2 Chronicles 13:21

But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(21) But Abijah waxed mighty.—And Abijah strengthened himself, after his life-and-death struggle with Jeroboam. (See on 2Chronicles 12:13.)

And married fourteen wives, and begat twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.—Abijah reigned only three years altogether. He must, therefore, have had most of these wives and children before his accession. (2Chronicles 11:21-23 may be said to imply this; see Note on 2Chronicles 11:23.) A stop should be placed after the first clause, thus: “And Abijah strengthened himself. And he took him fourteen wives, and begat twenty-two sons,” etc. The two facts are merely placed side by side, though a tacit contrast may be suggested between the number of Abijah’s off-spring, and the speedy extirpation of the house of Jeroboam.

Benson Commentary

2 Chronicles 13:21. Abijah married fourteen wives — Not now after this victory, for he died soon after it; but in the whole time of his life, before he was king, and afterward.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

13:1-22 Abijah overcomes Jeroboam. - Jeroboam and his people, by apostacy and idolatry, merited the severe punishment Abijah was permitted to execute upon them. It appears from the character of Abijah, 1Ki 15:3, that he was not himself truly religious, yet he encouraged himself from the religion of his people. It is common for those that deny the power of godliness, to boast of the form of it. Many that have little religion themselves, value it in others. But it was true that there were numbers of pious worshippers in Judah, and that theirs was the more righteous cause. In their distress, when danger was on every side, which way should they look for deliverance unless upward? It is an unspeakable comfort, that our way thither is always open. They cried unto the Lord. Earnest prayer is crying. To the cry of prayer they added the shout of faith, and became more than conquerors. Jeroboam escaped the sword of Abijah, but God struck him; there is no escaping his sword.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Jeroboam's death was a judgment upon him for his sins. Chronologically speaking, his death is here out of place, for he outlived Abijah at least two years (compare the marginal reference and 1 Kings 15:9); but the writer, not intending to recur to his history, is naturally led to carry it on to its termination.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

20. Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah—The disastrous action at Zemaraim, which caused the loss of the flower and chivalry of his army, broke his spirits and crippled his power.

the Lord struck him, and he died—that is, Jeroboam. He lived, indeed, two years after the death of Abijah (1Ki 14:20; 15:9). But he had been threatened with great calamities upon himself and his house, and it is apparently to the execution of these threatenings, which issued in his death, that an anticipatory reference is here made.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Not now after this victory, for he died presently after it; but in the whole time of his life, before he was king and afterward.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But Abijah waxed mighty,.... In his kingdom, increasing in riches and numbers, power and authority, and in his family:

and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons and sixteen daughters; not after the above battle, nor since he began to reign; for he reigned but three years; but he, no doubt, married wives and had children before he came to the throne, as he might have others after.

Geneva Study Bible

But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

21, 22. The Epilogue of Abijah’s Reign

21. married] R.V. took unto himself. The many wives (fourteen) are mentioned here as a symbol of the wealth and state of Abijah.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 21. - Waxed mighty. For this our Authorized Version reads, "waxed fat and wanton" (Hebrew, יִתְחַזֵּק), and grew too like his father Rehoboam and his grandfather Solomon, forgetting the "Law" (Deuteronomy 17:17). 2 Chronicles 13:21

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Wives and children of Abijah. His death. - 2 Chronicles 13:21. While Jeroboam was not able to recover from the defeat he had suffered, Abijah established himself in his kingdom (יתחזּק, cf. 2 Chronicles 12:13), and took to himself fourteen wives. The taking of these wives is not to be regarded as later in time than his establishment of his rule after the victory over Jeroboam. Since Abijah reigned only three years, he must have already had the greater number of his wives and children when he ascended the throne, as we may gather also from 2 Chronicles 11:21-23. The ו consec. with ישּׂא serves only to connect logically the information as to his wives and children with the preceding, as the great increase of his family was a sign of Abijah's increase in strength, while Jeroboam's dynasty was soon extirpated.