---
title: "Clarke"
description: "the Lord, and dies, 19, 20. Abijah"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/2-chronicles/13"
---

*the Lord, and dies*, 19, 20.
*Abijah's marriages and issue*, 21, 22.
NOTES ON CHAP. XIII

Verse [2 Chronicles 13:2](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/13/2). ***His mother's name*****- was*****Michaiah*** — See on [2 Chronicles 11:20](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/11/20).

Verse [2 Chronicles 13:3](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/13/3). ***Abijah set the battle in array*** — The *numbers* in this verse and in the seventeenth seem almost incredible. Abijah's army consisted of *four hundred thousand* effective men; that of Jeroboam consisted of *eight hundred thousand*; and the *slain* of Jeroboam's army were *five hundred thousand*. Now it is very possible that there is a *cipher* too much in all these numbers, and that they should stand thus: *Abijah's* army, *forty thousand; Jeroboam's* *eighty thousand*; the *slain, fifty thousand. Calmet*, who defends the common reading, allows that the *Venice* edition of the Vulgate, in 1478; another, in 1489; that of *Nuremberg*, in 1521; that of *Basil*, by *Froben*, in 1538; that of *Robert Stevens*, in 1546; and many others, have the *smaller numbers*. Dr. *Kennicott* says: "On a particular collation of the *Vulgate* version, it appears that the number of chosen men here slain, which Pope *Clement's* edition in 1592 determines to be *five hundred thousand*, the edition of Pope *Sixtus*, printed two years before, determined to be only *fifty* *thousand*; and the two preceding numbers, in the edition of *Sixtus*, are *forty thousand* and *eighty thousand*. As to different *printed* *editions*, out of *fifty-two*, from the year 1462 to 1592, *thirty-one* contain the less number. And out of *fifty-one* MSS. *twenty-three* in the *Bodleian* library, *four* in that of *Dean Aldrich*, and *two* in that of *Exeter College*, contain the *less* number, or else are corrupted irregularly, varying only one or two numbers."
This examination was made by Dr. *Kennicott* before he had finished his collation of Hebrew MSS., and before *De Rossi* had published his *Variae Lectiones Veteris Testamenti*; but from these works we find little help, as far as the *Hebrew* MSS. are concerned. One Hebrew MS., instead of ארבע מאות אלף *arba meoth* *eleph, four hundred thousand*, reads ארבע עשר אלף *arba eser eleph,* *fourteen thousand*.
In all *printed* copies of the *Hebrew*, the numbers are as in the common text, *four hundred thousand, eight hundred thousand*, and *five hundred thousand*.
The *versions* are as follow: - The *Targum*, or *Chaldee*, the same in each place as the Hebrew.
The *Syriac* in [2 Chronicles 13:3](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/13/3) has *four hundred thousand young men* for the army of Abijah, and *eight hundred thousand stout youth* for that of Jeroboam. For the *slain* Israelites, in [2 Chronicles 13:17](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/13/17), it has [Syriac] *five hundred thousand*, falsely translated in the Latin text *quinque milia, five thousand*, both in the *Paris* and *London* Polyglots: another proof among many that little dependence is to be placed on the *Latin translation* of this version in either of the above Polyglots.
The *Arabic* is the same in all these cases with the *Syriac*, from which it has been translated.
The *Septuagint*, both as it is published in all the Polyglots, and as far as I have seen in MSS.. is the same with the *Hebrew* *text*. So also is *Josephus*.
The *Vulgate* or *Latin* version is that alone that exhibits any important variations; we have had considerable proof of this in the above-mentioned collations of *Calmet* and *Kennicott*. I shall beg liberty to add others from my own collection.
In the *Editio Princeps* of the Latin Bible, though without *date* or *place*, yet evidently printed long before that of *Fust*, in 1462, the places stand thus: [2 Chronicles 13:3](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/13/3). *Cumque inisset certamen, et haberet* *bellicosissimos viros, et electorum QUADRAGINTA milia: Iheroboam* *construxit e contra aciem OCTOGINTA milia virorum*; "With him Abia entered into battle; and he had of the most warlike and choice men *forty thousand*; and Jeroboam raised an army against him of *eighty* *thousand men*."
And in [2 Chronicles 13:17](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/13/17): *Et corruerunt vulnerati ex Israel, QUINQUAGINTA* *milia virorum fortium*; "And there fell down wounded *fifty* thousand stout men of Israel."
In the *Glossa Ordinaria*, by *Strabo Fuldensis*, we have *forty* *thousand* and *eighty thousand* in the two first instances, and *five* *hundred thousand* in the last.-*Bib. Sacr*. vol. ii., *Antv*. 1634.
In *six* ancient MSS. of my own, marked A, B, C, D, E, F. the text stands thus: -
A. - *Cumque inisset Abia certamen, et haberet bellicosissimos* *viros, et electorum* XL. MIL. *Jeroboam instruxit contra aciem* LXXX. MIL.
And in [2 Chronicles 13:17](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/13/17): *Et corruerunt vulnerati ex Israel* L. MIL. *virorum fortium*. Here we have *forty thousand* for the army of *Abijah*, and *eighty thousand* for that of *Jeroboam*, and FIFTY *thousand* for the *slain* of the latter.
B.-QUADRAGINITA *milia*, OCTOGINTA *milia*,
The reader has now the whole evidence which I have been able to collect before him, and may choose; the *smaller* numbers appear to be the most correct. Corruptions in the numbers in these historical books we have often had cause to *suspect*, and to complain of.

