Rehoboam

1Rehoboam went to a town called Shechem. All Israel had gone there to make him king.

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

NoteRehoboam was King Solomon's son. Kings were usually followed by their sons.

2Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, heard about this. He was still in Egypt, where he had run away from King Solomon.

And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;)

NoteEgypt is a country far away, south of Israel. Jeroboam had worked for Solomon and then run away.

3So the people sent for Jeroboam. He and all the people of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam.

That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,

NoteIsrael was made of twelve big family groups called tribes. All of them came to talk to the new king.

4They said, "Your father made our work very hard. Make our work lighter, and we will serve you."

Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.

NoteThe King James says Solomon made their "yoke" heavy. A yoke is a wooden bar laid on an ox's neck for pulling. Here it means hard work the king made people do.

5Rehoboam said, "Go away for three days. Then come back to me." So the people left.

And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.

6King Rehoboam talked with the older men who had helped his father Solomon. He asked, "What should I say to these people?"

And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?

NoteThese older men had helped King Solomon for many years. They knew how a king should treat people.

7They said, "Serve these people today. Speak kind words to them. Then they will serve you always."

And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.

NoteTo "be a servant" to the people means to help them, not boss them.

8But Rehoboam did not take the older men's advice. He asked the young men who had grown up with him and worked for him.

But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:

9He said to them, "What should I tell these people? They asked me to make their work lighter."

And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?

10The young men who grew up with him said, "Tell them this: 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist.'

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

NoteThis is a way of bragging. He means, "I am much tougher than my father was."

11"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.'"

And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

NoteA scorpion is a small animal with a sharp sting. Here it means a whip with sharp points on it.

12Three days later, Jeroboam and all the people came back to Rehoboam. The king had told them to return on the third day.

So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.

13The king spoke to the people in a hard, unkind way. He did not do what the older men had told him.

And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him;

14He said what the young men told him to say. "My father gave you heavy work, and I will give you more. My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions."

And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

15So the king would not listen to the people. This happened because the LORD had planned it. He was keeping his word, which the prophet Ahijah had spoken to Jeroboam.

Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

NoteA prophet is someone who told people what God said. Ahijah had already told Jeroboam he would be a king.

16All Israel saw that the king would not listen. So they said, "We have no share in David's family. Go home, Israel! David, take care of your own family." So the people of Israel went home.

So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.

NoteDavid was a famous king long ago. He was Rehoboam's grandfather.

17But some people of Israel lived in the towns of Judah. Rehoboam was still their king.

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

NoteJudah was the land in the south. Rehoboam still ruled the people who lived there.

18King Rehoboam sent out Adoram, the man in charge of forced work. All Israel threw stones at him until he died. King Rehoboam hurried into his chariot and fled to Jerusalem.

Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

NoteForced work means work people had to do without pay. Adoram was the man who made them do it.

19So Israel turned against David's family, and they are still apart today.

So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

NoteFrom this day the land was split in two. The north was called Israel. The south was called Judah.

20All Israel heard that Jeroboam had come back. They called him to the meeting and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah stayed with David's family.

And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

21Rehoboam came to Jerusalem and gathered the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. He gathered 180,000 of his best fighting men. He wanted to fight Israel and win the kingdom back.

And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.

NoteJudah and Benjamin were two of the twelve tribes. The other ten tribes went with Jeroboam.

22But God spoke to Shemaiah, a man of God who carried God's messages.

But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

23God said, "Speak to Rehoboam, king of Judah, and to all the people of Judah and Benjamin.

Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying,

24"Tell them the LORD says, 'Do not fight your brothers, the people of Israel. Go home, each of you. I made this happen.'" So they obeyed the LORD and went home.

Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the LORD, and returned to depart, according to the word of the LORD.

Note"Your brothers" means the other people of Israel. They were all one family long ago.

21Solomon's son Rehoboam was king in Judah. He was forty-one years old when he became king. He ruled seventeen years in Jerusalem. The LORD had chosen that city out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there. Rehoboam's mother was Naamah, from the land of Ammon.

And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess.

NoteJudah was the southern part of God's people, and Jerusalem was its city. To "put his name there" means God chose that city as his own. Ammon was a country next door to Israel, where people worshiped other gods.

22The people of Judah did evil things that the LORD saw. Their sins made him angry, more than anything their fathers had done.

And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done.

23They built places to worship on every high hill and under every green tree. They set up tall stones and wooden poles for other gods.

For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.

NoteHigh places were places for worship built up on hilltops. The tall stones and wooden poles were set up for other gods, the way a statue stands for someone.

24There were also men in the land who sold their bodies at those places of worship. The people copied the awful things done by the nations God had pushed out of the land.

And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

NoteThe awful things are what the King James calls "abominations." They were things God had told his people never, ever to do.

25In Rehoboam's fifth year as king, Shishak the king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem.

And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem:

NoteEgypt was a huge and powerful country far to the south. Its army was much bigger than Judah's.

26He took the treasures from the LORD's house and from the king's palace. He took it all, even the gold shields Solomon had made.

And he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.

NoteThe LORD's house was the temple in Jerusalem, the big building Solomon made for God. The gold shields were for show in parades, not for fighting.

27So King Rehoboam made bronze shields to put in their place. He gave them to the leaders of the guards who watched the palace door.

And king Rehoboam made in their stead brasen shields, and committed them unto the hands of the chief of the guard, which kept the door of the king’s house.

NoteBronze is a brown metal. It cost far less than gold. The new shields looked like the old ones but were worth much less.

28Whenever the king went to the LORD's house, the guards carried the shields. Then they took them back to the guardroom.

