that supported the brazen sea, and the images f his enmity to him. He was a child of the of lions about his own throne: for these he stock of the Edomites, and of the blood royal. made, although it was not agreeable to piety And when Joab, the captain of David's host so to do. And this he did notwithstanding laid waste the land of Edom, and destroyed that he had his father, as a most excellent and all that were men grown, and able to bear domestic pattern of virtue; and knew what a arms, for six months' time, this Hadad fled glorious character he had left behind him, be- away, and came to Pharaoh, king of Egypt; cause of his piety towards God. Nor did he who received him kindly, and assigned him a imitate David, although God had twice ap-house to dwell in, and a country to supply him peared to him in his sleep, and exhorted him with food. And when he was grown up he so to do. There came therefore a prophet to loved him exceedingly; insomuch that he him, who was sent by God, and told him, that gave him his wife's sister, whose name was his wicked actions were not concealed from Tahpenes to wife, by whom he had a son, God; and threatened him that he should not who was brought up with the king's children. long rejoice at what he had done: that in- When Hadad heard in Egypt that both Dadeed the kingdom should not be taken from vid and Joab were dead, he came to Pharaoh, him, while he was alive; because God had and desired that he would permit him to promised to his father David that he would go to his own country. The king asked what make him his successor: but that he would it was that he wanted, and what hardship he take care that this should befal his son when had met with, that he was so desirous to leave he was dead. Not that he would withdraw him? and when he was often troublesome to all the people from him, but that he would him, and intreated him to dismiss him, he give ten tribes to a servant of his, and leave did not then do it. But at the time when Soonly two tribes to David's grand-son for his lomon's affairs began to grow worse, † on acsake, because he loved God; and for the sake count of his aforementioned transgressions, of the city Jerusalem, wherein he would have and God's anger against him for the same, a temple. Hadad, by Pharaoh's permission, came to Edom, and when he was not able to make the people to forsake Solomon; (for it was kept under by many garrisons, and an innovation was not to be made with safety;) he removed thence and came into Syria. There he met with one Rezon, who had run away from Hadadezer, § king of Zobah, his master, and was become a robber in that country; When Solomon heard this, he was grieved, and greatly confounded, upon this change of almost all that happiness which had made him to be admired, into so bad a state. Nor had there much time passed after the prophet had foretold what was coming, before God raised up an enemy against him, whose name was Hadad: * who took the following occasion of cond commandment, to forbid the very making of any image, though without any intention to have it worshipped; yet do not I suppose that Solomon so understood it, nor that it ought to be so understood. The making any other altar for worship, but that at the tabernacle, was equally forbidden by Moses: Antiq. IV. 3, yet did not the two tribes and a half offend when they made an altar for a memorial only, Josh. xxii. Antiq. V. 1. * Hadad was a young prince of the royal family of Idumæa, who fled into Egypt when David conquered that country. For David, having obtained a signal victory under the conduct of Abishai, who, at that time, commanded in chief, sent Joab afterwards with an order to kill all the males that should be found in the land. But Hadad bad escaped into Egypt, where, finding favor in the eyes of the king, he married his wife's sister, and there settled. But, after the death of David, he returned into Idumæa, and gave Solomon no small molestation. Calmet's Com. B. + Since the beginning of Solomon's evil life and adver sity was the time when Hadad, (who was born at least twenty or thirty years before Solomon came to the crown, in the days of David,) began to give him disturbance, this implies that Solomon's evil life began early, and continued very long; which the multitude of his wives and concubines does also imply. I suppose he was not fifty years of age. 1 Kings xi. 23. § When David inade war against Hadadezer, Rezon, one of his generals, escaped from the field of battle, with the troops under his command; and, having lived for a little while by plunder and robbery, at length seized on Damascus, and reigued there. But his reign was not long. For David took Damascus, as well as the other parts of Syria, and left it in subjection to his sou Solomon, till God was pleased to suffer this Rezon to recover Damascus, and there re-establish himself, to the great disturbance of the latter part of Solomon's reign. Calmet's Comment. B. and and joined friendship with him, who had already a band of robbers about him. So he went up and seized upon that part of Syria, and was made king thereof. He also made incursions into the land of Israel, and did in it no small mischief, and spoiled it, and that in the life-time of Solomon. And such was the calamity which the Hebrews suffered by Hadad. There was also one of Solomon's own nation that made an attempt against him, Jeroboam, the son of Nebat; who had an expectation of rising, from a prophecy that had been made to him long before. He was left a child by his father, and brought up by his mother; and when Solomon saw that he was of an active and bold disposition, he made him the curator of the walls which he built round about Jerusalem. And he took such care of those works, that the king approved of his behaviour, and gave him, as a reward for the same, the charge over the tribe of Joseph, And when about that time Jeroboam was once going out of Jerusalem, a prophet of the city Shilo, whose name was Ahijah, met him, and saluted him; and when he had taken him a little aside to the place where there was no one present, he rent the garment he had on into twelve pieces, and bade Jeroboam' take ten of them; saying, "This is the will of God: he will part the dominion of Solomon, and give one tribe, with that which is next it, to his son; because of the promise made to David for his succession: and will give ten tribes to thee; because Solomon hath sinned against him, and delivered himself up to women, and to their gods. Seeing, there 1 *This youth of Jeroboam when Solomon built the walls of Jerusalem, not very long after he had finished his twenty years' building of the temple, and his own palace; or not very long after the twenty-fourth year of his reign, 1 Kings ix. 24. 