimated at about sixty miles, which, thongh In summer almost con.stantly dry, exhibits very evident traces of l>eing swept over by an impetuous torrent in winter (see on Deuteronomy '2. 36). 6. the land of Tahtim-hodshi— i. c, tlie land lately acquired; viz., that of the Hagarcnes conquered by Saul (1 Chronicles 5. 10). The progress was northward. Thence they crossed the coun-
left to stand alone In his glory, when the Lord, by him, wrouglit a great victory. It is not very easy to determine whether the exploits that are afterwards descrH)ed were performed by the first or the second three. 15. the well of Bethlehem—An ancient cistern, with four or five holes in the solid rock, at about ten minutes' distance to the north of the eastern corner of the hill of Bethlehem, is pointed out by the natives as Bir-Daoud ; that Is, David's well. Dr. Robinson doubts the Identity of the well ; but others think that there are no good grounds for doing so. Certainly, considering this to be the ancient well, Bethlehem must have once extended ten minutes further to the north, and must have lain in times of old, not as now, on the summit, but on the northern rise of the tilJl; for the well is bj/ or (1 Chronicles 11.7) at the gate. I find In the description of travellers, that the common opinion is, that David's captains had come from the SQUtli-east, in^rder to obtain, at the risk of their lives, the so much longed-for water; while It Is supposed
try, and, proceeding along the western coast to the southern extremities of the country, they at length arrived In Jerusalem, having completed the enumeration of the wliole kingdom ill tlie space of nine months and twenty days. O. Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto tlie king—The amount hero stated, compared witli 1 (Uironlcles 21.5, gives a difl'erence of 300,000. Tlie discrei)aiicy is only apparent, and admits of an easy reconciliation ; thus (see 1 Clironicles 27), there were twelve divisions of generals, who commanded monthly, anil whose duty was to keep guard on the royal person, each having a body of troops consisting of 2t,000 men, which, together, formed an army of 288,000; and as a separate detachment of 12,000 was attendant on tlie twelve princes of the twelve tribes mentioned In the same chapter, so both are equal to 300,000. These were not reckoned in this hook, because they were In the actual service of the king as ii regular militia. But 1 Chronicles 21. 5 joins them to the
rest, saying, "all those of Israel were one million, one hundred thousand;" whereas the author of Samuel, who reckons only the eight hundred thousand, does not say, "all those of Israel," but barely "and Israel were," Ac.
tliat Da vid himself was then in the groat cave that is not
far to the south-ea,st of Bethlehem; which cave is generftUy held to have been that of AduUam. But (Joshua If).
It must also bcobservtHl that, exclusive of the troops before mentioned, there was an army of observation on the fron-
35) Adullam lay "In the valley;" that Is, In the undulating plain atHie western base of the mountains of .Indea, and oonse(|ueiitly to the south-west of Belhlehein. Be this
tiers of the Philistines' country, composed of a),(KK) men, as aj)pears by ch. (!. 1; which. It seeins, were includetl In the number of WKj.lKX) of the people ol Judah by the author of .Samuel; but the author of Chronicles, who mentlnnt only 470,000, gives the number of that tribe exclusive of
a-s it niiiy, J)avid's men had In any case to brcalc through the host of tlie Pliilistlnes, in order to reach the well ; and Ihe position of Bir-Daoud agrees well with this. [Van de
Vl£l,l)K..j Hi. the llrst tlircc—The niiglity men or cliam210
Abishag Cherishes David. 1 KINGS 1. Adonijah Usurps the Kingdom,
pented lilm of the evil—God is often described in Scripture as repenting wlien He ceased to pursue a course Ha had begun. 17. David said (or liad said), I have sinned
those thirty thousand men, because they were not all of
the tribe of Judah, and therefore does not say, "all those
of Judah," as he had said, "all those of Israel," but only, "and those of Judah." Thus both accounts maybe rec-
. . . but these sheep, what have they done 1—The guilt of numl)eiing the people lay exclusively with David. But in the body politic as well as natural, when the head suf-
onciled. [Davidson.] 10-U. He, Having Three Plagues Propounded by Gad, Repents, and Chooses Three Days' Pestilence.
fers, all tlie members suffer along with it; and, besides, althougli David's sin was the Immediate cause, the great Increase of national offences at tliis time had (v. 1} ki ndled the anger of tlie Lord. 18. Arauitah—Or Ornan (1 Chron-
10. David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto tlie Iiord, I have sinned—The act of numbering the people was not
icles "21. 18), the Jebusite, one of the ancient inhabitants, who, having become a convert to the true religion, retained his house and possessions. He resided on Mount Morlali, the spot on which the temple was afterwards built (2 Chronicles 3. 1), but that mount was not then enclosed in the town. 21. to build an altar unto the Lord, that the plague may be stayed—It is evident tliat the plague was not stayed till after the altar was built, and
la it.self sinful ; for Moses did it by the e.xpress authority
of God. But David acted not only independently of such
order or sanction, but from motives unworthy of the delegated king of Israel; from pride and vainglory, from, self-confidence and distrust of God, and, above all, from ambitious designs of conquest, in furtherance of wliich he
was determined to force the people Into military service, and to ascertain whether he could muster an army suf-
tlie sacrifice offered, so tiiat what is related {o. IGj was by anticipation. Previous to the ottering of this sacrifice, he had seen the destroying angel as well as ottered the intercessory power (t!. 17). This was a sacrifice of expiation; and the reason wliy he was allowed to otter it on Mount Moriah, was partlj' in gracious consideration to his fear of repairing to Gibeon (1 Chronicles 21. 29, 30), and partly in anticipation of the removal of tlie tabernacle and the erection of the temple there (2 Chronicles 3.1). 23. All these things did Araunah, as a king, give—Indicating, as the sense is, that this man had been anciently a. heathen king or chief, but was now a proselyte who still retained great property and influence In Jerusalem, and whose piety was evinced by the liberality of his offers. The words, "as a king," are taken by some to signify simply, "he gave with royal munificence." 34. IVay ... 1 will
ficient for the magnitude of the enterprises he contem-
plated. It was a breach of the constitution, an Infringement of the liberties of the people, and opposed to that Divine policy which required that Israel should continue a separate people. His eyes were not opened to tlie Iieinousness of his sin till God had spoken unto him bj' liis commissioned prophet. 13. Shall seven years of famine come unto thee i. e., in addition to the three that had been already, with tlie current year included (see on 1 Chronicles 21. 11, 12). 14. David aald, . . . Let us fall Into
tlie hand of the liOrd—His overwhelming sente of his
Bin led him to acquiesce in the punishment denounced, notwithstanding its apparent excess of severity. He proceeded on a good principle in choosing the pestilence. In pestilence he was equally exposed, as it was just and right he should be, to danger as his people, whereas, in war and famine, he possessed means of protection superior to them. Besides, he thereby showed his trust, founded on long experience. In the Divine goodness.
. . . buy it of thee at a price—The sum mentioned here,
viz., fifty shekels of sliver, equal £6 sterling, was paid for the floor, oxen and wood instruments only, whereas the large sum (1 Chronicles 21. 25) was paid afterwards for the whole hill, on which David made preparations for liuilding the temple. 25. David oiTered burnt oflTerings and peace offerings—There seem to have been two sacrifices" the first expiatory, the second a thanksgiving for the cessation of the pestilence (see on 1 Chronicles 21. 26).
l.>-2.). His Intercession to God; the Plague Ceases.
