And Rehoboam went
to Shechem
: for to Shechem
were all Israel
come
to make him king
.
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
.
And they sent and called
him. So Jeroboam
and all Israel
came
and spake
to Rehoboam
, saying
,
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.
And he said unto them, Come again
unto me after three
days
. And the people
departed
.
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
?
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
.
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.
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?
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
.
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
.
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
.
And the king answered
them roughly
; and king
Rehoboam
forsook
the counsel
of the old men
,
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
.
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
.
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
.
But as for the children of Israel
that dwelt
in the cities
of Judah
, Rehoboam
reigned
over them.
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
.
And Israel rebelled
against the house
of David
unto this day
.