1 Kings 12:25
New International Version
Then Jeroboam fortified Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. From there he went out and built up Peniel.

New Living Translation
Jeroboam then built up the city of Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and it became his capital. Later he went and built up the town of Peniel.

English Standard Version
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. And he went out from there and built Penuel.

Berean Standard Bible
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. And from there he went out and built Penuel.

King James Bible
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel.

New King James Version
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim, and dwelt there. Also he went out from there and built Penuel.

New American Standard Bible
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived there. And he went out from there and built Penuel.

NASB 1995
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived there. And he went out from there and built Penuel.

NASB 1977
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived there. And he went out from there and built Penuel.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived there. And he went out from there and built Penuel.

Amplified Bible
Then Jeroboam built Shechem [as his royal city] in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. He went out from there and rebuilt Penuel [as a stronghold].

Christian Standard Bible
Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. From there he went out and built Penuel.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. From there he went out and built Penuel.

American Standard Version
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and he went out from thence, and built Penuel.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Yorbaam built Shekim in the mountain of the tribe of the house of Aphrim, and he dwelt in it, and he went out from there and built Phanuel.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Jeroboam built Sikima in mount Ephraim and dwelt in it, and went forth thence and built Phanuel.

Contemporary English Version
Jeroboam rebuilt Shechem in Ephraim and made it a stronger town, then he moved there. He also fortified the town of Penuel.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Jeroboam built Sichem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt there, and going out from thence he built Phanuel.

English Revised Version
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and he went out from thence, and built Penuel.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Jeroboam rebuilt Shechem in the hills of Ephraim and lived there. Then he left that place and built Penuel.

Good News Translation
King Jeroboam of Israel fortified the town of Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there for a while. Then he left and fortified the town of Penuel.

International Standard Version
Later on, Jeroboam fortified Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. He also expanded from there and built Penuel.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and he went out from thence, and built Penuel.

Literal Standard Version
And Jeroboam builds Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and dwells in it, and goes out there, and builds Penuel;

Majority Standard Bible
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. And from there he went out and built Penuel.

New American Bible
Jeroboam built up Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. Then he left it and built up Penuel.

NET Bible
Jeroboam built up Shechem in the Ephraimite hill country and lived there. From there he went out and built up Penuel.

New Revised Standard Version
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and resided there; he went out from there and built Penuel.

New Heart English Bible
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived in it; and he went out from there, and built Penuel.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt in it, and went out from thence, and built Penuel.

World English Bible
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived in it; and he went out from there and built Penuel.

Young's Literal Translation
And Jeroboam buildeth Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and dwelleth in it, and goeth out thence, and buildeth Penuel;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jeroboam's Idolatry
25Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. And from there he went out and built Penuel. 26Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom might revert to the house of David.…

Cross References
Genesis 12:6
Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the Oak of Moreh at Shechem. And at that time the Canaanites were in the land.

Genesis 32:30
So Jacob named the place Peniel, saying, "Indeed, I have seen God face to face, and yet my life was spared."

Genesis 32:31
The sun rose above him as he passed by Penuel, and he was limping because of his hip.

Judges 8:8
From there he went up to Penuel and asked the same from them, but the men of Penuel gave the same response as the men of Succoth.

Judges 8:17
He also pulled down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.

Judges 9:45
And all that day Abimelech fought against the city until he had captured it and killed its people. Then he demolished the city and sowed it with salt.

1 Kings 12:26
Jeroboam said in his heart, "Now the kingdom might revert to the house of David.


Treasury of Scripture

Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelled therein; and went out from there, and built Penuel.

built

1 Kings 9:15,17,18
And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build the house of the LORD, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer…

1 Kings 15:17
And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

1 Kings 16:24
And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria.

Shechem

1 Kings 12:1
And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.

Judges 9:1,45-49
And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother's brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying, …

Penuel

Genesis 32:30,31
And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved…

Judges 8:8,17
And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him

Jump to Previous
Built Country Dwelleth Dwelt Ephraim E'phraim Fortified Hill Hill-Country Jeroboam Jerobo'am Mount Peniel Penuel Penu'el Shechem Strong Thence Therein
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Built Country Dwelleth Dwelt Ephraim E'phraim Fortified Hill Hill-Country Jeroboam Jerobo'am Mount Peniel Penuel Penu'el Shechem Strong Thence Therein
1 Kings 12
1. The Israelites, assembled at Shechem to crown Rehoboam,
4. by Jeroboam make a suit of relaxation unto him
6. Rehoboam, refusing the old men's counsel, answers them roughly
16. Ten tribes revolting, kill Adoram, and make Rehoboam flee
21. Rehoboam, raising an army, is forbidden by Shemaiah
25. Jeroboam strengthens himself by cities
26. and by idolatry of the two calves














