Charles D. Miller, Author

DAVID

1 Chronicles 29

Then King David turned to the entire assembly and said; "My son Solomon, whom GOD has chosen to be the next King of Israel, is still young and inexperienced, and the work ahead of his is enormous; for the temple he will build is not just another building----it is for the LORD God himself! Using every resource at my command, I have gathered as much as I could for building it----enough gold, silver, bronze iron, wood, and great quantities of onyx, other precious stones, costly jewels, and marble. And now, because of my devotion to the Temple of GOD, I am giving all of my own private treasures to aid in the construction. This is in addition to the building materials I have already collected. These personal contributions consist of $85,000,000 worth of gold from Ophir and $20,000,000 worth of purest silver to be used for overlaying the walls of the buildings. This will be used for the articles made of gold and silver and for the artistic decorations. Now then, who will follow my example? Who will give himself and all that he has to the LORD?"

Then the clan leaders, the heads of the tribes, the army officers, and the administrative offers of the King pledged $145,000,000 in gold, and $50,000 in foreign currency; $30,000,000 in silver; 800 tons of bronze; and 4,600 tons of iron.

They also contributed great amounts of jewelry, which were deposited at the Temple treasury with Jehhiel (a descendant of Gershom). Everyone was excited and happy for this opportunity of service, and King David was moved with deep joy.

While still in the presence of the whole assembly, David expressed his praises to the LORD; "0 LORD GOD of our father Israel, praise your name for ever and ever! Yours is the mighty power and glory and victory and majesty. Everything in the heavens and earth is your, 0 LORD, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as being in control of everything. Riches and honor come from you alone; and you are the RULER of all mankind; your hand controls power and might, and it is at your discretion that men are made great and given strength. 0 our GOD, we thank you and praise your glorious name, but who am I and who are my people that we should be permitted to give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we only give you what is your already! For we are here for but a moment, strangers in the land as our fathers were before us; our days on earth are like a shadow, gone too soon, without a trace. 0 LORD our GOD, all of this material that we have gathered to build a temple for your holy name comes from you! I all belongs to you! I know, my GOD that you test men to see if they are good; for you enjoy good men. I have done all this with good motives, and I have watched your people offer their gifts willingly and joyously.

"0 LORD GOD of our fathers; Abraham, Isaac, and Israel! Make your people always want to obey you, and see to it that their love for you never changes. Give my son SOLOMON a good heart toward GOD, so that he will want to obey you in the smallest detail, and will look forward eagerly to finishing the building of your temple, for which I have made all these preparations."

Then David said to all the people, "Give praise to the LORD your GOD!" And they did, bowing low before the LORD the KING.

PRAYER FOR WISDOM GRANTED

1 KINGS 3

Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statues of David his father, only, he sacrificed and burnt incense at the high places. And the KING went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place; Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings upon that altar. At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and GOD said, "Ask what I shall give you." And Solomon said, "Thou hast shown great and steadfast love to they servant David my father, because he walked before thee in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward thee, and thou hast kept for him this great and steadfast love, and hast given him a son to sit on his throne this day. And now, 0 LORD my GOD, thou hast made thy servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people whom thou hast chosen, a great people that cannot be numbered or counted for multitude. Give thy servant therefore an understanding mind to govern thy people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to govern this thy great people?"

It pleased the LORD that Solomon had asked this. And GOD said to him, "Because you have asked this, and have not asked yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like; you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statues and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will strengthen your days."

And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.

SOLOMON'S WISE DECISION

Then two harlots came to the King, and stood before him. The one woman said, "Oh, my lord. This woman and I dwell in the same house; and I gave birth to a child while she was in the house. Then on the third day after I was delivered, this woman also gave birth; and we were alone; there was no one else with us in the house, only we two were in the house. And this woman's son died in the night, because she lay on it. And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while your maidservant slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead son in my bosom. When I rose in the morning to nurse my child, behold, it was dead; but when I looked at it closely in the morning, behold, it was not the child that I had borne." But the other woman said, 'No the living child is mine, and the dead child is yours, and the living child is mine." Thus they spoke before the king.

Then the King said, "The one says, 'This is my son that is alive, and your son is dead'; and the other says, 'No; but your son is dead, and my son is the living one.'" And the King said, "Bring me a sword," So a sword was brought before the king. And the King said, "Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other." Then the woman whose son was alive said to the King, because her heart yearned for her son, "0h my lord, give her the living child, and by no means slay it." But the other said, "It shall be neither mine nor yours; divide it." Then the King answered and said, "Give the living child to the first woman, and by no means slay it; she is its mother."

And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered; and they stood in awe of the King, because they perceived that the wisdom of GOD was in him, to render justice.

