2 Chronicles 10

2 Chronicles 10 opens the account of the kings of Judah (chapters 10–36), which follows the story of Solomon (chapters 1–9). After 2 Chronicles 9 briefly reports Solomon's death and the accession of his son Rehoboam, this chapter describes how the kingdom came to be divided in two.

Outline

• Verses 1–5 Rehoboam goes to Shechem to be made king. Jeroboam, who had fled to Egypt, returns and joins the people in asking that the heavy yoke Solomon had placed on them be lightened. Rehoboam tells them to come back in three days.
• Verses 6–11 Rehoboam seeks counsel from the old men who had served Solomon. They advise him to deal kindly with the people. The king, however, chooses to follow the young men who had grown up with him. They advise him to answer, "My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins," and "my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions."
• Verses 12–15 On the third day Rehoboam answers the people harshly, as the young men had advised. The text explains that this came about from God, so that He might fulfill the word He had spoken to Jeroboam through Ahijah the Shilonite.
• Verses 16–19 The Israelites declare, "What portion have we in David?" and go to their tents, leaving Rehoboam with only the cities of Judah. When Hadoram, the overseer of the forced laborers, is stoned to death, the king flees to Jerusalem.

Key Verses

• 2 Chronicles 10:15 "For the cause was of God." This reflects the Chronicler's view that God's purpose is accomplished even through foolish human choices.
• 2 Chronicles 10:16 "What portion have we in David?" With these words the northern tribes declare their separation from the house of David.

People and Places

• Rehoboam: The son of Solomon and, after the division, the first king of the southern kingdom of Judah.
• Jeroboam: The son of Nebat. He had fled from Solomon to Egypt and now returns.
• Ahijah: A prophet from Shiloh who had foretold to Jeroboam the division of the kingdom.
• Hadoram: The overseer of the forced laborers, sent by Rehoboam.
• Shechem: The place where Rehoboam went to be made king.
• Jerusalem: The capital to which Rehoboam fled.
• David and Jesse: In verse 16 their names are used to refer to the Davidic royal house.

Notes for Reading

This chapter is nearly identical in content to 1 Kings 12:1–19. The wording of the old men's advice, however, differs. First Kings records, "If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them," while 2 Chronicles records, "If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them."

Chronicles does not include Ahijah's prophecy itself (1 Kings 11). It also omits the scene in which Jeroboam is made king over northern Israel (1 Kings 12:20). For this reason, interpreters commonly hold that the Chronicler wrote with a focus on Judah and the house of David.

Some interpreters understand "scorpions" not as literal scorpions but as a term for a whip fitted with barbs.

The events of this chapter mark the beginning of the division of the kingdom. 2 Chronicles 11 then continues with the account of Rehoboam's reign over Judah.

In the Korean Church

This chapter is frequently cited in sermons on the conduct of leaders and the wisdom of heeding counsel. The contrast between the counsel of the old men and that of the young men is a particularly common focus. The chapter is sometimes preached together with Matthew 20:28, which speaks of servant leadership.