GEZER-a city of Canaan the inhabitants of which were not expelled by the Israelites, though their king, Hormah, was overthrown with his mighty army by Joshua. Many years after, Pharaob, king of Egypt, destroyed its inhabitants, and gave the city, as a present, to his daughter, Solomon's wife. EZION-GEBER-one of the encampments of the Israelites in the wilderness; it was on the coast of the Red Sea. It was the place where Solomon built his ships wherewith to trade to distant countries; and also the place at which Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah built ships to trade to Tarshish. OPHIR-a country to which Solomon and Hiram, king of Tyre, traded by ships for gold, almug-trees, and precious stones; thought by some to be in India, by others in Arabia, and by others in Africa. THARSHISH-a country, the situation 212 of which is unknown; to which Solomon traded for "gold, and silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks." The ships of Tharshish were large merchant ships, so framed as to be enabled to take long voyages. Wherever Tharshish was situated, it appears to have been called after one of the sons of Javan, whose descendants were doubtless settled there. in the northern part of Arabia, lying SHEBA-called also Saba, a district between the Red Sea and the Indian ther Solomon's royal visitor, the Queen Ocean; Lesson 11, Sabeans.' Wheof Sheba, came from this country or from Abyssinia must remain matter of doubt. The Abyssinians ascribe to a visit of their queen to Solomon, the introduction of the Jewish religion into their country; and we read that a chief motive for her journey was that "she had heard of the fame of Solomon, concerning the name of the Lord." TADMOR. "AND SOLOMON BUILT TADMOR IN THE WILDERNESS." The past-the past-the hoary past Behold the bearded Hebrew bend Beneath their own rich sunset's hour! Again-again!-in other years, JOHNS. 71. SOLOMON'S WISDOM. HIS OFFENCES. God gave Solomon exceeding much wisdom, and understanding, and largeness of heart. His wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. His fame was in all nations. He spake of all kinds 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, of fowls, of creeping things, and of fishes. And he spake three-thousand proverbs and one thousand-and-five songs. He had twelve officers over all Israel to provide victuals for his household. 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 a hundred sheep, besides ·harts, and roe-bucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowls. Judah and Israel were many as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry; for they all dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig-tree, from Dan even to Beersheba all the days of Solomon. Solomon's dominions were very large, as God had covenanted to Abraham; he 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 he had peace on all sides round about. When Solomon grew older he offended God; he took a great many wives from strange nations, and his heart was not perfect with the Lord, as was the heart of David his father. He served the idols of the Zidonians, and the Ammonites, and the Moabites, and he burned incense and sacrificed to them. Then the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was 'turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice; 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 said unto Solomon, "Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the SOLOMON'S ENEMIES, ETC. PERIOD V.J hand of thy son. Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen.” God also stirred up against Solomon-Hadad, who had fled from Edom into Egypt, in the days of David, and Rezon of Damascus. And Jeroboam, whom Solomon had made a ruler, also lifted up his hand against Solomon. NOTES AND EXPLANATIONS. largeness, &c.-a generous disposition, | happiness of the people, their peace. and a liberal mind. east country-alluding to the Chaldeans, who were celebrated for their astronomical knowledge. 6 and security; the allusion informs us of the habit of planting and training vines and fig-trees near to their habitations, under which they commonly took their of Egypt-this country had long been repasts; Les. 38, fig-tree, vine ;' 50, renowned for its learning, and its know'wine,' 'figs. This striking figure is ledge of the arts. Lesson 17, Moses; Zechariah to the times of millennial applied by the prophets Micah and 30, book of the law.' peace and happiness; Micah iv. 4; cedar-tree-Lesson 29, Lebanon;' Zechariah iii. 10. 