Obrazy na stronie
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Both appear before the goddess with their claims. She commands that each shall seize an arm and a leg and pull at it. The mother of the child is recognised by her refusal" (Philippson). Solomon demonstrated his capacity as judge in the case in hand, in so far especially that, in the absence of witnesses and of outward means of proof, he knew how to bring the secret truth to light in such way as to convince the contestants themselves. The words of Prov. xvi. 10 are here confirmed. While Niemeyer, in the judgment of Solomon, recognises, if not "God's wisdom," at least "rapid decision, presence of mind, and an accurate insight into human nature," other theologians of the illuminatiperiod, have seen nothing more than "the proceeding of an Oriental despot, a fancy which would not do much to subserve the interests of a European prince" (G. L. Bauer in Keil on the place). He who judges so unwisely, only shows in the act, that in like or similar circumstances he would scarcely have reached so wise a judgment as Solomon's. Little as Solomon's procedure may corre

xxix. 7, 8); in so far, however, as man is then re- | instance "is adduced by Robertson from an Indian moved entirely from the sensible and outward book. A woman in bathing left her child on the world, and is in the condition of a pure psychical bank of a pond. A female demon who was passintuition, he can, more than in the natural, wakeful ing by carried it off. condition, become a more receptive soil for divine influences and communications. Hence, in Ecclesiasticus xxxi. (xxxiv.) 2 sq., while the nothingness of dreams is taught, yet in ver. 6 this statement follows: ἐὰν μὴ παρὰ ὑψίστου [sc. τὰ ἐνύπνια] ἀποσταλῇ ἐν ἐπισκοπῇ, μὴ δῶς εἰς αὐτὰ τὴν καρδίαν σου. Dreams of the latter description are placed, consequently, on a level with prophecy and visions, which are the operation of the of Jehovah (Joel iii. 1). But these invariably presuppose a certain spiritual temper upon the part of the dreamer. "The prophetic dream of the night, as a rule, is connected with the moral reflections and presentiments of the day" (Lange, on Gen. xx. 3). A soul directed towards God and divine things in its wakeful state, is peculiarly fitted, in the stillness of the night, in its involuntary expressions, i. e., in its dreams, to receive purely spiritual, inwardly divine influences. Such was the case with Solomon. His dream shows what then agitated and filled his soul, and that the festivity he then held was not an empty political ceremony, but resulted from an actual re-spond to our present notions of the administration ligious need. An Adonijah, at his feast at the spring Rogel (chap. i. 9-25), would never have been able to dream so. If ever dream contained nothing chimerical (visionary), it was Solomon's dream at Gibeon. [Bp. Hall, beautifully: "Solomon worships God by day: God appears to Solomon by night. Well may we look to enjoy God when we have served him.-E. H.]

of justice, formally considered, nevertheless that which for all time remains the chief point was not wanting, ver. 12-the divine gift of bringing to light the secret, inward fact, and of awakening the sleeping conscience, so that falsehood and misrepresentation vanish, and the truth comes forth. Without this gift all forms and rules of investi gation avail nothing; yea, as experience has so often shown, they serve to pervert the conscience and to conceal the truth.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL.

4. The prayer of Solomon unites in itself all that belongs to a true prayer. It affords evidence especially of the genuine theocratic spirit in which this son of David had been educated, and was now entering upon his royal office. He recognises the greatness of the task to be the king of the people which Jehovah has chosen from among all peoples Ver. 1. CRAMER: Although marriage with perof the earth, and his first and greatest anxiety is sons of unlike faith be allowed, and is in itself no to comply with this demand. He feels that he, sin (1 Cor. vii. 14), it is, nevertheless, better that especially in his youth and inexperience, cannot do one avoid it, because the unbelieving perverts the this of his own strength, and he prays for enlight-believer more frequently than the believer converts enment from on high, not so much for himself as for the sake of the people. It is not his own merit which gives him courage for this prayer, but he rests it upon the divine grace and mercy which his father had so richly experienced. His words are not many, but the few he utters are the expression of a living, child-like faith, as simple and substantial as it is inward and true.

