1Ud over den egyptiske prinsesse, som Kong Salomon havde giftet sig med, følte han sig tiltrukket af kvinder fra fremmede folkeslag, og han giftede sig med en masse moabitiske, ammonitiske, edomitiske, sidonitiske og hittitiske kvinder.2Herren havde ellers udtrykkeligt advaret sit folk imod blandede ægteskaber, for de fremmede kvinder ville få israelitterne til at dyrke deres afguder i stedet for Herren. Men Salomon gjorde det alligevel, for de var så tiltrækkende.3Han havde efterhånden 700 koner med fyrstelig rang og 300 medhustruer—og disse kvinder stjal i den grad hans hjerte, at han glemte Herrens advarsler.4Da Salomon blev ældre, begyndte han at dyrke de andre folkeslags afguder og fulgte ikke længere Herren af hele sit hjerte, som hans far havde gjort.5Salomon dyrkede blandt andet den sidoniske gudinde Astarte, og den afskyelige, ammonitiske gud Milkom.6Salomon gjorde nu, hvad der var ondt i Herrens øjne, og han fulgte ikke Herren af hele sit hjerte, som hans far havde gjort det.7Han byggede endda et alter på Olivenbjerget øst for Jerusalem til ære for den ækle, moabitiske gud Kemosh og den lige så ækle, ammonitiske gud Milkom.8Han byggede altre til alle sine udenlandske koner, så de havde et sted, hvor de kunne bringe ofre til deres forskellige guder.9Herren blev vred på Salomon, fordi han var ulydig og oprørsk, på trods af at Herren havde åbenbaret sig for ham hele to gange.10Salomon havde fået en klar befaling om ikke at dyrke andre guder, men han havde overtrådt denne befaling.11„Siden du har brudt pagten og overtrådt mine befalinger, vil jeg tage kongeriget fra dig og din slægt og give det til en af dine embedsmænd,” sagde Herren til ham.12„Men på grund af Davids trofasthed vil det ikke ske i din egen levetid, men din søn vil miste kongemagten.13For Davids skyld, og for min udvalgte by Jerusalems skyld, vil din søn dog få lov til at regere over en enkelt stamme.”
Salomon begynder at få fjender
14Herren tillod nu, at edomitten Hadad begyndte at gøre oprør mod Salomon. Hadad var fra kongefamilien i Edom.15Mange år tidligere, mens Davids hær var i krig med edomitterne, var Joab taget af sted med en hærafdeling for at begrave de israelitiske krigere, der var faldet i slaget. I den forbindelse dræbte de alle de mænd, der var tilbage i Edom.16-18Det tog Joab og hans mænd seks måneder at udrydde dem, men Hadad, der på det tidspunkt kun var en lille dreng, var flygtet sammen med nogle få kongelige embedsmænd ad vejen sydpå mod Egypten. Fra Midjan fortsatte de til Paran, hvor andre sluttede sig til og fulgtes med dem til Egypten, hvor kongen sørgede for mad til dem. Han gav Hadad et hus at bo i og et jordstykke at dyrke afgrøder på.19Hadad voksede således op i Egypten og blev en af kongens nærmeste venner; og kongen gav ham sin svigerinde, en søster til dronning Takpenes, til kone.20Hun fødte ham en søn ved navn Genubat, som blev opdraget ved hoffet sammen med kongens egne børn.21Da Hadad senere fik at vide, at David og Joab begge var døde, bad han kongen om tilladelse til at vende tilbage til Edom.22„Hvorfor?” spurgte kongen. „Hvad mangler du her? Er der noget i vejen?” „Nej,” svarede Hadad, „men jeg vil alligevel gerne hjem til Edom.”23-24Rezon, Eljadas søn, var en anden af Salomons fjender, som Gud gav indflydelse og magt. Rezon var en af kong Hadadezer af Zobas officerer, men dengang David besejrede Zobas hær, var Rezon flygtet sammen med en del andre krigere. Han samlede efterhånden en røverbande omkring sig. Senere indtog de Damaskus, hvor Rezon blev udråbt til konge.25I hele Salomons levetid var Rezon en af de værste fjender af Israels