0 In imitatio!: of Aaron's Golden Calf, and of the Egyptians from whom he was lately come. And this he the rather pretumed to do becauſe he knew the People of Iſrael were generally very prone to Superſtit:on, and Idolatry, as their whole Hiſtory ſheweth : and that Solomon's example and countenance given to falſe Worſhips had exceedingly ſtrengthned thoſe Inclinations ; and therefore they were in a great meaſure prepared for ſuch an Attempr ; eſpecially when his Propoſition tended to their own eaſe, and lafery,and Pro- fit, which he knew was much dearer to them, as well as to himielf, than theirReligion. p Too great a trouble and charge, and neither neceſlary, nor fate for them, as things now ſtood. 9q Nor as if he did himſclf believe, or thought to perſwade rhe People to be- lieve, That theſe Calves were properly, and truiy, that very God of 1/rael, who brought them our of Ezype ; ( which was to mon- ſtrouſly ablurd and ridiculous, that no 1/-aelite in his right wits could believe it ) and had been ſo far from attaining his end, and ſatisfying his People,that this would bave made him both hareful, and contemptible ro them ; bur his meaning was,that theſe Images were vilible Repreſentations, in, and by which he deſigned to wor- hip the True God of Iſrael, as appears, partly from that Parallel place. Exod. 32. 4. where ſee my Notes : partly, becauſe the Prieſts and Worſhippers of the Calves, are ſaid ro worſhip Jehovah ; and upon that account are diſtinguiſhed from thoſe belonging to Baal,
t Kings 18 21. and 22. 6, 7. And partly, from ſJeroboam's deſign in this Work, which was to quiet the Peoples Minds,and remove their Scrupl:s about going to Jery/alem to worthip their God in that place, as they were commanded : which he doth,by ſignifying to them, That he did nor intend any alteration in the fubſtance of their Religion ; nor to draw them from the worſhip of the True God, to the worſhip of 4ſbtaroch, or Milcem, or any of thoſe Baals, which were ſet up by Solomon ; but to worſhip that ſe!f-ſame God whom they worthipped in Jern{alem, even the True God, and the God of their Fathers, who brought them our of Egypr ; bur only to vary a Circumſtance : and that as they worthipped God at J-= ruſalem by, and before one viſible Sign, even the Ark, and the Sa- cred Checubims there ; ſo his Subje&s ſhould worſhip God by another viſible Sign, even that of rhe Calves, in other places ; and as for the change of the place,he mighr ſuggeſt to them,rthat God was preſent in all places, where Men with honeſt Minds did call upon him ; that before the Temple was builr, the beſt of Kings, and Prophets, and People, did pray,and facrifice to God in divers high Places, without any ſcruple ; notwithſtanding that reſtraint of God to one Place, Deut. 12. 5, &. That God would diſpenſe with them alſo in that matter ; becauſe going to Jeruſalem was very dangerous to them at this time 3 and God would have Mer- cy, rather than Sacrifice 3 and God had been pleaſed to diſpenſe with his own Ordinances in caſesof neceſſity or great inconvenience, as he did with Circumciſion for 49 years in the Wilderneſs. 29 And he fer the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan r. 2h
r Which two Places he choſe for his Peoples conveniency ; Be- thel being in the Southern, and Dan in the Northern parts of his Kingdom. , :
39 And this thing became a fin s : for the people went 7 #0 worſhip before the one, F even unto Dan «.
s 5. e. A cauſe or occaſion of great wickedneſs among that Peo-= ple : not only of Idolatry,which is called $:» by way of Eniinency ; nor only of the worſhip of the Calves, wherein they pretended to worſhip the True God , but alſo of the worthip of Baal,and of the utter deſcrtion of the True God ; and of all ſorts of Impiery, and abominable Sins ; as is manifeſt from the Hittory of that Kingdom; in which, there was not one good King , and very few of the Peo= ple who were nor guilty of hainous- Crimes; as the Prophets wit- neſs. £ The King's Counſel and Example ſeduced them,though ir did not excule their Sin : and they willingly walked afrer this his wicked commandment, Hoſ. 5+ 11- # Which is not here mentioned excluſively, for that they went alſo ro Bechel is evident from wer. 32, 33- but for other reaſons, either becauſe that of Dan was firſt made, or beſt frequented, the People in thoſe parts having been long leavened with Idolatry : SecJudg. 18: 30. or to ſhew the Peo- ples readineſs to comply with the King's Command,and their Zeal for Idols ; that thoſe who lived in, or near Bethel, had not patience to ſtay till that Cajf was finiſhed, but all of them were forward to go as far as Dan which was in the utmoſt borders of the Land, to worſhip an Idol there; when it was thought roo much for them to 20 to Jeruſalem to worlkip God.
r And he made an houſe of high places x, and made prieſts of F the * loweſt of the people y, which were not of the ſons of Levi z.
x Or, an hoxſe ( i .e. Houſes, or Chapels ) in the high places. Be- ſides the famous Houles, or Temples,which he built at Dan and B-- thel ; he built alſo for his Peoplics better accommodation, leffer Temples upon divers high Places, which were eſteemed Sacred and
Heb. of the Calves.
T Heb. the extree, mities. * Chap. 13! 33s Izck,
bur only to revive the old. y» Which he might do, either, 1. Be= cauſe the better ſcrr refuſed it, as an Office below their Quality : 1, 2. Becaute ſuch would be ſatisfied with mean allowances ; and ſo he could put into his own Puzlſc a great part of the rich Poſ- ſeſſions and Revenues of the Levites, which doubriets he ſcized ups
14. which alto was very neceflary for his preſent and prefſing Oc« caſions ; the rather. becauſe he durſt nor yet lay grievous Taxes upon that Pcople who had newly caſt off Rehoboam for that very Reaſon. Or, 3. Becauſe mean Pertons would depend upon his Fa- vour, and therefore be veiy piable ro his humour, and firm to his Interetr, and zealous to promote the worſhip of the Calves. But the words in the H-brew proper!y ſignitie, fr.7 the ends of the People ; which is, and may be tranflared rhus, tut of all rhe People ; promiſcuoully our of every Tribe. Which Expolition ſeems to be confirmed by the following 3 "Hy which are added to —_
3Z thele,