5. The history of the two women "is genuinely Oriental, in which we must dismiss from our minds wholly, our forms of justice and processes of proof: since an accurate, striking flash, which solves the difficulty, in living, immediate insight with one stroke, as with the sharpness of a sword, is far loftier than a regular consideration and balancing of the grounds advanced, for and against. Therefore, this visdom, as belonging to the period, to the land, and to the whole people, must be looked upon as a high gift of God, as, indeed, it actually was " (Gerlach). Examples of similar judicial decision are not wanting in antiquity. Grotius observes: Non dissimile illud Ariopharnis regis Thracum, qui de tribus filios se Cimmeriorum regis dicentibus eum pro filio habuit, qui jussus cadaver patris jaculis noluerat, incessere. Que historia est apud Siculum Diodorum. Another

the unbeliever.-STARKE: God has the hearts of all men in His hands, and can bring it to pass that they who have been inimical to us, and have despis ed us, shall hold us in great honor (Prov. xvi. 7; Gen. xxxi. 24).-As soon as Solomon saw his existence secured, he proceeded to matrimony.-Ver. 2-4. Solomon's Sacrificial Festivity: (a) When he celebrated it (at the beginning of his reign to return thanks for the past assistance of God, and to implore its continuance); (b) where he kept it (upon the high place at Gibeon, because no temple was built as yet: the place of prayer in the Old and in the New Testament).—Though God dwell not in temples built by human hands, yet it is needful for each congregation to have an house, where with one mouth it praises the name of the Lord. Where this need is not felt, there is a defect in faith and love for the Lord.-Ver. 3. He loved the Lord. This is the best and greatest thing that can be said of a man. So, every one who loves the world, has not in him the love of the Father: this is only where God is loved above all things, His word observed, and His commandments fulfilled with joy and delight (1 John ii. 5, 15; v. 3). Happy is he who, to the question of the Lord: Lovest thou me f

can return the answer of Peter (John xxi. 17). Because Solomon loved the Lord he honored also his father, and walked in his ways. The want of filial piety in our day comes from want of love to the Lord.—Ver. 4. If we should begin our daily work with the sacrifice of our prayer, how much more our life's calling, and every weighty undertaking upon which our own and the well-being of other men depends (God grant it, He who can help, &c.).

| the splendor of their position (Hoheit); but they are God's people, and as such, are to be governed and judged.

Ver. 11-14. The granting of Solomon's prayer teaches and assures us: (a) That God grants more than they request, over and above praying and understanding, to those who call upon him with earnestness, and for spiritual gifts (Eph. iii. 20; Matt. vi. 33); (b) that God gives to him upon whom He confers an office, that is, to one who does not rush into an office or calling, but is called thereto by God, the necessary understanding, if he humbly seek it.-Where there is wisdom, there comes, indeed, also gold and silver (Prov. iii. 16 sq.), but not the reverse.-Ver. 15. HALL: A heart coscious in itself of the living evidences of a special grace of God, cannot forbear feeling that it should be authenticated through outward signs, and espe

