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1 Kings Chapter
Twelve
New King James Version (NKJV)
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 had the advice both of the old and
young men
which latter he followed
and gave in a rough answer
1 Kings 12:5
upon
which ten tribes revolted from him
and two abode by him
1 Kings 12:16
wherefore he meditated a war against the ten tribes
but was forbid by the Lord
to engage in it
1 Kings 12:21 and
Jeroboam
in order to establish his kingdom
and preserve the people from a
revolt to the house of David
because of the temple worship at Jerusalem
devised a scheme of idolatrous worship in his own territories
1 Kings 12:25.
1 Kings 12:1 And
Rehoboam went to Shechem
for all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king.
YLT
1And Rehoboam goeth to
Shechem
for to Shechem hath all Israel come to make him king.
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
therefore would not go to Jerusalem
but to Shechem
a city in the tribe of
Ephraim
of which Jeroboam was
and where he had sowed the seeds of sedition
when ruler there; and this place they chose
partly because they could more
freely speak what they had in their minds
and partly for the safety of
Jeroboam they had sent for on this occasion; so that Rehoboam went thither not
of choice
but of necessity. The JewsF3T. Bab. Sanhedrin
fol. 102.
1. observe that this place was very ominous; here Dinah was ravished
Joseph
was sold
Abimelech exercised tyranny
and here now the kingdom was divided.
1 Kings 12:2 2 So it happened
when
Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard it (he was still in Egypt
for he had
fled from the presence of King Solomon and had been dwelling in Egypt )
YLT
2And it cometh to pass
at
Jeroboam son of Nebat's hearing (and he [is] yet in Egypt where he hath fled
from the presence of Solomon the king
and Jeroboam dwelleth in Egypt)
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 render the words
"Jeroboam
returned out of Egypt"F4וישב־במצרים "reversus est de Aegypto"
V. L. Ex
Egypto
ב pro מן
Vatablus.
which agrees with 2 Chronicles 10:2
this he did on hearing the above news
and on being sent for by some of his
friends
as follows.
1 Kings 12:3 3 that they sent and called
him. Then Jeroboam and the whole assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam
saying
YLT
3that they send and call for
him; and they come -- Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel -- and speak unto
Rehoboam
saying
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 sentF5So Pagninus
Montanus.
as Kimchi interprets it
which was the reason of his returning from Egypt
at least one of them:
and Jeroboam
and all the congregation of Israel
came; the chief men
of them
the heads of the people; these
with Jeroboam at the head of them
who
was come out of Egypt
came to Shechem
where Rehoboam was
and they had
appointed to meet him:
and spake unto Rehoboam; one in the name of them
all
perhaps Jeroboam:
saying; as follows.
1 Kings 12:4 4 “Your father made our yoke
heavy; now therefore
lighten the burdensome service of your father
and his
heavy yoke which he put on us
and we will serve you.”
YLT
4`Thy father made hard our
yoke
and thou
now
make light [some] of the hard service of thy father
and
his heavy yoke that he put upon us
and we serve thee.'
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 very little reason to complain
since this was for the honour and
grandeur of their nation
and they enjoyed their liberty
and lived in peace
plenty
and safety all his days; and such an abundance of riches was brought
unto them by him that silver was as the stones of the street; though perhaps
the taxes might be increased in the latter part of his life
for the support of
his vast number of wives
and of their idolatrous worship
and for the defence
of himself and kingdom against the attempts of Hadad and Rezon; but
as most
interpreters observe
what they find most reason to complain of
they take no
notice of
even the idolatry he had set up among them:
now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father
and
his heavy yoke which he put upon us lighter; that is
ease them of
their taxes
or lessen them:
and we will serve thee; acknowledge him as their
king
give him homage
and yield obedience to him.
1 Kings 12:5 5 So he said to them
“Depart for three days
then come back to me.” And the people departed.
YLT
5And he saith unto them
`Go
-- yet three days
and come back unto me;' and the people go.
