Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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1 Kings
Book: 1 Kings
Chapter: 14
Overview:
Abijah being sick, his mother consults
Ahijah.
(1-6) The
Destruction of
Jeroboam's
House.
(7-20) Rehoboam's wicked reign.
(21-31)
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.
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.
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.