Vers. 5-15. The Prayer of Solomon: (a) Its contents (ver. 6-9); (b) its answer (ver. 10-14).Ver. 5. STARKE: Those who love God (ver. 3), God loves in return, and reveals himself to them (John xiv. 21).-HALL: The night cannot be otherwise than holy to him whom the previous day has been holy.-In our dreams we often speak and act in such way that we must be frightened, upon awaking, at how much that is impure and cor-cially through munificence. rupt is still within us. Upon this account we Vers. 16-28: Lisco: Solomon's Wise Judgshould pray in the evening: Ah! may my soul in ment: (a) The question in dispute (vers. 16-22); sleeping also do that which is good, or, if I dream, (b) the decision (vers. 23-28).-Vers. 17-22. Such be it from thee, so that my senses even in sleep sin brings together, but it unites only for a short may acquire love for thee, &c. (Ps. Ixiii. 7).—[One time; for it produces discord, wrangling, and is here reminded of Bp. Ken's beautiful evening controversy. Abiding peace dwells only in the hymn: "Glory to thee, my God, this night."-house where the God of peace binds hearts toE. H.]-A dream like Solomon's does not happen gether.-He who takes from the heart of a mother when the day just past has been spent in revel and riot, in gross or in refined sin.-Lisco: What happened here in dream, Christ commands in "Our Father."-STARKE: God well knew what Solomon needed; but he bid him ask, (1) to show how negligent men are in praying for what is spiritual; (2) that he would only bestow His gifts in the ordinance of prayer; (3) that great personages might have an example of what they should ask of God, above all others. Ask what I shall give thee: (a) a test-word, for as man wishes and prays, so does he show of whose spirit he is the child (Ps. cxxxix. 23); (b) a word of warning, for we not only may, but we should also ask for all which we have most at heart (Ps. xxxvii. 4).Ver. 6-10. When is our prayer pleasing to God? (a) When we pray in the feeling of our weakness and helplessness, and in confidence in the mercy of God and His promises; (b) when before all things we ask for spiritual blessings and gifts (Matt. vi. 33; Eph. i. 3).-The true wisdom for which we have to ask God (James i. 5), does not consist in manifold and great knowledge, but in the understanding of what is good and bad (Job xxviii. 28; James iii. 17; Eph. v. 17), and is a fruit of the renewal of our mind (Rom. xii. 2).-A ruler who does not ask God for an obedient heart for himself, can and ought not to hope for or expect that his people will yield him a submissive heart.Youth, which as a rule places freedom in lawlessness, needs before all things to ask God daily for an obedient heart.-Vers. 8, 9. PFAFF: Subjects are not simply creatures of the authorities, nor are they designed for the exercise of their pleasures and

her child, or estranges or deprives her, will not escape the righteous tribunal of the judge to whom the mother (das mutterherz) calls and appeals.— Litigation is generally associated with envy, falsehood, and unrighteousness, hence the Lord says, be ready, &c. (Matt. v. 25; Luke xii. 58).—Ver. 26. If an immoral woman be merciful for the son of her body, and cannot forget her little child (kindeins), how much more should every Christian mother be ready to offer, when necessary, the heaviest sacrifice to deliver her child from moral ruin.-SEILER: If in the hearts of sinners the love of father and mother be so strong, how strong must the fatherly love of God be (Isai. xlix. 15)?-Envy hardens all human feeling, and makes one hard and heartless.-Ver. 27. When a child, apparently given over to death, is restored to its parents by divine providence, so much the more must their chief solicitude be to educate and bring it up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.-Not power and force, not great pomp, and pride, and tyranny, but wisdom and righteousness, give to the government authority, and call forth genuine fear and the voluntary obedience of the people.-If it were given to a Solomon to bring to disgrace lying and misrepresentation, by judicial wisdom and knowledge of the human heart, and to deliver a righteous judgment, how much less shall liars and hypocrites stand up under the tribunal of Him who could say, A greater than Solomon is here! who, without needing witnesses and judicial examination, will bring to light what is hidden in darkness (1 Cor. iv. 5), and before whose judgment-seat we must all appear (2 Cor. v. 10).

B.-Solomon's officers, household, and his high intellectual culture.

CHAP. IV. 1-34 (IV. 1; V. 14).

1, 2 So king Solomon was king over all Israel. And these were the princes 3 which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok the priest.' Elihoreph and Ahiah, the 4 sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder. And. Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host: and Zadok and Abiathar were 5 the priests; and Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers: and 6 Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer, and the king's friend:3 and Ahishar was over the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute.

7 And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided victuals for 8 the king and his household: each man his month in a year made provision. And 9 these are their names: The son of Hur, in mount Ephraim: The son of Dekar, in 10 Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Beth-shemesh, and Elon -beth-hanan: The son of 11 Hesed, in Aruboth; to him pertained Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher: The son of Abinadab, in all the region [highlands ] of Dor; which had Taphath the 12 daughter of Solomon to wife: Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth-shean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Bethshean to Abel-meholah, even unto the place that is beyond Jokneam 13 [Jokmeam]: The son of Geber, in Ramoth-gilead; to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him also pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and brazen bars: 14, 15 Ahinadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim: Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he 16 also took Basmath the daughter of Solomon to wife: Baanali the son of Hushai 17 was in Asher and in' Aloth: Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar: 18, 19 Shimei the son of Elah, in Benjamin: Geber the son of Uri was in the country of Gilead, in the country of Sihon king of the Amorites, and of Og king of 20 Bashan; and he was the only officer which was in the land. Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry.

