Study Desk

So the king didn't listen to the people; for it was brought about of God, that the LORD might establish his word, which he spoke by Achiyah the Shiloni to Yarov`am the son of Nevat.

But as for the children of Yisra'el who lived in the cities of Yehudah, Rechav`am reigned over them.

Thus says the LORD, You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers: return every man to his house; for this thing is of me. So they listened to the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Yarov`am.

Rechav`am lived in Yerushalayim, and built cities for defense in Yehudah.

For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Yehudah and Yerushalayim: for Yarov`am and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the Kohen's office to the LORD;

and he appointed him Kohanim for the high places, and for the male goats, and for the calves which he had made.

So they strengthened the kingdom of Yehudah, and made Rechav`am the son of Shlomo strong, three years; for they walked three years in the way of David and Shlomo.

Rechav`am loved Ma`akhah the daughter of Avshalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and sixty concubines, and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.)

Rechav`am appointed Aviyah the son of Ma`akhah to be chief, [even] the prince among his brothers; for [he was minded] to make him king.

He dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Yehudah and Binyamin, to every fortified city: and he gave them victuals in abundance. He sought [for them] many wives.

So king Rechav`am strengthened himself in Yerushalayim, and reigned: for Rechav`am was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Yerushalayim, the city which the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Yisra'el, to put his name there: and his mother's name was Na`amah the `Ammonite.

Now you think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David; and you are a great multitude, and there are with you the golden calves which Yarov`am made you for gods.

But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and [we have] Kohanim ministering to the LORD, the sons of Aharon, and the Levites in their work:

and they burn to the LORD every morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet incense: the show bread also [set they] in order on the pure table; and the menorah of gold with the lamps of it, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but you have forsaken him.

Behold, God is with us at our head, and his Kohanim with the trumpets of alarm to sound an alarm against you. Children of Yisra'el, don't you fight against the LORD, the God of your fathers; for you shall not prosper.

for he took away the foreign altars, and the high places, and broke down the pillars, and hewed down the Asherim,

He built fortified cities in Yehudah; for the land was quiet, and he had no war in those years, because the LORD had given him rest.

For he said to Yehudah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars; the land is yet before us, 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.

Asa cried to the LORD his God, and said, LORD, there is none besides you to help, between the mighty and him who has no strength: help us, LORD our God; for we rely on you, and in your name are we come against this multitude. LORD, you are our God; don't let man prevail against you.

Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar: and there fell of the Kushim so many that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the LORD, and before his host; and they carried away very much booty.