• LXX. Swele's edition.
f Note also that, in the Hebrew, Ahijah of the second prophecy 141-16 is clearly connected with Ahijah of the first proiihecy, while the Greek introduces him as a new person. LXX B ptacei this second prophecy in an impossible place, before the asseniblj at S'hechem, l-i*^". See, further, W. R. Smith, OTJC^ 117 ff.
JEROBOA^M
JERUEL
583
festival on the model of the feasts at Jerusalem.* The i)uj)ular relijcion saw no otl'ence in this form of worsliii) (ef. Ex 3-2'-') ; and the employment of iion- Levites as priests would not have appeared so irrcfjular then as it would have done in later times. But there can be no doubt that Jeroboam's action marked a serious retrogression when compared with the higher religious level which had been reached at Jerusalem. For the sake of political eecurity Jeroboam deliberately sacrificed the higher religious interests of Israel; and there can be no doul)t that the sacred writer, who, whatever his merits as a historian may be, pos.sessed a keen religious insight into the events of the past, was fully justilied in his unsparing verdict upon Jero- boam as the man 'who made Israel to sin' (1 K 12^ l.-)«, 2 K 17-").t
The narrative I K IS'-"", which contains a pro- plietic denunciation of the altar at Bethel, belongs to a much later time, when the names of ' the man of God from Judah' and of ' the old prophet' were forgotten. Some critics think that it is founded u|iim 2 K 23"'-*: others, that the latter passage, apj)arently foreign to the conte.\t where it stands, was added by the same hand which inserted the story here. The next narrative connected with Jeroboam, the second prophecy of Ahijah, de- livered to the queen 14''"*, contains old material which has been treated by the compiler in his characteristic style. The language of Ahijah is cast into much the same form as similar prophecies delivered to Israelite kings.J
With regard to Jeroboam's external relations, the only information we have is that there was constant war between him and Kehoboam and his successor (1 K 14»'§ 15"', cf. 2Ch 13). At first, no doubt, Jeroboam would have had a considerable struggle to maintain himself against his rival. But no decisive victory or success on Jeroboam's side is recorded ; he seems even to have retired from Shechem to Penuel beyond the Jordan (12-^). When the Pharaoh Shishak made a plundering expedition into Judah he certainly did not s]iare the territory of his former proteg6, as appears from his triumphal inscription at Karnak ;|| but we are not told that Jeroboam made any attemi>t at resistance. Perhaps he was more of a politician than a warrior. He had successfully managed a revolt, but he did not succeed in establishing a dynasty. If the revolt was part of the divine plan (1 K 12"), Jeroboam himself jiroved unequal to the greatness of his oi)portunity ; and, so far from advancing the higher interests of his pc-tjple, did not rise above the popular standards, and bequeathed to posterity the reputation of an apostate and a enccession of endless revolutions.
2. Jeroboam 11., king of Israel for 41 years, 790- 749 B.C., son of Joasli, and fourth ruler of the dynasty of Jehu. Under him N. Israel reached its highest point of prosperity and splendour. Kor years Israel bad been suli'ering at the hands of Syria ; but the tide turned at last, and .'oosh
• 12»' and IS"'' seem to bare formed one Bentcnce, of which 1S»1 haa prescnwl the more original end. This sentence was broken up by tiio insertion of 1233. 3-j». Note tautoloj^y in 1'>XL93; the latter vereo forms an introduction to the following,' narrative. 13^ seems to have beon O'lapted out of older mat'-rinls to suit the preceding account, which it clearly implies See l.v ■i:]X>x p ; and Dillmann, Lemt.'' p. .S83.
f The phra.se is conatantiv n-poated. 1 K 11*8 ifialso. 34 \q'M K'», 2 K 33 10»a' 131 « 14!" 159- ln-'il 2S 231». The coni|.iler. who rt-L'ards p.ast history from the i>oint of view of Dt, looke<i uiHin JiTohoam a.s the funnder of a schism which violated the flrst principle of the Dt. Co^ic. the law of the one sanctuar\'.
: CI. 1 K I01-« •n-m^ii 21«, 2 K 9"». Note the anochro'nism. M'J 'all that were before thee' (Jeroboam); Tinmh, v.n, does not seem to have become a royal resl'lence till loter, 1621.
S This is contradicted by 12^1 '^i of doubtful authority. The exa^K't-ration of the numbers and the unhesitating submission to a prophet iwint to later reilaction.
I Ileprcsented In Stade. QVl i. 352.
recovered from Benhadad ten cities which his father had lost (2 K 13"). Syria had also been greatly reduced by the campaigns of the Assyrian king.s_,_Shalmaneserlll. (782-772) and Assurdaii III. (772-750) ; so that Jeroboam was able to recover the old limits of the Davidic kingdom 'from the entering in of Hamath unto the sea of the Arabah.' That he was able to establish his rule in the S.E. implies tliat he must have reduced the Moabites to submission. The meagre statement of 2 K 14^ is the only definite i>iece of information which the historical books give us. The com- plete picture of the times of Jeroboam must be drawn from the materials furnished by the prophecies of Amos. The nation was enjoying the fruits of Jeroboam's successes. Confident of J"'s patronage, Israel was at last free to de\ote itself to the ease and pleasures of a period of unwonted peace. Wealth increased, and witli it went luxury and self-indulgence (Am 3" 5" 6'- "• "). Ri'ligious worship was celebrated with the greatest splendour and popularity, both at the roval sanctuary of Bethel (7") and at Gilgal and Ueer- shcba (i^ 5' 8"). But along with all this material prosperity went a deep-seated moral corruption, which it was the prophet's chief concern to ile- nounce. Oppression of the poorer classes by the rich, justice sold and perverted, immorality openly practised, rapacity and greed of gain, were the sins which Amos marks as characteristic of the time. He foretells the impending judgment. The Assyrian was not far oti'; the only barrier between him and Israel, Damascus, had been removed ; J" will summon this nation to altlict Israel, and they will be carried captive beyond Damascus (&* o^).