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

وَذَهَبَ رَحُبْعامُ إلَى مَدِينَةِ شَكِيمَ لأنَّ جَميعَ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ ذَهَبُوا إلَى هُناكَ لِكَي يُبايِعُوهُ مَلِكاً.

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.

وَسَمعَ يَرُبْعامُ أنَّ رَحُبْعامَ سَيَكُونُ المَلكَ الجَدِيدَ. وَكانَ يَرُبْعامُ بنُ نَباطَ فِي مصْرَ لِأنَّهُ فَرَّ مِنْ وَجهِ المَلِكِ سُلَيْمانَ، وَأقامَ فِي مِصرَ.

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

فَاستَدعُوهُ فَرَجِعَ منْ مصْرَ، وَذَهَبَ هُوَ وَكُلُّ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ إلَى رَحُبْعامَ. وَقالُوا لَهُ:

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.”

«لَقَدْ صَعَّبَ أبُوكَ حَياتَنا. فَكانَ ذَلِكَ عِبئاً ثَقيلاً عَلَينا. وَالآنَ خَفِّفْ حِملَنا فَنَخْدِمَكَ.»

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

فَقالَ لَهُمْ رَحُبْعامُ: «اذهَبُوا وَعُودُوا إلَيَّ بَعدَ ثَلاثَةِ أيّامٍ.» فَانصَرَفَ الشَّعبُ.

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?”

فَاسْتَشارَ المَلِكُ رَحُبْعامُ بَعضَ الشُّيُوخِ الَّذِينَ عَمِلُوا مُسْتَشارِينَ لِأبِيهِ سُلَيْمانَ فِي حَياتِهِ وَسَألَهُمْ: «بِماذا أرُدُّ عَلَى الشَّعبٍ؟»

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.”

فَقالَ الشُّيُوخُ لرَحُبْعامَ: «إذا خَدَمْتَ هَذا الشَّعبِ وَاستَجَبْتَ لَهُمْ وَأرْضَيتَهُمْ بِكَلامٍ حَسَنٍ، حِينَئِذٍ، سَيَخدمُونَكَ وَيَكُونُونَ طَوْعَ أمْرِكَ إلَى الأبَدِ.»

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.

لَكِنَّ رَحُبْعامَ لَمْ يَستَمِعْ إلَى نَصيحَتِهِمْ. فَسَألَ شُبّاناً صِغاراً نَشَأُوا مَعَهُ وَجَعَلَهُمْ مُسْتَشارِيهِ.

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’?”

قالَ لَهُمْ رَحُبْعامُ: «قالَ الشَّعبُ لِي: ‹خَفِّفِ الحِملَ الَّذِي وَضَعَهُ أبُوكَ عَلَى أكتافِنا›. فَبِماذا أرُدُّ عَلَيهِمْ؟»

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!

فَقالَ لَهُ أصحابُهُ الشُّبّانُ الَّذِينَ نَشَأُوا مَعَهُ: «قالَ لَكَ هَؤُلاءِ النّاسُ: ‹فَرَضَ عَلَينا أبُوكَ أشغالاً شاقَّةً. فَالآنَ خَفِّفِ الحِملَ عَنّا.› فَقُلْ لَهُمْ: ‹خِنْصَرِي أغلَظُ مِنْ جِسْمِ أبِي!

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.’”

فَرَضَ أبِي عَلَيكُمْ حِملاً ثَقِيلاً، أمّا أنا فَسَأزِيدُ عَلَيهِ. أدَّبَكُمْ أبِي بِسِياطٍ مِنْ جِلدٍ، أمّا أنا فَسأؤدِّبُكُمْ بِسِياطٍ ذاتِ أطرافٍ حَدِيديَّةٍ!›»

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.”

وَبَعدَ ثَلاثَةِ أيّامٍ، رَجعَ يَرُبْعامُ وَكُلُّ الشَّعبِ إلَى رَحُبْعامَ إذْ قالَ لَهُمْ: «عُودُوا إلَيَّ بَعْدَ ثَلاثَةِ أيّامٍ.»

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.

