1Ki 15:1-8 | Clarke | STEP | Abijam's wicked reign, and death, . Asa succeeds him in the kingdom of Judah, and rules well, . He makes a league with the king of Syria against Baasha king of Israel, who is obliged to desist in his attempts against Judah, . He is diseased in his feet and dies, and is succeeded by his son Jehoshaphat, . Nadab, son of Jeroboam, reigns over Israel; but is slain by Baasha, who reigns in ha stead, . Baasha destroys all the house of Jeroboam, according to the prediction of Ahijah, , . Baasha continues the idolatry of Jeroboam, . Verse 1 Reigned Abijam over Judah - Of this son of Rehoboam, of his brethren, and of Rehoboam's family in general, see 2 Chronicles 12, where many particulars are added.

1 Kings 15:1-8

Introduction

Abijam's wicked reign, and death, 1Kgs 15:1-8. Asa succeeds him in the kingdom of Judah, and rules well, 1Kgs 15:9-15. He makes a league with the king of Syria against Baasha king of Israel, who is obliged to desist in his attempts against Judah, 1Kgs 15:16-22. He is diseased in his feet and dies, and is succeeded by his son Jehoshaphat, 1Kgs 15:23-25. Nadab, son of Jeroboam, reigns over Israel; but is slain by Baasha, who reigns in ha stead, 1Kgs 15:26-28. Baasha destroys all the house of Jeroboam, according to the prediction of Ahijah, 1Kgs 15:29, 1Kgs 15:30. Baasha continues the idolatry of Jeroboam, 1Kgs 15:31-34.

Verse 1

Reigned Abijam over Judah - Of this son of Rehoboam, of his brethren, and of Rehoboam's family in general, see 2 Chronicles 12, where many particulars are added. Verse 3

His heart was not perfect - He was an idolater, or did not support the worship of the true God. This appears to be the general meaning of the heart not being perfect with God. Verse 4

The Lord - give him a lamp - That is, a son to succeed him; see 1Kgs 11:36. Verse 5

Save only in the matter of Uriah - Properly speaking, this is the only flagrant fault or crime in the life of David. It was a horrible offense, or rather a whole system of offenses. See the notes on 2 Samuel 11 (note), and 2 Samuel 12 (note). Verse 6

There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam - This was mentioned in the preceding chapter, 1Kgs 14:30, and it can mean no more than this: there was a continual spirit of hostility kept up between the two kingdoms, and no doubt frequent skirmishing between bordering parties; but it never broke out into open war, for this was particularly forbidden. See 1Kgs 12:24. Hostility did exist, and no doubt frequent skirmishes; but open war and pitched battles there were none.

But why is this circumstance repeated, and the history of Abijam interrupted by the repetition? There is some reason to believe that Rehoboam is not the true reading, and that it should be Abijam: "Now there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam all the days of his life." And this is the reading of fourteen of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS. The Syriac has Abia the son of Rehoboam; the Arabic has Abijam. In the Septuagint the whole verse is omitted in the London Polyglot, but it is extant in those of Complutum and Antwerp. Some copies of the Targum have Abijam also, and the Editio Princeps of the Vulgate has Abia. This is doubtless the true reading, as we know there was a very memorable war between Abia and Jeroboam; see it particularly described 2Chr 13:3 (note), etc.