II Chronicles 11:4
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that this is what the LORD says: ‘You are not to go up and fight against your brothers. Each of you must return home, for this word is from Me.’” So they listened to the words of the LORD and turned back from going against Jeroboam.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
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.
Open source ↗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).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people.
Continue in brotherly love.
The next day he came upon two Israelites who were fighting, and he tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why are you mistreating each other?’
So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no contention between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen. After all, we are brothers.
Then Abner called out to Joab: “Must the sword devour forever? Do you not realize that this will only end in bitterness? How long before you tell the troops to stop pursuing their brothers?”
Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble.
As the sun was setting, the cry rang out in the army: “Every man to his own city, and every man to his own land!”
They set up kings, but not by Me. They make princes, but without My approval. With their silver and gold they make themselves idols, to their own destruction.
The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the purposes of His heart to all generations.