فَتَكَلَّمَ إلَيْهِمْ بِطَرِيقَةٍ قاسِيَةٍ، تارِكاً نَصِيحَةَ الشُّيُوخِ.

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.”

فَقالَ لَهُمْ ما نَصَحَهُ الشُّبّانُ بِهِ: «فَرَضَ أبِي عَلَيكُمْ حِملاً ثَقِيلاً، أمّا أنا فَسَأزِيدُ عَلَيهِ. أدَّبَكُمْ أبِي بِسِياطٍ مِنْ جِلدٍ، أمّا أنا فَسأؤدِّبُكُمْ بِسِياطٍ ذاتِ أطرافٍ حَدِيديَّةٍ!»

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.

فَلَمْ يَسْتَجِبِ المَلِكُ لِطَلَبِ الشَّعبِ. وَقَدْ تَسَبَّبَ اللهُ فِي حُدُوثِ هَذا الأمْرِ لِكَي يُؤكِّدَ اللهُ الكَلامَ الَّذِي قالَهُ لِيَرُبْعامَ بْنِ نَباطَ عَلَى فَمِ النَّبِيِّ أخِيّا الشِّيلُونِيِّ.

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.

وَرَأى كُلُّ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ أنَّ المَلِكَ الجَدِيدَ لَمْ يَسْتَمِعْ إلَيْهِمْ. فَقالُوا لِلمَلِكِ: «ما لَنا وَلِعائِلَةِ داوُدَ؟ ألَنا أيُّ مِيراثٍ فِي أرْضِ يَسَّى؟ فَلْنَذْهَبْ، نَحنُ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ، كُلُّ واحِدٍ إلَى بَيتِهِ. وَلْنَدَعِ ابْنَ داوُدَ يَحْكُمْ جَماعَتَهُ!» فَذَهَبَ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ إلَى بُيُوتِهِمْ.

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

فَلَمْ يَعُدْ رَحُبْعامُ يَحْكُمُ إلّا بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ السّاكِنِينَ فِي مُدُنِ يَهُوذا.

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.

وَكانَ أدُورامُ أحَدَ المُشرِفِينَ عَلَى العُمّالِ. فَأرْسَلَهُ رَحُبْعامُ لِيَتَحَدَّثَ إلَى الشَّعبِ. لَكِنَّهُمْ رَجَمُوهُ حَتَّى المَوتِ. فَأسْرَعَ المَلِكُ رَحُبْعامُ إلَى مَرْكَبَتِهِ وَهَرَبَ إلَى مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ.

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

فَتَمَرَّدَ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ عَلَى عائِلَةِ داوُدَ، وَمازالُوا كَذَلِكَ إلَى هَذا اليَومِ.

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.

وَسَمِعَ كُلُّ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ أنَّ يَرُبْعامَ قَدْ رَجِعَ. فَدَعُوهُ إلَى اجتِماعٍ وَنَصَّبُوهُ مَلِكاً عَلَى كُلِّ إسْراائِيلَ. أمّا عَشِيرَةُ يَهُوذا، فَكانَتِ الوَحِيدَةَ الَّتِي ظَلَّتْ عَلَى وَلائِها لِعائِلَةِ داوُدَ.

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.

وَرَجِعَ رَحُبْعامُ إلَى مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ. وَجَمَعَ عَشَائِرَ يَهُوذا وَقَبِيلَةَ بَنْيامِيْنَ. فَكانُوا جَيشاً وَصَلَ عَدَدُهُ إلَى مِئَةٍ وَثَمانينَ ألفَ رَجُلٍ. حَشَدَهُمْ رَحُبْعامُ لِيُحارِبَ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ وَيَسْتَرِدَّ مُلْكَهُ.

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

لَكِنَّ اللهَ تَكَلَّمَ إلَى شِمْعِيا، رَجُلِ اللهِ فَقالَ لَهُ:

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,

«تَكَلَّمْ إلَى رَحُبْعامَ بْنِ سُلَيْمانَ، مَلِكِ يَهُوذا، وَإلَى كُلِّ شَعبِ يَهُوذا وَبَنْيامِيْنَ.

