1 Kings 15:1-8

Expanded Bible

Abijam King of Judah^(A)

15 Abijam [^C“My father is the Sea” (symbol of chaos); compare Abijah (“My father is the Lord”) in 2 Chr. 13:1] became king of Judah during the eighteenth year Jeroboam son of Nebat was king of Israel. ² Abijam ruled in Jerusalem for three years. His mother was Maacah daughter of Abishalom [^CDavid’s son Absalom]. ³ He ·did [committed; ^Lwalked in] all the same sins his father before him had ·done [committed]. ·Abijam was not faithful [^LHis heart was not fully/wholly devoted] to the Lord his God as David, his ·great-grandfather [^Lfather; ^Cin the sense of ancestor], had been. ⁴ ·Because the Lord loved David [For David’s sake], the Lord gave him a ·kingdom [^Llamp; ^Cpossibly a metaphor for the reign of a king] in Jerusalem and allowed him to have a son to be king after him. The Lord also ·kept Jerusalem safe [strengthened/established Jerusalem]. ⁵ David did what ·the Lord said was right [^Lwas right in the eyes/sight of the Lord] and ·obeyed [^Lhad not turned aside from] his commands all his ·life [^Ldays], except ·the one time when David sinned ·against [in the case/matter of] Uriah the Hittite [2 Sam. 11–12].

⁶ There was war between ·Abijam^[a] and Jeroboam during Abijam’s lifetime. ⁷ Everything else Abijam did is written in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 14:19] of the kings of Judah. There was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. ⁸ Abijam ·died [^Llay down/^Tslept with his fathers/ancestors] and was buried in the City of David [^CJerusalem], and his son Asa became king in his place.