15. from the morning—Rather that morning when Gad CAme, till tlie end of the three days, there died of the people . . . seventy thousand men—Thus was the pride
of tlie vainglorious monarch, confldlng In the number
Ot his population, deeply humbled. 16. the Lord re-
THE FIRST BOOK OF THEKINGS,
COMMONLY CALLED THE THIRD BOOK OF THE KINGS.
hygeian point of view for the prolongation of his valuable
life, and not merely for the comfort to be derived from the natural warmth Imparted to his withered frame. [Tent and Khan.] The polygamy of the age and country may account for the Introduction of this practice; audit
Ver. M. AnrsHAO Cherishes David in his Extuemk AOK. I. Now King Davltl was old — He was in the seventieth year of liis age (2 Samuel 5. 4, 5). But the wear and tear of a military life, bodily fatigue, and mental care, had prematurely. If we may say it, exiiau.sted the fiiergies of David's strong constitution (1 Samuel 16. 12). Jn modern Palestine and Egj'pt the people, owing to the Uenl of the climate, sleep each in a separate bed. Tliey only depart from this practice for medical reasons (Ec-
is evident that Abishag was maile a concubine or secondary wife to David (see on cli. 2. 22). 3. a SItunamniite Shunem, in the trilie of Issachar (Joshua 19. IS), lay on an eminence In the plain of Esdraelon, five miles south of Tabor. It Is now called Snlam.
.5-:lI. AnoNiJAii Usurps the Kingdom. 5. llien Adonijah the son of Hagglth exalted himself-Nothing is said as to the origin or rank of Ilagglth, so that it
el)»iinHtes 4. II). The expedient recommended by David's ph.vsluians is the regimen prescribed in similar cases
still in the East, particularly among the Arab population, not simply to give heat, but "to cherish," as thry are aware that the inhalation of young breath will give new life and vigour to the worn-out frame. The fact of the licalth of the .young and healthier person being, as it wei c, stolen to support that of the more aged and sickly
Is probable slie was not illslinguished by family descent. .Vdonljah, tbougli David's fourth son (2 Samuel 3.1; 1
C!:roii!cl('S 3.2), was now the eldest alive; and his personal altnurtions and manners (1 Samuel 9. "2) not only recommended him to the leading men about court, but made him tlie favourite of his father, who, though seeing him a.ssuiiie an eciulpage becoming only the heir-presuinptlve to the tliroiie (2.Sainuel l.j. 1), said notbiiii;; aa<1
la well established among the medical faculty. And beuue the prescription for the aged king was made in a
Nalhan Counsels Balh-sheba. 1 KINGS II. Solomon is Anointed King.
Ms silence was considered by many, as well as by Adoni-
the interior of a palace, but gives the impression tljata great deal of Oriental state ceremonial had been established in the Hebrew court. 30. the eyes of all Israel are upon tikee, that thou shouldest tell them wlio shall sit on the tlirone—When the kings died without declaring their will, then their eldest son succeeded. Bui frequently they designated long before their death which of their sons should iiilierit the throne. The kings ot Persia, as well as of other Eastern countries, have exercised the same right in modern and even recent times. 31. I and my son . . . shall be counted oilenders i. e., slain, according to the barbarous usage of the East towards all who are rivals to the throne. 38-31. Tlien King Da-vid answered and said, Call me Bath-sheba— He renews to her the solemn pledge he had given, in terms the .solemnity and impressiveness of which show that the aged monarch had roused himself to the duty the emergency called for.
jali, to be equivalent to an expression of consent. The Kinking health of the king prompted him to take a decisive step in furtherance of his ambitious designs. 7. he conferred with Joah—The anxiety of Adonijah to secure tlie influence of a leader so bold, enterprising, and popular with tlsc army was natural, and the accession of the hoary commander is easily accounted for from his recent grudge at the king (see on 1 Samuel 19. 13). ami with Abiathar the priest—His influence was as great over the priests and Levites— a powerful body in the kingdom—as that of Joab over the troops. It might be that both of them thought the crown belonged to Adoni-
iah by right of primogeniture, from his mature age and •he general expectations of the people (ch. 2. 15). 8. But Zadok the priest—He had been high priest in the tabernacle at Gibeon under Saul (1 Chronicles 16. 39). David, on his accession, had conjoined him and Abiathar equal in the exercise of their high functions (2 Samuel 8.17;
32-49. Solomon, by David's Appointment, is Anointed Kino. 33. cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule—Directions were forthwith given for the immediate coronation of Solomon. A procession was to be formed by the ".servants of their lord"— /. e., the king's body-guard. Mules were then used by all the princes (2 Samuel 13.29); but there was a state mule of which all subjects were forbidden, under pain of death, to make use, without special permission; so that its being granted to Solomon was a public declaration In his favour as the future king(seeon Esther6.8,9). bring him downtoGilion —A pool or fountain on the west of Jerusalem (see on 3 Chronicles 32. 30), chosen as equally public for the counter proclamation. 34. anoint him—Done only in the case of a new dynasty or disputed succession (see on 1 Samuel
15. 24 ; 29. 35). But it is extremely probable that some
c^\use of jealousy or discord between them had arisen, and hence each lent his countenance and support to opposite parties. Benaiah—Distinguislied for his bravery
(1 Samuel 23.20); he had been appointed captain of the king's body-guard (2 Samuel 8. 18; 20.2.3; 1 Chronicles 18.
ti), and was regarded by Joab as a rival. Natliaii tlie prophet—Was held in high estimation by David, and stood on the most intimate relations with the royal family (2 Samuel 12. 2.5). Shlmel—Probably the person of this name who was afterwards enrolled among Solomon's great officers (ch. 4. 18). Rel—Supposed to be the same as Ira (2 Samuel 20. 26). and tl»e mtglity men—The
" 9. En-rogel—Situated (Joshua
.select band of worthies.
16. 13 ; 2 Samuel 2. 4). 35. then ye shall come afte^him, that he may come aitd sit upon my tltrone—The public recognition of the successor to the throne, during the old king's lifetime, is accordant with the customs of the East.
15.7-10) cast of Jerusalem, in a level place, just below the junction of the valley of Hinnom with that of Jehoshaphat. It is a very deep well, measuring 125 feet in depth ; the water is sweet, but not very cold, and it is at times quite full to overflowing. The Orientals are fond of enjoying festive repasts in the open air at places which command the advantage of shade, water, and verdure; and those fet«s champetres are not cold collations, but niagiiiflcent entertainments, the animals being killed and dressed on the spot. Adonijah's feast at En-rogel was one of this Oriental description, and it was on a large scale (2 .Samuel 3.4,5; 5.14-16; 1 Chronicles 14.1-7). At the accession of a new king there were .sacrifices offered (1 Samuel 11. 15). But on such an occasion it was no
.39. an horn of oil out of the tabernacle—It was the sacred oil (Exodus 30. 22) with which the kings were anointed. 40. all the people came up after him i. e., from the valley to the citadel of Zion. 41. Adonijah, and all the guests that were witli him, heaitl it as they made an end of eating—The loud shouts raised by the populace at the joyous proclamation at Gihon, and echoed by assembled thousands, from Zion to En-rogel, were easily heard at that distance by Adonijah and his confederates. The arrival of a trusty messenger, who gave a full detail of the coronation ceremony, spread dismay In their camp. The wicked and ambitious plot they had assembled to execute was dissipated, and evei-y one of the conspirators consulted his safety by flight.