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 him
to take time for deliberation and counsel in this affair
but
in his case and circumstance it was very imprudent; for he might easily see
there was discontent among the people
and a faction forming against him
and
by taking time to himself
he gave them time to take their measures
and hasten
and ripen them for a revolt; for
by giving them such an answer
they might
plainly perceive he was not inclined to give them satisfaction; it would have
been the most advisable in him to have promised them at once that he would make
them easy:
and the people departed; to their quarters
and
there remained to the third day.
1 Kings 12:6 6 Then King Rehoboam
consulted the elders who stood before his father Solomon while he still lived
and he said
“How do you advise me to answer these people?”
YLT
6And king Rehoboam
consulteth with the elders who have been standing in the presence of Solomon
his father
in his being alive
saying
`How are ye counselling to answer this
people?'
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
they were capable of giving him the best advice:
and said
how do you advise
that I may answer this people? what answer
would you advise me to give to them
and in what manner?
1 Kings 12:7 7 And they spoke to him
saying
“If you will be a servant to these people today
and serve them
and
answer them
and speak good words to them
then they will be your servants
forever.”
YLT
7And they speak unto him
saying
`If
to-day
thou art servant to this people
and hast served them
and
answered them
and spoken unto them good words
then they have been to thee
servants all the days.'
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 his people
and his administration of government a doing service to
them; hence AntigonusF6Apud Aelian. Var. Hist. l. 2. c. 20.
a
king
mild
humble
and gentle
perceiving his son to behave in a fierce and
violent manner towards his subjects
said to him
my son
dost thou not know
that our glorious kingdom is a servitude?
and answer them
and speak good words unto them; give them a
soft answer
and speak kindly and gently to them
and make them fair promises
and give them reason to expect that their requests will be granted:
then they will be thy servants for ever; such conduct
would so win upon them
and make such an impressions upon them
that they would
for ever after entertain high opinion of him
and be strongly affected and
attached to him
and readily serve him.
1 Kings 12:8 8 But he rejected the advice
which the elders had given him
and consulted the young men who had grown up
with him
who stood before him.
YLT
8And he forsaketh the
counsel of the elders which they counselled him
and consulteth with the lads
who have grown up with him
who are standing before him;
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 their favour; and therefore determined not to take the advice
given him by the old men
but to seek for other:
and consulted with the men
that were grown up with him
and which
stood before him; the sons of nobles
with whom he had his education
and who were
his companions from his youth upwards
and who were now officers in his court
and of his privy council
being his favourites
and those he consulted on this
occasion; and though they are called young men
as they were in comparison of
the old men
yet since they were contemporary with Rehoboam
who was now forty
one years of age
they must be about forty
or not much under
and at an age to
be wiser than they appeared to be.
1 Kings 12:9 9 And he said to them
“What
advice do you give? How should we answer this people who have spoken to me
saying
‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?”
YLT
9and he saith unto them
`What are ye counselling
and we answer this people
who have spoken unto me
saying
Lighten [somewhat] of the yoke that thy father put upon us?'
And he said unto them
what counsel give ye
that we may answer
this people
saying
.... See Gill on 1 Kings 12:4.
1 Kings 12:10 10 Then the young men who had
grown up with him spoke to him
saying
“Thus you should speak to this people
who have spoken to you
saying
‘Your father made our yoke heavy
but you make it
lighter on us’—thus you shall say to them: ‘My little finger shall be
thicker than my father’s waist!
YLT
10And they speak unto him --
the lads who had grown up with him -- saying
`Thus dost thou say to this
people who have spoken unto thee
saying
Thy father made our yoke heavy
and
thou
make [it] light upon us; thus dost thou speak unto them
My little
[finger] is thicker than the loins of my father;
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 thicker"F7עבה
"grossior est"
V. L. Pagninus; "densior est"
Junius &
Tremellius
Piscator. signifying that he had more strength and power than his
father had
and that he would make them know it
and they should feel the
weight of it
and instead of lessening he would increase their taxes; for also
hereby was intimated
that his glory
grandeur
and magnificence
was greater
than his father's
especially when he first came to the kingdom
and therefore
required the same taxes
or greater
to support it; and perhaps reference may
be had to the difference of their age
Solomon being a child
or a very young
man
when he came to the throne; whereas Rehoboam was upwards of forty years of
age
and capable of judging what was fit to be done
and not to be talked to
and treated after this manner
nor to receive the kingdom upon a condition of
the people's prescribing.
