PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [1095-975 B.C. have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem; yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. And I gave my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold all is vanity and ·vexation of spirit. Better is a poor and wise child, than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whither thou goest. Remember now thy Creator in the days of Thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them." Solomon finishes all his instructions by saying, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter; Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man; for God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Solomon reigned over all Israel ·forty years, and was buried in the city of David. NOTES AND EXPLANATIONS. Ahijah-he lived at Shiloh. Less. 76. declared-Ahijah met Jeroboam, and seizing his mantle he rent it into twelve pieces, of which he gave him ten. He then proceeded to explain this significant action. Symbolical actions are much used in the East; this is the first we read of in any prophet, though they afterwards became frequent. See Job xxix. 9; Prov. vi. 13; xí. 21; Matt. vi. 3. the kingdom-Lesson 71, 'rend.' if-build-the promise was conditional, and required the obedience of Jeroboam and his race, in which case God would give him an illustrious line of descendants to the latest period of Israel's history. afflict, but not for ever-the descendants of David should reign only over two out of the twelve tribes; nevertheless, there should be a constant sucession of kings of this royal line, for the kingly power should not depart from the tribe of Judah till the Messiah should come, who should be of the house and lineage of David. Gen. xlix. 10; Luke i. 26; ii. 4. sought-Ahijah's communication to Jeroboam becoming known, Solomon's jealousy was excited. Shishak-it appears that Solomon had not been on very friendly terms with Shishak, since he afforded protection to Jeroboam when he fled into Egypt. Ecclesiastes The preacher.' repented-expressed sorrow for his offences, and proved his sincerity by returning to the worship of the true God. generation-race of human beings; all the grown up people living on the There are earth at the same time. three generations in every century. PERIOD V.] NOTES AND EXPLANATIONS. for ever-it still continues the same, notwithstanding the fluctuations and vicissitudes of human life. The sun-there is more stability and regularity in the sun's rising and setting than in human affairs. Less. 31, 'stood still.' The wind-we cannot tell "whence it cometh nor whither it goeth," yet, it is governed by certain natural laws and it is less unstable than things that are governed by man. In Palestine the north wind and the south-west wind brought fair weather; the south wind produced heat; and the hot east wind withered vegetation, and was dangerous to mariners. the rivers the waters of the sea are carried into the clouds by evaporation, and liberated in showers upon the land, especially upon mountains, from whence streams descend; these uniting, form rivers, which again flow into the sea. A particle of water rises from the sea, fulfils its services in the atmosphere, on the earth, in the rivers, and then returns to the sea. full of labour-every creature made by God fulfils the design of its creation. not satisfied-there is no point of human knowledge at which the inquiring mind would be willing to stop; the intelligent investigation of the laws of nature leads from one subject to another, as Solomon had experienced during his researches. communed with-spoke to himself mentally; reasoned with himself. vexation-the comfort which the world and its pleasures yield is transitory and unsatisfying. teachableness of a child form a happier Better-poverty, wisdom, and the combination of character than kingly riches, foolishness, and the self-sufficiency of age. admonished-warned; instructed. sentence-threatened punishment. is fully set-they abuse God's for bearance to their own ruin. Whatsoever that which is right in itself to be done, and which is also in your power to do-do it. might-with that earnestness of purpose which they should feel who know not how soon they may descend into the grave. Remember the impressions made on the young mind are lasting, and are often brought to our thoughts by circumstances which occur in our maturer age; if these impressions are good, they serve to guard and to guide us in our conduct, when we are too much engaged in other pursuits to acquire them. evil days-days of old age; old age without the consolations of religion. end and object of life. conclusion-final decision; the great fear-fear to offend God, because of his fatherly goodness; fear to forsake him because of his power and wrath. keep-observe to do-from the inward principle of filial, holy fear. judgment-not necessarily at the 'last day,' but in the day of retribution, which comes to every man in this life. secret-praiseworthy and unosten estate-condition of life. Solomon had come to the summit of human great-tatious conduct shall be rewarded, and ness, and his wisdom was universally acknowledged. madness and folly-this is a confession of his rashness and his fall; he gave himself up voluntarily to act from passion, forgetting God, and renouncing the dictates of conscience and reason. all is vanity every thing changes and perishes. secret transgression shall meet with becoming exposure. Luke xii. 3. with his father's (Lesson 65.) but not forty-his reign was of equal duration his life; sin shortened his days. He lost the great privilege of long life which God promised conditionally-if he kept the statutes and commandments of Jehovah. Lesson 66, 'lengthen.' "REMEMBER THY CREATOR IN THE DAYS OF THY YOUTH." "THEY THAT SEEK ME EARLY SHALL FIND ME." O man! while youthful vigour warms While sun and moon and stars abroad, And rain showers nourish from the clod, Before the evil days draw near, In which no pleasure shines for thee; Before thy bent and palsied head, Bloom like the almond in the grove; Before the silver cords shall part, That bind thee to this world below; When through the streets the mourners go, The parted soul returns to God. KNOX PERIOD VI. THE KINGS OF JUDAH AND ISRAEL. B.C. 975-B.C. 606. 