Chap. xij. Mozjahs prophejte to feroboam. adverfary, Rezon,the fon of Eliadah, which Aed from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah. 24 And he gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David flew them of Zobah: and they went to Damafcus and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damafcus. 25 And he was an adverfary to Ifrael all the days of Solomon, befide the mifchief that Hadad did: and he abhorred Ifrael, and reigned over Syria. 26 And Jeroboam the fon of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomons fervant (whofe mothers name was Zeruah, a widow woman) even he lift up his hand againft the king. 27 And this was the caufe that he lift 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 induftrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the houfe of Jofeph. 29 And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerufalem, 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 that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces. Solomons death. tribe, that David my fervant may have a light alway before me in Jerufalem, the city which I have chofen me to put my name there. 37 And I will take thee, and thou fhalt reign according to all that thy foul defireth, and fhalt be king over Ifrael. 38 And it fhall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my fight, to keep my ftatutes and my commandments, as David my fervant did, that I will be with thee, and build thee a fure houfe, as I built for David, and will give Ifrael unto thee, 39 And I will for this afflict the feed of David, but not for ever. 40 Solomon fought therefore to kill Jeroboam: and Jeroboam arofe, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon 41 And the reft of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wifdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon ? Nd Rehoboam went to : And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee Ad how we come to Shechen ten pieces: for thus faith the LORD, the God of Ifrael, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee: 32 (But he fhall have one tribe for my fervant Davids fake, and for Jerufalems fake, the city which I have chofen out of all the tribes of Ifrael) 33 Because that they have forfaken me, and have worshipped Afhtoreth the goddefs of the Zidonians, Chemoth the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my ftatutes, and my judgments, as did David his fa ther. 34 Howbeit, I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life, for David my fervants fake, whom I chofe, because he kept my commandments and my ftatutes: 35 But I will take the kingdom out of his fons hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes. 36 And unto his fon will I give one to make him king. 2 And it came to pals when Jeroboam the fon of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt heard of it, (for he was fled from the prefence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt) 3 That they fent and called him: and Jeroboam, and all the congregation of Ifrael came, and fpake unto Rehoboam, faying, 4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous fervice of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will ferve thee. 5 And he faid unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed. 6 And king Rehoboam confulted with the old men that ftood before Solomon his father, while he yet lived, and faid, How do you advife, that I may answer this people? 7 And they fpake unto him, faying, If thou wilt be a fervant unto this people this day, and wilt ferve them, and answer them, and fpeak good words to them, then they will be thy fervants for ever. Ims rajb aufwer: 1. Kings. He is forbidden to make war. 8 But he forfcok the counfel of the old they fent and called him unto the congremen, which they had given him, and con- gation, and made him king over all Ifrael: fulted with the young men that were there was none that followed the houfe of grown up with him, and which ftood be- David, but the tribe of Judah only. fore him: 9 And he faid unto them, What counfel give ye, that we may anfwer this people, who have fpoken to me, faying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us, lighter? To And the young men that were grown up with him, fpake unto him, faying, Thus fhalt thou speak unto this people that (pake unto thee, faying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus fhalt thou fay unto them, My little finger fhall be thicker than my fathers loyns. If And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chaftifed you with whips, but I will chaftife you with fcorpions. 12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, faying, Come to me again the third day. 13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forfook the old mens counfel that they gave him, 14 And fpake to them after the counfel of the young men, faying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke, my father alfo chaftifed you with whips, but I will chaftife you with fcorpions. 15 Wherefore the king hearkned not unto the people; for the caufe was from the LORD, that he might perform his faying, which the LORD fpake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the fon of Nebat. 16 So when all Ifrael faw that the king hearkned not unto them, the people anfwered the king, faying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the fon of Jeffe: to your tents, O Ifrael: now fee to thine own houfe, David. So Ifrael departed unto their tents. 17 But as for the children of Ifrael which dweltin the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. 18 Then king Rehoboam fent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Ifrael ftoned him with ftones, that he died: therefore king Rehoboam made fpeed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerufalem 16 So Ifrael rebelled against the houfe of David unto this day. And it came to pafs when all Ifrael card that Jeroboam was come again,that 21 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerufalem, he affembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourfcore thousand chofen men, which were warriours, to fight against the houfe of Ifrael, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the fon of Solomon. 22 But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, faying, 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, faying, 24 Thus faith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Ifrael: return every man to his houfe, for this thing is from me. They hearkned therefore to the word of the LORD, and returned to depart, according to 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 faid in his heart, Now fhall the kingdom return to the house of David: 27 If this people go up to do facrifice in the houfe of the LORD at Jerufalem, then fhall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they fhall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. 28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and faid unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerufalem: behold thy gods, O Ifrael, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 29 And he fet the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan. 30 And this thing became a fin: for the people went to worship before the one,even unto Dan. 31 And he made an houfe of high places, and made priefts of the lowest of the people, which were not of the fons of Levi. 32 And Jeroboam ordained a feaft in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feaft that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar, (fo did he in Beth-el) facrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Beth el the priests of the high places which he had made. 33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Beth-el the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month Jeroboams hand withereth. Chap. xij. which he had devifed of his own heart: nd ordained a feaft unto the children of frael, and he offered upon the altar, and Durnt incenfe. CHAP. XIII. Nd behold, there came a man of Adent of Judah, by the word of the LORD unto Beth el: and Jeroboam flood by the altar to burn incenfe. 2 And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and faid, O altar, altar, thus faith the LORD, Behold, a child hall be born unto the houfe of David, Jo fish by name, and upon thee fhall he offer the priests of the high places, that burn incenfe upon thee, and mens bones fhall be burnt upon thee. 3 And he gave a fign the fame day, faying, This is the fign which the LORD hith poken, Behold, the altar fhall be rent, and the afhes that are upon it shall be poured out. 4 And it came to pafs, when king Jeroboam heard the faying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the alter, faying, Lay hold on him. And his hand which he put forth against him, dried up, fo that he could not pull it in again to him. The altar alfo was rent, and the afhes poured out from the altar, according to the fign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD. 6 And the king anfwered and faid unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be reftored me again. And the man of God befought the LORD, and the kings hand was reftored him again, and became as it was before. 7. And the king faid unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thy felf, and I will give thee a reward. 8 And the man of God faid unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine houfe, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread, nor drink water in this place: 9 For fo was it charged me by the word of the LORD, faying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the fame Vay that thou cameft. io So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Beth el. 11 Now there dwelt an old prophet, in Beth-el, and his fons came and told him all the works that the man of God hed done that day in Beth-el: the words which he had fpoken unto the king, them they told alfo to their father. 12 And their father faid unto them, The prophets difobedience. What way went he? for his fons had feen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah. 13 And he faid unto his fons, Saddle me the afs. So they faddled him the ass, and he rode thereon, 14 And went after the man of God, and found him fitting under an oak, and he faid unto him, Art thou the man of God that cameft from Judah? and he faid, I am. Is Then he faid unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread. 16 And he faid, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread, nor drink water with thee in this place. 17 For it was faid to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread, nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou caineft. 18 He faid unto him, I am a prophet alfo as thou art, and an angelfpake unto me by the word of the LORD, faying, Bring him back with thee into thine houfe, 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 houfe, and drank water. 20 And it came to pafs as they fat 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, faying, Thus faith the LORD, Forafmuch as thou haft difobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and haft not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee, 22 But cameft back, and haft eaten bread, and drunk water in the place of the which the LORD did fay to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcafe shall not come unto the fepulchre of thy fathers. 23 And it came to pafs after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he faddled for him the afs, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back. 24 And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and flew him: and his carcafe was caft in the way, and the afs ftood by it, the lion alfo ftood by the carcafe. 25 And behold, men paffed by, and faw the carcafe caft in the way, and the lion ftanding by the carcafe: and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt. 26 And when the prophet that brought him back from the way, heard thereof, he faid, It is the man of God, who was def obedient unto the word of the LORD: therefore the LORD hath delivered h Abijahs fickness. I. Kings. unto the lion which hath torn him, and flain him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake unto him. 27 And he fpake to his fons, faying, Saddle me the afs. And they faddled him. 28 And he went and found his carcafe caft in the way, and the afs and the lion ftanding by the carcafe: the lion had not eaten the carcafe, nor torn the ass. 29 And the prophet took up the carcafe of the man of God, and laid it upon the afs, and brought it back: and the old prophet came to the city to mourn, and to bury him. 30 And he laid his carcafe in his own grave, and they mourned over him, fay ing, Alas, my brother. 31 And it came to pass after he had bu ried him, that he fpake to his fons, faying, When I am dead, then bury me in the fepulchre wherein the man of God is buried, lay my bones befide his bones. 32 For the faying which he cried by the word of the LORD against the altar in Beth el, and againft all the houfes of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, fhall furely come to pass. 33 After this thing, Jeroboam return cd not from his evil way, but made again of the loweft of the people, priefts of the high places: whofoever would, he confecrated him, and he became one of the priefts of the high places. 34 And this thing became fin unto the houfe of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth. CHAP. XIV. A boam fell fick. T that time Abijah the fon of Jero Jeroboam threatned. 6 And it was fo when Ahijah heard the found of her feet, as fhe came in at the door, that he faid, Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam, why feigneft thou thy fel to be another? for I am fent to thee with heavy tidings. 7 Go, tell Jeroboam, thus faith the LORD God of Ifrael, Forafmuch as ex alted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Ifrael, 8 And rent the kingdom away from the houfe of David, and gave it thee and yet thou haft not been as my fervan David, who kept my commandments and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes. 9 But haft done evil above all that were before thee: for thou haft gone and made thee other gods, and molten images to provoke me to anger, and haft caft me behind thy back: 10 Therefore behold, I will bring evil upon the houfe of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam, him that piffeth against the wall, and him that is fhut up and left in Ifrael, and will take away the remnant of the houfe of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone. II Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city, fhall the dogs eat: and him that dieth in the field, fhall the fowls of the air eat: for the LORD hath spoken it. 12 Arife thou therefore, get thee to thine own houfe: and when thy feet enter into the city, the child fhall die. 13 And all Ifrael fhall mourn for him, and bury him; for he only of Jeroboam fhall come to the grave, becaufe in him 2 And Jeroboam faid to his wife, A- there is found fome good thing toward rife, I pray thee, and difguife thy felf, the LORD God of Ifrael, in the houfe of that thou be not known to be the wife Jeroboam. of Jeroboam: and get thee to Shiloh, behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, which told me that I fhould be king over this people. 3 And take with thee ten loaves, and Cracknels, and a crufe of hony, and go to him he hall rell thee what shall become of the child. 4 And Jeroboams wife did fo, and arofe, and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah: but Ahijah could not fee, for his eyes were fet by reason of his age. SAnd the LORD faid unto Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to ask a thing of thee for her fon, for he is fick: thus and thus fhalt thou fay unto her: for it fall be when the cometh in, that the fhall feign her felf to be another" anan. 14 Moreover the LORD fhall raife him up a king over Ifrael, who shall cut off the houfe of Jeroboam that day; but what? even now. 15 For the LORD fhall fmire Ifrael, as a reed is thaken in the water, and he shall root up Ifrael out of this good land, which he gave to their fathers, and fhall fcatter the beyond the river, becaufe they have made their groves, provoking the LORD to anger. 16 And he fhall give Ifrael up, becaufe of the fins of Jeroboam, who did fin, and who made Ifrael to fin. 17 And Jeroboams wife arofe, and departed, and came to Tirzah : and when the came to the threshold of the door, the child died. 18 And they buried him, and all Ifrael mourned for him, according to the word of Afa's good reign. of the LORD, which he fpake by the hand 3 And he walked in all the fins of his of his fervant Ahijah the prophet. father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father. 19 And the reft 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 Ifrael. 20 And the days which Jeroboam reigned, were two and twenty years: and he Dept with his fathers, and Nadab his fon reigned in his ftead. 21 And Rehoboam the fon of Solomon reigned in Judah: Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned feventeen years in Jerufalem, the city which the LORD did choose out of all the tribes of Ifrael, to put his name there: and his mothers name was Naamah an Ammonites. 22 And Judah did evil in the fight of the LORD, and they provoked him to jealoufie with their fins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done. 23 For they alfo built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree. 24 And there were alfo fodomites in the land, and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD caft out before the children of Ifrael. 25 And it came to pafs in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shifhak king of Egypt came up against Jerufalem: 26 And he took away the treasures of the houfe of the LORD, and the treafures of the kings houfe, he even took away all, and he took away all the fhields of gold which Solomon had made. 27 And king Rehoboam made in their ftead brafen fhields, and committed them unto the hands of the chief of the guard, which kept the door of the kings houfe. 28 And it was fo, when the king went into the houfe of the LORD,that the guard bare them, and brought them back into the guard-chamber. 4 Nevertheless, for Davids fake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerufalem, to fet up his fon after him, and to eftablish Jerufalem: 29 Now the reft of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 30 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days. s Becaufe David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not afide from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, fave only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. 31 And Rehoboam flept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the ci ty of David: and his mothers name was Naamah an Ammonitefs. And Abijam his fon reigned in his ftead. 6 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. 7 Now the reft of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? and there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam, 8 And Abijam flept with his fathers,and they buried him in the city of David: and Afa his fon reigned in his ftead. 9 And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Ifrael, reigned Afa over Judah. 10 And forty and one years reigned he in Jerufalem: and his mothers name was Maschah the daughter of Abishalom. 11 And Afa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father. 12 And he took away the fodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. 13 And alfo Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, becau'e the had made an idol in a grove, and Afa deftroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron. 14 But the high places were not removed: nevertheless, Afa his heart was perfeet with the LORD all his days. 15 And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and the things which himfelf had dedicated into the houfe of the LORD, filver and gold, and veffels. 16 And there was war between Afa and Baafha king of Ifrael all their days. 17 And Baasha king of Ifrael went up againft Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not fuffer any to go out or come in to Afa king of Judah, 18 Then Afa took all the filver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the houfe of the LORD, and the treasures of Ow in the eighteenth year of king the kings houfe, and delivered them into CHAP. XV. ed Abijam over Judah. 2 Three years reigned he in Jerufalem: and his mothers name was Maachah, the daughter of Abitholom fent them to Ben-hadad the fon of Tabrimon, the fon of Hezion king of Syri that dwelt at Damafcus, faying, |