And the KING YHVH (YEHOVAH) was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the KING YHVH (YEHOVAH) Almighty of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods:
But he (Jeroboam) kept not that which the YHVH (YEHOVAH) KING Almighty commanded.
Wherefore the KING Almighty YHVH (YEHOVAH) said unto Solomon, Forasmuch (seeing that) as this is done of you, and you has not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely rend the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant.
Notwithstanding in your days I will not do it for David your father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. However I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to your son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.
And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon’s servant, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king. And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father. And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph. And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field: and Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces: and he said to Jeroboam:
Take you ten pieces: for so says the KING YHVH (YEHOVAH), the Almighty of Israel,
Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to you: (but he shall have one tribe for my servant David’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:) because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keepmy statutes and my judgments, as did David his father. However I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant’s sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes: but I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes. And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light always before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put My Name there. And I will take you, and you shalt reign according to all that your soul desires, and shalt be king over Israel. And it shall be, if you wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with you, and build you a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto you. And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever. Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.
And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam (Solomon's son), saying,
" You father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve you. And he (Rehoboam) said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.
And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do you advise that I may answer this people? And they spake unto him, saying,
"If you 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 your servants
forever".
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, and which stood before him: and 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? And 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. And 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.
So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day. And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him; and 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. Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the YHVH (YEHOVAH) Almighty, that he might perform his saying, which the KING YHVH (YEHOVAH) Almighty spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
So 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. But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. Then 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.
So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.
And 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.
Whereupon the king (Jeroboam) took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold your gods, O Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan. And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan. And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi. And Jeroboam ordained 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 placed in Beth-el the priests of the high places which he had made. So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Beth-el the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.
And, behold, there came a man of Almighty YHVH (YEHOVAH) KING out of Judah by the word of the Lord unto Beth-el: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. And he cried against the altar in the word of the Almighty YHVH (YEHOVAH) KING, and said,
"O altar, altar, so says the Almighty YHVH (YEHOVAH) KING; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon you shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall be burnt upon you. And he gave a sign the same day, saying,
"This isthe sign which the Almighty YHVH (YEHOVAH) KING has spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.
And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of Almighty YHVH (YEHOVAH) KING, which had cried against the altar in Beth-el, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him. The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of Almighty had given by the word of the KING yHVH (YEHOVAH).
And the king (Jeroboam) answered and said unto the man of YHVH (YEHOVAH), Entreat now the face of the KING YHVH (YEHOVAH) your Almighty, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of YHVH (YEHOVAH) besought the KING YHVH (YEHOVAH), and the king’s hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.
And the king said unto the man of YHVH (YEHOVAH), Come home with me, and refresh yourself, and I will give thee a reward.
And the man of YHVH (YEHOVAH)Almighty said unto the king, "If you wilt give me half your house, I will not go in with you, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place.
After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places. And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth.