²⁴ ‘This is what the Lord says: Do not go up to fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.’” So they obeyed the word of the Lord and went home again, as the Lord had ordered.

¹⁵ So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from the Lord,^(A) to fulfill the word the Lord had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah^(B) the Shilonite.

⁹ But a prophet of the Lord named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army when it returned to Samaria. He said to them, “Because the Lord, the God of your ancestors, was angry^(A) with Judah, he gave them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches to heaven.^{(B) 10} And now you intend to make the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem your slaves.^(C) But aren’t you also guilty of sins against the Lord your God? ¹¹ Now listen to me! Send back your fellow Israelites you have taken as prisoners, for the Lord’s fierce anger rests on you.^(D)”

¹² Then some of the leaders in Ephraim—Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berekiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai—confronted those who were arriving from the war. ¹³ “You must not bring those prisoners here,” they said, “or we will be guilty before the Lord. Do you intend to add to our sin and guilt? For our guilt is already great, and his fierce anger rests on Israel.”

¹⁴ So the soldiers gave up the prisoners and plunder in the presence of the officials and all the assembly. ¹⁵ The men designated by name took the prisoners, and from the plunder they clothed all who were naked. They provided them with clothes and sandals, food and drink,^(E) and healing balm. All those who were weak they put on donkeys. So they took them back to their fellow Israelites at Jericho, the City of Palms,^(F) and returned to Samaria.^(G)

¹⁰ So Amaziah dismissed the troops who had come to him from Ephraim and sent them home. They were furious with Judah and left for home in a great rage.^(A)

⁷ But a man of God came to him and said, “Your Majesty, these troops from Israel^(A) must not march with you, for the Lord is not with Israel—not with any of the people of Ephraim. ⁸ Even if you go and fight courageously in battle, God will overthrow you before the enemy, for God has the power to help or to overthrow.”^(B)

⁴ ‘This is what the Lord says: Do not go up to fight against your fellow Israelites.^(A) Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.’” So they obeyed the words of the Lord and turned back from marching against Jeroboam.

²⁹ About that time Jeroboam was going out of Jerusalem, and Ahijah^(A) the prophet of Shiloh met him on the way, wearing a new cloak. The two of them were alone out in the country, ³⁰ and Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing and tore^(B) it into twelve pieces. ³¹ Then he said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘See, I am going to tear^(C) the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand and give you ten tribes. ³² But for the sake^(D) of my servant David and the city of Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, he will have one tribe. ³³ I will do this because they have^[a] forsaken me and worshiped^(E) Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Molek the god of the Ammonites, and have not walked^(F) in obedience to me, nor done what is right in my eyes, nor kept my decrees^(G) and laws as David, Solomon’s father, did.

³⁴ “‘But I will not take the whole kingdom out of Solomon’s hand; I have made him ruler all the days of his life for the sake of David my servant, whom I chose and who obeyed my commands and decrees. ³⁵ I will take the kingdom from his son’s hands and give you ten tribes. ³⁶ I will give one tribe^(H) to his son so that David my servant may always have a lamp^(I) before me in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to put my Name. ³⁷ However, as for you, I will take you, and you will rule^(J) over all that your heart desires;^(K) you will be king over Israel. ³⁸ If you do whatever I command you and walk in obedience to me and do what is right^(L) in my eyes by obeying my decrees^(M) and commands, as David my servant did, I will be with you. I will build you a dynasty^(N) as enduring as the one I built for David and will give Israel to you.

⁴² Do not go up, because the Lord is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies,^(A)