Verses 1-23

2. Rehoboam"s kingdom ch11

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 ( 2 Chronicles 11:15). This resulted in many of the faithful followers of Yahweh traveling from Israel to Judah so they could continue to worship God as He had specified ( 2 Chronicles 11:16). Many faithful worshippers of Yahweh thus populated Judah. The true Israel was now in Judah (cf. 2 Chronicles 11:3; 2 Chronicles 12:1). [Note: Cf. Williamson, 1,2 . . ., p238.] The faithfulness of these northern Yahweh worshippers lasted only three years, however ( 2 Chronicles 11:17). Rehoboam, like Song of Solomon, was not entirely faithful.

"Each of the three short paragraphs which make up this section [ 2 Chronicles 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." [Note: Ibid, p240.]