北方支派背叛羅波安

10 羅波安前往示劍,因為以色列人都去了那裡要立他為王。 尼八的兒子耶羅波安曾為了躲避所羅門王而逃往埃及,並一直住在那裡。他聽到消息便返回以色列。 以色列人派人去請他,他就和以色列眾人去見羅波安,說: 「你父親使我們負擔沉重,求你減輕我們的負擔吧,我們一定效忠你。」 羅波安對他們說:「你們三天之後再來見我。」眾人就離開了。

羅波安王去徵詢曾服侍他父親所羅門的老臣的意見,說:「你們認為我該怎樣回覆這些百姓?」 他們回稟說:「王若善待這些百姓,使他們喜悅,對他們好言相待,他們會永遠做王的僕人。」

羅波安卻沒有採納老臣的意見。他又去徵詢那些和他一起長大的青年臣僚的意見, 說:「百姓求我減輕我父親加給他們的重擔。你們認為我該怎樣回覆他們?」 10 他們說:「百姓說你父親使他們負擔沉重,請求你減輕他們的負擔。你可以這樣回覆他們,『我的小指頭比我父親的腰還粗。 11 我父親使你們負重擔,我要使你們負更重的擔子;我父親用鞭子打你們,我要用刺鞭打你們。』」

12 過了三天,耶羅波安和百姓遵照羅波安王的話來見他。 13-14 羅波安王沒有採納老臣的建議,而是照青年臣僚的建議,疾言厲色地對他們說:「我父親使你們負重擔,我要使你們負更重的擔子!我父親用鞭子打你們,我要用刺鞭打你們!」 15 王不聽百姓的請求。這事出於耶和華上帝,為要應驗祂藉示羅人亞希雅先知對尼八的兒子耶羅波安說的話。

16 以色列人見王不聽他們的請求,就說:

「我們與大衛有何相干?
我們與耶西的兒子沒有關係!
以色列人啊,各自回家吧!
大衛家啊,自己照顧自己吧!」

於是,以色列人都各自回家了。 17 但住在猶大城邑的以色列人仍受羅波安統治。 18 羅波安王派勞役總管哈多蘭去以色列人那裡,以色列人卻用石頭打死了他,羅波安王連忙上車逃回耶路撒冷。 19 從此,以色列人反叛大衛家,直到今天。

10 And Rehoboam went to Shechem; for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king. And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of king Solomon), that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt. And they sent and called him; and Jeroboam and all Israel came, and they spake to Rehoboam, saying, Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee. And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And the people departed.

And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people? And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever. But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men that were grown up with him, that stood before him. And he said unto them, What counsel give ye, that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke that thy father did put upon us lighter? 10 And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou say unto the people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins. 11 And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come to me again the third day. 13 And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men, 14 and spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. 15 So the king hearkened not unto the people; for it was brought about of God, that Jehovah might establish his word, which he spake by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

16 And when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So all Israel departed unto their tents. 17 But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. 18 Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was over the men subject to taskwork; and the children of Israel stoned him to death with stones. And king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

10 Y ROBOAM fué á Sichêm porque en Sichêm se había juntado todo Israel para hacerlo rey.

Y como lo oyó Jeroboam hijo de Nabat, el cual estaba en Egipto, donde había huído á causa del rey Salomón, volvió de Egipto.

Y enviaron y llamáronle. Vino pues Jeroboam, y todo Israel, y hablaron á Roboam, diciendo:

Tu padre agravó nuestro yugo: afloja tú, pues, ahora algo de la dura servidumbre, y del grave yugo con que tu padre nos apremió, y te serviremos.

Y él les dijo: Volved á mí de aquí á tres días. Y el pueblo se fué.

Entonces el rey Roboam tomó consejo con los viejos, que habían estado delante de Salomón su padre cuando vivía, y díjoles: ¿Cómo aconsejáis vosotros que responda á este pueblo?

Y ellos le hablaron, diciendo: Si te condujeres humanamente con este pueblo, y los agradares, y les hablares buenas palabras, ellos te servirán perpetuamente.

Mas él, dejando el consejo que le dieron los viejos, tomó consejo con los mancebos que se habían criado con él, y que delante de él asistían;

Y díjoles: ¿Qué aconsejáis vosotros que respondamos á este pueblo, que me ha hablado, diciendo: Alivia algo del yugo que tu padre puso sobre nosotros?

10 Entonces los mancebos que se habían criado con él, le hablaron, diciendo: Así dirás al pueblo que te ha hablado diciendo, Tu padre agravó nuestro yugo, mas tú descárganos: así les dirás: Lo más menudo mío es más grueso que los lomos de mi padre.

11 Así que, mi padre os cargó de grave yugo, y yo añadiré á vuestro yugo: mi padre os castigó con azotes, y yo con escorpiones.

12 Vino pues Jeroboam con todo el pueblo á Roboam al tercer día: según el rey les había mandado deciendo: Volved á mí de aquí á tres días.

13 Y respondióles el rey ásperamente; pues dejó el rey Roboam el consejo de los viejos,

14 Y hablóles conforme al consejo de los mancebos, diciendo: Mi padre agravó vuestro yugo, y yo añadiré á vuestro yugo: mi padre os castigó con azotes, y yo con escorpiones.

15 Y no escuchó el rey al pueblo; porque la causa era de Dios, para cumplir Jehová su palabra que había hablado, por Ahías Silonita, á Jeroboam hijo de Nabat.

16 Y viendo todo Israel que el rey no les había oído, respondió el pueblo al rey, diciendo: ¿Qué parte tenemos nosotros con David, ni herencia en el hijo de Isaí? ­Israel, cada uno á sus estancias! ­David, mira ahora por tu casa! Así se fué todo Israel á sus estancias.

17 Mas reinó Roboam sobre los hijos de Israel que habitaban en las ciudades de Judá.

18 Envió luego el rey Roboam á Adoram, que tenía cargo de los tributos; pero le apedrearon los hijos de Israel, y murió. Entonces se esforzó el rey Roboam, y subiendo en un carro huyó á Jerusalem.

19 Así se apartó Israel de la casa de David hasta hoy.

Israel Rebels Against Rehoboam(A)

10 Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king. When Jeroboam(B) son of Nebat heard this (he was in Egypt, where he had fled(C) from King Solomon), he returned from Egypt. So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and all Israel(D) went to Rehoboam and said to him: “Your father put a heavy yoke on us,(E) but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”

Rehoboam answered, “Come back to me in three days.” So the people went away.

Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders(F) who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How would you advise me to answer these people?” he asked.

They replied, “If you will be kind to these people and please them and give them a favorable answer,(G) they will always be your servants.”

But Rehoboam rejected(H) the advice the elders(I) gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. He asked them, “What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”

10 The young men who had grown up with him replied, “The people have said to you, ‘Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter.’ Now tell them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. 11 My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.’”

12 Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, as the king had said, “Come back to me in three days.” 13 The king answered them harshly. Rejecting the advice of the elders, 14 he followed the advice of the young men and said, “My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.” 15 So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from God,(J) to fulfill the word the Lord had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.(K)

16 When all Israel(L) saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king:

“What share do we have in David,(M)
    what part in Jesse’s son?
To your tents, Israel!
    Look after your own house, David!”

So all the Israelites went home. 17 But as for the Israelites who were living in the towns of Judah, Rehoboam still ruled over them.

18 King Rehoboam sent out Adoniram,[a](N) who was in charge of forced labor, but the Israelites stoned him to death. King Rehoboam, however, managed to get into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 10:18 Hebrew Hadoram, a variant of Adoniram