2 Chronicles 10

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

2And 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.

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

4Thy 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.

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

6And 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?

7And 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.

8But 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.

9And 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?

10And 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.

11For 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.footnote a

12So 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.

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

14And 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.

15So 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.

16And 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.

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

18Then 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.footnote b

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

Rebellion against Rehoboam

1Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king. 2When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about this, he returned from Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon. 3So 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.”

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

6Then 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.

7They replied, “If you will be kind to these people and please them by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.”

8But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders; instead, he consulted the young men who had grown up with him and served him. 9He 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’?”

10The 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! 11Whereas 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.’”

12After three days, Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, since the king had said, “Come back to me on the third day.” 13And the king answered them harshly. King Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders 14and spoke to them as the young men had advised, saying, “Whereas my father made your yoke heavy,footnote a I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.”

15So 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.

The Kingdom Divided

16When all Israel saw that the king had refused to listen to them, they answeredfootnote b 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, 17but Rehoboam still reigned over the Israelites living in the cities of Judah.

18Then King Rehoboam sent out Hadoram,footnote c 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. 19So to this day Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David.