1 Kings 12

1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem; for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.

Rehabeam pergi ke Sikhem, karena seluruh rakyat Israel bagian utara telah berkumpul di sana untuk melantik dia menjadi raja.

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

Pada waktu itu Yerobeam anak Nebat masih ada di Mesir karena melarikan diri dari Raja Salomo. Ketika ia mendengar tentang Rehabeam, ia kembali ke Israel.

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

Rakyat bagian utara mengundang Yerobeam, lalu mereka bersama dia pergi menghadap Rehabeam. Kata mereka,

4 Thy father made our yoke grievous; and now lighten thou the grievous servitude of thy father and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.

"Salomo ayah Baginda telah memberi beban yang berat kepada kami. Sekarang kalau Baginda meringankan beban dan mengurangi derita kami, kami akan mengabdi kepada Baginda."

5 And he said to them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.

Rehabeam menyahut, "Aku harus berpikir dahulu. Datanglah kembali tiga hari lagi." Maka pulanglah orang-orang itu.

6 And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, How do ye advise to return answer to this people?

Lalu Rehabeam meminta nasihat kepada orang-orang tua yang pernah menjadi penasihat Salomo, ayah Rehabeam. "Bagaimana aku harus menjawab orang-orang itu?" tanya Rehabeam, "Apa nasihat kalian?"

7 And they spoke to him saying, If this day thou wilt be a servant to this people, and wilt serve them and answer them and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever.

Mereka menjawab, "Kalau Baginda sungguh-sungguh ingin mengabdi kepada rakyat, kabulkanlah permohonan mereka, maka mereka akan mengabdi kepada Baginda selama-lamanya."

8 But he forsook the advice of the old men which they had given him, and consulted with the young men, who had grown up with him, that stood before him.

Tetapi nasihat orang-orang tua itu tidak dihiraukan oleh Rehabeam. Sebaliknya, ia pergi kepada orang-orang muda yang sebaya dengan dia dan yang sekarang membantu dia.

9 And he said to them, What advice give ye that we may return answer to this people who have spoken to me saying, Lighten the yoke which thy father put upon us?

Kepada mereka ia bertanya, "Apa nasihat kalian kepadaku untuk menjawab rakyat yang meminta supaya aku meringankan beban mereka?"

10 And the young men that had grown up with him spoke to him saying, Thus shalt thou say to this people that have spoken to thee saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, and lighten thou it for us, — thus shalt thou say to them: My little [finger] is thicker than my father's loins;

Mereka menjawab, "Beginilah hendaknya Baginda katakan kepada mereka, 'Selemah-lemahnya aku, aku masih lebih kuat dari ayahku!'

11 and whereas my father laid a heavy yoke upon you, I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

Ayahku memberikan beban yang berat kepadamu, tetapi aku akan memberikan yang lebih berat lagi. Ia menyebat kalian dengan cemeti, tetapi aku akan memecut kalian dengan cemeti berduri besi!"

12 And Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed saying, Come again to me on the third day.

Tiga hari kemudian Yerobeam dan semua orang itu kembali menghadap Raja Rehabeam, seperti yang telah diperintahkannya.

13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the advice of the old men which they had given him;

Berlawanan dengan nasihat orang-orang tua itu, rakyat yang datang kepadanya itu disapanya dengan kasar.

14 and he spoke to them according to the advice 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.

Sesuai dengan nasihat orang-orang muda, ia berkata, "Ayahku memberikan kepadamu beban yang berat, tetapi aku akan membuat beban itu lebih berat lagi. Ia menyebat kalian dengan cemeti, tetapi aku akan memecut kalian dengan cemeti berduri besi!"

15 So the king hearkened not to the people; for it was brought about by Jehovah, that he might give effect to his word, which Jehovah spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

Permintaan rakyat tidak dihiraukannya. Tetapi itu memang kehendak TUHAN. Apa yang dikatakan TUHAN melalui Nabi Ahia dari Silo mengenai Yerobeam anak Nebat harus terjadi.

16 And all Israel saw that the king hearkened not to them; and the people answered the king saying, What portion have we in David? And [we have] no inheritance in the son of Jesse: To your tents, O Israel! Now see to thine own house, David! And Israel went to their tents.

Ketika rakyat melihat bahwa raja tidak mau mendengarkan mereka, mereka berteriak, "Perduli amat dengan Daud dan keturunannya! Mereka tidak pernah berbuat apa-apa untuk kita. Rakyat Israel, mari kita pulang! Biarkan Rehabeam itu mengurus dirinya sendiri!" Maka pulanglah rakyat Israel,

17 But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

dan Rehabeam menjadi raja hanya atas wilayah Yehuda.

18 And king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the levy; but all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. And king Rehoboam hastened to mount his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

Meskipun begitu Raja Rehabeam masih juga menyuruh Adoniram, seorang kepala pekerja rodi, menenangkan rakyat. Tetapi mereka melempari dia dengan batu sampai mati. Melihat hal itu Rehabeam cepat-cepat naik ke keretanya, lalu melarikan diri ke Yerusalem.

19 And Israel rebelled against the house of David, unto this day.

Mulai saat itu rakyat di bagian utara kerajaan Israel selalu memberontak terhadap raja-raja keturunan Daud.

20 And it came to pass when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had come back, that they sent and called him to the assembly, and made him king over all Israel: none followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

Pada waktu seluruh rakyat Israel mendengar bahwa Yerobeam sudah kembali dari Mesir, mereka mengundang dia ke suatu pertemuan lalu mengangkat dia menjadi raja Israel. Hanya rakyat suku Yehuda saja yang tetap setia kepada keturunan Daud.

21 And Rehoboam came to Jerusalem; and he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men apt for war, to fight against the house of Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.

Ketika Raja Rehabeam tiba di Yerusalem, ia mengumpulkan 180.000 prajuritnya yang terbaik dari suku Yehuda dan Benyamin untuk memerangi orang Israel dan memulihkan kekuasaannya atas suku-suku di bagian utara Israel.

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

Tetapi Allah menyuruh Nabi Semaya

23 Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remainder of the people, saying,

menyampaikan berita ini kepada Rehabeam, dan kepada seluruh suku Yehuda dan Benyamin,

24 Thus saith Jehovah: Go not up, nor fight with your brethren, the children of Israel; return every man to his house, for this thing is from me. And they hearkened to the word of Jehovah, and returned to depart, according to the word of Jehovah.

"Janganlah memerangi saudara-saudaramu orang Israel. Pulanglah! Apa yang telah terjadi adalah kehendak-Ku." Maka mereka semuanya menuruti perintah TUHAN, lalu pulang ke rumah masing-masing.

25 And Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel.

Setelah menjadi raja Israel, Yerobeam memperkuat kota Sikhem di daerah pegunungan Efraim, lalu tinggal di sana untuk sementara waktu. Kemudian ia pergi lagi dari situ dan memperkuat kota Pnuel.

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

Ia berpikir begini dalam hatinya, "Jikalau rakyat tetap pergi ke Yerusalem untuk mempersembahkan kurban di Rumah TUHAN seperti yang mereka lakukan sekarang ini, mereka akan kembali mendukung Rehabeam, raja Yehuda, lalu membunuh aku."

27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem, the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me, and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.

28 And 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: behold thy gods, Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt!

Sesudah mempertimbangkan hal itu, ia membuat dua patung sapi emas lalu berkata kepada rakyat, "Bangsa Israel! Sudah cukup lama kalian pergi ke Yerusalem untuk beribadat. Sekarang, inilah ilah-ilahmu yang telah membawa kalian keluar dari Mesir!"

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

Lalu Yerobeam menempatkan satu dari sapi emas itu di Betel dan yang lainnya di Dan.

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

Maka rakyat pun berbuat dosa, karena mereka pergi ke Betel dan ke Dan untuk beribadat.

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

Yerobeam juga mendirikan tempat-tempat ibadat lain di puncak-puncak gunung, dan ia mengangkat imam-imam dari antara keluarga-keluarga yang bukan suku Lewi.

32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that was in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he 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.

Kemudian Yerobeam menempatkan imam-imam itu di Betel untuk bertugas di sana dan ia sendiri mempersembahkan kurban kepada sapi-sapi emas yang dibuatnya itu. Lalu ia menentukan tanggal lima belas bulan delapan sebagai hari raya untuk Israel, sama seperti hari raya di Yehuda. Pada hari itu Yerobeam pergi ke Betel dan mempersembahkan kurban untuk merayakan hari raya yang telah ditentukannya itu.

33 And he offered upon the altar that he had made in Bethel, on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and he made a feast for the children of Israel, and he offered upon the altar, burning incense.