Bible Time

¹AND Rehoboam went to Shechem; for all Israel came to Shechem to make him king. ²And it came to pass, when Jeroboam and all Israel heard it, ³They came and said to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, ⁴Your father made our yoke grievous; now therefore lighten somewhat the harsh rule of your father and his heavy yoke that he put on us, and we will serve you. ⁵And he said to them, Go away and come to me again after 3 days. And the people departed.

⁶And King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men who had served Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, What counsel do you give me in order to return an answer to this people? ⁷And they spoke to him, saying, If you answer kindly to this people, and please them and speak good words to them, they will be your servants forever. ⁸But he 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. ⁹And he said to them, What advice do you give me in order to answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, Lighten the yoke which your father put on us, and we will serve you? ¹⁰And the young men, who were brought up with him in the streets, spoke to him, saying, Speak to the people who have spoken to you, say, Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it somewhat lighter for us; say to them, My little finger is thicker than my father's thumb. ¹¹And now, where 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 scorpions.

¹²So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the 3rd day, as the king had told them, saying, Come to me again on the 3rd day. ¹³And the king answered them with harsh words; and King Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men, ¹⁴And spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. ¹⁵So the king did not listen to the people; for the decree had been made by God, that Yahvah might perform the word of Ahijah the prophet the Shilonite concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

¹⁶And when all Israel saw that the king would not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, We have no portion in David, nor an inheritance in the son of Jesse; return every man to his house, oh Israel; and now, David, see to your own house. So Israel went to their houses. ¹⁷But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. ¹⁸Then King Rehoboam sent Adoniram, who was in charge of tribute; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. But King Rehoboam hastily got up into his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. ¹⁹So Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day.