Month: December 2019

Furnishings for the Temple

1 Solomonalso made a bronze altar 30 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 15 feet high.

2 Then he cast a great round basin, 15 feet across from rim to rim, called the Sea. It was 71/2feet deep and about 45 feet in circumference.

3 It was encircled just below its rim by two rows of figures that resembled oxen. There were about six oxen per footall the way around, and they were cast as part of the basin.

4 The Sea was placed on a base of twelve bronze oxen, all facing outward. Three faced north, three faced west, three faced south, and three faced east, and the Sea rested on them.

5 The walls of the Sea were about three inchesthick, and its rim flared out like a cup and resembled a water lily blossom. It could hold about 16,500 gallonsof water.

6 He also made ten smaller basins for washing the utensils for the burnt offerings. He set five on the south side and five on the north. But the priests washed themselves in the Sea.

7 He then cast ten gold lampstands according to the specifications that had been given, and he put them in the Temple. Five were placed against the south wall, and five were placed against the north wall.

8 He also built ten tables and placed them in the Temple, five along the south wall and five along the north wall. Then he molded 100 gold basins.

9 He then built a courtyard for the priests, and also the large outer courtyard. He made doors for the courtyard entrances and overlaid them with bronze.

10 The great bronze basin called the Sea was placed near the southeast corner of the Temple.

11 Huram-abi also made the necessary washbasins, shovels, and bowls.

So at last Huram-abi completed everything King Solomon had assigned him to make for the Temple of God:

12 the two pillars;

the two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars;

the two networks of interwoven chains that decorated the capitals;

13 the 400 pomegranates that hung from the chains on the capitals (two rows of pomegranates for each of the chain networks that decorated the capitals on top of the pillars);

14 the water carts holding the basins;

15 the Sea and the twelve oxen under it;

16 the ash buckets, the shovels, the meat hooks, and all the related articles.

Huram-abi made all these things of burnished bronze for the Temple of theLord, just as King Solomon had directed.

17 The king had them cast in clay molds in the Jordan Valley between Succoth and Zarethan.

18 Solomon used such great quantities of bronze that its weight could not be determined.

19 Solomon also made all the furnishings for the Temple of God:

the gold altar;

the tables for the Bread of the Presence;

20 the lampstands and their lamps of solid gold, to burn in front of the Most Holy Place as prescribed;

21 the flower decorations, lamps, and tongs—all of the purest gold;

22 the lamp snuffers, bowls, ladles, and incense burners—all of solid gold;

the doors for the entrances to the Most Holy Place and the main room of the Temple, overlaid with gold.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/2CH/4-5ff1b27e47686c8fb19672d312576683.mp3?version_id=116—

1 So Solomon finished all his work on the Temple of theLord. Then he brought all the gifts his father, David, had dedicated—the silver, the gold, and the various articles—and he stored them in the treasuries of the Temple of God.

The Ark Brought to the Temple

2 Solomon then summoned to Jerusalem the elders of Israel and all the heads of tribes—the leaders of the ancestral families of Israel. They were to bring the Ark of theLord’s Covenant to the Temple from its location in the City of David, also known as Zion.

3 So all the men of Israel assembled before the king at the annual Festival of Shelters, which is held in early autumn.

4 When all the elders of Israel arrived, the Levites picked up the Ark.

5 The priests and Levites brought up the Ark along with the special tentand all the sacred items that had been in it.

6 There, before the Ark, King Solomon and the entire community of Israel sacrificed so many sheep, goats, and cattle that no one could keep count!

7 Then the priests carried the Ark of theLord’s Covenant into the inner sanctuary of the Temple—the Most Holy Place—and placed it beneath the wings of the cherubim.

8 The cherubim spread their wings over the Ark, forming a canopy over the Ark and its carrying poles.

9 These poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the Holy Place,which is in front of the Most Holy Place, but not from the outside. They are still there to this day.

10 Nothing was in the Ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Mount Sinai,where theLordmade a covenant with the people of Israel when they left Egypt.

11 Then the priests left the Holy Place. All the priests who were present had purified themselves, whether or not they were on duty that day.

12 And the Levites who were musicians—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and all their sons and brothers—were dressed in fine linen robes and stood at the east side of the altar playing cymbals, lyres, and harps. They were joined by 120 priests who were playing trumpets.

13 The trumpeters and singers performed together in unison to praise and give thanks to theLord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, they raised their voices and praised theLordwith these words:

“He is good!

His faithful love endures forever!”

At that moment a thick cloud filled the Temple of theLord.

14 The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glorious presence of theLordfilled the Temple of God.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/2CH/5-f4e9cc5bf9d8e4c697c5aaa38a4e82df.mp3?version_id=116—

Solomon Praises the Lord

1 Then Solomon prayed, “OLord, you have said that you would live in a thick cloud of darkness.

2 Now I have built a glorious Temple for you, a place where you can live forever!”

3 Then the king turned around to the entire community of Israel standing before him and gave this blessing:

4 “Praise theLord, the God of Israel, who has kept the promise he made to my father, David. For he told my father,

5 ‘From the day I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I have never chosen a city among any of the tribes of Israel as the place where a Temple should be built to honor my name. Nor have I chosen a king to lead my people Israel.

6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem as the place for my name to be honored, and I have chosen David to be king over my people Israel.’”

7 Then Solomon said, “My father, David, wanted to build this Temple to honor the name of theLord, the God of Israel.

8 But theLordtold him, ‘You wanted to build the Temple to honor my name. Your intention is good,

9 but you are not the one to do it. One of your own sons will build the Temple to honor me.’

10 “And now theLordhas fulfilled the promise he made, for I have become king in my father’s place, and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as theLordpromised. I have built this Temple to honor the name of theLord, the God of Israel.

11 There I have placed the Ark, which contains the covenant that theLordmade with the people of Israel.”

Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication

12 Then Solomon stood before the altar of theLordin front of the entire community of Israel, and he lifted his hands in prayer.

13 Now Solomon had made a bronze platform 71/2feet long, 71/2feet wide, and 41/2feet highand had placed it at the center of the Temple’s outer courtyard. He stood on the platform, and then he knelt in front of the entire community of Israel and lifted his hands toward heaven.

14 He prayed,

“OLord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in all of heaven and earth. You keep your covenant and show unfailing love to all who walk before you in wholehearted devotion.

15 You have kept your promise to your servant David, my father. You made that promise with your own mouth, and with your own hands you have fulfilled it today.

16 “And now, OLord, God of Israel, carry out the additional promise you made to your servant David, my father. For you said to him, ‘If your descendants guard their behavior and faithfully follow my Law as you have done, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel.’

17 Now, OLord, God of Israel, fulfill this promise to your servant David.

18 “But will God really live on earth among people? Why, even the highest heavens cannot contain you. How much less this Temple I have built!

19 Nevertheless, listen to my prayer and my plea, OLordmy God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is making to you.

20 May you watch over this Temple day and night, this place where you have said you would put your name. May you always hear the prayers I make toward this place.

21 May you hear the humble and earnest requests from me and your people Israel when we pray toward this place. Yes, hear us from heaven where you live, and when you hear, forgive.

22 “If someone wrongs another person and is required to take an oath of innocence in front of your altar at this Temple,

23 then hear from heaven and judge between your servants—the accuser and the accused. Pay back the guilty as they deserve. Acquit the innocent because of their innocence.

24 “If your people Israel are defeated by their enemies because they have sinned against you, and if they turn back and acknowledge your name and pray to you here in this Temple,

25 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and return them to this land you gave to them and to their ancestors.

26 “If the skies are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and if they pray toward this Temple and acknowledge your name and turn from their sins because you have punished them,

27 then hear from heaven and forgive the sins of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them to follow the right path, and send rain on your land that you have given to your people as their special possession.

28 “If there is a famine in the land or a plague or crop disease or attacks of locusts or caterpillars, or if your people’s enemies are in the land besieging their towns—whatever disaster or disease there is—

29 and if your people Israel pray about their troubles or sorrow, raising their hands toward this Temple,

30 then hear from heaven where you live, and forgive. Give your people what their actions deserve, for you alone know each human heart.

