The Daily Audio Bible

Solomon Turns from God

11 Now king Solomon [defiantly] loved ^[a]many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, ² from the very nations of whom the Lord said to the Israelites, “You shall not associate with them, nor shall they associate with you, for the result will be that they will turn away your hearts to follow their gods.” Yet Solomon clung to these in love.^{(A) 3} He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred ^[b]concubines, and his wives turned his heart away [from God]. ⁴ For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not completely devoted to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David. ⁵ For Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the [fertility] goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the horror (detestable idol) of the Ammonites.^{(B) 6} Solomon did evil [things] in the sight of the Lord, and did not follow the Lord fully, as his father David had done. ⁷ Then Solomon built a ^[c]high place for [worshiping] Chemosh the horror (detestable idol) of Moab, on the hill which is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the horror (detestable idol) of the sons of Ammon. ⁸ And he did the same for all of his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.

⁹ So the Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, ¹⁰ and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not follow other gods; but he did not observe (remember, obey) what the Lord had commanded. ¹¹ Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, “Because you have done this and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. ¹² However, I will not do it in your ^[d]lifetime, for the sake of your father David, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son (Rehoboam). ¹³ However, I will not tear away all the kingdom; I will give one tribe (Judah) to your son for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen.”

God Raises Adversaries

¹⁴ Then the Lord stirred up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was of royal descent in Edom. ¹⁵ For it came about, when David was in Edom, and Joab the commander of the army had gone up to bury those killed [in battle] and had struck down every male in Edom ¹⁶ (for Joab and all [the army of] Israel stayed there six months, until he had killed every male in Edom), ¹⁷ that Hadad escaped to Egypt, he and some Edomites from his father’s servants with him, while Hadad was [still] a little boy. ¹⁸ They set out from Midian [south of Edom] and came to Paran, and took men with them from Paran and came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave [young] Hadad a house and ordered food and provisions for him and gave him land. ¹⁹ Hadad found great favor with Pharaoh, so that he gave Hadad in marriage the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen. ²⁰ The sister of Tahpenes gave birth to Genubath, Hadad’s son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh’s house; and Genubath was in Pharaoh’s household among the sons of Pharaoh. ²¹ But when Hadad heard in Egypt that David ^[e]had died and that Joab the commander of the army was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, “Let me leave, so that I may go to my own country.” ²² Then Pharaoh said to him, “But what have you lacked with me that now you ask to go to your own country?” He replied, “Nothing; nevertheless you must let me go.”

²³ God also stirred up another adversary for Solomon, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his master, Hadadezer king of Zobah. ²⁴ Rezon gathered men to himself and became leader of a marauding band, after David killed those in Zobah. They went to Damascus and stayed there and they reigned in Damascus.^{(C) 25} So Rezon was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, along with the evil that Hadad inflicted. Rezon hated Israel and reigned over Aram (Syria).

²⁶ Jeroboam, Solomon’s servant, the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zeredah whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow, also rebelled against the king. ²⁷ Now this is the reason why he rebelled against the king: Solomon built the Millo (fortification) and he repaired and closed the breach of the city of his father David. ²⁸ The man Jeroboam was a brave warrior and when Solomon saw that the young man was industrious, he put him in charge of all the forced labor of the house of Joseph. ²⁹ It came about at that time, when Jeroboam left Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met him on the road. Now Ahijah had covered himself with a new cloak; and the two of them were alone in the field. ³⁰ Then Ahijah took hold of the new cloak which he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces. ³¹ He said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces for yourself; for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am going to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon and give you ten tribes— ³² but he [and his descendants] shall have ^[f]one tribe (Benjamin was annexed to Judah), for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel— ³³ because ^[g]they have abandoned Me and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the sons of Ammon; and they have not walked in My ways and followed My commandments, doing what is right in My sight and keeping My statutes and My ordinances as did his father David. ³⁴ However, I will not take the entire kingdom out of his hand; but I will make him ruler all the days of his life for the sake of My servant David, whom I chose because he kept My commandments and My statutes. ³⁵ But I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand and give it to you: ten tribes. ³⁶ Yet to his son I will give ^[h]one tribe, so that My servant David may have a ^[i]lamp always before Me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen to put My Name and Presence. ³⁷ I will take you [Jeroboam], and you shall reign over whatever your soul desires; and you shall be king over Israel (the ten northern tribes). ³⁸ Then it shall be, that if you listen to all that I command you and walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight, keeping and observing My statutes and My commandments, as My servant David did, then I will be with you and build you an enduring house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you. ³⁹ And in this way I will afflict the descendants of David for this (their sin), but not forever.’” ⁴⁰ So Solomon attempted to kill Jeroboam; but Jeroboam set out and escaped to Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and stayed in Egypt until Solomon died.

