1 Kings 13

1Ki 13:1  And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.

by the word of the Lord - The meaning seems to be, not merely that the prophet was bid to come, but that he came in the strength and power of God’s word, a divinely inspired messenger. The word of the Lord is regarded as a power which comes upon the prophet and drives him to utter the divine revelation which he has received.

By the altar - “On the altar;” on the ledge, or platform, halfway up the altar, whereupon the officiating priest always stood to sacrifice.

Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense — It was at one of the annual festivals. The king, to give interest to the new ritual, was himself the officiating priest. The altar and its accompaniments would, of course, exhibit all the splendor of a new and gorgeously decorated temple. But the prophet foretold its utter destruction

There came a man of God – Who this prophet was cannot be ascertained, He came by divine authority. It seems that Jeroboam was in the very act of idolatry when this man of God came in the Lord’s name with this solemn commission.

The marvelous occurrences in this chapter not only teach how Jeroboam brought about the overthrow of his dynasty by his thorough hardening against the word of God (1Ki_13:33, 1Ki_13:34), but they also show how false prophecy rose up from the very beginning in the kingdom of Israel and set itself against the true prophets of the Lord, and how it gained a victory, which merely displayed its own impotence, however, and foreshadowed its eventual and certain overthrow.

1Ki 13:2  And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee.

He cried against the altar - He denounced the destruction of this idolatrous system. These words are a prophecy against the form of worship set up in the kingdom of Israel.

in the word of the Lord - By His order and command:

A child shall be born, Josiah by name - This is one of the most remarkable and most singular prophecies in the Old Testament. It here most circumstantially foretells a fact which took place three hundred and forty years after the prediction; a fact which was attested by the two nations. The Jews, in whose behalf this prophecy was delivered, would guard it most sacredly; and it was the interest of the Israelites, against whom it was levelled, to impugn its authenticity and expose its falsehood, had this been possible. This prediction not only showed the knowledge of God, but His power. He gave, as it were, this warning to idolatry, that it might be on its guard, and defend itself against this Josiah whenever a person of that name should be found sitting on the throne of David; and no doubt it was on the alert, and took all prudent measures for its own defense; but all in vain, for Josiah, in the eighteenth year of his reign, literally accomplished this prophecy in 2Ki_23:15-20. The prophecy had three permanent testimonials of its truth.

1. The house of Israel;

2. The house of Judah; and,

3. The tomb of the prophet who delivered this prophecy, who, being slain by a lion, was brought back and buried at Beth-el, the superscription on whose tomb remained till the day on which Josiah destroyed that altar, and burnt dead men’s bones upon it. 2Ki_23:16-18.

a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name - this is a clear proof of the prescience, predetermination, and providence of God with respect to future events, contingent ones, such as depend upon the will of men.

and said, O altar, altar - addressing himself not to Jeroboam, but the altar, thereby reproving his stupidity, the altar being as ready to hear as he; and because that was what moved the indignation of the Lord; and the word is repeated, to show the vehemency of the prophet's spirit, and his zeal against it.

thus saith the Lord – a common phrase uttered before a prophecy from the Lord.

upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee - all which was fulfilled by Josiah, 2Ki 23:15-16 Moreover, the altar at Bethel, the high place erected by Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, that altar with the high place he pulled down and burned, reducing it to dust. He also burned the Asherah.  And as Josiah turned, he saw the tombs there on the mount. And he sent and took the bones out of the tombs and burned them on the altar and defiled it, according to the word of the LORD that the man of God proclaimed, who had predicted these things. It may be read, "the bones of a man", which the Jews understand of Jeroboam; but may only signify that, instead of the bones of beasts, which were burnt on it, the bones of men should be burnt, and even of the priests themselves; a proof this of the truth of prophecy, and of divine revelation.

1Ki 13:3  And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the LORD hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.

the ashes upon it will be poured out - is the ashes of the fat of the sacrificial animals. The pouring out of the sacrificial ashes in consequence of the breaking upon of the altar was a penal sign, which indicated, along with the destruction of the altar, the desecration of the sacrificial service performed upon it.

the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out - signifying it should be entirely demolished, not only shaken but destroyed, so as not to be capable of retaining the ashes on it; this was an emblem of the utter abolition of idolatry here in future times.

He gave a sign - As a confirmation of the truth of what the prophet had said, and for the proof of his being a true prophet of the Lord: A miracle to prove that the prophecy should be fulfilled in its season. A sign of this kind - an immediate prophecy to prove the divine character of a remote prophecy - had scarcely been given before this. In the later history, however, such signs are not unfrequent (compare 2Ki_19:29; Isa_7:14-16).

behold, the altar shall be rent - of itself, by an invisible hand, by the power of God:

1Ki 13:4  And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him.

Lay hold on him - The king, enraged at this announcement, stretched out his hand against the prophet with the words, “seize him” - and his hand dried up, so that he was not able to draw it back again.

And his hand dried up - The whole arm became suddenly rigid; the nerves no longer communicated their influence, and the muscles ceased to obey the dictates of the will. Thus Jeroboam experienced in the limbs of his own body the severity of the threatened judgment of God. This was a further confirmation of the prophet's mission from God, being one of those concerning whom He says, "do my prophets no harm", and a fresh token of the certain performance of what he had said.

1Ki 13:5  The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.

1Ki 13:6  And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the king's hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.

Entreat the face of the Lord thy God - The face of God is his favor, as we see in many parts of the sacred writings. He says, thy God not my God, for Jeroboam knew that he was not his God, for he was now in the very act of acknowledging other gods, and had no portion in the God of Jacob.

And the king’s hand was restored - Both miracles were wrought to show the truth of the Jewish religion, and to convince this bold innovator of his wickedness, and to reclaim him from the folly and ruinous tendency of his idolatry.

the king's hand was restored again - which was another instance of divine power, and a further proof of the prophet's divine mission; from whence it might be concluded, that what he had prophesied of would be fulfilled, and was an instance also of divine goodness to the king, which should have led him to repentance, but did not.

the king said unto the man of God - In another tone than when he bid the people lay hold on him; not in a haughty, but humble manner; not as threatening, but supplicating:

and pray for me - not that the anger of God might be turned away from him, and he enjoy the divine favor, and have an application of pardoning grace made to him, only to have this outward mercy, this temporal favor restored to him, the use of his hand: Jeroboam prays the prophet to intercede for the recovery of his hand, but not his heart.

and pray for me - Jeroboam does not desire the prophet to pray that his sin might be pardoned, and his heart changed, but only that his hand might be restored. He seemed affected for the present with both the judgment and the mercy, but the impression wore off.

the man of God besought the Lord - not rendering evil for evil; but being of a forgiving spirit, though the king had stretched out his hand against him, he lifted up his hands to heaven for him:

1Ki 13:7  And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward.