31 Then they will fear you and walk in your ways as long as they live in the land you gave to our ancestors.

32 “In the future, foreigners who do not belong to your people Israel will hear of you. They will come from distant lands when they hear of your great name and your strong hand and your powerful arm. And when they pray toward this Temple,

33 then hear from heaven where you live, and grant what they ask of you. In this way, all the people of the earth will come to know and fear you, just as your own people Israel do. They, too, will know that this Temple I have built honors your name.

34 “If your people go out where you send them to fight their enemies, and if they pray to you by turning toward this city you have chosen and toward this Temple I have built to honor your name,

35 then hear their prayers from heaven and uphold their cause.

36 “If they sin against you—and who has never sinned?—you might become angry with them and let their enemies conquer them and take them captive to a foreign land far away or near.

37 But in that land of exile, they might turn to you in repentance and pray, ‘We have sinned, done evil, and acted wickedly.’

38 If they turn to you with their whole heart and soul in the land of their captivity and pray toward the land you gave to their ancestors—toward this city you have chosen, and toward this Temple I have built to honor your name—

39 then hear their prayers and their petitions from heaven where you live, and uphold their cause. Forgive your people who have sinned against you.

40 “O my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to all the prayers made to you in this place.

41 “And now arise, OLordGod, and enter your resting place,

along with the Ark, the symbol of your power.

May your priests, OLordGod, be clothed with salvation;

may your loyal servants rejoice in your goodness.

42 OLordGod, do not reject the king you have anointed.

Remember your unfailing love for your servant David.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/2CH/6-bce2f5fc131e437542047c714bdc8074.mp3?version_id=116—

The Dedication of the Temple

1 When Solomon finished praying, fire flashed down from heaven and burned up the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the glorious presence of theLordfilled the Temple.

2 The priests could not enter the Temple of theLordbecause the glorious presence of theLordfilled it.

3 When all the people of Israel saw the fire coming down and the glorious presence of theLordfilling the Temple, they fell face down on the ground and worshiped and praised theLord, saying,

“He is good!

His faithful love endures forever!”

4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices to theLord.

5 King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats. And so the king and all the people dedicated the Temple of God.

6 The priests took their assigned positions, and so did the Levites who were singing, “His faithful love endures forever!” They accompanied the singing with music from the instruments King David had made for praising theLord. Across from the Levites, the priests blew the trumpets, while all Israel stood.

7 Solomon then consecrated the central area of the courtyard in front of theLord’s Temple. He offered burnt offerings and the fat of peace offerings there, because the bronze altar he had built could not hold all the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and sacrificial fat.

8 For the next seven days Solomon and all Israel celebrated the Festival of Shelters.A large congregation had gathered from as far away as Lebo-hamath in the north and the Brook of Egypt in the south.

9 On the eighth day they had a closing ceremony, for they had celebrated the dedication of the altar for seven days and the Festival of Shelters for seven days.

10 Then at the end of the celebration,Solomon sent the people home. They were all joyful and glad because theLordhad been so good to David and to Solomon and to his people Israel.

The Lord’s Response to Solomon

11 So Solomon finished the Temple of theLord, as well as the royal palace. He completed everything he had planned to do in the construction of the Temple and the palace.

12 Then one night theLordappeared to Solomon and said,

“I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices.

13 At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you.

14 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.

15 My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place.

16 For I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be holy—a place where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart.

17 “As for you, if you faithfully follow me as David your father did, obeying all my commands, decrees, and regulations,

18 then I will establish the throne of your dynasty. For I made this covenant with your father, David, when I said, ‘One of your descendants will always rule over Israel.’

19 “But if you or your descendants abandon me and disobey the decrees and commands I have given you, and if you serve and worship other gods,

20 then I will uproot the people from this land that I have given them. I will reject this Temple that I have made holy to honor my name. I will make it an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations.

