Beginning
12 1 Rehoboam succeedeth Solomon. 8 He refuseth the counsel of the Ancient. 20 Jeroboam reigneth over Israel. 21 God commandeth Rehoboam not to fight. 28 Jeroboam maketh golden calves.
1 And (A)Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem, to make him king.
2 And when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (who was yet in Egypt, (B)whither Jeroboam had fled from king Solomon, and [a]dwelt in Egypt.)
3 Then they sent and called him: and Jeroboam and all the Congregation of Israel came and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,
4 Thy father made our (C)yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous servitude of thy father, and his sore yoke which he put upon us, [b]lighter, and we will serve thee.
5 And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.
6 And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that [c]had stood before Solomon his father, while he yet lived, and said, What counsel give ye, that I may make an answer to this people?
7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be a [d]servant unto this people this day, and serve them, and answer them, and speak kind words to them, they will be thy servants forever.
8 But he forsook the counsel that the old men had given him, and asked counsel of the young men that had been brought up with him, and waited on him.
9 And he said unto them, [e]What counsel give ye, that we may answer this people, which have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke, which thy father hath put upon us, lighter?
10 Then the young men that were brought up with him, spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou say unto this people, that have spoken unto thee, and said, Thy father hath made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us: even thus shalt thou say unto them, My [f]least part shall be [g]bigger than my father’s loins.
11 Now whereas my father did burden you with a grievous yoke, I will yet make your yoke heavier: my father hath chastised you with rods, but I will correct you with [h]scourges.
12 ¶ Then Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had [i]appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.
13 And the king answered the people sharply, and left the old men’s counsel that they gave him,
14 And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke grievous, and I will make your yoke more grievous: my father hath chastised you with rods, but I will correct you with scourges.
15 And the king hearkened not unto the people: for it was the [j]ordinance of the Lord, that he might perform his saying, which the Lord had spoken by (D)Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
16 So when all Israel saw that the king regarded them not, the people answered the king thus, saying, What portion have we in [k]David? we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.
17 Howbeit over the children of Israel, which dwelt in the cities of Judah, did Rehoboam reign still.
18 ¶ Now the king Rehoboam sent Adoram the receiver of the tribute, and all Israel stoned him to death: then the king Rehoboam [l]made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
19 And Israel rebelled against the house [m]of David unto this day.
20 ¶ And when all Israel had heard that Jeroboam was come again, they sent and called him to the assembly, and made him king over all Israel: none followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah (E)only.
21 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he [n]gathered all the house of Judah with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand of chosen men (which were good warriors) to fight against the house of Israel, and to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.
22 (F)But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the [o]man of God, saying,
23 Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and the remnant of the people, saying,
24 Thus saith the [p]Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house: for this thing is done by me. They obeyed therefore the word of the Lord, and returned, and departed according to the word of the Lord.
25 ¶ Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein, and went from thence, and built Penuel.
26 And Jeroboam thought in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David.
27 If this people go up and do sacrifice in the house of the Lord [q]at Jerusalem, then shall the hearts of this people turn again unto their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah: so shall they kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.
28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, [r]It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: Behold, O Israel, thy gods which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
29 And he set the one in Bethel, and the other set he in Dan.
30 And this thing turned to sin: for the people went (because of the one) even to Dan.
31 Also he made an [s]house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.
32 And Jeroboam made a feast the [t]fifteenth day of the eighth month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and offered on the altar. So did he in Bethel and offered unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the Priests of the high places, which he had made.
33 And he offered upon the altar, which he had made in Bethel, the fifteenth day of the eighth month, (even in the month which he had forged of his own heart) and made a solemn feast unto the children of Israel, and he went up to the altar, to burn incense.
13 1 Jeroboam is reprehended of the Prophet. 4 His hand drieth up. 13 The Prophet is seduced, 24 and is killed of a lion. 33 The obstinacy of Jeroboam.
1 And behold, there came [u]a man of God out of Judah (by the commandment of the Lord) unto [v]Bethel, and Jeroboam stood by the altar to offer incense.
2 And he cried against the altar by the commandment of the Lord, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord, Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, (G)Josiah by name, and upon thee shall he sacrifice the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and they shall burn men’s bones upon thee.
3 And he gave a sign the same time, saying, This is the [w]sign, that the Lord hath spoken, Behold, the altar shall rent, and the ashes that are upon it, shall [x]fall out.
4 And when the king had heard the saying of the man of God, which he had cried against the altar in Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his hand for the altar, saying, [y]Lay hold on him: but his hand which he put forth against him, dried up, and he could not pull it in again to him.
5 The altar also clave asunder, and the ashes fell out from the altar, according to the sign, which the man of God had given by the [z]commandment of the Lord.
6 Then the king answered and said unto the man of God, [aa]I beseech thee, pray unto the Lord thy God, and make intercession for me, that mine hand may be restored unto me. And the man of God besought the Lord, and the King’s hand was restored, and became as it was afore.
7 Then the King said unto the man of God, Come home with me, that thou mayest [ab]dine, and I will give thee a reward.
8 But the man of God said unto the King, If thou wouldest give me half thine house, I would not go with thee, neither would I eat bread nor drink water in this place.
9 For so [ac]was it charged me by the word of the Lord, saying, [ad]Eat no bread nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.
10 So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel.
11 ¶ And an old Prophet dwelt in Bethel, and his sons came and told him all the works, that the man of God had done that day in Bethel, and the words which he had spoken unto the king, told they their father.
12 And their father said unto them, What way went he? and his sons [ae]showed him what way the man of God went, which came from Judah.
13 And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. Who saddled him the ass, and he rode thereon,
14 And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God, that camest from Judah? And he said, [af]Yea.
15 Then he said unto him, [ag]Come home with me, and eat bread.
16 But he answered, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place.
17 For it was charged me by the word of the Lord, saying, Thou shalt eat no bread, nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou wentest.
