And when Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mobilized the whole house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin--180,000 chosen warriors--to fight against the house of Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon. And when Rehoboam arrived in JerusalemRehoboam, the son of Solomon, is a central figure in this narrative. His arrival in Jerusalem signifies a return to the political and spiritual center of the kingdom. Jerusalem, the city of David, holds deep historical and religious significance as the capital of the united monarchy and the location of the Temple. Rehoboam's arrival here marks a pivotal moment in his reign, as he seeks to consolidate power and address the division within the kingdom. he mobilized the whole house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin
The "house of Judah" and the "tribe of Benjamin" represent the southern kingdom, which remained loyal to Rehoboam. Historically, Judah was the largest and most influential tribe, and Benjamin, though smaller, was strategically important due to its location. The mobilization of these tribes indicates a significant military and political effort to assert control and counter the rebellion of the northern tribes. This action reflects the deep-seated tribal loyalties and the complex dynamics of ancient Israelite society. 180,000 chosen warriors
The mention of "180,000 chosen warriors" underscores the scale and seriousness of Rehoboam's military response. These were not just ordinary soldiers but "chosen" or select warriors, indicating their skill and readiness for battle. This large number reflects the resources and manpower available to the southern kingdom, as well as the gravity of the impending conflict. It also highlights the tragic reality of civil war, where fellow Israelites were prepared to fight against each other. to fight against the house of Israel
The "house of Israel" refers to the northern tribes that had rejected Rehoboam's rule and followed Jeroboam. This division marks the beginning of the divided monarchy, a significant turning point in Israel's history. The phrase "to fight against" indicates the intention to use force to resolve the political schism, a decision that would have lasting consequences for the nation. It reflects the human tendency to resort to conflict rather than seeking reconciliation and unity. and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon
The desire to "restore the kingdom" to Rehoboam highlights his determination to reclaim the authority and unity of the kingdom established by his father, Solomon. This phrase speaks to the legitimacy and continuity of the Davidic dynasty, which held a central place in God's covenantal promises to Israel. However, it also reveals Rehoboam's failure to recognize the underlying issues that led to the division, such as his harsh policies and lack of wisdom. The reference to "son of Solomon" serves as a reminder of the legacy and expectations placed upon Rehoboam, as well as the divine promises associated with the Davidic line. Persons / Places / Events 1. RehoboamThe son of Solomon and the king of Judah. His reign marks the division of the united kingdom of Israel into two separate kingdoms: Judah and Israel. 2. JerusalemThe capital city of Judah, where Rehoboam gathered his forces. It holds significant religious and political importance as the center of worship and governance. 3. House of Judah and Tribe of BenjaminThese two tribes remained loyal to Rehoboam, forming the southern kingdom of Judah. They were prepared to go to war to reunite the kingdom under Rehoboam's rule. 4. House of IsraelRefers to the northern tribes that broke away under Jeroboam's leadership, forming the northern kingdom of Israel. 5. 180,000 Chosen WarriorsThe military force assembled by Rehoboam to attempt to reclaim the northern tribes and reunite the kingdom. Teaching Points The Consequences of DisobedienceThe division of the kingdom was a direct result of Solomon's disobedience to God's commands. This serves as a reminder of the long-term consequences of straying from God's will. The Role of LeadershipRehoboam's actions highlight the importance of wise and godly leadership. His initial harshness and lack of wisdom contributed to the division, teaching us to seek God's guidance in leadership roles. God's Sovereignty in Human AffairsDespite human plans and conflicts, God's purposes prevail. The division was part of God's plan, as revealed to Solomon, showing that God's will is ultimately accomplished. Unity Among BelieversThe division of Israel serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of division among God's people. It encourages us to strive for unity and reconciliation within the body of Christ. Trusting God's PlanRehoboam's mobilization for war was halted by God's command through the prophet Shemaiah. This teaches us to trust in God's plan and timing, even when it contradicts our own desires. Bible Study Questions 1. What were the key factors that led to the division of the kingdom under Rehoboam's rule, and how can we apply these lessons to prevent division in our own communities? 2. How does the account of Rehoboam's mobilization for war illustrate the importance of seeking God's guidance before making significant decisions? 3. In what ways can we see God's sovereignty at work in the events of 1 Kings 12:21, and how does this encourage us to trust Him in our own lives? 4. How can the account of the divided kingdom inspire us to pursue unity and reconciliation within the church today? 5. Reflect on a time when you faced a decision that required you to trust in God's plan over your own. How did that experience shape your faith and understanding of God's sovereignty? Connections to Other Scriptures 1 Kings 11:11-13This passage provides context for the division of the kingdom, as God had foretold the tearing away of the ten tribes from Solomon's lineage due to his disobedience. 2 Chronicles 11:1-4This parallel account provides additional details about Rehoboam's mobilization and God's intervention through the prophet Shemaiah, who instructed Rehoboam not to fight against his brothers. Matthew 12:25Jesus speaks about a kingdom divided against itself, which can be related to the division of Israel and Judah, emphasizing the importance of unity. People Adoniram, Adoram, Ahijah, Benjamin, Dan, David, Israelites, Jeroboam, Jesse, Levi, Levites, Nebat, Penuel, Rehoboam, Shemaiah, SolomonPlaces Bethel, Dan, Egypt, Jerusalem, Penuel, ShechemTopics Apt, Arrived, Assembled, Assembleth, Benjamin, Best, Bring, Chosen, Eighty, Fight, Fighting, Fighting-men, Fourscore, Got, Hundred, Jerusalem, Judah, Kingdom, Mustered, Regain, Rehoboam, Rehobo'am, Restore, Solomon, Thousand, Tribe, War, WarriorsDictionary of Bible Themes 1 Kings 12:21 5607 warfare, examples 1 Kings 12:1-24 5366 king
7245 Judah, kingdom of 1 Kings 12:21-24 7756 preaching, content Library How to Split a Kingdom
And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king. 2. And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt); 3. That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying, 4. Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScripturePolitical Religion
'Then Jeroboam built Shechera in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel. 26. And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: 27. If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. 28. Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture "This Thing is from Me"
"Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me."--1 Kings 12:24. IT IS VERY DELIGHTFUL to read a history in which God is made prominent. How sadly deficient we are of such histories of our own English nation! Yet surely there is no story that is more full of God than the record of the doings of our British race. Cowper, in one of his poems, shows the parallel between us and the house of Israel, …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 42: 1896 The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
THE ISRAELITES IN THE LAND OF CANAAN: THE JUDGES--THE PHILISTINES AND THE HEBREW KINGDOM--SAUL, DAVID, SOLOMON, THE DEFECTION OF THE TEN TRIBES--THE XXIst EGYPTIAN DYNASTY--SHESHONQ OR SHISHAK DAMASCUS. The Hebrews in the desert: their families, clans, and tribes--The Amorites and the Hebrews on the left bank of the Jordan--The conquest of Canaan and the native reaction against the Hebrews--The judges, Ehud, Deborah, Jerubbaal or Gideon and the Manassite supremacy; Abimelech, Jephihdh. The Philistines, …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 6 How God Works in the Hearts of Men.
