2 Chronicles 11

2 Chronicles 11:1-17 . REHOBOAM, RAISING AN ARMY TO SUBDUE ISRAEL, IS FORBIDDEN BY SHEMAIAH.

1-4. Rehoboam . . . gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin . . . to fight against Israel--(See 1 Kings 12:21-24 ).

5-11. built cities for defence in Judah--This is evidently used as the name of the southern kingdom. Rehoboam, having now a bitter enemy in Israel, deemed it prudent to lose no time in fortifying several cities that lay along the frontier of his kingdom. Jeroboam, on his side, took a similar precaution ( 1 Kings 12:25 ). Of the fifteen cities named, Aijalon and Zorah lay within the province of Benjamin. Gath, though a Philistine city, had been subject to Solomon. And Etham, which was on the border of Simeon, now incorporated with the kingdom of Israel, was fortified to repel danger from that quarter. These fortresses Rehoboam placed under able commanders and stocked them with provisions and military stores, sufficient, if necessary, to stand a siege. In the crippled state of his kingdom, he seems to have been afraid lest it might be made the prey of some powerful neighbors.

13-17. the priests and the Levites . . . resorted to him out of all their coasts--This was an accession of moral power, for the maintenance of the true religion is the best support and safeguard of any nation; and as it was peculiarly the grand source of the strength and prosperity of the Hebrew monarchy, the great numbers of good and pious people who sought an asylum within the territories of Judah contributed greatly to consolidate the throne of Rehoboam. The cause of so extensive an emigration from the kingdom of Israel was the deep and daring policy of Jeroboam, who set himself to break the national unity by entirely abolishing, within his dominions, the religious institutions of Judaism. He dreaded an eventual reunion of the tribes if the people continued to repair thrice a year to worship in Jerusalem as they were obliged by law to do. Accordingly, on pretense that the distance of that city was too great for multitudes of his subjects, he fixed upon two more convenient places, where he established a new mode of worshipping God under gross and prohibited symbols [ 1 Kings 12:26-33 ]. The priests and Levites, refusing to take part in the idolatrous ceremonies, were ejected from their living ( 2 Chronicles 11:13 2 Chronicles 11:14 ). Along with them a large body of the people who faithfully adhered to the instituted worship of God, offended and shocked by the impious innovations, departed from the kingdom.

15. he ordained him priests--The persons he appointed to the priesthood were low and worthless creatures ( 1 Kings 12:31 , 13:33 ); any were consecrated who brought a bullock and seven rams ( 2 Chronicles 13:9 , Exodus 29:37 ).
for the high places--Those favorite places of religious worship were encouraged throughout the country.
for the devils--a term sometimes used for idols in general ( Leviticus 17:7 ). But here it is applied distinctively to the goat deities, which were probably worshipped chiefly in the northern parts of his kingdom, where the heathen Canaanites still abounded.
for the calves which he had made--figures of the ox gods Apis and Mnevis, with which Jeroboam's residence in Egypt had familiarized him.

17. they strengthened the kingdom of Judah--The innovating measures of Jeroboam were not introduced all at once. But as they were developed, the secession of the most excellent of his subjects began, and continuing to increase for three years, lowered the tone of religion in his kingdom, while it proportionally quickened its life and extended its influence in that of Judah.

2 Chronicles 11:18-23 . HIS WIVES AND CHILDREN.

18. Rehoboam took Mahalath--The names of her father and mother are given. Jerimoth, the father, must have been the son of one of David's concubines ( 1 Chronicles 3:9 ). Abihail was, of course, his cousin, previous to their marriage.

20. after her he took Maachah . . . daughter--that is, granddaughter ( 2 Samuel 14:27 ) of Absalom, Tamar being, according to JOSEPHUS, her mother. (Compare 2 Samuel 18:18 ).