14. He spoke to them as the young men advised. He said, “If my father made your burden heavy, I will add to it. If my father punished you with whips, I will punish you with scorpions.”
15. The king refused to listen to the people because the Lord was directing these events to carry out the promise he had made to Jer o boam (Nebat’s son) through Ahijah from Shiloh.
16. When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, the people answered the king,“What share do we have in David’s kingdom?We won’t receive an inheritance from Jesse’s son.To your own tents, Israel!Now look after your own house, David!”So Israel went home to their own tents.
17. But Rehoboam ruled the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah.
18. Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram to Israel. He was in charge of forced labor, but they stoned him to death. So King Rehoboam got on his chariot as fast as he could and fled to Jerusalem.