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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Chronicles 13:1-12

Abijah's mother was called Maachah, the daughter of Absalom, 2 Chron. 11:20; here she is called Michaiah, the daughter of Uriel. It is most probable that she was a grand-daughter of Absalom, by his daughter Tamar (2 Sam. 14:27), and that her immediate father was this Uriel. But we are here to attend Abijah into the field of battle with Jeroboam king of Israel. I. God gave him leave to engage with Jeroboam, and owned him in the conflict, though he would not permit Rehoboam to do it, 2 Chron.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 13:5

Ought you not to know ,.... They did know what he afterwards says, but he would have them consider and acknowledge it: that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever ; to him and his seed, particularly to the Messiah, that should spring from him; but whether Abijah had this in view is a question, see 2 Samuel 7:13 . even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt ? that is, a perpetual one, which was inviolable, and never to be made void; called so,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Chronicles 13:5

By a covenant of salt ? - For ever. "For as the waters of the sea never grow sweet, neither shall the dominion depart from the house of David." - Targum. See my note on Numbers 18:19 ; (note). 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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Chronicles 13:1-22

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Chronicles 13:3-19

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Chronicles 13:5

Gave the kingdom … to David for ever . With the thrice-repeated "for ever" of what we call 2 Samuel 7:13-16 , and the very emphatic language of the fifteenth verse in that passage, in the memory of Abijah, no one can say he was not justified by the letter and to the letter in what he now says. At the same time, how is it that Abijah does not in all fairness quote the matter of 2 Chronicles 6:16 last clause, and of its parallel, 1 Kings 8:25 last clause, and of Psalms 89:28-37 ; ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Chronicles 13:5-12

The idea of Abijah in this religious harangue, addressed or supposed to be addressed to the kingdom of the ten tribes, was good, and the execution was spirited. While, however, he preaches well to others, there are not wanting signs that he can blind himself as to some failure of practice on his own part. The points of the argument running through his harangue are correct, skilfully chosen, and well and religiously thrust home on the heart of his supposed audience. The practical trust of... read more

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