1
Rehobo'am went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.
2
And when Jerobo'am the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was in Egypt, whither he had fled from King Solomon), then Jerobo'am returned from Egypt.
3
And they sent and called him; and Jerobo'am and all Israel came and said to Rehobo'am,
4
"Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke upon us, and we will serve you."
5
He said to them, "Come to me again in three days." So the people went away.
6
Then King Rehobo'am 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
And they said to him, "If you will be kind to this people and please them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants for ever."
8
But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him.
9
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 upon us'?"
10
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 do you lighten it for us'; thus shall you say to them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's loins.