Jeroboam

1And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem were all Israel come to make him king.

Rehoboam went to a town called Shechem. All Israel had gone there to make him king.

2And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of Solomon the king, heard it, that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.

Jeroboam, son of Nebat, heard about this. He had run away to Egypt to get away from King Solomon. Now he came back from Egypt.

3And they sent and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spake to Rehoboam, saying,

The people sent for Jeroboam. So he and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam. They said:

4Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.

"Your father made us work very hard. Make our work easier than he did. Then we will serve you as our king."

5And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And the people departed.

Rehoboam said, "Come back to me in three days." So the people went away.

6And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people?

King Rehoboam talked with the older men who had helped his father Solomon. He asked, "What should I say to these people?"

7And they spake unto 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.

They said, "Be kind to these people. Speak kind words to them and make them glad. Then they will serve you always."

8But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him.

But Rehoboam said no to the older men's advice. He asked the young men he had grown up with, who now worked for him.

9And he said unto them, What advice give ye that we may return answer to this people, which have spoken to me, saying, Ease somewhat the yoke that thy father did put upon us?

He asked them, "What should we tell these people? They asked me to make their work lighter than my father did."

10And the young men that were brought up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou answer the people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it somewhat lighter for us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins.

The young men he grew up with said, "Tell them this. They say your father made their work heavy. Say to them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist!'

11For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

'My father gave you heavy work. I will give you even more. My father beat you with whips. I will beat you with scorpions.'"

12So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day.

Three days later, Jeroboam and all the people came back to Rehoboam. The king had told them to come back on the third day.

13And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men,

The king spoke to them in a hard, unkind way. He would not follow what the older men had said.

14And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

He said what the young men told him to say. "My father gave you heavy work. I will give you even more. My father beat you with whips. I will beat you with scorpions."

15So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

So the king did not listen to the people. This happened because God had planned it. Long ago the LORD spoke through a man named Ahijah from Shiloh. Ahijah told Jeroboam, son of Nebat, what would happen. Now those words came true.

16And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents.

All Israel saw the king would not listen. So the people said to the king, "We have no share in David. We get nothing from the son of Jesse. Israel, let us all go home! David, take care of your own family." So all Israel went home.

17But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

But some people of Israel lived in the towns of Judah. Rehoboam stayed king over them.

18Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. But king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

King Rehoboam sent out a man named Hadoram. Hadoram made the people do hard work for the king. The people of Israel threw stones at him until he died. King Rehoboam jumped into his chariot fast. He ran away to Jerusalem.

19And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

So Israel turned against David's family. They are still turned against it today.

13And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts.

The priests and Levites lived all over Israel. Priests led worship, and Levites helped them. They all came and joined Rehoboam.

14For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest’s office unto the LORD:

The Levites left their grasslands and their land behind. They went to Judah and Jerusalem. Jeroboam and his sons had pushed them out. They would not let them serve God as priests.

15And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.

Jeroboam picked his own priests instead. They served at the worship places on the hills. They also served the goat idols and calf idols he had made.

16And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers.

People from every tribe of Israel followed the Levites. These were people who really wanted to follow the God of Israel. They came to Jerusalem to bring gifts to God. He was the God their fathers had worshiped.

17So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.

These people made the kingdom of Judah strong. They made Rehoboam son of Solomon strong for three years. For those three years they lived like David and Solomon had.

1Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.

Jeroboam was king of Israel. In his eighteenth year, Abijah became king of Judah.

2He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

Abijah ruled three years in the city of Jerusalem. His mother was Michaiah, the daughter of Uriel from the town of Gibeah. Abijah and Jeroboam were at war with each other.

3And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valour.

Abijah lined up his army for battle. He had 400,000 brave, picked soldiers. Jeroboam lined up against him with 800,000 strong, picked soldiers.

4And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel;

Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, in the hills of Ephraim. He called out, "Listen to me, Jeroboam, and all of Israel!

5Ought ye not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?

Don't you know this? The LORD, the God of Israel, gave the kingdom of Israel to David. He gave it to David and his sons forever, by a promise that would never break.

6Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord.

But Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, turned against King Solomon, whom he had served. Solomon was David's son, and Jeroboam refused to obey him.

7And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them.

Useless, wicked men gathered around Jeroboam. Together they stood against Rehoboam, Solomon's son. Rehoboam was young and unsure of himself. He could not stop them.

8And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David; and ye be a great multitude, and there are with you golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods.

Now you think you can beat the LORD's kingdom, which David's family rules. Yes, there are many of you. And you brought the gold calf statues Jeroboam made for you as gods.

9Have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods.

You chased away the LORD's priests, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites who helped them. Then you picked your own priests, the way other countries do. Anyone who brings a young bull and seven rams can become a priest of things that are not gods at all.

10But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the LORD, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their business:

But the LORD is our God, and we have not left him. Our priests are the sons of Aaron, and they serve the LORD. The Levites do the work God gave them.

11And they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the shewbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but ye have forsaken him.

Every morning and every evening our priests burn gifts to the LORD. They burn sweet-smelling incense too. They set out the special bread in rows on the clean table. Every evening they light the lamps on the gold lampstand. We do what the LORD our God told us to do. But you have left him.

12And, behold, God himself is with us for our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the LORD God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper.

Look, God himself is with us. He is our leader. His priests are here with trumpets to sound the call against you. People of Israel, do not fight the LORD, the God of your fathers. You will not win."

13But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them.

But Jeroboam had sent some soldiers around to hide behind Judah's army. So his men were in front of Judah, and the hidden men were behind them.

14And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried unto the LORD, and the priests sounded with the trumpets.

Judah looked back and saw enemies in front and behind. They cried out to the LORD. The priests blew their trumpets.

15Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

Then the men of Judah gave a loud shout. As they shouted, God struck down Jeroboam and all Israel. They fell before Abijah and Judah.

16And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered them into their hand.

The men of Israel ran away from Judah. God handed them over to Judah.

17And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.

Abijah and his men beat them badly. Five hundred thousand picked men of Israel died.

18Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers.

So Israel was beaten that day, and Judah won. Judah won because they trusted the LORD, the God of their fathers.

19And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephrain with the towns thereof.

Abijah chased Jeroboam and took cities from him. He took Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephrain, along with their small towns.

20Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the LORD struck him, and he died.

Jeroboam never got his power back while Abijah lived. The LORD struck him, and he died.