Study Desk

So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had directed, saying, "Return to me on the third day."

So the king did not listen to the people, because it was a turn of events from God so that the LORD might establish His word, which He spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

When all Israel saw that the king had not listened to them, the people replied to the king, saying, "What share do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Everyone to your tents, Israel! Now look after your own house, David!" So all Israel went away to their tents.

So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.

'This is what the LORD says: "You shall not go up nor fight against your relatives; return, every man, to his house, for this event is from Me."'" So they listened to the words of the LORD and returned from going against Jeroboam.

He put shields and spears in every city and strengthened them greatly. So he held Judah and Benjamin.

Then Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and the princes of Judah who had gathered at Jerusalem because of Shishak, and he said to them, "This is what the LORD says: 'You have abandoned Me, so I also have abandoned you to Shishak.'"

So the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, "The LORD is righteous."

When the LORD saw that they had humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, "They have humbled themselves, so I will not destroy them; and I will grant them a little deliverance, and My wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem by means of Shishak.

"But they will become his slaves, so that they may learn the difference between My service and the service of the kingdoms of the countries."

So Shishak king of Egypt went up against Jerusalem, and he took the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king's palace. He took everything; he even took the gold shields which Solomon had made.

And when he humbled himself, the anger of the LORD turned away from him, so as not to destroy him completely; and conditions were also good in Judah.

So King Rehoboam became powerful in Jerusalem and reigned there. For Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen from all the tribes of Israel, to put His name there. And his mother's name was Naamah the Ammonitess.

"So now you intend to assert yourselves against the kingdom of the LORD through the sons of David, being a great multitude and having with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made for you as gods.

But Jeroboam had set an ambush to come from behind, so that Israel was in front of Judah and the ambush was behind them.

When Judah turned around, behold, they were attacked both from front and rear; so they cried out to the LORD, and the priests blew the trumpets.

Abijah and his people defeated them with a great slaughter, so that five hundred thousand chosen men of Israel fell slain.

So Abijah lay down with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David, and his son Asa became king in his place. The land was undisturbed for ten years during his days.

For he said to Judah, "Let's build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars. The land is still ours because we have sought the LORD our God; we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side." So they built and prospered.

So Asa went out to meet him, and they drew up in battle formation in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.