Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, 1 Kings · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
Verſ. 1. BUt king Solomon loved many ſtrange women, &c.] And thus Solomon ſinned, not onelyonly in that his wives and concubines were ſtrange women; that is, not Iſraelites, but of other idolatrous nations; but alſo in that he had ſo many, which was againſt the law, concerning the kings of Iſrael, Deut. 17.17. Neither ſhall he multiply wives to himſelf.
Verſ. 3. And he had ſeven hundred wives, Princeſſes, and three hundred concubines.] A farre leſſe number is reckoned, Cant. 6.8. There are threeſcore Queens, and fourſcore concubines, and virgins without number. If therefore there be an alluſion there to Solomons wives, and concubines; it ſeems he had no more at the time when he wrote that ſong, though afterwards they were increaſed to the number here mentioned.
Verſ. 4. For it came to paſſe when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods.] That is, they wonne him to give way to their idolatry: for ſo the moſt, and beſt Expoſitours underſtand this, not that Solomon did indeed eſteem their idols, gods; or that he did himſelf worſhip their idol-gods (for then it is like he would have brought them into the Temple) but that he gave way to the open and publick exerciſe of their idolatrous worſhip; yea furthered it by building temples for them, &c. and thus by ſuffering the wiſeſt of men thus to fall, God was pleaſed to let us ſee, how little truſt there is in the wiſedome of man. The time when he thus fell off from his former integritie, is noted, to wit, that it was when Solomon was old, and that either by way of aggravating his ſin, both becauſe his luſting after, and ſlaviſh doting upon ſo many idolatrous wives and concubines, was moſt unſeemly in old age, and alſo becauſe after ſo long communion with God, and experience of Gods goodneſſe, it was the more inſufferable, that he ſhould now fall into ſo groſſe a ſinne; or elſe by way of intimating the occaſion of Solomons defection at laſt; namely, that his wives and concubines took the advantage of his weakneſſe in his old age, and ſo wonne him to that which formerly he would not have done.
Verſ. 5. For Solomon went after Aſhtoreth, &c.] See concerning Aſhtoreth, Judges 2.13. and of Milcom or Molech, verſ. 7. See Levit. 18.21.
Verſ. 7. Then did Solomon build a high place for Chemoſh, &c.] That is, a place of worſhip for this idol-god, either a Temple, or at leaſt an image and altars to ſacrifice on; theſe were uſually reared on mountains and hills (though not alwayes, Jer. 7.31. And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the ſonne of Hinnom) and therefore were called high places; and ſo accordingly did Solomon build theſe high places, for his wives idol-gods, in the hill that is before Jeruſalem, that is, in mount Olivet, of which mention is made, 2. Sam. 15.30. called afterwards the mount of corruption; where they continued till Joſiahs dayes, 2. Kings 23.13. And the high places that were before Jeruſalem, on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Iſrael had builded, did the king defile: probable it is, that Solomon did purpoſely build them out of the citie, as thinking it too much to defile the citie which God had choſen for his dwelling place, with ſuch abominations: but yet being ſet up ſo nigh the Temple, they might ſeem erected to outbrave or defie Gods Temple; and therefore even hereby his ſinne was aggravated.
Verſ. 8. And likewiſe did he for all his strange wives.] Though at firſt happely he might onelyonly grant this favour to one or two of his wives, yet the reſt by degrees pleaded for the ſame libertie, and ſo at laſt he was brought to build high places for all his wives idol-gods.
Verſ. 9. His heart was turned from the Lord God of Iſrael, which had appeared unto him twice.] That is, in an extraordinary way, as he uſed to appear to his Prophets, by dreams and nightly viſions, to wit, once at Gibeon, chap. 3.5. and the ſecond time at Jeruſalem, chap. 9.2. which being a ſingular favour, is therefore mentioned as a great aggravation of his ſinne.
Verſ. 11. I will ſurely rend the kingdome from thee, and will give it to thy ſervant.] And thus God repayed him in his kind; for as he divided the honour that was onelyonly due to God, leaving part of it to the Lord, and giving away part of it to his wives idol-gods; ſo the Lord dealt with his poſterity in regard of the kingdome, leaving his ſonne two tribes, and giving away ten of the twelve tribes to Jeroboam his ſervant.
Verſ. 12. Notwithſtanding, in thy dayes I will not do it, for David thy fathers ſake.] That is, becauſe of the promiſe made to him, 2. Sam. 7.12, 13, 14, 15.
Verſ. 13. But will give one tribe to thy ſonne, &c.) To wit, one of the tribes of Iſrael, conſidered apart from the tribe of Judah: of the twelve tribes there were but ten that followed Jeroboam, verſ. 31. Rehoboam therefore and his poſterity had two tribes that revolted not to Jeroboam, to wit, Judah and Benjamin, 2. Chron. 11.12. having Judah and Benjamin on his ſide: and why then is it ſaid here, that one tribe onelyonly ſhould be given to Solomons ſonne? I anſwer, becauſe he ſpeaks here of the tribes that belonged to the kingdome of Iſrael. Judah in regard of her eminencie, was ſtill reckoned apart from the reſt of the tribes, 1. Sam. 11.8. And when he numbred them in Bezek, the children of Iſrael were three hundred thouſand, and the men of Judah thirty thouſand: but eſpecially after that diviſion when Judah followed David, and the other tribes followed the houſe of Saul, henceforth the kingdome of Judah and the kingdome of Iſrael were ſtill diſtinguiſhed; yea, even after both were jointly under Davids command, 2. Sam. 5.5. In Hebron he reigned over Judah ſeven years and ſix moneths, and in Jeruſalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Iſrael and Judah. Now the Lord therefore threatning the rending away of the kingdome of Iſrael, from the houſe of David, he addes, Howbeit, I will not rend away all the kingdome (that is, all the kingdome of Iſrael) but will give one tribe to thy ſonne; that is, one of the tribes that belonged to the kingdome of Iſrael, namely Benjamin: ſee the notes verſ. 3. and chap. 12.20. and this the Lord promiſeth to do for David his ſervants ſake, and for Jeruſalems ſake, which he had choſen, to wit, that in the citie which God had choſen, they might live under the government of Davids ſeed, the true heirs of the kingdome, from whom the Meſſiah was to deſcend.
Verſ. 15. When David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the hoſt was gone up to bury the ſlain, &c.] Of Davids ſubduing the Edomites, we reade 2. Sam. 8.14. And he put gariſons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he gariſons, and they of Edom became Davids ſervants, and at this time, it ſeems, whileſt Joab proſecuted his victory, ſlaying all the males where he came, Hadad was hid being a little child, and afterwards, whileſt he went about to ſee that all the dead that he had ſlain were buried, Hadad ſecretly eſcaped away. Yet ſome conceive otherwiſe of this paſſage, to wit, that after the conqueſt of the Edomites, 2. Sam. 8.14. the Edomites fell upon the gariſons which David left behind him, and ſlew them: whereupon Joab went up to bury the dead, and to be avenged on the Edomites, and ſo ſlaying all the males where he came, Hadad of the ſeed-royall was conveyed away.
Verſ. 18. And they took men with them out of Paran.] To honour him with their attendance, when he ſhould come into Egypt.
Verſ. 21. Hadad ſaid to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that I may go into mine own countrey.] As conceiving hope of recovering the kingdome of Edom, now David and Joab were dead, whom, it ſeems, he much feared; or at leaſt of enjoying liberty upon ſome honourable conditions, to live again in his native countrey: yet it is manifeſt he attempted nothing againſt Solomon a long time after this; for he left Egypt immediately after Davids death, before Pharaoh had cauſe to be jealous of him, becauſe of his affinitie with Solomon, and till Solomons fall in his old age, his enemies ſtirred not, chap. 5.4. But now the Lord my God hath given me reſt on every ſide; ſo that it ſeems, he either lay hid along time in Idumea, or made ſome covenant with Solomon, as becoming tributarie to him for his kingdome; yea, when he did ſtirre, he was not able to ſhake off the yoke, for the Edomites continued tributaries to the kings of Judah till Jehorams reigne, 2. Chron. 21.10.
