1Ki 12:17-33 - Commentary

Commentary

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Text -- 1 Kings 12:17-33 (NET)

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Context

12:17 (Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah.) 12:18 King Rehoboam sent Adoniram, the supervisor of the work crews, out after them, but all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam managed to jump into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem. 12:19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the Davidic dynasty to this very day. 12:20 When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they summoned him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. No one except the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the Davidic dynasty. 12:21 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he summoned 180,000 skilled warriors from all of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin to attack Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon. 12:22 But God told Shemaiah the prophet, 12:23 “Say this to King Rehoboam son of Solomon of Judah, and to all Judah and Benjamin, as well as the rest of the people, 12:24 ‘The Lord says this: “Do not attack and make war with your brothers, the Israelites. Each of you go home, for I have caused this to happen.”’” They obeyed the Lord and went home as the Lord had ordered them to do.

Jeroboam Makes Golden Calves

12:25 Jeroboam built up Shechem in the Ephraimite hill country and lived there. From there he went out and built up Penuel. 12:26 Jeroboam then thought to himself: “Now the Davidic dynasty could regain the kingdom. 12:27 If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem, their loyalty could shift to their former master, King Rehoboam of Judah. They might kill me and return to King Rehoboam of Judah.” 12:28 After the king had consulted with his advisers, he made two golden calves. Then he said to the people, “It is too much trouble for you to go up to Jerusalem. Look, Israel, here are your gods who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 12:29 He put one in Bethel and the other in Dan. 12:30 This caused Israel to sin; the people went to Bethel and Dan to worship the calves. 12:31 He built temples on the high places and appointed as priests people who were not Levites. 12:32 Jeroboam inaugurated a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the festival celebrated in Judah. On the altar in Bethel he offered sacrifices to the calves he had made. In Bethel he also appointed priests for the high places he had made.

A Prophet from Judah Visits Bethel

12:33 On the fifteenth day of the eighth month (a date he had arbitrarily chosen) Jeroboam offered sacrifices on the altar he had made in Bethel. He inaugurated a festival for the Israelites and went up to the altar to offer sacrifices.

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Cross Reference (TSK)

ITL

Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Names, People and Places:

· Adoram a man who was in charge of David's forced labor,a man who was in charge of Rehoboam's forced labor

· Benjamin the tribe of Benjamin of Israel

· Bethel a town of Benjamin bordering Ephraim 18 km north of Jerusalem

· Dan residents of the town of Dan; members of the tribe of Dan,the tribe of Dan as a whole; the descendants of Dan in Israel

· David a son of Jesse of Judah; king of Israel,son of Jesse of Judah; king of Israel

· Egypt descendants of Mizraim

· Ephraim the tribe of Ephraim as a whole,the northern kingdom of Israel

· Israel a citizen of Israel.,a member of the nation of Israel

· Jeroboam son of Nebat; first king of Israel after it split away from Judah; Jeroboam I,son and successor of Joash/Jehoash, King of Israel; Jeroboam II

· Jerusalem the capital city of Israel,a town; the capital of Israel near the southern border of Benjamin

· Judah the son of Jacob and Leah; founder of the tribe of Judah,a tribe, the land/country,a son of Joseph; the father of Simeon; an ancestor of Jesus,son of Jacob/Israel and Leah; founder of the tribe of Judah,the tribe of Judah,citizens of the southern kingdom of Judah,citizens of the Persian Province of Judah; the Jews who had returned from Babylonian exile,"house of Judah", a phrase which highlights the political leadership of the tribe of Judah,"king of Judah", a phrase which relates to the southern kingdom of Judah,"kings of Judah", a phrase relating to the southern kingdom of Judah,"princes of Judah", a phrase relating to the kingdom of Judah,the territory allocated to the tribe of Judah, and also the extended territory of the southern kingdom of Judah,the Province of Judah under Persian rule,"hill country of Judah", the relatively cool and green central highlands of the territory of Judah,"the cities of Judah",the language of the Jews; Hebrew,head of a family of Levites who returned from Exile,a Levite who put away his heathen wife,a man who was second in command of Jerusalem; son of Hassenuah of Benjamin,a Levite in charge of the songs of thanksgiving in Nehemiah's time,a leader who helped dedicate Nehemiah's wall,a Levite musician who helped Zechariah of Asaph dedicate Nehemiah's wall