18 And he said unto him, I am a Prophet also as thou art, and an [ah]Angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him again with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water: but he lied unto him.
19 So he went again with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water.
20 And as they sat at the table, the word of the Lord came unto the Prophet, that brought him again.
21 And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the Lord, [ai]Because thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the Lord, and hast not kept the commandment which the Lord thy God commanded thee,
22 But camest back again, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place (whereof he did say unto thee, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink any water) thy carcass shall not come unto the sepulcher of thy fathers.
23 ¶ And when he had eaten bread and drunk, he saddled him the ass, to wit, to the Prophet whom he had brought again,
24 And when he was gone, [aj]a lion met him by the way, and slew him, and his body was cast in the way, and the ass stood thereby: the Lion stood by the corpse also.
25 And behold, men that passed by, saw the carcass cast in the way, and the Lion standing by the corpse: and they came and told it in the town where the old Prophet dwelt.
26 And when the Prophet that brought him back again from the way, heard thereof, he said, It is the man of God, who hath been disobedient unto the Commandment of the Lord: therefore the Lord hath delivered him unto the Lion, which hath rent him and slain him, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake unto him.
27 ¶ And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him.
28 And he went and found his body cast in the way, and the ass and the Lion stood by the corpse: and the lion had [ak]not eaten the body, nor torn the ass.
29 And the Prophet took up the body of the man of God, and laid it upon the ass, and brought it again, and the old Prophet came to the city, to lament and bury him.
30 And he laid his body in his [al]own grave, and they lamented over him, saying, Alas, my brother.
31 And when he had buried him, he spake to his sons, saying, When I am dead, bury ye me also in the sepulcher, wherein the man of God is buried: lay my bones beside his bones.
32 For that thing which he cried by the word of the Lord against the altar that is in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places, which are in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to pass.
33 Howbeit after this Jeroboam [am]converted not from his wicked way, but turned again, and made of the lowest of the people priests of the high places. Who would, might [an]consecrate himself and be of the priests of the high places.
34 And this thing turned to sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to root it out, and destroy it from the face of the earth.
14 2 Jeroboam sendeth his wife disguised to Ahijah the Prophet, who declareth unto him the destruction of his house. 25 Judah is punished by Shishak.
1 At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick.
2 And Jeroboam said unto his wife, Up, I pray thee, [ao]and disguise thyself that they know not that thou art the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh: for there is Ahijah the Prophet, which told me (H)that I should be king over this people,
3 And take [ap]with [aq]thee, ten loaves and [ar]cracknels, and a bottle of honey, and go to him: he shall tell thee what shall become of the young man.
4 And Jeroboam’s wife did so, and arose, and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah: but Ahijah could not see, for his [as]sight was decayed for his age.
5 Then the Lord said unto Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to ask a thing of thee for her son, for he is sick: thus and thus shalt thou say unto her: for when she cometh in, she shall feign herself to be [at]another.
6 Therefore when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet as she came in at the door, he said, Come in thou [au]wife of Jeroboam: why feignest thou thus thyself to be another? I am sent to thee with heavy tidings.
7 Go tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Forasmuch as I have exalted [av]thee from among the people, and have made thee prince over my people Israel,
8 And have rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and have given it thee, and thou hast not been as my servant David, which kept my Commandments, and followed me with all his heart, and did only that which was right in mine eyes,
9 But hast done evil above all that were before thee (for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and [aw]molten images, to provoke me, and hast cast me behind thy back.)
10 Therefore behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that (I)[ax]pisseth against the wall, as well him that [ay]is shut up, as him that is left in Israel, and will sweep away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man sweepeth away dung till it be all gone.
11 The dogs shall eat him of Jeroboam’s stock that dieth in the city, and the fowls of the air shall eat him that dieth in the field: [az]for the Lord hath said it.
12 Up therefore and get thee to thine house: for when thy feet enter into the city, the child shall die.
13 And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found [ba]some goodness toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.
14 Moreover, the Lord shall stir him up a King over Israel which shall destroy the house of Jeroboam in that day: [bb]what? yea, even now.
15 For the Lord shall smite Israel, as when a reed is shaken in the water, and he shall weed Israel out of this good land, which he gave to their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the [bc]River, because they have made them groves, provoking the Lord to anger.
16 And he shall give Israel up, because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and [bd]made Israel to sin.
17 ¶ And Jeroboam’s wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah, and when she came to the threshold of the house, the young man died.
18 And they buried him, and all Israel lamented him, according to the word of the Lord which he spake by the hand of his servant Ahijah the Prophet.
19 And the rest of Jeroboam’s acts, how he warred, and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.
20 And the days which Jeroboam reigned, were two and twenty years: and he [be]slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his stead.
21 ¶ Also Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was one and forty years old, when he began to reign, and reigned seventeen [bf]years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there: and his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonite.
22 And Judah wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord: and they provoked him more with their sins, which they had committed, [bg]than all that which their fathers had done.
23 For they also made them high places, and images, and groves on every high hill, and under every green tree.
24 There were also Sodomites in the [bh]land, they did according to all the abominations of the nations, which the Lord hast cast out before the children of Israel.
25 ¶ And in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem,
26 And took the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the King’s house, and took away all: so he carried away all the shields of gold (J)which Solomon had made.
27 And king Rehoboam made for them brazen shields, and committed them unto the hands of the chief of the guard, which waited at the door of the king’s house.
28 And when the King went into the house of the Lord, the guard bare them, and brought them again into the guard chamber.
29 And the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, are they not written in [bi]the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?
30 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam [bj]continually.
31 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: his mother’s name was Naamah an [bk]Ammonite: and Abijam his son reigned in his stead.
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