_REHOBOAM REFUSING THE OLD MEN'S COUNSEL, TEN TRIBES REVOLT FROM HIM, AND MAKE JEROBOAM KING. HE IS FORBIDDEN BY SHEMAIAH THE PROPHET TO FIGHT AGAINST JEROBOAM. JEROBOAM'S IDOLATRY._ _Before Christ 975._... [ Continue Reading ]
REHOBOAM WENT TO SHECHEM— Shechem stood not only in the centre of the kingdom of Israel, but in the middle of the tribe of Ephraim, wherein was the greater number of mal-contents. It was, therefore, very probably, by the management of Jeroboam, or some of his friends who durst not, perhaps, venture... [ Continue Reading ]
THY FATHER MADE OUR YOKE GRIEVOUS— What the particular grievances were which these people desire to have redressed, we may gather from chap. 1 Kings 4:7 namely, the tribute that Solomon exacted for his buildings, the expences of his family, and the maintenance of his chariots and horses. It is obser... [ Continue Reading ]
CONSULTED WITH THE YOUNG MEN THAT WERE GROWN UP WITH HIM— It was a custom among the kings of the east, to have their sons educated among other young lords of the same age; which, as it created a generous spirit of emulation, and both endeared the prince to the nobles, and the nobles to the prince, c... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW, SEE TO THINE OWN HOUSE, DAVID— It is observable to every reader of the History of the Jews, of how ungrateful a disposition this people was; not only to God, but to their best temporal benefactors. Surely no nation ever owed greater obligations to a prince, than the Israelites did to David; yet... [ Continue Reading ]
REHOBOAM SENT ADORAM, &C.— He sent Adoram to treat with them, which was an act of great imprudence when they were so highly exasperated. But to send so disagreeable a man, one who was the collector of the very tribute of which they complained, was downright infatuation; for, nothing is so natural as... [ Continue Reading ]
SHEMAIAH THE MAN OF GOD— This prophet was very well known in the reign of Rehoboam. He is supposed to have written the annals of that prince; and of what authority he was in Judah we may gather from this passage, where he is said to have prevailed with the king and a hundred and fourscore thousand m... [ Continue Reading ]
JEROBOAM BUILT SHECHEM— 1:e. Rebuilt, enlarged, and beautified it, and made it a royal city.... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THIS PEOPLE GO UP TO DO SACRIFICE, &C.— Though the people were very angry with their ill-advised king, and though his ungracious reception of their tender of duty to him, and his threats of worse treatment towards them, transported and provoked them so far, as to make them withdraw their obedienc... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MADE TWO CALVES OF GOLD, &C.— The text is very plain respecting the reasons why Jeroboam set up these calves; and there can be no room to doubt that they were of the same kind with the calf set up by Aaron, concerning which we have spoken at large in our note on Exodus 32:4 to which we refer, su... [ Continue Reading ]
HE—MADE PRIESTS OF THE LOWEST OF THE PEOPLE, &C.— _Out of the bulk of the people,_ &c. See Genesis 47:2.Ezekiel 33:2. _Of certain families which were not of the tribe of Levi._ Houbigant.... [ Continue Reading ]
JEROBOAM ORDAINED A FEAST IN THE EIGHTH MONTH, &C.— As the Jews had their feast of tabernacles on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, so Jeroboam had a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, which he instituted of his own accord. Some suppose, that as this feast was appointed by God to... [ Continue Reading ]