And Roboam went to Sichem: for thither all Israel were assembled, to make him king.

And when Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who was in Egypt, (for he was fled thither from Solomon,) heard it, forthwith he returned.

And they sent for him, and he came with all Israel, and they spoke to Roboam, saying:

Thy father oppressed us with a most grievous yoke, do thou govern us with a lighter hand than thy father, who laid upon us a heavy servitude, and ease some thing of the burden, that we may serve thee.

And he said to them: Come to me again after three days. And when the people were gone,

He took counsel with the ancients, who had stood before his father Solomon, while he yet lived, saying: What counsel give you to me, that I may answer the people?

And they said to him: If thou please this people, and soothe them with kind words, they will be thy servants for ever.

But he forsook the counsel of the ancients, and began to treat with the young men, that had been brought up with him, and were in his train.

And he said to them: What seemeth good to you? or what shall I answer this people, who have said to me: Ease the yoke which thy father laid upon us?

But they answered as young men, and brought up with him in pleasures, and said: Thus shalt thou speak to the people, that said to thee: Thy father made our yoke heavy, do thou ease it: thus shalt thou answer them: My little finger is thicker than the loins of my father.

My father laid upon you a heavy yoke, and I will add more weight to it: my father beat you with scourges, but I will beat you with scorpions.

So Jeroboam, and all the people came to Roboam the third day, as he commanded them.

And the king answered roughly, leaving the counsel of the ancients.

And he spoke according to the advice of the young men: My father laid upon you a heavy yoke, which I will make heavier: my father beat you with scourges, but I will beat you with scorpions.

And he condescended not to the people’s requests: for it was the will of God, that his word might be fulfilled which he had spoken by the hand of Ahias the Silonite to Jeroboam the son of Nabat.

And all the people upon the king’s speaking roughly, said thus unto him: We have no part in David, nor inheritance in the son of Isai. Return to thy dwellings, O Israel, and do thou, O David feed thy own house. And Israel went away to their dwellings.

But Roboam reigned over the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Juda.

And king Roboam sent Aduram, who was over the tributes, and the children of Israel stoned him, and he died: and king Roboam made haste to get up into his chariot, and fled into Jerusalem.

And Israel revolted from the house of David unto this day.

And Roboam came to Jerusalem, and called together all the house of Juda and of Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men and warriors, to fight against Israel, and to bring back his kingdom to him.

And the word of the Lord came to Semeias the man of God, saying:

Speak to Roboam the son of Solomon the king of Juda, and to all Israel, in Juda and Benjamin:

Thus saith the Lord: You shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: let every man return to his own house, for by my will this thing has been done. And when they heard the word of the Lord, they returned, and did not go against Jeroboam,

And Roboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built walled cities in Juda.

And he built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Thecue,

And Bethsur, and Socho, and Odollam,

And Geth, and Maresa, and Ziph,

And Aduram, and Lachis, and Azecha,

Saraa also, and Aialon, and Hebron, which are in Juda and Benjamin, well fenced cities.

And when he had enclosed them with walls, he put in them governors and storehouses of provisions, that is, of oil and of wine.

Moreover in every city he made an armoury of shields and spears, and he fortified them with great diligence, and he reigned over Juda, and Benjamin,

And the priests and Levites, that were in all Israel, came to him out of all their seats,

Leaving their suburbs, and their possessions, and passing over to Juda, and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off, from executing the priestly office to the Lord.

And he made to himself priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.

Moreover out of all the tribes of Israel, whosoever gave their heart to seek the Lord the God of Israel, came into Jerusalem to sacrifice their victims before the Lord the God of their fathers.

And they strengthened the kingdom of Juda, and established Roboam the son of Solomon for three years: for they walked in the ways of David and of Solomon, only three years.

And Roboam took to wife Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David: and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Isai.

And they bore him sons Jehus, and Somorias, and Zoom.

And after her he married Maacha the daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abia, and Ethai, and Ziza, and Salomith.

And Roboam loved Maacha the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and concubines: for he had married eighteen wives, and threescore concubines: and he begot eight and twenty sons, and threescore daughters.

But he put at the head of them Abia the son of Maacha to be the chief ruler over all his brethren: for he meant to make him king,

Because he was wiser and mightier than all his sons, and in all the countries of Juda, and of Benjamin, and in all the walled cities: and he gave them provisions in abundance, and he sought many wives.

