The First Book of Kings, starting at chapter 10
{10:1} When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon
concerning the name of Yahweh, she came to prove him with hard
questions. {10:2} She came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with
camels that bore spices, and very much gold, and precious stones; and
when she was come to Solomon, she talked with him of all that was in
her heart. {10:3} Solomon told her all her questions: there was not
anything hidden from the king which he didn't tell her. {10:4} When
the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house
that he had built, {10:5} and the food of his table, and the sitting
of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their
clothing, and his cup bearers, and his ascent by which he went up to
the house of Yahweh; there was no more spirit in her. {10:6} She said
to the king, It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your
acts, and of your wisdom. {10:7} However I didn't believe the words,
until I came, and my eyes had seen it: and behold, the half was not
told me; your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame which I heard.
{10:8} Happy are your men, happy are these your servants, who stand
continually before you, [and] who hear your wisdom. {10:9} Blessed be
Yahweh your God, who delighted in you, to set you on the throne of
Israel: because Yahweh loved Israel forever, therefore made he you
king, to do justice and righteousness. {10:10} She gave the king one
hundred twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and
precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these
which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon. {10:11} The navy also
of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great
plenty of almug trees and precious stones. {10:12} The king made of
the almug trees pillars for the house of Yahweh, and for the king's
house, harps also and stringed instruments for the singers: there came
no such almug trees, nor were seen, to this day. {10:13} King Solomon
gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, besides
that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned, and
went to her own land, she and her servants. {10:14} Now the weight of
gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six
talents of gold, {10:15} besides [that which] the traders [brought],
and the traffic of the merchants, and of all the kings of the mixed
people, and of the governors of the country. {10:16} King Solomon made
two hundred bucklers of beaten gold; six hundred [shekels] of gold
went to one buckler. {10:17} [he made] three hundred shields of beaten
gold; three minas of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in
the house of the forest of Lebanon. {10:18} Moreover the king made a
great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the finest gold. {10:19}
There were six steps to the throne, and the top of the throne was
round behind; and there were stays on either side by the place of the
seat, and two lions standing beside the stays. {10:20} Twelve lions
stood there on the one side and on the other on the six steps: there
was nothing like it made in any kingdom. {10:21} All king Solomon's
drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the
forest of Lebanon were of pure gold: none were of silver; it was
nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon. {10:22} For the king had
at sea a navy of Tarshish with the navy of Hiram: once every three
years came the navy of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and
apes, and peacocks. {10:23} So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of
the earth in riches and in wisdom. {10:24} All the earth sought the
presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his
heart. {10:25} They brought every man his tribute, vessels of silver,
and vessels of gold, and clothing, and armor, and spices, horses, and
mules, a rate year by year. {10:26} Solomon gathered together chariots
and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and
twelve thousand horsemen, that he bestowed in the chariot cities, and
with the king at Jerusalem. {10:27} The king made silver to be in
Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycamore trees
that are in the lowland, for abundance. {10:28} The horses which
Solomon had were brought out of Egypt; and the king's merchants
received them in droves, each drove at a price. {10:29} A chariot came
up and went out of Egypt for six hundred [shekels] of silver, and a
horse for one hundred fifty; and so for all the kings of the Hittites,
and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.
{11:1} Now king Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the
daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites,
Sidonians, and Hittites; {11:2} of the nations concerning which Yahweh
said to the children of Israel, You shall not go among them, neither
shall they come among you; for surely they will turn away your heart
after their gods: Solomon joined to these in love. {11:3} He had seven
hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives
turned away his heart. {11:4} For it happened, when Solomon was old,
that his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart
was not perfect with Yahweh his God, as was the heart of David his
father. {11:5} For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the
Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. {11:6}
Solomon did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and didn't go
fully after Yahweh, as did David his father. {11:7} Then did Solomon
build a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the
mountain that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of
the children of Ammon. {11:8} So did he for all his foreign wives, who
burnt incense and sacrificed to their gods. {11:9} Yahweh was angry
with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from Yahweh, the God
of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, {11:10} and had commanded
him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but
he didn't keep that which Yahweh commanded. {11:11} Therefore Yahweh
said to Solomon, Because this is done of you, and you have not kept my
covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely
tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant. {11:12}
Notwithstanding in your days I will not do it, for David your father's
sake: but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. {11:13} However
I will not tear away all the kingdom; but I will give one tribe to
your son, for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which
I have chosen. {11:14} Yahweh raised up an adversary to Solomon, Hadad
the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom. {11:15} For it
happened, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the army was
gone up to bury the slain, and had struck every male in Edom {11:16}
(for Joab and all Israel remained there six months, until he had cut
off every male in Edom); {11:17} that Hadad fled, he and certain
Edomites of his father's servants with him, to go into Egypt, Hadad
being yet a little child. {11:18} They arose out of Midian, and came
to Paran; and they took men with them out of Paran, and they came to
Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave him a house, and appointed
him food, and gave him land. {11:19} Hadad found great favor in the
sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him as wife the sister of his own
wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen. {11:20} The sister of Tahpenes
bore him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's house;
and Genubath was in Pharaoh's house among the sons of Pharaoh. {11:21}
When Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that
Joab the captain of the army was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me
depart, that I may go to my own country. {11:22} Then Pharaoh said to
him, But what have you lacked with me, that behold, you seek to go to
your own country? He answered, Nothing: however only let me depart.
