I Kings 12
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Commentaries
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Rehoboam went to Shechem - Rehoboam was probably the only son of Solomon; for although he had a thousand wives, he had not the blessing of a numerous offspring; and although he was the wisest of men himself, his son was a poor, unprincipled fool. Had Solomon kept himself within reasonable bounds in matrimonial affairs, he would probably have had more children; and such as would have had common sense enough to discern the delicacy of their situation, and rule according to reason and religion.
Open source ↗REFUSING THE OLD MEN'S COUNSEL. (Kg1 12:1-5) Rehoboam went to Shechem--He was the oldest, and perhaps the only son of Solomon, and had been, doubtless, designated by his father heir to the throne, as Solomon had been by David. The incident here related took place after the funeral obsequies of the late king and the period for public mourning had past. When all Israel came to make him king, it was not to exercise their old right of election (Sa1 10:19-21), for, after God's promise of the perpetual sovereignty to David's posterity, their duty was submission to the authority of the rightful heir; but their object was, when making him king, to renew the conditions and stipulations to which their constitutional kings were subject (Sa1 10:25). To the omission of such rehearsing which, under the peculiar circumstances in which Solomon was made king, they were disposed to ascribe the absolutism of his government. Shechem--This ancient, venerable, and central town was the place of convocation; and it is evident, if not from the appointment of that place, at least from the tenor of their language, and the concerted presence of Jeroboam [Kg1 12:3], that the people were determined on revolt.
Open source ↗And Rehoboam went to Shechem,.... After the death and internment of his father: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king: as was pretended, though in reality it was to seek occasion against him, and make Jeroboam king; it is very probable they knew of the prophecy of Ahijah, and therefore would not go to Jerusalem, but to Shechem, a city in the tribe of Ephraim, of which Jeroboam was, and where he had sowed the seeds of sedition when ruler there; and this place they chose, partly because they could more freely speak what they had in their minds, and partly for the safety of Jeroboam they had sent for on this occasion; so that Rehoboam went thither not of choice, but of necessity. The Jews (c) observe that this place was very ominous; here Dinah was ravished, Joseph was sold, Abimelech exercised tyranny, and here now the kingdom was divided. (c) T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 102. 1.
Open source ↗The jealousy which had prevailed from time immemorial between Ephraim and Judah, the two most powerful tribes of the covenant nation, and had broken out on different occasions into open hostilities (Jdg 8:1.; Sa2 2:9; Sa2 19:42.), issued, on the death of Solomon, in the division of the kingdom; ten tribes, headed by Ephraim, refusing to do homage to Rehoboam, the son and successor of Solomon, and choosing Jeroboam the Ephraimite as their king. Now, although the secession of the ten tribes from the royal house of David had been ordained by God as a punishment for Solomon's idolatry, and not only had Solomon been threatened with this punishment, but the sovereignty over ten tribes had been promised to Jeroboam by the prophet Ahijah, whilst the secession itself was occasioned by Rehoboam's imprudence; yet it was essentially a rebellion against the Lord and His anointed, a conspiracy on the part of these tribes against Judah and its king Rehoboam. For apart from the fact that the tribes had no right to choose at their pleasure a different king from the one who was the lawful heir to the throne of David, the very circumstance that the tribes who were discontented with Solomon's government did not come to Jerusalem to do homage to Rehoboam, but chose Sichem as the place of meeting, and had also sent for Jeroboam out of Egypt, showed clearly enough that it was their intention to sever themselves from the royal house of David; so that the harsh reply given by Rehoboam to their petition that the service imposed upon them might be lightened, furnished them with the desired opportunity for carrying out the secession upon which they had already resolved, and for which Jeroboam was the suitable man. And we have already shown at Kg1 11:40 that the promise of the throne, which Jeroboa…
Open source ↗Solomon had 1000 wives and concubines, yet we read but of one son he had to bear up his name, and he a fool. It is said (Hos 4:10), They shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase. Sin is a bad way of building up a family. Rehoboam was the son of the wisest of men, yet did not inherit his father's wisdom, and then it stood him in little stead to inherit his father's throne. Neither wisdom nor grace runs in the blood. Solomon came to the crown very young, yet he was then a wise man. Rehoboam came to the crown at forty years old, when men will be wise if ever they will, yet he was then foolish. Wisdom does not go by age, nor is it the multitude of years nor the advantage of education that reaches it. Solomon's court was a mart of wisdom and the rendezvous of learned men, and Rehoboam was the darling of the court; and yet all was not sufficient to make him a wise man. The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. No dispute is made of Rehoboam's succession; upon the death of his father, he was immediately proclaimed. But, I. The people desired a treaty with him at Shechem, and he condescended to meet them there. 1. Their pretence was to make him king, but the design was to unmake him. They would give him a public inauguration in another place than the city of David, that he might not seem to be king of Judah only. They had ten parts in him, and would have him among themselves for once, that they might recognize his title. 2. The place was ominous: at Shechem, where Abimelech set up himself (Jdg. 9); yet it had been famous for the convention of the states there, Jos 24:1. Rehoboam, we may suppose, knew of the threatening, that the kingdom should be rent from him, and hoped by going to Shechem, and treating there with the ten tribes, to prevent it: yet it pr…
