2Ch 10:19 | KingComments | STEP | The answer given by Rehoboam brings about a turn of events in Israel that comes from God ( ). Through the answer of Rehoboam God fulfills His word which He spoke through Ahijah about the division in the people ( ). It therefore seems as if Rehoboam has no choice because God has predicted it that the people will fall apart in two parts. However, a prediction of God should never and can never be an excuse for the actions of a human. Rehoboam is fully responsible for what he does. So it is with the rejection of the Lord Jesus. Everything that happened to Him is foretold, but that is never an excuse for those who rejected Him. In his disobedience man fulfills the counsel of God ( ; ). Rehoboam’s actions are the cause of the tearing of the realm. In David and earlier in Ephraim we see this division between the ten and the two tribes. In 1 Kings 11 the empire is torn as a result of the sin of Solomon. The direct reason is the folly of Rehoboam. He is what his father Solomon says, the foolish son of a wise king ( ). According to his son Abijah’s testimony, he is “young and timid” here ( ). When there is spoken of “all Israel” ( ), it is the ten tribes. also mentions ‘all Israel’, but that still refers to the twelve tribes. In the next chapter there is also mention of “all Israel”, by which is meant all Israel in the two tribes ( ). The true Israel, from the tearing, is to be found among the kings from the house of Judah. Where God dwells among His people, there is all Israel represented. That is Israel according to God’s thoughts. We can apply this to the church today. We can ask the question for ourselves where God now dwells, when there is so much division. The answer is that the Lord Jesus dwells there in the midst of His people, where believers come together in the knowledge that they represent the whole, without the presumption that only they are God’s people. The people take their hands off the house of David. They say they have no part in David. Everyone should stand up for himself. This is a particularly bad reaction from the people. Never can the failure of a king be an excuse for the people to turn away from the king appointed by God. There are also Israelites who live in Judah ( ). They do not follow their brothers of the ten tribes in their apostasy, but remain faithful to Rehoboam. In so doing they remain faithful to the house of David which God has given over His people as the house of kingship. Rehoboam does not want to face the fact that he has lost authority over the ten tribes ( ). He sends Hadoram to them. That is the man who is over the forced labor, that is to say, he takes care of the deployment of labor. It is certainly not tactical of Rehoboam to send this man. Hadoram is the embodiment of the hard times experienced by the people under Solomon. He is probably one of the most hated people of the old regime. This is shown by the fact that they receive him with a rain of stones and kill him with it. For Rehoboam the death of Hadoram is the reason to flee to Jerusalem. There he feels safe. He makes haste to mount his chariot to flee. The description of the events of the tearing of the realm is finished with the conclusion that the Israelites in this way, “so”, apostatize from the house of David ( ). The remark “to this day” indicates that this situation is still the case on the day the chronicler records everything. The chronicler leaves the rebellion of Israel for what it is – it is described in 1 Kings 12. In the remainder of his account of history he focuses on the developments in the two tribes and in the two tribes he focuses on those who want to remain faithful to the LORD.

‏ 2 Chronicles 10:19

Israel’s Apostasy From the House of David

The answer given by Rehoboam brings about a turn of events in Israel that comes from God (2Chr 10:15). Through the answer of Rehoboam God fulfills His word which He spoke through Ahijah about the division in the people (1Kgs 11:31-32). It therefore seems as if Rehoboam has no choice because God has predicted it that the people will fall apart in two parts. However, a prediction of God should never and can never be an excuse for the actions of a human. Rehoboam is fully responsible for what he does. So it is with the rejection of the Lord Jesus. Everything that happened to Him is foretold, but that is never an excuse for those who rejected Him. In his disobedience man fulfills the counsel of God (Gen 50:20; Acts 2:23).

Rehoboam’s actions are the cause of the tearing of the realm. In David and earlier in Ephraim we see this division between the ten and the two tribes. In 1 Kings 11 the empire is torn as a result of the sin of Solomon. The direct reason is the folly of Rehoboam. He is what his father Solomon says, the foolish son of a wise king (Ecc 2:18-19). According to his son Abijah’s testimony, he is “young and timid” here (2Chr 13:7).

When there is spoken of “all Israel” (2Chr 10:16), it is the ten tribes. 2Chr 10:1 also mentions ‘all Israel’, but that still refers to the twelve tribes. In the next chapter there is also mention of “all Israel”, by which is meant all Israel in the two tribes (2Chr 11:3 ; 2Chr 12:1). The true Israel, from the tearing, is to be found among the kings from the house of Judah. Where God dwells among His people, there is all Israel represented. That is Israel according to God’s thoughts.

We can apply this to the church today. We can ask the question for ourselves where God now dwells, when there is so much division. The answer is that the Lord Jesus dwells there in the midst of His people, where believers come together in the knowledge that they represent the whole, without the presumption that only they are God’s people.

The people take their hands off the house of David. They say they have no part in David. Everyone should stand up for himself. This is a particularly bad reaction from the people. Never can the failure of a king be an excuse for the people to turn away from the king appointed by God.

There are also Israelites who live in Judah (2Chr 10:17). They do not follow their brothers of the ten tribes in their apostasy, but remain faithful to Rehoboam. In so doing they remain faithful to the house of David which God has given over His people as the house of kingship.

Rehoboam does not want to face the fact that he has lost authority over the ten tribes (2Chr 10:18). He sends Hadoram to them. That is the man who is over the forced labor, that is to say, he takes care of the deployment of labor. It is certainly not tactical of Rehoboam to send this man. Hadoram is the embodiment of the hard times experienced by the people under Solomon. He is probably one of the most hated people of the old regime. This is shown by the fact that they receive him with a rain of stones and kill him with it.

For Rehoboam the death of Hadoram is the reason to flee to Jerusalem. There he feels safe. He makes haste to mount his chariot to flee.

The description of the events of the tearing of the realm is finished with the conclusion that the Israelites in this way, “so”, apostatize from the house of David (2Chr 10:19). The remark “to this day” indicates that this situation is still the case on the day the chronicler records everything.

The chronicler leaves the rebellion of Israel for what it is – it is described in 1 Kings 12. In the remainder of his account of history he focuses on the developments in the two tribes and in the two tribes he focuses on those who want to remain faithful to the LORD.