Immerse: Kingdoms Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 213
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SAMUEL–KINGS
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But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the older men and instead asked
the opinion of the young men who had grown up with him and were now
his advisers. “What is your advice?” he asked them. “How should I answer
these people who want me to lighten the burdens imposed by my father?”
The young men replied, “This is what you should tell those complainers who want a lighter burden: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s
waist! Yes, my father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make
them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you
with scorpions!’”
Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to hear Re
hoboam’s decision, just as the king had ordered. But Rehoboam spoke
harshly to the people, for he rejected the advice of the older counselors
and followed the counsel of his younger advisers. He told the people, “My
father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier!
My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!”
So the king paid no attention to the people. This turn of events was the
will of the Lord, for it fulfilled the Lord’s message to Jeroboam son of
Nebat through the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh.
When all Israel realized that the king had refused to listen to them, they
responded,
“Down with the dynasty of David!
We have no interest in the son of Jesse.
Back to your homes, O Israel!
Look out for your own house, O David!”
So the people of Israel returned home. But Rehoboam continued to rule
over the Israelites who lived in the towns of Judah.
King Rehoboam sent Adoniram, who was in charge of forced labor, to
restore order, but the people of Israel stoned him to death. When this news
reached King Rehoboam, he quickly jumped into his chariot and fled to
Jerusalem. And to this day the northern tribes of Israel have refused to be
ruled by a descendant of David.
When the people of Israel learned of Jeroboam’s return from Egypt, they
called an assembly and made him king over all Israel. So only the tribe of
Judah remained loyal to the family of David.
When Rehoboam arrived at Jerusalem, he mobilized the men of Judah
and the tribe of Benjamin—180,000 select troops—to fight against the
men of Israel and to restore the kingdom to himself.
But God said to Shemaiah, the man of God, “Say to Rehoboam son of
Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the people of Judah and Benjamin, and
to the rest of the people, ‘This is what the Lord says: Do not fight against
your relatives, the Israelites. Go back home, for what has happened is my