mh_parser/vol_split/14 - 2Chronicles/Chapter 13.xml

<div2 id="iiCh.xiv" n="xiv" next="iiCh.xv" prev="iiCh.xiii" progress="82.09%" title="Chapter XIII">
<h2 id="iiCh.xiv-p0.1">S E C O N D   C H R O N I C L E
S</h2>
<h3 id="iiCh.xiv-p0.2">CHAP. XIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="iiCh.xiv-p1">We have here a much fuller account of the reign of
Abijah, the son of Rehoboam, than we had in the Kings. There we
found that his character was no better than his father's—he
"walked in the sins of his father, and his heart was not right with
God," <scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.15.2-1Kgs.15.3" parsed="|1Kgs|15|2|15|3" passage="1Ki 15:2,3">1 Kings xv. 2, 3</scripRef>.
But here we find him more brave and successful in war than his
father was. He reigned but three years, and was chiefly famous for
a glorious victory he obtained over the forces of Jeroboam. Here we
have, I. The armies brought into the field on both sides, <scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.3" parsed="|2Chr|13|3|0|0" passage="2Ch 13:3">ver. 3</scripRef>. The remonstrance which Abijah
made before the battle, setting forth the justice of his cause,
<scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.4-2Chr.13.12" parsed="|2Chr|13|4|13|12" passage="2Ch 13:4-12">ver. 4-12</scripRef>. III. The
distress which Judah was brought into by the policy of Jeroboam,
<scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.13-2Chr.13.14" parsed="|2Chr|13|13|13|14" passage="2Ch 13:13,14">ver. 13, 14</scripRef>. IV. The
victory they obtained notwithstanding, by the power of God,
<scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.15-2Chr.13.20" parsed="|2Chr|13|15|13|20" passage="2Ch 13:15-20">ver. 15-20</scripRef>. V. The
conclusion of Abijah's reign, <scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.21-2Chr.13.22" parsed="|2Chr|13|21|13|22" passage="2Ch 13:21,22">ver.
21, 22</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom id="iiCh.xiv-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13" parsed="|2Chr|13|0|0|0" passage="2Ch 13" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="iiCh.xiv-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.1-2Chr.13.12" parsed="|2Chr|13|1|13|12" passage="2Ch 13:1-12" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:2Chr.13.1-2Chr.13.12">
<h4 id="iiCh.xiv-p1.9">Abijah's Reign over Judah. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xiv-p1.10">b. c.</span> 957.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="iiCh.xiv-p2">1 Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam
began Abijah to reign over Judah.   2 He reigned three years
in Jerusalem. His mother's name also <i>was</i> Michaiah the
daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and
Jeroboam.   3 And Abijah set the battle in array with an army
of valiant men of war, <i>even</i> four hundred thousand chosen
men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight
hundred thousand chosen men, <i>being</i> mighty men of valour.
  4 And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which <i>is</i>
in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel;
  5 Ought ye not to know that the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xiv-p2.1">Lord</span> God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel
to David for ever, <i>even</i> to him and to his sons by a covenant
of salt?   6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of
Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against
his lord.   7 And there are gathered unto him vain men, the
children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against
Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and
tenderhearted, and could not withstand them.   8 And now ye
think to withstand the kingdom of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xiv-p2.2">Lord</span> in the hand of the sons of David; and ye
<i>be</i> a great multitude, and <i>there are</i> with you golden
calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods.   9 Have ye not cast
out the priests of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xiv-p2.3">Lord</span>, the
sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the
manner of the nations of <i>other</i> lands? so that whosoever
cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams,
<i>the same</i> may be a priest of <i>them that are</i> no gods.
  10 But as for us, the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xiv-p2.4">Lord</span>
<i>is</i> our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests,
which minister unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xiv-p2.5">Lord</span>,
<i>are</i> the sons of Aaron, and the Levites <i>wait</i> upon
<i>their</i> business:   11 And they burn unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xiv-p2.6">Lord</span> every morning and every evening burnt
sacrifices and sweet incense: the showbread also <i>set they in
order</i> upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the
lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xiv-p2.7">Lord</span> our God; but ye have forsaken
him.   12 And, behold, God himself <i>is</i> with us for
<i>our</i> captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry
alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the
<span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xiv-p2.8">Lord</span> God of your fathers; for ye
shall not prosper.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xiv-p3">Abijah's mother was called <i>Maachah,</i>
the daughter of Absalom, <scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.11.20" parsed="|2Chr|11|20|0|0" passage="2Ch 11:20"><i>ch.</i>
xi. 20</scripRef>; here she is called <i>Michaiah,</i> the daughter
of Uriel. It is most probable that she was a grand-daughter of
Absalom, by his daughter Tamar (<scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.14.27" parsed="|2Sam|14|27|0|0" passage="2Sa 14:27">2
Sam. xiv. 27</scripRef>), and that her immediate father was this
Uriel. But we are here to attend Abijah into the field of battle
with Jeroboam king of Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xiv-p4">I. God gave him leave to engage with
Jeroboam, and owned him in the conflict, though he would not permit
Rehoboam to do it, <scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.11.4" parsed="|2Chr|11|4|0|0" passage="2Ch 11:4"><i>ch.</i> xi.