1 iss customary to entertain the grandees of the kingdom and even tlie populace in a public manner (1 Chronicles
12. 2;i-t0). Tliere is the strongest probal)ility that Adoni-
j.xh's feast was purely political, to court popularity and secure a party to support his claim to the crown. 11-Z7. Xatlian Hpnke nnto Bntli-sheba . T . let me give tlieo counsel, Ac.—Tlie revolt was defeated l)y this propliet, who, knowing tlie Lord's will (2 Samuel 7. 12; 1 Chroni(!les
50^53. Adonijah, Fleeing to the Horns of the Altar, IS Dismissed by Solomon. 50. Adonijah went and cafight hold on the horns of the altar—Most probably the altar of burnt ott'ering which had been erected on Mount Zion, where Abiathar, one of his partisans, presided as high priest. The horns or projections at the four corners of the altar, to which the sacrifices were bound, and which were tipped with the blood of the victim, were symbols of grace and salvation to the sinner. Hence the altar was regarded as a sanctuary (Exodus 21. 14), but not to murderers, rebels, ordeliberate perpetrators. Adonijah, having acted In opposition to the will of the reigning prince, was guilty of rebellion, and stood self-condemned. .Solomon spared his life on the express condition of his good behaviour-living In strict privacy, leading a quiet, peaceable life, and meddling with the allairs of neither thecourt nor the kingdom. 53. tl»ey brought him down —from the ledge around the altar on whicdi he was stand'
22. 9), felt himself bound, in accordance with Ills diaracter and office, to take the lead in seeing it executed. Hitliorto the succession of the Hebrew monardiy had not been settled. The Lord had reserved to himself tlie right of nomination (Deuteronomy 17. 15), which was acted upon In the appointments both of Saul and David; and in the case of tlie latter the rule was so far modifled tliat his posterity wore guaranteed the perpetual possession of the sovereignty (2 Samuel 7. 12). This Divine purpose was known tliroughout the kingdom ; Init no intimation had been made as to whether tlic riglit of Inlu'rltance was to belong to the eldest son. Adonijah, in common with tlie people generally, expectt'd that this natural
ai rangement should bo followed in the Hebrew kingdom as In all otliers. Nathan, who was aware of the old king's solemn promise to Solomon, and, moreover, (hat this
iiig. he bowed himself—i. e., did homage to Solomon as king.
liroinise wiis Hanctloncd by the Divine will, saw that no time was to be lost. I<'<^arlng the ellects of too sudden excitement In the king's feeble state, he arranged that Bath-sheba should go first to Inform him of what was being transacted without the walls, and that himself sliould follow to confirm her stat<^ment. The narrative hero not only exliiblts tlio vivid picture of a scene wlthiu
Ver. 1-11. David Dies. 1. David chargefl his son— The charge recorded here was given on his death to .Sol* mon, and Is dllferent from the farewell address delivered
In jiubllc some time before (1 Clironlcles 28. 29). It Is Introduced with great solemnity, it. I go the way of all
n.e Death of David. 1 KINGS II. Solomon Succeeds Him,
the earth—A beautiful and impressive periphrasis for
slon to the royal dignity was made under the happiest auspices. Having been born after his father became monarch of the whole kingdom, his claim, according to the notions of Oriental people, was preferable to that of
deatli. be thou strong, and show thyself a man—This
counsel is similar to the apostolic direction (1 Corinthians
16. 13), and refers to the fortitude or strength of mind that was required to discharge the onerous functions of king.
all, even his elder brothers. The Hebrew kingdom enjoyed internal prosperity; it was respected and renowned abroad, and Solomon well knew how to improve these advantages. 13-18. Adonijah came to Batli-sheba—Her question to him betrays an appreliension which his recent conduct might well warrant ; but his pious acknowledgment of the Divine will seemed apparently to indicate so entire an acquiescence in the settlement of tlie succession, that, In her womanly simplicity, slie perceived not the deep cunning and evil design that was concealed under his request, and readily undertook to promote his wishes. 19, 30. Batli-sheba went unto King Solomon—The filial revei'enoe, and the particular act of respect which Solomon rendered, were quite in accordance with the sentiments and customs of the East. The riglithand is the placeof honour ; and as it is expressly said to have been assigned to "the king's motlier," It is necessary to remark, that when a husband dies, his widow acquires a higher dignity and power, as a motlier over her son, than slie ever possessec^ before. Besides, the dignity of " king's mother"' is a state ofllce, to whicli certain I'evenues are attached. Tlie Iiolder has a separate palace or court, as well as possesses great influence in public aft'airs ; and as the dignity is held for life, it sometimes happens, in consequence of deaths, that the person enjoying it may not be related to the reigning sovereign by natural maternity. Bath-slieba had evidently been invested with this honourable oflice. 23. why dost thou aaU. Abishag . . . ask for hiiu tlkc kingdom also —(See on 2 Samuel 16. 11; also on 12. H.) Solomon's indignation was roused; he in a moment penetrated tlie artful scheme, and from his associating the names of Abiathar and Joab, he seems to have suspected or known that those deep schemers had been the prompters of Adonijaii. 23-35. God do so to me, and more also—The conimoii form of introducing a solemn oath, if Adonijah have not sijoken tliis word against ills own life—Whether
3. keep tlie cliarge of the Liord thy God—^i. e., the Divine law in all its ceremonial as well as moral requirements. But particular reference was Intended to its po-
litical institutions, as it was only by strictly maintaining the conduct that became the Hebrew monarch (Deuteronomy 17. 10-20), that he should secure the blessing of peace and prosperity to his reign (see on Deuteronomy 4. fi; 29.
10-21). 4. there shall not fall thee a man on the throne of Israel—A reference to the promise made to David of the sovei-eignty being vested perpetually in his lineage (2 Samuel 7. 11-16), which was conlirnied to Solomon afterwards (see on ch. 9.5), and repeated with reference to its
spiritual meaning long after (.leremialj 33. 17). 5, 6. thou kuowest what Joato did—The insolent and imperious conduct of tliat general had not only been deeply ott'en-
sive to the feelings (2Samuel 18. 5-15; 19. 5-7), but calculated
to bring reproach on the character, to injure tlie prospects, and endanger the throne of David. Passing over the in-
juries committed directly against himself, David dwelt wilh strong feelings on the base assassination of Abiier and Amasa. shed the blood of war in peace, <Sc.—The obvious meaning is, tliat in peace he acted towards them
as if tliey had been in a state of warfare ; but perhaps tliese
grapliic expressions might be designed to impress Solomon's mind more strongly witli a sense of the malice, treachery, and cruelty by which those murders were cha-
racterized. 6. do according to thy wisdom—Joab's immense popularity with the army required that any proceedings instituted against him sliould be taken with great prudence aiid deliberation. 8. thou hast with thee Shimei—Though David promised him a pardon, which being enforced by the presence of a thousand followers, could not have been well refused, he warned his son against Shimei as a turbulent and dangerous character. It must not be supposed that in these dying instructions David was evincing a fierce vindictive spirit. He is rather to be considered as acting in the character of aking and magis-
tliere was a treasonable design to conceal under this riquest or not, the act, according to Eastern notions, was criminal, and of dangerous consequence to the state. There is no ground of censure upon Solomon for cruelty or precipitation in this instance. He had pardoned AdonIjah's former conspiracy; but this new attempt was rebellion against the viceroy appointed by the Divine King, and called for condign punishment. The oflice of executioner was among the Hebrews, as in other ancient countries of the East, performed unceremoniously and privately—often witliout any previous warning—liy the captain of the guard, or one of his officers (Matthew It. 10 . 3G, 37. unto Abiatliar tlie priest said the king—This funetionai y, as the counsellor or accomplice of Adonijah had deserved to shai'e his fate. But partly from regard to his priestly dignity, and partly from his long as.sociations with tlie late king, Solomon pronounced on him the mitigated sentence of banishiueut to his countrj' estate at Anathoth, and thereby, as God's vicegerent, deprived him of his oflice and its emoluments. The sacred writer notices the remarkable fulfilment, Abia-
trate, in noticing crimes which he had not been in a con-
dition to punish, and pointing out persons of whom Solomon would be under a necessity to rid himself as dangerous to the state. The grateful mention of Barzillai's kindness was, however, a personal feeling that does honour to the warmth of his heart; and his silence as to Me-
phitjoslieth, the son of his beloved Jonathan, would imply the previous death of that prince. 9. for thou art a wise man—Solomon had given early iRdications of wisdom before his miraculous endowment with the heavenly gift
(see on ch. 3. 11), and his own sagacity would dictate the course that should be followed in any new otfence that Shimei might commit. 10. So David slept with his father*—About six months after the coronation of Solomon (cf. 2 Samuel 5. 5, with 1 Chronicles 29. 27). The interval was spent in developing his ideas and plans for tlie future glory of the kingdom, and providing for the permanent worship of God (see on 1 Chronicles 22., etseq.). David wag buried In the city of David—Sepulchres were not allowed v»;thin the precincts of cities. .Jerusalem, however, formed an exception ; and yet, even tliere, the privilege was reserved chiefly for the royal family (Act.s2. 29). Tradition says that the bones of David repose on Mount ZIon, and the minaret of a small mosque points out the spot which tradition has fixed. His was a iiol)le, a wondrous, and a humbling lilstory. He was a good man, yet his life was deformed by various crlmesof avery gross character. But there were many bright and noble traits In his character; he was an earnest lover of the Divine law; his reign was signalized by many important services that coutril)utcd to the glory of God and the exaltation of His kingdom; and his name, as the swoft r.salin-
tiiar's degradation from the high priestliood (see on cli.
