1 Kings 15 Abijam followeth his father’s sins; God however keepeth promise: he dieth, and Asa his son succeedeth him, 1 Kings 15:1–8. His good reign, 1 Kings 15:9–15. Baasha wareth against him: he maketh a league with Ben-hadad, 1 Kings 15:16–22.

Object. How can this be, when he reigned three years, 1 Kings 15:2, and Asa his successor began his reign in the twentieth year of Jeroboam, 1 Kings 15:9? Answ. Parts of years are commonly called and accounted years, both in the Old and New Testament, and in profane writers.

Three years: See Poole “1 Kings 15:1”. Of Abishalom, or, of Absalom, as he is called, 2 Chron. 11:21. And because he is here mentioned as a known person, without any addition of his kindred or quality, some conceive that this was Absalom’s daughter, called properly Tamar, 2 Sam.

In all the sins of his father; which his father lived in; either, first, Before his humiliation. Or rather, secondly, After his deliverance from Shishak, when, though he did not openly renounce the worship of God, he seems to have relapsed into his former sins; which otherwise would not have been…

A lamp, i.e. a son and successor to perpetuate his name and memory, which otherwise had gone into obscurity. The same phrase is used above, 1 Kings 11:36, 2 Kings 8:19, 2 Chron. 21:7. To establish Jerusalem, i.e.

Quest. How is this true, seeing David sinned in the matter of Nabal, 1 Sam. 25:0, and Achish, 1 Sam. 27:0, and Mephibosheth, and his indulgence to his children, Adonijah, Amnon, and Absalom, and in the numbering of the people? Answ.

Which was said 1 Kings 14:30, and may be here repeated, to signify the cause and original of the war between Abijam and Jeroboam, which is implied here, and particularly described 2 Chron. 13:0. Abijam continued the war which Rehoboam had begun, and pushed it on to a decisive battle.

The chronicles of the kings of Judah; in their annals; whence they were long after this time translated into the sacred Book of Chronicles. See Poole “1 Kings 14:19”.

In or towards the end of the year. See Poole “1 Kings 15:1”.

i. e. His grandmother’s, as appears from 1 Kings 15:2, who is called his mother, as David is called Abijam’s father, 1 Kings 15:3, and this Asa’s father, 1 Kings 15:11.

That which was right in the eyes of the Lord; as to the government of his kingdom and life, and the reformation and establishment of God’s worship.

The Sodomites, of whom see 1 Kings 14:24, not all of them, but those whom he could find out; but some escaped his observation and censure, as appears from 1 Kings 22:46.

Her he removed from being queen, i.e. he took from her either the name and authority of queen-regent, which she, having been Rehoboam’s wife, and Abijam’s mother, took to herself during Asa’s minority, and abused to the patronage of idolatry; or the dignity of the queen-mother, and those guards, or…

The high places were not removed. Object. He did take these away, 2 Chron. 14:3. Answ. He took away those which were devoted to the worship of idols, as is there said, he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the highplaces, to wit, where they were worshipped: but as for those high places…

Which his father had dedicated, Abijam, to wit, when he was in distress, and going to fight with Jeroboam, 2 Chron. 13:0 though afterwards he did not perform his vows, nor bring in what he had devoted; whether because he was prevented by death, or because he afterwards relapsed to idolatry, as may…

So long as they two lived and reigned together; which is not so to be understood, as if there were a solemn and declared war continuing all that time, (for Asa was quiet in a great measure for his first ten years, 2 Chron.

Baasha went up against Judah; perceiving Asa’s great success, of which see 2 Chron. 14:0; 2 Chronicles 15:0, and the defection of many of his own subjects to him upon that occasion, 2 Chron. 15:9, he began to bestir himself, and commenceth a war against him. Built, i.e.

All the silver and the gold that were left; these poor remainders, which either Shishak had left at that time, 1 Kings 14:26, or Abijam, or Asa, or others, both of Israel and Judah, had dedicated; which probably was not inconsiderable, because Asa had got great spoils from Zerah, 2 Chron.

There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father; whereby it appears, that albeit he was an adversary to Israel all Solomon’s days, 1 Kings 11:25, yet after the division of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah he was in league with both of them; either because his designs lay…

The northern parts of Baasha’s kingdom, which were nearest to his own kingdom of Damascus, and most remote from those parts where Baasha was now employed, which were in the most southern parts of his dominions.

Now the royal city of Israel. See 1 Kings 14:17. There he abode to defend his own kingdoms, and durst not return to oppose Asa, lest the Syrian king should make a second and worse invasion.

None was exempted; all sorts of persons were obliged to come, except those who were disenabled by age, or infirmity, or absence, or by the public service of the king and kingdom in other places. Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah, i.e.

Nevertheless; notwithstanding the great things which he had done, and the glory and prosperity which he enjoyed, he felt the effects of human infirmity, and of his own sins; of which see 2 Chron. 16:12–13.

Not complete, as appears from 1 Kings 15:28, 1 Kings 15:33.

i.e. In the worship of the calves which his father had made.

Of the house of Issachar, i.e. of the tribe, which is oft called a house, as Judg. 10:9, Ps. 135:20, Hos. 1:7. Which belonged to the Philistines; who, taking advantage of the division between Israel and Judah, had retaken this town, which belonged to the tribe of Dan, Josh.

In the third year of Asa: how this agrees with 2 Chron. 16:1, see in the notes there. Did Baasha slay him; which he did, not to fulfil God’s threatening, but only to advance himself; and therefore this is called murder, 1 Kings 16:7.

Any that breathed, i.e. any of the males of that family. See Deut. 20:16, Josh. 10:40. According unto the saying of the Lord: so God overruled Baasha’s ambition and cruelty, to fulfil his own counsel and prediction.

Which he made Israel sin; so that same wicked policy which he used to establish the kingdom in his family proved his and their ruin; which is very frequently the event of ungodly counsels.