V.1-5 Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, had a good beginning with “all Israel.”
V.6-11 But he soon begins to slip, by not listening to those older and wiser than he. “Scorpions” (v. 11) — a kind of whip with knotted points.
V.12-15 Rehoboam used rough, harsh talk, and we shall see the results. But the Lord was using all this to bring about what He had planned and written in 1 Kings 11:26-3226And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king. 27And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father. 28And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph. 29And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field: 30And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces: 31And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee: 32(But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:) (1 Kings 11:26‑32) and because of verse 33.