21 And though this Temple is impressive now, all who pass by will be appalled. They will ask, ‘Why did theLorddo such terrible things to this land and to this Temple?’

22 “And the answer will be, ‘Because his people abandoned theLord, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and they worshiped other gods instead and bowed down to them. That is why he has brought all these disasters on them.’”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/2CH/7-7d9321b8608b7e062269024ff0f2edf3.mp3?version_id=116—

Solomon’s Many Achievements

1 It took Solomon twenty years to build theLord’s Temple and his own royal palace. At the end of that time,

2 Solomon turned his attention to rebuilding the towns that King Hiramhad given him, and he settled Israelites in them.

3 Solomon also fought against the town of Hamath-zobah and conquered it.

4 He rebuilt Tadmor in the wilderness and built towns in the region of Hamath as supply centers.

5 He fortified the towns of Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon, rebuilding their walls and installing barred gates.

6 He also rebuilt Baalath and other supply centers and constructed towns where his chariots and horsescould be stationed. He built everything he desired in Jerusalem and Lebanon and throughout his entire realm.

7 There were still some people living in the land who were not Israelites, including the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

8 These were descendants of the nations whom the people of Israel had not destroyed. So Solomon conscripted them for his labor force, and they serve as forced laborers to this day.

9 But Solomon did not conscript any of the Israelites for his labor force. Instead, he assigned them to serve as fighting men, officers in his army, commanders of his chariots, and charioteers.

10 King Solomon appointed 250 of them to supervise the people.

11 Solomon moved his wife, Pharaoh’s daughter, from the City of David to the new palace he had built for her. He said, “My wife must not live in King David’s palace, for the Ark of theLordhas been there, and it is holy ground.”

12 Then Solomon presented burnt offerings to theLordon the altar he had built for him in front of the entry room of the Temple.

13 He offered the sacrifices for the Sabbaths, the new moon festivals, and the three annual festivals—the Passover celebration, the Festival of Harvest,and the Festival of Shelters—as Moses had commanded.

14 In assigning the priests to their duties, Solomon followed the regulations of his father, David. He also assigned the Levites to lead the people in praise and to assist the priests in their daily duties. And he assigned the gatekeepers to their gates by their divisions, following the commands of David, the man of God.

15 Solomon did not deviate in any way from David’s commands concerning the priests and Levites and the treasuries.

16 So Solomon made sure that all the work related to building the Temple of theLordwas carried out, from the day its foundation was laid to the day of its completion.

17 Later Solomon went to Ezion-geber and Elath,ports along the shore of the Red Seain the land of Edom.

18 Hiram sent him ships commanded by his own officers and manned by experienced crews of sailors. These ships sailed to Ophir with Solomon’s men and brought back to Solomon almost seventeen tonsof gold.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/2CH/8-96b704be6b27665dfe89616de497ba11.mp3?version_id=116—

Visit of the Queen of Sheba

1 When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. She arrived with a large group of attendants and a great caravan of camels loaded with spices, large quantities of gold, and precious jewels. When she met with Solomon, she talked with him about everything she had on her mind.

2 Solomon had answers for all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her.

3 When the queen of Sheba realized how wise Solomon was, and when she saw the palace he had built,

4 she was overwhelmed. She was also amazed at the food on his tables, the organization of his officials and their splendid clothing, the cup-bearers and their robes, and the burnt offeringsSolomon made at the Temple of theLord.

5 She exclaimed to the king, “Everything I heard in my country about your achievementsand wisdom is true!

6 I didn’t believe what was said until I arrived here and saw it with my own eyes. In fact, I had not heard the half of your great wisdom! It is far beyond what I was told.

7 How happy your people must be! What a privilege for your officials to stand here day after day, listening to your wisdom!

8 Praise theLordyour God, who delights in you and has placed you on the throne as king to rule for him. Because God loves Israel and desires this kingdom to last forever, he has made you king over them so you can rule with justice and righteousness.”

9 Then she gave the king a gift of 9,000 poundsof gold, great quantities of spices, and precious jewels. Never before had there been spices as fine as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

10 (In addition, the crews of Hiram and Solomon brought gold from Ophir, and they also brought red sandalwoodand precious jewels.

