And he built Tadmor in the wilderness and all the store cities which he built in Hamath.

And Baalath and all the store cities that Solomon had, and all the chariot cities and the cities of Horsemen, and all that Solomon had lust to build in Jerusalem and Lebanon, and throughout all the land of his dominion.

even the children of them, which were left after them in the land, and were not consumed of the children of Israel - them did Solomon make tributaries unto this day.

But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen in his work: but they were men of war and rulers and great lords with him, and captains over his chariots and Horsemen.

And Solomon brought the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David into the house that he had made for her. For he said, "My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, for it is holy, because the Ark of the LORD came into it."

And from thenceforth Solomon offered burnt offerings unto the LORD on the altar of the LORD which he had built before the porch;

to offer day by day according to the commandment of Moses, and in the Sabbaths and new moons, and the three solemn feasts of the year: the feast of sweetbread, the feast of weeks and the feast of booths.

And Solomon put the sorts of priests in companies as David his father had ordered them, unto the offices, and the Levites unto their wait, for to praise and minister before the priests day by day, and the porters by course at every gate. For so had David the man of God commanded.

And then went king Solomon to Eziongeber and to Eloth and to the seaside in the land of Edom.

And the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon and came to prove him with riddles at Jerusalem, with a very great company, and with camels that bare sweet odours and plenty of gold and precious stone. And when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon and the house that he had built,

and the meat of his table and the sitting of his servants and the standing of his waiters, and their apparel, and his butlers with their apparel, and his parlor out of which he went into the house of the LORD, there was no more heart in her.

And then she said to the king, "The saying which I heard in mine own land, of thine acts and of thy wisdom, is truth.

But I believed not the words of them, until I came and mine eyes had seen it. And see, the one half of thy wisdom was not told me: thou exceedest the same that I heard.

Blessed be the LORD thy God which had lust to thee, to make thee king on his seat, unto the LORD thy God. Because thy God loved Israel, to make them continue ever, therefore made he the king over them to do right and equity."

And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of sweet odours an exceeding great abundance with precious stones, that there was no such sweet odours as the queen of Sheba gave king Solomon.

And the king made of the Algum wood stairs for the house of the LORD and in the king's palace, and harps and psalteries for singers. And there was no such wood seen before in the land of Judah.

And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire that she asked above that she brought unto the king. And so she turned and went away unto her own land with her servants.

The sum of gold that came to Solomon in one year, was six hundred and sixty six talents of gold,

and three hundred shields of beaten gold, three hundred sicles of gold to a shield; and he put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.

And there were six steps to the seat with a footstool of gold fastened to the seat: and pommels on each side of the sitting place, and two lions standing by the pommels.

And twelve lions stood one side and on the other, upon six steps, and there was no such in any kingdom.

And all the drinking vessels of king Solomon were gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon, were pure gold. And as for silver, it was counted nothing worth in the days of Solomon.

And king Solomon passed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.

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

And they brought every man his present in vessels of silver and vessels of gold, and raiment, harness, sweet odours, horses and mules year by year.

And Solomon had four thousand mangers of horses and chariots for them, and twelve thousand horsemen. And he bestowed them in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem.

And the king made silver in Jerusalem as plenteous as stones, and Cedar trees as plenteous as the mulberry trees that grow in the valleys.

And the rest of the acts of king Solomon, both first and last, are written in the book of Nathan the Prophet and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite and in the visions of Iddo the seer of visions against Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

And when Solomon had reigned in Jerusalem upon all Israel forty years,

he laid him to rest with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father, and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.

And when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, being in Egypt heard it - for he was fled for fear of Solomon the king - he returned out of Egypt.

But he left the counsel which the elders gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were nursed up with him and had stand in his presence,

And when Jeroboam and all Israel were come the third day, as the king bade, saying, "Come again to me the third day,"

And when all Israel saw that the king would not hear them, the people answered the king, saying, "What part have we with David or inheritance with the son of Jesse? Let every man of Israel go to his tent. And now, David, see to thine own house!" And thereupon all Israel gat them to their tents,

so that Rehoboam reigned over no more of the children of Israel than dwelt in the cities of Judah.

Then king Rehoboam sent to them Hadoram that was over the tribute, and the children of Israel stoned him with stones that he died. But king Rehoboam made speed and gat him up in his chariot to fly to Jerusalem.

And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin to the number of nine score thousand choice men of war to fight with Israel, for to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.

"Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon king of Judah and to all Israel that are in Judah, and to Benjamin, and say,

And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built strong cities in Judah:

And when he had repaired such strong cities, he put captains in them and store of victuals, and of oil and wine.

And he ordained in all cities shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong. And so Judah and Benjamin were under him.

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

And so they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon mighty three years long - for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.

And he played wisely and scattered of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin in every strong city. And he gave them abundance of victuals, and asked many wives.

And when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and made it strong, he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him;

And they took the strong cities that were in Judah and came to Jerusalem.

Then came Shemaiah the Prophet to Rehoboam and to the lords of Judah that were gathered to Jerusalem for fear of Shishak, and said to them, "Thus sayeth the LORD, 'Ye have left me, and therefore will I leave you also in the hands of Shishak.'"

And when the LORD saw that they submitted themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah saying, "They have humbled themselves, and therefore I will not destroy them. But I will deliver them somewhat, and my wrath shall not fall upon Jerusalem.

Instead of which, king Rehoboam made shields of brass, and put them in the keeping of the captains of his guard which waited in the gate of the king's house.

And so because he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him, and destroyed not all together. And thereto there were many good things yet in Judah.

