Bible Commentaries

Abijam = Abijah.

Three years. Not full years, for he died in the twentieth year of Jeroboam (1 Kings 15:9).

mother"s. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Genus) for ancestor. Here = grandmother. Maachah, or Michaiah (2 Chronicles 13:2). Abishalom = Absalom (2 Chronicles 11:21).

father. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Genus), App-6, for ancestor.

lamp. See note on 1 Kings 11:36. Peculiarly used of David.

And, &c. This is repeated (from 1 Kings 14:30) to complete Structure above.

the rest. See 2 Chronicles 13:3, &c.

slept with his fathers. See note on 1 Kings 14:20.

right. Therefore his days "long in the land" (1 Kings 15:23). Contemporary with seven Israelite kings.

idols = filthy idols.

not removed: not till the reign of Hezekiah (1 Kings 22:43; 2 Kings 12:3; 2 Kings 18:4).

things. dedicated = holy things of his father. See note on Exodus 3:5.

war. Only border fighting. No campaign. Compare 1 Kings 15:32.

Ramah = the modern er Ram, five miles north of Jerusalem, which it was intended to menace. See 2 Chronicles 16:1.

go out or come in. But in vain. See 1 Kings 12:27; 1 Kings 15:9, &c.

the. Some codices, with two early printed editions, read "among the".

There is. Supply Figure of speech Ellipsis (App-6). [Let there be. ]

league = covenant.

and. Supply [as] instead of "and",

behold. Figure of speech Asterismos App-6.

hosts = forces.

Ijon, &c. All in the neighbourhood of Gennesaret.

dwelt in. Septuagint and Vulg, read "returned to". See note on 1 Kings 14:17.

The rest. Compare 2 Chronicles 14:9, 2 Chronicles 15:10.

are they not. ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6.

father = forefather. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Species).

evil. Hebrew. ra"a. App-44.

sin. Same as "evil", above.

made Israel to sin. See note on 1 Kings 14:16.

that breathed. Hebrew. neshamah. App-16.

the saying. Compare 1 Kings 14:7-11.

war. Only border fighting (compare verses: 1 Kings 15:16, 1 Kings 15:32, 2 Chronicles 14:1; 2 Chronicles 15:19); no actual campaign, as in 2 Chronicles 16:1.

in Tirzah. See notes on 1 Kings 14:17 and 1 Kings 15:21.

twenty and four years. Began in the third year of Asa. Therefore he died in the twenty-sixth year of Asa (1 Kings 16:8). Yet in the thirty-sixth year Baasha came and made war against Judah (2 Chronicles 16:1). This would be nine or ten years after he was dead. But see note on 2 Chronicles 16:1, where the word "reign" should be rendered "kingdom": i.e. the thirty-sixth year from the kingdom of Israel. See App-50.