Bible verse by verse

[_LittleNipper]

1 Kings 1:1-53 King David was now very old, and no matter how many blankets covered him, he could not keep warm. So his advisers told him, “Let us find a young virgin to wait on you and look after you, my lord. She will lie in your arms and keep you warm.” They searched throughout the land of Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag from Shunem and brought her to the king. The girl was beautiful, and she looked after the king and took care of him. But the king had no sex with her. David’s son Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, began boasting, “I will make myself king.” So he provided himself with chariots and charioteers and recruited 50 men to run in front of him. Now his father, King David, had never disciplined him at any time, even by asking, “Why are you doing that?” Adonijah had been born next after Absalom, and he was handsome.

Adonijah took Joab son of Zeruiah and Abiathar the priest into his confidence, and they agreed to help him become king. But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s personal bodyguard refused to support Adonijah. Adonijah went to the Stone of Zoheleth near the spring of En-rogel, where he sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened calves. He invited all his brothers—the other sons of King David—and all the royal officials of Judah. But he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the king’s bodyguard or his brother Solomon.

Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, and asked her, “Haven’t you heard that Haggith’s son, Adonijah, has made himself king, and our lord David doesn’t even know. If you want to save your own life and the life of your son Solomon, follow my advice. Go to King David and say to him, ‘My lord the king, didn’t you make a vow and say to me, “Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ And while you are still talking with him, I will come and confirm everything you have said.”

Bathsheba went into the king’s bedroom. (He was very old now, and Abishag was taking care of him.) Bathsheba bowed down before the king. “What can I do for you?” he asked her. She replied, “My lord, you made a vow before the Lord your God when you said to me, ‘Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne.’ But instead, Adonijah has made himself king, and my lord the king does not even know about it. He has sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king’s sons to attend the celebration. He also invited Abiathar the priest and Joab, the commander of the army. But he did not invite your servant Solomon. And now, my lord the king, all Israel is waiting for you to announce who will become king after you. If you do not act, my son Solomon and I will be treated as criminals as soon as my lord the king has died.”

While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. Nathan went in and bowed before the king with his face to the ground. Nathan asked, “My lord the king, have you decided that Adonijah will be the next king and that he will sit on your throne? Today he has sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king’s sons to attend the celebration. He also invited the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest. They are feasting and drinking with him and shouting, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ But he did not invite me or Zadok the priest or Benaiah or your servant Solomon. Has my lord the king really done this without letting any of his officials know who should be the next king?”

King David responded, “Call Bathsheba!” So she came back in and stood before the king. And the king repeated his vow: “As surely as the Lord lives, who has rescued me from every danger, Solomon will be the next king and will sit on my throne this very day, just as I vowed to you before the Lord, the God of Israel.”

Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground before the king and exclaimed, “May my lord King David live forever!” King David ordered, “Call Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” When they came into the king’s presence, the king said to them, “Take Solomon and my officials down to Gihon Spring. Solomon is to ride on my own mule. There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. Blow the ram’s horn and shout, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ Then escort him back here, and he will sit on my throne. He will succeed me as king, for I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.”

“Amen!” Benaiah son of Jehoiada replied. “May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, decree that it happen. And may the Lord be with Solomon as he has been with you, my lord the king, and may he make Solomon’s reign even greater than yours!” Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the king’s bodyguard took Solomon down to Gihon Spring, with Solomon riding on King David’s own mule. Zadok the priest took the flask of olive oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon with the oil. Then they sounded the ram’s horn and all the people shouted, “Long live King Solomon!” And all the people followed Solomon into Jerusalem, playing flutes and shouting for joy. The celebration was so joyous and noisy that the earth shook with the sound.

Adonijah and his guests heard the celebrating and shouting just as they were finishing their banquet. When Joab heard the sound of the ram’s horn, he asked, “What’s going on? Why is the city in such an uproar?”And while he was still speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. “Come in,” Adonijah said to him, “for you are a good man. You must have good news.” “Not at all!” Jonathan replied. “Our lord King David has just declared Solomon king! The king sent him down to Gihon Spring with Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, protected by the king’s bodyguard. They had him ride on the king’s own mule, and Zadok and Nathan have anointed him at Gihon Spring as the new king. They have just returned, and the whole city is celebrating and rejoicing. That’s what all the noise is about. What’s more, Solomon is now sitting on the royal throne as king. And all the royal officials have gone to King David and congratulated him, saying, ‘May your God make Solomon’s fame even greater than your own, and may Solomon’s reign be even greater than yours!’ Then the king bowed his head in worship as he lay in his bed, and he said, ‘Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who today has chosen a successor to sit on my throne while I am still alive to see it.’”

All of Adonijah’s guests jumped up in panic from the banquet table and quickly scattered. Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he rushed to the sacred tent and grabbed on to the horns of the altar. Word soon reached Solomon that Adonijah had seized the horns of the altar in fear, and that he was pleading, “Let King Solomon swear today that he will not kill me!” Solomon replied, “If he proves himself to be loyal, not a hair on his head will be touched. But if he makes trouble, he will die.” King Solomon summoned Adonijah, and they brought him down from the altar. He came and bowed respectfully before King Solomon, who dismissed him, saying, “Go on home.”


Young's Literal Translation (YLT)


1 And king David [is] old, entering into days, and they cover him with garments, and he hath no heat,

2 and his servants say to him, `Let them seek for my lord the king a young woman, a virgin, and she hath stood before the king, and is to him a companion, and hath lain in thy bosom, and my lord the king hath heat.'

3 And they seek a fair young woman in all the border of Israel, and find Abishag the Shunammite, and bring her in to the king,

4 and the young woman [is] very very fair, and she is to the king a companion, and serveth him, and the king hath not known her.

5 And Adonijah son of Haggith is lifting himself up, saying, `I do reign;' and he prepareth for himself a chariot and horsemen, and fifty men running before him,

6 and his father hath not grieved him [all] his days, saying, `Wherefore thus hast thou done?' and he also [is] of a very good form, and [his mother] bare him after Absalom.

7 And his words are with Joab son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest, and they help after Adonijah;

8 and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty ones whom David hath, have not been with Adonijah.

9 And Adonijah sacrificeth sheep and oxen and fatlings near the stone of Zoheleth, that [is] by En-Rogel, and calleth all his brethren, sons of the king, and for all the men of Judah, servants of the king;

10 and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty ones, and Solomon his brother, he hath not called.

11 And Nathan speaketh unto Bath-Sheba, mother of Solomon, saying, `Hast thou not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith hath reigned, and our lord David hath not known?

12 and now, come, let me counsel thee, I pray thee, and deliver thy life, and the life of thy son Solomon;

13 go and enter in unto king David, and thou hast said unto him, Hast thou not, my lord, O king, sworn to thy handmaid, saying, Surely Solomon thy son doth reign after me, and he doth sit on my throne? and wherefore hath Adonijah reigned?

14 Lo, thou are yet speaking there with the king, and I come in after thee, and have completed thy words.'

15 And Bath-Sheba cometh in unto the king, to the inner chamber, and the king [is] very aged, and Abishag the Shunammite is serving the king:

16 and Bath-Sheba boweth and doth obeisance to the king, and the king saith, `What -- to thee?'

17 And she saith to him, `My lord, thou hast sworn by Jehovah thy God to thy handmaid: Surely Solomon thy son doth reign after me, and he doth sit on my throne;

18 and now, lo, Adonijah hath reigned, and now, my lord, O king, thou hast not known;

19 and he sacrificeth ox, and fatling, and sheep in abundance, and calleth for all the sons of the king, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab head of the host -- and for Solomon thy servant he hath not called.

20 And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel [are] on thee, to declare to them who doth sit on the throne of my lord the king after him;

21 and it hath been, when my lord the king lieth with his fathers, that I have been, I and my son Solomon -- [reckoned] sinners.'

22 And lo, she is yet speaking with the king, and Nathan the prophet hath come in;

23 and they declare to the king, saying, `Lo, Nathan the prophet;' and he cometh in before the king, and boweth himself to the king, on his face to the earth.

24 And Nathan saith, `My lord, O king, thou hast said, Adonijah doth reign after me, and he doth sit on my throne;

25 for he hath gone down to-day, and doth sacrifice ox, and fatling, and sheep, in abundance, and calleth for all the sons of the king, and for the heads of the host, and for Abiathar the priest, and lo, they are eating and drinking before him, and they say, Let king Adonijah live!

26 `And for me -- me, thy servant, and for Zadok the priest, and for Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, and for Solomon thy servant, he hath not called;

27 if from my lord the king this thing hath been, then thou hast not caused thy servant to know who doth sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.'

28 And king David answereth and saith, `Call for me for Bath-Sheba;' and she cometh in before the king, and standeth before the king.

29 And the king sweareth and saith, `Jehovah liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity;

30 surely as I sware to thee by Jehovah, God of Israel, saying, Surely Solomon thy son doth reign after me, and he doth sit on my throne in my stead; surely so I do this day.'

31 And Bath-Sheba boweth -- face to the earth -- and doth obeisance to the king, and saith, `Let my lord, king David, live to the age.'

32 And king David saith, `Call for me for Zadok the priest, and for Nathan the prophet, and for Benaiah son of Jehoiada;' and they come in before the king.

33 And the king saith to them, `Take with you the servants of your lord, and ye have caused Solomon my son to ride on mine own mule, and caused him to go down unto Gihon,

34 and anointed him there hath Zadok the priest -- and Nathan the prophet -- for king over Israel, and ye have blown with a trumpet, and said, Let king Solomon live;

35 and ye have come up after him, and he hath come in and hath sat on my throne, and he doth reign in my stead, and him I have appointed to be leader over Israel, and over Judah.'

36 And Benaiah son of Jehoiada answereth the king, and saith, `Amen! so doth Jehovah, God of my lord the king, say;

37 as Jehovah hath been with my lord the king, so is He with Solomon, and doth make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.'

38 And Zadok the priest goeth down, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethite, and the Pelethite, and they cause Solomon to ride on the mule of king David, and cause him to go unto Gihon,

39 and Zadok the priest taketh the horn of oil out of the tent, and anointeth Solomon, and they blow with a trumpet, and all the people say, `Let king Solomon live.'

40 And all the people come up after him, and the people are piping with pipes, and rejoicing -- great joy, and the earth rendeth with their voice.

41 And Adonijah heareth, and all those called, who [are] with him, and they have finished to eat, and Joab heareth the noise of the trumpet, and saith, `Wherefore [is] the noise of the city roaring?'

42 He is yet speaking, and lo, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest hath come in, and Adonijah saith, `Come in, for a man of valour thou [art], and thou bearest good tidings.'

43 And Jonathan answereth and saith to Adonijah, `Verily our lord king David hath caused Solomon to reign,

44 and the king sendeth with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethite, and the Pelethite, and they cause him to ride on the king's mule,

45 and they anoint him -- Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet -- for king in Gihon, and are come up thence rejoicing, and the city is moved; it [is] the noise that ye have heard.

46 `And also Solomon hath sat on the throne of the kingdom,

47 and also the servants of the king have come into bless our lord king David, saying, Thy God doth make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and his throne greater than thy throne; and the king boweth himself on the bed,

48 and also thus hath the king said, Blessed [is] Jehovah, God of Israel, who hath given to-day [one] sitting on my throne, and mine eyes seeing.'

49 And they tremble, and rise -- all those called who [are] for Adonijah -- and go, each on his way;

50 and Adonijah feareth because of Solomon, and riseth, and goeth, and layeth hold on the horns of the altar.

51 And it is declared to Solomon, saying, `Lo, Adonijah feareth king Solomon, and lo, he hath laid hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear to me as to-day -- he doth not put to death his servant by the sword.'

52 And Solomon saith, `If he becometh a virtuous man -- there doth not fall of his hair to the earth, and if evil is found in him -- then he hath died.'

53 And king Solomon sendeth, and they bring him down from off the altar, and he cometh in and boweth himself to king Solomon, and Solomon saith to him, `Go to thy house.'

[_LeVay]

HAIL SATAN!

Genesis of The Satanic Bible

What Aquino means by “the haphazard nature of it assembly” is that the circumstances of The Satanic Bible’s genesis and the patchwork quality of its contents seem far from having been supernaturally inspired. To begin with, the idea for this volume came not from LaVey, but from an Avon Books editor named Peter Mayer. As a direct result of the success of Rosemary’s Baby and the subsequent increase of popular interest in Satanism and the occult, Mayer decided that “the time was right for a ‘Satanic Bible’” and he approached LaVey about authoring it. (Aquino 1999, p. 52)

LaVey and his wife took the material they had on hand, wove it together and expanded on it to form what became the core of The Satanic Bible. This pre‐existing material consisted of:

• A short, mimeographed paper that they had been distributing as an “introduction to Satanism.”

