THE KINGS OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH. George Rawlinson

"Lectures on the Jewish Church," vol. ii. p. 233.

10 See the Septuagint "Additions." The tale probably originated in what is related (I Kings xi. 19) of Hadad; but it is most unlikely that, if Jeroboam had been similarly favoured, the writer of Kings would not have mentioned it.

11 Compare Stanley, "Lectures on the Jewish Church," vol. ii. p. 236.

12 See note on I Kings xii. 36 in the "Speaker's Commentary," vol. ii p. 559.

13 Stanley, "Lectures on the Jewish Church," vol. ii. p. 236.

14 Ibid.

15 See Gen. xxviii. 19; xxxv. 14, 15.

16 See Judg. xviii. 29-31, and compare the remarks of Mr. Grove in Smith's "Dictionary of the Bible," vol. L. p. 386.

17 See the author's "History of Ancient Egypt," vol. i. pp. 413-415.

18 There was perhaps an exception in the case of the priests attached to the calf-worship at Dan, who seem to have been Gershomites, descended from Moses. (See Judg. xviii. 30, and compare Lord A. Hervey's note on the messages in the "Speaker's Commentary," vol ii. p. 209.)

19 See Mr. R. S. Poole's analysis of the Inscription of Sheshonk at Karnac ("Diet, of the Bible," vol. iii. pp. 1290-1294), whereby it appears that the expedition was directed not only against the dominions of Rehoboam, but also against a number of Levitical and Canaanite cities within the territory of Jeroboam himself, and further against certain Arab tribes of the vicinity. The inference is, that Jeroboam obtained Sheshonk's aid in reducing Israelite cities that had declined to submit to him, and also in chastising Arab tribes on his borders which bad given him trouble.

20 See Kings xvii. 4.

21 Some suppose that it was on the actual day of the dedication; but this is not so stated.

22 Dean Stanley argues that the prophet was Iddo ("Lectures on the Jewish Church," vol. ii. p. 237); but this is impossible, since he died on the day when he gave his warning, whereas Iddo outlived Jeroboam, and wrote an account of the reign of Ahijah (2 Chron. xiii. 22).

23 These words have perhaps crept in from the margin (See the author's note on the passage in the "Speaker's Commentary," vol. ii p. 563)

24 The number in 2 Chron. xiii. 17 can scarcely be correct, even if we regard it as covering all who fell in the war. The loss of 500,000 men in a war lasting little more than two years between such petty states as Judah and Israel would be unexampled.

25 I Kings xiv. 13, xv. 26, 30, 34, &c.; a Kings xvii. 21.

26 "Lectures on the Jewish Church," vol. ii. p. 939

27 Pusey, "Minor Prophets," p. 3.

      Abijah

       Table of Contents

OF Abijah,1 the son and successor of Rehoboam, very little is known. His mother was Maachah, the daughter, or probably rather the granddaughter, of Absalom, and was Rehoboam’s principal and favourite wife. Her leanings were towards idolatry (1 Kings xv. 13), and any influence which she may have exercised upon her son is likely to have been towards evil. Rehoboam’s affection for Maachah caused him, not only to designate Abijah, her eldest son (2 Chron. xi. 20), as his successor, but to put him at a very early age in a position of authority over his brethren (ibid. ver. 22), and to give him an establishment on a scale of Oriental magnificence. Abijah, we are told (2 Chron. xiii. 21), “waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.” He was probably of full age at his father’s accession, having grown to manhood during the later years of Solomon, at a time when female influence of an evil kind was predominant, and when there was little scope for manly virtues. When his father came to the throne, there was an improvement in his surroundings. He was given a position of responsibility,2 and no doubt bore a part in those wars which occupied so large a portion of the reign of Rehoboam. He must have been a witness of the invasion of Shishak (Sheshonk), have seen the environs of Jerusalem blackened by the Egyptian, Libyan, and Ethiopia host, and have shared in the fears and participated in the humiliation of his father (2 Chron. xii. 6-12). He is likely to have taken an active part in the protracted and desultory war which was waged between Rehoboam and Jeroboam “all their days” (1 Kings xiv. 30). When, upon the death of his father, he found himself king, he seems to have at once determined on a desperate effort to subjugate the kingdom of his neighbour, and so bring the schism between the Ten Tribes and the Two to an end. He “set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war” (2 Chron. xiii. 3), who are estimated at 400,000, but was met by Jeroboam with twice the number, and brought into extreme danger. According to the writer of Chronicles, the Judæan king, like a Homeric hero, from a station upon Mount Zemaraim, a little south of Bethel, delivered a long address of rebuke and exhortation to the enemy, as the hosts faced each other ready for the conflict. He recalled the circumstances under which David was given the kingdom over all Israel (ibid. ver. 5); the rebellion of Jeroboam (ver. 6); the institution of the idolatry of the calves; the rejection of the legitimate priesthood and the institution of an illegitimate priesthood in its place (vers. 9, 10); and contrasting with Jeroboam’s novelties the steadfast adherence of Judah to the rites and ordinances laid down in the Law3 (vers. 10, 11); he made an appeal to the Israelites to desert the standard of Jeroboam, and “not fight against the Lord God of their fathers;” if they did so, he assured them they “would not prosper” (vers. 12, 13). It does not appear, however, that any effect was produced by this harangue. Jeroboam, wholly untouched by it, made the best disposition of his troops that was possible; his troops neither deserted, nor relaxed in their efforts, on account of the invitation addressed to them. Such was the Israelite preponderance in numbers, that it was found possible to send a large detachment to the rear of the Jewish camp, and then to make simultaneously a double attack, from the front and from behind (vers. 13, 14). The men of Judah resisted bravely, but were in great distress, when the aid of God being implored with great earnestness amid the trumpet blasts of the priests, suddenly the tide of battle turned—Judah was successful, and Israel was put to flight (vers. 15, 16). A terrible carnage followed. According to the existing text, the slain on the part of the Israelites amounted to 500,000 men; but the numbers in our present Book of Chronicles are in many instances exaggerated, and it is generally agreed that the original reading in this place was probably not 500,000, but 50,000. Even this was an enormous loss; and we can well understand