My father imposed heavy demands on you; I will make them even heavier. My father punished you with ordinary whips; I will punish you with whips that really sting your flesh.’”

Solomon sat on his father David’s throne, and his royal authority was firmly solidified.

Ben Hadad said, “I will return the cities my father took from your father. You may set up markets in Damascus, just as my father did in Samaria.” Ahab then said, “I want to make a treaty with you before I dismiss you.” So he made a treaty with him and then dismissed him.

Now my father David had a strong desire to build a temple to honor the Lord God of Israel.

Now, O God of Israel, may the promise you made to your servant, my father David, be realized.

He removed from the land any male cultic prostitutes who had managed to survive the reign of his father Asa.

He worshiped and bowed down to Baal, angering the Lord God of Israel just as his father had done.

“Your father made us work too hard. Now if you lighten the demands he made and don’t make us work as hard, we will serve you.”

He followed all the sinful practices of his father before him. He was not wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his God, as his ancestor David had been.

You have kept your word to your servant, my father David; this very day you have fulfilled what you promised.

and followed the advice of the younger ones. He said, “My father imposed heavy demands on you; I will make them even heavier. My father punished you with ordinary whips; I will punish you with whips that really sting your flesh.”

Solomon demonstrated his loyalty to the Lord by following the practices of his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.

If you follow my instructions by obeying my rules and regulations, just as your father David did, then I will grant you long life.”

He said, “The Lord God of Israel is worthy of praise because he has fulfilled what he promised my father David.

Solomon did evil in the Lord’s sight; he did not remain loyal to the Lord, like his father David had.

Then Solomon passed away and was buried in the city of his father David. His son Rehoboam replaced him as king.

He asked them, “How do you advise me to respond to these people who said to me, ‘Lessen the demands your father placed on us’?”

Their father asked them, “Which road did he take?” His sons showed him the road the prophet from Judah had taken.

He brought the holy items that he and his father had made into the Lord’s temple, including the silver, gold, and other articles.

Hadad, who was only a small boy at the time, escaped with some of his father’s Edomite servants and headed for Egypt.