Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
2 Chronicles 11:15

Clarke's Commentary

Verse 2 Chronicles 11:15. And he ordained him priests - for the devils — שעירים seirim, the hairy ones; probably goats: for as the golden calves, or oxen, were in imitation of the Egyptian ox-god, Apis; so they no doubt paid Divine honours to the goat, which we know was an object of religious veneration in Egypt.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

10:1-36:23 THE KINGS OF JUDAH

Division 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 12:25-20). 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 kingdom of Israel.

Unlike the writer of Kings (who calls the southern kingdom Judah and the northern kingdom Israel), the writer of Chronicles calls the southern kingdom either Judah or Israel. For him Judah is the only true kingdom, and the Davidic kings are the only legitimate kings. Nevertheless, he still accepts people from the north as Israelites, and is pleased when any return to God and the Davidic rulers (see 11:13-17; 15:9; 30:1-12). He sometimes refers to the northern kingdom as Ephraim.

Priests and Levites are often prominent in the Chronicler’s account of Judah’s successes. Solomon’s son Rehoboam began his reign well, mainly through the influence of a large number of priests and Levites who fled to Judah from the north rather than join in Jeroboam’s idolatry. As long as Rehoboam followed the ways of God as taught by the priests, Judah was strong and stable. When he introduced Canaanite religious practices, God punished him by way of a damaging invasion from Egypt (11:5-12:16; see notes on 1 Kings 14:21-31).

Abijam (or Abijah) followed the religious policy of his father in allowing the worship of Baal to exist side by side with the worship of God, but he did not completely forsake God as Jeroboam did in the north. Abijam’s unexpected victory over Jeroboam in battle demonstrated that God was on the side of the king who belonged to David’s dynasty and who refused to join in the false religion of the north (13:1-22; see notes on 1 Kings 15:1-8).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

THE TRUE WORSHIPPERS OF GOD MIGRATE TO JERUSALEM

"And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their border. For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the priest's office unto Jehovah; and he appointed him priests for the high places, and for the he-goats, and for the calves which he had made. And after them, out of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their hearts to seek Jehovah, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice unto Jehovah, the God of their fathers. So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years; for they walked three years in the way of David and Solomon."

There is important new information here. Jeroboam's "casting off" of the Levites, his images of the he-goats, and the fact of the Levites losing their possessions in order to live in Judah are not mentioned in Kings. Thus the Chronicler makes it clear enough that there was absolutely nothing whatever honorable or legitimate in the sinful worship Jeroboam installed in Israel. "The priests and Levites who were deposed could still have kept their lands, but they relinquished them in order to live in Judah where they could carry on their calling. They were accompanied by laymen who shared their disillusionment."Broadman Bible Commentary, Vol. 3, p. 378.

Moses told us what this worship of the he-goats was like, when he forbade it to Israel. "They shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices unto the goats, after which they play the harlot" (Leviticus 17:7). There can be little doubt that the golden calves set up by Jeroboam were also used in the same licentious manner.

"They strengthened… Judah… three years" These are ominous words, for they indicate a drastic change afterward. The change came in the fourth year, for in the fifth year, Rehoboam and all Israel forsook the God of Israel; and God's punishment quickly fell upon them in the invasion of Shishak, recorded in the next chapter.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

The high places - i. e., the two sanctuaries at Dan and Bethel.

For the devils - literally, “for the goats:” probably the word is used (as in Leviticus 17:7) for objects of idolatrous worship generally.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

2. Rehoboam’s kingdom ch. 11

This 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 12:1). [Note: Cf. Williamson, 1 and 2 . . ., p. 238.] The faithfulness of these northern Yahweh worshippers lasted only three years, however (2 Chronicles 11:17). Rehoboam, like Solomon, was not entirely faithful.

"Each of the three short paragraphs which make up this section [2 Chronicles 11:5-23] uses a motif (building; defection of the faithful from the north to the south; large family) which the Chronicler regularly uses to demonstrate God’s reward for faithfulness." [Note: Ibid., p. 240.]

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And he ordained him priests for the high places,.... Of such who were not of the tribe of Levi, and family of Aaron; see 1 Kings 12:31

and for the devils; demons in the shape of goats, as this word signifies, in which form many of the Heathen deities were worshipped; idols of whatsoever kind are so called; for whosoever worships them worships not God, but devils, 1 Corinthians 10:21 the images which Jeroboam set up may be meant, and the next clause may be rendered as explanative of them:

even for the calves which he had made; one of which he set up at Dan, and the other at Bethel, 1 Kings 12:28.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      13 And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts.   14 For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the LORD:   15 And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.   16 And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers.   17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.   18 And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife, and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse;   19 Which bare him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham.   20 And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.   21 And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.)   22 And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king.   23 And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired many wives.

      See here,

      I. How Rehoboam was strengthened by the accession of the priests and Levites, and all the devout and pious Israelites, to him, even all that were true to their God and their religion.

      1. Jeroboam cast them off, that is, he set up such a way of worship as he knew they could not in conscience comply with, which obliged them to withdraw from his altar, and at the same time he would not allow them to go up to Jerusalem to worship at the altar there; so that he totally cast them off from executing the priest's office,2 Chronicles 11:14; 2 Chronicles 11:14. And very willing he was that they should turn themselves out of their places, that room might be made for those mean and scandalous persons whom he ordained priests for the high places,2 Chronicles 11:15; 2 Chronicles 11:15. Compare 1 Kings 12:31. No marvel if he that cast off God cast off his ministers; they were not for his purpose, would not do whatever he might bid them do, would not serve his gods, nor worship the golden image which he had set up.