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

وَقُلْ لَهُمْ: ‹يَقُولُ اللهُ لا تَذهَبُوا لِتُحارِبُوا إخْوَتَكُمْ. فَلْيَرْجِعْ كُلُّ واحِدٍ مِنْكُمْ إلَى بَيتِهِ. فَهَذا الَّذِي حَدَثَ مِنِّي أنا!›» فَأطاعَ جَمِيعُ الرِّجالِ فِي جَيشِ رَحُبْعامَ أمْرَ اللهِ ، وَعادُوا جَمِيعاً إلَى بُيُوتِهِمْ.

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

وَحَصَّنَ يَرُبْعامُ مَدِينَةِ شَكِيمَ الَّتِي فِي مِنْطَقَةِ أفْرايِمَ الجَبَلِيَّةِ، وَجَعَلَها مَقَرّاً لَهُ. ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ إلَى مَدِينَةِ فَنُوئِيلَ وَحَصَّنَها.

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

وَقالَ يَرُبْعامُ فِي نَفسِهِ: «قَدْ يَحِنُّ الشَّعبُ إلَى حُكْمِ عائِلَةِ داوُدَ،

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.”

إنِ اسْتَمَرُّوا فِي الذَّهابِ إلَى بَيتِ اللهِ فِي القُدْسِ. فَيَعُودُ وَلاؤُهُمْ إلَى رَحُبْعامَ، مَلِكِ يَهُوذا. حِينَئِذٍ، سَيَقتُلُونَنِي، وَيَعُودُونَ إلَى رَحُبْعامَ.»

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.”

فَاسْتَشارَ المَلِكُ رِجالَهُ، وَصَنَعَ عِجلَينِ ذَهَبِيَّينِ بِناءً عَلَى نَصِيحَتِهِمْ. وَقالَ لِلشَّعبِ: «صَعْبٌ عَلَيكُمْ أنْ تَذهَبُوا إلَى مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ لِلعِبادَةِ، هَذِهِ هِيَ آلِهَتُكَ الَّتِي أخرَجَتْكَ مِنْ أرْضِ مِصرَ يا إسْرائِيلُ.»

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

فَوَضَعَ أحَدَ العِجلَينِ فِي بَيتِ إيلَ، وَالآخَرَ فِي مَدِينَةِ دانَ.

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

فَكانَ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ يذهبون إلَى مَدِينَتَي بَيتِ إيلَ وَدانَ لِيَعبُدُوا العِجلَينِ. فَكانَتْ هَذِهِ خَطِيَّةً عَظِيمَةً جِدّاً.

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

وَبَنَى يَرُبْعامُ أيضاً هَياكِلَ فِي المُرتَفَعاتِ. وَاختارَ كَهَنَةً مِنْ مُختَلَفِ قَبائِلِ إسْرائِيلَ، فَلَمْ يَقتَصِرْ عَلَى قَبِيلَةِ لاوِي.

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.

وَابتَدَعَ المَلِكُ يَرُبْعامُ عِيداً جَدِيداً شَبِيهاً بِالعِيدِ الَّذِي كانَ يُقامُ فِي يَهُوذا. لَكِنَّ هَذا العِيدَ كانَ فِي الخامِسَ عَشَرَ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ الثّامِنِ. وَأثناءَ ذَلِكَ الوَقتِ، قَدَّمَ المَلِكُ ذَبائِحَ عَلَى المَذبَحِ فِي مَدِينَةِ بَيتِ إيلَ لِلعِجلَينِ اللَّذَينِ صَنَعَهُما. وَاختارَ يَرُبْعامُ أيضاً كَهَنَةً مِنْ بَيتِ إيلَ لِيَخدِمُوا فِي المُرتَفَعاتِ الَّتِي بَناها.

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.

وَهَكَذا ابتَدَعَ يَرُبْعامُ وَقتاً يُعَيِّدُ فِيهِ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ، وَهْوَ اليَومُ الخامِسَ عَشَرَ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ الثّامِنِ. وَأثناءَ ذَلِكَ العِيدِ، قَدَّمَ ذَبائِحَ وَأحرَقَّ بَخُوراً عَلَى المَذبَحِ الَّذِي بَناهُ فِي مَدِينَةِ بَيتِ إيلَ.