1And Rehoboam went to Shechem; for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. 2And it came to pass, 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. 3And they sent and called him; and Jeroboam and all Israel came, and they spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 4Your father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make the grievous service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you. 5And he said to them, Come again to me after three days. And the people departed. 6And King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel do you{+} give me to return answer to this people? 7And 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 slaves forever. 8But 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, that stood before him. 9And he said to them, What counsel do you{+} give, that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke that your father put on us lighter? 10And the young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, Thus you will say to the people who spoke to you, saying, Your father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter to us; thus you will say to them, My little finger is thicker than my father's loins. 11And now whereas my father laded you{+} with a heavy yoke, I will add to your{+} yoke: my father chastised you{+} with whips, but I [will chastise you{+}] with scorpions. 12So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come to me again the third day. 13And the king answered them roughly; and King Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men, 14and spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, I will make your{+} yoke heavy, and I will add to [the yoke of] my father. He chastised you{+} with whips, but I [will chastise you{+}] with scorpions. 15So 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 16and to all Israel: that the king would not listen to them. The people answered the king, saying, What portion do we have in David? Neither do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your{+} tents, O Israel: now see to your own house, David. So all Israel departed to their tents. 17But as for the sons of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. 18Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was over the men subject to slave labor; and the sons of Israel stoned him to death with stones. And King Rehoboam made speed to get up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. 19So Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day.