d for the sacrifice of peace offerings, which
he offered unto the Lord, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred
and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel
dedicated the house of the Lord.

A ROYAL PILGRIMAGE.

_The Visit of the Queen of Sheba_.

And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning
the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions. And
she came to Jerusalem with a very great caravan, with camels that bore
spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come
to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. And
Solomon told her all her questions: there was not anything hid from
the king which he told her not. And when the queen of Sheba had seen
all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built, and the
meat of his table and the seating of his servants, and the attendance
of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his
ascent by which he went up unto the house of the Lord; there was no
more spirit in her.

{479}{480}

[Illustration]
JERUSALEM, FROM THE CITADEL, LOOKING TOWARD THE MOUNT OF OLIVES.

From a picture in the possession of the Forbes Library and used by
kind permission.

This view reverses the position of the spectator in the previous
picture Looking from the citadel, the slope of the Mount of Olives
rises in the east.
[End illustration]

{481}

And she said to the king, "It was a true report that I heard in mine
own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom. Howbeit I believed not the
words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half
was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I
heard. Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand
continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom. Blessed be the Lord
thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel:
because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king,
to do judgment and justice."

And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of
spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such
abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to King
Solomon.

And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever
she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So
she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants.

THE GREATNE