1 Rehoboam went to Shechem, because all Israel had come to Shechem to crown him king.
2 Jeroboam son of Nebat was in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon; when he heard the news, Jeroboam came back from Egypt.
3 They sent for him, and Jeroboam came with all Israel, and they told Rehoboam,
4 "Your father put a harsh yoke on us. Now make the harsh labor your father imposed and the heavy yoke he laid on us lighter, and we will serve you."
5 He told them, "Wait three more days, then come back to me." So the people left.
6 King Rehoboam took counsel with the elders who had served his father Solomon while he lived, asking, "What reply do you advise me to give this people?"
7 They told him, "If you will be kind to this people, please them, and speak good words to them, they will be your servants for all time."
8 But he set aside the advice the elders had given him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and were in his service.
9 He asked them, "What do you advise us to reply to this people who said to me, 'Make the yoke your father put on us lighter'?"
10 The young men who had grown up with him told him, "Here is what to tell the people who said to you, 'Your father made our yoke heavy, so make it lighter for us.' Tell them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's loins.
11 My father loaded a heavy yoke on you, but I will make your yoke heavier. My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with scorpions.'"
12 On the third day Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam, as the king had told them: "Come back to me on the third day."
13 The king gave them a harsh answer. Setting aside the elders' advice,
14 King Rehoboam spoke to them as the young men had advised: "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will make it heavier. My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with scorpions."
15 So the king refused to listen to the people, because God had brought this about in order to carry out the word the LORD had spoken through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.
16 And all Israel, since the king would not listen to them, the people gave the king this reply: "What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in Jesse's son. To your tents, Israel, every man! Now see to your own house, David!" And all Israel went off to their tents.
17 As for the children of Israel living in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam was their king.
18 King Rehoboam sent out Adoram, the officer over the forced labor, but the children of Israel pelted him with stones until he died. King Rehoboam managed to jump into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem.
19 And Israel has been in revolt against the house of David until this day.