Study Desk

So Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah.

So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong for three years, because they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.

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

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

When he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him, so as not to destroy him completely; and things also went well in Judah.

16 So Rehoboam rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David. Then Abijah 1 Kings 14:31">[fn] his son reigned in his place.

Have you not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made for yourselves priests, like the peoples of other lands, so that whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams may be a priest of things that are not gods?

But Jeroboam caused an ambush to go around behind them; so they were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them.

Then Abijah and his people struck them with a great slaughter; so five hundred thousand choice men of Israel fell slain.

So Jeroboam did not recover strength again in the days of Abijah; and the LORD struck him, and he died.

So Abijah rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. Then Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days the land was quiet for ten years.

Therefore he said to Judah, "Let us build these cities and make walls around them, and towers, gates, and bars, while 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.

So Asa went out against him, and they set the troops in battle array in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.

So the LORD struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled.

And Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar. So the Ethiopians were overthrown, and they could not recover, for they were broken before the LORD and His army. And they carried away very much spoil.

So nation was destroyed by nation, and city by city, for God troubled them with every adversity.

So they gathered together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.

"Let there be a treaty between you and me, as there was between my father and your father. See, I have sent you silver and gold; come, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me."

So Ben-Hadad heeded King Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel. They attacked Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali.

So Asa rested with his fathers; he died in the forty-first year of his reign.