Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
David » King of israel » Delivers his charge to solomon
And, when the days of David drew near that he must die, he charged Solomon his son, saying: - I, am going the way of all the earth, - thou must be strong, therefore, and show thyself a man; and keep the observances of Yahweh thy God, by walking in his ways, by keeping his statutes, his commandments, and his regulations and his testimonies, as written in the law of Moses, - to the end thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself; read more.
to the end that Yahweh may establish his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy sons will take heed to their way, by walking before me, in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul, (then, said he) there shall not be cut off to thee a man, from off the throne of Israel. Moreover also, thou, knowest what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with two generals of the armies of Israel - with Abner son of Ner, and with Amasa son of Jether - both of whom he slew, shedding the blood of war in peace, - and putting the blood of war upon his girdle that was on his loins, and upon his sandals, that were on his feet. Thou, therefore, must do according to thy wisdom, - but will not let his grey hair go down in peace, to hades. But, with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, thou wilt deal in lovingkindness, and they will be among them who eat at thy table, - for, so, drew they near unto me, when I fled from Absolom thy brother. Lo! also, there is with thee - Shimei son of Gera a Benjamite, of Behurim, well, he, it was who cursed me with a grievous curse; on the day I journeyed to Mahanaim, - but he, came down to meet me, at the Jordan, and so I sware to him by Yahweh, saying - I will not put thee to death, with the sword. Now, therefore do not hold him guiltless, for, a wise man, thou art, and wilt know how thou oughtest to deal with him, and wilt suffer his grey hairs to go down with blood, to hades. So then David slept with his fathers, - and was buried in the city of David. Now, the days that David reigned over Israel, were forty years, - in Hebron, reigned he seven years, and, in Jerusalem, reigned he thirty and three years.
to the end that Yahweh may establish his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy sons will take heed to their way, by walking before me, in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul, (then, said he) there shall not be cut off to thee a man, from off the throne of Israel. Moreover also, thou, knowest what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with two generals of the armies of Israel - with Abner son of Ner, and with Amasa son of Jether - both of whom he slew, shedding the blood of war in peace, - and putting the blood of war upon his girdle that was on his loins, and upon his sandals, that were on his feet. Thou, therefore, must do according to thy wisdom, - but will not let his grey hair go down in peace, to hades. But, with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, thou wilt deal in lovingkindness, and they will be among them who eat at thy table, - for, so, drew they near unto me, when I fled from Absolom thy brother. Lo! also, there is with thee - Shimei son of Gera a Benjamite, of Behurim, well, he, it was who cursed me with a grievous curse; on the day I journeyed to Mahanaim, - but he, came down to meet me, at the Jordan, and so I sware to him by Yahweh, saying - I will not put thee to death, with the sword. Now, therefore do not hold him guiltless, for, a wise man, thou art, and wilt know how thou oughtest to deal with him, and wilt suffer his grey hairs to go down with blood, to hades. So then David slept with his fathers, - and was buried in the city of David. Now, the days that David reigned over Israel, were forty years, - in Hebron, reigned he seven years, and, in Jerusalem, reigned he thirty and three years.
Then he called for Solomon his son, - and charged him, to build a house, for Yahweh, God of Israel. And David said to Solomon his son, - As for me, it was, near my heart, to build a house for the Name of Yahweh my God; but the word of Yahweh came unto me, saying, Blood in abundance, hast thou shed, and, great wars, hast thou made, - thou shalt not build a house for my Name, because, much blood, hast thou shed upon the earth, before me. read more.
Lo! a son, born to thee, He, shall be a man of rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies, round about, - for, Solomon, shall be his Name, and, peace and quietness, will I bestow upon Israel, in his days; He, shall build a house for my Name, and, he, shall be my son, and, I, will be his father, - therefore will I establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel, unto times age-abiding: Now, my son, Yahweh be with thee, - so shalt thou be prosperous, and shalt build the house of Yahweh thy God, according as he hath spoken concerning thee. Only Yahweh give thee discretion and understanding, and give thee charge over Israel, - so that thou take heed unto the law of Yahweh thy God. Then, shalt thou prosper, if thou take heed to do the statutes and the regulations, which Yahweh commanded Moses, concerning Israel, - be strong and bold, thou mayst not be in fear, nor be dismayed. Lo! then, in my humiliation, have I prepared for the house of Yahweh, of gold a hundred thousand talents, and of silver a thousand thousand talents, and, as for bronze and iron, without weight, for, an abundance, hath it become, - timber also and stone, have I prepared, and, thereunto, thou canst add. And, with thee, in abundance, are workmen, hewers and carvers of stone and wood, - and every sort of wise man, in all manner of work: for gold and for silver and for bronze and for iron, without number. Arise and do, and Yahweh be with thee! And David charged all the rulers of Israel, to help Solomon his son: - Is not, Yahweh your God, with you? and hath he not given you rest on every side? for he hath given into my hand, the inhabitants of the land, and subdued is the land before Yahweh, and before his people. Now, apply your heart and your soul, to seek unto Yahweh your God, - and then arise ye and build the sanctuary of Yahweh Elohim, that ye may bring the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and the holy vessels of God, into the house which hath been built for the Name of Yahweh.
Lo! a son, born to thee, He, shall be a man of rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies, round about, - for, Solomon, shall be his Name, and, peace and quietness, will I bestow upon Israel, in his days; He, shall build a house for my Name, and, he, shall be my son, and, I, will be his father, - therefore will I establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel, unto times age-abiding: Now, my son, Yahweh be with thee, - so shalt thou be prosperous, and shalt build the house of Yahweh thy God, according as he hath spoken concerning thee. Only Yahweh give thee discretion and understanding, and give thee charge over Israel, - so that thou take heed unto the law of Yahweh thy God. Then, shalt thou prosper, if thou take heed to do the statutes and the regulations, which Yahweh commanded Moses, concerning Israel, - be strong and bold, thou mayst not be in fear, nor be dismayed. Lo! then, in my humiliation, have I prepared for the house of Yahweh, of gold a hundred thousand talents, and of silver a thousand thousand talents, and, as for bronze and iron, without weight, for, an abundance, hath it become, - timber also and stone, have I prepared, and, thereunto, thou canst add. And, with thee, in abundance, are workmen, hewers and carvers of stone and wood, - and every sort of wise man, in all manner of work: for gold and for silver and for bronze and for iron, without number. Arise and do, and Yahweh be with thee! And David charged all the rulers of Israel, to help Solomon his son: - Is not, Yahweh your God, with you? and hath he not given you rest on every side? for he hath given into my hand, the inhabitants of the land, and subdued is the land before Yahweh, and before his people. Now, apply your heart and your soul, to seek unto Yahweh your God, - and then arise ye and build the sanctuary of Yahweh Elohim, that ye may bring the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and the holy vessels of God, into the house which hath been built for the Name of Yahweh.
death » Scenes of » Death of david
And, when the days of David drew near that he must die, he charged Solomon his son, saying: - I, am going the way of all the earth, - thou must be strong, therefore, and show thyself a man; and keep the observances of Yahweh thy God, by walking in his ways, by keeping his statutes, his commandments, and his regulations and his testimonies, as written in the law of Moses, - to the end thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself; read more.
to the end that Yahweh may establish his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy sons will take heed to their way, by walking before me, in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul, (then, said he) there shall not be cut off to thee a man, from off the throne of Israel. Moreover also, thou, knowest what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with two generals of the armies of Israel - with Abner son of Ner, and with Amasa son of Jether - both of whom he slew, shedding the blood of war in peace, - and putting the blood of war upon his girdle that was on his loins, and upon his sandals, that were on his feet. Thou, therefore, must do according to thy wisdom, - but will not let his grey hair go down in peace, to hades. But, with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, thou wilt deal in lovingkindness, and they will be among them who eat at thy table, - for, so, drew they near unto me, when I fled from Absolom thy brother. Lo! also, there is with thee - Shimei son of Gera a Benjamite, of Behurim, well, he, it was who cursed me with a grievous curse; on the day I journeyed to Mahanaim, - but he, came down to meet me, at the Jordan, and so I sware to him by Yahweh, saying - I will not put thee to death, with the sword. Now, therefore do not hold him guiltless, for, a wise man, thou art, and wilt know how thou oughtest to deal with him, and wilt suffer his grey hairs to go down with blood, to hades. So then David slept with his fathers, - and was buried in the city of David.
to the end that Yahweh may establish his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy sons will take heed to their way, by walking before me, in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul, (then, said he) there shall not be cut off to thee a man, from off the throne of Israel. Moreover also, thou, knowest what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with two generals of the armies of Israel - with Abner son of Ner, and with Amasa son of Jether - both of whom he slew, shedding the blood of war in peace, - and putting the blood of war upon his girdle that was on his loins, and upon his sandals, that were on his feet. Thou, therefore, must do according to thy wisdom, - but will not let his grey hair go down in peace, to hades. But, with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, thou wilt deal in lovingkindness, and they will be among them who eat at thy table, - for, so, drew they near unto me, when I fled from Absolom thy brother. Lo! also, there is with thee - Shimei son of Gera a Benjamite, of Behurim, well, he, it was who cursed me with a grievous curse; on the day I journeyed to Mahanaim, - but he, came down to meet me, at the Jordan, and so I sware to him by Yahweh, saying - I will not put thee to death, with the sword. Now, therefore do not hold him guiltless, for, a wise man, thou art, and wilt know how thou oughtest to deal with him, and wilt suffer his grey hairs to go down with blood, to hades. So then David slept with his fathers, - and was buried in the city of David.
Evil for good » Instances of » To joab
to the end that Yahweh may establish his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy sons will take heed to their way, by walking before me, in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul, (then, said he) there shall not be cut off to thee a man, from off the throne of Israel. Moreover also, thou, knowest what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with two generals of the armies of Israel - with Abner son of Ner, and with Amasa son of Jether - both of whom he slew, shedding the blood of war in peace, - and putting the blood of war upon his girdle that was on his loins, and upon his sandals, that were on his feet. Thou, therefore, must do according to thy wisdom, - but will not let his grey hair go down in peace, to hades.
Friends » False friends » David was false to joab
Moreover also, thou, knowest what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with two generals of the armies of Israel - with Abner son of Ner, and with Amasa son of Jether - both of whom he slew, shedding the blood of war in peace, - and putting the blood of war upon his girdle that was on his loins, and upon his sandals, that were on his feet. Thou, therefore, must do according to thy wisdom, - but will not let his grey hair go down in peace, to hades.
Ingratitude » Of man to man » David to joab
Moreover also, thou, knowest what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with two generals of the armies of Israel - with Abner son of Ner, and with Amasa son of Jether - both of whom he slew, shedding the blood of war in peace, - and putting the blood of war upon his girdle that was on his loins, and upon his sandals, that were on his feet. Thou, therefore, must do according to thy wisdom, - but will not let his grey hair go down in peace, to hades.
Kings » Who reigned over all israel » Solomon
Then took Zadok the priest, the horn of oil out of the Tent, and anointed Solomon, - and they blew with a ram's horn, and all the people said, Long live King Solomon! And all the people came up after him, the people themselves also, playing with flutes, and rejoicing with great joy, - so that the earth rent with the sound of them. And Adonijah, and all the guests who were with him, heard it, just as, they, had made an end of eating, - and, when Joab heard the sound of a horn, he said - Wherefore the noise of the city, in tumult? read more.
While yet he was speaking, lo! Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest, came in, - and Adonijah said - Come in, for, a worthy man, thou art, and, good tidings, dost thou bring. But Jonathan responded and said to Adonijah, - Of a truth, our lord, King David, hath made, Solomon, king. And the king hath sent with him - Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, with the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, - and they have caused him to ride upon the mule of the king; and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king, in Gihon, and they went up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again, - That, is the noise ye have heard. Moreover also, Solomon hath taken his seat upon the throne of the kingdom. Moreover also, the servants of the king have been in, to bless our lord King David, saying - Thy God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne, - And the king bowed himself upon his bed. Moreover also, thus and thus, hath said the king, - Blessed be Yahweh, God of Israel, who hath given, to-day, one to sit upon my throne, mine own eyes also beholding it. Then trembled and rose up, all Adonijah's guests, - and departed, every man his own way. Adonijah also, feared because of Solomon, - and rose and went, and caught hold of the horns of the altar. And it was told Solomon, saying, Lo! Adonijah, feareth King Solomon, - lo! therefore, he hath laid hold of the horns of the altar, saying, Let King Solomon swear unto me at once that he will not put his servant to death with the sword. Then said Solomon, If he will be a man of worth, there shall not one hair of him fall to the earth, - but, if mischief be found in him, then shall he die. So King Solomon sent, and brought him down from the altar, and he came in, and bowed himself down to King Solomon, - and Solomon said unto him - Go to thine own house. And, when the days of David drew near that he must die, he charged Solomon his son, saying: - I, am going the way of all the earth, - thou must be strong, therefore, and show thyself a man; and keep the observances of Yahweh thy God, by walking in his ways, by keeping his statutes, his commandments, and his regulations and his testimonies, as written in the law of Moses, - to the end thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself; to the end that Yahweh may establish his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy sons will take heed to their way, by walking before me, in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul, (then, said he) there shall not be cut off to thee a man, from off the throne of Israel. Moreover also, thou, knowest what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with two generals of the armies of Israel - with Abner son of Ner, and with Amasa son of Jether - both of whom he slew, shedding the blood of war in peace, - and putting the blood of war upon his girdle that was on his loins, and upon his sandals, that were on his feet. Thou, therefore, must do according to thy wisdom, - but will not let his grey hair go down in peace, to hades. But, with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, thou wilt deal in lovingkindness, and they will be among them who eat at thy table, - for, so, drew they near unto me, when I fled from Absolom thy brother. Lo! also, there is with thee - Shimei son of Gera a Benjamite, of Behurim, well, he, it was who cursed me with a grievous curse; on the day I journeyed to Mahanaim, - but he, came down to meet me, at the Jordan, and so I sware to him by Yahweh, saying - I will not put thee to death, with the sword. Now, therefore do not hold him guiltless, for, a wise man, thou art, and wilt know how thou oughtest to deal with him, and wilt suffer his grey hairs to go down with blood, to hades. So then David slept with his fathers, - and was buried in the city of David. Now, the days that David reigned over Israel, were forty years, - in Hebron, reigned he seven years, and, in Jerusalem, reigned he thirty and three years. But, when, Solomon, took his seat upon the throne of David his father, then was the kingdom firmly established. And Adonijah son of Haggith came in unto Bath-sheba, mother of Solomon: And she said - Peaceably, comest thou? And he said - Peaceably. Then said he - I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said - Say on. And he said - Thou, knowest that, mine, was the kingdom, and, on me, had all Israel set their faces, that I should become king, - howbeit the kingdom, hath turned about, and become my brother's, for, from Yahweh, became it, his. Now, therefore, one request, have I to ask of thee, do not turn away my face. And she said unto him - Say on. And he said - Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, for he will not turn away thy face, - that he give me Abishag the Shunammite, to wife. And Bath-sheba said: Good! I myself, will speak for thee, unto the king. So Bath-sheba went in unto King Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah, - and the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself down to her, and sat down upon his throne, and caused a throne to be set for the mother of the king, and she sat on his right hand. Then said she - One small request, am I asking of thee, do not turn away my face. And the king said to her - Ask on, my mother, for I will not turn away thy face. And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother, to wife. Then answered King Solomon, and said to his mother - Wherefore, then, art thou asking Abishag the Shunammite, for Adonijah? ask, then, for him the kingdom, because he is mine elder brother, - even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab, son of Zeruiah. Then swore King Solomon by Yahweh, saying, - So, let God do to me, and, so, let him add, if, at the cost of his life, Adonijah hath not spoken this word. Now, therefore, by the life of Yahweh, who hath established me, and seated me upon the throne of David my father, and who hath made for me a household, as he had spoken, surely, to-day, shall Adonijah be put to death! So King Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, - and he fell upon him, that he died. Also, unto Abiathar the priest, said the king - To Anathoth, get thee unto thine own fields, for, death-doomed, thou art, - but, this day, will I not put thee to death, because thou didst bear the ark of My Lord, Yahweh, before David my father, and because thou wast afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted. So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto Yahweh, - to fulfil the word of Yahweh which he spake concerning the household of Eli, in Shiloh. And, the report, came unto Joab, for, Joab, had inclined after Adonijah, although, after Solomon, he had not inclined, - so then Joab fled into the Tent of Yahweh, and laid hold of the horns of the altar. And it was told King Solomon - Joab hath fled into the Tent of Yahweh, and, there he is, beside the altar. So Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying - Go fall upon him! And Benaiah came into the Tent of Yahweh, and said unto him - Thus, saith the king, Come forth! And he said - Nay! but, here, will I die! So Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus, spake Joab, and, thus, he answered me. And the king said to him - Do as he hath spoken, fall, then, upon him, and bury him, - and so put away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from off me, and from off the house of my father; thus will Yahweh bring back his blood upon his own head, in that he fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing it, - even Abner son of Ner, general of the army of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, general of the army of Judah; thus shall their blood come back upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed unto times age-abiding, - but, David and his seed, and his house, and his throne, shall have peace, unto times age-abiding, from Yahweh. So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and put him to death, - and he was buried in his own house, in the wilderness. And the king put Benaiah son of Jehoiada, in his stead, over the army, - and, Zadok the priest, did the king put in the stead of Abiathar. And the king sent, and called for Shimei, and said to him - Build thee a house, in Jerusalem, so shalt thou dwell there, - and shalt not go forth from thence, hither or thither; but it shall be that, on the day thou goest forth, and passest over the Kidron ravine, know, that thou shalt, die, - thy blood, shall be, upon thine own head. And Shimei said to the king - Good, is the word, as my lord the king hath spoken, so, will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days. But it came to pass, at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei fled unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath, - and they told Shimei, saying - Lo! thy servants are in Gath. So Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath, unto Achish, to seek his servants - and Shimei went and brought in his servants, from Gath. And it was told Solomon - Shimei hath been out of Jerusalem to Gath, and returned. Then sent the king and called for Shimei, and said unto him - Did I not put thee on oath by Yahweh, and adjure thee, saying - On the day thou goest forth and takest thy journey hither or thither, know, that thou shalt, die. Then saidst thou unto me - Good, is the word I have heard. Why then, hast thou not kept the oath of Yahweh, - and the charge which I laid upon thee? Then said the king unto Shimei - Thou, knowest all the wickedness which thy heart is privy to, which thou didst unto David my father, - therefore shall Yahweh bring back thy wickedness, upon thine own head. But, King Solomon, shall be blessed, - and, the throne of David, shall be established before Yahweh, unto times age-abiding. So the king charged Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and fell upon him, that he died, - and, the kingdom, was established in the hand of Solomon. And Solomon contracted an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt, - and took the daughter of Pharaoh, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of Yahweh, and the wall of Jerusalem, round about. Save only, that the people were sacrificing in the high places, - because there had not been built a house unto the Name of Yahweh, until those days, Solomon loved Yahweh, by walking in the statutes of David his father, - save only, that, in the high places, he himself, was sacrificing and offering incense. So then the king went to Gibeon, to sacrifice there, for, that, was the great high place, - a thousand ascending-sacrifices, did Solomon offer up on that altar. In Gibeon, Yahweh appeared unto Solomon, in a dream by night, - and God said, Ask, what I shall give thee. Then said Solomon - Thou, didst deal, with thy servant David my father, in great lovingkindness, according as he walked before thee, in truth and in righteousness and in uprightness of heart, with thee, - and thou hast kept, for him, this great lovingkindness, that thou hast given unto him a son, to sit upon his throne, as it is this day. Now, therefore, O Yahweh 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 and come in. And, thy servant, is in the midst of thy people, whom thou hast chosen, - a numerous people, that cannot be numbered or summed up, for multitude. Wilt thou, then, give unto thy servant, a heart that hearkeneth, to judge thy people, to discern between good and bad, - for who is able to judge this thine honoured people? And the thing was good in the eyes of the Lord, - that Solomon had asked this thing; And God said unto him - Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself many days, nor asked for thyself riches, nor asked the lives of thine enemies, - but hast asked for thyself discernment, in hearing a cause, lo! I have done according to thy word, - lo! I have given unto thee a wise and discerning heart, so that, like thee, hath been none, before thee, and, after thee, shall rise up none, like thee. Moreover also, what thou hast not asked, have I given unto thee, both riches and honour, - so that there hath been none, like thee, among the kings, all thy days. And, if thou wilt walk in my ways, by keeping my statutes, and my commandments, as, David thy father, walked, then will I lengthen out thy days. And Solomon awoke, and lo! it was a dream. So he entered into Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and caused to go up ascending-sacrifices and offered peace-offerings, and made a banquet for all his servants. Then, came there in two unchaste women, unto the king, - and stood before him. And the one woman said - Pardon, my lord! I and this woman, dwell in one house, - and I gave birth to a child near her, in the house. And it came to pass, the third day after I bare, that, this woman also, gave birth to a child, - we two, being together, there was no stranger with us in the house, none but we two in the house. And this woman's son died in the night, - because she overlaid it. Then arose she, in the middle of the night, and took my son from beside me, while thy handmaid was sleeping, and laid it in her own besom, - but, her dead son, laid she in, my, bosom. And, when I arose in the morning, to give suck unto my child, lo! it was dead! but, when I looked at it narrowly in the morning, lo! it was not, my son that I had borne. Then said the other woman - Nay! but, my son, is the, living, and, thy son, the, dead. But, this, one kept on saying - Nay, verily! but, thy son, is the, dead, and, my son, the, living. Thus spake they before the king. Then said the king, The one woman, is saying, This, is, my son, the one that liveth, and, thy son, is, the one that is dead, - and, the other, is saying, Nay! but, thy son, is, the dead one, and, my son, the, living. And the king said - Bring me a sword! So they brought a sword before the king. Then said the king, Divide the living child, in twain, - and give half to the one, and half to the other. Then spake the woman, whose was the living child, unto the king - for tender became her compassions over her son - so she said - Pardon, my lord! Give, her, the living child, and do not, kill, it. But the other kept on saying - Neither mine, nor thine, shall it be, divide it. Then responded the king, and said - Give, her, the living child, ye shall not, kill, it, - she, is its mother. And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had delivered, and they stood in awe before the king, - for they saw, that, the wisdom of God, was in him, to execute justice. And so it came to pass, that, King Solomon, was king, over all Israel. Now, these, were his chief officers of state, - Azariah son of Zadok, the priest; Elihoreph and Ahijah, sons of Shisha, scribes, - Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud, the recorder; And Benaiah son of Jehoiada, over the army, - and Zadok and Abiathar priests; And Azariah son of Nathan, over the governors, - and Zabud son of Nathan, minister, king's friend; And Ahishar, over the household, - and Adoniram son of Abda, over the tribute. And, Solomon, had twelve governors over all Israel, who used to sustain the king and his household, - for a month in the year, was it appointed unto each one, to find sustenance. And, these, are their names, Ben-hur, in the hill country of Ephraim; Ben-deker, in Makaz and in Shaalbim and Beth-shemesh, - and Elon-beth-hanan; Ben-hesed, in Arubboth, - to him, pertaineth Socoh, and all the land of Hepher; Ben-abinadab, all the height of Dor, - Taphath daughter of Solomon, had he to wife; Baana son of Ahilud, in Taanach, and Megiddo, - and all Beth-shean which is beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel, from Beth-shean as far as Abel-meholah, as far as over against Jokmeam; Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead, - to him, belonged the towns of Jair, son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead, his, was the region of Argob which is in Bashan, sixty great cities, with walls and with bars of bronze; Ahinadab son of Iddo, towards Mahanaim; Ahimaaz, in Naphtali, - moreover, he, took Basemath daughter of Solomon, to wife; Banna son of Hushai, in Asher and in Aloth; Jehoshaphat son of Paruah, in Issachar; Shimei son of Ela, in Benjamin; Geber son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, - the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan, being, the one governor, that was in the land. Judah and Israel, were many, as the sand that is by the sea, for multitude, - eating and drinking, and rejoicing. And, Solomon, became ruler over all the kingdoms, from the River even unto the land of the Philistines, and as far as the boundary of Egypt, - and these were bringing presents, and serving Solomon, all the days of his life. And it came to pass, that Solomon's provision for one day was, - thirty measures of fine flour, and sixty measures of meal; ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and a hundred sheep, - besides harts, and gazelles, and roebucks, and fatted fowl. For, he, had dominion over all on this side the River, from Tiphsah even as far as Gaza, over all the kings on this side the River, - and he had, peace, on all sides of him, round about. And Judah and Israel dwelt securely, every man under his own vine, and under his own fig-tree, from Dan even unto Beer-sheba, - all the days of Solomon. And it came to pass that, Solomon, had forty thousand stalls of horses, for his chariots, - and twelve thousand horsemen. And these governors provided sustenance for King Solomon, and for all that drew near unto the table of King Solomon, every man in his month, - they let, nought, be lacking. Barley also and crushed straw, for the horses and for the swift beasts, brought they in unto the place where it should be, every man according to his charge. And God gave wisdom unto Solomon, and discernment, and very great largeness of heart, - like the sand that is on the shore of the sea: so that, the wisdom of Solomon, excelled, the wisdom of all the sons of the East, - and all the wisdom of the Egyptians, so that he was wiser than any man - than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman and Calcol and Darda, sons of Mahol, - and it came to pass that, his name, was throughout all the nations round about. And he spake three thousand proverbs, - and it came to pass that, his songs, were a thousand and five. And he discoursed of trees - from the cedar that is in Lebanon, even unto the hyssop, that springeth out in the wall, - and he discoursed of beasts and of birds, and of creeping things, and of fishes. And there came in, of all the peoples, to hear the wisdom of Solomon - of all the kings of the earth, who heard his wisdom. And Hiram King of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon, for he had heard that, him, had they anointed king, in the room of his father, - for, Hiram, was, a lover, of, David continually. So Solomon sent unto Hiram, saying: - Thou, knewest David my father, how that he could not build a house unto the Name of Yahweh his God, because of the wars that were about him on every side, - until Yahweh should put them under the soles of his feet; but, now, Yahweh my God hath given me rest on every side, - there is neither adversary nor incident of evil. Behold me! then, purposing to build a house for the Name of Yahweh my God - even as Yahweh spake unto David my father, saying - Thy son, whom I will set in thy stead, upon thy throne, he, shall build the house for my Name. Now, therefore, command thou that they fell me cedars, out of Lebanon, and, my servants, shall be, with thy servants, and, the hire of thy servants, will I give thee, according to all that thou shalt say, - for, thou, knowest, that, none amongst us, hath skill to fell timber, like the Zidonians. And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, - and said: Blessed, be Yahweh, to-day, who hath given unto David a wise son, over this great people! And Hiram sent unto Solomon, saying, I have heard that which thou hast sent unto me, - I, will do all thy desire, as to timber of cedar, and timber of fir. My servants, shall bring them down out of Lebanon unto the sea, and, I, will put them in rafts on the sea, unto the place of which thou shalt send me word, and will cause them to be discharged there, and, thou, shalt receive them, and, thou, shalt do my desire, by giving food for my household. So then Hiram began giving unto Solomon timber of cedar, and timber of fir, even all his desire, and, Solomon, gave unto Hiram, twenty thousand measures of wheat, as food for his household, and twenty measures of beaten oil, - thus, used Solomon on to give unto Hiram, year by year. And, Yahweh, gave wisdom unto Solomon, as he promised him, - and it came to pass that there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and, they two, solemnised a covenant. And King Solomon raised a labour-band, out of all Israel, - and it came to pass that, the labour-band, was thirty thousand men. And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month, by courses, a month, were they in Lebanon, two months, at home, - and, Adoniram, was over the levy. And it came to pass that, Solomon, had seventy thousand bearers of burdens, - and eighty thousand hewers in the mountain; besides the chiefs of Solomon's officers, who