Common English Bible CEB
English Standard Version ESV
1 Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all Israel had come to make him king.
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Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.
2 When Jeroboam, Nebat's son, heard the news, he returned from Egypt where he had fled from King Solomon.
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And 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.
3 The people sent and called for Jeroboam, who along with all Israel came and said to Rehoboam,
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And they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all Israel came and said to Rehoboam,
4 "Your father made our workload very heavy; if you will lessen the demands your father made of us and lighten the heavy workload he demanded from us, then we will serve you."
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“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. ”
5 He answered them, "Come back in three days." So the people left.
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He said to them, “Come to me again in three days. ” So the people went away.
6 King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon when he was alive. "What do you advise?" Rehoboam asked. "How should I respond to these people?"
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Then 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? ”
7 "If you are kind to these people and try to please them by speaking gently with them," they replied, "they will be your servants forever."
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And 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. ”
8 But Rehoboam ignored the advice the elders gave him and instead sought the counsel of the young advisors who had grown up with him and now served him.
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But 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.
9 "What do you advise?" he asked them. "How should we respond to these people who said to me, ‘Lighten the workload your father demanded from us'?"
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And 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’? ”
10 The young people who had grown up with Rehoboam said to him,"This people said to you, ‘Your father made our workload heavy. Lighten it for us!' Now this is what you should say to them, ‘My baby finger is thicker than my father's waist!
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And 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.
11 So if my father made your workload heavy, I'll make it even heavier! If my father disciplined you with whips, I'll do it with scorpions!'"
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And 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. ’”
12 Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had specified when he said, "Come back in three days."
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So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king said, “Come to me again the third day. ”
13 The king then answered the people harshly. He ignored the elders' advice,
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And the king answered them harshly; and forsaking the counsel of the old men,
14 and instead followed the young people's advice. He said, "My father made your workload heavy, but I'll make it even heavier; my father disciplined you with whips, but I'll do it with scorpions!"
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King 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. ”
15 The king didn't listen to the people because this turn of events came from God so that the LORD might keep his promise concerning Jeroboam, Nebat's son, which God delivered through Ahijah from Shiloh.
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So 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.
16 When all Israel saw that the king wouldn't listen to them, the people answered the king, "Why should we care about David? We have no stake in Jesse's son! Go back to your homes, Israel! You better look after your own house now, David!" Then all Israel went back to their homes,
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And 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.
17 and Rehoboam ruled over only the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah.
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But Rehoboam reigned over the people of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah.
18 When King Rehoboam sent Hadoram to them (he was the leader of the work gang), the Israelites stoned him to death. King Rehoboam quickly got into his chariot and fled to Jerusalem.
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Then 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.
19 And so Israel has been in rebellion against David's dynasty to this day.
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So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025