THE DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE.

THE Temple being finished, Solomon determined to postpone the dedication of it to the following year, as it was a year of jubilee. Some days before the feast of tabernacles, all the princes of the tribes and heads of families being assembled to solemnize so essential a rite, he commanded the priests and Levites to bring the different presents which David had bequeathed for the temple service. The numerous vessels appointed for the altar and sanctuary were next brought in, and lastly, with great solemnity, the Ark of the Covenant, and the Tabernacle of the Congregation. As soon as the Ark was deposited, the whole of the sacred building was filled with a miraculous cloud, upon which Solomon, prostrating himself towards the sanctuary, addressed a solemn prayer to God. "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying, Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my people Israel. And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the Lord God of Israel *." He concluded by beseeching the Lord Jehovah to fulfil the promise which he had made to David in favour of his successors. The picture represents the court of the priests: Solomon is seen in the foreground, standing before the brazen sea, which appears in the centre of the area. The king is raising his hands towards heaven, in an attitude of holy supplication. Below, on his left, are the Levites, with their harps, chanting those spiritual songs appointed for the temple service. Beyond them is the brazen altar of sacrifice. It has an ascent by steps, being sloped like the roof of a modern dwelling-house. Three priests are seen near the summit conducting the sacrifices.

THE WIFE OF JEROBOAM, AND AHIJAH.

Not long after the withering and restoration of Jeroboam's hand, as described in the thirteenth chapter of the First Book of Kings, the son of Jeroboam, a prince of great promise, fell sick. The father, anxious to know the probable fate of his child, prevailed upon his queen to disguise herself in the dress of an ordinary person, and repair to Shiloh, to inquire of the prophet Ahijah what was likely to be the issue of the prince's disorder. As the venerable man was blind, she conceived there could be little likelihood of his detecting her, her person more than probably being unknown to him, and consequently expressed no reluctance in acceding to the king's wishes. The whole matter, however, had been revealed to the prophet by a divine communication, and therefore "it was so, when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, that he said, Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be another? for I am sent to thee with heavy tidings *." The indignant old man now upbraided Jeroboam with ingratitude to God, who had made him king, and distinguished him by such signal displays of his benefaction; charged him with impiety and apostacy in setting up images as objects of religious worship; foretold the extinction of his race, and the death of the child then sick; threatened grievous calamities to his people for their wickedness in conforming to the idolatrous worship which he had introduced On ber among them, and then dismissed his royal visitor. return to the palace, she found the young prince in the agonies of death. This calamity did not deter the king from his impious career, and he was shortly after cut off in the midst of his sins. The print represents the venerable Ahijah, seated in his chair in a state of prophetic rapture, raising his hand and imprecating the divine malediction upon the race of Jeroboam. The queen has fallen to the earth under the shock of her feelings at hearing the awful denunciation of God's judgments. The attendant stands in mute astonishment at hearing his master declare the presence of the queen.