THE REIGNS OF REHOBOAM, ABIJAH, ASA, AND JEHOSHAPHAT.
WE have read that Rehoboam, Solomon's son, was made king over the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and that he lived at Jerusalem, where the temple was which his father had built. We have read also that Jeroboam would not allow the people of the ten tribes to go to Jerusalem to worship at the temple, as God had commanded; but he set up two golden calves in that part of the land where the ten tribes lived, and taught the people to worship them.
Yet the priests and the Levites who were living among the ten tribes at that time, would not worship the golden calves. They came, with many other persons, to live at Jerusalem, and chose Rehoboam for their king. And they made his kingdom greater and stronger by coming because there were so many of them, and because they were the ones whom the Lord would bless. And for three years Rehoboam and his people did what was right, and obeyed the Lord.
But when he grew rich and strong, and was no longer in fear that his kingdom would be taken from him, he ceased obeying the Lord. For he and all the people of Judah, began to worship idols, and like the people of Israel, they built high places in the cities, and made groves on the hills, where they set up their idols and worshipped them. Then the Lord sent the king of Egypt against Judah. That king brought with him twelve hundred chariots and sixty thousand horsemen, and a very great army, and he took many cities in the land, and afterward came up to Jerusalem. And Rehoboam and the princes of the people were afraid of him.
And there came a prophet who said to them, Thus saith the Lord, You have left off serving me, therefore I will not help you against the king of Egypt. When Rehoboam and the princes heard this, they bowed their heads, and confessed that the Lord did right to punish them. Then the Lord sent his prophet again to tell them, that because they humbled themselves before him, the king of Egypt should not destroy them, and yet, because they had done wickedly, he should make them his servants. So the king of Egypt came with his army into Jerusalem, and took away much gold and silver out of the temple, and out of the king's palace. But afterward he returned to his own land.
Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he was made king: he reigned seventeen years; and he died, and was buried in Jerusalem, and Abijah, his son, was made king in his place.
There was war between Abijah, king of Judah, and Jeroboam, king of Israel. Abijah made ready for the battle with an army of four hundred thousand men, but Jeroboam had eight hundred thousand. Before the battle began, Abijah stood on a mountain where Jeroboam and his men could hear him, and he said to them, Hear me, Jeroboam, and all you men of Israel, Do you not know that God made David and his sons to be kings over the children of Israel forever? Yet Jeroboam has rebelled, and made himself king. And he has brought out wicked men to fight with us. You are a great multitude, and have with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made for your gods, but we worship the Lord: he is with us, and is our captain. Oh, then, you men of Israel, do not fight against the Lord, for if you do you shall not prosper.
But while Abijah was speaking, Jeroboam led out his army and the battle began. And the men of Judah cried to the Lord for help, and the priests who were with them blew on their trumpets. Then the men of Judah gave a shout, and as they did so, God helped them, and Jeroboam and his army fled away. And Abijah and his people followed them, and fought against them, and great numbers of the men of Israel fell down slain. So the men of Judah gained the victory, because they trusted in God. And Abijah pursued Jeroboam into the land of the ten tribes, and took cities from him. Jeroboam was never able to bring out an army against Abijah again. Abijah reigned for three years, and he died, and Asa his son was made king.
Asa did what was right, and pleased the Lord. And the Lord gave the people rest from war. Then Asa said to them, Let us build more cities in our land, with walls around them, and towers and gates and bars, so that our enemies cannot take them from us. And they built more cities, and their kingdom grew strong and prospered.
Asa had an army of three hundred thousand men out of the tribe of Judah that carried shields and spears, and of two hundred and eighty thousand out of the tribe of Benjamin that carried bows and arrows; all these were brave soldiers. Yet the king of Ethiopia made war against him with an army much greater than his. And Asa came out to the battle, and he cried to the Lord, and said, It is no trouble for thee to help us whether we have many soldiers or few; help us, O Lord our God, for in thy name we go out against this great multitude. O Lord, let them not gain the victory over us. So the Lord helped the men of Judah in the battle and gave them the victory; and they took much spoil from the Ethiopians, and carried away great numbers of their sheep and camels. Afterward Asa and his army came back to Jerusalem.
And the Lord sent a prophet who spoke to them, saying, Hear me, Asa, and all you men of Judah and Benjamin: The Lord will be with you, to help you, as long as you shall serve him; but if you forsake him he will forsake you. Therefore fear not to do what is right, and you shall be rewarded. When Asa heard these words, he took courage, and put away the idols that the people had set up through the land, and repaired and made new the altar of burnt offering that stood in the court of the temple; for the people had allowed it to go to decay. Then he gathered all the people together at Jerusalem and they offered up, out of the spoil that had been taken from the Ethiopians, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep. And the people made a covenant with the Lord, and promised to serve him with all their heart and with all their soul; and they said that whoever would not serve him should be put to death, whether he was rich or poor, whether it was a man or a woman.
After Asa had been king over Judah for thirty-five years, Baasha, the king of Israel, came up to make war against him. Then Asa, instead of praying to the Lord for help, took silver and gold out of the temple and out of his own palace, and sent it to the king of Syria, saying, Behold, I have sent thee a present of silver and gold. Go, therefore, and make war against Baasha, king of Israel, so that he may not fight against me. And the king of Syria did as Asa asked him. He sent his army against some of the cities of Israel, and when Baasha heard of it he returned to his own land, and fought against Asa no more.
