1 Kings 12

Saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. He thought, it is likely, to have frighted them into obedience by this blustering language, which justly made him odious. dered. They answered, Yes. Then he said, he would be constituted their king: to which they consenting, he asked if they would obey him. To which there being a reaily compliance, he added, Even though I command you to serve idols? at which the pious men startled, and were full of indignation; but their wicked neighbours whispered to them, saying, Do you think Jeroboam will honour idols? he saith this only’to try your obedience. And so even Ahijah himself was drawn in, by this fraud, to subscribe to what he proposed, that they would be obedient in all things without exception. And made two calves of gold.] One egg, as Bochartus speaks, is not more like to another, than these calves were to that which Aaron made. Only, as the Jews say in Sanhedrin, till Jeroboam’s time the Israelites sucked but one calf; but from that time they sucked two. They were of the same matter with Aaron’s, and made for the same reason: his, because Moses was absent; and these, because the holy city (where the temple, the altar, the priests of God were) they could not come to with safety. And as Aaron, so Jeroboam learnt this calf-worship in Egypt, where he lived for some years. The LXX. translate these words; Suo Sa/xaAttc XP V( ™c> two she-calves; and so doth Josephus: and the prophet Hosea also speaks of them in the feminine gender, (x. 5.) by way of contempt and despisal, as Bochartus thinks. It is not improbable (as some learned men have conjectured), that he made two calves, in imitation of the Egyptians, with whom he had conversed, who had a couple of oxen which they worshipped; Apis at Memphis, the metropolis of the upper Egypt; and Mnevis at Hierapolis, which was the chief city of the lower. And said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem.] Or, as some expound the Hebrew words, You have gone long enough to Jerusalem. Behold thy gods, O Israel, xvhich brought thee out of the land of Egypt.] The very same words that Aaron had spoken, Exodl xxxii. 4. and they had the same meaning. For he would have them think, that there was no need of going up to Jerusalem, three times a year, with labour and charge; when the true God, who brought their fathers out of Egypt, dwelt among them there no less than at Jerusalem. For God is every where in his essence (it is likely he told them), and cannot be included in any place; and if they required any special symbols of his presence, behold, here they were in those calves which he set up. As if every man had power to devise, out of his own head, a symbol of God’s presence. (See Vossius, de Orig. et Progr. Idolol.lib. i. cap. 3.)

1 Kings 12:15

Wlierefore the king hearkened not unto thepeople of Israel. Who desired to be eased of their burdens. For the cause was from the Lord, that he might perform his saying, which the Lord spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son ofNebat.] God infatuated his counsels to bring about his own design. Otherwise, he could not have been so blinded, as not to see how basely he reflected upon his father; and how unlikely it was that the people would submit to such a power as he intended to exercise over them. But, as Livy excellently speaks, " fatis urgentibus rempublicam, omnia salutaria monita spernuntur." And here one cannot but observe the vast difference there is between the sacred and profane historians. The intention of the former is to possess men’s minds with a sense of Divine Providence,.which, secretly rules in all public, as well as private affairs. Machiavel himself, though far from being religious, was sensible of an overruling power interposing in all things, which few historians acknowledge so as they ought: but rather write, as if they would not have their reader think of any thing but the wisdom, strength, and policy, of those that manage affairs, without any consideration of the care. God takes of them. Of this Hermannus Conringius thinks Polybius himself to have been guilty, whatsoever-excuses Casaubon makes for him. (De Civili Prudentia, cap. 14.)

