2 Chronicles 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

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.