Thus  the  whole  house  of  Israel  consecrated  the  temple
of  the  Lord,  **and  blessed  the  king,  and  went  unto  their
tents,  joyful  and  glad  of  heart,  for  all  the  goodness  that
the  Lord  had  done  for  David  His  servant,  and  for  Israel
His  people."

Solomon  was  the  happiest  of  all  kings  of  Israel;  his
power  and  dominion  increased  more  and  more.  But  to-
ward the  end  of  his  reign,  his  heart  went  astray  from  God,
and  he  did  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord.  On  account  of
this,  God  announced  to  him  that  his  kingdom  should  not
last.  This  prediction  soon  began  to  be  fulfilled ;  the  Ara-
maeans of  Damascus  established  their  independence,  and
revolts  were  attempted  even  among  the  Israelites.  But
he  did  not  live  long  enough  to  see  tlie  result  of  these  re-
bellions ;  he  died  after  a  reign  of  forty  years,  and  the
calamity  announced  to  him  broke  upon  his  nation  soon
aft«r  his  death.
§  55.      The  Separation  of  tub  Kingdom.      3010  A.M.
[1  Kings  xii.-xiv.]

Solomon  having  dmined  the  people  by  heavy  taxes,
and  the  nation  itself,  led  astray  by  the  evil  example  of  its
king,  having  given  itself  up  to  increasing  luxuries,  became
by  degrees  too  poor,  henceforth,  to  pay  the  usual  taxes.
