Solomon's yearly sacrifices.

The queen of Sheba's visit.

4 ¶ And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built,

CHAP. X. 16 For Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up, and taken Gezer, and burnt it with fire, and slain the Canaanites that dwelt in the city, and given it for a present unto his daughter, Solomon's wife.

17 And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether,

18 And Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land,

19 And all the cities of store that Solomon had, and cities for his chariots, and cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.

20 ¶ And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which were not of the children of Israel,

21 Their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bond-service unto this day.

5 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cup-bearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.

6 And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.

7 Howbeit, I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.

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

9 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to 22 But of the children of Israel did So- do judgment and justice. lomon make no bond-men: but they were men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen.

23 These were the chief of the officers that were over Solomon's work, five hundred and fifty, which bare rule over the people that wrought in the work.

24 But Pharaoh's daughter came up out of the city of David unto her house which Solomon had built for her: then did he build Millo.

10 T And she gave the king an hundred and 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.

11 And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug-trees, and precious stones.

12 And the king made of the almugtrees pillars for the house of the LORD, and 25 And three times in a year did Solo- for the king's house, harps also and psalte mon offer burnt-offerings and peace-offer-ries for singers: there came no such almugings upon the altar which he built unto the trees, nor were seen unto this day. LORD, and he burnt incense upon the altar 13 And king Solomon gave unto the that was before the LORD. So he finished queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever the house.

AND oon concerning
ND when the queen of Sheba heard

she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.

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

15 Beside that he had of the merchantmen, 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.

the name of the LORD, she came to prove 17 And he made three hundred shields him with hard questions. of beaten gold; three pound of gold went 2 And she came to Jerusalem with a to one shield: and the king put them in very great train, with camels that bare the house of the forest of Lebanon. spices, and very much gold, and precious 18 ¶ Moreover, the king made a great stones: and when she was come to Solo- throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the mon, she communed with him of all that best gold. was in her heart.

19 The throne had six steps, and the top 3 And Solomon told her all her ques- of the throne was round behind: and there tions: there was not any thing hid from were stays on either side on the place of the king, which he told her not. the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays.

Solomon's magnificence.

20 And twelve lions stood there on the com the abomination of the Ammonites. one side and on the other upon the six 6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of steps: there was not the like made in any the LORD, and went not fully after the kingdom. LORD, as did David his father.

21 ¶ And all king Solomon's drinking 7 Then did Solomon build an high vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of place for Chemosh, the abomination of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, pure gold; none were of silver: it was and for Molech, the abomination of the nothing accounted of in the days of Solo- children of Ammon.

mon.

22 For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

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

8 And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.

9 ¶ And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,

10 And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after 24 ¶ And all the earth sought to Solo- other gods: but he kept not that which mon, to hear his wisdom, which God had the LORD commanded. put in his heart.

11 Wherefore the LORD said unto Solo25 And they brought every man his mon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, present, vessels of silver, and vessels of and thou hast not kept my covenant and gold, and garments, and armour, and my statutes which I have commanded thee, spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

year.

26 And Solomon gathered together chariots, and horsemen and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem.

27 ¶ And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycamore-trees that are in the vale, for abundance.

12 Notwithstanding, in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I 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.

28 ¶ And Solomon had horses brought 15 For it came to pass, when David was out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host merchants received the linen yarn at a was gone up to bury the slain, after he had price. smitten every male in Edom;

29 And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.

CHAP. XI.

16 (For six months did Joab remain there with all Israel, until he had cut off every male in Edom :)

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.

18 And they arose out of Midian, and women, together with the daughter of came to Paran: and they took men with Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammon- them out of Paran, and they came to ites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites ; Egypt, unto Pharaoh king of Egypt; which 2 of the nations concerning which the gave him an house, and appointed him LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye victuals, and gave him land.

shall not go in to them, neither shall they 19 And Hadad found great favour in the come in unto you: for surely they will sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him to turn away your heart after their gods: So-wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of lomon clave unto these in love. Tahpenes the queen.

3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.

20 And the sister of Tahpenes bare him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's house: and Genúbath was in Pharaoh's household among the sons of

4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his Pharaoh. heart after other gods: and his heart was 21 And when Hadad heard in Egypt not perfect with the LORD his God, as was that David slept with his fathers, and that the heart of David his father. Joab the captain of the host was dead, 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart, goddess of the Zidonians, and after Mil-that I may go to mine own country.

