Solomon Disobeys the Lord
1-2 The Lord did not want the Israelites to worship foreign gods, so he had warned them not to marry anyone who was not from Israel.
Solomon loved his wife, the daughter of the king of Egypt. But he also loved some women from Moab, Ammon, and Edom, and others from Sidon and the land of the Hittites. 3-4 Seven hundred of his wives were daughters of kings, but he also married 300 other women.
As Solomon got older, some of his wives led him to worship their gods. He wasn't like his father David, who had worshiped only the Lord God. 5 Solomon also worshiped Astarte the goddess of Sidon, and Milcom the disgusting god of Ammon. 6 Solomon's father had obeyed the Lord with all his heart, but Solomon disobeyed and did what the Lord hated.
7 Solomon built shrines on a hill east of Jerusalem to worship Chemosh the disgusting god of Moab, and Molech the disgusting god of Ammon. 8 In fact, he built a shrine for each of his foreign wives, so all of them could burn incense and offer sacrifices to their own gods.
9-10 The Lord God of Israel had appeared to Solomon two times and warned him not to worship foreign gods. But Solomon disobeyed and did it anyway. This made the Lord very angry, 11 and he said to Solomon:
You did what you wanted and not what I told you to do. Now I'm going to take your kingdom from you and give it to one of your officials. 12 But because David was your father, you will remain king as long as you live. I will wait until your son becomes king, then I will take the kingdom from him. 13 When I do, I will still let him rule one tribe, because I have not forgotten that David was my servant and Jerusalem is my chosen city.
Hadad Becomes an Enemy of Solomon
14 Hadad was from the royal family of Edom, and here is how the Lord made him Solomon's enemy:
15-16 Some time earlier, when David conquered the nation of Edom, Joab his army commander went there to bury those who had died in battle. Joab and his soldiers stayed in Edom six months, and during that time they killed every man and boy who lived there.
17-19 Hadad was a boy at the time, but he escaped to Midian with some of his father's officials. At Paran some other men joined them, and they went to the king of Egypt. The king liked Hadad and gave him food, some land, and a house, and even let him marry the sister of Queen Tahpenes. 20 Hadad and his wife had a son named Genubath, and the queen let the boy grow up in the palace with her own children.
21 When Hadad heard that David and Joab were dead, he said to the king, “Your Majesty, please let me go back to my own country.”
22 “Why?” asked the king. “Do you want something I haven't given you?”
“No, I just want to go home.”
Rezon Becomes an Enemy of Solomon
23 Here is how God made Rezon son of Eliada an enemy of Solomon:
Rezon had run away from his master, King Hadadezer of Zobah. 24-25 He formed his own small army and became its leader after David had defeated Hadadezer's troops. Then Rezon and his army went to Damascus, where he became the ruler of Syria and an enemy of Israel.
Both Hadad and Rezon were enemies of Israel while Solomon was king, and they caused him a lot of trouble.
The Lord Makes a Promise to Jeroboam
26 Jeroboam was from the town of Zeredah in Ephraim. His father Nebat had died, but his mother Zeruah was still alive. Jeroboam was one of Solomon's officials, but even he rebelled against Solomon. 27 Here is how it happened:
While Solomon's workers were filling in the land on the east side of Jerusalem and repairing the city walls, 28 Solomon noticed that Jeroboam was a hard worker. So he put Jeroboam in charge of the work force from Manasseh and Ephraim.
29-30 One day when Jeroboam was leaving Jerusalem, he met Ahijah, a prophet from Shiloh. No one else was anywhere around. Suddenly, Ahijah took off his new coat and ripped it into twelve pieces. 31 Then he said:
Jeroboam, take ten pieces of this coat and listen to what the Lord God of Israel says to you. “Jeroboam, I am the Lord God, and I am about to take Solomon's kingdom from him and give you ten tribes to rule. 32 But Solomon will still rule one tribe, since he is the son of David my servant, and Jerusalem is my chosen city.
33 “Solomon and the Israelites are not like their ancestor David. They will not listen to me, obey me, or do what is right. They have turned from me to worship Astarte the goddess of Sidon, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of Ammon.
34 “Solomon is David's son, and David was my chosen leader, who did what I commanded. So I will let Solomon be king until he dies. 35 Then I will give you ten tribes to rule, 36 but Solomon's son will still rule one tribe. This way, my servant David will always have a descendant ruling in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen to be worshiped.
37 “You will be king of Israel and will rule every nation you want. 38 I'll help you if you obey me. And if you do what I say, as my servant David did, I will always let someone from your family rule in Israel, just as someone from David's family will always rule in Judah. The nation of Israel will be yours.
39 “I will punish the descendants of David, but not forever.”
40 When Solomon learned what the Lord had told Jeroboam, Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam. But he escaped to King Shishak of Egypt and stayed there until Solomon died.
Solomon Dies
(2 Chronicles 9.29-31)41 Everything else Solomon did while he was king is written in the book about him and his wisdom. 42 After he had ruled 40 years from Jerusalem, 43 he died and was buried there in the city of his father David. His son Rehoboam then became king.
