The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

And all King Salomons drinking vessels were of golde, and all the vessels of the house of the woode of Lebanon were of pure golde, none were of siluer: for it was nothing esteemed in the dayes of Salomon.

For the King had on the sea the nauie of Tharshish with the nauie of Hiram: once in three yere came the nauie of Tharshish, and brought golde and siluer, yuorie, and apes and peacockes.

So King Salomon exceeded all the kings of the earth both in riches and in wisedome.

And al the world sought to see Salomon, to heare his wisedome, which God had put in his heart,

And they brought euery man his present, vessels of siluer, and vessels of golde, and raiment, and armour, and sweete odours, horses and mules, from yeere to yeere.

Then Salomon gathered together charrets and horsemen: and he had a thousand and foure hundreth charets, and twelue thousande horsemen, whome hee placed in the charet cities, and with the King at Ierusalem.

And the King gaue siluer in Ierusalem as stones, and gaue cedars as the wilde figtrees that growe abundantly in the plaine.

Also Salomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and fine linen: the Kings marchants receiued the linen for a price.

There came vp and went out of Egypt some charet, worth sixe hundreth shekels of siluer: that is, one horse, an hundreth and fiftie and thus they brought horses to all the Kings of the Hittites and to the Kings of Aram by their meanes.

Bvt King Salomon loued many outlandish women: both the daughter of Pharaoh, and the women of Moab, Ammon, Edom, Zidon and Heth,

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.

And he had seuen hundreth wiues, that were princesses, and three hundreth concubines, and his wiues turned away his heart.

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.

For Salomon followed Ashtaroth the god of the Zidonians, and Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

So Salomon wrought wickednesse in the sight of the Lord, but continued not to follow the Lord, as did Dauid his father.

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.

And so did he for all his outlandish wiues, which burnt incense and offered vnto their gods.

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,

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.

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.

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:

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.

Then the Lord stirred vp an aduersarie vnto Salomon, euen Hadad the Edomite, of the Kings seede, which was in Edom.

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,

(For six moneths did Ioab remaine there, and all Israel, till he had destroyed all the males in Edom)

Then this Hadad fled and certaine other Edomites of his fathers seruants with him, to goe into Egypt, Hadad being yet a litle childe.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

And God stirred him vp another aduersarie, Rezon the sonne of Eliada, which fled from his lorde Hadadezer King of Zobah.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Then Ahiiah caught the newe garment that was on him, and rent it in twelue pieces,

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.

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,

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.

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.

But I will take the kingdome out of his sonnes hand, and will giue it vnto thee, euen the ten tribes.

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.

And I wil take thee, and thou shalt reigne, euen as thine heart desireth, and shalt be King ouer Israel.

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.

And I will for this afflict the seede of Dauid, but not for euer.

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.

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?

The time that Salomon reigned in Ierusalem ouer all Israel, was fourtie yeere.

And Salomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the citie of Dauid his father: and Rehoboam his sonne reigned in his steade.

And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for al Israel were come to Sheche, to make him king

And whe Ieroboam ye sonne of Nebat heard of it (who was yet in Egypt, whither Ieroboam had fled from king Salomon, and dwelt in Egypt)

Then they sent and called him: and Ieroboam and all the Congregation of Israel came, and spake vnto Rehoboam, saying,

Thy father made our yoke grieuous: now therefore make thou the grieuous seruitude of thy father, and his sore yoke which he put vpon vs, lighter, and we will serue thee.

And he said vnto them, Depart yet for three dayes, then come againe to me. And the people departed.

And King Rehoboam tooke counsell with the olde men that had stande before Salomon his father, while he yet liued, and sayde, What counsell giue ye, that I may make an answere to this people?

And they spake vnto him, saying, If thou be a seruant vnto this people this day, and serue them, and answere them, and speake kinde wordes to them, they will be thy seruants for euer.

But he forsooke the counsell that the olde men had giuen him, and asked counsell of the yong men that had bene brought vp with him, and waited on him.

And he said vnto them, What counsell giue ye, that we may answere this people, which haue spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke, which thy father did put vpon vs, lighter?

Then the yong men that were brought vp with him, spake vnto him, saying, Thus shalt thou say vnto this people, that haue spoken vnto thee, and said, Thy father hath made our yoke heauie, but make thou it lighter vnto vs: euen thus shalt thou say vnto them, My least part shalbe bigger then my fathers loynes.

Now where as my father did burden you with a grieuous yoke, I will yet make your yoke heauier: my father hath chastised you with rods, but I will correct you with scourges.

Then Ieroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me againe ye thirde day.

And the king answered the people sharpely, and left the old mens counsell that they gaue him,

And spake to them after the counsell of the yong men, saying, My father made your yoke grieuous, and I will make your yoke more grieuous: my father hath chastised you with rods, but I will correct you with scourges.

And the King hearkened not vnto the people: for it was the ordinance of the Lord, that he might perfourme his saying, which the Lord had spoken by Ahiiah the Shilonite vnto Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat.

So when all Israel sawe that the King regarded them not, the people answered the King thus, saying, What portion haue we in Dauid? we haue none inheritance in the sonne of Ishai. To your tents, O Israel: nowe see to thine owne house, Dauid. So Israel departed vnto their tents.

Howbeit ouer the children of Israel, which dwelt in the cities of Iudah, did Rehoboam reigne still.

Nowe the King Rehoboam sent Adoram the receiuer of the tribute, and all Israel stoned him to death: then King Rehoboam made speede to get him vp to his charet, to flee to Ierusalem.

And Israel rebelled against the house of Dauid vnto this day.

And when all Israel had heard that Ieroboam was come againe, they sent and called him vnto the assemblie, and made him King ouer all Israel: none followed the house of Dauid, but the tribe of Iudah onely.

And when Rehoboam was come to Ierusalem, he gathered all the house of Iudah with the tribe of Beniamin an hundreth and foure score thousand of chosen men (which were good warriours) to fight against the house of Israel, and to bring the kingdome againe to Rehoboam the sonne of Salomon.

But the worde of God came vnto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

Speake vnto Rehoboam the sonne of Salomon King of Iudah, and vnto all the house of Iudah and Beniamin, and the remnant of the people, saying,

Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go vp, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: returne euery man to his house: for this thing is done by me. They obeyed therefore the worde of the Lord and returned, and departed, according to the worde of the Lord.

Then Ieroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein, and went from thence, and built Penuel.

And Ieroboam thought in his heart, Nowe shall the kingdome returne to the house of Dauid.

If this people goe vp and doe sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Ierusalem, then shall the heart of this people turne againe vnto their lorde, euen to Rehoboam King of Iudah: so shall they kill me and goe againe to Rehoboam King of Iudah.

Whereupon the King tooke counsell, and made two calues of golde, and saide vnto them, It is too much for you to goe vp to Ierusalem: beholde, O Israel, thy gods, which brought thee vp out of the lande of Egypt.

And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other set he in Dan.

And this thing turned to sinne: for the people went (because of the one) euen to Dan.

Also he made an house of hie places, and made Priestes of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sonnes of Leui.

And Ieroboam made a feast the fifteenth day of the eight moneth, like vnto the feast that is in Iudah, and offred on the altar. So did he in Beth-el and offered vnto the calues that he had made: and he placed in Beth-el the Priestes of the hie places, which he had made.

And he offered vpon the altar, which he had made in Beth-el, the fifteenth day of the eight moneth, (euen in the moneth which he had forged of his owne heart) and made a solemne feast vnto the children of Israel: and he went vp to the altar, to burne incense.

And beholde, there came a man of God out of Iudah (by the commandement of the Lord) vnto Beth-el, and Ieroboam stoode by the altar to offer incense.

And he cryed against the altar by the comandement of the Lord, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord, Beholde, a child shalbe borne vnto the house of Dauid, Iosiah by name, and vpon thee shall he sacrifice the Priestes of the hie places that burne incense vpon thee, and they shall burne mens bones vpon thee.

And he gaue a signe the same time, saying, This is the signe, that the Lord hath spoken, Behold, the altar shall rent, and the ashes that are vpon it, shall fall out.

And when the King had heard the saying of the man of God, which he had cryed against the altar in Beth-el, Ieroboam stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, Lay holde on him: but his hande which he put foorth against him, dryed vp, and he could not pull it in againe to him.

The altar also claue asunder, and the ashes fell out from the altar, according to the signe, which the man of God had giuen by the commandement of the Lord.

Then the King answered, and saide vnto the man of God, I beseeche thee, pray vnto ye Lord thy God, and make intercession for me, that mine hand may bee restored vnto me. And the man of God besought the Lord, and the Kings hand was restored, and became as it was afore.

Then the King sayde vnto the man of God, Come home with mee, that thou mayest dyne, and I will giue thee a reward.

But the man of God saide vnto the King, If thou wouldest giue me halfe thine house, I would not goe in with thee, neither woulde I eate bread nor drinke water in this place.

For so was it charged mee by the worde of the Lord, saying, Eate no bread nor drinke water, nor turne againe by the same way that thou camest.

So he went another way and returned not by the way that he came to Beth-el.

And an olde Prophet dwelt in Beth-el, and his sonnes came and tolde him all ye woorkes, that the man of God had done that day in Beth-el, and the wordes which he had spoken vnto the King, tolde they their father.

And their father sayde vnto them, What way went he? and his sonnes shewed him what waye the man of God went, which came from Iudah.

And hee saide vnto his sonnes, Saddle mee the asse. Who sadled him the asse, and hee rode thereon,

And went after the man of God, and found him sitting vnder an oke: and he saide vnto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Iudah? And he sayd, Yea.

Then he said vnto him, Come home with me, and eate bread.