2 Chronicles 10



King Rehoboam



6 And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before

Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me

to return answer to this people?

7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people,

and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants

for ever.

8 But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel

with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him.

9 And he said unto them, What advice give ye that we may return answer to this

people, which have spoken to me, saying, Ease somewhat the yoke that thy

father did put upon us?

10 And the young men that were brought up with him spake unto him, saying,

Thus shalt thou answer the people that spake unto thee, saying,

Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it somewhat lighter for us;

thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than

my father's loins.

11 For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your

yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with

scorpions.

12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the

king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day.

13 And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel

of the old men,

14 and answered them after the advice of the young men, saying,

My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto:

my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

15 So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that

the LORD might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the

Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.



Revolt of Ten Tribes



16 And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them,

the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David?

and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents,

O Israel: and now, David, see to thine own house.

So all Israel went to their tents.

17 But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah,

Rehoboam reigned over them.

18 Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and the

children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died.

But king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to

Jerusalem.

19 And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.



1 Kings 12



21 (2Ch 11:1-3) When Rehoboam arrived at Jerusalem, he assembled

all the house of Judah along with the tribe of Benjamin,

a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors,

to fight against the house of Israel and to bring the kingdom back

to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.

22 (2Ch 11:2) But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God,saying:

23 Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house

of Judah and Benjamin and to the remnant of the people, saying,

24 (1Ki 12:15) "Thus says the Lord: You shall not go up, nor fight against

your brothers the children of Israel. Every man is to return to his house,

for this thing is from Me." They listened therefore to the word of the Lord

and turned to depart, according to the word of the Lord.



21 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of

Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen

men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the

kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.

22 But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

23 Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all

the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying,

24 Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren

the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is

from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the LORD, and returned

to depart, according to the word of the LORD.



{ Rehoboam make a ridiculous decision to listen to his peers.

Not only should he have listened to the advisors of Solomon his father,

he should have prayed to the Lord about what to say!}



2 Chronicles 11



1 When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he called together from the house of Judah

and Benjamin one hundred and eighty thousand (Or Abi in 2Ki 18:2.) choice men

to make war and to battle with Israel in order to restore the kingdom

to Rehoboam.

2 (2Ch 12:15) But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God saying:

3 Speak to Rehoboam, son of Solomon and king of Judah, and to all Israel

in Judah and Benjamin,

4 "So says the Lord: You are not to go up and fight against your brothers.

Each man must return to his house, for this event is from Me."

So they obeyed the word of the Lord and turned back from attacking Jeroboam.



2 Chronicles 11

Jerusalem the capital of Judah



Its Fortifications and Fenced Cities



1 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah

and Benjamin an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were

warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again

to Rehoboam.

2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

3 Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel

in Judah and Benjamin, saying,

4 Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren:

return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me. And they

obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam.



1 Kings 12



Jeroboam's Golden Calves



25 (Jdg 8:17; 8:8) Then Jeroboam built Shechem in Mount Ephraim

and lived there and went out from there and built Peniel.

26 Jeroboam said in his heart, "The kingdom will return to the house of David.

27 (Dt 12:5-7; 12:14) If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house

of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again to

their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me

and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah."

28 (Ex 32:4; 32:8) At that point, the king got some advice and made

two golden calves and said to the people,

"It is too difficult for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods,

O Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt."



25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein;

and went out from thence, and built Penuel.



Golden Calves



26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house

of David:

27 if this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem,

then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto

Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me,

and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.

28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto

them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel,

which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.



{Yet again an irrational Godless political decision . The start

of the end of a Kingdom plagued with rebellious paganism}



29 (Ge 28:19) He set one in Bethel, and he put the other in Dan.

30 (1Ki 13:34; 2Ki 17:21) This was a sin, for the people went to worship

before the one, even all the way in Dan.

31 (1Ki 13:32-33; 2Ki 17:32) He also made houses on high places

and appointed priests from among all the people who were not Levites.



29 And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan.

30 And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before

the one, even unto Dan.

31 And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest

of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.



{Yet an irrational Godless political decision}



32 (1Ki 8:2; 8:5) Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month,

on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast in Judah,

and he offered sacrifice on the altar. He did this in Bethel,

sacrificing to the calves that he had made, and he stationed in Bethel

the priests of the high places he had made.

33 (1Ki 13:1; Nu 15:39) So he made offerings on the altar that he had made

in Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a holiday he imagined

in his own heart, and ordained a feast for the children of Israel,

and he sacrificed on the altar and burned incense.



32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of

the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered

upon the altar. So did he in Beth-el, sacrificing unto the calves that he had

made: and he placed in Beth-el the priests of the high places

which he had made.

33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Beth-el the fifteenth day

of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart;

and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel:

and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.



{Jeroboam so self-centered that He forget the Lord who placed Him there}



2 Chronicles 11



Rehoboam Secures the Kingdom



5 (2Ch 8:2-6) So Rehoboam dwelled in Jerusalem and built siege cities in Judah.

6 He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

7 (Jos 15:35) Beth Zur in the east, Soko, Adullam,

8 Gath, Mareshah in the west, Ziph,

9 Adoraim, Lachish in the south, Azekah,

10 Zorah, Aijalon in the northwest, and central Hebron, all of which

were fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.

11He strengthened the fortresses and set leaders in them

with stockpiles of food, oil, and wine.

12 And in all the cities he placed shields and spears, and he greatly

strengthened these places. So he held Judah and Benjamin.

13 And the priests and Levites in all Israel came before him from

all their territories.

14 (2Ch 13:9; Nu 35:2-5) For the Levites left their pasture lands

and properties, and they traveled to Judah and Jerusalem

because Jeroboam and his sons excluded them from serving

as priests to the Lord.

15 (1Ki 12:28; 12:31) And he set for himself priests for the high places

and for the goat and calf idols that he made.

16 (2Ch 15:9) And those who set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel

followed after them from all the tribes of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem

to sacrifice to the Lord God of their fathers.

17 (2Ch 12:1) So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah

and supported Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, for three years,

for they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.