Study Desk

So Solomon succeeded his father David on the throne which the Lord had established. He was a successful king, and the whole nation of Israel obeyed him.

O Lord God, fulfill the promise you made to my father. You have made me king over a people who are so many that they cannot be counted,

so give me the wisdom and knowledge I need to rule over them. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours?"

God replied to Solomon, "You have made the right choice. Instead of asking for wealth or treasure or fame or the death of your enemies or even for long life for yourself, you have asked for wisdom and knowledge so that you can rule my people, over whom I have made you king.

So Solomon left the place of worship at Gibeon, where the Tent of the Lord 's presence was, and returned to Jerusalem. There he ruled over Israel.

I know how skillful your lumbermen are, so send me cedar, cypress, and juniper logs from Lebanon. I am ready to send my men to assist yours

So now send us the wheat, barley, wine, and olive oil that you promised.

where they stood side by side facing the entrance. Each had two wings, each wing 7½ feet long, which were spread out so that they touched each other in the center of the room and reached to the wall on either side of the room, stretching across the full width of 30 feet.

So many objects were made that no one determined the total weight of the bronze used.

So now, Lord God of Israel, let everything come true that you promised to your servant David.

"But can you, O God, really live on earth among men and women? Not even all of heaven is large enough to hold you, so how can this Temple that I have built be large enough?

Watch over this Temple day and night. You have promised that this is where you will be worshiped, so hear me when I face this Temple and pray.

so that your people may honor you and obey you all the time they live in the land which you gave to our ancestors.

listen to their prayers. In heaven, where you live, hear them and do what they ask you to do, so that all the peoples of the world may know you and obey you, as your people Israel do. Then they will know that this Temple I have built is where you are to be worshiped.

He sacrificed 22,000 head of cattle and 120,000 sheep as fellowship offerings. And so he and all the people dedicated the Temple.

Praise the Lord your God! He has shown how pleased he is with you by making you king, to rule in his name. Because he loves his people Israel and wants to preserve them forever, he has made you their king so that you can maintain law and justice."

Rehoboam replied, "Give me three days to consider the matter. Then come back." So the people left.

When the people saw that the king would not listen to them, they shouted, "Down with David and his family! What have they ever done for us? People of Israel, let's go home! Let Rehoboam look out for himself!" So the people of Israel rebelled,

From all the tribes of Israel people who sincerely wanted to worship the Lord , the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem, so that they could offer sacrifices to the Lord , the God of their ancestors.

Shemaiah the prophet went to King Rehoboam and the Judean leaders who had gathered in Jerusalem to escape Shishak. He said to them, "This is the Lord 's message to you: ‘You have abandoned me, so now I have abandoned you to Shishak.'"