1 Kings 12

1 Rechav`am went to Shekhem: for all Yisra'el were come to Shekhem to make him king.

2 It happened, when Yarov`am the son of Nevat heard of it (for he was yet in Mitzrayim, where he had fled from the presence of king Shlomo, and Yarov`am lived in Mitzrayim,

3 and they sent and called him), that Yarov`am and all the assembly of Yisra'el came, and spoke to Rechav`am, saying,

4 Your father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make you the grievous service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you.

5 He said to them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. The people departed.

6 King Rechav`am took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Shlomo his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give you me to return answer to this people?

7 They spoke to him, saying, If you will be a servant to this people this day, and will serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.

8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.

9 He said to them, What counsel do you give, that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke that your father did put on us lighter?

10 The young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, Thus shall you tell this people who spoke to you, saying, Your father made our yoke heavy, but make you it lighter to us; thus shall you speak to them, My little finger is thicker than my father's loins.

11 Now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

12 So Yarov`am and all the people came to Rechav`am the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come to me again the third day.

13 The king answered the people roughly, and forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him,

14 and spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

15 So the king didn't listen to the people; for it was a thing brought about of the LORD, that he might establish his word, which the LORD spoke by Achiyah the Shiloni to Yarov`am the son of Nevat.

16 When all Yisra'el saw that the king didn't listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Yishai: to your tents, Yisra'el: now see to your own house, David. So Yisra'el departed to their tents.

17 But as for the children of Yisra'el who lived in the cities of Yehudah, Rechav`am reigned over them.

18 Then king Rechav`am sent Adoram, who was over the men subject to forced labor; and all Yisra'el stoned him to death with stones. King Rechav`am made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Yerushalayim.

19 So Yisra'el rebelled against the house of David to this day.

20 It happened, when all Yisra'el heard that Yarov`am was returned, that they sent and called him to the congregation, and made him king over all Yisra'el: there was none who followed the house of David, but the tribe of Yehudah only.

21 When Rechav`am was come to Yerushalayim, he assembled all the house of Yehudah, and the tribe of Binyamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, who were warriors, to fight against the house of Yisra'el, to bring the kingdom again to Rechav`am the son of Shlomo.

22 But the word of God came to Shemayah the man of God, saying,

23 Speak to Rechav`am the son of Shlomo, king of Yehudah, and to all the house of Yehudah and Binyamin, and to the rest of the people, saying,

24 Thus says the LORD, You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers the children of Yisra'el: return every man to his house; for this thing is of me. So they listened to the word of the LORD, and returned and went their way, according to the word of the LORD.

25 Then Yarov`am built Shekhem in the hill-country of Efrayim, and lived therein; and he went out from there, and built Penu'el.

26 Yarov`am said in his heart, Now will the kingdom return to the house of David:

27 if this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Yerushalayim, then will the heart of this people turn again to their lord, even to Rechav`am king of Yehudah; and they will kill me, and return to Rechav`am king of Yehudah.

28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold; and he said to them, It is too much for you to go up to Yerushalayim: see your gods, Yisra'el, which brought you up out of the land of Mitzrayim.

29 He set the one in Beit-El, and the other put he in Dan.

30 This thing became a sin; for the people went [to worship] before the one, even to Dan.

31 He made houses of high places, and made Kohanim from among all the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.

32 Yarov`am ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that is in Yehudah, and he went up to the altar; so did he in Beit-El, sacrificing to the calves that he had made: and he placed in Beit-El the Kohanim of the high places that he had made.

33 He went up to the altar which he had made in Beit-El on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart: and he ordained a feast for the children of Yisra'el, and went up to the altar, to burn incense.

1 Kings 12 Commentary

Chapter 12

Rehoboam's accession, The people's petition, His rough answer. (1-15) Ten tribes revolt. (16-24) Jeroboam's idolatry. (25-33)

Verses 1-15 The tribes complained not to Rehoboam of his father's idolatry, and revolt from God. That which was the greatest grievance, was none to them; so careless were they in matters of religion, if they might live at case, and pay no taxes. Factious spirits will never want something to complain of. And when we see the Scripture account of Solomon's reign; the peace, wealth, and prosperity Israel then enjoyed; we cannot doubt but that their charges were false, or far beyond the truth. Rehoboam answered the people according to the counsel of the young men. Never was man more blinded by pride, and desire of arbitrary power, than which nothing is more fatal. God's counsels were hereby fulfilled. He left Rehoboam to his own folly, and hid from his eyes the things which belonged to his peace, that the kingdom might be rent from him. God serves his own wise and righteous purposes by the imprudences and sins of men. Those that lose the kingdom of heaven, throw it away, as Rehoboam, by wilfulness and folly.

Verses 16-24 The people speak unbecomingly of David. How soon are good men, and their good services to the public, forgotten ! These considerations should reconcile us to our losses and troubles, that God is the Author of them, and our brethren the instruments: let us not meditate revenge. Rehoboam and his people hearkened to the word of the Lord. When we know God's mind, we must submit, how much soever it crosses our own mind. If we secure the favour of God, not all the universe can hurt us.

Verses 25-33 Jeroboam distrusted the providence of God; he would contrive ways and means, and sinful ones too, for his own safety. A practical disbelief of God's all-sufficiency is at the bottom of all our departures from him. Though it is probable he meant his worship for Jehovah the God of Israel, it was contrary to the Divine law, and dishonourable to the Divine majesty to be thus represented. The people might be less shocked at worshipping the God of Israel under an image, than if they had at once been asked to worship Baal; but it made way for that idolatry. Blessed Lord, give us grace to reverence thy temple, thine ordinances, thine house of prayer, thy sabbaths, and never more, like Jeroboam, to set up in our hearts any idol of abomination. Be thou to us every thing precious; do thou reign and rule in our hearts, the hope of glory.

Chapter Summary

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.