2 Crônicas 11

2 Crônicas 11

Poole - “They would not suffer them to instruct and assist the Israelites in the worship and service of God, nor to go up to Jerusalem to worship in their courses; and these priests would not join with them in the worship of calves, as they were desired and commanded to do; and therefore they willingly forsook all their patrimonies and possessions for God’s sake.” John Whitcomb - Just as the forced exile of hundreds of thousands of godly French Huguenots brought incalculable blessing to surrounding nations in the seventeenth century A.D., so this influx of spiritually-minded Israelites ‘strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years’ (II Chron. 11:17) and modified God’s otherwise negative evaluation of his entire reign: ‘in Judah there were good things found’ (II Chron. 12:12).” (BORROW the excellent work - Israel : from conquest to exile : a commentary on Joshua-2 Kings) 2 Chronicles 11:15 He set up priests of his own for the high places, for the satyrs and for the calves which he had made. for the satyrs: Lev 17:7. De 32:17 1Co 10:20-21 1Ti 4:1 Rev 16:14 for the calves: Ex 32:4-8,31 1Ki 12:28 14:9 Ps 106:19,20 Ho 8:5,6 13:2 Related Passages: Leviticus 17:7+ (ONLY OTHER OT USE OF "SA'YIR") “They shall no longer sacrifice their sacrifices to the goat demons (Heb - sa'yir = only here and 2Ch 11:15) with which they play the harlot. This shall be a permanent statute to them throughout their generations.”’ Deuteronomy 32:17+ “They sacrificed to demons who were not God, To gods whom they have not known, New gods who came lately, Whom your fathers did not dread. 1 Corinthians 10:20-21+ No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 1 Kings 12:31+ And he made houses on high places, and made priests from among all the people who were not of the sons of Levi. JEROBOAM ESTABLISHES GOAT DEMON WORSHIP! He set up priests of his own for the high places (bamah), for the satyrs (sa'yir; Lxx - eidolon - idols + mataios = empty, worthless)(KJV - devils; goat idols - NET; goat-demons - HCSB, NRSV) and for the calves which he had made - After 3 years of walking in the way of David and Solomon, Jeroboam jumps into gross idol worship! Amazing! THOUGHT- Beloved, watch out for idols as they are subtle and seductive! The apostle John commanded "Little children, guard (phulasso - aorist imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) yourselves from idols." (1 John 5:21+) McConville - After three years of stability, Rehoboam led Judah into apostasy. There are conscious parallels with Saul. The ‘unfaithfulness’ of 2Ch 11:2 is the same term as that which was applied to Israel’s first king (1 Chr. 10:13). Rehoboam, therefore, has entered upon what might be termed a ‘Saul’ period in his reign, which contrasts with the early phase, in which he ‘walked … in the way of David and Solomon’ [2Ch 11:17]. (BORROW I & II Chronicles) The Believer's Study Bible - Jeroboam appointed his own priestly order to carry out the religious services of idolatry (cf. 1 Kin. 12:31-33) devoted to the "demons" (lit. "hairy ones," possibly identified as "satyrs" in ancient mythology -- cf. Isa. 13:21; 34:14 in KJV) and "calf idols" which he set up at Bethel and Dan (1 Kin. 12:26-30; cf. Deut. 9:7-21; Jdg. 18:1-31; 1 Kin. 12:28-30; 2 Kin. 10:28-31; Ps. 106:19-23; Hos. 8:4-6; 10:5-8; 13:2). This activity was against the directive of God from earliest times (cf. Ex. 34:16, 17). The calves were doubtless related in form to Aaron's calf and to Apis the sacred bull of Egypt. H. L. Ellison: Satyrs are the demons or jinn believed to inhabit desert and waste places; they were looked on as hairy, or of animal shape; hence RV “he-goats” (cf. Lv. 17:7). The return to nature worship meant a return to old superstitions. Frederick Mabie: In the northern kingdom, the division of the kingdom necessitated the development of political centers for the north (Shechem and Penuel) and alternative religious centers. Jeroboam’s concern for the fidelity of his new subjects leads to his establishment of the infamous golden calf shrines in the northern region of the northern kingdom (the city of Dan) and at the southern region of the northern kingdom (the city of Bethel) . . . Jeroboam’s choice of calf (bull) idols reflects the fact that bovines were commonly associated with divinity across the ancient Near East, given the bull’s association with strength, power, and fertility. Thus Jeroboam’s calves (like those of Aaron in Ex 32) may reflect syncretism with prevailing notions of expressing deity (namely, via bovines) in neighboring cultures. In any case, Jeroboam’s idols may be primarily a violation of the second commandment (attempting to make an image of God). (See 1 and 2 Chronicles) J.A. Thompson: There were several indications of the apostasy of Jeroboam. He appointed his own priests for the high places, which were not acceptable to official Yahweh worshipers. At these places there were goat and calf idols in violation of Lev 17:7. These “goats,” or “hairy ones,” were demons or satyrs, idols of some kind. The calf idols are reminiscent of the golden calf of the exodus period (Exod 32:1–10; Deut 9:11; cf. Hos 8:5–6). (See 1, 2 Chronicles: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition) Andrew Hill: The goat idols are probably demons or satyrs in the form of male goats; such worship was expressly forbidden in the law of Moses (Lev. 17:7; cf. Deut. 32:16– 17). (See 1 and 2 Chronicles - Page 4) Matthew