1
Forsooth Rehoboam came into Shechem; for all Israel was gathered thither to make him king.
2
And soothly Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, when he was yet in Egypt, and fled from the face of king Solomon, turned again from Egypt, for the death of Solomon was heard; (And Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, when he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon, heard of Solomon's death, and returned from Egypt;)
3
and they sent, and called him. Therefore Jeroboam came, and all the multitude of Israel, and they spake to Rehoboam, and said,
4
Thy father putted the most hard yoke upon us, therefore abate thou a little now of the hardest commandment of thy father, and of the full grievous yoke that he hath put upon us, and we shall serve to thee. (Thy father put the hardest yoke upon us, but now, if thou abate a little thy father's hardest commands, and the most grievous yoke that he hath put upon us, then we shall serve thee.)
5
And Rehoboam said to them, Go ye till to the third day, and turn ye again to me (Go ye away until the third day, and then return ye here). And when the people had gone,
6
king Rehoboam took counsel with the elder men, that stood before Solomon, his father, while he lived yet (while yet he lived); and Rehoboam said, What counsel give ye to me, that I answer to the people?
7
Which said to him, If thou obeyest today to this people, and servest this people, and givest stead to their asking, and speakest to them light, or easy, words, they shall be servants to thee in all days (they shall be thy servants forevermore).
8
And Rehoboam forsook the counsel of [the] eld men, which they gave to him, and took (counsel with the) young men, that were nourished with him, and stood nigh [to] him; (But Rehoboam forsook the elders? counsel, which they gave him, and sought counsel with the young men, who grew up with him, and stood close to him;)
9
and he said to them, What counsel give ye to me, that I answer to this people, that said to me, Make thou easier the yoke that thy father hath put upon us?