1 Kings 12:4
Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee. Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.
At Shechem the leaders of the tribes asked Rehoboam for decided reforms in the administration of government that would lighten burdens before they would accept him as king, promising to serve him if he did so. The grievous service and heavy yoke of which they spoke were the oppressive measures and evils introduced under Solomon, consisting of heavy taxes and forced menial service. The heavy taxation had been imposed to support a lavish and luxurious court that even enormous revenues could not satisfy, with tax added to tax from a passion for extravagant display and selfish extravagance that ground down the poor of the nation.
This oppression grew out of Solomon's later reign when he no longer made God his guide and let evil counselors sway him. Self-indulgence became his god, and he acted from pride, ambition, prodigality and indulgence until his fine sensibilities were blunted. From having been a conscientious, considerate, compassionate, God-fearing guardian and the wisest and most merciful of rulers, he changed into an oppressive, despotic tyrant whose course was marked by cruelty, exaction, severe judgment and cruel tyranny. The people's former respect and admiration turned to murmuring, complaint, disaffection and abhorrence, leaving many thousands thoroughly aroused over the oppression.
Rehoboam and his chosen counselors were unwise and unfeeling in the exercise of power, revealing pride of position and authority. They failed to understand God's purpose concerning Israel and failed to listen to the request, and instead announced their intention to perpetuate and add to those evils. The Lord did not allow Rehoboam to carry out the policy he proposed. The aroused tribes rebelled against the house of David in harmony with the prophet's prediction concerning the rending of the kingdom, so that Judah and Benjamin remained under Rehoboam as the lower kingdom of Judah while the ten northern tribes became the kingdom of Israel under Jeroboam.