1And Rekhavam went to Shekhem; for all Yisra’el were come to Shekhem to make him Melekh. 2And it came to pass, when Yaravam Ben Nevat heard of it, for he was in Mitzrayim, where he had fled from the presence of Melekh Shlomo, that Yaravam returned out of Mitzrayim. 3And they sent and called him; and Yaravam and all Yisra’el came, and they spoke to Rekhavam, saying, 4“Your father made our yoke grievous; now therefore you make the grievous service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve you.” 5And he said unto them, “Come again unto me after three days.” And the people departed. 6And Melekh Rekhavam took counsel with the old men, that had stood before Shlomo his father while he yet lived, saying, “What counsel do you give me to return answer to this people?” 7And they spoke unto him, saying, “If you are kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.” 8But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men that were grown up with him, that stood before him. 9And he said unto them, “What counsel do you give, that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Make the yoke that your father did put upon us lighter?'” 10And the young men that were grown up with him spoke unto him, saying, “Thus shall you say unto the people that spoke unto you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you, make it lighter unto us’; thus shall you say unto them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins. 11And now whereas my father did laden you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions’.”
12So Yaravam and all the people came to Rekhavam the third day, as HaMelekh bade, saying, “Come to me again the third day.” 13And HaMelekh answered them roughly; and Melekh Rekhavam forsook the counsel of the old men, 14and spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, “[My father] made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.” 15So HaMelekh hearkened not unto the people; for it was brought about of Elohim, that יהוה might establish His D’var, which He spoke by the hand of Akhi-Yah HaShiloni to Yaravam Ben Nevat. 16And when all Yisra’el [saw] that HaMelekh hearkened not unto them, the people answered HaMelekh, saying, “What portion have we in David? Neither have we inheritance in Ben Yishai; every man to your tents, O Yisra’el; now see to your own house, David.” So all Yisra’el departed unto their tents. 17But as for B’nei Yisra’el that dwelt in the cities of Yehudah, Rekhavam reigned over them. 18Then Melekh Rekhavam sent Hadoram, who was over the levy; and B’nei Yisra’el stoned him with stones, so that he died. And Melekh Rekhavam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Yerushalayim. 19So Yisra’el rebelled against Beit David unto this day.
