BRAGADAYJAH 1012

BRAGADAYJAH 1012

Solomon Builds a Navy

King Hiram had good reason not to be pleased with the cities that King Solomon had given to him; for Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up against and taken Gezer and burnt it with fire and slain the Canaanites that dwelt therein, and given it as a present to his daughter, Solomon’s wife. And Solomon rebuilt Gezer and Bethhoron and its surroundings and Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness in the land. And he also built storage and cities for his chariots and cities for his horsemen and whatever else he wanted to build, in Jerusalem and in Lebanon and in all his dominion. And on all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites which were not of the children of Israel, including their children that were left after them in the land whom the children were not able utterly to destroy, Solomon imposed bond service. But on the children of Israel Solomon did not make bondsmen; but they were men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains and rulers of his chariots, and horsemen. And the number of the chief officers that were in charge of Solomon’s works were five hundred and fifty. In the meantime, Solomon built a navy on the shore of the Red Sea in the land of Edom. And Hiram sent in among Solomon’s seamen his own who had knowledge of the sea. And they sailed to Ophir from which they brought back to Solomon, four hundred and twenty talents of gold  

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BRAGADAYJAH 1011

BRAGADAYJAH 1011

Solomon Gave Twenty Cities to Hiram

Continuing to warn His people Israel, the Lord said: “And at his house which is high, everyone that passeth it shall be astonished and shall hiss, and they shall say, do you know why the Lord has done this to the land and unto this house? And they shall answer themselves and say, because they forsook the Lord their God who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt and have taken hold of other gods, and have worshiped them and served them; therefore the Lord hath brought upon them all this evil.”  And it happened that after twenty years when Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the Lord and the king’s house, that King Solomon gave Hiram King of Tyre, twenty cities in the land of Galilee in return for all that Hiram had contributed, cedar and fir trees and gold towards the building and furnishing of the houses.  And Hiram came out from Tyre to see all the cities which Solomon had given to him; and he did not like the cities and told the king that he was not pleased with them; so he called the name of the land wherein were the cities the land of Cabul which name remained. 

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BRAGADAYJAH 1010

BRAGADAYJAH 1010

The Lord appeared to Solomon a second time.

And it happened that after Solomon had finished building the Lord’s and his own house, and having accomplished all that was in his heart to accomplish, that the Lord appeared unto Solomon a second time. And the Lord said to Solomon, “I have heard your prayers and your supplications that you have made unto me. Therefore, I have hallowed this house which you have built to honour my name forever; and mine eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually.  And if thou shall walk before me as your father David did, in walking with integrity of heart and uprightness, to do all that I commanded, and will keep my statutes and my judgments, then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever as I promised to David your father saying, “there shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel”.  But if you shall at all turn from following me, either you or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and worship other gods and serve them, then I will cut off Israel out of the land which I have given; and this house which I have hallowed for my name and Israel will become a mere byword in future memory.

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BRAGADAYJAH 1009

BRAGADAYJAH 1009

Solomon held a feast

And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offering, which he offered unto the Lord, consisting of twenty two thousand oxen, a hundred and two thousand sheep, in dedicating the house unto the Lord. At that time the king hallowed the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord; for there he offered burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings. And at that time Solomon held a feast and all Israel with him comprising a vast congregation from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt lasting for seven days, and after that seven further days and after that on the next day, the king sent the people away; and they blessed the king and went unto their tents joyfully and with gladness of heart for all the goodness that the Lord had done to David his servant and for his people Israel.

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BRAGADAYJAH 1008

BRAGADAYJAH 1008

Solomon concludes his prayer.

Continuing his supplication to the Lord, Solomon said, “For thou did separate thy people Israel from among all the people of the earth, to be thine inheritance as thou spoke by the hand of Moses, thy servant, when thou brought our fathers out of the land of Egypt.” And it happened that when Solomon had finished praying all those prayers and supplications unto the Lord, he rose up from before the altar where he was praying on his knees with his hands spread towards heaven. And he stood and blessed all the congregation of Israel and said, “Blessed be the Lord that has given rest unto Israel according to all your promises; and there has not failed one word of all His good promises made by the hand of Moses His servant. The Lord our God be with us as He was with our fathers, let him not leave us or forsake us. That He may incline our hearts unto Him, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments, and His statutes, and His judgments which He commanded our fathers. And let these my words wherewith I have made supplication before the Lord be nigh unto the Lord our God day and night, that He maintain the cause of His[i] servant and the cause of His people Israel at all times as the matter might require. That all the people of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is none else.  Let your heart, therefore, be perfect with the Lord our God to walk in his statutes and to keep his commandments as of this day.  And the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifice before the Lord.   

