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SECTION XLVI.

THE ISRAELITES ASSEMBLE TO CROWN REHOBOAM

TEN TRIBES REVOLT, AND MAKE JEROBOAM KING OVER ISRAEL.

From 1 Kings, Chap. xii. 2 Chron. Chap. xi.

AND after the death of Solomon, Rehoboam went to Shechem for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.

And it came to pass when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt,)

That they sent and called him: and Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came and spake unto Rehoboam, saying, Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.

And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.

And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men that stood before Solomon his father, while he yet lived, and said, How do you advise, that I may answer this people?

And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever,

But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood up before him: and he said unto them, What counsel give ye, that

We

we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us, lighter?

And the young men that were grown up with him, spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thoù it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shalt be thicker than my father's loins.

And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.

And the king answered the people roughly, and for. sook the old men's counsel that they gave him; and spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke; my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people ; for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in. David? Neither have we inheritance" in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their

bents.

But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the

tribute;

tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones that he died therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot to flee to Jerusalem.

So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

And it came to pass when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Is rael: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors; to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.

But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of GOD; saying, Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying, Thus saith the LORD. Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house, for this thing is from me.

They hearkened therefore to the word of the Lord, and returned to depart, according to the word of the LORD. And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.

And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victuals, and of oil and wine.

And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.

And the priests and the Levites that were in call Is. rael, resorted to him out of all their coasts.

So

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

And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king.

And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired many wives.

And it came to pass when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him..

And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, (because they had transgressed against the LORD} with twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt, the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.

And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem.

Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said unto them, Thus, saith the LOK D, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.

Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves and they said, The LORD is righteous.

And when the LORD saw that they humbled them, selves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves, therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the

hand of Shishak.

VOL. III.

L

Nevertheless,

C

Nevertheless, they shall be his servants : that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.

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 all he carried away also the shields of gold which Solomon had made.

· Instead of which king Rehoboam made shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the chief of the guard, that kept the entrance of the king's house. ́

~ And when the king entered into the house of the LORD, the guard came and fetched them, and brought them again into the guard-chamber.

And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him, that he would not destroy him altogether; and also in Judah things went well.

So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned. Rehoboam was one and forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess.

And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD). "

And there was war between Rehoboam and Jerobeam all their days.

And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David. And Abijah his son reigned in this stead.

ANNOTATIONS AND REFLECTIONS.

The your

young men whom Rehoboam consulted, were përsons who had been educated with him, and who were

1 quite

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