1 Roboão foi a Siquém, porque todo o Israel se tinha juntado ali para proclamá-lo rei.2 E chegou essa notícia aos ouvidos de Jeroboão no Egito, onde ainda estava refugiado para escapar à face do rei Salomão.3 Mandaram, pois, buscá-lo no Egito, onde habitava. Então Jeroboão foi com toda a assembléia de Israel e disseram a Roboão:4 Teu pai impôs-nos um jugo pesado; alivia agora a rude servidão e o pesado jugo que teu pai nos impôs, e seremos teus servos.5 Ele respondeu-lhes: Ide-vos e voltai à minha presença dentro de três dias. E o povo retirou-se.6 O rei Roboão consultou os anciãos que tinham servido ao seu pai Salomão durante a sua vida. Disse-lhes: Que me aconselhais responder a esse povo?7 Se hoje fores amável com esse povo, responderam-lhe, e cederes, se lhe falares com benevolência, eles serão para sempre teus servos.8 O rei, porém, deixando de lado o conselho dos anciãos, foi consultar os jovens que tinham crescido com ele e eram seus familiares.9 Disse-lhes: E vós, que me aconselhais responder ao povo? Ele pede-me que eu alivie o jugo que lhe impôs meu pai.10 Os jovens que tinham crescido com ele, responderam-lhe: Assim dirás a esse povo que te falou, dizendo: Teu pai tornou o nosso jugo pesado; tu, porém, alivia-nos - assim lhe dirás: Meu dedo mínimo é mais grosso que os rins de meu pai.11 Se meu pai vos impôs um jugo pesado, eu o farei ainda mais pesado. Se ele vos castigou com açoites, eu vos castigarei com escorpiões.12 Chegou o terceiro dia. Jeroboão, seguido de uma grande multidão, apresentou-se diante de Roboão, pois ele dissera: Voltai a mim dentro de três dias.13 O rei falou com dureza ao povo. Sem fazer caso algum do conselho dos anciãos,14 respondeu ao povo como lhe aconselharam os jovens: Meu pai impôs-vos um jugo pesado? Pois eu o tornarei ainda mais pesado. Meu pai vos castigou com açoites? Pois eu vos castigarei com escorpiões.15 E o rei não atendeu ao povo, porque assim o dispusera o Senhor, para realizar a palavra que tinha dito a Jeroboão, filho de Nabat, por meio de Aías, de Silo.16 Vendo que o rei não os atendia, o povo respondeu-lhe: Que temos nós a ver com Davi? Que temos nós de comum com o filho de Isaí? Vai, pois, para as tuas tendas, ó Israel! Cabe a ti tratar de tua casa, ó Davi! E os israelitas retiraram-se para as suas tendas.17 Roboão reinou, no entanto, sobre os israelitas que habitavam em Judá.18 O rei Roboão enviou Adurão, superintendente dos trabalhos, mas os israelitas apedrejaram-no e ele morreu. O rei subiu então precipitadamente no seu carro e fugiu para Jerusalém.19 Desse modo, separou-se Israel da casa de Davi até o dia de hoje.20 Ouvindo os filhos de Israel que Jeroboão tinha voltado, convidaram-no à sua assembléia e aclamaram-no rei de todo o Israel. Só a tribo de Judá ficou fiel à casa de Davi.21 Roboão, quando chegou a Jerusalém, reuniu toda a casa de Judá e a tribo de Benjamim, cento e oitenta mil guerreiros de escol, a fim de pelejar contra a casa de Israel, e restituir todo o reino a Roboão, filho de Salomão.22 Mas Deus falou a Seméias, homem de Deus:23 Fala a Roboão, filho de Salomão, rei de Judá, bem como a toda a casa de Judá e de Benjamim, e a todo o resto do povo. Dize-lhes: Eis o que diz o Senhor:24 Não façais guerra aos vossos irmãos, os israelitas. Volte cada um para a sua casa. Tudo isto se fez por minha vontade. Eles obedeceram à palavra do Senhor e voltaram, como lhes ordenara.25 Jeroboão construiu Siquém na montanha de Efraim, e residiu ali. Depois deixou Siquém para edificar Fanuel.26 E disse consigo mesmo: Pode bem ser que o reino volte para a casa de Davi.27 Se o povo subir a Jerusalém para oferecer sacrifícios no templo do Senhor, e o seu coração se voltar para o seu senhor, Roboão, rei de Judá, matar-me-ão e se voltarão para Roboão, rei de Judá.28 Depois de ter refletido bem, o rei mandou fazer dois bezerros de ouro e disse ao povo: Basta de peregrinações a Jerusalém! Eis aqui, ó Israel, o teu Deus que te tirou do Egito.29 Pôs um bezerro em Betel e outro em Dã.30 Isso foi uma ocasião de pecado, porque o povo ia até Dã para adorar um desses bezerros.31 Jeroboão construiu também templos em lugares altos, onde estabeleceu como sacerdotes homens tirados do meio do povo, e que não eram levitas.32 Instituiu também uma festa no oitavo mês, no décimo quinto dia do mês, à semelhança da que se celebrava em Judá, e subiu ao altar. Fez o mesmo em Betel, sacrificando aos bezerros que tinha mandado fazer. Estabeleceu igualmente em Betel sacerdotes para os lugares altos que tinha edificado.33 No décimo quinto dia do oitavo mês, isto é, no mês que tinha escolhido a seu bel-prazer, subiu ao altar que tinha edificado em Betel para celebrar a festa com os israelitas. Subiu ao altar para queimar o incenso.

