Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
ITiram'g Works. 1 KINGS VIII. The Utensils of the Temple, kingdom of God, which was embodied In the temple. 23-26. he made a molten sea—In the tabernacle was no such vessel ; tlie laver served the double purpose of wt>*ihing the hands and feet of the priests as well as the parts of tlie sacrifices. But in the temple there were separate vessels provided for these offices. (See on 2 Chronicles 4. action of public business. On the one side of this great
was llie king s house ; and on tlie other the harem or royal apartments for Pharaoh's daughter (Esther 2. 3, 9).
Tliis arrangement of the palace accords with the Oriental style of buildiug, according to which a great mansion always consists of three divisions, or separate houses—all
6.) The molten sea was an immense semicircular vase, measuring seventeen and a half feet diameter, and being eight and three-fourths feet in depth—this, at three and a half inches, could not weigh less than from twenty-five to thirty tons in one solid casting—and held from 16,000 to connected by doors and passages—the men dwelling at one extremity, the female portion of the family at the other, wliile public rooms occupy the central part of the bu Mding. 10. tUe fo»ti»<latloi» was of costly stones, even great stones—Enormous stones, corresijonding ex-
20,000 gallons of water. The brim was all carved with lilywork or flowers, and oxen were carved or cut on the outside actly with the dimensions given, are found in Jerusalem at this day. Not only the walls from the foundation to all round, to the number of 3D0; and it stood on a pedestal of twelve oxen. Tliese oxen must have been of considerable size, like the Assyrian bulls, so as their corresponding legs would give thickness or strength to support so great a weight ; for, when tlie vessel was filled with water, the whole weight would be about 100 tons. [Napier.] (See on 2 Chronicles 4.5.) 37-3'.). lie made ten bases of brass—These were trucks or four-wheeled carriages, for the support a nd conveyance of the lavers. The description of their structure shows that they were elegantly fitted up, and ski Uully adapted to their purpose. They stood, not on the axles, but on four rests attached the roof-beams were built of large hewn stones, but the spacious court also around the palace was paved with great square stones. 12. for tlie Inner court of tlie house of tlic liord—Should be, as In the inner court of the house of tlie Lord ; the meaning is, that in this palace, as in the temple, rows of hevved stones and the cedar beams formed the enclosing wall.
13-51. HiKAM'S Works. Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre—The Tyrians and other inhabitants on the Phoenician coast were the most renowned artists and workers in metal in the ancient world. I*. He was a widow's sou of the tribe of Naplitall—In 2 Chronicles
2. U his mother is said to have been of the daugiiters of Dan. The apparent discrepancy may be reconciled thus to the axles, so that the figured sides were considerably raised above the wheels. They were all exactly alike In form and size. T!ie lavers which were borne upon them were vessels capalile each of holding 300 gallons of water, upwards of a ton weight. The whole, when full of water, would be no less tliiui two tons. [Nai'IEU.] 40-4.5. And Hiram jnade the lavers, and the shovels, and the basins—These verses contain a general enumeration ol Hiram's works, as well as those already mentioned, as other minor things. Tlie Tyrian artists are frequently mentioned byancientauthors as skilful artificers in fashioning and embossing metal enps and bowls; and we need not wonder, therefore, to find them employed by Solomon in making the golden and brazen utensils for his temple and palaces. 46. In the plain of Jordan did the king cast tliem—Zartlian or Zaretan (Joshua 3, l(i), or Zartanali (cli. 4. 12), or Zeredathah (2 Chronicles 4. 17), was on the bank of the Jordan in the territories of western Manasseh. Succoth was situated on the eastern side of Jordan, at the ford of the river near the mouth of the Jabbok. One reason assigned by commentators for the castings being made there is, that at such a distance from Jerusalem that city would not be annoyed by the smoke and noxious vapours necessarily occasioned by the process. [Note in Bagsticr's Bible.] But tlie true reason
Hiram's mother, though belonging to the tribe of Dan, had been married to a Naphtalite, so that when married V afterwards to a Tyrian, she might be described as a widow
the trit)e of Naphtali. Or, if she was a native of the city Dan (Iaislij, she might be said to be of the daughters
Of Dan, as born in that place; and of the tribe of Naplitall, as really belonging to it. a worker in brass—Referring particularly to the works described in this chapter; but in 2 Chronicles 2. 13 his artistic skill is represented as extending to a great variety of departments ; and, in fact, he was appointed, from his great natural talents and acquired skill, to superintend the execution of all the works of art in the temple. 15-aa. two pillars of brass, eighteen cubits higli—Tliey were made of the brass (broniie) which was taken from the king of Zobah (1 Chronicles 18. 8). In 2 Chronicles 3. lo they are said to have been thirty-flve cubits high. There, liowever, their joint lengths are given; whereas here the length of the pillars is given separately. Each pillar was seventeen and a half cubits long, which Is stated, in round numbers, as eighteen. Their dimensions in English measure are as follows: The pillars without the capitals measured thirty-two and a half feet long, and seven feet diameter; anil if hollow, as WlliSTOK, in his translation of Josephus, thinks (Jeremiah 52. 21), the metal would be about three and a half Inches thick; so that the whole casting of one pillar must have been from sixteen to twenty tons. The height of the capitals was eight and three-fourths feet; and, at the same thickness of metal, would not weigh less than seven or eight tons each. The nature of the workmanship in the finishing of these capitals is described (v. 17-22). The pilis to be found in the nature of the soil; Mary., the thickness of the ground. That part of the Jordan valley abounds with marl. Clay and sand are the moulding material still used for bronze. Such large quantities of metal as one of tliese castings would contain could not be fused in one furnace, but would require a series of.furnaces, especially for such a casting as the brazen sea—the whole series of furnaces being filled with metal, and fused at one time, and all tapped together, and the metal let run into the mould. Thus a national foundry was erected in the plain of Jordan. [Naimeh.] 48. the altar of gold i.e., the altar of incense. 49. candlesticks of pure gold—Made, probably, according to the model ol lars, when set up, would stand forty feet in height. (NaPlEU's Mktai,.) 17. nets of chccltcr-work i. e., branchwork, resembling the branches of palm trees, anilwreutlis of chnin-ivork ; i. e., plaited in the form of a chain, composing a sort of crown or garland. Seven of tliese were wound In festoons on one capital, and over and underneath them fringes, one hundred in a row; and two rows of pomegranates strung on chains (2 Chronicles 3. Hi) van round the capital (r. 42 ; cf. 2 Clironicles 4. 12, J3 ; Jeremiah 52. 23), which, tli.'it in the tabernacle, which, along with the other articles of furniture, were deposited witli due honour, as sacred relics, in the temple. But these seem not to have been used in the temple service; for Solomon made new lavers tables, and candlesticks, ten of each. (See further r garding the dimensions and furniture of the temple, In Itself, was of a bowl-like or globular form (f). 41). .These rows were desigt\e<l to form a binding to the ornanient.al work—to keep it from falling asunder; and they were so placed as to be above the chain-work, and below the place where the branch-work was. 19. lily-work—Beau-
