The Second Book of the Chronicles
2 Chronicles 13
Chapter XIII · Vol. II, pp. 859–860
1 Abijah succeeding maketh war against Jeroboam. 4 He declareth the right of his cause. 13 Trusting in God he overcometh Jeroboam. 21 The wives and children of Abijah.
1 Now ina the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.
B.C. 958.
a 1 Ki.15.1,2.
2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem. (his mother's2 name also was bMichaiah,3 the daughter of Uriel of cGibeah:) and dthere was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
3 And Abijah set the battle in array,4 with an army of valiant men of war, even efour hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valour.5
4 Heb. bound together.
e ch.14.9; 17.14-18. 1 Ch.21.5.
5 The numbers of these armies seem so great as to afford in the minds of thoughtless infidels an occasion of cavilling. A little knowledge of the construction of Eastern armies would, however, remove all improbability. Besides, though each had so many of his own troops, or of auxiliaries, it does not follow that either had all his army assembled on one field of battle.—C.
4 And Abijah stood up upon mount fZemaraim,6 which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hearg me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel;
6 Mount Zemaraim is not to be confounded with the town of the same name, which was situated in the Jordan valley at the spot now marked by the ruins of Sumrah. The mount here mentioned appears to have been at or near the boundary of the two kingdoms, and not far distant from Bethel.—P.
g Ju.9.7. 2 Sa.20.17. Ps.20.7. Ro.12.18.
5 Ought ye not to know that the LORD God of Israel hgave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by ia covenant of salt?7
h 1 Sa.16.12,13. 2 Sa.7.12-16. Ps.132.12.
A.M. 3046. B.C. 958.
i Nu.18.19. Eze.43.24, i.e. a perpetual one of friendship.
7 See note on Le. 2.13.—C.
6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath krebelled against his lord.
k 1 Ki.11.26; 12.20,27. ch.x.
7 And there are gathered unto him lvain men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was myoung8 and tender-hearted, and ncould not withstand them.
8 And now ye think to withstand othe kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David; and ye be pa great multitude, and there are with you golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods.
o ch.9.8. 1 Ch.17.14; 28.5; 29.23. Ps.82.1.
p Is.31.1,3. Ps.33.16. 1 Sa.4.3,5. 1 Ki.12.28. Ho.8.6.
9 Haveq ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites,9 and have rmade you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh sto consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams,1 the same may be a priest of them that are no gods.
q ch.11.14,15.
9 It is most probable that Jeroboam had deprived the Levites of their offices and possessions, not having been able to seduce them to the worship of the calves, or from their attachment to the temple service of Jehovah at Jerusalem.—C.
r 1 Ki.12.31; 13.33.
s Heb. to fill his hand, Ex.29.1. Le.8.2.
1 The Aaronic priest was consecrated with the offering of one bullock and one ram, Le. 8. 22. Abijah seems to make mention of seven as if it were a kind of simoniacal bribe for obtaining the office.—C.
10 But as for us, tthe LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the LORD, are uthe sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their business:
11 Andx they burn unto the LORD, every morning and every evening, burnt-sacrifices and sweet incense: the yshow-bread also set they in order upon the pure table; and zthe candlestick of gold, with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but ye have forsaken him.
12 And, behold, God himself is with us afor our captain, and his priests with bsounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, cfight ye not against the LORD God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper.2
a De.20.4. Ps.20.7. Ex.15.3,6. Ro.8.31. Is.41.10.
c Ac.5.39. Job 9.4; 40.2. 1 Co.10.22.
2 Three circumstances will account for Jeroboam's listening to this lengthened and accusatory address. 1. His conscience may have felt it, and deprived him, for the moment, of power to silence it by any noise in his army. 2. He may have been afraid to prevent his army from hearing the young king. 3. And, what is most probable, he may have been only listening in appearance to prevent Abijah's attention from the ambush, ver. 13, he was secretly laying against him.—C.
13 But Jeroboam caused dan ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them.
14 And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they criede unto the LORD, and the priests sounded with the trumpets.
A.M. 3046. B.C. 958.
e Ex.14.10,15. ch.14.9. Ps.50.15. 1 Ki.22.32.
15 Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.
16 And the children of Israel fled before Judah; and God delivered them into their hand.
17 And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel ffive hundred thousand chosen men.3
f ch.14.12; 20.22. Ps.3.8; 33.16. Is.10.16-19.
3 Infidels have asserted the utter incredibility of such a slaughter, and believers have sought for modes of calculation to reduce the amount. There is no ground for the infidelity of the one class, nor necessity for the research of the other. The text does not say they were all slain in one battle, but includes the loss of life during the continuance of the war. See ver. 19, and comp. ch.14.1. When viewed thus, there will be no difficulty in admitting the calculation: examples of equal extermination may be found, alas! in all ages.—C.
18 Thus the children of Israel were gbrought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they hrelied upon the LORD God of their fathers.
19 And Abijah ipursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, kBeth-el with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and lEphraim with the towns thereof.
20 Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the LORD struckm him, and he died.4
m 1 Sa.25.38. Eze.24.16. 1 Ki.14.20; 15.9.
4 It is very evident that Jeroboam (and not Abijah) is meant, but though now stricken with disease, he did not die till two years after Abijah, 1 Ki.14.20; 15.9.—I.
Notes
Reflections.—What multitudes do wicked princes render subservient to their lusts! Before men proceed to the extremities of war, every peaceable method of accommodation ought to be tried; as, at least, all the death on the one side is murder, and often so on both. Many can talk finely of God and his service who have no heart-love to them or any correspondent practice. What an advantage in war is it to have a righteous cause and a powerful and gracious God on our side; and when we evidence it by not forsaking him, but by cleaving to his ministers and ordinances! But dangerous is their case who have ambition that cannot be satisfied, and who are emboldened by mere success! Prosperous iniquity is but a short-lived joy. They who have God their enemy will find all human efforts in vain. And the fair warnings, that render them inexcusable in their obstinacy, will occasion their more distinguished ruin. How often are princes occupied in laying ambushments of war and death when they should be treating of solid and lasting peace! But earnest supplications to God are more powerful than carnal stratagems: and he often lets his people fall into the most imminent danger, to awaken their cries, exercise their faith, and make their deliverance the more glorious. But if we are enabled to trust in him we shall not be moved. The prayer of faith and shouts of victory are inseparable. Civil wars and disputes among brethren are generally the most bitter and bloody: and what multitudes of souls doth a furious war hurry headlong and thoughtless into an eternal state, and most of them into the depths of hell! Nor can the mightiest escape the strokes of God's wrath and darts of death.