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BRAGADAYJAH 1007

BRAGADAYJAH 1007

Solomon continues to Intercede for sin.

And Solomon prayed, “If thy people go out to battle against their enemy withersoever thou shall send them, and shall pray unto the Lord toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I have built for thy name, then hear thou in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause. If they sin against thee, (as there is no man that does not sin against thee), and thou be angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them off to a land far or near, and if they should turn to thee and repent for their sin, and make supplication unto thee in the land where they are taken captive, and admit they have sinned and willing to turn unto thee, and so return unto thee with their heart, and with all their soul, then hear thou their prayer, and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling place and maintain their cause. And forgive thy people who have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion in the sight of the enemy, that they may in turn have compassion of them. For they are your people, and thine inheritance which thou brought forth out of Egypt, out of the midst of a furnace of iron. That thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant and unto the supplication of thy people Israel to hear then when they call unto Thee.

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BRAGADAYJAH 1006

BRAGADAYJAH 1006

Solomon Continued to Petition God.

Solomon, continuing his petition for God’s mercy even when the children of Israel commit trespass, said, “If there be in the land, famine, pestilence, blasting, mildew, caterpillar, siege by the enemy, or there be plague or sickness in the land, and any man, or any men knowing of the condition should lift their hand towards the house of the Lord, then shall the Lord hear in heaven His dwelling place, and forgive and do and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart Lord thou knowest, for thou Lord knows the heart of the children of men. So that they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gave unto their fathers. And also concerning a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel, but come out of a far country for thy name sake, having heard of thy great name and of thy strong hand, and of your stretched out arm; when he shall come and pray toward this house, hear thou O Lord in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calls upon thee to do. That all people of the earth may know thy name to fear thee as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house which I have built, is called by thy name.

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BRAGADAYJAH 1005

BRAGADAYJAH 1005

Solomon Prays For Blessing

“Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to hearken unto the cry, and unto the prayer of thy servant; and when thou hearest, forgive this day. That Thine eyes may be open towards this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, “My name shall be there,” that thou might hearken to the prayer which Thy servant shall make on behalf of this place. And hearken O Lord to the supplication of thy servant and of Thy people Israel, when they shall pray regarding this place; and hear Thou in heaven Thy dwelling place; and when thou hearrst forgive. If any man trespass against his neighbour and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear and the oath comes before your altar in this place, then hear thou in heaven and do and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked to bring his way upon his head, and justifying the righteous to deal with him according to his righteousness. When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray and make supplication unto thee in this house, then hear thou in heaven and forgive the sin of thy people Israel and bring them again unto the land which thou gave unto their fathers. And when heaven is shut up and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee, if they pray toward this place and confess thy name, and turn from their sin when thou afflicted them, then hear thou in heaven and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou might teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain again upon the land, which thou hast given unto thy people for an inheritance.”

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BRAGADAYJAH 1004

BRAGADAYJAH 1004

David Exalts The Name of the Lord

And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of the congregation of Israel and spread forth his hands towards heaven and said, “Lord God of Israel there is no God like you in heaven above or in the earth beneath, who keeps covenants and mercy with thy servants who walk before thee with all their heart. You have kept with your servant David my father that which you promised him and has fulfilled with your hands all you have promised. Therefore now O Lord keep with my father David all that thou promised him saying there shall not fail me a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, so that my children take heed to their way that they walk before me as thou hast walked before me.  And now O God, of Israel, let thy word I pray thee be verified which thou spake unto thy servant David my father. But will God indeed dwell on the earth?  Behold the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee and how much less the house that I have built?”

