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1 Kings 10
And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of Yahweh, she came to test him with hard questions. 2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great company, with camels that bore spices, and very much gold, and precious stones; and when she had come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. 3 And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king which he did not tell her. 4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built, 5 and the food of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up to the house of Yahweh; there was no more spirit in her. 6 And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts, and of your wisdom. 7 However I did not believe the words, until I came, and my eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told to me; your wisdom and prosperity exceeds the fame which I heard. 8 Happy are your men, happy are these your servants, that stand continually before you, and that hear your wisdom. 9 Blessed be Yahweh your Elohim, who delighted in you, to set you on the throne of Israel: because Yahweh loved Israel forever, therefore he made you king, to do justice and righteousness. 10 And she gave the king a 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 almug-trees pillars for the house of Yahweh, and for the king’s house, harps also and psalteries for the singers: there came no such almug-trees, nor were any such seen, to this day.
13 And 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.
14 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold, 15 besides that which the traders brought, and the traffic of the merchants, and of all the kings of the mingled people, and of the governors of the country. 16 And king Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of gold went to one buckler. 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. 18 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the finest gold. 19 There were six steps to the throne, and the top of the throne was rounded in back; and there were armrests on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests. 20 And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not anything like it made in any kingdom. 21 And 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. 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.
23 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. 24 And all the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which Elohim had put in his heart. 25 And they brought every man his tribute, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, and armor, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.
26 And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he stored in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. 27 And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars to be as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland, for abundance. 28 And the horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt; and the king’s merchants received them in droves, each drove at a price. 29 And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty; and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, they brought them out by their means.
1 Kings 11
Now king Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites; 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 elohim: Solomon clung to these in love. 3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. 4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other elohim; and his heart was not perfect with Yahweh his Elohim, as was the heart of David his father. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the mighty one of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6 And Solomon did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and went not fully after Yahweh, as did David his father. 7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, in the mount that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon. 8 And so he did for all his foreign wives, who burnt incense and sacrificed to their elohim.
9 And Yahweh was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from Yahweh, the Elohim of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other elohim: but he kept not that which Yahweh commanded. 11 Therefore Yahweh said to Solomon, Since this is done by you, and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely rend the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant. 12 However, in your days I will not do it, for David your father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of your son. 13 However I will not rend 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.
14 And Yahweh raised up an adversary to 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 army had gone up to bury the slain, and had struck down every male in Edom; 16 (for Joab and all Israel remained there six months, 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 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 provided food for him, and gave him land. 19 And Hadad found great favor in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him to wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen. 20 And the sister of Tahpenes bare him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh’s house; and Genubath was in Pharaoh’s house among the sons of Pharaoh. 21 And 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. 22 Then Pharaoh said to him, But what have you lacked with me, that, behold, you seek to go to your own country? And he answered, Nothing: however only let me depart.
23 And Elohim raised up another adversary to him, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his Sovereign, Hadadezer king of Zobah: 24 and he gathered men to himself, and became captain over a troop, when David killed 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 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. 27 And 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. 28 And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor; and Solomon saw the young man that he was industrious, and he gave him charge over all the labor 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; now Ahijah had clad himself with a new garment; and they were alone in the field. 30 And Ahijah laid hold of the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces. 31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take ten pieces; for thus says Yahweh, the Elohim of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to you; 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 that they have forsaken me, and have worshiped Ashtoreth the mighty one of the Sidonians, Chemosh the elohim of Moab, and Milcom the mighty one 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. 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; 35 but I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand, and will give it to you, even ten tribes. 36 And 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 to put my name there. 37 And I will take you, and you shall reign according to all that your soul desires, and shall be king over Israel. 38 And 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 for you a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel to you. 39 And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not forever. 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.
41 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon? 42 And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. 43 And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.
1 Kings 12
And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. 2 And it came to pass, 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 dwelt in Egypt, 3 and they sent and called him’) that Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came, and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 4 Your father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make the grevious service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve you. 5 And he said to them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.
6 And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel do you give me to return answer to this people? 7 And 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. 8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men that had grown up with him, that stood before him. 9 And 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 put on us lighter? 10 And the young men that had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, In this manner shall you say to this people that spoke to you, saying, Your father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter to us; thus shall you speak to them, My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins. 11 And now whereas my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with scorpions.
12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king bid, saying, Come to me again the third day. 13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, 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 punished you with whips, but I will punish you with scorpions. 15 So the king listened not 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.
16 And when all Israel saw that the king listened not to them, the people answered the king, saying What portion have we in David? Neither do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to your own house, David. So Israel departed to their tents. 17 But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. 18 Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the men subject to task work; and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. And king Rehoboam made speed to go up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day. 20 And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, that they sent and called him to the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.
21 And when Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, that were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. 22 But the word of Elohim came to Shemaiah the man of Elohim, saying, 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, 24 In this manner says Yahweh, You shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren 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.
25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and dwelt in it; and he went out from there, and built Penuel. 26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, now will the kingdom return to the house of David: 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 sovereign, even to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me, and return to Rehoboam king of Judah. 28 And 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; behold your elohim, O Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt. 29 And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other he put in Dan. 30 And this thing became a sin; for the people went to worship before the one, even to Dan. 31 And he made houses of high places, and made priests from among all the people, that 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 went up to the altar; so he did in Beth-el, sacrificing to the calves that he had made: and he placed in Beth-el the priests of the high places that he had made. 33 And he went up to the altar which he had made in Beth-el 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.
