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sand were to be porters; and four thousand were to praise the Lord with the musical instruments which David had caused to be made for that pose. But this number must eventually have been much increased; for we find that by a regulation of David, not long before his death, the Levites were separated, from twenty years old, and upwards, for the service of the temple. Till that time they had been numbered from the age of thirty years and upwards.

There were twenty-four courses, determined by lot, both of the priests and of the Levites, and as many courses, also, of those who were skilled in sacred song, and played on musical instruments, under appropriate leaders, and all for the service of the temple on common days, and upon the great festivals. The porters were in four great divisions, to correspond to the four gates of the temple, among other duties acting as guards, under their respective captains; and certain of the Levites were placed over the treasures of the temple, and over the treasures of the dedicated things. Other necessary arrangements were made, at the same time, with regard to all the matters, ecclesiastical and civil, that show the consummate wisdom and energy with which David acted, and the immense power of his kingdom. The military force was divided into twelve courses, of twenty-four thousand men each, each course serving a month, and being

ready for action; while, on any pressing emergency, the whole, amounting to two hundred and eighty-eight thousand fighting men, under twelve thousand officers, could speedily be brought into the field.

David appeared in person before the vast assembly of which mention has just been made, and with renewed strength, given him for an occasion so solemn and momentous, stood upon his feet, while all listened in fixed and respectful attention, as he thus addressed them.

"Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building: But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build a house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood. Howbeit the Lord God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel: And of all my sons, (for the Lord hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be

his father. Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day.

"Now therefore in the sight of all Israel, the congregation of the Lord, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever.

"And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. Take heed now; for the Lord hath chosen thee to build a house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it."*

David then furnished Solomon with the plan of the whole building, internal and external, given him, as he said, by the Spirit of God, with a scheme of the temple-service; the courses of the priests and others who were to be engaged in it; the patterns of the vessels, instruments, and other things which were necessary, and also a complete supply by weight of the metals of which they were to be made, both of gold and of silver.

* Some suppose that at this time David composed the 91st Psalm, which was particularly addressed to Solomon, and also Psalms 62 and 145.

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To this he added another exhortation to his son. Be strong," said he, and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord. And, behold, the courses of the priests and the Levites, even they shall be with thee for all the service of the house of God: and there shall be with thee for all manner of workmanship every willing skilful man, for any manner of service: also the princes and all the people will be wholly at thy commandment."

Be strong, and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even the God of David, will be with thee. Resolve, my young friend, in this strength of the Lord, to go forward in the path of known duty, whatever difficulties may lie in the way. Feel your own weakness, but rely implicitly and fearlessly on the Almighty arm to guide and sustain you. Cherishing this spirit, and acting in accordance with it, you will find that God will, indeed, never fail you, nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work which He gives you to do.

CHAPTER XL.

David contributes of his own property to the building of the temple, as do the chief men of theirs. His thanksgiving and prayer. Solomon is anointed king a second time. What David did with regard to Joab, Barzillai's sons, and Shimei. His death.

On the occasion described in the preceding chapter, or, as some think, and perhaps with good reason, on a similar one, very soon following it, David again addressed the vast assembly before him. He told them that his son Solomon, whom God had chosen to build the temple, was yet young and tender, and the work great; for the magnificent structure to be erected was not for man, but for the Lord God. He said he had made every preparation in his power for the work, gold and silver, brass, iron and wood, and precious stones of various kinds; and that because he had set his affection upon the house of his God, he had, besides all this, and from what was his own peculiar property, provided three thousand talents of the pure gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver to overlay the walls of the houses.*

The gold, according to the estimate of some, amounted to 15,227,343 pounds sterling, and the silver, to 2,475,155 pounds sterling. Others make the amount larger.