< 2 Chronicles 10 >

1 And Roboam went to Sichem: for thither all Israel were assembled, to make him king.
And Roboam came to Sychem: for all Israel came to Sychem to make him king.
2 And when Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who was in Egypt, (for he was fled thither from Solomon, ) heard it, forthwith he returned.
And it came to pass when Jeroboam the son of Nabat heard [it], (now he was in Egypt, forasmuch as he had fled there from the face of king Solomon, and Jeroboam lived in Egypt, ) that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.
3 And they sent for him, and he came with all Israel, and they spoke to Roboam, saying:
And they sent and called him: and Jeroboam and all the congregation came to Roboam, saying,
4 Thy father oppressed us 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.
Your father made our yoke grievous: now then abate [somewhat] of your father's grievous rule, and of his heavy yoke which he put upon us, and we will serve you.
5 And he said to them: Come to me again after three days. And when the people were gone,
And he said to them, Go away for three days, and [then] come to me. So the people departed.
6 He 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?
And king Roboam assembled the elders that stood before his father Solomon in his life-time, saying, How do you counsel [me] to return an answer to this people?
7 And they said to him: If thou please this people, and soothe them with kind words, they will be thy servants for ever.
And they spoke to him, saying, If you would this day befriend this people, and be kind to them, and speak to them good words, then will they be your servants for ever.
8 But 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.
But he forsook the advice of the old men, who took counsel with him, and he took counsel with the young men who had been brought up with him, who stood before him.
9 And 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?
And he said to them, What do you advise that I should answer this people, who spoke to me, saying, Ease [somewhat] of the yoke which your father laid upon us?
10 But 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.
And the young men that had been brought up with him spoke to him, saying, Thus shall you speak to the people that spoke to you, saying, Your father made our yoke heavy, and do you lighten [somewhat of it] from us; thus shall you say, My little finger [shall be] thicker than my father's loins.
11 My 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.
And whereas my father chastised you with a heavy yoke, I will also add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, and I will chastise you with scorpions.
12 So Jeroboam, and all the people came to Roboam the third day, as he commanded them.
And Jeroboam and all the people came to Roboam on the third day, as the king had spoken, saying, Return to me on the third day.
13 And the king answered roughly, leaving the counsel of the ancients.
And the king answered harshly; and king Roboam forsook the counsel of the old men,
14 And 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.
and 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 And 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.
And the king listened not to the people, for there was a change [of their minds] from God, saying, The Lord has confirmed his word, which he spoke by the hand of Achia the Selonite concerning Jeroboam the son of Nabat, and [concerning] all Israel;
16 And 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.
for the king did not listen to them. And the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David, or inheritance in the son of Jessae? to your tents, O Israel: now see to your own house, David. So all Israel went to their tents.
17 But Roboam reigned over the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Juda.
But the men of Israel, even those who lived in the cities of Juda, [remained] and made Roboam king over them.
18 And 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 gee up into his chariot, and fled into Jerusalem.
And king Roboam sent to them Adoniram that was over the tribute; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, and he died. And king Roboam hasted to mount [his] chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
19 And Israel revolted from the house of David unto this day.
So Israel rebelled against the house of David until this day.

< 2 Chronicles 10 >