서론
无标题
英文原文
The glory of the kingdom of Israel was in its height and perfection in Solomon; it was long in coming to it, but it soon declined, and began to sink and wither in the very next reign, as we find in this chapter, where we have the kingdom divided, and thereby weakened and made little in comparison with what it had been. Here is, I. Rehoboam's accession to the throne and Jeroboam's return out of Egypt, 1Ki 12:1,2. II. The people's petition to Rehoboam for the redress of grievances, and the rough answer he gave, by the advice of his young counsellors, to that petition, 1Ki 12:3-15. III. The revolt of the ten tribes thereupon, and their setting up Jeroboam, 1Ki 12:16-20. IV. Rehoboam's attempt to reduce them and the prohibition God gave to that attempt, 1Ki 12:21-24. V. Jeroboam's establishment of his government upon idolatry, 1Ki 12:25-33. Thus did Judah become weak, being deserted by their brethren, and Israel, by deserting the house of the Lord.
1-15
The Folly of Rehoboam (975 BC)
罗波安的愚昧（主前 975 年）
¹ 罗波安往示剑去，因为以色列众人都到了示剑，要立他作王。 ² 尼八的儿子耶罗波安先前躲避所罗门王，逃往埃及，住在埃及；他听见这事， ³ 以色列人就打发人去请他来。耶罗波安和以色列会众都来见罗波安，对他说： ⁴ "你父亲使我们负重轭，求你使我们父亲的苦役和他所加给我们的重轭轻松些，我们就事奉你。" ⁵ 罗波安对他们说："你们暂且去吧，第三日再来见我。"百姓就去了。 ⁶ 罗波安之父所罗门在世的日子，有侍立在他面前的老臣；罗波安王与他们商议，说："你们出个主意，我好回复这民。" ⁷ 老臣对他说："今日你若作这民的仆人，服事他们，用善言回答他们，他们就永远作你的仆人。" ⁸ 王却废弃老臣所出的主意，与那些和他一同长大的少年人商议， ⁹ 对他们说："这民对我说：你父亲使我们的轭沉重，求你为我们轻松些。你们出个什么主意，我们好回复他们？" ¹⁰ 那些同他长大的少年人对他说："这民曾对你说：你父亲使我们的轭沉重，求你为我们轻松些。现在你要这样回答他们说：我的小拇指头比我父亲的腰还粗； ¹¹ 我父亲使你们负重轭，我必使你们的轭更重；我父亲用鞭子责打你们，我要用蝎子鞭责打你们。" ¹² 耶罗波安和众百姓第三日照着王所定的日期——王曾说"第三日再来见我"——来到罗波安那里。 ¹³ 王严严地回答百姓，废弃了老臣给他出的主意， ¹⁴ 照着少年人所出的主意对民说："我父亲使你们的轭沉重，我必使你们的轭更重；我父亲用鞭子责打你们，我要用蝎子鞭责打你们。" ¹⁵ 王竟不听从百姓；这事乃出于耶和华，为要应验耶和华借示罗人亚希雅论尼八的儿子耶罗波安所宣告的话。
所罗门虽有妃嫔一千，但圣经上提到他为承继其名的儿子，却只有一个，而且是个愚昧人。经上说（何 4:10）：他们行淫乱，却不能繁增。 犯罪原非兴家之道。罗波安乃是最有智慧之人的儿子，却未承继他父亲的智慧；既如此，纵然承继了父亲的王位，对他又有何益？智慧与恩典并不传于血脉。所罗门登极之时年纪尚幼，那时他已是智慧人。罗波安登极之时年已四十——人到四十若仍要明智便当明了——然而那时他仍属愚昧。智慧不与年岁俱增，亦非年岁众多、教育优渥便能得着。所罗门的朝廷原是智慧的市集、学者荟萃之所，而罗波安又是朝廷的宠儿；然而这一切仍不足以使他成为智慧人。快跑的未必能赢，力战的未必得胜。 罗波安之继位并无争议；其父一崩，他便立即被立为王。然而：
I. 百姓愿在示剑与他立约，他也俯允到那里与他们会面。1. 百姓的借口是要膏立他作王，但其用意乃是要废除他。他们要在另一处地方——并非大卫城——为他举行公开的登极礼，免得他似乎仅是犹大之王。他们有十分之九的分，愿这一次他在他们中间，好使他们确认他的王权。2. 那地方却是不祥：示剑——亚比米勒曾在那里自立为王（士 9:1-57）；然而此地因曾有各支派的集会，也极著名（书 24:1）。我们可推测，罗波安知道那"国度必将从他夺去"的预言，希望借着亲赴示剑，与那十支派相议而阻止这事；然而事实证明这是他所行的最失策之举，反倒加速了裂痕。
II. 各支派的代表向他进言，恳求减轻他们所负的赋税。会议既定，他们便从埃及请耶罗波安来作他们的发言人。这本是不必的：他晓得神为他所定的旨意，纵然未被请也会前来，因为此时正可指望得着所应许的冠冕。在他们的呈辞中，1. 他们抱怨前朝：你父亲使我们负重轭（王上 12:4）。他们并不抱怨他父亲的拜偶像、背离神——那原是最大的重担；但对这些事他们毫不在意，他们在信仰的事上如此漫不经心，仿佛敬拜神或敬拜摩洛并无分别，只要生活安逸、不缴赋税便好。然而这抱怨毫无根据、也不公义。从来未有百姓像他们那样生活安逸、富足丰盈。他们纳了税么？那是为着使国度强盛荣耀。所罗门的建造若耗费金钱，却没有耗费他们一滴血——如争战之所为。建造之工用了许多仆役的手么？那并非以色列人的手。赋税是重担么？那又怎会，所罗门所输入的金子如此丰盈，银子简直如同石头一样常见？所以他们不过是将所罗门的物归给所罗门罢了。退一步说，纵使其中有几分苛政，他们岂非早已被告知将来"王必这样行"，却仍执意要立一个王么？最好的政府也不能免于毁谤与非议——所罗门的政府也不能。心存结党之念的人，从不愁无可抱怨之处。我看所罗门的治理中，没有一事能使百姓的轭显得沉重，除非或者他所晚年宠爱的众妃嫔欺压百姓，却被纵容如此。2. 他们向他要求减轻负担，并以继续效忠大卫家为条件。他们并非要求完全免于赋税，乃是要求使担子轻松些；他们所关心的，惟在金钱——至于他们的信仰是否得着扶持、政权是否得着保障，皆不在意。人人都专顾自己的事。
