The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 5 · Section 17 – Section 19
SECT. XVII.
GOD threatned Solomon, 2 Sam. 7.13, 14, 15. That if he committed iniquity he would chaſten him with the rod of men, and with the ſtripes of the children of men, but his mercy ſhould not depart from him. And accordingly he now ſtirred up three Adverſaries (a)Though Solomon's enemies had herein their own ends, yet the Lord us'd them as inſtruments of his Juſtice to puniſh his revolt.againſt him: 1. Hadad the Edomite: When David ſubdued the Edomites, 'tis ſaid, 2 Sam. 8.14. He put Garriſons through all Edom, and they became his ſervants. And at this time (as it ſeems) whilſt Joab purſued his victory, ſlaying all the males where he came, Hadad then (being very young) was hid, and afterwards ſecretly carried away by ſome of his Fathers ſervants (who alſo took ſome out of Paran that lay in the way to attend him) into Egypt, where he was kindly entertained by Pharaoh, who gave him an houſe and lands, and appointed him victuals, and a conſtant Table; and in time he came to be in ſo great favour with him that he gave him to wife his own Queens ſiſter who bare him a Son that was educated in Pharaoh's houſe. When this Hadad heard in Egypt that David and Joab were dead, he deſired leave of Pharaoh to return into his own Country. Pharaoh askt him what he lacked there? He ſaid nothing: However I deſire to return to my own Country that I may recover my Kingdom again. Pharaoh hearing this, kindly diſmiſſed him, and he came to his own Country where he was received for their King. Yet 'tis manifeſt he attempted nothing againſt Solomon for a long time after this. For till Solomon's fall in his old age, his enemies ſtirred not, ſee 1 King. 5.4. ſo that 'tis like Hadad at firſt made ſome Covenant with Solomon, and was his Tributary for his Kingdom, but at laſt he ſtirred againſt him and created him much trouble, yet he was not able quite to ſhake off his yoke, for the Edomites continued Tributaries to the Kings of Judah till Jehoram's reign, 2 Chron. 21.10.
2ly, God ſtirred up another enemy againſt Solomon, viz. Rezon, who when David had gotten the better of his Maſter in battel, and had vanquiſhed the Syrians, [ſee 2 Sam. 10.18.] he gathered together ſuch of them as were put to flight, ande made himſelf Captain over them; and for ſome time (tis like) lived by robbing and pillaging, till Solomon's declining days. And though 'tis not like that Solomon loſt any thing of that which his Father had gotten till himſelf fell from God, yet then (it ſeems) Rezon took courage to ſet upon Damaſcus (into which David had put a Garriſon, 2 Sam. 8.6.) and took it from Solomon, and there reigned as King. So that Solomon had now one enemy in the North, and another in the South.
3ly, A third enemy whom God ſtirred up againſt him was Jeroboam his own ſervant, of the Tribe of Ephraim, who had been raiſed and preferred by him. And the occaſion of his riſe was this: Solomon when he built Millo (of which ſee Ch. 9.15.) and repaired the breaches in Zion the City of David, going out often to ſee*The Maſters eye (they ſay) makes the horſe fat, and the ſervant to ſweat. his workmen, and to encourage them to diligence, he obſerved Jeroboam (who was then but a young man) to be very active and induſtrious in thoſe labours and ſervices he was ſet about; whereupon Solomon taking a liking to him, preferred him, and in time made him Receiver or Treaſurer for all the Kings revenue in the two Tribes of Ephraim and Manaſſeh: Upon a time when he went out of Jeruſalem to execute his Office, it happened that the Prophet Ahijah †He who with ſome others penned the Acts of Solomon, 2 Chron. 9.29.the Shilonite (who had clad himſelf with a new garment) met him and deſired ſome private conference with him, and when they were alone, he took off his new garment, and rent it into twelve pieces (according to the number of the Tribes of Iſrael) and gave ten of them to Jeroboam, ſaying, Thus ſaith the Lord, I will rend the Kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten Tribes to thee, becauſe they (b)Solomon giving way to his wives Idolatry proved a ſnare to the people, and occaſioned their revolt from God, and in this rent the people ſuffered as well as Rehoboam, the rent in the Kingdom proving an occaſion of continual Wars between Judah and Iſrael, which brought in many miſeries from foreign Nations upon both Kingdoms.have forſaken me, and worſhipped Aſhtaroth and Chemoſh, and Moloch, and have not walked in my ways to do that which was right in mine eyes, and to keep my ſtatutes and judgments as did David my ſervant. Howbeit I will not take the Kingdom from Solomon while he lives, but he ſhall be King thereof all his days, for David my ſervants ſake (whom I choſe) becauſe he kept my commandments and my ſtatutes. But I will take the Kingdom out of his Sons hands, viz. ten Tribes of it, and will give them unto thee. And unto his Son will I give one intire Tribe, (viz. Judah with Simeon (a)Ac proinde Synecdochice includitur. Nam e Benjamine tantum pars penes eum fuit. Jeroboamo ceſſerunt Bethel & Ephraim quae erant oppida Benjaminis.that is mixt with it, together with the greateſt part of the Tribe of Benjamin) that David my ſervant may have a light always before me in Jeruſalem, that is, a Royal glory ſhining in one of his poſterity, (who as a light may ſhine before the people and direct them) as long as that Kingdom ſhall laſt; [See 2 Sam. 21.17. 1 King. 15.4.] and that in Jeruſalem where my Temple is built, and where my name is ſolemnly call'd upon, and which is called after my name, the City of God. And I will take thee and make thee King over the Ten Tribes, and thou ſhalt be a Soveraign King and not under any Superiour on earth, ſo that thou maiſt reign according as thy ſoul deſireth. And if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that which is right in my ſight to keep my ſtatutes and commandments as David my ſervant did, I will be with thee and build thee a ſure houſe, that is, ſo eſtabliſh thy Kingdom that it ſhall continue in thy poſterity as I promiſed to David. And though I will by this diviſion of the Kingdom ſorely afflict the houſe of David, yet I will not do it for ever. For though they ſhall be carried into captivity, yet they ſhall be brought back again, and the Meſſiah ſhall at laſt be born of the ſeed of David, who ſhall continue to reign moſt gloriouſly for ever.
Ahijah having delivered what God commanded him to Jeroboam, took his leave of him. How Jeroboam was affected with this ſurprizing meſſage we may eaſily imagine. It ſeems he preſently imparted it to ſome of his friends, and poſſibly thereby deſigned to draw off their hearts from Solomon and to make a party for himſelf. Solomon it ſeems got ſome intelligence hereof, and thereupon ſought to kill him. Jeroboam hearing of the Kings fierce anger againſt him, fled preſently into Egypt to Shiſhack the preſent King thereof, who (as 'tis probable) was Solomon's wife's brother, and poſſibly was much offended with him for taking ſo many wives beſides his ſiſter; and therefore for that or ſome other reaſon he gave entertainment to Jeroboam, and he continued there till Solomon's death.
1 King. Ch. 11. from v. 14, to 41.
SECT. XVIII.
SOlomon now having reigned in Jeruſalem over all Iſrael forty years, died and ſlept with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David his Father. He left only three children (though he had ſo many wives and concubines) viz. two daughters who were married to two of his own ſubjects (as we may ſee, Sect. 13.) and one Son, viz. Rehoboam who reigned in his ſtead.
The Acts of Solomon were written by Nathan, Ahijah, and Iddo, Prophets that lived in his time, 2 Chron. 9.29. But this Book of the Acts of Solomon ſeems to have been ſome compleat Hiſtory not now extant, of the reign of Solomon gathered out of the ſeveral writings of theſe Prophets, and other records of thoſe times, wherein poſſibly many paſſages of his life were ſet down not expreſſed in the Sacred Hiſtory. And among other things poſſibly that of his repentance, which though it be not here ſo clearly mentioned, yet it may be gathered from 2 Chron. 11.17. For three years they walked in the ways of David and Solomon his Son: where Solomon and David are jointly commended. Some alſo collect it from that promiſe, Pſal. 89.33. Nevertheleſs I will not utterly take away my loving kindneſs from him, nor ſuffer my faithfulneſs to fail. But eſpecially from the Book of Eccleſiaſtes, which queſtionleſs was written as a publick teſtimony of his Repentance. And in the 2 Pet. 1.20, 21. we find that all the Penmen of the holy Scripture are ſaid to have been holy men of God. And 'tis probably conjectured that Solomon before his death did throw down Idolatry, and reſtrain'd his wives from it, in that the people who ſet themſelves to defame his Government complained of no ſuch matter to Rehoboam, Chap. 12.4.
1 King. Ch. 11. from 41, to the end.
2 Chron. Ch. 9. from v. 29,*V. 29. In the viſions of Iddo] that is, ſuch Viſions and Revelations as were regiſtred, being by Gods Spirit manifeſted to Iddo. It ſeems this Iddo who wrote the Hiſtory of Rehoboam, Ch. 12.15: did alſo join the ſtory of Jeroboam therewith, againſt whom he wrote. to the end.