Book 10 : NEVIIM - I KINGS - Chapter 012
12:001
And Rehoboam went to Shechem; for all Israel were come to
Shechem to make him king
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And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard
of it--for he was yet in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of king
Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt
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and they sent and called him--that Jeroboam and all the
congregation of Israel came, and spoke unto Rehoboam, saying
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'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.
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And he said unto them: 'Depart yet for three days, then
come again to me.' And the people departed
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And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, that had
stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying: 'What counsel give
ye me to return answer to this people?
12:007
And they spoke 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.
12:008
But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had
given him, and took counsel with the young men that were grown up with him, that
stood before him
12:009
And he said unto them: 'What counsel give ye, that we may
return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying: Make the yoke that
thy father did put upon us lighter?
12:010
And the young men that were grown up with him spoke unto
him, saying: `Thus shalt thou say unto this people that spoke unto thee, saying:
Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt
thou speak unto them: My little finger is thicker than my father's loins
12:011
And now whereas my father did burden you with a heavy
yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will
chastise you with scorpions.
12:012
So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third
day, as the king bade, saying: 'Come to me again the third day.
12:013
And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the
counsel of the old men which they had given him
12:014
and spoke to them after the counsel of the young men,
saying: 'My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father
chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
12:015
So the king hearkened not unto the people; for it was a
thing brought about of HaShem, that He might establish His word, which HaShem
spoke by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat
12:016
And 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
12:017
But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities
of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them
12:018
Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the levy; and
all Israel stoned him with stones, so that he died. And king Rehoboam made speed
to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem
12:019
So Israel rebelled against the house of David, unto this
day
12:020
And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam
was returned, 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
12:021
And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, be assembled all
the house of Judah, and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand
chosen men that were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring
the kingdom back to Rehoboam the son of Solomon
12:022
But the word of G-d came unto Shemaiah the man of G-d,
saying
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'Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah,
and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people,
saying
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Thus saith HaShem: Ye shall not go up, nor fight against
your brethren the children of Israel; return every man to his house; for this
thing is of Me.' So they hearkened unto the word of HaShem, and returned and
went their way, according to the word of HaShem
12:025
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill-country of
Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and he went out from thence, and built Penuel
12:026
And Jeroboam said in his heart: 'Now will the kingdom
return to the house of David
12:027
If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of
HaShem at Jerusalem, then will the heart of this people turn back unto their
lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me, and return to
Rehoboam king of Judah.
12:028
Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of
gold; and he said unto them: 'Ye have gone up long enough to Jerusalem; behold
thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
12:029
And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in
Dan
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And this thing became a sin; for the people went to
worship before the one, even unto Dan
12:031
And he made houses of high places, and made priests from
among all the people, that were not of the sons of Levi
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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 went up
unto the altar; so did he in Beth-el, to sacrifice unto the calves that he had
made; and he placed in Beth-el the priests of the high places that he had made
12:033
And he went up unto the altar which he had made in Beth-el
on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised
of his own heart; and he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and went
up unto the altar, to offer
Book 10 : NEVIIM - I KINGS - Chapter 012
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