1 Kings 12:8–19

12:8 But Rehoboam rejected their advice and consulted the young advisers who served him, with whom he had grown up.11 12:9 He asked them, “How do you advise me12 to respond to these people who said to me, ‘Lessen the demands your father placed on us’?”13 12:10 The young advisers with whom Rehoboam14 had grown up said to him, “Say this to these people who have said to you, ‘Your father made us work hard, but now lighten our burden.’15 Say this to them: ‘I am a lot harsher than my father!16 12:11 My father imposed heavy demands on you; I will make them even heavier.17 My father punished you with ordinary whips; I will punish you with whips that really sting your flesh.’ ”18

12:12 Jeroboam and all the people reported19 to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had ordered when he said, “Return to me on the third day.” 12:13 The king responded to the people harshly. He rejected the advice of the older men 12:14 and followed20 the advice of the younger ones. He said, “My father imposed heavy demands on you; I will make them even heavier.21 My father punished you with ordinary whips; I will punish you with whips that really sting your flesh.”22 12:15 The king refused to listen to the people, because the Lord was instigating this turn of events23 so that he might bring to pass the prophetic announcement he had made24 through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.

12:16 When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, the people answered the king, “We have no portion in David, no share in the son of Jesse!25 Return to your homes, O Israel!26 Now, look after your own dynasty, O David!”27 So Israel returned to their homes.28 12:17 (Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah.) 12:18 King Rehoboam sent Adoniram,29 the supervisor of the work crews,30 out after them, but all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam managed to jump into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem.31 12:19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the Davidic dynasty to this very day.

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11	tn Heb “He rejected the advice of the elders which they advised and he consulted the young men with whom he had grown up, who stood before him.” The referent (Rehoboam) of the initial pronoun (“he”) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
12	tn In the Hebrew text the verb “we will respond” is plural, although it can be understood as an editorial “we.” The ancient versions have the singular here.
13	tn Heb “Lighten the yoke which your father placed on us.”
14	tn Heb “he”; the referent (Rehoboam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
15	tn Heb “Your father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter upon us.”
16	tn Heb “My little one is thicker than my father’s hips.” The referent of “my little one” is not clear. The traditional view is that it refers to the little finger. As the following statement makes clear, Rehoboam’s point is that he is more harsh and demanding than his father.
17	tn Heb “and now my father placed upon you a heavy yoke, but I will add to your yoke.”
18	tn Heb “My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with scorpions.” “Scorpions” might allude to some type of torture using poisonous insects, but more likely it refers to a type of whip that inflicts an especially biting, painful wound. Cf. CEV “whips with pieces of sharp metal.”
19	tn Heb “came.”
20	tn Heb “and spoke to them according to.”
21	tn Heb “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke.”
22	tn Heb “My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with scorpions.” See the note on the same phrase in v. 11.
23	tn Heb “because this turn of events was from the Lord.”
24	tn Heb “so that he might bring to pass his word which the Lord spoke.”
25	sn We have no portion in David; no share in the son of Jesse. Their point seems to be that they have no familial relationship with David that brings them any benefits or places upon them any obligations. They are being treated like outsiders.
26	tn Heb “to your tents, Israel.” The word “return” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
27	tn Heb “Now see your house, David.”
28	tn Heb “went to their tents.”
29	tc The MT has “Adoram” here, but the Old Greek translation and Syriac Peshitta have “Adoniram.” Cf. 1 Kgs 4:6.
30	sn The work crews. See the note on this expression in 4:6.
31	map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

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