A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Commentary on 1 and 2 Kings · Chapter 3
1 Kings CHAP. III.
THIS Chapter gives a Relation of the Eſtabliſhment of Solomon's Kingdom more particularly. Namely by a twofold Means, the firſt is External, and the ſecond Internal.
The Firſt Means of an External Nature, was Solomon's making Affinity with Pharaoh King of Egypt, &c. ver. 1. Remarks upon it, are
(1.) Wiſe Solomon had no ſooner ſubdued all his factious Spirits at home, but he begins to make Leagues abroad, for his eſtabliſhment, and began with Egypt, for theſe Reaſons. (1.) Egypt bordered upon the South of Iſrael, Numb. 34.3, 4, 5. And ſo theſe two Kingdoms, being contiguous, might have the more familiarity, the one with the other. (2.) Thoſe two Kings, Pharaoh King of Egypt, and Solomon King of Iſrael were the moſt renowned Kings in all the World at this time, and therefore might be the more forward, to make Affinity each with other, for their mutual eſtabliſhment, being both of them Prudent as well as Potent Neighbours. (3.) That Solomon might Marry the Daughter of this Pharoah, or Vaphres, as Serrarius calls Him.
The Second Remark is, The League betwixt thoſe two Kings was confirmed by Solomon's contracting a Marriage with the Daughter of Egypt, which doubtleſs he did not, until ſhe was proſelyted to the true Religion, profeſſed the Faith of Iſrael, and received into the Church, as Zipporah, Rahab, Ruth, and ſundry others were: Otherwiſe had ſhe been a groſs Idolatreſs, Solomon would ſomewhere have been blamed for acting ſo contrary to the Law of God, as he is for loving many other ſtrange Women, Chap. 11.1. nor could it conſiſt with that Love of God, for which he is ſo highly commended to have in the beginning of his Kingdom, ver. 3.
N. B. Beſide, that Solomon ſinn'd not herein, appears plainly both from Pſalm 45. and the Song of Solomon, wherein this Marriage of his is made a Type of Chriſt's Marrying the Gentile World.
The Third Remark is, Solomon loved this Queen above all his other Wives, and ſo preferr'd her before them, as to build a moſt ſumptuous Palace for her, Chap. 7.8. which he did not the like for any other, though at preſent he placed her in the Palace of David. Which ſoon grew too narrow to entertain the Grandeur of Her, that was the Daughter of ſo powerful a King, whereas his other Wives were Daughters of ſuch Nations as were Subjects and Tributaries to him: Yet are we told here, that Solomon did ſerve God and Himſelf, before he ſerved this great Queen, for his Wiſdom did well chuſe in the firſt place to build a Temple for God's Worſhip, and then a Palace for himſelf, which he likewiſe finiſhed, and in the third place a Palace for this Queen diſtinct from his own, but adjoining cloſe to it, therefore he finiſhed his own before it, Chap. 7.8.
The ſecond Means of confirming the Kingdom of Solomon, were Internal, which be two, (1.) His Piety. And (2.) His Prudence.
Remarks firſt upon his Piety highly extoll'd in ver. 3.
The (1.) is, Solomon is ſaid to Love the Lord, which is the great command, Matth. 22.36, 37. The fulfilling of the Law, Rom. 13.10. and is not only the beſt ground of Obedience, Joh. 14.15. but alſo laies an Holy conſtraint to do all Duty, 2 Cor. 5.14. And this is ſaid of Solomon to evidence the Sincerity and Ardency of his Soul towards God in his younger Years, though his Zeal fail'd after.
The Second Remark is, The Excellency of Solomon's Piety is firſt ſet off by the contrary to it, namely the Impiety and Will-worſhip of the People, ver. 2. Contraria juxta ſe poſita magis eluceſcunt: One contrary (placed by another) gives Luſtre to each other: The People worſhipped in high places, which was expreſly forbidden in the Law of God, Levit. 17.3, 4. Deut. 13.14. This was therefore Will-worſhip and Impiety in the People, the Reaſon rendred there [becauſe no Temple was yet built] this only excus'd them a tanto, but not a toto, in part, but not wholly, for they had then other places to offer Sacrifices at; as Gibeon, where the Tabernacle and the Altar of Moſes were, 1 Chron. 16.39. and 21.29. and 2 Chron. 1.3, 5, 6. And they had Sion, where the Ark of God was, 2 Sam. 6.16, 17. and 1 King. 8.1. and they having the Tabernacle, were as much confined to it, as to the Temple, Deut. 12.2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13. But long Cuſtom (even from ſome Patriarch's Practice) made this Heatheniſh Cuſtom, Jer. 7.31. Ezek. 6.3, 4. Hoſ. 10.8. More imitable, and the Law of the Tabernacle leſs regarded: But Solomon's Piety in building a glorious Temple, muſt be the moſt probable means to call off the People from their former vain Cuſtoms, both ſweetly and ſwiftly.