1 Kings 12:11 11 And now
whereas my father
put a heavy yoke on you
I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with
whips
but I will chastise you with scourges!’”[a]
YLT
11and now
my father laid on
you a heavy yoke
and I add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips
and I -- I chastise you with scorpions.'
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 your yoke; make it heavier
lay
more taxes on them:
my father hath chastised you with whips; which was
putting a lie into his mouth
and which he uttered
1 Kings 12:14 for
no instance of severity exercised on the people in general can be given during
the whole reign of Solomon:
but I will chastise you with scorpions; treat them
more roughly
and with greater rigour: whips may mean smaller ones
these horse
whips
as in the Targum; which gave an acute pain
like the sting of scorpions
or made a wound like one. Ben Gersom says
these were rods with thorns on them
which pierced and gave much pain. WeemseF8Christian Synagogue
paragraph 6. diatrib. 2. p. 190. thinks these are alluded to by thorns in the
sides
Numbers 33:55
for
whipping with them was about the sides
and not along the back. Abarbinel calls
them iron thorns
rods that had iron prongs or rowels to them
which tore the
flesh extremely. IsidoreF9Origin. l. 5. c. 27. p. 39. says
a rod
that is smooth is called a rod
but
if knotty and prickled
it is rightly
called a scorpion
because it makes a wound in the body arched or crooked.
PlinyF11Nat. Hist. l. 7. c. 56. ascribes the invention of this sort
of scorpions to the Cretians.
1 Kings 12:12 12 So Jeroboam and all the
people came to Rehoboam the third day
as the king had directed
saying
“Come
back to me the third day.”
YLT
12And they come -- Jeroboam
and all the people -- unto Rehoboam
on the third day
as the king had spoken
saying
`Come back unto me on the third day.'
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.
1 Kings 12:13 13 Then the king answered the
people roughly
and rejected the advice which the elders had given him;
YLT
13And the king answereth the
people sharply
and forsaketh the counsel of the elders which they counselled
him
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.
1 Kings 12:14 14 and he spoke to them
according to the advice of the young men
saying
“My father made your yoke
heavy
but I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips
but I
will chastise you with scourges!”[b]
YLT
14and speaketh unto them
according to the counsel of the lads
saying
`My father made your yoke heavy
and I add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips
and I -- I chastise
you with scorpions;'
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; see Gill on 1 Kings 12:11.
1 Kings 12:15 15 So the king did not listen
to the people; for the turn of events was from the Lord
that He might
fulfill His word
which the Lord had spoken by Ahijah the
Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
YLT
15and the king hearkened not
unto the people
for the revolution was from Jehovah
in order to establish His
word that Jehovah spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam son
of Nebat.
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 to alienate their minds from Rehoboam
and dispose them to a revolt from him in favour of Jeroboam; and the Lord
suffered the counsellors of Rehoboam to give him the advice they did
and gave
him up to the folly of his own heart to take it:
that he might perform his saying
which the Lord spake to Ahijah
the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat; see 1 Kings 11:29.
1 Kings 12:16 16 Now when all Israel saw
that the king did not listen to them
the people answered the king
saying: “What
share have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To
your tents
O Israel! Now
see to your own house
O David!” So Israel departed
to their tents.
YLT
16And all Israel see that the
king hath not hearkened unto them
and the people send the king back word
saying
`What portion have we in David? yea
there is no inheritance in the son
of Jesse; to thy tents
O Israel; now see thy house
O David!' and Israel goeth
to its tents.
