1. Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king.
2. When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about it, for he was still in Egypt where he had fled from King Solomon’s presence, Jeroboam stayed in Egypt.
3. They summoned him, and Jeroboam and the whole assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam:
4. “Your father made our yoke difficult. You, therefore, lighten your father’s harsh service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”
5. Rehoboam replied, “Go home for three days and then return to me.” So the people left.
6. Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon when he was alive, asking, “How do you advise me to respond to these people? ”
7. They replied, “Today if you will be a servant to these people and serve them, and if you respond to them by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.”
8. But he rejected the advice of the elders who had advised him and consulted with the young men who had grown up with him and served him.
9. He asked them, “What message do you advise that we send back to these people who said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’? ”
10. Then the young men who had grown up with him told him, “This is what you should say to these people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you, make it lighter on us! ’ This is what you should tell them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins!
11. Although my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with barbed whips.’ ”