And Adoraim ,.... Called by Josephus F4 Antiqu. l. 13. c. 9. sect. 1. Adora, which he mentions along with Mareshah, or Marissa: and Lachish : a royal city in the time of the Canaanites, and which fell to the lot of Judah, Joshua 12:11 , and Azekah ; a city situated in the plain of Judah, Joshua 10:10 . read more
The discipline that resulted in obedience, accompanied with right and earnest endeavour. The homiletic treatment of this chapter centres round two suggestions. I. THE SIMPLE AND PROMPT OBEDIENCE OF REHOBOAM , IN CERTAIN RESPECTS , TO THE DIVINE MESSAGE OF PROHIBITION . Of which obedience on the part of Rehoboam we may notice: 1 . That it compared favourably with the conduct of those who, being bidden and encouraged in every way to go up to war, and... read more
These eight verses tell how Rehoboam, relieved of the responsibility of attempting to reconquer the revolted, wisely betakes himself to strengthening and defending what was left to him. He builds fifteen "fenced cities," or "cities for defence," twelve of them south and west of Jerusalem, for lear of Egypt; he fortifies certain strongholds, officering them, provisioning them, and supplying to them and "every several city" the necessary weapons of warfare and shields. read more
The strengthening of a kingdom. I. THE ERECTION OF FORTRESSES . ( 2 Chronicles 11:5-12 .) 1 . Their object. To defend the frontiers of the kingdom, against both Israel on the north and Egypt on the south, for which last special need existed, considering the friendly relations which had subsisted between Jeroboam and Shishak. Shishak's invasion, which soon followed, showed Rehoboam's apprehensions not to have been baseless. Though wars are seldom justifiable, it is never... read more
Adoraim . This name is not found anywhere else. The meaning of the word is "two heaps," and very probably describes the physical features of the site. It is probably the modern Dura. Its site is otherwise unknown. Lachish (see Joshua 15:39 ; also Joshua 10:3 ; Joshua 12:11 ); probably the modern Um Lakis, that lies on the road to Gaza. Other interesting references are 2 Kings 14:19 ; 2 Kings 18:14-17 ; 2 Kings 19:8 ; Nehemiah 11:30 ; Micah 1:13 . Azekha (see Joshua 15:35... read more
The site of Adoraim is uncertain. For Lachish, see Joshua 10:3; Azekah, Joshua 10:10; Zorah, Joshua 15:33; Aijalon, Joshua 10:12; Hebron, Joshua 14:15. No one of the cities was really within the limits of the tribe of Benjamin. The writer uses the phrase “Judah and Benjamin” merely as the common designation of the southern kingdom (compare 2 Chronicles 11:12 and 2 Chronicles 11:23). read more
10:1-36:23 THE KINGS OF JUDAHDivision and its consequences (10:1-13:22)The Chronicler records the division of the kingdom (10:1-11:4; see notes on 1 Kings 12:1-24), but omits the statement in 1 Kings 12:20 that Jeroboam was made king of the northern tribes. He does not even mention Jeroboam’s reign (1 Kings 12:25-14:20). He considers that because the northerners broke away from the dynasty of David and from the true worship of God, they had no right to be called a kingdom, and certainly not the... read more
2. Rehoboam’s kingdom ch. 11This chapter is unique to Chronicles. It contains an evaluation of both Northern and Southern Kingdoms. Israel set up a humanly devised form of worship (2 Chronicles 11:15). This resulted in many of the faithful followers of Yahweh traveling from Israel to Judah so they could continue to worship God as He had specified (2 Chronicles 11:16). Many faithful worshippers of Yahweh thus populated Judah. The true Israel was now in Judah (cf. 2 Chronicles 11:3; 2 Chronicles... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Chronicles 11:1-12
How the ten tribes deserted the house of David we read in the foregoing chapter. They had formerly sat loose to that family (2 Sam. 20:1, 2), and now they quite threw it off, not considering how much it would weaken the common interest and take Israel down from that pitch of glory at which it had arrived in the last reign. But thus the kingdom must be corrected as well as the house of David. 1. Rehoboam at length, like a bold man, raises an army, with a design to reduce the revolters, 2 Chron.... read more