1 Kings 12:24
ESV
‘Thus says the Lord, You shall not go up or fight against your relatives the people of Israel. Every man return to his home, for this thing is from me.’" So they listened to the word of the Lord and went home again, according to the word of the Lord.
NIV
‘This is what the Lord says: Do not go up to fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.’ " So they obeyed the word of the Lord and went home again, as the Lord had ordered.
NASB
‘This is what the Lord says: 'You shall not go up nor fight against your relatives the sons of Israel; return, every man to his house, for this thing has come from Me.'?’?' So they listened to the word of the Lord, and returned to go their way in accordance with the word of the Lord.
CSB
‘This is what the Lord says: You are not to march up and fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Each of you return home, for this situation is from me.’" So they listened to the word of the Lord and went back according to the word of the Lord.
NLT
‘This is what the Lord says: Do not fight against your relatives, the Israelites. Go back home, for what has happened is my doing!’' So they obeyed the message of the Lord and went home, as the Lord had commanded.
KJV
Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the Lord, and returned to depart, according to the word of the Lord.
NKJV
‘Thus says the Lord: “You shall not go up nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel. Let every man return to his house, for this thing is from Me.” ’ ” Therefore they obeyed the word of the Lord, and turned back, according to the word of the Lord.
What does 1 Kings 12:24 mean?
Israel hasn't experienced a significant war since David was king. David's reign was also the last time the Israelites fought each other (2 Samuel 18:1–8). This is not the time to break the peace.Rehoboam went to Shechem to accept the crown over all Israel. Before the people would make him king, they asked that he lighten their labor requirements. Rehoboam's older advisors told him to do it, while younger friends told him to increase the people's suffering. Rehoboam listened to the younger men (1 Kings 12:1–15).
In return, the northern tribes abandoned him for Solomon's servant Jeroboam (1 Kings 12:16–19). Both the split of the nation and the choice for Jeroboam were God's plan to judge Solomon for his idolatry (1 Kings 11:11–13).
Rehoboam returned to Jerusalem, gathered an army, and began marching to bring those tribes back (1 Kings 12:21–23). God tells him no. For the first time, Rehoboam listens.
Rehoboam's son Abijah will interpret the situation differently:
Ought you not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingship over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt? Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord, and certain worthless scoundrels gathered about him and defied Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and irresolute and could not withstand them. -–2 Chronicles 13:5–7There is truth in Abijah's words. God did give David's descendants rule over Israel forever, and that promise will be fulfilled when Jesus returns to Jerusalem (Matthew 25:31). But Abijah ignores God's hand in the events. He focuses on the gift—David's dynasty—over the responsibility of David's descendants to faithfully follow God. Rehoboam wasn't irresolute when he stopped the war; he was irresolute when he didn't even consider giving the people relief.
God calls the northern tribe "the people of Israel." This distinction between Israel and Judah isn't new. It started when the elders of Judah accepted David as their king (2 Samuel 2:4), and Abner installed Saul's son Ish-bosheth as king over the ten northern tribes (2 Samuel 2:8–10). After Ish-bosheth's murder, David united the two kingdoms (2 Samuel 5:3). However, the split has returned and will last for hundreds of years.