III. 罗波安与左右亲信商议，论到他当如何回复这份呈辞。在如此情形下征询意见是审慎的——尤其因他自己的头脑本是软弱；然而在此场合，他亲自拖延时间以思考，实为失策：因这正给不满之民以酝酿叛离的时机；况且在这般明明之事上迟疑不决，也会被人当作他对百姓的疾苦漠不关心。他们已看出将要如何，便早作准备。如今：1. 他议事会中那班年高德劭的老臣，极力劝他要好言好语回复请愿之人，要应许他们美事，就在今日，就在这关键之日，服事他们——即告诉他们：他乃是他们的仆人，他必为他们伸冤，并以讨他们喜悦、使他们安逸为本分。"你只要在这件事上克己一次，他们便永远作你的仆人。当百姓的怒气被柔言所平息，群众散去之后，他们冷静的思绪会使他们重新归顺于所罗门的家。"请记：治国之道在于服事，在于行善并屈卑去行；要向众人作各样的人，借此得着他们的心。掌权者若用此法，便坐得最高、最稳、最安全。2. 他议事会中那班少年人却气焰嚣张，劝他对百姓的要求予以严厉威吓的回复。罗波安的愚昧表现在：(1.) 他不重用年老的谋士，反倒更看重那些与他一同长大、与他相熟的少年人（王上 12:8）。年高本当发言。他竟以为因这些人在他年少的游乐宴乐中是他的良伴，便因此配管理他国中的政务，这原是糊涂。才思敏捷之人未必最有智慧；那懂得使我们欢笑的人，也未必可作我们最可靠的朋友，因为欢笑不能带来幸福。少年人初入世途，所交何友、所听何谋、所依何人，关系极其重大。若他们将那些逢迎其骄傲、满足其虚荣、助长其纵乐之人，视为最好的朋友，便已被打上灭亡的印记。(2.) 他不采纳温和之策，反而喜悦那些怂恿他采用严苛手段之人；他们劝他加倍征税，无论有无必要，且以明白的话告诉百姓他将如此行（王上 12:10,11）。这些少年谋士以为老臣的话过于平淡无奇（王上 12:7）；他们喜欢在自己的建议中卖弄机智，以此自矜。老臣并未为罗波安拟定辞藻，只劝他说好话；这些少年人却要为他预备极其别致漂亮的话，配上尖锐俏皮的比喻：我的小拇指头比我父亲的腰还粗等等。然而辞藻最美者，未必意思最佳。
IV. 他便照着少年人的主意回答百姓（王上 12:14,15）。他好作威作福、好摆帝王架子，以为凭着高压便可使一切折服，因此他宁可冒着失去百姓的风险，也不肯稍微克己，对他们说几句好话。请记：许多人之所以自取灭亡，正是因他们更看重自己的脾气，胜过自己的利益。请看：
1. 罗波安在谋议中如何被弄得神志昏聩。他实在不能再作得更愚昧、更失策了。(1.) 他竟承认百姓对他父亲政府的非议乃是事实——我父亲使你们的轭沉重；在此他对父亲的英名不公，这本是他轻而易举便可为之辩护的。(2.) 他又妄想自己比父亲更能驾驭他们、压制他们，全不考虑自己在才能上远不及父亲。他难道以为能修补父亲一朝的瑕疵——而父亲一朝的辉煌，他却从未能望其项背？(3.) 他不仅威吓要以赋税榨取他们，更要借严酷的律法及其严酷的执行来惩治他们——那不是鞭子，而是蝎子鞭，是带刺的鞭，每一下都要抽出血来。简言之，他要把他们当作牲畜来对待，随意驱使、随意鞭打；不论他们爱他与否，只要他们怕他便可。(4.) 他竟对这样一群百姓发出这种挑衅——他们因长久的安逸昌盛而变得富足、强盛、骄傲，不肯受践踏（如贫穷怯懦的百姓可能那样），又正有意叛离，且已有一位领袖预备带头。从来没有人像他这样，被骄傲与专权之欲蒙蔽到如此地步——而骄傲与专权之欲，乃是最致命之物。
2. 神的谋议因此得着应验。这事乃出于耶和华（王上 12:15）。神任凭罗波安行其愚昧，将那关乎他平安的事向他隐藏，使国度从他手中被夺去。请记：神借着人的失策与不义，成就祂自己智慧公义的旨意，并使罪人陷在自己手所作之工中。那些失去天国的人，正是因着自己的任性愚妄，亲手将之抛弃——正如罗波安抛弃他的国一样。
英文原文
The Folly of Rehoboam (975 BC)
¹ And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.
² And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;)
³ That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,
⁴ Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.
⁵ And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.
⁶ And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?
⁷ And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.
⁸ But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:
⁹ And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?
¹⁰ And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.
¹¹ And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
¹² So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.