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BRAGADAYJAH 1003

BRAGADAYJAH 1003

Solomon Addresses Israel

At that time Solomon spoke and reminded the priests and the elders that God had said he would dwell in the thick darkness. Speaking to the Lord Solomon said that he had built a house and dedicated it to the Lord for Him to dwell in forever. Then Solomon turned to the congregation and blessed them while they stood.  And Solomon said, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who spoke with His mouth unto His servant David my father, and with His hand fulfilled as He had promised.   And you O Lord declared,” “Since he day I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house that my name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.”  And it was in the heart of my father David to build a house to the name of the Lord God of Israel. But the Lord told David my father, whereas it was in thine heart to build a house unto my name, thou did well.” “Nevertheless thou shalt not build me a house; but thy son who has come out of thy loins, he shall build me a house.”  “And the Lord has performed the word which He spoke, and I am risen up in place of my father David and sit on the throne of Israel as the Lord promised; and I have built a house for the Lord God of Israel. And I have set there a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord which He made with our fathers when He brought them out of Egypt.”   

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BRAGADAYJAH 1002

BRAGADAYJAH 1002

The Ark of the Covenant placed in the Holy Place

And the priests and the Levites brought up the ark of the Lord and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle. And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto the king, sacrificed sheep and oxen, the number of which was too numerous to mention. And the priest took in the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and placed it unto the oracle of the house, the most holy place, and placed it under the wings of the cherubims; for the wings of the cherubims were spread out over the ark and the staves thereof above it. Then they drew out the staves so that they were seen out in the holy place before the oracle.  And afterwards were kept in that position. There was nothing kept in the ark of the covenant of the Lord except the two tables of stone which Moses had placed there at Horeb, when the Lord had made a covenant with the children of Israel, having brought them out of the land of Egypt. And it was so that when the priests went out of the holy place that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, so much so that the priests could not stand to minister; for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord.  

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BRAGADAYJAH 1001

BRAGADAYJAH 1001

Solomon purposed  to move the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

The eleventh chapter of the Book of 1 kings set out in minute detail all the works of Hiram in creating the marvelous edifice which became the temple at Jerusalem. The traditional history of the temple related inter alia, that when the temple at Jerusalem was completed by King Solomon, he was the builder though Hiram was the Chief artisan, its costliness and splendor became objects of admiration to the surrounding nations, and its fame spread to the remotest parts of the then known world. And kings and princes, Queens and princesses flocked to Jerusalem to seek audience with King Solomon both to hear his words of wisdom, and to see the manifestation of that wisdom in the beauty and magnificence of the wonder of the world, the temple at Jerusalem; and not least of all the originality and cleverness of its craftsmanship. So when it was completed and ready for dedication, King Solomon assembled the elders of Jerusalem and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, at Jerusalem that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David which is Zion

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BRAGADAYJAH 1000

BRAGADAYJAH 1000

The pillars and Chapiters

The temple was supported by two pillars of brass each eighteen cubits high and each surrounded by a line of twelve cubits each. And Hiram made two chapiters of molten brass to sit upon the chapiters each five cubits high. And nets of checker work and wreaths of chain work were placed on the top of the pillars, seven on each chapiter. And each chapiter resting on the pillars was crowned with two rows of pomegranates two hundred in a row. And the chapiters which were on top of the pillars were adorned with lily-work four cubits along the porch. And the pillars are set up in the porch of the temple and he set up the right pillar and called its name Jachin and he set up the left porch and called its name Boaz. And on top of the pillars were lily-work and so was the work of the pillars finished. And he made a molten sea ten cubits from the one brim to the other, and a line of thirty cubits was set all around it. And under the brim of it and round about it there were knobs ten in a cubits surrounding the sea; and the knobs were cast in two rows. It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking towards the North, three looking towards the West, three looking towards the South, and three looking towards the East. And the sea was set upon them and all their hinder parts were inward. And it was a hand breath thick and the brim of it was like the brim of a cup with flowers of lilies; it contained two thousand baths.    

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BRAGADAYJAH 999

BRAGADAYJAH 999

Solomon Brought Hiram of Tyre

And the houses which Solomon built, in addition to the ornate workings and carvings in the finest cedar and layered with gold, were made of costly stones which were placed from the foundation up to the coping both on the inside and outside.  And the stones of the foundation were great stones cut with saws some stones ten cubits and some eight cubits. And the great court round about consisted of three rows of cut stones and of cedar beams both for the inner court of the house of the Lord and for the porch of the house. And King Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre. Hiram was a widower’s son of the tribe of Naphtali and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass and he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skilled in the working of brass; and he came to King Solomon and worked all manner of works of brass.

