a certain, on the day thou goest out, and walkest abroad any whither, that thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst unto me, The word that I have heard is good. Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the LORD, and the commandment that I have charged thee with?

The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst

to David my father: therefore the LORD shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head; and king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD for ever.

So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; which went out, and fell upon him, that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

Question.-Why did Solomon at last determine to punish Adonijah?

Answer. He saw in his request that he might marry Abishag, who had been in attendance on David on his deathbed, and who was therefore considered to be one of the late king's wives, a fresh attempt to make a claim to the crown, and suspected, probably from some other reasons not stated, that a new plot was being arranged by Joab and Abiathar the priest. Q.-How did Solomon act under the circumstances? A—He caused Adonijah to be put to death, and we must

remember that he only pardoned him before on condition of his showing himself to be a worthy man, threatening that, if wickedness were found in him, he should die. Joab was also killed by order of the king; who would not slay Abiathar the priest, on account of his sacred office, but deprived him of his priesthood and banished him to Anathoth, the city of the priests. Q-Had it been predicted that Abiathar would be deprived of his office?

A. Yes. He was descended from Eli, and, if we refer to

the first Book of Samuel, we shall see what the Lord said about his family.

Q.-When Solomon made Zadok high priest in the place of Abiathar, was he fulfilling a promise of the Lord made long before?

A. Yes. Eli was told, “I will raise me up a faithful priest that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind, and I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever." Zadok was of the house of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, and eleventh in descent from Aaron.

Q. Where was Joab killed?

4.-At Gibeon, where the tabernacle then was. It is noticeable that this was the place where he so treacherously killed Amasa.

Q. How was Shimei punished?

4.—At first Solomon spared his life on condition that he should remain in Jerusalem. This condition he broke after three years, and was then punished as Solomon said he would be.

A

ND Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall of Jerusalem round about. Only the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no house built unto the name of the LORD, until those days.

And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.

And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.

In Gibeon the LORD appeared to

and

Solomon in a dream by night God said, Ask what I shall give thee. And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.

And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace

offerings, and made a feast to all his

servants.

Then came there two women unto the king, and stood before him.

And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house. And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house. And this woman's child died in the night; because she overlaid it. And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bare.

And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this said, No; but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spake before the king.

Then said the king, The one saith, This is my son that liveth, and thy son is the dead: and the other saith, Nay; but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living.

And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king. And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.

Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.

Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no

And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.

So king Solomon was king over all Israel. And these were the princes which he had: Azariah the son of Zadok the priest, Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder. And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests: and Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer, and the king's friend: and Ahishar was over the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute.

And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided victuals. for the king and his household: each man his month in in a year made provision.

Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.

And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.

And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal, ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallow-deer, and fatted fowl. For he had dominion

over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river and he had peace on all sides round about him.

And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.

And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. And those officers provided victual for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month they lacked nothing. Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.

And God gave Solomon wisdom. and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol and his fame was in all nations round about. And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.

And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall he spake also of beasts, and fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. And there came of all the people to hear the wisdom of king Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.

Question.-What request did Solomon make of the Lord?

Answer. He asked for "an understanding heart," so that

he might rule the people wisely and with justice. He felt the greatness of his kingly office, and that, without the help and teaching of the Lord, he should be unable to discharge his duties as king of a great people. Solomon was then one of the richest and most powerful kings of the earth; he had put down all his enemies, his people honoured and obeyed him, and his "kingdom was established." He had, too, allied himself with another great monarch, the king of Egypt, by marrying his daughter, yet he distrusted his own wisdom and power, and asked for the guidance of the Lord, confessing that he was "but a little child." This is an important lesson for us all. Our Lord Jesus Christ tells us that we must become as little children if we would see God. We must notice that the Lord espe cially commended Solomon, not only for not asking for long life and riches, but for not asking the life of his enemies, and for showing the spirit of forgiveness which afterwards was taught in the Gospel. The words of the Lord, "I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked," illustrate in a striking manner the promise made by our Saviour, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."

Q.-In what manner was the wisdom of Solomon shown when the two women disputed about the child?

A. He knew that the real mother was she who loved the child, and who would prefer that it should live, even if she saw it no more.

Q-What was the extent of Solomon's dominions?

A. They extended from the river Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, a distance of about four hundred miles, and included the dominions of several petty kings, who acknowledged Solomon as their superior, and paid tribute to him.

Q.-What is the meaning of the words, "Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig-tree, from Dan even to Beersheba ?"

A.-The vine and fig-tree grew abundantly; and it is a proof of the peace and prosperity the people enjoyed, that they were able to cultivate the land, and enjoy the fruits of their labour. From Dan to Beer-sheba means throughout the whole country; the first of these towns marking the northern, the other the southern limit.

Q. How many horses had Solomon ?

A.-The number given, "forty thousand," is probably a
mistranslation, and should be four thousand."
Q-What was the greatest gift from the Lord that
Solomon enjoyed?

A.-He had wisdom and understanding, and largeness of heart. Wisdom in the Bible means, not only great knowledge and powers of mind, but wisdom concerning God, a religious and devout frame of mind, and a knowledge given by God of His will; that was the most important and valuable part of the wisdom possessed by Solomon; but, besides that, he was master of all the learning of his time, was a poet, and understood the nature and habits of animals and all kinds of trees and flowers. The fame of so great and wise a king spread throughout neighbouring countries, and people came from many parts to listen to his sayings.

AND Hiram king of Tyre sent his

servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David.

And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying, Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet. But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither

And,

adversary nor evil occurrent. behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name. Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants : and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that there