1 Kings 12 - Legacy Standard Bible

1 Kings 12

Rehoboam Forsakes the Elders’ Counsel

Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. 2 And it happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it, he 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 for him. And Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 4 “Your father made our yoke harsh; but you, now, lighten the harsh service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.” 5 Then he said to them, “Go for three days, then return to me.” So the people went away. 6 Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the elders who had stood before his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, “How do you counsel me to respond to this people?” 7 And they spoke to him, saying, “If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and grant 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 counseled him, and took counsel with the young men who grew up with him and stood before him. 9 So he said to them, “What counsel do you give that we may respond to this people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?” 10 Then 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!’ Thus you shall speak to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins! 11 So now, my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’” 12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day as the king had spoken, saying, “Return to me on the third day.” 13 And the king answered the people harshly, and he forsook the counsel of the elders which they had given him, 14 and he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My 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; for it was a turn of events from Yahweh, that He might establish His word, which Yahweh spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

Israel Rebels Against Judah

16 Then all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them. So the people responded to the king with this word, saying,

“What portion do we have in David?

We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse;

To your tents, O Israel!

Now see to your own house, David!”

So Israel went to their tents. 17 But as for the sons of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. 18 Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the forced labor, and all Israel stoned him and he died. And King Rehoboam made haste to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day. 20 Now it happened when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, that they sent and called him to the congregation and made him king over all Israel. None but the tribe of Judah followed the house of David. 21 Then Rehoboam came to Jerusalem and assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, 180,000 chosen men who could wage war, to fight against the house of Israel to return the kingdom to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. 22 But the word of God came to Shemaiah 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 rest of the people, saying, 24 ‘Thus says Yahweh, “You shall not go up and fight against your brothers, the sons of Israel; return every man to his house, for this thing is from Me.”’” So they listened to the word of Yahweh, and returned to go their way according to the word of Yahweh.

Jeroboam Makes Golden Calves

25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived there. And he went out from there and built Penuel. 26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom will return to the house of David. 27 If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of Yahweh 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 took counsel, and made two golden calves, and he said to them, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 29 And he set one in Bethel, and one he put in Dan. 30 Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan. 31 And he made houses on high places, and made priests from among all the people who were not of the sons of Levi. 32 And Jeroboam made a feast in the eighth month on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast which is in Judah, and he went up to the altar; thus he did in Bethel, to sacrifice to the calves which he had made. And he had the priests of the high places, which he had made, stand in Bethel. 33 Then he went 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 devised in his own heart; and he made a feast for the sons of Israel and went up to the altar to burn incense.

2 Chronicles 10

Rehoboam’s Foolish Reign

Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. 2 And it happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was in Egypt where he had fled from the presence of King Solomon), Jeroboam returned from Egypt. 3 Then they sent and called for him. And Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 4 “Your father made our yoke harsh; but now, lighten the harsh service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.” 5 Then he said to them, “Return to me again in three days.” So the people went away. 6 Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the elders who had stood before his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, “How do you counsel me to respond to this people?” 7 And they spoke to him, saying, “If you will be good to this people and please them 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 counseled him, and took counsel with the young men who grew up with him and stood before him. 9 So he said to them, “What counsel do you give that we may respond to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?” 10 Then the young men who grew up with him spoke with him, saying, “Thus you shall say to the people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter for us.’ Thus you shall say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins! 11 So now my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’” 12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day as the king had spoken, saying, “Return to me on the third day.” 13 And the king answered them harshly, and King Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the elders, 14 and he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.” 15 So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of events from God, that Yahweh might establish His word, which He spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 16 Now all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them. So the people responded to the king, saying,

“What portion do we have in David?

We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse.

Every man to your tents, O Israel;

Now see to your own house, David.”

So all Israel went to their tents. 17 But as for the sons of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. 18 Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was over the forced labor, and the sons of Israel stoned him and he died. And King Rehoboam made haste to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.

Revelation 20

Christ’s Thousand Year Reign

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were finished. After these things he must be released for a short time. 4 Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their witness of Jesus and because of the word of God, and who also had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand. And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection. Over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.

The Defeat of Satan

7 And when the thousand years are finished, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. 9 And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

The Great White Throne Judgment

11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sits upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 Then I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them, and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Psalm 1

The Way of the Righteous and Wicked

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the way of sinners,

Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

But his delight is in the law of Yahweh,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,

Which yields its fruit in its season

And its leaf does not wither;

And in whatever he does, he prospers.

The wicked are not so,

But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.

Therefore the wicked will not rise in the judgment,

Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

For Yahweh knows the way of the righteous,

But the way of the wicked will perish.