1Kings:12

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* And Rehoboam went to Shechem : for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king . * 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 ; ) * That they sent and called him . And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came , and spake unto Rehoboam R @chab #am #, saying , * 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 . * And he said unto them , Depart yet for three days , then come again to me . And the people departed . * 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 ? * 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 . * 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 : * 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 ? * 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 fathers loins . * 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 . * 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 . * And the king answered the people roughly , and forsook the old mens counsel that they gave him ; * 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 . * 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 . * 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 Yisra #el #: now see to thine own house , David . So Israel departed unto their tents . * But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah , Rehoboam reigned over them . * 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 . * So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day . * 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 Yisra #el #: there was none that followed the house of David , but the tribe of Judah only . * 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 Yisra #el #, to bring # the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon . * But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God , saying , * Speak unto Rehoboam R @chab #am #, the son of Solomon , king of Judah , and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin , and to the remnant of the people , saying , * Thus saith the LORD , Ye shall not go up , nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel Yisra #el #: 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 . * Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim , and dwelt therein ; and went out from thence , and built Penuel P @nuw #el #. * And Jeroboam said in his heart , Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David : * 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 . * 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 Yisra #el #, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt . * And he set the one in Bethel Beyth -#El #, and the other put he in Dan . * And this thing became a sin chatta #ah #: for the people went to worship before the one , even unto Dan . * 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 . * And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month , on the fifteenth chamesh # day of the month , like unto the feast that is in Judah , and he offered upon the altar . So did he in Bethel Beyth -#El #, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made : and he placed in Bethel Beyth -#El # the priests of the high places which he had made . * So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel Beyth -#El # the fifteenth chamesh # 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 Yisra #el #: and he offered upon the altar , and burnt incense .

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