Chapter 14:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 2 Samuel 2 Kings
1 Kings 14
Concise Complete
Abijah being sick, his mother consults Ahijah. (1-6)
The destruction of Jeroboam's house. (7-20) Rehoboam's wicked reign. (21-31)
Verses 1-6 "At
that time," when Jeroboam did evil, his child sickened. When sickness comes into
our families, we should inquire whether there may not be some particular sin
harboured in our houses, which the affliction is sent to convince us of, and
reclaim us from. It had been more pious if he had desired to know wherefore God
contended with him; had begged the prophet's prayers, and cast away his idols
from him; but most people would rather be told their fortune, than their faults
or their duty. He sent to Ahijah, because he had told him he should be king.
Those who by sin disqualify themselves for comfort, yet expect that their
ministers, because they are good men, should speak peace and comfort to them,
greatly wrong themselves and their ministers. He sent his wife in disguise, that
the prophet might only answer her question concerning her son. Thus some people
would limit their ministers to smooth things, and care not for having the whole
counsel of God declared to them, lest it should prophesy no good concerning
them, but evil. But she shall know, at the first word, what she has to trust to.
Tidings of a portion with hypocrites will be heavy tidings. God will judge men
according to what they are, not by what they seem to be.
Verses 7-20
Whether we keep an account of God's mercies to us or not, he does; and he will
set them in order before us, if we are ungrateful, to our greater confusion.
Ahijah foretells the speedy death of the child then sick, in mercy to him. He
only in the house of Jeroboam had affection for the true worship of God, and
disliked the worship of the calves. To show the power and sovereignty of his
grace, God saves some out of the worst families, in whom there is some good
thing towards the Lord God of Israel. The righteous are removed from the evil to
come in this world, to the good to come in a better world. It is often a bad
sign for a family, when the best in it are buried out of it. Yet their death
never can be a loss to themselves. It was a present affliction to the family and
kingdom, by which both ought to have been instructed. God also tells the
judgments which should come upon the people of Israel, for conforming to the
worship Jeroboam established. After they left the house of David, the government
never continued long in one family, but one undermined and destroyed another.
Families and kingdoms are ruined by sin. If great men do wickedly, they draw
many others, both into the guilt and punishment. The condemnation of those will
be severest, who must answer, not only for their own sins, but for sins others
have been drawn into, and kept in, by them.
Verses 21-31
Here is no good said of Rehoboam, and much said to the disadvantage of his
subjects. The abounding of the worst crimes, of the worst of the heathen, in
Jerusalem, the city the Lord had chosen for his temple and his worship, shows
that nothing can mend the hearts of fallen men but the sanctifying grace of the
Holy Spirit. On this alone may we depend; for this let us daily pray, in behalf
of ourselves and all around us. The splendour of their temple, the pomp of their
priesthood, and all the advantages with which their religion was attended, could
not prevail to keep them close to it; nothing less than the pouring out the
Spirit will keep God's Israel in their allegiance to him. Sin exposes, makes
poor, and weakens any people. Shishak, king of Egypt, came and took away the
treasures. Sin makes the gold become dim, changes the most fine gold, and turns
it into brass.
Chapter 14:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 2 Samuel 2 Kings
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
