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 the LORD, 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 had 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 the LORD; 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. 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, who hear your wisdom. {10:9} Blessed is the
LORD your God, who delighted in you, to set you on the throne of
Israel. Because the LORD 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 the
LORD, 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, they
brought 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 the
LORD 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 the LORD 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 the LORD, and
didn't go fully after the LORD, as did David his father. {11:7} Then
Solomon built 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 he did for all his foreign wives, who
burnt incense and sacrificed to their gods. {11:9} The LORD was angry
with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from the LORD, 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 the LORD commanded. {11:11} Therefore the
LORD said to Solomon, "Because this is done by 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 I will not do it in your days, 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} The LORD 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 an 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 of Hadad: 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 put him in
charge of 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 the LORD, 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. 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 David his father did.
{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 had 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 for three days, then come back 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 do you give 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 put on us lighter?'"
{12:10} The young men who had grown up with him spoke to him,
saying, "Thus you shall tell this people who spoke to you, saying,
'Your father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter to us;' you
shall say to them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's
waist. {12:11} Now whereas my father burdened 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 asked, 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
according to 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 the LORD, that he might establish his word, which the
LORD 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 do we have an 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 had 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 the LORD, "You shall not go up, nor fight against your
brothers, the children of Israel. Everyone return to his house; for
this thing is of me."'" So they listened to the word of the LORD, and
returned and went their way, according to the word of the LORD.
{12:25} Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim,
and lived in it; and he went out from there, and built Penuel. {12:26}
Jeroboam said in his heart, "Now the kingdom will return to the house
of David. {12:27} If this people goes up to offer sacrifices in the
house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will
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. Look and 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; he did so 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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