旧约 - 历代记下(2 Chronicles)第11章

When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mustered the house of Judah and Benjamin--a hundred and eighty thousand fighting men--to make war against Israel and to regain the kingdom for Rehoboam.
But this word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God:
"Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and to all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin,
'This is what the LORD says: Do not go up to fight against your brothers. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.'" So they obeyed the words of the LORD and turned back from marching against Jeroboam.
Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built up towns for defense in Judah:
Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
Beth Zur, Soco, Adullam,
Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,
Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron. These were fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.
He strengthened their defenses and put commanders in them, with supplies of food, olive oil and wine.
He put shields and spears in all the cities, and made them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin were his.
The priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel sided with him.
The Levites even abandoned their pasturelands and property, and came to Judah and Jerusalem because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the LORD.
And he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat and calf idols he had made.
Those from every tribe of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the LORD, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to the LORD, the God of their fathers.
They strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon three years, walking in the ways of David and Solomon during this time.
Rehoboam married Mahalath, who was the daughter of David's son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Jesse's son Eliab.
She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham.
Then he married Maacah daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza and Shelomith.
Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than any of his other wives and concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah to be the chief prince among his brothers, in order to make him king.
He acted wisely, dispersing some of his sons throughout the districts of Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions and took many wives for them.
历代志下第十一章   第 11 章 

  代下 11:1> 迷信权力的人,以为力量可以解决一切问题,却不知真正的力量是来自爱…… 

  11:1 罗波安的愚昧使国家分裂,他还想用武力将国家统一。但是,真正的统一和合一,绝不能靠武力,必须出于人民甘心乐意的臣服。如果你想你的雇员、儿女或别人对你效忠,你就要以爱心对待他们,千万不要强迫人顺从。 

  代下 11:4> 神为何会容许以色列国一分为二?面对人与人之间的裂痕,我应用什么态度去面对? 

  11:4 神为什么容许耶罗波安的叛变?因为以色列人偏离祂,神以此施行处罚(参王上 11:11 ),也可能是想挽救罗波安的王国,免得它完全倾覆。神藉此保持大卫谱系相传,好使祂的计划得以延续,使弥赛亚仍从大卫的后裔而出(参撒下 7:16 )。我们在看到分裂,尤其是教会中有了分裂的时候,真不知道神要我们怎样做。神固然希望合一,但我们在尽力使双方和好时,要明白只有神透察未来,祂有时会容忍分裂,好达成祂更伟大的目的。 

  代下 11:13-14> 谁有权设立祭司?耶罗波安有没有这个权力? 

  11:13-14 国家分裂以前,以色列人集中在耶路撒冷敬拜神,百姓一年三次,聚在那里守三个大节期,其他的日子由散居全国各地的祭司和利未人,在各支派的地域内为他们主持敬拜和礼仪。祭司和利未人管献祭,教导神的律法,鼓励百姓继续信靠神,防避异教的影响。 

  国度分裂以后,以色列的新王耶罗波安认为这些祭司和利未人是新政权的威胁,因为他们仍然保持对耶路撒冷的忠诚。于是他就设立自己的祭司,禁止利未人供职,逼得他们迁往南国。他所立的异教祭司鼓励百姓拜偶像,这个新国家既然没有属灵的领袖,就陷入弃绝神的危机中。 

  代下 11:16> 神才是人惟一所必须跟随的,我所跟随的,会否偏离了这条惟一的路? 

  11:16 这些祭司和利未人顺从神,不顺从耶罗波安,他们以行动保持南国的完整,巩固了他们属灵的力量。后来北国大多数百姓皆随从君王邪恶的安排,希望妥协得利。我们千万不要效法他们把神的教训当耳边风,只求属世的利益。──《灵修版圣经注释》