Chapter Book
Loading
Change Translation
Loading...
  • Recent Translations
  • All Translations

1 Kings 12:17-27

Share

Settings

17 But Rehoboam reigned over 1the people of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah.
18 Then King Rehoboam sent 2Adoram, who was taskmaster over the forced labor, and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. And King Rehoboam hurried to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem.
19 3So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.
20 And when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. There was none that followed the house of David but 4the tribe of Judah only.
21 5When 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 6Shemaiah 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 7rest 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, 8for 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 9built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. And he went out from there and 10built Penuel.
26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, "Now the kingdom will turn back to the house of David.
27 If this people 11go 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."
Read Chapter Compare

1 Kings 12:17-27 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

Cross References 11

  • 1. 1 Kings 11:13, 36
  • 2. 1 Kings 4:6; 1 Kings 5:14
  • 3. 2 Kings 17:21
  • 4. 1 Kings 11:13, 32, 36
  • 5. For ver. 21-24, see 2 Chronicles 11:1-4
  • 6. 2 Chr. 12:5, 7, 15
  • 7. [ver. 17]
  • 8. ver. 15
  • 9. [Judges 9:45]
  • 10. [Judges 8:17]
  • 11. Deuteronomy 12:5, 6
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.