1 R ehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king.

And Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king.

2 J eroboam the son of Nebat was in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of King Solomon, when he heard about the new king; so Jeroboam returned from Egypt.

So it happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard it (he was in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of King Solomon), that Jeroboam returned from Egypt.

3 A nd the people sent for him. So Jeroboam and all Israel came to Rehoboam, saying,

Then they sent for him and called him. And Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,

4 Y our father made our yoke grievous. So now make lighter the grievous service of your father and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve you.

“Your father made our yoke heavy; now therefore, lighten the burdensome service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.”

5 R ehoboam replied, Come again to me after three days. And the people departed.

So he said to them, “Come back to me after three days.” And the people departed.

6 K ing Rehoboam took counsel with the old men who stood before Solomon his father while he was alive, saying, What counsel do you give me in reply to the people?

Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who stood before his father Solomon while he still lived, saying, “How do you advise me to answer these people?”

7 A nd they answered him, If you are kind to people and please them and speak good words to them, they will be your servants forever.

And they spoke to him, saying, “If you are kind to these people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be your servants forever.”

8 B ut the king forsook the counsel which the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who were brought up with him and stood before him.

But he rejected the advice which the elders had given him, and consulted the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.

9 A nd he said to them, What answer do you advise that we give to the demand of people, Make the yoke your father put upon us lighter?

And he said to them, “What advice do you give? How should we answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?”

10 T he young men who were brought up with him said to him, Tell the people who said to you, Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter: My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins.

Then the young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus you should speak to the people who have spoken to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter on us’—thus you shall say to them: ‘My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s waist!

11 F or whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

And now, whereas my father put a heavy yoke on you, I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!’”

12 T he third day Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam as he had said.

So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had directed, saying, “Come back to me the third day.”

13 A nd the king answered them harshly, forsaking the counsel of the old men,

Then the king answered them roughly. King Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders,

14 A nd 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.

and he spoke to them according to 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 scourges!”

15 S o the king did not heed the people, for it was brought about of God, that the Lord might perform His word which He spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.

So the king did not listen to the people; for the turn of events was from God, that the Lord might fulfill His word, which He had spoken by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

16 A nd when all Israel saw that the king would not listen to and heed them, they answered, What portion have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to your tents, O Israel! Now, David, see to your own house! So all Israel went to their homes.

Now when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying: “What share have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to your tents, O Israel! Now see to your own house, O David!” So all Israel departed to their tents.

17 B ut as for the Israelites who dwelt in Judah’s cities, Rehoboam ruled over them.

But Rehoboam reigned over the children of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah.

18 T hen King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was over the forced labor, and the Israelites stoned him and he died. But King Rehoboam hastened to get up to his royal chariot to flee to Jerusalem.

Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was in charge of revenue; but the children of Israel stoned him with stones, and he died. Therefore King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste to flee to Jerusalem.

19 A nd Israel has rebelled against the house of David to this day.

So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.