2 Chronicles 10
1 Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel was coming to Shechem to make him king.
Now Rehoboam set out for Shechem. For in that place all of Israel had convened, so that they might appoint him as king.
2 When Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard this (for he was in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), he returned from 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 So they sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all Israel came; they spoke to Rehoboam and said,
And they summoned him, and he arrived with all of Israel. And they spoke to Rehoboam, saying:
4 “Your father made our yoke difficult. Now therefore, make your father's hard work easier, and lighten the heavy yoke that he put on us, and we will 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 Rehoboam said to them, “Come again to me after three days.” So the people left.
But he said, “Return to me after three days.” And when the people had gone away,
6 King Rehoboam consulted with the old men who had stood before Solomon his father while he was alive; he said, “How would you advise me to bring an answer to these 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 They spoke to him and said, “If you are good to this people and please them, and say good words to them, then they will always be your servants.”
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 But Rehoboam ignored the advice of the old men that they had given him, and consulted with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood 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 He said to them, “What advice do you give me, so that we may answer the people who spoke to me and said, 'Lighten 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 The young men who had grown up with Rehoboam spoke to him, saying, “This is how you should speak to the people who told you that your father Solomon made their yoke heavy, but that you must make it lighter. This is what you should say to them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist.
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 So now, although my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you 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 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king said, “Come back 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 Rehoboam spoke to them harshly, ignoring the advice of the old men.
And the king responded harshly, abandoning the counsel of the elders.
14 He spoke to them following the advice of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it. My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you 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 So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn in events brought about by God, that Yahweh might carry out his word that Ahijah the Shilonite had spoken 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 When all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered him and said, “What share do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse! Each of you should go back to his tent, Israel. Now see to your own house, David.” So all Israel returned 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 But as for the people of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
But Rehoboam reigned over the sons of Israel who were living in the cities of Judah.
18 Then King Rehoboam sent Adoniram, who was over the forced laborers, but the people of Israel stoned him to death with stones. King Rehoboam fled quickly in his chariot 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 So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.
And Israel withdrew from the house of David, even to this day.
