1 AND Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.
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;)
3 That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,
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.
5 And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.
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?
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.
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:
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?
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.
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 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.
13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him;
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.
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.
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.
17 But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
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.
19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.
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.
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.
22 But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
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,
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.
25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel.
26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:
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.
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.
29 And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan.
30 And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.
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.
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 Beth-el, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Beth-el the priests of the high places which he had made.
33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Beth-el 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.

1And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.

2And it came to passe when Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it (for hee was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Ieroboam dwelt in Egypt:)

3That they sent, and called him: and Ieroboam and all the Congregation of Israel came, and spake vnto Rehoboam, saying;

4Thy father made our yoke grieuous: now therefore, make thou the grieuous seruice of thy father, and his heauy yoke which he put vpon vs, lighter, and we will serue thee.

5And hee said vnto them, Depart yet for three daies, then come againe to me. And the people departed.

6 And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men that stood before Solomon his father, while he yet liued, and said, How doe you aduise, that I may answere this people?

7And they spake vnto him, saying, If thou wilt be a seruant vnto this people this day, and wilt serue them, and answere them, and speake good words to them, then they will be thy seruants for euer.

8But hee forsooke the counsell of the old men, which they had giuen him, and consulted with the yong men, that were growen vp with him, and which stood before him.

9And hee said vnto them, What counsell giue ye, that we may answere this people, who haue spoken to mee, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put vpon vs, lighter?

10And the young men that were growen vp with him, spake vnto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speake vnto this people that spake vnto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heauy, but make thou it lighter vnto vs; thus shalt thou say vnto them, My litle finger shall bee thicker then my fathers loynes.

11And now whereas my father did lade you with a heauy yoke, I wil adde to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whippes, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

12 So Ieroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me againe the third day.

13And the king answered the people roughly, and forsooke the old mens counsell that they gaue him:

14And spake to them after the counsell of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heauy, and I will adde to your yoke; my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

15Wherefore the king hearkened not vnto the people: for the cause was from the Lord, that hee might performe his saying, which the Lord spake by Ahiiah the Shilonite vnto Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat.

16 So when all Israel saw that the king hearkned not vnto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion haue we in Dauid? neither haue we inheritance in the sonne of Iesse: to your tents, O Israel: nowe see to thine owne house, Dauid. So Israel departed vnto their tents.

17But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Iudah, Rehoboam reigned ouer them.

18Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was ouer the tribute, and all Israel stoned him with stones that hee died: therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him vp to his charet, to flee to Ierusalem.

19So Israel rebelled against the house of Dauid vnto this day.

20And it came to passe when all Israel heard that Ieroboam was come againe, that they sent and called him vnto the Congregation, and made him king ouer all Israel: there was none that followed the house of Dauid, but the tribe of Iudah onely.

21 And when Rehoboam was come to Ierusalem, hee assembled all the house of Iudah, with the tribe of Beniamin, an hundred and fourescore thousand chosen men which were warriers, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdome againe to Rehoboam the sonne of Solomon.

22But the word of God came vnto Shemaiah, the man of God, saying,

23Speake vnto Rehoboam the sonne of Solomon king of Iudah, and vnto all the house of Iudah and Beniamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying,

24Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not goe vp, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: returne euery 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.

25 Then Ieroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein, and went out from thence, and built Penuel.

26And Ieroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdome returne to the house of Dauid:

27If this people goe vp, to doe sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Ierusalem, then shall the heart of this people turne againe vnto their lorde, euen vnto Rehoboam king of Iudah, and they shall kill mee, and goe againe to Rehoboam king of Iudah.

28Whereupon the king tooke counsell, and made two calues of gold, and said vnto them, It is too much for you to goe vp to Ierusalem: Behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee vp out of the land of Egypt.

29And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.

30And this thing became a sinne: for the people went to worship before the one, euen vnto Dan.

31And he made an house of hie places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sonnes of Leui.

32And Ieroboam ordeined a feast in the eight moneth, on the fifteenth day of the moneth, like vnto the feast that is in Iudah, and he offered vpon the altar (so did he in Bethel,) sacrificing vnto the calues that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.

