Study Desk

For when David destroyed Edom, and Joab the commander of the army went up to bury the slain, he slew every male in Edom

(For Joab and all Israel with him remained there six months, until he had slain every male in Edom);

And he said to Jeroboam, Take for yourself ten pieces; for thus says the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to you

(But he shall have one tribe for my servant Davids sake and for Jerusalems sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel);

Nevertheless I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand; but I will make him a ruler all the days of his life for David my servants sake, whom I chose because he kept my commandments and my statutes;

And to his son I will give one tribe, that David my servant may have an heir always before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen for myself to put my name there.

And if you shall hearken to all that I command you and will walk in my ways and do what is right in my sight and keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did. I will be with you, and build you a sure house, as I built for David my servant, and will give Israel to you.

And for this I will afflict the descendants of David, but not for ever.

AND Rehoboam went to Shechem; for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.

And 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)

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

And they said to him, If you will be a servant to this people this day and will serve them and answer them and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants for ever.

And the young men who were grown up with him spoke to him, saying, Thus shall you speak to the people who have said to you, Your father made our yoke heavy, but make you it lighter for us; thus shall you say to them, My little finger is thicker than my fathers thumb.

Wherefore the king did not listen to the people; for the stirring of strife was from the LORD, that the LORD might perform his saying which he spoke by his servant Ahijah the prophet, the Shilonite, unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

Thus says the LORD: You shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel; return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the LORD, and returned according to the word of the LORD.

So the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said to all Israel, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!

And this thing became a sin; for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.

And Jeroboam made a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that is in Judah, and he went up to the altar to offer sacrifices. So did he in Beth-el, sacrificing to the calves that he had made; and he appointed in Beth-el priests for the temples of idols which he had made.

And the king answered and said to the prophet of God, Pray for me before the LORD your God, and entreat for me that my hand may be restored to me. And the prophet of God prayed before the LORD, and the kings hand was restored to him, and it became as it was before.

For so it was charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, and drink no water, nor return again by the way that you came.