CHAPTER 12
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.
“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.”
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.
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.”
But Rehoboam rejected
the advice
of the elders;
instead, he consulted
the young men
who
had grown up
with him
and served
him.
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’?”
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!
Although
my father
burdened
you with a heavy
yoke,
I
will add
to
your yoke.
Although my father
scourged
you
with whips,
I
will scourge
you
with scorpions.’”
After three
days,
Jeroboam
and all
the people
returned
to
Rehoboam,
since
the king
had said,
“Come back
to me
on the third
day.”
and spoke
to them
as the young men
had advised,
saying,
“Although my father
made your yoke
heavy,
I
will add
to
your yoke.
Although my father
scourged
you
with whips,
I
will scourge
you
with scorpions!"
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.
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,
Then King
Rehoboam
sent out
Adoram,
who
was in charge
of the labor force,
but all
Israel
stoned
him to death.
And King
Rehoboam
mounted
his chariot
in haste
and escaped
to Jerusalem.
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.
And when Rehoboam
arrived
in Jerusalem,
he mobilized
the whole
house
of Judah
and the tribe
of Benjamin—
180,000
choice
warriors—
to fight
against
the house
of Israel
and restore
the kingdom
to Rehoboam
son
of Solomon.
“Tell
Rehoboam
son
of Solomon
king
of Judah,
all
the house
of Judah
and Benjamin,
and the rest
of the people
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.
Then Jeroboam
built
Shechem
in the hill country
of Ephraim
and lived there.
And from
there
he went out
and built
Penuel.
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."
After seeking advice,
the king
made
two
golden
calves
and said
to the people,
“Going
to Jerusalem
is too much
for you.
Here,
O Israel,
are your gods,
which
brought you up
out of the land
of Egypt.”
And this
thing
became
a sin;
the people
walked
as far as
Dan to worship
before
one of the calves.
Jeroboam also built
shrines
on the high places
and appointed
from every class
of people
priests
who
were
not
Levites.
And Jeroboam
ordained
a festival
on the fifteenth
day
of the eighth
month,
like the festival
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.
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 festival
for the Israelites,
offered sacrifices
on
the altar,
and burned incense.