1 罗波安到示剑去， 因为全体以色列人都去了示剑， 要立他作王。 2 那时， 尼八的儿子耶罗波安， 因为逃避所罗门王， 住在埃及； 他一听见这事， 就从埃及回来。 3 他们派人去叫耶罗波安回来； 他就和全体以色列人来见罗波安， 对他说： 4 "你父亲使我们所负的轭甚重， 现在求你减轻你父亲加在我们身上的劳役和重轭， 我们就服事你。" 5 罗波安对他们说： "三天以后你们再来见我吧！ "众人就离去了。 6 罗波安王和一些在他父亲所罗门在世的时候， 侍立在所罗门面前的老人商议， 说： "你们有什么提议， 我好回复这班民众呢？" 7 他们对他说： "如果王善待人民， 使他们喜悦， 对他们说好话， 他们就必永远作你的仆人。" 8 王不接受这些老人的意见， 却去和那些同他一起长大， 侍立在他面前的年轻人商议， 9 问他们： "这人民对我说： 求你减轻你父亲加在我们身上的重轭吧。你们有什么提议， 我好回复他们呢？" 10 那些同他一起长大的年轻人对他说： "这人民对王说： ‘你父亲使我们所负的轭甚重， 现在求你减轻些吧。’王要这样对他们说： ‘我的小拇指比我父亲的腰还粗呢。 11 我父亲把重轭加在你们身上， 我必使你们负更重的轭； 我父亲用鞭打你们， 我却要用蝎子鞭责打你们。’" 12 耶罗波安和全体人民都遵照罗波安王所说"你们第三天再来见我"的话， 第三天来见罗波安。 13 罗波安王很严厉地回答他们。罗波安王不接受老人的意见， 14 却照着年轻人的主意对他们说： "我父亲使你们负重轭， 我必使你们负更重的轭； 我父亲用鞭子责打你们， 我却要用蝎子鞭责打你们。" 15 王不听从人民的要求， 这事原是出于 神， 为要实现耶和华借着示罗人亚希雅对尼八的儿子耶罗波安所说的话。 16 以色列人见王不听他们的要求， 就对王说： "我们和大卫有什么关系呢？我们和耶西的儿子并不相干。以色列人哪， 各回各家去吧， 大卫啊， 现在只顾你自己的家吧。"于是全体以色列人都回自己的家去了。 17 只有那些住在犹大众城镇的以色列人， 罗波安仍然作他们的王。 18 罗波安王差派了监管苦工的哈多兰到以色列人那里去， 以色列人就用石头把他打死了。罗波安王急忙上车， 逃回耶路撒冷去了。 19 这样， 以色列人背叛了大卫家， 直到今日。

1 And Rehoboam goeth to Shechem, for [to] Shechem have all Israel come to cause him to reign.2 And it cometh to pass, at Jeroboam son of Nebat`s -- who [is] in Egypt because he hath fled from the face of Solomon the king -- hearing, that Jeroboam turneth back out of Egypt;3 and they send and call for him, and Jeroboam cometh in, and all Israel, and speak unto Rehoboam, saying,4 `Thy father made our yoke sharp, and now, make light [somewhat] of the sharp service of thy father, and of his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we serve thee.`5 And he saith unto them, `Yet three days -- then return ye unto me;` and the people go.6 And king Rehoboam consulteth with the aged men who have been standing before Solomon his father in his being alive, saying, `How are ye counselling to answer this people?`7 And they speak unto him, saying, `If thou dost become good to this people, and hast been pleased with them, and spoken unto them good words, then they have been to thee servants all the days.`8 And he forsaketh the counsel of the aged men that they counselled him, and consulteth with the lads who have grown up with him, those standing before him,9 and he saith unto them, `What are ye counselling, and we answer this people that have spoken unto me, saying, Make light [somewhat] of the yoke that thy father put upon us?`10 And the lads who have grown up with him, speak with him, saying, `Thus dost thou say to the people who have spoken unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, and thou, make light [somewhat] of our yoke; thus dost thou say unto them, My little finger is thicker than the loins of my father;11 and now, my father laid on you a heavy yoke, and I -- I add unto your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, and I -- with scorpions.`12 And Jeroboam cometh in, and all the people, unto Rehoboam on the third day, as the king spake, saying, `Return unto me on the third day.`13 And the king answereth them sharply, and king Rehoboam forsaketh the counsel of the aged men,14 and speaketh unto them according to the counsel of the lads, saying, `My father made your yoke heavy, and I -- I add unto it; my father chastised you with whips, and I -- with scorpions.`15 And the king hath not hearkened unto the people, for the revolution hath been from God, for the sake of Jehovah`s establishing His word that He spake by the hand of Abijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam son of Nebat.16 And all Israel have seen that the king hath not hearkened to them, and the people send back [to] the king, saying, `What portion have we in David? yea, there is no inheritance in a son of Jesse; each to thy tents, O Israel; now, see thy house -- David,` and all Israel go to their tents.17 As to the sons of Israel who are dwelling in the cities of Judah -- Rehoboam reigneth over them.18 And king Rehoboam sendeth Hadoram, who [is] over the tribute, and the sons of Israel cast at him stones, and he dieth; and king Rehoboam hath strengthened himself to go up into a chariot to flee to Jerusalem;19 and Israel transgress against the house of David unto this day.