The Third Remark is, Solomon's piety is next illuſtrated by its own exerciſe, in his Worſhipping God both at Gibeon where the Tabernacle of God was, ver. 4. and at Sion where the Ark of God was, ver. 15. and though it be ſaid, [Only he Sacrificed in High Places,] ver. 3. which ſeemeth to tax Solomon of the ſame folly with the Wilworſhipping People: But this muſt be looked upon as very improbable that the Holy Spirit ſhould ſo highly commend him for his tranſcendent Love to God, and diſcommend him for ſo groſs a failure and all with one Breath in one Verſe: Therefore thoſe High Places there mentioned, may relate to the People's practice, or only to Gibeon and Sion (where Solomon (as we read) only worſhipped. Though the word [High Place] be uſually taken in an ill ſenſe, yet here, ver. 3. and 2 Chron 1.3. 'tis taken in a good ſenſe, which is plainly explained by the ſubſequent verſes in both thoſe places above quoted: And though it be ſaid here, that Solomon Sacrificed in High-places in the Plural Number, yet both thoſe High-places are expreſly mentioned to be Gibeon and Jeruſalem, both places permitted by the Lord untill the Temple was erected: Compare ver. 4, 15. here, with 2 Chron. 1.3, 4, 5. where we find recorded how Solomon did his Devotion in both thoſe places: As
Firſt, At Gibeon, (call'd the Great High-place) where was the greateſt Synagogue in the Land; for there ſtood the Tabernacle and the Brazen Altar that Moſes had ſet up, being brought thither as to its place, the chief Reſidence of the Sons of Ithamar who waited on the Sanctuary when Shilo fell: Thither did Solomon go and all the Congregation with him, 2 Chron 1.3. and there offered Sacrifices, deſcribed both in their quantity and quality, ver. 4, 15. here, and in that place God appeared to him, ver. 5. which was a Divine approbation of Solomon's Piety in this High Place: There God gave him the Grace of Wiſdom in the higheſt degree of a Spiritual Habit. And
Secondly, We read of his going from Gibeon (which firſt ſubmitted to Joſhua, Joſh. 9.3, 4. and was afterwards given to the Prieſts and Levites, Joſh. 21.17.) up to Jeruſalem, where he stood before the Ark of God and offered up Burnt Offerings and Peace Offerings, &c. ver. 15. and 2 Chron. 1.13. And there God gave him the Act and Exerciſe of that great Habit of the Grace of Wiſdom (before given him) when he determined that dark and doubtful Caſe betwixt the two Harlots, when he was (ſaith Dr. Light foot) but Twelve Years Old. Thus far of Solomon's Piety, the firſt Internal means of his Confirmation in his Kingdom: The ſecond means of his Eſtabliſhment was his Prudence or Wiſdom; which is to be diſcourſed upon under a double Head: The firſt is, How Solomon obtained it, and ſecondly, How he Exerciſed it.
Remarks upon the former are,
Firſt, Solomon went to Gibeon to ſeek God by Prayer as well as by Sacrifice, that he might be the better prepared to Build the Temple; whereunto he now thought it high time to Addreſs himſelf, both after a Three Years preparation for materials, and after the ſlaughter of Shimei the laſt of his Malecontents: Now when he had ſpent all the Day in moſt Paſſionate and Pathetical Prayers for Wiſdom in his ſo great Undertakings and Government, 'tis probable (ſaith Peter Martyr,)
N. B. He begg'd the ſame Petition in his Dream by Night, for what we earneſtly long for, while we are Waking, we uſually Dream of them in our deſires when Aſleep.
The Second Remark is, The Lord appeared to Solomon at Gibeon, ver. 5. The King had ſpent all the Day in due Devotion, and God appeared to him at Night, to evidence to him his acceptance of that Worſhip.
N. B. Dr. Hall hath this Divine Contemplation upon it: Well may we expect to enjoy God, when we have been duly and truly ſerving him: That Night cannot but be ſurely Happy, when the Day before hath been Sincerely Holy: And in 2 Chron. 1.7. where the ſame History is recorded, there is no mention, neither of Solomon's Sleep or of Dream, but barely, That God appeared to him by Night; which makes ſome Learned Men to think this was a Viſion, and not a Dream, and the rather becauſe Solomon ſo largely Anſwers God's Question in it.
The Third Remark is, 'Tis ſaid expreſly that Solomon was Aſleep and Dreamed, ver. 5. and awakenning after all, he perceived it was a Dream, ver 15. here: Of which there be Three ſorts,
Firſt, The Natural Dreams, which be oft Vain: Solomon himſelf ſaith, in the multitude of Dreams there is much Vanity, Eccleſs. 5.7. Many Men are commonly deluded by theſe Dreams, fancying to themſelves ſuch things as really are not, Iſa. 29.8.
The Second ſort are Diabolical, wherein the Devil as a Spirit works upon the fancy of his Vaſſals, and impoſeth falſe things upon his Diviners, Zach. 10.2. Hence Nocturnal Pollutions, &c. This is more largely Treated upon in the Firſt Volume, on Jacob's Dream.
The Third ſort are truly Divine Dreams, which was one of God's methods to communicate his mind to his Prophets and People, Numb. 12.6. Hebr. 1.1, 2. In this one of God's manifold manner of the manifeſtation of his will to Men, ſometimes Men ſaw Viſions and Apparitions which God ſet before their Eyes, as Gen 28.12. and ſometimes Real Objects, as Gen. 31.10. and ſometimes Men heard God's Voice as Solomon did here, asking him a Queſtion, and he underſtanding the ſenſe of God's Voice returned his Anſwer, ver. 6, 7, 8, 9.
N. B. This admirable tranſaction betwixt God and Solomon in his Sleep, ſheweth us what an Almighty Teacher God is, who can with aſtoniſhment inſtruct Men when they are leaſt capable of inſtruction, even then, when all their ſenſes are faſt lock'd up from executing thier functions, &c. 'Tis leſs matter how dull the Scholar is when God himſelf undertakes to be the inſtructer, who can enlighten both Organ and Object, &c.
The Fourth Remark is, After God had bid Solomon ask (ſaying the ſame in effect to us, Matth. 7.7. Iſa. 45.11. and Jam. 1.5.) He anſwers by asking, expreſſed by many circumſtances, Cauſing the Lips of him that was Aſleep to ſpeak, as he ſaith himſelf in his Song of Songs, Cant. 7.9. when he had taken a due doſe of that which went down ſweetly at God's appearance to him. We are expreſly told, (Solomon ſaid] ver. 6. either he dreamed what he ſaid, or he really ſaid it; for in this Divine Dream 'tis but reaſonable to allow ſomething extraordinary, and that which was regardable both to God and to Men, and Solomon might be now in ſuch an Extatical Rapture as the Apoſtle Paul was, 2 Cor. 12.3. His Soul was for a ſeaſon out of the Body.
N. B. Beſide the Circumſtances of Place, Time and Occaſion of Solomon's Anſwer to God's Voice, the manner how he managed his Prayer is very Remarkable: As
Firſt, In its Prologue, wherein he preſſeth for God's Audience and Acceptance by recognizing his marvellous mercies to his Father David, &c. ver. 6.
Secondly, His Propoſition, to wit, his Petition for perſonal Wiſdom, ver. 9. to mannage ſo great a work that lay upon his hand.
Thirdly, His Confirmation of it by an Argument a neceſſario, from a double neceſſity, both as to himſelf and as to his Subjects;
Firſt, As to himſelf, he humbly acknowledges, that he was but a little Child, ver. 7. though David before this had call'd him a wiſe Man, Chap. 2.9. Whence ſome ſuppoſe him to be about Twenty Years Old at this Time, yet calls he himſelf a Child as Iſhmael is ſo called at Eighteen Years Old, Gen. 21.14, 15. and Rehoboam when Fourty Years Old, 2 Chron 13.7. but principally, becauſe he was Raw and Ʋnexperienced as a Child in all State Affairs; therefore begs a greater increaſe of Wiſdom: And that,
Secondly, Upon the Account of his People, who were a numberleſs Number, Numb. 23.10. God having performed his promiſe to Abraham, Gen. 15.5, 6, &c. Now (ſaith he) I am not able to ſway ſuch a Maſſy Scepter, nor Rule ſo great a People, Lord qualifie me for ſo great a Government, ver. 8, 9.
The Fifth Remark is, God's Commendation of, and Condeſcenſion to Solomon's Petition, ver. 10.11, 12, 13, 14. Wherein Mark
Firſt, God was well pleaſed with his Dreaming-prayer, becauſe God had put it into Solomon's Heart to Pray this Prayer to him: He could not have ſo done, had not God given him to do it. God loves and likes that which is his own, and both accepts and rewards that which is his own actings in us, Iſa. 26.12.
Mark Secondly, God taketh diſtinct notice what Men moſt deſire in Prayer: God was well pleaſed with Solomon that he asked not ſuch Temporal things, as the Men of the World are bewitched with, Pſal. 4.6, 7. and 34.12, &c. He neither ask'd a long Life for himſelf, nor a ſhort Life for his Enemies, but Spiritual Wiſdom, which included Holineſs (though Rupertus blame him for not asking it) for this is to be wiſe unto Salvation.
Mark Thirdly, God gave him what he asked, ver. 12. a wiſe and an underſtanding Heart, even ſo enlarged as the Sand upon the Sea Shore, chap. 4.29. He had a very Sea of knowledge within him, and might better than Hierom be ſaid to know all things knowable.
N. B So that he excelled and exceeded all that went before him, even David, Moſes, Abraham, yea and Adam himſelf after his fall: He was the Wiſeſt meer Man (take him for every thing) that ever was either before or after him: Inſomuch as he had all manner of Knowledge, both Natural, Moral, and Supernatural infuſed into him, and ſo became a moſt notable Type of Chriſt, in whom are hid all the treaſures of Wiſdom and Knowledge, Col. 2.3.
Mark Fourthly, Yea ſo liberal was God to Solomon, that he gave to him more Wiſdom than he asked, for he did not deſire that God ſhould make him the Wiſeſt Man that ever was in the World, but only a competency for himſelf in order to Salvation, and for Governing his great people.
N. B. As God's granting him what he Deſired (had no more been granted him) might well move Believers to Relye upon the Lord for obtaining what we Deſire of him according to his Will, 1 Joh. 5.14. When we bring before him Lawful Requeſts and Honeſt Hearts: So how much more may this be a ſtronger Motive to praying work when we find the moſt bountiful God overdoing here even Solomon's Deſires in the very Grace that he Deſired!
Mark Fifthly, God did not only give him more Degrees, yea even the perfection of Wiſdom, than he asked, but he likewiſe gave him many other great and good things which he asked not, ver. 13. that he ſhould alſo be a None-ſuch both for Wealth and Honour as well as Wiſdom.
N. B. Oh who would not but be a Praying-ſoul to ſuch a Prayer-hearing God, who hath oft given us more than we have asked! Eph. 3.20. and many times gives us what we asked not, Iſa. 65.24. He hath promiſed to do ſo. [Seek firſt the Kingdom of God, and all other things ſhall be added,] Matth. 6.33. ſo far as God ſees them good for us, they ſhall be caſt in to the bargain, as Paper and Pack-threed is in a Grocer's Shop with a pound of Plumbs: Piety aſſureth Plenty ſo far as is neceſſary, Prov. 3.16. 1 Tim. 4.8. 'tis the Character of an Impious man not to call upon God, Pſal. 14.4. Yea God promiſes long life to him here, ver. 14. upon condition of his Conſtancy, this (as the Oar) turns the Boat another way, &c. Thus have we ſeen, how Solomon obtained his unparallel'd Wiſdom in the Gift and Habit, now in the next place we have the Act and Enerciſe of it. The occaſion was, when Solomon had received this tranſcendent Gift at Gibeon, He comes home to Sion, ſolemnly to praiſe God with his Burnt Offerings and Peace Offerings, &c. for ſo matchleſs a Mercy, ver. 15. Then God order'd it ſo, Two Harlots ſtood before the King for Judgment, ver. 16. in a Controverſie between them; 'tis ſuppoſed they had complained to inferiour Courts, and the controverſie could not be concluded there, therefore make they their Appeal to Solomon, for whom God purpoſely Reſerved it that he might give the firſt Specimen and Demonſtration of his profound Prudence (received from the Lord in his Appearnce to him at Gibeon) by his moſt wiſely deciding this dark Caſe publickly before the People.
