1. Then Rehoboam went to Shechem for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.
2. Now when Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about it, he was still in Egypt where he had fled from the face of King Solomon and settled in Egypt.
3. They summoned him, so Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam saying:
4. “Your father made our yoke burdensome. Now therefore lighten the harsh labor of your father and his heavy yoke which he laid on us and we will serve you.”
5. He said to them: “Go away for three more days and then come back to me.” So the people departed.
6. Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, “How do you advise me to respond to these people?”
7. They spoke to him, saying: “If you will be a servant to this people today, serving them, granting them their petition, and speaking favorably to them, then they will be your servants forever.”
8. But he rejected the counsel the elders had given him, instead consulting with the young men who grew up with him and stood before him.
9. So he asked them, “How do you advise me to respond to these people who have spoken to me saying: ‘Lighten the yoke that your father laid on us?’”
10. The young men who had grown up with him spoke to him saying: “Thus you should say to these people who spoke to you saying ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you, make it lighter on us!’ thus you should say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins!
11. So now, my father laid on you a heavy yoke, and as for me, I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but as for me, I will chastise you with scorpions.’”
12. Then Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king told them, saying, “Come back to me on the third day.”
13. The king answered the people harshly. He rejected the counsel the elders had given him,