Solomon's glory. II. CHRONICLES 9 these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom. 8 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the LORD thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice. 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. 10 And the servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, which brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious stones. 11 And the king made of the algum trees 3 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. a To ver. 28, 11 Ki. 10. 11, Ki. 4 21. 4 Heb. gave. 12 And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever shee asked, beside that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went away to her own land, she and her ser-5 vants. 13k Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and threescore and six talents of gold; To ver, 31, 43. Following evil counsel, 22 And king Solomon passed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 23 And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, that God had put in his heart. 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. 25 And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; whom he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. 26 And he reigned over all the kings from the 2river even unto the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt. 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. 28 And they brought unto Solomon horses out of Egypt, and out of all lands. 29 Now the rest of the acts of 41-Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the 5 book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat? Ki. 10. 13. il Ki. 11. 29. k To ver. 28, 14 Beside that which chapmen and 15 And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one target. m To ch. 11. 4, 1 Ki. 12. 1- n 1 Ki. 10. 17. 16 And "three hundred shields made he 17 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with P pure gold. 30 And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. 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. CHAPTER 10 AND Rehoboam went to Shechem: Afor to Shechem were all Israel come to make him king. 2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was in Egypt, "whither he had fled from the presence of Solomon the king, heard it, that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt. 3 And they sent and called him. So p 1 Ki. 10. 18. Jeroboam and all Israel came and spake to Rehoboam, saying, 18 And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and 7stays 7 Heb hands. on each side of the sitting place, and two lions standing by the stays: 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. 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 8 pure gold: 9none were of silver; it was not any thing accounted of in the days of Solomon. 21 For the king's ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram: every three years once came the ships of Tarshish bringing gold, and silver, 10 ivory, and apes, and peacocks. 8 Heb. shut up. was no silver 10 Or, 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. 5 And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. 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 give ye me to return answer to this people? 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. 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. 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 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. a 1 Ki. 12. 23. 11 For whereas my father put a heavy 1 Heb. laded. yoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. 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. 13 And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men, 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. 2 Heb. Nu. 35. 2. d 1 Ki. 12. 31. e 1 Ki. 11. 29. Lev. 17. 7. ch. 15. 9 1 Ki. 12. 28. 15 So the king hearkened not unto thee people for the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of "Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 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 i ch. 12. 1. now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents. 17 But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. & 16. 1 & 30. 11, 18. the ten tribes. Solomon, king of Judah, and to all "Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, 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. 5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah. 6 He built even Beth-lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa, 7 And Beth-zur, and Shoco, and Adullam, 8 And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, 9 And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah, 10 And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities. 11 And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine. 12 And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side. 13 And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel 2resorted to him out of all their coasts. 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: 15 And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made. 16 And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers. 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. 18 And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife, and Abihail the daughter of k Eliab the son of Jesse ; 19 Which bare him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham. 20 And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which barehim Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith. 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.) 22 And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king. 23 And he dealt wisely, and dispersed The reigns of Rehoboam II. CHRONICLES 11 of all his children throughout all the a ch. 6. 6. CHAPTER 12 AND it came to pass, when Rehoboam A had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him. 2 And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the LORD, 3 With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians. 1 Heb. a multitude of wives. 2 Or, fixed. 6 To ver. 16, 1 K. 14. 29 31. 4 And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jeru-1 salem. 5 Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak. 6 Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, The LORD is righteous. 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 6 some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. ch. 16. 8. Na. 3. 9. ch. 11. 5-12. Ki. 15. 2. ch. 11. 20. k 1 Ki. 15. 7. ch. 11. 2. See 1 Ki. 12. 22. 5 Heb. bound together. m Jos. 18. 22. n Jos. 24. 33. 2 Sa. 7. 12, 13, 16. p Nu. 18. 19. 6 Or, a little while. Deu. 28. 47, 48. To ver. 11, 1 K. 14. 25 ch. 12. 13. 28. 8 Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries. 9 So Shishak 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 took1 Ch. 29. 23. all: he carried away also the shields of gold" which Solomon had made. 10 Instead of which king Rehoboam1 Kl. 12. 28. made shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the chief of the guard, that kept the entrance of the king's house. 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 And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him, that he would not destroy him altogether: Sand also in Judah things went well. 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 u ch. 9. 16, ch. 11. 14, 15. See 1 Ki. 12. 31. Heb. to fill his hand. x Ex. 29. 1. 8 Or, and yet in Judah there were good things. and Abijah. 14 And he did evil, because he 2 prepared not his heart to seek the LORD. 15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the 3 book of d Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning ƒ genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. 