After the death of Solomon, Rehoboam went to Chechen, for all of Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. When Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it(for he was still in Egypt, whither he had fled from King Solomon), then Jeroboam returned from Egypt.

They sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam, your father made our yoke heavy. Now, therefore, lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke upon us, and we will serve you. He said to them, depart for three days, then come again to me. So the people went away.

Then king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, how do you advise me to answer these people?

They said to him if you will be a servant to these people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servant forever.

But he forsook the counsel that the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him. He said to them, what do you advise that we answer these people who have said to me, lighten the yoke that your father put upon us?

The young men who had grown up with him said to him, thus shall you speak to these people who said to you, your father made our yoke heavy, but do you lighten it for us; thus shall you say to them, my little finger is thicker than my father loins. And now, whereas my father laid upon you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke.

My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king said, come to me again the third day, come to me again the third day.

The King answered the people harshly, and forsaking the counsel that the old men had given him, he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, my father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

The King did not hearken to the people; for it was a turn of affairs brought about by the lord that he might fulfill his word, which the lord spoke by Ahijah the shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

When all of Israel saw that the king did not hearken to them, the people answered The king,
What portion have we in David?

We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, o Israel!
Look now to your own house, David. So Israel departed to their tents. But Rehoboam reigned over the people of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah.

Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was the taskmaster over the forced labor, and all of Israel stoned him to death with stones. King Rehoboam made haste to mount his chariots, to flee to Jerusalem. So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.

When all of Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all of Israel. None followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled all the houses of Judah, and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eight thousand chosen warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God:

Say to Jeroboam the son of Solomon, King of Judah, and all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and the rest of the people, this says the lord, you shall not go up or fight against your kinsmen the people of Israel.

Return every man to his home, for this thing is from me. So they hearken to the word of the lord, and went home again, according to the word of the lord.

Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and dwelt there, and he went out from there and built Penuel.

Thanks for being with us.
May the good lord bless us and give us strength always.