The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 5 · Section 13 – Section 14
SECT. XIII.
WE have ſpoken of Solomon's glory, pomp and magnificence; but that which wrought in the heart of all people (whither his own ſubjects or forreigners) ſo great a veneration for him, was that extraordinary meaſure of wiſdom with which the Lord had endowed him: In the 1 King. 4.2. 'tis ſaid God gave him wiſdom and underſtanding exceeding much, and largeneſs of heart, even as the ſand which is upon the Seaſhore. His wiſdom excelled the wiſdom of the children of the Eaſt, and all the wiſdom of Egypt. The Arabians and Chaldeans were at this time famous for their learning, eſpecially Philoſophy and Aſtronomy, and ſo were alſo the Egyptians. See Act. 7.22. Iſa. 19.11, 12. and yet Solomon excelled theſe. He was wiſer than all men then living; wiſer than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Chalioc, and Darda; who (it ſeems) were men famous for wiſdom and learning among the Iſraelites. See 1 Chron. 2.6. They were alſo (as it ſeems) famous for Divine Poetry, if theſe be the Ethan and Heman mentioned in the Titles of the 88 and 89 Pſalmes. Solomon's renown was very great in all Nations round about him. And there came of all ſorts of people, and Ambaſſadours from all Kings, (that were any thing near him) to hear his wiſdom, and to learn of him.
He diſcovered his great wiſdom in theſe Particulars: 1. In choſing his Officers of State; for a wiſe King will always choſe wiſe Stateſmen, and nothing doth more diſcover the wiſdom and ſufficiency of a Prince than to choſe out of his Kingdom wiſe, able and good men to be his Counſellors, Officers of State, and Miniſters of Juſtice. The number and order of them is here recorded to ſet forth his great wiſdom. 1. Azariah the Son of Zadok was his principal Miniſter of State *Cohan ſignifies ſometimes a ſecular Prince as well as a Prieſt, and 'tis probable he was the Son of another Zadok and not of Zadok the High-Prieſt.. 2. Eliphoreph and Ahiah the Sons of Shiſha his Secretaries. We read but of one Secretary of State that David had, 2 Sam. 20.25. whoſe name was Sheva, and poſſibly this is the ſame man with Shiſha, and that he trained up his two Sons in his own way, and made them ſo expert therein that Solomon took them both for his Secretaries; and living in greater ſplendour than his Father he had two Secretaries, whereas his Father had but one. 3. Jehoſhaphat the Son of Ahitub the Recorder, or Maſter of Requeſts, whoſe office was to put the King in mind of Petitions, and poſſibly to record the memorable Acts of State; he had this place in David's time, and it ſeems held it ſtill under Solomon, [See 2 Sam. 20.24.] and ſo muſt needs be very ancient. 4. Benaiah was Captain-General of the hoſt in Joab's place. 5. Zadok and Abiathar were the chief Prieſts; for though Abiathar was removed from the place of High Prieſt, [Ch. 2.27.] yet (it ſeems) he retained the Title though he executed not the Office. 6. Azariah the Son of Nathan the Prophet was over the twelve Officers or Purveyers which are named, v. 7, to 19. 7. Zabud his brother was a principal Officer, and poſſibly Preſident of the Kings Council, he was the Kings friend and favourite (as Huſhai was to David, 2 Sam. 15.27.) and had on all occaſions free acceſs to him; from hence it appears that Solomon had Nathan in very high eſteem, in that he put two of his Sons in the higheſt Offices of the Kingdom, and made one of them his eſpecial favourite. Nathan had indeed been a faithful Prophet and ſervant to David, and diſcovered to him Adonijah's conſpiracy, and gave advice for the ſetling Solomon on the Throne, Ch. 1.11. And 'tis probable that Nathan's Sons were trained up with Solomon under their Fathers Tuition. 8. Abiſhai, who was either Governour of the Kings Houſhold, or Treaſurer of it. 9. Adoniram, who was over the Tribute, and chief receiver of the Kings revenues. Ch. 4. from 1, to 7.
2. Solomon appointed twelve Officers over all Iſrael to take care to furniſh his Houſe with a ſet quantity of proviſions of meat and drink for all the twelve months of the year. Had theſe great ſtores that were needful for the Kings houſhold, been to be gathered out of one place only near the Court, the people thereabouts might have been overburdened; therefore theſe ſtore-gatherers were ſcattered all over the land, and had Treaſure-houſes to ſtore up their proviſions in, which in their ſeveral months they brought forth and furniſhed the Kings houſe therewith. Theſe Officers were (it ſeems) the ſons of men of note, and therefore their names and their fathers names are here ſet down. Their diviſions were not exactly made according to the Tribes (for ſo there might have been ſome inequality) but according to the Commodities of the ſoil. The ſon of Abinadab was over the Region of Dor in Manaſſehs portion; and it ſeems he was a man of great worth, for he married Taphath one of the daughters of Solomon. Ahimaaz's Province was in Naphtali; he alſo ſeems to be ſome great man, for he married Baſmath the other daughter of Solomon. Solomon's proviſion for one day was thirty meaſures of fine flower, and threeſcore meaſures of meal. The word tranſlated meaſure is in the Hebrew Cor, now one Cor contained about ten Ephas, and one Epha about three pecks of our meaſure, ſo that by this account Solomon had for every day a very great quantity both of flower and meal. Alſo ten oxen fatted in the ſtalls, and twenty out of the paſtures; alſo an hundred ſheep, beſides Harts, Robucks, fallow Deer, and fatted fowls. This ſtore ſhews that Solomon's houſhold was very great, but poſſibly under it are to be comprized his wives houſholds, and ſuch Companies of Soldiers as attended about the Court, yea and ſuch foreign Princes and Ambaſſadours as came from other Countries to his Court, and their retinues.
Thus thoſe Officers provided victuals for King Solomon, and for all that came to his Table, every man in his mouth, and by this means ſufficient proviſion was made for them all. 1 King. Ch. 4. from 1, to 26.
3. That wherein Solomon more eſpecially diſcovered his wiſdom was in the Proverbs, or wiſe and acute ſentences he ſpake, (which were three thouſand) and in the Divine Songs or Odes he compoſed, which were a thouſand and five. He ſpake alſo of trees from the Cedar in Lebanon to the Hyſop that ſprings out of the wall, and of beaſts and of fowl and of creeping things, and of fiſhes. So that he read Lectures of natural and moral Philoſophy, yea and of Divinity too to thoſe that were about him, or came to hear his wiſdom. He was alſo an excellent Poet as appears by thoſe many Songs and Odes (b)Liber odarum quam ediderat, complectebatur mille, & quinque odas. Non Theologus tantum & Philoſophus ſed inſignis Poëta. Sunt qui dicunt ex Canticis & Proverblis Solomonis ſolum utiliora Spiritus Sancti inſtinctu reſervata eſſe, & in libellos illos coacta qui hodie extant. Munſterus.he compoſed. 'Tis like he did dictate his Proverbs and Philoſophical inſtructions in familiar diſcourſe, which thoſe about him wrote down, and ſome of them are loſt. But let us be thankeful to God for thoſe that remain, and labour to make a good uſe of them. 1 King. 4.32, 33.
As for the Book of Proverbs it contains the chief of thoſe three thouſand wiſe ſentences which he ſpake.
The firſt nine Chapters contain inſtructions of piety and praiſes of wiſdom, with exhortations to get it; all which may ſerve as a large Preface to the whole Book. Then follow his Proverbs, or choice ſentences or wiſe Apothegmes. There is ſometimes a repetition of the ſame things which might eaſily happen by reaſon of the ſeveral collections of theſe Proverbs. The verity of ſome of them conſiſts in ſuch a generality of truth as ſtands good, and is for the moſt part ſo, and yet admits of alteration by the change of circumſtances. Throughout this Book Solomon ſpeaks one while in his own name, another while in his Fathers, then in Wiſdom's, elſewhere in his Mothers, and ſometimes in Gods name.
1. He ſeems to ſpeak in his own name in Ch. 1ſt, 2d, 3d.
2. He ſets down the ſumm of his Father David's inſtructions, Ch. 4.5, 6, 7.
3. He brings in wiſdom ſpeaking, Ch. 8.9.
4. He ſets down thoſe Proverbs of his own which he had ſet in order in his life time, from Ch. 10. to Ch. 25.
5. Then others are added which were gathered by the ſervants of King Hezekiah, from Ch. 25. to Ch. 30.
6. Then follows the Propheſie of Agur, Ch. 30.
7. And laſtly, the inſtructions which his mother gave him, Ch. 31. ſo that the collection ſeems made by ſundry perſons, and at ſundry times.
If we duly conſider the Book of Proverbs and Eccleſiaſtes we may out of them extract a Syſtem of
Ethicks.
Oeconomicks.
Politicks.
1. Let us conſider Solomon's Ethicks wherein he teaches a man how he may become a good man, and ſo be happy. In order hereunto he inſtructs him in the firſt place to get wiſdom whereby he will be directed how to perform all other duties required of him.
