A Revolt against Rehoboam
3 Kingdoms 12, verse 1. Now King Rehoboam traveled to Shechem, for all Israel were coming to Shechem to proclaim him as king. 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 2. The people of Israel spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 3. “Your father made our yoke a heavy burden; but if you now lighten the harsh servitude and the burdensome yoke under which your father placed us, then we will serve you.” 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 4. So he said to them, “Go away for three days; then come back to me.” Thus they departed. 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 5. Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who stood before his father Solomon while he still lived, and he said, “How do you advise me to answer these people?” 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 6. They spoke to him, saying, “If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants all the days.” 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 7. But he rejected the advice of the elders, and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and stood in his presence. 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 8. He said to them, “What advice do you give? How should I answer these people who spoke to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?” 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 9. Then these same young men said to him, “Here is how you should speak to this people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but may you make it lighter on us,’ thus respond to them, saying, ‘Being from the loins of my father, my meanness will be more burdensome. 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 10. Now whereas my father put a heavy yoke on you, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father chastised you with whips, I will discipline you with scorpions.’” 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 11. So all the people came to King Rehoboam the third day, as the king had directed, saying, “Come back to me on the third day.” 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 12. Then the king answered the people harshly, for Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders offered to him. 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 13. Instead, Rehoboam spoke to the people according to the advice 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 discipline you with scorpions.” 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 14. So the king did not hear the appeal of the people, because the change of mind was from the Lord, that He might establish His word which He spoke by the authority of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 15. Now all Israel saw the king did not heed their words. So the people answered the king, saying, “What share of the inheritance have we in David? Nor do we have any inheritance in the son of Jesse. Israel, run to your dwelling-places. Now, O David, feed your own house.” Thus Israel departed to their dwelling. 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 16. In response, King Rehoboam sent for Adoniram, who was in charge of the tribute; but all Israel stoned him with stones, and he died. Then King Rehoboam knew it was time to mount up and flee back to Jerusalem. 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 17. Even to this day, Israel refuses any request concerning the house of David.
Jeroboam Is the King of Israel
3 Kingdoms 12, verse 18. Now when all Israel heard Jeroboam was back from Egypt, they sent for him and called him to the assembly. They made him king over Israel, and not one tribe followed the house of David except the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.
Jeroboam Avoids Civil War
3 Kingdoms 12, verse 19. When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin. He had one hundred twenty thousand chosen men as warriors to fight against the house of Israel, that he might restore the kingdom to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 20. But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 21. “Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying, 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 22. ‘Thus says the Lord, “You shall not go up, nor shall you fight against your brethren the sons of Israel. Instead return, each of you, to his house, because this word is from Me.” Hear the word of the Lord.’” So according to the word of the Lord, they ended the march.
The Transition of Power
3 Kingdoms 12, verse 23. King Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the City of David. Then Rehoboam, his son, reigned in his place in Jerusalem. His son was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned twelve years in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Naamah, daughter of Hanun, son of Nahash, the king of the sons of Ammon. He did evil before the Lord and did not walk in the way of David, his father. 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 24. There was a man from Mount Ephraim, a servant of Solomon, whose name was Jeroboam. The name of his mother was Zeruah, a prostitute. Solomon gave him the staff of authority over the male laborers of the house of Joseph, and he built Zereda for Solomon on Mount Ephraim. There were three hundred horse-pulled chariots with him. He also built the citadel with the laborers of the house of Ephraim, and enclosed the city of David. He was lifted up in opposition to the kingdom. 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 25. Solomon then sought to kill him, and he was afraid and escaped to Shishak, king of Egypt, where he stayed until Solomon died.
