Rehoboam

1And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem 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 yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;)

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

3That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,

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

4Thy 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.

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

5And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.

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

6And 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?

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 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.

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

8But 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:

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

9And 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?

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

10And 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.

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

11And 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.

"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.'"

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

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

13And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him;

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

14And 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.

He 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."

15Wherefore 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.

So 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.

16So 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.

All 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.

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

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

18Then 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.

King 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.

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

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

20And 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.

All 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.

21And 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.

Rehoboam 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.

22But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

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

23Speak 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,

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

24Thus 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.

"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.

21And 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.

Solomon'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.

22And 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.

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

23For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.

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

24And 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.

There 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.

25And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem:

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

26And 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.

He 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.

27And 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.

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

28And 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.

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

29Now 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?

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

30And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days.

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

31And 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.

Rehoboam 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.

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.

1And 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.

Rehoboam 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.

2But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

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

3Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,

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

4Thus 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.

"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.

5And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.

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

6He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

He built up Bethlehem, Etam, and Tekoa.

7And Bethzur, and Shoco, and Adullam,

He also built up Bethzur, Shoco, and Adullam.

8And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

He also built up Gath, Mareshah, and Ziph.

9And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

He also built up Adoraim, Lachish, and Azekah.

10And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities.

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

11And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine.

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

12And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.

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

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.