⁴ “Your father made our yoke heavy. Now, therefore, lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, and we will serve you.” ⁵ And he said to them, “In three days return to me again.” And the people went away.

⁶ Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the elders who had been serving^[a] before Solomon his father when he was alive, saying, “What word do you advise to answer this people?”