(25) Jeroboam built Shechem.--Shechem had passed through many vicissitudes of fortune. It was already a city when Abraham entered the Promised Land (Genesis 12:6), and is from time to time mentioned in the patriarchal history (Genesis 33:18, Genesis 35:4, Genesis 37:12-13). At the Conquest it became a city of refuge (Joshua 20:7; Joshua 21:20-21), and the scene of the solemn recital of the blessings and curses of the Law (Joshua 8:33-35). From its proximity to Shiloh, and to the inheritance of Joshua, it assumed something of the character of a capital (Joshua 24:1; Joshua 24:32). Then it became the seat of the usurpation of Abimelech, which allied itself with the native inhabitants of the region; but rebelling afterwards against him, it was destroyed (Judges 9). We then hear nothing more of it till this chapter, when the tribes assemble at Shechem, under the shadow of the famous hills of Ebal and Gerizim, to meet Rehoboam. Jeroboam is said to have "built it" anew. This may be taken literally, as indicating that it had never recovered from its destruction by Abimelech, or it may simply mean that he fortified and enlarged it as his capital. Subsequently it gave way to Tirzan and Samaria; but its almost unrivalled position preserved it in importance among the Samaritans after the Captivity, even down to our Lord's time, and under the name of Nablous (Neapolis) it has lasted to the present day, while many other cities once famous have passed away. . . . Verse 25. - Then Jeroboam built [i.e., rebuilt or fortified, בָּנָה naturally has both meanings] Shechem [see on ver. 1 and on 1 Kings 14:1] in Mount Ephraim [The Har-Ephraim, or mountain district of Ephraim (in Joshua 11:16 called the "Mountain of Israel;" cf. Joshua 17:15-18; Judges 4:5; Judges 10:1; 1 Samuel 1:1), is "the central mass of the hills of Palestine, nearly equidistant from the northern and southern boundary of the whole country" (Stanley, S. and P., p. 229), and the richest and most beautiful part of the land. "The tower of Sichem had been burnt down by Abimelech and the tower of Penuel had been destroyed by Gideon, Judges 8:17" (Keil). The city of Shechem had been destroyed at the same time as the tower, but had no doubt been rebuilt, at least in part, otherwise it could hardly have been selected for Rehoboam's coronation. It was naturally Jeroboam's first care to strengthen his position by fortitying his capital, and the more so as this city would be particularly obnoxious to Rehoboam as the scene of the revolution; but why he should at the same time have rebuilt Penuel - Ewald thinks the seat of government was placed here - is not at first eight so obvious, as it lay beyond the Jordan (Genesis 32:22, 30; Genesis 33:17) and was therefore presumably outside the circle of hostilities, should such arise. Probably it was because this was the gate to his Trans-Jordanic territory. A tower commanding the fords of the Jordan would secure Reuben, Gad, etc., against invasion from Judah. It is also not unlikely that Jeroboam. who was the great castle builder of that age, had some fears of "hostile attacks from the north and northeast" (Keil), or thought of "the caravan road which led over Gilead to Damascus" (Wordsworth), and of which he would wish, for the sake of his revenue, to retain the control], and dwelt therein [He made it his first residence and capital]; and went out from thence [i.e., when he had secured one fortified city. He could hardly be certain as yet which side some of the tribes would take. It is also possible that some of the workmen who had built Shechem were afterwards employed on the fortification of Penuel], and built Penuel. [Bahr says, "There is no doubt that he built these fortifications by tribute labour, like Solomon." But is this quite so certain? The people after the revolt would naturally conclude that Rehoboam, of whose proud temper they had had such proof, would want to wreak his vengeance on the city which had rejected him, and the instinct of self-defence would lead them at once to rebuild their walls. And the newborn kingdom would also earnestly desire to possess a suitable capital. Thus their self-interest and enthusiasm alike would obviate the necessity for a conscription.]

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then Jeroboam
יָרָבְעָ֧ם (yā·rā·ḇə·‘ām)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3379: Jeroboam -- 'the people increase', the name of two Israelites kings

built
וַיִּ֨בֶן (way·yi·ḇen)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1129: To build

Shechem
שְׁכֶ֛ם (šə·ḵem)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 7927: Shechem -- 'ridge', a district in Northern Palestine, also a son of Hamor

in the hill country
בְּהַ֥ר (bə·har)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2022: Mountain, hill, hill country

of Ephraim
אֶפְרַ֖יִם (’ep̄·ra·yim)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 669: Ephraim -- a son of Joseph, also his descendants and their territory

and lived there.
וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב (way·yê·šeḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

And from
בָּ֑הּ (bāh)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew

there
מִשָּׁ֔ם (miš·šām)
Preposition-m | Adverb
Strong's 8033: There, then, thither

he went out
וַיֵּצֵ֣א (way·yê·ṣê)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

and built
וַיִּ֖בֶן (way·yi·ḇen)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1129: To build

Penuel.
פְּנוּאֵֽל׃ (pə·nū·’êl)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6439: Penuel -- 'face of God', a place East of the Jordan, also two Israelites


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OT History: 1 Kings 12:25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)
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