Rehoboam’s question here signals a pivotal choice that will reshape the entire nation.
In 2 Chronicles 10, King Rehoboam, who reigned over the southern kingdom of Judah from approximately 931 to 913 BC, is confronted by the Israelites at Shechem, a city located in the hill country of Ephraim, about thirty miles north of Jerusalem. There, they seek relief from the heavy burdens of forced labor and taxation imposed by Rehoboam’s father, King Solomon, who ruled from about 971 to 931 BC. The text specifically states, “So he said to them, ‘What counsel do you give that we may answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, “Lighten the yoke which your father put on us?”’” (v.9). In this moment, Rehoboam is asking a crucial question of his advisors, hoping to determine how he should respond to the people's plea.
When Rehoboam poses the question, he is torn between two sets of advisers: the elders who served Solomon and the young men of his own generation. By inquiring, “What counsel do you give…?” (v.9), he acknowledges that he does not yet have a firm plan. The older counselors represent wisdom gleaned from watching Solomon’s successes and mistakes, advising Rehoboam to ease the people’s load. The younger counselors recommend a harsh response, urging Rehoboam to wield power in a show of strength. Their guidance ultimately reflects two opposing ways of leadership: one that relies on mercy and seeks harmony, and another that enforces rigid rule at the risk of division.
In the larger scriptural context, this passage foreshadows a significant turn in the kingdom’s history—Rehoboam’s decision leads to the rebellion of ten tribes and the formation of the northern kingdom of Israel. It also provides a point of contrast to the words of Jesus, who calls out, “My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:30), reminding believers that ruling and serving under God’s direction should infuse mercy and compassion rather than oppression.
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2 Chronicles 10:9 meaning
In 2 Chronicles 10, King Rehoboam, who reigned over the southern kingdom of Judah from approximately 931 to 913 BC, is confronted by the Israelites at Shechem, a city located in the hill country of Ephraim, about thirty miles north of Jerusalem. There, they seek relief from the heavy burdens of forced labor and taxation imposed by Rehoboam’s father, King Solomon, who ruled from about 971 to 931 BC. The text specifically states, “So he said to them, ‘What counsel do you give that we may answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, “Lighten the yoke which your father put on us?”’” (v.9). In this moment, Rehoboam is asking a crucial question of his advisors, hoping to determine how he should respond to the people's plea.
When Rehoboam poses the question, he is torn between two sets of advisers: the elders who served Solomon and the young men of his own generation. By inquiring, “What counsel do you give…?” (v.9), he acknowledges that he does not yet have a firm plan. The older counselors represent wisdom gleaned from watching Solomon’s successes and mistakes, advising Rehoboam to ease the people’s load. The younger counselors recommend a harsh response, urging Rehoboam to wield power in a show of strength. Their guidance ultimately reflects two opposing ways of leadership: one that relies on mercy and seeks harmony, and another that enforces rigid rule at the risk of division.
In the larger scriptural context, this passage foreshadows a significant turn in the kingdom’s history—Rehoboam’s decision leads to the rebellion of ten tribes and the formation of the northern kingdom of Israel. It also provides a point of contrast to the words of Jesus, who calls out, “My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:30), reminding believers that ruling and serving under God’s direction should infuse mercy and compassion rather than oppression.