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1 Kings 12:21-31

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21 1When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, 180,000 chosen warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.
22 But the word of God came to 2Shemaiah the man of God:
23 “Say to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the 3rest of the people,
24 ‘Thus says the Lord, You shall not go up or fight against your relatives the people of Israel. Every man return to his home, 4for this thing is from me. ’” So they listened to the word of the Lord and went home again, according to the word of the Lord.

Jeroboam’s Golden Calves

25 Then Jeroboam 5built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. And he went out from there and 6built Penuel.
26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom will turn back to the house of David.
27 If this people 7go up to offer sacrifices in the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah. ”
28 So the king took counsel and 8made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, “You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. 9Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. ”
29 And he set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan.
30 Then 10this thing became a sin, for the people went as far as Dan to be before one. [a]
31 He also made 11temples on high places and 12appointed priests from among all the people, who were not of the Levites.
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1 Kings 12:21-31 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 12

This chapter relates Rehoboam's going to Shechem to be made king, and Jeroboam's return from Egypt, 1Ki 12:1,2, the people's request to Rehoboam to be eased of their taxes, as the condition of making him king, 1Ki 12:3,4, his answer to them, after three days, having had the advice both of the old and young men, which latter he followed, and gave in a rough answer, 1Ki 12:5-15, upon which ten tribes revolted from him, and two abode by him, 1Ki 12:16-20, wherefore he meditated a war against the ten tribes, but was forbid by the Lord to engage in it, 1Ki 12:21-24 and Jeroboam, in order to establish his kingdom, and preserve the people from a revolt to the house of David, because of the temple worship at Jerusalem, devised a scheme of idolatrous worship in his own territories, 1Ki 12:25-33.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
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Cross References 12

  • 1. 12:21 For ver. 21-24, see 2 Chr. 11:1-4
  • 2. 12:22 2 Chr. 12:5, 7, 15
  • 3. 12:23 [ver. 17]
  • 4. 12:24 ver. 15
  • 5. 12:25 [Judg. 9:45]
  • 6. 12:25 [Judg. 8:17]
  • 7. 12:27 Deut. 12:5, 6
  • 8. 12:28 2 Kgs. 10:29; 17:16; 2 Chr. 11:15; 13:8; Hos. 8:5, 6; 10:5; 13:2; [ch. 14:9]
  • 9. 12:28 [Ex. 32:4, 8]
  • 10. 12:30 ch. 13:34; 2 Kgs. 17:21
  • 11. 12:31 ch. 13:32
  • 12. 12:31 ch. 13:33; 2 Kgs. 17:32; 2 Chr. 11:14, 15; 13:9

Footnotes 1

  • [a] 12:30 Septuagint 'went to the one at Bethel and to the other as far as Dan'
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025

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