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his daughter as dowry on her marriage with Solomon. Not far from Gezer, and serving
a similar defensive purpose, rose the fortress of Baalath, in the possession of Dan
(comp. Josephus, Ant. 8, 6, 1). The eastern and northeastern parts of Solomon's
dominions were protected by Tamar or Tadmor, probably the Palmyra of the
ancients,^140 and by Hamath-Zobah (2 Chronicles 8:4), while access to Jerusalem and
irruptions from the north-western plain were barred by the fortification of Upper and
Nether Bethhoron (1 Kings 9:15-19; 2 Chronicles 8:3-6).
Besides these fortresses, the king provided magazine-cities, and others where his
chariots and cavalry were stationed - most of them, probably, towards the north. In all
such undertakings Solomon employed the forced labor of the descendants of the
ancient Canaanite inhabitants of Palestine, his Jewish subjects being chiefly engaged as
overseers and officers in various departments (1 Kings 9:20-23). But even thus, the
diversion of so much labor and the taxation which his undertakings must have involved
were felt as a "grievous service" and "heavy yoke" (1 Kings 12:4), all the more that
Solomon's love of building and of Oriental splendor seems to have rapidly grown upon
him. Thus, once more by a natural process of causation, the inner decay marked by
luxury led to the weakening of the kingdom of Solomon, and scattered the seeds of that
disaffection which, in the days of his degenerate son, ripened into open rebellion. So
true is it, that in the history of Israel the inner and the outer always keep pace. But as
yet Solomon's devotion to the services of Jehovah had not lessened. For we read that
on the great festivals of the year (2 Chronicles 8:12, 13) he was wont to bring
numerous special offerings.^141
As regards the foreign relations of Solomon, reference has already been made (in ch. 5)
to his marriage with the daughter of Pharaoh (1 Kings 3:1), which took place in the
first years of his reign. In all likelihood this Pharaoh was one of the last rulers of the
(21st) Tanite dynasty. We know that their power had of late greatly declined, and
Pharaoh may have been glad to ally himself with the now powerful ruler of the
neighboring country. On the new kingdom, however, such an alliance would shed great
luster, especially in the eyes of the Jews themselves. The frequent references to
Pharaoh's daughter show what importance the nation attached to this union. It may be
well here again to note, that the Egyptian princess, who brought to her husband the
dowry of an important border-fortress (Gezer), was not in any way responsible for
Solomon's later idolatry, no Egyptian deities being named among those towards whom
he turned (1 Kings 11:5-7).
Solomon's relations to Hiram, king of Tyre, at one time threatened to become less
friendly than they had been at first, and afterwards again became. It appears that,
besides furnishing him with wood, Hiram had also advanced gold to Solomon (1 Kings
9:11), amounting, if we may connect with this the notice in ver. 14, to 120 talents of
gold, variously computed at £1,250,000 (Poole), £720,000 (S. Clarke), and £471,240
(^)