Day 162: Rehoboam Seeks Counsel (2026)

On day 162 of The Bible in a Year, Father Mike Schmitz launches the period of the Divided Kingdom by reading 1 Kings 12, 2 Chronicles 10-11, and the first chapter of the Song of Solomon. The central event is the catastrophic decision of Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, to reject wise counsel and crush his people with even heavier demands, which splits the united kingdom of Israel into two rival nations. The episode’s core argument is that this ancient story is not just a historical record but a mirror for a perennial human temptation: seeking counsel from those who agree with us rather than from those who possess genuine wisdom.

The Two Kinds of Counsel

The narrative hinges on a single choice. When the people, led by Jeroboam, come to Rehoboam asking for relief from the heavy labor imposed by Solomon, the new king asks for three days to consider. He first consults the "old men" who had served his father. Their advice is startlingly counterintuitive for a new ruler: "If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever." This is the counsel of wisdom, rooted in the understanding that true authority is built on service, not force.