C. F. Keil and Franz Delitzsch on 1 Kings 15:3-5

1Ki 15:3-5

Abijam walked as king in the footsteps of his father. Although he made presents to the temple (1Ki 15:15), his heart was not שׁלם, wholly or undividedly given to the Lord, like the heart of David (cf., 1Ki 11:4); but (כּי, after a previous negative) for David’s sake Jehovah had left him a light in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him and to let Jerusalem stand, because (אשׁר) David had done right in the eyes of God, etc., i.e., so that it was only for David’s sake that Jehovah did not reject him, and allowed the throne to pass to his son. For the fact itself compare 1Ki 11:13, 1Ki 11:36; and for the words, “except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite,” see 2 Sam 11 and 12.