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Hosea 6:6 For I desired mercy and not sacrifice;
and the knowledge of God more than your burnt offerings.
Bible Chapter Studies
1A0
II CHRONICLES CHAPTER 11
II Chronicles 10 opened with all the elders of Israel gathering in Shechem in order to make Solomon’s son Rehoboam the 4th man-king over the Nation of the House of Israel.
There is something Rehoboam should have known when he took over the kingdom, but, Father’s Word does not record whether he did know or not. What I’m referring to is what Father told Rehoboam’s father Solomon in I Kings 11:9-13, which reads: I Kings 11:9 And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, Which had appeared unto him twice, —> Solomon had started to chase after his foreign wives’s and concubines’s false gods and idols, which rightly so, angered Father. So, what did Father do and say to him? [11:10] And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded. —> Obviously, Father had commanded him more than once to not chase after these false gods and idols; but, Solomon did not obey Father. Again, what did Father do and say? [11:11] Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, “Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. —> Solomon decided that he wanted to “play church” serving and worshipping false gods and idols while thumbing his nose at Father; so, Father told him that he was going to divide the Nation into to separate Nations, giving part of the Kingdom to someone other than one of his sons. He should have at least told his son Rehoboam this portion of what Father said, but what did he do instead? When he found out it was going to be Jeroboam—a mighty and industrious man whom Solomon set as taskmaster over the Nation to get his construction completed—he sought to kill him, so Jeroboam fled down into Egypt until Solomon returns Home to Father. [11:12] Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. —> So, as we see here, Father was going to divide the Nation, but he would not do so until his son Rehoboam takes the throne. [11:13] Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.” —> Rehoboam will indeed sit as king—not because of anything he did; but, because of who his grandfather David was, i.e., Father’s favorite King because he never served or worshipped any god but Father YHVH, and because of His most favorite place in all His Created universe: Jerusalem—but only over part of the Nation. He’ll reign and rule over the House of Judah which will include the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin. What happened when he became king? We can read our answer to this question in II Chronicles 10:2-19, where we read that Jeroboam and the men of Israel came to Rehoboam and asked that he lighten their workload just a little so that they might be able to see their families. Rehoboam told Jeroboam and the men of Israel to come back in three days and he would answer their request. Rehoboam sought counsel with first the elders of Israel who told him to honor their request and the People would serve him with joy and vigor, he next sought the counsel of his peers who told him to not only deny their request of lightening their load, but to increase it and if they complain, whip them with cats-o-nine-tails. When Jeroboam and the men of Israel returned after the three day break, Rehoboam told them that his request was denied, to get back to work, and then sent his new taskmaster Hadoram—or Adoram as he in called in I Kings 12:18—to ensure that Rehoboam received every ounce of sweat out of the men, but, as he was attempting to do so, they men of Israel stoned him to death and Rehoboam hopped into his chariot and is in the process of fleeing back to Jerusalem, as we read in II Chronicles 10:18.
So, the Kingdom is now divided with Jeroboam reigning and ruling over the ten northern Tribes known collectively as The House of Israel, and Rehoboam reigning and ruling over the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin, known collectively as The House of Judah/ These two Kingdoms are still divided to this day in the year 2021 and will remain so until the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus returns for His Second Advent.
With that introduction being said, let’s go to Father and ask Him for His Blessings on our Study of His Word: “Father, I come to You right now and ask that You Oh LORD Lead me and Guide me as I try and teach Your Word, don’t allow me to mis-teach or mis-lead Your Children. We, Father, also come to You as a group who desire to Learn Your Word, to thank You for inviting us to Your table in order that we might be able to partake of and receive Your Spiritual Meat, and Father, as we prepare to dine on the sustenance which sustains our inner man, we ask that You Oh LORD open our ears and eyes, that we might be able to hear and see your Truths, open our hearts and minds and prepare us in order that we may receive Your Truth. We Pray for Your Understanding of Your Word, we seek Your Knowledge in Your Word, and most importantly Father, we Pray for and desire Your Wisdom from Your Word, in Jesus’ Precious name we Pray, thank You Father, Amen.”
I Chronicles 10:1-II Chronicles 36:21 HISTORY (UP TO
THE CAPTIVITY.) (Division.)
11:1-II Chronicles 36:21 THE HOUSE of DAVID.
ESTABLISHED. (Division.)
10:1-12:16 REHOBOAM. (Repeated Alternation.)
10:2-11:4 Public events. Revolt of Jeroboam.
10:2-11:4 REVOLT OF JEROBOAM. (Introversion.)
11:1-4 Jeroboam and Rehoboam
1A1
II Chronicles 11:1 And when Rehoboam (a people has enlarged; and, enlarger of the people) (rekh-ab-awmי) was come to Jerusalem (founded peaceful; or, the habitation of peace) (Yer-oo-shaw-lahי-im), he gathered of the house of Judah (celebrated; and, praised, celebrated) (yeh-hoo-dawי) and Benjamin (son of (the) right hand; or, son of the right hand, fortunate (bin-yaw-meneי) an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against Israel (he will rule as YAH; or, the prince that prevails with YAH) (Yis-raw-aleי) (secondary map), that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam. —> Rehoboam was none too pleased being told that Jeroboam and the House of Israel was rebelling, breaking away, and no longer going to be under Rehoboam’s authority, control, and rule. He’s had all this chariot ride back from Shechem to Jerusalem to steam over this, and now that he is back in Jerusalem, he has his men start assembling his war-fighters in order to go to war against Jeroboam and the men of Israel. I guess he should have listened to his learned elder statesman, and not his young fools, I guess also, that his father Solomon should have told him that this was part of Father’s plan since he—Solomon—led the Nation away from Honoring, Serving, and Worshipping Father, and to the worship his wives’ false gods and idols.
…an hundred and four score thousand chosen men…=180,000. We read a different number in II Samuel 24:9 which reads: II Samuel 24:9 And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men. —> Yes, at the time, Joab gave up the sum of the number there in II Samuel 24:9 as, the sum of the number 500,000; but, in I Chronicles 21:5 we read that it’s 470,000, the reason for this was because in II Samuel 24:9 the number of men included “all the men that drew the sword;” as, compared to I Chronicles 21:5, where we read that they were “valiant men that drew the sword.” Of Judah though, we also find in I Chronicles 21:6, that Joab didn’t count the Tribes of Levi and Benjamin, it further stated the reason Joab did not count them was because, Joab thought it an abomination to take the that numbering anyway.
Rehoboam=For a detailed description of Rehoboam, including his birth, history, the etymology of his name, the Strong’s Concordance definition of his name, and the Smith’s Bible Dictionary information, click here.
Jerusalem=For a detailed description of Jerusalem, including the Nations history, the etymology of the name, the Strong’s Concordance definition of the name, and the Smith’s Bible Dictionary information, click here.
Judah=For a detailed description of Judah, including the Tribes history, the etymology of the name, the Strong’s Concordance definition of the name, and the Smith’s Bible Dictionary information, click here.
Benjamin
Benjamin=Benjamin was the 12th and youngest son of Jacob, born of Jacob’s First Love: Rachel, who died immediately following giving birth to and naming her second son, the younger brother to Joseph. Knowing she was in fact dying, Rachel named this son: Benoni, meaning, son of my sorrow. Upon his wife’s passing, Jacob changed his name to Benjamin. There is nothing of significance written in Father’s Word concerning anything Benjamin might have done; so the first we read of him is when his older natural brother Joseph is in Egypt and his step-brothers come down to buy corn from the Egyptians during the famine. Joseph immediately recognizes his step-brothers and put them to test to first see if they recognize him, and then to see if they might do to their youngest brother like they had done to him. After several attempts by Joseph to see if they would fail Benjamin, when they stand together to defend and protect their youngest brother; Joseph, satisfied that they would not, finally reveals himself to them and tells them that he holds no grudge because what happened to him was of Father’s design. That is the last we read of the man Benjamin until we come to the Blessings of Jacob in Genesis 49, where we read: Genesis 49:27 Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.”
—> …Ravin as a wolf…=The Benjamites did indeed become as ravening wolves as, both king Saul, and over a thousand years later Paul, whom Father renamed Saul were both from the Tribe of Benjamin, and we can see how Benjamin’s descendants responded when the need arose when we read I Samuel 11:6-11, what happened in I Samuel 11:6-11? An enemy named Nahash, a Ammonite king came against our forefathers; and, when they agreed to surrender to him, he told them that he would only accept their surrender if they voluntarily allowed him to cut out each man’s right eye. That thought got their attention as, nobody wanted that; so, they sent messengers to king Saul and we’ll allow Father’s Word to chronicle what happened: I Samuel 11:6 And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly. —> …And the Spirit of God came upon Saul…=Father wasn’t going to take any chances with His People, He immediately placed His Spirit—rūach—upon Saul in order for him to have the intestinal fortitude to stand against this aggression of Nahash and the Ammonites. …Came…=Came mightily as It did back in I Samuel 10:6-10. …His anger was kindled greatly…=Righteous indignation! How many times have you heard Christian pastors and Christians say that we shouldn’t become angry or get mad at things or people? That we should do “as Christ told us” and “love them” and “turn the other cheek?” We’ll that isn’t how Father wants us to be; as, if something is against Him, His Plan, or His Will, or even against correct moral righteousness, we are allowed and expected to get angry, stand up for, and fight for, what is right. Love them yes; but, sometimes that love requires “tough love,” and you need to take the correcting rod to them in order to make them “do right.” I Samuel 11:7 And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, “Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen.” And the fear of the LORD fell on the People, and they came out with one consent. —> Saul did the correct thing by cutting and dividing—hewing—this oxen for two reasons: (1) he knew by his statement of his cutting theirs if they didn’t show-up; that, he’d be getting into their wallets, and no man wants that; and (2) it also would assist in their no longer being able to provide for themselves. Fear of the LORD fell on the People=Again, Father’s ruach touched the Israelites and, they came out as “one man” and consented to go to war and fight for what was right. I Samuel 11:8 And when he numbered them in Bezek (lightening; and, lightening) (behי-zek), the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. —> …Children of Israel…men of Judah…=Here, we have the start of the dividing of the two Houses of Israel: House of Israel — ten tribes to include Reuben, Simeon, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Ephraim and half of Manasseh, with a sprinkling of Levitical Priest hood, and House of Judah— two tribes to include Judah and, Benjamin, with half of Manasseh and a sprinkling of the Levites. If you are going to understand Father’s Word, you must fix in your mind, the division to each of these separate groups of people; for, Father deals with each of these houses separately. In Jeremiah 3:8, because of their idolatry, Father divorced Israel whom He had taken to wife in Ezekiel 16:8. It was through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, that Father now draws all his people of the house of Israel back to him. These two Houses will not be joined back together until the prophecy of Ezekiel 37 comes to pass, and that event will transpire at the entering into the Millennium Age when the kingdom of Jesus Christ is established right here on earth. Men of Judah thirty thousand=In Numbers 1:27, the number of those who were twenty years and older which were able to go to war; was, 74,600, then in Numbers 26:22 that number increased by one thousand nine hundred; up to, 76,500; however, now, approximately 450 years later, all they can muster is a mere, 30,000 warfighters. Why? Because Saul knew of the division that was started back in Genesis 48-50, and thus he treats Israel—all of the tribes except Judah—as separate from Judah. There were three hundred thousand warfighters of the house of Israel, and only thirty thousand of Judah. Remember, Benjamin was very limited because most of their tribe had been killed off right there in Gibeah, three hundred years prior to where we read in I Samuel 11:11. I Samuel 11:9 And they said unto the messengers that came, “Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, ‘To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help.’ ” And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. —> …Help…=Deliverance, or salvation. …And they were glad…=Yeah, I bet they were happy that their man king was mustering the troops and going to come to their rescue. They wouldn’t have to wait long either; for, as the messengers had told them — “by the time the sun gets hot tomorrow, the army will be there ready to fight.” I Samuel 11:10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, “To morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you.”
