1 Kings 12:25

1 Kings 12:25 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel.
• New International Version (NIV)Then Jeroboam fortified Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. From there he went out and built up Peniel.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. And he went out from there and built Penuel.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim, and dwelt there. Also he went out from there and built Penuel.

Context of 1 Kings 12:25

23“Speak to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin and to the rest of the people saying, 24Thus says Adonai: you are not to go up or fight against your brothers, the children of Israel. Turn back every man to his own house, for this matter is from Me.” So they heeded the word of Adonai. They turned and went back, according to the word of Adonai. Then Jeroboam rebuilt Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and resided there. From there he went out and built Penuel. 26But Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom may return to the house of David. 27If this people keep going up to offer sacrifices in the House of Adonai at Jerusalem, then the heart of these people will turn back to their lord—to King Rehoboam of Judah. Then they will kill me and return to King Rehoboam of Judah.”

1 Kings 12:25 word by word

וַיִּ֨בֶן יָרָבְעָ֧ם אֶת־שְׁכֶ֛ם בְּהַ֥ר אֶפְרַ֖יִם וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב בָּ֑הּ וַיֵּצֵ֣א מִשָּׁ֔ם וַיִּ֖בֶן אֶת־פְּנוּאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then Jeroboamיָֽרָבְעָםyârob‛âm · JeroboamH3379
• builtבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
• Shechemשְׁכֶםshekem · ShechemH7927
• in mountהַרhar · mountain: hill countryH2022
• Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
• and dweltיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• therein; and went outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• Penuelפְּנוּאֵלpenû'êl penîy'êl · PenielH6439

Cross-references for 1 Kings 12:25

• 1 Kings 9:15Now this was the purpose of the forced labor that King Solomon had imposed to build Adonai’s House, his own house, the Millo, the wall of Jerusalem, Hazor, Megiddo and Gezer.
• 1 Kings 15:17King Baasa of Israel marched against Judah, and he built up Ramah to prevent anyone from going out or coming in to King Asa of Judah.
• 1 Kings 16:24Then he bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver, and built a city on the hill. He named the city that he built Samaria, based on the name Shemer, the owner of the hill.
• 2 Chronicles 11:5Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built fortified cities for defense in Judah.
• 1 Kings 12:1Then Rehoboam went to Shechem for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.
• Judges 9:1Now Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem, to his mother’s brothers, and spoke to them and the whole clan of his mother’s father’s household saying,
• Genesis 32:30Then Jacob asked and said, “Please tell me Your name.” But He said, “What’s this—you are asking My name?” Then He blessed him there.
• Judges 8:8From there he went up to Penuel and spoke to them similarly, but the men of Penuel answered him just as the men of Succoth had answered.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 12:25

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 25Built Shechem - In the sense of “enlarged and fortified.” See Daniel 4:30. The first intention of Jeroboam seems to have been to make Shechem his capital, and therefore he immediately set about its fortification. So also he seems to have fortified Penuel for the better security of his Trans-Jordanic possessions (marginal reference).Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 25-33Verses 25-33 Jeroboam distrusted the providence of God; he would contrive ways and means, and sinful ones too, for his own safety. A practical disbelief of God's all-sufficiency is at the bottom of all our departures from him. Though it is probable he meant his worship for Jehovah the God of Israel, it was contrary to the Divine law, and dishonourable to the Divine majesty to be thus represented. The people might be less shocked at worshipping the God of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 25Both Shechem (1 Kings 12:1) and Peniel, which Jeroboam built across the Jordan River, were important defense sites against the Arameans.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2525. Jeroboam built Shechem--destroyed by Abimelech (Jud 9:1-49). It was rebuilt, and perhaps fortified, by Jeroboam, as a royal residence. built Penuel--a ruined city with a tower (Jud 8:9), east of Jordan, on the north bank of the Jabbok. It was an object of importance to restore this fortress (as it lay on the caravan road from Gilead to Damascus and Palmyra) and to secure his frontier on that quarter.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 12:25

• Beth-El
• Ephraim
• Jeroboam
• Penuel
• Shechem

In the dictionaries

• Ephraim
• Jeroboam
• Shechem
• Mount Ephraim
• Add
• Aholah
• Consult
• Ephraim, The tribe of
• Heavy
• Israel, Kingdom of

Commentaries on 1 Kings 12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings