The Pulpit Commentary
He gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin. The parallel (1Ki_12:21) says more distinctly, "The house of Judah with the tribe of Benjamin." They of Jeroboam (2Ch_10:16) had flung it at Judah: "Now, David, see to thine own house." Rehoboam, of course, does this very thing. For the first time,formally, Benjamin is now introduced as throwing in its lot with Judah, and the acted prophecy of Ahijah is seen fulfilled; the chiefest of the tribes, and the tribe that came of the youngest and most petted of old Jacob's sons, are now wedded to the end. The tribe of Benjamin lay hemmed in between Ephraim, to which it had once much leaned, and to which (as Benjamin was the blood-uncle of Ephraim) it was more closely related, and Judah, with which it had once been at variance (2Sa_2:12-32; 2Sa_3:1-27; 2Sa_20:1). But exactly on the border-line of Judah and Benjamin rose the city Jerusalem and the temple (Jos_15:8; Jos_18:16; Jer_20:2); and, beyond doubt, this fact had helped to bring about the much more friendly feeling, if not absolutely close union, that now for some time had existed between these two tribes in their contiguous allotments. A hundred and four-score thousand chosen men, which were warriors. According to Joab, in David's time the men able to bear arms of Judah alone were five hundred thousand (2Sa_24:9). Compare the numbers in the next reign (2Ch_13:3), and, later on still, in Jehoshaphat's (2Ch_17:14-18). Both of these show that Abijah and Jehoshaphat respectively had improved the time given to training much larger armies, whereas now Rehoboam was taken by surprise.

The Pulpit Commentary
Shemaiah the man of God. This is the first historical mention (1Ki_12:22) of Shemaiah. The second is found in 2Ch_12:5, 2Ch_12:7, on occasion of the invasion of Judah and Jerusalem by Shishak King of Egypt; anti the third, in the same chapter, 2Ch_12:15, that he wrote a book respecting the acts of Rehoboam. The expression, "man of God," owns to a somewhat unexplained history. It is first found in the added part of Deuteronomy (Deu_33:1), where it is applied to Moses. It occurs once in Joshua (Jos_14:6); twice in Judges (Jdg_13:6, Jdg_13:8); four times in Samuel (1Sa_2:27; 1Sa_9:6-8); twenty-nine times in Kings; six times in Chronicles; once each in Ezra, Nehemiah and Jeremiah.

The Pulpit Commentary
To all Israel in Judah and Benjamin. There is difference of opinion as to who are intended in the expression, "all Israel," already confessedly ambiguous in two other passages. When we consider the mention of Rehoboam personally in the former clause of the verse, it would seem most probable that the meaning is all the people of the nation, resident in the Judah and Benjamin allotments, i.e. the nation called collectively Israel. This will include "the remnant" spoken of in the parallel (1Ki_12:23, compared with 17).

The Pulpit Commentary
This thing is from me; i.e. the punishing disruption; not the precedent causes with the entirety of historical events; this punishing and Wither, sing disruption is not to be "lightly healed" The man who did what caused it, the men who did what caused it, cannot thus each undo what they have done—least of all undo it by the appeal of war. They and theirs will have, long as life lasts, as lives last, to go through the baptism of bitter suffering, and leave a heritage of the same for others.

The Pulpit Commentary
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.

Bethlehem. This was a case not of actual new building of a city, but of restoring and strengthening it. Bethlehem, originally Ephrath (Gen_35:16; Gen_48:7), was one of the very oldest towns existent in Jacob's time. It was not called Bethlehem till long after the settlement of the tribes. It was six miles from Jerusalem, on the east of the road to Hebron. Etam. A place near Bethlehem; possibly the resort of Samson after his revenge on the Philistines (Jdg_15:8, Jdg_15:11). It was not the Etam mentioned as belonging to Simeon (1Ch_4:32). Tekoa. According to Jerome, as also Eusebius, six Roman miles from Bethlehem, and nine from Jerusalem, or else, possibly by another road, twelve (Jerome's 'Pro-oemium in Amos,' and his 'Onomasticon'). It is absent from the Hebrew catalogue of Judah towns (Jos_15:49), but is in the Septuagint Version of it. It was the place of the "wise woman" of 2Sa_14:2.