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BRAGADAYJAH 998

BRAGADAYJAH 998

Solomon Build his own House.

At the time that Solomon was building a house for the Lord, he was building a house for himself, which was in building over a period of thirteen years, which he also built out of the forests of Lebanon. And the length of his house was a hundred cubits, the width thereof fifty cubits and the height thereof thirty cubits.  And it rested upon four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams upon the pillars. And it was covered with cedar above upon the beams that lay on forty five pillars fifteen in a row. And there were windows in three rows and light was against light in three ranks. All the doors and posts were square with windows and light was against light in three ranks. And there was a porch of pillars the length of which was fifty cubits, the width thirty cubits; and the porch was in front of them and the other pillars and the thick beam were before them. There was also a porch for the throne where Solomon sat to judge called the porch of judgment and it was covered with cedar from one side of the floor to the other. And the house in which Solomon lived had a court within the porch which was made the same way and he also built a similar house for pharaoh’s daughter whom he had taken to be his wife. 

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BRAGADAYJAH 997

BRAGADAYJAH 997
The House of the Lord was Seven Years in Building.

In building this house unto the Lord, it must be assumed that Solomon had no drawings, or architectural designs to guide him, but instead, only the abundant wisdom that God had given him, and no doubt guided by the superintending Spirit of God. So having built the oracle and overlaid it with gold, he proceeded on to decorate it with two cherubims of olive trees, each ten cubits high, with wing spans on either side five cubit long, measured from the cherubim to the very tip of the wing, so that the total span tip to tip of both wings was ten cubits; both cherubims being of the same size.  And each cherubim was ten cubits high. Then he placed the cherubims within the inner house, so that when placed side by side the wings spanned from wall to wall. And each cherubim was overlaid with gold. And all the walls all around were carved with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees, and open flowers inside and outside. And the entrance to the oracle were doors made of olive trees, the lintels and the side posts were a fifth part of the wall. And the two doors of fir trees, the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other folded also. And on the doors were carved cherubims and palm trees, and open flowers; and all the carved works upon the doors were overlaid with gold. And Solomon built the inner court with three rows of hewed stone and a row of cedar beams. In the fourth year, in the month Zif, was the foundation of the house of the Lord laid; and in the eleventh year in the Bul, which is the eight month was the house finished in all its parts; so that the house of the Lord was seven years in building.   

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BRAGADAYJAH 996

BRAGADAYJAH 996

Solomon completes and adorns the House of the Lord

And while Solomon was in the process of building the house of the Lord, the Lord spoke to him and told him, that with regard to the house he was building that was a fine thing to do; but also if he were to enjoy the blessings and promises He had made to David his father, he would need also to keep His commandments, His statutes and judgments. God also promised Solomon that He would walk among His people the children of Israel, and would not forsake them. So Solomon continued to build the house and finished it.  When he finished the exterior of the house, Solomon continued to embellish the interior, building the walls within with cedar, and also the floor and the ceiling, covering the inside walls with wood and the floor with planks of fir. And he built twenty cubits on both sides of the house both the floor and the walls with boards of cedar, and decorated the oracle and most holy place with it. And the house, that is to say the temple in front of it was forty cubits long. And the cedar of the house within was carved with gourds and open flowers, all worked with cedar for there were no stones placed there. And the oracle he prepared in the house within to set there the ark of the covenant of the Lord. And the oracle in the fore part was twenty cubits long, and twenty cubits in breath, and twenty cubits in height and after that he covered it with pure gold, as he did the altar which was of cedar.

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BRAGADAYJAH 995

Solomon Builds the House of the Lord.

And it came to pass that in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel had come out of Egypt, the fourth year of Solomon’s reign, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that Solomon began to build the house of the Lord. The house which King Solomon built for the Lord was sixty cubits in length, and the width was twenty cubit and the height thirty cubit. And the porch in front of the temple was twenty cubits long and corresponded to the width of the house, and the width of the porch was ten cubits. And for the house he made windows of narrow lights. And against the wall of the house he built chambers around the house and of the oracle round about. And the lowest chamber was five cubits broad, and the middle one was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits.  And he made narrowed rests roundabout that the beams that the beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house. And the house was built of stone made ready before it was brought to the building site. That there was neither sound of hammer, nor axe, nor any iron tools during the building of the temple. The door to the middle chamber was in the right side of the house, and they went up with winding stairs into the middle chamber, and out of the middle into the third. So Solomon built the house and finished it, and covered the house and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar. And then he built chambers against all the house five cubits high and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.  

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BRAGADAYJAH 994

BRAGADAYJAH 994

Hiram agrees to supply timber

Having received Solomon’s request, Hiram replied saying that he had received his request for cedar and fir, and all the things that he desired, and that he would do as he asked of him in return for food for his household. Hiram said that his servants would bring the lumbar down from Lebanon to the sea by floats to the appointed place, and made available for pick up to be used for his purposes.  So Hiram gave Solomon cedars and firs for his use. And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food for his household and twenty thousand measures of oil each year.  And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom as He had promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon and they made a pact between them. And Solomon levied a tax on all Israel amounting to thirty thousand men. And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home; and Adoniram was over the Levy.  And Solomon had seventy thousand that bore burdens and fourscore thousand hewing in the mountains. And the chief of Solomon’s officers, which were over the work, three thousand three hundred which ruled over the people that did the work. And the king commanded and they brought great stones; costly stones and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.

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BRAGADAYJAH 993

BRAGADAYJAH 993

Hiram King of Tyre

And at that time, Hiram King of Tyre sent servants to Solomon, because he had heard of Solomon’s wisdom; for he heard that Solomon had succeeded his father David as king, and Hiram was an admirer of David. And Solomon’s response to Hiram was to remind him that David his father wanted to, but could not build a house unto the name of the Lord his God, because of the wars in which he was involved in on all sides, although the Lord had put them all under his feet. But that now the Lord had given him rest on every side so that there was no longer any adversary or evil around. Accordingly, he had purposed to build a house unto the name of his Lord, his God, according as the Lord had spoken to his father saying, “Thy son whom I shall set on my throne in thy room he shall build a house unto my name”  “Now, therefore, I command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon and my servants shall be with thy servants and unto thee I give hire to your servant according to all that thou shall appoint.  For thou knowest that there is not among us any that have the skills to hew timber like the Sidonians.  And it came to pass that when Hiram heard the words of Solomon that he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the Lord this day who has given to David a wise son to rule over this great people

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BRAGADAYJAH 992

BRAGADAYJAH 992

Kings from everywhere came to hear the wisdom of Solomon

And Solomon was king over all Israel. And the princes who served under Solomon included, Azariah the son of Zadok the priest; Elihoreph and Ahiah sons of Shisha the scribe; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud the recorder; Benaiah the son Jehoiada captain of the host; and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests. And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; and Zabud a son of Nathan was the principal officer and the king’s friend. And Ahishar was over the household and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute. And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel who provided victual for the king and his household each man providing for a particular month in the year. And Solomon’s provision for a day was thirty measures of fine flour, sixty measures of meal, ten fat oxen, twenty oxen out of the pastures, one hundred sheep and also harts, and roebucks, and fallow deer and fatted fowl. And Solomon had dominion over both sides of the Jordan and there was peace all around him. And Judah and Israel dwelt safely all the days of Solomon. And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, and the twelve officers provided victuals for the king and his officers.  For the officers provided barley and straw for the horses; so neither the king, nor his men, nor the animals lacked anything. And because God gave him wisdom, he spoke three thousand proverbs and wrote a thousand and five songs. And in his wisdom, Solomon spoke of trees from cedar tree that grew in Lebanon, even about hyssop which sprang out of the wall. He spoke of beasts, of the fowl of the air, creeping things and fishes. And there came from all over the earth kings and people from everywhere because they had heard of his exceeding wisdom.

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BRAGADAYJAH 991

BRAGADAYJAH 991

Solomon’s Wise Judgment

Then there came two women before King Solomon, and the one complained against the other and said that she and the other woman were living together, and she delivered of a child, and that three days later the other woman had a child and there was no one living house. And the second woman’s child died in the night because she overlaid it, and she got up in the night and exchanged her dead child for hers. And laid her dead child in my arms and clutching my child to her bosom. The first complainant said that when she awoke in the midnight to give her child suck, she discovered the dead child, and when I looked at the dead child in the light of the morning she discovered that the dead child was not the child she brought into the world. But the other woman claimed that the living child was hers and the dead child was mine. Of course the other woman contended that the live child was hers. So King Solomon had a dilemma. And he said to the women you both are claiming that the live child is you and the dead child to the other. Therefore said the king, “Bring me a sword.” And they brought him a sword. Then the king ordered that the child be slain and divided in two, and a half given to each of the two woman. Then the bowels of the woman whose child it was said, “O my lord give my opponent the living child and in no way slay my son.” But the other said, “Let it be neither mine nor thine but divide it.” Then the king answered and said, “Give her the living child and do not slay it, for she is the mother.” And all Israel heard the judgement which the king gave and feared the king for they saw the wisdom of God was with him to do justice.   

