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。

The Northern Tribes Revolt(A)

10 Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all the people of northern Israel had gathered to make him king. When Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had gone to Egypt to escape from King Solomon, heard this news, he returned home. The people of the northern tribes sent for him, and they all went together to Rehoboam and said to him, “Your father placed heavy burdens on us. If you make these burdens lighter and make life easier for us, we will be your loyal subjects.”

Rehoboam replied, “Give me three days to consider the matter. Then come back.” So the people left.

King Rehoboam consulted the older men who had served as his father Solomon's advisers. “What answer do you advise me to give these people?” he asked.

They replied, “If you are kind to these people and try to please them by giving a considerate answer, they will always serve you loyally.”

But he ignored the advice of the older men and went instead to the young men who had grown up with him and who were now his advisers. “What do you advise me to do?” he asked. “What shall I say to the people who are asking me to make their burdens lighter?”

10 They replied, “This is what you should tell them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father's waist.’ 11 Tell them, ‘My father placed heavy burdens on you; I will make them even heavier. He beat you with whips; I'll flog you with bullwhips!’”

12 Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to King Rehoboam, as he had instructed them. 13 The king ignored the advice of the older men and spoke harshly to the people, 14 as the younger men had advised. He said, “My father placed heavy burdens on you; I will make them even heavier. He beat you with whips; I'll flog you with bullwhips!” 15 It was the will of the Lord God to bring about what he had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh. This is why the king did not pay any attention to the people.

16 (B)When the people saw that the king would not listen to them, they shouted, “Down with David and his family! What have they ever done for us? People of Israel, let's go home! Let Rehoboam look out for himself!”

So the people of Israel rebelled, 17 leaving Rehoboam as king only of the people who lived in the territory of Judah.

18 Then King Rehoboam sent Adoniram, who was in charge of the forced labor, to go to the Israelites, but they stoned him to death. At this, Rehoboam hurriedly got in his chariot and escaped to Jerusalem. 19 Ever since that time the people of the northern kingdom of Israel have been in rebellion against the dynasty of David.