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 The Early History of the Jews 115 His successor David was more successful and more politic. With David dawned the only period of prosperity the Hebrew peoples were ever to know. It was based on a close alliance with the Phoeni- cian city of Tyre, whose King Hiram seems to have been a man of very great intelligence and enterprise. He wished to secure a trade route to the Red Sea through the Hebrew hill country. Normally Phoenician trade went to the Red Sea by Egypt, but Egypt was in a state of profound disorder at this time ; there may have been other obstructions to Phoenician trade along this line, and at any rate Hiram established the very closest relations both with David and with his son and successor Solo- mon. Under Hiram's auspices the walls, palace and temple of Jerusalem arose, and in return Hiram built and launched his ships on the Red Sea. A very consider able trade passed northward and southward through Jeru- salem. And Solomon achieved a prosperity and magnificence un- precedented i n the experience of his people. He was even given a daughter of Pha- raoh in marriage. But it is well to keep the pro- ^^ _, _ ^ ,^:r:^r <JSJii»u-'ui.Jl -^lho^^M^ portion of things """ '""'"-"""'s-' « ■ rl At t^ MOUND AT BABYLON m mmCl. At tne Beneath wWch are the remains of a great palace of Nebuchadnezzar