⁷ and worthless men gathered about him, scoundrels, who proved too strong for Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, when ^[a](A)he was young and timid and could not hold his own against them.

⁸ “So now you intend to resist the kingdom of the Lord ^[b]through the sons of David, ^[c]being a great multitude and having with you ^(B)the golden calves which Jeroboam made for gods for you. ^9 (C)Have you not driven out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, and made for yourselves priests like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes ^(D)to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams, even he may become a priest of what are ^(E)no gods.