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 had created and which Jeroboam (who knew of it, see 1 Kings 11:28) had perhaps stimulated, and partly... [ Continue Reading ]
SHECHEM] The principal town of Ephraim (the modern Nâblûs): it had manifestly been restored after its destruction as related in Judges 9:45. The choice of this city as the place of assembly was due partly to the importance of Ephraim as a tribe, and partly to its nearness to a sanctuary (that on Mt.... [ Continue Reading ]
DWELT IN EGYPT] LXX has creturned from Egypt.'... [ Continue Reading ]
CALLED HIM] This implies that Jeroboam was known to sympathise with the grievances under which the people laboured.... [ Continue Reading ]
MADE OUR YOKE GRIEVOUS] i.e. by the forced labour imposed upon them (1 Kings 5:13).... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THOU WILT BE A SERVANT] i.e. by making timely concessions to his people.... [ Continue Reading ]
MY LITTLE _finger_] a figurative expression, explained by what follows.... [ Continue Reading ]
SCORPIONS] a rod or lash used in scourging.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CAUSE.. LORD] i.e. the turn of events was the means appointed by God's providence to bring about the punishment merited by Solomon's sin (1 Kings 11:11).... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT PORTION] for this signal of revolt cp. 2 Samuel 20:1. NOW SEE.. HOUSE] a declaration of independence and a warning against further interference.... [ Continue Reading ]
CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.. JUDAH] probably, in the main, members of the tribe of Simeon: cp. 1 Kings 19:3 with Joshua 15:28.... [ Continue Reading ]
ADORAM] cp. 2 Samuel 20:24. He is called Adoniram in... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO THIS DAY] This passage must originally have been written not only before the destruction of Jerusalem but of Samaria: cp. 1 Samuel 8:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TRIBE OF JUDAH ONLY] This accords with the words of Ahijah in 1 Kings 11:32 and if the remaining tribes that fell to Jeroboam are reckoned as ten (1 Kings 11:31) and not eleven, the explanation is to be found in the omission of Levi (as the priestly tribe) and in regarding Ephraim and Manasseh a... [ Continue Reading ]
SHEMAIAH] mentioned again in 2 Chronicles 12:5; 2 Chronicles 12:7; 2 Chronicles 12:15.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE REMNANT OF THE PEOPLE] i.e. those belonging by lineage to the other tribes: cp. 1 Kings 12:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUILT] i.e. fortified: cp. 1 Kings 9:17. PENUEL] in Gilead, E. of Jordan: cp. Judges 8:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW SHALL.. DAVID] Jeroboam feared that if his people still went to Jerusalem three times a year to keep the feasts, they would be tempted to return to their allegiance to Rehoboam. He had not sufficient faith in God's power to bring about His promises (1 Kings 11:38), and so adopted measures to saf... [ Continue Reading ]
TWO CALVES _of_ GOLD] The calves were not intended as substitutes for the Lord (Jehovah) but as symbols of Him, as appears from the king's words to the people. It has been thought by some that such symbols were derived from Egypt where the living bull Apis was worshipped, and where Jeroboam had live... [ Continue Reading ]
BETH-EL.. DAN] on the S. border of Ephraim and in the N. of Naphtali respectively, and so at the two extremities of the kingdom to meet the convenience of the people. Both places had previously been the seats of religious worship: see, for Bethel, Genesis 28:1; Genesis 35:1; Genesis 35:7; Judges 20:... [ Continue Reading ]
BEFORE THE ONE] The text is incomplete: RM 'before each of them.'... [ Continue Reading ]
AN HOUSE OF HIGH PLACES] LXX 'made houses (i.e. sanctuaries) upon high places': see on 1 Kings 3:2. OF THE LOWEST OF THE PEOPLE] better, 'from all the people indiscriminately.' In Dt the priesthood is restricted to the Levites (see on 1 Kings 8:4), and the narrator judges Jeroboam's conduct from the... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FEAST] i.e. the Feast of Tabernacles or Ingathering, on the 15th day of the 7th month. The new feast instituted by Jeroboam was placed a month later, probably on account of the later date of the vintage in N. Palestine. HE PLACED IN BETH-EL] Bethel appears to have been, at least in later times,... [ Continue Reading ]
OF HIS OWN HEART] For political and self-regarding reasons he disturbed the hallowed associations which had gathered round the month previously set apart for the Festival of Ingathering. HE OFFERED UPON THE ALTAR] The king himself officiated as priest. The v. is closely connected with 1 Kings 13:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
TRIBUTE] RV 'levy.' STONED HIM] Stones were the usual weapons in outbreaks of popular fury: cp. Exodus 17:4; 1 Samuel 30:6.... [ Continue Reading ]