In this chapter we have a short history of the reign of Abijam, 1 Kings 15:1–8 and of Asa, 1 Kings 14:9–24, both kings of Judah; and of the reigns of Nadab the son of Jeroboam, and of Baasha, who destroyed his family, both kings of Israel, 1 Kings 15:25–34.

Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah. ] That is, began to reign; and by this it appears that Rehoboam was in the eighteenth year of his reign when he died, for he and Jeroboam began their reign at the same time.

Three years reigned he in Jerusalem And three only; his reign was short, and indeed not three full years, only one whole year and part of two others; for Asa his son began to reign in the twentieth of Jeroboam, so that he reigned part of his eighteenth, this whole nineteenth, and part of his…

And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him Having such bad examples as both parents to copy after; it chiefly respects idolatrous practices, see , and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God; he did profess the true God, and worshipped him, but not wholly, and…

Nevertheless, for David’s sake did the Lord his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem A kingdom there, as the Targum, splendid and glorious, to be continued in his posterity: to set up his son after him; in it: and to establish Jerusalem: to continue that in which the temple was, for the sake of which,…

Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, &c.] With respect to worship: and turned not aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life; especially in matters of religion, nor even in his moral walk and conversation, deliberately, studiously, and with design:…

And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. ] Not the days of Rehoboam, though that was true, and is observed, , but all the days of Abijam, before he came to the throne, and in which, when a young man, he was concerned, and which still continued between him and…

Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? &c.] Which seem to be written by Iddo the prophet, see , and there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam; and a famous pitched battle between them we read of in (2 Chron.

And Abijam slept with his fathers That is, died as they did: and they buried him in the city of David, in the sepulchre of his royal ancestors, David, Solomon, and Rehoboam: and Asa his son reigned in his stead; who perhaps was the eldest of his twenty two sons, .

And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah. ] How this is to be accounted for (See Gill on 1 Kings 15:2).

And forty one years reigned he in Jerusalem Being a good king, had the blessing of a long reign, and reached, and even exceeded, the years of the reigns of David and Solomon: and his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom; that is the name of his grandmother, see she is called his…

And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did David his father. ] In his personal walk and conversation, in his government of the nation, and especially in the matters of his God, and of religion, he made David his pattern and example to copy after.

And he took away the Sodomites out of the land Which were in the times of Rehoboam, , and continued in his father’s reign; those he took away, either by driving them out of the land, or by putting them to death according to the law of God, even as many of them as he had knowledge of, for some…

And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen From the kingdom, as the Targum; from having any share in the government, as she might have had during his minority, his mother being dead, as some conjecture; and not only took away her power and authority, but all the ensigns of…

But the high places were not removed That is, such as had been used for the worship of God, before the temple was built, which yet now should have been removed, since sacrifice was now only to be offered there; but he might think they were still lawful, or the people had such an opinion of them,…

And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, &c.] The spoils he had taken in war from Jeroboam, and which he had devoted to religious uses, but lived not to perform his vows, which his son now did for him; so that it seems, notwithstanding the sins he fell into, he had some regard…

And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days: ] That is as long as they lived together; for Baasha died many years before Asa, and this must be reckoned from the time the war began between them.

And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah Which, in is said to be in the thirty sixth year of Asa’s reign, or rather of his kingdom; for it can never mean the year of his reign, for Baasha was dead many years before that, since his reign began in the third of Asa, and he reigned but twenty…

Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king’s house What was left untaken away by Shishak king of Egypt, , or what he had put there dedicated by his father and himself, and be they either, they were not to be…

There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father For though Hezion, if he is the same with Rezon, was an adversary to Israel in the days of Solomon, , yet it seems his son was not, but was a confederate with the kings of Israel and Judah: behold, I have sent unto thee a…

So Benhadad hearkened unto King Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel He broke off his alliance with the king of Israel; and as he had a standing army, with proper officers, he sent them directly to take the cities of Israel: and he smote Ijon, and Dan,…

And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof What was doing in the northern part of his kingdom: that he left off building of Ramah; which was the thing designed to be answered by this diversion: and dwelt in Tirzah; in the tribe of Manasseh, nearer at hand, to observe and stop the motions of the…

Then King Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah Summoned men of all sorts, ranks, and degrees: (none was exempted;) the Jews [[24]] say, not so much as a newly married man, whom the law excused from war the first year, nor the disciples of the wise men: and they took away the stones of…

The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? &c.] Some of which are to be met with in the canonical book of that name, (2 Chron. 14:1–15, 2 Chron.

And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father In a sepulchre there he himself had made, and in great pomp and solemnity, being laid on a bed filled with sweet odours and spices, prepared according to art, and which were burned for him, , and…

And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah Before Baasha did: and reigned over Israel two years, not two whole years; for he began in the second of Asa, and in the third of that king’s reign Baasha slew him, and reigned in his stead, .

And he did evil in the sight of the Lord Committed idolatry, than which nothing is a greater evil in his sight: and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin: in making and worshipping of golden calves.

And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar A man of that tribe; but who he was, or his father, is nowhere else said, very probably an officer in Nadab’s army: conspired against him; laid a scheme to take away his life, and seize the kingdom: and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon; a city in…

Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead. ] Which seems to be his only or chief view in slaying him, to get possession of his kingdom.

And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the house of Jeroboam That he might have no rival, or any that could pretend any title to the crown: he left not Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the Lord, which he spake by his servant Ahijah…

Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his provocation wherewith he provoked the Lord God of Israel. ] Not that Baasha destroyed the family of Jeroboam because of his sins, which did so much mischief to Israel, and were so provoking to the Lord, from any…

Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did In his short reign, which yet were more than here related: are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? in which those of his father Jeroboam were written, .

And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. ] For being a wicked man, and an idolater, Asa had no respect for him, though he had slain the family of Jeroboam; nor had Baasha any regard to Judah, nor to the worship of God at Jerusalem, so that there was no good…

In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah Which is repeated, partly to observe that the whole kingdom submitted to him, though an usurper and murderer, and the place where he kept his court, as also the time of his reign, as follows:…

And he did evil in the sight of the Lord As Nadab did, whom he slew: and walked in the way of Jeroboam; whose family he destroyed: and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin; in worshipping the golden calves; so that it was not out of dislike to idolatry, but out of malice and ambition, that he…