1 Kings 12:2

And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat [see on 1 Kings 11:26 ], who was yet in Egypt [The usual, and indeed the necessary, interpretation, if we retain our present Hebrew text, is that these words refer, not as the context would lead us to suppose, to the time indicated in 1 Kings 11:1 , 1 Kings 11:3 , etc; but to the time of Solomon's death. But see below], heard of it [The words "of it," though not in the original, are a fair and legitimate interpretation of its meaning. Whether they are retained or not, the natural and grammatical interpretation is that it was the visit to Shechem, just before mentioned, of which Jeroboam heard. But according to our received text, Jeroboam was one of the deputation which met king Rehoboam at Shechem. It has been found necessary, consequently, to understand the words of the death of Solomon, which has been related in 1 Kings 11:43 . So the Vulgate, Audita morte ejus . Similarly the LXX . Cod. Vat. inserts the substance of this verse as part of 1 Kings 11:43 . (The Cod. Alex. follows the Hebrew.) But this interpretation is surely strained and unnatural] ( for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt; ) [The parallel passage in 2 Chronicles 10:1-19 . has here, "And Jeroboam returned from Egypt" ( ויַּשָבָ יר ממץ instead of וַיֵּשֶׁב יר במץ ). And as some copies of the LXX . have καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν ἱερο βοὰμ ἐξ αἰγύπτου and the Vulgate has " Reversus est de Aegypto, " Dathe, Bähr, al . would adopt this reading here. It is true it involves but a slight change, and it may simplify the construction. But no change is really required, Bähr's objection, that in the text, as it stands, we have an unmeaning repetition, "He was still in Egypt… and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt," loses all its force if we understand Jeroboam to have continued his residence in Egypt (as the LXX . says he did) after hearing of Solomon's death. until summoned by the tribes to be their leader. In any case the repetition accords with Hebrew usage.]