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2 Chronicles 11:1-23 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 And when Rehoboam H7346 was come H935 to Jerusalem, H3389 he gathered H6950 of the house H1004 of Judah H3063 and Benjamin H1144 an hundred H3967 and fourscore H8084 thousand H505 chosen H977 men, which were warriors, H6213 H4421 to fight H3898 against Israel, H3478 that he might bring H7725 the kingdom H4467 again H7725 to Rehoboam. H7346

2 But the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came to Shemaiah H8098 the man H376 of God, H430 saying, H559

3 Speak H559 unto Rehoboam H7346 the son H1121 of Solomon, H8010 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 and to all Israel H3478 in Judah H3063 and Benjamin, H1144 saying, H559

4 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Ye shall not go up, H5927 nor fight H3898 against your brethren: H251 return H7725 every man H376 to his house: H1004 for this thing H1697 is done H1961 of me. And they obeyed H8085 the words H1697 of the LORD, H3068 and returned H7725 from going H3212 against Jeroboam. H3379

5 And Rehoboam H7346 dwelt H3427 in Jerusalem, H3389 and built H1129 cities H5892 for defence H4692 in Judah. H3063

6 He built H1129 even Bethlehem, H1035 and Etam, H5862 and Tekoa, H8620

7 And Bethzur, H1049 and Shoco, H7755 and Adullam, H5725

8 And Gath, H1661 and Mareshah, H4762 and Ziph, H2128

9 And Adoraim, H115 and Lachish, H3923 and Azekah, H5825

10 And Zorah, H6881 and Aijalon, H357 and Hebron, H2275 which are in Judah H3063 and in Benjamin H1144 fenced H4694 cities. H5892

11 And he fortified H2388 the strong holds, H4694 and put H5414 captains H5057 in them, and store H214 of victual, H3978 and of oil H8081 and wine. H3196

12 And in every several city H5892 he put shields H6793 and spears, H7420 and made them exceeding H7235 H3966 strong, H2388 having Judah H3063 and Benjamin H1144 on his side.

13 And the priests H3548 and the Levites H3881 that were in all Israel H3478 resorted H3320 to him out of all their coasts. H1366

14 For the Levites H3881 left H5800 their suburbs H4054 and their possession, H272 and came H3212 to Judah H3063 and Jerusalem: H3389 for Jeroboam H3379 and his sons H1121 had cast them off H2186 from executing the priest's office H3547 unto the LORD: H3068

15 And he ordained H5975 him priests H3548 for the high places, H1116 and for the devils, H8163 and for the calves H5695 which he had made. H6213

16 And after H310 them out of all the tribes H7626 of Israel H3478 such as set H5414 their hearts H3824 to seek H1245 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 came H935 to Jerusalem, H3389 to sacrifice H2076 unto the LORD H3068 God H430 of their fathers. H1

17 So they strengthened H2388 the kingdom H4438 of Judah, H3063 and made Rehoboam H7346 the son H1121 of Solomon H8010 strong, H553 three H7969 years: H8141 for three H7969 years H8141 they walked H1980 in the way H1870 of David H1732 and Solomon. H8010

18 And Rehoboam H7346 took H3947 him Mahalath H4258 the daughter H1323 H1121 of Jerimoth H3406 the son H1121 of David H1732 to wife, H802 and Abihail H32 the daughter H1323 of Eliab H446 the son H1121 of Jesse; H3448

19 Which bare H3205 him children; H1121 Jeush, H3266 and Shamariah, H8114 and Zaham. H2093

20 And after H310 her he took H3947 Maachah H4601 the daughter H1323 of Absalom; H53 which bare H3205 him Abijah, H29 and Attai, H6262 and Ziza, H2124 and Shelomith. H8019

21 And Rehoboam H7346 loved H157 Maachah H4601 the daughter H1323 of Absalom H53 above all his wives H802 and his concubines: H6370 (for he took H5375 eighteen H8083 H6240 wives, H802 and threescore H8346 concubines; H6370 and begat H3205 twenty H6242 and eight H8083 sons, H1121 and threescore H8346 daughters.) H1323

22 And Rehoboam H7346 made H5975 Abijah H29 the son H1121 of Maachah H4601 the chief, H7218 to be ruler H5057 among his brethren: H251 for he thought to make him king. H4427

23 And he dealt wisely, H995 and dispersed H6555 of all his children H1121 throughout all the countries H776 of Judah H3063 and Benjamin, H1144 unto every fenced H4694 city: H5892 and he gave H5414 them victual H4202 in abundance. H7230 And he desired H7592 many H1995 wives. H802

Commentary on 2 Chronicles 11 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 11

2Ch 11:1-17. Rehoboam, Raising an Army to Subdue Israel, Is Forbidden by Shemaiah.