{11:23} God raised up [another] adversary to him, Rezon the son of
Eliada, who had fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah. {11:24} He
gathered men to him, and became captain over a troop, when David
killed them [of Zobah]: and they went to Damascus, and lived therein,
and reigned in Damascus. {11:25} He was an adversary to Israel all the
days of Solomon, besides the mischief that Hadad [did]: and he
abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria. {11:26} Jeroboam the son of
Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother's
name was Zeruah, a widow, he also lifted up his hand against the king.
{11:27} This was the reason why he lifted up his hand against the
king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breach of the city of
David his father. {11:28} The man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor;
and Solomon saw the young man that he was industrious, and he gave him
charge over all the labor of the house of Joseph. {11:29} It happened
at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet
Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; now [Ahijah] had clad
himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field.
{11:30} Ahijah laid hold of the new garment that was on him, and tore
it in twelve pieces. {11:31} He said to Jeroboam, Take ten pieces; for
thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, Behold, I will tear the kingdom
out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to you {11:32}
(but he shall have one tribe, for my servant David's sake and for
Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes
of Israel); {11:33} because that they have forsaken me, and have
worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of
Moab, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon; and they have not
walked in my ways, to do that which is right in my eyes, and [to keep]
my statutes and my ordinances, as did David his father. {11:34}
However 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 servant's sake
whom I chose, who kept my commandments and my statutes; {11:35} but I
will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it to you,
even ten tribes. {11:36} To his son will I give one tribe, that David
my servant may have a lamp always before me in Jerusalem, the city
which I have chosen me to put my name there. {11:37} I will take you,
and you shall reign according to all that your soul desires, and shall
be king over Israel. {11:38} It shall be, if you will listen to all
that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do that which is
right in my eyes, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my
servant did; that I will be with you, and will build you a sure house,
as I built for David, and will give Israel to you. {11:39} I will for
this afflict the seed of David, but not forever. {11:40} Solomon
sought therefore to kill Jeroboam; but Jeroboam arose, and fled into
Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of
Solomon. {11:41} Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he
did, and his wisdom, aren't they written in the book of the acts of
Solomon? {11:42} The time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all
Israel was forty years. {11:43} Solomon slept with his fathers, and
was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son
reigned in his place.
{12:1} Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem
to make him king. {12:2} It happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat
heard of it (for he was yet in Egypt, where he had fled from the
presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam lived in Egypt, {12:3} and they
sent and called him), that Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel
came, and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, {12:4} Your father made our yoke
grievous: now therefore make you the grievous service of your father,
and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you.
{12:5} He said to them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to
me. The people departed. {12:6} King Rehoboam took counsel with the
old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived,
saying, What counsel give you me to return answer to this people?
{12:7} They spoke to him, saying, If you will be a servant to this
people this day, and will serve them, and answer them, and speak good
words to them, then they will be your servants forever. {12:8} But he
forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took
counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before
him. {12:9} He said to them, What counsel do you give, that we may
return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the
yoke that your father did put on us lighter? {12:10} The young men who
had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, Thus shall you tell this
people who spoke to you, saying, Your father made our yoke heavy, but
make you it lighter to us; thus shall you speak to them, My little
finger is thicker than my father's waist. {12:11} Now whereas my
father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my
father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with
scorpions. {12:12} So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the
third day, as the king bade, saying, Come to me again the third day.
{12:13} The king answered the people roughly, and forsook the counsel
of the old men which they had given him, {12:14} and spoke to them
after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke
heavy, but I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with
whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. {12:15} So the king
didn't listen to the people; for it was a thing brought about of
Yahweh, that he might establish his word, which Yahweh spoke by Ahijah
the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. {12:16} When all Israel
saw that the king didn't listen to them, the people answered the king,
saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in
the son of Jesse: to your tents, Israel: now see to your own house,
David. So Israel departed to their tents. {12:17} But as for the
children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned
over them. {12:18} Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the
men subject to forced labor; and all Israel stoned him to death with
stones. King Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee
to Jerusalem. {12:19} So Israel rebelled against the house of David to
this day. {12:20} It happened, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was
returned, that they sent and called him to the congregation, and made
him king over all Israel: there was none who followed the house of
David, but the tribe of Judah only. {12:21} When Rehoboam was come to
Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, and the tribe of
Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, who were warriors,
to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to
Rehoboam the son of Solomon. {12:22} But the word of God came to
Shemaiah the man of God, saying, {12:23} Speak to Rehoboam the son of
Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin,
and to the rest of the people, saying, {12:24} Thus says Yahweh, You
shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers the children of
Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is of me. So
they listened to the word of Yahweh, and returned and went their way,
according to the word of Yahweh. {12:25} Then Jeroboam built Shechem
in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived therein; and he went out
from there, and built Penuel. {12:26} Jeroboam said in his heart, Now
will the kingdom return to the house of David: {12:27} if this people
go up to offer sacrifices in the house of Yahweh at Jerusalem, then
will the heart of this people turn again to their lord, even to
Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me, and return to Rehoboam
king of Judah. {12:28} Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two
calves of gold; and he said to them, It is too much for you to go up
to Jerusalem: see your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the
land of Egypt. {12:29} He set the one in Bethel, and the other put he
in Dan. {12:30} This thing became a sin; for the people went [to
worship] before the one, even to Dan. {12:31} He made houses of high
places, and made priests from among all the people, who were not of
the sons of Levi. {12:32} Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth
month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that is in
Judah, and he went up to the altar; so did he in Bethel, sacrificing
to the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of
the high places that he had made. {12:33} He went up to the altar
which he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month,
even in the month which he had devised of his own heart: and he
ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and went up to the altar,
to burn incense.
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