2 Chronicles 3. 5.)
CHAPTER VIII. tiful ornament.s, re.seml)ling the stalks, leaves, and blossoms of lilies—of large dimensions, as suited lo the lu-ight of their position, til. Jacl>in and Boa/.—These nanu K were symbolical, and indicated theslri nglh and stability —not so much of the material temple, lor they were demroyed along with It (Jeremiah 52. 17), as of the spiritual
Ver. 1-12. TllK DEnicATioN ok tijk Tk.mpi.k. 2. at the feaNt In the mouth Kthniilin—The public and formal iiiaugiuatuui ol this n:itioiial place of worship did not take place till eleven months after the completion of the edifice. The delay, most probably, originated in Solomon'fc
2lt
The Dedication of the Temple. 1 KINGS IX. Solomon's Sacrifice of Peace Offenvgt, wish to choose the most fitting opportunity when there shouid be a general rendezvous of tlie people in Jerusalem brazen scaffold erected for the occasion (2 Chronicles 6. 13), fronting the altar of burnt offering, and surrounded by a mighty concourse of people. Assuming the attitude of a suppliant, kneeling (v. 54, cf. 2 Chronicles 6. 24), and with uplifted hands, he performed the solemn act of consecration—an act remarkable, amongstother circumstances, for this, that it was done, not by the high priest or any member of the Aaronic family, but by the king in person, who might minister about, though not in, holy things. This sublime prayer, which breathes sentiments of the loftiest piety blended with the deepest humility, naturally bore a reference to the national blessing and curse contained in the law—and the burden of it—after an ascription of praise to the Lord for the bestowraeut of the former, was an earnest supplication for deliverance from the latter. He specifies seven cases in which the merciful interposition of God would be required ; and he earnestly bespeaks (f. 2); and that was not till the next year. That was a jubilee year, and he resolved on commencing the solemn ceremonial a few days before the feast of tajbernacles, which was the most appropriate of all seasons, as that annual festival had been instituted in commemoration of the Israelites dwelling in booths during their stay in tlie wilderness, as well as of the tabernacle, which was then erected, in which God promised to meet and dwell With His people, sanctifying It with His glory. As the tabei nacle was to be superseded by the temple, there was admirable propriety in choosing the feast of tabernacles as the period for dedicating the new place of worship, and praying that the same distinguished privileges might be continued to it in the manifestation of the Divine presence and glorj'. At the time appointed for the inaugui'ation, the king issued ordei's for all the heads and representatives of the nation to repair to Jerusalem, and take part in the august procession. The lead wap taken by the king and elders of the people, whose march must have been slow, as priests were stationed to offer an immense number of sacit on the condition of people praying towards that holy place. The blessing addressed to the people at the close is substantially a brief recapitulation of the preceding prayer.
62-G4. His Sacrifice of Peace Offering. 63. the king, and all Israel . . . oifered saerifice before the Lord—This was a burnt offering with its accompaniments, and being the first laid on the altar of the temple, was, as in the analogous case of the tabernacle, consumed by miraculous fire from heaven (see on 2 Chronicles 7. 12). On remarkable occasions, the heathens sacrificed hecatombs (a hundred), and even chiliombs (a thousand animals), but the public sacrifices offered by Solomon on this occasion surpassed all the other oblations on record, without taking into account those presented by private individuals, which, doubtless, amounted to a large additional number. The large proportion of the sacrifices were peace offerings, which afforded the people an opportunity of festive enjoyment. 63. So the king and all the ehlldren of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord—The dedication was not a ceremony ordained by (he law, but It was done in accordance with tlie sentiments of reverence naturally associated with edifices appropriated to Divine worship. 64. The same day did the king hallow the middle of the eourt—i.e., the whole extent of the rifices at various points in the line of road through which the procession was to go; then came the priests bearing the ark and the tabernacle—the old Mosaic tabernacle which was brought from Gibeon. Lastly, the Levites followed, carrying the vessels and ornaments b,elonging to the old, for lodgment in the new house of the Lord. There was a sliglit deviation in this procedure from the order of march established in the wilderness (Numbers 3.31; 4.15); but the spirit of flie arrangement was duly oliserved. Tlie ark was deposited in the oracle; i. e., the most holy place, under the wings of the cherubim—not the Mosaic cherubim, which were firmly attached to the ark (Exodus 37. 7, 8), but those made by Solomon, which were far larger and more expanded. 8. tliey drew out tlie staves—A little way, so as to project (see on Exodus 2o. 15; Numbers 4. 6), and they were left in that position. The object was, that these projecting staves might serve as a guide to tlie high priest, in conducting him to that place where, once a year, he went to officiate before the ark, otherwise he might miss liis way in the dark, the ark being wliolly oveisliadowed I15' the wings of the cherubim. 9. There Wfxa iiotlilng In the nrU save tlie two tal>les of stone Nothing else was ever in the ark, the artic'les mentioned (Hebrews 9. 4) being not in, but by it, being laid in the most holy place before the testimony. (Exodus 10. 33; Numliers 17. 10.) 10, 11. tlie eloucl lllletl tlie house of the Lord—The cloud was the visible symbol of the Divine presence, and its occupation of the sanctuary was a testimony of God's gracious acceptance of tlie temple as of the tabernacle. (Exodus 40. 34.) The dazzling brightness, or rather, perhaps, the dense jiortentous darkness of the cloud, struck the minds of the priests, as it formerly had done Moses, with that astonishment and terror (Leviticus priests' eourt—the altar of burnt offerings, though large (2 Chronicles 4. 1), being totally inadequate for the vast numlier of sacrifices that distinguished this occasion. It was only a temporary erection to meet the demands of an extraordinai'y season, in aid of the established altar, and removed at the conclusion of the sacri'd festival.
