3 Kingdoms 12:26-13:34
26 When Jeroboam heard in Egypt that Solomon died, he spoke to Shishak, king of Egypt, saying, “Send me away, and I shall go to my land.” Shishak said to him, “Ask any request, and I shall give it to you.” 27 So Shishak gave Anna to Jeroboam as a wife. She was the eldest sister of Tahpenes, the wife of Shishak. She was highly admired in the midst of the daughters of the king, and she bore to Jeroboam a son, Abijah. 28 Then Jeroboam said to Shishak, “Please send me away, and I shall leave.” Thus Jeroboam went out from Egypt and into the land of Zereda, which is in Mount Ephraim. It is here the whole tribe of Ephraim gathers together, and where Jeroboam built a fortress.
29 Jeroboam’s son became seriously ill, so Jeroboam went to inquire concerning his son, and he said to Anna, his wife, “Arise, and go ask God concerning the child, whether he shall recover from this illness.” 30 Now there was in Shiloh a man whose name was Ahijah. He was sixty years old, and the word of the Lord was with him. So Jeroboam said to his wife, “Arise, and take bread in your hand for this man of God and cakes for his children, and grapes and a jar of honey.” 31 The woman arose and took in her hand bread, two cakes, grapes, and a jar of honey for Ahijah. The man was elderly, and his eyesight was fading. 32 She arose from Zereda and traveled to the city where Ahijah the Shilonite dwelt. Ahijah said to his young son, “Go out at once to meet Anna, the wife of Jeroboam, and say to her, ‘Come in and take a seat, for thus says the Lord, “I Myself am sending harsh things on you.” ’ ” 33 So Anna came in to the man of God, and Ahijah said to her, “Why did you bring me bread and grapes and cakes and a jar of honey? Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, you shall depart from Me, and when you enter the gate into the city of Zereda and your maidens come out to greet you, even they shall say to you, “The child is dead.’ ” 34 For Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I shall put to death those of Jeroboam, and those of Jeroboam who die in the city of Jerusalem will be eaten by dogs, while the birds of the sky will consume those who die in the field. They will mourn the young child, saying, “Woe to me, O Lord! For you perceived in him a good word concerning the Lord.” ’ ” 35 Then the woman departed as one who heard and understood. It came to be as she entered Zereda, the child died, and the mourners went out to meet her.
36 Then Jeroboam went to Shechem at Mount Ephraim, and there they gathered the tribes of Israel. Even Rehoboam the son of Solomon went up there, and the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the son of Elami, saying, “Take for yourself a new garment, one which has not entered into water, and tear it into twelve pieces; then give it to Jeroboam and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Take for yourself ten pieces to clothe yourself,” ’ ” and Jeroboam took them. Shemaiah then said, “Thus says the Lord to the ten tribes of Israel.”
Rehoboam and His Advisors
37 Then the people said to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, “Your father made his yoke a heavy burden upon us, and he made the foods of his table oppressive; and now, if you yourself shall go more lightly on us, then we will serve you.” Rehoboam said to the people, “In three days I shall answer the matter for you.” 38 Rehoboam then said, “Bring the elders to me, and I will counsel with them as to what answer I should give the people on the third day.” So Rehoboam told the elders what the people sent him to say, and the elders of the people advised him to do what the people said.
39 But Rehoboam rejected their counsel, for it was not pleasing in his sight. So he sent and brought those he grew up with. He told them what the people said to him. In response, his childhood companions advised him to speak to the people as follows: “Since I am from the loins of my father, my meanness will be more burdensome. Whereas my father disciplined you with the beating of whips, I will discipline you with scorpions.” 40 Rehoboam was pleased with this advice, and he answered the people just as the young men, his childhood companions, advised him. 41 But all the people spoke as one man, every man to his neighbor, and they all cried out, saying, “What share of the inheritance have we in David? Nor do we have any inheritance in the son of Jesse. O Israel, run to your dwelling-places, for this man is not going to be a ruler or a leader over us.” 42 So all the people scattered from Shechem, and each man returned to his dwelling; but Rehoboam did not relent.