The Death of Solomon

⁴¹ The rest of the acts of Solomon—and all that he did, and his wisdom—are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon? ⁴² The time Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. ⁴³ And Solomon slept [in death] with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David. Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.

King Rehoboam Acts Foolishly

12 Rehoboam went to ^[j]Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. ² Now when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard about it, he was living in Egypt (for he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon). ³ So they sent word and called for him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, ⁴ “Your father made our yoke (burden) heavy; so now lighten the hard labor and the heavy yoke your father imposed on us, and we will serve you.” ⁵ Rehoboam replied to them, “Leave for three days, then come back to me [for my decision].” So the people left.

⁶ King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served and advised his father Solomon while he was still alive and said, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” ⁷ They spoke to him, saying, “If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and grant their request, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.” ⁸ But he ^[k]ignored the advice which the elders gave him and consulted the young men who grew up with him and served him. ⁹ He said to them, “What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke (burden) which your father put on us’?” ¹⁰ The young men who had grown up with him answered, “This is what you should say to this people who told you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but as for you, make our yoke lighter’—say this to them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins [and my reign will be even more severe]. ¹¹ And now, whereas my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with ^[l]scorpions.’”

¹² Jeroboam and all the people came back to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had instructed, saying, “Return to me on the third day.” ¹³ The king answered the people harshly and ^[m]ignored the advice which the elders had given him, ¹⁴ and spoke to them in accordance with the advice of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but as for me, I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.” ¹⁵ So the king did not listen to the people; for the situation was from the Lord, so that He might fulfill His word which He spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.^(D)

The Kingdom Divided; Jeroboam Rules Israel

¹⁶ So when all [the ten northern tribes of] Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people replied to the king, saying,

Then Israel went back to their tents. ¹⁷ But as for the sons (descendants) of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah [including Benjamin], Rehoboam reigned over them. ¹⁸ Then King Rehoboam sent ^[o]Adoram, who was in charge of the forced labor [to represent him], and all Israel stoned him to death. And King Rehoboam quickly mounted his chariot to escape to Jerusalem. ¹⁹ So Israel (the ten northern tribes) has rebelled against the house (royal line) of David to this day (the date of this writing).

The Conversion of Saul

9 Now ^[a]Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord [and relentless in his search for believers], went to the ^[b]high priest, ² and he asked for letters [of authority] from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any men or women there belonging to ^[c]the Way [believers, followers of Jesus the Messiah], men and women alike, he could arrest them and bring them bound [with chains] to Jerusalem. ³ As he traveled he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him [displaying the glory and majesty of Christ]; ⁴ and he fell to the ground and heard a voice [from heaven] saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting and oppressing Me?” ⁵ And Saul said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He answered, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, ⁶ now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” ⁷ The men who were traveling with him [were terrified and] stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. ⁸ Saul got up from the ground, but though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹ And he was unable to see for three days, and he neither ate nor drank.

¹⁰ Now in Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he answered, “Here I am, Lord.” ¹¹ And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called ^[d]Straight, and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul; for he is praying [there], ¹² and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and place his hands on him, so that he may regain his sight.” ¹³ But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, especially how much suffering and evil he has brought on Your saints (God’s people) at Jerusalem; ¹⁴ and here [in Damascus] he has authority from the high priests to put in chains all who call on Your name [confessing You as Savior].” ¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is a [deliberately] chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; ¹⁶ for I will make clear to him how much he must suffer and endure for My name’s sake.” ¹⁷ So Ananias left and entered the house, and he laid his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came [to Damascus], has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit [in order to proclaim Christ to both Jews and Gentiles].” ¹⁸ Immediately something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized; ¹⁹ and he took some food and was strengthened.

Saul Begins to Preach Christ

For several days [afterward] Saul remained with the disciples who were at Damascus. ²⁰ And immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “This Man is the Son of God [the promised Messiah]!” ²¹ All those who heard him continued to be amazed and said, “Is this not the man who in Jerusalem attacked those who called on this name [of Jesus], and had come here [to Damascus] for the express purpose of bringing them bound [with chains] before the chief priests?” ²² But Saul increased in strength more and more, and continued to perplex the Jews who lived in Damascus by examining [theological evidence] and proving [with Scripture] that this Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).

²³ After considerable time had passed [about three years or so], the Jews plotted together to kill him, ²⁴ but their plot became known to Saul. They were also watching the city’s gates day and night so they could kill him; ²⁵ but his disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.

Childlike Trust in the Lord.

A Song of ^[a]Ascents. Of David.