First Kings Chapter 11 1 King Solomon loved many foreign women, even the daughter of Pharaoh, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, Hittites;2 of the nations that the Lord had said to the children of Israel, you shall not go in to them, and they shall not go in to you. Surely they will turn away your heart after their gods. Solomon clung to these in love.3 He had 700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart.4 When Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods. And his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom, the abomination of the Ammonites;6 and Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not go fully after the Lord like his father David.7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.8 Likewise he did for all his foreign wives, and burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.9 The Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice10 and had commanded him concerning this, that he should not go after other gods. And he did not keep what the Lord commanded.11 The Lord said to Solomon, Since this is done by you, and since you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant.12 But I will not do it in your days, for David your father's sake, but I will tear it from your son.13 Only, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake that I have chosen.14 The Lord stirred up a foe to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite. He was of the king's descendants in Edom.15 When David was in Edom, and Joab the commander of the army had gone up to bury the slain, after he had stricken every male in Edom,16 for Joab remained there six months with all Israel, until he had cut off every male in Edom,17 Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father's servants with him, to go to Egypt, Hadad being still a little child.18 They arose out of Midian and came to Paran. They took men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave him a house and appointed food for him, and gave him land.19 Hadad found great favor in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him the sister of his own wife for a wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen.20 The sister of Tahpenes bore him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's house. And Genubath was in Pharaoh's household among the sons of Pharaoh.21 When Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the commander of the army was dead, even Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart so that I may go to my own land.22 Pharaoh said to him, But what have you lacked with me that, behold, you seek to go to your land? And he answered, Nothing. However, you shall certainly send me away.23 God stirred up another foe, to him, Rezon the son of Eliadah, who fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah.24 He gathered men to him and became head over a band when David killed them. Then they went to Damascus and lived in it and reigned in Damascus.25 He was a foe to Israel all the days of Solomon, besides the mischief that Hadad did. And he hated Israel and reigned over Syria.26 Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow, he too lifted up his hand against the king.27 This was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king. Solomon built Millo and repaired the breaks of the city of David his father.28 The man Jeroboam was a mighty man of war. And Solomon, seeing that the young man was doing work, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.29 At that time, when Jeroboam left Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh found him on the way. He had clothed himself with a new garment. And the two of them were alone in the field.30 Ahijah caught hold of the new robe on him, and tore it in twelve pieces.31 He said to Jeroboam, Take ten pieces for yourself. For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, Behold, I will tear the kingdom from Solomon and will give ten tribes to you,32 but he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel,33 because they have forsaken me, and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the goddess of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do what is right in my eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as David his father did.34 But I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him ruler all the days of his life for the sake of David my servant, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes.35 But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it to you, ten tribes.36 To his son I will give one tribe, so that David my servant may have a light always before me in Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen for me, to put my name there.37 I will take you, and you shall reign according to all that your soul desires, and shall be king over Israel.38 If you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do what is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, then I will be with you and build you a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel to you.39 For this I will afflict the descendants of David, but not forever.40 Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam. So Jeroboam fled to Egypt, to King Shishak of Egypt and he was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.41 The rest of the acts of Solomon and all that he did and his wisdom are written in the book of the acts of Solomon?42 The days that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel were 40 years.43 Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam reigned in his place.
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