2 Chronicles 10
1 And Rehoboam goeth to Shechem, for [to] Shechem have all Israel come to cause him to reign.
Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king.
2 And it cometh to pass, at Jeroboam son of Nebat's — who [is] in Egypt because he hath fled from the face of Solomon the king — hearing, that Jeroboam turneth back out of Egypt;
When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about this, he returned from Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon.
3 and they send and call for him, and Jeroboam cometh in, and all Israel, and speak unto Rehoboam, saying,
So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and all Israel came to Rehoboam and said,
4 'Thy father made our yoke sharp, and now, make light [somewhat] of the sharp service of thy father, and of his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we serve thee.'
“Your father put a heavy yoke on us. But now you should lighten the burden of your father’s service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”
5 And he saith unto them, 'Yet three days — then return ye unto me;' and the people go.
Rehoboam answered, “Come back to me in three days.” So the people departed.
6 And king Rehoboam consulteth with the aged men who have been standing before Solomon his father in his being alive, saying, 'How are ye counselling to answer this people?'
Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How do you advise me to respond to these people?” he asked.
7 And they speak unto him, saying, 'If thou dost become good to this people, and hast been pleased with them, and spoken unto them good words, then they have been to thee servants all the days.'
They replied, “If you will be kind to these people and please them by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.”
8 And he forsaketh the counsel of the aged men that they counselled him, and consulteth with the lads who have grown up with him, those standing before him,
But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders; instead, he consulted the young men who had grown up with him and served him.
9 and he saith unto them, 'What are ye counselling, and we answer this people that have spoken unto me, saying, Make light [somewhat] of the yoke that thy father put upon us?'
He asked them, “What message do you advise that we send back to these people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”
10 And the lads who have grown up with him, speak with him, saying, 'Thus dost thou say to the people who have spoken unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, and thou, make light [somewhat] of our yoke; thus dost thou say unto them, My little finger is thicker than the loins of my father;
The young men who had grown up with him replied, “This is how you should answer these people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you should make it lighter.’ This is what you should tell them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist!
11 and now, my father laid on you a heavy yoke, and I — I add unto your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, and I — with scorpions.'
Whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.’”
12 And Jeroboam cometh in, and all the people, unto Rehoboam on the third day, as the king spake, saying, 'Return unto me on the third day.'
After three days, Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, since the king had said, “Come back to me on the third day.”
13 And the king answereth them sharply, and king Rehoboam forsaketh the counsel of the aged men,
And the king answered them harshly. King Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders
14 and speaketh unto them according to the counsel of the lads, saying, 'My father made your yoke heavy, and I — I add unto it; my father chastised you with whips, and I — with scorpions.'
and spoke to them as the young men had advised, saying, “Whereas my father made your yoke heavy, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.”
15 And the king hath not hearkened unto the people, for the revolution hath been from God, for the sake of Jehovah's establishing His word that He spake by the hand of Abijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam son of Nebat.
So the king did not listen to the people, and indeed this turn of events was from God, in order that the LORD might fulfill the word that He had spoken through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.
16 And all Israel have seen that the king hath not hearkened to them, and the people send back [to] the king, saying, 'What portion have we in David? yea, there is no inheritance in a son of Jesse; each to thy tents, O Israel; now, see thy house — David,' and all Israel go to their tents.
When all Israel saw that the king had refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What portion do we have in David, and what inheritance in the son of Jesse? To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, O David!” So all the Israelites went home,
17 As to the sons of Israel who are dwelling in the cities of Judah — Rehoboam reigneth over them.
but Rehoboam still reigned over the Israelites living in the cities of Judah.
18 And king Rehoboam sendeth Hadoram, who [is] over the tribute, and the sons of Israel cast at him stones, and he dieth; and king Rehoboam hath strengthened himself to go up into a chariot to flee to Jerusalem;
Then King Rehoboam sent out Hadoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, but the Israelites stoned him to death. And King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste and escaped to Jerusalem.
19 and Israel transgress against the house of David unto this day.
So to this day Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David.
