1 Kings 12:1–19

Rehoboam Forsakes the Elders’ Counsel

^1aThen Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to ^bShechem to make him king.

²And it happened, ^awhen Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it, ¹he was living in Egypt (for he was yet in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of King Solomon).

³Then they sent and called for him. And Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,

⁴“^aYour father made our yoke harsh; but you, now, lighten the harsh service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.”

⁵Then he said to them, “^aGo ¹for three days, then return to me.” So the people went away.

⁶Then King Rehoboam ^atook counsel with the elders who had stood before his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, “How do you counsel me to respond to this people?”

⁷And they spoke to him, saying, “^aIf you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and ¹grant them their petition, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.”

⁸But he forsook the counsel of the elders which they had counseled him, and took counsel with the young men who grew up with him and stood before him.

⁹So he said to them, “What counsel do you give that we may respond to this people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?”

¹⁰Then the young men who grew up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus you shall say to this people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, now you make it lighter for us!’ Thus you shall speak to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins!

¹¹‘So now, my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’”

¹²So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day as the king had spoken, saying, “^aReturn to me on the third day.”

¹³And the king answered the people harshly, and he forsook the counsel of the elders which they had ¹given him,

¹⁴and he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “^aMy father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.”

¹⁵So the king did not listen to the people; ^afor it was a turn of events from Yahweh, ^bthat He might establish His word, which Yahweh spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

Israel Rebels Against Judah

¹⁶Then all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them. So the people responded to the king with this word, saying,

“What portion do we have in David?

We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse;

^aTo your tents, O Israel!

Now see to your own house, David!”

So Israel went to their tents.

¹⁷But ^aas for the sons of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

¹⁸Then King Rehoboam sent ^aAdoram, who was over the forced labor, and all Israel ¹stoned him and he died. And King Rehoboam made haste to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem.

^19aSo Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.