31 He told Jeroboam, "Take 10 pieces because this is what Yahweh Elohim of Israel says: I am going to tear the kingdom out of Solomon's hands and give ten tribes to you. 32 He will have one tribe left because of my servant David and Jerusalem, the city I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel. 33 I will do this because he has abandoned me and worshiped Astarte (the goddess of the Sidonians), Chemosh (the god of Moab), and Milcom (the god of Ammon). He has not followed my ways. He did not do what I consider right or keep my laws and decrees as his father David did.
34 "I will not take the whole kingdom from him. Instead, I will allow him to be ruler as long as he lives because of my servant David whom I chose, who obeyed my commands and laws. 35 But I will take the kingdom away from his son and give you ten tribes. 36 I will give his son one tribe so that my servant David will always have a lamp in my presence in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to place my name.
37 "I will choose you so that you can rule everything you desire. You will be king of Israel. 38 If you will do all I command you, follow my ways, and do what I consider right by obeying my laws and commands as my servant David did, then I will be with you. I will build a permanent dynasty for you as I did for David. And I will give you Israel. 39 I will make David's descendants suffer for this, but not always."
40 Then Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam fled to King Shishak of Egypt. He stayed in Egypt until Solomon died.
Solomon's Death-2 Chronicles 9:29-31 41 Aren't the rest of Solomon's acts-everything he did-and his wisdom written in the records of Solomon? 42 The length of Solomon's reign in Jerusalem over all Israel was 40 years. 43 Solomon lay down in death with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. His son Rehoboam succeeded him as king.
King Rehoboam Foolishly Rejects Israel's Request-2 Chronicles 10:1-19 12 1 Rehoboam went to Shechem because all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king. 2 Jeroboam (Nebat's son) was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon. When he heard about Rehoboam, he returned from Egypt.a 3 Israel sent for Jeroboam and invited him back. Jeroboam and the entire assembly of Israel went to speak to Rehoboam. They said, 4 "Your father made us carry a heavy burden. Reduce the hard work and lighten the heavy burden he put on us, and we will serve you."
5 He said to them, "Leave and come back the day after tomorrow." So the people left.
6 King Rehoboam sought advice from the older leaders who had served his father Solomon while he was still alive. He asked, "What do you advise? How should I respond to these people?"
7 They told him, "If you will serve these people today, humble yourself, and speak gently, then they will always be your servants."
8 But he ignored the advice the older leaders gave him. He sought advice from the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. 9 He asked them, "What is your advice? How should we respond to these people who are asking me to lighten the burden my father put on them?"
10 The young men who had grown up with him answered, "This is what you should tell them: 'My little finger is heavier than my father's whole body.b 11 If my father put a heavy burden on you, I will add to it. If my father punished you with whips, I will punish you with scorpions.'"
12 So Jeroboam and all the people came back to Rehoboam two days later, as the king had instructed them. 13 The king answered the people harshly. He ignored the advice the older leaders gave him. 14 He spoke to them as the young men advised. He said, "If my father made your burden heavy, I will add to it. If my father punished you with whips, I will punish you with scorpions." 15 The king refused to listen to the people because Yahweh was directing these events to carry out the promise Yahweh had made to Jeroboam (Nebat's son) through Ahijah from Shiloh.
16 When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, the people answered the king, "What share do we have in David's kingdom?
We won't receive an inheritance from Jesse's son.
To your own tents, Israel!
Now look after your own house, David!"
So Israel went home to their own tents. 17 But Rehoboam ruled the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah.
18 Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram to Israel. He was in charge of forced labor, but they stoned him to death. So King Rehoboam got on his chariot as fast as he could and fled to Jerusalem. 19 Israel has rebelled against David's dynasty to this day.
King Jeroboam Establishes Idolatry in Israel-2 Chronicles 11:1-17 20 When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent men to invite him to the assembly. They made him king of all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to David's dynasty.
21 When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he gathered all the people of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, 180,000 of the best soldiers, to fight against the people of Israel and return the kingdom to Rehoboam, son of Solomon.
