The First Book Melakhim, starting at chapter 10
{10:1} When the queen of Sheva heard of the fame of Shlomo
concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard
questions. {10:2} She came to Yerushalayim with a very great train,
with camels that bore spices, and very much gold, and precious stones;
and when she was come to Shlomo, she talked with him of all that was
in her heart. {10:3} Shlomo 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 Sheva had seen all the wisdom of Shlomo, 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: 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 the LORD your God, who delighted in you, to set you on the
throne of Yisra'el: because the LORD loved Yisra'el 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 Sheva gave to king Shlomo. {10:11}
The navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ofir, brought in from
Ofir 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, lyres also and psalteries for the singers: there came no
such almug trees, nor were seen, to this day. {10:13} King Shlomo gave
to the queen of Sheva all her desire, whatever she asked, besides that
which Shlomo 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 Shlomo 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 Shlomo 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 Levanon. {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 Shlomo's
drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the
forest of Levanon were of pure gold: none were of silver; it was
nothing accounted of in the days of Shlomo. {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 Shlomo exceeded all the kings of
the [1>]eretz[<1] in riches and in wisdom. {10:24} All the
[2>]eretz[<2] sought the presence of Shlomo, 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} Shlomo
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 Yerushalayim. {10:27} The
king made silver to be in Yerushalayim as stones, and cedars made he
to be as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland, for abundance.
{10:28} The horses which Shlomo had were brought out of Mitzrayim; and
the king's merchants received them in droves, each drove at a price.
{10:29} A chariot came up and went out of Mitzrayim for six hundred
[shekels] of silver, and a horse for one hundred fifty; and so for all
the kings of the Hitti, and for the kings of Aram, did they bring them
out by their means.
{11:1} Now king Shlomo loved many foreign women, together with the
daughter of Par`oh, women of the Mo`avim, `Ammonim, Edom, Tzidonim,
and Hitti; {11:2} of the nations concerning which the LORD said to the
children of Yisra'el, You shall not go among them, neither shall they
come among you; for surely they will turn away your heart after their
gods: Shlomo 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 Shlomo 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 Shlomo went after `Ashoret the goddess of the Tzidonim, and
after Milkom the abomination of the `Ammonim. {11:6} Shlomo 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 did Shlomo build a high
place for Kemosh the abomination of Mo'av, on the mountain that is
before Yerushalayim, and for Molekh 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} The LORD was angry with Shlomo,
because his heart was turned away from the LORD, the God of Yisra'el,
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 Shlomo, 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 Yerushalayim's sake
which I have chosen. {11:14} The LORD raised up an adversary to
Shlomo, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom. {11:15}
For it happened, when David was in Edom, and Yo'av the captain of the
host was gone up to bury the slain, and had struck every male in Edom
{11:16} (for Yo'av and all Yisra'el remained there six months, until
he had cut off every male in Edom); {11:17} that Hadad fled, he and
certain Edom of his father's servants with him, to go into Mitzrayim,
Hadad being yet a little child. {11:18} They arose out of Midyan, and
came to Paran; and they took men with them out of Paran, and they came
to Mitzrayim, to Par`oh king of Mitzrayim, who gave him a house, and
appointed him victuals, and gave him land. {11:19} Hadad found great
favor in the sight of Par`oh, so that he gave him as wife the sister
of his own wife, the sister of Tachpenes the queen. {11:20} The sister
of Tachpenes bore him Genuvat his son, whom Tachpenes weaned in
Par`oh's house; and Genuvat was in Par`oh's house among the sons of
Par`oh. {11:21} When Hadad heard in Mitzrayim that David slept with
his fathers, and that Yo'av the captain of the host was dead, Hadad
said to Par`oh, Let me depart, that I may go to my own country.
{11:22} Then Par`oh 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 Elyada, who had fled from his lord Hadad`ezer
king of Tzovah. {11:24} He gathered men to him, and became captain
over a troop, when David killed them [of Tzovah]: and they went to
Dammesek, and lived therein, and reigned in Dammesek. {11:25} He was
an adversary to Yisra'el all the days of Shlomo, besides the mischief
that Hadad [did]: and he abhorred Yisra'el, and reigned over Aram.
