| Berean Study Bible | New International Version |
| 1Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king. | 1Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king. |
| 2When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about this, he returned from Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon. | 2When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard this (he was in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), he returned from Egypt. |
| 3So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and all Israel came to Rehoboam and said, | 3So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and all Israel went to Rehoboam and said to him: |
| 4“Your father put a heavy yoke on us. But now you should lighten the burden of your father’s service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.” | 4"Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you." |
| 5Rehoboam answered, “Come back to me in three days.” So the people departed. | 5Rehoboam answered, "Come back to me in three days." So the people went away. |
| 6Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How do you advise me to respond to these people?” he asked. | 6Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. "How would you advise me to answer these people?" he asked. |
| 7They replied, “If you will be kind to these people and please them by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.” | 7They replied, "If you will be kind to these people and please them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants." |
| 8But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders; instead, he consulted the young men who had grown up with him and served him. | 8But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. |
| 9He asked them, “What message do you advise that we send back to these people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?” | 9He asked them, "What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, 'Lighten the yoke your father put on us'?" |
| 10The young men who had grown up with him replied, “This is how you should answer these people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you should make it lighter.’ This is what you should tell them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist! | 10The young men who had grown up with him replied, "The people have said to you, 'Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter.' Now tell them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist. |
| 11Whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.’ ” | 11My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.'" |
| 12After three days, Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, since the king had said, “Come back to me on the third day.” | 12Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, as the king had said, "Come back to me in three days." |
| 13And the king answered them harshly. King Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders | 13The king answered them harshly. Rejecting the advice of the elders, |
| 14and spoke to them as the young men had advised, saying, “Whereas my father made your yoke heavy, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.” | 14he followed the advice of the young men and said, "My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions." |
| 15So the king did not listen to the people, and indeed this turn of events was from God, in order that the LORD might fulfill the word that He had spoken through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat. | 15So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from God, to fulfill the word the LORD had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite. |
| 16When all Israel saw that the king had refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What portion do we have in David, and what inheritance in the son of Jesse? To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, O David!” So all the Israelites went home, | 16When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king: "What share do we have in David, what part in Jesse's son? To your tents, Israel! Look after your own house, David!" So all the Israelites went home. |
| 17but Rehoboam still reigned over the Israelites living in the cities of Judah. | 17But as for the Israelites who were living in the towns of Judah, Rehoboam still ruled over them. |
| 18Then King Rehoboam sent out Hadoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, but the Israelites stoned him to death. And King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste and escaped to Jerusalem. | 18King Rehoboam sent out Adoniram, who was in charge of forced labor, but the Israelites stoned him to death. King Rehoboam, however, managed to get into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem. |
| 19So to this day Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David. | 19So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day. |
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