THE GREAT KING 3
288 Words
HE CHILDHOOD OF SOLOMON.Influences which surrounded the childhood of Solomon—His father—Evil effects of his fall—His family—Bathsheba— David's fondness for his children—The name Shelômôh—Jedidiah—Influence of Nathan—His retirement—Solomon comes to be secretly regarded as the heir to the throne—Claims of Absalom.THE brief sketch in the last chapter will suffice to show us some of the conditions of the Court and family into which Solomon was born.His father was a king who, in many respects, had fallen from his high estate. The golden dawn and glorious noonday of hisreign were over. He was no longer the pride and the idol of Israel and Judah. Not only had his administration ceased to be so vigorous as once it was, but the dark story of his relations to Bathsheba and Uriah was but an imperfect secret, and in proportion as it became known David lost ground in the affec- tions of his people. There was, indeed, no concealment in the intensity of his remorse, and God forgave him, and restored to him the clean heart and the free spirit. But the forgiveness of sins is not the same thing as the remission of consequences, and the consequences of sin are moral and spiritual as well as physical. They leave their scars upon a man's character. Re- pentance is less strong and less beautiful than his elder brother Innocence. No man can stain his soul with such crimes as those of David, and remain unscathed thereafter.His powers of resistance are weakened; his tranquillity becomes less secure. The intercourse of the boy Solomon with his father must have been intercourse with a gloomy and5
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