Study Desk

He also made 300 smaller shields of hammered gold. He used about 7 1/2 pounds of gold for each shield. The king put them in the Forest-of-Lebanon House.

Solomon had 4000 stalls to keep horses and chariots. He had 12,000 horse soldiers. Solomon built special cities for these chariots. So the chariots were kept in these cities. King Solomon also kept some of the chariots with him in Jerusalem.

Solomon ruled in Jerusalem over all Israel for 40 years.

"Your father forced us to work very hard. Now, make it easier for us. Stop the heavy work that your father forced us to do and we will serve you."

They answered, "If you do what is good for the people, you will please them. If you speak kindly to them, they will always work for you."

These people made the kingdom of Judah strong, and they supported Solomon's son Rehoboam for three years. They did this because during that time they lived the way David and Solomon had lived.

Rehoboam acted wisely and spread all his sons through all the areas of Judah and Benjamin to every strong city. And Rehoboam gave plenty of supplies to his sons. He also looked for wives for them.

King Rehoboam made himself a strong king in Jerusalem. He was 41 years old when he became king of Judah. Rehoboam ruled 17 years in Jerusalem, the city the Lord chose for his own. He chose this city from all the other cities of Israel. Rehoboam's mother was Naamah. She was an Ammonite.

Abijah ruled in Jerusalem for three years. His mother's name was Maacah. She was the daughter of Uriel, from the town of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

"Now, you people have decided to defeat the Lord 's kingdom—the kingdom that is ruled by David's sons. You have so many people with you and you have the golden calves—the ‘gods' that Jeroboam made for you.

"But as for us, the Lord is our God. We people of Judah have not refused to obey God. We have not left him. The priests who serve the Lord are Aaron's sons, and the Levites help the priests in their work.

When Abijah died, they buried him in the City of David. Abijah's son Asa became the new king after him. There was peace in the country for ten years in Asa's time.

Asa went out to fight against Zerah. Asa's army got ready for battle in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.

Azariah went to meet Asa and said, "Listen to me, Asa and all you people of Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you look for him, you will find him. But if you leave him, he will leave you.

For a long time Israel was without the true God. And they were without a teaching priest, and without the law.

But when the Israelites had trouble, they turned again to the Lord , the God of Israel. They looked for him and found him.

But Asa, you and the people of Judah and Benjamin, be strong. Don't be weak and don't give up, because you will get a reward for your good work!"

All the people of Judah were happy about the oath, because they had promised with all their heart. They followed God with all their heart. They looked for God and found him, so the Lord gave them peace in all the country.

Then King Asa gave an order for all the men in Judah, with no exceptions. They had to go to Ramah and carry out all the stone and wood that Baasha was using to build up the city. They carried the material to Geba in Benjamin and to Mizpah and used it to strengthen those two cities.

The eyes of the Lord go around looking in all the earth for people who are faithful to him so that he can make them strong. Asa, you did a foolish thing. So from now on you will have wars."