Psalm 61:1-8 Praying When Overwhelmed
Ps 61:1 “Hear my cry, God. Listen to my prayer. 2 From the end of the earth, I will call to you, when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 3 For you have been a refuge for me, a strong tower from the enemy. 4 I will dwell in your tent forever. I will take refuge in the shelter of your wings. Selah. 5 For you, God, have heard my vows. You have given me the heritage of those who fear your name. 6 You will prolong the king’s life; his years shall be for generations. 7 He shall be enthroned in God’s presence forever. Appoint your hesed/loyal love and faithfulness, that they may preserve him. 8 So I will sing praise to your name forever, that I may fulfil my vows daily.”
Observations: 61:1-4 When overwhelmed by difficulties, David prays, remembering God's track record with him, and seeking protection, deliverance and security/stability (the Rock that is higher than David's resources/abilities).
61:5-7 Because David fulfills his covenant responsibilities (fears and loyally trusts God), he knows that his prayers will be answered by the God who is faithful to His covenant responsibilities. Biblical Survey of Prayer
61:8 So David will continually sing God's praises, which he vows to do.
Groaning in the Garden gives a pattern for prayer when overwhelmed from Mark 14:
Pour Out your feelings honestly to God 1Pt 5:7 Phil 4:6-7Recognize that God is able to change anything Phil 4:13 Jn 15:7 2 Cor 9:8Align your Will (thinking and feeling) with the Father's 1Jn 5:14Yield yourself to do God's will to the point of death. Rm 14:4 2Cor 9:8
Application: Learn and use the pattern of Jesus' prayer in the Garden when overwhelmed. Learn it now, because when you need it, it will be too late to learn it.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thanks that I can call out to You at any time, in any circumstances and know that You will protect and prosper those who fear Your name. Amen.
Proverbs 16:8-9 Planning for Righteousness
Pr 16:8 “Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues with injustice. 9 A man’s heart plans his course, but/then Yahweh establishes his steps.”
Observations: 16:8 Another “better.” We need to value righteousness over injustice, even if we lose out on temporal stuff. God's blessing usually more than compensates for any “loss” we suffer, but even if it doesn't, the final tally doesn't happen until heaven.
16:9 It's our job to plan our path/direction according to God's revelation about what's best; it is God's job to establish our steps.
Grammatical and Lexical Light: The first verb “plan” is in the Piel (intentional) stem; the second “establish” is in the Hiphil (causative) stem. We intentionally plan or determine our course, then God causes our steps to be established. The root of the verb means to stand erect, and the Hiphil Imperfect yields the meaning “will cause to be established.” The “but” is a waw which has 19 possible meaning depending upon the context. "Then" is a preferable translation, indicating that God's establishment is the result of our taking the right steps. “Direct” in the illegitimate sense of override, is a poor, theologically biased and unwarranted translation, that leads to the incorrect thinking that we don't have to think, which non-thinking people embrace.
Similar incorrect thinking skews a proper interpretation of Proverbs 3:6 “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. 7 Don’t be wise in your own eyes. Fear Yahweh, and depart from evil.” We have the obligation of acknowledging Him, and His instructions for our ways, then God smooths our path and prospers our way. Each of the three times the verb is translated “direct” is misleading and alien to the context. The Psalm above indicates the clear responsibility to set our hearts and steps in the right direction (Ps 78:9,10,18,37) so God can bless His people's way.
Grammatical and Lexical Light: The first verb “plan” is in the Piel (intentional) stem; the second “establish” is in the Hiphil (causative) stem. We intentionally plan or determine our course, then God causes our steps to be established. The root of the verb means to stand erect, and the Hiphil Imperfect yields the meaning “will cause to be established.” The “but” is a waw which has 19 possible meaning depending upon the context. "Then" is a preferable translation, indicating that God's establishment is the result of our taking the right steps. “Direct” in the illegitimate sense of override, is a poor, theologically biased and unwarranted translation, that leads to the incorrect thinking that we don't have to think, which non-thinking people embrace.
Similar incorrect thinking skews a proper interpretation of Proverbs 3:6 “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. 7 Don’t be wise in your own eyes. Fear Yahweh, and depart from evil.” We have the obligation of acknowledging Him, and His instructions for our ways, then God smooths our path and prospers our way. Each of the three times the verb is translated “direct” is misleading and alien to the context. The Psalm above indicates the clear responsibility to set our hearts and steps in the right direction (Ps 78:9,10,18,37) so God can bless His people's way.
