King 1: The kingdom splits

Chaps 12-15

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  • Kings I, Chap 12: The Kingdom Splits!

    33 verses. Rehabam, the mature son of King Shlomo naturally ascends to the throne. The people come over, and implore the new king to go easy on them with taxes and obligations. The fresh king promises an answer within three days. Rehabam first consults the old sages who served his father. They counsel to honor the request of the people and ease their imperial bondage. But then the young king cuddles with his young peers who urge him to toughen up. Rehabam listens to his peers, and the people revolt. All 10 tribes except Yehuda and Benjamin walk away and refuse to serve under the new king. Yorevam, who was promised the kingdom by a prophet of God, Ahia from Shilon, and who lived in exile in Egypt fearing king Shlomo, quickly returns, and is made king of the revolting 10 tribes. He makes Nablus his capital. Worried that his subject will reunite with the old kingdom once they exercise their three yearly trips to Jerusalem, makes a counter announcement: putting two glamorous idols in the new kingdom, he directs traffic away from Jerusalem. Rehabam angry with the loss of about half of his kingdom, assembles his army to fight for reunification. But a prophet of God counsels them away from this brother killing brother plan, and they retreat.

  • Kings I, Chap 13: Two Prophets of God, and damning prophecy for Yorovam King of Israel

    34 verses. An unnamed prophet from Yehuda was sent by God to convey God's judgment against Yorovam, the first king of Israel. Hearing the damnation the king thrust his arm to point to the prophet, but his arm freezes, until the prophet prays for its recovery. The prophet refuses generous accommodation from king Yorovam, saying God commanded him to fast, and walk home in another route. Another, old, prophet of God hears about it, catches the prophet from Yehuda, and prevails on him to be a guest in his house, and break God's commandment on the assurances of the second man of God, who talked without basis. Upon violation of his command God condemns the prophet from Yehuda to remain unburied. Indeed when the prophet from Yehuda rides on a given donkey back home, a lion preys on him and his body remains unburied. But the second prophet takes the body to his village, willing himself to be buried with the prophet from Yehuda. Alas, king Yorovam did not repent, continued to drive his people to sinful worshipping of the neighboring idols, and for that God resolved to destroy him.

  • Kings I, Chap 14: Yorovam and Rehavam are punished by God for their mis-worship

    31 verses. The son of king Yorovam, Avia became very ill. The king remembered the prophet Ahia from Shilon who prophesied so many years ago his kingdom now and sends his wife over incognito. Ahia recognizes Yorovam wife and gives her the horrible prophecy -- that her child will die, and so will the kingdom. Yet, king Yorovam dies naturally after 22 years of ruling, and his son Nadav takes the throne. Meanwhile in Yehuda, Rehavam sins too, and God sends the Egyptian to humiliate and rob him. Rehavam too dies naturally, succeeded by his son, Aviam. The two Israelite kinds: Rehavan and Yorovam have constantly fought between them.

  • King I, Chap 15: Yorovam family is killed by a usurper, one good king in Yehuda country

    34 verses. In Yehuda, Rechavam the sinner was replaced by his son Aviam, sinner to God too. Then by his grandson, Asa, who was faithful to God and was blessed with 41 years of reign. In Israel country, Yorovam the sinner, afflicted by the prophecy of doom by Ahia the prophet from Shilon, was replaced by his other son, Nadav, who reigned barely two years before Baasha usurped him, and killed all the remaining family members of Yorovam as the prophecy stated. The kings of the two Israelite states were constantly at war. Asa, the king of Judea, bribed the king of Aram in Damescus to break up with Israel who was his ally, allowing Judea to fight Israel more successfully.