(15. Tin; People Joyful. C5. from the entering In of Ilainath unto the river of Egypt— i. c, from one extremity of the kingdom to the other. The people flocked from all quarters, seven days and seven days, even fourteen flays—The first seven were occupied witli the dedication, and the other seven devoted to the feast of tabernacles (2 Chronicles 7. 9). The particular form of expression indicates that the fourteen days were not continuous, and that some Interval occurred in conseciuence of the great day of atonement falling on the tenth of the seventh month (v. 2), and the last day of the feast of tabernacles was on the twenty-third (2ChronicIes7. 10), when the people returned to their homes M'ltli feelings of the greatest joy and gratitude " for all the goodness that the 16.2-13; Deuteronomy 4. L'4; Exodus 40. 35) that they could not jeinain. Thus the temple liecame the place where tlie Divine glory was revealed, and the king of Israel established Ills royal residence. r^2). Solomon's Hi,ES.siNG. 1!J. Then spake Solomon —For the reassurance of the priests and peopI(\ the king reminded Ihein that the cloud, Itislcad being a sign ominous of evil, was a token of approval. The T.ord said— Not In express terms, but by a continuous course of action (Exodus 13.21; 21. 1«; Jfumbers 9.15). l.'l. 1 have surely built thee an house—This Is an aiiostroplic to God, as perceiving His approach by tlie <loud, and welcoming Him to enter as guest or Inhabitant of llii> fixed and permanent dwelling-place, which, at His command, had been prepared for His reception, l*. the klii turned his face about—From the temjile, where lie had been watching the movementof the mystic cloud, and while the people were standing, partly as the attiluih! of d(^votion, partly out of respect to royally, the king gave a lervent expression of praise toCJod for the I'ulllmentof His prom-
Lord had done for David His servant, and for Israel His people."
CHAPTER IX.
Vor. 1-9. Gon's Covenant in a SECONn Vision with Solomon. 1. And It came to pass, when Solomon had tlnislled the building of the house-This first verse ia oonnect(>d wit h 1 lie <^l(n•enth, all that Is contained between verses 2-10 being parenthetical, a. That (rather, /o;-) the Lord had appeared-This appearance was, like the former one at (ilbeon, most, probably made In a supernatural vision, and on the night Immediately following the dedication of the temple (2 Chronicles 7. V2). The strain of It corresponds to this view, for It consists of direct answers to his solemn Ijiangural prayer (r. 3 is In answer to eh. 8. ise (2 Samuel 7. O-IO).
22-((l. His PitAVKll. Zt, Solomon stood before the •Itar—This position was in the court of the people, on a 218
29; V. 4, 5 is In answer to ch. 8.25, 20; v. 0-9 to eh. 8.SS-16
JIuitud Presents of Soiomon and Hiram. 1 KINGS X. Tlie Queen of Slieba's Visil to Solonmi, einployni Piit. 3.3. these were the chief of the ofnceri«-<
Bce also Deuteroaomy 29. 22-24). 8. this Uoiise wJilcIi Is high—"High," either in point of siluatioii, lor it was (.See ou 2 Chronicles S. 10.)
21-2.S. .Solomon's Yearly S.a.crifice.s. 31, 25. three
DUilt ou a hill, auci therefore conspicuous to every betitiies in a year viz., at tiie passover, pentecost, and feast of tabernacles (2 Clironicles 8.13; 31.3). The circumstances mentioned in these two verses form a proper conclusion to tlie record of his buildings, and sliow that his design in erecting those at Jerusalem was to remedy defects existing at the commencement of his reign fsee on ch. 3. 1-4). 26. Exion-geber, which is beside Kloth —These were neighbouring ports at the head of tlie eastern or Elaiiitic brancli of the Ued Sea. Tyrian ship-carpenters and sailors were sent there for Solomon's \essels holder; or "high" 111 respect to privilege, lionour, and renown; or this "house of llie Most Higli," notwithstfinding all its beauty and magniticeuce, shall be destroyed, and remain in such a state of ruin and degradation as to be a striking monument of tlie just judgmentof God. Tlie record of tliis second vision, in wliich were reliearsed the C< nditions of God's covenant with .Solomon, and the consequences of breaking tliem, is inserted here as a proper introduction to the narrative about to be given of this king's commercial enterpri.ses and ambitious desire for worldly glory; for this king, by encouraging au inllux of (see on 2 Chronicles 8). Eaiion-geber— i.e., the giant's backbone; so called from a reef of rocks at the entrance of tlie harbour. Eloth—Elim or Elatli ; i. e., " the trees'" —a grove of terebinths still exists at the head of tlie gulf. 28. Ophir—A general name, like the East or West Indies with us, for all the southern regions lying on the African, Arabian, or Indian seas, so far as at tliat time known. [Heeren.] gold, four hundred and txventy twlents— (See on 2 Chronicles 8. 18)— at 12^5 pouijis Troy, or 1.5IIC ounces to the talent, and £4 to the ounce, tliis would make £2,604,000. foreign people, and a taste for foreign luxuries, rapidly corrupted his own mind and tliat of his suljjects, that "they turned from foliiiwing God, they and llieir children" (v. 6).
1IV2.!. The Mutu.^l, Presents of Solomon and Hiram. 10. at the cml of twenty years—.Seven and a lialf years were spent in l)Uilding the temple, and twelve and a luilf or thirteen in the erection of liis palace (cli. 7. 1; 2 Chronicles 8. 1). This ver.se is only a recapitulation of tlie first, necessary to rcicover the thread of connection in the narrative. 11. Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee— According to .loseplius, they were situated on tlie nortli-west of it, adjacent to Tyre. Thougli lying witliin the boundaries of the promised land (Genesis 15.18; Joshua 1.4), tliey had never been conquered till then, and were inhabited by Canaanite heathens (Judges 4. '2-13; 2 Kings Li. 29). They were projjably given to Hiram, who.se dominions were small, as a CHAPTER X.
Ver. 1-13. The Queen of Sheba Admires the Wrsno.M OF Solomon. 1. the queen of Sheba \s to where her country was, some think it was the Saboan kingdom of Yemen, of wliicli the capital was Saba, in Arabia Felix; others, that it was in African Etliiopia, i, e., Ahyasinia, towards the south of the Red Sea. The opinions preponderate in favour of the former. This view liarmonizes with the language of our Lord, as Yemen means ".South;" and this country, extending to tlie shores of the Indian ocean, might in ancient times be considered "tlio uttermost parts of the earth." heard of the fame of Solomon—Doubtless by the Opliir fleet, cojicernlng the name of the Lord—Meaning either his great Iviiowledge of God, or the extraordinary things wliicli God had done for liim. hard questions—Enigmas or riddles. The Orientals delight in this species of intellectual exercise, and test wisdom by the power and readiness to solve them. 2. she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels — A long train of tliose l>easts of burden forms tlie common way of travelling in Arabia; and the presents specified consist of the native produce of tliat country. Of course, a royal equipage would be larger and more imposing than an ordinary caravan. 6. It was a true report that I heard In mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom—The proofs she obtained of Solomon's wisdom—not from his conversation onl.v, but also his works; the splendour of his palace; the economy of his kitchen and table; the order of his court; the gradations and gorgeous costume of his servants: above all, the arched viaduct tliat led from his palace to the temple (2 Kings 16. 18), and the remains of which have been recently discovered [Robinson]—overwhelmed her with astonishment. 9. Blessed be the Lord thy God (See on ch. 5.7.) It is quite possible, as Jewish writers say, that this queen was converted, through Solomon s influence, to the worship of the true God. But there Is no record of her making any gift or ofl Tering in the temple. 10. she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold—£720,000. 11. almug trees—Parenthetlcremuneration for his important services in furnisliing workmen, materials, and an immense quantity of wrought gold {(,'. 14) for tlie temple and other buildings. [MiCHAELIS.] Tlie gold, however, as otliers think, maj' have been tlie amount of forfeits paid to Solomon by Hiram for not being able to answer tlie riddles and apothegms, with which, according to Josephus, in their private correspondence, the two sovereigns amused tliemselves. Hiram liaving refused these cities, probably on account of tlieir inland situation making them unsuitalile to his maritime and commercial people, Solomon satisfied his all.v in some other way; and, taking these cities into his own hands, he first repaired their sliattered walls, then filled them witli a colony of Hebrews (2 Chronicles 8. 2). 15-24. this Is the reason of the levy—A levy refers both to men an<l money, and the necessity for Solomon making
It arose from the many gigantic works he undertook to erect. Mlllo— Part of the fort of Jerusalem on Mount Zlon (2 .Samuel o.'J; 1 Chronicles 11.8), or a row of stone bastions around Mount Zion, Millo being the great corner lower of that fortified wall (ch. 11.27; 2 Chronicles 32.5). the wall of .Temsalem—Either repairing some breaclies In it (cli. 11.27), or extending it so as to enclose Mount Zion. Haior—Fortified on account of its importance as a tflwn in the nortliern boundary of the country. Meglddo—(now Leljun)—Lying 4n the great caravan road between Egypt and Damascus, was tlie key to the nortli of Palestine by tlie western lowlands, and therefore fortified. Gezer—On the western confines of Ephraim, and, though a Levitical city, occupied by the Canaanites. Having fallen by right of conquest to the king of Egypt, who for some cause attacked it. It was given by him as a dowry to his dauglitor, and fortified by Solomon. 17. Betli-horon the nether— Situated on the way from Joppa to Jerusalem and Glbeon; It required, from so public a road, to be strongly garrisoned. 18. Baalath Baalbek, Tadmor—Palmyra, between Damascus and the Euphrates, was rebuilt and fortified as a security against inva Rion from Northern Asia. In accomplishing the.se and various other works which were carried on throughoat the kingdom, especially in the north, where Rezon of Daraa.scus, his enemy, might prove dangerous, he employed vast numbers of the Canaanites as galley-slaves all.y, along with the valuable presents of the queen of Sheba, is mentioned a foreign wood, which was brought In the Ophir ships. It Is thought by some to be the sandal wood ; by others, to be the deodar—a species of fragrant flr, much used In India for sacred and Important works. Solomon used It for stairs In his temple and palace (2 (:;hronicles 9. 11), but chiefly for musical instruments. 13. King Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, besides— i. e., Solomon not only gave his Illustrious guest all the Insight and Information she wanted; but, according to the Oriental fashion, gave her ample remuneration for the present* she had brought.
(3 Chronicles 2. 18), treating them as prisoners of war, wlio were compelled to do the drudgery and hard labour. While the Israellteit were only engaged in honourable
Solomon's Wives and Concubines. 1 KINGS XI. God Threatens Him.
14-29. His Riches. 1*. Now tlie weight of gold that came fo Solomon in one year— t!(!G talents, equal to was tolerated among theancient Hebrews; and, although in most countries of the East, the generality of men, from convenience and economy, confine themselves to ono woman, yet a number of wives is reckoned as an indication of wealth and importance,.iust as a numerous stud of horses and a grand equipage are amongst us. The sovereign, of course, wishes to have a more numerous harem than any of his subjects; and the female establishments of many Oriental princes have, both in anc'eut and modern times, equalled or exceeded that of Solomon's.
The sources whence this was derived are not mentioned; nor was it the full vimount of his revenue; for this was "besides that he had of the merchantmen, and of the trattic of the spice-merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country." The great encouragement he gave to commerce was the means of enriching his royal exchequer. By tlie fortifications which he erected in various parts of liis Icingdom, and particularly at such places as Thapsacus, one of the passages of Euphrates, and at Tadmor, in the Syrian
It is probable, therefore, that, in conformity with Oriental notions, he resorted to it as a piece of state magnifieenee. But in him it was unpardonable, as it was a direct and outrageous violation of the Divine law (Deuteronomy 17. desert, he gave complete security to the caravan trade from the depredations of the Arab marauders; and it was r,easonable that, in return for this protection, he should exact a certain toll or duty for the importation of 17), and the very result which that statute was ordained to prevent was realized in him. His marriage with tlie daughter of Pharaoh is not censured either here or elsewhere (see on ch. 3. 1). It was only his love for many strange women ; for women, though in the East considered inferiors, exert often a silent but powerfully seductive influence over their husliands in the harems, as elsewhere, and so it was exemplified in Solomon. 3. he had seven Itnndred wives, princesses—They were, probably, according to an existing custom, the daughters of tributary chiefs, given as host.ages for good conduct of their fathers, concubines— Were legitimate, but lower or secondary wives. These the chief or first wife regards without the smallest jealousy or regret, as thej' look up to her with feelings of respectful submission. Solomon's wives became so numerous, not all at once, but gradually; ;is even at an early period his taste for Oriental show seems to have led to the establishment of a considerable harem (Song 6. S). 4. wlien Solomon was old He could not have been more than fifty, his wivea turned nwny liis lieart after other gods—Some, considering the lapse of Solomon into idolatry as a thing incredible, reg.ird him as merely humouring his wives in the practice of their superstition, and, in countenancing their respective rites by his presence, as giving only an outward homage—a sensible worship, in which neither his understanding nor his heart was engaged. The apology only makes matters worse, a.s it implies an adding of hypocrisy and contempt of God to an open breach of His law. There seems no possibility of explaining the language of the sacred historian, but as intimating that .Solomcm became an actual and open idolater, worshipping images of wood or stone in sight of the very temi>le which, in early life, he had erected to the true God. Hence that part of Olivet was called the high place of Tophet (.Jeremiah 7. 30-.'!4), and the hill is still known as the Mount of OU'rnce, or the Mount of (Jorruption (2 Kings foreign goods. A considerable revenue, too. would arise from the use of the store cities and khans he built ; and It is not improbable that those cities were emporia, where the caravan merchants unloaded their bales of spices and other commodities, and sold them to the king's factors, who, according to the modern practice in the East, retailed them in the Western markets at a profit. "The revenue derived from the tributary kings and fnun the governors of the country" must have consisted in the tribute which all inferior magistrates periodically bring to their sovereigns in the East, in the shape of presents of the produce of their respective provinces. 16, 17. two hundred targets, six Imndred shekels—These delcnsive arms were anciently made of wood and covered with leather; those were covered with tine gold. (iOO shekels were used in the gilding of each target— 300 lor each shield. They were intended for the state armoury of the palace (see on ch. 14. 26). 18-36. a great throne of Ivory —It seems to have been made not of solid ivory, but veneered. It was in the form of an arm-chair, with a carved bacli. The ascent to it was by six steps, on each of which stood lions, in place of a railing—while a lion, probal)ly of gilt metal, stood at each side, which, we may suppose from the analogy of other Oriental thrones, supported a canopy. A golden footstool is mentioned (2 Chronicles 9. 18) as attached to this throne, whose magnificence is described as unrivalled. 33. a navy of Tarshish—Tartessus in Spain, where gold, and especially silver, was got, anciently, in so great abundance that it was nothing accounted of in the days of .Solomon. Hut Tarshish came to be a general term for the West (Jonah 1). at sea—On the Mediterranean, onec in three years— i.e., tliird year. Without the mariner's compass they had to coast along the shore. The ivory, apes, anil peacocks might have been purchased, on the outward or homeward voyage, on the north coast of Africa, where the animals were to be found. Tliey were particulara!. 13). .'». Ashtoreth (Astarte), Mlleolm (Molech), and Chemosli—He luiilt altars for these three; but, although he is described (i',S)as doing the same for "all his strange wives," there is no evidence that they had idols distinct from thi'se, and there is no trace whatever of Egyptian idolatry. K, burnt ineen«e, and saeri Aced unto llieir gods—The first was considered a higher act of homage, and is often vised as synonymous with worship (2 Kmgs ized, probably as being the rarest articles on board. 86-39.—(See on 2 Chronicles 1. 14-17.)
