My Daily Meditation

Today’s Reading

The First Book of Kings

Chapter 10:1-29

1 And the Queen of Sheba hearing the fame of Solomon (concerning the Name of the Lord) came to prove him with hard questions.

2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, and camels that bare sweet odors, and gold exceeding much, and precious stones: and she came to Solomon, and communed with him of all that was in her heart.

3 And Solomon declared unto her all her questions: nothing was hid from the king, which he expounded not unto her.

4 Then the Queen of Sheba saw all Solomon’s wisdom, and the house that he had built,

5 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the order of his ministers, and their apparel, and his drinking vessels, and his burnt offerings, that he offered in the house of the Lord, and she was greatly astonied.

6 And she said unto the King, It was a true word that I heard in mine own land of thy sayings, and of thy wisdom.

7 Howbeit I believed not this report, till I came, and had seen it with mine eyes: but lo, the one half was not told me: for thou hast more wisdom and prosperity, than I have heard by report.

8 Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand ever before thee, and hear thy wisdom.

9 Blessed be the Lord thy God, which loved thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel, because the Lord loved Israel forever, and made thee king to do equity and righteousness.

10 And she gave the king sixscore talents of gold, and of sweet odors exceeding much, and precious stones. There came no more such abundance of sweet odors, as the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon. (a)

11 The navy also of Hiram (that carried gold from Ophir) brought likewise great plenty of Almuggim trees from Ophir, and precious stones.

12 And the king made of the Almuggim trees pillars for the house of the Lord, and for the king’s palace, and made harps and psalteries for singers. There came no more such Almuggim trees, nor were any more seen unto this day.

13 And King Solomon gave unto the Queen of Sheba, whatsoever she would ask, besides that, which Solomon gave her of his kingly liberality: so she returned and went to her own country, both she and her servants.

14 Also the weight of gold, that came to Solomon in one year, was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold,

15 Besides that he had of merchant men and of the merchandises of them that sold spices, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the princes of the country.

16 And King Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold, six hundred shekels of gold went to a target:

17 And three hundred shields of beaten gold, three pounds of gold went to one shield: and the King put them in the house of the wood of Lebanon.

18 Then the King made a great throne of ivory, and covered it with the best gold.

19 And the throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind, and there were stays on either side on the place of the throne, and two lions standing by the stays.

20 And there stood twelve lions on the six steps on either side: there was not the like made in any kingdom.

21 And all King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the wood of Lebanon were of pure gold, none were of silver: for it was nothing esteemed in the days of Solomon

22 For the King had on the sea the navy of Tarshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tarshish, and brought gold and silver, ivory, and apes and peacocks.

23 So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth both in riches and in wisdom.

24 And all the world sought to see Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart,

25 And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, and armor, and sweet odors, horses and mules, from year to year.

26 Then Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he placed in the chariot cities, and with the King at Jerusalem.

27 And the King gave silver in Jerusalem as stones, and gave cedars as the wild fig trees that grow abundantly in the plain.

28 Also Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and fine linen: the king’s merchants received the linen for a price.

29 There came up and went out of Egypt some chariot worth six hundred shekels of silver: that is, one horse, an hundred and fifty. And thus they brought horses to all the Kings of the Hittites and to the Kings of Aram by their means]

(a) Editor’s thought - When those who reverence and seek God are in position to govern it goes well with the people. 

My Daily Meditation

Today’s Reading

The First Book of Kings

Chapter 9:1-28

Friends;

It is really quite simple to understand. Walk in the ways of the Lord always, and be blessed. Seek other gods, (and that can be anything that is put before our Lord, money, fame, etc., that is to say they are idols), and God will withdraw His blessings and allow you to wallow in the worldly wisdom that is of men and to my mind that is the worst punishment He can deal out to us as people.  Remember service to God, is light, His  yoke is light and His ways are easy and smooth.  Again this is not to say that one should walk through life sticking  their head in the sand, but rather to seek God’s wisdom in all that endeavor to do in life. 

1 When Solomon had finished the building of the house of the Lord, and the King’s palace, and all that Solomon desired and minded to do,

2 Then the Lord appeared unto Solomon the second time, as he appeared unto him at Gibeon.

3 And the Lord said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house (which thou hast built) to put my Name there forever, and mine eyes, and my heart shall be there perpetually.

