But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them ,.... While Abijah was making his oration, he detached a party from his army, which got about, and lay in ambush, behind the army of Abijah: so they were before Judah ; Jeroboam and the greater part of his army: and the ambushment was behind them ; which Jeroboam had sent thither. read more
But Jeroboam caused an ambushment - While Abijah was thus employed in reproving them, Jeroboam divided his army privately, and sent a part to take Abijah in the rear; and this must have proved fatal to the Jews, had not the Lord interposed. read more
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
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
The successor of Rehoboam. I. HIS NAME . Abijah, "whose father is Jehovah" ( 1 Kings 14:1 ); Abijam, "father of the sea," i.e. a maritime man ( 1 Kings 14:31 ; 1 Kings 15:1 ); or Abia ( LXX .). If Abijam be not a clerical mistake, then the hypothesis is at least interesting that the Chronicler adopted the form Abijah because he did not intend to describe this king's reign as wicked, while the writer of the Kings, having this intention, frequently selected the form... read more
A great war in a short reign. I. THE CONTENDING ARMIES . ( 2 Chronicles 13:3 .) 1 . Their leaders. Of the army of Judah, Abijah; of the host of Israel, Jeroboam—both capable generals, and each the inspiring spirit of his troops. 2 . Their numbers. Of Judah, four hundred thousand men—one hundred thousand fewer than Joab numbered to Judah; of Israel, eight hundred thousand—exactly the number Joab counted to Israel ( 2 Samuel 24:9 ). 3 . Their quality. (a) ... read more
These verses purport to tell how Jeroboam, with all his vastly preponderating numbers ( 2 Chronicles 13:3 ), left nothing undone to secure the victory, and resorted even to the ambushment described; how, on the other hand, Abijah and his people honoured God by their cry and confident shout, and were delivered because they trusted in him ( 1 Samuel 17:45-47 ), and as follows, 2 Chronicles 13:18 , "relied upon the Lord God of their fathers." read more
2 Chronicles 13:13. But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come behind While Abijah was discoursing, he took the advantage thus afforded him of sending a party of soldiers privately to lie in ambush, and attack Abijah’s army behind, while he continued to face them with his main body. It does not appear that he made any answer to Abijah’s speech. The longest sword, he thinks, must determine the matter, not the better cause. read more
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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