2 Chronicles 10:9
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Rehoboam doesn't ask his elders for advice on whether to lighten the yoke, but rather how to respond to the people's request. This reveals his underlying intention wasn't necessarily to help the people, but to figure out the most strategic way to maintain his authority, even if it meant a harsher approach.
And he said to them, “What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke that your father put on us’?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Rehoboam has just inherited the throne from his father, Solomon, and faces a delegation of the elders of Israel who have come to complain about the heavy burdens imposed during Solomon's reign. They are asking for relief from the oppressive labor and taxation, and Rehoboam, unsure how to respond, turns to his advisors for counsel. The conversation that follows will determine the fate of the united kingdom, as Rehoboam's decision will either unite or divide the people.
Rehoboam inherited more than a kingdom; he inherited a crisis. His father Solomon's reign, though marked by wisdom and splendor, also included heavy taxation and forced labor. Now, the people are asking for relief, and Rehoboam's response will shape the future.
The Cost of Solomon's Glory
Solomon's reign was magnificent, but it came at a steep price for the common people. Building the Temple and his palaces required immense resources, leading to heavy taxes and demanding labor from his subjects. While these projects might have been seen as for the glory of God and Israel, the burden fell disproportionately on the people.
Rehoboam faced the immediate consequences of his father's policies. The people's request wasn't a rebellion; it was a plea for a lighter load, a call for empathy from their new king. His father's legacy, therefore, was a double-edged sword: glory and grandeur on one side, and deep-seated resentment and exhaustion on the other.
Faced with a critical decision, Rehoboam doesn't immediately respond. Instead, he asks for advice. This moment is crucial: will he listen to the wisdom of experience, or the impulsiveness of pride?
Two Paths, Two Futures
Rehoboam's question, 'What do you advise that we answer this people?' reveals he's not entirely set on a course of action yet. He seeks counsel, which is a mark of potential humility.
However, the two groups of advisors he consults represent vastly different approaches:
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This choice of counsel would determine whether Rehoboam would lead with empathy or arrogance, ultimately fracturing his kingdom.
Understand the original words
ol · Hebrew Noun
A metaphorical instrument representing labor, servitude, burden, or submission; in the Old Testament, it often refers to the taxation, forced labor, or demands placed upon a people by a ruler.
The verse captures the critical moment where Rehoboam's decision, influenced by his peers' rash advice, directly leads to the fracturing of the united kingdom established by his father, David. His choice between wisdom and arrogance determined the political landscape for centuries.
c. 970 BC
Death of King Solomon
Solomon, son of David, reigned for 40 years. His later years were marked by heavy building projects and taxation, leading to some discontent.
c. 970 BC
Accession of Rehoboam
Solomon's son, Rehoboam, was set to inherit the throne. The elders of Israel approached him before his coronation with grievances.
c. 970 BC
The People's Petition
The Israelites presented their plea to Rehoboam, asking him to lighten the heavy yoke of forced labor and taxation imposed by Solomon.
c. 970 BC
Rehoboam Seeks Counsel
Rehoboam first consulted the older advisors who had served Solomon. They advised him to be gracious and responsive to the people's demands to win their loyalty.
c. 970 BC— this verse
Rehoboam Consults Younger Advisors
Rehoboam then sought advice from younger men his own age who had grown up with him. They urged him to assert his authority and increase the burden on the people.
c. 970 BC
The Kingdom Splits
Rehoboam rejected the people's plea and threatened to make their burdens heavier. This led to the ten northern tribes seceding, forming the Northern Kingdom of Israel, while only Judah and Benjamin remained loyal to Rehoboam in the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
This passage is the parallel account in Kings, directly quoting Rehoboam's question to his advisors about the people's demand to lighten the heavy burdens imposed by his father, Solomon.
Exodus 1:11This verse highlights the people of Israel groaning under forced labor and heavy burdens imposed by the Egyptians, paralleling the people's complaint about heavy yokes.
Galatians 5:1Paul uses the imagery of a yoke to speak about freedom in Christ, contrasting it with the 'yoke of slavery' that some were trying to impose, echoing the oppressive nature of the yoke mentioned in Chronicles.
Matthew 11:29-30Jesus invites people to take His 'yoke,' which is easy and His burden, light. This passage offers a profound contrast to the oppressive yoke Rehoboam's father had placed on the people.
Rehoboam doesn't ask his elders for advice on whether to lighten the yoke, but rather how to respond to the people's request. This reveals his underlying intention wasn't necessarily to help the people, but to figure out the most strategic way to maintain his authority, even if it meant a harsher approach.
Rehoboam has just inherited the throne from his father, Solomon, and faces a delegation of the elders of Israel who have come to complain about the heavy burdens imposed during Solomon's reign. They are asking for relief from the oppressive labor and taxation, and Rehoboam, unsure how to respond, turns to his advisors for counsel. The conversation that follows will determine the fate of the united kingdom, as Rehoboam's decision will either unite or divide the people.
Rehoboam has just inherited the throne from his father, Solomon, and faces a delegation of the elders of Israel who have come to complain about the heavy burdens imposed during Solomon's reign. They are asking for relief from the oppressive labor and taxation, and Rehoboam, unsure how to respond, turns to his advisors for counsel. The conversation that follows will determine the fate of the united kingdom, as Rehoboam's decision will either unite or divide the people.
"And he said to them, “What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke that your father put on us’?”" — Rehoboam doesn't ask his elders for advice on whether to lighten the yoke, but rather how to respond to the people's request. This reveals his underlying intention wasn't necessarily to help the…
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Last reviewed October 2026