And when the kingdom of Roboam was strengthened and fortified, he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him.

And in the fifth year of the reign of Roboam, Sesac king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem (because they had sinned against the Lord)

With twelve hundred chariots and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt, to wit, Libyans, and Troglodites, and Ethiopians.

And he took the strongest cities in Juda, and came to Jerusalem.

And Semeias the prophet came to Roboam, and to the princes of Juda, that were gathered together in Jerusalem, fleeing from Sesac, and he said to them: Thus saith the Lord: You have left me, and I have left you in the hand of Sesac.

And the princes of Israel, and the king, being in a consternation, said: The Lord is just.

And when the Lord saw that they were humbled, the word of the Lord came to Semeias, saying: Because they are humbled, I will not destroy them, and I will give them a little help, and my wrath shall not fall upon Jerusalem by the hand of Sesac.

But yet they shall serve him, that they may know the difference between my service, and the service of a kingdom of the earth.

So Sesac king of Egypt departed from Jerusalem, taking away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and of the king’s house, and he took all with him, and the golden shields that Solomon had made,

Instead of which the king made brazen ones, and delivered them to the captains of the shieldbearers, who guarded the entrance of the palace.

And when the king entered into the house of the Lord, the shieldbearers came and took them, and brought them back again to their armoury.

But yet because they were humbled, the wrath of the Lord turned away from them, and they were not utterly destroyed: for even in Juda there were found good works.

King Roboam therefore was strengthened in Jerusalem, and reigned: he was one and forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord chose out of all the tribes of Israel, to establish his name there: and the name of his mother was Naama an Ammonitess.

But he did evil, and did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord.

Now the acts of Roboam first and last are written in the books of Semeias the prophet, and of Addo the seer, and diligently recorded: and there was war between Roboam and Jeroboam all their days.

And Roboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David. And Abia his son reigned in his stead.

In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam, Abia reigned over Juda.

Three years he reigned in Jerusalem, and his mother’s name was Michaia, the daughter of Uriel of Gabaa: and there was war between Abia and Jeroboam.

And when Abia had begun battle, and had with him four hundred thousand most valiant and chosen men, Jeroboam put his army in array against him, eight hundred thousand men, who were also chosen and most valiant for war.

And Abia stood upon mount Semeron, which was in Ephraim, and said: Hear me, O Jeroboam, and all Israel:

Do you not know that the Lord God of Israel gave to David the kingdom over Israel for ever, to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?

And Jeroboam the son of Nabat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up: and rebelled against his lord.

And there were gathered to him vain men, and children of Belial: and they prevailed against Roboam the son of Solomon: for Roboam was unexperienced, and of a fearful heart, and could not resist them.

And now you say that you are able to withstand the kingdom of the Lord, which he possesseth by the sons of David, and you have a great multitude of people, and golden calves, which Jeroboam hath made you for gods.

And you have cast out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites: and you have made you priests, like all the nations of the earth: whosoever cometh and consecrateth his hand with a bullock of the herd, and with seven rams, is made a priest of those who are no gods.

But the Lord is our God, whom we forsake not, and the priests who minister to the Lord are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites are in their order.

And they offer holocausts to the Lord, every day, morning and evening, and incense made according to the ordinance of the law, and the loaves are set forth on a most clean table, and there is with us the golden candlestick, and the lamps thereof, to be lighted always in the evening: for we keep the precepts of the Lord our God, whom you have forsaken.

Therefore God is the leader in our army, and his priests who sound with trumpets, and resound against you: O children of Israel, fight not against the Lord the God of your fathers, for it is not good for you.

While he spoke these things, Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind him. And while he stood facing the enemies, he encompassed Juda, who perceived it not, with his army.

And when Juda looked back, they saw the battle coming upon them both before and behind, and they cried to the Lord: and the priests began to sound with the trumpets.

And all the men of Juda shouted: and behold when they shouted, God terrified Jeroboam, and all Israel that stood against Abia and Juda.

And the children of Israel fled before Juda, and the Lord delivered them into their hand.

And Abia and his people slew them with a great slaughter, and there fell wounded of Israel five hundred thousand valiant men.

And the children of Israel were brought down, at that time, and the children of Juda were exceedingly strengthened, because they had trusted in the Lord the God of their fathers.

