11 The navy also of Hiram (that carried gold from Ophir) brought likewise great plenty of (A)Almuggim trees from Ophir, and precious stones.

12 And the king made of the Almuggim trees pillars for the house of the Lord, and for the king’s palace, and made harps and psalteries for singers. There came no more such Almuggim trees, nor were any more seen unto this day.

13 And King Solomon gave unto the Queen of Sheba, whatsoever she would ask, besides that, which Solomon gave her of his [a]kingly liberality: so she returned and went to her own country, both she and her servants.

14 ¶ Also the weight of gold, that came to Solomon in one year, was six hundred threescore and six (B)talents of gold,

15 Besides that he had of merchant men and of the merchandises of them that sold spices, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the princes of the [b]country.

16 And King Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold, six hundred shekels of gold went to a target:

17 And three hundred shields of beaten gold, three pounds of gold went to one shield: and the King put them in the (C)house of the wood of Lebanon.

18 ¶ Then the King made a great throne of ivory, and covered it with the best gold.

19 And the throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind, and there were [c]stays on either side on the place of the throne, and two lions standing by the stays.

20 And there stood twelve lions on the six steps on either side: there was not the like made in any kingdom.

21 And all King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the wood of Lebanon were of pure gold, none were of silver: for it was nothing esteemed in the days of Solomon

22 For the King had on the sea the navy of Tarshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of [d]Tarshish, and brought gold and silver, ivory, and apes and peacocks.

23 So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth both in riches and in wisdom.

24 And all the world sought to see Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart,

25 And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, and armor, and sweet odors, horses and mules, from year to year.

26 Then Solomon gathered together (D)chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he placed in the chariot cities, and with the King at Jerusalem.

27 And the King [e]gave silver in Jerusalem as stones, and gave cedars as the wild fig trees that grow abundantly in the plain.

28 Also Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and fine linen: [f]the king’s merchants received the linen for a price.

29 There came up and went out of Egypt some chariot worth six hundred shekels of silver: that is, one horse, an hundred and fifty. And thus they brought horses to all the Kings of the Hittites and to the Kings of Aram by their [g]means.

11 3 Solomon hath a thousand wives and concubines, which bring him to idolatry. 14 His God raiseth up adversaries against him. 43 He dieth.

But King Solomon loved (E)many [h]outlandish women: both the daughter of Pharaoh, and the women of Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, and Heth,

Of the nations, whereof the Lord had said unto the children of Israel, (F)Go not ye in to them, nor let them come in to you: for surely they will turn your hearts after their gods, to them, I say, did Solomon join in love.

And he had seven hundred wives, that were [i]princesses, and three hundred [j]concubines, and his wives turned away his heart.

For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, so that his heart was not [k]perfect with the Lord his God as was the heart of David his father.

For Solomon followed (G)Ashtoreth the god of the Sidonians, and [l]Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

So Solomon wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord, but continued not to follow the Lord, as did David his father.

Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the [m]abomination of Moab, in the mountain that is over against Jerusalem, and unto Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon.

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

Therefore the Lord was angry with Solomon, because he had turned his heart from the Lord God of Israel, (H)which had appeared unto him twice,

10 And had given him a (I)charge concerning this thing, that he should not follow other gods: but he kept not that, which the Lord had commanded him.

11 Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as [n]this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my Covenant, and my statutes (which I commanded thee) (J)I will surely rent thy kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

12 Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it, because of David thy father, but I will rent it out of the hand of thy son:

13 Howbeit I will not rent all the kingdom, but will give one [o]tribe to thy son, because of David my servant, and because of Jerusalem which I have chosen.

14 ¶ Then the Lord stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, even Hadad the Edomite, of the king’s [p]seed, which was in Edom.

15 (K)For when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host had smitten all the males in Edom, and was gone up to bury the [q]slain,

16 (For six months did Joab remain there and all Israel, till he had destroyed all the males in Edom.)

17 Then this Hadad [r]fled, and certain other Edomites of his father’s servants with him, to go into Egypt, Hadad being yet a little child.

18 And they arose out of Midian, and came to Paran, and took men with them out of Paran, and came to Egypt unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, which gave him an house, and appointed him vittles and gave him land.

19 So Hadad [s]found great favor in the sight of Pharaoh, and he gave him to wife the sister of his own wife, even the sister of Tahpenes the Queen.

20 And the sister of Tahpenes bare him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh’s house: and Genubath was in Pharaoh’s house among the sons of Pharaoh.

