Jeroboam

26Jeroboam son of Nebat was from Zeredah, in the land of Ephraim. His mother was a widow named Zeruah. He worked for Solomon, but he turned against the king.

And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon’s servant, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king.

NoteEphraim was one of the twelve tribes of Israel. A widow is a woman whose husband has died. The King James says Jeroboam "lifted up his hand against the king." That means he fought back against his own king.

27Here is why he turned against the king. Solomon had built the Millo. He had also fixed the broken places in the wall of David's city.

And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father.

NoteThe Millo was a huge stack of stone in Jerusalem. It held up the ground so buildings could stand on the hill. The city of David was the oldest part of Jerusalem. David had taken it and made it his home.

28Jeroboam was a strong and brave man. Solomon saw that the young man worked hard. So he put Jeroboam in charge of all the workers from Joseph's family group.

And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.

NoteThe King James calls him "a mighty man of valour," meaning strong and brave. The house of Joseph means the families who came from Joseph. Solomon put Jeroboam over their work crews for the king's building.

29One day Jeroboam was walking out of Jerusalem. Ahijah from Shiloh met him on the road. Ahijah had put on a new coat. The two men were alone in an open field.

And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:

NoteAhijah was a prophet. A prophet is a person who tells others what God says. He came from Shiloh, a town where Israel had worshiped long before.

30Ahijah took hold of the new coat he was wearing. He tore it into twelve pieces.

And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:

NoteProphets sometimes acted out a message instead of only saying it. Twelve pieces stood for the twelve tribes of Israel. Tearing the coat showed the kingdom being torn apart.

31He said to Jeroboam, "Take ten pieces for yourself. The LORD, the God of Israel, says this: 'I will tear the kingdom out of Solomon's hand. I will give ten tribes to you.'"

And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:

32"'But one tribe will stay with Solomon's family. I do this for David my servant. I also do it for Jerusalem, the city I chose out of all Israel.'"

(But he shall have one tribe for my servant David’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)

NoteThe one tribe was Judah, the tribe David came from. Jerusalem was in that tribe's land.

33"'They have left me. They have worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of Sidon, and Chemosh, the god of Moab, and Milcom, the god of Ammon. They have not lived my way. They have not done what is right to me. They have not kept my rules, the way David did.'"

Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth 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"'Even so, I will not take the whole kingdom from Solomon. I will let him rule all his life. I do this for David my servant, whom I chose. David kept my commands and my rules.'"

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:

35"'But I will take the kingdom from his son. I will give ten tribes to you.'"

But I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes.

36"'I will give his son one tribe. Then David my servant will always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem. That is the city I chose for my name.'"

And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.

NoteA lamp that keeps burning was a picture of a family going on. It means someone from David's family would keep being king. "To put my name there" means the city belonged to God in a special way.

37"'I will take you and make you king over Israel. You will rule over all that you want.'"

And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.

38"'Listen to everything I tell you. Live my way and do what is right to me. Keep my rules and my commands, as David my servant did. Then I will be with you. I will make your family strong, as I did for David. And I will give Israel to you.'"

And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.

NoteThe King James says God will build him "a sure house." House here does not mean a building. It means a family, with sons who become kings after him.

39"'Because of this, I will bring trouble on David's family. But the trouble will not last forever.'"

And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever.

NoteThe King James says "the seed of David." Seed means his children, and their children after them.

40So Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam. But Jeroboam ran away to Egypt, to King Shishak. He stayed there until Solomon died.

Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

NoteShishak was the king of Egypt at that time. Egypt was far away, so Jeroboam would be safe there.

1Rehoboam went to a town called Shechem. All Israel had gone there to make him king.

And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.

NoteRehoboam was King Solomon's son. Kings were usually followed by their sons.

2Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, heard about this. He was still in Egypt, where he had run away from King Solomon.

And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;)

NoteEgypt is a country far away, south of Israel. Jeroboam had worked for Solomon and then run away.

3So the people sent for Jeroboam. He and all the people of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam.

That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,

NoteIsrael was made of twelve big family groups called tribes. All of them came to talk to the new king.

4They said, "Your father made our work very hard. Make our work lighter, and we will serve you."

Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.

NoteThe King James says Solomon made their "yoke" heavy. A yoke is a wooden bar laid on an ox's neck for pulling. Here it means hard work the king made people do.

5Rehoboam said, "Go away for three days. Then come back to me." So the people left.

And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.

6King Rehoboam talked with the older men who had helped his father Solomon. He asked, "What should I say to these people?"