4</scripRef>. 1. Jeroboam, it is probable, was now the aggressor,
and what Abijah did was in his own necessary defence. Jeroboam, it
may be, happening to survive Rehoboam, claimed the crown of Judah
be survivorship, at least hoped to get it from this young king,
upon his accession to the throne. Against these impudent
pretensions it was brave in Abijah to take up arms, and God stood
by him. 2. When Rehoboam attempted to recover his ten tribes
Jeroboam was upon his good behaviour, and there must be some trial
of him; but now that he had discovered what manner of man he was,
by setting up the calves and casting off the priests, Abijah is
allowed to chastise him, and it does not appear that he intended
any more; whereas Rehoboam aimed at no less than the utter
reduction of the ten tribes, which was contrary to the counsel of
God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xiv-p5">II. Jeroboam's army was double in number to
that of Abijah (<scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.3" parsed="|2Chr|13|3|0|0" passage="2Ch 13:3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>), for he had ten tribes to raise an army out of, while
Abijah had but two. Of the army on both sides it is said, they were
<i>mighty men, chosen men,</i> and <i>valiant;</i> but the army of
Judah consisted only of 400,000, while Jeroboam's army amounted to
800,000. The inferior number however proved victorious; for the
battle is not always to the strong nor the cause to the
majority.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xiv-p6">III. Abijah, before he fought them,
reasoned with them, to persuade them, though not to return to the
house of David (that matter was settled by the divine determination
and he acquiesced), yet to desist from fighting against the house
of David. He would not have them <i>withstand the kingdom of the
Lord in the hands of the sons of David</i> (<scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.8" parsed="|2Chr|13|8|0|0" passage="2Ch 13:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>), but at least to be content with
what they had. Note, It is good to try reason before we use force.
If the point may be gained by dint of argument, better so than by
dint of sword. We must never fly to violent methods till all the
arts of persuasion have been tried in vain. War must be the
<i>ultima ratio regum</i>—<i>the last resort of kings.</i> Fair
reasoning may do a great deal of good and prevent a good deal of
mischief. <i>How forcible are right words!</i> Abijah had got with
his army into the heart of their country; for he made this speech
upon a hill in Mount Ephraim, where he might be heard by Jeroboam
and the principal officers, with whom it is probable he desired to
have a treaty, to which they consented. It has been usual for great
generals to make speeches to their soldiers to animate them, and
this speech of Abijah had some tendency to do this, but was
directed to Jeroboam and all Israel. Two things Abijah undertakes
to make out, for the satisfaction of his own men and the conviction
of the enemy:—</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xiv-p7">1. That he had right on his side, a <i>jus
divinum</i>—<i>a divine right:</i> "You know, or ought to know,
that <i>God gave the kingdom to David and his sons for ever</i>"
(<scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.5" parsed="|2Chr|13|5|0|0" passage="2Ch 13:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), not by
common providence, his usual way of disposing of kingdoms, but by a
covenant of salt, a lasting covenant, a covenant made by sacrifice,
which was always salted; so bishop Patrick. All Israel had owned
that David was a king of God's making, and that God had entailed
the crown upon his family; so that Jeroboam's taking the crown of
Israel at first was not justifiable: yet it is not certain that
Abijah referred chiefly to that, for he knew that Jeroboam had a
grant from God of the ten tribes. His attempt, however, to disturb
the peace and possession of the king of Judah was by no means
excusable; for when the ten tribes were given to him two were
reserved for the house of David. Abijah shows, (1.) That there was
a great deal of dishonesty and disingenuousness in Jeroboam's first
setting himself up: He <i>rebelled against his lord</i> (<scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.6" parsed="|2Chr|13|6|0|0" passage="2Ch 13:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>) who had preferred him
(<scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p7.3" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.11.28" parsed="|1Kgs|11|28|0|0" passage="1Ki 11:28">1 Kings xi. 28</scripRef>), and
