2 Chronicles 13:1
_Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah._ Ver. 1. _Now in the eighteenth year._] See 1 Kings 15:1,2 .... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah._ Ver. 1. _Now in the eighteenth year._] See 1 Kings 15:1,2 .... [ Continue Reading ]
He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also [was] Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. Ver. 2. His mother's name was Michaiah.] _Alias_ Maachah. See on 2 Chronicles 11:21,22 . _ And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam._] Lik... [ Continue Reading ]
And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, [even] four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, [being] mighty men of valour. Ver. 3. _And Abijah set the battle in array._] Josephus saith, that... [ Continue Reading ]
And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which [is] in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel; Ver. 4. _And Abijah stood upon mount Zemaraim._] As Jotham likewise had done upon mount Gerizim. Jdg 9:7 It is probable that Abijah had, by his heralds or messengers, desired a pa... [ Continue Reading ]
Ought ye not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, [even] to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt? Ver. 5. _Ought ye not to know?_] _q.d., _ How can ye be ignorant? and how dare you go against your knowledge? Is it not a grievous sin so to do _ By... [ Continue Reading ]
Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord. Ver. 6. _Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon._] But such a servant, as being delicately brought up by him, and courteously dealt with, would needsly become his... [ Continue Reading ]
And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them. Ver. 7. _And there are gathered unto him vain men._] _Rachas_ brainless fellows, light and... [ Continue Reading ]
And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David; and ye [be] a great multitude, and [there are] with you golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods. Ver. 8. _To withstand the kingdom of the Lord._] And so, giant-like, to fight against God. Is that ever li... [ Continue Reading ]
Have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of [other] lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, [the same] may be a priest of [them that are] no gods. Ve... [ Continue Reading ]
But as for us, the LORD [is] our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the LORD, [are] the sons of Aaron, and the Levites [wait] upon [their] business: Ver. 10. _But as for us, the Lord is our God, &c._] _Summa ratio est quae pro religione facit,_ saith Papinian. A... [ Continue Reading ]
And they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the shewbread also [set they in order] upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but ye have forsaken him.... [ Continue Reading ]
And, behold, God himself [is] with us for [our] captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the LORD God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper. Ver. 12. _And, behold, God himself is with us._] Eπιφορα, _qua praecipua argum... [ Continue Reading ]
But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment [was] behind them. Ver. 13. _But Jeroboam caused an ambushment._] While Abijah was thus haranguing and persuading the people to lay down their arms, and to return to their obedience, Jeroboam... [ Continue Reading ]
And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle [was] before and behind: and they cried unto the LORD, and the priests sounded with the trumpets. Ver. 14. _And when Judah looked back._] For till then, they suspected not any such treachery. _ And they cried unto the Lord._] _Inter arma silent leges:... [ Continue Reading ]
Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. Ver. 15. _Then the men of Judah gave a shout._] _Initio pugnae, de more antiquorum._ Together with their loud outcries - first for fear perhaps, afte... [ Continue Reading ]
And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men. Ver. 17. _So there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand._] A monstrous and matchless slaughter, far beyond that of Tamerlane when he took Bajazet, or Aetius, t... [ Continue Reading ]
Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers. Ver. 18. _Because they relied upon the Lord._] _Deo confisi nunquam confusi._ Trust in God never miscarrieth.... [ Continue Reading ]
And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephrain with the towns thereof. Ver. 19. _And took cities from him, Bethel._] Where stood one of the golden calves, secured, haply, by the inhabitants before the enem... [ Continue Reading ]
Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the LORD struck him, and he died. Ver. 20. _And the Lord struck him._] That is, Jeroboam (see on 2Ch 13:15); not Abijah, as the Hebrews sense the text, saying that God therefore struck him, because, when he took Bethel, he destr... [ Continue Reading ]
But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters. Ver. 21. _And married fourteen wives._] Some of them before he came to the kingdom. Junius well readeth it, He had married fourteen wives. This was against an express law, Deu 17:17 besides th... [ Continue Reading ]
And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, [are] written in the story of the prophet Iddo. Ver. 22. _And his ways._] Which were not good. _Prodit se libidinosum fuisse; _ by his many wives he appeareth to have been libidinous, as was also his father. _ And his sayings._] Hi... [ Continue Reading ]