1 Kings 12:8-14

New American Standard Bible

⁸ But he ignored the advice of the elders which they had given him, and consulted with the young men who had grown up with him ^[a]and served him. ⁹ He said to them, “What advice do you give, so that we may answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?” ¹⁰ And the young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, “This is what you should say to this people who spoke to you, saying: ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, now you make it lighter for us!’ You should speak this way to them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist! ¹¹ Now then, my father loaded you with a heavy yoke; yet I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with ^[b]scorpions!’”

¹² Then Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had ^[c]directed, saying, “^(A)Return to me on the third day.” ¹³ And the king answered the people harshly, for he ignored the advice of the elders which they had ^[d]given him, ¹⁴ and he spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, “^(B)My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with ^[e]scorpions!”