Rehoboams Great Mistake

When Solomon died, Rehoboam his son ruled after him. As soon as

Jeroboam, who was still in Egypt, heard that Solomon had died, he

returned at once to his home town, Zeredah in Mount Ephraim.



Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all the Israelites had come to Shechem to

make him ruler. But they said to Rehoboam, "Your father laid a heavy

yoke upon us. Now make the hard service of your father and the heavy

yoke th t he laid upon us lighter, and we will serve you." He said to

them, "Go away for three days; then come again to me." So the people

went away.



Then Rehoboam asked advice from the old men who had been in the service

of Solomon his father during his lifetime and inquired, "What answer do

you advise me to give this people?" They said to him, "If now you will

serve this people and give them a favorable answer, then they will be

your servants forever."



But he rejected the advice which the old men had given him and asked the

young men who had grown up with him and had been in his service. And he

said to them, "What answer do you advise that we give to this people

who have said to me, 'Make the yoke that your father laid upon us

lighter'?" The young men who had grown up with him said to him, "Make

this answer to them: 'My little finger is thicker than my father's

loins! While my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, I will make your

yoke heavier; my father punished you with whips, but I will punish you

with scourges.'"



So when all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as he had

directed, he answered the people harshly and did not follow the advice

which the old men had given him, but spoke to them as the young men had

advised, saying, "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will make your

yoke still heavier; my father punished you with whips, but I will punish

you with scourges." So Rehoboam paid no attention to the demand of the

people.



When all Israel saw that he paid no attention to their demand they gave

him this answer: "What interest have we in David? We have nothing in

common with the son of Jesse! To your tents, O Israel! Now look out for

your house, O David!"



So the Israelites went to their homes.



Then Rehoboam sent to them Adoniram, who was over the men who did forced

labor. But when all the Israelites stoned him to death, Rehoboam quickly

mounted his chariot and fled to Jerusalem. So Israel has refused to obey

the house of David to the present day.



As soon as all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and

called him to the assembly of the people and made him ruler over all

Israel. None remained loyal to the house of David except the tribe of

Judah.