25 Then Jeroboam H3379 built H1129 Shechem H7927 in mount H2022 Ephraim, H669 and dwelt H3427 therein; and went out H3318 from thence, and built H1129 Penuel. H6439
And Jacob H3290 called H7121 the name H8034 of the place H4725 Peniel: H6439 for I have seen H7200 God H430 face H6440 to face, H6440 and my life H5315 is preserved. H5337 And as he passed over H5674 Penuel H6439 the sun H8121 rose H2224 upon him, and he halted H6760 upon his thigh. H3409
And Abimelech H40 fought H3898 against the city H5892 all that day; H3117 and he took H3920 the city, H5892 and slew H2026 the people H5971 that was therein, and beat down H5422 the city, H5892 and sowed H2232 it with salt. H4417 And when all the men H1167 of the tower H4026 of Shechem H7927 heard H8085 that, they entered H935 into an hold H6877 of the house H1004 of the god H410 Berith. H1286 And it was told H5046 Abimelech, H40 that all the men H1167 of the tower H4026 of Shechem H7927 were gathered together. H6908 And Abimelech H40 gat him up H5927 to mount H2022 Zalmon, H6756 he and all the people H5971 that were with him; and Abimelech H40 took H3947 an axe H7134 in his hand, H3027 and cut down H3772 a bough H7754 from the trees, H6086 and took H5375 it, and laid H7760 it on his shoulder, H7926 and said H559 unto the people H5971 that were with him, What ye have seen H7200 me do, H6213 make haste, H4116 and do H6213 as I H3644 have done. And all the people H5971 likewise cut down H3772 every man H376 his bough, H7754 and followed H3212 H310 Abimelech, H40 and put H7760 them to the hold, H6877 and set H3341 the hold H6877 on fire H784 upon them; so that all the men H582 of the tower H4026 of Shechem H7927 died H4191 also, about a thousand H505 men H376 and women. H802
And Rehoboam H7346 dwelt H3427 in Jerusalem, H3389 and built H1129 cities H5892 for defence H4692 in Judah. H3063 He built H1129 even Bethlehem, H1035 and Etam, H5862 and Tekoa, H8620 And Bethzur, H1049 and Shoco, H7755 and Adullam, H5725 And Gath, H1661 and Mareshah, H4762 and Ziph, H2128 And Adoraim, H115 and Lachish, H3923 and Azekah, H5825 And Zorah, H6881 and Aijalon, H357 and Hebron, H2275 which are in Judah H3063 and in Benjamin H1144 fenced H4694 cities. H5892 And he fortified H2388 the strong holds, H4694 and put H5414 captains H5057 in them, and store H214 of victual, H3978 and of oil H8081 and wine. H3196 And in every several city H5892 he put shields H6793 and spears, H7420 and made them exceeding H7235 H3966 strong, H2388 having Judah H3063 and Benjamin H1144 on his side.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Kings 12
Commentary on 1 Kings 12 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 12
The glory of the kingdom of Israel was in its height and perfection in Solomon; it was long in coming to it, but it soon declined, and began to sink and wither in the very next reign, as we find in this chapter, where we have the kingdom divided, and thereby weakened and made little in comparison with what it had been. Here is,
1Ki 12:1-15
Solomon had 1000 wives and concubines, yet we read but of one son he had to bear up his name, and he a fool. It is said (Hos. 4:10), They shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase. Sin is a bad way of building up a family. Rehoboam was the son of the wisest of men, yet did not inherit his father's wisdom, and then it stood him in little stead to inherit his father's throne. Neither wisdom nor grace runs in the blood. Solomon came to the crown very young, yet he was then a wise man. Rehoboam came to the crown at forty years old, when men will be wise if ever they will, yet he was then foolish. Wisdom does not go by age, nor is it the multitude of years nor the advantage of education that reaches it. Solomon's court was a mart of wisdom and the rendezvous of learned men, and Rehoboam was the darling of the court; and yet all was not sufficient to make him a wise man. The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. No dispute is made of Rehoboam's succession; upon the death of his father, he was immediately proclaimed. But,
1Ki 12:16-24
We have here the rending of the kingdom of the ten tribes from the house of David, to effect which,
1Ki 12:25-33
We have here the beginning of the reign of Jeroboam. He built Shechem first and then Penuel-beautified and fortified them, and probably had a palace in each of them for himself (v. 25), the former in Ephraim, the latter in Gad, on the other side Jordan. This might be proper; but he formed another project for the establishing of his kingdom which was fatal to the interests of religion in it.