What is the meaning of 2 Chronicles 11:21? Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than all his wives and concubines • Scripture presents Rehoboam’s affection as a clear fact, not a romantic guess. He singled out Maacah, grand-daughter of King David’s rebellious son Absalom (2 Samuel 14:27; 18:18). • Absalom’s lineage had a complex history of ambition and trouble; yet Rehoboam’s heart was drawn there, hinting at the ongoing pull of familiar but spiritually risky alliances (compare 1 Kings 11:1–2). • By elevating one wife above the rest, Rehoboam fostered jealousy and division inside his household, a pattern Solomon experienced earlier with his favored Egyptian princess (1 Kings 11:1; 2 Chronicles 8:11). • The Lord’s design from Eden was one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24). Whenever an Israelite king departed from that model, trouble followed (see Deuteronomy 17:17, “He must not take many wives, lest his heart turn away,”). Rehoboam’s preference for Maacah foreshadows the influence she later wielded over the kingdom (2 Chronicles 15:16). In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines • These numbers are literal, underscoring how far Rehoboam drifted from God’s standard. Solomon’s hundreds of wives may dwarf these figures (1 Kings 11:3), yet the point is the same: multiplying wives multiplies compromise. • Each marriage likely served political ends—alliances with influential families—but spiritual erosion is the long-term cost. The Chronicler records the tally to warn later readers who might excuse similar excess. • Contrast with the simplicity of Isaac’s lifelong devotion to Rebekah (Genesis 24; 26:8) or Joseph’s faithfulness to one wife in Egypt (Genesis 41:45, 50). He was the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters • The sizeable offspring speak to prosperity in human terms, yet they also signal potential strife. Competing heirs from different mothers fueled succession battles in David’s household (2 Samuel 13–15), and Rehoboam’s line was no different (2 Chronicles 13:2). • More children did not equal more blessing if the home lacked covenant obedience. Psalm 127:3–5 celebrates children as “a heritage from the LORD,” yet the same psalm assumes parents are walking in the fear of God (Psalm 128). • The Chronicler will later highlight one son, Abijah—Maacah’s boy—as successor (2 Chronicles 11:22). Favoritism toward both wife and son set the stage for future idolatry (2 Chronicles 14:3). summary 2 Chronicles 11:21 records facts, not ideals. Rehoboam’s special love for Maacah, his multiplied wives, and his many children all illustrate a king blessed with resources yet drifting from God’s clear command. The verse teaches that earthly advantage—political marriages, numerous heirs, deep affections—cannot replace wholehearted loyalty to the Lord. Choices made in the palace echo through the nation, reminding every believer that obedience and single-minded devotion are still the pathway to lasting blessing. |
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