As a young man, Jeroboam had been employed as a laborer on one of King Solomon’s many construction projects. Judged worthy of greater responsibilities, he was made a regional supervisor of the forced labor engaged in some of those enterprises. Despite his promotion, Jeroboam disapproved of fundamental aspects of how the land was being governed. He objected to the privileges awarded to the tribal region of Judah at the expense of the rest of the country and to generally heavy-handed