2 Chronicles 10:1

10:1-19 The ten tribes revolt from Rehoboam. - Moderate counsels are wisest and best. Gentleness will do what violence will not do. Most people like to be accosted mildly. Good words cost only a little self-denial, yet they purchase great things. No more needs to be done to ruin men, than to leave them to their own pride and passion. Thus, whatever are the devices of men, God is doing his own work by all, and fulfilling the word which he has spoken. No man can bequeath his prosperity to his heirs any more than his wisdom; though our children will generally be affected by our conduct, whether good or bad. Let us then seek those good things which will be our own for ever; and crave the blessing of God upon our posterity, in preference to wealth or worldly exaltation.

A.M. 3029. — B.C. 975. The people request Rehoboam to ease their grievances, 2 Chronicles 10:1-5. Rehoboam, rejecting the old men’s counsel, by the advice of the young men, answers them roughly, 2 Chronicles 10:6-15. Ten tribes revolt, 2 Chronicles 10:16-19. NOTES ON CHAPTER 10. 2 Chronicles 10:1 . Rehoboam, went to Shechem, &c. — See 1 Kings 12., where this chapter is explained, so that little need be added here. 2 Chronicles 10:3 . And they sent and called him — Or rather, as the Targum properly translates it, For they sent, assigning a reason why he returned from Egypt. 2 Chronicles 10:4 . Thy father made our yoke grievous — It is probable, when Solomon had declined from God, that God left him to himself to act thus impoliticly. 2 Chronicles 10:7 . If thou be kind to this people — Moderate counsels are generally best. Gentleness will do what violence will not do. Good words cost nothing but a little self-denial, and yet they purchase great things. 2 Chronicles 10:16 . Now, David, see to thine own house — When public affairs are in a ferment, violent proceedings do but make ill worse. Many have been driven to the mischief they did not intend, by being too severely dealt with.

Verse 1. - This verse would have been far better placed last in the previous chapter, but now, left without note of time, it purports to tell us that (whereas by the last clause of the previous chapter "Rehoboam reigned in his" father Solomon's "stead," and had been presumably accepted as his heir and successor in Jerusalem and all Judaea) Rehoboam, now somewhat later on, repairs to Shechem (the ancient capital, and the prized position of the high-spirited tribe of Ephraim) to receive some final recognition as king from "all Israel." Rehoboam. Solomon's son by Naaraah; an Ammonite princess ( 1 Kings 14:21, 31 ). Eurydemus may be considered as a close reproduction in Greek of the Hebrew name Rehoboam. To his son Abijah, by his favourite wife Maachah, who was the third of the wives that belonged to the house of Jesse, he bequeathed the kingdom. Wanting any positive Scripture statement of the matter of Rehoboam going to Shechem, we believe the explanation given above is the most probable, and that it was not any designed stroke of policy, with the view of conciliating or flattering Ephraim. Though no formal statement of it be made here, yet it is quite intelligible that the opinions, feelings, and readiness to express them on the part of Ephraim and "Israel" were well enough known, and had to be reckoned for. Shechem. For many reasons one of the most interesting geographical names in all the Old Testament.

It was the ancient capital, as Shiloh, near to it, was the ancient seat of the national worship. It was situate in Ephraim, with Ebal to the immediate north, and Gerizim to the immediate south. Its upper slopelands (its position on which is possibly the origin of the name, שֶׁכֶם , "a shoulder" commanded a view of the Mediterranean. It was the half-way resting-place, at the end of the second day's journey, for travellers from Galilee to Jerusalem, and hence bore the name in later times, it is thought, of Mabertha, or Mabartha ( מַעֲבַרְתָּא ), Pliny's Mamortha. Vespasian subsequently named it Neapolis, the modern Nablous. The Authorized Version synonyms of Shechem appear as Sichem , Sychem, Sychar ( John 4:5, 20 ). In post-Captivity times, a new temple on Gerizim was the cathedral of Samaritan worship, which was levelled by John Hyrcanus, B.C. 129 . Jacob's well is a hall: mile south-east, and Joseph's tomb two miles east ( Joshua 24:32 ). Almost every one of the references to Shechem are of great interest on one account or another, and to turn to each of them in order is to read the Scripture narrative of the place.

CHAPTER 10 2Ch 10:1-15. Rehoboam Refusing the Old Men's Good Counsel. 1. Rehoboam went to Shechem—(See on [431]1Ki 12:1). This chapter is, with a few verbal alterations, the same as in 1Ki 12:1-19.Rehoboam made king. The Israelites by Jeroboam request a relaxation, 2 Chronicles 10:1-5. Rehoboam refusing the old men’s counsel, by the advice of young men, answereth them roughly, 2 Chronicles 10:6-15. Ten tribes revolting, kill Hadoram, and make Rehoboam to flee, 2 Chronicles 10:16-19. The contents of this chapter are in 1 Kings 12, where see the notes.

This event is narrated in our chapter, except in so far as a few unessential differences in form are concerned, exactly as we have it in 1 Kings 12:1-19 ; so that we may refer for the exposition of it to the commentary on 1 Kings 12 , where we have both treated the contents of this chapter, and have also discussed the deeper and more latent causes of this event, so important in its consequences.