| English Standard Version | King James Bible |
| 1Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. | 1And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem were all Israel come to make him king. |
| 2And as soon as Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), then Jeroboam returned from Egypt. | 2And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of Solomon the king, heard it, that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt. |
| 3And they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all Israel came and said to Rehoboam, | 3And they sent and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spake to Rehoboam, saying, |
| 4“Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you.” | 4Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee. |
| 5He said to them, “Come to me again in three days.” So the people went away. | 5And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And the people departed. |
| 6Then King Rehoboam 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?” | 6And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people? |
| 7And they said to him, “If you will be good to this people and please them and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.” | 7And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever. |
| 8But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him. | 8But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him. |
| 9And 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 on us’?” | 9And he said unto them, What advice give ye that we may return answer to this people, which have spoken to me, saying, Ease somewhat the yoke that thy father did put upon us? |
| 10And 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 you lighten it for us’; thus shall you say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s thighs. | 10And the young men that were brought up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou answer the people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it somewhat lighter for us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins. |
| 11And now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’” | 11For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. |
| 12So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king said, “Come to me again the third day.” | 12So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day. |
| 13And the king answered them harshly; and forsaking the counsel of the old men, | 13And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men, |
| 14King Rehoboam 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 disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.” | 14And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. |
| 15So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of affairs brought about by God that the LORD might fulfill his word, which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. | 15So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. |
| 16And when all Israel saw that the king did not listen 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 went to their tents. | 16And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents. |
| 17But Rehoboam reigned over the people of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah. | 17But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. |
| 18Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was taskmaster over the forced labor, and the people of Israel stoned him to death with stones. And King Rehoboam quickly mounted his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. | 18Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. But king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. |
| 19So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day. | 19And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. |
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