1Ki 12:1-24 | TNotes | STEP | 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 .

12:1 ^a 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 ^b; 33:18-20 ^c), and it became important in Israel as a Levitical city and a city of refuge (Josh 20:7 ^d; 21:20 ^e; 24:1 ^f). 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 ^g).

• Rehoboam reigned from 931 to 913 BC.
12:4 ^h harsh labor demands and heavy taxes: See 4:7 ⁱ, 22-23 ^j; 5:13-18 ^k; 9:20-23 ^l; 11:27-28 ^m.
12:5 ⁿ three days: Rehoboam’s waiting period to consult his advisers is traditional; the third day was one of final decision (see 2 Kgs 20:4-8 ^o). Jesus rose from the grave on the third day (Luke 24:41 ^p; 1 Cor 15:4 ^q).
Summary for 1Kgs 12:6-7: 12:6-7 ^r older men: Those who had served under Solomon advised moderation.
Summary for 1Kgs 12:8-10: 12:8-10 ^s young men: Rehoboam’s appointed contemporaries took a hard line and advised the opposite of the older men.
12:11 ^t scorpions: This was probably a type of whip that contained barbs or nails; the wounds inflicted by this weapon were like a scorpion’s sting.
Summary for 1Kgs 12:12-17: 12:12-17 ^u Rehoboam’s decision to heed the counsel of his younger advisers was disastrous; it led the northern tribes to secede, followed by years of intermittent warfare (14:30 ^v; 15:7 ^w, 32 ^x).

• the will of the Lord: God directed these human decisions to fulfill the prophesied judgment against Solomon (11:11-13 ^y, 29-39 ^z).
12:18 ^aa Adoniram served under both David (2 Sam 20:24 ^ab) and Solomon (1 Kgs 4:6 ^ac; 5:13-14 ^ad). His death by stoning showed the folly of Rehoboam’s decision to send the unpopular supervisor of the labor force to restore order in the north.
Summary for 1Kgs 12:21-24: 12:21-24 ^ae Rehoboam resolved to restore the kingdom to himself by force, but he turned back when confronted with the message of the Lord through Shemaiah. The expression man of God emphasizes a prophet’s relationship to the Lord as his messenger. God’s prophets played a leading role in the history of the divided kingdom. Shemaiah apparently authored a history of Rehoboam’s reign (2 Chr 12:15 ^af).