1 And Rehoboam H7346 went H3212 to Shechem: H7927 for all Israel H3478 were come H935 to Shechem H7927 to make him king. H4427
2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam H3379 the son H1121 of Nebat, H5028 who was yet in Egypt, H4714 heard H8085 of it, (for he was fled H1272 from the presence H6440 of king H4428 Solomon, H8010 and Jeroboam H3379 dwelt H3427 in Egypt;) H4714
3 That they sent H7971 and called H7121 him. And Jeroboam H3379 and all the congregation H6951 of Israel H3478 came, H935 and spake H1696 unto Rehoboam, H7346 saying, H559
4 Thy father H1 made H7185 our yoke H5923 grievous: H7185 now therefore make thou the grievous H7186 service H5656 of thy father, H1 and his heavy H3515 yoke H5923 which he put H5414 upon us, lighter, H7043 and we will serve H5647 thee.
5 And he said H559 unto them, Depart H3212 yet for three H7969 days, H3117 then come again H7725 to me. And the people H5971 departed. H3212
6 And king H4428 Rehoboam H7346 consulted H3289 with the old men, H2205 that stood H5975 before H6440 Solomon H8010 his father H1 while he yet lived, H2416 and said, H559 How do ye advise H3289 that I may H7725 answer H1697 this people? H5971
7 And they spake H1696 unto him, saying, H559 If thou wilt be a servant H5650 unto this people H5971 this day, H3117 and wilt serve H5647 them, and answer H6030 them, and speak H1696 good H2896 words H1697 to them, then they will be thy servants H5650 for ever. H3117
8 But he forsook H5800 the counsel H6098 of the old men, H2205 which they had given H3289 him, and consulted H3289 with the young men H3206 that were grown up H1431 with him, and which stood H5975 before H6440 him:
9 And he said H559 unto them, What counsel give H3289 ye that we may H7725 answer H1697 this people, H5971 who have spoken H1696 to me, saying, H559 Make H7043 the yoke H5923 which thy father H1 did put H5414 upon us lighter? H7043
10 And the young men H3206 that were grown up H1431 with him spake H1696 unto him, saying, H559 Thus shalt thou speak H559 unto this people H5971 that spake H1696 unto thee, saying, H559 Thy father H1 made H3513 our yoke H5923 heavy, H3513 but make thou it lighter H7043 unto us; thus shalt thou say H1696 unto them, My little H6995 finger shall be thicker H5666 than my father's H1 loins. H4975
11 And now whereas my father H1 did lade H6006 you with a heavy H3515 yoke, H5923 I will add H3254 to your yoke: H5923 my father H1 hath chastised H3256 you with whips, H7752 but I will chastise H3256 you with scorpions. H6137
12 So Jeroboam H3379 and all the people H5971 came H935 to Rehoboam H7346 the third H7992 day, H3117 as the king H4428 had appointed, H1696 saying, H559 Come to me again H7725 the third H7992 day. H3117
13 And the king H4428 answered H6030 the people H5971 roughly, H7186 and forsook H5800 the old men's H2205 counsel H6098 that they gave H3289 him;
14 And spake H1696 to them after the counsel H6098 of the young men, H3206 saying, H559 My father H1 made H3513 your yoke H5923 heavy, H3513 and I will add H3254 to your yoke: H5923 my father H1 also chastised H3256 you with whips, H7752 but I will chastise H3256 you with scorpions. H6137
15 Wherefore the king H4428 hearkened H8085 not unto the people; H5971 for the cause H5438 was from the LORD, H3068 that he might perform H6965 his saying, H1697 which the LORD H3068 spake H1696 by H3027 Ahijah H281 the Shilonite H7888 unto Jeroboam H3379 the son H1121 of Nebat. H5028
16 So H7725 when all Israel H3478 saw H7200 that the king H4428 hearkened H8085 not unto them, the people H5971 answered H1697 the king, H4428 saying, H559 What portion H2506 have we in David? H1732 neither have we inheritance H5159 in the son H1121 of Jesse: H3448 to your tents, H168 O Israel: H3478 now see H7200 to thine own house, H1004 David. H1732 So Israel H3478 departed H3212 unto their tents. H168
17 But as for the children H1121 of Israel H3478 which dwelt H3427 in the cities H5892 of Judah, H3063 Rehoboam H7346 reigned H4427 over them.
18 Then king H4428 Rehoboam H7346 sent H7971 Adoram, H151 who was over the tribute; H4522 and all Israel H3478 stoned H7275 him with stones, H68 that he died. H4191 Therefore king H4428 Rehoboam H7346 made speed H553 to get him up H5927 to his chariot, H4818 to flee H5127 to Jerusalem. H3389
19 So Israel H3478 rebelled H6586 against the house H1004 of David H1732 unto this day. H3117
20 And it came to pass, when all Israel H3478 heard H8085 that Jeroboam H3379 was come again, H7725 that they sent H7971 and called H7121 him unto the congregation, H5712 and made him king H4427 over all Israel: H3478 there was none that followed H310 the house H1004 of David, H1732 but H2108 the tribe H7626 of Judah H3063 only.
