1And Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.2When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard it—and he was in Egypt, where he had fled from the face of King Solomon—Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt.3They sent and called for him. Jeroboam came with all Israel, and they spoke to Rehoboam, saying:4Your father stiffened it upon us, and now lighten the stiff service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, and we will serve you.5He said to them, "Come back in three days." And the people went.6King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon while he was alive, saying, "How do you advise me to answer this people?"7They said to him, "If you are good to this people and accept them and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants all their days."8He abandoned the counsel of the elders who had counseled him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him, the ones standing before him.9He said to them, "What are you counseling? We will return an answer to this people, who spoke to me, saying, 'Lighten the yoke that your father put on us.'"10And the children who grew up with him spoke to him, saying, "Thus you shall say to the people who spoke to you, saying, 'Your father made the load heavy on us, and you lighten it from upon us.' Thus you shall say to them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's loins.'"11And now my father loaded a heavy load on you, and I will add on to you; my father disciplined you with whips, and I with scorpions.12Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had spoken, saying, "Return to me on the third day."13The king answered them harshly, and King Rehoboam abandoned the counsel of the elders.14He spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, "I will make your load heavy, and I will add to it; my father disciplined you with whips, and I with scorpions."15And the king did not listen to the people, for the turning had come from the LORD in order to establish the word that the LORD had spoken by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.16And all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them. So the people answered the king, saying, "What portion do we have in David, and no inheritance in the son of Jesse? To your tents, Israel! Now see to your own house, David!" And all Israel went to their tents.17And the sons of Israel who were dwelling in the cities of Judah—Rehoboam reigned over them.18King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was over the forced labor, and the sons of Israel stoned him with stones, and he died. King Rehoboam strengthened himself and went up in the chariot to flee to Jerusalem.19And Israel rebelled against the house of David until this day.
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Chapter 11
1And Rehoboam came to Jerusalem and assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 chosen warriors, to fight with Israel to return the kingdom to Rehoboam.2And the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying:3He said to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying:4Thus says the LORD: Do not go up and do not fight with your brothers. Return, every man to his house, for this matter has come from me. And they heard the words of the LORD and returned from going against Jeroboam.