33So hee offered vpon the altar, which hee had made in Bethel, the fifteenth day of the eighth moneth, euen in the moneth which he had deuised of his owne heart: and ordeined a feast vnto the children of Israel, and he offered vpon the altar, and burnt incense.

I == 2nd Chr 10:1-11

II == 1st Kings 11:26, 40

 

 

 

 

 

IV == 1st Sam 8:11-18 ; 1st Kings 4:7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VII ==2nd Chr 10:7 ; Prov 15:1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XV == Judg 14:4 ; 1st Kings 11:11 , 31 ; 12:24 ; 2nd chr 10:15 ; 22:7 ; 25:20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XVI == 2nd Sam 20:1

 

 

 

 

XVII == 1st Kings 11:13 , 36

 

XVIII == 1st Kings 4:6 ; 5:14

 

 

XIX == 2nd Kings 17:21

XX == 1st Kings 11:13 , 32

XXI == 2nd Chr 11:1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXII == 2nd Chr 11:2

 

 

 

XXIV == 1st Kings 12:15

 

 

 

 

XXV == Judg 8:17 ; 9:45

 

 

XXVII == Deut 12:5-6

 

 

 

 

 

XXVIII == Ex 32:4 , 8 ; 2nd Kings 10:29 ; 17:16

XXIX == Gen 28:19 ; Judg 18:29 ; Hos 4:15

XXX == 1st Kings 13:34 ; 2nd Kings 17:21

XXXI == Num 3:10 ; 1st Kings 13:32-33 ; 2nd Kings 17:32 ; 2nd Chr 11:14-15 ; Ezek 44:7-8

XXXII == Lev 23:33-34 ; Num 29:12 ; 1st Kings 8:2 , 5 : Amos 2:13

 

 

 

XXXIII == Num 15:39 ; 1st Kings 13:1

 

 

1 Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all Israel had come to proclaim him king.

2 Jeroboam, son of Nebat, who was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon, returned from Egypt as soon as he learned this.

3 They said to Rehoboam:

4 "Your father put on us a heavy yoke. If you now lighten the harsh service and the heavy yoke your father imposed on us, we will serve you."

5 "Come back to me in three days," he answered them. When the people had departed,

6 King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had been in his father's service while he was alive, and asked, "What answer do you advise me to give this people?"

7 They replied, "If today you will be the servant of this people and submit to them, giving them a favorable answer, they will be your servants forever."

8 But he ignored the advice the elders had given him, and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were in his service.

9 He said to them, "What answer do you advise me to give this people, who have asked me to lighten the yoke my father imposed on them?"

10 The young men who had grown up with him replied, "This is what you must say to this people who have asked you to lighten the yoke your father put on them: 'My little finger is thicker than my father's body.

11 Whereas my father put a heavy yoke on you, I will make it heavier. My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions.'"

12 On the third day all Israel came back to King Rehoboam, as he had instructed them to do.

13 Ignoring the advice the elders had given him, the king gave the people a harsh answer.

14 He said to them, as the young men had advised: "My father put on you a heavy yoke, but I will make it heavier. My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions."

15 The king did not listen to the people, for the LORD brought this about to fulfill the prophecy he had uttered to Jeroboam, son of Nebat, through Ahijah the Shilonite.

16 When all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king: "What share have we in David? We have no heritage in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Now look to your own house, David."So Israel went off to their tents,

17 but Rehoboam reigned over the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah.

18 King Rehoboam then sent out Adoram, superintendent of the forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. Rehoboam managed to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem,

19 and Israel went into rebellion against David's house to this day.

20 When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they summoned him to an assembly and made him king over all Israel. None remained loyal to David's house except the tribe of Judah alone.

21 On his arrival in Jersusalem, Rehoboam gathered together all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin - one hundred and eighty thousand seasoned warriors - to fight against the house of Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam, son of Solomon.

22 However, the LORD spoke to Shemaiah, a man of God:

23 "Say to Rehoboam, son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to the house of Judah and to Benjamin, and to the rest of the people:

24 'Thus says the LORD: You must not march out to fight against your brother Israelites. Let every man return home, for I have brought this about.'" They accepted this message of the LORD and gave up the expedition accordingly.