22 But Elohim spoke his word to Shemaiah, the man of Elohim. He said, 23 "Speak to Judah's King Rehoboam, son of Solomon, and all the people of Judah and Benjamin, and the rest of the people. 24 This is what Yahweh says: Don't wage war againstyour relatives from Israel. Everyone, go home. What has happened is my doing." So they obeyed the word of Yahweh. They returned home, as Yahweh told them.
25 Jeroboam rebuilt Shechem in the hills of Ephraim and lived there. Then he left that place and built Penuel. 26 He said to himself, "The kingdom will probably return to David's dynasty now. 27 King Rehoboam of Judah, the former master of these people, will regain popularity if they go to sacrifice in Yahweh's temple in Jerusalem. Then they will kill me and return to King Rehoboam of Judah."
28 After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He said, "You've been worshiping in Jerusalem long enough. Israel, here are your gods who brought you out of Egypt." 29 He put one in Bethel and the other in Dan. 30 Worshiping them became Israel's sin. The people went as far as Dan to worship the one calf. 31 Jeroboam built worship sites on hilltops. He appointed men who were not descended from Levi to be priests.
32 Jeroboam appointed a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, just like the festival in Judah. He went to the altar in Bethel to sacrifice to the calves he had made. He appointed priests from the illegal worship sites to serve in Bethel. 33 He went to his altar in Bethel to burn an offering on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, the festival he had invented for the Israelites.
A Prophet Announces God's Judgment 13 1 A man of Elohim from Judah had come to Bethel. When he arrived, Jeroboam was standing at the altar to offer a sacrifice. 2 By a command of Yahweh, this man condemned the altar. "Altar, altar! This is what Yahweh says: There will be a son born in David's family line. His name will be Josiah. Here on you Josiah will sacrifice the priests from the illegal worship sites who offer sacrifices on you. Human bones will be burned on you."
3 That day the man of God also gave them a miraculous sign, saying, "This is the sign that Yahweh will give you: You will see the altar torn apart. The ashes on it will be poured on the ground."
4 When King Jeroboam heard the man of Elohim condemning the altar in Bethel, he pointed to the man across the altar. "Arrest him," he said. But the arm that he used to point to the man of God was paralyzed so that he couldn't pull it back. 5 The altar was torn apart, and the ashes from the altar were poured on the ground. This was the miraculous sign the man of Elohim performed at Yahweh's command.
6 Then the king asked the man of Elohim, "Please make an appeal to Yahweh your Elohim, and pray for me so that I can use my arm again." So the man of Elohim made an appeal to Yahweh, and the king was able to use his arm again, as he had earlier.
7 The king told the man of Elohim, "Come home with me; have something to eat and drink, and I will give you a gift."
8 The man of Elohim told the king, "Even if you gave me half of your palace, I would never go with you to eat or drink there. 9 When Yahweh spoke to me, he commanded me not to eat or drink or go back on the same road I took." 10 So the man of Elohim left on another road and didn't go back on the road he had taken to Bethel.
A Prophet Disobeys God 11 An old prophet was living in Bethel. His sons told him everything the man of Elohim did in Bethel that day and the exact words he had spoken to the king. When they told their father, 12 he said to them, "Which road did he take?" (His sons had seen which road the man of Elohim from Judah had taken.) 13 The old prophet told his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me." After they had saddled the donkey for him, he got on it.
14 He went after the man of Elohim and found him sitting under an oak tree. The old prophet asked him, "Are you the man of Elohim who came from Judah?"
"Yes," he answered.
15 "Come home with me, and eat a meal," the old prophet replied.
16 The man of God said, "I'm not allowed to go back with you. I'm not allowed to eat or drink with you. 17 When Yahweh spoke to me, he told me not to eat or drink there or go back on the road I took to get there."
