2 Chronicles 10

2 Chronicles 10
Rehoboam, Solomon's son, went to Shechem, approximately thirty-five miles north of Jerusalem, to be crowned; he must have known of dissatisfaction among the people, and looked with some apprehension upon the appearance of Jeroboam, the former servant of Solomon his father, about whom see 1 Kings 11:26-4026And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king. 27And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father. 28And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph. 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. 39And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever. 40Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon. (1 Kings 11:26‑40).
Rehoboam's birth occurred shortly before David's death, and he was now forty-one; unquestionably then he knew of Jeroboam's opposing himself to Solomon, and he may have known of the word of God by Ahijah the prophet regarding a division of the kingdom, because of the allowance of idolatry under Solomon.
It was Rehoboam's choice to follow the unwise advice of the young men who had grown up with him; and the kingdom, except Judah and Benjamin, fell immediately from his grasp.
It will be observed that upon this momentous occasion, Rehoboam did not commit his problem to God—a strong contrast with his grandfather David whose habit was to seek Him in everything. Yet the result was of God; He is not mocked, and the reaping follows the nature and kind of the sowing as His Word solemnly declares, and instance upon instance of this is found in the Scriptures.
Solomon had, long before his death, turned in heart from God, and in part reaped for his sowing; his son continues the reaping,—a solemn warning to Christian parents.