Page:The Books of Chronicles (1916).djvu/273

Rh shalt thou say unto the people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger is thicker than my father's loins. And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come to me again the third day. And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men, and spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. So the king hearkened not unto the people; for it was brought about of God, that the might establish his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. And when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse:

11. with whips] A whip or flail was among the insignia of an Egyptian (and perhaps also of an Israelite) king. Cp. Erman, Ancient Egypt, Eng. Tr. p. 60 (where an illustration is given) and p. 63.

with scorpions] The expression may be proverbial and metaphorical, but some authorities (e.g. Pesh.) take "scorpion" to be the name of a particular kind of scourge, the lash of which was provided with thorns or hooks.

13. answered them roughly] It was difficult for the son of so powerful a king as Solomon to realise that there was any necessity for a soft answer. Solomon had put down Israelite discontent by driving Jeroboam into exile in Egypt, and David had put down somewhat easily the movement under Sheba son of Bichri (2 Sam. xx. 1—22). Could the good fortune of the house of David fail at this third crisis?

15. Ahijah] Cp. 1 Kin. xi. 29—39. The incident referred to is not narrated in Chron., being assumed to be known.

16—19 (= 1 Kin. xii. 16—19).&emsp;

16. What portion have we in David the son of Jesse] The same protest was voiced by Sheba in his brief rebellion against David (1 Sam. xx. 1). Contrast the language of the ten tribes after the collapse of Absalom's rebellion: We have ten parts in the king (2 Sam. xix. 43).