PREPARING TO BUILD THE TEMPLE

1 KINGS 5

Now Hiram King of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon, when he heard that they had anointed him King in place of his father; for Hiram always loved David. And Solomon sent word to Hiram, "You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of the LORD his GOD because of the warfare with which his enemies surrounded him, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet. But now the LORD my GOD has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary not misfortune. And'so I purpose to build a house for the name of the LORD my GOD, as the LORD said to David my father, "your son, whom I will set upon your throne in your place, shall build the house for my name.' Now therefore, command that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me; and my servants will join your servants, and I will pay you for your servants such wages as you set; for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians."

When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly, and said, "Blesses be the LORD this day, who has given to David a wise son to be over this great people." And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, "I have heard the message which you have sent to me; I am ready to do all you desire in the matter of cedar and cypress timber. My servants shall bring it down to the sea from Lebanon; and I will make it into rafts to go by sea to the place you direct, and I will have them broken up there, and you shall receive it, and you shall meet my wishes by providing food for my household." So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the timber of cedar and cypress that he desired, while Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand cors of wheat as food for his household, and twenty thousand cors of beaten oil. Solomon gave this to Hiram year by year. And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.

THE QUEEN OF SHEBA VISITS SOLOMON

1 KINGS 10

When the Queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relation to the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. Arriving in Jerusalem with a very great caravan---with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones-she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind. Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the King to explain to her. When the Queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offering he made at the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed.

She said to the King, "The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard. How happy your men must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! Praise be to the LORD your GOD who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD'S eternal love for Israel, he has made you king; to maintain justice and righteousness."

And she gave the King 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the Queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

(Hiram's ships brought gold from Ophir; and from there they brought great cargos of almugwood and precious stones. The King used the almugwood to make supports for the temple of the LORD and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the muscians. So much almugwood has never been imported or seen since that day.)

King Solomon gave the Queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for, besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. (Her questions had spiritual meaning. Her Spiritual questions was that she wanted him to give her a child. Which he did then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.

WHO IS THE QUEEN OF SHEBA

ABRAHAM TOOK ANOTHER WIFE

GENSIS 25

Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. (A Black Ethiopian Woman) She bore him seven children names Zimran, Jokshan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. Jokshan was the father of Queen of Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurum, Letushim, and LeUmimim. The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah and offsprings of Abraham. Abraham gave all he had to Isaac. But to the sons of Keturah, Abraham gave gifts, and while he was still living he sent them away from his son Isaac, eastward to the east country.

Abraham and his wife Keturah are Queen of Sheba's grandparents. Moses and his wife Zipporah are her aunt and uncle. And her father is Jokshan.

SOLOMON'S MARRIAGE ALLIANCE

1 KINGS 3

Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh King of Egypt; he took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had finished his own house and the house of the Lord and the wall around Jerusalem. The people were sacrificing at the high places, however, because no house had yet been built for the name of the Lord.

SOLOMON USES FORCED LABOR

King Solomon raised a levy of forced labor, out of all Israel; and the levy numbered thirty thousand men. And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month in relays; they would be a month in Lebanon and two months at home; Adoniram was in charge of the levy. Solomon also had seventy thousand burden-bearers and eighty thousand hewers of stone in the hill country, besides Solomon's three thousand three hundred chief officers who were over the work, who had charge of the people who carried on the work. At the King's command, they quarried out great, costly stones in order to lay the foundation of the house with dressed stones. So Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and the men of Gerbal did the hewing and prepared the timber and the stone to build the house.

THE DESCRIPTION OF THE TEMPLE

1 KINGS 6

In the four hundred and eightieth year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, he began to build the house of the LORD. The house which KING Solomon built for the LORD was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high. The vestibule in front of the nave of the house was twenty cubits long, equal to the width of the house, and ten cubits deep in front of the house. And he made for the house windows with recessed frames. He also built a structure against the wall of the house, running round the walls of the house, both the nave and the inner sanctuary and he made side chambers all around. The lowest story was five cubits broad, the middle one was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad; for around the outside of the house he made offsets on the wall in order that the supporting beams should not be inserted into the walls of the house.

When the house was built, it was with stone prepared at the quarry; so that neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron was heard in the temple, while it was being built.

The entrance for the lowest story was on the south side of the house; and one went up by stairs to the middle story; and from the middle story to the third. So he built the house, and finished it; and he made the ceiling of the house of beams and planks of cedar. He built the structure against the whole house, each story five cubits high, and it was joined to the house with timbers of cedar.

Now the word of the LORD came to Solomon. "Concerning this house which you are building, if you will walk in my statues and obey my ordinances, and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father. And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel." So Solomon built the house, and finished it.

