(22) And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah . . . brethren.--Rather, And Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maachah for head--to wit, for prince (nagid)--among his brethren. The expression "head" is explained by the following clause.

For he thought to make him king.--This gives the sense of the brief Hebrew phrase, "for--for making him king." In making Abijah heir to the throne, it does not appear that Rehoboam infringed the law of Deuteronomy 21:15-17, as the Speaker's Commentary suggests. The right of the firstborn was only a double share of a man's property. (Comp. 1Kings 1:35 for a precedent.)

Verse 22. - Cancel in this verse the italics "to be." Rehoboam again offends against the "Law" (see Deuteronomy 21:15-17). He cannot justly plead as a precedent the instance of David and Solomon, as in 1 Chronicles 23:1; for this was only justified by the express Divine ordinance, as in 1 Chronicles 23:9; 1 Chronicles 29:1.

11:13-23 When the priests and Levites came to Jerusalem, the devout, pious Israelites followed them. Such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel, left the inheritance of their fathers, and went to Jerusalem, that they might have free access to the altar of God, and be out of the temptation to worship the calves. That is best for us, which is best for our souls; in all our choices, religious advantages must be sought before all outward conveniences. Where God's faithful priests are, his faithful people should be. And when it has been proved that we are willing to renounce our worldly interests, so far as we are called to do so for the sake of Christ and his gospel, we have good evidence that we are truly his disciples. And it is the interest of a nation to protect religion and religious people.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 thought

to 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.