Reading for July 24th

Read 1 Kings 12.16-24
In verse 16: To your tents, O Israel is a summons to military demobilization.
The people, especially the army, of Israel is withdrawing from Rehoboam.
A similar cry went up at Sheba's revolt in 2 Sam 20.1.
In verse 18: Adoram is mentioned in 2 Sam 20.24 and 1 Kings 4.6.
(Adoniram) as the head of the forced labor for David and Solomon.
His presence was particularly bitter and insulting reminder to the Israelite people of the burden of labor they had been forced to endure under Solomon.
Hence they stoned him.
In verse 19: Even though the bulk of Israel left the house of David and sided with Rehoboam, the writer speaks of Israel's being in rebellion, indicating that his perspective is that of a citizen of Judah.
In addition, the phrase to this day shows that the writer lived  at a considerably later date.
In verses 21-24: Shemaiah's oracle expresses the view of v. 15 that the division was the Lord's doing.
It addresses Judah and Benjamin (v. 23), while v. 20 speaks of Judah alone as the southern kingdom.
Benjamin was probably divided between the two countries.
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