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When Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.
Verse 1. Chosen. Septuagint “young,” ( Bible.) as the Hebrew term also signifies. Tirinus.—His. Hebrew “the kingdom again to Roboam.”
But the LORD’s word came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
“Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
‘The LORD says, “You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers! Every man return to his house; for this thing is of me.”’” So they listened to the LORD’s words, and returned from going against Jeroboam.
Verse 4. Will, to punish the disorders of Solomon, and so forth See 3 Kennicott. 12:24. Genesis 45:8. God knows how to draw good out of evil, without approving the misconduct of men. Bible.
Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah.
Verse 5. Juda. This was now become a frontier country, and both kings were forced to erect fortifications. 3 Kennicott. 12:25.
He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
Verse 6. Etam, famous for fine waters and gardens, (Joseph. viii. 2.) about ten miles from Jerusalem, on the road to Hebron. It was fortified against the inroads of Simeon and Dan. Calmet.
Beth Zur, Soco, Adullam,
Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,
Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin.
He fortified the strongholds and put captains in them with stores of food, oil and wine.
Verse 11. Governors, of a military character. Hebrew “captains, ( Tirinus.) and store of provisions, (wheat) and of oil,” and so forth such as would be requisite in a siege.
He put shields and spears in every city, and made them exceedingly strong. Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.
The priests and the Levites who were in all Israel stood with him out of all their territory.
For the Levites left their pasture lands and their possessions, and came to Judah and Jerusalem; for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the priest’s office to the LORD.
Verse 14. Off. This was done at different times; so that almost all the Levites took refuge in the dominions of Juda. Yet some prevaricated. Ezechiel (44:12) only exempts the family of Sadoc. Calmet.—The rest set before us a noble example to endure temporal loss, rather than to neglect the practice of religion, or to conform to a false one. Worthington.
He himself appointed priests for the high places, for the male goat and calf idols which he had made.
Verse 15. Devils. Hebrew “goats.” Calmet.—Septuagint express this by two names, “for the idols, and for the fools.” Bible.—The Mendesians of Egypt, solemnly worshipped the goat; and Pan was represented nearly in the same form. Yet it is probable that the Hebrews style the idols by this name out of derision. 3 Kennicott. 15:2. Calmet.
After them, out of all the tribes of Israel, those who set their hearts to seek the LORD, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD, the God of their fathers.
So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong for three years, for they walked three years in the way of David and Solomon.
Verse 17. They, the pious refugees. Tirinus. Calmet. 15:9.—Solomon, while virtuous.—Only is not expressed in Hebrew or Septuagint but it is sufficiently implied.
Rehoboam took a wife for himself, Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse.
Verse 18. Daughter. Hebrew ban, “the son.” But bath, “daughter,” ( Bible.) occurs properly in some MSS. as in the ancient versions. Leusden has here this very odd note: “perhaps by ban, (with a pathah) here both sexes may be understood.” Forte per ban hic intelligitur uterque sexus. Kennicott—Prot. substitute, “daughter.” Bible.
She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.
After her, he took Maacah the granddaughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.
Verse 20. Daughter, or grand-daughter, by Thamar. 3 Kennicott. 15:2. Calmet.
Rehoboam loved Maacah the granddaughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines; for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, the prince among his brothers, for he intended to make him king.
Verse 22. Head. Septuagint “prince.” Bible.—Grotius maintains that Abia was the eldest. But all others are of a contrary opinion, and believe that Roboam derogated from the law, (Deuteronomy 21:16. Calmet.) as David had done, unless it was left to the option of the king to appoint whom he pleased for his successor. Bible.—Meant. Prot. supply, “he thought” which is found in the Sept.
He dealt wisely, and dispersed some of his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to every fortified city. He gave them food in abundance; and he sought many wives for them.
Verse 23. Because. Septuagint “And he was magnified above.… and he gave them (cities, αυταις) abundance,” and so forth This may be all understood of Abia. But Hebrew rather speaks of his father: “And he acted wisely, and dispersed all his other children, throughout the countries of Juda;” ( Bible.) keeping them at a distance, to prevent any commotion, ( Calmet.) but making ample provision and procuring wives for them, perhaps at no small cost, as few might wish to be thus prisoners at large. Tirinus.—It was probably then the custom to educate the royal children in the noblest families. See 4 Kennicott. 10:1. Calmet.—This would also tend to increase their father’s influence, and to make them better acquainted with the country, that they might be able to communicate all necessary intelligence. Bible.—Pagnin and Vatable insinuate, that Roboam “caused to be educated and dispersed some of all his children, throughout all the lands of Juda.” Menochius.