• The so‐called “rainbow sheets,” which were “an assortment of polemical essays” the LaVeys had been mimeographing on colored paper. (Ibid., p. 52)

• A handout describing and containing instructions for the conduct of ritual magic.

The LaVeys then ran into a problem, which was that, even after expanding upon all of their available material, they were still substantially short of having a manuscript of sufficient length to satisfy their publisher. So, either because the deadline was coming up quickly or because LaVey just didn’t want to write anything else at the time (Aquino describes their situation in terms of the former), LaVey tacked materials written by other authors onto the beginning and end of his manuscript.

Without acknowledging his sources, he took sections of “an obscure, turn‐of‐the‐century political tract,” Might is Right by New Zealander Arthur Desmond (writing under the pseudonym Ragnar Redbeard), added in a few sentences of his own, and incorporated it as a prologue. He also added “a series of Elizabethan magical incantations known...as the Enochian Keys.” He took the Keys as they had been modified by Aleister Crowley, and “further altered them by replacing their Heavenly references with diabolical ones.”

Traditional occultists immediately recognized LaVey’s source for the Keys, but it was not until 1987 that the source of LaVey’s prologue was discovered. (Ibid., p. 65) I should finally mention that, in circles critical of CoS, one often hears the accusation that LaVey’s “Nine Satanic Statements,” one of the Church’s central doctrinal statements, is an unacknowledged “paraphrase...of passages from Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged” (Schreck and Schreck 1998), specifically from the character John Galt’s lengthy speech in the latter part of Rand’s novel. However, when one actually examines these parallels (which are conveniently laid out in Appendix 11 of Aquino’s The Church of Satan), one finds that this is a caricature of LaVey’s indebtedness to Rand. For example, the first Satanic Statement is: Satan represents indulgence, instead of abstinence!

The Rand passage presented as the source of this statement is:

A doctrine that gives you, as an ideal, the role of a sacrificial animal seeking slaughter on the altars of others, is giving you death as your standard. By the grace of reality and the nature of life, man‐every man‐is an end in himself. He exists for his own sake, and the achievement of his own happiness is his highest moral purpose.

Rather more lengthy than LaVey’s “paraphrase.” The second Satanic Statement is a brief as the first Statement:

Satan represents vital existence, instead of spiritual pipe dreams!

And the Rand passage said to correspond with this Statement, though shorter than the first, is similarly distant in style and content from LaVey:

My morality, the morality of reason, is contained in a single axiom: existence exists‐and in a single choice: to live. The rest proceeds from these.

And there is a similar disparity in the other “parallels” between the Satanic Statements and Rand. Thus, even if it is true that LaVey was looking at Atlas Shrugged when he composed the Nine Satanic Statements, it would be more proper to say something like he was
“inspired” by Rand rather than to assert that he “paraphrased” her work.

I should finally note in this regard that the title of the appendix (which originally appeared as an article by George C. Smith in 1987) in which the LaVey/Rand connection is delineated, “The Hidden Source of the Satanic Philosophy,” similarly implies that Rand’s philosophy was the unacknowledged core of LaVey’s thought. This is, however, incorrect, as LaVey himself explicitly acknowledged that his religion was “just Ayn Rand’s philosophy with ceremony and ritual added” (cited in Ellis, p. 180). (Refer also to the “Satanism and Objectivism” essay on the Church of Satan website where this connection is explicitly acknowledged.)

Despite the book’s diverse source material and piecemeal assembly, it nevertheless coheres as a succinct‐and, apparently, quite attractive‐statement of Satanic thought and practice. As Aquino observes, “the Satanic Bible was somehow ‘more than the sum of its parts.’ Its argument was an argument of common sense, assembled in part from pre‐existing concepts, but the excellence of the book lay in its integration of these into a code of life meaningful to the average individual‐not just to occultists and/or academic‐level philosophers.” (Aquino 1999, p. 52)

One measure of The Satanic Bible’s appeal is that it has continuously been in print since it first appeared in 1970, and has been translated into a number of other languages. I have been unable to obtain recent figures, but in his 1991 book, In Pursuit of Satan, Robert Hicks mentions a sales figure of 618,000 copies (p. 351). There were also a number of illegal foreign language editions. These include a Spanish translation published in Mexico in the 70s, a Danish translation in the 80s, and a Russian translation in the late 90s. Legal editions include Czech and Swedish translations in the mid 90s and a 1999 German edition. The French translation has been completed but not yet printed. Also, the rights for a Greek translation were purchased, but the book does not seem to have appeared.4

The Satanic Ritual Abuse Scare

In addition to escaping institutional bounds and taking on a life of its own as the principal source document for a loose, anarchistic Satanist “movement,” The Satanic Bible came to play a role in the Satanic Ritual Abuse scare of the 1980s and 1990s. The chief problem confronting Ritual Abuse activists was that the vast conspiracy of Satanic cults torturing innocent victims had no correlation with the world outside their paranoid fantasies. Because of this, “Cult cops [were forced to] grasp firmly the only tangible evil they can find for public vilification at cult‐crime seminars: published, easily available books.” (Hicks 1991, p. 54). Consequently, symbols and artifacts associated with the Church of Satan‐often viewed as an “above ground” front group for “underground” Satanism‐were scrutinized for clues to the hidden world of ritual abusers. Thus The Satanic Bible was frequently examined in forums for disseminating the ritual abuse gospel, such as at occult crime law enforcement conferences (Lanning 1992, p. 118), in which the social dangers of its philosophy of personal indulgence were emphasized.

Despite the fact that LaVey explicitly rejected unlawful activity‐especially blood sacrifice‐in The Satanic Bible, the discovery of a copy of this widely‐available book at a crime scene was often sufficient evidence for investigators to label the crime Satanic. (We might note that the similar presence of a Christian Bible at a crime scene has never led police to label the crime Christian.) Perhaps the most significant case of this kind was Stanley Dean Baker. Arrested in 1970 after a traffic violation, he confessed, “I have a problem. I’m a cannibal.” Police found a human finger in one of Baker’s pockets and a copy of The Satanic Bible in the other. Baker subsequently regaled authorities and fellow prisoners with tales of his participation in a blood‐drinking cult in Wyoming. He later blamed his criminal activities on the influence of drugs, not the Devil.

