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| 1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem,–for, to Shechem, had all Israel come to make him king. |
Rehoboam – Solomon's son by a heathen mother; had inherited personal beauty from both parents. R4722:3
To make him king – Rehoboam was about 21 when he came to the throne of a great kingdom; and he quickly dissipated a vast fortune. R4722:3
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| 2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of it–he being yet in Egypt, whither he had fled from the face of Solomon the king, that Jeroboam returned from Egypt; |
Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt – Where he had fled when Solomon suppressed his incipient rebellion. R4723:3
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| 3 yes they sent, and called him, and Jeroboam and all the convocation of Israel came,–and spake unto Rehoboam, saying: |
Called him – From exile in Egypt, to become leader and spokesman of the ten tribes. R4722:6
Spake unto Rehoboam – A council of all the tribes except the one to which the royal family belonged. R3384:3
They were not satisfied and would not acknowledge him as king unless he gave them what might be termed a bill of rights. R4722:6
Saying – They inquired what he would promise in the way of a reform government. R4722:6
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| 4 Thy father, made our yoke, grievous,–now, therefore do, thou, lighten the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, that we may serve thee. |
Make our yoke grievous – By providing magnificent palaces for himself and his heathen wives, gardens, raiment, chariots and soldiers. R2046:5
The capital city had been favored out of all proportion to the remainder of the country, and the ten tribes had shared in a labor conscription at small compensation. R5723:1
They were ready to break out in open rebellion. R3384:3
Even today many of the best governed and most prosperous are discontented. R3384:3
Make . . . lighter – The Jews as a people have always zealously guarded their liberties. R2068:6
They wished assurance that there would be an abatement of demands of levies of men for public labor, of taxes, liberties, etc. R3384:3
A demand similar to that of the British public in connection with the Magna Charta. R5723:1
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| 5 And he said unto them–Depart ye for yet three days, and then come again unto me. And the people departed. |
Depart ... three days – He and all realized that a crisis had come, too weighty to be decided hastily. R4722:6
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| 6 Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who used to stand before Solomon his father, while he yet lived, saying,–How do, ye, advise, that I answer this people? |
King Rehoboam – Recognized as king by the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. R4722:6
Consulted – In every enterprise of life we should seek counsel. R4723:4
With the old men – His father's counselors; to know their advice. R4722:6
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| 7 And they spake unto him, saying–If, today, thou wilt be servant unto this people, and wilt serve them,–and answer them kindly, and speak unto them good words, then will they be, thy, servants, always. |
They spake unto him – Their recommendations were good, exactly what the ten tribes desired. R4723:1
If thou wilt be a servant – Proper advice--a ruler should be the servant of his people. R5723:5
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| 8 But he declined the counsel of the elders which they gave him, and consulted with the young men, who had grown up with him, who were standing before himself; |
He forsook the counsel – The golden rule, laid down by the great head of Christianity, is rejected as impracticable. R5723:5
Consulted with the young – His friends, whom he was disposed to bring into power with himself. R4723:1
His course should have been to seek counsel from the Lord. R2324:4
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| 9 and said unto them–What counsel do, ye, give as to how we shall answer this people who have spoken unto me, saying–Make a lightening of the yoke which thy father put upon us? |
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| 10 Then spake unto him the young men who had grown up with him, saying, Thus, shalt thou say to this people that have spoken unto thee, saying–Thy father, made our yoke heavy, thou, therefore lighten it upon us, Thus, shalt thou speak unto them, My little finger, is thicker than my father's loins; |
Spake unto him – To intimidate, rule with a heavy hand. R4723:1
Shall be thicker – Unwise, boastful, vainglorious language, which no doubt was the abundant overflow of a heart in similar condition. R2324:4
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| 11 Now, therefore, whereas, my father, laid upon you a heavy yoke, I, will add to your yoke,–My father, did chastise you with whips, but, I, will chastise you with scorpions. |
With scorpions – Whips with metal lumps on the strands. R3384:6, R5723:2
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| 12 So Jeroboam and all the people came in unto Rehoboam, on the third day,–as the king had bidden, saying–Come again unto me, on the third day. |
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| 13 And the king answered the people, harshly,–and declined the counsel of the elders wherewith they had counselled him; |
Answered ... roughly – The young king had not been rightly taught the principles of justice in human affairs. Pride and ambition are dangerous counselors. R4723:1
Wealth, power, influence, gained through oppression and injustice, are unworthy of noble minds. R4723:4
Forsook the old men's – Made an unwise decision and lost the greater part of the kingdom. R4723:1
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| 14 and spake unto them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father, made your yoke heavy, but, I, will add unto your yoke,–My father, chastised you, with whips, but, I, will chastise you, with scorpions. |
I will chastise you – The answer was a foolish one and precipitated the separation of the ten tribes from the two. R3384:6, R5723:2
Scorpions – Whip with metal pricks at the ends of the thongs. Drafted men were treated as the veriest slaves, under taskmasters with whips. R4723:1, R2324:3
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| 15 Thus the king hearkened not unto the people,–for there had come about a turn from Yahweh, that he might establish his word, which Yahweh had spoken by Ahijah the Shilonite, unto Jeroboam, son of Nebat. |
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| 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. Or inheritance in the son of Jesse? To your homes O Israel! Now, see to thine own house, O David! And Israel departed to their homes. |
All Israel – Ten tribes, and the adjacent kingdom which had been under Solomon's sovereignty. R4723:1
Israel departed – The ten tribes revolted and maintained the title, "kingdom of Israel." The two tribes were called the "kingdom of Judah" for over 500 years. R3385:4, R5723:2
393 years before the overthrow of Zedekiah, corresponding to the division of Christendom into Papacy and Protestantism in the year 1521, when Luther was excommunicated. R3574:1*
Unto their tents – Splits in the nominal mass, and the resulting benefits, do not justify splits among those faithful to the Lord. R2325:4
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| 17 But, as for the sons of Israel who were dwelling in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. |
Children of Israel – Refers to the Israelites from all those tribes which dwelt in the cities of Judah who were not moved to join with their tribes in the rebellion. C292; R3385:4, R1341:1
Judah – In which God, through the prophet, had declared that his blessings should come. R3385:4
Reigned over them – Thus loyal to the Lord whose worship centered in Jerusalem, and to the tribes of Judah, from which the promised king was to come; typifying the siftings of spiritual Israel. R3385:2
Spiritual Israelites should notice that the Lord overruled in all the affairs of the typical people for the welfare of the true-hearted and should expect the same. R3385:4
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| 18 Then King Rehoboam sent Adoniram who was over the tribute, but all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died,–King Rehoboam, therefore, hastily mounted his chariot, to flee unto Jerusalem. |
Adoram – Secretary of the treasury, the one having charge over the assessments, etc., same as in 1 Kings 4:6. R3385:4
Stoned him – After the manner of their time. R3385:5
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| 19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David,–unto this day. |
Israel – The ten tribes maintained the title "kingdom of Israel" for over 500 years, until the return from captivity. R5723:2, R3384:6
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| 20 And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, that they sent and called him into the assembly, and made him king over all Israel,–there were none that followed the house of David, saving the tribe of Judah only. |
Made him king – The ten tribes chose Jeroboam for their king and supported a separate government. R3385:5
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| 21 And, when Rehoboam entered Jerusalem, he called together all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin–a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, able to make war,–to fight against the house of Israel, to bring back the kingdom to Rehoboam, son of Solomon. |
To fight – King Rehoboam, loath to lose so large a part of his empire, at first thought to compel the union by putting down the rebellion. R3385:5
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| 22 Then came the word of God unto Shemaiah, the man of God, saying: |
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| 23 Speak unto Rehoboam, son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah, and Benjamin,–and the remnant of the people, saying: |
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| 24 Thus, saith Yahweh–Ye shall not go up, neither shall ye fight with your brethren the sons of Israel,–return ye every man to his own house, for, from me, hath this thing been brought about. So they hearkened unto the word of Yahweh, and turned back to depart, according to the word of Yahweh. |
Ye shall not – It was part of the divine plan that the nations should be divided. R3385:5
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| 25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem, in the hill country of Ephraim, and dwelt therein,–and went forth from thence, and built Penuel. |
Jeroboam – Of the tribe of Ephraim, a man of large natural ability but inclined to be worldly-wise and to neglect his God and his religion. R4723:2
Possessed more of confidence in himself than of trust in God, more of impatience to be king than of loyalty. R4723:3, R3385:3
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| 26 And Jeroboam said in his heart,–Now, shall the kingdom return to the house of David: |
Said in his heart – Decided to take the selfish course. R4723:5
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| 27 If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of Yahweh, in Jerusalem, then will the heart of this people return unto their lord, unto Rehoboam, king of Judah,–and they will slay me, and return unto Rehoboam, king of Judah. |
If this people go – To worship yearly, they would again draw back to the kings of the line of David. R5732:2
At Jerusalem – By divine order, the center of religious service. R3385:6
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| 28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold,–and said unto them–It is, too much for you, to go up to Jerusalem, Lo! thy gods, O Israel, that brought thee up out of the land of Egypt; |
Two calves – Probably because the people, while in Egypt, were accustomed to the worship of the sacred bull, Apis, of Egyptian mythology. R2325:5
One of the first arrangements was to break the religious tie. R3386:1, R2325:3
For policy's sake, he led the nation directly into idolatry. R4723:6
Of gold – Probably made of wood, overlaid with gold. R3386:2
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| 29 And he set the one in Bethel,–and, the other, put he in Dan. |
The one in Beth-el – Where Jacob had his dream, and which was therefore somewhat sacred to the minds of the children of Israel. R3386:1
In the southern part of the territory. R5732:3
Dan – In the northern part of the territory. R5732:3
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| 30 And this thing became a sin,–and the people went before the one, as far as Dan. |
Became a sin – Because it was contrary to the divine arrangement and led them gradually into idolatry. R3386:2, R5732:3
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| 31 And he made a house of high-places,–and made priests from the whole compass of the people, who were not of the sons of Levi. |
The sons of Levi – Probably, though not so stated, the Levites refused in the establishment of these unauthorized religious services. Consequently many of them removed to the kingdom of Judah. R3386:3
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| 32 And Jeroboam made a festival in the eight month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the festival which [was held] in Judah, and offered up on the altar, likewise, did he in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves which he had made,–and he kept in attendance in Bethel, the priests of the high-places which he had made. |
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| 33 And he offered up on the altar which he had made in Bethel, on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, in the month which he had devised out of his own heart,–thus made he a festival for the sons of Israel, and offered up on the altar, to make a perfume. |
And burnt incense – Similarly the emperors of Rome took to themselves the priestly office that they might the more effectually bind the people to them. R3386:4
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