I will give thee a reward - for his prayers, by means of which his hand was restored to him; but takes no notice of the Lord, the author of this miraculous cure, nor expresses the least degree of thankfulness and gratitude to him. It was customary to honor a prophet with a gift, if he performed any service that was requested at his hands.

neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place - God forbade His messenger to eat or drink in Bethel, to show His detestation of their idolatry and apostacy from God, and to teach us not to have fellowship with the works of darkness. Those have not learned self-denial, who cannot forbear one forbidden meal. No doubt, this part of the Lord’s command to the prophet was to testify His abhorrence of idols. And it became a test of his fidelity. Compare to 1Co 5:11 and 2Jn 1:9 -10. 1Co 5:11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 2Jn 1:9-10 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting,

1Ki 13:8  And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place:

And the man of God said unto the king - In answer to to him, to assure him it was in obedience to the will of God:

if thou wilt give half of thine house - of the riches in it, and even of his kingdom:

I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place - this idolatrous place. God had forbidden the prophet to eat and drink to manifest His detestation of idolatry, and to show by that fact that the Bethelites were so detestable, and as it were excommunicated by God, that He wished none of the faithful to join with them in eating and drinking. He was not to return by the way by which he came, that no one might look out for him, and force him to a delay which was irreconcilable with his commission, or lest by chance being brought back by Jeroboam, he should do anything to please him which was unworthy of a prophet, or from which it might be inferred that idolaters might hope for some favor from the Lord.

1Ki 13:9  For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.

Eat no bread, nor drink water - The reason of the command is evident. The man of God was not to accept the hospitality of any dweller at Bethel, in order to show in a marked way, which men generally could appreciate, God’s abhorrence of the system which Jeroboam had “devised of his own heart.”

For so it was charged me - That is, have no kind of communication with those idolaters, signifying that no fellowship was to be had with idolaters, but to shun and avoid them, and their idolatry. God would teach His servants not to have fellowship with the works of darkness, lest they fall under their contagion and give them encouragement. The devil always has his snares ready to entrap one who bears Christ’s message.

Nor turn again by the same way that thou camest - He was charged also not to return by the way that he came; probably lest the account of what was done should have reached the ears of any of the people through whom he had passed, and he suffer inconveniences on the account, either by persecution from the idolaters, or from curious people delaying him, in order to cause him to give an account of the transactions which took place at Beth-el. This is a reason why he should not return by the same way; but what the reason of this part of the charge was, if not the above, is not easy to see.

1Ki 13:10  So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel.

1Ki 13:11  Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father.

An old prophet - Probably once a prophet of the Lord, who had fallen from his steadfastness, and yet not so deeply as to lose the knowledge of the true God, and join with Jeroboam in his idolatries. We find he was not at the king’s sacrifice, though his sons were there; and perhaps even they were there, not as idolaters, but as spectators of what was done.

Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel - a false prophet, so Josephus and old Jewish scholars say; it is hard to say what he was, a good man or a bad man; if a good man, he was guilty of many things which are not in his favor, as dwelling in such an idolatrous place, allowing his sons to attend idolatrous worship, and telling the man of God a premeditated lie; and yet there are several things which seem contrary to his being a bad man, and of an ill character, since he is called an old prophet, did not attend idolatrous worship, showed great respect to the man of God, had the word of God sent unto him concerning him, believed that what he had prophesied should come to pass, buried the man of God in his own grave, and desired his sons to bury him with him.

Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel - The character of this man is not far to fetch. Had he been a true prophet of the Lord how could he live in Beth-el, and be witness to Jeroboam’s continued iniquity, without reproving him? Hence, therefore, in the very opening of his history it is easy to discover that he was of the false prophets.

his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done - that the altar was rent, and the ashes poured out, as he had said, and that Jeroboam's hand withered, and was restored upon his prayer to God:

the words which he had spoken unto the king - that one should be born of the family of David, Josiah by name, that should offer the idolatrous priests, and burn the bones of men upon that altar, and that that should be rent, and its ashes poured forth, which was done:

1Ki 13:12  And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah.

1Ki 13:13  And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon,

1Ki 13:14  And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am.

Under an oak - literally, “under the oak,” or “the terebinth-tree.” There was a single well-known tree of the kind, standing by itself in the vicinity of Bethel, which the author supposed his readers to be acquainted with. To shelter him from the heat, and being faint, hungry, and thirsty; so the ancients of old made use of oaks for a covering, before houses were invented; thus Abraham pitched his tent in the plain, or under the oak, of Mamre, Gen_13:18.

1Ki 13:15  Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread.

Then said he unto him - In which invitation no doubt he was hearty, and might have no ill design in it, only to have some conversation with him, as being a good man, and a prophet of the Lord, especially upon the subject of his prophecies at Bethel.

1Ki 13:16  And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place:

neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place - he was resolute and determined to abide by the commandment of the Lord, though there is reason to believe that he was now both hungry and thirsty.

1Ki 13:17  For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest.

1Ki 13:18  He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.

An angel spake unto me - That he lied unto him is here expressly asserted, and is amply proved by the event. But why should he deceive him? The simple principle of curiosity to know all about this prediction, and the strange facts which had taken place, of which he had heard at second hand by means of his sons, was sufficient to induce such a person to get the intelligence he wished by any means. We may add to this, that, as he found the man of God sitting under an oak, probably faint with fatigue and fasting, for he had had no refreshment, his humanity might have led him to practice this deception, in order to persuade him to take some refreshment. Having fallen from God, as is supposed, his own tenderness of conscience was gone; and he would not scruple to do a moral evil.

I am a prophet also as thou art - meaning, that he was a prophet of the true God, and not of any idol deity; that he not only believed in Him, and was a worshipper of Him, but had revelations from Him, and of the same things this man of God had, and that he believed that what he had prophesied of would certainly come to pass:

But he lied unto him - no messenger nor message being sent to him by the Lord, but was wholly a device and stratagem of his own to persuade the man of God to return with him, that he might have his company and conversation. It is always to be remembered that the prophetic gift might co-exist with various degrees of moral imperfection in the person possessing it. Note especially the case of Balaam.

an angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord — This circuitous mode of speaking, instead of simply saying, “the Lord spake to me,” was adopted to hide an equivocation, to conceal a double meaning - an inferior sense given to the word “angel” - to offer a seemingly superior authority to persuade the prophet, while really the authority was secretly known to the speaker to be inferior. To falsely speak in the name of the Lord was an offense punishable by death. Deu 18:20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.'

1Ki 13:19  So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water.

So he went back with him - He permitted himself to be imposed on; he might have thought, as he had accomplished every purpose for which God sent him, and had actually begun to return by another way, God, who had given him the charge, had authority to change His requirements. However he should not have taken a step back, till he had remission of the clause from the same authority which gave him the general message. He should have had it from the word of the Lord to himself, in both cases; and not taken an apparent contradiction of what was before delivered unto him, from the mouth of a stranger, who only professed to have it from an angel, who pretended to speak unto him by the word of the Lord. In this, and in this alone, lay the sinfulness of the act of the man of God, who came out of Judah.

So he went back with him - In which he sinned; for as he had most certainly the command of God not to eat and drink in that place, he ought to have had the countermand from the Lord, and not trusted to another person.

and did eat bread in his house, and drink water - contrary to the express command of God.

