2 Chronicles 10

NEW JERUSALEM	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
1 Rehoboam then went to Shechem, al Israel having come to Shechem to proclaim him king.	1 Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.
2 As soon as Jeroboam son of Nebat heard the news -- he was in Egypt, where he had taken refugefrom King Solomon -- he returned from Egypt.	2 And when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was in Egypt, whither he had fled from King Solomon), then Jeroboam returned from Egypt.
3 They now sent for him, so Jeroboam and al Israel came and spoke as fol ows to Rehoboam,	3 And they sent and called him; and Jeroboam and all Israel came and said to Rehoboam,
4 'Your father laid a cruel yoke on us; if you wil lighten your father's cruel slavery, that heavy yoke whichhe imposed on us, we are wil ing to serve you.'	4 "Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke upon us, and we will serve you."
5 He said to them, 'Come back to me in three days' time.' And the people went away.	5 He said to them, "Come to me again in three days." So the people went away.
6 King Rehoboam then consulted the elders, who had been in attendance on his father Solomon whilehe was alive, and said, 'How do you advise me to answer this people?'	6 Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, "How do you advise me to answer this people?"
7 They replied, 'If you are fair to these people, pleasant to them and give them a fair reply, they wilremain your servants for ever.'	7 And they said to him, "If you will be kind to this people and please them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants for ever."
8 But he rejected the advice given him by the elders and consulted the young men in attendance onhim, who had grown up with him.	8 But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him.
9 He said, 'How do you advise us to answer these people who have been saying, "Lighten the yokewhich your father imposed on us"?'	9 And he said to them, "What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, 'Lighten the yoke that your father put upon us'?"
10 The young men who had grown up with him replied, 'This is the way to answer the people who havebeen saying, "Your father made our yoke heavy, you must lighten it for us!" This is the right thing to say to them,"My little finger is thicker than my father's loins!	10 And the young men who had grown up with him said to him, "Thus shall you speak to the people who said to you, 'Your father made our yoke heavy, but do you lighten it for us'; thus shall you say to them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's loins.
11 Although my father laid a heavy yoke on you, I shal make it heavier stil ! My father controlled youwith the whip, but I shal apply a spiked lash!" '	11 And now, whereas my father laid upon you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.'"
12 On the third day, Jeroboam and al the people came to Rehoboam in obedience to the king'sinstructions, 'Come back to me in three days' time.'	12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king said, "Come to me again the third day."
13 And the king gave them a harsh answer. King Rehoboam, rejecting the advice of the elders,	13 And the king answered them harshly, and forsaking the counsel of the old men,
14 spoke to them as the young men had recommended, 'My father made your yoke heavy, but I shaladd to it. My father control ed you with the whip, but I shal apply a spiked lash.'	14 King Rehoboam spoke to them according to the counsel 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 scorpions."
15 Thus the king refused to listen to the people, and this was brought about by God, so that Yahwehmight fulfil the promise which he had made through Ahijah of Shiloh to Jeroboam son of Nebat.	15 So the king did not hearken to the people; for it was a turn of affairs brought about by God that the LORD might fulfil his word, which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
16 When al Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, the people answered the king thus: Whatshare have we in David? -no heritage in the son of Jesse! Each of you, to your tents, Israel! Now look to yourown house, David! So Israel went home again.	16 And when all Israel saw that the king did not hearken to them, the people answered the king, "What portion have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Each of you to your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David." So all Israel departed to their tents.
17 Rehoboam, however, reigned over those Israelites who lived in the towns of Judah.	17 But Rehoboam reigned over the people of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah.
18 When King Rehoboam sent Adoram who was in charge of forced labour, the Israelites stoned him todeath, while King Rehoboam managed to mount his chariot and escape to Jerusalem.	18 Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was taskmaster over the forced labor, and the people of Israel stoned him to death with stones. And King Rehoboam made haste to mount his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
19 And Israel has remained in rebel ion against the House of David from that day to this.	19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.