Part 256 (2/2)

9:24. And every year they brought him presents, vessels of silver and of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, and horses, and mules.

9:25. And Solomon had forty thousand horses in the stables, and twelve thousand chariots, and hors.e.m.e.n, and he placed them in the cities of the chariots and where the king was in Jerusalem.

9:26. And he exercised authority over all the kings from the river Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, and to the borders of Egypt.

9:27. And he made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones: and cedars as common as the sycamores, which grow in the plains.

9:28. And horses were brought to him out of Egypt, and out of all countries.

9:29. Now the rest of the acts of Solomon first and last are written in the words of Nathan the prophet, and in the books of Ahias the Silonite, and in the vision of Addo the seer, against Jeroboam the son of Nabat.

9:30. And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.

9:31. And he slept with his fathers: and they buried him in the city of David: and Roboam his son reigned in his stead.

2 Paralipomenon Chapter 10

Roboam answereth the people roughly: upon which ten tribes revolt.

10:1. And Roboam went to Sichem: for thither all Israel were a.s.sembled, to make him king.

10:2. And when Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who was in Egypt, (for he was fled thither from Solomon,) heard it, forthwith he returned.

10:3. And they sent for him, and he came with all Israel, and they spoke to Roboam, saying:

10:4. Thy father oppressed 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.

10:5. And he said to them: Come to me again after three days. And when the people were gone,

10:6. 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?

10:7. And they said to him: If thou please this people, and soothe them with kind words, they will be thy servants for ever.

10:8. 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.

10:9. 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?

10:10. 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.

10:11. 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.

10:12. So Jeroboam, and all the people came to Roboam the third day, as he commanded them.

10:13. And the king answered roughly, leaving the counsel of the ancients.

10:14. 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.

10:15. And he condescended not to the people's requests: for it was the will of G.o.d, that his word might be fulfilled which he had spoken by the hand of Ahias the Silonite to Jeroboam the son of Nabat.

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