1 Kings 12:21

21 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he gathered one hundred eighty thousand of the best soldiers from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. As son of Solomon, Rehoboam wanted to fight the people of Israel to take back his kingdom.

1 Kings 12:21 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 12:21

And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem,
&e.] From Shechem, which was forty miles ^F14 from 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;
which not only shows courage reassumed by Rehoboam, now safely home, but the hearty attachment of Judah and Benjamin to him, who raised presently so numerous an army in his favour; and had it not been that the Lord was against their going to battle with Israel, in all probability they might have gained their point, Jeroboam being scarcely settled in his kingdom, and having no forces raised.

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FOOTNOTES:

F14 Reland. Palestin. Illustrat. tom. 2. p. 1007.

1 Kings 12:21 In-Context

19 Since then, Israel has been against the family of David.

20 When all the Israelites heard that Jeroboam had returned, they called him to a meeting and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah continued to follow the family of David.

21 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he gathered one hundred eighty thousand of the best soldiers from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. As son of Solomon, Rehoboam wanted to fight the people of Israel to take back his kingdom.

22 But God spoke his word to Shemaiah, a man of God, saying,

23 "Speak to Solomon's son Rehoboam, the king of Judah, and to all the people of Judah and Benjamin and the rest of the people. Say to them,