The KT OLLA Web Stories

NOW King Solomon rose back to his place. This time the tide was high. ‘So all that Adonijah want from me is the Shunammite?’ he asked the guest. The woman affirmed the word. ‘Then with this he should be pacified?’ Bathsheba nodded. The king tested her afresh.  ‘Did you say all I have to give this brother is my wife, the woman Father gave me to wed?’ Bathsheba spoke up then. ‘No, not your wife... it is the Shunammite lady; I mean—’ Solomon cut her short. ‘But if I give my wife and he isn’t satisfied, then he can come back to ask the throne—right?’ Bathsheba stuttered, but the king wouldn’t hear a word. He went on speaking as though she’d answered him. ‘Oh why would he trouble himself asking compensation? He deserves this seat, doesn’t he? ‘He should have simply asked for the throne! What a waste of ambition! ‘Definitely it was his wife I stole, how much less the throne! He should have come for both his wife and me!’ Bathsheba was a little scared. She moved to implore the king, but S...

KING Solomon jumped to his feet at once. He closed his eyes for a long moment as if he was sinking in something. And in the next moment he was back seated on the throne. For a flame of rage burned so hot in his belly. That morning the queen mother had paid the king a visit and the latter had received her with all the delight. He’d got another throne set up beside him to honour his mother. He’d made Bathsheba sit on the royal throne beside him. Yet if only the king’s mother had caught a glimpse of the bounds of her role, she wouldn’t have dared to go. But it was too late then. For it’d finally spilled and Solomon wasn’t quiet. In that instant when she blabbered about things too embarrassing to say, she heard her words return in an echo and saw the glares of silent faces... She saw fireballs in her son’s gaze. In one fraction of a tiny moment, everything the woman had built up in sky came crashing down in ice stones and water. And before she knew it, she met a different side of Solomon.....

WHEN Bathsheba let the prince in and he settled down, she was all too quick to ask: ‘Is this visit of peace, Son of Haggith?’—she started out by calling him by his mother’s. Then she added, ‘You must have come peaceably!’ Adonijah was eager to clarify himself, so he immediately put in a good word. ‘May you live, Your Majesty! See, I have come peaceably! And if I haven’t got a favour to ask of you, I wouldn’t have come!’ Bathsheba let out a puff of relief. Somehow she knew no one in their right mind would want to harm her, since they would be going against the king doing so. But she couldn’t be this sure about Adonijah, a man who’d clearly attempted to reign. She was now relieved things weren’t so. Thus Bathsheba was eager to know what exactly this favour was, the favour a rival might go to ask from a foe, as she apparently wasn’t out of the woods yet. So she sat up and asked: ‘Now what is this favour that I can possibly offer you? Is there something you want me to do?’ Adonijah was del...

IT was a new dawn in Israel and a new beginning in the palace of the kingdom. That quiet morning, a woman set out to change things pretty much. To change the order of things among the courtiers of the royal house... For she sat up so early reorganizing the positions of duty of her female servants. That morning, palace maids and retainers knelt before the old lady as the latter would call them out and question them on sundry matters. Then she’d assign most of them to new quarters. This she was doing as her part in maintaining the security of the new king. It was a duty she’d suddenly saddled herself with. Now that powerful one who demanded such a submissive bow was the first lady of all the women in Israel... As she was the mother of the new king—and the king hadn’t got a spouse yet. Yes, she was the Queen Bathsheba, now called the Queen Mother. She was the queen consort of yesterday. Thus, Bathsheba woke up so early this day with the thought of protecting her son from within her place....

