2 Chronicles 10
1 Then Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Sheche came all Israel to make him king.
All the people of Israel went to Shechem [city] in order to appoint Rehoboam to be their king. So Rehoboam also went there.
2 And when Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat heard it, (which was in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of Salomon the King) he returned out of Egypt.
Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had fled to Egypt [to escape] from King Solomon. But when he heard [about the people wanting to appoint Rehoboam to be their king], he returned [to Israel] from Egypt
3 And they sent and called him: so came Ieroboam and all Israel, and communed with Rehoboam, saying,
So the [leaders of the northern tribes] summoned him, and he went with them [to talk] to Rehoboam. They said to Rehoboam,
4 Thy father made our yoke grieuous: nowe therefore make thou the grieuous seruitude of thy father, and his sore yoke, that he put vpon vs, lighter, and we will serue thee.
“Your father [Solomon] forced us to work very hard for him. If you do not force us to work that hard, and if you charge us less taxes than we were paying to him, we will serve you [faithfully].”
5 And he sayde to them, Depart yet three dayes, then come againe vnto me. And the people departed.
He replied, “Come back three days from now [and I will give you my answer].” So those leaders [and Jeroboam] left.
6 And King Rehoboam tooke counsel with the olde men that had stande before Salomon his father, while hee yet liued, saying, What counsell giue ye that I may answere this people?
Then King Rehoboam consulted his older men who had advised his father Solomon while he was still alive. He asked them, “What shall I say to answer these men?”
7 And they spake vnto him, saying, If thou be kinde to this people, and please them, and speake louing words to them, they will be thy seruants for euer.
They replied, “If you will be kind to these people and do things that will please them, and if you say kind things to them when you answer them, they will always serve you.”
8 But hee left the counsel of the ancient men that they had giuen him, and tooke counsell of the yong men that were brought vp with him, and waited on him.
But he ignored what the older men advised him to do. Instead, he consulted the younger men who had grown up with him, who were now his advisors.
9 And he sayd vnto them, What counsel giue ye, that we may answere this people, which haue spoken to mee, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put vpon vs, lighter?
He said to them, “How should I answer the men who are asking me to reduce the [work and taxes] that my father required from them?”
10 And the yong men that were brought vp with him, spake vnto him, saying, Thus shalt thou answere the people that spake to thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heauie, but make thou it lighter for vs: thus shalt thou say vnto them, My least part shalbe bigger then my fathers loines.
The young men who had grown up with him replied, “[Those men] have said that your father forced them to work very hard for him, so they want you to reduce the [work and taxes] that your father required from them. But this is what you should tell them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist.
11 Now whereas my father did burden you with a grieuous yoke, I will yet increase your yoke: my father hath chastised you with roddes, but I will correct you with scourges.
What I mean is that my father required you to [work hard and pay high taxes]. But I will make those loads heavier. [It was as though] my father whipped you, but I will whip you with whips that have pieces of metal in them.’”
12 Then Ieroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the King had appointed saying, Come againe to me the third day.
Three days later, Jeroboam and all the leaders came to King Rehoboam again, which is what he had told them to do.
13 And the King answered them sharply: and King Rehoboam left the counsel of the ancient men,
The king ignored the advice of the older men and spoke harshly to the Israeli leaders.
14 And spake to them after ye counsell of the yong men, saying, My father made your yoke grieuous, but I wil incease it: my father chastised you with rods, but I will correct you with scourges.
[He told them what the younger men had advised.] He said, “My father put heavy burdens [of work and taxes] on you, but I will put heavier burdens on you. [It was as though] he beat you with whips, but I will beat you with whips that have pieces of metal in them!”
15 So the king hearkened not vnto the people: for it was the ordinance of God that the Lord might performe his saying, which hee had spoken by Ahiiah the Shilonite to Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat.
So the king did not pay any attention to the Israeli leaders. But this happened in order that what Yahweh had told the prophet Ahijah about Jeroboam would happen.
16 So when all Isarael sawe that the King would not heare them, the people answered the King, saying, What portion haue we in Dauid? for we haue none inheritance in the sonue of Ishai. O Israel, euery man to your tents: now see to thine owne house, Dauid. So all Israel departed to their tents.
When the Israeli leaders realized that the king did not pay any attention to what they said, they shouted, “We do not want anything to do with this descendant of King David! We will not pay attention to what this grandson of Jesse says! You people of Israel, let’s go home! As for this descendant of David, he can rule his own kingdom!” So the Israeli leaders returned to their homes.
17 Howbeit Rehoboam reigned ouer the children of Israel, that dwelt in the cities of Iudah.
And [after that, the only Israeli] people whom Rehoboam ruled over were those who lived in the territory of [the tribes of] Judah [and Benjamin].
18 Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was ouer the tribute, and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died: then King Rehoboam made speede to get him vp to his charet, to flee to Ierusalem.
Then King Rehoboam went with Adoniram [to talk to the Israeli people]. Adoniram was the man who supervised [all the men who were] forced to work [for Rehoboam]. But the Israeli people killed him by throwing stones at him. When that happened, King Rehoboam quickly got in his chariot and escaped to Jerusalem.
19 And Israel rebelled against the house of Dauid vnto this day.
Ever since that time, [the people of the northern tribes of] Israel have been rebelling against the descendants of [King] David.
