God’s Word for You
2 Chronicles 11:5-12 Forts
by Pastor Timothy Smith on Monday, November 11, 2024
5 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built up towns for defense in Judah. 6 He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, 7 Beth Zur, Soco, Adullam, 8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, 9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 10 Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron. These were fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin. 11 He built up their fortifications and placed commanders in them, with supplies of food, olive oil and wine. 12 He stored shields and spears in every city, and made them very strong. Judah and Benjamin were his.
All of the fortresses in verses 6-10 are west or south of Jerusalem. Rehoboam did not build up any of the defenses on the new frontier with Israel (that is, the northern tribes), making it appear as if he took the prophet’s words to heart and decided not to wage war against the north at all. However, verse 12 tells us that he still put weapons in cities that had already been built up by David and Solomon, so perhaps the new project was to protect against renewed attacks from the south and west. The Edomites continued to be uneasy neighbors on the southern shore of the Dead Sea. And to the west, the Philistines were regaining strength after quiet years of not attacking the unquestionable power of King Solomon, but this smaller kingdom of Judah would be a more tempting target.
Bethlehem is just about five miles south of Jerusalem. It was easily recognizable to travelers by its low, semi-circular cliff face studded with caves. Just a few hundred yards downstream was Etam, also called the Valley of Urtas, one of Solomon’s gardens. He writes: “I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees” (Ecclesiastes 2:5-6). Elaborate marble baths have been found there. Within walking distance from these was Tekoa, the home of the prophet Amos. Tekoa was probably never a walled city, but was fortified in some way by Rehoboam. This might have involved a log palisade and wooden watchtowers (the Greeks and Romans used similar structures). It is still a place known for its excellent grazing and herds of sheep and goats.
Beth Zur, Soco and Adullam were also built up by Rehoboam. Beth Zur overlooks the road to Hebron and was still an important fortification when the exiles returned from Babylon (Nehemiah 3:16). Soco was a fortified center for several villages, offering the people protection for miles around (2 Chronicles 28:18). Adullam’s large cave was the scene of a sad moment in David’s military days (1 Chronicles 11:15) but it was an excellent stronghold.
We should probably take Gath as Moresheth-Gath, the home of the prophet Micah (Micah 1:1; Jeremiah 26:18), which is not far from the Philistine town of Gath but within the territory of Judah. Mareshah was the birthplace of the prophet Eliezer, who spoke against King Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20:37). Along with Mareshah, the city of Ziph was “at the southern edge of the tribe of the people of Judah” (Joshua 15:21).
These cities appear to fall into four groups and one main additional stronghold. The first is the eastern group, beginning at Bethlehem south of Jerusalem and running south through Etam and Tekoa and ending at Beth-Zur a little north of Hebron. The second group is the southern line, from Ziph in the east then going west through Adoraim and ending in the southwest at Lachish (see also Jeremiah 34:7). Then there appears to be a division between the neighboring towns of Soco and Azekah. The third group begins at Soco and runs south again to Adullam and then to Mareshah, taking in Moresheth-Gath along the way. Then just to the north of Soco, the fourth group begins at Azekah and runs north through Zorah to Aijalon. Finally, by itself, Hebron is placed as the important main fortress of the south and may have served as the king’s second residence. It was David’s first capital city (2 Samuel 2:1-4).
When our author talks about kings who were building (such as we have here), it shows a general prosperity, and it is mostly associated with kings who had the blessing of God on account of their general faithfulness. This is true of Asa (14:6, 16:6), Jehoshaphat (17:12, 20:36), Uzziah (26:9-10); Jotham (27:3), and Hezekiah (32:5, 32:29). To his credit, Rehoboam took the remnant of the kingdom handed down to him by his father and did what he could for it. At the very least, he did not abandon what he had left, but that is faint praise, and there was worse to come.
The king was fortifying his country, and that was good. It would have been better, much better, if we were told that he was faithful to the Lord and also fortified his country, but that’s not what we find in the record either here or in 1 Kings 14:21-31. Instead… we will see what he did instead in the verses to come.
“Lord God, you save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty” (David, Psalm 18:27). “He has brought down rulers from their thrones but he has lifted up the humble” (The virgin Mary, Luke 1:52). And again: “I will remove from this city [Jerusalem] those who rejoice in their pride. Never again will you be haughty on my holy hill. But I will leave within you the meek and humble, who trust in the name of the Lord” (Zephaniah 3:11-12).
Heavenly Father, keep us close to your heart; keep us faithful, and teach us humility. Teach us to trust in you with our whole lives, giving our very souls into your hands to preserve forever. Amen.
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy Smith
Pastor Smith serves St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in New Ulm, Minnesota. To receive God’s Word for You via e-mail, please visit the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church website.