23 And he dealt wisely, H995 and dispersed H6555 of all his children H1121 throughout all the countries H776 of Judah H3063 and Benjamin, H1144 unto every fenced H4694 city: H5892 and he gave H5414 them victual H4202 in abundance. H7230 And he desired H7592 many H1995 wives. H802
Then Adonijah H138 the son H1121 of Haggith H2294 exalted H4984 himself, saying, H559 I will be king: H4427 and he prepared H6213 him chariots H7393 and horsemen, H6571 and fifty H2572 men H376 to run H7323 before H6440 him. And his father H1 had not displeased H6087 him at any time H3117 in saying, H559 Why hast thou done so? H6213 and he also was a very H3966 goodly H2896 H8389 man; and his mother bare H3205 him after H310 Absalom. H53
But he forsook H5800 the counsel H6098 which the old men H2205 gave H3289 him, and took counsel H3289 with the young men H3206 that were brought up H1431 with him, that stood H5975 before H6440 him. And he said H559 unto them, What advice H3289 give ye that we may return H7725 answer H1697 to this people, H5971 which have spoken H1696 to me, saying, H559 Ease H7043 somewhat the yoke H5923 that thy father H1 did put H5414 upon us? And the young men H3206 that were brought up H1431 with him spake H1696 unto him, saying, H559 Thus shalt thou answer H559 the people H5971 that spake H1696 unto thee, saying, H559 Thy father H1 made H3513 our yoke H5923 heavy, H3513 but make thou it somewhat lighter H7043 for us; thus shalt thou say H559 unto them, My little H6995 finger shall be thicker H5666 than my father's H1 loins. H4975 For whereas H6258 my father H1 put H6006 a heavy H3515 yoke H5923 upon you, I will put more H3254 to your yoke: H5923 my father H1 chastised H3256 you with whips, H7752 but I will chastise you with scorpions. H6137 So Jeroboam H3379 and all the people H5971 came H935 to Rehoboam H7346 on the third H7992 day, H3117 as the king H4428 bade, H1696 saying, H559 Come again H7725 to me on the third H7992 day. H3117 And the king H4428 answered H6030 them roughly; H7186 and king H4428 Rehoboam H7346 forsook H5800 the counsel H6098 of the old men, H2205 And answered H1696 them after the advice H6098 of the young men, H3206 saying, H559 My father H1 made your yoke H5923 heavy, H3513 but I will add H3254 thereto: my father H1 chastised H3256 you with whips, H7752 but I will chastise you with scorpions. H6137 So the king H4428 hearkened H8085 not unto the people: H5971 for the cause H5252 was of God, H430 that the LORD H3068 might perform H6965 his word, H1697 which he spake H1696 by the hand H3027 of Ahijah H281 the Shilonite H7888 to Jeroboam H3379 the son H1121 of Nebat. H5028
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 11
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 11 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 11
2Ch 11:1-17. Rehoboam, Raising an Army to Subdue Israel, Is Forbidden by Shemaiah.
1-4. Rehoboam … gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin … to fight against Israel—(See 1Ki 12:21-24).
5-11. built cities for defence in Judah—This is evidently used as the name of the southern kingdom. Rehoboam, having now a bitter enemy in Israel, deemed it prudent to lose no time in fortifying several cities that lay along the frontier of his kingdom. Jeroboam, on his side, took a similar precaution (1Ki 12:25). Of the fifteen cities named, Aijalon, now Yalo, and Zorah, now Surah, between Jerusalem and Jabneh [Robinson], lay within the province of Benjamin. Gath, though a Philistine city, had been subject to Solomon. And Etham, which was on the border of Simeon, now incorporated with the kingdom of Israel, was fortified to repel danger from that quarter. These fortresses Rehoboam placed under able commanders and stocked them with provisions and military stores, sufficient, if necessary, to stand a siege. In the crippled state of his kingdom, he seems to have been afraid lest it might be made the prey of some powerful neighbors.
