Rebellion against Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:1–15)
1 DBY And Rehoboam went to Shechem; for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. BSB BSB: Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king.
2 DBY And it came to pass when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard it (now he was in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of king Solomon) 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 DBY And they sent and called him; and 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 DBY Thy father made our yoke grievous; and now lighten the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that 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 DBY 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 DBY And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, How do ye advise 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 DBY And they spoke to him saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will 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 DBY But he forsook the advice of the old men which they had given him, and consulted with the young men, who had grown 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 DBY And he said to them, What advice give ye that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me saying, Lighten the yoke which thy father put 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 DBY And the young men that had grown up with him spoke to him saying, Thus shalt thou say to the people who have spoken to thee saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, and lighten thou it for us, — thus shalt thou say to them: My little finger is 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 DBY and whereas my father laid a heavy yoke upon you, I will add 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 DBY And Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed 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 DBY And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the advice of the old men, BSB BSB: And the king answered them harshly. King Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders
14 DBY and spoke to them according to the advice 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 DBY So the king hearkened not to the people; for it was brought about by God, that Jehovah might give effect to his word, which he spoke through 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 DBY And all Israel saw that the king hearkened not to them; and the people answered the king saying, What portion have we in David? and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel. Now see to thine own house, David! And 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 DBY But as for the children of Israel that dwelt 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 DBY And king Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was over the levy; but the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. And king Rehoboam hastened 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 DBY And Israel rebelled against the house of David, unto 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.