Bible Commentaries

And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem were all Israel come to make him king.

Rehoboam went to Shechem - (see the note at 1 Kings 12:1.) This chapter is, with a few verbal alterations, the same as in that book.

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.

No JFB commentary on this verse.

And they sent and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spake to Rehoboam, saying,

And they sent - rather, 'for they had sent,'. This is stated as the reason of Jeroboam's return from Egypt.

Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy 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.

No JFB commentary on these verses.

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.

If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them. In the Book of Kings, the words are. "If thou wilt be a servant unto this people, and will serve them." The meaning in both is the same-namely, If thou wilt make some reasonable concessions, redress their grievances, and restore their abridged liberties, thou wilt secure their strong and lasting attachment to thy person and government.

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.

No JFB commentary on these verses.

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.

The cause was of God. Rehoboam, in following an evil counsel, and the Hebrew people, is making a revolutionary movement, each acted as free agents, obeying their own will add passions. But God, who permitted the revolt of the northern tribes, intended it as a punishment of the house of David for Solomon's apostasy. That event demonstrates the immediate superintendence of His providence over the revolutions of kingdoms; and thus it affords an instance, similar to many other striking instances that are found in Scripture, of divine predictions, uttered long before, being accomplished by the operation of human Scripture, of divine predictions, uttered long before, being accomplished by the operation of human passions, and in the natural course of events.