Ver. 1. Reigned Abijam.] Called also Abijah. (2 Chronicles 12:16) Abijah signifieth, The Lord is my father: so his father called him, likely, with respect to that promise made to David; (2 Samuel 7:14) but because he walked not in the ways of David, therefore is Abijah called Abijam, which signifieth, My father is a sea. Indeed, Rehoboam was inconstant in good, wavering “like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.” (James 1:6)
Ver. 2. His mother’s name was Maachah.] Called also Micalah; (2 Chronicles 13:2) we read likewise of a woman called Abijah. (2 Chronicles 29:1) The daughter of Abishalom.] Or, Absalom, whose daughter or niece by his daughter Tamar this Maachah may seem to have been: her husband’s name was Uriel of Gibeah. (2 Chronicles 13:2)
Ver. 3. And he walked in all the sins.] Though at first he seemed to be somewhat good, (2 Chronicles 13:12) yet soon after he showed himself in his colours. Which he had done before him.] That is, In his sight, whereby he became an ill precedent to him.
Ver. 4. Did the Lord his God give him a lamp.] That is, A royal glory in a successor.
Ver. 5. And turned not aside from anything,] i.e., Of set purpose, against conseience, with any allowance and approbation. He had his other faults and failings, as his lies to Jonathan, (1 Samuel 20:6) to Ahimelech, (1 Samuel 21:2) to Achish, (1 Samuel 27:10) his unkindness to Mephibosheth, his polygamy, his fond sparing of his untoward sons, his numbering the people, &c. But as great virtues not sweetened with sincerity, are no ornament to men; so great infirmities not soured with hypocrisy, are no great deformities to them: those God acknowledgeth not; these he imputeth not. Save only in the matter of Uriah.] There indeed he was false-hearted, and that kept him for a time from confessing it, and caused him to devise bad shifts to hide it; which doing one year, brought him many years of trouble.
Ver. 6. And there was war.] See 1 Kings 14:30.
Ver. 7. And there was war.] Sharp wars, (2 Chronicles 13:3) by a just hand of God upon both those kingdoms for their idolatry. And for like cause the dissensions between England and Scotland consumed more Christian blood, wrought more spoil and destruction, and continued longer than ever quarrel we read of did between any two people of the world.
Ver. 8. And Asa his son reigned.] This was a good king. But it is wonder how he should be good, of the seed of Abijam, of the soil of Maachah, both wicked, both idolatrous. Thus we have seen, saith a reverend man, a fair flower spring out of dung, and a well-fruited tree rise out of a sour stock.
Ver. 9. And in the twentieth year.] See on 1 Kings 14:31.
Ver. 10. And forty and one years reigned he.] His father Abijam was soon cut off for his wickedness: Asa, that he might reform a state so far out of order, had a long reign granted him. Think the same of Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. Asa reigned in Judah, in the times of the reigns of eight kings in Israel. And his mother’s name was Maachah.] That is, His grandmother’s, who was a most wicked woman, nec tamen Asa mores eius retinuit, saith Vatablus, yet Asa kept himself uncorrupted by her, which was no small commendation. Pliny praiseth young Quadratus, quod in deliciis aviae degens viveret tamen severisime, for that he lived strictly under the government of a loose grandmother. Epist., lib. vii.
Ver. 11. And Asa did that which was right.] Right, for the matter of his obedience; uprightly, for the manner.
