My people appoint kings I do not want. They choose princes without my permission. They use their silver and gold to make statues of gods. That is how they destroy themselves.”

他们立君王，却不由我；他们立首领，我却不认。他们用金银为自己制造偶像，以致被剪除。

他们立君王，并非出于我；立官长，我却不知道。他们用金银为自己制造偶像，以致被剪除。

他们立君王，并非出于我；立官长，我却不知道。他们用金银为自己制造偶像，以致被剪除。

他们拥立君王，未经我的同意；选立首领，没有让我知道。他们用金银为自己制造神像，自取灭亡。

“他们立了君王，却不是出于我；他们立了首领，我却不知道。他们用自己的金银为自己做了偶像，以致他们被剪除。

他們立君王，卻不由我；他們立首領，我卻不認。他們用金銀為自己製造偶像，以致被剪除。

他們立君王，並非出於我；立官長，我卻不知道。他們用金銀為自己製造偶像，以致被剪除。

他們立君王，並非出於我；立官長，我卻不知道。他們用金銀為自己製造偶像，以致被剪除。

他們擁立君王，未經我的同意；選立首領，沒有讓我知道。他們用金銀為自己製造神像，自取滅亡。

“他們立了君王，卻不是出於我；他們立了首領，我卻不知道。他們用自己的金銀為自己做了偶像，以致他們被剪除。

他們立了王，但不是由我立的；他們立了首領，卻不是我承認的。他們用他們的銀子或金子、為自己造了偶像，好讓自己被剪除。

彼立君王、非由於我、彼立牧伯、我不知之、以其金銀造像、必致殄滅、

彼所簡之王、所立之牧、非我所悅、以金銀作偶像、必為我所殄絕。

彼立王非由我立、立牧伯非我所悅、以金銀為己作偶像、必致殄絕、

They set up kings without my consent; they choose princes without my approval. With their silver and gold they make idols for themselves to their own destruction.

They made kings, but not through me. They set up princes, but I knew it not. With their silver and gold they made idols for their own destruction.

The people have appointed kings without my consent, and princes without my approval. By making idols for themselves from their silver and gold, they have brought about their own destruction.

They have installed kings, but not through me. They have appointed leaders, but without my approval. They make their silver and gold into idols for themselves for their own destruction.

They have set up kings, but not by Me; They have appointed officials, but I did not know it. With their silver and gold they have made idols for themselves, So that they will be eliminated.

“ They set up kings, but not by Me; They made princes, but I did not acknowledge them. From their silver and gold They made idols for themselves— That they might be cut off.

They have set up kings, but not by me; they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.

They have installed kings, but not through Me. They have appointed leaders, but without My approval. They make their silver and gold into idols for themselves for their own destruction.

They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew[ it] not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.

They enthroned kings without my consent! They appointed princes without my approval! They made idols out of their silver and gold, but they will be destroyed!

They have set up kings, but not by me. They have made princes, and I didn’t approve. Of their silver and their gold they have made themselves idols, that they may be cut off.

Shallum made evil plans against Zechariah. He attacked Zechariah in front of the people and killed him. Then he became the next king after him. Shallum was the son of Jabesh.The other events of the rule of Zechariah are written down. They are written in the official records of the kings of Israel.What happened to Zechariah is what the Lord said would happen. He had spoken that message to Jehu. The Lord had said,“ Your sons after you will sit on the throne of Israel. They will rule until the time of your children’s grandchildren.”( 2 Kings 10:30)Shallum became king of Israel. It was in the 39th year that Uzziah was king of Judah. Shallum ruled in Samaria for one month. He was the son of Jabesh.Menahem went from Tirzah up to Samaria. There he attacked Shallum, the son of Jabesh. Menahem killed him and became the next king after him. Menahem was the son of Gadi.The other events of Shallum’s rule are written down. The evil things he planned are written down. All these things are written in the official records of the kings of Israel.At that time Menahem started out from Tirzah and attacked Tiphsah. He attacked everyone in the city and the area around it. That’s because they refused to open their gates for him. He destroyed Tiphsah. He ripped open all their pregnant women.Menahem became king of Israel. It was in the 39th year that Uzziah was king of Judah. Menahem ruled in Samaria for ten years. He was the son of Gadi.Menahem did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord. During his entire rule he didn’t turn away from the sins Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had committed. Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit those same sins.Then Tiglath- Pileser marched into the land of Israel. He was king of Assyria. Menahem gave him 38 tons of silver to get his help. He wanted to make his control over the kingdom stronger.Menahem forced Israel to give him that money. Every wealthy person had to give him 20 ounces of silver. All of it went to the king of Assyria. So he pulled his troops back. He didn’t stay in the land anymore.The other events of the rule of Menahem are written down. Everything he did is written in the official records of the kings of Israel.Menahem joined the members of his family who had already died. Menahem’s son Pekahiah became the next king after him.Pekahiah became king of Israel in Samaria. It was in the 50th year that Uzziah was king of Judah. Pekahiah ruled for two years. He was the son of Menahem.Pekahiah did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord. He didn’t turn away from the sins Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had committed. Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit those same sins.One of Pekahiah’s chief officers was Pekah. He was the son of Remaliah. Pekah made evil plans against Pekahiah. He took 50 men from Gilead with him and killed Pekahiah. Pekah also killed Argob and Arieh. He killed all of them in the safest place in the royal palace at Samaria. So Pekah killed Pekahiah. He became the next king after him.The other events of the rule of Pekahiah are written down. Everything he did is written in the official records of the kings of Israel.Pekah became king of Israel in Samaria. It was in the 52nd year that Uzziah was king of Judah. Pekah ruled for 20 years. He was the son of Remaliah.Pekah did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord. He didn’t turn away from the sins Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had committed. Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit those same sins.During the rule of Pekah, the king of Israel, Tiglath- Pileser marched into the land again. He was king of Assyria. He captured the towns of Ijon, Abel Beth Maakah, Janoah, Kedesh and Hazor. He also captured the lands of Gilead and Galilee. That included the whole territory of Naphtali. He took the people away from their own land. He sent them off to Assyria.Then Hoshea made evil plans against Pekah, the son of Remaliah. Hoshea was the son of Elah. Hoshea attacked Pekah and killed him. Then Hoshea became the next king after him. It was in the 20th year of the rule of Jotham, the son of Uzziah.

“ Israel, you will be destroyed. I helped you. But you turned against me.Where is your king? Wasn’t he supposed to save you? Where are the rulers in all your towns? You said,‘ Give us a king and princes.’

She wouldn’t admit that I was the one who gave her everything she had. I provided her with grain, olive oil and fresh wine. I gave her plenty of silver and gold. But she used it to make statues of Baal.

Now they sin more and more. They use their silver to make statues of gods for themselves. The statues come from their own clever ideas. Skilled workers make all of them. The people pray to these gods. They offer human sacrifices to them. They kiss the gods that look like calves.

All the Israelites saw that the king refused to listen to them. So they answered the king. They said,“ We don’t have any share in David’s royal family. We don’t have any share in Jesse’s son. People of Israel, let’s go back to our homes. David’s royal family, take care of your own kingdom!” So the Israelites went home.But Rehoboam still ruled over the Israelites living in the towns of Judah.Adoniram was in charge of those who were forced to work hard for King Rehoboam. The king sent him out among all the Israelites. But they killed Adoniram by throwing stones at him. King Rehoboam was able to get away in his chariot. He escaped to Jerusalem.Israel has refused to follow the royal family of David to this day.All the Israelites heard that Jeroboam had returned. They sent for him. They wanted him to meet with the whole community. Then they made him king over the entire nation of Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained true to David’s royal family.

He thought it was only a small thing to commit the sins Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had committed. Ahab also married Jezebel. She was Ethbaal’s daughter. Ethbaal was king of the people of Sidon. Ahab began to serve the god named Baal and worship him.

So King Jeroboam asked for advice. Then he made two golden statues that looked like calves. He said to the people,“ It’s too hard for you to go up to Jerusalem. Israel, here are your gods who brought you up out of Egypt.”

But now you know God. Even better, God knows you. So why are you turning back to those weak and worthless powers? Do you want to be slaves to them all over again?

“ But he will reply,‘ I don’t know you. And I don’t know where you come from. Get away from me, all you who do evil!’

“ I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and my sheep know me.

Get rid of all the evil things you have done. Let me give you a new heart and a new spirit. Then you will be faithful to me. Why should you die, people of Israel?

The Lord God who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says,“ Why do you want to bring all this trouble on yourselves? You are removing from Judah its men and women, its children and babies. Not one of you will be left.Why do you want to make me angry with the gods your hands have made? Why do you burn incense to the gods of Egypt, where you now live? You will destroy yourselves. All the nations on earth will use your name as a curse. They will say you are shameful.

“ But he replied,‘ What I’m about to tell you is true. I don’t know you.’

The owner of the house will get up and close the door. Then you will stand outside knocking and begging. You will say,‘ Sir, open the door for us.’“ But he will answer,‘ I don’t know you. And I don’t know where you come from.’

All of that was the great sin the royal family of Jeroboam committed. It led to their fall from power. Because of it, they were destroyed from the face of the earth.