Amazing how after 40 years of a successful King Solomon rule over a unified and prosperous Israel, how quickly the situation can change and deteriorate with his death and his son Roboam replacing him.
Perhaps all was not copacetic during the times of King Solomon as far as the general population of Israel was concerned? For they revolted immediately after King Solomon died. Roboam’s decision to be a heavy hand was the last straw. Where they sinful in not feeling they had shared in the material success of Israel, whether in reality or imagined deep in the darkness of the evil part of their soul, the Silly Ego?
For whatever reason they revolted and looked to Jerobaom, who previously was an exiled dissident in Egypt, upon his return to Israel.
Net result Roboam’s kingdom was Jerusalem and the houses of Juda and Benjamin. Roboam had two houses and Jeroboam had ten houses—all of which returned to their homeland and did not fight against their Israel brethren.
From Solomon to Roboam to Abia versus Jeroboam: civil war comes to Israel:
Now the rest of the acts of Solomon first and last are written in the words of Nathan the prophet… and Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. And he slept with his fathers and they buried him in the city of David: and Roboam his son reigned in his stead.
Now the rest of the acts of Roboam, and all that he did, behold they are written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda. And there was war between Roboam and Jeroboam always. And Roboam slept with his fathers… and Abiam his son reigned in his stead.
In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam, Abia reigned in Juda. Three years he reigned in Jerusalem… and there was war between Abia and Jeroboam…
While he (Roboam) spoke these things, Jeroboam caused an ambush to come about from behind him. And while he stood facing the enemies, he encompassed Juda, who perceived it not, with his army.
And all the men of Juda shouted: and behold when they shouted, God terrified Jeroboam, and all Israel that stood against Abia and Juda. And the children of Israel fled before Juda, and the Lord delivered them into their hand. And Abia and his people slew them with a great slaughter, and there fell wounded of Israel five hundred thousand valiant men. And the children of Israel were brought down, at that time, and the children of Juda were exceedingly strengthened, because they had trusted in the Lord the God of their fathers… And Jeroboam was not able to resist any more, in the days of Abia; and the Lord struck him, and he died.
With a flashback to Third Kings, we see more detail in the account of Second Paralipomenon. Indeed, Paralipomenon brings us things omitted in the four Books of Kings. With more detail here we see that after Solomon, comes a civil war in Israel.
Day 147: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; After Solomon, Comes a Civil War in Israel.
Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Second Book of Paralipomenon, Chapters 7-13
Bible Notes:
This book opens with the story of Solomon: his building of the Temple in Jerusalem, the beginning of sacrifices therein, his great riches, and finally his death. The latter section of the book records the history of the Southern Kingdom, Juda, up to the Babylonia Captivity. The last two verses contain the opening words of a decree by Cyrus, King of Persia, allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and to rebuild the Temple.
2 Paralipomenon Chapter 7: Fire from heaven; Solomon’s sacrifice; The completion of the Temple; God’s answer to the prayer of Solomon.
And when Solomon had made an end of his prayer, fire came down from heaven, and consumed the holocausts and the victims: and the majesty of the Lord filled the house… and falling down on their faces to the ground, upon the stone pavement, they adored and praised the Lord: because he is good, because his mercy endureth for ever.
And Solomon kept the solemnity at that time seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation… he sent away the people to their dwellings, joyful and glad for the good that the Lord had done to David… and all that he (Solomon) had designed in his heart to do… and he prospered.
And the Lord appeared to him by night, and said: I have heard thy prayer, and I have chosen this place to myself for a house of sacrifice…then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins and will heal their land. My eyes also shall be open, and my ears attentive to the prayer of him that shall pray in this place… and my heart may remain there perpetually…
But if you turn away, and forsake my justices, and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve strange gods, and adore them, I will pluck you up by the root out of my land which I have given to you: and this house which I have sanctified to my name, I will cast away from before my face, and will make it a byword, and an example among all nations.
2 Paralipomenon Chapter 8: Solomon builds cities; The Chanaanites serve Israel; Pharao’s daughter moves to her own house; Sacrifices established; Priests and Levites appointed; Ships bring gold from Ophir.
And at the end of twenty years after Solomon had built the house of the Lord… all that Solomon had a mind, and designed, he built in Jerusalem and in Libanus, and in all the land of his domain.
And to the chief captains of King Solomon’s army were two hundred and fifty, who taught the people…
David: My wife (Pharao’s daughter) shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, for it is sanctified: because the ark of the Lord came into it.
