Rebellion against Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:1–15)
1 Brenton And Roboam came to Sychem: for all Israel came to Sychem to make him king. BSB BSB: Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king.
2 Brenton And it came to pass when Jeroboam the son of Nabat heard it , (now he was in Egypt, forasmuch as he had fled thither from the face of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt,) 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 Brenton And they sent and called him: and Jeroboam and all the congregation came to Roboam, saying, BSB BSB: So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and all Israel came to Rehoboam and said,
4 Brenton Thy father made our yoke grievous: now then abate somewhat of thy father's grievous rule, and of his heavy yoke which he put upon us, and we will serve thee. 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 Brenton And he said to them, Go away for three days, and then come to me. So the people departed. BSB BSB: Rehoboam answered, “Come back to me in three days.” So the people departed.
6 Brenton And king Roboam assembled the elders that stood before his father Solomon in his life-time, saying, How do ye counsel me to return an 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 Brenton And they spoke to him, saying, If thou wouldest this day befriend this people, and be kind to them, and speak to them good words, then will they be thy 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 Brenton But he forsook the advice of the old men, who took counsel with him, and he took counsel with the young men who had been brought up with him, who 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 Brenton And he said to them, What do ye advise that I should answer this people, who spoke to me, saying, Ease somewhat of the yoke which thy father laid upon 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 Brenton And the young men that had been brought up with him spoke to him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak to the people that spoke to thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, and do thou lighten somewhat of it from us; thus shalt thou say, 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 Brenton And whereas my father chastised you with a heavy yoke, I will also add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, and 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 Brenton And Jeroboam and all the people came to Roboam on the third day, as the king had spoken, saying, Return 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 Brenton And the king answered harshly; and king Roboam forsook the counsel of the old men, BSB BSB: And the king answered them harshly. King Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders
14 Brenton and spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it: 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 Brenton And the king hearkened not to the people, for there was a change of their minds from God, saying, The Lord has confirmed his word, which he spoke by the hand of Achia the Selonite concerning Jeroboam the son of Nabat, and concerning all Israel; 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 Brenton for the king did not hearken to them. And the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David, or inheritance in the son of Jessæ? to thy tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. 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 Brenton But the men of Israel, even those who dwelt in the cities of Juda, remained and made Roboam king over them. BSB BSB: but Rehoboam still reigned over the Israelites living in the cities of Judah.
18 Brenton And king Roboam sent to them Adoniram that was over the tribute; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, and he died. And king Roboam hasted to mount 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 Brenton So Israel rebelled against the house of David until 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.