The other outstanding case of this type was Richard Ramirez, better known as the Night Stalker. A burglar, rapist and sadistic serial murderer who terrorized the Los Angeles area in the mid‐eighties, he was captured by civilians on August 31, 1985. A self‐identified Satanist, Ramirez had actually read The Satanic Bible. His “calling card” was the inverted pentagram traditionally associated with Satanism, which he left drawn on a wall, or, in one case, carved into the body of a victim. In 1983, he even made a special trip to San Francisco to meet LaVey personally. LaVey was later reported as commenting that, “I thought Richard was very nice-very shy. I liked him.”

His trial was a media circus. Ramirez would engage in such antics as flashing a pentagram he had drawn in the palm of his hand, shouting “Hail Satan!” and holding up his fingers alongside his head in imitation of devil’s horns. Parts of the statement he made during his sentencing even seemed to echo some of the themes of The Satanic Bible: I am beyond good and evil.... Lucifer dwells in all of us.... I don’t believe in the hypocritical, moralistic dogma of this so‐called civilized society. I need not look beyond this courtroom to see all the liars, the haters, the killers, the crooks, the paranoid cowards.... Hypocrites one and all. We are all expendable for a cause. No one knows that better than those who kill for policy, clandestinely or openly, as do the governments of the world which kill in the name of God and country.... (Cited in Carlo 1996, p. 395) Thus, unlike other cases of so‐called occult crime in which the link to the diabolical is tenuous, the Night Stalker forces one to directly confront the assumption that Satanism somehow causes individuals to commit crimes. It takes very little reflection, however, to realize that, as with the charges often leveled at Heavy Metal Music and Role‐playing Games like Dungeons & Dragons, Satanic ideology is not an independent motivating factor that somehow transforms otherwise nice people into criminals.5 Rather, as reflected in the remarks Ramirez made at his sentencing, such individuals are criminals who adopt selected aspects of Satanic ideology as a way of justifying anti‐social acts.

[_ludwigm]

But seriously, shouldn't the government reinstitute and encourage prayer and Bible reading in education and quit worrying how many people there are.

Seriously? Do You say this seriously?

And what would you rather they read? 1984, Soylent Green, or Splendor in the Grass? At one time US students read from the Bible and also those "other" books. It was called a balanced education.

[#img] http://img1.indafoto.hu/10/1/57091_6715 ... 5cd8_m.jpg[/img]
.

[_LittleNipper]

But seriously, shouldn't the government reinstitute and encourage prayer and Bible reading in education and quit worrying how many people there are.

Seriously? Do You say this seriously?

And what would you rather they read? 1984, Soylent Green, or Splendor in the Grass? At one time US students read from the Bible and also those "other" books. It was called a balanced education.

[#img] http://img1.indafoto.hu/10/1/57091_6715 ... 5cd8_m.jpg[/img]
.

Actually, they may just learn this...
Ephesians 6:1-4

New International Version (NIV)

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

[_LeVay]

Ludwig said...

[_LittleNipper]

1 Kings 2:1-46 David’s time to die is near. David tells his son Solomon, that he going the way of all the earth, be strong, be a man, do what the Lord God says, walk God's paths, and keep all His Laws and His Word, by what is written in the Law of Moses. If Solomon does he will do well in all that he does and in every place he goes. The Lord will keep His promise to David. God said to David, ‘Your sons must be careful of their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and soul. If they do, you will never be without a man on the throne of Israel.’

Davis reminds Solomon concerning what Zeruiah’s son Joab did against David, regarding the two captains of the armies of Israel. He killed Abner the son of Ner, and Amasa the son of Jether in time of peace as if it were in the time of war. He put the blood of war on his belt and on the shoes of his feet. Solomon must act with wisdom and not allow Joab to die old in peace. Solomon should show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite --- invite them to dinner. They helped David flee from Absalom. There is with Solomon, Shimei the son of Gera the Benjamite, of Bahurim. It was he who spoke bad words against David on the day he traveled to Mahanaim. When he came down to David at the Jordan, David made an oath saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ However, David reminds Solomon not let him go without being punished now that he becomes king---being a wise man. Solomon can bring his gray hair down to the grave with blood.

David died and was buried in Jerusalem. He had ruled over Israel 40. 7 years he ruled in Hebron. And 33 years he ruled in Jerusalem. Solomon sat on the throne of his father David and things went well for the nation. (If David became king at 30, this would make him 70 years old when he died.)

Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Solomon’s mother Bathsheba. She said, “Do you come in peace?” And he said, “Yes, in peace.” Then he said, “I have something to say to you.” And she said, “Speak.” So he said, “You know that the nation was mine. All Israel thought I would be king. But the nation has become my brother’s, for it was his from the Lord. Now I have one thing to ask of you. Do not say no to me.” And she said to him, “Speak.” He said, “I beg you, speak to Solomon the king. For he will not say no to you. Ask him to give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife.” Bathsheba said, “Very well. I will speak to the king for you.”

Bathsheba went to speak to King Solomon for Adonijah. The king stood up to meet her, bowed to her, then sat on his throne. He had a seat brought in for the king’s mother, and she sat on his right. She said, “I am asking you for one small thing. Do not say no to me.” And the king said to her, “Ask, my mother. I will not say no to you.” She said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as his wife.” King Solomon answered his mother, “Why are you asking me to give Abishag the Shunammite to Adonijah? Ask me to give him the nation also! For he is my older brother. And Abiathar the religious leader and Joab the son of Zeruiah are on his side!” King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, “May God do so to me and more, if Adonijah has not asked for this against his own life. The Lord has given me my place on the throne of my father David. He has made me a house as He promised. And as the Lord lives, for sure Adonijah will be put to death today.” So King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went to Adonijah and killed him.

Solomon said to Abiathar the religious leader, “Go to your own fields at Anathoth, for you should be put to death. But I will not have you killed at this time. Because you carried the ark of the Lord God in front of my father David. And you shared in all of my father’s suffering.” So Solomon stopped Abiathar from being religious leader for the Lord any longer. This was done to keep the word of the Lord, which God had spoken about the family of Eli in Shiloh.

