^aEntonces Roboam fue a Siquem, porque todo Israel había ido a Siquem para hacerlo rey^b. 2 Y¹ cuando lo oyó Jeroboam, hijo de Nabat, que estaba viviendo² en Egipto (porque todavía estaba en Egipto, adonde había huido de la presencia del rey Salomón)^a, 3 y enviaron a llamarlo, entonces vino Jeroboam con toda la asamblea de Israel, y hablaron a Roboam, diciendo: 4 Tu padre hizo pesado nuestro yugo^a; ahora pues, aligera la dura servidumbre de tu padre y el pesado yugo que puso sobre nosotros y te serviremos. 5 Entonces él les dijo: Idos por¹ tres días, después volved a mí^a. Y el pueblo se fue.

6 El rey Roboam pidió consejo a los ancianos que habían servido a¹ su padre Salomón cuando aún vivía^a, diciendo: ¿Qué me aconsejáis que responda a este pueblo? 7 Y ellos le respondieron, diciendo: Si hoy te haces servidor de este pueblo, y les sirves y les concedes su petición¹ y les dices buenas palabras, entonces ellos serán tus siervos para siempre^a. 8 Pero él abandonó el consejo que le habían dado los ancianos, y pidió consejo a los jóvenes que habían crecido con él y le servían¹. 9 Y les dijo: ¿Qué aconsejáis que respondamos a este pueblo que me ha hablado, diciendo: «Aligera el yugo que tu padre puso sobre nosotros»? 10 Y los jóvenes que se habían criado con él le respondieron, diciendo: Así dirás a este pueblo que te ha hablado, diciendo: «Tu padre hizo pesado nuestro yugo; pero tú hazlo más ligero para¹ nosotros». Así les hablarás: «Mi dedo meñique es más grueso que los lomos de mi padre. 11 Por cuanto mi padre os cargó con un pesado yugo, yo añadiré a vuestro yugo; mi padre os castigó con látigos, pero yo os castigaré con escorpiones».

12 Entonces vino Jeroboam con todo el pueblo a Roboam al tercer día como el rey había dicho, diciendo: Volved a mí al tercer día^a. 13 El rey respondió con dureza al pueblo, pues había menospreciado¹ el consejo que los ancianos le habían dado², 14 y les habló conforme al consejo de los jóvenes, diciendo: Mi padre hizo pesado vuestro yugo^a, pero yo añadiré a vuestro yugo; mi padre os castigó con látigos, pero yo os castigaré con escorpiones. 15 El rey no escuchó al pueblo, porque lo que había sucedido era del SEÑOR, para que Él confirmara la palabra que el SEÑOR había hablado por medio¹ de Ahías silonita a Jeroboam^a, hijo de Nabat^b.

16 Cuando todo Israel vio que el rey no les escuchaba, el pueblo respondió al rey, diciendo:¿Qué parte tenemos nosotros con David^a?No tenemos herencia con el hijo de Isaí.¡A tus tiendas, Israel!¡Mira ahora por tu casa, David!Y todo Israel se fue a sus tiendas. 17 Pero en cuanto a los hijos de Israel que habitaban en las ciudades de Judá, Roboam reinó sobre ellos^a. 18 Entonces el rey Roboam envió a Adoram, que estaba a cargo de los trabajos forzados^a, pero todo Israel lo mató a pedradas¹; y el rey Roboam se apresuró a subir a su carro para huir a Jerusalén. 19 Así Israel ha estado en rebeldía contra la casa de David^a hasta hoy. 20 Y aconteció que cuando todo Israel supo que Jeroboam había vuelto, enviaron a llamarlo a la asamblea y lo hicieron rey sobre todo Israel. No hubo quien siguiera a la casa de David, sinosolo la tribu de Judá^a.

21 Cuando Roboam llegó a Jerusalén, reunió a toda la casa de Judá y a la tribu de Benjamín, ciento ochenta mil hombres, guerreros escogidos, para pelear contra la casa de Israel y restituir el reino a Roboam^a, hijo de Salomón. 22 Pero la palabra de Dios vino a Semaías, hombre de Dios, diciendo^a: 23 Habla a Roboam, hijo de Salomón, rey de Judá, y a toda la casa de Judá^a y de Benjamín, y al resto del pueblo, diciéndoles: 24 «Así dice el SEÑOR: “No subiréis ni pelearéis contra vuestros hermanos los hijos de Israel; vuelva cada uno a su casa, porque de mí ha venido esto”». Y ellos escucharon la palabra del SEÑOR, y se volvieron para irse conforme a la palabra del SEÑOR^a.

25 Entonces Jeroboam edificó Siquem^a en la región montañosa de Efraín, y habitó allí¹. De allí salió y edificó Penuel^b. 26 Y Jeroboam se dijo en su corazón: Ahora el reino volverá a la casa de David 27 si este pueblo continúa subiendo a ofrecer sacrificios en la casa del SEÑOR^a en Jerusalén, porque el corazón de este pueblo se volverá a su señor, es decir a Roboam, rey de Judá, y me matarán y volverán a Roboam, rey de Judá. 28 Y el rey tomó consejo, hizo dos becerros^a de oro^b, y dijo al pueblo¹: Es mucho para vosotros subir a Jerusalén; he aquí vuestros dioses, oh Israel, los cuales te hicieron subir de la tierra de Egipto^c. 29 Puso uno en Betel^a y el otro lo puso en Dan^b. 30 Y esto fue motivo de pecado^a, porque el pueblo iba aun hasta Dan a adorar delante de uno de ellos. 31 Hizo también casas en los lugares altos^a, e hizo sacerdotes de entre el¹ pueblo que no eran de los hijos de Leví^b. 32 Y Jeroboam instituyó¹ una fiesta en el mes octavo, en el día quince del mes, como la fiesta que hay en Judá^a, y subió al² altar. Así hizo en Betel, ofreciendo sacrificio a los becerros que había hecho. Y puso en Betel a los sacerdotes de los lugares altos que él había construido^b. 33 Entonces subió al¹ altar que había hecho en Betel el día quince del mes octavo, es decir en el mes que él había planeado en su propio corazón^a; e instituyó² una fiesta para los hijos de Israel, y subió al³ altar para quemar incienso^b.

^aThen Rehoboam went to Shechem, because all Israel had come to ^bShechem to make him king. 2 Now ^awhen Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard about this, ¹he was living in Egypt (for he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of King Solomon). 3 Then they sent word and summoned him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 4 “^aYour father made our yoke hard; but now, lighten the hard labor imposed by your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.” 5 Then he said to them, “^aDepart ¹for three days, then return to me.” So the people departed.

6 And King Rehoboam ^aconsulted with the elders who had ¹served his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” 7 Then they spoke to him, saying, “^aIf you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and ¹grant them their request, and speak pleasant words to them, then they will be your servants always.” 8 But he ignored the advice of the elders which they had given him, and consulted with the young men who had grown up with him ¹and served him. 9 He said to them, “What advice do you give, so that we may answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?” 10 And the young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, “This is what you should say to this people who spoke to you, saying: ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, now you make it lighter for us!’ You should speak this way to them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist! 11 Now then, my father loaded you with a heavy yoke; yet I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with ¹scorpions!’”

12 Then Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had ¹directed, saying, “^aReturn to me on the third day.” 13 And the king answered the people harshly, for he ignored the advice of the elders which they had ¹given him, 14 and he spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, “^aMy father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with ¹scorpions!” 15 So the king did not listen to the people; ^abecause it was ¹a turn of events from the LORD, ^bin order to establish His word which the LORD spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

16 When all Israel saw that the king had not listened to them, the people replied to the king, saying,“What share do we have in David?We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse;^aTo your tents, Israel!Now look after your own house, David!”So Israel went away to their tents. 17 But ^aas for the sons of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. 18 Then King Rehoboam sent ^aAdoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, and all Israel stoned him ¹to death. And King Rehoboam hurried to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. 19 ^aSo Israel has broken with the house of David to this day.

20 And it came about, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, that they sent word and called him to the assembly, and made him king over all Israel. ^aNone except the tribe of Judah alone followed the house of David.

