Matthew Henry on 2 Chronicles 11:1-12
How the ten tribes deserted the house of David we read in the foregoing chapter. They had formerly sat loose to that family (Sa2 20:1, Sa2 20:2), and now they quite threw it off, not considering how much it would weaken the common interest and take Israel down from that pitch of glory at which it had arrived in the last reign. But thus the kingdom must be corrected as well as the house of David. 1. Rehoboam at length, like a bold man, raises an army, with a design to reduce the revolters, Ch2 11:1. Judah and Benjamin were not only resolved to continue their allegiance to him, but ready to give him the best assistance they could for the recovery of his right. Judah was his own tribe, that own…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Chronicles 11:5
built cities for defence in Judah--This is evidently used as the name of the southern kingdom. Rehoboam, having now a bitter enemy in Israel, deemed it prudent to lose no time in fortifying several cities that lay along the frontier of his kingdom. Jeroboam, on his side, took a similar precaution (Kg1 12:25). Of the fifteen cities named, Aijalon, now Yalo, and Zorah, now Surah, between Jerusalem and Jabneh [ROBINSON], lay within the province of Benjamin. Gath, though a Philistine city, had been subject to Solomon. And Etham, which was on the border of Simeon, now incorporated with the kingdom of Israel, was fortified to repel danger from that quarter. These fortresses Rehoboam placed under a…
Read the whole note in the consoleAdam Clarke on 2 Chronicles 11:5
And built cities for defense in Judah - He was obliged to strengthen his frontiers against the encroachments of the men of Israel; and Jeroboam did the same thing on his part to prevent the inroads of Judah. See Kg1 12:25.
John Gill on 2 Chronicles 11:6
He built even Bethlehem,.... The place of our Lord's birth, about six miles from Jerusalem:
and Etam; another city in the tribe of Judah; see 1 Chronicles 4:32, there was a rock of this name, Judges 15:8 and a fountain from whence waters were conveyed into the pool at Jerusalem, spoken of in Jewish writings (b):
and Tekoah; of which place Amos the prophet was, and which was about twelve miles from Jerusalem. Rauwolff (c) speaks of it as a fortified place now; he says it has a strong and mighty castle, built on a great and high hill.
(b) Cippi Heb. p. 10. (c) Travels, par. 3. c. 22. p. 321. Ed. Ray.
