II Chronicles 10

¹Now Rehoboam set out for Shechem. For in that place all of Israel had convened, so that they might appoint him as king.

²But when Jeroboam, the son of Nabat, who was in Egypt, (indeed he had fled to that place from Solomon) had heard it, he promptly returned.

³And they summoned him, and he arrived with all of Israel. And they spoke to Rehoboam, saying:

⁴“Your father pressed upon us a very difficult yoke. You should govern us more lightly than your father, who imposed on us a heavy servitude, and so lift up some of the burden, so that we may serve you.”

⁵But he said, “Return to me after three days.” And when the people had gone away,

⁶he took counsel with the elders, who had stood before his father Solomon while he was still living, saying, “What counsel would you give to me, so that I may respond to the people?”

⁷And they said to him, “If you please this people, and if you soothe them with words of clemency, they will be your servants for all days.”

⁸But he set aside the counsel of the elders, and he began to have discussion with the youth, who had been raised with him and who were among his companions.

⁹And he said to them: “How does it seem to you? Or how should I respond to this people, who have said to me, ‘Lift up the yoke that your father imposed upon us?’ ”

¹⁰But they responded like youths, having been raised with him in luxury, and they said: “So shall you speak to the people, who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy; you should lighten it,’ and so shall you respond to them: ‘My little finger is thicker than the back of my father.

¹¹My father imposed a heavy yoke upon you, and I will place more weight upon it. My father cut you with whips; truly, I will beat you with scorpions.’ ”

¹²Then Jeroboam, and the entire people, went to Rehoboam on the third day, just as he had instructed them.

¹³And the king responded harshly, abandoning the counsel of the elders.

¹⁴And he spoke according to the will of the youths: “My father imposed a heavy yoke upon you, which I will make heavier. My father cut you with whips; truly, I will beat you with scorpions.”

¹⁵And he did not acquiesce to the pleadings of the people. For it was the will of God that his word be fulfilled, which he had spoken by the hand of Ahijah, the Shilonite, to Jeroboam, the son of Nabat.

¹⁶Then the entire people, speaking more harshly to the king, spoke to him in this way: “There is no portion for us in David, and there is no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Return to your dwellings, O Israel. Then you, O David, shall pasture your own house.” And Israel went away to their dwellings.

¹⁷But Rehoboam reigned over the sons of Israel who were living in the cities of Judah.

¹⁸And king Rehoboam sent Aduram, who was in charge of the tributes. And the sons of Israel stoned him, and he died. And so king Rehoboam hurried to climb into the chariot, and he fled to Jerusalem.

¹⁹And Israel withdrew from the house of David, even to this day.

II Chronicles 10

¹And Roboam went to Sichem: for thither all Israel were assembled, to make him king.

²And when Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who was in Egypt, (for he was fled thither from Solomon,) heard it, forthwith he returned.

³And they sent for him, and he came with all Israel, and they spoke to Roboam, saying:

⁴Thy father oppressed with a most grievous yoke, do thou govern us with a lighter hand than thy father, who laid upon us a heavy servitude, and ease some thing of the burden, that we may serve thee.

⁵And he said to them: Come to me again after three days. And when the people were gone,

⁶He took counsel with the ancients, who had stood before his father Solomon, while he yet lived, saying: What counsel give you to me, that I may answer the people?

⁷And they said to him: If thou please this people, and soothe them with kind words, they will be thy servants for ever.

⁸But he forsook the counsel of the ancients, and began to treat with the young men, that had been brought up with him, and were in his train.

⁹And he said to them: What seemeth good to you? or what shall I answer this people, who have said to me: Ease the yoke which thy father laid upon us?

¹⁰But they answered as young men, and brought up with him in pleasures, and said: Thus shalt thou speak to the people, that said to thee: Thy father made our yoke heavy, do thou ease it: thus shalt thou answer them: My little finger is thicker than the loins of my father.

¹¹My father laid upon you a heavy yoke, and I will add more weight to it: my father beat you with scourges, but I will beat you with scorpions.

¹²So Jeroboam, and all the people came to Roboam the third day, as he commanded them.

¹³And the king answered roughly, leaving the counsel of the ancients.

¹⁴And he spoke according to the advice of the young men: My father laid upon you a heavy yoke, which I will make heavier: my father beat you with scourges, but I will beat you with scorpions.

¹⁵And he condescended not to the people's requests: for it was the will of God, that his word might be fulfilled which he had spoken by the hand of Ahias the Silonite to Jeroboam the son of Nabat.

¹⁶And all the people upon the king's speaking roughly, said thus unto him: We have no part in David, nor inheritance in the son of Isai. Return to thy dwellings, O Israel, and do thou, O David feed thy own house. And Israel went away to their dwellings.

¹⁷But Roboam reigned over the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Juda.

¹⁸And king Roboam sent Aduram, who was over the tributes, and the children of Israel stoned him, and he died: and king Roboam made haste to get up into his chariot, and fled into Jerusalem.

¹⁹And Israel revolted from the house of David unto this day.