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
advantage from thence
as may be easily concluded from the rough answer of
Rehoboam:
neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse; so they
called David by way of contempt; which was great ingratitude
when he had done
such great things for them
and he and his son Solomon had raised them to the
pitch of wealth and glory they now enjoyed; these were seditious expressions
and seem to be borrowed from a seditious person in the times of David
2 Samuel 20:1.
to your tents
O Israel; signifying it was high
time to depart from Rehoboam
and to have nothing to say to him
or do with
him
but retire to their habitations
to consider whom to set as king over
them:
now see to thine own house
David; thou son or grandson of
David; not his own house and family
and mind his domestic affairs
nor the
house of the sanctuary in his tribe
as many of the Jewish writers interpret
it; but rather the tribe of Judah
of which he was
and would have him consider
to what a narrow compass his kingdom would be brought
who was just now
blustering and boasting of his grandeur as a king:
so Israel departed unto their tents; to their cities
as the
Targum
and their habitations there
without recognizing Rehoboam as their
king
or swearing allegiance
or giving homage to him as such.
1 Kings 12:17 17 But Rehoboam reigned over
the children of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah.
YLT
17As to the sons of Israel
those dwelling in the cities of Judah -- over them reign doth Rehoboam.
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 belonging to it:
Rehoboam reigned over them; they owned him to be
their king
and submitted to his government.
1 Kings 12:18 18 Then King Rehoboam sent
Adoram
who was in charge of the revenue; but all Israel stoned him with
stones
and he died. Therefore King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste to
flee to Jerusalem.
YLT
18And king Rehoboam sendeth
Adoram who [is] over the tribute
and all Israel cast at him stones
and he
dieth; and king Rehoboam hath strengthened himself to go up into a chariot to
flee to Jerusalem;
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 rather to call the people back to have some further discourse with them
and
endeavour to soften things
and bring them to a compliance
so JosephusF12Antiqu.
l. 8. c. 8. sect. 3. ; but it was too late
and he employed a very improper
person; the heavy taxes were their complaint
and a tax gatherer
and
especially one that was at the head of the tribute
must be of all men the most
disagreeable to them; this is another instance of the folly and false steps of
Rehoboam:
and all Israel stoned him with stones
that he died; the populace
fell upon him at once
and stoned him to death; and which
though contrary to
law and justice
was approved of and applauded by their principal men and all
the people; so irritated and provoked were they by Rehoboam's answer to them.
HottingerF13Praefat. ad Cipp. Hebr. p. 4. Vid. Walton. in Bibl.
Polyglott. Prolegom. 3. sect. 35. p. 22. says
this man was buried in Shechem
which is very probable; but it is not expressed here
as he suggests it is;
however
a grave stone
found A. D. 1480
in Spain
with this inscription
is
not genuine
"this
is the grave of Adoniram
a servant of King Solomon
who came to collect
tribute
and died such a day:'
therefore King Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot
to flee to Jerusalem; from Shechem
fearing they would treat him in the same manner in
their rage and fury; his courage was now cooled
and his haughty and hectoring
spirit was now brought down
and he was glad to make use of his chariot for
flight; this is the first time we read of a king of Israel riding in a chariot;
though before of Sisera
a Canaanitish captain
and that only in a chariot of
war.
1 Kings 12:19 19 So Israel has been in
rebellion against the house of David to this day.
YLT
19and Israel transgresseth
against the house of David unto this day.
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 from God
for it
and was done without consulting him
and was a rejection of their
lawful prince.
1 Kings 12:20 20 Now it came to pass when
all Israel heard that Jeroboam had come back
they sent for him and called him
to the congregation
and made him king over all Israel. There was none who
followed the house of David
but the tribe of Judah only.
YLT
20And it cometh to pass
at
all Israel's hearing that Jeroboam hath returned
that they send and call him
unto the company
and cause him to reign over all Israel; none hath been after
the house of David save the tribe of Judah alone.
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 they sent and called him unto the congregation
and made him
king over all Israel; they sent for him from his tent or house
which probably was in
Shechem
and gave him an invitation to come to their assembly
met together to
deliberate about a king; when they unanimously chose him to be king over Israel
that is
over the ten tribes
and inaugurated him into his office:
there was none that followed the house of David but the tribe of
Judah only; in which Benjamin was included
as appears from the following
verse; that being joined to it
and mixed with it
and both having a part in
Jerusalem
and so ever after the kingdom was denominated the kingdom of Judah.
1 Kings 12:21 21 And when Rehoboam came to
Jerusalem
he assembled all the house of Judah with the tribe of Benjamin
one
hundred and eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors
to fight
against the house of Israel
that he might restore the kingdom to Rehoboam the
son of Solomon.