CHAPTER XI.
'Ver. I-S. SoT.OMON's Wives and Concttbinks in His Ol.I) Af;i!. 1. Unt King Solomon loved mnnysirange women—Solomon's extraordinary gift of wisdom was not sullicient to presi'rve him fnun falling into grievous and fatal errors. A fairer promise of true gn atness, a more beautiful picture of juvenile piety, ncvfr was seen than that which he exhibited at the commencement of
9-13. (ion Thukatens ITim. t>. tlie Lord was hugry with Solotnon—The Divine appearance, first nt Gibeon, and then at Jerusalem, alter the dcilication of the tcmpl(>, with the warnings given him on both occasions, had left Solomon Inexcusable; and it was projier and necessary that on one who had b(>en so signally fa vouied with the his reign. No sadder, more humiliating, or awlid specgifts of Heaven, but who had grossly abused thi-m, a tertacUi can be imagiiusd than the ))osottcd apostasy of his old age; anil to Mm maybe applied the words of I'aul (Oalatians ;!. 3), of .John (U(!velation 3. 17), and of Isaiah rible Judgment shouhl fall. The Dlvlno .sentcnee was announced to hlin jn'oliably by Aliijah; but there was mercy mingled with judgment, in the circumstance, that (14. 21). A love of the world, a ceaseless roinid of pleastire, had insensibly corrupted Ills heart, and produced, for a It shotild not be inflicted on Solomon personally—and that a. remiiitnt of the kingdom should be spared—" for David's sake, and lor .lenisalem's saUe, which had been chosen" toput (lod's name t here ; not f rom a partial bias in favour of either, but that the Divine promise might stand
Willie at least, a slate of m<'iit.al darkness. The grace of Ood descried him; and the son of the pious David—the rellgioiisly-tralned child of liath-sheba (Proverbs 31. 1-:!), and pupil of Nathan, Instead of showing? the Klal)llily of sound principle and mature experience, becanui at last Hn old ami foolish king (Eccleslasles 4. 13). Ills fall is (2 Samuel 7). 1.1. I «'ill give one tribe to thy hou— There were left to Uehoboam the tribes of Judah, Heiijatraced to his " lovo of many strange women." I'olygamy 220 iiiin.and Levi (2 Chronicles II. 12, 13); and multitudes of ANCIENT IMPLEMENTS AND HOUSEHOLD UTENSILS.
Sulumoii's Adversaries. 1 KINGS XII. The Revolt of the Ten Tribes.
Samuel 10. 19-21), for, after God's promise of the perpetual sovereignty to David's posterity, their duty was submission to the authority of the rightful heir; but their object was, when making him king, to renew the conditions and stipulations to which their constitutional kings were subject (1 Samuel 10. 2-5) ; and to the omission of rehearsing which, under the peculiar circumstances in which Solomon was made king, they were disposed to ascribe the absolutism of his government. Shechem—An an- Israelites, who, after the schism of the kingdom, established their residence witliin tlie territory of Jiulah to enioy the privileges of the true religion (ch. 12. 17). These are all reckoned as one tribe.
14-40 Solomon's Adversaries. 14. the Lor.l stirred np an «aversarj-—i. e., permitted him, through the im- , pulse of his own ambition, or revenge, to attack Israel.
