1 A nd Rehoboam went to Shechem; for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.

Rehoboam went to Shechem. For all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.

2 A nd it came to pass when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard it (now he was yet in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;

Now Jeroboam the son of Nebat was still in Egypt where he had run away from King Solomon. When Jeroboam heard the news, he returned from Egypt.

3 a nd they sent and called him), that Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,

They sent for him. Then Jeroboam and all the people of Israel came and said to Rehoboam,

4 T hy father made our yoke grievous; and now lighten thou the grievous servitude of thy father and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.

“Your father made our load heavy. Take away some of the hard work and heavy load your father put on us, and we will serve you.”

5 A nd he said to them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.

Rehoboam said to them, “Leave for three days. Then return to me.” So the people left.

6 A nd king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, How do ye advise to return answer to this people?

King Rehoboam spoke with the leaders who had worked for his father Solomon while he was still alive. He asked them, “What answer do you think I should give to these people?”

7 A nd they spoke to him saying, If this day thou wilt be a servant to this people, and wilt serve them and answer them and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever.

They said to him, “Help these people today. Serve them. Answer them with good words. If you do, then they will be your servants forever.”

8 B ut he forsook the advice of the old men which they had given him, and consulted with the young men, who had grown up with him, that stood before him.

But Rehoboam turned away from the wise words the leaders gave him. Instead he spoke with the young men who grew up with him and stood by him.

9 A nd he said to them, What advice give ye that we may return answer to this people who have spoken to me saying, Lighten the yoke which thy father put upon us?

He said to them, “What answer do you say we should give to these people who have said to me, ‘Take away some of the heavy load your father put on us’?”

10 A nd the young men that had grown up with him spoke to him saying, Thus shalt thou say to this people that have spoken to thee saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, and lighten thou it for us,—thus shalt thou say to them: My little is thicker than my father's loins;

The young men who grew up with him said, “This is what you should say to these people who said to you, ‘Your father made our load heavy. Now you take some of the load from us.’ You should say to them, ‘My little finger is bigger around than my father’s body!

11 a nd whereas my father laid a heavy yoke upon you, I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

My father gave you a heavy load. I will add to your load. My father punished you with whips. But I will punish you with scorpions.’”

12 A nd Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed saying, Come again to me on the third day.

Then Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day as the king had told them, saying, “Return to me on the third day.”

13 A nd the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the advice of the old men which they had given him;

And the king was hard in his answer to them. For he turned away from the wise words the leaders had given him.

14 a nd 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 scorpions.

He spoke to them as he had been told by the young men. He said, “My father made your load heavy. I will add to your load. My father punished you with whips. But I will punish you with scorpions.”

15 S o the king hearkened not to the people; for it was brought about by Jehovah, that he might give effect to his word, which Jehovah spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

So the king did not listen to the people. The Lord had let this happen, that He might keep His Word, which the Lord spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

16 A nd all Israel saw that the king hearkened not to them; and the people answered the king saying, What portion have we in David? And no inheritance in the son of Jesse: To your tents, O Israel! Now see to thine own house, David! And Israel went to their tents.

All Israel saw that the king did not listen to them. So they said to the king, “What share do we have in David? We have no share in the son of Jesse! To your tents, O Israel! Now look after your own house, David!” So Israel went to their tents.

17 B ut as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

But as for the people of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam ruled over them.

18 A nd king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the levy; but all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. And king Rehoboam hastened to mount his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who ruled over those who were made to work, and all Israel killed him with stones. So King Rehoboam got on his war-wagon in a hurry to go to Jerusalem.

19 A nd Israel rebelled against the house of David, unto this day.

So Israel turned against the family of David to this day.

20 A nd it came to pass when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had come back, that they sent and called him to the assembly, and made him king over all Israel: none followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent for him to meet with the people and made him king of all Israel. Only the family of Judah followed the family of David.

21 A nd Rehoboam came to Jerusalem; and he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men apt for war, to fight against the house of Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.

When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he gathered all the family of Judah and the family of Benjamin. He gathered together 180, 000 chosen men of war to fight against the family of Israel and return the nation 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 S peak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remainder of the people, saying,

“Speak to Solomon’s son Rehoboam king of Judah, and to all the family of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people. Tell them,

24 T hus saith Jehovah: Go not up, nor fight with your brethren, the children of Israel; return every man to his house, for this thing is from me. And they hearkened to the word of Jehovah, and returned to depart, according to the word of Jehovah.

’This is what the Lord says. “You must not go up and fight against your brothers the sons of Israel. Every man return to his house. For I have let this thing happen.”’” So they listened to the word of the Lord, and returned, as the Lord told them. Jeroboam’s Gold Calves

25 A nd Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel.

Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived there. And he went out from there and built Penuel.

26 A nd Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David.

Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the nation will return to the family of David.

27 I f this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem, the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me, and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.

If these people go up to give gifts in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then their hearts will turn to their lord Rehoboam king of Judah. They will kill me and follow Rehoboam king of Judah.”

28 A nd the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold. And he said to them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt!

So the king asked the leaders what he should do. And he made two calves of gold. Then he said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt.”

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

He put one in Bethel, and the other in Dan.

30 A nd this thing became a sin; and the people went before the one, as far as Dan.

Now this thing became a sin. For the people went to worship in front of them, even as far as Dan.

31 A nd he made a house of high places, and made priests from all classes of the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.

Jeroboam made houses on high places. He made religious leaders from among all the people, who were not of the sons of Levi. Worship of Calves at Bethel

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

He made a special supper on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the special supper which is in Judah. And he gave gifts on the altar. He did the same in Bethel, giving gifts to the calves he had made. And he placed in Bethel the religious leaders of the high places he had made.

33 A nd he offered upon the altar that he had made in Bethel, on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and he made a feast for the children of Israel, and he offered upon the altar, burning incense.

Then he went up to the altar he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a day he chose in his own heart. He made a special supper for the people of Israel, and went up to the altar to burn special perfume.