4 And if thou wilt walk before me (as David thy father walked in pureness of heart and in righteousness) to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and keep my statutes, and my judgments,

5 Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel forever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, Thou shalt not want a man upon the throne of Israel.

6 But if ye and your children turn away from me, and will not keep my Commandments, and my statutes (which I have set before you) but go and serve other gods, and worship them,

7 Then will I cut off Israel from the land, which I have given them, and the house which I have hallowed for my Name, will I cast out of my sight, and Israel shall be a proverb, and a common talk among all people.

8 Even this high house shall be so: everyone that passeth by it, shall be astonied, and shall hiss, and they shall say, Why hath the Lord done thus unto this land and to this house?

9 And they shall answer, Because they forsook the Lord their God, which brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them, therefore hath the Lord brought upon them all this evil.

10 And at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the Lord, and the King’s palace,

11 (For the which Hiram the king of Tyre had brought to Solomon timber of Cedar and fir trees, and gold, and whatsoever he desired) then king Solomon gave to Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.

12 And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him, and they pleased him not.

13 Therefore he said, What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto this day.

14 And Hiram had sent the King sixscore talents of gold.

15 And this is the cause of the tribute, why King Solomon raised tribute, to wit, to build the house of the Lord, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.

16 Pharaoh king of Egypt had come up, and taken Gezer, and burnt it with fire, and slew the Canaanites that dwelt in the city, and gave it for a present unto his daughter Solomon’s wife.

17 (Therefore Solomon built Gezer and Beth Horon the nether,

18 And Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness of the land,

19 And all the cities of store, that Solomon had, even cities for chariots, and cities for horsemen, and all that Solomon desired and would build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion)

20 All the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which were not of the children of Israel

21 To wit, their children that were left after them in the land whom the children of Israel were not able to destroy, those did Solomon make tributaries unto this day

22 But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen: but they were men of war and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots and his horsemen.

23 These were the princes of the officers, that were over Solomon’s work: even five hundred and fifty, and they ruled the people that wrought in the work.

24 And Pharaoh’s daughter came up from the city of David unto the house which Solomon had built for her: then did he build Millo.

25 And thrice a year did Solomon offer burnt offerings and peace offerings upon the altar which he built unto the Lord: and he burnt incense upon the altar that was before the Lord, when he had finished the house.

26 Also king Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion Geber, which is beside Elath, and the brink of the red sea, in the land of Edom.

27 And Hiram sent with the navy, his servants, that were mariners, and had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.

28 And they came to Ophir, and fet from thence four hundred and twenty talents of gold, and brought it to king Solomon.

My Daily Meditation

Today’s Reading

The First book of Kings

Chapter 8

Friends;

After reading this chapter, I came away with the thought how God is so faithful to those who diligently seek Him. That His promises are yes and indeed.  Also, when we sin, when we are quick to confess our sins, He is likewise quick to forgive.  Finally, we read in verses twenty seven through thirty, that Solomon declares that even the heavens are not large enough to house God, yet, he asks only that our heavenly father give regard to those that enter this house of worship, so that, all who come, both Israelite, and stranger, and make supplication, or confess sin, be given consideration.  I think that Solomon realized, that God also dwells with us for only He knows the hearts of people. 

1 Then King Solomon assembled the Elders of Israel, even all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel unto him in Jerusalem, for to bring up the Ark of the covenant of the Lord from the city of David, which is Zion.

2 And all the men of Israel assembled unto King Solomon at the feast in the month of Ethanim, which is the seventh month.

3 And all the Elders of Israel came, and the Priests took the Ark.

4 They bare the Ark of the Lord, and they bare the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the Tabernacle: those did the Priests and Levites bring up.

5 And King Solomon and all the Congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him, were with him before the Ark, offering sheep and beeves, which could not be told, nor numbered for multitude.

6 So the Priests brought the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord unto his place, into the oracle of the house into the most holy place, even under the wings of the Cherubims.

7 For the Cherubims stretched out their wings over the place of the Ark, and the Cherubims covered the Ark, and the bars thereof above.

8 And they drew out the bars, that the ends of the bars might appear out of the Sanctuary before the oracle, but they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day.

9 Nothing was in the Ark save the two tables of stone which Moses had put there at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.

10 And when the Priests were come out of the Sanctuary, the cloud filled the house of the Lord,

11 So that the Priests could not stand to minister, because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord.

12 Then spake Solomon, The Lord said, that he would dwell in the dark cloud.

13 I have built thee an house to dwell in, an habitation for thee to abide in for ever.

14 And the King turned his face and blessed all the Congregation of Israel: for all the Congregation of Israel stood there.

15 And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying,

16 Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city of all the tribes of Israel, to build an house that my Name might be there: but I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.

17 And it was in the heart of David my father, to build an house to the Name of the Lord God of Israel.

18 And the Lord said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my Name, thou didst well, that thou wast so minded:

19 Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house, but thy son that shall come out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto my Name.

20 And the Lord hath made good his word that he spake: and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and have built the house for the Name of the Lord God of Israel. (a)

21 And I have prepared therein a place for the Ark, wherein is the covenant of the Lord which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.

22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the sight of all the Congregation of Israel, and stretched out his hands toward heaven,

23 And said, O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, thou that keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee, with all their heart,

24 Thou that hast kept with thy servant David my father, that thou hast promised him: for thou spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as appeareth this day.

25 Therefore, now Lord God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that thou hast promised him, saying, Thou shalt not want a man in my sight to sit upon the throne of Israel: so that thy children take heed to their way, that they walk before me, as thou hast walked in my sight.

26 And now, O God of Israel, I pray thee, let thy word be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father.

27 Is it true indeed that God will dwell on the earth? behold, the heavens, and the heavens of heavens are not able to contain thee: how much more unable is this house that I have built?

28 But have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to hear the cry and prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee this day:

29 That thine eyes may be open toward this house, night and day, even toward the place whereof thou hast said, My Name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth in this place.

30 Hear thou therefore the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel which pray in this place, and hear thou in the place of thine habitation, even in heaven, and when thou hearest, have mercy.

31 When a man shall trespass against his neighbor, and he lay upon him an oath to cause him to swear, and the swearer shall come before thine altar into this house, (b)

32 Then hear thou in heaven, and do and judge thy servants, that thou condemn the wicked to bring his way upon his head, and justify the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.

33 When thy people Israel shall be overthrown before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and turn again to thee, and confess thy Name, and pray and make supplication unto thee in this house,

34 Then hear thou in heaven, and be merciful unto the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land, which thou gavest unto their fathers.

35 When heaven shall be shut up, and there shall be no rain because they have sinned against thee, and shall pray in this place, and confess thy Name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them,

36 Then hear thou in heaven, and pardon the sin of thy servants and of thy people Israel (when thou hast taught them the good way wherein they may walk) and give rain upon the land that thou hast given thy people to inherit.

37 When there shall be famine in the land, when there shall be pestilence, when there shall be blasting, mildew, grasshopper or caterpillar, when their enemies shall besiege them in the cities of their land, or any plague, or any sickness,

38 Then what prayer, and supplication soever shall be made of any man or of all thy people Israel, when everyone shall know the plague in his own heart, and stretch forth his hands in this house,

39 Hear thou then in heaven, in thy dwelling place, and be merciful, and do, and give every man according to all his ways, as thou knowest his heart, (for thou only knowest the hearts of all the children of men)

40 That they may fear thee as long as they live in the land, which thou gavest unto our fathers.

41 Moreover as touching the stranger that is not of thy people Israel, who shall come out of a far country for thy Name’s sake,

42 (When they shall hear of thy great Name, and of thy mighty hand, and of thy stretched out arm) and shall come and pray in this house,

43 Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth for unto thee: that all the people of the earth may know thy Name, and fear thee, as do thy people Israel: and that they may know that thy Name is called upon in this house which I have built.

44 When thy people shall go out to battle against their enemy by the way that thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the Lord toward the way of the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I have built for thy Name,

45 Hear thou then in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and judge their cause.

46 If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them unto the enemies, so that they carry them away prisoners unto the land of the enemies, either far or near,

47 Yet if they turn again unto their heart in the land (to the which they be carried away captives) and return and pray unto thee in the land of them that carried them away captives, saying, We have sinned, we have transgressed, and done wickedly,

48 If they turn again unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, which led them away captives, and pray unto thee toward the way of their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy Name,

49 Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling place, and judge their cause,

50 And be merciful unto thy people that have sinned against thee, and unto all their iniquities (wherein they have transgressed against thee) and cause that they which led them away captives, may have pity and compassion on them.

51 For they be thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest out of Egypt from the midst of the iron furnace.

52 Let thine eyes be open unto the prayer of thy servant, and unto the prayer of thy people Israel, to hearken unto them, in all that they call for unto thee.