folk, som han nærede et stort had til. Han skabte problemer for Salomon, fordi han havde kontrol over nabolandet Aram, mens Hadad skabte problemer for Israel sydfra.26En anden trussel mod Salomon var Jeroboam, Nebats søn, som stammede fra byen Zereda i Efraim. Hans mor var en enke ved navn Zerua. Jeroboam var en af Salomons embedsmænd, men havde gjort oprør imod kongen.27-28Det følgende er grunden til, at han gjorde oprør: Salomon havde netop udbygget fæstningsanlægget i Jerusalem og repareret skaderne i den gamle bydels mur, som hans far David havde bygget. Jeroboam var en lovende ung mand, og da kong Salomon bemærkede hans dygtighed og arbejdsomhed, satte han ham i spidsen for arbejdsstyrkerne i Manasse og Efraim.29En dag, da Jeroboam var på vej ud af Jerusalem, kom profeten Ahija fra Shilo ham i møde. Ahija havde en ny kjortel på, og han standsede Jeroboam på vejen. Der var ingen andre i nærheden.30Ahija rev sin nye kjortel i 12 stykker,31hvorefter han sagde til Jeroboam: „Tag ti af de her stykker, for Herren, Israels Gud, siger: ‚Jeg vil rive riget ud af Salomons hånd og give de ti af stammerne til dig.32Men jeg vil tillade ham at beholde en enkelt stamme for min tjener Davids skyld og Jerusalems skyld—den by jeg har udvalgt frem for alle andre byer i landet.33Det gør jeg, fordi Salomon har svigtet mig ved at dyrke andre guder ved siden af mig—guder som Astarte, sidoniernes gudinde, og Kemosh, Moabs gud, og ammonitternes gud, Milkom. Han har ikke adlydt mig og gjort hvad ret er—han har ikke handlet efter mine befalinger, som hans far gjorde.34Jeg vil dog ikke tage riget fra ham med det samme. For min udvalgte tjener Davids skyld, som adlød mine befalinger og forskrifter, vil jeg lade Salomon beholde magten indtil sin dødsdag.35Men derefter vil jeg tage riget fra hans søn og give de ti stammer til dig.36Dog får sønnen lov at beholde én stamme, for at Davids efterkommere stadig kan regere i Jerusalem—byen jeg har udvalgt for at herliggøre mit navn.37Jeg vil gøre dig til konge over Nordriget, og du skal få lov at herske over alt, hvad du har lyst til.38Hvis du adlyder mig og handler i overensstemmelse med mine bud, som min tjener David gjorde, så vil jeg velsigne dig, og dine efterkommere skal så altid regere over de ti stammer. Jeg gav engang David et tilsvarende løfte,39men på grund af Salomons synd må jeg straffe Davids efterkommere—dog ikke for altid.’ ”40Da Salomon fik at vide, hvad Ahija havde sagt, forsøgte han at myrde Jeroboam, men Jeroboam søgte tilflugt hos kong Shishak i Egypten. Der blev han, til Salomon døde.41Hvad der ellers er at fortælle om Salomon og hans visdom, er nedskrevet i Salomons krønike.42Han regerede over hele Israels folk i 40 år med Jerusalem som hovedstad.43Da han døde, blev han begravet i Davidsbyen, hvor hans far også lå begravet. Hans søn Rehabeam overtog derefter tronen.
1Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, (5.Mos 17,17; Neh 13,26)2from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. (2.Mos 34,16)3He had 700 wives, who were princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart.4For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. (1.Kong 8,61; 1.Kong 9,4)5For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. (Dom 2,13; 1.Kong 11,7; 1.Kong 11,33; 2.Kong 23,13)6So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done.7Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. (3.Mos 18,21; 3.Mos 20,2; 4.Mos 21,29; 1.Kong 11,5; 2.Kong 23,10; 2.Kong 23,13; Ap G 7,43)8And so he did for all his foreign wives, who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods.
