2 Chronicles 10 (Divrei HaYamim Bet) in Hebrew and English
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Text (469) 608-99442 Chronicles, Chapter 10
At Shechem Yarov’am and all Israel ask Rechav’am to lighten the heavy yoke his father laid on them; he forsakes the counsel of the old men for that of the young men and answers them roughly, so Israel goes to its tents, stones Hadoram and rebels against the house of David.
10:1And Rechav’am (Rehoboam) went to Shechem: for to Shechem were all Israel come to make him king.
אוַיֵּ֥לֶךְ רְחַבְעָ֖ם שְׁכֶ֑מָה כִּ֥י שְׁכֶ֛ם בָּ֥אוּ כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְהַמְלִ֥יךְ אֹתֽוֹ׃
10:2And it came to pass, when Yarov’am (Jeroboam) the son of Nevat (Nebat), who was in Mitzrayim (Egypt), whither he had fled from the presence of Shlomo (Solomon) the king, heard it, that Yarov’am returned out of Mitzrayim.
בוַיְהִ֞י כִּשְׁמֹ֨עַ יָרָבְעָ֤ם בֶּן־נְבָט֙ וְה֣וּא בְמִצְרַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּרַ֔ח מִפְּנֵ֖י שְׁלֹמֹ֣ה הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיָּ֥שָׁב יָרָבְעָ֖ם מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃
10:3And they sent and called him. So Yarov’am and all Israel came and spoke to Rechav’am, saying,
גוַֽיִּשְׁלְחוּ֙ וַיִּקְרְאוּ־ל֔וֹ וַיָּבֹ֥א יָרָבְעָ֖ם וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַֽיְדַבְּר֔וּ אֶל־רְחַבְעָ֖ם לֵאמֹֽר׃
10:4“Your father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease you somewhat the grievous servitude of your father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve you.”
דאָבִ֖יךָ הִקְשָׁ֣ה אֶת־עֻלֵּ֑נוּ וְעַתָּ֡ה הָקֵל֩ מֵעֲבֹדַ֨ת אָבִ֜יךָ הַקָּשָׁ֗ה וּמֵעֻלּ֧וֹ הַכָּבֵ֛ד אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן עָלֵ֖ינוּ וְנַֽעַבְדֶֽךָּ׃
10:5And he said unto them, “Come again unto me after three days.” And the people departed.
הוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם ע֛וֹד שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת יָמִ֖ים וְשׁ֣וּבוּ אֵלָ֑י וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ הָעָֽם׃
10:6And king Rechav’am took counsel with the old men that had stood before Shlomo his father while he yet lived, saying, “What counsel give you me to return answer to this people?”
ווַיִּוָּעַ֞ץ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ רְחַבְעָ֗ם אֶת־הַזְּקֵנִים֙ אֲשֶׁר־הָי֣וּ עֹֽמְדִ֗ים לִפְנֵי֙ שְׁלֹמֹ֣ה אָבִ֔יו בִּֽהְיֹת֥וֹ חַ֖י לֵאמֹ֑ר אֵ֚יךְ אַתֶּ֣ם נֽוֹעָצִ֔ים לְהָשִׁ֥יב לָֽעָם־הַזֶּ֖ה דָּבָֽר׃
10:7And they spoke unto him, saying, “If you are kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be your servants for ever.”
זוַיְדַבְּר֨וּ אֵלָ֜יו לֵאמֹ֗ר אִם־תִּֽהְיֶ֨ה לְט֜וֹב לְהָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ וּרְצִיתָ֔ם וְדִבַּרְתָּ֥ אֲלֵהֶ֖ם דְּבָרִ֣ים טוֹבִ֑ים וְהָי֥וּ לְךָ֛ עֲבָדִ֖ים כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃
10:8But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him.
חוַֽיַּעֲזֹ֛ב אֶת־עֲצַ֥ת הַזְּקֵנִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְעָצֻ֑הוּ וַיִּוָּעַ֗ץ אֶת־הַיְלָדִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר גָּדְל֣וּ אִתּ֔וֹ הָעֹמְדִ֖ים לְפָנָֽיו׃
10:9And he said unto them, “What advice give you that we may return answer to this people, which have spoken to me, saying, ‘Ease somewhat the yoke that your father did put upon us’?”
טוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם מָ֚ה אַתֶּ֣ם נֽוֹעָצִ֔ים וְנָשִׁ֥יב דָּבָ֖ר אֶת־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבְּר֤וּ אֵלַי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הָקֵל֙ מִן־הָעֹ֔ל אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן אָבִ֖יךָ עָלֵֽינוּ׃
10:10And the young men that were brought up with him spoke unto him, saying, “Thus shall you answer the people that spoke unto you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but make you it somewhat lighter for us’; thus shall you say unto them, ‘My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins.
יוַיְדַבְּר֣וּ אִתּ֗וֹ הַיְלָדִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר גָּדְל֣וּ אִתּוֹ֮ לֵאמֹר֒ כֹּֽה־תֹאמַ֡ר לָעָם֩ אֲשֶׁר־דִּבְּר֨וּ אֵלֶ֜יךָ לֵאמֹ֗ר אָבִ֨יךָ֙ הִכְבִּ֣יד אֶת־עֻלֵּ֔נוּ וְאַתָּ֖ה הָקֵ֣ל מֵעָלֵ֑ינוּ כֹּ֚ה תֹּאמַ֣ר אֲלֵהֶ֔ם קָֽטָנִּ֥י עָבָ֖ה מִמָּתְנֵ֥י אָבִֽי׃
10:11For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.’”
