INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 12 This chapter relates Rehoboam's going to Shechem to be made king, and Jeroboam's return from Egypt, 1 Kings 12:1, the people's request to Rehoboam to be eased of their taxes, as the condition of making him king, 1 Kings 12:3, his answer to them, after three days, having h... [ Continue Reading ]
AND REHOBOAM WENT TO SHECHEM,.... After the death and internment of his father: FOR ALL ISRAEL WERE COME TO SHECHEM TO MAKE HIM KING: as was pretended, though in reality it was to seek occasion against him, and make Jeroboam king; it is very probable they knew of the prophecy of Ahijah, and therefo... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN JEROBOAM THE SON OF NEBAT, WHO WAS YET IN EGYPT, HEARD OF IT,.... Of the death of Solomon, and of the meeting of the Israelites at Shechem: (FOR HE WAS FLED FROM THE PRESENCE OF KING SOLOMON; see 1 Kings 11:40 AND JEROBOAM DWELT IN EGYPT;) until the death of Solomon; some... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THEY SENT AND CALLED HIM,.... That is, the people of Israel, some of the principal of them, especially of the tribe of Ephraim, sent messengers to him, and gave him an invitation to come to them at Shechem; or, they had sent e, as Kimchi interprets it, which was the reason of his returning from... [ Continue Reading ]
THY FATHER MADE OUR YOKE GRIEVOUS,.... Laid heavy taxes upon them, for the finishing of his buildings, for the maintenance of his household, for keeping such a large number of horses and chariots, and for the salaries of his officers, and for the support of his magnificent court; though they had ver... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, DEPART YET FOR THREE DAYS, THEN COME AGAIN TO ME,.... Suggesting that he would consider of their proposal and inquire into the merits of it and as things should appear to him he would give them an answer in three days time; which at first sight may seem a point of prudence in... [ Continue Reading ]
AND KING REHOBOAM CONSULTED WITH THE OLD MEN THAT STOOD BEFORE SOLOMON HIS FATHER, WHILE HE YET LIVED,.... Which was very prudently done; for as these were men in years, and had been his father's counsellors, from whom, do doubt, they had learnt much wisdom, being often in cabinet council with him,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SPAKE UNTO HIM, SAYING,.... They gave their advice as follows: IF THOU WILT BE SERVANT UNTO THIS PEOPLE THIS DAY, AND WILT SERVE THEM; condescend to them, behave in an humble manner towards them, for this day however, and gratify and oblige them; though indeed a king is but a servant to hi... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT HE FORSOOK THE COUNSEL OF THE OLD MEN, WHICH THEY HAD GIVEN HIM,.... He did not rightly relish it, nor cordially receive it; it did not suit with his haughty temper, he could not brook it, to stoop to his people; he thought it a lessening of his dignity to do anything that looked like courting t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, WHAT COUNSEL GIVE YE, THAT WE MAY ANSWER THIS PEOPLE, SAYING,.... 1 Kings 12:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE YOUNG MEN THAT WERE GROWN UP WITH HIM, SPAKE UNTO HIM, SAYING,.... Gave him the following advice: THUS SHALT THOU SPEAK UNTO THIS PEOPLE THAT SPAKE UNTO THEE, SAYING; as is said, 1 Kings 12:4 THUS SHALL THOU SAY UNTO THEM, MY LITTLE FINGER SHALL BE THICKER THAN MY FATHER'S LOINS; or, "is t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOW, WHEREAS MY FATHER DID LADE YOU WITH A HEAVY YOKE,.... Which was putting words into his mouth, owning the charge and accusation brought against his father, as he did, 1 Kings 12:14, which was very unbecoming, if true; unless this is said according to the sense of the people: I WILL ADD TO Y... [ Continue Reading ]
SO JEROBOAM AND ALL THE PEOPLE CAME TO REHOBOAM THE THIRD DAY,.... Jeroboam came to him at the head of the people, being the head of the faction, and designed for their king: AS THE KING HAD APPOINTED, SAYING, COME TO ME AGAIN THE THIRD DAY; see 1 Kings 12:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE KING ANSWERED THE PEOPLE ROUGHLY,.... In a blustering manner, gave them hard words and severe menaces, being worked up to such a spirit by his young counsellors: AND FORSOOK THE OLD MEN'S COUNSEL THAT THEY GAVE HIM: to give them good words and kind promises.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SPAKE TO THEM AFTER THE COUNSEL OF THE YOUNG MEN,.... And in the very language in which they gave it: SAYING, MY FATHER MADE YOUR YOKE HEAVY, AND I WILL ADD TO YOUR YOKE; MY FATHER ALSO CHASTISED YOU WITH WHIPS, BUT I WILL CHASTISE YOU WITH SCORPIONS, 1 Kings 12:11.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE THE KING HEARKENED NOT UNTO THE PEOPLE,.... To lessen their taxes, and ease them of their burdens, as they desired: FOR THE CAUSE WAS FROM THE LORD; it was according to his will and appointment; the defection of the people was willed by the Lord, and various things in Providence turned up... [ Continue Reading ]
SO WHEN ALL ISRAEL SAW THAT THE KING HEARKENED NOT UNTO THEM,.... To grant their requests: THE PEOPLE ANSWERED THE KING, SAYING, WHAT PORTION HAVE WE IN DAVID? or in his posterity, which are not of our tribes, nor are we obliged to have a king of that family; nor can we expect any benefit or advant... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT AS FOR THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WHICH DWELT IN THE CITIES OF JUDAH,.... Either such Israelites of the ten tribes that had before dwelt, or now upon this removed, for the sake of worship, to dwell in the tribe of Judah; or else that part of Israel, the tribe of Judah, which dwelt in the cities belo... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN KING REHOBOAM SENT ADORAM, WHO WAS OVER THE TRIBUTE,.... There was one of this name in this office in the time of David, 2 Samuel 20:24, this is the same with Adoniram, as Jarchi thinks, see 1 Kings 4:6, him he sent either to collect the tribute of the Ephraimites, to show his authority; or rat... [ Continue Reading ]