This news came to Joab. For Joab had followed Adonijah, but he had not followed Absalom. And Joab ran to the tent of the Lord and took hold of the horns of the altar. King Solomon was told that Joab had run to the tent of the Lord, and was beside the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go and kill him.” Benaiah came to the tent of the Lord. He said to Joab, “The king says to come out.” But Joab said, “No! I will die here.” So Benaiah returned to the king and said, “This is what Joab said. This is how he answered me.” The king said to him, “Do as he has said. Kill him and bury him. In this way you will take away from me and my father’s house the blood of those killed by Joab without a reason. The Lord will return Joab’s acts of killing upon his own head. Because Joab killed two men who were right and good and better than he. He killed them with the sword while my father David did not know it. He killed Abner the son of Ner, captain of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the army of Judah. So their blood will be on the head of Joab and on the head of his children forever. But may there be peace from the Lord forever to David and his children, his house and his throne.” 34 Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and killed Joab. He was buried at his own house in the desert. The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada over the army in Joab’s place. And the king put Zadok the religious leader in the place of Abiathar.

The king sent for Shimei and said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and live there. Do not leave there. For on the day you go out and cross the river Kidron, you will know for sure that you will die. Your blood will be on your own head.” Shimei said to the king, “What you say is good. Your servant will do as my lord the king has said.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days.

But after 3 years, 2 of Shimei’s servants ran away to Achish the son of Maacah, king of Gath. Shimei was told that his servants are in Gath. Shimei got up and made his donkey ready to travel. And he went to Achish in Gath to look for his servants. Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath. Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned. So the king sent for Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you promise by the Lord and tell you of danger, saying, ‘You will know for sure that on the day you leave and go anywhere, you will die’? And you said to me, ‘What you have said is good.’ Then why have you not kept the promise of the Lord? Why have you not done what I told you?” And the king said to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the bad things you did to my father David. So the Lord will return your sin upon your own head. But good will come to King Solomon. The throne of David will keep its place before the Lord forever.” So the king told Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and killed Shimei. The nation was put under the rule of Solomon.

Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And draw near do the days of David to die, and he chargeth Solomon his son, saying,

2 `I am going in the way of all the earth, and thou hast been strong, and become a man,

3 and kept the charge of Jehovah thy God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commands, and His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, so that thou dost wisely all that thou dost, and whithersoever thou turnest,

4 so that Jehovah doth establish His word which He spake unto me, saying, If thy sons observe their way to walk before Me in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul; saying, There is not cut off a man of thine from the throne of Israel.

5 `And also, thou hast known that which he did to me -- Joab son of Zeruiah -- that which he did to two heads of the hosts of Israel, to Abner son of Ner, and to Amasa son of Jether -- that he slayeth them, and maketh the blood of war in peace, and putteth the blood of war in his girdle, that [is] on his loins, and in his sandals that [are] on his feet;

6 and thou hast done according to thy wisdom, and dost not let his old age go down in peace to Sheol.

7 `And to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite thou dost do kindness, and they have been among those eating at thy table, for so they drew near unto me in my fleeing from the face of Absalom thy brother.

8 `And lo, with thee [is] Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite of Bahurim, and he reviled me -- a grievous reviling -- in the day of my going to Mahanaim; and he hath come down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swear to him by Jehovah, saying, I do not put thee to death by the sword;

9 and now, acquit him not, for a wise man thou [art], and thou hast known that which thou dost to him, and hast brought down his old age with blood to Sheol.'

10 And David lieth down with his fathers, and is buried in the city of David,

11 and the days that David hath reigned over Israel [are] forty years, in Hebron he hath reigned seven years, and in Jerusalem he hath reigned thirty and three years.

12 And Solomon hath sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom is established greatly,

13 and Adonijah son of Haggith cometh in unto Bath-Sheba, mother of Solomon, and she saith, `Is thy coming peace?' and he saith, `Peace.'

14 And he saith, `I have a word unto thee,' and she saith, `Speak.'

15 And he saith, `Thou hast known that the kingdom was mine, and towards me set their faces had all Israel for reigning, and the kingdom is turned round about, and is my brother's, for from Jehovah it was his;

16 and now, one petition I am asking of thee -- turn not back my face;' and she saith unto him, `Speak.'

17 And he saith, `Speak, I pray thee, to Solomon the king, for he doth not turn back thy face, and he doth give to me Abishag the Shunammite for a wife.'

18 And Bath-Sheba saith, `Good; I do speak for thee unto the king.'

19 And Bath-Sheba cometh in unto king Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, and the king riseth to meet her, and boweth himself to her, and sitteth on his throne, and placeth a throne for the mother of the king, and she sitteth at his right hand.

20 And she saith, `One small petition I ask of thee, turn not back my face;' and the king saith to her, `Ask, my mother, for I do not turn back thy face.'

21 And she saith, `Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother for a wife.'

22 And king Solomon answereth and saith to his mother, `And why art thou asking Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? also ask for him the kingdom -- for he [is] mine elder brother -- even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab son of Zeruiah.'

23 And king Solomon sweareth by Jehovah, saying, `Thus doth God to me, and thus He doth add -- surely against his soul hath Adonijah spoken this word;

24 and now, Jehovah liveth, who hath established me, and causeth me to sit on the throne of David my father, and who hath made for me an house as He spake -- surely to-day is Adonijah put to death.'

25 And king Solomon sendeth by the hand of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he falleth upon him, and he dieth.

26 And to Abiathar the priest said the king, `To Anathoth go, unto thy fields; for a man of death thou [art], but in this day I do not put thee to death, because thou hast borne the ark of the Lord Jehovah before David my father, and because thou wast afflicted in all that my father was afflicted in.'

27 And Solomon casteth out Abiathar from being priest to Jehovah, to fulfil the word of Jehovah which He spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

28 And the report hath come unto Joab -- for Joab hath turned aside after Adonijah, though after Absalom he did not turn aside -- and Joab fleeth unto the tent of Jehovah, and layeth hold on the horns of the altar.

29 And it is declared to king Solomon that Joab hath fled unto the tent of Jehovah, and lo, near the altar; and Solomon sendeth Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying, `Go, fall upon him.'

30 And Benaiah cometh in unto the tent of Jehovah, and saith unto him, `Thus said the king, Come out;' and he saith, `Nay, but here I die.' And Benaiah bringeth back the king word, saying, `Thus spake Joab, yea, thus he answered me.'

