Bible Commentaries
1 Kings 15

Verse 1

Abijam = Abijah.

Verse 2

Three years. Not full years, for he died in the twentieth year of Jeroboam (1 Kings 15:9 ).

mother's. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Genus) for ancestor. Here = grandmother. Maachah, or Michaiah (2 Chronicles 13:2 ). Abishalom = Absalom (2 Chronicles 11:21 ).

Verse 3

father. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Genus), App-6 , for ancestor.

Verse 4

lamp. See note on 1 Kings 11:36 . Peculiarly used of David.

Verse 6

And, &c. This is repeated (from 1 Kings 14:30 ) to complete Structure above.

Verse 7

the rest. See 2 Chronicles 13:3 , &c.

Verse 8

slept with his fathers. See note on 1 Kings 14:20 .

Verse 11

right. Therefore his days "long in the land" (1 Kings 15:23 ). Contemporary with seven Israelite kings.

idols = filthy idols.

Verse 14

not removed: not till the reign of Hezekiah (1 Kings 22:43 ; 2 Kings 12:3 ; 2 Kings 18:4 ).

Verse 15

things. dedicated = holy things of his father. See note on Exodus 3:5 .

Verse 16

war. Only border fighting. No campaign. Compare 1 Kings 15:32 .

Verse 17

Ramah = the modern er Ram, five miles north of Jerusalem, which it was intended to menace. See 2 Chronicles 16:1 .

go out or come in. But in vain. See 1Ki 12:27 ; 1 Kings 15:9 , &c.

Verse 18

the. Some codices, with two early printed editions, read "among the".

Verse 19

There is. Supply Figure of speech Ellipsis ( App-6 ). [Let there be. ]

league = covenant.

and. Supply [as] instead of "and",

behold. Figure of speech Asterismos App-6 .

Verse 20

hosts = forces.

Ijon, &c. All in the neighbourhood of Gennesaret.

Verse 21

dwelt in. Septuagint and Vulg, read "returned to". See note on 1 Kings 14:17 .

Verse 23

The rest. Compare 2 Chronicles 14:9 , 2 Chronicles 15:10 .

are they not. ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 .

Verse 24

father = forefather. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Species).

Verse 26

evil. Hebrew. ra'a . App-44 .

sin. Same as "evil", above.

made Israel to sin. See note on 1 Kings 14:16 .

Verse 29

that breathed. Hebrew. neshamah. App-16 .

the saying. Compare 1 Kings 14:7-11 .

Verse 32

war. Only border fighting (compare verses: 1 Kings 15:16 , 1Ki 15:32 , 2 Chronicles 14:1 ; 2 Chronicles 15:19 ); no actual campaign, as in 2 Chronicles 16:1 .

Verse 33

in Tirzah. See notes on 1 Kings 14:17 and 1 Kings 15:21 .

twenty and four years. Began in the third year of Asa. Therefore he died in the twenty-sixth year of Asa (1 Kings 16:8 ). Yet in the thirty-sixth year Baasha came and made war against Judah (2 Chronicles 16:1 ). This would be nine or ten years after he was dead. But see note on 2 Chronicles 16:1 , where the word "reign" should be rendered "kingdom": i.e. the thirty-sixth year from the kingdom of Israel. See App-50 .