The dissatisfaction with the rule of David's house that had been brewing for years (cf. 2 Sam. 20:1) finally boiled over.
Perhaps Rehoboam sent Adoram to pacify the angry mob (v. 18). Whatever his reason, this proved to be "the straw that broke the camel's back."Rehoboam lacked wisdom because he did not give God the place He deserved in his life. Because he revolted against God, the people revolted against him. In rebelling against Rehoboam, however, the Israelites were rebelling against God's anointed king. That action could only and did bring divine discipline on them. This rebellion continued throughout the history of the divided kingdom and accounts for much of the misery that nation experienced.129
Rehoboam's coronation turned into a bloody lynching and the coronation of his rival (v. 20).
