6 King Rehoboam aconsulted with the elders who had 1served his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, “How do you counsel me to answer this people?”

7 Then they spoke to him, saying, “aIf you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and 1grant them their petition, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.”

8 But he forsook the counsel of the elders which they had given him, and consulted with the young men who grew up with him 1and served him.

9 So he said to them, “What counsel do you give that we may answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?”

10 The young men who grew up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus you shall say to this people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, now you make it lighter for us!’ But you shall speak to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins!

11 ‘Whereas my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’ ”

12 Then Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day as the king had 1directed, saying, “aReturn to me on the third day.”

13 The king answered the people harshly, for he forsook the advice of the elders which they had 1given him,

14 and he spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, “aMy father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.”

15 So the king did not listen to the people; afor it was a turn of events from the Lord, bthat He might establish His word, which the Lord spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.