YLT
21And Rehoboam cometh to
Jerusalem
and assembleth all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin
a
hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors
to fight with the house of Israel
to bring back the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon.
And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem
From Shechem
which was forty milesF14Reland. Palestin. Illustrat. tom. 2. p.
1007. 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 Rehoboam the son of
Solomon; which not only shows courage reassumed by Rehoboam
now safely
home
but the hearty attachment of Judah and Benjamin to him
who raised
presently so numerous an army in his favour; and had it not been that the Lord
was against their going to battle with Israel
in all probability they might
have gained their point
Jeroboam being scarcely settled in his kingdom
and
having no forces raised.
1 Kings 12:22 22 But the word of God came
to Shemaiah the man of God
saying
YLT
22And the word of God is unto
Shemaiah a man of God
saying
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.
1 Kings 12:23 23 “Speak to Rehoboam the son
of Solomon
king of Judah
to all the house of Judah and Benjamin
and to the
rest of the people
saying
YLT
23`Speak unto Rehoboam son of
Solomon
king of Judah
and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin
and the
rest of the people
saying
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 house
as before but one tribe
1 Kings 11:36.
and to the remnant of the people; of the other tribes that
might dwell among them at Jerusalem
and especially Simeon
whose inheritance
was within the tribe of Judah
Joshua 19:1.
saying: as follows.
1 Kings 12:24 24 ‘Thus says the Lord: “You shall
not go up nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel. Let every man
return to his house
for this thing is from Me.”’” Therefore they obeyed the
word of the Lord
and turned back
according to the word of the Lord.
YLT
24Thus said Jehovah
Ye do
not go up nor fight with your brethren the sons of Israel; turn back each to
his house
for from Me hath this thing been;' and they hear the word of
Jehovah
and turn back to go according to the word of Jehovah.
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 house
for this thing is from me; it was
according to the will of God
as Josephus rightly saysF15Ut supra.
(Antiqu. l. 8. c. 8. sect. 3.) ; it was by his ordination and appointment
though Jeroboam and the people sinned in the way and manner in which they
brought it about; and therefore to fight against Israel
in order to regain the
kingdom
would be fighting against God
and so to no purpose:
they hearkened therefore to the word of the Lord
and returned to
depart according to the word of the Lord; they knew Shemaiah was a
prophet of the Lord
and they believed the message he brought came from him
and therefore hearkened and were obedient to it; and with the consent of
Rehoboam were disbanded
and returned to their habitations
being satisfied
with
and submissive to
the will of God
both king and people.
1 Kings 12:25 25 Then Jeroboam built
Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim
and dwelt there. Also he went out from
there and built Penuel.
YLT
25And Jeroboam buildeth
Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim
and dwelleth in it
and goeth out
thence
and buildeth Penuel;
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 built a palace in it for his
residence:
and went out from thence
and built Penuel; a place on
the other side Jordan
the tower of which was beaten down by Gideon
Judges 8:17 and
might be now rebuilt
or at least the city was repaired by him
and anew
fortified
perhaps for the better security of his dominions on that side
Jordan; though Fortunatus ScacchusF16Elaeochrism. Myrothec. l. 2. c.
58. col. 593. is of opinion that this was an altar
the same as at Carmel
1 Kings 18:30
which Jeroboam built
and called by this name in testimony of the common
religion of the Israelites and Jews.
1 Kings 12:26 26 And Jeroboam said in his
heart
“Now the kingdom may return to the house of David:
YLT
26and Jeroboam saith in his
heart
`Now doth the kingdom turn back to the house of David –
And Jeroboam said in his heart
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 employed about.
1 Kings 12:27 27 If these people go up to
offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem
then the
heart of this people will turn back to their lord
Rehoboam king of Judah
and
they will kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah.”
YLT
27if this people go up to
make sacrifices in the house of Jehovah in Jerusalem
then hath the heart of
this people turned back unto their lord
unto Rehoboam king of Judah
and they
have slain me
and turned back unto Rehoboam king of Judah.'
