Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Kings 12:2

"And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was yet in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt," — 1 Kings 12:2 (ASV)

Heard of it - That is, of the death of Solomon and the accession of Rehoboam. This point would be clearer without the division into chapters, which, it must be remembered, is a later addition and without authority.

Dwelt in Egypt - By changing the vowel pointing in one word and a single letter in another, the Hebrew text here can be read as it is in 2 Chronicles 10:2: returned out of Egypt; and they sent and called him.

In the Septuagint version, the story of Jeroboam is told in two different ways. The general narrative agrees closely with the Hebrew text, but an insertion into the body of 1 Kings 12—remarkable for its meticulous detail—at once disrupts the order of events and gives the history a new aspect and tone in many respects. This section of the Septuagint, though regarded by some as thoroughly authentic, absolutely conflicts with the Hebrew text in many important particulars. In its general outline, it is wholly irreconcilable with the other narrative. If both stood on the same footing and we were free to choose between them, there could be no question about preferring the history as given in our version.