REIGN OF DAVID.

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stone. It went whizzing through the air, and hit Goliath right in the center of the forehead.

9. The stone penetrated to the brain; and down the giant fell at full length upon the field, with his brazen armor clanging around him. David then cut off Goliath's head with his own sword. The Philistines were affrighted at their champion's overthrow, and fled. 10. The men of Israel pursued them, and made a prodigious [pro-did'-jus] slaughter. David returned from the battle carrying the grim and grisly head of Goliath by the hair. The Hebrew women came forth to meet him, danced around him, and sung triumphant anthems in his praise.

CHAPTER XXI.-ASIA-CONTINUED.

The Reign of David.-Wisdom of Solomon.

1. DAVID had won so much renown by his victory over Goliath, that Saul became envious of him, and often endeavored to kill him. But Jonathan, the son of Saul, loved David better than a brother.

2. During the lifetime of Saul, David was forced to live in exile. But, after a reign of about twenty-four years, King Saul was slain on the mountains of Gilboa, in a disastrous battle with the Philistines. Jonathan was likewise killed.

3. When David heard of these sad events, he expressed his sorrow by weeping and rending his garments. Yet he gained a kingdom by the death of Saul and Jonathan; for the men of Judah first elected him to reign over them, and afterward the whole people of Israel chose him for their king.

4. A great part of David's life was spent in war, He gained many victories, and enjoyed high renown as a gallant leader. He conquered many of the surrounding nations, and raised his kingdom to a higher pitch of power than it ever enjoyed before or afterward. But he also won a peaceful kind of fame, which will last while the world endures.

5. He won it by his heavenly poesy; for King David was the sweet Psalmist of Israel; and in all the ages since he lived, his psalms have been sung to the praise of the Lord. It is now about

9. What effect had the death of Goliath upon the Philistines? 10. What honors were paid to David?

CHAP. XXI.-1. Why was Saul envious of David? What did Saul do? What of Jonathan? 2. How was David obliged to live? What of Saul ? Jonathan? 3. What effect had these events upon David? Who became king of Israel after the death of Saul? 4. How was a great part of David's life spent? To what condition did he bring the Hebrew nation? What better fame did he acquire than that of a conqueror? 5. Who was the author of the Psalms? What can you say of the Psalms?

three thousand years since David died; yet to this hour every pious heart loves to commune with God in the beautiful words of this inspired man.

6. In the latter part of his life, David was much grieved by the rebellious conduct of his son Ab'-sa-lom. But it grieved him more when Absalom was slain by Joab, who found him hanging by his long hair on the branches of an oak, and pierced his body with three darts.

7. When David had reigned forty years, and was grown a very old man, he died in his palace at Jerusalem. The kingdom was inherited by his son Solomon. This prince was very young when he ascended the throne, but he was wiser in his youth than in his riper years.

8. Not long after he became king, two women came into his presence bringing a little child. Each of the women claimed the child as her own, and they quarreled violently, as if they would have torn the poor babe asunder. It seemed impossible to find out whose the child really was.

9. "Bring hither a sword," said King Solomon; and immediately one of the attendants brought a sharp sword. "Now," continued Solomon, "that I may not wrong either of these women, the thing in dispute shall be equally divided between them. Cut the child in twain, and let each take half."

10. But when the real mother saw the keen sword glittering over her poor babe, she gave a scream of agony. "Do not slay the child!" she cried. "Give it to this wicked woman. Only let it live, and she may be its mother!"

11. But the other woman showed no pity for the child. "I ask no more than my just rights," she said. "Cut the child in two! I will be content with half." Now, Solomon had watched the conduct of the two women, and he knew the true mother by her tenderness for the poor babe. "Give the child alive to her who would not have it slain," he said. "She is its mother."

5. How long since David lived? reign? Who succeeded him?

6.. What of Absalom? 7. How long did David What of Solomon? 8. Tell the story of the child.

THE BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE.

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CHAPTER XXII.-ASIA-CONTINUED.

The Building of the Temple.-Visit of the Queen of Sheba.

1. KING DAVID, as I before told you, had increased the power and wealth of the Hebrew nation, so that it was now a great kingdom. Silver and gold were very abundant in the country, and King David had made preparation for the building of a splendid temple, to be dedicated to the worship of the true God.

2. The chief event of Solomon's life was the building of this temple. This was done by the special command of the Lord. It was now four hundred and eighty years since the Israelites had come out of Egypt; and in all that time there had been no edifice erected to the worship of God.

3. Solomon made an agreement with Hiram, king of Tyre, that he would give him a yearly supply of wheat and oil, in exchange for cedar and fir. Tyre was a great commercial city on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, to the northward of Jerusalem. It belonged to Phoenicia [fe-nish'-e-a], a country which has the credit of having first engaged in commerce.

4. With the timber which he procured from Tyre, and with a large quantity of hewn stone, Solomon began to build the temple. The front of this building was one hundred and twenty feet long, thirty-five feet broad, and forty-five feet high, with a porch or entrance of much greater height. It extended around a large square, and, with the various buildings attached to it, covered twenty acres of ground.

5. But no pen can describe the richness and admirable splendor of this sacred edifice. The interior was constructed of the most costly kinds of wood; and the walls were carved with figures of cherubim and other beautiful devices. The walls and floors were partly overlaid with gold.