21 And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the host was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that I may go to mine own country.

22 But Pharaoh said unto him, What hast thou lacked with me, that thou wouldest thus go to thine own country? And he answered, Nothing, but in any wise let me go.

23 (L)And God stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which [t]fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah.

24 And he gathered men unto him, and had been captain over the company, when David slew them. And they went to Damascus, and dwelt there, [u]and they made him king in Damascus.

25 Therefore was he an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon: besides the evil that Hadad did, he also abhorred Israel, and reigned over Aram

26 (M)And Jeroboam the son of Nebat an Ephraimite of Zereda Solomon’s servant (whose mother was called Zeruah a widow) lifted up his hand against the king.

27 And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king, When Solomon built Millo, he repaired the broken places of the city of David his father.

28 And this man Jeroboam was a man of strength and courage, and Solomon seeing that the young man was meet for the work, he made him [v]overseer of all the labor of the house of Joseph.

29 And at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, the Prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way, having a new garment on him, and they two were alone in the field.

30 Then Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and [w]rent it in twelve pieces,

31 And said to Jeroboam, Take unto thee ten pieces: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I will rent the kingdom out of the hands of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee.

32 But he shall have one tribe for my servant David’s sake, and for Jerusalem the city, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel,

33 Because they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the god of the Sidonians, and Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites, and have not walked in my ways (to [x]do right in mine eyes, and my statutes, and my laws) as did David his father.

34 But I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: for I will make him prince all his life long for David my servant’s sake, whom I have chosen, and who kept my commandments and my statutes.

35 (N)But I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand, and will give it unto thee, even the ten tribes.

36 And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a [y]light always before me in Jerusalem the city, which I have chosen me to put my Name there.

37 And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign [z]even as thine heart desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.

38 And if thou hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments as David my servant did, then will I be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built unto David, and will give Israel unto thee.

39 And I will [aa]for this afflict the seed of David, [ab]but not forever.

40 ¶ Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam, and Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

41 And the rest of the words of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the [ac]book of the acts of Solomon?

42 The time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel, was (O)forty years.

43 And Solomon slept with his fathers: and was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.

12 1 Rehoboam succeedeth Solomon. 8 He refuseth the counsel of the Ancient. 20 Jeroboam reigneth over Israel. 21 God commandeth Rehoboam not to fight. 28 Jeroboam maketh golden calves.

And (P)Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem, to make him king.

And when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (who was yet in Egypt, (Q)whither Jeroboam had fled from king Solomon, and [ad]dwelt in Egypt.)

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

Thy father made our (R)yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous servitude of thy father, and his sore yoke which he put upon us, [ae]lighter, and we will serve thee.

And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.

And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that [af]had stood before Solomon his father, while he yet lived, and said, What counsel give ye, that I may make an answer to this people?

And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be a [ag]servant unto this people this day, and serve them, and answer them, and speak kind words to them, they will be thy servants forever.

But he forsook the counsel that the old men had given him, and asked counsel of the young men that had been brought up with him, and waited on him.

And he said unto them, [ah]What counsel give ye, that we may answer this people, which have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke, which thy father hath put upon us, lighter?

10 Then the young men that were brought up with him, spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou say unto this people, that have spoken unto thee, and said, Thy father hath made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us: even thus shalt thou say unto them, My [ai]least part shall be [aj]bigger than my father’s loins.

