1Kings:12

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* And Rehobo ’am went to Shechem ; for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king . * And it came to pass , when Jerobo ’am the son of Nebat , heard of it , (but he was yet in Egypt , whither he was fled from the presence of king Solomon , and Jerobo ’am dwelt in Egypt ; * And they had sent and called him ;) that Jerobo ’am and all the congregation of Israel came , and spoke unto Rehobo ’am , saying , * Thy father made our yoke hard ; but do thou now make lighter the hard service of thy father , and his heavy yoke which he put upon us , and we will serve thee . * And he said unto them , Go away yet for three days , and then return to me . And the people went away . * Then consulted king Rehobo ’am with the old men , that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived , and said , How do ye advise that I should give an answer to this people ? * And they spoke unto him , saying , If thou wilt this day be a servant unto this people , and wilt serve them , and be attentive to them , and speak to them good words ; then will they be servants unto thee for all times . * 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 , those who stood before him : * And he said unto them , What do you counsel how we should give an answer to this people , who have spoken to me , saying , Make lighter the yoke which thy father did put upon us ? * Then spoke unto him the young men that were grown up with him , saying , Thus must thou say unto this people that have spoken unto thee , saying , Thy father made our yoke heavy , but do thou make it lighter unto us : thus must thou speak unto them , My little finger is thicker than my father ’s loins . * And now , if my father hath burdened you with a heavy yoke , I will even add to your yoke ; if my father hath chastised you with whips , then will I chastise you with scorpion –thorns . * When now Jerobo ’am and all the people came to Rehobo ’am on the third day , as the king had spoken , saying , Return to me on the third day . * The king answered the people harshly , and forsook the old men ’s counsel that they had advised him ; * And he spoke to them after the counsel of the young men , saying , My father made your yoke heavy , and I will even add to your yoke ; my father chastised you with whips , but I will chastise you with scorpion –thorns . * Thus the king hearkened not unto the people ; for it was so brought about from the Lord , in order that he might fulfill his word , which the Lord had spoken by means of Achiyah the Shilonite unto Jerobo ’am the son of Nebat . * So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them , the people gave the king an answer saying , What portion have we in David ? nor have we an inheritance in the son of Jesse ; to your tents , O Israel : now see to thy own house , David . So did Israel go away unto their tents . * But as for the children of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah , over them did Rehobo ’am reign . * Then sent king Rehobo ’am Adoram , who was over the tribute ; but all Israel stoned him with stones , that he died . Therefore king Rehobo ’am made speed with all his might to get up into his chariot , to flee to Jerusalem . * So did Israel rebel against the house of David unto this day . * And it came to pass , when all Israel heard that Jerobo ’am was returned , 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 , save the tribe of Judah alone . * And when Rehobo ’am was come to Jerusalem , he assembled all the house of Judah , with the tribe of Benjamin , a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men , warriors , to fight against the house of Israel , to bring back the kingdom to Rehobo ’am the son of Solomon . * But the word of God came unto Shema ’yah the man of God , saying , * Say unto Rehobo ’am , the son of Solomon , the king of Judah , and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin , and to the remnant of the people , saying , * Thus hath said the Lord , Ye shall not go up , nor fight with your brethren the children of Israel : return every man to his house ; for from me hath this thing been brought about . And they hearkened to the word of the Lord , and returned to go home , according to the word of the Lord . * And Jerobo ’am built Shechem in the mountain of Ephraim , and dwelt therein ; and he went out from there and built Penuel . * And Jerobo ’am said in his heart , Now may the kingdom return to the house of David : * If this people go up to prepare sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem , then may the heart of this people turn again unto their Lord , even unto Rehobo ’am the king of Judah , and they might kill me , and return to Rehobo ’am the king of Judah . * Whereupon the king took counsel , and he made two calves of gold , and said unto the people , You have been long enough going up to Jerusalem : behold , here are thy gods , O Israel , which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt . * And he placed the one in Beth –el , and the other put he in Daniel . * And this thing became a sin ; and the people went before the one , as far as Daniel . * And he made a house of the high –places , and made priests of the lowest of the people , who were not of the sons of Levi . * And Jerobo ’am made 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 Beth –el , sacrificing unto the calves that he had made : and he stationed at Beth –el the priests of the high –places whom he had made . * So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Beth –el on the fifteenth day of the eighth month , in the month which he had falsely devised of his own heart ; and he ordained a feast unto the children of Israel , and he went up to the altar , to burn incense .

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