The Lord Raises Adversaries
9And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice (1.Kong 3,5; 1.Kong 9,2; 1.Kong 11,2; 1.Kong 11,4)10and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded. (1.Kong 6,12; 1.Kong 9,6)11Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant. (1.Kong 11,31; 1.Kong 12,15)12Yet for the sake of David your father I will not do it in your days, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son.13However, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son, for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem that I have chosen.” (5.Mos 12,5; 5.Mos 12,11; 2.Sam 7,15; 1.Kong 11,32; 1.Kong 11,36; 1.Kong 12,20; Salm 89,33)14And the Lord raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite. He was of the royal house in Edom.15For when David was in Edom, and Joab the commander of the army went up to bury the slain, he struck down every male in Edom (2.Sam 8,14; 1.Krøn 18,12)16(for Joab and all Israel remained there six months, until he had cut off every male in Edom).17But Hadad fled to Egypt, together with certain Edomites of his father’s servants, Hadad still being a little child.18They set out from Midian and came to Paran and took men with them from Paran and came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave him a house and assigned him an allowance of food and gave him land. (4.Mos 10,12; 5.Mos 33,2)19And Hadad found great favor in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him in marriage the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen.20And the sister of Tahpenes bore him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh’s house. And Genubath was in Pharaoh’s house among the sons of Pharaoh.21But when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers and that Joab the commander of the army was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, “Let me depart, that I may go to my own country.” (1.Kong 2,10)22But Pharaoh said to him, “What have you lacked with me that you are now seeking to go to your own country?” And he said to him, “Only let me depart.”23God also raised up as an adversary to him, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his master Hadadezer king of Zobah. (2.Sam 10,16)24And he gathered men about him and became leader of a marauding band, after the killing by David. And they went to Damascus and lived there and made him king in Damascus. (2.Sam 8,3; 2.Sam 10,8; 2.Sam 10,18)25He was an adversary of Israel all the days of Solomon, doing harm as Hadad did. And he loathed Israel and reigned over Syria.26Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow, also lifted up his hand against the king. (1.Sam 1,1; 2.Sam 20,21; 1.Kong 12,2; 2.Krøn 13,6)27And this was the reason why he lifted up his hand against the king. Solomon built the Millo, and closed up the breach of the city of David his father. (2.Sam 5,9; 1.Kong 9,24)28The man Jeroboam was very able, and when Solomon saw that the young man was industrious he gave him charge over all the forced labor of the house of Joseph.29And at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the road. Now Ahijah had dressed himself in a new garment, and the two of them were alone in the open country. (1.Kong 12,15; 1.Kong 14,2; 1.Kong 15,29; 2.Krøn 9,29)30Then Ahijah laid hold of the new garment that was on him, and tore it into twelve pieces. (1.Sam 15,27)31And he said to Jeroboam, “Take for yourself ten pieces, for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon and will give you ten tribes (1.Kong 11,11)32(but he shall have one tribe, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel), (5.Mos 12,5; 1.Kong 11,13; 1.Kong 12,21; 1.Kong 14,21)33because they have[1] forsaken me and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites, and they have not walked in my ways, doing what is right in my sight and keeping my statutes and my rules, as David his father did. (1.Kong 11,5; 1.Kong 11,7)34Nevertheless, I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him ruler all the days of his life, for the sake of David my servant whom I chose, who kept my commandments and my statutes.35But I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand and will give it to you, ten tribes. (1.Kong 11,12; 1.Kong 12,16)36Yet to his son I will give one tribe, that David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen to put my name. (2.Sam 21,17; 1.Kong 11,32; 1.Kong 15,4; 2.Kong 8,19; 2.Krøn 21,7)37And I will take you, and you shall reign over all that your soul desires, and you shall be king over Israel.38And if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, I will be with you and will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you. (Josva 1,5; 1.Sam 2,35; 2.Sam 7,11; 2.Sam 7,27)39And I will afflict the offspring of David because of this, but not forever.’”40Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. But Jeroboam arose and fled into Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon. (1.Kong 14,25; 2.Krøn 12,2; 2.Krøn 12,5; 2.Krøn 12,7; 2.Krøn 12,9)41Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the Book of the Acts of Solomon? (2.Krøn 9,29)42And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.43And Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place. (1.Kong 2,10; 1.Kong 14,20; Matt 1,7)