¹³ And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men's counsel that they gave him;
¹⁴ And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
¹⁵ Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
Solomon had 1000 wives and concubines, yet we read but of one son he had to bear up his name, and he a fool. It is said (Ho 4:10), They shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase. Sin is a bad way of building up a family. Rehoboam was the son of the wisest of men, yet did not inherit his father's wisdom, and then it stood him in little stead to inherit his father's throne. Neither wisdom nor grace runs in the blood. Solomon came to the crown very young, yet he was then a wise man. Rehoboam came to the crown at forty years old, when men will be wise if ever they will, yet he was then foolish. Wisdom does not go by age, nor is it the multitude of years nor the advantage of education that reaches it. Solomon's court was a mart of wisdom and the rendezvous of learned men, and Rehoboam was the darling of the court; and yet all was not sufficient to make him a wise man. The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. No dispute is made of Rehoboam's succession; upon the death of his father, he was immediately proclaimed. But,
I. The people desired a treaty with him at Shechem, and he condescended to meet them there. 1. Their pretence was to make him king, but the design was to unmake him. They would give him a public inauguration in another place than the city of David, that he might not seem to be king of Judah only. They had ten parts in him, and would have him among themselves for once, that they might recognize his title. 2. The place was ominous: at Shechem, where Abimelech set up himself (Jdg 9:1-57); yet it had been famous for the convention of the states there, Jos 24:1. Rehoboam, we may suppose, knew of the threatening, that the kingdom should be rent from him, and hoped by going to Shechem, and treating there with the ten tribes, to prevent it: yet it proved the most impolitic thing he could do, and hastened the rupture.
II. The representatives of the tribes addressed him, praying to be eased of the taxes they were burdened with. The meeting being appointed, they sent for Jeroboam out of Egypt to come and be their speaker. This they needed not to have done: he knew what God had designed him for, and would have come though he had not been sent for, for now was his time to expect the possession of the promised crown. In their address, 1. They complain of the last reign: Thy father made our yoke grievous, 1Ki 12:4. They complain not of his father's idolatry and revolt from God; that which was the greatest grievance of all was none to them, so careless and indifferent were they in the matters of religion, as if God or Moloch were all one, so they might but live at ease and pay no taxes. Yet the complaint was groundless and unjust. Never did people live more at ease than they did, nor in great plenty. Did they pay taxes? It was to advance the strength and magnificence of their kingdom. If Solomon's buildings cost them money, they cost them no blood, as war would do. Were many servile hands employed about them? They were not the hands of the Israelites. Were the taxes a burden? How could that be, when Solomon imported bullion in such plenty that silver was, in a manner, as common as the stones? So that they did but render to Solomon the things that were Solomon's. Nay, suppose there was some hardship put upon them, were they not told before that this would be the manner of the king and yet they would have one? The best government cannot secure itself from reproach and censure, no, not Solomon's. Factious spirits will never want something to complain of. I know nothing in Solomon's administration that could make the people's yoke grievous, unless perhaps the women whom in his latter days he doted on were connived at in oppressing them. 2. They demand relief from him, and on this condition will continue in their allegiance to the house of David. They asked not to be wholly free from paying taxes, but to have the burden made lighter; this was all their care, to save their money, whether their religion was supported and the government protected or no. All seek their own.
III. Rehoboam consulted with those about him concerning the answer he should give to this address. It was prudent to take advice, especially having so weak a head of his own; yet, upon this occasion, it was impolitic to take time himself to consider, for thereby he gave time to the disaffected people to ripen things for a revolt, and his deliberating in so plain a case would be improved as an indication of the little concern he had for the people's ease. They saw what they must expect, and prepared accordingly. Now, 1. The grave experienced men of his council advised him by all means to give the petitioners a kind answer, to give them good words, to promise them fair, and this day, this critical day, to serve them, that is, to tell them that he was their servant, and that he would redress all their grievances and make it his business to please them and make them easy. "Deny thyself (say they) so far as to do this for this once, and they will be thy servants for ever. When the present heat is allayed with a soft answer, and the assembly dismissed, their cooler thoughts will reconcile and fix them to Solomon's family still." Note, The way to rule is to serve, to do good, and stoop to do it, to become all things to all men and so win their hearts. Those who are in power really sit highest, and easiest, and safest, when they take this method. 2. The young men of his council were hot and haughty, and they advised him to return a severe and threatening answer to the people's demands. It was an instance of Rehoboam's weakness, (1.) That he did not prefer aged counsellors, but had a better opinion of the young men that had grown up with him and with whom he was familiar, 1Ki 12:8. Days should speak. It was a folly for him to think that, because they had been his agreeable companions in the sports and pleasures of his youth, they were therefore fit to have the management of the affairs of his kingdom. Great wits have not always the most wisdom; nor are those to be relied on as our best friends that know how to make us merry, for that will not make us happy. It is of great consequence to young people, that are setting out in the world, whom they associate with, accommodate themselves to, and depend upon for advice. If they reckon those that feed their pride, gratify their vanity, and further them in their pleasures, their best friends, they are already marked for ruin. (2.) That he did not prefer moderate counsels, but was pleased with those that put him upon harsh and rigorous methods, and advised him to double the taxes, whether there was occasion for so doing or no, and to tell them in plain terms that he would do so, 1Ki 12:10,11. These young counsellors thought the old men expressed themselves but dully, 1Ki 12:7. They affect to be witty in their advice, and value themselves on that. The old men did not undertake to put words into Rehoboam's mouth, only counselled him to speak good words; but the young men will furnish him with very quaint and pretty phrases, with pointed and pert similitudes: My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins, etc. That is not always the best sense that is best worded.
IV. He answered the people according to the counsel of the young men, 1Ki 12:14,15. He affected to be haughty and imperious, and fancied he could carry all before him with a high hand, and therefore would rather run the risk of losing them than deny himself so far as to give them good words. Note, Many ruin themselves by consulting their humour more than their interest. See,
1. How Rehoboam was infatuated in his counsels. He could not have acted more foolishly and impoliticly. (1.) He owned their reflections upon his father's government to be true: My father made your yoke heavy; and therein he was unjust to his father's memory, which he might easily have vindicated from the imputation. (2.) He fancied himself better able to manage them, and impose upon them, than his father was, not considering that he was vastly inferior to him in capacity. Could he think to support the blemishes of his father's reign who could never pretend to come near the glories of it? (3.) He threatened not only to squeeze them by taxes, but to chastise them by cruel laws and severe executions of them, which should be not as whips only, but as scorpions, whips with rowels in them, that will fetch blood at every lash. In short, he would use them as brute beasts, load them and beat them at his pleasure: not caring whether they loved him or no, he would make them fear him. (4.) He gave this provocation to a people that by long ease and prosperity were made wealthy, and strong, and proud, and would not be trampled upon (as a poor cowed dispirited people may), to a people that were now disposed to revolt, and had one ready to head them. Never, surely, was man so blinded by pride and affectation of arbitrary power, than which nothing is more fatal.
2. How God's counsels were hereby fulfilled. It was from the Lord, 1Ki 12:15. He left Rehoboam to his own folly, and hid from his eyes the things which belonged to his peace, that the kingdom might be rent from him. Note, God serves his own wise and righteous purposes by the imprudences and iniquities of men, and snares sinners in the work of their own hands. Those that lose the kingdom of heaven throw it away, as Rehoboam did his, by their own wilfulness and folly.
16-24
Revolt of the Ten Tribes (975 BC)
十支派的背叛（公元前975年）
¹⁶ 以色列众人见王不依从他们，就对王说：「我们在大卫身上有什么分？耶西的儿子身上也没有产业。以色列人哪，各回各家去吧！大卫家啊，自己顾自己吧！」于是以色列人都回自己帐棚去了。
¹⁷ 惟独住犹大城邑的以色列人，罗波安仍作他们的王。
¹⁸ 那时罗波安王差掌管服苦之人的亚多兰去。以色列众人就用石头打死他，他便死了。罗波安王急忙上车逃回耶路撒冷。
¹⁹ 这样，以色列人背叛大卫家，直到今日。
²⁰ 以色列众人听见耶罗波安回来了，就差人去请他到会众面前，立他作全以色列的王。除了犹大支派以外，没有顺从大卫家的。
²¹ 罗波安来到耶路撒冷，招聚犹大全家和便雅悯支派，共十八万人，都是挑选的战士，要与以色列家争战，好将国夺回归给所罗门的儿子罗波安。
²² 但神的话临到神人示玛雅说：
²³ 「你去告诉所罗门的儿子犹大王罗波安，和犹大、便雅悯全家，并其余的百姓，说：
²⁴ 耶和华如此说：『你们不可上去与你们的弟兄以色列人争战。各归各家去吧！因为这事是出于我。』」众人就听从耶和华的话，遵着耶和华的命回去了。
这里我们看到十支派的国从大卫家被撕裂。为成全这事：
一、百姓在背叛上又大胆又坚决。他们深恶罗波安所给的激怒，被他威吓激怒，断定这政权开头既如此傲慢，进展下去必难堪忍受，所以立即同心决议：『我们在大卫身上有什么分？』（王上12:16）。他们在这里论到大卫——他们国家的大恩人——的话很不相宜，称他为『耶西的儿子』，仿佛他与邻舍无别。善良的人和他们为公众所作的善事，何等快被遗忘！他们决议之轻率也大受责备。假以时日，谨慎处理，他们原可与罗波安互满意地修订原约。他们若查问是谁给罗波安这建议，设法把那些恶谋士从他身边除去，这破裂本可避免；除此之外，他们对自由和产业的关切，倒很相宜这一自由之民。『以色列不是仆人，不是家奴；为何要被抢夺呢？』（耶2:14）。他们愿意被治理，却不愿意被骑。保护招来效忠，毁坏却不能。若大卫家背离了他们被高举的目的——作神的用人为民行善——那么『以色列从大卫家叛离』（王上12:19）也就不足为奇了。但这样背叛神所立为王的大卫后裔（神把国赐给他的后裔），又立另一个王与那家族对抗，便是大罪（参代下13:5-8）。神所指的正是这事（何8:4）：『他们立君王，却不是出于我。』这里又提到犹大支派配得称赞，因为他们『顺从大卫家』（王上12:17,20），而且（从所读到的看）他们发觉罗波安比他所说的好，他并未以起初所威吓的严酷治理他们。
二、罗波安在这事的进一步处理上既不智，又越发昏了头。他既愚昧地把自己投在流沙里，挣扎着想出来却越陷越深。1. 他差派『掌管服苦之人的亚多兰』去与他们交涉，极不明智（王上12:18）。贡物正是他们所怨之物，亚多兰正是他们所怨之人。一见此人——他的名在他们中间臭名昭著——他们便被激怒，狂暴起来。他是个他们连安静听他说话都不肯的人，竟在民间的暴动中『用石头打死他』。罗波安在选择大使上，正像在选择谋士上一样不幸。2. 有人以为他放弃立场、急忙回耶路撒冷，也不明智——因为这样他便丢弃了朋友，给了仇敌优势；他们本来虽因恼怒『回自己帐棚去了』（王上12:16），却并未提议立耶罗波安为王，直到罗波安走了之后才作这事（王上12:20）。请看这愚昧的王子何等快地从一个极端转到另一个极端。他以为一切都属自己时，便咆哮大言；见自己有危险时，便卑躬屈膝，甚是可怜。最骄傲的人兴盛时最卑微——这话一点不错。
三、神禁止他试图以刀剑夺回所失之物。所成就的事是出于神，神不容它再被翻转（若罗波安得胜、使十支派归服，便会如此），也不容更多的事加害大卫家（若耶罗波安得胜、征服二支派，便会如此）。事情必须如此存留，所以神禁止这场战争。1. 罗波安设计以武力降服叛者，是勇敢的。他到了耶路撒冷，勇气便来了（王上12:21）。他在那里以为是在坚定的朋友中间——他们慷慨地依附他、为他出面。犹大和便雅悯（『敬畏耶和华又敬畏君王，不与好变的人同伙』）立即招募了一支十八万人的军队，为要恢复王对十支派的权柄，并决意（如我们所说）以性命家产支持他——他们或没有那样埋怨的因由，更不如说没有那样埋怨的性情。2. 罗波安在神藉先知吩咐他放下兵器之时罢手，更是勇敢。他不愿懦弱地失国，否则便不配君王之名；然而他也不愿违背神去争国，否则便不配以色列人之名。进行这场战争，不仅是与所当爱的『弟兄争战』（王上12:24），也是与所当顺服的神争战：『这事是出于我。』这两件考虑当使我们对损失和苦难心平气和——神是其作者，弟兄是其器皿；所以我们不要图谋报复。罗波安和他的百姓『听从耶和华的话』，解散军队，安然顺服。虽然按人看来他们成功的指望甚好（他们的军队既多又坚，耶罗波安的党羽既弱又不稳），虽然失这么多力量却不打一仗，在邻舍眼中成为羞辱，徒有声势却无所成，但是：（1）他们尊重神的命令，虽然这命令是藉一位可怜的先知传达的。我们既知神的心意，便当顺服，无论这与我们自己的心意何等相违。（2）他们顾念自己的利益，断定虽然各样优势，连理直都在他们一边，他们若悖逆神而争战，必不得亨通；宁可安坐，不愿起来仆倒。下一位王在位时，神允许他们争战，又赐他们得胜（代下13:1-22），但此时却不许。
英文原文
Revolt of the Ten Tribes (975 BC)
¹⁶ So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.
¹⁷ But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
¹⁸ Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
¹⁹ So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.
²⁰ And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.
²¹ And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.
²² But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
²³ Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying,
²⁴ Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the LORD, and returned to depart, according to the word of the LORD.
We have here the rending of the kingdom of the ten tribes from the house of David, to effect which,
I. The people were hold and resolute in their revolt. They highly resented the provocation that Rehoboam had given them, were incensed at his menaces, concluded that that government would in the progress of it be intolerably grievous which in the beginning of it was so very haughty, and therefore immediately came to this resolve, one and all: What portion have we in David? 1Ki 12:16. They speak here very unbecomingly of David, that great benefactor of their nation, calling him the son of Jesse, no greater a man than his neighbours. How soon are good men, and their good services to the public, forgotten! The rashness of their resolution was also much to be blamed. In time, and with prudent management, they might have settled the original contract with Rehoboam to mutual satisfaction. Had they enquired who gave Rehoboam this advice, and taken a course to remove those evil counsellors from about him, the rupture might have been prevented: otherwise their jealousy for their liberty and property well became that free people. Israel is not a servant, is not a homeborn slave; why should he be spoiled? Jer 2:14. They are willing to be ruled, but not to be ridden. Protection draws allegiance, but destruction cannot. No marvel that Israel falls away from the house of David (1Ki 12:19) if the house of David fall away from the great ends of their advancement, which was to be ministers of God to them for good. But thus to rebel against the seed of David, whom God had advanced to the kingdom (entailing it on his seed), and to set up another king in opposition to that family, was a great sin; see 2Ch 13:5-8. To this God refers, Ho 8:4. They have set up kings, but not by me. And it is here mentioned to the praise of the tribe of Judah that they followed the house of David (1Ki 12:17,20), and, for aught that appears, they found Rehoboam better than his word, nor did he rule with the rigour which at first he threatened.
II. Rehoboam was imprudent in the further management of this affair, and more and more infatuated. Having foolishly thrown himself into a quick-sand, he sunk the further in with plunging to get out. 1. He was very unadvised in sending Adoram, who was over the tribute, to treat with them, 1Ki 12:18. The tribute was the thing, and, for the sake of that, Adoram was the person, they most complained of. The very sight of him, whose name was odious among them, exasperated them, and made them outrageous. He was one to whom they could not so much as give a patient hearing, but stoned him to death in a popular tumult. Rehoboam was now as unhappy in the choice of his ambassador as before of his counsellors. 2. Some think he was also unadvised in quitting his ground, and making so much haste to Jerusalem, for thereby he deserted his friends and gave advantage to his enemies, who had gone to their tents indeed (1Ki 12:16) in disgust, but did not offer to make Jeroboam king till Rehoboam had gone, 1Ki 12:20. See how soon this foolish prince went from one extreme to the other. He hectored and talked big when he thought all was his own, but sneaked and looked very mean when he saw himself in danger. It is common for those that are most haughty in their prosperity to be most abject in adversity.
III. God forbade his attempt to recover by the sword what he had lost. What was done was of God, who would not suffer that it should be undone again (as it would be if Rehoboam got the better and reduced the ten tribes), nor that more should be done to the prejudice of the house of David, as would be if Jeroboam got the better and conquered the two tribes. The thing must rest as it is, and therefore God forbids the battle. 1. It was brave in Rehoboam to design the reducing of the revolters by force. His courage came to him when he had come to Jerusalem, 1Ki 12:21. There he thought himself among his firm friends, who generously adhered to him and appeared for him. Judah and Benjamin (who feared the Lord and the king, and meddled not with those that were given to change) presently raised an army of 180,000 men, for the recovery of their king's right to the ten tribes, and were resolved to stand by him (as we say) with their lives and fortunes, having either not such cause, or rather not such a disposition, to complain, as the rest had. 2. It as more brave in Rehoboam to desist when God, by a prophet, ordered him to lay down his arms. He would not lose a kingdom tamely, for then he would have been unworthy the title of a prince; and yet he would not contend for it in opposition to God, for then he would have been unworthy the title of an Israelite. To proceed in this war would be not only to fight against their brethren (1Ki 12:24), whom they ought to love, but to fight against their God, to whom they ought to submit: This thing is from me. These two considerations should reconcile us to our losses and troubles, that God is the author of them and our brethren are the instruments of them; let us not therefore meditate revenge. Rehoboam and his people hearkened to the word of the Lord, disbanded the army, and acquiesced. Though, in human probability, they had a fair prospect of success (for their army was numerous and resolute, Jeroboam's party weak and unsettled), though it would turn to their reproach among their neighbours to lose so much of their strength and never have one push for it, to make a flourish and do nothing, yet, (1.) They regarded the command of God though sent by a poor prophet. When we know God's mind we must submit to it, how much soever it crosses our own mind. (2.) They consulted their own interest, concluding that though they had all the advantages, even that of right, on their side, yet they could not prosper if they fought in disobedience to God; and it was better to sit still than to rise up and fall. In the next reign God allowed them to fight, and gave them victory (2Ch 13:1-22), but not now.
25-33
Jeroboam's Idolatry (975 BC)
耶罗波安的拜偶像（主前975年）
²⁵ 耶罗波安在以法莲山地建筑示剑，就住在其中；又从那里出去，建筑毗努伊勒。
²⁶ 耶罗波安心里说：恐怕这国仍归大卫家。
²⁷ 这民若上耶路撒冷去，在耶和华的殿里献祭，他们这民的心必归向他们的主犹大王罗波安，就把我杀了，仍归犹大王罗波安。
²⁸ 王就筹划定妥，铸造了两个金牛犊，对众民说：以色列人哪，你们上耶路撒冷去实在是难。这就是领你们出埃及地的神。
²⁹ 他就把牛犊一只安在伯特利，一只安在但。
³⁰ 这事叫百姓陷在罪里，因为他们往但去拜那牛犊。
³¹ 耶罗波安在邱坛建殿，又将那不是利未人的凡民立为祭司。
³² 耶罗波安定了八月十五日为节期，像在犹大的节期一样，自己上坛献祭。他在伯特利也这样向他所铸的牛犊献祭，又将他所立那邱坛的祭司安置在伯特利。
³³ 他在八月十五日，就是他心中所定要为以色列人作节期的日子，在伯特利他所筑的坛上献祭、烧香。
此处我们看到耶罗波安作王的起头。他先建造示剑，再建造毗努伊勒——加以修饰和巩固，也许两处都为自己建有宫殿（王上12:25），前者在以法莲，后者在约但河另一边的迦得地。这原无可厚非；但他为稳固自己的国，却另立了一项计谋，对他国中的宗教利益却是致命的。
I. 他的用意是要借着某种有效的手段，把如今选他作王的那些人牢系在自己身边，阻止他们回归大卫家（王上12:26、27）。看来：1. 他猜忌百姓，担心他们或早或晚要杀他、归回罗波安。许多在一场动乱中被抬举的人，都在另一场动乱中被推翻。耶罗波安无法信赖百姓的感情，虽然他们如今似乎极其爱戴他；因为以不正当和篡夺得来的东西，不能安稳地享受、也不能安稳地保有。2. 他不相信神的应许，不能以神的话为足——神应许说，只要他守紧本分，「神必为他建立坚固的家」（王上11:38）；他却要自己设法，甚至设恶法以求自保。对神的全能缺乏实际的信靠，正是我们一切背道叛离的根源。
II. 他所采取的办法，就是阻止百姓上耶路撒冷去敬拜。那原是神所选择立他名的地方。所罗门的圣殿就在那里，神曾在全以色列眼前、在如今仍活着之许多人的记忆中，以云彩的荣耀庄严肃穆地把它分别为圣。在那里有主耶和华的祭司伺候，在那里全以色列都要守节，在那里他们要献上祭物。如今——
-
耶罗波安担心，百姓若继续这样行，迟早要归回大卫家，被宫廷和圣殿的宏伟所吸引。他们若持守旧日的信仰，便要回归旧日的君王。我们可以设想，他若与罗波安商议自己和百姓在所定节期往返耶路撒冷的安全通行，必不致被拒绝；因此他所怕的，不是他们被武力驱回，而是他们甘心归回罗波安。
-
他因此劝阻他们不要上耶路撒冷去，借口是为他们求便利：「你们上耶路撒冷去实在是难」（王上12:28）。「这是沉重的轭，该是摆脱它的时候了」；「你们上耶路撒冷去的日子已经够久了」（有人如此翻译）；「这殿你们如今既已看惯，就不像起初那样显得宏伟神圣了」（感官上的荣耀在人的评价中逐渐褪色）；「你们既已脱离别的重担，也当脱离这一项：我们为何如今还要被束缚于一个地方，过于撒母耳的时代呢？」
-
他在国内为他们安排敬拜的方便。他与一些谋士商议之后，决定设立两只金牛犊，作为神同在的记号或表征，并要说服百姓：他们留在本地向这些牛犊献祭，与上耶路撒冷在约柜前敬拜并无二致；有人出于善意，认为这些牛犊是为要代表施恩座和约柜上的基路伯；但更可能的是，他采用了埃及人的拜偶像之法——他曾在那地寄居一时，他们就在公牛或牛犊的形像之下敬拜他们的神亚毕斯。（一）他不愿如所罗门那样，花费建造一座金殿的代价；两只金牛犊已是他所能负担的极限。（二）他无疑想借这些牛犊来代表——或者更确切地说，使临在的——并非任何假神（如摩洛或基抹），而只是真神，以色列的神，那领他们出埃及地的神，正如他所宣告的（王上12:28）。所以这并非违背第一诫，而是违背第二诫。他选择这样吸引百姓的敬拜，是因为他知道他们中间有许多人如此喜爱形像，以致为了这些牛犊的缘故，他们甘愿离弃神的殿——而那里原是禁止一切形像的。（三）他设立了两只，是要逐步打消百姓对神格合一的信仰，为外邦的多神主义铺路。他把这两只分别设在但和伯特利——前者在他国土最北的边界，后者在南边——仿佛它们就是国度的护卫者和保护者。伯特利紧邻犹大。他在那里设一只，是要引诱罗波安臣民中倾向敬拜形像的人归向他，以填补那些仍要上耶路撒冷去的自己百姓的空缺。他把另一只设在但，是为了偏远地区之人的方便，也因为米迦的神像早先设在那里，许多世代的群众向其致以极大的崇敬（士18:30、31）。「伯特利」意即「神的家」，这倒给迷信提供了一点借口；但先知称它为「伯亚文」，即「虚妄之家」，或「罪孽之家」。
-
百姓依从他，且对这新奇之事十分热衷：「他们往但去拜那牛犊」（王上12:30）——他们先往但的那只去，因为它是先设立的；或说「甚至但的那只」，虽然但离他们如此之远。那些以为按神的定规上耶路撒冷去敬拜神太麻烦的人，竟毫不为难地走加倍的远路到但去，按自己的发明敬拜他。也有人说，他们被称为往但的一只牛犊去，是因为犹大王亚比雅在二十年内收复了伯特利（代下13:19），很可能移走了金犊，或禁止使用它，于是他们便只有但的那只可去了。「这事成了罪」——而且是违背第二诫明文的大罪。神有时对「只在一处敬拜」的律法予以通融，却从未容许以形像敬拜他。借此，他们为他们的列祖在西奈造牛犊之事作了辩白，虽然神已清楚表明对此的不悦，并警告要在追讨的日子追讨（出32:34）——所以他们此举既藐视神的律法，也藐视神的怒气；这样他们便罪上加罪。帕特里克主教曾引用犹太人的一句俗语：在耶罗波安以前，以色列人只吮一只牛犊；从那时起，他们吮两只。
-
他既立了神明，又为他们安排了相应的设施。圣经在此告诉我们他何处偏离了神的定规，这暗示他在别的事上尽量效法犹大所行的（王上12:32）。请看一项错误如何繁衍成多项。（一）他建造了「邱坛之殿」，或说「祭坛之殿」——我们可以设想，在但有一座殿，在伯特利又有一座（王上12:31），每座里又有许多祭坛——他大概以耶路撒冷圣殿只有一座祭坛为不便。增设祭坛在有些人眼中是敬虔的表现，但神借先知对此另有解释（何8:11）：「以法莲增添祭坛取罪。」（二）他将「凡民中立的人」立为祭司——而这些人作他牛犊的祭司已绰绰有余，甚至过于所值。他从「百姓极偏远之处」立人为祭司，即从全国每一角落选人，吩咐他们住在邻舍中间，将他所定的教导他们，使他们顺从。他们像利未人那样分散，却「不是利未的子孙」。至于「邱坛的祭司」，他吩咐他们住在伯特利，正如耶路撒冷的祭司一般（王上12:32），以伺候公众的礼拜。（三）神原定七月十五日为住棚节，他却把它改到八月十五日（王上12:32），「就是他心中所定的月分」，要在教会事务上显示自己的权柄（王上12:33）。逾越节和五旬节，他或在所定的节期遵守，或完全不守，或相比此节所守的礼节远为简陋。（四）他既擅权立祭司，自然也要亲手作祭司的工：「他在坛上献祭。」此事被提及两次（王上12:32、33），还有他「烧香」之事。在他身上这事被默许，因为这与他所行一切的不规矩是一贯的；但在乌西雅王身上，这事随即以大麻风的灾殃被刑罚。他亲自献祭，为要在百姓眼中自显为大，得着敬虔人的名声，也为使他新节的典礼更显隆重——此时他很可能还配合了祭坛奉献之节。这样，[一] 耶罗波安自己陷在罪中，但他也许对世人、对自己的良心如此自辩：他不像所罗门那样敬拜别神。[二] 他「使以色列人陷在罪里」，使他们转离对神的敬拜，又把拜偶像的咒诅遗留给后代。借此，他们因离弃「大卫家」的王位而受罚。博学的惠斯顿先生在他的年代学中，为调匀犹大和以色列两国的史录，推测耶罗波安更改了年代的算法，使一年只含十一个月；而以色列列王的在位年数便是按这些年计算的，直到耶户革命为止，此后便不再如此；因此在这段期间，犹大的十一年便对应以色列的十二年。
英文原文
Jeroboam's Idolatry (975 BC)
²⁵ Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel.
²⁶ And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:
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.
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 Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
²⁹ And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan.
³⁰ And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.
³¹ And he made a house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.
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 Beth-el the priests of the high places which he had made.
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.
We have here the beginning of the reign of Jeroboam. He built Shechem first and then Penuel—beautified and fortified them, and probably had a palace in each of them for himself (1Ki 12:25), the former in Ephraim, the latter in Gad, on the other side Jordan. This might be proper; but he formed another project for the establishing of his kingdom which was fatal to the interests of religion in it.
I. That which he designed was by some effectual means to secure those to himself who had now chosen him for their king, and to prevent their return to the house of David, 1Ki 12:26,27. It seems, 1. He was jealous of the people, afraid that, some time or other, they would kill him and go again to Rehoboam. Many that have been advanced in one tumult have been hurled down in another. Jeroboam could not put any confidence in the affections of his people, though now they seemed extremely fond of him; for what is got by wrong and usurpation cannot be enjoyed nor kept with any security or satisfaction. 2. He was distrustful of the promise of God, could not take his word that, if he would keep close to his duty, God would build him a sure house (1Ki 11:38); but he would contrive ways and means, and sinful ones too, for his own safety. A practical disbelief of God's all-sufficiency is at the bottom of all our treacherous departures from him.
II. The way he took to do this was by keeping the people from going up to Jerusalem to worship. That was the place God had chosen, to put his name there. Solomon's temple was there, which God had, in the sight of all Israel, and in the memory of many now living, taken solemn possession of in a cloud of glory. At the altar there the priest of the Lord attended, there all Israel were to keep the feasts, and thither they were to bring their sacrifices. Now,
1. Jeroboam apprehended that, if the people continued to do this, they would in time return to the house of David, allured by the magnificence both of the court and of the temple. If they cleave to their old religion, they will go back to their old king. We may suppose, if he had treated with Rehoboam for the safe conduct of himself and his people to and from Jerusalem at the times appointed for their solemn feasts, it would not have been denied him; therefore he fears not their being driven back by force, but their going back voluntarily to Rehoboam.
2. He therefore dissuaded them from going up to Jerusalem, pretending to consult their ease: "It is too much for you to go so far to worship God, 1Ki 12:28. It is a heavy yoke, and it is time to shake it off; you have gone long enough to Jerusalem" (so some read it); "the temple, now that you are used to it, does not appear so glorious and sacred as it did at first" (sensible glories wither by degrees in men's estimation); "you have freed yourselves from other burdens, free yourselves from this: why should we now be tied to one place any more than in Samuel's time?"
