April 18, 2021: Day 43 – II Chronicles 10

It doesn’t take long for a turn in administration to bring about very different feelings among the people of Israel.  Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, is now king and the tribe of Jeroboam which was in hiding and exile in Egypt came to Rehoboam and asked to be excused.  What had happened with Solomon was that Jeroboam had tried to lead the northern tribes away from Solomon and make them unhappy with the eccentricities of Solomon.  Well, the king found that out and Jeroboam fled and was protected by the Pharaoh.  

Now that Solomon is out of the picture Jeroboam asks the new king if he might be able to return.  Those who were older and who used to be Solomon’s advisers tell him to let bygones be bygones.  But those with whom this young king grew up said no, make them continue to pay for their crimes, because who knows, maybe they might try to turn against you as well.  

He doesn’t go with those who were filled with wisdom while Solomon was around, but rather with those who were with him while he was growing up in school.  They didn’t seem to have a real world perspective like the other advisors.  As a result the new king says that he will come down even harder than he did on them before.  They tell the Israelites to go back to their own individual tents and not heed the dictates of the family of David.  As a result Rehoboam is made to flee from northern Israel and return to Jerusalem where he would be safer.  You know that things are only going to get worse from here on out.