| New King James Version | New Living Translation |
| 1And Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king. | 1Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all Israel had gathered to make him king. |
| 2So it happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard it (he was in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of King Solomon), that Jeroboam returned from Egypt. | 2When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of this, he returned from Egypt, for he had fled to Egypt to escape from King Solomon. |
| 3Then they sent for him and called him. And Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, | 3The leaders of Israel summoned him, and Jeroboam and all Israel went to speak with Rehoboam. |
| 4“Your father made our yoke heavy; now therefore, lighten the burdensome service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.” | 4“Your father was a hard master,” they said. “Lighten the harsh labor demands and heavy taxes that your father imposed on us. Then we will be your loyal subjects.” |
| 5So he said to them, “Come back to me after three days.” And the people departed. | 5Rehoboam replied, “Come back in three days for my answer.” So the people went away. |
| 6Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who stood before his father Solomon while he still lived, saying, “How do you advise me to answer these people?” | 6Then King Rehoboam discussed the matter with the older men who had counseled his father, Solomon. “What is your advice?” he asked. “How should I answer these people?” |
| 7And they spoke to him, saying, “If you are kind to these people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be your servants forever.” | 7The older counselors replied, “If you are good to these people and do your best to please them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your loyal subjects.” |
| 8But he rejected the advice which the elders had given him, and consulted the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him. | 8But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the older men and instead asked the opinion of the young men who had grown up with him and were now his advisers. |
| 9And he said to them, “What advice do you give? How should we answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?” | 9“What is your advice?” he asked them. “How should I answer these people who want me to lighten the burdens imposed by my father?” |
| 10Then the young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus you should speak to the people who have spoken to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter on us’—thus you shall say to them: ‘My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s waist! | 10The young men replied, “This is what you should tell those complainers who want a lighter burden: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist! |
| 11And now, whereas my father put a heavy yoke on you, I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!’ ” | 11Yes, my father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!’” |
| 12So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had directed, saying, “Come back to me the third day.” | 12Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to hear Rehoboam’s decision, just as the king had ordered. |
| 13Then the king answered them roughly. King Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders, | 13But Rehoboam spoke harshly to them, for he rejected the advice of the older counselors |
| 14and he spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!” | 14and followed the counsel of his younger advisers. He told the people, “My father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!” |
| 15So the king did not listen to the people; for the turn of events was from God, that the LORD might fulfill His word, which He had spoken by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. | 15So the king paid no attention to the people. This turn of events was the will of God, for it fulfilled the LORD’s message to Jeroboam son of Nebat through the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh. |
| 16Now when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying: “What share have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to your tents, O Israel! Now see to your own house, O David!” So all Israel departed to their tents. | 16When all Israel realized that the king had refused to listen to them, they responded, “Down with the dynasty of David! We have no interest in the son of Jesse. Back to your homes, O Israel! Look out for your own house, O David!” So all the people of Israel returned home. |
| 17But Rehoboam reigned over the children of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah. | 17But Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the towns of Judah. |
| 18Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was in charge of revenue; but the children of Israel stoned him with stones, and he died. Therefore King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste to flee to Jerusalem. | 18King Rehoboam sent Adoniram, who was in charge of forced labor, to restore order, but the people of Israel stoned him to death. When this news reached King Rehoboam, he quickly jumped into his chariot and fled to Jerusalem. |
| 19So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day. | 19And to this day the northern tribes of Israel have refused to be ruled by a descendant of David. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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