1-4. Rehoboam … gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin … to fight against Israel—(See 1Ki 12:21-24).

5-11. built cities for defence in Judah—This is evidently used as the name of the southern kingdom. Rehoboam, having now a bitter enemy in Israel, deemed it prudent to lose no time in fortifying several cities that lay along the frontier of his kingdom. Jeroboam, on his side, took a similar precaution (1Ki 12:25). Of the fifteen cities named, Aijalon, now Yalo, and Zorah, now Surah, between Jerusalem and Jabneh [Robinson], lay within the province of Benjamin. Gath, though a Philistine city, had been subject to Solomon. And Etham, which was on the border of Simeon, now incorporated with the kingdom of Israel, was fortified to repel danger from that quarter. These fortresses Rehoboam placed under able commanders and stocked them with provisions and military stores, sufficient, if necessary, to stand a siege. In the crippled state of his kingdom, he seems to have been afraid lest it might be made the prey of some powerful neighbors.

13-17. the priests and the Levites … resorted to him out of all their coasts—This was an accession of moral power, for the maintenance of the true religion is the best support and safeguard of any nation; and as it was peculiarly the grand source of the strength and prosperity of the Hebrew monarchy, the great numbers of good and pious people who sought an asylum within the territories of Judah contributed greatly to consolidate the throne of Rehoboam. The cause of so extensive an emigration from the kingdom of Israel was the deep and daring policy of Jeroboam, who set himself to break the national unity by entirely abolishing, within his dominions, the religious institutions of Judaism. He dreaded an eventual reunion of the tribes if the people continued to repair thrice a year to worship in Jerusalem as they were obliged by law to do. Accordingly, on pretense that the distance of that city was too great for multitudes of his subjects, he fixed upon two more convenient places, where he established a new mode of worshipping God under gross and prohibited symbols [1Ki 12:26-33]. The priests and Levites, refusing to take part in the idolatrous ceremonies, were ejected from their living [2Ch 11:13, 14]. Along with them a large body of the people who faithfully adhered to the instituted worship of God, offended and shocked by the impious innovations, departed from the kingdom.

15. he ordained him priests—The persons he appointed to the priesthood were low and worthless creatures (1Ki 12:31; 13:33); any were consecrated who brought a bullock and seven rams (2Ch 13:9; Ex 29:37).

for the high places—Those favorite places of religious worship were encouraged throughout the country.

for the devils—a term sometimes used for idols in general (Le 17:7). But here it is applied distinctively to the goat deities, which were probably worshipped chiefly in the northern parts of his kingdom, where the heathen Canaanites still abounded.

for the calves which he had made—figures of the ox gods Apis and Mnevis, with which Jeroboam's residence in Egypt had familiarized him. (See on 1Ki 12:26).

17. they strengthened the kingdom of Judah—The innovating measures of Jeroboam were not introduced all at once. But as they were developed, the secession of the most excellent of his subjects began, and continuing to increase for three years, lowered the tone of religion in his kingdom, while it proportionally quickened its life and extended its influence in that of Judah.

2Ch 11:18-23. His Wives and Children.

18. Rehoboam took Mahalath—The names of her father and mother are given. Jerimoth, the father, must have been the son of one of David's concubines (1Ch 3:9). Abihail was, of course, his cousin, previous to their marriage.

20. after her he took Maachah … daughter—that is, granddaughter (2Sa 14:27) of Absalom, Tamar being, according to Josephus, her mother. (Compare 2Sa 18:18).

21. he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines—This royal harem, though far smaller than his father's, was equally in violation of the law, which forbade a king to "multiply wives unto himself" [De 17:17].

22. made Abijah … chief … ruler among his brethren—This preference seems to have been given to Abijah solely from the king's doting fondness for his mother and through her influence over him. It is plainly implied that Abijah was not the oldest of the family. In destining a younger son for the kingdom, without a divine warrant, as in Solomon's case, Rehoboam acted in violation of the law (De 21:15).

23. he dealt wisely—that is, with deep and calculating policy (Ex 1:10).

and dispersed of all his children … unto every fenced city—The circumstance of twenty-eight sons of the king being made governors of fortresses would, in our quarter of the world, produce jealousy and dissatisfaction. But Eastern monarchs ensure peace and tranquillity to their kingdom by bestowing government offices on their sons and grandsons. They obtain an independent provision, and being kept apart, are not likely to cabal in their father's lifetime. Rehoboam acted thus, and his sagacity will appear still greater if the wives he desired for them belonged to the cities where each son was located. These connections would bind them more closely to their respective places. In the modern countries of the East, particularly Persia and Turkey, younger princes were, till very lately, shut up in the harem during their father's lifetime; and, to prevent competition, they were blinded or killed when their brother ascended the throne. In the former country the old practice of dispersing them through the country as Rehoboam did, has been again revived.