CHAPTER XV _Abijam's wicked reign, and death_, 1-8. _Asa succeeds him in the kingdom of Judah, and rules well_, 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_, 16-22. _He is diseased in his feet and dies,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 15:3. _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_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 15:4. _THE LORD - GIVE HIM A LAMP_] That is, a son to succeed him; see 1 Kings 11:36.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 15:5. _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, and 2 Samuel 12.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 15:6. _THERE WAS WAR BETWEEN REHOBOAM AND JEROBOAM_] This was mentioned in the preceding chapter, 1 Kings 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 partie... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 15:10. _HIS MOTHER'S NAME_] Our translators thought that _grandmother_ was likely to be _the meaning_, and therefore have put it in the _margin_. _THE DAUGHTER OF ABISHALOM._] She is called, says _Calmet_, the _daughter of Absalom_, according to the custom of the Scriptures, which giv... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 15:12. _THE SODOMITES_] הקדשים _hakkedeshim_; literally, _the_ _holy_ or _consecrated ones_. See on 1 Kings 14:24.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 15:13. _SHE HAD MADE AN IDOL IN A GROVE_] The original word, מפלצת _miphletseth_, is variously understood. I shall give its different views in the versions:- "Besides, he removed his mother Maacha from being chief in the sacred rites of Priapus, and in his grove which she had consecra... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 15:14. _THE HIGH PLACES WERE NOT REMOVED_] He was not able to make a thorough _reformation_; this was reserved for his son Jehoshaphat. _ASA'S HEART WAS PERFECT_] He worshipped the true God, and zealously promoted his service; see on 1 Kings 15:3. And even the _high places_ which he d... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 15:15. _WHICH HIS FATHER HAD DEDICATED_] On what account he and his father dedicated the things mentioned below, we know not; but it appears that Asa thought himself bound by the vow of his father.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 15:16. _THERE WAS WAR_] That is, there was continual enmity; see on 1 Kings 15:6. But there was no open war till the _thirty-sixth_ year of Asa, when Baasha, king of Israel, began to build Ramah, that he might prevent all communication between Israel and Judah; see 2 Chronicles 15:19;... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 15:17. _AND BAASHA - BUILT RAMAH_] As the word signifies a _high_ _place_, what is here termed _Ramah_ was probably a _hill_, (commanding a _defile_ through which lay the principal road to Jerusalem,) which Baasha fortified in order to prevent all intercourse with the kingdom of Judah,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 15:18. _ASA TOOK ALL THE SILVER_] Shishak, king of Egypt, had not taken the whole, or there had been some treasures brought in since that time. _BEN-HADAD_] This was the grandson of Rezon, called here Hezion, who founded the kingdom of Damascus. See 1 Kings 11:23-11; and _Calmet_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 15:19. THERE IS _A LEAGUE BETWEEN ME AND THEE_] Or, Let there be a league between me and thee; as there was between my father and thy father. There was no reason why Asa should have emptied his treasures at this time to procure the aid of the Syrian king; as it does not appear that the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 15:20. _IJON, AND DAN, C._] He appears to have attacked and taken those towns which constituted the principal strength of the kingdom of Israel.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 15:21. _DWELT IN TIRZAH._] This seems to have been the _royal_ _city_; see 1 Kings 15:33, and 1 Kings 14:17; and in this Baasha was probably obliged to shut himself up.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 15:22. _NONE WAS EXEMPTED_] Every man was obliged to go and help to dismantle the fortress at Ramah which Baasha had built. This was a general _levee en masse_ of the people: every one was obliged to lend a helping hand, as the state was then supposed to be in danger, and all exemption... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 23. _AND THE CITIES WHICH HE BUILT_] Such as _Geba_ and _Mizpah_, which he built out of the spoils of Ramah. _HE WAS DISEASED IN HIS FEET._] Probably he had a strong rheumatic affection, or the _gout_. This took place in the _thirty-ninth_ year of his reign, _three years_ before his death; an... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 24. _ASA SLEPT WITH HIS FATHERS_] Of his splendid and costly funeral we read 1 Chronicles 16:14.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 25. _NADAB - BEGAN TO REIGN OVER ISRAEL_] He began his reign in the _second_ year of the reign of Asa, and reigned _two_ years.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 27. _SMOTE HIM AT GABBETHON_] This was a city in the tribe of Dan, and generally in the possession of the Philistines.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 29. _HE SMOTE ALL THE HOUSE OF JEROBOAM_] This was according to Ahijah's prophetic declaration; see 1 Kings 14:10; 1 Kings 14:14. Thus God made use of one wicked man to destroy another.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 15:32. _THERE WAS WAR_] See on 1 Kings 15:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 15:34. _WALKED IN THE WAY OF JEROBOAM_] The _entail_ of iniquity cannot be cut off but by a thorough _conversion_ of the soul to God; and of this, these bad kings seem to have had no adequate notion. The wicked followed the steps of the wicked, and became still more wicked; sin gathers... [ Continue Reading ]