Verse [2 Chronicles 13:4](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/13/4). ***Stood up upon Mount Zemaraim*** — "Which was a mount of the tribe of the house of Ephraim."-*Targum*. *Jarchi* thinks that Abijah went to the confines of the tribe of Ephraim to attack Jeroboam. It could not be *Shomeron*, the mount on which *Samaria* was built in the days of Omri king of Israel, [1 Kings 16:24](../../../kjv/1-kings/16/24).

Verse [2 Chronicles 13:5](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/13/5). ***By a covenant of salt?*** — For ever. "For as the waters of the sea never grow *sweet*, neither shall the dominion depart from the house of David." - *Targum*. [Numbers 18:19](../../../kjv/numbers/18/19).

Verse [2 Chronicles 13:7](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/13/7). ***When Rehoboam was young and tender-hearted*** — Therefore he could not be *forty-one* when he came to the throne; [2 Chronicles 13:3](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/13/3). *Children of Belial* here signifies men of the most abandoned principles and characters; or men without consideration, education, or *brains*.

Verse [2 Chronicles 13:9](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/13/9). ***A young bullock and seven rams*** — He who could provide these for his own consecration was received into the order of this spurious and wicked priesthood. Some think he who could give to Jeroboam a young bullock and seven rams, was thereby received into the priesthood; this being the price for which the priesthood was conferred. The former is most likely.

Verse [2 Chronicles 13:10](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/13/10). ***The Lord*****is*****our God*** — We have not abandoned the Lord; and we still serve him according to his own law.

Verse [2 Chronicles 13:12](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/13/12). ***God himself is with us*** — Ye have *golden calves*; we have *the living and omnipotent Jehovah*.
***With - trumpets to cry alarm against you.*** — This was appalling: When the priests sound their trumpets, it will be a proof that the vengeance of the Lord shall speedily descend upon you.

Verse [2 Chronicles 13:13](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/13/13). ***But Jeroboam caused an ambushment*** — While Abijah was thus employed in reproving them, Jeroboam divided his army privately, and sent a part to take Abijah in the rear; and this must have proved fatal to the Jews, had not the Lord interposed.

Verse [2 Chronicles 13:17](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/13/17). ***Slain - five hundred thousand chosen men.*** — Query, *fifty* *thousand*? This was a great slaughter: [2 Chronicles 13:3](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/13/3), where all these numbers are supposed to be overcharged.

Verse [2 Chronicles 13:18](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/13/18). ***Judah prevailed, because*** — "They depended on the WORD of the God of their fathers." - *T*.

Verse [2 Chronicles 13:19](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/13/19). ***Beth-el*** — "Beth-lehem." - *Targum*.
***Jeshanah*** — We know not where these towns lay.

Verse [2 Chronicles 13:20](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/13/20). ***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 [1 Kings 14:20](../../../kjv/1-kings/14/20); [1 Kings 15:9](../../../kjv/1-kings/15/9). It seems as if *Jeroboam* was meant, not *Abijah*.

Verse [2 Chronicles 13:21](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/13/21). ***Married fourteen wives*** — Probably he made alliances with the neighbouring powers, by taking their daughters to him for *wives*.

Verse [2 Chronicles 13:22](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/13/22). ***Written in the story*** — במדרש *bemidrash*, "in the commentary;" this, as far as I recollect, is the first place where a *midrash* or *commentary* is mentioned. The *margin* is right.
***His ways, and his sayings*** — The *commentary* of the prophet Iddo is lost. What his *sayings* were we cannot tell; but from the specimen in this chapter, he appears to have been a very able speaker, and one who knew well how to make the best use of his argument.

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