1 Kings 12:33

So he offered [Heb. went up, as before. This verse is really the introduction to the history of the next chapter] upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised [Josephus (Ant. 7.8. 5) seems unaware that this new feast was kept at a different date from the true Feast of Tabernacles. But these words are decisive] of his own heart [The Cethib has מִלְּבֹּד by which Maurer and Keil understand מִלְּבַד (" seoreum ." But qu.) But the Keri מִלּבּוֹ is every way to be preferred, So LXX ; ἀπὸ καρδίας αὑτοῦ . Similarly, Nehemiah 6:8 ]; and ordered [rather, kept , celebrated ] a feast unto [Heb. for ] the children of Israel: and he offered [ went up ] upon the altar, and burnt incense [Heb. to burn , etc. The context seems to imply that it was not incense, or not incense only, but the sacrifice, or sacrificial parts of the victim, that the king burned. See on 1 Kings 13:3 ( דֶּשֶׁן ). And this meaning is justified by Le 1 Kings 1:9 , 1 Kings 1:17 ; 1 Samuel 2:16 ; Amos 4:5 , where the same word is used. It cannot be denied, however, that the word is generally used of incense, and it is very probable that both this and sacrifices were offered by Jeroboam on the same altar (cf. 1 Kings 11:8 ). We may perhaps see in Jeroboam's ministering in person, not only the design to invest the new ordinance with exceptional interest and splendour, but also the idea of encouraging his new priests to enter on their unauthorized functions with. out fear. The history, or even the traditions, of Nadab and Abihu ( Leviticus 10:1-20 .) and of Korah and his company ( Numbers 16:40 ), and the threatenings of the law ( Numbers 18:7 , Numbers 18:22 , cf. 2 Chronicles 26:20 ), may well have made them hesitate. To allay their fears the king undertakes to offer the first of the sacrifices. And that their fears of a Divine interposition were not groundless the sequel shows.]

HOMILETICS