Solomon's yearly sacrifices. II.CHRONIC LES The queen tts Sheba-s visit. but they ivere men of war, and chief of his captains, and captains of his chariots and horsemen. 10 Ami these inert the chief of kin* Solomon's officers,fxif/rtwolnindredand fifty, that bare rule over the people. 11 Asvl 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 (hall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy, wherennto the ark of the Lor D hath come. ii fl Then Solomon offered burnt offerings unto the L'ftRD on the altar of the Lord, which he had built before the porch, , . 13 Even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the hew moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, cven in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles. i A And Tie 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 prieffs, as the duty of ( every dav required: the porters also by "their covirses at every gate: for so had David the man of God commanded. T 5 And they departed not from the commandment of the king unto the priests and Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the treasures. 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. . , 17 Then went Solomoh to Ez.ion-geber, and to Eloth, at the'sea fide in the land of Edom. 18 And Huram sent him by the hands of his servants ships, and servaiits that had knowledge of the sea; and they went with the servants'of Solomon to ©phir, and took thence four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and brought them to king Solomon. CHAP..IX. 1 The queen of Sheba admireth Solomon's •wisdom. 1 \ Solomon'sriches. 29 His death. AN D 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 m abundance, and precious stones: and •when me was come to Solomon, me communed with him of air that was. In her "heart. 2 And Solomon told her all her questions: and there was nothing hid front Solomon which he told her not. 3 And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built, '4. And the meat of his table, and she sitting of his servants, and the atteVrdance of his ministers, and their apparel; his cupbearers also, And their apparel; and his ascent by which he went up into the house os the Lord; there was no more spirit in her. 5 And stie said to the 'king, // •mas a trije report which I heard in mine own land of thine acts', and of thy wisdom: si Ilowbeit 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 exceedeft the fame that I heard. 7 Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand'eontinually before thee, and hear thy wisdom. 8 Blell'ed be the Lor n thy God, which deli«i!'ted in the'eto sttrheeon his throne, lobeVim? for the Lo R'd thyGod : because thy God loved Israel, 'to establish them for ever, therefore 'made he thee king over them, to do judgement and justice. 9 And the gave tile king hn'hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices great abundance, arid precidus/stones: neither was there arty such spice as the queen of Sheba gave king Solomoh. To And the servants also of Huf am, and the servants of Solomon, 'winch brought gold from Ophir, broiight .ilgum trees, and precious stones. 11 And the king ma'de of the algitm trees, terraces to the hbtise of the Lord, and to the kihg'sphlact,Tand harps an3 psalteries for lingers: and there were none such seen before in the land dfjudalr. ii And king Solomon gave to the tpieen'of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever me asked, beside that which she hnH brought unto the king. 'So Arc turned, ^and went away to her own land, she and her servants. 13-f Now the weight ofgold that cime to Solomon in one year was flic hundred and threescore and six talents of gold; 14 Beside that which chapmen awl merchants) brought. And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the cbulitry brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15 And king Solomon made two hundred targets oj beaten gold: fix hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one target. j6 And three hundred shields 'matte *' of beaten gold; tiu;eehuhckeuv/W«'<,t 1 gold Schmox't richej and death. Chap, geld went to one shield. And the king put them in the house of the foreft'of Lebanon. 17 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold. iS And there ivere fix steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which leers fastened to the throne, and stays on each fide of the sitting place, and two lions stan Jing by the ltays: 19 And twelve lions stood there on the one tide and on the other, upon the six steps. There was not the like made in any kingdom. loAnd all the drinking vessels of king Solomon ivere of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon toere of p\ire gold: none ivere of silver; it »i; u:t any thing accounted of in the clays of Sojomon. 11 For the king's ships wenttoTarfh'ish with the servants of Huram; every three years once came the ships of Tarshish bringing gold, and lilver,ivory, and apes, and peacocks. iz And king Solomon passed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 13 And all the kingsof 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. 15 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. -j »6 And he reigned over all the kings, from the river even unto the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt. 17 And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar trees made he 13 the sycamore trees that are in the low plains in abundance. 18 And they brought unto Solomon horses out of Egypt, and out of all lands. *9 % Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, ar( they not written m the book of Nathan the prophet, and in (he prophecy of Aliijah the Shilouite, and in the visions of Icido the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat? 30 And Sojomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. 31 And Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David l)i« father: and Rehobaam, his son reigned jn his stead. > X. • Rehoboam wade king. CHAP. X. 1 Rehoboam refusing the old men's counsel, 16 ten tribet revolt, 18 and he fleet h. AND Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem were all Israel come to make him king.' i And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who' ivas in Egypt, whither he had fled from the preience of Solomon the king, heard it, that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt. 3 And they sent and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spake to Rehoboam, saying, + Thy father made our yolje grievous: now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude.of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will (erve thee. j And he said unto them, Come again uuto 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, toying, 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 ple.ile them, and speak goods 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, hut make thou it somewhat lighter for us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger (hall be thicker than my father's loins. 11 For whereas my father put a heavyyoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke: my fatherchastised you with whips but I iuill chastise you with scorpions. 11 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third Jay as the king bade, saying, Come again tome on the third day. 13 And the kinganswered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook rtie counsel of the old mm, 1+ And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy,'but I will C f i . add Israel revolietksromRehoboam. lLCURO'MCLES Hisslrengthfivives^dehiUrtn. add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I tuill cliafiise you with scorpions. i S So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was,of God, that the Loud might perform his word, whicli he spake by the hand of Aliijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the ion of Nebat. 16 % And when all Israel_/a*u> that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, Wlut portion have we in David? and ive ha-ve none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, fee to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents. 17 But as j or the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. 18 f Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that ivas over the tribute; and the children of Israel stone;! him with stones, that he died. But king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to fiee to Jerusalem. 19 And Israel rebelled against she house of David unto this day. CHAP. XI. j Rehoboam raising an army tosubdue Israel, is forbidden by Shemaiah. 1$ His wives. 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. 