11Then Rehoboamwent to Shechem, for allIsrael had come to 2Shechem to make him king.
2
Now 3when Jeroboam the son of Nebatheard of it, he was living in Egypt (for he was yet in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of KingSolomon ).
3
Then they sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israelcame and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,
4
"4Your fathermade our yokehard; now therefore lighten the hardservice of your father and his heavyyokewhich he put on us, and we will serve you."
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Then he said to them, "5Depart for threedays, then return to me." So the peopledeparted.
6
KingRehoboam6consulted with the elderswhohadserved* his fatherSolomon while he was still alive, saying, "How do you counsel me to answer*thispeople?"
7
Then they spoke to him, saying, "7If you will be a servant to thispeopletoday, and will serve them and grant them their petition, and speakgoodwords to them, then they will be your servantsforever*."
8
But he forsook the counsel of the elderswhich they had given him, and consulted with the youngmenwhogrew up with him and served* him.
9
So he said to them, "Whatcounsel do you give that we may answer*thispeoplewho have spoken to me, saying, 'Lighten the yokewhich your fatherput on us'?"
10
The youngmenwhogrew up with him spoke to him, saying, "Thus you shall say to thispeoplewhospoke to you, saying, 'Your fathermade our yokeheavy, now you make it lighter for us!' But you shall speak to them, 'My littlefinger is thickerthan my father'sloins!
11
'Whereas my fatherloaded you with a heavyyoke, I will add to your yoke; my fatherdisciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.' "
12
Then Jeroboam and all the peoplecame to Rehoboam on the thirdday as the king had directed, saying, "8Return to me on the thirdday."
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The kinganswered the peopleharshly, for he forsook the advice of the elderswhich they had given him,
14
and he spoke to them according to the advice of the youngmen, saying, "9My fathermade your yokeheavy, but I will add to your yoke; my fatherdisciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions."
15
So the king did not listen to the people; 10for it was a turn of events from the LORD, 11that He might establish His word, which the LORDspokethroughAhijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
The Kingdom Divided; Jeroboam Rules Israel
16 When allIsrael saw that the king did not listen to them, the peopleanswered the king, saying, "Whatportion do we have in David? We have noinheritance in the son of Jesse; 12To your tents, O Israel! Nowlook after your own house, David!" So Israeldeparted to their tents.
17
But 13as for the sons of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboamreignedover them.
18
Then KingRehoboamsent14Adoram, who was over the forcedlabor, and allIsraelstoned him to death. And KingRehoboammadehaste to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem.
19
15So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to thisday.
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It came about when allIsraelheard that Jeroboam had returned, that they sent and called him to the assembly and made him kingoverallIsrael. 16None but the tribe of Judahfollowed the house of David.
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17Now when Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembledall the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, 180,000**chosen men who were warriors, to fightagainst the house of Israel to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.
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But the word of Godcame to 18Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
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"Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin and to the 19rest of the people, saying,
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'Thussays the LORD, "You must not go up and fightagainst your relatives the sons of Israel; returneveryman to his house, 20for thisthing has come from Me.""' So they listened to the word of the LORD, and returned and went their way according to the word of the LORD.
Jeroboam's Idolatry
25 Then 21JeroboambuiltShechem in the hillcountry of Ephraim, and lived there. And he went out from there and built22Penuel.
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Jeroboamsaid in his heart, "Now the kingdom will return to the house of David.
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"23Ifthispeoplego up to offersacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of thispeople will return to their lord, even to Rehoboamking of Judah; and they will kill me and return to Rehoboamking of Judah."
28
So the kingconsulted, and 24madetwogolden25calves, and he said to them, "It is toomuch for you to go up to Jerusalem; 26behold your gods, O Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt."
29
He set27one in 28Bethel, and the other he put in 29Dan.
30
Now 30thisthingbecame a sin, for the peoplewent to worship before the one as far as Dan.
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And 31he madehouses on highplaces, and 32madepriests from among all the peoplewho were not of the sons of Levi.
32
Jeroboaminstituted a feast in the eighthmonth on the fifteenth*day of the month, 33like the feastwhich is in Judah, and he went up to the altar; thus he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calveswhich he had made. And he stationed in Bethel34the priests of the highplaceswhich he had made.
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Then he went up to the altarwhich he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth*day in the eighthmonth, even in the monthwhich he had 35devised in his own heart; and he instituted a feast for the sons of Israel and went up to the altar36to burnincense.