NOW King David turned to his seated people and he spoke the words he had summoned them to hear. ‘Finally, Helpers of our cause, it is clear that God has chosen your King to build His temple... ‘But Solomon is quite young and inexperienced. Even so, the work to be done is huge and daunting because He must build a place for the Almighty. ‘Therefore I have handed him the masterplan to follow. Moreover, I have prepared the materials to be used in building this temple... ‘Gold and silver, bronze and iron, marble and cut stones and cedars in abundance.’ There was silence as the hugeness of the project began to dawn of minds. ‘Now because of my love for God,’ continued David, ‘I have given my own treasures— ‘Tonnes of gold and piles of silver and gem, for the construction of God’s building, for the building of His temple. ‘So today I ask of you: Who else is willing to join me and give of his treasures to God? Who among you will give anything precious for the cause of His temple?’ At this poin...

IN the moment of silence when everyone bowed with a sigh, the people pondered about God and His almightiness. They trembled at the thought of every time they’d insulted His majesty and He’d kept silent. So, King David raised his bowed gaze and saw the thoughtful faces of people as every man was following. He picked up on a new note. ‘Now of all the twelve tribes which makes our nation, the Almighty sought out my humble tribe in Judah... ‘And from the little tribe of Judah, he found out the lowly house of Jesse my father. ‘Still there are several sons that my father bore – seven were the numbers of them. ‘And of all the seed of this man I was the very least, and could inherit nothing more than his name. ‘But the God of our fathers chose David, the least among the least of every list. ‘And He has increased me, built me a great house and gave me sons and daughters—and grandchildren, too. ‘Then of all my sons—for God as given David many, He has chosen the least among the princes. ‘So He ca...

THE open courts was a wide expanse of green, beautiful and lush like a springside vale. It was a well watered lawn sitting in the shadows. It was a garden where feet could rest. There stood high buildings bounding most sides of the field, and the loftiness of those structures cast both shade and glory over the guests. Here, those guests of the noble conference nested in elegant clusters of wine tables and talk. They met and chattered over small cups of wine and bites of raisin cake. So they savoured many talks about the royals and about their glories. Then soon the royal house showed up there. It was with such grace that awed everyone. There was loud fanfare with a standing ovation to greet their arrival. There were cheers and the shout of delighted folk. Now as soon as the dynasty settled there, King David took over the voice amplifier in the form of a horn. Then from the throne seat set up beside his son’s, he addressed the assembly. ‘Noble ministers and officials of our administrati...

THE sun rays poured on earth like showers and the darkness of night gave way to another day. Solomon had slept for the night far later than he usually did, as he went on to study the olden scroll, the parchment of God’s prophecies – he went on to study the piece after the talk with David. Yet this day many noble officials were pouring into the king’s court already. Their numbers were bustling and quite larger than the sum that appeared before the king on a regular day. But the new king wasn’t aware of this influx, no... as he was still on a power nap which only set out late. Now everyone who held an office and owned a title gathered from all over at the urgent summon of the king’s father David. For the old monarch had sent messangers the previous days to invite eminent people for the occasion. Those people were his nobles and officials within his own administration... They were the ministers of civil matters and public, governors over tribute colonies, commanders of Israel’s army and o...

KING David turned to Solomon, and he bared his heart to him. ‘Son, I have heard your words; but there is the walk, there is the race and there is another path. Still everything is a path of completing a journey.’ The younger man sighed with thought. ‘You have chosen to walk, but the walk is not the journey; it is a pathway among so many. ‘But son, you can choose to run, yet running the whole length can tire. Then again you can fly, and when you do you scale the mountains and can be somewhat tired, too. ‘Still I will tell you of a path that is easier than the ones people ply. And this way is what your father used to win fights without sweat.’ Solomon was curious to know. He was also eager to learn, and so he answered, ‘Tell me, Father, I’m dying to know.’ King David resumed in that moment, so he said: ‘There is a way of walking your journey that you will not be tired, be weary or faint. And that way is the way of the baby eagle with its mother. ‘Salemon, you can leave the walk that tire...