—> They’re getting a little cocky, aren’t they? But, I guess if you have an army of three hundred plus thousand coming to back your claims up, you have the luxury to be slightly cocky. They tell Nahash and the Ammonites, that tomorrow, “you won’t even have to come to us as we’ll come out, and you can pluck out the eyes of all you can” — just a little covertness on their part, that they don’t mention the three hundred thousand man backing they’ll have. I Samuel 11:11 And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the People in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together. —> …Saul put the People in three companies…=See how you immediately become more intelligent when Father’s Spirit comes upon you? Saul himself, would never have known how to plan this military strategy and operation. Saul divided the Army into three divisions and they arrived at the outskirts of Jabesh sometime between 3AM and 6AM, just prior to the sun coming up, and they went right into battle. They attacked and slew the Ammonites while they were least expecting it; for, they thought they had already won the battle. They had let their guard down; and because of it, now the Ammonites were either dead, lying on the battlefield, or scattered to the four corners of the earth. Samuel, the man of God, was with them and had brought Father YHVH’s blessings with Saul and the Israelite Army. Israel—just like we today—always has the victory when they have Father’s blessings on their side. This is something our —the United States Military of today, 2017, better start considering. It seems our top brass have completely forsaken Father YHVH, and they are allowing the removal of Father YHVH’s name from all their logos and sayings, and also allowing itself to be run by these same children of belial in their acceptance of homosexuals, all in order to be politically correct. But, we see how strong they became when they became as ravening wolves as prophesied in Genesis 49:27. Now, let’s read of Moses’ Blessing and Prophesy of Deuteronomy 33:12 which reads: Deuteronomy 33:12 And of Benjamin he said,
“The beloved of the LORD
shall dwell in safety by
Him;
And the LORD shall cover
him all the day long,
And he shall dwell between
His shoulders.” —>
As we know, the name “Benjamin” in the Hebrew means “son of my right hand.” Therefore, this is a great promise; as, it is a promise of protection for these people. Paul was a Benjamite, as recorded in Romans 11:1: Romans 11:1 I say then, Hath God cast away His People? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. —> The thing that is between your shoulders, is your heart, the thing which sits atop your shoulders, is your head, and between your ears, is your mind which does your thinking and guides you in all that you do and think. Paul too was as a ravening wolf in his zeal to persecute Christians, at least he was until Father got a hold of him; then, his zeal changed and be became as a ravening wolf in trying to spread Father’s Word. Benjamin’s numbers during the first numbering, in Numbers 1:36-37 totaled 35,400; then, during the second numbering, in Numbers 26:38-41 their numbers were 45,600, an increase of 10,200. Benjamin’s numbers as compared to the rest of the Tribes after the second numbering was 9th; or, 4th from the bottom. Benjamin’s encampment as they came out of Egypt and wandered in the wilderness, was on the West side of the Tabernacle, to the North of Ephraim, who was the Standard Bearer. All of the offspring of Rachel were on the West side of the Tabernacle. The sign on their Standard was gemini—twins. † For the etymology of the name Benjamin, we read the following in Abarim Publications: “The name Benjamin consists of two elements, the first one being the common Hebrew noun בן (ben), meaning son: The second part of the name Benjamin comes from the noun ימין (yamin), meaning right hand or right side, from the root ימן: The name Benjamin means Son Of The Right Hand (meaning, Son Of Strength, Son Of The South).. † Now from the Strong’s Concordance, we find that it is Hebrew word number: H1144, - בִּנְיָמִין, - binyâmı̂yn, pronounced - bin-yaw-meneי, and means: From H1121 and H3225; son of (the) right hand, Binjamin, youngest son of Jacob, also the tribe descended from him, and it’s territories (map): - Benjamin. Total KJV occurrences: 166.. † Now from the Smith’s Bible Dictionary, where we read: “son of the right hand. The youngest of the children of Jacob. His birth took place on the road between Bethel and Bethlehem, near the latter. His mother, Rachel, died in the act of giving him birth, naming him with her last breath Ben-oni (son of my sorrow). This was by Jacob changed into Benjamin Genesis 35:16,18. Until the journeys of Jacob’s sons and Jacob himself into Egypt we hear nothing of Benjamin. Nothing personal is known of him. Henceforward the history of Benjamin is the history of the tribe.”.
Israel=For a detailed description of Israel, including his birth, his and the Nation’s history, the etymology of the name, the Strong’s Concordance definition of the name, and the Smith’s Bible Dictionary information, click here.
1A2
II Chronicles 11:2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah (YAH has heard; and, heard by YHVH) (shem-aw-yawי-hoo) the man of God, saying, —> As Rehoboam is assembling all his warriors in order to go to war against Jeroboam and the House of Israel; Father speaks to His Prophet Shemaiah, and tells him to go to Rehoboam in order to tell him that he is not to go to war against his brethren. Father had heard alright, though Rehoboam had sought the counsel of both the elder statesmen and his young sottish counselors, he never sought Father to see what Father thought the best course of action was, or what He wanted. Neither did he seek Father to see if he should go to war against Jeroboam and company; well, Father is about to tell him anyway.
Word of the LORD=The Word of Father YHVH. This Title of Father as used here in this verse, is Father in His Role of יְהֹוָה, YHVH—from Dr. Bullinger’s Companion Bible Appendices: YHVH, YAHVEH, or YEHOVAH—the sacred and personal name of Father. While Elohim is God as the Creator of all things, YEHOVAH is the same God in covenant relation to those whom He has created (compare II Chronicles 18:31). YEHOVAH means the Eternal, the Immutable One, He Who WAS, and IS, and IS TO COME. The Divine definition is given in Genesis 21:33. He is especially, therefore, the God of Israel; and the God of those who are redeemed, and are thus now “in Christ”. We can say “My God,” but not “My YEHOVAH,” for YEHOVAH is “MY God.”.
…man of God…=In other words, a prophet. The first occurrence of the use of this phrase was in Deuteronomy 33:1. There are 7 specifically so called: Moses in Deuteronomy 33:1; Samuel in I Samuel 9:6-10; David in Nehemiah 12:24; Elijah in I Kings 17:18; Elisha in II Kings 4:7; Shemaiah in II Chronicles 11:2; Igdaliah in Jeremiah 35:4; and 4 unnamed: I Samuel 2:27; I Kings 13:1; I Kings 20:28; and II Chronicles 25:7. For further examples and explanation, see Dr. Bullinger’s Companion Bible appendix 49.
God=As used in this verse, this is אלהים, ELOHIM—from Dr. Bullinger’s Companion Bible Appendices,: ELOHIM—the genus God, in other words, Father in His role of Creator of all things. From Dr. Bullinger’s Companion Bible, Appendix 4: “ELOHIM occurs 2,700 times. Its first occurrence connects it with creation, and gives it its essential meaning as the Creator. It indicates His relation to mankind as His creatures (see note on II Chronicles 18:31, where it stands in contrast with YEHOVAH as indicating covenant relationship). ELOHIM is God the Son, the living “WORD” with creature form to create (John 1:1; Colossians 1:15-17; Revelation 3:14); and later, with human form to redeem (John 1:14). “Begotten of His Father before all worlds; born of His mother, in the world.” In this creature form He appeared to the Patriarchs, a form not temporarily assumed.”. Dr. Bullinger further notes in his Companion notes to this verse, that “(with Art.) = the [true] God.”.
Shemaiah=For a detailed description of Shemaiah, including his birth, his history, the etymology of his name, the Strong’s Concordance definition of his name, and the Smith’s Bible Dictionary information, click here.
1A3
II Chronicles 11:3 “Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon (peaceful; and, peaceful) (shel-o-moי), king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, —> …king of Judah…=Father tells Shemaiah—and He points out immediately to Shemaiah—that Rehoboam is king of Judah only, he is to notify Rehoboam of this fact.
Solomon=For a detailed description of Solomon, including his birth, history, the etymology of his name, the Strong’s Concordance definition of his name, and the Smith’s Bible Dictionary information, click here.
1A4
II Chronicles 11:4 ‘Thus saith the LORD, ‘Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me.’ ’ ” And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam. —> …this thing is from Me…=Father told Shemaiah to tell Rehoboam that the division of the Kingdom—not the rebellion of Jeroboam—is of and by Him, He is dividing the Kingdom as a chastisement, because of Solomon’s apostasy and his own arrogance and ego. We can compare this II Chronicles 13:4-12.
11:5-12:1 Personal events.
11:5-12:1 PERSONAL EVENTS. (Alternation.)
11:5-12 Residence.
1A5
II Chronicles 11:5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah. —> After fleeing Shechem—where Rehoboam had gone for all Israel to crown him as king, where Rehoboam had told the men of Israel that he would not reduce their workload, and where he sent his taskmaster Hadoram whom the Israelites stoned to death causing Rehoboam to flee—and returning to Jerusalem, Rehoboam now makes Jerusalem his permanent residence.
I sort of understand the “why” Rehoboam left Jerusalem and went to Shechem, i.e., because that was where the People wanted to crown him as king. But, why they wanted to do so there instead of in Jerusalem where Father’s Temple was, and where the king’s personal residence and palatial complex were at, that I don’t fully comprehend. I also don’t understand why Rehoboam didn’t tell the People, “no, I want to be crowned here in Jerusalem, so, you all come down here to Jerusalem.”
In either case, Rehoboam now begins his restoration and rebuilding of Jerusalem and all the surrounding suburbs which his father had not yet restored.
