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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>1 Kings 12 CEV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/1_kings/12.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/1_kings/12-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">CEV</a> > 1 Kings 12</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../1_kings/11.htm" title="1 Kings 11">◄</a> 1 Kings 12 <a href="../1_kings/13.htm" title="1 Kings 13">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Contemporary English Version</div><div class="chap"><h3 class="s1">Some of the People Rebel against Rehoboam</h3><h5 class="r">(<ref loc="2CH 10:1-19">2 Chronicles 10.1-19</ref>)</h5><p class="par"><span class="v11_12_1"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.1" class="v11_12_1">1</span>Rehoboam went to Shechem where everyone was waiting to crown him king.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_12_2"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.2" class="v11_12_2">2</span>Jeroboam son of Nebat heard what was happening, and he stayed in Egypt,<a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.12.2!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> where he had gone to hide from Solomon. </span><span class="v11_12_3"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.3" class="v11_12_3">3</span>But the people from the northern tribes of Israel sent for him. Then together they went to Rehoboam and said, </span><span class="v11_12_4"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.4" class="v11_12_4">4</span>“Your father Solomon forced us to work very hard. But if you make our work easier, we will serve you and do whatever you ask.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_12_5"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.5" class="v11_12_5">5</span>“Give me three days to think about it,” Rehoboam replied, “then come back for my answer.” So the people left.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_12_6"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.6" class="v11_12_6">6</span>Rehoboam went to some leaders who had been his father's senior officials, and he asked them, “What should I tell these people?”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_12_7"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.7" class="v11_12_7">7</span>They answered, “If you want them to serve and obey you, then you should do what they ask today. Tell them you will make their work easier.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_12_8"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.8" class="v11_12_8">8</span>But Rehoboam refused their advice and went to the younger men who had grown up with him and were now his officials. </span><span class="v11_12_9"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.9" class="v11_12_9">9</span>He asked, “What do you think I should say to these people who asked me to make their work easier?”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_12_10"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.10" class="v11_12_10">10</span>His younger advisors said:</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v11_12_10">Here's what we think you should say to them: “Compared to me, my father was weak.<a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.12.10!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span><span class="v11_12_11"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.11" class="v11_12_11">11</span>He made you work hard, but I'll make you work even harder. He punished you with whips, but I'll use whips with pieces of sharp metal!”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_12_12"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.12" class="v11_12_12">12</span>Three days later, Jeroboam and the others came back. </span><span class="v11_12_13"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.13" class="v11_12_13">13</span>Rehoboam ignored the advice of the older advisors. </span><span class="v11_12_14"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.14" class="v11_12_14">14</span>He spoke bluntly and told them exactly what his own advisors had suggested: “My father made you work hard, but I'll make you work even harder. He punished you with whips, but I'll use whips with pieces of sharp metal!”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_12_15"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.15-1Kgs.12.19" class="v11_12_15">15-19</span><a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.12.15-1Kgs.12.19!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> When the people realized that Rehoboam would not listen to them, they shouted: “We don't have to be loyal to David's family. We can do what we want. Come on, people of Israel, let's go home! Rehoboam can rule his own people.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_12_15">Adoniram<a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.12.15-1Kgs.12.19!f.2" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> was in charge of the forced labor, and Rehoboam sent him to talk to the people. But they stoned him to death. Then Rehoboam ran to his chariot and hurried back to Jerusalem.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_12_15">So the people from the northern tribes of Israel went home, leaving Rehoboam to rule only the people from the towns in Judah. Ever since that day, the people of Israel have opposed David's family in Judah. All of this happened just as the <span class="nd">Lord</span>'s prophet Ahijah had told Jeroboam.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_12_20"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.20" class="v11_12_20">20</span>When the Israelites heard that Jeroboam was back, they called everyone together. Then they sent for Jeroboam and made him king of Israel. Only the people from the tribe of Judah<a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.12.20!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> remained loyal to David's family.</span></p><h3 class="s1">Shemaiah Warns Rehoboam</h3><h5 class="r">(<ref loc="2CH 11:1-4">2 Chronicles 11.1-4</ref>)</h5><p class="par"><span class="v11_12_21"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.21" class="v11_12_21">21</span>After Rehoboam returned to Jerusalem, he decided to attack Israel and take control of the whole country. So he called together 180,000 soldiers from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_12_22"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.22" class="v11_12_22">22</span>Meanwhile, God told Shemaiah the prophet </span><span class="v11_12_23"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.23" class="v11_12_23">23</span>to give Rehoboam and everyone from Judah and Benjamin this warning: </span><span class="v11_12_24"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.24" class="v11_12_24">24</span>“Don't go to war against the people from Israel—they are your relatives. Go home! I am the <span class="nd">Lord</span>, and I made these things happen.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_12_24">Rehoboam and his army obeyed the <span class="nd">Lord</span> and went home.</span></p><h3 class="s1">Jeroboam Makes Religious Changes</h3><p class="par"><span class="v11_12_25"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.25" class="v11_12_25">25</span>Jeroboam rebuilt Shechem in Ephraim and made it a stronger town, then he moved there. He also fortified the town of Penuel.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_12_26"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.26-1Kgs.12.27" class="v11_12_26">26-27</span>One day, Jeroboam started thinking, “Everyone in Israel still goes to the temple in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to the <span class="nd">Lord</span>. What if they become loyal to David's family again? They will kill me and accept Rehoboam as their king.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_12_28"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.28" class="v11_12_28">28</span><a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.12.28!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> Jeroboam asked for advice and then made two gold statues of calves. He showed them to the people and said, “Listen everyone! You won't have to go to Jerusalem to worship anymore. Here are your gods<a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.12.28!f.2" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> who rescued you from Egypt.” </span><span class="v11_12_29"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.29" class="v11_12_29">29</span>Then he put one of the gold calves in the town of Bethel and the other in the town of Dan. </span><span class="v11_12_30"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.30" class="v11_12_30">30</span>The people sinned because they started going to these places to worship.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_12_31"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.31" class="v11_12_31">31</span>Jeroboam built small places of worship at the shrines<a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.12.31!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> and appointed men who were not from the tribe of Levi to serve as priests. </span><span class="v11_12_32"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.12.32-1Kgs.12.33" class="v11_12_32">32-33</span><a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.12.32-1Kgs.12.33!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> He also decided to start a new festival for the Israelites on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, just like the one in Judah.<a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.12.32-1Kgs.12.33!f.2" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> On that day, Jeroboam went to Bethel and offered sacrifices on the altar to the gold calf he had put there. Then he assigned the priests their duties.</span></p> <a name="fn"></a><br /><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:<br /><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">12.2 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">he stayed in Egypt: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Hebrew; two ancient translations “he returned from Egypt” (see also 2 Chronicles 10.2).</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">12.10 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Compared … weak: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Hebrew “My little finger is bigger than my father's waist.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">12.15-19 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Adoniram: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Two ancient translations (see also 4.6 and 5.14); Hebrew “Adoram.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">12.20 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Israelites … Israel … Judah: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">From this time on, “Israel” usually refers to the northern kingdom, and “Israelites” refers to the people who lived there. The southern kingdom is called “Judah.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">12.28 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Here are your gods: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Or “Here is your God.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">12.31 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">shrines: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">See the note at 3.2.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">12.32,33 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">the one in Judah: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">This probably refers to the Festival of Shelters.</char></note></div></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">© 2006 American Bible Society. 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