1 Kings 12

Rebellion against Rehoboam

(2 Chronicles 10:1–15)

1Then RehoboamH7346 wentH1980 to ShechemH7927, forH3588 allH3605 IsraelH3478 had goneH935 there to make him kingH4427. 2When JeroboamH3379 sonH1121 of NebatH5028 heard about thisH8085, he wasH1931 stillH57501 in EgyptH4714 whereH834 he had fledH1272 from KingH4428 SolomonH8010 and had beenH3379 living ever sinceH3427. 3So they sent forH7971H7121 Jeroboam, andH3379 he and the wholeH3605 assemblyH6951 of IsraelH3478 cameH935 toH413 RehoboamH7346 and saidH1696H559, 4“Your fatherH1 put a heavyH7185 yokeH5923 on usH853. But nowH6258 youH859 must lightenH7043 the burdenH7186 of your father’sH1 serviceH5656 and the heavyH3515 yokeH5923 he putH5414 on usH5921, and we will serve youH5647.”

5Rehoboam answeredH559, “Go awayH1980 forH5750 threeH7969 daysH3117 and then returnH7725 to meH413.” So the peopleH5971 departedH1980.

6Then KingH4428 RehoboamH7346 consultedH3289 withH854 the eldersH2205 whoH834 had servedH1961H5975H854H6440 his fatherH1 SolomonH8010 duringH1961 his lifetimeH2416. “HowH349 do youH859 advise meH3289 to respondH7725 to theseH2088 peopleH5971?” he askedH559.

7They repliedH1696, “IfH518 you will beH1961 a servantH5650 to theseH2088 peopleH5971 and serve themH5647 this dayH3117, and if you will respondH6030 by speakingH1696 kindH2896 wordsH1697 to themH413, they will beH1961 your servantsH5650 foreverH3605H3117.”

8But Rehoboam rejectedH5800 the adviceH6098 of the eldersH2205; instead, he consultedH3289H854 the young menH3206 whoH834 had grown upH1431 with himH854 and servedH5975 himH6440. 9He askedH559 themH413, “WhatH4100 messageH1697 do youH859 adviseH3289 that we send backH7725 to theseH2088 peopleH5971 whoH834 have spokenH1696 to meH413, sayingH559, ‘LightenH7043H4480 the yokeH5923 your fatherH1 putH5414 on usH5921’?”

10The young menH3206 whoH834 had grown upH1431 with himH854 repliedH1696, “This is howH3541 you should answerH559 theseH2088 peopleH5971 whoH834 saidH1696 to youH413H559, ‘Your fatherH1 made our yokeH5923 heavyH3513, but youH859 must make it lighterH7043.’ This is whatH3541 you should tellH1696 themH413: ‘My little fingerH6995 is thickerH5666 than my father’sH1 waistH4975! 11WhereasH6258 my fatherH1 burdenedH6006 you with a heavyH3515 yokeH5923, IH589 will addH3254H5921 toH5921 your yokeH5923. Whereas my fatherH1 scourgedH3256 youH853 with whipsH7752, IH589 will scourgeH3256 youH853 with scorpionsH6137.’”

12After threeH7992 daysH3117, JeroboamH3379 and allH3605 the peopleH5971 returnedH935 toH413 RehoboamH7346, sinceH834 the kingH4428H559 had saidH1696, “Come backH7725 to meH413 on the thirdH7992 dayH3117.” 13And the kingH4428 answeredH6030 the peopleH5971 harshlyH7186. He rejectedH5800 the adviceH6098 of the eldersH2205 14and spokeH1696 to themH413 as the young menH3206 had advisedH6098, sayingH559, “Whereas my fatherH1 made your yokeH5923 heavyH3513, IH589 will addH3254 toH5921 your yokeH5923. Whereas my fatherH1 scourgedH3256 youH853 with whipsH7752, IH589 will scourgeH3256 youH853 with scorpionsH6137.”

15So the kingH4428 did notH3808 listenH8085 toH413 the peopleH5971, and indeedH3588 this turn of eventsH5438 wasH1961 fromH5973 the LORDH3068, toH4616 fulfillH6965 the wordH1697 He had spokenH1696 toH413 JeroboamH3379 sonH1121 of NebatH5028 throughH3027 AhijahH281 the ShiloniteH7888.

The Kingdom Divided

(2 Chronicles 10:16–19)

16When allH3605 IsraelH3478 sawH7200 thatH3588 the kingH4428 had refusedH3808 to listenH8085 to themH413, they answeredH1697 the kingH4428H559:

So the IsraelitesH3478 wentH1980 homeH168, 17but RehoboamH7346 still reignedH4427 overH5921 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 livingH3427 in the citiesH5892 of JudahH3063.

