The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 350

CHAPTER XV. 25-XVI. 28. wherewith he made Israel to Bin. [I.e., not the rebellion, but the schism (cha. xii. TD REIGNS OP NADAll, BilSllA, ELA.II, 30; xiv. 16; cf. vers. 30, 34; xvi 2, 13, 19, ZnlRI, AND OMBI, KINGS OP IBBAEL.-After &c.; see Homiletics, p. 274). All the succes- bringing up the history of the kings of sors of Jeroboam, it Is clear, either thought Judah, which has engaged his pen since themselves compelled, by the e:tigencies of their position, to adhere to his ecclesio.stica.J. eh. xiv. 21, to the date of the death of Asa., policy, or found themselves more and more our author goes back some forty years to entangled in its toils.) record the contemporary history of the king- Ver. 27.-And Baasha the son of Ahl.jah dom of Israel, with which the rest of this [not the prophet of that name (eh. xiv. 2), book, the last thirteen verses alone excepted, who was an Ephraimite, whereas this Ahijah wa.s], of the house of Issa.char [This fact is is occupied. On the other hand, none of perhaps mentioned to distinguish the father these reigns a.re even noticed by the chroni- of Bae.she. from the prophet. Or it may oler, who only refers to the history of Israel, owe its insertion to the insignificance of this so fe.r e.e it is inextricably connected with tribe (Gen. xlix. 14, 16) up to this date. the object of his work; in other words, so This change of dyna.sty, unlike the last, was in no way connected with tribal jealousies. far as is necessary to explain or illustrate Be.a.she. owed his elevation to his own abili- the reigns of the kings of J uda.h. ties or to his unscrupulous daring], con- Ver. 25.-A.nd Nade.b [ = liberal] the son spired [The word implies associates. There of Jeroboam began to reign [Heb. reigned] was a plot formed for Nadab's assassination] over Israel ln the second year of Asa king aga.lnst him: and Ba.ash& amote him e.t of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years. Glbbethon [ = eminence. In the tribe of [The reigns of these five kings of Isre.el are Dnn (Josh. xi.x. 44) and a Levities! city; related with great brevity. It wae not the one ol the four assigned to the Levites in objeot of the author to chroniclo secular the territory of that tribe (ib., xxi. 23). It history-for this he refers us to "the books has not been identined. Evidently it was of the days "-he is only concerned with on the border of Philistia. Some would con- the events of their reigns in so fe.r as they neot it with the modern Mejdel, a littlo to relate to the kingdom of God.] the north of Ascalon. The render will ob- Ver. 26.-A.nd he did evil ln the Bight of serve how large a number of the names of the Lord, and walked ln the way of his towns indicate their elevation. The cities father [Jeroboll.Ill begat all his sons, save of those days were set on a hill. It wss one, •• in his own likeness"] , and 1n his sin dangerous to build in the plain], which 856 THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. [011. XV, 25-ll.VL 29,