31 And the king saith to him, `Do as he hath spoken, and fall upon him, and thou hast buried him, and turned aside the causeless blood which Joab shed, from off me, and from off the house of my father;

32 and Jehovah hath turned back his blood on his own head, who hath fallen on two men more righteous and better than he, and slayeth them with the sword, -- and my father David knew not -- Abner son of Ner, head of the host of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, head of the host of Judah;

33 yea, turned back hath their blood on the head of Joab, and on the head of his seed to the age; and for David, and for his seed, and for his house, and for his throne, there is peace unto the age, from Jehovah.'

34 And Benaiah son of Jehoiada goeth up and falleth upon him, and putteth him to death, and he is buried in his own house in the wilderness,

35 and the king putteth Benaiah son of Jehoiada in his stead over the host, and Zadok the priest hath the king put in the stead of Abiathar.

36 And the king sendeth and calleth for Shimei, and saith to him, `Build for thee a house in Jerusalem, and thou hast dwelt there, and dost not go out thence any where;

37 and it hath been, in the day of thy going out, and thou hast passed over the brook Kidron, thou dost certainly know that thou dost surely die -- thy blood is on thy head.'

38 And Shimei saith to the king, `The word [is] good; as my lord the king hath spoken so doth thy servant do;' and Shimei dwelleth in Jerusalem many days.

39 And it cometh to pass, at the end of three years, that flee do two of the servants of Shimei unto Achish son of Maachah, king of Gath, and they declare to Shimei, saying, `Lo, thy servants [are] in Gath;'

40 and Shimei riseth, and saddleth his ass, and goeth to Gath, unto Achish, to seek his servants, and Shimei goeth and bringeth his servants from Gath.

41 And it is declared to Solomon that Shimei hath gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and doth return,

42 and the king sendeth and calleth for Shimei, and saith unto him, `Have I not caused thee to swear by Jehovah -- and I testify against thee, saying, In the day of thy going out, and thou hast gone anywhere, thou dost certainly know that thou dost surely die; and thou sayest unto me, The word I have heard [is] good?

43 and wherefore hast thou not kept the oath of Jehovah, and the charge that I charged upon thee?'

44 And the king saith unto Shimei, `Thou hast known all the evil that thy heart hath known, which thou didest to David my father, and Jehovah hath turned back thine evil on thy head,

45 and king Solomon [is] blessed, and the throne of David is established before Jehovah unto the age.'

46 And the king chargeth Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he goeth out and falleth on him, and he dieth, and the kingdom is established in the hand of Solomon.

[_LeVay]

HAIL SATAN!

References to The Satanic Bible in police seminars in combination with the apparent evidence of a connection between The Satanic Bible and crime in a few cases like Baker and Ramirez contributed to a number of unfortunate miscarriages of justice, such as the conviction of a young man in the Robin Hood Hills murders. On May 5, 1993, near West Memphis, Arkansas, three eight‐year‐old boys were tied up, abused, murdered and mutilated.

One of the aspects of this case that makes it stand out is that it took place in 1993. By that time, police departments across the country had become increasingly skeptical of the notion of a covert, international network of Satanic cults that routinely abduct, abuse, and murder children in their diabolical rituals. In the face of a lack of hard evidence, most law enforcement agencies had concluded that Satanic ritual abuse was a non‐existent hoax. Belief in ritual abuse nevertheless persisted among certain segments of the conservative Christian subculture, including among some policemen.

A juvenile probation officer at the Robin Hood Hills crime scene hypothesized that the boys had been murdered in a Satanic ritual. He believed that the one person in the area who might be capable of the crime was a young man whose case he had followed for years, Damien Echols. From that point onwards, police focused on proving that Echols was the high priest of a Satanic cult. If this could be demonstrated to the satisfaction of a jury, it would be easy to convict Echols of the crimes, despite the lack of hard evidence.

In sharp contrast to other members of the local, highly conservative community, Echols was a fan of heavy metal music bands. People also associated his first name, Damien, with the anti-Christ character in The Omen movies. During the trial, testimony was presented regarding items found in Echols’ room, such as a funeral register on which upside‐down crosses, spells, and a pentagram had been inscribed. They also found a book on witchcraft and, of special note, The Satanic Bible. These items solidified the connection between Echols and the murders in the jury’s mind, and he was convicted.

It is clear that the a priori judgments of believers in ritual abuse have caused them to impute their own assumptions about Satanism into The Satanic Bible, whether they are supported by LaVey’s text or not. For instance, in a 1989 case mentioned by Hicks in his In Pursuit of Satan, an inmate was denied access to “The Satanic Bible and other related literature because possession of such material constituted a security threat.” The inmate then sued. At the trial, The prison warden testified that The Satanic Bible taught people to “murder, rape, or rob at will without regard for the moral or legal consequences.” The court accepted the warden’s pronouncements on Satanism without further inquiry or analysis. (Hicks 1991, p. 370)

One of the wilder examples of this pattern of imputing practices from popular culture stereotypes to LaVey’s book is mentioned in Ellis’s Raising the Devil: Near Dixon, Missouri, ...police investigation into a series of cattle deaths led to a panic when local police issued warnings that a cult was present.

On October 19, 1978, the county’s deputy sheriff told the local paper that the mutilations matched descriptions found in Anton LaVey’s Satanic Bible and that he expected that the cult would soon abduct and sacrifice a thirteen‐year‐old unbaptized girl on Halloween. (Ellis 2000, p. 269) Finally, in addition to misattributing certain ideas and practices to The Satanic Bible, some ritual abuse believers have gone further to attribute diabolical powers to LaVey’s book. For instance, Hicks mentions a detective who “reports that body‐snatching demons arise from the printed page.” (Hicks 1991, p. 55) Similarly, at a 1988 “Satanic‐crime seminar,” a priest recounted how a young man, claiming he had just seen the Devil, “slammed down The Satanic Bible on my desk, which I’m very afraid of; I won’t touch it” (Ibid., p. 56), as if merely touching the book might somehow ensnare him in Satan’s web.

[_Brackite]

There is no more need for LittleNipper to keep Quoting chapter after chapter out of the Bible here. The Bible is now online.


1 Kings Chapter 3

1 Kings Chapter 4

1 Kings Chapter 5

1 Kings Chapter 6


Bible Gateway

[_LittleNipper]

1 Kings 3:1-28 Solomon made a marriage contract with Egypt's Pharaoh. He took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her to Jerusalam. She remained there until he had finished building his palace, the temple, and the wall around Jerusalem. The people were still giving their different gifts on altars, because no house had yet been built for the name of the Lord.

