Thursday, 11 December

1.   Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with hard questions, having a very great retinue, camels that bore spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart. 2.   So Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing so difficult for Solomon that he could not explain it to her. 3.   And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 4.   the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the service of his waiters and their apparel, his cupbearers and their apparel, and his entryway by which he went up to the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit in her. 5.   Then she said to the king: " It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. 6.   "However I did not believe their words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half of the greatness of your wisdom was not told me. You exceed the fame of which I heard. 7.   "Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! 8.   "Blessed be the LORD your God, who delighted in you, setting you on His throne to be king for the LORD your God! Because your God has loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore He made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness." 9.   And she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, spices in great abundance, and precious stones; there never were any spices such as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. 10.   Also, the servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, brought algum wood and precious stones. 11.   And the king made walkways of the algum wood for the house of the LORD and for the king’s house, also harps and stringed instruments for singers; and there were none such as these seen before in the land of Judah. 12.   Now King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all she desired, whatever she asked, much more than she had brought to the king. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants. 13.   The weight of gold that came to Solomon yearly was six hundred and sixty–six talents of gold, 14.   besides what the traveling merchants and traders brought. And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15.   And King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of hammered gold went into each shield. 16.   He also made three hundred shields of hammered gold; three hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. 17.   Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold. 18.   The throne had six steps, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne; there were armrests on either side of the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the armrests. 19.   Twelve lions stood there, one on each side of the six steps; nothing like this had been made for any other kingdom. 20.   All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Not one was silver, for this was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon. 21.   For the king’s ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Hiram. Once every three years the merchant ships came, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys. 22.   So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 23.   And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. 24.   Each man brought his present: articles of silver and gold, garments, armor, spices, horses, and mules, at a set rate year by year. 25.   Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem. 26.   So he reigned over all the kings from the River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. 27.   The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar trees as abundant as the sycamores which are in the lowland. 28.   And they brought horses to Solomon from Egypt and from all lands. 29.   Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat? 30.   Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. 31.   Then Solomon rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.

1.   And Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king. 2.   So it happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard it (he was in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of King Solomon), that Jeroboam returned from Egypt. 3.   Then they sent for him and called him. And Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 4.   "Your father made our yoke heavy; now therefore, lighten the burdensome service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you." 5.   So he said to them, "Come back to me after three days." And the people departed. 6.   Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who stood before his father Solomon while he still lived, saying, "How do you advise me to answer these people?" 7.   And they spoke to him, saying, "If you are kind to these people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be your servants forever." 8.   But he rejected the advice which the elders had given him, and consulted the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him. 9.   And he said to them, "What advice do you give? How should we answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?" 10.   Then the young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, "Thus you should speak to the people who have spoken to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter on us’ ––thus you shall say to them: ‘My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s waist! 11.   ‘And now, whereas my father put a heavy yoke on you, I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!’" 12.   So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had directed, saying, "Come back to me the third day." 13.   Then the king answered them roughly. King Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders, 14.   and he spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!" 15.   So the king did not listen to the people; for the turn of events was from God, that the LORD might fulfill His word, which He had spoken by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 16.   Now when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying: "What share have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to your tents, O Israel! Now see to your own house, O David!" So all Israel departed to their tents. 17.   But Rehoboam reigned over the children of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah. 18.   Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was in charge of revenue; but the children of Israel stoned him with stones, and he died. Therefore King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste to flee to Jerusalem. 19.   So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.

1.   Now when Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled from the house of Judah and Benjamin one hundred and eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. 2.   But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, 3.   "Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, 4.   ‘Thus says the LORD: "You shall not go up or fight against your brethren! Let every man return to his house, for this thing is from Me."’" Therefore they obeyed the words of the LORD, and turned back from attacking Jeroboam. 5.   So Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah. 6.   And he built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, 7.   Beth Zur, Sochoh, Adullam, 8.   Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, 9.   Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 10.   Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and Benjamin, fortified cities. 11.   And he fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and stores of food, oil, and wine. 12.   Also in every city he put shields and spears, and made them very strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side. 13.   And from all their territories the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel took their stand with him. 14.   For the Levites left their common–lands and their possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from serving as priests to the LORD. 15.   Then he appointed for himself priests for the high places, for the demons, and the calf idols which he had made. 16.   And after the Levites left , those from all the tribes of Israel, such as set their heart to seek the LORD God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD God of their fathers. 17.   So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong for three years, because they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years. 18.   Then Rehoboam took for himself as wife Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliah the son of Jesse. 19.   And she bore him children: Jeush, Shamariah, and Zaham. 20.   After her he took Maacah the granddaughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. 21.   Now Rehoboam loved Maachah the granddaughter of Absalom more than all his wives and his concubines; for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and begot twenty–eight sons and sixty daughters. 22.   And Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maachah as chief, to be leader among his brothers; for he intended to make him king. 23.   He dealt wisely, and dispersed some of his sons throughout all the territories of Judah and Benjamin, to every fortified city; and he gave them provisions in abundance. He also sought many wives for them .