2 Chron. viii. 11. and his youth here still mentioned, when Solomon's wickedness was become intolerable; fully confirm my former observation, that such his wickedness began early, and continued very long. See Eccles. xlvii. 14. Had we this discourse of Josephus's, wherein he intended to enlarge on this part of Solomon's life (which part is only in brief touched upon in our other copies, 1 Kings xi. and his wholly omitted in the books of Chronicles) we had probably been more fully informed of this matter. + How Solomon came to know what was thus transacted between Abijah and Jeroboam alone, is a question of no great difficulty. For perhaps the prophet made no fore, thou knowest the cause for which God hath changed his mind, and is alienated from Solomon, be thou righteous, and keep the laws; because thou hast proposed to thee the greatest of all rewards for thy piety, and the honor thou shalt pay to God: namely, to be as greatly exalted as thou knowest David to have been.N So Jeroboam was elevated by these words of the prophet, and being a young man,* of warm temper, and ambitious of greatness, he could not be quiet. And when he had so great a charge in the government, and called to mind what had been revealed to him by Abijah, he endeavoured to persuade the people to forsake Solomon; to make a disturbance, and to bring the government over to himself. But when Solomon understood his intention and treachery, † he sought to catch him and kill him. But Jeroboam was informed. of it beforehand; and fled to Shishak, king of Egypt: and there abode till the death of Solomon. By which means he gained these two advantages: to suffer no harm from Solomon, and to be preserved for the kingdom. So Solomon died when he was already an old man, having reigned eighty years, § and lived ninety-four. He was buried in Jerusalem having been superior to all other kings in happiness, riches, and wisdom; excepting that when he was grown into years, he was deluded by women, and transgressed the law, concerning which transgressions, and the miseries which befel the Hebrews thereby, I think proper to discourse at another opportunity. | 42 है scruple to report what he had delivered in the name of the Lord; perhaps Jeroboam himself, being puffed up with this assurance, could not contain, but told it to some of his confidants, who spread it abroad; or perhaps his servants, though they heard not the words the prophet spake, yet, seeing him rend the garment into twelve parts, and give ten to him, might speak of this strange and unaccountable action, which Solomon, as soon as he came to hear of it, might easily understand, because the same prophet very likely had told him but just before, that the kingdom should be rent from him, and given to his servant, Kings xiv. 8. Patrick's Comment. B. From An, 1056 to 976 B. C. That Josepbus justly ascribes eighty years to the reign of Solomon, see Essay on the Old Testament, p. 31, 32. This discourse is now wanting. CHAP. VIII. OF REHOBOAM'S CONDUCT AFTER HIS FATHER'S DEATH; AND THE REVOLT OF TEN TRIBES UNDER JEROBOAM. Now OW* when Solomon was dead, and his son Rehoboam (who was born of an Ammonite wife, whose name was Naamah) had succeeded him in the kingdom, the rulers of the multitude sent immediately into Egypt, and recalled Jeroboam. And when he was come to the city Shechem, Rehoboam came thither also; for he had resolved to declare himself king of the Israelites, while they were there gathered together. So the rulers of the people, as well as Jeroboam, came to him and said, that he ought to relax, and to be gentler than his father in the servitude he had imposed on them; because they had born a heavy † yoke, and that then they should be better affected to him, and be well contented to serve him under his moderate government, and should do it more out of love than fear. Rehoboam told them, they should come to him again in three days' time, when he would give an answer to their request. This delay gave occasion to a present suspicion; since he had not given them a favorable answer immediately. However they thought that his consultation about it afforded some hope of success. But Rehoboam now called his father's friends, * An. 976. + Probably in maintaining his court, and, in particular, his numerous wives and concubines. What the particular grievances were that these people desired to have redressed, we may gather from 1 Kings iv. 7, &c. viz. the tribute Solomon exacted for his buildings, the expences of his family, and the maintenance of his chariots and horses, which being for the honor of the nation, ought to have been borne more contentedly by a people enjoying such a large share of peace and plenty, and from a prince who had brought in such vast riches to his subjects, as made silver to be of no value at all in his days, chap. x. 21, but people are more sensible of their pressures than of their enjoyments, and feel the least burdens when they are most at ease. observable, however, that among all their complaints, they take no notice of Solomon's idolatry, or the strange worship which he had introduced, though this, one would think, should have been reckoned among the greatest of their