N. B. Behold here the moſt wonderful Trial of the Darkeſt Caſe and Difficulteſt Cauſe, that ever was tranſacted before any Humane Tribunal, either in Civil or in Sacred Records, from ver. 16, to the end of the Chapter.
Remarks upon this ſtupendous Tryal by Solomon.
The Firſt is, that which was previous to it, ver, 15. The Time when it was, namely, immediately after Solomon had ſolemniz'd his Marriage-day with his Wife, which was Divine Wiſdom, (ſaith Sanctius:) This Solomon ſolemnly obſerved, as an high Feſtival-day, by giving God his part in his Burnt, Offering, the Lord's Prieſts their part in his Peace offering, and with the reſt, He feaſted all his Subjects (as Peter Martyr well marketh) that accompanied him in this Solemnity at Sion; this was to quicken them in thankfulneſs.
The Second Remark is, the Perſons that came to complain to Solomon, as he ſat upon his Throne, the Supream Judge of Iſrael. Theſe are called [Zonoth] which ſome rend Hoſteſſes or Victuallers rather than Harlots, as I have noted before concerning Rahab, Joſh. 2.1, &c. for which, theſe Reaſons are rendred,
(1.) Holy David, durſt not neglect that Law of God, which ſaith [There ſhall be no Whore of the Daughters of Iſrael] Deut. 23.17. If Harlots were not permitted in any part of Iſrael, much leſs in Jeruſalem, call'd the Holy City.
N. B. Not like to Ʋnholy Rome at this Day, which allows of Common Stews and Brothel Houſes (paying a vaſt Revenue to the Pope) ad purgandos Renes, as their Phraſe is, to purge the Reins of their Ʋnmarried Prieſts, eſpecially in the three hot Months; but curſed be that Remedy of Sin, that is it ſelf a Sin: God will not have a Gain, to be recompens'd with ſuch a loſs.
The Second Reaſon, as neither David, nor Solomon would tolerate common Harlots, ſo neither durſt any ſuch have preſented themſelves before ſo Wiſe, and ſo Juſt a Judge, as Solomon was.
The Third Reaſon, nor do common Harlots uſe to bring forth Children, but uſe all the means they can to prevent their Conception, or to make away their Brats if born, for the better concealing their ſhame, &c.
The Fourth Reaſon, Thoſe two Women had better Affections for their new-born Children, than for the moſt part Harlots now have: Theſe two expreſs here greater Care and Love than ſuch do, &c.
N. B. But the other Opinion (that they were Harlots) ſeems more probable:
(1.) Seeing we hear of no Husbands they had, whoſe proper Office it had been to conteſt for righting their Wives.
(2.) They lived a ſolitary Life in one Houſe, like a couple of Miſses maintain'd by their fornicating Gallants privately.
(3.) Lavater addeth, that they were Envious, Impudent and Litigious as Harlots uſe to be, quarrelling each with other through Emulation; 'twas lately the Language of a Royal Harlot to her Corrival: Two of a Trade can never agree, but ſeeing the Hebrew Word [Zoneh] ſignifies both an Hoſteſs and an Harlot, they might poſſibly be both the former by their publick Profeſſion, and the latter by their ſecret Practice (as Junius and Piſcator Judge) and not common Whores.
The Third Remark is, they both come before the King, and the true Mother of the living Child is the Plaintiff, and firſt States her Caſe [complaining of a Plagiary, that her Child was ſtolen out of her Boſom by her Co-partner, but alas, ſhe had no witneſs to prove it; yet ſhe confidently affirms, that when the other Woman had ſmother'd her own Child by over-laying it, ſhe ſteals my Babe out of my Boſom, when I was faſt aſleep about Midnight, and laies her own Dead Child in its Room, &c.] ver. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21.
The Fourth Remark is, now the other Woman comes to her turn of Anſwering as Defendant, and peremptorily denies the Fact, and puts her to produce her Witneſſes, for it belong'd not to her to Diſprove this Matter of Difference. 'Tis the received Rule in Philoſophy, [Affirmanti incumbit probatio] they that Affirm, muſt prove the Affirmative, but none are obliged to prove Negatives: This Advantage the Lyar and Denyer had againſt her that ſpake truly; and it concern'd her the more to deny the Deed, becauſe (as Sanctius ſaith) her fear was ſhe ſhould be queſtion'd for murthering her Child, for either Law, or Cuſtom appointed a Puniſhment for thoſe that either willingly, or by careleſsneſs deſtroyed their Children.
The Fifth Remark is, when Solomon ſaw, that ſhe who had the Truth on her ſide, would not be overcome by the Impudency of the Lyar, and Denier, ver. 22. Yet was there no Evidence, the Yea of the One was of no more Credit (ſaith Peter Martyr) than the Nay of the other; becauſe they were both equally Women of bad Name and Fame, as reputed Harlots: Theſe Scolding Contradictions of Yea and Nay ſo oft repeated, undoubtedly made the Matter of Controverſie a blind Buſineſs to all the People in the Court, who now hung in ſuſpence, and could not tell which of the two to Believe herein. But wiſe Solomon knew, what he had to do in this Dark Caſe, when he ſaid, ver. 23. here's nothing but an equal Yea and Nay without Proof.
Objection, Why did not Solomon in this dubious Cauſe, either ſift out the Truth by croſs Interrogatories, or try them with tortures, &c?
Anſwer, Peter Martyr ſaith, Theſe ways of examining Perſons were probably not uſed in thoſe times, nor do we read that ſuch Methods are required in the Law of God, and Confeſſions conſtrained by ſqueezing Tortures are dubious, oft as falſe as true.
The Sixth Remark is, Solomon to decide the Difference, bids [bring me a Sword] ver. 24. This command of the King, ſeem'd a childiſh Act at firſt to the People that ſtood by (ſaith Sanctius out of Joſephus) and Peter Martyr addeth, likely ſome laughed within themſelves, ſaying ſecretly [Will the King go cut Cauſes with a Sword] but his Deſign was above theirs, or the two Womens reach: The Actions of wiſe Kings oft tranſcend Vulgar Capacities, nor can they comprehend their deep Projects. Solomon ſpeaks with ſome earneſtneſs [divide the living Child in two, &c.] ver. 25. This Sword ſhall force Nature to ſpeak in the Bowels of the true Mother, which he well knew would work, as indeed it did, ver. 26. She rather chus'd to have her living Son alienated than deſtroyed, by which Motherly Affection, Solomon judg'd her the true Mother, ver. 27. this ſingular Sagacity of Solomon made good Men Reverence him, and bad Men Dread him as a ſtrict Judge, ver. 28.
N. B. (1.) All wreſters of God's Word, 2 Pet. 3.16. Harlot-like lay their dead Fancies in the Boſom of the Scripture the Mother, and ſteal the Living Senſe from it.
N. B. (2.) Arminians in dividing Man's Salvation betwixt God's Free Grace, and Man's Free Will, and Papiſts 'twixt Chriſt and Works, do according to Salomon's but ſeeming Sentence, never deſigning it, ſaying [give half to the one, and half to the other, &c.]
N. B. (3.) The King of Thrace, learn'd this Leſſon from Solomon, when three Son's pretended themſelves Heirs to the Crown of Cimmoria, that King being Dead: To decide the Difference, he orders them to take up their Dead Father, ſet him as a Mark, and which of the three could come neareſt his Heart ſhould have the Crown, thereupon the Corps was taken up, two of them ſhot with their utmoſt Dexterity, but the third cried, God forbid I ſhould ſeem ſo cruel to my Father now dead, who was ſo kind to me while living, by this the King judg'd him the true Son, and both the other Baſtards, even ſo are they that dare break the Heart of God (as he complains, Ezek. 6.9.) by Belching out blaſphemous Oaths, &c. ſuch are no better than Baſtards, &c.