* 1 Kings i., ii. This is the close of the history of David, and follows on from 2 Sam. xxiv. It would seem that Adonijah was heir-apparent (1 Kings i. 5, 6), and that Solomon’s accession was brought about by an intrigue, which owed its success to the old king’s weakness (1 Kings i. 12, 13, 17, 18, 30, 31). The change of rulers had led, as usual, to insurrections among the tributary races: Damascus had revolted before the death of David, and had not been recovered. Hadad returned from Egypt, and having gained adherents in certain parts of Edom, resisted all attempts made to dislodge him.* * It seems clear from the context that the revolt of Damascus took place during David’s lifetime. It cannot, in any case, have occurred at a later date than the beginning of the reign of Solomon, for we are told that Rezôn, after capturing the town, “was an adversary of Israel all the days of Solomon” (1 Kings xi. 23-25). Hadad returned from Egypt when “he had heard that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the host was dead” (1 Kings xi. 21, 22, 25). As a soldier, Solomon was neither skilful nor fortunate: he even failed to retain what his father had won for him. Though he continued to increase his army, it was more with a view to consolidating his power over the Bnê-Israel than for any aggressive action outside his borders. On the other hand, he showed himself an excellent administrator, and did his best, by various measures of general utility, to draw closer the ties which bound the tribes to him and to each other. He repaired the citadels with such means as he had at his disposal. He rebuilt the fortifications of Megiddo, thus securing the control of the network of roads which traversed Southern Syria. He remodelled the fortifications of Tamar, the two Bethhorons, Baâlath, Hazor, and of many other towns which defended his frontiers. Some of them he garrisoned with foot-soldiers, others with horsemen and chariots. By thus distributing his military forces over the whole country, he achieved a twofold object;* he provided, on the one hand, additional security from foreign invasion, and on the other diminished the risk of internal revolt. * 1 Kings ix. 15, 17-19; cf. 2 Chron. viii. 4-6. The parallel passage in 2 Chron. viii. 4, and the marginal variant in the _Book of Kings_, give the reading Tadmor Palmyra for Tamar, thus giving rise to the legends which state that Solomon’s frontier extended to the Euphrates. The Tamar here referred to is that mentioned in Ezeh. xlvii. 19, xlviii. 28, as the southern boundary of Judah; it is perhaps identical with the modern Kharbêt-Kurnub.