1 Kings 15:6 kjv
And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.
1 Kings 15:6 nkjv
And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.
1 Kings 15:6 niv
There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam throughout Abijah's lifetime.
1 Kings 15:6 esv
Now there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.
1 Kings 15:6 nlt
There was war between Abijam and Jeroboam throughout Abijam's reign.
1 Kings 15 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Ki 11:29-39 | Then Ahijah took the new garment that was on him... "Behold, I am tearing the kingdom from the hand of Solomon..." | Prophecy of kingdom division to Jeroboam. |
| 1 Ki 12:1-19 | All Israel came to Shechem... Rehoboam answered the people harshly... So Israel has been in rebellion... | Fulfillment of division due to Rehoboam's folly. |
| 1 Ki 14:30 | There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. | Predecessor verse, establishing prior continual conflict. |
| 2 Chr 12:15 | Rehoboam warred continually against Jeroboam. | Parallel account emphasizing constant war during Rehoboam's reign. |
| 2 Chr 13:2-19 | Abijah went out to battle against Jeroboam with 400,000 picked men... Abijah drew up his army in order of battle. | Detailed account of this very war in Judah's victory under Abijah. |
| 1 Ki 12:26-33 | Jeroboam said in his heart... he made two calves of gold... and said, "Here are your gods, O Israel..." | Jeroboam's foundational sin of idolatry, fueling the spiritual divide. |
| 1 Ki 13:33-34 | After this thing Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way... this thing became sin to the house of Jeroboam. | Jeroboam's persistent disobedience, the root of northern Israel's instability. |
| Psa 122:6-9 | Pray for the peace of Jerusalem... For my brothers and companions' sake, I will say, "Peace be within you!" | Contrast to war; emphasis on divine blessing through peace. |
| Lev 26:6 | I will grant peace in the land... you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid. | God's promise of peace as a reward for obedience. |
| Jdg 21:25 | In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. | Principle of fragmented authority and moral relativism leading to chaos. |
| Deu 28:15, 25 | If you will not obey... The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies... | General covenant curses for disobedience, including military defeat and strife. |
| 1 Ki 11:11-13 | The Lord said to Solomon... "I will surely tear the kingdom from you... I will give one tribe to your son." | God's divine ordination of the division due to Solomon's sin. |
| Amo 3:2 | "You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities." | God's unique relationship with Israel means their sin incurs severe judgment. |
| Isa 9:8-21 | The Lord has sent a word against Jacob... Manasseh devours Ephraim... For all this his anger has not turned away. | Prophetic echo of Israel's internal strife and divine judgment due to unrepentant sin. |
| Zec 8:16 | "Speak truth each to his neighbor; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace." | Calls to truth and peace; highlighting what was absent. |
| Jhn 17:21-23 | "That they may all be one... as you, Father, are in me and I in you..." | Jesus' prayer for unity among His people, stark contrast to earthly divisions. |
| Eph 2:14 | For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility. | Christ's work in establishing spiritual peace and unity among former adversaries. |
| Pro 13:10 | By insolence comes nothing but strife, but with those who take advice is wisdom. | Underlying principle explaining sources of conflict like Rehoboam's arrogance. |
| Rom 12:18 | If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. | New Testament command to pursue peace, highlighting the failure of earthly rulers. |
| Mat 12:25 | "Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand." | Jesus' principle, illustrating the destructive nature of internal division. |
| Jam 4:1-2 | What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? | Root cause of conflict: selfish desires and coveting. |
1 Kings 15 verses
1 Kings 15 6 Meaning
This verse succinctly states the continuation of persistent armed conflict between the southern Kingdom of Judah and the northern Kingdom of Israel during the entire, albeit brief, reign of King Abijam of Judah. Although Rehoboam, Abijam's father, had died, the verse refers to the enduring conflict by naming its originating figures, underscoring the inherited and defining animosity between their respective kingdoms.