And it was so, when the king went into the house of the LORD, that the guard bare them, and brought them back into the guard chamber.

29The rest of the things Rehoboam did are written in the book called the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.

Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

30There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam the whole time they lived.

And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days.

31Rehoboam died and was buried with his family in the City of David. His mother was Naamah, from the land of Ammon. His son Abijam became king after him.

And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess. And Abijam his son reigned in his stead.

NoteThe City of David was the oldest part of Jerusalem. Kings were buried there. This Abijam is a different person from the boy Abijah who died earlier in the chapter.

1Rehoboam went to a town called Shechem. All Israel had gone there to make him king.

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

NoteRehoboam was King Solomon's son. Shechem was a town where the people met. They came to choose Rehoboam as their new king.

2Jeroboam, son of Nebat, heard about this. He had run away to Egypt to get away from King Solomon. Now he came back from Egypt.

And 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.

NoteJeroboam had once worked for King Solomon. Then he ran away to Egypt, a country far away, where he was safe.

3The people sent for Jeroboam. So he and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam. They said:

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

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

Thy 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.

NoteThe King James says "yoke." A yoke is a heavy wooden bar laid on the necks of oxen. People used the word for work that is too hard.

5Rehoboam said, "Come back to me in three days." So the people went away.

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

6King Rehoboam talked with the older men who had helped his father Solomon. He asked, "What should I say to these people?"

And 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?

NoteThese older men had helped King Solomon for many years. Kings asked wise helpers before choosing what to do.

7They said, "Be kind to these people. Speak kind words to them and make them glad. Then they will serve you always."

And 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.

8But Rehoboam said no to the older men's advice. He asked the young men he had grown up with, who now worked for him.

But 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.

NoteThese young men grew up with Rehoboam in the king's house. They were his friends.

9He asked them, "What should we tell these people? They asked me to make their work lighter than my father did."

And 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?

10The 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!'

And 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.

Note"My little finger is thicker than my father's waist" was a way of bragging. It meant, "I am much tougher than my father was."

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

For 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.

NoteA scorpion is a small animal with a sting that hurts badly. Here the word means a whip with sharp points that cut.

12Three days later, Jeroboam and all the people came back to Rehoboam. The king had told them to come back on the third day.

So 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.

13The king spoke to them in a hard, unkind way. He would not follow what the older men had said.

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

14He 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."

And 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.

15So 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.

So 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.

NoteThe LORD in big letters is God's own special name. Ahijah was a prophet, a person who told others what God said. Shiloh was the town he came from.

16All 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.

And 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.

NoteDavid was a famous king long ago. He was Rehoboam's great-grandfather. Jesse was David's father, so "the son of Jesse" means David. "Every man to your tents" was an old way of saying, "Let's all go home."

17But some people of Israel lived in the towns of Judah. Rehoboam stayed king over them.

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

NoteJudah was the part of the land around Jerusalem. From now on the people were split into two groups.

18King 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.

Then 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.

NoteHadoram's job was making people work for the king. Throwing stones at someone was how angry crowds killed a person. A chariot is a small cart pulled by horses.

19So Israel turned against David's family. They are still turned against it today.

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

Note"The house of David" means David's family and the kings who came from it. "Unto this day" means the time when this story was written down.

1Rehoboam came to Jerusalem. He gathered 180,000 of his best soldiers. They came from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. He wanted to fight Israel and rule them again.

And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.

NoteIsrael here means the ten tribes who broke away from Rehoboam. The land had just split into two kingdoms.

2But God gave a message to Shemaiah. Shemaiah was a man who spoke for God.

But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

NoteA man of God was a prophet. A prophet told people what God said.

3God said, "Tell Rehoboam son of Solomon, the king of Judah. Tell all the people in Judah and Benjamin too."

Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,

4"Tell them this: Do not go up. Do not fight your own brothers. Every man go back home. This happened because I planned it." So they listened to God. They went home instead of fighting Jeroboam.

Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

NoteThe King James says "your brethren." That means the other Israelites. They all came from one big family long ago.

5Rehoboam stayed in Jerusalem. He built up cities in Judah to keep his people safe.

And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.

NoteThese cities got thick walls and soldiers. Then enemies could not walk right in.

6He built up Bethlehem, Etam, and Tekoa.

He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

7He also built up Bethzur, Shoco, and Adullam.

And Bethzur, and Shoco, and Adullam,

8He also built up Gath, Mareshah, and Ziph.

And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

9He also built up Adoraim, Lachish, and Azekah.

And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

10He also built up Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. All these cities had strong walls. They were in Judah and Benjamin.

And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities.

NoteThe King James calls them "fenced cities." A fence here means a tall stone wall around the whole town.

11He made the strong places even stronger. He put army leaders in them. He also stored food, olive oil, and wine there.

And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine.

NoteCities kept food, oil, and wine stored inside. If enemies surrounded the city, the people still had things to eat and drink. Olive oil was used for cooking and for lamps.

12He put shields and spears in every city. He made the cities very strong. Judah and Benjamin were on his side.

And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.

13The priests and Levites lived all over Israel. They all came and joined Rehoboam.

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

NotePriests led people in worship and offered gifts to God. Levites were one family group of Israel. They helped the priests with the work.

14The 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.

For 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:

NoteLevites did not get farms like other families. They were given towns and grassy fields for their animals.

15Jeroboam 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.

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

NoteAn idol is a statue that people pray to. Jeroboam made statues shaped like goats and calves. He also built worship spots on hilltops so people would not go to Jerusalem.

16People 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.

And 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.

NoteBringing gifts to God meant offering animals or grain at his house in Jerusalem. This was called a sacrifice.

17These 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.

So 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.