Study Desk

In the past the Lord had said to the Israelites, "You must not marry people from other nations. If you do, they will cause you to follow their gods." But Solomon fell in love with these women.

He had told Solomon that he must not follow other gods, but Solomon did not obey the Lord 's command.

But I loved your father David, so I will not take your kingdom away from you while you are alive. I will wait until your son becomes king. Then I will take it from him.

But Pharaoh answered, "I have given you everything you need here. Why do you want to go back to your own country?" Hadad answered, "Please, just let me go home."

There was also another person who became an enemy of Solomon. He was Jeroboam son of Nebat. He was an Ephraimite from the town of Zeredah. His mother was a widow named Zeruah. He was one of Solomon's servants, but he rebelled against the king.

But Jeroboam, I will take the ten tribes away from his son and give them to you.

But I will make you king of Israel. You will rule over everything you want.

I will punish David's descendants because of what Solomon did, but not forever.'"

Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam ran away to Egypt. He went to King Shishak of Egypt and stayed there until Solomon died.

But Rehoboam did not listen to the advice from the older men. He asked the young men who were his friends.

My father forced you to work hard, but I will make you work much harder! My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with whips that have sharp metal tips.'"

He did what his friends told him to do and said, "My father forced you to work hard, but I will make you work much harder! My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with whips that have sharp metal tips."

But Rehoboam still ruled over the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah.

A man named Adoniram was one of the men who directed the workers. King Rehoboam sent Adoniram to talk to the people, but the Israelites threw stones at him until he died. King Rehoboam ran to his chariot and escaped to Jerusalem.

But God spoke to a prophet named Shemaiah. He said,

Then King Jeroboam started a new festival that was like the festival in Judah, but it was on the 15th day of the eighth month. At this time the king offered sacrifices on the altar at Bethel. He and the priests he chose offered the sacrifices to the calves that he had set up at the high places he had made.

The Lord had commanded the man of God to speak against the altar. He said, "Altar, the Lord says to you: ‘David's family will have a son. His name will be Josiah. The priests of the high places are now burning incense on you, but Josiah will offer the priests on you and burn human bones on you, so you can never be used again!'"

When King Jeroboam heard the message from the man of God about the altar in Bethel, he took his hand off the altar and pointed at the man. He said, "Arrest that man!" But when the king said this, his arm became paralyzed. He could not move it.

But the man of God said to the king, "I will not go home with you, even if you give me half of your kingdom! I will not eat or drink anything in this place.

But the man of God said, "I cannot go home with you. I cannot eat or drink anything in this place.