…that every day an offering might be made on it according to the ordinance of Moses, in the Sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the festival days three times a year—feast of unleavened bread, feast of weeks, and feast of tabernacles.
2 Paralipomenon Chapter 9: The Queen of Saba tests Solomon; Gifts to Solomon; Solomon’s gifts to the Queen of Saba; Solomon’s gold; Spears and shields; Solomon’s throne; Household vessels; Trade; The renown of Solomon; Solomon’s power and wealth; Roboam succeeds Solomon.
Day 117: OT Third Kings C8-11: Solomon’s Prayer from the Old World but still New Today!
The queen of Saba came to validate the God-given wisdom of Solomon:
Having heard of the fame of Solomon in the name of the Lord, came to try him with hard questions… she came to king Solomon, and spoke to him all that she had in her heart… she no longer had any spirit in her, and she said to the king… ‘thy wisdom and thy works, exceed the fame which I heard… blessed be the Lord thy God, whom thou hast pleased, and who hath set thee upon the throne of Israel, because the Lord hath loved Israel for ever, and hath appointed thee king, to do judgment and justice.’
Very similar wording with more details—when she no longer had any spirit in her she was astonished. The word is true which I heard in my country of thy virtues and wisdom… I had proved that scarce one half of thy wisdom had been told me: thou hast exceeded the same with thou virtues—with same conclusion—therefore hath he made thee king over them, to do judgment and justice.
Now the rest of the acts of Solomon first and last are written in the words of Nathan the prophet… and Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. And he slept with his fathers and they buried him in the city of David: and Roboam his son reigned in his stead.
2 Paralipomenon Chapter 10: The people appeal to Roboam for relief; Roboam seeks advice; Roboam’s harsh answer; Ten tribes revolt; Roboam flees to Jerusalem.
From the notes of Day 119, the same Roboam and Jeroboam story!
Day 119: OT Third Kings C12-16; Second Parable of the Old Testament; Vision to The Third!
3 Kings Chapter 12: The people ask for lighter burdens; Roboam consults old and young; Roboam refuses the people’s request; Revolt of ten tribes; God tells Roboam, not to fight the rebels; Jeroboam leads his people into idolatry.
Roboam the son of King Solomon…
Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who was yet in Egypt, a fugitive from the face of King Solomon, hearing of his death, returned out of Egypt.
Thy father (King Solomon) laid a grievous yoke upon us… of his most heavy yoke… make the yoke which thy father put upon us lighter?
What counsel do you give me?
Old men: grant their petition and they will be thy servants always…
Young men: I will add to your yoke.
So Jeroboam and all the people came to Roboam…
…but I will add to your yoke: my father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions… for the Lord was turned away from him (King Roboam), to make good his word… (behold I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give thee (Jeroboam) ten tribes…
What portion do we have in David?
And Israel revolted from the house of David (David-Solomon-Roboam), unto this day.
…and there was none that followed the house of David but the tribe of Juda only.
…and the tribe of Benjamin…
House of Israel (ten tribes) vs. the House of David (one tribes); 12th tribe was Levi?
The Lord: “You shall not go up nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel…”
And Jeroboam said in his heart: Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David, if this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem: and the heart of this people will turn to their lord Roboam the king of Juda, and they will kill me, and return to him.
FEAR, LACK OF TRUST IN GOD???
Jeroboam made two golden calves… and he set one in Bethel, and the other in Dan… and this thing became an occasion of sin… and he made temples in high places, and priests of the lowest of the people, who were not of the sons of Levi… which he had devised of his own heart.
2 Paralipomenon Chapter 11: The Lord tells Roboam not to fight; Roboam fortifies his kingdom; Priest and Levites come to Roboam; Roboam’s wife and children.
God to Roboam: You shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: let every man return to his own house, for by my will this thing has been done.
And the priests and Levites, that were in all of Israel… passing over to Juda, and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priestly office to the Lord.
Moreover out of the tribes of Israel, whosoever gave their heart to seek the Lord the God of Israel, came into Jerusalem to sacrifice their victims before the Lord, the God of their fathers. And they strengthened the kingdom of Juda, and established Roboam the son of Solomon for three years: for they walked in the ways of David and of Solomon, only three years.
And Roboam took to wife Mahalath… and after her he married Maacha… and Roboam loved Maacha the daughter of Absalom above all his wives, and concubines: for he had married eighteen wives, and threescore concubines: and he begot eight and twenty sons, and threescore daughters.
