41 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the Book of the Acts of Solomon? 42 And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. 43 And Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.
1 Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. 2 And as soon as Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), then Jeroboam returned from Egypt. 3 And they sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam, 4 “Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you.” 5 He said to them, “Go away for three days, then come again to me.” So the people went away.
6 Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” 7 And they said to him, “If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever.” 8 But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him. 9 And he said to them, “What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke that your father put on us’?” 10 And the young men who had grown up with him said to him, “Thus shall you speak to this people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you lighten it for us,’ thus shall you say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s thighs. 11 And now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’”
12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king said, “Come to me again the third day.” 13 And the king answered the people harshly, and forsaking the counsel that the old men had given him, 14 he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.” 15 So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of affairs brought about by the LORD that he might fulfill his word, which the LORD spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. – 1 Kings 11:41-12:15 ESV
As God had promised, Solomon was allowed to complete his reign with his kingdom still intact. But upon Solomon’s death, his son Rehoboam, who succeeded him to the throne, found himself facing a God-ordained crisis that would leave his kingdom divided and greatly diminished. It would be easy to sympathize with poor Rehoboam because he was utterly unaware of what was about to happen to him. The day of his coronation should have been one of the most joyous occasions of his life. He was inheriting the vast kingdom his father had established, along with all the wealth and riches that Solomon had accumulated over the last four decades. He was a lucky young man. But his fate was about to take a decidedly negative turn for the worse. Speaking through the prophet Ahijah, God had promised to divide the kingdom of Israel, awarding ten of the tribes to Jeroboam and leaving Rehoboam with only one.
“For the sake of my servant David, the one whom I chose and who obeyed my commands and decrees, I will keep Solomon as leader for the rest of his life. But I will take the kingdom away from his son and give ten of the tribes to you. His son will have one tribe so that the descendants of David my servant will continue to reign, shining like a lamp in Jerusalem, the city I have chosen to be the place for my name.” – 1 Kings 11:34-36 NLT
But any sorrow one might feel for Rehoboam is quickly dispelled when his true nature is revealed as he attempts to handle his first official crisis as king. For some undisclosed reason, Rehoboam had decided to hold his coronation ceremony in the city of Shechem, located in the land that belonged to the tribe of Ephraim. His decision to hold this vital ceremony outside the city of Jerusalem may indicate that he was aware of the potential problem with Jeroboam. Solomon had likely warned Rehoboam about the possible threat from the Ephraimites.
Before his death, Solomon had become aware of the prediction that Ahijah the prophet had delivered concerning Jeroboam and attempted to have Jeroboam murdered. Jeroboam, who was an Ephraimite, had been assigned the task of supervising the conscripted labor force from among his own people. In performing his duties, he became aware of the heavy burden Solomon had placed upon the Ephraimites and other northern tribes. So, Rehoboam may have moved his coronation to Shechem in an attempt to placate and win over the disgruntled Ephraimites. But this ploy would prove unsuccessful.
From his place of exile in Egypt, Jeroboam heard the news that Solomon had died and returned to Israel, where he was promptly appointed the official spokesperson for the ten northern tribes. When Rehoboam arrived in Shechem for his coronation, he was met by a large contingent of the people who made an appeal through their appointed leader, Jeroboam.
“Your father was a hard master,” they said. “Lighten the harsh labor demands and heavy taxes that your father imposed on us. Then we will be your loyal subjects.” – 1 Kings 12:4 NLT
Notice that Jeroboam did not restate the words of the prophet. He did not boast about the promise God had made, declaring that he was going to be the next king over ten of the tribes of Israel. There were no threats of insurrection or insurgency. He simply expressed the people's grievances and their desire to have the heavy burdens of labor and taxation alleviated.
This was a defining moment for Rehoboam. He could have seen this as an opportunity to unify the nation by demonstrating his intentions to be a fair and just king. Even though he was the son of Solomon, Rehoboam would have to win the favor and trust of the people. He was being given the opportunity to rectify some of his father’s less-than-stellar policies.
Having heard the people’s request, Rehoboam sent the people away, assuring them that he would take everything into consideration and return with a decision. As the son of Solomon, the man who compiled and edited an entire book of proverbial sayings, Rehoboam would have grown up hearing all the sage advice his father had gathered.
Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. – Proverbs 11:14 ESV
Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed. – Proverbs 15:22 ESV
Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war. – Proverbs 20:18 ESV
Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors. – Proverbs 24:6 BSB
So, it should come as no surprise that Rehoboam sought counsel. First, he “discussed the matter with the older men who had counseled his father” (1 Kings 12:6 NLT). These men advised Rehoboam that he could win over the people's hearts by responding favorably to their request. He could forestall any potential unrest by demonstrating that he was, first and foremost, the servant of all the people. While Rehoboam was from the tribe of Judah, he was expected to serve as God’s shepherd over all the people. By making this concession, Rehoboam could avoid a rebellion and establish himself as a compassionate and caring king.
But Rehoboam didn’t like what he heard. The author flatly states, “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” (1 Kings 12:8 NLT). In doing so, Rehoboam lived out the truth revealed in the proverbs his father had so painstakingly collected.
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. – Proverbs 12:15 ESV
Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. – Proverbs 19:20 ESV
Listen to instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. – Proverbs 8:33 BSB
Unlike his father, Rehoboam had not been given the gift of wisdom from God. He was young and inexperienced and in desperate need of wise counsel. But when he received it, he rejected it, choosing instead to seek out those who would tell him what he wanted to hear. Disliking the counsel of the older and wiser men, Rehoboam turned to his peers for advice, and they were more than eager to give it.
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!’” – 1 Kings 12:10-11 NLT
These brash young men appealed to Rehoboam’s ego. They advised him to lay down the law and establish his reputation as a no-holds-barred disciplinarian who ruled with an iron fist. These young men knew Rehoboam well, and their advice was meant to appeal to his over-inflated ego and his desperate need to escape the shadow of his father’s reputation. In a demonstration of his inherent foolishness and pride, Rehoboam heeded the counsel of his peers and handed down his decision to the people. In doing so, he fulfilled the words of another of his father's proverbs.
Those who trust their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe. – Proverbs 28:26 NLT
Rather than humbly heeding the pleas of his people, Rehoboam listened to his own heart. However, the author reveals that this was all part of God's sovereign will.
…it was a turn of affairs brought about by the LORD that he might fulfill his word. – 1 Kings 12:15 ESV
God didn’t force Rehoboam to do what he did. This stubborn and prideful young man simply acted according to his own sinful nature. However, in doing so, he fulfilled God's will. Rehoboam’s decision would fuel the fire that would end up burning down his kingdom. In a foolish attempt to establish himself as a great king, Rehoboam unwittingly brought about the dismantling of the realm his father had built.
It seems likely that his more senior advisors would have responded to his fateful decision by quoting some of the proverbs his father had compiled. These sage counselors would have encouraged him to demonstrate humility rather than pride.
Pride leads to disgrace,
but with humility comes wisdom. – Proverbs 11:2 NLT
Pride goes before destruction,
and haughtiness before a fall. – Proverbs 16:18 ESV
Haughtiness goes before destruction;
humility precedes honor. – Proverbs 18:12 NLT
Pride ends in humiliation,
while humility brings honor. – Proverbs 29:23 NLT
Their own life experiences would have prompted them to beg Rehoboam to reconsider his unwise and potentially devastating decision. But Rehoboam’s mind was made up, and the fate of his kingdom was sealed. This sad state of affairs was a fulfillment of the warning God had given to Solomon. Because of Solomon’s unfaithfulness and refusal to repent of his spiritual infidelity, God did as He said He would do and split the kingdom, leaving Rehoboam with one tribe over which to rule. The days ahead would prove to be difficult as the heir to Solomon’s throne attempted to thwart God’s plan by winning back the ten disgruntled tribes through military force. His efforts would fail miserably, and the judgment of God would remain in effect for generations to come, all because one man failed to keep his covenant commitment to Yahweh.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.