And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem ,.... After he had been at Shechem, and had given his answer to the request of the men of Israel, upon which they revolted from him: this and the three following verses are the same with 1 Kings 12:21 . See Gill on 1 Kings 12:21 . read more
Fighting against brethren. Rehoboam might have alleged some very strong reasons in defence of the proposed war ( 2 Chronicles 11:1 ). He might have pleaded that the tribes had no constitutional or moral right to revolt and secede, and that their secession would seriously and even fatally weaken Israel, and expose it to the mercy of her powerful and unscrupulous neighbours. But the word of the Lord came authoritatively to him, "Ye shall not go up," etc; and the strife was stayed. These... read more
A warlike expedition hindered. I. THE KING 'S ARMY . 1 . Whence collected. From Judah and Benjamin, or that portion of the latter which adhered to Judah. 2 . Its place of rendezvous. Jerusalem, the metropolis of the southern kingdom. It was intended that the king's forces should proceed from the capital. 3 . The number of its force. A hundred and eighty thousand men—a contingent of the army of Judah. 4 . The character of its soldiers. "Chosen men, which were... read more
The discipline that resulted in obedience, accompanied with right and earnest endeavour. The homiletic treatment of this chapter centres round two suggestions. I. THE SIMPLE AND PROMPT OBEDIENCE OF REHOBOAM , IN CERTAIN RESPECTS , TO THE DIVINE MESSAGE OF PROHIBITION . Of which obedience on the part of Rehoboam we may notice: 1 . That it compared favourably with the conduct of those who, being bidden and encouraged in every way to go up to war, and... read more
To all Israel in Judah and Benjamin. There is difference of opinion as to who are intended in the expression, "all Israel," already confessedly ambiguous in two other passages. When we consider the mention of Rehoboam personally in the former clause of the verse, it would seem most probable that the meaning is all the people of the nation, resident in the Judah and Benjamin allotments, i.e. the nation called collectively Israel. This will include "the remnant" spoken of in the parallel (... read more
This thing is from me ; i.e. the punishing disruption; not the precedent causes with the entirety of historical events; this punishing and Wither, sing disruption is not to be "lightly healed" The man who did what caused it, the men who did what caused it, cannot thus each undo what they have done—least of all undo it by the appeal of war. They and theirs will have, long as life lasts, as lives last, to go through the baptism of bitter suffering, and leave a heritage of the same for... read more
Wrought of God. "For this thing is done of me." How much has God to do with the events and issues of our life? Speaking in the idiom of the ancient Hebrew writers, we should say—Everything. Speaking after our modern fashion, we should say—Much; and so much that we are altogether wrong and foolish if we do not take it into account. The words of the text, together with the context, suggest— I. THAT GOD DOES MANY THINGS WHICH , ANTECEDENTLY , WE SHOULD NOT EXPECT ... read more
2 Chronicles 11:3. Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon Intimating that this was determined for the sin of Solomon, and therefore could not be reversed. But for all explanation of this paragraph, see notes on 1 Kings 12:21-24. read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Chronicles 11:1-12
How the ten tribes deserted the house of David we read in the foregoing chapter. They had formerly sat loose to that family (2 Sam. 20:1, 2), and now they quite threw it off, not considering how much it would weaken the common interest and take Israel down from that pitch of glory at which it had arrived in the last reign. But thus the kingdom must be corrected as well as the house of David. 1. Rehoboam at length, like a bold man, raises an army, with a design to reduce the revolters, 2 Chron.... read more