The first concern of Solomon as king naturally was to make his seat secure. The Chronicler characteristically says nothing regarding the way in which he established himself in his kingdom. The whole account, however, in 1 K 2'^-3* seems worthy of credence. It represents Solomon as acting with great decision and vigour, and yet as not inflicting punishment beyond what was deemed necessary. He struck only at the heads of the conspiracy which had been formed against him. Considering that he was an Oriental ruler, not his cruelty but his clemency was exceptionak David is not recorded to have advised the taking of any strong measures against Adonijah, and Solomon had granted him a pardon accompanied with a stern warning. Very naturally, however, and probably quite correctly, he interpreted his re- quest to have Al'ishag for a wife as a proof that he had not abandoned his pretensions to the throne. Bathsheba, it has been argued, would not have communicated the request to her son if she had deemed it trea.sonable in intention. Per- haps not, but perhaps al.so she did not act in earnest for the good of the son of Haggith. Abiathar was leniently dealt with in considera- tion of his past loyalty. David, according to 1 K 2", had advised the putting to death of Joab ; but, even if he did not do so (see art. JoAB), Solomon could not have been expected to spare his life. Joab was the mo.^t dangerous enemy he could possibly have in all Israel. He was so resolute, so able, so much a favourite with the army, that even David had not been able to keep him in check. Not inferior, and seemingly even superior, to David as a commander, there was no one left in Israel to compare with him in military ability. His successor Benaiah was a valiant warrior, and an eliicient tool for an abso- lute ruler to have at hand, but there is no evidence
• Wellhausen, Stade, and other eminent critics represent Nathan and Bathsheba, Zadok and Benaiah, as conspirators, and the choice of Solomon by David as the result of a palace intrigue. It is possible to think so, but the supposition appears to the present writ«r to be merely conjectural. As to what is related of David's advice to Solomon in I K 21" and 1 Ch SX**!" and 28-'291-2l!, see the art. Davu) in the present work, and A'jic. /Ji6., and the commentatorfl mentioned under heading of Literature,
t Perhaps 1 K S" sufficed to suggest to him the eighty years' reign and ninety-four years of life. It is not unlikely, however, that earlier Jewish authors may have written to the same effect. The promise of length of days was a merelv conditional one, and Solomon did not fulfil the condition. Stade rightly holds it as certain that Solomon must have reigned over thirty years, but inconclusivel^v infers from 1 K 151 and 2 Ch 1218 ttiat be could not have reigned forty years (see his G VI L 307X
that he was a great general. Joab could neither have respect for the character of a man like Solomon, nor sympathy with his policy; indeed a reign like that of Solomon could hardly hav« been possible so long as Joab was at the head ol the Hebrew army. The view of Guthe and others, that David and Solomon hoped that the putting of Joab to death would avert the vengeance which his crimes might otherwise bring upon the house of David may be correct, but it is not necessary to account for his death. Resentment and policy are sufiicient to account for it. They also account best for the way in which Shimei was dealt with. It does not appear that he was implicated in the conspiracy, but he liad been a bitter enemy of David, was suspected of being still disloyal and hostile to the house of David, and, on account of his influence with the Benjamites, was deemed dangerous to the peace and comfort of the new monarch.
6. Convocation at Gibeon, dream and request. — The way in which Solomon dealt with the enemies whom he had recently feared could not fail greatly to ' strengthen him in his kingdom.' He not only thereby got rid of them, but showed to his sub- jects that young as he was he was neither weak nor foolish, but a shrewd and capable man who could ett'ectively discharge the functions of a king, and might be hoped to act neither capriciously nor cruelly. To have gained so great a triumpii at the very commencement of his reign was enough to secure his popularity, for with the populace of all times and places ' nothing succeeds like suc- cess.' When he felt himself secure on his throne he resolved to make manifest his gratitude to J", and proceeded to do so on a scale Ludicative of his taste for magnificence and display in worship, as in other things. He called a convocation of hia captains, judges, governors, and heads of houses, at the ancient city of Gibeon, where was a famed bamdh, 'a great high place,' and there, surrounded by his dignitaries, he ottered in thanks to God a thousand bumt-ort'erings — 'a thousandfold holo- caust'— on the brazen altar which stood befoie the sanctuary and could be seen from afar. On the following night the king dreamed that J" appeared to him and asked wliat He should give him, and that he replied by asking ' an under- standing heart to judge aright ' tlie great people entrusted to his charge while so young and m- experienced. He dreamed also that, liecause such had been his request, God promised him not only what he asked for — wisdom and knowledge— but also wealth and honour, and, conditionally, how- ever, on conformity to the Divine law, length of days. The dream was naturally accepted by the king as a Divine communication. To Solomon there seems to have never been vouchsafed any clearer or higher form of Divine revelation than the dream.