1 Bvt King Salomon loued many outlandish women: both the daughter of Pharaoh, and the women of Moab, Ammon, Edom, Zidon and Heth, 2 Of the nations, whereof the Lord had sayd vnto the children of Israel, Goe not ye in to them, nor let them come in to you: for surely they will turne your hearts after their gods, to them, I say, did Salomon ioyne in loue. 3 And he had seuen hundreth wiues, that were princesses, and three hundreth concubines, and his wiues turned away his heart. 4 For when Salomon was olde, his wiues turned his heart after other gods, so that his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of Dauid his father. 5 For Salomon followed Ashtaroth the god of the Zidonians, and Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6 So Salomon wrought wickednesse in the sight of the Lord, but continued not to follow the Lord, as did Dauid his father. 7 Then did Salomon build an hie place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, in the mountaine that is ouer against Ierusalem, and vnto Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon. 8 And so did he for all his outlandish wiues, which burnt incense and offered vnto their gods. 9 Therefore the Lord was angry with Salomon, because hee had turned his heart from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared vnto him twise, 10 And had giuen him a charge concerning this thing, that he should not follow other gods: but he kept not that, which the Lord had commanded him. 11 Wherefore the Lord sayd vnto Salomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my couenant, and my statutes (which I commanded thee) I will surely rent the kingdome from thee, and will giue it to thy seruant. 12 Notwithstanding in thy dayes I will not doe it, because of Dauid thy father, but I will rent it out of the hand of thy sonne: 13 Howbeit I wil not rent all the Kingdome, but will giue one tribe to thy sonne, because of Dauid my seruant, and because of Ierusalem which I haue chosen. 14 Then the Lord stirred vp an aduersarie vnto Salomon, euen Hadad the Edomite, of the Kings seede, which was in Edom. 15 For when Dauid was in Edom, and Ioab the captaine of the hoste had smitten all the males in Edom, and was gone vp to bury ye slaine, 16 (For six moneths did Ioab remaine there, and all Israel, till he had destroyed all the males in Edom) 17 Then this Hadad fled and certaine other Edomites of his fathers seruants with him, to goe into Egypt, Hadad being yet a litle childe. 18 And they arose out of Midian, and came to Paran, and tooke men with them out of Paran, and came to Egypt vnto Pharaoh King of Egypt, which gaue him an house, and appointed him vitailes, and gaue him lande. 19 So Hadad found great fauour in the sight of Pharaoh, and he gaue him to wife the sister of his owne wife, euen the sister of Tahpenes the Queene. 20 And the sister of Tahpenes bare him Genubath his sonne, whome Tahpenes wayned in Pharaohs house: and Genubath was in Pharaohs house among the sonnes of Pharaoh. 21 And when Hadad heard in Egypt, that Dauid slept with his fathers, and that Ioab the captaine of the hoste was dead, Hadad sayde to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that I may goe to mine owne countrey. 22 But Pharaoh saide vnto him, What hast thou lacked with me, that thou wouldest thus go to thine owne countrey? And he answered, Nothing, but in any wise let me goe. 23 And God stirred him vp another aduersarie, Rezon the sonne of Eliada, which fled from his lorde Hadadezer King of Zobah. 24 And he gathered men vnto him, and had bene captaine ouer the company, when Dauid slew them. And they went to Damascus, and dwelt there, and they made him King in Damascus. 25 Therefore was he an aduersarie to Israel all the daies of Salomon: besides the euil that Hadad did, he also abhorred Israel, and reigned ouer Aram 26 And Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat an Ephrathite of Zereda Salomons seruant (whose mother was called Zeruah a widowe) lift vp his hand against the King. 27 And this was the cause that he lift vp his hande against the King, When Salomon built Millo, he repared the broken places of the citie of Dauid his father. 28 And this man Ieroboam was a man of strength and courage, and Salomon seeing that the yong man was meete for the worke, he made him ouerseer of all the labour of the house of Ioseph. 29 And at that time, when Ieroboam went out of Ierusalem, the Prophet Ahiiah the Shilonite founde him in the way, hauing a newe garment on him, and they two were alone in ye field. 30 Then Ahiiah caught the newe garment that was on him, and rent it in twelue pieces, 31 And said to Ieroboam, Take vnto thee ten pieces: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Beholde, I wil rent the kingdome out of ye hands of Salomon, and will giue ten tribes to thee. 32 But he shall haue one tribe for my seruant Dauids sake, and for Ierusalem the citie, which I haue chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, 33 Because they haue forsaken me, and haue worshipped Ashtaroth the god of the Zidonians, and Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites, and haue not walked in my wayes (to do right in mine eyes, and my statutes, and my lawes) as did Dauid his father. 34 But I will not take the whole kingdome out of his hande: for I will make him prince all his life long for Dauid my seruants sake, whome I haue chosen, and who kept my commandements and my statutes. 35 But I will take the kingdome out of his sonnes hand, and will giue it vnto thee, euen the ten tribes. 36 And vnto his sonne will I giue one tribe, that Dauid my seruant may haue a light alway before me in Ierusalem the citie, which I haue chosen me, to put my Name there. 37 And I wil take thee, and thou shalt reigne, euen as thine heart desireth, and shalt be King ouer Israel. 38 And if thou hearken vnto all that I commande thee, and wilt walke in my wayes, and doe right in my sight, to keepe my statutes and my commandements, as Dauid my seruant did, then will I be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built vnto Dauid, and wil giue Israel vnto thee. 39 And I will for this afflict the seede of Dauid, but not for euer. 40 Salomon sought therefore to kill Ieroboam, and Ieroboam arose, and fled into Egypt vnto Shishak King of Egypt, and was in Egypt vntil the death of Salomon. 41 And the rest of the wordes of Salomon, and all that he did, and his wisedom, are they not written in the booke of the actes of Salomon? 42 The time that Salomon reigned in Ierusalem ouer all Israel, was fourtie yeere. 43 And Salomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the citie of Dauid his father: and Rehoboam his sonne reigned in his steade.