For Kids · 3 min with a grown-up
Solomon's son Rehoboam is the new king. He gets two very different pieces of advice — and the one he picks changes everything.
Today's Story
After Solomon, his son Rehoboam was going to be king. The people came to him with a kind request. “Your father gave us very heavy work. Please make our load a little lighter, and we will gladly serve you.”
Rehoboam said, “Give me three days to think about it.”
First he asked the wise old men. “Be good to these people,” they said. “Speak kind words to them, and they will serve you forever.”
But Rehoboam didn't like that answer. So he asked his young friends instead. They puffed him up. “Show them you're tough! Tell them you'll make their work even harder!”
When the people came back, Rehoboam picked the mean answer. He spoke to them harshly and proudly.
It broke the whole kingdom apart. Most of the people were so upset that they walked away and chose a different king. From that day on, there were two kingdoms instead of one. A few proud, unkind words had split a nation in two.
A Big Word
Memory Verse
Talk About It
- Rehoboam asked two groups what to do. When you need help deciding something, who is a wise person you could ask?
- Harsh words broke a whole kingdom. Have you ever seen unkind words start a big mess? What happened?
- What is a kind, gentle way you could answer someone today, even when you feel a little grumpy?