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.

When Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was yet in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam lived in 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), Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came, and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,

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 difficult. Now therefore make the hard service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you.”

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

He said to them, “Depart for three days, then come back to me.” 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?”

King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, “What counsel do you give me to answer these 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.”

They replied, “If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them, and answer them with good words, then 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 abandoned the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who 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 counsel do you give, that we may answer these people, who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Make the yoke that 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 had grown up with him said to him, “Tell these people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter to us;’ tell them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist.

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.’”

Now my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, but 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 the third day, as the king asked, saying, “Come to me again the third day.”

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.

The king answered the people roughly, and abandoned the counsel of the old men which they 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 according to the counsel 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.”

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 didn’t listen to the people; for it was a thing brought about from Yahweh, that he might establish his word, which Yahweh spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the 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.

When all Israel saw that the king didn’t listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, “What portion have we in David? We don’t have an inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, Israel! Now see to your own house, David.” So Israel departed to their tents.

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

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

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 men subject to forced labor; and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. King Rehoboam hurried to get himself up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

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

So Israel rebelled against David’s house 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 congregation, and made him king over all Israel. There was no one who followed David’s house, except for 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.

When Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, who were warriors, 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 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,

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

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

‘Yahweh says, “You shall not go up or fight against your brothers, the children of Israel. Everyone return to his house; for this thing is from me.”’” So they listened to Yahweh’s word, and returned and went their way, according to Yahweh’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 in it; and 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 David’s house.

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 offer sacrifices in Yahweh’s house at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me, and return 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 them, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Look and behold your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”

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

He set the one in Bethel, and the other put he 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.

This thing became a sin; for the people went even as far as Dan to worship before the one there.

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

He made houses of high places, and made priests from among all the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.

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.

Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that is in Judah, and he went up to the altar. He did so 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.

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.

He went up to the altar which he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and went up to the altar, to burn incense.