During the war of extermination, which Joab carried on In Edom (2 .Samuel 8. 13), this Hadad, of the royal family, amere l)oy when rescued from the sword of the ruthless cient, venerable, and central town, was the place of convocation; and it is evident, if not from the appointment of that place, at least from the tenor of their language, and the conceited presence of Jeroboam, tliat the people were determined on revolt. 4. Thy lather made onr yoke grievous—The splendour of Solomon's court, and the magnitude of his undertakings being such, that neither the tribute of dependent states, nor the presents of foreign princes, nor the protlts of his commercial enterprises, were adequate to carry them on, he liad been obliged, for obtaining the necessary revenue, to begin a system of heavy taxa tion. The people looked only to the burdens, not to the benefits they derived from Solomon's peaceful and prosperous reign—and the evils from which they demanded deliverance were civil oppressions, not idolatry, to which they appear to have been indifferent or approved of it. 5. he said, Depart yet for tJiree days conqueror, was carried Into Egypt, hospitably entertained, and became allied with the house of the Egyptian king. In after years, the thought of his native land and hl.« lost kingdom taking possession of his mind, he, on learning tlie death of David and Joab, renounced the ease, possessions, and glory of his Egj'ptian rpsi<lence, to return to Edom, and attempt the recovery of his ancestral throne. The movements of this prince seem to have given much annoyance to the Hebrew government; but as they were defeated by the numerous and strong garrisons planted throughout the Edomite territory, Hadad seems to have olfered his services to Rezon, another of Solomon's adversaries (v. 28-25). This man, who had been general of Hadadezer, and, on the defeat of that great king, had successfully withdrawn a large force, went into the wilderness, led a predatory life, like Jephthah, David, and others, on the borders of the Syrian and Arabian
It was prudent to take the people's demand into calm and deliberate consideration. Whether, had the advice of the sage and experienced councillors been followed, any good result would have followed, it is impossible to say. It would at least have removed all pretext for the separation. But he preferred the counsel of his young companions (not in age, for they were all about forty-one, but inexperienced), who recommended prompt and decisive measures to quell the malcontents. 11. -wliips . . . scoi-]i>iong —The latter, as contrasted with the former, are supposed to mean thongs thickly set with sliarp iron jioints, used in the castigation of slaves. 15. tlie king Itearkeiicd not unto tlie people, for tlie caii.se was from tlic LordThat was the overruling cause. Rehoboam's weakness (Eccleslastes 2. 18, 19) and inexperience in public afikirs has given rise to tlie probal)le conjecture, tliat, like many other princes in the East, he had been kept secluded in the harem till the period of his accession (Eccleslastes deserts, and having acquired great power, at length became king in Damascus, threw off the yoke, and was "the adversary of Israel all the days of Solomon." He was succeeded by Hadad, whose successors took the official title of Benhadad from him, the Illustrious founder of the powerful kingdom of Damascene-Syria. These hostile neighbours, who had been long kept in check by the traditional fame of David's victories, took courage, and breaking out towards the latter end of Solomoii's reign, must have not only disturbed his kingdom by their inroads, but greatly crippled his revenue liy stopping his lucrative traffic with Tadmorand the Euphrates. 86-40. Jeroboam—This was an internal enemy of a still more formidable character. He was a young man of talent and energy, who, having been appointed by Solomon superintendent of the engineering works projected around ,7erusalem, had risen into public notice, and on being informed by a very significant act of the prophet
4.14), his fat Jier being either afraid of his aspiring to the sovereignty, like the two sons of David, or, which is more probable, afraid of prematurely exposing his imbecility. The king's haughty and violent answer to a people already
Ahijah of the royal destiny which, by Divine appointment, awaited him, his mind took a new turn. 29. clad —Rather wrapped up. The meaning is, "Ahijah, the Shilonite, the prophet, went and took a fit station t;i the way, and, in order that he might not be known, he wrapped himself up, so as closely to conceal himself, in a new garment, a mrlout, which he afterwards tore in twelve pieces." Kotwithstanding this privacy, the story, and the prediction connected with it, probably reached the king's ears, and Jeroboam became a marked man. His aspiring ambition, impatient for the death of Solomon, led him to form plots and conspiracies, in consequence of which he was compelled to flee to Egypt. Though chosen of God, he would not wait the course of God's providence, and therefore Incurred the penalty of death by his criminal rebellion. The heavy exactions and compulsory labour filled with a sjiirit of discontent and exaspei'ation, iiidicated*feo great an incapacity to appreclufe the gravity of the crisis, so utter a want of coininon sense, as to create a belief that he was struck with judicial blindness. It was received with mingled scorn and derision. The revolt was accomplished, and yet so quietly, t hat llehoboam remained in Shechem, fancying himself the sovereign of a united kingdom, until his chief tax-gatherer, who had been most Imprudently sent to treat with the people, had been stoned to death. This opened his eyes, and he fled for security to Jerusalem.
20-:S. Jeroboam Made King ovKK THEr. 20. when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again—This verse closes the parenthetical narrative begun at verse 2, and verses 21-24 resume the history from verse 1. llehoboam determined to as.sert his autliorlty, by leading a large force into the di-saflected provinces. But the revolt of the ton tribes was completed when the prophet Shemaiah ordered, iu the Lord's name, an abaiidoiuueiit of any hostile measures against the revolutionists. The army, overawed by the Divine prohibition, dispersed, and the king was obliged to submit. 25. .leroboniii built Shechem—Destroyed by Abi'uelech (.Judges 'J. l-i'J). It was rebuilt, and perhaps fortilied, by J<'rolio;uii. as a royal residence, built Penuel— .V ruined city with a tower (Judges 8. 9), east of Jordan, on the north bank of the Jabbok. It was .an object of importance to restore this for- (v. 28) which Solomon latterly imposed upon his subjects, when his foreign resources began to fail, had prepared the greater part of the kingdom for a revolt under so popular a demagogue as Jeroboam. 40. Sliisltak—Who harboured and encouraged the rebellious refugee, was of a different dynasty from the father-in-law of Solomon.
CHAPTER XII.
Ver. l-,5. Refusing the Oi-n Men's Coctn.sel. 1. Rehoboain went to .Shechem—He w.as the eldest. If not the only son of Solomon, and had been, doubtless, designated by his father heir to the throne, as .Solomon had been by David. The inciihait here related took place at Ter the funeral obsequies of the late king, and the period for public moftrning had past. When "all Israel csime to make him king," It was not to exercise their old right of election (1 tress, as it lay on the caravan road from Gilead to Damascus and Palmyra, and secure his frontier on tliat quarter, S6. Jeroboam said In his heart, Now shall the kinga
JerohoawLS Sand Wiiheri 1 KINGS Xlir, XIV GocPs Judgments against Jeroboam. dom return totliehouseof DavUl—Having received the kingdom from God, he should have relied on the Divine protection. But he did not. With a view to withdraw the people irom the temple, and destroy the sacred associations connected with Jerusalem, he made serious and unwarranted innovations on the religious observances of the country, on pretext of saving the people the trouble and expense of a distant journey. First, He erected two golden calves—tl'e young bulls. Apis and Mnevis, as symthe people had become apostates from the true religion and the reason of his not being allowed to return the samn way was lest he should be recognized by any whom he had seen in going. 11. Now there dwelt an old prophet in Beth-el—If this were a true prophet, he was a bad man. 18. an angel spake to me by the word of the Lord—This circuitous mode of speaking, instead of simply saying, "the Lord spake to me," was adopted to hide an equivocation, to conceal a double meaning—an inferior sense given to the word angel—to offer a seemingly superior authority to persuade the prophet, while really the authority was secretly known to the speaker to be infebols, in the Egyptian fashion, of the true God, and the nearest, according to his fancy, to the figures of the cherubim. The one was placed at Dan, in the northern part of his kingdom ; the other at Beth-el, the southern extremity, in sight of Jerusalem, and in which place he probably thought God was as likely to manifest himself as at Jerusalem (Genesis 32. ; 2 Kings 2. 2). The latter place was the most frequented—for the words (d. 30) should be rendered, " the people even to Dan went to worship berior. The "angel;" t. e., messenger, was his own sons, who were worshippers, perhaps priests, at Beth-el ; and as this man was governed by self-interest, and wished to currj' faour with the king, whose purpose to adhere to his religious polity, he feared, might be shaken by the portents that had occurred, his hastening after the fore the one" (Jeremiah 48. 13; Amos 4.4, 5; 5. 5; Hosea prop'iiet of Judali, the deception he practised, and the urgent invitation by which, on the ground of a falsehood, he prevailed on the too facile man of God to accompany him back to his house in Beth-el, were to create an impression in the king's mind that he was an impostor, wlio acted in opposition to his own statement. 20-^3. he cried unto the man of God that came from •Tiidalt Rather, " it cried ;" ie., the word of the Lord.
