⁷ I will establish his kingdom ^(A)forever ^(B)if he continues strong in keeping my commandments and my rules, as he is today.’

^13 (A)Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the rules that the Lord commanded Moses for Israel. ^(B)Be strong and courageous. Fear not; do not be dismayed.

^61 (A)Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the Lord our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day.”

⁴⁴ And in the days of those kings ^(A)the God of heaven will set up ^(B)a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. ^(C)It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and ^(D)it shall stand forever,

¹⁰ Be careful now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; ^(A)be strong and do it.”

The Lord Raises Adversaries

⁹ And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because ^(A)his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, ^(B)who had appeared to him twice ¹⁰ and ^(C)had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded. ¹¹ Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, ^(D)I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant. ¹² Yet for the sake of David your father I will not do it in your days, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. ¹³ However, ^(E)I will not tear away all the kingdom, but ^(F)I will give one tribe to your son, for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem ^(G)that I have chosen.”

⁴ For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and ^(A)his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, ^(B)as was the heart of David his father.