1 Kings 12:6-11 - Rehoboam Seeks Counsel To Respond
6 Then King Rehoboam consulted elders who had been with Solomon his father when he was living. He said: In your opinion, what answer am I to give to these people?
7 They said to him: If you will be a servant to this people today, caring for them and giving them a favorable answer, then they will be your servants for ever.
8 But he paid no attention to the opinion of the elders. He went to the young men who were his advisors: 9 What is your opinion? He asked: What answer are we to give to this people? They want me to lighten the burdens placed on them by my father.
10 His young advisors said: This is the answer to give to the people who came to you saying: 'Your father put a hard yoke on us; will you make it less?' Say to them: 'My little finger is thicker than my father's body.' 11 If my father put a hard yoke on you, I will make it harder! My father gave you punishment with whips, but I will give you blows with snakes.'