1 Kings 12
12:1 a Shechem, located in the heart of territory belonging to the northern tribes, had been a strategic site and religious center since the pre-Israelite occupation of Canaan (Gen 12:6-7 b; 33:18-20 c), and it became important in Israel as a Levitical city and a city of refuge (Josh 20:7 d; 21:20 e; 24:1 f). Rehoboam knew that if he wanted to be king over a united kingdom, he would need the approval and support of the politically and religiously strong northern tribes. Shechem later became the provisional capital of the northern kingdom (1 Kgs 12:25 g).• Rehoboam reigned from 931 to 913 BC.
12:4 h harsh labor demands and heavy taxes: See 4:7 i, 22-23 j; 5:13-18 k; 9:20-23 l; 11:27-28 m.
12:5 n three days: Rehoboam’s waiting period to consult his advisers is traditional; the third day was one of final decision (see 2 Kgs 20:4-8 o). Jesus rose from the grave on the third day (Luke 24:41 p; 1 Cor 15:4 q).
Summary for 1Kgs 12:6-7: 12:6-7 r older men: Those who had served under Solomon advised moderation.
Summary for 1Kgs 12:8-10: 12:8-10 s young men: Rehoboam’s appointed contemporaries took a hard line and advised the opposite of the older men.
12:11 t scorpions: This was probably a type of whip that contained barbs or nails; the wounds inflicted by this weapon were like a scorpion’s sting.
Summary for 1Kgs 12:12-17: 12:12-17 u Rehoboam’s decision to heed the counsel of his younger advisers was disastrous; it led the northern tribes to secede, followed by years of intermittent warfare (14:30 v; 15:7 w, 32 x).
• the will of the Lord: God directed these human decisions to fulfill the prophesied judgment against Solomon (11:11-13 y, 29-39 z).
12:18 aa Adoniram served under both David (2 Sam 20:24 ab) and Solomon (1 Kgs 4:6 ac; 5:13-14 ad). His death by stoning showed the folly of Rehoboam’s decision to send the unpopular supervisor of the labor force to restore order in the north.
Summary for 1Kgs 12:21-24: 12:21-24 ae Rehoboam resolved to restore the kingdom to himself by force, but he turned back when confronted with the message of the Lord through Shemaiah. The expression man of God emphasizes a prophet’s relationship to the Lord as his messenger. God’s prophets played a leading role in the history of the divided kingdom. Shemaiah apparently authored a history of Rehoboam’s reign (2 Chr 12:15 af).
Summary for 1Kgs 12:25-33: 12:25-33 ag Jeroboam’s actions in establishing his kingdom are reported in two sections, one on his building activities (12:25 ah), the other on his false shrines and religious practices (12:26-33 ai). 12:25 aj Both Shechem (12:1 ak) and Peniel, which Jeroboam built across the Jordan River, were strategic defensive sites against the Arameans.
Summary for 1Kgs 12:26-27: 12:26-27 al Jeroboam tried to satisfy Israel’s spiritual needs and maintain the allegiance of his people by making the worship services in the north both convenient and distinctive.
12:28 am Two gold calves would strike a responsive chord regarding Israel’s history (Exod 32 an; esp. 32:4 ao). Similar religious practices, associated with the Canaanite god Baal-Hadad, also appealed to the remaining Canaanite population in the northern kingdom. Jeroboam’s intentions compromised true worship and caused religious confusion (see 1 Kgs 14:9 ap; Hos 8:6 aq).
Summary for 1Kgs 12:29-30: 12:29-30 ar By placing the calf idols in Bethel (the southern part of Israel) and in Dan (the far northern section) Jeroboam gave his people two choice sites with long religious traditions (see Gen 12:8 as; 28:11-19 at; Judg 18:30-31 au). Archaeological excavations confirm the existence of a high place—an altar for pagan worship—in Dan. Bethel was where Jacob had his dream (Gen 28:10-22 av), and it was the resting place of the Ark of the Covenant in the days of the judges (Judg 20:18-28 aw) and a sanctuary in Samuel’s time (1 Sam 7:16 ax; 10:3 ay).
12:31 az Jeroboam directly violated the law of Moses, which prohibited worship at pagan shrines (Deut 12:2-7 ba) and specified that priests were to come only from the tribe of Levi (Exod 40:13-15 bb; Num 1:50-53 bc).
Summary for 1Kgs 12:32-33: 12:32-33 bd Replacing the Festival of Shelters, Israel’s crowning ceremonial feast in the seventh month, with the festival in Bethel also violated the law (Deut 16:13-15 be). The imitation observance one month later during the eighth month may have coincided with the end of the Canaanite agricultural year. Jeroboam’s false religious practices led to Israel’s downfall (2 Kgs 17:22 bf).