The Pulpit Commentary
Beth-zur. About five miles north of Hebron (see Jos_15:58; 1Ch_2:45; Neh_3:16). Shoco; properly, Socoh, in the Shefelah (Jos_15:35). According to Jerome and Eusebius, it was about nine miles from Eleutheropolis, on the road to Jerusalem (see also 1Sa_17:1). Adullam. In the Shefelah (Jos_15:35). It was an ancient place (Gen_38:1, Gen_38:12, Gen_38:20; Jos_12:15; Neh_11:30). See also the familiar passages (1Sa_22:1; 2Sa_23:13; 1Ch_11:15).

The Pulpit Commentary
Gath. Site still unknown. Some think it may be the Gath-rimmon of Dan (Jos_19:45). Otherwise it is Gath of the Philistines (Jos_13:3; 1Sa_6:17), and of Goliath (1Sa_17:4, 1Sa_17:23). I.L.P; in Dr. Smith's 'Bible Dictionary,' 1.656, wishes to find it on a hill now called Tel-es-Safleh, on one side of the Plain of Philistia, about ten miles east of Ashdod and south—east of Ekron. See also "Topographical Index," p. 411, in Conder's ' andbook to the Bible,' 2nd edit. Other interesting references are 1Sa_17:1, 1Sa_17:52; 1Sa_21:10; 1Ch_18:1; 2Ch_26:6; 1Ki_2:39; 2Ki_12:17; Amo_6:2. Mareshah. In the Shefelah (Jos_15:44), now Marash, a short distance south of Eleutheropolis. Zerah the Cushite came here when he was invading Judaea (ch. 14:9. See also ch. 20:37; Mic_1:15). It was taken by John Hyreanus, B.C. 110, and was demolished by the Parthians, B.C. 39. Ziph. Probably the present Tel-Lif, a little south-east of Hebron (Jos_15:55; see also 24. See also 1Sa_23:14-24; 1Sa_26:2).

The Pulpit Commentary
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 Jos_15:39; also Jos_10:3; Jos_12:11); probably the modern Um Lakis, that lies on the road to Gaza. Other interesting references are 2Ki_14:19; 2Ki_18:14-17; 2Ki_19:8; Neh_11:30; Mic_1:13. Azekha (see Jos_15:35; also Jos_10:10); it was in the Shefelah (see also 1Sa_17:1; Neh_11:30; Jer_34:7). The site of it is not identified.

The Pulpit Commentary
Zorah. The people of Zorah, or Zoreah, were the Zareathites of 1Ch_2:53; it was the home of Manoah, and the native place of Samson (see Jos_15:33; Jos_19:41. Other interesting references are Jdg_13:25; Jdg_16:31; Jdg_18:2-11; Neh_11:29). It belonged to the original allotment of Dan, and is constantly named in company with Eshtaol. Aijalon. The modern Jalo; also originally belonged to allotment of Dan (Jos_10:12; Jos_19:42; Jos_21:24. Other interesting references are Jdg_1:35; 1Sa_14:31; 1Ki_14:30; 1Ch_6:66, 1Ch_6:69, 2Ch_28:18). Hebron. One of the most ancient of cities still lasting, rivalling in this respect Damascus. It belonged to Judah and to its hill country (Jos_15:54; Jos_20:7); it was about twenty Roman miles south of Jerusalem. Its original name was Kirjath Arba. In Num_13:22 it is said that it was built "seven years before Zoan in Egypt," but it is not said when Zoan was built. It now contains about five thousand population, but scarcely a tithe of them Jews. Its long stretch of history is full of incidents of interest, and is partially illustrated by the references that follow: Gen_13:18; Gen_23:2-19, Gen_23:20; Gen_35:27; Gen_37:14; Num_13:22, Num_13:23; Jos_10:36; Jos_14:6-15; Jos_15:13, Jos_15:14; Jos_21:11-13; 2Sa_4:12; 2Sa_5:5; Neh_11:25.

The Pulpit Commentary
Having Judah and Benjamin on his side. The mention of both tribes just serves to point for us the fact that Benjamin's existence and value were not absolutely ignored, but were for a short while quoted before the kingdom of Rehoboam became called by the name of Judah simply.

