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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>2 Chronicles 11 Pulpit Commentary</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/5001com.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 4800px), only screen and (max-device-width: 4800px)" href="/4801.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 1550px), only screen and (max-device-width: 1550px)" href="/1551.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 1250px), only screen and (max-device-width: 1250px)" href="/1251.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 1050px), only screen and (max-device-width: 1050px)" href="/1051.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 900px), only screen and (max-device-width: 900px)" href="/901.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 800px), only screen and (max-device-width: 800px)" href="/801.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 575px), only screen and (max-device-width: 575px)" href="/501.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-height: 450px), only screen and (max-device-height: 450px)" href="/h451.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/2_chronicles/11.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="//biblehu.com/bmcom/2_chronicles/11-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">Pulpit Commentary</a> > 2 Chronicles 11</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../2_chronicles/10.htm" title="2 Chronicles 10">◄</a> 2 Chronicles 11 <a href="../2_chronicles/12.htm" title="2 Chronicles 12">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Pulpit Commentary</div><div class="chap"><div class="versenum"><a href="/2_chronicles/11-1.htm">2 Chronicles 11:1</a></div><div class="verse">And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen <i>men</i>, which were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.</div><div class="comm"><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 1.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">He gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin</span>. The parallel (<a href="/1_kings/12-21.htm">1 Kings 12:21</a>) says more distinctly, "The house of Judah with the tribe of Benjamin." They of Jeroboam (<a href="/2_chronicles/10-16.htm">2 Chronicles 10:16</a>) had flung it at Judah: "Now, David, see to thine own house." Rehoboam, of course, does this very thing. For the first <span class="accented">time,formally, Benjamin</span> is now introduced as throwing in its lot with Judah, and the acted prophecy of Ahijah is seen fulfilled; the chiefest of the tribes, and the tribe that came of the youngest and most petted of old Jacob's sons, are now wedded to the end. The tribe of Benjamin lay hemmed in between Ephraim, to which it had once much leaned, and to which (as Benjamin was the blood-uncle of Ephraim) it was more closely related, and Judah, with which it had once been at variance (<a href="/2_samuel/2-12.htm">2 Samuel 2:12-32</a>; <a href="/2_samuel/3-1.htm">2 Samuel 3:1-27</a>; <a href="/2_samuel/20-1.htm">2 Samuel 20:1</a>). But exactly on the border-line of Judah and Benjamin rose the city Jerusalem and the temple (<a href="/joshua/15-8.htm">Joshua 15:8</a>; <a href="/joshua/18-16.htm">Joshua 18:16</a>; <a href="/jeremiah/20-2.htm">Jeremiah 20:2</a>); and, beyond doubt, this fact had helped to bring about the much more friendly feeling, if not absolutely close union, that now for some time had existed between these two tribes in their contiguous allotments. <span class="cmt_word">A hundred and four-score thousand chosen men,</span> <span class="cmt_word">which were warriors.</span> According to Joab, in David's time the men able to bear arms of Judah alone were five hundred thousand (<a href="/2_samuel/24-9.htm">2 Samuel 24:9</a>). Compare the numbers in the next reign (<a href="/2_chronicles/13-3.htm">2 Chronicles 13:3</a>), and, later on still, in Jehoshaphat's (<a href="/2_chronicles/17-14.htm">2 Chronicles 17:14-18</a>). Both of these show that Abijah and Jehoshaphat respectively had improved the time given to training much larger armies, whereas now Rehoboam was taken by surprise. </div> <div class="versenum"><a href="/2_chronicles/11-2.htm">2 Chronicles 11:2</a></div><div class="verse">But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,</div><div class="comm"><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 2.