[1] Rehobo'am went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make
him king. [2] And when Jerobo'am the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was
in Egypt, whither he had fled from King Solomon), then Jerobo'am returned
from Egypt. [3] And they sent and called him; and Jerobo'am and all Israel
came and said to Rehobo'am, [4] "Your father made our yoke heavy. Now
therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke upon
us, and we will serve you." [5] He said to them, "Come to me again in three
days." So the people went away. [6] Then King Rehobo'am took counsel with
the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet
alive, saying, "How do you advise me to answer this people?" [7] And they
said to him, "If you will be kind to this people and please them, and speak
good words to them, then they will be your servants for ever." [8] But he
forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the
young men who had grown up with him and stood before him. [9] And he said
to them, "What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to
me, `Lighten the yoke that your father put upon us'?" [10] And the young
men who had grown up with him said to him, "Thus shall you speak to the
people who said to you, `Your father made our yoke heavy, but do you
lighten it for us'; thus shall you say to them, `My little finger is
thicker than my father's loins. [11] And now, whereas my father laid upon
you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with
whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.'" [12] So Jerobo'am and all
the people came to Rehobo'am the third day, as the king said, "Come to me
again the third day." [13] And the king answered them harshly, and
forsaking the counsel of the old men, [14] King Rehobo'am spoke to them
according to the counsel of the young men, saying, "My father made your
yoke heavy, but I will add to it; my father chastised you with whips, but I
will chastise you with scorpions." [15] So the king did not hearken to the
people; for it was a turn of affairs brought about by God that the LORD
might fulfil his word, which he spoke by Ahi'jah the Shi'lonite to
Jerobo'am the son of Nebat. [16] And when all Israel saw that the king did
not hearken to them, the people answered the king, "What portion have we in
David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Each of you to your
tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David." So all Israel departed
to their tents. [17] But Rehobo'am reigned over the people of Israel who
dwelt in the cities of Judah. [18] Then King Rehobo'am sent Hador'am, who
was taskmaster over the forced labor, and the people of Israel stoned him
to death with stones. And King Rehobo'am made haste to mount his chariot,
to flee to Jerusalem. [19] So Israel has been in rebellion against the
house of David to this day.
