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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Chronicles 13:13-22

We do not find that Jeroboam offered to make any answer at all to Abijah's speech. Though it was much to the purpose, he resolved not to heed it, and therefore he heard it as though he heard it not. He came to fight, not to dispute. The longest sword, he thought, would determine the matter, not the better cause. Let us therefore see the issue, whether right and religion carried the day or no. I. Jeroboam, who trusted to his politics, was beaten. He was so far from fair reasoning that he was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 13:19

And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam ,.... As he and his army fled: and took cities from him ; the following ones: Bethel with the towns thereof ; the villages adjoining to it; here one of the calves was set up, which either Jeroboam took care to remove before this place fell into the hands of Abijah, or Abijah let it remain, and did not destroy it: and Jeshanah with the towns thereof ; which Reland F24 Palestin. Illustrat. p. 861. thinks is the same that is called by Jerom ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 13:20

Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah ,.... So as to bring an army into the field against him, and fight him: and the Lord struck him ; by some Jewish writers F1 Bereshit Rabba, sect. 65. fol. 58. 8. Seder Olam Rabba, c. 16. , this is interpreted of Abijah; and the reason of his being stricken, they say, was because he did not destroy the calf when he took Bethel; but it is best to understand it of Jeroboam, since Abijah is afterwards said to wax mighty:... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 13:21

But Abijah waxed mighty ,.... In his kingdom, increasing in riches and numbers, power and authority, and in his family: and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons and sixteen daughters ; not after the above battle, nor since he began to reign; for he reigned but three years; but he, no doubt, married wives and had children before he came to the throne, as he might have others after. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Chronicles 13:19

Beth-el - "Beth-lehem." - Targum. Jeshanah - We know not where these towns lay. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Chronicles 13:20

The Lord struck him , and he died - Who died? Abijah or Jeroboam? Some think it was Jeroboam; some, that it was Abijah. Both rabbins and Christians are divided on this point; nor is it yet settled. The prevailing opinion is that Jeroboam is meant, who was struck then with that disease of which he died about two years after; for he did not die till two years after Abijah: see 1 Kings 14:20 ; 1 Kings 15:9 . It seems as if Jeroboam was meant, not Abijah. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Chronicles 13:21

Married fourteen wives - Probably he made alliances with the neighboring powers, by taking their daughters to him for wives. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Chronicles 13:1-20

The folly of unnatural severance, etc. The whole chapter presents to us a number of lessons, not very closely connected with one another. I. THE FOLLY OF AN UNNATURAL SEVERANCE . The first thing we read about the reign of Abijah is that there "was war between him and Jeroboam" ( 2 Chronicles 13:2 ). What else was to be expected? How, in those times, or indeed in any time, could it be otherwise? Tribes descended, as they were, from a common ancestor, speaking the same... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Chronicles 13:1-22

A royal and manly manifesto in the rights of godly truth. The narrative of Abijah's short reign of three years is distinguished by one clear account, at any rate, of the wars that had arisen and were prevailing between the two parts of the recently rended and bleeding kingdom, of which a very brief statement only had been made, at the close of the history of Rehoboam's reign, whether here or in the parallel. It is also, and most chiefly, distinguished by the graphic description of the very... read more

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