1 Kings 12:3

3 The people of the northern tribes sent for him, and then they all went together to Rehoboam and said to him,

1 Kings 12:3 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 12:3

That they sent and called him
That is, the people of Israel, some of the principal of them, especially of the tribe of Ephraim, sent messengers to him, and gave him an invitation to come to them at Shechem; or, they had sent ^F5, as Kimchi interprets it, which was the reason of his returning from Egypt, at least one of them:

and Jeroboam, and all the congregation of Israel, came;
the chief men of them, the heads of the people; these, with Jeroboam at the head of them, who was come out of Egypt, came to Shechem, where Rehoboam was, and they had appointed to meet him:

and spake unto Rehoboam;
one in the name of them all, perhaps Jeroboam:

saying;
as follows.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 So Pagninus, Montanus.

1 Kings 12:3 In-Context

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.