4. 4), of the doom denounced against the house of Eli (I.Samuel -2. 30).
2S-45. JOAB Slain. 28. Then tidings came to Joab— The execution of these sentence? respectively on Adoni-
jah and Abiatliar, jirepared Joab foi' his fate. Death, due to his great crimes (Numbers 35. 33), would long ago have been inflicted, had not Ills power .md po))ularity will) the army been too formidable for tlie old king. He now
lied to the altar, wliich, though a recognized asylum, alforded no sanctuary to the rebel and murderer (Exodus
21. IJ). And, as he refused to leave it, lie sei'iiis to have cherished some faint hope that a religious scruple would have been felt at the tliouglit of violating the sanctity oi the place by bloodslKMl. Benaiah, not liking to assume any responsibility, referred the matter to Solomon, who
ist of Israel, will be held In honour to the latesi. age of the Churcli.
12-21. Solomon Sccceedh Him. l!i. Then sat Solou»nn on the throne of David his father—His aoCL-u-
Solo.nim Marries Pliaruoh's Daughter. 1 KINGS III, IV. Solomon'!! Choice of WUdui/l.
Ezekiel 0. 3, 4 ; Rosea 10. 8). But, .so long as the tabernacle was migratory, and the means for the national worship were merely provisional, the worsliip on those high places was tolerated, and hence, as accounting for tlieir continuance, it is expressly stated (v. 2) that God had not yet cliosen a permanent and exclusive place for his worsliip. 4. the king went to Gibeou to sacrifice there—The prominent distinction of this place arose from the old tabernacle and the brazen altar wlilch Moses had made in the wilderness, being there (1 Chronicles 16.39; 21.29; 2 Chronicles 1. 3-6). The royal progress was of public importance. It was a season of national devotion. The king was accompanied by his principal nobility (2 Chronicles 1, 2), and, as the occasion was most probably one of the great annual festivals which lasted seven days, the rank of the oflerer and the succession of daily oblations nuiy help in part to account for the immense magnitude of the sacrirtces. 5. In Gibcon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream— It was probablj' at the close of this season, when liis mind liad been elevated into a high state of religious fervour by the protracted services. Solomon felt an intense desire, and he had ofTered an earnest petition, for the gift of wisdom. In sleep his thoughts ran upon the subject of his prayer, and he dreamed that God appeared to him and gave him the option of every thing in the world—that he asked wisdom, and that God granted his request. His dream was but an Imaginary repetition of his former desire, but God's grant of it was real.
detenniiied that the Inw should take its course (Deutoronoiiiy 19. lo). 33. Tlieir blood «liall return upon the
Iieacl of Joab, &c. — A lefercMice is here made to the curse publicly and solemnly i)ronounced by King David
(2 Samuel i.'2S, 29). 34. BenalaU . . . went up, and fell upon liiin—According to the tcrrasoJ tlie statute (Exodus
21. H), and the practice in similar cases (2 Kings 11. 16), the criminal was to be dragged from the altar and slain elsewhere. Bui the truth is, that the sanctity of the altar was violated as much by the violence used in forcing the criminal from the place as in shedding his blood there; the express command of God authorized the former, and therefore by implication permitted the latter, was buried in Ills otvn house- -Or family vault, at his properly in the wiMerness of ludah. His interment was included in the king s order, as enjoined in the Divine law (Deuteronomy 21. 2;?).
34-lti. .SHIMEI PCT TO DEATH. 36. the king sent and called for Shlniei—He was probably residing at Kahurim, his native place. But, as he was a suspicions character, Solomon condemned him henceforth to live in Jerusalem, on the penalty of death, for going without the gates. He submitted to this confinement for three years, when, violating his oath, he was arrested and put to death by Solomon for perjury, aggravated by
liis former crime of high treason against David. 46. the lilngdoin was established in the Itand of Solomon— Kow, that by the death of Shimei, all the leaders of the rival factions had been cut off.
6-15. He Chooses Wisdom. 6. Solomon said^. e., had dreamed that he said. 7. I am but a little child—Not in age, for he had reached manhood (ch. 2. 9), and must have been at least twenty years old, but he was raw and inexperienced in matters of government. 10. the speech pleased the Loi-d— It was Solomon's waking prayers that God lieard and requited, but the acceptance was signified in this vision. 15. bcltold, it was a dream—The vivid impression, the indelible recollection he had of this dream, together with the new and increased energy coramunicated to his mind, and the flow of worldly prosperity that rushed upon him, gave him assurance that it came by Divine inspiration, and originated in the grace of God. The wisdom, however, that was asked and obtained was not so niucli of the heart as the liead—it was wisdom not for himself personally, but for his office, such as would qualify him for the administration of justice, the government of a kingdom, and for the attainment of general scientific knowledge.
Ver. 1. Solomon Marries Pharaoh's Daughter. 1. Solomon made atGnity with Pliaraoh—This was a royal
title, equivalent to sultan, and the personal name of this monarch is said to have been Vaph res. The formation, on equal terms, of tills matrimonial alliance with the royal family of Egypt, shows the high consideration to which the Hebrew kingdom had now arisen. Rosellini has given, from the Egyptian monuments, what Is supposed to be a portrait of this princess. Slie was received in the land of her adoption with great eclat; for the Song of .Songs, and the forty-fifth Psalm are supposed to have been composed in liononr of this occasion, although they may both have a higher typical reference to the introduclion of the Gentiles into the church, brought her into the city of David—i. i-., .lerusalem. She was not admissible into the stronghold of Zlon, the building where the
16-28. Bis Judgment Between Two Harlots. 16. Then came tlicre two womeji—Eastern monarchs, who generally administer justice in person, at least in all cases of dlthculty, often appeal to the principles of human nature when they are at a loss otherwise to find a clue to the truth, or see clearly their way through a mass of con-
ai k was (Deuteronomy 2.'i. 7, S). She seems to have been loilgcd at first in his mother's apartments (Song 3. 4; 8.2), as a suitable residence was not yet provided for her in the new palace (ch. 7. 8; 9.21; 2 Chronicles 8. 11). building
. . . tlie wall of Jerusalem—Although David had begun (Psalm 51. 18), it was, a/'cording to .Tosephus, reserved for Solomon to extend and comi)lete the fortifications of the city. It has been questioned whether this marriage was in conformity with the law (see on Exo<lus 3j. Ki; Deuteronomy 7. 3; Ezra 10. 1-lU ; Nehemiah 13. 2(!). Rut it is nowhere censured In Scripture, as are tlieconnectlons Solomon formed with other foreigners (ch. 11. 1-3); whence it may be inferred that he had stipulated for her abandonment, of idolatry, and conforming to the Jewish religion (Psalm 15. 11), 11).
flicting testimony. The modern history of the East abounds with anecdotes of judicial cases, in which tlie decision given was the result of an experiment similar to this of Solomon upon the natural feelings of the contending parties.
