Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the men subject to forced labor; and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. King Rehoboam hurried to get himself up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 18. Aduram. One of the same name had occupied this post under David. 2 Kennicott. 20:24. Calmet.—Some suppose that this is the same with Adoniram. Calmet. 4:6. Roboam impudently sent him to appease the people, (Salien) or haughtily to demand the usual tribute; unless the king abandoned him to the fury of the populace, as an object of their horror. The people have often been appeased by the death of rapacious ministers.—Haste. Hebrew “he strengthened himself,” or obstinately persisted in his resolution of reducing the people by force; and thus those, who might now have been easily reclaimed, were driven to choose another king, and the evil became irremediable. Calmet.