the antiquities of the jews-1-第122章

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preserve　what　they　have　acquired；　and　to　be　guilty　of　no　sin
whereby　it　may　be　hurt。

5。　So　when　the　king　had　spoken　thus　to　the　multitude；　he
dissolved　the　congregation；　but　not　till　he　had　completed　his
oblations；　both　for　himself　and　for　the　Hebrews；　insomuch　that　he
sacrificed　twenty　and　two　thousand　oxen；　and　a　hundred　and　twenty
thousand　sheep；　for　then　it　was　that　the　temple　did　first　of　all
taste　of　the　victims；　and　all　the　Hebrews；　with　their　wives　and
children；　feasted　therein：　nay；　besides　this；　the　king　then
observed　splendidly　and　magnificently　the　feast　which　is　called
the　Feast　of　Tabernacles；　before　the　temple；　for　twice　seven
days；　and　he　then　feasted　together　with　all　the　people。

6。　When　all　these　solemnities　were　abundantly　satisfied；　and
nothing　was　omitted　that　concerned　the　Divine　worship；　the　king
dismissed　them；　and　they　every　one　went　to　their　own　homes；
giving　thanks　to　the　king　for　the　care　he　had　taken　of　them；　and
the　works　he　had　done　for　them；　and　praying　to　God　to　preserve
Solomon　to　be　their　king　for　a　long　time。　They　also　took　their
journey　home　with　rejoicing；　and　making　merry；　and　singing　hymns
to　God。　And　indeed　the　pleasure　they　enjoyed　took　away　the　sense
of　the　pains　they　all　underwent　in　their　journey　home。　So　when
they　had　brought　the　ark　into　the　temple；　and　had　seen　its
greatness；　and　how　fine　it　was；　and　had　been　partakers　of　the
many　sacrifices　that　had　been　offered；　and　of　the　festivals　that
had　been　solemnized；　they　every　one　returned　to　their　own　cities。
But　a　dream　that　appeared　to　the　king　in　his　sleep　informed　him
that　God　had　heard　his　prayers；　and　that　he　would　not　only
preserve　the　temple；　but　would　always　abide　in　it；　that　is；　in
case　his　posterity　and　the　whole　multitude　would　be　righteous。
And　for　himself；　it　said；　that　if　he　continued　according　to　the
admonitions　of　his　father；　he　would　advance　him　to　an　immense
degree　of　dignity　and　happiness；　and　that　then　his　posterity
should　be　kings　of　that　country；　of　the　tribe　of　Judah；　for　ever；
but　that　still；　if　he　should　be　found　a　betrayer　of　the
ordinances　of　the　law；　and　forget　them；　and　turn　away　to　the
worship　of　strange　gods；　he　would　cut　him　off　by　the　roots；　and
would　neither　suffer　any　remainder　of　his　family　to　continue；　nor
would　overlook　the　people　of　Israel；　or　preserve　them　any　longer
from　afflictions；　but　would　utterly　destroy　them　with　ten
thousand　wars　and　misfortunes；　would　cast　them　out　of　the　land
which　he　had　given　their　fathers；　and　make　them　sojourners　in
strange　lands；　and　deliver　that　temple　which　was　now　built　to　be
burnt　and　spoiled　by　their　enemies；　and　that　city　to　be　utterly
overthrown　by　the　hands　of　their　enemies；　and　make　their　miseries
deserve　to　be　a　proverb；　and　such　as　should　very　hardly　be
credited　for　their　stupendous　magnitude；　till　their　neighbors；
when　they　should　hear　of　them；　should　wonder　at　their　calamities；
and　very　earnestly　inquire　for　the　occasion；　why　the　Hebrews；　who
had　been　so　far　advanced　by　God　to　such　glory　and　wealth；　should
be　then　so　hated　by　him？　and　that　the　answer　that　should　be　made
by　the　remainder　of　the　people　should　be；　by　confessing　their
sins；　and　their　transgression　of　the　laws　of　their　country。
Accordingly　we　have　it　transmitted　to　us　in　writing；　that　thus
did　God　speak　to　Solomon　in　his　sleep。

CHAPTER　5。

How　Solomon　Built　Himself　A　Royal　Palace；　Very　Costly　And
Splendid；　And　How　He　Solved　The　Riddles　Which　Were　Sent　Him　By
Hiram。

1。　After　the　building　of　the　temple；　which；　as　we　have　before
said；　was　finished　in　seven　years；　the　king　laid　the　foundation
of　his　palace；　which　be　did　not　finish　under　thirteen　years；　for
he　was　not　equally　zealous　in　the　building　of　this　palace　as　he
had　been　about　the　temple；　for　as　to　that；　though　it　was　a　great
work；　and　required　wonderful　and　surprising　application；　yet　God；
for　whom　it　was　made；　so　far　co…operated　therewith；　that　it　was
finished　in　the　forementioned　number　of　years：　but　the　palace；
which　was　a　building　much　inferior　in　dignity　to　the　temple；　both
on　account　that　its　materials　had　not　been　so　long　beforehand
gotten　ready；　nor　had　been　so　zealously　prepared；　and　on　account
that　this　was　only　a　habitation　for　kings；　and　not　for　God；　it
was　longer　in　finishing。　However；　this　building　was　raised　so
magnificently；　as　suited　the　happy　state　of　the　Hebrews；　and　of
the　king　thereof。　But　it　is　necessary　that　I　describe　the　entire
structure　and　disposition　of　the　parts；　that　so　those　that　light
upon　this　book　may　thereby　make　a　conjecture；　and；　as　it　were；
have　a　prospect　of　its　magnitude。

