Rebellion against Rehoboam
(1 Kings 12:1–15)

1And Rehoboam went to Sichem: for to Sichem were all Israel come together to make him king. 2And when Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat (which was fled into Egypt from the presence of Solomon the king) heard it, he returned out of Egypt. 3And they sent and called him: And so Ieroboam and all they of Israel, came and communed with Rehoboam, saying: 4Thy father layde a greeuous yoke vpon vs: nowe therefore remit thou somewhat of the greeuous seruice of thy fafather, & of his heauy yoke that he put vpon vs, and we wyll serue thee. 5And he saide to them: Come againe vnto me after three dayes. And the people departed.

6And king Rehoboam counsailed with the elders that had stande before Solomon his father while he yet lyued, and he saide: what counsaile geue ye me, to aunswere this people againe? 7And they tolde him, saying: If thou be kinde to this people, and shewe thy selfe lowlie to them, and speake louyng wordes to them, they wyll be thy seruauntes for euer. 8But he left the counsaile which the elders gaue him, and toke counsaile with the young men that were growen vp with him, and that stoode in his presence. 9And he saide vnto them: What aduise geue ye, that we may aunswere this people, which haue communed with me, saying, Abate somewhat of the yoke which thy father did put vpon vs? 10And the young men that were growen vp with him, spake vnto him, saying, Thus shalt thou aunswere the people that speake to thee, saying: Thy father made our yoke heauy, but make thou it somewhat lighter for vs: Thus shalt thou say vnto the, My litle finger, shalbe heauier then my fathers loynes. 11For where my father put a heauy yoke vpon you, I will put more to your yoke: My father chastised you with whyppes, but I wyll chastise you with scourges.

12And so Ieroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come againe to me the third day. 13And the king aunswered them cruelly: and king Rehoboam left the counsaile of the aged men, 14And aunswered them after the aduise of the young men, saying: My father made your yoke greeuous, and I wyll adde thereto: my father chastised you with whyppes, but I wyll chastise you with scourges. 15And so the king hearkened not vnto the people: but the occasion came of God, that the Lorde might make good his saying which he spake by the hand of Ahia the Silonite to Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat.

The Kingdom Divided
(1 Kings 12:16–19)

16And when all they of Israel saw that the king woulde not agree vnto them, the people aunswered the king, saying: What portion haue we in Dauid? For we haue no inheritaunce in the sonne of Isai: Euery man to his tent oh Israel, and nowe Dauid, see to thyne owne house. And so all Israel gat them to their tentes:

17So that Rehoboam raigned ouer no mo of the children of Israel then dwelt in the cities of Iuda. 18Then king Rehoboam also sent Haduram that was ruler ouer the tribute, and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he dyed: But king Rehoboam made speede to get him vp to his charet, to flee to Hierusalem. 19And they of Israel rebelled against the house of Dauid vnto this day.