| Holman Christian Standard Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king. | 1Rehoboam traveled to Shechem, for all Israel had gathered in Shechem to make Rehoboam king. |
| 2When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about it--for he was in Egypt where he had fled from King Solomon's presence--Jeroboam returned from Egypt. | 2When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard the news, he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon. Jeroboam returned from Egypt. |
| 3So they summoned him. Then Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam: | 3They sent for him and Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, |
| 4"Your father made our yoke difficult. Therefore, lighten your father's harsh service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you." | 4"Your father made us work too hard! Now if you lighten the demands he made and don't make us work as hard, we will serve you." |
| 5Rehoboam replied, "Return to me in three days." So the people left. | 5He said to them, "Go away for three days, then return to me." So the people went away. |
| 6Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon when he was alive, asking, "How do you advise me to respond to these people?" | 6King Rehoboam consulted with the older advisers who had served his father Solomon when he had been alive. He asked them, "How do you advise me to answer these people?" |
| 7They replied, "If you will be kind to these people and please them by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever." | 7They said to him, "If you are fair to these people, grant their request, and are cordial to them, they will be your servants from this time forward." |
| 8But he rejected the advice of the elders who had advised him, and he consulted with the young men who had grown up with him, the ones serving him. | 8But Rehoboam rejected their advice and consulted the young advisers who served him, with whom he had grown up. |
| 9He asked them, "What message do you advise we send back to these people who said to me, 'Lighten the yoke your father put on us?" | 9He asked them, "How do you advise me to respond to these people who said to me, 'Lessen the demands your father placed on us'?" |
| 10Then the young men who had grown up with him told him, "This is what you should say to the people who said to you, 'Your father made our yoke heavy, but you, make it lighter on us!' This is what you should say to them: 'My little finger is thicker than my father's loins. | 10The young advisers with whom Rehoboam had grown up said to him, "Say this to these people who have said to you, 'Your father made us work hard, but now lighten our burden'--say this to them: 'I am a lot harsher than my father! |
| 11Now therefore, my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I, with barbed whips.'" | 11My father imposed heavy demands on you; I will make them even heavier. My father punished you with ordinary whips; I will punish you with whips that really sting your flesh.'" |
| 12So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had ordered, saying, "Return to me on the third day." | 12Jeroboam and all the people reported to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had ordered when he said, "Return to me on the third day." |
| 13Then the king answered them harshly. King Rehoboam rejected the elders' advice | 13The king responded to the people harshly. He rejected the advice of the older men |
| 14and spoke to them according to the young men's advice, saying, "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it; my father disciplined you with whips, but I, with barbed whips." | 14and followed the advice of the younger ones. He said, "My father imposed heavy demands on you; I will make them even heavier. My father punished you with ordinary whips; I will punish you with whips that really sting your flesh." |
| 15The king did not listen to the people because the turn of events came from God, in order that the LORD might carry out His word that He had spoken through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat. | 15The king refused to listen to the people, because God was instigating this turn of events so that he might bring to pass the prophetic announcement he had made through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat. |
| 16When all Israel saw that the king had not listened to them, the people answered the king: What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Israel, each man to your tent; David, look after your own house now! So all Israel went to their tents. | 16When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, the people answered the king, "We have no portion in David--no share in the son of Jesse! Return to your homes, O Israel! Now, look after your own dynasty, O David!" So all Israel returned to their homes. |
| 17But as for the Israelites living in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. | 17(Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah.) |
| 18Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, but the Israelites stoned him to death. However, King Rehoboam managed to get into his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. | 18King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, the supervisor of the work crews, out after them, but the Israelites stoned him to death. King Rehoboam managed to jump into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem. |
| 19Israel is in rebellion against the house of David until today. | 19So Israel has been in rebellion against the Davidic dynasty to this very day. |
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