Solomon's idolatry.

1. KINGS.

His adversaries. 6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of part, that I may go to mine own country. the LORD, and went not fully after the 22 Then Pharaoh said unto him, But LORD, as did David his father. what hast thou lacked with me, that, be

7 Then did Solomon build a high hold, thou seekest to go to thine own place for Chemosh, the abomination of country? And he answered, Nothing: Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, howbeit, let me go in any wise. and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.

8 And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.

23 ¶ And God stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezerking of Zobah: 24 And he gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David 9 And the LORD was angry with So- slew them of Zobah: and they went to lomon, because his heart was turned from Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned the LORD God of Israel, which had ap-in Damascus. peared unto him twice,

26 And Jeroboam the son of Nebat,

25 And he was an adversary to Israel all 10 And had commanded him concern- the days of Solomon, besides the mischief ing this thing, that he should not go after that Hadad did: and he abhorred Israel, other gods: but he kept not that which and reigned over Syria. the LORD commanded. 11 Wherefore the LORD said unto Solo- an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's sermon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, vant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a and thou hast not kept my covenant and my widow woman, even he lifted up his hand statutes which I have commanded thee, I against the king. will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

12 Notwithstanding, in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.

13 Howbeit, I will not rend away all the kingdom, but will give one tribe to thy son, for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen.

14 And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite : he was of the king's seed in Edom.

15 For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain, after he had smitten every male in Edom;

27 And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father.

28 And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.

29 And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:

30 And Ahijah caught the new garment 16 (For six months did Joab_remain that was on him, and rent it in twelve there with all Israel, until he had cut off pieces: every male in Edom :)

31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee 17 That Hadad fled, he and certain ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the Edomites of his father's servants with him, God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the to go into Egypt; Hadad being yet a little kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and child. will give ten tribes to thee:

18 And they arose out of Midian, and 32 (But he shall have one tribe for my came to Paran: and they took men with servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's them out of Paran, and they came to sake, the city which I have chosen out of Egypt, unto Pharaoh king of Egypt; which all the tribes of Israel :)

gave him a house, and appointed him 33 Because that they have forsaken me, victuals, and gave him land. and have worshipped Ashtoreth the god

19 And Hadad found great favour in dess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the to wife the sister of his own wife, the sister children of Ammon, and have not walked of Tahpenes the queen. in my ways, to do that which is right in 20 And the sister of Tahpenes bare him mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned judgments, as did David his father. in Pharaoh's house and Genubath was in 34 Howbeit, I will not take the whole Pharaoh's household among the sons of kingdom out of his hand: but I will make Pharaoh. him prince all the days of his life for Da

21 And when Hadad heard in Egypt vid my servant's sake, whom I chose, bethat David slept with his fathers, and that cause he kept my commandments and my Joab the captain of the host was dead, statutes:

Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me de- 35 But I will take the kingdom out of

Death of Solomon.

CHAP. XII.

Revolt against Rehoboam ais son's hand, and will give it unto thee, men, which they had given him, and coneven ten tribes. sulted with the young men that were grown 36 And unto his son will I give one up with him, and which stood before him: tribe, that David my servant may have a 9 And he said unto them, What counsel light always before me in Jerusalem, the give ye that we may answer this people, city which I have chosen me to put my who have spoken to me, saying, Make the name there. yoke which thy father did put upon us

37 And I will take thee, and thou shalt lighter? reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.

10 And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus 38 And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken shalt thou speak unto this people that unto all that I command thee, and wilt spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made walk in my ways, and do that is right in my our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter sight, to keep my statutes and my com-unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them. mandments, as David my servant did; that My little finger shall be thicker than my I will be with thee, and build thee a sure father's loins.

house, as I built for David, and will give 11 And now whereas my father did lade Israel unto thee. you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your 39 And I will for this afflict the seed of yoke: my father bath chastised you with David, but not for ever. whips, but I will chastise you with scor

40 Solomon sought therefore to kill Je-pions. roboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled 12 ¶ So Jeroboam and all the people into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, came to Rehoboam the third day, as the and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon. king had appointed, saying, Come to me 41 T And the rest of the acts of Solo-again the third day.

mon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, 13 And the king answered the people are they not written in the book of the roughly, and forsook the old men's counacts of Solomon? sel that they gave him;

42 And the time that Solomon reigned 14 And spake to them after the counin Jerusalem overall Israel was forty years. sel of the young men, saying, My father 43 And Solomon slept with his fathers, made your yoke heavy, and I will add to and was buried in the city of David, his your yoke: my father also chastised you father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in with whips, but I will chastise you with his stead. scorpions.

CHAP. XII.

15 Wherefore the king hearkened not ND Rehoboam went to Shechem: for unto the people: for the cause was from make him king.

