he mosque is occupied by the top of the natural rock,
shown in the foreground. It is possible that the great altar of
Solomon's temple was at this place.
[End illustration]

{469}

SOLOMON'S PALACE.

_Costly and Beautiful_.

And Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished
all his house. For he built the house of the forest of Lebanon; the
length thereof was an hundred cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty
cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits, upon four rows of cedar
pillars, with cedar beams upon the pillars. And it was covered with
cedar above over the forty and five beams, that were upon the pillars;
fifteen in a row. And there were three rows of latticed windows. And
he made the porch of pillars; the length thereof was fifty cubits, and
the breadth thereof thirty cubits; and a porch before them; and
pillars and thick beams before them. And he made the porch of the
throne where he was to judge, even the porch of judgment: and it was
covered with cedar from floor to floor. And his house where he was to
dwell, the other court within the porch, was of the like work.

He made also an house for Pharaoh's daughter (whom Solomon had taken
to wife), like unto this porch. All these were of costly stones, even
of hewn stone, according to measure, sawed with saws, within and
without, even from the foundation unto the coping, and so on the
outside unto the great court. And the foundation was of costly stones,
even great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits.
And above were costly stones, even hewn stone, according to measure,
and cedar wood. And the great court round about had three rows of hewn
stone, {470} and a row of cedar beams; like the inner court of the
house of the Lord, and the porch of the house.

THE DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE.

_The Great Assembly and Sacrifice_.

Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the
tribes, the princes of the fathers' houses of the children of Israel,
unto King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of
the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. And they brought up
the ark of the Lord, and the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels
that were in the Tent.

And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, that were
assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep
and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude. And the
priests brought in the