2 Chronicles 10
1 And Rehoboam goeth to Shechem, for [to] Shechem have all Israel come to cause him to reign.
Rehoboam went to Shechem, because all the Israelites had gone to Shechem to make him king.
2 And it cometh to pass, at Jeroboam son of Nebat's — who [is] in Egypt because he hath fled from the face of Solomon the king — hearing, that Jeroboam turneth back out of Egypt;
Jeroboam, son of Nebat, was still in Egypt when he heard about this. (He had run away to Egypt to escape from King Solomon and was living there.)
3 and they send and call for him, and Jeroboam cometh in, and all Israel, and speak unto Rehoboam, saying,
The Israelite leaders sent for him. Jereboam and all the Israelites went to talk with Rehoboam.
4 'Thy father made our yoke sharp, and now, make light [somewhat] of the sharp service of thy father, and of his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we serve thee.'
“Your father placed a heavy burden on us,” they told him. “But now if you lighten the load your father imposed and the heavy demands he laid on us, we will serve you.”
5 And he saith unto them, 'Yet three days — then return ye unto me;' and the people go.
Rehoboam answered, “Come back in three days time.” So the people left.
6 And king Rehoboam consulteth with the aged men who have been standing before Solomon his father in his being alive, saying, 'How are ye counselling to answer this people?'
King Rehoboam asked for advice from the elders who had served his father Solomon when he was alive. “How do you advise me to reply to these people about this?” he asked.
7 And they speak unto him, saying, 'If thou dost become good to this people, and hast been pleased with them, and spoken unto them good words, then they have been to thee servants all the days.'
They replied, “If you treat these people well, and please them by speaking kindly to them, they will always serve you.”
8 And he forsaketh the counsel of the aged men that they counselled him, and consulteth with the lads who have grown up with him, those standing before him,
But Rehoboam dismissed the advice of the elders. He instead asked advice from the young men who he had grown up with, and who were close to him.
9 and he saith unto them, 'What are ye counselling, and we answer this people that have spoken unto me, saying, Make light [somewhat] of the yoke that thy father put upon us?'
He asked them, “What response do you advise that we send back to these people who have told me, ‘Lighten the burden your father put on us’?”
10 And the lads who have grown up with him, speak with him, saying, 'Thus dost thou say to the people who have spoken unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, and thou, make light [somewhat] of our yoke; thus dost thou say unto them, My little finger is thicker than the loins of my father;
The young men who he had grown up with told him, “This is what you have to tell these people who said to you, ‘Your father made our burden heavy, but you should make it lighter.’ This is what you should answer them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father's waist!
11 and now, my father laid on you a heavy yoke, and I — I add unto your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, and I — with scorpions.'
My father placed a heavy burden on you, and I will make it even heavier. My father punished you with whips; I will punish you with scorpions.’”
12 And Jeroboam cometh in, and all the people, unto Rehoboam on the third day, as the king spake, saying, 'Return unto me on the third day.'
Three days later, Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, because the king had told them, “Come back in three days time.”
13 And the king answereth them sharply, and king Rehoboam forsaketh the counsel of the aged men,
The king answered them sharply. Dismissing the advice of the elders,
14 and speaketh unto them according to the counsel of the lads, saying, 'My father made your yoke heavy, and I — I add unto it; my father chastised you with whips, and I — with scorpions.'
he replied using the advice of the young men. He said, “My father placed a heavy burden on you, and I will make it even heavier. My father punished you with whips; I will punish you with scorpions.”
15 And the king hath not hearkened unto the people, for the revolution hath been from God, for the sake of Jehovah's establishing His word that He spake by the hand of Abijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam son of Nebat.
The king did not listen to what the people said, for this change in circumstances was from God, to fulfill what Lord had told Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.
16 And all Israel have seen that the king hath not hearkened to them, and the people send back [to] the king, saying, 'What portion have we in David? yea, there is no inheritance in a son of Jesse; each to thy tents, O Israel; now, see thy house — David,' and all Israel go to their tents.
When all the Israelites saw that the king wasn't listening to them, they told the king: “What share do we have in David, and what part do we have in the son of Jesse? Go home, Israel! You're on your own, house of David!” So all the Israelites went home.
17 As to the sons of Israel who are dwelling in the cities of Judah — Rehoboam reigneth over them.
However, Rehoboam still ruled over the Israelites who lived in Judah.
18 And king Rehoboam sendeth Hadoram, who [is] over the tribute, and the sons of Israel cast at him stones, and he dieth; and king Rehoboam hath strengthened himself to go up into a chariot to flee to Jerusalem;
Then King Rehoboam sent out Hadoram, who was in charge of forced labor, but the Israelites stoned him to death. King Rehoboam quickly jumped into his chariot and raced back to Jerusalem.
19 and Israel transgress against the house of David unto this day.
As a result, Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.
