xvii. 1: Neh. xi. 30: Jer. xxxiv. 7). The that it wottld be vain to try it on (eh. site of it is not identified. xiii. 9). Ver. 10.-Zora.h. The people of Zora.h, Ve-r. 15.-The high plaoes ; i.e. Dan and or Zorenh, wero the ZareatMteB of 1 Chron. Bethel (I Kings xii. 28-33). J'or the ii. 53; it W[IS the home of Ma.noab, and the devils; i.e. for the "hairy ones " (□'')')?\:'), native plo.ce of Samson (see Josh. xv. 33; Reference is intended to the idolatrous wor- xix. 41. Other interesting references are ship of the" he-goats" by the Hebrews, after Judg. xiii. 25; xvi. 31; xviii. 2-11; Neb. the example of Egypt, and the reference here xi. 29). It belonged to the original allotment is either literal or derived (Lev. xvii. 7). of Dan, and is constantly named in company li'or the calves (see 1 Kings xii. 28). with Eshtaol. Aijalon. The modern Jalo; Ver. 16 shows a good example on the part also originally belonged to allotment of Dan of the clergy, effectual, and follmoed by the (Josh. x. 12: xix. 42; xxi. 24. Other in- people. teresting references are Judg. i. 35: 1 Sam. Ver. 17.-Strengthened ... three years. xiv. 31 ; 1 Kings xiv. 30: 1 Chron. vi. 66, "Righteousness exalteth a nation, but,'' etc. 69: eh. xxviii. 18). Hebron. One of the most (Prov. xiv. 34; Isa. :xxxiii. 6). The sad anoiout of cities still lasting, rivalling in this knell is sounded all too soon ; see first verse respect Damascus. It belonged to Judah of next chapter. Three years' strength will and to its hill country (Josh. xv. 54; xx. 7): soon become weakness, and three year,J' it wns about twenty Roman miles south of goodness will save no son!. Jerusalem. Its original name was Ki:rjatb Ver. 18.-The 'Speaker's Commentary' .Arba. In Numb. xiii. 22 it is said that opportunely snggests the probability that we it was built "seven years before Zoan in may be indebted here to Iddo's "genealo- Egypt," but it is not said when Zoan was gies" ( eh. xii. 15). The word daughter here built. It now contains about five thousand is a correction of the Kerl. the Chethi v popuh,tion, but scarcely a tithe of them Jews. having been "son." This Jerimoth is the Its long stretch of history is full of' incidents seventh out of a list of eight men of the same of interest, and is partially illustrated by the name mentioned in the two books of Chro- references that follow : Gen. xiii. 18: xxiii. nicles. He is not given as one of the children 2-19, 20; xxxv. 27; :xxxvii. 14; Numb. xiii. of David's proper wives in either 1 Chron, 22, 23; Josh. x. 36; xiv. 6-15; xv. 13, 14; iii. 1-8 or xiv. 4-7; Jerome says it was :xxi. 11-13; 2 Sam. iv. 12; v. 5; Neh. the Jewish tradition that he was the son of xi. 25. a concubine of David. It is just possible Ver. 12.-Having Judah and Benjamin on that Jeri.moth and Ithream were two names his side. The mention of both tribes just of the same person. Abihail was second serves to point for us the fact that Benjamin's cousin of Mahalath. It is not quite clear existenoe and value were not absolutely whether Abihail were wife of Jerimoth and ignored, but were for a short while quoted mother of Maha.lath, or a second wife now before the kingdom of Rehoboam became mentioned of Rehoboam. The contents of called by the name of Judah simply. the next verse not differencing the children Ver.13.-The priests and the Levites that there mentioned, and assigning her own to were in all Israel resorted to him out of all each wife of Rehoboam, if these were two their oo.i.sts. The emphasis thrown into the wives of his, favours the former supposition contents of this verse is evident and agree- ( Olll' Hebrew text being "and she bare," able; the ecclesiastical party acted worthily not "which bare"). When it is said that of itself. The priests and Levites could not Abihail was the daughter of Eliab, the bring themselves to offer sacrifice and service meaning probably is, e.s again in ver. 20, to the calves, or to forsake Jerusalem and granddaughter. (For Eliab, see 1 Sam. xvi. the temple and the true altar. No doubt a 6: xvii. 13; 1 Chron. ii. 13.) stirring, throbbing history underlay the few Ver. 19.-{See last note.) If previous verse but suggestLve words which point here the speaks of two wives of Rehoboa.m, of which conduct of the priests and Levites. These wife (our Hebrew text being not "which would not content to stand shoulder to bare," but "and she bare") were Jeush. shoulder with priests made not from the tribe Shamariah, and Zaham the children? or of of Levi (1 Kings xii. 31). which respectively, if they express the Ver. 14.-Left their suburbs (so Lev. children of both? As the words now stand, xxv. 34; Numb. xxxv. 11 8, 7; Josh. xiv. 4: it can only be supposed, with all le~cons, xxi. 12). Jeroboam . . . had oast them off. that Abihoil is mother of the three children This glimpse reveals to us, with exceeding on the two-wife supposition. probability, that there had been some struggle Ver. 20. - lllaaohah was the grand- on the solemn matter: we may readily daughter of Absalom by his daughter Tamll,l', imagine that Jeroboam had either tried it on wifo of Urie! (eh. xiii. 2: 1 Kings xv. 2). in vain with the true priests and Levites, Ver. 21.-Rehoboam W1l8 olearly wrong by or had learned very conclusively beforehand Dent. xvii.17 (note Solomon's Song vi. 8). 184 THE S'ECOND t300lr OF Tlt:m CBRONICLtS. torr. xr. 1-28.
Ver. 22.-Canoel in thie veree the italiM o.lso abundAnce of victunl, and-ns Is prob- "to he." RchoboAm again offends against o.bly the mee.ning, though not said so either the "Law" (8<'e Deut. xx.i. 15-17). He here or in the Septungint-flnding for them cannot justly plen.d o.8 a precedent the in• mnny wives), will not, though it were forty- stanoe of Do.vid and Solomon, 0.8 in 1 Chron. fold, avail to cover his ''despising" of the xxiii. 1 ; for this was only justified by the "Law." Rather his wise dealing is an indi- express Divine ordine.noe, as in l Chron. xxii. cation that his oonsoienoa was not quite e.t 9; :nix. 1. ease, and that he knew ha was wrong Ver. 23.-The wise dealing of Rehoboo.m, Nothing is so liable to blind judgment ae. fourfold (weakening his children by division, personal affection, giving them ea.oh employment, giving them