1Ki 12:4
12:4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou
     the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke
     which he put upon us, {a} lighter, and we will serve thee.

     (a) Do not oppress us with such high taxes, which we are
         not able to pay.

1Ki 12:7
12:7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a {b}
     servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and
     answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will
     be thy servants for ever.

     (b) They showed him that there was no way to win the
         people's hearts but to grant them their just petition.

1Ki 12:9
12:9 And he said unto them, {c} What counsel give ye that we may
     answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the
     yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?

     (c) There is nothing harder for them that are in authority
         than to control their desires and follow good counsel.

1Ki 12:10
12:10 And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto
      him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that
      spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy,
      but make thou [it] lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say
      unto them, My little [finger] shall be {d} thicker than my
      father's loins.

      (d) I am much more able to keep you in subjection than my
          father was.

1Ki 12:12
12:12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third
      day, as the king had {e} appointed, saying, Come to me
      again the third day.

      (e) The people declare their obedience in this that they
          attempted nothing before the king gave them just
          opportunity.

1Ki 12:16
12:16 So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto
      them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion
      have we in {f} David?  neither [have we] inheritance in
      the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to
      thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their
      tents.

      (f) Though their cause was good, yet it was hard for the
          people to control their desires, as these vile words
          declare.

1Ki 12:19
12:19 So Israel rebelled against the house {g} of David unto
      this day.

      (g) By the just judgment of God for Solomon's sins.

1Ki 12:21
12:21 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he {h} 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.

      (h) For as yet he did not realize that the Lord had so
          appointed it.

1Ki 12:22
12:22 But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the {i} man of God,
      saying,

      (i) That is, the Prophet.

1Ki 12:24
12:24 Thus saith the {k} LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight
      against your brethren the children of Israel: return every
      man to his house; for this thing is from me. They
      hearkened therefore to the word of the LORD, and returned
      to depart, according to the word of the LORD.

      (k) Who of his just judgment will punish the trespasser,
          and of his mercy spare the innocent people.

1Ki 12:27
12:27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the
      LORD {l} at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people
      turn again unto their lord, [even] unto Rehoboam king of
      Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam
      king of Judah.

      (l) He feared least his people should have by this means
          been enticed to rebel against him.

1Ki 12:28
12:28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves [of]
      gold, and said unto them, {m} It is too much for you to go
      up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought
      thee up out of the land of Egypt.

      (m) So crafty are carnal persuasions of princes, when they
          will make a religion serve their appetite.

1Ki 12:31
12:31 And he made an {n} house of high places, and made priests
      of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of
      Levi.

      (n) That is, a temple, where altars were built for
          idolatry.

1Ki 12:32
12:32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the
      {o} fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that
      [is] in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in
      Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and
      he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which
      he had made.

      (o) Because he would bind the people's devotion to his
          idolatry even more, he made a new holy day, besides
          those that the Lord had appointed in the law.



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