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SOHN, sam, RUDOLF: German Protestant jurist; b. at Restock Oct. 29, 1841. He was educated at the universities of Rostock (LL.D., 1864), Berlin, Heidelberg, and Munich; was privat-docent in the faculty of law of the University of G&ttingen (1866-70), and was appointed associate professor in 1870. In the same year be became professor at Freiburg, and from 1872 to 1887 occupied a similar position at Strasburg. Since 1887 he has been professor of German and canon law in the University of Leipsic. His views upon canonistic theory, though unusual and novel, have gained great significance in German theological thought. His writings of theological interest are Dab Verhdltnis van Stoat ured Kirche (Tiibingen, 1873); Kirchengeschiehte im Grundriss (Leipsic, 1888, 14th ed., 1905; Eng. tranal. of 8th ed., Outlines of Church History (London, 1895); Kirchenrecht, vol. i. (1892); Wesen and Ursprung des Katholizismus (1909).

SOBS, ebn, GEORG: German Reformed theologian; b. at R,ossbach, in Upper Hesse, Dec. 31, 1551; d. at Heidelberg not later than Apr. 23, 1589. In 1566 he visited the University of Marburg; went to Wittenberg in 1569; studied first jurisprudence, and then changed to theology, which after 1572 he studied at Marburg. His unusual erudition led to his reception into the teaching corps of the university in 1574; he became professor of Hebrew in 1575. His principal theological adversary was his own disciple, Egidius Hunnius (q.v.). In consequence of the ecclesiastical agitations [in Hesse], he accepted a call to Heidelberg in 1584, but only a brief career of activity was there his portion.

BraWoaaerHY: J. Calvin's Oratio de vifa d obQu G. Sohn Heidelberg, 1589, is reprinted in the " Works," Vol. i., and is the main source for the life by M. Adam in Vitas eruditorum, pp. 298-301, Frankfort, 1708; J. Tilemann, Vita profeeaorum . . . in academia Marburpenai, pp. 1291l0, Marburg, 1727 Cf. F W Strieder, Grundlaps zu einer nemiaehen Gdehrten- and Schriftatdlerpeschichtr, XV. 109-112, Cassel, 1808; H. Heppe, Geachichte der hessiachan Generadayuoden 1688-81, passim, ib. 1847.

SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT (r643). See COvENANTERB, 1 4.

SOLITARY BRETHREN. See CoMMUmsM, II., 5. SOLOMON: Third king of all Israel, second son of David by Bathsheba, and his successor. His dates, according to the old chronology, are 1021-981, according to Ewald 1025-986, according to Kamphausen 977-938. The natural heir to the throne was Adonijah, since his elder brothers, Amnon and

Absalom, had been killed, while Chileab (or Daniel), of whom little mention is made, probably died in early youth (0f. II Sam. iii. 2-4; I Kings i. 5 sqq.). While, however, it was customary for the succession to go by primogeniture (cf. I Kings ii. 15), the king had the privilege of choosing his successor, and on this the hopes of Solomon were based. Solomon, the fourth of David's sons to be born in Jerusalem (II Sam. v. 14), was brought up by the prophet Nathan, who apparently called him Jedidiah (II Sam. xii. 25). Bathsheba seems to have been the favorite wife of David, and evidently made the end of her ambitions the gaining of the throne for her eldest surviving son. Two factions thus arose at the court of the aged David. Joab and the high priest Abiathar were the partizans of Adonijah; Bathsheba, Nathan, Benaiah, and the second priest Zadok were on the side of Solomon.

On the approach of David's death Adonijah assembled his partizans at the stone of Zoheleth near Jerusalem. The news of this gathering naturally excited the extremest alarm among the adherents of Solomon. At the instigation of Nathan Bathsheba hurried to David, telling the dying king that he had sworn to appoint Solomon his successor, and that Adonijah had already seized the throne (I Kings i. 11 sqq.). David renewed his oath and commanded that Solomon be placed upon the royal mule, anointed king, and proclaimed as the lawful sovereign of Israel. When the acclamations of the new ruler were heard at the atone of Zoheleth, Adonijah fled to the altar, where his life was spared by Solomon.

Before the death of David, however, he announced his last wishes to his successor. These were three: vengeance on Joab for blood guiltiness incurred in the murder of Abner and Amass; rewards to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead for aid rendered David; and death to Shimei for having cursed the king (I Kings ii. 3 sqq.). The foolish ambition of Adonijah brought about his execution, while his partizan Joab was put to death, and the high priest Abiathar was deposed (I Kings ii. 13 sqq.), Joab being replaced by Benaiah and Abiathar by Zadok. The rise of Solomon to the throne has been held by such scholars as Wellhausen, Stade, and Renan to have been the result of a mere palace intrigue of the usual oriental type, while David's will is alleged to be a figment of a subservient courtier anxious to turn the responsibility for the succeeding bloodshed from Solomon to David. For all this there is not the slightest evidence.

On his accession to the throne Solomon sought to protect and to extend the rich heritage of David, who had gained for his realm dimensions which compelled the respect of all the nearer East. On the other hand, it was inevitable that on the death of David recalcitrant vassals and hostile neighbors should make trouble on the boundaries. Thus Hadad, of the royal line of Edom, who had fled to Egypt from David, seized the opportunity to renew hostility, and apparently made his country partially independent of Israel (I Kings xi. 14 aqq.). Again, according to I Kings xi. 23 sqq., there is an allusion to the foundation of the kingdom of Damascus by a daring Syrian general who established