-
And
Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were
come to Shechem to make him king.
02 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;)
03 That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam
and all the congregation of Israel came, and
spake unto Rehoboam, saying,
04 Thy 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.
05 And he said unto them, Depart yet for three
days, then come again to me. And the people
departed.
06 And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men,
that stood before Solomon his father while he yet
lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may
answer this people?
07 And 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.
08 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:
09 And he said unto them, What counsel give ye
that we may answer this people, who have spoken
to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did
put upon us lighter?
10 And the young men that were grown up with him
spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak
unto this people that spake unto thee, saying,
Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it
lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them,
My little finger shall be thicker than my
father's loins.
11 And now whereas my father did lade you with a
heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father
hath chastised you with whips, but I will
chastise you with scorpions.
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.
13 And the king answered the people roughly, and
forsook the old men's counsel that they gave him;
14 And spake 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.
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 spake by
Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of
Nebat.
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 thine own house,
David. So Israel departed unto their tents.
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17 But as for the children of Israel which dwelt
in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over
them.
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.
19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David
unto this day.
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.
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.
22 But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man
of God, saying,
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,
24 Thus saith the Lord, Ye 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.
25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim,
and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and
built Penuel.
26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the
kingdom return to the house of David:
27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in the
house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the
heart of this people turn again 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 thy
gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the
land of Egypt.
29 And he set the one in Bethel, and the other
put he in Dan.
30 And this thing became a sin: for the people
went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.
31 And he made an house of high places, and made
priests of the lowest of the people, which were
not of the sons of Levi.
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.
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.
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