The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 5 · Section 19 · Concurrent kings · Judah · Abijam
The ſecond King of Judah, Abijah called alſo Abijam.ABijah began to reign in the 18th year of Jeroboam, and that was the firſt year of his reign, the 19th of Jeroboam was the ſecond year of his reign, and the twentieth was his third, and though in that year he died, and Aſa his Son ſucceeded him, yet having reigned two years compleat, and ſome part of the third year, he is ſaid to have reigned three years. His mothers name was Maachah the daughter of Abiſhalom *2 Chron. 13.2. ſhe is called Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. Some think ſhe was the daughter of Tamar, the only daughter of Abſalom, whoſe husband this Uriel of Gibeah was, and ſo ſhe was the daughter of Uriel, and withal the daughter that is the Grandchild of Abſalom. And this ſeems the more probable becauſe the mother of Abſalom was call'd Maachah, 2 Sam. 3.3., and he walked in all the ſins of his Father. For though Rehoboam and his Princes humbled themſelves before the Lord upon the Preaching of Shemaiah, when the King of Egypt made ſuch a dangerous incurſion into their land, [2 Chron. 12.6.] yet when that danger was over, he ſoon returned to his former evil ways, and this his Son likewiſe trod in his ſteps, and his heart was not upright with the Lord as was the heart of David. Nevertheleſs the Lord for his promiſe made to David [2 Sam. 7.16.] did give him a lamp in Jeruſalem, that is, continued his poſterity to ſit one after another upon his Throne, and to reign in Kingly ſplendor, and eſtabliſhed Jeruſalem in its former Political and Eccleſiaſtical ſtate, and preſerved therein the true Religion, becauſe David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not from any thing he commanded him all the days of his life, ſave only in the matter of Ʋriah, that is, he did not fall into any heinous and enormous crimes whereby his profeſſion was notoriouſly blemiſhed all the days of his life, ſave only in the matter of Ʋriah, and the ſins appendant thereunto. There had been during the life of Rehoboam many bickerings between the two Kingdoms, but now in the firſt year of Abijah's reign Jeroboam raiſed a vaſt army, intending to fall upon Abijah in the infancy of his reign. Abijah accordingly prepares as ſtrong an Army as he could to reſiſt him, and defend his Kingdom. The two Armies met in the field. Abijah's army conſiſted of four hundred thouſand valiant men, which was a very great Army, but Jeroboam's conſiſted of as many more, viz. eight hundred thouſand. Both the Armies being drawn forth and ſet in battel-array the one againſt the other, Abijah by his Herolds or meſſengers deſired a Parley before the fight began, or at leaſt liberty to ſay ſomewhat to Jeroboam and his chief Commanders, which being granted, he betook himſelf to mount Zemaraim (which is part of mount Ephraim) as the fitteſt place from whence he might be heard, and there ſpake to Jeroboam and his Commanders after this manner.
