1And Rehoboam went to Shechem : for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king . 2And it came to pass , when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it ( for he was yet in Egypt , whither he had fled from the presence of king Solomon , and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt , 3and they sent and called him ), that Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came , and spake unto Rehoboam , saying , 4Thy 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 . 5And he said unto them , Depart yet for three days , then come again to me . And the people departed . 6And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men , that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived , saying , What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people ? 7And 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 . 8But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him , and took counsel with the young men that were grown up with him , that stood before him . 9And he said unto them , What counsel give ye , that we may return answer to this people , who have spoken to me , saying , Make the yoke that thy father did put upon us lighter ? 10And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him , saying , Thus shalt thou say unto this people that spake unto thee , saying , Thy father made our yoke heavy , but make thou it lighter unto us ; thus shalt thou speak unto them , My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins . 11And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke , I will add to your yoke : my father chastised you with whips , but I will chastise you with scorpions . 12So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day , as the king bade , saying , Come to me again the third day . 13And the king answered the people roughly , and forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him , 14and spake to them after 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 . 15So the king hearkened not unto the people ; for it was a thing brought about of Jehovah , that he might establish his word , which Jehovah spake by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat .
Jeroboam's Rise and the Northern Kingdom
16And 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. 17But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah , Rehoboam reigned over them . 18Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the men subject to taskwork; and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. And king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot , to flee to Jerusalem . 19So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day . 20And it came to pass , when all Israel heard that Jeroboam 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 , but the tribe of Judah only . 21And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem , he assembled all the house of Judah , and the tribe of Benjamin , a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men , that were warriors , to fight against the house of Israel , to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon . 22But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying , 23Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon , king of Judah , and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin , and to the rest of the people , saying, 24Thus saith Jehovah , Ye shall not go up , nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel : return every man to his house ; for this thing is of me . So they hearkened unto the word of Jehovah , and returned and went their way , according to the word of Jehovah .
Jeroboam's Idolatry and Its Consequences
25Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and dwelt therein ; and he went out from thence , and built Penuel . 26And Jeroboam said in his heart , Now will the kingdom return to the house of David : 27if this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem , then will the heart of this people turn again unto their lord , even unto Rehoboam king of Judah ; and they will kill me , and return to Rehoboam king of Judah . 28Whereupon the king took counsel , and made two calves of gold ; and he 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 . 29And he set the one in Beth-el , and the other put he in Dan . 30And this thing became a sin ; for the people went to worship before the one , even unto Dan . 31And he made houses of high places , and made priests from among all the people , that were not of the sons of Levi . 32And 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 went up unto the altar ; so did he in Beth-el , sacrificing unto the calves that he had made : and he placed in Beth-el the priests of the high places that he had made . 33And he went up unto the altar which he had made in Beth-el on the fifteenth day in the eighth month , even in the month which he had devised of his own heart: and he ordained a feast for the children of Israel , and went up unto the altar , to burn incense .