1 Kings, 11

1. King Solomon loved many foreign women besides the daughter of Pharaoh. There were Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian and Hittite women

2. from nations about which Yahweh had commanded the Israelites, "You shall not marry them; nor shall they marry you, lest they win over your heart to their gods." Solomon, however, imitated these peoples because of his love.

3. He had seven hundred wives of royal birth, and three hundred concubines, and they won his heart.

4. In Solomon's old age, his wives led him astray to serve other gods and, unlike his father David, his heart was no longer wholly given to Yahweh his God.

5. For he served Astarte the goddess of the Sidonians, and Milcom, the idol of the Ammonites.

6. He did what displeased Yahweh and, unlike his father David, was unfaithful to him.

7. Solomon even built a high place for Chemosh, the idol of Moab, on the mountain east of Jerusalem and also for Molech, the idol of the Ammonites.

8. He did the same for all his foreign wives who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.

9. Yahweh became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from Yahweh, the God of Israel.

10. Yahweh appeared to him twice and commanded him not to follow other gods. But he did not obey Yahweh's command.

11. Therefore, Yahweh said to Solomon, "Since this has been your choice and you have kept neither my Covenant nor the statutes I commanded you, I will take the kingdom from you and give it to your servant.

12. Nevertheless, I will not do this during your lifetime for the sake of your father David; I will take it from your son.

13. But I will not take it all; I will reserve one tribe for your son for the sake of David my servant, and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen."

14. And Yahweh raised up an adversary against Solomon. This was Hadad, the Edomite of the royal house in Edom.

15. Indeed, when David had defeated Edom, and Joab the commander of the army went up to bury the slain, he slew every male in Edom.

16. Joab and the Israelites remained in the place for six months until he had destroyed every male in Edom.

17. However Hadad, then still only a boy, fled to Egypt together with some Edomites, his father's servants.

18. They left Midian for Paran and, taking along with them some of the men from Paran, they went on to Egypt to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who gave Hadad a house, promised him food and gave him land.

19. Hadad pleased Pharaoh, who gave him as wife the sister of Queen Tahpenes, his own wife.

20. The sister of Tahpenes bore him a son, Genubath, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's house, and who lived there together with Pharaoh's sons.

21. And so when Hadad heard in Egypt that David had slept with his fathers, and that Joab the commander of the army was also dead, he said to Pharaoh, "Let me go back to my own country."

22. Pharaoh asked him, "What have I not done that you want to leave for your own country?" But he answered him, "Please, let me go." And he came back to his land. He ruled over Edom and hated Israel.

23. God raised up another adversary in the person of Rezon son of Eliada, who had fled from his master Hadadezer king of Zobah.

24. Rezon gathered men around him and became the leader of a marauding band. After David fought them and killed some of them, they went to live in Damascus where they made him king.

25. He was an adversary of Israel during Solomon's lifetime.

26. Jeroboam also rebelled against the king. He was the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah; his mother, Zeruah, had been left a widow. He was one of Solomon's officials.

27. This was the reason for his rebellion. Solomon was building the Millo and was closing up the breach of the City of David his father;

28. when he noticed that Jeroboam was a man of great personal worth and an able worker, he put him in charge of all the forced labor of the tribes of Joseph.

29. Once, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah of Shiloh found him on the road. The two of them were alone in the open country

30. when Ahijah, who had a new garment on, clutched and tore it into twelve pieces.

31. He then said to Jeroboam, "Take ten pieces for yourself for this is the word of Yahweh, the God of Israel: 'I am about to tear the kingdom from Solomon's hands

32. to give you ten tribes. Only one tribe shall be left to him for the sake of my servant David and Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.

33. For Solomon has forsaken me and worshiped Astarte, the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites. Unlike his father David, he has not walked in my ways to do what is right before me and to keep my commandments and decisions.

34. Nevertheless, it is not from him that I will take the kingdom. I will let him reign during his lifetime for the sake of David my servant, whom I chose and who kept my commandments and statutes.

35. But I will take the kingship from his son's hand and make you king over ten tribes.

36. One tribe will be left for his son so that my servant David may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen to put my Name.

37. I will let you reign over all you wish; you shall be king of Israel.

38. Now, if you obey all that I command you, follow me and do what is right in my eyes, if you keep my commandments and my statutes, as my servant David did, I will be with you and establish your family for a long time, as I did for David. I will entrust Israel to you.

39. In this way I will humble the family of David for a time'."

40. Solomon wanted to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam took refuge in Egypt with Shishak king of Egypt, where he remained until the death of Solomon.

41. Now the rest of the events of Solomon's reign, his deeds and his wisdom, are written in the book of the acts of Solomon.

42. Solomon reigned over all Israel in Jerusalem for forty years.

43. Then he rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of David; Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.