1 Kings 12:21

21 When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he gathered all the people of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, 180,000 of the best soldiers, to fight against the people of Israel and return the kingdom to Rehoboam, son of Solomon.

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 Israel has rebelled against David's dynasty to this day.

20 When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent men to invite him to the assembly. They made him king of all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to David's dynasty.

21 When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he gathered all the people of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, 180,000 of the best soldiers, to fight against the people of Israel and return the kingdom to Rehoboam, son of Solomon.

22 But God spoke his word to Shemaiah, the man of God. He said,

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