‘This is what the Lord says: Do not fight against your relatives. Go back home, for what has happened is my doing!’” So they obeyed the message of the Lord and did not fight against Jeroboam.
Parallel translations
- WEB ‘Yahweh says, “You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers! Every man return to his house; for this thing is of me.”’” So they listened to Yahweh’s words, and returned from going against Jeroboam.
- KJV Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam.
- BSB that this is what the LORD says: ‘You are not to go up and fight against your brothers. Each of you must return home, for this word is from Me.’” So they listened to the words of the LORD and turned back from going against Jeroboam.
- NKJV ‘Thus says the Lord: “You shall not go up or fight against your brethren! Let every man return to his house, for this thing is from Me.” ’ ” Therefore they obeyed the words of the Lord, and turned back from attacking Jeroboam.
- NASB ‘This is what the Lord says: “You shall not go up nor fight against your relatives; return, every man, to his house, for this event is from Me.” ’ ” So they listened to the words of the Lord and returned from going against Jeroboam.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God forbids Judah to fight their 'brothers' Israel, declaring the division is from him, and they obey. Submission to God's word averts a bloody civil war.
Overview
The LORD commands every man to return home, naming the northern tribes as brothers and claiming the split as his own doing. Remarkably, Rehoboam and his army obey, restraining their pride for the sake of God's word. This obedience stands in sharp contrast to the folly that caused the division, and it preserves the people from needless slaughter.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Gen 50:20As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is today, to save many people alive.
- 1 Kgs 11:29–38At that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the way; now Ahijah had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field.
- 2 Chr 10:15–16So the king didn’t listen to the people; for it was brought about by God, that Yahweh might establish his word, which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
- 2 Chr 25:7–10A man of God came to him, saying, “O king, don’t let the army of Israel go with you, for Yahweh is not with Israel, with all the children of Ephraim.
- 2 Chr 28:8–15The children of Israel carried away captive of their brothers two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much plunder from them, and brought the plunder to Samaria.
- Ps 33:11The counsel of Yahweh stands fast forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
- Hos 8:4They have set up kings, but not by me. They have made princes, and I didn’t approve. Of their silver and their gold they have made themselves idols, that they may be cut off.
- 1 Pet 3:8Finally, be all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tender hearted, courteous,
- 1 Kgs 22:36A cry went throughout the army about the going down of the sun, saying, “Every man to his city, and every man to his country!”
- Gen 13:8Abram said to Lot, “Please, let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen; for we are relatives.
- 2 Sam 2:26Then Abner called to Joab, and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Don’t you know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long will it be then, before you ask the people to return from following their brothers?”
- Heb 13:1Let brotherly love continue.
- 1 Jn 3:11–13For this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;
- 1 Cor 6:5–8I say this to move you to shame. Isn’t there even one wise man among you who would be able to decide between his brothers?
- Acts 7:26“The day following, he appeared to them as they fought, and urged them to be at peace again, saying, ‘Sirs, you are brothers. Why do you wrong one another?’
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Christ at the center
Temple, priesthood, and the repeated need for a faithful king who seeks the LORD all point past every imperfect reign to the King and Temple who finally and fully dwell with God's people.
How 2 Chronicles 11:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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