rsv 1Kings:12:1-20 SEEK
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Rehobo '
am went to Shechem ,
for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king .
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And when Jerobo '
am the son of Nebat heard of it (
for he was still in Egypt ,
whither he had fled from King Solomon ),
then Jerobo '
am returned from Egypt .
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And they sent and called him ;
and Jerobo '
am and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehobo '
am ,
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Your father made our yoke heavy .
Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke upon us ,
and we will serve you ."
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He said to them , "
Depart for three days ,
then come again to me ."
So the people went away .
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Then King Rehobo '
am took counsel with the old men ,
who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive ,
saying , "
How do you advise me to answer this people ?"
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And they said to him , "
If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them ,
and speak good words to them when you answer them ,
then they will be your servants for ever ."
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But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him ,
and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him .
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And he said to them , "
What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me , `
Lighten the yoke that your father put upon us '?"
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And the young men who had grown up with him said to him , "
Thus shall you speak to this people who said to you , `
Your father made our yoke heavy ,
but do you lighten it for us ';
thus shall you say to them , `
My little finger is thicker than my father '
s loins .
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And now ,
whereas my father laid upon you a heavy yoke ,
I will add to your yoke .
My father chastised you with whips ,
but I will chastise you with scorpions .'"
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So Jerobo '
am and all the people came to Rehobo '
am the third day ,
as the king said , "
Come to me again the third day ."
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And the king answered the people harshly ,
and forsaking the counsel which the old men had given him ,
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he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men ,
saying , "
My father made your yoke heavy ,
but I will add to your yoke ;
my father chastised you with whips ,
but I will chastise you with scorpions ."
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So the king did not hearken to the people ;
for it was a turn of affairs brought about by the LORD that he might fulfil his word ,
which the LORD spoke by Ahi '
jah the Shi '
lonite to Jerobo '
am the son of Nebat .
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And when all Israel saw that the king did not hearken to them ,
the people answered the king , "
What portion have we in David ?
We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse .
To your tents ,
O Israel !
Look now to your own house ,
David ."
So Israel departed to their tents .
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But Rehobo '
am reigned over the people of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah .
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Then King Rehobo '
am sent Ador '
am ,
who was taskmaster over the forced labor ,
and all Israel stoned him to death with stones .
And King Rehobo '
am made haste to mount his chariot ,
to flee to Jerusalem .
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So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day .
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And when all Israel heard that Jerobo '
am had returned ,
they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel .
There was none that followed the house of David ,
but the tribe of Judah only .