2Chronicles 9-12; Psalms 73 - Prayer Tents

Visit of the Queen of Sheba

9When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. She arrived with a large group of attendants and a great caravan of camels loaded with spices, large quantities of gold, and precious jewels. When she met with Solomon, she talked with him about everything she had on her mind.H4436H7614H8085H8088H8010H935H5254H8010H2420H3389H3966H3515H2428H1581H5375H1314H2091H7230H3368H68H935H8010H1696H3824 2Solomon had answers for all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her.H8010H5046H1697H5956H8010H5046 3When the queen of Sheba realized how wise Solomon was, and when she saw the palace he had built,H4436H7614H7200H2451H8010H1004H1129 4she was overwhelmed. She was also amazed at the food on his tables, the organization of his officials and their splendid clothing, the cup-bearers and their robes, and the burnt offerings Solomon made at the Temple of the LORD.H3978H7979H4186H5650H4612H8334H4403H8248H4403H5944H5927H1004H3068H7307 5She exclaimed to the king, "Everything I heard in my country about your achievements and wisdom is true!H559H4428H571H1697H8085H776H1697H2451 6I didn't believe what was said until I arrived here and saw it with my own eyes. In fact, I had not heard the half of your great wisdom! It is far beyond what I was told.H539H1697H935H5869H7200H2677H4768H2451H5046H3254H8052H8085 7How happy your people must be! What a privilege for your officials to stand here day after day, listening to your wisdom!H835H582H835H5650H5975H8548H6440H8085H2451 8Praise the LORD your God, who delights in you and has placed you on the throne as king to rule for him. Because God loves Israel and desires this kingdom to last forever, he has made you king over them so you can rule with justice and righteousness."H1288H3068H430H2654H5414H3678H4428H3068H430H430H160H3478H5975H5769H5414H4428H6213H4941H6666 9Then she gave the king a gift of 9,000 pounds of gold, great quantities of spices, and precious jewels. Never before had there been spices as fine as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.H5414H4428H3967H6242H3603H2091H1314H3966H7230H3368H68H1314H4436H7614H5414H4428H8010 10(In addition, the crews of Hiram and Solomon brought gold from Ophir, and they also brought red sandalwood and precious jewels.H5650H2361H5650H8010H935H2091H211H935H418H6086H3368H68 11The king used the sandalwood to make steps for the Temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and to construct lyres and harps for the musicians. Never before had such beautiful things been seen in Judah.)H4428H6213H418H6086H4546H1004H3068H4428H1004H3658H5035H7891H1992H7200H6440H776H3063 12King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba whatever she asked for—gifts of greater value than the gifts she had given him. Then she and all her attendants returned to their own land.H4428H8010H5414H4436H7614H2656H7592H935H4428H2015H3212H776H5650

Solomon’s Wealth and Splendor

13Each year Solomon received about 25 tons of gold.H4948H2091H935H8010H259H8141H8337H3967H8346H8337H3603H2091 14This did not include the additional revenue he received from merchants and traders. All the kings of Arabia and the governors of the provinces also brought gold and silver to Solomon.H582H8446H5503H935H4428H6152H6346H776H935H2091H3701H8010 15King Solomon made 200 large shields of hammered gold, each weighing more than 15 pounds.H4428H8010H6213H3967H6793H7820H2091H8337H3967H7820H2091H5927H259H6793 16He also made 300 smaller shields of hammered gold, each weighing more than 7 1/2 pounds. The king placed these shields in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.H7969H3967H4043H7820H2091H7969H3967H2091H5927H259H4043H4428H5414H1004H3293H3844 17Then the king made a huge throne, decorated with ivory and overlaid with pure gold.H4428H6213H1419H3678H8127H6823H2889H2091 18The throne had six steps, with a footstool of gold. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, and the figure of a lion stood on each side of the throne.H8337H4609H3678H3534H2091H270H3678H3027H3427H4725H8147H738H5975H681H3027 19There were also twelve other lions, one standing on each end of the six steps. No other throne in all the world could be compared with it!H8147H6240H738H5975H8337H4609H6213H4467 20All of King Solomon's drinking cups were solid gold, as were all the utensils in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. They were not made of silver, for silver was considered worthless in Solomon's day!H4945H3627H4428H8010H2091H3627H1004H3293H3844H5462H2091H3701H3972H2803H3117H8010 21The king had a fleet of trading ships manned by the sailors sent by Hiram. Once every three years the ships returned, loaded with gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.H4428H591H1980H8659H5650H2361H7969H8141H259H935H591H8659H5375H2091H3701H8143H6971H8500 22So King Solomon became richer and wiser than any other king on earth.H4428H8010H1431H4428H776H6239H2451 23Kings from every nation came to consult him and to hear the wisdom God had given him.H4428H776H1245H6440H8010H8085H2451H430H5414H3820 24Year after year everyone who visited brought him gifts of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.H935H376H4503H3627H3701H3627H2091H8008H5402H1314H5483H6505H1697H8141H8141 25Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his horses and chariots, and he had 12,000 horses. He stationed some of them in the chariot cities, and some near him in Jerusalem.H8010H702H505H723H5483H4818H8147H6240H505H6571H3240H7393H5892H4428H3389 26He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River in the north to the land of the Philistines and the border of Egypt in the south.H4910H4428H5104H776H6430H1366H4714 27The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stone. And valuable cedar timber was as common as the sycamore-fig trees that grow in the foothills of Judah.H4428H5414H3701H3389H68H730H5414H8256H8219H7230 28Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and many other countries.H3318H8010H5483H4714H776