11 The king used the sandalwood to make stepsfor the Temple of theLordand the royal palace, and to construct lyres and harps for the musicians. Never before had such beautiful things been seen in Judah.)

12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba whatever she asked for—gifts of greater value than the gifts she had given him. Then she and all her attendants returned to their own land.

Solomon’s Wealth and Splendor

13 Each year Solomon received about 25 tonsof gold.

14 This did not include the additional revenue he received from merchants and traders. All the kings of Arabia and the governors of the provinces also brought gold and silver to Solomon.

15 King Solomon made 200 large shields of hammered gold, each weighing more than 15 pounds.

16 He also made 300 smaller shields of hammered gold, each weighing more than 71/2pounds.The king placed these shields in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.

17 Then the king made a huge throne, decorated with ivory and overlaid with pure gold.

18 The throne had six steps, with a footstool of gold. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, and the figure of a lion stood on each side of the throne.

19 There were also twelve other lions, one standing on each end of the six steps. No other throne in all the world could be compared with it!

20 All of King Solomon’s drinking cups were solid gold, as were all the utensils in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. They were not made of silver, for silver was considered worthless in Solomon’s day!

21 The king had a fleet of trading ships of Tarshish manned by the sailors sent by Hiram.Once every three years the ships returned, loaded with gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

22 So King Solomon became richer and wiser than any other king on earth.

23 Kings from every nation came to consult him and to hear the wisdom God had given him.

24 Year after year everyone who visited brought him gifts of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.

25 Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his horses and chariots, and he had 12,000 horses.He stationed some of them in the chariot cities, and some near him in Jerusalem.

26 He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates Riverin the north to the land of the Philistines and the border of Egypt in the south.

27 The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stone. And valuable cedar timber was as common as the sycamore-fig trees that grow in the foothills of Judah.

28 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egyptand many other countries.

Summary of Solomon’s Reign

29 The rest of the events of Solomon’s reign, from beginning to end, are recorded inThe Record of Nathan the Prophet,andThe Prophecy of Ahijah from Shiloh,and also inThe Visions of Iddo the Seer,concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat.

30 Solomon ruled in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years.

31 When he died, he was buried in the City of David, named for his father. Then his son Rehoboam became the next king.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/2CH/9-491947fdcdaef3833f413bd6fc4fcdc7.mp3?version_id=116—

The Northern Tribes Revolt

1 Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all Israel had gathered to make him king.

2 When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of this, he returned from Egypt, for he had fled to Egypt to escape from King Solomon.

3 The leaders of Israel summoned him, and Jeroboam and all Israel went to speak with Rehoboam.

4 “Your father was a hard master,” they said. “Lighten the harsh labor demands and heavy taxes that your father imposed on us. Then we will be your loyal subjects.”

5 Rehoboam replied, “Come back in three days for my answer.” So the people went away.

6 Then King Rehoboam discussed the matter with the older men who had counseled his father, Solomon. “What is your advice?” he asked. “How should I answer these people?”

7 The older counselors replied, “If you are good to these people and do your best to please them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your loyal subjects.”

8 But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the older men and instead asked the opinion of the young men who had grown up with him and were now his advisers.

9 “What is your advice?” he asked them. “How should I answer these people who want me to lighten the burdens imposed by my father?”

10 The young men replied, “This is what you should tell those complainers who want a lighter burden: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist!

11 Yes, my father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!’”

12 Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to hear Rehoboam’s decision, just as the king had ordered.

13 But Rehoboam spoke harshly to them, for he rejected the advice of the older counselors

14 and followed the counsel of his younger advisers. He told the people, “My father laidheavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!”

15 So the king paid no attention to the people. This turn of events was the will of God, for it fulfilled theLord’s message to Jeroboam son of Nebat through the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh.

16 When all Israel realizedthat the king had refused to listen to them, they responded,

“Down with the dynasty of David!

We have no interest in the son of Jesse.

Back to your homes, O Israel!