18 The old prophet said, "I'm also a prophet, like you. An angel spoke the word of Yahweh to me. He said, 'Bring him home with you so that he may have something to eat and drink.'" (But the old prophet was lying.) 19 The man of God went back with him and ate and drank in his home. 20 When they were sitting at the table, Yahweh spoke his word to the old prophet who had brought back the man of Elohim. 21 Yahweh also called to the man of Elohim. He said, "This is what Yahweh says: You rebelled against the words from Yahweh's mouth and didn't obey the command that Yahweh your Elohim gave you. 22 You came back, ate, and drank at this place about which he told you, 'Don't eat or drink there.' That is why your dead body will not be allowed to be placed in the tomb of your ancestors."
23 After the old prophet had something to eat and drink, he saddled the donkey for the prophet whom he had brought back. 24 The man of Elohim left. A lion found him as he traveled on the road and killed him. His dead body was thrown on the road. The donkey and the lion were standing by the body. 25 People who passed by saw the body lying on the road and the lion standing by the body. They talked about it in the city where the old prophet was living.
26 When the old prophet who had brought the man of Elohim back from the road heard about it, he said, "It's the man of Elohim who rebelled against the words from Yahweh's mouth! Yahweh gave him to the lion. It tore him to pieces and killed him as the word of Yahweh had told him."
27 Then the old prophet told his sons to saddle his donkey for him. So they did.
28 He found the body of the man thrown on the road. He also found the donkey and the lion standing beside it. The lion had not eaten the body, nor had it torn the donkey to pieces. 29 The old prophet picked up the body of the man of Elohim, laid it on the donkey, and brought it back. He came to his own city to mourn for him and to bury him. 30 He laid the body of the man of Elohim in his own tomb and mourned over the man, saying, "Oh no, my brother, my brother!" 31 After he had buried the man of Elohim, he said to his sons, "When I die, bury me in the tomb where the man of Elohim was buried. Lay my bones beside his bones. 32 The things that he announced by a command of Yahweh against the altar in Bethel and all the illegal worship sites in the cities of Samaria will happen."
33 Even after this, Jeroboam didn't change his evil ways, but he once again made some men priests for the illegal worship sites. He took all who were willing and appointed them to be priests at the worship sites. 34 Appointing illegal priests became the sin of Jeroboam's family so that it had to be destroyed and wiped off the face of the earth.
Jeroboam's Son Dies 14 1 At that time Abijah, son of Jeroboam, got sick. 2 Jeroboam told his wife, "Go to Shiloh, but disguise yourself so that people will not recognize you as my wife. The prophet Ahijah, who told me I would be king of these people, is there. 3 Take ten loaves of bread, some raisins,a and a jar of honey with you, and go to him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy." 4 Jeroboam's wife did this. She left, went to Shiloh, and came to the home of Ahijah.
Ahijah couldn't see. His eyesight had failed because he was old. 5 However, Yahweh had told Ahijah, "Jeroboam's wife is coming to ask you about her son who is sick. When she comes, she will pretend to be someone else." He also told Ahijah what to say to her.
6 Ahijah heard her footsteps when she came into the room. He said, "Come in. You're Jeroboam's wife. Why are you pretending to be someone else? I've been told to give you some terrible news. 7 Tell Jeroboam, 'This is what Yahweh Elohim of Israel says: I picked you out of the people and made you a leader over my people Israel. 8 I tore the kingdom away from David's heirs and gave it to you. But you have not been like my servant David. He obeyed my commands and faithfully followed me by doing only what I considered right. 9 You have done more evil things than everyone before you. You made other gods, metal idols, for yourself. You made me furious and turned your back to me.
10 "'That is why I will bring disaster on Jeroboam's house. I will destroy every maleb in his house, whether slave or freeman in Israel. I will burn down Jeroboam's house. It will burn like manure until it is gone. 11 If anyone from Jeroboam's house dies in the city, dogs will eat him. If anyone dies in the country, birds will eat him.' Yahweh has said this!
12 "Get up, and go home. The moment you set foot in the city the child will die. 13 All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. He is the only one of Jeroboam's family who will be properly buried. He was the only one in Jeroboam's house in whom Yahweh Elohim of Israel found anything good. 14 Yahweh will appoint a king over Israel. That king will destroy Jeroboam's house. This will happen today. It will happen right now.c 15 "Yahweh will strike Israel like cattails which shake in the water. He will uproot Israel from this good land which he gave their ancestors. He will scatter them beyond the Euphrates River because they dedicated poles to the goddess Asherah and made Yahweh furious. 16 So Yahweh will desert Israel because of Jeroboam's sins, the sins which he led Israel to commit."
