Hiram's work. Chap. vill. The dedication of the templa. 46 In the plain of Jordan did the king caft minifter because of the cloud: for the glory of them, in the clay ground between Succoth the LORD had filled the house of the LORD: and Zarthan. 47 And Solomon left all the veffels unweighed, because they were exceeding many : neither was the weight of the brafs found out. 48 And Solomon made all the veffels that pertained unto the houfe of the LORD: the altar of gold, and the table of gold, whereupon the fhewbread was, 49 And the candlesticks of pure gold, five on the right fide, and five on the left, before the oracle, with the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs of geid. 50 And the bowls, and the fnuffers, and the bafons, and the fpoons, and the cenfers, of pure gold; and the hinges of gold, both for the doors of the inner houfe, the moft holy place, and for the doors of the house, to wit, of the temple. si So was ended all the work that king Solomon made for the houfe of the LORD. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated; even the filver, and the gold, and the veffels, did he put among the treafures of the houfe of the LORD. CHAP. VIII. 1 The dedication of the temple. 12, 15 Solomon's blefing: 22 his prayer: 62 bis facrifice of peace-offerings. ΤΗ HEN Solomon affembled the elders of Ifrael, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of If rael, unto king Solomon in Jerufalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion, 2 And all the men of Ifrael affembled them felves unto king solomon at the feaft, in the month Fthanim, which is the feventh month. 3 And all the elders of Ifrael came, and the priests took up the ark. 4 And they brought up the ark of the LORD, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy veffels that were in the tabernacle, even thofe did the pricfts and the Levites bring up. 5 And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Ifrael that were affembled unto him, were with him before the ark, facrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude. 6 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the houfe, to the moit holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims. 7 For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the che rubims covered the ark, and the ftaves thereof above. 8 And they drew out the ftaves, that the ends of the ftaves were feen cut in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not feen without: and there they are unto this day. 9 There was nothing in the ark fave the two tables of ftone, which Mofes put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Ifrael, when they came out of the land of Egypt. 10 And it came to pafs, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the houfe of the LORD. 1 Sb that the priests could not ftand to 12 Then fpake Solomon, The LORD faid that he would dwell in the thick darkness. 13 I have furely built thee an houfe to dwell in, a fettled place for thee to abide in for ever. 14 And the king turned his face about, and bleffed all the congregation of lfrael: (and all the congregation of Ifrael food ;) 15 And he faid, Bleffed be the LORD God of Ifrael, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, faying, 16 Since the day that I brought forth my people Ifrael out of Egypt, I chofe no city out of all the tribes of Ifrael to build an house, that my name might be therein; but I chofe David to be over my people Ifrael. 17 And it was in the heart of David my father to build an houfe for the name of the LORD God of Ifrael. 18 And the LORD faid unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an houfe unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart. 19 Nevertheless thou fhait not build the houfe; but thy fon, that fhall come forth out of thy loins, he thall build the house unto my name. 20 And the LORD hath performed his word that he fpake; and I am rifen up in the room of David my father, and fit on the throne of Ifrael, as the LORD promised, and have built an houfe for the name of the LORD God of Ifrael. 21 And I have fet there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of the LORD, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt. 22 And Solomon ftood before the altar of the LORD in the prefence of all the congregation of Ifrael, and spread forth his hands toward heaven: 23 And he faid, LORD God of Ifrael, there is no god like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepert covenant and mercy with thy fervants that walk before thee with all their heart: 24 Who haft kept with thy fervant David my father that thou promifedft him: thou fpakeft alfo with thy mouth, and hatt fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day. 25 Therefore now, LORD God of Ifrael, keep with thy fervant David my father that thou promisedit him, faying, There shall not fail thee a man in my fight to fit on the throne of Ifrael; fo that thy children take heed to their way, that they walk before me as thou haft walked before me. 26 And now, O God of Ifrael, let thy word, pray thee, be verified, which thou fpakett unto thy fervant David my father 27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth! Behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; How much lefs this house that I have builded? 28 Yet have thou refpect unto the prayer of thy fervant, and to his fupplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer which thy fervant prayeth before thee today: 20 That thine eyes may be open toward this houfe night and day, even toward the place of which thou haft faid, My name thall Solomon's facrifice of peace-offerings. and their fupplication, and maintain thel caufe. J. KINGS. be there; that thou mayeft hearken unto the prayer which thy fervant fhall make toward this place. 30 And hearken thou to the fupplication of thy fervant, and of thy people Ifrael, when they thall pray toward this place: and hear shou in heaven thy dwelling place; and when thou heareit, forgive. 31It any man trefpass against his neigh bour, and an oath be laid upon him to caufe him to fwear, and the oath come before thine altar in this houfe: 32 Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy fervants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and juftifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteoufnefs. 33 When thy people Ifrael be fmitten down before the enemy, because they have finned against thee, and thall turn again to thee, and contefs thy name, and pray, and make fupplication unto thee in this houfe: 34 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the fin of thy people Ifrael, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers. 35 When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have inned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confefs thy name, and turn from their fin, when thou affictest them: 36 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the fin of thy fervants, and of thy people Ifrael, that thou teach them the good way wherein they thould walk, and give rain upon thy land which thou haft given to thy people for an inheritance. 37 If there be in the land famine, if there be peftilence, blafting, mildew, locuft, or if there be caterpillar; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities, whatfoever plague, whatfoever fickness there be; 38 What prayer and fupplication foever be made by any man, or by all thy people Ifrael, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and fpread forth his hands toward this houfe: 39 Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whofe heart thou knowett; (for thou, even thou only, knoweit the hearts of all the children of men ;) 40 That they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers. 41 Moreover concerning a stranger that is not of thy people Ifrael, but cometh out of afar country for thy name's fake; 42 (For they thall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched out arm; when he shall come and pray toward this house; 46 If they fin against thee, (for there is no man that finneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, fo that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near; 47 Tet it they fhall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make fupplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them cap. tives, faying, We have finned, and have done perverfely, we have committed wickedness. 48 And Jo return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their foul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land which thou gaveft unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chofen, and the house which I have built for thy name: 49 Then hear thou their prayer and their fupplication in heaven thy dwelling place, and maintain their cause, so And forgive thy people that have finned against thee, and all their tranfgreffions where. in they have tranfgreffed against thee, and give them companion before them who car. ried them captive, that they may have com paffion on them: 51 For they be thy people, and thine inher. itance, which thou broughteft forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron: 52 That thine eyes may be open unto the fupplication of thy fervant, and unto the fup. plication of thy people Ifrael, to hearken unio them in all that they call for unto thee. 53 For thou didit feparate then from a mong all the people of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou fpakeft by the hand of Mofes thy fervant, when thou broughteft our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord GOD. 54 And it was fo, that, when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and fupplication unto the LORD, he arofe from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees, with his hands fpread up to hea ven. 55 And he flood, and bleffed all the congre. gation of Ifrael with a loud voice, faying, 56 Bleffed be the LORD, that hath given reit unto his people Ifrael, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promife, which he promifed by the hand of Mofes his fervant. 57 The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forfake us: 58 That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his itatutes, and his judg ments, which he commanded our fathers. 59 And let thefe my words, wherewith I 43 Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, have made fupplication before the LORD, be and do according to all that the stranger call-nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, eth to thee for; that all people of the earth that he maintain the caufe of his fervant, and may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy the caufe of his people Ifrael at all times, people Ifrael; and that they may know that as the matter thall require: this houfe, which I have builded, is called by thy name. 441 thy people go out to battle against their enemy whitherfoever thou shalt fend them, and thall pray unto the LORD toward the city which thou haft chofen, and toward the houfe that I have built for thy name: 45 Then hear thou in heaven their prayer 60 That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else. 61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his ftatutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day. 62 And the king, and all Ifrael with Solomon's vifion. Hiram's prefent. 10 ¶ And it came to pass at the end o twenty years, when Solomon had built the two houfes, the house of the LORD, and the king's houfe, Chap. Ix. 64 The fame day did the king hallow the 65 And at that time Solomon held a feaft, and all Ifrael with him, a great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt, before the LORD our God, feven days and feven days, even fourteen days. 66 On the eighth day he fent the people 1 God's covenant in a vifion with Solomon. 2 That the LORD appeared to Solomon the 3 And the LORD faid unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy fupplication, that thou haft made before me: I have hallowed this houfe which thou haft built, to put my name there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. 4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my itatutes and my judgments: 5 Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Ifrael for ever, as I promifed to David thy father, faying, There fhall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Ifrael. 6 But if ye thall at all turn from follow. Ing me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my ftatutes which I have fet before you, but go and ferve other gods, and worship them: 7 Then will cut off Ifrael out of the land which I have given them; and this houfe, which I have hallowed for my name, will i caft out of my fight; and Ifrael thali be a proverb and a byword among all people: 8 And at this houfe, which is high, every one that paffeth by it shall be aftonished, and fhall hifs; and they shall fay, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this - house? (Now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnifhed Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees, and with gold according to all his defire,) that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee. 12 And Hiram came out from Tyre to fee the cities which Solomon had given him; and they pleased him not. 13 And he faid, What cities are thefe which thou haft given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto this day. 14 And Hiram fent to the king fixfcore talents of gold. 15 And this is the reafon of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build the houfe of the LORD, and his own houfe, and Millo, and the wall of Jerufalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer. 16 For Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up, and taken Gezer and burned it with fire, and 1lain the Canaanites that dwelt in the city, and given it for a prefent unto his daughter, Solo. mon's wife. 17 And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether, 18 And Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilder. nefs, in the land, 19 And all the cities of ftore that Solomon had, and cities for his chariots, and cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon defired to build in Jerufalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion. 20 And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebufites, which were not of the children of Israel, 21 Their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Ifrael alfo were not able utterly to destroy, upon those did Solomou levy a tribute of bondservice unto this day.. 22 But of the children of Ifrael did Solomon make no bondmen: but they were men of war, and his fervants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen. 23 These were the chief of the officers that were over Solomon's work, five hundred and fifty, which bare rule over the people that wrought in the work. 24 But Pharaoh's daughter came up out of the city of David unto her house which Solomon had built for her: then did he build Millo. 25 And three times in a year did Solomon offer burnt-offerings and peace-offerings upon the altar which he built unto the LORD, and he burned incenfe upon the altar that as before the LORD. So he finished the house. 26 And king Solomon made a navy of fhips in Ezion-geber, which is befide Eloth, on the shore of the Red fea, in the land of Edom. 27 And Hiram fent in the navy his fervants, thipmen that had knowledge of the fea, with the fervants of Solomon. 18 And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon. Solomon's idolatry. CHAP. X. E KINGS. 1 The queen of Sheba admireth the wisdom of Solomon: 14 his riches. AND when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, the came to prove him with hard questions. 2 And the came to Jerufalem with a very great train, with camel's that bare fpices, and very much gold, and precious ftones: and when the was come to Solomon, the communed with him of all that was in her heart. 3 And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her pot. And when the queen of Sheba had feen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built, 5 And the meat of his table, and the fitting of his fervants, and the attendance of his minifters, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his afcent by which he went up unto the houfe of the LORD; there was no more spirit In her. 6 And the faid to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. 7 Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had feen it and behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and profperity exceedeth the fame which I heard. ne thy men, happy are these thy fr before thee, fervants, which fand con and that hear thy wisdom. 9 Bleffed be the LORD thy God, which de. lighted in thee, to fet thee on the throng of Ifrael: because the LORD loved Ifrael for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice. 10 And the gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of fpices very great ftore, and precious ftones: there came no more fuch abundance of spices as thefe which the queen of Sheba gave co king Solo mon. 11 And the navy alfo of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones. 12 And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the houfe of the LORD, and for e king's houfe, harps alfo and pfalteries for fingers: there came no fuch almug trees, nor were feen unto this day. 13 And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her defire, whatfoever the aiked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So fhe turned and went to her own country, the and her fervants. 14 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was fix hundred threefcore and fix talents of gold, 15 Befide that he bad of the merchant men, and of the traffick of the fpice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabía, and of the governors of the country. 16 And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: fix hundred bekels of gold went to one target. 17 And be made three hundred thields of beaten gold: three pound of gold went to one fhield: and the king put them in the houfe of the forest of Lebanon. 18 Moreover, the king made a great tarone of ivory, and bverlaid it with the beit gold. His wives and concubines. 19 The throne had fix fteps, and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were ftays on either fide on the place of the feat, and two lions itood befide the stays. 20 And twelve lions flood there on the one fide and on the other upon the fix fteps: there was not the like made in any kingdom. 21 And all king Solomon's drinking vef fels were of gold, and all the veffels of the houfe of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of filver: it was nothing ac counted of in the days of Solomon. 22 For the king had at fea a navy of Tharthith with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharhish, bringing gold, and filver, ivory, and apes, and pea cocks. 23 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom. 24 And all the earth fought to Solomon, to hear his wifdom, which God had put in his heart, 25 And they brought every man his pre fent, veffels of filver, and veffels of gold, and garments, and armour, and fpices, horfes, and mules, a rate year by year. 26 And Solomon gathered together cha riots and horfemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thoufand horfemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerufalem. 27 And the king made filver to be in Jeru falem as fiones, and cedars made he to be as fycamore trees that are in the vale, for abundance. 28 And Solomon had horfes brought our or Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price. 