II
C H R O N I C L E S
CHAP. XI.
We
are here going on with the history of Rehoboam. I. His attempt to recover the
ten tribes he has lost, and the letting fall of that attempt in obedience to
the divine command, ver. 1-4. II. His successful endeavours to preserve the
two tribes that remained, ver. 5-12. III. The resort of the priests and
Levites to him, ver. 13-17. IV. An account of his wives and children, ver.
18-23.
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Rehoboam
Forbidden to Make War.
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B.
C. 975.
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1 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he
gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin a hundred and fourscore thousand
chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might
bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam. 2 But the word of the LORD
came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, 3 Speak unto Rehoboam the
son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin,
saying, 4 Thus saith the LORD,
Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his
house: for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD,
and returned from going against Jeroboam. 5 And Rehoboam dwelt in
Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah. 6 He built even
Beth-lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa, 7 And Beth-zur, and Shoco, and
Adullam, 8 And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, 9 And
Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah, 10 And Zorah, and Aijalon, and
Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities.
11 And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of
victual, and of oil and wine. 12 And in every several city he
put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and
Benjamin on his side.
How the ten tribes deserted the house of David we read in the foregoing
chapter. They had formerly sat loose to that family (2 Sam. xx. 1, 2), and now
they quite threw it off, not considering how much it would weaken the common
interest and take Israel down from that pitch of glory at which it had arrived
in the last reign. But thus the kingdom must be corrected as well as
the house of David. 1. Rehoboam at length, like a bold man, raises an
army, with a design to reduce the revolters, v. 1. Judah and Benjamin
were not only resolved to continue their allegiance to him, but ready to give
him the best assistance they could for the recovery of his right. Judah was
his own tribe, that owned him some years before the rest did; Benjamin was the
tribe in which Jerusalem, or the greatest part of it, stood, which perhaps was
one reason why that tribe clave to him. 2. Yet, like a conscientious man, when
God forbade him to prosecute this design, in obedience to him he let it fall,
either because he reverenced the divine authority or because he knew that he
should not prosper if he should go contrary to God's command, but instead of
retrieving what was lost would be in danger of losing what he had. It is
dangerous undertaking any thing, but especially undertaking a war, contrary to
the will of God. God calls him (v. 3), Rehoboam the son of Solomon,
to intimate that this was determined for the sin of Solomon, and it would be
to no purpose to oppose a decree that had gone forth. They obeyed the words
of the Lord; and though it looked mean, and would turn to their reproach
among their neighbours, yet, because God would have it so, they laid down
their arms. 3. Like a discreet man, he fortified his own country. He saw it
was to no purpose to think of reducing those that had revolted. A few good
words might have prevented their defection, but now all the forces of his
kingdom cannot bring them back. The think is done, and so it must rest; it is
his wisdom to make the best of it. Perhaps the same young counsellors that had
advised him to answer them roughly urged him to fight them, notwithstanding
the divine inhibition; but he had paid dearly enough for being advised by
them, and therefore now, we may suppose, his aged and experienced counsellors
were hearkened to, and they advised him to submit to the will of God
concerning what was lost, and to make it his business to keep what he had. It
was probably by their advice that, (1.) He fortified his frontiers, and many
of the principal cities of his kingdom, which, in Solomon's peaceable reign,
no care had been taken for the defence of. (2.) He furnished them with good
stores of victuals and arms, v. 11, 12. Because God forbade him to
fight, he did not therefore sit down sullenly, and say that he would do
nothing for the public safety if he might not do that, but prudently provided
against an attack. Those that may not be conquerors, yet may be builders.
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The Priests Adhere to Rehoboam.
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B.
C. 974.
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13 And the priests and the Levites that were
in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts. 14 For the
Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and
Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the
priest's office unto the LORD:
15 And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and
for the calves which he had made. 16 And after them out of all the
tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to
Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD
God of their fathers. 17 So they strengthened the kingdom of
Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for three
years they walked in the way of David and Solomon. 18 And Rehoboam
took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife, and
Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse; 19 Which bare him
children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham. 20 And after her he
took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and
Ziza, and Shelomith. 21 And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of
Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives,
and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore
daughters.) 22 And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the
chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make
him king. 23 And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his
children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced
city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired many wives.
See here,
I. How Rehoboam was strengthened by the accession of the priests and Levites,
and all the devout and pious Israelites, to him, even all that were true to
their God and their religion.
1. Jeroboam cast them off, that is, he set up such a way of worship as he knew
they could not in conscience comply with, which obliged them to withdraw from
his altar, and at the same time he would not allow them to go up to Jerusalem
to worship at the altar there; so that he totally cast them off from
executing the priest's office, v. 14. And very willing he was that
they should turn themselves out of their places, that room might be made for
those mean and scandalous persons whom he ordained priests for the high
places, v. 15. Compare 1 Kings xii. 31. No marvel if he that cast
off God cast off his ministers; they were not for his purpose, would not do
whatever he might bid them do, would not serve his gods, nor worship the
golden image which he had set up.
2. They thereupon left their suburbs and possessions, v. 14. Out
of the lot of each tribe the Levites had cities allowed them, where they were
comfortable provided for and had opportunity of doing much good. But now they
were driven out of all their cities except those in Judah and Benjamin. One
would think their maintenance well settled, and yet they lost it. It was a
comfort to them that the law so often reminded them that the Lord was their
inheritance, and so they should find him when they were turned out of
their house and possessions. But why did they leave their possessions? (1.)
Because they saw they could do no good among their neighbours, in whom (now
that Jeroboam set up his calves) the old proneness to idolatry revived. (2.)
Because they themselves would be in continual temptation to some base
compliances, and in danger of being drawn insensibly to that which was evil.
If we pray, in sincerity, not to be led into temptation, we shall get and keep
as far as we can out of the way of it. (3.) Because, if they retained their
integrity, they had reason to expect persecution from Jeroboam and his sons.
The priests they made for the devils would not let the Lord's priests be long
among them. No secular advantages whatsoever should draw us thither, or detain
us there, where we are in danger of making shipwreck of faith and a good
conscience.
3. They came to Judah and Jerusalem (v. 14) and presented
themselves to Rehoboam, v. 13, margin. Where should God's
priests and Levites be, but where his altar was? Thither they came because it
was their business to attend at the times appointed. (1.) It was a mercy to
them that they had a place of refuge to flee to, and that when Jeroboam cast
them off there were those so near that would entertain them, and bid them
welcome, and they were not forced into the lands of the heathen. (2.) It was
an evidence that they loved their work better than their maintenance, in that
they left their suburbs and possessions in the country (where they
might have lived at ease upon their own), because they were restrained from
serving God there, and cast themselves upon God's providence and the charity
of their brethren in coming to a place where they might have the free
enjoyment of God's ordinances, according to his institution. Poverty in the
way of duty is to be chosen rather than plenty in the way of sin. Better live
upon alms, or die in a prison, with a good conscience, than roll in wealth and
pleasure with a prostituted one. (3.) It was the wisdom and praise of Rehoboam
and his people that they bade them welcome, though they crowded themselves
perhaps to make room for them. Conscientious refugees will bring a blessing
along with them to the countries that entertain them, as they leave a curse
behind them with those that expel them. Open the gates, that the righteous
nation, which keepeth truth, may enter in; it will be good policy. See Isa.
xxvi. 1, 2.
4. When the priests and Levites came to Jerusalem all the devout pious
Israelites of every tribe followed them. Such as set their hearts to seek
the Lord God of Israel, that made conscience of their duty to God and were
sincere and resolute in it, left the inheritance of their fathers and went and
took houses in Jerusalem, that they might have free access to the altar of God
and be out of the temptation to worship the calves, v. 16. Note, (1.)
That is best for us which is best for our souls; and, in all our choices,
advantages for religion must take place of all outward conveniences. (2.)
Where God's faithful priests are his faithful people should be. If Jeroboam
cast off God's ministers, every true-born Israelite will think himself obliged
to own them and stand by them. Forsake not the Levite, the out-cast
Levite, as long as thou livest. When the ark removes do you remove
and go after it, Josh. iii. 3.
5. They strengthened the kingdom of Judah (v. 17), not only by
the addition of so many persons to it, who, it is likely, brought what they
could of their effects with them, but by their piety and their prayers they
procured a blessing upon the kingdom which was a sanctuary to them. See Zech.
xii. 5. It is the interest of a nation to protect and encourage religion and
religious people, and adds more than any thing to its strength. They made him
and his people strong three years; for so long they walked in the
way of David and Solomon, their good way. But when they forsook
that, and so threw themselves out of God's favour and protection, the best
friends they had could no longer help to strengthen them. We retain our
strength while we cleave to God and our duty, and no longer.
II. How Rehoboam was weakened by indulging himself in his pleasures. He desired
many wives, as his father did (v. 23), yet, 1. In this he
was more wise than his father, that he does not appear to have married strange
wives. The wives mentioned here were not only daughters of Israel, but of the
family of David; one was a descendant from Eliab, David's brother (v.
18), another from Absalom, probably that Absalom who was David's son (v.
20), another from Jerimoth, David's son. 2. In this he was more happy
than his father, that he had many sons and daughters; whereas we read not of
more than one son that his father had. One can scarcely imagine that he had no
more; but, if he had, they were not worth mentioning; whereas several of
Rehoboam's sons are here named (v. 19, 20) as men of note, and such
active men that he thought it his wisdom to disperse them throughout the
countries of Judah and Benjamin (v. 23), either, (1.) That they
might not be rivals with his son Abijah, whom he designed for his successor,
or rather, (2.) Because he could repose a confidence in them for the
preserving of the public peace and safety, could trust them with fenced
cities, which he took care to have well victualled, that they might stand him
in stead in case of an invasion. After-wisdom is better than none at all; nay,
they say, "Wit is never good till it is bought;" though he was
dearly bought with the loss of a kingdom.
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