THE PROBLEMS AND PROPHETS OF THE NORTHERN

STATE

105. ISRAEL'S REVOLT AGAINST AUTOCRACY

Then Solomon died, and Rehoboam his son succeeded him. As soon as Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it-for he was still in Egypt where he had fled from the presence of Solomon-he returned at once to his native town, Zeredah in Mount Ephraim. Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all the Israelites had come to Shechem to proclaim him ruler. But they said to Rehoboam, "Your father laid a burdensome yoke upon us. Now therefore make the burdensome service of your father and the heavy yoke that he laid upon us lighter, and we will serve you.' He said to them, 'Go away for three days, then come again to me.' So the people went away.

Then Rehoboam took counsel with the old men who had been in the service of Solomon his father during his lifetime and inquired, 'What answer do you advise me to give this people?' They said to him, 'If now you will serve this people and will give them a favorable answer, then they will be your servants forever.'

But he rejected the counsel which the old men had given him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and had been in his service. And he said to them, 'What answer do you advise that we give to the people who have said to me, “Make the yoke that your father laid upon us lighter"?" The young men who had grown up with him said to him, 'Make this answer to them: "My little finger is thicker than my father's loins! While my father

loaded you with a heavy yoke, I will make your yoke heavier; my father punished you. with whips, but I will punish you with scourges.

999

So when all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as he had directed, he answered the people autocratically and did not follow the counsel which the old men had given him, but spoke to them as the young men had advised, saying, 'My father made your yoke heavy, but I will make your yoke still heavier; my father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with scourges.' So Rehoboam paid no heed to the demand of the people.

When all Israel saw that he paid no heed to their demand they gave him this answer: 'What interest have we in David? We have nothing in common with the son of Jesse! To your tents, O Israel! Now look out for your house, O David!'

So the Israelites went to their homes.

Then Rehoboam sent to them Adoniram, who was over the men subject to forced labor; but when all the Israelites stoned him to death, Rehoboam quickly mounted his chariot and fled to Jerusalem. So Israel has refused to pay allegiance to the house of David to the present day.

As soon as all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly of the people and proclaimed him ruler over all Israel. None remained loyal to the house of David except the tribe of Judah.

106. THE PROTEST AND EXILE OF ELIJAH THE

TISHBITE

In the thirty-first year of Asa the ruler of Judah,, Omri began to rule over Israel and ruled twelve years;

six years he ruled in Tirzah. Then he bought the hill Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver; and he built a city on the hill and named it Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill.

When Omri died, Ahab his son succeeded him. But Ahab the son of Omri displeased Jehovah more than all his predecessors. He married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and then began to worship the Phoenician god Baal. He also erected an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.

Then Elijah from Tishbe in Gilead said to Ahab, ‘As surely as Jehovah the God of Israel lives, whom I serve, there shall be no dew nor rain these years except as I announce it.'

Then this message from Jehovah came to him, 'Go eastward from here and hide yourself by the Brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.'

So he obeyed the command of Jehovah and lived by the Brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread in the morning and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. But after a while the brook dried up, for there had been no rain in the land.

Then this message from Jehovah came to him, 'Arise, go to Zarephath which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.' So he went to Zarephath.

When he came to the gate of the city, a widow was there gathering sticks Calling to her, he said, 'Bring me, I beg of you, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. As she was going to get it, he called after her, 'Bring also a bit of bread with you.' She replied, As

surely as Jehovah your God lives, I have nothing baked, and only one handful of meal in the jar and a little oil in the jug; and now I am gathering a few sticks, that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.' Elijah said to her, 'Fear not; go and do as you have said, but first bake for me a little dough and bring it to me; afterward make some for yourself and your son. For Jehovah the God of Israel declares: "The jar of meal shall not be empty, nor shall the jug of oil fail, until Jehovah sends rain upon the earth."

So she did as Elijah directed; and she and her household, as well as Elijah, had food to eat. From that day the jar of meal was never empty and the jug of oil did not fail, as Jehovah had said through Elijah.

Now after this the woman's son fell sick; and his sickness was so severe that he ceased to breathe. So she said to Elijah, 'What have I to do with you, O man of God? You have come to me to remind me of my sin by taking the life of my son!' He said to her, 'Give me your son.' So he took him out of her arms and carried him up into the upper room where he was staying and laid him on his own bed. Then he prayed earnestly to Jehovah and said, 'O Jehovah, my God, hast thou also brought misfortune upon this widow, with whom I am staying, by taking the life of her son?' And he stretched himself upon the child three times and prayed to Jehovah and said, 'O Jehovah, my God, I entreat thee, restore this child's life to him again.'

So Jehovah listened to Elijah's petition; and the life of the child came back to him again, so that he revived. Then Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper room into the house and gave him to his mother; and said, 'See, your son lives!' The

woman said to him, 'Now I know that you are a man of God and that the message of Jehovah that you proclaim is true.'

107. THE CHOICE BETWEEN MATERIAL AND

SPIRITUAL IDEALS

In the third year of the famine this command came from Jehovah to Elijah: 'Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.' So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab.

The famine was so severe in Samaria that Ahab had summoned Obadiah, the prefect of the palace. Obadiah was exceedingly loyal to Jehovah; for when Jezebel tried to exterminate the prophets of Jehovah, he took a hundred and hid them in a cave and kept them supplied with bread and water. Ahab said to Obadiah, 'Come, let us go through the land to all the springs and to all the brooks, in the hope that we may find grass, so that we can save the horses and mules and not lose all of them.' So they divided the land between them, Ahab going in one direction and Obadiah in another.

While Obadiah was on the way, Elijah suddenly met him. As soon as Obadiah recognized him, he fell on his face and said, 'Is it you, my lord Elijah?' He answered, 'It is; go, tell your master: "Elijah is here." But Obadiah said, 'What sin have I committed, that you would deliver your servant over to Ahab to kill me? As surely as Jehovah your God lives, there is no nation nor kingdom where my lord has not sent to seek you; and when they said, "He is not here," he made each of the kingdoms and nations take an oath, that no one had found you. Now you say, "Go, tell your lord, Elijah is here!" As soon as I have left you