1 But the word of the Loud came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, 3 Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, kingof Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, 4 Thus faith the Lor D, Ye (hall 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, S And Gath, and Marestiah, and Ziph, 9 And Adoraim, and Lachilh, 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. \x And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his fide. 13 And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted 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 otf from executing the priests' office unto the Lor D: 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 iiich as set their hearts to seek the Lor DGod 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 wite, an J Abihail the daughter of Eliab the Ion of Jesse; 19 Which bare him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham. 10 And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which bare him Ab!iah,undAttai,andZiza,andShelomith. 11 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 liim king. 13 And h^ 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. CHAP. XII. 1 Rehoboam forsaking God, is punished by Shishak. 13 His reign and death. AND it came to pass, when Rehoboam 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 kingof Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the Lord. 3 With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people Skisnaksptileth 'Jerusalem. Chap. nil. Abijah succeedith Rehoboam. people were without number that came I 16 And Rehoboam slept with his fawith him out of Egypt; the Lubims, tlie {thers, and was buried in the city of Da Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians + And he took the fenced cities which ^rf«j«**ftoJudah,andcametoJerusalem. 5 Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rthoboam, and to the princes ofjudah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shilhak, and said unto them, Thus faith the Lord, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shilhak. 6 Whereupon tlie princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, The Lo R n is righteous. 7 And when the Lord saw that they humbled thcmlelves, the word of the Lo a D came to Shemaiah, faying, They have humbled themselves; there/ore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them seme deliverance; and my wrath (hall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. 8 Nevertheless they (hall be his servants; that they may know my service, aurl the service of the kingdoms of the countries. 9 So Shilhak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the Lo Rd, and the treasures of the king's house; he took all: he carried away allb the shields of gold which Solomon had made. 10 Instead of which king Rehoboam made shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the chief of the fuard, that kept the entrance of the ing's house. 11 And when the king entered into the house of the Lo R D, the guard came and fetched them, and.brought them again into the guard chamber. Is 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. 13 *$ So king Rehoboam strengthened himlelf in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam nuas one and forty years old when he began to reign, aud he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lo R D had cholen out of all the tribesof Israel, to puthis name there. And his mother's name was N'aamah an Ammonitess. 14. And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord. «S 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 ivere wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. vid: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead. CHAP. XIII. I Abi/hai succeeding, maketh avar against NO VV in the eighteenth year of king 1 He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name allowa/Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3 And Abijah let the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, even lour hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, b. ing mighty men of valour. 4 And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and (aid, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel; 5Qught yenot toknowthat the Lor X> God ot Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt > si Yet Jeroboam the son of Ncbat, the servant os Solomon the son of David, is rilen 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,andM/rr«rfwith you golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods. 9 Have ye not cast out the priests of the Lor D the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of ether lands? so that whatsoever Cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and (even rams, the fame may be a priest of them that are no gods. 10 But as ior us, the Lor D is our God, and we have not sorsaktn sum j and the priests, which minister unto the Lord, are the (bns of Aaron, and the Levitet •wait upon their business: II And they burn unto the Lor D eve. ry morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the shewbread also/W they in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every even C c 4 jng x Abijakovtrcomtth Jeroboam. II, CHRONICLES Asapvertometh Zerah. ing: for we keep the charge of the Lord our God; but ye have forsaken him. i* And, behold, God himself « with us for our captain, and his priest* with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against tile Lord God of your fathers; for ye Iriali not prosper. 13 qj But Jeroboam caused an ambuflirnent to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambulhment ivas behind them. i+ And when Judah looked back, behold, the buttle ivas before and behind: and tiicy cried unto the Lor D, and the priests founded with the trumpets. i j Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men or Judah (housed, it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel beforeAbiiahandJudah. 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. 18 Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time,and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the Lor D God of their fathers. 19 And Abijah pursued after Jerobo^ am, and took cities from him, Beth-cl with the towns thereof, and Jefhanah with the towns thereof, and Ephrain with the towns thereof. »o Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the Lor n struck him, and he died. * 1 But Abijah waxed m iglrty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters. 2« And the reft of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are. written in the story of the prophet Iddo. CHAP. XIV. I Asa succeeding, destroyeth idolatry, 9 calling on God, he owercometh Zerah, andsfoileth the Ethiopians. SO Abijah slept with his father1!, and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In bis days the land was quiet ten years. t And As a did thativhick ivas good and right in the eyes of the Lor D his God: 3 For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the im;fges, and cut down site shoves: 4. And commanded Judah to seek the I.oud God of therr fathers, and to do £he law and the commandment, a 5 Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah, the high places and the images: aud the kingdom was quiet before him. 6 And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in thole years; because the Lo R D 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 wehave sought the LORDourGod, wehavesouglit hi.it, and he hath given us rest on every fide. So they built, and prospered. 8 And Aia had au ai my 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 ivere mighty men of valour. 9 fl And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an Host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Marefhah. 10 Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Marefhah. 11 And Asa cried unto the Lord hi* God, and said, Lo R D, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, 0 Lor D our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. Olord, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee. i» So the Lord smote the Ethopian* before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians sled. 13 And Asa end the people that inert with him pursued them unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they were 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 Lor D 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. C H A P. XV. 1 Asa meved by Axariah, rnulteth et solemn covenant with Cod. 16 He putteth doivn Maachah his mother fir iJtlatty. AND the Spirit of God'came upon Azariah the son of Oded: * And he went ont to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ve me. Asa, and all |