Study Desk

Later, Solomon gave King Hiram of Tyre twenty towns in the region of Galilee to repay him for the cedar, pine, and gold he had given Solomon.

King Hiram let some of his experienced sailors go to the country of Ophir with Solomon's own sailors, and they brought back about sixteen tons of gold for Solomon.

In return, Solomon gave her the gifts he would have given any other ruler, but he also gave her everything else she wanted. Then she and her officials went back to their own country. King Hiram's ships brought gold, juniper wood, and jewels from the country of Ophir. Solomon used the wood to make steps for the temple and palace, and harps and other stringed instruments for the musicians. It was the best juniper wood anyone in Israel had ever seen.

Solomon made two hundred gold shields and used about seven and a half pounds of gold for each one.

He also made three hundred smaller gold shields, using almost four pounds for each one, and he put the shields in his palace in Forest Hall.

Solomon's merchants bought his horses and chariots in the regions of Musri and Kue. They paid about fifteen pounds of silver for a chariot and almost four pounds of silver for a horse. They also sold horses and chariots to the Hittite and Syrian kings.

In fact, he built a shrine for each of his foreign wives, so all of them could burn incense and offer sacrifices to their own gods.

But the people from the northern tribes of Israel sent for him. Then together they went to Rehoboam and said,

"Give me three days to think about it," Rehoboam replied, "then come back for my answer." So the people left.

When the Israelites heard that Jeroboam was back, they called everyone together. Then they sent for Jeroboam and made him king of Israel. Only the people from the tribe of Judah remained loyal to David's family.

Jeroboam asked for advice and then made two gold statues of calves. He showed them to the people and said, "Listen everyone! You won't have to go to Jerusalem to worship anymore. Here are your gods who rescued you from Egypt."

He also decided to start a new festival for the Israelites on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, just like the one in Judah. On that day, Jeroboam went to Bethel and offered sacrifices on the altar to the gold calf he had put there. Then he assigned the priests their duties.

"Come home with me and eat something," Jeroboam said. "I want to give you a gift for what you have done."

and rode off to look for the prophet from Judah. The old prophet found him sitting under an oak tree and asked, "Are you the prophet from Judah?" "Yes, I am."

a message for the prophet from Judah: Listen to the Lord 's message. You have disobeyed the Lord your God.

The old prophet picked up the body, put it on his own donkey, and took it back to Bethel, so he could bury it and mourn for the prophet from Judah.

He buried the body in his own family tomb and cried for the prophet.

She got ready and left for Ahijah's house in Shiloh. Ahijah was now old and blind,

But when Ahijah heard her walking up to the door, he said: Come in! I know you're Jeroboam's wife—why are you pretending to be someone else? I have some bad news for you.

That's the Lord 's message to your husband. As for you, go back home, and right after you get there, your son will die.