יאוְעַתָּ֗ה אָבִי֙ הֶעְמִ֤יס עֲלֵיכֶם֙ עֹ֣ל כָּבֵ֔ד וַאֲנִ֖י אֹסִ֣יף עַֽל־עֻלְּכֶ֑ם אָבִ֗י יִסַּ֤ר אֶתְכֶם֙ בַּשּׁוֹטִ֔ים וַאֲנִ֖י בָּֽעֲקְרַבִּֽים׃
10:12So Yarov’am and all the people came to Rechav’am on the third day, as the king bade, saying, “Come again to me on the third day.”
יבוַיָּבֹ֨א יָרָבְעָ֧ם וְכָל־הָעָ֛ם אֶל־רְחַבְעָ֖ם בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִשִׁ֑י כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר שׁ֥וּבוּ אֵלַ֖י בַּיּ֥וֹם הַשְּׁלִשִֽׁי׃
10:13And the king answered them roughly; and king Rechav’am forsook the counsel of the old men,
יגוַיַּעֲנֵ֥ם הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ קָשָׁ֑ה וַֽיַּעֲזֹב֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ רְחַבְעָ֔ם אֵ֖ת עֲצַ֥ת הַזְּקֵנִֽים׃
10:14And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.”
ידוַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם כַּעֲצַ֤ת הַיְלָדִים֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אַכְבִּיד֙ אֶֽת־עֻלְּכֶ֔ם וַאֲנִ֖י אֹסִ֣יף עָלָ֑יו אָבִ֗י יִסַּ֤ר אֶתְכֶם֙ בַּשּׁוֹטִ֔ים וַאֲנִ֖י בָּעֲקְרַבִּֽים׃
10:15So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that Hashem might perform His word, which He spoke by the hand of Achiyahu (Ahijah) the Shiloni (Shilonite) to Yarov’am the son of Nevat.
טווְלֹֽא־שָׁמַ֥ע הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֶל־הָעָ֑ם כִּֽי־הָיְתָ֤ה נְסִבָּה֙ מֵעִ֣ם הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים לְמַעַן֩ הָקִ֨ים יְהוָ֜ה אֶת־דְּבָר֗וֹ אֲשֶׁ֤ר דִּבֶּר֙ בְּיַד֙ אֲחִיָּ֣הוּ הַשִּֽׁלוֹנִ֔י אֶל־יָרָבְעָ֖ם בֶּן־נְבָֽט׃
10:16And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, “What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son of Yishai (Jesse): every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to your own house.” So all Israel went to their tents.
טזוְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כִּ֠י לֹא־שָׁמַ֣ע הַמֶּלֶךְ֮ לָהֶם֒ וַיָּשִׁ֣יבוּ הָעָ֣ם אֶת־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ ׀ לֵאמֹ֡ר מַה־לָּנוּ֩ חֵ֨לֶק בְּדָוִ֜יד וְלֹֽא־נַחֲלָ֣ה בְּבֶן־יִשַׁ֗י אִ֤ישׁ לְאֹהָלֶ֨יךָ֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַתָּ֕ה רְאֵ֥ה בֵיתְךָ֖ דָּוִ֑יד וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְאֹהָלָֽיו׃
10:17But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Yehudah (Judah), Rechav’am reigned over them.
יזוּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַיֹּֽשְׁבִ֖ים בְּעָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיִּמְלֹ֥ךְ עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם רְחַבְעָֽם׃
10:18Then king Rechav’am sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. But king Rechav’am made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Yerushalayim (Jerusalem).
יחוַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ רְחַבְעָ֗ם אֶת־הֲדֹרָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־הַמַּ֔ס וַיִּרְגְּמוּ־ב֧וֹ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶ֖בֶן וַיָּמֹ֑ת וְהַמֶּ֣לֶךְ רְחַבְעָ֗ם הִתְאַמֵּץ֙ לַֽעֲל֣וֹת בַּמֶּרְכָּבָ֔ה לָנ֖וּס יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃
10:19And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.
יטוַיִּפְשְׁע֤וּ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּבֵ֣ית דָּוִ֔יד עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
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Sources & method
- Hebrew text
- The Masoretic text with vowels (nikkud) and cantillation marks (ta’amim), from the Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain) as published by the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (CC BY 4.0). Where the written text (ketiv) differs from the reading (qere), the reading is shown and the written form follows in small type. A paragraph mark (ס or פ) inside a verse is shown in small type.
- English translation
- The King James Version (public domain), lightly modernized by Benei Avraham: “thee/thou/ye” become “you,” older verb forms are updated (“hath” to “has”), and archaic words are replaced only where the meaning would otherwise be unclear. People and places carry their Hebrew names, with the King James spelling in parentheses the first time on each page (e.g., Yehudah (Judah)). The Divine Name (יהוה, “the LORD” in the KJV) is written “Hashem”; “God” (Elohim) is unchanged, and “law” is “Torah” where the Hebrew is תּוֹרָה.
- Verse numbers
- Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible. In 2 Chronicles they differ from most English Bibles in chapters 1, 2, 13 and 14; a note under the summary on those pages explains how.
- Commentary
- Our full 2 Chronicles commentary, written for our Wednesday Tenakh study from a Messianic Jewish perspective in line with the Benei Avraham Statement of Faith, is on its own page.
- Quiz
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- Hebrew font
- SBL Hebrew, by the Society of Biblical Literature.