1 And Rehoboam H7346 went H3212 to Shechem: H7927 for all Israel H3478 were come H935 to Shechem H7927 to make him king. H4427
And Rehoboam H7346 went H3212 to Shechem: H7927 for to Shechem H7927 were all Israel H3478 come H935 to make him king. H4427 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam H3379 the son H1121 of Nebat, H5028 who was in Egypt, H4714 whither he had fled H1272 from the presence H6440 of Solomon H8010 the king, H4428 heard H8085 it, that Jeroboam H3379 returned H7725 out of Egypt. H4714 And they sent H7971 and called H7121 him. So Jeroboam H3379 and all Israel H3478 came H935 and spake H1696 to Rehoboam, H7346 saying, H559 Thy father H1 made our yoke H5923 grievous: H7185 now therefore ease H7043 thou somewhat the grievous H7186 servitude H5656 of thy father, H1 and his heavy H3515 yoke H5923 that he put H5414 upon us, and we will serve H5647 thee. And he said H559 unto them, Come again H7725 unto me after three H7969 days. H3117 And the people H5971 departed. H3212 And king H4428 Rehoboam H7346 took counsel H3289 with the old H2205 men that had stood H5975 before H6440 Solomon H8010 his father H1 while he yet lived, H2416 saying, H559 What H349 counsel give H3289 ye me to return H7725 answer H1697 to this people? H5971 And they spake H1696 unto him, saying, H559 If thou be kind H2896 to this people, H5971 and please H7521 them, and speak H1696 good H2896 words H1697 to them, they will be thy servants H5650 for ever. H3117 But he forsook H5800 the counsel H6098 which the old men H2205 gave H3289 him, and took counsel H3289 with the young men H3206 that were brought up H1431 with him, that stood H5975 before H6440 him. And he said H559 unto them, What advice H3289 give ye that we may return H7725 answer H1697 to this people, H5971 which have spoken H1696 to me, saying, H559 Ease H7043 somewhat the yoke H5923 that thy father H1 did put H5414 upon us? And the young men H3206 that were brought up H1431 with him spake H1696 unto him, saying, H559 Thus shalt thou answer H559 the people H5971 that spake H1696 unto thee, saying, H559 Thy father H1 made H3513 our yoke H5923 heavy, H3513 but make thou it somewhat lighter H7043 for us; thus shalt thou say H559 unto them, My little H6995 finger shall be thicker H5666 than my father's H1 loins. H4975 For whereas H6258 my father H1 put H6006 a heavy H3515 yoke H5923 upon you, I will put more H3254 to your yoke: H5923 my father H1 chastised H3256 you with whips, H7752 but I will chastise you with scorpions. H6137 So Jeroboam H3379 and all the people H5971 came H935 to Rehoboam H7346 on the third H7992 day, H3117 as the king H4428 bade, H1696 saying, H559 Come again H7725 to me on the third H7992 day. H3117 And the king H4428 answered H6030 them roughly; H7186 and king H4428 Rehoboam H7346 forsook H5800 the counsel H6098 of the old men, H2205 And answered H1696 them after the advice H6098 of the young men, H3206 saying, H559 My father H1 made your yoke H5923 heavy, H3513 but I will add H3254 thereto: my father H1 chastised H3256 you with whips, H7752 but I will chastise you with scorpions. H6137 So the king H4428 hearkened H8085 not unto the people: H5971 for the cause H5252 was of God, H430 that the LORD H3068 might perform H6965 his word, H1697 which he spake H1696 by the hand H3027 of Ahijah H281 the Shilonite H7888 to Jeroboam H3379 the son H1121 of Nebat. H5028 And when all Israel H3478 saw H7200 that the king H4428 would not hearken H8085 unto them, the people H5971 answered H7725 the king, H4428 saying, H559 What portion H2506 have we in David? H1732 and we have none inheritance H5159 in the son H1121 of Jesse: H3448 every man H376 to your tents, H168 O Israel: H3478 and now, David, H1732 see H7200 to thine own house. H1004 So all Israel H3478 went H3212 to their tents. H168 But as for the children H1121 of Israel H3478 that dwelt H3427 in the cities H5892 of Judah, H3063 Rehoboam H7346 reigned H4427 over them. Then king H4428 Rehoboam H7346 sent H7971 Hadoram H1913 that was over the tribute; H4522 and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 stoned H7275 him with stones, H68 that he died. H4191 But king H4428 Rehoboam H7346 made speed H553 to get him up H5927 to his chariot, H4818 to flee H5127 to Jerusalem. H3389 And Israel H3478 rebelled H6586 against the house H1004 of David H1732 unto this day. H3117
And Jacob H3290 came H935 to Shalem, H8004 a city H5892 of Shechem, H7927 which is in the land H776 of Canaan, H3667 when he came H935 from Padanaram; H6307 and pitched his tent H2583 before H6440 the city. H5892 And he bought H7069 a parcel H2513 of a field, H7704 where he had spread H5186 his tent, H168 at the hand H3027 of the children H1121 of Hamor, H2544 Shechem's H7927 father, H1 for an hundred H3967 pieces of money. H7192
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Kings 12
Commentary on 1 Kings 12 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 12
The glory of the kingdom of Israel was in its height and perfection in Solomon; it was long in coming to it, but it soon declined, and began to sink and wither in the very next reign, as we find in this chapter, where we have the kingdom divided, and thereby weakened and made little in comparison with what it had been. Here is,
1Ki 12:1-15
Solomon had 1000 wives and concubines, yet we read but of one son he had to bear up his name, and he a fool. It is said (Hos. 4:10), They shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase. Sin is a bad way of building up a family. Rehoboam was the son of the wisest of men, yet did not inherit his father's wisdom, and then it stood him in little stead to inherit his father's throne. Neither wisdom nor grace runs in the blood. Solomon came to the crown very young, yet he was then a wise man. Rehoboam came to the crown at forty years old, when men will be wise if ever they will, yet he was then foolish. Wisdom does not go by age, nor is it the multitude of years nor the advantage of education that reaches it. Solomon's court was a mart of wisdom and the rendezvous of learned men, and Rehoboam was the darling of the court; and yet all was not sufficient to make him a wise man. The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. No dispute is made of Rehoboam's succession; upon the death of his father, he was immediately proclaimed. But,
1Ki 12:16-24
We have here the rending of the kingdom of the ten tribes from the house of David, to effect which,
1Ki 12:25-33
We have here the beginning of the reign of Jeroboam. He built Shechem first and then Penuel-beautified and fortified them, and probably had a palace in each of them for himself (v. 25), the former in Ephraim, the latter in Gad, on the other side Jordan. This might be proper; but he formed another project for the establishing of his kingdom which was fatal to the interests of religion in it.