2 Chronicles, 10

1. Rehoboam then went to Shechem, all Israel having come to Shechem to proclaim him king.

1. Rehobo'am went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.

2. As soon as Jeroboam son of Nebat heard the news -- he was in Egypt, where he had taken refuge from King Solomon -- he returned from Egypt.

2. And when Jerobo'am the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was in Egypt, whither he had fled from King Solomon), then Jerobo'am returned from Egypt.

3. They now sent for him, so Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke as follows to Rehoboam,

3. And they sent and called him; and Jerobo'am and all Israel came and said to Rehobo'am,

4. 'Your father laid a cruel yoke on us; if you will lighten your father's cruel slavery, that heavy yoke which he imposed on us, we are willing to serve you.'

4. "Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke upon us, and we will serve you."

5. He said to them, 'Come back to me in three days' time.' And the people went away.

5. He said to them, "Come to me again in three days." So the people went away.

6. King Rehoboam then consulted the elders, who had been in attendance on his father Solomon while he was alive, and said, 'How do you advise me to answer this people?'

6. Then King Rehobo'am took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, "How do you advise me to answer this people?"

7. They replied, 'If you are fair to these people, pleasant to them and give them a fair reply, they will remain your servants for ever.'

7. And they said to him, "If you will be kind to this people and please them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants for ever."

8. But he rejected the advice given him by the elders and consulted the young men in attendance on him, who had grown up with him.

8. But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him.

9. He said, 'How do you advise us to answer these people who have been saying, "Lighten the yoke which your father imposed on us"?'

9. And he said to them, "What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, `Lighten the yoke that your father put upon us'?"

10. The young men who had grown up with him replied, 'This is the way to answer the people who have been saying, "Your father made our yoke heavy, you must lighten it for us!" This is the right thing to say to them, "My little finger is thicker than my father's loins!

10. And the young men who had grown up with him said to him, "Thus shall you speak to the people who said to you, `Your father made our yoke heavy, but do you lighten it for us'; thus shall you say to them, `My little finger is thicker than my father's loins.

11. Although my father laid a heavy yoke on you, I shall make it heavier still! My father controlled you with the whip, but I shall apply a spiked lash!" '

11. And now, whereas my father laid upon you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.'"

12. On the third day, Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam in obedience to the king's instructions, 'Come back to me in three days' time.'

12. So Jerobo'am and all the people came to Rehobo'am the third day, as the king said, "Come to me again the third day."

13. And the king gave them a harsh answer. King Rehoboam, rejecting the advice of the elders,

13. And the king answered them harshly, and forsaking the counsel of the old men,

14. spoke to them as the young men had recommended, 'My father made your yoke heavy, but I shall add to it. My father controlled you with the whip, but I shall apply a spiked lash.'

14. King Rehobo'am 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 chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions."

15. Thus the king refused to listen to the people, and this was brought about by God, so that Yahweh might fulfil the promise which he had made through Ahijah of Shiloh to Jeroboam son of Nebat.

15. So the king did not hearken to the people; for it was a turn of affairs brought about by God that the LORD might fulfil his word, which he spoke by Ahi'jah the Shi'lonite to Jerobo'am the son of Nebat.

16. When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, the people answered the king thus: What share have we in David? -no heritage in the son of Jesse! Each of you, to your tents, Israel! Now look to your own house, David! So Israel went home again.

16. And when all Israel saw that the king did not hearken to them, the people answered the king, "What portion have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Each of you to your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David." So all Israel departed to their tents.

17. Rehoboam, however, reigned over those Israelites who lived in the towns of Judah.

17. But Rehobo'am reigned over the people of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah.

18. When King Rehoboam sent Adoram who was in charge of forced labour, the Israelites stoned him to death, while King Rehoboam managed to mount his chariot and escape to Jerusalem.

18. Then King Rehobo'am sent Hador'am, who was taskmaster over the forced labor, and the people of Israel stoned him to death with stones. And King Rehobo'am made haste to mount his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

19. And Israel has remained in rebellion against the House of David from that day to this.

19. So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.