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 turn again unto their Lord
even unto Rehoboam king of Judah; being drawn by the
magnificence of the temple
the beauty and order of worship in it
the holiness
of the place
and the grandeur of the royal court
and the persuasions of the
priests and prophets of the Lord
both to keep to the service of the Lord
and
to obey their lawful sovereign; and besides
they might be in fear they should
be taken up and punished as traitors
and therefore would choose to submit to
Rehoboam
that they might have the liberty of sacrificing without fear;
Jeroboam seems conscious himself that Rehoboam was their liege lord and lawful
king:
and they shall kill me
and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah; his fears ran
so high
that he should not only lose his kingdom
but his life
unless some
step was taken to make an alteration in religious worship.
1 Kings 12:28 28 Therefore the king asked
advice
made two calves of gold
and said to the people
“It is too much for
you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods
O Israel
which brought you up
from the land of Egypt!”
YLT
28And the king taketh
counsel
and maketh two calves of gold
and saith unto them
`Enough to you of
going up to Jerusalem; lo
thy gods
O Israel
which brought thee up out of the
land of Egypt.'
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 his example and success; and having
been in Egypt some time
he might have learned the calf or ox worship there
and might take his pattern from thence
and have two as they had; the one they
called Apis
which was worshipped at Memphis
and another called Mnevis
worshipped at Hierapolis
as many learned men have observed; these were she
calves
according to the Septuagint and JosephusF17Ut supra
(Antiqu. l. 8. c. 8.) sect. 4. :
and said unto them; not his counsellors
but the people of the
land:
it is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; pretending he
sought their ease
by contriving a method to prevent their long fatiguing
journeys
to go up with their sacrifices
firstfruits
&c. and the JewsF18Schulchan
Aruch
par. 1. c. 580. sect. 2. say the firstfruits ceased from going up to
Jerusalem on the twenty third of Sivan
which answers to part of May and part
of June
on which day they kept a fast on that account:
behold thy gods
O Israel
which brought thee up out of the land
of Egypt; using the same words Aaron did on a like occasion; not that he
thought these were really gods
and had divinity in them; nor could he hope or
expect that the people would believe they had; but that these were
representations of the true God
who had brought them out of Egypt; and that it
might as well be supposed that God would cause his Shechinah to dwell in them
as between the cherubim over the ark.
1 Kings 12:29 29 And he set up one in
Bethel
and the other he put in Dan.
YLT
29And he setteth the one in
Beth-El
and the other he hath put in Dan
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 Dan: in the northern part of
the land
for the convenience of the inhabitants of those parts; and the
rather
since it had been a place resorted to in former times
because of the
teraphim of Micah there.
1 Kings 12:30 30 Now this thing became a
sin
for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan.
YLT
30and this thing becometh a
sin
and the people go before the one -- unto Dan.
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 idolatrous worship; or they went
thither before that at Bethel was set up; and even they at Bethel would go as
far as Dan to worship
such was their veneration for both the calves. Abarbinel
is of opinion that these calves were not made by Jeroboam for idolatrous uses
only the altar later mentioned; and that he never worshipped before them
nor
sacrificed to them
nor even built the altar before them; but that these were
set up as signs
and in memory of his kingdom
like the pillars in Solomon's
temple; that he chose the calf or ox as emblems of his family
the family of
Joseph
Deuteronomy 33:17
two to represent Ephraim and Manasseh; golden ones
to denote the majesty and
perpetuity of his kingdom; and he set these
the one at Bethel
at the entrance
of it
and the other at Dan
at the further borders of it; and that he did not
call those gods
but the only true God
as he that brought Israel out of Egypt;
only signified by that expression
that he was everywhere
there as well as at
Jerusalem; but that the Israelites
who were taken with sensible objects
on
visiting these out of curiosity
it became a snare to them
and they fell into
the worship of them; just as Gideon's ephod
and Moses' brasen serpent
were
unto them.
1 Kings 12:31 31 He made shrines[c] on the
high places
and made priests from every class of people
who were not of the
sons of Levi.
YLT
31And he maketh the house of
high places
and maketh priests of the extremities of the people
who were not
of the sons of Levi;
And he made an house of high places
.... Or
"altars"F19במות
"altarium"
Vatablus.