6. The temple was furnished with altars, and tables, and candlesticks, and innumerable other articles, all of the purest gold. The

CHAP. XXII-1. What had David done? What of silver and gold among the Hebrews? 2. What was the chief event of Solomon's reign? By whose command was the temple built? 3. What agreement did Solomon make with Hiram, king of Tyre? What of Phoenecia? In what part of Canaan was Jerusalem? How far from the Mediterranean Sea? Ans. About thirty-five miles. Where was Tyre? In which direction is Jerusalem from Babylon? From Egypt? 4. With what did Solomon begin to build the temple? Where was the temple of Solomon built? Ans. On a hill in Jerusalem called Mount Moriah. Describe the extent of the temple. 5. Describe the interior of the temple. 6. With what was the temple furnished?

whole edifice must have shone almost as if it had been built entirely of that precious metal.

7. Seven years were employed in building this temple. It was just about three thousand years from the creation that it was finished, and one thousand years before the birth of Christ. When it was finished, Solomon assembled all the chiefs, and elders, and great men of Israel, in order to dedicate it. The priests brought the ark, containing the two tables of stone which God had given to Moses more than four centuries before.

8. The ark was now placed in the holiest part of the temple. It rested beneath the broad wings of two cherubim that were overlaid with gold. No sooner was the ark set in its place than a cloud issued forth and filled the temple. This was a token that the Lord was there.

9. After the building of the temple, Solomon became so renowned for his wisdom and magnificence, that the Queen of Sheba came from her own dominions to visit him. Her country is supposed to have been in Africa, to the southward of Egypt.

10. She traveled with a great multitude of attendants; and she had likewise a train of camels, laden with gold and precious stones, and abundance of spices. The sweet perfume of the spices scented the deserts through which she passed.

11. When she came to Jerusalem, she beheld Solomon seated on a great throne of ivory overlaid with pure gold. His feet rested on a golden footstool. There were lions of gold about the throne. The king had a majestic look, and the Queen of Sheba was astonished at his grandeur; but when they had talked together, she admired his wisdom even more than his magnificence. She acknowledged that the half of his greatness had not been told her.

12. If the Queen of Sheba could have seen Solomon a few years afterward, she would have beheld a lamentable change. H♦ turned from the true God, and became an idolater. This wise and righteous king, who had built the sacred temple, now grew so wicked that he built high places for the worship of heathen deities.

13. For this reason God determined to take away the chief part of the kingdom from his descendants. Accordingly, when Solomon was dead, ten of the tribes of Israel revolted against his son Re-ho-bo'-am.

7. How long were they in building the temple? How long after the creation was the temple finished? How long before Christ? How long ago? Describe the dedication of the temple. 9. What of the Queen of Sheba? Where is it supposed she came from? 10. Describe her visit to Solomon. 12. What change took place in Solomon ? 13. What evil followed the idolatry of Solomon?

DECLINE OF THE JEWISH NATION.

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CHAPTER

XXIII.-ASIA-CONTINUED.

The Decline of the Jewish Nation.

1. IN consequence of the revolt of the ten tribes, Rehoboam reigned only over the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, these being called the Kingdom of Judah. Besides the loss of so large a part of his kingdom, he suffered other misfortunes. Shi'-shak, king of Egypt, made war against him, and took Jerusalem. He carried away the treasures of the temple and of the palace.

2. The other ten tribes of Israel, which had revolted from Rehoboam, were thenceforward governed by kings of their own, the country being called the Kingdom of Israel. Most of these kings were wicked men, and idolaters. Their palace and seat of government was in the city of Samaria.

3. When the kingdom of Israel had been separated from that of Judah about two hundred and fifty years, it was conquered by Shalmaneser, king of Assyria. He made slaves of the Israelites, and carried them to his own country, and most of them never returned to the land of Canaan.

4. The people of the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin continued to reside in Canaan. They were now called Jews. The royal palace and seat of government was at Jerusalem, Some of the Jewish kings were pious men, but most of them offended God by their sinfulness and idolatry.

5. The whole nation of the Jews were perverse, and underwent many severe inflictions from the wrath of God. In the year 601 B. C., Neb-u-chad-nez'-zar, king of Babylon, took Jerusalem. He destroyed the temple, and carried the principal people captive to Babylon.

6. Afterward, when Zedekiah was king, Jerusalem was again besieged and taken by Neb-u-zar'-a-dan, a general under Nebuchadnezzar. He broke down the walls of the city, and left nothing standing that could be destroyed. The Jews remained captive in Babylon seventy years.

CHAP. XXIII.-1. Who was Rehoboam? Into what two kingdoms was the Hebrew nation divided during his reign? What name was given to the two tribes? What of Shishak? 2. What name was given to the ten tribes which revolted? How was the kingdom of Israel governed? In which part of Canaan were the ten tribes? In which part was the kingdom of Judah? What of the kings of Israel? Where did these kings dwell? Where was Samaria? How far from Jerusalem?—An. Forty miles. 3. What of Shalmaneser? 4. What were the people of Judah now called? Where was the seat of government? What of the kings of Judah? 5. What of the Jewish nation? What of Nebuchadnezzar? 6. What of Nebuzaradan? How long did the Jews remain captive in Babylon?