18Then KingH4428 RehoboamH7346 sent outH7971 AdoramH151,2 whoH834 was in chargeH5921 of the forced laborH4522, but allH3605 IsraelH3478 stonedH7275H68 him to deathH4191. And KingH4428 RehoboamH7346 mountedH5927 his chariotH4818 in hasteH553 and escapedH5127 to JerusalemH3389. 19So toH5704 thisH2088 dayH3117 IsraelH3478 has been in rebellionH6586 against the houseH1004 of DavidH1732.

Shemaiah’s Prophecy

(2 Chronicles 11:1–4)

20When allH3605 IsraelH3478 heardH1961H8085 thatH3588 JeroboamH3379 had returnedH7725, they summonedH7971H7121 himH853 toH413 the assemblyH5712 and made him kingH4427 overH5921 allH3605 IsraelH3478. OnlyH3808H2108 the tribeH7626 of JudahH3063 followedH310 the houseH1004 of DavidH1732.

21And when RehoboamH7346 arrivedH935 in JerusalemH3389, he mobilizedH6950 the wholeH3605 houseH1004 of JudahH3063 and the tribeH7626 of BenjaminH1144—180,000H3967H8084H505 chosenH977H6213 warriorsH4421—to fightH3898 againstH5973 the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 and restoreH7725 the kingdomH4410 to RehoboamH7346 sonH1121 of SolomonH8010.

22But the wordH1697 of GodH430 cameH1961 toH413 ShemaiahH8098 the manH376 of GodH430: 23“TellH559H413 RehoboamH7346 sonH1121 of SolomonH8010 kingH4428 of JudahH3063, allH3605 the houseH1004 of JudahH3063 and BenjaminH1144, and the restH3499 of the peopleH5971H559 24that this is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559: ‘You are notH3808 to go upH5927H3808 and fightH3898 againstH5973 your brothersH251, the IsraelitesH1121H3478. EachH376 of you must returnH7725 homeH1004, forH3588 thisH2088 isH1961 MyH854 doingH1697.’”

So they listenedH8085 to the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 and turned backH7725H1980 according to the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068.

Jeroboam’s Idolatry

25Then JeroboamH3379 builtH1129 ShechemH7927 in the hill countryH2022 of EphraimH669 and lived thereH3427. And from thereH8033 he went outH3318 and builtH1129 PenuelH6439.3

26JeroboamH3379 saidH559 in his heartH3820, “NowH6258 the kingdomH4467 might revertH7725 to the houseH1004 of DavidH1732. 27IfH518 theseH2088 peopleH5971 go upH5927 to offerH6213 sacrificesH2077 in the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068 at JerusalemH3389, their heartsH3820H5971H2088 will returnH7725 toH413 their lordH113, RehoboamH7346 kingH4428 of JudahH3063; then they will kill meH2026 and returnH7725 toH413 RehoboamH7346 kingH4428 of JudahH3063.”

28After seeking adviceH3289, the kingH4428 madeH6213 twoH8147 goldenH2091 calvesH5695 and saidH559 to the peopleH413,4 “Going upH5927 to JerusalemH3389 is too muchH7227 for you. HereH2009, O IsraelH3478, are your godsH430, whoH834 brought you upH5927 out of the landH776 of EgyptH4714.”

29OneH259 calf he set upH7760 in BethelH1008, and the otherH259 in DanH1835. 30And thisH2088 thingH1697 becameH1961 a sinH2403; the peopleH5971 walkedH1980 as far asH5704 DanH1835 to worship beforeH6440 oneH259 of the calves.5

31Jeroboam also builtH6213 shrinesH1004 on the high placesH1116 and appointedH6213 from every classH7098 of peopleH5971 priestsH3548 whoH834 wereH1961 notH3808 LevitesH1121H3878. 32And JeroboamH3379 ordainedH6213 a feastH2282 on the fifteenthH2568H6240 dayH3117 of the eighthH8066 monthH2320,6 like the feastH2282 thatH834 was in JudahH3063, and he offered sacrificesH5927 onH5921 the altarH4196; he madeH6213 thisH3651 offering in BethelH1008 to sacrificeH2076 to the calvesH5695 he had set upH6213, and he installedH5975 priestsH1008H3548 in BethelH1008 for the high placesH1116 he had set upH6213.

33On the fifteenthH2568H6240 dayH3117 of the eighthH8066 monthH2320, a monthH2320 of his own choosingH908H905, Jeroboam offered sacrificesH5927 onH5921 the altarH4196 he had set upH6213 in BethelH1008. So he ordainedH6213 a feastH2282 for the IsraelitesH1121H3478, offered sacrificesH5927 onH5921 the altarH4196, and burned incenseH6999.