aThen Rehoboam went
to Shechem
, for all
Israel
had come
to Shechem
to make
him king
.
When Jeroboam the son
of Nebat
heard
of it (for ahe was in Egypt
where
he had fled
from the presence
of King
Solomon
), Jeroboam
returned
from Egypt
.
So they sent and summoned
him. When Jeroboam
and all
Israel
came
, they spoke
to Rehoboam
, saying
,
"Your father made
our ayoke
hard
; now
therefore lighten
the hard
service
of your father
and his heavy
yoke
which
he put
on us, and we will serve
you."
He said to them, "Return
to me again
in three
days
." So the people
departed
.
Then King Rehoboam
aconsulted
with the elders
who
had
1served
his father
Solomon
while he was still alive
, saying
, "How
do you counsel
me to answer
this
people
?"
They spoke to him, saying
, "If
you will be kind
to this
people
and please
them and aspeak
good
words
to them, then they will be your servants
forever
."
But he aforsook the counsel
of the elders
which
they had given
him, and consulted
with the young
men
who
grew
up with him 1and served
him.
So he said to them, "What
counsel
do you give
that we may answer
this
people
, who
have spoken
to me, saying
, `Lighten
the yoke
which
your father
put
on us'?"
The young men
who
grew
up with him spoke
to him, saying
, "Thus
you shall say
to the people
who
spoke
to you, saying
, `Your father
made
our yoke
heavy
, but you make
it lighter
for us.' Thus
you shall say
to them, `My little
finger
is thicker
than
my father's
loins
!
`Whereas my father
loaded
you with a heavy
yoke
, I will add
to your yoke
; my father
disciplined
you with whips
, but I will discipline you with scorpions
.' "
So Jeroboam and all
the people
came
to Rehoboam
on the third
day
as the king
had 1directed
, saying
, "Return
to me on the third
day
."
The king answered
them harshly
, and King
Rehoboam
forsook
the counsel
of the elders
.
He spoke to them according to the advice
of the young
men
, saying
, " 1My father
made
your yoke
heavy
, but I will add
to it; my father
disciplined
you with whips
, but I will discipline you with scorpions
."
So the king did not listen
to the people
, afor it was a turn
of events from God
bthat the LORD
might establish
His word
, which
He spoke
through
Ahijah
the Shilonite
to Jeroboam
the son
of Nebat
.
When all Israel
saw that the king
did not listen
to them the people
answered
the king
, saying
, " aWhat
portion
do we have in David
? We have no
inheritance
in the son
of Jesse
. Every
man
to your tents
, O Israel
; Now
look
after your own house
, David
." bSo all
Israel
departed
to their tents
.
But as for the sons of Israel
who lived
in the cities
of Judah
, Rehoboam
reigned
over
them.
Then King Rehoboam
sent
Hadoram
, who
was aover
the forced
labor
, and the sons
of Israel
stoned
him 1to death
. And King
Rehoboam
made
haste
to mount
his chariot
to flee
to Jerusalem
.
So aIsrael has been
in rebellion
against the house
of David
to this
day
.