Prov. 2.10,*See Job. 28. from v. 12: to the end. 11, 12, 20. Prov. 3.13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 23. Ch. 4.7. Ch. 8.11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 33, 34, 36. Ch. 9.12. Ch. 13.14. Ch. 14.8, 16. Ch. 15.24. Ch. 16.16, 22, 23. Ch. 19.8. Ch. 23.23. Eccleſ. 2.13, 14. Eccleſ. 10.2.
2ly. He inſtructs him in the particular duties he owes
1. To God.
2. To his Neighbour.
3. To himſelf.
1. His duties towards God he ſhews him are theſe:
1. To remember his Creator in the days of his youth, Eccleſ. 12.1.
2. To truſt †Job 5.8, 12. 13. Ch. 13.15.in God, Prov. 3.5, 26. Ch. 14.26. Ch. 16.3, 20, 33. Ch. 18.10, 11. Ch. 19.21. Ch. 21.30. Ch. 28.26. Ch. 29.25.
3. To fear *Job 28.28.him, Prov. 1.7. Ch. 8.13. Ch. 9.10. Ch. 10.27. Ch. 14.27. Ch. 15.33. Ch. 16.6. Ch. 19.23. Ch. 23.17. Eccleſ. 12.13.
4. To obey him and walk uprightly before him. Ch. 12.28. Ch. 13.6, 21, 22. Ch. 14.11, 14. Ch. 15.6, 9, 29. Ch. 16.8, 31. Ch. 20.7. Ch. 21.15, 21, 27. Ch. 28.9, 13, 20.
2ly. His duties towards man he ſhews him are theſe:
1. He muſt be juſt and righteous in all his dealings with men, Prov. 3.33. Ch. 4.18. Ch. 10.6, 7. Ch. 11.1, 18, 19, 20, 21. Ch. 14.34. Ch. 20.10, 23.
2. Faithful in admoniſhing and reproving him when there is occaſion, and he is called to it. Prov. 9.8, 9. Ch. 11.30. Ch. 12.1, 15. Ch. 13.18. Ch. 15.5, 32. Ch. 17.10. Ch. 19.25. Ch. 24.24, 25. Ch. 25.12. Ch. 27.6. Ch. 28.23. Ch. 29.1.
3. Muſt be true to him.
1. He muſt be no lyar, Prov. 4.24. Ch. 12.22. Ch. 19.15.
2. No ſlanderer nor tale-bearer, Ch. 10.18. Ch. 11.13. Ch. 16.28. Ch. 17.9. Ch. 18.8. Ch. 20.19. Ch. 25.18, 23. Ch. 26.18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25.
3. No Flatterer, Prov. 29.5.
4. Loving, Prov. 10.12. Ch. 17.17. Ch. 18.24. Ch. 19.22. Ch. 24.17, 18.
5. Merciful †Job 29. from 12, to 18. Ch. 30.25. Ch. 31. from 16, to 33., Ch. 3.3, 27, 28. Ch. 11.17, 24, 25, 26. Ch. 12.10. Ch. 14.21, 31. Ch. 17.5. Ch. 18.23. Ch. 25.21, 22. Ch. 21.13. Ch. 19.17. Ch. 28.27. Ch. 29.7. Eccleſ. 11.1, 2.
6. Peaceable, Prov. 17.14. Ch. 26.17. Ch. 16.17.
7. Friendly, Prov. 27.9, 10, 17.
3ly. The duties he muſt perform, and the graces and vertues he muſt exerciſe in the government of himſelf, he ſhews him are theſe:
1. Prudence and watchfulneſs.
Particularly
1. Over his heart, Prov. 4.23.
2. Over his tongue, Prov. 12.13, 16, 18, 25. Ch. 17.20, 27. Ch. 15.7. Ch. 18.4. Ch. 14.3, 23. Ch. 21.23. Ch. 13.3. Ch. 15.2, 4, 23. Ch. 10.19, 20, 21. Ch. 11.12. Ch. 18.21. Ch. 29.11. Eccleſ, 3.7.
3. To keep himſelf from being inſnared by Suretiſhip, Prov. 6.1, 2, 3. Ch. 11.15. Ch. 17.18. Ch. 22.18.
2. Temperance, Prov. 23.2, 6, 7. Ch. 20.1. Ch. 21.17. Ch. 23.20, 21, 29, 30.
3. Chaſtity, Prov. 2.16, 17, 18, 19. Ch. 5. from 3, to 14. Ch. 6. from 24, to 34. Ch. 7. from 5, to 11, & 26. Ch. 9.16, 17, 18. Prov. 22.14. Ch. 23.27, 28.
