And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. Not the days of Rehoboam, though that was true, and is observed, 1 Kings 14:30 , but all the days of Abijam, before he came to the throne, and in which, when a young man, he was concerned, and which still continued between him and Jeroboam; though some think he is called by his father's name, as Rehoboam is called David, 1 Kings 12:16 . read more
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 parties; but it never broke out into open war, for this was particularly forbidden. See 1 Kings 12:24 . Hostility did exist, and no doubt frequent skirmishes; but open war and pitched battles there were none. ... read more
The succession of Abijam to the throne of Judah appears to have had one limiting principle, viz; that the successor should be of the house and lineage of David (see 2 Chronicles 13:8 ). Within this limit it seems— I. IT WAS DETERMINED BY THE WILL OF THE REIGNING KING . 1 . The principle of primogeniture was not considered . 2 . Abijam represented Rehoboam by walking in his sins . II. THE CHOICE OF REHOBOAM HAD THE DIVINE SANCTION ( ... read more
Beloved for the father's sake. I. THE STORY OF A MISUSED OPPORTUNITY . Even in a three years' reign much might have been done. Israel had its troubles, the past its lessons of wisdom; but there was no ear to hear the one, and no heart to attempt redress of the other. 1 . The secret of failure . 2 . The sinful was also a troubled reign : "there was war, " etc; and it was war with brethren. 3 . The opportunity was soon ended : "he reigned three years."... read more
And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. [Practically identical with 1 Kings 14:30 , where see note. Thenius thinks the insertion of the words were due to the carelessness of some copyist, and Bähr admits that our present text is possibly not the original one. For Rehoboam, some MSS ; with the Syriac and Arabic, read Abijah, but this is clearly an emendation, which in turn begets another repetition ( 1 Kings 14:7 ), and there is really no need... read more
The writer repeats what he had said in 1 Kings 14:30, in order to remind the reader that Abijam inherited this war from his father. Abijam’s war is described in marginal reference That the author of Kings gives none of its details is agreeable to his common practice in mere military matters. Thus he gives no details of Shishak’s expedition, and omits Zerah’s expedition altogether. read more
1 Kings 15:6. This was mentioned before, (1 Kings 14:30,) and therefore may seem to come in here improperly, because the historian is not speaking of Rehoboam, but of his son Abijam. Bochart thinks that Rehoboam stands here for the son of Rehoboam. But the meaning of these words seems rather to be, that though God was pleased, for David’s sake, to continue a lamp, that is, a successor, to him in Jerusalem; yet these successors were vexed with continual wars, as appeared both in the... read more
Rehoboam’s policies continued (15:1-8)Both Rehoboam and his son Abijam (Abijah) who succeeded him were unfaithful to God, though not to the extent that Jeroboam was. False religion had official recognition in the north through the new system that Jeroboam had established, but in the south it was rather a corruption that existed alongside the orthodox worship of God (15:1-5).Abijam thought that, because the kingdom of Judah still practised the ancient religion that God had given Israel through... read more
And, &c. This is repeated (from 1 Kings 14:30 ) to complete Structure above. read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 15:1-8
We have here a short account of the short reign of Abijam the son of Rehoboam king of Judah. He makes a better figure, 2 Chron. 13:1-22, where we have an account of his war with Jeroboam, the speech which he made before the armies engaged, and the wonderful victory he obtained by the help of God. There he is called Abijah?My father is the Lord, because no wickedness is there laid to his charge. But here, where we are told of his faults, Jah, the name of God, is, in disgrace to him, taken away... read more