1 Kings 12
Overview
12:1 The Israelites, assembled at Shechem to crown Rehoboam, by Jeroboam make a suit of relaxation unto him;
12:6 Rehoboam, refusing the old men's counsel, answers them roughly;
12:16 Ten tribes revolting, kill Adoram, and make Rehoboam flee;
12:21 Rehoboam, raising an army, is forbidden by Shemaiah;
12:25 Jeroboam strengthens himself by cities;
12:26 and by the idolatry of the two calves. Verse 1Rehoboam1 Kings 11:43; 2 Chronicles 10:1-19 ShechemGenesis 12:6, Sichem, 33:18, 33:19; Joshua 20:7, 24:1, 24:32; Judges 9:1; Psalm 60:6; Acts 7:16, SychemReciprocalJoshua 17:7 - Shechem; 21:21 - Shechem; Judges 9:6 - plain; 1 Kings 12:25 - Shechem; 2 Kings 21:24 - made Josiah; Proverbs 11:14 - General; Jeremiah 41:5 - Shechem; Matthew 1:7 - Roboam; 2:20 - for Verse 2Jeroboam the son of Nebat1 Kings 11:26-31, 11:40; 2 Chronicles 10:2, 10:3ReciprocalProverbs 26:21 - General Verse 3ReciprocalJudges 9:1 - communed; 2 Chronicles 10:3 - they sent; Proverbs 26:21 - General Verse 4our yoke1 Kings 4:7, 4:20, 4:22, 4:23, 4:25, 9:15, 9:22, 9:23; 1 Samuel 8:11-18; 2 Chronicles 10:4, 10:5; Matthew 11:29, 11:30; 23:4; 1 John 5:3

Verse 5Reciprocal1 Kings 12:12 - Come to me again; 2 Chronicles 10:5 - Come again; Luke 2:46 - after Verse 6consulted2 Samuel 16:20, 17:5; Job 12:12, 32:7; Proverbs 27:10; Jeremiah 42:2-5, 43:2ReciprocalGenesis 41:46 - he stood; 1 Samuel 8:3 - his sons; 1 Kings 12:23 - General; 1 Chronicles 6:32 - and then; Psalm 119:100 - understand Verse 7If thou wilt2 Chronicles 10:6, 10:7; Proverbs 15:1; Mark 10:43, 10:44; Philippians 2:7-11 speak good1 Kings 12:13; 2 Samuel 15:3-6; Ecclesiastes 10:4; Zechariah 1:13ReciprocalExodus 21:6 - for ever; 1 Chronicles 13:2 - If it seem Verse 82 Chronicles 10:8, 25:15, 25:16; Proverbs 1:2-5, 1:25, 1:30, 19:20, 25:12; Ecclesiastes 10:2, 10:3ReciprocalGenesis 41:46 - he stood; 1 Kings 12:28 - took counsel; 1 Chronicles 6:32 - and then; 19:3 - but the princes; Proverbs 13:20 - but; Hosea 6:10 - there Verse 91 Kings 22:6-8; 2 Samuel 17:5, 17:6; 2 Chronicles 10:9, 18:5-7Reciprocal1 Kings 12:28 - took counsel Verse 10Thus shalt thou2 Samuel 17:7-13 My little fingerA proverbial mode of expression: "My little finger is thicker than my father's thigh." As much as the thigh surpasses the little finger in thickness, so much does my power exceed that of my father; and the use I shall make of it to oppress and tax you shall be in proportion. 2 Chronicles 10:10, 10:11; Proverbs 10:14, 18:6, 18:7, 28:25, 29:23; Isaiah 47:6Reciprocal1 Samuel 8:11 - He will take; 1 Kings 12:14 - My father made; Proverbs 13:10 - Only; 13:20 - but; 28:16 - prince; Ecclesiastes 4:16 - no end Verse 11I will addExodus 1:13, 1:14, 5:5-9, 5:18; 1 Samuel 8:18; 2 Chronicles 16:10; Isaiah 58:6; Jeremiah 27:11; 28:13, 28:14 but I will chastiseShould you rebel or become disaffected, my father's whip shall be a scorpion in my hand. His was chastisement, mine shall be punishment. Celsius and Hiller conjecture that akrabbim denotes a thorny kind of shrub, whose prickles are of a venomous nature, called by the Arabs scorpion thorns, from the exquisite pain which they inflict. But the Chaldee renders it