However your actions are not bound by my oath to him; you must not let him go without retribution. You are wise, and you will know in your heart exactly what punishment you should give him. You will bloody every gray hair on his head before sending him down to the grave.

You are fully aware of the evil inside your heart, the evil you did to my father, David. The Eternal One is sending all the evil you have done to others back upon you.

Solomon’s heart belonged to the Eternal. Solomon abided by the same laws as his father, David. The only difference was that Solomon offered sacrifices and incense at the high places.

Please give Your servant a listening heart for judging Your people and for knowing the difference between what is good and what is evil. Who is capable of judging Your chosen ones, a great people?

I will honor your request. I have planted the deepest human wisdom into your heart. There has never been nor will there ever be a man like you.

but He told my father, David, “It was good enough that this desire was in your heart to build such a temple for My name.

then hear him in heaven where You live. Grant forgiveness according to each person’s heart, for You know the heart of every man. You, and only You, know every heart

give their hearts back to You, offer You their entire beings while being held captive by their enemies, and send their prayers to You in the direction of the land You gave to their ancestors (the city you appointed to be sacred) in the direction of the temple I have raised in honor of Your name;

May my words and everything I have requested of the Eternal our God be close to His heart continuously, both day and night, so that He will support His servant and His people Israel according to the needs of each day as it is today.

Give your entire heart to the Eternal our God. Walk the path He has intended for us, and keep His laws as you do today.

On the next day (the eighth day), Solomon told everyone it was time to leave. They praised their king and joyfully made their way back to their tents, their hearts overflowing with gladness for all the good the Eternal had revealed to His servant David and to His people Israel.

Eternal One: I have received all the prayers and requests you have prayed to Me, and I have honored what you have asked of Me. I have consecrated this temple, which you have raised, by putting My name there forever. My eyes and heart will be there continuously.

The answer will come, “He did this because they turned their backs on Him—their God who led their ancestors out of Egypt—and gave their hearts to other gods, worshiping and serving them. That is why the Eternal One has done all this misery to them.”

King Solomon granted the queen of Sheba everything her heart desired (besides the usual royal gift). She then departed and returned to her own country with all those who were in her service.

People from around the world wanted to meet the famous Solomon. They desired to learn the wisdom God had planted in his heart.

All the countries of the king’s lovers were heathen countries that the Eternal One had warned the Israelites about: “Do not mingle with them, and do not allow them to mingle with you. They will corrupt you and lead you away from Me. They will seduce your hearts to follow their own gods.” But Solomon clung to these lovers.

He had 700 royal wives, as well as 300 mistresses. And his wives and mistresses seduced his heart away from God.

Solomon followed the Lord during youth and middle age, but when Solomon was an old man, these women seduced him into following other gods. His heart was led astray and no longer completely belonged to the Eternal One, his True God, as his father David’s heart did.

The Eternal boiled with anger toward Solomon because he had allowed his heart to be seduced away from the Eternal One, Israel’s True God, who had appeared to Solomon twice

Jeroboam (in his heart): It is possible that the kingdom might return to the house of David.

If these people make sacrifices in the Eternal’s temple in Jerusalem, then their hearts will go back to their lord, even to Rehoboam, Judah’s king. They will surely execute me and go back to Rehoboam, Judah’s king.

I stripped the kingdom out from under the house of David, and I handed it over to you. But you have committed evil which exceeds those before you; and you have not been an honorable servant like David, for he honored My laws and gave his entire heart to Me. Unlike you, he sought to do My will. You have made yourself other gods and cast false idols in their honor. You have aroused My wrath by putting Me behind you.

Abijam indulged in the same wicked things as his father did. His heart did not wholly belong to the Eternal One his God, as his ancestor David’s heart had.

The high places were left alone. Asa did not touch them, but his heart belonged wholly to the Eternal One for his entire life.

Answer me, Eternal One. Reveal Yourself so that everyone here will know that You, Eternal One, are the True God—the only God. Do it so that everyone knows You are turning the gaze of their hearts back to You again.