¹ And Rehoboam went to Shechem,—for, to Shechem, had all Israel come to make him king.

² And it came to pass, when Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of it—he being yet in Egypt, whither he had fled from the face of Solomon the king, that Jeroboam returned from Egypt;

³ yes they sent, and called him, and Jeroboam and all the convocation of Israel came,—and spake unto Rehoboam, saying:

⁴ Thy father, made our yoke, grievous,—now, therefore do, thou, lighten the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, that we may serve thee.

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

⁶ Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who used to stand before Solomon his father, while he yet lived, saying,—How do, ye, advise, that I answer this people?

⁷ And they spake unto him, saying—If, to-day, thou wilt be servant unto this people, and wilt serve them,—and answer them kindly, and speak unto them good words, then will they be, thy, servants, always.

⁸ But he declined the counsel of the elders which they gave him, and consulted with the young men, who had grown up with him, who were standing before himself;

⁹ and said unto them—What counsel do, ye, give as to how we shall answer this people who have spoken unto me, saying—Make a lightening of the yoke which thy father put upon us?

¹⁰ Then spake unto him the young men who had grown up with him, saying, Thus, shalt thou say to this people that have spoken unto thee, saying—Thy father, made our yoke heavy, thou, therefore lighten it upon us, Thus, shalt thou speak unto them, My little finger, is thicker than my father’s loins;

¹¹ Now, therefore, whereas, my father, laid upon you a heavy yoke, I, will add to your yoke,—My father, did chastise you with whips, but, I, will chastise you with scorpions.

¹² So Jeroboam and all the people came in unto Rehoboam, on the third day,—as the king had bidden, saying—Come again unto me, on the third day.

¹³ And the king answered the people, harshly,—and declined the counsel of the elders wherewith they had counselled him;

¹⁴ and spake unto them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father, made your yoke heavy, but, I, will add unto your yoke,—My father, chastised you, with whips, but, I, will chastise you, with scorpions.

¹⁵ Thus the king hearkened not unto the people,—for there had come about a turn from Yahweh, that he might establish his word, which Yahweh had spoken by Ahijah the Shilonite, unto 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. Or inheritance in the son of Jesse? To your homes O Israel! Now, see to thine own house, O David! And Israel departed to their homes.

¹⁷ But, as for the sons of Israel who were dwelling in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

¹⁸ Then King Rehoboam sent Adoniram who was over the tribute, but all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died,—King Rehoboam, therefore, hastily mounted his chariot, to flee unto 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 had returned, that they sent and called him into the assembly, and made him king over all Israel,—there were none that followed the house of David, saving the tribe of Judah only.

²¹ And, when Rehoboam entered Jerusalem, he called together all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin—a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, able to make war,—to fight against the house of Israel, to bring back the kingdom to Rehoboam, son of Solomon.

²² Then came the word of God unto Shemaiah, the man of God, saying:

²³ Speak unto Rehoboam, son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah, and Benjamin,—and the remnant of the people, saying:

²⁴ Thus, saith Yahweh—Ye shall not go up, neither shall ye fight with your brethren the sons of Israel,—return ye every man to his own house, for, from me, hath this thing been brought about. So they hearkened unto the word of Yahweh, and turned back to depart, according to the word of Yahweh.

²⁵ Then Jeroboam built Shechem, in the hill country of Ephraim, and dwelt therein,—and went forth 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 offer sacrifices in the house of Yahweh, in Jerusalem, then will the heart of this people return unto their lord, unto Rehoboam, king of Judah,—and they will slay me, and return unto 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, Lo! thy gods, O Israel, that brought thee up out of the land of Egypt;

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

³⁰ And this thing became a sin,—and the people went before the one, as far as Dan.

³¹ And he made a house of high-places,—and made priests from the whole compass of the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.

³² And Jeroboam made a festival in the eight month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the festival which [was held] in Judah, and offered up on the altar, likewise, did he in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves which he had made,—and he kept in attendance in Bethel, the priests of the high-places which he had made.

³³ And he offered up on the altar which he had made in Bethel, on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, in the month which he had devised out of his own heart,—thus made he a festival for the sons of Israel, and offered up on the altar, to make a perfume.