4. Humility, Prov. 3.7, 34. Ch. 6.16, 17, 18. Ch. 11.2. Ch. 13.10. Ch. 15.25. Ch. 16.5, 18, 19. Ch. 18.12. Ch. 21.4, 24. Ch. 22.4. Ch. 26.12. Ch. 27.2. Ch. 28.14. Ch. 29.23.
5. Sincerity, Prov. 15.8. Ch. 14.14. Ch. 21.27.
6. Meekneſs, Prov. 14.17, 29. Ch. 15.1. Ch. 25.15, 28. Ch. 15.18. Ch. 26.4, 5. Ch. 29.20. Ch. 16.32. Ch. 18.19. Ch. 19.11. Ch. 22.24, 25. Ch. 20.3, 22. Ch. 29.22. Eccleſ. 7.9.
7. Diligence in his calling, Eccleſ. 9.10. Prov. 13.11. Ch. 22.13. Ch. 6. from 6, to 12. Ch. 10.4, 5, 22. Ch. 19.24. Ch. 20.4. Ch. 12.27. Ch. 18.9. Ch. 27.23. Ch. 26. from 13, to 17.
8. Patience, Prov. 3.11, 12. Ch. 24.10.
9. Moderation of affection to the things of the world, Eccleſ. 1.8, 14. Eccleſ. 2.1, 2, 11, 12. Eccleſ. 9.11. Prov. 30.7, 8.
10. Chearfulneſs and contentedneſs with his condition, Prov. 17.22. Prov. 15.15. Ch. 12.25. Eccleſ. 2.24. Eccleſ. 3.12, 13, 22. Eccleſ. 4.6. Eccleſ. 5.18, 19. Eccleſ. 6.1, 2. Eccleſ. 8.15. Eccleſ. 9.7. Eccleſ. 11.8, 9, 10.
Laſtly, He muſt aſſociate himſelf with thoſe that are good, Prov. 13.20. Ch. 14.7, 9. Ch. 28.19. Ch. 12.26.
2. Let us conſider Solomon's Oeconomicks, wherein he inſtructs a man how righly to order and govern his family.
A Family uſually conſiſts of theſe Relations,
Husband.
Wife.
Parents.
Children.
Maſters.
Servants.
Solomon inſtructs all theſe in their particular duties:
1. He teaches the Husband to be very thankful to God if he hath bleſſed him with a good wife, Prov. 18.22. Ch. 19.14. Ch. 11.16. Ch. 12.4. Ch. 31. from 10, to the end.
2. He teaches him how he ſhould carry himſelf towards his Wife, viz.
1. Wiſely as the guide of her youth, Prov. 2.17.
2. Faithfully, Prov. 5.15, 20. Eccleſ. 9.9.
3. Lovingly and chearfully, Prov. 5.17, 18, 19. Prov. 17.1. Prov. 15.17.
2. He teaches the Wife,
1. To be faithful to her Husband, remembring ſhe is tyed to him by the Covenant of God, Prov. 2.17.
2. Not to be brawling and contentious, Prov. 27.15. Prov. 21.9, 19. Ch. 19.13.
3. To be prudent and diſcreet in ordering her domeſtick affairs, Prov. 11.22. Ch. 14.1.
3. He inſtructs Parents in their duties, he ſhews them that they owe to their Children,
1. Inſtruction, Prov. 1.8, 9, 10, 15. Ch. 22.6.
2. Proviſion, Prov. 13.22.
3. Correction, Prov. 13.24. Ch. 19.18. Ch. 22.15. Ch. 23.13, 14. Ch. 29.17.
4. He ſhews Children that they owe to their Parents obedience, and care to pleaſe them, that ſo they may be a comfort to them, Prov. 10.1. Ch. 13.1. Ch. 20.20. Ch. 23.22, 24, 25. Ch. 28.7. Ch. 30.17. Ch. 15.20. Ch. 17.25. Ch. 19.13. Ch. 27.11.
