< 2 Chronicles 10 >

1 And Roboam went to Sichem: for thither all Israel were assembled, to make him king.
And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem had all Israel come 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 Nebat, who [was] in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of Solomon the king, heard [it], that Jeroboam returned from 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. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, 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.
Thy 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.
5 And he said to them: Come to me again after three days. And when the people were gone,
And he said to them, Come again to me after three days. And 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 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?
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 thou wilt be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy 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 counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that 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 advice give ye, that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Ease somewhat the yoke that thy father put 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 were brought up with him, spoke to him, saying, Thus shalt thou answer the people that spoke to thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou [it] somewhat lighter for us; thus shalt thou say to them, 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.
For 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.
12 So Jeroboam, and all the people came to Roboam the third day, as he commanded them.
So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king directed, saying, Come again to me on the third day.
13 And the king answered roughly, leaving the counsel of the ancients.
And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam 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 answered them after the advice 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.
So the king hearkened not to the people: for the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spoke by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
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.
And when all Israel [saw] that the king would not hearken to them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and [we have] no inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: [and] now, David, see to thy own house. So all Israel went to their tents.
17 But Roboam reigned over the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Juda.
But [as for] the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned 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.
Then 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 into his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
19 And Israel revolted from the house of David unto this day.
And Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day.

< 2 Chronicles 10 >