Look out for your own house, O David!”

So all the people of Israel returned home.

17 But Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the towns of Judah.

18 King Rehoboam sent Adoniram,who was in charge of forced labor, to restore order, but the people of Israel stoned him to death. When this news reached King Rehoboam, he quickly jumped into his chariot and fled to Jerusalem.

19 And to this day the northern tribes of Israel have refused to be ruled by a descendant of David.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/2CH/10-691b3c51e29f7a795a7325f060f7a2b8.mp3?version_id=116—

Shemaiah’s Prophecy

1 When Rehoboam arrived at Jerusalem, he mobilized the men of Judah and Benjamin—180,000 select troops—to fight against Israel and to restore the kingdom to himself.

2 But theLordsaid to Shemaiah, the man of God,

3 “Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin:

4 ‘This is what theLordsays: Do not fight against your relatives. Go back home, for what has happened is my doing!’” So they obeyed the message of theLordand did not fight against Jeroboam.

Rehoboam Fortifies Judah

5 Rehoboam remained in Jerusalem and fortified various towns for the defense of Judah.

6 He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

7 Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,

8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,

9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,

10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These became the fortified towns of Judah and Benjamin.

11 Rehoboam strengthened their defenses and stationed commanders in them, and he stored supplies of food, olive oil, and wine.

12 He also put shields and spears in these towns as a further safety measure. So only Judah and Benjamin remained under his control.

13 But all the priests and Levites living among the northern tribes of Israel sided with Rehoboam.

14 The Levites even abandoned their pasturelands and property and moved to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons would not allow them to serve theLordas priests.

15 Jeroboam appointed his own priests to serve at the pagan shrines, where they worshiped the goat and calf idols he had made.

16 From all the tribes of Israel, those who sincerely wanted to worship theLord, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem, where they could offer sacrifices to theLord, the God of their ancestors.

17 This strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they supported Rehoboam son of Solomon, for during those years they faithfully followed in the footsteps of David and Solomon.

Rehoboam’s Family

18 Rehoboam married his cousin Mahalath, the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Eliab son of Jesse.

19 Mahalath had three sons—Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.

20 Later Rehoboam married another cousin, Maacah, the granddaughter of Absalom. Maacah gave birth to Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.

21 Rehoboam loved Maacah more than any of his other wives and concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and they gave birth to twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

22 Rehoboam appointed Maacah’s son Abijah as leader among the princes, making it clear that he would be the next king.

23 Rehoboam also wisely gave responsibilities to his other sons and stationed some of them in the fortified towns throughout the land of Judah and Benjamin. He provided them with generous provisions, and he found many wives for them.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/2CH/11-0a30f269004fb3836ba71c06b65f5b58.mp3?version_id=116—

Egypt Invades Judah

1 But when Rehoboam was firmly established and strong, he abandoned the Law of theLord, and all Israel followed him in this sin.

2 Because they were unfaithful to theLord, King Shishak of Egypt came up and attacked Jerusalem in the fifth year of King Rehoboam’s reign.

3 He came with 1,200 chariots, 60,000 horses,and a countless army of foot soldiers, including Libyans, Sukkites, and Ethiopians.

4 Shishak conquered Judah’s fortified towns and then advanced to attack Jerusalem.

5 The prophet Shemaiah then met with Rehoboam and Judah’s leaders, who had all fled to Jerusalem because of Shishak. Shemaiah told them, “This is what theLordsays: You have abandoned me, so I am abandoning you to Shishak.”

6 Then the leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “TheLordis right in doing this to us!”

7 When theLordsaw their change of heart, he gave this message to Shemaiah: “Since the people have humbled themselves, I will not completely destroy them and will soon give them some relief. I will not use Shishak to pour out my anger on Jerusalem.

8 But they will become his subjects, so they will know the difference between serving me and serving earthly rulers.”

9 So King Shishak of Egypt came up and attacked Jerusalem. He ransacked the treasuries of theLord’s Temple and the royal palace; he stole everything, including all the gold shields Solomon had made.