21

9

And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river 10 unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and 22 served Solomon all the days of his life. And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures [cor] of fine flour, and threescore measures [cor] of meal. 23 Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and a hundred sheep, be24 sides harts, and roebucks, and fallow deer," and fatted fowl. For he had

12

dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round 25 about him. And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and 26 under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon. And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve 27 thousand horsemen [saddle-horses]. And those officers provided victual for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon's table, every man 28 in his month: they lacked nothing. Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries [coursers ] brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.

29

And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and 30 largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the 31 wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in 32 all nations round about. And he spake three thousand proverbs and his songs 33 were a thousand and five. And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also

34 of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.16

TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL

1 Ver. 2.-[Our author translates

“war der höchste" for reasons given in the Exeg. Com. Keil also takes the same view of the word. On the other hand, all the ancient VV. (the Vat. Sept., however, omits the word) give the usual rendering, priest; so also Luther, and the A. V. The question really turns upon which of the names, Azariah or Zadok, the word is to be placed in apposition with. By the Masoretic punctuation, by the Chald., and by the Sept., (ò iepeús in the nominative), it is placed in apposition with Azariah, which, according to ver. 4, cannot be correct, if the translation priest be retained. Hence the adoption of the other sense by our author and Keil. But by the Vulg. (sacerdotis in the Gen.), by the Syr., and the A.V., it is placed in apposition with Zadok, and the difficulty is thus removed, while the ordinary sense of the word is retained. In this way, too, the absence of the before Elihoreph is accounted for. The sense will then be, Azariah (the son of Zadok the priest) was one of the scribes with Elihoreph and Ahiah.

2 Ver. 3.-[Three MSS., followed by the Sept., write in the singular, thus making Ahiah only the son of Shisha. Ver. 5.-[Here again we have the same question of translation as in ver. 2, but differently solved in the A. V. The Heb. expression is rendered by the author as well as by Keil, in the same way as in the A.V. It is urged that cannot be in apposition with Nathan because it is without the article (see Nordheimer's Heb. Gr., § 816). Admitting that the Heb. usage requires to be regarded as a predicate, it is further urged that it cannot mean priest, because Zadok and Abiathar were "the priests." They certainly were the high-priests; but Zabud also may have been a priest. The Chald., Syr., and Vulg., all retain the sense of priest, and there seems no sufficient reason for rejecting it. "Zabud, the son of Nathan, was a priest, and the king's friend." Twelve MSS. and the Syr.,

. זכור read זָבוּד for

♦ Ver. 9.-[Eleven MSS., followed by the Vulg., prefix the conjunction to '; the Sept. supply its place by ews, and so our author translates. The Arab. uses the relative, "Elon which is in Beth-hanan." The locality is quite unknown.

▲ Ver. 11.—[Here, as in Josh. xi. 2; xii, 23, it is better to preserve the force of the Heb. 5, as in the author's version. The Vulg., Syr., Sept., and Arab. make it a part of the proper name.

Ver. 13.-[The Vat. (not Alex.) Sept. omits the previous clause, and in each case, after the mention of the officer and his district, adds els

7 Ver. 16.-[The Vulg., Sept., Syr., and Arab. make the preposition part of the name, and read Baaloth. This cannot be right. See Exeg. Com.

8 Ver. 17.-[The Vat. Sept. omits ver. 17 here, and gives it afterwards instead of the last clause of ver. 19. It also omits verses 23-36 (cf. chap. iii.). This whole list of proper names is variously unodified in the VV.

Ver. 20.-[Most printed editions of the Heb. begin chap. v. at this point; so our author, and hence his note.-F. G.] The Sept., the Vulg., and Luther [also the A. V. and Walton's Polyglot] reckon chap. v. 1-14 as belonging to chap. iv., and begin chap. v. with its 15th verse.-Bähr.

10 Ver. 21.-[There is here no preposition in the Heb., although it is supplied in the parallel place, 2 Chron. ix. 26. The Chald. has made up the deficiency by translating "from the river Euphrates unto the land of the Philistines and unto the border of Egypt," but the Vulg. (a flumine terra Philisthium usque ad terminem Brypti), Syr., and Arab. reduce Solomon's empire to nothing. The Alex. Sept. has ảnò тοû пoтaμοû yûs áλdopúλwv kai ews ópiov Αιγύπτου.

