1 Kings 15 8

1 Kings 15:8 kjv

And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.

1 Kings 15:8 nkjv

So Abijam rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. Then Asa his son reigned in his place.

1 Kings 15:8 niv

And Abijah rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. And Asa his son succeeded him as king.

1 Kings 15:8 esv

And Abijam slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David. And Asa his son reigned in his place.

1 Kings 15:8 nlt

When Abijam died, he was buried in the City of David. Then his son Asa became the next king.

1 Kings 15 verses

1 Kings 15 8 Meaning

1 Kings 15:8 signifies the conclusion of the summary of King Abijam’s reign, stating that additional details regarding his "acts" or "deeds" and all other events of his rule were recorded in a separate official state archive known as "The Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah." This phrase serves as a common literary device within the books of Kings, highlighting the inspired author's selective presentation of history, focusing primarily on a monarch's spiritual faithfulness and covenant adherence, while acknowledging the existence of more comprehensive historical records.

1 Kings 15 8 Context

Abijam (also known as Abijah in 2 Chronicles 13) was the son of Rehoboam and the third king of Judah, ruling for only three years (1 Kgs 15:2). His brief reign, though short, was characterized by continued spiritual failings; he "walked in all the sins that his father had committed before him, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father" (1 Kgs 15:3). The immediate context of 1 Kings chapter 15 transitions from Abijam's predecessor Rehoboam to Abijam's son, Asa. Verse 8 acts as the concluding summary of Abijam's life and reign before his death and the succession of Asa. This recurring formula reinforces the historical claim while shifting focus from mundane historical facts to the theological evaluation of a king, a characteristic method of the books of Kings.

1 Kings 15 8 Word analysis

• "Now" (וְיֶתֶר - wə·ye·ṯer): This conjunction introduces the summation of a king's reign. It often implies a continuation or reference to the "rest" or "residue" of events not detailed in the biblical narrative itself.
• "the rest of the acts" (וְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי - wə·ye·ṯer diḇ·rê):
  • דִּבְרֵי (divrei): From the root דָּבָר (davar), meaning "word," "thing," "matter," or "affair." In this context, it broadly refers to "deeds," "affairs," or "events" of his reign, encompassing administrative, military, and general historical actions that are not explicitly detailed in the biblical account.
• "of Abijam" (אֲבִיָּם - ’ă·ḇî·yām): The proper noun designating the specific king of Judah who is the subject of this particular reign summary (also referred to as Abijah).
• "and all that he did" (וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה - wə·ḵāl-’ă·šer ‘ā·śāh): This comprehensive phrase emphasizes that the prior description, while highlighting significant events or moral character, was not exhaustive. It implicitly covers everything else—from daily administration to specific military tactics—serving to validate the partial and selective nature of the inspired biblical text.
• "are they not written" (הֲלֹא־הֵמָּה כְתוּבִים - hă·lō-hêm·māh kə·ṯū·ḇîm): This is a rhetorical question, characteristic of Hebrew narrative, functioning as an emphatic assertion. It confirms the existence of these records and implies their accessibility or known authority to the original audience.
  • כְתוּבִים (ketuvim): A passive participle meaning "written" or "recorded," indicating the permanent nature and availability of the information.
• "in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah" (עַל־סֵפֶר דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לְמַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה - ‘al-sê·p̄er diḇ·rê hay·yā·mîm lə·mal·ḵê Yə·hū·ḏāh):
  • סֵפֶר (sepher): "book" or "scroll," referring to an official written record.
  • דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים (Divrei HaYamim): Literally "words of the days," commonly translated as "chronicles" or "annals." This term specifically refers to the official royal archives or state records maintained by scribes during the reigns of the kings. It is crucial to note that this is a historical source used by the biblical author, distinct from the canonical Books of 1 and 2 Chronicles.
  • לְמַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה (lə·mal·ḵê Yə·hū·ḏāh): "of the kings of Judah." This phrase specifies the provenance and subject of the records: the official history of the Southern Kingdom's monarchs.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did": This phrase encompasses the concept that the preceding biblical summary of Abijam's reign is selective. The combined phrase "the rest of the acts" with "all that he did" emphasizes that a full, comprehensive record of his entire kingship exists elsewhere, signaling that the biblical text highlights what is most pertinent to its theological message rather than providing exhaustive historical details.
• "are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?": This rhetorical question, accompanied by the citation of a specific archival source, serves to ground the biblical narrative in verifiable historical reality. It assumes a reader familiar with or having access to these public state records, thus validating the biblical author's chosen details as drawn from accurate history. More importantly, it underscores the purposeful selectivity of the inspired text: while the secular annals contain full historical data, the books of Kings focus on the divine perspective of a monarch's faithfulness or disobedience.

1 Kings 15 8 Bonus section

• This consistent reference formula implicitly asserts the accuracy of the biblical narrative. By pointing to publicly available records (at the time of the Bible's compilation), the author invites corroboration, suggesting the information presented is grounded in verifiable fact, even though its primary focus is theological truth.
• The fact that these extra-biblical "Books of the Chronicles" (the state annals) are no longer extant reinforces the unique divine preservation and purpose of the canonical Bible. While other records were lost to time, God ensured the survival of His inspired Word for all generations, affirming its supreme importance.
• This literary convention also served to manage the reader's expectations for the text. It signals that the biblical account provides the spiritual essentials of a reign, not every minute or secular detail of a king's daily administration, military campaigns, or diplomatic engagements. It prompts readers to seek spiritual and theological meaning rather than comprehensive secular history.

1 Kings 15 8 Commentary

This verse, characteristic of the concluding statements for nearly every reign in the books of Kings, serves several critical functions. The explicit reference to "The Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah" (or Israel for northern kings) points to a tangible, historical state archive—not the biblical books of Chronicles—that contained more comprehensive historical information. This citation powerfully underscores the historical grounding of the biblical narrative, affirming that the events summarized were verifiable facts based on public records. Simultaneously, the recurring formula highlights the inspired author's selective process. While secular state annals would contain full administrative, military, and biographical details, the biblical author, under divine guidance, chose to record only those events and character traits pertinent to a king's spiritual evaluation—specifically their adherence to or deviation from YHWH's covenant, their commitment to the prescribed worship of God, and their impact on the Davidic dynasty. Thus, 1 Kings 15:8 subtly informs the reader that this sacred text is not merely a comprehensive historical treatise but a theologically curated history, divinely authored to reveal God's interaction with His chosen people and their leadership. This structure teaches that not all historical information is equally important, but God's word presents precisely what is needed for faith, instruction, and understanding His redemptive plan.