SOLOMON grew stronger in the days that followed, as all the people submitted to him. Yet King David was growing weaker by the day. At this point he was set to go. It was going to be a busy evening like several others in the palace of Israel, but this night was a quiet one for the younger king. Solomon crept into the royal study and he combed through stacks of parchment to find a scroll. That parchment scroll, it was the golden one that he was handed the day he was crowned. But the young man had left it here when things turned busy. Yes, he’d forgotten the olden piece as soon as duty came. But it was this same thing he’d tottered all the way to find. Now in the few days that Solomon had sat as king, he’d known the heat of a burning throne. He’d had to face enemies that were allies and friends that were strangers. He’d had to think too much on how not to falter, for he’d suddenly seen that there was no friend for him. So he found himself lacking every day that he met the people. Then he ...

NOW all through the day and through the long night, Prince Adonijah took hold of the altar’s horns, and he screamed out his intent for every observer to know. ‘I call on King Solomon to show mercy as David our father does!  Let him have pity and spare Adonijah his servant! ‘Let the King swear to me this day that he will not put me to death. Or else, I shall not let go of this altar!’ Yes, Adonijah’s cries were disturbing to worshippers and passersby, but the man wasn’t going to stop or let go of the altar. Instead, he requested anyone with concern to take the word to the king, and hurry. So no one was able to use the place of worship. Indeed the Fourth One’s clamour soon became the talk of town. The word spread with the dusking day, and by morning light it had reached the palace. Now it was Benaiah, governor over the outposts, who took the news to the king. The new crowned one, Solomon. That morning when Solomon settled in his throne, he sat back to ponder. As Adonijah’s case was s...

THAT day when Solomon ascended the throne of David, it was a glorious tale of things to come. The man walked out of the king’s court where he’d bowed low before his father to receive a blessing... Then, heading out with the diadem crowning his head, he marched in a royal procession towards the palace hall, towards the throne room of Israel’s kings. Now at this time his heart mused on King David’s words. It was a song, the twenty-fourth one in his Book of Songs. So he humed that piece, and pondered: Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted his soul to vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the LORD, And righteousness from the God of his salvation. Those words were those that had kept Solomon going. And those were the same that had crowned him king. Now, the young monarch’s heart raced its beat while the train came on the palace hall; as the place sheltered the throne, ...

NOW as Jona dragged his feet towards his allies in the vast Kidron Vale, the sudden shout of Solomon’s crowd startled him. Jona glanced back and knew the shout, but he never expected the new king to be crowned so fast... Still, he’d been crowned before he could run. Right there the young man fell with trembling. He picked himself up again and ran. He fled heading for the camp of his true allies… He fled so much he fell a hundred times one. Now when the young spy arrived, while Adonijah was just rising up to reign, it was already too late; and Jona brought the camp bad news… it was a frightening sort of thing. For that ill news, it scattered their entire party. Everyone fled, both guest and host – everybody. Not a soul could stand the coming of Water. Adonijah mounted his mule and fled like the wind in a storm. Yes, Solomon was the fearful sort quite all right, but he was a dreadful kind of foe. And Adonijah must flee or he could die. Now the Fourth One knew what his brother owned. That...

JONA saw everything that’d happened in the camp of their opponents. And he was the tongue which told everything. The lad had gone to the palace bearing tales which the monarch wouldn’t have heard of in spite of his power and influence. Or so the young man felt. He ran all the way to David to tell the urgent thing and, in fact, sell the news at a price if he was lucky. But there he had been from dawn till noon, gleaning with his ear anything he could pick from the walls. He arrived at the palace that morning and there realized that other news was breaking. But this was news more frightening than anything he’d known… Jona saw it happening, and feared. Several great feet moved in and out of the court between the break of day and midday. Jona saw the queen enter, and missed the prophet. Then he saw the prophet and the queen head out to summon the priest. He saw messengers hurry to call Zadok, the high priest on David’s side. And he saw him arrive in the company of Benaiah, governor over so...