1A6
II Chronicles 11:6 He built even Beth-lehem (house of bread; and, house of bread) (bayth-lehי-khem), and Etam (hawk ground; and, lair of wild beasts) (ayי-tawm), and Tekoa (trumpet; and, a stockade) (tek-oי-ah), —> Bethlehem=Bethlehem is also known as “The City of David. ” In Father’s Word, the city is often referred to as Bethlehem Ephrathah, or Bethlehem-Judah. The first mention of Bethlehem in Father’s Word is when Jacob and his family are returning to his homeland—Beer-sheba—and, they come to Ephrath—Genesis 35:19 And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.—and while in labor, Jacob’s wife Rachel dies while giving birth to her second son whom she names Benoni—son of my sorrow— and Jacob renames—after Rachel dies—Benjamin—son of my right hand. Bethlehem is the setting for most of the Book of Ruth and was the birthplace, and certainly the home, of Ruth’s descendant — King David. There he was anointed king of Israel by the prophet Samuel I Samuel 16:4-13. The town was fortified by Rehoboam, David’s grandson and the first king of Judah after the division of the Nation between Israel and Judah II Chronicles 11:6. Not only was David born in Bethlehem but, so too was our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as can be read in Matthew 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,. † For the etymology of the name Beth-lehem, we read the following in Abarim Publications: “The name Bethlehem consists of two words. The first word is בית (bayit), the Bible’s regular word for house: The second part of the name Bethlehem comes from the curious root group לחם (laham), meaning either make war or use as food: The name Bethlehem means House Of Bread, with the strong connotation of House Of Battle.. † Now from the Strong’s Concordance, where we find that it is Hebrew word number: H1035, - בֵּית לֶחֶם, - bêyth lechem, pronounced - bayth lehי-khem, and means: From H1004 and H3899; house of bread; Beth-Lechem, a place in Palestine: - Beth-lehem. Total KJV occurrences: 41.. † Now from the Smith’s Bible Dictionary, where we read: “(house of bread). One of the oldest towns in Palestine, already in existence at the time of Jacob’s return to the country. Its earliest name was EPHRATH or EPHRATAH. See Genesis 35:16,19, 48:7. After the conquest Bethlehem appears under its own name, BETHLEHEM-JUDAH Judges 17:7, I Samuel 17:12, Ruth 1:1,2. The book of Ruth is a page from the domestic history of Bethlehem. It was the home of Ruth Ruth 1:19, and of David I Samuel 17:12. It was fortified by Rehoboam II Chronicles 11:6. It was here that our Lord was born Matthew 2:1, and here that he was visited by the shepherds Luke 2:15-17, and the Magi Matthew 2. The modern town of Beit-lahm lies to the east of the main road from Jerusalem to Hebron, six miles from the former. It covers the east and northeast parts of the ridge of a long gray hill of Jura limestone, which stands nearly due east and west, and is about a mile in length. The hill has a deep valley on the north and another on the south. On the top lies the village in a kind of irregular triangle. The population is about 3000 souls, entirely Christians. The Church of the Nativity, built by the empress Helena A.D. 330, is the oldest Christian church in existence. It is built over the grotto where Christ is supposed to have been born. A town in the portion of Zebulun, named nowhere but in Joshua 19:15. Now known as Beit-lahm.”.
Etam
Etam=Etam was located a mile of so south west of Bethlehem—thus making it about 6 or 7 miles south of Jerusalem—and north west of Tekoa. We first read of Etam in Judges 15:8-11, when Samson was in the middle of his war on the Philistines. After he puts a whoopin on the Philistines, Samson goes and dwells in the cleft of the rock Etam. Wanting revenge, the Philistines spread themselves in Judah, and the men of Judah, then ask the Philistines why they have done so. The Philistines reply that they are come up to Judah in order to do to Samson as he has done to them. So, 3,000 men of Judah go to Samson while he is still in the cleft of the rock Etam, and tell him that they are there to bind him and then turn him over to the Philistines. Samson tells the men of Judah that he will allow them to bind him and turn him over to the Philistines, but that they themselves are not to kill him. The men of Judah agree, they bind him and turn him over to the Philistines, upon being delivered to the Philistines, the “two new cords” the men of Judah had bound him with, become as burn flax, fall from off his arms, and he goes and finds the jawbone of an ass and slays a thousand Philistines. Several centuries later—as we can read of in II Chronicles 11:6—Solomon’s son Rehoboam restores and fortifies Etam. † Abarim Publications does not provide an etymology for the town Etam, so I cannot give one. † From the Strong’s Concordance, we find that it is Hebrew word number: H5862, - עֵיטָם, - ‛êyṭâm, pronounced - ay-tawmי, and means: From H5861; hawk ground;Etam, a place in Palestine: - Etam. Total KJV occurrences: 5.. † Now from the Smith’s Bible Dictionary; where we read: “Lair of wild beasts. A village of the tribe of Simeon, specified only in the list in I Chronicles 4:32, Compare Joshua 19:7. A place in Judah, fortified and garrisoned by Rehoboam II Chronicles 11:6. Here, according to the statements of Josephus and the Talmudists, were the sources of the water from which Solomon’s gardens and the pleasure-grounds were fed, and Bethlehem and the Temple supplied.”.
Tekoa
Tekoa=The town of Tekoa was on the edge of the hill country of Judah, and is mentioned in II Samuel 14:2; II Chronicles 11:6; Jeremiah 6:1 and Amos 1:1. The first we read of Tekoa is in II Samuel 14:2, where we read that David’s nephew Joab, the Commanding General of Israel’s Army, is trying to convince David to allow his—David’s— son Absalom to return to Jerusalem. Absalom had fled from his father because he had—rightfully so—avenged the rape of his sister Dinah by their half brother Amnon. Absalom slew Amnon because their father David would not punish his eldest son for the rape. So, Joab, wanting a reconciliation between the two, devises a scheme whereby he seeks a “wise woman”—read that, crafty, as in subtil, like satan in his role of the serpent in Genesis 3:1—from Tekoa to propose a parable to the king. This parable is very similar to the one we read of in II Samuel 12 where Father proposes to David through His Prophet Nathan whereby, David will have to pronounce sentence on himself. Joab’s scheme works, and David allows Absalom to return. The next we read of Tekoa is when David’s grandson Rehoboam rebuilds and fortifies the town in II Chronicles 11:6. Tekoa was also the home of the minor Prophet Amos, who was a herdsman, and as such, he therefore dwelt amongst fellow shepherds and herdsmen as we read in Amos 1:1, which reads: Amos 1:1 The words of Amos, who was among the herdsmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. —> These herdsman were shepherds living approximately 5 miles south of Bethlehem and ten miles south of Jerusalem. In the Hebrew there was a special name for these people, “nok'dim,” they were named after a special type of sheep that they bred. They were stunted, and their wool was very fine and known for its quality. † For the etymology of the name Tekoa, we read the following in Abarim Publications: “The name Tekoa is identical to the word תקוע (taqoaי), meaning trumpet, but both Fuerst’s Hebrew & Chaldee lexicon to the Old Testament and Brown Driver Briggs (BDB) Theological Dictionary deem a connection “dubious”. The prophet Jeremiah, however, feels free to play with it: “...now blow a trumpet in Tekoa...!” (6:1). Most scholars agree, however, that the name Tekoa has to do with the verb תקע (taqaי), meaning to bring forth a sudden force: The name Tekoa means Trumpet, the instrument that unites people at a sudden impulse. Both New Open Bible Study Edition (NOBSE) Study Bible Name List and Jones’ Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names, however, are more charmed with the verb’s meaning of pitching a tent, and read Firm, Settlement (NOBSE) and Pitching (Jones).”. † Now from the Strong’s Concordance, where we find that it is Hebrew word number: H8620, - תְּקוֹעַ, - teqôa‛, pronounced - tek-oי-ah, and means: A form of H8619; a trumpet; Tekoa, a place in Palestine: - Tekoa, Tekoah. Total KJV occurrences: 7.. † Now from the Smith’s Bible Dictionary, where we read: “a stockade. A town in the tribe of Judah II Chronicles 11:6. On the range of hills which rise near Hebron and stretch eastward toward the Dead Sea. Jerome says that Tekoa was six Roman miles from Bethlehem, and that as he wrote he had that village daily before his eyes. The “wise woman” whom Joab employed to effect a reconciliation between David and Absalom was obtained from this place II Samuel 14:2. Here also Ira the son of Ikkesh, one of David’s thirty, “the mighty men,” was born, and was called on that account “the Tekoite” II Samuel 23:26, it was one of the places which Rehoboam fortified, at the beginning of his reign, as a defence against invasion from the south II Chronicles 11:6. Some of the people from Tekoa took part in building the walls of Jerusalem, after the return from the captivity Nehemiah 3:6,27. In Jeremiah 6:1 the prophet exclaims, “Blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem.” But Tekoa is chiefly memorable as the birthplace Amos 7:14 of the prophet Amos. Tekoa is still as Teku'a. It lies on an elevated hill, which spreads itself out into an irregular plain of moderate extent. Various ruins exist, such as the walls of houses, cisterns, broken columns and heaps of building-stones.”.
1A7
II Chronicles 11:7 And Beth-zur (house of (the) rock; and, house of rock) (bayth-tsoorי), and Shoco (to entwine, that is, shut in (for formation, protection or restraint); and, hedge or fence) (so-koי), and Adullam (justice of the people; and, justice of the people) (ad-ool-lawmי), —> Bethzur=Bethzur is first mentioned in Joshua 15:58, as being near Halhul and Gedor in the hill country of Judah. We next read of it being fortified by Solomon’s son Rehoboam when he became king, in II Chronicles 11:7. We read in Nehemiah 3:16 that Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, was the ruler of half the district of Beth-zur. Bethzur lay in the ruined site Belt Cur, near the main road from Jerusalem to Hebron, and some 4 miles North of Hebron. Its importance lay in its natural strength, on a hilltop dominating the highroad, and also in its guarding the one southerly approach for a hostile army by the Vale of Elah to the Judean plateau. † For the etymology of the name Bethzur, we read the following in Abarim Publications: “Beth-zur the town is mentioned first as the post-invasion inheritance of the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:58). It still existed in the time of the kings, when king Rehoboam of Judah fortified it along with some other Judaic settlements (II Chronicles 11:7). It grew to an influential town, even so much that by the time of the return from the Babylonian exile, one of the restoration workers was the son of Azbuk, who was the official over half the district of Beth-zur, suggesting that the whole district was too large for one man to handle (Nehemiah 3:16). The name Beth-zur consists of two elements. The first part is identical to the common Hebrew word בית (bayit) meaning house: The second part of our name appears to be the common noun צור (sur), meaning rock, but can in fact be any of the below: For a meaning of the name Beth-zur, New Open Bible Study Edition (NOBSE) Study Bible Name List reads House Of A Rock. Jones’ Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names has House Of The Rock. And Brown Driver Briggs (BDB) Theological Dictionary proposes House Of Rock.”. † Now from the Strong’s Concordance, where we find that it is Hebrew word number: H1049, - בֵּית צוּר, - bêyth tsûr, pronounced - bayth tsoorי, and means: From H1004 and H6697; house of (the) rock; Beth-Tsur, a place in Palestine: - Beth-zur. Total KJV occurrences: 4.. † Now from the Smith’s Bible Dictionary, where we read: “House of rock. A town in the mountains of Judah, built by Jeroboam, Joshua 15:58; II Chronicles 11:7, now Beit-zur. It commands the road from Beersheba and Hebron, which has always been the main approach to Jerusalem from the south.”.