Solomon loved the Lord. He walked in the Laws of his father David. But he gave gifts and burned special perfume on various altars. The king went to give a gift on the altar in worship at Gibeon, being the most important altar at that time. Solomon gave a 1000 burnt gifts there. The Lord came to Solomon in a special dream in Gibeon during the night. God asked Solomon what he wanted. Solomon said that he wanted an understanding heart to judge Your people and know the difference between good and bad.

God said to him, “You have asked this, and have not asked for a long life for yourself. You have not asked for riches, or for the life of those who hate you. But you have asked for understanding to know what is right. Because you have asked this, I have done what you said. See, I have given you a wise and understanding heart. No one has been like you before, and there will be no one like you in the future. I give you what you have not asked, also. I give you both riches and honor. So there will be no king like you all your days. And if you walk in My ways and keep My Laws and Word as your father David did, I will allow you to live a long time.”

Solomon awoke, came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark. He gave burnt gifts and peace gifts, and made a special supper for all his servants. 2 whores came to the king and stood in front of him. One of the women said that this woman and her lived together. They both gave birth 3 days apart. The one woman’s son died during the night, because she rolled on him. She got up in the night and took the other woman's son while she slept. And replaced her live son with the dead one. When I got up in the morning to nurse my son, I saw that he was dead. But when I came nearer and looked, I saw that he was not my son who was born to me.” Both women claimed the living baby was their own.

The king said, “The one says, ‘This is my son who is living, and your son is the dead one.’ The other says, ‘No! Your son is the dead one. My son is the living one.’” And the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword to the king. And the king said, “Divide the living child in two. Give half to the one woman and half to the other.” Then the mother of the living child had much pity for her son and said to the king, “O, my lord, give her the living child. Do not kill him.” But the other woman said, “He will not be mine or yours. Divide him.” The king answered, “Give the first woman the living child. Do not kill him. She is his mother.” When all Israel heard how the king had decided, they feared him. They saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do what was correct.


Young's Literal Translation (YLT)


1 And Solomon joineth in marriage with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and taketh the daughter of Pharaoh, and bringeth her in unto the city of David, till he completeth to build his own house, and the house of Jehovah, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.

2 Only, the people are sacrificing in high places, for there hath not been built a house for the name of Jehovah till those days.

3 And Solomon loveth Jehovah, to walk in the statutes of David his father -- only, in high places he is sacrificing and making perfume --

4 and the king goeth to Gibeon, to sacrifice there, for it [is] the great high place; a thousand burnt-offerings cause to ascend doth Solomon on that altar.

5 In Gibeon hath Jehovah appeared unto Solomon, in a dream of the night, and God saith, `Ask -- what do I give to thee?'

6 And Solomon saith, `Thou hast done with Thy servant David my father great kindness, as he walked before Thee in truth and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with Thee, and Thou dost keep for him this great kindness, and dost give to him a son sitting on his throne, as [at] this day.

7 And now, O Jehovah my God, Thou hast caused thy servant to reign instead of David my father; and I [am] a little child, I do not know to go out and to come in;

8 and Thy servant [is] in the midst of thy people, whom Thou hast chosen, a people numerous, that is not numbered nor counted for multitude,

9 and Thou hast given to Thy servant an understanding heart, to judge Thy people, to discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this Thy great people?'

10 And the thing is good in the eyes of the Lord, that Solomon hath asked this thing,

11 and God saith unto him, `Because that thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thee many days, nor asked for thee riches, nor asked the life of thine enemies, and hast asked for thee discernment to understand judgment,

12 lo, I have done according to thy words; lo, I have given to thee a heart, wise and understanding, that like thee there hath not been before thee, and after thee there doth not arise like thee;

13 and also, that which thou hast not asked I have given to thee, both riches and honour, that there hath not been like thee a man among the kings all thy days;

14 and if thou dost walk in My ways to keep My statutes, and My commands, as David thy father walked, then I have prolonged thy days.'

15 And Solomon awaketh, and lo, a dream; and he cometh in to Jerusalem, and standeth before the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and causeth to ascend burnt-offerings, and maketh peace-offerings. And he maketh a banquet for all his servants,

16 then come in do two women, harlots, unto the king, and stand before him,

17 and the one woman saith, `O, my lord, I and this woman are dwelling in one house, and I bring forth with her, in the house;

18 and it cometh to pass on the third day of my bringing forth, that this woman also bringeth forth, and we [are] together, there is no stranger with us in the house, save we two, in the house.

19 And the son of this woman dieth at night, because she hath lain upon it,

20 and she riseth in the middle of the night, and taketh my son from beside me -- and thy handmaid is asleep -- and layeth it in her bosom, and her dead son she hath laid in my bosom;

21 and I rise in the morning to suckle my son, and lo, dead; and I consider concerning it in the morning, and lo, it was not my son whom I did bear.'

22 And the other woman saith, `Nay, but my son [is] the living, and thy son the dead;' and this [one] saith, `Nay, but thy son [is] the dead, and my son the living.' And they speak before the king.

23 And the king saith, `This [one] saith, This [is] my son, the living, and thy son [is] the dead; and that [one] saith, Nay, but thy son [is] the dead, and my son the living.'

24 And the king saith, `Take for me a sword;' and they bring the sword before the king,

25 and the king saith, `Cut the living child into two, and give the half to the one, and the half to the other.'

26 And the woman whose son [is] the living one saith unto the king (for her bowels yearned over her son), yea, she saith, `O, my lord, give to her the living child, and put it not at all to death;' and this [one] saith, `Let it be neither mine or thine -- cut [it].'

27 And the king answereth and saith, `Give ye to her the living child, and put it not at all to death; she [is] its mother.'

28 And all Israel hear of the judgment that the king hath judged, and fear because of the king, for they have seen that the wisdom of God [is] in his heart, to do judgment.

[_LittleNipper]

1 Kings 4:1-34 King Solomon ruled over all Israel, and these were his high officials:


Azariah son of Zadok was the priest.
Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, were court secretaries.
Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the royal historian.

Benaiah son of Jehoiada was commander of the army.
Zadok and Abiathar were priests.

Azariah son of Nathan was in charge of the district governors.
Zabud son of Nathan, a priest, was a trusted adviser to the king.