And king Rehoboam waxed mighty in Jerusalem and reigned. And Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he was made king, 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 Ammonite.

The acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are written in the sayings of Shemaiah the Prophet and of Iddo the Seer of visions - so much as his genealogy, and the perpetual war that was between Rehoboam and Jeroboam during their life.

And Rehoboam laid him to sleep with his fathers and was buried in the city of David, and Abijah his son reigned in his stead.

and he reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

And Abijah made a battle with an Host of fighting men of four hundred thousand chosen men. And Jeroboam put in array to fight against him, with eight hundred thousand picked men and strong.

And Abijah stood up upon Zemaraim a hill in mount Ephraim and said, "Hear me thou Jeroboam and all Israel!

And now ye think to prevail against the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David, because ye be a great multitude and have with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods.

And have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests like the nations of other lands? Even whosoever cometh and filleth his hand with an ox and seven rams, the same is made priest to them that are no Gods.

But with us is the LORD our God whom we have not forsaken, and the priests of the sons of Aaron ministering unto the LORD, and the Levites in office:

burning unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet cense: and the shewbread put in order upon a pure table: and the candlestick of gold with the lamps of the same, to be lighted every evening. For we keep the watch of the LORD our God: but ye have forsaken him.

Moreover, see: God is with us in the forward; and his priests, and the roaring trumpets to cry alarm against you. Ye children of Israel, fight not with the LORD God of your fathers: for it will not prosper with you."

But for all that, Jeroboam sent men privily above to come behind upon them: and so they were before Judah, and the layers in wait were behind them.

And when Judah turned and saw the battle behind and before, they cried unto the LORD, and the priests blew the trumpets

And Abijah followed after Jeroboam and won certain cities from him: Bethel with the towns belonging thereto, and Jeshanah with the towns that belonged thereto, and Ephron with her towns.

And Jeroboam recovered not strength again in the days of Abijah. And at the last, the LORD plagued him, that he died.

The rest of the acts of Abijah and his ways and his doings are written in the story of the Prophet Iddo.

And when Abijah was laid to sleep with his fathers, they buried him in the city of David, and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In whose days the land was quiet ten years.

And Asa did that was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God,

And he built strong cities in Judah: because the land was in rest, and he had no war in those year. For the LORD had given him rest.

And therefore he said to Judah, "Let us build these cities and compass them with walls and towers, gates and bars, while we have the land quiet. For we have sought the LORD our God: and because we have sought him, he hath given us rest on every side." And so they built and prospered.

And Asa had an army that bare shield and spear, out of Judah three hundred thousand, and out of Benjamin that bare shield and drew bows two hundred and eighty thousand, and were all strong men.

And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an Host of ten hundred thousand, and three hundred chariots, and came as far as Mareshah.

And Asa went out to him, and they put in array to battle in the valley of Zephathah beside Mareshah.

And Asa cried unto the LORD his God and said, "LORD, it is all one with thee to help them that have no power, with few or with many: help us O LORD our God, for we trust to thee, and in thine name be come against this multitude. Thou art the LORD our God: let not man prevail against thee."

And they smote all the cities round about Gerar. For the fear of the LORD came upon them. And they robbed all the cities, for there was exceeding much to be robbed in them.

There will come many days in Israel, in which there shall be no true God - nor priest that teacheth, nor any law.

And in their tribulation they shall turn unto the LORD God of Israel and shall seek him, and he shall be found of them.

And in those days there shall be no peace to them that go out and in; But great vexation upon the inhabiters of all lands.

For one nation shall destroy another, and one city another: for God will trounce them with all adversity.

When Asa heard those words and the prophecy of Azariah the son of Obed the Prophet, he took courage and put away the abominations out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he won in mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD that was before the porch of the LORD.

And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon. For there fell many to him out of Israel, when they saw that God was with him.

And all Judah rejoiced in the oath, for they had sworn with all their hearts, and sought him with all their lust, and he was found of them. And the LORD gave them rest round about.

And thereto king Asa put Maacah his mother out of authority, because she had made an idol in a grove: and brake down her idol and stamped it and burnt it by the brook Kidron.

And he brought into the house of God the dedicated gifts which he and his father had dedicated, in gold, silver and other Jewels.

In the thirty sixth year of the reign of Asa, came Baasha king of Israel against Judah and built Ramah - to the intent that he would let none that pertained to Asa king of Judah have passage in and out.

And when Baasha heard that, he left building of Ramah and let his work cease.

At that same time, Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, "Because thou trustedest in the king of Syria, and trustest not in the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand.

Were not the black Moors and they of Libya a great host with exceeding many chariots and horsemen? And yet because thou trustedest in the LORD, he delivered them into thine hands.

Whereupon Asa was wroth with the seer and put him in the converting house, for he was displeased with him because of that. Moreover Asa oppressed certain of the people the same season.

The deeds of Asa both first, and last, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

And the thirty ninth year of his reign Asa fell sick of his feet, and that his disease exceeded. And thereto in his sickness he asked no counsel of the LORD, but of Physicians.

And at the last Asa fell on sleep with his fathers and died when he had reigned fifty one years.

And they buried him in his own sepulchre which he had made in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which he had filled with sweet odours of divers kinds, made by the craft of the apothecaries. And they did exceeding great cost about burying of him.

And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead and was mightier than Israel.

And he put soldiers in all the strong cities of Judah, and set rulers both in the land of Judah and also in the cities of Ephraim which Asa his father had won.

And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the old ways of his father David, and sought not Baals:

But sought 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 him presents, that he became exceeding rich and glorious.

And his heart was courageous in the ways of the LORD, and he put down yet more of the hill altars and groves out of Judah.