Epbraimite in 1 Sam. i. 1, because in bis the Egyptians, ver. 20], from the cedar tree oivil co.po.city he wo.e incorporated into the that 1s In Lebanon [A favourite illustration. tribe of Ephraim " (Keil). It must be ad- The Jews had a profound admiration for all mitted, however, tbo.t the natural interpre- trees, and of these they justly regarded the. tation of 1 Cbron. ii. 6 ie that the " sons" cedar as king. Cf. Judg. ix. 15; Ps. lxxx. 10; of Zerab there mentioned were hie im- civ. 16; Cant. v. 15; Ezek. xxxi. 3] unto mediate and actual descendants, and not the hyssop that sprtngeth out of the wall Levites who long centuries afterwards were [His knowledge, i.e., embraced the least pro- somehow incorporated into his family. But ductions of nature as well as the greatest. the question is one of so much nicety that The common hyssop (Exod. xii. 22; Lev. it ie hardly possible to come to a positive xiv. 4) can hardly be intended here, as that conclusion] and his fame [Heb. name] was often attains a considerable height (two 1n all [Heb. all the] nations round about. feet), but a. miniature variety or moss-like [Cf. x. 24, &c.] hyssop in e.ppearance, probably Orthotrichum Ver. 32.-And he epake three thousand saxatile]: he spake also of beasts, and of proverbs : and his songs were a thousand fowl, and of creeping thlngs, and of ll.shes. and live. [Of the former, less than one- [" The usual Biblical division of the animal third are preserved in the Book of Proverbs kingdom" (Rawlinsc.n). The arrangement (see i. 1 ; xxv. 1) ; the rest are lost to us. is hardly according to manner of motion The Book of Ecclesiastes, even if the com- (Bahr). If anything, it is accoriling to position of Solomon, can hardly be de- elements-earth, sky, sea. Both Jewish and scribed as proverbs. Of his songs all have Mohammedan writers abound in exaggerated perished, except the Canticles, and possibly or purely fabulous accounts of Solomon's Psalms l.xxii., cxxvii. (see the titles), and, e.ttain.ments e.nd gifts. We may see the be- according to some, cxxviii. ginning of these in Jos., Ant. viii. 2. 5. Ver. 33,-Andhe spake of[i.e., discoursed, Ver. 34.-And thece came of all people treated, not necessarily wrote] trees [In bis [1Ieb. the peoples, nations] to hear the proverbs and songs be exceeded the children wisdom of Solomon [eh. x. 1J , from all the of the East. But his knowledge was not king& of the earth [i.e., messengers, RJn- only speculative, but scientific. In his ac- bassadors, as in the next chapter], which quaintance with natural history he outshone had heard of his wisdom.
HOMILETICS.
Vers. 20-25.-The Golden Age. It has been cynically said that men always place the golden age in the past or in the future. Possibly they are not so for wrong after all. For, if our historian is true, there has been such a period in the history of the world. And if the Holy Gospel is true, there will be such a period hereafter. The reign of Solomon was the Augustan, the golden age, of Israel. The reign of Jesus, of which Solomon's empire was a foreshadowing, will be the golllen age of the world. Let us then consider what light the first period-the past-throws upon the future; in what respects, that is to say, the sway of Solomon is 11 typo and prefig1ll"ement of the holy and beneficent rule of our Redeemer. Observe- !. THE MONARCH, 1. He was the wisest of men. This was the root of the uni- versal prosperity. He was capa:c impmi; he had the understanding to judge that great people (eh. iii. 9). From a throne stablisbed in equity and intelligence (Psa. lxxii. 2) flowed a tide of blessing through the land. But " Messiah the Prince " is the Incarnation of Wisdom. He is "made unto us wisdom " (1 Cor. i. 80). In Him " are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge " (Col. ii. 8). He is " the wisdom of God" (1 Cor. i. 24). 2. He ruled in the fear of the Lord. The precept of his father (2 Sam. xxiii. 8) was not forgotten (eh. iii. 6-9). Compare the account of Messiah's reign-the reign of the Branch of the root of Jesse-in Isaiah ii. 2-5. This "King shall reign in righteousness" (Isa. xxxii. I). II. THE EMPIRE. 1. Its e:ctent. He had dominion from " the rivtir to the border of Egypt,'' "from Tiphsah even to Azzah.:'. The _pet~y kings brou~ht pre- sents and did fealty. Now observe how Psai.In lxxu., descnpt1ve or prophetic of the reign of Solomon, is oho prophetic of the reign of our blessed Lord. Of Him alone is it strictly true that" He shall have dominion from sea to sea," &c. (ver. 8), that " all kings shell fell down before Him,'' .&c. True, His enemies do not yet " lick 78 THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. [OH, IV. 20-84,"