Summary of Solomon’s Reign

29The rest of the events of Solomon's reign, from beginning to end, are recorded in The Record of Nathan the Prophet, and The Prophecy of Ahijah from Shiloh, and also in The Visions of Iddo the Seer, concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat.H7605H1697H8010H7223H314H3789H1697H5416H5030H5016H281H7888H2378H3260H2374H3379H1121H5028 30Solomon ruled in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years.H8010H4427H3389H3478H705H8141 31When he died, he was buried in the City of David, named for his father. Then his son Rehoboam became the next king.H8010H7901H1H6912H5892H1732H1H7346H1121H4427

The Northern Tribes Revolt

10Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all Israel had gathered to make him king.H7346H3212H7927H7927H3478H935H4427 2When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of this, he returned from Egypt, for he had fled to Egypt to escape from King Solomon.H3379H1121H5028H4714H1272H6440H8010H4428H8085H3379H7725H4714 3The leaders of Israel summoned him, and Jeroboam and all Israel went to speak with Rehoboam.H7971H7121H3379H3478H935H1696H7346H559 4"Your father was a hard master," they said. "Lighten the harsh labor demands and heavy taxes that your father imposed on us. Then we will be your loyal subjects."H1H5923H7185H7043H7186H5656H1H3515H5923H5414H5647 5Rehoboam replied, "Come back in three days for my answer." So the people went away.H559H7725H7969H3117H5971H3212 6Then King Rehoboam discussed the matter with the older men who had counseled his father, Solomon. "What is your advice?" he asked. "How should I answer these people?"H4428H7346H3289H2205H5975H6440H8010H1H2416H559H349H3289H7725H1697H5971 7The older counselors replied, "If you are good to these people and do your best to please them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your loyal subjects."H1696H559H2896H5971H7521H1696H2896H1697H5650H3117 8But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the older men and instead asked the opinion of the young men who had grown up with him and were now his advisers.H5800H6098H2205H3289H3289H3206H1431H5975H6440 9"What is your advice?" he asked them. "How should I answer these people who want me to lighten the burdens imposed by my father?"H559H3289H7725H1697H5971H1696H559H7043H5923H1H5414 10The young men replied, "This is what you should tell those complainers who want a lighter burden: 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist!H3206H1431H1696H559H559H5971H1696H559H1H3513H5923H3513H7043H559H6995H5666H1H4975 11Yes, my father laid heavy burdens on you, but I'm going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!'"H6258H1H6006H3515H5923H3254H5923H1H3256H7752H6137 12Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to hear Rehoboam's decision, just as the king had ordered.H3379H5971H935H7346H7992H3117H4428H1696H559H7725H7992H3117 13But Rehoboam spoke harshly to them, for he rejected the advice of the older counselorsH4428H6030H7186H4428H7346H5800H6098H2205 14and followed the counsel of his younger advisers. He told the people, "My father laid heavy burdens on you, but I'm going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!"H1696H6098H3206H559H1H5923H3513H3254H1H3256H7752H6137 15So the king paid no attention to the people. This turn of events was the will of God, for it fulfilled the LORD's message to Jeroboam son of Nebat through the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh.H4428H8085H5971H5252H430H3068H6965H1697H1696H3027H281H7888H3379H1121H5028 16When all Israel realized that the king had refused to listen to them, they responded, "Down with the dynasty of David! We have no interest in the son of Jesse. Back to your homes, O Israel! Look out for your own house, O David!" So all the people of Israel returned home.H3478H7200H4428H8085H5971H7725H4428H559H2506H1732H5159H1121H3448H376H168H3478H1732H7200H1004H3478H3212H168 17But Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the towns of Judah.H1121H3478H3427H5892H3063H7346H4427 18King Rehoboam sent Adoniram, who was in charge of the labor force, to restore order, but the people of Israel stoned him to death. When this news reached King Rehoboam, he quickly jumped into his chariot and fled to Jerusalem.H4428H7346H7971H1913H4522H1121H3478H7275H68H4191H4428H7346H553H5927H4818H5127H3389 19And to this day the northern tribes of Israel have refused to be ruled by a descendant of David.H3478H6586H1004H1732H3117

