1
And King Rehoboam goes to Shechem; for all Israel were coming to Shechem to make him king.
3
And the people spoke to King Rehoboam, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy;
4
but do thou now lighten somewhat of the hard service of thy father, and of his heavy yoke which he put upon us, and we will serve thee.
5
And he said to them, Depart for three days, and return to me. And they departed.
6
And the king referred the matter to the elders, who stood before Solomon his father while he was yet living, saying, How do ye advise that I should answer this people?
7
And they spoke to him, saying, If thou wilt this day be a servant to this people, and wilt serve them, and wilt speak to them good words, then will they be thy servants continually.
8
But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they gave him, and consulted with the young men who were brought up with him, who stood in his presence.
9
And he said to them, What counsel do ye give? And what shall I answer to this people who speak to me, saying, Lighten somewhat of the yoke which thy father has put upon us?
10
And the young men who had been brought up with him, who stood before his face, spoke to him, saying, Thus shalt thou say to this people who have spoken to thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, and do thou now lighten it from off us: thus shalt thou say to them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins.
11
And whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I also will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
12
And all Israel came to King Rehoboam on the third day, as the king spoke to them, saying, Return to me on the third day.
13
And the king answered the people harshly; and Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men which they counseled him.
14
And he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
15
And the king hearkened not to the people, because the change was from the Lord, that he might establish his word which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
16
And all Israel saw that the king did not hearken to them: and the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we any inheritance in the son of Jesse. Depart, O Israel, to thy tents: now feed thine own house, David. So Israel departed to his tents.
18
And the king sent Adoram who was over the tribute; and they stoned him with stones, and he died: and King Rehoboam made haste to rise to flee to Jerusalem.
19
So Israel rebelled against the house of David until this day.
20
And it came to pass when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned out of Egypt, that they sent and called him to the assembly, and they made him king over Israel: and none followed the house of David except the tribe of Judah and Benjamin only.
21
And Rehoboam went into Jerusalem, and he assembled the congregation of Judah, and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and twenty thousand young men, warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to recover the kingdom to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.
22
And the word of the Lord 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 remnant of the people, saying,
24
Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, neither shall ye fight with your brethren the sons of Israel: return each man to his own home; for this thing is from me; and they hearkened to the word of the Lord, and they ceased from going up, according to the word of the Lord. was Naamah, daughter of Hanun son of Nahash king of the children of Ammon. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked not in the way of David his father. was Jeroboam; and the name of his mother was Zeruah, a harlot; and Solomon made him head of the levies of the house of Joseph: and he built for Solomon Zeredah in Mount Ephraim; and he had three hundred chariots of horses: he built the citadel with the levies of the house of Ephraim; he fortified the city of David, and aspired to the kingdom. And Jeroboam departed out of Egypt, and came into the land of Zeredah that was in Mount Ephraim, and thither the whole tribe of Ephraim assembles, and Jeroboam built a fortress there. was Ahijah: and he was sixty years old, and the word of the Lord was with him. And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, and take in thy hand loaves for the man of God, and cakes for his children, and grapes, and a pot of honey. was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see. still: for thus saith the Lord, I send grievous tidings to thee. even into Zeredah, that thy maidens shall come out to meet thee, and shall say to thee, The child is dead: them the dogs shall eat, and him that has died in the field shall the birds of the air eat, and he shall lament for the child, saying, Woe is me, Lord! for there has been found in him some good thing touching the Lord. her. And Jeroboam went to Shechem in Mount Ephraim, and assembled there the tribes of Israel; and Rehoboam the son of Solomon went up thither. into twelve pieces; and thou shalt give some to Jeroboam, and shalt say to him, Thus saith the Lord, Take to thyself ten pieces to cover thee: and Jeroboam took them: and Shemaiah said, Thus saith the Lord concerning the ten tribes of Israel. to say: and the elders of the people said, Thus the people have spoken to thee. finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins; my father scourged you with whips, but I will rule you with scorpions. is not for a prince or a ruler over us.
28
hitherto to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.