were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, - who ruled over the people that wrought in the work. And the king commanded, and they quarried great stones, costly stones, to found the house with hewn stones. And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders with the Gebalites wrought them, - thus made they ready the timber and the stones, for building the house. And so it came to pass, in the four hundred and eightieth year, by the coming forth of the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year (in the month of Zif, the same, being the second month) of the reign of Solomon over Israel, that he began to build the house unto Yahweh. Now, the house which King Solomon built unto Yahweh, was sixty cubits in length, and twenty in breadth, - and thirty cubits in height. And, the porch in front of the temple of the house, was twenty cubits in length, according to the breadth of the house, - ten cubits in breadth, in front of the house. And he made to the house windows, with closed bars. And he built - by the wall of the house - a gallery, round about, against the walls of the house, round about, both to the temple, and to the shrine, - and he made side chambers round about. The, lowest gallery, was five cubits broad, and, the middle, six cubits broad, and, the third, seven cubits broad, - for he put, ledges, against the house round about, on the outer side, so as not to make fastenings in the walls of the house. Now, the house, when it was in building, with whole quarry-stones, was built, - neither hammer, nor axe, nor any tools of iron, was heard in the house, when it was in building. The entrance of the lowest story, was on the right side of the house, - and, by winding stairs, went they up unto the middle story , and, out of the middle, into, the third. So he built the house, and finished it, - and ceiled the house with planks and beams of cedar; and built the gallery against all the house, five cubits in height, - and so fastened the house, with timber of cedar. Then came the word of Yahweh unto Solomon, saying: Concerning this house, which thou art building, If thou wilt walk in my statutes, and, my regulations, wilt practise, and so observe all my commandments, by walking in them, Then will I establish my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father; and will make my habitation in the midst of the sons of Israel, - and will not forsake my people Israel. Thus Solomon built the house, and finished it; and he built the walls of the house on the inside, with boards of cedar, from the floor of the house, unto the cross-beams of the ceiling, he overlaid it with wood, on the inside, - and he overlaid the floor of the house with boards of fir. And he built twenty cubits, at the hinder part of the house, with boards of cedar, from the floor as far as the cross-beams, - and he built it within, for a shrine, even for the holy of holies; but, forty cubits, was the house itself, - the same, was the temple, before the oracle. And, the cedar for the house within, was carved with colocynths, and with festoons of flowers, - the whole, was cedar, there was no stone to be seen. And, the shrine in the midst of the house within, made he ready, - for placing there, the ark of the covenant of Yahweh. And, the interior of the shrine, was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in height, and he overlaid it, with pure gold, - and overlaid the altar with cedar. Thus then did Solomon overlay the house within, with pure gold, - and he drew chains of gold across the front of the shrine, and overlaid it with gold; yea, all the house, overlaid he with gold, until he had made all the house into one whole, - even all the altar that was by the shrine, overlaid he with gold. And he made, within the shrine, two cherubim of wild olive wood, - ten cubits in height; and, five cubits, was the one wing of the cherub, and, five cubits, the second wing of the cherub, - ten cubits, from the one end of his wings unto the other end of his wings. Ten cubits, also was the second cherub, - of one size and one shape, were the two cherubim. The height of the one cherub, was ten cubits, - and, so, of the second cherub. And he placed the cherubim in the midst of the inner house, and the cherubim stretched forth their wings, - so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub, was touching the other wall, - and, their wings in the midst of the house, were touching, wing to wing. And he overlaid the cherubim with gold. And, all the walls of the house round about, carved he with figures of cherubim, and palm-trees, and festoons of flowers, - within and without. Even the floor of the house, overlaid he with gold, - within and without. And, the entrance of the shrine, made he with doors, of wild olive-wood, the pillars and posts being a fifth. The two doors, also were of olive-wood, and he carved upon them carvings of cherubim, and palm-trees, and festoons of flowers, and overlaid them with gold, - yea he spread out, over the cherubim and over the palm-trees, the gold. So, also, made he for the entrance of the temple, with posts of wild olive-wood, - a fourth part. And, the two doors, were of fir wood, - the two leaves of the one door, were folding, and, the two leaves of the other door, were folding. And he carved cherubim, and palm-trees, and festoons of flowers, and overlaid them with gold, smoothed out on the carved work. And he built the inner court, with three rows of hewn stone, - and a row of beams of cedar. In the fourth year, was laid the foundation of the house of Yahweh, - in the month Zif; and, in the eleventh year, in the month Bul - the same, is the eighth month, was the house finished, as to all the particulars thereof, and as to all the appointments thereof, - so then he built it in seven years. But, his own house, was Solomon thirteen years in building, - so he finished all his house. Yea he built the house of the forest of Lebanon, a hundred cubits, the length thereof, and, fifty cubits, the breadth thereof, and, thirty cubits, the height thereof, - upon four rows of pillars of cedar, with beams of cedar, upon the pillars; and it was covered with cedar above upon the joists, that were on forty-five pillars, - fifteen in a row. And there were, window spaces, in three rows, - and light over against light, three times. And, all the openings and the posts, were square in their frame, - and light was over against light, three times. And, a porch of pillars, made he, fifty cubits, in length, and, thirty cubits, in breadth, - and, a porch, was on the one front of them, and pillars and threshold, were on the other front of them. And, a porch for the throne, where he should judge, even the porch of judgment, made he, and it was wainscotted with cedar, from floor to ceiling. And, his own house where he should dwell, in the other court within the porch, was, of like workmanship unto this, - a house also, made he, for the daughter of Pharaoh, whom Solomon had taken to wife , in a similar porch. All these, were of costly stones, after the dimensions of hewn stones, sawn with saws, within and without, - even from the foundation, unto the coping, and without as far as the great court. And, the foundation, was of costly stones, large stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits. And, above, were costly stones, after the dimensions of hewn stone, and cedar. And, the great court round about, was of three rows of hewn stone, and a row of beams of cedar, - both to the inner court of the house of Yahweh, and to the porch of the house. And King Solomon sent and fetched Hiram, out of Tyre: son of a widow woman, was he of the tribe of Naphtali, but, his father, was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze, and he was filled with wisdom, and discernment, and knowledge, for executing all manner of work in bronze, - so he came unto King Solomon, and executed all his work. And he cast two pillars of bronze, - eighteen cubits, the height of each pillar, and, a line of twelve cubits, would surround the second pillar. And, two capitals, made he, to set upon the tops of the pillars, of molten bronze, - five cubits, was the height of the one capital, and, five cubits, the height of the other capital; with a frame of checker work, wreaths of chain work, for the capitals which were upon the top of the pillars, - seven for the one capital, and seven for the other capital. So he made the pillars, - and, two rows round about, upon the one frame of checker work, covering the capitals which were upon the top with pomegranates, thus also, did he for the other capital. And, the capitals which were upon the top of the pillars, were of lily work, in span, four cubits. And there were capitals upon the two pillars, above also, close by the belly, which was beside the checker work, - and there were two hundred pomegranates, in rows round about, upon either capital. So he reared the pillars for the porch of the temple, - yea he reared the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin, and reared the left pillar, and called the name thereof, Boaz. And, upon the top of the pillars, was lily work, - which gave finish to the work of the pillars. And he made a molten sea, - ten cubits from the one brim to the other, it was round all about, and, five cubits, was the height thereof, and, a line of thirty cubits, would encompass it round about. And, colocynths, were under the brim thereof round about, encompassing it, ten in a cubit, encircling the sea, round about, - two rows of colocynths, made in the casting thereof: standing upon twelve oxen, three looking northward, and three looking westward, and three looking southward, and three looking eastward, the sea, being upon them above, - all their hinder parts, being, inward. And, the thickness thereof, was a hand breadth, and, the brim thereof, was like the brim-work of a cup, of lily-blossoms, - two thousand baths, did it contain. And he made ten stands of bronze, - four cubits, the length of each stand, and, four cubits, the breadth thereof, and, three cubits, the height thereof. And, this, was the work of the stand, there were, side walls, to them, - and, the side-walls, were between joining ledges; and, upon the side-walls which were between the ledges, were lions, oxen, and cherubim, and, upon the ledges, was a pedestal above, and, beneath the lions and oxen, a wreath of hanging work. And, four wheels of bronze, had each stand, with axles of bronze, and, the four steps thereof, had shoulder pieces, - under the laver, were the molten shoulder-pieces, over against each wreath. And, the mouth thereof, within the capital and upwards, was a cubit, and, the mouth thereof, was round, of pedestal work, a cubit and a half, - moreover also, upon the mouth thereof, were gravings, with their side-walls four-square, not round. And, four wheels, were beneath the side-walls, the axletrees of the wheels, being in the stands, - and, the height of each wheel, was a cubit and a half: and, the work of the wheels, was like the work of a chariot-wheel; and, their axletrees, and their felloes, and their spokes, and their naves, the whole, were molten. And there were, four shoulder-pieces, at the four corners of each stand, of the stand itself, were the shoulder-pieces thereof. And, in the top of the stand, half a cubit in height, was a circular piece round about, - and, on the top of the stand, the tenons thereof, and, the side-walls thereof, were of the same. Then carved he, upon the plates of the tenons thereof, and upon the side-walls thereof, cherubim, lions, and palm-trees, - according to the open space of each with a wreath round about. Thus, made he the ten stands, - one mould, one measure, one shape, had they, all. Then made he ten lavers of bronze, - forty baths, would each laver contain, four cubits, was each laver, one laver, was on each of, the ten stands. And he set the stands, five on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house, - but, the sea, he set on the right side of the house eastward, over against the south. And Hiram made lavers, and shovels, and bowls, - and Hiram ended the doing of all the work which he wrought for King Solomon, for the house of Yahweh: two pillars, - and the bowls of the capitals which were upon the top of the two pillars, - and the two frames of checker-work, covering the two bowls of the capitals, which were upon the top of the pillars; and the four hundred pomegranates, for the two frames of checker-work, - two rows of pomegranates to each frame, for covering the two bowls of the capitals, which were on the face of the pillars; and the ten stands, - with the ten lavers upon the stands; and the one sea, - with the twelve oxen under the sea; and the pans, and the shovels, and the tossing bowls, and, all these vessels which Hiram made King Solomon, for the house of Yahweh, were of burnished bronze. In the circuit of the Jordan, did the king cast them, in the clay ground, - between Succoth and Zarethan. And Solomon let all the vessels be, because of their exceeding great multitude, - the weight of the bronze was not found out. And Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of Yahweh, - the altar of gold, and the table of gold, whereon was the presence-bread; and the lamp-holders - five on the right and five on the left, before the shrine, of pure gold, - with the blossoms, and the lamps, and the tongs, of gold; and the bowls, and the snuffers, and the tossing bowls, and the spoons, and the censers, of pure gold, - and the hinge-holes, for the doors of the inner house, the holy of holies, and for the doors of the house itself, the temple, of, gold. So was completed all the work which King Solomon made for the house of Yahweh, and Solomon brought in the hallowed things of David his father - the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put in the treasuries of the house of Yahweh. Then, did Solomon call together the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, chiefs of the fathers of the sons of Israel, unto King Solomon in Jerusalem, - that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, out of the city of David, the same is Zion. So all the men of Israel came together unto King Solomon, in the month of steady flowings, at the festival, - the same is the seventh month. And all the elders of Israel came in, - and the priests took up the ark; and they brought up the ark of Yahweh, and the Tent of Meeting, and all the hallowed vessels that were in the tent, - yea, the priests and the Levites, did bring them up. And, King Solomon, and all the assembly of Israel who had assembled themselves unto him, were with him, before the ark, - sacrificing sheep and oxen, which could neither be recorded nor counted, for multitude. So the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Yahweh into its place, into the shrine of the house, into the holy of holies, - under the wings of the cherubim. For, the cherubim, were spreading forth their two wings, over the place of the ark, - and the cherubim made a covering over the ark and over the staves thereof, above. And they drew out the staves, and the heads of the staves were seen from the holy place, in front of the shrine, although they were not seen on the outside, - and they have remained there until this day. There was nothing in the ark, save the two tables of stone, which Moses deposited there in Horeb, - the tables of the covenant which Yahweh solemnised with the sons of Israel, when they came forth out of the land of Egypt. And so it was, when the priests came forth out of the holy place, that, a cloud, filled the house of Yahweh; so that the priests could not stand to minister, because of the cloud, - for, the glory of Yahweh, filled, the house of Yahweh. Then, said Solomon, - Yahweh, said, that he would make his habitation in thick gloom: I have, built, a house as a high abode for thee, - A settled place for thee to abide in, for ages. And the king turned about his face, and blessed all the convocation of Israel, - while all the convocation of Israel was standing; and he said - Blessed, be Yahweh, God of Israel, who spake with his mouth, unto David my father, - that which with his hand he hath fulfilled, saying: - Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel, out of Egypt, I had chosen no city, out of all the tribes of Israel, for building a house, where my Name might be, - but I have chosen Jerusalem, that my Name should be there, and I have chosen David, to be over my people Israel: And so it came to pass, that it was near the heart of David my father, - to build a house for the Name of Yahweh, God of Israel. Then said Yahweh unto David my father, Because it was near thy heart to build a house for my Name, thou didst well that it was near thy heart; Only, thou thyself, must not build the house, - but, thine own son who hath proceeded out of thy loins, he, shall build the house, for my Name. So then Yahweh hath established his word which he spake, - and I have been raised up in the room of David my father, and have taken my seat upon the throne of Israel, as spake Yahweh, and have built the house for the Name of Yahweh, God of Israel; and have appointed there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of Yahweh, - which he solemnised with our fathers, when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt. And Solomon stood before the altar of Yahweh, in the presence of all the convocation of Israel, - and spread forth his hands towards the heavens; and said - O Yahweh, God of Israel! Not like thee, is there a God, in the heavens above, or upon the earth beneath, - keeping Covenant and Lovingkindness for thy servants who are walking before thee, with all their heart; who hast kept for thy servant David my father, that which thou didst promise him, - in that thou didst promise with thy mouth, and, with thy hand, hast fulfilled, as it is this day. Now, therefore, O Yahweh, God of Israel, keep thou for thy servant David my father, that which thou didst promise him, saying, There shall not be cut off to thee a man from before me, to sit upon the throne of Israel, - if only, thy sons take heed to their way, by walking before me, as thou hast walked before me. Now, therefore, O God of Israel, - verified be thy word, I pray thee, which thou didst speak to thy servant, David my father. But, in very deed, will God dwell, upon the earth? Lo! the heaven, yea the heaven of heavens, cannot contain thee, how much less this house which I have built? Yet wilt thou turn unto the prayer of thy servant, and unto his supplication, O Yahweh my God, - to hearken unto the cry, and unto the prayer, wherewith thy servant doth pray before thee to-day; that thine eye may be opened toward this house, night and day, toward the place of which thou hast said, My Name shall be, there; hearkening unto the prayer which thy servant shall offer toward this place. Wilt, thou, therefore, hearken unto the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, whensoever they shall pray toward this place, - yea wilt, thou thyself, hear, in thine own dwelling-place, in the heavens, and, when thou hearest, then wilt thou forgive? When a man shall sin against his neighbour, and there shall be taken up against him an oath, to put him on oath, - and he shall come in and swear before thine altar, in this house, then wilt, thou thyself, hear in the heavens, and act, and judge thy servants, condemning the lawless, by setting his way upon his own head, - and justifying the righteous, by giving to him, according to his righteousness? When thy people Israel are smitten before an enemy, because they have been sinning against thee, - and they turn again unto thee, and confess thy Name, and pray and make supplication unto thee, in this house, then wilt, thou thyself, hear in the heavens, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them back unto the soil, which thou gavest unto their fathers? When the heavens are shut up, and there is no rain, because they have been sinning against thee, - and they shall pray toward this place, and confess thy Name, and, from their sin, shall return, because thou hast been afflicting them, then wilt, thou thyself, hear in the heavens and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou mayest teach them the good way, wherein they should walk, - and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given unto thy people, for an inheritance? When there shall be, famine, in the land, when there shall be, pestilence, when there shall be, blasting, mildew locust, caterpillar, when their enemy shall besiege them in one of their own gates, - whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness; any prayer, any supplication which, any son of earth, may have, of all thy people Israel, - who will certainly know every man the plague of his own heart, and so he shall spread abroad his hands towards this house, then wilt, thou thyself, hear in the heavens, in the settled place of thine abode, and forgive and act, and give unto every man according to all his ways, whose heart thou wilt know, - for, thou thyself alone, knowest the heart of all the sons of men; to the end they may revere thee, all the days which they do live, upon the face of the soil, - which thou gavest unto our fathers? Moreover also, unto the stranger, who is, not of thy people Israel, - but hath come in out of a far country, for the sake of thy Name, - (for they will certainly hear of thy