Ver. 12. And he took away the sodomites.] See 1 Kings 14:24. How far from this zeal of good Asa was Pope Sixtus Quartus, qui lupanar utriusque Veneris Romae condidit, et tribus mensibus anni calidioribus, Iunio, Iulio, et Augusto, toti familiae Cardinalis Sanctae Luciae masculam venerem permisit cum Apostilla, Fiat ut petitur. The Papists themselves write with detestation, that in Rome a Jewish maid might not be admitted into the stews of whoredom, unless she would be first baptized. All the idols.] The dirty idols, the dunghill deities: so called here, because of the stench wherewith they offend Almighty God. Corn. Agrippa. Espencaeus Deos stercores
Ver. 13. From being queen.] Queen regent, or queen mother at least. Ne Domina esset, so the Tigurine; ne princeps esset in sacris Priapi, so the Vulgate; ne esset Augusta, so Junius; ne esset sacerdotissa prima, so others. Because she had made an idol.] Heb., A horrible ugly thing, which some say was the picture of Priapus, others of Pan; others hold it to have been Idolum turpissimum a matre ad cultum Veneris institutum, a most filthy idol, set up in honour of Venus. And Asa destroyed her idol.] Heb., Cut off, deheaded it, as the expression is in Hosea 10:2.
Ver. 14. But the high places were not removed,] sc., Such as were set up for the worship of God; for as for those that were set up in honour of idols, he removed them. But he should have done both, as did afterwards zealous Hezekiah and Josiah. It is with the saints as with Jonathan’s signal arrows—two fell short, and but one beyond the mark; so where one shooteth home to the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus, many fall short. Nevertheless Asa’s heart was perfect.] With one breath doth God report both these; such is his indulgency. He will not see weakness where he seeth truth. All Asa’s infirmities are covered with the mantle of sincerity. Contrarily in Jehu, the Holy Ghost, after a description of many excellent things done by him, doth at last as it were draw a cross line. (2 Kings 10:31)
Ver. 15. And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated,] viz., After his great victory over Jeroboam, (2 Chronicles 13:15) though otherwise he were a wicked king.
Ver. 16. And there was war.] See on 1 Kings 14:30.
Ver. 17. That he might not suffer any.] He sought to block him up, and so to keep his own people—who had a mind to the sincere service of God—from flying away to him.
Ver. 18. Then Asa took all the silver.] This was plain sacrilege, since no necessity urged him thereunto. And the treasures of the king’s house.] Which were much augmented doubtless by the great spoils of the Ethiopians and Lubims, lately beaten by him. The son of Hezion.] Alias Rezon, of whom see 1 Kings 11:23.
Ver. 19. Come and break thy league.] Thus, through unbelief, he basely beggeth help of an idolater.
Ver. 20. So Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa.] Though against his oath. The Turks’ leagues, grounded upon the law of nations, be they with never so strong capitulations concluded, or solemnity of oath confirmed, have with them no longer force than standeth with their own profit. Turk Hist., pref.
Ver. 21. And dwelt.] Seeking no further revenge against Asa.
Ver. 22. And Mizpah.] Where also he had made a great pit or trench, for fear of Baasha. (Jeremiah 41:9)
Ver. 23. He was diseased in his feet.] He that imprisoned the prophet is imprisoned in his bed; there being more pain in those fetters put by God upon Asa than in those put by Asa upon Hanani. This good man was the worse a while for whipping.
Ver. 24. And Jehoshaphat.] Sic uno avulso non deficit alter Aureus.
Ver. 25. And reigned over Israel two years.] Two years peaceably, and eight years in affliction, saith Vatablus; but the truth is, he reigned not two full years in all. (1 Kings 15:28)
Ver. 26. And he did evil.] See on 1 Kings 14:23.
Ver. 27. Which belonged to the Philistines.] Sed quo iure? They had gotten it; but the right of it was in Israel. (Joshua 21:23)
Ver. 28. Did Baasha slay him.] Casting out his body to the dogs to be devoured, as Ahijah had forethreatened.
Ver. 29. According to the saying of the Lord.] The fulfilling whereof Baasha aimed not at; but the wise God effected it. The devil and his imps do God’s will, though oft against their own will.
Ver. 30. Because of the sins.] Sin is the mother of misery. Jeroboam by idolatry thought to have established his kingdom, but he ruined it.
Ver. 31. Now the rest.] See 1 Kings 14:19.
Ver. 32. And there was war.] See 1 Kings 15:16.
Ver. 33. Over all Israel.] Who soon submitted to the usurper.
Ver. 34. And he did evil.] See on 1 Kings 14:23.