2 Chronicles 10:13-16

Context
10:13 The king responded to the people harshly. He¹ rejected the advice of the older men 10:14 and followed the advice of the younger ones. He said, “My father imposed heavy demands on you;² I will make them even heavier.³ My father punished you with ordinary whips; I will punish you with whips that really sting your flesh.”⁴ 10:15 The king refused to listen to the people, because God was instigating this turn of events⁵ so that he might bring to pass the prophetic announcement he had made⁶ through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.

10:16 When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, the people answered the king, “We have no portion in David – no share in the son of Jesse!⁷ Return to your homes, O Israel!⁸ Now, look after your own dynasty, O David!”⁹ So all Israel returned to their homes.¹⁰

[10:13] ¹tn Heb “Rehoboam.” The pronoun “he” has been used in the translation in place of the proper name in keeping with contemporary English style.

[10:14] ²tc The Hebrew text reads, “I will make heavy your yoke,” but many medieval Hebrew mss and other ancient textual witnesses have, “my father made heavy your yoke.”

[10:14] ³tn Heb “but I will add to your yoke.”

[10:14] ⁴tn Heb “My father punished you with whips, but I [will punish you] with scorpions.” “Scorpions” might allude to some type of torture, but more likely it refers to a type of whip that inflicts an especially biting, painful wound.

[10:15] ⁵tn Heb “because this turn of events was from God.”

[10:15] ⁶tn Heb “so that the Lord might bring to pass his word which he spoke.”

[10:16] ⁷sn The people’s point seems to be that they have no familial relationship with David that brings them any benefits or places upon them any obligations. They are being treated like outsiders.

[10:16] ⁸tn Heb “each one to your tents, Israel.” The word “return” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[10:16] ⁹tn Heb “Now see your house, David.”

[10:16] ¹⁰tn Heb “went to their tents.”