Definition: Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the LORD, and returned to depart, according to the word of the LORD.

Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this verse from 1 Kings 12:24. It's a really important passage about obedience and God’s will. Here’s what it means in simpler terms: Basically, God is telling Israel to stop their conflict with the Israelites and return home. Let’s unpack it piece by piece: “Thus saith the LORD…”: This is just a formal way of saying “God speaks.” It's a powerful statement. “…Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel:” This means God is forbidding them from continuing to wage war with the Israelites. It’s stopping them from attacking or fighting against them – essentially, it’s stopping the conflict that started with Moses. “return every man to his house; for this thing is from me.”: This is the key part! God is saying he's giving them a choice. He’s telling them to go back home, meaning everyone should return to their homes and live peacefully. It’s like God saying, “This is a command – you need to go back to your families and lives.” “They hearkened therefore to the word of the LORD, and returned to depart, according to the word of the LORD.” This means they listened to what God said and decided to leave. "Heard" refers to following or obeying the command. “Returned” signifies returning home. "According to the word of the Lord" emphasizes that they’re doing this because God instructed them to do so. What's the big takeaway? This verse is about divine authority and obedience. God has given a clear instruction, and it’s up to the people to follow it – by returning home and living peacefully with their neighbors. In essence, it’s a message of rest, reconciliation, and obeying God's will. --- Do you want me to: Explain another verse? Give you some context about this story in the Bible? Answer any specific questions you have about this passage?