II Chronicles 10

¹Forsothe Roboam yede forth in to Sichem; for al Israel came togidere thidur to make hym kyng.

²And whanne Jeroboam, the sone of Nabath, that was in Egipt, `for he fledde thidur bifor Salomon, hadde herd this, he turnyde ayen anoon.

³And thei clepiden hym, and he cam with al Israel, and thei spaken to Roboam, and seiden,

⁴Thi fadir oppresside vs with ful hard yok; comaunde thou liytere thingis than thi fader, that settide on vs a greuouse seruage; and releese thou a litil of `the birthun, that we serue thee. And he seide,

⁵After thre daies turne ye ayen to me. And whanne the puple was goon, he took counsel with elde men,

⁶that stoden bifor his fadir Salomon, while he lyuyde yit, and seide, What counsel yyuen ye, that Y answere to the puple?

⁷And thei seiden to hym, If thou plesist this puple, and makist hem softe bi meke wordis, thei schulen serue thee in al tyme.

⁸And he forsook the counsel of elde men, and bigan to trete with yonge men, that weren nurischid with hym, and weren in his cumpenye.

⁹And he seide to hem, What semeth to you? ether what owe Y answere to this puple, that seide to me, Releese thou the yok, which thi fadir puttide on vs?

¹⁰And thei answeriden, as yonge men and nurschyd with hym in delicis, and seiden, Thus thou schalt speke to the puple that seide to thee, Thi fadir made greuouse oure yok, releese thou; and thus thou schalt answere to hem, My leeste fyngur is gretter than the leendis of my fader;

¹¹my fadir puttide on you a greuouse yok, and Y schal leie to a gretter birthun; my fadir beet you with scourgis, forsothe Y schal bete you with `scorpiouns, that is, hard knottid roopis.

¹²Therfor Jeroboam and al the puple cam to Roboam in the thridde dai, as he hadde comaundid to hem.

¹³And `the kyng answeride harde thingis, after that he hadde forsake the counsel of the eldere men,

¹⁴and he spak bi the wille of the yonge men, My fadir puttide on you a greuouse yok, which Y schal make greuousere; my fadir beet you with scourgis, sotheli Y schal bete you with scorpiouns.

¹⁵And he assentide not to the preieris of the puple; for it was the wille of God, that his word schulde be fillid, which he hadde spoke bi the hond of Ahie of Silo to Jeroboam, sone of Nabath.

¹⁶Sotheli whanne the kyng seide hardere thingis, al the puple spak thus to hym, No part is to vs in Dauid, nether eritage in the sone of Isai; Israel, turne thou ayen in to thi tabernaclis, sotheli thou, Dauid, feede thin hows. And Israel yede in to hise tabernaclis.

¹⁷Forsothe Roboam regnede on the sones of Israel, that dwelliden in the citees of Juda.

¹⁸And kyng Roboam sente Adhuram, that was souereyn ouer the tributis; and the sones of Israel stonyden hym, and he was deed. Certis kyng Roboam hastide to stie in to the chare, and fledde in to Jerusalem.

¹⁹And Israel yede awei fro the hows of Dauid `til to this dai. Forsothe it was doon, whanne al Israel hadde herd, that Jeroboam turnede ayen, thei senten, and clepiden hym, whanne the cumpeny was gaderid, and thei ordeyneden him king on al Israel; and no man, outakun the lynage of Juda aloone, suede `the hows of Dauid.

II 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.

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.

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