369 years. 73. REVOLT OF TEN TRIBES. Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, was forty-and-one years old when he began to reign, and all Israel went to Shechem to make him king. Jeroboam returned from Egypt when he heard of Solomon's death. And Jeroboam and all the congregation complained to Rehoboam of their heavy burdens under his father, and desired him to make their burdens lighter, and they would serve him. Rehoboam consulted with the old men, his father's officers, and they advised him to speak good words to the people, and to lighten their burdens; he next consulted with his young men, who advised him to make the burdens of the people heavier. On the third day Jeroboam and all the people came to him again, and the king answered them roughly, for he forsook the counsel of the old men, and followed the counsel of the young men, saying, "My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, and I will chastise you with scorpions." So the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the Lord, that he might perform his saying, which the Lord spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat. On hearing Rehoboam's answer the people answered the king, saying, "What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse; to your tents, O Israel; now see to thine own house, David." The king sent Adoram the treasurer to them, and they stoned him that he died; and Rehoboam made speed to get into his chariot and flee to Jerusalem. The tribes of Israel sent for Jeroboam, and made him king over all Israel; Rehoboam reigning over Judah only. REHOBOAM WARNED BY SHEMAIAH. [975-606 B.C. Rehoboam assembled the tribes of Judah and Benjamin at Jerusalem, 180,000 men who were warriors, to fight against the the tribes of Israel. But Shemaiah, the man of God, was instructed to go and tell Rehoboam, and the people of Judah and Benjamin, that they should not go to fight against their brethren, the people of Israel, but return every man to his house. They hearkened therefore to the word of the Lord, and departed. -or, NOTES AND EXPLANATIONS. Rehoboam-enlarger of the people,' 'he who sets the people at liberty.' went to Shechem-distant forty miles from Jerusalem; probably because it was more central than Jerusalem. heavy burdens-to sustain the magnificence of Solomon's rule it was necessary to levy taxes upon the nation. The people expressed their dissatisfaction in loud complaints; and occasion was taken of Rehoboam's accession to effect a disunion of the kingdom. In the midst of their great glory and prosperity as a nation, the people were made to feel the truth of Samuel's prediction, (Less. 43)," and ye shall cry out in that day because of the king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day." his father's officers-though Solomon excelled all the living men of his day in wisdom, he did not slight the counsel of men of understanding; those officers were state counsellors. to thirty-nine lashes, being one less than the number allowed by law. Deut. XXV. 1-3. scorpions-whips having knots enclosing points of iron or sharp stones, the strokes of which inflicted severe pain and lacerated the body. The scorpion is a venomous insect, about two inches long, but much larger in tropical countries. Its sting is attended with excruciating pain. Scorpions are commonly found under stones and among old walls. One species resembles an egg, when found with its claws and tail coiled underneath its body; Luke xi. 12. from the Lord-God overruled the folly of Rehoboam, and the wickedness of his rebellious people, for the punishment of both. to your tents the same watch-word, or cry of revolt, which Sheba used. Lesson 62. This was tantamount to a declaration of war. Adoram-supposed to be the same his young men-rashness and love of person who had charge over the taxes domination characterize young and in-under Solomon; 1 Kings v. 14. In the experienced persons; Rehoboam consulted those of his own age, with whom he had been brought up-but they were certainly old enough to have given him wiser advice. yoke-subjection; oppressive rule. A yoke was an instrument of husbandry, it was laid across the necks of two animals, side by side, to whom it was fastened by thongs, the plough-beam being attached to it in the centre. whips-scourges made of leather or small cords, each having three thongs; thirteen strokes were considered equal exercise of his authority he might have been oppressive; but whether or not, it was imprudent to send a man whose duties rendered him obnoxious to the people. stoned-a rebellion commenced by acts of murder, will surely end in confusion and ruin. Less. 51, 'guiltless.' The stoning of Adoram was not according to law; Less. 24, 'stoned.' over all Israel-the separation of the descendants of Jacob into two distinct kingdoms now took place. |