מלכים א, פרק י״ב, פסוק ג׳

Following the death of King Solomon, a critical political window opens for the tribes of Israel. They seek to renegotiate the heavy burdens placed upon them before pledging loyalty to the new king, Rehoboam. To lead this high-stakes negotiation, they need a fearless representative, so the elders of the community dispatch messengers to Egypt to summon Jeroboam. Chronologically, this call takes place before the main gathering at Shechem, prompting his journey back [רד"ק].

Despite an earlier prophecy predicting he would one day rule, Jeroboam does not rush back to his homeland on his own initiative upon hearing of Solomon's death. Instead, he waits patiently in Egypt until he receives an official invitation [אברבנאל]. The people likely reach out to him because rumors of this very prophecy, delivered by Ahijah the Shilonite, have reached their ears [אברבנאל]. Furthermore, the choice of Jeroboam stems from his established reputation. The people know him as a bold individual who is unafraid to speak his mind. Because he previously had the courage to confront and stand up to Solomon, he is viewed as the ideal candidate to present strict demands to Solomon's son [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Upon Jeroboam's arrival in Shechem, he and the entire congregation unite to address the new king. The primary approach among commentators is that this delegation does not arrive with the intention to rebel or look for excuses to start a conflict. Rather, they come to engage in a serious political dialogue. They present a clear and straightforward condition: they will accept Rehoboam's rule, but only if he agrees to lighten the crushing weight of taxes, strict justice, and hard labor that his father had imposed on them.