Ahijah had expressly stated the.t Solomon Ver. 42.-And the time [Heb. days] that was to retain the kingdom during his life- Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all time. However, "he lifted up his hand;" Israel was forty years. [Josephus, here &s there was Eome overt act of rebellion, and el~ewhere, doubles the figure, m&king his Solomon, because of this, and not because reign to have lasted eighty years. It is some- of the prophecy (of which, indeed, he may what remarkable, but affords no just ground ne.er have heard), sought to slay him. Nor for suspicion, that each of the first three was the king without justification in so doing. kings of Israel should have reigned just forty Treason must be promptly suppressed, and years. " Such numerical ooincidences occur treason against a benefactor (see ver. 28) in exact history. Saosduchinus, Chinila- is doubly hateful.] And Jeroboam arose, d&nus, and Nabopolass&r, three consecutive and fied into Egypt [cf. verse 17, and Matt. kings of Babylon, reigned each twenty-one ii. 13. It was the natural place of refuge], years" (Rawlinson).] unto Sbisha.k, kiD.g of Egypt [Shishak is beyoQd doubt the Sheshonk I. of the monu- Ver, 43. -And Solomon slept with his ments, and is the first of the Pharaohs who fathers [see note on eh. ii. 10. For the can be identified with certainty (see Diet, l&ter and often mythic&l accounts of Solo- Bib. iii. p. 1288). The date of his accession mon, see Ewa.Id, iii. pp. 318, 319. The ques- appears to be somewhere between 988 and tion of his repentance is discussed by Keble, 980 B.c. Ai; to his invasion of Palestine, "OccasionalPapers,"pp.416-434] ,and was see on eh. xiv. 25. His reception of Jero- buried 1n the city of DaVid his father; and boam al.most proves that there has been a Rehoboa.m his son [So far as appears his change of dynasty, and that the new Pharaoh only son. " Solomon hath but one son, and was no friend to SolomonJ , and was 1n Egypt he no miracle of wisdom." " Many a poor until the death of Solomon. [Compare age.in man hath a houseful of children by 0ne Matt. ii. 15.J wife, whilst this great king hath but one Ver. 41.-And the rest of the acts of son by any housefuls of wives" (Bp. Hall). Solomon, and all that he did, and his wis- It is worth remembering in this connection dom, are they not written in the book of that Ps&. cxxvii., which speaks of chil- the acts of Solomon ? [The sources of this dren as God's reward (ver. 3), is with good history are mentioned more speciiically in reason ascribed to Solomon) reigned 1n his 2 Chron. ix. 29,] stead.
HOMILETICS. Vers. 31-35.-The Punishment of Solomon's Sin. We have lately traced the gradual declension in piety of this most puissant prince ; we have seen him steadily sowing to the wind. The next thing Scripture records concerning him is the retribution which befel him. It is now for us to see him reaping to the whirlwind, But in considering the recompenses of his sin, it is essential to remember-I. That we can only speak, because we only know, of the temporal punishment which attended him. It may be that was all. Possibly the flesh was destroyed that the spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord (1 Cor. vi 5). It may be that, foully as he fell, he did not fall finally, but of this no man can be certain. There is every reason to think that the question has been "left in designed obscurity'' (.Keble, "Occasional Papers," pp. 392-434, where the subject is discussed at considerable length), that no one might presume. It may be, therefore, that he still awaits the jw;t recompense of wrath in the day of wrath (Rom. ii. 5). 2. That if this temporal punishment does not strike us as severe-considering the enormity of his sin and the greatness of the gifts and privileges he had abused-it is partly because the temporal punishment was mitigated for his father's sake. The avenging hand could not smite Solomon without at the same time hurting David. We are expressly told that Solomon was maintained on the throne all his life, and that one tribe was given-the word implies that the gift was unmerited-to his son, for David's eake (vers. 84-36), If, therefore, we are tempted to think that the punishment was not exemplary, let us see in it an instance of God's " showing mercy unto thousands" (sc., of gene- rations, Ex:od. :n. 6)-a proof of the In.finite Love which "remembered David and all his afflictions " (Psa. cx:x:x.ii. 1). But such as it was, it was sufficient to teach us these two lessons at least. 1. "Be sure your ein will find you out" (N um. xxxii. 23). 2. "Whatsoever a man eoweth, that shall he also reap '' (Gal. vi. 7). OH, XI, 14--48.] 'l'HE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. 239