margenin, and the Syriac moragyai, i.e., μαραγναι, scourges; and in the parallel place of Chronicles the Arabic has saut, a scourge. Isidore, and after him Calmet and others, assert that the scorpion was a sort of severe whip, the lashes of which were armed with knots or points that sunk into and tore the flesh.scorpions1 Kings 12:14; Ezekiel 2:6; Revelation 9:3-10Reciprocal2 Chronicles 10:10 - My little finger; Proverbs 13:10 - Only Verse 12Come to me again1 Kings 12:5; 2 Chronicles 10:12-14ReciprocalLuke 2:46 - after Verse 13answered1 Kings 20:6-11; Genesis 42:7, 42:30; Exodus 5:2, 10:28; Judges 12:1-6; 1 Samuel 20:10, 20:30, 20:31; 25:10, 25:11; 2 Samuel 19:43; Proverbs 10:11, 10:32, 15:1, 18:23; Ecclesiastes 10:12; James 3:17 roughlyHeb. hardly, Genesis 16:6 forsookProverbs 13:20Reciprocal1 Kings 12:7 - speak good; Ecclesiastes 10:6 - Folly Verse 14the counsel2 Chronicles 22:4, 22:5; Esther 1:16-21, 2:2-4; Proverbs 12:5; Isaiah 19:11-13; Daniel 6:7 My father made1 Kings 12:10, 12:11; Proverbs 13:10, 16:18, 17:14; Ecclesiastes 7:8; James 3:14-18, 4:1, 4:2Reciprocal2 Samuel 23:5 - Although; Proverbs 26:4 - General; 28:16 - prince; Ecclesiastes 2:19 - who knoweth; 10:6 - Folly Verse 15the causeThe cause of all this confusion and anarchy was Rehoboam's folly, cruelty, and despotic tyranny, and this was certainly not "from the Lord," nor does the original text speak this doctrine. For an elucidation of a similar passage, see note on 2 Samuel 24:1. It says, sibbah, - from savav, to turn, change
"the change or Revolution was from the Lord;" which is consistent with all the preceding declarations. God stirred up the people to revolt from a man who had neither skill nor humanity to govern them. God serves his own wise and righteous purpose by the imprudences and iniquities of men, and snares sinners in the work of their own hands. "He maketh the wrath of man to praise him." 1 Kings 12:24, 22:23; Deuteronomy 2:30; Judges 14:4; 2 Chronicles 10:15, 22:7, 25:16, 25:20; Psalm 5:10; Amos 3:6; Acts 2:23, 4:28 that he might1 Kings 11:11, 11:29-38; 1 Samuel 15:29; 2 Samuel 17:14; 2 Kings 9:36, 10:10; Isaiah 14:13-17; 46:10, 46:11; Daniel 4:35; John 19:23, 19:24, 19:28, 19:29, 19:32-37; Acts 3:17; 13:27-29ReciprocalJoshua 11:20 - it was; Judges 9:23 - God; 1 Kings 11:14 - the Lord; 11:35 - will give; Job 1:21 - taken away; Hosea 13:11 - General
Verse 16What portion2 Samuel 20:1; 2 Chronicles 10:16 to your tents1 Kings 22:17, 22:36 now see11:13, 11:34, 11:36, 11:39; 2 Samuel 7:15, 7:16; Psalm 2:1-6, 76:10, 89:29-37, 132:17; Isaiah 7:2, 7:6, 7:7, 9:6, 9:7; Jeremiah 23:5, 23:6, 33:15, 33:16, 33:21; Luke 19:14, 19:27 So IsraelJudges 8:35; 2 Samuel 15:13, 16:11ReciprocalJoshua 22:25 - ye have; Judges 9:28 - Who is Abimelech; 1 Samuel 4:10 - every man; 22:7 - the son of Jesse; 25:10 - Who is David; 2 Samuel 19:43 - We have; 1 Kings 11:11 - I will surely; Psalm 89:44 - Thou; Proverbs 13:10 - Only; 18:19 - brother; 24:21 - meddle; 26:4 - General; Isaiah 7:17 - the day; Ezekiel 37:16 - For Joseph; Hosea 3:5 - and David their king; 8:4 - set; 13:11 - General; Mark 3:24 - General; Luke 3:32 - was the son of Jesse; Acts 15:16 - build again the