And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?

NoteThese older men had helped King Solomon for many years. They knew how a king should treat people.

7They said, "Serve these people today. Speak kind words to them. Then they will serve you always."

And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.

NoteTo "be a servant" to the people means to help them, not boss them.

8But Rehoboam did not take the older men's advice. He asked the young men who had grown up with him and worked for him.

But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:

9He said to them, "What should I tell these people? They asked me to make their work lighter."

And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?

10The young men who grew up with him said, "Tell them this: 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist.'

And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins.

NoteThis is a way of bragging. He means, "I am much tougher than my father was."

11"Say, 'My father gave you heavy work. I will give you even more. My father beat you with whips. I will beat you with scorpions.'"

And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

NoteA scorpion is a small animal with a sharp sting. Here it means a whip with sharp points on it.

12Three days later, Jeroboam and all the people came back to Rehoboam. The king had told them to return on the third day.

So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.

13The king spoke to the people in a hard, unkind way. He did not do what the older men had told him.

And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him;

14He said what the young men told him to say. "My father gave you heavy work, and I will give you more. My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions."

And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

15So the king would not listen to the people. This happened because the LORD had planned it. He was keeping his word, which the prophet Ahijah had spoken to Jeroboam.

Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

NoteA prophet is someone who told people what God said. Ahijah had already told Jeroboam he would be a king.

16All Israel saw that the king would not listen. So they said, "We have no share in David's family. Go home, Israel! David, take care of your own family." So the people of Israel went home.

So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.

NoteDavid was a famous king long ago. He was Rehoboam's grandfather.

17But some people of Israel lived in the towns of Judah. Rehoboam was still their king.

But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

NoteJudah was the land in the south. Rehoboam still ruled the people who lived there.

18King Rehoboam sent out Adoram, the man in charge of forced work. All Israel threw stones at him until he died. King Rehoboam hurried into his chariot and fled to Jerusalem.

Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

NoteForced work means work people had to do without pay. Adoram was the man who made them do it.

19So Israel turned against David's family, and they are still apart today.

So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

NoteFrom this day the land was split in two. The north was called Israel. The south was called Judah.

20All Israel heard that Jeroboam had come back. They called him to the meeting and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah stayed with David's family.

And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

25Then Jeroboam built up the town of Shechem in the hills of Ephraim, and he lived there. Later he went out and built up Penuel.

Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel.

NoteTo "build up" a town means to make it stronger, often with walls around it.

26Jeroboam said to himself, "The kingdom might go back to David's family.

And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:

27"If my people go to Jerusalem to worship at the LORD's house, they will love Rehoboam again. Then they will kill me and go back to him."

If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.

NoteThe LORD's house was the temple in Jerusalem. It was the special building where people worshiped God.

28So the king got advice and made two calves out of gold. He said, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Israel, here are your gods, who brought you out of Egypt."

Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

NoteA calf is a young cow. These were gold statues that people bowed down to. Long before this, God had brought Israel out of Egypt, where they had been slaves.

29He put one calf in the town of Bethel. He put the other one in the town of Dan.

And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.

NoteBethel was near the south edge of Jeroboam's land. Dan was far up north. Both were closer than Jerusalem.

30This became a sin. The people walked all the way to Dan to worship one of the calves.

And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.

31Jeroboam built places to worship on the hills. He picked priests from all kinds of people, not from the family of Levi.

And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.

NotePeople often built places to worship on top of hills. Priests were men who helped people worship God. In Israel they were supposed to come from one family group, the family of Levi.

32Jeroboam made a special feast day on the fifteenth day of the eighth month. It was like the feast in Judah. He gave gifts on the altar in Bethel to the calves he had made. He also put his own priests there.

And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.

NoteA feast is a special holiday with lots of food. An altar is a stone table where gifts were burned for God. The feast in Judah was in a different month, the seventh one.

33On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, he gave gifts on the altar he had built in Bethel. He picked that month himself. He made a feast for the people of Israel, gave gifts on the altar, and burned sweet-smelling incense.

So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.

NoteIncense is a sweet-smelling powder. Burning it made a nice-smelling smoke, and it was part of worship.

1A man of God came from Judah to a town called Bethel. God had sent him there. King Jeroboam was standing by the altar, burning incense.

And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.

NoteA "man of God" means a prophet, someone who tells people what God says. Judah was the southern part of the land, where King David's family ruled. Bethel was a town in the northern part, ruled by King Jeroboam. An altar is a special stone table where gifts were burned for God. Incense is a sweet-smelling powder that people burned as a gift.

