2 Chronicles 13:20

2Ch 13:20 Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the LORD struck him, and he died.

Ver. 20. And the Lord struck him.] That is, Jeroboam (see on 2Ch 13:15); not Abijah, as the Hebrews sense the text, saying that God therefore struck him, because, when he took Bethel, he destroyed not the idol there, but kept it and worshipped it. A fable.

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.

2Ch 13:20. The Lord struck him — Either with vexation and horror of mind, or with some painful and lingering, but incurable disease, like that of Jehoram, which tormented him two years together, and at last killed him, 2Ch 21:19. And he died — Not immediately, but a year or two after this time. He escaped the sword of Abijah; but there is no escaping God’s sword.

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

13:20 Jeroboam outlived Abijah (see 1 Kgs 15:9). The report of his death is included with his defeat, which was typical of vanquished warriors (see 2 Kgs 19:37).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah--The disastrous action at Zemaraim, which caused the loss of the flower and chivalry of his army, broke his spirits and crippled his power.

the Lord struck him, and he died--that is, Jeroboam. He lived, indeed, two years after the death of Abijah (Kg1 14:20; Kg1 15:9). But he had been threatened with great calamities upon himself and his house, and it is apparently to the execution of these threatenings, which issued in his death, that an anticipatory reference is here made.

Next: 2 Chronicles Chapter 14

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 20. The Lord struck him, and he died.] Who died? Abijah or Jeroboam? Some think it was Jeroboam; some, that it was Abijah. Both rabbins and Christians are divided on this point; nor is it yet settled. The prevailing opinion is that Jeroboam is meant, who was struck then with that disease of which he died about two years after; for he did not die till two years after Abijah: see 1Kg 14:20; 1Kg 15:9. It seems as if Jeroboam was meant, not Abijah.

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

(20) Neither did Jeroboam recover strength.—And Jeroboam retained strength no longer. LXX. καὶ οὐκ ἔσχεν ἰσχὺν Ιεροβοαμ ἔτι. See 1Ch_29:14 (the same phrase).

And the Lord struck him, and he died.—All that is known of Jeroboam’s death is that it took place two years after that of Abijah (1Ki_15:8-9). The expressions of the text cannot mean, as Zöckler suggests, “visited him with misfortune till his death.” His death is regarded as a judicial visitation (compare the use of the same Hebrew phrase, 1Sa_25:38). The verse, then, states that during the rest of Abijah’s reign Jeroboam remained powerless to injure his neighbour; and that the circumstances of his death were such that men recognised in them “the finger of God.” It is not likely that the reference is to the event of 2Ch_13:15 (Bertheau), nor to the death of his son (1Ki_14:1-8), as Keil supposes.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

20. the Lord struck him, and he died] The same phrase is used of the death of Nabal (1Sa_25:38); it implies suddenness or some other unusual circumstance (cp. Act_12:13, the death of Herod Agrippa). In 1Ki_14:20 it is simply Jeroboam … slept with his fathers.

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.

But Abijah waxed mighty,.... In his kingdom, increasing in riches and numbers, power and authority, and in his family:

and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons and sixteen daughters; not after the above battle, nor since he began to reign; for he reigned but three years; but he, no doubt, married wives and had children before he came to the throne, as he might have others after.

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

Jeroboam’s death was a judgment upon him for his sins. Chronologically speaking, his death is here out of place, for he outlived Abijah at least two years (compare the marginal reference and 1Ki 15:9); but the writer, not intending to recur to his history, is naturally led to carry it on to its termination.

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

Him. Some think Abia, as Jeroboam survived him two years: but others, (Calmet) with greater probability, (Du Hamel) suppose that the latter is here specified, and that he fell a victim to the divine wrath, as the prophet Ahias had foretold. (Calmet) --- (Salien, the year of the world 3081.)

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).

The Lord struck him, i.e. Jeroboam, as appears from the contrary condition of Abijah described in the next verse. Him God might strike, either with vexation and horror of mind; or with some painful and lingering, but incurable, disease, like that of Jehoram, which tormented him two years together, and at last killed him, 2Ch 21:19.

He died; not presently, but a year or two after this time.

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

20. The Lord struck him, and he died — We have elsewhere no intimation that Jeroboam died suddenly or by any special stroke of Divine judgment. He outlived Abijah some two years. But probably the stroke here referred to, and that which hastened Jeroboam’s death, was the fearful prophecy of Ahijah, which foretold the utter extermination of Jeroboam’s house. Comp. 1Ki_14:7-16.

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

The Lord struck him; and he died. The writer of Chronicles here, for brevity"s sake, and not to recur to his name again, records the death of Jeroboam, which, however, did not happen till after Abijah"s death, in the second year of Asa"s reign. (1Ki_14:20 1Ki_15:25) That the Lord struck him, may glance at the fearful announcement conveyed to him through his wife by Ahijah. (1Ki_14:6-16)

The career of Jeroboam.

I AN EXAMPLE OF DISAPPOINTED AMBITION. A striking illustration of how "vaulting ambition overleaps itself, and falls on the other side." Its stages reveal the insatiable character of that "fire and motion of the soul which will not dwell in its own narrow being, but aspires beyond the fitting medium of desire" (Byron).

1. Promoted to a position of trust. Originally a servant of Solomon, he was appointed master of works for the house of Judah, i.e, superintendent of the Ephraimite contingent of workmen. (1Ki_11:28)

2. Plotting sedition. Invested with "brief authority," he began to meditate ambitious thoughts, which probably the Shilonite with his prophetic glance discerned. (1Ki_11:37)

3. Married to a princess. Compelled to flee from Palestine, he found in Egypt, at the court of Shishak, both a harbour of refuge and a balm for his wounds he became the husband of a princess and the brother-in-law of Pharaoh. (1Ki_11:40)

4. Further promo tion,. Recalled to Palestine, he was first elected a spokesman of the northern tribes in their diplomatic dealings with Rehoboam, and ultimately chosen to be their sovereign. (1Ki_12:20)

1. More sedition. Barely was he seated on the throne of Israel, than he adopted measures to render permanent the separation of the two

2. kingdoms; turning his back upon Jehovah, and setting up a new and rival religion to the Jehovah-cultus in Judah. (1Ki_12:28)

3. Renewed ambition. Not content with this, he aimed at the subjugation of the southern empire.

4. Final collapse. This point reached, he hastened rapidly towards an ignominious end. Byron says

One breast laid open were a school, Which would unteach mankind the lust to shine or rule.

One may be permitted to doubt this!

II AN INSTANCE OF MISAPPLIED ABILITY. That Jeroboam as youth and man, as private person and public official, as servant and sovereign, possessed high capacities, need not be questioned. Energy, industry, enthusiasm, ambition, faculty for organization, power of impressing, directing, leading, and ruling others qualities needful for generalship, statesmanship, kingship appear all to have belonged to him in more than ordinary measure; yet in every situation of life in which he was placed these powers were misapplied. The governing idea of his soul was to use all, in himself and others, for the advancement of his private interest. For this end he fomented sedition amongst his countrymen, encouraged disaffection amongst the subjects of Solomon, took advantage of Rehoboam"s inexperience to raise the standard of revolt, perverted to wicked purposes the high position as a sovereign to which he in providence attained, did his utmost to propagate irreligion, diffuse idolatry, foster immorality, dissolve the fabric of social order, crush and annihilate the true worshippers of Jehovah. The annals of mankind afford many illustrations of the same phenomenon magnificent powers of body and mind prostituted to ignoble ends, e.g. Samson, Saul, and Judas from sacred, Caesar (Julius), Mark Antony, and Napoleon from profane history.

III AN ILLUSTRATION OF NEGLECTED OPPORTUNITIES.

1. When promoted by Solomon to be master of works for the house of Joseph, he might, with his commanding talent and great force of character, have done much to soothe the ruffled spirits of his countrymen, and so have nipped the poisonous flower of revolution in the bud. But he did not; rather he acted on a contrary hint.

2. When recalled by the northern tribes to be their spokesman, had he chosen, he might have poured oil upon the troubled waters, allayed the ferment of their passions, appealed to them to give the young king a trial, and remember the danger which would accrue to the empire from disunion might have crushed down his own ambitious thoughts, and like Caesar("julius Caesar," act 3. sc. 2) not to speak of a greater (Joh_6:15) put bravely from him the crown which in the people"s eyes he sawpreparing for him. But he did not; rather, in the popular disaffection, he beheld that "tide in the affairs of men which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune," and launched himself upon its stream without delay.

3. When favoured by Providence so far as to secure the crown, had he carried out the trust committed to him, to erect a kingdom in which the worship of Jehovah should be faithfully and purely maintained, he should have been established on his throne beyond the possibility of overthrow, and the house of Jeroboam should have shone with a lustre as brilliant as, if not excelling, that of the house of David. But he did not; rather in him was verified the sentiment

That lowliness is young ambition"s ladder Whereto the climber-upward turns his face; But when he once attains the utmost round, He then unto the ladder turns his back, Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees By which he did ascend. ("Julius Caesar," act 2. sc. 1. )

Jehovah had set Jeroboam on the throne of Israel; Jeroboam when on the throne cast Jehovah behind his back. (1Ki_14:7-9)

IV A MONUMENT OF DESERVED RETRIBUTION. Jeroboam, who might have attained to undying honour, reaped for himself a harvest of eternal infamy. To such a pitch of wickedness did he proceed, both in himself and in his people, whom he corrupted by his example and commanded by his authority, that not only did "the sin of Jeroboam become ever afterwards proverbial as an expression for the highest possible impiety in an Israelitish ruler, (1Ki_15:34 2Ki_10:31; 2Ki_13:6; 2Ki_14:24; 2Ki_17:22) but, it drew down upon him swift and appalling retribution. "The Lord smote him.

1. In his army with defeat. His.troops were routed on the field of war, his fenced cities were captured, his military power was broken.

2. In his house with bereavement. The sudden death of his child Abijah was a sore stroke, to which was added a sorer in the curse that none other of the house of Jeroboam should come to his grave in peace. (1Ki_14:12, 1Ki_14:13)

3. In himself with disease. To this the language of ver. 20 is believed by some to point (Clarke, Jamieson).

V A VICTIM OF ALL-DEVOURING DEATH. Jeroboam succumbed to the fatal malady two years after the death of Abijah, and in the twenty-second year of his reign. He expired at Tirzah, and was buried with his fathers.

Sceptre and crown must tumble down, And in the dust be equal made With the poor crooked scythe and spade.

W.

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

The Lord struck him - He escaped the sword of Abijah: but God struck him: there is no escaping his sword.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

And Jeroboam could muster no more strength, etc., and the Lord smote him i.e., Jeroboam.

and he died He did not die immediately, but continuously deteriorated because of the wars, and in Genesis Rabbah (65:20), it is explained that the Lord smote Abijah.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.