2 Chronicles 10

1 Then Rehoboam [a king of Judah, son of Solomon] went [to walk, to move from one place to another] to Shechem [a city in Palestine], for [because, showing cause] all [every single one, the entirety of] Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] had gone [come, approached] there [to that specific place] to make him [to cause him to reign, to establish as king] king [a ruler, one with sovereign power]. word study 2 When Jeroboam [the son of Nebat, who had fled] son of Nebat heard about this [the news, the report], he returned [to his homeland, turned back] from Egypt [the land of the Nile, a place of refuge], where he had fled [run away, escaped] from King Solomon [the ruler of Israel, the son of David]. word study 3 So they sent [called out to, summoned] for Jeroboam [the people will contend], and he and all [everything, every person] Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] came [approached, entered] to Rehoboam [the king of Judah, son of Solomon] and said [spoke, communicated, to say], word study 4 “Your father [the one who preceded you, Solomon] put a heavy [severe, grievous] yoke [a wooden beam] on us. But now [at this time, in this moment] you should lighten [make easier, alleviate] the burden [the weight, the load] of your father’s [your predecessor’s] service [work, labor] and the heavy [oppressive, harsh] yoke he put on us, and we will serve [work for, obey] you.” word study 5 Rehoboam answered [to say, to speak], “Come back [return, turn back] to me in [after, following] three [a quantity of three, thrice] days [a period of time, a literal 24-hour period].” So the people [a nation, a group of individuals] departed [went away, left]. word study 6 Then King [ruler, monarch] Rehoboam consulted [sought advice, took counsel] with the elders [old men, seasoned advisors] who had served [stood before, attended] his father [parent, ancestor] Solomon during his lifetime [while he was still alive, in his presence]. “How [in what way, by what means] do you advise [counsel, guide] me to respond [return answer, give reply] to these people [this nation, crowd]?” he asked [said, spoke]. word study 7 They replied, “If [under this condition, provided that] you will be kind [treat with goodness, show favor] to these people [this nation, the Amaw] and please [satisfy, be acceptable to] them by speaking [communicating, uttering] kind [good, pleasant] words [things, matters] to them, they will be your servants [slaves, attendants] forever [all the days, throughout their lives].” word study 8 But Rehoboam rejected [forsaking, abandoned] the advice [counsel, guidance] of the elders [old men, wise ones]; instead, he consulted [sought advice from] the young men [youth, those who had grown up with him] who had grown up [been raised, magnified] with him and served [stood before, attended] him. word study 9 He asked them, “What [counsel or guidance] message do you advise [suggest or recommend] that we send back [return or respond] to these people [the nation or crowd] who have spoken [said or declared] to me, saying, ‘Lighten [make easier or reduce] the yoke [burden or weight] your father [parent or ancestor] put on us’?” word study 10 The young men [youth, those who had grown up with him] who had grown up with him replied, “This is how you should answer these people who said to you, ‘Your father [the one who preceded you, your ancestor] made our yoke [burden, load] heavy, but you should make it lighter [ease our burden, reduce the load].’ This is what you should tell them: ‘My little finger [smallest digit, weakest part] is thicker [more substantial, stronger] than my father’s waist [loins, innermost being]! word study 11 Whereas my father [who came before me] burdened you with a heavy [severe, oppressive] yoke, I will add [increase, intensify] to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged [chastised, disciplined] you with whips [rods, lashings], I will scourge [correct, punish] you with scorpions.’” word study 12 After three [a period of seventy-two hours, a short time] days, Jeroboam [the people will contend, a king of Israel] and all [every single one, the entire nation] the people returned [to turn back, to come again] to Rehoboam [a king of Judah, son of Solomon], since the king [a ruler, a monarch] had said, “Come back [to return, to turn back] to me on the third [the next, following two days] day.” word study 13 And the king [ruler, monarch] answered them [roughly, sharply] harshly. King Rehoboam [son of Solomon, king of Judah] rejected [forsaking, abandoning, forsook] the advice [counsel, plan, wisdom] of the elders [old men, aged men, wise ones] word study 14 and spoke [to communicate, as in God speaking to Moses] to them as the young men [youth, like a child or teenager] had advised, saying, “Whereas my father [parent, ancestor] made your yoke [a wooden beam, heavy burden] heavy [weighty, oppressive], I will add [increase, do more] to your yoke [burden, load]. Whereas my father [ancestor, predecessor] scourged [chastised, punished] you with whips [scourges, lashes], I will scourge [discipline, correct] you with scorpions.” word study 15 So the king [did not give ear, hearkened not] did not listen to the people, and indeed this turn [change, revolution] of events was from [with, by the hand of] God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler], in order that the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] might fulfill [establish, perform] the word [promise, declaration] that He had spoken [declared, proclaimed] through [by the hand of, by means of] Ahijah [brother of Jehovah, a prophet] the Shilonite [a person from Shiloh, a city of rest] to Jeroboam [the people will contend, a king of Israel] son of Nebat [an Ephraimite, a father of a king]. word study 16 When all [every single one, the entire nation] Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] saw that the king [the ruler, the monarch] had refused [would not, declined] to listen [to hear, to obey] to them, they answered [responded, spoke back] the king: “What portion [share, inheritance] do we have in David [the king of Israel], and what inheritance [legacy, heritage] in the son [descendant, offspring] of Jesse [the father of David, a member of the tribe of Judah]? To your tents [homes, dwellings], O Israel [the people of God, the nation]! Look now [at this time, presently] to your own house [family, kingdom], O David [the king, the ruler]!” So all [every single one, the entire nation] the Israelites [the people of Israel, the descendants of Jacob] went home [to their tents, to their dwellings], word study 17 but Rehoboam [the son of Solomon, a king of Judah] still reigned [ruled as king, had dominion] over the Israelites [descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] living [dwelling, residing] in the cities [towns, populated areas] of Judah [the southern kingdom, a region of Israel]. word study 18 Then King [ruler, monarch] Rehoboam sent out Hadoram, who was in charge of the forced labor [taskwork, tribute], but the Israelites [sons of Israel, descendants of Jacob] stoned him to death [killed him with stones, executed him]. And King Rehoboam mounted his chariot [vehicle, means of escape] in haste [quickly, urgently] and escaped [fled, made a swift departure] to Jerusalem [city of peace, capital of Judah]. word study 19 So to this [specific, particular] day Israel [the descendants of Jacob] has been in rebellion [turned away, revolted] against the house [family, dynasty] of David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel]. word study