53 For thou didst separate them to thee from among all people of the earth for an inheritance, as thou saidest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.

54 And when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the Lord, he rose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees, and stretching of his hands to heaven, (c)

55 And stood and blessed all the Congregation of Israel, with a loud voice, saying,

56 Blessed be the Lord that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.

57 The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers, that he forsake us not, neither leave us,

58 That he may bow our hearts unto him, that we may walk in all his ways, and keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his laws, which he commanded our fathers.

59 And these my words, which I have prayed before the Lord, be near unto the Lord our God day and night, that he defend the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel always as the matter requireth,

60 That all the people of the earth may know, that the Lord is God, and none other.

61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as this day.

62 Then the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifice before the Lord.

63 And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings which he offered unto the Lord, to wit, two and twenty thousand beeves, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the King and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord.

64 The same day did the King hallow the middle of the court, that was before the house of the Lord: for there he made burnt offerings, and the meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the brazen altar that was before the Lord, was too little to receive the burnt offerings, and the meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings.

65 And Solomon made at that time a feast and all Israel with him, a very great Congregation, even from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt, before the Lord our God, [ag]seven days and seven days, even fourteen days.

66 And the eighth day he sent the people away: and they thanked the King, and went unto their tents joyous, and with glad heart, because of all the goodness that the Lord had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people.

(a) Editor’s notation - Read 2 Corinthians 1:20

(b) Editor’s thought - In verses 31-53 we see how Solomon understood that no man is without sin, so he asks of God to be merciful and forgiving to them, if they confess of their sins, repent of their ways, and return to seeking Him. 

(c) Editor’s thought - in the concluding verses from 54 onward, we asks of God to help us to keep Him and his statutes ever before us, so that all will be well with us. That we should look neither to the right or the left, nor towards the wisdom of man, but instead to the wisdom of God. 

My Daily Meditation

Today’s Reading

The First Book of Kings

Chapter 7:1-51

1 But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and finished all his house.

2 He built also an house called the forest of Lebanon, an hundred cubits long, and fifty cubits broad, and thirty cubits high, upon four rows of Cedar pillars: and Cedar beams were laid upon the pillars.

3 And it was covered above with cedar upon the beams, that lay on the forty and five pillars, fifteen in a row.

4 And the windows were in three rows, and window was against window in three ranks.

5 And all the doors, and the side posts with the windows were foursquare, and window was over against window in three ranks.

6 And he made a porch of pillars fifty cubits long, and thirty cubits broad, and the porch was before them, even before them were thirty pillars.

7 Then he made a porch for the throne, where he judged, even a porch of judgment, and it was ceiled with cedar from pavement to pavement.

8 And in his house where he dwelt was another hall more inward than the porch which was of the same work. Also Solomon made an house for Pharaoh’s daughter (whom he had taken to wife) like unto this porch.

9 All these were of costly stones, hewed by measure, and sawed with saws within and without, from the foundation unto the stones of an hand breadth, and on the outside to the great court.

10 And the foundation was of costly stones, and great stones, even of stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits.

11 Above also were costly stones squared by rule, and boards of cedar.

12 And the great court round about was with three rows of hewed stones, and a row of cedar beams: so was it to the inner court of the house of the Lord, and to the porch of the house.

13 Then King Solomon sent, and fet one Hiram out of Tyre.

14 He was a widow’s son of the tribe of Naphtali, his father being a man of Tyre, and wrought in brass: he was full of wisdom, and understanding, and knowledge to work all manner of work in brass: who came to King Solomon, and wrought all his work.

15 For he cast two pillars of brass: the height of a pillar was eighteen cubits, and a thread of twelve cubits did compass either of the pillars.

16 And he made two [n]chapiters of molten brass to set on the tops of the pillars: the height of one of the chapiters was five cubits, and the height of the other chapiter was five cubits.

17 He made grates like network and wreathen work like chains for the chapiters that were on the top of the pillars, even seven for the one chapiter, and seven for the other chapiter.

18 So he made the pillars and two rows of pomegranates round about in the one grate to cover the chapiters that were upon the top. And thus did he for the other chapiter.

19 And the chapiters that were on the top of the pillars were after lily work in the porch, four cubits.

20 And the chapiters upon the two pillars had also above, over against the belly within the network pomegranates: for two hundred pomegranates were in the two ranks about upon either of the chapiters.

