| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 1Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king. | 1Rehoboam traveled to Shechem, for all Israel had gathered in Shechem to make Rehoboam king. |
| 2When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard this (he was in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), he returned from Egypt. | 2When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard the news, he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon. Jeroboam returned from Egypt. |
| 3So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and all Israel went to Rehoboam and said to him: | 3They sent for him and Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, |
| 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." | 4"Your father made us work too hard! Now if you lighten the demands he made and don't make us work as hard, we will serve you." |
| 5Rehoboam answered, "Come back to me in three days." So the people went away. | 5He said to them, "Go away for three days, then return to me." So the people went away. |
| 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. | 6King Rehoboam consulted with the older advisers who had served his father Solomon when he had been alive. He asked them, "How do you advise me to answer these people?" |
| 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." | 7They said to him, "If you are fair to these people, grant their request, and are cordial to them, they will be your servants from this time forward." |
| 8But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. | 8But Rehoboam rejected their advice and consulted the young advisers who served him, with whom he had grown up. |
| 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'?" | 9He asked them, "How do you advise me to respond to these people who said to me, 'Lessen the demands your father placed on us'?" |
| 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. | 10The young advisers with whom Rehoboam had grown up said to him, "Say this to these people who have said to you, 'Your father made us work hard, but now lighten our burden'--say this to them: 'I am a lot harsher than my father! |
| 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.'" | 11My father imposed heavy demands on you; I will make them even heavier. My father punished you with ordinary whips; I will punish you with whips that really sting your flesh.'" |
| 12Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, as the king had said, "Come back to me in three days." | 12Jeroboam and all the people reported to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had ordered when he said, "Return to me on the third day." |
| 13The king answered them harshly. Rejecting the advice of the elders, | 13The king responded to the people harshly. He rejected the advice of the older men |
| 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." | 14and followed the advice of the younger ones. He said, "My father imposed heavy demands on you; I will make them even heavier. My father punished you with ordinary whips; I will punish you with whips that really sting your flesh." |
| 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. | 15The king refused to listen to the people, because God was instigating this turn of events so that he might bring to pass the prophetic announcement he had made through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat. |
| 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. | 16When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, the people answered the king, "We have no portion in David--no share in the son of Jesse! Return to your homes, O Israel! Now, look after your own dynasty, O David!" So all Israel returned to their homes. |
| 17But as for the Israelites who were living in the towns of Judah, Rehoboam still ruled over them. | 17(Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah.) |
| 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. | 18King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, the supervisor of the work crews, out after them, but the Israelites stoned him to death. King Rehoboam managed to jump into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem. |
| 19So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day. | 19So Israel has been in rebellion against the Davidic dynasty to this very day. |
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