1 Kings 12

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

Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king.

2 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;

When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about this, he was still in Egypt where he had fled from King Solomon and had been living ever since.

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

So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and the whole assembly of Israel came to Rehoboam and said,

4 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.

“Your father put a heavy yoke on us. But now you should lighten the burden of your father’s service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”

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

Rehoboam answered, “Go away for three days and then return to me.” So the people departed.

6 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?

Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How do you advise me to respond to these people?” he asked.

7 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.

They replied, “If you will be a servant to these people and serve them this day, and if you will respond by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.”

8 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;

But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders; instead, he consulted the young men who had grown up with him and served him.

9 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?

He asked them, “What message do you advise that we send back to these people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”

10 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;

The young men who had grown up with him replied, “This is how you should answer these people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you should make it lighter.’ This is what you should tell them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist!

11 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.

Whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.’”

12 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.

After three days, Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, since the king had said, “Come back to me on the third day.”

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

And the king answered the people harshly. He rejected the advice of the elders

14 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.

and spoke to them as the young men had advised, saying, “Whereas my father made your yoke heavy, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.”

15 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.

So the king did not listen to the people, and indeed this turn of events was from the LORD, to fulfill the word He had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.

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. 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.

When all Israel saw that the king had refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What portion do we have in David, and what inheritance in the son of Jesse? To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, O David!” So the Israelites went home,

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

but Rehoboam still reigned over the Israelites living in the cities of Judah.

18 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.

Then King Rehoboam sent out Adoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. And King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste and escaped to Jerusalem.

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

So to this day Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David.

20 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.

When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they summoned him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah followed the house of David.

21 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.

And when Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mobilized the whole house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin—180,000 chosen warriors—to fight against the house of Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon.

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

But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God:

23 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:

“Tell Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and the rest of the people

24 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.

that this is what the LORD says: ‘You are not to go up and fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Each of you must return home, for this word is from Me.’” So they listened to the word of the LORD and turned back according to the word of the LORD.

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

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

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

Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom might revert to the house of David.

27 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.

If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, their hearts will return to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah; then they will kill me and return 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, Lo! thy gods, O Israel, that brought thee up out of the land of Egypt;

After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves and said to the people, “Going up to Jerusalem is too much for you. Here, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”

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

One calf he set up in Bethel, and the other in Dan.

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

And this thing became a sin; the people walked as far as Dan to worship before one of the calves.

31 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.

Jeroboam also built shrines on the high places and appointed from every class of people priests who were not Levites.

32 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.

And Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah, and he offered sacrifices on the altar; he made this offering in Bethel to sacrifice to the calves he had set up, and he installed priests in Bethel for the high places he had set up.

33 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.

On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a month of his own choosing, Jeroboam offered sacrifices on the altar he had set up in Bethel. So he ordained a feast for the Israelites, offered sacrifices on the altar, and burned incense.