Commentaria in II Paralipomenon
Chapter 11
1. And Roboam came to Jerusalem, and called together all the house of Juda and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men and warriors, to fight against Israel, and to bring his kingdom back to himself. 2. And the word of the Lord came to Semeias the man of God, saying: 3. Speak to Roboam the son of Solomon king of Juda, and to all Israel, that are in Juda and Benjamin. 4. Thus saith the Lord: You shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: let every man return to his house, for this thing hath been done by my will. And when they had heard the word of the Lord, they returned, and went not against Jeroboam. 5. And Roboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built walled cities in Juda. 6. And he built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Thecue. 7. Bethsur also, and Socho, and Odollam, 8. and Geth, and Maresa, and Ziph, 9. Adura also, and Lachis, and Azeca, 10. Saraa also, and Aialon, and Hebron, which were in Juda and Benjamin, strong cities. 11. And when he had enclosed them with walls, he placed in them captains, and storehouses of victuals, that is, of oil and wine. 12. And in every city he made an armoury of shields and spears; and he fortified them with great care, and ruled over Juda and Benjamin. 13. And the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel came to him out of all their seats, 14. leaving their suburbs and their possessions, and passing over to Juda and Jerusalem: because Jeroboam and his successors had cast them off, that they should not execute the priesthood of the Lord. 15. And he appointed to himself priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made. 16. And of all the tribes of Israel, whosoever had set their heart to seek the Lord the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice their victims before the Lord the God of their fathers. 17. And they strengthened the kingdom of Juda, and established Roboam the son of Solomon for three years; for they walked in the ways of David and Solomon, only three years. 18. And Roboam married Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David: and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Isai, 19. who bore him sons, Jehus, and Somorias, and Zoom. 20. And after her he took Maacha the daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abia, and Ethai, and Ziza, and Salomith: 21. and Roboam loved Maacha the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and concubines: for he had married eighteen wives, and threescore concubines, and he begot twenty-eight sons, and threescore daughters. 22. And he appointed Abia the son of Maacha head, and prince over all his brethren: for he thought to make him king, 23. because he was wiser, and mightier than all his sons, and in all the coasts of Juda and Benjamin, and in all the walled cities: and he gave them victuals in abundance, and sought many wives.
Verse 1. Of chosen men and warriors—that is, chosen warriors. It is a hendiadys. In Hebrew bachurim signifies both chosen men and young men. For wars are for the young, counsels for the old, as the saying goes.
Verse 11. He placed in them captains—that is, leaders of war, with sufficient provisions, that they might sustain the assaults of the neighbouring enemy, namely Jeroboam his adversary. For they were frontier cities on the border of Juda and Israel.
Verse 14. Because Jeroboam had cast them off—that is, had deprived them of the priestly and Levitical office, because they would not serve his calves as idols, but the true God.
Verse 17. For they walked in the ways of David and Solomon—understand, before Solomon in his old age fell away from God to idols.
Verse 22. He appointed Abia head—that is, head and prince of the other brothers, who were twenty-eight, because he, though younger in age, surpassed all in prudence, vigour, and industry.
Verse 23. And mightier than all his sons, and in all the coasts of Juda and Benjamin, and in all the walled cities—repeat, “mightier” was Abia, as if to say: Abia took possession of all the borders of the kingdom, and all the walled and fortified cities, and so made himself lord and mighty over all, as one to whom all the borders of the kingdom and all the fortified cities were obedient.
And he gave them (the walled cities and the borders of the kingdom) victuals in abundance (that enemies might not besiege them and force them by famine to surrender), and sought many wives—namely Abia for himself, that by them he might beget many sons, with whom to establish and strengthen his kingdom, that it might not be invaded by his brothers. Our version, like the Septuagint, requires this sense; for where we have “mightier than all his sons,” they render, he advanced beyond all his sons, and in all the coasts of Juda, etc.
Moreover, from the Hebrew it can be rendered otherwise with Pagninus, Vatablus, Marinus, and others, namely thus: Roboam dispersed all his sons throughout all the borders of Juda and Benjamin, and through all the fortified cities; that is, that they might be separated from one another, and not be able to put their heads together, so as to conspire at the same time against Abia the younger, whom he had preferred before all, according to the political and tyrannical precept of Machiavelli: “If you wish to reign, divide.” And that they might live content with their lot, and not think of the kingdom, he gave them victuals in abundance, and gave them a multitude of wives, that, given up to belly and lust, they might grow torpid and grow old in luxurious idleness. The Emperor of the Turks does the same with his brothers until he has offspring; which obtained, he kills his brothers, lest they seize the empire.
Roboam and the Jews, after three years, fall away from God to idols. Wherefore they are despoiled and subjugated by Sesac king of Egypt. Abia succeeds the dying Roboam.