1 Kings 12: Rehoboam's harsh answer, the kingdom splits, and Jeroboam's two gold calves
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
All Israel comes to Shechem to make Rehoboam king, and Jeroboam, back from Egypt, comes with them and together they ask Rehoboam to make lighter the heavy yoke Solomon put on them. Rehoboam sets aside the advice of the old men and answers the people harshly, as the young men advised: his father made their yoke heavy, but he will add to it, and he will discipline them with scorpions. The text says this turn of events was from Yahweh, to fulfill the word he spoke through Ahijah. Israel rebels against David's house, stones Adoram, and makes Jeroboam king; only the tribe of Judah follows David's house. Rehoboam gathers an army to fight Israel, but the word of God comes to Shemaiah, and the people go home. Afraid that the people will turn back to Rehoboam if they go up to sacrifice in Jerusalem, Jeroboam makes two calves of gold, sets one in Bethel and one in Dan, makes priests who are not from Levi, and sets up a feast in the eighth month.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. God's own words are in 2 of the 33 verses: the word of God that came to Shemaiah the man of God, in verses 23 and 24 (verse 22 tells that it came). In it God tells Shemaiah what to say to Rehoboam and the people, so the message is inside God's own words. Verse 15, that this turn of events was from Yahweh, is the narrator's words. Jeroboam and the assembly of Israel speak to Rehoboam in verse 4, and Rehoboam answers them in verse 5 and in verse 14; verse 12 repeats what he had told them. Rehoboam asks advice in verses 6 and 9; the old men answer in verse 7, and the young men in verses 10 and 11. The people answer the king in verse 16. Jeroboam speaks to himself in verses 26 and 27, and to the people in verse 28. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.
In plain English: Rehoboam went to Shechem, because all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.
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2When Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was yet in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of King Solomon, and Jeroboam lived in Egypt;
In plain English: When Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard about it (he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon, and Jeroboam was living in Egypt;
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3and they sent and called him), Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came, and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,
In plain English: and they sent and called him), Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam. They said,
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4“Your father made our yoke difficult. Now therefore make the hard service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you.”
In plain English: "Your father made our yoke hard. Now make lighter the hard service of your father and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you."
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5He said to them, “Depart for three days, then come back to me.” So the people departed.
In plain English: He said to them, "Go away for three days, then come back to me." So the people went away.
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6King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, “What counsel do you give me to answer these people?”
In plain English: King Rehoboam asked advice from the old men (or: the elders) who had served (literally: stood before) his father Solomon while he was alive. He said, "How do you advise me to answer these people?"
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7They replied, “If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them, and answer them with good words, then they will be your servants forever.”
In plain English: They said to him, "If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them, and answer them and speak kind (literally: good) words to them, then they will be your servants forever (literally: all the days)."
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8But he abandoned the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.
In plain English: But he set aside (this Bible: abandoned) the advice the old men had given him, and asked advice from the young men who had grown up with him and who served him (literally: stood before him).
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9He said to them, “What counsel do you give, that we may answer these people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Make the yoke that your father put on us lighter’?”
In plain English: He said to them, "What do you advise, so that we can answer these people who have said to me, 'Make lighter the yoke your father put on us'?"
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10The young men who had grown up with him said to him, “Tell these people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter to us’—tell them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist.
In plain English: The young men who had grown up with him said to him, "This is what to say to these people who told you, 'Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter for us.' Tell them this: 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist (or: loins).
The Hebrew word: "Little finger" is qoten, which the dictionary gives as "a pettiness, i.e. the little finger". It is in only 2 verses of the Bible: here and the same story in . "Waist" is mothen, which the dictionary gives as "properly, the waist or small of the back", and also the loins.
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11Now my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, but I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.’”
In plain English: My father loaded a heavy yoke on you, but I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined (this Bible: chastised) you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions (or: knotted whips; see the note).'"
The Hebrew word: "Scorpions" is aqrab, which the dictionary gives as "a scorpion; figuratively, a scourge or knotted whip". "Whips" is shot, "a lash".
What changes: These are the young men's words, which Rehoboam then says to the people in . Read as the animal, the words are a picture of harsher punishment. Read as a kind of whip, they mean a harsher whip than his father's. Either way, the words say he will be harder on the people than Solomon was.
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12So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king asked, saying, “Come to me again the third day.”
In plain English: So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had said: "Come back to me on the third day."
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13The king answered the people roughly, and abandoned the counsel of the old men which they had given him,
In plain English: The king answered the people harshly (literally: hard). He set aside the advice the old men had given him,
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14and spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.”
In plain English: and he spoke to them as the young men had advised. He said, "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined (this Bible: chastised) you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions (or: knotted whips)."
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15So the king didn’t listen to the people; for it was a thing brought about from Yahweh, that he might establish his word, which Yahweh spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
In plain English: So the king did not listen to the people, because this turn of events (this Bible: a thing brought about) was from Yahweh, so that he might fulfill (literally: establish) his word, which Yahweh had spoken through (literally: by the hand of) Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
The Hebrew word: "A thing brought about" is sibbah, which the dictionary gives as "a (providential) turn (of affairs)". It is in only this verse of the Bible. tells it as "it was brought about by God". The word Yahweh spoke through Ahijah is in to .
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16When all Israel saw that the king didn’t listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, “What portion have we in David? We don’t have an inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, Israel! Now see to your own house, David.” So Israel departed to their tents.
In plain English: When all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, "What share (this Bible: portion) do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, Israel! Now look after your own house, David." So Israel went away to their tents.
Good to know: Sheba the son of Bichri shouted much the same words against David: "We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, Israel!" (; see the note there).
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17But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
In plain English: But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
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18Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the men subject to forced labor; and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. King Rehoboam hurried to get himself up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
In plain English: Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the forced labor, and all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam hurried (literally: showed himself strong) to get up into his chariot and flee to Jerusalem.
Good to know: Adoram is also the name of the man over the forced labor in . In and the man over the forced labor is named Adoniram. The text does not say whether they are the same man.
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19So Israel rebelled against David’s house to this day.
In plain English: So Israel has rebelled against David's house to this day.
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20When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the congregation, and made him king over all Israel. There was no one who followed David’s house, except for the tribe of Judah only.
In plain English: When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had come back, they sent and called him to the assembly (this Bible: congregation) and made him king over all Israel. No one followed David's house except the tribe of Judah alone.
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21When Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.
In plain English: When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he gathered all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors, to fight against the house of Israel and bring the kingdom back to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.
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22But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
In plain English: But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God:
Good to know: Here the text says that the word of God came to Shemaiah, and the words that follow are God's own instruction to him, so verses 23 and 24 are in gold. tells the same: "Yahweh's word came to Shemaiah the man of God".
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23“Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, saying,God speaks
In plain English: "Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people. Say,
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24‘Yahweh says, “You shall not go up or fight against your brothers, the children of Israel. Everyone return to his house; for this thing is from me.”’” So they listened to Yahweh’s word, and returned and went their way, according to Yahweh’s word.God speaks
In plain English: 'Yahweh says, "You shall not go up or fight against your brothers, the children of Israel. Every man go back to his house, because this thing is from me."'" So they listened to Yahweh's word, and turned back and went their way, as Yahweh had said (literally: according to Yahweh's word).
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25Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived in it; and he went out from there and built Penuel.
In plain English: Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. He went out from there and built Penuel.
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26Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom will return to David’s house.
In plain English: Jeroboam said to himself (literally: in his heart), "Now the kingdom will go back to David's house.
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27If this people goes up to offer sacrifices in Yahweh’s house at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me, and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.”
In plain English: If these people go up to offer sacrifices in Yahweh's house in Jerusalem, the heart of these people will turn back to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah. They will kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah."
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28So the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold; and he said to them, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Look and behold your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”
In plain English: So the king took advice and made two calves of gold. He said to the people (literally: to them), "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem (or: you have gone up to Jerusalem long enough). Look, Israel, here are your gods (see the note), who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!"
The Hebrew words: "Gods" is elohim, the word that also means "God" (see the note on ). Here, as there, "brought you up" speaks of more than one in the Hebrew, and the words are much like the people's words about the gold calf: "These are your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt". "It is too much for you" is literally "much for you", from rav, which the dictionary gives as "abundant".
What changes: Read as this Bible has it, Jeroboam says the trip to Jerusalem is too much for the people. Read the other way, he says they have gone up to Jerusalem long enough; the old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "Let it suffice you to have gone hitherto to Jerusalem".
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29He set the one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan.
In plain English: He set one in Bethel, and he put the other in Dan.
Good to know: Bethel is the place Jacob named after his dream (). At Dan, says, "the children of Dan set up for themselves the engraved image".
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30This thing became a sin, for the people went even as far as Dan to worship before the one there.
In plain English: This thing became a sin: the people went as far as Dan, to go before the one there (this Bible: to worship before the one there).
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31He made houses of high places, and made priests from among all the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.
In plain English: He made houses of high places (or: a house for the high places; see the note), and he made priests from among all the people (literally: from the ends of the people), who were not of the sons of Levi.
The Hebrew words: "High places" is bamah, which the dictionary gives as "an elevation" (see the note on ). The Hebrew says "a house of high places": it can be read as one house for the high places, or as more than one house. This Bible has "houses of high places", and the old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "houses on the high places". "From among all the people" is literally "from the ends of the people", from qatsah, "a termination"; Brenton has "of any part of the people".
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32Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that is in Judah, and he went up to the altar. He did so in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made, and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made.
In plain English: Jeroboam set up (this Bible: ordained) a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast in Judah, and he went up to (or: offered on) the altar. He did this in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves he had made, and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places he had made.
Good to know: The text does not name the feast in Judah. Solomon's feast at the temple was "in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month" (), and the law sets the feast of booths on "the fifteenth day of this seventh month" ().
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33He went up to the altar which he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and went up to the altar to burn incense.
In plain English: He went up to (or: offered on) the altar he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, the month he had made up (this Bible: devised) out of his own heart. He set up a feast for the children of Israel, and went up to the altar to burn incense (literally: to make smoke).
The Hebrew word: "Devised" is bada, which the dictionary gives as "(figuratively) to invent". It is in only 2 verses of the Bible: here and , where Nehemiah says, "you imagine them out of your own heart".
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