7 And there are gathered H6908 unto him vain H7386 men, H582 the children H1121 of Belial, H1100 and have strengthened H553 themselves against Rehoboam H7346 the son H1121 of Solomon, H8010 when Rehoboam H7346 was young H5288 and tenderhearted, H7390 H3824 and could not withstand H2388 them. H6440
So king H4428 Rehoboam H7346 strengthened H2388 himself in Jerusalem, H3389 and reigned: H4427 for Rehoboam H7346 was one H259 and forty H705 years H8141 old H1121 when he began to reign, H4427 and he reigned H4427 seventeen H7651 H6240 years H8141 in Jerusalem, H3389 the city H5892 which the LORD H3068 had chosen H977 out of all the tribes H7626 of Israel, H3478 to put H7760 his name H8034 there. And his mother's H517 name H8034 was Naamah H5279 an Ammonitess. H5985
For G2532 G1063 when for G1223 the time G5550 ye ought G3784 to be G1511 teachers, G1320 ye have G2192 need G5532 that one teach G1321 you G5209 again G3825 which G5101 be the first G746 principles G4747 of the oracles G3051 of God; G2316 and G2532 are become such as G1096 have G2192 need G5532 of milk, G1051 and G2532 not G3756 of strong G4731 meat. G5160
But G1161 the Jews G2453 which believed not, G544 moved with envy, G2206 G2532 took unto them G4355 certain G5100 lewd G4190 fellows G435 of the baser sort, G60 and G2532 gathered a company, G3792 and set all G2350 the city G4172 on an uproar, G2350 and G5037 assaulted G2186 the house G3614 of Jason, G2394 and sought G2212 to bring G71 them G846 out G1519 to the people. G1218
He that tilleth H5647 his land H127 shall have plenty H7646 of bread: H3899 but he that followeth H7291 after vain H7386 persons shall have poverty enough. H7389
They were children H1121 of fools, H5036 yea, children H1121 of base men: H8034 they were viler H5217 than the earth. H776
And when Rehoboam H7346 was come H935 to Jerusalem, H3389 he gathered H6950 of the house H1004 of Judah H3063 and Benjamin H1144 an hundred H3967 and fourscore H8084 thousand H505 chosen H977 men, which were warriors, H6213 H4421 to fight H3898 against Israel, H3478 that he might bring H7725 the kingdom H4467 again H7725 to Rehoboam. H7346 But the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came to Shemaiah H8098 the man H376 of God, H430 saying, H559 Speak H559 unto Rehoboam H7346 the son H1121 of Solomon, H8010 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 and to all Israel H3478 in Judah H3063 and Benjamin, H1144 saying, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Ye shall not go up, H5927 nor fight H3898 against your brethren: H251 return H7725 every man H376 to his house: H1004 for this thing H1697 is done H1961 of me. And they obeyed H8085 the words H1697 of the LORD, H3068 and returned H7725 from going H3212 against Jeroboam. H3379
And when all Israel H3478 saw H7200 that the king H4428 would not hearken H8085 unto them, the people H5971 answered H7725 the king, H4428 saying, H559 What portion H2506 have we in David? H1732 and we have none inheritance H5159 in the son H1121 of Jesse: H3448 every man H376 to your tents, H168 O Israel: H3478 and now, David, H1732 see H7200 to thine own house. H1004 So all Israel H3478 went H3212 to their tents. H168
And there came H935 in two H8147 men, H582 children H1121 of Belial, H1100 and sat H3427 before him: and the men H582 of Belial H1100 witnessed H5749 against him, even against Naboth, H5022 in the presence of the people, H5971 saying, H559 Naboth H5022 did blaspheme H1288 God H430 and the king. H4428 Then they carried him forth H3318 out H2351 of the city, H5892 and stoned H5619 him with stones, H68 that he died. H4191
And set H3427 two H8147 men, H582 sons H1121 of Belial, H1100 before him, to bear witness H5749 against him, saying, H559 Thou didst blaspheme H1288 God H430 and the king. H4428 And then carry him out, H3318 and stone H5619 him, that he may die. H4191
And every one H376 that was in distress, H4689 and every one H376 that was in debt, H5378 and every one H376 that was discontented, H4751 H5315 gathered H6908 themselves unto him; and he became a captain H8269 over them: and there were with him about four H702 hundred H3967 men. H376
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 13
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 13 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 13
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 Ki. 15:2, 3. But here we find him more brave and successful in war than his father was. He reigned but three years, and was chiefly famous for a glorious victory he obtained over the forces of Jeroboam. Here we have,
2Ch 13:1-12
Abijah's mother was called Maachah, the daughter of Absalom, ch. 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 Sa. 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.
2Ch 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.