Annotations upon the remaining historicall part of the Old Testament. The second part. to wit, the books of Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther : wherein first, all such passages in the text are explained as were thought likely to be questioned by any reader of ordinary capacity : secondly, in many clauses those things are discovered which are needfull and usefull to be known ... and thirdly, many places that might at first seem to contradict one another are reconciled ... / by Arthur Jackson.

CHAP. III.

Vers. 1. ANd Solomon made affinitie with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaohs daughter.] David had married Solomon to Naamah the Ammonitesse before he died, as is evident, because Rehoboam the sonne of Solomon by this Naamah, was born a full year before Solomon was king, for Solomon reigned in all but fourty years, chap. 11.42. and Rehoboam was one and fourty years old when he came to be king in the room of his father, chap. 14.21. so that if Solomon took this daughter of Pharaoh to wife after Shimei's death, as it is here set down in the story, who had lived three years in Jerusalem after Solomon was king, chap. 2.39. this marriage, was many years after his marriage with Naamah, at least in the fourth, or fifth yeare of his reigne; whether Naamah were at that time dead, or no, it is no where expressed; but however, that one chief aim in this match, was to strengthen himself, by joyning himself in affinitie with such a potent neighbour

Prince, as the king of Egypt now was, is evident; for therefore it is not said barely, that he took Pharaohs daughter to wife, but that he made affinitie with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharoahs daughter, &c. implying, that to joyn himself in affini∣tie with the king of Egypt, was the great plot of this match; it is not said whether she had embraced the Religion of the Israelites, when he took her to wife; yet con∣sidering that he is no where blamed for this marriage, nor any thing said, but that as yet he continued to walk in Gods wayes (the high places onely excepted) it is most like she forsook her idolatry; and however, that either before or after her marriage, she became a proselyte, and worshipped the true God, we cannot well question, because Solomon in this marriage, is made a type of Christ, who wooed the Gentiles, and made them his spouse, calling them from their idolatries, to serve the true and everlasting God, for hereto the Psalmist seems to allude, Psal. 45.10. Hearken (O daughter) and consider, and encline thine eare: forget also thine own people, and thy fathers house.

And brought her into the citie of David, untill he had made an end of building his own house.] That is, having taken the daughter of Pharaoh to wife, he brought her into the citie of David, but yet he did not dispose of her in his own house there, but in some other part of the citie, and that either because his own house was not suf∣ficient to entertain her, and all her retinue; or because he was at that time in build∣ing, or at least had purposed to build a fair palace for himself, with another adjoyn∣ing thereto for his Queen, chap. 7.8. and so in that part of the citie of David she continued, untill he had made an end of building his own house, &c. and the wall of Jerusalem round about. Now this last clause concerning the wall of Jerusalem, is, I conceive, added onely by the way to give a hint how the glory of Solomons kingdome, did still flourish in every thing more and more; that Jerusalem was walled about before this time, is evident. 2. Sam. 5.9. and 1. Chron. 11.8. but it seems Solomon did either erect a new wall without the old; or else, repair, enlarge, and fortifie the old, building them with many stately towers and bulworks, and so this city, which was the place of his residence, became farre the more glorious.

Vers. 2. Onely the people sacrificed in high places, &c.] This I conceive hath reference to that which is said before, concerning the flourishing estate of Solomon, in the last verse of the former chapter, and the beginning of this; his royall glory was every way great, onely this, saith the text, was a blemish which stained the glory of his kingdome, that as yet the people, yea and Solomon too, did offer sacrifices in their high places, vers. 3. which was directly against the Law, Deut. 12.13, 14. but of these high places, see the note 1. Sam. 9.12.

Vers. 4. And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there for that was the great high place.] That is, the largest and fairest, the most famous, and most resorted to, and that happely because the tabernacle of Moses was there, and therefore did Solomon go thither, and with him all the chief of the Princes and Governours of the people, whom he had called together, 2. Chron. 1.2, 3. concerning which, see the note there.

Vers. 6. And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my fa∣ther great mercy, &c.] This he said in his heart being asleep; for God under∣stands the langague of the heart, as well as that of the tongue, and as the Lord can enable men to attend upon that which he sayes to them in their sleep, so he can also

give them power distinctly, and with the full and free use of their reason, their sleep no way disturbing their phancy, to poure forth the desires of their souls in prayer to him; and yet it may well be too that the intention of his mind all the day before, up∣on the service of God, made him fitter for the impression of such holy desires, and thoughts, when he was asleep; and particularly to beg wisdome of God, which be∣fore, of all things he had most desired.