In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid, in the month of Ziv. And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its parts, and the according to all its specifications. He was seven years in building it.

THE PALACE BUILDINGS

1 KINGS 7

Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished his entire house.

Thus all the work that King Solomon did on the house of the Lord was finished. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated, the silver, the gold, and the vessels, and stored them in the treasuries of the house of the Lord.

THE LORD'S COVENANT WITH SOLOMON

1 KINGS 9

When Solomon had finished building the house of the LORD and the King's house and all that Solomon desired to build, the LORD appeared to Solomon a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. And the LORD said to him, "I have heard your prayer and your supplication, which you have made before me; I have consecrated this house which you have built, and put my name there forever; my eyes and my heart will be there for all time. And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statues and my ordinances, then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, 'There shall not fail you a man upon the throne of Israel.' But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them; and the house which I have consecrated for my name will cast out of my sight; and Israel will become a proverb and a by word among all peoples. And this house will become a heap of ruins, everyone passing by it will be astonished, and will hiss; and they will say, 'Why has the LORD done this to this land and to this house?' Then they will say, 'Because they forsook the LORD their GOD who brought their father out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshiped them and served them; therefore the LORD has brought all this evil upon them.

SOLOMON BUILDS WITH FORCED LABOR

At the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built two houses, the house of the LORD and the king's house, and Hiram king of Tyre had supplied Solomon with cedar and cypress timber and gold, as much as he desired, King Solomon gave to Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee. But when Hiram came from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him, they did not please him. Therefore he said, "What kind of cities are these which you have given me, my brother?" So they are called the land of Cabul to this day. Hiram had sent to the King one hundred and twenty talents of gold.

And this is the account of the forced labor which King Solomon levied to build the house of the LORD and his own house and the Millo and the wall of Jerusalem and Hazar and Megiddo and Gezer (Pharaoh King of Egypt had gone up and captured Gezer and burnt it with fire; and had slain the Canaanities who dwelt in the city, and had given it as dowry to his daughter, Dolomon's wife; so Solomon rebuilt Gezer) and Lower Bethhoron and Baalath and Tamar in the wilderness, in the land of Judah, and all the store-cities that Solomon had, and the cities for his chariots, and the cities for his horsemen, and whatever Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion. All the people who were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the people of Israel-their descendants who were left after them in the land, whom the people of Israel were unable to destroy utterly-these Solomon made a forced levy of slaves, and so they are to this day. But of the people of Israel Solomon made no slaves; they were soldiers, they were his officials, his commanders, his captains, his chariot commanders and his horsemen.

These were the chief officers who were over Solomon's work; five hundred and fifty, who had charge of the people who carried on the work.

But Pharaoh's daughter went up from the city of David to her own house which Solomon had built for her; then he built the Millo.

Three times a year Solomon used to offer up burnt offerings and peace offerings upon the altar which he built to the LORD, burning incense before the LORD. So he finished the house.

King Solomon built a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. And Hiram sent with the fleet his servants, seamen who were familiar with the sea, together with the servants of Solomon; and they went to Ophir, and brought from there gold, to the amount of four hundred and twenty talents; and they brought it to King Solomon.

1 KINGS 10

Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. And the whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which GOD had put into his mind. Everyone of them brought his present, articles of silver and gold, garments of myrrh, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.

And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the King in Jerusalem. And the King made silver as common in Jerusalem as stone, and he made cedar as plentiful as the sycamore of the Shephelah. And Solomon's import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the King's traders received them from Kue at a price. A chariot could be imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty; and so through the King's traders they were exported to all the Kings of the Hittites and the Kings of Syria.

SOLOMON TAKES FOREIGN WIVES

1 KINGS 11

Now King Solomon loved many foreign women; the daughter of Pharaoh, and Monabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the people of Israel. "You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods"; Solomon clung to these in love. He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did not wholly follow the LORD, as David his father had done. Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonities, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. And he did for all his foreign wives, who turned incense and sacrificed to their gods.

THE LORD WARNS SOLOMON

And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the GOD of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not keep what the LORD commanded. Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, "Since this has been your mind and you have not kept my covenant and my statues which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant. Yet for the sake of David your father I will not do in your days, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. However I will not tear away all the kingdom; but I will give one tribe to your son, for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen."

THE SONG OF SOLOMON

KING JAMES 1

THE Song of Songs, which is SOLOMON'S.

