Westminster Annotations, 1 Kings (3 Kings) · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
Vers. 1. REhoboam went to Shechem] 2 Chron. 10. 1. A city in the tribe of Ephraim, which belonged to the Levites (Josh. 20. 7.) in the midst of the land, most convenient for all the tribes to come unto: thither Joshua gathered all Israel; there Abimelech consulted about the kingdom, Judg. 9. 1.
for all] The reason why Rehoboam went thither, rather then to Jerusalem.
to make him king] To crown him, and to perform such solemnities as were used at a kings coronation, if at least he would yeeld to their conditions, v. 4.
V. 2. Egypt] Chap. 11. 40.
heard of it] Of Solomons death, chap. 11. v. 40.
dwelt] Till that time, or he returned from Egypt, as 2 Chro. 10. 2.
V. 3. they sent] Some of his speciall friends that conspired with him, had sent to him before-hand, while Rehoboam was solemnizing his fathers funerall rites; so Jeroboam had time to return to Israel, and to plot with his complices about the kingdom.
Jeroboam] He was the mouth of all Israel, having been a prime officer of Solomons counsell, who suffered in the peoples cause; being also a man of valour. See chap. 21. v. 26, 28.
V. 4. yoke] Chap. 4. 7. Service or subjection, Jer. 27. 8, 11, 12. Levit. 26. 13.
grievous] By hard services, and great taxes. This may have reference to that large provision which was taken out of all parts of the land to maintain the royalty of his court (chap. 4. 7, 2, 23.) and to the great pains of multitudes of people about his buildings, and other affairs (chap. 5. 18. and 9. 22.) But questionlesse there were other farre more grievous burdens laid on them after his apostasie, to maintain the royalty and idolatry of his seven hundred wives, all princesses, and three hundred concubines.
of thy father] Which thy father exacted of us.
serve thee] Accept thee for our king, and be subject to thee, vers. 7.
V. 5. Depart yet] This he said, to gain time for advice and counsell; which, in a case of so great importance, was a point of good prudence, had he not preferred the arrogant advice of unexperienced youths, before the grave counsell of well staid states-men.
V. 6. old men] Ancient and experienced counsellours of state, called privie counsellors: Gen. 50. 7, elders of the land.
stood before] Were on all occasions called to advise with him, as Esth. 1. 14.
V. 7. a servant] As a servant, yeeld to them.
and serve them] Do what they require, 2 Chron. 10. 7.
thy servants] Obedient subjects. See v. 4.
V. 8. young men] Unexperienced; stiled young, in opposition to the old men, v. 6.
grown up with him] Been with him from time to time.
stood before him] Attended upon him.
V. 9. What counsell] They who like not good counsell, are ready to seek for other counsell, to get some pretext to justifie their folly.
V. 10. My little, &c.] A proverbiall and hyperbolicall speech. By little (for the word finger is not in the Hebrew, but yet fitly supplied) he means the least and weakest member of the body: By loins, the side, or thigh, or back, which are the greatest and strongest parts: whereby he implieth, That his power and courage farre surpassed his fathers. He alludes to his fathers youth, when the crown was first set on his head, chap. 3. 7. 1 Chron. 22. 5. and to his own man-age, chap. 14 21. Yet it is a speech full of great pride, boldnesse, folly and falshood.
V. 11. with whips] Another proverbiall speech. Whips are cruell instruments of punishing, they use to be made with hard whip-cord knotted; they quickly fetch blood, and tear skin and flesh. Scorpions are venimous creatures with stings in their tails, whereby men are intolerably tortured, even unto death: There are also certain scourges of wyar, with knops of lead and sharp hooks or pricks at the ends of them, which are called scorpions. Some write of kindes of briers or thorns called scorpions. All these senses of the word tend to one and the same end, and imply, That he would handle them much more roughly and hardly then his father had done.
V. 12. appointed] See v. 5.
V. 13. roughly] Heb. hardly; Not fore-seeing nor fearing what the issue of exasperating a people might be.
V. 14. I will adde, &c.] Because the counsell of the young men pleased him, though it were very pernicious, he holds close to the very words thereof. Compare this with v. 11.
V. 15. the cause] Heb. circuit. This passage or event was ordered by the LORD; he suffered Rehoboam so to carry himself towards the people, to bring to passe what he had fore-told. So Gen. 47. 5, 7. 8 and 50. 20. 2 Chron. 25. 20. Whatsoever in such cases is attributed to God, is to be taken as an act of justice done by the supreme and righteous judge: thus Am. 3. 6.
by Ahijah] Heb. by the hand of Ahijah; Chap. 11. 31. That is, by the ministery of Ahijah, Lev. 8. 36. Mal. 1. 1.
V. 16. What?] This interrogative imports a strong negative; We have no porion at all.
portion] Benefit or advantage.
in David?] In Davids lineage or posterity: What good can we expect from Davids stock? Or what right hath it to us?
son of Jesse] A phrase of contempt, because Jesse, the father of David, was but a private man. They manifest herein great impiety against God, who raised David to do so much good for Israel as he did: they learned the phrase of an arch-rebell, 2 Sam. 20. 1.
to your tents] A phrase of apostasie from their former government: Depend no more on Davids stock, but every one look to his own house, v. 24. Because of old they dwelt in tents, this phrase continued to be in use among them, Deut. 5. 30. Josh. 22. 4.
thine own house] That tribe whereof thou art.
David] Thou that art descended from David.
V. 17. of Judah] And Benjamin. See chap. 11. v. 13.
V. 18. who was over the tribute] By vertue of this office he had the more acquaintance with them, and might the better assure them that they should be eased in their tribute, and thereby pacifie them.
made speed to get up to his chariot] Heb. strengthned himself.
V. 19. rebelled] Or, fell away: Revolted, as 2 King. 1. 1.
unto this day] See Chap. 9. 13.
V. 20. they sent] After he saw a fair way made for him to be king, he with-drew himself (As Saul, 1 Sam. 10. 24.)
onelyonly] Chap. 11. 13.
V. 21. the kingdom] So much of it as had revolted.
the word of God came unto Shemaiah] 2 Chron. 11. 2.
the man of God] The prophet, 2 Chron. 12. 5, 15. By this title he is distinguished from two false prophets, Jer. 29. 24. Neh. 6, 10. See Chap. 13. v. 1.
V. 23. remnant] That dwelt in the tribe of Simeon, and priests, Levites and sundry others of other tribes, 2 Chron. 11. 13, 16. See Chap. 11. 13.
V. 24. to his house] Be quiet, and follow every one his own affairs.
this thing is from me] Ordered and disposed by me, as v. 15.
V. 25. built] Made it a kinde of new city, a royall city. See Chap. 9. 15.
Pem…el] Wherein there had been a strong tower, Judg. 8. 9, 17.
V. 26. said in his heart] Thought, imagined, Psal. 14. 1.
the kingdom] The people of this kingdom will revolt from me, and take Davids posterity for their king, as in the next verse.
V. 27. to do sacrifice] For this was the most principall and proper service of the temple, Deut. 12. 6. This usurper feared that piety to God might draw away peoples hearts from him.
V. 28. two] For the peoples ease, that they might not travell too farre.
calves of gold] In imitation of their ancient progenitours idolatry, Ex. 32. 4. and those ancient Jews did so, in imitation of the Egyptians, among whom they had long lived, and where Jeroboam himself had lately lived, chap. 11. v. 40.
behold thy gods] A representation of thy god, as Exod. 32. 4.
V. 29. Beth-el] A city in the tribe of Benjamin, the utmost coast of Israel on the south (Josh. 18. 22.) It signifieth, The house of God, because there God appeared to Jacob, Gen. 28. 12, 19. and there they worshipped God, Gen. 12. 8. and 35. 7. But by reason of Jeroboams impiety, the prophet calls it Beth-aven, Hos. 10. 5. The inhabitants of this city severed themselves from others of Benjamin, and revolted to Jeroboam, whereby he had the opportunity to set up one of his calves here: it was recovered from Jeroboam even in his time, 2 Chron. 13. 19.
Dan] The city so called, Josh. 19. 47. Dan was in the utmost coast of Israel on the north.
V. 30. a sinne] A most haynous sin, that which is most dishonourable to God, and of all sins, causeth a divorce betwixt God and his people: A sinne also whereby he drew all Israel from God, and made them sin, 2 King. 17. 21. this therefore is put into Jeroboams stile, 2 King. 13. 31. See the Notes on Chap. 13. v. 34.
to worship] To offer up their sacrifices, as v. 32.
V. 31. an house of high places] A large temple in an high hill, wherein were many altars, and other idolatrous monuments which use to be in high places; so as this temple was instead of many places. Chap. 13. v. 32. mention is made of houses, in the plurall number. In other places, the word house is left out, and onelyonly high places mentioned, as Chap. 13. 33. 2 King. 17. 32. 2 Chron. 11. 15.
of the lowest] Meanest sort, Chap. 13. 33.
not of, &c.] Lest they, being entrusted in the law, should draw people to the temple in Jerusalem, v. 27. His practice was expresly against the Law, Num. 3. 6, 10.
V. 32. a feast] For Israel, from their coming out of Egypt, had been accustomed to solemn and sacred feasts.
in the eighth monethmonth] A time of his own invention, none of the LORDS feasts were in that monethmonth, v. 33.
feast that is in Judah] With like solemnity used in their feasts; or in particular, like to the feast of tabernacles, at which Solomon dedicated the temple, Chap. 8. 65.
offered upon the altar] Or, went up to the altar, &c.
sacrificing] Or, to sacrifice.
V. 33. So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Beth-el] Or, went up to the altar, &c. Jeroboams offerings at Beth-el are repeated, to shew the time and occasion of the prophets reproving him in the next chapter.
he offered] Jeroboam himself, presumptuously, as 2 Chron. 26. 26.
and burnt incense] Heb. to burn incense.