The Bible Part 88

8:9 But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no servants for his work; but they were men of war, and chief of his captains, and captains of his chariots and hors.e.m.e.n.

8:10 And these were the chief of king Solomon's officers, even two hundred and fifty, that bare rule over the people.

8:11 And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David unto the house that he had built for her: for he said, My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy, whereunto the ark of the LORD hath come.

8:12 Then Solomon offered burnt offerings unto the LORD on the altar of the LORD, which he had built before the porch, 8:13 Even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.

8:14 And he appointed, according to the order of David his father, the courses of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their charges, to praise and minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required: the porters also by their courses at every gate: for so had David the man of G.o.d commanded.

8:15 And they departed not from the commandment of the king unto the priests and Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the treasures.

8:16 Now all the work of Solomon was prepared unto the day of the foundation of the house of the LORD, and until it was finished. So the house of the LORD was perfected.

8:17 Then went Solomon to Eziongeber, and to Eloth, at the sea side in the land of Edom.

8:18 And Huram sent him by the hands of his servants s.h.i.+ps, and servants that had knowledge of the sea; and they went with the servants of Solomon to Ophir, and took thence four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and brought them to king Solomon.

9:1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great company, and camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

9:2 And Solomon told her all her questions: and there was nothing hid from Solomon which he told her not.

9:3 And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built, 9:4 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel; his cupbearers also, and their apparel; and his ascent by which he went up into the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.

9:5 And she said to the king, It was a true report which I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom: 9:6 Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: for thou exceedest the fame that I heard.

9:7 Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom.

9:8 Blessed be the LORD thy G.o.d, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the LORD thy G.o.d: because thy G.o.d loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice.

9:9 And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave king Solomon.

9:10 And the servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, which brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious stones.

9:11 And the king made of the algum trees terraces to the house of the LORD, and to the king's palace, and harps and psalteries for singers: and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah.

9:12 And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went away to her own land, she and her servants.

9:13 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and threescore and six talents of gold; 9:14 Beside that which chapmen and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon.

9:15 And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one target.

9:16 And three hundred s.h.i.+elds made he of beaten gold: three hundred shekels of gold went to one s.h.i.+eld. And the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.

9:17 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold.

9:18 And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and stays on each side of the sitting place, and two lions standing by the stays: 9:19 And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps. There was not the like made in any kingdom.

9:20 And all the drinking vessels of king Solomon 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 not any thing accounted of in the days of Solomon.

9:21 For the king's s.h.i.+ps went to Tars.h.i.+sh with the servants of Huram: every three years once came the s.h.i.+ps of Tars.h.i.+sh bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peac.o.c.ks.

9:22 And king Solomon pa.s.sed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.

9:23 And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, that G.o.d had put in his heart.

9:24 And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, harness, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.

9:25 And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand hors.e.m.e.n; whom he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.

9:26 And he reigned over all the kings from the river even unto the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.

9:27 And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycomore trees that are in the low plains in abundance.

9:28 And they brought unto Solomon horses out of Egypt, and out of all lands.

9:29 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the s.h.i.+lonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat? 9:30 And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.

9:31 And Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.

10:1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem were all Israel come to make him king.

10:2 And it came to pa.s.s, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was in Egypt, whither he fled from the presence of Solomon the king, heard it, that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.

10:3 And they sent and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spake to Rehoboam, saying, 10:4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.

10:5 And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And the people departed.

10:6 And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people? 10:7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever.

10:8 But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him.

10:9 And he said unto them, What advice give ye that we may return answer to this people, which have spoken to me, saying, Ease somewhat the yoke that thy father did put upon us? 10:10 And the young men that were brought up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou answer the people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it somewhat lighter for us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.

10:11 For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

10:12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day.

10:13 And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men, 10:14 And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

10:15 So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of G.o.d, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the s.h.i.+lonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

10:16 And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents.

10:17 But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

10:18 Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. But king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

10:19 And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

11:1 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.

11:2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of G.o.d, saying, 11:3 Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, 11:4 Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

11:5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.

11:6 He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa, 11:7 And Bethzur, and Shoco, and Adullam, 11:8 And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, 11:9 And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah, 11:10 And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities.

11:11 And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine.

11:12 And in every several city he put s.h.i.+elds and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.

11:13 And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts.

11:14 For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the LORD: 11:15 And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.

11:16 And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD G.o.d of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD G.o.d of their fathers.

11:17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.

11:18 And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife, and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse; 11:19 Which bare him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham.

11:20 And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

11:21 And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.) 11:22 And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king.

11:23 And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired many wives.

12:1 And it came to pa.s.s, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him.

12:2 And it came to pa.s.s, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam s.h.i.+shak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the LORD, 12:3 With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand hors.e.m.e.n: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.

12:4 And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem.

12:5 Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of s.h.i.+shak, and said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of s.h.i.+shak.

12:6 Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, The LORD is righteous.

12:7 And when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of s.h.i.+shak.

12:8 Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.

12:9 So s.h.i.+shak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house; he took all: he carried away also the s.h.i.+elds of gold which Solomon had made.

12:10 Instead of which king Rehoboam made s.h.i.+elds of bra.s.s, and committed them to the hands of the chief of the guard, that kept the entrance of the king's house.

12:11 And when the king entered into the house of the LORD, the guard came and fetched them, and brought them again into the guard chamber.

12:12 And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him, that he would not destroy him altogether: and also in Judah things went well.

12:13 So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was one and forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess.

12:14 And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.

12:15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.

12:16 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead.

13:1 Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.

13:2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

13:3 And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valour.

13:4 And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel; 13:5 Ought ye not to know that the LORD G.o.d of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt? 13:6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord.

13:7 And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them.

13:8 And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David; and ye be a great mult.i.tude, and there are with your golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for G.o.ds.

13:9 Have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no G.o.ds.

13:10 But as for us, the LORD is our G.o.d, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the LORD, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their business: 13:11 And they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the shewbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our G.o.d; but ye have forsaken him.

13:12 And, behold, G.o.d himself is with us for our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the LORD G.o.d of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper.

13:13 But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them.

13:14 And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried unto the LORD, and the priests sounded with the trumpets.

13:15 Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pa.s.s, that G.o.d smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

13:16 And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and G.o.d delivered them into their hand.

13:17 And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.

13:18 Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the LORD G.o.d of their fathers.

13:19 And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephraim with the towns thereof.

13:20 Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the LORD struck him, and he died.

13:21 But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.

13:22 And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.

14:1 So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years.

14:2 And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his G.o.d: 14:3 For he took away the altars of the strange G.o.ds, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves: 14:4 And commanded Judah to seek the LORD G.o.d of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.