2The man shouted at the altar the words God gave him. He said, "Altar, altar, listen to what God says. A boy named Josiah will be born in King David's family. He will kill the priests of these hilltop worship places on you. They are the priests who burn incense on you. He will burn people's bones on you."

And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall be burnt upon thee.

Note"The house of David" means King David's family, his children and grandchildren. Josiah was not born yet. He would come along about three hundred years later. The "hilltop worship places" were spots on hills where people worshiped. Kings of Judah were supposed to worship only at the temple in Jerusalem. Burning dead people's bones on an altar made it dirty. Nobody would ever use it again.

3That same day the man gave a sign to prove it. He said, "God says this will happen. The altar will split open. The ashes on it will spill out."

And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the LORD hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.

NoteA sign is something that happens to show a message is true.

4King Jeroboam heard the man shout against the altar. He pointed his hand at him and said, "Grab that man!" But his hand dried up and went stiff. He could not pull it back.

And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him.

NoteHis hand "dried up" means it went thin and stiff, like a dry stick. He could not bend it or move it.

5Then the altar split open. The ashes spilled out, just as the man of God had said.

The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.

6The king said to the man of God, "Please ask your God to help me. Pray that my hand will be well again." The man prayed to God. The king's hand became well, just like before.

And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the king’s hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.

7Then the king said, "Come home with me and eat. I will give you a gift."

And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward.

NoteIn those days, eating a meal at someone's house meant you were friends. The king wanted the man of God to be his friend.

8The man of God said, "Even if you gave me half of all you own, I would not come. I will not eat bread or drink water here.

And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place:

Note"Half thine house" means half of everything the king owned. "Bread and water" is a way of saying any food or drink at all.

9God told me not to eat bread or drink water here. He also said not to go home the same way I came."

For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.

10So the man went home a different way. He did not use the road he took to Bethel.

So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel.

33Even after all this, Jeroboam did not stop doing wrong. He kept picking priests for the hilltop places from all kinds of people. Anyone who wanted the job could have it.

After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places.

NoteA priest is a person whose job is to lead worship and offer gifts to God. God had said only men from one family could do this job. Jeroboam let anybody do it who wanted to.

34This wrong was the sin of Jeroboam's family. Because of it, his family was wiped off the earth.

And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth.

1At that time, Jeroboam's son Abijah got sick.

At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick.

NoteJeroboam was king of Israel, the northern part of God's people. The southern part was called Judah and had its own king.

2Jeroboam said to his wife, "Please get up and dress so no one knows you are my wife. Go to the town of Shiloh. Ahijah lives there. He is a prophet, someone who tells people what God says. He told me I would be king."

And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray thee, and disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get thee to Shiloh: behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, which told me that I should be king over this people.

NoteA prophet was a person God gave messages to. People went to a prophet to ask what would happen. Shiloh was a town in the north where people had long gone to worship God.

3"Take him ten loaves of bread, some little cakes, and a jar of honey. He will tell you what will happen to our boy."

And take with thee ten loaves, and cracknels, and a cruse of honey, and go to him: he shall tell thee what shall become of the child.

NotePeople almost always brought food or a gift when they asked a prophet for help. The bread and honey were her gift.

4Jeroboam's wife did what he said. She went to Shiloh, to Ahijah's house. Ahijah could not see anymore. He was old, and his eyes had gone dim.

And Jeroboam’s wife did so, and arose, and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah. But Ahijah could not see; for his eyes were set by reason of his age.

5But the LORD had told Ahijah, "Jeroboam's wife is coming to ask about her son. He is sick. Tell her what I tell you. She will come dressed like someone else."

And the LORD said unto Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to ask a thing of thee for her son; for he is sick: thus and thus shalt thou say unto her: for it shall be, when she cometh in, that she shall feign herself to be another woman.

6Ahijah heard her feet at the door. He said, "Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why are you dressed like someone else? I have hard news to give you."

And it was so, when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, that he said, Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be another? for I am sent to thee with heavy tidings.

7"Go and tell Jeroboam that the LORD, the God of Israel, says this: I picked you out from the people. I made you the leader of my people Israel."

Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel,

8"I took the kingdom away from David's family and gave it to you. But you have not been like my servant David. He obeyed my commands. He followed me with his whole heart. He did only what was right in my eyes."

And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes;

NoteDavid was Israel's most loved king long before. "The house of David" means David's family. God had taken most of the tribes away from David's family and given them to Jeroboam.

