Pam Padgett ... teacher
After Solomon died, his son, Rehoboam, became king. The people asked
Rehoboam to ease the yoke Solomon had put on them and, if he did this,
they would serve him ....
2 Chronicles 10:1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem
were all Israel come to make him king. 2 And it came to pass, when
Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was in Egypt, whither he had fled from
the presence of Solomon the king, heard it, that Jeroboam returned out
of Egypt. 3 And they sent and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel
came and spake to Rehoboam, saying, 4 Thy father made our yoke grievous:
now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father,
and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee. 5 And he
said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And the people
departed.
Rehoboam sought counsel of the old men who stood before Solomon. They
counseled him to be kind to the people. But Rehoboam forsook their
counsel and took the counsel of young men raised with him. They
counseled Rehoboam to put an even heavier yoke on the people ...
2 Chronicles 10:6 And king Rehoboam took counsel
with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet
lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people? 7
And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and
please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for
ever. 8 But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took
counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood
before him. 9 And he said unto them, What advice give ye that we may
return answer to this people, which have spoken to me, saying, Ease
somewhat the yoke that thy father did put upon us? 10 And the young men
that were brought up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou
answer the people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke
heavy, but make thou it somewhat lighter for us; thus shalt thou say
unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins. 11
For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your
yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with
scorpions.
When Rehoboam told the people of Israel that he would make their yoke
even heavier, they rebelled against Rehoboam. Only the cities of Judah
were reigned over by Rehoboam ...
2 Chronicles 10:12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam
on the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the
third day. 13 And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam
forsook the counsel of the old men, 14 And answered them after the
advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I
will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will
chastise you with scorpions. 15 So the king hearkened not unto the
people: for the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his
word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the
son of Nebat. 16 And when all Israel saw that the
king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying,
What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son
of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to
thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents. 17 But as for the
children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned
over them.
Rehoboam choosing to follow the counsel of the young men, driving away
all but the tribe of Judah, is somewhat shocking to read. But this is
how God fulfilled His word spoken earlier by Ahijah ...
1 Kings 11:29 And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went
out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the
way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were
alone in the field: 30 And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on
him, and rent it in twelve pieces: 31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee
ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will
rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to
thee: 32 (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and
for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes
of Israel:) 33 Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped
Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites,
and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my
ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes
and my judgments, as did David his father. 34 Howbeit I will not take
the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the
days of his life for David my servant's sake, whom I chose, because he
kept my commandments and my statutes: 35 But I will take the kingdom out
of his son's hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes. 36 And
unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a
light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to
put my name there. 37 And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign
according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.
38 And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee,
and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my
statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be
with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will
give Israel unto thee. 39 And I will for this afflict the seed of David,
but not for ever.
Because Solomon's wives turned away
his heart after other gods, God sent Ahijah to Jeroboam telling him that
he would reign over ten tribes of Israel taken from the kingdom of
Solomon's son. Removing the ten tribes from Solomon's son, Rehoboam,
was accomplished as Rehoboam refused to lighten the yoke of the people
and said he would make it even harder. They rebelled against Rehoboam, and Jeroboam reigned over them.
The purpose of God will be accomplished.