2 Chronicles 10:15 kjv
So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
2 Chronicles 10:15 nkjv
So the king did not listen to the people; for the turn of events was from God, that the LORD might fulfill His word, which He had spoken by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
2 Chronicles 10:15 niv
So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from God, to fulfill the word the LORD had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.
2 Chronicles 10:15 esv
So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of affairs brought about by God that the LORD might fulfill his word, which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
2 Chronicles 10:15 nlt
So the king paid no attention to the people. This turn of events was the will of God, for it fulfilled the LORD's message to Jeroboam son of Nebat through the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh.
2 Chronicles 10 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Kgs 11:29-39 | "Now it came to pass at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem... | Ahijah's direct prophecy to Jeroboam. |
| 1 Kgs 12:15 | "So the king did not listen to the people; for the turn of events was from the LORD..." | Parallel account, explicitly states God's hand. |
| Gen 50:20 | "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good..." | God uses evil intentions for good outcomes. |
| Prov 21:1 | "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water..." | God directs rulers' decisions. |
| Dan 4:17 | "...that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, Gives it to whomever He wills..." | God's absolute sovereignty over earthly kingdoms. |
| Isa 46:10 | "Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done..." | God's comprehensive foreknowledge and control. |
| Isa 55:11 | "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void..." | God's word is effective and accomplishes its purpose. |
| Jer 1:12 | "Then the LORD said to me, 'You have seen well, for I am watching over My word to perform it.'" | God actively ensures the fulfillment of His promises. |
| Num 23:19 | "God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent." | God's unchanging faithfulness to His word. |
| Acts 2:23 | "Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God..." | God's plan worked through human actions, even sinful ones. |
| Acts 4:27-28 | "...for indeed both Herod and Pontius Pilate... conspired against Your holy Servant Jesus... To do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done." | God's sovereignty over acts of rebellion and injustice. |
| Rom 9:17 | "For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, 'For this very purpose I have raised you up...' " | God hardens hearts to fulfill His plan. |
| Deut 18:21-22 | "When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen..." | Criterion for identifying a true prophet. |
| Psa 75:6-7 | "For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one and exalts another." | God's ultimate control over leadership. |
| Prov 11:14 | "Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety." | Rehoboam rejected good counsel, leading to his fall. |
| Prov 15:22 | "Without counsel plans go awry, But in the multitude of counselors they are established." | Contrasts Rehoboam's failure to seek wise counsel. |
| 2 Sam 12:11 | "Thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house..." | God's judgment manifested through internal rebellion. |
| Judg 14:4 | "...But his father and mother did not know that it was of the LORD..." | God's hidden purpose in human decisions. |
| 2 Sam 17:14 | "For the LORD had purposed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring disaster on Absalom." | God's sovereignty in orchestrating events for His purpose. |
| Zech 8:15 | "So again in these days I am determined to do good To Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear." | God determines actions to fulfill promises. |
| Hab 1:5 | "Look among the nations and watch! Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days..." | God works His will in unexpected ways. |
| Eph 1:11 | "In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will..." | God's sovereignty extends to all events. |
2 Chronicles 10 verses
2 Chronicles 10 15 Meaning
2 Chronicles 10:15 reveals that King Rehoboam's refusal to listen to the people's plea for lighter burdens, which led to the division of the kingdom, was not merely a result of his poor judgment. Instead, it was fundamentally the sovereign will of God. This divine intervention ensured the fulfillment of the prophecy previously declared by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam, specifying that ten tribes would be torn from Solomon's house and given to Jeroboam. Thus, human action, even foolish and rebellious, served as an instrument in God's predetermined plan.
2 Chronicles 10 15 Context
Chapter 10 of 2 Chronicles, parallel to 1 Kings 12, details the critical juncture following King Solomon's death. His son, Rehoboam, traveled to Shechem to be crowned. The people, burdened by Solomon's heavy taxation and forced labor, requested lighter service from Rehoboam. Rehoboam initially sought counsel from the elders who had served his father, who advised him to serve the people, ensuring their loyalty. However, he then consulted young men with whom he had grown up, who urged him to respond with an even harsher decree, threatening to increase their burdens. Rejecting the wise, experienced advice, Rehoboam adopted the harsh counsel of his peers. This led to the immediate and decisive revolt of ten tribes, who crowned Jeroboam as their king, leaving Rehoboam to rule only over Judah and Benjamin. Verse 15 highlights that this seemingly human failure was divinely orchestrated, ensuring the fulfillment of Ahijah's earlier prophecy to Jeroboam concerning the division of Solomon's kingdom due to Solomon's idolatry.
