Good News Translation GNT
World English Bible WEB
1 Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all the people of northern Israel had gathered to make him king.
1
Rehoboam went to Shechem; for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.
2 When Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had gone to Egypt to escape from King Solomon, heard this news, he returned home.
2
It happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it, (for he was in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of king Solomon,) that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.
3 The people of the northern tribes sent for him, and they all went together to Rehoboam and said to him,
3
They sent and called him; and Jeroboam and all Israel came, and they spoke to Rehoboam, saying,
4 "Your father placed heavy burdens on us. If you make these burdens lighter and make life easier for us, we will be your loyal subjects."
4
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.
5 Rehoboam replied, "Give me three days to consider the matter. Then come back." So the people left.
5
He said to them, Come again to me after three days. The people departed.
6 King Rehoboam consulted the older men who had served as his father Solomon's advisers. "What answer do you advise me to give these people?" he asked.
6
King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give you me to return answer to this people?
7 They replied, "If you are kind to these people and try to please them by giving a considerate answer, they will always serve you loyally."
7
They spoke to him, saying, If you are kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.
8 But he ignored the advice of the older men and went instead to the young men who had grown up with him and who were now his advisers.
8
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.
9 "What do you advise me to do?" he asked. "What shall I say to the people who are asking me to make their burdens lighter?"
9
He said to them, What counsel give you, 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 They replied, "This is what you should tell them: "My little finger is thicker than my father's waist.'
10
The young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, Thus shall you tell the people who spoke to you, saying, Your father made our yoke heavy, but make you it lighter to us; thus shall you say to them, My little finger is thicker than my father's loins.
11 Tell them, "My father placed heavy burdens on you; I will make them even heavier. He beat you with whips; I'll flog you with bullwhips!' "
11
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.
12 Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to King Rehoboam, as he had instructed them.
12
So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come to me again the third day.
13 The king ignored the advice of the older men and spoke harshly to the people,
13
The king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men,
14 as the younger men had advised. He said, "My father placed heavy burdens on you; I will make them even heavier. He beat you with whips; I'll flog you with bullwhips!"
14
and spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I [will chastise you] with scorpions.
15 It was the will of the Lord God to bring about what he had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh. This is why the king did not pay any attention to the people.
15
So the king didn't listen to the people; for it was brought about of God, that Yahweh might establish his word, which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
16 When the people saw that the king would not listen to them, they shouted, "Down with David and his family! What have they ever done for us? People of Israel, let's go home! Let Rehoboam look out for himself!" So the people of Israel rebelled,
16
When all Israel 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 Jesse: every man to your tents, Israel: now see to your own house, David. So all Israel departed to their tents.
17 leaving Rehoboam as king only of the people who lived in the territory of Judah.
17
But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
18 Then King Rehoboam sent Adoniram, who was in charge of the forced labor, to go to the Israelites, but they stoned him to death. At this, Rehoboam hurriedly got in his chariot and escaped to Jerusalem.
18
Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was over the men subject to forced labor; and the children of Israel stoned him to death with stones. King Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
19 Ever since that time the people of the northern kingdom of Israel have been in rebellion against the dynasty of David.
19
So Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
The World English Bible is in the public domain.