PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings
Joseph Hammond [1839-1912] · 502,085 words · 545 reading sections
The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 241
Vers. 40-48.-Solomon's End. There is peculiar interest attaching to the earlier and later days of men who have made a figure in history. Here we have the brief record of the end of a character famed for wisdom above all mere men, upon which we have sadly to meditate that- I. HE SAKK UKDER A DENSE CLOUD. 1. His m01'…
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elsewhere explicitly condemned. (3) Rehoboam, who as king of Judah, like his father Solomon, began bis reign well, fell into the snare of Solomon in multiplyin"' wives (see 2 Chron. xi. 21). 8. In his authorship of the Ecclesiastes. (1) Th~ argument is that upon the message of God, by Ahijah, as is supposed (vers. 9-13…
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to be utterly cast out. The love that smiles on us is still round them. 8. Recognition that the gift we receive is from the hand of the same Master. Blessing and judg- ment hang for him upon the same issues (vers. 33, 38). Only in lowliness and brotherliness can we rightly receive the gifts God sends us. III. THE IMPO…
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one tribe became tho king of Israel. The discharge of the duties of the former oflico maclo those of the l1ittor !PRS arduous. Apply this to the preparation of men for the nobler rule of h,li1ven, by the exercise of powers for God in the earthly sphere. III. THE PERILS OF WORLDLY succEss. 1. In.gratitude. J erobpam fo…
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to be utterly ca.st out. The love that smiles on us is still round them. 8. Recognition that the gift we receive is from the ha.nd of the same Master. Blessing and judg- ment hang for him upon the same issues (vers. 33, 38). Only in lowliness and brotherliness can we rightly receive the gifts God sends us. III. THE Il…
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one tribe became tho king of Isro.el. The discharge of the duties of the former office made those of the lrlitcr !PAS nrcluous. Apply this to the preparation of men for the nobler rule of h,mven, by the exercise of powers for God in the earthly sphere. III. THE PERILS OF WORLDLY SUCCESS, 1. Ingratitude. Jeroboam foste…
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CIIA.PTER m. 1-9'. had foretold their future eminenoe. They remembered, too, that their position-in the THE B'IIVOLT OF THE TEN TRI1!ES.-With very centre of the land-was also the richest the reign of Rehoboam, on _which our his- in all natural advantages. Compared with lorian now enters, we begin the second their p…
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ably been an attempt on the po.rt of made, if, e.s is extremely probable, the Jeroboam the Ephraimite to stir np his ancient Hebrews, like the later, used the and the neighbouring tribes age.inst the letters of the alphabet e.s numerals. Twenty. ascende.noy of Judah in the person of one would then be ~:::, ; forty-one …
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had not" selected the capita.I of Ephraim to wishes were granted," points out how this be the scene" of his coronation (Rawl.) fact makes e.gainst the receivl)d text, lmt thnt he went thither because the northern e.ccording to which they had o.lreacly sum- t1ibes claimed this concession. They de- moned Jeroboam from…
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"And the people spake unto king Reho- Buch an establishment as his (eh. iv. 22, bo11m, so.ying." Of more importo.nce, how- 26) and such undertakings (ch.vi. 14, 22; iii. ever, is the fact tho.t it is at direct vo.rio.nce 1; vii.; ix. 26, 17, 18) wonld be extremely with ver. 20, which places the appearance of costly, an…
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counsel and deliberation. It has been sition to "a servant" above; "for ever" e.ssnmed that both the old and young ad- in opposition to " this day. "J visers of Rehoboam had been taken by Ver. 8.-But he forsook the counsel of him, as part of his retinue, to Shechcm the old men which they had given [Heb. (Biihr). Bu…
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tive. It is quite possible that the levies of What portion have we ill Da;7id 7 [Same Amorites, Hittites (eh. ix. 20), &c., hacl been expression as 2 Sam. xx. 1. The words, in- kept at their toils by the la.sh] , but I wlll terpreted by this passage and 2 Sam. xix. 43, chastise you With scorpions. ['' The very mean, "S…
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have been superintendent of servile work interviews with Rehoboo.m. If, however, under David, Solomon, and Rehoboam. It the received text of vem. 8, 12 is retnined is generally assumed that the young king (see on ver. 3), then we must understnnd sent this officer " to treat with the rebels the " all Israel" in ver. …
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Dcnjamin" (Pea. lxviii. 27), is here omitted prevailed over hereditary ties and ancient as of comparatively smo.11 account. Exo.ct feuds, and decided Benjamin to ea.at in precision has never characterized Oriental ite lot with Judah; the more so, as the writers, There is no suspicion of untruth : heads of this tribe ma…
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dom] the ch!ldrcn of Iorael: return every AbijR.h is born, when Rehoboo.m he.a beeD man to his house: for this thing [i.e., the something like a year upon the throne. division, rupture] is [lit., was] from me. [A prophet of Judah now confirms what a After his birth, Jeroboo.m o.sks o. second prophet of Israel had a…
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hie kingdom is divided ; the holy people are ranged under hostile banners, and the way ie opened for the schism in the Church. We talk sometimes of men who dance on the edge of a volcano, and we have read of Nero fiddling while Rome waEI burning, but it may be questioned whether history affords a more pitiable insta…
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for the moment, but 1\8 being the natm·al consequence of his parents' folly and sin. Ilut let us now_ consider what shape tl..t.is same infatuation took; let us separate it into its constituent parts, that we may the better understand Rehoboam's charac- ter, and see the workings of his mind. Observe- r. liIS ENTIRE…
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHOllB. Vers.1-5.-'I'he Dead and the Living. "The king is dead; long live the king!" This paradox expresses an important truth. Bathsheba recognized it when David on his deathbed promised her that Solomon, her son, should succeed him on the throne, and she said," Let my lord king David live for…
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Ver. 6-ll.-Is1·ael's Mag71,11, Ckarta. The question submitted to Rehoboam at Shecbem concerned the constitution of the monarchy. Hitherto there had been no constitution defining the rights of the people and limiting the power of the crown. Reboboe.m t-0ok three de.ye to deliberate upon the people's Bill of Rights, …
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they have ea.id so when David delivered them from the hand of Goliath ? How fitful is the passion of the multitude I How soon are good men forgotten I (2) In rejecting David did they not forsake the Lord who gave them David o.nd his seed for ever by a covenant of salt? (2 Chron. xiii. 5--8.) (3) In rejecting David, …
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so united o.s to be viewed o.s "one tribe," and are nnitedly called "Jndah." Th, temple was actually within Benjamin's boundo.ry. (3) To the remnant of the people. 'fhese consisted of priests and Levites, and godly people out of all the tribes who were unwilling to separate themselves from the house of David (2 Chrou.…
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" Our deeds still travel with us from afar, And what we have been makes us what we are"- so in the line ?f su_cceeding gener'!-tions. Germs_of evil sown by the fathers spring up among theu: children. There 1S a conservation of moral forces as of material Let a corrupting power be once set in motion, and, though hid…
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become tributary to the great river of His purpose, " He mll.keth the WTath of man to praise Him." The highest example is the sacrifice of Jesus, man's iniquity wo1·king out the world's redemption. " Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands," &c. (Acts…
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in this crisis. [Give examples fi:om history of kings ruined by their favourites.] We should al 9,ays suspect those who gratify our vanity, or seek to further om· lower pleasures. Show the evils which arise, especially to weak characters, from foolish associates. " He that walketh with wise men shall be wise, but a com…
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aggravated the discontent by hie oppression towards the cloRe of his reign, eo that Rehoboam had no easy task before him. All we.a ripe for revolt. 1. National strength is impossible without national wnity. Clans must lose their jealousies if they would become 11, strong people. The scvemnce of the rich from the poor, …
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Vers. 21-33. I. A:N ERROR THAT COULD NOT BE REPA.IRED (vers. 21-24). Reho- boam had zeal and strength behind him in his attempt to bring back the tribes by force. One hundi·ed and eighty thousand men responded to his call; but aU were dispersed at the lifting up of God's hand. The attempt was forbidden, 1. Because …
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CHAPTER XII. 25 -38. secure Reuben, Gad, &o., against invasion from Judah. It is also not unlikely that THE ESTABLISHMENT 01!' TIIE KINGDOM OJI' J eroboe.m. who we.a the great castle builder of !SBA.EL, AND THE SCHISM IN THE CliUBCH.- that age, had some fears of " hostile attacks from the north and north-east" (Keil…
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tions of the temple, e.nd the religious sys- nearly resulted iu the extemiine.tion of the tem of which it was the centre, that "the Jewish re.ce. For of oourse neither Jero- priests and Lentes that were in all Israel," boam nor his people could have forgotten together with the more devout laity, fell the stem condem…
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exact meaning of the original is doubtfnl " ages, or, we might add, even at the present (Ro.wlinson), for n study of the po.ssagee day. He can hardly have cle.imetl, that is to so.y, to be reintroducing the calf-worship, where this phro.se, 0 1~-:iJ occurs (see, e.g., which God had so emphatically reprobated, Deut. i.…
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were less conveniently situated. A sanctuary at first, the people resorted o.lmost exclusively at Dan would save the northern tribes to the Danite sanctuary, Having been for many tedious journeys. It should be re- long years a seat of worship, o.nd having marked that Bethel properly belonged to probably its "house o…
