1 Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all the Israelites had gone to make him king.
2 Jeroboam son of Nebat was in Egypt, where he had gone to escape from King Solomon. When Jeroboam heard about Rehoboam being made king, he returned from Egypt.
3 After the people sent for him, he and the people went to Rehoboam and said to him,
4 “Your father forced us to work very hard. Now, make it easier for us, and don’t make us work as he did. Then we will serve you.”
5 Rehoboam answered, “Come back to me in three days.” So the people left.
6 King Rehoboam asked the elders who had advised Solomon during his lifetime, “How do you think I should answer these people?”
7 They answered, “Be kind to these people. If you please them and give them a kind answer, they will serve you always.”