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1 Kings 12:1–5

Israel Rebels Against Rehoboam

12:1–24pp—2Ch 10:1–11:4

12 Rehoboam went to Shechem,o for all Israel had gone there to make him king. When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard this (he was still in Egypt, where he had fledp from King Solomon), he returned froma Egypt. So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and the whole assembly of Israel went to Rehoboam and said to him: “Your father put a heavy yokeq on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”

Rehoboam answered, “Go away for three days and then come back to me.” So the people went away.

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1 Kings 12:1–5 — English Standard Version (ESV)

Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. And as soon as Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), then Jeroboam returned from Egypt. And they sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam, “Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you.” He said to them, “Go away for three days, then come again to me.” So the people went away.

1 Kings 12:1–5 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king. 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;) That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying, 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. And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.

1 Kings 12:1–5 — New Living Translation (NLT)

Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all Israel had gathered to make him king. When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of this, he returned from Egypt, for he had fled to Egypt to escape from King Solomon. The leaders of Israel summoned him, and Jeroboam and the whole assembly of Israel went to speak with Rehoboam. “Your father was a hard master,” they said. “Lighten the harsh labor demands and heavy taxes that your father imposed on us. Then we will be your loyal subjects.”

Rehoboam replied, “Give me three days to think this over. Then come back for my answer.” So the people went away.

1 Kings 12:1–5 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

And Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king. So it happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard it (he was still in Egypt, for he had fled from the presence of King Solomon and had been dwelling in Egypt), that they sent and called him. Then Jeroboam and the whole assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, “Your father made our yoke heavy; now therefore, lighten the burdensome service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.”

So he said to them, “Depart for three days, then come back to me.” And the people departed.

1 Kings 12:1–5 — New Century Version (NCV)

Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all the Israelites had gone to make him king. Jeroboam son of Nebat was still in Egypt, where he had gone to escape from Solomon. When Jeroboam heard about Rehoboam being made king, he was living in Egypt. After the people sent for him, he and the people went to Rehoboam and said to him, “Your father forced us to work very hard. Now, make it easier for us, and don’t make us work as hard as he did. Then we will serve you.”

Rehoboam answered, “Go away for three days, and then come back to me.” So the people left.

1 Kings 12:1–5 — American Standard Version (ASV)

And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king. And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was yet in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt, and they sent and called him), that Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying, 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. And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.

1 Kings 12:1–5 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

And Rehoboam went to Shechem; for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. And it came to pass when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard it (now he was yet in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt; and they sent and called him), that Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, Thy father made our yoke grievous; and now lighten thou the grievous servitude of thy father and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee. And he said to them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.

1 Kings 12:1–5 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Rehoboam went to Shechem because all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king. Jeroboam (Nebat’s son) was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon. When he heard ⸤about Rehoboam⸥, he returned from Egypt.⸤Israel⸥ sent for Jeroboam and invited him back. Jeroboam and the entire assembly of Israel went to speak to Rehoboam. They said, “Your father made us carry a heavy burden. Reduce the hard work and lighten the heavy burden he put on us, and we will serve you.” 

He said to them, “Leave and come back the day after tomorrow.” So the people left. 

1 Kings 12:1–5 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king. When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about it, for he was still in Egypt where he had fled from King Solomon’s presence, Jeroboam stayed in Egypt. They summoned him, and Jeroboam and the whole assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam: “Your father made our yoke difficult. You, therefore, lighten your father’s harsh service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”

Rehoboam replied, “Go home for three days and then return to me.” So the people left.

1 Kings 12:1–5 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of it (for he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), then Jeroboam returned from Egypt. And they sent and called him; and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam, “Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke that he placed on us, and we will serve you.” He said to them, “Go away for three days, then come again to me.” So the people went away.

1 Kings 12:1–5 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all of Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. It happened that Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it while he was still in Egypt where he had fled from the face of King Solomon, and Jeroboam had lived in Egypt. So they sent and summoned him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came. Then they spoke to Rehoboam, saying, “Your father made our yoke heavy; now lighten the hard labor of your father and the heavy yoke which he placed on us, and we will serve you.” He said, “Go up for three days and then return to me”; so the people went away.

1 Kings 12:1–5 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

Rehoboam went to Shechem. All of the people of Israel had gone there to make him king. Jeroboam heard about it. He was the son of Nebat. Jeroboam was still in Egypt at that time. He had gone there for safety. He wanted to get away from King Solomon. But now he returned from Egypt.

So the people sent for Jeroboam. He and the whole community of Israel went to Rehoboam. They said to him, “Your father put a heavy load on our shoulders. But now make our hard work easier. Make the heavy load on us lighter. Then we’ll serve you.”

Rehoboam answered, “Go away for three days. Then come back to me.” So the people went away.

1 Kings 12:1–5 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.

Now when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it, he was living in Egypt (for he was yet in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of King Solomon).

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

“Your father made our yoke hard; now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.”

Then he said to them, “Depart for three days, then return to me.” So the people departed.


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