Israel Refuses to Follow Rehoboam
1Rehoboam went to the city of Shechem. All the Israelites had gone there to make him king. 2Jeroboam heard about it. He was the son of Nebat. Jeroboam was still in Egypt at that time. He had gone there for safety. He wanted to get away from King Solomon. But now he returned from Egypt. 3So the people sent for Jeroboam. He and the whole community of Israel went to Rehoboam. They said to him, 4“Your father put a heavy load on our shoulders. But now make our hard work easier. Make the heavy load on us lighter. Then we’ll serve you.”
5Rehoboam answered, “Go away for three days. Then come back to me.” So the people went away.
6King Rehoboam asked the elders for advice. They had served his father Solomon while he was still living. Rehoboam asked them, “What advice can you give me? How should I answer these people?”
7They replied, “Serve them today. Give them what they are asking for. Then they’ll always serve you.”
8But Rehoboam didn’t accept the advice the elders gave him. Instead, he asked for advice from the young men. They had grown up with him and were now serving him. 9He asked them, “What’s your advice? How should I answer these people? They say to me, ‘Make the load your father put on our shoulders lighter.’ ”
10The young men who had grown up with him gave their answer. They replied, “These people have said to you, ‘Your father put a heavy load on our shoulders. Make it lighter.’ Now tell them, ‘My little finger is stronger than my father’s legs. 11My father put a heavy load on your shoulders. But I’ll make it even heavier. My father beat you with whips. But I’ll beat you with bigger whips.’ ”
12Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam. That’s because the king had said, “Come back to me in three days.” 13The king answered the people in a mean way. He didn’t accept the advice the elders had given him. 14Instead, he followed the advice of the young men. He said, “My father put a heavy load on your shoulders. But I’ll make it even heavier. My father beat you with whips. But I’ll beat you with bigger whips.” 15So the king didn’t listen to the people. That’s because the Lord had planned it that way. What he had said through Ahijah came true. Ahijah had spoken the Lord’s message to Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. Ahijah was from Shiloh.
16All the Israelites saw that the king refused to listen to them. So they answered the king. They said,
“We don’t have any share in David’s royal family.
We don’t have any share in Jesse’s son.
People of Israel, let’s go back to our homes.
David’s royal family, take care of your own kingdom!”
So the Israelites went home. 17But Rehoboam still ruled over the Israelites living in the towns of Judah.
18Adoniram was in charge of those who were forced to work hard for King Rehoboam. The king sent him out among all the Israelites. But they killed Adoniram by throwing stones at him. King Rehoboam was able to get away in his chariot. He escaped to Jerusalem. 19Israel has refused to follow the royal family of David to this day.
20All the Israelites heard that Jeroboam had returned. They sent for him. They wanted him to meet with the whole community. Then they made him king over the entire nation of Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained true to David’s royal family.
21Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem. He brought together 180,000 capable young men from Judah and the tribe of Benjamin. He had decided to go to war against Israel. Solomon’s son Rehoboam wanted his fighting men to get the kingdom of Israel back for him.
22But a message from God came to Shemaiah. He was a man of God. God said to him, 23“Speak to Solomon’s son Rehoboam, the king of Judah. Speak to all Judah and the tribe of Benjamin. Also speak to the rest of the people. Tell all of them, 24‘The Lord says, “Do not go up to fight against the Israelites. They are your relatives. I want every one of you to go back home. Things have happened exactly the way I planned them.” ’ ” So the fighting men obeyed the Lord’s message. They went home again, just as he had ordered.
Golden Calves at Bethel and Dan
25Jeroboam built up the walls of Shechem. It was in the hill country of Ephraim. Jeroboam made Shechem his home. From there he went out and built up Peniel.
26Jeroboam thought, “My kingdom still isn’t secure. It could very easily go back to the royal family of David. 27Suppose the Israelites go up to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices at the Lord’s temple. If they do, they will again decide to follow Rehoboam as their master. Then they’ll kill me. They’ll return to King Rehoboam. He is king of Judah.”
28So King Jeroboam asked for advice. Then he made two golden statues that looked like calves. He said to the people, “It’s too hard for you to go up to Jerusalem. Israel, here are your gods who brought you up out of Egypt.” 29He set up one statue in Bethel. He set up the other one in Dan. 30What Jeroboam did was sinful. And it caused Israel to sin. The people came to worship the statue at Bethel. They went all the way to Dan to worship the statue that was there.
31Jeroboam built temples for worshiping gods on high places. He appointed all kinds of people as priests. They didn’t even have to be Levites. 32He established a feast. It was on the 15th day of the eighth month. He wanted to make it like the Feast of Booths that was held in Judah. Jeroboam built an altar at Bethel. He offered sacrifices on it. He sacrificed to the calves he had made. He also put priests in Bethel. He did it at the high places he had made. 33He offered sacrifices on the altar he had built at Bethel. It was on the 15th day of the eighth month. That’s the month he had chosen for it. So he established the feast for the Israelites. And he went up to the altar to sacrifice offerings.
Isirayiri Bajeemera Lekobowaamu
1Lekobowaamu n’alaga e Sekemu, Abayisirayiri bonna gye baali bakuŋŋaanidde okumufuula kabaka. 212:2 1Bk 11:40Yerobowaamu mutabani wa Nebati bwe yawulira ekyo, ng’ali e Misiri, gye yali yeewaŋŋangusirizza, n’akomawo. 3Abantu ne batumira Yerobowaamu, ye n’ekibiina kyonna ekya Isirayiri ne bagenda ewa Lekobowaamu, ne bamugamba nti, 412:4 1Sa 8:11-18; 1Bk 4:20-28“Kitaawo yatuteekako ekikoligo ekizito, naye kaakano wewula ku mirimu emizibu ne ku kikoligo ekizito kye yatuteekako, naffe tunaakuweereza.”
5Lekobowaamu n’abaddamu nti, “Mumpe ebbanga lya nnaku ssatu, n’oluvannyuma nnaabaddamu.” Abantu ne beetambulira.
612:6 1Bk 4:2Awo kabaka Lekobowaamu n’agenda ne yeebuuza ku bakadde abaaweerezanga kitaawe Sulemaani, mu biseera bwe yali ng’akyali mulamu. N’ababuuza nti, “Mumpa magezi ki, ku nsonga abantu bano gye bansabye?”
712:7 Nge 15:1Ne bamuddamu nti, “Leero bw’onoobeera omuwulize eri abantu bano ne weetoowaza, n’obaweereza, era n’obaddamu n’eggonjebwa, kale banaabeeranga baweereza bo.”
8Naye Lekobowaamu n’atawuliriza magezi abakadde ge baamuwa, n’agenda ne yeebuuza ku bavubuka be yali akuze nabo, era nga be bamuweereza. 9N’ababuuza nti, “Mumpa magezi ki okuddamu abantu abasabye okuwewula ku kikoligo kitange kye yabateekako?”
10Abavubuka abaakulira awamu naye ne bamuddamu nti, “Gamba abantu abo abakusabye nti, ‘Okendeeze ku kikoligo kitaawo kye yabateekako nti, “Engalo yange eya nasswi esinga ekiwato kya kitange obunene. 11Kitange yabateekako ekikoligo ekizito, naye nze ndyongera ku kikoligo kyammwe. Kitange yabakangavvulanga na nkoba, naye nze nnaabakangavvulanga n’enjaba ez’obusagwa.” ’ ”
12Oluvannyuma lw’ennaku ssatu, Yerobowaamu n’abantu bonna, ne baddayo eri Lekobowaamu, nga bwe yali abagambye okudda oluvannyuma lw’ennaku essatu. 13Awo kabaka n’addamu abantu n’ebboggo, n’agaana amagezi abakadde ge baamuwa, 1412:14 Kuv 1:14; 5:5-9, 16-18n’agoberera ag’abavubuka, n’ayogera nti, “Kitange yafuula ekikoligo kyammwe okuba ekizito, naye nze nnaayongera ku kikoligo kyammwe. Kitange yabakangavvulanga na nkoba, naye nno nze nnaabakangavvula na njaba ez’obusagwa.” 1512:15 a nny 24; Ma 2:30; Bal 14:4; 2By 22:7; 25:20 b 1Bk 11:29Kabaka n’atawuliriza bantu. Bino byonna byabaawo Mukama atuukirize ekigambo kye yayogera eri Yerobowaamu mutabani wa Nebati ng’ayita mu Akiya Omusiiro.
1612:16 2Sa 20:1Awo Isirayiri yenna bwe baalaba nga kabaka agaanye okubawuliriza, ne bamuddamu nti,
“Mugabo ki gwe tulina mu Dawudi,
oba kitundu ki kye tulina mu mutabani wa Yese?
Mudde mu weema zammwe ayi Isirayiri!
Weerabirire ggwe ennyumba ya Dawudi.”
Awo Abayisirayiri12:16 Abayisirayiri aboogerebwako wano be b’omu bukiikakkono ne beddirayo ewaabwe. 1712:17 1Bk 11:13, 36Naye abaana ba Isirayiri abaabeeranga mu bibuga bya Yuda, ne bafugibwa Lekobowaamu.
1812:18 2Sa 20:24; 1Bk 4:6; 5:14Lekobowaamu yalagira Adolaamu eyakuliranga emirimu egy’obuwaze okugenda eri Abayisirayiri, okubalagira eby’okukola, naye ne bamukuba amayinja ne bamutta. Naye ye Kabaka Lekobowaamu n’awona, n’alinnya eggaali lye n’addukira e Yerusaalemi. 1912:19 2Bk 17:21Bw’atyo Isirayiri n’ajeemera ennyumba ya Dawudi n’okutuusa leero.
2012:20 1Bk 11:13, 32Abayisirayiri bonna bwe baawulira nti Yerobowaamu akomyewo, ne bamutumira ajje eri ekibiina, ne bamutikkira okuba kabaka wa Isirayiri yonna. Ekika kya Yuda kyokka kye kyasigala nga kigoberera ennyumba ya Dawudi.
2112:21 2By 11:1Awo Lekobowaamu bwe yatuuka mu Yerusaalemi n’akuŋŋaanya ennyumba ya Yuda yonna, n’ekika kya Benyamini, abasajja abalwanyi emitwalo kkumi na munaana, okulwanagana n’ennyumba ya Isirayiri, asobole okweddiza obwakabaka.
2212:22 2By 12:5-7Naye ekigambo kya Katonda ne kijjira Semaaya omusajja wa Katonda nti, 23“Gamba Lekobowaamu mutabani wa Sulemaani kabaka wa Yuda, n’ennyumba ya Yuda yonna n’eya Benyamini, era n’abantu bonna nti, 24‘Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama nti, Temwambuka kulwana ne baganda bammwe, Abayisirayiri. Buli omu ku mmwe addeyo eka kubanga kino nze nkisazeewo.’ ” Awo ne bagondera ekigambo kya Mukama, ne baddayo ewaabwe, nga Mukama bwe yalagira.
Yerobowaamu Asinza Ennyana eza Zaabu e Beseri n’e Ddaani
2512:25 a Bal 9:45 b Bal 8:8, 17Awo Yerobowaamu n’azimba Sekemu mu Efulayimu ensi ey’ensozi, era n’abeera eyo. Eyo gye yava n’agenda n’azimba Penieri.
26Yerobowaamu ne yeerowooza munda ye nti, “Obwakabaka sikulwa nga budda mu nnyumba ya Dawudi! 2712:27 Ma 12:5-6Abantu bano bwe banayambukanga okuwaayo ebiweebwayo mu yeekaalu ya Mukama mu Yerusaalemi, olunaku olumu emitima gyabwe giyinza okukyukira mukama waabwe, Lekobowaamu, kabaka wa Yuda. Balinzita ne badda gy’ali.”
2812:28 a Kuv 32:4; 2Bk 10:29; 17:16 b Kuv 32:8Awo Kabaka Yerobowaamu n’aweebwa amagezi okukola ennyana bbiri eza zaabu. N’agamba abantu nti, “Kijja kubazitoowerera nnyo okwambukanga e Yerusaalemi. Baabano bakatonda bammwe, Ayi Isirayiri, abaabaggya mu Misiri.” 2912:29 a Lub 28:19 b Bal 18:27-31Emu n’agiteeka mu Beseri n’endala mu Ddaani. 3012:30 1Bk 13:34; 2Bk 17:21Ekintu ekyo ne kiba kibi nnyo, kubanga abantu baatuuka n’okugenda e Ddaani okusinza ekifaananyi ky’ennyana ekyali kiteekeddwa eyo.
3112:31 a 1Bk 13:32 b Kbl 3:10; 1Bk 13:33; 2Bk 17:32; 2By 11:14-15; 13:9Yerobowaamu n’azimba amasabo mu bifo ebigulumivu n’alonda bakabona12:31 Yerobowaamu yalonda bakabona abataali ba kika kya Leevi, kubanga Abaleevi abasinga obungi baali baddukidde eri Lekobowaamu (2By 11:13-17) ng’abaggya mu bantu abaabulijjo, newaakubadde nga tebaali ba kika kya Leevi. 3212:32 Lv 23:33-34; Kbl 29:12N’akola embaga ku lunaku olw’ekkumi n’ettaano mu mwezi ogw’omunaana, okufaanana n’embaga ebeerawo mu Yuda, era n’awaayo ebyokebwa ku kyoto. Kino yakikola mu Beseri ng’awaayo ssaddaaka eri ennyana ze yakola. N’assa bakabona mu bifo ebigulumivu bye yali akoze e Beseri. 3312:33 a Kbl 15:39; 1Bk 13:1; Am 7:13 b 2Bk 23:17 c 1Bk 12:32-33Ku lunaku olw’ekkumi n’ettaano mu mwezi ogw’omunaana gwe yeerondera, n’awaayo ebiweebwayo ebyokebwa ku kyoto kye yazimba e Beseri. Era n’assaawo embaga Abayisirayiri gye baakuumanga, n’ayambukanga ne ku kyoto okuwaayo ebyokebwa.
