1. Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all the people of northern Israel had gathered to make him king.
2. When Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had gone to Egypt to escape from King Solomon, heard this news, he returned from Egypt.
3. The people of the northern tribes sent for him, and then they all went together to Rehoboam and said to him,
4. “Your father Solomon treated us harshly and placed heavy burdens on us. If you make these burdens lighter and make life easier for us, we will be your loyal subjects.”
26-27. He said to himself, “As things are now, if my people go to Jerusalem and offer sacrifices to the Lord in the Temple there, they will transfer their allegiance to King Rehoboam of Judah and will kill me.”