Week 19 2 Chronicles
I think that a frequent bible-reader’s complaint is: There’s Just Too Much Data.
But today my problem was: There Isn’t Enough…because I was at the story of the clash between the Northern & Southern Tribes. I knew that Rehoboam being a hard-nose was the tip of the iceberg reason. But not why they split along N & S lines.
For example I wonder why Ephraim-Manasseh didn’t join the South? They were geographically close to Judah and had close family ties – Benjamin & Joseph were the favoured sons.
And if you were forecasting a split the tribes east of Jordan would seem more likely candidates.
I also doubt that all twelve tribes were equally good-buddies before Rehoboam. There must have been other rivalries and vendettas. Or had Solomon absolutely & maximally alienated everyone else?
I went back to the story in Kings. It said that All-Israel had come to make Rehoboam king. But then they called in Jeroboam to see what he thought. If Rehoboam was the legitimate hereditary heir why-in-the-world bother consulting Jeroboam at all? He was an outlaw.
In the end the anti-Rehoboam group said: down with David and his dynasty! We have no share in Jesse’s son! Let’s go home Israel!
And just like that everyone – except Benjamin – ganged-up on Judah.
I guess it’s not critically important to know what all was behind the civil war divide.
But today was one of those days when I wished there was more to read, not less.
Note: quote from 1 Kings 12:16 (NLT)