1 Kings 14:30

_AND THERE WAS WAR BETWEEN REHOBOAM AND JEROBOAM ALL THEIR DAYS._ There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam. The former was prohibited from entering on an aggressive war; but as the two kingdoms kept up a jealous rivalry, he might be forced into vigilant measures of defense, and frequent skirmishes would take place on the borders....

21-31 Here is no good said of Rehoboam, and much said to the disadvantage of his subjects. The abounding of the worst crimes, of the worst of the heathen, in Jerusalem, the city the Lord had chosen for his temple and his worship, shows that nothing can mend the hearts of fallen men but the sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit. On this alone may we depend; for this let us daily pray, in behalf of ourselves and all around us. The splendour of their temple, the pomp of their priesthood, and all the advantages with which their religion was attended, could not prevail to keep them close to it; nothing less than the pouring out the Spirit will keep God's Israel in their allegiance to him. Sin exposes, makes poor, and weakens any people. Shishak, king of Egypt, came and took away the treasures. Sin makes the gold become dim, changes the most fine gold, and turns it into brass....

EXPOSITION THE REIGN OF REHOBOAM.— 1 KINGS 14:21 AND REHOBOAM, THE SON OF SOLOMON, REIGNED IN JUDAH. REHOBOAM WAS FORTY [or twenty. See on 1 Kings 12:1] AND ONE YEARS OLD WHEN HE BEGAN TO REIGN, AND HE REIGNED [this reign is related at greater length in 2 Chronicles 11:1; 2 Chronicles 12:1.] SEVENTEEN YEARS [cf. 1 Kings 15:1] IN Jerusalem, the c

AND THERE WAS WAR BETWEEN REHOBOAM AND JEROBOAM ALL THEIR DAYS. For though Rehoboam did not enter into an offensive war, and attack the children of Israel, being dissuaded from it by Shemaiah the prophet in the name of the Lord, yet he might maintain a defensive war; and though there were no pitched battles between them as afterwards, in his son's time, yet there might be skirmishes and bickerings on the borders of their countries....

CHAPTER 14 THE PASSING OF JEROBOAM AND REHOBOAM _ 1. Sickness and death of Jeroboam's son (1 Kings 14:1)_ 2. Jeroboam's reign and death (1 Kings 14:19) 3. Rehoboam's apostasy, punishment and death (1 Kings 14:21) We come now to the passing of both kings, Jeroboam of Israel and Rehoboam of Judah. Abijah (Jehovah is my father), the son of wicked Jeroboam, was sick. “That child was the one green spot in Jeroboam's life and home; the one germ of hope. And as his father loved him truly, so all Israel had set their hopes on him. Upon the inner life of this child, its struggles and its victories, lies the veil of Scripture silence; and best that it should be so. But now his pulses were b

REIGN OF REHOBOAM. The formula in 1 Kings 14:21 is regularly employed in Kings. The LXX make his age sixteen, and gives him twelve years. The name of the king's mother is given, since she, and not the wife, was the chief lady of the court. The title she bore was not _queen,_ but _lady (gebhirah,_ 1 Kings 15:13). Being an Ammonitess, Naamah would naturally have encouraged her son in idolatry. But in 1 Kings 14:23, whereas it is usual in Kings to give the verdict on the king he did good, he did evil, in this case Judah is blamed; the LXX, however, says Rehoboam did evil, etc. The sins of Judah are enumerated as building high places, setting up pillars (_maçç eboth),_ and Asherim (A.V. groves) on every hi

REHOBOAM. Being named first he was probably the aggressor, contrary to 1 Kings 12:24....

_all_their _days_ R.V. CONTINUALLY: as the same words are rendered in a very similar passage about Saul and David in A.V. 1 Samuel 18:29....

THERE WAS WAR BETWEEN REHOBOAM AND JEROBOAM ALL THEIR DAYS— But how does this agree with chap. 1 Kings 12:23, &c. where God commands Rehoboam and his people not to fight against the Israelites? We must observe, that though the Jews were commanded not to make war upon the Israelites, yet they were not commanded not to defend themselves in case the Israelites should make war upon them: and considering that they were now become two rival nations, they might upon the borders be continually endeavouring to gain ground upon each other, and so run into frequent acts of hostility without ever once engaging in a pitched battle. REFLECTIONS.—The histories of the kingdom of Judah and Israel are throughout this book intermixed. Jeroboam's reign was near five years longer than Rehoboam's; but, to finish his history, his death is first recorded. 1. The account of Rehoboam contai

I. THE FIRST THREE KINGS OF JUDAH 14:21-15:24 (931-870 B.C.) The first three kings of Judah ruled for sixty-one years. In this section the author speaks of (1) the apostasy of Rehoboam (1 Kings 14:21-31); (2) the hypocrisy of Abijam (1 Kings 15:1-8); and (3) the reformation of Asa (1 Kings 15:9-24) A. THE APOSTASY OF REHOBOAM 14:21-31 In dealing with the unfaithfulness of Judah under Rehoboam, the historian first describes (1) the extent of the apostasy (1 Kings 14:21-24), and then (2) the punishment of the apostasy. The chapter closes with (3) a brief summary note about Rehoboam ...