Text -- 1 Kings 15:1-12 (NET)

Abijah’s Reign over Judah

15:1 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah became king over Judah. 15:2 He ruled for three years in Jerusalem. His mother was Maacah, the daughter of Abishalom. 15:3 He followed all the sinful practices of his father before him. He was not wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his God, as his ancestor David had been. 15:4 Nevertheless for David’s sake the Lord his God maintained his dynasty in Jerusalem by giving him a son to succeed him and by protecting Jerusalem. 15:5 He did this because David had done what he approved and had not disregarded any of his commandments his entire lifetime, except for the incident involving Uriah the Hittite. 15:6 Rehoboam and Jeroboam were continually at war with each other throughout Abijah’s lifetime. 15:7 The rest of the events of Abijah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. Abijah and Jeroboam had been at war with each other. 15:8 Abijah passed away and was buried in the city of David. His son Asa replaced him as king.

Asa’s Reign over Judah

15:9 In the twentieth year of Jeroboam’s reign over Israel, Asa became the king of Judah. 15:10 He ruled for forty-one years in Jerusalem. His grandmother was Maacah daughter of Abishalom. 15:11 Asa did what the Lord approved like his ancestor David had done. 15:12 He removed the male cultic prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the disgusting idols his ancestors had made.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 1Ki 15:1

¹ tc The Old Greek also has the phrase “the son of Rehoboam.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 15:2

¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

² sn Abishalom (also in v. 10) is a variant of the name Absalom (cf. 2 Chr 11:20). The more common form is used by TEV, NLT.

NET Notes: 1Ki 15:3

¹ tn Heb “his heart was not complete with the Lord his God, like the heart of David his father.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 15:4

¹ tn Heb “gave him a lamp.”

² tc The Old Greek has the plural “his sons.”

³ tn Heb “by raising up his son after him.”

⁴ tn Heb “and by causing Jerusalem to stand firm.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 15:5

¹ tn The words “he did this” are added for stylistic reasons.

² tn Heb “what was right in the eyes of the Lord.”

³ tn Heb “and had not turned aside from all which he commanded him.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 15:6

¹ tc Most Hebrew mss read “Rehoboam”; a few Hebrew mss and the Syriac read “Abijam” (a variant of Abijah).

² tn Heb “his”; the referent (Abijah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

NET Notes: 1Ki 15:7

¹ tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Abijah, and all which he did, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Judah?”

NET Notes: 1Ki 15:8

¹ tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.” The Old Greek also has these words: “in the twenty-eighth year of Jeroboam.”

² tn Heb “and they buried him.”

NET Notes: 1Ki 15:10

¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

² tn Heb “mother,” but Hebrew often uses the terms “father” and “mother” for grandparents and more remote ancestors.

NET Notes: 1Ki 15:11

¹ tn Heb “what was right in the eyes of the Lord.”

² tn Heb “father,” but Hebrew often uses the terms “father” and “mother” for grandparents and more remote ancestors.

NET Notes: 1Ki 15:12

¹ tn The word used here, גִלּוּלִים [gillulim], is always used as a disdainful reference to idols. It is generally thought to have originally referred to “dung pellets” (cf. KBL 183 s.v. גִלּוּלִים). It is only one of several terms used in this way, such as “worthless things” (אֱלִילִים, ’elilim), “vanities” or “empty winds” (הֲבָלִים, havalim).

² tn Heb “fathers” (also in v. 24).