1 Kings 12:21 kjv
And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.
1 Kings 12:21 nkjv
And when Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah with the tribe of Benjamin, one hundred and eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, that he might restore the kingdom to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.
1 Kings 12:21 niv
When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mustered all Judah and the tribe of Benjamin?a hundred and eighty thousand able young men?to go to war against Israel and to regain the kingdom for Rehoboam son of Solomon.
1 Kings 12:21 esv
When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, 180,000 chosen warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.
1 Kings 12:21 nlt
When Rehoboam arrived at Jerusalem, he mobilized the men of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin ? 180,000 select troops ? to fight against the men of Israel and to restore the kingdom to himself.
1 Kings 12 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Ki 12:1-19 | Then Rehoboam went to Shechem... they said to Rehoboam, "Your father made our yoke heavy..." | Rehoboam's foolish decision that led to the split. |
| 1 Ki 11:11-13 | Therefore the Lord said to Solomon... "I will tear the kingdom from you." | Prophecy of kingdom division due to Solomon's sin. |
| 1 Ki 11:29-39 | Ahijah found Jeroboam... "Behold, I am tearing the kingdom from the hand of Solomon." | Ahijah's prophecy foretelling Jeroboam's rule over ten tribes. |
| 1 Ki 12:15 | So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of affairs brought about by the Lord. | Divine orchestration of the kingdom's division. |
| 1 Ki 12:20 | And when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly... | Israel's appointment of Jeroboam as their king. |
| 1 Ki 12:22-24 | But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, "Speak to Rehoboam... You shall not go up or fight against your brothers." | Divine intervention preventing civil war. |
| 2 Chr 10:1-11:4 | And Rehoboam went to Shechem... he gathered 180,000 chosen warriors from Judah and Benjamin... | Parallel account confirming the event and divine stop. |
| Prov 21:1 | The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will. | God's sovereign control over rulers' decisions. |
| Ps 33:10 | The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. | God's ability to thwart human plans. |
| Isa 40:23 | He brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness. | God's ultimate power over worldly rulers. |
| Dan 2:21 | He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings. | God's absolute sovereignty over earthly kingdoms. |
| Prov 16:18 | Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. | Rehoboam's pride in rejecting counsel led to this point. |
| Judg 20:1-48 | Then all the people of Israel came out... in order to fight against the people of Benjamin. | An example of previous civil conflict within Israel (with dire consequences). |
| 2 Sam 7:16 | Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever. Your throne shall be established forever. | God's promise to David, explaining why Judah remained with Rehoboam. |
| 1 Ki 11:36 | ...that David My servant may always have a lamp before Me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen for Myself to put My name. | God's faithfulness to David's line, preserving a remnant. |
| Hos 8:4 | They make kings, but not through me; they set up princes, but I knew it not. | Commentary on unauthorized rule; relates to Jeroboam's kingdom, though God initially appointed him. |
| Matt 12:25 | Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. | Christ's words highlighting the destructive nature of internal division. |
| Rom 13:1 | Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God. | Emphasizes God's ultimate role in establishing authority, even when kings rebel against His will. |
| Gal 5:15 | But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. | A spiritual principle against internal conflict, reflecting the danger of civil war. |
| 1 Cor 1:10 | I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you. | Plea for unity, highlighting the negative spiritual impact of division. |
1 Kings 12 verses
1 Kings 12 21 Meaning
1 Kings 12:21 describes Rehoboam's immediate reaction to the ten northern tribes' secession. Upon returning to Jerusalem, he assembled a substantial military force, composed of men from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. His explicit intent was to wage war against the newly independent house of Israel in order to reclaim control over the entire unified kingdom that had been his father Solomon's. This action signified his resolve to assert his perceived rightful authority through military means.
1 Kings 12 21 Context
Chapter 12 of 1 Kings marks a pivotal and tragic turning point in the history of the united monarchy of Israel, leading to its permanent division. Following the death of Solomon, his son Rehoboam ascended to the throne. The northern tribes, feeling oppressed by Solomon's heavy labor and taxation policies, approached Rehoboam at Shechem seeking a lighter burden. Rehoboam, against the wise counsel of his elders and adhering to the foolish advice of his younger peers, responded harshly, threatening to increase their burdens even more. This provoked an immediate rebellion, with ten tribes rejecting Rehoboam's rule and establishing Jeroboam as their king, fulfilling Ahijah's prophecy. Verse 21 then details Rehoboam's visceral response from his perspective in Jerusalem: he considered the northern tribes' actions a rebellion that needed to be suppressed by force, leading him to muster his loyal southern forces for war.
