2 Chronicles 11:4

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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(4) Thus saith the Lord.—The words of the prophecy are reported as in 1Kings 12:24, omitting “the sons of Israel” after “your brethren.”

This thing is done of me.—Literally, from me became (arose) this matter; viz., of the revolt of the ten tribes. (Comp. 2Chronicles 10:15 : “For the cause was of God.”)

Words.—“Word,” Kings and the versions here, no doubt rightly, as this is the usual phrase. But comp. 1Samuel 15:1.

From going against Jeroboam.—Kings, “To go away, according to the word of the Lord “—a tautology which the chronicler has avoided. The rest of the chapter is wanting in the Syriac and Arabic Versions, which have instead 1Kings 12:25-30; 1Kings 13:34; 1Kings 14:1-9, where they break off abruptly, without finishing Ahijah’s prophecy.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

11:1-12 A few good words might have prevented the rebellion of Rehoboam's subjects; but all the force of his kingdom cannot bring them back. And it is in vain to contend with the purpose of God, when it is made known to us. Even those who are destitute of true faith, will at times pay some regard to the word of God, and be kept by it from wrong actions, to which they are prone by nature.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The narrative of Kings (marginal reference) is repeated with only slight verbal differences.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 11

2Ch 11:1-17. Rehoboam, Raising an Army to Subdue Israel, Is Forbidden by Shemaiah.

1-4. Rehoboam … gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin … to fight against Israel—(See 1Ki 12:21-24).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem,.... After he had been at Shechem, and had given his answer to the request of the men of Israel, upon which they revolted from him: this and the three following verses are the same with 1 Kings 12:21. See Gill on 1 Kings 12:21.

Geneva Study Bible

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.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

4. is done of me. And they obeyed] R.V. is of me. So they hearkened unto.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 4. - This thing is from me; i.e. the punishing disruption; not the precedent causes with the entirety of historical events; this punishing and witnessing disruption is not to be "lightly healed" The man who did what caused it, the men who did what caused it, cannot thus each undo what they have done - least of all undo it by the appeal of war. They and theirs will have, long as life lasts, as lives last, to go through the baptism of bitter suffering, and leave a heritage of the same for others. 2 Chronicles 11:4

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Rehoboam's attitude to the ten rebel tribes. Cf. 1 Kings 12:21-24. - Rehoboam's purpose, to subdue these tribes by force of arms, and bring them again under his dominion, and the abandonment of this purpose in consequence of the command of the prophet Shemaiah, belong in a certain measure to the history of the revolt of the ten tribes from the house of David; for the revolt only became an accomplished fact when the prophet Shemaiah proclaimed in the name of the Lord that the matter was from the Lord. 2 Chronicles 11:3. Of Jahve was the thing done; He had ordained the revolt as a chastisement of the seed of David for walking no more in His ways. Solomon had, by allowing himself to be seduced by his many foreign wives into departing from the Lord, exposed himself to the divine displeasure, and his successor Rehoboam increased the guilt by his impolitic treatment of the tribes dissatisfied with Solomon's rule, and had, if not brought about the revolt, yet hastened it; but yet the conduct of these tribes was not thereby justified. Their demand that the burdens laid upon them by Solomon should be lightened, flowed from impure and godless motives, and at bottom had its root in discontent with the theocratic rule of the house of David (see on 1 Kings 12:21.). The expression, "to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin," is deeper than "the whole house of Judah and Benjamin and the remnant of the people," i.e., those belonging to the other tribes who were dwelling in the tribal domains of Judah and Benjamin (1 Kings 12:23); for it characterizes all who had remained true to the house of David as Israel, i.e., those who walked in the footsteps of their progenitor Israel (Jacob).