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UT king Solomon loved a many foreign women, 1 together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;

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

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

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them from Paran, and they came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt; who gave him a house, and appointed him victuals, and gave him land.

19 And Hadad found great favor in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him for a wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen.

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

21 And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and

dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, 4 Let me depart, that I may go to my own country.

4 For it came to pass, when Solomon & c. 3. 5. & 9. that Joab the captain of the host was was old, that his wives turned away his 2. heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

c. 6. 12.

5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after 3 Heb. is Milcom the abomination of the Ammon- with thee. ites.

22 Then Pharaoh said to him, But what hast thou lacked with me, that, behold, thou seekest to go to thy own country? And he answered, 5 Nothing: yet, in any wise let me go.

23 And God stirred him up another

6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and 2 went not fully after the c. 12. 15. adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, who LORD, as did David his father.

7 Then Solomon built a high place

for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, & 2 Sam. 8. in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and 14. for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.

8 And likewise did he for all his foreign wives, who burnt incense and sacrificed to their gods.

9¶ And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from 4 Heb. Send the LORD God of Israel, & who had ap-me away. peared to him twice,

10 And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.

11. Wherefore the LORD said to Solomon, Forasmuch as this 3 is done by thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom

5 Heb. not.

fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah:

24 And he gathered men to him, and became captain over a band, & when David slew them of Zobah: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt in it, and reigned in Damascus.

25 And 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.

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

27 And this was the cause why he raised his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and 6 repaired the breaches of the city of David his father.

28 And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor: and Solomon, see

from thee, and will give it to thy ser-2 Sam. 8.3. ing the young man that he was indus

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trious, he made him ruler over all the scharge 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 2 Chr. 13.6. two were alone in the field:

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30 And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:

31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom from the band of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:

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:)

33 Because they have forsaken me, and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of

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35 But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it to thee, even ten tribes.

36 And to his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light always before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen for me to put my name there.

37 And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.

38 And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken to all that I command thee, and wilt

10 or, words, or, things.

11 Heb. days. 12 Chr. 9. 30.

Matt. 1. 7. called,

Roboam.

ous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.

5 And he said to them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.

6

And king Rehoboam consulted

with the old men that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?

7 And they spoke to him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant to this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.

8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that had grown up with him, and who stood before him:

9 And he said to them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the walk in my ways, and do right in my 1 Chr. 10.1. yoke which thy father did put upon us

sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did;

that I will be with thee, and build thee a c. 11. 40. sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel to thee.

39 And I will for this afflict the seed c. 4. 7. of David, but not for ever.

40 Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solo

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1 The Israelites assembled at Shechem to crown Rehoboam, by Jeroboam make a suit of relax. ation to him. 6 Rehoboam refusing the old men's counsel, by the advice of young men, answereth them roughly. 16 Ten tribes revolling kill Adorum, and make Rehoboam to dc. 11. 31. flee. 21 Rehoboam raising an army, is for. bidden by Shemaiah. 25 Jeroboam strengtheneth himself by cities, 26 and by the idolatry of the two calves.

ND Rehoboam went to Shechem:

Afor all Israel had come to Shechem

to make him king.

2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he had fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;)

3 That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spoke to Rehoboam, say-2 Heb. ing,

strengthen 4 Thy father made our yoke grieved himself. ous: now therefore make thou the griev-1

lighter?

10 And the young men that had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak to this people who spoke to thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter to us; thus shalt thou say to them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.

11 And now whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

12¶ So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.

13 And the king answered the people 1 roughly, and forsook the old men's counsel that they gave him;

14 And spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father. made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

15 Wherefore the king hearkened not to the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD a spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

16¶ So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not 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, O Israel: now see to thy own house, David. So Israel departed to

their tents.

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

18 Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam 2 made

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22 But the word of God came to She-4 or, went maiah the man of God, saying, up to the

23 Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying,

altar, &c.

5 or, to sac

6 or, went

24 Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not rifice. go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the LORD, and returned to depart, according to the word of the LORD.

25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt in it, and went out from thence, and built Penuel.

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

up to the

altar, &c.

27 If this people go up to perform sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again to their lord, even to Reho-7 Heb. to boam king of Judah, and they shall kill burn inme, and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.

28 Upon which the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said to them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel,

cense.

Israel: : and he offered upon the altar, 7 and burnt incense.

CHAP. XIII.

1 Jeroboam's hand that offered violence to him that prophesied against his altar at Beth-el, withereth; 6 and at the prayer of the proph et, is restored. 7 The prophet refusing the king's entertainment, departeth from Bethel. 11 An old prophet, seducing him, bring. eth him back: 20 He is reproved by God, 24 slain by a lion, 26 buried by the old prophet, 31 who confirmeth his prophecy. 33 Jerobo am's obstinacy.

ND behold, there came a man of

A Nodent of the toy the word of the LORD to Beth-el: and Jeroboam stood by the altar 1 to burn incense.

2 And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee.

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.

4 And it came to pass when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, who had cried against the altar in Beth-el, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it to him again.

