While deployed there, the army received this report:<n id="1" /> &#8220;Zimri has conspired against the king and assassinated him.&#8221;<n id="2" /> So all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that very day in the camp.

<t /><p class="bodytext">In the thirty-eighth year of Asa&#8217;s reign over Judah, Omri&#8217;s son Ahab became king over Israel. Ahab son of Omri ruled over Israel for twenty-two years in Samaria.<n id="1" />

When it was time for the evening offering,<n id="1" /> Elijah the prophet approached the altar<n id="2" /> and prayed: &#8220;O <sc>Lordsc> God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, prove<n id="3" /> today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command.

His advisers<n id="1" /> said to him, &#8220;Look, we have heard that the kings of the Israelite dynasty are kind.<n id="2" /> Allow us to put sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads<n id="3" /> and surrender<n id="4" /> to the king of Israel. Maybe he will spare our lives.&#8221;

So they looked through all Israel<n id="1" /> for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag, a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

Now,<n id="1" /> my master, O king, all Israel is watching anxiously to see who is named to succeed my master the king on the throne.<n id="2" />

There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet will anoint<n id="1" /> him king over Israel; then blow the trumpet and declare, &#8216;Long live King Solomon!&#8217;

Then follow him up as he comes and sits on my throne. He will be king in my place; I have decreed<n id="1" /> that he will be ruler over Israel and Judah.&#8221;

and said<n id="1" /> this: &#8216;The <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel is worthy of praise because<n id="2" /> today he has placed a successor on my throne and allowed me to see it.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

David reigned over Israel forty years; he reigned in Hebron seven years, and in Jerusalem<n id="1" /> thirty-three years.p>

All the people of Judah and Israel had security; everyone from Dan to Beer Sheba enjoyed the produce of their vines and fig trees throughout Solomon&#8217;s lifetime.<n id="1" />

All the men of Israel assembled before King Solomon during the festival<n id="1" /> in the month Ethanim<n id="2" /> (the seventh month).

He said, &#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel is worthy of praise because he has fulfilled<n id="1" /> what he promised<n id="2" /> my father David.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;The time will come when<n id="1" /> your people Israel are defeated by an enemy<n id="2" /> because they sinned against you. If they come back to you, renew their allegiance to you,<n id="3" /> and pray for your help<n id="4" /> in this temple,

then listen from heaven, forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land you gave to their ancestors.p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Foreigners, who do not belong to your people Israel, will come from a distant land because of your reputation.<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;May you be attentive<n id="1" /> to your servant&#8217;s and your people Israel&#8217;s requests for help and may you respond to all their prayers to you.<n id="2" />

Now several non-Israelite peoples were left in the land after the conquest of Joshua, including the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.<n id="1" />

Their descendants remained in the land (the Israelites were unable to wipe them out completely). Solomon conscripted them for his work crews, and they continue in that role to this very day.<n id="1" />

Solomon did not assign Israelites to these work crews;<n id="1" /> the Israelites served as his soldiers, attendants, officers, charioteers, and commanders of his chariot forces.<n id="2" />