1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem were all Israel come to make him king.
2 And when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, being in Egypt heard it - for he was fled for fear of Solomon the king - he returned out of Egypt.
3 And they sent and called him. And so Jeroboam and all Israel came and communed with Rehoboam, and said,
4 "Thy father made us a grievous yoke: but remit thou somewhat of the grievous service of thy father and of his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee."
6 And king Rehoboam counseled with elders that stood before Solomon his father, while he lived, and said, "What counsel give ye me, to answer this people again?"
7 And they told him saying, "If thou shalt be kind to this people and please them and shalt speak loving words to them, they will be thy servants forever."
8 But he left the counsel which the elders gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were nursed up with him and had stand in his presence,
9 and said to them, "What advice give ye that I may answer this people which have communed with me, saying, 'Abate somewhat of the yoke which thy father did put upon us?'"
10 And the young men that were nursed up with him talked with him, saying, "Thus answer the people that spake to thee, saying, 'Thy father made our yoke heavy: But make thou our yoke somewhat lighter.' Thus wise answer them: 'My little finger shall be heavier than thy father's loins.
11 For where my father put a heavy yoke upon you I will put more thereto, and where my father chastised you with whips I will chastise you with scorpions.'"
12 And when Jeroboam and all Israel were come the third day, as the king bade, saying, "Come again to me the third day,"
13 the king answered them cruelly: for king Rehoboam left the counsel of the aged men,
14 and answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, "If my father made your yoke grievous, I will add thereto, and where my father chastised you with whips, I will chastise you with scorpions."
15 And so the king hearkened not unto the people, for the turning away was of God, that the LORD might make good his saying which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
16 And when all Israel saw that the king would not hear them, the people answered the king, saying, "What part have we with David or inheritance with the son of Jesse? Let every man of Israel go to his tent. And now, David, see to thine own house!" And thereupon all Israel gat them to their tents,
17 so that Rehoboam reigned over no more of the children of Israel than dwelt in the cities of Judah.