1 Kings 12:23

23 “Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the people of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people,

1 Kings 12:23 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 12:23

Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon king of Judah
He is called king before, but of what tribe or tribes is not expressly said, only it is implied in ( 1 Kings 12:17 ) and he is only acknowledged king of Judah by the Lord himself:

and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin;
which made but one house, as before but one tribe, ( 1 Kings 11:36 )

and to the remnant of the people;
of the other tribes that might dwell among them at Jerusalem, and especially Simeon, whose inheritance was within the tribe of Judah, ( Joshua 19:1 )

saying:
as follows.

1 Kings 12:23 In-Context

21 When Rehoboam arrived at Jerusalem, he mobilized the men of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin—180,000 select troops—to fight against the men of Israel and to restore the kingdom to himself.

22 But God said to Shemaiah, the man of God,

23 “Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the people of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people,

24 ‘This is what the LORD says: Do not fight against your relatives, the Israelites. Go back home, for what has happened is my doing!’” So they obeyed the message of the LORD and went home, as the LORD had commanded.

25 Jeroboam then built up the city of Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and it became his capital. Later he went and built up the town of Peniel.