tabernacle; Habakkuk 3:1 - See; 2 Peter 2:10 - despise Verse 17the children1 Kings 11:13, 11:36; 2 Chronicles 10:17, 11:13-17Reciprocal1 Kings 12:20 - none that followed; 2 Chronicles 10:16 - What portion; 12:1 - all Israel Verse 18Adoram1 Kings 4:6, 5:14, Adoniram, 2 Samuel 20:24; 2 Chronicles 10:18, Hadoramall IsraelExodus 17:4; Numbers 14:10; 2 Chronicles 24:21; Acts 5:26, 7:57, 7:58 made speedHeb. strengthened himselfflee to Jerusalem1 Kings 20:18-20; Proverbs 28:1, 28:2; Amos 2:16

Verse 19Israel1 Samuel 10:19; 2 Kings 17:21; 2 Chronicles 10:19, 13:5-7, 13:17; Isaiah 7:17 rebelledor, fell away, Habakkuk 3:1 unto this dayJoshua 4:9Reciprocal1 Kings 4:1 - over all Israel; 2 Chronicles 15:9 - they fell Verse 20and made him1 Samuel 10:24; Hosea 8:4 none that followed1 Kings 12:17, 11:13, 11:32; Hosea 11:12ReciprocalJudges 9:1 - communed; 9:6 - plain; 2 Samuel 19:20 - Joseph; 1 Kings 4:1 - over all Israel; 11:11 - I will surely; 11:26 - Jeroboam; 11:35 - will give; 2 Kings 10:3 - Look even; 17:18 - the tribe; 17:21 - they made; 21:24 - made Josiah; 2 Chronicles 10:19 - Israel; 13:6 - rebelled; Proverbs 12:24 - hand; 26:21 - General; Ezekiel 23:4 - the elder; Hosea 13:10 - thy judges Verse 21when Rehoboam2 Chronicles 11:1-3 an hundred1 Chronicles 21:5; 2 Chronicles 14:8, 14:11, 17:14-19; Proverbs 21:30, 21:31ReciprocalDeuteronomy 33:12 - The beloved; 2 Kings 10:3 - fight for Verse 22Deuteronomy 33:1; 2 Kings 4:16, 4:22, 4:25, 4:27; 1 Timothy 6:11 Shemaiah2 Chronicles 11:2, 12:5, 12:7 the man1 Kings 13:1, 13:4, 13:5, 13:11, 17:18, 17:24Reciprocal2 Chronicles 12:15 - Shemaiah; Jeremiah 35:4 - a man Verse 231 Kings 12:6

Verse 24Ye shall not go upNumbers 14:42; 2 Chronicles 11:4, 25:7, 25:8, 28:9-13 for this thing1 Kings 12:15, 11:29-38; Hosea 8:4 They hearkened2 Chronicles 25:10, 28:13-15Reciprocal1 Kings 14:7 - Forasmuch; 14:30 - General; 22:36 - Every man; 2 Chronicles 10:15 - the cause; Acts 5:39 - if Verse 25built1 Kings 9:15, 9:17, 9:18, 15:17, 16:24; 2 Chronicles 11:5-12 Shechem1 Kings 12:1; Judges 9:1, 9:45-49 PenuelGenesis 32:30, 32:31; Judges 8:8, 8:17ReciprocalJoshua 17:7 - Shechem; Judges 9:6 - plain; 2 Samuel 19:20 - Joseph; Jeremiah 41:5 - Shechem; Hosea 6:9 - by consent; 13:1 - exalted Verse 26said in his heartPsalm 14:1; Mark 2:6-8; Luke 7:39 Now shall1 Kings 11:38; 1 Samuel 27:1; 2 Chronicles 20:20; Isaiah 7:9; Jeremiah 38:18-21; John 11:47-50; 12:10, 12:11, 12:19; Acts 4:16, 4:17Reciprocal1 Samuel 13:12 - said I; 16:6 - Surely; 1 Kings 13:34 - to cut it off; 16:26 - he walked; 2 Kings 3:3 - he departed; 13:2 - followed; Psalm 53:1 - said; Ezekiel 23:4 - Aholah; Hosea 5:3 - thou; 5:11 - he willingly; 13:11 - General Verse 27go up1 Kings 8:29, 8:30, 8:44, 11:32; Deuteronomy 12:5-7, 12:14, 16:2, 16:6 and they shallGenesis 12:12, 12:13, 26:7; Proverbs 29:25; 1 Corinthians 1:19, 1:20ReciprocalJoshua 22:25 - make; 1 Samuel 13:12 - said I; 1 Kings 15:17 - he might not suffer; 2 Chronicles 13:6 - rebelled; 16:1 - to the intent Verse 28took counsel1 Kings 12:8, 12:9; Exodus 1:10; Isaiah 30:1 two calves of goldHe invented a political religion, and instituted feasts in his own times, different from those appointed