In this chapter are related the preparations Rehoboam made to regain the ten tribes that revolted from him, but was forbid making the attempt by a prophet of the Lord, which he paid a regard unto, Ch2 11:1, the fortification of several cities in Judah and Benjamin for his defence, Ch2 11:5, the resort of several priests and Levites to him from Jeroboam, which served to strengthen his kingdom, Ch2 11:13, and an account of his wives, and of his children, and of his disposal of them, Ch2 11:18.
and built cities for defence in Judah; that is, rebuilt, enlarged, and fortified them; for otherwise they were built before, though neglected before the revolt of the ten tribes; but now it became necessary to make them more capacious and strong, to protect his people, and defend himself against Israel; for though he was forbid to act offensively, and therefore contented himself to abide in Jerusalem, and not go forth to war; yet he might lawfully put himself into a condition of defence.
and Etam; another city in the tribe of Judah; see Ch1 4:32, there was a rock of this name, Jdg 15:8 and a fountain from whence waters were conveyed into the pool at Jerusalem, spoken of in Jewish writings (b):
and Tekoah; of which place Amos the prophet was, and which was about twelve miles from Jerusalem. Rauwolff (c) speaks of it as a fortified place now; he says it has a strong and mighty castle, built on a great and high hill.
(b) Cippi Heb. p. 10. (c) Travels, par. 3. c. 22. p. 321. Ed. Ray.
and Mareshah; the birth place of Micah the prophet, Mic 1:1,
and Ziph; there were two cities of this name in the tribe of Judah, Jos 15:24.
and Lachish: a royal city in the time of the Canaanites, and which fell to the lot of Judah, Jos 12:11,
and Azekah; a city situated in the plain of Judah, Jos 10:10.
(d) Antiqu. l. 13. c. 9. sect. 1.
and Aijalon; there was a city of the tribe of Dan of this name, in the valley of which the moon stood still in the times of Joshua, Jos 10:12, but whether the same with this, and now belonging to Judah, or another of the same name, is not certain:
and Hebron; a city in the mountainous part of Judah, and a city of refuge, about twenty miles from Jerusalem, Jos 15:54,
which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities; as they were now made by Rehoboam.
and put captains in them; garrisons of soldiers, with captains over them to defend them:
and store of victual, and of oil and wine; that they might be able to hold out a siege, should they be attacked.
and made them exceeding strong; so that they could not be easily taken:
having Judah and Benjamin on his side: which tribes cleaved to one another, and to Rehoboam, and to the kings of the house of David, in later times, as well as to the true religion.
resorted to him out of all their coasts; as to their rightful sovereign, and chiefly for the sake of the service of the sanctuary at Jerusalem.
for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from exercising the priest's office unto the Lord; neither suffering them to go to Jerusalem in their courses, as they used to do by turns, nor to perform their office in their own dwellings, according to the law of God, in teaching and instructing the people.
and for the devils; demons in the shape of goats, as this word signifies, in which form many of the Heathen deities were worshipped; idols of whatsoever kind are so called; for whosoever worships them worships not God, but devils, Co1 10:21 the images which Jeroboam set up may be meant, and the next clause may be rendered as explanative of them:
even for the calves which he had made; one of which he set up at Dan, and the other at Bethel, Kg1 12:28.
such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel; to seek his face and favour, where he was to be found; to worship him according to his revealed will, and to receive doctrine or instruction from him, as the Targum:
came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord God of their fathers; to sacrifice where only sacrifices were to be offered up, and by the priests of the Lord, who were gone thither, and to their fathers' God, whom the ten tribes had revolted from.
and made Rehoboam son of Solomon strong three years; established him on the throne, strengthened the government in his hands, and were the means of preserving him in the pure worship of God for the space of time mentioned, the reason of which follows:
for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon; in their good ways, which were according to the rule of the divine word; and which, as they refer to the whole of David's life and reign, some particular actions excepted, so to the former part of Solomon's reign, before he fell into idolatry, and to the latter part of it after his repentance; for that he did repent is by some concluded from hence, and may be more strongly from the book of Ecclesiastes, written by him in his old age. This is to be understood both of Rehoboam and his people, who after three years forsook the law of the Lord, Ch2 12:1.
and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse; who was David's eldest brother. Sa1 17:13. She must be a granddaughter or great-granddaughter of his.
Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham; who perhaps all died in their father's lifetime, since the firstborn of a later wife succeeded him.
(d) "peperit", Pagninus, Montanus.
and Uriel of Gibeah; Ch2 13:2, of the tribe of Benjamin, whereas Absalom was of the tribe of Judah:
which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith: Abijah the firstborn, and who was successor in the kingdom, is the same with Abijam, Kg1 14:31 of the rest we nowhere else read.
for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines; led thereunto by the example of his father Solomon, contrary to the command of God, Deu 17:17.
and begat twenty eight sons and sixty daughters; to have many children was reckoned a great blessing, but it was not honourable to have them in such a way.
to be ruler among his brethren; or over them; gave him greater authority, and intrusted him with more power, set him above them, and treated him as heir apparent to the crown: for he thought
to make him king; either to take him into partnership in the throne with him in his lifetime, or to appoint and declare him to be his successor.
and disposed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city; to be governors thereof, in whose hands he could better trust them than in any other; or else, by thus separating them, they would not be able to enter into combination against Abijah; but then he must at the same time appoint some persons to watch and observe them; or otherwise, having such, strong places in their possession, they might rebel against him; the Targum is,"he built and repaired the cities, and appointed of all his children throughout all the countries of the house of Judah, to all the fortified cities;''that is, to have the command of them:
and he gave them victual in abundance; that they might have no reason to complain, and might be able to hold out a siege against an enemy, should they be attacked:
and he desired many wives; either for himself, or rather for his son, since he himself had many; or "Abijah desired, or asked (g) many wives" of their parents, or of those who had the dispose of them, in imitation of his father.
(e) "erudire faciebat", Pagninus, Grotius; "docuit", Vatablus. (f) "lntellexit", Piscator. (g) "petivit", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; "postulavit", Piscator.