the high priest concerning the affairs of his tribe, of deciding on peace or
war, of fortifying towns, of appointing inferior judges, &c. (7) Or, again,
it might be the king, in whom all or some of the tribes had vested their
rights.
(8) I could cite many instances in confirmation of what I here advance. (9) I
will confine myself to one, which appears to me the most important of all. (10)
When the Shilomitish prophet anointed Jeroboam king, he, in so doing, gave him
the right of consulting the high priest, of appointing judges, &c. (11) In fact
he endowed him with all the rights over the ten tribes, which Rehoboam retained
over the two tribes. (12) Consequently Jeroboam could set up a supreme council
in his court with as much right as Jehoshaphat could at Jerusalem (2 Chron.
xix:8). (13) For it is plain that neither Jeroboam, who was king by God's
command, nor Jeroboam's subjects, were bound by the Law of Moses to accept the
judgments of Rehoboam, who was not their king. (14) Still less were they under
the jurisdiction of the judge, whom Rehoboam had set up in Jerusalem as
subordinate to himself. (15) According, therefore, as the Hebrew dominion was
divided, so was a supreme council set up in each division. (16) Those who
neglect the variations in the constitution of the Hebrew States, and confuse
them all together in one, fall into numerous difficulties.
CHAPTER XIX.
[Endnote 33]. (1) I must here bespeak special attention
for what was said in Chap. XVI. concerning rights.
End of Part IV Endnotes.