12:1 And king Roboam goes to Sikima;
12:2 for all Israel were coming to Sikima to make him king.
12:3 And the people spoke to king Roboam, saying, Thy father made our yoke
heavy;
12:4 but do thou now lighten somewhat of the hard service of thy father, and
of his heavy yoke which he put upon us, and we will serve thee.
12:5 And he said to them, Depart for three days, and return to me. And they
departed.
12:6 And the king referred [the matter] to the elders, who stood before
Solomon his father while he was yet living, saying, How do ye advise that I
should answer this people?
12:7 And they spoke to him, saying, If thou wilt this day be a servant to
this people, and wilt serve them, and wilt speak to them good words, then
will they be thy servants continually.
12:8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they gave him, and
consulted with the young men who were brought up with him, who stood in his
presence.
12:9 And he said to them, What counsel do ye give? And what shall I answer
to this people who speak to me, saying, Lighten somewhat of the yoke which
hy father has put upon us?
12:10 And the young men who had been brought up with him, who stood before
his face, spoke to him, saying, Thus shalt thou say to this people who have
spoken to thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, and do thou now
lighten it from off us: thus shalt say to them, My little [finger shall be]
thicker than my father's loins.
12:11 And whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I also will add
to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you
with scorpions.
12:12 And all Israel came to king Roboam on the third day, as the king spoke
to them, saying, Return to me on the third day.
12:13 And the king answered the people harshly; and Roboam forsook the
counsel of the old men which they counseled him.
12:14 And he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men,
saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my
father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
12:15 And the king hearkened not to the people, because the change was from
the Lord, that he might establish his word which he spoke by Achia the
Selonite concerning Jeroboam the son of Nabat.
12:16 And all Israel saw that the king did not hearken to them: and the
people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither
have we any inheritance in the son of Jessae. Depart, O Israel, to thy
tents: now feed thine own house, David.
12:17 So Israel departed to his tents.
12:18 And the king sent Adoniram who was over the tribute; and they stoned
him with stones, and he died: and king Roboam made haste to rise to flee to
Jerusalem.
12:19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David until this day.
12:20 And it came to pass when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned
out of Egypt, that they sent and called him to the assembly, and they made
him king over Israel: and none followed the house of David except the tribe
of Juda and Benjamin only.
12:21 And Roboam went into Jerusalem, and he assembled the congregation of
Juda, and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and twenty thousand young men,
warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to recover the kingdom to
Roboam the son of Solomon.
12:22 And the word of the Lord came to Samaia the man of God, saying,
12:23 Speak to Roboam the son of Solomon, king of Juda, and to all the house
of Juda and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying,
12:24 Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, neither shall ye fight with
your brethren the sons of Israel: return each man to his own home; for this
thing is from me; and they hearkened to the word of the Lord, and they
ceased from going up, according to the word of the Lord. So king Solomon
sleeps with his fathers, and is buried with his fathers in the city of
David; and Roboam his son reigned in his stead in Jerusalem, being sixteen
years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twelve years in Jerusalem:
and his mother's name [was] Naanan, daughter of Ana son of Naas king of the
children of Ammon. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord,
and walked not in the way of David his father. And there was a man of mount
Ephraim, a servant to Solomon, and his name [was] Jeroboam; and the name of
his mother [was] Sarira, a harlot; and Solomon made him head of the levies
of the house of Joseph: and he built for Solomon Sarira in mount Ephraim;
and he had three hundred chariots of horses: he built the citadel with the
levies of the house of Ephraim; he fortified the city of David, and aspired
to the kingdom. And Solomon sought to kill him; and he was afraid, and
escaped to Susakim king of Egypt, and was with him until Solomon died. And
Jeroboam heard in Egypt that Solomon was dead; and he spoke in the ears of
Susakim king of Egypt, saying, Let me go, and I will depart into my land;
and Susakim said to him, Ask any request, and I will grant it thee. And
Susakim gave to Jeroboam Ano the eldest sister of Thekemina his wife, to be
his wife: she was great among the daughters of the king, and she bore to
Jeroboam Abia his son: and Jeroboa said to Susakim, Let me indeed go, and I
will depart. And Jeroboam departed out of Egypt, and came into the land of
Sarira that was in mount Ephraim, and thither the whole tribe of Ephraim
assembles, and Jeroboam built a fortress there. And his young child was sick
with a very severe sickness; and Jeroboam went to enquire concerning the
child: and he said to Ano his wife, Arise, go, enquire of God concerning the
child, whether he shall recover from his sickness. Now there was a man in
Selom, and his name [was] Achia: and he was sixty years old, and the word of
the Lord [was] with him. And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, and take in
thine hand loaves for the man of God, and cakes for his children, and grapes
and a pot of honey. And the woman arose, and took in her hand bread, and two
cakes, and grapes, and a pot of honey, for Achia: and the man [was] old, and
his eyes were dim, so that he could not see. And she arose up from Sarira
and went; and it came to pass when she had come into the city of Achia the
Selonite, that Achia said to his servant, Go out now to meet Ano the wife of
Jeroboam, and thou shalt say to her, Come in, and stand not [still]: for
thus saith the Lord, I send grievous tidings to thee. And Ano went in to the
man of God; and Achia said to her, Why hast thou brought me bread and
grapes, and cakes, and a pot of honey? Thus saith the Lord, Behold, thou
shalt depart from me, and it shall come to pass when thou hast entered into
the city, [even] into Sarira, that thy maidens shall come out to meet thee,
and shall say to thee, The child is dead: for thus saith the Lord, Behold, I
will destroy every male of Jeroboam, and there shall be the dead of Jeroboam
in the city, [them] the dogs shall eat, and him that has died in the field
shall the birds of the air eat, and he shall lament for the child, [saying],
Woe is [me], Lord! for there has been found in him some good thing touching
the Lord. And the woman departed, when she heard this: and it came to pass
as she entered into Sarira, that the child did; and there came forth a
wailing to meet [her]. And Jeroboam went to Sikima in mount Ephraim, and
assembled there the tribes of Israel; and Roboam the son of Solomon went up
thither. And the word of the Lord came to Samaias son of Enlami, saying,
Take to thyself a new garment which has not gone into the water, and rend it
[into] twelve pieces; and thou shalt give [some] to Jeroboam, and shalt say
to him, Thus saith the Lord, Take to thyself ten pieces to cover thee: and
Jeroboam took [them]: and Samaias said, Thus saith the Lord concerning the
ten tribes of Israel. And the people said to Roboam the son of Solomon, Thy
father made his yoke heavy upon us, and made the meat of his table heavy;
and now thou shalt lighten them upon us, and we will serve thee. And Roboam
said to the people, Wait three days, and I will return an answer: and Roboam
said, Bring in to me the elders, and I will take counsel with them what I
