The people’s demand of the king
2 Chronicles 10:1-19 1Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, went to Shechem in the northland so people in the northern tribes of Israel could meet him there to crown him king. 2Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about the coming ceremony. But he decided to stay in Egypt. He fled there earlier, while Solomon was alive and trying to kill him.
3Some of Israel’s leaders asked him to come, so he did. The group confronted Rehoboam with a demand: 4“Your father overworked and exploited us. Lighten up on us and we’ll do what you say.” The king’s harsh answer
5Rehoboam said, “Let me think about that. Give me three days, then come back and I’ll give you my answer.” So they left. 6Rehoboam met with older advisors who had worked for his father, Solomon. He asked them, “What should I tell these people?” 7They said, “Be gentle. Tell them what they need to hear. If you let them know you care about them, they’ll stay devoted to you for the rest of their lives.”
8Rehoboam didn’t like that advice, so he ignored it. He met with some of the young men he grew up with. They were part of his entourage of closer friends. 9He asked them, “What do you think I should tell these people who said my father overworked and exploited them?” Solomon, the pinky finger king
10The young advisors said, “Here’s what you should say: ‘Work? You call that work? You think my father was heavy-handed. Compared to my heavy hand, my father was a pinky finger. 11He gave you a lot of work. But I’ll give you more than ever. He beat you with ropes. Well, I’ll thread those ropes with chunks of sharp metal.’”
12As instructed, Jeroboam and the crowd of people went back to meet with Rehoboam on the third day. 13The king ignored advice from his older officials. He got harsh with the crowd. 14He took the advice of men his own age. He said what they told him to say: “Work? You call that work? My father gave you a lot of work. But I’ll give you more than ever. He beat you with ropes. Well, I’ll thread those ropes with chunks of metal.’”
15The LORD made sure the king talked sharply to the people. The LORD did this so Ahijah’s prediction [1] to Jeroboam several years earlier would come true. People respond: David who?
16When the people of Israel heard that, they were prepared with a response:
“What’s David to us?
Jesse’s son is nothing to us.
Israel, let’s go home.
David, mind your own business.” [2]
So, the people left for home. 17That left Rehoboam as king over the towns in only Judah. [3]
18King Rehoboam tried to conduct business as usual. He sent Adoniram, his official in charge of forced labor, to the north. He was supposed to bring back men he drafted for royal work projects. People up there stoned him to death. 19When Rehoboam got the news, he rushed to his chariot and raced back to the safety of Jerusalem’s city walls. Jeroboam gets his kingdom
2 Chronicles 11:1-4 20When news spread that Jeroboam had come back from Egypt, Israel’s leaders called him to a meeting and made him king over Israel. [4] All that was left of David’s family dynasty was the single tribe of Judah.
21Rehoboam, with help from Benjamin’s tribe, raised an army of 180,000 [5] warriors. He was going to march them north and force the rebel tribes back into the Israelite union and restore the kingdom of Solomon’s son. 22A prophet stopped him: Shemaiah. God told the prophet: 23“I have a message I want you to give to Judah’s king, Rehoboam the son of Solomon, and to all the people in the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. 24Tell them, ‘This comes directly from the LORD. Do not go up north and fight your relatives in Israel. The nation split because I split it. Everyone, go home.’” So, they did. King Jeroboam’s golden cattle
25King Jeroboam built up Shechem [6] as his capital city, in the hills of Ephraim’s tribe. He did the same for the city of Peniel.
26Jeroboam said, “These tribes of Israel could very well reunite under a king from David’s family. 27If they continue their tradition of worshiping in Jerusalem, their hearts might draw them back to their legitimate king. If that happens, they’ll kill me first. And then King Rehoboam of Judah will welcome them back.”
28So, the king talked with his advisors about how to handle this problem. They agreed to create northern places for the people to worship. And they made two golden calves. [7] Jeroboam told the people, “Enough is enough. You’ve gone up to Jerusalem long enough. So, we’re bringing closer to home the gods who led you out of Egypt.”
29He put one golden calf in a shrine he set up at Bethel. [8] And he put another one in the far north, at Dan. 30The people of Israel worshiped at these shrines. It was a sinful thing to do. 32Jeroboam also built hilltop shrines throughout the land. And he appointed priests who were not from the tribe God had chosen for priests. God assigned men from the tribe of Levi—the Levites—to serve as priests for all the people.
33Jeroboam then created his own religious holiday, and then went to Bethel and burned incense to celebrate the day. He set the date late in the fall, on the fifteenth day of Bul, the eighth month on the Hebrew calendar. [9]
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1Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, went to Shechem in the northland so people in the northern tribes of Israel could meet him there to crown him king. 2Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about the coming ceremony. But he decided to stay in Egypt. He fled there earlier, while Solomon was alive and trying to kill him.
3Some of Israel’s leaders asked him to come, so he did. The group confronted Rehoboam with a demand: 4“Your father overworked and exploited us. Lighten up on us and we’ll do what you say.”
8Rehoboam didn’t like that advice, so he ignored it. He met with some of the young men he grew up with. They were part of his entourage of closer friends. 9He asked them, “What do you think I should tell these people who said my father overworked and exploited them?”
12As instructed, Jeroboam and the crowd of people went back to meet with Rehoboam on the third day. 13The king ignored advice from his older officials. He got harsh with the crowd. 14He took the advice of men his own age. He said what they told him to say: “Work? You call that work? My father gave you a lot of work. But I’ll give you more than ever. He beat you with ropes. Well, I’ll thread those ropes with chunks of metal.’”
15The LORD made sure the king talked sharply to the people. The LORD did this so Ahijah’s prediction [1] to Jeroboam several years earlier would come true.
18King Rehoboam tried to conduct business as usual. He sent Adoniram, his official in charge of forced labor, to the north. He was supposed to bring back men he drafted for royal work projects. People up there stoned him to death. 19When Rehoboam got the news, he rushed to his chariot and raced back to the safety of Jerusalem’s city walls.Jeroboam gets his kingdom
3Some of Israel’s leaders asked him to come, so he did. The group confronted Rehoboam with a demand: 4“Your father overworked and exploited us. Lighten up on us and we’ll do what you say.”
The king’s harsh answer
5Rehoboam said, “Let me think about that. Give me three days, then come back and I’ll give you my answer.” So they left. 6Rehoboam met with older advisors who had worked for his father, Solomon. He asked them, “What should I tell these people?” 7They said, “Be gentle. Tell them what they need to hear. If you let them know you care about them, they’ll stay devoted to you for the rest of their lives.”8Rehoboam didn’t like that advice, so he ignored it. He met with some of the young men he grew up with. They were part of his entourage of closer friends. 9He asked them, “What do you think I should tell these people who said my father overworked and exploited them?”
Solomon, the pinky finger king
10The young advisors said, “Here’s what you should say: ‘Work? You call that work? You think my father was heavy-handed. Compared to my heavy hand, my father was a pinky finger. 11He gave you a lot of work. But I’ll give you more than ever. He beat you with ropes. Well, I’ll thread those ropes with chunks of sharp metal.’”12As instructed, Jeroboam and the crowd of people went back to meet with Rehoboam on the third day. 13The king ignored advice from his older officials. He got harsh with the crowd. 14He took the advice of men his own age. He said what they told him to say: “Work? You call that work? My father gave you a lot of work. But I’ll give you more than ever. He beat you with ropes. Well, I’ll thread those ropes with chunks of metal.’”
15The LORD made sure the king talked sharply to the people. The LORD did this so Ahijah’s prediction [1] to Jeroboam several years earlier would come true.
People respond: David who?
16When the people of Israel heard that, they were prepared with a response:“What’s David to us?
Jesse’s son is nothing to us.
Israel, let’s go home.
David, mind your own business.” [2]
18King Rehoboam tried to conduct business as usual. He sent Adoniram, his official in charge of forced labor, to the north. He was supposed to bring back men he drafted for royal work projects. People up there stoned him to death. 19When Rehoboam got the news, he rushed to his chariot and raced back to the safety of Jerusalem’s city walls.
Jeroboam gets his kingdom
2 Chronicles 11:1-4 20When news spread that Jeroboam had come back from Egypt, Israel’s leaders called him to a meeting and made him king over Israel. [4] All that was left of David’s family dynasty was the single tribe of Judah.
21Rehoboam, with help from Benjamin’s tribe, raised an army of 180,000 [5] warriors. He was going to march them north and force the rebel tribes back into the Israelite union and restore the kingdom of Solomon’s son. 22A prophet stopped him: Shemaiah. God told the prophet: 23“I have a message I want you to give to Judah’s king, Rehoboam the son of Solomon, and to all the people in the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. 24Tell them, ‘This comes directly from the LORD. Do not go up north and fight your relatives in Israel. The nation split because I split it. Everyone, go home.’” So, they did. King Jeroboam’s golden cattle
25King Jeroboam built up Shechem [6] as his capital city, in the hills of Ephraim’s tribe. He did the same for the city of Peniel.
26Jeroboam said, “These tribes of Israel could very well reunite under a king from David’s family. 27If they continue their tradition of worshiping in Jerusalem, their hearts might draw them back to their legitimate king. If that happens, they’ll kill me first. And then King Rehoboam of Judah will welcome them back.”
28So, the king talked with his advisors about how to handle this problem. They agreed to create northern places for the people to worship. And they made two golden calves. [7] Jeroboam told the people, “Enough is enough. You’ve gone up to Jerusalem long enough. So, we’re bringing closer to home the gods who led you out of Egypt.”
29He put one golden calf in a shrine he set up at Bethel. [8] And he put another one in the far north, at Dan. 30The people of Israel worshiped at these shrines. It was a sinful thing to do. 32Jeroboam also built hilltop shrines throughout the land. And he appointed priests who were not from the tribe God had chosen for priests. God assigned men from the tribe of Levi—the Levites—to serve as priests for all the people.
33Jeroboam then created his own religious holiday, and then went to Bethel and burned incense to celebrate the day. He set the date late in the fall, on the fifteenth day of Bul, the eighth month on the Hebrew calendar. [9]
Related maps
20When news spread that Jeroboam had come back from Egypt, Israel’s leaders called him to a meeting and made him king over Israel. [4] All that was left of David’s family dynasty was the single tribe of Judah.
21Rehoboam, with help from Benjamin’s tribe, raised an army of 180,000 [5] warriors. He was going to march them north and force the rebel tribes back into the Israelite union and restore the kingdom of Solomon’s son. 22A prophet stopped him: Shemaiah. God told the prophet: 23“I have a message I want you to give to Judah’s king, Rehoboam the son of Solomon, and to all the people in the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. 24Tell them, ‘This comes directly from the LORD. Do not go up north and fight your relatives in Israel. The nation split because I split it. Everyone, go home.’” So, they did.
26Jeroboam said, “These tribes of Israel could very well reunite under a king from David’s family. 27If they continue their tradition of worshiping in Jerusalem, their hearts might draw them back to their legitimate king. If that happens, they’ll kill me first. And then King Rehoboam of Judah will welcome them back.”
28So, the king talked with his advisors about how to handle this problem. They agreed to create northern places for the people to worship. And they made two golden calves. [7] Jeroboam told the people, “Enough is enough. You’ve gone up to Jerusalem long enough. So, we’re bringing closer to home the gods who led you out of Egypt.”
29He put one golden calf in a shrine he set up at Bethel. [8] And he put another one in the far north, at Dan. 30The people of Israel worshiped at these shrines. It was a sinful thing to do. 32Jeroboam also built hilltop shrines throughout the land. And he appointed priests who were not from the tribe God had chosen for priests. God assigned men from the tribe of Levi—the Levites—to serve as priests for all the people.
33Jeroboam then created his own religious holiday, and then went to Bethel and burned incense to celebrate the day. He set the date late in the fall, on the fifteenth day of Bul, the eighth month on the Hebrew calendar. [9]
21Rehoboam, with help from Benjamin’s tribe, raised an army of 180,000 [5] warriors. He was going to march them north and force the rebel tribes back into the Israelite union and restore the kingdom of Solomon’s son. 22A prophet stopped him: Shemaiah. God told the prophet: 23“I have a message I want you to give to Judah’s king, Rehoboam the son of Solomon, and to all the people in the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. 24Tell them, ‘This comes directly from the LORD. Do not go up north and fight your relatives in Israel. The nation split because I split it. Everyone, go home.’” So, they did.
King Jeroboam’s golden cattle
25King Jeroboam built up Shechem [6] as his capital city, in the hills of Ephraim’s tribe. He did the same for the city of Peniel.26Jeroboam said, “These tribes of Israel could very well reunite under a king from David’s family. 27If they continue their tradition of worshiping in Jerusalem, their hearts might draw them back to their legitimate king. If that happens, they’ll kill me first. And then King Rehoboam of Judah will welcome them back.”
28So, the king talked with his advisors about how to handle this problem. They agreed to create northern places for the people to worship. And they made two golden calves. [7] Jeroboam told the people, “Enough is enough. You’ve gone up to Jerusalem long enough. So, we’re bringing closer to home the gods who led you out of Egypt.”
29He put one golden calf in a shrine he set up at Bethel. [8] And he put another one in the far north, at Dan. 30The people of Israel worshiped at these shrines. It was a sinful thing to do. 32Jeroboam also built hilltop shrines throughout the land. And he appointed priests who were not from the tribe God had chosen for priests. God assigned men from the tribe of Levi—the Levites—to serve as priests for all the people.
33Jeroboam then created his own religious holiday, and then went to Bethel and burned incense to celebrate the day. He set the date late in the fall, on the fifteenth day of Bul, the eighth month on the Hebrew calendar. [9]
