CHAPTER I.

I. KINGS, xii., xiv.-xvi. II. CHRONICLES, xiii., xvi.

JEROBOAM I. AND HIS SUCCESSORS.

Rival Sanctuaries—Jehovah Worshipped as a Calf-War with Judah— The Sick Child-A Secret Visit-The Prophet's DenunciationBaasha's Usurpation-Jerusalem Blockaded-Judah Hires Benhadad-Jehu the Prophet-Conspiracy of Zimri-The Army for Omri.

So Israel rebelled against the house of David, and made Jeroboam king over all Israel; there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and he went out thence, and built Penuel, beyond the Jordan. And Jeroboam said in his heart: Verily the kingdom returneth to the house of David. If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, unto Rehoboam king of Judah; and they shall kill me, and return to Rehoboam king of Judah. So the king took counsel, and made two calves (bullocks) of gold; and he said to the people: It is too far for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold thy god, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan; and the people went to worship before them unto Bethel, and unto Dan,

And Jeroboam

and forsook the temple of Jehovah. built temples at Bethel and at Dan, and made priests from among all the people, who were not of the sons of Levi. And he ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that is in Judah on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, even the Feast of Tabernacles. And he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made.

Now there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. And in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam son of Nebat began Abijah to reign over Judah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. And Abijah and the men of Judah prevailed against Jeroboam and the men of Israel, and defeated them at Mount Zemaraim in the hill country of Ephraim. And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with its towns, and Jeshanah with its towns, and Ephrain with its towns. Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah king of Judah.

And it came to pass that Abijah son of Jeroboam fell sick. And Jeroboam said to his wife: Arise, and disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam, and get thee to Shiloh; behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, who told me that I should be king over this people. And take with thee ten loaves, and cakes, and a cruse of honey, and go to him; he shall tell thee what shall become of the child. And Jeroboam's wife did so, and arose, and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah.

Now Ahijah could not see; for his eyes were set by reason of his age. And Jehovah said to Ahijah: Be

THE PROPHET'S DENUNCIATION.

365 hold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to inquire of thee concerning her son; for he is sick. Thus and thus shalt thou say unto her. And it shall be, when she cometh in, that she shall feign herself to be another woman. And it came to pass, when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she caine in at the door, that he said: Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be another? I am sent to thee with heavy tidings. Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel, and rent the kingdom from the house of David, and gave it thee; and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes; but hast done evil above all that were before thee, and hast gone and made thee other gods, molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back; therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both young and old, and will sweep away the house of Jeroboam, as one sweepeth away dirt, till it be all gone. Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat for Jehovah hath spoken. And now arise, get thee to thine house; and when thy feet enter into the city, the child shall die. And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him; for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave; because of the house of Jeroboam in him only there is found some good thing toward Jehovah, the God of Israel.

And Jeroboam's wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah; and as she came to the threshold of the

house, the child died. And all Israel buried him, and mourned for him; according to the word of Jehovah, which he spake by the hand of his servant Ahijah the prophet.

And Jeroboam reigned twenty-two years; and he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his stead. And Nadab son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel two years. And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin. And Baasha son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him, and smote him at Gibbethon of the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel were besieging Gibbethon. And it came to pass that, as soon as he was king, Baasha smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had destroyed him; according unto the saying of Jehovah, which he spake by the hand of his servant Ahijah the Shilonite. And Baasha son of Ahijah reigned over all Israel in Tirzah twenty-four years.

And there was war between Asa king of Judah and Baasha king of Israel continually, and the hand of Baasha and the men of Israel prevailed against Asa and the men of Judah. And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might leave to Asa king of Judah neither egress nor ingress. Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of Jehovah's house and of the king's house, and sent to Ben-hadad (Son of Hadad) king of Syria, who dwelt at Damascus, saying: Let there be a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: Behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he