1-6. Solomon's Princes. 1. So King Solomon M-nn king over all Israel—Tills chapter contains a general description of the state and glory of the Hebrew kingdom during the more flourishing or later years of his reign. 3. these were tlie princes—Or chief ofllcers, as Is evident from two of them marrying Solomon's daughters. Aza-
2-5. High Pi,a(,i:s Being in TTsk, He Sacrifices at GlItEON. 3. Solomon hived tlie Lord—This declaration, illustrated l)y what follows, affords undoubted evidence of the young king's piety; nor is the word "only," which
rinli the son of Zndok the priest—Rather, the prince, as the Hebrew word fri^quently signifies (Genesis 41. 45; Exodus 2. 16; 2 Samuel 8. 18); so that from the precedency given to this person in the list, he seems to have been prime minister, the liighcstin oltlce next the king. 3. Scribes— I. c, secretaries of state. Under David, there had been only one. And the employment of three functionaries In this department Indicates either iiU|)roved regulations by the division of labour, or a great Increase
jirefaces tlie statement, to be understood as Introducing a
<liialifylng ririrumstance that reflected any degree of cenHU re upon him. The Intention of the sacred historian is to describe the generally j)revalllng mode of worship before the temple was bulH. The " high places " were altars erected on natural or artlHclal emliicmu's, prol)ably from the Idea that men were lirouglit nearer to the Deity. They nad been used by tlie patriar<-hs, and had become so universal among the heathen that thoy were almost identi-
of business, occasioned b,v the growing prosper! t.v of the kingdom, or a more extensive correspondence with foreign countries, recorder— i. c. Historiographer, or an>
fied with idolatry. They were prohll)lted In the law (r>evltlcuB 17.3, 4; Deuteronomy 12. 13, 11; Jeremiah 7. 31; 2U
SulomorCi Twelve OJ/icers. 1 KINGS V. Hivum Sends to Congraiulate hinu
vation of the Egyptian people. 31. wiser than all men —i.e., all his contemporaries, either at home or abroad, than Ethan—Or Jeduthun, of the family of Merari (1 Chronicles 6.11). Heman—(1 Chronicles 1.5. 17-1.4). The chief of the temple musicians, and the king's seers (1 Chronicles 25. oj; the other I wo are not known, the sons of Mahol—Either another name for Zerah (1 Chronicles
nalist—an office of };irat iiiiportanre in Oriental courts, and the duties of wlii<-U consisted in chronicling tlie occurrences of every day. 4. Bella lali was over tlie Uost Formerly captain ol the guard; he lia<l sucoe<'de(l Joal) as commander of the forces. Za<lok aiui Atciatliar were the priests—Tlie tirst otiiy discilar)^e(l tlie sacred functions—tlie latter had lieen l);inislii-d to his country seat. Hud retiiined notliing more than the name r»f liigh priest.
2. ti), or taking it a-s a common noun, signilying a dance, a chorus, "the sons of Mahol" signily persons eminently skilled in poetry and music. 32. he spake three thousand proverlM!—Embodying his moral sentiments and sage observations on human life and character, a thousanil and five songs—Psalm 72., 127., 132., and the Song of Smigs are his. 33. lie spake of trees, fi-om the cedar . . . to the hyssop—All plants, from the greatest to the least. The Spirit of God has seen fit to preserve comparatively few memorials of tlie fiuits of his gigantic min<l. The greater part of those here a.scribed to him have long since fallen a pre.v to the raviiges of time, or perished in the Bal).vlonish captivity, probably because they were not inspired.
5* over the officent i.e., the provincial governors enumerated in V 17-19. the princlpnl officer, and t Jie king's friend—Perhaps president of the privy council, and .Solomon's confidential frienif or lavourite. Tliis high functionary had probably heen reared along with .Solomon. That hesi7ould heap those lionours on the sons of Xathan
was most natural, considering the close intimiicy of the
fatlier with tlie late king, and ine deep obligations under which Solomon personally lay to the prophet, fi. AhUliar was over tlie lioiuiehold—Steward or cliaiuberUiin of the palace. Adoniraiii—Or -•VdolaJU (2 Samuel 20.21; ch. 12. 18), or Hadoram (2 Chronicles ID. IKj, wns ovt^r tlie tribute—Not tlie collection of money or goods, but tlie levy of compulsory laliourers (cf. ch. '>. 18, U;.
7-21. Hl.s Twelve OFficKlw. 7. Solomon had twelve officers over all Isi-ael. The royal revenues were rai.sed according to the ancient, and still, it) nian.v parts, existing usage of the East, not in mone.y pa.vmcnts, but in the produce of the soil. There would be always a considerable difficulty in the collection anil tran.smission of these tithes (1 Samuel 8. loj, and, therefore, to lacilitate the work, Solomon appointed twelve otficer*., who had e;icli the charge of a tritje or particular district of country, from
Ver. 1-6. HiKAM Senus to Congkatulate Solomon.
1. Iliram sent his servants lutto Solomon—The grandson of David's contemporary. [Kitto.] The same Hiram. [WiNEK and others.] The friendly relations which the icing of Tyre had cultivated with David are here seen renewed with his son and successor, by a message of condolence as v/cll as of congratulation on his accession to the throne of Israel. The alliance between the two nations liad been mutually beneficial b.y the encouragement of useful traffic. Lsrael, being agricultural, furnished corn and oil, while the T.vrians, who were a commercial people, gave in exchf.nge their Phoenician manufactures, as well as the produce of foreign lands. A special treaty was now entered into in furtherance of that undertaking which was the great work of Solomon's splendid and peaceful reign. 6. command tliat they liew me c^edajr trees out of Lebanon—Nowhere else could Solomon have procured materials for the wood-work of his contemplated building. The forests of Ijcbanon, adjoining the seas in Solomon's time, belonged to the Phoenicians, and the timber being a lucrative branch of their exports, immense numbers of workmen were constantly employed in the felling of trees as well as the transportation and preparation of the wood. Hiram stipulated to furnish Solomon with as large a quantity of cedars and cypresses as he might require ; and it was a great additional obligation, that he engaged to render the important service of having it brought down, probably by the Dog river, to the seaside, and conveyed along the coast in floats; i. e., the logs being bound together, to the harbour of Joppa (2 Chronicles 2. hi), whence they could easily find the means of transport to Jerusalem, my servants shall be with thy servants—The operations were to be on so extensive a scale that the Tyrians alone would be insuflicient. A division of labour was necessary, and while the former would do the work that required skilful artisans, Solomon engaged to supply the labourers.
