2 Chronicles
Summary
Rehoboam travels to Shechem to be made king, but he is met by Jeroboam and the assembly of Israel, who petition for a lighter burden than that imposed by Solomon. Foolishly rejecting the wise counsel of the elders and following the harsh advice of his young companions, Rehoboam threatens the people with even greater severity. This arrogance sparks a massive rebellion, as the ten northern tribes break away from the house of David to form their own kingdom, fulfilling the word of the LORD spoken against Solomon.
And Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king.
So 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.
Then they sent for him and called him. And Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,
"Your father made our yoke heavy; now therefore, lighten the burdensome service of your father and the heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you."
So he said to them, "Come back to me after three days." And the people departed.
Then 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?"
And 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."
But he rejected the counsel which the elders gave him, and consulted the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.
And 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'?"
Then 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!
And now, whereas my father put a heavy yoke on you, I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions!' "
So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had directed, saying, "Come back to me on the third day."
Then the king answered them harshly. King Rehoboam rejected the counsel of the elders,
and 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 disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions!"
So the king did not listen to the people; for the turn of events was from God, that the LORD might fulfil His word, which He had spoken by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
Now when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying: "What portion 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.
But as for the children of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was in charge of the forced labour; but the children of Israel stoned him with stones, and he died. Therefore King Rehoboam hastily mounted his chariot to flee to Jerusalem.
So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.