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.”
5. “Come back in three days and I will give you my answer,” he replied. So they left.
6. King Rehoboam consulted the older men who had served as his father Solomon's advisers. “What answer do you advise me to give these people?” he asked.
7. They replied, “If you want to serve this people well, give a favourable answer to their request, and they will always serve you loyally.”
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.”