present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, armour, and spices, horses, and mules, at a certain rate year by year. 25 And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; whom he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. 26 And he reigned over all the kings from the river even to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt. [1] 27 And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar trees he made as the sycamore trees that are in the low plains in abundance. [2] 28 And they brought to Solomon horses from Egypt, and from all lands. 29 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat? [3] 30 And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. 31 And Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.
CHAP. 10.
1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem had all Israel come to make him king.
2 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 from Egypt.
3 And they sent and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,
4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.
5 And he said to them, Come again to me after three days. And the people departed.
6 And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people?
7 And they spoke to him, saying, If thou wilt be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever.
8 But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him.
9 And he said to them, What advice give ye that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Ease somewhat the yoke that thy father put upon us?
10 And the young men that were brought up with him spoke to him, saying, Thus shalt thou answer the people that spoke to thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it somewhat lighter for us; thus shalt thou say to them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s thighs.
11 For though my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. [4]
12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king appointed, saying, Come again to me on the third day.
13 And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men,
14 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.
15 So the king hearkened not to the people: for the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spoke by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
16 And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken to them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to thy own house. So all Israel went to their tents.
17 But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
18 Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the forced labour; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. But king Rehoboam made speed to get into his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. [5]
19 And Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day.
CHAP. 11.
1 And when Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin an hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, who were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.
2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
3 Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
4 Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return
