2 Chronicles 10–11

¹And Rehoboam goeth to Shechem, for to Shechem have all Israel come to cause him to reign. ²And it cometh to pass, at Jeroboam son of Nebat’s—who is in Egypt because he hath fled from the face of Solomon the king—hearing, that Jeroboam turneth back out of Egypt; ³and they send and call for him, and Jeroboam cometh in, and all Israel, and speak unto Rehoboam, saying, ⁴‘Thy father made our yoke sharp, and now, make light somewhat of the sharp service of thy father, and of his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we serve thee.’ ⁵And he saith unto them, ‘Yet three days—then return ye unto me;’ and the people go. ⁶And king Rehoboam consulteth with the aged men who have been standing before Solomon his father in his being alive, saying, ‘How are ye counselling to answer this people?’ ⁷And they speak unto him, saying, ‘If thou dost become good to this people, and hast been pleased with them, and spoken unto them good words, then they have been to thee servants all the days.’ ⁸And he forsaketh the counsel of the aged men that they counselled him, and consulteth with the lads who have grown up with him, those standing before him, ⁹and he saith unto them, ‘What are ye counselling, and we answer this people that have spoken unto me, saying, Make light somewhat of the yoke that thy father put upon us?’ ¹⁰And the lads who have grown up with him, speak with him, saying, ‘Thus dost thou say to the people who have spoken unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, and thou, make light somewhat of our yoke; thus dost thou say unto them, My little finger is thicker than the loins of my father; ¹¹and now, my father laid on you a heavy yoke, and I—I add unto your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, and I—with scorpions.’

¹²And Jeroboam cometh in, and all the people, unto Rehoboam on the third day, as the king spake, saying, ‘Return unto me on the third day.’ ¹³And the king answereth them sharply, and king Rehoboam forsaketh the counsel of the aged men, ¹⁴and speaketh unto them according to the counsel of the lads, saying, ‘My father made your yoke heavy, and I—I add unto it; my father chastised you with whips, and I—with scorpions.’ ¹⁵And the king hath not hearkened unto the people, for the revolution hath been from God, for the sake of Jehovah’s establishing His word that He spake by the hand of Abijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam son of Nebat. ¹⁶And all Israel have seen that the king hath not hearkened to them, and the people send back to the king, saying, ‘What portion have we in David? yea, there is no inheritance in a son of Jesse; each to thy tents, O Israel; now, see thy house—David,’ and all Israel go to their tents. ¹⁷As to the sons of Israel who are dwelling in the cities of Judah—Rehoboam reigneth over them. ¹⁸And king Rehoboam sendeth Hadoram, who is over the tribute, and the sons of Israel cast at him stones, and he dieth; and king Rehoboam hath strengthened himself to go up into a chariot to flee to Jerusalem; ¹⁹and Israel transgress against the house of David unto this day.

Chapter 11

¹And Rehoboam cometh in to Jerusalem, and assembleth the house of Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors, to fight with Israel, to bring back the kingdom to Rehoboam. ²And a word of Jehovah is unto Shemaiah, a man of God, saying, ³‘Speak unto Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, and unto all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, ⁴Thus said Jehovah, Ye do not go up nor fight with your brethren, turn back each to his house, for from Me hath this thing been;’ and they hear the words of Jehovah, and turn back from going against Jeroboam. ⁵And Rehoboam dwelleth in Jerusalem, and buildeth cities for a bulwark in Judah, ⁶yea, he buildeth Beth-Lehem and Etam, and Tekoa, ⁷and Beth-Zur, and Shocho, and Adullam, ⁸and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, ⁹and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah, ¹⁰and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, that are in Judah and in Benjamin, cities of bulwarks. ¹¹And he strengtheneth the bulwarks, and putteth in them leaders, and treasures of food, and oil, and wine, ¹²and in every city and city targets and spears, and strengtheneth them very greatly; and he hath Judah and Benjamin.

¹³And the priests, and the Levites, that are in all Israel, have stationed themselves by him, out of all their border, ¹⁴for the Levites have left their suburbs and their possession, and they come to Judah and to Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons have cast them off from acting as priests to Jehovah, ¹⁵and he establisheth to him priests for high places, and for goats, and for calves, that he made— ¹⁶and after them, out of all the tribes of Israel, those giving their heart to seek Jehovah, God of Israel, have come in to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Jehovah, God of their father. ¹⁷And they strengthen the kingdom of Judah, and strengthen Rehoboam son of Solomon, for three years, because they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years. ¹⁸And Rehoboam taketh to him a wife, Mahalath, child of Jerimoth son of David, and Abigail daughter of Eliab, son of Jesse. ¹⁹And she beareth to him sons, Jeush, and Shamaria, and Zaham. ²⁰And after her he hath taken Maachah daughter of Absalom, and she beareth to him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith. ²¹And Rehoboam loveth Maachah daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines—for eighteen wives he hath taken, and sixty concubines—and he begetteth twenty and eight sons, and sixty daughters. ²²And Rehoboam appointeth for head Abijah son of Maachah, for leader among his brethren, for to cause him to reign. ²³And he hath understanding, and spreadeth out of all his sons to all lands of Judah and Benjamin, to all cities of the bulwarks, and giveth to them provision in abundance; and he asketh a multitude of wives.

Chapter 12