XXVII. THE CONSEQUENCES OF JEHORAM’S MARRIAGE

I now proceed to consider some of the public consequences of this marriage to Judah.

In the eighteenth verse of the eighth chapter of the second Book of Kings, we are informed of Jehoram’s wickedness, and at whose instigation it was wrought. In the twenty-second verse, we find it said (after some account of a rebellion of the Edomites), “then Libnah revolted at the same time.” No cause is assigned for this revolt of Libnah; the few words quoted are incidentally introduced, and the subject is dismissed. But in the Chronicles [2 Chron. 21:10.] a cause is assigned, though still in a manner very brief and inexplicit; “the same time, also,” (so the narrative runs,) “did Libnah revolt from under his hand; because he had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers;” that is, because, at the persuasion of Athaliah—for she, we have found [2 Kings 8:18.] , was his state-adviser—Jehoram did what Ahab, his father-in-law, had done at the persuasion of the mother of Athaliah, set up a strange god in his kingdom, even Baal. Thus, this supplementary clause, short as it is, may serve, I think, as a clue to explain the revolt of Libnah; for Libnah, it appears from a passage in Joshua, was one of the cities of Judah, given to the priests, the sons of Aaron [Josh. 15:42; 21:13.] . No wonder, therefore, that the citizens of such a city should be the first to reject with indignation the authority of a monarch, who was even then setting at nought the God whose servants they especially were, and who was substituting for him the abomination of the Zidonians. This is the explanation of the revolt of Libnah. Yet, satisfactory as it is, when we are once fairly in possession of it, the explanation is anything but obvious. Libnah, it is said, revolts, but that revolt is not expressly coupled with the introduction of Baal into the country as a god; nor is that pernicious novelty coupled with the marriage of Athaliah; nor is any reason alleged why Libnah should feel peculiarly alive to the ignominy and shame of such an act; for where Libnah was, or what it was, or whereof its inhabitants consisted, are things unknown to the readers of Kings and Chronicles, and would continue unknown, were they not to take advantage of a hint or two in the Book of Joshua.