This account is very similar to the one in 1 Kings 12. Solomon's son Rehoboam did not act wisely, and consequently he lost his kingdom. The Chronicler added that a prophet had foretold this situation (v. 15; cf. 11:1-4). The division of the kingdom looked like a tragedy, but it was part of God's plan for His people. That would have given hope to the original readers since the captivity looked like a tragedy, but prophets had foretold it too. It was part of God's sovereign will. Furthermore it was not the end of the nation (cf. Ezek. 37:11-13).
"Jeroboam stands forever as a caution against the danger of becoming passionately angry about a rightly perceived evil, yet blinded by that passion to such an extent that all measures taken against it seem right. When this happens there is almost inevitably a failure, ironically, to distinguish between right and wrong."26
This chapter is unique to Chronicles. It contains an evaluation of both Northern and Southern Kingdoms. Israel set up a humanly devised form of worship (v. 15). This resulted in many of the faithful followers of Yahweh moving from Israel to Judah so they could continue to worship God as He had specified (v. 16).
The faithful worshippers of Yahweh thus populated Judah. The true Israel was now in Judah (cf. v. 3; 12:1).27Faithfulness lasted only three years, however (v. 17). Rehoboam, like Solomon, was not entirely faithful.
"Each of the three short paragraphs which make up this section [11:5-23] uses a motif (building; defection of the faithful from the north to the south; large family) which the Chronicler regularly uses to demonstrate God's reward for faithfulness."28
The writer pointed out the connection between Shishak's invasion and Rehoboam's unfaithfulness clearly (vv. 1-5; cf. Prov. 3:12).
"The passage makes use of terms that are characteristic of the Chronicler's theology of divine retribution, namely, forsake' or abandon' (vv. 1, 5), be unfaithful' (v. 2), and humble oneself' (vv. 6-7, 12). The Shishak incident provided a model of the sort of thing that could happen again."29
"After three years of stability, Rehoboam led Judah into apostasy. There are conscious parallels with Saul. The unfaithfulness' of v. 2 is the same term as that which was applied to Israel's first king (1 Chr. 10:13). Rehoboam, therefore, has entered upon what might be termed a Saul' period in his reign, which contrasts with the early phase, in which he walked . . . in the way of David and Solomon'."30
Rehoboam's repentance caused God to grant deliverance from the Egyptians (vv. 6-7, 12; cf. Ps. 51:17). Over all, Rehoboam failed to set his heart on the Lord (v. 14). This resulted in his doing evil, namely, not leading the people to follow Yahweh as David had done.
"The case of Rehoboam has shown particularly clearly how much the Chronicler is concerned to show that obedience and blessing, disobedience and impoverishment are closely linked."31
"The destiny of any country depends to a great extent on the character of its leaders; and this was particularly the case among the Hebrews, into whose history God chose to intervene more directly than he has for other nations."32