great Name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched-out arm, - and so will come in and pray towards this house), wilt, thou thyself, hear in the heavens, the settled place of thine abode, and act, according to all for which, the stranger, shall cry unto thee, - to the end that all the peoples of the earth may truly know thy Name, so as to revere thee, like thy people Israel, and to know that, thine own Name, hath been given unto this house, which I have built? When thy people go forth to war against their enemy, whithersoever thou mayest send them, - and shall pray unto Yahweh, in the direction of the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy Name, then wilt thou hear, in the heavens, their prayer and their supplication, - and maintain their cause? When they sin against thee - for there is, no son of earth, that sinneth not, and thou shalt be angry with them, and deliver them up before an enemy, - who shall carry them away as their captives, into the land of the enemy, far or near; and they come back to their right mind, in the land whither they have been taken captive, - and so turn and make supplication unto thee, in the land of their captors, saying, We have sinned and done perversely, we have been lawless; and so they turn unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, who have carried them away captive, - and pray unto thee in the direction of their own land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy Name, then wilt thou hearken in the heavens, the settled place of thine abode, unto their prayer, and unto their supplication, - and maintain their cause; and grant forgiveness to thy people, who have sinned against thee, even as to all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, - and grant them compassion before their captors, so that they may have compassion upon them; because, thy people and thine inheritance, they are, - whom thou didst bring forth out of Egypt, out of the midst of the smelting-pot of iron; that thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant, and unto the supplication of thy people Israel, - to hearken unto them, in all their crying unto thee; because, thou thyself, didst separate them unto thee, for an inheritance, out of all the peoples of the earth, - as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest forth our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord Yahweh. And it came to pass, when Solomon had made an end of praying unto Yahweh all this prayer and supplication, that he arose from before the altar of Yahweh, from kneeling on his knees, with his hands outspread to the heavens; and stood and blessed all the convocation of Israel, - with a loud voice, saying: Blessed, be Yahweh, who hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised, - there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant. Yahweh our God be with us, as he was with our fathers, - let him not leave us, nor forsake us; but bow our heart unto himself, - to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his regulations, which he commanded our fathers. And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before Yahweh, be near unto Yahweh our God, day and night, - that he may maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel, as any need ariseth: To the end that all the peoples of the earth may know, that, Yahweh, is God, - there is none else. So shall your heart be sound with Yahweh our God, - to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day. And, the king, and all Israel with him, were offering sacrifice before Yahweh. So Solomon offered as a sacrifice of peace-offerings, which he offered unto Yahweh - Oxen, two and twenty thousand, and Sheep, a hundred and twenty thousand, - Thus did, the king and all the sons of Israel, dedicate the house of Yahweh. On that day, did the king hallow the middle of the court, that was before the house of Yahweh, - for he offered there the ascending-sacrifice, and the meal-offering, and the fat portions of the peace-offerings, because, the altar of bronze that was before Yahweh, was too small to receive the ascending-sacrifice and the meal-offering, and the fat portions of the peace-offerings. And Solomon made, at that time, a festival - and all Israel with him - a great convocation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the ravine of Egypt, before Yahweh our God, seven days, and seven days, - fourteen days. And on the eighth day, he sent the people away, and they blessed the king, - and departed to their homes, rejoicing and glad of heart, over all the goodness which Yahweh had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people. And it came to pass, when Solomon had made an end of building the house of Yahweh, and the house of the king, and everything that Solomon desired, which he was pleased to make, then appeared Yahweh unto Solomon, a second time, - as he appeared unto him, in Gibeon. And Yahweh said unto him - I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, wherewith thou hast made supplication before me, I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my Name there unto times age-abiding, - and mine eyes and my heart shall be there, continually: As for thee, therefore, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, with a whole heart and with uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, - and, my statutes and my regulations, wilt keep, then will I establish the throne of thy kingdom over Israel, unto times age-abiding, - as I promised unto David thy father, saying, There shall not be cut off to thee a man, from off the throne of Israel. If ye, turn back, ye or your sons, from following me, and keep not my commandments, my statutes, which I have set before you, - but depart and serve other gods, and bow yourselves down to them, then will I cut off Israel, from the face of the soil, which I have given unto them, and, the house which I have hallowed for my Name, will I suffer to be carried away from before me, - and Israel shall become a byword and a mockery, among all the peoples; and, this house which had been renowned, shall be desolate, every one that passeth by it, shall be astonished and shall whistle, - and men shall say - For what cause, hath Yahweh done, thus, unto this land, and unto this house? And men will answer - Because they forsook Yahweh their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold of other gods, and bowed themselves down to them, and served them, for this cause, hath Yahweh brought in upon them all this ruin. And it came to pass, at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had built the two houses, - the house of Yahweh, and the house of the king; Hiram king of Tyre having supplied Solomon with timber of cedar, and with timber of fir, and with gold, according to all his desire, that, then, King Solomon gave unto Hiram twenty cities, in the land of Galilee. And Hiram came out from Tyre to view the cities which, Solomon, had given him, - and they were not pleasing in his eyes. So he said - What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother? And he called them, Unfruitful Land, as they are called unto this day. Now Hiram had sent to the king, - a hundred and twenty talents of gold. Now, the following, is an account of the tax which King Solomon raised, for building the house of Yahweh and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, - and Hazor and Megiddo, and Gezer. Pharaoh king of Egypt, had gone up and captured Gezer, and burned it with fire, the Canaanites also who were dwelling in the city, had he slain, - and had given it as a dowry, to his daughter, wife of Solomon. So then Solomon built Gezer, and Beth-horon, the nether, and Baalath and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land; also all the store cities, which Solomon had, and the cities for chariots, and the cities for horsemen, - and the desire of Solomon that he was pleased to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land that he ruled over. All the people that were left, of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, who were, not of the sons of Israel; their sons, who were left after them in the land, whom the sons of Israel were not able to devote to destruction, Solomon levied them for a toiling labour-band which remaineth unto this day. But, of the sons of Israel, Solomon devoted none to bond-service, - but, they, were men of war, and his servants, and his generals, and his heroes, and captains of his chariots, and his horsemen. These, were the chiefs of the officers, who were over the work, for Solomon, five hundred and fifty, - who ruled over the people that wrought in the work. Scarcely had Pharaoh's daughter come up out of the city of David, into her own house, which he had built for her, when he built Millo. And Solomon used to offer, three times a year, ascending-sacrifices and peace-offerings, upon the altar which he had built unto Yahweh, and to offer incense at the altar which was before Yahweh, - thus Solomon gave completeness unto the house. A fleet also, did King Solomon build in Ezion-geber, which is beside Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. And Hiram sent in the fleet his servants, seamen, having knowledge of the sea, - with the servants of Solomon; and they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence, gold, four hundred and twenty talents, - and brought it to King Solomon. And, when, the queen of Sheba, heard the report of Solomon, as pertaining to the Name of Yahweh, she came to prove him, with abstruse questions. Yea she came to Jerusalem with a very heavily-laden train, of camels bearing spices, and gold in great abundance, and precious stones, - and, when she was come to Solomon, she spake unto him all that was near her heart; and Solomon answered her all her questions, - there was nothing hidden from the king, which he told her not. And, when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, - and the house which he had built; and the food of his table, and the seated assembly of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers with their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he ascended unto the house of Yahweh, there was in her no more spirit. And she said unto the king, True, was the word which I heard in mine own land, - concerning thine affairs, and concerning thy wisdom. Howbeit I believed not the words, until that I had come and mine own eyes had seen, and lo! there had not been told me, the half, - thou dost exceed, in wisdom and prosperity, even the report which I heard! How happy, are thy wives, how happy, are these thy servants, - who do stand before thee continually, who hear thy wisdom! Yahweh thy God be blessed, who delighted in thee, to set thee upon the throne of Israel, - because Yahweh loveth Israel unto times age-abiding, therefore hath he appointed thee to be king, to execute justice and righteousness. And she gave unto the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and spices in great abundance, and precious stones, - there came in no more, such spice for abundance, as that which the queen of Sheba gave unto King Solomon. Moreover also, the fleet of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought in, from Ophir sandal-wood in great abundance, and precious stones. So the king made of the sandal-wood a footpath to the house of Yahweh, and to the house of the king, lyres also and harps, for the singers, - there hath neither come in such sandal-wood, nor been seen, unto this day. And, when, King Solomon, had given unto the queen of Sheba, all her desire, which she asked, besides that which he gave her as the bounty of King Solomon, she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants. And it came to pass that, the weight of the gold which came in unto Solomon in one year, was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold; besides the tribute of the subjugated, and of the travelling merchants, - and of all the kings of Arabia, and the pashas of the land. And King Solomon made two hundred shields, of beaten gold, six hundred shekels of gold, laid he upon one shield; and three hundred bucklers, of beaten gold, one hundred and fifty shekels of gold, laid he upon one buckler, - and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. And the king made a great throne of ivory, - and overlaid it with gold from Uphaz. There were, six steps, to the throne, and there was, a circular top, to the throne, behind it, and there were supports on this side and on that, unto the place of the seat, - with two lions standing beside the supports; and, twelve lions, were standing there, upon the six steps, on this side and on that, - there had never been made the like, for any of the kingdoms. And, all the drinking vessels of King Solomon, were of gold, and, all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon, were of pure gold, - none was of silver, it was accounted in the days of Solomon, as nothing. For, a fleet of Tarshish, had the king, at sea, with the fleet of Hiram, - once in three years, came in the fleet of Tarshish, bringing gold and silver, ivory and apes, and peacocks. So King Solomon became greater than any of the kings of the earth, - for riches and for wisdom. And, all the earth, did seek the face of Solomon, - to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. And, they, did bring every man his present - vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses and mules, - a rate of a year in a year. And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen, and so it was that he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, - for whom he found place in the chariot cities, and near the king, in Jerusalem. And the king caused silver in Jerusalem to be as stones, - cedars also, caused he to be as the sycamores that are in the lowlands, for abundance. And the horses that Solomon had were, an export, out of Egypt, - and, a company of the merchants of the king, used to fetch, a drove, at a price, And a chariot came up and forth out of Egypt, for six hundred shekels of silver and a horse for a hundred and fifty, - and, so, for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, by their means, came they forth. But, King Solomon, loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, - women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, Hittites: out of the nations concerning whom Yahweh had said unto the sons of Israel - Ye shall not go in unto them, and, they, shall not come in unto you, surely they will turn aside your heart after their gods. Unto these, did Solomon cleave in love. So it came to pass that he had seven hundred wives who were princesses, and three hundred concubines, - and, his wives, turned aside, his heart. Yea it came to pass, in the old age of Solomon, that, his wives, turned aside his heart after other gods, - his heart therefore was not sound with Yahweh his God, as was the heart of David his father. And Solomon went after Ashtoreth, goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom, the abomination of the Ammonites. Thus Solomon did the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, - and went not fully after Yahweh, as did David his father. Then, did Solomon build a high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, - and for Molech, the abomination of the sons of Ammon; and, thus, did he for all his foreign wives, - who burned incense and offered sacrifices unto their gods. Therefore did Yahweh shew himself angry with Solomon, - because his heart had turned aside from Yahweh God of Israel, who had appeared unto him twice; and had been giving command to him concerning this thing, that he should not go away after other gods, - but he had not taken heed unto that which Yahweh had commanded. Wherefore Yahweh said unto Solomon - Forasmuch as this hath come to pass with thee, and thou hast not heeded my covenant and my statutes, which I charged upon thee, I will, rend, the kingdom away from thee, and will give it unto a servant of thine. Notwithstanding, in thine own days, will I not do it, for the sake of David thy father, - out of the hand of thy son, will I rend it. Howbeit, all the kingdom, will I not rend away, one tribe, will I give unto thy son, - for the sake of David my servant, and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen. And Yahweh raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite, - of the seed of the king, was he, in Edom. And it came to pass, when David was dealing with Edom, and Joab general of the army went up to bury the slain, - and had smitten every male in Edom, - for, six months, did Joab remain there, with all Israel, - until he had cut off every male in Edom, that Hadad fled, he and certain men of Edom of the servants of his father, with him, to go into Egypt, - Hadad being a little boy. So they arose out of Midian, and came into Paran, - and took certain men with them out of Paran, and came into Egypt, unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave him a house, and, food, appointed him, and, land, did give unto him. And Hadad found great favour in the eyes of Pharaoh, - so that he gave him to wife, the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen. And the sister of Tahpenes bare to him Genubath his son, and Tahpenes weaned him, in the house of Pharaoh, - and so it came about, that Genubath was of the household of Pharaoh, among the sons of Pharaoh. And, when, Hadad, heard in Egypt, that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab general of the army was dead, Hadad said unto Pharaoh, Let me go, that I may take my journey unto mine own land. Then said Pharaoh unto him - But what hast thou been lacking with me, that lo! thou art seeking to take thy journey unto thine own land? And he said - Nothing, howbeit, let me go. And God raised up against him an adversary, Rezon son of Eliada, - who had fled from Hadadezer king of Zobah, his lord; and he gathered unto him men, and became captain of a band when David slew them of Zobah , - then went they to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus. Thus became he an adversary unto Israel, all the days of Solomon, this, is the mischief which Hadad did, - so then, he abhorred Israel, when he reigned over Syria. Jeroboam also, son of Nebat, an Ephrathite from Zeredah, whose, mother's name, was Zeruah, a widow woman, he being servant to Solomon, lifted up a hand against the king. And, this, was the cause that he lifted up a hand against the king, - Solomon, built Millo, he closed up of the of David his father. the breach city Now, the man Jeroboam, being an able Solomon observed his servant, that he man, was, one to execute a work, so he gave him oversight of all the charge of the house of Joseph. And it came to pass, at that time, when, Jeroboam, went forth out of Jerusalem, that there met him Ahijah the Shilonite, the prophet, in the way, he having wrapped himself about with a new mantle; and, they two, were by themselves, in the field. Then Ahijah laid hold of the new mantle, that was upon him, - and rent it into twelve pieces; and said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten places, - for Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel - Behold me! about to rend the kingdom, out of the hand of Solomon, and I will give unto thee ten tribes: Howbeit, one tribe, shall he retain, - for the sake of my servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen, out of all the tribes of Israel: Because they have forsaken me, and bowed themselves down to Ashtoreth, goddess of the Zidonians, to Chemosh, god of the Moabites, and to Milcom, god of the sons of Ammon, - and have not walked in my ways, by doing what is right in mine eyes, even my statutes and my regulations, like David his father. Yet will I not take all the kingdom out of his hand, - but will suffer him to be, leader, all the days of his life, for the sake of David my servant, whom I chose, - who kept my commandments and my statutes. But I will take the kingdom out of the hand of his son, and will give it to thee, even the ten tribes. Nevertheless, go his son, will I give one tribe, - to the end there may remain a lamp unto David my servant always before me, in Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen for myself, to put my Name there. But, thee, will I take, and thou shalt reign over all that thy soul could desire, - and thou shalt be king over Israel. So shall it be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I shall command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that which is right in mine eyes, by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as did David my servant, then will I be with thee, and will build thee an assured house, as I have built for David, and will give unto thee, Israel. Thus will I humiliate the seed of David, because of this; yet not for ever. When therefore Solomon sought to put, Jeroboam, to death, Jeroboam arose and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, - and remained in Egypt, until the death of Solomon. Now, the rest of the story of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are, they, not written in the book of the records of Solomon? Now, the days which Solomon reigned in Jerusalem, over all Israel, were forty years. So then Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father, - and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.