basely took advantage of Rehoboam's weakness in a critical
juncture, when, in gratitude to his old master and in justice to
his title, he ought rather to have stood by him, and helped to
secure the people in their allegiance to him, than to head a party
against him and make a prey of him, which was unworthily done and
what he could not expect to prosper in. Those that supported him
are here called <i>vain men</i> (a character perhaps borrowed from
<scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p7.4" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.3" parsed="|Judg|11|3|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:3">Judg. xi. 3</scripRef>), men that did
not act from any steady principle, but were given to change, and
men of Belial, that were for shaking off the yoke of government and
setting those over them that would do just as they would have them
do. (2.) That there was a great deal of impiety in his present
attempt; for, in fighting against the house of David, he fought
<i>against the kingdom of the Lord.</i> Those who oppose right
oppose the righteous God who sits in the throne judging right, and
cannot promise themselves success in so doing. Right may indeed go
by the worst for a time, but it will prevail at last.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xiv-p8">2. That he had God on his side. This he
insisted much upon, that the religion of Jeroboam and his army was
false and idolatrous, but that he and his people, the men of Judah,
had the pure worship of the true and living God among them. It
appears from the character given of Abijah (<scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.15.3" parsed="|1Kgs|15|3|0|0" passage="1Ki 15:3">1 Kings xv. 3</scripRef>) that he was not himself in
this war chiefly from the religion of his kingdom. For, (1.)
Whatever he was otherwise, it should seem that he was no idolator,
or, if he connived at the high places and images (<scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.14.3 Bible:2Chr.14.5" parsed="|2Chr|14|3|0|0;|2Chr|14|5|0|0" passage="2Ch 14:3,5"><i>ch.</i> xiv. 3, 5</scripRef>), yet he
constantly kept up the temple-service. (2.) Whatever corruptions
there were in the kingdom of Judah, the state of religion among
them was better than in the kingdom of Israel, with which they were
now contending. (3.) It is common for those that deny the power of
godliness to boast of the form of it. (4.) It was the cause of his
kingdom that he was pleading; and, though he was not himself so
good as he should have been, yet he hoped that, for the sake of the
good men and good things that were in Judah, God would now appear
for them. Many that have little religion themselves yet have so
much sense and grace as to value it in others. See how he
describes, [1.] The apostasy of Israel from God. "<i>You are a
great multitude,</i>" said he, "far superior to us in number; but
we need not fear you, for you have that among yourselves which is
enough to ruin you. For," <i>First,</i> "You have calves for your
gods (<scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p8.3" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.8" parsed="|2Chr|13|8|0|0" passage="2Ch 13:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>), that
are unable to protect and help you and will certainly cause the
true and living God to oppose you. Those will be Achans, troublers
of your camp." <i>Secondly,</i> "You have base men for your
priests, <scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p8.4" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.9" parsed="|2Chr|13|9|0|0" passage="2Ch 13:9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. You
have cast off the tribes of Levi, and the house of Aaron, whom God
appointed to minister in holy things; and, in conformity to the
custom of the idolatrous nations, make any man a priest that has a
mind to the office and will be at the charge of the consecration,
though ever so much a scandal to the office." Yet such, though very
unfit to be priests, were fittest of all to be <i>their</i>
priests; for what more agreeable to gods that were no gods than
priests that were no priests? Like to like, both pretenders and
usurpers. [2.] The adherence of Judah to God: "<i>But as for us</i>
(<scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p8.5" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.10" parsed="|2Chr|13|10|0|0" passage="2Ch 13:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>) <i>we have
not forsaken God.</i> Jehovah is our God, the God of our fathers,
the God of Israel, who is able to protect us, and give us success.
