peculiar ones which go to make up the mass of general guilt. Others, too, let us bear in mind, are innocent in some respects in which we have sinned in the most inexcusable and aggravated

manner.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

David makes preparations for the building of the temple. His charge to Solomon and the princes. Adonijah's rebellion. David orders Solomon to be anointed king.

The preparations for the building of the temple were now made by David with great earnestness. The plan of this magnificent building, with its various internal arrangements and utensils, was probably about this time conveyed to his mind by some divine communication. For he speaks afterwards of "the pattern of all that he had by the Spirit," and says, "the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern."

He ordered the strangers that were in the land to be assembled, (those who were not Israelites but yet residing among them,) to be employed in hewing the stones; and he began, also, to get ready in great abundance the iron, the brass, and

the cedar-trees, the last of which were supplied by the Zidonians and Tyrians.

All this David did, we are told, because Solomon was yet young and tender, and because the house to be erected for the Lord must be of surpassing fame and glory throughout all countries. He took care, at the same time, to let Solomon know his design, and charged him, in the most solemn manner, to carry it into effect. He told him, it had long been in his mind to build such a temple, but that he had been expressly forbidden by God himself to do it, because he had been a man of war, and had shed much blood. But he added, that the same word of the Lord had assured him, that he should have a son, whose name should be Solomon, (that is, peaceable;) who should have rest from all his enemies round about; in whose days peace and quietness should be enjoyed by the Israelites; and that he should build the temple. The Lord would be a father to him, and establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.

Now my son," continued this venerable monarch, "the Lord be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the Lord thy God, as he hath said of thee. Only the Lord give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the Lord thy God. Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judg.

ments which the Lord charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed."

David then proceeded to tell Solomon what arrangements he had made for the work. He had prepared, he said, surrounded as he had been by trials, a hundred thousand talents of gold, and a million of talents of silver, an amount of prodigious value;* brass and iron without weight; and timber and stone in abundance; to which Solomon might add, if necessary.

A solemn charge, also, was given by the king to all the princes, the men who were high in rank and authority, to aid Solomon in this great work. "Is not the Lord your God," said he, "with you? and hath he not given you rest on every side? for he hath given the inhabitants of the land into mine hand; and the land is subdued before the Lord, and before his people. Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God; arise therefore and build ye the sanctuary of the Lord God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the Lord."

David felt the necessity of thus doing what he had to do in this great undertaking with promptitude and zeal; for he was now nearly seventy

Some estimate the gold at 507, 578, 125 pounds sterling, and the silver at 353, 591, 666 pounds sterling. Others make it amount to even more than this.

years old, and the infirmities of age were increas ing upon him. Under these circumstances another domestic trial occurred, to remind him of the chastisement which was yet due to his transgressions, and of the fearful denunciation of the Lord, through the mouth of the prophet Nathan, "I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house." His fourth son, Adonijah, began to assume the honors, and set up the equipage of roy alty, and to declare in the most public manner that he would be king. Like Absalom, he had great personal beauty, and had been treated by his doting father with excessive indulgence. Mistaken and ruinous fondness: and now David, on the very verge of the grave, must reap the fruits of it in the open rebellion of this ungrateful son.

Adonijah had contrived to secure among the number of his partisans both Joab, the commander of the king's forces, and Abiathar, the priest, and probably with their advice withdrew to the rock Zoheleth, by the fountain of En-rogel, not far from Jerusalem, where he made a great feast, and invited his adherents to it. In this invitation were included all his brothers except Solomon, and some of the principal men among the king's attendants; though Zadok, the priest, Benaiah, the captain of the guards, Nathan, the prophet, and the mighty men of the army remained true in their allegiance to David. On this occasion.

it would seem that Adonijah intended to have himself proclaimed king, and that his purpose was carried into effect.

For we find Nathan immediately inquiring of Bath-sheba, the mother of Solomon, if she had not heard of this, and telling her that it was as yet unknown to David. To this he added his counsel, by following which he said she might save her own life and that of her son. He advised her to lose no time in going to the king, to re. mind him that he had sworn to her that Solomon should be his successor on the throne, and to let him know that Adonijah was pursuing a course which would defeat the fulfilment of this promise. "Behold," said he, "while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee and confirm thy words."

Bath-sheba went, and being introduced into the presence of the king, who was confined by his infirmities to his chamber, made known the object of her visit, in accordance with the advice of Nathan. After urging the claims of Solomon, and informing David of what Adonijah was doing, she concluded by saying that the eyes of all Israel were upon their sovereign waiting to know whom he would name as his successor, which if he failed to do, that after his decease herself and son would be treated as criminals.

At this juncture, Nathan the prophet, as he had engaged to do, came in, and being brought 24

David.