Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Chronicles 11:14

Charles Ellicott Commentary

2 Chronicles 11:14

1819–1905
Anglican
Charles Ellicott
Charles Ellicott

Charles Ellicott Commentary

2 Chronicles 11:14

1819–1905
Anglican
SCRIPTURE

"For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the priest`s office unto Jehovah;" — 2 Chronicles 11:14 (ASV)

Their suburbs.Pasture-grounds (Numbers 35:1–8).

And their possession —that is, the cities assigned to them among the ten tribes.

Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest’s office to the Lord. —See 1 Kings 12:26–31. There we are told that, as a matter of policy, Jeroboam established two centres of worship within his own dominions, so that his subjects might cease to visit the Temple of Jerusalem. In appointing priests chosen indiscriminately from all classes of the people to minister in the new sanctuaries, Jeroboam struck a direct blow at the Levitical order, and “thrust them out from acting as priests to Jehovah,” as our verse declares.

And his sons. —Usually explained to mean his successors on the throne (Compare 1 Chronicles 3:16). “For in this matter all the kings of Israel walked in the footsteps of Jeroboam.” (Keil). Of Jeroboam’s own sons Nadab was the only one who reigned (1 Kings 15:25 and following); and the narrative of Kings (1 Kings 14:15) mentions only one other son of this king. It does not, however, exclude the possibility of there having been more than these two, and if there were, they may have co-operated with their father in his religious policy.