2 Chronicles 13:7

5 Do you not know that the LORD, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt ?

6 Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master.

Then worthless and wicked men gathered around him to resist Rehoboam son of Solomon when he was young, inexperienced, and unable to resist them.

8 And now you think you can resist the kingdom of the LORD, which is in the hands of David’s descendants. You are indeed a vast army, and you have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods.

9 But did you not drive out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites? And did you not make priests for yourselves as do the peoples of other lands? Now whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams can become a priest of things that are not gods.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Then worthless and wicked men gathered around him to resist Rehoboam son of Solomon when he was young, inexperienced, and unable to resist them.
KJV
And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them.
WEB
Worthless men were gathered to him, wicked fellows who strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender hearted, and could not withstand them.
ASV
And there were gathered unto him worthless men, base fellows, that strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender-hearted, and could not withstand them.
DARBY
And vain men, sons of Belial, gathered to him and strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, and Rehoboam was young and faint-hearted, and did not shew himself strong against them.
BLB
And vain men gathered to him, sons of worthlessness, and they strenghtened themselves against Rehoboam son of Solomon. And Rehoboam was young and tender of heart, and he could not strengthen himself against them.
ÅB
Og det samlet seg om ham en flokk løse folk og onde mennesker, og de satte seg med vold opp imot Rehabeam, Salomos sønn; og Rehabeam var ung og motløs og kunne ikke stå seg mot dem.
OTB
og menn av lav karakter samlet seg til ham, urettferdige menn, som viste seg for sterke for Rehabeam, Salomos sønn, da han var ung og nølende og ikke kunne motstå dem.
B1930
Og det samlet sig om ham en flokk løse folk og onde mennesker, og de satte sig med vold op imot Rehabeam, Salomos sønn; og Rehabeam var ung og motløs og kunde ikke stå sig mot dem.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Judges 9:4

    So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired some worthless and reckless men to follow him.

    Read in context
  • 2 Chronicles 12:13

    Thus King Rehoboam established himself in Jerusalem. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the LORD had chosen from all the tribes of Israel in which to put His Name. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite.

    Read in context
  • Hebrews 5:12

    Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to reteach you the basic principles of God’s word. You need milk, not solid food!

    Read in context
  • Psalms 26:4

    I do not sit with deceitful men, nor keep company with hypocrites.

    Read in context
  • 1 Samuel 22:2

    And all who were distressed or indebted or discontented rallied around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.

    Read in context
  • Judges 11:3

    So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob, where worthless men gathered around him and traveled with him.

    Read in context
  • Job 30:8

    A senseless and nameless brood, they were driven off the land.

    Read in context
  • 2 Chronicles 11:1–4

    When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mobilized the house of Judah and Benjamin—180,000 chosen warriors—to fight against Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.

    Read in context