II Chronicles 11:23

Rehoboam's defection from the Lord, and his humiliation by the Egyptian king Shishak. - Ch2 12:1. The infinitive כּהכין, "at the time of the establishing," with an indefinite subject, may be expressed in English by the passive: when Rehoboam's royal power was established. The words refer back to Ch2 11:17. כּחזקתו, "when he had become strong" (חזקה is a nomen verbale: the becoming strong; cf. Ch2 26:16; Ch2 11:2), he forsook the Lord, and all Israel with him. The inhabitants of the kingdom of Judah are here called Israel, to hint at the contrast between the actual conduct of the people in their defection from the Lord, and the destiny of Israel, the people of God. The forsaking of the law of Jahve is in substance the fall into idolatry, as we find it stated more definitely in Kg1 14:22.

We are here going on with the history of Rehoboam. I. His attempt to recover the ten tribes he has lost, and the letting fall of that attempt in obedience to the divine command (Ch2 11:1-4). II. His successful endeavours to preserve the two tribes that remained (Ch2 11:5-12). III. The resort of the priests and Levites to him (Ch2 11:13-17). IV. An account of his wives and children (Ch2 11:18-23).

11:23 Rehoboam’s delegation of control to the royal princes extended the reign of the royal family into outlying districts. This provided for a smooth transition of power and also made a revolt or attempted coup less likely. Perhaps this was Rehoboam’s conscious attempt to avoid troubles that God had promised David’s house (2 Sam 12:10-11).