24 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 13 This chapter begins with the reign of Abijah, 2 Chronicles 13:1, gives an account of a battle between him and Jeroboam, previous to which Abijah made a speech to Jeroboam and his army, to vindicate his own cause, encourage his own soldiers, and intimidate the enemy, and dissuade them from fighting, 2 Chronicles 13:3...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah. [See comments on 1 Kings 15:1].
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
We have here a much fuller account of the reign of Abijah, the son of Rehoboam, than we had in the Kings. There we found that his character was no better than his father's—he "walked in the sins of his father, and his heart was not right with God," 1 Kings xv. 2, 3. But here we find him more brave and successful in war than his father was. He...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
He reigned three years in Jerusalem,.... [See comments on 1 Kings 15:2], his mother's name also was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah; see 2 Chronicles 11:20, [See comments on 1 Kings 15:2]. and there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam; and in this chapter is an account of a battle fought between them, not recorded in the book of Kings.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Abijah set the battle in array, with an army of valiant man of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men,.... Collected such an army of select men, led them into his enemy's country, and set them in order of battle: and Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him, with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valour;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Abijah stood upon Mount Zemaraim, which is in Mount Ephraim,.... Which might have its name from a city of Benjamin of this name, to which it was near, though within the borders of Ephraim, Joshua 18:22 formerly inhabited by the Zemarites, from whence it might have its name, Genesis 10:18 here Abijah stood, that he might be the better heard by...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up,.... Notwithstanding it was well known the kingdom was entailed on the posterity of David by an everlasting covenant; Abijah calls Jeroboam Solomon's servant, by way of great contempt, as Jarchi observes, he being the general receiver of his tax in the tribe of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And there are gathered unto him vain men,.... Void of the fear of God, and all that is good: the children of Belial: men unprofitable, good for nothing, or that had cast off the yoke of the law of God, were lawless and abandoned persons: And have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon: rejected his government of them; went...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the Lord in the hand of the sons of David,.... To oppose them, prevail over them, and get it out of their hands, which is delivered to them by the Lord, as the Targum: and ye be a great multitude; of which they boasted, and in which they trusted, being ten tribes to two, and in this army two to one: and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Have ye not cast out the priests of the Lord the sons of Aaron, and the Levites,.... Because they would not sacrifice to his idols, and that they might not instruct the people in the pure worship of God, and that he and his people might be free from the payment of tithes, firstfruits, c. and their cities fall into his hands: and have made you...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But as for us, the Lord [is] our God,.... The Word of the Lord, as the Targum; we know and acknowledge no other; not the calves at Dan and Bethel, nor any other idols, only the one living and true God: and we have not forsaken him; his laws, statutes, ordinances, and worship; for though Abijah was not a religious man, yet it seems the form of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they burn unto the Lord, every morning and every evening, burnt sacrifices and sweet incense,.... That is, the priests; the one they did on the altar of burnt offering, and the other on the altar of incense, and both every day, morning and evening: the shewbread also set they in order upon the pure table; the shewbread table, every sabbath...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And, behold, God himself is with us for our Captain,.... To go before our armies, and fight our battles for us: and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you; which was one use of the trumpets, that the people might be remembered by the Lord, and saved from their enemies, Numbers 10:9, so that this circumstance was against...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when Judah looked back,.... On hearing a noise behind them: behold, the battle was before and behind; men were set in battle array, and the battle was begun, and an attack made upon them both ways: and they cried unto the Lord; for help against their enemies, and to deliver them out of their hands: and the priests sounded with the trumpets; to...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then the men of Judah gave a shout,.... Taking heart at the sound of the trumpets, and in order to encourage one another, and intimidate the enemy; [See comments on 1 Samuel 17:20], and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah; possessed them with a panic, so that they fled at...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the children of Israel fled before Judah,.... Were in such a fright and consternation, that they could not stand their ground, or engage at all; but took to flight immediately: and God delivered them into their hand; to be taken and slain by them.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter,.... As they fled, pursuing them: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men; such a slaughter as is not to be met with in any history, as Josephus (s) observes; though Abarbinel wonders he should say so, and affirms that he had read of larger numbers slain at...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time,.... Humbled and weakened, but not reduced to the government of the house of David: and the children of Judah prevailed; or grew strong: because they relied upon the Lord God of their fathers; trusted in him, and not in an arm of flesh; the Targum is, "in the Word of the Lord God of their...