The Divided Kingdom

And Ieroboam thought in his heart, Nowe shall the kingdome returne to the house of Dauid.

If this people goe vp and doe sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Ierusalem, then shall the heart of this people turne againe vnto their lorde, euen to Rehoboam King of Iudah: so shall they kill me and goe againe to Rehoboam King of Iudah.

Whereupon the King tooke counsell, and made two calues of golde, and saide vnto them, It is too much for you to goe vp to Ierusalem: beholde, O Israel, thy gods, which brought thee vp out of the lande of Egypt.

And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other set he in Dan.

And this thing turned to sinne: for the people went (because of the one) euen to Dan.

Also he made an house of hie places, and made Priestes of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sonnes of Leui.

And Ieroboam made a feast the fifteenth day of the eight moneth, like vnto the feast that is in Iudah, and offred on the altar. So did he in Beth-el and offered vnto the calues that he had made: and he placed in Beth-el the Priestes of the hie places, which he had made.

And he offered vpon the altar, which he had made in Beth-el, the fifteenth day of the eight moneth, (euen in the moneth which he had forged of his owne heart) and made a solemne feast vnto the children of Israel: and he went vp to the altar, to burne incense.

And beholde, there came a man of God out of Iudah (by the commandement of the Lord) vnto Beth-el, and Ieroboam stoode by the altar to offer incense.

And he cryed against the altar by the comandement of the Lord, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord, Beholde, a child shalbe borne vnto the house of Dauid, Iosiah by name, and vpon thee shall he sacrifice the Priestes of the hie places that burne incense vpon thee, and they shall burne mens bones vpon thee.

And he gaue a signe the same time, saying, This is the signe, that the Lord hath spoken, Behold, the altar shall rent, and the ashes that are vpon it, shall fall out.

And when the King had heard the saying of the man of God, which he had cryed against the altar in Beth-el, Ieroboam stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, Lay holde on him: but his hande which he put foorth against him, dryed vp, and he could not pull it in againe to him.

The altar also claue asunder, and the ashes fell out from the altar, according to the signe, which the man of God had giuen by the commandement of the Lord.

Then the King answered, and saide vnto the man of God, I beseeche thee, pray vnto ye Lord thy God, and make intercession for me, that mine hand may bee restored vnto me. And the man of God besought the Lord, and the Kings hand was restored, and became as it was afore.

Then the King sayde vnto the man of God, Come home with mee, that thou mayest dyne, and I will giue thee a reward.

But the man of God saide vnto the King, If thou wouldest giue me halfe thine house, I would not goe in with thee, neither woulde I eate bread nor drinke water in this place.

For so was it charged mee by the worde of the Lord, saying, Eate no bread nor drinke water, nor turne againe by the same way that thou camest.

So he went another way and returned not by the way that he came to Beth-el.

And an olde Prophet dwelt in Beth-el, and his sonnes came and tolde him all ye woorkes, that the man of God had done that day in Beth-el, and the wordes which he had spoken vnto the King, tolde they their father.

And their father sayde vnto them, What way went he? and his sonnes shewed him what waye the man of God went, which came from Iudah.

And hee saide vnto his sonnes, Saddle mee the asse. Who sadled him the asse, and hee rode thereon,

And went after the man of God, and found him sitting vnder an oke: and he saide vnto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Iudah? And he sayd, Yea.

Then he said vnto him, Come home with me, and eate bread.

But he answered, I may not returne with thee, nor go in with thee, neither wil I eate bread nor drinke water with thee in this place.

For it was charged me by the word of the Lord, saying, Thou shalt eate no bread, nor drinke water there, nor turne againe to goe by the way that thou wentest.