d as many lambs, which they offered for
burnt-offerings. They also offered peace-offerings, and slew many ten
thousand sacrifices; and the king feasted all day, together with all
the people; and they anointed Solomon a second time with the oil, and
appointed him to be king, and Zadok to be the high priest of the whole
multitude. And when they had brought Solomon to the royal palace, and
had set him upon his father's throne, they were obedient to him from
that day.

CHAPTER 15. What Charge David Gave Tohis Son Solomon At The Approach
Of His Death, And How Many Things He Left Him For The Building Of The
Temple.

1. A Little afterward David also fell into a distemper, by reason of
his age; and perceiving that he was near to death, he called his son
Solomon, and discoursed to him thus: "I am now, O my son, going to my
grave, and to my fathers, which is the common way which all men that
now are, or shall be hereafter, must go; from which way it is no longer
possible to return, and to know any thing that is done in this world. On
which account I exhort thee, while I am still alive, though already very
near to death, in the same manner as I have formerly said in my advice
to thee, to be righteous towards thy subjects, and religious towards
God, that hath given thee thy kingdom; to observe his commands and his
laws, which he hath sent us by Moses; and neither do thou out of favor
nor flattery allow any lust or other passion to weigh with thee to
disregard them; for if thou transgressest his laws, thou wilt lose the
favor of God, and thou wilt turn away his providence from thee in all
things; but if thou behave thyself so as it behooves thee, and as I
exhort thee, thou wilt preserve our kingdom to our family, and no other
house will bear rule over the Hebrews but we ourselves for all ages. Be
thou also mindful of the transgressions of Joab, [26] the captain of the
host, who hath slain two generals out of envy, and those righteous and
good men, Abner the son of Ner, and Amasa the son of Jether; whose death
do thou avenge as shall seem good to thee, since Joab hath been too
hard for me, and more potent than myself, and so hath escaped punishment
hitherto. I also commit to thee the son of Barzillai the Gileadite,
whom, in order to gratify me, thou shalt have in great honor, and take
great care of; for we have not done good to him first, but we only repay
that debt which we owe to his father for what he did to me in my flig