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deities" (Hall)], which were not of the a.hly approached by a. slope, a.a Exod. xx. sons of Levt. [Jeroboam would doubtless 26 forbade steps, though it is by no means h11ve been only too glad to-h11ve retained the certain that they were not used even in services of the Levitic11l priests, but they Solomon's temple, and…
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HOMILETICS. Ver. 30.-The Sin of Jerobo111111,. What was this ein, of which, from this time f?rwai:d, the_ historian has so_ much to say? It is mentioned_ more than twenty times m Scnpture. It casts its dark shadow across fifteen reigns of the kings of Israel. Its baleful influences were felt for more than two and a ha…
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or "horrors," or "statues." We entirely misconceive Jeroboam's purpose, and discredit his sago.city, if we think that he had the worship of Apia or Mne,is or a.ny similo.r idol in bis mind. The last thing that would occur to him would be to set up a purely pagan system amongst sucJ:i a people as the Jews. His was not t…
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«tp•<m, (cf. 1 Cor xi. 18). Jel'Oboam'e arbitrary chc,ice led to e. division in the Jewish Church. Let ue briefly consider in what way the breach in tho national unity, hitherto eo close and conspicuous, was effected. 1. 1'he one centre of unity gave place to three centres of division. Hitherto, three times a year …
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. 25-27.-Jeroboam's Despondency. "Uneasy lies the hea.d. that wears a crown." Jeroboam's ambition was to be a king, and God ge.ve him his desire. This was to punish Solomon and his house for their apostasy, and the men of Israel who had been led away in it. The sequel proved that the a…
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we shall infallibly forfeit the kingdom of heaven. 2. But he was moved by am- bition ,·a.ther than piety. (1) Had he complied with the holy conditions, instead of apprehending mischief to his throne from the visits of his subjects to Jerusalem, it would be the other way. For the more they learnt to love and serve God, …
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of the man was constantly associo.ted, foreshadowing the assumption of the manhood into the Godhead by that blessed Person. (8) And the eagle, the emblem of a.ir, stood for the Holy Spirit. (4) These, therefore, are called the cherubim, or ainn,iUtudes of the Great Ones, from C1:J1 Great Ones, and ::, Uke. 3. Micah'a t…
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Jerusalem through convenience of distance. How adroitly do the wicked plaoe their snares I (2) This place, too, had a memorable history. It was the scene of the vision of the ladder and renewal of the covenant with Jacob, in token of which the patriarch vowed to the Lord, anointed a pillar, and built an altar (Gen. xxv…
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Obristians ooneider religion ine.ppropriate to business competition and to political movements. In this they resemble the son of Nebat. 2. It violated the fwnila,.. mental law of the Decalogue. If the first command was not actually broken, the second was, necessarily. Had these calves merely been the outward symbols of…
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He took advantage of the sacred associations of Bethel and Dan, as if the plaoe would hallow the proceeding. (4) Ho instituted a priestly order as a substitute for the Levites. (6) He ordained festivals that should rival tl1ose of Judah and Jerusalem. In all this, while affecting to do honour to the traditions of re…
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(Porter, p. 219; Van de Velde, ii. 283), so that were no part of the original prophecy, b11t a this function was an act of open defiance] : marginal note which in course of time found ILlld Jeroboam stood by [Heb. upon. See its way accidentally into the text. The idea on eh. xii. 32, 33. It is the so.me occasion] of Ke…
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1t agree, as Rawlinson seems to think with avenge himself on the meee!'nger of God the LXX., which reads roiiro ro pijµa l} (Psa. cv. 14, 16).] iXa>u,1r, rvp,o,, &c.] the Lord hath spoken Ver. 6.-The <ar also was rent [by the [i.e., by me. "This is the proof that my so.me invisible power, and probe.bl7 at the me…
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" Honour me now, I pray thee, before the Cf, 1 Cor. v, 11," With such an one, no, not elders of my people." A feeling of gratitude to ee.t.'' As Corn. a Le.pide, " Ut ipso J~t.o mo.y ho.ve prompted the invito.tion, while the ostenderet, Bethelitaa ido/,olatraa adeo esse king a.t the so.me time wo.s very sensible of det…
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whomsoever spoken, wonld have had but little weight without "signs following,'' the message straightwny receives the confirmation of a miracle. That the man of God " crune from Judah " was in itself reason enough why the men of Israel should not listen to him, unless he compelled their attention by prodigies. "A par…
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heresies o.nd schisms was distinctly foretold by St. Paul himself (1 Cor. xi. 19 ; Acts :xx. 29, 80). But if they are inevitable, because of the frailty of our nature and the hardnesss of our hearts, they are none the less sinful, and it is none the less our duty to strive and to witness against them. If God did not…
