Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2

CHAP. IIII.

Vers. 1. THy servant my husband is dead, and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord.] This she adds, first, to clear her husband from the suspicion of wasting what he had by any evil courses: secondly, to move him the rather to pity her, because her husband was one, as Elisha knew well, that did truly and unfeignedly fear the Lord; and indeed observable it is, how respectively she speaks of her husband, though he had left her in so great poverty and distress.

And the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.] See the notes, Exod: 21.2. and Levite. 25.39.

Vers. 2. Tell me, what hast thou in thine house.] As if Elisha should have said, come let me see what thou hast of any value in thy house, that may go toward the payment of thy debts: and thus whilst the prophet made show, as if he desired to know how far she was able to discharge her husbands debts, that so he might try if he could compose the difference betwixt her and the creditor; he brought her to speak of the pot of oil she had, (to wit, that being the only thing of any value she had; for we cannot think she was so poor, that she had nothing at all else left in her house) intending to take that occasion to give order for that whereby she was to be miraculously supplied.

Vers. 4. Thou shalt shut the door upon thee, &c.] This was enjoined; first, as an act or sign, approving or testifying her faith, that being left to herself hopeless of all help and succor from man, she did yet expect from the Lord that miraculous help which the prophet had promised her: secondly, as a circumstance, implying, that it was fit they should pray unto God when they undertook this work, whereto privacy was required: thirdly, that they might not be disturbed by others, when they were employed in this business they had in hand: but fourthly, and principally, for the clearer manifestation of the intended miracle, that there might be no suspicion, that the oil was by anybody secretly conveyed into the house to them.

Vers. 6. She said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel.] That is, to one of her sons, for that she had two sons is evident, verse. 1.

Vers. 8. Elisha passed to Shunem.] A city in the tribe of Issachar, not far from mount Carmel, Josh. 19.17, 18. the very same, from whence Abishag was fetched to David, 1 Kings 1.3.

Vers. 9. I perceive that this is an holy man of God.] Not only a prophet, but a man of eminent holiness.

Vers. 10. Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall.] Not that she had not room in her house to lodge him, but because she considered that the tumult of a large family might be some disturbance to the devotions, study, and meditations of a prophet, and therefore thought it convenient to provide a place for him where he might be more retired.

Vers. 12. Call this Shunamite, And when he had called her, she stood before him.] Vers. 15. it is again said, that Elisha bad Gehazi call her; so that though it be here expressed, that she came and stood before Elisha, yet that which follows must be conceived to have been done before her coming: the order of the carriage of the business it seems, was this: Elisha sent Gehazi to call her to him, and withal willed him to acquaint her with the business; namely, that in recompense of her kindness, if she had any suit to the king or captain of the host, he would be her mediator; she answering Gehazi, that she dwelt among her own people; and Gehazi carrying back this answer to his master, he consulted with Gehazi what then might be done for her: and Gehazi putting him in mind that she had no child, Elisha bade him again call her.

Vers. 13. And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold now thou hast been careful for us, &c.] This was the message which Elisha bade Gehazi carry her, when he was first sent to call her, wherein he makes a thankful acknowledgement of her great care of them; and then tenders to speak for her, if she had any occasion either to the king or the captain of the host; whereby it appears also, that the succor which Elisha had afforded the kings in their distress, chap. 3.16. &c. had brought him into great credit at court.

And she answered, I dwell among my own people.] In this answer is implied, that she needed not his help in this kind, as intimating, First, that she lived contentedly, and was not ambitious of any better condition, then that she enjoyed in a private quiet life amongst her own neighbors: Secondly, that she lived peaceably, not having occasion to complain or seek relief from higher powers, not amongst enemies, but neighbors and friends in a mean condition; nor so high as to be envied, nor so low as to be trodden on: Thirdly, that if she should have occasion to seek help, she could not want friends, that would do what one man may do for another: yet afterward it was well she found a friend in court, chap. 8.3, 4. to wit, when Gehazi obtained that her land should be restored to her.

Vers. 14. And he said, What then is to be done for her?] That is, when Gehazi brought back to Elisha this answer of the Shunamites, he asked Gehazi what else then there was, wherein they might gratify her; wherein also it is well worth the noting, that though Elisha were so great a prophet, yet he would vouchsafe thus to consult and advise with his servant.

Vers. 15. And when he had called her she stood in the door.] To wit, as out of modesty; she would not presently rush into the prophets chamber, though it were in her own house, but stood at the door, till either he should come out to her, or call for her in.

Vers. 16. And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son.] This phrase, thou shalt embrace a son, implied, not only the birth of the child, but also the safety of the child and mother; the time is expressed much in the same words, as in the promise that was made to Abraham, concerning the birth of Isaac, Gen. 18.10. of which, see the note there.

Nay my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.] As if she had said, O that God would grant that it might be so! but my lord, thou man of God, do not deceive thy handmaid with vain hopes; she knew well that the holiness of the prophet could not stand with willful lying; yet perhaps she might fear it was spoken for trial only: and therefore as being divided betwixt hope and fear, she desires to be satisfied, whether she might assure herself of what he had promised, for so it is expressed, verse. 28. Then she said, did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?

Vers. 21. And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, &c.] All this she did, either as hoping the child might be restored to life, by being laid upon the prophets bed, or rather thereby to hide this occasion of grief from her husband and family, lest they should hinder her in her intended design of going to the prophet, as confidently hoping by the prayers of that prophet, on whose bed she had laid her dead child, to receive him restored to life again: and perhaps the rather, because she had heard how Elijah had restored to life a widows dead child, 1. Kings 17.21.

Vers. 23. And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him today? it is neither new moon, nor Sabbath, &c.] This he saith, because on those days they did usually go to the prophets to be instructed, and seldom at other times; which made him wonder why she should desire to go now: and hereupon she answered, It shall be well; as if she had said, do not trouble yourself, my journey doubtless shall be for good, and therefore I pray give way to it.

Vers. 26. Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee?] Because she came in such haste at an unusual time, he feared something was amiss with her.

Is it well with the child? and she answered, It is well.] This she spake, as it were, to cut off her speech with Gehazi, and as hastening to speak with Elisha himself, and withal happily as persuading herself that this which God had done would be for good.

Vers. 27. And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet.] Transported with the vehemency of her passion, she fell down upon the ground, and cast her arms about his legs, thereby expressing, both, first, the reverent respect she bare to him; as the disciples did, when they cast their arms about Christ's feet, Matth. 28.9. secondly, the unsupportablenesse of her sorrow; and thirdly, the vehemency of her desire to obtain help by his means in whom all her refuge and hope was; and that she was resolved not to leave him till he had satisfied her desire, as she expresses herself afterward, verse. 30. As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee.

But Gehazi came near to thrust her away.] As apprehending, that this uncouth carriage of herself towards the prophet, was neither seemly for her nor him.

Vers. 28. Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?] That is, why was a son given us, of thy own motion, when I asked no such thing; yea, when I desired that thou wouldest not deceive me with vain hopes, if now my misery must be greater by losing him, then it would have been by remaining childless? had I offended by too violent desire of a child, I might have judged that to have been the cause why my child is now again taken away; but being given freely without any request of mine, why am I now so soon deprived of him?

Vers. 29. Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, &c.] As they used to do in those countries, where they used long garments, when they meant to make hast, and for the same cause he is enjoined not to stay to salute anybody by the way. Some think the cause of this enjoined haste, was to prevent Gehazies vain-glorious imparting of the business he was sent about to anybody he should meet with by the way, which might have proved a hindrance to the working of the miracle; but that which others say, is far more probable; namely, that it was only to make sure that the child might be restored to life before his death came to be known in the family, that so the fathers grief might be prevented, and the miracle withal might be concealed.

Vers. 30. And the mother of the child said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee.] Though she did not oppose nor distrust altogether the course which Elisha had taken for the raising of the child, (for had she not given Gehazi the key of the prophets chamber, wherein she had locked up the dead child, verse. 21. how could he have come at him to lay the prophets staff upon his face?) yet as questioning and doubting whether this means would be effectual or no; and therefore desiring that he would go along with her, she resolves confidently that she will not return without him.

Vers. 31. And laid the staff upon the face of the child, but there was neither voice nor hearing, &c.] Some ascribe this to want of faith, both in Gehazi and the mother: others think that Elisha gave that direction for the laying of his staff upon the face of the child, without any special direction or promise from the spirit of God, only because he had at other times wrought miracles with this staff: but rather, I think, it is to be ascribed to the change of Elisha his purpose, had he not yielded to have gone himself, perhaps the staff might have been effectual; now the Lord was pleased to withhold his power and help till the prophet came.

Vers. 34. And he went up, and lay upon the child, &c] He applied his body to the body of the child, so far as it could be done in two bodies of such disproportion. See the note, 1 Kings 17.21.

Vers. 35. Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro, &c.] Why he rose up from lying upon the child to walk to and fro, and then went and lay upon the child again, it is hard to say: it is said, that perhaps he was wearied with lying in that manner as he did upon the child, or that perceiving the flesh of the child to wax warm, as in the foregoing verse it is said it did, the joy thereof did make him rise up and fetch a turn, and then presently he lay down upon the child again: But I rather conceive all this proceeded from the exceeding vehemency and intention of his desires in seeking to God for the reviving of the child; it being usual with those that are so transported with strong desires to be thus various in their actions, and sometime to be in one posture and sometime in another; as finding no rest in themselves, till their desires be satisfied.

And the child opened his eyes.] Which was a sign that the child was perfectly restored to life: and thus, as in other miracles, so in this. God was pleased to make it manifest that the spirit of Elijah rested upon Elisha as his successor, by enabling him to do the same kind of wonders that the other had done: Elijah divided Jordan with his mantle, 2 Kings 2.8. so did Elisha too, verse 14. Elijah multiplied the widow of Zarephaths oil, 1 Kings. 17.14. and Elisha did as much for a poor prophets widow, verse. 2: &c. of this chapter: Elijah brought rain from heaven after a time of great drought, 1. Kings 18.41. and Elisha supplied three kings and their armies with water, when they were ready to perish with drought, 2 Kings 3.16, 17. Elijah cursed the captains and their fifties that came to apprehend him, and they were presently destroyed with fire from heaven, 2 Kings 1.10. And Elisha cursed the children that reproached and mocked him, and they were presently torn in pieces by two she bears, chapter • .24. and so now here Elisha raised from death the Shunamites son, as Elijah had raised the Sareptans son before, 1 Kings 17.21, 22.

Vers. 33. And Elisha came to Gilgal, and there was a dearth in the land, &c.] To wit, to visit the College of the prophets which was in this city, and that the rather, to encourage and comfort them because of the dearth that was now in the land; and therefore it is said in the next clause, and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: to wit, to be instructed by him, as Paul used to sit at the feet of Gamaliel, Acts 22.3. which is perhaps the rather added, to intimate, that it was by Elisha's means, that the society of the prophets was not dissolved, but holy exercises were continued amongst them notwithstanding the famine.

Vers. 39. And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds, &c.] That is, going forth to gather herbs for the pottage, he lighted upon this wild vine, and not knowing it, yet gathered thereof; now it is generally thought that this was Coloquintida, a plant that grows in fields and hedge-rouse, somewhat like a vine, the gourds, that is, the leaves and branches whereof are bitter and poisonous.

Vers. 40. They cried out, and said, O thou man of God, there is death in the pot.] As fearing by their bitter and unsavory rast there had been poison in the pottage.

Vers. 42. And there came a man from Baal-shalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the first fruits, &c.] The first fruits by the law were to be given to the priests, Numbers 18.12. but the priests were now driven away from the ten tribes, ever since Jeroboam had set up his golden Calves, and forbidden the people to go up to the temple at Jerusalem, 2. Chron. 11.14. and therefore this good man brought these twenty loaves of the first fruits, &c. to Elisha and the prophets, who instructed the people instead of the priests, and that the rather out of a care to supply their necessities in this great dearth that was now in the land.

CHAP. V.

Vers. 5. GO and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel.] Which was Jehoram the son of Ahab, chap. 3.1.

Vers. 6. I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.] That is, that thou mayest cause him to be recovered of his leprosy, for what any prophet in Israel could do, he doubted not but that the king might command.

Vers. 7. He rent his clothes, and said, Am I a God, to kill and to make alive? &c.] His words show what was the cause of his grief; namely, the fear that Ben-hadad the king of Syria, the old enemy of Israel, sought in this to pick a quarrel that he might invade the land; yet likely enough it is, that to cover this, he pretended the blasphemy of requiring that of him, which was the only proper work of God, and in the mean season never thought of what Elisha could do.

Vers. 8. Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes?] And thus Elisha covertly taxed the king for so little regarding the miracles which Elisha had wrought, that now he never entertained a thought of consulting with him, and gave him to understand that even the Syrians should know that there was a prophet in Israel, though he and his courtiers would take no notice of him: Let him come now to me, saith he, and he shall know there is a prophet in Israel.