Open source ↗12:1 Shechem, located in the heart of territory belonging to the northern tribes, had been a strategic site and religious center since the pre-Israelite occupation of Canaan (Gen 12:6-7; 33:18-20), and it became important in Israel as a Levitical city and a city of refuge (Josh 20:7; 21:20; 24:1). Rehoboam knew that if he wanted to be king over a united kingdom, he would need the approval and support of the politically and religiously strong northern tribes. Shechem later became the provisional capital of the northern kingdom (1 Kgs 12:25). • Rehoboam reigned from 931 to 913 BC.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
רְחַבְעָם (Rᵉchabʻâm, H7346) — Rechabam, an Israelite king יָלַךְ (yâlak, H3212) — to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses) שְׁכֶם (Shᵉkem, H7927) — Shekem, a place in Palestine יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisrâʼêl, H3478) — Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) מָלַךְ (mâlak, H4427) — to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence…
Open source ↗יָרׇבְעָם (Yârobʻâm, H3379) — Jarobam, the name of two Israelite kings בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative… נְבָט (Nᵉbâṭ, H5028) — Nebat, the father of Jeroboam I מִצְרַיִם (Mitsrayim, H4714) — Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt שָׁמַע (shâmaʻ, H8085) — to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively,… בָּרַח (bârach, H1272) — to bolt, i.e. figuratively, to flee suddenly פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… מֶלֶךְ (melek, H4428) — a king שְׁלֹמֹה (Shᵉlômôh, H8010) — Shelomah, David's successor יָשַׁב (yâshab, H3427) — properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to…
Open source ↗שָׁלַח (shâlach, H7971) — to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications) קָרָא (qârâʼ, H7121) — to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of… יָרׇבְעָם (Yârobʻâm, H3379) — Jarobam, the name of two Israelite kings קָהָל (qâhâl, H6951) — assemblage (usually concretely) יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisrâʼêl, H3478) — Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) דָבַר (dâbar, H1696) — perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a… רְחַבְעָם (Rᵉchabʻâm, H7346) — Rechabam, an Israelite king אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude)
Open source ↗אָב (ʼâb, H1) — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application קָשָׁה (qâshâh, H7185) — properly, to be dense, i.e. tough or severe (in various applications) עֹל (ʻôl, H5923) — a yoke (as imposed on the neck), literally or figuratively קָשֶׁה (qâsheh, H7186) — severe (in various applications) עֲבֹדָה (ʻăbôdâh, H5656) — work of any kind כָּבֵד (kâbêd, H3515) — heavy; figuratively in a good sense (numerous) or in a bad sense (severe, difficult,… נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) קָלַל (qâlal, H7043) — to be (causatively, make) light, literally (swift, small, sharp, etc.) or figuratively… עָבַד (ʻâbad, H5647) — to work (in any sense); by implication, to serve, till, (causatively) enslave, etc.
Open source ↗אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) יָלַךְ (yâlak, H3212) — to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses) שָׁלוֹשׁ (shâlôwsh, H7969) — three; occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multiple) thrice יוֹם (yôwm, H3117) — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to… שׁוּב (shûwb, H7725) — to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not… עַם (ʻam, H5971) — a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence…
Open source ↗מֶלֶךְ (melek, H4428) — a king רְחַבְעָם (Rᵉchabʻâm, H7346) — Rechabam, an Israelite king יָעַץ (yâʻats, H3289) — to advise; reflexively, to deliberate or resolve זָקֵן (zâqên, H2205) — old עָמַד (ʻâmad, H5975) — to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive) פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… שְׁלֹמֹה (Shᵉlômôh, H8010) — Shelomah, David's successor אָב (ʼâb, H1) — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application חַי (chay, H2416) — alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially… אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) שׁוּב (shûwb, H7725) — to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not… דָּבָר (dâbâr, H1697) — a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause עַם (ʻam, H5971) — a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence…
Open source ↗דָבַר (dâbar, H1696) — perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a… אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) עֶבֶד (ʻebed, H5650) — a servant עַם (ʻam, H5971) — a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence… יוֹם (yôwm, H3117) — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to… עָבַד (ʻâbad, H5647) — to work (in any sense); by implication, to serve, till, (causatively) enslave, etc. עָנָה (ʻânâh, H6030) — properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond;… טוֹב (ṭôwb, H2896) — good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the… דָּבָר (dâbâr, H1697) — a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
Open source ↗עָזַב (ʻâzab, H5800) — to loosen, i.e. relinquish, permit, etc. עֵצָה (ʻêtsâh, H6098) — advice; by implication, plan; also prudence זָקֵן (zâqên, H2205) — old יָעַץ (yâʻats, H3289) — to advise; reflexively, to deliberate or resolve יֶלֶד (yeled, H3206) — something born, i.e. a lad or offspring גָּדַל (gâdal, H1431) — to be (causatively make) large (in various senses, as in body, mind, estate or honor,… עָמַד (ʻâmad, H5975) — to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive) פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and…
