and we will serve thee.” Roboam told them to come back on the third day, and he would give them his answer. He then took counsel with the ancients of the people who had stood before Solomon, his father, as to what course he should pursue. The ancients advised the king, saying: “If thou wilt yield to this people and speak gentle words to them, they will be thy servants[1] always.” Roboam, not satisfied with this advice of the old men, betook himself to the young men who were his own companions, and asked what they would counsel him to do. The young men who had been brought up with him said: “Thus shalt thou speak to this people: My father put a heavy yoke upon you, but I will add to your yoke; my father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions.”[2] When the people had returned on the third day for an answer, Roboam spoke to them as the young men had advised. Then, seeing that they had nothing to expect from their new king, ten of the tribes threw off his authority and chose for their king Jeroboam, who had been a servant[3] of Solomon. Only the two tribes of Juda and Benjamin[4] remained with Roboam. From that day forth the people of Israel were divided into two kingdoms, that of Juda and that of Israel[5].
Jerusalem continued to be the capital of Juda, while Samaria became the capital of Israel. But the effects of the separation went still further; for Jeroboam, king of Israel, thought within himself, that if the people continued to go up to Jerusalem to offer sacrifice to the Lord in His Temple, their hearts would turn
- ↑ Thy servants. They will obey you as loyal subjects.
- ↑ With scorpions. The scourges generally used were made of leather, but sometimes, to indict a more severe punishment, thorns and spikes were twisted in with the leather, and such spiked scourges were known by the name of scorpions. Roboam wished to say: “I will be even harsher to you than my father was.” The arrogant young king wished to bend and intimidate his subjects by this senseless threat.
- ↑ A servant. Appointed by Solomon to be tax-gatherer of the tribe of Ephraim.
- ↑ Juda and Benjamin. To these two tribes the Levites joined themselves, as also many members of the other tribes who adhered to the worship of the true God at Jerusalem. The two kingdoms were about equal in strength, for Juda (to which was attached the tribe of Benjamin) was the most numerous and powerful of all the tribes; though, as far as extent of territory went, the northern kingdom, Israel, was superior to the southern kingdom of Juda.
- ↑ Israel. The whole united kingdom had hitherto been known by the name of Israel, but from henceforward only the ten tribes are to be understood by the name.
