2 Chronicles 10
1 And Roboam went to Sichem: for thither all Israel were assembled, 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 Nabat, who was in Egypt, (for he was fled thither from Solomon, ) heard it, forthwith he returned.
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 he came with all Israel, and they spoke to Roboam, saying:
And they sent and called him: and so came Jerobo'am with all Israel and spoke to Rehobo'am, saying,
4 Thy father oppressed us with a most grievous yoke, do thou govern us with a lighter hand than thy father, who laid upon us a heavy servitude, and ease some thing of the burden, that we may serve thee.
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. And when the people were gone,
And he said unto them, After but three days, then return unto me. And the people went away.
6 He took counsel with the ancients, who had stood before his father Solomon, while he yet lived, saying: What counsel give you to me, that I may answer the 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 thou please this people, and soothe them with kind words, they will be thy 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 forsook the counsel of the ancients, and began to treat with the young men, that had been brought up with him, and were in his train.
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 seemeth good to you? or what shall I answer this people, who have said to me: Ease the yoke which thy father laid upon 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 But they answered as young men, and brought up with him in pleasures, and said: Thus shalt thou speak to the people, that said to thee: Thy father made our yoke heavy, do thou ease it: thus shalt thou answer them: My little finger is thicker than the loins of my father.
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 My father laid upon you a heavy yoke, and I will add more weight to it: my father beat you with scourges, but I will beat you with scorpions.
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 Roboam the third day, as he commanded them.
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 answered roughly, leaving the counsel of the ancients.
The king answered them harshly; and king Rehobo'am forsook the counsel of the old men;
14 And he spoke according to the advice of the young men: My father laid upon you a heavy yoke, which I will make heavier: my father beat you with scourges, but I will beat you with scorpions.
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 And he condescended not to the people’s requests: for it was the will of God, that his word might be fulfilled which he had spoken by the hand of Ahias the Silonite to Jeroboam the son of Nabat.
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 all the people upon the king’s speaking roughly, said thus unto him: We have no part in David, nor inheritance in the son of Isai. Return to thy dwellings, O Israel, and do thou, O David, feed thy own house. And Israel went away to their dwellings.
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 Roboam reigned over the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Juda.
But as for the children of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah, over them did Rehobo'am reign.
18 And king Roboam sent Aduram, who was over the tributes, and the children of Israel stoned him, and he died: and king Roboam made haste to gee up into his chariot, and fled into 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 And Israel revolted from the house of David unto this day.
So did Israel rebel against the house of David unto this day.
