Rehoboam’s Pride
Category: Failure of humility & wisdom
Could endure: Serve the people with gentleness, follow God’s law.
“If you are kind to these people and please them… they will always be your servants.” (2 Chronicles 10:7)
Cross-Refs: Proverbs 15:1; Micah 6:8.
Chose wrongly: Rejected wise counsel, acted harshly.
“My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.” (2 Chronicles 10:14)
Cross-Refs: 1 Kings 12:13–14; Proverbs 29:23.
Endured (negatively): Kingdom divided.
“So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.” (2 Chronicles 10:19)
Cross-Refs: Hosea 8:4; 2 Kings 17:21.
Why (wrong motive): Pride and desire for control.
“The king did not listen to the people.” (2 Chronicles 10:15)
Cross-Refs: Proverbs 16:18; James 3:16.
Result: Only Judah and Benjamin remained loyal.
“Rehoboam remained in Jerusalem and fortified cities in Judah.” (2 Chronicles 11:5)
Cross-Refs: 2 Chronicles 12:1–2; 1 Kings 14:22–24.
Jehoram (King of Judah)
Category: Failure of covenant loyalty
Could endure: Walk in the ways of David and seek God.
“He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done.” (2 Chronicles 17:3 — Jehoshaphat, contrast).
Cross-Refs: 1 Kings 15:5; Psalm 78:72.
Chose wrongly: Walked in ways of Ahab, killed his brothers.
“He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done.” (2 Chronicles 21:6)
Cross-Refs: 2 Kings 8:18; Hosea 13:2.
Endured (negatively): Revolts, loss of power, painful death.
“The LORD aroused against Jehoram the hostility of the Philistines… he passed away, to no one’s regret.” (2 Chronicles 21:16–20)
Cross-Refs: Jeremiah 22:18–19; Proverbs 10:7.
Why (wrong motive): Idolatry, ambition, cruelty.
“He built high places… led Judah astray.” (2 Chronicles 21:11)
Cross-Refs: Deuteronomy 13:12–14; 2 Kings 21:9.
Result: Died unloved, legacy cursed.
“He passed away, to no one’s regret.” (2 Chronicles 21:20)
Cross-Refs: Job 18:17; Proverbs 11:7.
Ahaz (King of Judah)
Category: Failure of worship & trust
Could endure: Trust God in crisis, worship Him alone.
“If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.” (Isaiah 7:9)
Cross-Refs: Deuteronomy 6:13; Psalm 20:7.
Chose wrongly: Sacrificed to idols, even his sons in fire.
“He followed the ways of the kings of Israel and also made idols for worshiping the Baals.” (2 Chronicles 28:2)
Cross-Refs: 2 Kings 16:2–4; Jeremiah 7:31.
Endured (negatively): Military defeat, heavy losses.
“The LORD his God delivered him into the hands of the king of Aram… and into the hands of the king of Israel.” (2 Chronicles 28:5)
Cross-Refs: Isaiah 8:5–8; Hosea 5:13.
Why (wrong motive): Fear, unbelief, desire for pagan ways.
“In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the LORD.” (2 Chronicles 28:22)
Cross-Refs: Proverbs 29:25; Romans 1:21–23.
Result: Brought ruin to Judah, died dishonored.
“Ahaz rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of Jerusalem, but not in the tombs of the kings.” (2 Chronicles 28:27)
Cross-Refs: Isaiah 14:18–20; Proverbs 10:7.
Manasseh (Early Reign)
Category: Failure of extreme idolatry
Could endure: Follow David’s devotion to God.
“Do what is right in the eyes of the LORD, just as David did.” (2 Chronicles 34:2 — Josiah, contrast).
Cross-Refs: 1 Kings 9:4; Psalm 119:33.
Chose wrongly: Built altars to idols, practiced witchcraft, shed innocent blood.
“He did evil in the eyes of the LORD… he bowed down to all the starry hosts.” (2 Chronicles 33:2–3)
Cross-Refs: 2 Kings 21:2–6; Jeremiah 7:31.
Endured (negatively): Judah corrupted more than nations.
“Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations.” (2 Chronicles 33:9)
Cross-Refs: Romans 1:21–23; Hosea 9:15.
Why (wrong motive): Rebellion, occult practices, defiance.
“He built altars in the temple of the LORD.” (2 Chronicles 33:4)
Cross-Refs: Ezekiel 8:10–11; Micah 6:16.
Result: Judgment came — though Manasseh later repented, the nation bore scars.
“The LORD brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner.” (2 Chronicles 33:11)
Cross-Refs: 2 Kings 21:10–15; Jeremiah 15:4.
Zedekiah & Final Exile
Category: Failure of obedience & repentance
Could endure: Listen to Jeremiah, submit to Babylon.
“The LORD, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people.” (2 Chronicles 36:15)
Cross-Refs: Jeremiah 21:8–9; Ezekiel 12:13.
Chose wrongly: Hardened his heart, rejected prophets.
“Zedekiah… did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke the word of the LORD.” (2 Chronicles 36:12)
Cross-Refs: Jeremiah 38:17–19; Proverbs 29:1.
Endured (negatively): Jerusalem destroyed, temple burned, exile.
“He carried into exile to Babylon the remnant… they became servants.” (2 Chronicles 36:20)
Cross-Refs: 2 Kings 25:9–12; Lamentations 1:1–5.
Why (wrong motive): Pride, rebellion, stiff-necked hearts.
“They mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets.” (2 Chronicles 36:16)
Cross-Refs: Nehemiah 9:26; Matthew 23:37.
Result: Exile to Babylon until the land enjoyed its sabbath rests.
“The land enjoyed its sabbath rests; all the time of its desolation it rested.” (2 Chronicles 36:21)
Cross-Refs: Leviticus 26:34–35; Daniel 9:2.