2。　This　house　was　a　large　and　curious　building；　and　was　supported
by　many　pillars；　which　Solomon　built　to　contain　a　multitnde　for
hearing　causes；　and　taking　cognizance　of　suits。　It　was
sufficiently　capacious　to　contain　a　great　body　of　men；　who　would
come　together　to　have　their　causes　determined。　It　was　a　hundred
cubits　long；　and　fifty　broad；　and　thirty　high；　supported　by
quadrangular　pillars；　which　were　all　of　cedar；　but　its　roof　was
according　to　the　Corinthian　order；　（14）　with　folding　doors；　and
their　adjoining　pillars　of　equal　magnitude；　each　fluted　with
three　cavities；　which　building　as　at　once　firm；　and　very
ornamental。　There　was　also　another　house　so　ordered；　that　its
entire　breadth　was　placed　in　the　middle；　it　was　quadrangular；　and
its　breadth　was　thirty　cubits；　having　a　temple　over　against　it；
raised　upon　massy　pillars；　in　which　temple　there　was　a　large　and
very　glorious　room；　wherein　the　king　sat　in　judgment。　To　this　was
joined　another　house　that　was　built　for　his　queen。　There　were
other　smaller　edifices　for　diet；　and　for　sleep；　after　public
matters　were　over；　and　these　were　all　floored　with　boards　of
cedar。　Some　of　these　Solomon　built　with　stones　of　ten　cubits；　and
wainscoted　the　walls　with　other　stones　that　were　sawed；　and　were
of　great　value；　such　as　are　dug　out　of　the　earth　for　the
ornaments　of　temples；　and　to　make　fine　prospects　in　royal
palaces；　and　which　make　the　mines　whence　they　are　dug　famous。　Now
the　contexture　of　the　curious　workmanship　of　these　stones　was　in
three　rows；　but　the　fourth　row　would　make　one　admire　its
sculptures；　whereby　were　represented　trees；　and　all　sorts　of
plants；　with　the　shades　that　arose　from　their　branches；　and
leaves　that　hung　down　from　them。　Those　trees　anti　plants　covered
the　stone　that　was　beneath　them；　and　their　leaves　were　wrought　so
prodigious　thin　and　subtile；　that　you　would　think　they　were　in
motion；　but　the　other　part　up　to　the　roof；　was　plastered　over；
and；　as　it　were；　embroidered　with　colors　and　pictures。　He；
moreover；　built　other　edifices　for　pleasure；　as　also　very　long
cloisters；　and　those　situate　in　an　agreeable　place　of　the　palace；
and　among　them　a　most　glorious　dining　room；　for　feastings　and
compotations；　and　full　of　gold；　and　such　other　furniture　as　so
fine　a　room　ought　to　have　for　the　conveniency　of　the　guests；　and
where　all　the　vessels　were　made　of　gold。　Now　it　is　very　hard　to
reckon　up　the　magnitude　and　the　variety　of　the　royal　apartments；
how　many　rooms　there　were　of　the　largest　sort；　how　many　of　a
bigness　inferior　to　those；　and　how　many　that　were　subterraneous
and　invisible；　the　curiosity　of　those　that　enjoyed　the　fresh　air；
and　the　groves　for　the　most　delightful　prospect；　for　the　avoiding
the　heat；　and　covering　of　their　bodies。　And；　to　say　all　in　brief；
Solomon　made　the　whole　building　entirely　of　white　stone；　and
cedar　wood；　and　gold；　and　silver。　He　also　adorned　the　roofs　and
walls　with　stones　set　in　gold；　and　beautified　them　thereby　in　the
same　manner　as　he　had　beautified　the　temple　of　God　with　the　like
stones。　He　also　made　himself　a　throne　of　prodigious　bigness；　of
ivory；　constructed　as　a　seat　of　justice；　and　having　six　steps　to
it；　on　every　one　of　which　stood；　on　each　end　of　the　step　two
lions；　two　other　lions　standing　above　also；　but　at　the　sitting
place　of　the　throne　hands　came　out　and　received　the　king；　and
when　he　sat　backward；　he　rested　on　half　a　bullock；　that　looked
towards　his　back；　but　still　all　was　fastened　together　with　gold。

3。　When　Solomon　had　completed　all　this　in　twenty　years'　time；
because　Hiram　king　of　Tyre　h