1Ki 13:20  And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came unto the prophet that brought him back:

The word of the Lord came unto the prophet that brought him back - that the word of the Lord came unto the prophet that brought him back; that is, to the old prophet, who was the means of bringing back the man of God; the word did not come to him who had transgressed the command of the Lord, but to him who was the occasion of it;

1Ki 13:21  And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee,

Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the Lord - It was his duty not to be persuaded. He should have felt that his obedience was being tried, and should have required, ere he considered himself released, “the same, or as strong, evidence,” as that on which he had received the obligation. Disobedience to certain positive commands of God, was one which it was at this time very important to punish, since it was exactly the sin of Jeroboam and his adherents.

saying, thus saith the Lord - being obliged to deliver, in the name of the Lord, what was said unto him:

hast not kept the commandment which the Lord thy God commanded thee - not to eat nor drink in Bethel.

1Ki 13:22  But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the LORD did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.

Thy carcass shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers - signifying that he should die before he came to the land of Judah, and he should be buried in another place, but did not specify by what means.

On the anxiety of the Hebrews to be buried with their fathers, see these examples:

Gen 47:30 but let me lie with my fathers. Carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying place." He answered, "I will do as you have said."

Gen 49:29 Then he commanded them and said to them, "I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,

2Sa 19:37 Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. But here is your servant Chimham. Let him go over with my lord the king, and do for him whatever seems good to you."

1Ki 13:23  And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back.

And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk - That is, had finished the meal; for he had begun to eat and drink before the word came, which came while they were eating and drinking; and it seems this did not hinder their proceeding to make an end of their meal, which one would have thought would have spoiled their appetite:

1Ki 13:24  And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase.

A lion met him and slew him - By permitting himself to be seduced by the old prophet, when he should have acted only on the expressly declared counsel of God, he committed the sin unto death; that is, such a sin as God will punish with the death of the body, while He extends mercy to the soul.

a lion met him by the way, and slew him — This sad catastrophe was a severe but necessary judgment of God, to attest the truth of the message with which the prophet had been charged. All the circumstances of this tragic occurrence were calculated to produce an irresistible impression that the hand of God was in it.

his carcass was cast in the way - in the high road, where it seems the lion seized him, and he fell:

and the ass stood by it - disregarded and unhurt by the lion, though the prophet was pulled off of the back of him:

the lion also stood by the carcass - not offering to tear it in pieces and devour it, but rather, as if he was the guard of it, to keep off all others from meddling with it; these circumstances are very surprising and against the nature of the lion. This shows the thing to be of God; for when the lion had done what he had a commission to do, which was to kill the prophet, he was to do no more.

From the instance here related, we see, as in various other cases, that often judgment begins at the house of God. The true prophet, for receiving that as a revelation from God which was opposed to the revelation which himself had received, and which was confirmed by so many miracles, is slain by a lion, and his body deprived of the burial of his fathers; while the wicked king, and the old fallen prophet, are both permitted to live. If this was severity to the man of God, it was mercy to the others, neither of whom was prepared to meet his judge.

1Ki 13:25  And, behold, men passed by, and saw the carcase cast in the way, and the lion standing by the carcase: and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt.

And, behold, men passed by - Travellers on the road; nor did the lion offer to seize on them, nor desert the carcass upon their approach:

1Ki 13:26  And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard thereof, he said, It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word of the LORD: therefore the LORD hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake unto him.

he said, it is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word of the Lord - but does not mention his own sin in deceiving him; though one would think his own conscience must smite him for it:

1Ki 13:27  And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him.

1Ki 13:28  And he went and found his carcase cast in the way, and the ass and the lion standing by the carcase: the lion had not eaten the carcase, nor torn the ass.

The lion had not eaten the carcase, nor torn the ass - These strange circumstances were of a nature to call men’s attention to the matter, and cause the whole story to be spread abroad. By these means an incident, which Jeroboam would have wished hushed up, became no doubt the common talk of the whole people.

The lion had not eaten the carcass, nor torn the ass - All here was preternatural. The lion, though he had killed the man, does not devour him; the ass stands quietly by, not fearing the lion; and the lion does not attempt to tear the ass: both stand as guardians of the fallen prophet. How evident is the hand of God in all!

1Ki 13:29  And the prophet took up the carcase of the man of God, and laid it upon the ass, and brought it back: and the old prophet came to the city, to mourn and to bury him.

And the prophet took up the carcass of the man of God - The lion perhaps made off as soon as he came, or, if he stayed, the prophet was not afraid of him, seeing he did not attempt to devour the carcass, nor touch the ass, nor do any hurt to those that passed by:

the old prophet came to the city to mourn, and to bury him - to perform the funeral rites, according to the custom of the place.

1Ki 13:30  And he laid his carcase in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, Alas, my brother!

He laid his carcase in his own grave - As Joseph of Arimathaea did the body of our Lord Mat_27:60. The possession of rock-hewn tombs by families, or individuals, was common among the Jews. A sepulchre usually consisted of an underground apartment, into which opened a number of long, narrow “loculi,” or cells, placed side by side, each adapted to receive one body. The cells were 6 or 7 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 3 feet high. They were commonly closed by a stone placed at the end of each.

Alas, my brothers - which was an usual form of lamentation at funerals in later times, see Jer_22:18. This lamentation is very simple, very short, and very pathetic. Perhaps the old prophet said it as much in reference to himself, who had been the cause of his untimely death, as in reference to the man of God, whose corpse he now committed to the tomb. But the words may be no more than the burden of each line of the lamentation which was used on this occasion.

And he laid his carcass in his own grave - Which he had prepared for himself; this was showing all the respect, and doing all the honor to him.

And he laid his carcass in his own grave - Which he had prepared for himself; for, as he came from Samaria 2Ki 23:18, it could not be the sepulchre of his fathers; and this was showing all the respect, and doing all the honor to him that he could:

1Ki 13:31  And it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spake to his sons, saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the sepulchre wherein the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones:

Lay my bones beside his bones - This argues a strong conviction in the mind of the old prophet, that the deceased was a good and holy man of God; and he is willing to have place with him in the general resurrection.

lay my bones beside his bones – perhaps he had the view that when Josiah came to burn the bones of the priests, he would spare the bones of this man of God; and so his, lying by them, and mingled with them, would be spared also, and so it proved, 2Ki 23:17-18 Then he said, "What is that monument that I see?" And the men of the city told him, "It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and predicted these things that you have done against the altar at Bethel." And he said, "Let him be; let no man move his bones." So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet who came out of Samaria.

bury me in the sepulchre wherein the man of God is buried — His motive in making this request was either that his remains might not be disturbed when the predicted events took place, or he had some superstitious hope of being benefited at the resurrection by being in the same cave with a man of God. The former seems more likely as it appears in the following verse.

1Ki 13:32  For the saying which he cried by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to pass.

