nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house; for this thing is of me. So they hearkened unto the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam. 5And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah. 6He built even Beth-lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa, 7and Beth-zur, and Soco, and Adullam, 8and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, 9and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah, 10and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron,
= the covenant-people. In Kings, on the contrary, Israel generally means the Northern Kingdom.
5—23. The Prosperity of Rehoboam.
These verses have no corresponding section in 1 Kin. On the other hand, the Chronicler omits three important sections of 1 Kin., viz. xii. 25—33 (the setting up of the golden calves), xiii. 1—32 (the episode of the prophet who cried against the altar in Beth-el) and xiv. 1—18 (the death of the son of Jeroboam).
5. built cities for defence] This does not mean that all these cities were then built for the first time; certainly Beth-lehem, Tekoa, and Hebron were ancient places. Rebuilding, strengthening, and fortifying are included in the meaning of the Hebrew verb bānāh = build. The cities mentioned were situated some in the hill country of Judah, some in the Shephelah. It is probable that they were strengthened as a measure of defence against Egypt. Less likely is the suggestion that they were fortified chiefly to prevent or suppress insurrection against Rehoboam in Judah. See also Introd. § 7, p. xlviii.
6. Etam] Probably represented by some ruins a little to the S. W. of Beth-lehem, by which is a spring called Ain 'Atān. Cp. 1 Chr. iv. 3. Bädeker, Pal.5, p. 109.
7. Beth-zur] Represented by the ruin Burj Ṣūr to the north of Hebron. Cp. Josh. xv. 58. Bädeker, Pal.5, p. 112.
Soco] The cities hitherto mentioned were situated in the hill country, but the position of the Soco here mentioned and Adullam is uncertain. Two places bore the name Soco or Socoh, one situated in the Shephelah (Josh. xv. 35; 1 Sam. xvii. 1, R.V.), and one in the hill country ("the mountains," Josh. xv. 48)—see note 1 Chr. iv. 18. For Adullam cp. Josh. xv. 35; 1 Chr. xi. 15 (note on the cave of Adullam).
8. Gath] Cp. 1 Chr. xviii. 1.
Mareshah] In the Shephelah south of the modern Beit Jibrin. Cp. xiv. 9, xx. 37.
Ziph] Probably Tell Zif south of Hebron.
9. Adoraim] The modern Dora west of Hebron.
Azekah] In the Shephelah, mentioned along with Socoh in Josh. xv. 35.
10. Zorah] Josh. xv. 33 (R.V.). It was situated in the Shephelah.
