1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem; for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.2 And it came to pass when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard it (now he was in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of king Solomon) that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.3 And they sent and called him; and Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam saying,4 Thy father made our yoke grievous; and now lighten the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.5 And he said to them, Come again to me after three days. And the people departed.6 And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, How do ye advise to return answer to this people?7 And they spoke to him saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever.8 But he forsook the advice of the old men which they had given him, and consulted with the young men, who had grown up with him, that stood before him.9 And he said to them, What advice give ye that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me saying, Lighten the yoke which thy father put upon us?10 And the young men that had grown up with him spoke to him saying, Thus shalt thou say to the people who have spoken to thee saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, and lighten thou it for us, -thus shalt thou say to them: My little {finger} is thicker than my father's loins;11 and whereas my father laid a heavy yoke upon you, *I* will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but *I* {will chastise you} with scorpions.12 And Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed saying, Come again to me on the third day.13 And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the advice of the old men,14 and 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 chastised you with whips, but *I* {will chastise you} with scorpions.15 So the king hearkened not to the people; for it was brought about by God, that Jehovah might give effect to his word, which he spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.16 And all Israel saw that the king hearkened not to them; and the people answered the king saying, What portion have we in David? and {we have} no inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel. Now see to thine own house, David! And all Israel went to their tents.17 But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.18 And king Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was over the levy; but the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. And king Rehoboam hastened to mount his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.19 And Israel rebelled against the house of David, unto this day.

1 En Reh beam het na Sigem gegaan, want die hele Israel het na Sigem gekom om hom koning te maak.2 En net toe Jerobeam, die seun van Nebat, dit hoor -- hy was in Egipte waarheen hy vir koning Salomo weggevlug het -- het Jerobeam uit Egipte teruggekom.3 En hulle het gestuur en hom laat roep. Toe kom Jerobeam met die hele Israel, en hulle het Reh beam toegespreek en gesê:4 U vader het ons juk hard gemaak; maak u dan nou die harde diens van u vader en sy swaar juk wat hy ons opgelê het, ligter; dan sal ons u dien.5 En hy sê vir hulle: Kom oor drie dae na my terug. En die volk het gegaan.6 Daarop hou koning Reh beam raad met die oudstes wat voor sy vader Salomo gedurende sy lewe gestaan het, en hy vra: Wat raai u aan om hierdie volk te antwoord?7 En hulle het met hom gespreek en gesê: As u vir hierdie volk goed is en hulle behaag en hulle met vriendelike woorde toespreek, sal hulle altyd u dienaars wees.8 Maar hy het die raad van die oudstes wat hulle hom gegee het, in die wind geslaan en raad gehou met die jongmanne wat saam met hom grootgeword en in sy diens gestaan het.9 En hy vra hulle: Wat raai julle aan dat ons hierdie volk sal antwoord wat my toegespreek en gesê het: Maak die juk wat u vader ons opgelê het, ligter?10 En die jongmanne wat saam met hom grootgeword het, antwoord hom en sê: So moet u die volk antwoord wat met u gespreek en gesê het: U vader het ons juk swaar gemaak, maar maak u dit ligter oor ons -- so moet u hulle antwoord: My pinkie is dikker as my vader se lendene.11 Het my vader dan nou 'n swaar juk op julle gelaai -- ,k sal by julle juk nog byvoeg; het my vader julle met die sweep getugtig -- ,k sal julle met g,sels tugtig.12 Toe Jerobeam en die hele volk dan op die derde dag by Reh beam kom soos die koning gespreek en gesê het: Kom na my terug op die derde dag --13 het die koning hulle 'n harde antwoord gegee; koning Reh beam het die raad van die oudstes in die wind geslaan14 en met hulle gespreek volgens die raad van die jongmanne en gesê: Het my vader julle juk swaar gemaak -- ,k sal daar nog byvoeg; het my vader julle met die sweep getugtig -- ,k sal julle met g,sels tugtig.15 So het die koning dan nie na die volk geluister nie, want dit was 'n beskikking van God, sodat die HERE sy woord sou vervul wat Hy gespreek het deur die diens van Ah¡a, die Siloniet, tot Jerobeam, die seun van Nebat.16 Toe die hele Israel sien dat die koning nie na hulle luister nie, het die volk die koning geantwoord en gesê: Watter aandeel het ons aan Dawid? En daar is geen erfdeel aan die seun van Isai nie! Elkeen na sy tente toe, Israel! Sorg vir jou eie huis, Dawid! Daarop het die hele Israel na sy tente gegaan.17 Maar oor die kinders van Israel wat in die stede van Juda gewoon het, oor hulle was Reh beam koning.18 Toe stuur koning Reh beam Hadoram wat oor die dwangarbeid was, maar die kinders van Israel het hom gestenig, sodat hy gesterf het, en koning Reh beam het hom geweer om op 'n wa te klim, om na Jerusalem te vlug.19 So het die Israeliete dan afvallig geword van die huis van Dawid tot vandag toe.