21 And when Rehoboam H7346 was come H935 to Jerusalem, H3389 he assembled H6950 all the house H1004 of Judah, H3063 with the tribe H7626 of Benjamin, H1144 an hundred H3967 and fourscore H8084 thousand H505 chosen men, H977 which were warriors, H6213 H4421 to fight H3898 against the house H1004 of Israel, H3478 to bring H7725 the kingdom H4410 again H7725 to Rehoboam H7346 the son H1121 of Solomon. H8010
22 But the word H1697 of God H430 came unto Shemaiah H8098 the man H376 of God, H430 saying, H559
23 Speak H559 unto Rehoboam, H7346 the son H1121 of Solomon, H8010 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 and unto all the house H1004 of Judah H3063 and Benjamin, H1144 and to the remnant H3499 of the people, H5971 saying, H559
24 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Ye shall not go up, H5927 nor fight H3898 against your brethren H251 the children H1121 of Israel: H3478 return H7725 every man H376 to his house; H1004 for this thing H1697 is H1961 from me. They hearkened H8085 therefore to the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 and returned H7725 to depart, H3212 according to the word H1697 of the LORD. H3068
25 Then Jeroboam H3379 built H1129 Shechem H7927 in mount H2022 Ephraim, H669 and dwelt H3427 therein; and went out H3318 from thence, and built H1129 Penuel. H6439
26 And Jeroboam H3379 said H559 in his heart, H3820 Now shall the kingdom H4467 return H7725 to the house H1004 of David: H1732
27 If this people H5971 go up H5927 to do H6213 sacrifice H2077 in the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 at Jerusalem, H3389 then shall the heart H3820 of this people H5971 turn again H7725 unto their lord, H113 even unto Rehoboam H7346 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 and they shall kill H2026 me, and go again H7725 to Rehoboam H7346 king H4428 of Judah. H3063
28 Whereupon the king H4428 took counsel, H3289 and made H6213 two H8147 calves H5695 of gold, H2091 and said H559 unto them, It is too much H7227 for you to go up H5927 to Jerusalem: H3389 behold thy gods, H430 O Israel, H3478 which brought thee up H5927 out of the land H776 of Egypt. H4714
29 And he set H7760 the one H259 in Bethel, H1008 and the other H259 put H5414 he in Dan. H1835
30 And this thing H1697 became a sin: H2403 for the people H5971 went H3212 to worship before H6440 the one, H259 even unto Dan. H1835
31 And he made H6213 an house H1004 of high places, H1116 and made H6213 priests H3548 of the lowest H7098 of the people, H5971 which were not of the sons H1121 of Levi. H3878
32 And Jeroboam H3379 ordained H6213 a feast H2282 in the eighth H8066 month, H2320 on the fifteenth H2568 H6240 day H3117 of the month, H2320 like unto the feast H2282 that is in Judah, H3063 and he offered H5927 upon the altar. H4196 So did H6213 he in Bethel, H1008 sacrificing H2076 unto the calves H5695 that he had made: H6213 and he placed H5975 in Bethel H1008 the priests H3548 of the high places H1116 which he had made. H6213
33 So he offered H5927 upon the altar H4196 which he had made H6213 in Bethel H1008 the fifteenth H2568 H6240 day H3117 of the eighth H8066 month, H2320 even in the month H2320 which he had devised H908 of his own heart; H3820 and ordained H6213 a feast H2282 unto the children H1121 of Israel: H3478 and he offered H5927 upon the altar, H4196 and burnt incense. H6999
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Kings 12
Commentary on 1 Kings 12 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 12
1Ki 12:1-5. Refusing the Old Men's Counsel.
1. Rehoboam went to Shechem—He was the oldest, and perhaps the only son of Solomon, and had been, doubtless, designated by his father heir to the throne, as Solomon had been by David. The incident here related took place after the funeral obsequies of the late king and the period for public mourning had past. When all Israel came to make him king, it was not to exercise their old right of election (1Sa 10:19-21), for, after God's promise of the perpetual sovereignty to David's posterity, their duty was submission to the authority of the rightful heir; but their object was, when making him king, to renew the conditions and stipulations to which their constitutional kings were subject (1Sa 10:25). To the omission of such rehearsing which, under the peculiar circumstances in which Solomon was made king, they were disposed to ascribe the absolutism of his government.
