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The Book of 2 Chronicles
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The book of 1 Chronicles starts with Adam and tells the family history (genealogy) of Saul and David. The second part of 1 Chronicles tells about the time when David was the king of Israel. The book of 2 Chronicles tells about the time when David's son, Solomon, was the king of Israel. The second part of 2 Chronicles tells about the other kings who ruled Israel until the Jews were taken away to Babylonia. The book ends with the Jews returning to Israel. |
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Israel splits into 2 parts
When Solomon was the king, he built many things. That took a lot of money and a lot of people working. The people were not happy about this. So, 11 of the Israel tribes wanted to split and make a new country. Jeroboam was the leader of this. When Solomon heard about their plot, Jeroboam had to escape. He ran away to Egypt. |
Rehoboam went to Shechem.
All of the Israelites went to Shechem to make him the king.
[1] And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem were
all Israel come to make him king.
The man named Jeroboam (his father was named Nebat) had left Israel when
Solomon was king. He left and went to Egypt. When he heard that
Solomon died, he came back. He talked to Rehoboam.
[2] And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was in
Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of Solomon the king, heard it,
that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.
[3] And they sent and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and
spake to Rehoboam, saying,
Jeroboam told Rehoboam that Solomon had made their lives hard. He said
that if Rehoboam would be easier on them, they would serve him.
Rehoboam told him to come back in 3 days. So, Jeroboam and the people with
him left.
[4] Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou
somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he
put upon us, and we will serve thee.
[5] And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And
the people departed.
King Rehoboam talked to some of the leaders. They were old men who had
helped Solomon. He asked them what they thought. They told him to be
good to Jeroboam and his people. They said if he was good to them and talked
good to them, they would work for him forever.
[6] And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood
before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye
me to return answer to this people?
[7] And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people,
and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for
ever.
But Rehoboam didn't take their advice. He
went and talked to some younger men and asked their opinion. The
younger men said he should tell them that he will be tougher on them than
Solomon. He should tell them he will beat them with scorpions.
[8] But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took
counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before
him.
[9] And he said unto them, What advice give ye that we may return
answer to this people, which have spoken to me, saying, Ease somewhat the
yoke that thy father did put upon us?
[10] And the young men that were brought up with him spake unto him,
saying, Thus shalt thou answer the people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy
father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it somewhat lighter for us; thus
shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's
loins.
[11] For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more
to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you
with scorpions.
Jeroboam and his people came to see Rehoboam on the third day. That is
what the king had told them to do.
[12] So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third
day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day.
Rehoboam talked to them badly. He told them he would beat them with
scorpions and be tougher on them than his father was.
[13] And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook
the counsel of the old men,
[14] And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My
father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you
with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
Rehoboam did not listen to the
people of Israel. God was doing this. God told Ahijah, the prophet
from Shilon, that Jeroboam would be king. When the people saw that Rehoboam
was not listening to them, they said that they did not have part of
David's inheritance. They left and said David should just take
care of his own family. But Rehoboam was still over the Israelites who lived
in Judah.
[15] So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of
God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of
Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
[16] And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto
them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David?
and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O
Israel: and now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their
tents.
[17] But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of
Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
King Rehoboam set a man named Hadoram all over Judah. He would collect
the taxes. But, the other
Israelites threw rocks at him until he died. Rehoboam hurried and got
in his chariot. They travelled back to Jerusalem very fast.
Israel and the house of David were fighting after that time.
[18] Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and
the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. But king
Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
[19] And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.
In Rehoboam's 5th year of being
king, the king of Egypt, Shishak, came to fight against Jerusalem.
Jerusalem had sinned against the Lord. That is why Egypt attacked them.
[2] And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam
Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had
transgressed against the LORD,
Shishak had 1,200 chariots,
60,000 soldiers who rode horses, and more soldiers than he could count.
They included the people named the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.
[3] With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen:
and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the
Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.
Shishak defeated some of Judah's cities with
fences around them. Then, he came to Jerusalem.
[4] And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah, and came
to Jerusalem.
The prophet named Shemaiah came to Rehoboam.
The leaders of Judah were with him. Shemaiah said, "This is what the
Lord says. You have left Me so I have left you so that Shishak will defeat
you."
[5] Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam, and to the princes of
Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said
unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I
also left you in the hand of Shishak.
The leaders and King Rehoboam became humble and
sorry. They said, "The Lord God is righteous." When God saw that they
were humble and sorry, He told Shemaiah, "They are humble and sorry. So, I
will not destroy them. I will help them. I will not let Shishak
destroy them."
[6] Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves;
and they said, The LORD is righteous.
[7] And when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of
the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves; therefore I
will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and my wrath
shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.
God continued, "But they will be Shishak's servants. Then, they will see how
it is different to serve a king instead of me."
[8] Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my
service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.
So, Shishak, the king of Egypt came to Jerusalem. He stole the treasures out
of the temple and out of the king's house. He took it all. He
also took the gold shields that Solomon made.
[9] So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away
the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's
house; he took all: he carried away also the shields of gold which Solomon
had made.
Rehoboam then made some shields with brass. He
gave them to the guards of his house.
[10] Instead of which king Rehoboam made shields of brass, and
committed them to the hands of the chief of the guard, that kept the
entrance of the king's house.
Rehoboam repents of his sins.
Rehoboam went into the Lord's house. The guard was with him. He got
the shields and took them to the guards' room.
[11] And when the king entered into the house of the LORD, the guard
came and fetched them, and brought them again into the guard chamber.
God was not angry after Rehoboam was humble and
sorry. He told him he would not destroy him totally. Everything in Judah
went well.
[12] And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from
him that he would not destroy him altogether: and also in Judah things went
well.
Rehoboam got stronger in
Jerusalem. He was 41 years old when he became king. He was king
for 17 years. He ruled in Jerusalem. This was the city that God picked
from all of the Israelites' land. Rehoboam's mother's name was Nanamah
She was an Amorite.
[13] So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned:
for Rehoboam was one and forty years old when he began to reign, and he
reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen out
of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name
was Naamah an Ammonitess.
Rehoboam did evil things because he didn't get
his heart ready to seek God.
[14] And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the
LORD.
Everything that Rehoboam did is written in the
book by Shemaiah the prophet and Iddo. Rehoboam and Jeroboam always were
fighting.
[15] Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written
in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning
genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.
Rehoboam died was buried in Jerusalem. Then, his
son, Abijah, became the king.
[16] And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city
of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead.
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