17 Jeroboam's wife got up, left, and went to Tirzah. When she walked across the threshold of her home, the boy died. 18 All Israel buried him and mourned for him as Yahweh had said through his servant, the prophet Ahijah.
19 Everything else concerning Jeroboam, his wars, and his reign is written in the official records of the kings of Israel. 20 Jeroboam ruled for 22 years. Then he lay down in death with his ancestors. His son Nadab succeeded him as king.
King Rehoboam of Judah-2 Chronicles 12:13-14 21 Rehoboam, son of Solomon, ruled Judah. He was 41 years old when he began to rule. He ruled for 17 years in Jerusalem, the city that Yahweh chose from all the tribes of Israel, the city where Yahweh put his name. Rehoboam's mother was an Ammonite woman named Naamah.
22 The people of Judah did what Yahweh considered evil. Their sins made him more angry than anything their ancestors had done. 23 They built worship sites for themselves and put up large stones and Asherah poles to worship on every high hill and under every large tree. 24 There were even male prostitutes in the temples of idols throughout the land. The people of Judah did all the disgusting practices done by the nations that Yahweh had forced out of the Israelites' way.
King Shishak Takes the Temple Treasures-2 Chronicles 12:2, 9-11, 15-16 25 In the fifth year of Rehoboam's reign, King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem. 26 He took the treasures from Yahweh's temple and the royal palace. He took them all. He took all the gold shields Solomon had made. 27 So King Rehoboam made bronze shields to replace them and put them by the entrance to the royal palace, where the captains of the guards were stationed. 28 Whenever the king went into Yahweh's temple, guards carried the shields and then returned them to the guardroom.
29 Isn't everything else concerning Rehoboam-everything he did-written in the official records of the kings of Judah? 30 There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam as long as they lived. 31 Rehoboam lay down in death with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David. (His mother was an Ammonite woman named Naamah.) His son Abijam succeeded him as king.
King Abijam of Judah-2 Chronicles 13:1, 2, 22; 14:1 15 1 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam (Nebat's son), Abijam began to rule Judah. 2 He ruled for three years in Jerusalem. His mother was named Maacah, daughter of Abishalom. 3 He followed the sinful example his father had set and wasn't committed to Yahweh his Elohim as his ancestor David had been. 4 But for David's sake Yahweh his Elohim made Abijam a lamp in Jerusalem. He appointed David's descendant to rule after him and protected Jerusalem. 5 Yahweh did this because David did what Yahweh considered right: David never failed to do anything Yahweh commanded him to do his entire life (except in the matter concerning Uriah the Hittite).
6 There was war between Abijama and Rehoboam throughout their lives.
7 Isn't everything else about Abijam-everything he did-written in the official records of the kings of Judah? There was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. 8 Abijam lay down in death with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. His son Asa succeeded him as king.
King Asa of Judah-2 Chronicles 14:2, 3; 15:16-18 9 In Jeroboam's twentieth year as king of Israel, Asa began to rule as king of Judah. 10 He ruled 41 years in Jerusalem. His grandmother was named Maacah, daughter of Abishalom.
11 Asa did what Yahweh considered right, as his ancestor David had done. 12 He forced the male temple prostitutes out of the land and got rid of the idols his father had made. 13 He also removed his grandmother Maacah from the position of queen mother because she made a statue of the repulsive goddess Asherah. Asa cut the statue down and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 14 Although the illegal worship sites were not torn down, Asa remained committed to Yahweh his entire life. 15 He brought into Yahweh's temple the silver, the gold, and the utensils he and his father had set apart as holy.
King Asa's War with King Baasha-2 Chronicles 15:19; 16:1-6, 11-14; 17:1 16 There was war between Asa and King Baasha of Israel as long as they lived. 17 King Baasha of Israel invaded Judah and fortified Ramah to keep anyone from going to or coming from King Asa of Judah.