• Jeroboam’s offering of sacrifices on the altar at Bethel set a bad precedent in spiritual leadership.
1 Kings 13
Summary for 1Kgs 13:1-10: 13:1-10 bg The account of the unnamed man of God who denounced Jeroboam’s false altar at Bethel emphasizes the authority of God’s word. Like Isaiah’s prophecy of Cyrus’s coming (Isa 44:28 bh; 45:1 bi) and Micah’s prophecy about Bethlehem as the Messiah’s birthplace (Mic 5:2 bj), this prophecy gave a distinctive proper name associated with an event long before it happened (2 Kgs 23:15-20 bk). Such prophecies give assurance of God’s sovereignty and omniscience (see Isa 42:9 bl).13:3 bm In Levitical regulations, ashes from sacrifices at the prescribed altar were to be taken to a clean place (Lev 1:16 bn; 6:10-11 bo). Because Jeroboam’s altar ... split apart, and its ashes ... poured out, the altar and its sacrifices were rendered unclean.
Summary for 1Kgs 13:4-5: 13:4-5 bp The paralysis of Jeroboam’s shoulder and arm and the fulfillment of the prophetic sign concerning the altar confirmed God’s omnipotence as well as his direct displeasure with Jeroboam’s apostate religion.
13:6 bq hand was restored: God showed mercy toward Jeroboam; his restored hand should have reminded Jeroboam that it was still possible to serve God properly.
13:7 br have something to eat: In accordance with ancient Near Eastern custom, the king’s seeming gratitude and offer of hospitality also carried implications of approval and fellowship (13:19 bs; see Gen 24:52-54 bt).
Summary for 1Kgs 13:11-19: 13:11-19 bu Whatever the old prophet’s motives were for seeking out the man of God, he clearly lied about receiving God’s message through an angel. The man of God knew that what the old prophet asked was contrary to the Lord’s instructions (13:8-10 bv, 16-17 bw; cp. Gal 1:8 bx).
Summary for 1Kgs 13:20-22: 13:20-22 by Although the old prophet had lied, God communicated through him. The severe pronouncement against the man of God was that because of his disobedience, he would be denied burial in his ancestral tomb. This death sentence was quickly carried out. Disobedience to the clear command of God is a serious offense (Num 14:21-23 bz; Deut 11:26-28 ca).
Summary for 1Kgs 13:23-26: 13:23-26 cb The donkey did not run away and the lion did not eat the man’s body, a supernatural event. The old prophet immediately understood that God had clearly fulfilled his word (13:21-22 cc) by judging disobedience.
13:30 cd The old prophet probably had a modest grave. Such tombs were hewn out of soft limestone in a wadi (a stream bed) near the person’s home.
13:32 ce the message ... will certainly come true: The Lord’s swift judgment convinced the old prophet that the oracle of judgment pronounced by the man of God against Jeroboam’s altar would be fulfilled. The prophecy came true years later during Josiah’s reforms (2 Kgs 23:15-18 cf).
• Samaria was established as the capital city of Israel during the reign of Omri, first king of Israel’s third dynasty (1 Kgs 16:24 cg, 29-33 ch). The name Samaria sometimes refers to the capital city and sometimes to the northern kingdom in general (2 Kgs 17:24 ci; Amos 6:1 cj). Samaria’s mention here reflects the perspective of an author living at a later time. Similar uses of location names elsewhere reflect editorial updating (cp. Gen 23:2 ck with Josh 14:15 cl; Judg 1:10 cm).
Summary for 1Kgs 13:33-34: 13:33-34 cn Apparently, Jeroboam knew what had happened to the man of God, but it did nothing to change his spiritual outlook. Jeroboam’s persistently apostate religion, despite God’s denunciation of it, doomed his dynasty to destruction (14:7-11 co, 15-16 cp; 15:27-30 cq). As succeeding Israelite kings perpetuated his sin, it brought about the complete demise of the northern kingdom (2 Kgs 17:20-23 cr).
1 Kings 14
14:2 cs Disguise yourself: Jeroboam apparently recognized that his sin had separated him from any right to approach God’s prophet. He knew that the man who had predicted his accession to Israel’s throne could predict the child’s fate and perhaps intercede with the Lord on his behalf.• Shiloh had earlier been destroyed by the Philistines in the time of Eli (1 Sam 4 ct). Before that, the Tabernacle resided there (Josh 18:1 cu; 1 Sam 1:3 cv). A small community once again inhabited the site, which remained largely undeveloped throughout the divided monarchy.
14:3 cw It was customary to take a gift to a prophet when seeking his counsel (2 Kgs 5:5 cx; 8:8 cy). King Jeroboam’s wife took everyday commodities to supplement her disguise.
