20150522 Friday, May 22 2015
Proverbs 25: A History Of Israel's United And Divided Kingdoms

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out"

The Israelites had no human king (see The Patriotism Prophecy) until the time of the prophet Samuel, which thereby made Samuel the last of the Judges era (see The Rise Of The Judges and The Calling Of Samuel). The people demanded that Samuel elect a king for themselves, "That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles" (see Our King May Judge Us). The LORD (see The Identity Of The LORD God), Who had already being doing what they demanded, permitted the request.

Then began the Israelite monarchy in which the Israelites were a united kingdom only briefly, twice. Most of the time, for centuries thereafter, they were divided and even at civil (i.e. between Saul of Benjamin and David of Judah) or international (between the independent kingdoms of Israel and Judah after the time of Solomon) war.

Saul of Benjamin was Israel's first king (see Saul Of Benjamin and Samuel The Seer). All of the tribes of Israel were briefly united as a single kingdom in the time of Saul (see King Saul of Israel).

When King Saul proved himself to be an unwise and unstable leader (see Saul's Impeachment), the LORD anointed David of Judah to be Israel's next king (see The Anointing Of David and Why Didn't David Kill Saul?). The Civil War between Judah, who supported David, and all of the other tribes, who remained loyal to Saul, continued until Saul was killed in battle against the Philistines (see Saul's Last Stand and Where Is Palestine?) and his successor was assassinated by his own troops (see The Assassination of Ishbosheth and The War Between The Houses of David and Saul).

The tribes of Israel then united under King David, who then moved his capital from Hebron to Jerusalem - which then for the first time ever became an Israelite city (see How Long Was Jerusalem The Capital Of Israel?). The Israelites then remained united, for the second, and last, time during David's reign after the Civil War, the entire reign of his son King Solomon, and the beginning of the reign of Solomon's son King Rehoboam.

Although very wise as a young man (see Solomon's Gift Of Wisdom), Solomon became corrupt in his later years (see What Caused Solomon's Idolatry?). For that, the LORD declared that the united kingdom would be divided, in the time of Solomon's son. Exactly as the LORD prophesied, the Israelites were then divided into two independent nations, in the time of King Rehoboam - who thereby became the last king of the united Kingdom of Israel and then the first king of the new Kingdom of Judah (see The First Kings Of Israel and Judah and Israel In History and Prophecy: Israel and Judah).

The Kingdom of Judah (see Israel In History and Prophecy: Kingdom Of Judah) consisted of the tribes of Judah, Benjamin and part of Levi (as the priesthood, the Levites were given towns and fields throughout all of the other tribes, long before, in the time of Joshua; see Cities and Suburbs Of The Levite Clans and The Inheritance Of The Levites).

The Kingdom of Israel consisted of the other ten tribes: Reuben, Simeon, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Ephraim/Joseph and Manasseh/Joseph, as well as part of Levi (those who had received their inheritance in those ten tribes). When the first king of Israel became hostile to them, the Levites of Israel left their towns and properties and moved to Judah (see No Levites In The Lost Ten Tribes?).

The Kingdom of Israel lasted a little over 200 years - until they became so corrupt that the LORD had them conquered and taken into exile by the Assyrian Empire by 721 BC. The Kingdom of Israel thereafter became known as the "lost ten tribes of Israel" (see Israel In History and Prophecy: The Lost Ten Tribes).

The Kingdom of Judah lasted for about 135 years longer than the Kingdom of Israel - until they too became so corrupt that the LORD had them conquered and taken into exile in 586 BC by the Babylonian Empire that had by then conquered the Assyrian Empire (see Why Did Judah Fall To Babylon?).

Unlike the "lost ten tribes" however, for the sake of the coming Messiah, the exile of the Kingdom of Judah lasted only 70 years - long enough to kill off the corrupt generations that had caused the exile. Their children and grandchildren were given to return, exactly as prophesied (see The Prophecies Of Cyrus of Persia and Why Was It Desolate For Seventy Years?), in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah (see Zerubbabel's Return, Ezra's Journey From Babylon and The Arrival Of Nehemiah's Cavalry).

The religion of the Kingdom of Judah, known today as Judaism (see Israel In History and Prophecy: Judaism), originated after the return from the Babylonian exile. The religious sects and cults of the Pharisees and the Sadducees also originated after the time of the return from Babylon. Moses and the Kingdom of Israel never knew Judaism (see Israel Never Knew Purim, Hanukkah Or Judaism).

King Hezekiah was a king of Judah (see Kings of Israel and Judah; also Hezekiah's Healing) who reigned over 200 years after King Solomon. Some of the Proverbs of Solomon were preserved by Hezekiah's scribes i.e. "These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out" (verse 1 below).

"25:1 These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.

25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

25:3 The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

25:4 Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer. 25:5 Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.

25:6 Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men: 25:7 For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.

25:8 Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.

25:9 Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another: 25:10 Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.

25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

25:12 As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

25:13 As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.

25:14 Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.

25:15 By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

25:16 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it. 25:17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.

25:18 A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.

25:19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.

25:20 As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.

25:21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: 25:22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.

25:23 The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.

25:24 It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.

25:25 As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. 25:26 A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.

25:27 It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.

25:28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls." (Proverbs 25:1-28 KJV)

Fact Finder: When will Israel and Judah be restored as a united kingdom? What will Jesus Christ do to make it happen?
See When Will The United Kingdom Be Restored?