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">Shemaiah the man of God</span>. This is the first historical mention (<a href="/1_kings/12-22.htm">1 Kings 12:22</a>) of Shemaiah. The second is found in <a href="/2_chronicles/12-5.htm">2 Chronicles 12:5, 7</a>, on occasion of the invasion of Judah and Jerusalem by Shishak King of Egypt; and the third, in the same chapter, ver. 15, that he wrote a book respecting the acts of Rehoboam. The expression, "man of God," owns to a somewhat unexplained history. It is first found in the added part of Deuteronomy (<a href="/deuteronomy/33-1.htm">Deuteronomy 33:1</a>), where it is applied to Moses. It occurs once in Joshua (<a href="/joshua/14-6.htm">Joshua 14:6</a>); twice in Judges (<a href="/judges/13-6.htm">Judges 13:6, 8</a>); four times in Samuel (<a href="/1_samuel/2-27.htm">1 Samuel 2:27</a>; <a href="/1_samuel/9-6.htm">1 Samuel 9:6-8</a>); <span class="accented">twenty-nine</span> times in Kings; six times in Chronicles; once each in Ezra, Nehemiah and Jeremiah. </div> <div class="versenum"><a href="/2_chronicles/11-3.htm">2 Chronicles 11:3</a></div><div class="verse">Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,</div><div class="comm"><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 3.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">To all Israel in Judah and</span> <span class="cmt_word">Benjamin.</span> There is difference of opinion as to who are intended in the expression, "all Israel," already confessedly ambiguous in two other passages. When we consider the mention of Rehoboam personally in the former clause of the verse, it would seem most probable that the meaning is all the people of the nation, resident in the Judah and Benjamin allotments, <span class="accented">i.e.</span> the nation called collectively Israel. This will include "the remnant" spoken of in the parallel (<a href="/1_kings/12-23.htm">1 Kings 12:23</a>, compared with 17). </div> <div class="versenum"><a href="/2_chronicles/11-4.htm">2 Chronicles 11:4</a></div><div class="verse">Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam.</div><div class="comm"><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 4.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">This thing is from me</span>; <span class="accented">i.e.</span> the punishing disruption; not the precedent causes with the entirety of historical events; this punishing and witnessing disruption is not to be "lightly healed" The man who did what caused it, the men who did what caused it, cannot thus each undo what they have done - least of all undo it by the appeal of war. They and theirs will have, long as life lasts, as lives last, to go through the baptism of bitter suffering, and leave a heritage of the same for others. </div> <div class="versenum"><a href="/2_chronicles/11-5.htm">2 Chronicles 11:5</a></div><div class="verse">And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.</div><div class="comm"><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verses 5-12.</span> - These eight verses tell how Rehoboam, relieved of the responsibility of attempting to reconquer the revolted, wisely betakes himself to strengthening and defending what was left to him. He builds fifteen "fenced cities," or "cities for defence," twelve of them south and west of Jerusalem, for lear of Egypt; he fortifies certain strongholds, officering them, provisioning them, and supplying to them and "every several city" the necessary weapons of warfare and shields. </div> <div class="versenum"><a href="/2_chronicles/11-6.htm">2 Chronicles 11:6</a></div><div class="verse">He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,</div><div class="comm"><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 6.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">Bethlehem</span>. This was a case not of actual new building of a city, but of restoring and strengthening it. Bethlehem, originally Ephrath (<a href="/genesis/35-16.htm">Genesis 35:16</a>; <a href="/genesis/48-7.htm">Genesis 48:7</a>), was one of the very oldest towns existent in Jacob's time. It was not called Bethlehem till long after the settlement of the tribes. It was six miles from Jerusalem, on the east of the road to Hebron. <span class="cmt_word">Etam</span>. A place near Bethlehem (<a href="/1_chronicles/4-3.htm">1 Chronicles 4:3, 4</a>, <span class="accented">not</span> 32; Septuagint of <a href="/joshua/15-60.htm">Joshua 15:60</a>); possibly the resort of Samson after his revenge on the Philistines (<a href="/judges/15-8.htm">Judges 15:8, 