2 Chronicles 10 15 Word analysis
- So the king did not listen: This highlights Rehoboam's active choice and responsibility. Despite hearing the people's plea and the elders' wise counsel, he consciously chose the path of arrogance and harshness. His human will was fully engaged in this refusal.
- to the people: Refers to the collective assembly of Israel (excluding Judah) gathered at Shechem, representing the voice of the vast majority who sought relief. Their request was legitimate.
- for it was the will of God: Hebrew: ki sibbat Yahweh hiy (כִּי־סִבַּת הָאֱלֹהִים הָיָתָה). "Will of God" is more accurately "for the turn of events was from the LORD" or "it was of God." The word sibbah (סִבַּה) denotes "cause" or "turn," indicating divine causation behind the events. It signifies that God actively directed the outcome, using Rehoboam's flawed decision. This does not absolve Rehoboam of his sin but emphasizes God's ultimate sovereignty over human choices.
- that the LORD might establish His word: Hebrew: lemaʿan haqîm Yhwh et-dvarô (לְמַעַן הָקִים יְהוָה אֶת־דְּבָרוֹ). This is a purpose clause ("in order that," "so that"). God's overriding intention was the fulfillment (haqim, to establish, confirm, fulfill) of His spoken promise. This showcases God's faithfulness to His prophetic utterances.
- which He had spoken: Emphasizes the prophetic origin and divine authority of the word.
- by Ahijah the Shilonite: Ahijah was a prophet from Shiloh, instrumental in delivering God's judgment against Solomon and prophecy concerning Jeroboam. His identity validates the prophecy's authenticity.
- to Jeroboam the son of Nebat: Identifies the recipient of the prophecy and the designated king of the breakaway northern kingdom (Israel). Jeroboam was initially an official in Solomon's court.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "So the king did not listen to the people": This phrase details the immediate human action and its apparent human cause—Rehoboam's stubborness. It sets the scene for a pivotal moment of failed leadership.
- "for it was the will of God that the Lord might establish His word": This transforms the interpretation of the event from a purely political or characterological failure to one divinely orchestrated. It reveals a profound theological truth: God's sovereignty undergirds even human folly to achieve His ultimate purposes and fulfill His unfailing word.
- "which He had spoken by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat": This provides the specific prophetic context. It directly links the current historical event to a previous, known divine declaration, solidifying the claim of divine orchestration and demonstrating God's consistent working through His chosen instruments.
2 Chronicles 10 15 Bonus section
This verse beautifully illustrates the complex relationship between divine sovereignty and human responsibility. While God "caused" the outcome, Rehoboam was still accountable for his arrogant choices and their negative impact. His actions were a genuine manifestation of his character. God, in His infinite wisdom, knows how to use human freedom and even human sin within His overarching plan without diminishing human culpability. This principle is vital for understanding numerous biblical narratives where God brings about His purposes through fallible individuals, sometimes even their wickedness (e.g., Joseph's brothers, Pharaoh, Judas Iscariot). The phrase "it was the will of God" acts as a powerful reminder that behind the visible turmoil of earthly politics, an unseen divine hand is perpetually guiding events toward His intended outcome. It reassures believers that even in times of seeming chaos, God's plan is advancing.
2 Chronicles 10 15 Commentary
2 Chronicles 10:15 is a crucial theological statement concerning God's sovereignty. It teaches that even amidst the chaotic display of human stubbornness and poor leadership, God remains utterly in control. Rehoboam’s refusal to heed wise counsel and his subsequent harsh decree, though sinful and unwise on his part, were precisely what God allowed and directed to bring about the pre-determined division of the kingdom. This act of national schism was not an accident but the consequence of God’s judgment upon the house of David (primarily Solomon's apostasy, as seen in 1 Kings 11) and the fulfillment of a prophecy delivered through Ahijah. This verse emphasizes that God uses all things, including human failures, to execute His will and confirm the truthfulness of His word. It reminds us that divine prophecy is not contingent on human perfection but will be accomplished through the unfolding of history, regardless of, and often because of, human actions.