3. He provided for the assistance of their devotion at home. Upon consultation with some of his politicians, he came to this resolve, to set up two golden calves, as tokens or signs of the divine presence, and persuade the people that they might as well stay at home and offer sacrifice to those as go to Jerusalem to worship before the ark: and some are so charitable as to think they were made to represent the mercy-seat and the cherubim over the ark; but more probably he adopted the idolatry of the Egyptians, in whose land he had sojourned for some time and who worshipped their god Apis under the similitude of a bull or calf. (1.) He would not be at the charge of building a golden temple, as Solomon had done; two golden calves are the most that he can afford. (2.) He intended, no doubt, by these to represent, or rather make present, not any false god, as Moloch or Chemosh, but the true God only, the God of Israel, the God that brought them up out of the land of Egypt, as he declares, 1Ki 12:28. So that it was no violation of the first commandment, but the second. And he chose thus to engage the people's devotion because he knew there were many among them so in love with images that for the sake of the calves they would willingly quit God's temple, where all images were forbidden. (3.) He set up two, by degrees to break people off from the belief of the unity of the godhead, which would pave the way to the polytheism of the Pagans. He set up these two at Dan and Beth-el (one the utmost border of his country northward), the other southward, as if they were the guardians and protectors of the kingdom. Beth-el lay close to Judah. He set up one there, to tempt those of Rehoboam's subjects over to him who were inclined to image-worship, in lieu of those of his subjects that would continue to go to Jerusalem. He set up the other at Dan, for the convenience of those that lay most remote, and because Micah's images had been set up there, and great veneration paid to them for many ages, Jdg 18:30,31. Beth-el signifies the house of God, which gave some colour to the superstition; but the prophet called it Beth-aven, the house of vanity, or iniquity.
4. The people complied with him herein, and were fond enough of the novelty: They went to worship before the one, even unto Dan (1Ki 12:30), to that at Dan first because it was first set up, or even to that at Dan, though it lay such a great way off. Those that thought it much to go to Jerusalem, to worship God according to his institution, made no difficulty of going twice as far, to Dan, to worship him according to their own inventions. Or they are said to go to one of the calves at Dan because Abijah, king of Judah, within twenty years, recovered Beth-el (2Ch 13:19), and it is likely removed the golden calf, or forbade the use of it, and then they had only that at Dan to go to. This became a sin; and a great sin it was, against the express letter of the second commandment. God had sometimes dispensed with the law concerning worshipping in one place, but never allowed the worship of him by images. Hereby they justified their fathers in making the calf at Horeb, though God had so fully shown his displeasure against them for it and threatened to visit for it in the day of visitation (Ex 32:34), so that it was as great a contempt of God's wrath as it was of his law; and thus they added sin to sin. Bishop Patrick quotes a saying of the Jews, That till Jeroboam's time the Israelites sucked but one calf, but from that time they sucked two.
5. Having set up the gods, he fitted up accommodations for them; and wherein he varied from the divine appointment we are here told, which intimates that in other things he imitated what was done in Judah (1Ki 12:32) as well as he could. See how one error multiplied into many. (1.) He made a house of high-places, or of altars, one temple at Dan, we may suppose, and another at Beth-el (1Ki 12:31), and in each many altars, probably complaining of it as an inconvenience that in the temple at Jerusalem there was but one. The multiplying of altars passed with some for a piece of devotion, but God, by the prophet, puts another construction upon it, Ho 8:11. Ephraim has made many altars to sin. (2.) He made priests of the lowest of the people; and the lowest of the people were good enough to be priests to his calves, and too good. He made priests from the extremest parts of the people, that is, some out of every corner of the country, whom he ordered to reside among their neighbours, to instruct them in his appointments and reconcile them to them. Thus were they dispersed as the Levites, but were not of the sons of Levi. But the priests of the high-laces, or altars, he ordered to reside in Beth-el, as the priests at Jerusalem (1Ki 12:32), to attend the public service. (3.) The feast of tabernacles, which God had appointed on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, he adjourned to the fifteenth day of the eighth month (1Ki 12:32), the month which he devised of his own heart, to show his power in ecclesiastical matters, 1Ki 12:33. The passover and pentecost he observed in their proper season, or did not observe them at all, or with little solemnity in comparison with this. (4.) He himself assuming a power to make priests, no marvel if he undertook to do the priests' work with his own hands: He offered upon the altar. This is twice mentioned (1Ki 12:32,33), as also that he burnt incense. This was connived at in him because it was of a piece with the rest of his irregularities; but in king Uzziah it was immediately punished with the plague of leprosy. He did it himself, to make himself look great among the people and to get the reputation of a devout man, also to grace the solemnity of his new festival, with which, it is likely, at this time he joined the feast of the dedication of his altar. And thus, [1.] Jeroboam sinned himself, yet perhaps excused himself to the world and his own conscience with this, that he did not do so ill as Solomon did, who worshipped other gods. [2.] He made Israel to sin, drew them off from the worship of God and entailed idolatry upon their seed. And hereby they were punished for deserting the thrones of the house of David. The learned Mr. Whiston, in his chronology, for the adjusting of the annals of the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel, supposes that Jeroboam changed the calculation of the year and made it to contain but eleven months, and that by those years the reigns of the kings of Israel are measured till Jehu's revolution and no longer, so that during this interval eleven years of the annals of Judah answer to twelve in those of Israel.
以色列国的荣耀在所罗门时达到鼎盛巅峰；这荣耀来之不易，却很快衰退，在下一朝便开始下沉枯萎——正如本章所载：王国分裂，由此削弱，与从前相比大为式微。本章记载如下：I. 罗波安登基，耶罗波安从埃及归来，王上12:1-2。II. 百姓向罗波安请求减轻苦役，他却听从少年谋士的计议，对此请求予以粗暴的答复，王上12:3-15。III. 十支派因此叛离，拥立耶罗波安为王，王上12:16-20。IV. 罗波安试图以武力镇压，神却禁止此举，王上12:21-24。V. 耶罗波安以偶像崇拜为其政权根基，王上12:25-33。如此，犹大因被弟兄离弃而衰弱，以色列则因离弃耶和华的殿而败亡。