Shoco
Shoco=Shoco was a city of Judah in the South, associated—Joshua 15:48—along with Jarmuth, Adullam, Azekah, Shamir and Jattir. We read in I Samuel 17:1 that the Philistines “gathered together at Socoh, which belongeth to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah.” Shoco is mentioned as one of the districts from which Solomon drew his supplies I Kings 4:10, the King James Version “Sochoh,” the association of Socoh in this verse with Hepher is worth noticing in connection with I Chronicles 4:18—Heber. Soco—the King James Version “Shoco”— was one of the cities fortified by Rehoboam for the defense of Judah I Chronicles 11:7; it was captured by the Philistines in the time of Ahaz II Chronicles 28:18. The site is, without doubt, Khirbet esh Shuweikeh—Shuweikeh is a diminutive of Shaukeh, “a thorn”—a large ruin in a rounded, elongated hilltop, showing clear traces of ancient city walls situated 10 miles south of Hebron, and there are still many caves and rock-cut cisterns as well as drafted stones. The situation is one of considerable natural strength on the south side of the Vale of Elah just where the Wady ec Cur makes a sweep to the West and becomes the Wady es Sunt. Like so many such ancient sites, the hill has very steep slopes on 3 sides—South, West, and North—and is isolated from the ridge of higher ground to the East by a narrow neck of lower ground. In the valley to the Southwest is a plentiful spring. † For the etymology of the name Shoco, we read the following in Abarim Publications: “The name Socoh probably comes from the noun שוך (suk), meaning hedge, and ultimately from the root סכך (sakak), meaning to weave a protection: The letter ו (waw) may have originated in the third person masculine possessive pronoun: his. The letter ה (he) could be the feminine equivalent: her. For a meaning of the name Socoh, New Open Bible Study Edition (NOBSE) Study Bible Name List appears to go after the noun שך (sek) and reads Thorn. Jones’ Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names takes our name from the verb שוך (suk) and translates it as Hedge or Fence. Brown Driver Briggs (BDB) Theological Dictionary does not offer an interpretation of this name but does list it under the verb שוך (suk).”. † Now from the Strong’s Concordance, where we find that it is Hebrew word number: H7755, - שׂוֹכֹהss שׂכֹהss or שׂוֹכו, - śôkôh, śôkôh or śôkô, pronounced - so-koי, so-koי or so-koי, and means: From H7753; to entwine, (that is), shut in (for formation, protection or restraint): - fence. (make an) hedge (up). Total KJV occurrences: 8.. † Now from the Smith’s Bible Dictionary, where we read: “Soיcoh. The name of two towns, in the tribe of Judah. 1. In the district of the Shefelah Joshua 15:35; I Samuel 17:1; II Chronicles 8:18; II Chronicles 11:7. In the time of Eusebius, it bore the name of Socchoth, and lay between eight and nine Roman miles from Eleutheropolis, on the road to Jerusalem. It may be identified with esh-Shuweikeh, in the western part of the mountains of Judah. From this village, probably, came Antigonus of Soco, who lived about the commencement of the third century B.C. 2. Also a town of Judah, but in the mountain district. Joshua 15:48. It has been discovered about 10 miles southwest of Hebron; bearing, like the other Socoh, the name of esh-Shuweikeh.”.
Adullam=For a detailed description of Adullam, including the town’s history, the etymology of the name, the Strong’s Concordance definition of the name, and the Smith’s Bible Dictionary information, click here.
1A8
II Chronicles 11:8 And Gath (a wine press; and, a wine press) (Gath), and Mareshah (summit; and, crest of a hill) (mar-ay-shawי), and Ziph (flowing; and, battlement) (zeef), —> Gath=For a detailed description of Gath, including the town’s history, the etymology of the name, the Strong’s Concordance definition of the name, and the Smith’s Bible Dictionary information, click here.
Mareshah
Mareshah=Mareshah was a town in the plain of Judah which was named along with with Keilah and Achzib in Joshua 15:44. It occupied such a position, that Rehoboam thought well to fortify it for the protection of Jerusalem II Chronicles 11:8. In the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah, Asa overwhelmed Zerah the Ethiopian and his army, pursuing them as far as Gezer II Chronicles 14:9. From Mareshah came Father’s Prophet Eliezer who pronounced disaster upon Jehoshaphat because he had joined himself with Ahaziah II Chronicles 20:37. † For the etymology of the name Marshah, we read the following in Abarim Publications: “The name Mareshah consists of the preposition מ (ma), which denotes an agent or place of the part that follows. That second part might be an expression of the verb ירש (yarash), meaning to take possession of (hence the wordplay of Micah 1:15), or the root ראש (roיsh), which has to do with primality: For a meaning of the name Mareshah, New Open Bible Study Edition (NOBSE) Study Bible Name List goes with the root ראש (roיsh) and reads Summit. Jones’ Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names goes with the same and suggests the rather elaborate That Which Is At The Head. Brown Driver Briggs (BDB) Theological Dictionary, timid as ever, gives no hint to preference and lists our name alphabetically under מ (ma) instead of under a specific root.”. † Now from the Strong’s Concordance, where we find that it is Hebrew word number: H4762, - מַרְאֵשָׁהss or מַרֵשָׁה, - mar'êshâh or marêshâh, pronounced - mar-ay-shawי or mar-ay-shawי, and means: Formed like H4761; summit; Mareshah, the name of two Israelites and of a place in Palestine: - Mareshah. Total KJV occurrences: 8.. † Now from the Smith’s Bible Dictionary, where we read: “crest of a hill. One of the cities of Judah in the low country Joshua 15:44. It was one of the cities fortified and garrisoned by Rehoboam after the rupture with the northern kingdom II Chronicles 11:8. Near it was fought the great battle between Asa and Zerah II Chronicles 14:9-12. It is mentioned once or twice in the history of the Maccabaean war of independence 2 Maccabees 12:35. About 110 B.C., it was taken from the Idumaeans by John Hyrcanus. It was in ruins in the fourth century, when Eusebius and Jerome describe it as in the second mile from Eleutheropolis. South-southwest of Beitjibrin - in all probability Eleutheropolis - and a little over a Roman mile therefrom is a site called Marash, which is possibly the representative of the ancient Mareshah.”.
Ziph
Ziph=Ziph was a city in the high country or mountains of Judah as we read in Joshua 15:55. It is mainly celebrated in connection with the earlier history of David: I Samuel 23:14-15 where we read: “David… remained in the hill-country in the wilderness of Ziph” . The Ziphites thought to betray him to king Saul in I Samuel 23:19-24, but David escaped. We read that many years later, David’s grandson Rehoboam fortified and restored the city—II Chronicles 11:8. † For the etymology of the name Ziph, we read the following in Abarim Publications: “For a meaning of the name Ziph, New Open Bible Study Edition (NOBSE) Study Bible Name List reads Refining Place but leaves no explanation (and reads Lent for the nearly identical name Ziphah). Alfred Jones (Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names) maintains that our name comes from an unused root זוף (zup), which would have meant to borrow, and hence proposes Borrowed. Brown Driver Briggs (BDB) Theological Dictionary offers no interpretation of this name. Here at Abarim Publications we guess that upon reading this name, a Hebrew audience would have had strongest associations with the noun זפת (zepet), and probably a root it was derived from. What that root might have meant is obviously unclear, but perhaps there is a narrative parallel between the hiding of Moses among the Nile’s reeds in a pitch-covered basket and the hiding of David in the wilderness of Ziph.”. † Now from the Strong’s Concordance, where we find that it is Hebrew word number: H2128, - זִיף, - zı̂yph, pronounced - zeef, and means: From the same as H2203; flowing; Ziph, the name of a place in Palestine; also of an Israelite: - Ziph. Total KJV occurrences: 10.. † Now from the Smith’s Bible Dictionary, where we read: “Battlement. In the highland district, named between Carmel and Juttah Joshua 15:55. The place is immortalized by its connection with David I Samuel 23:14-15; I Samuel 23:24; I Samuel 26:2. These passages show that, at that time, it had near it a wilderness, (that is, a waste pasture-ground), and a wood. The latter has disappeared, but the former remains. The name of Zif, found about three miles south of Hebron, is attached to a rounded hill of some 100 feet in height, which is called Tell Zif.”.
1A9
II Chronicles 11:9 And Adoraim (double mound; and, double mound) (ad-o-rahי-yim), and Lachish (invincible; and, impregnable) (law-keeshי), and Azekah (tilled; and, dugover) (az-ay-kawי), —> Adoraim =Adoraim was a city in the territory of Judah. It lay about 5 miles west by south west of Hebron. We read in II Chronicles 11:9, that it was one of the cities fortified and restored by Solomon’s son Rehoboam. † For the etymology of the name Adoraim, we read the following in Abarim Publications: “The only Adoraim in the Bible is one of the fortified cities in the territories of Judah and Benjamin, which were built by king Rehoboam (II Chronicles 11:9). The various sources agree that the name Adoraim is a dual form; it’s twice of something. But what that something is appears to be disputed. Alfred Jones (Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names) goes with the verb דור (dur), meaning to dwell: Brown Driver Briggs (BDB) Theological Dictionary lists this name under the root אדר (adar), meaning to be superior or majestic: New Open Bible Study Edition (NOBSE) Study Bible Name List seems to agree with BDB and reads Double Honor for a meaning of the name Adoraim. BDB Theological Dictionary, on the other hand, reads the inexplicable Two Hills, but adds a well-deserved question mark.”. † Now from the Strong’s Concordance, where we find that it is Hebrew word number: H115, - אֲדוֹרַיִם, - 'ădôrayim, pronounced - ad-o-rahי-yim, and means: Dual from H142; (in the sense of eminence); double mound; Adorajim, a place in Palestine: - Adoraim. Total KJV occurrences: 1.. † Now from the Smith’s Bible Dictionary, where we read: “Double mound. A fortified city built by Rehoboam, II Chronicles 11:9, in Judah. Adoraim is probably the same place with Adora, 1 Macabees 13:20, unless that be Dor, on the seacoast below Carmel. Robinson identifies it with Dura, a “large village” on a rising ground west of Hebron.”.
