2 Chronicles 11:6

He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(6) He built even.—And he built—i.e., fortified.

Beth-lehem.—Beit-lahm, on a rocky eminence, two hours south of Jerusalem (Genesis 35:19; Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:6). The birthplace of David and of Christ.

Etam.—Ain Attân; different from the place mentioned in 1Chronicles 4:32 and Judges 15:8, which lay in Simeonite territory.

Tekoa.—Teku’a; ruins on a hill two hours south of Bethlehem. (See Joshua 15:59, Note.)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

11:1-12 A few good words might have prevented the rebellion of Rehoboam's subjects; but all the force of his kingdom cannot bring them back. And it is in vain to contend with the purpose of God, when it is made known to us. Even those who are destitute of true faith, will at times pay some regard to the word of God, and be kept by it from wrong actions, to which they are prone by nature.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See Joshua 15 and notes at Joshua 15:33-36, notes; Joshua 15:48-51, notes; Joshua 15:58-59, notes.

For Adullam see 1 Samuel 22:1 note. It was in the near neighborhood of Socoh Joshua 15:35; but its site cannot be actually fixed. It was a place of great antiquity Genesis 38:1.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

5-11. built cities for defence in Judah—This is evidently used as the name of the southern kingdom. Rehoboam, having now a bitter enemy in Israel, deemed it prudent to lose no time in fortifying several cities that lay along the frontier of his kingdom. Jeroboam, on his side, took a similar precaution (1Ki 12:25). Of the fifteen cities named, Aijalon, now Yalo, and Zorah, now Surah, between Jerusalem and Jabneh [Robinson], lay within the province of Benjamin. Gath, though a Philistine city, had been subject to Solomon. And Etham, which was on the border of Simeon, now incorporated with the kingdom of Israel, was fortified to repel danger from that quarter. These fortresses Rehoboam placed under able commanders and stocked them with provisions and military stores, sufficient, if necessary, to stand a siege. In the crippled state of his kingdom, he seems to have been afraid lest it might be made the prey of some powerful neighbors.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

He built even Bethlehem,.... The place of our Lord's birth, about six miles from Jerusalem:

and Etam; another city in the tribe of Judah; see 1 Chronicles 4:32, there was a rock of this name, Judges 15:8 and a fountain from whence waters were conveyed into the pool at Jerusalem, spoken of in Jewish writings (b):

and Tekoah; of which place Amos the prophet was, and which was about twelve miles from Jerusalem. Rauwolff (c) speaks of it as a fortified place now; he says it has a strong and mighty castle, built on a great and high hill.

(b) Cippi Heb. p. 10. (c) Travels, par. 3. c. 22. p. 321. Ed. Ray.

Geneva Study Bible

He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

6. Etam] Probably represented by some ruins a little to the S.W. of Beth-lehem, by which is a spring called Ain ‘Atân. Cp. 1 Chronicles 4:3 Bädeker, p. 132.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 6. - Bethlehem. This was a case not of actual new building of a city, but of restoring and strengthening it. Bethlehem, originally Ephrath (Genesis 35:16; Genesis 48:7), was one of the very oldest towns existent in Jacob's time. It was not called Bethlehem till long after the settlement of the tribes. It was six miles from Jerusalem, on the east of the road to Hebron. Etam. A place near Bethlehem (1 Chronicles 4:3, 4, not 32; Septuagint of Joshua 15:60); possibly the resort of Samson after his revenge on the Philistines (Judges 15:8, 11). It was not the Etam mentioned as belonging to Simeon (1 Chronicles 4:32). Tekoa. According to Jerome, as also Eusebius, six Roman miles from Bethlehem, and nine from Jerusalem, or else, possibly by another road, twelve (Jerome's 'Pro-oemium in Amos,' and his 'Onomasticon'). It is absent from the Hebrew catalogue of Judah towns (Joshua 15:49), but is in the Septuagint Version of it. It was the place of the "wise woman" of 2 Samuel 14:2. 2 Chronicles 11:6

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

In Judah lay Bethlehem, a small city mentioned as early as in Jacob's time (Genesis 35:19), two hours south of Jerusalem, the birthplace of David and of Christ (Micah 5:1; Matthew 2:5, Matthew 2:11), now Beit-Lahm; see on Joshua 15:59. Etam is not the place bearing the same name which is spoken of in 1 Chronicles 4:32 and Judges 15:8, and mentioned in the Talmud as the place where, near Solomon's Pools, the aqueduct which supplied Jerusalem with water commenced (cf. Robins. Pal. sub voce; Tobler, Topogr. v. Jerus. ii. S. 84ff., 855ff.);

(Note: For further information as to the commencement of this aqueduct, see the masterly dissertation of Dr. Herm. Zschokke, "Die versiegelte Quelle Salomo's," in the Tbingen Theol. Quartalschr. 1867, H. 3, S. 426ff.)

nor is it to be looked for, as Robins. loc. cit., and New Bibl. Researches, maintains, in the present village Urts (Arts), for it has been identified by Tobl., dritte Wand. S. 89, with Ain Attn, a valley south-west from Arts. Not only does the name Attn correspond more than Arts with Etam, but from it the water is conducted to Jerusalem, while according to Tobler's thorough conviction it could not have been brought from Arts. Tekoa, now Tekua, on the summit of a hill covered with ancient ruins, two hours south of Bethlehem; see on Joshua 15:59.