II Chronicles 10 The Revolt of the Ten Tribes of Israel

 II Chronicles 10

The Revolt of the Ten Tribes of Israel

1 Now Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.

2 Now it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it, (who was then in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of King Solomon,) that Jeroboam returned from Egypt.

3 For they sent to him, and summoned him: and Jeroboam came with all Israel, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,

4 Thy father made our yoke hard: now therefore lighten the hard bondage of thy father, and the heavy yoke which he put upon us, that we may serve thee.

5 And he said unto them, Come again to me in three days. And the people departed.

6 And Rehoboam took counsel with the elders that had stood before Solomon his father all his days, saying, What advise ye to answer this people?

7 And they said to him, If thou wilt be kind and gracious to this people, and wilt speak good words to them, then they shall be thy servants for ever.

 8 But he forsook the counsel which the elders had given him, and took counsel with the young men that were grown up with him, and stood before him. 

9 And he said to them, What counsel do ye that we should give answer to this people, who spake unto me, saying, Lighten us the yoke which thy father put upon us? 

10 And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou say unto this people, who spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but thou make it light. Thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger is thicker than my father's loins. 

11 So my father made you bear a heavy yoke, but I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with stripes, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had commanded, saying, "Come back to me on the third day."

13 And the king answered them harshly, "Because King Rehoboam has forsaken the advice of the elders."

14 And he spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, "My father made your yoke heavier, but I will add to it: my father chastised you with stripes, but I will chastise you with scorpions."

15 So the king did not listen to the people, because this change was from God, that the Lord might fulfill His word, which He had spoken through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

16 When all Israel saw that the king would not listen to them, the people answered the king, “What share have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; let Israel go every man to his tent! Now look to your house, O David.” So all Israel went to their tents.

17 But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

18 Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was in charge of the taxes; but the children of Israel stoned him with stones, and he died. Then King Rehoboam hurriedly got into his chariot and fled to Jerusalem.

19 So the Israelites rebelled against the house of David to this day.