2 Chronicles
Chapter 10
1 Rehoboam went to Shechem because all the people of Israel had come there to make him king.
2 When Jeroboam, Nebat’s son, who had fled to Egypt to avoid King Solomon, heard this, he came back from Egypt.
3 They sent for him and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel went and talked to Rehoboam, saying,
4 Your father made our work very hard. Now please make our hard service and the heavy load your father put on us lighter, and we will work for you.
5 He told them, “Come back to me in three days.” Then the people left.
6 King Rehoboam asked the elders who had advised his father Solomon, “What is your advice on how I should respond to these people?”
7 They said to him, “If you are kind to these people, make them happy, and say nice things to them, they will serve you forever.”
8 He ignored the advice from the elders and instead asked the young men who grew up with him and served him for their advice.
9 He said to them, “What advice do you have so we can reply to these people who have asked me to lighten the hard work my father put on them?”
10 The young men who grew up with him said to him, “This is how you should reply to the people who told you, ‘Your father made our work hard, but you should make it easier for us’: You should tell them, ‘My little finger will be thicker than my father’s waist.’”
11 While my father gave you a heavy burden, I will add to it. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.
12 Jeroboam and all the people went to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had ordered, saying, “Come back to me on the third day.”
13 The king spoke to them harshly, and King Rehoboam ignored the advice of the older men.
14 He replied with the young men’s advice, saying, “My father made your work hard, but I will make it harder: my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.”
15 The king did not listen to the people because this was God’s plan, to fulfill the words God had spoken through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam, son of Nebat.
16 When all the people of Israel saw that the king wouldn’t listen to them, they said to the king, “What part do we have in David? We don’t have any share in Jesse’s son. Everyone go to your homes, Israel. And David, take care of your own family.” So all the people of Israel went to their homes.
17 The Israelites living in Judah’s cities were ruled by Rehoboam.
18 Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was in charge of collecting taxes, but the people of Israel threw stones at him until he died. However, King Rehoboam quickly got into his chariot to escape to Jerusalem.
19 Israel has been against David’s family up to today.