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JULY 7
So she turned and went to her own country,
she and her servants.
13 The weight of gold that came to Solomon
yearly was six hundred and sixty-six talents of 9:29 In later years,Solomon turned away from
God; and, due to the influence of his wives, he
gold, besides what the traveling merchants led the nation into idolatry.This split the king-
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and traders brought. And all the kings of dom and sowed the seeds that led to its defeat
Arabia and governors of the country brought and dispersion. The Chronicles do not record
gold and silver to Solomon. And King Sol- this sad end to Solomon’s life because the
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omon made two hundred large shields of ham- focus is on encouraging the returning Jews
mered gold; six hundred shekels of hammered from Babylon with God’s pledge to them for a
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gold went into each shield. He also made glorious future in the Davidic Covenant.
three hundred shields of hammered gold;
three hundred shekels of gold went into each
shield. The king put them in the House of the fathers, and was buried in the City of David
Forest of Lebanon. his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in
17 Moreover the king made a great throne of his place.
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ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold. The And Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all
throne had six steps, with a footstool of gold, 10 Israel had gone to Shechem to make him
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which were fastened to the throne; there were king. So it happened, when Jeroboam the son
armrests on either side of the place of the seat, of Nebat heard it (he was in Egypt, where he
and two lions stood beside the armrests. had fled from the presence of King Solomon),
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19 Twelve lions stood there, one on each side of that Jeroboam returned from Egypt. Then
the six steps; nothing like this had been made they sent for him and called him. And Jero-
for any other kingdom. boam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehobo-
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20 All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were am, saying, “Your father made our yoke heavy;
gold, and all the vessels of the House of the now therefore, lighten the burdensome service
Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Not one was of your father and his heavy yoke which he put
silver, for this was accounted as nothing in the on us, and we will serve you.”
5 So he said to them, “Come back to me after
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days of Solomon. For the king’s ships went to
Tarshish with the servants of Hiram. Once three days.” And the people departed.
6 Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders
every three years the merchant ships came,
bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys. who stood before his father Solomon while he
22 So King Solomon surpassed all the kings still lived, saying, “How do you advise me to
of the earth in riches and wisdom. And all the answer these people?”
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kings of the earth sought the presence of Sol- And they spoke to him, saying, “If you are
omon to hear his wisdom, which God had put kind to these people, and please them, and
in his heart. Each man brought his present: speak good words to them, they will be your
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articles of silver and gold, garments, armor, servants forever.”
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spices, horses, and mules, at a set rate year by But he rejected the advice which the elders
year. had given him, and consulted the young men
25 Solomon had four thousand stalls for hors- who had grown up with him, who stood before
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es and chariots, and twelve thousand horse- him. And he said to them, “What advice do
men whom he stationed in the chariot cities you give? How should we answer this people
and with the king at Jerusalem. who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the
26 So he reigned over all the kings from the yoke which your father put on us’?”
River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the 10 Then the young men who had grown up
border of Egypt. The king made silver as com- with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus you
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mon in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar should speak to the people who have spoken to
trees as abundant as the sycamores which are you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke
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in the lowland. And they brought horses to heavy, but you make it lighter on us’—thus
Solomon from Egypt and from all lands. you shall say to them: ‘My little finger shall be
29 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first thicker than my father’s waist! And now, where-
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and last, are they not written in the book of as my father put a heavy yoke on you, I will add
Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah to your yoke; my father chastised you with
the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!’ ”
seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat? 12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to
30 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had
forty years. Then Solomon rested with his directed, saying, “Come back to me the third
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