16 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead. CHAPTER 13 NOW in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah. 2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. k And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3 And Abijah 5set 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. 4 And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel; 5 Ought ye not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by "a covenant of salt? 6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord. 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. 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 multitude, and there are with you "golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods. 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 7 to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods. 10 But as for us, the LORD is our God, 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: 11 And they burn unto the LORD every Abijah overcometh Jeroboam. II. CHRONICLES 13 morning and every evening "burnt sacri-a ch. 2. 4. 12 And, behold, God 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 God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper. e Nu. 10. 9. 13 But Jeroboam caused an ambush-fCp. ch. 13. 3. 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. Jos. 15. 44 15 Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God k smote Jeroboamh and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16 And the children of Israel fled before Judah and God delivered them into their hand. 17 And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men. 1 Sa. 14. 6. k ch. 13. 18. & 17. 2 19 And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, In Ge. 10. 19. 20 Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the LORD struck him, and he died. 21 But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters. 22 And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo. S CHAPTER 14 30. Cp. 1 Ki. 12. 2 Heb. broken. pl Sa 25. 38. & 20. 29. ch. 9. 29. 1 Ki. 15. 8. So Jer. 29. Mt. 7. 7. NO Abijah slept with his fathers, and Ch. 29. 9. 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. 2 And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God: 3 For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and "the high places, and brake down the 4 images, and cut down the groves: 4 And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment. 5 Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the 5 images: and the kingdom was quiet before him. 4 ch. 15, 17. r ch. 12. 5 Asa king of Judah. 6 And he built fenced cities in Judah for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him rest. 7 Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the LORD our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered. 8 And Asa had an army of men that bare targets and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand all these were mighty men of valour. 9 And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto 9 Mareshah. 10 Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. 11 And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we krest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee. 12 So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. 13 And Asa and the people that were with him pursued thein unto "Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they were 2 destroyed before the LORD, and before his host; and they carried away very much spoil. 14 And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the LORD came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them. 15 They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem. CHAPTER 15 AND the Spirit of God came upon A Azariah the son of Oded: 2 And he went out 3 to meet Asa, and to 1 Ki. 15. 14. said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and "if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. 3 Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without "a teaching priest, and without law. Heb. statues. y Deu. 7. 5. Hos. 3. 4. a ch. 17. 8, 9 See Lev. 10. 5 Heb. 4 But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them. 5 And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries. 6 And nation was 1 destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity. 7 Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded. 8 And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the 4abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD, that was d before the porch of the LORD. ་ 1 Heb, beaten in pieces. 2 Heb. Darmesek. a 1 Ki. 15. 12. 3 Heb. which were his. 4 Heb. abo minations. 1 Ki. 15. 20. & 19. 4. e ch. 11. 16. Cp. ch. 16. 1. 9 And he gathered all Judah and Ben-d jamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him. 10 So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. 1 Ki. 16. 1. g Isa. 31. 1. See ch. 13. Jer. 17. 5. 18. 5 Heb. in that day. 11 And they offered unto the LORD 5 the same time, of the spoil which they had ch. 14. 13, 15. brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep. 12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; j ch. 12. 3 & 14. 9. k ch. 12. 3. 12 Ki. 23. 8. ch. 29, 10 & 34. 31. Ne. 10. 29. Heb. in abundance. 6 13 That whosoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel "should be put to death, whether small or great, whether ch. 13. 16. man or woman. 14 And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets. 15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath : for they had sworn with all their heart, n Deu. 13. 9. o Zech, 4. 10. So Job 34. 21. Jer. 16. 17 & 32. 19. 7 Or, strongly to hold with them, &c. He is reproved. LORD and of the king's house, and sent to Ben-hadad king of Syria, that dwelt at 2 Damascus, saying, 3 There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me. 4 And Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of 3 his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali. 5 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he left off building of Ramah, and let his work cease. 6 Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah. 7 And at that time / Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. 8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims 6a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the LORD, "he delivered them into thine hand. 9 For the eyes of the LORD run_to and fro throughout the whole earth, 7to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. 10 Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and sought him with their whole desire; p1 Ch. 15. 28. and put him in a prison house; for he and he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about. 16 And also concerning Maachah the 9 mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an 10 idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron. 17 But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days. Ps. 98. 6. Hos. 5. 8. 9 Jer. 20. 2. So ch. 18. 26. 8 Heb. crushed. To ver. 18, 1 Ki. 15. 1315. 9 That is, grand mother, 18 And he brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedi-10 cated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels. 19 And there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa. 1 Ki. 15. 2, 1 Ki. 15. 23. Heb. horror. t2 Ki. 23. 6, 15. ch. 14. 3, 5. Ki. 15. 24 11 Heb. digged. w Ge. 50, 2. Mk. 16. 1. r To ver. 6, 1 Ki. 15. 17-22. y ch. 21. 19. See 1 Sa. 31. 12. 1 Ki. 15. 24. was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa 8 oppressed some of the people the same time. 11 And, behold, "the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 12 And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians. 13 And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign. 14 And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had I made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art: and they inade a very great burning for him. CHAPTER 17 AND Jehoshaphat his son reigned in A his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel. |