QUESTIONS. 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 things 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? How long since David lived?-6. What of Absalom ?-7. How long did David reign? Who succeeded him? What of Solomon ?-8. Tell the story of the child.

CHAPTER XVII. ASIA continued.-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 Phœnicia, 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 splendour 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 whole edifice must have glistened 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 travelled with a great multitude of attendants; and she had likewise a train of camels, laden with gold, precious stones, and 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 throne of ivory overlaid with pure gold, his feet resting 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 afterwards, she would have beheld a lamentable change. He turned from the true God, and became an idolater. This wise and righteous king, who had built the sacred temple, 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 Rehoboam.

QUESTIONS. 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 Phoenicia? In what part of Canaan was Jerusalem? How far from the Mediterranean Sea? ANS. About forty-five miles. Where was Tyre? In which direction from Jerusalem? What of 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 ?- -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?

CHAPTER XVIII. 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. Beside the loss of so large a part of his kingdom, he suffered other misfortunes. Shishak, king of Egypt, made war against him, and took Jerusalem. He carried away the treasures of the temple and of the palace.

2. Shishak, the king of Egypt, commemorated his conquest over the Israelites, by having a representation of King Rehoboam sculptured on the walls of one of his palaces. The ruins of this palace were discovered a few years ago, and are still in existence; and we are thus enabled, at the distance of two thousand eight hundred years, to contemplate the records of this event. The annexed engraving is a copy of the sculpture, and the hieroglyphic figures on the shield signify IOUDAHA MALEK, which means King of Judah.

3. 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.

4. When the kingdom of Israel had been separated from that of Judah about two hundred and fifty years, it was conquered by Salmaneser, 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.

5. 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 many of them offended God by their sinfulness and idolatry.

Sculptured Effigy in the Palace of Shishak, King of Egypt, representing Rehoboam, King of Judah, as a Captive. 6. The whole nation of the Jews were perverse, and underwent many severe inflictions from the wrath of God.