25 Jeroboam built up Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. Then he left it and built up Penuel.

26 Jeroboam thought to himself: "The kingdom will return to David's house.

27 If now this people go up to offer sacrifices in the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem, the hearts of this people will return to their master, Rehoboam, king of Judah, and they will kill me."

28 After taking counsel, the king made two calves of gold and said to the people: "You have been going up to Jerusalem long enough. Here is your God, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt."

29 And he put one in Bethel, the other in Dan.

30 This led to sin, because the people frequented these calves in Bethel and in Dan.

31 He also built temples on the high places and made priests from among the people who were not Levites.

32 Jeroboam established a feast in the eighth month on the fifteenth day of the month to duplicate in Bethel the pilgrimage feast of Judah, with sacrifices to the calves he had made; and he stationed in Bethel priests of the high places he had built.

33 Jeroboam ascended the altar he built in Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, the month in which he arbitrarily chose to establish a feast for the Israelites; he was going to offer sacrifice.

 

v 1. For Rehoboam’s family, see 2 Chr. 18-23 and my notes on 1 Kings 15:2.    Perhaps Shechem was decided as the place of coronation, more central and more apt to unify divisions than Jerusalem. Also it had been of significance to Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, and was by Mt Ebal and Mt Gerazim where blessings and curses were quoted
v 2-5. Jeroboam was known as a mighty man of valor, 11:28, so he was called from Egypt to be spokesman for the people. They promised to serve Rehoboam if he would lighten their burdens, and he asked three days to think it over.

v 6,7. Rehoboam consulted his father’s advisors and they advised lightening it.

v 8-11. He turned to his peers and they advised firm authority and toughness.

v 12-15. He had three days to think it over and unwisely chose to answer roughly that he would be much harder on them than his father had been. If he had been cooperative there would have been peace, at least for a while, but his decision was permitted  of the Lord, that His promise to Jeroboam would be fulfilled.

v 16-20. The people had wearied of Solomon’s taxation and conscriptions for his building programs, so predictably, they angrily rejected Rehoboam and used the same defiant words as Sheba did, 2 Sam. 20:1, “To your tents O Israel”. Rehoboam sent his taskmaster Adoram to persuade the rebels, but they stoned him. Rehoboam realized the people meant business, so fled for his life to Jerusalem. Only Judah and those close by remained faithful to Rehoboam. The rest of Israel promptly installed Jeroboam king, which seems like they had already plotted to do if they didn’t get their way.

v 21-24. Rehoboam assembled 180,000 good soldiers to regain the kingdom, but the Lord sent Shemiah, a man of God, to tell them not to go, because this was of the Lord. They all had the good sense to obey God.

v 25. Jeroboam immediately fortified Shechem as his capitol, and Peniel, east of the Jordan for protection from the east.

v 26-,27. It is natural for Jeroboam to be concerned that if Israel was going back to Jerusalem to worship and fellowship together for up to a week three times a year that they might turn back to Rehoboam. But this was an evil heart of unbelief, because God had promised, 11:38, that if he remained true to God, God would give him Israel and establish a sure house for him, just as he had done for David.

v 28. Jeroboam not only thought it out, but sought advice on how to counteract the influence of Jerusalem and the temple. He had seen in Egypt as well as in Canaan how people set up calves to worship or aid in worship, but he failed to consider the judgment of God for Aaron’s golden calf in the wilderness. This was sheer apostasy.

v 29,30. For everyone’s convenience, he set up one in Dan in the far north, the other in Bethel, not far from the border of Judah. People committed sin by worshiping both calves, going as far as Dan even to do so.

v 31. Levites and priests migrated to Judah from all Israel, 2 Chr. 11:13,14, and Jeroboam set up common people to serve in houses built on high places. He set up idols of goats (devils in KJV) and calves. (Many other people moved back in the days of Asa, because God was with him, 2 Chr. 11:16; 15:9.)

v 32,33. Having put in spurious priests, he now puts in a spurious sacrificial system. His feast is in the 8th month instead of the 7th, and at Bethel instead of Jerusalem, and he also offered on the altar himself,13:1.