1 Kings 12

1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for al Israel were come to Sheche, to make him king

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

2 And whe Ieroboam ye sonne of Nebat heard of it (who was yet in Egypt, whither Ieroboam had fled from king Salomon, and dwelt in Egypt)

And it came to pass, when Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of it—he being yet in Egypt, whither he had fled from the face of Solomon the king, that Jeroboam returned from Egypt;

3 Then they sent and called him: and Ieroboam and all the Congregation of Israel came, and spake vnto Rehoboam, saying,

yes they sent, and called him, and Jeroboam and all the convocation of Israel came, —and spake unto Rehoboam, saying:

4 Thy father made our yoke grieuous: now therefore make thou the grieuous seruitude of thy father, and his sore yoke which he put vpon vs, lighter, and we will serue thee.

Thy father, made our yoke, grievous, —now, therefore do, thou, lighten the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, that we may serve thee.

5 And he said vnto them, Depart yet for three dayes, then come againe to me. And the people departed.

And he said unto them—Depart ye for yet three days, and then come again unto me. And the people departed.

6 And King Rehoboam tooke counsell with the olde men that had stande before Salomon his father, while he yet liued, and sayde, What counsell giue ye, that I may make an answere to this people?

Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who used to stand before Solomon his father, while he yet lived, saying, —How do, ye, advise, that I answer this people?

7 And they spake vnto him, saying, If thou be a seruant vnto this people this day, and serue them, and answere them, and speake kinde wordes to them, they will be thy seruants for euer.

And they spake unto him, saying—If, to-day, thou wilt be servant unto this people, and wilt serve them, —and answer them kindly, and speak unto them good words, then will they be, thy, servants, always.

8 But he forsooke the counsell that the olde men had giuen him, and asked counsell of the yong men that had bene brought vp with him, and waited on him.

But he declined the counsel of the elders which they gave him, and consulted with the young men, who had grown up with him, who were standing before himself;

9 And he said vnto them, What counsell giue ye, that we may answere this people, which haue spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke, which thy father did put vpon vs, lighter?

and said unto them—What counsel do, ye, give as to how we shall answer this people who have spoken unto me, saying—Make a lightening of the yoke which thy father put upon us?

10 Then the yong men that were brought vp with him, spake vnto him, saying, Thus shalt thou say vnto this people, that haue spoken vnto thee, and said, Thy father hath made our yoke heauie, but make thou it lighter vnto vs: euen thus shalt thou say vnto them, My least part shalbe bigger then my fathers loynes.

Then spake unto him the young men who had grown up with him, saying, Thus, shalt thou say to this people that have spoken unto thee, saying—Thy father, made our yoke heavy, thou, therefore lighten it upon us, Thus, shalt thou speak unto them, My little finger, is thicker than my father’s loins;

11 Now where as my father did burden you with a grieuous yoke, I will yet make your yoke heauier: my father hath chastised you with rods, but I will correct you with scourges.

Now, therefore, whereas, my father, laid upon you a heavy yoke, I, will add to your yoke, —My father, did chastise you with whips, but, I, will chastise you with scorpions.

12 Then Ieroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me againe ye thirde day.

So Jeroboam and all the people came in unto Rehoboam, on the third day, —as the king had bidden, saying—Come again unto me, on the third day.

13 And the king answered the people sharpely, and left the old mens counsell that they gaue him,

And the king answered the people, harshly, —and declined the counsel of the elders wherewith they had counselled him;

14 And spake to them after the counsell of the yong men, saying, My father made your yoke grieuous, and I will make your yoke more grieuous: my father hath chastised you with rods, but I will correct you with scourges.

and spake unto them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father, made your yoke heavy, but, I, will add unto your yoke, —My father, chastised you, with whips, but, I, will chastise you, with scorpions.

15 And the King hearkened not vnto the people: for it was the ordinance of the Lord, that he might perfourme his saying, which the Lord had spoken by Ahiiah the Shilonite vnto Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat.

Thus the king hearkened not unto the people, —for there had come about a turn from Yahweh, that he might establish his word, which Yahweh had spoken by Ahijah the Shilonite, unto Jeroboam, son of Nebat.

16 So when all Israel sawe that the King regarded them not, the people answered the King thus, saying, What portion haue we in Dauid? we haue none inheritance in the sonne of Ishai. To your tents, O Israel: nowe see to thine owne house, Dauid. So Israel departed vnto their tents.

So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying—What portion have, we, in, David. Or inheritance in the son of Jesse? To your homes O Israel! Now, see to thine own house, O David! And Israel departed to their homes.

17 Howbeit ouer the children of Israel, which dwelt in the cities of Iudah, did Rehoboam reigne still.

But, as for the sons of Israel who were dwelling in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

18 Nowe the King Rehoboam sent Adoram the receiuer of the tribute, and all Israel stoned him to death: then King Rehoboam made speede to get him vp to his charet, to flee to Ierusalem.

Then King Rehoboam sent Adoniram who was over the tribute, but all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died, —King Rehoboam, therefore, hastily mounted his chariot, to flee unto Jerusalem.

19 And Israel rebelled against the house of Dauid vnto this day.

So Israel rebelled against the house of David, —unto this day.

20 And when all Israel had heard that Ieroboam was come againe, they sent and called him vnto the assemblie, and made him King ouer all Israel: none followed the house of Dauid, but the tribe of Iudah onely.

And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, that they sent and called him into the assembly, and made him king over all Israel, —there were none that followed the house of David, saving the tribe of Judah only.

21 And when Rehoboam was come to Ierusalem, he gathered all the house of Iudah with the tribe of Beniamin an hundreth and foure score thousand of chosen men (which were good warriours) to fight against the house of Israel, and to bring the kingdome againe to Rehoboam the sonne of Salomon.

And, when Rehoboam entered Jerusalem, he called together all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin—a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, able to make war, —to fight against the house of Israel, to bring back the kingdom to Rehoboam, son of Solomon.

22 But the worde of God came vnto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

Then came the word of God unto Shemaiah, the man of God, saying:

23 Speake vnto Rehoboam the sonne of Salomon King of Iudah, and vnto all the house of Iudah and Beniamin, and the remnant of the people, saying,

Speak unto Rehoboam, son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah, and Benjamin, —and the remnant of the people, saying:

24 Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go vp, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: returne euery man to his house: for this thing is done by me. They obeyed therefore the worde of the Lord and returned, and departed, according to the worde of the Lord.

Thus, saith Yahweh—Ye shall not go up, neither shall ye fight with your brethren the sons of Israel, —return ye every man to his own house, for, from me, hath this thing been brought about. So they hearkened unto the word of Yahweh, and turned back to depart, according to the word of Yahweh.

25 Then Ieroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein, and went from thence, and built Penuel.

Then Jeroboam built Shechem, in the hill country of Ephraim, and dwelt therein, —and went forth from thence, and built Penuel.

26 And Ieroboam thought in his heart, Nowe shall the kingdome returne to the house of Dauid.

And Jeroboam said in his heart, —Now, shall the kingdom return to the house of David:

27 If this people goe vp and doe sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Ierusalem, then shall the heart of this people turne againe vnto their lorde, euen to Rehoboam King of Iudah: so shall they kill me and goe againe to Rehoboam King of Iudah.

If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of Yahweh, in Jerusalem, then will the heart of this people return unto their lord, unto Rehoboam, king of Judah, —and they will slay me, and return unto Rehoboam, king of Judah.

28 Whereupon the King tooke counsell, and made two calues of golde, and saide vnto them, It is too much for you to goe vp to Ierusalem: beholde, O Israel, thy gods, which brought thee vp out of the lande of Egypt.

Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, —and said unto them—It is, too much for you, to go up to Jerusalem, Lo! thy gods, O Israel, that brought thee up out of the land of Egypt;

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

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

30 And this thing turned to sinne: for the people went (because of the one) euen to Dan.

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

31 Also he made an house of hie places, and made Priestes of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sonnes of Leui.

And he made a house of high-places, —and made priests from the whole compass of the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.

32 And Ieroboam made a feast the fifteenth day of the eight moneth, like vnto the feast that is in Iudah, and offred on the altar. So did he in Beth-el and offered vnto the calues that he had made: and he placed in Beth-el the Priestes of the hie places, which he had made.

And Jeroboam made a festival in the eight month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the festival which [was held] in Judah, and offered up on the altar, likewise, did he in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves which he had made, —and he kept in attendance in Bethel, the priests of the high-places which he had made.

33 And he offered vpon the altar, which he had made in Beth-el, the fifteenth day of the eight moneth, (euen in the moneth which he had forged of his owne heart) and made a solemne feast vnto the children of Israel: and he went vp to the altar, to burne incense.

And he offered up on the altar which he had made in Bethel, on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, in the month which he had devised out of his own heart, —thus made he a festival for the sons of Israel, and offered up on the altar, to make a perfume.