English Bible Presentation Sharing - 2-Chronicles Book, chapter 10, verse 9 in Erven Version

2 Chronicles 10 : 1 (ERVEN)

Jeroboam son of Nebat was still in Egypt where he had run away from Solomon. When he heard about Solomon's death, he returned to his city, Zeredah, in the hills of Ephraim. Rehoboam and all of the Israelites went to Shechem to make Rehoboam the king. The people said to Rehoboam,

2 Chronicles 10 : 2 (ERVEN)

2 Chronicles 10 : 3 (ERVEN)

2 Chronicles 10 : 4 (ERVEN)

"Your father forced us to work very hard. Now, make it easier for us. Stop the heavy work that your father forced us to do and we will serve you."

2 Chronicles 10 : 5 (ERVEN)

Rehoboam answered, "Come back to me in three days, and I will answer you." So the people left.

2 Chronicles 10 : 6 (ERVEN)

There were some older men who had helped Solomon make decisions when he was alive. So King Rehoboam asked these men what he should do. He said, "How do you think I should answer the people?"

2 Chronicles 10 : 7 (ERVEN)

They answered, "If you do what is good for the people, you will please them. If you speak kindly to them, they will always work for you."

2 Chronicles 10 : 8 (ERVEN)

But Rehoboam did not listen to the advice from the older men. He asked the young men who were his friends.

2 Chronicles 10 : 9 (ERVEN)

Rehoboam said, "The people said, 'Give us easier work than your father gave us.' How do you think I should answer them? What should I tell them?"

2 Chronicles 10 : 10 (ERVEN)

Then the young men who grew up with him answered, "Those people came to you and said, 'Your father forced us to work very hard. Now make our work easier.' So you should tell them, 'My little finger is stronger than my father's whole body.

2 Chronicles 10 : 11 (ERVEN)

My father forced you to work hard, but I will make you work much harder! My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with whips that have sharp metal tips.'"

2 Chronicles 10 : 12 (ERVEN)

Three days later, Jeroboam and all the people came back like Rehoboam had said.

2 Chronicles 10 : 13 (ERVEN)

King Rehoboam did not listen to the advice from the older men, and he was rude to the people.

2 Chronicles 10 : 14 (ERVEN)

He did what his friends told him to do and said, "My father forced you to work hard, but I will make you work much harder! My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with whips that have sharp metal tips."

2 Chronicles 10 : 15 (ERVEN)

So the king did not do what the people wanted. The Lord caused this to happen. He did this in order to keep the promise he made to Jeroboam son of Nebat when he sent Ahijah, the prophet from Shiloh, to speak to him.

2 Chronicles 10 : 16 (ERVEN)

The Israelites saw that the new king refused to listen to them, so they said to the king, "Are we part of David's family? No. Do we get any of Jesse's land? No. So Israel, let's go home and let David's son rule his own people!" So the Israelites went home.

2 Chronicles 10 : 17 (ERVEN)

But Rehoboam still ruled over the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah.

2 Chronicles 10 : 18 (ERVEN)

A man named Adoniram was one of the men who directed the workers. King Rehoboam sent Adoniram to talk to the people, but the Israelites threw stones at him until he died. King Rehoboam ran to his chariot and escaped to Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 10 : 19 (ERVEN)

So Israel rebelled against the family of David, and that is how things are even today.