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but the altar was ultimately dishonotll'ed and overthrown. The Reformer who should desecrate it with bones of men was already appointed in the counsels of God. E-ven so, sooner or later, " every plant which my heavenly Father hath not pla.nted shall be rooted up" (Matt, xv. 13). "If this work be of men, it will oome to…
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. 1-8.-The Fire of Jehovah. Jeroboam went to inaugurate his feast of tabernacles at his principal temple in Bethel, and to give effect to the ceremonies officiated in person as high priest. Then, as he stood by the altar, censer in hand, he was confronted by the word of the Lord. A …
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be rent :md its ashes poured out, the pride of the king who stood there as a priest was mortified, and his resentment was manifested o.e described in the text I. JEROBOAM WAS A TYPICAL SINNER. 1. He tr=gressed, God's law-(1) In making iina_qes. The law forbad this (Exod. xx. 4, 5). But he mncle two golden calves. N…
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Jesus eating with publicans and sinners (Matt. ix. 11). For the same reason Chris. tians were forbidden to eat with ungodly persons (1 Cor. v. 11 ; see also Rom. xvi. 17; 2 These. iii. 6, 14; 2 Tim. iii. 5; Jas. iv. 4; 2 John 10). (2) The law of distinction between clean and unclean meats set forth not only the duty of…
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invective he delivered the messo.ge of the Lord. Who was he? Josephus (Ant., viii. 8, § 6) identifies him with Iddo the seer. There is no proof of tl.iis. He wa,s one of the runny senTants of Jehovah who have done their work without emblazonin~ on it tlieir n11,IDe. Like John the Baptist, lie was content to be" a. v…
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Ver. 6.-The Kvng confronted by the Prophit. Jeroboam is not e.llawed to pursue hie iniquitous career without solemn Divine rebuke e.nd warning. Tho~ Rehoboam !ms been forbidden to attempt forcibly to suppress the revolt of the tribes (eh. xii 24), a "man of God out of Judah" is sent sternly to denounce the rival altar,…
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CHAPTER XIII. 11-34. Ver 11.-Nowthere dwelt a.n old prophet [Heb. a certain (lit. one) old prophet. For THE DISOBEDIENCE A.ND DEATH 01!' THE this use of iQI$ ( =n,) cf. 1 Kings xx. 13; JLI.N oF Goo.-The seduction of the man xix. 4] at Bethel [It is at first somewhat of God, who has borne such fearless witness surpris…
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felt it diflioult to withdmwfrom a fa.Jae posi- God and found b1m sitting under au oak tion. Or, finally, he may ht1ve taken the side [Heb. the oak; i.e., the well-known oak. of J croboo.m because of the greater honours Possibly there wae but one, or one of great o.ntl rewo.rds tho.t prince had to bestow size, in the n…
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:prophet also as thou art; a.nd a.n angel with the inhabite.nte, himself e.mong the (Bahr ob8errns that "he does not venture rest, although he has taken no part, even by to sny that Jehorah spnke to him, but says his presence, in tho ceremonial of the day. e.n angel did." Is it not more probable that He naturally fe…
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l! Bo.m. ii. 82). This denunciation did not highway, ver. 25], and the ass stood [Heb. necessarily imply a violent death (as Keil, standing] by it, the lion also stood [stand- al.) or even a speedy death, but it prepared ing] by the carcase. [These particulars a.re the man of God for some untimely end.] mentioned to sh…
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themselves, were full of significance. In- the lion standhlg by the carcase : and they deed, he did in one way precisely what came and told lt ln the city where the old Jeroboam and his people 'l\'ere doing in prophet dwelt. [This was precisely wbnt another-he forsook the plain commands of God had d"signc<l. Dy this me…
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the sepulchre [Palestine, being of lime- Ver. 33.-After this thing [calculated etone formation, he.a o. lo.rge number of though it we.s to make a. deep impression oaves. These, enlarged o.nd nde.pted, were and to furnish e. solemn warning) Jeroboam overywhere used for interments. (" The turned not from his evil way. " …
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HOMILETICS. Vers. 21 sqq.-Th~ Man of God and the People of God. The morning of the.t fifteenth day of the eighth month, that black day in the Hebrew Kalendar, that birthday of division, was hardly more memorable or eventful than the evening. In the morning the Bethelites saw the signs of the man of God ; in the eve…
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they would ask, what this messenger of the Most High, this miracle-worker, could have done between morning o.nd evening to bring this terrible judgment down upon his head. And this was a question which only the old prophet could rightly answer, and he had answered it o.lreacly. He had told his sons e.nd neighbours …
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kind as to the doom of the unfaithful people of God. In his encl, men might see a fore-shadowin,: of their nation's, if it should persevere in the worship of the calves. !<'or they woultl assw-edly remember, as they pondered this history, that as this prophet of J ndah was a man of God, precisely so was Israel the p…
860 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical Pulpit Commentary. Source page identifies the volume as Public Domain; text extracted from its historical PDF.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.