which, in monthly rotation, the supplies for the maintenance of the king s household were ilrawn, liaving first been deposited in "the store cities" which were erected for their reception (ch. 9. 19; 2 Chronicles 8. 4, Oi. 8, The sou of Hnr—Or, as the margin has it, Bcnhur, lieiMlekar. In the rural partsof Syria, and among the Arabs, it i.s still common to designate persons not b.v their own names, but as the Hons of their fatliers. 31. Solomon reigned overall kingdoms, from the river—All the potty kingdoms between the Euphrates and the Mediterranean were tributary to him. Similar is the statement in v. 24. 34. from Tlphsah—I. p., Thapsacus, a large and flourishing town on the west bank of the Euphrates, the name of which was derived from a celebrateil ford near it, the lowest on that river, even to Azzah— (. e., Gaza, on the south-western extremity, not far from the Mediterranean. 22. Solomon's provUion for one day—Not for the king's table only, but for all connected with the court, including, besides the royal establishment, those of his royal consorts, his principal oillrers, his body-guards, his foreign
visitors, Ac. The (junntity of line tlour used is estimated at 24<) bushels: that of meal or common flour at 180. The numl)erof cattle required for consumption, besides poultry and several kinds of game, which were got in abundance on the mountains, did not exceed in proportion what is needed in other courts of the East. 2.5. every man under his vine aitd . . . fig tree—This is a common and beautiful metaphor for peace and sei-urily (Micah 1. 1
Zechariah 3. 10), founded on the practice, still common in modern Syria, of training these froit-trees up the walls and stairs of houses, so as to make a shady arbor, beneath which the people sit and recreate themselves. 2G. forty thousand stalls—For the royal mews (see on 2 Chronicles
7-12. FlIKNISHES TiMBEU TO BUILD THE TBMPLE. 7. Blessed be the Lord—This language is no decisive evidence that Hiram was a worshipper of the true God, as he might use it only on the polytheistic principle of acknowledging .leliovah as the God of the Hebrews (see on 2 Chronicles 2. 12). 8. Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things . . . and I will do—The contract was drawn out formally in a written document (2 Chronicles 2. 11), which, according to Josephus, was preserved both in the Jewisli and Tyrian records. 10. fir trees—Rather, the cypress. 11. food to his household This was an annual supply for the palace, dill'erent from that mentioned in 2 Chronicles 2. 10, which was for the workmen in the forests.
9. iV). 28. barley . . . and straw—Straw is not useil for litter, but barley mixed with chopped straw is the usual fodder of horses. Dromedaries—The one-humped camel, distinguished for their great fleetness.
2»-.il. His Wisdom. 29. God gave wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart —<. e., High powers of mind, great capacity for receiving as well as aptitude for communicating knowledge, 30. Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of the children of the East— i. e., the Arabians, Chaldeans and" Perslans(Genesi8 2i. 6). ell the wisdom of Egypt—Egypt wa« renowned as the seat of learning and scIciku-s, and the existing monuments, which so clearly describe the ancient state ol society and the arts, show the high culti-
i:>-18. Solomon's Woukmen and LAnouiiEBS. 13. Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel—The renewed notice of Solomon's divine gift of wisdom (v. 12) Is evU den'ly 'ntroduced to prepare for this record of the struos
Tm Building of the Temple. 1 KINGS VI, VIT. Tlie Building of Sulumoii's limine.
liord came to Solomon—Probably by a prophet. It was very seasonable, being designeil first to encourage him to go on Willi the building, by confirming anew the promisf* made to his father David (2 Samuel 7.); and secondly, to warn him against the pride and presumption of supposing that after the erection of -so magnificent a temple, he and his people would always be sure of the presence and favour of God. The condition on which that blessing could alone be expected was expressly stated. The dwelling of God among the children of Israel refers to those symbols of his presence in the temple, which were the visible tokens of his spiritual relation to that people.
but pindent measures he took towards tne accomplishmeut of his work. So great a stretch of arbitrary power as is implied in this compulsory lety must have raised great discontent, if not opposition, had not his wise arrangement of letting the labourers remain at home two months out of three, added to the saeredness of the work, reconciled the people to this forced labour. The carriage of burdens, and the Irksome work of excavating the quarries was assigned to the remnant of the Canaanites (eh. 9; 20; 2 Chronicles 8. 7-9) and war prisoners made by David—amounting to 153,600. The employment of persons of that condition in Eastern countries for carrying on Hny public work, would make this part of the arrangements the less thought of. 17. browglit great stoiit'S— The stone of Lebanon is "hard, calcareous, whitish and sonorous, like free-stone." [Shaw.] The same white and beautiful stone is to be got in every part of Syria and Palestine. Iiewed stones—Or neatly polished, as the Hebreiv word signifies (Exodus 20. 25). Both Jewish and Tyrian builders were employed in hewing these great stones. 18. ami tlie stoiie-squarers—The margin, which renders it "the Giblites" (Joshua 13. 5), has long been considered a preferable translation. This marginal translation also must yield to anotlier wliich has lately been proposed, by a slight change in the Hebrew text, and which would be rendered thus: "Solomon's builders, and Hiram's builders, did hew them and bevel them." [TheNius.] These great bevelled or grooved stones, measuring some twenty, others thirty feet in length, and from five to six feet in breadth, are still seen in the substructures about the ancient site of the temple; and, in the judgment of the most competent observers, were those originally employed " to lay the foundation of the house."
15-22. The Ceiling and Adokning of it. 13. he built the wails of tlie liouse within—Tiie walls were wainscotted with cedar wood—the floor paveil with cypress planks—the interior was divided by a partition consisting of folding doors, which were opened and shut with golden chains, into two apartmeut-s—the back or inner room,
i. e., the most holy place, was twenty cubits long and broad—the front, or outer room, t. e., the holy place, was forty cubits. The cedar wootl was beautifully embellished with figures in relievo, representing clusters of foliage, and open flowers, cherubims, and palm trees; and the whole interior was overlaid with gold, so that neither wood nor stone was seen ; nothing met the eye but pure gold, either plain or richly chased. 31-35. for the eittering of the oracle—The door of the most holy place was made of solid olive tree and adorned with figures—that of the holj' place was made of cypress wood, the sides being of olive wood. 36. tlie iititer court—Was for the priests, and its wall, which had a coping of cedar,
is said to have been so low that the people could see over it.
37,38. The Time Taken TO BuiLn IT. 37. In the fourth year was tlie foundation laid—The building was begun in the second month of the fourth year, and completed in the eighth month of the eleventh year of Solomon's reign, comprising a periwl of seven and a lialf years, which is reckoned here in round numbers. It was not a very large, but a very splendid building, requiring great care, and ingenuity, and division of labour. The immense number of workmen employed, together with the previous preparat ion of the materials, serves to account for the short time occupied in the process of building.
CHAPTEE VI.
Ver. 1-1. The Building of Solomon's Temple. 2. tUe house Aviiicli King Soloiitoii built for the L<or<l—The Uimensious are given in cubits, wliich are to be reckoned according to the early standard {"2 Chronicles 3. 3), or holy cubit (Ezekiel 40. 5; 43. 13j, a handbreadlh longer than the common or later one. It is probable tjuit the internal elevation only is here stated. 3. the porcli—Or portico, extended across the whole front (see on 2 Chi'ouicles 3. 4). windows of narrow liglits i. e., windows with lattices, capable of being shut and opened at pleasure, partly to
let out tlie vapour of the lamps, the smoke of the frftukincense, and partly to give light. [Keil.]
Ver. 1. Building of Solomon'.s House. 1. Solomon was building his own house thirteen years—The lime occujiied in building his jialace was nearly double that spent in the erection of the temple, l)eeause neither had there been tiie same previous prepai'alious for it, nor was there the same urgency as in providing a place of wor-
.5-10. The Chambi:ks Thkkeof. 5. against the wall of tlic Itouse Ue built cliuinbers—On three sides, there wei'e chambers in three stories, each story wider than the one beneath it, as the walls were narrowed or made thinner as they ascended, by a rebate being made, on which the beams of the side lloor rested, without penetrating the wall. Tliese chambers were approacilu'd from the right hand side, in tlie interior of tlus under story, by a winding staircivse of stone, which led to the middle and uppc^r stories. 7. tlicrc ivas neither liantiner nor axe nor any tool of Iron licard in tlic House wUile it was In l>uil(ling—A subterranean quarry has been very recently discovered near Jerusalem, where tlio tein])le stones are supposed to have been hewn. There is luiequlvocal evidence to be found in this quarry that tlie
shi)), on which the national well-being so much depended.
