2 Chronicles 10
1 And Rehoboam goes to Shechem, for all of Israel has come [to] Shechem to cause him to reign.
Now Rehoboam set out for Shechem. For in that place all of Israel had convened, so that they might appoint him as king.
2 And it comes to pass, at Jeroboam son of Nebat—who [is] in Egypt because he has fled from the face of Solomon the king—hearing, that Jeroboam turns back out of Egypt;
But when Jeroboam, the son of Nabat, who was in Egypt, (indeed he had fled to that place from Solomon) had heard it, he promptly returned.
3 and they send and call for him, and Jeroboam comes in, and all of Israel, and they speak to Rehoboam, saying,
And they summoned him, and he arrived with all of Israel. And they spoke to Rehoboam, saying:
4 “Your father made our yoke sharp, and now, make light [some] of the sharp service of your father, and [some] of his heavy yoke that he put on us, and we serve you.”
“Your father pressed upon us a very difficult yoke. You should govern us more lightly than your father, who imposed on us a heavy servitude, and so lift up some of the burden, so that we may serve you.”
5 And he says to them, “Yet three days—then return to me”; and the people go.
But he said, “Return to me after three days.” And when the people had gone away,
6 And King Rehoboam consults with the aged men who have been standing before his father Solomon in his being alive, saying, “How are you counseling to answer this people?”
he took counsel with the elders, who had stood before his father Solomon while he was still living, saying, “What counsel would you give to me, so that I may respond to the people?”
7 And they speak to him, saying, “If you become good to this people, and have been pleased with them, and spoken to them good words, then they have been servants to you [for] all the days.”
And they said to him, “If you please this people, and if you soothe them with words of clemency, they will be your servants for all days.”
8 And he forsakes the counsel of the aged men that they counseled him, and consults with the boys who have grown up with him, those standing before him,
But he set aside the counsel of the elders, and he began to have discussion with the youth, who had been raised with him and who were among his companions.
9 and he says to them, “What are you counseling, and we answer this people that have spoken to me, saying, Make light [some] of the yoke that your father put on us?”
And he said to them: “How does it seem to you? Or how should I respond to this people, who have said to me, ‘Lift up the yoke that your father imposed upon us?’”
10 And the boys who have grown up with him speak with him, saying, “Thus you say to the people who have spoken to you, saying, Your father made our yoke heavy, and you, make light [some] of our yoke; thus you say to them, My little finger is thicker than the loins of my father;
But they responded like youths, having been raised with him in luxury, and they said: “So shall you speak to the people, who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy; you should lighten it,’ and so shall you respond to them: ‘My little finger is thicker than the back of my father.
11 and now, my father laid a heavy yoke on you, and I add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, and I—with scorpions.”
My father imposed a heavy yoke upon you, and I will place more weight upon it. My father cut you with whips; truly, I will beat you with scorpions.’”
12 And Jeroboam comes in, and all the people, to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king spoke, saying, “Return to me on the third day.”
Then Jeroboam, and the entire people, went to Rehoboam on the third day, just as he had instructed them.
13 And the king answers them sharply, and King Rehoboam forsakes the counsel of the aged men,
And the king responded harshly, abandoning the counsel of the elders.
14 and speaks to them according to the counsel of the boys, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, and I add to it; my father disciplined you with whips, and I—with scorpions.”
And he spoke according to the will of the youths: “My father imposed a heavy yoke upon you, which I will make heavier. My father cut you with whips; truly, I will beat you with scorpions.”
15 And the king has not listened to the people, for the revolution has been from God, for the sake of YHWH’s establishing His word that He spoke by the hand of Abijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.
And he did not acquiesce to the pleadings of the people. For it was the will of God that his word be fulfilled, which he had spoken by the hand of Ahijah, the Shilonite, to Jeroboam, the son of Nabat.
16 And all Israel have seen that the king has not listened to them, and the people send back [word to] the king, saying, “What portion do we have in David? Indeed, there is no inheritance in a son of Jesse; [go], each to your tents, O Israel! Now see your house, O David!” And all [in] Israel go to their tents.
Then the entire people, speaking more harshly to the king, spoke to him in this way: “There is no portion for us in David, and there is no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Return to your dwellings, O Israel. Then you, O David, shall pasture your own house.” And Israel went away to their dwellings.
17 As for the sons of Israel who are dwelling in the cities of Judah—Rehoboam reigns over them.
But Rehoboam reigned over the sons of Israel who were living in the cities of Judah.
18 And King Rehoboam sends Hadoram, who [is] over the tribute, and the sons of Israel cast stones at him, and he dies; and King Rehoboam has strengthened himself to go up into a chariot to flee to Jerusalem;
And king Rehoboam sent Aduram, who was in charge of the tributes. And the sons of Israel stoned him, and he died. And so king Rehoboam hurried to climb into the chariot, and he fled to Jerusalem.
19 and Israel transgresses against the house of David to this day.
And Israel withdrew from the house of David, even to this day.
