2 Chronicles 10

1 Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king.

2 When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about this, he returned from Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon.

3 So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and all Israel came to Rehoboam and said,

4 “Your father put a heavy yoke on us. But now you must lighten the burden of your father’s service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”

5 Rehoboam answered, “Come back to me in three days.” So the people departed.

6 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 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 But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders; instead, he consulted the young men who had grown up with him and served him.

9 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 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 must make it lighter.’ This is what you should tell them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist!

11 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 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 answered them harshly. King Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders

14 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 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 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 but Rehoboam still reigned over the Israelites living in the cities of Judah.

18 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 So to this day Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David.

1 ¶ And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem were all Israel come to make him king.

2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who [was] in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of Solomon the king, heard [it], that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.

3 And they sent and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spake to Rehoboam, saying,

4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.

5 And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And the people departed.

6 And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye [me] to return answer to this people?

7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever.

8 But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him.

9 And he said unto them, What advice give ye that we may return answer to this people, which have spoken to me, saying, Ease somewhat the yoke that thy father did put upon us?

10 And the young men that were brought up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou answer the people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou [it] somewhat lighter for us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little [finger] shall be thicker than my father's loins.

11 For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I [will chastise you] with scorpions.

12 ¶ So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day.

13 And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men,

14 And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I [will chastise you] with scorpions.

15 So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

16 And when all Israel [saw] that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and [we have] none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: [and] now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents.

17 But [as for] the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

18 Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that [was] over the tribute; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. But king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to [his] chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

19 And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.

2 And when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard it, which was in Egypt, whither he fled before king Solomon, he came again out of Egypt.

3 And they sent and called him. And Jeroboam came with all Israel, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying:

4 Thy father hath made our yoke too hard. Lighten therefore the hard service of thy father, and the heavy yoke which he hath laid upon us; and we will be servants unto thee.

5 And he said unto them: About three days come again unto me. And the people went.

6 And king Rehoboam consulted the elders that stood before Solomon his father, when he was alive, saying, How counsel ye that I should answer this people?

7 And they spake unto him, saying: If thou wilt be kind unto this people, and wilt deal kindly with them, and wilt speak good words unto them, they will be servants unto thee alway.

8 And he left the counsel of the elders, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were brought up with him, and that sat before him,

9 And said unto them: What counsel ye, that we should answer this people, which have spoken unto me, saying, Lighten the yoke which thy father hath put upon us?

10 And the young men that were brought up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou say unto the people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke too heavy; make thou our yoke lighter; and say unto them: My least finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.

11 If therefore my father hath put too heavy a yoke upon you, I will make more of your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I with scorpions.

12 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam and all the people were come to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had said, Come again to me the third day,

13 And the king answered them sternly. And king Rehoboam left the council of the elders

14 And he spake unto them after the counsel of the young men, saying, If my father hath made your yoke too heavy, I will make it more so. My father chastised you with whips, but I with scorpions.

15 So the king hearkened not unto the people. For it was so wrought of God, that the LORD might confirm his word, which he spake by Ahijah of Shiloh unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

16 And when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, and said, What have we part in David, or inheritance in the son of Jesse? Every man of Israel to his tent. Now therefore see thou to thy house, O David. And all Israel went into their tents,

17 That Rehoboam reigned only over the children of Israel, which dwelt in the cities of Judah.

18 And king Rehoboam sent Hadoram the chamberlain, and the children of Israel stoned him to death. And king Rehoboam mounted up his chariot, and fled to Jerusalem.

19 So Israel fell away from the house of David unto this day.