21 And he set up the pillars in the porch of the Temple. And when he had set up the right pillar, he called the name thereof Jachin: and when he had set up the left pillar, he called the name thereof Boaz.

22 And upon the top of the pillars was work of lilies: so was the workmanship of the pillars finished.

23  And he made a molten [w]sea of ten cubits wide from brim to brim, round in compass, and five cubits high, and a line of thirty cubits did compass it about.

24 And under the brim of it were knops like wild cucumbers compassing it round about, ten in one cubit, compassing the sea round about: and the two rows of knops were cast, when it was molten.

25 It stood on twelve bulls, three looking toward the North, and three toward the West, and three toward the South, and three toward the East: and the sea stood above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward.

26 It was an handbreadth thick, and the brim thereof was like the work of the brim of a cup with flowers of lilies: it contained two thousand baths.

27 And he made ten bases of brass, one base was four cubits long, and four cubits broad, and three cubits high.

28 And the work of the bases was on this manner, They had borders, and the borders were between the ledges:

29 And on the borders that were between the ledges, were lions, bulls and Cherubims: and upon the ledges there was a base above: and beneath the lions and bulls, were additions made of thin work.

30 And every base had four brazen wheels, and plates of brass: and the four corners had undersetters: under the caldron were undersetters molten at the side of every addition.

31 And the mouth of it was within the chapiter and above to measure by the cubit: for the mouth thereof was round, made like a base, and it was a cubit and half a cubit: and also upon the mouth thereof were graven works, whose borders were foursquare, and not round.

32 And under the borders were four wheels and the axletrees of the wheels joined to the base: and the height of a wheel was a cubit, and half a cubit.

33 And the fashion of the wheels was like the fashion of a chariot wheel, their axletrees, and their naves and their felloes, and their spokes were all molten.

34 And four undersetters were upon the four corners of one base: and the undersetters thereof were of the base itself.

35 And in the top of the base was a round compass of half a cubit high round about: and upon the top of the base the ledges thereof, and the borders thereof were of the same.

36 And upon the tables of the ledges thereof, and on the borders thereof he did grave Cherubims, lions and palm trees, on the side of every one, and additions round about.

37 Thus made he the ten bases, They had all one casting, one measure, and one size.

38Then made he ten cauldrons of brass, one cauldron contained forty baths, and every cauldron was four cubits, one cauldron was upon one base throughout the ten bases.

39 And he set the bases, five on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house. And he set the sea on the right side of the house Eastward toward the South.

40 And Hiram made cauldrons, and besoms, and basins, and Hiram finished all the work that he made to King Solomon for the house of the Lord:

41 To wit, two pillars and two bowls of the chapiters that were on the top of the two pillars, and two grates to cover the two bowls of the chapiters which were upon the top of the pillars,

42 And four hundred pomegranates for the two grates, even two rows of pomegranates for every grate to cover the two bowls of the chapiters, that were upon the pillars,

43 And the ten bases, and ten cauldrons upon the bases,

44 And the sea, and twelve bulls under that sea,

45 And pots, and besoms, and basins: and all these vessels, which Hiram made to king Solomon for the house of the Lord, were of shining brass.

46 In the plain of Jordan did the King cast them in clay between Succoth and Zaretan.

47 And Solomon left to weigh all the vessels, because of the exceeding abundance, neither could the weight of the brass be counted.

48 So Solomon made all the vessels that pertained unto the house of the Lord, the golden altar, and the golden table, whereon the showbread was,

49 And the candlesticks, five at the right side, and five at the left, before the oracle of pure gold, and the flowers, and the lamps, and the snuffers of gold,

50 And the bowls, and the hooks, and the basins, and the spoons, and the ashpans of pure gold, and hinges of gold for the doors of the house within, even for the most holy place, and for the doors of the house, to wit, of the Temple.

51 So was finished all the work that king Solomon made for the house of the Lord, and Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated: the silver and the gold and the vessels, and laid them among the treasures of the house of the Lord.

My Daily Meditation

Today’s Reading

The First Book of Kings 

Chapter 6:1-38

1 And in the four hundred and fourscore year (after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt) and in the fourth year of the reign of Solomon over Israel, in the month Ziv, (which is the second month) he built the house of the Lord.

2 And the house which king Solomon built for the Lord, was threescore cubits long, and twenty broad, and thirty cubits high.

