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CHAPTER XI

Rehoboam raises an array, purposing to reduce the ten tribes; but is prevented by Shemaiah the prophet, 1-4. He builds several cities of defense, and fortifies others, 5-12. The priests and Levites being turned out by Jeroboam, come to Rehoboam, 13, 14. Jeroboam's gross idolatry, 15. The pious of the land join with Judah, and strengthen the kingdom of Rehoboam, 16, 17. His wives, concubines, and numerous issue, 18-21. He places his own sons for governors in the different provinces, 22, 23.

NOTES ON CHAP. XI

Verse 1. "Gathered of the house of Judah" - See this account 1 Kings xii. 21-24, and the notes there.

Verse 5. "And built cities for defense in Judah." - He was obliged to strengthen his frontiers against the encroachments of the men of Israel; and Jeroboam did the same thing on his part to prevent the inroads of Judah. See 1 Kings xii. 25.

Verse 11. "Store of victual" - In these places he laid up stores of provisions, not only to enable them to endure a siege; but also that they might be able, from their situation, to supply desolate places.

Verse 14. "The Levites left their suburbs" - They and the priests were expelled from their offices by Jeroboam, lest they should turn the hearts of the people to the true God, and then they would revolt to Judah, 1 Kings xii. 26; and therefore he established a new worship, and made new gods.

Verse 15. "And he ordained him priests-for the devils" - µyry[Ť seirim, the hairy ones; probably goats: for as the golden calves, or oxen, were in imitation of the Egyptian ox-god, Apis; so they no doubt paid Divine honours to the goat, which we know was an object of religious veneration in Egypt.

Verse 16. "Such as set their hearts to seek the Lord" - All the truly pious joined him out of every tribe, and the whole tribe of Levi, being deprived of their functions, joined him also. Thus he had Judah, Benjamin, and Levi, and probably a part of Simeon; for he had Etam, which was in that tribe, and the truly religious out of all the other tribes, for they could not bear Jeroboam's idolatry.

Verse 17. "For three years they walked in the way of David" - During this time he prospered; but for fourteen years after this he and the people were unfaithful to the Lord, except at such intervals as the hand of God's judgments was upon them.

Verse 18. "Took him Mahalath" - By marrying thus in the family of David, he strengthened his right to the Jewish throne.

Verse 20. "Maachah the daughter of Absalom" - See the note on 1 Kings xv. 10. She is called Michaiah, the daughter of Uriel, 2 Chron. xiii. 2. For this the Targum gives the following reason: "Abijah reigned three years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Michaiah, daughter of Uriel of Gibeatha. She is the same as Michah, the daughter of Absalom; but, because she was an upright woman, her name was changed into the more excellent name Michaiah, and her fathers name into that of Uriel of Gibeatha, that the name of Absalom might not be remembered."

Verse 21. "Eighteen wives and threescore concubines" - Bad enough, but not so abandoned as his father. Of these marriages and concubinage the issue was twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters; eighty-eight children in the whole, to the education of the whole of whom he could pay but little attention. Numerous families are often neglected; and children by different women, must be yet in a worse state.

Verse 22. "Made Abijah-the chief" - Abijah certainly was not the first-born of Rehoboam; but as he loved Maachah more than any of his wives, so he preferred her son, probably through his mother's influence. In Deut. xxi. 16, this sort of preference is forbidden; but Rehoboam had a sort of precedent in the preference shown by David to Solomon.

Verse 23. "He dealt wisely" - It was true policy to disperse his own sons through the different provinces who were not likely to form any league with Jeroboam against their father.