Advanced Commentary

(ex.: John 3:14-18)

Table of Contents Bible Dictionary
Arts
Questions
Sermon Illustrations
Resources/Books

Context
11:7 Beth Zur <01049>, Soco <07755>, Adullam <05725>, 11:8 Gath <01661>, Mareshah <04762>, Ziph <02128>, 11:9 Adoraim <0115>, Lachish <03923>, Azekah <05825>, 11:10 Zorah <06881>, Aijalon <0357>, and Hebron <02275>. These were the fortified <04694> cities <05892> in Judah <03063> and Benjamin <01144>. 11:11 He fortified <02388> these cities <04694> and placed <05414> officers <05057> in them, as well as storehouses <0214> of food <03978>, olive oil <08081>, and wine <03196>. 11:12 In each city <05892> <05892> <03605> there were shields <06793> and spears <07420>; he strongly <03966> <07235> fortified <02388> them. Judah <03063> and Benjamin <01144> belonged <01961> to him. 11:13 The priests <03548> and Levites <03881> who <0834> lived throughout <03605> Israel <03478> supported <03320> him, no matter where they resided <01366>. 11:14 The Levites <03881> even <03588> left <05800> their pasturelands <04054> and their property <0272> behind and came <01980> to Judah <03063> and Jerusalem <03389>, for <03588> Jeroboam <03379> and his sons <01121> prohibited <02186> them from serving as <03547> the Lord’s <03068> priests <03547>. 11:15 Jeroboam appointed <05975> his own priests <03548> to serve at the worship centers <01116> and to lead in the worship of the goat <08163> idols and calf <05695> idols he had made <06213>. 11:16 Those among <0310> all <03605> the Israelite <03478> tribes <07626> who were determined <05414> to worship <01245> the Lord <03068> God <0430> of Israel <03478> followed <0935> them to Jerusalem <03389> to sacrifice <02076> to the Lord <03068> God <0430> of their ancestors <01>. 11:17 They supported <02388> the kingdom <04438> of Judah <03063> and were loyal <0553> to Rehoboam <07346> son <01121> of Solomon <08010> for <03588> three <07969> years <08141>; they followed <01980> the edicts <01870> of David <01732> and Solomon <08010> for three <07969> years <08141>. 11:18 Rehoboam <07346> married <03947> Mahalath <04258> the daughter <01323> of David’s <01732> son <01121> <01121> Jerimoth and of Abihail <032>, the daughter <01323> of Jesse’s <03448> son <01121> Eliab <0446>. 11:19 She bore <03205> him sons <01121> named Jeush <03266>, Shemariah <08114>, and Zaham <02093>. 11:20 He later <0310> married <03947> Maacah <04601> the daughter <01323> of Absalom <053>. She bore <03205> to him Abijah <029>, Attai <06262>, Ziza <02124>, and Shelomith <08019>. 11:21 Rehoboam <07346> loved <0157> Maacah <04601> daughter <01323> of Absalom <053> more than his other <03605> wives <0802> and concubines <06370>. He had <05375> eighteen <06240> <08083> wives <0802> and sixty <08346> concubines <06370>; he fathered <03205> twenty-eight <08083> <06242> sons <01121> and sixty <08346> daughters <01323>. 11:22 Rehoboam <07346> appointed <05975> Abijah <029> son <01121> of Maacah <04601> as the leader <07218> over his brothers <0251>, for <03588> he intended to name him his successor <04427>. 11:23 He wisely <0995> placed <06555> some <03605> of his many <03605> sons <01121> throughout <06555> the regions <0776> of Judah <03063> and Benjamin <01144> in the various <03605> fortified <04694> cities <05892>. He supplied <05414> them with abundant <07230> provisions <04202> and acquired <07592> many <01995> wives <0802> for them.

• 2Ch 11:5--12:16 -- Rehoboam's Reign

• Rehoboam

  [ebd] he enlarges the people, the successor of Solomon on the throne, and apparently his only son. He was the son of Naamah "the Ammonitess," some well-known Ammonitish princess (1 Kings 14:21; 2 Chr. 12:13). He was forty-one year...
  [isbe] REHOBOAM - re-ho-bo'-am (rechabh`am, "the people is enlarged," or perhaps "Am is wide" Rhoboam; "Roboam," Mt 1:7 the King James Version): 1. The Disruption of the Kingdom 2. Underlying Causes of Disruption 3. Shemaiah Forbid...
  [nave] REHOBOAM Successor to Solomon as king, 1 Kin. 11:43; 2 Chr. 9:31. Refuses to reform abuses, 1 Kin. 12:1-15; 2 Chr. 10:1-15. Ten tribes, under leadership of Jeroboam, successfully revolt from, 1 Kin. 12:16-24; 2 Chr. 10:16-...
  

• Israel

  [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...
  

• CHRONICLES, BOOKS OF

  [isbe] CHRONICLES, BOOKS OF - kron'-i-k'-ls (dibhere ha-yamim, "The Words of the Days"; Septuagint paraleipomenon: 1. The Name 2. The Position of Chronicles in the Old Testament 3. Two Books, or One? 4. The Contents 5. Sources Bibl...
  

• Maachah

  [ebd] oppression, a small Syrian kingdom near Geshur, east of the Hauran, the district of Batanea (Josh. 13:13; 2 Sam. 10:6,8; 1 Chr. 19:7). (2.) A daughter of Talmai, king of the old native population of Geshur. She became one of...
  [smith] (oppression). The daughter of Nahor by his concubine Beumah. (Genesis 22:24) The father of Achish who was king of Gath at the beginning of Solomon?s reign. (1 Kings 2:39) The daughter, or more probably granddaughter, of A...
  [nave] MAACHAH 1. Son of Nahor, Gen. 22:24. 2. Called also Maacah. Mother of Absalom, 2 Sam. 3:3; 1 Chr. 3:2. 3. Called also Maoch. Father of Achish, 1 Sam. 27:2; 1 Kin. 2:39. 4. Called also Michaiah. Mother of Abijam and grandm...
  

• Levites

  [smith] (descendants of Levi). Sometimes the name extends to the whole tribe, the priests included, (Exodus 6:25; Leviticus 25:32; Numbers 35:2; Joshua 21:3,41) etc; sometimes only to those members of the tribe who were not priests, ...
  [nave] LEVITES The descendants of Levi. Set apart as ministers of religion, Num. 1:47-54; 3:6-16; 16:9; 26:57-62; Deut. 10:8; 1 Chr. 15:2. Substituted in the place of the firstborn, Num. 3:12, 41-45; 8:14, 16-18; 18:6. Religious ...
  

• JUDAH, TERRITORY OF

  [isbe] JUDAH, TERRITORY OF - (yehudhah): I. GEOGRAPHICAL DATA 1. The Natural Boundaries 2. The Natural Divisions of Judah (1) The Maritime Plain (2) The Shephelah (3) The Hill Country of Judah II. THE TRIBE OF JUDAH AND ITS TERRITO...
  

• Abihail

  [ebd] father of might. (1.) Num. 3:35. (2.) 1 Chr. 2:29. (3.) 1 Chr. 5:14. (4.) The second wife of King Rehoboam (2 Chr. 11:18), a descendant of Eliab, David's eldest brother. (5.) The father of Esther and uncle of Mordecai (Esthe...
  [isbe] ABIHAIL - ab'-i-hal ('abhichayil; in some manuscripts 'abhihayil, when feminine, but best reading is the former: "father, or cause, of strength"): Five persons in the Old Testament are called by this name: (1) A Levite and t...
  [smith] (father of , i.e. possessing, strength). Father of Zuriel, chief of the Levitical father of Merari, a contemporary of Moses. (Numbers 3:35) (B.C. 1490.) Wife of Abishur. (1 Chronicles 2:29) Son of Huri, of the tribe of Ga...
  [nave] ABIHAIL 1. Father of Esther, Esth. 2:15. 2. The second wife of Rehoboam, 2 Chr. 11:18, 19. 3. Father of Zuriel, Num. 3:35. 4. Wife of Abishur, 1 Chr. 2:29.
  

• Polygamy

  [nave] POLYGAMY Forbidden, Deut. 17:17; Lev. 18:18; Mal. 2:14, 15; Matt. 19:4, 5; Mark 10:2-8; 1 Tim. 3:2, 12; Tit. 1:6. Authorized, 2 Sam. 12:8. Tolerated, Ex. 21:10; 1 Sam. 1:2; 2 Chr. 24:3. Practiced, Job 27:15; by Lamech, Ge...
  

• ABIJAH

  [ebd] father (i.e., "possessor or worshipper") of Jehovah. (1.) 1 Chr. 7:8. (2.) 1 Chr. 2:24. (3.) The second son of Samuel (1 Sam. 8:2; 1 Chr. 6:28). His conduct, along with that of his brother, as a judge in Beer-sheba, to which...
  [isbe] ABIJAH - a-bi'-ja ('abhiyah or 'abhiyahu (2 Ch 13:20,21), "my father is Yahweh," or "Yahweh is father"): The name of six or more men and two women in the Old Testament. (1) The seventh son of Becher the son of Benjamin (1 Ch...
  