3 And the porch before the Temple of the house was twenty cubits long according to the breadth of the house, and ten cubits broad before the house.

4 And in the house he made windows, broad without, and narrow within.

5 And by the wall of the house he made galleries round about, even by the walls of the house round about the Temple and the oracle, and made chambers round about.

6 And the nethermost gallery was five cubits broad, and the middlemost six cubits broad, and the third seven cubits broad: for he made rests round about without the house, that the beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house.

7 And when the house was built, it was built of stone perfect, before it was brought, so that there was neither hammer, nor axe, nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.

8 The door of the middle chamber was in the right side of the house, and men went up with winding stairs into the middlemost, and out of the middlemost into the third.

9 So he built the house and finished it, and ceiled the house, being vaulted with ceiling of cedar trees.

10 And he built the galleries upon all the wall of the house of five cubits height, and they were joined to the house with beams of cedar.

11 And the word of the Lord came to Solomon, saying,

12 Concerning this house which thou buildest, if thou wilt walk in mine ordinances, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments, to walk in them, then will I perform unto thee my promise, which I promised to David thy father.

13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.

14 So Solomon built the house and finished it,

15 And built the walls of the house within, with boards of Cedar tree from the pavement of the house unto the walls of the ceiling, and within he covered them with wood, and covered the floor of the house with planks of fir.

16 And he built twenty cubits in the sides of the house with boards of Cedar, from the floor to the walls, and he prepared a place within it for the oracle, even the most holy place.

17 But the house, that is, the Temple before it, was forty cubits long.

18 And the Cedar of the house within was carved with knops, and graven with flowers: all was Cedar, so that no stone was seen.

19 Also he prepared the place of the oracle in the midst of the house within, to set the Ark of the covenant of the Lord there.

20 And the place of the oracle within was twenty cubits long, and twenty cubits broad, and twenty cubits high: and he covered it with pure gold, and covered the altar with Cedar.

21 So Solomon covered the house within with pure gold, and he shut the place of the oracle with chains of gold, and covered it with gold.

22 And he overlaid all the house with gold, until all the house was made perfect. Also he covered the whole altar, that was before the oracle, with gold.

23 And within the oracle he made two Cherubims of Olive tree, ten cubits high.

24 The wing also of the one Cherub was five cubits, and the wing of the other Cherub was five cubits: from the uttermost part of one of his wings unto the uttermost part of the other of his wings, were ten cubits.

25 Also the other Cherub was of ten cubits: both the Cherubims were of one measure and one size.

26 For the height of the one Cherub was ten cubits, and so was the other Cherub.

27 And he put the Cherubims within the inner house, and the Cherubims stretched out their wings, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other Cherub touched the other wall: and their other wings touched one another in the midst of the house.

28 And he overlaid the Cherubims with gold.

29 And he carved all the walls of the house round about with graven figures of Cherubims and of Palm trees, and graven flowers within and without.

30 And the floor of the house he covered with gold within and without.

31 And in the entering of the oracle he made two doors of Olive trees: and the upper post and side posts were five square.

32 The two doors also were of Olive tree, and he graved them with graving of Cherubims, and Palm trees, and graven flowers, and covered them with gold, and laid thin gold upon the Cherubims and upon the Palm trees.

33 And so made he for the door of the Temple, posts of Olive trees foursquare.

34 But the two doors were of fir tree, the two sides of the one door were round, and the two sides of the other door were round.

35 And he graved Cherubims, and Palm trees, and carved flowers, and covered the carved work with gold finely wrought.

36 And he built the court within with three rows of hewed stone, and one row of beams of Cedar.

37 In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the Lord laid in the month of Ziv:

38 And in the eleventh year in the month of Bul, (which is the eighth month) he finished the house with all the furniture thereof, and in every point: so was he seven years in building it.

My Daily Meditation

Today’s Reading

The First Book of Kings

Chapter 1:1-18

Friends and Brethren in Christ, Greetings in the name of our Savior Christ Jesus

Just a short note this morning. In the previous studies we’ve read how Solomon humble himself before God, by asking only for wisdom in that he might be a just and wise ruler of the nation of Israel. God, gave him not only wisdom, but increased his fame and fortune as well. We move along and find, that Solomon is now in the position to build a house of worship for God. In doing so, he enlists the services of others. In way, is that not what we all should do? This is to say that when we’re blessed of God, that we use the blessings to bless others as well. 

