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2 Chronicles 10

Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.

And as soon as Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), then Jeroboam returned from Egypt.

And they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all Israel came and said to Rehoboam,

“Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you.”

He said to them, “Come to me again in three days.” So the people went away.

Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?”

And they said to him, “If you will be good to this people and please them and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.”

But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him.

And he said to them, “What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke that your father put on us’?”

And the young men who had grown up with him said to him, “Thus shall you speak to the people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you lighten it for us’; thus shall you say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s thighs.

And now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’”

So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king said, “Come to me again the third day.”

And the king answered them harshly; and forsaking the counsel of the old men,

King Rehoboam spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.”

So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of affairs brought about by God that the LORD might fulfill his word, which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

And when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, “What portion have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Each of you to your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David.” So all Israel went to their tents.

But Rehoboam reigned over the people of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah.

Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was taskmaster over the forced labor, and the people of Israel stoned him to death with stones. And King Rehoboam quickly mounted his chariot to flee to Jerusalem.

So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.

Scripture quotations marked “ESV” are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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2 Chronicles 10

Solomon's son Rehoboam refuses the counsel of the elders who advise political wisdom and mercy, instead heeding the harsh advice of his young courtiers to increase burdens on the people, provoking the northern tribes to rebel and fracture the united monarchy into two kingdoms. Rehoboam's rejection of wise counsel represents a fundamental breach in the covenantal framework: instead of governing with wisdom like his father and grandfather, he governs with arrogance and self-interest, demonstrating how quickly a kingship can deteriorate when a ruler lacks the spiritual and personal qualities necessary for faithful leadership. The northern tribes' defection under Jeroboam occurs not through external military conquest but through the king's own self-destructive political choices, suggesting that covenant unfaithfulness produces internal disintegration. The Chronicler interprets the kingdom's division as occurring 'from God' because Rehoboam's hardened heart represents God's judgment on the deterioration of royal covenant faithfulness that became evident in Solomon's later years. Rehoboam's initial attempt to restore the kingdom by military force is divinely prohibited by the prophet Shemaiah, indicating that God Himself stands behind the division of the kingdom, not permitting human violence to reverse it. This chapter inaugurates the tragic decline of the Davidic monarchy and signals the beginning of the long decline that the Chronicler will chronicle through his narrative, establishing the principle that departure from covenant faithfulness produces national fragmentation and diminishment of the divine blessing.

2 Chronicles 10:19

Now when Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors, to fight against Israel and to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam — Rehoboam gathered the southern tribes (בֵּית יְהוּדָה וּבִנְיָמִן) and 180,000 chosen warriors (מִלְחָמָה) to restore his authority over the north. The mobilization set up military confrontation.

2 Chronicles 10:18

So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day — The schism became permanent: 'Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David' (וַיִּשְׁמְרוּ כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל מִעַל לְבֵית דָּוִד עַד־הַיּוֹם־הַזֶּה). The division between north (Israel) and south (Judah) was now complete, with north under Jeroboam's leadership.

2 Chronicles 10:1

And Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king — Rehoboam traveled to Shechem (שְׁכֶם), where all Israel gathered to acclaim him as king (הַמְלִיכוּ אוֹתוֹ). Shechem, in central Israel, was the traditional coronation site, geographically and historically significant for covenant-renewal.

2 Chronicles 10:2

And as soon as Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it, for he was in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of King Solomon, Jeroboam returned from Egypt — Jeroboam (יָרָבְעָם), who had fled Solomon's presence and sought refuge in Egypt (וַיִּשְׁמַע יָרָבְעָם בֶּן־נְבָט וְהוּא בְמִצְרַיִם כִּי בָרַח מִפְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה וַיָּשֹׁב יָרָבְעָם מִמִּצְרַיִם), returned upon hearing of Solomon's death and Rehoboam's coronation. The timing was significant: Jeroboam's political opportunity arose precisely when leadership was transitioning.

2 Chronicles 10:3

And they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all Israel came to Rehoboam and said to him, — Jeroboam was summoned, and 'all Israel' (וַיִּשְׁלְחוּ וַיִּקְרְאוּ אוֹתוֹ וַיָּבֹא יָרָבְעָם וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־רְחַבְעָם) came to Rehoboam with a petition.

2 Chronicles 10:4

'Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke upon us, and we will serve you' — The petition (דַּבְּרוּ אֵלָיו לֵאמֹר אָבִיךָ הַקְשָׁה אֶת־עֻלֵּנוּ וְאַתָּה כַּל־הַמִּנְחָה הַקָּשָׁה וְהָעֹל הַכָּבֵד אֲשֶׁר־נָתַן עָלֵינוּ וְנַעַבְדְּךָ) specified the grievance: Solomon's yoke (עֹל, ol—burden of taxation and forced labor) was oppressive. The people requested relief, offering service to Rehoboam in exchange. The grievance centered on economic burden and labor-conscription.

2 Chronicles 10:5

He said to them, 'Come back to me in three days.' So they went away — Rehoboam requested three days to deliberate (וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם שְׁלשֹׁשׁ יָמִים וְשׁוּבוּ אֵלַי). The delay allowed consultation with advisors.

2 Chronicles 10:6

Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men who had attended his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, 'How do you advise me to answer this people?' — Rehoboam consulted 'the old men' (הַזְּקֵנִים אֲשֶׁר־הָיוּ עֹמְדִים לִפְנֵי שְׁלֹמֹה) who had served Solomon. The elder-counselors represented experienced wisdom.

2 Chronicles 10:7

And they said to him, 'If you will be kind to this people and please them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever' — The elders advised conciliation (הַיּוֹם עִם־הָעָם הַזֶּה בַּטּוֹב וְדִבַּרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם דְּבָרִים טוֹבִים): kindness, good words, and favorable response would secure permanent loyalty (וְהָיוּ לְךָ עֲבָדִים כָּל־הַיָּמִים). The counsel was straightforward: respond favorably to maintain support.

2 Chronicles 10:8

But he rejected the advice of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him — Rehoboam rejected (וַיַּעֲזֹב אֶת־עֲצַת הַזְּקֵנִים) the elders' prudent counsel and instead consulted 'the young men' (הַנְּעָרִים אֲשֶׁר־גָּדְלוּ אִתּוֹ וְהָעֹמְדִים לְפָנָיו) who had grown up with him. The shift from experienced elders to youthful confidants signaled poor judgment.

2 Chronicles 10:9

And he said to them, 'What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, "Lighten the yoke that your father put upon us"?' — Rehoboam repeated the people's request to his young advisors, soliciting their counsel.

2 Chronicles 10:10

And the young men who had grown up with him said to him, 'Thus shall you say to the people who spoke to you, "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions"' — The young men advised an aggressively dismissive response: yokes would be made heavier; chastisement escalated from whips to scorpions (scorpions being more painful). The crude threat (וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ הַנְּעָרִים אֲשֶׁר־גָּדְלוּ אִתּוֹ אָבִי הִכְבִּיד אֶת־עֻלְּכֶם וַאֲנִי אוֹסִיף עַל־עֻלְּכֶם אָבִי הִכָּכֶם בַּשּׁוֹטִים וַאֲנִי בַעַקְרַבִּים) reflected arrogant inexperience. The 'scorpions' (עַקְרַבִּים) metaphor invoked instruments of torture. This response violated both political prudence and covenant ethics.

2 Chronicles 10:11

So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had said, 'Come to me again the third day' — On the third day (בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי), the people returned for Rehoboam's response.

2 Chronicles 10:12

And the king answered them harshly (קָשׁוֹ דָּבָר), rejecting the advice of the old men — Rehoboam responded harshly (וַיַּעַן הַמֶּלֶךְ קָשׁוֹ), dismissing the elders' counsel—a critical turning-point decision.

2 Chronicles 10:13

and speaking to them after the advice of the young men, saying, 'My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions' — Rehoboam delivered the arrogant threat (וַיְדַבֵּר אֲלֵיהֶם כַּעֲצַת הַנְּעָרִים), escalating taxation and coercion. The response was catastrophic political miscalculation.

2 Chronicles 10:14

So the king did not hearken to the people; and this turn of events was brought about by God, to fulfill his word, which the LORD had spoken by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat — The Chronicler frames Rehoboam's rejection (לֹא־שָׁמַע הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל־הָעָם) as theologically ordained: God brought about this turn (וַיַּהִי הַסִּבְבָה מֵעִם הָאֱלֹהִים) to fulfill Ahijah's prophecy that Jeroboam would receive the northern kingdom. Divine will, expressed through prophetic word, operated through human folly.

2 Chronicles 10:15

When all Israel saw that the king did not hearken to them, the people answered the king, 'What share have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Each of you to your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David.' So all Israel went to their tents — The northern tribes, rejected by Rehoboam, renounced Davidic loyalty (מַה־לָּנוּ חֵלֶק בְדָוִד וְלֹא־לָנוּ נַחֲלָה בְּבֶן־יִשַׁי) and returned to their homes (וַיִּשְׁמְרוּ כֻלּוּ־יִשְׂרָאֵל לַאֹהָלִים). The rejection was explicitly Davidic-dynastic in character. The schism was accomplished: north withdrew allegiance; south retained Davidic control.

2 Chronicles 10:16

But as for the people of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them — Rehoboam retained control over Israel living in southern cities (לְמִי־בָא־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעָרֵי יְהוּדָה וַיִּמְלֹךְ עָלֵיהֶם רְחַבְעָם). The southern kingdom (Judah) and those residing there remained loyal.

2 Chronicles 10:17

Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was taskmaster over the forced labor. But the people of Israel stoned him to death. And King Rehoboam made haste to get into his chariot to flee to Jerusalem — Rehoboam sent Adoram (הַדֹּרָם), the taskmaster (אֲשֶׁר־עַל־הַמִּס), to enforce labor-collection. Northern Israel stoned him (וַיִּשְׁמְרוּ בוֹ כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶבֶן וַיָּמֹת), rejecting southern authority through violent act. Rehoboam fled by chariot to Jerusalem (וַיִּמְלַט בִּמְרֶכֶבֶת וַיָּנֻס יְרוּשָׁלַיִם).