Open source ↗אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) יָעַץ (yâʻats, H3289) — to advise; reflexively, to deliberate or resolve שׁוּב (shûwb, H7725) — to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not… דָּבָר (dâbâr, H1697) — a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause עַם (ʻam, H5971) — a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence… דָבַר (dâbar, H1696) — perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a… קָלַל (qâlal, H7043) — to be (causatively, make) light, literally (swift, small, sharp, etc.) or figuratively… עֹל (ʻôl, H5923) — a yoke (as imposed on the neck), literally or figuratively אָב (ʼâb, H1) — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
Open source ↗יֶלֶד (yeled, H3206) — something born, i.e. a lad or offspring גָּדַל (gâdal, H1431) — to be (causatively make) large (in various senses, as in body, mind, estate or honor,… דָבַר (dâbar, H1696) — perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a… אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) עַם (ʻam, H5971) — a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence… אָב (ʼâb, H1) — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application כָּבַד (kâbad, H3513) — to be heavy, i.e. in a bad sense (burdensome, severe, dull) or in a good sense (numerous,… עֹל (ʻôl, H5923) — a yoke (as imposed on the neck), literally or figuratively קָלַל (qâlal, H7043) — to be (causatively, make) light, literally (swift, small, sharp, etc.) or figuratively… קֹטֶן (qôṭen, H6995) — a pettiness, i.e. the little finger עָבָה (ʻâbâh, H5666) — to be dense מֹתֶן (môthen, H4975) — properly, the waist or small of the back; only in plural the loins
Open source ↗אָב (ʼâb, H1) — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application עָמַס (ʻâmaç, H6006) — to load, i.e. impose aburden (or figuratively, infliction) כָּבֵד (kâbêd, H3515) — heavy; figuratively in a good sense (numerous) or in a bad sense (severe, difficult,… עֹל (ʻôl, H5923) — a yoke (as imposed on the neck), literally or figuratively יָסַף (yâçaph, H3254) — to add or augment (often adverbial, to continue to do a thing) יָסַר (yâçar, H3256) — to chastise, literally (with blows) or figuratively (with words); hence, to instruct שׁוֹט (shôwṭ, H7752) — a lash (literally or figuratively) עַקְרָב (ʻaqrâb, H6137) — a scorpion; figuratively, a scourge or knotted whip
Open source ↗יָרׇבְעָם (Yârobʻâm, H3379) — Jarobam, the name of two Israelite kings עַם (ʻam, H5971) — a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence… בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) רְחַבְעָם (Rᵉchabʻâm, H7346) — Rechabam, an Israelite king שְׁלִישִׁי (shᵉlîyshîy, H7992) — third; feminine athird (part); by extension, a third (day, year or time); specifically, a… יוֹם (yôwm, H3117) — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to… מֶלֶךְ (melek, H4428) — a king דָבַר (dâbar, H1696) — perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a… אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) שׁוּב (shûwb, H7725) — to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not…
Open source ↗מֶלֶךְ (melek, H4428) — a king עָנָה (ʻânâh, H6030) — properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond;… עַם (ʻam, H5971) — a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence… קָשֶׁה (qâsheh, H7186) — severe (in various applications) עָזַב (ʻâzab, H5800) — to loosen, i.e. relinquish, permit, etc. זָקֵן (zâqên, H2205) — old עֵצָה (ʻêtsâh, H6098) — advice; by implication, plan; also prudence יָעַץ (yâʻats, H3289) — to advise; reflexively, to deliberate or resolve
Open source ↗דָבַר (dâbar, H1696) — perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a… עֵצָה (ʻêtsâh, H6098) — advice; by implication, plan; also prudence יֶלֶד (yeled, H3206) — something born, i.e. a lad or offspring אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) אָב (ʼâb, H1) — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application כָּבַד (kâbad, H3513) — to be heavy, i.e. in a bad sense (burdensome, severe, dull) or in a good sense (numerous,… עֹל (ʻôl, H5923) — a yoke (as imposed on the neck), literally or figuratively יָסַף (yâçaph, H3254) — to add or augment (often adverbial, to continue to do a thing) יָסַר (yâçar, H3256) — to chastise, literally (with blows) or figuratively (with words); hence, to instruct שׁוֹט (shôwṭ, H7752) — a lash (literally or figuratively) עַקְרָב (ʻaqrâb, H6137) — a scorpion; figuratively, a scourge or knotted whip
Open source ↗Cross-references
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Then all the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo gathered beside the oak at the pillar in Shechem and proceeded to make Abimelech their king.
God has spoken from His sanctuary: “I will triumph! I will parcel out Shechem and apportion the Valley of Succoth.
And Solomon rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David. And his son Rehoboam reigned in his place.
And the bones of Joseph, which the Israelites had brought up out of Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the plot of land that Jacob had purchased from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred pieces of silver. So it became an inheritance for Joseph’s descendants.
Now Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to his mother’s brothers at Shechem and said to them and to all the clan of his mother,
So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.
Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the Oak of Moreh at Shechem. And at that time the Canaanites were in the land.
Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders, leaders, judges, and officers of Israel, and they presented themselves before God.
Their bones were carried back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a price he paid in silver.