2 Chronicles 11:18

_AND REHOBOAM TOOK HIM MAHALATH THE DAUGHTER OF JERIMOTH THE SON OF DAVID TO WIFE, AND ABIHAIL THE DAUGHTER OF ELIAB THE SON OF JESSE;_ Rehoboam took him Mahalath. The names of her father and mother are given. Jerimoth, the father, must have been the son of one of David's concubines (1 Chronicles 3:9). Abihail was, of course, his cousin, previous to their marriage....

13-23 When the priests and Levites came to Jerusalem, the devout, pious Israelites followed them. Such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel, left the inheritance of their fathers, and went to Jerusalem, that they might have free access to the altar of God, and be out of the temptation to worship the calves. That is best for us, which is best for our souls; in all our choices, religious advantages must be sought before all outward conveniences. Where God's faithful priests are, his faithful people should be. And when it has been proved that we are willing to renounce our worldly interests, so far as we are called to do so for the sake of Christ and his gospel, we have good evidence that we are truly his disciples. And it is the interest of a nation to protect religion and religious people....

Verse 2 Chronicles 11:18. _TOOK HIM MAHALATH_] By marrying thus in the family of David, he strengthened his right to the Jewish throne....

This is probably an extract from the “genealogies” of Iddo 2 Chronicles 12:15. As Jerimoth is not mentioned among the legitimate sons of David 1Ch 3:1-8; 1 Chronicles 14:4, he must have been the child of a concubine. Abihail was probably the “grand-daughter,” not “daughter,” of Eliab 1Sa 16:6; 1 Samuel 17:13; 1 Chronicles 2:13....

EXPOSITION The first four verses of this chapter would have been better placed as the conclusion of the previous chapter. They correspond with 1 Kings 12:21-11; and they tell how Rehoboam was restrained from making bad worse, in a hopeless attempt to recover the seceding ten tribes, by war that would have been as bloody as foredoomed to failure. "The word of the Lord" to this intent came to the Prophet Shemaiah, and through him to Rehoboam. The remaining verses of the chapter are new matter, and belong to Chronicles alone. They tell how Rehoboam set to work to fortify his towns, or rather many of them (1 Kings 12:5); how he received priests and others from the kingdom of the ten tribes ...

AND REHOBOAM TOOK HIM MAHALATH, THE DAUGHTER OF JERIMOTH, THE SON OF DAVID, TO WIFE,.... Of which son of David we nowhere else read; perhaps he might be the son of one of his concubines, or he might have two names: AND ABIHAIL THE DAUGHTER OF ELIAB THE SON OF JESSE; who was David's eldest brother. 1 Samuel 17:13. She must be a granddaughter or great-granddaughter of his....

III. THE HISTORY OF THE KINGS OF JUDAH:EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE CAPTIVITY 1. Decline and Apostasy under Rehoboam, Abijah and Asa CHAPTER 11 Rehoboam's Reign _ 1. The forbidden war (2 Chronicles 11:1)_ 2. The national defence (2 Chronicles 11:5) 3. Jeroboam's wickedness and Rehoboam's strength (2 Chronicles 11:13) 4. Rehoboam's family (2 Chronicles 11:18) The provocation to go to war with the tribes which had revolted was great. Rehoboam was ready to start the civil war. He gathered 180,000 men of Judah and Benjamin to fight against Israe

SHEMAIAH RESTRAINS REHOBOAM FROM ATTACKING JEROBOAM (see notes on 1 Kings 12:21). The variations between the two records are unimportant. 2 CHRONICLES 11:5. REHOBOAM ESTABLISHES HIMSELF IN JERUSALEM. There is nothing corresponding to this section in 1 K. 2 Chronicles 11:5. Rehoboam's cities of defence. Although these are not enumerated in 1 K. there is no reason to doubt that the Chronicler got the list of them from an authentic source. 2 Chronicles 11:13. This account of how the priests and Levites joined Rehoboam was probably inserted by the Chronicler,

The Prosperity of Rehoboam This section has no corresponding section in 1 Kin. On the other hand the Chronicler omits three important sections of 1 Kings 12:25-33 (the setting up of the golden calves), 2 Chronicles 13:1-22 (the episode of the prophet who cried against the altar in Beth-el) and 2 Chronicles 14:1-15 (the death of the son of Jeroboam)....

2. THE REIGN OF REHOBOAM (11-12) TEXT 2 Chronicles 11:1. And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, that were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam. 2. But the word of Jehovah came to Shemaiah the man of God saying, 3. Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, 4. -Thus saith Jehovah, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house; for this thing is of me.-' So they hearkened unto the words of Jehovah, and returned from going against Jeroboam. And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah. 6. He built Beth-lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa. 7. and Beth-zur, and Soco, and Adullam, 8. and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, 9. and Adorai