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BRAGADAYJAH 990

 BRAGADAYJAH 990
God granted Solomon his prayer and riches beside.
And Solomon’s request delighted the Lord God who answered Solomon and said, “Because thou hast asked this thing, and has not asked for long life, neither asked for riches, nor for the life of your enemies, but for understanding to discern judgment, I have done according as you have asked, a wise and understanding heart; so that there was never anyone wiser, not yet shall ever be. And I have also given thee that for which you did not ask; both riches and honour, so that there shall not be among the kings of the earth during your lifetime. And if you will walk in my ways to keep my statutes and my commandments as your father David did walk. then I will give you length of days.” And Solomon awoke and realized that he was dreaming; and he went to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered burnt offering, and peace offerings, and made a feast for his servants.
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BRAGADAYJAH 989

BRAGADAYJAH 989
Solomon asked God for a discerning heart

Then Solomon made a pact with the King of Egypt and took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her into the city of David while he was building his own house. And the house of the Lord and the wall of Jerusalem round about. And at that time the people worshipped in high places because there was no house built unto the name of the Lord. And Solomon loved the Lord and followed the ways of his father David, and sacrificed and burnt offerings in high places. And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place, and there he offered a thousand burnt offerings upon the altar. And at Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night in which he asked him, what he would ask of him. And Solomon said unto the Lord, “Thou hast shown to my father David great mercy, according as he walked before you in truth, and in righteousness, and with uprightness of heart. And thou hast kept for him great kindness; and you have given him a son to sit on the throne as it is this day. And now O Lord, my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father; and I am but a little child; I know not how to go out or come in; and I am in the midst of thy people upon whom thou hast chosen, a great people that cannot be numbered or counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge so great a people?” And the speech pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked as he did.    

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BRAGADAYJAH 988

BRAGADAYJAH 988
Solomon ordered the death of Adonijah.
Following upon his vow that Adonijah would be put to death, Solomon ordered Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he fell upon Adonijah and put him to death. And Solomon also ordered Abiathar the priest to go to Anathoth to his own field for although he was worthy of death, he decided not to put him to death at that time, because he was responsible for bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord God during the days of David his father, and because he suffered in all the ways his father David was afflicted. So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the Lord; that he might fulfill the word of the Lord which He spoke concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh. And when then tidings came to Joab since he was a follower of Adonijah even though he had not turned after Absalom.  And Joab fled into the tabernacle of the Lord and caught hold of the horns of the altar. And it was told King Solomon that Joab had fled and had taken hold upon the horns of the altar. And Solomon sent Benaiah with instructions to go fall on Joab also. And Benaiah went to the tabernacle of the Lord and told Joab that in the name of the King he should come out; but Joab refused and said that he was prepared to die where he was. So Benaiah took word to the king concerning Joab’s refusal to emerge from the tabernacle; so King Solomon ordered Benaiah to fall upon him where he was in order that the innocent blood that Joab had shed, would be removed from him and the house of his father David

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BRAGADAYJAH 987

BRAGADAYJAH 987

Solomon Sits on the Throne of David his Father
Once Solomon began to sit on the throne of David his father, his kingdom began to be established greatly. And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, and she asked him if he was coming to her in peace, and he responded and said yes. Then he told Bathsheba that he wanted to speak to her; and she told him to say on. And he told her that she knew that the kingdom was his, and that all Israel had their faces set on him to be king. But he told her the situation has been turned around and the kingdom has become his brother’s, because it was his from the Lord. So now he told her, I have a petition to make to you; and Bathsheba told him to speak. And he asked her to speak to Solomon her son on his behalf that he give her Abishag the Shunammite to wife. And Bathsheba said, “I will speak to the king for thee.”  She, therefore, went unto King Solomon and spoke to him for Adonijah. And when she arrived, the king sat on his throne and caused a seat to be provided for his mother so that she sat on his right hand. And she said, “I desire one small petition of thee. I pray thee say me not nay.” And the king said, “Ask on my mother for I will not say nay to thee.”  And she said “Let Abishag be given to Adonijah thy brother for wife.” Then Solomon asked his mother why he was making such a request, and also why she did not request the kingdom for him also and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah?  Therefore King Solomon swore by the Lord saying, “God do so unto me and more also if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life.

