Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Chronicles 13

Now. —Not in the Hebrew. The verse is nearly identical with the parallel in Kings.

His mother’s name was also Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. —Kings reads for these names Maachah the daughter of Abishalom; and since the chronicler has already designated Abijah as the son of Maachah, daughter of Absalom (2 Chronicles 11:20–22), there can be no doubt that this is correct, and that “Michaiah,” which is elsewhere a man’s name, is a corruption of Maachah. This is confirmed by the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic, which read Maachah.

As we have already stated (2 Chronicles 11:20), Maachah was granddaughter to Absalom, being the daughter of Tamar, Absalom’s only daughter. Uriel of Gibeah, then, must have been Tamar’s husband. (See the commentary on 2 Chronicles 15:16. Uriel of Gibeah is otherwise unknown.)

And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. — Now war had arisen. See 1 Kings 15:6. Now war had prevailed [same verb] between Abijam [the common Hebrew text incorrectly has Rehoboam] and Jeroboam all the days of his life. The chronicler modifies the sense by omitting the concluding phrase and then proceeds to give a striking account of a campaign in which Abijah totally defeated his rival (2 Chronicles 13:3–20), of which we find no word in Kings.

Set the battle in array. — Began the battle. Vulgate, “cumque iniisset Abia certanien” (1 Kings 20:14).

Four hundred thousand chosen men. —In David’s census, Judah mustered 470,000 fighting men, and Israel 1,100,000, without reckoning Levi and Benjamin (1 Chronicles 21:5). The numbers of the verse present a yet closer agreement with the results of that census as reported in 2 Samuel 24:9; where, as here, the total strength of the Israelite warriors is given as 800,000, and that of Judah as 500,000. This correspondence makes it improbable that the figures have been falsified in transmission. (See Note on 2 Chronicles 13:17.)

Jeroboam also set the battle in array. — While Jeroboam had drawn up against him. Vulgate, instruxite contra aciem.

And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim. — While the two hosts were facing each other, King Abijah addressed his foes from Mount Zemaraim, as Jotham addressed the Shechemites from the top of Mount Gerizim in the days of the judges (Judges 9:7).

Upon. — Literally, from upon to Mount Zemaraim; a mark of the Chronicler’s hand.

Mount Zemaraim is otherwise unknown. A city so-called is mentioned (Joshua 18:22) as near Bethel, and probably lay a little to the south of it, on the northern frontier of Judah, perhaps on this mountain.

Mount Ephraim. — The hill country of Ephraim.

Ought you not to know. —Literally, is it not for you to know? This is a construction characteristic of the chronicler. Abijah contrasts the moral position of his adversaries with his own, asserting the following:

1. that their separate political existence is itself an act of rebellion against Jehovah;
2. that they have abolished the only legitimate form of worship, and established in its place an illegal cultus and priesthood;
3. whereas he and his people have maintained the orthodox ritual and ministry, and are therefore assured of the divine support.

By a covenant of salt. — As or after the manner of a covenant of salt, i.e., a firm and unalterable compact . According to ancient custom, salt was indispensable at formal meals for the ratification of friendship and alliance; and only a “salt treaty” was held to be secure. Salt therefore accompanied sacrifices, as being, in fact, so many renewals of the covenant between man and God (Leviticus 2:13; Ezekiel 43:24; Leviticus 24:7 in the Septuagint).

The antique phrase, “covenant of salt,” is otherwise important, as bearing on the authenticity of this speech.