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 very unpopular
and
brought his new form of worship into contempt
to make the dregs of the people
priests
which was not only a very sacred office
but of great honour; it was
usual in some nations for kings to be priests alsoF20Rex Anius
&c.
Virgil. l. 3. Vid. Servium in ib.
and Jeroboam himself exercised this office
1 Kings 12:33 and
therefore would never put the meanest of the people into it
but rather those
of higher rank: the words may be literally rendered
"from the
extremities" or "ends of the people"F21מקצות העם "de extremitatibus
populi"
Vatablus
Piscator. ; meaning not merely from the extremist parts
of his country
but rather out of the whole of the people; out of all sorts of
them
out of any of them
without any distinction of tribe: for so it follows
which were not of the sons of Levi; and as by this means he
enriched himself
by taking the cities that belonged to the priests and
Levites
which they were obliged to leave
and from whence he drove them
2 Chronicles 11:14
so he pleased the people by laying open the priesthood common to them
and
freeing them from the payment of tithes
and the like.
1 Kings 12:32 32 Jeroboam ordained a feast
on the fifteenth day of the eighth month
like the feast that was in
Judah
and offered sacrifices on the altar. So he did at Bethel
sacrificing to
the calves that he had made. And at Bethel he installed the priests of the high
places which he had made.
YLT
32and Jeroboam maketh a
festival in the eighth month
in the fifteenth day of the month
like the
festival that [is] in Judah
and he offereth on the altar -- so did he in
Beth-El -- to sacrifice to the calves which he made
and he hath appointed in
Beth-El the priests of the high places that he made.
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 fruits of the land were not so soon ripe nor so soon gathered
in the
northern parts of the land
as nearer Jerusalem
he judged this month the
fittest for the feast of ingathering the fruits; and he might hope to get more
people to come to his feast
when all were gathered in:
and he offered upon the altar (so he did in Bethel)
sacrificing
unto the calves that he had made: this he did by his
priests
or rather he himself did it
see 1 Kings 13:4
this
shows that Jeroboam made these calves for worship
and did sacrifice to them
at least as representations of God. Abarbinel
to make this agree with his
hypothesis
gives this sense of the clause
that he did not sacrifice to the
calves
but to God
because of them
that his kingdom
which they were a sign
of
might be continued; and there being but one calf in a place
he could not
be said to sacrifice to them both
but to God
because of both; or else he
thinks this must be done after the people had turned aside to them
and not
when Jeroboam made them. The clause in the parenthesis
"so he did in
Bethel"
intimates that he did the same in Bethel as in Dan
of which what
is said before is spoken; that is
that he made an house of high places in
Bethel also
made priests out of all the people
such as were not of the tribe
of Levi
appointed the feast of the fifteenth day of the eighth month to be
observed there also
and he himself offered on the altar there:
and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he
had made: to officiate there.
1 Kings 12:33 33 So he made offerings on
the altar which he had made at Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month
in the month which he had devised in his own heart. And he ordained a feast for
the children of Israel
and offered sacrifices on the altar and burned incense.
YLT
33And he offereth up on the
altar that he made in Beth-El
on the fifteenth day of the eighth month
in the
month that he devised of his own heart
and he maketh a festival to the sons of
Israel
and offereth on the altar -- to make perfume.
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 seventh month
or Tisri
which answers to our
September and October
to the eighth month
or Marchesvan
which answers to
part of October and part of November:
and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel; to be
observed by them as the feast of tabernacles was by the priests of Judah and
Benjamin:
and he offered upon the altar
and burnt incense; which none
but the priests should do; perhaps the reason why the same resentment was not
shown as to Uzziah was
because this was not at the altar of the Lord: whether
he burnt incense after the manner of the Jewish priests
or as the priests of
Egypt did to the sun
where he had been for some time
is not certain; the
former burnt incense only twice a day
morning and evening
the latter three
times; at sunrising they burnt rosin
about noon myrrh
and about sun setting
"kuphi"
which was a compound of sixteen sortsF23Plutarch
de lside & Osiride. .
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)