1 R ehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.

¶ And Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.

2 A nd when Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of it—for he still dwelt in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon— returned from Egypt.

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

3 A nd they sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam,

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

4 Y our father made our yoke heavy; now therefore lighten the hard service and the heavy yoke your father put upon us, 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.

5 H e replied, Go away for three days and then return to me. So the people departed.

And he said unto them, Depart, and in three days come again to me. And the people departed.

6 A nd King Rehoboam consulted with the old men who stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived and said, How do you advise me to answer this people?

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

7 A nd they said to him, If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them and answer them with good words, they will be your servants forever.

And they spoke unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a slave unto this people this day and wilt serve them and answer them by speaking good words unto them, then they will be thy slaves for ever.

8 B ut he forsook the counsel the old men gave him and consulted the young men who grew up with him and stood before 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 who stood before him.

9 H e said to them, What do you advise that we answer this people who have said, Make the yoke your father put on us 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 put upon us lighter?

10 T he young men who grew up with him answered, To the people who told you, Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter for us—say this, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins.

And the young men that were grown up with him spoke unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spoke 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 is thicker than my father’s loins.

11 A nd now whereas my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

And now whereas my father ladened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father has chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

12 S o Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had appointed.

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.

13 A nd the king answered the people roughly and forsook the counsel the old men had given him,

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

14 A nd spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; he chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

and spoke 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.

15 S o the king did not hearken to the people, for the situation was from the Lord, that He might fulfill His word which He spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.

Therefore, the king did not hearken unto the people, for the cause was from the LORD, to confirm his word, which the LORD spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam, the son of Nebat.

16 S o when all Israel saw that the king did not heed them, they answered the king, What portion have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David! So Israel went to their tents.

¶ So when all Israel saw that the king did not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? There is no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.

17 B ut Rehoboam reigned over the Israelites who dwelt in the cities of Judah.

But Rehoboam reigned over the sons of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah.

18 T hen King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute, and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. So King Rehoboam hastened to get into his chariot to flee to Jerusalem.

Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute, but all Israel stoned him with stones, and he died. Then King Rehoboam made speed to get into his chariot and flee to Jerusalem.

19 S o Israel has rebelled against the house of David to this day.

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

20 W hen all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. None followed the house of David except the tribe of Judah only.

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 were none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

21 A nd when Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, 180, 000 chosen warriors, to fight against the house of Israel to bring the kingdom back to Rehoboam son of Solomon.

And when Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, one hundred and eighty thousand chosen men of war, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam, the son of Solomon.

22 B ut the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

But the word of God came unto Shemaiah, the man of God, saying,

23 T ell Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and all the house of Judah and Benjamin and the remnant of the people,

Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin and to the remnant of the people, saying,

24 T hus says the Lord, You shall not go up or fight against your brethren, the Israelites. Return every man to his house, for this thing is from Me. So they hearkened to the Lord’s word and returned home, according to the Lord’s word.

Thus hath the LORD said, Ye shall not go up nor fight against your brethren, the sons of Israel; return each one to his house, for this thing is from me. They hearkened, therefore, to the word of the LORD and returned to depart, according to the word of the LORD.

25 T hen Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. He went out from there and built Penuel.

¶ And Jeroboam rebuilt Shechem in Mount Ephraim and dwelt therein, and going out from there, rebuilt Penuel.

26 J eroboam said in his heart, Now the kingdom will return to the house of David.

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

27 I f this people goes up to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem to sacrifice, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah.

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

28 S o the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.

And having taken counsel, the king made two calves of gold and said unto the people, 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.

29 A nd he set the one golden calf in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan.

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

30 A nd this thing became a sin; for the people went to worship each of them even as far as Dan.

And this became an occasion for sin, for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.

31 J eroboam also made houses on high places and made priests of people who were not Levites.

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

32 A nd Jeroboam appointed a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast kept in Judah, and he offered sacrifices upon the altar. So he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves he had made. And he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places he had made.

Then Jeroboam ordained a solemnity in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the solemnity that was celebrated in Judah; and he sacrificed upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made. He also ordered in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.

33 S o he offered upon the altar he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a date which he chose individually; and he appointed a feast for the Israelites and he went up to the altar to burn incense

So he sacrificed upon the altar which he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, the month which he had devised of his own heart, and made a feast unto the sons of Israel; and he climbed up on the altar to burn incense.