The Noblemen's Sons

XV
The Noblemen's Sons

1. SOLOMON'S PROPOSAL

SOLOMON was deeply perturbed.
His son had rejected him.
He returned to the Throne Room and consulted with his officers and the elders, telling them that he was unable to persuade Ibna Hakim to stay in Israel.

SOLOMON: Come let us make him king of Ethiopia, together with your children.. You sit on my right hand and on my left hand and in like manner the eldest of your children will sit on his right and left hand. So all you counsellors and officers, let us give him your first-born children and we'll have two kingdoms. I'll rule here and our children will rule there. And I put my trust in God that a third time he'll give me seed and that a third king will be here with me.

The Throne Room was abuzz as their monarch made a proposal that few, if any had heard before.

SOLOMON: Now, Baltasar, the king of Byzantium, wants me to give my son, Rehoboam, to his daughter king over the whole country of Byzantium. For besides her he has no other child and he's sworn that he'll only make king a man who's the seed of David, my father. And if we reign there we will be three kings. According to my father's prophecy, it declared: 'The seed of Solomon will become three heads of kingdoms on earth.' And we'll send to them priests and we'll ordain laws for them and they'll worship and serve the God of Israel under the three royal heads. And now let us make this young man king and let us send him away with your children, you who possess wealth and possession. According to the position and wealth you have here, your children will rule there. And they'll see the ordering of royalty and we'll establish them according to our law and we'll direct them and give them commands and send them away to reign there.

The priests, officers and counsellors answered: "Since you're sending your firs-born and then we'll send out children also according to your wish. Who can resist the commandment of God and the king? They're your servants and of your seed as you've proclaimed. If you wish, you can sell them and mothers as slaves. It isn't for us to trangress your command and the command of the Lord your God.
Despite the outward show of support for Solomon's proposal, there were grumblings within the Palace walls.