by Jehovah; gave the people certain objects of adoration, and pretended to think that it would be both inconvenient and oppressive to them to go up to Jerusalem to worship. These calves were doubtless of the same kind as the calf which was set up by Aaron; and it is remarkable, that in pointing them out to the people he should use the same words that Aaron used on that occasion, when they must have heard what terrible judgments fell upon their forefathers for this idolatry. Solomon's idolatry, however, had prepared the people for Jeroboam's abominations. Exodus 20:4; Deuteronomy 4:14-18; 2 Kings 10:29, 17:16; 2 Chronicles 11:15; Hosea 8:4-7, 10:5, 10:6 It is too muchIsaiah 30:10; 2 Peter 2:19 beholdExodus 32:4, 32:8ReciprocalLeviticus 13:29 - General; Deuteronomy 12:13 - General; 1 Kings 14:9 - hast done; 15:26 - walked; 15:34 - walked; 16:19 - in his; 22:52 - and in the way; 2 Kings 2:23 - Bethel; 3:3 - General; 14:24 - he departed; 16:3 - he walked; 17:8 - walked; 17:21 - Jeroboam drave; 23:15 - the altar; 2 Chronicles 11:14 - Jeroboam; 13:8 - with you golden; 15:3 - a long; 17:4 - not after; 25:7 - for the Lord; Job 34:30 - General; Isaiah 31:7 - for a sin; 44:10 - General; 46:6 - lavish; Jeremiah 48:13 - as the; Ezekiel 16:15 - and playedst; 23:8 - whoredoms; 48:1 - Dan; Daniel 3:1 - made; Hosea 4:15 - Bethaven; 10:8 - the sin; Amos 8:14 - sin Verse 29BethelGenesis 12:8, 28:19, 35:1; Hosea 4:15 DanGenesis 14:14; Deuteronomy 34:1; Judges 18:29-31, 20:1; 2 Kings 10:29; Jeremiah 8:16; Amos 8:14ReciprocalJoshua 18:22 - Bethel; 1 Samuel 30:27 - Bethel; 1 Kings 13:32 - the houses; 15:20 - Dan; 15:34 - walked; 2 Kings 2:2 - Bethel; 17:28 - in Bethel; 23:4 - Bethel; Jeremiah 48:13 - as the; Ezekiel 48:1 - Dan; Hosea 5:8 - Bethaven; Amos 7:13 - for Verse 30became a sin1 Kings 13:34; 2 Kings 10:31, 17:21ReciprocalJudges 18:29 - Dan; 1 Kings 14:16 - who did sin; 2 Chronicles 17:4 - not after; Acts 4:19 - to hearken Verse 31an house1 Kings 13:24, 13:32; Deuteronomy 24:15; Ezekiel 16:25; Hosea 12:11 priests1 Kings 13:33; Numbers 3:10; 2 Kings 17:32; 2 Chronicles 11:14, 11:15, 13:9; Ezekiel 44:6-8ReciprocalJudges 17:5 - consecrated; 17:12 - his priest; 2 Kings 17:27 - one of the priests; 23:19 - the houses; Psalm 78:58 - with; Hosea 8:14 - and buildeth; Amos 7:10 - the priest Verse 32like unto1 Kings 8:2, 8:5; Leviticus 23:33, 23:34-44; Numbers 29:12-40; Ezekiel 43:8; Matthew 15:8, 15:9 offered upon the altaror, went up to the altar, sacrificing. or, to sacrifice. he placed. Amos 7:10-13ReciprocalExodus 32:4 - calf; 32:5 - a feast; 1 Kings 12:33 - offered upon the altar; 13:1 - Jeroboam; Psalm 94:20 - frameth; Jeremiah 2:20 - when upon; Daniel 3:2 - sent; Hosea 2:11 - her feast; Amos 7:13 - for; 8:14 - sin Verse 33offered upon the altaror, went up to the altar, etc. 1 Kings 12:32 in the monthNumbers 15:39; Psalm 106:39; Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 15:6; Mark 7:13 he offered1 Kings 13:1; 1 Samuel 13:12; 2 Chronicles 26:6 and burnt incenseHeb. to burn incenseReciprocalExodus 32:5 - a feast; 2 Kings 2:2 - Bethel; 2 Chronicles 17:4 - not after; 26:16 - to burn; Ezekiel 4:5 - three; Hosea 11:2 - burned