as God commanded; but that he set up two golden calves in that part of the land where the ten tribes lived, and taught the people to worship them instead. Yet there were priests and Levites living among the Ten Tribes at that time, who would not worship the golden calves.

They, with many other persons, came to live at Jerusalem, and to serve under Rehoboam as their king. They made his kingdom greater and stronger by coming; not only because there were so many of them, but because they were the ones whom the Lord was sure to bless.

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 turned away from

the Lord, he and all the people of Israel. They built high places in the cities, made groves on all the hills, where they set up their idols and worshipped them.

Then the Lord sent the king of Egypt against Judah. That king, with twelve hundred chariots, and sixty thousand horsemen, and a very great army, took many cities in the land, and afterward came up to Jerusalem. Rehoboam and the princes of the people were afraid of him. Moreover, there came a prophet, who said to them, "You have left off serving God, therefore He will not help you against the king of Egypt."

When Rehoboam and the princes heard this, they bowed their heads and confessed that they had indeed done wrong. Then the Lord sent his prophet again to say, "Because you have humbled yourselves before

Me, the king of Egypt shall not destroy you; and yet because you have done so wickedly, he shall make you his servants.”

So the king of Egypt came with his army into Jerusalem, took away much gold and silver out of the temple and out of the king's palace; but after doing this he returned to his own land. Rehoboam reigned seventeen years; and when he died, Abijah, his son, was made king in his place.

War was declared between Abijah, king of Judah, and Jeroboam, king 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 and cried, "Here 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 you cannot prosper."

But while Abijah was speaking, Jeroboam led out his army, and the battle began. The men of Judah cried to the Lord for help, and the priests who were with them blew their trumpets. Then the men of Judah gave a great shout, and as they shouted, Jeroboam and his army fled away. Abijah and his

people followed them, and fought against them, and great numbers of the men of Israel So the men of Judah gained

were slain.

the victory; and Abijah, pursuing Jeroboam into the land of the ten tribes, took his cities from him; nor was Jeroboam ever able to bring out an army against Abijah again. Abijah reigned for only three years; then he died, and Asa, his son, was made king.

Asa did what was right and pleasing to the Lord. And the people had 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 can never take them from us." So they built more cities, and their kingdom grew strong and prospered year by year.

Now, Asa had an army of three hundred thousand men from the tribe of Judah carrying shields and spears, and two hundred and eighty thousand from the tribe of Benjamin carrying bows and arrows; and all these were