2-7. Of THE House OF Lebanon. i2. lie Imilt also the house of the foregt of Lebanon— it is scarcel.v possible to determine whether this was a di lie rent edifice from the former, or whether his house, the house of the forest of Ijfbanon, and the one for Phai-jioli's daughter, were not parts of one grand palace. As difllcult Is it to decide wliat was the origin of tlie iiaine; some supposing it was so called because built on I.ebanon ; others, that it was in or near .Jerusalem, but crontained such a profuse supply
stou(!s were dressed there, for there are blocks exact ly similar in size, as well as in tlie nature of the stone, to the ancient remains. Thence, probably, they would
of'cediir columns as to have occasioned this peculiar designation. We have a similar peculiarity of name in the building civJled the I'.asl India house, tliough situated in London. The description is eonlonnalile to the arrangement of Eastern palaces. The building stood In the lakldle of a great oblong s(]uare, which was surrounded by an enclosing wall, against wliich the houses and ottlces of those atta(!hed to Hit> court were built. 'I'lie buiMIng
m<)ve<l on rollers down the Tyropean valley to llu^ very side of the temple. [Tent and Xhan.] 9, H». built the house—The temple Is here distinguished from the wings or clianibers attached to it^and its rooting was of cedar wood. 10. cl»ainl)er8 . . . five culiits liigh—That was the height of tlus whole three storleft. tl>ey rested on the lioiise with timber of eedar—i. c, becausi; the beams of the side-stones rested on the ledges of the tetnph? wall
.Itself was oblong, (consisting of two scpiare courts, llanii-
Ing a large oblong ball which formed the centre, ami which being 100 cubits long, by .50 broad, was properly tho hou.se of the forest of Lebanon, being the part where
the wing was attached to the house, It was (roiinecl-ed wit li the temple, without, however, Interfering Injuriously With tlie sanctuary. [Keil.]
w(M'e the cedar pillars of this hall. In front was the porch of Judgnieiit. wb'ch was appropriated to the tracit-
11-14. Goo's I'UOMISES UNTO IT. 11. the Word of tlie
ITiram'g Works. 1 KINGS VIII. The Utensils of the Temple,
kingdom of God, which was embodied In the temple. 23-26. he made a molten sea—In the tabernacle was no such vessel ; tlie laver served the double purpose of wt>*ihing the hands and feet of the priests as well as the parts of tlie sacrifices. But in the temple there were separate vessels provided for these offices. (See on 2 Chronicles 4.
action of public business. On the one side of this great
\a,ll was llie king s house ; and on tlie other the harem or
royal apartments for Pharaoh's daughter (Esther 2. 3, 9).
Tliis arrangement of the palace accords with the Oriental
style of buildiug, according to which a great mansion always consists of three divisions, or separate houses—all
6.) The molten sea was an immense semicircular vase, measuring seventeen and a half feet diameter, and being eight and three-fourths feet in depth—this, at three and a half inches, could not weigh less than from twenty-five to thirty tons in one solid casting—and held from 16,000 to
connected by doors and passages—the men dwelling at one extremity, the female portion of the family at the
other, wliile public rooms occupy the central part of the
buMding. 10. tUe fo»ti»<latloi» was of costly stones, even great stones—Enormous stones, corresijonding ex-
20,000 gallons of water. The brim was all carved with lilywork or flowers, and oxen were carved or cut on the outside
actly with the dimensions given, are found in Jerusalem
at this day. Not only the walls from the foundation to
all round, to the number of 3D0; and it stood on a pedestal of twelve oxen. Tliese oxen must have been of considerable size, like the Assyrian bulls, so as their corresponding legs would give thickness or strength to support so great a weight ; for, when tlie vessel was filled with water, the whole weight would be about 100 tons. [Napier.] (See on 2 Chronicles 4.5.) 37-3'.). lie made ten bases of brass—These were trucks or four-wheeled carriages, for the support a nd conveyance of the lavers. The description of their structure shows that they were elegantly fitted up, and ski Uully adapted to their purpose. They stood, not on the axles, but on four rests attached
the roof-beams were built of large hewn stones, but the
spacious court also around the palace was paved with
great square stones. 12. for tlie Inner court of tlie house of tlic liord—Should be, as In the inner court of
the house of tlie Lord ; the meaning is, that in this palace,
as in the temple, rows of hevv^ed stones and the cedar beams formed the enclosing wall.
13-51. HiKAM'S Works. Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre—The Tyrians and other inhabitants on the Phoenician coast were the most renowned artists and workers in metal in the ancient world. I*. He was a widow's sou of the tribe of Naplitall—In 2 Chronicles
2. U his mother is said to have been of the daugiiters of Dan. The apparent discrepancy may be reconciled thus
to the axles, so that the figured sides were considerably raised above the wheels. They were all exactly alike In form and size. T!ie lavers which were borne upon them were vessels capalile each of holding 300 gallons of water, upwards of a ton weight. The whole, when full of water, would be no less tliiui two tons. [Nai'IEU.] 40-4.5. And Hiram jnade the lavers, and the shovels, and the basins—These verses contain a general enumeration ol Hiram's works, as well as those already mentioned, as other minor things. Tlie Tyrian artists are frequently mentioned byancientauthors as skilful artificers in fashioning and embossing metal enps and bowls; and we need not wonder, therefore, to find them employed by Solomon in making the golden and brazen utensils for his temple and palaces. 46. In the plain of Jordan did the king cast tliem—Zartlian or Zaretan (Joshua 3, l(i), or Zartanali (cli. 4. 12), or Zeredathah (2 Chronicles 4. 17), was on the bank of the Jordan in the territories of western Manasseh. Succoth was situated on the eastern side of Jordan, at the ford of the river near the mouth of the Jabbok. One reason assigned by commentators for the castings being made there is, that at such a distance from Jerusalem that city would not be annoyed by the smoke and noxious vapours necessarily occasioned by the process. [Note in Bagsticr's Bible.] But tlie true reason
Hiram's mother, though belonging to the tribe of Dan, had been married to a Naphtalite, so that when married V afterwards to a Tyrian, she might be described as a widow
\of the trit)e of Naphtali. Or, if she was a native of the
city Dan (I^aislij, she might be said to be of the daughters
Of Dan, as born in that place; and of the tribe of Napli-
tall, as really belonging to it. a worker in brass—Refer-
ring particularly to the works described in this chapter; but in 2 Chronicles 2. 13 his artistic skill is represented as extending to a great variety of departments ; and, in fact, he was appointed, from his great natural talents and acquired skill, to superintend the execution of all the works
of art in the temple. 15-aa. two pillars of brass, eighteen cubits higli—Tliey were made of the brass (broniie) which was taken from the king of Zobah (1 Chronicles 18. 8). In
2 Chronicles 3. lo they are said to have been thirty-flve cubits high. There, liowever, their joint lengths are given; whereas here the length of the pillars is given separately. Each pillar was seventeen and a half cubits
long, which Is stated, in round numbers, as eighteen. Their dimensions in English measure are as follows: The pil-
lars without the capitals measured thirty-two and a half
feet long, and seven feet diameter; anil if hollow, as WlliSTOK, in his translation of Josephus, thinks (Jeremiah 52. 21), the metal would be about three and a half Inches thick; so that the whole casting of one pillar must have been from sixteen to twenty tons. The height of the capitals was eight and three-fourths feet; and, at the same thickness of metal, would not weigh less than seven or eight tons each. The nature of the workmanship in the finishing of these capitals is described (v. 17-22). The pil-
is to be found in the nature of the soil; Mary., the thickness of the ground. That part of the Jordan valley abounds with marl. Clay and sand are the moulding material still used for bronze. Such large quantities of metal as one of tliese castings would contain could not be fused in one furnace, but would require a series of.furnaces, especially for such a casting as the brazen sea—the whole series of furnaces being filled with metal, and fused at one time, and all tapped together, and the metal let run into the mould. Thus a national foundry was erected in the plain of Jordan. [Naimeh.] 48. the altar of gold i.e., the altar of incense. 49. candlesticks of pure gold—Made, probably, according to the model ol
lars, when set up, would stand forty feet in height. (NaPlEU's Mktai,.) 17. nets of chccltcr-work i. e., branchwork, resembling the branches of palm trees, anilwreutlis
of chnin-ivork ; i. e., plaited in the form of a chain, composing a sort of crown or garland. Seven of tliese were wound In festoons on one capital, and over and underneath them fringes, one hundred in a row; and two rows of pomegranates strung on chains (2 Chronicles 3. Hi) van round the capital (r. 42 ; cf. 2 Clironicles 4. 12, J3 ; Jeremiah 52. 23), which,
tli.'it in the tabernacle, which, along with the other articles of furniture, were deposited witli due honour, as sacred
relics, in the temple. But these seem not to have been used in the temple service; for Solomon made new lavers tables, and candlesticks, ten of each. (See further r^ garding the dimensions and furniture of the temple, In
Itself, was of a bowl-like or globular form (f). 41). .These rows were desigt\e<l to form a binding to the ornanient.al work—to keep it from falling asunder; and they were so placed as to be above the chain-work, and below the place where the branch-work was. 19. lily-work—Beau-
