Chapter 12

And Rehoboam went⁴ to Shechem: for all Israel were come¹ to Shechem to make him king.⁵³

And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard² [of it], (for he was fled¹ from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt⁴ in Egypt;)

That they sent⁴ and called⁴ him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came,⁴ and spake¹⁷ unto Rehoboam, saying,²

Thy father made our yoke grievous:⁵² now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put¹ upon us, lighter,^{54 5656} and we will serve⁴ thee.

And he said⁴ unto them, Depart³ yet [for] three days, then come again³ to me. And the people departed.⁴

And king Rehoboam consulted¹¹ with the old men, that stood⁶ before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said,² How do ye advise¹² that I may⁵³ answer this people?

And they spake¹⁷ unto him, saying,² If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve¹ them, and answer¹ them, and speak¹⁴ good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever. ³¹¹⁷

But he forsook⁴ the counsel of the old men, which they had given¹ him, and consulted¹¹ with the young men that were grown up¹ with him, [and] which stood⁶ before him:

And he said⁴ unto them, What counsel give¹² ye that we may⁵⁵ answer this people, who have spoken¹⁴ to me, saying,² Make the yoke which thy father did put¹ upon us lighter?⁵⁴

And the young men that were grown up¹ with him spake¹⁷ unto him, saying,² Thus shalt thou speak⁴ unto this people that spake¹⁴ unto thee, saying,² Thy father made our yoke heavy,⁵² but make thou [it] lighter⁵⁴ unto us; thus shalt thou say¹⁷ unto them, My little [finger] shall be thicker¹ than my father's loins.

And now whereas my father did lade⁵² you with a heavy yoke, I will add⁵⁵ to your yoke: my father hath chastised¹⁴ you with whips, but I will chastise¹⁷ you with scorpions.

So Jeroboam and all the people came⁴ to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed,¹⁴ saying,² Come to me again³ the third day.

And the king answered⁴ the people roughly, and forsook⁴ the old men's counsel that they gave¹ him;

And spake¹⁷ to them after the counsel of the young men, saying,² My father made your yoke heavy,⁵² and I will add⁵⁵ to your yoke: my father [also] chastised¹⁴ you with whips, but I will chastise¹⁷ you with scorpions.

Wherefore the king hearkened¹ not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform⁵³ his saying, which the LORD spake¹⁴ by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

So when all Israel saw⁴ that the king hearkened¹ not unto them, the people answered^{55 1697} the king, saying,² What portion have we in David? neither [have we] inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see³ to thine own house, David. So Israel departed⁴ unto their tents.

But [as for] the children of Israel which dwelt⁶ in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned⁴ over them.

Then king Rehoboam sent⁴ Adoram, who [was] over the tribute; and all Israel stoned⁴ him with stones, that he died.⁴ Therefore king Rehoboam made speed⁹⁸ to get him up² to his chariot, to flee² to Jerusalem.

So Israel rebelled⁴ against the house of David unto this day.

And it came to pass, when all Israel heard² that Jeroboam was come again,¹ that they sent⁴ and called⁴ him unto the congregation, and made him king⁵⁵ over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

And when Rehoboam was come⁴ to Jerusalem, he assembled⁵⁵ all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men,⁷ which were warriors,^{6 4421} to fight⁹ against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again⁵³ to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.

But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,²

Speak³ 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,²

Thus saith¹ the LORD, Ye shall not go up,⁴ nor fight¹¹ against your brethren the children of Israel: return³ every man to his house; for this thing is⁸ from me. They hearkened⁴ therefore to the word of the LORD, and returned⁴ to depart,² according to the word of the LORD.

Then Jeroboam built⁴ Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt⁴ therein; and went out⁴ from thence, and built⁴ Penuel.

And Jeroboam said⁴ in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return⁴ to the house of David:

If this people go up⁴ to do² sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again¹ unto their lord, [even] unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill¹ me, and go again¹ to Rehoboam king of Judah.

Whereupon the king took counsel,¹¹ and made⁴ two calves [of] gold, and said⁴ unto them, It is too much for you to go up² to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up⁵² out of the land of Egypt.

And he set⁴ the one in Bethel, and the other put¹ he in Dan.

And this thing became a sin: for the people went⁴ [to worship] before the one, [even] unto Dan.

And he made⁴ an house of high places, and made⁴ priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.

And Jeroboam ordained⁴ a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth ⁶²⁴⁰ day of the month, like unto the feast that [is] in Judah, and he offered⁵⁵ upon the altar. So did¹ he in Bethel, sacrificing¹⁵ unto the calves that he had made:¹ and he placed⁵² in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.¹

So he offered⁵⁵ upon the altar which he had made¹ in Bethel the fifteenth ⁶²⁴⁰ day of the eighth month, [even] in the month which he had devised¹ of his own heart; and ordained⁴ a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered⁵⁵ upon the altar, and burnt incense.⁵³