Illustrated bible History - Catholic Apologetics Information

3. And Solornon rcignetl from the Euphmtes' to the confines
of Egypt, nnd he nss nt pence r~itl~ his ~lcighbors 011
every ~ida, :LII~ eaclz man rrckd withotrt f ~ under m his own
vine and fig-tree. Kings from far and ncar ~showccl Solomoll
respect, and scnt him presents. Thc queen of S:ha came
herself from her fi~r-clist.'i~lt land %to beholrl hia rnnbmificenr:~
and to bear the words of hi3 tvisdorn. When she had Bccn
nncl heard, her spi1-i t fnilcd, nnd she said to thc king : " The
rcport is true svhit:l~ I heard in my own country, bnt I woultl
not bclieve. Bleasecl arc thy ficrvnnts v110 ~tanil before thee
ant1 hear thy misdo~n." Tlins did King Solonion excced it11
the kings of the edrtl~ in riches a11d in .rvistlorn.
4. But glorious as was. the Incginning of Solomon'n rcign,
its elzd was deplorable. SoIornon nras far nclvartnct?d in life
wl~cn his heart was corrupted by str~,ngc! women; and that
great Iring, llitl~crto so wise, bccnlne so blind and depravccl
that, in order to please tl~cse rvornen, he ofrered itlccnse to
f:tlse gotls, and built temples to thcm.
5. Tlic Lord, Lcing angry, said to Solo~nnn : 'l Bccauso
thou ]last done tl~is, and hast not ltcpt My covcnni~t nnd My
precepls, which I. havc commanded thee, I mill divide ant1
rend thy kingdom. Nevcrthele~s, in thy day^ I mill not do
it fbr David, thy fitthcr's, xake ; ncitller will I talrc awn.y tlie
whole kingdom, but 1 will give ono tribe to thy son, for the
sillze of David, hly servant, and for thc vrlkc of Jerusalem,
which I have chosen.?'
G. T11cn secrct revolt md sodition arose nmong the pcoplc,
I~ecsusc Solmnon, tblindecl as he was, had overtaxcc1 mid oppressed
the peol~lc, to build pslaccs for tho heathen worncl1
who had turned Iiim army from God. Things mere in this
unhappy state when Solomon dic!d, having reipicd forty
years ; and hc who had been a great a ~ powerful d kil~g wllilile
he walked in the ways of Daviii his fatller, dicd without
honor, and, perhaps, without rcpcntnncc. The sad entl of
Solomon teaches us that &as long au me live we are U11.1le to
'Ev~rri:a~cs (pr. U-fran-tc~!, it groat rivcr of Asia.