11:26 Jeroboam son of Nebat, one of Solomon’s servants, rebelled against 2 the king. He was an Ephraimite 3 from Zeredah whose mother was a widow named Zeruah. 11:27 This is what prompted him to rebel against the king: 4 Solomon built a terrace and he closed up a gap in the wall of the city of his father David. 5 11:28 Jeroboam was a talented man; 6 when Solomon saw that the young man was an accomplished worker, he made him the leader of the work crew from the tribe 7 of Joseph.
1 tn The construction (Qal of קוּץ + בְּ [quts + bet] preposition) is rare, but not without parallel (see Lev 20:23).
2 tn Heb “raised a hand against.”
3 tn Heb “Ephrathite,” which here refers to an Ephraimite (see HALOT 81 s.v. אֶפְרַיִם).
4 tn Heb “this is the matter concerning which he raised a hand against the king.”
5 sn The city of his father David. The phrase refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
6 tn Heb “man of strength.”
7 tn Heb “house.”