Hear me thou Jeroboam and all Iſrael, Ought you not to know that the Lord gave the Kingdom over all Iſrael to David and his Sons for ever by a Covenant of Salt *As that which is ſalted does not uſe to periſh or corrupt. See Numb. 18.19.; that is, by a laſting and never-failing Covenant †Hoc ex parte falſum erat. Non enim Deus promiſit ſe totam Iſraelem conſervaturum in familia Davidis ſi ipſa deſciſſeret. Oſiand., by a perpetual Covenant not to be abrogated or annull'd; yet Jeroboam the Son of Nebat, the ſervant of Solomon is riſen up and hath rebelled againſt his Lord, and there are gathered to him a company of vain men (children of Belial) who by mutual agreement combined and ſtrengthened themſelves againſt Rehoboam when he firſt entred upon the Government, being then unexperienced in matters of State (a)Yet Rehoboam was 41 years of age when he began to reign, 1 King. 14.21., and much more in warlike affairs, having been bred up delicately in the peaceful reign of Solomon, and being tender-hearted and ſoon daunted, and wanting ſtoutneſs of ſpirit he could not withſtand them, and ſo like rebellious ſubjects they fell off from him. And this is now your caſe. But do you think to go on in this courſe, and to withſtand the Kingdom of the Lord in the hands of the Sons of David, and with all your might and power to oppoſe it? Indeed you are a great multitude, and I perceive you have brought into your Camp the Golden Calves which Jeroboam hath made for you for Gods. But do you think that theſe are able to help you? you have caſt off the Prieſts of the Lord the Sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made to your ſelves Prieſts after the manner of other Nations that have no ſtock or family among them to which the Prieſthood is tyed, and you in like manner chooſe whom you will to be Prieſts. Whoſoever cometh to conſecrate himſelf for a Prieſt and bringeth a young bullock as was enjoined under the Law, Exod. 29.1.) and ſeven rams, (whereas the Law required but two at the moſt(b)Hypocrites can obſerve ſome rites preſcribed by God, but in external rites, they often exceed Gods preſcriptions. See Numb. 23., Exod. 29.15, 19.) he may be a Prieſt of your Idols that are no Gods. But as for us the Lord is our God (a)This muſt be underſtood by their outward profeſſion, for Abijah's heart was not upright before the Lord, 1 K. 15.3., and we have not forſaken him. For the true Religion is openly profeſſed among us, and the true worſhip of the true God is incorruptibly maintained in the Temple. And the Prieſts which miniſter unto the Lord for us are the Sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their buſineſs, and do the ſervices which in ſpecial belong to them. And they burn unto the Lord every morning and evening burnt-offerings, and ſweet incenſe; they alſo ſet the ſhew-bread upon the Golden Table (b)There were in the Temple ten Tables of Shew-bread and ten Golden Candleſticks; by a Synecdoche the ſingular number may be here us'd for the Plural., and they cauſe the lamps in the Golden Candleſticks to burn every evening. For we obſerve thoſe Ordinances the Lord hath given us in charge, but you have forſaken him. And behold God himſelf is with us for our Captain, and his Prieſts with ſounding Trumpets *See Numb. 10.9.to cry an alarm againſt you. Conſider O children of Iſrael what ye do, fight ye not againſt the Lord God of your Fathers? and aſſure your ſelves that if you perſiſt, ye ſhall not proſper.
Thus Abijah ſpake to Jeroboam and the Iſraelites, but they were ſo far from being mov'd with any thing he ſaid, that Jeroboam in the mean time drew an Ambuſhment behind the Camp of Judah, ſo that the main Battalia of the Iſraelites faced them, and an Ambuſhment was ſecretly laid behind them to fall upon their reer. When the fight began, the Army of Abijah beheld, and lo the battle was both before them, and behind them. Then they cried unto the Lord for help, and truſted in him, and the Prieſts ſounded with their Trumpets to ſtrengthen their faith in the Lords promiſe, Numb. 10.9. So the men of Judah giving a great ſhout, and falling on, the Lord ſmote Jeroboam and all his Army with ſuch a dreadful fear that they fled before Abijah and Judah, and were diſcomfited, and Abijah and his Soldiers ſlew them with a great ſlaughter, and cut off no leſs than five hundred thouſand of them, ſo that they ſlew more than every one his man. Thus the children of Judah prevailed at this time becauſe they truſted and relyed on the Lord God of their Fathers. Abijah purſuing his victory took from Jeroboam ſeveral of his Cities, viz. Bethel, (where one of his Golden Calves was ſet up) Jeſhanah and Ephraim, with the Towns belonging to them. Neither did Jeroboam recover ſtrength again in the days of Abijah.
Abijah now waxed mighty. He married fourteen Wives (partly before he was King, and partly after) and begat twenty two Sons, and ſixteen Daughters. And the reſt of the Acts of Abijah and his ways, and his ſayings, are they not written in the Hiſtory of the Prophet Iddo, ſee Ch. 12.15. So Abijah having reigned three years, ſlept with his Fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. And Aſa his Son reigned in his ſtead.
1 King. 15. from 1, to 9.
2 Chron. 13. wh. Ch.