But the Lord sent a prophet to reprove Asa for seeking help from the king of Syria, instead of from him. Were not the Ethiopians a great army, the prophet asked, with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because thou didst trust in the Lord, he gave thee the victory over them. For the eyes of the Lord look up and down through the whole world, to watch over those who love him, that he may help them. Thou hast done foolishly. Therefore, from this time thy enemies shall make war against thee. But Asa was angry with the prophet, and shut him up in prison, for speaking these words.
After he had been king for thirty-eight years, there came a disease in his feet, which grew worse until it was very great. Yet, in his sickness, he did not ask the Lord to heal him, but trusted only in his physicians. He was king forty-one years, and he died. And his servants laid him in a bed filled with sweet-smelling spices that the apothecaries had made ready. And they buried him in the sepulchre which he had made for himself, in Jerusalem; and Jehoshaphat, his son, reigned in his stead.
The Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because from the time he was made king he did what was right. Therefore the Lord gave him the kingdom to keep it; and all the people brought him gifts, and he had riches and honor in plenty. In the third year of his reign he sent men through all the cities of Judah, with the book which had God's laws written in it, that they might teach them to the people. And the Lord made the heathen nations afraid to come out to war against Jehoshaphat. The Philistines brought him presents and tribute money; and the Arabians brought him flocks, as many as seven thousand seven hundred sheep, and seven thousand seven hundred goats. And he became very great and had a great army. He built castles and store cities also, in which to keep his riches.
But after this he went down to the city of Samaria, to visit Ahab, king of Israel. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen, and made a feast for him, and persuaded him to go out to war against the king of Syria. We have read how Jehoshaphat put on his royal robes, and went into the battle, and how the Syrians thought it was Ahab, and tried to kill him. But when he cried out, they turned away from following after him, because God would not let them come near to put him to death. When the battle was over, Jehoshaphat came back to Jerusalem.
And the Lord sent a prophet to meet him, who said, Was it right for thee to help the wicked Ahab, and to go out to war with men who hate the Lord? Therefore, the Lord is angry with thee. Yet thou hast done well in other things: in taking away the high places, where the people worshipped idols, and the groves, and in making thy own heart ready to serve God. After this Jehoshaphat went no more to the city of Samaria, but lived in Jerusalem; and he went out through the land of Judah, commanding the people to put away their idols. He set judges also, in all the cities of Judah to punish those who did wrong, and to save the innocent from harm. He said to the judges, Be careful that you act justly, for you must give account, not to me, but to the Lord, who sees all you do. Therefore, fear him.
And the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the Edomites, came up to fight against Jehoshaphat. When he heard of it he sent word to all the people that they should eat no food, but should fast and pray. And the people came out of all the cities of Judah to the temple at Jerusalem, and prayed for help. And Jehoshaphat stood up before them, and said, O Lord, art thou not our God, who didst drive out the heathen from this land, and give it to thy people, the children of Israel? And we have lived here and built a temple in which to worship thee and pray to thee. But now the Ammonites the Moabites and the Edomites, have gathered together to drive us out of the land which thou hast given us. Wilt thou not punish them? for we are not able to fight with the great army they are bringing against us. And we know not what to do, but are looking up to thee. While Jehoshaphat prayed, all the people stood up before the Lord, with their little babes, their wives and their children.
Then the Lord sent a prophet to speak to Jehoshaphat and the people, saying, Be not afraid of this multitude. To-morrow go out against them. You will find them by the brook in the wilderness. And you need not fight with them; only stand still, and you shall see how the Lord will save you. Omen of Judah and Jerusalem, fear not, for the Lord will help you. When the prophet had spoken these words, king Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down and worshipped.
Early in the morning they went out to meet their enemies. As they were going, Jehoshaphat said to his soldiers, Trust in the Lord and believe what his prophet has said; then you shall have the victory. And Jehoshaphat set men in front of the army to sing praises to God. As these began to praise him, God helped the men of Judah, for he caused the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the Edomites to fight with each other, and slay one another. And when the men of Judah came near, they saw their enemies lying dead upon the ground. Then they went among the slain, and gathered from their dead bodies gold and silver, and precious jewels, more than they could carry away. They were three days in gathering the spoil, there was so much of it. On the fourth day they met together in a valley near by, and blessed and thanked the Lord for giving them the victory. Therefore that valley was called the valley of Berachah, which means, the valley of Blessing. Then Jehoshaphat and all the men of Judah, returned with the music of harps and trumpets to Jerusalem, and to the temple.
After this the heathen nations feared to come out against him, and God gave him and his people rest from war. Yet Jehoshaphat did wrong again, in joining with the king of Israel to send ships to a land called Ophir, that they might bring back gold for him. And a prophet came and told him that because he had joined with that wicked king, his ships should be broken. And what the prophet said came true, for his ships were broken and wrecked at Ezion-geber, where they were built, so that they could not go to that far off land.
Jehoshaphat reigned twenty-five years, and did what was right and pleased the Lord: and he died and was buried in Jerusalem.