He went up to the altar which he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and went up to the altar to burn incense.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 33. To: literally, “up on,” (super) as at the end of the verse. Bible.—The altars were very high and large. Calmet.—Month. Septuagint add, “on the festival which,” and so forth Menochius.—Heart. Hebrew reads millibod, (præter) instead of molbu, (ex corde suo.) Some MSS. retain the latter word, as it is printed also in the marginal keri. Leusden tells us, we are by no means to say it is the truer reading, because then the text must be allowed to be corrupted; but it only explains what is meant by præter, “besides.” A marvellous explanation! and perhaps it is only to be paralleled by ei explained by non. Kennicott.—Jeroboam has a mind to do honour to his new worship, and unites in his own person the sacerdotal and regal dignity, as the Roman emperors did. Calmet.—Incense. Septuagint “to sacrifice.” Bible.—From this period, many learned men date the 390 years of the iniquity of Israel. Ezekiel 4:5. D.