The division of the kingdom
1 Rehoboam went to Shechem where all the people of northern Israel had gone
to proclaim him king.
2 As soon as Jeroboam son of Nebat heard the news ¨C he was still in Egypt
where he had gone to escape from king Solomon ¨C he returned from Egypt.
3 The people of the northern tribes sent for him, and he came with the whole
assembly.
And they said this to Rehoboam,
4 ¡°Your father placed heavy burdens on us. If you make these burdens lighter
for us, we will serve you.¡±
5 He said, ¡°Come back to me in three days.¡± And the people went away.
6 King Rehoboam consulted the older men who had served as advisers to his
father Solomon and asked them, ¡°What reply do you advise me to give to this
people?¡±
7 They said, ¡°If you are kind to these people and listen to them and treat
them fairly, then they will serve you forever.¡±
8 But he rejected the advice given him by the elders and consulted the
bloody young men who had grown up with him.
9 He asked, ¡°How do you advise us to answer these people who have said to
me, ¡®Lighten the burden your father put on us¡¯?¡±
10 The bloody young men who had grown up with him replied, ¡°Give this answer
to these people who have said, ¡®Your father gave us a heavy burden to bear,
you must lighten it for us.¡¯ Say this to them, ¡®My little finger is thicker
than my father¡¯s waist!
11 My father made you bear a heavy burden, but I will make it heavier still!
My father beat you with whips; I am going to beat you with bullwhips!¡¯ ¡±
12 Jeroboam with all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day according
to what the king had said, ¡°Come back to me on the third day.¡±
13 King Rehoboam, rejecting the advice of the elders, gave them a harsh
answer
14 and spoke to them as the bloody young men had recommended, ¡°My father
made you bear a heavy burden, but I will make it heavier still. My father
beat you with whips; I am going to beat you with bullwhips!¡±
15 The king in fact paid no attention to the people¡¯s wishes, and this was
brought about by God to carry out what Yahweh had spoken through Ahijah of
Shiloh to Jeroboam son of Nebat.
16 When all Israel saw that the king paid no attention to their wishes, they
gave him this answer: ¡°Down with David and his descendants! What have they
ever done for us? To your tents, men of Israel; let¡¯s go home. From now on
let Rehoboam look out for himself!¡±
17 So the people of Israel rebelled and Rehoboam was left with those people
of Israel who lived in the towns of Judah.
18 King Rehoboam sent Ado ram who was in charge of forced labor, but the
Israelites stoned him to death;
19 whereupon King Rehoboam was obliged to mount his chariot and escape to
Jeru salem. And the people of Israel have been in rebellion against the
family of David until the present day.