The Pulpit Commentary
The priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts. The emphasis thrown into the contents of this verse is evident and agreeable; the ecclesiastical party acted worthily of itself. The priests and Levites could not bring themselves to offer sacrifice and service to the calves, or to forsake Jerusalem and the temple and the true altar. No doubt a stirring, throbbing history underlay the few hut suggestive words which point here the conduct of the priests and Levites. These would not content to stand shoulder to shoulder with priests made not from the tribe of Levi (1Ki_12:31).

The Pulpit Commentary
Left their suburbs (so Le 25:34; Num_35:1, Num_35:3, Num_35:7; Jos_14:4; Jos_21:12). Jeroboam … had east them off. This glimpse reveals to us, with exceeding probability, that there had been some struggle on the solemn matter; we may readily imagine that Jeroboam had either tried it on in vain with the true priests and Levites, or had learned very conclusively beforehand that it would be vain to try it on (2Ch_13:9).

The Pulpit Commentary
The high places; i.e. Dan and Bethel (1Ki_12:28-33). For the devils; i.e. for the "hairy ones" (שְׂעִירִים). Reference is intended to the idolatrous wore ship of the "he-goats" by the Hebrews, after the example of Egypt, and the reference here is either literal or derived (Le 2Ch_17:7). For the calves (see 1Ki_12:28).

The Pulpit Commentary
shows a good example on the part of the clergy, effectual, and followed by the people.

The Pulpit Commentary
Strengthened … three years. "Righteousness exalteth a nation, but," etc. (Pro_14:34; Isa_33:6). The sad knell is sounded all too soon; see first verso of next chapter. Three years' strength will soon become weakness, and three years' goodness will save no soul.

The Pulpit Commentary
The 'Speaker's Commentary' opportunely suggests the probability that we may be indebted here to Iddo's "genealogies" (2Ch_12:15). The word daughter here is a correction of the Keri, the Chethiv having been "son," This Jerimoth is the seventh out of a list of eight men of the same name mentioned in the two books of Chronicles. He is not given as one of the children of David's proper wives in either 1Ch_3:1-8 or 1Ch_14:4-7; Jerome says it was the Jewish tradition that he was the son of a concubine of David. It is just possible that Jerimoth and Ithream were two names of the same person. Abihail was second cousin of Mahalath. It is not quite clear whether Abihail were wife of Jerimoth and mother of Mahalath, or a second wife now mentioned of Rehoboam. The contents of the next verse not differencing the children there mentioned, and assigning her own to each wife of Rehoboam, if these were two wives of his, favours the former supposition (our Hebrew text being "and she bare," not "which bare"). When it is said that Abthail was the daughter of Eliab, the meaning probably is, as again in verse 20, granddaughter. (For Eiiab, see 1Sa_16:6; 1Sa_17:13; 1Ch_2:13.)

The Pulpit Commentary
(See last note.) If previous verse speaks of two wives of Rehoboam, of which wife (our Hebrew text being not "which bare," but "and she bare") were Jeush, Shamariah, and Zaham the children? or of which respectively, if they express the children of both? As the words now stand, it can only be supposed, with all lexicons, that Abihail is mother of the three children on the two-wife supposition.

The Pulpit Commentary
Maachah was the granddaughter of Absalom by his daughter Tamar, wife of Uriel (2Ch_13:2; 11Ki 2Ch_15:2).

The Pulpit Commentary
Rehoboam was clearly wrong by Deu_17:17 (note Solomon's Son_6:8).

The Pulpit Commentary
Cancel in this verse the italics "to be." Rehoboam again offends against the "Law" (see Deu_21:15-17). He cannot justly plead as a precedent the instance of David and Solomon, as in 1Ch_23:1; for this was only justified by the express Divine ordinance, as in 1Ch_23:9; 1Ch_29:1.

The Pulpit Commentary
The wise dealing of Rehoboam, fourfold, will not, though it were forty-fold, avail to cover his "despising" of the "Law." Rather his wise dealing is an indication that his conscience was not quite at ease, and that he knew he was wrong. Nothing is so liable to blind judgment as personal affection.