2 Paralipomenon 10

¹And Roboam went forth into Sichem: for thither all Israel was assembled, to make him king.

²Which when Jeroboam the son of Nabat heard, who was in Ægypt (for he was fled thither from Salomon) forthwith he returned.

³And they called him, and he came with all Israel & spake to Roboam, saying:

⁴Thy father pressed us with a most hard yoke, do thou command lighter things than thy father, who laid upon us a heavy servitude, and ease thou a little of the burden, that we may serve thee.

⁵Who said: After three days return ye to me. And when the people was gone,

⁶he took counsel with the Ancients, which stood before his father Salomon, whiles he yet lived, saying: What counsel give you, that I may answer the people?

⁷Who said to him: If thou wilt please this people, and pacify them with words of clemency, they will serve thee at all times.

⁸But he forsook the counsel of the Ancients, and began to treat with young men, that had been brought up with him, and were in his train.

⁹And he said to them: What seemeth to you? Or what shall I answer this people, which hath said to me: Ease the yoke which my father laid upon us?

¹⁰But they answered as youngmen, & brought up with him in delicateness, and said: Thus shalt thou speak to the people, that said to thee: Thy father aggravated our yoke, do thou ease it: and thus shalt thou answer them: My least finger is thicker than the loins of my father.

¹¹My father laid upon you an heavy yoke, and I will add a greater weight: my father beat you with scourges, but I will beat you with scorpions.

¹²Jeroboam therefore came, and all the people to Roboam the third day, as he had commanded them.

¹³And the king answered rough words, leaving the counsel of the Ancients:

¹⁴And he spake according to the youngmen's will: My father laid upon you a heavy yoke, which I will make heavier: my father beat you with scourges, but I will beat you with scorpions.

¹⁵And he condescended not to the people's requests: for it was the will of God, that his word should be accomplished, which he had spoken by the hand of Ahias the Silonite to Jeroboam the son of Nabat.

¹⁶And all the people when the king spake rough words, said thus unto him: We have no part in David, nor inheritance in the son of Isai. Return into thy tabernacles o Israel, and do thou feed thy house David. And Israel went into their tabernacles.

¹⁷But over the children of Israel, that dwelt in the cities of Juda Roboam reigned.

¹⁸And king Roboam sent Aduram, who was over the tributes, and the children of Israel stoned him, and he died: moreover king Roboam made haste to get up into his chariot, and fled into Jerusalem.

¹⁹And Israel revolted from the house of David until this day.