Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 15:19
[There is] a league between me and thee, [and] between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.
19. There is a league ] There is, as the italics of A. V. shew, no verb expressed in the original. The LXX. supplies the imperative = make. This the R.V. represents on the margin by ‘Let there be.’ But the concluding words of the clause seem to point to the indicative as the more suitable insertion. What Asa desires to claim is a sort of hereditary alliance, which he would best do by treating the friendship as existing and of long standing. As there was no war between Asa and Ben-hadad, the one might very naturally write to the other in brotherly language, according to the custom of monarchs.
come [R.V. go ] and break thy league with Baasha ] The R.V. more strictly represents the Hebrew by omitting the italic ‘and,’ and brings the verse into agreement with 2Ch 16:3 where the same words stand in the original. As Israel lay nearer to Damascus than did Judah, any places won from the northern kingdom would be easily included in the Syrian kingdom. Hence beside the costly presents, Benhadad might see other gain in forming an alliance with Asa against Israel.
that he may depart from me ] As he would naturally do to repel an invasion on the northern frontier.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Rather, Let there be a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 19. There is a league between me and thee] Or, Let there be a league between me and thee; as there was between my father and thy father. There was no reason why Asa should have emptied his treasures at this time to procure the aid of the Syrian king; as it does not appear that there was any danger which himself could not have turned aside. He probably wished to destroy the kingdom of Israel; and to effect this purpose, even robbed the house of the Lord.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father; whereby it appears, that albeit he was an adversary to Israel all Solomons days, 1Ki 11:25, yet after the division of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah he was in league with both of them; either because his designs lay upon the enlargement of his empire other ways; or rather, because he thought it his wisdom and interest to leave them to themselves, to undo one another by their intestine wars, and so to prepare the way to his conquest of both; whereas his invading of either of them might have made up the breach, and forced them to unite against their common enemy. And therefore as soon as he was free from this fear, and one of them needed and earnestly desired his help against the other, he gladly embraced the opportunity.
That he may depart from me; that being called to defend himself, he may be forced to depart from my territories.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father,…. For though Hezion, if he is the same with Rezon, was an adversary to Israel in the days of Solomon, 1Ki 11:25, yet it seems his son was not, but was a confederate with the kings of Israel and Judah:
behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; taken out of the treasury of the temple and his own treasury:
come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me; it was sinful in him to take the money out of the temple, to which it was dedicated; it was more so to make use of it to bribe an Heathen to break his covenant and alliance with another, in order to serve him; in which he betrayed great distrust of the Lord, and of his power to help him; which was the more aggravated, when he had had such a wonderful appearance of God for him against the Ethiopians, see 2Ch 16:7.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
19. A league A covenant or treaty of peace, binding the two kingdoms to preserve friendly relations and intercourse. Of this treaty we have elsewhere no account. David had subdued Damascus and put garrisons therein; (2Sa 8:5-6😉 and the city seems to have been tributary to the throne of David until Rezon established himself there. He was hostile to Israel all the days of Solomon, (1Ki 11:25😉 but it seems from this verse that Asa’s father had made some treaty of peace with the king of Damascus, and that a similar league had been formed between Baasha and Ben-hadad.
A present of silver and gold These presents of gold and silver were probably more effectual in influencing Ben-hadad’s action than any persuasions on the part of Asa’s ambassadors.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Ki 15:19. Behold, I have sent unto thee a present The presenting of gifts is one of the most universal methods of doing honour. The sending presents to princes to engage them to help the distressed, has been practised in the east in late times, as well as in the days of Asa. To us it may appear strange, that a present should be thought capable of inducing one prince to break with another, and engage himself in war; but it was anciently sufficient: so we find in the Gesta Dei per Francos, that an eastern nobleman, who had the custody of a castle called Hasarth, quarrelling with his master, the prince of Aleppo, and finding a want of foreign aid, sent presents to Godfrey of Boulogne to induce him to assist him. What they were, we are not told; but gold and silver, the things which Asa sent Ben-hadad, were frequently sent in those times to the Croisade princes, and might probably be sent on this occasion to Godfrey. Presents were frequently sent to the great, before those who sent them made their appearance. See Observations, p. 246.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
1Ki 15:19 [There is] a league between me and thee, [and] between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.
Ver. 19. Come and break thy league. ] Thus, through unbelief, he basely beggeth help of an idolater.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
There is. Supply Figure of speech Ellipsis (App-6). [Let there be. ]
league = covenant.
and. Supply [as] instead of “and”,
behold. Figure of speech Asterismos App-6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
There is a league: 2Ch 19:2, Isa 31:1
break thy league: 2Sa 21:2, 2Ch 16:3, Eze 17:13-16, Rom 1:31, Rom 3:8
depart: Heb. go up
Reciprocal: Gen 43:11 – carry down 1Ki 5:12 – they two 2Ki 18:15 – General Ecc 2:4 – I builded Isa 9:1 – when
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ki 15:19. There is a league between me and thee In the latter end of Solomons reign, the Syrians were enemies to him, 1Ki 11:24-25 : but when he was dead, and the kingdom was divided, both Judah and Israel made peace with the Syrians; having enough to do to settle themselves in their own dominions. Behold, I have sent thee a present, come, break thy league with Baasha It is strange that Asas conscience would suffer him, or that he, a professor of the true religion, was not ashamed to be guilty of such a wicked piece of policy as to tempt with money even a heathen to break his word, or league rather, which, no doubt, he had sworn to observe. This certainly was not the way to recommend the worship and service of Jehovah to the heathen nations around.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
15:19 [There is] a league between me and thee, [and] between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may {g} depart from me.
(g) And vex me no longer.