Matthew Henry on 2 Chronicles 11:13–end
See here,
I. How Rehoboam was strengthened by the accession of the priests and Levites, and all the devout and pious Israelites, to him, even all that were true to their God and their religion.
1. Jeroboam cast them off, that is, he set up such a way of worship as he knew they could not in conscience comply with, which obliged them to withdraw from his altar, and at the same time he would not allow them to go up to Jerusalem to worship at the altar there; so that he totally cast them off from executing the priest's office, Ch2 11:14. And very willing he was that they should turn themselves out of their places, that room might be made for those mean and scandalous persons whom he ordained pri…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Chronicles 11:13
the priests and the Levites . . . resorted to him out of all their coasts--This was an accession of moral power, for the maintenance of the true religion is the best support and safeguard of any nation; and as it was peculiarly the grand source of the strength and prosperity of the Hebrew monarchy, the great numbers of good and pious people who sought an asylum within the territories of Judah contributed greatly to consolidate the throne of Rehoboam. The cause of so extensive an emigration from the kingdom of Israel was the deep and daring policy of Jeroboam, who set himself to break the national unity by entirely abolishing, within his dominions, the religious institutions of Judaism. He dr…
Read the whole note in the consoleAdam Clarke on 2 Chronicles 11:11
Store of victual - In these places he laid up stores of provisions, not only to enable them to endure a siege; but also that they might be able, from their situation, to supply desolate places.
John Gill on 2 Chronicles 11:13
And the priests and the Levites, that were in all Israel,.... In the ten tribes, in the cities assigned to them therein:
resorted to him out of all their coasts; as to their rightful sovereign, and chiefly for the sake of the service of the sanctuary at Jerusalem.
