1 Kings 15:19

1Ki 15:19 [There is] a league between me and thee, [and] between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.

Ver. 19. Come and break thy league.] Thus, through unbelief, he basely beggeth help of an idolater.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ki 15:19. There is a league between me and thee — In the latter end of Solomon’s reign, the Syrians were enemies to him, 1Ki 11:24-25 : but when he was dead, and the kingdom was divided, both Judah and Israel made peace with the Syrians; having enough to do to settle themselves in their own dominions. Behold, I have sent thee a present, come, break thy league with Baasha — It is strange that Asa’s conscience would suffer him, or that he, a professor of the true religion, was not ashamed to be guilty of such a wicked piece of policy as to tempt with money even a heathen to break his word, or league rather, which, no doubt, he had sworn to observe. This certainly was not the way to recommend the worship and service of Jehovah to the heathen nations around.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And vex me no longer.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 19. There is a league between me and thee] Or, Let there be a league between me and thee; as there was between my father and thy father. There was no reason why Asa should have emptied his treasures at this time to procure the aid of the Syrian king; as it does not appear that there was any danger which himself could not have turned aside. He probably wished to destroy the kingdom of Israel; and to effect this purpose, even robbed the house of the Lord.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

19. There is a league] There is, as the italics of A. V. shew, no verb expressed in the original. The LXX. supplies the imperative διάθου = make. This the R.V. represents on the margin by ‘Let there be.’ But the concluding words of the clause seem to point to the indicative as the more suitable insertion. What Asa desires to claim is a sort of hereditary alliance, which he would best do by treating the friendship as existing and of long standing. As there was no war between Asa and Ben-hadad, the one might very naturally write to the other in brotherly language, according to the custom of monarchs.

come [R.V. go] and break thy league with Baasha] The R.V. more strictly represents the Hebrew by omitting the italic ‘and,’ and brings the verse into agreement with 2Ch_16:3 where the same words stand in the original. As Israel lay nearer to Damascus than did Judah, any places won from the northern kingdom would be easily included in the Syrian kingdom. Hence beside the costly presents, Benhadad might see other gain in forming an alliance with Asa against Israel.

that he may depart from me] As he would naturally do to repel an invasion on the northern frontier.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father,.... In a sepulchre there he himself had made, and in great pomp and solemnity, being laid on a bed filled with sweet odours and spices, prepared according to art, and which were burned for him, Ch2 16:14,

and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead; a very pious and worthy prince.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Rather, “Let there be a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father.”

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

League. The infidel is ready to take part with the best bidder. (Haydock) --- Benadad gains a double reward, as he plunders the conquered. (Menochius)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father; whereby it appears, that albeit he was an adversary to Israel all Solomon’s days, 1Ki 11:25, yet after the division of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah he was in league with both of them; either because his designs lay upon the enlargement of his empire other ways; or rather, because he thought it his wisdom and interest to leave them to themselves, to undo one another by their intestine wars, and so to prepare the way to his conquest of both; whereas his invading of either of them might have made up the breach, and forced them to unite against their common enemy. And therefore as soon as he was free from this fear, and one of them needed and earnestly desired his help against the other, he gladly embraced the opportunity.

That he may depart from me; that being called to defend himself, he may be forced to depart from my territories.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

19. A league — A covenant or treaty of peace, binding the two kingdoms to preserve friendly relations and intercourse. Of this treaty we have elsewhere no account. David had subdued Damascus and put garrisons therein; (2Sa_8:5-6;) and the city seems to have been tributary to the throne of David until Rezon established himself there. He was hostile to Israel all the days of Solomon, (1Ki_11:25;) but it seems from this verse that Asa’s father had made some treaty of peace with the king of Damascus, and that a similar league had been formed between Baasha and Ben-hadad.

A present of silver and gold — These presents of gold and silver were probably more effectual in influencing Ben-hadad’s action than any persuasions on the part of Asa’s ambassadors.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

There is a league Rawlinson would render, "Let there be a league as there was," but the A.V is equally good. Asa claims that a league does exist, and, in fact, has never been broken between me and thee, and between my father and thy father Syria would seem to have been the first of the possessions of Solomon to regain its independence. (1Ki_11:24) Its friendship would naturally be sought by Judah, as a counterpoise, perhaps, to the alliance between Israel and Egypt (Ewald): behold, I have sent unto thee a present elsewhere a bribe. (Psa_15:5; 1Sa_8:3) of silver and gold; come and break Heb. come, break now, l" cohortative thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me. Heb. go up from upon me.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.