9. He asked them, "What's your advice? How should I answer these people? They said to me, 'Make the load your father put on our shoulders lighter.' "
10. The young men who had grown up with him gave their answer. They replied, "The people have said to you, 'Your father put a heavy load on our shoulders. Make it lighter.' Tell them, 'My little finger is stronger than my father's legs.
11. My father put a heavy load on your shoulders. But I'll make it even heavier. My father beat you with whips. But I'll beat you with bigger whips.' "
12. Three days later Jeroboam and all of the people returned to Rehoboam. That's because the king had said, "Come back to me in three days."
13. The king answered them in a mean way. He didn't accept the advice of the elders.
14. Instead, he followed the advice of the young men. He said, "My father put a heavy load on your shoulders. But I'll make it even heavier. My father beat you with whips. But I'll beat you with bigger whips."
15. So the king didn't listen to the people. That's because God had planned it that way. What the Lord had said through Ahijah came true. Ahijah had spoken the Lord's message to Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. Ahijah was from Shiloh.
16. All of the people of Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them. So they answered the king. They said, "We don't have any share in David's royal family. We don't have any share in Jesse's son. People of Israel, let's go back to our homes. David's royal family, take care of your own kingdom!" So all of the people of Israel went home.
17. But Rehoboam still ruled over the Israelites who were living in the towns of Judah.