Shechem—This ancient, venerable, and central town was the place of convocation; and it is evident, if not from the appointment of that place, at least from the tenor of their language, and the concerted presence of Jeroboam [1Ki 12:3], that the people were determined on revolt.
4. Thy father made our yoke grievous—The splendor of Solomon's court and the magnitude of his undertakings being such, that neither the tribute of dependent states, nor the presents of foreign princes, nor the profits of his commercial enterprises, were adequate to carry them on, he had been obliged, for obtaining the necessary revenue, to begin a system of heavy taxation. The people looked only to the burdens, not to the benefits they derived from Solomon's peaceful and prosperous reign—and the evils from which they demanded deliverance were civil oppressions, not idolatry, to which they appear to have been indifferent or approving.
5-8. he said … Depart yet for three days—It was prudent to take the people's demand into calm and deliberate consideration. Whether, had the advice of the sage and experienced counsellors been followed, any good result would have followed, it is impossible to say. It would at least have removed all pretext for the separation. [See on 2Ch 10:7.] But he preferred the counsel of his young companions (not in age, for they were all about forty-one, but inexperienced), who recommended prompt and decisive measures to quell the malcontents.
11. whips … scorpions—The latter [instruments], as contrasted with the former, are supposed to mean thongs thickly set with sharp iron points, used in the castigation of slaves.
15-18. the king hearkened not unto the people, for the cause was from the Lord—That was the overruling cause. Rehoboam's weakness (Ec 2:18, 19) and inexperience in public affairs has given rise to the probable conjecture, that, like many other princes in the East, he had been kept secluded in the harem till the period of his accession (Ec 4:14), his father being either afraid of his aspiring to the sovereignty, like the two sons of David, or, which is more probable, afraid of prematurely exposing his imbecility. The king's haughty and violent answer to a people already filled with a spirit of discontent and exasperation, indicated so great an incapacity to appreciate the gravity of the crisis, so utter a want of common sense, as to create a belief that he was struck with judicial blindness. It was received with mingled scorn and derision. The revolt was accomplished, and yet so quietly, that Rehoboam remained in Shechem, fancying himself the sovereign of a united kingdom, until his chief tax gatherer, who had been most imprudently sent to treat with the people, had been stoned to death. This opened his eyes, and he fled for security to Jerusalem.
1Ki 12:20-33. Jeroboam Made King over Them.
20-24. when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again—This verse closes the parenthetical narrative begun at 1Ki 12:2, and 1Ki 12:21-24 resume the history from 1Ki 12:1. Rehoboam determined to assert his authority by leading a large force into the disaffected provinces. But the revolt of the ten tribes was completed when the prophet Shemaiah ordered, in the Lord's name, an abandonment of any hostile measures against the revolutionists. The army, overawed by the divine prohibition, dispersed, and the king was obliged to submit.
25. Jeroboam built Shechem—destroyed by Abimelech (Jud 9:1-49). It was rebuilt, and perhaps fortified, by Jeroboam, as a royal residence.
built Penuel—a ruined city with a tower (Jud 8:9), east of Jordan, on the north bank of the Jabbok. It was an object of importance to restore this fortress (as it lay on the caravan road from Gilead to Damascus and Palmyra) and to secure his frontier on that quarter.
26-32. Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David—Having received the kingdom from God, he should have relied on the divine protection. But he did not. With a view to withdraw the people from the temple and destroy the sacred associations connected with Jerusalem, he made serious and unwarranted innovations on the religious observances of the country, on pretext of saving the people the trouble and expense of a distant journey. First, he erected two golden calves—the young bulls, Apis and Mnevis, as symbols (in the Egyptian fashion) of the true God, and the nearest, according to his fancy, to the figures of the cherubim. The one was placed at Dan, in the northern part of his kingdom; the other at Beth-el, the southern extremity, in sight of Jerusalem, and in which place he probably thought God was as likely to manifest Himself as at Jerusalem (Ge 32:1-32; 2Ki 2:2). The latter place was the most frequented—for the words (1Ki 12:30) should be rendered, "the people even to Dan went to worship before the one" (Jer 48:13; Am 4:4, 5; 5:5; Ho 5:8; 10:8). The innovation was a sin because it was setting up the worship of God by symbols and images and departing from the place where He had chosen to put His name. Secondly, he changed the feast of tabernacles from the fifteenth of the seventh to the fifteenth of the eighth month. The ostensible reason might be, that the ingathering or harvest was later in the northern parts of the kingdom; but the real reason was to eradicate the old association with this, the most welcome and joyous festival of the year.
31. made priests of the lowest of the people—literally, "out of all the people," the Levites refusing to act. He himself assumed to himself the functions of the high priest, at least, at the great festival, probably from seeing the king of Egypt conjoin the royal and sacred offices, and deeming the office of the high priest too great to be vested in a subject.