1 T hen Rehoboam went to Shechem. All Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.

Rehoboam went to Shechem; for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.

2 W hen Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard about it, he returned from Egypt. For Jeroboam had run to Egypt to get away from King Solomon.

When Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it, (for he was in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of king Solomon), Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.

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

They sent and called him; and Jeroboam and all Israel came, and they spoke to Rehoboam, saying,

4 “ Your father gave us a heavy load to carry. So now make our work easier than your father made us work. Do not let our load be as heavy as the one he put on us. And we will work for you.”

“Your father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make you the grievous service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you.”

5 R ehoboam said to them, “Come to me again in three days.” So the people left.

He said to them, “Come again to me after three days.” The people departed.

6 T hen King Rehoboam spoke with the leaders who had served his father Solomon while he was still alive. He said, “Tell me, how do you think I should answer these people?”

King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, “What counsel do you give me to return answer to this people?”

7 T hey said to him, “If you will be kind to these people and please them and speak good words to them, they will be your servants forever.”

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

8 B ut Rehoboam would not listen to the wise words of the leaders. He spoke with the young men who grew up with him and served him.

But he abandoned the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.

9 H e said to them, “Tell me, how do you think I should answer these people who have said to me, ‘Do not let our load be as heavy as the one your father put on us’?”

He said to them, “What counsel do you give, that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Make the yoke that your father put on us lighter?’”

10 T he young men who grew up with him said to him, “Say this to the people who said to you, ‘Your father made our load heavy, but you make it easier for us.’ Tell them, ‘My little finger is bigger around than my father’s body!

The young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus you shall tell the people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter on us;’ thus you shall say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist.

11 M y father gave you a heavy load. I will add to your load. My father punished you with whips. But I will punish you with scorpions.’”

Now whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.’”

12 S o Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had told them, saying, “Return to me on the third day.”

So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king asked, saying, “Come to me again the third day.”

13 T he king answered them with strong words. King Rehoboam did not listen to the wise words of the leaders.

The king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam abandoned the counsel of the old men,

14 I nstead he listened to the words of the young men. And he said to them, “My father made your load heavy, but I will add to it. My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with scorpions.”

and spoke to them after 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 S o the king did not listen to the people. God made this happen so that He might make His Word come true which He spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

So the king didn’t listen to the people; for it was brought about of God, that Yahweh might establish his word, which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

16 A ll Israel saw that the king did not listen to them. So the people said to the king, “What share do we have in David? We have no share in the son of Jesse. Every man to your tents, O Israel! Now look to your own house, David!” So all Israel left and went to their tents.

When all Israel saw that the king didn’t listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, “What portion have we in David? Neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse! Every man to your tents, Israel! Now see to your own house, David.” So all Israel departed to their tents.

17 B ut Rehoboam ruled over the people of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah.

But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

18 T hen King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, the man who made the people work. But the people of Israel killed him with stones. So King Rehoboam got on his war-wagon in a hurry, to go to Jerusalem.

Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was over the men subject to forced labor; and the children of Israel stoned him to death with stones. King Rehoboam made speed to get himself up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

19 I srael has been against the family of David to this day.

So Israel rebelled against David’s house to this day.