· Levi members of the tribe of Levi

· Levites relating to Levi and the priesthood given to him,a tribal name describing people and ceremonies as sacred

· Penuel a town on the brook Jabbok 7 km east of Succoth,father of Gedor; a descendant of Hur of Judah,son of Shashak of Benjamin

· Rehoboam a son of Solomon; the father of Abijah; an ancestor of Jesus,son and successor of King Solomon

· Shechem member of the Shechem Clan and/or resident of Shechem

· Shemaiah a prophet in the days of Rehoboam,son of Shecaniah (Hananiah Zerubbabel David Judah),forefather of Ziza, a prince of the tribe of Simeon,son of Joel of Reuben,son of Hasshub; a Levite leader of some returned exiles,son of Galal; a Levite whose descendants returned from exile,son of Elizaphan (Kohath Levi),son of Nethanel, a Levite and scribe in David's time,son of Obed-Edom; a pre-exile Levite gatekeeper,a Levite whom Jehoshaphat sent to teach the law around Judah,a Levite leader of the Jeduthun Clan in Hezekiah's time,a Levite manager of temple offerings under King Hezekiah,a chief officer of the house of God in Josiah's time,a leader of the Adonikam Clan back from exile,one of the leaders Ezra sent to Iddo to ask for recruits,a priest of the Harim Clan who put away his heathen wife,a layman of the Harim Clan who put away his heathen wife,son of Shecaniah; keeper of the East Gate under Nehemiah,son of Delaiah son of Mehetabel; an agent of Nehemiah's enemies,son of Mattaniah; priestly leader among the returned exiles,a Levite musician who helped Zechariah dedicate Nehemiah's wall,a priest who helped dedicate the wall,father of a prophet (Uriah?) from Kiriath-Jearim that Jehoiakim executed,a deceived leader in exile who demanded Jeremiah's execution,father of Delaiah, a prince of Judah in the time of Jehoiakim

· Solomon the tenth son of David; the father of Rehoboam; an ancestor of Jesus; the third king of Israel.,son of David and Bath-Sheba; successor of King David

Table of Contents

Verse Notes / Footnotes NET Notes

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 1Ki 12:18 For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

NET Notes: 1Ki 12:20 Heb “there was no one [following] after the house of David except the tribe of Judah, it alone.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 12:21 Heb “he summoned all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand chosen men, accomplished in war.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 12:22 Heb “and the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 12:24 Heb “and they heard the word of the Lord and returned to go according to the word of the Lord.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 12:25 The Old Greek translation has here a lengthy section consisting of twenty-three verses that are not found in the MT.

NET Notes: 1Ki 12:26 Heb “Now the kingdom could return to the house of David.” The imperfect verbal form translated “could return” is understood as...

NET Notes: 1Ki 12:27 Heb “the heart of these people could return to their master.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 12:28 Heb “to them,” although this may be a corruption of “to the people.” Cf. the Old Greek translation.

NET Notes: 1Ki 12:29 For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

NET Notes: 1Ki 12:30 The MT reads “and the people went before the one to Dan.” It is likely that some words have been accidentally omitted and that the text or...

NET Notes: 1Ki 12:31 The Hebrew text has the singular, but the plural is preferable here (see 1 Kgs 13:32). The Old Greek translation and the Vulgate have the plural.

NET Notes: 1Ki 12:32 Heb “and he offered up [sacrifices] on the altar; he did this in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves which he had made.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 12:33 For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

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