grievances. Patrick's Com. B. It is § It was a common custom among the kings of the east, 10 have their sons educated among other young lords that were of the same age, which as it created a generous spi and advised with them, what sort of answer he ought to give to the multitude. Upon which they gave him the advice which became friends, and those that knew the temper of such a multitude; they advised him to speak in a way more popular than suited the grandeur of a king; because he would thereby oblige them to submit to him with good will: it being most agreeable to subjects, that their kings should be almost upon a level with theni. But Rehoboam rejected this good and profitable advice: (it was such at least at that time, when he was to be made king :) God himself, I suppose, causing what was most advantageous to be contemned by him. So he called for the young men who were brought up with him, § and told them what advice the elders had given him, and bade them speak what they thought he ought to do. So they advised him to give the following answer to the people, (for neither their youth, nor God himself, suffered them to discern what was best,) That his little finger should be thicker than his father's loins; and if they had met with hard usage from his father, they should experience much rougher treatment from him and if his father had chastised them with whips, they must expect that he would do it with scorpions. The king was pleased with this advice; and thought it agreeable to the dignity of his government to give them such an answer. Accordingly when the multitude was rit of emulation, and both endeared the prince to the nobles and the nobles to the prince, could not but tend greatly to the benefit of the public. Sesostris, the most famous prince that ever Egypt produced, is said to have been educated this way. And by the gallant youths that were his cotemporaries and fellow pupils, it was, that he afterwards did so many surprising actions. The same custom was in use among the Persians, as we may learn from the life of Cyrus and of Alexander the Great we are told, that his father Philip had him trained up in his youth, among those young noblemen who became his great captains in the conquest of all Asia. So that Solomon's method and design, in the education of his son, was wise and well concerted, though it failed of success. Calmet's Comment. B. : That by scorpions is not here meant the small animals so called, which were never used in corrections; but either a shrub, with sharp prickles, like the stings of scorpions, such as is our furze-bush; or else some terrible sort of whip of the like nature; see Hudson's and Spanheim's Notes here, and Mr. Barker's parallel observation. assem ་ f assembled to hear his answer on the third day, all the people were in great expectation, and very intent to hear what the king would say to them; and supposed they should hear somewhat of a kind nature, but he passed by his friends, and answered as the young men had given him counsel. * Now this was done according to the will of God: that what Ahijah had foretold might come to pass. By these words the people were struck, as it were by an iron hammer; and were so grieved as if they had already felt the effects of them; and they had great indignation at the king: and all cried out aloud, and said, "We will "We will have no longer any relation to David or bis posterity, after this day; and will only leave to Rehoboam the temple which his father built." Nay, they were so bitter, and retained their wrath so long, that when he sent Adoram, who was over the tribute, that he might pacify them, and persuade them to forgive him, if he had said any thing that was rash or grievous to them in his youth, they would not hear it; but threw stones at him, and killed him. When Rehoboam saw this, he thought himself aimed at by those stones, with which the multitude had killed his servant: and feared lest he should undergo the last of punishments in earnest. So he got immediately into his chariot, and fled to Jerusalem. There the tribe of Judah and that of Benjamin ordained him for their king: but the rest of the multitude forsook the sons of David, from that day; and appointed Jeroboam to be the ruler of their public affairs. Upon this, Rehoboam assembled a great congregation of those two tribes that had submitted to him, and was vants. t ready to take a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men out of the army, and to make an expedition against Jeroboam and his people; that he might force them by war to be his serBut he was forbidden of God by the prophet Shemaiah to go to war. § For that it was not just, that brethren of the same country should fight against one another. He also said, that this defection of the multitude was according to the purpose of God. So he did not proceed in this expedition. And now I will relate first the actions of Jeroboam, the king of Israel; and afterwards what are there with connected, the actions of Rehoboam, the king of the two tribes. By this means we shall shall preserve the order of the history un broken. When Jeroboam had built him a palace in the city Shechem, he dwelt there. He also built him another at a city called Penuel. And now the feast of tabernacles was approaching in a little time, Jeroboam considered, that if he should permit the multitude to go to worship God at Jerusalem, and there to celebrate the festival, they would probably repent of what they had done, and be enticed by the temple, and by the worship of God there performed; and would leave him, and return to their first king; and if so, he should run the risk of losing his own life. So he made two golden heifers, and built two little temples for them; the one in the city Bethel, and the other in Dan: ¶ which last was the ** fountains of the lesser Jordan: and he put the heifers into both the little temples, in the aforementioned cities. And when he had called the ten. tribes