Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Chronicles 11:15
And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.
15. the devils ] R.V. the he-goats (Lev 17:7 R.V.). The heathen Arabs believed in the existence of demons (called jinn) having various animal forms and inhabiting deserted places, and this belief was probably shared by the Hebrews. In this verse and in Lev 17:7, the writers seem to identify the gods worshipped by the heathen with these jinn. (Cp. W. R. Smith, Religion of the Semites, pp. 120 ff.).
the calves ] Not previously mentioned in Chron.; 1Ki 12:28.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The high places – i. e., the two sanctuaries at Dan and Bethel.
For the devils – literally, for the goats: probably the word is used (as in Lev 17:7) for objects of idolatrous worship generally.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 15. And he ordained him priests – for the devils] seirim, the hairy ones; probably goats: for as the golden calves, or oxen, were in imitation of the Egyptian ox-god, Apis; so they no doubt paid Divine honours to the goat, which we know was an object of religious veneration in Egypt.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Or,
for the high places, both for the devils (i.e. the Baals, or false gods, which divers of his people worshipped, whom he permitted and encouraged to do so, giving them liberty to do any thing but to serve God at Jerusalem)
and for the calves. So he erected two sorts of high places, some for Baal, and some for the true God, whom he pretended and would be thought to worship in and by the calves.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15. he ordained him priestsThepersons he appointed to the priesthood were low and worthlesscreatures (1Ki 12:31; 1Ki 13:33);any were consecrated who brought a bullock and seven rams (2Ch 13:9;Exo 29:37).
for the high placesThosefavorite places of religious worship were encouraged throughout thecountry.
for the devilsa termsometimes used for idols in general (Le17:7). But here it is applied distinctively to the goat deities,which were probably worshipped chiefly in the northern parts of hiskingdom, where the heathen Canaanites still abounded.
for the calves which he hadmadefigures of the ox gods Apis and Mnevis, with whichJeroboam’s residence in Egypt had familiarized him. (See on 1Ki12:26).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And he ordained him priests for the high places,…. Of such who were not of the tribe of Levi, and family of Aaron; see 1Ki 12:31
and for the devils; demons in the shape of goats, as this word signifies, in which form many of the Heathen deities were worshipped; idols of whatsoever kind are so called; for whosoever worships them worships not God, but devils, 1Co 10:21 the images which Jeroboam set up may be meant, and the next clause may be rendered as explanative of them:
even for the calves which he had made; one of which he set up at Dan, and the other at Bethel, 1Ki 12:28.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
See note on 1Ki 12:25
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(15) And he ordained.And had appointed (1Ch. 15:16-17; 1Ch. 22:2).
For the high places.Bmth. (See Note on 1Ki. 12:31 seqq.) Such local sanctuaries existed not only at Dan and Bethel, but also in other cities of the northern kingdom. (Comp. 2Ki. 17:9.)
And for the devils.Srm, satyrs (Isa. 13:21). Literally, goats. (See Note on Lev. 17:7.) The phrase indicates a prevalence of debasing idolatry in the time of Jeroboam.
And for the calves.See Note on 1Ki. 12:28. The calves represented the God of Israel. It appears therefore that Jeroboam encouraged a system of syncretism, or mixture of worships.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. Ordained him priests See on 1Ki 12:31.
For the devils , for the goats. The word is translated satyrs in Isa 13:21; Isa 34:14, and is supposed to have been a goat-shaped deity, a wood-demon, that dwelt in desert places, and was to be appeased by Divine worship. “This superstition,” says Furst, “was probably derived from Egypt, where a goat, ( Josephus, Apion, 2:7 ,) or Pan, who was depicted with a goat’s head and feet, ( Herod., 2:46, 145,) was worshipped.” The word is used in Lev 4:24; Lev 16:9; Num 7:16; Num 15:24, for the he goat that was sacrificed as a sin offering; but Jeroboam probably meant to recognize and introduce the superstitions of Egypt, and set up images of Pan as well as the calves, though probably not until after his people had become familiar with the calf worship. Comp. note on 1Ki 12:28.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Ch 11:15 And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.
Ver. 15. And he ordained him priests. ] See 1Ki 12:31 .
And for the devils.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
devils = hairy ones, or goats representing demons.
he = Jeroboam.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
devils
Lit. “hairy ones,” i.e. satyrs, Isa 13:21.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
for the devils: The word, seirim literally signifies hairy ones, or goats. See note on Lev 17:7. Deu 32:17, 1Co 10:20, 1Co 10:21, 1Ti 4:1, Rev 16:14
for the calves: Exo 32:4-8, Exo 32:31, 1Ki 12:28, 1Ki 14:9, Psa 106:19, Psa 106:20, Hos 8:5, Hos 8:6, Hos 13:2
Reciprocal: Num 22:41 – high places 1Ki 12:31 – priests 1Ki 13:33 – Jeroboam 2Ki 17:21 – Jeroboam drave 2Ki 17:27 – one of the priests 2Ch 13:8 – with you golden 2Ch 13:9 – cast out Psa 106:37 – devils Hos 10:5 – the calves
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ch 11:15. For the high places, and for devils Or, for the high places, both for devils, (the Baals, or false gods, which divers of his people worshipped, whom he encouraged to do so, giving them liberty to do any thing but to serve God at Jerusalem,) and for the calves So he erected two sorts of high places, some for Baal, and some for the true God, whom he pretended to worship in and by the calves.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
11:15 And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the {d} devils, and for the calves which he had made.
(d) Meaning idols, Isa 44:15.