Jeroboam's Family
3 Kingdoms 12, verse 26. When Jeroboam heard in Egypt that Solomon died, he spoke to Shishak, king of Egypt, saying, “Send me away, and I shall go to my land.” Shishak said to him, “Ask any request, and I shall give it to you.” 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 27. So Shishak gave Anna to Jeroboam as a wife. She was the eldest sister of Tahpenes, the wife of Shishak. She was highly admired in the midst of the daughters of the king, and she bore to Jeroboam a son, Abijah. 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 28. Then Jeroboam said to Shishak, “Please send me away, and I shall leave.” Thus Jeroboam went out from Egypt and into the land of Zereda, which is in Mount Ephraim. It is here the whole tribe of Ephraim gathers together, and where Jeroboam built a fortress. 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 29. Jeroboam's son became seriously ill, so Jeroboam went to inquire concerning his son, and he said to Anna, his wife, “Arise, and go ask God concerning the child, whether he shall recover from this illness.” 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 30. Now there was in Shiloh a man whose name was Ahijah. He was sixty years old, and the word of the Lord was with him. So Jeroboam said to his wife, “Arise, and take bread in your hand for this man of God and cakes for his children, and grapes and a jar of honey.” 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 31. The woman arose and took in her hand bread, two cakes, grapes, and a jar of honey for Ahijah. The man was elderly, and his eyesight was fading. 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 32. She arose from Zereda and traveled to the city where Ahijah the Shilonite dwelt. Ahijah said to his young son, “Go out at once to meet Anna, the wife of Jeroboam, and say to her, ‘Come in and take a seat, for thus says the Lord, “I Myself am sending harsh things on you.”’” 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 33. So Anna came in to the man of God, and Ahijah said to her, “Why did you bring me bread and grapes and cakes and a jar of honey? Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, you shall depart from Me, and when you enter the gate into the city of Zereda and your maidens come out to greet you, even they shall say to you, “The child is dead.’” 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 34. For Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I shall put to death those of Jeroboam, and those of Jeroboam who die in the city of Jerusalem will be eaten by dogs, while the birds of the sky will consume those who die in the field. They will mourn the young child, saying, “Woe to me, O Lord! For you perceived in him a good word concerning the Lord.”’” 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 35. Then the woman departed as one who heard and understood. It came to be as she entered Zereda, the child died, and the mourners went out to meet her. 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 36. Then Jeroboam went to Shechem at Mount Ephraim, and there they gathered the tribes of Israel. Even Rehoboam the son of Solomon went up there, and the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the son of Elami, saying, “Take for yourself a new garment, one which has not entered into water, and tear it into twelve pieces; then give it to Jeroboam and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Take for yourself ten pieces to clothe yourself,”’” and Jeroboam took them. Shemaiah then said, “Thus says the Lord to the ten tribes of Israel.”
Rehoboam and His Advisors
3 Kingdoms 12, verse 37. Then the people said to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, “Your father made his yoke a heavy burden upon us, and he made the foods of his table oppressive; and now, if you yourself shall go more lightly on us, then we will serve you.” Rehoboam said to the people, “In three days I shall answer the matter for you.” 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 38. Rehoboam then said, “Bring the elders to me, and I will counsel with them as to what answer I should give the people on the third day.” So Rehoboam told the elders what the people sent him to say, and the elders of the people advised him to do what the people said. 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 39. But Rehoboam rejected their counsel, for it was not pleasing in his sight. So he sent and brought those he grew up with. He told them what the people said to him. In response, his childhood companions advised him to speak to the people as follows: “Since I am from the loins of my father, my meanness will be more burdensome. Whereas my father disciplined you with the beating of whips, I will discipline you with scorpions.” 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 40. Rehoboam was pleased with this advice, and he answered the people just as the young men, his childhood companions, advised him. 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 41. But all the people spoke as one man, every man to his neighbor, and they all cried out, saying, “What share of the inheritance have we in David? Nor do we have any inheritance in the son of Jesse. O Israel, run to your dwelling-places, for this man is not going to be a ruler or a leader over us.” 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 42. So all the people scattered from Shechem, and each man returned to his dwelling; but Rehoboam did not relent. Rehoboam departed by way of his chariots, and went up and entered Jerusalem. Behind him came the entire tribe of Judah and the entire tribe of Benjamin. 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 43. And it came to pass that in the beginning of the year, Rehoboam gathered all the men of Judah and Benjamin, and he went out to make war with Jeroboam in Shechem. 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 44. But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, “Speak to Rehoboam the king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin and to the rest of the people, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Do not go up and do not make war with your brothers, the sons of Israel. Let each man return to his house, for this word has come from Me.”’” 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 45. So they heard the word of the Lord, and according to the word of the Lord, they held back from going.
Jeroboam's False Worship
3 Kingdoms 12, verse 46. Then Jeroboam built Shechem in Mount Ephraim and dwelt there. From here, he went out and built Penuel. 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 47. Then Jeroboam said in his heart, “Behold, now the kingdom will return to the house of David. 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 48. If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn back to their lord and master, to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me.” 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 49. Therefore the king deliberated, and went and made two calves of gold. He then said to the people, “You have traveled enough to Jerusalem. Behold, O Israel, your gods who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 50. He placed one in Bethel and the other in Dan. 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 51. This word became a sin, and the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan. 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 52. He also made houses on the high places, and he made priests from every class of people, even those who were not of the sons of Levi. 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 53. Jeroboam appointed a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, according to the feast in the land of Judah, and went up to the altar he made at Bethel to sacrifice to the calves he made. Also at Bethel, he presented the priests of the high places which he made. 3 Kingdoms 12, verse 54. So on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month he devised in his own heart, he went up to the altar he made at Bethel and made a feast for the children of Israel. He also went up to the altar of the sacrifice.