3. The people sent and called for Jeroboam, who along with all Israel came and said to Rehoboam,
4. "Your father made our workload very heavy; if you will lessen the demands your father made of us and lighten the heavy workload he demanded from us, then we will serve you."
5. He answered them, "Come back in three days." So the people left.
6. King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon when he was alive. "What do you advise?" Rehoboam asked. "How should I respond to these people?"
7. "If you are kind to these people and try to please them by speaking gently with them," they replied, "they will be your servants forever."
8. But Rehoboam ignored the advice the elders gave him and instead sought the counsel of the young advisors who had grown up with him and now served him.
9. "What do you advise?" he asked them. "How should we respond to these people who said to me, ‘Lighten the workload your father demanded from us’?"
10. The young people who had grown up with Rehoboam said to him, "This people said to you, ‘Your father made our workload heavy. Lighten it for us!’ Now this is what you should say to them, ‘My baby finger is thicker than my father’s waist!