      2. They thereupon left their suburbs and possessions,2 Chronicles 11:14; 2 Chronicles 11:14. Out of the lot of each tribe the Levites had cities allowed them, where they were comfortable provided for and had opportunity of doing much good. But now they were driven out of all their cities except those in Judah and Benjamin. One would think their maintenance well settled, and yet they lost it. It was a comfort to them that the law so often reminded them that the Lord was their inheritance, and so they should find him when they were turned out of their house and possessions. But why did they leave their possessions? (1.) Because they saw they could do no good among their neighbours, in whom (now that Jeroboam set up his calves) the old proneness to idolatry revived. (2.) Because they themselves would be in continual temptation to some base compliances, and in danger of being drawn insensibly to that which was evil. If we pray, in sincerity, not to be led into temptation, we shall get and keep as far as we can out of the way of it. (3.) Because, if they retained their integrity, they had reason to expect persecution from Jeroboam and his sons. The priests they made for the devils would not let the Lord's priests be long among them. No secular advantages whatsoever should draw us thither, or detain us there, where we are in danger of making shipwreck of faith and a good conscience.

      3. They came to Judah and Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 11:14; 2 Chronicles 11:14) and presented themselves to Rehoboam,2 Chronicles 11:13; 2 Chronicles 11:13, margin. Where should God's priests and Levites be, but where his altar was? Thither they came because it was their business to attend at the times appointed. (1.) It was a mercy to them that they had a place of refuge to flee to, and that when Jeroboam cast them off there were those so near that would entertain them, and bid them welcome, and they were not forced into the lands of the heathen. (2.) It was an evidence that they loved their work better than their maintenance, in that they left their suburbs and possessions in the country (where they might have lived at ease upon their own), because they were restrained from serving God there, and cast themselves upon God's providence and the charity of their brethren in coming to a place where they might have the free enjoyment of God's ordinances, according to his institution. Poverty in the way of duty is to be chosen rather than plenty in the way of sin. Better live upon alms, or die in a prison, with a good conscience, than roll in wealth and pleasure with a prostituted one. (3.) It was the wisdom and praise of Rehoboam and his people that they bade them welcome, though they crowded themselves perhaps to make room for them. Conscientious refugees will bring a blessing along with them to the countries that entertain them, as they leave a curse behind them with those that expel them. Open the gates, that the righteous nation, which keepeth truth, may enter in; it will be good policy. See Isaiah 26:1; Isaiah 26:2.

      4. When the priests and Levites came to Jerusalem all the devout pious Israelites of every tribe followed them. Such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel, that made conscience of their duty to God and were sincere and resolute in it, left the inheritance of their fathers and went and took houses in Jerusalem, that they might have free access to the altar of God and be out of the temptation to worship the calves, 2 Chronicles 11:16; 2 Chronicles 11:16. Note, (1.) That is best for us which is best for our souls; and, in all our choices, advantages for religion must take place of all outward conveniences. (2.) Where God's faithful priests are his faithful people should be. If Jeroboam cast off God's ministers, every true-born Israelite will think himself obliged to own them and stand by them. Forsake not the Levite, the out-cast Levite, as long as thou livest. When the ark removes do you remove and go after it,Joshua 3:3.

      5. They strengthened the kingdom of Judah (2 Chronicles 11:17; 2 Chronicles 11:17), not only by the addition of so many persons to it, who, it is likely, brought what they could of their effects with them, but by their piety and their prayers they procured a blessing upon the kingdom which was a sanctuary to them. See Zechariah 12:5. It is the interest of a nation to protect and encourage religion and religious people, and adds more than any thing to its strength. They made him and his people strong three years; for so long they walked in the way of David and Solomon, their good way. But when they forsook that, and so threw themselves out of God's favour and protection, the best friends they had could no longer help to strengthen them. We retain our strength while we cleave to God and our duty, and no longer.

      II. How Rehoboam was weakened by indulging himself in his pleasures. He desired many wives, as his father did (2 Chronicles 11:23; 2 Chronicles 11:23), yet, 1. In this he was more wise than his father, that he does not appear to have married strange wives. The wives mentioned here were not only daughters of Israel, but of the family of David; one was a descendant from Eliab, David's brother (2 Chronicles 11:18; 2 Chronicles 11:18), another from Absalom, probably that Absalom who was David's son (2 Chronicles 11:20; 2 Chronicles 11:20), another from Jerimoth, David's son. 2. In this he was more happy than his father, that he had many sons and daughters; whereas we read not of more than one son that his father had. One can scarcely imagine that he had no more; but, if he had, they were not worth mentioning; whereas several of Rehoboam's sons are here named (2 Chronicles 11:19; 2 Chronicles 11:20) as men of note, and such active men that he thought it his wisdom to disperse them throughout the countries of Judah and Benjamin (2 Chronicles 11:23; 2 Chronicles 11:23), either, (1.) That they might not be rivals with his son Abijah, whom he designed for his successor, or rather, (2.) Because he could repose a confidence in them for the preserving of the public peace and safety, could trust them with fenced cities, which he took care to have well victualled, that they might stand him in stead in case of an invasion. After-wisdom is better than none at all; nay, they say, "Wit is never good till it is bought;" though he was dearly bought with the loss of a kingdom.