¶ But king Solomon loved¹ many strange women, together with² the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;

Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in³ to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely⁴ they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon⁵ clave unto these in love.

And he had seven hundred⁶ wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.

For it came to pass, when Solomon⁷ was old, that his wives⁸ turned away his heart⁹ after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

For Solomon went after Ashtoreth¹⁰ the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom¹¹ the abomination of the Ammonites.

And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after¹⁴ the LORD, as did David his father.

Then did Solomon build an high¹⁵ place for Chemosh¹⁶, the abomination¹⁷ of Moab, in the hill¹⁸ that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.

And likewise did he for all his strange wives¹⁹, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.

¶ And the LORD was angry²⁰ with Solomon, because his heart²¹ was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared²² unto him twice,

¶ And had commanded²³ him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.

Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee,²⁴ and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely²⁵ rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

Notwithstanding in thy days²⁶ I will not do it for David²⁷ thy father's sake: but I will rend it out²⁸ of the hand of thy son.

Howbeit²⁹ I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe³⁰ to thy son for David³¹ my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's³² sake which I have chosen.

¶ And the LORD³³ stirred up an adversary³⁴ unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom.

For it came to pass, when David³⁵ was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain, after he had³⁶ smitten every male³⁷ in Edom;

(For six months did Joab remain there with all Israel, until he had cut off every male in Edom:)

That Hadad³⁸ fled, he and certain Edomites of his father's servants with him, to go into Egypt; Hadad being yet a little child³⁹.

And they arose out of Midian⁴⁰, and came to Paran⁴¹: and they took men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, unto Pharaoh king of Egypt; which gave him an house, and appointed him victuals, and gave him land.

And Hadad found⁴² great favour in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave⁴³ him to wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes⁴⁴ the queen.

¶ And the sister of Tahpenes bare him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned⁴⁵ in Pharaoh's house: and Genubath was in Pharaoh's household among the sons of Pharaoh.

And when Hadad⁴⁶ heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the host was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart⁴⁷, that I may go to mine own country.

Then Pharaoh said unto him, But⁴⁸ what hast thou lacked with me, that, behold, thou seekest to go to thine own country? And he answered, Nothing:⁴⁹ howbeit let me go in any wise.

And God⁵⁰ stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer⁵¹ king of Zobah:

And he gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David slew them of Zobah: and they went to Damascus⁵³, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus⁵⁴.

And he was an adversary to Israel all the days⁵⁵ of Solomon, beside the mischief that Hadad did: and he abhorred⁵⁶ Israel, and reigned over Syria.

¶ And Jeroboam⁵⁷ the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite⁵⁸ of Zereda, Solomon's servant⁵⁹, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king.

And this was the cause that he lifted up⁶⁰ his hand against the king: Solomon⁶¹ built Millo, and repaired⁶² the breaches⁶³ of the city⁶⁴ of David his father.

And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious⁶⁵, he made⁶⁶ him ruler over all the charge⁶⁷ of the house⁶⁸ of Joseph.

And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah⁶⁹ the Shilonite⁷⁰ found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two⁷¹ were alone in the field:

¶ And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it⁷² in twelve pieces:

And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith⁷³ the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:

(But he shall⁷⁴ have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake,⁷⁵ the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)

Because that they have forsaken⁷⁶ me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth⁷⁷ the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.

Howbeit⁷⁸ I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David⁷⁹ my servant's sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes:

But I will take⁸⁰ the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give⁸¹ it unto thee, even ten tribes.

And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David⁸² my servant may have a light⁸³ alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.

And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according⁸⁴ to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.

And it shall be, if thou wilt⁸⁵ hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will⁸⁶ be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.

And I will for this afflict⁸⁸ the seed of David, but not for ever⁸⁹.

¶ Solomon sought⁹⁰ therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak⁹¹ king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

¶ And the rest⁹² of the acts⁹³ of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?

And the time⁹⁴ that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.

And Solomon slept⁹⁵ with his fathers, and was buried⁹⁶ in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam⁹⁷ his son reigned in his stead.