Solomon's adversaries.

CHAP. XII.

The death of Solomon. 22 Then Pharaoh said unto him, But| 36 And unto his son will I give one what hast thou lacked with me, that, be- tribe, that David my servant may have a hold, thou seekest to go to thine own light always before me in Jerusalem, the country? And he answered, Nothing: city which I have chosen me to put my howbeit, let me go in any wise. name there.

23 And God stirred him up another 37 And I will take thee, and thou shalt adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, reign according to all that thy soul desireth, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king and shalt be king over Israel.

of Zobah:

38 And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken

24 And he gathered men unto him, and unto all that I command thee, and wilt became captain_over a band, when David walk in my ways, and do that is right in slew them of Zobah: and they went to my sight, to keep my statutes and my comDamascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned mandments, as David my servant did; that in Damascus. I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.

25 And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, beside the mischief that Hadad did: and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria.

26 And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king.

27 And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father.

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

a

new garment; and they two were alone in make him king. the field:

2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam 30 And Ahijah caught the new garment the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, that was on him, and rent it in twelve heard of it, (for he was fled from the prepieces: sence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam 31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee dwelt in Egypt;) ten pieces for thus saith the LORD, the 3 That they sent and called him. And God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the Jeroboam and all the congregation of Iskingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and rael came, and spake unto Rehoboam, will give ten tribes to thee:

saying,

32 (But he shall have one tribe for my 4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's now therefore make thou the grievous sersake, the city which I have chosen out of vice of thy father, and his heavy yoke all the tribes of Israel :) which he put upon us, lighter, and we will

33 Because that they have forsaken me, serve thee. and have worshipped Ashtoreth the god- 5 And he said unto them, Depart yet dess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of for three days, then come again to me. the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the And the people departed. children of Ammon, and have not walked 6 ¶ And king Rehoboam consulted with in my ways, to do that which is right in the old men that stood before Solomon his mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my father while he yet lived, and said, How do judgments, as did David his father. ye advise that I may answer this people?

34 Howbeit, I will not take the whole 7 And they spake unto him, saying, If kingdom out of his hand: but I will make thou wilt be a servant unto this people this him prince all the days of his life for Da- day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, vid my servant's sake, whom 1 chose, be- and speak good words to them, then they cause he kept my commandments and my will be thy servants for ever. 8 But he forsook the counsel of the old

statutes:

35 But I will take the kingdom out of men, which they had given him, and conhis son's hand, and will give it unto thee, sulted with the young men that were grown even ten tribes. lup with him, and which stood before him:

Revolt against Rehoboam.

Jeroboam's idolatry. 22 But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

I. KINGS. 9 And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?

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,

10 And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus 24 Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not shalt thou speak unto this people that spake go up, nor fight against your brethren the unto thee, saying, Thy father made our children of Israel: return every man to his yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto house; for this thing is from me. They us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My hearkened therefore to the word of the little finger shall be thicker than my fa- LORD, and returned to depart, according ther's loins. to the word of the LORD.

25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in

11 And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and yoke: my father hath chastised you with went out from thence, and built Penuel. whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

26 ¶ And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of

12 ¶ So Jeroboam and all the people David: came to Rehoboam the third day, as the 27 If this people go up to do sacrifice king had appointed, saying, Come to me in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, again the third day. then shall the heart of this people turn 13 And the king answered the people again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam roughly, and forsook the old men's counsel king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and that they gave him; go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.

14 And spake to them after the counsel 28 Whereupon the king took counsel, of the young men, saying, My father and made two calves of gold, and said made your yoke heavy, and I will add to unto them, It is too much for you to go up your yoke: my father also chastised you to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, with whips, but I will chastise you with which brought thee up out of the land of scorpions. Egypt.

30 And this thing became a sin for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.

15 Wherefore the king hearkened_not 29 And he set the one in Beth-el, and unto the people; for the cause was from the other put he in Dan. the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 16 So when all Israel saw that the 31 And he made an house of high places, king hearkened not unto them, the people and made priests of the lowest of the peoanswered the king, saying, What portion ple, which were not of the sons of Levi. have we in David? neither have we inhe- 32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in ritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of O Israel now see to thine own house, Da- the month, like unto the feast that is in Juvid. So Israel departed unto their tents. dah, and he offered upon the altar. So did 17 But as for the children of Israel which he in Beth-el, sacrificing unto the calves dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam that he had made: and he placed in Bethreigned over them. el the priests of the high places which he

18 Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, had made. who was over the tribute; and all Israel 33 So he offered upon the altar which stoned him with stones, that he died. he had made in Beth-el the fifteenth day Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to of the eighth month, even in the month get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jeru- which he had devised of his own heart; salem. and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.