29 And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for fix hundred hekels of filver, and an horfe for an hundred and fifty and fo for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means. CHAP. XI. 1 Solomon's wives and concubines, 4 in his old age, draw him to idlatry. God threat enctb bim. 41 His death. Bu UT king Solomon loved many ftrange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammon. ites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; 2 Of the nations concerning which the LORD faid unto the children of Ifrael, Ye fhall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for furely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto thefe in love. 3 And he had feven hundred wives, prin. ceifes, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. 4 For it came to pafs, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not per fect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. 5 For Solomon went after Afhtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6 And Solomon did evil in the fight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father. 7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemoth, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerufalem, and for Solomon's adverfaries. Chap. xl. Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. 8 And likewife did he for all his ftrange wives, which burnt incenfe and facrificed unto their gods. 9 And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Ifrael, which had appeared unto him twice, to And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded. Wherefore the LORD faid unto Solomon, Forafmuch as this is done of thee, and thou haft not kept my covenant and my ftatutes, which I have commanded thee, I will furely rend the kingdon from thee, and will give it to thy fervant. 12 Notwith@anding, in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's fake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy fon. 13 Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy for for David my fervant's fake, and for Jerufa lem's fake which I have chofen. 14 And the LORD stirred up an adverfary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's feed in Edom. 15 For it came to país, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the hott was gone up to bury the flain, after he had fmitten every male in Edom; 16 (For fix months did Joab remain there with all Ifrael, until he had cut off every male in Edom;) 17 That Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father's fervants with him, to go into Egypt; Hadad being yet a little child. 18 And they arofe out of Midian, and came to Paran: and they took men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, unto Pharaoh king of Egypt; which gave him an houfe, and appointed him victuals, and gave him land. 19 And Hadad found great favour in the fight of Pharaoh, fo that he gave him to wife the fifter or his own wife, the fater of Tahpenes the queen. 20 And the fitter of Tahpenes bare him Genubath his fon, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's houfe: and Genubath was in Pharaoh's household among the fons of Pharaoh, 21 And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David lept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the hoft was dead, Hadad faid to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that I may go to mine own country. 22 Then Pharaoh faid unto him, But what haft thou lacked with me, that, behold, thou feekeft to go to thine own country? And he anfwered, Nothing: howbeit let me go in any wife. 23 And God ftirred him up another adveriary, Rezon the fon of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah : 24 And he gathered men unto him, and became eaptain over a band, when David flew them of Zobab: and they went to Damafcus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damafcus. 2; And he was an adverfary to Ifrael all the days of Solomon, befide the mifchief that Hadad did: and he abhorred Ifrael, and reigned over Syria, Abijab's prophecy. 26 And Jeroboam the fon of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's fervant, whofe mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king. 27 And this was the cause that he lifted up bis hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father. 28 And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon feeing the young man that he was induftrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Jofeph. 29 And it came to pafs at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerufalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garme.it; and they two were alone in the held: 30 And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces: 31 And he faid to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for chus faith the LORD, the God of Ifrael, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee: 32 (But he shall have one tribe for my fer vant David's fake, and for Jerufalem's fake, the city which I have chofen out of all the tribes of Ifrael :) 33 Becaufe that they have forfaken me, and have worshipped Afhtoreth the goddefs of the Zidonians, Chemoth the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Am mon, and have not walked in my ways, to da that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my ftatutes and my judgments, as did David his father. 34 Howbeit I will not take the whole king. dom out of his hand: but I will make hin prince all the days of his life, for David my fervant's fake, whom I chofe, because he kept my commandments and my ftatutes: 35 But will take the kingdom out of his fon's hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes. 36 And unto his fon will I give one tribe, that David my fervant may have a light alway before me in Jerufalem, the city which I have chofen me to put my name there. 37 And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy foul defireth, and thalt be king over Ifrael. 38 And it thall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my fight, to keep my ftatutes and my commandments, as David my fervant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a fure houfe, as I built for David, and will give Ifrael unto thee. 39 And I will for this afflict the feed of David, but not for ever. 40 Solomon fought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arofe, and fled into Egypt, unto Shithak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon. 41 And the reft of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wifdom, are they not written in the bock of the acts of Solomon? 42 And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerufalem over all Ifrael was forty years. 43 And Solomon lept with his fathers, Lj 1 |