Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days. For though Rehoboam did not enter into an offensive war, and attack the children of Israel, being dissuaded from it by Shemaiah the prophet in the name of the Lord, yet he might maintain a defensive war; and though there were no pitched battles between them as afterwards, in his son's time, yet there might be skirmishes and bickerings on the borders of their countries.

Geneva Study Bible

(s) That is, all the days of Rehoboam's life.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam — The former was prohibited from entering on an aggressive war; but as the two kingdoms kept up a jealous rivalry, he might be forced into vigilant measures of defense, and frequent skirmishes would take place on the borders.

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days.

Was war — Not an invasive war with potent armies, which was forbidden, chap12:24, and not revived 'till Abijam's reign, 2 Chronicles 13:1-3, but a defensive war from those hostilities which by small parties and skirmishes they did to one another.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

1 Kings 14:30 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all [their] days.

Ver. 30. All their days.] Skirmishes there were continually about the borders.

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible

1 Kings 14:30. There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days— But how does this agree with chap. 1 Kings 12:23, &c. where God commands Rehoboam and his people not to fight against the Israelites? We must observe, that though the Jews were commanded not to make war upon the Israelites, yet they were not commanded not to defend themselves in case the Israelites should make war upon them: and considering that they were now become two rival nations, they might upon the borders be continually endeavouring to gain ground upon each other, and so run into frequent acts of hostility without ever once engaging in a pitched battle.

REFLECTIONS.—The histories of the kingdom of Judah and Israel are throughout this book intermixed. Jeroboam's reign was near five years longer than Rehoboam's; but, to finish his history, his death is first recorded.

1. The account of Rehoboam contains nothing either great or good, but gives just suspicion, that the tenor of his government was as weak and wicked as the opening of it was rash and impolitic. He began his reign when, if ever, he might have been wise, at the age of forty-one, having enjoyed all the advantages of the best instruction; but he imitated his father's aged folly, rather than his early wisdom. He reigned (not half so long as his predecessors) but seventeen years, and these disturbed by perpetual wars or bickerings with his rival Jeroboam. His mother was an Ammonitess, a bad wife for a king of Israel; and her son partook more of the temper of Ammon, than the spirit of Abraham. Note; Ungodly connections often entail miseries on the latest posterity. He died at Jerusalem, where he reigned, and left the crown to Abijam, a bad son of a bad father.

2. The account of his subjects is bad, very bad. Led by his ill example, or not restrained by his negligence, far from being shocked at their neighbours' idolatry, they quickly imitated them, and committed abominations even beyond their fathers' worst days; provoking God to jealousy by their images and hill-altars, and forsaking the house of his glory; giving up their bodies to abominable and unnatural lusts, as well as their souls to spiritual adultery; imitating all the profane rites, and following all the detestable lewdness of the accursed Canaanites, whom God had cast out before them. Note; (1.) They grow most abandoned, who fall from the profession of religion that they once made. (2.) When men provoke God by their sins, he, in just judgment, gives them up to their own hearts' lusts. (3.) If Canaan for such things suffered, shall Israel escape? no, in no wise.

3. God begins his visitations for their sins, by giving them up to Shishak king of Egypt, who, in the fifth year of Rehoboam, after plundering the country, besieged Jerusalem, and was only to be bought off by the surrender of all the treasures which David and Solomon had amassed: such passing vanities are this world's riches!

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Not an invasive war with potent armies, which was forbidden, 1 Kings 12:24, and not revived until Abijam’s reign, 2Ch 13; but a defensive war from those hostilities which by small parties and skirmishes they did to one another.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

30.War between Rehoboam and Jeroboam — Not merely a feeling of hostility, but frequent wars. We are not to suppose that the word of the Lord by Shemaiah, forbidding Judah to war with Israel, (1 Kings 12:24,) was any more observed in the later history of Rehoboam than it was by his sons.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

Always. The two kingdoms were constantly divided, and did each other all the harm they could; though we know not that they ever came to a pitched battle. Roboam was too great a coward, 2 Paralipomenon xiii. 7.

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

Rehoboam. Being named first he was probably the aggressor, contrary to 1 Kings 12:24.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days.

There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam. The former was prohibited from entering on an aggressive war; but as the two kingdoms kept up a jealous rivalry, he might be forced into vigilant measures of defense, and frequent skirmishes would take place on the borders.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(30) There was war . . .—Of such war we have no record, since the day when Shemaiah forbade Rehoboam’s invasion of the new kingdom; nor is there even mention of any action of Israel in aid of the Egyptian attack, although it is likely enough that such action was taken. The meaning may simply be that there was continued enmity, breaking off all peaceful relations; but in the scantiness of the record we can have no certainty that actual war did not take place, though it has found no place in the history.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

12:24; 15:6,7; 2 Chronicles 12:15