1 R ehoboam 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 N ow 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.

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

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

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

4 “ 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.”

Your 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.

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

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

6 K ing 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?”

And 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?

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

And 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.

8 B ut 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.

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

9 H e 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’?”

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

10 T he 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!

The 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.

11 M y 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.’”

And 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.

12 T hen 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.”

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

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

And the king answered the people roughly and forsook the counsel the old men had given him,

14 H e 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.”

And 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.

15 S o 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.

So 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.

16 A ll 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.

So 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.

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

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

18 T hen 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.

Then 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.

19 S o Israel turned against the family of David to this day.

So Israel has rebelled against the house of David to this day.

20 W hen 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.

When 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.

21 W hen 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.

And 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.

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 “ 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,

Tell Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and all the house of Judah and Benjamin and the remnant of the people,

24 ’ 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

Thus 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.

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

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

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

Jeroboam said in his heart, Now the kingdom will return to the house of David.

27 I f 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.”

If 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.

28 S o 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.”

So 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.

29 H e put one in Bethel, and the other in Dan.

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

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

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

31 J eroboam 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

Jeroboam also made houses on high places and made priests of people who were not Levites.

32 H e 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.

And 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.

33 T hen 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.

So 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