מלכים א, פרק י״ב, פסוק י״ח

Following the outbreak of the rebellion, King Rehoboam attempts to manage the escalating crisis by dispatching his tax minister, identified as Adoniram [רש״י], to the people. Commentators offer two distinct perspectives regarding the purpose of this mission. One approach suggests that the king sent his minister to speak gently to the nation. Regretting his earlier harshness, he hoped to win back their favor and convince them to accept his rule once again [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, אברבנאל]. Conversely, another viewpoint considers this move a profoundly foolish mistake. Adoram had overseen tax collection since the reigns of David and Solomon. While he was an older man of high status, he was deeply despised by the public due to the heavy financial burdens he enforced. According to this perspective, selecting him was a deliberate signal that the king intended to continue collecting taxes with a heavy hand [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The response from the crowd was severe. They refused to listen to the minister, mirroring the exact way Rehoboam had previously ignored their own grievances [אברבנאל]. The confrontation quickly turned violent as the people hurled stones at him [מצודת ציון]. This fatal outburst of rage was aimed specifically at the tax minister, the man who had directly oppressed them. It is likely that the people still retained a lingering measure of respect for Rehoboam and his father, which kept them from directly attacking the king himself [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Witnessing the chaotic riot and the brutal death of his minister, the king was forced to gather his strength and act quickly [מצודת ציון]. Realizing the sheer force and intensity of the rebellion, he was struck by a profound fear for his own survival. Terrified that the furious mob would turn on him next, he hastily boarded his chariot and fled to the safety of Jerusalem [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, אברבנאל].