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 gone 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.

So it happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard it (he was still in Egypt, for he had fled from the presence of King Solomon and had been dwelling 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. Then Jeroboam and the whole assembly of Israel came and spoke to 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.

“Your father made our yoke heavy; now therefore, lighten the burdensome service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.”

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

So he said to them, “Depart for three days, then come back 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 the elders who stood before his father Solomon while he still lived, and he said, “How do you advise me to answer these 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 to him, saying, “If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.”

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 rejected the advice which the elders had given him, and consulted the young men who had grown up with him, 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 to them, “What advice do you give? How should we answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?”

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.

Then the young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus you should speak to this people who have spoken to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter on us’—thus you shall say to them: ‘My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s waist!

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 put a heavy yoke on you, I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!’”

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 directed, saying, “Come back to me the third day.”

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

Then the king answered the people roughly, and rejected the advice which the elders had given 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 he spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!”

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.

So the king did not listen to the people; for the turn of events was from the Lord, that He might fulfill His word, which the Lord had spoken by Ahijah the Shilonite to 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.

Now when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying: “What share have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Now, see to your own house, O David!” So Israel departed to their tents.

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

But Rehoboam reigned over the children 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 in charge of the revenue; but all Israel stoned him with stones, and he died. Therefore King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste to flee to Jerusalem.

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

So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to 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.

Now it came to pass when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had come back, they sent for him and called him to the congregation, and made him king over all Israel. There was none who 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 who were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, that he might restore the kingdom 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 to 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 to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest 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 says the Lord: “You shall not go up nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel. Let every man return to his house, for this thing is from Me.”’” Therefore they obeyed the word of the Lord, and turned back, according to the word of the Lord. Jeroboam’s Gold Calves

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

Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim, and dwelt there. Also he went out from there and built 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 the kingdom may 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 these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn back to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and go back 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.

Therefore the king asked advice, made two calves of gold, and said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from 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 up 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.

Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan.

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

He made shrines on the high places, and made priests from every class of 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.

Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. So he did at Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made. And at Bethel he installed 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 made offerings on the altar which he had made at Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had devised in his own heart. And he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and offered sacrifices on the altar and burned incense.