1
Rechav`am went to Shekhem: for all Yisra'el were come to Shekhem to make him king.
2
It happened, when Yarov`am the son of Nevat heard of it (for he was yet in Mitzrayim, where he had fled from the presence of king Shlomo, and Yarov`am lived in Mitzrayim,
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and they sent and called him), that Yarov`am and all the assembly of Yisra'el came, and spoke to Rechav`am, saying,
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Your father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make you the grievous service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you.
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He said to them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. The people departed.
6
King Rechav`am took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Shlomo his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give you me to return answer to this people?
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They spoke to him, saying, If you will be a servant to this people this day, and will serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.
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But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.
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He said to them, What counsel do you give, that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke that your father did put on us lighter?
10
The young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, Thus shall you tell this people who spoke to you, saying, Your father made our yoke heavy, but make you it lighter to us; thus shall you speak to them, My little finger is thicker than my father's loins.
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Now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
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So Yarov`am and all the people came to Rechav`am the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come to me again the third day.
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The king answered the people roughly, and forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him,
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and spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
15
So the king didn't listen to the people; for it was a thing brought about of the LORD, that he might establish his word, which the LORD spoke by Achiyah the Shiloni to Yarov`am the son of Nevat.
16
When all Yisra'el saw that the king didn't listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Yishai: to your tents, Yisra'el: now see to your own house, David. So Yisra'el departed to their tents.
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But as for the children of Yisra'el who lived in the cities of Yehudah, Rechav`am reigned over them.
18
Then king Rechav`am sent Adoram, who was over the men subject to forced labor; and all Yisra'el stoned him to death with stones. King Rechav`am made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Yerushalayim.
19
So Yisra'el rebelled against the house of David to this day.
20
It happened, when all Yisra'el heard that Yarov`am was returned, that they sent and called him to the congregation, and made him king over all Yisra'el: there was none who followed the house of David, but the tribe of Yehudah only.
21
When Rechav`am was come to Yerushalayim, he assembled all the house of Yehudah, and the tribe of Binyamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, who were warriors, to fight against the house of Yisra'el, to bring the kingdom again to Rechav`am the son of Shlomo.
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But the word of God came to Shemayah the man of God, saying,
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Speak to Rechav`am the son of Shlomo, king of Yehudah, and to all the house of Yehudah and Binyamin, and to the rest of the people, saying,
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Thus says the LORD, You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers the children of Yisra'el: return every man to his house; for this thing is of me. So they listened to the word of the LORD, and returned and went their way, according to the word of the LORD.