• Jeush

  [ebd] assembler. (1.) The oldest of Esau's three sons by Aholibamah (Gen. 36:5, 14, 18). (2.) A son of Bilhan, grandson of Benjamin (1 Chr. 7:10). (3.) A Levite, one of the sons of Shimei (1 Chr. 23:10, 11). (4.) One of the three ...
  [isbe] JEUSH - je'-ush (ye`ush, probably "he protects," "he comes to help"; see HPN, 109; Kethibh is ye`ish, in Gen 36:5,14; 1 Ch 7:10): (1) A "son" of Esau (Gen 36:5,14,18; 1 Ch 1:35). "The name is thought by some to be identical ...
  [smith] (assembler). Son of Esau by Aholiabamah the daughter of Anah, the son of Zebeon the Hivite. (Genesis 36:6,14,18; 1 Chronicles 1:35) (B.C. after 1797.) A Benjamite, son of Bilhah. (1 Chronicles 7:10,11) A Gershonite Lev...
  [nave] JEUSH 1. Son of Esau, Gen. 36:5, 14, 18; 1 Chr. 1:35. 2. A Benjamite, 1 Chr. 7:10. 3. A Gershonite Levite, 1 Chr. 23:10, 11. 4. Son of Rehoboam, 2 Chr. 11:19.
  

• PALESTINE, 2

  [isbe] PALESTINE, 2 - III. Palestine in the Historic Books of the Old Testament. 1. Book of Joshua: Joshua is the great geographical book of the Old Testament; and the large majority of the 600 names of places, rivers and mountains...
  

• Adullam

  [ebd] one of the royal cities of the Canaanites, now 'Aid-el-ma (Josh. 12:15; 15:35). It stood on the old Roman road in the valley of Elah (q.v.), which was the scene of David's memorable victory over Goliath (1 Sam. 17:2), and no...
  [isbe] ADULLAM - a-dul'-am (`adhullam): (1) A city, with dependencies, and in ancient times having a king, mentioned five times in the Old Testament, each time in a list with other cities (Josh 12:15; 15:35; 2 Ch 11:7; Mic 1:15; Ne...
  [smith] (justice of the people), Apocr. ODOLLAM, a city of Judah int he lowland of the Shefelah, (Joshua 15:35) the seat of a Canaanite king, (Joshua 12:15) and evidently a place of great antiquity. (Genesis 38:1,12,20) Fortified by ...
  [nave] ADULLAM 1. A cave near the Dead Sea. David takes refuge in, 1 Sam. 22:1; 2 Sam. 23:13; 1 Chr. 11:15. See titles of Psalms 57 and 142. 2. An ancient city of Canaan, Gen. 38:1; Josh. 12:15; 15:35; 2 Chr. 11:7; Neh. 11:30; Mic...
  

• Zorah

  [ebd] place of wasps, a town in the low country of Judah, afterwards given to Dan (Josh. 19:41; Judg. 18:2), probably the same as Zoreah (Josh. 15:33). This was Samson's birthplace (Judg. 13:2, 25), and near it he found a grave (1...
  [isbe] ZORAH - zo'-ra (tsor`ah; Saraa): A city on the border of Dan, between Eshtaol and Ir-shemesh (Josh 19:41); the birthplace of Samson (Jdg 13:2,25); near here too he was buried (Jdg 16:31); from here some Danites went to spy o...
  [smith] (hornet), a town in the allotment of the tribe of Dan, (Joshua 19:41) It is previously mentioned ch. (Joshua 15:33) in the catalogue of Judah, among the places in the district of the Shefelah (Authorized Version "Zoreah"), It...
  [nave] ZORAH, called also Zareah and Zoreah. A city of Dan or Judah, Josh. 15:33; 19:41. The city of Samson, Judg. 13:2, 24, 25; 16:31. Representatives of the tribe of Dan sent from, to spy out the land with a view to its conquest...
  

• Aholah

  [ebd] she has her own tent, a name used by Ezekiel (23:4, 5, 36, 44) as a symbol of the idolatry of the kingdom of Israel. This kingdom is described as a lewdwoman, an adulteress, given up to the abominations and idolatries of the...
  

• Mahalath

  [ebd] a lute; lyre. (1.) The daughter of Ishmael, and third wife of Esau (Gen. 28:9); called also Bashemath (Gen. 36:3). (2.) The daughter of Jerimoth, who was one of David's sons. She was one of Rehoboam's wives (2 Chr. 11:18).
  [isbe] MAHALATH - ma'-ha-lath (machalath): (1) In Gen 28:9 the name of a wife of Esau, daughter of Ishmael, and sister of Nebaioth, called in 36:3, BASEMATH (which see). The Samaritan Pentateuch, however, throughout Genesis 36 reta...
  [smith] (stringed instrument) one of the eighteen wives of King Rehoboam, apparently his first. (2 Chronicles 11:18) only. She was her husband?s cousin, being the daughter of King David?s son Jerimoth.
  [nave] MAHALATH 1. Called also Bashemath. Daughter of Ishmael, Gen. 28:9; 36:3. 2. A granddaughter of David, 2 Chr. 11:18. 3. See: Music.
  

• Ziza

  [ebd] splendour; abundance. (1.) A Simeonite prince (1 Chr. 4:37-43). (2.) A son of Rehoboam (2 Chr. 11:20).
  [isbe] ZIZA - zi'-za (ziza', probably a childish reduplicated abbreviation or a term of endearment (Curtis, Chron., 369, quoting Noldeke in EB, III 3294)): (1) A Simeonite chief (1 Ch 4:37). (2) A son of King Rehoboam, his mother b...
  [smith] (shining). Son of Shiphi, a chief of the Simeonites in the reign of Hezekiah. (1 Chronicles 4:37) (B.C. about 725.) Son of Rehoboam by Maachah the granddaughter of Absalom. (2 Chronicles 11:20) (B.C. after 973.)
  [nave] ZIZA 1. A Simeonite, 1 Chr. 4:37. 2. Son of Rehoboam, 2 Chr. 11:20.
  

• Jerimoth

  [ebd] heights. (1.) One of the sons of Bela (1 Chr. 7:7). (2.) 1 Chr. 24:30, a Merarite Levite. (3.) A Benjamite slinger who joined David at Ziklag (1 Chr. 12:5). (4.) A Levitical musician under Heman his father (1 Chr. 25:4). (5....
  [isbe] JERIMOTH - jer'-i-moth (see JEREMOTH, (c)): (1) A Benjamite (1 Ch 7:7). (2) A Benjamite who joined David at Ziklag, or perhaps a Judean (1 Ch 12:5 (Hebrew 6)). (3) In 1 Ch 24:30 = JEREMOTH, (4) (which see). (4) A Levite musi...
  [smith] (heights). Son or descendant of Bela. (1 Chronicles 7:7) He is perhaps the same as who joined David at Ziklag. (1 Chronicles 12:5) (B.C. 1055.) A son of Beecher, (1 Chronicles 7:8) and head of a Benjamite house. Son...
  [nave] JERIMOTH Called also Jeremoth. 1. Son of Bela, 1 Chr. 7:7. 2. Son of Becher, 1 Chr. 7:8. 3. A defecting Israelite, who denounced Saul and joined David at Ziklag, 1 Chr. 12:5. 4. Son of Mushi, 1 Chr. 23:23; 24:30. 5. Son ...
  

• Religion

  [nave] RELIGION. False Deut. 32:31-33. See: Idolatry; Intolerance; Teachers, False. Family See: Family. National Supported by taxes, Ex. 30:11-16; 38:26. Priests supported by the State, 1 Kin. 18:19; 2 Chr. 11:13-15. Subve...
  

• HEIR

  [isbe] HEIR - ar: 1. The Word "Heir": In the New Testament "heir" is the invariable translation of kleronomos (15 times), the technical equivalent in Greek, and of the compound sunkleronomos, "co-heir," in Rom 8:17; Eph 3:6; Heb 11...
  

• Gath

  [isbe] GATH - gath (gath; Septuagint Geth, "winepress"): One of the five chief cities of the Philistines (Josh 13:3; 1 Sam 6:17). It was a walled town (2 Ch 26:6) and was not taken by Joshua, and, although many conflicts took place...
  [smith] (a wine press), one of the five royal cities of the Philistines; (Joshua 13:3; 1 Samuel 6:17) and the native place of the giant Goliath. (1 Samuel 17:4,23) It probably stood upon the conspicuous hill now called Tell-es-...
  [nave] GATH One of the five chief cities of the Philistines, Josh. 13:3; 1 Sam. 6:17; Amos 6:2; Mic. 1:10. Anakim, a race of giants, inhabitants of, Josh. 11:22. Goliath dwelt in, 1 Sam. 17:4; 1 Chr. 20:5-8. Obed-edom belonged t...
  

• Rehoboam's Government

  

• What is the significance of firstborn in the Bible?
  I'm going to copy some articles on this subject, but let me give you my summation of all of them. In the Old Testament, the firstborn son was the one who normally received a double inheritance, and was the one who would inher...

Biblical Polygamists

Back to Commentary Page