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2 Chronicles Chapter Eleven

 

2 Chronicles 11 Outline of Contents

The Revolt Against Rehoboam (v.1~4)

Rehoboam Fortifies the Cities (v.5~12)

Priests and Levites Move to Judah (v.13~17)

The Family of Rehoboam (v.18~23)

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 11

In this chapter are related the preparations Rehoboam made to regain the ten tribes that revolted from him but was forbid making the attempt by a prophet of the Lord which he paid a regard unto 2 Chronicles 11:1 the fortification of several cities in Judah and Benjamin for his defence 2 Chronicles 11:5 the resort of several priests and Levites to him from Jeroboam which served to strengthen his kingdom 2 Chronicles 11:13 and an account of his wives and of his children and of his disposal of them 2 Chronicles 11:18.

 

2 Chronicles 11:1  Now when Rehoboam came to Jerusalem he assembled from the house of Judah and Benjamin one hundred and eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors to fight against Israel that he might restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.

   YLT  1And Rehoboam cometh in to Jerusalem and assembleth the house of Judah and Benjamin a hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors to fight with Israel to bring back the kingdom to Rehoboam.

Verses 1-4

And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem .... After he had been at Shechem and had given his answer to the request of the men of Israel upon which they revolted from him: this and the three following verses are the same with 1 Kings 12:21. See Gill on 1 Kings 12:21.

 

2 Chronicles 11:2  2 But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God saying

   YLT  2And a word of Jehovah is unto Shemaiah a man of God saying

 

2 Chronicles 11:3  3 “Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon king of Judah and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin saying

   YLT  3`Speak unto Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and unto all Israel in Judah and Benjamin saying

 

2 Chronicles 11:4  4 ‘Thus says the Lord: “You shall not go up or fight against your brethren! Let every man return to his house for this thing is from Me.”’” Therefore they obeyed the words of the Lord and turned back from attacking Jeroboam.

   YLT  4Thus said Jehovah Ye do not go up nor fight with your brethren turn back each to his house for from Me hath this thing been;' and they hear the words of Jehovah and turn back from going against Jeroboam.

 

2 Chronicles 11:5  5 So Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem and built cities for defense in Judah.

   YLT  5And Rehoboam dwelleth in Jerusalem and buildeth cities for a bulwark in Judah

And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem .... The metropolis of Judah and the capital city of his kingdom:

and built cities for defence in Judah; that is rebuilt enlarged and fortified them; for otherwise they were built before though neglected before the revolt of the ten tribes; but now it became necessary to make them more capacious and strong to protect his people and defend himself against Israel; for though he was forbid to act offensively and therefore contented himself to abide in Jerusalem and not go forth to war; yet he might lawfully put himself into a condition of defence.

 

2 Chronicles 11:6  6 And he built Bethlehem Etam Tekoa

   YLT  6yea he buildeth Beth-Lehem and Etam and Tekoa

He built even Bethlehem .... The place of our Lord's birth about six miles from Jerusalem:

and Etam; another city in the tribe of Judah; see 1 Chronicles 4:32 there was a rock of this name Judges 15:8 and a fountain from whence waters were conveyed into the pool at Jerusalem spoken of in Jewish writingsF2Cippi Heb. p. 10. :

and Tekoah; of which place Amos the prophet was and which was about twelve miles from Jerusalem. RauwolffF3Travels par. 3. c. 22. p. 321. Ed. Ray. speaks of it as a fortified place now; he says it has a strong and mighty castle built on a great and high hill.

 

2 Chronicles 11:7  7 Beth Zur Sochoh Adullam

   YLT  7and Beth-Zur and Shocho and Adullam

And Bethzur and Shocho and Adullam. All in the tribe of Judah of which see Joshua 15:35.

 

2 Chronicles 11:8  8 Gath Mareshah Ziph

   YLT  8and Gath and Mareshah and Ziph

And Gath .... Which cannot be that Gath which was one of the principalities of the Philistines but a city in the tribe of Judah; though of it we nowhere else read; unless this is the same with Moreshethgath Micah 1:14 which is probable since it follows:

and Mareshah; the birth place of Micah the prophet Micah 1:1

and Ziph; there were two cities of this name in the tribe of Judah Joshua 15:24.

 

2 Chronicles 11:9  9 Adoraim Lachish Azekah

   YLT  9and Adoraim and Lachish and Azekah

And Adoraim .... Called by JosephusF4Antiqu. l. 13. c. 9. sect. 1. Adora which he mentions along with Mareshah or Marissa:

and Lachish: a royal city in the time of the Canaanites and which fell to the lot of Judah Joshua 12:11

and Azekah; a city situated in the plain of Judah Joshua 10:10.

 

2 Chronicles 11:10  10 Zorah Aijalon and Hebron which are in Judah and Benjamin fortified cities.

   YLT  10and Zorah and Aijalon and Hebron that [are] in Judah and in Benjamin cities of bulwarks.

