Paul Kretzmann Commentary - 2 Chronicles 10:1 - 10:11

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Paul Kretzmann Commentary - 2 Chronicles 10:1 - 10:11


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

The Demand of the Northern Tribes.

v. l And Rehoboam went to Shechem, one of the chief cities of the northern tribes and almost in the center of Canaan; for to Shechem were all Israel come to make him king. Cf l Kings 12.

v. 2. 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,
after the prophet Ahijah had promised Jeroboam the position as king of the northern tribes, 1Ki_11:40, heard it, received information of this move to make Rehoboam king, that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.

v. 3. And they sent and called him,
the people of the northern tribes had sent him word, because he was an influential man. and because some of them may have known of Ahijah's promise. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spake to Rehoboam, saying, stating the conditions under which they would accept him as their king,

v. 4. Thy father made our yoke grievous,
by heavy taxes and by other burdens which he had deemed necessary for his ambitious plans, although they had redounded to the welfare of the nation as such; now, therefore, ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, reducing its pressing burden to some extent, and we will serve thee.

v. 5. And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days.
He wanted time to consider their proposition from every angle. And the people departed.

v. 6. And King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon, his father, while he yet lived,
tried and experienced counselors, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people?

v. 7. And they,
out of the fullness of their ripe experience, 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. It is doubtful whether the northern tribes would have remained loyal even with this soft answer returned to them, but at any rate it would have taken from them every pretext for separation.

v. 8. But he,
inexperienced, imperious, and tyrannically inclined, forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, having always been surrounded with the pomp, power, and luxury of magnificent court life and therefore regarding the common people as a herd for bearing burdens, that stood before him.

v. 9. And he said unto them, What advice give ye that we may return answer to this people which have spoken to me, saying, Ease somewhat the yoke that thy father did put upon us?

v. 10. And the young men that were brought up with him spake unto him,
in the arrogant manner which he evidently liked, saying, Thus shalt thou answer the people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it somewhat lighter for us, a contemptuous repetition of the people's demand; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.

v. 11. For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you,
loading a very grievous burden upon them, I will put more to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, figuratively speaking, but I will chastise you with scorpions, a whip with many thongs, whose ends were weighted with sharp points, used for punishing slaves. It is a blessing to a country if its ruler surrounds himself with experienced, trustworthy counselors, who will give the best advice at the right time. But woe to the land whose ruler chooses men as counselors who are out of touch with the needs of the country!