2 Chronicles 13 · a question people ask

Abijah says Jeroboam rebelled. Hadn't the LORD given him the ten tribes?

In the text

Abijah says, "Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up, and rebelled against his lord" (13:6), and that worthless men "strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender hearted, and could not withstand them" (13:7). Earlier chapters tell it in other words. Through Ahijah the LORD had said to Jeroboam, "Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten tribes to you" (1 Kings 11:31). When Rehoboam would not listen to the people, "it was brought about by God, that the LORD might establish his word, which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat" (10:15). And the LORD told Rehoboam through Shemaiah, "You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers! Every man return to his house; for this thing is of me" (11:4). 2 Chronicles also says, in its own voice, "So Israel rebelled against David’s house to this day" (10:19), with a different Hebrew verb from Abijah's rebelled in 13:6. Of Rehoboam's age, 2 Chronicles says, "Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign" (12:13). These are Abijah's words, spoken to Jeroboam and all Israel (13:4). The chapter doesn't weigh them against 10:15, 10:19, 11:4 or 12:13, and these notes don't either.

The verses

“Abijah stood up on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, “Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel:”
2 Chronicles 13:4 · World English Bible
“Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up, and rebelled against his lord. Worthless men were gathered to him, wicked fellows who strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender hearted, and could not withstand them.”
2 Chronicles 13:6-7 · World English Bible
“He said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces; for the LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten tribes to you”
1 Kings 11:31 · World English Bible
“So the king didn’t listen to the people; for it was brought about by God, that the LORD might establish his word, which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.”
2 Chronicles 10:15 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of 2 Chronicles 13

2 Chronicles 13: A covenant of salt

Only 2 Chronicles tells Abijah's speech and battle, and it gives Judah's victory one reason, "because they relied on the LORD" (13:18), a word for leaning on him. And "Abijah grew mighty" (13:21) is, in Hebrew, the word 2 Chronicles opens with.

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions