by night ; and God said, Ask what I shall been purely ''Judges" (C•~~~; compa.re give thee [cf. Matt. Yii. 7. This was the answer to the sacrifices. The night was the Cart~aginie.n name, su_ffetes.) When they desrred one who should lead their probably that which followed the le.st day !1-rmies, they still put his judioioJ functions on which they were offered (ver. 15).J m the first place (loc. cit. ver. 20). And Yer. 6.-And Solomon said, Thou hast what were the duties of e. king in this shewed unto [Heh. wrought with] thy ser• respect, Absalom's words (2 Sam. xv. 4) vant David my father great mercy [marg., show. In vers. 16-28 we see Solomon sit- \wour J according as he walked before thee ting as Chief Justice], that I may discern tn truth, and in righteousness, and in up- between good and bad [i.e., right and rightness of heart with thee [cf. 2 Kings wrong, true and false ; cf. Heh. v. 14) : for xx. 3, where Hezekiah uses much the same who ls able to judge this thy ao great language of himself. Also eh. xi. 4], and [Heb. heavy, i.e., numerous; compare graves thou hast kept for him th1s great kindness greges] a people. [The number of the [Heb. favour; same word as above. David himself had rege.rded this e.s e. singular Israelites at this period is referred to in eh iv. 20.J • mercy (eh. i. 48)], that thou ha.stgiven him a son to sit [Heb. sitting] upon his throne, Ver. 10.-And the speech [Heh. thing; as it ls this day. [Se.me expression Deut. same word as below] pleased the Lord, that Solomon ha._d asked this thing. [Though in e. ~-i. ~4 ; °\'iii. 18 ; 1 Sam. xxii. 8. ; Ezra. dream the Judgment and will were not sus- l.X. I.] Yer. 7.-And now, o Lord my God, thou pended. Our dreams accord with our we.king hast ma.de thy servant king instead of thoughts. This would have been Solomon's choice at any time. J David my father; and I am but [Heb. and I . . . J a llttle child : [These words are Ver. 11.-And God saJd unto h\111, Because generally understood e.s indicating Solo- thou hast asked this thing, and hast not mon's humility rather than his age. No asked for thyself long life [Heh. many doubt, there is some exe.ggere.tion in the days J; neither hast asked.riches for thyself, expression, which me.n.ifestly is not to be nor hast asked the llfe [i.e., destruction in taken au pied de la lettre ; e.t these.me time battle] of thine enemies [not so much personal enemies, like He.dad and Rezon it is questionable whether sucL words would (Rawlinson) as military foes. The mean~ be used of himself by e. young :::ne.n of ing is explained by the corresponding twenty, which Solomon is co=only sup- posed to have been. See on eh. ii. 2, e.ndxii. word, "honour" (i1:Jf glory) in ver.13]; 8] I know not how to go out or come in. but hast asked [The word is repeated, [The same phrase is found in the Penta- according to Hebrew usage, now for the sixth teuch, Deut. xxviii. 6; xxxi. 2. Also in 1 time] for thyself understanding to discern Sam. :niii. 13 ; 2 Sam. iii. 25 ; Ps. cxxi. 8. [Heh. hear; see on ver. 9] judgment; It iR the formula for expressing behaviour, Ver. 12.-Behold, I have done according conduct, the outward life of man.] to thy words [i.e., granted thy prayer, as the Ver. 8.-And thy servant is in the midst next words showJ : lo [Heh. behold] I have of thy people which thou hast chosen [see given thee a wise and an understanding Dent. vii. 6] , a great people, that cannot be heart, ao that there wa.a none Uke thee be- numbered nor counted for multitude. [The fore thee, neither after thee shall any arise promis011 of Gen. xiii 16; xv. 5, lived in the Uke unto thee. [Cf. 1 Chron. xxix. 26 ; 2 thoughts and language of the Jews, and were Chron. ix. 22. But there is no need to re- doubtless the original of this expression. Cf. strict the reference to kings and princes.] also Num. xriii. 10.J Ver. 13.-And I have a.lBo given thee that Ver. 9.-Give therefore thy servant an which thou hast not asked, both riches and understandillg [Heh. hearing. Cl. ver. 11 honour [Heh. glory]; so that there shall not (Heh. " to hear judgment. ") The idea is be any among the kings like unto thee all not docility, as the Vnlg. (cor docile), but thy days. discrimination, penetration. CL 2 Sam. Ver. 14.-And if thou wilt walk in my xiv.17 (Heb.); Phil. i. 9, 10 (me.rg.)] heart ways, to keep my statutes and my com- [i.e., e. judicial mind. The "hearing heart" mandments, as thy father David did walk was desired, not that it might " give heed [ver. 6; xv. 4. This is the Divine confirm- to the law" (Keil), but to qualify him] to ation of David's words to his son (eh. ii. a, 4) Judge thy people [The Hebrew king, like most and of the son's description of his father's ancient monarchs, was supreme judge as piety (var. 6 supra)], then I will lengthen ~ell as governor(" prince e.ndjudge," Exod. thy days [Solomon's days were not of an 11. 14; and cf. Exod. xviii 16). The Jews unusual length, as he can hardly have been desired e. king that he might judge them more than sixty (if so much), o.lthough (1 Sam. viii 6). Their ruhrs SQ f!U' had ce.lled li?.t (eh. xi, 4) at the time of hia CB, III. 1-1/i.) '1'HE FIRB'r BOOK OF KINGS. 63
decease. But he had not fulfilled the con- the ark of the covenant [the other sanctu- dition (eh. xi. 9-12). ary of that period (2 Sam. vi. 17 ; 1 Chron, Ver. 16.-And Solomon awoke; and, be- xvi. 37-40)] and offered up burnt offertnga hold, it was a dream [That is to say, this [probably in continuation of the sacrifices passed while Solomon slept; bnt it was more of Gibeon, ver. 4], and offered peace ofl'er- tho.n a dream. The same words are used lngs [in testimony of his thankfulness for of Pharaoh (Gen, xli. 7) when God showed the signal favour recently vouchsafed to him what He was about to do (vers. 25, 28, him) and made a feast [lit., a drinking. cf. oh. xl. 8), and this was such a dream as After the example of David, 1 Chron. xvi. 3, Pharaoh's and as Joeeph's (Matt. i. 20 ; ii. Cf. 1 Kings viii. 65. It was not exclusively 19). It was a dream, i.e., in which a Divine a symposium. The flesh of the animals revelation was made to him. Wordsw. refers offered in sacrifice was eaten by the wor- to Solomon's words, "I sleep, but my heart shippers and their guests (Lev. vii. 15, 31 ; waketh" (Cant. v. 2), and "He giveth to his 1 Sam. ii. 16; 1 Cor. viii. 13). This was beloved (Jedidiah) in sleep" (Pa. c:uvii. 2)] . "a sacrificial meal of the tl't.??~ " (Keil). .And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before See on eh. viii. 63] to all h1s servants.