2 Chronicles 10
1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all Israel had come together to make him king.
And Rehobo'am went to Shechem: for to Shechem were all Israel come to make him king.
2 And when Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had news of it, (for he was in Egypt where he had gone in flight from King Solomon, ) he came back from Egypt.
And it came to pass, when Jerobo'am the son of Nebat heard of it, for he was in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of king Solomon, that Jerobo'am returned out of Egypt.
3 And they sent for him; and Jeroboam and all Israel came to Rehoboam and said,
And they sent and called him: and so came Jerobo'am with all Israel and spoke to Rehobo'am, saying,
4 Your father put a hard yoke on us: if you will make the conditions under which your father kept us down less cruel, and the weight of the yoke he put on us less hard, then we will be your servants.
Thy father made our yoke hard; but now do thou make lighter the hard service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, and we will serve thee.
5 And he said to them, Come to me again after three days. So the people went away.
And he said unto them, After but three days, then return unto me. And the people went away.
6 Then King Rehoboam took the opinion of the old men who had been with Solomon his father when he was living, and said, In your opinion, what answer am I to give to this people?
Then consulted king Rehobo'am with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, How do you advise that I should return an answer to this people?
7 And they said to him, If you are kind to this people, pleasing them and saying good words to them, then they will be your servants for ever.
And they spoke unto him, saying, If thou wilt be kind to this people, and please them, and speak to them good words: then will they be servants unto thee for all times.
8 But he gave no attention to the opinion of the old men, but went to the young men of his generation who were waiting before him.
But he forsook the counsel which the old men had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and who stood before him.
9 And he said to them, What is your opinion? What answer are we to give to this people who have said to me, Make less the weight of the yoke which your father put on us?
And he said unto them, How do you counsel how we should give an answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make lighter the yoke which thy father did put upon us?
10 And the young men of his generation said to him, This is the answer to give to the people who came to you saying, Your father put a hard yoke on us, but will you make it less; say to them, My little finger is thicker than my father's body;
Then spoke with him the young men that were grown up with him, saying, Thus must thou say unto the people that have spoken unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but do thou make it lighter unto us: thus must thou say unto them, My little finger is thicker than my father's loins.
11 If my father put a hard yoke on you, I will make it harder: my father gave you punishment with whips, but I will give you blows with snakes.
And now [if] my father hath burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: [if] my father hath chastised you with whips, then will I [do it] with scorpion-thorns.
12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had given orders, saying, Come to me again on the third day.
When now Jerobo'am and all the people came to Rehobo'am on the third day, as the king had spoken, saying, Return to me on the third day:
13 And the king gave them a rough answer. So King Rehoboam gave no attention to the suggestion of the old men,
The king answered them harshly; and king Rehobo'am forsook the counsel of the old men;
14 But gave them the answer put forward by the young men, saying, My father made your yoke hard, but I will make it harder; my father gave you punishment with whips, but I will give it with snakes.
And he spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add thereto; my father chastised you with whips, but I will [do it] with scorpion-thorns.
15 So the king did not give ear to the people; for this came about by the purpose of God, so that the Lord might give effect to his word which he had said by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam, the son of Nebat.
And the king hearkened not unto the people; for it was so brought about from God, in order that the Lord might fulfill his word, which he had spoken by means of Achiyahu the Shilonite unto Jerobo'am the son of Nebat.
16 And when all Israel saw that the king would give no attention to them, the people in answer said to the king, What part have we in David? what is our heritage in the son of Jesse? every man to your tents, O Israel; now see to your house, David. So all Israel went to their tents.
So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? nor have we an inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel; now, see to thy own house, David. So did all Israel go to their tents.
17 But Rehoboam was still king over those of the children of Israel who were living in the towns of Judah.
But as for the children of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah, over them did Rehobo'am reign.
18 Then Rehoboam sent Adoniram, the overseer of the forced work; and he was stoned to death by all Israel. And King Rehoboam went quickly and got into his carriage to go in flight to Jerusalem.
Then sent king Rehobo'am Hadoram who was over the tribute; but the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehobo'am made speed with his might to get upon his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
19 So Israel was turned away from the family of David to this day.
So did Israel rebel against the house of David unto this day.