11 Now whereas my father did burden you with a grievous yoke, I will yet make your yoke heavier: my father hath chastised you with rods, but I will correct you with [ak]scourges.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 10:13 Hebrew, by the hand of the King.
  2. 1 Kings 10:15 To wit, of Arabia, which for the great abundance of all things was called Happy.
  3. 1 Kings 10:19 As the chair bows, or places to lean upon.
  4. 1 Kings 10:22 By Tarshish is meant Cilicia, which was abundant in variety of precious things.
  5. 1 Kings 10:27 Or, he made silver as plenteous as stones.
  6. 1 Kings 10:28 Or, for the company of the King’s merchants did receive a number at a price.
  7. 1 Kings 10:29 Hebrew, hands.
  8. 1 Kings 11:1 Which were idolaters.
  9. 1 Kings 11:3 Or, Queens.
  10. 1 Kings 11:3 To whom appertained no dowry.
  11. 1 Kings 11:4 He served not God with a pure heart.
  12. 1 Kings 11:5 Who was also called Molech, verse 7, read 2 Kings 23:10.
  13. 1 Kings 11:7 Thus the Scripture termeth whatsoever man doth reverence and serve as God.
  14. 1 Kings 11:11 That thou hast forsaken me and worshipped idols.
  15. 1 Kings 11:13 Because the tribes of Judah and Benjamin had their possessions mixed, they are here taken as one tribe.
  16. 1 Kings 11:14 Of the king of Edom’s stock.
  17. 1 Kings 11:15 Of the Edomites.
  18. 1 Kings 11:17 Thus God reserved this idolater to be a scourge to punish his people’s sins.
  19. 1 Kings 11:19 God brought him to honor, that his power might be more able to compass his enterprises against Solomon’s house.
  20. 1 Kings 11:23 When David had discomfited Hadadezer and his army.
  21. 1 Kings 11:24 To wit, the men whom he had gathered unto him.
  22. 1 Kings 11:28 He was overseer of Solomon’s works, for the tribe of Ephraim and Manasseh.
  23. 1 Kings 11:30 By these visible signs the Prophets would more deeply print their message into their hearts to whom they were sent.
  24. 1 Kings 11:33 Or, to do that, that pleaseth me.
  25. 1 Kings 11:36 He hath respect unto the Messiah, which should be the bright star that should shine through all the world.
  26. 1 Kings 11:37 Hebrew, in all that thy soul.
  27. 1 Kings 11:39 For this idolatry that Solomon hath committed.
  28. 1 Kings 11:39 For the whole spiritual kingdom was restored in Messiah.
  29. 1 Kings 11:41 Which book as is thought, was lost in their captivity.
  30. 1 Kings 12:2 Or, return from Egypt.
  31. 1 Kings 12:4 Oppress us not with so great charges, which we are not able to sustain.
  32. 1 Kings 12:6 Or, had been of his ancient counselors.
  33. 1 Kings 12:7 They showed him that there was no way to win the people’s hearts, but to grant them their just petition.
  34. 1 Kings 12:9 There is nothing harder for them that are in authority, than to bridle their affections, and to follow good counsel.
  35. 1 Kings 12:10 Or, little finger.
  36. 1 Kings 12:10 I am much more able to keep you in subjection than my father was.
  37. 1 Kings 12:11 Or, scorpions.

11 (Hiram’s ships brought gold from Ophir;(A) and from there they brought great cargoes of almugwood[a] and precious stones. 12 The king used the almugwood to make supports[b] for the temple of the Lord and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. So much almugwood has never been imported or seen since that day.)

13 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for, besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.

Solomon’s Splendor(B)

14 The weight of the gold(C) that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents,[c] 15 not including the revenues from merchants and traders and from all the Arabian kings and the governors of the territories.

16 King Solomon made two hundred large shields(D) of hammered gold; six hundred shekels[d] of gold went into each shield. 17 He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three minas[e] of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.(E)

18 Then the king made a great throne covered with ivory and overlaid with fine gold. 19 The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them. 20 Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom. 21 All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold.(F) Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s days. 22 The king had a fleet of trading ships[f](G) at sea along with the ships(H) of Hiram. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons.

23 King Solomon was greater in riches(I) and wisdom(J) than all the other kings of the earth. 24 The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom(K) God had put in his heart. 25 Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift(L)—articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules.

26 Solomon accumulated chariots and horses;(M) he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses,[g] which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. 27 The king made silver as common(N) in Jerusalem as stones,(O) and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig(P) trees in the foothills. 28 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue[h]—the royal merchants purchased them from Kue at the current price. 29 They imported a chariot from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty.[i] They also exported them to all the kings of the Hittites(Q) and of the Arameans.

Solomon’s Wives

11 King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women(R) besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites,(S) Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry(T) with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines,(U) and his wives led him astray.(V) As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods,(W) and his heart was not fully devoted(X) to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. He followed Ashtoreth(Y) the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek(Z) the detestable god of the Ammonites. So Solomon did evil(AA) in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done.

On a hill east(AB) of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh(AC) the detestable god of Moab, and for Molek(AD) the detestable god of the Ammonites. He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods.

