God's New Bible

The First Book of the Kings

Geneva Bible 1599

- Chapter 11 -

1
Bvt King Salomon loued many outlandish women: both the daughter of Pharaoh, and the women of Moab, Ammon, Edom, Zidon and Heth,
2
Of the nations, whereof the Lord had sayd vnto the children of Israel, Goe not ye in to them, nor let them come in to you: for surely they will turne your hearts after their gods, to them, I say, did Salomon ioyne in loue.
3
And he had seuen hundreth wiues, that were princesses, and three hundreth concubines, and his wiues turned away his heart.
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For when Salomon was olde, his wiues turned his heart after other gods, so that his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of Dauid his father.
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For Salomon followed Ashtaroth the god of the Zidonians, and Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
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So Salomon wrought wickednesse in the sight of the Lord, but continued not to follow the Lord, as did Dauid his father.
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Then did Salomon build an hie place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, in the mountaine that is ouer against Ierusalem, and vnto Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon.
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And so did he for all his outlandish wiues, which burnt incense and offered vnto their gods.

God’s Anger against Solomon

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Therefore the Lord was angry with Salomon, because hee had turned his heart from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared vnto him twise,
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And had giuen him a charge concerning this thing, that he should not follow other gods: but he kept not that, which the Lord had commanded him.
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Wherefore the Lord sayd vnto Salomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my couenant, and my statutes (which I commanded thee) I will surely rent the kingdome from thee, and will giue it to thy seruant.
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Notwithstanding in thy dayes I will not doe it, because of Dauid thy father, but I will rent it out of the hand of thy sonne:
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Howbeit I wil not rent all the Kingdome, but will giue one tribe to thy sonne, because of Dauid my seruant, and because of Ierusalem which I haue chosen.

Hadad’s Return

14
Then the Lord stirred vp an aduersarie vnto Salomon, euen Hadad the Edomite, of the Kings seede, which was in Edom.
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For when Dauid was in Edom, and Ioab the captaine of the hoste had smitten all the males in Edom, and was gone vp to bury ye slaine,
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(For six moneths did Ioab remaine there, and all Israel, till he had destroyed all the males in Edom)
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Then this Hadad fled and certaine other Edomites of his fathers seruants with him, to goe into Egypt, Hadad being yet a litle childe.
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And they arose out of Midian, and came to Paran, and tooke men with them out of Paran, and came to Egypt vnto Pharaoh King of Egypt, which gaue him an house, and appointed him vitailes, and gaue him lande.
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So Hadad found great fauour in the sight of Pharaoh, and he gaue him to wife the sister of his owne wife, euen the sister of Tahpenes the Queene.
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And the sister of Tahpenes bare him Genubath his sonne, whome Tahpenes wayned in Pharaohs house: and Genubath was in Pharaohs house among the sonnes of Pharaoh.
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And when Hadad heard in Egypt, that Dauid slept with his fathers, and that Ioab the captaine of the hoste was dead, Hadad sayde to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that I may goe to mine owne countrey.
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But Pharaoh saide vnto him, What hast thou lacked with me, that thou wouldest thus go to thine owne countrey? And he answered, Nothing, but in any wise let me goe.

Rezon’s Hostility

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And God stirred him vp another aduersarie, Rezon the sonne of Eliada, which fled from his lorde Hadadezer King of Zobah.
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And he gathered men vnto him, and had bene captaine ouer the company, when Dauid slew them. And they went to Damascus, and dwelt there, and they made him King in Damascus.
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Therefore was he an aduersarie to Israel all the daies of Salomon: besides the euil that Hadad did, he also abhorred Israel, and reigned ouer Aram

Jeroboam’s Rebellion

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And Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat an Ephrathite of Zereda Salomons seruant (whose mother was called Zeruah a widowe) lift vp his hand against the King.
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And this was the cause that he lift vp his hande against the King, When Salomon built Millo, he repared the broken places of the citie of Dauid his father.
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And this man Ieroboam was a man of strength and courage, and Salomon seeing that the yong man was meete for the worke, he made him ouerseer of all the labour of the house of Ioseph.
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And at that time, when Ieroboam went out of Ierusalem, the Prophet Ahiiah the Shilonite founde him in the way, hauing a newe garment on him, and they two were alone in ye field.
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Then Ahiiah caught the newe garment that was on him, and rent it in twelue pieces,
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And said to Ieroboam, Take vnto thee ten pieces: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Beholde, I wil rent the kingdome out of ye hands of Salomon, and will giue ten tribes to thee.
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But he shall haue one tribe for my seruant Dauids sake, and for Ierusalem the citie, which I haue chosen out of all the tribes of Israel,
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Because they haue forsaken me, and haue worshipped Ashtaroth the god of the Zidonians, and Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites, and haue not walked in my wayes (to do right in mine eyes, and my statutes, and my lawes) as did Dauid his father.
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But I will not take the whole kingdome out of his hande: for I will make him prince all his life long for Dauid my seruants sake, whome I haue chosen, and who kept my commandements and my statutes.
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But I will take the kingdome out of his sonnes hand, and will giue it vnto thee, euen the ten tribes.
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And vnto his sonne will I giue one tribe, that Dauid my seruant may haue a light alway before me in Ierusalem the citie, which I haue chosen me, to put my Name there.
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And I wil take thee, and thou shalt reigne, euen as thine heart desireth, and shalt be King ouer Israel.
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And if thou hearken vnto all that I commande thee, and wilt walke in my wayes, and doe right in my sight, to keepe my statutes and my commandements, as Dauid my seruant did, then will I be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built vnto Dauid, and wil giue Israel vnto thee.
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And I will for this afflict the seede of Dauid, but not for euer.
40
Salomon sought therefore to kill Ieroboam, and Ieroboam arose, and fled into Egypt vnto Shishak King of Egypt, and was in Egypt vntil the death of Salomon.

The Death of Solomon

(2 Chronicles 9:29–31)
41
And the rest of the wordes of Salomon, and all that he did, and his wisedom, are they not written in the booke of the actes of Salomon?
42
The time that Salomon reigned in Ierusalem ouer all Israel, was fourtie yeere.
43
And Salomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the citie of Dauid his father: and Rehoboam his sonne reigned in his steade.