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.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 11:27 Or the Millo
  2. 1 Kings 11:33 Hebrew; Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac because he has

26 Then (A)Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, Solomon’s servant, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow, (B)also [a]rebelled against the king. 27 Now this was the reason why he [b]rebelled against the king: (C)Solomon built the [c]Millo, and closed up the breach of the city of his father David. 28 Now the man Jeroboam was a valiant warrior, and when (D)Solomon saw that the young man was [d]industrious, he appointed him over all the [e]forced labor of the house of Joseph. 29 And it came about at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that (E)the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the road. Now [f]Ahijah had clothed himself with a new cloak; and both of them were alone in the field. 30 Then (F)Ahijah took hold of the new cloak which was on him and tore it into twelve pieces. 31 And he said to Jeroboam, “Take for yourself ten pieces; for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘Behold, (G)I am going to tear the kingdom away from the hand of Solomon and give you ten tribes 32 ((H)but he shall have one tribe, for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, (I)the city which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel), 33 because they have abandoned Me, and (J)have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, (K)Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the sons of Ammon; and they have not walked in My ways, doing what is right in My sight and keeping My statutes and My ordinances, as his father David did. 34 Nevertheless I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him ruler all the days of his life, for the sake of My servant David whom I chose, who kept My commandments and My statutes; 35 but (L)I will take the kingdom from his son’s hand and give it to you; that is, ten tribes. 36 But (M)to his son I will give one tribe, (N)so that My servant David may always have a lamp before Me in Jerusalem, (O)the city where I have chosen for Myself to put My name. 37 However I will take you, and you shall reign over all that [g]you desire, and you shall be king over Israel. 38 Then it shall be, that if you listen to all that I command you and walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight by keeping My statutes and My commandments, as My servant David did, then (P)I will be with you and (Q)build you an enduring house as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you. 39 So I will oppress the [h]descendants of David for this, but not always.’” 40 Solomon sought therefore to put Jeroboam to death; but Jeroboam set out and fled to Egypt to (R)Shishak king of Egypt, and he was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 11:26 Lit lifted up a hand
  2. 1 Kings 11:27 Lit lifted up a hand
  3. 1 Kings 11:27 I.e., terraced structure
  4. 1 Kings 11:28 Lit a performer of work
  5. 1 Kings 11:28 Lit burden of
  6. 1 Kings 11:29 Lit he
  7. 1 Kings 11:37 Lit your soul desires
  8. 1 Kings 11:39 Lit seed