5. 8; 10. 8). This innovation was a sin, both because it was setting up the worship of God by symbols and images, and departing from the place which he had chosen to put his name there. Secondly, He changed the feast of tabernacles from the 15th of the seventh to the 15th of the eighth month. The ostensible reason might be, that the ingathering or harvest was later in the northern parts of the kingdom ; but the real reason was to eradicate the old associations with this, the most welcome and joyous festival of the year. 31. made priests of the lowest of the peo-
2i-.S2. The Disobedient Prophet Slain by a Lion. iil. a lion met Ittm by the way and slew him—There was a wood near Beth-el Infested with lions (2 Kings 2.
21). This sad cativstrophe was a severe but necessary juiigment of God, to attest the truth of the message with which the prophet had been charged. The whole circumstances of this tragic occurrence—the undevoured carcass —the untouched ass—the unmolested passengers—by the ple—lit., out of all the people, the Levites refusing to act. He himself assumed to himself the functions of the high priest, at least, at the great festival, probably from seeing the king of Fjgypt conjoin the royal and sacred oftices, and deeming the office of the high priest too great to be vested in a subject. lion, tJiough standing there, were calculated to produce an irresistible impression that the hand of God was in it. 31. I>ury ine in tlie sepulchre wlierein the man of God
CHAPTER XIII.
Is buried—His motive in making this request was cilber that his remains might not be disturbed when the predicted events took place (see on 2 Kings 23. 18), or he had some superstitious hope of being benetlted at the resurrection by being in the same cave with a man of God.
Ver. 1-22. Jeroboam's Hand Witheks. 1. there came n man of God out of Jitdah—Wlio this prophet was cannot be ascertained. He came by Divine autliol'ity.
It could not be either Iddo or Ahijali, for both were alive after tlie events here related. Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn Incense—It was at one of the annual festivals. The king, to give Interest to the new ritual, was himself tlie ofticiatlng priest. The altar and its accompaniments would, of course, exhibit all the splendour of a new and gorgeously decorated temple. But tlie prophet foretold its utter destruction, a. he crlcd%^alnst the altar—W'liicli is put for the wliole system of worsliip organized in Israel. Behold, a child shall be born . . . Joslah by name—This Is one of the most remarkable prophecies recorded in the Scriptures; and. In its clearness, circumstantial minuteness, and exact prediction of an event tliat took place 3fi0 years after it, stands in striking contrast to tlie obscure and ambiguous oracles of the heathen. Being puli Ucly uttered, i» must liave been well known to tlie people ; and every Jew who lived at the accomplishment of the event must have been convinced of the truth of a religion connected with such a prophecy as this. A present sign was given of the remote event predicted, ill a visible fissure being niliaonlously made on the altar. Inctcnsed at the man's license of speech, Jeroboam stretched out his hand and ordi'i-ed his attendants tosel/,e the bold intruder; that moment the king's arm became stiir an<I motionless, and the altar split asunder, BO that the tire and ashes fell on the floor. Overawed by the effects of his impiety, Jeroboam besought the prophet's prayer. Ills request was acceded to, aiul the hand was restored to Its healthy state. Jeroboam was artfjl, and Invited (he prophet to the royal table, not to do lilm honour, or show his gratitude for the restoration of h'.n hand, but to win, by his courtesy and liberal hospitality, a person wliorii Ihm'ouUI not crush by his power. Hnl the prophet Informed him of a Divine Injunction expressly prohibiting lilin from all social Intercourse with an.v In the place, as well as from returning the same wa.v. The proli Utlon not to eat or drink In I!elh-el was because all
CHAPTER XIV.
Ver. 1-20. Ahijah Denounces God's Judgments against Jeroboam. 1. At that time—A phrase use<l often loosely and Indefinitely In sacred history. This domestic incident In the family of Jeroboam probably occurred towards the end of his reign; his son Ahijah was of age, and considered by the people tne heir to the throne.
'Z. Jeroltonm snlfl to his wife, Arise, I pray thee, and disguise tliyself—His natural and Intense anxiety as a parent is here seen, blended with the deep and artful policy of an apostate king. The reason of his extreino caution was an unwillingness to acknowledge that he looked for information as to the future, not to his idols, but to the true God, and a fear that this step, if publicly known, might endanger the stability of his whole political system; and a strong Impression that Ahijah, who was greatly oll'ended with him, would. If (consulted openly by his (jueeu, either Insult or refuse to receive her. For tlie.se reasons he selected his wile, as, In every view, the most proper for such a secret and confidential errand, but recommended her to assume the garb and manner of a peasant woman. Strange Infatuation, to sujipose that the God who could reveal ftiturlty could not peiu-trate a flimsy disguise! 3. And take with tliee ten lonves, and cracknels, and a cruso of honey, and go io Itim—This was a present in unison with the peasant character she assumed. (Cracknels are a kind of sweet seed-cake. The prophet was blind, but having received Divine premonition of the pretended countrywoman's coming, he addressed lu'r the moment she apiieared as the (lueen, apprised her of the calamities which. In consequence of ilie Ingratitude of Jeroboam, his ajiostasy, and outrageoun mlsgoveniment of Israel, Impended over tlielr house, as well as over the nation which too readily followed Uli
TEMPLE OF IPSAMDUL.
Rehohoam s Wicked Reign. 1 KINGS XV. Asa's Good Rctgn, Idolatrous Innovations. 8. thou hast not l>ecn as my so called and comprehended In the sacred canon, but the nat ional andii ves of Judah. 30. th« i r was war between lielioboam antl Jtroboi«in—Tlif I'oriiier was prohibited from entering on an aggri'ssivc war; Imt as tlie two king* doms kept up a jealous riviilry, lie might be forced into vigilant measures of defence, and I'lcquenl skirmlshea would take place on the borders. gerv Kikt David—Who, though he fell into grievous sins, repented, and always maintained tlie pure worship of God as enjoined by tlie law. 10. I will bring evil iipoii the house of Jeroboam—Strong expressions are here used to Indicate the utter extirpation of hishou.se; "liiin that is shut up and left in Israel," means those who were concealed with the greatest privacy, as the heirs of royalty often are where polygamy prevails; the other phrase, from the loose garments of the East having led toadilf'er-
CHAPTER XV.
