She arrived in Jerusalem<n id="1" /> with a great display of pomp,<n id="2" /> bringing with her camels carrying spices,<n id="3" /> a very large quantity of gold, and precious gems. She visited Solomon and discussed with him everything that was on her mind.

King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she requested, besides what he had freely offered her.<n id="1" /> Then she left and returned<n id="2" /> to her homeland with her attendants.p>

I will leave<n id="1" /> his son one tribe so my servant David&#8217;s dynasty may continue to serve me<n id="2" /> in Jerusalem, the city I have chosen as my home.<n id="3" />

They said to him, &#8220;Today if you show a willingness to help these people and grant their request, they will be your servants from this time forward.&#8221;<n id="1" />

King Rehoboam sent Adoniram,<n id="1" /> the supervisor of the work crews,<n id="2" /> out after them, but all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam managed to jump into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem.<n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he summoned 180,000 skilled warriors from all of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin<n id="1" /> to attack Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon.

<p class="bodytext">Now there was an old prophet living in Bethel.<n id="1" /> When his sons came home, they told their father<n id="2" /> everything the prophet<n id="3" /> had done in Bethel that day and all the words he had spoken to the king.<n id="4" />

for the prophecy he announced with the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s authority<n id="1" /> against the altar in Bethel<n id="2" /> and against all the temples on the high places in the cities of the north<n id="3" /> will certainly be fulfilled.&#8221;p>

I tore the kingdom away from the Davidic dynasty and gave it to you. But you are not like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me wholeheartedly by doing only what I approve.<n id="1" />

All Israel will mourn him and bury him. He is the only one in Jeroboam&#8217;s family<n id="1" /> who will receive a decent burial, for he is the only one in whom the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel found anything good.

The rest of the events of Abijah&#8217;s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah.<n id="1" /> Abijah and Jeroboam had been at war with each other.

King Asa ordered all the men of Judah (no exemptions were granted) to carry away the stones and wood that Baasha had used to build Ramah.<n id="1" /> King Asa used the materials to build up<n id="2" /> Geba (in Benjamin) and Mizpah.p>

The prophet Jehu son of Hanani received from the <sc>Lordsc> the message predicting the downfall of Baasha and his family because of all the evil Baasha had done in the sight of the <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="1" /> His actions angered the <sc>Lordsc> (including the way he had destroyed Jeroboam&#8217;s dynasty), so that his family ended up like Jeroboam&#8217;s.<n id="2" />p>

This happened because of all the sins which Baasha and his son Elah committed and which they made Israel commit. They angered the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel with their worthless idols.<n id="1" />p>

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.

Now send out messengers<n id="1" /> and assemble all Israel before me at Mount Carmel, as well as the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah whom Jezebel supports.<n id="2" />p>

Elijah approached all the people and said, &#8220;How long are you going to be paralyzed by indecision?<n id="1" /> If the <sc>Lordsc> is the true God,<n id="2" /> then follow him, but if Baal is, follow him!&#8221; But the people did not say a word.

Then you<n id="1" /> will invoke the name of your god, and I will invoke the name of the <sc>Lordsc>. The god who responds with fire will demonstrate that he is the true God.&#8221;<n id="2" /> All the people responded, &#8220;This will be a fair test.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

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.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now King Ben Hadad of Syria assembled all his army, along with thirty-two other kings with their horses and chariots. He marched against Samaria<n id="1" /> and besieged and attacked it.<n id="2" />