11</a>). It was <span class="accented">not</span> the Etam mentioned as belonging to Simeon (<a href="/1_chronicles/4-32.htm">1 Chronicles 4:32</a>). <span class="cmt_word">Tekoa</span>. According to Jerome, as also Eusebius, six Roman miles from Bethlehem, and nine from Jerusalem, or else, possibly by another road, twelve (Jerome's 'Pro-oemium in Amos,' and his 'Onomasticon'). It is absent from the Hebrew catalogue of Judah towns (<a href="/joshua/15-49.htm">Joshua 15:49</a>), but is in the Septuagint Version of it. It was the place of the "wise woman" of <a href="/2_samuel/14-2.htm">2 Samuel 14:2</a>. </div> <div class="versenum"><a href="/2_chronicles/11-7.htm">2 Chronicles 11:7</a></div><div class="verse">And Bethzur, and Shoco, and Adullam,</div><div class="comm"><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 7.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">Beth-zur</span>. About five miles north of Hebron (see <a href="/joshua/15-58.htm">Joshua 15:58</a>; <a href="/1_chronicles/2-45.htm">1 Chronicles 2:45</a>; <a href="/nehemiah/3-16.htm">Nehemiah 3:16</a>). Shoco; properly, <span class="accented">Socoh</span>, in the Shefelah (<a href="/joshua/15-35.htm">Joshua 15:35</a>). According to Jerome and Eusebius, it was about nine miles from Eleutheropolis, on the road to Jerusalem (see also <a href="/1_samuel/17-1.htm">1 Samuel 17:1</a>). <span class="cmt_word">Adullam</span>. In the Shefelah (<a href="/joshua/15-35.htm">Joshua 15:35</a>). It was an ancient place (<a href="/genesis/38-1.htm">Genesis 38:1, 12, 20</a>; <a href="/joshua/12-15.htm">Joshua 12:15</a>; <a href="/nehemiah/11-30.htm">Nehemiah 11:30</a>). See also the familiar passages (<a href="/1_samuel/22-1.htm">1 Samuel 22:1</a>; <a href="/2_samuel/23-13.htm">2 Samuel 23:13</a>; <a href="/1_chronicles/11-15.htm">1 Chronicles 11:15</a>). </div> <div class="versenum"><a href="/2_chronicles/11-8.htm">2 Chronicles 11:8</a></div><div class="verse">And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,</div><div class="comm"><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 8.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">Gath</span>. Site still unknown. Some think it may be the Gath-rimmon of Dan (<a href="/joshua/19-45.htm">Joshua 19:45</a>). Otherwise it is Gath of the Philistines (<a href="/joshua/13-3.htm">Joshua 13:3</a>; <a href="/1_samuel/6-17.htm">1 Samuel 6:17</a>), and of Goliath (<a href="/1_samuel/17-4.htm">1 Samuel 17:4, 23</a>). I.L.P., in Dr. Smith's 'Bible Dictionary,' 1:656, wishes to find it on a hill now called <span class="accented">Tel-es-Safleh</span>, on one side of the Plain of Philistia, about ten miles east of Ashdod and south - east of Ekron. See also "Topographical Index," p. 411, in Conder's ' andbook to the Bible,' 2nd edit. Other interesting references are <a href="/1_samuel/17-1.htm">1 Samuel 17:1, 52</a>; <a href="/1_samuel/21-10.htm">1 Samuel 21:10</a>; <a href="/1_chronicles/18-1.htm">1 Chronicles 18:1</a>; ch. 26:6; <a href="/1_kings/2-39.htm">1 Kings 2:39</a>; <a href="/2_kings/12-17.htm">2 Kings 12:17</a>; <a href="/amos/6-2.htm">Amos 6:2</a>. Mareshah. In the Shefelah (<a href="/joshua/15-44.htm">Joshua 15:44</a>), now <span class="accented">Marash</span>, a short distance south of Eleutheropolis. Zerah the Cushite came here when he was invading Judaea (ch. 14:9. See also ch. 20:37; <a href="/micah/1-15.htm">Micah 1:15</a>). It was taken by John Hyreanus, <span class="date">B.C. 110</span>, and was demolished by the Parthians, <span class="date">B.C. 39</span>. Ziph. Probably the present <span class="accented">Tel-Lif</span>, a little south-east of Hebron (<a href="/joshua/15-55.htm">Joshua 15:55</a>; see also 24. See also <a href="/1_samuel/23-14.htm">1 Samuel 23:14-24</a>; <a href="/1_samuel/26-2.htm">1 Samuel 26:2</a>). </div> <div class="versenum"><a href="/2_chronicles/11-9.htm">2 Chronicles 11:9</a></div><div class="verse">And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,</div><div class="comm"><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 9.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">Adoraim</span>. This name is not found anywhere else. The meaning of the word is "two heaps," and very probably describes the physical features of the site. It is probably the modern <span class="accented">Dura.