Lachish
Lachish=Lachish was a city which lay west and slightly north of Hebron, and south of Gath. The first we read of the city of Lachish in Father’s Word is right after our forefathers had erred in allowing the Gibeonites to deceive them that they had come from a far away distant land and sought to worship Father. Rather than seeking Father, Joshua and the elders consulted among themselves and agreed to make a covenant with the lying Gibeonites and to allow them to live among our forefathers Joshua 9. In the next Chapter, we read that Adoni-zedec, king of Jerusalem—which was still at this time called Jebus and was still in the hand of the Canaanites—had heard that our forefathers had defeated the Gibeonites and that they had made peace with our forefathers; therefore, he gathered to him the kings of Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon in order that they go and smite the Gibeonites. The Gibeonites, hearing that these five kings—collectively known as the kings of the Amorites—were going to come against them, went to Joshua and the elders seeking protection. Joshua, having just made the covenant with the Gibeonites, agreed to assist. Father told Joshua not to fear the Amorites, for He would deliver them into our forefathers’ hand. As Joshua and the Israelite Army were putting a serious butt whoopin on the Amorites, the Amorites fled to Azekah and Father rained down hailstones from heaven, it is written in Joshua 10:11: Joshua 10:11 And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Beth-horon, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.. Later in the same Chapter, we read the following: Joshua 10:31 And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, unto Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it: Joshua 10:32 And the LORD delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, which took it on the second day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein, according to all that he had done to Libnah. Joshua 10:33 Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua smote him and his people, until he had left him none remaining. Joshua 10:34 And from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they encamped against it, and fought against it: Joshua 10:35 And they took it on that day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish.. The next we read of Lachish is during the reign and rule of king Hezekiah in II Kings 18:14-17, where we read that Sennacherib the king of Assyria—who was in Lachish at the time—came against and attacked Judah, and we read in II Kings 18:17: II Kings 18:17 And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rab-shakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller’s field.. Lastly, we read that Solomon’s son Rehoboam fortified and restored Lachish in II Chronicles 11:9. † Abarim Publications does not provide an etymology for the name Lachish. † Now from the Strong’s Concordance, where we find that it is Hebrew word number: H3923, - לָכִישׁ , - lâkı̂ysh, pronounced - law-keeshי, and means: From an unused root of uncertain meaning; Lakish, a place in Palestine: - Lachish. Total KJV occurrences: 24.. † Now from the Smith’s Bible Dictionary, where we read: “Invincible. A city lying south of Jerusalem, on the borders of Simeon, and belonging to the Amorites, the king of which joined with four others, at the invitation of Adonizedek, king of Jerusalem, to chastise the Gibeonites for their league with Israel Joshua 10:3; Joshua 10:5. They were routed by Joshua at Beth-horon, and the king of Lachish fell a victim, with the others under the trees at Makkedah Joshua 10:26. The destruction of the town shortly followed the death of the king Joshua 10:31-33. In the special statement that the attack lasted two days, in contradistinction to the other cities which were taken in one (see Joshua 10:35, we gain our first glimpse of that strength of position, for which Lachish was afterward remarkable. Lachish was one of the cities fortified, and garrisoned by Rehoboam, after the revolt of the northern kingdom II Chronicles 11:9. In the reign of Hezekiah, it was one of the cities taken by Sennacherib. This siege is considered by Layard and Hincks, to be depicted on the slabs found by the former, in one of the chambers of the palace at Kouyunjik. After the return from captivity, Lachish with its surrounding ’fields” was reoccupied by the Jews Nehemiah 11:30.”.
Azekah
Azekah=Azekah was a city which lay west Bethlehem, and slightly east of Gath. The first we read of the city of Azekah in Father’s Word is right after our forefathers had erred in allowing the Gibeonites to deceive them that they had come from a far away distant land and sought to worship Father. Rather than seeking Father, Joshua and the elders consulted among themselves and agreed to make a covenant with the lying Gibeonites and to allow them to live among our forefathers Joshua 9. In the next Chapter, we read that Adoni-zedec, king of Jerusalem—which was still at this time called Jebus and was still in the hand of the Canaanites—had heard that our forefathers had defeated the Gibeonites and that they had made peace with our forefathers; therefore, he gathered to him the kings of Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon in order that they go and smite the Gibeonites. The Gibeonites, hearing that these five kings—collectively known as the kings of the Amorites—were going to come against them, went to Joshua and the elders seeking protection. Joshua, having just made the covenant with the Gibeonites, agreed to assist. Father told Joshua not to fear the Amorites, for He would deliver them into our forefathers’ hand. As Joshua and the Israelite Army were putting a serious butt whoopin on the Amorites, the Amorites fled to Azekah and Father rained down hailstones from heaven, it is written in Joshua 10:10-11: Joshua 10:11 And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Beth-horon, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah. [10:11] And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Beth-horon, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.. The next we read of Azekah is when the Philistines and their champion Goliath are coming against our forefathers in I Samuel 17:1. Lastly, we read that Solomon’s son Rehoboam fortified and restored Lachish in II Chronicles 11:9. † Abarim Publications does not provide an etymology for the name Lachish. † Now from the Strong’s Concordance, where we find that it is Hebrew word number: H5825, - עֲזֵקָה, - ‛ăzêqâh, pronounced - az-ay-kawי, and means: From H5823; tilled; Azekah, a place in Palestine: - Azekah. Total KJV occurrences: 7.. † Now from the Smith’s Bible Dictionary, where we read: “Dugover. A town of Judah, with dependent villages, lying in the Shefelah or rich agricultural plain. It is most clearly defined as being near Shochoh, I Samuel 17:1, but its position has not yet been recognized.”.
1A10
II chronicles 11:10 And Zorah (a wasp (as stinging): - hornet; and, hornet) (tsor-aw י), and Aijalon (deerfield); and, place of gazelles) (ah-yaw-loneי), and Hebron (From H2267, seat of association; and, alliance) (kheb-roneי), which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities. —> Zorah= Zorah was a city which lay in the low country of Judah and which was later given to the Tribe of Dan. It lay between south and slightly west of and Eshtaol and north of Beth-shemesh. Zorah was the home of Manoah the father of Samson, and as such, it was the birth place of Samson. When Samson died, he was buried between Zorah and Eshtaol. Zorah was one of the cities fortified and restored by Solomon’s Son Rehoboam in II Chronicles 11:10. † For the etymology of the name Zorah, we read the following from Abarim Publications: “The name Zorah belongs to a city that was situated in the lowland of the territory originally allotted to the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:33). Somehow Zorah came to be in Danite hands (Joshua 19:41), and rose to fame as the birthplace of Samson, the legendary strong man and thirteenth judge of Israel (Judges 13:2). After Samson’s death, the Danites of Zorah and a neighboring town called Eshtaol begin roaming the land of Ephraim, loot the house of Micah and swipe his house-priest and idols, continue to Laish, murder the peaceful local townsfolk, rename the place Dan, and settle in (Judges 18). Much later, Zorah appears to be back in Judean hands (the Danites appear to have left it abandoned after their move to Laish/Dan), because king Rehoboam of Judah fortifies some cities, including Zorah of Judah (II Chronicles 11:10). After the exile, Zorah is again repeopled by Judeans (Nehemiah 11:29). Brown Driver Briggs (BDB) Theological Dictionary reports that Zorah’s modern name is Sarיa, and that it is located 15 miles west of Jerusalem. The name Zorah is almost identical to the noun צרעה (sirah), a collective word meaning hornets: For a meaning of the name Zorah, New Open Bible Study Edition (NOBSE) Study Bible Name List reads Hornet. The always slightly more inspired Alfred Jones (Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names) proposes Nest Of Hornets, and explains this with “i.e. place of troublesome men”. BDB Theological Dictionary does not interpret our name.”. † Now from the Strong’s Concordance, where we find that it is Hebrew word number: H6881, - צָרְעָה, - tsor‛âh, pronounced - tsor-awי, and means: Apparently another form for H6880; a wasp (as stinging): - hornet. Tsorah, a place in Palestine: - Zareah, Zorah, Zoreah. Total KJV occurrences: 10.. † Now from the Smith’s Bible Dictionary, where we read: “Hornet. A town in the allotment of the tribe of Dan, Joshua 19:41. It is previously mentioned, Joshua 15:33, in the catalogue of Judah, among the places in the district of the Shefelah (Authorized Version, “Zoreah”). It was the residence of Manoah and the native place of Samson. It is mentioned among the places fortified by Rehoboam II Chronicles 11:10. It is perhaps identical with the modern village of Sur'ah.”.
Aijalon
Aijalon=Aijalon lay Northwest of Jerusalem, in a valley of the same name, which leads down from the mountains to the sea. It was the name of a town allotted to the tribe of Dan—Joshua 19:42—which was also designated a Levitical city in Joshua 21:24, and fell to the Kohathites—II Chronicles 6:69. The first mention of Aijalon is in the narrative of Joshua’s defeat of the five Amorite kings, and we read in Joshua 10:12: Joshua 10:12 …thou, Moon, in the valley of Aijalon.. The Danites failed to take it from the Amorites in Judges 1:35, although the men of Ephraim held it in vassalage. Here, Saul and Jonathan won a great victory over the Philistines as we read in I Samuel 14:31. At one time, it was held by the tribe of Benjamin II Chronicles 8:13. Aijalon was one of the cities fortified and restored by Solomon’s Son Rehoboam in II Chronicles 11:10. In the days of King Ahaz, it was captured by the Philistines—II Chronicles 28:18. It has been identified with the modern Yalo and its antiquity goes back to Tell el-Amarna Letters, in which it is mentioned. † For the etymology of the name Aijalon, we read the following from Abarim Publications: “The name Aijalon clearly derives from the אלל ss(יalal) stock, and more precisely, probably the word איל ss(יayil), meaning protruder: For a meaning of the name Aijalon, New Open Bible Study Edition (NOBSE) Study Bible Name List reads Place Of Gazelles and Jones’ Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names offers A Large Stag. How Jones figures this stag to be large is a mystery, although the brilliant theologian Gesenius taught that our name might be an intensive form of איל, meaning ram. And, as everybody knows, an intense ram is the same as a large stag. Brown Driver Briggs (BDB) Theological Dictionary suggests Deer-field. How exactly the field-part fits this name is not clear, and neither is why BDB prints the Deer-part in italics.”. † Now from the Strong’s Concordance, where we find that it is Hebrew word number: H357, - אַיָּלוֹן, - 'ayâlôn, pronounced - ah-yaw-loneי, and means: From H354; deerfield; Ajalon, the name of five places in Palestine: - Aijalon, Aijalon. Total KJV occurrences: 10.. † Now from the Smith’s Bible Dictionary, where we read: “place of gazelles. 1. A city of the Kohathites Joshua 21:24; I Chronicles 6:69. It was a Levitical city and a city of refuge. It was originally allotted to the tribe of Dan, Joshua 19:42, Authorized Version, Ajalon, which tribe, however, was unable to dispossess the Amorites of the place Judges 1:35. 2. Aijalon was one of the towns fortified by Reheboam, II Chronicles 11:10, and the last we hear of it is being in the hands of the Philistines II Chronicles 28:18. Being on the very frontier of the two kingdoms, we can understand how Aijalon should be spoken of sometimes, I Chronicles 6:69, compare with I Chronicles 6:66, as in Ephraim and sometimes, II Chronicles 11:10; I Samuel 14:31, as in Judah and Benjamin. It is represented by the modern Yalo, a little to the north of the Jaffa road, about 14 miles out of Jerusalem. 3. A broad and beautiful valley near the city of Aijalon over which Joshua commanded the moon to stand still during the pursuit after the battle of Gibeon Joshua 10:12. 4. A place in Zebulon, mentioned as the burial-place of Elon, one of the Judges Judges 12:12.”.