18 Then Asa took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of Yahweh's temple and the royal palace and turned them over to his officials. King Asa sent them to Damascus to Aram's King Benhadad, son of Tabrimmon and grandson of Hezion. 19 He said, "There's a treaty between you and me as there was between your father and my father. I'm sending you a present of silver and gold. Now break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel so that he will leave me alone."
20 Benhadad did what King Asa requested. He sent his generals and their armies to attack the cities of Israel. He conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maacah, and the entire area around Chinneroth with the entire territory of Naphtali. 21 When Baasha heard the news, he stopped fortifying Ramah and lived in Tirzah. 22 Then King Asa drafted everyone in Judah and excused no one. He made them carry the stones and lumber from Ramah. Baasha had been using those to fortify the city. King Asa used the materials to fortify Geba in Benjamin and Mizpah.
23 Isn't everything else about Asa-all his heroic acts, everything he did, and the cities he fortified-written in the official records of the kings of Judah? But when he was old, he had a foot disease. 24 Asa lay down in death with his ancestors. He was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor, David. His son Jehoshaphat succeeded him as king.
King Baasha Overthrows Nadab, Son of Jeroboam 25 Nadab, son of Jeroboam, began to rule Israel in Asa's second year as king of Judah. He ruled for two years. 26 He did what Yahweh considered evil, living as his father did, leading Israel into the same sins.
27 Then Baasha, son of Ahijah from the tribe of Issachar, plotted against Nadab. Baasha assassinated him in the Philistine city of Gibbethon while Nadab and the Israelite forces were attacking it. 28 The assassination happened in Asa's third year as king of Judah. Baasha succeeded Nadab as king of Israel. 29 As soon as he was king, he killed everyone else in Jeroboam's family. He did not spare a soul, as Yahweh had spoken through his servant Ahijah from Shiloh. 30 This was because of Jeroboam's sins and the sins which he led Israel to commit. Those sins made Yahweh Elohim of Israel furious.
31 Isn't everything else about Nadab-everything he did-written in the official records of the kings of Israel? 32 There was war between Asa and Baasha as long as they lived.
33 In Asa's third year as king of Judah, Baasha, son of Ahijah, began to rule Israel in Tirzah. He ruled for 24 years. 34 He did what Yahweh considered evil. He lived like Jeroboam and led Israel into committing the same sins.
The LORD Condemns King Baasha 16 1 Yahweh spoke his word to Jehu, Hanani's son, against Baasha. 2 He said, "I raised you from the dust and made you leader of my people Israel. But you have lived like Jeroboam. You have led my people to sin, and their sins make me furious. 3 So I will destroy Baasha and his family. I will make his family like the family of Jeroboam (Nebat's son). 4 Dogs will eat anyone from Baasha's family who dies in the city. Birds will eat anyone from his family who dies in the country."
5 Isn't everything else about Baasha-what he did and his heroic acts-written in the official records of the kings of Israel? 6 Baasha lay down in death with his ancestors and was buried in Tirzah. His son Elah succeeded him as king. 7 In addition, Yahweh spoke his word to the prophet Jehu, Hanani's son, against Baasha and his family because of all the things Baasha did which Yahweh considered evil. Baasha's actions, which made Yahweh furious, were like the sin of Jeroboam's family. Yahweh was also furious because Baasha destroyed Jeroboam's family.
Zimri Overthrows King Elah, Son of Baasha 8 Elah, son of Baasha, began to rule Israel in Asa's twenty-sixth year as Judah's king. He ruled in Tirzah for two years. 9 But Zimri, the general who commanded half of Elah's chariots, plotted against him. Elah was getting drunk in Tirzah at Arza's house. (Arza was in charge of the palace in Tirzah.) 10 Zimri entered Arza's house, attacked Elah, and killed him in Asa's twenty-seventh year as king of Judah. Zimri succeeded Elah as king of Israel. 11 At the beginning of Zimri's reign, as soon as he was on his throne, he killed Baasha's entire family. He didn't spare any of Baasha's malea relatives or friends. 12 So Zimri destroyed Baasha's entire family, as Yahweh had spoken through the prophet Jehu. 13 This was for all the sins committed by Baasha and his son Elah. They sinned, led Israel to sin, and made Yahweh Elohim of Israel furious because of their worthless idols. 14 Isn't everything else about Elah-everything he did-written in the official records of the kings of Israel?