together over whom he ruled, he made a 1 Kings xii. 24. ¶ 1 Kings xii. 29. . **Whether these fountains of the lesser Jordan were. near a place called Dan, and the fountains of the greater near a place called Jor, before their conjunction; or whether there was only one fountain, arising at the lake Phiala; at first sinking under the ground, then rising near the mountain Paneum, and thence running through the lake Semochonitis to the sea of Galilee, and so far called the lesser Jordan, is hardly certain even in Josephus himself; though the latter account be the most probable. See Reland's Palestine, Tom. I. L. I. C. 41, 43. However the northern idolatrous calf, set up by Jeroboam, was where little Jordan fell into great Jordan; near a place called Daphna, as Josephus elsewhere informs us:: Of the War,. IV. 1. See the note there. : speech to the people in these words: "I suppose, || my countrymen, you know that, every place hath God in it; nor is there any determinate place in which he is but he every where hears and sees those that worship him. On which account I do not think it right for you to go so long a journey to Jerusalem, which is an enemy's city, to worship him. tar, with his own priests about him. But when he was going to offer the sacrifices, and the burnt offerings, in the sight of all the people, a prophet, § whose name was Jadon, was sent by God, and came to him from Jerusalem; who stood in the midst of the multitude, and in the hearing of the king, and directing It, was, a man that built the his discourse to the altar, said thus:-"God temple: I have also made two golden heifers, foretels that there shall be a certain man of the! dedicated to the same God; and, the one I family of David, Josiah by name, who shall have consecrated in the city Bethel, and the slay upon thee those false priests that shall other in Dan; to the end that those of you live at that time, and upon thee shall burn who dwell pearest those cities may go to them, the bones of those deceivers of the people, and worship God there. And I will ordain those impostors and wicked wretches. Howfor you certain priests and Levites from among ever, that this people may believe these things yourselves; that you may have,no want of the shall come to pass, I foretel a sign to them, tribe of Levi, or of the sons of Aaron. But that shall also be fulfilled. This altar' shall let him that is desirous among you of being a be broken to pieces immediately and all the priest, bring to God a bullock and a ram; fat of the sacrifices that is upon it shall be which they say Aaron the first priest brought poured upon the ground." When the prophet also." When Jeroboam had said this, he de. had said this, Jeroboam, in a passion, stretchJuded the people, and caused them to revolt caused them to revolted out his hand, and bade them lay hold of! from the worship of their Torefathers, and to him. But that hand which he stretched out transgress their laws, This was the beginning was enfeebled, and he was not able to pull it of miseries to the Hebrews; and the cause in again to him: for it was become withered," why they were overcome in war by foreigners, and hung down as if it were dead. The altar and so fell into captivity, But we shall re- also was broken to pieces, and all that was late those things in their proper places here- upon it was poured out: as the prophet had after. foretold should come to pass. So the king understood that he was a man of veracity, and had a divine foreknowledge; and intreated him to pray unto God, that he would restore his right hand. Accordingly the prophet did pray to God to grant him that request. So the king having his band recovered to its natural 2 * t When this feast of tabernacles was just approaching, Jeroboam was desirous to celebrate it himself in Bethel; as did the two tribes in Jerusalem. Accordingly he built and altar before the heifer, and undertook to be high-priest himself. So he went up to the al Lev. viii. 14, 22. + An. 975. As the Jews had their feast of tabernacles on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, so Jeroboam had a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, which he instituted of his own accord. Some suppose, indeed, that as this feast was appointed by God to be observed after the gathering in of the fruits, which might be sooner ripe in Jerusalem than in the northern parts of the country, so Jeroboam might pretend, that the eighth would be a better time for it than the seventh, because then they would every where be gathered. Others imagine, that he might have this farther design in the alteration of this month, viz. that the people of Judah, when their own feast was over a month before at Jerusalem, might have an opportunity to come to his, if their curiosity led them. But the plain case is, that he did every thing he could in position to the established religion, and his chief intention was to alienate the people from Jerusalem. Bedford's Scripture Chronology, lib. 6. c. 2. B. op. Who this prophet was commentators are not agreed. The Jews would generally have it to have been Iddo; but unless we may suppose that what is here related fell out in the latter end of Jeroboam's reign, Iddo could not be the person; because Iddo was alive in the days of Ahijah, son of Rehoboam, whereas the prophet here spoken of died, in a manner, as soon as he bad delivered his prophecy. Others therefore have thought, that this prophet who came to rebuke Jeroboam was Ahijah, the same who had foretold him of his exaltation to the crown of Israel. But besides that Ahijah was alive after the time that this prophet was slain, Abijah was certainly a native of Shiloh, and lived in Shiloh, which is the tribe of Ephraim, and. part of Jeroboam's dominions: whereas it is expressly said of this prophet, that he came from Judah. So that there is no foundation, so much as for a conjecture, what the name of this man of God was. Patrick's and Calmet's Comment. B. state |