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BRAGADAYJAH 986

BRAGADAYJAH 986

David’s Charge to Solomon

Now as the days of King David drew to the time when he should die, he charged his son Solomon and said to him: “I go the way of all the earth; therefore, be strong and show yourself a man. Keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, and His commandments, and His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do, and wheresoever you turn; that the Lord may continue His word which He spoke concerning me, when he said, If your children take heed in their way to walk before me in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul, there shall never fail to be a man on the throne of Israel.” Besides David remind Solomon of what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to him and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel; to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon the girdle about his loins, and in the shoes that were on his feet. “Do you according to your wisdom and let not his grey head go down to the grave in peace; but show kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table.” Because they came to him when he fled from Absalom his brother. “And remember,” David reminded his son, “that you have with you Shimei the son of Gera a Benjamite of Bahurim who cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim; but he had come down to meet me at the Jordan and said he would not put me to death by the sword. Now therefore hold him not guilty for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him and let his grey hair go gown to the grave with blood.” And after that, David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.  Having ruled over Israel, forty years, having reigned seven years in Hebron, and thirty three years in Jerusalem.  

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BRAGADAYJAH 985

BRAGADAYJAH 985
Solomon Spares Adonijah
Jonathon also informed Adonijah’s gathering that the king’s servants went and blessed their lord king David, and told him that God has made the name of his son Solomon even greater than his own, and his throne greater than his own throne; and on hearing it, the king bowed himself upon his bed, and said “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who has given one to sit on my throne this day, and allowing me to live to see it.” And on hearing this all the guests that were with Adonijah became afraid and every man left and returned unto his own house. And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and rose up and went and laid hold on the horns on of the altar. And it was told Solomon that Adonijah feared him because he had gone and laid hold on the horns of the altar, and had prayed that King Solomon would not slay him. And Solomon said if he would show himself a worthy man then not a hair of his head shall be hurt; but if he shows himself to be wicked then he will die.”  So King Solomon sent and brought Adonijah from the altar and he bowed himself before the king; and King Solomon told him to leave and go to his own house.

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BRAGADAYJAH 984

BRAGADAYJAH 984
Adonijah Heard that Solomon was anointed King
So Zadok the priest took a horn of oil out of the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet and all the people shouted, “God save King Solomon.” And the people came up after Solomon and the people piped upon pipes and rejoiced with great joy so much so the earth trembled with the sound of their voices.  And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard the voices of the people and made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he asked what the uproar was about?  And at the same time Jonathon the son of Abiathar the priest came in and Adonijah asked him if he was a brave man bringing good news? And Jonathon answered him and told him that the king had made Solomon king. That the king had sent Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and they have caused Solomon to ride on the king’s mule, and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet had anointed Solomon king in Gihon and they went up from there rejoicing, so that the city was ringing with the sound of the voices of the people. And that Solomon was sitting on the throne.

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BRAGADAYJAH 983

BRAGADAYJAH 983

David instructed the priest to anoint Solomon King.

David then called for Beersheba, Solomon’s mother and swore unto her that it was his wish that his son Solomon would be the one to reign in his stead to sit upon his throne. And upon hearing him, Beersheba bowed before the king and said, “Live forever O king.” Then did David call Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and instructed them to take his servants and cause Solomon to ride upon his mule and bring him down to Gihon. And once there Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet were to anoint him king over Israel and proclaim him king by blowing the trumpet and proclaiming, “God save King Solomon.”  And the king continued to instruct them that after Solomon was anointed king, he was to be brought up to Jerusalem to sit upon his throne, because it was his wish that he be king over Israel and Judah. And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, “Amen. The Lord God of my lord says so too. And as the Lord has been with my lord the king, even so shall he be with Solomon, and make his throne even greater than the throne of my lord king David.  

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