I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building: but God said unto me, thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood. Howbeit, Jehovah, God of Israel, chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father, he liked me to make me king over all Israel: and of all my sons, (for Jehovah hath given me many sons) he hath chosen Solomon, my son, to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of Jehovah, over Israel. And he said unto me, Solomon, thy son, he shall build my house, and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. Moreover, I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments, and my judgments, as at this day. Now, therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the congregation of Jehovah, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of Jehovah, your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for And thou, Solomon, my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for Jehovah searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. Take heed now, for Jehovah hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.*

ever.

After giving to Solomon a minute model or description of what the future temple should be,† he declared that Jehovah had made him understand in writing by his hand upon him,

even all the works of this pattern; and said to Solomon, be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed for Jehovah, God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of Jehovah. And, behold, the courses of the priests and the Levites, even they shall be with thee for all the service of the house of God and there shall be with thee, for all manner of workmanship, every willing skilful man, for any manner of service: also the princes and all the people will be wholly at thy commandment.*

Then addressing the congregation he said, Solomon, my son, whom God alone hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great; for the palace is not for man, but for Jehovah, God. Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God; the gold, for things to be made of gold; and the silver, for things of silver; and the brass, for things of brass; the iron, for things of iron; and wood, for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours; and all manner of precious stones; and marble stones† in abundance. Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have, of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house. Even three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver,+ to overlay the walls of the houses withal: the gold, for things of gold; and the silver for things of silver; and for all manner of work to be made by the hands of artificers. And who

* 1 Chron. xxviii, 20, 21.

+ Josephus says the temple was built of large blocks of white marble, beautifully polished, so as to produce a most splendid appearance.-Vol. iv. 141.

£.13,500,000 in gold, £.2,625,000 in silver. BP. WILSON.

then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto Jehovah? Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king's work, offered willingly; and gave for the service of the house of God, of gold, five thousand talents and ten thousand drams; and of silver ten thousand talents ;* and of brass, eighteen thousand talents; and one hundred thousand talents of iron. And they with whom precious stones were found, gave them to the treasure of the house of Jehovah, by the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite. Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to Jehovah; and David, the king, also rejoiced with great joy.

Wherefore, David blessed Jehovah before all the congregation and David said, Blessed be thou, Jehovah, God of Israel, our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O Jehovah, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Jehovah, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and

honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now, therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? For all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers; our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding. O Jehovah, our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house, for thine holy name, cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own. I know also, my

OL.22,500,000 in gold, and £.3,750,000 in silver. BP. WILSON.

God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart, I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee. O Jehovah, God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee: and give unto Solomon, my son, a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for which I have made provision.

And David said to all the congregation, now bless Jehovah, your God. And all the congregation blessed Jehovah, God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped Jehovah, and the king. And they sacrificed sacrifices unto Jehovah, and offered burnt offerings unto Jehovah, on the morrow after that day, even a thousand bullocks, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel and did eat and drink before Jehovah on that day with great gladness. And they made Solomon, the son of David, king the second time, and anointed him unto Jehovah to be the chief governor, and Zadok to be priest.*

In another solemn address of David to Solomon, he thus expresses himself, I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong, therefore, and shew thyself a man; and keep the charge of Jehovah, thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself; that Jehovah may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to

1 Chron. xxix, 1, 22.

their way, to walk before me in truth, with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said be) a man on the throne of Israel. Moreover, thou knowest also what Joab, the son of Zeruiah, did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the host of Israel: unto Abner, the son of Ner, and unto Amasa, the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace; and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet. Do, therefore, according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace. But shew kindness unto the sons of Barzillai, the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table; for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom, thy brother. And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei, the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim; but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by Jehovah, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword. Now, therefore, hold him not guiltless; for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood.*

The last words of this aged servant of God are supposed to be the following: 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 Jehovah 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 springeth out of the earth

* 1 Kings, ii. 2-9. Dr. Kennicott thinks the Hebrew negative, lo, should be introduced here, from whom A. Clarke and Burder, O. C. 373. have made copious extracts.