1Kgs 12
1
And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.
2
And it came to pass, 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 dwelt in
Egypt,
3
and they sent and called him), that Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came,
and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,
4
Your father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make you the grievous service of
your father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve you.
5
And he said to them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people
departed.
6
And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, that had stood before Solomon his
father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give you me to return answer to this
people?
7
And they spoke to him, saying, If you will be a servant to this people this day, and
will serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be
your servants for ever.
8
But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel
with the young men that were grown up with him, that stood before him.
9
And he said to them, What counsel give you, that we may return answer to this people,
who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke that your father did put upon us lighter?
10
And the young men that were grown up with him spoke to him, saying, Thus shall you
say to this people that spoke to you, saying, Your father made our yoke heavy, but
make you it lighter to us; thus shall you speak to them, My little finger is thicker
than my father`s loins.
11
And now whereas my father did lade 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
So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king bade, saying,
Come to me again the third day.
13
And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the counsel of the old men which
they had given him,
14
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: my father chastised you with whips, but I
will chastise you with scorpions.
15
So the king hearkened not to the people; for it was a thing brought about of YHWH,
that he might establish his word, which YHWH spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam
the son of Nebat.
16
And when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not to them, the people answered the
king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son
of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to your own house, David. So Israel departed
to their tents.
17
But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned
over them.
18
Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the men subject to taskwork; and all
Israel stoned him to death with stones. And king Rehoboam made speed to get him up
to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
19
So Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day.
20
And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was returned, that they sent
and called him to the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none
that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.
21
And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, and
the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, that were warriors,
to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son
of Solomon.
22
But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
23
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
Thus says YHWH, You shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children
of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is of me. So they hearkened
to the word of YHWH, and returned and went their way, according to the word of YHWH.
25
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and
he went out from there, and built Penuel.
26
And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now will the kingdom return to the house of David:
27
if this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of YHWH at Jerusalem, then will
the heart of this people turn again to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah;
and they will kill me, and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.
28
Whereupon 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 your gods, O Israel, which brought
you up out of the land of Egypt.
29
And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan.
30
And this thing became a sin; for the people went [to worship] before the one, even
to Dan.
31
And he made houses of high places, and made priests from among all the people, that
were not of the sons of Levi.
32
And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month,
like to the feast that is in Judah, and he went up to the altar; so did he in Beth-el,
sacrificing to the calves that he had made: and he placed in Beth-el the priests of
the high places that he had made.
33
And he went up to the altar which he had made in Beth-el 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.