Ver. 1-8. Abijam's Wicked Reign over Judah. 1. Abljam—His name was at first Abijah (2 Chronicles 12. 16); "Jah," the name of God, according to an ancient fashion, being conjoined with it. But afterwards, when he was found "walking In all the sins of his father," that honourable addition was withdrawn, and his name in sacred history changed into Abijam. [Lightfoot.] 3. Tliree years reigned he—(cf. v. 1 with v. 9). Parts of years are counted in Scripture as whole years. The reign began In Jeroboam's eighteenth year, continued till the nineteenth, and ended in the course of the twentietli. liis mother's name was Maachah—or Michaiali (2 Chronicles 13. 2), probably altered from the one to the other on her l)ecoming queen, as was very common under a change of circumstances. She is called the daughter of Abislialom, or Absalom (2 Chronicles 11. 21), or Uriel (2 Chronicles 13. 2). Hence, it has been thought probable that Tamar, the daughter of Absalom (2 Samuel 14. 27; 18. 18), had been married to Uriel, and tliat Maachah was their daughter. 3. his Iieart was not perfect with tlie Lord ... as the lieart of David his father—<cf. ch. 11. 4 ; 14. 22). He was not positivelj' bad at first, for it appears {v. 1.5) that he had done something to restore the pillaged treasures of the temple. This phrase contains a comparative reference to David's heart. His doing that which was right iu the eyes of the Lord (v. 5) is frequently used in speaking of tho kings of Judah, and means only that they did or did not do that which, in the general course and tendency of their government, was acceptable to God. It furnislies no evidence as to the lawfulness or piety of one speeifit act. 4. for David's sake did the Lord . . . give l»im a lamp— "A lamp" in one's house is an Oriental plu-ase for continuance of family name and prosperity. Abijam was not rejected only inconsequence of the Divine promise to David (see on ch. 11. 13-36). eiit practice from what prevails In the West, cannot refer to men ; It must signify either a very young boy, or rather, perhaps, a dog, so entire would be the destruction of Jeroboam's house that none, not even a dog, belonging to it should escape. This peculiar phrase occurs only in regard to the threatened extermination of a family (1 Samuel 2.3. 22-31). See the manner of extermination (ch.
16. 4; 21. 24). 13. the child shall die—The death, and general lamentation felt through the country at the loss of the prince were also predicted. The reason of the profound regret shown at his death arose, according to Jewish writers, from his being decidedly opposed to the erection of the golden calves, and using his influence with tiis father to allow his subjects the free privilege of going 'o worship in Joru.salem. 13. all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him—The only one of Jeroboam's family who should receive the rites of sepulture. 14. the Lord shall raise him up a king . . . but what T even now—viz., Baasha (ch. 15. 27); lie was already raised —he was in being, though not In power. 17. Tirzah— place of pre-eminent beauty (Song 6. 4), three hours' travelling east of Samaria, chosen when Israel became a separate kingdom, by the first monarch, and used during three sliort reigns as a residence of the royal liouse. The fertile plains and wooded hills in that part of the territory of Ephralm gave an opening to the formation of parks and pleasure-grounds similar to those which were the "paradises" of Assyrian and Persian monarchs. [Stanley.] Its site Is occupied by the large village of Taltise. [Robinson.] As soon as the queen reached the gate of the palace, she received the intelligence that her son was dying, according to the prophet's prediction. 19. The lest of the acts of .Teroboam—None of the threatenings deno inced against this family produced any change in his policy or government.
9-22. Asa's Good Reign, his mother's name was Maachali—She was properly his grandmother, and she is here called " the king's mother," from tlie post of dignity which at the beginning of his reign she possessed. Asa, as a constitutional monarch, acted like the pious David, labouring to abolish the traces and polluting practices of idolatry, and in pursuance of his impartial conduct, lie did not spare delinquents even of the higliest rank. 13. also Maachali his mother, her he removed from being queen—The sultana,or queen-dowager,was not necessarily the king's natural mother (see ch. 2. 19), nor was JIaachah. Her title, and the privileges connected witli that honour and dignity which gave her precedency among tlie ladies of the royal family, and great influience in the kingdom, were taken away. She was degraded for her idolatry, because she liad made an Idol in a grove—A very obscene figure, and the grove was devoted to the gro.ssest licentiousness. His plans of religious reformation, liowever, were not completely carried througli, "the high places were not removed " (see on ch. 3. 2). Tlie suppression of this private worship on natural or artificial lillls, though a forbidden service, after the toinple liad been declared the exclusive place of worship, tlie most pioui king's laws were notable toaccomplisli. I.'}, he brought In the things which Ills fatlier had dedlcnled—Probably the spoils which Abijam had taken from the vanquished army of Jeroboam (see on 2 (Jhronlclcs 1-3. 16) and the things which himself had dedicated—After hit own victory over the Cushites (2 Chronicles 11.12). 10, titere was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days—Asa enjoyed a ten years' peace alter ,Ieroboam's defeat by Abijam, and this Interval was wisely and energetically spent In making internal reforms, ao
21-24, Rehoboam's Wicked Reign. 21. he reigned in Jerusalem—Its particular designation as "the city which tlie Lord did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put His name there," seems given here, both as a reflection on the apostasy of the ten tribes, and as a proof of the aggravated wickedness of intro<lucing idolatry and its attendant vices there, his mother's name was Naamah, an Ammonltcss—Her heathen extractlcm and her influence as queen-mother are stated to account for Rehoboam's tendency to depart from the true religion. Led by the warning of the prophet (ch. 12. 23), as well a.s by the large Immigration of Israelites Into his kingdom (ch. 12.17; 2 Chronicles ll. 16), he continued for the first three years of his reign a faithful patron of true religion (2 Chronicles U.
17). But afterwards he began and carried a general apostasy ; idolatry became the prevailing form of worship, and the religious state of the kingdom in his reign isdescribed by the high places, the Idolatrous statues, the groves and Impure rites that with unchecked license were observed In them. The description Is suited to the character of the Canaanitish worship. i'>-3l. Shishak Spoils Jerusalem. Sir, 20. Shishak, king of Kgypt, came up—He was the Instrument in the hand of Providence for punishing the national defection. Rven although this king had been Solomon's father-inlaw, he was no relation of Rehoboam's ; but there Is a •trong probability that he belonged to another dynasty (see on 2 Chronicles 12). He was the Sheshonk of the Egyptian monuments, who Is depicted on a bas-relief at Karnak, as dragging captives, wlio, from their peculiar physiognomy, are universally admitted to be Jews. 30. now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, arc they not written in the book of the Chronicles ?—Not the book