5 The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.

6 And the king answered and said to the man of God, Entreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the king's hand was restored to him again, and became as it was before.

7 And the king said to the man of

which brought thee out of the land of 1 or, to offer. God, Come home with me, and refresh Egypt.

29 And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other he placed in Dan.

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

thyself, and I will give thee a reward.

8 And the man of God said to the king, If thou wilt give me half thy house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place: 9 For so was it charged me by the 2 Kings 23. 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 16. the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.

32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Beth-el, 5 sacrificing to the calves that he had made: and he placed in Beth-el the priests of the high places which he had made.

33 So he s offered upon the altar which he had made in Beth-el the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast to the children of

2

Heb. the face of the LORD.

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18 He said to him, I am a prophet also 4 Heb. broas thou art; and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thy house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied to him.

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

5 Heb. bro

20 And it came to pass, as they sat ken. at the table, that the word of the LORD came to the prophet that brought him back:

21 And he cried to the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee,

22 But hast returned, and hast eaten bread and drank water in the place, of which the LORD said to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcass shall not come to the sepulcher of thy fathers.

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

24 And when he had 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 car

cass.

6 Heb. re.
turned and
made.

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Heb. filled his hand.

a c. 11. 31.

hand.

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 buried him, that he spoke to his sons, saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the sepulcher in which the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his

bones:

32 For the saying which he cried by the word of the LORD against the altar in Beth-el, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to pass.

33 After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but 6 made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whoever would, he 7 consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places.

34 And this thing became sin to the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from the face of the earth.

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2 And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray thee, and disguise thyself, that thou mayest not be known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and go to Shiloh : betold me that a I should be king over this hold, there is Ahijah the prophet, who people.

3 And take 8 with thee ten loaves, and 9 cracknels, and a 10 cruse of honey, and go to him: he will tell thee what shall become of the child.

4 And Jeroboam's wife did so, and 8 Heb. in thy arose, and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah. But Ahijah could not see; for his eyes 11 were set by reason of his age.

25 And behold, men passed by, and saw the carcass cast in the way, and the lion standing by the carcass: and they 9 or, hard came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt.

26 And when the prophet that brought

cakes.

5 ¶ And the LORD said to Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to ask a thing of thee for her son; for he is sick : thus and thus shalt thou say to her: for

him back from the way heard of it, he 10 or, bottle. it shall be, when she cometh in, that she

said, It is the man of God, who was disobedient to the word of the LORD: therefore the LORD hath delivered him to the lion, which hath 4 torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke to him.

27 And he spoke to his sons, saying, 11 Heb. stood Saddle me the ass. And they saddled hoariness. for his

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 5 torn the ass.

29 And the prophet took up the car

will feign herself to be another woman.
6 And it was so, when Ahijah heard
the sound of her feet, as she came in at
the door, that he said, Come in, thou wife
of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself
to be another? for I am sent to thee with

12 heavy tidings.

7 Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel,

8 And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it to thee:

cass of the man of God, and laid it upon 12 Heb.hard. and yet thou hast not been as my servant

the ass, and brought it back: and the old

David, who kept my commandments,

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c. 21. 21. 2 Kings 9.8.

10 Therefore behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam the males, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh 13 Heb. lay away dung, till it is all gone.

11 Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat: for the LORD hath spoken it.

down.

12 Arise thou therefore, depart to thy own house: and when thy feet enter into 2 Chr. 12. the city, the child shall die.

13 And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing towards the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.

14 Moreover, the LORD shall raise him up a king over Israel, who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam that day but what? even now.

13.

14 or, stand ing images, or, statues.

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19 And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he warred, and how he reigned, 1.31. behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

20 And the days which Jeroboam reigned were two and twenty years: and he 13 slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his stead.

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24 And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

25 ¶ And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem:

26 And he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house; he even took away all; and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.

27 And king Rehoboam made in their stead brazen shields, and committed them to the hands of the chief of the 15 guard, who kept the door of the king's house.

28 And it was so, when the king went into the house of the LORD, that the guard bore them, and brought them back into the guard chamber.

29 ¶ Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

30 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days.

31 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess. And Abijam his son reigned in his stead.

CHAP. XV.

1 Abijam's wicked reign. 8 Asa succeedeth him. 11 Asa's good reign. 16 The war between Baasha and him, causeth him to make a league with Benhadad. 23 Jehoshaphat succeedeth Asa. 25 Nadab's wicked reign. 27 Baasha conspiring against him, execuleth Ahijah's prophecy. 31 Nadab's acts and death. 33 Baasha's wicked reign.

Na Jeroboam the son of Nebat reign

OW in the eighteenth year of king

ed Abijam over Judah.

2 Three years he reigned in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.

3 And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father.

4 Nevertheless, for David's sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Je

21 ¶ And Rehoboam the son of Solo-1 or, candle. rusalem, to set up his son after him, and

mon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD chose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess.

22 And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done.

23 For they also built for themselves high places, and 14 images and groves, on

b 2 Sam. 11. 4. & 12. 9.

< 2 Chr. 13. 3.

to establish Jerusalem:

5 Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

6 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.

7 Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.

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