Solomon ruled Israel for many years after he had built the beautiful temple of the Lord. During those years his kingdom rose to its greatest glory and power, and his fame was told in countries far and wide.
But Solomon’s last days were not his best days. In the beginning of his reign he followed closely the good example of his father, who loved and served God. But as he grew older he married daughters of kings from; other countries and brought them to live in his palaces at Jerusalem. These strange young princesses were idol-wor-shipers, and instead of learning to serve the God of Israel they brought their heathen gods to Jerusalem and worshiped them there. Solomon loved these young women and he thought it would be unkind not to do for them whatever they should ask. So when they requested him to build temples for their gods, he did so. That was not all; he even went with them into these heathen temples and bowed down before the heathen gods.
It seems strange that a man who had received so many great blessings from the Lord God of the whole earth should ever bow down before wood and stone to worship gods that can neither see nor hear, much less answer prayer. But Solomon, with all his great wisdom, seemed to forget the very One to whom he owed himself and all his wonderful success as a king. No wonder God was displeased with him. No wonder God allowed enemies to rise up to trouble Solomon in his last days. And finally God told him that the kingdom of Israel should be taken away from him forever, and that only one of the twelve tribes would honor his son as their ruler.
In his great wisdom Solomon had planned and erected many great buildings besides the temple and his palaces in Jerusalem.’ He had caused large storehouses to be built in different parts of his kingdom in which his servants stored away the grain and fruits which they gathered from the fields. He had beautified many places in the land of Israel. All this work cost money, and he had taxed his own people and the nations that served him to raise the money for his building-work. This caused the people to become restless and to feel dissatisfied with him.
At this time there was a young man among Solomon’s servants named Jeroboam. This young man toiled so faithfully that Solomon made him overseer of all his building-workmen. One day God sent a prophet to speak to Jeroboam as he was leaving Jerusalem.
Alii jah, the prophet, met Jeroboam in a field just outside Jerusalem, and stopped the young man to speak to him. Then he did a very strange thing indeed. He took off his new mantle, or cloak, and tore it into twelve pieces. Ten of the pieces he gave to Jeroboam, saying as he did so, “Take these; for surely the Lord God of Israel will tear the kingdom of Israel out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten tribes to you, because Solomon has turned aside to worship other gods. One tribe will the Lord leave for Solomon’s son, for he will not forget his promise to David, that his children’s children shall sit upon his throne in Jerusalem.” Solomon heard what the prophet had done; but instead of repent-ing of his wickedness as David did, he tried to kill Jeroboam. Knowing about the King’s intention, Jeroboam ran away from the land of Israel and went to live among the people of Egypt. There he stayed until he heard that King Solomon had died.