1 Kings 12:25

25 Then Yarov'am built up Sh'khem in the hills of Efrayim and lived there. After that, he left and built up P'nu'el.

1 Kings 12:25 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 12:25

Then Jeroboam built Shechem in Mount Ephraim, and dwelt
therein
Not that this city had lain in ruins from the times of Abimelech, ( Judges 9:45 ) for then it would not have been a proper place for the convention of the people, ( 1 Kings 12:1 ) but he repaired the walls of it, and fortified it, and built a palace in it for his residence:

and went out from thence, and built Penuel;
a place on the other side Jordan, the tower of which was beaten down by Gideon, ( Judges 8:17 ) and might be now rebuilt, or at least the city was repaired by him, and anew fortified, perhaps for the better security of his dominions on that side Jordan; though Fortunatus Scacchus ^F16 is of opinion that this was an altar, the same as at Carmel, ( 1 Kings 18:30 ) , which Jeroboam built, and called by this name in testimony of the common religion of the Israelites and Jews.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 Elaeochrism. Myrothec. l. 2. c. 58. col. 593.

1 Kings 12:25 In-Context

23 "Speak to Rechav'am the son of Shlomo, king of Y'hudah, to all the house of Y'hudah and Binyamin and to the rest of the people; tell them

24 that this is what ADONAI says: 'You are not to go up and fight your brothers the people of Isra'el! Every man is to go back home, because this is my doing.'" They paid attention to the word of ADONAI and turned back, as ADONAI had told them to do.

25 Then Yarov'am built up Sh'khem in the hills of Efrayim and lived there. After that, he left and built up P'nu'el.

26 Nevertheless Yarov'am said to himself, "Now the rulership will return to the house of David.

27 For if these people continue going up to offer sacrifices in the house of ADONAI in Yerushalayim, their hearts will turn back to their lord, Rechav'am king of Y'hudah. Then they will kill me and return to Rechav'am king of Y'hudah."