Ahishar was manager of the palace staff.
Adoniram son of Abda was in charge of finances.

7 Solomon also had 12 governors. They were responsible for providing food for the king’s household. Each of them arranged provisions for one month of the year. Their names were:

1 Ben-hur, in the hill country of Ephraim.
2 Ben-deker, in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elon-bethhanan.
3 Ben-hesed, in Arubboth, including Socoh and all the land of Hepher.
4 Ben-abinadab, in all of Naphoth-dor. (He was married to Taphath, one of Solomon’s daughters.)
5 Baana son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, all of Beth-shan near Zarethan below Jezreel, and all the territory from Beth-shan to Abel-meholah and over to Jokmeam.
6 Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead, including the Towns of Jair (named for Jair of the tribe of Manasseh) in Gilead, and in the Argob region of Bashan, including sixty large fortified towns with bronze bars on their gates.
7 Ahinadab son of Iddo, in Mahanaim.
8 Ahimaaz, in Naphtali. (He was married to Basemath, another of Solomon’s daughters.)
9 Baana son of Hushai, in Asher and in Aloth.
10Jehoshaphat son of Paruah, in Issachar.
11Shimei son of Ela, in Benjamin.
12Geber son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, including the territories of King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan.
There was also one governor over the land of Judah.

The population of Judah and Israel expanded greatly. They were happy, healthy and well fed. Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River in the north to the land of the Philistines and the border of Egypt in the south. The conquered peoples of those lands were taxed. And served Solomon throughout his lifetime.

The daily nutritional requirements for Solomon’s palace were 150 bushels of choice flour and 300 bushels of meal; 10 oxen from the fattening pens, 20 pasture-fed cattle, 100 sheep or goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roe deer, and choice poultry.

Solomon’s dominion extended over all the kingdoms west of the Euphrates River, from Tiphsah to Gaza. And there was peace throughout the land. And from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, every family had its own home and garden.

Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his chariot horses, and he had 12,000 horses.

The district governors faithfully provided food for King Solomon and his court; each made sure nothing was lacking during the month assigned to him. They also brought the necessary barley and straw for the royal horses in the stables.

God gave Solomon very great wisdom and understanding. His wisdom exceeded that of all the wise men of the East and of Egypt. He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite and the sons of Mahol—Heman, Calcol, and Darda. His fame spread throughout all the surrounding nations. He composed some 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs. He am expert regarding all kinds of plants, from the great cedar of Lebanon to the tiny hyssop that grows from cracks in a wall. He also was an expert regarding animals, birds, small creatures, and fish. Kings from every nation sent their ambassadors to listen to the wisdom of Solomon.


Young's Literal Translation (YLT)


4 And king Solomon is king over all Israel,

2 and these [are] the heads whom he hath: Azariah son of Zadok [is] the priest;

3 Elihoreph and Ahiah sons of Shisha [are] scribes; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud [is] remembrancer;

4 and Benaiah son of Jehoiada [is] over the host; and Zadok and Abiathar [are] priests;

5 and Azariah son of Nathan [is] over the officers; and Zabud son of Nathan [is] minister, friend of the king;

6 And Ahishar [is] over the household, and Adoniram son of Abda [is] over the tribute.

7 And Solomon hath twelve officers over all Israel, and they have sustained the king and his household -- a month in the year is on each one for sustenance;

8 and these [are] their names: Ben-Hur in the hill-country of Ephraim;

9 Ben-Dekar in Makaz, and Shaalbim, and Beth-Shemesh, and Elon-Beth-Hanan.

10 Ben-Hesed [is] in Aruboth, hath Sochoh and all the land of Hepher;

11 Ben-Abinadab [hath] all the elevation of Dor, Taphath daughter of Solomon became his wife.

12 Baana Ben-Ahilud [hath] Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth-Shean, which [is] by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Beth-Shean unto Abel-Meholah, unto beyond Jokneam.

13 Ben-Geber, in Ramoth-Gilead, hath the small towns of Jair son of Manasseh, which [are] in Gilead; he hath a portion of Argob that [is] in Bashan, sixty great cities [with] wall and brazen bar.

14 Ahinadab son of Iddo [hath] Mahanaim.

15 Ahimaaz [is] in Naphtali; he also hath taken Basemath daughter of Solomon for a wife.

16 Baanah Ben-Hushai [is] in Asher, and in Aloth.

17 Jehoshaphat Ben-Paruah [is] in Issachar.

18 Shimei Ben-Elah [is] in Benjamin.

19 Geber Ben-Uri [is] in the land of Gilead, the land of Sihon king of the Amorite, and of Og king of Bashan: and one officer who [is] in the land.

20 Judah and Israel [are] many, as the sand that [is] by the sea for multitude, eating and drinking and rejoicing.

21 And Solomon hath been ruling over all the kingdoms, from the River [to] the land of the Philistines and unto the border of Egypt: they are bringing nigh a present, and serving Solomon, all days of his life.

22 And the provision of Solomon for one day is thirty cors of flour, and sixty cors of meal;

23 ten fat oxen, and twenty feeding oxen, and a hundred sheep, apart from hart, and roe, and fallow-deer, and fatted beasts of the stalls,

24 for he is ruling over all beyond the river, from Tiphsah and unto Gaza, over all the kings beyond the river, and he hath peace from all his servants round about.

25 And Judah dwelleth -- and Israel -- in confidence, each under his vine, and under his fig-tree, from Dan even unto Beer-Sheba, all the days of Solomon.

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

27 And these officers have sustained king Solomon and every one drawing near unto the table of king Solomon, each [in] his month; they let nothing be lacking.

28 And the barley and the straw, for horses and for dromedaries, they bring in unto the place where they are, each according to his ordinance.

29 And God giveth wisdom to Solomon, and understanding, very much, and breadth of heart, as the sand that [is] on the edge of the sea;

30 and the wisdom of Solomon is greater than the wisdom of any of the sons of the east, and than all the wisdom of Egypt;

31 and he is wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, sons of Mahol, and his name is in all the nations round about.

32 And he speaketh three thousand similes, and his songs [are] five, and the chief one;

33 and he speaketh concerning the trees, from the cedar that [is] in Lebanon, even unto the hyssop that is coming out in the wall, and he speaketh concerning the cattle, and concerning the fowl, and concerning the creeping things, and concerning the fishes,

34 and there come out of all the peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth who have heard of his wisdom.