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
And Jeroboam H3379 the son H1121 of Nebat, H5028 an Ephrathite H673 of Zereda, H6868 Solomon's H8010 servant, H5650 whose mother's H517 name H8034 was Zeruah, H6871 a widow H490 woman, H802 even he lifted up H7311 his hand H3027 against the king. H4428 And this was the cause H1697 that he lifted up H7311 his hand H3027 against the king: H4428 Solomon H8010 built H1129 Millo, H4407 and repaired H5462 the breaches H6556 of the city H5892 of David H1732 his father. H1 And the man H376 Jeroboam H3379 was a mighty man H1368 of valour: H2428 and Solomon H8010 seeing H7200 the young man H5288 that he was industrious, H6213 H4399 he made him ruler H6485 over all the charge H5447 of the house H1004 of Joseph. H3130 And it came to pass at that time H6256 when Jeroboam H3379 went out H3318 of Jerusalem, H3389 that the prophet H5030 Ahijah H281 the Shilonite H7888 found H4672 him in the way; H1870 and he had clad H3680 himself with a new H2319 garment; H8008 and they two H8147 were alone in the field: H7704 And Ahijah H281 caught H8610 the new H2319 garment H8008 that was on him, and rent H7167 it in twelve H8147 H6240 pieces: H7168 And he said H559 to Jeroboam, H3379 Take H3947 thee ten H6235 pieces: H7168 for thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 the God H430 of Israel, H3478 Behold, I will rend H7167 the kingdom H4467 out of the hand H3027 of Solomon, H8010 and will give H5414 ten H6235 tribes H7626 to thee:
And it came to pass, when Jeroboam H3379 the son H1121 of Nebat, H5028 who was in Egypt, H4714 whither he had fled H1272 from the presence H6440 of Solomon H8010 the king, H4428 heard H8085 it, that Jeroboam H3379 returned H7725 out of Egypt. H4714 And they sent H7971 and called H7121 him. So Jeroboam H3379 and all Israel H3478 came H935 and spake H1696 to Rehoboam, H7346 saying, H559
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Kings 12
Commentary on 1 Kings 12 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 12
The glory of the kingdom of Israel was in its height and perfection in Solomon; it was long in coming to it, but it soon declined, and began to sink and wither in the very next reign, as we find in this chapter, where we have the kingdom divided, and thereby weakened and made little in comparison with what it had been. Here is,
1Ki 12:1-15
Solomon had 1000 wives and concubines, yet we read but of one son he had to bear up his name, and he a fool. It is said (Hos. 4:10), They shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase. Sin is a bad way of building up a family. Rehoboam was the son of the wisest of men, yet did not inherit his father's wisdom, and then it stood him in little stead to inherit his father's throne. Neither wisdom nor grace runs in the blood. Solomon came to the crown very young, yet he was then a wise man. Rehoboam came to the crown at forty years old, when men will be wise if ever they will, yet he was then foolish. Wisdom does not go by age, nor is it the multitude of years nor the advantage of education that reaches it. Solomon's court was a mart of wisdom and the rendezvous of learned men, and Rehoboam was the darling of the court; and yet all was not sufficient to make him a wise man. The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. No dispute is made of Rehoboam's succession; upon the death of his father, he was immediately proclaimed. But,
1Ki 12:16-24
We have here the rending of the kingdom of the ten tribes from the house of David, to effect which,
1Ki 12:25-33
We have here the beginning of the reign of Jeroboam. He built Shechem first and then Penuel-beautified and fortified them, and probably had a palace in each of them for himself (v. 25), the former in Ephraim, the latter in Gad, on the other side Jordan. This might be proper; but he formed another project for the establishing of his kingdom which was fatal to the interests of religion in it.