21 ^aNow when Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, 180,000 chosen warriors, to fight against the house of Israel to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. 22 But the word of God came to ^aShemaiah the man of God, saying, 23 “Tell Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and the ^arest of the people, saying, 24 ‘This is what the LORD says: “You shall not go up nor fight against your relatives the sons of Israel; return, every man to his house, ^afor this thing has come from Me.”’” So they listened to the word of the LORD, and returned to go their way in accordance with the word of the LORD.

25 Then ^aJeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived ¹there. And he went out from there and built ^bPenuel. 26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom will return to the house of David. 27 ^aIf this people go up to ¹offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will return to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.” 28 So the king ¹consulted, and he ^amade two golden ^bcalves; and he said to ²the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; ^cbehold your gods, Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 29 And he set up ^aone in ^bBethel, and the other he put in ^cDan. 30 Now ^athis thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan. 31 And ^ahe made houses on high places, and ^1bappointed priests from ²all the people who were not of the sons of Levi. 32 Jeroboam also ¹instituted a feast in the eighth month on the fifteenth day of the month, ^alike the feast that is in Judah, and he ²went up to the altar. So he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves which he had made. And he stationed in Bethel ^bthe priests of the high places which he had made. 33 Then he ¹went up to the altar which he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, the month that he had ^2adevised ³in his own heart; and he ⁴instituted a feast for the sons of Israel and ⁵went up to the altar ^bto burn ⁶incense.

^aThen Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to ^bShechem to make him king. 2 Now ^awhen Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it, ¹he was living in Egypt (for he was yet in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of King Solomon). 3 Then they sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 4 “^aYour father made our yoke hard; now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.” 5 Then he said to them, “^aDepart ¹for three days, then return to me.” So the people departed.

6 King Rehoboam ^aconsulted with the elders who had ¹served his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, “How do you counsel me to answer this people?” 7 Then they spoke to him, saying, “^aIf you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and ¹grant them their petition, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.” 8 But he forsook the counsel of the elders which they had given him, and consulted with the young men who grew up with him ¹and served him. 9 So he said to them, “What counsel do you give that we may answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?” 10 The young men who grew up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus you shall say to this people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, now you make it lighter for us!’ But you shall speak to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins! 11 Whereas my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’”

12 Then Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day as the king had ¹directed, saying, “^aReturn to me on the third day.” 13 The king answered the people harshly, for he forsook the advice of the elders which they had ¹given him, 14 and he spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, “^aMy father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.” 15 So the king did not listen to the people; ^afor it was a turn of events from the LORD, ^bthat He might establish His word, which the LORD spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

16 When all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying,“What portion do we have in David?We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse;^aTo your tents, O Israel!Now look after your own house, David!”So Israel departed to their tents. 17 But ^aas for the sons of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. 18 Then King Rehoboam sent ^aAdoram, who was over the forced labor, and all Israel stoned him ¹to death. And King Rehoboam made haste to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. 19 ^aSo Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.

20 It came about when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, that they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. ^aNone but the tribe of Judah followed the house of David.

21 ^aNow when Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, 180,000 chosen men who were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. 22 But the word of God came to ^aShemaiah the man of God, saying, 23 “Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin and to the ^arest of the people, saying, 24 ‘Thus says the LORD, “You must not go up and fight against your ¹relatives the sons of Israel; return every man to his house, ^afor this thing has come from Me.”’” So they listened to the word of the LORD, and returned and went their way according to the word of the LORD.

25 Then ^aJeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived ¹there. And he went out from there and built ^bPenuel. 26 Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom will return to the house of David. 27 ^aIf this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will return to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.” 28 So the king ¹consulted, and ^amade two golden ^bcalves, and he said to them, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; ^cbehold your gods, O Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 29 He set ^aone in ^bBethel, and the other he put in ^cDan. 30 Now ^athis thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan. 31 And ^ahe made houses on high places, and ^bmade priests from among ¹all the people who were not of the sons of Levi. 32 Jeroboam ¹instituted a feast in the eighth month on the fifteenth day of the month, ^alike the feast which is in Judah, and he ²went up to the altar; thus he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves which he had made. And he stationed in Bethel ^bthe priests of the high places which he had made. 33 Then he ¹went up to the altar which he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, even in the month which he had ^2adevised ³in his own heart; and he ⁴instituted a feast for the sons of Israel and ⁵went up to the altar ^bto burn ⁶incense.