9"You have done worse than everyone before you. You made other gods for yourself. You made metal statues, and that made me angry. You threw me away behind your back."

But hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back:

NotePeople melted metal and poured it into shapes to make statues of other gods. Then they bowed down to them. Throwing something behind your back means acting like it does not matter at all.

10"So I will bring trouble on Jeroboam's family. I will cut off every male in his family in Israel, both slave and free. I will sweep his family away, like a man sweeping away dung until none is left."

Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone.

NoteThe old King James words here are rough farm words. They simply mean every boy and man in Jeroboam's family. Dung is animal droppings. People swept it out of the yard and got rid of it, and none was kept.

11"Dogs will eat anyone from Jeroboam's family who dies in the city. Birds will eat anyone who dies out in the fields. The LORD has said it."

Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat: for the LORD hath spoken it.

NoteBack then, being buried was very important. To be left in the open for dogs and birds was the saddest, most shameful end a person could have.

12"Now get up and go home. The moment your feet enter the city, the boy will die."

Arise thou therefore, get thee to thine own house: and when thy feet enter into the city, the child shall die.

13"All Israel will cry for him and bury him. He is the only one of Jeroboam's family who will get a proper grave. In him the LORD, the God of Israel, found something good."

And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.

NoteTo mourn is to cry and be sad together because someone has died. A proper grave meant the family buried him with care and honor.

14"The LORD will also raise up a king over Israel. That king will put an end to Jeroboam's family. This is the day. It is happening now."

Moreover the LORD shall raise him up a king over Israel, who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam that day: but what? even now.

15"The LORD will strike Israel. They will shake like a reed in water. He will pull Israel up out of this good land he gave their fathers. He will scatter them far past the river. They made poles to worship other gods, and that made the LORD angry."

For the LORD shall smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water, and he shall root up Israel out of this good land, which he gave to their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the river, because they have made their groves, provoking the LORD to anger.

NoteA reed is a tall thin plant that grows in water. It bends and shakes with every little wave. The river is the Euphrates, far away to the north and east. The poles were tall wooden posts people stood up to worship a god called Asherah.

16"He will give Israel up because of the sins Jeroboam did. Jeroboam led Israel to sin too."

And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin.

17Jeroboam's wife got up and left. She went to the town of Tirzah. As she stepped over the doorway of her house, the boy died.

And Jeroboam’s wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah: and when she came to the threshold of the door, the child died;

NoteTirzah was the town in the north where Jeroboam lived. The doorway she stepped over was the stone step at the front of the house.

18They buried him, and all Israel cried for him. It happened just as the LORD had said through his servant Ahijah the prophet.

And they buried him; and all Israel mourned for him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by the hand of his servant Ahijah the prophet.

19The rest of the things Jeroboam did, his wars and his ruling, are written in the book called the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he warred, and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

NoteKings kept written records of what they did. That book is lost now. The Bible is just pointing to it, like saying "the rest is in the other book."

20Jeroboam was king for twenty-two years. Then he died. His son Nadab became king after him.

And the days which Jeroboam reigned were two and twenty years: and he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his stead.

NoteThe King James says he "slept with his fathers." That was a gentle way of saying he died and was buried where his family was buried.

25Nadab, son of Jeroboam, became king of Israel. This was in Asa's second year as king of Judah. Nadab was king of Israel for two years.

And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years.

26Nadab did evil things that the LORD could see. He lived the same way his father had lived. He led the people of Israel to sin, just as his father did.

And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.

27Baasha, son of Ahijah, was from the family group of Issachar. He made a secret plan against Nadab. He killed Nadab at Gibbethon, a Philistine town. Nadab and all Israel were surrounding that town to take it.

And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon.

NoteThe Philistines were a people who lived by the sea. They often fought against Israel. Surrounding a town means the army camps all around it. No food can get in, so the people give up.

28Baasha killed Nadab in the third year that Asa was king of Judah. Then Baasha became king in Nadab's place.

Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead.

29As soon as Baasha was king, he killed everyone in Jeroboam's family. He did not leave one person alive who was breathing. This happened just as the LORD had said it would. God had said it through his servant Ahijah from Shiloh.

And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had destroyed him, according unto the saying of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite:

NoteAhijah was a prophet, someone who told people what God said. He came from a town called Shiloh.

30This happened because of the sins Jeroboam did. He also led the people of Israel to sin. His sins made the LORD, the God of Israel, angry.

Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his provocation wherewith he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger.