Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/299



ESIDES the  Temple  which  he  erected  to  the  Lord,  Solomon built for  himself  a palace  of  wonderful  magnificence. His throne was  of  ivory,  overlaid  with  the  finest  gold. It had  six steps, and  at  the  two  ends  of  each  step  there  stood  a lion:  six to the  right  and  six  to  the  left — in  all  twelve  lions. But the top of  the  throne  was  round  and  had  a large  lion,  well  made, on either  side. And Solomon  made  two  hundred  shields  of  the purest gold  and  hung  them  in  his  palace.

All the  vessels  out  of  which  the  king  drank  were  of  gold,  and all the  furniture  of  his  house  was  likewise  of  gold. In the  days of Solomon  there  was  no  silver;  no  account  was  made  of  it,  because the  royal  fleet  brought  from  foreign  countries  riches  of  all kinds and  precious  metals  in  abundance. Solomon built  several new cities; he  beautified  and  strengthened  Jerusalem,  so  that,  with few exceptions,  it  surpassed  all  the  cities  of  that  time  in  beauty and splendour.

And Solomon  reigned  from  the  Euphrates  to  the  confines  of Egypt,  and  he  was  at  peace  with  his  neighbours  on  every  side, and each  man  rested  without  fear  under  his  own  vine  and  fig-tree. Kings from  far  and  near  showed  Solomon  respect  and  sent  him presents. The queen  of  Saba  came  herself  from  her  far  distant land to  behold  his  magnificence  and  hear  the  words  of  his  wisdom. When she  had  seen  and  heard,  her  spirit  failed  and  she  said  to the  king:  “The  report  is  true  which  I heard  in  my  own  country, but I would  not  believe. Blessed are  thy  servants  who  stand before thee  and  hear  thy  wisdom.”  Thus  did  Solomon  exceed all the  kings  of  the  earth  in  riches  and  in  wisdom.