‏ 1 Kings 12

CHAPTER 12

Rehoboam Abandons the Counsel of the Elders

1And [³went   ¹king ²Rehoboam] to Shechem, for [⁴unto ⁵Shechem ³came ¹all ²Israel] to give him reign. 2And it came to pass as [⁴heard ¹Jeroboam ²son ³of Nebat], and he was still being in Egypt, as he had fled from the face   of king Solomon, and settled in Egypt, 3that they sent and called him. And Jeroboam came and all the people of Israel. And [³spoke ¹the ²people] to   king Rehoboam, saying, 4  Your father hardened   our neck yoke. And you now, lighten of   [³servitude   ⁴of your father ¹the ²hard], and from   [³neck yoke ¹his   ²heavy]! of which he put upon us, and we will serve to you. 5And he said to them, Go forth for [²days ¹three], and return to me! And they went forth. 6And [³reported   ¹king ²Rehoboam] to the elders, the ones who were standing before Solomon   his father [²was still ³living ¹while he], saying, How do you counsel that I should answer to  this people a word? 7And they spoke to him, saying, If in   this day you will be a servant   to this people, and should serve them, and shall speak to them [²words ¹with good], then they will be to you servants all the days. 8And he abandoned the counsel of the elders which they advised him, and he took up advice with the young men   being brought up with him, of the ones standing before his face. 9And he said to them, What do you advise, and what should I answer   to this people   speaking to me, saying, Lighten up the neck yoke which [²put   ¹your father] upon us? 10And they spoke to him, the young men   having been brought up with him; and they said, Thus you shall speak   to this people, to the ones speaking to you, saying,   Your father oppressed   our neck yoke, and you now lighten it from us! Thus you shall say to them,   My thinness [²thicker than ¹is] the loin   of my father. 11And now,   my father saddled you with [²neck yoke ¹a heavy], and I will add unto   your neck yoke.   My father corrected you with whips, but I will correct you with scorpions. 12And Jeroboam came, and all Israel to   king Rehoboam on the [²day   ¹third] as [³spoke ⁴to them ¹the ²king], saying, Return to me   [³day ¹the ²third]! 13And [³answered ¹the ²king] to the people hard. And Rehoboam abandoned the counsel of the elders which they advised him. 14And he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying,   My father oppressed   your neck yoke, and I shall add to   your neck yoke.   My father corrected you with whips, and I will correct you with scorpions. 15And [³did not ⁴hear ¹the ²king] the people, for he was converted by the lord, so that [²should stand   ¹his word], which he spoke by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite over Jeroboam son of Nebat. 16And [³knew ¹all ²Israel] that [³did not hearken to ⁴them ¹the ²king]. And [³answered ¹the ²people] to the king, saying, What is our portion with David? and, There is no inheritance to us with the son of Jesse. Run, O Israel, to   your tents! Now graze   your own house, David! And Israel went forth to   his tents. 17And the sons of Israel, the ones dwelling in the cities of Judah -- [²reigned ³over ⁴them   ¹Rehoboam]. 18And [³sent   ¹king ²Rehoboam]   Adoram, the one  for collecting  the tribute. And [³stoned ⁴him ⁵with ⁶stones ¹all ²Israel], and he died. And   king Rehoboam anticipated to ascend upon the chariot   to flee into Jerusalem. 19And Israel annulled allegiance  with the house of David until   this day.

Jeroboam Reigns in Israel

20And it came to pass as [³heard ¹all ²Israel] that Jeroboam returned from out of Egypt, that they sent and called him to the congregation. And they gave him reign over Israel. And there was none following after the house of David except the chiefdom of Judah and Benjamin only. 21And Rehoboam entered into Jerusalem, and he held an assembly of all the congregation of Judah, and the chiefdom of Benjamin -- a hundred and twenty thousand young men for making war,   to wage war against the house of Israel, to return the kingdom of Rehoboam son of Solomon. 22And there came to pass the word of the lord  to Shemaiah the man   of God, saying, 23Speak   to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people! saying, 24Thus says the lord, You shall not ascend, nor wage war with   your brethren of the sons of Israel. Let [²return ¹each] to   his house! for from me [²has taken place   ¹this thing]. And they hearkened to the word of the lord, and they ceased   to go against the thing of the lord. 25And Jeroboam built   Shechem   in mount Ephraim, and he dwelt in it. And he went forth from there and built   Penuel.

Jeroboam Makes Two Heifers of Gold

26And Jeroboam said in   his heart, Behold, now [³shall return ¹the ²kingdom] to the house of David, 27if [²should ascend   ¹this people] to offer a sacrifice in the house of the lord  in Jerusalem, then [⁵shall turn ¹the ²heart ³of the ⁴people] towards   their master, to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me. 28And [³consulted ¹the ²king], and made two heifers of gold. And he said to the people, Let it be enough for you to ascend to Jerusalem! Behold,   your gods, O Israel, the ones leading you from out of the land of Egypt. 29And he put the one in Beth-el, and the other one he put in Dan. 30And [³came to pass   ²account ¹this] for sin. And [³went ¹the ²people] after the one unto Dan. 31And he made houses upon high places, and he appointed priests from any part of the people who were not of the sons of Levi. 32And Jeroboam made a holiday feast  in the [²month   ¹eighth], on the fifteenth day of the month, according to the holiday, the one in   Judah. And he ascended unto the altar which he made in Beth-el,   to sacrifice to the heifers which he made. And he placed in Beth-el the priests of the high places  which he made. 33And he ascended unto the altar which he made in the fifteenth day in the [²month   ¹eighth], in the holiday which he shaped out of his own heart. And he made the holiday for the sons of Israel, and he ascended unto the altar   to sacrifice upon it.