1 Kings 11:26-43

New International Version

Jeroboam Rebels Against Solomon

²⁶Also, Jeroboam son of Nebat rebelled^(A) against the king. He was one of Solomon’s officials, an Ephraimite from Zeredah, and his mother was a widow named Zeruah.

²⁷Here is the account of how he rebelled against the king: Solomon had built the terraces^[a]^(B) and had filled in the gap in the wall of the city of David his father. ²⁸Now Jeroboam was a man of standing,^(C) and when Solomon saw how well^(D) the young man did his work, he put him in charge of the whole labor force of the tribes of Joseph.

²⁹About that time Jeroboam was going out of Jerusalem, and Ahijah^(E) the prophet of Shiloh met him on the way, wearing a new cloak. The two of them were alone out in the country, ³⁰and Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing and tore^(F) it into twelve pieces. ³¹Then 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^(G) the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand and give you ten tribes. ³²But for the sake^(H) 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. ³³I will do this because they have^[b] forsaken me and worshiped^(I) Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Molek the god of the Ammonites, and have not walked^(J) in obedience to me, nor done what is right in my eyes, nor kept my decrees^(K) 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. ³⁵I will take the kingdom from his son’s hands and give you ten tribes. ³⁶I will give one tribe^(L) to his son so that David my servant may always have a lamp^(M) before me in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to put my Name. ³⁷However, as for you, I will take you, and you will rule^(N) over all that your heart desires;^(O) you will be king over Israel. ³⁸If you do whatever I command you and walk in obedience to me and do what is right^(P) in my eyes by obeying my decrees^(Q) and commands, as David my servant did, I will be with you. I will build you a dynasty^(R) as enduring as the one I built for David and will give Israel to you. ³⁹I will humble David’s descendants because of this, but not forever.’”

⁴⁰Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam fled^(S) to Egypt, to Shishak^(T) the king, and stayed there until Solomon’s death.

Solomon’s Death^(U)

⁴¹As for the other events of Solomon’s reign—all he did and the wisdom he displayed—are they not written in the book of the annals of Solomon? ⁴²Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. ⁴³Then he rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam^(V) his son succeeded him as king.

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Footnotes

1 Kings 11:27 Or the Millo
1 Kings 11:33 Hebrew; Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac because he has

Ecclesiastes 9:12

New International Version

¹²Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come:

As fish are caught in a cruel net,
or birds are taken in a snare,
so people are trapped by evil times^(A)
that fall unexpectedly upon them.^(B)

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Ecclesiastes 9:12 in all English translations

Ecclesiastes 12

New International Version

12 Remember^(A) your Creator
    in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble^(B) come
    and the years approach when you will say,
    “I find no pleasure in them”—
²before the sun and the light
    and the moon and the stars grow dark,
    and the clouds return after the rain;
³when the keepers of the house tremble,
    and the strong men stoop,
when the grinders cease because they are few,
    and those looking through the windows grow dim;
⁴when the doors to the street are closed
    and the sound of grinding fades;
when people rise up at the sound of birds,
    but all their songs grow faint;^(C)
⁵when people are afraid of heights
    and of dangers in the streets;
when the almond tree blossoms
    and the grasshopper drags itself along
    and desire no longer is stirred.
Then people go to their eternal home^(D)
    and mourners^(E) go about the streets.

⁶Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,
    and the golden bowl is broken;
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
    and the wheel broken at the well,
⁷and the dust returns^(F) to the ground it came from,
    and the spirit returns to God^(G) who gave it.^(H)

⁸“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher.^[a]^(I)
“Everything is meaningless!^(J)”

The Conclusion of the Matter

⁹Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs.^(K) ¹⁰The Teacher^(L) searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.^(M)

¹¹The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails^(N)—given by one shepherd.^[b] ¹²Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.

Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.^(O)

¹³Now all has been heard;
    here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God^(P) and keep his commandments,^(Q)
    for this is the duty of all mankind.^(R)
¹⁴For God will bring every deed into judgment,^(S)
    including every hidden thing,^(T)
    whether it is good or evil.