The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared(AE) to him twice. 10 Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods,(AF) Solomon did not keep the Lord’s command.(AG) 11 So the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees,(AH) which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear(AI) the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates. 12 Nevertheless, for the sake of David(AJ) your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son. 13 Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but will give him one tribe(AK) for the sake(AL) of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”(AM)

Solomon’s Adversaries

14 Then the Lord raised up against Solomon an adversary,(AN) Hadad the Edomite, from the royal line of Edom. 15 Earlier when David was fighting with Edom, Joab the commander of the army, who had gone up to bury the dead, had struck down all the men in Edom.(AO) 16 Joab and all the Israelites stayed there for six months, until they had destroyed all the men in Edom. 17 But Hadad, still only a boy, fled to Egypt with some Edomite officials who had served his father. 18 They set out from Midian and went to Paran.(AP) Then taking people from Paran with them, they went to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave Hadad a house and land and provided him with food.

19 Pharaoh was so pleased with Hadad that he gave him a sister of his own wife, Queen Tahpenes, in marriage. 20 The sister of Tahpenes bore him a son named Genubath, whom Tahpenes brought up in the royal palace. There Genubath lived with Pharaoh’s own children.

21 While he was in Egypt, Hadad heard that David rested with his ancestors and that Joab the commander of the army was also dead. Then Hadad said to Pharaoh, “Let me go, that I may return to my own country.”

22 “What have you lacked here that you want to go back to your own country?” Pharaoh asked.

“Nothing,” Hadad replied, “but do let me go!”

23 And God raised up against Solomon another adversary,(AQ) Rezon son of Eliada, who had fled from his master, Hadadezer(AR) king of Zobah. 24 When David destroyed Zobah’s army, Rezon gathered a band of men around him and became their leader; they went to Damascus,(AS) where they settled and took control. 25 Rezon was Israel’s adversary as long as Solomon lived, adding to the trouble caused by Hadad. So Rezon ruled in Aram(AT) and was hostile toward Israel.

Jeroboam Rebels Against Solomon

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

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

29 About that time Jeroboam was going out of Jerusalem, and Ahijah(AY) 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(AZ) 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(BA) the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand and give you ten tribes. 32 But for the sake(BB) 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[k] forsaken me and worshiped(BC) Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Molek the god of the Ammonites, and have not walked(BD) in obedience to me, nor done what is right in my eyes, nor kept my decrees(BE) 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(BF) to his son so that David my servant may always have a lamp(BG) 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(BH) over all that your heart desires;(BI) 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(BJ) in my eyes by obeying my decrees(BK) and commands, as David my servant did, I will be with you. I will build you a dynasty(BL) as enduring as the one I built for David and will give Israel to you. 39 I will humble David’s descendants because of this, but not forever.’”

40 Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam fled(BM) to Egypt, to Shishak(BN) the king, and stayed there until Solomon’s death.

Solomon’s Death(BO)

41 As 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? 42 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. 43 Then he rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam(BP) his son succeeded him as king.

Israel Rebels Against Rehoboam(BQ)

12 Rehoboam went to Shechem,(BR) for all Israel had gone there to make him king. When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard this (he was still in Egypt, where he had fled(BS) from King Solomon), he returned from[l] Egypt. So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and the whole assembly of Israel went to Rehoboam and said to him: “Your father put a heavy yoke(BT) on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”

Rehoboam answered, “Go away for three days and then come back to me.” So the people went away.

Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders(BU) who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How would you advise me to answer these people?” he asked.

They replied, “If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer,(BV) they will always be your servants.”

But Rehoboam rejected(BW) the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. He asked them, “What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”

10 The young men who had grown up with him replied, “These people have said to you, ‘Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter.’ Now tell them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. 11 My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.’”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 10:11 Probably a variant of algumwood; also in verse 12
  2. 1 Kings 10:12 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  3. 1 Kings 10:14 That is, about 25 tons or about 23 metric tons
  4. 1 Kings 10:16 That is, about 15 pounds or about 6.9 kilograms; also in verse 29
  5. 1 Kings 10:17 That is, about 3 3/4 pounds or about 1.7 kilograms; or perhaps reference is to double minas, that is, about 7 1/2 pounds or about 3.5 kilograms.
  6. 1 Kings 10:22 Hebrew of ships of Tarshish
  7. 1 Kings 10:26 Or charioteers
  8. 1 Kings 10:28 Probably Cilicia
  9. 1 Kings 10:29 That is, about 3 3/4 pounds or about 1.7 kilograms
  10. 1 Kings 11:27 Or the Millo
  11. 1 Kings 11:33 Hebrew; Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac because he has
  12. 1 Kings 12:2 Or he remained in