1 Kings 12 (JND) - Bible Truth Library

the cause.The cause of all this confusion and anarchy was Rehoboam's folly, cruelty, and despotic tyranny, and this was certainly not "from the Lord," nor does the original text speak this doctrine.

See an elucidation of a similar passage at 2 Sa 24:1.

It says, {sibbah,} (from {savav,} to turn, change,) "the change or Revolution was from the Lord;" which is consistent with all the preceding declarations.

God stirred up the people to revolt from a man who had neither skill nor humanity to govern them.

God serves his own wise and righteous purpose by the imprudences and iniquities of men, and snares sinners in the work of their own hands.

"He maketh the wrath of man to praise him."

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1 Kings 22:23• ²³And now, behold, Jehovah has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and Jehovah has spoken evil concerning thee. (1 Kings 22:23)

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Deut. 2:30• ³⁰But Sihon the king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him; for Jehovah thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obdurate, that he might give him into thy hand, as it is this day. (Deut. 2:30)

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2 Chron. 10:15• ¹⁵So the king hearkened not to the people; for it was brought about by God, that Jehovah might give effect to his word, which he spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. (2 Chron. 10:15)

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2 Chron. 25:16,20• ¹⁶And it came to pass as he talked with him, that Amaziah said to him, Hast thou been made the king's counsellor? Forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbore, and said, I know that God has determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened to my counsel.
²⁰But Amaziah would not hear; for it was of God, that he might deliver them into the enemy's hand, because they had sought after the gods of Edom. (2 Chron. 25:16,20)

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Psa. 5:10• ¹⁰Bring guilt upon them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels: drive them out in the multitude of their transgressions, for they have rebelled against thee. (Psa. 5:10)

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Amos 3:6• ⁶Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? Shall there be evil in a city, and Jehovah not have done it? (Amos 3:6)

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Acts 2:23• ²³--him, given up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye, by the hand of lawless men, have crucified and slain. (Acts 2:23)

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Acts 4:28• ²⁸to do whatever thy hand and thy counsel had determined before should come to pass. (Acts 4:28)

that he might.

1 Kings 11:11,29‑38• ¹¹And Jehovah said to Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done by thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes which I commanded thee, I will certainly rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant:
²⁹And it came to pass at that time that Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, and the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field.
³⁰Then Ahijah seized the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces;
³¹and said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces; for thus saith Jehovah the God of Israel: Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee;
³²but one tribe shall he have for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:
³³because they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in my sight, and my statutes and mine ordinances, as David his father.
³⁴But I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand; for I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant's sake, whom I chose, who kept my commandments and my statutes;
³⁵but I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it unto thee,--the ten tribes.
³⁶And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a lamp always before me in Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen for myself to put my name there.
³⁷And I will take thee, that thou mayest reign over all that thy soul desireth, and thou shalt be king over Israel.
³⁸And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that which is right in my sight, in keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, that I will be with thee, and build thee a lasting house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee. (1 Kings 11:11,29‑38)

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1 Sam. 15:29• ²⁹And also the Hope of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent. (1 Sam. 15:29)

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2 Sam. 17:14• ¹⁴And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. And Jehovah had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, in order that Jehovah might bring evil upon Absalom. (2 Sam. 17:14)

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2 Kings 9:36• ³⁶And they came back and told him. And he said, This is the word of Jehovah, which he spoke through his servant Elijah the Tishbite saying, In the plot of Jizreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel; (2 Kings 9:36)

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2 Kings 10:10• ¹⁰Know now that nothing shall fall to the earth of the word of Jehovah, which Jehovah spoke concerning the house of Ahab; for Jehovah has done that which he said through his servant Elijah. (2 Kings 10:10)

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Isa. 14:13‑17• ¹³And thou that didst say in thy heart, I will ascend into the heavens, I will exalt my throne above the stars of *God, and I will sit upon the mount of assembly, in the recesses of the north;
¹⁴I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High:
¹⁵none the less art thou brought down to Sheol, to the recesses of the pit.
¹⁶They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee; they shall consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that shook kingdoms;
¹⁷that made the world as a wilderness, and overthrew the cities thereof; that dismissed not his prisoners homewards? (Isa. 14:13‑17)

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Isa. 46:10‑11• ¹⁰declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure;
¹¹calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. Yea, I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it. (Isa. 46:10‑11)

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Dan. 4:35• ³⁵And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he doeth according to his will in the army of the heavens, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? (Dan. 4:35)

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John 19:23‑24,28‑29,32‑37• ²³The soldiers therefore, when they had crucified Jesus, took his clothes, and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and the body-coat; but the body-coat was seamless, woven through the whole from the top.
²⁴They said therefore to one another, Let us not rend it, but let us cast lots for it, whose it shall be; that the scripture might be fulfilled which says, They parted my garments among themselves, and on my vesture they cast lots. The soldiers therefore did these things.
²⁸After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now finished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, says, I thirst.
²⁹There was a vessel therefore there full of vinegar, and having filled a sponge with vinegar, and putting hyssop round it, they put it up to his mouth.
³²The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first and of the other that had been crucified with him;
³³but coming to Jesus, when they saw that he was already dead they did not break his legs,
³⁴but one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately there came out blood and water.
³⁵And he who saw it bears witness, and his witness is true, and he knows that he says true that ye also may believe.
³⁶For these things took place that the scripture might be fulfilled, Not a bone of him shall be broken.
³⁷And again another scripture says, They shall look on him whom they pierced. (John 19:23‑24,28‑29,32‑37)

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Acts 3:17• ¹⁷And now, brethren, I know that ye did it in ignorance, as also your rulers; (Acts 3:17)

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Acts 13:27‑29• ²⁷for those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, not having known him, have fulfilled also the voices of the prophets which are read on every sabbath, by judging him.
²⁸And having found no cause of death in him, they begged of Pilate that he might be slain.
²⁹And when they had fulfilled all things written concerning him, they took him down from the cross and put him in a sepulchre; (Acts 13:27‑29)

J. N. Darby Translation

So the king hearkened not to the people; for it was brought about by Jehovah, that he might give effect to his word, which Jehovah spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.