Chronicles On King Rehoboam

When the sound advice of the elders is disregarded, dire are the consequences.

But above it, G-d is behind it all.

“King Rehoboam”

“Jeroboam Confronts The New King”

“Advice Of The Elders Is Set Aside”

“The Counsel Of The Youth Is Used”

“Rebellion”

Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all of Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.
10:1
“Your father made our yoke [of taxation] difficult; now, you alleviate your father’s difficult workload and his heavy yoke that he placed upon us, and we will serve you.”
:4
King Rehoboam took counsel with the elders, who had stood before his father Solomon while he was alive, saying, “How would you advise what word to respond to this people?”
:6
But he ignored the advice of the elders who had counseled him, and he took counsel with the youths who had grown up with him, who ministered before him.
:8
The young me who had grown up with him spoke with him, saying, “This is what you should say to the people who have spoken to you, …
:10
So now, my father saddled you with a heavy yoke; I shall add to your yoke! My father chastised you with sticks; and I — with scorpions!’”
:11
The king responded harshly to them; King Rehoboam ignored the advice of the elders.
:13
He spoke to them according to the counsel of the youths, …
:14
The king did not listen to the people, for it was caused by God, in order that Hashem should fulfill His word that He had spoken through the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.
:15
Thus Israel rebelled against the House of David, to this day.
:19

1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.
2 And it was when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of this, and he was in Egypt where he had fled from the presence of King Solomon, that Jeroboam returned from Egypt.
3 And they sent and called him, and Jeroboam came, and all Israel, and they spoke to Rehoboam, saying:
4 “Your father made our yoke hard, and now, lighten your father’s hard work and his heavy yoke that he placed upon us, and we shall serve you.”
5 And he said to them, “Another three days, and return to me,” and the people departed.
6 And King Rehoboam conferred with the elders who had stood before Solomon his father when he was alive, saying, “How do you advise to reply to this people?”
7 And they spoke to him saying, “If you will be kind to this people, and you will appease them and speak to them good words, they will be your servants for all times.”
8 But he disregarded the counsel of the elders, which they advised him, and he conferred with the youths who had grown up with him, who were standing before him.
9 And he said to them, “What do you advise that we reply to this people, who spoke to me, saying: Lighten the yoke that your father placed upon us?”
10 And the youths who had grown up with him spoke to him saying, “So shall you say to the people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, and you lighten it from upon us’; so shall you say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins.
11 And now, where my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I shall add to your yoke. My father flogged you with whips, but I [shall do so] with scorpions.’ “
12 And Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had spoken, saying, “Return to me on the third day.”
13 And the king answered them harshly, and King Rehoboam disregarded the counsel of the elders.
14 And he spoke to them according to the counsel of the youths, saying, “[My father] made your yoke heavy, and I shall add to it; my father flogged you with whips, but I [shall do so] with scorpions.”
15 And the king did not heed the people because it was brought about by God, so that the Lord might establish His word that He spoke by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
16 And all Israel [saw] that the king had not heeded them, and the people replied to the king, saying, “What share do we have in David? And no heritage in Jesse’s son. Each man, to your homes, O Israel! Now see your house, David!” And all Israel went to their homes.
17 But the Children of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah-Rehoboam reigned over them.
18 And King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was appointed over the tax, and the Children of Israel pelted him with stones and he died, and King Rehoboam exerted himself to get up into his chariot to flee to Jerusalem.
19 And the Israelites rebelled against the house of David until this day.