2 Chronicles 10:4

Authority and leadership Work

² And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of Solomon the king, heard it, that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.

³ And they sent and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spake to Rehoboam, saying,

Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.

⁵ And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And the people departed.

⁶ And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people?

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: “Your father put a heavy yoke on us. But now you should lighten the burden of your father’s service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”
KJV: Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.
WEB: “Your father made our yoke grievous. Now therefore make the grievous service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you.”
ASV: Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.
DARBY: Thy father made our yoke grievous; and now lighten the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.
BLB: “Your father hardened our yoke, and now lighten the severe service of your father and his heavy yoke that he put on us, and we will serve you.”

ÅB: Din far gjorde vårt åk tungt; men lett nå du den hårde tjeneste og det tunge åk som din far la på oss! Så vil vi tjene deg.
OTB: “Din far gjorde vårt åk tungt; let nå det harde arbeidet som din far påla oss og hans tunge åk som han la på oss, så vil vi tjene deg.”
B1930: Din far gjorde vårt åk tungt; men lett nu du den hårde tjeneste og det tunge åk som din far la på oss! Så vil vi tjene dig.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

1 Kings 12:4
Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.
Read in context
1 Samuel 8:11–18
And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.
Read in context
Exodus 1:13–14
And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:
Read in context
Exodus 2:23
And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.
Read in context
1 John 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
Read in context
1 Kings 5:15
And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains;
Read in context
1 Kings 4:25
And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, all the days of Solomon.
Read in context
Matthew 23:4
For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
Read in context