1 Kings 12

1 And Rehobo'am went to Shechem; for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.

Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.

2 And it came to pass, when Jerobo'am the son of Nebat, heard of it, (but he was yet in Egypt, whither he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jerobo'am dwelt in Egypt;

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 lived in Egypt;

3 And they had sent and called him; ) that Jerobo'am and all the congregation of Israel came, and spoke unto Rehobo'am, saying,

and they sent and called him), Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came, and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,

4 Thy father made our yoke hard; but do thou now make lighter the hard service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, and we will serve thee.

“Your father made our yoke difficult. Now therefore make the hard service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you.”

5 And he said unto them, Go away yet for three days, and then return to me. And the people went away.

He said to them, “Depart for three days, then come back to me.” So the people departed.

6 Then consulted king Rehobo'am with the old men, that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I should give an answer to this people?

King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, “What counsel do you give me to answer these people?”

7 And they spoke unto him, saying, If thou wilt this day be a servant unto this people, and wilt serve them, and be attentive to them, and speak to them good words; then will they be servants unto thee for all times.

They replied, “If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them, and answer them with good words, then they will be your servants forever.”

8 But 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, those who stood before him:

But he abandoned the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.

9 And he said unto them, What do you counsel how we should give an answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make lighter the yoke which thy father did put upon us?

He said to them, “What counsel do you give, that we may answer these people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Make the yoke that your father put on us lighter’?”

10 Then spoke unto him the young men that were grown up with him, saying, Thus must thou say unto this people that have spoken unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but do thou make it lighter unto us: thus must thou speak unto them, My little finger is thicker than my father's loins.

The young men who had grown up with him said to him, “Tell these people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter to us’—tell them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist.

11 And now, if my father hath burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will even add to your yoke; if my father hath chastised you with whips, then will I chastise you with scorpion-thorns.

Now my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, but I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.’”

12 When now Jerobo'am and all the people came to Rehobo'am on the third day, as the king had spoken, saying, Return to me on the third day.

So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king asked, saying, “Come to me again the third day.”

13 The king answered the people harshly, and forsook the old men's counsel that they had advised him;

The king answered the people roughly, and abandoned the counsel of the old men which they had given him,

14 And he spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will even add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpion-thorns.

and spoke to them according to 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 Thus the king hearkened not unto the people; for it was so brought about from the Lord, in order that he might fulfill his word, which the Lord had spoken by means of Achiyah the Shilonite unto Jerobo'am the son of Nebat.

So the king didn’t listen to the people; for it was a thing brought about from Yahweh, that he might establish his word, which Yahweh spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

16 So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people gave the king an answer saying, What portion have we in David? nor have we an inheritance in the son of Jesse; to your tents, O Israel: now see to thy own house, David. So did Israel go away unto their tents.

When all Israel saw that the king didn’t listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, “What portion have we in David? We don’t have an inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, Israel! Now see to your own house, David.” So Israel departed to their tents.

17 But as for the children of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah, over them did Rehobo'am reign.

But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

18 Then sent king Rehobo'am Adoram, who was over the tribute; but all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehobo'am made speed with all his might to get up into his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the men subject to forced labor; and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. King Rehoboam hurried to get himself up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

19 So did Israel rebel against the house of David unto this day.

So Israel rebelled against David’s house to this day.

20 And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jerobo'am was returned, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, save the tribe of Judah alone.

When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the congregation, and made him king over all Israel. There was no one who followed David’s house, except for the tribe of Judah only.

21 And when Rehobo'am was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring back the kingdom to Rehobo'am the son of Solomon.

When Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men who 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 unto Shema'yah the man of God, saying,

But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

23 Say unto Rehobo'am, the son of Solomon, the king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying,

“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 hath said the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight with your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for from me hath this thing been brought about. And they hearkened to the word of the Lord, and returned to go home, according to the word of the Lord.

‘Yahweh says, “You shall not go up or fight against your brothers, the children of Israel. Everyone return to his house; for this thing is from me.”’” So they listened to Yahweh’s word, and returned and went their way, according to Yahweh’s word.

25 And Jerobo'am built Shechem in the mountain of Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and he went out from there and built Penuel.

Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived in it; and he went out from there and built Penuel.

26 And Jerobo'am said in his heart, Now may the kingdom return to the house of David:

Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom will return to David’s house.

27 If this people go up to prepare sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then may the heart of this people turn again unto their Lord, even unto Rehobo'am the king of Judah, and they might kill me, and return to Rehobo'am the king of Judah.

If this people goes up to offer sacrifices in Yahweh’s house at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will 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 he made two calves of gold, and said unto the people, You have been long enough going up to Jerusalem: behold, here are thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

So 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. Look and behold your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”

29 And he placed the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan.

He set the one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan.

30 And this thing became a sin; and the people went before the one, as far as Dan.

This thing became a sin, for the people went even as far as Dan to worship before the one there.

31 And he made a house of the high-places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.

He made houses of high places, and made priests from among all the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.

32 And Jerobo'am made a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar; so did he in Beth-el, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he stationed at Beth-el the priests of the high-places whom he had made.

Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that is in Judah, and he went up to the altar. He did so in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made, and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made.

33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Beth-el on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had falsely devised of his own heart; and he ordained a feast unto the children of Israel, and he went up to the altar, to burn incense.

He went up to the altar which he had made in Bethel 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.