The Israelites, assembled at Shechem to crown Rehoboam, by Jeroboam make a suit of relaxation unto him.

1 ¶ And Rehoboamº went¹ª² to Shechem:º for² to Shechemº were all² Israelº comeºª to make him king.ºª² 2 And it came to pass,² when Jeroboamº the sonº of Nebat,º who² [was] in Egypt,º whither² he had fledºª from the presenceº² of Solomonº the king,º heardºª [it], that Jeroboamº returnedºª out of Egypt.º² 3 And they sentºª and calledºª him. So Jeroboamº and all² Israelº cameºª and spakeºª to² Rehoboam,º saying,ºª 4 Thy fatherº made² our yokeº grievous:ºª now² therefore easeºª thou somewhat the grievousº servitudeº² of thy father,º and his heavyº yokeº² that² he putºª upon² us, and we will serveºª thee. 5 And he saidºª unto² them, Come againºª unto² me after² threeº days.º And the peopleº departed.¹ª²

Rehoboam, refusing the old men's cousel, by the advice of young men answereth them roughly.

6 ¶ And kingº Rehoboamº took counselºª with² the old¹ men² that² had² stoodºª beforeº Solomonº his fatherº while he yet lived,º² saying,ºª Whatº counsel giveºª ye² [me] to returnºª answerº to this² people?º 7 And they spakeºª unto² him, saying,ºª If² thou be² kindº to this² people,º and pleaseºª them, and speakºª goodº wordsº to² them, they will be² thy servantsº for ever.º² 8 But he forsookºª² the counselº which² the old menº gaveºª him, and took counselºª with² the young menº that² were brought upºª with² him, that stoodºª beforeº him. 9 And he saidºª unto² them, What² advice¹ª give² ye² that we may returnºª answerº² to this² people,º which² have spokenºª to² me, saying,ºª Easeºª somewhat² the yokeº that² thy fatherº did putºª upon² us? 10 And the young menº that² were brought upºª with² him spakeºª unto² him, saying,ºª Thus² shalt thou answerºª the peopleº that² spakeºª unto² thee, saying,ºª Thy fatherº made¹ª our yoke¹ heavy,ºª²² but make thou [it] somewhat lighterºª² for²² us; thus² shalt thou sayºª unto² them, My littleº [finger] shall be thickerºª than my father'sº loins.º² 11 For whereasº my fatherº putºª a heavyº yokeº upon² you, I² will put moreºª to² your yoke:º my fatherº chastisedºª you with whips,º but I² [will chastise you] with scorpions.º 12 So Jeroboamº and all² the peopleº cameºª to² Rehoboamº on the thirdº day,º as² the kingº bade,ºª saying,ºª Come againºª to² me on the thirdº day.º 13 And the kingº answeredºª them roughly;º and kingº Rehoboamº forsookºª² the counselº of the old men,º 14 And answeredºª² them after the adviceº of the young men,º saying,ºª My fatherº made your yoke¹ heavy,ºª²² but I² will addºª thereto:² my fatherº chastisedºª you with whips,º but I² [will chastise you] with scorpions.º 15 So the kingº hearkenedºª not² unto² the people:º for² the causeº was² of²² God,º that² the LORDº might performºª² his word,º which² he spakeºª by the handº of Ahijahº the Shiloniteº to² Jeroboamº the sonº of Nebat.º

Ten tribes revolting kill Hadoram, and make Rehoboam to flee.

16 ¶ And when all² Israelº [saw]¹ª that² the kingº would not² hearkenºª unto them, the peopleº answeredºª² the king,º saying,ºª What² portionº have we in David?º and [we have] none² inheritanceº in the sonº of Jesse:º every manº to your tents,º O Israel:º [and] now,² David,º seeºª to thine own house.º So all² Israelº went¹ª² to their tents.º 17 But [as for] the childrenº of Israelº that dweltºª in the citiesº of Judah,º Rehoboamº reignedºª over² them. 18 Then kingº Rehoboamº sentºª² Hadoramº that² [was] over² the tribute;º and the childrenº of Israelº stonedºª him with stones,º that he died.ºª But kingº Rehoboamº made speedºª to get him upºª to [his] chariot,º to fleeºª to Jerusalem.º 19 And Israelº rebelledºª against the houseº of Davidº unto² this² day.º