2 Chronicles 11:21

And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.)

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(21) Loved Maachah.—She probably inherited her mother’s and grandfather’s beauty.

For he took—Nāsā’, as in 2Chronicles 13:21; a later usage instead of lāqah.

And threescore concubines.—Josephus (l.c.) says, “thirty,” and the difference in Hebrew is only of one letter. The recurrence of the same number immediately (“threescore daughters”) is also suspicious.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

11:13-23 When the priests and Levites came to Jerusalem, the devout, pious Israelites followed them. Such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel, left the inheritance of their fathers, and went to Jerusalem, that they might have free access to the altar of God, and be out of the temptation to worship the calves. That is best for us, which is best for our souls; in all our choices, religious advantages must be sought before all outward conveniences. Where God's faithful priests are, his faithful people should be. And when it has been proved that we are willing to renounce our worldly interests, so far as we are called to do so for the sake of Christ and his gospel, we have good evidence that we are truly his disciples. And it is the interest of a nation to protect religion and religious people.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Maachah the daughter of Absalom - Rather, "grand-daughter" (see the 1 Kings 15:2 note).

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

21. he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines—This royal harem, though far smaller than his father's, was equally in violation of the law, which forbade a king to "multiply wives unto himself" [De 17:17].

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines, &c. Who is called Michaiah, the daughter of Uriel, 2 Chronicles 13:2,

for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines; led thereunto by the example of his father Solomon, contrary to the command of God, Deuteronomy 17:17.

and begat twenty eight sons and sixty daughters; to have many children was reckoned a great blessing, but it was not honourable to have them in such a way.

Geneva Study Bible

And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.)

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 21. - Rehoboam was clearly wrong by Deuteronomy 17:17 (note Solomon's Song of Solomon 6:8). 2 Chronicles 11:21

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Only these wives with their children are mentioned by name, though besides these Rehoboam had a number of wives, 18 wives and 60 (according to Josephus, 30) concubines, who bore him twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. Rehoboam trod in his father's footsteps in this not quite praise-worthy point. The eldest son of Maachah he made head (לראשׁ), i.e., prince, among his brethren; להמליכו כּי, for to make him king, scil. was his intention. The infin. with ל is here used in the swiftness of speech in loose connection to state with what further purpose he had appointed him נגיד; cf. Ew. 351, c, at the end.