Application: Determine what action is in accord with God's will, then pursue it by faith that God will establish your steps and cause you to prosper.
Prayer: God, I plan on pleasing You, today and forever; please establish my steps and smooth my way, so I get to where we both want me to be. Amen.
2 Chronicles 8-12 In these chapters, Solomon starts living for his pleasure, and displeases God (even though he is careful to worship ritually). As a result, the kingdom splits and God offers Jeroboam his own "Davidic Covenant," which he turns down. The king of Egypt comes up and takes all the treasure of Jerusalem and makes them his servants. All in all not the happiest of times.
2 Chronicles 8 Pleasing Self or God
8:1 It happened at the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the house of Yahweh, and his own house, 2 that the cities which Huram had given to Solomon, Solomon built them, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there. 3 Solomon went to Hamath Zobah, and prevailed against it. 4 He built...6 all the storage cities, and all the cities for his chariots, and the cities for his horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build for his pleasure in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion. 11 Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David to the house that he had built for her; for he said, "My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places where the ark of Yahweh has come are holy."
12 Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to Yahweh on the altar of Yahweh, which he had built before the porch, 13 even as the duty of every day required...14 He appointed, according to the ordinance of David his father, the divisions of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their offices, to praise, and to minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required 15 They didn’t depart from the commandment of the king to the priests and Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the treasures...
Observations: 8:1-11 After completing the temple, Solomon turned his attention to other building projects. The chronicler doesn't mention Solomon building temples for the gods of his wives (1Kg 11), nor that they turned his heart to worship other gods. However, we have a hint that something isn't right in Jerusalem, with the focus on Solomon's pleasure rather than God's. Solomon knew that it wasn't right for Pharaoh's daughter to be dwelling in a holy place, so he built her another house out of the city. Hmmmmm.
8:12-15 Solomon was an able administrator, performing all the ritual and external commands flawlessly.
2 Chronicles 9 Queen of Sheba Blesses Yahweh
13 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was...22 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 23 All the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. 24 They brought every man his tribute...25 Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he stationed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. 26 He ruled over all the kings from the River even to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt. 27 The king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones...28 They brought horses for Solomon out of Egypt, and out of all lands. 29 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, aren’t they written in the history of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat? 30 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. 31 Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.
Observations: 9:1-12 The Queen of Sheba is thoroughly impressed with how God has blessed Solomon, and she blesses Yahweh. That's how it should be. God blesses us so others can know him. Solomon is outwardly fulfilling the purpose for which God made him king, but the chronicler does record some disturbing data.
9:13-31 Solomon is multiplying gold and horses, even Egyptian ones, which God had expressly forbidden for kings in Dt 17. Though doing all the outward rituals correctly, inwardly, Solomon was decaying, not wholeheartedly knowing and serving God according to His pleasure.
1Kg 11:9 So Yahweh became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from Yahweh God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice,10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not keep what Yahweh had commanded.11 Therefore Yahweh said to Solomon, "Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant.12 Nevertheless I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David; I will tear it out of the hand of your son.13 However I will not tear away the whole kingdom; I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen."
Application: Outward conformity to God's rituals is no substitute for a heart wholly devoted to Him.
Prayer: God, may I never confuse ritual with a real relationship with You; may my highest pleasure be Your pleasure and not my one. Amen.
2 Chronicles 10 Bad Counsel
12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam 13 The king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men, 14 and spoke to them after the counsel of the young men 15 So the king didn’t listen to the people; for it was brought about of God, that Yahweh might establish his word, which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 16 When all Israel saw that the king didn’t listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, "What portion have we in David? Neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse! Every man to your tents, Israel! Now see to your own house, David." So all Israel departed to their tents. 17 But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. 19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day.
Observations: 10:1-11 Apparently life was not that easy under Solomon, because of all his building projects. The people ask for relief. Solomon's counselors, tell Rehoboam to listen to the people, serve them, and they will serve him. He listens to the counsel of the young men, who immaturely viewed a leadership position as a basis for worth and value, rather than service of the people as the correct basis.
10:12-19 Israel rebels because Rehoboam followed the unwise counsel. But God was using his unsanctified desires to split the kingdom because of Solomon's sin. 1Kg 11:26-
39 records the incredibly gracious offer God made to Jereboam, to bless him as He had David:
1Kg 11:37 "So I will take you, and you shall reign over all your heart desires, and you shall be king over Israel. 38 Then it shall be, if you heed all that I command you, walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as My servant David did, then I will be with you and build for you an enduring house, as I built for David, and will give Israel to you”
Application: Listening to wise counsel is really helpful if you don't want to regret your decisions.
Prayer: Father, I want to do what is right in Your sight, pleasing You rather than myself. Guide me in the way with Your word, and wise counsel. Amen.
2 Chronicles 11 Migration to Judah
13 The priests and the Levites who were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their border. 14 For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the priest’s office to Yahweh; 15 and he appointed him priests for the high places, and for the male goats, and for the calves which he had made. 16 After them, out of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their hearts to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Yahweh, the God of their fathers. 17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years; for they walked three years in the way of David and Solomon. 18 Rehoboam took him a wife, Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse; 19 and she bore him sons: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham. 20 After her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith. 21 Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and sixty concubines, and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.) 22 Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, the prince among his brothers; for he intended to make him king. 23 He dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to every fortified city: and he gave them food in abundance. He sought for them many wives.
Observations: 11:1-12 After God sends a prophet to prevent brothers from spilling each other's blood, Rehoboam builds and fortifies cities, in the now Southern Kingdom of Judah.
11:13-17 Meanwhile Jereboam is building a pagan alternative worship center in the now Northern Kingdom of Israel, complete with male goats, and golden calves, to compete with the worship of the true God, Yahweh, in Jerusalem. He did not believe and trust the promise God made him, and violated God's word to get his heart's desire. Silly king.
1Kg 12:26 "And Jeroboam said in his heart, "Now the kingdom may return to the house of David:27 If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn back to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah."
All the Levites get kicked out of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and come to Jerusalem, along with everyone of the ten northern tribes whose hearts were set on seeking God according to His word. His word said, Jerusalem is the place to worship, and you shall only worship Yahweh, not the image of a goat or calf.
11:18-22 Rehoboam prospers, adding wives, concubines, and kids, an indication of the blessing of fertility.
Application: It's foolish to trust in our thinking at the expense of the word of God, for He always fulfills His promises to bless those who follow Him, and curse those who don't.
Prayer: God, help me clearly see the folly of failing to follow You, and the benefits of walking in Your ways. Amen.
2 Chronicles 12 Forsake, Forgiven, Forfeit
12:1 It happened, when the kingdom of Rehoboam was established, and he was strong, that he forsook the law of Yahweh, and all Israel with him. 2 It happened in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had trespassed against Yahweh, 3 with twelve hundred chariots, and sixty thousand horsemen. 4 He took the fortified cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem. 5 Now Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, who were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, "Thus says Yahweh, ‘You have forsaken me, therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.’" 6 Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, "Yahweh is righteous." 7 When Yahweh saw that they humbled themselves, the word of Yahweh came to Shemaiah, saying, "They have humbled themselves. I will not destroy them; but I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. 8 Nevertheless they shall be his servants, that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries." 9 So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of Yahweh, and the treasures of the king’s house. He took it all away. He also took away the shields of gold which Solomon had made. 10 King Rehoboam made in their place shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, who kept the door of the king’s house. 11 It was so, that as often as the king entered into the house of Yahweh, the guard came and bore them, and brought them back into the guard room. 12 When he humbled himself, the wrath of Yahweh turned from him, so as not to destroy him altogether: and moreover in Judah there were good things found.
13 So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Yahweh had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there: and his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. 14 He did that which was evil, because he didn’t set his heart to seek Yahweh. 15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, aren’t they written in the histories of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer, after the way of genealogies? There were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. 16 Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his place.
Observations: 12:1-12 So Rehoboam was doing well, even with a diminished kingdom (because of Solomon's sin). Incredibly, he follows in Solomon's footsteps in forsaking God, and God sends a prophet who tells him that He's sending Shishak, king of Egypt to destroy Jerusalem. The reason his kingdom was two tribes rather than ten, was because Solomon forsook God. Rehoboam and company humble themselves, and repent, acknowledging that Yahweh is righteous in sending judgment for their sin. They repent, God relents, but their sin costs them. They lose all the treasures, and have to serve Shishak as his vassals. It would have been far better to have served God. But sometimes folks are pretty dense.
12:13-16 The summary statement of Rehoboam's reign indicates that peace was no longer in the land.
Application: Even though God relents of wrath when we repent, there are still consequences to our sin. It would be far better if we didn't sin in the first place.
Prayer: God, impress upon me how stupid it is to depart from following You, so I won't ever even desire it. Amen.
Digging Deeper:
God in a nutshell: God offers great blessings to those who will simply do what He says. He will punish those who don't, pouring out His wrath on them. God relents from great wrath when we repent, but still lets us reap the negative consequences of our disobedience, so we (and others) will fear Him.
Us in a nutshell: If we're busy seeking and serving God (as He told us to) we have lots of opportunities to be blessed and little time to get into trouble and be cursed. If we fail to obey God, or try to fulfill our desires by disobeying, or listen to unwise counsel, we will regret it. Daily dependence upon God, applying His word to our lives, not only keeps us out of trouble, but sets us up to live happily ever after. If we live to please God, we will ultimately please ourselves. If we live to please ourselves, we will wind up displeasing God.
Where to Go for More:
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2Chronicles complete text
2 Chronicles 8
8:1 It happened at the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the house of Yahweh, and his own house, 2 that the cities which Huram had given to Solomon, Solomon built them, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there. 3 Solomon went to Hamath Zobah, and prevailed against it. 4 He built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the storage cities, which he built in Hamath. 5 Also he built Beth Horon the upper, and Beth Horon the lower, fortified cities, with walls, gates, and bars; 6 and Baalath, and all the storage cities that Solomon had, and all the cities for his chariots, and the cities for his horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build for his pleasure in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion. 7 As for all the people who were left of the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of Israel; 8 of their children who were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel didn’t consume, of them Solomon conscripted forced labour to this day. 9 But of the children of Israel, Solomon made no servants for his work; but they were men of war, and chief of his captains, and rulers of his chariots and of his horsemen. 10 These were the chief officers of king Solomon, even two-hundred fifty, who ruled over the people. 11 Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David to the house that he had built for her; for he said, "My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places where the ark of Yahweh has come are holy."
12 Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to Yahweh on the altar of Yahweh, which he had built before the porch, 13 even as the duty of every day required, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the Sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the set feasts, three times in the year, in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tents. 14 He appointed, according to the ordinance of David his father, the divisions of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their offices, to praise, and to minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required; the doorkeepers also by their divisions at every gate: for so had David the man of God commanded. 15 They didn’t depart from the commandment of the king to the priests and Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the treasures. 16 Now all the work of Solomon was prepared to the day of the foundation of the house of Yahweh, and until it was finished. So the house of Yahweh was completed. 17 Then went Solomon to Ezion Geber, and to Eloth, on the seashore in the land of Edom. 18 Huram sent him ships and servants who had knowledge of the sea by the hands of his servants; and they came with the servants of Solomon to Ophir, and fetched from there four hundred fifty talents of gold, and brought them to king Solomon.
2 Chronicles 9
9:1 When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great train, and camels that bore spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she had come to Solomon, she talked with him of all that was in her heart. 2 Solomon told her all her questions; and there was not anything hidden from Solomon which he didn’t tell her. 3 When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built, 4 and the food of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their clothing, his cup bearers also, and their clothing, and his ascent by which he went up to the house of Yahweh; there was no more spirit in her. 5 She said to the king, "It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts, and of your wisdom. 6 However I didn’t believe their words, until I came, and my eyes had seen it; and behold, the half of the greatness of your wisdom was not told me: you exceed the fame that I heard. 7 Happy are your men, and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you, and hear your wisdom. 8 Blessed be Yahweh your God, who delighted in you, to set you on his throne, to be king for Yahweh your God: because your God loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore made he you king over them, to do justice and righteousness." 9 She gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, and spices in great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon. 10 The servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious stones. 11 The king made of the algum trees terraces for the house of Yahweh, and for the king’s house, and harps and stringed instruments for the singers: and there were none like these seen before in the land of Judah. 12 King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, besides that which she had brought to the king. So she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants.
13 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold, 14 besides that which the traders and merchants brought: and all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15 King Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one buckler. 16 He made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three hundred shekels of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. 17 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold. 18 And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and stays on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the stays. 19 Twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other on the six steps: there was nothing like it made in any kingdom. 20 All king Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold: silver was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon. 21 For the king had ships that went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram; once every three years came the ships of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks. 22 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 23 All the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. 24 They brought every man his tribute, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and clothing, armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year. 25 Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he stationed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. 26 He ruled over all the kings from the River even to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt. 27 The king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars to be as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland, for abundance. 28 They brought horses for Solomon out of Egypt, and out of all lands. 29 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, aren’t they written in the history of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat? 30 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. 31 Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.
2 Chronicles 10
10:1 Rehoboam went to Shechem; for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. 2 It happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it, (for he was in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of king Solomon), that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt. 3 They sent and called him; and Jeroboam and all Israel came, and they spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 4 "Your father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make you the grievous service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you." 5 He said to them, "Come again to me after three days." The people departed. 6 King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, "What counsel do you give me to return answer to this people?" 7 They spoke to him, saying, "If you are kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever." 8 But he forsook the counsel 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. 9 He said to them, "What counsel do you give, that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Make the yoke that your father put on us lighter?’" 10 The young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, "Thus you shall tell the people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter on us’; thus you shall say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. 11 Now whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.’"
12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king asked, saying, "Come to me again the third day." 13 The king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men, 14 and spoke to them after the counsel 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." 15 So the king didn’t listen to the people; for it was brought about of God, that Yahweh might establish his word, which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 16 When all Israel saw that the king didn’t listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, "What portion have we in David? Neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse! Every man to your tents, Israel! Now see to your own house, David." So all Israel departed to their tents. 17 But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. 18 Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was over the men subject to forced labour; and the children of Israel stoned him to death with stones. King Rehoboam made speed to get himself up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day.
2 Chronicles 11
11:1 When Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand chosen men, who were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam. 2 But the word of Yahweh came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, 3 "Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, 4 ‘Thus says Yahweh, "You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers! Return every man to his house; for this thing is of me."’" So they listened to the words of Yahweh, and returned from going against Jeroboam. 5 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah. 6 He built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa, 7 Beth Zur, and Soco, and Adullam, 8 and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, 9 and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah, 10 and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin, fortified cities. 11 He fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and stores of food, and oil and wine. 12 He put shields and spears in every city, and made them exceeding strong. Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.
13 The priests and the Levites who were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their border. 14 For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the priest’s office to Yahweh; 15 and he appointed him priests for the high places, and for the male goats, and for the calves which he had made. 16 After them, out of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their hearts to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Yahweh, the God of their fathers. 17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years; for they walked three years in the way of David and Solomon. 18 Rehoboam took him a wife, Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse; 19 and she bore him sons: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham. 20 After her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith. 21 Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and sixty concubines, and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.) 22 Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, the prince among his brothers; for he intended to make him king. 23 He dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to every fortified city: and he gave them food in abundance. He sought for them many wives.
2 Chronicles 12
12:1 It happened, when the kingdom of Rehoboam was established, and he was strong, that he forsook the law of Yahweh, and all Israel with him. 2 It happened in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had trespassed against Yahweh, 3 with twelve hundred chariots, and sixty thousand horsemen. The people were without number who came with him out of Egypt: the Lubim, the Sukkiim, and the Ethiopians. 4 He took the fortified cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem. 5 Now Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, who were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, "Thus says Yahweh, ‘You have forsaken me, therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.’" 6 Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, "Yahweh is righteous." 7 When Yahweh saw that they humbled themselves, the word of Yahweh came to Shemaiah, saying, "They have humbled themselves. I will not destroy them; but I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. 8 Nevertheless they shall be his servants, that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries." 9 So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of Yahweh, and the treasures of the king’s house. He took it all away. He also took away the shields of gold which Solomon had made. 10 King Rehoboam made in their place shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, who kept the door of the king’s house. 11 It was so, that as often as the king entered into the house of Yahweh, the guard came and bore them, and brought them back into the guard room. 12 When he humbled himself, the wrath of Yahweh turned from him, so as not to destroy him altogether: and moreover in Judah there were good things found.
13 So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Yahweh had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there: and his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. 14 He did that which was evil, because he didn’t set his heart to seek Yahweh. 15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, aren’t they written in the histories of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer, after the way of genealogies? There were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. 16 Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his place.
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