1Rehoboam went to Shechem, because all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.2When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of it (he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), Jeroboam remained in Egypt.3They sent and summoned him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,4Your father made our yoke harsh, but now lighten the harsh service of your father and his heavy yoke that he placed on us, and we will serve you.5He said to them, "Go away for three days and then return to me," and the people went away.6King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon while he was alive, asking, How do you advise that I answer this people?7They answered him, If you will be a servant to this people today, serve them, answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.8But he rejected the counsel of the elders who had advised him and consulted instead the young men who had grown up with him and now attended him.9He asked them, "What do you advise that we answer this people who said to me, 'Lighten the yoke that your father placed on us'?"10The young men who had grown up with him replied, "Tell the people who said to you, 'Your father made our yoke heavy, but you lighten it for us,' 'My little finger is thicker than my father's loins.'"11My father laid a heavy yoke on you, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.12Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had directed when he said, Return to me on the third day.13The king answered the people harshly and rejected the counsel of the elders who had advised him.14He spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, "My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, and I will discipline you with scorpions."15The king did not listen to the people, because this turn of events came from the LORD in order to fulfill the word that the LORD had spoken through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.16When all Israel realized that the king would not listen to them, the people answered the king, What share do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Now look after your own house, David. So Israel went to their tents.17As for the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.18King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. Then King Rehoboam hurriedly mounted his chariot and fled to Jerusalem.19Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.20When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they summoned him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the house of David.21When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he assembled the whole house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin—one hundred eighty thousand chosen warriors—to fight against the house of Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon.22But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God:23Tell Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, and all the house of Judah and Benjamin and the rest of the people,24Thus says the LORD: You shall not go up or fight against your brothers the Israelites. Return each man to his house, for this matter is from me. So they listened to the word of the LORD and went home in accordance with it.