Synopsis of the Chapter
Rehoboam, wishing to subjugate the ten tribes by arms, is forbidden by the prophet Shemaiah. Many priests, Levites, and faithful people, leaving the idolater Jeroboam, migrate to Jerusalem. Rehoboam from many wives begets many offspring.
Verse 1: Chosen and Warlike Men ¶
1. CHOSEN AND WARLIKE MEN — that is, chosen warriors. It is a hendiadys. The Hebrew bachurim signifies both chosen and young men. For wars belong to the young, counsels to the old, as the saying goes.
Verse 11: He Placed Governors in Them ¶
11. HE PLACED GOVERNORS IN THEM — that is, military commanders, with sufficient provisions, so that they could withstand the attacks of the neighboring enemy, namely Jeroboam his antagonist. For these were border cities, on the frontier of Judah and Israel.
Verse 14: Jeroboam Had Cast Them Out ¶
14. BECAUSE JEROBOAM HAD CAST THEM OUT — that is, he had deprived them of their priestly and Levitical office, because they refused to serve his calves as idols, but wished to serve the true God.
Verse 17: They Walked in the Ways of David and Solomon ¶
17. FOR THEY WALKED IN THE WAYS OF DAVID AND SOLOMON — understand, before Solomon in old age apostatized from God to idols.
Verse 22: He Set Abijah at the Head ¶
22. HE SET ABIJAH AT THE HEAD — that is, the head and chief of the other brothers, who were 28 in number, because, although he was younger in age, he surpassed all in prudence, vigor, and industry.
Verse 23: And Mightier Than All His Sons ¶
23. AND MIGHTIER THAN ALL HIS SONS, AND THROUGHOUT ALL THE TERRITORIES OF JUDAH AND BENJAMIN, AND IN ALL THE WALLED CITIES — repeat, Abijah was "mightier," that is to say: Abijah occupied all the borders of the kingdom, and all the walled and fortified cities, and thus made himself lord and master of all, since all the borders of the kingdom and all the fortified cities obeyed him.
AND HE PROVIDED THEM (the walled cities and borders of the kingdom) WITH ABUNDANT FOOD (lest enemies besiege them and compel them by famine to surrender), AND SOUGHT MANY WIVES — namely, Abijah for himself, so that from them he might beget many sons, by whom he might establish and strengthen his kingdom, lest it be invaded by his brothers. This sense is required by our version, as well as by the Septuagint which, instead of "mightier than all his sons," translates: he advanced above all his sons, and throughout all the territories of Judah, etc.
Moreover, from the Hebrew it can be translated differently with Pagninus, Vatablus, Marinus, and others, namely thus: He (Rehoboam) dispersed all his sons throughout all the territories of Judah and Benjamin, and through all the fortified cities; so that they would be separated from one another, and could not put their heads together; so that they might not conspire together against the younger Abijah, whom he had preferred over all, according to that political and tyrannical precept of Machiavelli: "If you wish to reign, divide." And so that they might live content with their lot and not think about the kingdom, he provided them with abundant food and gave them a multitude of wives, so that devoted to their belly and to pleasure, they might grow sluggish and grow old in luxurious idleness. The Emperor of the Turks does the same with his brothers, until he has offspring; once he has them, he kills his brothers, lest they seize the empire.