002_cudworth_co_498_523 13/02/15 11:26 Pagina 517 THE DIVISION OF ISRAEL’S KINGDOM IN CHRONICLES 517 ever, this reading for 1 Kgs 12,2 clearly contradicts the inference in 11,40 that he returned when Solomon died 57. BHS suggests amending the text in 1 Kgs 12,2 so that it agrees with the text of 2 Chr 10,2. Second and more importantly, if “all Israel” carries the same connotation as it did in all its occurrences prior to this passage as argued above, then Jeroboam has sympathized with their cause, un- like Rehoboam. In this case, the Chronicler seems to insert Jer- oboam into the story as a noteworthy contrast to the recalcitrant Rehoboam. In the end, whatever text the Chronicler may have used as his Vorlage, he ultimately pictures Jeroboam as faithfully col- laborating with all Israel as did Rehoboam’s predecessors David and Solomon, placing him in a very positive light. Nevertheless, the details of the story that the Chronicler has kept make the most sense if we keep in mind the sources to which he has already called our attention (i.e. the prophecy of Ahijah, cf. 9,30). Mitchell avers, “The reader of Chronicles does not have to know Samuel-Kings in order to get the message of Chronicles. But the reader of Chronicles who also knows Samuel-Kings can appreciate the dialogue between the two, as well as the little ironies and playfulness that Chronicles has built into its text” 58. 2. The evidence from Abijah’s speech Knoppers makes a more substantial case for Jeroboam’s guilt from Abijah’s speech to Jeroboam and the rest of the northerners (2 Chr 13,4-12) 59. Many scholars have identified this text as dis- tinctive of the Chronicler’s own theology due to the particular themes and vocabulary mentioned within it 60. More importantly, since Abijah comes immediately after Rehoboam, his speech offers 57 See also S.L. MCKENZIE, “The Source for Jeroboam’s Role at Shechem (1 Kgs 11:43-12:3, 12, 20)”, JBL 106 (1987) 297-300. 58 C. MITCHELL, “The Dialogism of Chronicles”, The Chronicler as Author (eds. M.P. GRAHAM – S.L. MCKENZIE) (JSOTSS 238; Sheffield 1999) 311- 326, here 326. 59 See also his other article: G.N. KNOPPERS, “‘Battling Against Yahweh’: Israel’s War Against Judah in 2 Chr 13:2-20”, RB 100 (1993) 511-532. 60 G. VON RAD, Old Testament Theology (Edinburgh 1962) 353, describes it as “a brief compendium of the Chronicler’s theology”.