1
And Rechavam went to Shekhem, for all Yisra’el had come to Shekhem to make him king.
2
And it came to pass, when Yarovam son of Nevat heard—for he was still in Mitzrayim, where he had fled from before King Shəlomah—that Yarovam returned from Mitzrayim.
3
And they sent and called him. And Yarovam and all the assembly of Yisra’el came and spoke to Rechavam, saying:
4
“Your father made our yoke hard. And now, lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke that he placed upon us, and we will serve you.”
5
And he said to them: “Go for three days, then return to me.” And the people went.
6
And King Rechavam took counsel with the elders who had stood before Shəlomah his father while he was alive, saying: “How do you counsel that I return word to this people?”
7
And they spoke to him, saying: “If this day you become a servant to this people, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they shall be your servants all the days.”
8
But he forsook the counsel of the elders that they had counseled him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and who stood before his face.
9
And he said to them: “What do you counsel, that we may return word to this people who spoke to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke that your father placed upon us’?”
10
And the young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying: “Thus you shall say to this people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you, lighten it from upon us’— thus you shall speak to them: ‘My little finger is thicker than the loins of my father.
11
And now, my father loaded upon you a heavy yoke, and I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’”
12
And Yarovam and all the people came to Rechavam on the third day, according to what the king had spoken, saying: “Return to me on the third day.”
13
And the king answered the people harshly and forsook the counsel of the elders that they had counseled him.
14
And he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying: “My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.”
15
And the king did not listen to the people, for the turn of the matter was from Yahuah, in order to establish His Word that Yahuah spoke by the hand of Achiyah the Shiloni to Yarovam son of Nevat.
16
And all Yisra’el saw that the king did not listen to them. And the people returned word to the king, saying: “What portion have we in Daviyd? And there is no inheritance for us in the son of Yishai. To your tents, Yisra’el! Now see to your own House, Daviyd!” And Yisra’el went to their tents.
17
But as for the sons of Yisra’el who dwelt in the cities of Yehudah, Rechavam reigned over them.
18
And King Rechavam sent Adoram, who was over the forced labor. And all Yisra’el stoned him with stones, and he died. And King Rechavam strengthened himself to go up into his chariot, to flee to Yerushalayim.
19
And Yisra’el rebelled against the House of Daviyd to this day.
20
And it came to pass, when all Yisra’el heard that Yarovam had returned, that they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Yisra’el. There was none who followed after the House of Daviyd except the tribe of Yehudah alone.
21
And Rechavam came to Yerushalayim and assembled all the House of Yehudah and the tribe of Binyamin, one hundred eighty thousand chosen men who made war, to fight against the House of Yisra’el, to return the Kingdom to Rechavam son of Shəlomah.
22
And the Word of Elohim came to Shemayah, ish of Elohim, saying:
23
“Speak to Rechavam son of Shəlomah, king of Yehudah, and to all the House of Yehudah and Binyamin, and to the remainder of the people, saying:
24
‘Thus says Yahuah: You shall not go up, and you shall not fight with your brothers, the sons of Yisra’el. Return, each ish to his house, for this matter has come from Me.’” And they listened to the Word of Yahuah and returned to go according to the Word of Yahuah.
25
And Yarovam built Shekhem in the hill country of Efrayim and dwelt in it. And he went out from there and built Penuel.
26
And Yarovam said in his heart: “Now the Kingdom may return to the House of Daviyd.
27
If this people goes up to make sacrifices in the House of Yahuah at Yerushalayim, then the heart of this people will return to their master, to Rechavam king of Yehudah. And they will put me to death and return to Rechavam king of Yehudah.”
28
And 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 Yerushalayim. See your elohim, Yisra’el, who brought you up from the land of Mitzrayim.”
29
And he set the one in Beit-El, and the other he placed in Dan.
30
And this matter became sin, for the people went before the one as far as Dan.
31
And he made a house of high places and made kohenim from the ends of the people, who were not from the sons of Levi.
32
And Yarovam made a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that was in Yehudah. And he caused offerings to go up upon the altar. Thus he did in Beit-El, sacrificing to the calves that he had made. And he stationed in Beit-El the kohenim of the high places that he had made.
33
And he caused offerings to go up upon the altar that he had made in Beit-El, on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month that he had devised from his own heart. And he made a feast for the sons of Yisra’el and went up upon the altar to burn incense.