Bible Strands
1 Kings 12:26
Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom might revert to the house of David.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jeroboam speaks to himself after establishing Shechem and Penuel as administrative centers, fearing that northern Israelites traveling to Jerusalem for sacrifices will abandon his rule.
The words — The Hebrew תָּשׁוּב (ta.Shuv) means "it will return," paired with הַ/מַּמְלָכָ֖ה (ha./mam.la.Khah) for "the kingdom," capturing Jeroboam’s internal calculation that political allegiance might shift back to David’s line.
The thread — This internal monologue mirrors David’s self-reflective fear in 1 Samuel 27:1, while the stated consequence of returning to a former ruler directly previews the political reality Jeroboam describes in 1 Kings 12:27.
Why it lands — The text forces a reader to recognize how political anxiety drives religious policy, demanding honest assessment of whether personal fears or divine promises shape leadership decisions.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 27:1 David, however, said to himself, “One of these days now I will be swept away by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will stop searching for me all over Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.”
- 1 Kings 11:38 If you listen to all that I command you, walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight in order to keep My statutes and commandments as My servant David did, then I will be with you. I will build you a lasting dynasty just as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you.
- 2 Chronicles 20:20 Early in the morning they got up and left for the Wilderness of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood up and said, “Hear me, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be upheld; believe in His prophets, and you will succeed.”
- Psalms 14:1 For the choirmaster. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good.
- Isaiah 7:9 The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you do not stand firm in your faith, then you will not stand at all.’”
- Jeremiah 38:18 But if you do not surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, then this city will be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans. They will burn it down, and you yourself will not escape their grasp.’”
- Mark 2:6 But some of the scribes were sitting there and thinking in their hearts,
- Luke 7:39 When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who this is and what kind of woman is touching Him—for she is a sinner!”
- John 11:47 Then the chief priests and Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we to do? This man is performing many signs.
- John 12:10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well,