1 Kings 12
12
The Northern Tribes Revolt
1Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all Israel had gathered to make him king. 2When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of this, he returned from Egypt,#12:2 As in Greek version and Latin Vulgate (see also 2 Chr 10:2); Hebrew reads he lived in Egypt. for he had fled to Egypt to escape from King Solomon. 3The leaders of Israel summoned him, and Jeroboam and the whole assembly of Israel went to speak with Rehoboam. 4“Your father was a hard master,” they said. “Lighten the harsh labor demands and heavy taxes that your father imposed on us. Then we will be your loyal subjects.”
5Rehoboam replied, “Give me three days to think this over. Then come back for my answer.” So the people went away.
6Then King Rehoboam discussed the matter with the older men who had counseled his father, Solomon. “What is your advice?” he asked. “How should I answer these people?”
7The older counselors replied, “If you are willing to be a servant to these people today and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your loyal subjects.”
8But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the older men and instead asked the opinion of the young men who had grown up with him and were now his advisers. 9“What is your advice?” he asked them. “How should I answer these people who want me to lighten the burdens imposed by my father?”
10The young men replied, “This is what you should tell those complainers who want a lighter burden: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist! 11Yes, my father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!’”
12Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to hear Rehoboam’s decision, just as the king had ordered. 13But Rehoboam spoke harshly to the people, for he rejected the advice of the older counselors 14and followed the counsel of his younger advisers. He told the people, “My father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!”
15So the king paid no attention to the people. This turn of events was the will of the Lord, for it fulfilled the Lord’s message to Jeroboam son of Nebat through the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh.
16When all Israel realized that the king had refused to listen to them, they responded,
“Down with the dynasty of David!
We have no interest in the son of Jesse.
Back to your homes, O Israel!
Look out for your own house, O David!”
So the people of Israel returned home. 17But Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the towns of Judah.
18King Rehoboam sent Adoniram,#12:18 As in some Greek manuscripts and Syriac version (see also 4:6; 5:14); Hebrew reads Adoram. who was in charge of forced labor, to restore order, but the people of Israel stoned him to death. When this news reached King Rehoboam, he quickly jumped into his chariot and fled to Jerusalem. 19And to this day the northern tribes of Israel have refused to be ruled by a descendant of David.
20When the people of Israel learned of Jeroboam’s return from Egypt, they called an assembly and made him king over all Israel. So only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the family of David.
Shemaiah’s Prophecy
21When Rehoboam arrived at Jerusalem, he mobilized the men of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin—180,000 select troops—to fight against the men of Israel and to restore the kingdom to himself.
22But God said to Shemaiah, the man of God, 23“Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the people of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, 24‘This is what the Lord says: Do not fight against your relatives, the Israelites. Go back home, for what has happened is my doing!’” So they obeyed the message of the Lord and went home, as the Lord had commanded.
Jeroboam Makes Gold Calves
25Jeroboam then built up the city of Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and it became his capital. Later he went and built up the town of Peniel.#12:25 Hebrew Penuel, a variant spelling of Peniel.
26Jeroboam thought to himself, “Unless I am careful, the kingdom will return to the dynasty of David. 27When these people go to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices at the Temple of the Lord, they will again give their allegiance to King Rehoboam of Judah. They will kill me and make him their king instead.”
28So on the advice of his counselors, the king made two gold calves. He said to the people,#12:28 Hebrew to them. “It is too much trouble for you to worship in Jerusalem. Look, Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of Egypt!”
29He placed these calf idols in Bethel and in Dan—at either end of his kingdom. 30But this became a great sin, for the people worshiped the idols, traveling as far north as Dan to worship the one there.
31Jeroboam also erected buildings at the pagan shrines and ordained priests from the common people—those who were not from the priestly tribe of Levi. 32And Jeroboam instituted a religious festival in Bethel, held on the fifteenth day of the eighth month,#12:32 This day of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred in late October or early November, exactly one month after the annual Festival of Shelters in Judah (see Lev 23:34). in imitation of the annual Festival of Shelters in Judah. There at Bethel he himself offered sacrifices to the calves he had made, and he appointed priests for the pagan shrines he had made. 33So on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a day that he himself had designated, Jeroboam offered sacrifices on the altar at Bethel. He instituted a religious festival for Israel, and he went up to the altar to burn incense.
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1 Kings 12: NLT
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1 Kings 12
12
1 Kings 12
1¶ And Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.
2And it came to pass, when Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it (for he had fled from the presence of King Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt),
3that they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came and spoke unto Rehoboam, saying,
4Thy father made our yoke grievous; now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.
5And he said unto them, Depart, and in three days come again to me. And the people departed.
6Then King Rehoboam consulted with the old men that had stood before Solomon, his father, while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?
7And they spoke unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a slave unto this people this day and wilt serve them and answer them by speaking good words unto them, then they will be thy slaves for ever.
8But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him and who stood before him.
9And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father put upon us lighter?
10And the young men that were grown up with him spoke unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spoke unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them: My littlefinger is thicker than my father’s loins.
11And now whereas my father ladened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father has chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
12So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.
13And the king answered the people roughly and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him
14and spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke; my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
15Therefore, the king did not hearken unto the people, for the cause was from the Lord, to confirm his word, which the Lord spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam, the son of Nebat.
16¶ So when all Israel saw that the king did not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? There is no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.
17But Rehoboam reigned over the sons of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah.
18Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute, but all Israel stoned him with stones, and he died. Then King Rehoboam made speed to get into his chariot and flee to Jerusalem.
19So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.
20And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation and made him king over all Israel; there were none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.
21And when Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, one hundred and eighty thousand chosen men of war, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam, the son of Solomon.
22But the word of God came unto Shemaiah, the man of God, saying,
23Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin and to the remnant of the people, saying,
24Thus hath the Lord said, Ye shall not go up nor fight against your brethren, the sons of Israel; return each one to his house, for this thing is from me. They hearkened, therefore, to the word of the Lord and returned to depart, according to the word of the Lord.
25¶ And Jeroboam rebuilt Shechem in Mount Ephraim and dwelt therein, and going out from there, rebuilt Penuel.
26And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David
27if this people go up to sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem; for the heart of this people shall turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam, king of Judah, and they shall kill me and go again to Rehoboam, king of Judah.
28And having taken counsel, the king made two calves of gold and said unto the people, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
29And he set the one in Bethel and the other he put in Dan.
30And this became an occasion for sin, for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.
31And he made a house of high places and made priests of the lowest of the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.
32 Then Jeroboam ordained a solemnity in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the solemnity that was celebrated in Judah; and he sacrificed upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made. He also ordered in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.
33So he sacrificed upon the altar which he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, the month which he had devised of his own heart, and made a feast unto the sons of Israel; and he climbed up on the altar to burn incense.
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The Jubilee Bible 2000 (JUB) by Ransom Press International