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.
Bible Overview
The Divided Kingdom
Two nations, one bloodline, and a sin that outlived the king who started it
Introduction
For roughly two centuries, two kingdoms ran side by side — Israel in the north, Judah in the south. They shared a history, a God, and often a border dispute. What they didn't share was a scorecard.
Scripture
And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him. And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel.
And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal.
Translation note: Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV). The King James Version is in the public domain.
Key insights
- One king's compromise outlived him
- Scripture keeps its own scorecard
- The two kingdoms were tangled by blood
- One hidden child kept a promise alive
Related resources
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