T'

11 Ver. 28.- Vulg., corvi; Sept. (Alex.), éλápot. Vulg., capriæ; Sept. (Alex.), dopkáda. 77 Vulg. bubali; Sept. (Alex.) omits. On . Rosenmüller's Bochart Hierozoicoro, ii. 808.

TT

12 Ver. 26.—The parallel place 2 Chron. ix. 25 shows, that not 'y but should be read, with which also Chron. x. 26 and 2 Chron. i. 14 accord.-Bähr. [The author accordingly rightly translates "four thousand;" but there is no variation in the MSS. nor in the VV.

13 Ver. 28.—[Heb. W≥7, a superior kind of horse to the chariot-horses just mentioned. None of the VV. sustain the translation dromedaries. Keil translates "runners."

14 Ver. 31.-[The Vat. Sept. omits this clause.

15 Ver. 32.- [Sept.: five thousand.

16 Ver. 34. The Vat. Sept. here adds iii. 1, and continues: τότε ἀνέβη Φαραώ βασιλεὺς ̓Αιγύπτου, καὶ προκατελάβετο τὴν Γαζέρ, καὶ ἐνεπύρισεν αὐτὴν καὶ τὸν Χανανίτην τὸν κατοικοῦντα ἐν Μεργάβ· καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὰς Φαραὼ ἀποστολὰς θυγατρὶ αὐτοῦ γυναικὶ Σαλωμών, καὶ Σαλωμὼν ᾠκοδόμησε την Γαζέρ.-F. G.]

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL.

Ver. 1. So king Solomon was, &c. According to Thenius, the section from chap. iv. 1 to 28 is borrowed from two different sources, and the contents of both are so woven together that the proper connection is now lost. Chap. iv. 2-19 may belong to the older and purely historical source; chap. iv. 1 and 20 to the later traditional one, as may also vers. 21, 24, 25, 26. "Vers. 22, 23, 27, 28 (probably in the following order: vers. 27, 28, 22, 23) contain the continuation of the account of the functionaries (taken from the more ancient source)."

It is true that a perfect accordance is obtained by this arrangement of the text, which is partly founded on the Septuagint; but the question is whether the text, as it lies before us, is so disconnected as to require such a forced alteration of style. We must prespose the author possessed of enough understanding not to take what he found in good order, in his documentary sources, tear it apart, weave it together, and render the whole without connection. In chaps. i.-iii. he related how Solomon's kingdom became established and respected; in chap. iv. he tells how it was constituted, and in what a well-ordered and flourishing

condition it was. Then he proceeds with the words | king's side, those whom we now name ministers, of ver. 1: So king Solomon was king over all Is- or privy counsellors. The word in ver. 5 must rael, i. e., with the rule of Solomon over all Israel, necessarily have this meaning; where it stands such was its estate. Now comes the account of

the regular government and management of the entire realm, by the various civil officers of different degrees (vers. 2-19); then the court establishment, which represented the prosperous state of the kingdom (22-28); and lastly, that of the extraordinary acquirements of the king himself (29-34). The first section is very naturally followed (ver. 20) by remarks on the great population and prosperous condition of the kingdom; and this leads to the further remark (ver. 21) that Solomon's dominion not only extended over the populous nation of Israel, but over the neighboring tribes, that were brought under tribute. His court establishment. was equally brilliant, and it (vers. 22-28) corresponded with his extended sovereignty (ver. 24), and with the peacefulness which his subjects enjoyed (ver. 25). There is no want of connection in such a narrative.

