The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 217
SECT. CCXVII.
SOlomon was now quietly ſetled and ſtrengthened in his Kingdom, and the Lord was with him and magnified him exceedingly; and he loved the Lord, and walked in the ways and ſtatutes wherein David his Father walked. It ſeems the people after the Ark and Tabernacle were ſeparated did not think themſelves bound to bring their Sacrifices to the Altar at the Tabernacle, but did offer them in ſuch places as they thought meeteſt for ſuch ſervices, to wit, upon high hills and mountains. Indeed the high places of the heathen-Idolaters were always abominable to the Lord, and thoſe God commanded the Iſraelites to deſtroy and pull down, Numb. 33.52. But there other high places (it ſeems) were thought at this time lawful (a)See 1 Sam. 9.12, &c. and Ch. 10.5, 13., and accordingly reſorted unto; but when the Temple was built, then all other high places for Gods ſolemn and preſcribed worſhip and ſervice were counted abominable(b)And in this ſin the Ten Tribes lived, they made Prieſts of high places in the mountains, and in all the Cities of Samaria, and their Altars were as heaps in the furrows of the fields, 1 King. 13.32. Hoſ. 12.11. Yea, Solomon himſelf in his latter days fearfully offended in permitting this kind of Idolatry, 1 King. 11.7, 8. And Judah it ſelf fell into this ſin in Rehoboams reign, 1 King. 14.23. and in aftertimes they built high-places to Baal, and to the Idols of the neighbouring Nations, 2 Chron. 25.14. And eſpecially in the reigns of Ahaz, Joram, and Manaſſeh.. It ſeems Solomon and the people did offer ſacrifice and burn incenſe on ſuch high places (as theſe before mentioned) that were devoted to the ſervice of the true God, and Gibeon it ſelf (where the Tabernacle and Altar now were) was accounted the great high place, the moſt famous and moſt reſorted unto. Solomon therefore now gathering together the Princes and Rulers, and Judges of the land, and the chief Captains and Commanders of the people, with them he went up to Gibeon there in ſolemn manner to praiſe the Lord for his great mercy to him in thus peaceably ſetling him in the Throne. And there on the Braſen Altar made by Moſes, (which he and the great Congregation now with him choſe to worſhip God at rather than any other Altar) he offered a thouſand burnt-offerings to the Lord in the time he ſtayed there. And in that night after they had made an end of offering thoſe burnt-offerings God appeared to him in a dream. Among the manifold ways whereby God of old made known his mind to his people, dreams was one. And in dreams ſometimes men heard a voice, and apprehending the ſenſe thereof, returned an anſwer thereunto, and the things God ſo made known unto them were true and certain, and his ſervants to whom he made them known were aſſured thereof. God therefore in ſuch a dream appearing to Solomon, and asking him what he ſhould give him? He anſwered, O Lord thou haſt ſhewed to David my Father great mercy according as he walked before thee in truth and righteouſneſs (c)All theſe muſt be underſtood of Davids inward diſpoſition & outward converſation as to the general courſe of his life, his frailties and failings ſtill excepted., and uprightneſs of heart, and haſt reſerved for him this great kindneſs to ſet his Son upon his Throne after him, as it is this day, which is a favour thou didſt not vouchſafe to Saul. And now, O Lord, thou having graciouſly made me King inſtead of my Father, I am ſenſible that I am (as it were) but a little child and unfit to ſway ſo great a ſcepter as this is; how ſhall I be able to go out or come in before this great people? How ſhall I be able to lead them or govern them without thine eſpecial direction and aſſiſtance? I am indeed ſet up as ſupream Governour under thee of this vaſt multitude which thou haſt choſen for thy peculiar people, and haſt ſo increaſed them that they are almoſt innumerable, according to thy gracious promiſe, Gen. 15.5. Give therefore thy ſervant (I pray thee) an underſtanding heart that I may rightly diſcern between good and evil; for who is able rightly to judg and govern this great people without wiſdom given him from thy ſelf. Solomon having thus prayed, the Lord was well pleaſed with the requeſt he had made, and ſaid to him, Becauſe thou haſt not asked for thy ſelf long life, nor riches, nor victory over thine enemies, but haſt asked an underſtanding heart that thou maiſt rightly govern this people, and in hearing cauſes maiſt know what judgment to give, behold thy requeſt is granted; I will give thee a wiſe and an underſtanding heart, and ſuch a meaſure of wiſdom and knowledg as no King before thee ever attained unto, neither ſhall any after thee be like(a)Some Heathen Monarchs that poſſibly exceeded Solomon in riches came far ſhort of him in wiſdom. unto thee, ſee Chap. 4.29, 30, 31. Moreover I will give thee that which thou didſt not ask, viz, riches and honour, ſo that there ſhall not be any of the Kings of Iſrael like unto thee, either for riches or glory, ſee 2 Chron. 1.12. And if thou wilt walk in my ways and keep my ſtatutes as thy Father David did, I will lengthen out thy days alſo. Then Solomon awoke and perceived that God had indeed appeared to him in this wonderful dream, and he returned to Jeruſalem with his Nobles, and there before the Ark of the Covenant offered up many Burnt-offerings, Peace-offerings, in way of thankfulneſs to the Lord for this great and extraordinary kindneſs manifeſted to him; and he made a great Feaſt for his Nobles and Officers, and the Rulers of the people that were there gathered together.
1 King. Ch. 3. from v. 2, to 16.
2 Chron. Ch. 1. from v. 1, to 13.