</span> Its site is otherwise unknown. Lachish (see <a href="/joshua/15-39.htm">Joshua 15:39</a>; also Joshua 10:3; 12:11); probably the modern <span class="accented">Um Lakis</span>, that lies on the road to Gaza. Other interesting references are <a href="/2_kings/14-19.htm">2 Kings 14:19</a>; <a href="/2_kings/18-14.htm">2 Kings 18:14-17</a>; <a href="/2_kings/19-8.htm">2 Kings 19:8</a>; <a href="/nehemiah/11-30.htm">Nehemiah 11:30</a>; <a href="/micah/1-13.htm">Micah 1:13</a>. Azekha (see <a href="/joshua/15-35.htm">Joshua 15:35</a>; also Joshua 10:10); it was in the Shefelah (see also <a href="/1_samuel/17-1.htm">1 Samuel 17:1</a>; <a href="/nehemiah/11-30.htm">Nehemiah 11:30</a>; <a href="/jeremiah/34-7.htm">Jeremiah 34:7</a>). The site of it is not identified. </div> <div class="versenum"><a href="/2_chronicles/11-10.htm">2 Chronicles 11:10</a></div><div class="verse">And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which <i>are</i> in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities.</div><div class="comm"><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 10.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">Zorah</span>. The people of Zorah, or Zoreah, were the <span class="accented">Zareathites</span> of <a href="/1_chronicles/2-53.htm">1 Chronicles 2:53</a>; it was the home of Manoah, and the native place of Samson (see <a href="/joshua/15-33.htm">Joshua 15:33</a>; <a href="/joshua/19-41.htm">Joshua 19:41</a>. Other interesting references are <a href="/judges/13-25.htm">Judges 13:25</a>; <a href="/judges/16-31.htm">Judges 16:31</a>; <a href="/judges/18-2.htm">Judges 18:2-11</a>; <a href="/nehemiah/11-29.htm">Nehemiah 11:29</a>). It belonged to the original allotment of Dan, and is constantly named in company with Eshtaol. <span class="cmt_word">Aijalon</span>. The modern <span class="accented">Jalo</span>; also originally belonged to allotment of Dan (<a href="/joshua/10-12.htm">Joshua 10:12</a>; <a href="/joshua/19-42.htm">Joshua 19:42</a>; <a href="/joshua/21-24.htm">Joshua 21:24</a>. Other interesting references are <a href="/judges/1-35.htm">Judges 1:35</a>; <a href="/1_samuel/14-31.htm">1 Samuel 14:31</a>; <a href="/1_kings/14-30.htm">1 Kings 14:30</a>; <a href="/1_chronicles/6-66.htm">1 Chronicles 6:66, 69</a>, <a href="/2_chronicles/28-18.htm">2 Chronicles 28:18</a>). <span class="cmt_word">Hebron</span>. One of the most ancient of cities still lasting, rivalling in this respect Damascus. It belonged to Judah and to its hill country (<a href="/joshua/15-54.htm">Joshua 15:54</a>; <a href="/joshua/20-7.htm">Joshua 20:7</a>); it was about twenty Roman miles south of Jerusalem. Its original name was Kirjath Arba. In <a href="/numbers/13-22.htm">Numbers 13:22</a> it is said that it was built "seven years before Zoan in Egypt," but it is not said when Zoan was built. It now contains about five thousand population, but scarcely a tithe of them Jews. Its long stretch of history is full of incidents of interest, and is partially illustrated by the references that follow: <a href="/genesis/13-18.htm">Genesis 13:18</a>; <a href="/genesis/23-2.htm">Genesis 23:2-19, 20</a>; <a href="/genesis/35-27.htm">Genesis 35:27</a>; <a href="/genesis/37-14.htm">Genesis 37:14</a>; <a href="/numbers/13-22.htm">Numbers 13:22, 23</a>; <a href="/joshua/10-36.htm">Joshua 10:36</a>; <a href="/joshua/14-6.htm">Joshua 14:6-15</a>; <a href="/joshua/15-13.htm">Joshua 15:13, 14</a>; <a href="/joshua/21-11.htm">Joshua 21:11-13</a>; <a href="/2_samuel/4-12.htm">2 Samuel 4:12</a>; <a href="/2_samuel/5-5.htm">2 Samuel 5:5</a>; <a href="/nehemiah/11-25.htm">Nehemiah 11:25</a>. </div> <div class="versenum"><a href="/2_chronicles/11-11.htm">2 Chronicles 11:11</a></div><div class="verse">And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine.</div><div class="comm"></div> <div class="versenum"><a href="/2_chronicles/11-12.htm">2 Chronicles 11:12</a></div><div class="verse">And in every several city <i>he put</i> shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.</div><div class="comm"><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 12.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">Having Judah and Benjamin on his side</span>. The mention of both tribes just serves to point for us the fact that Benjamin's existence and value were not absolutely ignored, but were for a short while quoted before the kingdom of Rehoboam became called by the name of Judah simply. </div> <div class="versenum"><a href="/2_chronicles/11-13.htm">2 Chronicles 11:13</a></div><div class="verse">And the priests and the Levites that <i>were</i> in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts.</div><div class="comm"><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 13.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">The priests and the Levites that were in all</span> <span class="cmt_word">Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts</span>. The emphasis thrown into the contents of this verse is evident and agreeable; the ecclesiastical party acted worthily of itself. The priests and Levites could not bring themselves to offer sacrifice and service to the calves, or to forsake Jerusalem and the temple and the true altar. No doubt a stirring, throbbing history underlay the few but suggestive words which point here the conduct of the priests and Levites. These would not content to stand shoulder to shoulder with priests made not from the tribe of Levi (<a href="/1_kings/12-31.htm">1 Kings 12:31</a>). </div> <div class="versenum"><a href="/2_chronicles/11-14.htm">2 Chronicles 11:14</a></div><div class="verse">For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the LORD:</div><div class="comm"><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 14.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">Left their suburbs</span> (so <a href="/leviticus/25-34.htm">Leviticus 25:34</a>; <a href="/numbers/35-1.htm">Numbers 35:1, 3, 7</a>; <a href="/joshua/14-4.htm">Joshua 14:4</a>; <a href="/joshua/21-12.htm">Joshua 21:12</a>). Jeroboam... had east them off. This glimpse reveals to us, with exceeding probability, that there had been some struggle on the solemn matter; we may readily imagine that Jeroboam had either tried it on in vain with the true priests and Levites, or had learned very conclusively beforehand that it would be vain <span class="accented">to</span> try it on (<a href="/2_chronicles/13-9.htm">2 Chronicles 13:9</a>). </div> <div class="versenum"><a href="/2_chronicles/11-15.htm">2 Chronicles 11:15</a></div><div class="verse">And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.</div><div class="comm"><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 15.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">The high places</span>; <span class="accented">i.e.</span> Dan and Bethel (<a href="/1_kings/12-28.htm">1 Kings 12:28-33</a>). <span class="cmt_word">For</span> <span class="cmt_word">the devils</span>; <span class="accented">i.e.</span> for the "hairy ones" (<span class="hebrew">שְׂעִירִים</span>). Reference is intended to the idolatrous wore ship of the "he-goats" by the Hebrews, after the example of Egypt, and the reference here is either literal or derived (<a href="/leviticus/17-7.htm">Leviticus 17:7</a>). For the calves (see <a href="/1_kings/12-28.htm">1 Kings 12:28</a>). </div> <div class="versenum"><a href="/2_chronicles/11-16.htm">2 Chronicles 11:16</a></div><div class="verse">And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers.</div><div class="comm"><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 16</span> shows a good example on the part of the clergy, effectual, and <span class="accented">followed</span> by the people. </div> <div class="versenum"><a href="/2_chronicles/11-17.htm">2 Chronicles 11:17</a></div><div class="verse">So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.</div><div class="comm"><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 17.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">Strengthened... three years</span>. "Righteousness exalteth a nation, but," etc. (<a href="/proverbs/14-34.htm">Proverbs 14:34</a>; <a href="/isaiah/33-6.htm">Isaiah 33:6</a>). The sad knell is sounded all too soon; see first verso of next chapter. Three years' strength will soon become weakness, and three years' goodness will save no soul. </div> <div class="versenum"><a href="/2_chronicles/11-18.htm">2 Chronicles 11:18</a></div><div class="verse">And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife, <i>and</i> Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse;</div><div class="comm"><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 18.