The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 268

tions of the temple, e.nd the religious sys- nearly resulted iu the extemiine.tion of the tem of which it was the centre, that "the Jewish re.ce. For of oourse neither Jero- priests and Lentes that were in all Israel," boam nor his people could have forgotten together with the more devout laity, fell the stem condemnation which Aaron's cnlf- away to Rehobonm (2 Cbron. :ri. 13, 16), worship bad received. The molten image while the speech of Abije.h on Mount Zema- ground to powder, the ashes mixed in the raim (2 Cbron. xiii. 11), proves thn.t others drink of the people, the slaughter of three as well as Jeroboam were well aware that thousand worshippers, &c., would assuredly the old religion and the new kingdom conld have lived in the memories of the nation. hardly co-exist. J A more impolitic step, consequently-one Ver. 27.-If this people go up to do sa.crl- more certain to precipitate his ruin, by fice [Hcb. sacr,jic,'s] in the house of the Lord driving the whole nation into the arms of at Jerusalem [as the law of Moses ordained Judah-Jeroboam could not have taken, (Deut. xii. 11, 14; xvi. 6, 11)], then shall than to attempt any revival or imitation of the heart of this people turn again unto the forbidden oultus of the deser .And it their lord [The Syriac omits this word. The is as little likely that the worship of the LXX. has ,.por; Kvp,ov .-a, ._.,,pwv aurwv], calves was derived from the worship of Apis, even unto Rehoboam Jd.ng of Judah [When as practised at Memphis, or of " Mnevis, Wordsworth remarks that Jerobos.m "here the sacred ea.If of Heliopolis" (Stanley), acknowledges Rehoboam as the 'lord' of though with both of these Jeroboam had the people," he surely forgets that these are recently been in contact. It would have not the actual words of Jeroboam, but the been but a sorry recommendation in the thoughts which the historian supposes him eyes of Isre.el that the first act of the new to ha"e had (ver. 26)], and they shall kill king should be to introduce the hateful me [as they would do, if they wished to idolatry of Egypt into the le.nd; and every retnm to Rehoboam's rule. Their first oonsidere.tion tends to show that the calf- offering wonld be the head of the usurper, worship was not, and was not intended to 2 Sam. xx. 20, 21; cf. 2 Sam. iv. 7], a.nd go be, idolo.try, such e.s the worship of Egypt again [lit., turr.. again, same word as aboveJ nndoubtedly was. It is always carefully to Rehoboam king of Judah. distinguished from idol-worship by the his- Yer. 28. - Whereupon the king took torians and prophets. And the idea which counsel [" With his coll.D.sellors, or the Jeroboam wished to give his subjects was hdl.ds of the nation who had helped him to clearly this-that, so far from introducing the throne " (Keil). Bahr nnderstands, new gods or new sanctuaries, he was merely " he reflected about it a.lone " (et excogitato accommodating the old worship to the new consilio, Vulgate), alleging that so important state of things. He evidently felt that what a circumste.nce as the concu.rrence of the he and his house had most to fear was, not heads of the people in cha.nging the ~ystem tbe armies of Rehoboam but the ritual and of wcrship wonld not ha'°e been passed over religious associations of Jerusalem. His in silence. But while t}U) text does not object, if. he were wise, must therefore be perhaps imply any formal deliberation with to provide a substitute, a counterfeit wor- tbe el<lcrs, it is reasonable to suppose that ship. "I will give you," he virtually says, Jeroboam, who owed his position to popnlar " at Bethel and Dan, old sanctuaries of our election, and who was far too sagacious not race long before Jerusalem usw-ped their to follow the example of Rehoboa.m (vers. place, those visible emblems of the heavenly 6, 9), wonld summon others to advise him powers such as a.re now found only in the e.s to this critical and momentous step. temple. You too shall possess those mys- Wordsworth refers to Isa. xxx. 1, a.nd says terious forms which symbolize the Invisible, that " J eroboa.m is the image and pattern of but you shall have them nearer home and Machiavellian politicians." "Next to Abi- easier of access." There can be little doubt, thophel, I do not find that Israel yielded e. consequently, that the" calves" were imita- craftier head than Jeroboam's" (Hall)], and tions of the colossal cherubim of Solomon's made two calves [It is generally held the.t temple, in which the ox or call was prob- these were in imitation of, or were suggested ably the forrna praecipua (eh. vi. 23).] of by, the "golden ea.If" of Aaron (Exod. gold [Hardly of wlid gold. Possibly of uxii. 2), e.nd the close resemblance of Jero- wood covered with gold pie.tee, i.e., similar bo!l.m's words (below), in inaugurating this to the cherubim (eh. vi. 23-28); probably newcultus, to Aarou's have been thought to of molten brass (see oh. xiv. 9, and of. Psa. prove it. But surely it he.a been overlooked cvi 19), overlaid with gold ; such images, in th.o.t Jeroboam could hardly be so short- fact, o.s are described in lea. xl. 19] , and sighted a.nd nnwise as deliberately to rcin- aa.id unto them, It I.B too much for you iroduce a worship which had provoked the [This translation, pace Keil, oannot be "1ierce wre.th" (ver. 12) of God, and .bad D1ainta.ined. Nor can it be said that " th@ CR, Xll. 26-88.j THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. 271