1 And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon, (for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father) because Hiram had ever loved David.

2 And Solomon sent him to Hiram, saying,

3 Thou knowest that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the Lord his God, for the wars which were about him on every side, until the Lord had put them under the soles of his feet.

4 But now the Lord my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary, nor evil to resist.

5 And behold, I purpose to build an house unto the Name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne for thee, he shall build an house unto my Name.

6 Now therefore command, that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon, and my servants shall be with thy servants, and unto thee will I give the hire for thy servants, according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that there are none among us, that can hew timber like unto the Sidonians.

7 And when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the Lord this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this mighty people.

8 And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things, for the which thou sentest unto me, and will accomplish all thy desire, concerning the cedar trees and fir trees.

9 My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon to the sea: and I will convey them by sea in rafts unto the place that thou shalt show me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them: now thou shalt do me a pleasure to minister food for my family.

10 So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees, even his full desire.

11 And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of beaten oil. Thus much gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.

12 And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom as he promised him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they two made a covenant.

13 And King Solomon raised a sum out of all Israel, and the sum was thirty thousand men:

14 Whom he sent to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by course: they were a month in Lebanon, and two months at home. And Adoniram was over the sum.

15 And Solomon had seventy thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand masons in the mountain,

16 Besides the princes, whom Solomon appointed over the work, even three thousand and three hundred, which ruled the people that wrought in the work.

17 And the King commanded them, and they brought great stones and costly stones to make the foundations of the house, even hewed stones.

18 And Solomon’s workmen, and the workmen of Hiram, and the masons hewed and prepared timber and stones for the building of the house.

My Daily Meditation

Today’s Reading

The First Book of Kings

Chapter 4:1-34

1 And king Solomon was king over all Israel.

2 And these were his princes, Azariah the son of Zadok the Priest,

3 Elihoreph and Ahijah the sons of Shisha, Scribes, Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the Recorder,

4 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host, and Zadok and Abiathar, Priests,

5 And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers, and Zabud the son of Nathan, Priest, was the king’s friend,

6 And Ahishar was over the household, and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute.

7 And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided victuals for the king and his household: each man had a month in the year to provide victuals.

8 And these are their names: the son of Hur in mount Ephraim:

9 The son of Deker in Makaz, and in Shaalbim and Beth Shemesh, and Elon and Beth Hanan:

10 The son of Hesed in Arubboth, to whom pertained Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher:

11 The son of Abinadab in all the region of Dor, which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife.

12 Baana the son of Ahilud in Taanach, and Megiddo, and in all Beth Shean, which is by Zaretan beneath Jezreel, from Beth Shean to Abel Meholah, even till beyond over against Jokneam:

13 The son of Geber in Ramoth Gilead, and his were the towns of Jair, the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead, and under him was the region of Argob, which is in Bashan: threescore great cities with walls and bars of brass.

14 Ahinadab the son of Iddo had to Mahanaim:

15 Ahimaaz in Naphtali, and he took Basemath the daughter of Solomon to wife:

16 Baanah the son of Hushai in Asher and in Aloth:

17 Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah in Issachar:

18 Shimei the son of Elah in Benjamin:

19 Geber the son of Uri in the country of Gilead, the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, and of Og king of Bashan, and was officer alone in the land.

20 Judah and Israel were many, as the sand of the sea in number, eating, drinking, and making merry.

21 And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms, from the River unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt, and they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.

22 And Solomon’s victuals for one day were thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal:

23 Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, besides harts, and bucks, and bugles, and fat fowl.

24 For he ruled in all the region on the other side of the River, from Tiphsah even unto Gaza, over all the kings on the other side the River: and he had peace round about him on every side.

25 And Judah and Israel dwelt without fear every man under his vine, and under his fig tree, from Dan, even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.

26 And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.

27 And these officers provided victual for king Solomon, and for all that came to king Solomon’s table, every man his month, and they suffered to lack nothing.

28 Barley also and straw for the horses and mules, brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.

29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and a large heart, even as the sand that is on the seashore,

30 And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the East, and all the wisdom of Egypt.

31 For he was wiser than any man: yea, than were Ethan the Ezrahite, than Heman, than Chalcol, than Darda the sons of Mahol: and he was famous throughout all nations round about.

32 And Solomon spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.

33 And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon, even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowls, and of creeping things, and of fishes.

34 And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.