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2 Chronicles 10
Legacy Standard Bible
2 Chronicles 10
Legacy Standard Bible
Rehoboam’s Foolish Reign
10 (A)Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. 2 And it happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for (B)he was in Egypt where he had fled from the presence of King Solomon), Jeroboam returned from Egypt. 3 Then they sent and called for him. And Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 4 “Your father made our (C)yoke harsh; but now, lighten the harsh service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.” 5 Then he said to them, “Return to me again in three days.” So the people went away.
6 Then King Rehoboam (D)took counsel with the elders who had [a]stood before his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, “How do you counsel me to respond to this people?” 7 And they spoke to him, saying, “If you will be good to this people and please them and (E)speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.” 8 But he (F)forsook the counsel of the elders which they had counseled him, and took counsel with the young men who grew up with him and [b]stood before him. 9 So he said to them, “What counsel do you give that we may respond to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?” 10 Then the young men who grew up with him spoke with him, saying, “Thus you shall say to the people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter for us.’ Thus you shall say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins! 11 So now my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’”
12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day as the king had spoken, saying, “Return to me on the third day.” 13 And the king answered them harshly, and King Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the elders, 14 and he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “[c]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.” 15 So the king did not listen to the people, (G)for it was a turn of events from God, (H)that Yahweh might establish His word, which He spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
16 Now all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them. So the people responded to the king, saying,
“(I)What portion do we have in David?
We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse.
Every man to your tents, O Israel;
Now see to your own house, David.”
(J)So all Israel went to their tents. 17 But as for the sons of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. 18 Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was (K)over the forced labor, and the sons of Israel [d]stoned him and he died. And King Rehoboam made haste to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. 19 So (L)Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 10:6 Or served
- 2 Chronicles 10:8 Or served
- 2 Chronicles 10:14 Many mss I have made
- 2 Chronicles 10:18 Lit stoned with stones
2 Chronicles 10
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
2 Chronicles 10
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
II. The Post-Solomonic Monarchy of Judah
Chapter 10
Division of the Kingdom. 1 (A)Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all Israel[a] had come to make him king. 2 When Jeroboam, son of Nebat, heard about it, he was in Egypt where he had fled from King Solomon; and he returned from Egypt. 3 They sent for him; Jeroboam and all Israel came and said to Rehoboam: 4 “Your father put on us a heavy yoke. If you now lighten the harsh servitude and the heavy yoke your father imposed on us, we will be your servants.” 5 He answered them, “Come back to me in three days,” and the people went away.
6 King Rehoboam asked advice of the elders who had been in his father Solomon’s service while he was still alive, and asked, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” 7 They replied, “If you will deal kindly with this people and please them, giving them a favorable reply, they will be your servants forever.” 8 But he ignored the advice the elders had given him and asked advice of the young men who had grown up with him and were in his service. 9 He said to them, “What answer do you advise us to give this people, who have told me, ‘Lighten the yoke your father imposed on us’?” 10 The young men who had grown up with him replied: “This is what you must say to this people who have told you, ‘Your father laid a heavy yoke on us; lighten it for us.’ You must say, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins. 11 My father put a heavy yoke on you; I will make it heavier. My father beat you with whips; I will use scorpions!’”
12 On the third day, Jeroboam and the whole people came back to King Rehoboam as the king had instructed them: “Come back to me in three days.” 13 Ignoring the advice the elders had given him, King Rehoboam gave the people a harsh answer. 14 He spoke to them as the young men had advised: “My father laid a heavy yoke on you; I will make it heavier. My father beat you with whips; I will use scorpions.” 15 The king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from God: the Lord fulfilled the word he had spoken through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam, the son of Nebat.(B)
16 (C)When all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king:
“What share have we in David?
We have no heritage in the son of Jesse.
Everyone to your tents, Israel!
Now look to your own house, David!”
So all Israel went off to their tents, 17 but the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah had Rehoboam as their king. 18 King Rehoboam then sent out Hadoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, but the Israelites stoned him to death. King Rehoboam, however, managed to mount his chariot and flee to Jerusalem. 19 And so Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.
Footnotes
- 10:1 All Israel: as in the source (1 Kgs 12:1), this term designates the northern tribes, as distinct from Judah and Benjamin. Elsewhere the Chronicler, writing on his own, speaks comprehensively of “those Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah” (10:17), and “all the Israelites [lit., all Israel] in Judah and Benjamin” (11:3).
2 Chronicles 10
New International Version
2 Chronicles 10
New International Version
Israel Rebels Against Rehoboam(A)
10 Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king. 2 When Jeroboam(B) son of Nebat heard this (he was in Egypt, where he had fled(C) from King Solomon), he returned from Egypt. 3 So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and all Israel(D) went to Rehoboam and said to him: 4 “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.”
5 Rehoboam answered, “Come back to me in three days.” So the people went away.
6 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.
7 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.”
8 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. 9 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
- 2 Chronicles 10:18 Hebrew Hadoram, a variant of Adoniram
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