Rehoboam went to Shechem, to be crowned king. But the people asked Rehoboam to remove the yoke which his father imposed on the people. So Rehoboam consulted with the elders three days, but they rejected this idea. Then Rehoboam consulted with the young men he had grown up with. But they were not only against the idea, they advised him to make the yoke even heavier. So Rehoboam said to the people, “My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.” And Rehoboam did not listen to the elders. When saw Israel that the king would not hear it, they answered, “What portion do we have in David, the son of Jesse?” And all the people went home, so that Rehoboam could only reign over those living in Judah. The overseer of labor was also stoned to death. So Rehoboam fled in haste to Jerusalem, and Israel rebelled against the house of David.