Now all the work of Solomon was accomplished unto the day of the foundation of the house of the LORD, and until it was finished. So the house of the LORD was completed.

Then went Solomon to Ezion-geber, and to Eloth, at the sea side in the land of Edom.

And Huram sent him ships by the hands of his servants, and servants that had knowledge of the sea; and they went with the servants of Solomon to Ophir, and took from there four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and brought them to king Solomon.

And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to test Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great company, and camels that bore spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she had come to Solomon, she spoke with him of all that was in her heart.

And she said to the king, It was a true report which I heard in my own land of your acts, and of your wisdom:

Blessed be the LORD your God, who delighted in you to set you on his throne, to be king for the LORD your God: because your God loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore he made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness.

And the king made of the algum wood steps to the house of the LORD, and to the king's palace, and harps and lyres for the singers: and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah.

And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, more than that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went away to her own land, she and her servants.

Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and threescore and six talents of gold;

Besides that which traders and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon.

And king Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold: six hundred shekels of hammered gold went to each large shield.

And three hundred shields made he of hammered gold: three hundred shekels of gold went to one shield. And the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.

And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and arm rests on each side of the seat, and two lions standing by the arm rests:

For the king's ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram: once every three years came the ships of Tarshish bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, that God had put in his heart.

And he reigned over all the kings from the river even unto the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.

And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem had all Israel come to make him king.

And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of Solomon the king, heard it, that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.

And they sent and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,

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 an answer to this people?

And they spoke unto him, saying, If you are kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be your servants forever.

And he said unto them, What advice do you give that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Ease somewhat the yoke that your father did put upon us?

For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will add more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had asked, saying, Come again to me on the third day.

And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the turn of events was from God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spoke by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

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? we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to your own house. So all Israel went to their tents.

Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram who was over the forced labor; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, so that he died. But king Rehoboam made haste to get himself up into his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, who were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.

But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,

Thus says the LORD, You shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is from me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their territories.

For the Levites left their pastures lands and their possessions, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from executing the priest's office unto the LORD:

And after that, 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.

And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king.

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.

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,

And he took the fortified cities which belonged to Judah, and came to Jerusalem.

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 says the LORD, You have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.

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 some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.

In place of them king Rehoboam made shields of bronze, and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, that kept the entrance of the king's house.

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 seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess.

And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.

Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.

Ought you not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?

And now do you think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David; and you are a great multitude, and there are with you the golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods.

Have you not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made yourselves priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods.

But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, who minister unto the LORD, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites attend to their service:

And they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the showbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the lampstand of gold with its lamps, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but you have forsaken him.

And, behold, God himself is with us as our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to sound the alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight not against the LORD God of your fathers; for you shall not prosper.

But Jeroboam sent an ambush to come around behind them: so they were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them.

Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

But Abijah grew mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begot twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.

And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.

And Asa had an army of men that bore large shields and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bore shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these were mighty men of valor.

And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with you to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on you, and in your name we go against this multitude. O LORD, you are our God; let not man prevail against you.

They struck also the enclosures of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.

And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, {} Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while you are with him; and if you seek him, he will be found of you; but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.

And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great turmoil was upon all the inhabitants of the countries.

And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the sojourners with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they came over to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.

And they offered unto the LORD on that day some of the plunder which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.

And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;

That whosoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.

In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasuries of the house of the LORD and of the king's house, and sent to Ben-hadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,

And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he stopped building Ramah, and let his work cease.

And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD your God, therefore has the army of the king of Syria escaped out of your hand.

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. In this you have done foolishly: therefore from now on you shall have wars.

And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease became severe: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.

But sought to the LORD God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.

Therefore the LORD established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat tribute; and he had riches and honor in abundance.

Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his leaders, even to Ben-hail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to Nethanel, and to Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah.

And these are the numbers of them according to their father's houses: Of Judah, the captains of thousands; Adnah the captain, and with him mighty men of valor three hundred thousand.

And next to him was Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred and fourscore thousand.

And next to him was Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself unto the LORD; and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valor.

And of Benjamin; Eliada a mighty man of valor, and with him armed men with bow and shield two hundred thousand.

And next to him was Jehozabad, and with him a hundred and fourscore thousand prepared for war.

And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that he had with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth-gilead.

And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead? And he answered him, I am as you are, and my people as your people; and we will be with you in the war.

Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the king's hand.

And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one assent; let your word therefore, I pray you, be like one of theirs, and speak you good.

And when he had come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go you up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand.

And the king said to him, How many times shall I make you swear that you say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the LORD?

Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace.

And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil?

And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the LORD said, You shall entice him, and you shall also prevail: go out, and do even so.

Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and struck Micaiah upon the cheek, and said, Which way went the spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto you?

And Micaiah said, Behold, you shall see on that day when you shall go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.

Then the king of Israel said, Take you Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;

So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.

And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put you on your robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle.

And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they surrounded him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God led them to depart from him.

For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back again from pursuing him.

And a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of the armor: therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn your hand, that you may carry me out of the battle; for I am wounded.

And the battle increased that day: and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the evening: and about the time of the sun going down he died.

And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem.

And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Should you help the wicked, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath came upon you from the LORD.