</span> - The 'Speaker's Commentary' opportunely suggests the probability that we may be indebted here to Iddo's "genealogies" (<a href="/2_chronicles/12-15.htm">2 Chronicles 12:15</a>). The word <span class="cmt_word">daughter</span> here is a correction of the Keri, the Chethiv having been "son," This <span class="cmt_word">Jerimoth</span> is the seventh out of a list of eight men of the same name mentioned in the two books of Chronicles. He is not given as one of the children of David's proper wives in either <a href="/1_chronicles/3-1.htm">1 Chronicles 3:1-8</a> or 1 Chronicles 14:4-7; Jerome says it was the Jewish tradition that he was the son of a concubine of David. It is just possible that Jerimoth and Ithream were two names of the same person. <span class="cmt_word">Abihail</span> was second cousin of Mahalath. It is not quite clear whether Abihail were wife of Jerimoth and mother of Mahalath, or a second wife now mentioned of Rehoboam. The contents of the next verse not differencing the children there mentioned, and assigning her own to each wife of Rehoboam, if these were two wives of his, favours the former supposition (our Hebrew text being "and she <span class="accented">bare</span>," not "which bare"). When it is said that Abthail was the daughter of <span class="cmt_word">Eliab</span>, the meaning probably is, as again in ver. 20, granddaughter. (For Eliab, see <a href="/1_samuel/16-6.htm">1 Samuel 16:6</a>; <a href="/1_samuel/17-13.htm">1 Samuel 17:13</a>; <a href="/1_chronicles/2-13.htm">1 Chronicles 2:13</a>.) </div> <div class="versenum"><a href="/2_chronicles/11-19.htm">2 Chronicles 11:19</a></div><div class="verse">Which bare him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham.</div><div class="comm"><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 19.</span> - (See last note.) If previous verse speaks of two wives of Rehoboam, of which wife (our Hebrew text being not "which bare," but "and she bare") were <span class="cmt_word">Jeush, Shamariah, and Zaham</span> the children? or of which respectively, if they express the children of both? As the words now stand, it can only be supposed, with all lexicons, that Abihail is mother of the three children on the two-wife supposition. </div> <div class="versenum"><a href="/2_chronicles/11-20.htm">2 Chronicles 11:20</a></div><div class="verse">And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.</div><div class="comm"><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 20.</span> - Maachah was the granddaughter of Absalom by his daughter Tamar, wife of Uriel (<a href="/2_chronicles/13-2.htm">2 Chronicles 13:2</a>; <a href="/2_kings/15-2.htm">2 Kings 15:2</a>). </div> <div class="versenum"><a href="/2_chronicles/11-21.htm">2 Chronicles 11:21</a></div><div class="verse">And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.)</div><div class="comm"><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 21.</span> - Rehoboam was clearly wrong by <a href="/deuteronomy/17-17.htm">Deuteronomy 17:17</a> (note Solomon's <a href="/songs/6-8.htm">Song of Solomon 6:8</a>). </div> <div class="versenum"><a href="/2_chronicles/11-22.htm">2 Chronicles 11:22</a></div><div class="verse">And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, <i>to be</i> ruler among his brethren: for <i>he thought</i> to make him king.</div><div class="comm"><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 22.</span> - Cancel in this verse the italics "to be." Rehoboam again offends against the "Law" (see <a href="/deuteronomy/21-15.htm">Deuteronomy 21:15-17</a>). He cannot justly plead as a precedent the instance of David and Solomon, as in <a href="/1_chronicles/23-1.htm">1 Chronicles 23:1</a>; for this was only justified by the express Divine ordinance, as in <a href="/1_chronicles/23-9.htm">1 Chronicles 23:9</a>; <a href="/1_chronicles/29-1.htm">1 Chronicles 29:1</a>. </div> <div class="versenum"><a href="/2_chronicles/11-23.htm">2 Chronicles 11:23</a></div><div class="verse">And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired many wives.</div><div class="comm"><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 23.</span> - The <span class="cmt_word">wise dealing</span> of Rehoboam, fourfold (weakening his children by division, giving them each employment, giving them also abundance of victual, and - as is probably the meaning, though not said so either here or in the Septuagint - finding for them many wives), will not, though it were forty-fold, avail to cover his "despising" of the "Law." Rather his <span class="accented">wise</span> <span class="accented">dealing is</span> an indication that his conscience was not quite at ease, and that he knew he was wrong. Nothing is so liable to blind judgment as personal affection. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span> <span class="p"><br /><br /></span> </div></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Pulpit Commentary, Electronic Database. 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