2 Chronicles 10
1 All the people of Israel went to Shechem [city] in order to appoint Rehoboam to be their king. So Rehoboam also went there.
And Rehoboam goes to Shechem, for all of Israel has come [to] Shechem to cause him to reign.
2 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
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;
3 So the [leaders of the northern tribes] summoned him, and he went with them [to talk] to Rehoboam. They said to Rehoboam,
and they send and call for him, and Jeroboam comes in, and all of Israel, and they speak to Rehoboam, saying,
4 “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].”
“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.”
5 He replied, “Come back three days from now [and I will give you my answer].” So those leaders [and Jeroboam] left.
And he says to them, “Yet three days—then return to me”; and the people go.
6 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?”
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?”
7 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.”
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.”
8 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.
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,
9 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?”
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?”
10 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.
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;
11 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.’”
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.”
12 Three days later, Jeroboam and all the leaders came to King Rehoboam again, which is what he had told them to do.
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.”
13 The king ignored the advice of the older men and spoke harshly to the Israeli leaders.
And the king answers them sharply, and King Rehoboam forsakes the counsel of the aged men,
14 [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!”
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.”
15 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.
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.
16 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.
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.
17 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].
As for the sons of Israel who are dwelling in the cities of Judah—Rehoboam reigns over them.
18 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.
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;
19 Ever since that time, [the people of the northern tribes of] Israel have been rebelling against the descendants of [King] David.
and Israel transgresses against the house of David to this day.
