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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 15:9-24

We have here a short account of the reign of Asa; we shall find a more copious history of it 2 Chron. 14:1-16:14 Here is, I. The length of it: He reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem, 1 Kgs. 15:10. In the account we have of the kings of Judah we find the number of the good kings and the bad ones nearly equal; but then we may observe, to our comfort, that the reign of the good kings was generally long, but that of the bad kings short, the consideration of which will make the state of God's... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 15:9

And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah. How this is to be accounted for See Gill on 1 Kings 15:2 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 15:10

And forty one years reigned he in Jerusalem ,.... Being a good king, had the blessing of a long reign, and reached, and even exceeded, the years of the reigns of David and Solomon: and his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom ; that is the name of his grandmother, see 1 Kings 15:2 she is called his mother, not because she brought him forth, but because she brought him up; and this is observed to his commendation, that though he was educated by an idolatrous woman, yet... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 15:11

And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did David his father. In his personal walk and conversation, in his government of the nation, and especially in the matters of his God, and of religion, he made David his pattern and example to copy after. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 15:12

And he took away the Sodomites out of the land ,.... Which were in the times of Rehoboam, 1 Kings 14:24 , and continued in his father's reign; those he took away, either by driving them out of the land, or by putting them to death according to the law of God, Leviticus 20:13 even as many of them as he had knowledge of, for some remained, see 1 Kings 22:46 , and removed all the idols that his fathers had made ; or suffered to be made, as Solomon, Rehoboam, and Abijam, see 1 Kings... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 15:13

And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen ,.... From the kingdom, as the Targum; from having any share in the government, as she might have had during his minority, his mother being dead, as some conjecture; and not only took away her power and authority, but all the ensigns of it, and perhaps forbid her the court: or he removed her from the queen, his own wife, that she might not be corrupted by her; or rather it was from presiding over the rites of the idol next... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 15:14

But the high places were not removed ,.... That is, such as had been used for the worship of God, before the temple was built, which yet now should have been removed, since sacrifice was now only to be offered there; but he might think they were still lawful, or the people had such an opinion of them, that it was difficult and dangerous to attempt to remove them; otherwise high places for idolatry were removed by him, 2 Chronicles 14:3 , nevertheless, Asa's heart was perfect all his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 15:15

And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated ,.... The spoils he had taken in war from Jeroboam, and which he had devoted to religious uses, but lived not to perform his vows, which his son now did for him; so that it seems, notwithstanding the sins he fell into, he had some regard to God and his worship, see 2 Chronicles 13:19 . and the things which himself had dedicated ; out of the spoils taken from the Ethiopians, 2 Chronicles 14:13 , these he brought into the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 15:16

And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days: That is as long as they lived together; for Baasha died many years before Asa, and this must be reckoned from the time the war began between them. Baasha did not begin his reign until the third year of Asa, 1 Kings 15:25 and in the first ten years of Asa's reign the land was quiet and free from war, 2 Chronicles 14:1 of which there must be seven in the reign of Baasha, who is here made mention of out of course, for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 15:17

And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah ,.... Which, in 2 Chronicles 16:1 is said to be in the thirty sixth year of Asa's reign, or rather of his kingdom; for it can never mean the year of his reign, for Baasha was dead many years before that, since his reign began in the third of Asa, and he reigned but twenty four years, and therefore must die in the twenty seventh of Asa; but it is to be understood of the kingdom of Judah, when it was divided from Israel; from that time to this... read more

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