Verſ. 23. Rezon the ſonne of Eliadah, which fled from his Lord Hadadezar, king of Zobah.] To wit, when David had gotten the better of his maſter in battel; this it ſeems was when David got that great victory of the Syrians, mentioned, 2. Sam. 10.18.
Verſ. 24. And they went to Damaſcus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damaſcus.] David had put a gariſon in Damaſcus, 2. Sam. 8.6. It ſeems therefore, that Rezon with his band of men, ſet upon this gariſon, and took the place from Solomon, and ſo there reigned as king.
Verſ. 25. And he was an adverſary to Iſrael all the dayes of Solomon.] That is, after his firſt riſing againſt him: it is likely he was an adverſary in heart, ever ſince he fled in that battel wherein his lord Hadadezer was vanquiſhed, and that then he gathered this band of men here mentioned, perhaps of his lords broken troops: yet becauſe David put gariſons in Syria of Damaſcus, 2. Sam. 8.1, 6. and it is not probable that Solomon loſt any thing of that which his father had gotten, till himſelf fell from God, chap. 5.4. therefore it is thought, that this Rezon did elſewhere ſhelter himſelf, or lived by ſecret robbing and pillaging, till Solomons declining dayes; and that then he brought Damaſcus to an open revolt, and became king thereof, and was an enemy to Solomon on the north, as Hadad the Edomite was on the ſouth.
Verſ. 26. And Jeroboam the ſonne of Nebat, an Ephrathite, &c.] An Ephrathite: that is, of the tribe of Ephraim, and ſo in this tribe all the kings of Iſrael, that raigned over the ten tribes had their chief reſidence, and herein was that propheſie fulfilled, that Ephraim ſhould be greater then Manaſſeh, Gen. 48.19. now of this man it is ſaid, that he lift up his hand againſt the king, to wit, by revolting from him, and becoming the head of the ten tribes, in rending the kingdome from his ſonne; for though perhaps after he had heard the propheſie of Ahijah, he might entertain thoughts of diſloyaltie againſt his Soveraigne; and perhaps ſecretly ſow ſome ſeeds of ſedition among the people, for which he was glad to fly into Egypt, verſ. 40. yet we read of nothing he openly attempted againſt Solomon, or againſt his houſe, till Solomon was dead.
Verſ. 28. He made him ruler over all the charge of the houſe of Joſeph.] That is, he made him receiver or treaſurer for all the kings revenues in the two tribes of Ephraim and Manaſſeh.
Verſ. 29. When Jeroboam went out of Jeruſalem, &c.] To wit, to enter upon the office and charge which Solomon had honoured him with, the prophet Ahijah found him in the way, who is called the Shilonite, becauſe he was of Shilo, where the Tabernacle was many years together: (he was one of them that wrote the Acts of Solomon, 2 Chron. 9.29.) and they two were alone in the field. If therefore Jeroboam went attended out of Jeruſalem, according to the honour of the charge whereto Solomon had now advanced him, it ſeems the Prophet deſired to have ſome private conference with him, and then when they were alone delivered his meſſage to him.
Verſ. 30. And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him.] That is, the new garment wherewith the Prophet (who now repreſented Gods perſon the abſolute diſpoſer of the kingdome, newly erected in the houſe of David) had clad himſelf.
