1 KINGS 11:1-12:19
ACTS 9:1-25
PSALM 131:1-3
PROVERBS 17:4-5
1 KINGS 11:1-12:19
Now King Solomon loved many foreign women. Besides Pharaoh's daughter, he married women from Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, and from among the Hittites. 2 The LORD had clearly instructed his people not to intermarry with those nations, because the women they married would lead them to worship their gods. Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway. 3 He had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. And sure enough, they led his heart away from the LORD. 4 In Solomon's old age, they turned his heart to worship their gods instead of trusting only in the LORD his God, as his father, David, had done. 5 Solomon worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites. 6 Thus, Solomon did what was evil in the LORD's sight; he refused to follow the LORD completely, as his father, David, had done. 7 On the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, he even built a shrine for Chemosh, the detestable god of Moab, and another for Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites. 8 Solomon built such shrines for all his foreign wives to use for burning incense and sacrificing to their gods. 9 The LORD was very angry with Solomon, for his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. 10 He had warned Solomon specifically about worshiping other gods, but Solomon did not listen to the LORD's command. 11 So now the LORD said to him, " Since you have not kept my covenant and have disobeyed my laws, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your servants. 12 But for the sake of your father, David, I will not do this while you are still alive. I will take the kingdom away from your son. 13 And even so, I will let him be king of one tribe, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, my chosen city." 14 Then the LORD raised up Hadad the Edomite, a member of Edom's royal family, to be an enemy against Solomon. 15 Years before, David had gone to Edom with Joab, his army commander, to bury some Israelites who had died in battle. While there, the Israelite army had killed nearly every male in Edom. 16 Joab and the army had stayed there for six months, killing them. 17 But Hadad and a few of his father's royal officials had fled. (Hadad was a very small child at the time.) 18 They escaped from Midian and went to Paran, where others joined them. Then they traveled to Egypt and went to Pharaoh, who gave them a home, food, and some land. 19 Pharaoh grew very fond of Hadad, and he gave him a wife--the sister of Queen Tahpenes. 20 She bore him a son, Genubath, who was brought up in Pharaoh's palace among Pharaoh's own sons. 21 When the news reached Hadad in Egypt that David and his commander Joab were both dead, he said to Pharaoh, " Let me return to my own country." 22 " Why?" Pharaoh asked him. " What do you lack here? How have we disappointed you that you want to go home?" " Nothing is wrong," he replied. " But even so, I must return home." 23 God also raised up Rezon son of Eliada to be an enemy against Solomon. Rezon had fled from his master, King Hadadezer of Zobah, 24 and had become the leader of a gang of rebels. After David conquered Hadadezer, Rezon and his men fled to Damascus, where he became king. 25 Rezon was Israel's bitter enemy for the rest of Solomon's reign, and he made trouble, just as Hadad did. Rezon hated Israel intensely and continued to reign in Aram. 26 Another rebel leader was Jeroboam son of Nebat, one of Solomon's own officials. He came from the city of Zeredah in Ephraim, and his mother was Zeruah, a widow. 27 This is the story behind his rebellion. Solomon was rebuilding the Millo and repairing the walls of the city of his father, David. 28 Jeroboam was a very capable young man, and when Solomon saw how industrious he was, he put him in charge of the labor force from the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. 29 One day as Jeroboam was leaving Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh met him on the road, wearing a new cloak. The two of them were alone in a field, 30 and Ahijah took the new cloak he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces. 31 Then he said to Jeroboam, " Take ten of these pieces, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ` I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon, and I will give ten of the tribes to you! 32 But I will leave him one tribe for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel. 33 For Solomon has abandoned me and worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians; Chemosh, the god of Moab; and Molech, the god of the Ammonites. He has not followed my ways and done what is pleasing in my sight. He has not obeyed my laws and regulations as his father, David, did. 34 " ` But I will not take the entire kingdom from Solomon at this time. For the sake of my servant David, the one whom I chose and who obeyed my commands and laws, I will let Solomon reign for the rest of his life. 35 But I will take the kingdom away from his son and give ten of the tribes to you. 36 His son will have one tribe so that the descendants of David my servant will continue to reign in Jerusalem, the city I have chosen to be the place for my name. 37 And I will place you on the throne of Israel, and you will rule over all that your heart desires. 38 If you listen to what I tell you and follow my ways and do whatever I consider to be right, and if you obey my laws and commands, as my servant David did, then I will always be with you. I will establish an enduring dynasty for you as I did for David, and I will give Israel to you. 39 But I will punish the descendants of David because of Solomon's sin--though not forever.' " 40 Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but he fled to King Shishak of Egypt and stayed there until Solomon died. 41 The rest of the events in Solomon's reign, including his wisdom, are recorded in The Book of the Acts of Solomon. 42 Solomon ruled in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years. 43 When Solomon died, he was buried in the city of his father, David. Then his son Rehoboam became the next king.12:1 REHOBOAM went to Shechem, where all Israel had gathered to make him king. 2 When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of Solomon's death, he returned from Egypt, for he had fled to Egypt to escape from King Solomon. 3 The leaders of Israel sent for Jeroboam, and the whole assembly of 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, " Give me three days to think this over. Then come back for my answer." So the people went away. 6 Then King Rehoboam went to discuss 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 willing to serve the people today and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your loyal subjects." 8 But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders and instead asked the opinion of the young men who had grown up with him and who 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: ` My little finger is thicker than my father's waist--if you think he was hard on you, just wait and see what I'll be like! 11 Yes, my father was harsh on you, but I'll be even harsher! My father used whips on you, but I'll use scorpions!' " 12 Three days later, Jeroboam and all the people returned to hear Rehoboam's decision, just as the king had requested. 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 was harsh on you, but I'll be even harsher! My father used whips on you, but I'll use scorpions!" 15 So the king paid no attention to the people's demands. This turn of events was the will of the LORD, for it fulfilled the LORD's message to Jeroboam son of Nebat through the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh. 16 When all Israel realized that the king had rejected their request, they shouted, " Down with David and his dynasty! We have no share in Jesse's son! Let's go home, Israel! Look out for your own house, O David!" So 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 the labor force, to restore order, but all Israel stoned him to death. When this news reached King Rehoboam, he quickly jumped into his chariot and fled to Jerusalem. 19 The northern tribes of Israel have refused to be ruled by a descendant of David to this day.
ACTS 9:1-25
Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath. He was eager to destroy the Lord's followers, so he went to the high priest. 2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them--both men and women--back to Jerusalem in chains. 3 As he was nearing Damascus on this mission, a brilliant light from heaven suddenly beamed down upon him! 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, " Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?" 5 " Who are you, sir?" Saul asked. And the voice replied, " I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you are to do." 7 The men with Saul stood speechless with surprise, for they heard the sound of someone's voice, but they saw no one! 8 As Saul picked himself up off the ground, he found that he was blind. 9 So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. He remained there blind for three days. And all that time he went without food and water.10 Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, " Ananias!" " Yes, Lord!" he replied.11 The Lord said, " Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you arrive, ask for Saul of Tarsus. He is praying to me right now. 12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him so that he can see again." 13 " But Lord," exclaimed Ananias, " I've heard about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! 14 And we hear that he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest every believer in Damascus."15 But the Lord said, " Go and do what I say. For Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for me." 17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, " Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you may get your sight back and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 19 Afterward he ate some food and was strengthened. Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. 20 And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, " He is indeed the Son of God!" 21 All who heard him were amazed. " Isn't this the same man who persecuted Jesus' followers with such devastation in Jerusalem?" they asked. " And we understand that he came here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests."22 Saul's preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn't refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. 23 After a while the Jewish leaders decided to kill him. 24 But Saul was told about their plot, and that they were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him. 25 So during the night, some of the other believers let him down in a large basket through an opening in the city wall.
PSALM 131:1-3
A song for the ascent to Jerusalem. A psalm of David.
1 LORD, my heart is not proud;
my eyes are not haughty.
I don't concern myself with matters too great
or awesome for me.
2 But I have stilled and quieted myself,
just as a small child is quiet with its mother.
Yes, like a small child is my soul within me.
3 O Israel, put your hope in the LORD--
now and always.
PROVERBS 17:4-5
Wrongdoers listen to wicked talk; liars pay attention to destructive words. Those who mock the poor insult their Maker; those who rejoice at the misfortune of others will be punished.
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