Rehoboam, Solomon's son, is forty-one years old when he ascends the throne, according to 1 Kings.

Under his father, the people had been taxed heavily to pay for all the building projects undertaken during his reign.

Solomon's act of building a place over the Millo, formerly an open area providing convenient access to the Temple for those coming from the north, may have been perceived as apathy for the tribes of the north.

Therefore, there was great unease immediately after the death of Solomon, people being afraid that he would pursue a high-taxation, (supposedly) pro-southern policy like his father.

Solomon had also accumulated several prominent enemies during his later reign, notably Hadad, the Egyptian-backed heir to the Edomite throne; Rezon, the son of an Aramaean army captain, now the de facto ruler of Damascus; and Jeroboam, a rising young Ephraimite who, encouraged by the prophet Ahijah, was increasingly outspoken against Solomonic policy.

The nation demands that the coronation ceremony be held at Shechem, a decidedly pro-northern stronghold, to crown Rehoboam.

The weak Rehoboam complies, and the people immediately demands relief from heavy tax burdens.

Rehoboam asks and is granted three days to receive counsel before announcing his decision to the masses.

The elder counselors formerly of Solomon's kingship advise that he lower taxes to gain favor among the people, while the younger counselors, cronies of the new king, exhort that he raise taxes to express his authority.

Rehoboam sides with the young counselors and says to the people, "my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions."

As a result, the northerners retract their recognition of the legitimacy of the rule of the House of David and declare independence.

Jeroboam is appointed as king over them, and their breakaway state becomes known as the Kingdom of Israel.