He is with us, for we are with him." <i>First,</i> "At home in his
temple: We <i>keep his charge,</i> <scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p8.6" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.10-2Chr.13.11" parsed="|2Chr|13|10|13|11" passage="2Ch 13:10,11"><i>v.</i> 10, 11</scripRef>. We worship no images,
have no priests but what he has ordained, no rites of worship but
what he has prescribed. Both the temple service and the temple
furniture are of his appointing. His appointment we abide by, and
neither add nor diminish. These we have the comfort of, these we
now stand up in the defence of: so that upon a religious as well as
a civil account we have the better cause. <i>Secondly,</i> Here in
the camp; he is our captain, and we may therefore be sure that he
is with us, because we are with him, <scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p8.7" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.12" parsed="|2Chr|13|12|0|0" passage="2Ch 13:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. And, as a token of his
presence, we have here with us his priests, sounding his trumpets
according to the law, as a testimony against you, and an assurance
to us that in the day of battle we shall be <i>remembered before
the Lord our God</i> and <i>saved from our enemies;</i>" for so
this sacred signal is explained, <scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p8.8" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.9" parsed="|Num|10|9|0|0" passage="Nu 10:9">Num.
x. 9</scripRef>. Nothing is more effectual to embolden men, and put
spirit into them, than to be sure that God is with them and fights
for them. He concludes with fair warning to his enemies. "<i>Fight
not against the God of your fathers.</i> It is folly to fight
against the God of almighty power; but it is treachery and base
ingratitude to fight against your fathers' God, and you cannot
expect to prosper."</p>
</div><scripCom id="iiCh.xiv-p0.3" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.13-2Chr.13.22" parsed="|2Chr|13|13|13|22" passage="2Ch 13:13-22" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:2Chr.13.13-2Chr.13.22">
<h4 id="iiCh.xiv-p8.10">Jeroboam Defeated by Abijah. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xiv-p8.11">b. c.</span> 957.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="iiCh.xiv-p9">13 But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come
about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment
<i>was</i> behind them.   14 And when Judah looked back,
behold, the battle <i>was</i> before and behind: and they cried
unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xiv-p9.1">Lord</span>, and the priests
sounded with the trumpets.   15 Then the men of Judah gave a
shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God
smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.   16
And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered
them into their hand.   17 And Abijah and his people slew them
with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five
hundred thousand chosen men.   18 Thus the children of Israel
were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah
prevailed, because they relied upon the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xiv-p9.2">Lord</span> God of their fathers.   19 And Abijah
pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Beth-el with the
towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephrain
with the towns thereof.   20 Neither did Jeroboam recover
strength again in the days of Abijah: and the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xiv-p9.3">Lord</span> struck him, and he died.   21 But
Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty
and two sons, and sixteen daughters.   22 And the rest of the
acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, <i>are</i> written
in the story of the prophet Iddo.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xiv-p10">We do not find that Jeroboam offered to
make any answer at all to Abijah's speech. Though it was much to
the purpose, he resolved not to heed it, and therefore he heard it
as though he heard it not. He came to fight, not to dispute. The
longest sword, he thought, would determine the matter, not the
better cause. Let us therefore see the issue, whether right and
religion carried the day or no.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xiv-p11">I. Jeroboam, who trusted to his politics,
was beaten. He was so far from fair reasoning that he was not for
fair fighting. We may suppose that he felt a sovereign contempt for
Abijah's harangue. "One stratagem," thinks he, "is worth twenty
such speeches; we will soon give him an answer to all his
arguments; he shall soon find himself overpowered with numbers,
surrounded on every side with the instruments of death, and then
let him boast of his religion and his title to the crown." A
parley, it is probable, was agreed on, yet Jeroboam basely takes
the advantage of it, and, while he was treating, <i>laid his
ambushment behind Judah,</i> against all the laws of arms. What
honour could be expected in a <i>servant when he reigned?</i>
Abijah was <i>for peace,</i> but, <i>when he spoke, they were for
war,</i> <scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.120.7" parsed="|Ps|120|7|0|0" passage="Ps 120:7">Ps. cxx. 7</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xiv-p12">II. Abijah and his people, who trusted in
their God, came off conquerors, notwithstanding the disproportion
of their strength and numbers.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xiv-p13">1. They were brought into a great strait,
put into a great fright, for <i>the battle was before and
behind.</i> A good cause, and one which is designed to be
victorious, may for a season be involved in embarrassment and
distress. It was David's case. <i>They compassed me about like
bees,</i> <scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.118.10-Ps.118.12" parsed="|Ps|118|10|118|12" passage="Ps 118:10-12">Ps. cxviii.
10-12</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xiv-p14">2. In their distress, when danger was on
every side, which way should they look but upwards for deliverance?
It is an unspeakable comfort that no enemy (not the most powerful
or politic), no stratagem or ambushment, can cut off our
communication with heaven; our way thitherward is always open. (1.)