And Zorah .... The same with Zoreah Joshua 15:33

and Aijalon; there was a city of the tribe of Dan of this name in the valley of which the moon stood still in the times of Joshua Joshua 10:12 but whether the same with this and now belonging to Judah or another of the same name is not certain:

and Hebron; a city in the mountainous part of Judah and a city of refuge about twenty miles from Jerusalem Joshua 15:54

which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities; as they were now made by Rehoboam.

 

2 Chronicles 11:11  11 And he fortified the strongholds and put captains in them and stores of food oil and wine.

   YLT  11And he strengtheneth the bulwarks and putteth in them leaders and treasures of food and oil and wine

And he fortified the strong holds .... Of these and other cities:

and put captains in them; garrisons of soldiers with captains over them to defend them:

and store of victual and of oil and wine; that they might be able to hold out a siege should they be attacked.

 

2 Chronicles 11:12  12 Also in every city he put shields and spears and made them very strong having Judah and Benjamin on his side.

   YLT  12and in every city and city targets and spears and strengtheneth them very greatly; and he hath Judah and Benjamin.

And in every several city he put shields and spears .... Furnished them with these and perhaps other pieces of armour these being put for all to defend themselves with against an enemy and to annoy them:

and made them exceeding strong; so that they could not be easily taken:

having Judah and Benjamin on his side: which tribes cleaved to one another and to Rehoboam and to the kings of the house of David in later times as well as to the true religion.

 

2 Chronicles 11:13  13 And from all their territories the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel took their stand with him.

   YLT  13And the priests and the Levites that [are] in all Israel have stationed themselves by him out of all their border

And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel .... In the ten tribes in the cities assigned to them therein:

resorted to him out of all their coasts; as to their rightful sovereign and chiefly for the sake of the service of the sanctuary at Jerusalem.

 

2 Chronicles 11:14  14 For the Levites left their common-lands and their possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem for Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from serving as priests to the Lord.

   YLT  14for the Levites have left their suburbs and their possession and they come to Judah and to Jerusalem for Jeroboam and his sons have cast them off from acting as priests to Jehovah

For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession .... The cities and the fields adjacent to them which were given them in the several tribes and were in all forty eight; see Joshua 21:1 and came to Judah and Jerusalem; to the cities of Judah which belonged to the Levites; and to Jerusalem where they exercised their functions:

for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from exercising the priest's office unto the Lord; neither suffering them to go to Jerusalem in their courses as they used to do by turns nor to perform their office in their own dwellings according to the law of God in teaching and instructing the people.

 

2 Chronicles 11:15  15 Then he appointed for himself priests for the high places for the demons and the calf idols which he had made.

   YLT  15and he establisheth to him priests for high places and for goats and for calves that he made –

And he ordained him priests for the high places .... Of such who were not of the tribe of Levi and family of Aaron; see 1 Kings 12:31.

and for the devils; demons in the shape of goats as this word signifies in which form many of the Heathen deities were worshipped; idols of whatsoever kind are so called; for whosoever worships them worships not God but devils 1 Corinthians 10:21 the images which Jeroboam set up may be meant and the next clause may be rendered as explanative of them:

even for the calves which he had made; one of which he set up at Dan and the other at Bethel 1 Kings 12:28.

 

2 Chronicles 11:16  16 And after the Levites left [a] those from all the tribes of Israel such as set their heart to seek the Lord God of Israel came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord God of their fathers.

   YLT  16and after them out of all the tribes of Israel those giving their heart to seek Jehovah God of Israel have come in to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Jehovah God of their father.

And after them out of all the tribes of Israel .... Besides the priests and Levites and after their example many of the common people out of all the ten tribes:

such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel; to seek his face and favour where he was to be found; to worship him according to his revealed will and to receive doctrine or instruction from him as the Targum:

came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord God of their fathers; to sacrifice where only sacrifices were to be offered up and by the priests of the Lord who were gone thither and to their fathers' God whom the ten tribes had revolted from.

 

2 Chronicles 11:17  17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong for three years because they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.

   YLT  17And they strengthen the kingdom of Judah and strengthen Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years because they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.

So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah .... Made it more numerous and in a better condition to defend itself:

and made Rehoboam son of Solomon strong three years; established him on the throne strengthened the government in his hands and were the means of preserving him in the pure worship of God for the space of time mentioned the reason of which follows:

for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon; in their good ways which were according to the rule of the divine word; and which as they refer to the whole of David's life and reign some particular actions excepted so to the former part of Solomon's reign before he fell into idolatry and to the latter part of it after his repentance; for that he did repent is by some concluded from hence and may be more strongly from the book of Ecclesiastes written by him in his old age. This is to be understood both of Rehoboam and his people who after three years forsook the law of the Lord 2 Chronicles 12:1.

 

2 Chronicles 11:18  18 Then Rehoboam took for himself as wife Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David and of Abihail the daughter of Eliah the son of Jesse.

   YLT  18And Rehoboam taketh to him a wife Mahalath child of Jerimoth son of David [and] Abigail daughter of Eliab son of Jesse.