And thou hast kept for him this great kindnesse, that thou hast given him a sonne to sit on his throne, &c.] This was spoken in reference to Saul, though God made Saul king over Israel as well as David; yet he did not give it to Saul and his heirs, and successours, as he did to David; this was a peculiar favour and honour which God reserved for David.

Vers. 7. And I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.] That is, young and unexperienced in state affairs, and in comparison of this great burthen, which must now lie upon me, a very child: so the Prophet Jeremy also speaks of himself, Jer. 1.6. then said I, Ah Lord God, I cannot speak, for I am a child: some writers would hence conclude, that Solomon was not above twelve years old when he began to reigne, if not younger, and so withall are forced to main∣tain that at eleven years of age, he begat his sonne Rehoboam (for it is manifest Rehoboam was born the yeare before he began his reigne, because he reigned in all but fourty years, chap. 11.42. and Rehoboam was one and fourty years old when he succeeded him in the throne) but there is no cause why we should entangle our selves with such difficulties because Solomon saith here I am but a little child: or be∣cause David said of him, 1. Chron. 22.5. Solomon my sonne is young and tender: for on the other side before this, we see how David spake of him, chap. 2.9. thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; for thus the Scripture usually speaks of young men; Ishmael is called a child, when he was at least eighteen years old, Gen. 21.14, 15. and David a youth, and stripling, 1. Sam. 17.23. whereas before, 1. Sam. 16.18. he is called a mighty valiant man, and a man of warre; and much more might Solomon use this term of himself, when he speaks comparatively, with respect to that great charge of governing Gods people, which now lay upon him, though he were, as probably it is thought he was, at least twenty years old.

Vers. 12. There was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.] To wit, for wisdome; some referre this onely to the kings of Israel, namely, that there was never any king in Israel, either before Solomon, or after him, that equalled him in wisdome, and indeed in the following verse, where he is promised riches and honour above all others, it is expressely limited to kings, And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honour, so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee: but yet if we understand this of na∣turall wisdome, and not of supernaturall wisedome, which was reserved as the speciall priviledge of Gods servants, in the dayes of the Gospel; I see not but that these words may be taken as they are expressed, without any such limitation; namely, that there was never mere man, since the fall of Adam, like unto Solomon for wisdome, which seems the more probable, because in the next chapter, the comparison is made betwixt him and others that were not kings, and of other nations too as well as Israelites, vers. 30.31. Solomons wisedome, excelled the wisedome of all the children of

the East country, and all the wisedome of Egypt, for he was wiser than all men, then Ethan the Ezrahite, &c. and herein was Solomon a notable type of Christ, Col. 2.3. in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge.

Vers. 13. So that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy dayes.] That is, among the kings of Israel there shall be none like thee for riches and honour: and in the Chronicles this is more generally expressed, namely, that he should excell in riches and glory all before him, and all after him, 2 Chron. 1.12.

Vers. 15. And Solomon awoke, and behold it was a dreame &c.] That is, be∣hold he perceived that God had in a supernaturall dreame appeared unto him, and so return••ng thereupon to Jerusalem with his Nobles, he there offered many gratu∣latory sacrifices to God.

Vers. 16. Then came there two women that were harlots unto the King, &c.] The Hebrew word here translated harlots, signifieth either victuallers or harlots, & ther∣fore it may be thought that they were such as did openly professe themselves Victual∣lers though they were more secretly harlots: for it is not so likely that they durst thus have presented themselves before the King, if they had beene known to be such as li∣ved so openly in so lewd a course of life: that the people might the more reverence Solomon, the Lord was pleased by this controversie that was brought before him, to let them see what a singular measure of wisedome he had conferred upon him.

Vers. 18. And it came to passe the third day after I was deliver'd, that this wo∣man was deliver'd also, &c.] Hereby is shown in part, what it was that made the case in question so difficult; namely, that both children were so neare of an age, the one being borne but three dayes after the other: and indeed if we adde to this, first, that the feature of the dead child would be so altered by death, that it must needs be hard for those neighbours and friends that had seene it alive, to say to which of the women it did belong; secondly, that no body was by when this fact was done, that might bear witnesse on either side; thirdly that the mother of the live child confessed she was asleep, and so did not see when her child was taken away; and fourthly, that the parties contending for the child were of equall repute, the one deserving no more credit than the other, because they were both harlots, all these things joyntly considered, must needs make the case so difficult, that when it came to be brought before the king, it may well be, it was thought the wit of man could not determine it.

Vers. 20. And she arose at mid-night, and tooke my sonne from beside me, &c.] But why should she be willing to keep another womans child? I answer, women are naturally ashamed of overlaying their children, to avoid this disgrace, in the heat of her passion, she could have beene content to nurse up another child in stead of her owne, rather than have it said, that by her slothfulnesse and negligence, she had beene the death of her owne child.