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 again to  Roboam,  and  the  kingdom  of  Israel  would  surely  return to the  house  of  David.

To avoid  this  danger  he  made  two  golden  calves,  which  he placed  at  the  two  extremities  of  his  kingdom,  one  at  Dan and the other  at  Bethel,  and  told  the  people  that  they  should  not  go up  to  Jerusalem  to  worship,  for  that  these  were  the  gods  which had brought  them  out  of  Egypt. In this  way  he  led  the  people into idolatry,  for  they  repaired  to  the  places  pointed  out  to  them by their  king,  and  worshipped  the  golden  calves.

On the  other  hand  Roboam,  king  of  Juda,  who  had  seen with grief  the  defection  of  the  ten  tribes,  was  all  his  life  making war on  Jeroboam. This state  of  continued  warfare  was  kept  up by  their  successors  on  both  sides,  and  more  than  once  the  aid of foreign  nations  was  called  in  by  one  or  the  other. In this way did  these  wicked  kings  cause  much  sin  and  misery  among their people.

Even the  kings  of  Juda  soon  fell  into  idolatry,  and  the  people, following their  example,  forgot  the  worship  of  the  true  God  and gave themselves  up  to  all  manner  of  wickedness. Thus it  went on till  destruction  overtook  both  kingdoms.

The Faithfulness  of  God.  See  how  the  punishment  threatened in chapter  LX  was  now  brought  to  pass. Roboam’s arrogance  led to the  accomplishment  of  God’s  designs,  by  alienating  the  ten  tribes. It was  not  that  God  willed  the  sin,  but  that  He  permitted  it,  in  order that Solomon's  faithlessness  should  be  punished  as  He  had  said.

Arrogance and  flattery.  Roboam’s  conduct  towards  his  subjects was very  unwise;  for  it  was  his  harsh  answer  to  their  appeal  which drove them  into  rebellion. How could  Roboam,  the  son  of  the  wise Solomon, commit  such  a folly? He spoke  and  acted  thus  foolishly,