14:5 cz the answer I give you: The Lord often instructed prophets to deliver only the message that he gave them (see 22:14 da; Num 22:38 db; 23:12 dc; Jer 7:2 dd; Amos 7:14-15 de).
14:7 df God had blessed Jeroboam and established him as ruler in Israel (see study note on 1:35). However, Jeroboam abused God’s appointment with his false religion.
Summary for 1Kgs 14:8-9: 14:8-9 dg Unlike David, who genuinely repented of his sins (2 Sam 12:13 dh; Ps 51:2-4 di), Jeroboam exceeded his predecessors in doing evil. Despite clear evidence of God’s displeasure and coming judgment (1 Kgs 13:33 dj), he failed to turn from his ways. His sin would bring grave consequences to his family and descendants (13:34 dk; 14:10-11 dl, 14 dm) and, ultimately, to the whole northern kingdom (14:16 dn).
• gold calves: see 12:26-30 do.
14:11 dp eaten by dogs: This message of judgment for Jeroboam’s family followed the legal curses pronounced for unfaithfulness (Deut 28:26 dq; see 1 Kgs 16:4 dr; 21:23 ds; 2 Kgs 9:35-37 dt).
14:14 du destroy the family of Jeroboam: The prophecy quickly came true. God raised up Baasha, who killed Jeroboam’s son Nadab in the second year of Nadab’s reign (15:27-28 dv).
14:15 dw Asherah was thought to be the consort of El, the elder god of ancient Canaan. Asherah worship included fertility rites at sacred trees or poles; it became a chronic sin for God’s people (15:13 dx; 16:33 dy; 18:19 dz; Deut 16:21 ea; Judg 3:7 eb).
Summary for 1Kgs 14:17-18: 14:17-18 ec Tirzah was situated on the road from Shechem to Beth-shan. Noted for its great beauty (Song 6:4 ed), the city was a royal retreat that apparently had become the capital of the northern kingdom (1 Kgs 16:6 ee, 8 ef).
• The child died, as Ahijah had predicted.
Summary for 1Kgs 14:19-20: 14:19-20 eg all his wars: Jeroboam engaged in repeated border skirmishes with Rehoboam (14:30 eh).
• The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel is mentioned seventeen times in 1 Kgs 14:19—2 Kgs 15:31 ei; it includes material that may have originated in official records kept by the court recorder (see 1 Kgs 4:3 ej). It was known to the original readers of 1–2 Kings but is now lost.
Summary for 1Kgs 14:21-31: 14:21-31 ek Between the opening and closing details about Rehoboam’s reign (14:21 el, 29-31 em), the account focuses on the deteriorating spiritual experience of God’s people in Judah (14:22-24 en) and on an Egyptian invasion (14:25-28 eo). 14:21 ep Rather than any city of the northern kingdom, the city the Lord had chosen was Jerusalem.
• Naamah, as the queen mother, was highly esteemed in Judah. This role seems to have developed into an official status (15:13 eq), and Judah’s queen mothers are often mentioned in connection with the reigning king (see, e.g., Jer 22:26 er).
14:22 es the people of Judah did what was evil: Although Rehoboam seemed to begin his reign in good spiritual form (2 Chr 11:5-17 et, 23 eu), he deserted God’s standards (2 Chr 12:1 ev).
Summary for 1Kgs 14:23-24: 14:23-24 ew Solomon had married foreign wives, who led his family into idolatry. Judah, under Rehoboam’s leadership, then perpetuated the detestable practices of the pagan nations that occupied the land before the Israelites. The spiritual decline of a nation easily follows from debased leadership, which leads to disgrace and destruction (Prov 14:34 ex).
• Shrine prostitutes were not uncommon in Canaan but were prohibited for Israel (see study notes on Lev 17:7; Deut 23:17-18). They became a part of Israelite society as the people embraced Canaanite culture.
14:25 ey Shishak (Shoshenq I, 945–924 BC), of Egypt’s 22nd dynasty, reunited the land of Egypt that was divided during the 21st dynasty. He gave Egypt renewed stability, economic expansion, and military power. His attack on Judah is also recorded by the Chronicler (2 Chr 12:2-4 ez) and is written on the Amon Temple in Thebes.
Summary for 1Kgs 14:26-28: 14:26-28 fa When Rehoboam replaced Solomon’s gold shields with bronze shields, it reflected the declining spiritual value of Rehoboam’s kingdom. The complete destruction of Judah and Jerusalem was avoided only when Rehoboam repented in response to the Lord’s word through the prophet Shemaiah (2 Chr 12:5-6 fb, 12 fc).
Summary for 1Kgs 14:29-31: 14:29-31 fd The closing report concerning Rehoboam’s reign notes his constant strife with Jeroboam.
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