The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Chronicles — Section 14

men "reign" over others-lend, direct, rule, influence, mightily affect them for good or evil. Vory gl'eat power has the statesman, the preacher, the poet, the principal, the teacher. 'fhe possession of power is usually esteemed a thing to be greatly coveted. But it is ns full of solemn responsibility as it is of noble opportunity; it calls for a deep sense of obligation and accountability; also for peculiar prayerfulness of spirit and of habit. Humble and not proud, conscious of dependence on God and not self-sufficient should be the man of high position and commanding influence. ' }II. TIIAT AFFLUENCE MAY BE A GOOD SIGN, BUT IT 18 A PERILOUS CONDITION', All those instances of national prosperity related in the text-the abundance of horses and chariots, and of gold and silver, the cultivation of choice trees, etc.-were sirns that Jehovah was favouring the land, and that Solomon was fulfilling his early promi~e. But affluence, whether individual or national, is a da.n_gerous condition. It tends to luxury; and luxury leads only too often to sloth and self-mdulgence; and these lead straight to wron"-doing and impiety. 'tJ It is "a slippery place," where a. few can walk without stumbling, but where the many slip and fall. 1. Envy not the greatly prosperous; plenteousness of gold and silver may impoverish the soul while it enriches the treasury. 2. Care much, ea.re most, for the abundance of Christian truth, of sterling principle, of generous helpfulness.-C. Vers. l-6.-The beginning of a reign. I. TBE KING'S PERSON MAGNIFIED. 1. The owner of an auspicious name-Solomon, "Peace," equivalent to Friederich or Frederick Perhaps (1) alluding to the fact that when be was born his father was at peace with God (2 Sam. xii. 24). God's mercies, especially to the soul, are worthy of commemora- tion (Ps. ciii. 2). (2) Reflecting the peace which at that time prevailed in the land, his birth most likely not having taken place till after the capture of Rabbah, and the termination of the Ammonitish war (Keil). When David's greater son, the Prince of Peace, was born, "the (Roman) empire was peace." (3) Prognosticating the peaceful character of his rule (Ps. lxxii. 7), and the undisturbed rest of his reign (1 Kings iv. 24; 1 Chron. xxii. 9). 2. The son of a distinguished father-David. Originally a Bethlehem shepherd-lad (1 Sam. xvi. 1), Jesse's youngest son climbed the giddy heights of fa.me with marvellous celerity and success, becoming in swift succession a brilliant warrior, a skilful harper, an agreeable courtier, a popular leader, a trusted sove- reign, a sweet singer, a devout psalmist, a far-seeing prophet. Possessed of almost every qualification requisite to render him the idol of his fellows, he found the pathway of greatness easier to tread than do men of smaller stature and less-gifted soul. To have been the son of such a sire was no mean honour to Solomon, though it entailed upon him correspondingly large responsibility; while, if it multiplied his chances of achieving in the future a similar distinction for himself, it no less certainly created for him difficulties from which otherwise be might have been exempt. 3. The heir of a prosperous empire-Israel. "The kingdom inherited by Solomon had been carved by the sword of David. The Philistines had been driven back to their plains, retaining, however, the strongholds of Gath and Gezer at the edge of the hill country. The capital of the Ammonites, Rabbah, had been taken, and the census embraced all the Holy Land from Beersheba to Sidon, ruled by the king at Jerusalem" (Conder, 'Handbook. to the Bible,' p. 281). 4. '.I'he representative of a Divine Superior-Jehovah. Solomon ascended Davit's throne by Divine right, because by Divine grace and for Divine ends (Ps. ii. 6). Solomon was Jehovah's vassal, and held his regal power only on condition of ruling in Jehova.h's name and for Jehovah's glory (2 Sam. xxii. 3). If Solomon was Israel's king, Jehovah was Solomon's. II. THE KING'S THRONE ESTABLISHED. 1. By the removal of his enemies. In par- ticular by the execution of three dangerous characters. (1) Joa.b, his cousin (1 Chron. ii. 16), a general of commanding abilities and restless ambition, who with the army at his back might soon have embroiled the land in war and prevented the hope of a. peace- ful reign from being realized. (2) Shimei, a Benjamite, a personal enemy of David (2 Sam. xvi. 5-13), who, besides having broken his parole (1 Kings ii. 36-46), could not be trusted not to contrive mischief aaainst David's son. (3) Adonijah, a. half- brother of Solomon (2 Sam. iii. 4; 1 Chro~. iii. 1), a formidable rival, who, in virtue of his right of primogeniture, pretended to the crown, and might have been the meaDB pf stirring up civil faction in the land. Difficult to justify on grounds of Christian  14 TBE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONIOLES. [on:. 1. 1-17.