1 REHOBOAM WENT to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. 2 And when Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of it--for he still dwelt in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon--[he] returned from Egypt. 3 And they sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam, 4 Your father made our yoke heavy; now therefore lighten the hard service and the heavy yoke your father put upon us, and we will serve you. 5 He replied, Go away for three days and then return to me. So the people departed.
6 And King Rehoboam consulted with the old men who stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived and said, How do you advise me to answer this people? 7 And they said to him, If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them and answer them with good words, they will be your servants forever. 8 But he forsook the counsel the old men gave him and consulted the young men who grew up with him and stood before him. 9 He said to them, What do you advise that we answer this people who have said, Make the yoke your father put on us lighter? 10 The young men who grew up with him answered, To the people who told you, Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter for us--say this, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins. 11 And now whereas my father loaded 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 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had appointed. 13 And the king answered the people roughly and forsook the counsel the old men had given him, 14 And spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; he chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. 15 So the king did not hearken to the people, for the situation was from the Lord, that He might fulfill His word which He spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.