2 Chronicles 11 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study
2 Chronicles 11 Short Summary:
In 2 Chronicles 11, Rehoboam becomes king of the southern Kingdom of Judah, while Jeroboam is appointed king in the northern kingdom of Israel. From this point on, God’s people will be divided and often at odds with one another. Chapter 11 documents the family of Rehoboam, his attempts to fortify the cities under his control, and the migration of the faithful from Jeroboam’s kingdom to Rehoboam’s lands.
2 Chronicles 11 Extended Summary
WHEN:
Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, became king in his father’s place in 975 B.C.
Rehoboam reigned 17 years (1 Kings 14:21) in Judah, from approximately 975-958 B.C.
When the kingdom of Israel and Judah divided, the people of Israel made Jeroboam their king.
Jeroboam reigned for 22 years (1 Kings 14:20).
CHARACTERS:
Rehoboam – The son of Solomon and the 4th king of Israel and Judah.
Jeroboam – An Ephraimite who was originally a servant of Solomon. God selected him to be the king over Israel following the rebellion against Rehoboam.
Priests, Levities, and Godly Citizens of Israel – After Jeroboam became king, these people left their homes in Israel and immigrated south so they would be free to serve God faithfully according to His law.
WHERE:
Rehoboam was made king in Shechem and reigned from Jerusalem.
In this chapter, God’s people split and become two separate nations. Rehoboam maintained control of the territory of Judah and Benjamin. This becomes known as the Kingdom of Judah. The more northern tribes formed a new nation, known as the Kingdom of Israel.
You’ll often hear Judah referred to as the “Southern Kingdom” and Israel referred to as the “Northern Kingdom.”
OUTLINE:
GOD STOPS REHOBOAM FROM GOING TO WAR WITH ISRAEL (11:1-4):
After the people of Israel rebelled against Rehoboam’s leadership, only the lands of Judah and Benjamin remained in his control.
Rehoboam gathered a force of 180,000 men to make war with his rebellious countrymen and bring them back into subjection.
But Shemaiah, a man of God, was sent to Rehoboam to tell him to stand down. God was going to allow the kingdom to divide.
REHOBOAM FORTIFIES HIS KINGDOM (11:5-12):
Rehoboam kept his capital in Jerusalem and fortified several cities in his kingdom.
These cities included: Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam, Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron.
FAITHFUL ISRAELITES IMMIGRATE TO JUDAH (11:13-17):
According to 1 Kings 12, sometime after Jeroboam was made king, he started worrying about his people in Israel going south to worship at the Temple.
He was worried their loyalty would shift back to Rehoboam.
He decided to make two golden calves, one in Bethel and one in Dan, and he told the people to worship there instead of in Jerusalem.
This, and other evils, led to a migration of the faithful in Israel. The priests, Levities, and anyone who wanted to serve God started moving south to Rehoboam’s land in Judah.
Jeroboam appointed his own priests, who were not from the tribe of Levi, to minister at his newly established holy sites.
REHOBOAM’S FAMILY (11:18-23):
Rehoboam had 18 wives and 60 concubines.
Two of his wives are highlighted in the text, Mahalath and Maacah.
Maacah was the daughter of Absalom (David’s son who tried to steal his throne), and she was Rehoboam’s favorite wife.
Rehoboam made Abijah, his son with Maacah, his crown-prince.
APPLICATION:
The sacrifice of the faithful people in Israel is admirable in 2 Chronicles 11.
Many of the people who migrated to Judah probably didn’t want to leave their homes in Israel to move to Judah. Those were their family lands, homes that had been built over generations.
But serving God was more important to them.
We need hearts that are willing, if necessary, to make sacrifice to be God’s people.
For some of us, that might mean packing up our house and moving somewhere different.