Verſ. 31. Behold I will rend the kingdome out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee.] That is, all beſides Judah and Benjamin: ſome conceive that Simeon was the onelyonly tribe, which joyned with that of Judah, as having their lot within the lot of Judah, Joſh. 19.2. but this cannot be; becauſe thoſe of the tribe of Simeon that joyned themſelves with Aſa, are expreſſely ſaid to be ſuch as revolted from the kingdome of Iſrael, 2 Chron. 15.9. Neither need it ſeem ſtrange, that the tribe of Simeon, having their portion within that of Judah, ſhould notwithſtanding belong to the kingdome of Iſrael; for it ſeems that the Simeonites in Davids time, went forth with Colonies, and planted themſelves in other places, as is manifeſt 1 Chron. 4.31, 39. However by foretelling Jeroboam what ſhould happen, the Lord took order that he ſhould know, that whatever ſhould occaſion that revolt of the ten tribes from the houſe of David, yet it was by the providence of God, who had now conferred the kingdome upon him. See the note alſo, verſ. 13.
Verſ. 33. Becauſe that they have forſaken me, and have worſhiped Aſhtoreth, &c.] This is the reaſon given for that he had ſaid before, verſ. 31. I will rend the kingdome out of the hand of Solomon, &c.] But why ſhould Rehoboam ſuffer in the loſſe of ten tribes for the peoples idolatry? I anſwer: firſt, becauſe Solomons giving way to his wives idolatry, proved a ſnare to the people, and occaſioned their revolting from God: and ſecondly, even the people ſuffered, as well as Rehoboam hereby: this rent in the kingdome proving the occaſion of continuall warre between them of Judah and them of Iſrael, which brought in many miſeries from forraigne nations upon both kingdomes.
Verſ. 36. And unto his ſonne will I give one tribe, that David my ſervant may have a light alway before me, &c.] That is, unto one of his poſteritie, ſitting in the throne of David. See the note, 2 Sam. 21.17.
Verſ. 39. And I will for this afflict the ſeed of David, but not for ever.] For at length Chriſt aroſe out of the tribe of Judah, to whom God gave the throne of his father David, to reign over the whole houſe of David for ever, Luk. 1.32, 33.
Verſ. 40. Solomon ſought therefore to kill Jeroboam, and Jeroboam aroſe, and fled into Egypt, &c.] Hereby it appears, that Jeroboam had ſome way diſcovered that which the Prophet had ſo ſecretly imparted to him, and perhaps began to alienate the hearts of the people from the king: and ſo to eſcape Solomons fury, he fled to Shiſhak king of Egypt, and ſheltered himſelf there till Solomon was dead: and yet was this Shiſhak Solomons brother in law, if he were (as generally it is thought he was) the ſonne of that Pharoah king of Egypt, whoſe daughter Solomon had married.
Verſ. 41. All that he did, and his wiſedome, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?] The acts of Solomon were written by Nathan, Ahijah, and Iddo, prophets that lived in Solomons time, 2 Chron. 9.29. but this book here mentioned, ſeems to have been ſome complete hiſtorie (not now extant) of the reigne of Solomon gathered out of the ſeverall writings of theſe prophets, and other records of thoſe times, wherein many particulars of his life were recorded, not expreſſed in the ſacred ſtorie; and amongſt other things doubtleſſe that of his repentance, for though it be not here expreſſed, yet that he did repent before his death, may be evidently gathered from other places of Scripture as 2 Chron. 11.17. So they ſtrengthened the kingdome of Judah, and made Rehoboam the ſonne of Solomon ſtrong three yeares, for three yeares they walked in the way of David, and of his ſonne Solomon: where Solomon and David are joyntly commended: and from that promiſe made concerning Solomon, Pſal. 89.33. Nevertheleſſe, I will not utterly take away my loving kindneſſe from him, nor ſuffer my faithfulneſſe to fail: but eſpecially from the book of Eccleſiaſtes, which queſtionleſſe was written as the publick monument of his repentance; and that which we reade, 2. Pet. 1.20, 21. where all the penmen of Scripture are ſaid to have been holy men of God.