The queen of Sheba's visit.

CHAP. XI.

Solomon's magnificence.

of his ministers, and their apparel, and his steps: there was not the like made in any cup-bearers, and his ascent by which he kingdom.

went up unto the house of the LORD; there 21 ¶ And all king Solomon's drinking was no more spirit in her. Ivessels were of gold, and all the vessels of 6 And she said to the king, It was a the house of the forest of Lebanon were of true report that I heard in mine own land pure gold; none were of silver: it was of thy acts and of thy wisdom. nothing accounted of in the days of Solo

22 For the king had at sea a navy of

7 Howbeit, I believed not the words, mon. until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and behold, the half was not told me: thy Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame in three years came the navy of Tharshish, which I heard. bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

8 Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.

23 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wis

9 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which dom. delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne 24 And all the earth sought to Soloof Israel: because the LORD loved Israel mon, to hear his wisdom, which God had for ever, therefore made he thee king, to put in his heart.

do judgment and justice.

25 And they brought every man his 10 And she gave the king a hundred present, vessels of silver, and vessels of and twenty talents of gold, and of spices gold, andgarments, and armour, and spices, very great store, and precious stones: horses, and mules, a rate year by year. there came no more such abundance of 26 And Solomon gathered together spices as these which the queen of Sheba chariots, and horsemen: and he had a gave to king Solomon. thousand and four hundred chariots, and 11 And the navy also of Hiram, that twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bebrought gold from Ophir, brought in from stowed in the cities for chariots, and with Ophir great plenty of almug-trees, and the king at Jerusalem.

precious stones.

27 And the king made silver to be in 12 And the king made of the almug-Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he trees pillars for the house of the LORD, and to be as the sycamore-trees that are in the for the king's house, harps also and psal-vale, for abundance.

teries for singers: there came no such al- 28 And Solomon had horses brought mug-trees, nor were seen unto this day. out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's

13 And king Solomon gave unto the merchants received the linen yarn at a queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever price.

she asked, besides that which Solomon 29 And a chariot came up and went out gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and went to her own country, she and her and a horse for a hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out

servants.

14 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred by their means. threescore and six talents of gold,

CHAP. XI.

to Besides that he had of the merchant-BUT, together with the daughter of king Solomon loved many strange

men, and of the traffick of the spice-merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country.

16 And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of gold went to one target.

17 And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pounds of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.

Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;

2 of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.

3 And he had seven hundred wives, 18 Moreover, the king made a great princesses, and three hundred concubines: throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the and his wives turned away his heart. best gold. 4 For it came to pass, when Solomon 19 The throne had six steps, and the was old, that his wives turned away his top of the throne was round behind: and heart after other gods: and his heart was there were stays on either side on the place not perfect with the LORD his God, as was of the seat, and two lions stood beside the the heart of David his father. stays. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the 20 And twelve lions stood there on the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milone side and on the other upon the six com the abomination of the Ammonites,

Solomon's idolatry.

I. 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, bea 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.

7 Then did Solomon build

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,

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.

26 And Jeroboam the son of Nebat,

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:ept 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.

27 And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon 12 Notwithstanding, in thy days I will built Millo, and repaired the breaches of not do it for David thy father's sake: but I the city of David his father. 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;

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 that was on him, and rent it in twelve

16 (For six months did Joab remain 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- 85 But I will take the kingdom out of

Death of Solomon.

CHAP. XII. Revolt against Rehoboam. his son's hand, and will give it unto thee, men, which they had given him, and con⚫ even 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 counse. 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 desi- 10 And the young men that were grown reth, and shalt be king over Israel. 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 Israel unto thee.

39 And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever.

11 And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with 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 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 coun. acts of Solomon ? sel that they gave him;

42 And the time that Solomon reigned 14 And spake to them after the counin Jerusalemoverall 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.

AND Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.

15 Wherefore the king hearkened not

unto the people: for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, 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. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jeru

5 And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And 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 7 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.

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

Jeroboam makes two calves

I. 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 shall be born unto the house of David, the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. offer the priests of the high places that 22 But the word of God came unto She-burn incense upon thee, and men's bones maiah the man of God, saying, shall be burnt upon thee.

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,

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.

25 ¶ Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel. 5 The altar also was rent, and the ashes 26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, poured out from the altar, according to Now shall the kingdom return to the house the sign which the man of God had given of David. by the word of the LORD.

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.

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

I

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 way that thou camest.

31 And he made a house of high places, 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 ¶ Now there dwelt an old prophet the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of in Beth-el; and bis 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 burnt incense.

CHAP. XIII.

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

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

The disobedient prophet slain.

CHAP. XIV.

Abijah falls sick. 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 thy 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 disobey

ed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee,

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. 23 And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back.

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.

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.

3 And take with thee ten loaves, and cracknels, and a cruse of honey, and go to him: he shall tell thee what shall become of the child.

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 7 Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the he spake unto him. 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, 3 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. who kept my commandments, and who 29 And the prophet took up the carcass followed me with all his heart, to do that of the man of God, and laid it upon the only which was right in mine eyes; ass, and brought it back and the old pro- 9 But hast done evil above all that were phet came to the city, to mourn and to before thee: for thou hast gone and made bury him. 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