a Their Revolt is called Rebellion, and therefore was ſinful, be- cauſe it was contrary to God's Authority, and Command of ſub- jeftion to David, and his Seed from ever 3 from whichthe People were not freed by God's Promiſe and Grant made to Jeroboam,which was but a ſecret 'TranſafQtion, not yet ſufficiently revealed to them, and was not a grant of preſent and aCtual Poſſefſion 3 but only a Promiſe, That God would give it to him in his own time,and way ; which might have been done, though neither Jeroboam, nor the People had uſed theſe indire& and evilCourſes to bring it about;as it befel David upon the ſame occation. Belides, the People did not this in compliance with God's Counſel, but to gratific their own Paſſions, and. get themſelves a little eaſe.
20 And it came to paſs when all Iſrael heard that Jeroboam was come again 6, that they ſent e and cal- led him unto the congregation 4, and made him king over all Iſrael : there was none .*. that follewed the houſe of David, but the Tribe of Judah * only.
b To wit, from Ezypt ; which was known before to the chief of the Tribes, and to them who met at Shechem, and now was more univerſally known by all the People. c To his Tent or Habitation, to which he had retired himſelf, as others alſo generally did ; ſee above, ver: 16, d Which was ſummoned by the Elders of the ſe- veral Tribes, to take advice.how to ſettle their Affairs, which they ealily agreed to do, by conferring the Crown upon Jeroboam, ac- cording to God's Promiſe made to him. .'. z- e. No intire Tribe. See on chap: 11: 13, ZI, 32+
21 And * when Rehoboam was come to Jeruſalem, he aſſembled all the houſe of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin e, an hundred and fourſcore thouſand choſen men,which were warriours, to fight againſt the houſe f of Iſrael, to bring the kingdom again co Rehoboam the ſon of Solomon.
e 7, e. That part of it which was next to Judah,and joyned with them. See on Chap. 11; 13- fi. e. The Families or Tribes, ( for theſe words are promiſcuouſly uſed one for the other ) of 1rae!.
22 But * the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God g, ſaying,
g 1. e. The Prophet, ſo called ; partly, to diſtinguiſh him from others of that Name. See Nehem: 6: 19. Fer: 29: 31, And partly, to add-the more weight to his words. :
23 Speak unto Rehoboam the ſon of Solomon king of Judah, and to all the houſe of Judah, and Benjamin and to the remnanc of the people ſaying,
24 Thus faith the LORD, ye ſhall not go up nor fight againſt your brethren the children of Iſrael : re- turn every man to his own houſe, for this thing is from me he They hearkened therefore to tae word of the
LORD 2, and returned to depart according to the word of the LORD.
þ This event is from my Counſel and Providence,to punifh So- lomon's Apoſtacy. though they procured it by ſinful means : and therefore,if you proceed,you muſt fight with me,as well as them- ; Either from conſcience of their Duty, or becaule they durſt not oppoſe ſo potent an adverſary. 5 |
25 T Then jeroboam built Shechem & in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein ; and went out from thence, and buiit Penuel Z,
k i. e. He repaired, and enlarged, and fortified it ; for it had been ruined long ſince, Judg 9g. 45+ He might chuſe it as a place both auſpicious, becauſe here the Foundation of his Monarchy was laid; and commodious, as being near the Frontiers of his Kingdom, I A place beyond Jordan ; of which, ſee Gen: 32: 30. Juag. 8: 17. to ſecure that part of his Dominions.
26 And Jeroboam ſaid in his heart #9,Now ſhall the kingdom return to the houſe of David :
mM i, e. Reaſoned within himfelf The Phraſe diſcovers the Foun- tain of his Error, That he did not conſult with God, who had given him the Kingdom ; as in all Reaſon and Juſtice and Gratitude he ſhould have done ; nor believed God's Promiſe, Chap: 11: 38. but his own Imaginations, and carnal Policies.
27 If theſe people go up to do ſacrifice in the houſe
of the LORD at Jeruſalem, cchen ſhall the heart of this '
eople turn again unto their lord », even unto Re- | EDM 5 1 | on when they forſouk him, and went to Jjeruſal:m, 2 Chrm. 21.13,
hoboam king of Judah, and they ſhall kill me, and g0 again to Rehoboam king of Judah. |
z Which in it ſelf might ſeem a -prudent ConjeQure ; for this would give Rehoboam, and the Pri:ſts, and Levites, the ſure and faithful Friends of David's Houſe,many opportunities of alienating their Minds from him,and of reducing them to their former Alle- Siance, Bur conſidering God's Providence, by which the Hearts of all Men, and the affairs of all Kings and Kingdoms are gover- ned, and of which we had lately ſeen ſo eminent an Inftange, it Was a foolifb, as well as wicked courſe,
XK FU.
over the tribute 3,and all Iſrael ſtoned him with ſtones
| Venerable, becauſe their Pious Anceſtors had ſerved God in them: g; and thercby Jeroboam might not ſeem to bring in a new Religion, ++ 7, *s
4
Chap. XII
28 Whereupon the king took counſel,and made two [ calves of gold o, and faid unto them, Tt is too much | for you-p tO go up to Jeruſalem : * behold thy gods, O * Exod. . | {{rael, which brought thee up out of the land of Egyptgq. 3* $.