24 And Asa H609 slept H7901 with his fathers, H1 and was buried H6912 with his fathers H1 in the city H5892 of David H1732 his father: H1 and Jehoshaphat H3092 his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead.
And G1161 Asa G760 begat G1080 Josaphat; G2498 and G1161 Josaphat G2498 begat G1080 Joram; G2496 and G1161 Joram G2496 begat G1080 Ozias; G3604
And Jehoshaphat H3092 the son H1121 of Asa H609 began to reign H4427 over Judah H3063 in the fourth H702 year H8141 of Ahab H256 king H4428 of Israel. H3478 Jehoshaphat H3092 was thirty H7970 and five H2568 years H8141 old H1121 when he began to reign; H4427 and he reigned H4427 twenty H6242 and five H2568 years H8141 in Jerusalem. H3389 And his mother's H517 name H8034 was Azubah H5806 the daughter H1323 of Shilhi. H7977 And he walked H3212 in all the ways H1870 of Asa H609 his father; H1 he turned not aside H5493 from it, doing H6213 that which was right H3477 in the eyes H5869 of the LORD: H3068 nevertheless the high places H1116 were not taken away; H5493 for the people H5971 offered H2076 and burnt incense H6999 yet in the high places. H1116
And Jehoshaphat H3092 his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead, and strengthened H2388 himself against Israel. H3478 And he placed H5414 forces H2428 in all the fenced H1219 cities H5892 of Judah, H3063 and set H5414 garrisons H5333 in the land H776 of Judah, H3063 and in the cities H5892 of Ephraim, H669 which Asa H609 his father H1 had taken. H3920 And the LORD H3068 was with Jehoshaphat, H3092 because he walked H1980 in the first H7223 ways H1870 of his father H1 David, H1732 and sought H1875 not unto Baalim; H1168 But sought H1875 to the LORD God H430 of his father, H1 and walked H1980 in his commandments, H4687 and not after the doings H4639 of Israel. H3478 Therefore the LORD H3068 stablished H3559 the kingdom H4467 in his hand; H3027 and all Judah H3063 brought H5414 to Jehoshaphat H3092 presents; H4503 and he had riches H6239 and honour H3519 in abundance. H7230 And his heart H3820 was lifted up H1361 in the ways H1870 of the LORD: H3068 moreover he took away H5493 the high places H1116 and groves H842 out of Judah. H3063 Also in the third H7969 year H8141 of his reign H4427 he sent H7971 to his princes, H8269 even to Benhail, H1134 and to Obadiah, H5662 and to Zechariah, H2148 and to Nethaneel, H5417 and to Michaiah, H4322 to teach H3925 in the cities H5892 of Judah. H3063 And with them he sent Levites, H3881 even Shemaiah, H8098 and Nethaniah, H5418 and Zebadiah, H2069 and Asahel, H6214 and Shemiramoth, H8070 and Jehonathan, H3083 and Adonijah, H138 and Tobijah, H2900 and Tobadonijah, H2899 Levites; H3881 and with them Elishama H476 and Jehoram, H3088 priests. H3548 And they taught H3925 in Judah, H3063 and had the book H5612 of the law H8451 of the LORD H3068 with them, and went about H5437 throughout all the cities H5892 of Judah, H3063 and taught H3925 the people. H5971
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Kings 15
Commentary on 1 Kings 15 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 15
1Ki 15:1-8. Abijam's Wicked Reign over Judah.
1. Abijam—His name was at first Abijah (2Ch 12:16); "Jah," the name of God, according to an ancient fashion, being conjoined with it. But afterwards, when he was found "walking in all the sins of his father" [1Ki 15:3], that honorable addition was withdrawn, and his name in sacred history changed into Abijam [Lightfoot].
2. Three years reigned he—(compare 1Ki 15:1 with 1Ki 15:9). Parts of years are often counted in Scripture as whole years. The reign began in Jeroboam's eighteenth year, continued till the nineteenth, and ended in the course of the twentieth.
his mother's name was Maachah—or Michaiah (2Ch 13:2), probably altered from the one to the other on her becoming queen, as was very common under a change of circumstances. She is called the daughter of Abishalom, or Absalom (2Ch 11:21), of Uriel (2Ch 13:2). Hence, it has been thought probable that Tamar, the daughter of Absalom (2Sa 14:27; 18:18), had been married to Uriel, and that Maachah was their daughter.
