Ver. 1. So Abijah slept with his fathers.] See 1 Kings 2:10. In the city of David.] There David’s sepulchre was to be seen in the apostles’ days; (Acts 2:29) and there Solomon’s sepulchre, which the Jews had in great esteem, fell to pieces without force offered to it, a little before the last destruction of Jerusalem in 132 AD, as Dio testifieth. [Dio, l. 59. c. 13. s. 2. 8:451]
Ver. 2. And Asa did that which was good.] See 1 Kings 15:11. In the eyes of the Lord.] Not in his own eyes, or the eyes of men, qui larvis ducuntur, which are oft bemisted.
Ver. 3. And the high places.] Erected to idols; not the other. (1 Kings 15:14)
Ver. 4. And commanded Judah.] It is not enough to pull down superstition; but God’s sincere service also must be set up.
Ver. 5. And the images.] Heb., The sun images: Hammonim, the images of Jupiter Ammon, as some will have it. A Lapide.
Ver. 6. And he built fenced cities.] Though he had no war, yet he provided for it. So did our Queen Elizabeth; and so must every Christian soldier.
Ver. 7. Because we have sought the Lord our God, we have sought him.] It did his heart good to think how piously they had purchased their present peace; and therefore he repeateth it. See Zechariah 8:19. [See Trapp on “Zec 8:19”]
Ver. 8. Two hundred and fourscore thousand.] “Little Benjamin” was grown very numerous and potent.
Ver. 9. And there came out against them.] Called in, likely, by the ten tribes, in revenge of the late overthrow given them by Abijah. Zerah the Ethiopian.] Who is thought to have reigned over Egypt also. With a host of a thousand thousand.] A larger host than that of Xerxes. Josephus saith it consisted of nine hundred thousand foot, and one hundred thousand horse. And three hundred chariots,] sc., Falcatis et aeratis, armed with scythes, and other instruments of death. And came unto Mareshah.] The country of the prophet Micah, the Morasthite, in the tribe of Judah. Here, then, was Hannibal ad portas.
Ver. 10. In the valley of Zephathah.] See Judges 1:17.
Ver. 11. It is nothing with thee.] See 1 Samuel 14:9. Help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee.] Adiuva nos, nam te nitimur: Asa found his great army outmatched, and therefore resteth wholly upon God, and sped accordingly, as Hanani afterwards mindeth him. (2 Chronicles 16:8) For in thy name,] i.e., For thy service and glory, by thy will, under thy conduct, calling upon thy name, and resting on thy power. Let not man prevail against thee.] Sorry, sickly man, as the word signifieth.
Ver. 12. So the Lord smote the Ethiopians.] Egit in praecipitiurn, he tumbled them down headlong.
Ver. 13. Unto Gerar.] A city of the Philistines, who took part, it is likely, with these Ethiopians, and therefore suffered with them. That they could not recover themselves.] Heb., There was no life in them; pecoris instar trucidabantur, they were slain as dogs. And before his host.] His host of angels, saith Lyra And they carried away very much spoil.] A good amends for the treasure that Shishak, king of Egypt and Ethiopia, took from Rehoboam. Riches come and go, accedunt et recedunt instar Euripi, they do often change masters.
Ver. 14. And they smote all the cities.] See on 2 Chronicles 14:13.
Ver. 15. They smote also the tents of cattle.] The Arabian Scenites, who had also aided the Ethiopians, and now had enough of it. “So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord.”