4 Nevertheless for David's H1732 sake did the LORD H3068 his God H430 give H5414 him a lamp H5216 in Jerusalem, H3389 to set up H6965 his son H1121 after H310 him, and to establish H5975 Jerusalem: H3389
And unto his son H1121 will I give H5414 one H259 tribe, H7626 that David H1732 my servant H5650 may have a light H5216 alway H3117 before H6440 me in Jerusalem, H3389 the city H5892 which I have chosen H977 me to put H7760 my name H8034 there.
I G1473 Jesus G2424 have sent G3992 mine G3450 angel G32 to testify G3140 unto you G5213 these things G5023 in G1909 the churches. G1577 I G1473 am G1510 the root G4491 and G2532 the offspring G1085 of David, G1138 and the bright G2986 and G2532 morning G3720 star. G792
As concerning G2596 G3303 the gospel, G2098 they are enemies G2190 for your sakes: G1223 G5209 but G1161 as touching G2596 the election, G1589 they are beloved G27 for G1223 the fathers' G3962 sakes. G1223
A light G5457 to G1519 lighten G602 the Gentiles, G1484 and G2532 the glory G1391 of thy G4675 people G2992 Israel. G2474
And G2532 hath raised up G1453 an horn G2768 of salvation G4991 for us G2254 in G1722 the house G3624 of his G846 servant G3816 David; G1138 As G2531 he spake G2980 by G1223 the mouth G4750 of his G846 holy G40 prophets, G4396 which G3588 have been since G575 the world began: G165 That we should be saved G4991 from G1537 our G2257 enemies, G2190 and G2532 from G1537 the hand G5495 of all G3956 that hate G3404 us; G2248 To perform G4160 the mercy G1656 promised to G3326 our G2257 fathers, G3962 and G2532 to remember G3415 his G846 holy G40 covenant; G1242 The oath G3727 which G3739 he sware G3660 to G4314 our G2257 father G3962 Abraham, G11 That he would grant G1325 unto us, G2254 that we being delivered G4506 out of G1537 the hand G5495 of our G2257 enemies G2190 might serve G3000 him G846 without fear, G870 In G1722 holiness G3742 and G2532 righteousness G1343 before G1799 him, G846 all G3956 the days G2250 of our G2257 life. G2222 And G2532 thou, G4771 child, G3813 shalt be called G2564 the prophet G4396 of the Highest: G5310 for G1063 thou shalt go G4313 before G4253 the face G4383 of the Lord G2962 to prepare G2090 his G846 ways; G3598 To give G1325 knowledge G1108 of salvation G4991 unto his G846 people G2992 by G1722 the remission G859 of their G846 sins, G266 Through G1223 the tender G4698 mercy G1656 of our G2257 God; G2316 whereby G1722 G3739 the dayspring G395 from G1537 on high G5311 hath visited G1980 us, G2248 To give light G2014 to them that sit G2521 in G1722 darkness G4655 and G2532 in the shadow G4639 of death, G2288 to guide G2720 our G2257 feet G4228 into G1519 the way G3598 of peace. G1515
But in the last H319 days H3117 it shall come to pass, that the mountain H2022 of the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 shall be established H3559 in the top H7218 of the mountains, H2022 and it shall be exalted H5375 above the hills; H1389 and people H5971 shall flow H5102 unto it. And many H7227 nations H1471 shall come, H1980 and say, H559 Come, H3212 and let us go up H5927 to the mountain H2022 of the LORD, H3068 and to the house H1004 of the God H430 of Jacob; H3290 and he will teach H3384 us of his ways, H1870 and we will walk H3212 in his paths: H734 for the law H8451 shall go forth H3318 of Zion, H6726 and the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 from Jerusalem. H3389
Thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 If ye can break H6565 my covenant H1285 of the day, H3117 and my covenant H1285 of the night, H3915 and that there should not be day H3119 and night H3915 in their season; H6256 Then may also my covenant H1285 be broken H6565 with David H1732 my servant, H5650 that he should not have a son H1121 to reign H4427 upon his throne; H3678 and with the Levites H3881 the priests, H3548 my ministers. H8334 As the host H6635 of heaven H8064 cannot be numbered, H5608 neither the sand H2344 of the sea H3220 measured: H4058 so will I multiply H7235 the seed H2233 of David H1732 my servant, H5650 and the Levites H3881 that minister H8334 unto me. Moreover the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came to Jeremiah, H3414 saying, H559 Considerest H7200 thou not what this people H5971 have spoken, H1696 saying, H559 The two H8147 families H4940 which the LORD H3068 hath chosen, H977 he hath even cast them off? H3988 thus they have despised H5006 my people, H5971 that they should be no more a nation H1471 before H6440 them. Thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 If my covenant H1285 be not with day H3119 and night, H3915 and if I have not appointed H7760 the ordinances H2708 of heaven H8064 and earth; H776 Then H1571 will I cast away H3988 the seed H2233 of Jacob, H3290 and David H1732 my servant, H5650 so that I will not take H3947 any of his seed H2233 to be rulers H4910 over the seed H2233 of Abraham, H85 Isaac, H3446 and Jacob: H3290 for I will cause their captivity H7622 to return, H7725 H7725 and have mercy H7355 on them.
And give H5414 him no rest, H1824 till he establish, H3559 and till he make H7760 Jerusalem H3389 a praise H8416 in the earth. H776
Of the increase H4766 of his government H4951 and peace H7965 there shall be no end, H7093 upon the throne H3678 of David, H1732 and upon his kingdom, H4467 to order H3559 it, and to establish H5582 it with judgment H4941 and with justice H6666 from henceforth even for H5704 ever. H5769 The zeal H7068 of the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 will perform H6213 this.
For thou wilt light H215 my candle: H5216 the LORD H3068 my God H430 will enlighten H5050 my darkness. H2822
But Abishai H52 the son H1121 of Zeruiah H6870 succoured H5826 him, and smote H5221 the Philistine, H6430 and killed H4191 him. Then the men H582 of David H1732 sware H7650 unto him, saying, H559 Thou shalt go H3318 no more out with us to battle, H4421 that thou quench H3518 not the light H5216 of Israel. H3478
And when thy days H3117 be fulfilled, H4390 and thou shalt sleep H7901 with thy fathers, H1 I will set up H6965 thy seed H2233 after H310 thee, which shall proceed H3318 out of thy bowels, H4578 and I will establish H3559 his kingdom. H4467 He shall build H1129 an house H1004 for my name, H8034 and I will stablish H3559 the throne H3678 of his kingdom H4467 for H5704 ever. H5769 I will be his father, H1 and he shall be my son. H1121 If he commit iniquity, H5753 I will chasten H3198 him with the rod H7626 of men, H582 and with the stripes H5061 of the children H1121 of men: H120 But my mercy H2617 shall not depart away H5493 from him, as I took H5493 it from Saul, H7586 whom I put away H5493 before H6440 thee. And thine house H1004 and thy kingdom H4467 shall be established H539 for H5704 ever H5769 before H6440 thee: thy throne H3678 shall be established H3559 for H5704 ever. H5769
Because H6118 that Abraham H85 obeyed H8085 my voice, H6963 and kept H8104 my charge, H4931 my commandments, H4687 my statutes, H2708 and my laws. H8451
And it came to pass, when God H430 destroyed H7843 the cities H5892 of the plain, H3603 that God H430 remembered H2142 Abraham, H85 and sent H7971 Lot H3876 out of the midst H8432 of the overthrow, H2018 when he overthrew H2015 the cities H5892 in the which H2004 Lot H3876 dwelt. H3427
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).