Rehoboam’s harsh answer to Israel’s elders splits Solomon’s kingdom in two across the chapter’s thirty-three verses, ending with Jeroboam’s golden calves at Bethel and Dan.
Full sung version coming soon.
Lyrics
Rehoboam went to Shechem for all Israel had come to make him king When Jeroboam heard of it for he was yet in Egypt
Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam Your father made our yoke difficult Now therefore make the hard service of your father lighter And his heavy yoke which he put on us and we will serve you
He said to them Depart for three days then come back to me So the people departed King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men Who had stood before Solomon his father
They said If you will be a servant to this people today And will serve them and answer them with good words Then they will be your servants forever But he abandoned the counsel of the old men
He took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him Tell these people who have spoken to you Your father made our yoke heavy but make it lighter My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist
So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day The king answered the people roughly And abandoned the counsel of the old men which they had given him My father chastised you with whips but I will chastise you with scorpions
When all Israel saw that the king didn’t listen to them The people answered the king saying What portion have we in David We don’t have an inheritance in the son of Jesse To your tents Israel Now see to your own house David
So Israel rebelled against David’s house to this day Israel departed to their tents But Rehoboam reigned over the children of Israel In the cities of Judah When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned
They sent and called him to the congregation And made him king over all Israel There was no one who followed David’s house except for the tribe of Judah only
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1 Kings 12 sung by Psalm Selah. The whole Bible, one chapter at a time.