23. God also raised up Rezon, son of Eliada, as a rival to Solomon. Rezon fled from his master, King Hadadezer of Zobah,
24. after David killed the men of Zobah. Rezon gathered men and became the leader of a troop of warriors. They went to Damascus, settled there, and ruled a kingdom in Damascus.
25. In addition to the trouble that Hadad caused, Rezon was Israel’s rival as long as Solomon lived. He ruled Aram and despised Israel.
26. There was also Jer o boam, who was the son of Nebat and an Ephrathite from Zeredah. His mother Zeruah was a widow. He was one of Solomon’s officers, but he rebelled against the king.
27. This was the situation when he rebelled against the king: Solomon was building the Millo and repairing a break in the ⌊wall of⌋ the City of David.
28. Solomon saw that Jer o boam was a very able and hardworking man. So he put Jer o boam in charge of all forced labor from the tribes of Joseph.
29. At that time Jer o boam left Jerusalem. The prophet Ahijah from Shiloh met him on the road. The two of them were alone in the open country, and Ahijah had on new clothes.
30. Ahijah took his new garment and tore it into 12 pieces.
31. He told Jer o boam, “Take 10 pieces because this is what the Lord God of Israel says: I am going to tear the kingdom out of Solomon’s hands and give ten tribes to you.
32. He will have one tribe ⌊left⌋ because of my servant David and Jerusalem, the city I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel.