1 Kings 12:6-15

6Then King Rehoboam went to talk to the older advisors who had served his father Solomon. He asked them, ‘What answer should I give to these people?’

7The old men said to him, ‘If you agree to help these people today, they will always serve you as their king. So do what they are asking you to do.’

8But Rehoboam did not agree with their advice. Instead he talked to some younger men. They had been his friends since they were young and now they were his advisors.

9He asked them, ‘What do you think that I should say to these people? They want me to make their work easier.’

10Rehoboam's young advisors said, ‘Those people said to you, “Your father made us work too hard. Please make our work easier.” You should tell them, “Even my little finger is thicker than my father's whole body!

11My father made you work hard. I will make you work even harder! My father punished you with little whips. I will punish you with whips that bite your skin!” ’

12Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam after three days. That was because the king had said, ‘Return to me in three days.’

13King Rehoboam spoke cruel words to the people. He did not agree to say what the older men had told him to say.

14Instead, he did what the young men had suggested. He said to the people, ‘My father gave you work that was too hard for you. I will make it even worse! My father punished you with little whips. I will punish you with whips that bite!’

15So the king did not agree to do what the people wanted him to do. It was the Lord who caused this to happen. He had already given his message about this to Nebat's son Jeroboam. The prophet Ahijah who came from Shiloh had spoken the Lord's message to Jeroboam.