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strong enough to subdue David and the house of Judah, and relying perhaps upon the assistance of that portion of the tribes of Israel which dwelt beyond Jordan, went towards Gibec with an army, evidently with the intention of exciting a war, and endeavouring to reduce the tribe of Judah under the domini of Ish-bosheth. By the prudence and valour of Joab, t whom David entrusted the management of the war, Davi waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxe: weaker and weaker. And Ish-bosheth having offended Abner on account of one of Saul's concubines, the latter revolted from him and joined himself to David, but was soon afterwards assassinated by Joab.

The death of Abner is said to have filled Ish-bosheth and i Israel with apprehension, a feeling, however, for which nothing related by the sacred historian enables us to account; but. however that may be, it proved the dissolution of the house of Saul, for Baanah and Rechab, of the children of Benjamin, and who were captains of bands to Ish-bosheth, assassinated that prince whilst he was resting on his bed in the heat of the day: and having cut off his head, they escaped and carried it to David in Hebron. That monarch, however, gave them a very different reception from what they expected, for instead of rewarding them for their treachery and villany, he immedi ately consigned them both to an ignominious death.

Ish-bosheth reigned over Israel about seven years in the whole, and upon his death the tribes of Israel went to David, in Hebron, and submitted to his authority; and all the elders of Israel anointed him king over them.

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JEROBOAM I.

THIS prince was, no doubt, well prepared to seize upon the throne, in consequence of the intimation given to him by Ahijah the prophet,* at the close of the reign of Solomon. He, nevertheless, assumed at first the appearance of moderation and remonstrance; for having been called out of Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of Solomon,† he, with all the congregation of Israel, repaired to Shechem in Ephraim, where Rehoboam had gone to be proclaimed king, and thus addressed the new monarch, Rehoboam; "Thy father made our yoke grievous: now, therefore, make thou the grievous service of thy father and his heavy yoke which he put upon us lighter, and we will serve thee."‡ Rehoboamn having unhappily rejected the advice of his father's aged counsellors, and adopted the rash suggestions of his own youthful companions, answered the people rashly, and said unto them; "My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke; my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions."§

When all Israel saw that Rehoboam hearkened not unto them, they cried, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel; now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents. But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.||

Rehoboam having sent Adoram, who was over the tribute, to quell the insurrection, the people stoned him : upon which

1 Kings, xi. 29–32.

+1 Kings, xi. 40. xii. 2. 2 Chron. x. 2.

1 Kings, xii. 4.

§ 1 Kings, xii. 14, 15 2

2 Chron. x. 4.

Chron. x. 14. See p.136.

Rehoboam fled in his chariot to Jerusalem, and all Israel ser and called Jeroboam unto the congregation, and made hit king over all Israel, except the tribe of Judah.*

Then Jeroboam built Shechem, and dwelt there, and wer out from thence and built Penuel; and fearing lest the peop should return to the house of David if they continued to go to the house of Jehovah, at Jerusalem, to sacrifice,† he ma two calves of gold, and persuading the people that it was to much for them to go up to Jerusalem, said to them; “Beho thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of Egypt." A he set one in Beth-el, and the other in Dan. And this thin became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one even unto Dan. And he made an house of high places, made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not the sons of Levi. And Jeroboam ordained a feast in u

* 1 Kings, xii. 18-20. The Septuagint has it, except the tribe: Judah and Benjamin.

+"This piece of false policy was the ruin of Jeroboam and family; which, had he trusted in God, and not in his own wisdor would have been established in the kingdom! This will ever be consequence of forsaking the Lord, and acting by reasons of state. Go gave the ten tribes timely notice that the worship lately set up v. not pleasing to him; which they ought to have taken notice of, not to have joined in the service on account of worldly policy, fear of persecution from their new king; to whom, though God ga him the temporal power, he did not give him the power to alter religion established by God himself; and the doing of this was ruin of his family, and for which he is signally branded in scripture Bp. Wilson on 1 Kings, xiii.

Two male calves, bulls, or oxen, such as drew a wain, and such Jeroboam, and Aaron before him, had seen in Egypt; the one ca Apis, at Memphis, and the other Mnevis, at Heliopolis, that is, city of the sun; of which the bull as well as the lion were superemblems, for their eminent fiery nature and curling hair, a tokes strength, and resembling the beams of light. Anselm Bayley in loc and see Burder, O. L. No. 547.

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eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Beth-el, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made; and he placed in Beth-el the priests of the high places which he had made. So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Beth-el, the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart, and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel, and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.*

Jehovah, however, seldom leaves himself without a witness† in the midst of midnight darkness, in order that the wicked may be left without excuse, and every mouth stopped before God. Thus before the judgments were to fall upon Jeroboam and his posterity, God saw fit to warn him by a special indication of his divine displeasure. For this purpose he sent a man of God, a prophet, from Judah unto Beth-el, and whilst Jeroboam stood by the altar which he had lately erected there to burn incense, the prophet bore this direct testimony against the altar and all who were connected with it; "O altar, altar, thus saith Jehovah; behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee." And he gave a sign the same day, saying; This is the sign which Jehovah hath spoken; behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.§

Jeroboam enraged at this proceeding, stretched out his hand and cried to his people, to lay hold of the man of God. Then it was that Jehovah exhibited his power and majesty, for the hand of Jeroboam was dried up, so that he could not › draw it to him again, but remained a visible monument to

* 1 Kings, xii. 25-33.

Rom. iii. 19.

† Acts, xiv. 17. § 1 Kings, xiii. 1—3.

himself and his people, of the indignation and power of that God against whom he had taught them to rebel. The altar itself, also, was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, as the man of God had said.*

Partially affected by this judgment and miracle, Jeroboam asked the prophet to intreat the face of Jehovah, his God, and pray for him, that his hand might be restored to him again, and the man of God besought Jehovah, and the king's hand was restored to him again, and became as it was before.†

The sacred writer informs us, that God had expressly charged the prophet that he should eat no bread, nor drink water during his absence, nor return home by the same way that he went; and the melancholy result shews how dreadfu a thing it is to disobey the commands of the majesty d heaven and earth, "round about whom are clouds and dark. ness, and the habitation of whose throne are righteousnes and judgment."‡

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Accordingly, to a solicitation from Jeroboam to go with him and refresh himself, and accept a reward, be returned the most positive refusal, grounded upon the commandment of his God, and set out on his return from Beth-el to Judah by another way, and so far all was well. Ba there dwelt an old prophet in Beth-el, whose sons having informed him of the transactions of the man of God, from Judah, he was anxious to see him, and having saddled he ass, went after him and found him sitting under an oak; and upon the ground of his being a prophet like himself, and the pretended vision of an angel, he overcame his scruples, and prevailed upon the man of God to return with him to Beth-e and to eat bread and drink water in that idolatrous city, trary to the express command of Jehovah.

* 1 Kings, xiii. 4, 5.

+1 Kings, xiii. 4—6.

+ Ps. xcvii. 2.

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