oung men who had grown up with him and had been in his service. And he
said to them, "What answer do you advise that we give to this people
who have said to me, 'Make the yoke that your father laid upon us
lighter'?" The young men who had grown up with him said to him, "Make
this answer to them: 'My little finger is thicker than my father's
loins! While my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, I will make your
yoke heavier; my father punished you with whips, but I will punish you
with scourges.'"

So when all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as he had
directed, he answered the people harshly and did not follow the advice
which the old men had given him, but spoke to them as the young men had
advised, saying, "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will make your
yoke still heavier; my father punished you with whips, but I will punish
you with scourges." So Rehoboam paid no attention to the demand of the
people.

When all Israel saw that he paid no attention to their demand they gave
him this answer: "What interest have we in David? We have nothing in
common with the son of Jesse! To your tents, O Israel! Now look out for
your house, O David!"

So the Israelites went to their homes.

Then Rehoboam sent to them Adoniram, who was over the men who did forced
labor. But when all the Israelites stoned him to death, Rehoboam quickly
mounted his chariot and fled to Jerusalem. So Israel has refused to obey
the house of David to the present day.

As soon as all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and
called him to the assembly of the people and made him ruler over all
Israel. None remained loyal to the house of David except the tribe of
Judah.

ELIJAH AND THE WIDOW'S SON

When Asa had been ruler of Judah for thirty-one years Omri became ruler
over Israel, and he ruled twelve years. He bought the hill Samaria from
Shemer for two talents of silver; and he built a city on the hill and
named it Samaria, after Shemer, the owner of the hill.

When Omri died, Ahab his son ruled in his place. But Ahab displeased
Jehovah more than all the kings who had ruled before him. He married
Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians, and then began
to worship the Phoenician god Baal. He also built an altar for Baal
in the temple of Baal, which he built in Samaria.

Then Elijah from Tishbe in Gilead said to Ahab, "As surely as Jehovah
the God of Israel lives, whom I serve, there shall be no dew nor ra