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 cherubims 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 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 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, 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 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

D

her visit to Solomon. 12. What change took place in Solomon? 13. What evil followed the idolatry of Solomon?

CHAP. XXII.-ASIA continued.

THE DECLINE OF THE JEWISH NATION.

1. In consequence of the revolt of the ten tribes, Rehoboam reigned over only 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. 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 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.

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 606 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, took Jerusalem. He destroyed the temple, and carried the principal people captive to Babylon.

6. Afterwards, when Zedekiah was king, Jerusalem was again besieged and taken by Nebuzaradan, 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.

7. When Babylon was taken by Cyrus, king of Persia, the Jews were permitted to return to their own country. They rebuilt the temple, and resumed their ancient manner of worship. Till the time of Alexander the Great, about 330 B.C. the nation was dependent on the kings of Persia.

8. It is said that Alexander the Great intended to take Jerusalem. But, as he advanced with his army, the high priest came forth to meet him, in his robes of office, at the head of a long train of Levites and the people. Alexander was so struck with their appearance that he agreed to spare the city.

9. In the course of the two next centuries, the Egyptians invaded the Jewish kingdom, and afterwards the Syrians reduced the inhabitants to bondage. They suffered great calamities from the tyranny of these conquerors.

10. But, in the year 166 before the Christian era, Judas Maccabæus, a valiant Jewish leader, drove the Syrians out

of the country. When the king of Syria heard of it, he took an oath that he would destroy the whole Jewish nation. But, as he was hastening to Jerusalem, he was killed by a fall from his chariot.

11. The descendants of Judas Maccabæus afterwards assumed royal authority and became kings of the Jews. In less than a century, however, the country was subdued by Pompey, a celebrated Roman general. He conferred the government on Antipater, a native of Edom.

12. In the year 37 before the Christian era, the Roman senate decreed that Herod, the son of Antipater, should be king of the Jews. It was this Herod who commanded that all the young children of Bethlehem should be slain, in order that the infant Jesus might not survive. The period of that blessed infant's birth was now at hand.

QUESTIONS.-1. Who was Rehoboam? Into what two kingdoms was the Hebrew nation divided during his reign? What name was given to the ten tribes which revolted? What name was given to the two tribes? What of Shishak? 2. 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? Ans. Forty miles. 3. What of Salmaneser? 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? 7. What of Cyrus? What did the Jews do on their return from captivity? How long was the nation dependent upon Persia? 8. What of Alexander the Great? 9. What happened after the time of Alexander? 10. What of Judas Maccabæus? What of the king of