And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife .... Of which son of David we nowhere else read; perhaps he might be the son of one of his concubines or he might have two names:

and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse; who was David's eldest brother. 1 Samuel 17:13. She must be a granddaughter or great-granddaughter of his.

 

2 Chronicles 11:19  19 And she bore him children: Jeush Shamariah and Zaham.

   YLT  19And she beareth to him sons Jeush and Shamaria and Zaham.

Which bare him children .... Or "and she bore him"F4ותלד "peperit" Pagninus Montanus. ; for it is said only of one of them the other perhaps died without children; this may refer to the last mentioned Abihail whose children were

Jeush and Shamariah and Zaham; who perhaps all died in their father's lifetime since the firstborn of a later wife succeeded him.

 

2 Chronicles 11:20  20 After her he took Maachah the granddaughter[b] of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah Attai Ziza and Shelomith.

   YLT  20And after her he hath taken Maachah daughter of Absalom and she beareth to him Abijah and Attai and Ziza and Shelomith.

And after he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom .... Thought by some to be Absalom the son of David his father's brother and his uncle and so married his cousin; but Absalom seems to have had but one daughter whose name was Tamar 2 Samuel 14:27 and the name of this man is different from his; he is called Abishalom 1 Kings 15:2.

and Uriel of Gibeah; 2 Chronicles 13:2 of the tribe of Benjamin whereas Absalom was of the tribe of Judah:

which bare him Abijah and Attai and Ziza and Shelomith: Abijah the firstborn and who was successor in the kingdom is the same with Abijam 1 Kings 14:31 of the rest we nowhere else read.

 

2 Chronicles 11:21  21 Now Rehoboam loved Maachah the granddaughter of Absalom more than all his wives and his concubines; for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines and begot twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

   YLT  21And Rehoboam loveth Maachah daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines -- for eighteen wives he hath taken and sixty concubines -- and he begetteth twenty and eight sons and sixty daughters.

And Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines &c. Who is called Michaiah the daughter of Uriel 2 Chronicles 13:2

for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines; led thereunto by the example of his father Solomon contrary to the command of God Deuteronomy 17:17.

and begat twenty eight sons and sixty daughters; to have many children was reckoned a great blessing but it was not honourable to have them in such a way.

 

2 Chronicles 11:22  22 And Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maachah as chief to be leader among his brothers; for he intended to make him king.

   YLT  22And Rehoboam appointeth for head Abijah son of Maachah for leader among his brethren for to cause him to reign.

And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maacah the chief .... The chief of all his sons head over them being the son of his most beloved wife and her firstborn however and perhaps might be of a greater capacity than the rest of his children:

to be ruler among his brethren; or over them; gave him greater authority and intrusted him with more power set him above them and treated him as heir apparent to the crown: for he thought

to make him king; either to take him into partnership in the throne with him in his lifetime or to appoint and declare him to be his successor.

 

2 Chronicles 11:23  23 He dealt wisely and dispersed some of his sons throughout all the territories of Judah and Benjamin to every fortified city; and he gave them provisions in abundance. He also sought many wives for them.

   YLT  23And he hath understanding and spreadeth out of all his sons to all lands of Judah and Benjamin to all cities of the bulwarks and giveth to them provision in abundance; and he asketh a multitude of wives.

And he dealt wisely .... Acted a prudent part in order to execute his scheme and particularly by disposing of his other sons in different parts of his kingdom as follows: or "he made him his son Abijah to understand"F5ותבן "erudire faciebat" Pagninus Grotius; "docuit" Vatablus. ; he taught and instructed him in the art of government took a particular care of his education that he might be fitted for it; and he might instruct him how to behave towards his brethren for the present and hereafter as well as towards all the people in general: or "he (Abijah) understood"F6"lntellexit" Piscator. ; had more understanding and wisdom than all the children of Rehoboam; though it seems best to interpret it of Rehoboam himself since it follows:

and disposed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin unto every fenced city; to be governors thereof in whose hands he could better trust them than in any other; or else by thus separating them they would not be able to enter into combination against Abijah; but then he must at the same time appoint some persons to watch and observe them; or otherwise having such strong places in their possession they might rebel against him; the Targum is "he built and repaired the cities and appointed of all his children throughout all the countries of the house of Judah to all the fortified cities;'that is to have the command of them:

and he gave them victual in abundance; that they might have no reason to complain and might be able to hold out a siege against an enemy should they be attacked:

and he desired many wives; either for himself or rather for his son since he himself had many; or "Abijah desired or askedF7ישאל "petivit" Pagninus Montanus Vatablus; "postulavit" Piscator. many wives" of their parents or of those who had the dispose of them in imitation of his father.

 

──John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Footnotes:

  1. 2 Chronicles 11:16 Literally after them
  2. 2 Chronicles 11:20 Literally daughter but in the broader sense of granddaughter (compare 2 Chronicles 13:2)