VERSE ONE

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth for thy love is better than wine. Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee. Draw me, we will run after thee; the king hath brought me into his chambers; we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember they love more than wine; the upright love thee. I am black, but comely, 0 ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of SOLOMON. Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me; my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards, but mine own vineyard have I not kept. Tell me, a thou whom my soulloveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon; for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions? If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherd's tents. I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots. Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold. We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver. While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sent forth the smell thereof. A bundle of myrrh is my well beloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts. My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camhire in the vineyards of En-gedi. Behold thou art fair, my love; behold thou art fair; thou hast dove's eyes. Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant also our bed is green. The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.

VERSE TWO

I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters. As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadows with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples; for I am sick of love. His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me. I charge you, 0 ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, not awake my love, till he please. The voice of my beloved! Behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. Mt beloved is like a roe or a young hart; behold, he standeth behind our wall, and he looketh forth at the windows, showing himself through the lattice. My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For, 10, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. 0 my dove, thou art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely. Take us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines; for our vines have tender grapes. My beloved is mine, and I am his, he feedeth among the lilies. Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.

VERSE THREE

BY NIGHT on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth; I sought him, but I found him not. It will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways, I will seek him whom my soul loveth; I sought him, but I found him not. The watchmen that go about the city found me; to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth; I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me. I charge you, 0 ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please. Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankin cense, with all powders of the merchant? Behold his bed, which is SOLOMON'S, threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel. They all hold swords, being expert in war; every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night. KING SOLOMON made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon. He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem. Go forth, 0 ye daughters of Zion, and behold KING SOLOMON with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.

VERSE FOUR

BEHOLD THOU art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes within thy locks; thy hair is as flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead. Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the washing; whereof everyone bear twins, and none is barren among them. Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely; thy temples are like a piece of pomegranate within thy locks. Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men. Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies. Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense. Thou art all fair, my love' there is no spot in thee. Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon; look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lion's dens, from the mountains of the leopards. Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck. How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! How much better is thy love than wine! And the smell of thine ointments than all spices! Thy lips. 0 my spouse, drop as the honeycomb; honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon. A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camp hire, with spikenard, Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices. A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon. Awake 0 north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.

VERSE FIVE

I AM come into my garden, my sister, my spouse; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with milk; eat, 0 friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, 0 beloved. I sleep, but my heart waketh! It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled; for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him. I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone; my soul failed when he spake; I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer. The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me. I charge you, 0 daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love. What is thy beloved more than another beloved, 0 thou fairest among women? What is thy beloved more than another beloved that thou dost so charge us? My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. His head is as the fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a ravens. His eyes are the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set. His cheeks are as gold rings set with the berly; his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires. His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold; his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars. His mouth is most sweet; yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, 0 daughters of Jerusalem.

VERSE SIX

WHITHER IS thy beloved gone, 0 thou fairest among women? Whither is thy beloved turned aside? That we may seek him with thee. My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies. I am my beloved, and my beloved is mine; he feedeth among the lilies. Thou art beautiful, 0 my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem terrible as an army with banners. Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me; thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead. Thy teeth are as a flock of sheep which go up from the washing, whereof everyone beareth twins, and there is not one barren among them. As a piece of a pomegranate are thy temples within my locks. There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number. My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her. Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners? I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded. Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib. Return, return, 0 Shulamite; return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies.

VERSE SEVEN

HOW BEAUTIFUL, are thy feet with shoes, 0 prince's daughters the joints of thy thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a cunning workman. The navel is like a round goblet, which wanteth not liquor; thy belly is like a heap of wheat set about with lilies. Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins. Thy neck is as a tower of ivory, thine eyes like the fish pools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bath-rabbim; thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon which looked toward Damascus. Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like purple; the king is held in the galleries. How fair and how pleasant art thou, 0 love, for delights! This thy statue is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes. I said, I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof, now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine; and the smell of thy nose like apples. And the roof of my mouth like the best wine for my beloved, that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak. I am my beloveds, and his desire is toward me. Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages. Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth, there willi give thee my loves. The manrakes give a smell, and at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, 0 my beloved.

VERSE EIGHT

0 THAT thou were as my brother that sucked the breasts of my mother! When I should find thee without, I would kiss thee; yea, I should not be despised. I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother's house, who would instruct me; I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate. His left hand should be under my head, and his right hand should embrace me. I charge you, 0 daughters of Jerusalem, that yea stir not up, nor awake my love, until he please. Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree; there thy mother brought thee forth; there she brought thee forth that bare thee. Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm; for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave; the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it; if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned. We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts; what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for? If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver; and if she be a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar. I am a wall, and my breasts like towers, then was I in his eyes as one that found favor. SOLOMON had a vineyard at Baal-Hamon; he let out the vineyard unto keepers; everyone for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silve My vineyard, which is mine, is before me, thou, 0 SOLOMON, must have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.