2 Chronicles 10

Israel Asks Rehoboam to Lighten the Yoke

1Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. 2When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of it—he was in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon—Jeroboam returned from Egypt. 3They sent and called him. Then Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 4“Your father made our yoke heavy. And now lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve you.” 5He said to them, “Return to me after three days.” So the people went away.

The Elders Counsel Gentleness

6King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had stood before Solomon his father while he lived, saying, “How do you counsel me to answer this people?” 7They spoke to him, saying, “If you will be good to this people and please them and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants all the days.”

The Young Men Counsel Harshness

8But he abandoned the counsel of the elders that they had given him and consulted with the young men who had grown up with him and who stood before him. 9He said to them, “What do you counsel that we answer this people who spoke to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke that your father put upon us’?” 10The young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus you shall say to the people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you lighten it for us.’ Thus you shall say to them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. 11And now, my father loaded upon you a heavy yoke, but I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’”

Rehoboam Answers Harshly

12Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had spoken, saying, “Return to me on the third day.” 13The king answered them harshly. King Rehoboam abandoned the counsel of the elders 14and 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 disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.” 15So the king did not listen to the people, for the turn of events was from God, so that the LORD might establish his word that he spoke by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.

Israel Rebels against the House of David

16When all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying:

“What portion do we have in David?
We have no inheritance
in the son of Jesse.
Each man to your tents, Israel!
Now see to your own house, David!”

So all Israel went to their tents. 17But Rehoboam reigned over the children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah. 18Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was over forced labor, but the children of Israel stoned him with stones, and he died. King Rehoboam hurried to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. 19So Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day.