Bible Commentaries

Reign of Abijah

This chapter expands the account given of Abijah (Abijam) in 1 Kings 15:1-8 by giving details of his war with Jeroboam, which is there only briefly mentioned.

2. Michaiah] In 2 Chronicles 11:21 and 1 Kings 15:2 she is called 'Maachah,' and was probably daughter of Uriel and granddaughter of Absalom.

3. Four hundred thousand, etc.] These numbers (see also 2 Chronicles 13:17) are in keeping with the large figures that appear elsewhere in Chronicles: see 2 Chronicles 14:8-9; 2 Chronicles 17:14-18.

4. Zemaraim] Possibly a hill near the place of the same name in Benjamin: Joshua 18:22.

5. A covenant of salt] cp. Numbers 18:19. The use of salt in connexion with sacrifice (see Leviticus 2:13) probably arose from its association with a meal; and 'there is salt between us' is said to be a phrase still employed to denote the bond which secures, for any one who has partaken of an Arab's hospitality, protection and (in case of need) assistance.

7. Children of Belial] i.e. worthless persons.

Young] That Rehoboam was young when the Ten Tribes revolted is implied in 2 Chronicles 10:8, though in 2 Chronicles 12:13 his age is given as 41.

8. The kingdom of the Lord] The high prerogative that once belonged to all Israel (1 Chronicles 28:5; 2 Chronicles 9:8) was now confined to Judah.

9. After the manner, etc.] The LXX has 'out of the people of all the land,' which agrees with the true sense of 1 Kings 12:31.

12. Sounding trumpets] cp. Numbers 10:9; Numbers 31:6.

19. Jeshanah.. Ephrain] The first is not known, the second is identified by some with the 'Ephraim' mentioned in John 11:54.

20. The mention of Jeroboam's death here is chronologically out of place, since he outlived Abijah.

22. In the story] RV 'in the commentary.' The original term ('midrash') meant the didactic treatment of a subject or narrative; and in the 'midrash' of Iddo the reign of Abijah was presumably related with a view to moral instruction rather than historic accuracy. Possibly the account of Abijah's speech in 2 Chronicles 13:4-12 has been taken from it: contrast 1 Kings 15:3.