67, cedar-trees.' hyssop-the precise plant referred to cannot be determined; the idea intended to be conveyed is, that he spoke, or rather wrote, of all kinds of plants, from the most majestic to the smallest. Solomon made every plant and animal that came under his observation a subject of study. His writings on natural history were numerous, but they are lost. proverbs-wise sentences; of these proverbs all that are remaining are preserved in the Books of Proverbs, and of Ecclesiastes. hart a clean animal, according to the law; it is a graceful and beautiful species of deer, extremely swift, but soon overcome by hunger and thirst. roe-buck-the gazelle of Judea; like the hart, this animal is remarkable for its agility, and its symmetrical figure. fallow-deer-a larger species of deer than either of the above. as the sand-a hyperbolic expression denoting the countless multitudes of Judah and Israel. covenanted-Lesson 8. from the river-the extreme eastern point of Solomon's dominions was Tiphsah, on the Euphrates, where was a celebrated ford, which enhanced the character of the place as a trading station-being the point of intercourse between the nations east and west of the river. unto-Azzah, which means Gaza, is given as the western extremity of Solomon's dominions; it was on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea as far south as Egypt. Lesson 41, ‘Gaza.' a great many-Solomon foolishly imitated the grandeur of eastern monarchs, who regard extensive harems as necessary appendages to the pomp of royalty. He also sinned against the law in multiplying wives, and in marrying idolaters who retained their idolatrous customs. strange-they were strangers to the national covenant with Israel, and to the holy religion communicated to Moses by Jehovah. Les. 32, come not ;* 35, took their daughters.' not perfect-he first tolerated their under his own, &c.—a beautiful figur-idolatries, then he joined the worship of ative expression implying the domestic idols with the worship of Jehovah. Zidonians-Lesson 33, Ashtaroth.' one tribe-the Benjamites, who would 79, Zidonians.' Ammonites-they worshipped Moloch by the horrid devotion of human sacrifices. The Jewish Rabbins tell us that this idol was made of brass, seated on a throne; the throne and image being hollow, were made red hot by fires within; the victims were then thrown into the arms of the idol, and almost immediately burned to death. The cries of the sufferers were drowned by drums and timbrels. Deut. xii. 31; Jer. vii. 31. Moloch means 'king.' remain subject to David's house, along Hadad-when David overran Edom, (Lesson 57, 'conquered') Hadad, who was then but a child, was carried into Egypt, where he was received by Pharaoh; when he grew up, he married the queen's sister. After David's death, he returned to Edom, and towards the close of Solomon's reign he became his adversary. Rezon-at the head of a company of Moabites-their chief deity was lawless soldiers he made several incurChemosh, or Baal-peor; the rites con- sions on the Syrian territory of Solonected with its worship were abomin-mon, and at length established a kingably impure and revolting. Lesson 28, dom of which Damascus was the capital. 'advice;' 33,' Baal.' He had originally been a commander in Hadadezer's army. Less. 57, ' Hadad turned-Lessons 35, 'took their daughters; 66, as thy father;' 68, "if thou wilt;' 69, laid hold.' rend-tear it away; the division of the kingdom would not be effected without violence. ezer.' Jeroboam-' people increasing.' Les. 72. GEOGRAPHICAL NOTE. DAN TO BEERSHEBA-Dan was a city in the north of Canaan; Lesson 34, Laish.' Beersheba was a celebrated servant-Jeroboam; Lesson 73. He place in the south of Canaan. was an Ephraimite, and having shewn expression "from Dan to Beersheba" ability and diligence, he was employed is often used in the Old Testament to by Solomon to collect certain revenues designate the extent of Canaan from from the tribes of Ephraim & Manasseh. north to south. The ALL IS VANITY. 'Tis vain, with eager heart, to grasp Honour is vain-the voice of fame, Is changeful as the changeful breezes; And now thy stream of comfort freezes. And wealth is vain-the evening gale, Oft strips the bough that bloomed at morning, And plausive lips be turned to scorning. PERIOD V. v.] SOLOMON'S REPENTANCE. Friendship is vain-the human heart, Like wave and wind, no power can bind it; And love is vain-for she, so fair, W. KNOX. 72. SOLOMON'S ENEMIES. HIS REPENTANCE. 1 Kings xi. 26-43. Proverbs. Ahijah, the prophet, declared God's purposes against Solomon to Jeroboam, saying that God would take the kingdom out of Solomon's son's hand and give ten tribes to him. Ahijah also declared that if Jeroboam did right, and kept God's commandments, God would build him a sure house and give Israel to him. God also said he would afflict the seed of David, but not for ever. Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam, but he fled unto Shishak, king of Egypt, and was there till the death of Solomon. Solomon is supposed to have written the book of Ecclesiastes just before his death, after he had repented of his sins. He said, "One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh ; but the earth abideth ·for ever. The sun also ariseth and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to the place where he arose. The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to a great estate, and |