Hebron
Hebron=Hebron is rich with history for our forefathers; as such, we find that there are 68 verses and 73 matches for the name Hebron, and the Strong’s Hebrew word number—H2275—associated with it in Father’s Word; or, in either the Strong’s Concordance and\or on E-Sword. We read in Genesis 13 that, after Father had Blessed Abram—this was even before He changed his name to Abraham—and told him to move himself and his family—his wife Sari and his nephew Lot—to Mamre, which is Hebron; and, which is also Kirjath-arba, which is also in Canaan: i.e., the Promised Land. Hebron is also where Sarah died and was buried; in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which belonged to Ephron the Hittite, who was the son of Zohar, another Hittite. This was significant; as, Abraham paid cash money—and got a receipt for his purchase—for this piece of land, which as I said, is the Promised Land; and, as such, the muslims truly have no claim on this land!! After Father brought our forefathers up, out of thier bondage to the Egyptians, Joshua and the Israelite Army fought many battles in Hebron before conquering it and taking it for a possession. Once Hebron became Israelite territory, it was given to the Priests in order to be a city of refuge, a sanctuary city where someone who accidentally killed somebody else could flee until trial was conducted. Later still, David too fought many battles in Hebron, as a matter of fact, as we read in I Samuel 30:31, that Hebron was one of the places that David and his men were wont to haunt. Hebron was the first place that David was made king over the House of Judah, he reigned there over Judah for seven years, six months before being crowned king of the entire House of Israel. There is much more history in Hebron; however, space and time constraints prevent me from expounding further. † For the etymology of the name Hebron, we read the following in Abarim Publications: “The name Hebron comes from the verb חבר (habar), meaning to join: The on-part of the name Hebron comes from the standard waw-nun extension that personifies or localizes the idea or action of a root. For a meaning of the name Hebron, Jones’ Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names proposes Confederation. Brown Driver Briggs (BDB) Theological Dictionary suggests Association or League. New Open Bible Study Edition (NOBSE) Study Bible Name List reads Alliance.. † Now from the Strong’s Concordance, where we find that it is Hebrew word number: H2275, - חֶבְרוֹן, - chebrôn, pronounced - kheb-roneי, and means: From H2267; seat of association; Chebron, a place in Palestine, also the name of two Israelites: - Hebron. Total KJV occurrences: 71.. † Now from the Smith’s Bible Dictionary, where we read: “Alliance. A city of Judah Joshua 15:54, situated among the mountains Joshua 20:7, 20 Roman miles south of Jerusalem, and the same distance north of Beersheba. Hebron is one of the most ancient cities in the world still existing; and in this respect it is the rival of Damascus. It was a well-known town when Abraham entered Canaan, 3,800 years ago Genesis 13:18. Its original name was Kirjath-arba Judges 1:10, “the city of Arba;” so called from Arba the father of Anak Joshua 15:13,14; 21:13. Sarah died at Hebron; and Abraham then bought from Ephron the Hittite the field and cave of Machpelah, to serve as a family tomb Genesis 23:2-20. The cave is still there, and the massive walls of the Haram or mosque, within which it lies, form the most remarkable object in the whole city. Abraham is called by Mohammedans el-Khulil, “the Friend,” i.e. of God, and this is the modern name of Hebron. Hebron now contains about 5000 inhabitants, of whom some fifty families are Jews. It is picturesquely situated in a narrow valley, surrounded by rocky hills. The valley runs from north to south, and the main quarter of the town, surmounted by the lofty walls of the venerable Haram, lies partly on the eastern slope Genesis 37:14, compare with Genesis 23:19. About a mile from the town, up the valley, is one of the largest oak trees in Palestine. This, say some, is the very tree beneath which Abraham pitched his tent, and it still bears the name of the patriarch.”.
1A11
II Chronicles 11:11 And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine. —> In every one of these fifteen city’s which Rehobom restored and strengthened, Rehoboam also put bars, fences, gates and walls, he also put in store-houses, armories and garrisons of troops. He did all this for the defense of the House of Judah.
Why did he do all this? As I said, it was for the Nation’s defense, defense against who? As we’ll read when we begin our next Chapter, it was for the defense against Egypt.
1A12
II Chronicles 11:12 And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side. —> What does all this fortifying, restoring and strengthening show us brethren? That, Rehoboam, having grown up under his father and watching him in the last years of his reign and rule over the Nation and turning his back on Father and putting trust in himself and not Father. Rehoboam is now doing just as his father had; i.e., trusting in himself and not Father.
11:13-17 Faithfulness.
11:13-14 Priests and Levites come to Jerusalem.
1A13
II Chronicles 11:13 And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts. —> The Priests and Levites started to flee Jeroboam, all their lands and the House of Israel—Remember brethren, the Nation is split into two separate Houses at this time with Jeroboam being king of the House of Israel. Why? We’ll read the answer to this question in the next two verses, where we’ll find that Jeroboam started serving and worshipping satan. We can also read of what happened in I Kings 12:25-33, where we read: I Kings 12:25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built. —> Here we see that Jeroboam fortified Shechem and Penuel. Whyhe fortified it. Now that the Nation is being ripped in two, the first thing Jeroboam does is fortify and strengthen this area against Rehoboam and Judah, and all of Israel’s other enemies. Jeroboam didn’t stop with just Shechem, he also strengthened Penuel which lay on the east of the Jordan. This was a superb defensive move, as it protected and safeguarded their eastern flank; and would be defended by the warriors of Gad, Manasseh and Reuben. Because Now that the Nation has been ripped in two, the first thing Jeroboam does is fortify and strengthen this area against Rehoboam and Judah, and all of Israel’s other enemies. Penuel lay east of the Jordan. So this was a superb defensive move, as it protected and safeguarded Israel’ eastern flank; and would be defended by the warriors of Gad, Manasseh and Reuben. [12:26] And Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: —> Jeroboam is about to go off the deep-end, down into paranoia, as, he’s afraid that he’s about to lose control of the ten tribes back to Rehoboam. And just like Rehoboam, he isn’t seeking Father and what Father wants. See, in Jeroboam’s mind, he knows that the Temple is in Jerusalem and that there isn’t any place of worship in the Northern territories; so, he fears that if he allows the people—his people—to go back to Jerusalem to worship Father YHVH; then, either Rehoboam will force them to stay, or they’ll desire to stay on their own and not return to him. He is about to err big time and be punished for it too. [12:27] If this People go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.” —> Notice the second use of the word “lord” in this verse is in all lower case letters, thus Jeroboam is referring to Rehoboam and not Father YHVH; however, in Jeroboam’s mind, he is figuring that once the people of Israel go back to Jerusalem to worship Father, they’ll see how good things are there in the southern territories under Rehoboam, and they’ll want to return to the northern territories only to kill him for what he has done to the Nation. Therefore, the apostasy that he is about to bring upon the ten northern tribes will be deliberate, designed, and determined; for he is about to build two altars with two golden calves, one will be placed in Bethel and the other in Dan for all the House of Israel to come to worship at, thus forsaking Father YHVH. [12:28] Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, “It is too much for you to go up to Judah: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.” —> Jeroboam was seeking counsel; but from whom was he seeking it? Certainly not Father YHVH! [12:29] And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan. —> Jeroboam put one altar and a calf for the People to worship before in Bethel and another in Dan. In doing this, Jeroboam is really goading and thumbing his nose at Father. The altar and calf that he placed in Beth-el will be desecrated and destroyed by king Josiah in II Kings 23:15. [12:30] And this thing became a sin: for the People went to worship before the one, even unto Dan. —> The people not only went to the one altar at Dan, they also went to the one in Bethel. Again, Bethel means: House of God. So, what thus is saying is that Jeroboam placed one of these altars with a golden calf, right there at the House of God. What an abomination and sadness to Father! This is why it became a sin to the people, any one of them could have said, “no, this is wrong;” but, not one person said a word, they all joyfully went along with the abominable practices. [12:31] And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the People, which were not of the sons of Levi. —> Not only did Jeroboam place the two golden calves in Beth-el and Dan; he also built temples and made altars to be placed in all the high places where then went to falsely worship. Understand what took place in these “high places” brethren. It was here in these high places, that they worshipped in the groves, and it was not Father they worshipped—I guess that’s a good thing, as that would have been even more of an abomination to Father. …and made priests of the lowest of the People, which were not of the sons of Levi=In order to ensure there were none who objected to these abominable practices, Jeroboam fired the Levite Priests and allowed “just anybody” to serve a priest. Of course there were plenty of the kenite nethinims ready and willing to fill and take-over these positions. [12:32] And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the 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 Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made. —> Not only did Jeroboam build templels; altars and golden calfshe had also started making his own feast and holy days. [12:33] 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. —> Jeroboam was so corrupt, that he not only allowed “just anybody” to be priests; but, he decided that he also would serve as such. This truly shows how far he fell from Father.
Dr. Bullinger points out in his companion notes, that “here was a nucleus of true worshippers constantly increased (I Kings 12:19; I Chronicles 9:3; II chronicles 10:17; 11:3,16,17; 15:9; 16:1; 19:8; 23:2; 30:1,5,10,11; 31:6). In Ezra 1:5; 2:2,59,70; 7:13; 9:1; 10:5, those returning of Judah’s captivity are called “of Israel,” and “all Israel,” Ezra 2:2,70; 3:1; 6:21; 7:10,13; 8:25; 9:1; 10:1,2,5,10,25; Nehemiah 2:10; 7:7,61,73; 8:17; 10:33; 11:3; 12:47 Judah was thus always representative of “all Israel.” Hence Acts 4:27, “the people of Israel,” and Acts 2:14,22,36 “of Judah.” The words are used interchangeably, except where otherwise stated. Also see I Chronicles 22:17, 23:2 and II chronicles 12:6 for “the princes of Israel,” used of Judah before the division. Also, on the cause of the increase of Judah’s valiant men of war from 400,000 to 800,000, the number steadily increased in Judah while decreasing in Israel: Rehoboam could assemble 180,000; Ahijah (eighteen years later), 400,000; Asa (six years later), 580,000; Jehoshaphat (thirty-two years later), 1,160,000. On the other hand, with Israel, Jeroboam could assemble 800,000, while Ahab’s army was compared to “two little flocks of kids” in I Kings 20:7, which could not stand against the Syrians. This increase in Judah was caused by the constant emigration of Israelites from the ten northern tribes.”.
1A14
II Chronicles 11:14 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: —> Jeroboam and his sons disallowed and prevented the Priest’s from executing their duties of Honoring, Serving and Worshipping Father YHVH, so they in turn, packed-up lock, stock and barrel and fled.
We’re about to read just how badly things had gotten with Jeroboam and the House of Israel.
1A15
II Chronicles 11:15 And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made. —> The Levites fled because Jeroboam was serving everything under the sun, so, he made and ordained his own priests, including himself.
Let’s check out this word “devils” in our Strong’s concordance brethren, when we do, we find that it is Hebrew word number: H8163, - שָׂעִירss or שָׂעִר, - śâ‛ı̂yr or śâ‛ir, pronounced - saw-eerי or saw-eerי, and means: saw-eer H8175; shaggy; as noun, a he goat; by analogy a faun: - devil, goat, hairy, kid, rough, satyr. Total KJV occurrences: 59.. I’ll combine the definition from 3 different sources Wikipedia, Dictionary.com and Merriam Webster Dictionary: “Classical Mythology: one one of a class of woodland forest gods, represented as part human and part goat: had the face, torso, and arms of a man, the ears, tail and legs like a goat, as well as a permanent exagerated erection, noted for lasciviousness and riotous behavior.” It is from this image that we today, picture satan. Very Sadly, the is a commercial out today, from match.com which shows satan with a woman and he is supposed to be a “cool guy” seeking a date with the young woman. What an absolute abomination that they would “celebrate” this sadness as being cool!!!
1A16
II Chronicles 11:16 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. —> Those who desired to turn their backs on Jeroboam’s abominations, fled with the Priests and Levites back to Rehoboam and the House of Judah.
