1 Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all of Israel had come to Shechem to crown him king.

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

2 When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about this—he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon—he remained in Egypt.

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;)

3 They sent for him, and Jeroboam and the entire assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam.

That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,

4 They said to him, "Your father made our yoke heavy. Now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he placed on us, and we will serve you."

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.

5 Rehoboam replied, "Come back to me in three days," so the people departed.

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

6 Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon while he was alive. He asked, "How do you advise me to answer these people?"

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?

7 They replied, "If you will serve these people today and grant their request, speaking kind words to them, they will always be your servants."

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.

8 But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders who had counseled him and instead consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him.

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:

9 He asked them, "What is your advice? How should we reply to these people who have said to me, 'Lighten the yoke your father has put on us'?"

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 The young men who had grown up with him replied, "Here is what you should tell these people who have said to you, 'Your father made our yoke heavy; now lighten it for us': Tell them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist.

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 Now, my father laid a heavy yoke on you, but I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips; I will discipline you with scorpions.'"

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 Three days later, Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, as the king had instructed them, saying, "Come back to me on the third day."

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 But the king answered the people harshly, rejecting the advice given to him by the elders.

And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men's counsel that they gave him;

14 He said to them, "My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father disciplined you with whips; I will discipline you with scorpions."

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 So the king refused to listen to the people, for this turn of events was from the LORD, to fulfill the word spoken by the LORD through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.

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 When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king: "What share do we have in David, what part in Jesse's son? To your tents, Israel! Look after your own house, David!" So the Israelites went home.

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.

17 But as for the Israelites who were living in the towns of Judah, Rehoboam still ruled over them.

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

18 King Rehoboam sent out Adoniram, who was in charge of forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam managed to get into his chariot and flee to Jerusalem.

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

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

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

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 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin—a total of 180,000 able young men to go to war against Israel and to regain the kingdom for Rehoboam son of Solomon.

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

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

23 "Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, to all Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people,

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 This is what the LORD says: You shall not march up to fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Return home, for this is my doing." So they obeyed the word of the LORD and went back as the LORD had commanded.

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 fortified Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. From there he went out and built up Penuel.

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

26 Jeroboam said to himself, "The kingdom will now likely return to the house of David.

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

27 If these people go up to worship at the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem, they will again give their allegiance to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah. They will kill me and return to King Rehoboam of Judah.

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 After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He said to the people, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.

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 He set up one in Bethel, and the other in Dan.

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

30 And this thing became a sin; the people came to worship the one at Bethel and went as far as Dan to worship the other.

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

31 Jeroboam also built shrines on high places and appointed priests from all sorts of people, even though they were not Levites.

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 He instituted a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the festival held in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. He did this in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves he had made. And there at Bethel he installed priests for the high places he had made.

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 On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a month of his own choosing, he offered sacrifices on the altar he had built at Bethel. So he instituted the festival for the Israelites and went up to the altar to offer sacrifices.

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.