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Jeroboam’s Rebellion

26 Jeroboam son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow, rebelled against the king.(A) 27 The following was the reason he rebelled against the king. Solomon built the Millo and closed up the gap in the wall[a] of the city of his father David.(B) 28 The man Jeroboam was very able, and when Solomon saw that the young man was industrious, he gave him charge over all the forced labor of the house of Joseph. 29 About that time, when Jeroboam was leaving Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the road. Ahijah had clothed himself with a new garment. The two of them were alone in the open country(C) 30 when Ahijah laid hold of the new garment he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces.(D) 31 He then said to Jeroboam, “Take for yourself ten pieces, for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: See, I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon and will give you ten tribes.(E) 32 One tribe will remain his, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel. 33 This is because he has[b] forsaken me, worshiped Astarte the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites, and has[c] not walked in my ways, doing what is right in my sight and keeping my statutes and my ordinances, as his father David did.(F) 34 Nevertheless, I will not take the whole kingdom away from him but will make him ruler all the days of his life, for the sake of my servant David whom I chose and who did keep my commandments and my statutes, 35 but I will take the kingdom away from his son and give it to you—that is, the ten tribes.(G) 36 Yet to his son I will give one tribe, so that my servant David may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen to put my name.(H) 37 I will take you, and you shall reign over all that your soul desires; you shall be king over Israel. 38 If you will listen to all that I command you, walk in my ways, and do what is right in my sight by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, I will be with you and will build you an enduring house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you.(I) 39 For this reason I will punish the descendants of David, but not forever.” 40 Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam promptly fled to Egypt, to King Shishak of Egypt, and remained in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

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Footnotes

  1. 11.27 Heb lacks in the wall
  2. 11.33 Gk Syr Vg: Heb they have
  3. 11.33 Gk Syr Vg: Heb they have

26 Now Solomon’s servant,(A) Jeroboam son of Nebat, was an Ephraimite from Zeredah. His widowed mother’s name was Zeruah. Jeroboam rebelled(B) against Solomon, 27 and this is the reason he rebelled against the king: Solomon had built the supporting terraces(C) and repaired the opening in the wall of the city of his father David. 28 Now the man Jeroboam was capable, and Solomon noticed the young man because he was getting things done. So he appointed him over the entire labor force of the house of Joseph.(D)

29 During that time, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite(E) met Jeroboam on the road as Jeroboam came out of Jerusalem. Now Ahijah had wrapped himself with a new cloak, and the two of them were alone in the open field. 30 Then Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he had on, tore it into twelve pieces,(F) 31 and said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I am about to tear the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand. I will give you ten tribes, 32 but one tribe will remain his for the sake of my servant David(G) and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I chose out of all the tribes of Israel.(H) 33 For they have abandoned me; they have bowed down to Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, to Chemosh, the god of Moab, and to Milcom, the god of the Ammonites.(I) They have not walked in my ways to do what is right in my sight and to carry out my statutes and my judgments as his father David did.(J)

34 “‘However, I will not take the whole kingdom from him but will let him be ruler all the days of his life for the sake of my servant David, whom I chose and who kept my commands and my statutes. 35 I will take ten tribes of the kingdom from his son and give them to you. 36 I will give one tribe(K) to his son,(L) so that my servant David will always have a lamp[a] before me(M) in Jerusalem, the city I chose for myself to put my name there.(N) 37 I will appoint you,(O) and you will reign as king(P) over all you want,(Q) and you will be king over Israel.

38 “‘After that, if you obey all I command you, walk in my ways, and do what is right in my sight in order to keep my statutes and my commands as my servant David did, I will be with you.(R) I will build you a lasting dynasty just as I built for David,(S) and I will give you Israel. 39 I will humble David’s descendants, because of their unfaithfulness, but not forever.’”[b](T)

40 Therefore, Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam,(U) but he fled to Egypt,(V) to King Shishak of Egypt,(W) where he remained until Solomon’s death.

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Footnotes

  1. 11:36 Or dominion
  2. 11:38–39 LXX omits and I will give... but not forever