Vers. 10. And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, &c.] Not going out to him, First, that the miracle might be the more remarkable, the prophet doing no more but send him a message, that he should go and wash in Jordan, and he should be clean: Secondly, that Naaman might the more plainly see, that he did it not to ingraciate himself with so great a peer of Syria, or out of a hope to get anything from him, but only to advance the glory of the God of Israel: Thirdly, the better to try the faith and obedience of Naaman, which was happily also the reason why he appointed him to wash seven times.

Vers. 13. And his servants came near and spake unto him and said, My father, &c.] Some conceive, that because Naaman had wrought some great deliverance for Syria, verse. 1. therefore he was usually styled the father of his country, and that hence it was that his servants gave him this title, My father: others think that it was in relation to the gentleness of his government, in that he was to them more like a father then a lord and master: but I rather think that the great princes and nobles of Syria were usually called fathers, and that thence it was that Naaman's servants used this expression when they spake to him.

Vers. 14. And his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child.] Because leprosy used to eat away and consume the flesh, therefore it is said here of Naaman, that being cured his flesh came again, and that it was like unto the flesh of a little child; that is, full, clear and fresh▪ without any skar or mark of his former disease; • his former storming at the prophets directions hindered not the cure, because God intended mercy to him, and would not have the word of his prophet fail of success.

Vers. 16. As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none.] Though the prophets used to receive presents of those that came to them; yet here Elisha would receive none of Naaman: and that happily, first, that Naaman might not think that the prophet had done what he did in hope and expectation of receiving a reward: and secondly, that he might honor the God whom he served, and the religion he professed, by slighting and rejecting that earthly pelf, which worldly men do so much adore, and so might thereby gain Naaman to embrace the true relition together with them.

Vers. 17. Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules burden of earth? &c.] Here was zeal in this new convert without knowledge: as conceiving that the God of Israel would be the better pleased with his sacrifices, if they were offered on an altar made of Canaan mold; or at least, desiring by this outward ceremony openly to confess, that he was an Israelite in religion though he dwelt in Syria; and that he had joined himself in the unity of one faith to the people of God, he makes known these his thoughts to the prophet, as seeking his approbation herein. The mold of Canaan, more then he required, he might have taken without asking leave of Elisha; who would have opposed him? but it was not so much the gift of the earth, as the giving of it for that use, (with the approbation of the prophet) which he required.

Vers. 18. When my Master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself, &c.] To wit, only that the king leaning on his shoulder might bow, which he could not if he stood upright and would not bend his body: and that it was usual with kings in those times to lean on the shoulders of their nobles, is evident, Chap. 7.2. Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned, &c. This bowing of his, though he did it only upon this ground, his own conscience told him was not justifiable, yet because he could not avoid this, and yet keep his place and favor with the king, therefore herein he desires to be excused: the Lord, saith he, pardon thy servant in this thing; so intimating, that he desired the prophets prayers to God for him in this regard.

Vers. 19. And he said unto him, Go in peace.] Not as approving that his bowing in the house of Rimmon doth the prophet bid him Go in peace, for to make a semblance or do that which should have show of adoring the idol could not be lawful, 1 Thess. 5.22. Abstain from all appearance of evil, 1 Cor. 6.20. For you are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's: only as glad to see him thus far, and rather thinking it fitting to forbear the checking of him for this reservation in hope of God's pardoning him, then by pressing too much upon him in the weakness of his first conversion, to endanger the beating him off; he only dismisseth him with a civil valediction, biding him farewell, Go in peace; or at the most, he doth but intimate that he did indeed desire that God would be merciful to him, if he should thorough weakness of faith do so, or that he hoped that the Lord would direct him, so that he should not offend God with any such thing▪

Vers. 20. Behold my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, &c.] Thus contemptuously did Gehazi speak of Naaman; Naaman this Syrian: to intimate the reason why he disliked his masters refusing of Naaman's gifts; namely, that being a stranger, and of that nation that had always been enemies to the people of God, he should rather spare him, then take that which might have done so much good to him and his, and generally to the colleges of the poor prophets who had need of some support in those evil times.

Vers. 23. And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents.] To wit, for each of the young men one; for Gehazi had told him of two young men of the sons of the prophets that were come to his master, as is expressed in the foregoing verse.

Vers. 24. And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, &c.] This might be some fort standing in the high way, or some out-house belonging to the place where the prophet dwelt; and here Gehazi took the silver and the garments from Naaman's servants, not suffering them to go any nearer to the house, lest Elisha his master should see them.

Vers. 26. Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, &c.] He chargeth him with receiving olive-yards, and vine-yards, and sheep, and oxen, &c. because these things in his mind he had already purchased with his two talents of silver; and Elisha would have him see, that his very thoughts God had revealed to him, and he pressed withal the unseasonableness of this fact, because they had now to do with strangers, and Naaman himself was but newly won to God, and Elisha had purposely refused his gifts, to bring the more honor to God and their religion, all which Gehazi had crossed by his base covetousness.

CHAP. VI.

Vers. 1. BEhold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us, &c.] The succession of two such famous prophets, Elijah and Elisha, and the many miracles which were wrought by them, could not but draw many in these corrupt times to join themselves to these sacred societies of the sons of the prophets: and hence it was, that their college had not now room enough for them; and therefore they desire liberty of Elisha their master to build another, and that they affected not either pomp or state, but were contented with a very homely dwelling, is evident by this, that themselves were to be the builders of it; Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam; and let us make us a place there, verse. 2.

Vers. 8. In such and such a place shall be my Camp.] That is, the king of Syria resolved upon a place where he would lie in ambush with his army; knowing that the army of the Israelites was to pass that way, and so hoping on a sudden to fall out upon them.

Vers. 9. And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware thou pass not such a place, &c.] That is, he sent to Jehoram the son of Ahab, who was now king, and succeeded his brother Amaziah in the throne of Israel, Chap. 3.1. Had not Ahab his father spared the king of Syria, when he had him in his power, 1. Kings 20.34. the Syrians had not been (perhaps) such continual thorns in the sides of his son; but now he smarted for his fathers foolish pity: only God was pleased to save his people by the prophet Elisha, that so they might thereby be rendered more careful to keep God for their friend, or else might be left without excuse.

Vers. 13. And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him.] A resolution that discovered no less folly then rage; for what a madness was it to lay a plot to surprise him, of whom they had said, that he knew every word that the king spake in his greatest secrecy.

Vers. 15. And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, &c.] Because Gehazi is after this Chap. 8.4. called the servant of the man of God, some Expositors hold, that it was Gehazi that the text here speaks of; and consequently that the leprosy of Gehazi was of that sort which did not make those that had it unclean, and so unfit to converse with others: But yet because Gehazi is no more mentioned in the story, as employed in the ministering to Elisha, therefore it is most probable, that upon that fact of his mentioned in the former chapter, being stricken with Leprosy, he was dismissed from his attendance upon Elisha, and this other servant here mentioned, was one that succeeded in his room.

Vers. 18. And he smote them with blindness, according to the word of Elisha.] To wit, such a blindness as the Sodomites were stricken with, Gen. 19.11. which was not a deprivation of sight (for they would never have followed a man that promised to show them the city where the prophet was, if they had been stark blind) but rather a withholding of their sight from seeing that which they desired to see, or a dazzling and deluding the sense, that made them mistake what they saw, and apprehend it to be something else then what it was.

Vers. 19. And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, &c.] Elisha going forth of the city to meet them, when he saw them coming towards it, it seems they inquired of him both concerning the town and concerning the prophet, and hereupon he answered them, as secretly mocking them, and insulting over them with these ambiguous words, This is not the way; to wit, which you must go, Neither is this the city where you must meet with Elisha; Follow me, &c.

Vers. 21. And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? &c.] It is not likely that Elisha would bring such an army of Syrians into the city, but that first he would give warning to the king to arm themselves in a readiness, that when they came into Samaria, instead of being able to do any hurt there, upon the opening of their eyes, they should see themselves begirt with their enemies, ready upon a word given to cut all their throats: And hence is this speech of the kings to the prophet, My father, shall I smite them, shall I smite them? his repeating those words, showing that his fingers itched to make use of this advantage, to be revenged on the Syrians, though yet he would not do it without the prophets leave.

Vers. 22. Wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword, and with thy bow?] As if he should have said, if thou hadst taken them prisoners in the battle thou wouldest not have slain them, much less being cast into thy hands, not by any force and policy of thine, but only by this miraculous providence of the Almighty: Now thus God was pleased to have these bloody enemies of God's people dismissed in peace, that even they might publish these miraculous works of God in a strange land.

Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.] To wit, that both he and his Syrians might there hear what God had done to this army, whom they had sent to apprehend his prophet.

Vers. 23. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.] That is, they gave over those inroads into the land, which before had been usual with them; and that happily as overcome with the favor which was shown them, at least for the present, yea and when (perhaps some long time after) they did again invade the land, it was not by sending out such bands of boot-halers as formerly (fearing perhaps, lest they should be catched in a trap, as now they had been:) but the king gathered all his host, and went up against them with a power which he thought they would be no way able to resist.

Vers. 24. Ben-hadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.] This was that Ben-hadad that had once before besieged Samaria in Ahab's time, 1 Kings 20.1. Then the Israelites raised the siege, and made him fly with shame and loss; and the rather happily did he now attempt the besieging of this city again, that be might blot out the reproach of his shameful flight from the former siege, encouraged thereto by the great overthrow he had given the Israelites, in that battle wherein Ahab was slain, 1 Kings 22.34. It may indeed seem strange that Naaman, being so great with the king of Syria, did not keep him off from invading the land of Israel; But for this we must consider, first, that Naaman might in this time be dead; or secondly, that he durst not show himself so far a friend to God's people, as to dissuade the king from this war; or thirdly, that perhaps he had lost his place and favor with the king, beacuse he had embraced the Religion of Israel. However, in this second siege of Samaria, we see how the Israelites still smarted for Ahab's impious pity, in sparing this Ben hadad when he had him in his power.

Vers. 25. An asses head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, &c.] Which was as some account, about ten pound sterling But though it were very strange that so great a price should be given for an asses head, and a clear evidence that they were put to exceeding great straits in Samaria to get food, not only because there could be but little meat in an asses head, and asses flesh must needs be very untoothsome; but especially, because it was an unclean meat, which the Israelites, by the Law of God, were forbidden to eat, Levite. 11.13. yet the second instance that is here given is far more strange, to wit, that the fourth part of a kab of doves dung, was sold for five pieces of silver, to wit, about twelve shillings and six pence, and therefore some Expositors hold, that this doves dung was bought for salt or firing; (the inhabitants of the city being in as great straits for salt or firing, as for food) and others conceive that some few seeds of corn might be found in the dung, and that for this they bought it; or that the crop of pigeons, in which there will be some corn undigested, is here comprehended under the Hebrew word here translated doves dung. But indeed, why should we think it incredible that they should eat doves dung, when we find afterwards, verse. 29. that mothers did eat their own children; extremity of famine will force men to feed on anything that is most loathsome; whence was that insulting speech of Rabshakeh to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that he would make them eat their own dung, and drink their own pisse, chap. 18.27.

Vers. 26. As the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, &c.] To wit, to see if he could descry the attempts of the enemy against the city; and especially to see whether the watches were kept, and the walls guarded by his own soldiers, as they ought to be.

Vers. 27. And he said, If the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I help thee?] If we read this as it is in the margin of our Bibles, then it seems to be a passionate speech of the kings, wherein he curseth the poor woman for troubling him with her outcries ( Let not the Lord save thee, &c.) as if he should have said, the Lord confound thee thou wretched woman; how can I help thee unless God send help? but according to the translation that is in our text the meaning is clear; namely, that he did in gentle terms seek to satisfy the woman, (as thinking she had cried to him for food) that it was not in his power to help her, unless the Lord would send them help from heaven.

Vers. 29. I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son.] To wit, to save her child alive, or with a purpose to eat him alone, and not to let her neighbor share with her.

Vers. 31. Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha, &c.] Joram the king being deeply affected with that sad complaint of the woman that had eaten her child (whereby he saw, to what extremities the inhabitants of the city were brought by the famine) in a rage presently vowed that day to cut off Elisha's head, to wit, either because Elisha had threatened this judgment before it came, or, because the king persuaded himself that Elisha could have procured help by his prayers, as formerly he had done to the army of the Syrians at Dothan, and would not; or else, because he had persuaded the king to hold out the siege, and had assured him of timely help from God, and so now he looked upon him as the cause of all the misery they now lay under: And thus the prophet that erewhiles was respected by him as a father, verse. 21. My father, shall I smite them? is now in a fury designed to lose his head, as if he had been the sole cause of all their misery.

Vers. 32. But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him.] That is, some of the godly magistrates of the city, who were come to consult with him concerning the misery of the city and to desire his prayers, and were now hearing him comforting them and instructing them what they should do.

See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head?] As if he should have said, he is his father Ahab's own son, he was a murderer, to wit the murderer of Naboth and others, and so is this his son Joram; for behold he hath sent one to take away my head.

Shut the door, and hold him fast at the door, is not the sound of his masters feet behind him? &c.] The most Expositors understand this thus; That the prophet persuaded the elders to shut the door against the kings messenger, and not to let him come in, and that because immediately his master would come to recall this sentence, which in his rage he had passed against him. But others again hold, that the elders were appointed by the prophet to hold fast the door, that the kings messenger might not enter in to take off the prophets head, as his master the king had appointed him; and that because the king himself was coming immediately after him, and then the prophet meant to make known to him how suddenly the Lord would relieve them, by sending them all kind of provision in great plenty.

Vers. 33. The messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold this evil is of the Lord, what should I wait for the Lord any longer?] This may be the speech either of the messenger, or of the king that came immediately after the messenger; whosesoever it was, it seems the prophet had persuaded the king still to wait upon God; and received this answer, that having waited so long, it was altogether in vain to wait any longer; they might plainly perceive, that the Lord meant to deliver them into the hands of the Syrians, and therefore to what end should they suffer the people still to perish for hunger?

CHAP. VII.

Vers. 1. THen Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the Lord.] It may be this was spoken only to the elders, and that messenger mentioned in the latter end of this foregoing chapter, that was sent to take off Elisha's head: But because, first, Elisha did there signify that the king was coming immediately after him; Is not the sound of his masters feet behind him? And secondly, because in the next verse it is said, that a lord on whose hand the king leaned, answered the man of God: I rather think, the king came presently after the messenger, and so this was spoken to the king and those that were come with him.

To morrow about this time, shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, &c.] That is, for two shillings and six pence: before, an asses head was sold for about ten pound, and a cab of doves dung for about twelve shillings and six pence; and yet now a measure of fine flour, (which was about a peck and a pottle, as most account it) should be sold for a shekel, which was about two shillings six pence, and so also two measures of barley, a mighty change.

Vers. 2. Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned, answered, &c.] Some Expositors hold that this was that messenger mentioned in the latter end of the foregoing chapter, that was sent to slay Elisha: but me thinks it is plain, that these words describe a person not mentioned before, and that the king himself was present when the words of the prophet was thus slighted by his great favourite: As for the custom of kings leaning on their nobles hands, see chap. 5.18.

If the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be?] That is, if the Lord should cause the heavens to rain corn, if showers of flour and barley should from the clouds be poured down upon us, there could not be such plenty.

Vers. 3. And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate.] For they might not be within the city, because they were lepers, Levite. 13.44, 46. but yet withal observable it is, how scrupulously careful the inhabitants of Samaria were to observe that law of God, of not suffering the lepers to come amongst them; yea though they were ready to perish for hunger, whilst in the mean season they made no bones of transgressing God's law in a matter of greater weight and consequence, by their gross idolatry.

Vers. 5. And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians.] That is, in the twilight of the evening, and it seems the Syrians were fled but a little before they came; for of them it is said too, verse. 7. that they arose and fled in twilight, and that both must be meant of the evening twilight is evident, because it was in the following night; that first, the lepers were getting themselves a booty in the tents of the Syrians, verse. 9. If we tarry, say they, till the morning light, some mischief will befall us: And secondly, that the city was raised by them, verse. 12. and the king arose in the night, &c.

Vers. 6. For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, &c,] Which yet the lepers nor none in the city heard; the Lord could easily have stricken these Syrians dead in the place, but he was pleased rather, as it were in a way of scorn and derision, to fright them with their own fancies, and to make them fly, not daring to take their very horses with them, like so many mad distracted men; when there was not a man near them to do them any hurt.

Vers. 9. If we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us.] This they said, because they judged it so great a fault not to acquaint their brethren with that which God had done for them: when there were so many amongst them that were in danger every moment to perish with hunger.

Vers. 10. So they came, and called unto the porter of the city: and they told them, &c.] That is, the porter of the gate and the watchmen that were with him.

Vers. 11. And he called the porters, and they told it the kings house within.] That is, the city porter went to the kings palace, and called to the kings porters there, and acquainted them with the business, who presently went and told the kings servants within the tidings that were brought them.

Vers. 13. Behold they are as all the multitude of Israel, &c.] That is, we need not scruple the exposing of these to danger, whether men or horse, that we send forth to see whether this be true which these Lepers report, for alas they are as all the multitude of Israel, consumed, and ready to perish for hunger; and as good die by the sword of the Syrians, as stay behind to be starved here.

CHAP. VIII.

Vers. 1. THe Lord hath called for a famine, and it shall also come upon the land seven years.] And thus the people continuing in their sins, the judgments of God were doubled upon them. In Elijah's time, God sent a famine amongst them, but that lasted only three years and a half, James 5.17. Elijah was a man subject to the like infirmities, and he prayed, and it rained not for the space of three years and a half, but now this continued full seven years.

Vers. 2. And she went with her household and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years.] Because it is said of this good Shunamite, that she went with her household, &c. it is probably conceived, that her husband being dead, she was at present a widow; and a notable discovery it was of the Lord's high displeasure against his people, that in the neighbor country of the Philistines there was no want, and yet in the kingdom of Israel a sore famine prevailed, yea and in Judah too: for it is not likely this good woman would have sought the preservation of her life amongst the Philistines, if she might have done it amongst her brethren of Judah: though the Philistines were a wicked people, yet they had not the means of grace as God's people had; and therefore it is no wonder, though God was most provoked with the idolatry and other wickedness of his own people.

Vers. 4. And the king talked with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, &c.] When the Shunamite came to cry unto the king for her house and her land, (which in the time of her absence was seised upon by her kindred, or by the officers of state for the kings use) she found the king talking with Gehazi, concerning the miracles which Elisha had wrought, and so by that means found favor with the king, and recovered her estate. Some Expositors conceive that this was before Gehazi was stricken with leprosy, though that be inserted in the history before this, chap. 5.21. else they think the king would not have talked with him: But without very evident grounds, it is not fit to recede from the order of the history, I conceive not that lepers were ever so secluded from cohabitation with others, but that they might upon occasion have some conference with them; especially it might be so here, when the king had so great a desire to hear a true relation of all the wonders that Elisha had wrought; only indeed, if this were after Gehazi was a leper, observable it is, that notwithstanding Gehazi did here speak so honourably of his master, upon whose word so sore a judgment had seized upon him.

Vers. 6. So the king appointed to her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers, &c] The word translated officer signifies an eunuch, as it is in the margin of our bibles: kings it seems in former times had eunuchs to be the chief officers in their courts, whereupon in process of time all their chief officers were called Eunuchs. As we see Potiphar to whom Joseph was sold, though he were a married man, is termed an Eunuch. Gen. 37.36.

Vers. 7. And Elisha came to Damascus, and Ben-hadad the king of Syria was sick, &c.] The most received opinion is, that Elisha went now to Damascus, according to a charge given him by Elijah, purposely to anoint Hazael king; but why was Elijah sent from mount Horeb to Damascus, if God meant not that he himself should anoint Hazael, 1. Kings 19.15. And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when thou comest anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: rather therefore I conceive that Elisha went now by the special instinct of God's Spirit, to confirm that to Hazael, by a second prediction, which formerly upon Elijah's anointing, he did not much believe: and that the rather because of the present famine in Israel, and so coming thither found Ben-hadad sick; whether his sickness was occasioned through grief (as Josephus saith) for the shameful flight of his army from the siege of Samaria, chap. 7.6. especially when he heard it was occasioned by a causeless fear, the Scripture expresseth not; but only notes how in his sickness he was glad to consult with the Prophet concerning his recovery, whom ere while he sent to apprehend in Dothan, chap. 6.13, 14. encouraged happily thereto also, by the miraculous cure that he had wrought upon the leprosy of his servant Naaman.

Vers. 10. Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover, &c.] That is, thy disease is not mortal, Thou mayest certainly recover of thy sickness; that therefore which the Prophet adds concerning his death, howbeit the Lord hath shown me that he shall surely die, doth not contradict this which he said concerning his sickness. The question was whether he should recover of that sickness wherewith he was visited; to this a direct answer is given, that he might well recover, notwithstanding his sickness; but withal an intimation is given to the messenger that he should surely die, to wit, by another means, though not by his sickness.

Vers. 11. And he settled his countenance steadfastly, till he was ashamed.] That is, Elisha did fix his eyes steadfastly upon Hazael, until he began to be ashamed, because he saw he could not forbear weeping; or rather, until Hazael began to blush, and to be ashamed, because he saw the Prophet look so earnestly upon him.

Vers. 13. And Elisha answered, The Lord hath shown me that thou shalt be king over Syria.] Intimating, that in this regard it was likely enough he would exercise those cruelties upon the Israelites, which now he made so strange of; and that because he should then have power to do it, and withal, when once he sat in the throne of Syria, he would bear the same deadly hatred against God's people, which his predecessors had done before him, and thence is Damascus threatened under those terms, Amos 1.4. I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Ben-hadad.

Vers. 15. He took a thick cloth, and dipt it in water, and spread it on his face, &c.] And thus Ben-hadad was strangled by Hazael, and that so, that no sign or token could be seen in his dead body of any violence that was offered him, and perhaps too under a pretence of allaying the distemper of heat he was in, by reason of his sickness.

Vers. 16. And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, &c.] Jehoshaphat had designed his son Jehoram to be king, and appointed him to govern the kingdom in his absence in the seventeenth year of his reign, a little before he went with Ahab against Ramoth Gilead (and thence the year of Jehoram king of Israel his beginning to reign, is counted to be both the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, 2. Kings 3.1. and the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, 2. Kings 1.17.) but at his return he resumed the royal power wholly to himself, not communicating the same again to his son, until the fifth year of Joram king of Israel, which was the two and twentieth of Jehoshaphat: and then this old king took unto him this his eldest son, as partner in the government, himself yet living; the cause whereof, in all probability, was some discord and differences which brake out even then between him and his younger brethren, which as they moved Jehoshaphat to commit to his younger sons the custody of strong fenced cities in Judah, 2. Chron. 21.3. the better to assure them, if it might have been, against the power of their elder brother; so also on the other side, it caused him, to put this his eldest son in possession of the kingdom, whilst himself was living, for fear of tumult after his death.

Vers. 17. And he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.] To wit, four years together with his father, and four years himself alone.

Vers. 18. For the daughter of Ahab was his wife.] To wit, Athaliah, verse. 26.

Vers. 19. Yet the Lord would not destroy Judah, for David his servants sake, as he promised him to give him always a light, &c.] That is, one of his seed, in whom the sovereignty of Judah should be continued, though far short of the glory that formerly they enjoyed, before the revolt of the ten tribes.

Vers. 20. In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, &c.] The Edomites ever since David's time, 2. Sam. 8.14. had been tributaries to the kings of Judah, and had been governed by a Viceroy whom they set over them, 1. Kings 22.47. There was no king in Edom, a deputy was king. But now they cast off this yoke, and so the prophecy of Isaac began to take effect, Gen. 27.40. that Esau should break the yoke of his brother Jacob from off his neck. 2. Chron. 21.2, we read, first, that so soon as his father was dead, he presently made use of his power against his six younger brethren; and having gotten them into his hands slew them, and, together with them for company, many of the great men of the land, such belike, as either formerly or then had taken their part, & that withal he took upon him to make innovations in Religion, erecting high places in the mountains of Judah, and forcing the people to embrace that idolatry which himself had learned from the house of Ahab, verse. 10.11. And these combustions in the land of Judah, we may well think gave encouragement to the Edomites to revolt at this time, and so God punished these his abominable courses.

Vers. 22. Yet Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day.] That is, though Joram overthrew the Edomites in that forementioned battle, verse. 21. yet they retiring into their places of advantage, persisted resolutely in their revolt, and so he was forced to return again into his own land; which indeed is not so strange, if we consider, that he might perhaps hear of the revolt of Libnah, a city in his own country, and then no wonder though he stayed not to prosecute his victory in the land of Edom.

Then Libnah revolted at the same time.] Libnah was a great city within Judah, one of the royal cities of Canaan when Joshua entered it, Josh. 10.29, 30, It was by him given to the priests the sons of Aaron, Josh. 21.13. and now it rebelled against Joram, because he had made such innovations in Religion, and forced the people to idolatry, as is expressed, 2. Chron. 21.10, 11. which no marvel though the Levites were least able to endure. It is much indeed that one city alone should venture upon such an attempt; but perhaps the kings absence whilst he was in Edom, and the discontent of the people; yea perhaps some correspondence they might have with the Philistines (who ere long invaded the land, 2. Chron. 21.16, 17.) gave them hope of abettors, and how they sped in the conclusion, the Scripture expresseth not.

Vers. 24. And Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David.] Before his death there was a prophesy in writing delivered him from Elijah the Prophet, 2. Chron. 21.12. which threatened both his people, his children, his wives, and his own body, and immediately what was threatened came to pass: for, first, the Philistines and Arabians brake into Judea, took the kings house, made spoil of his goods, and slew or carried away all his children, save the youngest only; and then afterwards the Lord smote him with a grievous disease in his bowels, which left him not till his guts fell out, and being dead, he was obscurely buried in the city of David, but not in the sepulchers of his Ancestors the kings of Judah; and that without the lamentations and solemnities that had been used in other princes funerals, 2. Chron. 21.16. All the time of this kings reign another king of the same name reigned in Israel, to wit, Joram the son of Ahab his brother in law.

And Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.] He is elsewhere called Jehoahaz 2. Chron. 21.17. and Azariah, 2. Chron. 22.6. He was the youngest son of Joram, for all the elder sons were slain, or carried away by the Philistines, 2: Chron. 21.17. In S. Matthews catalogue of the kings of Judah, it is said, Matth. 1.8. that Jehoshapoat begat Joram, and Joram begat Ozias, and so this Ahaziah who succeeded Joram, and Joash who succeeded Ahaziah, 2, Kings 11.2. and Amaziah, who succeeded Joash, 2. Kings 12.21. and was the father of Ozias are quite left out; but this I conceive was only, because the Evangelist resolving to distribute the Ancestors of Christ into three several ranks (according to the three great changes that had happened in the state, and finding just fourteen in the first rank from Abraham to David, he labored to reduce the other ranks to the same number too, as knowing that equal numbers are a help to the memory, and so to make just fourteen generations in that rank; also from David to the captivity he leaves out Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah, and them perhaps rather then others, because they were the next from Ahab, by Athaliah the daughter of Ahab and wife of Joram.

Vers. 25. In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, &c.] Yet chap. 9.29. it is said, that he began to reign in the eleventh year of Joram king of Israel, which is, because the year of Ahaziahs reign did concur with the latter end of the eleventh, and the beginning of the twelfth year of Joram king of Israel.

Vers. 26. Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, &c.] In the 2. Chron. 22.2. it is said, that he was two and forty years old when he began to reign; we may reconcile this thus, that he was two and forty years old when he began to reign alone by himself, but that he was made king also when he was but two & twenty years old, his father yet living; but then that must be granted which is before noted upon 1. Kings 22.42. to wit, that Asa also was made king in his fathers life time; and indeed, because this answer may have some strong objections made against it, therefore others do rather reconcile these two places thus, to wit, that those words in 2. Chron. 22.2. Fourty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, must be understood of the continuance of Omries pedigree, who was great grandfather to this Ahaziah. Omri reigned as sole king six years, 1. Kings 16.23. Ahab two and twenty, 1. Kings 16.29. Ahaziah his son two, 1. Kings 22.51. Joram twelve, 2. Kings 3.1. And thus Omries stock continued forty and two years; and therefore it is said, that Ahaziah (who was of that stock by his mother Athaliah) in his two and fortieth year began his reign. But this answer methinks is more unsatisfactory then the other; the words in 2. Chron. 22.2. will hardly bear such an interpretation.

And his mothers name was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel.] That is, the grandchild of Omri, the daughter of Ahab, the son of Omri, verse. 18.

Vers. 27. He was the son in law of the house of Ahab.] That is, the son of Ahab's son in law, to wit, the son of Joram by Athaliah Ahab's daughter; yet perhaps even he also by his mother Athaliahs persuasion married a daughter of the house of Ahab, though by another wife Joash was born, who succeeded him in the throne, chap. 12.1.

Vers. 28. And he went with Joram the son of Ahab, to the war against Hazael the king of Syria in Ramoth Gilead.] Toward the latter end of his reign Joram king of Israel undertook the recovery of Ramoth Gilead out of the hands of Hazael then king of Syria (which Ahab his father had formerly attempted with ill success) and Ahaziah the king of Judah his sisters son joined with him in that expedition, as Jehoshaphat had formerly done with Ahab.

Vers. 29. And king Joram went back to be healed in Jezreel, of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at▪ Ramoth, &c.] That is, Ramoth Gilead: having won the town, and then manned it strongly, leaving the chief of his army there behind him with his captains (of whom Jehu was the chief) he withdrew himself to Jezreel to be cured of the wounds which he received in this siege of Ramoth Gilead. See the note, chap. 9.14.

CHAP. IX.

Vers. 1. ANd Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, &c.] That is, prepare thyself, and go with speed: the excution that was to be done by Jehu upon the house of Ahab was to be dispatched presently, whilst Jehu had the army with him at Ramoth Gilead, and Jehoram was gone from thence to Jezreel: and therefore the prophet that was to give him his commission, was sent with such speed: which may also be the reason why aged Elisha went not himself, but sent one of the younger prophets.

Vers. 2. And make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an •• nner chamber.] The message sent by this prophet to Jehu, was to be delivered thus secretly, first, that the prophet might do it without danger or fear: and secondly, that which was to be done by Jehu, might be done before there was any notice taken of it by anybody that should endeavor to prevent it, and therefore he was enjoined to call him out from among his brethren; that is, his fellow captains, and to withdraw him into an inner chamber.

Vers. 3. Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, &c.] See the note 1. Kings 19.15, 16. As for that following clause, then open the door, and flee, and tarry not, that is added to prevent any delay, by the captains propounding any questions to him, when he came out from anointing Jehu.

Vers. 4. So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramoth Gilead, &c.] The doubling of this word, the young man, seems to hold forth this as observable, that though the service was perilous, and the prophet but a young man that was sent about it, yet he performed it exactly and boldly.

Vers. 9. And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam, &c.] These former presidents of God's dealing with Jeroboam and Baasha are alleged; first, to discover the more fully, with what severity God would wholly root out his posterity: secondly, to assure him the better that it should be so, by calling to mind God's dealing with others before him in the like manner: and thirdly, to intimate to Jehu, what he might likewise expect if he were not more careful to walk in the ways of God's commandments.

Vers. 11. And one said unto him, Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee?] Perhaps the troubled thoughts of Jehu were discerned in his countenance: however his fellow captains might easily gu • sse that a prophet (for such it seems they knew him to be, perhaps by his habit) coming in such haste with an errand so secretly delivered, there was somewhat of importance in it: and therefore they inquire of him, whether all were well. And yet withal these Baalitish Russians cannot mention the prophet of God without a flout, wherefore came this mad fellow hither? for such the prophets were in those days esteemed, because they pleaded inspiration from God, and spake and did sometimes what such carnal wretches thought none but mad men would speak or do, Jerem. 29.26. and Hos. 9.7.

And he said unto them, Ye know the man, and his communication.] As not being able to resolve on such a sudden, whether it would be safe for him to discover what the prophet had said to him, he gives them at first an uncertain answer, Ye know the man, and his communication; that is, you know him to be a prophet, and by the man you may guess at his errand, and that what he says is from the Lord: or, a mad man indeed he is as you rightly guessed, and therefore it is no great matter what he said.

Vers. 12. And they said, It is false, tell us now.] Hereby they give Jehu to understand that they knew him not, nor could guess at his errand; or rather, that they knew he came about some extraordinary business, which therefore they would have him truly to discover to them.

And he said, Thus and thus spake he to me, &c.] Being overcome by their importunity, and withal considering of what importance their aid might be to effect what was spoken, he resolved to put it to the venture, and told them exactly all that the prophet had said to him.

Vers. 13. Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, &c.] Great houses have usually an ascent of stairs of the court into the first rooms, there (or else on some scaffold to which there was an ascent, and which they used at other times for some other occasions, (as happily, from thence to make proclamation or speeches in the hearing of the people) instead of a throne, they set him on their garments laid on a heap; or else on something whereon he might be raised aloft in the sight of the soldiers, they spread their garments, so trimming it up by way of honoring him, and to signify their subjection to him, and their readiness to employ all that they had for the advancement of his kingdom (as in the like respect, we see the people spread their garments in the way, as Christ rode in triumph into Jerusalem, Matth. 21.8.) and so having done this, they proclaimed him king: Nor need we wonder, that the greatest number of the captains should thus suddenly join with Jehu against Joram their king, and that upon the word of one, whom by way of derision they had erewhile termed a mad fellow: for first, it may well be that the house of Ahab was at this time odious to all, for their horrible wickedness: secondly, Jehu was now, it seems, commander in chief over the army in Ramoth Gilead, and so highly esteemed amongst the captains and soldiers: thirdly, when they compared that which was spoken by this prophet, who had now anointed Jehu, with that which it was well known Elijah had prophesied concerning the utter extirpation of Ahab's posterity, this might much prevail with them: and fourthly, there was doubtless a special hand of God inclining them to the speedy furtherance of that which he had determined should be done.

Vers. 14. Now Joram had kept Ramoth Gilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria, &c.] That Ramoth Gilead was a little before this in the possession of the Syrians, is evident, chap. 8.28. where it is said that Ahaziah king of Judah went with Joram the son of Ahab, against Hazael king of Syria in Ramoth Gilead: again, that Joram did in this expedition win Ramoth Gilead from the Syrians, is evident in this place, where it is said, that Joram kept Ramoth Gilead, and verse 15. where Jehu adviseth the captains, not to suffer any man to go out of the city: It seems therefore, that when they had taken the town, though Joram went away to Jezreel to be healed of his wounds: (which was a great advantage for the furtherance of Jehues advancement amongst the soldiers, and is therefore here mentioned) yet he left his army behind him in Ramoth Gilead, either because he feared lest Hazael should come with some forces to recover Ramoth Gilead again out of his hands, and therefore it is said here, that Joram kept Ramoth Gilead, because of Hazael; or else rather, because though they had taken the town, yet there was some fort or castle which the Syrians still held, and for the gaining thereof Jehu and the army was left in Ramoth Gilead.

Vers. 16. So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel, for Joram lay there, and Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram.] This is added both to clear the following story, and withal to imply, what state and jollity there was in Ahab's court, when God wrought so great a change: doubtless the house of Ahab since the revolt of Moab, was never in a more flourishing condition: there were seventy princes of the blood royal at this time in Samaria, as many Expositors gather from that, chap. 10.7. And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the kings sons and slew seventy persons: Joram had by valiant fight recovered Ramoth Gilead from the Syrians, (which his father had attempted in vain) and was indifferently recovered of the wounds he had there received. The king of Judah was come thither to visit him, and forty princes of his blood were expected, cha. 10.13. for whose entertainment at a time of such rejoicing, no doubt both Joram and Jezebel made great preparations; and yet behold in the midst of this security, Elijah's prophecy that was now forgotten, shall be fulfilled in their ruin.

Vers. 17. And Joram said, Take an horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace?] As fearing that some disaster had happened at Ramoth Gilead.

Vers. 18. And Jehu said, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me.] He would not suffer the messenger to return, lest Joram being warned by him, should escape by flight, or arm himself for resistance; and therefore he wills the messenger not to talk of peace for Joram, but to follow him; as knowing, that it was in vain for him to attempt to fly back, when he commanded him to stay.

Vers. 20. And the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi.] That is, the grandchild of Nimshi: for he was the son of Jehoshaphat, who was the son of Nimshi, ver. 2.

Vers. 21. And Joram king of Israel, and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, &c.] It was strange that neither of these kings should apprehend that they were enemies that were descried, when they perceived that they detained the messengers that were sent to know who they were: but thus we usually find men infatuated whom God intends to destroy.

Vers. 22. And it came to pass when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace Jehu?] As if he had said, What is the cause of this thy unexpected coming hither? have ye taken the strong hold, which the Syrians held in Ramoth Gilead, by assault or composition? or have the Assyrians come upon you, and put you to flight? or what is the matter that ye are so suddenly come hither, and in so great haste?

And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel, and her witchcrafts are so many?] Idolatry is often in the Scripture called whoredom, Deut. 31.16. And this people will rise up and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land whither they go to be among them; and Levite. 20.5. And I will cut him off, and all that go a whoring after him, to commit whoredom with Molech: and men's inveigling or compelling others to partake with them in their idolatry, is called witchcraft; because as harlots were wont with their enchanted cups and love-potions, to make men dote upon them; so these great ones that were idolaters did by their flatteries and threatenings win others to their spiritual fornication: whence it is that in these very terms the idolatry of Nineveh in Nahums prophecy, is said to be the cause of her approaching misery, chap. 3.4. Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the well favored harlot, the mistress •• of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families throug • her witchcrafts: and these, no doubt, are principally the whoredoms and witchcraft • wherewith Jezebel is here charged by Jehu, though withal it may well be that sh • was guilty (as Idolaters use to be) of whoredom and witchcrafts in the ordinar • sense, and so Jehu used such expressions as might comprehend both the one an • the other.

Vers. 24. And smote Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out at h •• heart.] That is, he shot the arrow and smote him betwixt his shoulders, as he was flying away, so that it went out at his breast through his heart.

Vers. 25. When I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, the Lord laid this burden upon him, &c.] To wit, that dogs should lick the blood of Ahab in the place where they had licked the blood of Naboth, 1 Kings 21.19. concerning which see the note there. Now such prophecies as this that contained threatenings and curses, were usually called burdens, because the evil therein threatened was like to fall heavy upon those against whom they were denounced, as is evident, Isa. 13.1. and so in many other places.

Vers. 27. But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house, &c.] To wit, choosing that as a secret way, though he fled toward Jezreel, yet he durst not enter the city, but in the suburbs, where their garden-houses were, he turned aside into some by way, hoping by that means to escape; but what the success was, the following words do show: Jehu and his captains at last overtook him, and so they smote him at a place by Ibleam, a town that belonged to Manasseh, Josh. 17.11: and so flying further after he was wounded, even to Megiddo, there they found him out, and slew him. Indeed the words here would seem to import, that he died in Megiddo of the wounds he received nigh Ibleam, and he fled to Megiddo and died there; but by the relation of this story in the book of the Chronicles, it is evident, that after the wound he received in his flight he hid himself in Samaria, 2. Chron. 22.9. that is, in the kingdom of Samaria; to wit, in Megiddo, whither he fled, and so Jehu with his men following him close, at length by making diligent search in the city, there they found him out and brought him to Jehu, and he slew him there, 2 Chron. 22.9.

Vers. 28. And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his sepulcher, &c.] Which Jehu permitted for his father Jehoshaphat’s, sake, 2 Chron. 22.9. When they had slain him, they buried him, because said they, he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with all his heart.

Vers. 29. And in the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab, began Ahaziah to reign over Judah.] See the note, chap. 8.25.

Vers. 30. Jezebel heard of it, and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window, &c.] To wit, as hoping with her stately and imperious looks to daunt the traitor, or at least to express a brave spirit even in this her desperate condition, and how little she feared what he or his could do to her.

Vers. 31. And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace who slew his master?] Intimating, that as Zimri enjoyed not the benefit of his conspiracy against his lord and master, no more should Jehu; and that as Omri the grandfather of Joram was settled in the throne of Israel, after Zimri the traitor received his just reward; so the posterity of Omri, to wit, the sons of Joram, should be confirmed in the throne of Israel, when just vengeance had seized upon Jehu for this his treachery against Joram his lord and sovereign.

Vers. 32. And there looked out to him two or three Eunuchs.] Giving some sign of their readiness to do what he should enjoin them. Concerning Eunuchs, see the note, chap. 8.6.

Vers. 34. Go see now this cursed woman, and bury her: for she is a kings daughter.] This order Jehu gave, perhaps on a sudden, not remembering at that time the prophecy of Elijah; nor what the prophet that anointed him had lately said to him, verse. 10. for presently after, when they brought him back word, that the dogs had eaten all but her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands, then he could say as it is. verse. 36. This is the word of the Lord which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel, shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel.

CHAP. X.

Vers. 1. ANd Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria.] That is, sons and grandchildren, and that by several wives: neither is it any wonder that these should be now altogether in Samaria, if we consider, first, that these princes of the blood might be by Jorams appointment assigned to stay there, when he undertook that late expedition against Hazael for the recovery of Ramoth Gilead, that if anything should happen to him otherwise then well, yet they might be in a place of safety; and secondly, that perhaps now upon the tidings of Jehues killing of Joram, the nobles that had the charge of these princes, might presently fly with them thither for their better safeguard.

Vers. 6. Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be mine, &c.] And thus Jezebel that by a letter sent to the Elders of Jezreel, shed the blood of Naboth and his sons, hath the blood of all her sons shed by a letter, sent from Jezreel to the Elders of Samaria.

Vers. 8. And he said, Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate, until the morning.] To wit, that the people going out, and coming in the next morning at the gate of the city, might be eye-witnesses of the just judgment of God upon the house of Ahab; and that the people flocking together to see this ruefull spectacle, he might find them there, and so might take that occasion to justify himself amongst them concerning all that he had done.

Vers. 9. Ye be righteous, Behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him, but who slew all these? &c.] This speech of Jehues is diversely expounded by Interpreters: some conceive they were spoken to the people that were assembled together to gaze on the heads of Ahab's seventy sons, that were laid on two heaps at the gate of Jezreel; and that he began with those words, Ye be righteous: either hereby to show why he was willing to appeal to their judgment for that which he had done; as if he had said, you are surely innocent, and have had no hand in anything that hath been done against the house of Ahab; and therefore I desire to appeal to you, whether it be not manifest, by this strange act done to the sons of Ahab, that God meant to have his vengeance executed upon this cursed family; or else, to assure them that he meant no evil to them; Ye be righteous, that is, I pronounce you innocent, think not that I intend any harm to you; and so he first quits the people from fear, and then afterwards seeks to clear himself in the following words, in that which he had done, by showing that he had only executed what God had determined should be done, as he proves was manifest, by the death of those seventy persons that could never thus have lost their lives, if there had not been a secret hand of God, furthering herein the accomplishment of that which he had long since threatened by the Prophet Elijah; Behold, I conspired against my master, & slew him, but who slew all these? But then again others conceive, that these words were spoken to those that had cut off these heads of Ahab's sons; or to them jointly together with the rest of the people, and that ironically, Ye be righteous; as if he should have said, you take yourselves to be righteous, and would lay all the blame of that which is done upon me; but this fact of yours hath now made us equally sharers in this business; Behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him, but who slew all these? that is, suppose that I should be charged for conspiring against, and killing my master, yet these heads I am sure you cut off, and not I; yea indeed, neither you nor I have done anything herein, but what God would have done; it was not my letter that could have won you so readily to perform such an act as this, seeing many ways you might have secured both yourselves and them; but that there was a special hand of God in it, who would have that fulfilled which he had threatened by Elijah; which is more fully expressed in the following verse; Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the Lord, for the Lord hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah.

Vers. 11. So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests.] That is, his household-priests, neither is it any wonder that this caused not the priests of Baal to suspect him, when afterwards he called them altogether to Samaria: because the special reference which these had to the family of Ahab, might be thought the only cause of his cutting them off, that they might not in time to come plot anything by way of revenge against him.

Vers. 13. Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, &c.] That is, the sons of his brethren, 2. Chron. 22.8. (for all his brethren, the sons of his father Jehoram, were either slain, or carried away by the Philistines and Arabians that had lately broken into Judah, 2. Chron. 22.1.) and these he slew too, lest they should hereafter revenge the death of Ahaziah, or lay any claim to the crown of Israel.

Vers. 14. And he said, Take them alive.] That is, Jehu commanded his servants to take these brethren of Ahaziah alive, both that he might be sure that none but those of the stock of Ahab were slain; and withal, that they might be made to know why they were put to death; namely, because they were of the cursed stock of Ahab.

Vers. 15. He lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab, &c.] This man was a Kenite of the stock of Jethro, 1. Chron. 2.55. the same that either now or afterward imposed upon his sons an austere rule of civility, Jer. 35.6. that they should drink no wine, nor build houses, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyards, nor have any; but should all their days dwell in tents, and that (as is most probable) the better to preserve them from being corrupted with the growing luxury of those times, and to inure them beforehand to hardness, that they might be the better able to bear the misery which he foresaw the sins of the people would bring upon them: It seems he was a man of great note, especially for his piety in these times, and therefore Jehu the rather desired to be countenanced by him, and to have his approbation of his zealous proceedings: whence it was that he took him into his chariot, and carried him to Samaria; only, first he questioned him whether he did from his heart approve of his proceedings or no, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? that is▪ Is thy heart faithful towards me, as mine is towards thee?

Vers. 19. But Jehu did it in subtlety, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.] When Jehu had slain Ahab and all his posterity, who had always been the great promoter and supporter of the Baalites, it is likely that in all places they began to shift for themselves, and to hide their heads, as fearing what he would do to them: because therefore it would have been then hard to have any way surprised them severally, and because withal the taking of any open way of violence against them, might have caused some sedition in the kingdom, he thought it the wisest way, thus to catch them in a snare altogether, by pretending for Baal, and proclaiming a solemn assembly for his service; but how far this blemished his zeal against that horrible idolatry, we may judge by that rule of the Apostle, that we may not do evil that good may come of it; Rom. 3.8.

Vers. 23. Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the Lord.] This Jehu spake, as pretending, no doubt, that he would not have the worship of Baal profaned by the presence of any that were not cordial to his service, but withal intending to save them from the sword, (what ever they might deserve) if curiosity perchance should have drawn any of them thither.

Vers. 25. And it came to pass as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, &c.] That is, as soon as the chief priest of Baal had made an end of their sacrifice, which they had undertaken by Jehues encouragement; so long it seems Jehu deferred the execution, that if they were not all yet come thither, he might be the surer to have them all there, ere the soldiers were let in upon them.

And went to the city of the house of Baal.] Many Expositors take this indefinitely; to wit, that the guard and the captains went into every city where there was any temple dedicated to Baal, and beat down the temples, and destroyed the images, whence they say, that is added verse. 28. Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel: But me thinks the words seem here rather to imply their going first to some city near Samaria, which was particularly dedicated to Baal, where was Baals chief temple; of which I conceive that is spoken verse. 27. that they brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught-house unto this day; for it is not probable, that every house of Baal throughout the kingdom, was turned into a jakes, but only his chief temple, thereby to express their detestation of that idolatry, wherewith the kingdom of Israel had been defiled.

Vers. 30. And the Lord said unto Jehu, &c.] To wit, by some prophet that he sent unto him, perhaps Elisha or the young prophet that was sent to anoint him: though Jehu continued in the idolatry of Jeroboam, yet because the suppressing of the idol-worship of Baal, and the rooting out of Ahab's posterity, was in itself a good service, God promised here that kingdom to his heirs unto the fourth generation; which was accomplished in the mediate succession of Jehoahaz, and Jehoash▪ and Jeroboam, and Zachariah, chap. 13.1. and chap. 14.16. and verse. 29.

Vers. 32. In those days the Lord began to cut Israel short, &c.] That is, to abate their power, and to make sore havoc amongst the people; for so this is explained in the next words, And Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel: and then no doubt did he exercise those inhumane cruelties upon the Israelites, of which Elisha had foretold him, chap. 8.12. I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel, their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child.

Vers. 36. And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria, was twenty and eight years.] Whereof six years Athaliah reigned in Judah, and Jehoash the son of Ahaziah the remaining two and twenty years.

CHAP. XI.

Vers. 1. ANd when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose, and destroyed all the seed royal.] That is, all the princes of the blood royal that were left. Joram had killed his six younger brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat, immediately upon the death of his father, 2 Chron. 21.2, 4. after that all his own sons (save only Ahaziah the youngest, who succeeded him in the throne) were either slain, or carried away by the Philistines and Arabians, 2. Chron. 22.1. again, after that forty two princes of the royal blood Jehu had slain, chap. 10.13, 14. so that it may seem there were not many of the seed royal left. Athaliah therefore (that happily was left by her son Ahaziah to govern the kingdom, when he went to help Joram in his war) taking this advantage of the ruins of this royal family, did forthwith lay hold upon those few of the princes of the blood that were left, and slew them, that so she might occupy the royal throne herself, and so settle the worship of Baal in the kingdom of Judah, which to her grief she saw was now rooted out by Jehu in the kingdom of Israel. If these princes, whom she slew, had been only the grandchildren of Jehoshaphat, by some of his other sons, and not by her husband Joram; or had they been her husbands children by some other wives, this fact had been the less to be wondered at: but by the saving of her own sons son out of her hands, to wit, Joash the son of Ahaziah, it is manifest, that she spared not her own children: and this indeed is most strange, that she should be so unnatural, especially if we consider also, that under the title of being protector to her young grandchild Joash, she might with more ease and safety have done what she list in the kingdom, and so have made better use of his life then of his death: but for this it may be answered; first, that ambition and zeal for Idolatry do usually blind men and women, and make them most unnaturally cruel: Secondly, that there might be other reasons inducing her thereto (though they be not expressed in the Scripture) as for instance, perhaps she might have other sons and grandchildren; either by adultery, or by a former husband, or by some daughter of Jorams, upon whom she might rather desire to settle the crown of Judah, perhaps those that brake up the house of God, and bestowed the dedicated things thereof upon Baalim, 2. Chron. 24.7. For the sons of Athaliah that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God, and also all the dedicate things of the house of the Lord did they bestow upon Baalim. Thirdly, howsoever sure we are, that there is no wickedness so unnatural and unreasonable whereinto a wicked woman may not run raised up of God to be a plague to wicked and idolatrous people: and besides there was a special hand of God in it, that those that were descended from Ahab, (though only by the mothers side might be destroyed, save only Joash, who was left to succeed in the throne of Judah.

Vers. 2. But Jehosheba the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, &c.] This Jehosheba, or Jehoshabeath, 2. Chron. 22.11. the sister of Ahaziah, and daughter of Joram, was married to Jehoiada the high priest, as is noted in that place of the Chronicles before cited; and therefore it is not likely that she was the daughter of Joram by Athaliah, but by some other of his wives, because we cannot well think that he would have taken a wife of that cursed idolatrous stock. But however, sister she was to Ahaziah the late king of Judah, and therefore hearing of Athaliahs bloody project, she stole this young infant her brothers youngest son out of the nursery, and hid him with his nurse in the bed-chamber, that is, in some bedchamber of the priests, which were adjoining to the Temple, and so kept him close six years together: how it came to pass that this young▪ late-born infant was not missed, or being missed, was not hunted after, and by diligent search discovered, it is hard to say; most probable it is, that some deceit or cunning was used, as by the substitution of some other child in his room, whether dead or living, or by corrupting those Athaliah had employed in this bloody service, or some such way, by which means Athaliah might verily think he was killed with the rest; or if she had same small ground to suspect anything to the contrary, she might in policy forbear to make any noise of it, lest the people hearing such a rumour, should be the readier to hearken after innovations, and be the less conformable to the present government. However, because Joash this young infant thus miraculously saved, is expressly here called the son of Ahaziah, and so elsewhere constantly, verse. 4.12. chap. 12.18. 2. Chron. 22.11. 1. Chron. 3.11. it is therefore no way probable, which some affirm, that he was of the posterity of Nathan, and succeeded in the throne, because all Solomon's posterity was extinguished by Athaliah; especially if we consider that the reason intimated in these words why Jehosheba preserved him, was because of her near alliance to him, as being his aunt his fathers sister.

Vers. 4. And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fet the rulers over hundreds, with the captains, and the guard, &c.] When Athaliah had usurped the crown of Judah six years, and somewhat more, without any disturbance either of domestical adversaries, or foreign enemy (for Jehu had enough to do at home to oppose the victorious armies of Hazael, wherewith he was so far overcharged) at length Jehoiada began to think of settling him in the throne, to whom of right it did belong, who was now full seven years old, verse. 21. Seven years old was Jehoash when he began to reign; and had been hitherto hid in a cell of the Temple by his wife Jehosheba, not judging it fit to conceal him any longer, first, that his young sovereign might not want that princely education which was requisite, and whereof his years began now to be capable: and secondly, that the idolatry of Baal might not by her means take too deep root before it were weeded up; having therefore first imparted this secret to five of the chief captains of the land, in whose fidelity he had best assurance, and made a covenant with them, afterward by their means he drew in others of the principal men of the country (both the Levites and others) only at first procuring that they should repair to Jerusalem, where they should be further acquainted with the whole matter, 2. Chro. 23.1, 2. and so accordingly being met together as is here expressed) in the temple, having taken an oath of secrecy and fidelity of them, he shown them the kings son, made a covenant with them to advance him to the kingdom, and resolved how the business should be managed the next Sabbath day in every particular, as is expressed in the sequel of the story. Indeed some Expositors conceive, that those five mentioned, 2. Chron. 23.1. to whom Jehoiada did first impart the business, were priests and Levites, and so also all that were employed in this service; and that because they managed this business in the temple, whither none (say they) but those of the tribe of Levi might enter; but yet considering that the court of the people was a part of the temple, and within the g • tes thereof, and withal because those five men are expressly termed captains of hundreds, and it is said, that they gathered to them not only the Levites, but also the chief of the fathers of Israel, 2. Chron. 23.1, 2. I see not why they should hold that they were only Levites that Jehoiada did now call in to his help.

Vers. 5. This is the thing that ye shall do; a third part of you that enter in on the Sabbath, &c.] This he spake to the Levites, the Levites were by an order established long since amongst them by David, divided into four and twenty orders or companies, which did in their courses, each company a week discharge the service of the temple (the rest abiding the whilst in their own private dwellings, in the several cities of Judah) and so every Sabbath day, they that had served the week before went out, and another came in that served in their room: and in each company or course there was in David's time a thousand Levites, besides the porters and singers. Now therefore because the associates of Jehoiada were not able to bring together secretly so many trusty and serviceable hands, as would suffice to manage the business; to help this want, Jehoiada resolved to arm the Levites for the work, and to the end they might be the stronger, he took in the new company that were to come in on the Sabbath, and did not discharge the old that should have then gone out, but retained them still, and so by that means without any noise he had made up such a number as would be able to deal with the queens ordinary guard; for in probability they might be about three thousand men; which accordingly under the command of their several captains, (either the chief of the Levites, or those commanders of soldiers whom he had sworn his associates in this design) he thus disposed of; those that were newly to enter in that Sabbath unto the service of the temple, (for the work it seems was to be done on the Sabbath day) he divided into three parts, one part whereof he assigned to watch at the gate of the outer court that led to the kings palace, which was the north gate, the same it seems which is called, verse. 19. the gate of the guard, where Athaliah now was, that nobody might thence break in upon them: another part he assigned to be at the gate of Sur; which was the east gate that led into the city, called also the gate of the foundation, 2. Chron. 23.5: another part to ward at the south gate, called here the gate behind the guard; that is, the gate right opposite against that gate where the kings guard used to stand, which led to the kings house: Again, those that were to go out from the service of the temple that Sabbath, he divided into two parts, and appointed them to be a guard in the temple unto the kings person, the one on his right hand, the other on his left: Many conjectures I find amongst Expositors very different from this which I have noted both concerning the disposing of the Levites, and concerning the gates at which they were set; but herein it is hard indeed to determine the certainty, because the passages are so obscure.

Vers. 6, So shall ye keep the watch of the house that it be not broken down.] That is, that the watch be not disordered by the breaking in of anybody; whereby the temple may be profaned by the rushing in of those, that ought not to enter into it; the person of our young king may be endangered, and the business we have in hand may be utterly overthrown.

Vers. 8. And he that cometh within the ranges, let him be slain.] By the ranges are meant the ranks of the Levites thus ranged in their places, according to the order of military discipline; which if any should offer to break through by force, they were appointed to slay them.

Vers. 10. And to the captains over hundreds, did the priest-give king David's spears, &c.] To wit, for themselves and for their men. These spears and shields might be such as David had taken in the wars, and had laid up in the tabernacle, as he did the sword of Goliath, as memorials of the great victories that God had given him, which were afterward by Solomon removed into the temple; but however I conceive, that there was an armoury in the temple provided purposely, that they might be in a readiness for the guarding and defense of that holy place upon all occasions, and that because there were now found there weapons for so many thousands as were at present employed; and happily because for this as for other things, David had given directions to his son Solomon, therefore they are called here, David's spears and shields that were in the temple: had they been to b • ing in men ready armed into the temple, they could hardly have carried the business so closely as they did, but the Levites being the men appointed for this exploit, and they coming in unarmed, as at other times for the service of God's house, and being there armed out of the Magazine that was in a readiness in the temple, there was not the least noise or suspicion of anything that was intended, till it was put in execution.

Vers. 12. And he brought forth the kings son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony, &c.] That is, the book of the law; as was enjoined, Deut. 17.18.

Ver. 13. And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard, and of the people she came to the people, into the temple of the Lord.] That is, when she heard the noise of the guard in the temple, shouting and clapping their hands when the king was crowned, and the people running in the streets, and making towards the temple with many unusual acclamations and expressions of joy (as it is expressed, 2. Chron. 23.12. Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king ) she went to see what was done in the temple, not any whit suspecting that which was done, and so through the providence of God, did unwittingly cast herself into their hands: nor was it against the charge given by Jehoiada, verse. 8. he that cometh within the ranges, let him be slain: that she was suffered to come within the ranges, because she came not in an hostile manner, but quietly came in amongst them without any mistrust or fear, and it must needs be known to be of great advantage to get her within their power.

Vers. 14. And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, &c.] Where it seems the throne for the king was erected; but the most of Expositors understand this of the brazen scaffold which Solomon made in the Temple, 2. Chron. 6.13. the like is noted afterward of Josiah, chap. 23.3. And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant, &c.

Vers. 16. And they laid hands on her, and she went by the way by the which the horses came into the kings house, &c.] Some understand this of the way into the city, where was the horse gate, mentioned, Neh. 3.28. and Jer. 31.40. but the words do clearly enough show that it was the ordinary horse and cart way that led into the court, where were the stables and other out-houses that belonged to the kings palace, and therefore it is said, verse. 20. that they slew Athaliah with the sword beside the kings house: even in the place of her death they sought to cast reproach upon her; her mother Jezebel was trodden under the horse heels, and now she was dragged by the horse way, and slain amongst the stables and dunghills of the kings house.

Vers. 18. And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down, his altars, &c.] And the more cheerfully no doubt they did this, because they would not be behind the Israelites, where Jehu had already suppressed the idolatry of Baal, as they did now in the kingdom of Judah.

And the priest appointed officers over the house of the Lord.] That is, Jehoiada appointed officers for the watch of the Lord's house; the rather, for fear of danger in this sudden change, and withal, perhaps reduced into order, whatever besides had been disordered in the days of Athaliah, 2. Chron. 24.7. For the sons of Athaliah that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God, &c.

Vers. 19. They brought down the king from the house of the Lord, and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the kings house.] That is, the gate of the kings house, where the guard usually stood.

CHAP. XII.

Vers. 3. BUt the high places were not taken away, &c.] So long had the people been inured to this erroneous worship of God, that it seems even Jehoiada himself durst not advice the king to proceed to the reformation of this evil also, for fear of causing some tumult amongst them.

Vers. 4. And Jehoash said to the priests, all the the money of the dedicated things, &c.] The Temple was at this time sallen into great decay, through the wickedness of former kings, but especially of Athaliah For the sons of Athaliah that wicked woman, 2. Chron. 24.7. had broken up the house of God, and also all the dedicate things of the house of the Lord did the bestow upon Baalim: the first act therefore that Jehoash took in hand when he began to rule without a protector, was the reparation of that holy place; as indeed most requisite it was that he should be careful to uphold the Temple, that had been the nursery of his infancy, and the best means to secure his life, and to uphold his just title to the crown of Judah, and to this end he enjoined the priests carefully to gather all the money of the dedicated things, that is, all the money dedicated to the service and repair of the Temple, and then the particulars are expressed (purposely I conceive to distinguish this money from that which was brought in for the use of the priests themselves, as the money for the redemption of the first born and such like) namely, first, the money of everyone that passeth the account: that is, the half shekel that they were to pay when they were numbered from twenty years old and upward, Exod. 30.12, 13. which is therefore called, 2. Chron. 24.6. the collection of Moses the servant of the Lord, and of the congregation of Israel for the tabernacle of witness; and verse. 9. the collection that Moses the servant of God, laid upon Israel in the wilderness: concerning which, see the notes, Exod. 30.12, 13. secondly, the money that every man is set at; that is, the money which any man shall by the priest be appointed to pay for his redemption, when he hath vowed himself to God, according to that law, Levite. 27.2. &c. of which see the note there: and thirdly, all the money that cometh into any man's heart to bring into the house of the Lord; that is, which any man shall voluntarily give for the reparation of the house.

Vers. 5. Let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance. In 2. Chron. 24.5. it is said that Joash appointed them to go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather this money from year to year; this receiving it therefore every man of his acquaintance, is meant of their gathering it in the several cities where they dwelt; (for the Levites were dispersed in several cities of Judah) where they were acquainted, and well known amongst the people.

Vers. 7. Now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it in for the breaches of the house.] That is, he enjoined them to meddle no more with the receiving of the money, but to pay in that which they had already received, when the king first set on foot this work: as he appointed them to collect the monies above mentioned for the repairing of the temple, so also he charged them to hasten the work, 2. Chron. 24.5. Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter: when therefore in the twenty third year of his reign, he saw that yet nothing was done, he took it for granted that either they had been negligent in collecting the money, or that they did not faithfully pay in what they received; or at least, that the people suspecting their diverting of it to their own private uses, did not pay it so willingly as otherwise they would; and therefore he took the work out of their hands, and appointed another way for the gathering of the money as is afterward expressed.

Vers. 9. But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, &c.] To wit, by the command of the king, 2. Chron. 24.8. to prevent all suspicion for the time to come of any corruption in this business: first, they made this chest whereinto the money should be put, and wherein it should be kept; and then they made a proclamation throughout the kingdom, that every man should bring in the appointed contribution, which accordingly was done with much alacrity and willingness, 2. Chron. 24.9, 10.

Vers. 10. The kings Scribe, and the high priest came up, and they put it up in bags, &c.] In 2. Chron. 24.11. it is, the kings Scribe, and the high priests officers came up, and emptied the chest, &c.

Vers. 13. Howbeit, there were not made for the house of the Lord, bowls of silver, snuffers, &c.] That is, not till the temple was fully repaired, but when that work was finished, the money that was left was employed in making these vessels for the house, 2. Chron. 24.14.

Vers. 16. The trespass-money, and sin-money was not brought into the house of the Lord: it was the priests.] That is, the money which by the law those men were to pay by way of satisfaction, according to the estimation of the priests that had any way wronged the Lord in his holy things, Levite. 5.15. whether it were done ignorantly or wittingly, in both the cases satisfaction was to be made, and the one of these is called trespass-money, and the other sin-money.

Vers. 17. Then Hazael king of Syria went up.] Notwithstanding this fair beginning of Jehoash his reign, no sooner was Jehoiada dead, but by his flattering princes he was drawn away to the worship of idols, and so wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass, 2. Chron. 24.17, 18. namely, by God's letting loose Hazael king of Syria upon them, as is here said; from whom they were fain to purchase their peace by a great sum of money, as is expressed, verse. 18.

Vers. 20. And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and slew Joash, &c.] Some other passages are recorded in the Chronicles not here expressed, as first, when sundry prophets had in vain labored to reclaim both king and people from their idolatry, at length Zachariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, was by the Spirit of the Lord stirred up to admonish them of their wickedness, who did it accordingly with great courage, assuring them that this was the cause of Hazaels prevailing against them: whereupon a conspiracy was made against him, and by the kings commandment (who forgot what his father Jehoiada had done for him) he was stoned to death: secondly, that according to the prayer of this blessed Martyr at his death, the Lord look upon it, and require it, before that year was expired, the Syrians invaded the land again, and executed the judgments of God with great severity, for though the Syrians it seems came rather to pillage, then to perform any great action (for they came with a small company of men) and Jehoash went out against them with a very great army, yet by the providence of God, this small band of Syrian rovers, overthrew that great host of Judah, wherewith being encouraged, they went up against Jerusalem, and destroyed all the Princes of the people, who had drawn away their king from the worship of the true God, and sent all the spoil of them to the king of Damascus; and as for Jehoash they left him in sore diseases (perhaps by tortures they had put him to) which advantage two of his servants apprehending they made a conspiracy against him, and slew him in his bed when he had reigned forty years, verse. 1. to wit, two and twenty years with Jehu, and the rest with his son Jehoahaz, and his grandchild Jehoash, which is largely related, 2. Chron. 24.18,—25.

Vers. 21. For Jozachar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, smote him, and he died.] This Jozachar was also called Zabad, 2. Chron. 24.26. where also it is expressed that Shimeah was an Ammonitesse, and that Shomer, there called Shimrith, was a Moabitesse; And these are they that conspired against him, Zabad the son of Shimeath an Ammonitesse, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith a Moabitesse.

And they buried him with his fathers in the city of David.] But not in the sepulchers of the kings, 2, Chron. 24.25.

CHAP. XIII.

Vers. 1. JEhoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years.] Yet two years before his death he made his son Joash king, see verse. 10, 22.

Vers. 3. And he delivered them into the hands of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hands of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael, all their days.] That is, all the time of the reign both of Jehu the father and Jehoahaz his son.

Vers. 4, And Jehoahaz besought the Lord.] Namely, when he was brought so low by the Syrians that he had not left him above fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen, as is afterward expressed, verse. 7.

Vers. 5. And the Lord gave Israel a savior, &c.] To wit, Joash the son of Jehoahaz, who afterward prevailed mightily against the Syrians, and after that also Jeroboam his son, chap. 14.27. so that afterward the children of Israel dwelt in their tents as beforetime; that is, they dwelt in their houses quietly and peaceably: see the note, 1 Kings 12.16.

Vers. 7. The king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like the dust by threshing.] That is, he had broken them to pieces, and scattered them (as corn may be with too much threshing) so that scarce anywhere was there an army together, and they were become a people of no power and no esteem.

Vers. 8. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might, &c,] That is, with what courage and valor he resisted the Syrians, though they still prevailed against him; which is the rather noted to make it manifest that the calamities that befell the Israelites in his time, were of God's just judgment, because of their sins, rather then from any want of courage and might in their king.

Vers. 9. And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers.] Having reigned seventeen years, verse. 1. all which time Jehoash the son of Ahaziah reigned in Judah.

Vers. 10. In the thirty and seventh year of Joash king of Judah, began Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz to reign, &c.] Jehoahaz the father of Joash began his reign, in the three and twentieth year of Joash king of Judah, and reigned seventeen years, verse. 1. which must needs be till the nine and thirtieth year of Joash king of Judah complete; and how then did his son begin his reign in the thirty seventh year of Joash king of Judah, as is here said? I answer, that Joash was made king his father yet living, and reigned three years together with his father, but reigned not alone till the last; that is, the fortieth year of Joash king of Judah; and hence it is also, that Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah, is said to have begun his reign in the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, chap. 14.1. either therefore because Jehoahaz being wearied and broken with long adversity, desired to discharge himself in part of those heavy cares that lay upon him; or because Elisha had perhaps foretold the victories of this his son, of which we read, verse. 14.15. &c. two years before his death he made his son king.

Vers. 12. And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, &c.] As namely the three great victories which he obtained against the Syrians, of which Elisha foretold him, verse. 17, 18, 19. and his rescuing many cities of Israel from the Syrians, verse. 25. and how he prevailed against Amaziah king of Judah, which is related in the following chapter.

Vers. 13. And Joash slept with his fathers.] Having reigned sixteen years, verse. 10. to wit, after his fathers death, besides the three years that he reigned with his father: the first year of his sole government, Joash the son of Ahaziah reigned in Judah, and Amaziah his son the other fifteen years.

Vers. 14. Now Elisha was fallen sick, of the sickness whereof he died.] To wit, about five and fifty years at least, as is generally thought, after Elijah was taken up into heaven; in which time, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, Ahaziah, Athaliah, and Jehoash swayed the scepter of Judah; and Jehoram the son of Ahab, Jehu, Jehoahaz his son, and Joash the son of Jehoahaz did successively sit in the throne of Israel: yet some Expositors hold, that Joash his visiting this sick prophet related in the following words, was whilst his father Jehoahaz was yet living, to wit, that when his father had sought unto the Lord, as is said before, verse. 4. then this his son Joash came both to visit the sick prophet, and to inquire concerning those sad calamities that had befallen the kingdom of Israel: and so when he saw him in so weak a condition, wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof; with the same words wherewith Elisha had bewailed the loss of Elijah, chap. 2.12. concerning which, see the note there. Nor is it strange that this wicked king that would not be guided by the doctrine of Elisha, should yet thus passionately bewail the sickness of the prophet, if we consider in what a distressed condition his kingdom was at present, and how great things God had done for his predecessors the kings of Israel, by Elisha's means.

Vers. 16. And Elisha put his hands upon the kings hands.] The prophet putting his hands upon the kings hands when he was drawing the bow to shoot, was to signify, that through God's assistance, whose person the prophet did now represent, he should be victorious over the Syrians, according to those expressions, Psalm. 18.34, 35. He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by my arms: thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation, &c. Psalm. 144.1. Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight. Gen. 49.24. But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob.

Vers. 17. And he said open the window eastward, &c.] To wit, because Syria lay eastward, and it was to signify the vanquishing of the Syrians by Joash, that the arrow was to be shot out at that window.

The arrow of the Lord's deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria, &c.] That is, by this arrow is signified, that the Lord by thy might will certainly deliver his people, and that from the Syrians, who have hitherto brought such calamities upon them; and thus even that kindness, which Joash had now shown to God's prophets was abundantly rewarded.

Vers. 18. And he said, Take the arrows: and he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground, &c.] Having by the former sign the arrow shot out at the window eastward, foreshewen that he should vanquish the Syrians, now by another sign he undertakes to show him how often he should overcome them.

Vers. 19. And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times, &c.] It seems the Lord had shown to Elisha, that so oft as Joash should voluntarily, after a general charge, smite the earth, so oft should Israel smite Syria; and hence was Elisha's anger, that he smote the earth no oftener: But may some say, seeing the Prophet did not enjoin the king to smite it often, why should he be angry with him for this? I answer, because by the prophets explaining the meaning of his former action, to wit, his shooting out at the window, the king might have easily conceived, that even this second action that was enjoined of smiting the earth, was also intended as a parabolical sign of his smiting the Syrians, and so thereupon might have been eager to have given many strokes to the earth. Some Expositors indeed give another reason of the Prophets anger; namely, that he was angry, not because the king smote the ground no oftener, but because by the kings smiting the earth so seldom, the Prophet foresaw his future slackness in pursuing the execution of God's vengeance upon the Syrians, and the deliverance of God's Israel: but the former reason of the Prophets anger is I conceive most agreeable with the words of the text: And whereas this which is here said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times, then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it; whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice, may seem to contradict what was said before, verse. 17. where it was absolutely promised Joash, that he should smite the Syrians till he had consumed them: we must know, that the Prophet there spake only of an utter consuming those armies of the Syrians, over whom he was to obtain three memorable victories; but here he speaks of an utter ruining the whole power of the kingdom of Syria in general, which should have been if he had smitten the earth five or six times, but now should not be.

Vers. 21. And it came to pass as they were burying a man, that behold, they spied a band of men, and they cast the man into the sepulcher of Elisha, &c.] The meaning of this is, that as they were going to bury a dead man, they spied a band of Moabites that were broken into their land, to rob and spoil their country, and so not having time to carry him to the place prepared for his burial, they removed the stone that covered Elisha's sepulcher, and cast him in there; whereupon the dead man revived so soon as he touched the bones of Elisha, and stood up upon his feet: for we must not think that the sepulcher of Elisha lay open so, that in their fear they could presently without anymore ado cast the dead man upon the bones of the Prophet: however by this singular miracle the Lord was pleased; First, to teach the people that it was the mighty power of God, and not any power in Elisha himself, whereby in his life time he had wrought so many glorious miracles: And secondly, to strengthen the faith of Joash concerning those victories which this holy Prophet of God had foretold him a little before his death, in that hereby he might see that God could as easily revive their dead state, as he had now revived this dead man; yea and besides, in this miracle wrought by the dead body of Elisha, we have a lively figure of that life, which all believers do obtain, by applying to themselves by faith the death of Christ their Savior.

Vers. 22. But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.] That is, all the time he reigned alone.

Vers. 23. Neither cast he them from his presence as yet.] The Lord did not as yet quite root out the Israelites from the land of Canaan, which he had chosen for his habitation; nor turned them off from enjoying any outward communion with him in his ordinances, as he did afterwards.

CHAP. XIIII.

Vers. 1. IN the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, reigned Amaziah, &c.] That is, in the second year of his reign, after he began to reign alone, his father Jehoahaz being dead: for he began to reign three years before his father died, and that was the thirty seventh year of Joash king of Judah (the father of this Amaziah) who reigned forty years complete. See the note chap. 13.10.

Vers. 2, And reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem.] Of which nine and twenty years, Joash reigned in Israel fifteen years complete, and something more; (for he began his reign the year before Amaziah, verse. 1. In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, reigned Amaziah: and he reigned but sixteen years in all, chap. 13.10. and the other, fourteen years complete, and something more, Jeroboam the son of Joash reigned in Israel; and therefore it is twice expressed, that Amaziah outlived Joash king of Israel fifteen years, verse. 17. of this chapter, and 2 Chron. 25.25.) but then may some say: if Amaziah lived but to the fifteenth year of Jeroboam the son of Joash; how is it said, that Azariah, or Uzziah the son of this Amaziah, began his reign in the seven and twentieth year of Jeroboam, chap. 15.1? I answer; either Jeroboam was designed king by his father Joash twelve years before his death, and so that which was but the fifteenth year of Jeroboams reign, to wit, when Azariah or Uzziah was made king of Judah, is counted the seven and twentieth from his first designation to the crown of Israel; or rather Azariah or Uzziah was not fully seated in the kingdom until twelve years after the death of Amaziah: see chap. 15.1,

Vers. 3. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not like David his father, &c.] That is, he did, to wit, in the beginning of his reign, that which was for the substance of it approved of God; but he did not do it (as David did) with an upright and perfect heart, 2. Chron. 25.2. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart: he did that good he did, out of respect to men, or to his own advantage; not out of a sincere desire of pleasing God: such as his father was, such was he; his father a while out of a respect to men (as long as Jehoiada lived) did that which was right, but out of a false hollow heart, and so afterward fell away to idolatry, and so did he.

Vers. 4. Howbeit the high places were not taken away, &c.] This is added by way of exception not to that which went immediately before, of his doing all things as Joash his father did, (for his father Joash did not take away the high places, no more then he did) but to that which is said in the beginning of the third verse, that he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord; to wit, in the beginning of his reign; for as concerning this outward conformity, which at first he yielded to the law of God, herein he failed, that he did not suppress that superstitious worshiping of God in the high places.

Vers. 5. And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hands, &c.] It seems the murder of his father Joash. chap. 12.20, 21. was at least so far approved and applauded by many of the people, as the just judgment of God upon him for his apostasy to idolatry, and especially for the death of Zachariah the son of Jehoiada, that Amaziah at his first entrance upon the kingdom, thought it good policy to dissemble his displeasure, and give way to the time; and so fo • bore a while to punish the traitors: but as soon as he perceived his government well established, and found that the conspirators (howsoever the deed done was applauded as the handy work of God) had neither any mighty partakers in their fact, nor strong maintainers of their persons; he on a sudden called them to an account, and so without any tumult they were put to death.

Vers. 6. But the children of the murderers he slew not, &c.] Which is noted, as one of those acts wherein he carried himself commendably in the beginning of his reign: he might well fear lest the children of those he now put to death, might seek in after times to be revenged on him, and yet he would rather hazard this, then transgress God's law: which enjoined that the children should not be put to death for any fault of their parents, Deut. 24.16.

