1 Kings 14:19

And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he warred, and how he reigned, behold, they [are] written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

And the rest {H3499} of the acts {H1697} of Jeroboam {H3379}, how he warred {H3898}, and how he reigned {H4427}, behold, they are written {H3789} in the book {H5612} of the chronicles {H1697}{H3117} of the kings {H4428} of Israel {H3478}.

Other activities of Yarov'am, how he fought and how he ruled are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Isra'el.

As for the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he waged war and how he reigned, they are indeed written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he warred, and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

Commentary

Context

This verse concludes the biblical account of King Jeroboam I's reign in the book of 1 Kings, serving as a summary statement typical for the kings of both Israel and Judah. Jeroboam was the first king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, which formed after the division of the united monarchy following the death of Solomon. His ascension to power was even prophesied by the prophet Ahijah in 1 Kings 11. The book of 1 Kings itself doesn't detail every battle or administrative act of Jeroboam, but rather focuses on his religious policies, particularly his establishment of golden calves in Dan and Bethel, which led Israel into idolatry and became "the sin of Jeroboam." This verse indicates that more comprehensive historical records existed beyond the biblical narrative.

Key Themes

  • Historical Documentation: The Bible frequently refers to external, non-canonical historical sources, such as "the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel" (and similarly, "the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah"). This highlights that the biblical narrative is selective, focusing on spiritual and theological truths rather than providing exhaustive historical annals.
  • Divine Purpose in Narrative: While secular records might detail military campaigns and political strategies, the biblical account prioritizes a king's obedience or disobedience to God. The mention of these external books implies that the biblical writers were aware of other historical data, but chose to include only what was pertinent to God's covenant relationship with Israel.
  • Completeness of God's Word: Though not every detail of Jeroboam's reign is found in the Bible, the statement assures the reader that these events were recorded, affirming the historical reality of the biblical narrative even as it focuses on its specific theological message.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "the book of the chronicles" in Hebrew is sepher divrei hayyamim (ืกึตืคึถืจ ื“ึผึดื‘ึฐืจึตื™ ื”ึทื™ึผึธืžึดื™ื), which literally means "the book of the matters/events of the days." This refers to official state annals or royal records kept by the scribes of the Israelite kings, similar to historical archives in other ancient Near Eastern kingdoms. It is crucial to understand that this is distinct from the canonical biblical books of 1 and 2 Chronicles, which were written much later and offer a different theological perspective on Israel's history.

Practical Application

This verse reminds us that the Bible is not merely a history book in the modern sense, but a divinely inspired theological history. It provides us with the essential information we need for spiritual growth and understanding God's character and His dealings with humanity. While we might be curious about all the specific "wars" or "reigns" of biblical figures, the Holy Spirit guided the biblical authors to record what was necessary for our faith and instruction. It encourages us to trust the sufficiency of Scripture for its intended purpose, even when it doesn't answer every historical or biographical question we might have.

Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 2 Chronicles 13:2

    He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also [was] Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

  • 2 Chronicles 13:20

    Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the LORD struck him, and he died.

  • 1 Chronicles 27:24

    Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number, but he finished not, because there fell wrath for it against Israel; neither was the number put in the account of the chronicles of king David.

  • 1 Kings 22:39

    Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

  • 1 Kings 16:27

    Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he shewed, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

  • Esther 6:1

    ยถ On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.

  • 1 Kings 16:14

    Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
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