1 Kings 12 (KJV) - 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• ²³Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee. (1 Kings 22:23)

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Deut. 2:30• ³⁰But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him: for the Lord thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day. (Deut. 2:30)

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2 Chron. 10:15• ¹⁵So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the Lord might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of 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 the king said unto him, Art thou made of the king's counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.
²⁰But Amaziah would not hear; for it came of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom. (2 Chron. 25:16,20)

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Psa. 5:10• ¹⁰Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast 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 the Lord hath not done it? (Amos 3:6)

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Acts 2:23• ²³Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: (Acts 2:23)

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Acts 4:28• ²⁸For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. (Acts 4:28)

that he might.

1 Kings 11:11,29‑38• ¹¹Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.
²⁹And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that 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:
³⁰And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:
³¹And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:
³²(But he shall have one tribe 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 that 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 mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.
³⁴Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant's sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes:
³⁵But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes.
³⁶And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.
³⁷And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and 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 is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure 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 Strength 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. For the Lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom. (2 Sam. 17:14)

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2 Kings 9:36• ³⁶Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This is the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel: (2 Kings 9:36)

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2 Kings 10:10• ¹⁰Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the Lord, which the Lord spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the Lord hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah. (2 Kings 10:10)

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Isa. 14:13‑17• ¹³For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
¹⁴I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
¹⁵Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
¹⁶They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
¹⁷That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? (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 ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, 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 heaven, 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• ²³Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
²⁴They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.
²⁸After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
²⁹Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.
³²Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.
³³But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:
³⁴But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
³⁵And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.
³⁶For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.
³⁷And again another scripture saith, 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 wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. (Acts 3:17)

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Acts 13:27‑29• ²⁷For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.
²⁸And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain.
²⁹And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid 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.