12:4a “Your father put a heavy yoke on us.

“Your father ⌊Solomon⌋ put a heavy yoke/burden ⌊of work⌋ on us. (excl.)
-or-
“Your father ⌊the king⌋ forced us (excl.) to work very hard.
-or-
his father Solomon had made their lives very difficult.

12:4b But now you should lighten the burden of your father’s service and the heavy yoke he put on us,

Please give us (excl.) less work and make our heavy yoke/burden lighter!
-or-
Do not make us work so hard. Do not demand/require so much from us.
-or-
They asked Rehoboam not to force them to work so hard but to make their lives easier.

12:4c and we will serve you.”

Then we (excl.) will be your loyal subjects.”
-or-
Then we will accept you as our king.”
-or-
They promised that then they would serve him ⌊well/faithfully⌋.

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