1 Kings 15 6 Context
1 Kings 15 opens by introducing Abijam (also known as Abijah in 2 Chronicles) as the son of Rehoboam and the successor to the throne of Judah. Verses 1-2 establish Abijam's lineage and the duration of his short reign, explicitly noting his mother and his capital, Jerusalem. Verse 3 immediately sets the spiritual tone for his kingship, stating that he walked in "all the sins that his father did before him," and his heart "was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father." Despite Abijam's unfaithfulness, verses 4-5 explain that God preserved Judah for David's sake, giving him "a lamp in Jerusalem" – a continuous line of kings – because of David's faithfulness, save for the matter of Uriah the Hittite. It is in this immediate succession and spiritual assessment that verse 6 provides the ongoing political backdrop: the perpetual conflict that marked the relationship between the two divided kingdoms, originating from the split under Rehoboam and Jeroboam, which now continued unabated into Abijam's short reign. Historically, this war highlights the persistent animosity between the two estranged "brother" nations that emerged after the Solomonic kingdom's rupture.
1 Kings 15 6 Word analysis
- And there was also: Introduces a persistent condition or background fact. The "also" indicates that this situation was not new but a continuation of existing realities.
- War (מִלְחָמָה, milchamah): Signifies an armed conflict, implying a state of active hostility, not just political tension. This points to ongoing military engagements and the general insecurity of the time.
- Between Rehoboam and Jeroboam: Refers to the central figures and originators of the north-south divide (1 Ki 12). While Rehoboam was dead by Abijam's reign (1 Ki 14:31), this phrase underscores that the war initiated by them, or the conflict between their houses/kingdoms, continued. It signifies an entrenched, generational enmity, rather than implying Rehoboam's literal presence in battle.
- All the days of Abijam’s life: Emphasizes the entire duration of Abijam’s short, three-year reign. This indicates that the conflict was not intermittent but constant and defining for his period as king.
- Textual Note: While the Masoretic Text (source for ESV, NIV, etc.) reads "Abijam's life" here, some ancient manuscripts (like the Septuagint and the KJV's source text tradition) read "Rehoboam's life." The context (Abijam as the current king being described) in modern translations aligns with the continuation of a war from Rehoboam's time, and the chronicler (in 2 Chr 13) confirms active conflict between Abijam and Jeroboam. The reading "Abijam's life" thus refers to the ongoing legacy of war that persisted during Abijam's reign, despite Rehoboam's death.
1 Kings 15 6 Bonus section
The brevity of the account of Abijam's war with Jeroboam in 1 Kings is striking, contrasted with the significantly expanded narrative in 2 Chronicles 13. While 1 Kings 15:6 simply states the war's continuation, 2 Chronicles 13:3-20 details a major battle where Abijah (the name used in Chronicles for Abijam) courageously addresses Jeroboam's army, attributing Judah's reliance on God for a decisive victory. This difference illustrates the distinct purposes of the two historical books: Kings primarily focuses on the kings' fidelity to the covenant and the resulting consequences, often highlighting their failures; Chronicles, on the other hand, frequently emphasizes divine intervention, temple worship, and righteous actions, even within flawed reigns. Therefore, 1 Kings 15:6 is not merely a historical note but a theological commentary on the continued consequences of the initial schism, focusing on the persistence of a war that began with disobedient rulers, a theme consistent with the Deuteronomistic history.
1 Kings 15 6 Commentary
1 Kings 15:6 serves as a concise summary statement that underscores the enduring political and military fragmentation following the division of Israel's united monarchy. By stating that the war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continued "all the days of Abijam’s life," the chronicler emphasizes the relentless nature of the animosity between the two kingdoms. This conflict was not a fleeting skirmish but a defining characteristic of this historical period, demonstrating the deep-seated spiritual and political rift between the two nations that had once been one people under God. The persistent conflict, rooted in Rehoboam's pride and Jeroboam's apostasy, highlights the grave consequences of disobedience to God, revealing how sin leads to perpetual strife and weakens a people. Even with a new king on Judah's throne, the legacy of this internal war persisted, confirming the biblical narrative's consistent message: deviation from God's covenant results in turmoil and disunity.