The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 253

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. 1 of the representa- and to appease them, as Josephus expressly tives of the different tribes, o.nd here, of tho says" (Bahr). It seems quite as likely that entire nation who had heard from its repre- he was sent to coerce them, or to collect sentatives, on their return to their homes the taxes, as a summary way of showing (ver. 16), of the presence of Jeroboam in the that the king meant to enforce bis rights country], that they sent and called h1In and 'll""as not moved by their words. For unto the congregation [Where and when it is hardly probable that such a proud this gathering was held we are not informed. and headstrong prince as Rehoboam would Probably it was at Shechem, and soon e.fter stoop, especially after the confident threats Behoboam's flight. After the open and irre- 'll""h.ich he had just uttered, to parley with parable breach wh.ich they had made (ver. rebels. Such a man, guided by such coun- 18), the leaders of the tribes would naturally sellors, and infla.ted with a sense of his own assemble e.t once to concert measures for power and importance, would na.turally their defence and future government], and think of force rn ther than of conciliation ma.de him ldng [by anointing. Note on or concessions. He would be for tr.ving his ver. l] over all Israel [This public e.nd whips of scorpions. Aud if conciliation formal consecration of Jeroboam completed had been h.is object, it is hardly likely that the secession of the northern tribes. Was be would have employed Adoram, the snper- this secession sinful? Bahr, Keil, and others, inteudent of the levy, a man who would who start from the assumption that secession naturally be obnoxious to the people, to was determined npon even before Rehoboam effect it. Moreover the sequel-Adoram's came to Sbechem, o.nd that the compla.ints tra,gical end-also fa.vonxs the snpposition of the people respecting the grievous service that he wa.s sent, not "to arrange some to which they had been subjected by Solo- alleviJl.tion of their bnrdens" (Rawlinson), mon were groundless, naturally conclude bnt to carry ont the high-banded policy of that it was altogether treasonable and un- the king] ; and all Israel stoned him with justifiable. But is this conclusion borne stones [" With one exception, this was e. out by the facts? We may readily admit bloodless revolution" (Stanley). It has that the schism was not accomplished with- been remarked that the practice of stoning out sin: we cannot but allow that Israel is first heard of ill the stony desert (Arabia. acted with undue precipitation, and that Petraea). But in realit.v it is older than the Rehoboam, who was "young and tender- date of the Exodns, as Exod. viii. 26 shows. hearted," was entitled, for David's and And it is an obnous and ready and snmmary Solomon's sake, as well as his own, to way of despatching obnoxious persons (cf. greater forbearance and consideration, and Exod. xv.ii. 4; 1 Sam. xxx. 6; 1 Kings xxi. it is almost certo.in that both the "envy of 10). It is to this day a favourite method of Ephraim" and the ambition of Jeroboam the East for testifying hatred and intoler- largely influenced the result. At the same ance], tha.t he died. Therefore ldng Reho- time, it is to be remembered that the division boa.m ma.de speed [So the LXX., ;'f9a,m,. of the kingdom was ordained of God, and The Hebrew literally means, as margin. that the people had just co.use of complaint, "strengthened himself." But the A. V. gives if not, indeed, sufficient wo.rre.nt for resist- the practical force of the word. He be- ance, in the arbitrary and insolent rejection stirred himself ; he lost no time; the death of their petition by the young king. No of Adoram showed h.im the danger of a. law of God requires men to yield themselves moment's delay. " He saw those stones up without e. struggle to such cruel and were thrown at him in his Adoram" (Hall).] abject slavery e.s Rehoboam threatened these to get him up to his cha.riot, to flee to men with. 'l'hey judged-and who shall say Jerusalem. nnreasone.bly ?-from his words that they Ver. 19.-So Isra.el rebelled [lit.,feU away ha.d only tyranny and cruelty to expect e.t (marg.) The co=on secondary meaning his hands, and what wonder if they stood of the word is to transgress. Its use here on their defence? They are only to be may perhaps suggest that their rebellion blamed because they d.id more. But law- was not without sin] aga.1nst the house of ful resistance not uncommonly ripens into David unto this day (see on eh. viii. 8)]. unlawful rebellion]: there was none that Ver. 20.-And 1t ea.me to pass, when all followed the house or David, but the tribe Israel heard that Jeroboam was come aga.l.n of Judah only. [This general statement is [These words are hardly consistent with qualified immediately e.fterwe.rds (ver. 21). the idea that Jeroboam he.d been from the The tribe of Benjamin, " the smallest of first the spokesman of " all Israel " in their the tribes of Israel" (1 Sam. ix. 21), "little UD, XII, 1-24,l THE FIRST BOOK OF KlNGS.