Self-interpreting Bible

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1 Kings 11

1Solomon's multitude of wives and concubines, who in his old age seduce him to idolatry. 9God threateneth to rend the greater part of the kingdom from his family. 14Solomon findeth an adversary in Hadad the Edomite, who had been entertained in Egypt; 23and in Rezon, who reigned in Damascus; 26and in Jeroboam, to whom Ahijah had prophesied the kingdom should be translated. 41Solomon's acts, reign, and death: Rehoboam succeedeth him.

1 BUT king Solomon loved amany *strange women, 1together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and bHittites;

2 Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, cYe shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon *clave unto these in love.

3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives dturned away his heart.

4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was eold, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and fhis heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

5 For Solomon went after gAshtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after 2Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

6 And Solomon hdid evil in the sight of the LORD, and 3went inot fully after the LORD, as did David his father.

7 Then did Solomon build an jhigh place for kChemosh, the abomination of Moab, in lthe hill that is before Jerusalem, and for mMolech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.

8 And likewise did he for nall his *strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.

9 ¶And the LORD was oangry with Solomon, because phis heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, qwhich had appeared unto him twice,

10 And rhad commanded him concerning this thing, sthat he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.

11 Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, *Forasmuch as this 4is done of thee, and thou hast tnot kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, uI will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

12 Notwithstanding vin thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but wI will rend it out of the hand of thy son.

13 xHowbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give yone tribe to thy son for zDavid my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake awhich I have chosen.

14 ¶And the LORD bstirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom.

15 For cit came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain, after he had smitten every male in Edom;

16 (For six months did Joab remain there with all Israel, until he had cut off every male in Edom:)

    17 That Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father's servants with him, to go into Egypt; Hadad being yet a dlittle child.

    18 And they arose out of eMidian, and came to fParan: and they took men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, unto Pharaoh king of Egypt; which gave him an house, and appointed him *victuals, and gave him land.

    19 And Hadad found ggreat favour in the sight of hPharaoh, so that he gave him to wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the iqueen.

    20 And the sister of Tahpenes bare him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes jweaned in Pharaoh's house: and Genubath was in Pharaoh's household among the sons of Pharaoh.

    21 And when Hadad kheard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the host was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, 5Let me depart, that I may go to mine own country.

    22 Then Pharaoh said unto him, But what hast thou lacked with me, that, behold, thou seekest to go to thine own country? And he answered, 6Nothing: howbeit let me go in any wise.

    • 6: Heb. Not.

    23 ¶And God stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his llord Hadadezer king of Zobah:

    24 And he gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, mwhen David slew them of Zobah: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus.

    25 And he was an adversary to Israel nall the days of Solomon, beside the mischief that Hadad did: and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria.

    26 ¶And oJeroboam the son of Nebat, an pEphrathite of Zereda, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king.

    27 And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon qbuilt Millo, and 7repaired the breaches of the city of David his father.

    28 And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon rseeing the young man that he 8was industrious, he made him ruler over all the 9charge of the house of Joseph.

    29 And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet sAhijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:

    30 And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and trent it in twelve pieces:

    31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, uI will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:

    32 (But vhe shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)

    33 Because wthat they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.

    34 Howbeit xI will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant's sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes:

    35 But yI will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes.

    36 And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a 10light alway before me in Jerusalem, zthe city which I have chosen me to put my name there.

    37 And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign aaccording to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.

    38 And it shall be, bif thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I cwill be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.

    39 And I will for this dafflict the seed of David, but not for eever.

    40 Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto fShishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

    41 ¶And gthe rest of the 11acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?

    42 And the 12time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.

    • 12: Heb. days.

    43 And Solomon hslept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and 13Rehoboam his son reigned in his *stead.