Against all the houses of the high places - more than the two high places at Dan and Bethel. There were many lesser high places in the land, several of which would be likely to be in Israel 1Ki_3:4.

against all the houses of the high places which are in Samaria -by which it appears that there were temples, and high places, and altars built in other parts of the kingdom besides Dan and Bethel, of the destruction of which the man of God prophesied, though not before mentioned; all which the old prophet gave credit to, and firmly believed would be accomplished. The kingdom of Israel, in later times, had the name of Samaria, from the chief city of it, Isa_7:9, here spoken of by anticipation, for as yet it was not in being, see 1Ki_16:24 and either it has its name here by way of prophecy, or else given by the writer of this book, as what it went by in his time.

In the cities of Samaria - The word Samaria cannot have been employed by the old prophet, in whose days Samaria did not exist 1Ki 16:24 He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver, and he fortified the hill and called the name of the city that he built Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill. The writer of Kings has substituted for the term used by him that whereby the country was known in his own day.

In the cities of Samaria - It is most certain that Samaria, or as it is called in Hebrew Shomeron, was not built at this time. We are expressly told that Omri, king of Israel, founded this city on the hill which he bought for two talents of silver, from a person of the name of Shemer, after whom he called the city Samaria or Shomeron; (1Ki_16:24); and this was fifty years after the death of Jeroboam. How then could the old prophet speak of Samaria, not then in existence, unless he did it by the spirit of prophecy, calling things that are not as though they were; as the man of God called Josiah by name three hundred years before he was born? Some suppose that the historian adds these words because Samaria existed in his time, and he well knew that it did not exist in the time of the old prophet; for himself, in the sixteenth chapter, gives us the account of its foundation by Omri. After all, it is possible that God might have given this revelation to the old prophet; and thus by anticipation which is the language of prophecy, spoke of Samaria as then existing.

For the saying which he cried by the word of the Lord against the altar in Bethel - That the priests should be offered on it, and men's bones be burnt upon it; for as for its being rent, and the ashes of it poured out, that had been done already:

1Ki 13:33  After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places.

Whosoever would, he consecrated him - he exercised no discretion, but allowed anyone to become a priest, without regard to birth, character, or social position. Jeroboam did impose one limitation, which would have excluded the very poorest class. The candidate for consecration was obliged to make an offering consisting of one young bullock and seven rams 2Ch 13:9 Have you not driven out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made priests for yourselves like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes for ordination with a young bull or seven rams becomes a priest of what are no gods.

Jeroboam returned not from his evil way - There is something exceedingly obstinate and perverse, as well as blinding and infatuating, in idolatry. The prediction lately delivered at Bethel, and the miracles wrought in confirmation of it, were surely sufficient to have affected and alarmed any heart, not wholly and incorrigibly hardened; and yet they had no effect on Jeroboam.

After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way - From the idolatrous practices he had started, and was establishing; though he had seen his altar rent, and the ashes poured out as the man of God predicted, his own hand withered, and that restored again upon the prayer of the prophet; and though he had heard of the death he died for his disobedience to the command of God, and the several marvelous things that attended it; these were so far from reforming him, that he seemed to be the more hardened thereby:

Made the lowest of the people priests - So hardy was this bad man in his idolatry that he did not even attempt to form anything according to the model of God’s true worship: he would have nothing like God and truth. In the formation of his priesthood, he seems to have gone aside from all models. Amongst the worst of heathens, the priesthood was filled with respectable men; but Jeroboam took of the lowest of the people, and put them in that office.

Whosoever would, he consecrated him - He made no discrimination: anyone that offered was accepted even of those who had no character.

Made the lowest of the people priests -  and officiated there, and indeed those of the tribe of Levi would not serve there, and therefore were expelled their cities; 2Ch 11:14 For the Levites left their common lands and their holdings and came to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons cast them out from serving as priests of the LORD,

1Ki 13:34  And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth.

And this thing became sin - This persistence in wrong, after the warning given him, brought a judgment, not only on Jeroboam himself, but on his family. Jeroboam’s departure from the path of right forfeited the crown 1Ki 11:38 And if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, I will be with you and will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you. and in that forfeiture was involved naturally the destruction of his family, for when one dynasty supplants another, the ordinary practice is for the new king to destroy all the males belonging to the house of his predecessor. 1Ki 15:29 And as soon as he was king, he killed all the house of Jeroboam. He left to the house of Jeroboam not one that breathed, until he had destroyed it, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite.

And this thing became sin - These abominations were too glaring, and too insulting to the Lord, to be permitted to last; therefore his house was cut off, and destroyed from the face of the earth.

And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam - All the above things were sins in themselves, as building high places, and putting priests in them, whoever would; but the sense is, that these were the causes of punishment, or of evil things being inflicted on Jeroboam's family.

even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth - so that it become utterly extinct; and the next thing we hear of is the sickness and death of his son.

1 Kings 12

1Ki 12:1  And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.

Rehoboam went to Shechem — He was the oldest, and perhaps the only son of Solomon, and had been, doubtless, designated by his father heir to the throne, as Solomon had been by David. The incident here related took place after the funeral obsequies of the late king and the period for public mourning had past.

Rehoboam went to Shechem — Rehoboam went to Shechem, because all Israel had come thither to make him king. “All Israel,” was the ten tribes beside Judah and Benjamin. The right of making king the prince whom God had chosen, i.e., of anointing him and doing homage to him was an old traditional right in Israel, and the tribes had exercised it not only in the case of Saul and David (1Sa_11:15; 2Sa_2:4; 2Sa_5:3), but in that of Solomon also (1Ch_29:22). The ten tribes of Israel made use of this right on Rehoboam's ascent of the throne; but instead of coming to Jerusalem, the residence of the king and capital of the kingdom, as they ought to have done, and doing homage there to the legitimate successor of Solomon, they had gone to Sichem, (see at Gen_12:6 and Gen_33:18), the place where the ancient national gatherings were held in the tribe of Ephraim (Jos_24:1), and where Abimelech the son of Gideon had offered himself as king in the time of the Judges (Jdg_9:1.). On the choice of Sichem as the place for doing homage they sought an opportunity for transferring the government to Jeroboam, and therefore were unwilling to come to Jerusalem, but came to Sichem, which belonged to Ephraim, whilst Jeroboam was an Ephraimite. If there could be any further doubt on the matter, it would be removed by the fact that they had sent for Jeroboam the son of Nebat to come from Egypt, whither he had fled from Solomon (1Ki_11:40), and attend this meeting, and that Jeroboam took the lead in the meeting, and no doubt suggested to those assembled the demand which they should lay before Rehoboam (1Ki_12:4).

Shechem - The Jewish scholars say that this place was very ominous; here Dinah was ravished, Joseph was sold, Abimelech exercised tyranny, and here now the kingdom was divided.

Shechem — This ancient, venerable, and central town was the place of convocation; and it is evident, if not from the appointment of that place, at least from the tenor of their language, and the concerted presence of Jeroboam, that the people were determined on revolt.

The jealousy which had prevailed from time immemorial between Ephraim and Judah, the two most powerful tribes of the covenant nation, and had broken out on different occasions into open hostilities (Jdg_8:1.; 2Sa_2:9; 2Sa_19:42.), issued, on the death of Solomon, in the division of the kingdom; ten tribes, headed by Ephraim, refusing to do homage to Rehoboam, the son and successor of Solomon, and choosing Jeroboam the Ephraimite as their king. Now, although the secession of the ten tribes from the royal house of David had been ordained by God as a punishment for Solomon's idolatry, and not only had Solomon been threatened with this punishment, but the sovereignty over ten tribes had been promised to Jeroboam by the prophet Ahijah, whilst the secession itself was occasioned by Rehoboam's imprudence; yet it was essentially a rebellion against the Lord and His anointed, a conspiracy on the part of these tribes against Judah and its king Rehoboam. For apart from the fact that the tribes had no right to choose at their pleasure a different king from the one who was the lawful heir to the throne of David, the very circumstance that the tribes who were discontented with Solomon's government did not come to Jerusalem to do homage to Rehoboam, but chose Sichem as the place of meeting, and had also sent for Jeroboam out of Egypt, showed clearly enough that it was their intention to sever themselves from the royal house of David; so that the harsh reply given by Rehoboam to their petition that the service imposed upon them might be lightened, furnished them with the desired opportunity for carrying out the secession upon which they had already resolved, and for which Jeroboam was the suitable man.

The promise of the throne, which Jeroboam had already received from God, neither warranted him in rebelling against Solomon, nor in wresting to himself the government over the tribes that were discontented with the house of David after Solomon's death. The usurpation of the throne was therefore Jeroboam's first sin, to which he added a second and much greater one immediately after his ascent of the throne, namely, the establishment of an unlawful worship, by which he turned the political division into a religious schism and a falling away from Jehovah the God-King of His people.

1Ki 12:2  And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;)

when Jeroboam heard of it - Of the death of Solomon, and of the meeting of the Israelites at Shechem:

1Ki 12:3  That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,

That they sent and called him - That is, the people of Israel, some of the principal of them, especially of the tribe of Ephraim, sent messengers to him, and gave him an invitation to come to them at Shechem.

all the congregation of Israel came - the chief men of them, the heads of the people;

1Ki 12:4  Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.

Thy father made our yoke grievous - The complaint was probably twofold. The Israelites no doubt complained in part of the heavy weight of taxation laid upon them for the maintenance of the monarch and his court 1Ki_4:19-23. But their chief grievance was the forced labor to which they had been subjected 1Ki_5:13-14; 1Ki_11:28. Forced labor has been among the causes leading to insurrection in many ages and countries. Jeroboam’s position as superintendent of the forced labors of the tribe of Ephraim 1Ki_11:28 revealed to him the large amount of dissatisfaction which Solomon’s system had produced, and his contemplated rebellion in Solomon’s reign may have been connected with this standing grievance.

Thy father made our yoke grievous - Laid heavy taxes upon them, for the finishing of his buildings, for the maintenance of his household, for keeping such a large number of horses and chariots, and for the salaries of his officers, and for the support of his magnificent court; though they had very little reason to complain, since this was for the honor and grandeur of their nation, and they enjoyed their liberty, and lived in peace, plenty, and safety all his days;

Thy father made our yoke grievous - Solomon had undoubtedly demanded greater performances from the people than they had previously been accustomed to, not only to meet the cost of maintaining the splendor of his court, but also and principally to carry out his large and numerous buildings. But in return for this, he had secured for his people not only the blessings of undisturbed peace throughout his whole reign, but also great wealth from the trade and tribute of the subjugated nations, so that there cannot have been any well-grounded occasion for complaint. But when, as is too often the case, men overlooked the advantages and blessings which they owed to his government, and fixed their attention in a one-sided manner merely upon the performances which the king demanded, it might appear as though he had oppressed his people with excessive burdens.

Thy father made our yoke grievous — They seem here to complain of two things - excessively laborious service, and a heavy taxation. At first Solomon employed no Israelite in drudgery: afterwards, when he forsook the God of compassion, he seems to have used them as slaves, and to have revived the Egyptian bondage.

therefore make the grievous service which thy father put upon us lighter - that is, ease them of their taxes, or lessen them:

and we will serve thee - acknowledge him as their king, give him homage, and yield obedience to him.

1Ki 12:5  And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.

And he said unto them - Suggesting that he would consider of their proposal and inquire into the merits of it and as things should appear to him he would give them an answer in three days time. It was prudent to take the people’s demand into calm and deliberate consideration.

1Ki 12:6  And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?

King Rehoboam consulted with the old men that stood before Solomon - Which was very prudently done; for as these were men in years, and had been his father's counsellors, from whom, do doubt, they had learnt much wisdom, being often in cabinet council with him, they were capable of giving him the best advice:

1Ki 12:7  And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.

if thou wilt be servant unto this people this day - behave in an humble manner towards them, for this day however, and gratify and oblige them; though indeed a king is but a servant to his people, and his administration of government a service to them. The advice was not that the king should permanently resign the office of ruler, but that he should “for once” be ruled by his people.

If thou wilt be a servant unto this people - This is a constitutional idea of a king: he is the servant, but not the slave of his people; every regal act of a just king is an act of service to the state. The king is not only the fountain of law and justice; but as he has the appointment of all officers and judges, consequently he is the executor of the laws; and all justice is administered in his name. Properly speaking, a good and constitutional king is the servant of his people.

speak good words unto them - give them a soft answer, and speak kindly and gently to them, and make them fair promises.

They will be thy servants for ever - The way to insure the obedience of the people is to hold the reins of empire with a steady and impartial hand; let the people see that the king lives for them, and not for himself; and they will obey, love, and defend him. The state is maintained on the part of the ruler and the ruled by mutual acts of service and benevolence. A good king has no self-interest; and such a king will ever have obedient and loving subjects. The haughty, proud tyrant will have a suspicious and jealous people, hourly ripening for revolt. The king is made for the people, not the people for the king.

1Ki 12:8  But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:

But he forsook the counsel of the old men - He did not rightly relish it, nor cordially receive it; it did not suit with his haughty temper, he could not brook it, to stoop to his people; he thought it a lessening of his dignity to do anything that looked like courting their favor; and therefore determined not to take the advice given him by the old men, but to seek for other:

consulted with the men, that were grown up with him - the sons of nobles, with whom he had his education, and who were his companions from his youth upwards, and who were now officers in his court, and of his privy council, being his favorites, and those he consulted on this occasion; and though they are called young men, as they were in comparison of the old men, yet since they were contemporary with Rehoboam, who was now forty one years of age, they must be about forty, or not much under, and at an age to be wiser than they appeared to be.

1Ki 12:9  And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?

1Ki 12:10  And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.

my little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins - or, "is thicker" signifying that he had more strength and power than his father had, and that he would make them know it, and they should feel the weight of it, and instead of lessening he would increase their taxes; for also hereby was intimated, that his glory, grandeur, and magnificence, was greater than his father's.

my little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins - A proverbial mode of expression: "My little finger is thicker than my father's thigh." As much as the thigh surpasses the little finger in thickness, so much does my power exceed that of my father; and the use I shall make of it to oppress and tax you shall be in proportion.

And the young men that were grown up with him - It was a custom in different countries to educate with the heir to the throne young noblemen of nearly the same age.

1Ki 12:11  And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

Chastise you with scorpions — Scorpions as contrasted with the whips, are supposed to mean thongs thickly set with sharp iron points, used in the castigation of slaves.

I will add to your yoke - make it heavier, lay more taxes on them:

my father hath chastised you with whips - no instance of severity exercised on the people in general can be given during the whole reign of Solomon:

I will chastise you with scorpions - treat them more roughly, and with greater rigor: There is disagreement on what the scorpions were. Some say these whips gave an acute pain, like the sting of scorpions, or made a wound like one. One scholar says, these were rods with thorns on them, which pierced and gave much pain. Another scholar calls them iron thorns, rods that had iron prongs to them, which tore the flesh extremely. Still another says, a rod that is smooth is called a rod, but, if knotty and prickled, it is rightly called a scorpion, because it makes a wound in the body arched or crooked.

Scorpions - By this word some understand whips having leaden balls at the ends of their lashes with hooks projecting from them; others the thorny stem of the eggplant, or “the scorpion plant.” But it seems best to regard the expression as a figure of speech.

1Ki 12:12  So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.

So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam -  Jeroboam came to him at the head of the people, being the head of the faction, and designed for their king:

1Ki 12:13  And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men's counsel that they gave him;

And the king answered the people roughly - In a blustering manner, gave them hard words and severe menaces, being worked up to such a spirit by his young counsellors:

1Ki 12:14  And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

1Ki 12:15  Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

for the cause was from the Lord - it was according to his will and appointment; the defection of the people was willed by the Lord, and various things in Providence turned up to alienate their minds from Rehoboam, and dispose them to a revolt from him in favor of Jeroboam.

The cause was from the Lord - Human passions, anger, pride, and insolence, worked out the accomplishment of the divine designs. God guides the course of events, and accomplishes His purposes.

the king hearkened not to the people - for it was a turning from the Lord, that He might establish His word” by a divine decree, that Rehoboam contributed to the fulfilment of the counsel of God through his own folly, and brought about the accomplishment of the sentence pronounced upon Solomon.

The cause was from the Lord - God left him to himself, and did not incline his heart to follow the counsel of the wise men. This is the meaning of all this confusion and anarchy, it was Rehoboam’s folly, cruelty, and despotic tyranny: This led to the rebellion of Jeroboam as the Lord ordained.

1Ki 12:16  So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.

what portion have we in David - or in his posterity, which are not of our tribes, nor are we obliged to have a king of that family; nor can we expect any benefit or advantage from thence, as may be easily concluded from the rough answer of Rehoboam:

neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse - so they called David by way of contempt; which was great ingratitude, when he had done such great things for them, and he and his son Solomon had raised them to the pitch of wealth and glory they now enjoyed; these were seditious expressions, and seem to be borrowed from a seditious person in the times of David, 2Sa 20:1 And there happened to be there a man of Belial named Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite. And he blew a ram's horn and said, We have no part in David, neither do we have any inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, O, Israel!

to your tents, O Israel - signifying it was high time to depart from Rehoboam, and to have nothing to say to him, or do with him, but retire to their habitations, to consider whom to set as king over them:

So Israel departed unto their tents - That is, the ten tribes withdrew their allegiance from Rehoboam; only Judah and Benjamin, frequently reckoned one tribe, remaining with him.

now see to thine own house, David - thou son or grandson of David; not his own house and family, and mind his domestic affairs, nor the house of the sanctuary in his tribe, as many of the Jewish writers interpret it; but rather the tribe of Judah, of which he was.

1Ki 12:17  But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

But the sons of Israel, who dwelt in the cities of Judah - These “sons of Israel” are members of the ten tribes who had settled in Judah in the course of ages; and the Simeonites especially are included, since they were obliged to remain in the kingdom of Judah from the very situation of their tribe-territory, and might very well be reckoned among the Israelites who dwelt in the cities of Judah, inasmuch as at first the whole of their territory was allotted to the tribe of Judah, from which they afterwards received a portion Jos 19:1 And the second lot came forth to Simeon, for the tribe of the sons of Simeon according to their families. And their inheritance was inside the inheritance of the sons of Judah.

1Ki 12:18  Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute -  There was one of this name in this office in the time of David, 2Sa 20:24 And Adoram was over the tribute. And Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder. Another called Adoniram 1Ki 4:6 And Ahishar was over the household. And Adoniram the son of Abda was over the forced labor.  The Adoram whom Rehoboam appointed was sent either to collect the tribute of the Ephraimites, to show his authority; or rather to call the people back to have some further discourse with them, and endeavor to soften things, and bring them to a compliance, so Josephus wrote; but it was too late, and he employed a very improper person; the heavy taxes were their complaint, and a tax gatherer, and especially one that was at the head of the tribute, must be of all men the most disagreeable to them; this is another instance of the folly and false steps of Rehoboam:

Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram - Adoram has been identified with Adoniram and even with the Adoram of 2Sa_20:24. But it is highly improbable that the same person was chief superintendent of the forced labors during the whole of Solomon’s long reign, and also during a part of David’s and Rehoboam’s. It is likely that the three names mark three distinct persons, perhaps of the same family, who were respectively contemporary with the three kings. Adoram was chosen, as best acquainted with the hardships whereof the rebels complained, to arrange some alleviation of their burdens.

all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died - the populace fell upon him at once, and stoned him to death; and which, though contrary to law and justice, was approved of and applauded by their principal men and all the people; so irritated and provoked were they by Rehoboam's answer to them.

King Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem - from Shechem, fearing they would treat him in the same manner in their rage and fury; his courage was now cooled, and his haughty and hectoring spirit was now brought down, and he was glad to make use of his chariot for flight; this is the first time we read of a king of Israel riding in a chariot; though before of Sisera, a Canaanitish captain, and that only in a chariot of war.

1Ki 12:19  So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day - Their revolt is called a rebellion; for though it was according to the purpose and will of God, yet the people had no command or order from God for it, and was done without consulting Him, and was a rejection of their lawful prince. This expression shows that the writer, who lived during the captivity, and consequently long after the rebellion of Israel had come to an end, is embodying in his history the exact words of an ancient document. His source, whatever it was, appears to have been also followed by the writer of Chronicles. 2Ch 10:19 And Israel rebelled against the house of David until this day.

1Ki 12:20  And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again -  Out of Egypt; the chief men knew of it before, for he had headed them in their approach and address to Rehoboam; but the people in common had not, and especially those of the various tribes besides that of Ephraim:

when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again - The first act of the Israelites, on learning what had occurred at Shechem, was to bring together the great “congregation” of the people, in order that, regularly and in solemn form, the crown might be declared vacant, and a king elected in the room of the monarch whose authority had been thrown off. The congregation selected Jeroboam. The rank, the talent, and the known energy of the late exile, his natural hostility to the house of Solomon, his Ephraimitic descent, his acquaintance with the art of fortification, and the friendly relations subsisting between him and the great Egyptian king, pointed him out as the most suitable man for the vacant post. If, according to the Septuagint, Shishak had not only protected him against Solomon, but also given him an Egyptian princess, sister to his own queen, in marriage, his position must have been such that no other Israelite could have borne comparison with him. Again, the prophecy of Ahijah would have been remembered by the more religious part of the nation, and would have secured to Jeroboam their adhesion; so that every motive, whether of policy or of religion, would have united to recommend the son of Nebat to the suffrages of his countrymen.

the tribe of Judah only - in which Benjamin was included, as appears from the following verse; that being joined to it, and mixed with it, and both having a part in Jerusalem, and so ever after the kingdom was denominated the kingdom of Judah.

1Ki 12:21  And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.

And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem - From Shechem, which was forty miles from Jerusalem:

he assembled all the house of Judah - which not only shows courage reassumed by Rehoboam, now safely home, but the hearty attachment of Judah and Benjamin to him, who raised so numerous an army in his favor; and had it not been that the Lord was against their going to battle with Israel, in all probability they might have gained their point, Jeroboam being scarcely settled in his kingdom, and having no forces raised.

The tribe of Benjamin - By blood Benjamin was far more closely connected with Ephraim than with Judah. All the traditions of Benjamin were antagonistic to Judah, and hitherto the weak tribe had been accustomed to lean constantly on its strong northern neighbor. But it would seem that, in the half-century which had elapsed since the revolt of Sheba, the son of Bichri 2Sa_20:1, the feelings of the Benjamites had undergone a complete change. This is best accounted for by the establishment of the religious and political capital at Jerusalem, on the border line of the two tribes Jos_15:8; Jos_18:16, from where it resulted that the new metropolis stood partly within the territory of either, and was in a certain sense common to both. One of the gates of Jerusalem was “the high gate of Benjamin” Jer_20:2; and probably Benjamites formed a considerable part of the population. The whole tribe also, we may well believe, was sincerely attached to the temple worship, in which they could participate far more freely and more constantly than the members of remoter tribes, and to which the habits of forty years had now accustomed them.

1Ki 12:22  But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God - A prophet in those days, 2Ch 12:15 And the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and Iddo the seer concerning genealogies? And the wars of Rehoboam and Jeroboam lasted all their days. and the word that came to him, as in the Targum, is called the word of prophecy.  Shemaiah was the chief prophet in Judah during the reign of Rehoboam, as Ahijah was in Israel. He is not heard from again in the bible.

1Ki 12:23  Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying,

to the remnant of the people - of the other tribes that might dwell among them at Jerusalem, and especially Simeon, whose inheritance was within the tribe of Judah, Jos_19:1.

1Ki 12:24  Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the LORD, and returned to depart, according to the word of the LORD.

Thus saith the Lord - A common preface the prophets used when they spoke in the name of the Lord:

for this thing is from Me - it was according to the will of God; it was by His ordination and appointment, though Jeroboam and the people sinned in the way and manner in which they brought it about; and therefore to fight against Israel, in order to regain the kingdom, would be fighting against God, and so to no purpose:

For this thing is from Me - That is, the separation of the ten tribes from the house of David.

they hearkened therefore to the word of the Lord - they knew Shemaiah was a prophet of the Lord, and they believed the message he brought came from Him, and therefore hearkened and were obedient to it; and with the consent of Rehoboam were disbanded, and returned to their habitations, being satisfied with, and submissive to, the will of God, both king and people.

1Ki 12:25  Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel.

Then Jeroboam built Shechem - Not that this city had lain in ruins from the times of Abimelech, Jdg_9:45 for then it would not have been a proper place for the convention of the people but he repaired the walls of it, and fortified it, and built a palace in it for his residence:

Built Shechem - In the sense of “enlarged and fortified.” The first intention of Jeroboam seems to have been to make Shechem his capital, and therefore he immediately set about its fortification. So also he seems to have fortified Penuel for the better security of his Trans-Jordanic possessions.

Then Jeroboam built Shechem - Jeroboam distrusted the providence of God; he would contrive ways and means, and sinful ones too, for his own safety. A practical disbelief of God's all-sufficiency is at the bottom of all our departures from Him.

built Penuel - a place on the other side Jordan, the tower of which was beaten down by Gideon, Jdg_8:17 and might be now rebuilt, or at least the city was repaired by him, and anew fortified, perhaps for the better security of his dominions on that side Jordan. It was an object of importance to restore this fortress (as it lay on the caravan road from Gilead to Damascus and Palmyra) and to secure his frontier on that quarter.

1Ki 12:26  And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:

now shall the kingdom return to the house of David - such were his fears, unless some method could be taken to prevent it. In order also to give internal strength to his kingdom, Jeroboam resolved to provide for his subjects a substitute for the sacrificial worship in the temple by establishing a new site, and thus to take away all occasion for making festal journeys to Jerusalem, from which he apprehended a return of the people to the house of David and consequently further danger for his own life. “

now shall the kingdom return to the house of David - Jeroboam’s fear was lest a reaction should set in, and a desire for reunion manifest itself. He was not a man content to remain quiet, trusting simply to the promise made him 1Ki 11:38 And if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as David My servant did, it shall happen that I will be with you and build you a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel to you. Hence, he gave way to the temptation of helping forward the plans of Providence by the crooked devices of a merely human policy. His measures, like all measures which involve a dereliction of principle, brought certain evils in their train, and drew down divine judgment on himself. But they fully secured the object at which he aimed. They prevented all healing of the breach between the two kingdoms. They made the separation final. They produced the result that not only no reunion took place, but no symptoms of an inclination to reunite ever manifested themselves during the whole period of the double kingdom.

Jeroboam said in his heart — Having received the kingdom from God, he should have relied on the divine protection. But he did not. With a view to withdraw the people from the temple and destroy the sacred associations connected with Jerusalem, he made serious and unwarranted innovations on the religious observances of the country, on pretext of saving the people the trouble and expense of a distant journey. First, he erected two golden calves - the young bulls as symbols (in the Egyptian fashion) of the true God, and the nearest, according to his fancy, to the figures of the cherubim. The one was placed at Dan, in the northern part of his kingdom; the other at Beth-el, the southern extremity, in sight of Jerusalem, and in which place he probably thought God was as likely to manifest Himself as at Jerusalem. The latter place was the most frequented - for the words (1Ki_12:30) should be rendered, “the people even to Dan went to worship before the one” (Jer_48:13; Amo_4:4, Amo_4:5; Amo_5:5; Hos_5:8; Hos_10:8). The innovation was a sin because it was setting up the worship of God by symbols and images and departing from the place where He had chosen to put His name. Secondly, he changed the feast of tabernacles from the fifteenth of the seventh to the fifteenth of the eighth month. The ostensible reason might be, that the ingathering or harvest was later in the northern parts of the kingdom; but the real reason was to eradicate the old association with this, the most welcome and joyous festival of the year.

1Ki 12:27  If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.

If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem - In the temple there, three times in the year, which all the males were obliged to, besides other times, when they had occasion to offer sacrifice, which they might do nowhere else:

they shall kill me - In case his subjects desired a reconciliation with Rehoboam, Jeroboam’s death would at once facilitate the re-establishment of a single kingdom, and obtain favor with the legitimate monarch. His fears ran so high, that he should not only lose his kingdom, but his life, unless some step was taken to make an alteration in religious worship. He found he had little cause to trust this fickle people; though they had declared for him it was more from caprice, desire of change, and novelty, than from any regular and praiseworthy principle.

1Ki 12:28  Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

Whereupon the king took counsel - Of some of his principal men, that had as little religion as himself, and were only concerned for the civil state.

made two calves of gold - possibly in imitation of that which was made by Aaron, and encouraged by his example and success; and having been in Egypt some time, he might have learned the calf or ox worship there, and might take his pattern from thence, and have two as they had. They might possibly have been representations of the cherubic form, imitations of the two cherubim which guarded the ark of the covenant in the holy of holies. But being unauthorized copies, set up in places which God had not chosen, and without any divine sanction, the sacred writers call them “calves.”

it is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem - pretending he sought their ease, by contriving a method to prevent their long fatiguing journeys, to go up with their sacrifices.

behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt - using the same words Aaron did on a like occasion. Exo 32:4 And he took them from their hand, and fashioned it with an engraving tool. And he made it a molten calf. And they said, These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.

behold thy gods - What Jeroboam meant to say was “this is no new religion, but this was the form of worship which our fathers used in the desert, with Aaron himself leading the way”. One commentator believes that the Lord was worshipped under the image of the calves or young oxen. The choice of the places in which the golden calves were set up also shows that Jeroboam desired to adhere as closely as possible to ancient traditions. He did not select his own place of residence, but Bethel and Dan. Bethel, on the southern border of his kingdom, which properly belonged to the tribe of Benjamin (Jos_18:13 and Jos_18:22) had already been consecrated as a divine seat by the vision of Jehovah which the patriarch Jacob received there in a dream (Gen_28:11, Gen_28:19), and Jacob gave it the name of Bethel, house of God, and afterwards built an altar there to the Lord (Gen_35:7). And Jeroboam may easily have fancied, and have tried to persuade others, that Jehovah would reveal Himself to the descendants of Jacob in this sacred place just as well as He had done to their forefather. - Dan, in the northern part of the kingdom, on the one source of the Jordan, formerly called Laish (Jdg_18:26.), was also consecrated as a place of worship by the image-worship established there by the Danites, at which even a grandson of Moses had officiated.

Made two calves of gold - He invented a political religion, instituted feasts in his own times different from those appointed by the Lord, gave the people certain objects of devotion, and pretended to think it would be both inconvenient and oppressive to them to have to go up to Jerusalem to worship. This was not the last time that religion was made a state engine to serve political purposes. It is strange that in pointing out his calves to the people, he should use the same words that Aaron used when he made the golden calf in the wilderness, when they must have heard what terrible judgments fell upon their forefathers for this idolatry. Solomon’s idolatry had prepared the people for Jeroboam’s abominations.

1Ki 12:29  And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.

And he set the one in Bethel - In the southern part of the land, on the border of Ephraim and Benjamin; and the rather he chose this place, because its name signifies the house of God, and had been a sacred place, where Jacob more than once enjoyed the divine Presence: By separating them, he avoided the danger of reminding them continually that they had no ark - a danger which would have been imminent, had the two cherubs been placed together in one shrine.

and the other put he in Dan - in the northern part of the land, for the convenience of the inhabitants of those parts;  perhaps since it had been a place resorted to in former times, because of the teraphim of Micah there in Judges 17.

1Ki 12:30  And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.

And this thing became a sin - The cause and occasion of the sin of idolatry; it led them by degrees to leave off the worship of God, and to worship these calves as gods: This institution became a sin to Jeroboam, because it violated the fundamental law of the Old Testament religion, since this not only prohibited all worship of Jehovah under images and symbols Exo 20:4 You shall not make to yourselves any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. but had not even left the choice of the place of worship to the people themselves Deu 12:5 But you shall seek to the place which Jehovah your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put His name there, even to His dwelling place you shall seek, and there you shall come.

1Ki 12:31  And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.

And he made an house of high places - Or altars, built a temple at Dan, and set up several altars in it for sacrifice, both for burnt offerings, and for incense, as at Jerusalem:

and made priests of the lowest of the people - More correctly, “from all ranks of the people.” That the Levites did not accept Jeroboam’s innovations, and transfer their services to his two sanctuaries, must have been the consequence of their faithful attachment to the true worship of the Lord. In all probability Jeroboam confiscated the Levitical lands within his dominions for the benefit of the new priestly order 2Ch_11:13-14.

which were not of the sons of Levi - and as by this means he enriched himself, by taking the cities that belonged to the priests and Levites, which they were obliged to leave, and from whence he drove them, 2Ch 11:14 For the Levites left their open lands and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem. For Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priests' office to Jehovah. so he pleased the people by laying open the priesthood common to them, and freeing them from the payment of tithes, and the like.

He made an house of high places - The writer uses the expression “house of high places” in contempt, meaning that the buildings were not real temples, or houses of God, like that at Jerusalem, but only on a par with the temples upon high places which had long existed in various parts of the land.

1Ki 12:32  And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.

Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month - The feast of tabernacles, which was on the fifteenth day of the seventh month; this was done chiefly for the sake of an alteration. It may also have assumed the character of a feast of dedication, held at the same time, after the example of Solomon 1Ki_8:2. His object in changing the month from the seventh to the eighth, and yet keeping the day of the month, is not clear. Perhaps it was on account of the later vintage of the more northern regions.

Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month - But the true reason was to be found in his intention to make the separation in a religious point of view as complete as possible, although Jeroboam retained the day of the month, the fifteenth, for the sake of the weak who took offence at his innovations. For we may see very clearly that many beside the Levites were very discontented with these illegal institutions, from the notice in 2Ch 11:16 And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers. that out of all the tribes those who were devoted to the Lord from the heart went to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the God of the fathers there.

he offered upon the altar - The expression  shows that Jeroboam himself officiated as priest, and offered this sacrifice - at Bethel, not at Dan.

1Ki 12:33  So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.

even in the month which he had devised of his own heart - the feast of tabernacles was of God's appointing, but the time of keeping he had devised himself, changing it from the seventh month, or Tisri, to the eighth month, or Marchesvan. The entire system of Jeroboam receives its condemnation in these words. His main fault was that he left a ritual and a worship where all was divinely authorized, for ceremonies and services which were wholly of his own devising. Not being a prophet, he had no authority to introduce religious innovations. Not having received any commission to establish new forms, he had no right to expect that any religious benefit would accrue from them.

ordained a feast unto the children of Israel - to be observed by them as the feast of tabernacles was by the priests of Judah and Benjamin:

he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense - which none but the priests should do; perhaps the reason why the same resentment was not shown as to Uzziah was, because this was not at the altar of the Lord: