known and bethought himself of ibis, But foretold, as the Divine mind foreknew, the all ra~hll- Rehobonm oast.8 the die. The inevitable course of the strenm, Uuit took its sonurl judgment, real knowledge, opportune source in and from Solomon's foithlees heart nnd practical 11dvico of the "old men," l\nd lifo. Solomon "being dea,l yet" benrs uttered evidently off so kind a tongue, his full aha.re of the responsibility of what should have been indeed now "11s good as Rehoboam was, and shortly ea.me to sl1ow an inheritanee ; yea., better too " (Eccles. vii. he was. Everything must fall out as God 11, margin). The reading of the parallel is foretells it shall fall out, not because " the well worthy to bo noted (1 Kings xi. 7), cause is from him" in thu sense tba.t he has with it.s manifestly pleQSantly nnd skilfully mado it, but in the sense tha.t he has pro- worded antithesis, "If thou ihi• day will bo nounced it, through knowing it with an a servant to this people . . . then they will absolute l,.,iowledge. It were but o. thing be thy servants for ever." Our words, to be expected also, tha.t just in the measure however, have their own exquisite beauty that the Billie is the Word of God, it shall about them, If thou wilt be kind to this exhibit and pronounce plainly the phenomena people, a.nd please them, &nd speak good of his own ultimate fiats, rather than linger words to them. One might fancy that Saul, to track or describe the uncertainties of and David, and Solomon, and angels them- human morality or conduct. Let but that selves bended over the scene, and looked and result o.ppeo.r, which God ho.s with his sure listened and longed for wisdom and lovE> and and abiding Word declared, and the practical right to prevail. The young men tha.t had attitude a.nd language of Scripture a.re that grown up with him. While this expression it is vain to fight against it; for the thing throws light as above on that which speaks is of God. It was known of him a.nd said of Rehoboa.m's old men oounsellors, it we.kens of him. And it carries its punishment or the question Low men of forty-one years of its recompense in it, as of him. It will be age can be called '' young," a.s Rehoboam noticed, a.gain, how our compiler refers to the was not Ii ~ing in patriarchs.I aged times. incident of Ahijah, as though he had re- And the question is emphasized by the corded it, which he had not done. language applied to Rehoboa.m in eh. :xiii. 7, Ver. 16. - What portion have we in where lie is described a.s "young 1md tender- David 1 (see 2 Sam. xx. 1). To your tents, hearted, and" unable, for want of strength 0 Israel; i.e. there is nothing more to be of character and of knowledge, to" withstand done here ; all may as well go home. The vain men" (as he surely bhows too clearly nse, and especially repeated use, of the names, ,ww). It has been suggested (' Speaker's David, Jesse, David, plainly speaks tribe Commentary,' ii 5G2, Note C) that it:! (21) rivalry, if not jealousy. should be read for NO (41) in the two passages Ver.17.-To the tribe of Judah the family quoted above (1 Kings :xiv. 21; eh. xii 13). ctf David belonged. There was less inclina- 'l'he suggestion seems good, and it is cer- tion on this ground, to begin with, among ta.inly rea.sonab Ie for the requirements of them to go to the length of revolting. both matter and manner. Though they too e.re pressed with burden Vere. 10, 11.-Language perhaps never and taxation, yet royal expeuditure, resi- spoke more clearly what was in man. And dence, magnificence, are all near thew, and it spoke in this case the mad infatuation of are some Bolatium doubtless to them. God insolent temer,ty itself. said that this tribe and (o.s is abundantly Yer. 12.-It may be worth observing tha.t evident from Ahijah's forcibly dramatic the history is silent of what of hope and fear po.rable of the rent garment) Benjamin also. or other thought and feeling transpired with should be saved to Rehoboam and for ever Jerobuam and his party these three critics.I to David's line, and again it is evident that days of suspense, as also it was so silent as he works in the midst of human event, and to what transpired with them during the moral cause and effect. Israel would not three days, three weeks, three months, be- have revolted but tha.t Jeroboo.m was of fore the first interview with Rehoboam at Ephraim, and Judah would not have re- SLechem. mained steadfast but that, with othel' deter- Ver. 13.-B.oughly; i.e. ReLoboa.m had mining influences also, to Judah belonged not "heard the iD..Btruction of a father," and Rehoboam and Solomon a.nd David. had been an ill pupil indeed of him who Ver. 18.-Hadoram that was over the wrote and taught, "A soft answer tumeth tribute . . . stoned him . . . Rehoboam e.way wrath" (Prov. xv. 1). ma.de speed , . , to 11.ee, Hadoram was Ver. 15.-So the king hearkened not •.. perhaps the same as Adonira.m, 60n ot' Abela for the call.&8 wa.1 of God . • . hi.I word, (1 Kings iv. 6; v. 14), but on the arbitra- which he 11pake by ... Ahijah (see, a.s before, ment of age this is less likely, and certainly 1 Kings :x.i. 29-31, also 9-39). ReLoboam it is very unlikely that he was ono with hcarktned not, as Phare.oh hearkened not, Hadoram of 2 Sam. xx. 24. Rehoboam must l,ut hardenc,d his heart. The Divine word be supposed to have sent lfa<loram either to 011. x. 1-10.] THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. 12a
ma.ke some "tribute" summons, or try some remanet of his delusive self-confidence to nrra.ngement respecting it, or respecting send this collectnr of taxes to those wlio had cunoilintory steps. The reception he met begged eome remiesion of taxation. warns RehoboBm to make the quickest Ver. 1_9,;--Unto this day, So our compiler escape possible, a.nd no doubt opens hie eyes of ,Captivity_ and post-Captivity date tran- fully to wha.t he hBB done, It WBB the scnbee the literal words of hie copy.