24
And he gatheredmen unto him, and became captain over a band, when Davidslew them of Zobah: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus.
26
And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda,Solomon'sservant, whose mother'sname was Zeruah, a widowwoman, even he lifted up his hand against the king.
28
And the manJeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomonseeing the young man that he was industrious*, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.
29
And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophetAhijah the Shilonitefound him in the way; and he had clad himself with a newgarment; and they two were alone in the field:
31
And he said to Jeroboam,Take thee tenpieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will givetentribes to thee:
33
Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshippedAshtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians,Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.
34
Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant's sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes: