1 Kings 12:21

21 When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand chosen troops to fight against the house of Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon.

1 Kings 12:21 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 12:21

And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem,
&e.] From Shechem, which was forty miles F14 from Jerusalem:

he 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;
which not only shows courage reassumed by Rehoboam, now safely home, but the hearty attachment of Judah and Benjamin to him, who raised presently so numerous an army in his favour; and had it not been that the Lord was against their going to battle with Israel, in all probability they might have gained their point, Jeroboam being scarcely settled in his kingdom, and having no forces raised.


FOOTNOTES:

F14 Reland. Palestin. Illustrat. tom. 2. p. 1007.

1 Kings 12:21 In-Context

19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.
20 When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. There was no one who followed the house of David, except the tribe of Judah alone.
21 When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand chosen troops to fight against the house of Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon.
22 But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God:
23 Say to King Rehoboam of Judah, son of Solomon, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people,
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.