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1 Kings

Starts with King Solomon's reign, his wisdom, and building the temple, then the kingdom dividing into Israel and Judah.

Chapter 12

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

*Rehoboam went to Shechem because everyone in Israel came there to choose him as their leader.

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;)

*When Jeroboam, son of Nebat, living in Egypt, heard about this, (since he had left King Solomon and lived in Egypt),

3 That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,

*So they invited him, and Jeroboam along with the entire Israeli group talked to 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.

*Your father created a difficult burden for us. Now, make your father's hard work and heavy load that he gave us easier, and we will work for you.

5 And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.

*He told them, "Go away for three days, then return to me." The people left.

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?

*King Rehoboam asked the wise older men who had advised his father Solomon while he was alive, "What should I say to the people to address their concerns?"

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.

*They said to him, "If you become their servant today and help them, answer their questions, and say kind things to them, they will be your servants forever."

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:

*But he ignored the advice of the older people, who had told him, and talked to the younger people who grew up together with him, and were always by his side.

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?

*He asked them, "What advice do you have so we can respond to these people who say, 'Reduce the burden our father placed on us'?"

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.

*The young men told him, "Tell the people this: They said your dad made their work too hard, but you make it easier. To show this, say, 'My little finger will be bigger than your dad's waist.'"

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.

*And now, since my father burdened you with a heavy load, I will make it even heavier. He punished you with whips, but I will punish 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.

*Jeroboam and the people went to King Rehoboam on the third day, like the king asked, telling him they would return on the same day.

13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him;

*The king responded harshly to the people and ignored the wise advice of the elderly.

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.

*He talked to them based on the advice of the young men, saying, "My dad made your work load heavy, and I'll make it even heavier. My dad also punished you with whips, but I'll punish 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.

*The king did not listen to the people because it was God's plan, as He had told this through Ahijah the prophet, about what would happen to Jeroboam, 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.

*When all of Israel saw that the king didn't listen to them, the people asked the king, "What do we have in David? We don't have a share in Jesse's son. Go back to your own group, Israel. Now take care of your own family, David." So, Israel went back to their tents.

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

*But for the kids of Israel living in Judah's towns, Rehoboam was their ruler.

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.

*Then King Rehoboam sent a man named Adoram, who was in charge of collecting taxes. The people of Israel were very angry and threw stones at him until he died. Because of this, King Rehoboam quickly went to his chariot to escape and go back to Jerusalem.

19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

*So, until now, Israel disobeyed the family of King David.

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.

*When everyone in Israel learned that Jeroboam returned, they invited him to join their leaders and made him the ruler for the whole country. Only the Judah tribe supported the family of King David.

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.

*When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he gathered all the people of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, 180,000 strong, who were skilled fighters, to battle against the house of Israel. Their goal was to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam, son of Solomon.

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

*But God's message reached Shemaiah, a 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,

*Tell Rehoboam, Solomon's son and king of Judah, as well as everyone in Judah and Benjamin, and the rest of the people, to listen.

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.

*So God says, "Don't go fight your relatives, the people of Israel. Go back to your homes because I want you to do this." They listened and followed God's instructions, going back as he said.

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

*Then Jeroboam constructed a city called Shechem in Mount Ephraim and lived there. After that, he left and built another place called Penuel.

26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:

*Jeroboam thought to himself, "Now the kingdom will go back to the family 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.

*If the people go to Jerusalem to sacrifice, their hearts will return to King Rehoboam, and they may kill me before going back to him.

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.

*So, the king talked with his advisors and made two golden statues, telling them it was too difficult to go to Jerusalem. He said, "Look, your gods, Israel, are the ones who brought you out of Egypt."

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

*He placed one at Bethel and put the other at Dan.

30 And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.

*This action was considered wrong because the people started to worship only one god, not at all the places they used to.

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.

*He built a temple for high places and chose priests from the lowest people, who were not descendants of Levi's sons.

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 Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.

*Jeroboam organized a festival in the eighth month on the 15th day, like Judah's festival, and he offered sacrifices. This happened in Bethel, where he sacrificed to the bull statues he created. He also put the high-place priests from those statues in Bethel.

33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel 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.

*On the 15th day of the 8th month, at the new festival he created, he set up an altar in Bethel and held a special event for the people of Israel. He also burned incense on the altar.

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