2 Chronicles

THE KINGS OF JUDAH UNTIL THE EXILE

The Schism

Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all the people of northern Israel had gone to proclaim him king.

As soon as Jeroboam, son of Nebat, heard the news—he was still in Egypt, where he had gone to escape from King Solomon—he returned from Egypt.

The people of the northern tribes sent for him, and he came with the whole assembly. And they said this to Rehoboam:

“Your father placed heavy burdens on us. If you make these burdens lighter for us, we will serve you.”

He said: “Come back to me in three days.”And the people went away.

King Rehoboam consulted the older men who had served as advisers to his father, Solomon, and asked them: “What reply do you advise me to give to these people?”

They said: “If you are kind to these people and listen to them and treat them fairly, they will serve you forever.”

But he rejected the advice given to him by the elders. He consulted the young advisers who had grown up with him.

He asked: “How do you advise us to answer these people who have said to me, ‘Lighten the burden your father put on us’?”

The young advisers who had grown up with him replied: “Give this answer to these people who have said, ‘Your father gave us a heavy burden to bear, you must lighten it for us.’ Say this to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins!

My father made you bear a heavy burden, but I will make it heavier still! My father beat you with whips; I am going to beat you with bullwhips!’”

Jeroboam with all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day according to what the king had said: “Come back to me on the third day.”

King Rehoboam, rejecting the advice of the elders, gave them a harsh answer

and spoke to them as the young advisers had recommended: “My father made you bear a heavy burden, but I will make it heavier still. My father beat you with whips; I am going to beat you with bullwhips!”

The king paid no attention to the people’s wishes, and God brought this about to carry out what the Lord had spoken through Ahijah of Shiloh to Jeroboam, son of Nebat.

When all Israel saw that the king paid no attention to their wishes, they gave him this answer: “Down with David and his descendants! What have they ever done for us? To your tents, men of Israel; let’s go home. From now on, let David look out for himself!”

So the people of Israel rebelled, and Rehoboam was left with those people of Israel who lived in the towns of Judah.

King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was in charge of forced labor, but the Israelites stoned him to death;

after that, King Rehoboam was obliged to mount his chariot and escape to Jerusalem.

And the people of Israel have been in rebellion against the family of David until the present day.