1 Kings 12:16

So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying; What portion have we in David?. They renounce all interest in him, and in his family. Neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse.] So they call David in a contemptuous.and scornful manner. Wherein they have left us an exact picture of an ungrateful world, as Victorinus Strigelius’ here speaks. For no eloquence is able to express the great merits of David to the children of Israel. To your tents, O Israel. Now see to thy own house, David. So Israel departed to their tents.] They left Rehoboam, and bade him look, to his own affairs; for they would have nothing to do with him. Thus other kingdoms have been overturned by the folly of heady young men: as an old poet observes in Tully’s book de Scnectute, cap. G..where he quotes these verses out of Naevius in a play of. his, in which one asks,. k, " Cedo, qui vestram Rempublicam tantam amisistis tam cilo."; • Tell me, I beseech thee, how you came to lose such a famous commonwealth so quickly? Unto which he brings in another returning this answer, * Provcntabant oratores novi, stulti adolesecntuli." There arose up new orators, a company of foolish youtlis. Upon which Cato makes this remark; viz. • " Temeritas est florentis aetatis, prudentia senescentis." Rashness is the property of youth, prudence belongs to old age. k " • M *•'

1 Kings 12:17

But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities ofJudah, Rehoboam reigned over them. As several of the Simeonites also did; who were very nearly situated toJudah.

1 Kings 12:18

Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute. This was a new piece of imprudence, to send one to treat with them, when they were so highly exasperated; and to send him (with promises, perhaps, of easing them, when it was too late) who had the principal care of those tributes, of which they complained. For people hate those that are the instruments of their oppression,, or any way employed in it. . < [ And all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died.] There was a general uproar against him; in which they committed this barbarity against tho law of all nations; which prohibits any violence to be done to a king’s ambassador. But in their rage, the king feared (it appears by the next words) they would have no respect to himself. TJierefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.] This seems to be a further, imprudence; for, he should have maintained his ground and kept footing (as we speak) in the country of Israel; from whence it might not have been easy for them to expel him: but fear is as bad an adviser as fury. This is the first time that we read of a king riding in a chariot; for wc never read that either Saul, of David, or Solomon, rode in them: but after the division of the kingdom, there is frequent mention of the use of them both by the kings, of Judah and Israel. l

1 Kings 12:19

So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day. Would no longer be governed by any, of David’s race; who had been their deliverer from their powerful enemies. The remembrance of which might Jiave made them more patient; and not so forward to revolt from a family to which they had been so much obliged.. But old kindnesses are laid asleep, and people are strangely, forgetful of benefits, as Pindar speaks, in Isthmia, ode 7.‘AXXa iraAcua yap tvStt Xapi£, afxvauovee Si fiporol. This defection from the family of David is justly called a rebellion, as Salianus notes in his Annals; for though God willed this defection as a punishment of sin, yet they did wickedly who were the authors of it. And though the family of Solomon deserved such a punishment, yet the people had no just reason to forsake their legal prince. For they had no order from God for it: and Rehoboam’s answer to them did not deserve such a resentment; much less so sudden and inconsiderate. Nor did the prophetical prediction warrant it: which might have been fulfilled some other way, than by such a violent throwing off his government. m,.

1 Kings 12:20

And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again. The great men had seen him, and needed’not to be informed of his return; (ver. 3.) but now the news was spread over all the country. That they sent, and called him to the congregation.]. From his tent, unto which he was gone, as other people were, (ver. 1G.) And made him king over all Israel.] Without any condi^ tion, that we can find, though it is likely he promised to case them of all their burdens.‘3K

1 Kings 12:29

And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan. The former of which was in the south, the latter in the north of the country of Israel; and as Beth-el was in every body’s opinion a sacred place (having been consecrated by Jacobs when God appeared to him there more than once), so Dan had been famous for the teraphim of Micah: unto which there had been great resort, a long time, (Judg. xviii. 30.) For such reasons as these, it is likely, lie waved his royal city, which was Shechcm; and chose these two places for the residence of the Divine Majesty: for so he pretended that these calves represented God; whom he did not forsake, but worshipped him in these symbols of his presence., Digitized by

1 Kings 12:30

And this became a sin. Led them into foul idolatry: for that was the sin which Jeroboam is so often accused of: and the settling a calf in Dan was a high aggravation of their sin -/there being no pretence for two calves; nor for placing one there, where God had never been extraordinarily present. For the people went to tvorship before the one, even unto Dan.] Which place being in the extreme part of the country, yet the people were so zealous in their idolatry, that they travelled to oflcr sacrifice there; so that ihey who thought it grievous to go to -worship God,at Jerusalem, did not think much to go a great deal further to worship ail idol. This seems to me the simplest meaning; which others take to be, that they who dwelt in Beth-el were so zealous, that they would go as. far as Dan to worship the other calf. I.; T,r tf

1 Kings 12:31

And he made a house of high places. That is, saith Abarbinel, he made’ a house, or temple at Dan; wherein there was not ono altar only, as there was at Jerusalem, but a great many high places. And made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.] The Hebrew words miketzoth haam should not be interpreted the lowest of the people; but, as the same Abarbinel expounds it, out of all the people; he made any body a priest, though he was not of the sons of Levi. And Bochartus hath justified this exposition, by a great many, examples of the use of these words in other places. To this Jeroboam was forced, because the Levites would not serve his impiety, (2’Chron. xi. 14.) and therefore he expelled them all, and seized on their cities and lands. Whereby, as he eased the people of paying their tithes, there being none to demand them; so he gratified them by making priests out of every tribe arid family; even in the extremest part of the country, as the Hebrew words signify. Thus as he transferred the kingdom from the house of David, so he transferred the priesthood from the family of Aaron, and’ let it loose, that any body might be admitted to that honourable employment. Which was a very popular thing, and ingratiated him, no’ doubt, with the Israelites. And. Cornel. Bertram thinks, that as he had priests, so he had Levites also of the same stamp; that" is, some.to officiate under the priests, as they did. The former he called cohenim, as they were called in Judah; the other he called cemarim, who ministered as the Levites did; but in black, not in white garments, and thence had their name. (De Republ. Judaica, cap. 16.)

1 Kings 12:32

And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is hi Judah. That is, the feast of tabernacles; which by the law was to bo celebrated on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. This he altered, and, as Abarbinel thinks, might possibly give this reason for his impious presumption; that this feast being instituted by God after the gathering of their fruits, which were sooner ripe about Jerusalem than in the northern parts of the country; ho pretended the eighth month would be abetter time for it than the seventh; because then they would be every where gathered. But his chief intention in this change, was to alienate the people from the rites observed at Jerusalem. And he offered upon the altar.] This was a high presumption, to invade the priesthood himself, and offer sacrifices to his gods. A crime which none of the kings of Microsoft ® A COMMENTARY UPON [chap. XIII. Jndah Were guilty of, but only Uzziah; who was smitten with a leprosy, for meddling with the priests’ office, 2 Chron. xxvi. 19. (So he did in Beth-el), sacrificing unto the calves that he had made.’] What he had done in Dan, he did also in Beth-el; for hitherto hath been related only what he did in the remotest place. And he placed in Bcth-el the priests of the high places which he had made.] There he also built a house, or temple; and set up many altars in it, where these priests officiated as they did in other high places.

1 Kings 12:33

So he offered upon the altar he had made in Beth-el the fifteenth day of the eighth month. There he began this new festival, and consecrated it himself. In the month which he had devised of his own heart.] Out of his own will and pleasure (as the Targum translates it), against the express ordinance of God. And ordained a feast unto the children of Israel] To be observed, I suppose, every year in Beth-el, as the feast of tabernacles was at Jerusalem. And it is likely it lasted as many days; unless he effected to make alterations in every thing, and ordained more, or fewer days, as he thought good. And he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.] He’presumed to perform the highest part of the priest’s office, which was to burn incense. Which he had not done in Dan, as Abarbinel thinks, but only in Bcth-el; which was in some regard the metropolis of his kingdom, and head of the tribe of Ephraim; to which place the prophet, mentioned in the next chapter, came, and not to Dan. He observes also that the Scripture saith thrice he offered upon the altar, speaking of different times and places. First it is said, vcr. 30. that he offered upon the altar; that is, at Dan, where all Israel went to worship. Secondly, he offered again in Beth-el, in the beginning of this verse. And then it is said here in conclusion, that he ascended the altar in Beth-el, not to offer sacrifice, but to burn incense, which he had not done in Dan. And when he burnt incense on the feast-day he had instituted, the man of God came from Judah, and prophesied against the altar, as it follows in the next chapter.