Rehoboam’s Reign of Foolishness

1Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, because all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. 2When Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard about it (he was in Egypt where he had fled from the presence of King Solomon), Jeroboam returned from Egypt. 3So they sent word and summoned him. When Jeroboam and all Israel came, they spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 4“Your father made our yoke hard; but now, lighten the hard labor imposed by your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.” 5He said to them, “Return to me again in three days.” So the people departed.

6And then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had [a]served his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” 7They spoke to him, saying, “If you are kind to this people and please them and speak pleasant words to them, then they will be your servants always.” 8But he ignored the advice of the elders which they had given him, and consulted with the young men who had grown up with him [b]and served him. 9He said to them, “What advice do you give, so that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?” 10The young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, “This is what you should say to the people who spoke to you, saying: ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter for us!’ You should speak this way to them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist! 11Now then, my father loaded you with a heavy yoke; yet I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with [c]scorpions!’”

12So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had [d]directed, saying, “Return to me on the third day.” 13The king answered them harshly, and King Rehoboam ignored the advice of the elders. 14He spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, “[e]My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with [f]scorpions.” 15So the king did not listen to the people, because it was a turn of events from God so that the LORD might establish His word, which He spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

16When all Israel saw that the king had not listened to them, the people replied to the king, saying,

“What share do we have in David?

We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse.

Everyone to your tents, Israel!

Now look after your own house, David!”

So all Israel went away to their tents. 17But as for the sons of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. 18Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, and the sons of Israel stoned him [g]to death. And King Rehoboam hurried to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. 19So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.