1 Kings 12

1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were 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, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was 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 That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spoke unto Rehoboam, saying,

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

4 Your father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make you the grievous service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve you.

"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 unto 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, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do all of you advise that I may answer 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 unto him, saying, If you will be a servant unto this people this day, and will serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your 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 counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which 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 unto them, What counsel give all of you that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which your father did put upon us lighter?

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

10 And the young men that were grown up with him spoke unto him, saying, Thus shall you speak unto this people that spoke unto you, saying, Your father made our yoke heavy, but make you it lighter unto us; thus shall you say unto them, My little finger shall be 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 now whereas my father did load 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.

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 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again 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 old men's counsel that they gave him;

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

14 And 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.

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 Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite unto 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 So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to your own house, David. So Israel departed unto 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 which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

dan Rehabeam menjadi raja hanya atas wilayah Yehuda.

18 Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to 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 So 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 was come again, 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, 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 when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to 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 unto 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 remnant of the people, saying,

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

24 Thus says the LORD, All of you shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man 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.

"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 Then 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 the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people return unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.

28 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: behold your gods, O Israel, which brought you 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 put he in Dan.

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

30 And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.

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

31 And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the low of the people, which 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 unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which 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 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.