1 Kings 12:6-19

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 12:14

And spake to them after the counsel of the young men ,.... And in the very language in which they gave it: 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 ; see Gill on 1 Kings 12:11 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 12:15

Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people ,.... To lessen their taxes, and ease them of their burdens, as they desired: 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 favour of Jeroboam; and the Lord suffered the counsellors of Rehoboam to give him the advice they did, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 12:16

So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them ,.... To grant their requests: the people answered the king, saying, 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 12:17

But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah ,.... Either such Israelites of the ten tribes that had before dwelt, or now upon this removed, for the sake of worship, to dwell in the tribe of Judah; or else that part of Israel, the tribe of Judah, which dwelt in the cities belonging to it: Rehoboam reigned over them ; they owned him to be their king, and submitted to his government. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 12:18

Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute ,.... There was one of this name in this office in the time of David, 2 Samuel 20:24 , this is the same with Adoniram, as Jarchi thinks, see 1 Kings 4:6 , him he 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 endeavour to soften things, and bring them to a compliance, so Josephus F12 Antiqu. l. 8. c. 8. sect. 3. ;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 12:19

So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day. In which the writer of this book lived, and so continued until their captivity by the king of Assyria. 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. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 12:7

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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 12:10

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. This, as Calmet observes, answered two great and important ends: - It excited the prince to emulation; that he might, as far as possible, surpass in all manly exercises, and in all acts of prudence and virtue, those whom one day he was to surpass in the elevation and dignity of his station. That he might... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 12:11

Chastise you with scorpions - Should you rebel, or become disaffected, my father's whip shall be a scorpion in my hand. His was chastisement, mine shall be punishment. St. Isidore, and after him Calmet and others, assert that the scorpion was a sort of severe whip, the lashes of which were armed with iron points, that sunk into and tore the flesh. We know that the scorpion was a military engine among the Romans for shooting arrows, which, being poisoned, were likened to the scorpion's... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 12:15

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 making the best of our present version; but if we come to inquire into the meaning of the Cause of all this confusion and anarchy, we shall find it was Rehoboam's folly, cruelty, and despotic tyranny: and was this from the Lord? But does the text speak this bad doctrine? No: it says סבה sibbah , the Revolution, was from the Lord. This is consistent... read more

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