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Texts -- 1 Kings 11:15-43 (NET)

Context
11:15 During David’s campaign against Edom , Joab , the commander of the army , while on a mission to bury the dead , killed every male in Edom . 11:16 For six months Joab and the entire Israelite army stayed there until they had exterminated every male in Edom . 11:17 Hadad , who was only a small boy at the time, escaped with some of his father’s Edomite servants and headed for Egypt . 11:18 They went from Midian to Paran ; they took some men from Paran and went to Egypt . Pharaoh , king of Egypt , supplied him with a house and food and even assigned him some land . 11:19 Pharaoh liked Hadad so well he gave him his sister-in-law (Queen Tahpenes ’ sister ) as a wife . 11:20 Tahpenes ’ sister gave birth to his son , named Genubath . Tahpenes raised him in Pharaoh’s palace ; Genubath grew up in Pharaoh’s palace among Pharaoh’s sons . 11:21 While in Egypt Hadad heard that David had passed away and that Joab , the commander of the army , was dead . So Hadad asked Pharaoh , “Give me permission to leave so I can return to my homeland .” 11:22 Pharaoh said to him, “What do you lack here that makes you want to go to your homeland ?” Hadad replied , “Nothing , but please give me permission to leave .” 11:23 God also brought against Solomon another enemy , Rezon son of Eliada who had run away from his master , King Hadadezer of Zobah . 11:24 He gathered some men and organized a raiding band . When David tried to kill them, they went to Damascus , where they settled down and gained control of the city . 11:25 He was Israel’s enemy throughout Solomon’s reign and, like Hadad , caused trouble . He loathed Israel and ruled over Syria . 11:26 Jeroboam son of Nebat , one of Solomon’s servants , rebelled against the king . He was an Ephraimite from Zeredah whose mother was a widow named Zeruah . 11:27 This is what prompted him to rebel against the king : Solomon built a terrace and he closed up a gap in the wall of the city of his father David . 11:28 Jeroboam was a talented man ; when Solomon saw that the young man was an accomplished worker , he made him the leader of the work crew from the tribe of Joseph . 11:29 At that time , when Jeroboam had left Jerusalem , the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met him on the road ; the two of them were alone in the open country . Ahijah was wearing a brand new robe , 11:30 and he grabbed the robe and tore it into twelve pieces . 11:31 Then he told Jeroboam , “Take ten pieces , for this is what the Lord God of Israel says : ‘Look , I am about to tear the kingdom from Solomon’s hand and I will give ten tribes to you. 11:32 He will retain one tribe , for my servant David’s sake and for the sake of Jerusalem , the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel . 11:33 I am taking the kingdom from him because they have abandoned me and worshiped the Sidonian goddess Astarte , the Moabite god Chemosh , and the Ammonite god Milcom . They have not followed my instructions by doing what I approve and obeying my rules and regulations , like Solomon’s father David did. 11:34 I will not take the whole kingdom from his hand . I will allow him to be ruler for the rest of his life for the sake of my chosen servant David who kept my commandments and rules . 11:35 I will take the kingdom from the hand of his son and give ten tribes to you. 11:36 I will leave his son one tribe so my servant David’s dynasty may continue to serve me in Jerusalem , the city I have chosen as my home . 11:37 I will select you; you will rule over all you desire to have and you will be king over Israel . 11:38 You must obey all I command you to do, follow my instructions , do what I approve , and keep my rules and commandments , like my servant David did . Then I will be with you and establish for you a lasting dynasty , as I did for David ; I will give you Israel . 11:39 I will humiliate David’s descendants because of this , but not forever .” 11:40 Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam , but Jeroboam escaped to Egypt and found refuge with King Shishak of Egypt . He stayed in Egypt until Solomon died .
Solomon’s Reign Ends
11:41 The rest of the events of Solomon’s reign, including all his accomplishments and his wise decisions , are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of Solomon . 11:42 Solomon ruled over all Israel from Jerusalem for forty years . 11:43 Then Solomon passed away and was buried in the city of his father David . His son Rehoboam replaced him as king .

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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

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  • I. The reign of Solomon chs. 1-11A. Solomon's succession to David's throne 1:1-2:121. David's declining health 1:1-42. Adonijah's attempt to seize the throne 1:5-533. David's charge to Solomon 2:1-94. David's death 2:10-12B. ...
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  • Aharoni, Yohanan. "The Building Activities of David and Solomon."Israel Exploration Journal24:1(1974):13-16.Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonahl. The Macmillan Bible Atlas. Revised ed., New York: Macmillan Publishing Co.,...
  • Chapter 21 records the fulfillment of God's second personal promise to David, namely, that He would appoint a place where Israel could dwell securely (17:9). This was a promise of peace for Israel, but as the verses following...
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