Rebellion against Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:1–15)
1 AKJV And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem were all Israel come to make him king. BSB BSB: Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king.
2 AKJV And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was in Egypt, where he fled from the presence of Solomon the king, heard it, that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt. BSB BSB: When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about this, he returned from Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon.
3 AKJV And they sent and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, BSB BSB: So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and all Israel came to Rehoboam and said,
4 AKJV Your father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease you somewhat the grievous servitude of your father, and his heavy yoke that he put on us, and we will serve you. BSB BSB: “Your father put a heavy yoke on us. But now you must lighten the burden of your father’s service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”
5 AKJV And he said to them, Come again to me after three days. And the people departed. BSB BSB: Rehoboam answered, “Come back to me in three days.” So the people departed.
6 AKJV And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give you me to return answer to this people? BSB BSB: Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How do you advise me to respond to these people?” he asked.
7 AKJV And they spoke to him, saying, If you be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be your servants for ever. BSB BSB: They replied, “If you will be kind to these people and please them by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.”
8 AKJV But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him. BSB BSB: But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders; instead, he consulted the young men who had grown up with him and served him.
9 AKJV And he said to them, What advice give you that we may return answer to this people, which have spoken to me, saying, Ease somewhat the yoke that your father did put on us? BSB BSB: He asked them, “What message do you advise that we send back to these people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”
10 AKJV And the young men that were brought up with him spoke to him, saying, Thus shall you answer the people that spoke to you, saying, Your father made our yoke heavy, but make you it somewhat lighter for us; thus shall you say to them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins. BSB BSB: The young men who had grown up with him replied, “This is how you should answer these people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you must make it lighter.’ This is what you should tell them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist!
11 AKJV For whereas my father put a heavy yoke on you, I will put more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. BSB BSB: Whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.’”
12 AKJV So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day. BSB BSB: After three days, Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, since the king had said, “Come back to me on the third day.”
13 AKJV And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men, BSB BSB: And the king answered them harshly. King Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders
14 AKJV And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. BSB BSB: and spoke to them as the young men had advised, saying, “Whereas my father made your yoke heavy, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.”
15 AKJV So the king listened not to the people: for the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spoke by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. BSB BSB: So the king did not listen to the people, and indeed this turn of events was from God, in order that the LORD might fulfill the word that He had spoken through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.
The Kingdom Divided (1 Kings 12:16–19)
16 AKJV And when all Israel saw that the king would not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to your own house. So all Israel went to their tents. BSB BSB: When all Israel saw that the king had refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What portion do we have in David, and what inheritance in the son of Jesse? To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, O David!” So all the Israelites went home,
17 AKJV But as for the children of Israel that dwelled in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. BSB BSB: but Rehoboam still reigned over the Israelites living in the cities of Judah.
18 AKJV Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. But king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. BSB BSB: Then King Rehoboam sent out Hadoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, but the Israelites stoned him to death. And King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste and escaped to Jerusalem.
19 AKJV And Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day. BSB BSB: So to this day Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.