July
1
1
Kings 10-12
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
10:3 Solomon told her all her questions: there was not anything
hidden from the king which he didn't tell her.
1Ki
10:4 When the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, and
the house that he had built,
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
10:8 Happy are your men, happy are these your servants, who stand
continually before you, and
who hear your wisdom.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
10:11 The navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought
in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees and precious stones.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
10:14 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was
six hundred sixty-six talents of gold,
1Ki
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.
1Ki
10:16 King Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold; six
hundred shekels
of gold went to one buckler.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
10:18 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid
it with the finest gold.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
10:23 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches
and in wisdom.
1Ki
10:24 All the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his
wisdom, which God had put in his heart.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
11:1 Now king Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the
daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites,
Sidonians, and Hittites;
1Ki
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.
1Ki
11:3 He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred
concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
11:5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians,
and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
11:8 So did he for all his foreign wives, who burnt incense and
sacrificed to their gods.
1Ki
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,
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
11:14 Yahweh raised up an adversary to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite:
he was of the king's seed in Edom.
1Ki
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
1Ki
11:16 (for Joab and all Israel remained there six months, until he
had cut off every male in Edom);
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
11:23 God raised up another
adversary to him, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his lord
Hadadezer king of Zobah.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
11:30 Ahijah laid hold of the new garment that was on him, and tore
it in twelve pieces.
1Ki
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
1Ki
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);
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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;
1Ki
11:35 but I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will
give it to you, even ten tribes.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
11:37 I will take you, and you shall reign according to all that
your soul desires, and shall be king over Israel.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
11:39 I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not forever.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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?
1Ki
11:42 The time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was
forty years.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
12:1 Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem
to make him king.
1Ki
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,
1Ki
12:3 and they sent and called him), that Jeroboam and all the
assembly of Israel came, and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,
1Ki
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.
1Ki
12:5 He said to them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to
me. The people departed.
1Ki
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?
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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?
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
12:13 The king answered the people roughly, and forsook the counsel
of the old men which they had given him,
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
12:17 But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of
Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
12:19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
12:22 But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
1Ki
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,
1Ki
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.
1Ki
12:25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim,
and lived therein; and he went out from there, and built Penuel.
1Ki
12:26 Jeroboam said in his heart, Now will the kingdom return to the
house of David:
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
12:29 He set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.
1Ki
12:30 This thing became a sin; for the people went to
worship before the one, even to Dan.
1Ki
12:31 He made houses of high places, and made priests from among all
the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.
1Ki
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.
1Ki
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.