{11:26} Yarov`am the son of Nevat, an Efratite of Tzeredata, a servant
of Shlomo, whose mother's name was Tzeru`ah, 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: Shlomo built Millo, and repaired
the breach of the city of David his father. {11:28} The man Yarov`am
was a mighty man of valor; and Shlomo saw the young man that he was
industrious, and he gave him charge over all the labor of the house of
Yosef. {11:29} It happened at that time, when Yarov`am went out of
Yerushalayim, that the prophet Achiyah the Shiloni found him in the
way; now [Achiyah] had clad himself with a new garment; and they two
were alone in the field. {11:30} Achiyah laid hold of the new garment
that was on him, and tore it in twelve pieces. {11:31} He said to
Yarov`am, Take ten pieces; for thus says the LORD, the God of
Yisra'el, Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Shlomo,
and will give ten tribes to you {11:32} (but he shall have one tribe,
for my servant David's sake and for Yerushalayim's sake, the city
which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Yisra'el); {11:33}
because that they have forsaken me, and have worshiped `Ashoret the
goddess of the Tzidonim, Kemosh the god of Mo'av, and Milkom 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 [1>]mitzvot[<1] 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 Yerushalayim, 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 Yisra'el. {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 [2>]mitzvot[<2], 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 Yisra'el to you. {11:39} I
will for this afflict the seed of David, but not forever. {11:40}
Shlomo sought therefore to kill Yarov`am; but Yarov`am arose, and fled
into Mitzrayim, to Shishak king of Mitzrayim, and was in Mitzrayim
until the death of Shlomo. {11:41} Now the rest of the acts of Shlomo,
and all that he did, and his wisdom, aren't they written in the book
of the acts of Shlomo? {11:42} The time that Shlomo reigned in
Yerushalayim over all Yisra'el was forty years. {11:43} Shlomo slept
with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and
Rechav`am his son reigned in his place.
{12:1} Rechav`am went to Shekhem: for all Yisra'el were come to
Shekhem to make him king. {12:2} It happened, when Yarov`am the son of
Nevat heard of it (for he was yet in Mitzrayim, where he had fled from
the presence of king Shlomo, and Yarov`am lived in Mitzrayim, {12:3}
and they sent and called him), that Yarov`am and all the assembly of
Yisra'el came, and spoke to Rechav`am, 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 Rechav`am took
counsel with the old men, who had stood before Shlomo 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 loins. {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 Yarov`am and all the people came to Rechav`am
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 the
LORD, that he might establish his word, which the LORD spoke by
Achiyah the Shiloni to Yarov`am the son of Nevat. {12:16} When all
Yisra'el 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 Yishai: to your tents, Yisra'el: now see to
your own house, David. So Yisra'el departed to their tents. {12:17}
But as for the children of Yisra'el who lived in the cities of
Yehudah, Rechav`am reigned over them. {12:18} Then king Rechav`am sent
Adoram, who was over the men subject to forced labor; and all Yisra'el
stoned him to death with stones. King Rechav`am made speed to get him
up to his chariot, to flee to Yerushalayim. {12:19} So Yisra'el
rebelled against the house of David to this day. {12:20} It happened,
when all Yisra'el heard that Yarov`am was returned, that they sent and
called him to the congregation, and made him king over all Yisra'el:
there was none who followed the house of David, but the tribe of
Yehudah only. {12:21} When Rechav`am was come to Yerushalayim, he
assembled all the house of Yehudah, and the tribe of Binyamin, a
hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, who were warriors, to fight
against the house of Yisra'el, to bring the kingdom again to Rechav`am
the son of Shlomo. {12:22} But the word of God came to Shemayah the
man of God, saying, {12:23} Speak to Rechav`am the son of Shlomo, king
of Yehudah, and to all the house of Yehudah and Binyamin, 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 Yisra'el:
return every man 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 Yarov`am built Shekhem
in the hill-country of Efrayim, and lived therein; and he went out
from there, and built Penu'el. {12:26} Yarov`am 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 the LORD at Yerushalayim,
then will the heart of this people turn again to their lord, even to
Rechav`am king of Yehudah; and they will kill me, and return to
Rechav`am king of Yehudah. {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 Yerushalayim: see your gods, Yisra'el, which brought
you up out of the land of Mitzrayim. {12:29} He set the one in
Beit-El, 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 [1>]Kohanim[<1] from among all
the people, who were not of the sons of Levi. {12:32} Yarov`am
ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the
month, like the feast that is in Yehudah, and he went up to the altar;
so did he in Beit-El, sacrificing to the calves that he had made: and
he placed in Beit-El the [2>]Kohanim[<2] of the high places that he
had made. {12:33} He went up to the altar which he had made in Beit-El
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 Yisra'el, and went up to the altar, to burn incense.
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Footnotes:
[1] {10:23} earth
[2] {10:24} earth
[1] {11:34} commandments
[2] {11:38} commandments
[1] {12:31} priests
[2] {12:32} priests
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