2 Chronicles 11:18

“And Rehoboam took him Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth, the son of David, to wife, etc.] Of which son of David we nowhere else read; perhaps he might be the son of one of his concubines, or he might have two names: and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse; who was David’s eldest brother. (<091713>1 Samuel 17:13,28). She must be a granddaughter or great-granddaughter of his.”

“HIS WIVES AND CHILDREN. (Ch2 11:18-23) Rehoboam took Mahalath--The names of her father and mother are given. Jerimoth, the father, must have been the son of one of David's concubines (Ch1 3:9). Abihail was, of course, his cousin, previous to their marriage.”

“This is probably an extract from the “genealogies” of Iddo 2 Chronicles 12:15. As Jerimoth is not mentioned among the legitimate sons of David 1Ch 3:1-8; 1 Chronicles 14:4-7, he must have been the child of a concubine. Abihail was probably the “grand-daughter,” not “daughter,” of Eliab 1Sa 16:6; 1 Samuel 17:13; 1 Chronicles 2:13. return to 'Top of Page'”

“11:18-22 The numbers of Rehoboam’s wives and children are probably the total from his entire reign rather than those accumulated by his fifth year. Rehoboam loved his second wife more than his first, so he violated the right of primogeniture (inheritance belonging to the firstborn son, Deut 21:15-17) by making Abijah . . . the next king in what might have been co-regency. This action secured an orderly succession.”

“am 3029-3046, bc 975-958 daughter: Eliab was David's eldest brother; and more than eighty years had elapsed since David, at the age of thirty, began to reign: Abigail must therefore have been grand-daughter to Eliab; and this shows the latitude in which the words son and daughter are used in Scripture. Eliab: Sa1 16:6, Sa1 17:13, Sa1 17:28; Ch1 2:13, Ch1 27:18, Elihu 2 Chronicles 11:20”

“Ch2 11:18-23, information as to Rehoboam's family relationships. - Ch2 11:18. Instead of בּן we must read, with the Keri, many MSS, lxx, and Vulg., בּת: Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth, the son of David. Among the sons of David ( Ch1 3:1-8) no Jerimoth is found. If this name be not another form of יתרעם, Ch1 3:3, Jerimoth must have been a son of one of David's concubines. Before the name אביחיל, ו must have been dropped out, and is to be supplied; so that Mahalath's father and mother are both named: the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse, i.e., David's eldest brother ( Ch1 2:13; Sa1 17:13). For Abihail cannot be held to be a second…”