While yet he was speaking, lo! Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest, came in, - and Adonijah said - Come in, for, a worthy man, thou art, and, good tidings, dost thou bring. But Jonathan responded and said to Adonijah, - Of a truth, our lord, King David, hath made, Solomon, king. And the king hath sent with him - Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, with the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, - and they have caused him to ride upon the mule of the king; and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king, in Gihon, and they went up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again, - That, is the noise ye have heard. Moreover also, Solomon hath taken his seat upon the throne of the kingdom. Moreover also, the servants of the king have been in, to bless our lord King David, saying - Thy God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne, - And the king bowed himself upon his bed. Moreover also, thus and thus, hath said the king, - Blessed be Yahweh, God of Israel, who hath given, to-day, one to sit upon my throne, mine own eyes also beholding it. Then trembled and rose up, all Adonijah's guests, - and departed, every man his own way. Adonijah also, feared because of Solomon, - and rose and went, and caught hold of the horns of the altar. And it was told Solomon, saying, Lo! Adonijah, feareth King Solomon, - lo! therefore, he hath laid hold of the horns of the altar, saying, Let King Solomon swear unto me at once that he will not put his servant to death with the sword. Then said Solomon, If he will be a man of worth, there shall not one hair of him fall to the earth, - but, if mischief be found in him, then shall he die. So King Solomon sent, and brought him down from the altar, and he came in, and bowed himself down to King Solomon, - and Solomon said unto him - Go to thine own house. And, when the days of David drew near that he must die, he charged Solomon his son, saying: - I, am going the way of all the earth, - thou must be strong, therefore, and show thyself a man; and keep the observances of Yahweh thy God, by walking in his ways, by keeping his statutes, his commandments, and his regulations and his testimonies, as written in the law of Moses, - to the end thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself; to the end that Yahweh may establish his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy sons will take heed to their way, by walking before me, in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul, (then, said he) there shall not be cut off to thee a man, from off the throne of Israel. Moreover also, thou, knowest what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with two generals of the armies of Israel - with Abner son of Ner, and with Amasa son of Jether - both of whom he slew, shedding the blood of war in peace, - and putting the blood of war upon his girdle that was on his loins, and upon his sandals, that were on his feet. Thou, therefore, must do according to thy wisdom, - but will not let his grey hair go down in peace, to hades. But, with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, thou wilt deal in lovingkindness, and they will be among them who eat at thy table, - for, so, drew they near unto me, when I fled from Absolom thy brother. Lo! also, there is with thee - Shimei son of Gera a Benjamite, of Behurim, well, he, it was who cursed me with a grievous curse; on the day I journeyed to Mahanaim, - but he, came down to meet me, at the Jordan, and so I sware to him by Yahweh, saying - I will not put thee to death, with the sword. Now, therefore do not hold him guiltless, for, a wise man, thou art, and wilt know how thou oughtest to deal with him, and wilt suffer his grey hairs to go down with blood, to hades. So then David slept with his fathers, - and was buried in the city of David. Now, the days that David reigned over Israel, were forty years, - in Hebron, reigned he seven years, and, in Jerusalem, reigned he thirty and three years. But, when, Solomon, took his seat upon the throne of David his father, then was the kingdom firmly established. And Adonijah son of Haggith came in unto Bath-sheba, mother of Solomon: And she said - Peaceably, comest thou? And he said - Peaceably. Then said he - I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said - Say on. And he said - Thou, knowest that, mine, was the kingdom, and, on me, had all Israel set their faces, that I should become king, - howbeit the kingdom, hath turned about, and become my brother's, for, from Yahweh, became it, his. Now, therefore, one request, have I to ask of thee, do not turn away my face. And she said unto him - Say on. And he said - Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, for he will not turn away thy face, - that he give me Abishag the Shunammite, to wife. And Bath-sheba said: Good! I myself, will speak for thee, unto the king. So Bath-sheba went in unto King Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah, - and the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself down to her, and sat down upon his throne, and caused a throne to be set for the mother of the king, and she sat on his right hand. Then said she - One small request, am I asking of thee, do not turn away my face. And the king said to her - Ask on, my mother, for I will not turn away thy face. And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother, to wife. Then answered King Solomon, and said to his mother - Wherefore, then, art thou asking Abishag the Shunammite, for Adonijah? ask, then, for him the kingdom, because he is mine elder brother, - even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab, son of Zeruiah. Then swore King Solomon by Yahweh, saying, - So, let God do to me, and, so, let him add, if, at the cost of his life, Adonijah hath not spoken this word. Now, therefore, by the life of Yahweh, who hath established me, and seated me upon the throne of David my father, and who hath made for me a household, as he had spoken, surely, to-day, shall Adonijah be put to death! So King Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, - and he fell upon him, that he died. Also, unto Abiathar the priest, said the king - To Anathoth, get thee unto thine own fields, for, death-doomed, thou art, - but, this day, will I not put thee to death, because thou didst bear the ark of My Lord, Yahweh, before David my father, and because thou wast afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted. So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto Yahweh, - to fulfil the word of Yahweh which he spake concerning the household of Eli, in Shiloh. And, the report, came unto Joab, for, Joab, had inclined after Adonijah, although, after Solomon, he had not inclined, - so then Joab fled into the Tent of Yahweh, and laid hold of the horns of the altar. And it was told King Solomon - Joab hath fled into the Tent of Yahweh, and, there he is, beside the altar. So Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying - Go fall upon him! And Benaiah came into the Tent of Yahweh, and said unto him - Thus, saith the king, Come forth! And he said - Nay! but, here, will I die! So Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus, spake Joab, and, thus, he answered me. And the king said to him - Do as he hath spoken, fall, then, upon him, and bury him, - and so put away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from off me, and from off the house of my father; thus will Yahweh bring back his blood upon his own head, in that he fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing it, - even Abner son of Ner, general of the army of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, general of the army of Judah; thus shall their blood come back upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed unto times age-abiding, - but, David and his seed, and his house, and his throne, shall have peace, unto times age-abiding, from Yahweh. So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and put him to death, - and he was buried in his own house, in the wilderness. And the king put Benaiah son of Jehoiada, in his stead, over the army, - and, Zadok the priest, did the king put in the stead of Abiathar. And the king sent, and called for Shimei, and said to him - Build thee a house, in Jerusalem, so shalt thou dwell there, - and shalt not go forth from thence, hither or thither; but it shall be that, on the day thou goest forth, and passest over the Kidron ravine, know, that thou shalt, die, - thy blood, shall be, upon thine own head. And Shimei said to the king - Good, is the word, as my lord the king hath spoken, so, will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days. But it came to pass, at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei fled unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath, - and they told Shimei, saying - Lo! thy servants are in Gath. So Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath, unto Achish, to seek his servants - and Shimei went and brought in his servants, from Gath. And it was told Solomon - Shimei hath been out of Jerusalem to Gath, and returned. Then sent the king and called for Shimei, and said unto him - Did I not put thee on oath by Yahweh, and adjure thee, saying - On the day thou goest forth and takest thy journey hither or thither, know, that thou shalt, die. Then saidst thou unto me - Good, is the word I have heard. Why then, hast thou not kept the oath of Yahweh, - and the charge which I laid upon thee? Then said the king unto Shimei - Thou, knowest all the wickedness which thy heart is privy to, which thou didst unto David my father, - therefore shall Yahweh bring back thy wickedness, upon thine own head. But, King Solomon, shall be blessed, - and, the throne of David, shall be established before Yahweh, unto times age-abiding. So the king charged Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and fell upon him, that he died, - and, the kingdom, was established in the hand of Solomon. And Solomon contracted an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt, - and took the daughter of Pharaoh, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of Yahweh, and the wall of Jerusalem, round about. Save only, that the people were sacrificing in the high places, - because there had not been built a house unto the Name of Yahweh, until those days, Solomon loved Yahweh, by walking in the statutes of David his father, - save only, that, in the high places, he himself, was sacrificing and offering incense. So then the king went to Gibeon, to sacrifice there, for, that, was the great high place, - a thousand ascending-sacrifices, did Solomon offer up on that altar. In Gibeon, Yahweh appeared unto Solomon, in a dream by night, - and God said, Ask, what I shall give thee. Then said Solomon - Thou, didst deal, with thy servant David my father, in great lovingkindness, according as he walked before thee, in truth and in righteousness and in uprightness of heart, with thee, - and thou hast kept, for him, this great lovingkindness, that thou hast given unto him a son, to sit upon his throne, as it is this day. Now, therefore, O Yahweh 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 and come in. And, thy servant, is in the midst of thy people, whom thou hast chosen, - a numerous people, that cannot be numbered or summed up, for multitude. Wilt thou, then, give unto thy servant, a heart that hearkeneth, to judge thy people, to discern between good and bad, - for who is able to judge this thine honoured people? And the thing was good in the eyes of the Lord, - that Solomon had asked this thing; And God said unto him - Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself many days, nor asked for thyself riches, nor asked the lives of thine enemies, - but hast asked for thyself discernment, in hearing a cause, lo! I have done according to thy word, - lo! I have given unto thee a wise and discerning heart, so that, like thee, hath been none, before thee, and, after thee, shall rise up none, like thee. Moreover also, what thou hast not asked, have I given unto thee, both riches and honour, - so that there hath been none, like thee, among the kings, all thy days. And, if thou wilt walk in my ways, by keeping my statutes, and my commandments, as, David thy father, walked, then will I lengthen out thy days. And Solomon awoke, and lo! it was a dream. So he entered into Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and caused to go up ascending-sacrifices and offered peace-offerings, and made a banquet for all his servants. Then, came there in two unchaste women, unto the king, - and stood before him. And the one woman said - Pardon, my lord! I and this woman, dwell in one house, - and I gave birth to a child near her, in the house. And it came to pass, the third day after I bare, that, this woman also, gave birth to a child, - we two, being together, there was no stranger with us in the house, none but we two in the house. And this woman's son died in the night, - because she overlaid it. Then arose she, in the middle of the night, and took my son from beside me, while thy handmaid was sleeping, and laid it in her own besom, - but, her dead son, laid she in, my, bosom. And, when I arose in the morning, to give suck unto my child, lo! it was dead! but, when I looked at it narrowly in the morning, lo! it was not, my son that I had borne. Then said the other woman - Nay! but, my son, is the, living, and, thy son, the, dead. But, this, one kept on saying - Nay, verily! but, thy son, is the, dead, and, my son, the, living. Thus spake they before the king. Then said the king, The one woman, is saying, This, is, my son, the one that liveth, and, thy son, is, the one that is dead, - and, the other, is saying, Nay! but, thy son, is, the dead one, and, my son, the, living. And the king said - Bring me a sword! So they brought a sword before the king. Then said the king, Divide the living child, in twain, - and give half to the one, and half to the other. Then spake the woman, whose was the living child, unto the king - for tender became her compassions over her son - so she said - Pardon, my lord! Give, her, the living child, and do not, kill, it. But the other kept on saying - Neither mine, nor thine, shall it be, divide it. Then responded the king, and said - Give, her, the living child, ye shall not, kill, it, - she, is its mother. And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had delivered, and they stood in awe before the king, - for they saw, that, the wisdom of God, was in him, to execute justice. And so it came to pass, that, King Solomon, was king, over all Israel. Now, these, were his chief officers of state, - Azariah son of Zadok, the priest; Elihoreph and Ahijah, sons of Shisha, scribes, - Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud, the recorder; And Benaiah son of Jehoiada, over the army, - and Zadok and Abiathar priests; And Azariah son of Nathan, over the governors, - and Zabud son of Nathan, minister, king's friend; And Ahishar, over the household, - and Adoniram son of Abda, over the tribute. And, Solomon, had twelve governors over all Israel, who used to sustain the king and his household, - for a month in the year, was it appointed unto each one, to find sustenance. And, these, are their names, Ben-hur, in the hill country of Ephraim; Ben-deker, in Makaz and in Shaalbim and Beth-shemesh, - and Elon-beth-hanan; Ben-hesed, in Arubboth, - to him, pertaineth Socoh, and all the land of Hepher; Ben-abinadab, all the height of Dor, - Taphath daughter of Solomon, had he to wife; Baana son of Ahilud, in Taanach, and Megiddo, - and all Beth-shean which is beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel, from Beth-shean as far as Abel-meholah, as far as over against Jokmeam; Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead, - to him, belonged the towns of Jair, son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead, his, was the region of Argob which is in Bashan, sixty great cities, with walls and with bars of bronze; Ahinadab son of Iddo, towards Mahanaim; Ahimaaz, in Naphtali, - moreover, he, took Basemath daughter of Solomon, to wife; Banna son of Hushai, in Asher and in Aloth; Jehoshaphat son of Paruah, in Issachar; Shimei son of Ela, in Benjamin; Geber son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, - the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan, being, the one governor, that was in the land. Judah and Israel, were many, as the sand that is by the sea, for multitude, - eating and drinking, and rejoicing. And, Solomon, became ruler over all the kingdoms, from the River even unto the land of the Philistines, and as far as the boundary of Egypt, - and these were bringing presents, and serving Solomon, all the days of his life. And it came to pass, that Solomon's provision for one day was, - thirty measures of fine flour, and sixty measures of meal; ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and a hundred sheep, - besides harts, and gazelles, and roebucks, and fatted fowl. For, he, had dominion over all on this side the River, from Tiphsah even as far as Gaza, over all the kings on this side the River, - and he had, peace, on all sides of him, round about. And Judah and Israel dwelt securely, every man under his own vine, and under his own fig-tree, from Dan even unto Beer-sheba, - all the days of Solomon. And it came to pass that, Solomon, had forty thousand stalls of horses, for his chariots, - and twelve thousand horsemen. And these governors provided sustenance for King Solomon, and for all that drew near unto the table of King Solomon, every man in his month, - they let, nought, be lacking. Barley also and crushed straw, for the horses and for the swift beasts, brought they in unto the place where it should be, every man according to his charge. And God gave wisdom unto Solomon, and discernment, and very great largeness of heart, - like the sand that is on the shore of the sea: so that, the wisdom of Solomon, excelled, the wisdom of all the sons of the East, - and all the wisdom of the Egyptians, so that he was wiser than any man - than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman and Calcol and Darda, sons of Mahol, - and it came to pass that, his name, was throughout all the nations round about. And he spake three thousand proverbs, - and it came to pass that, his songs, were a thousand and five. And he discoursed of trees - from the cedar that is in Lebanon, even unto the hyssop, that springeth out in the wall, - and he discoursed of beasts and of birds, and of creeping things, and of fishes. And there came in, of all the peoples, to hear the wisdom of Solomon - of all the kings of the earth, who heard his wisdom. And Hiram King of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon, for he had heard that, him, had they anointed king, in the room of his father, - for, Hiram, was, a lover, of, David continually. So Solomon sent unto Hiram, saying: - Thou, knewest David my father, how that he could not build a house unto the Name of Yahweh his God, because of the wars that were about him on every side, - until Yahweh should put them under the soles of his feet; but, now, Yahweh my God hath given me rest on every side, - there is neither adversary nor incident of evil. Behold me! then, purposing to build a house for the Name of Yahweh my God - even as Yahweh spake unto David my father, saying - Thy son, whom I will set in thy stead, upon thy throne, he, shall build the house for my Name. Now, therefore, command thou that they fell me cedars, out of Lebanon, and, my servants, shall be, with thy servants, and, the hire of thy servants, will I give thee, according to all that thou shalt say, - for, thou, knowest, that, none amongst us, hath skill to fell timber, like the Zidonians. And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, - and said: Blessed, be Yahweh, to-day, who hath given unto David a wise son, over this great people! And Hiram sent unto Solomon, saying, I have heard that which thou hast sent unto me, - I, will do all thy desire, as to timber of cedar, and timber of fir. My servants, shall bring them down out of Lebanon unto the sea, and, I, will put them in rafts on the sea, unto the place of which thou shalt send me word, and will cause them to be discharged there, and, thou, shalt receive them, and, thou, shalt do my desire, by giving food for my household. So then Hiram began giving unto Solomon timber of cedar, and timber of fir, even all his desire, and, Solomon, gave unto Hiram, twenty thousand measures of wheat, as food for his household, and twenty measures of beaten oil, - thus, used Solomon on to give unto Hiram, year by year. And, Yahweh, gave wisdom unto Solomon, as he promised him, - and it came to pass that there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and, they two, solemnised a covenant. And King Solomon raised a labour-band, out of all Israel, - and it came to pass that, the labour-band, was thirty thousand men. And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month, by courses, a month, were they in Lebanon, two months, at home, - and, Adoniram, was over the levy. And it came to pass that, Solomon, had seventy thousand bearers of burdens, - and eighty thousand hewers in the mountain; besides the chiefs of Solomon's officers, who were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, - who ruled over the people that wrought in the work. And the king commanded, and they quarried great stones, costly stones, to found the house with hewn stones. And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders with the Gebalites wrought them, - thus made they ready the timber and the stones, for building the house. And so it came to pass, in the four hundred and eightieth year, by the coming forth of the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year (in the month of Zif, the same, being the second month) of the reign of Solomon over Israel, that he began to build the house unto Yahweh. Now, the house which King Solomon built unto Yahweh, was sixty cubits in length, and twenty in breadth, - and thirty cubits in height. And, the porch in front of the temple of the house, was twenty cubits in length, according to the breadth of the house, - ten cubits in breadth, in front of the house. And he made to the house windows, with closed bars. And he built - by the wall of the house - a gallery, round about, against the walls of the house, round about, both to the temple, and to the shrine, - and he made side chambers round about. The, lowest gallery, was five cubits broad, and, the middle, six cubits broad, and, the third, seven cubits broad, - for he put, ledges, against the house round about, on the outer side, so as not to make fastenings in the walls of the house. Now, the house, when it was in building, with whole quarry-stones, was built, - neither hammer, nor axe, nor any tools of iron, was heard in the house, when it was in building. The entrance of the lowest story, was on the right side of the house, - and, by winding stairs, went they up unto the middle story , and, out of the middle, into, the third. So he built the house, and finished it, - and ceiled the house with planks and beams of cedar; and built the gallery against all the house, five cubits in height, - and so fastened the house, with timber of cedar. Then came the word of Yahweh unto Solomon, saying: Concerning this house, which thou art building, If thou wilt walk in my statutes, and, my regulations, wilt practise, and so observe all my commandments, by walking in them, Then will I establish my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father; and will make my habitation in the midst of the sons of Israel, - and will not forsake my people Israel. Thus Solomon built the house, and finished it; and he built the walls of the house on the inside, with boards of cedar, from the floor of the house, unto the cross-beams of the ceiling, he overlaid it with wood, on the inside, - and he overlaid the floor of the house with boards of fir. And he built twenty cubits, at the hinder part of the house, with boards of cedar, from the floor as far as the cross-beams, - and he built it within, for a shrine, even for the holy of holies; but, forty cubits, was the house itself, - the same, was the temple, before the oracle. And, the cedar for the house within, was carved with colocynths, and with festoons of flowers, - the whole, was cedar, there was no stone to be seen. And, the shrine in the midst of the house within, made he ready, - for placing there, the ark of the covenant of Yahweh. And, the interior of the shrine, was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in height, and he overlaid it, with pure gold, - and overlaid the altar with cedar. Thus then did Solomon overlay the house within, with pure gold, - and he drew chains of gold across the front of the shrine, and overlaid it with gold; yea, all the house, overlaid he with gold, until he had made all the house into one whole, - even all the altar that was by the shrine, overlaid he with gold. And he made, within the shrine, two cherubim of wild olive wood, - ten cubits in height; and, five cubits, was the one wing of the cherub, and, five cubits, the second wing of the cherub, - ten cubits, from the one end of his wings unto the other end of his wings. Ten cubits, also was the second cherub, - of one size and one shape, were the two cherubim. The height of the one cherub, was ten cubits, - and, so, of the second cherub. And he placed the cherubim in the midst of the inner house, and the cherubim stretched forth their wings, - so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub, was touching the other wall, - and, their wings in the midst of the house, were touching, wing to wing. And he overlaid the cherubim with gold. And, all the walls of the house round about, carved he with figures of cherubim, and palm-trees, and festoons of flowers, - within and without. Even the floor of the house, overlaid he with gold, - within and without. And, the entrance of the shrine, made he with doors, of wild olive-wood, the pillars and posts being a fifth. The two doors, also were of olive-wood, and he carved upon them carvings of cherubim, and palm-trees, and festoons of flowers, and overlaid them with gold, - yea he spread out, over the cherubim and over the palm-trees, the gold. So, also, made he for the entrance of the temple, with posts of wild olive-wood, - a fourth part. And, the two doors, were of fir wood, - the two leaves of the one door, were folding, and, the two leaves of the other door, were folding. And he carved cherubim, and palm-trees, and festoons of flowers, and overlaid them with gold, smoothed out on the carved work. And he built the inner court, with three rows of hewn stone, - and a row of beams of cedar. In the fourth year, was laid the foundation of the house of Yahweh, - in the month Zif; and, in the eleventh year, in the month Bul - the same, is the eighth month, was the house finished, as to all the particulars thereof, and as to all the appointments thereof, - so then he built it in seven years. But, his own house, was Solomon thirteen years in building, - so he finished all his house. Yea he built the house of the forest of Lebanon, a hundred cubits, the length thereof, and, fifty cubits, the breadth thereof, and, thirty cubits, the height thereof, - upon four rows of pillars of cedar, with beams of cedar, upon the pillars; and it was covered with cedar above upon the joists, that were on forty-five pillars, - fifteen in a row. And there were, window spaces, in three rows, - and light over against light, three times. And, all the openings and the posts, were square in their frame, - and light was over against light, three times. And, a porch of pillars, made he, fifty cubits, in length, and, thirty cubits, in breadth, - and, a porch, was on the one front of them, and pillars and threshold, were on the other front of them. And, a porch for the throne, where he should judge, even the porch of judgment, made he, and it was wainscotted with cedar, from floor to ceiling. And, his own house where he should dwell, in the other court within the porch, was, of like workmanship unto this, - a house also, made he, for the daughter of Pharaoh, whom Solomon had taken to wife , in a similar porch. All these, were of costly stones, after the dimensions of hewn stones, sawn with saws, within and without, - even from the foundation, unto the coping, and without as far as the great court. And, the foundation, was of costly stones, large stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits. And, above, were costly stones, after the dimensions of hewn stone, and cedar. And, the great court round about, was of three rows of hewn stone, and a row of beams of cedar, - both to the inner court of the house of Yahweh, and to the porch of the house. And King Solomon sent and fetched Hiram, out of Tyre: son of a widow woman, was he of the tribe of Naphtali, but, his father, was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze, and he was filled with wisdom, and discernment, and knowledge, for executing all manner of work in bronze, - so he came unto King Solomon, and executed all his work. And he cast two pillars of bronze, - eighteen cubits, the height of each pillar, and, a line of twelve cubits, would surround the second pillar. And, two capitals, made he, to set upon the tops of the pillars, of molten bronze, - five cubits, was the height of the one capital, and, five cubits, the height of the other capital; with a frame of checker work, wreaths of chain work, for the capitals which were upon the top of the pillars, - seven for the one capital, and seven for the other capital. So he made the pillars, - and, two rows round about, upon the one frame of checker work, covering the capitals which were upon the top with pomegranates, thus also, did he for the other capital. And, the capitals which were upon the top of the pillars, were of lily work, in span, four cubits. And there were capitals upon the two pillars, above also, close by the belly, which was beside the checker work, - and there were two hundred pomegranates, in rows round about, upon either capital. So he reared the pillars for the porch of the temple, - yea he reared the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin, and reared the left pillar, and called the name thereof, Boaz. And, upon the top of the pillars, was lily work, - which gave finish to the work of the pillars. And he made a molten sea, - ten cubits from the one brim to the other, it was round all about, and, five cubits, was the height thereof, and, a line of thirty cubits, would encompass it round about. And, colocynths, were under the brim thereof round about, encompassing it, ten in a cubit, encircling the sea, round about, - two rows of colocynths, made in the casting thereof: standing upon twelve oxen, three looking northward, and three looking westward, and three looking southward, and three looking eastward, the sea, being upon them above, - all their hinder parts, being, inward. And, the thickness thereof, was a hand breadth, and, the brim thereof, was like the brim-work of a cup, of lily-blossoms, - two thousand baths, did it contain. And he made ten stands of bronze, - four cubits, the length of each stand, and, four cubits, the breadth thereof, and, three cubits, the height thereof. And, this, was the work of the stand, there were, side walls, to them, - and, the side-walls, were between joining ledges; and, upon the side-walls which were between the ledges, were lions, oxen, and cherubim, and, upon the ledges, was a pedestal above, and, beneath the lions and oxen, a wreath of hanging work. And, four wheels of bronze, had each stand, with axles of bronze, and, the four steps thereof, had shoulder pieces, - under the laver, were the molten shoulder-pieces, over against each wreath. And, the mouth thereof, within the capital and upwards, was a cubit, and, the mouth thereof, was round, of pedestal work, a cubit and a half, - moreover also, upon the mouth thereof, were gravings, with their side-walls four-square, not round. And, four wheels, were beneath the side-walls, the axletrees of the wheels, being in the stands, - and, the height of each wheel, was a cubit and a half: and, the work of the wheels, was like the work of a chariot-wheel; and, their axletrees, and their felloes, and their spokes, and their naves, the whole, were molten. And there were, four shoulder-pieces, at the four corners of each stand, of the stand itself, were the shoulder-pieces thereof. And, in the top of the stand, half a cubit in height, was a circular piece round about, - and, on the top of the stand, the tenons thereof, and, the side-walls thereof, were of the same. Then carved he, upon the plates of the tenons thereof, and upon the side-walls thereof, cherubim, lions, and palm-trees, - according to the open space of each with a wreath round about. Thus, made he the ten stands, - one mould, one measure, one shape, had they, all. Then made he ten lavers of bronze, - forty baths, would each laver contain, four cubits, was each laver, one laver, was on each of, the ten stands. And he set the stands, five on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house, - but, the sea, he set on the right side of the house eastward, over against the south. And Hiram made lavers, and shovels, and bowls, - and Hiram ended the doing of all the work which he wrought for King Solomon, for the house of Yahweh: two pillars, - and the bowls of the capitals which were upon the top of the two pillars, - and the two frames of checker-work, covering the two bowls of the capitals, which were upon the top of the pillars; and the four hundred pomegranates, for the two frames of checker-work, - two rows of pomegranates to each frame, for covering the two bowls of the capitals, which were on the face of the pillars; and the ten stands, - with the ten lavers upon the stands; and the one sea, - with the twelve oxen under the sea; and the pans, and the shovels, and the tossing bowls, and, all these vessels which Hiram made King Solomon, for the house of Yahweh, were of burnished bronze. In the circuit of the Jordan, did the king cast them, in the clay ground, - between Succoth and Zarethan. And Solomon let all the vessels be, because of their exceeding great multitude, - the weight of the bronze was not found out. And Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of Yahweh, - the altar of gold, and the table of gold, whereon was the presence-bread; and the lamp-holders - five on the right and five on the left, before the shrine, of pure gold, - with the blossoms, and the lamps, and the tongs, of gold; and the bowls, and the snuffers, and the tossing