2 Chronicles 10
1 Rehoboam went to Shechem, because all the Israelites had gone to Shechem to make him king.
And Rehobo'am went to Shechem: for to Shechem were all Israel come to make him king.
2 Jeroboam, son of Nebat, was still in Egypt when he heard about this. (He had run away to Egypt to escape from King Solomon and was living there.)
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 The Israelite leaders sent for him. Jereboam and all the Israelites went to talk with Rehoboam.
And they sent and called him: and so came Jerobo'am with all Israel and spoke to Rehobo'am, saying,
4 “Your father placed a heavy burden on us,” they told him. “But now if you lighten the load your father imposed and the heavy demands he laid on us, we will serve you.”
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 Rehoboam answered, “Come back in three days time.” So the people left.
And he said unto them, After but three days, then return unto me. And the people went away.
6 King Rehoboam asked for advice from the elders who had served his father Solomon when he was alive. “How do you advise me to reply to these people about this?” he asked.
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 They replied, “If you treat these people well, and please them by speaking kindly to them, they will always serve you.”
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 Rehoboam dismissed the advice of the elders. He instead asked advice from the young men who he had grown up with, and who were close to 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 He asked them, “What response do you advise that we send back to these people who have told me, ‘Lighten the burden 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 The young men who he had grown up with told him, “This is what you have to tell these people who said to you, ‘Your father made our burden heavy, but you should make it lighter.’ This is what you should answer them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father's waist!
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 placed a heavy burden on you, and I will make it even heavier. My father punished you with whips; I will punish 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 Three days later, Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, because the king had told them, “Come back in three days time.”
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 The king answered them sharply. Dismissing the advice of the elders,
The king answered them harshly; and king Rehobo'am forsook the counsel of the old men;
14 he replied using the advice of the young men. He said, “My father placed a heavy burden on you, and I will make it even heavier. My father punished you with whips; I will punish 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 The king did not listen to what the people said, for this change in circumstances was from God, to fulfill what Lord had told Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.
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 When all the Israelites saw that the king wasn't listening to them, they told the king: “What share do we have in David, and what part do we have in the son of Jesse? Go home, Israel! You're on your own, house of David!” So all the Israelites went home.
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 However, Rehoboam still ruled over the Israelites who lived in Judah.
But as for the children of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah, over them did Rehobo'am reign.
18 Then King Rehoboam sent out Hadoram, who was in charge of forced labor, but the Israelites stoned him to death. King Rehoboam quickly jumped into his chariot and raced back 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 As a result, Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.
So did Israel rebel against the house of David unto this day.
