The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 267

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), or The historian, after describing the great thought of "the caravan road which led rebellion of the Jewish people, proceeds, in over Gilead to Damascus" (Wordsworth), the rest of this chapter, to relate the mea- e.nd of which he would wish, for the sake sures which the new king took to secure his of his revenue, to retain the control], and position. These were both external and dwelt therein [He me.de it his first resi- dence and capital]; and went out from internal. The external means were the thence [i.e., when he had secured one forti- erection of fortresses ; the internal, the fied city. He could hardly be certain as provision of new sanctuaries, priests, and yet which side some of the tribes would ordinances. take. It is also possible that some of the workmen who had built Shechem were Ver. 25.-Then Jeroboam built [i.e., re- afterwards employed on the fortification of built or fortified, i1n1 naturally has both Penuel], and built Penuel [Bahr says, meanings] Shechem [ see on ver. 1 and on oh, " There is no doubt that he built these xiv. l] 1n Mount Ephraim [The Har- fortifications by tribute labour, like Solo- Ephraim, or mountain district of Ephraim mon." But is this quite so certain? The (in Josh. xi. 16 called the "Mountain of people after the revolt would naturally Isra.el;" cf. Josh xvii. 15-18; Judg. iv. 6; conclude that Rehoboam, of whose proud x. 1; 1 Sam. i. 1), is "the central mass of temper they had had such proof, would the hills of Palestine, nearly equidistant want to wreak his vengeance on the city from the northern and southern boundary which had rejected hinl, and the instinct of of the whole country" (Sto.nley, S. and P., self-defence would lead them at once to p. 229), and the richest and most beautiful rebuild their walls. And the new-born part of the land. " The tower of Sichem kingdom would also earnestly desire to pos- had been burnt down by Abimelech and sess a suitable capital. Thus their self. the tower of Penuel had been destroyed by interest and enthusiasm alike would obviate Gideon, Judg. viii. 17" (Keil). The city of the necessity for o. conscription.] Bhechem he.d been destroyed at the same Ver. 26.-And Jeroboam said in his heart, time as the tower, but had no doubt been Now shaJl the k:lngdcm return to the house rebuilt, at least in part, otherwise it could of David [It needed much less prescience hardly have been selected for Rehoboam's than Jeroboam seems to have possessed to coronation. It was naturally Jeroboam's perceive that fortresses and armies would first care to strengthen his position by forti- be of no avail for the defence of his realm, fying his capital, and the more so as this so long as Jerusalem remained the one city would be particuhuly obnoxious to sanctuary of the land. He clearly foresaw Rehoboam as the scene of the revolution ; that if the people went up thither, as in but why he should at the same time have time past, three times a year, to keep the rebuilt Penuel-Ewald thinks the seat of feasts, the religious sentiment would in government was placed here-is not at first time reassert itself and sweep hinI and his sight 80 obvious, as it lay beyond the Jor- new dynasty away. With one religion, one dan (Gen. xxxii. 22, 30; xxxiii. 17) and sanctuary, one priesthood, there could not was therefore presumo.bly outside tho circle long be two kingdoms. People who hud so of hostilities, should such arise. Probably much in co=on would, sooner or later, it was because this was the gate to his complete the unity of their nationo.l lifs Tre.ns-Jordanic territo1:y. A tower com- under a uommon sovereign. And we find, manding the fords of the Jordan would indeed, that 80 powerful were the atti-a.o,  270 THE FIRST BOOK OF kINGS. [ou, xu. 21'1-83..