2 Chronicles · Chapter 10

[ edit] Roboam forſoþe wente in to Sychem; þidre forſoþe al Yrael was comen to gydre þat þei ſetten hym kyng. Þe whiche þing whan Jeroboam, þe ſone of Nabaþ, þat was in Egypt, hadde herd; forſoþe he hadde flowen þidre beforn Salomon; anoon he is turned aȝeyn. And þei clepiden hym, and he came wiþ al Yſrael, and þei ſpeeken to Roboam, ſeiynge, Þi fadir wiþ moſt harde ȝok oppreſſed us; þou comaunde liȝter þan þi fadir, þe whiche putte to us a grete ſeruage; and a litil wiȝt of þe charge put off, þat we ſeruen to þee. Þe whiche ſeiþ, Aftir þre days turneþ aȝein to me.

And whan þe puple was gone aweie, he wente in counſeil wiþ þe olde men, þat ſtoden beforn his fadir Salamon, while ȝit he lyuede, ſeyinge, What ȝeue ȝe of counſeil, þat I anſwer to þe puple? Þe whiche ſeyden to hym, Ȝif þou pleſe to þis puple, and ſoften hem wiþ mercyable wordis, þei ſchulen ſeruen to þee al tyme. And he laft þe counceil of olde men, and wiþ ȝonge men beganne to treeten, þat wiþ hym were nuriſchid, and weren in þe felawſchip of hym. And he ſeide to hem, What to ȝou ſemeþ? or what ſchal I anſweren to þis puple, þat ſeide to me, Heue of þe ȝok, þat þi fader putte vnto us?

And þei anſwerden, as ȝonge men and nurſchid wiþ hym in delices, and ſeiden, Þus þou ſchalt anſweren to þe puple þat ſeide to þee, Þi fadir aggregide oure ȝok, þou putte off; þus þou ſchalt anſweren to hem, My leſt fynger is gretter þan þe reynes of my fadir; my fadir putte to ȝou a grete ȝok, and I ſchal putten to a more weiȝte; my fader beet ȝou wiþ ſcourgis, I forſoþe ſchal beten ȝou wiþ ſcorpiouns. Þanne Jeroboam came and al þe puple þe þidde day to Roboam, as he hadde comaundide to hem.

And þe kyng anſwerde hard þingus, þe counſeil laft of þe eldre, ſpokyn aftir þe will of ȝong men; My fadir putte an heuy ȝok to ȝou, and I ſchal maken heuyar; my fadir beet ȝou wiþ ſcourgis, I forſoþe ſchal beeten ȝou wiþ ſcorpiouns. And he aſſentide not to þe preyers of þe puple; forſoþe þe wille of God was, þat his word ſchuld ben fulfild, þat he hadde ſpoken by þe hond of Achie Sylonyte to Jeroboam, þe ſone of Nabaþ. Al þe puple forſoþe, þe kyng ſeyinge harder þingus, þus ſpak to hym, Þere is not to us part in Dauid, ne heritage in þe ſone of Yſay; turne aȝein in to þi tabernaclis, Yrael, þou forſoþe feed þin hous, Dauiþ. And Yrael wente in to þeir tabernaclis.

Vpon forſoþe þe ſonis of Yrael, þat dwelleden in þe cytees of Juda, regnede Roboam. And kyng Roboam ſente Aduram, þat ſtode vpon þe tributis; and þe ſones of Yrael ſtooneden hym, and he is deed. Bot kyng Roboam heeȝede to ſteyȝen up þe chaar, and fleiȝ in to Jeruſalem. And Yrael wente awey fro þe hous of Dauid vnto þis day. It is done forſoþe, whanne al Yrael hadde herd, þat Jeroboam was turned aȝein, þei ſenten, and clepeden hym, þe companye gederd, and ſetten kyng vpon al Yrael; ne any man folowed þe hous of Dauid, ſaue þe lynage of Juda and Beniamyn allon.