2 Chronicles 10 18

2 Chronicles 10:18 kjv

Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. But king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 10:18 nkjv

Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was in charge of revenue; but the children of Israel stoned him with stones, and he died. Therefore King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste to flee to Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 10:18 niv

King Rehoboam sent out Adoniram, who was in charge of forced labor, but the Israelites stoned him to death. King Rehoboam, however, managed to get into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 10:18 esv

Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was taskmaster over the forced labor, and the people of Israel stoned him to death with stones. And King Rehoboam quickly mounted his chariot to flee to Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 10:18 nlt

King Rehoboam sent Adoniram, who was in charge of forced labor, to restore order, but the people of Israel stoned him to death. When this news reached King Rehoboam, he quickly jumped into his chariot and fled to Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 10 verses

2 Chronicles 10 18 Meaning

2 Chronicles 10:18 records the immediate and violent reaction of the ten northern tribes of Israel to King Rehoboam's harsh rule. Following their declaration of secession from the Davidic dynasty, Rehoboam unwisely sent Hadoram, a royal official responsible for forced labor, to negotiate or perhaps enforce his authority. This act further enraged the people, who responded by stoning Hadoram to death. Realizing the gravity of the rebellion and the direct threat to his life, Rehoboam quickly fled in his chariot to Jerusalem, acknowledging the loss of his kingship over the majority of Israel.

2 Chronicles 10 18 Context

2 Chronicles chapter 10 recounts the decisive moment when the united kingdom of Israel, under Rehoboam, Solomon's son, fractured into two separate nations: Judah (south) and Israel (north). The preceding chapter concludes with Solomon's immense wealth and oppressive policies, specifically the heavy yoke of forced labor (1 Kgs 5:13-18). Upon Solomon's death, the people approached Rehoboam in Shechem, urging him to lighten the burden. Rehoboam consulted with older advisors, who suggested leniency, and younger advisors, who encouraged greater severity. Ignoring the wise counsel, Rehoboam defiantly promised to make their "yoke heavier" (2 Chr 10:14). This provoked an immediate rebellion among the ten northern tribes, who declared their independence from the Davidic monarchy (2 Chr 10:16). In a disastrous move, the newly appointed King Rehoboam then sent Hadoram, an official directly associated with the despised tribute system, to deal with the defiant populace. The verse describes the violent consequence of this ill-judged action, marking the definitive point of division and the end of a united Israelite kingdom.

2 Chronicles 10 18 Word analysis

• Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was over the tribute:
  • King Rehoboam (רְחַבְעָם הַמֶּלֶךְ - R'ẖavʿam hammèlèḵ): Solomon's successor, exhibiting arrogant and foolish leadership. His continued title as "King" is juxtaposed with his loss of actual control over the northern tribes.
  • sent (וַיִּשְׁלַח - vayyishlaḥ): An action taken in a position of power, indicating an attempt to assert authority. This act reveals Rehoboam's misjudgment and poor understanding of the escalating crisis.
  • Hadoram (הֲדֹרָם - Hadoram): Also known as Adoniram or Adoram in 1 Kgs 12:18, an official deeply associated with Solomon's system of mas (forced labor). His role made him a symbol of the very oppression the people resented. Sending him was a direct affront.
  • tribute (מַס - mas): Specifically refers to conscripted or forced labor, a major grievance from Solomon's reign. The word itself carries the historical weight of oppressive labor, similar to that imposed by the Egyptians.
• but the children of Israel stoned him with stones so that he died:
  • but (וַ - va-): A connective highlighting a sharp contrast or abrupt, violent outcome to Rehoboam's initial action.
  • the children of Israel (בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - b'nē Yisrael): Emphasizes the united action of the ten northern tribes in their rebellion against Rehoboam, asserting their identity as a distinct entity.
  • stoned him with stones (וַיִּרְגְּמֻהוּ אֶבֶן - vayyir'g'muhu èven): "Ragam" (רָגַם) is the verb "to stone." While stoning was a legal form of capital punishment, here it signifies popular insurrection and mob violence. The redundancy "with stones" intensifies the brutality and finality, indicating profound public outrage and definitive rejection of royal authority.
  • so that he died (וַיָּמֹת - vayyamot): The immediate and conclusive result. Hadoram's death marks the irreparable break between the northern tribes and the house of David.
• And King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste to flee to Jerusalem:
  • mounted his chariot (וַיַּעַל בַּמֶּרְכָּבָה - vayyaʿal bammerkāvāh): A royal conveyance typically for ceremonial travel, now used in ignominious flight.
  • in haste (לָנוּס - lānûs): Literally "to flee quickly," denoting fear, panic, and the sudden realization of his powerlessness and danger. It demonstrates a complete loss of control.
  • to flee (לִבְרֹחַ - livroaẖ): A clear and direct admission of defeat and retreat in the face of rebellion. It underscores his failed leadership.
  • to Jerusalem (אֶל־יְרוּשָׁלָ‍ִם - el-Y'rushalaïm): The capital city, symbolizing his retreat to the remaining loyal tribes of Judah and Benjamin, the truncated kingdom over which he still held sway.

2 Chronicles 10 18 Bonus section

The chronicler highlights Rehoboam's responsibility for the kingdom's division by emphasizing his harsh response and foolish actions. While 1 Kings also attributes the division to God's judgment against Solomon's sin, 2 Chronicles draws a more direct line from Rehoboam's poor judgment and the people's righteous anger. The figure of Hadoram (Adoniram) had likely been in service since David's or Solomon's reign, managing the very forced labor projects that so embittered the populace, making his demise a symbolic purging of the monarchy's abuses. The narrative underscores that leaders who listen only to self-serving advice or cling to oppressive power risk both their authority and the unity of their nation. This rebellion was an unorganized yet decisive uprising by a people pushed to their breaking point by tyranny, serving as a powerful demonstration of how human sin and unwise choices contribute to God's sovereign plan.

2 Chronicles 10 18 Commentary

2 Chronicles 10:18 vividly depicts the disastrous outcome of Rehoboam's pride and lack of wisdom, confirming the immediate division of the kingdom. Rehoboam's decision to send Hadoram, an unpopular figure emblematic of Solomon's burdensome "tribute" system, into the midst of rebellious northern tribes was a profound miscalculation or a defiant provocation. The violent stoning of Hadoram was not merely an act of murder, but a collective, revolutionary declaration by Israel, definitively severing ties with the Davidic monarchy and rejecting its oppressive policies. Rehoboam's frantic escape back to Jerusalem underscores his complete failure to maintain the unity of the twelve tribes. This episode is crucial as it portrays the direct fulfillment of divine prophecy regarding the kingdom's division (1 Kgs 11:11, 29-39), brought about by the king's folly but serving God's ultimate purpose. It stands as a stark warning about leadership that governs with arrogance, disregards counsel, and inflicts burdens upon its people.