The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

1 KING. XV. From beginning to ver. 9.

ABIJAH reigneth wick∣edly [World 3047] [Abijah. 1] [Ieroboam. 18] [Division. 18] three years, he fight∣eth [Abijah. 2] [Ieroboam. 10] [Division. 19] with Jeroboam, and slayeth 500000 men, the greatest slaugh∣ter that ever was at one field in any Story. Abijah is also called Abijam, and his Mother is called both Maachah and Michah, and his Grand∣father by his Mothers side is called Absalom, and Uriel. Such changes of names are frequent in Scripture, and sometime so altered by the Holy Ghost, purpose∣ly to hint something to us concerning the Person, and sometimes so •…•…red by

the people among whom such persons lived, they giving them some com∣mon name answerable to some qualification, or action that they saw in them, or in reference to their family, or some person of their family from which they descended. The Book of Chronicles layeth no wickedness to the charge of this King that we have in hand, and therefore sticketh not to joyn Jah the name of God to his name: but the Book of Kings, that chargeth him with the wickedness of his Fathers ways, doth him not that honour in his name, but hath changed Jah into Jam. His mother that was named Micah or Michaiah, when she cometh to be Queen may be con∣ceived to have her name changed, and she is named after the first Mother of a renowned family in that Tribe from whence she descended, 1 Chron. 8. 29. She was of Gibeah, the City of Saul, and it is very probable of the kinred of Saul, and therefore her Father, who was properly called Abso∣lom, is called Uriel, which hath very near affinity in signification with Ner, and Es••baal, men of the stock and family of Saul.

Although Abijah and Judah were very wicked, yet God in this quarrel owneth them for the Kingdom of Davids sake, which he had setled, and for Religions sake, which was extant and in practice at Jerusalem, though much corruption mingled with it. Abijah recovereth Bethel of Jeroboam, 2 Chron. 13. 19. but destroyed not the Idolatry there, for which it may be God shortned his reign and days.