1.   And I said: "Hear now, O heads of Jacob, And you rulers of the house of Israel: Is it not for you to know justice? 2.   You who hate good and love evil; Who strip the skin from My people, And the flesh from their bones; 3.   Who also eat the flesh of My people, Flay their skin from them, Break their bones, And chop them in pieces Like meat for the pot, Like flesh in the caldron." 4.   Then they will cry to the LORD, But He will not hear them; He will even hide His face from them at that time, Because they have been evil in their deeds. 5.   Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets Who make my people stray; Who chant "Peace" While they chew with their teeth, But who prepare war against him Who puts nothing into their mouths: 6.   "Therefore you shall have night without vision, And you shall have darkness without divination; The sun shall go down on the prophets, And the day shall be dark for them. 7.   So the seers shall be ashamed, And the diviners abashed; Indeed they shall all cover their lips; For there is no answer from God." 8.   But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the LORD, And of justice and might, To declare to Jacob his transgression And to Israel his sin. 9.   Now hear this, You heads of the house of Jacob And rulers of the house of Israel, Who abhor justice And pervert all equity, 10.   Who build up Zion with bloodshed And Jerusalem with iniquity: 11.   Her heads judge for a bribe, Her priests teach for pay, And her prophets divine for money. Yet they lean on the LORD, and say, "Is not the LORD among us? No harm can come upon us." 12.   Therefore because of you Zion shall be plowed like a field, Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins, And the mountain of the temple Like the bare hills of the forest.

1.   Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD’S house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And peoples shall flow to it. 2.   Many nations shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion the law shall go forth, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 3.   He shall judge between many peoples, And rebuke strong nations afar off; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war any more. 4.   But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, And no one shall make them afraid; For the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken. 5.   For all people walk each in the name of his god, But we will walk in the name of the LORD our God Forever and ever. 6.   "In that day," says the LORD, "I will assemble the lame, I will gather the outcast And those whom I have afflicted; 7.   I will make the lame a remnant, And the outcast a strong nation; So the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion From now on, even forever. 8.   And you, O tower of the flock, The stronghold of the daughter of Zion, To you shall it come, Even the former dominion shall come, The kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem." 9.   Now why do you cry aloud? Is there no king in your midst? Has your counselor perished? For pangs have seized you like a woman in labor. 10.   Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, Like a woman in birth pangs. For now you shall go forth from the city, You shall dwell in the field, And to Babylon you shall go. There you shall be delivered; There the LORD will redeem you From the hand of your enemies. 11.   Now also many nations have gathered against you, Who say, "Let her be defiled, And let our eye look upon Zion." 12.   But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD, Nor do they understand His counsel; For He will gather them like sheaves to the threshing floor. 13.   "Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion; For I will make your horn iron, And I will make your hooves bronze; You shall beat in pieces many peoples; I will consecrate their gain to the LORD, And their substance to the Lord of the whole earth."

1.   "To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2.   "I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3.   "and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. 4.   "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5.   "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place––unless you repent. 6.   "But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7.   "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God."’ 8.   "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, ‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: 9.   "I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10.   "Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11.   "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death."’ 12.   "And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, ‘These things says He who has the sharp two–edged sword: 13.   "I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is . And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14.   "But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. 15.   "Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 16.   ‘Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth. 17.   "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it ."’ 18.   "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, ‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: 19.   "I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. 20.   "Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21.   "And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. 22.   "Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. 23.   "I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works. 24.   "Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden. 25.   "But hold fast what you have till I come. 26.   "And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations–– 27.   ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’ –– as I also have received from My Father; 28.   "and I will give him the morning star. 29.   "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."’