It’s funny in a non-humorous way, as Jeroboam caused exactly what he didn’t want to happen to come to pass. Remember, we discovered as we read in my commentary of verse v11:13 above, that in I Kings 12:25-27, Jeroboam feared, that if the People went back to Jerusalem to worship Father, they’d discover things were better in the House of Judah and therefore would not want to return to Jeroboam, so he made the two calves to worship before. Well, because of all his abominal worship practices, he caused the People to flee back to Jerusalem anyway.
1A17
II Chronicles 11:17 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 (loving; and, well-beloved) (Daw-veedי) and Solomon. —> So, for the first 3 years of Rehoboam’s reign and rule over the Nation of the House of Judah, he was a righteous king and obeyed Father and His Commandments, Judgments, Laws, Ordinances and Statutes. What came to pass after those first 3 years? He, like his father Solomon, turned and started worshipping false gods and idols. How do we know this? Because Father’s Word declares so in I Kings 14:22-24, where we read: I Kings 14:22 And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked Him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done. —> The morals of Israel—both Houses—continued to grow from when Solomon began leading Nation down the destructive path. Jeroboam continued leading the House of Israel, and as we see, Solomon’s son Rehoboam is doing the same with the House of Judah, both Houses completely and totally angering Father. Remember, it all started with Solomon and his building altars for his wives false gods and idols, then Jeroboam fashioned those two golden calves. To put it in “plain speak,” both Houses were “playing kurch” and making up new religions as they went along. Pretty much the same as many Christian Denominations do today. Instead of sticking with the True Word of Father YHVH. Today, they celebrate “His resurrection, otherwise known as ‘easter,’ ” or “rapture,” or “prosperity doctrines” and several other non-sense traditions, false teachings and dogma. Father will only put up with it for so long before He puts a stop to it altogether. I Kings 14:23 For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree. —> Let’s tie this all together and fully discuss it, because all three of these—high places, images, and groves—are indeed tied together, and they aren’t to worship Father YHVH. If you think the “high places” were where our forefathers went to try and get closer to Father YHVH, you’d be incorrect in that train of thought too; because, it was where they went to hold their abominable sexual orgies while worshipping their carved and man-made images. What they did was, went out to the forests of trees, then they cut those trees down to stumps, and then they carved phallic symbols out of them, they either stood them upright, or just left them standing when they cut them down to the size they wanted. Then they held their orgies right there in those groves of trees. They made as many of these places as possible. What an abomination to Father! I Kings 14:24 And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel. —> A sodomite was a male—and women too—who was a prostitute and sold themselves—to both other men and with women too—to be used sexually in a worship service, during the worship in the groves, as they were worshipping the asherah. Today, all over the world the sodomites are coming out of their closets in droves; and the whole world is celebrating them as if their sexual perversion and deviancy is a good thing. Father calls all sodomy “an abomination to Him.” If you think that you can call yourself a Christian and remain in that filthy practice, or allow and accept that nasty practice in your kurch; then, you are no better than Jeroboam or Rehoboam. It has even been said by one of the “major denominations” that “god is not the authority on homosexuality.” This is not a denomination I’d want to be associated with! What was Father’s response to all this abomination? He sent Shishak, the king of Egypt to come against Rehoboam and the House of Judah.
David=For a detailed description of David, including his birth, history, the etymology of his name, the Strong’s Concordance definition of his name, and the Smith’s Bible Dictionary information, click here.
11:18-23 Marriage.
1A18
II Chronicles 11:18 And Rehoboam took him Mahalath (sickness; and, stringed instrument) (makh-al-athי) the daughter of Jerimoth (elevations; and, heights) (yer-ee-mohthי) the son of David to wife, and Abihail (Father (that is, possessor) of might; and, Father of (that is, possessing, strength) (ab-ee-hahי-yil) the daughter of Eliab (YAH of (his) father; and, YAH is my Father) (el-ee-awbי) the son of Jesse extant; and, wealthy) (ee-shahי-ee); —> What we see in these two wives of Rehoboam, is that; he married into the bloodline of his own family. Think of the movies out today depicting a male monarch marrying his sister or other bloodline relation in order to keep the monarchy within the bloodline.
…Jerimoth the son of David…=There is no Jerimoth listed as being a son of David in any of the genealogical listings of II Samuel 5:14-16; I Chronicles 3:5-8 or I Chronicles 14:4-6; nor, is there one listed as being David’s grandson. The only place that mentions a Jerimoth as being connected with David is here in II Chronicles 11:18. With that being said, this would then make Jerimoth the son of one of David’s concubines of which we can read of in I Chronicles 3:9, where we read “…beside the sons of the concubines….”
Mahalath
Mahalath=Mahalath the wife of Rehoboam is only mentioned once in Father’s Word, in II Chronicles 11:18. There, she is called the daughter of Jerimoth, the son of David, which would also make her a cousin to her husband Rehoboam. † For the etymology of the name Mahalath, we read the following from Abarim Publications: “A granddaughter of David, who becomes the wife of Rehoboam (II Chronicles 11:18). Most scholars and commentators derive the name Mahalath from the roots חלה (hala): Brown Driver Briggs (BDB) Theological Dictionary, however, suggests relations with מחולה (mehola,), dance, from the verb חול (hul: New Open Bible Study Edition (NOBSE) Study Bible Name List goes with מחלה (mahaleh) from root חלה I and reports that both the name and the musical term mean Sickness. Jones’ Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names goes with the same root, and casually explains that certain grammatical constructions allow a word that usually means being sick, now means to be smooth or polished. Jones then translates the name Mahalath with Harp or Wind Instrument. Since Psalms 53 and 88 both express deep anxiety, the musical term Mahalath possibly has to do with sadness or entreaty. But it goes a bit far to translate it and the name Mahalath with sickness. In this case Sad Song would be more appropriate; Hebrew Blues. On the other hand, the term מחלת occurs three more times in the Bible (albeit with a slightly different Masoretic punctuation), all with the meaning of Dancing: Exodus 15:20, 32:19 and Song of Solomon 6:13.”. † Now from the Strong’s Concordance, where we find that it is Hebrew word number: H4258, - מַחֲלַת, - machălath, pronounced - makh-al-athי, and means: The same as H4257; sickness; Machalath, the name of an Ishmaelitess and of an Israelitess: - Mahalath. Total KJV occurrences: 2.. † Now from the Smith’s Bible Dictionary, where we read: “Stringed instrument. One of the eighteen wives of King Rehoboam, apparently his first II Chronicles 11:18 only. She was her husband’s cousin, being the daughter of King David’s son, Jerimoth.”.
Jerimoth
Jerimoth=Jerimoth the son of David is only mentioned once in Father’s Word, in II Chronicles 11:18. There, as I said, he is identified as being a son of David; however, we do not find his name in any of David’s genealogical listings of II Samuel 5:14-16; I Chronicles 3:5-8 or I Chronicles 14:4-6; nor, is there one listed as being David’s grandson. The only place that mentions a Jerimoth as being connected with David is here in II Chronicles 11:18. With that being said, this would then make Jerimoth the son of one of David’s concubines of which we can read of in I Chronicles 3:9, where we read “…beside the sons of the concubines….” † For the etymology of the name Jerimoth, we read the following from Abarim Publications: “The name Jerimoth has to do with רם (rum), meaning: height: New Open Bible Study Edition (NOBSE) Study Bible Name List offers no translation for Jerimoth but reads Elevation for Jeremoth. Jones’ Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names proposes High Places or Liftings Up for both Jeremoth and Jerimoth. However, it seems that this name contains something of a play on words. Jerimoth can also be seen as being drawn from the verb ירה (yara), meaning to cast or shoot: And secondly, from the verb מות (mut), meaning to kill or die: And that means that the name Jeremoth may also be seen as to mean Rain Of Death.”. † Now from the Strong’s Concordance, where we find that it is Hebrew word number: H3406, - יְרִימוֹתss or ְרֵימוֹתss or ְיְרֵמוֹת, - yerı̂ymôth, yerêymôth or yerêmôth, pronounced - yer-ee-mohthי or yer-ay-mohthי, and means: Feminine plural from H7311; elevations; Jerimoth or Jeremoth; the name of twelve Israelites: - Jeremoth; Jerimoth; and Ramoth [from the margin]. Total KJV occurrences: 14.. † Now from the Smith’s Bible Dictionary, where we read: “Heights. Son of King David, whose daughter Mahalath was one of the wives of Rehoboam, her cousin, Abihail, being the other II Chronicles 11:18. One of the eighteen wives of King Rehoboam.”.
Abihail
Abihail=Abihail the wife of Rehoboam is only mentioned once in Father’s Word, in II Chronicles 11:18. She is called the daughter of Eliab, David’s oldest brother, a son of Jesse. This author believes that she was actually the grand-daughter of Eliab, but even with that being said, it would still make her a cousin to her husband Rehobom. † For the etymology of the name Abihail, we read the following from Abarim Publications: “The name Abihail consists of two parts. The first part is the Hebrew word אב ss(יab), meaning father: The second part of Abihail could possibly be construed to derive of any of the verbs הלל (halal): For a meaning of Abihail, Jones’ Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names reads Father Of Light. New Open Bible Study Edition (NOBSE) Study Bible Name List reads The Father Is Might.”. † Now from the Strong’s Concordance, where we find that it is Hebrew word number: H32, - אֲבִיהַיִלss or אֲבִיחַיִל, - 'ăbı̂yhayil or 'ăbı̂ychayil, pronounced - ab-ee-hahי-yil or ab-ee-khahי-yil, and means: From H1 and H2428; Father, (that is, possessor,) of might; (Abihail or Abichail, the name of three Israelites and two Israelitesses: - Abihail. Total KJV occurrences: 6.. † Now from the Smith’s Bible Dictionary, where we read: “Father of, that is, possessing, strength. Wife of Rehoboam. She is called the daughter, that is, descendant, of Eliab, the elder brother of David II Chronicles 11:18XXX he is also called Elihu in I Chronicles 27: 18.”.
Eliab
Eliab=Eliab the oldest son of Jesse, father of king David. Eliab—unlike his father and younger brother David, who were—was not in the genealogy to our Lord and Savior being born in the flesh. Eliab may have followed Saul into battle—I Samuel 17:13—however, in this author’s opinion, he was like many in Saul’s army, cowards, and afraid to fight against Goliath, the champion of the Philistines. It took that young 16 year old boy named David—his own younger brother—to come and rescue them. Other than this, there is nothing significant written of Eliab in Father’s Word. † For the etymology of the name Eliab, we read the following from Abarim Publications: “The name Eliab consists of two elements. The first part is the word אל (El), the common abbreviation of Elohim, the genus God: The letter yod may serve in this name to make the word El possessive: my God. The second part is the common Hebrew word אב ss(יab), basically meaning father: For a meaning of the name Eliab, New Open Bible Study Edition (NOBSE) Study Bible Name List and Brown Driver Briggs (BDB) Theological Dictionary both read God Is Father. Jones’ Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names proposes My God Is Father.”. † Now from the Strong’s Concordance, where we find that it is Hebrew word number: H446, - אֱלִיאָב, - 'ĕlı̂y'âb, pronounced - el-ee-awbי, and means: From H410 and H1; YAH of (his) father; Eliab, the name of six Israelites: - Eliab. Total KJV occurrences: 21.. † Now from the Smith’s Bible Dictionary, where we read: “YAH is my father. One of David’s brothers, the eldest of the family I Samuel 16:6; I Samuel 17:13; I Samuel 17:28; I Chronicles 2:13.”.
