2
Now when 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 ).
7
Then they spoke to him, saying, "If 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*."
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.' "
14
and he spoke to them according to the advice of the youngmen, saying, "My 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; for it was a turn of events from the LORD, that He might establish His word, which the LORDspokethroughAhijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
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; To your tents, O Israel! Nowlook after your own house, David!" So Israeldeparted to their tents.
18
Then KingRehoboamsentAdoram, who was over the forcedlabor, and allIsraelstoned him to death. And KingRehoboammadehaste to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem.
20
It came about when allIsraelheard that Jeroboam had returned, that they sent and called him to the assembly and made him kingoverallIsrael. None but the tribe of Judahfollowed the house of David.
21
Now 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.
24
'Thussays the LORD, "You must not go up and fightagainst your relatives the sons of Israel; returneveryman to his house, for 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.
27
"Ifthispeoplego 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 madetwogoldencalves, and he said to them, "It is toomuch for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt."
32
Jeroboaminstituted a feast in the eighthmonth on the fifteenth*day of the month, like 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 Bethel the priests of the highplaceswhich he had made.
33
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 devised in his own heart; and he instituted a feast for the sons of Israel and went up to the altar to burnincense.