bowls, and the spoons, and the censers, of pure gold, - and the hinge-holes, for the doors of the inner house, the holy of holies, and for the doors of the house itself, the temple, of, gold. So was completed all the work which King Solomon made for the house of Yahweh, and Solomon brought in the hallowed things of David his father - the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put in the treasuries of the house of Yahweh. Then, did Solomon call together the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, chiefs of the fathers of the sons of Israel, unto King Solomon in Jerusalem, - that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, out of the city of David, the same is Zion. So all the men of Israel came together unto King Solomon, in the month of steady flowings, at the festival, - the same is the seventh month. And all the elders of Israel came in, - and the priests took up the ark; and they brought up the ark of Yahweh, and the Tent of Meeting, and all the hallowed vessels that were in the tent, - yea, the priests and the Levites, did bring them up. And, King Solomon, and all the assembly of Israel who had assembled themselves unto him, were with him, before the ark, - sacrificing sheep and oxen, which could neither be recorded nor counted, for multitude. So the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Yahweh into its place, into the shrine of the house, into the holy of holies, - under the wings of the cherubim. For, the cherubim, were spreading forth their two wings, over the place of the ark, - and the cherubim made a covering over the ark and over the staves thereof, above. And they drew out the staves, and the heads of the staves were seen from the holy place, in front of the shrine, although they were not seen on the outside, - and they have remained there until this day. There was nothing in the ark, save the two tables of stone, which Moses deposited there in Horeb, - the tables of the covenant which Yahweh solemnised with the sons of Israel, when they came forth out of the land of Egypt. And so it was, when the priests came forth out of the holy place, that, a cloud, filled the house of Yahweh; so that the priests could not stand to minister, because of the cloud, - for, the glory of Yahweh, filled, the house of Yahweh. Then, said Solomon, - Yahweh, said, that he would make his habitation in thick gloom: I have, built, a house as a high abode for thee, - A settled place for thee to abide in, for ages. And the king turned about his face, and blessed all the convocation of Israel, - while all the convocation of Israel was standing; and he said - Blessed, be Yahweh, God of Israel, who spake with his mouth, unto David my father, - that which with his hand he hath fulfilled, saying: - Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel, out of Egypt, I had chosen no city, out of all the tribes of Israel, for building a house, where my Name might be, - but I have chosen Jerusalem, that my Name should be there, and I have chosen David, to be over my people Israel: And so it came to pass, that it was near the heart of David my father, - to build a house for the Name of Yahweh, God of Israel. Then said Yahweh unto David my father, Because it was near thy heart to build a house for my Name, thou didst well that it was near thy heart; Only, thou thyself, must not build the house, - but, thine own son who hath proceeded out of thy loins, he, shall build the house, for my Name. So then Yahweh hath established his word which he spake, - and I have been raised up in the room of David my father, and have taken my seat upon the throne of Israel, as spake Yahweh, and have built the house for the Name of Yahweh, God of Israel; and have appointed there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of Yahweh, - which he solemnised with our fathers, when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt. And Solomon stood before the altar of Yahweh, in the presence of all the convocation of Israel, - and spread forth his hands towards the heavens; and said - O Yahweh, God of Israel! Not like thee, is there a God, in the heavens above, or upon the earth beneath, - keeping Covenant and Lovingkindness for thy servants who are walking before thee, with all their heart; who hast kept for thy servant David my father, that which thou didst promise him, - in that thou didst promise with thy mouth, and, with thy hand, hast fulfilled, as it is this day. Now, therefore, O Yahweh, God of Israel, keep thou for thy servant David my father, that which thou didst promise him, saying, There shall not be cut off to thee a man from before me, to sit upon the throne of Israel, - if only, thy sons take heed to their way, by walking before me, as thou hast walked before me. Now, therefore, O God of Israel, - verified be thy word, I pray thee, which thou didst speak to thy servant, David my father. But, in very deed, will God dwell, upon the earth? Lo! the heaven, yea the heaven of heavens, cannot contain thee, how much less this house which I have built? Yet wilt thou turn unto the prayer of thy servant, and unto his supplication, O Yahweh my God, - to hearken unto the cry, and unto the prayer, wherewith thy servant doth pray before thee to-day; that thine eye may be opened toward this house, night and day, toward the place of which thou hast said, My Name shall be, there; hearkening unto the prayer which thy servant shall offer toward this place. Wilt, thou, therefore, hearken unto the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, whensoever they shall pray toward this place, - yea wilt, thou thyself, hear, in thine own dwelling-place, in the heavens, and, when thou hearest, then wilt thou forgive? When a man shall sin against his neighbour, and there shall be taken up against him an oath, to put him on oath, - and he shall come in and swear before thine altar, in this house, then wilt, thou thyself, hear in the heavens, and act, and judge thy servants, condemning the lawless, by setting his way upon his own head, - and justifying the righteous, by giving to him, according to his righteousness? When thy people Israel are smitten before an enemy, because they have been sinning against thee, - and they turn again unto thee, and confess thy Name, and pray and make supplication unto thee, in this house, then wilt, thou thyself, hear in the heavens, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them back unto the soil, which thou gavest unto their fathers? When the heavens are shut up, and there is no rain, because they have been sinning against thee, - and they shall pray toward this place, and confess thy Name, and, from their sin, shall return, because thou hast been afflicting them, then wilt, thou thyself, hear in the heavens and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou mayest teach them the good way, wherein they should walk, - and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given unto thy people, for an inheritance? When there shall be, famine, in the land, when there shall be, pestilence, when there shall be, blasting, mildew locust, caterpillar, when their enemy shall besiege them in one of their own gates, - whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness; any prayer, any supplication which, any son of earth, may have, of all thy people Israel, - who will certainly know every man the plague of his own heart, and so he shall spread abroad his hands towards this house, then wilt, thou thyself, hear in the heavens, in the settled place of thine abode, and forgive and act, and give unto every man according to all his ways, whose heart thou wilt know, - for, thou thyself alone, knowest the heart of all the sons of men; to the end they may revere thee, all the days which they do live, upon the face of the soil, - which thou gavest unto our fathers? Moreover also, unto the stranger, who is, not of thy people Israel, - but hath come in out of a far country, for the sake of thy Name, - (for they will certainly hear of thy great Name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched-out arm, - and so will come in and pray towards this house), wilt, thou thyself, hear in the heavens, the settled place of thine abode, and act, according to all for which, the stranger, shall cry unto thee, - to the end that all the peoples of the earth may truly know thy Name, so as to revere thee, like thy people Israel, and to know that, thine own Name, hath been given unto this house, which I have built? When thy people go forth to war against their enemy, whithersoever thou mayest send them, - and shall pray unto Yahweh, in the direction of the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy Name, then wilt thou hear, in the heavens, their prayer and their supplication, - and maintain their cause? When they sin against thee - for there is, no son of earth, that sinneth not, and thou shalt be angry with them, and deliver them up before an enemy, - who shall carry them away as their captives, into the land of the enemy, far or near; and they come back to their right mind, in the land whither they have been taken captive, - and so turn and make supplication unto thee, in the land of their captors, saying, We have sinned and done perversely, we have been lawless; and so they turn unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, who have carried them away captive, - and pray unto thee in the direction of their own land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy Name, then wilt thou hearken in the heavens, the settled place of thine abode, unto their prayer, and unto their supplication, - and maintain their cause; and grant forgiveness to thy people, who have sinned against thee, even as to all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, - and grant them compassion before their captors, so that they may have compassion upon them; because, thy people and thine inheritance, they are, - whom thou didst bring forth out of Egypt, out of the midst of the smelting-pot of iron; that thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant, and unto the supplication of thy people Israel, - to hearken unto them, in all their crying unto thee; because, thou thyself, didst separate them unto thee, for an inheritance, out of all the peoples of the earth, - as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest forth our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord Yahweh. And it came to pass, when Solomon had made an end of praying unto Yahweh all this prayer and supplication, that he arose from before the altar of Yahweh, from kneeling on his knees, with his hands outspread to the heavens; and stood and blessed all the convocation of Israel, - with a loud voice, saying: Blessed, be Yahweh, who hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised, - there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant. Yahweh our God be with us, as he was with our fathers, - let him not leave us, nor forsake us; but bow our heart unto himself, - to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his regulations, which he commanded our fathers. And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before Yahweh, be near unto Yahweh our God, day and night, - that he may maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel, as any need ariseth: To the end that all the peoples of the earth may know, that, Yahweh, is God, - there is none else. So shall your heart be sound with Yahweh our God, - to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day. And, the king, and all Israel with him, were offering sacrifice before Yahweh. So Solomon offered as a sacrifice of peace-offerings, which he offered unto Yahweh - Oxen, two and twenty thousand, and Sheep, a hundred and twenty thousand, - Thus did, the king and all the sons of Israel, dedicate the house of Yahweh. On that day, did the king hallow the middle of the court, that was before the house of Yahweh, - for he offered there the ascending-sacrifice, and the meal-offering, and the fat portions of the peace-offerings, because, the altar of bronze that was before Yahweh, was too small to receive the ascending-sacrifice and the meal-offering, and the fat portions of the peace-offerings. And Solomon made, at that time, a festival - and all Israel with him - a great convocation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the ravine of Egypt, before Yahweh our God, seven days, and seven days, - fourteen days. And on the eighth day, he sent the people away, and they blessed the king, - and departed to their homes, rejoicing and glad of heart, over all the goodness which Yahweh had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people. And it came to pass, when Solomon had made an end of building the house of Yahweh, and the house of the king, and everything that Solomon desired, which he was pleased to make, then appeared Yahweh unto Solomon, a second time, - as he appeared unto him, in Gibeon. And Yahweh said unto him - I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, wherewith thou hast made supplication before me, I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my Name there unto times age-abiding, - and mine eyes and my heart shall be there, continually: As for thee, therefore, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, with a whole heart and with uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, - and, my statutes and my regulations, wilt keep, then will I establish the throne of thy kingdom over Israel, unto times age-abiding, - as I promised unto David thy father, saying, There shall not be cut off to thee a man, from off the throne of Israel. If ye, turn back, ye or your sons, from following me, and keep not my commandments, my statutes, which I have set before you, - but depart and serve other gods, and bow yourselves down to them, then will I cut off Israel, from the face of the soil, which I have given unto them, and, the house which I have hallowed for my Name, will I suffer to be carried away from before me, - and Israel shall become a byword and a mockery, among all the peoples; and, this house which had been renowned, shall be desolate, every one that passeth by it, shall be astonished and shall whistle, - and men shall say - For what cause, hath Yahweh done, thus, unto this land, and unto this house? And men will answer - Because they forsook Yahweh their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold of other gods, and bowed themselves down to them, and served them, for this cause, hath Yahweh brought in upon them all this ruin. And it came to pass, at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had built the two houses, - the house of Yahweh, and the house of the king; Hiram king of Tyre having supplied Solomon with timber of cedar, and with timber of fir, and with gold, according to all his desire, that, then, King Solomon gave unto Hiram twenty cities, in the land of Galilee. And Hiram came out from Tyre to view the cities which, Solomon, had given him, - and they were not pleasing in his eyes. So he said - What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother? And he called them, Unfruitful Land, as they are called unto this day. Now Hiram had sent to the king, - a hundred and twenty talents of gold. Now, the following, is an account of the tax which King Solomon raised, for building the house of Yahweh and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, - and Hazor and Megiddo, and Gezer. Pharaoh king of Egypt, had gone up and captured Gezer, and burned it with fire, the Canaanites also who were dwelling in the city, had he slain, - and had given it as a dowry, to his daughter, wife of Solomon. So then Solomon built Gezer, and Beth-horon, the nether, and Baalath and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land; also all the store cities, which Solomon had, and the cities for chariots, and the cities for horsemen, - and the desire of Solomon that he was pleased to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land that he ruled over. All the people that were left, of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, who were, not of the sons of Israel; their sons, who were left after them in the land, whom the sons of Israel were not able to devote to destruction, Solomon levied them for a toiling labour-band which remaineth unto this day. But, of the sons of Israel, Solomon devoted none to bond-service, - but, they, were men of war, and his servants, and his generals, and his heroes, and captains of his chariots, and his horsemen. These, were the chiefs of the officers, who were over the work, for Solomon, five hundred and fifty, - who ruled over the people that wrought in the work. Scarcely had Pharaoh's daughter come up out of the city of David, into her own house, which he had built for her, when he built Millo. And Solomon used to offer, three times a year, ascending-sacrifices and peace-offerings, upon the altar which he had built unto Yahweh, and to offer incense at the altar which was before Yahweh, - thus Solomon gave completeness unto the house. A fleet also, did King Solomon build in Ezion-geber, which is beside Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. And Hiram sent in the fleet his servants, seamen, having knowledge of the sea, - with the servants of Solomon; and they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence, gold, four hundred and twenty talents, - and brought it to King Solomon. And, when, the queen of Sheba, heard the report of Solomon, as pertaining to the Name of Yahweh, she came to prove him, with abstruse questions. Yea she came to Jerusalem with a very heavily-laden train, of camels bearing spices, and gold in great abundance, and precious stones, - and, when she was come to Solomon, she spake unto him all that was near her heart; and Solomon answered her all her questions, - there was nothing hidden from the king, which he told her not. And, when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, - and the house which he had built; and the food of his table, and the seated assembly of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers with their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he ascended unto the house of Yahweh, there was in her no more spirit. And she said unto the king, True, was the word which I heard in mine own land, - concerning thine affairs, and concerning thy wisdom. Howbeit I believed not the words, until that I had come and mine own eyes had seen, and lo! there had not been told me, the half, - thou dost exceed, in wisdom and prosperity, even the report which I heard! How happy, are thy wives, how happy, are these thy servants, - who do stand before thee continually, who hear thy wisdom! Yahweh thy God be blessed, who delighted in thee, to set thee upon the throne of Israel, - because Yahweh loveth Israel unto times age-abiding, therefore hath he appointed thee to be king, to execute justice and righteousness. And she gave unto the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and spices in great abundance, and precious stones, - there came in no more, such spice for abundance, as that which the queen of Sheba gave unto King Solomon. Moreover also, the fleet of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought in, from Ophir sandal-wood in great abundance, and precious stones. So the king made of the sandal-wood a footpath to the house of Yahweh, and to the house of the king, lyres also and harps, for the singers, - there hath neither come in such sandal-wood, nor been seen, unto this day. And, when, King Solomon, had given unto the queen of Sheba, all her desire, which she asked, besides that which he gave her as the bounty of King Solomon, she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants. And it came to pass that, the weight of the gold which came in unto Solomon in one year, was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold; besides the tribute of the subjugated, and of the travelling merchants, - and of all the kings of Arabia, and the pashas of the land. And King Solomon made two hundred shields, of beaten gold, six hundred shekels of gold, laid he upon one shield; and three hundred bucklers, of beaten gold, one hundred and fifty shekels of gold, laid he upon one buckler, - and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. And the king made a great throne of ivory, - and overlaid it with gold from Uphaz. There were, six steps, to the throne, and there was, a circular top, to the throne, behind it, and there were supports on this side and on that, unto the place of the seat, - with two lions standing beside the supports; and, twelve lions, were standing there, upon the six steps, on this side and on that, - there had never been made the like, for any of the kingdoms. And, all the drinking vessels of King Solomon, were of gold, and, all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon, were of pure gold, - none was of silver, it was accounted in the days of Solomon, as nothing. For, a fleet of Tarshish, had the king, at sea, with the fleet of Hiram, - once in three years, came in the fleet of Tarshish, bringing gold and silver, ivory and apes, and peacocks. So King Solomon became greater than any of the kings of the earth, - for riches and for wisdom. And, all the earth, did seek the face of Solomon, - to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. And, they, did bring every man his present - vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses and mules, - a rate of a year in a year. And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen, and so it was that he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, - for whom he found place in the chariot cities, and near the king, in Jerusalem. And the king caused silver in Jerusalem to be as stones, - cedars also, caused he to be as the sycamores that are in the lowlands, for abundance. And the horses that Solomon had were, an export, out of Egypt, - and, a company of the merchants of the king, used to fetch, a drove, at a price, And a chariot came up and forth out of Egypt, for six hundred shekels of silver and a horse for a hundred and fifty, - and, so, for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, by their means, came they forth. But, King Solomon, loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, - women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, Hittites: out of the nations concerning whom Yahweh had said unto the sons of Israel - Ye shall not go in unto them, and, they, shall not come in unto you, surely they will turn aside your heart after their gods. Unto these, did Solomon cleave in love. So it came to pass that he had seven hundred wives who were princesses, and three hundred concubines, - and, his wives, turned aside, his heart. Yea it came to pass, in the old age of Solomon, that, his wives, turned aside his heart after other gods, - his heart therefore was not sound with Yahweh his God, as was the heart of David his father. And Solomon went after Ashtoreth, goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom, the abomination of the Ammonites. Thus Solomon did the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, - and went not fully after Yahweh, as did David his father. Then, did Solomon build a high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, - and for Molech, the abomination of the sons of Ammon; and, thus, did he for all his foreign wives, - who burned incense and offered sacrifices unto their gods. Therefore did Yahweh shew himself angry with Solomon, - because his heart had turned aside from Yahweh God of Israel, who had appeared unto him twice; and had been giving command to him concerning this thing, that he should not go away after other gods, - but he had not taken heed unto that which Yahweh had commanded. Wherefore Yahweh said unto Solomon - Forasmuch as this hath come to pass with thee, and thou hast not heeded my covenant and my statutes, which I charged upon thee, I will, rend, the kingdom away from thee, and will give it unto a servant of thine. Notwithstanding, in thine own days, will I not do it, for the sake of David thy father, - out of the hand of thy son, will I rend it. Howbeit, all the kingdom, will I not rend away, one tribe, will I give unto thy son, - for the sake of David my servant, and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen. And Yahweh raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite, - of the seed of the king, was he, in Edom. And it came to pass, when David was dealing with Edom, and Joab general of the army went up to bury the slain, - and had smitten every male in Edom, - for, six months, did Joab remain there, with all Israel, - until he had cut off every male in Edom, that Hadad fled, he and certain men of Edom of the servants of his father, with him, to go into Egypt, - Hadad being a little boy. So they arose out of Midian, and came into Paran, - and took certain men with them out of Paran, and came into Egypt, unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave him a house, and, food, appointed him, and, land, did give unto him. And Hadad found great favour in the eyes of Pharaoh, - so that he gave him to wife, the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen. And the sister of Tahpenes bare to him Genubath his son, and Tahpenes weaned him, in the house of Pharaoh, - and so it came about, that Genubath was of the household of Pharaoh, among the sons of Pharaoh. And, when, Hadad, heard in Egypt, that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab general of the army was dead, Hadad said unto Pharaoh, Let me go, that I may take my journey unto mine own land. Then said Pharaoh unto him - But what hast thou been lacking with me, that lo! thou art seeking to take thy journey unto thine own land? And he said - Nothing, howbeit, let me go. And God raised up against him an adversary, Rezon son of Eliada, - who had fled from Hadadezer king of Zobah, his lord; and he gathered unto him men, and became captain of a band when David slew them of Zobah , - then went they to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus. Thus became he an adversary unto Israel, all the days of Solomon, this, is the mischief which Hadad did, - so then, he abhorred Israel, when he reigned over Syria. Jeroboam also, son of Nebat, an Ephrathite from Zeredah, whose, mother's name, was Zeruah, a widow woman, he being servant to Solomon, lifted up a hand against the king. And, this, was the cause that he lifted up a hand against the king, - Solomon, built Millo, he closed up of the of David his father. the breach city Now, the man Jeroboam, being an able Solomon observed his servant, that he man, was, one to execute a work, so he gave him oversight of all the charge of the house of Joseph. And it came to pass, at that time, when, Jeroboam, went forth out of Jerusalem, that there met him Ahijah the Shilonite, the prophet, in the way, he having wrapped himself about with a new mantle; and, they two, were by themselves, in the field. Then Ahijah laid hold of the new mantle, that was upon him, - and rent it into twelve pieces; and said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten places, - for Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel - Behold me! about to rend the kingdom, out of the hand of Solomon, and I will give unto thee ten tribes: Howbeit, one tribe, shall he retain, - for the sake of my servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen, out of all the tribes of Israel: Because they have forsaken me, and bowed themselves down to Ashtoreth, goddess of the Zidonians, to Chemosh, god of the Moabites, and to Milcom, god of the sons of Ammon, - and have not walked in my ways, by doing what is right in mine eyes, even my statutes and my regulations, like David his father. Yet will I not take all the kingdom out of his hand, - but will suffer him to be, leader, all the days of his life, for the sake of David my servant, whom I chose, - who kept my commandments and my statutes. But I will take the kingdom out of the hand of his son, and will give it to thee, even the ten tribes. Nevertheless, go his son, will I give one tribe, - to the end there may remain a lamp unto David my servant always before me, in Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen for myself, to put my Name there. But, thee, will I take, and thou shalt reign over all that thy soul could desire, - and thou shalt be king over Israel. So shall it be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I shall command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that which is right in mine eyes, by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as did David my servant, then will I be with thee, and will build thee an assured house, as I have built for David, and will give unto thee, Israel. Thus will I humiliate the seed of David, because of this; yet not for ever. When therefore Solomon sought to put, Jeroboam, to death, Jeroboam arose and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, - and remained in Egypt, until the death of Solomon. Now, the rest of the story of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are, they, not written in the book of the records of Solomon? Now, the days which Solomon reigned in Jerusalem, over all Israel, were forty years. So then Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father, - and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.
Malice » Instances of » David toward joab
Moreover also, thou, knowest what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with two generals of the armies of Israel - with Abner son of Ner, and with Amasa son of Jether - both of whom he slew, shedding the blood of war in peace, - and putting the blood of war upon his girdle that was on his loins, and upon his sandals, that were on his feet. Thou, therefore, must do according to thy wisdom, - but will not let his grey hair go down in peace, to hades.
Punishments » Sometimes deferred for a considerable time
Lo! also, there is with thee - Shimei son of Gera a Benjamite, of Behurim, well, he, it was who cursed me with a grievous curse; on the day I journeyed to Mahanaim, - but he, came down to meet me, at the Jordan, and so I sware to him by Yahweh, saying - I will not put thee to death, with the sword. Now, therefore do not hold him guiltless, for, a wise man, thou art, and wilt know how thou oughtest to deal with him, and wilt suffer his grey hairs to go down with blood, to hades.
Moreover also, thou, knowest what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with two generals of the armies of Israel - with Abner son of Ner, and with Amasa son of Jether - both of whom he slew, shedding the blood of war in peace, - and putting the blood of war upon his girdle that was on his loins, and upon his sandals, that were on his feet. Thou, therefore, must do according to thy wisdom, - but will not let his grey hair go down in peace, to hades.
Retaliation » Instances of » David on joab
Moreover also, thou, knowest what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with two generals of the armies of Israel - with Abner son of Ner, and with Amasa son of Jether - both of whom he slew, shedding the blood of war in peace, - and putting the blood of war upon his girdle that was on his loins, and upon his sandals, that were on his feet. Thou, therefore, must do according to thy wisdom, - but will not let his grey hair go down in peace, to hades.
Will » A testament » Of david
And, when the days of David drew near that he must die, he charged Solomon his son, saying: - I, am going the way of all the earth, - thou must be strong, therefore, and show thyself a man; and keep the observances of Yahweh thy God, by walking in his ways, by keeping his statutes, his commandments, and his regulations and his testimonies, as written in the law of Moses, - to the end thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself; read more.
to the end that Yahweh may establish his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy sons will take heed to their way, by walking before me, in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul, (then, said he) there shall not be cut off to thee a man, from off the throne of Israel. Moreover also, thou, knowest what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with two generals of the armies of Israel - with Abner son of Ner, and with Amasa son of Jether - both of whom he slew, shedding the blood of war in peace, - and putting the blood of war upon his girdle that was on his loins, and upon his sandals, that were on his feet. Thou, therefore, must do according to thy wisdom, - but will not let his grey hair go down in peace, to hades. But, with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, thou wilt deal in lovingkindness, and they will be among them who eat at thy table, - for, so, drew they near unto me, when I fled from Absolom thy brother. Lo! also, there is with thee - Shimei son of Gera a Benjamite, of Behurim, well, he, it was who cursed me with a grievous curse; on the day I journeyed to Mahanaim, - but he, came down to meet me, at the Jordan, and so I sware to him by Yahweh, saying - I will not put thee to death, with the sword. Now, therefore do not hold him guiltless, for, a wise man, thou art, and wilt know how thou oughtest to deal with him, and wilt suffer his grey hairs to go down with blood, to hades.
to the end that Yahweh may establish his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy sons will take heed to their way, by walking before me, in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul, (then, said he) there shall not be cut off to thee a man, from off the throne of Israel. Moreover also, thou, knowest what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with two generals of the armies of Israel - with Abner son of Ner, and with Amasa son of Jether - both of whom he slew, shedding the blood of war in peace, - and putting the blood of war upon his girdle that was on his loins, and upon his sandals, that were on his feet. Thou, therefore, must do according to thy wisdom, - but will not let his grey hair go down in peace, to hades. But, with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, thou wilt deal in lovingkindness, and they will be among them who eat at thy table, - for, so, drew they near unto me, when I fled from Absolom thy brother. Lo! also, there is with thee - Shimei son of Gera a Benjamite, of Behurim, well, he, it was who cursed me with a grievous curse; on the day I journeyed to Mahanaim, - but he, came down to meet me, at the Jordan, and so I sware to him by Yahweh, saying - I will not put thee to death, with the sword. Now, therefore do not hold him guiltless, for, a wise man, thou art, and wilt know how thou oughtest to deal with him, and wilt suffer his grey hairs to go down with blood, to hades.