<i>They cried unto the Lord,</i> <scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.14" parsed="|2Chr|13|14|0|0" passage="2Ch 13:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. We hope they did this before
they engaged in this war, but the distress they were in made them
renew their prayers and quickened them to be importunate. God
brings his people into straits, that he may teach them to <i>cry
unto him.</i> Earnest praying is crying. (2.) They <i>relied on the
God of their fathers,</i> depended upon his power to help them and
committed themselves to him, <scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p14.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.18" parsed="|2Chr|13|18|0|0" passage="2Ch 13:18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. The prayer of faith is the
prevailing prayer, and this is that by which we overcome the world,
<i>even our faith,</i> <scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p14.3" osisRef="Bible:1John.5.4" parsed="|1John|5|4|0|0" passage="1Jo 5:4">1 John v.
4</scripRef>. (3.) The <i>priests sounded the trumpets</i> to
animate them by giving them an assurance of God's presence with
them. It was not only a martial but a sacred sound, and put life
into their faith. (4.) They shouted in confidence of victory: "The
day is our own, for God is with us." To the cry of the prayer they
added the shout of faith, and so became more than conquerors.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xiv-p15">3. Thus they obtained a complete victory:
<i>As the men of Judah shouted</i> for joy in God's salvation,
<i>God smote Jeroboam</i> and his army with such terror and
amazement that they could not strike a stroke, but fled with the
greatest precipitation imaginable, and the conquerors gave no
quarter, so that they put to the sword 500,000 chosen men
(<scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p15.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.17" parsed="|2Chr|13|17|0|0" passage="2Ch 13:17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>), more, it
is said, than ever we read of in any history to have been killed in
one battle; but the battle was the Lord's, who would thus chastise
the idolatry of Israel and own the house of David. But see the sad
effect of division: it was the blood of Israelites that was thus
shed like water by Israelites, while the heathen, their neighbours,
to whom the name of Israel had formerly been a terror, cried,
<i>Aha!</i> <i>so would we have it.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xiv-p16">4. The consequence of this was that the
children of Israel, though they were not brought back to the house
of David (which by so great a blow surely they would have been had
not the determinate counsel of God been otherwise), yet, for that
time, were <i>brought under,</i> <scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p16.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.18" parsed="|2Chr|13|18|0|0" passage="2Ch 13:18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. Many cities were taken, and
remained in the possession of the kings of Judah; as Bethel
particularly, <scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p16.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.19" parsed="|2Chr|13|19|0|0" passage="2Ch 13:19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>. What became of the golden calf there, when it came
into the hands of the king of Judah, we are not told; perhaps it
was removed to some place of greater safety, and at length to
Samaria (<scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p16.3" osisRef="Bible:Hos.8.5" parsed="|Hos|8|5|0|0" passage="Ho 8:5">Hos. viii. 5</scripRef>); yet
in Jehu's time we find it at Bethel, <scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p16.4" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.10.29" parsed="|1Kgs|10|29|0|0" passage="1Ki 10:29">2 Kings x. 29</scripRef>. Perhaps Abijah, when it was
in his power to demolish it, suffered it to stand, for <i>his heart
was not perfect</i> with God; and, not improving what he had got
for the honour of God, he soon lost it all again.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xiv-p17"><i>Lastly,</i> The death of both of the
conquered and of the conqueror, not long after. 1. Jeroboam never
looked up after this defeat, though he survived it two or three
years. He could not recover <i>strength again,</i> <scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p17.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.20" parsed="|2Chr|13|20|0|0" passage="2Ch 13:20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. The Lord struck him
either with some bodily disease, of which he languished, or with
melancholy and trouble of mind; his heart was broken, and vexation
at his loss brought his head, probably by this time a hoary head,
with sorrow to the grave. He escaped the sword of Abijah, but God
struck him: and there is no escaping his sword. 2. Abijah waxed
mighty upon it. What number of wives and children he had before
does not appear; but now he multiplied his wives to fourteen in
all, by whom he had thirty-eight children, <scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p17.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.21" parsed="|2Chr|13|21|0|0" passage="2Ch 13:21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. Happy is the man that hath his
quiver full of those arrows. It seems, he had ways peculiar to
himself, and sayings of his own, which were recorded with his acts
in the history of those times, <scripRef id="iiCh.xiv-p17.3" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.22" parsed="|2Chr|13|22|0|0" passage="2Ch 13:22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. But the number of his months
was cut off in the midst, and, soon after his triumphs, death
conquered the conqueror. Perhaps he was too much lifted up with his
victories, and therefore God would not let him live long to enjoy
the honour of them.</p>
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