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When Critics Ask (1960)

1 Kings 12:25

Was Jeroboam’s residence in Shechem or at Tirzah?

PROBLEM: In 1 Kings 12:25 Jeroboam’s home is said to be in Shechem, but later it is listed as Tirzah (1 Kings 14:12-17).

SOLUTION: He may have moved later to a different location. Or, one place could have been a vacation or retreat home. It was not uncommon for kings to have more than one place of residence.

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See also 1 Kings 12:25 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    BUILT SHECHEM - In the sense of “enlarged and fortified.” See Daniel 4:30. The first intention of Jeroboam seems to have been to make Shechem his capital, and therefore he immediately set about its fo...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    III. THE DIVIDED KINGDOM 1. Rehoboam and the Revolt of the Ten Tribes CHAPTER 12 _ 1. The revolt of the northern tribes (1 Kings 12:1)_ 2. The threatening war averted (1 Kings 12:21) 3. Jeroboam'...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    1 Kings 12:25 to 1 Kings 13:34. THE SIN OF JEROBOAM. THE PROPHET AT BETHEL. The sources cannot be exactly determined. Some (see Cent.B) may belong to the annals of the northern kingdom, but the tone i...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    BUILT. rebuilt, or repaired. This doubtless included increased fortification (2 Chronicles 11:11). MOUNT. hill-country. PENUEL. On east of Jordan (Genesis 32:30; Judges 8:8),...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Jeroboam sets up golden calves in Dan and Bethel, and thus makes Israel to Sin (Not in 2 Chron) 25. _built Shechem_ i.e. Strengthened it by walls and made it thus fit to be the royal residence, -the p...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    On the addition in the LXX. after 1 Kings 12:24 This long passage has many peculiarities not only in the arrangement, which differs considerably from that of the narrative of the Hebrew text, but als...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    JEROBOAM BUILT SHECHEM— 1:e. Rebuilt, enlarged, and beautified it, and made it a royal city....

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    II. THE GREAT APOSTASY 12:25-33 TRANSLATION (25) And Jeroboam built Shechem in Mt. Ephraim, and dwelt in it. And he went out from there and built Penuel. (26) And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now the...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _THEN JEROBOAM BUILT SHECHEM IN MOUNT EPHRAIM, AND DWELT THEREIN; AND WENT OUT FROM THENCE, AND BUILT PENUEL._ Jeroboam built Shechem - destroyed by Abimelech (Judges 9:1). It was rebuilt, and perhap...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE REVOLT OF THE TEN TRIBES. REHOBOAM AND JEROBOAM The revolt of the Ten Tribes against the rule of Rehoboam had its origin partly in the discontent which the burdens laid on the people by Solomon ha...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    BUILT] i.e. fortified: cp. 1 Kings 9:17. PENUEL] in Gilead, E. of Jordan: cp. Judges 8:8....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S LESSONS FROM HISTORY 1 KINGS _PHILIP SMITH_ CHAPTER 12 THE *KINGDOM DIVIDES V1 Rehoboam went to Shechem. All the *Israelites had gone there to make him king. V2 Jeroboam the son of Nebat w...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    JEROBOAM BUILT SHECHEM. — Shechem had passed through many vicissitudes of fortune. It was already a city when Abraham entered the Promised Land (Genesis 12:6), and is from time to time mentioned in th...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יִּ֨בֶן יָרָבְעָ֧ם אֶת ־שְׁכֶ֛ם בְּ הַ֥ר

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    BREAKING THREE COMMANDMENTS 1 Kings 21:1; 1 Kings 1:1; 1 Kings 2:1; 1 Kings 3:1;...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    MAN-MADE RELIGION 1 Kings 12:25 Jeroboam knew better than to make these two calves. The prophet had clearly told him that the stability of his throne was contingent upon his obedience, 1 Kings 11:38....

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    In this and the four following Chapter s we have the central section of this Book recording the tragedy of the break-up of the nation and the degradation of the people. It covers a period of about six...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Built, or "had built," while Roboam was preparing for his invasion. (Salien) --- Sichem and Phanuel had been ruined by Abimelech, and by Gedeon, Judges viii. 17., and ix. 45. (Calmet) --- By means of...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (25) В¶ Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel. (26) And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of D...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    Solomon was now at the height of his glory, a vivid type of a greater than Solomon. And it is only when we see that he really does thus prefigure the Lord Jesus as King that we can understand the impo...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 11 AND 12. Till now we have had the beautiful picture of God's blessing resting upon the son of David, whose only desire it had been to possess wisdom from Go...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    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 th...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel. Ver. 25. _Then Jeroboam built Shechem._] Shechem had been ruined and sowed with salt, Jdg...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Jeroboam built Shechem_ He repaired, enlarged, and fortified it; for it had been ruined long since, Judges 9:45. He might choose it as a place both auspicious, because here the foundation of his mona...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The Israelites assembled at Shechem to crowne Rehoboam, by Ieroboam make a suite of relaxation vnto him. 6 Rehoboam refusing the olde mens counsell, by the aduice of young men, answereth them rough...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Then Jeroboam built Shechem in Mount Ephraim and dwelt therein, making this city his residence; AND WENT OUT FROM THENCE AND BUILT PENUEL. In both cases the fortifying of the cities is referred to, fo...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    JEROBOAM KING OVER ISRAEL...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    THE TEN TRIBES REBEL (vs.1-24) Rehoboam went to Shechem for his inauguration as king of Israel (v.1). Jereboam, in Egypt, received word quickly of Solomon's death, and his friends in Israel sent to...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    25-33 Jeroboam distrusted the providence of God; he would contrive ways and means, and sinful ones too, for his own safety. A practical disbelief of God's all-sufficiency is at the bottom of all our...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    JEROBOAM BUILT SHECHEM, i.e. he repaired, and enlarged, and fortified it; for it had been ruined long since, JUDGES 9:45. He might choose it as a place both auspicious, because here the foundation of...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Kings 12:25 Jeroboam H3379 built H1129 (H8799) Shechem H7927 mountains H2022 Ephraim H669 dwelt H3427 (H8799) ou

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    INSTEAD OF CHOOSING WHOLLY TO FOLLOW YHWH ON THE BASIS OF THE COVENANT MADE WITH HIM, JEROBOAM THE NEW KING OF ISRAEL CHOOSES THE WAY OF DISASTER (1 KINGS 12:25). But things were not going well in Isr...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE KINGDOM IN CRISIS AND THE COLLAPSE OF AN EMPIRE (1 KINGS 12:1 TO 1 KINGS 14:31). The death of Solomon, as always with the death of a king who had ruled powerfully for a long time and had been some...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Accession and folly of Rehoboam. Kingdom divided. CHARACTERS: God, Rehoboam, Jeroboam, Adoram, Shemiah. CONCLUSION: Taking the counsel of unspiritual men always spells blunder and a rough...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Kings 12:1. _Shechem._ This city was famed for mischief. Here Dinah was ruined, and the men slaughtered. Here Joseph was sold, and now the ten tribes revolted. 1 Kings 12:4. _Thy father made our yok...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 KINGS 12:1 The Kingdom Is Divided. Two kingdoms emerge. Judah is made up of two tribes (Judah and Benjamin) in the south and is ruled by Rehoboam. Israel is made up of the ten northe...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 KINGS 12:25 JEROBOAM BUILT SHECHEM... PENUEL. The first task for Jeroboam was the obvious one of defense. He built up two major cities....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES.— 1 Kings 12:26. NOW SHALL THE KINGDOM RETURN TO THE HOUSE OF DAVID—Recognizing the immediate peril of Israel’s visits to the temple, he sought to alienate their hearts...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL, AND THE SCHISM IN THE CHURCH.—The historian, after describing the great rebellion of the Jewish people, proceeds, in the rest of this chapter, to...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now Rehoboam came to Shechem: and all Israel gathered to Shechem (1 Kings 12:1) Which is just about the center of the land, just about the heart of the country. And they gathered to make him king. An...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Kings 12:1; 1 Kings 15:17; 1 Kings 16:24; 1 Kings 9:15; 1 Kings 9:17

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Shechem — He repaired, and enlarged, and fortified it; for it had been ruined long since, Judges 9:45. He might chuse it as a place both auspicious, because here the foundation of his monarchy was lai...

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