1 And Rehobo’am went to Shechem; for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.2 And it came to pass, when Jerobo’am the son of Nebat, heard of it, (but he was yet in Egypt, whither he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jerobo’am dwelt in Egypt;3 And they had sent and called him;) that Jerobo’am and all the congregation of Israel came, and spoke unto Rehobo’am, saying,4 Thy father made our yoke hard; but do thou now make lighter the hard service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, and we will serve thee.5 And he said unto them, Go away yet for three days, and then return to me. And the people went away.6 Then consulted king Rehobo’am with the old men, that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I should give an answer to this people?7 And they spoke unto him, saying, If thou wilt this day be a servant unto this people, and wilt serve them, and be attentive to them, and speak to them good words; then will they be servants unto thee for all times.8 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, those who stood before him:9 And he said unto them, What do you counsel how we should give an answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make lighter the yoke which thy father did put upon us?10 Then spoke unto him the young men that were grown up with him, saying, Thus must thou say unto this people that have spoken unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but do thou make it lighter unto us: thus must thou speak unto them, My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins.11 And now, if my father hath burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will even add to your yoke; if my father hath chastised you with whips, then will I chastise you with scorpion–thorns.12 When now Jerobo’am and all the people came to Rehobo’am on the third day, as the king had spoken, saying, Return to me on the third day.13 The king answered the people harshly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they had advised him;14 And he spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will even add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpion–thorns.15 Thus the king hearkened not unto the people; for it was so brought about from the Lord, in order that he might fulfill his word, which the Lord had spoken by means of Achiyah the Shilonite unto Jerobo’am the son of Nebat.16 So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people gave the king an answer saying, What portion have we in David? nor have we an inheritance in the son of Jesse; to your tents, O Israel: now see to thy own house, David. So did Israel go away unto their tents.17 But as for the children of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah, over them did Rehobo’am reign.18 Then sent king Rehobo’am Adoram, who was over the tribute; but all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehobo’am made speed with all his might to get up into his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.19 So did Israel rebel against the house of David unto this day.20 And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jerobo’am was returned, 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, save the tribe of Judah alone.21 And when Rehobo’am was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring back the kingdom to Rehobo’am the son of Solomon.22 But the word of God came unto Shema’yah the man of God, saying,23 Say unto Rehobo’am, the son of Solomon, the king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying,24 Thus hath said the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight with your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for from me hath this thing been brought about. And they hearkened to the word of the Lord, and returned to go home, according to the word of the Lord.25 And Jerobo’am built Shechem in the mountain of Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and he went out from there and built Penuel.26 And Jerobo’am said in his heart, Now may the kingdom return to the house of David:27 If this people go up to prepare sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then may the heart of this people turn again unto their Lord, even unto Rehobo’am the king of Judah, and they might kill me, and return to Rehobo’am the king of Judah.28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and he made two calves of gold, and said unto the people, You have been long enough going up to Jerusalem: behold, here are thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.29 And he placed the one in Beth–el, and the other put he in Dan.30 And this thing became a sin; and the people went before the one, as far as Dan.31 And he made a house of the high–places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.32 And Jerobo’am made a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar; so did he in Beth–el, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he stationed at Beth–el the priests of the high–places whom he had made.33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Beth–el on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had falsely devised of his own heart; and he ordained a feast unto the children of Israel, and he went up to the altar, to burn incense.