19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

20 ¶ And it came to pass when all Israel

heard that Jeroboam was come again, that

CHAP. XIII.

AND behold, there came a man of God

they sent and called him unto the con- out of Judah by the word of the Lord gregation, and made him king over all unto Beth-el: and Jeroboam stood by the Israel there was none that followed the altar to burn incense.

house of David, but the tribe of Judah only. 2 And he cried against the altar in the 21 ¶ And when Rehoboam was come to word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar! Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hun-be born unto the house of David, Josiah dred and fourscore thousand chosen men, by name; and upon thee shall he offer the which were warriors, to fight against the priests of the high places that burn incense house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. Tupon thee.

Jeroboam's hand withers.

CHAP. XIII.

Jeroboam's obstinacy.

3 And he gave a sign the same day, Bring him back with thee into thine house, saying, This is the sign which the LORD that he may eat bread and drink water. hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be But he lied unto him.

rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.

19 So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house and drank water.

4¶ And it came to pass when king Jero- 20 ¶ And it came to pass, as they sat at boam heard the saying of the man of God, the table, that the word of the LORD came which had cried against the altar in Beth-el, unto the prophet that brought him back: that he put forth his hand from the altar, 21 And he cried unto the man of God saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith which he put forth against him, dried up, the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyso that he could not pull it in again to him. ed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not 5 The altar also was rent, and the ashes kept the commandment which the LORD poured out from the altar, according to the thy God commanded thee, sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.

22 But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the 6 And the king answered and said unto which the LORD did say to thee, Eat no the man of God, Entreat now the face of bread, and drink no water; thy carcass shall the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers. my hand may be restored me again. And 23 And it came to pass, after he had the man of God besought the LORD, and eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he the king's hand was restored him again, saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the and became as it was before.

7 ¶ And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward.

prophet whom he had brought back.

24 And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him and his carcass was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcass.

8 And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will Í 25 And behold, men passed by, and saw eat bread nor drink water in this place: the carcass cast in the way, and the lion 9 For so was it charged me by the word standing by the carcass: and they came of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor and told it in the city where the old prodrink water, nor turn again by the same phet dwelt. way that thou camest.

26 And when the prophet that brought 10 So he went another way, and return him back from the way heard thereof, he ed not by the way that he came to Beth-el. said, It is the man of God, who was diso11 ¶ Now there dwelt an old prophet in bedient unto the word of the LORD: thereBeth-el; and his sons came and told him fore the LORD hath delivered him unto the all the works that the man of God had lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, done that day in Beth-el: the words which according to the word of the LORD, which he had spoken unto the king, them they he spake unto him. told also to their father.

12 And their father said unto them, What way went he? for his sons had seen what way the man of God went which came from Judah.

13 And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon,

14 And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Årt thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I

am.

15 Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread.

27 And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him.

28 And he went and found his carcass cast in the way, and the ass and the lion standing by the carcass: the lion had not eaten the carcass, nor torn the ass.

29 And the prophet took up the carcass of the man of God, and laid it upon the ass, and brought it back and the old prophet came to the city, to mourn and to bury him.

30 And he laid his carcass in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, Alas, my brother!

31 And it came to pass, after he had 16 And he said, I may not return with buried him, that he spake to his sons, saythee, nor go in with thee: neither will I ing, When I am dead, then bury me in the eat bread nor drink water with thee in this sepulchre wherein the man of God is bu place: ried; lay my bones beside his bones: 17 For it was said to me by the word of 32 For the saying which he cried by the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor the word of the LORD against the altar in drink water there, nor turn again to go by Beth-el, and against all the houses of the the way that thou camest. high places which are in the cities of Sama18 He said unto him, I am a prophet ria, shall surely come to pass. also as thou art; and an angel spake unto 33 After this thing Jeroboam returned me by the word of the LORD, saying, not from his evil way, but made again of