5. He teaches Maſters to carry themſelves wiſely towards their ſervants, Prov. 29.12.21.
6. He ſhews Servants that they owe to their Maſters.
1. Faithfulneſs, Prov. 25.13. Ch. 13.17.
2. Diligence, Prov. 10.26. Ch. 22.29.
3ly. We come now to his Politicks, wherein he directs a man how he may be a good Magiſtrate. The qualifications of a good Magiſtrate he ſets down,
1. Negatively, ſhewing what he muſt not be:
1. Not laſcivious, Prov. 31.3.
2. Not riotous, Prov. 31.4, 5. Eccleſ. 10.16, 17.
3. Not falſe, Prov. 17.7.
4. Not an oppreſſor, Prov. 22.22, 23. Ch. 23.10, 11.
5. Not a rejecter of good counſel, Eccleſ. 4.13.
6. Not a taker of bribes, Prov. 15.27. Ch. 18.16. Ch. 19.6.
7. Not hearkning to lyes, Prov. 29.12.
2. Affirmatively, ſhewing what he ought to be.
1. Truly pious and religious towards God, Prov. 29.2. Ch. 16.12.
2. Juſt, Prov. 24.23. Ch. 17.15. Prov. 29.14. Eccleſ. 4.1. Eccleſ. 5.8. Prov. 18.5. Ch. 28.21. Ch. 31.8, 9. Prov. 28.15. Ch. 21.15. Ch. 22.22.
3. Merciful, Prov. 20 28.
3. He ſhews what duties thoſe that are under authority owe to their Magiſtrates,
1. Reverence, Prov. 24.21.
2. Obedience in lawful things, Eccleſ. 8.4.
And ſo much concerning the Proverbs of Solomon.
SECT. XIV.
SOlomon's fame being now ſpread far and wide, the Queen of Sheba (a Country that lay South *See Mat. 12.42., and far remote from Jeruſalem, probably in Arabia the happy) hearing of his renown, and the glorious Temple he had built for the name of the Lord, ſhe (out of her noble ſpirit) took a long and tedious journey (ſparing neither pains nor coſt) and came to Jeruſalem to ſee him, and hear his wiſdom. She came with a great train, and with many Camels laden with Spices, Gold, Precious ſtones, and ſuch rich things to preſent to Solomon; and being come ſhe communed with him, and propounded to him many hard and difficult queſtions to make trial of his wiſdom, and for her own information. And Solomon reſolved all her queſtions, there was nothing ſo dark or hard propounded by her to him that was hid from his knowledg or underſtanding. When ſhe had been there ſome time, and had diligently obſerved the great evidences of his wiſdom, and had ſeen the glorious Temple he had built, and all the Courts, and other excellent things thereunto appertaining, (ſo far as by a ſtranger they might be ſeen) with the other ſtately Palaces he had built, and particularly that ſtately Terrace or Gallery whereby he aſcended from his own Palace to the outward Court of the Temple, (the pillars on each ſide being made of†This is called the Kings Entry, 2 King. 6.18. precious wood (Ch. 9.12.) and had obſerved what a Royal houſe he kept, and the variety and plenty of diſhes at his Table, the attendance of his ſervants, and the richneſs and coſtlineſs of their attire according to their ſeveral degrees and places, and what plenty and variety of Plate, bread and wine, his Cup-bearers and Butlers ſet out, and the ſitting of his Courtiers and Servants at Table to eat, and in what decent order all things were managed and diſpoſed, there was no more ſpirit in her, ſhe was ſo aſtoniſhed with admiration: And ſhe ſaid unto the King, It was a true report I heard of thee in my own Country, and of thy wiſdom and glory: But I did not believe it till I came hither and ſaw it with my own eyes. And now I can truly ſay that the one half was not told me of what I here find. Thy wiſdom and proſperity far exceedeth what I heard of it. Happy are thy ſubjects, happy are thy ſervants that ſtand continually before thee, and hear thy wiſdom. Bleſſed be the Lord thy God who ſet his favour upon thee, and advanced thee to the Throne of thy Father, and made thee King over Iſrael, his peculiar people, that thou ſhouldſt execute the office of a King for him and under him as his deputy. 'Tis a manifeſt ſign that the Lord thy God loved Iſrael, in that he hath made thee King over them, to do judgment and juſtice, and to manage the affairs of the Kingdom with ſo much prudence and righteouſneſs. 'Tis a great ſign that God intends to eſtabliſh your Nation, and to make them a laſting and a long flouriſhing people, when he ſets ſuch wiſe and good Governours over them.
Then ſhe preſented the King with ſome rare jewels and precious ſtones, and with an hundred and twenty Talents of Gold, and with very great ſtore of excellent ſpices, ſuch as had not been brought thither before. Solomon kindly accepted her preſents, and fully requited her for them, and gave her of his Royal bounty ſome rare and precious things, and denied her not any thing ſhe deſired of him. So ſhe took her leave of him, and returned with her ſervants to her own Country.
1 King. Ch. 10. from v. 1, to 11. & v. 13.
2 Chron. Ch. 9. from v. 1, to 10. & v. 12.