10 King Rehoboam later replaced them with bronze shields as substitutes, and he entrusted them to the care of the commanders of the guard who protected the entrance to the royal palace.

11 Whenever the king went to the Temple of theLord, the guards would also take the shields and then return them to the guardroom.

12 Because Rehoboam humbled himself, theLord’s anger was turned away, and he did not destroy him completely. There were still some good things in the land of Judah.

Summary of Rehoboam’s Reign

13 King Rehoboam firmly established himself in Jerusalem and continued to rule. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city theLordhad chosen from among all the tribes of Israel as the place to honor his name. Rehoboam’s mother was Naamah, a woman from Ammon.

14 But he was an evil king, for he did not seek theLordwith all his heart.

15 The rest of the events of Rehoboam’s reign, from beginning to end, are recorded inThe Record of Shemaiah the ProphetandThe Record of Iddo the Seer,which are part of the genealogical record. Rehoboam and Jeroboam were continually at war with each other.

16 When Rehoboam died, he was buried in the City of David. Then his son Abijah became the next king.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/2CH/12-03d8d3235abf3a2dc1c97f0985fe9660.mp3?version_id=116—

Abijah’s War with Jeroboam

1 Abijah began to rule over Judah in the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign in Israel.

2 He reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother was Maacah,the daughter of Uriel from Gibeah.

Then war broke out between Abijah and Jeroboam.

3 Judah, led by King Abijah, fielded 400,000 select warriors, while Jeroboam mustered 800,000 select troops from Israel.

4 When the army of Judah arrived in the hill country of Ephraim, Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim and shouted to Jeroboam and all Israel: “Listen to me!

5 Don’t you realize that theLord, the God of Israel, made a lasting covenantwith David, giving him and his descendants the throne of Israel forever?

6 Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, a mere servant of David’s son Solomon, rebelled against his master.

7 Then a whole gang of scoundrels joined him, defying Solomon’s son Rehoboam when he was young and inexperienced and could not stand up to them.

8 “Do you really think you can stand against the kingdom of theLordthat is led by the descendants of David? You may have a vast army, and you have those gold calves that Jeroboam made as your gods.

9 But you have chased away the priests of theLord(the descendants of Aaron) and the Levites, and you have appointed your own priests, just like the pagan nations. You let anyone become a priest these days! Whoever comes to be dedicated with a young bull and seven rams can become a priest of these so-called gods of yours!

10 “But as for us, theLordis our God, and we have not abandoned him. Only the descendants of Aaron serve theLordas priests, and the Levites alone may help them in their work.

11 They present burnt offerings and fragrant incense to theLordevery morning and evening. They place the Bread of the Presence on the holy table, and they light the gold lampstand every evening. We are following the instructions of theLordour God, but you have abandoned him.

12 So you see, God is with us. He is our leader. His priests blow their trumpets and lead us into battle against you. O people of Israel, do not fight against theLord, the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed!”

13 Meanwhile, Jeroboam had secretly sent part of his army around behind the men of Judah to ambush them.

14 When Judah realized that they were being attacked from the front and the rear, they cried out to theLordfor help. Then the priests blew the trumpets,

15 and the men of Judah began to shout. At the sound of their battle cry, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel and routed them before Abijah and the army of Judah.

16 The Israelite army fled from Judah, and God handed them over to Judah in defeat.

17 Abijah and his army inflicted heavy losses on them; 500,000 of Israel’s select troops were killed that day.

18 So Judah defeated Israel on that occasion because they trusted in theLord, the God of their ancestors.

19 Abijah and his army pursued Jeroboam’s troops and captured some of his towns, including Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron, along with their surrounding villages.

20 So Jeroboam of Israel never regained his power during Abijah’s lifetime, and finally theLordstruck him down and he died.

21 Meanwhile, Abijah of Judah grew more and more powerful. He married fourteen wives and had twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.

22 The rest of the events of Abijah’s reign, including his words and deeds, are recorded inThe Commentary of Iddo the Prophet.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/2CH/13-ccf48eb16e19128b85652e8031a39c0c.mp3?version_id=116—