Study Desk

Blessed be the Lord thy God, who took pleasure in thee, to set thee upon his throne for a king, to the Lord thy God: forasmuch as the Lord thy God loved Israel to establish them for ever, therefore he has set thee over them for a king to execute judgment and justice.

And the king made of the pine timber steps to the house of the Lord, and to the king�s house, and harps and lutes for the singers: and such were not seen before in the land of Juda.

For a ship went for the king to Tharsis with the servants of Chiram: once every three years came vessels from Tharsis to the king, laden with gold, and silver, and ivory, and apes.

And Solomon had four thousand mares for chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; and he put them in the chariot cities, and with the king in Jerusalem.

And the king made gold and silver in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars as the sycamore trees in the plain for abundance.

And Roboam came to Sychem: for all Israel came to Sychem to make him king.

And he said to them, Go away for three days, and then come to me. So the people departed.

And they spoke to him, saying, If thou wouldest this day befriend this people, and be kind to them, and speak to them good words, then will they be thy servants for ever.

And the king hearkened not to the people, for there was a change of their minds from God, saying, The Lord has confirmed his word, which he spoke by the hand of Achia the Selonite concerning Jeroboam the son of Nabat, and concerning all Israel;

for the king did not hearken to them. And the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David, or inheritance in the son of Jessae? to thy tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So all Israel went to their tents.

And Roboam came to Jerusalem; and he assembled Juda and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand young men fit for war, and he waged war with Israel to recover the kingdom to Roboam.

Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, and ye shall not war against your brethren: return every one to his home; for this thing is of me. And they hearkened to the word of the Lord, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

For the Levites left the tents of their possession, and went to Juda to Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had ejected them so that they should not minister to the Lord.

And he made for himself priests of the high places, and for the idols, and for the vanities, and for the calves which Jeroboam made.

And they strengthened the kingdom of Juda; and Juda strengthened Roboam the son of Solomon for three years, for he walked three years in the ways of David and Solomon.

And Roboam took to himself for a wife, Moolath daughter of Jerimuth the son of David, and Abigaia daughter of Heliab the son of Jessae.

And Roboam loved Maacha the daughter of Abessalom more than all his wives and all his concubines: for he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines; and he begot twenty-eight sons, and sixty daughters.

And he made Abia the son of Maacha chief, even a leader among his brethren, for he intended to make him king.

And Samaias the prophet came to Roboam, and to the princes of Juda that were gathered to Jerusalem for fear of Susakim, and said to them, Thus said the Lord, Ye have left me, and I will leave you in the hand of Susakim.

And when the Lord saw that they repented, then came the word of the Lord to Samaias, saying, They have repented; I will not destroy them, but I will set them in safety for a little while, and my wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem.