So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.
When all the people of Israel saw that the king wouldn't listen to them, they answered him by saying, 'What share do we have in David's kingdom? We have no inheritance from Jesse's son. Go back to your tents, O Israel! Now take care of your own family, David.' So the Israelites left and went back to their homes.
The people of Israel are rejecting King Rehoboam's harsh leadership and declaring they're breaking away from David's royal line to form their own nation.
📚 Historical Context
This verse marks the moment when the united kingdom of Israel split in two around 930 BC. King Solomon's son Rehoboam had just refused the people's request for lighter taxes and easier working conditions, instead promising to be even harsher than his father. The northern tribes used this ancient formula of rejection to formally break away and form the northern kingdom of Israel, leaving only Judah loyal to David's descendants.
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