In that time became ill Aviyyah, son of Yarav?am. And said Yarav?am to his wife, ?Arise, please, And change yourself And they will not know that you [are] the wife of Yarav?am And walk/go to Shiloh. Behold there [is] Achiyyah the prophet He himself spoke concerning me as king over this people. And . . . . Continue Reading »
INTRODUCTION The man of God from Judah and the old prophet both prophesied against Jeroboam?s idolatries. In this passage, a third prophet, Ahijah of Shiloh, prophesies the end of Jeroboam?s house. When Jeroboam?s son dies, Jeroboam and his house have no future. THE TEXT ?At that time Abijah the . . . . Continue Reading »
1 Kings 12:25-13:34 hangs together as a single unit. The chapter break is very bad. There is a clear inclusion between 12:25-31:3 and 13:33-34. The oracle of the prophet of Bethel in 13:32 brings up the altar in Bethel and the ?houses of the high places?Ethat were mentioned in 12:31, 33. Further, . . . . Continue Reading »
INTRODUCTION When the prophet Shemaiah confronted Rehoboam, the king turned from his plan (1 Kings 12:21-24). But Jeroboam is not so responsive to the word of the Lord. A man of God from Judah confronts him at his altar at Bethel (13:1-3), and Jeroboam responds by trying to arrest the man of God . . . . Continue Reading »
And built Yarav?am Shechem in the hills of Ephraim. And he lived in it. And he went out from there and built Penu?el. And said Yarav?am in his heart, ?Now returns the kingdom to the house of David. If this people ascends to make sacrifices in the house of Yahweh in Yerushalaim And returns the heart . . . . Continue Reading »
INTRODUCTION Solomon?s marriages led him into idolatry, but the consequences were not confined to Solomon?s own life. Because of his sins, Yahweh raised up adversaries to oppose him and the entire kingdom was torn in pieces. The sins of the king ?Ethe sins of any leaders ?Ehave consequences for the . . . . Continue Reading »
I have argued elsewhere that the Omride dynasty is a counterfeit Davidic dynasty, and that in this structure Ahab is a counterfeit Solomon. John Van Seters suggests in a 2000 Presidential address to La societe canadienne des etudes bibliques that Ahab is also a Davidic character, at least in the . . . . Continue Reading »
Scripture has a lot to say about the blessings of old age. ?The gray head,?Ethe Proverb says, ?is a crown of glory; it is found in the way of righteousness.?E According to another Proverb, the elderly have another crown: ?Grandchildren are the crown of old men.?E The Psalmist says that the . . . . Continue Reading »
Now the King Shlomoh loved women, Foreign ones, Many. And the daughter of Pharaoh. Moabiyyot Ammanoyyot Adomyyot Tzedniyyot Chittiyyot From the nations which Yahweh said to the sons of Israel, ?You shall not enter into them And they shall not enter into you. Truly they will turn away your heart . . . . Continue Reading »
INTRODUCTION Solomon was set up on a throne like a new Adam, but like Adam he seized the forbidden fruit of foreign women, and fell from his throne. Before chapter 11 is over, Solomon is trying to kill Jeroboam, making him a Cain as well as a fallen Adam. As at the beginning of his reign, Solomon . . . . Continue Reading »