Jeroboam Rebels Against Solomon

²⁶ Also, Jeroboam son of Nebat rebelled^(A) against the king. He was one of Solomon’s officials, an Ephraimite from Zeredah, and his mother was a widow named Zeruah.

²⁷ Here is the account of how he rebelled against the king: Solomon had built the terraces^[a](B) and had filled in the gap in the wall of the city of David his father. ²⁸ Now Jeroboam was a man of standing,^(C) and when Solomon saw how well^(D) the young man did his work, he put him in charge of the whole labor force of the tribes of Joseph.

²⁹ About that time Jeroboam was going out of Jerusalem, and Ahijah^(E) the prophet of Shiloh met him on the way, wearing a new cloak. The two of them were alone out in the country, ³⁰ and Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing and tore^(F) it into twelve pieces. ³¹ Then he said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘See, I am going to tear^(G) the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand and give you ten tribes. ³² But for the sake^(H) of my servant David and the city of Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, he will have one tribe. ³³ I will do this because they have^[b] forsaken me and worshiped^(I) Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Molek the god of the Ammonites, and have not walked^(J) in obedience to me, nor done what is right in my eyes, nor kept my decrees^(K) and laws as David, Solomon’s father, did.

³⁴ “‘But I will not take the whole kingdom out of Solomon’s hand; I have made him ruler all the days of his life for the sake of David my servant, whom I chose and who obeyed my commands and decrees. ³⁵ I will take the kingdom from his son’s hands and give you ten tribes. ³⁶ I will give one tribe^(L) to his son so that David my servant may always have a lamp^(M) before me in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to put my Name. ³⁷ However, as for you, I will take you, and you will rule^(N) over all that your heart desires;^(O) you will be king over Israel. ³⁸ If you do whatever I command you and walk in obedience to me and do what is right^(P) in my eyes by obeying my decrees^(Q) and commands, as David my servant did, I will be with you. I will build you a dynasty^(R) as enduring as the one I built for David and will give Israel to you. ³⁹ I will humble David’s descendants because of this, but not forever.’”

⁴⁰ Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam fled^(S) to Egypt, to Shishak^(T) the king, and stayed there until Solomon’s death.