Rehoboam departed by way of his chariots, and went up and entered Jerusalem. Behind him came the entire tribe of Judah and the entire tribe of Benjamin. 43 And it came to pass that in the beginning of the year, Rehoboam gathered all the men of Judah and Benjamin, and he went out to make war with Jeroboam in Shechem. 44 But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, “Speak to Rehoboam the king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin and to the rest of the people, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Do not go up and do not make war with your brothers, the sons of Israel. Let each man return to his house, for this word has come from Me.” ’ ” 45 So they heard the word of the Lord, and according to the word of the Lord, they held back from going.
Jeroboam’s False Worship
46 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in Mount Ephraim and dwelt there. From here, he went out and built Penuel. 47 Then Jeroboam said in his heart, “Behold, now the kingdom will return to the house of David. 48 If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn back to their lord and master, to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me.” 49 Therefore the king deliberated, and went and made two calves of gold. He then said to the people, “You have traveled enough to Jerusalem. Behold, O Israel, your gods who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 50 He placed one in Bethel and the other in Dan. 51 This word became a sin, and the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan. 52 He also made houses on the high places, and he made priests from every class of people, even those who were not of the sons of Levi.
53 Jeroboam appointed a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, according to the feast in the land of Judah, and went up to the altar he made at Bethel to sacrifice to the calves he made. Also at Bethel, he presented the priests of the high places which he made. 54 So on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month he devised in his own heart, he went up to the altar he made at Bethel and made a feast for the children of Israel. He also went up to the altar of the sacrifice.
1 Now behold, there came by the word of the Lord a man of God from Judah to Bethel, even as Jeroboam stood by the altar of the sacrifice. 2 By the word of the Lord, he cried out against the altar, saying, “O altar, altar, thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, a son is to be born to the house of David, Josiah is his name, and he will kill the priests of the high places upon you, offering sacrifice upon you; and he will burn the bones of men upon you.’ ” 3 In that day, he gave a sign, saying, “This is the sign the Lord has spoken: Surely the altar shall split apart, and the fat on it shall be poured out.” 4 So when King Jeroboam heard the words of the man of God who cried out against the altar in Bethel, he stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, “Seize him!” But behold, the hand he stretched out toward him withered, and he himself could not stretch it back. 5 The altar was broken apart, and the fat on the altar poured out from the altar—this according to the sign the man of God had given by the word of the Lord. 6 Then King Jeroboam said to the man of God, “Entreat the favor of the Lord your God, that my hand may be restored to me.” So the man of God entreated the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored new, as it was before. 7 Then the king said to the man of God, “Come home with me and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward.” 8 But the man of God said to the king, “Even if you give me half your house, I would not go in with you. Nor will I eat bread nor drink water in this place. 9 For the Lord commanded me, saying, ‘You shall not eat bread, nor drink water, nor return by the same way you came.’ ” 10 So he went another way, and did not return by the way he came to Bethel.
The Old Prophet in Bethel
11 Now an old prophet dwelt in Bethel, and his sons came and told him all the works the man of God did that day in Bethel. They also told their father the words he spoke to the king, and the father’s countenance changed. 12 Their father said to them, “Which way did he go?” His sons pointed out the way the man of God who came from Judah had gone. 13 Then he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled the donkey for him, and he mounted, 14 to seek after the man of God. He found him sitting under an oak tree. Then he said to him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?” And he said, “I am.” 15 Then he said to him, “Come home with me and eat bread.” 16 And he said, “I cannot return with you, nor eat bread or drink water in this place. 17 For the Lord commanded me, saying, ‘You shall not eat bread or drink water there, nor return by going the way you came.’ ”
18 The old prophet said to him, “I am a prophet like you, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’ ” But he was lying to him. 19 The man of God went back with him, and ate bread and drank water in his house. 20 As they sat at the table, the word of the Lord came to the prophet who brought him to his house; 21 and he said to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because you disobeyed the word of the Lord and did not keep the commandment the Lord your God commanded you, 22 but indeed, did come back, and ate bread and drank water in the place where the Lord said to you, “Eat no bread and drink no water”; therefore, your dead body shall never enter the tomb of your fathers.’ ”
23 So after he ate bread and drank water, he saddled the donkey for him, and he departed. 24 After he left, a lion met him and killed him on the road, and his dead body remained by the side of the road. The donkey and the lion stood by the dead body. 25 When men passed by and saw the corpse on the road, with the lion standing by the corpse, they went and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt.
