Editing Books of Kings (section)

====The political and religious schism (12:1–13:34)====
Rehoboam travels to [[Shechem]] to be proclaimed king. Upon hearing this, Jeroboam returns from Egypt and joins Rehoboam's older advisors in asking for the people to be treated better than under Solomon. Instead, Rehoboam turns to his friends for advice, and proclaims that he will treat the people worse. This greatly displeases the Israelites. When he sends a new minister of forced labour named [[Adoniram]], they stone him to death. Rehoboam returns to safety in Jerusalem. The Israelites proclaim Jeroboam king. [[Tribe of Judah|Judah]] remains loyal to Rehoboam, and he also controls Benjamin. From these two tribes, Rehoboam amasses an army to attack the north, but the prophet [[Shemaiah (prophet)|Shemaiah]] prevents the war.

Back in Shechem, Jeroboam becomes worried about the possible return of his tribes to loyalty to the House of David, and decides the best way to prevent this is to stop them worshipping the  [[Yahweh|God of Israel]], since he considers the point at which they are most likely to defect to be when they travel to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices. To this end, he sets up golden calves at altars at [[Bethel]] and [[Dan (ancient city)|Dan]] and appoints his own priests and festivals. One day, a prophet comes by and announces that some day a Davidic king named [[Josiah]] will be born and violently abolish Jeroboam's religion. Seeking to seize him, Jeroboam stretches out his hand, but it becomes withered and, as a sign, the altar splits open and its ashes pour out. Despite all this, Jeroboam does not change his ways. Later, the prophet is tested by a false prophet from Samaria and fails, dying in a lion attack as punishment. The Samarian prophet mourns his demise and requests to be buried next to him upon his own death.