26 (A)Jeroboam the son of Nebat, (B)an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow, also (C)lifted up his hand against the king. 27 And this was the reason why he lifted up his hand against the king. (D)Solomon built the Millo, and closed up the breach of the city of David his father. 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 And at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, the prophet (E)Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the road. Now Ahijah had dressed himself in a new garment, and the two of them were alone in the open country. 30 Then Ahijah laid hold of the new garment that was on him, (F)and tore it into twelve pieces. 31 And he said to Jeroboam, “Take for yourself ten pieces, for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, (G)I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon and will give you ten tribes 32 (but (H)he shall have one tribe, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, (I)the city that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel), 33 because they have[a] forsaken me (J)and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites, and they have not walked in my ways, doing what is right in my sight and keeping my statutes and my rules, as David his father 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 David my servant whom I chose, who kept my commandments and my statutes. 35 (K)But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand and will give it to you, ten tribes. 36 Yet to his son (L)I will give one tribe, that David my servant may always have (M)a lamp before me in Jerusalem, (N)the city where I have chosen to put my name. 37 And I will take you, and you shall reign over all that your soul desires, and you shall be king over Israel. 38 And if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, (O)I will be with you and (P)will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you. 39 And I will afflict the offspring of David because of this, but not forever.’” 40 Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. But Jeroboam arose and fled into Egypt, to (Q)Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 11:33 Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate he has; twice in this verse

Jeroboam Rebels against Solomon

26 Solomon had a servant, Nebat’s son Jeroboam, who was an Ephraimite from Zeredah. His widowed mother was named Zeruah. Jeroboam rebelled against Solomon, 27 and this is why he rose in rebellion against the king: Solomon had built up the terrace ramparts[a] in the city of his father David in order to repair a weakness. 28 Jeroboam was a valiant soldier, and because Solomon observed that the young man was able to get things done, he set him in charge over all of the conscripted labor from the household of Joseph. 29 During that time, Jeroboam left Jerusalem and the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met him on the road. Ahijah had wrapped himself up in a new cloak, and both of them were alone on the open road. 30 Ahijah grabbed the new cloak that he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces! 31 Then he told Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces for yourself, because this is what the Lord God of Israel says:

‘Pay attention! I’m going to tear the kingdom out of Solomon’s control[b] and give you ten tribes. 32 I’ll leave him one tribe for the sake of my servant David and one tribe[c] for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I chose from all of the tribes of Israel. 33 I’m doing this[d] because they have abandoned me and worshipped that Sidonian goddess Astarte, the Moabite god Chemosh, and the Ammonite god Milcom. They haven’t lived my way by doing what I consider to be right and observing my statutes and my ordinances, like his father David did.

34 ‘Nevertheless, I won’t take the entire kingdom away from him, but I’ll let him reign for the rest of his life, because of my servant David, whom I chose, who obeyed my commandments and statutes, 35 but I will take the kingdom away from his son’s control[e] and give ten tribes to you. 36 I’ll give one tribe to his son, so my servant David will always have a light shining in my presence in Jerusalem, the city that I chose for myself and where I have placed my name. 37 I’m going to take you and have you reign over whatever you desire. You will be king over Israel. 38 If you listen to everything that I command you to do, and if you live your life my way,[f] and if you do what I consider to be right by observing my statutes and my commandments, just like my servant David did, then I will be with you, I will build an enduring dynasty for you,[g] just like I did for David, and I’ll give Israel to you. 39 This is how I’m going to afflict David’s descendants because of what they have done, though I won’t do it continuously.’”

40 That’s why Solomon tried to execute Jeroboam, but Jeroboam got up and fled to Egypt, where he lived as a guest of King Shishak and remained until Solomon had died.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 11:27 Lit. the Millo, fortified areas of ancient Jerusalem with terraces and retaining walls
  2. 1 Kings 11:31 Lit. hand
  3. 1 Kings 11:32 The Heb. lacks one tribe
  4. 1 Kings 11:33 The Heb. lacks I’m doing this
  5. 1 Kings 11:35 Lit. hand
  6. 1 Kings 11:38 Lit. you walk in my ways
  7. 1 Kings 11:38 Lit. enduring house