This chapter begins with the reign of Abijah, 2 Chron. 13:1, 2 Chron. 13:2, gives an account of a battle between him and Jeroboam, previous to which Abijah made a speech to Jeroboam and his army, to vindicate his own cause, encourage his own soldiers, and intimidate the enemy, and dissuade them…

Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.] (See Gill on 1 Kings 15:1).

He reigned three years in Jerusalem (See Gill on 1 Kings 15:2), his mother’s name also was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah; see , (See Gill on 1 Kings 15:2).

And Abijah set the battle in array, with an army of valiant man of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men Collected such an army of select men, led them into his enemy’s country, and set them in order of battle: and Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him, with eight hundred thousand…

And Abijah stood upon Mount Zemaraim, which is in Mount Ephraim Which might have its name from a city of Benjamin of this name, to which it was near, though within the borders of Ephraim, formerly inhabited by the Zemarites, from whence it might have its name, here Abijah stood, that he might be…

Ought you not to know They did know what he afterwards says, but he would have them consider and acknowledge it: that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever; to him and his seed, particularly to the Messiah, that should spring from him; but whether Abijah had this in…

Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up Notwithstanding it was well known the kingdom was entailed on the posterity of David by an everlasting covenant; Abijah calls Jeroboam Solomon’s servant, by way of great contempt, as Jarchi observes, he being the…

And there are gathered unto him vain men Void of the fear of God, and all that is good: the children of Belial: men unprofitable, good for nothing, or that had cast off the yoke of the law of God, were lawless and abandoned persons: And have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of…

And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the Lord in the hand of the sons of David To oppose them, prevail over them, and get it out of their hands, which is delivered to them by the Lord, as the Targum: and ye be a great multitude; of which they boasted, and in which they trusted, being ten…

Have ye not cast out the priests of the Lord the sons of Aaron, and the Levites Because they would not sacrifice to his idols, and that they might not instruct the people in the pure worship of God, and that he and his people might be free from the payment of tithes, firstfruits and their cities…

But as for us, the Lord is our God The Word of the Lord, as the Targum; we know and acknowledge no other; not the calves at Dan and Bethel, nor any other idols, only the one living and true God: and we have not forsaken him; his laws, statutes, ordinances, and worship; for though Abijah was not a…

And they burn unto the Lord, every morning and every evening, burnt sacrifices and sweet incense That is, the priests; the one they did on the altar of burnt offering, and the other on the altar of incense, and both every day, morning and evening: the shewbread also set they in order upon the pure…

And, behold, God himself is with us for our Captain To go before our armies, and fight our battles for us: and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you; which was one use of the trumpets, that the people might be remembered by the Lord, and saved from their enemies, , so that…

But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them, &c.] While Abijah was making his oration, he detached a party from his army, which got about, and lay in ambush, behind the army of Abijah: so they were before Judah; Jeroboam and the greater part of his army: and the ambushment was…

And when Judah looked back On hearing a noise behind them: behold, the battle was before and behind; men were set in battle array, and the battle was begun, and an attack made upon them both ways: and they cried unto the Lord; for help against their enemies, and to deliver them out of their hands:…

Then the men of Judah gave a shout Taking heart at the sound of the trumpets, and in order to encourage one another, and intimidate the enemy; (See Gill on 1 Sam.

And the children of Israel fled before Judah Were in such a fright and consternation, that they could not stand their ground, or engage at all; but took to flight immediately: and God delivered them into their hand; to be taken and slain by them.

And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter, &c.] As they fled, pursuing them: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men; such a slaughter as is not to be met with in any history, as Josephus F19 Antiqu. l. 8. c. 11. sect. 3. F20 Trad. Heb. fol. 84. M.

Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, &c.] Humbled and weakened, but not reduced to the government of the house of David: and the children of Judah prevailed; or grew strong: because they relied upon the Lord God of their fathers; trusted in him, and not in an arm of flesh;…

And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam As he and his army fled: and took cities from him; the following ones: Bethel with the towns thereof; the villages adjoining to it; here one of the calves was set up, which either Jeroboam took care to remove before this place fell into the hands of Abijah, or…

Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah So as to bring an army into the field against him, and fight him: and the Lord struck him; by some Jewish writers [[0]], this is interpreted of Abijah; and the reason of his being stricken, they say, was because he did not destroy…

But Abijah waxed mighty In his kingdom, increasing in riches and numbers, power and authority, and in his family: and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons and sixteen daughters; not after the above battle, nor since he began to reign; for he reigned but three years; but he, no…

And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings Not only his warlike actions, and his course of life, but some remarkable sayings of his, he being a man of wisdom and eloquence, as his above speech shows; are written in the story of the prophet Iddo; who might write the history of…