3. his heart was not perfect with the Lord … , as the heart of David his father—(Compare 1Ki 11:4; 14:22). He was not positively bad at first, for it appears that he had done something to restore the pillaged treasures of the temple (1Ki 15:15). This phrase contains a comparative reference to David's heart. His doing that which was right in the eyes of the Lord (1Ki 15:5) is frequently used in speaking of the kings of Judah, and means only that they did or did not do that which, in the general course and tendency of their government, was acceptable to God. It furnishes no evidence as to the lawfulness or piety of one specific act.
4. for David's sake did the Lord his God give him a lamp—"A lamp" in one's house is an Oriental phrase for continuance of family name and prosperity. Abijam was not rejected only in consequence of the divine promise to David (see on 1Ki 11:13-36).
1Ki 15:9-22. Asa's Good Reign.
10-13. his mother's name was Maachah—She was properly his grandmother, and she is here called "the king's mother," from the post of dignity which at the beginning of his reign she possessed. Asa, as a constitutional monarch, acted like the pious David, laboring to abolish the traces and polluting practices of idolatry, and in pursuance of his impartial conduct, he did not spare delinquents even of the highest rank.
13. also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen—The sultana, or queen dowager, was not necessarily the king's natural mother (see 1Ki 2:19), nor was Maachah. Her title, and the privileges connected with that honor and dignity which gave her precedency among the ladies of the royal family, and great influence in the kingdom, were taken away. She was degraded for her idolatry.
because she had made an idol in a grove—A very obscene figure, and the grove was devoted to the grossest licentiousness. His plans of religious reformation, however, were not completely carried through, "the high places were not removed" (see 1Ki 3:2). The suppression of this private worship on natural or artificial hills, though a forbidden service after the temple had been declared the exclusive place of worship, the most pious king's laws were not able to accomplish.
15. he brought in the things which his father had dedicated—Probably the spoils which Abijam had taken from the vanquished army of Jeroboam (see 2Ch 13:16).
and the things which himself had dedicated—after his own victory over the Cushites (2Ch 14:12).
16, 17. there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days—Asa enjoyed a ten years' peace after Jeroboam's defeat by Abijam, and this interval was wisely and energetically spent in making internal reforms, as well as increasing the means of national defense (2Ch 14:1-7). In the fifteenth year of his reign, however, the king of Israel commenced hostilities against him, and, invading his kingdom, erected a strong fortress at Ramah, which was near Gibeah, and only six Roman miles from Jerusalem. Afraid lest his subjects might quit his kingdom and return to the worship of their fathers, he wished to cut off all intercourse between the two nations. Ramah stood on an eminence overhanging a narrow ravine which separated Israel from Judah, and therefore he took up a hostile position in that place.
18-20. Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the … house of the Lord—Asa's religious character is now seen to decline. He trusted not in the Lord (2Ch 16:7). In this emergency Asa solicited the powerful aid of the king of Damascene-Syria; and to bribe him to break off his alliance with Baasha, he transmitted to him the treasure lying in the temple and palace. The Syrian mercenaries were gained. Instances are to be found, both in the ancient and modern history of the East, of the violation of treaties equally sudden and unscrupulous, through the presentation of some tempting bribe. Ben-hadad poured an army into the northern provinces of Israel, and having captured some cities in Galilee, on the borders of Syria, compelled Baasha to withdraw from Ramah back within his own territories.
Ben-hadad—(See on 1Ki 11:14).
22. Then king Asa made a proclamation—The fortifications which Baasha had erected at Ramah were demolished, and with the materials were built other defenses, where Asa thought they were needed—at Geba (now Jeba) and Mizpeh (now Neby Samuil), about two hours' travelling north of Jerusalem.
23. in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet—(See on 2Ch 16:12, where an additional proof is given of his religious degeneracy.)
1Ki 15:25-34. Nadab's Wicked Reign.
25. Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign—No record is given of him, except his close adherence to the bad policy of his father.
27. Baasha smote him at Gibbethon—This town, within the tribe of Dan, was given to the Levites (Jos 19:44). It lay on the Philistine borders, and having been seized by that people, Nadab laid siege to recover it.
29. when he reigned, he smote all the house of Jeroboam—It was according to a barbarous practice too common in the East, for a usurper to extirpate all rival candidates for the throne; but it was an accomplishment of Ahijah's prophecy concerning Jeroboam (1Ki 14:10, 11).