11:26 Jeroboam son of Nebat, one of Solomon’s servants, rebelled against 1 the king. He was an Ephraimite 2 from Zeredah whose mother was a widow named Zeruah. 11:27 This is what prompted him to rebel against the king: 3 Solomon built a terrace and he closed up a gap in the wall of the city of his father David. 4 11:28 Jeroboam was a talented man; 5 when Solomon saw that the young man was an accomplished worker, he made him the leader of the work crew from the tribe 6 of Joseph. 11:29 At that time, when Jeroboam had left Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met him on the road; the two of them were alone in the open country. Ahijah 7 was wearing a brand new robe, 11:30 and he grabbed the robe 8 and tore it into twelve pieces. 11:31 Then he told Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces, for this is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘Look, I am about to tear the kingdom from Solomon’s hand and I will give ten tribes to you. 11:32 He will retain one tribe, for my servant David’s sake and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel. 11:33 I am taking the kingdom from him 9 because they have 10 abandoned me and worshiped the Sidonian goddess Astarte, the Moabite god Chemosh, and the Ammonite god Milcom. They have not followed my instructions 11 by doing what I approve and obeying my rules and regulations, like Solomon’s father David did. 12 11:34 I will not take the whole kingdom from his hand. I will allow him to be ruler for the rest of his life for the sake of my chosen servant David who kept my commandments and rules. 11:35 I will take the kingdom from the hand of his son and give ten tribes to you. 13 11:36 I will leave 14 his son one tribe so my servant David’s dynasty may continue to serve me 15 in Jerusalem, the city I have chosen as my home. 16 11:37 I will select 17 you; you will rule over all you desire to have and you will be king over Israel. 11:38 You must obey 18 all I command you to do, follow my instructions, 19 do what I approve, 20 and keep my rules and commandments, like my servant David did. Then I will be with you and establish for you a lasting dynasty, as I did for David; 21 I will give you Israel. 11:39 I will humiliate David’s descendants because of this, 22 but not forever.” 23