(7) Tie rebellion of Sheba, II Sam. 20:1-22. (8) The story of
Adonijah, I K. Ch. 1. (9) List David's last commands to Solomon, I K.
2:1-9. (10) Nathan's parable to David, II Sam. 12:1-9, 13-15. (11) The
greatest fault of Absalom, of Joab. (12) Joab, the avenger, II Sam.
2:17-32, 3:22-30, 18:9-15, 20:4-10.




Chapter XII.

Solomon's Reign.

I K. Chs. 1-12; II Chron. Chs.1-9.

The Riddle of Solomon's Character. Few Biblical characters manifested
such contradictory elements of character. Early in life he manifested
an earnest, conscientious and religious spirit. He was prayerful and
sought above all else wisdom and that for the good reason that he
might be able to rule well. He built the temple and thereby magnified
the worship of Jehovah.

His prayer at the dedication of this temple were not only humble and
fervent but were expressive of the very highest loyalty to Jehovah as
the one supreme God and to all the high purposes of the divine will in
Israel. But in spite of all this he put upon the people such heavy
burdens of taxation as to crush them. He trampled under foot the
democratic ideals of the nation and adopted the policy of oriental
despots which tended to make free-born citizens mere slaves of the
king. He lived a life of the basest sort of self-indulgence. He