King Zimri Rules for Seven Days 15 In Asa's twenty-seventh year as Judah's king, Zimri ruled for seven days in Tirzah while the army was camped near the Philistine city of Gibbethon. 16 When the army heard that Zimri had plotted against the king and killed him, the Israelite troops in the camp made Omri, the commander of the army, king of Israel.
17 Omri and the Israelite troops with him left Gibbethon and attacked Tirzah. 18 When Zimri saw that the city had been captured, he went into the stronghold in the royal palace and burned down the palace over his own head. He died 19 because of the sins he had committed-the things Yahweh considered evil. Zimri lived like Jeroboam and led Israel to sin. 20 Isn't everything else about Zimri and his plot written in the official records of the kings of Israel?
Omri Defeats Tibni 21 Then the army of Israel was divided into two factions. Half of the army followed Tibni, son of Ginath, and wanted to make him king. The other half followed Omri. 22 But the half which followed Omri was stronger than the half which followed Tibni, Ginath's son. Tibni died, and Omri became king. 23 Omri began to rule Israel in Asa's thirty-first year as king of Judah. He ruled for 12 years, 6 of them in Tirzah.
24 0mri bought a hill from Shemer for 150 pounds of silver. He fortified the hill and built the city of Samaria on it. He named the city after its former owner, Shemer.
King Omri of Israel 25 Omri did what Yahweh considered evil. He did more evil things than all the kings before him. 26 He lived exactly like Jeroboam (Nebat's son). He sinned and led Israel to sin with worthless idols, and the Israelites made Yahweh Elohim of Israel furious.
27 Isn't everything else about Omri-what he did and his heroic acts-written in the official records of the kings of Israel? 28 Omri lay down in death with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. His son Ahab succeeded him as king.
King Ahab Introduces Worship of Baal into Israel 29 Ahab, son of Omri, began to rule Israel in Asa's thirty-eighth year as king of Judah. He ruled for 22 years in Samaria. 30 Ahab, son of Omri, did what Yahweh considered evil. He was worse than all the kings who were before him. 31 It wasn't enough that he committed the same sins as Jeroboam (Nebat's son). He also married Jezebel, daughter of King Ethbaal of Sidon. Ahab then served and worshiped Baal. 32 He built the temple of Baal in Samaria and set up an altar there. 33 Ahab made poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah. He did more to make Yahweh Elohim of Israel furious than all the kings of Israel who came before him.
34 In Ahab's time Hiel from Bethel rebuilt Jericho.
Laying the foundation cost him his firstborn son, Abiram.
Setting up the city doors cost him his youngest son, Segub.
Yahweh had spoken this through Joshua, son of Nun.
Elijah
A courageous prophet who took on the widespread idolatry of his day, regardless of threats to his life. Elijah referred to God as Yahweh Tsebaoth (1 Kings 18:15) Yahweh Elohim (1 Kings 17:1) Elohim (1 Kings 17:21)
Elijah Prophesies a Drought 17 1 Elijah, who was from Tishbe but had settled in Gilead, said to Ahab, "I solemnly swear, as Yahweh Elohim of Israel whom I serve lives, there will be no dew or rain during the next few years unless I say so."
2 Then Yahweh spoke his word to Elijah: 3 "Leave here, turn east, and hide beside the Cherith River, which is east of the Jordan River. 4 You can drink from the stream, and I've commanded ravens to feed you there."
5 Elijah left and did what the word of Yahweh had told him. He went to live by the Cherith River, which is east of the Jordan River. 6 Ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and in the evening. And he drank from the stream.
7 But after some time the stream dried up because no rain had fallen in the land.