אוַיֵּלֶךְ רְחַבְעָם שְׁכֶמָה: כִּי שְׁכֶם בָּאוּ כָל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַמְלִיךְ אֹתוֹ. בוַיְהִי כִּשְׁמֹעַ יָרָבְעָם בֶּן נְבָט וְהוּא בְמִצְרַיִם אֲשֶׁר בָּרַח מִפְּנֵי שְׁלֹמֹה הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיָּשָׁב יָרָבְעָם מִמִּצְרָיִם. גוַיִּשְׁלְחוּ וַיִּקְרְאוּ לוֹ וַיָּבֹא יָרָבְעָם וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל; וַיְדַבְּרוּ אֶל רְחַבְעָם לֵאמֹר, דאָבִיךָ הִקְשָׁה אֶת עֻלֵּנוּ; וְעַתָּה הָקֵל מֵעֲבוֹדַת אָבִיךָ הַקָּשָׁה וּמֵעֻלּוֹ הַכָּבֵד אֲשֶׁר נָתַן עָלֵינוּ וְנַעַבְדֶךָּ. הוַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם עוֹד שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים וְשׁוּבוּ אֵלָי; וַיֵּלֶךְ הָעָם. ווַיִּוָּעַץ הַמֶּלֶךְ רְחַבְעָם אֶת הַזְּקֵנִים אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ עֹמְדִים לִפְנֵי שְׁלֹמֹה אָבִיו בִּהְיֹתוֹ חַי לֵאמֹר: אֵיךְ אַתֶּם נוֹעָצִים לְהָשִׁיב לָעָם הַזֶּה דָּבָר. זוַיְדַבְּרוּ אֵלָיו לֵאמֹר אִם תִּהְיֶה לְטוֹב לְהָעָם הַזֶּה וּרְצִיתָם וְדִבַּרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם דְּבָרִים טוֹבִים וְהָיוּ לְךָ עֲבָדִים כָּל הַיָּמִים. חוַיַּעֲזֹב אֶת עֲצַת הַזְּקֵנִים אֲשֶׁר יְעָצֻהוּ; וַיִּוָּעַץ אֶת הַיְלָדִים אֲשֶׁר גָּדְלוּ אִתּוֹ הָעֹמְדִים לְפָנָיו. טוַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם מָה אַתֶּם נוֹעָצִים וְנָשִׁיב דָּבָר אֶת הָעָם הַזֶּה: אֲשֶׁר דִּבְּרוּ אֵלַי לֵאמֹר הָקֵל מִן הָעֹל אֲשֶׁר נָתַן אָבִיךָ עָלֵינוּ. יוַיְדַבְּרוּ אִתּוֹ הַיְלָדִים אֲשֶׁר גָּדְלוּ אִתּוֹ לֵאמֹר כֹּה תֹאמַר לָעָם אֲשֶׁר דִּבְּרוּ אֵלֶיךָ לֵאמֹר אָבִיךָ הִכְבִּיד אֶת עֻלֵּנוּ וְאַתָּה הָקֵל מֵעָלֵינוּ: כֹּה תֹּאמַר אֲלֵהֶם קָטָנִּי עָבָה מִמָּתְנֵי אָבִי. יאוְעַתָּה אָבִי הֶעְמִיס עֲלֵיכֶם עֹל כָּבֵד וַאֲנִי אֹסִיף עַל עֻלְּכֶם: אָבִי יִסַּר אֶתְכֶם בַּשּׁוֹטִים וַאֲנִי בָּעַקְרַבִּים.
יבוַיָּבֹא יָרָבְעָם וְכָל הָעָם אֶל רְחַבְעָם בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִשִׁי כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר הַמֶּלֶךְ לֵאמֹר שׁוּבוּ אֵלַי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִשִׁי. יגוַיַּעֲנֵם הַמֶּלֶךְ קָשָׁה; וַיַּעֲזֹב הַמֶּלֶךְ רְחַבְעָם אֵת עֲצַת הַזְּקֵנִים. ידוַיְדַבֵּר אֲלֵהֶם כַּעֲצַת הַיְלָדִים לֵאמֹר אַכְבִּיד אֶת עֻלְּכֶם וַאֲנִי אֹסִיף עָלָיו: אָבִי יִסַּר אֶתְכֶם בַּשּׁוֹטִים וַאֲנִי בָּעַקְרַבִּים. טווְלֹא שָׁמַע הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל הָעָם: כִּי הָיְתָה נְסִבָּה מֵעִם הָאֱלֹהִים לְמַעַן הָקִים יהוה אֶת דְּבָרוֹ אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר בְּיַד אֲחִיָּהוּ הַשִּׁלוֹנִי אֶל יָרָבְעָם בֶּן נְבָט. טזוְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי לֹא שָׁמַע הַמֶּלֶךְ לָהֶם וַיָּשִׁיבוּ הָעָם אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ לֵאמֹר מַה לָּנוּ חֵלֶק בְּדָוִיד וְלֹא נַחֲלָה בְּבֶן יִשַׁי אִישׁ לְאֹהָלֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַתָּה רְאֵה בֵיתְךָ דָּוִיד; וַיֵּלֶךְ כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְאֹהָלָיו. יזוּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַיֹּשְׁבִים בְּעָרֵי יְהוּדָה וַיִּמְלֹךְ עֲלֵיהֶם רְחַבְעָם. יחוַיִּשְׁלַח הַמֶּלֶךְ רְחַבְעָם אֶת הֲדֹרָם אֲשֶׁר עַל הַמַּס וַיִּרְגְּמוּ בוֹ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶבֶן וַיָּמֹת; וְהַמֶּלֶךְ רְחַבְעָם הִתְאַמֵּץ לַעֲלוֹת בַּמֶּרְכָּבָה לָנוּס יְרוּשָׁלִָם. יטוַיִּפְשְׁעוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּבֵית דָּוִיד עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה.
D'var יהוה , The Word of יהוה 