1 Kings 12

1And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.

1Rehoboam went to Shechem because all the people of Israel had gathered there to make him king.

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

2When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about this, he was still in Egypt. He had fled there to get away from King Solomon and had been living there.

3and they sent and called him), that Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,

3The leaders of Israel sent for Jeroboam, and he came back. He and the whole assembly of Israel went to Rehoboam and said to him,

4Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.

4'Your father Solomon put a heavy burden on us. If you make our hard work easier and lighten the heavy weight he put on us, we will serve you.'

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

5Rehoboam answered, 'Leave for three days, and then come back to see me.' So the people left.

6And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people?

6King Rehoboam asked for advice from the older men who had served his father Solomon while he was alive. He asked, 'How do you suggest I answer these people?'

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

7They replied, 'If you act as a servant to these people today, and if you serve them and give them a kind answer, they will be your servants forever.'

8But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men that were grown up with him, that stood before him.

8But Rehoboam ignored the advice the older men gave him. Instead, he talked with the young men who had grown up with him and were now his advisors.

9And he said unto them, What counsel give ye, that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke that thy father did put upon us lighter?

9He asked them, 'What is your advice? How should we answer these people who told me, "Lighten the burden your father put on us"?'

10And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou say unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou speak unto them, My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins.

10The young men who grew up with him replied, 'Tell those people who complained about your father’s heavy burden: "My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist!"'

11And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

11'Tell them, "My father put a heavy load on you, but I will make it even heavier. My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!"'

12So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come to me again the third day.

12Three days later, Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, just as the king had told them to do.

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

13The king spoke harshly to the people. He ignored the advice the older men had given him.

14and spake to them after the counsel 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.

14He followed the advice of the young men and said, 'My father made your load heavy, but I will make it even heavier. My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions.'

15So the king hearkened not unto the people; for it was a thing brought about of Jehovah, that he might establish his word, which Jehovah spake by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

15So the king did not listen to the people. This turn of events was from the LORD to fulfill the promise the LORD had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.

16And 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 thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.

16When all the Israelites saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered him, 'What share do we have in David? We have no part in Jesse’s son! Go home to your own tents, Israel! Look after your own house, David!' So the Israelites went home.

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

17But Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the towns of Judah.

18Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the men subject to taskwork; and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. And king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

18King Rehoboam sent out Adoram, who was in charge of forced labor, but all the Israelites stoned him to death. King Rehoboam managed to get into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem.

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

19So Israel has been in rebellion against the family of David to this very day.

20And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was returned, 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.

20When all the Israelites heard that Jeroboam had returned, they called him to a meeting of the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the family of David.

21And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, that were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.

21When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he gathered one hundred and eighty thousand of the best soldiers from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. He planned to fight against the house of Israel to take back the kingdom for himself.

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

22But God spoke to Shemaiah, a man of God, saying,

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

23'Tell Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and all the people of Judah and Benjamin, and the rest of the people this:'

24Thus saith Jehovah, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is of me. So they hearkened unto the word of Jehovah, and returned and went their way, according to the word of Jehovah.

24'This is what the LORD says: Do not go up to fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Every one of you must go home, for I have brought this about.' So they obeyed the word of the LORD and went home, just as he told them.

25Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and he went out from thence, and built Penuel.

25Then Jeroboam built up the city of Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. Later he went out from there and built up Penuel.

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

26Jeroboam thought to himself, 'The kingdom will probably go back to the family of David now.'

27if this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem, then will the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me, and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.

27'If these people keep going to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices at the Temple of the LORD, they will feel loyal to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah. Then they will kill me and return to King Rehoboam.'

28Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold; and he said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

28After getting some advice, the king made two gold calves. He told the people, 'It is too much trouble for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you out of Egypt.'

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

29He set up one gold calf in Bethel and the other in Dan.

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

30This became a great sin, because the people traveled as far as Dan to worship the calf there.

31And he made houses of high places, and made priests from among all the people, that were not of the sons of Levi.

31Jeroboam also built shrines on the high places and appointed priests from all kinds of people, even those who were not from the tribe of Levi.

32And 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 went up unto the altar; so did he in Beth-el, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Beth-el the priests of the high places that he had made.

32He started a religious festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, similar to the festival in Judah. At Bethel, he offered sacrifices on the altar to the calves he had made, and he stationed the priests of the high places there.

33And he went up unto the altar which he had made in Beth-el on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart: and he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and went up unto the altar, to burn incense.

33On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a date he had chosen himself, Jeroboam offered sacrifices on the altar he had built at Bethel. He instituted a festival for the Israelites and went up to the altar to burn incense.