A might perform his say

ing, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the 2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat. the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, 16 So when all Israel saw that the heard of it, (for he was fled from the pre-king hearkened not unto them, the people sence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam answered the king, saying, What portion dwelt in Egypt;) have we in David? neither have we inhe

3 That they sent and called him. And ritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, Jeroboam and all the congregation of Is- O Israel: now see to thine own house, rael came, and spake unto Rehoboam, David. So Israel departed unto their tents. saying, 17 But as for the children of Israel which 4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam now therefore make thou the grievous ser-reigned over them. vice of thy father, and his heavy yoke 18 Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, which he put upon us, lighter, and we will who was over the tribute; and all Israel serve thee. stoned him with stones, that he died. 5 And he said unto them, Depart yet Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to for three days, then come again to me. get him up to his chariot, to flee to JeruAnd the people departed.

salem.

6 And king Rehoboam consulted with 19 So Israel rebelled against the house the old men that stood before Solomon his of David unto this day.. father while he yet lived, and said, How 20 And it came to pass when all Israel do ye advise that I may answer this people? heard that Jeroboam was come again, that

And they spake unto him, saying, If they sent and called him unto the conthou wilt be a servant unto this people this gregation, and made him king over all Isday, and wilt serve them, and answer rael: there was none that followed the them, and speak good words to them, house of David, but the tribe of Judah then they will be thy servants for ever. only.

8 But he forsook the counsel of the old 21 ¶ And when Rehoboam was come to

Jeroboam makes two calvės.

1. KINGS.

His hand withers. Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of 2 And he cried against the altar in the Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, a word of the LORD, and said, O`altar, alhundred and fourscore thousand chosen tar! thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solonion. 22 But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

23 Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying,

shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee.

3 And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the LORD hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.

24 Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the 4 And it came to pass when king Jerochildren of Israel: return every man to boam heard the saying of the man of God, his house; for this thing is from me. They which had cried against the altar in Bethhearkened therefore to the word of the el, that he put forth his hand from the alLORD, and returned to depart, according tar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his to the word of the LORD. hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him.

5 The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.

25 ¶ Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel. 26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David. 27 If this people go up to do sacrifice 6 And the king answered and said unto in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, the man of God, Entreat now the face of then shall the heart of this people turn the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam my hand may be restored me again. And king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and the man of God besought the LORD, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. the king's hand was restored him again, 28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and became as it was before., and made two calves of gold, and said 7 And the king said unto the man of unto them, It is too much for you to go up God, Come home with me, and refresh to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, thyself, and I will give thee a reward. which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

29 And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan.

:

30 And this thing became a sin for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.

I

8 And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place:

9 For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same 31 And he made a house of high places, way that thou camest. and made priests of the lowest of the peo- 10 So he went another way, and returnple, which were not of the sons of Levi. ed not by the way that he came to Beth-el. 32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in 11 T Now there dwelt an old prophet the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of in Beth-el; and his sons came and told him the month, like unto the feast that is in all the works that the man of God had Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So done that day in Beth-el: the words which did he in Beth-el, sacrificing unto the he had spoken unto the king, them they calves that he had made: and he placed told also to their father. in Beth-el the priests of the high places 12 And their father said unto them, What way went he? for his sons had seen 33 So he offered upon the altar which what way the man of God went which he had made in Beth-el the fifteenth day came from Judah.

which he had made.

of the eighth month, even in the month 13 And he said unto his sons, Saddle which he had devised of his own heart; me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and ordained a feast unto the children of and he rode thereon,

Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and 14 And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God

burnt incense.

CHAP. XIII.

AND behold, there came a man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am. out of Judah by the word of the 15 Then he said unto him, Come home LORD unto Beth-el and Jeroboam stood with me, and eat bread. by the altar to burn incense. 16 And he said, I may not return with

CHAP. XIV.

Abijah falls sick.

The disobedient prophet slain. thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I 31 And it came to pass, after he had eat bread nor drink water with thee in buried him, that he spake to his sons, saythis place: ing, When I am dead, then bury me in the 17 For it was said to me by the word of sepulchre wherein the man of God is the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor buried; lay my bones beside his bones: drink water there, nor turn again to go by 32 For the saying which he cried by the way that thou camest. the word of the LORD against the altar in

18 He said unto him, I am a prophet Beth-el, and against all the houses of the also as thou art; and an angel spake unto high places which are in the cities of me by the word of the LORD, saying, Samaria, shall surely come to pass. Bring him back with thee into thine house, 33 After this thing Jeroboam returned that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.

19 So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house and drank water.

20 ¶ And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came unto the prophet that brought him back:

21 And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee,

not from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places.

34 And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth. CHAP. XIV.

I

T

that time Abijah the son of Jero

boam fell sick.

2 And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, pray thee, and disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get thee to Shiloh: behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, which told me that I should be king over this people.

22 But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the LORD did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcass shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers. 3 And take with thee ten loaves, and 23 And it came to pass, after he had cracknels, and a cruse of honey, and go eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he to him: he shall tell thee what shall besaddled for him the ass, to wit, for the come of the child. prophet whom he had brought back.

4 And Jeroboam's wife did so, and arose, 24 And when he was gone, a lion met and went to Shiloh, and came to the house him by the way, and slew him and his of Ahijah. But Ahijah could not see; for carcass was cast in the way, and the ass his eyes were set by reason of his age. stood by it, the lion also stood by the car- 5 And the LORD said unto Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to

cass.

25 And behold, men passed by, and saw ask a thing of thee for her son; for he is the carcass cast in the way, and the lion sick: thus and thus shalt thou say unto standing by the carcass: and they came her: for it shall be, when she cometh in, and told it in the city where the old pro- that she shall feign herself to be another phet dwelt.

woman.

26 And when the prophet that brought 6 And it was so, when Ahijah heard the him back from the way heard thereof, he sound of her feet, as she came in at the said, It is the man of God, who was diso- door, that he said, Come in, thou wife of bedient unto the word of the LORD: there- Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be fore the LORD hath delivered him unto the another? for I am sent to thee with heavy lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, tidings. according to the word of the LORD, which he spake unto him.

7.Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Forasmuch as I ex27 And he spake to his sons, saying, alted thee from among the people, and Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him. made thee prince over my people Israel, 28 And he went and found his carcass 8 And rent the kingdom away from the cast in the way, and the ass and the lion house of David, and gave it thee: and yet standing by the carcass: the lion had not thou hast not been as my servant David, eaten the carcass, nor torn the ass.

29 And the prophet took up the carcass of the man of God, and laid it upon the ass, and brought it back and the old prophet came to the city, to mourn and to bury him.

who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes;

9 But hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to 30 And he laid his carcass in his own provoke me to anger, and hast cast me grave; and they mourned over him, say- behind thy back: ing, Alas; my brother! 10 Therefore behold, I will bring evil

Jeroboam threatened.

1. KINGS.

Abjam's wicked reign. upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut the land and they did according to all off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the abominations of the nations which the the wall, and him that is shut up and left LORD cast out before the children of Israel. in Israel, and will take away the remnant 25 And it came to pass in the fifth of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king away dung, till it be all gone. of Egypt came up against Jerusalem:

11 Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat for the LORD hath spoken it.

12 Arise thou therefore, get thee to thine own house and when thy feet enter into the city, the child shall die.

26 And he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.

27 And king Rehoboam made in their stead brazen shields, and committed them 13 And all Israel shall mourn for him, unto the hands of the chief of the guard, and bury him for he only of Jeroboam which kept the door of the king's house. shall come to the grave, because in him 28 And it was so, when the king went there is found some good thing toward the into the house of the LORD, that the guard LORD God of Israel in the house of Jero- bare them, and brought them back into the boam. guard-chamber.

14 Moreover, the LORD shall raise him 29 Now the rest of the acts of Rehoup a king over Israel, who shall cut off the boam, and all that he did, are they not house of Jeroboam that day: but what? written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah ?

even now.

15 For the LORD shall smite Israel, as 30 And there was war between Rehoa reed is shaken in the water, and he shall boam and Jeroboam all their days. root up Israel out of this good land, which 31 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, he gave to their fathers, and shall scatter and was buried with his fathers in the city them beyond the river, because they have of David. And his mother's name was made their groves, provoking the LORD to Naamah an Ammonitess. And Abijam his anger. son reigned in his stead.

16 And he shall give Israel up because

CHAP. XV.

of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and NOW in the eighteenth year of king

who made Israel to sin.

17 And Jeroboam's wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah: and when she came to the threshold of the door, the child died:

the son

Abijam over Judah.

reigned

2 Three years reigned he in Jerusalem And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.

18 And they buried him; and all Israel 3 And he walked in all the sins of his mourned for him, according to the word of father, which he had done before him: the LORD, which he spake by the hand of and his heart was not perfect with the his servant Ahijah the prophet. LORD his God, as the heart of David his father.

19 And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he warred, and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

4 Nevertheless, for David's sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and 20 And the days which Jeroboam reign- to establish Jerusalem: ed were two and twenty years and he 5 Because David did that which was slept with his fathers; and Nadab his son right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned reigned in his stead. not aside from any thing that he command21 And Rehoboam the son of Solomon ed him all the days of his life, save only in reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty the matter of Uriah the Hittite. and one years old when he began to reign; 6 And there was war between Rehoand he reigned seventeen years in Jerusa- boam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. lem, the city which the LORD did choose 7 Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his and all that he did, are they not written name there and his mother's name was in the book of the chronicles of the kings Náamah an Ammonitess. of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.

22 And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done.

8 And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.

23 For they also built them high places, 9 And in the twentieth year of Jerobo and images and groves, on every high hill, am king of Israel reigned Åsa over Judah.

and under every green tree.

10 And forty and one years reigned he 24 And there were also sodomites in in Jerusalem. And his mother's name