Skip to content
mannafest.faith
Read

1 Kings 12:18

in 1 Kings 12

Then King Rehoboam sent out Adoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. And King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste and escaped to Jerusalem.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the men subject to taskwork; and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. And king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

KJV

Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

⋯

This verse in 1 Kings 12

Commentary

7 notes on this verse

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

It was received with mingled scorn and derision. The revolt was accomplished, and yet so quietly, that Rehoboam remained in Shechem, fancying himself the sovereign of a united kingdom, until his chief tax gatherer, who had been most imprudently sent to treat with the people, had been stoned to death.

This site's exposition

dwelt in the cities of Judah

on 1 Kings 12:17-19

Judah's own Israelites stay under Rehoboam, the tribe the Lord had reserved for David's house at 11:13 and 11:32 taking visible shape as the chapter closes its first half. Rehoboam then compounds the crisis by sending Adoram, the very officer over forced labor, to a population that has just named forced labor its whole complaint, and the people stone him. The narrator's closing sentence, so Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day, is written from later in the story, a standing wound the writer says is still open in his own time.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

The tribute was the thing, and, for the sake of that, Adoram was the person, they most complained of. The very sight of him, whose name was odious among them, exasperated them, and made them outrageous.
Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Rehoboam was imprudent in the further management of this affair, and more and more infatuated. Having foolishly thrown himself into a quick-sand, he sunk the further in with plunging to get out. He was very unadvised in sending Adoram, who was over the tribute, to treat with them,

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

King Rehoboam sent Adoram - As this was the person who was superintendent over the tribute, he was probably sent to collect the ordinary taxes; but the people, indignant at the master who had given them such a brutish answer, stoned the servant to death. The sending of Adoram to collect the taxes, when the public mind was in such a state of fermentation, was another proof of Rehoboam’s folly and incapacity to govern.
Adoram has been identified with Adoniram (marginal references), and even with the Adoram of 2Sa 20:24. But it is highly improbable that the same person was chief superintendent of the forced labors during the whole of Solomon’s long reign, and also during a part of David’s and Rehoboam’s. We may therefore conclude that the three names mark three distinct persons, perhaps of the same family, who were respectively contemporary with the three kings. Adoram was chosen, as best acquainted with the hardships whereof the rebels complained, to arrange some alleviation of their burthens.

The words behind it

21 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וַיִּשְׁלַ֞חand he sent

    vaiyishlachH7971 →845 times

  • הַמֶּ֣לֶךְthe king

    hamelekhH4428 →2525 times

  • רְחַבְעָ֗םRehoboam

    rechavamH7346 →50 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • אֲדֹרָם֙Adoram

    ʾadoramH151 →

  • אֲשֶׁ֣רwho

    ʾasherH834 →5497 times

  • עַל־[was] over

    ʾal-H5921 →5755 times

  • הַמַּ֔סthe forced labor

    hamasH4522 →23 times

  • וַיִּרְגְּמ֨וּand they stoned

    vaiyirgemuH7275 →

  • כָל־all

    khol-H3605 →5413 times

  • יִשְׂרָאֵ֥לIsrael

    yisraelH3478 →2507 times

  • בּ֛וֹ<in> him

    bo

  • אֶ֖בֶןstone[s]

    ʾevenH68 →273 times

  • וַיָּמֹ֑תand he died

    vaiyamotH4191 →839 times

  • וְהַמֶּ֣לֶךְand the king

    vehamelekhH4428 →2525 times

  • רְחַבְעָ֗םRehoboam

    rechavamH7346 →50 times

  • הִתְאַמֵּץ֙he proved himself strong

    hitametzH553 →

  • לַעֲל֣וֹתto go up

    laalotH5927 →890 times

  • בַּמֶּרְכָּבָ֔הin the chariot

    bamerkavahH4818 →44 times

  • לָנ֖וּסto flee

    lanusH5127 →159 times

  • יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃Jerusalem

    yerushalimH3389 →643 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

12 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

1 Kings 4:6Ahishar was in charge of the palace; and Adoniram son of Abda was in charge of the forced labor.5 works2 Samuel 20:24Adoram was in charge of the forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;4 works1 Kings 5:14He sent them to Lebanon in monthly shifts of 10,000 men, so that they would spend one month in Lebanon and two months at home. And Adoniram was in charge of the forced labor.4 worksActs 7:57–58At this they covered their ears, cried out in a loud voice, and rushed together at him.3 worksActs 5:26At that point, the captain went with the officers and brought the apostles—but not by force, for fear the people would stone them.2 works2 Chronicles 10:18Then King Rehoboam sent out Hadoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, but the Israelites stoned him to death. And King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste and escaped to Jerusalem.2 works
The other 6 cross-references, with their words ▾
Exodus 17:4Then Moses cried out to the LORD, “What should I do with these people? A little more and they will stone me!”2 worksNumbers 14:10But the whole congregation threatened to stone Joshua and Caleb. Then the glory of the LORD appeared to all the Israelites at the Tent of Meeting.2 worksProverbs 28:1–2The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.2 worksAmos 2:16Even the bravest of mighty men will flee naked on that day,” declares the LORD.2 works2 Chronicles 24:21But they conspired against Zechariah, and by order of the king, they stoned him in the courtyard of the house of the LORD.2 works1 Kings 20:18–20“If they have marched out in peace,” he said, “take them alive. Even if they have marched out for war, take them alive.”2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Acts 5:26

    At that point, the captain went with the officers and brought the apostles—but not by force, for fear the people would stone them.

    it leads to

    • Acts 5:13

      Although the people regarded them highly, no one else dared to join them.

    • Acts 4:21

      After further threats they let them go. They could not find a way to punish them, because all the people were glorifying God for what had happened.

    • Matthew 21:26

      But if we say, ‘From men,’ we are afraid of the people, for they all regard John as a prophet.”

  • Through

    2 Samuel 20:24

    Adoram was in charge of the forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;

    it leads to

    • 1 Kings 4:3

      Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, were secretaries; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;

    • 1 Kings 4:6

      Ahishar was in charge of the palace; and Adoniram son of Abda was in charge of the forced labor.

  • Through

    1 Kings 4:6

    Ahishar was in charge of the palace; and Adoniram son of Abda was in charge of the forced labor.

    it leads to

    • 2 Samuel 20:24

      Adoram was in charge of the forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;

    • 1 Kings 9:15

      This is the account of the forced labor that King Solomon imposed to build the house of the LORD, his own palace, the supporting terraces, and the wall of Jerusalem, as well as Hazor,…

    • 1 Kings 5:13–14

      Then King Solomon conscripted a labor force of 30,000 men from all Israel.

Where this verse is studied

On this page

Studies1

About 1 Kings

The Judgment of Solomon, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
The Judgment of Solomon, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
1 Kings: the study guide →Read 1 Kings 12 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in 1 Kings 12 →