Shemaiah’s Prophecy

11When Rehoboam arrived at Jerusalem, he mobilized the men of Judah and Benjamin—180,000 select troops—to fight against Israel and to restore the kingdom to himself.H7346H935H3389H6950H1004H3063H1144H3967H8084H505H977H6213H4421H3898H3478H7725H4467H7725H7346 2But the LORD said to Shemaiah, the man of God,H1697H3068H8098H376H430H559 3"Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin.H559H7346H1121H8010H4428H3063H3478H3063H1144H559 4'This is what the LORD says: Do not fight against your relatives. Go back home, for what has happened is my doing!'" So they obeyed the message of the LORD and did not fight against Jeroboam.H559H3068H5927H3898H251H7725H376H1004H1697H1961H8085H1697H3068H7725H3212H3379

Rehoboam Fortifies Judah

5Rehoboam remained in Jerusalem and fortified various towns for the defense of Judah.H7346H3427H3389H1129H5892H4692H3063 6He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,H1129H1035H5862H8620 7Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,H1049H7755H5725 8Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,H1661H4762H2128 9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,H115H3923H5825 10Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These became the fortified towns of Judah and Benjamin.H6881H357H2275H3063H1144H4694H5892 11Rehoboam strengthened their defenses and stationed commanders in them, and he stored supplies of food, olive oil, and wine.H2388H4694H5414H5057H214H3978H8081H3196 12He also put shields and spears in these towns as a further safety measure. So only Judah and Benjamin remained under his control.H5892H6793H7420H7235H3966H2388H3063H1144 13But all the priests and Levites living among the northern tribes of Israel sided with Rehoboam.H3548H3881H3478H3320H1366 14The Levites even abandoned their pasturelands and property and moved to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons would not allow them to serve the LORD as priests.H3881H5800H4054H272H3212H3063H3389H3379H1121H2186H3547H3068 15Jeroboam appointed his own priests to serve at the pagan shrines, where they worshiped the goat and calf idols he had made.H5975H3548H1116H8163H5695H6213 16From all the tribes of Israel, those who sincerely wanted to worship the LORD, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem, where they could offer sacrifices to the LORD, the God of their ancestors.H310H7626H3478H5414H3824H1245H3068H430H3478H935H3389H2076H3068H430H1 17This strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they supported Rehoboam son of Solomon, for during those years they faithfully followed in the footsteps of David and Solomon.H2388H4438H3063H7346H1121H8010H553H7969H8141H7969H8141H1980H1870H1732H8010

