Di Kingdom Divide Into Two

One young king face one big crowd. E for win their heart with few kind words. Instead, e talk, My papa make una load heavy. I go make am heavy pass. And di crowd turn their back.

King Solomon don die after forty years for throne. Im reign rich and full of glory, but e cost people something. To pay for im building projects, di people work hard and pay heavy. And for im last years, Solomon turn im heart go other gods. Now im son Rehoboam go become king. E travel go north to Shechem, one old meeting place, where all Israel gather to make am king. Among dem na one man wey dem dey call Jeroboam. Before, e be one of Solomon officials, in charge of forced labour, until e run go Egypt. One prophet don tell am say God go give am ten of di tribes.

Di people talk to Rehoboam, and Jeroboam dey among dem. Your papa put heavy yoke for our neck. Reduce di hard work and di heavy yoke, and we go serve you. Di request fair. Rehoboam talk, Go for three days, then come back. First, e ask di old men, di advisers wey serve im papa. Their advice get wisdom and e simple.

If you go be servant to dis people today, and serve dem, and talk good words to dem, then dem go be your servants forever.

But Rehoboam no like dat answer. So e ask di young men wey e grow up with, wey dey serve am now. Dem tell am make e show di people say na im get power. Tell dem, dem talk, my small finger thick pass my papa waist. My papa put heavy yoke for una; I go add to am. My papa beat una with whip; I go beat una with scorpions. Three days after, di people come back. And Rehoboam talk to dem with hard mouth, word for word wetin di young men tell am. Di Bible add one line wey explain everything. Dis thing wey happen come from Di Lord, to fulfil di word wey e talk through di prophet Ahijah.

When di people hear im answer, dem shout one old rebel cry. Which share we get for David? Go una tents, O Israel! Look after your own house now, David! And dem go house. Rehoboam send Adoram, di man wey dey in charge of forced labour, make e bring dem back under control. Na di worst choice wey e fit make. Di crowd stone Adoram, and e die. Rehoboam jump enter im chariot, race go back to Jerusalem. Di tribes for north make Jeroboam their king. Na only di tribe of Judah, with Benjamin, remain loyal to di house of David. Rehoboam gather one very big army to win di kingdom back. But God send one prophet wey dem dey call Shemaiah with message. No go up. No fight una brothers. Dis thing come from me. And, dem try, dem listen, and dem go house.

Now Jeroboam get one worry. If im people continue to dey go Jerusalem to worship for di temple, their heart fit turn go back to Rehoboam. So e make two calves of gold. E put one for Bethel for di south of im kingdom, and di other one for Dan for di far north. E too much for una to dey go up to Jerusalem, e tell dem. See una gods, O Israel, wey bring una comot from Egypt. E build shrines, choose im own priests, create im own festival. And di Bible just talk say, dis thing become sin.

Dan, for di far north of Israel, don dey under excavation for many many years. For Tel Dan, di archaeologist Avraham Biran find one big stone platform inside one holy area, and e talk say na high place wey dem first build for di time of di kings of di north. Some scholars dey argue about di dates and di details, but di site show di kind worship centre wey stand for Dan.

You go find dis story for First Kings, chapter twelve. One king refuse to listen and to serve. Another king trust im own plans instead of God. And one nation wey be one family before divide into two for hundreds of years. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. When dem give you small power, you go use am serve people, or you go use am push dem around?