2 Paralipomenon Chapter 12: Sesac ravages Juda; Roboam humbles himself before God; Sesac seizes the treasures of Jerusalem; Abia succeeds Roboam.
More from the notes of Day 119, the same Roboam and Jeroboam story!
3 Kings Chapter 14: Jeroboam’s wife consults the prophet, Ahias; He foretells the ruin of Jeroboam’s family; Death of Abia, son of Jeroboam; Death of Jeroboam; Roboam’s wicked reign in Juda; Sesac pillages Jerusalem; Abiam succeeds Roboam.
And Roboam the son of Solomon reigned in Juda: Roboam was one and forty years old when he began to reign; and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem the city, which the Lord chose out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there.
And Juda did evil in the sight of the Lord, and provoked him above all that their fathers had done, in their sins which they committed. For they also built them altars, and statures, and groves upon every high hill and under every green tree. They were also the effeminate in the land and they did according to all the abominations of the people whom the Lord had destroyed before the face of the children of Israel.
And in the fifth year of the reign of Roboam, Sesac king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem. And he took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the king’s treasures, and carried all off; as also the shields of gold which Solomon had made.
Now the rest of the acts of Roboam, and all that he did, behold they are written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda. And there was war between Roboam and Jeroboam always. And Roboam slept with his fathers… and Abiam his son reigned in his stead.
But 2 Paralipomenon Chapter 12 has more detail on what really happened in Jerusalem:
Roboam forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him. And in the fifth year of the reign of Roboam, Sesac king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem (because they had sinned against the Lord)… and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt, to wit, Libyans, and Troghodites, and Ethiopians. And he took the strongest cities in Juda and came to Jerusalem.
God to princes of Juda gathered in Jerusalem: You have left me, and I have left you in the hand of Sesac. And the princes of Israel, and the king, being in a consternation, said: The Lord if just, And when the Lord saw that they were humbled, the word of the Lord came to Semeias, saying: Because they are humbled, I will not destroy them, and I give them a little help, my wrath shall not fall upon Jerusalem by the hand of Sesac. But yet they shall serve him, that they may know the difference between my service, and the service of a kingdom of the earth.
So Sesac king of Egypt departed from Jerusalem, taking away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and of the king’s house, and he took all with him.
But yet because they were humbled, the wrath of the Lord turned away from them, and they were not utterly destroyed: for even in Juda there were found good works.
King Roboam therefore was strengthened in Jerusalem, and reigned: he was one and forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem… But he did evil, and did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord… And there was war between Roboam and Jeroboam all their days. And Roboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David. And Abia his son reigned in his steed.
Note that in 3 Kings Chapter 14 that Abiam was the name of Roboam’s son whereas here in 2 Paralipomenon Chapter 12 his name was Abia. Surely a translation issue but surprising that the name is not consistent within the same bible.
2 Paralipomenon Chapter 13: War between Abia and Jerobaum; Abia declares the justice of his cause; Abia overcomes Jerobaum; Abia’s wives and children.
In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam, Abia reigned in Juda. Three years he reigned in Jerusalem… and there was war between Abia and Jeroboam…
Abia; Hear me, O Jerobaum, and all Israel. Do you not know that the Lord God of Israel gave to David the kingdom over Israel for ever, to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt? And Jerobaom… the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up, and rebelled against his Lord… and they prevailed against Roboam the son of Solomon: for Roboam was unexperienced, and of a fearful heart, and could not resist them… and you have a great multitude of people, and golden calves, which Jerobaum hath made you for gods… is made a priest with no gods. But the Lord our God, whom we forsake not… for we keep the precepts of the Lord our God, whom you have forsaken. Therefore God is the leader of our army, and his priests who sound with trumpets, and resound against you: O children of Israel, fight not against the Lord the God of your fathers, for it is not good for you.
While he (Roboam) spoke these things, Jeroboam caused an ambush to come about from behind him. And while he stood facing the enemies, he encompassed Juda, who perceived it not, with his army.
And all the men of Juda shouted: and behold when they shouted, God terrified Jeroboam, and all Israel that stood against Abia and Juda. And the children of Israel fled before Juda, and the Lord delivered them into their hand. And Abia and his people slew them with a great slaughter, and there fell wounded of Israel five hundred thousand valiant men. And the children of Israel were brought down, at that time, and the children of Juda were exceedingly strengthened, because they had trusted in the Lord the God of their fathers… And Jeroboam was not able to resist any more, in the days of Abia; and the Lord struck him, and he died.
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