SO ISRAEL REBELLED AGAINST THE HOUSE OF DAVID UNTO THIS DAY. In which the writer of this book lived, and so continued until their captivity by the king of Assyria. Their revolt is called a rebellion; for though it was according to the purpose and will of God, yet the people had no command or order f... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN ALL ISRAEL HEARD THAT JEROBOAM WAS COME AGAIN,.... Out of Egypt; the chief men knew of it before, for he had headed them in their approach and address to Rehoboam; but the people in common had not, and especially those of the various tribes besides that of Ephraim: THAT TH... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN REHOBOAM WAS COME TO JERUSALEM, e.] From Shechem, which was forty miles n from Jerusalem: HE ASSEMBLED ALL THE HOUSE OF JUDAH, WITH THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN, AN HUNDRED AND FOURSCORE THOUSAND CHOSEN MEN, WHICH WERE WARRIORS, TO FIGHT AGAINST THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, TO BRING THE KINGDOM AGAIN TO... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE WORD OF GOD CAME UNTO SHEMAIAH THE MAN OF GOD,.... A prophet in those days, see 2 Chronicles 12:15 and the word that came to him, as in the Targum, is called the word of prophecy: SAYING; as follows.... [ Continue Reading ]
SPEAK UNTO REHOBOAM THE SON OF SOLOMON KING OF JUDAH,.... He is called king before, but of what tribe or tribes is not expressly said, only it is implied in 1 Kings 12:17 and he is only acknowledged king of Judah by the Lord himself: AND UNTO ALL THE HOUSE OF JUDAH AND BENJAMIN; which made but one... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD,.... A common preface the prophets used when they spoke in the name of the Lord: YE SHALL NOT GO UP, NOR FIGHT AGAINST YOUR BRETHREN THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL; and that because they were their brethren; though that is not the only reason, another follows: RETURN EVERY MAN TO HIS H... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN JEROBOAM BUILT SHECHEM IN MOUNT EPHRAIM, AND DWELT THEREIN,.... Not that this city had lain in ruins from the times of Abimelech, Judges 9:45 for then it would not have been a proper place for the convention of the people, 1 Kings 12:1 but he repaired the walls of it, and fortified it, and buil... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JEROBOAM SAID IN HIS HEART, c,] As he was musing about the state of his kingdom and the affairs of it: NOW SHALL THE KINGDOM RETURN TO THE HOUSE OF DAVID such were his fears, unless some method could be taken to prevent it, particularly with respect to religion, which was what his thoughts were... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THIS PEOPLE GO UP TO DO SACRIFICE IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD AT JERUSALEM,.... In the temple there, three times in the year, which all the males were obliged to, besides other times, when they had occasion to offer sacrifice, which they might do nowhere else: THEN SHALL THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE TU... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREUPON THE KING TOOK COUNSEL,.... Of some of his principal men, that had as little religion as himself, and were only concerned for the civil state; and the result of their consultation was as follows: AND MADE TWO CALVES OF GOLD; in imitation of that which was made by Aaron, and encouraged by h... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SET THE ONE IN BETHEL,.... In the southern part of the land, on the border of Ephraim and Benjamin; and the rather he chose this place, because its name signifies the house of God, and had been a sacred place, where Jacob more than once enjoyed the divine Presence: AND THE OTHER PUT HE IN DA... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THIS THING BECAME A SIN,.... The cause and occasion of the sin of idolatry; it led them by degrees to leave off the worship of God, and to worship these calves as gods: FOR THE PEOPLE WENT TO WORSHIP BEFORE THE ONE, EVEN UNTO DAN; which was the furthest off, such was their great zeal for idolat... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE MADE AN HOUSE OF HIGH PLACES,.... Or "altars" s, built a temple at Dan, and set up several altars in it for sacrifice, both for burnt offerings, and for incense, as at Jerusalem: AND MADE PRIESTS OF THE LOWEST OF THE PEOPLE; this clause seems not so well rendered; for this would have been ve... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JEROBOAM ORDAINED A FEAST IN THE EIGHTH MONTH, ON THE FIFTEENTH DAY OF THE MONTH, LIKE UNTO THE FEAST THAT IS IN JUDAH,.... The feast of tabernacles, which was on the fifteenth day of the seventh month; this was done chiefly for the sake of an alteration; though Abarbinel thinks, because the fru... [ Continue Reading ]
SO HE OFFERED UPON THE ALTAR WHICH HE HAD MADE IN BETHEL THE FIFTEENTH DAY OF THE EIGHTH MONTH,.... As he had done in Dan: EVEN IN THE MONTH WHICH HE HAD DEVISED OF HIS OWN HEART; the feast of tabernacles was of God's appointing, but the time of keeping he had devised himself, changing it from the... [ Continue Reading ]