2 Chronicles 10-11
1599 Geneva Bible
10 4, 14 The rigor of Rehoboam. 13 He followeth lewd counsel. 16 The people rebel.
1 Then (A)Rehoboam [a]went to Shechem: for to Shechem came all Israel to make him king.
2 And when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard it (which was in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of Solomon the king) he returned out of Egypt.
3 And they sent and called him: so came Jeroboam and all Israel, and communed with Rehoboam, saying,
4 Thy father [b]made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous servitude of thy father, and his sore yoke that he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.
5 And he said to them, Depart yet three days, then come again unto me. And the people departed.
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 that I may answer this people?
7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak loving words to them, they will be thy servants forever.
8 But he left the counsel of the ancient men that they had given him, and took counsel of the young men that were brought up with him, and [c]waited on him.
9 And he said unto them, What counsel give ye, that we may answer this people, which have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us, lighter?
10 And the young men that were brought up with him, spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou answer the people that spake to thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter for us: thus shalt thou say unto them, My [d]least part shall be bigger than my father’s loins.
11 Now whereas my father did burden you with a grievous yoke, I will yet increase your yoke: my father hath chastised you with rods, but I will correct you with [e]scourges.
12 ¶ Then Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come again to me the third day.
13 And the king answered them sharply: and king Rehoboam left the counsel of the ancient men,
14 And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke grievous, but I will increase it: my father chastised you with rods, but I will correct you with scourges.
15 So the king hearkened not unto the people: for it was the [f]ordinance of God, that the Lord might perform his saying, which he had spoken [g]by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
16 So when all Israel saw that the king would not hear them, the people answered the king, saying, (B)What portion have we in David? for we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse. O Israel, every man to your tents: now see to thine own house, David. So all Israel departed to their tents.
17 Howbeit Rehoboam reigned over the children of Israel, that dwelt in the cities of Judah.
18 Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was [h]over the tribute, and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died: then King Rehoboam [i]made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
19 And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.
11 4 Rehoboam is forbidden to fight against Jeroboam. 5 Cities which he built. 21 He hath eighteen wives, and threescore concubines, and by them eight and twenty sons, and threescore daughters.
1 And (C)when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and [j]Benjamin ninescore thousand chosen men of war to fight against [k]Israel, and to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.
2 But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
3 Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon King of Judah, and to all Israel that are in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
4 Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me. They obeyed therefore the word of the Lord, and returned from going against Jeroboam.
5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and [l]built strong cities in Judah.
6 He built also Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,
7 And Beth Zur, and Sochoh, and Adullam,
8 And Gath, Mareshah, and Ziph,
9 And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,
10 And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which were in Judah and Benjamin strong cities.
11 And he [m]repaired the strongholds and put captains in them, and store of vittles, and oil and wine.
12 And in all cities he put shields and spears and made them exceedingly strong: so Judah and Benjamin were his.
13 ¶ And the Priests and the Levites that were in all Israel, [n]resorted unto him out of all their coasts.
14 For the Levites left their suburbs and their possessions, and came to Judah and to Jerusalem: (D)for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them out from ministering in the Priests’ office unto the Lord.
15 (E)And he ordained him Priests for the high places, and for the [o]devils and for the calves which he had made.
16 And after the Levites there came to Jerusalem of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their [p]hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel, to offer unto the Lord God of their fathers.
17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon mighty, three years long: for three years they [q]walked in the way of David and Solomon.
18 ¶ And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife, and Abihail the daughter of Eliah the son of Jesse,
19 Which bare him sons Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham.
20 And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.
21 And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: for he took eighteen wives and threescore concubines, and begat eight and twenty sons, and threescore daughters.
22 And Rehoboam made [r]Abijah the son of Maachah the chief ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him King.
23 And he taught him: and dispersed all his sons throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin unto every strong city: and he gave them abundance of vittles, and [s]desired many wives.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 10:1 After the death of Solomon.
- 2 Chronicles 10:4 That is, handled us rudely, it seemeth that God hardened their hearts, so that they thus murmured without cause: which declareth also the inconstancy of the people.
- 2 Chronicles 10:8 Or, that stood by him, that is, which were of his counsel and secrets.
- 2 Chronicles 10:10 Or, little finger, meaning that he was of far greater power, than was his father.
- 2 Chronicles 10:11 Or, scorpions.
- 2 Chronicles 10:15 God’s will imposeth such a necessity to the second causes, that nothing can be done but according to the same, and yet man’s will worketh as of itself, so that it cannot be excused in doing that it is God’s ordinance.
- 2 Chronicles 10:15 Hebrew, by the hand of.
- 2 Chronicles 10:18 Or, receiver.
- 2 Chronicles 10:18 Hebrew, strengthened himself.
- 2 Chronicles 11:1 That is, the half tribe of Benjamin: for the other half was gone after Jeroboam.
- 2 Chronicles 11:1 Meaning the ten tribes which rebelled.
- 2 Chronicles 11:5 Or, repaired them and made them strong to be more able to resist Jeroboam.
- 2 Chronicles 11:11 Or, strengthened.
- 2 Chronicles 11:13 Hebrew, stood.
- 2 Chronicles 11:15 Meaning, idols, read Isa. 44:15.
- 2 Chronicles 11:16 Which were zealous of true religion, and feared God.
- 2 Chronicles 11:17 So long as they feared God, and set forth his word, they prospered.
- 2 Chronicles 11:22 Called also Abijam, who reigned three years, 1 Kings 15:2.
- 2 Chronicles 11:23 He gave himself to have many wives.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
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