2 Chronicles 11:20
Ver. 20. And after he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom,.... Thought by some to be Absalom the son of David, his father's brother, and his uncle, and so married his cousin; but Absalom seems to have had but one daughter, whose name was Tamar, 2Sa 14:27, and the name of this man is different from his; he is called Abishalom, 1Ki 15:2and Uriel of Gibeah; 2Ch 13:2, of the tribe of Benjamin, whereas Absalom was of the tribe of Judah:which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith: Abijah the firstborn, and who was successor in the kingdom, is the same with Abijam, 1Ki 14:31 of the rest we nowhere else read. 2 Chronicles 11:21Ver. 21. And Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines, &c] Who is called Michaiah, the daughter of Uriel, 2Ch 13:2,for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines; led thereunto by the example of his father Solomon, contrary to the command of God, De 17:17and begat twenty eight sons and sixty daughters; to have many children was reckoned a great blessing, but it was not honourable to have them in such a way. 2 Chronicles 11:22Ver. 22. And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maacah the chief,.... The chief of all his sons, head over them, being the son of his most beloved wife, and her firstborn however, and perhaps might be of a greater capacity than the rest of his children:to be ruler among his brethren; or over them; gave him greater authority, and intrusted him with more power, set him above them, and treated him as heir apparent to the crown: for he thoughtto make him king; either to take him into partnership in the throne with him in his lifetime, or to appoint and declare him to be his successor. 2 Chronicles 11:23Ver. 23. And he dealt wisely,.... Acted a prudent part, in order to execute his scheme, and particularly by disposing of his other sons in different parts of his kingdom, as follows: or "he made him his son Abijah to understand" {e}; he taught and instructed him in the art of government, took a particular care of his education, that he might be fitted for it; and he might instruct him how to behave towards his brethren, for the present and hereafter, as well as towards all the people in general: or "he (Abijah) understood" {f}; had more understanding and wisdom than all the children of Rehoboam; though it seems best to interpret it of Rehoboam himself, since it follows:and disposed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city; to be governors thereof, in whose hands he could better trust them than in any other; or else, by thus separating them, they would not be able to enter into combination against Abijah; but then he must at the same time appoint some persons to watch and observe them; or otherwise, having such, strong places in their possession, they might rebel against him; the Targum is,"he built and repaired the cities, and appointed of all his children throughout all the countries of the house of Judah, to all the fortified cities;''that is, to have the command of them:and he gave them victual in abundance; that they might have no reason to complain, and might be able to hold out a siege against an enemy, should they be attacked:and he desired many wives; either for himself, or rather for his son, since he himself had many; or "Abijah desired, or asked {g} many wives" of their parents, or of those who had the dispose of them, in imitation of his father.{e} Nbtw "erudire faciebat", Pagninus, Grotius; "docuit", Vatablus. {f} "lntellexit", Piscator. {g} lavy "petivit", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; "postulavit", Piscator.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.