If now Aza

without the article, Zabud was in.
riah is introduced in ver. 2 as, wholly analo-
gous to the way in which the high priest, con-
trasted with the other priests, is absolutely in
(Exod. xxix. 30; Lev. xxi. 21; 1 Kings i. 8, 38;
2 Kings xi. 9, 15, etc.), so is he designated as the
first or chief of the secular, upon which
account he stands first in the list of the great office
bearers. "Among the trusted privy counsellors of
the king, he held the first place" (Keil). It is not
necessary to suppose that Zadok, whose son he was,
was the high-priest, for this name occurs very
often (2 Kings xv. 33; Neh. iii. 4-29; xiii. 13; xi.
11), as well as the name Azariah (1 Chron. v. 36-
40; ii. 39; 2 Kings xv. 30, &c.).
Vers. 3-6. Elihoreph

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as the ,סַפְרִים The

Ver. 2. And these were the princes, the digwere scribes, &c. nitaries (comp. the double list of those under David, 2 Sam. viii. 16–18, and ibid. xx. 23-26, where they means generally any one whose business it are not, however, named ), and there are two was to write or to count. more here. The order of the offices is different in highest civil officers, had, no doubt, the care of all each of the three lists, so that we cannot therefrom clerkly as well as financial matters; two are therefore specified. For the office of the see form an opinion of their rank. It is characteristic that the military officers are named first in both of Introduc. § 2. It is plain that he was not the David's lists, and the civil offices are first in Solo-"highest minister of state," as Winer thinks, bemon's. The Jewish expounders, the Vulgate, Lu- cause he is not the first, but the third in the list. ther, and Thenius, taken in ver. 2 to be in the As the copula is wanting before Josaphat, we cannot conclude, with Thenius, that he was above the genitive case: Azariah, the son of Zadok the high priest; Elihoreph and Ahiah the sons of Shisha, DD, to whom Azariah must in that case also were scribes." But against this view are the ac- have belonged.-Shisha must be the same as Shav cents (silluk with sophpasuk), according to which, sha in 1 Chron. xviii. 16, and Seriah in 2 Sam. xviii. a new sentence begins with Elihoreph; also "the 7. The office of the father under David, passed to omission of the copula before Elihoreph, which his two sons under Solomon.-For Benaiah see was absolutely necessary, if Azariah had been chap. ii. 35.-Ewald thinks the words: And Zadok joined in the same office with the brothers Eliho- and Abiathar (were) the priests a mere unnecessary reph and Ahiah" (Keil); finally, the son of the high-repetition of Sam. xx. 25, because, according to priest Zadok is named Ahimaaz in 2 Sam. xv. 27; chap. ii. 26 and 35, Solomon deposed Abiathar and xviii. 27; and 1 Chron. vi. 8, 9, and then his son put Zadok in his place. However, there is no sufAzariah must therefore certainly be translated ficient ground for this view. Abiathar is again inhere by grandson. This, however, is not suitable troduced as a priest here, either "because he had officiated in the beginning of Solomon's reign here, because son is used six times consecutively in the following verses, so that we cannot under- (Philippson), or because, as Grotius remarks, though stand why the writer does not say the son of he was no longer re yet he was nomine high-priest, Ahimaaz. It was scarcely possible either for a and though the Αρχή was taken from him the ἱερω grandson of the priest Zadok to have been oldin nevertheless remained to him (Theodoret). It enough then to stand at the head of the body of high dignitaries. All things considered, must here be understood like, ver. 3, as predimentioned in 2 Sam. v. 14, therefore Solomon's cate-nominative, according to the opinions of Pisca- nephews (Keil). The former had the officials enutor, Le Clerc, Keil, and others. We may not trans-merated in vers. 7-19 under him, the latter is deslate like Ewald and Bunsen: "Azariah, the son of Zadok, was the high-priest," for according to ver. 4, Zadok himself, and also Abiathar, were; but there never were three high-priests at the same time. We are rather compelled, on the contrary, to take in the sense it bears in 2 Sam. viii. 18, and xx. 26, where it signifies a secular office. The Chron. (i. 18, 17) gives instead of in the first place, that is, the first at the

doned and restored him to office (Le Clerc).-Aza is highly improbable that Solomon afterwards parriah and Zabud (ver. 5) were not the sons of the prophet Nathan (Thenius), but of the son of David,

ignated as

Evald looks on this . כֹּהֵן רֵעֶה הַמֶּלֶךְ

in a very modern way, and thinks it was a 'spe-
cial house-priest" of the king's,
"who was his pe
culiar minister in spiritual affairs." However, there
is no more mention of a priest here than in 2 Sam.
viii. 18; explains, and both words form
together one conception; Zabud was a "privy
counsellor, i. e., friend of the king's" (Keil). Lu-
ther's translation: the son of Nathan, the priest, is

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