NOW Adonijah offered sacrifices at the altar called the Stone of Zoheleth. That altar sat idle by the spring of En Rogel in the vast Kidron Valley. The aspirant king sacrificed a lot on that stone altar. He offered a burnt offering of sheep, oxen and fattened calves. He went on slaughtering the animals by the hand of Abiathar the priest. He went forward to have them offered in burnings, too. Yet he didn’t stop at sacrificing his sweat and wealth in worship. But he went on to fall down on his face, shouting the words: ‘Hallelujah!! All praise to God!’ Now at that time some of the guests were dwelling on this thought. The thought of how the Third had led some nobles to Hebron to worship – back in those days of his revolution. The people recalled from the stories of those days, that the prince did not in fact sacrifice an offering. Like Adonijah the Fourth was doing then. They saw how this younger prince was putting so much effort in sacrifices and worship. So they wondered why the trumpe...

BATHSHEBA arrived at the king’s chamber and there saw King David with his new wife tending to him. It was biting cold that winter morning, as the old king took warmth and affection in the arms of his young wife… the fair, beautiful Abisha. Abisha was beautiful and stunningly so. She was the fairest of all women called David’s. Even so, King David couldn’t lay with the stunning damsel that was his to own. He was too old to have his way this time. So there laid the weather-beaten one, cuddled up like a newborn in the sensual arms of a virgin wife... And the beautiful one only warmed the king with her warmth. It was the only thing the dying man could take... Warmth, and only warmth. Now as Bathsheba was let in, she was too occupied with the thought in her mind that she had little time for jealousy. She only faced David and bowed low to greet him. The king was old and so was his queen consort. So the former knew that his woman wasn’t there to talk affections or to claim her space as wife. ...

PORAH delivered her news to the Seventh Prince. She shared that tiding, that shock about the Fourth One’s coronation. Truly, the maiden’s words called for urgent plans, as her words could stir fire in the soul. But nothing altered Solomon’s quietness. He heard and smiled, and dismissed the girl. Porah was surprised but not quite much, as she’d heard an earful about the prince called Peaceful. She’d heard he wouldn’t flinch nor fear at anything that made men panic. As the people said, he was like water... like the still clear waters. Or like the steady pour of showers in a flood. So in that instant when the Seventh flaunted his grace, the Egyptian lass couldn’t help but fall for him anew. She lingered when he dismissed her and wished he could ask her in. Solomon had stood at his door throughout the whole talk. He’d held the door open midway and had neither stepped out nor stepped in. But then already, he was stepping back inside. Porah glared at the man that had never seen fear, then sh...

A YOUNG pretty lass garbed in a flowing dress came running through the lanes of the palace complex, the edge of her dress gathered up in her hand as she sped. The girl was barefooted, but beautiful. She was stunning in appearance, yet was running. She was the sort that’d cause quite a stir in the streets, as heads turned to see her pass. But she was a nameless one in Israel. A slave. Porah the Egyptian, as she was often called, flew with a windy flight towards the court of the Seventh Prince within the palace. This was the first time that the young maiden would be privileged to step around there. The first time, in fact, that she’d be honoured to see the prince up close. So Porah got herself donned in her best apparel, broke her ointment jar she’d kept for a day to remember, and perfumed herself with the scent of a Nubian princess. Now she hastened towards the chosen prince of David. Towards that great heir called Solomon. It was the same hour of morning when Nathan had gone visiting t...

RIGHT after the queen had whispered her words of reassurance, her mind ran back to grasp what God had once sent through Nathan to David. It was long before the woman had met with the king, that the prophet spoke of a child she’d bear for him. And she learned about that future only when the boy came. Indeed, you shall bear a son, who shall be a man of peace; and I will give him peace from all his enemies all about. His name shall be Solomon, for I will give Israel peace and quietness in his time. He shall build a temple for Me, and he shall be My son and I will be his Father. Then if he is steadfast to keep my law and precepts, I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever! Now when Bathsheba remembered, she found the strength to believe. Solomon must reign, she said to herself. My son must rule because God chose Him! She turned to the prophet of God and asked, ‘Tell me, sir; what must I do?’ Nathan knew the queen was back. That her fright had given way to faith, and her faith had...

NATHAN finally arrived at Bathsheba’s, and the old queen was caught unawares. The ageing woman didn’t expect to have such a noble guest at her door. She feared and worried. She recalled the visit the prophet had made to her house more than twenty years before. That visit which preceded the death of her child, which also sealed a sentence for David. She still remembered the time; so she feared what sort of message the old man had brought again. Then just when she panicked, she heard Nathan’s gentle greeting. ‘Peace be with you, Your Majesty!’ At that point her turbulent heart found some rest. The woman assured herself: He wouldn’t bring ill news and still speak of peace, would he? No, it must be peace that the prophet brings for me! Yet Nathan’s ‘peace’ was only a compliment, a phatic word, and not a promise. Still Bathsheba took that peace from the prophet’s lips as hers. ‘My lord!’ she spoke at last. ‘To what do I owe this honour, that you should knock at my door with the prophet’s ro...

THE newborn cry came at last. And there it was—a pretty child, a son, a prince. King David and Bathsheba broke down in tears. It was the tears of a surprised joy. Now Bathsheba loved her child more. But David loved him so much more. It was peace that the monarch and his wife felt. Everything happening then was peace. Then, to crown the ruler’s rest, David gained dominion over the last territory to be controlled on Israel’s soil. It was a gentile nation called Ammon. The king had ordered Joab his commander to lay siege on Rabbah the capital of Ammon. The siege was laid and had lasted quite a while; the water source captured and its supply cut off. With this progress then, Joab sent message to David to come down and take the city himself. Then that time when David’s prince was born, the ruler hurried down to Rabbah and conquered Ammon himself. That time was the end of war for David’s men, the beginning of peace for his reign... So the ruler looked back and recalled that God had foretold ...

IT was more than twenty years earlier when it all began. And it began with the birth of a prince. But before that beginning, before the prince was born, there was this one who came and died before he could be named. That child was the fruit of the union between David and another’s wife. The woman’s name was Bathsheba. Now when that child was born, he bore the sins of his father and mother… A sentence fell on David that the new born had to leave the world. It was a sentence from heaven, spoken from the mouth of Nathan the prophet. Now, as soon as the prophet told the message in those days, the little child fell ill. He grew so ill that he could die. David sorrowed and mourned and fasted for several days. He grieved so deep for the dying one, as he loved the boy so much. Nay, he loved his mother all too much. Then the seventh day came that the child should die, and he didn’t escape the wrath of heaven, the wrath for his parents’ sin. The little prince passed as Nathan foretold. So David ...

IT seemed Nathan had seen everything there was to know, as a prophet of Yahweh appointed to foretell tomorrow. He was the lips which delivered Heaven’s verdict over the king’s sins of adultery and murder, twenty years before. And that verdict became the judgement of the fire and wind that troubled the throne. Again, he was the lips which spoke of God’s mercy in the ready ears of the monarch, as the latter later repented. For he was God’s mouthpiece for such times as then. Indeed, the man had seen his prophecies come true. He’d seen two sons of David trouble the monarch and fall like soldiers in war. He’d seen one child force his sister to bed, and die; then another force his way in with the king’s wives. He’d seen the judgement come in the fire and wind. Then each time, he’d watched the mercy of God plunge deep down to spare the one He crowned king. Nathan was so sure he’d seen everything. But this was a whole new story, a whole new day... And it just seemed the opposite of what the Al...

WHEN Fire fell on the throne called Flaming, it was a burning thing no man could stand. So Fire died a natural death, for all fires must die. Then came the Wind, hastier in pace and stride than Fire. But Wind only passed by, brushing the throne… He was too cold to sit on live coals. Now, a new one arrived among the sons of power. And he was called Fear, for he feared to sin. They called him Water, but he was hot water. They called him Peaceful, and his other name was Dreadful. They called him Salemon, a Child of Peace.