The Daily Audio Bible
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11 But King Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites—
2 from the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, “Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you; for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon cleaved unto these in love.
3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.
4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.
5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father.
7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon.
8 And likewise did he for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed unto their gods.
9 And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, who had appeared unto him twice
10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he kept not that which the Lord commanded.
11 Therefore the Lord said unto Solomon, “Forasmuch as this is done by thee, and thou hast not kept My covenant and My statutes which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee and will give it to thy servant.
12 Notwithstanding, I will not do it in thy days for David thy father’s sake; but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.
13 However I will not rend away all the kingdom, but will give one tribe to thy son for David My servant’s sake and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.”
14 And the Lord stirred up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was of the king’s seed in Edom.
15 For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab thecaptain of the host had gone up to bury the slain after he had smitten every male in Edom
16 (for six months Joab remained there with all Israel until he had cut off every male in Edom),
17 that Hadad fled, he and certain 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 they took men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave him a house and appointed him victuals and gave him land.
19 And Hadad found great favor in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him for a wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen.
20 And the sister of Tahpenes bore him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh’s house; and Genubath was in Pharaoh’s household 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 Then Pharaoh said unto him, “But what hast thou lacked with me, that, behold, thou seekest to go to thine own country?” And he answered, “Nothing, however let me go in any wise.”
23 And God stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, who fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah.
24 And he gathered men unto him and became captain over a band, when David slew those of Zobah; and they went to Damascus and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus.
25 And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, besides the mischief that Hadad did; and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria.
26 And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zereda, Solomon’s servant, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king.
27 And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the City of David his father.
28 And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor; and Solomon, seeing that the young man was industrious, made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.
29 And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment, and the two were alone in the field.
30 And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces.
31 And he said to Jeroboam, “Take thee ten pieces; for thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand 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’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel),
33 because they have forsaken Me and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in My ways to do that which is right in Mine eyes, and to keep My statutes and My judgments, as did David his father.
34 However that be, I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand; but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David My servant’s sake, 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 will give it unto thee, even ten tribes.
36 And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David My servant may have a 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 according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.
38 And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in My ways and do what is right in My sight, to keep My statutes and My commandments as David My servant did, that I will be with thee and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.
39 And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever.’”
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 acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?
42 And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was 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 And Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.
2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it (for he had fled from the presence of King Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt),
3 that they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came and spoke unto Rehoboam, saying,
4 “Thy father made our yoke grievous. Now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father and his heavy yoke which he put upon us lighter, and we will serve thee.”
5 And he said unto them, “Depart yet for three days, then come again to me.” And the people departed.
6 And King Rehoboam consulted with the old men who stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, “How do ye advise that I may answer this people?”
7 And they spoke unto him, saying, “If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them and answer them and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.”
8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they hadgiven him, and consulted with the young men who had grown up with him, and who stood before him.
9 And he said unto them, “What counsel give ye that we may answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Make the yoke which thy father put upon us lighter’?”
10 And the young men who had grown up with him spoke unto him, saying, “Thus shalt thou speak unto this people who spoke unto thee, saying, ‘Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us’ — thus shalt thou say unto them: ‘My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins!
11 And now whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions!’”
12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, “Come to me again the third day.”
13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him,
14 and spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke. My father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions!”
15 Therefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the Lord, that He might perform His saying which the Lord spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
16 So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, “What portion have we in David? Neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Now see to thine own house, David!” So Israel departed unto their tents.
17 But as for the children of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
18 Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones so that he died. Therefore King Rehoboam made haste to get up to his chariot to flee to Jerusalem.
19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.
9 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2 and asked of him letters to the synagogues at Damascus, that if he found any who were of this Way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
3 And as he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly there shone round about him a light from heaven.
4 And he fell to the earth and heard a voice saying unto him, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?”
5 And he said, “Who art Thou, Lord?” And the Lord said, “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest; it is hard for thee to kick against the goads.”
6 And he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” And the Lord said unto him, “Arise and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.”
7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no man.
8 And Saul arose from the earth, and when his eyes were opened, he could see no man; but they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did he eat nor drink.
10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Behold, I am here, Lord.”
11 And the Lord said unto him, “Arise and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for the one called Saul of Tarsus; for behold, he prayeth
12 and hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.”
13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many of this man, and how much evil he hath done to Thy saints in Jerusalem.
14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Thy name.”
15 But the Lord said unto him, “Go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.
16 For I will show him what great things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
17 And Ananias went his way and entered into the house, and putting his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus who appeared unto thee on the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost.”
18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received sight forthwith, and arose and was baptized.
19 And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples who were at Damascus.
20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.
21 But all that heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this he that destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither with the intent that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?”
22 But Saul increased the more in strength and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that Jesus is the very Christ.
23 And after many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him.
24 But their lying in wait became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.
25 Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down through the wall in a basket.
131 Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty; neither do I exercise myself with great matters, or in things too high for me.
2 Surely I have behaved and quieted myself as a child that is weaned from his mother; my soul is even as a weaned child.
3 Let Israel hope in the Lord from henceforth and for ever.
4 A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips, and a liar giveth ear to a wicked tongue.
5 Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker, and he that is glad at calamities shall not go unpunished.
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