26 Now when the old prophet who had brought him to his house heard it, he said, “It is the man of God who was disobedient to the word of the Lord.” 27 Then he said to his sons, “Saddle a donkey for me.” So they saddled one. 28 Then he went and found his dead body thrown on the road, with the donkey and the lion standing next to it. The body was not eaten by the lion, nor did the lion maul the donkey. 29 The prophet took up the dead body of the man of God, laid it on the donkey, and brought it to the city to bury him in his own tomb. 30 They mourned over him, saying, “Alas, my brother!” 31 So after he mourned for him, he spoke to his sons, saying, “When I am dead, then bury me in this tomb where the man of God is buried. Lay me beside his bones, that my bones shall be preserved with his bones. 32 For the word will surely come to pass which he spoke by the word of the Lord against the altar in Bethel and against all the houses of the high places in Samaria.”
33 But even after this event, Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, but he again made priests from every class of people for the high places. Whoever desired to be a priest, he consecrated him, and he became a priest of the high places. 34 This became the sin of the house of Jeroboam, even to its total disappearance from the face of the earth.
Psalm 103:1–18
1 By David.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
O Lord my God, You are magnified exceedingly;
You clothe Yourself with thanksgiving and majesty,
2 Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment,
Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain;
3 You are He who covers His upper chambers with waters,
Who makes the clouds His means of approach,
Who walks on the wings of the winds,
4 Who makes His angels spirits
And His ministers a flame of fire.
5 He established the earth on its stable foundation;
It shall not be moved unto ages of ages.
6 The deep like a garment is His covering;
The waters shall stand upon the mountains;
7 At Your rebuke they shall flee;
At the sound of Your thunder, they shall be afraid.
8 The mountains rise up, and the plains sink down
To the place You founded for them.
9 You set a boundary they shall not pass over;
Neither shall they return to cover the earth.
10 You are He who sends springs into the valley;
The waters shall pass between the mountains;
11 They shall give drink to all the wild animals of the field;
The wild asses shall quench their thirst;
12 The birds of heaven shall dwell beside them;
They shall sing from the midst of the rocks.
13 You are He who waters the mountains from His higher places;
The earth shall be satisfied with the fruit of Your works.
14 You are He who causes grass to grow for the cattle,
And the green plant for the service of man,
To bring forth bread from the earth;
15 And wine gladdens the heart of man,
To brighten his face with oil;
And bread strengthens man’s heart.
16 The trees of the plain shall be full of fruit,
The cedars of Lebanon, which You planted;
17 There the sparrows shall make their nests;
The house of the heron takes the lead among them.
18 The high mountains are for the deer;
The cliff is a refuge for the rabbits.
Proverbs 22:6–10
6 The rich will rule over the poor,
And servants will lend to their own masters.
7 He who sows worthless things will reap evil things,
And bring to an end the plague of his works.
8 God blesses a cheerful man and a giver,
And he will bring to an end the vanity of his works.
9 He who shows mercy to a poor man shall himself be supported,
For he gave his own bread to the poor man.
10 He who gives gifts to a poor man gains victory and honor for himself;
However, he who buys him takes away his soul.
Luke 22:1–23
1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover.
2 And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.
3 Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.
4 So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them.
5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money.
6 So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.
Jesus and His Disciples Prepare the Passover
7 Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed.
8 And He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.”
9 So they said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare?”
10 And He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters.
11 “Then you shall say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?” ’
12 “Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready.”
13 So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.
Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper
14 When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him.
15 Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;
16 “for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves;
18 “for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.
21 “But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table.
22 “And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!”23 Then they began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing.