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1 Kings / Rehoboam's Folly and the Kingdom Divides
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Adonijah Attempts to Seize the Throne Solomon Anointed King David's Charge to Solomon and Death Solomon Consolidates His Power Solomon's Request for Wisdom Solomon's Wise Judgment Solomon's Officials and Administrative Order The Wealth and Prosperity of Israel Solomon's Wisdom and Fame Alliances and Preparations for the Temple Solomon Builds the Temple Solomon's Palace and Structural Works Temple Furnishings and the Work of Hiram The Ark Brought into the Temple Solomon's Prayer of Dedication The Dedication Celebrated with Sacrifice God's Promise and Warning to Solomon Solomon's Building Projects and Trade The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon The Wealth and Splendor of Solomon's Reign Solomon's Foreign Wives and Apostasy Adversaries Raised Against Solomon Jeroboam's Call and the Promise of Division Summary of Solomon's Reign and Death Rehoboam's Folly and the Kingdom Divides Jeroboam Establishes Golden Calves Prophetic Rebuke at Bethel and Deception Ahijah's Prophecy Against Jeroboam Rehoboam's Unfaithfulness and Shishak's Invasion Abijam's Short Reign in Judah Asa's Reforms and Early Reign Nadab's Reign and Baasha's Conspiracy Baasha's Reign and Jehu's Prophecy Elah Assassinated and Zimri's Usurpation Zimri's Suicide and Omri's Rise to Power Omri Establishes Samaria as Capital Ahab and Jezebel Introduce Baal Worship Elijah Announces the Drought and Is Fed by Ravens Elijah in Zarephath: Provision and Resurrection Elijah Confronts Ahab and Prepares for Confrontation Elijah on Mount Carmel and the Fall of Baal's Prophets Elijah Flees to Horeb and Is Renewed God's Response to Elijah and New Commissions The Call of Elisha Ben‑hadad Besieges Samaria; Israel's Defiant Response Israel's Victories Over Aram and Ahab's Mercy A Prophet Enacts Judgment on the King Naboth's Vineyard: Ahab and Jezebel's Crime and Punishment Ahab and Jehoshaphat Seek Counsel; Micaiah's True Prophecy Ahab Dies at Ramoth‑Gilead Jehoshaphat's Reign in Judah Ahaziah Succeeds Ahab and Does Evil

Rehoboam's Folly and the Kingdom Divides

1 Kings 12:1-24

12
Chapter 12
1 Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. 2 And it was when Jeroboam son of Nebat heard—and he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from before King Solomon—that Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt. 3 They sent and called to him, and Jeroboam came and all the assembly of Israel, and they spoke to Rehoboam, saying: 4 Your father made it hard on us, and now you—lighten the hard servitude of your father and his heavy burden that he put on us, and we will serve you. 5 He said to them, "Go for three days and return to me," and the people went. 6 And King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had been standing before Solomon his father while he was living, saying, "What are you advising that we return a word to this people?" 7 They spoke to him, saying, "If today you serve this people and serve them and afflict them and speak to them good words, then they will be your servants all the days." 8 He abandoned the counsel of the elders which they had advised him, and he consulted the children who had grown up with him, who stood before him. 9 And he said to them, "What are you counseling, and we will return a word to this people which they spoke to me, saying, 'Lighten the yoke which your father put on us.'" 10 The children who grew up with him spoke to him, saying, "This is what you shall say to this people who spoke to you, saying, 'Your father made it heavy on us, and you lighten it from upon us.' This is what you shall speak to them: 'My little finger is thicker than my father's loins.'" 11 Now my father loaded a heavy load on you, and I will add to it; my father disciplined you with whips, and I will discipline you with scorpions. 12 Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had said, "Return to me on the third day." 13 The king answered the people harshly and abandoned the counsel of the elders that they had counseled him. 14 He spoke to them according to the advice of the children, saying, "My father made your load heavy, and I will add to your load. My father disciplined you with whips, and I will discipline you with scorpions." 15 And the king did not listen to the people, for the turn of events was from the LORD in order to establish his word, which the LORD spoke by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat. 16 All Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, and the people answered the king, saying, "What portion do we have in David, and no inheritance in the son of Jesse? To your tents, Israel! Now see to your own house, David!" Then Israel went to his tents. 17 The sons of Israel who were dwelling in the cities of Judah—Rehoboam reigned over them. 18 King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the forced labor, and all Israel stoned him with stones, and he died. King Rehoboam made every effort to get up into the chariot to flee to Jerusalem. 19 Israel has rebelled against the house of David until this day. 20 When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had become king, they sent and called him to the congregation, and they made him king over all Israel. There was none who followed the house of David except the tribe of Judah alone. 21 Rehoboam came to Jerusalem and assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, 180,000 chosen men who were to make war, to fight against the house of Israel in order to return the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon. 22 And the word of God came to Shemaiah, the man of God, saying. 23 He said to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin and the rest of the people, saying: 24 This is what the LORD says: You shall not go up, and you shall not fight with your brothers, the sons of Israel; return, every man to his house, for this matter has come from me. And they heard the word of the LORD and they returned to go as the word of the LORD.