And Abia pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel and her daughters, and Jesana with her daughters, Ephron also and her daughters.

And Jeroboam was not able to resist any more, in the days of Abia: and the Lord struck him, and he died.

But Abia, being strengthened in his kingdom, took fourteen wives: and begot two and twenty sons, and sixteen daughters.

And the rest of the acts of Abia, and of his ways and works, are written diligently in the book of Addo the prophet.

And Abia slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead: in his days the land was quiet ten years.

And Asa did that which was good and pleasing in the sight of his God, and he destroyed the altars of foreign worship, and the high places.

And broke the statues, and cut down the groves.

And he commanded Juda to seek the Lord the God of their fathers, and to do the law, and all the commandments.

And he took away out of all the cities of Juda the altars, and temples, and reigned in peace.

He built also strong cities in Juda, for he was quiet, and there had no wars risen in his time, the Lord giving peace.

And he said to Juda: Let us build these cities, and compass them with walls, and fortify them with towers, and gates, and bars, while all is quiet from wars, because we have sought the Lord the God of our fathers, and he hath given us peace round about. So they built, and there was no hinderance in building.

And Asa had in his army of men that bore shields and spears of Juda three hundred thousand, and of Benjamin that bore shields and drew bows, two hundred and eighty thousand, all these were most valiant men.

And Zara the Ethiopian came out against them with his army of ten hundred thousand men, and with three hundred chariots: and he came as far as Maresa.

And Asa went out to meet him, and set his army in array for battle in the vale of Sephata, which is near Maresa:

And he called upon the Lord God, and said: Lord, there is no difference with thee, whether thou help with few, or with many: help us, O Lord our God: for with confidence in thee, and in thy name we are come against this multitude. O Lord thou art our God, let not man prevail against thee.

And the Lord terrified the Ethiopians before Asa and Juda: and the Ethiopians fled.

And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them to Gerara: and the Ethiopians fell even to utter destruction, for the Lord slew them, and his army fought against them, and they were destroyed. And they took abundance of spoils,

And they took all the cities round about Gerara: for a great fear was come upon all men: and they pillaged the cities, and carried off much booty.

And they destroyed the sheepcotes, and took an infinite number of cattle, and of camels: and returned to Jerusalem.

And the spirit of God came upon Azarias the son of Oded,

And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: Hear ye me, Asa, and all Juda and Benjamin: The Lord is with you, because you have been with him. If you seek him, you shall find: but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.

And many days shall pass in Israel, without the true God, and without a priest a teacher, and without the law.

And when in their distress they shall return to the Lord the God of Israel, and shall seek him, they shall find him.

At that time there shall be no peace to him that goeth out and cometh in, but terrors on every side among all the inhabitants of the earth.

For nation shall fight against nation, and city against city, for the Lord will trouble them with all distress.

Do you therefore take courage, and let not your hands be weakened: for there shall be a reward for your work.

And when Asa had heard the words, and the prophecy of Azarias the son of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and took away the idols out of all the land of Juda, and out of Benjamin, and out of the cities of mount Ephraim, which he had taken, and he dedicated the altar of the Lord, which was before the porch of the Lord.

And he gathered together all Juda and Benjamin, and the strangers with them of Ephraim, and Manasses, and Simeon: for many were come over to him out of Israel, seeing that the Lord his God was with him.

And when they were come to Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa,

They sacrificed to the Lord in that day of the spoils, and of the prey, that they had brought, seven hundred oxen, and seven thousand rams.

And he went in to confirm as usual the covenant, that they should seek the Lord the God of their fathers with all their heart, and with all their soul.

And if any one, said he, seek not the Lord the God of Israel, let him die, whether little or great, man or woman.

And they swore to the Lord with a loud voice with joyful shouting, and with sound of trumpet, and sound of cornets,

All that were in Juda with a curse: for with all their heart they swore, and with all their will they sought him, and they found him, and the Lord gave them rest round about.

Moreover Maacha the mother of king Asa he deposed from the royal authority, because she had made in a grove an idol of Priapus: and he entirely destroyed it, and breaking it into pieces, burnt it at the torrent Cedron.

But high places were left in Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.

And the things which his father had vowed, and he himself had vowed, he brought into the house of the Lord, gold and silver, and vessels of divers uses.

And there was no war unto the five and thirtieth year of the kingdom of Asa.