Jesse=For a detailed description of Jesse, including his history, the etymology of his name, the Strong’s Concordance definition of his name, and the Smith’s Bible Dictionary information, click here.
1A19
II Chronicles 11:19 Which bare him children; Jeush (hasty; and, assembler) (ye-ooshי), and Shamariah (YAH has guarded; and, kept by YHVH) (shem-ar-yawי-hoo), and Zaham (loathing; and, fatness) (zahי-ham).
—> There is nothing written, significant or otherwise, of these three sons of Rehoboam, therefore, I’ll not provide a description for them.
1A20
II Chronicles 11:20 And after her he took Maachah (depression; or, oppression) (mah-ak-awthי) the daughter of Absalom (father of peace [that is, friendly]; and, father of peace) (ab-shaw-lomeי); which bare him Abijah (father (that is, worshipper) of YAH; and, my Father is YHVH) (ab-ee-yawי), and Attai (timely ; and, opportune) (at-tahי-ee), and Ziza (prominence ; and, shining) (zee-zawי), and Shelomith (peaceableness; and, peaceful) (shel-o-meethי). —> Rehoboam was keeping things within the family by marrying another of his cousins, this one, Absalom’s daughter Maachah, who bare him 4 sons. Abijah, his eldest by Maachah will inherit the throne from him, and as such, will be the second man-king of the House of Judah.
…Attai…Ziza…Shelomith…=There is nothing written, significant or otherwise, of these three sons of Rehoboam, therefore, I’ll not provide a description for them.
Maachah
Maachah=Maachah was the grand-daughter of king David’s third oldest son Absalom—“daughter of Uriel,” who was the husband of Absalom’s daughter Tamar II Chronicles 13:2—wife of Solomon’s son Rehoboam, and mother of Abijah—II Chronicles 11:20— also called Abijam—I Kings 14:31. Her life history would have been unremarkable except for the fact that she followed after her husband’s practices and ways, and served and worshipped false gods and idols, most notably, ashtoreth, the phoenician goddess of fertility. She continued this licentious practice until her grandson—Aibjah’s son Asa—became king and kicked her out from being “queen mother” as can be read in I Kings 15:11-13, which reads: I Kings 15:11 And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father [15:12] And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. [15:13] And also Maachah his mother (this is actually his grandmother not mother), even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.. † For the etymology of the name Maachah, we read the following from Abarim Publications: “The wife of King Rehoboam and mother of king Abijah (II Chronicles 11:20) or Abijam (I Kings 15:2), and grandmother of king Asa (I Kings 15:8). The name מעכת (Maacath) is really the same as מעכה (Maacah). The name Maacath was composed in a time when the letter ת (taw) was used in much the same way as the letter ה (he) was in the time when the Bible was written in its final form. Sometimes the editors of the Bible chose to incorporate the older but genuine spelling (מעכת), and sometimes they chose to use to updated form (מעכה). But both forms come from the verb מעך (maיak) meaning press, squeeze: The name Maacah means Squeezer or Pusher. Both New Open Bible Study Edition (NOBSE) Study Bible Name List and Jones’ Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names read the more descriptive Oppression.”. † Now from the Strong’s Concordance, where we find that it is Hebrew word number: H4601, - מַעֲכָהss or מַעֲכָת, - ma‛ăkâh or ma‛ăkâth, pronounced - mah-ak-awי or mah-ak-awthי, and means: From H4600; depression Maakah (or Maakath), the name of a place in Syria, also of a Mesopotamian, of three Israelites, and of four Israelitesses and one Syrian woman: - Maachah, Maachathites. See also H1038. Total KJV occurrences: 23.. † Now from the Smith’s Bible Dictionary, where we read: “Oppression. The daughter, or more probably granddaughter, of Absalom named after his mother; the third and favorite wife of Rehoboam, and mother of Abijah I Kings 15:22; II Chronicles 11:20-22. The mother of Abijah is elsewhere called “Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah” II Chronicles 13:2. During the reign of her grandson, Asa, she occupied at the court of Judah, the high position of “king’s mother,” compare I Kings 15:13, but when he came of age, she was removed because of her idolatrous habits II Chronicles 15:16.”.
Absalom
Absalom=Absalom was born in the Jubilee year of 958–957; that, according to II Samuel 14:25-26, he was a very handsome man, having not even one blemish about him; his hair, when cut once a year, weighed 4 pounds, and he had sired 3 sons, none of whom survived to carry on his namesake as, as can be read in II Samuel 18:18: II Samuel 18:18 (Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king’s dale: for he said, “I have no son to keep my name in remembrance:” and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom’s place.). He also had a daughter whose name was Tamar. Absalom was David’s third oldest son, born of Maachah, who also bare his sister Tamar. When Absalom and Tamar come of age, Tamar gets raped by their older half-brother, David’s oldest son, Amnon; Absalom avenges his sister’s rape by killing Amnon; which sadly, doesn’t please David. Since it did in fact displease David, Absalom fled to Geshur, his place of birth to hide from his father, staying there for two years; then, when he was allowed by David to return to Jerusalem, it would be another two years before he was allowed to see his father. Sometime later, it will be Absalom who in the future will try and usurp the throne from his father David. He’ll go so far as sitting in the gate—the place of judgment—and as the people go by; he’ll ask them if the judgment went the way they thought it should have. If they say, “yes,” then he just let them go; however, if they happened to say, “no,” then, he quickly replied, “if I was king, I would have ruled in your favor,” all in order to gain their “trust and support.” He also hired men to run in front of his chariot wherever he went, declaring, “make way for Absalom.” After doing so; he convinced his father to allow him to go back to Hebron where he sent spies throughout the land in order to see how much support he had, when he found out he had some good backing, he next sent his spies throughout the territory telling them, “As soon as ye hear the sound of trumpets, then shall ye say, ‘Absalom reigneth in Hebron.’ ” When David heard that the people of Israel were with Absalom and against him, he told all those who were with him in Jerusalem that they would flee from Jerusalem. He did this in order to prevent civil war against his own son. For his treasonous insolence of trying to usurp the throne from his father; David gathered his army to war against his son’s army; however, David commanded his army, namely his two nephews Joab and Abishai, to deal gently with his son Absalom. Joab didn’t heed the advice of his uncle; for, he found Absalom—remember that his hair thick and long, well that got him into trouble because it got tangled in the branches of a tree as he tried to ride under it—hanging in a tree by his hair and he killed him as he hung in that tree. Thus ended Absalom’s attempted usurpation of the throne, and his life. † For the Etymology of the name Absalom, we read the following in Abarim Publications: “The name Absalom is generally spelled אבשלום, but in the second half of II Samuel it’s mostly written as אבשלם, which is pronounced the same and means the same as well. Both versions of the name Absalom consist of the same two elements. The first part consists of the word אב (ab), meaning father: The second part of the name Absalom comes from the familiar Hebrew word שלום (shalom), meaning peace, which in turn comes from the root-verb שלם (shalem), meaning to be complete or sound. Bringing the two parts of his name together then, Absalom’s name means father of peace.”. † Now from the Strong’s Concordance, we find that it is Hebrew word number: H53, - אֲבִישָׁלוֹםss or אַבְשָׁלוֹם, - 'ăbı̂yshâlôm or 'abshâlôm, pronounced - ab-ee-shaw-lomeי or ab-shaw-lomeי, and means: From H1 and H7965; father of peace (that is, friendly); Abshalom, a son of David; also (the fuller form) a later Israelite: - Abishalom, Absalom. Total KJV occurrences: 111.. † Now from the Smith’s Bible Dictionary, where we read: “father of peace. Third son of David by Maachah, daughter of Tamai king of Geshur, a Syrian district adjoining the northeast frontier of the Holy Land. Absalom had a sister, Tamar, who was violated by her half-brother Amnon. The natural avenger of such an outrage would be Tamar’s full brother Absalom. He brooded over the wrong for two years, and then invited all the princes to a sheep-shearing feast at his estate in Baal-hazor, on the borders of Ephraim and Benjamin. Here he ordered his servants to murder Amnon, and then fled for safety to his grandfather’s court at Geshur, where he remained for three years. At the end of that time he was brought back by an artifice of Joab. David, however, would not see Absalom for two more years; but at length Joab brought about a reconciliation. Absalom now began at once to prepare for rebellion. He tried to supplant his father by courting popularity, standing in the gate, conversing with every suitor, and lamenting the difficulty which he would find in getting a hearing. He also maintained a splendid retinue II Samuel 15:1, and was admired for his personal beauty. It is probable too that the great tribe of Judah had taken some offence at David’s government. Absalom raised the standard of revolt at Hebron, the old capital of Judah, now supplanted by Jerusalem. The revolt was at first completely successful; David fled from his capital over the Jordan to Mahanaim in Gilead, and Absalom occupied Jerusalem. At last, after being solemnly anointed king at Jerusalem II Samuel 19:10, Absalom crossed the Jordan to attack his father, who by this time had rallied round him a considerable force. A decisive battle was fought in Gilead, in the wood of Ephraim. Here Absalom’s forces were totally defeated, and as he himself was escaping his long hair was entangled in the branches of a terebinth, where he was left hanging while the mule on which he was riding ran away from under him. He was dispatched by Joab in spite of the prohibition of David, who, loving him to the last, had desired that his life might be spared. He was buried in a great pit in the forest, and the conquerors threw stones over his grave, an old proof of bitter hostility Joshua 7:26.”.
Abijah=For a detailed description of Abijah, including his history, the etymology of his name, the Strong’s Concordance definition of his name, and the Smith’s Bible Dictionary information, see Abijam, the other name by which he is identified in Father’s Word.
1A21
II Chronicles 11:21 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.) —> Rehoboam had 78 wives, and of all these women, he loved Absalom’s daughter the most. These women bare him a total of 28 sons and 60 daughters, 7 of which came from the 3 women which are named in these two verses.
1A22
II Chronicles 11:22 And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king. —> Though not his first born, Abijah was the first born of Maachah, and as this son grew, Rehoboam was already thinking of appointing him to be his successor as the 3rd man-king of the Nation of the House of Judah.
1A23
II Chronicles 11:23 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. —> When his sons came of age and were capable warfighters and able to lead their troops, Rehoboam set them all up as rulers over the numerous out-posts. He also sought women for each of his sons. What you could say is, that, he was buying-off those sons who were older than Abijah, so that, they wouldn’t complain that he made Abijah king over them.
How will things turn out for Rehoboam? The answer to that will be answered in our next Chapter.
Feb 2021
This Bible Study was written by Scott Reis and is provided in order to be used as a private Bible Study Tool. Therefore, it may be copied in whole or in part and shared for private Bible Study; however, it may not be reproduced and published as an original work.
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