shall answer to the people on the third day. So Roboam spoke in their ears,
as the people sent to him to [say]: and the elders of the people said, Thus
the people have spoken to thee. And Roboam rejected their counsel, and it
pleased him not: and he sent and brought in those who had been brought up
with him; and he said to them, Thus and thus has the people sent to me to
say: and they that had been brought up with him said, Thus shalt thou speak
to the people, saying, My little [finger] shall be thicker than my father's
loins; my father scourged you with whips, but I will rule you with
scorpions. And the saying pleased Roboam, and he answered the people as the
young men, they that were brought up with him, counseled him: and all the
people spoke as one man, every one to his neighbor, and they cried out all
together, saying, We have no part in David, nor inheritance in the son of
Jessae: to thy tents, O Israel, every one; for this man [is] not for a
prince or a ruler over us. And all the people was dispersed from Sikima, and
they departed every one to his tent: and Roboam strengthened himself and
departed, and mounted his chariot, and entered into Jerusalem: and there
follow him the whole tribe of Juda, and the whole tribe of Benjamin. And it
came to pass at the beginning of the year, that Roboam gathered all the men
of Juda and Benjamin, and went up to fight with Jeroboam at Sikima. And the
word of the Lord came to Samaeas the man of God, saying, Speak to Roboam
king of Juda, and to all the house of Juda and Benjamin, and to the remnant
of the people, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, neither
shall ye fight with your brethren the sons of Israel: return every man to
his house, for this thing is from me. And they hearkened to the word of the
Lord, and forbore to go up, according to the word of the Lord.
12:25 And Jeroboam built Sikima in mount Ephraim and dwelt in it, and went
forth thence and built Phanuel.
12:26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Behold, now the kingdom will return to
the house of David.
12:27 If this people shall go up to offer sacrifice in the house of the Lord
at Jerusalem, then the heart of the people will return to the Lord, and to
their master, to Roboam king of Juda, and they will slay me.
12:28 And the king took counsel, and went, and made two golden heifers, and
said to the people, Let it suffice you to have gone [hitherto] to Jerusalem:
behold thy gods, O Israel, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
12:29 And he put one in Bethel, and he put the other in Dan.
12:30 And this thing became a sin; and the people went before one as far as
Dan, and left the house of the Lord.
12:31 And he made houses on the high places, and made priests of any part of
the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.
12:32 And Jeroboam appointed a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth
day of the month, according to the feast in the land of Juda;
12:33 and went up to the altar which he made in Baethel to sacrifice to the
heifers which he made, and he placed in Baethel the priests of the high
places which he had made. And he went up to the altar which he had made, on
the fifteenth dy in the eighth month, at the feast which he devised out of
his own heart; and he made a feast to the children of Israel, and went up to
the altar to sacrifice. |
12:1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all
Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.
12:2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in
Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and
Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;)
12:3 That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of
Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,
12:4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous
service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and
we will serve thee.
12:5 And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to
me. And the people departed.
12:6 And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon
his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer
this people?
12:7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this
people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words
to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.
12:8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him,
and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which
stood before him:
12:9 And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this
people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did
put upon us lighter?
12:10 And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying,
Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy
father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt
thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's
loins.
12:11 And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add
to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise
you with scorpions.
12:12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the
king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.
12:13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men's
counsel that they gave him;
12:14 And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My
father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also
chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
12:15 Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was
from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake by
Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
12:16 So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the
people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither
have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to
thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.
12:17 But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah,
Rehoboam reigned over them.
12:18 Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all
Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made
speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
12:19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.
12:20 And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come
again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him
king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but
the tribe of Judah only.
12:21 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of
Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen
men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the
kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.
12:22 But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
12:23 Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all
the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying,
12:24 Thus saith the 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 from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the LORD, and
returned to depart, according to the word of the LORD.
12:25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and
went out from thence, and built Penuel.
12:26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the
house of David:
12:27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at
Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord,
even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to
Rehoboam king of Judah.
12:28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said
unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O
Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
12:29 And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.
12:30 And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the
one, even unto Dan.
12:31 And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of
the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.
12:32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth
day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon
the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had
made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had
made.
12:33 So 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 devised of his own
heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon
the altar, and burnt incense. |