13-17. the priests and the Levites … resorted to him out of all their coasts—This was an accession of moral power, for the maintenance of the true religion is the best support and safeguard of any nation; and as it was peculiarly the grand source of the strength and prosperity of the Hebrew monarchy, the great numbers of good and pious people who sought an asylum within the territories of Judah contributed greatly to consolidate the throne of Rehoboam. The cause of so extensive an emigration from the kingdom of Israel was the deep and daring policy of Jeroboam, who set himself to break the national unity by entirely abolishing, within his dominions, the religious institutions of Judaism. He dreaded an eventual reunion of the tribes if the people continued to repair thrice a year to worship in Jerusalem as they were obliged by law to do. Accordingly, on pretense that the distance of that city was too great for multitudes of his subjects, he fixed upon two more convenient places, where he established a new mode of worshipping God under gross and prohibited symbols [1Ki 12:26-33]. The priests and Levites, refusing to take part in the idolatrous ceremonies, were ejected from their living [2Ch 11:13, 14]. Along with them a large body of the people who faithfully adhered to the instituted worship of God, offended and shocked by the impious innovations, departed from the kingdom.
15. he ordained him priests—The persons he appointed to the priesthood were low and worthless creatures (1Ki 12:31; 13:33); any were consecrated who brought a bullock and seven rams (2Ch 13:9; Ex 29:37).
for the high places—Those favorite places of religious worship were encouraged throughout the country.
for the devils—a term sometimes used for idols in general (Le 17:7). But here it is applied distinctively to the goat deities, which were probably worshipped chiefly in the northern parts of his kingdom, where the heathen Canaanites still abounded.
for the calves which he had made—figures of the ox gods Apis and Mnevis, with which Jeroboam's residence in Egypt had familiarized him. (See on 1Ki 12:26).
17. they strengthened the kingdom of Judah—The innovating measures of Jeroboam were not introduced all at once. But as they were developed, the secession of the most excellent of his subjects began, and continuing to increase for three years, lowered the tone of religion in his kingdom, while it proportionally quickened its life and extended its influence in that of Judah.
2Ch 11:18-23. His Wives and Children.
18. Rehoboam took Mahalath—The names of her father and mother are given. Jerimoth, the father, must have been the son of one of David's concubines (1Ch 3:9). Abihail was, of course, his cousin, previous to their marriage.
20. after her he took Maachah … daughter—that is, granddaughter (2Sa 14:27) of Absalom, Tamar being, according to Josephus, her mother. (Compare 2Sa 18:18).
21. he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines—This royal harem, though far smaller than his father's, was equally in violation of the law, which forbade a king to "multiply wives unto himself" [De 17:17].
22. made Abijah … chief … ruler among his brethren—This preference seems to have been given to Abijah solely from the king's doting fondness for his mother and through her influence over him. It is plainly implied that Abijah was not the oldest of the family. In destining a younger son for the kingdom, without a divine warrant, as in Solomon's case, Rehoboam acted in violation of the law (De 21:15).
23. he dealt wisely—that is, with deep and calculating policy (Ex 1:10).
and dispersed of all his children … unto every fenced city—The circumstance of twenty-eight sons of the king being made governors of fortresses would, in our quarter of the world, produce jealousy and dissatisfaction. But Eastern monarchs ensure peace and tranquillity to their kingdom by bestowing government offices on their sons and grandsons. They obtain an independent provision, and being kept apart, are not likely to cabal in their father's lifetime. Rehoboam acted thus, and his sagacity will appear still greater if the wives he desired for them belonged to the cities where each son was located. These connections would bind them more closely to their respective places. In the modern countries of the East, particularly Persia and Turkey, younger princes were, till very lately, shut up in the harem during their father's lifetime; and, to prevent competition, they were blinded or killed when their brother ascended the throne. In the former country the old practice of dispersing them through the country as Rehoboam did, has been again revived.