1 Kings 12 21 Word analysis
- When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem:
- Rehoboam: Hebrew: Rechav'am (רְחַבְעָם), meaning "he enlarges the people" or "the people have expanded." Ironically, his reign saw the nation's severe contraction and division. He represents a proud and foolish ruler who failed to humble himself or listen to wise counsel.
- Jerusalem: Hebrew: Yerushalayim (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם). The capital city of the Davidic dynasty, significant as the chosen place for God's Name to dwell (1 Ki 11:36), symbolizing the remaining core of God's covenant with David.
- he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin:
- assembled: Hebrew: wayyiqhal (וַיַּקְהֵל), from the root qahal (קָהַל), meaning "to gather," "to convoke," or "to summon an assembly." Here, it specifically denotes the mobilization of military forces.
- house of Judah: Represents the southern kingdom, comprising the descendants of the tribe of Judah, the royal tribe, demonstrating their continued loyalty to the Davidic line.
- tribe of Benjamin: Benjamin's territory was strategically located between Judah and the northern tribes. While smaller, their adherence to the house of Judah was crucial, strengthening the southern kingdom and linking it directly to Jerusalem. This demonstrates God's fulfillment of leaving one tribe (here effectively two: Judah and Benjamin as one entity) for David's sake (1 Ki 11:36).
- one hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors:
- one hundred and eighty thousand: A substantial and specific number, indicating Rehoboam's impressive initial capability to field a large army. It underscores the serious nature and scale of the impending conflict from a human perspective.
- chosen warriors: Hebrew: bachur milchamah (בָּחוּר מִלְחָמָה), literally "chosen of war" or "fit for war." These were not conscripts but select, able-bodied fighting men, indicating a prepared and formidable force.
- to fight against the house of Israel:
- to fight against: Hebrew: lĕhillachem (לְהִלָּחֵם), an infinitive indicating purpose: "for the purpose of waging war." This clearly states Rehoboam's aggressive intent.
- house of Israel: Refers to the ten northern tribes that had rebelled and formed their own kingdom under Jeroboam, effectively separating from the unified kingdom. This term now designates the rival entity.
- in order to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam:
- restore the kingdom: Rehoboam's ultimate objective. He viewed the northern secession as a temporary usurpation and sought to forcibly reclaim the entirety of David and Solomon's realm. This demonstrates his denial of the divine orchestration of the split and his continued belief in his absolute claim to the entire kingdom. He desired to restore a unity that God had purposefully broken.
1 Kings 12 21 Bonus section
The significant number, "one hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors," not only emphasizes the scale of the conflict Rehoboam envisioned but also highlights the efficacy of divine intervention. Such a massive civil war would have been devastating for all twelve tribes, weakening them considerably and potentially making them vulnerable to foreign powers. God's direct command through Shemaiah (1 Ki 12:22-24) to refrain from fighting preserved the remnant of Israel from self-annihilation, illustrating His preserving grace even amid the consequences of sin. This also implicitly establishes that even a king's perceived legitimate claim to a throne must bow before the greater authority and purpose of God.
1 Kings 12 21 Commentary
1 Kings 12:21 encapsulates Rehoboam's immediate, natural, and human reaction to the rebellion of the northern tribes: military retaliation. His assembling of a large, seasoned army from Judah and Benjamin shows his resolve to maintain the territorial integrity and unified sovereignty inherited from his father, Solomon. From his human viewpoint, the defection was an act of treason that demanded a forceful reassertion of royal authority. However, what Rehoboam failed to grasp, or chose to ignore, was the divine hand behind the kingdom's division (1 Ki 12:15). God had decreed this split as a consequence of Solomon's idolatry and to preserve a lamp for David in Jerusalem. Rehoboam's ambitious goal "to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam" stood in direct opposition to God's declared will, setting the stage for the prophet Shemaiah's divine intervention. This verse vividly illustrates the tension between human agency, power struggles, and divine sovereignty in shaping historical events. It is a powerful reminder that not all actions, even those taken by an "anointed" king to protect his inherited domain, align with God's ultimate plan.