Rehoboam’s Family

18Rehoboam married his cousin Mahalath, the daughter of David's son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Eliab son of Jesse.H7346H3947H4258H1323H1121H3406H1121H1732H802H32H1323H446H1121H3448 19Mahalath had three sons—Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.H3205H1121H3266H8114H2093 20Later Rehoboam married another cousin, Maacah, the daughter of Absalom. Maacah gave birth to Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.H310H3947H4601H1323H53H3205H29H6262H2124H8019 21Rehoboam loved Maacah more than any of his other wives and concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and they gave birth to twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.H7346H157H4601H1323H53H802H6370H5375H8083H6240H802H8346H6370H3205H6242H8083H1121H8346H1323 22Rehoboam appointed Maacah's son Abijah as leader among the princes, making it clear that he would be the next king.H7346H5975H29H1121H4601H7218H5057H251H4427 23Rehoboam also wisely gave responsibilities to his other sons and stationed some of them in the fortified towns throughout the land of Judah and Benjamin. He provided them with generous provisions, and he found many wives for them.H995H6555H1121H776H3063H1144H4694H5892H5414H4202H7230H7592H1995H802

Egypt Invades Judah

12But when Rehoboam was firmly established and strong, he abandoned the Law of the LORD, and all Israel followed him in this sin.H7346H3559H4438H2393H5800H8451H3068H3478 2Because they were unfaithful to the LORD, King Shishak of Egypt came up and attacked Jerusalem in the fifth year of King Rehoboam's reign.H2549H8141H4428H7346H7895H4428H4714H5927H3389H4603H3068 3He came with 1,200 chariots, 60,000 horses, and a countless army of foot soldiers, including Libyans, Sukkites, and Ethiopians.H3967H505H7393H8346H505H6571H5971H4557H935H4714H3864H5525H3569 4Shishak conquered Judah's fortified towns and then advanced to attack Jerusalem.H3920H4694H5892H3063H935H3389 5The prophet Shemaiah then met with Rehoboam and Judah's leaders, who had all fled to Jerusalem because of Shishak. Shemaiah told them, "This is what the LORD says: You have abandoned me, so I am abandoning you to Shishak."H935H8098H5030H7346H8269H3063H622H3389H6440H7895H559H559H3068H5800H637H5800H3027H7895 6Then the leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, "The LORD is right in doing this to us!"H8269H3478H4428H3665H559H3068H6662 7When the LORD saw their change of heart, he gave this message to Shemaiah: "Since the people have humbled themselves, I will not completely destroy them and will soon give them some relief. I will not use Shishak to pour out my anger on Jerusalem.H3068H7200H3665H1697H3068H8098H559H3665H7843H5414H4592H6413H2534H5413H3389H3027H7895 8But they will become his subjects, so they will know the difference between serving me and serving earthly rulers."H5650H3045H5656H5656H4467H776 9So King Shishak of Egypt came up and attacked Jerusalem. He ransacked the treasuries of the LORD's Temple and the royal palace; he stole everything, including all the gold shields Solomon had made.H7895H4428H4714H5927H3389H3947H214H1004H3068H214H4428H1004H3947H3947H4043H2091H8010H6213 10King Rehoboam later replaced them with bronze shields as substitutes, and he entrusted them to the care of the commanders of the guard who protected the entrance to the royal palace.H4428H7346H6213H4043H5178H6485H3027H8269H7323H8104H6607H4428H1004 11Whenever the king went to the Temple of the LORD, the guards would also take the shields and then return them to the guardroom.H1767H4428H935H1004H3068H7323H935H5375H7725H7323H8372 12Because Rehoboam humbled himself, the LORD's anger was turned away, and he did not destroy him completely. There were still some good things in the land of Judah.H3665H639H3068H7725H7843H3617H3063H1697H2896

Summary of Rehoboam’s Reign

13King Rehoboam firmly established himself in Jerusalem and continued to rule. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the LORD had chosen from among all the tribes of Israel as the place to honor his name. Rehoboam's mother was Naamah, a woman from Ammon.H4428H7346H2388H3389H4427H7346H259H705H8141H1121H4427H4427H7651H6240H8141H3389H5892H3068H977H7626H3478H7760H8034H517H8034H5279H5985 14But he was an evil king, for he did not seek the LORD with all his heart.H6213H7451H3559H3820H1875H3068 15The rest of the events of Rehoboam's reign, from beginning to end, are recorded in The Record of Shemaiah the Prophet and The Record of Iddo the Seer, which are part of the genealogical record. Rehoboam and Jeroboam were continually at war with each other.H1697H7346H7223H314H3789H1697H8098H5030H5714H2374H3187H4421H7346H3379H3117 16When Rehoboam died, he was buried in the City of David. Then his son Abijah became the next king.H7346H7901H1H6912H5892H1732H29H1121H4427