1. Connection of this chapter with the preceding. Augustine's similitude of a good and bad rider. Question answered in respect to the devil. 2. Question answered in respect to God and man. Example from the history of Job. The works of God distinguished from the works of Satan and wicked men. 1. By the design or end of acting. How Satan acts in the reprobate. 2. How God acts in them. 3. Old Objection, that the agency of God in such cases is referable to prescience or permission, not actual operation. …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion Use to be Made of the Doctrine of Providence.
Sections. 1. Summary of the doctrine of Divine Providence. 1. It embraces the future and the past. 2. It works by means, without means, and against means. 3. Mankind, and particularly the Church, the object of special care. 4. The mode of administration usually secret, but always just. This last point more fully considered. 2. The profane denial that the world is governed by the secret counsel of God, refuted by passages of Scripture. Salutary counsel. 3. This doctrine, as to the secret counsel of …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion The Upbringing of Jewish Children
The tenderness of the bond which united Jewish parents to their children appears even in the multiplicity and pictorialness of the expressions by which the various stages of child-life are designated in the Hebrew. Besides such general words as "ben" and "bath"--"son" and "daughter"--we find no fewer than nine different terms, each depicting a fresh stage of life. The first of these simply designates the babe as the newly--"born"--the "jeled," or, in the feminine, "jaldah"--as in Exodus 2:3, 6, 8. …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life The Instrumentality of the Wicked Employed by God, While He Continues Free from Every Taint.
1. The carnal mind the source of the objections which are raised against the Providence of God. A primary objection, making a distinction between the permission and the will of God, refuted. Angels and men, good and bad, do nought but what has been decreed by God. This proved by examples. 2. All hidden movements directed to their end by the unseen but righteous instigation of God. Examples, with answers to objections. 3. These objections originate in a spirit of pride and blasphemy. Objection, that …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion The Twelve Minor Prophets.
1. By the Jewish arrangement, which places together the twelve minor prophets in a single volume, the chronological order of the prophets as a whole is broken up. The three greater prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, stand in the true order of time. Daniel began to prophesy before Ezekiel, but continued, many years after him. The Jewish arrangement of the twelve minor prophets is in a sense chronological; that is, they put the earlier prophets at the beginning, and the later at the end of the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible Of Civil Government.
OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT. This chapter consists of two principal heads,--I. General discourse on the necessity, dignity, and use of Civil Government, in opposition to the frantic proceedings of the Anabaptists, sec. 1-3. II. A special exposition of the three leading parts of which Civil Government consists, sec. 4-32. The first part treats of the function of Magistrates, whose authority and calling is proved, sec. 4-7. Next, the three Forms of civil government are added, sec. 8. Thirdly, Consideration …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion Travelling in Palestine --Roads, Inns, Hospitality, Custom-House Officers, Taxation, Publicans
It was the very busiest road in Palestine, on which the publican Levi Matthew sat at the receipt of "custom," when our Lord called him to the fellowship of the Gospel, and he then made that great feast to which he invited his fellow-publicans, that they also might see and hear Him in Whom he had found life and peace (Luke 5:29). For, it was the only truly international road of all those which passed through Palestine; indeed, it formed one of the great highways of the world's commerce. At the time …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life The Figurative Language of Scripture.
1. When the psalmist says: "The Lord God is a sun and shield" (Psa. 84:11), he means that God is to all his creatures the source of life and blessedness, and their almighty protector; but this meaning he conveys under the figure of a sun and a shield. When, again, the apostle James says that Moses is read in the synagogues every Sabbath-day (Acts 15:21), he signifies the writings of Moses under the figure of his name. In these examples the figure lies in particular words. But it may be embodied …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.), …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links 1 Kings 12:21 NIV1 Kings 12:21 NLT1 Kings 12:21 ESV1 Kings 12:21 NASB1 Kings 12:21 KJV
1 Kings 12:21 Commentaries
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