And there was war between the houses of Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of Abijam’s life.
We have here a short account of the short reign of Abijam the son of Rehoboam king of Judah. He makes a better figure, 2 Chr. 13, where we have an account of his war with Jeroboam, the speech which he made before the armies engaged, and the wonderful victory he obtained by the help of God.
Commenting on 1 Kings 15:1-8
And Abijam slept with his fathers,.... That is, died as they did: and they buried him in the city of David, in the sepulchre of his royal ancestors, David, Solomon, and Rehoboam: and Asa his son reigned in his stead; who perhaps was the eldest of his twenty two sons, Ch2 13:21.
There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam - This was mentioned in the preceding chapter, Kg1 14:30, and it can mean no more than this: there was a continual spirit of hostility kept up between the two kingdoms, and no doubt frequent skirmishing between bordering parties; but it never broke out into open war, for this was particularly forbidden. See Kg1 12:24.