The Divided Kingdom

but they become servants to him, and they know My service, and the service of the kingdoms of the lands.'

And Shishak king of Egypt cometh up against Jerusalem, and taketh the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and the treasures of the house of the king--the whole he hath taken--and he taketh the shields of gold that Solomon had made;

and king Rehoboam maketh in their stead shields of brass, and hath given them a charge on the hand of the heads of the runners who are keeping the opening of the house of the king;

and it cometh to pass, from the time of the going in of the king to the house of Jehovah, the runners have come in and lifted them up, and brought them back unto the chamber of the runners.

And in his being humbled, turned back from him hath the wrath of Jehovah, so as not to destroy to completion; and also, in Judah there have been good things.

And king Rehoboam strengtheneth himself in Jerusalem, and reigneth; for a son of forty and two years is Rehoboam in his reigning, and seventeen years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, the city that Jehovah hath chosen to put His name there, out of all the tribes of Israel, and the name of his mother is Naamah the Ammonitess,

and he doth the evil thing, for he hath not prepared his heart to seek Jehovah.

And the matters of Rehoboam, the first and the last, are they not written among the matters of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer, concerning genealogy? And the wars of Rehoboam and Jeroboam are all the days;

and Rehoboam lieth with his fathers, and is buried in the city of David, and reign doth Abijah his son in his stead.

In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam--Abijah reigneth over Judah;

three years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, (and the name of his mother is Michaiah daughter of Uriel, from Gibeah,) and war hath been between Abijah and Jeroboam.

And Abijah directeth the war with a force of mighty men of war, four hundred thousand chosen men, and Jeroboam hath set in array with him battle, with eight hundred thousand chosen men, mighty of valour.

And Abijah riseth up on the hill of Zemaraim that is in the hill-country of Ephraim, and saith, `Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel!

Is it not for you to know that Jehovah, God of Israel, hath given the kingdom to David over Israel to the age, to him and to his sons--a covenant of salt?

and rise up doth Jeroboam, son of Nebat, servant of Solomon son of David, and rebelleth against his lord!

`And there are gathered unto him vain men, sons of worthlessness, and they strengthen themselves against Rehoboam son of Solomon, and Rehoboam was a youth, and tender of heart, and hath not strengthened himself against them.

`And now, ye are saying to strengthen yourselves before the kingdom of Jehovah in the hand of the sons of David, and ye are a numerous multitude, and with you calves of gold that Jeroboam hath made to you for gods.

`Have ye not cast out the priests of Jehovah, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and make to you priests like the peoples of the lands? every one who hath come to fill his hand with a bullock, a son of the herd, and seven rams, even he hath been a priest to No-gods!

`As for us, Jehovah is our God, and we have not forsaken Him, and priests are ministering to Jehovah, sons of Aaron and the Levites, in the work,

and are making perfume to Jehovah, burnt-offerings morning by morning, and evening by evening, and perfume of spices, and the arrangement of bread is on the pure table, and the candlestick of gold, and its lamps, to burn evening by evening, for we are keeping the charge of Jehovah our God, and ye--ye have forsaken Him.

`And lo, with us--at our head-- is God, and His priests and trumpets of shouting to shout against you; O sons of Israel, do not fight with Jehovah, God of your fathers, for ye do not prosper.'

And Jeroboam hath brought round the ambush to come in from behind them, and they are before Judah, and the ambush is behind them.

And Judah turneth, and lo, against them is the battle, before and behind, and they cry to Jehovah, and the priests are blowing with trumpets,

and the men of Judah shout--and it cometh to pass, at the shouting of the men of Judah, that God hath smitten Jeroboam, and all Israel, before Abijah and Judah.

And the sons of Israel flee from the face of Judah, and God giveth them into their hand,