1 Kings 12:4-11 ▼

4 “Your father made heavy our yoke, and you now, lighten the burdensome service of your father and his heavy yoke that he put on us—and we will serve you.”

5 And he said to them, “Depart yet for three days, and come back to me.” And the people departed.

6 And King Rehoboam counseled with the elders who had been standing before Solomon his father while he still lived, and he said, “How do you⁺ counsel me to return an answer to this people?”

7 And they spoke to him, saying, “If today you will be a servant to this people, and serve them and answer them, and speak to them good words, then they will be servants to you all the days.”

8 And he rejected the counsel of the elders that they counseled him, and he counseled with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before his face.

9 And he said to them, “What do you⁺ counsel that we should return as an answer to this people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten of the yoke that your father put on us’?”

10 And spoke to him the young men who had grown up with him, saying, “Thus you should speak to this people who have spoken to you, saying, ‘Your father made heavy our yoke, and you make it lighter on us.’ Thus you shall say to them: ‘My little finger is thicker than the loins of my father.

11 And now my father put on you⁺ a heavy yoke, and I will add to your⁺ yoke. My father scourged you⁺ with whips, and I will scourge you⁺ with scorpions.’”