2 Chronicles 3. 5.)
tiful ornament.s, re.seml)ling the stalks, leaves, and blossoms of lilies—of large dimensions, as suited lo the lu-ight of their position, til. Jacl>in and Boa/.—These nanu K were symbolical, and indicated theslri nglh and stability —not so much of the material temple, lor they were demroyed along with It (Jeremiah 52. 17), as of the spiritual
Ver. 1-12. TllK DEnicATioN ok tijk Tk.mpi.k. 2. at the feaNt In the mouth Kthniilin—The public and formal iiiaugiuatuui ol this n:itioiial place of worship did not take place till eleven months after the completion of the edi-
fice. The delay, most probably, originated in Solomon'fc
2lt
The Dedication of the Temple. 1 KINGS IX. Solomon's Sacrifice of Peace Offenvgt,
wish to choose the most fitting opportunity when there shouid be a general rendezvous of tlie people in Jerusalem
brazen scaffold erected for the occasion (2 Chronicles 6. 13), fronting the altar of burnt offering, and surrounded by a mighty concourse of people. Assuming the attitude of a suppliant, kneeling (v. 54, cf. 2 Chronicles 6. 24), and with uplifted hands, he performed the solemn act of consecration—an act remarkable, amongstother circumstances, for this, that it was done, not by the high priest or any member of the Aaronic family, but by the king in person, who might minister about, though not in, holy things. This sublime prayer, which breathes sentiments of the loftiest piety blended with the deepest humility, naturally bore a reference to the national blessing and curse contained in the law—and the burden of it—after an ascription of praise to the Lord for the bestowraeut of the former, was an earnest supplication for deliverance from the latter. He specifies seven cases in which the merciful interposition of God would be required ; and he earnestly bespeaks
(f. 2); and that was not till the next year. That was a jubilee year, and he resolved on commencing the solemn ceremonial a few days before the feast of tajbernacles, which was the most appropriate of all seasons, as that annual festival had been instituted in commemoration of the Israelites dwelling in booths during their stay in
tlie wilderness, as well as of the tabernacle, which was then erected, in which God promised to meet and dwell With His people, sanctifying It with His glory. As the
tabei nacle was to be superseded by the temple, there was admirable propriety in choosing the feast of tabernacles as the period for dedicating the new place of worship, and praying that the same distinguished privileges might be continued to it in the manifestation of the Divine presence and glorj'. At the time appointed for the inaugui'ation, the king issued ordei's for all the heads and representatives of the nation to repair to Jerusalem, and take part in the august procession. The lead wap taken by the king and elders of the people, whose march must have been slow, as priests were stationed to offer an immense number of sac-
it on the condition of people praying towards that holy place. The blessing addressed to the people at the close
is substantially a brief recapitulation of the preceding prayer.
62-G4. His Sacrifice of Peace Offering. 63. the king, and all Israel . . . oifered saerifice before the Lord—This was a burnt offering with its accompaniments, and being the first laid on the altar of the temple, was, as in the analogous case of the tabernacle, consumed by miraculous fire from heaven (see on 2 Chronicles 7. 12). On remarkable occasions, the heathens sacrificed hecatombs (a hundred), and even chiliombs (a thousand animals), but the public sacrifices offered by Solomon on this occasion surpassed all the other oblations on record, without taking into account those presented by private individuals, which, doubtless, amounted to a large additional number. The large proportion of the sacrifices were peace offerings, which afforded the people an opportunity of festive enjoyment. 63. So the king and all the ehlldren of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord—The dedication was not a ceremony ordained by (he law, but It was done in accordance with tlie sentiments of reverence naturally associated with edifices appropriated to Divine worship. 64. The same day did the king hallow the middle of the eourt—i.e., the whole extent of the
rifices at various points in the line of road through which the procession was to go; then came the priests bearing the ark and the tabernacle—the old Mosaic tabernacle which was brought from Gibeon. Lastly, the Levites followed, carrying the vessels and ornaments b,elonging to the old,
for lodgment in the new house of the Lord. There was a
sliglit deviation in this procedure from the order of march established in the wilderness (Numbers 3.31; 4.15); but the spirit of flie arrangement was duly oliserved. Tlie ark was deposited in the oracle; i. e., the most holy place, under the wings of the cherubim—not the Mosaic cherubim, which were firmly attached to the ark (Exodus 37. 7,
8), but those made by Solomon, which were far larger and more expanded. 8. tliey drew out tlie staves—A little way, so as to project (see on Exodus 2o. 15; Numbers 4. 6), and they were left in that position. The object was, that these projecting staves might serve as a guide to tlie high priest, in conducting him to that place where, once a year, he went to officiate before the ark, otherwise he might miss liis way in the dark, the ark being wliolly oveisliadowed I15' the wings of the cherubim. 9. There Wfxa iiotlilng In the nrU save tlie two tal>les of stone Nothing else was ever in the ark, the artic'les mentioned (Hebrews 9. 4) being not in, but by it, being laid in the most holy place before the testimony. (Exodus 10. 33; Numliers 17. 10.) 10, 11. tlie eloucl lllletl tlie house of the Lord—The cloud was the visible symbol of the Divine presence, and its occupation of the sanctuary was a testimony of God's gracious acceptance of tlie temple as of the tabernacle. (Exodus 40. 34.) The dazzling brightness, or rather, perhaps, the dense jiortentous darkness of the cloud, struck the minds of the priests, as it formerly had done Moses, with that astonishment and terror (Leviticus
priests' eourt—the altar of burnt offerings, though large
(2 Chronicles 4. 1), being totally inadequate for the vast numlier of sacrifices that distinguished this occasion. It was only a temporary erection to meet the demands of an extraordinai'y season, in aid of the established altar, and removed at the conclusion of the sacri'd festival.