Vers. 7. He slew of Edom in the valley of salt, ten thousand, and took Selah by war, &c.] Of this valley of salt, see the note 2. Sam. 8.13. whether it were the happy success of Joash king of Israel, in his wars at this time against the Syrians, that kindled in Amaziah a desire of undertaking some expedition, wherein himself might purchase the like honor; or what else it was that first put Amaziah upon this invasion of the Edomites, it is not expressed: sufficient cause he had of making war upon them, because in his grandfather Jehorams time they had rebelled, and so continued unto this time; and therefore considering of what importance the reducing of them to their former subjection would be, he went forth against them, and obtained a notable victory, though he did not wholly subdue them: the particulars of which enterprise are more fully expressed, 2. Chron. 25.5—16. as first, that though upon a view taken, he found in his own kingdom three hundred thousand serviceable men for the wars, yet thinking it the better way in point of policy, to wage this war chiefly by mercenaries, he hired an hundred thousand able valiant men of the Israelites for an hundred talents of silver, (who were in those times by reason of their successful wars against the Syrians, become famous soldiers) to go with him against the Edomites; for which being reproved by a prophet that came to him, and threatened with ill success, if he strengthened himself with the help of these men, whom God did not love, because they were idolaters, though he prospered them in their wars against the cruel Syrians; however he stuck a while at the loss of that great sum of money, wherewith he had hired them, yet at length he dismissed them; and they enraged hereby to revenge this high disgrace, (as they esteemed it) fell upon the cities of Judah in their return, and slew three thousand of them, and took much spoil. Secondly that entering afterwards courageously into the Edomites country with his own soldiers, he obtained against them a notable victory, wherein he not only slew of them ten thousand, as is here expressed; but also took other ten thousand prisoners, whom he threw from an high rock, that very place perhaps, which is here called Selah, or the rock: using it may be such severity against them, because notwithstanding this his victory, they still stood out, and would not be reduced again under the subjection of the crown of Judah: & thirdly, that when he returned home, besotted by I know not what strange witchcraft, he set up the idol-gods of the Edomites (which among the other spoils he had brought away) to be his gods, and worshipped them, and burned incense unto them; for which being reproved by a Prophet, he would not hearken to him, but checked him for daring to meddle with him, and so received from the Prophet that fearful doom, that God had determined to destroy him.

Vers. 8. Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz, &c.] That is, Amaziah puffed up with his late victory in his wars against the Edomites, sent a proud challenge to Joash, wherein he dared him to meet him with his best forces, and give him battle: most probable it is, that the injury done him by the Israelites, whom he had dismissed when he undertook the late expedition against mount Seir, was the first occasion that provoked him to quarrel with Joash, 2. Chron. 25.13. But the soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back that they should not go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah from Samaria, &c. and that this late wrong might also bring old matters into question; namely, the slaughter which Jehu the grandfather of this Joash, had made amongst the princes of Judah; and especially the title which the kings of Judah had to the kingdom of the ten tribes, as well as those of Judah and Benjamin, the advice which he took with his counsel, 2. Chron. 25.17. Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and advise, and sent to Joash the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, saying, Come, let us see one another in the face, seems to imply, that they debated amongst them these just grounds, which he had to make war against the king of Israel: and most likely it is, that these things were objected by him in this challenge that he sent; but because he sent this message in an insolent manner, as one that did rather desire to decide the business by the sword, then to have it otherwise composed, and to try the strength and courage of the king of Israel in a pitched battle, therefore is this only expressed, that he challenged him to meet him in the field, and give him battle face to face; for that is the meaning of these words, Come, let us look one another in the face.

Vers. 9. The thistle that was in Lebanon, sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, &c.] Thus Joash answered Amaziah by a parable; and the drift of it was to put Amaziah in mind how vain a thing it was for them that are comparatively weak, and of little strength, easily overborn and trodden down, to entertain proud and aspiring thoughts concerning themselves, as if they were above the reach of danger; and he makes the thistles pride in this parable, to be the desiring of the cedars daughter for his sons wife, therein to couch secretly an argument from the less to the greater: if it were too much for the thistle to offer affinity with the cedar, much more then to make war against the cedar, which he would have Amaziah know was just his case; because he looked upon Amaziah as a poor, weak, and contemptible king in comparison of himself, though proud and quarrelsome, he compares him to a thistle, the basest of all shrubs, though full of prickles; and himself (who had ten of the tribes of Israel under his command, whereas the other had but two) to a cedar, the most noble of all trees; only, he compares Amaziah to a thistle in Lebanon, as well as himself to a cedar in Lebanon; because Amaziah was a king as well as he: again, from the foolish pride in the thistle in sending such a message, he implies how far greater the pride and folly of Amaziah was, in sending such a challenge to him: and last of all, by showing what became of the thistle, There passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle, he gives Amaziah to understand what his end would be, if he persevered in his resolution to make war against him; to wit, that his forces would easily crush and ruin him; and indeed, the miseries that would befall him are well compared to the treading down of a wild beast; because war (bellum quasi bellua) doth usually destroy and tread down all before it: and soldiers, as men void of all reason, and carried on merely with fury and brutish passions, are wont without all consideration, in a rude and brutish manner, to beat, and trample down all where they come; and therefore is the time of war called a day of trouble, and treading down, Isa. 22.5.

Vers 11. But Amaziah would not hear.] To wit, because God would have him punished for his idolatry, whereunto he was then newly fallen, upon his victory against the Edomites, 2. Chron. 25.20. But Amaziah would not hear, for it came of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies; because they sought after the God's of Edom.

Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up, &c.] That is, he stay not till the enemy brake in, and spoiled his country, but entered the kingdom of Judah, and so encountered with him in Beth-shemesh which belonged to Judah; which is added, because there was another Beth-shemesh in the tribe of Naphtali, Josh. 19.38.

Vers. 13. And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah, &c.] And thus, in this Amaziah the son of Joash, God did yet further revenge the death of Zachariah the son of Jehoiada, who was most inhumanely and ungratefully murdered in his fathers days, according to that which he said at his death, the Lord look upon it, and require it, and withal Amaziah himself was severely punished for his Apostasy to idolatry upon his victory over the Edomites.

And brake down the wall of Jerusalem, from the gate of Ephraim, unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.] Some conceive that this part of the wall was broken down, that the inhabitants might be rendered hereby the more fearful to attempt anything against the kingdom of Israel, the strength of the city being so far impaired; but such a breach that might be so easily made up again, could be no great curb to them: others say that it was done at Joash his command, that at that breach he might enter the city in his chariot, carrying the king before him, as in triumph; but why should four hundred cubits of the wall be beaten down that he might enter with his chariot? more probable therefore it is, that the city at first standing out against him, he battered down that part of the wall by the north gate, which was towards Ephraim, and therefore called the gate of Ephraim, and so took the city by force.

Vers. 14. And he took all the gold, and silver, &c. and hostages, and returned to Samaria.] These hostages he took for assurance of their performing the conditions he had imposed upon them; but having Jerusalem in possession, and their king his prisoner, why did he not seize upon the kingdom, and join the twelve tribes again under his government: I answer, that which lately had befallen Athaliah, shown plainly how constantly affected the people stood to the house of David, neither could he tell what forces the people abroad in the country might presently raise against him; no marvel therefore though he chose rather to go away with a certain spoil, then to hazard all by aiming at the crown of Judah, upon such weak and uncertain terms.

Vers. 16. And Jehoash slept with his fathers.] See the note, chap. 13.13. It seems he out-lived not long that sacrilegious act of his, in robbing the Temple of Jerusalem.

Vers. 17. And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah, lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, fifteen years.] To wit, un-unto the fifteenth year of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel. See the note, verse 2.

Vers. 19. Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, &c.] Ascribing all the miseries that had befallen their city and kingdom to him, who had provoked the king of Israel to invade their land, whereupon Jerusalem was taken and pillaged, &c. they were enraged against him, and so conspired together to take away his life; which though he discovered, and fled to Lachish, yet they pursued him thither, and there they slew him.

Vers. 21. And all the people of Judah took Azariah, (which was sixteen years old) and made him king, &c.] To wit, in the seven and twentieth year of Jeroboam, chap. 15.1. but his father died in the fifteenth year of Jeroboam, verse. 14. and then (it seems) this his son Azariah or Uzziah, being not above four years old. Concerning which, see the note chap. 15.1. In this kings reign Isaiah and Hosea began to prophecy, and Amos and Jonah, Isai. 1.1. Hos. 1.1. Amos 1.1. and verse 25. of this chapter.

Vers. 22. He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, &c.] This Elath we find mentioned, Deut. 2.8. so that it was now only repaired, or at least enlarged or fortified. It was a city of Edom, near the red sea, and therefore it seems was recovered from them by Azariah or Uzziah.

Vers. 23. Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years.] To wit, fourteen years and upwards with Amaziah (who reigned nine and twenty years, verse. 1.) and twenty seven years in the days of Uzziah or Azariah, who succeeded his father Amaziah. How this agreeth with that which is said chap. 15.1. see in the note on that place.

Vers. 24. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, &c.] for this cause Amos in these days prophesied against the house of this Jeroboam the second, and when Amaziah the priest complained thereof to the king, he was enjoined not to prophecy anymore at Bethel, Amos 7.10, 11, 12. Then Amasiah the priest of Bethel, sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee▪ in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words: for thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall be led away captive out of their own land: Also Amaziah said to Amos, O thou Seer, go flee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophecy there.

Vers. 25. He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath, unto the sea of the plain.] Concerning Hamoth, see the note, Num. 13.21. and 34.8. The sea of the plain is that which was called the salt sea, Deut. 3.17. the utmost south bounds of the kingdom of Ephraim.

According to the word of the Lord God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, &c.] When Israel was brought so low, as is expressed in the following verse (which was in the days of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, chap. 13.34, 7.) the Lord by Jonah foretold, it seems, how they should vanquish the Syrians, and enlarge the coast of Israel, which accordingly came to pass; first in the days of Joash, who obtained three great victories against the Syrians, chap. 13.25. but more fully in the reign of Jeroboam his son, the most prosperous and victorious king that ever reigned over the ten tribes.

Vers. 28. He recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which belonged to Judah, for Israel.] Though these cities had been in the possession of the kings of Judah; yet he recovered them for his own kingdom, the kingdom of Israel.

Vers. 29. And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with, &c.] Having reigned fourteen years in the time of Amaziah and Uzziah kings of Judah, as is above noted verse 21.

CHAP. XV.

Vers. 1. IN the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, began Azariah, &c.] Manifest it is that Amaziah the father of this Aazariah or Uzziah, was slain in the fifteenth year of Jeroboam: for in the fifteenth year of Amasiah did Jeroboam begin his reign▪ chap. 14.23. and Amaziah reigned in all but nine and twenty years, chap. 14.2. so that the last year currant of Amasiah, was but the fifteenth of Jeroboam; and how then was it the seven and twentieth of Jeroboam ere his son began his reign? Some say, that Jeroboam was designed king twelve years before Joash his fathers death, and so the first year of Azariah or Uzziah king of Judah, though it were the seven and twentieth year of Jeroboam, from his first being designed king▪ yet it was but his fifteenth year, accounting the years of his reign from his sitting in the throne after the death of his father. But better, I conceive, it is answered by others, that though Amaziah was slain in the fifteenth year of Jeroboam, yet his son Azariah was not settled in the throne by the general consent of the people, till the seven and twentieth year of Jeroboam, when he was sixteen years old, the foregoing twelve years either he reigned under Protectours, being but four years old when his father was slain; or perhaps, though he were acknowledged king by some, who in those troublesome times stuck to him, as the heir apparent of the house of David; yet generally by the people he was not acknowledged king, till some order was taken for the redress of those grievances, which had enraged them so far against his father.

Vers. 2. And he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem.] Besides therefore the twelve years spent in his minority, fifteen years more he reigned in Judah, whilst Jeroboam the second reigned in the throne of Israel three and twenty years, in the time of Zachariah the son of Jeroboam eleven years, with Shallum and Menahem (whereof Shallum reigned but a month) two years with Pekahiah, and a year and upwards with Pekah; so that he lived to see six kings in the throne of Israel.

Vers. 3: And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done.] To wit, in the beginning of his reign, as Amaziah had done whilst Zachariah the Prophet lived, he sought the Lord, and so long he prospered wonderfully (insomuch that considering the admirable success of Jeroboam at the same time in Israel; it is evident that the state of Israel did never so flourish since the division of the twelve tribes, as in the beginning of this kings reign: for having an army of three hundred and seven thousand men of war, under the command of two thousand six hundred captains (all whom he furnished with shields, and spears, and other arms requisite) he overcame the Philistines, of whose towns he dismantled some, and built others; also he got the mastery over some parts of Arabia, and brought the Ammonites to pay him tribute; he repaired also the wall of Jerusalem, which in his fathers days Joash king of Israel had broken down, and fortified it with towers, whereon he set new invented engines to shoot arrows, &c. he improved also the riches he had gotten with all kind of husbandry, as keeping of much cattle, &c. and built towers in the wilderness for the defense of his cattle and herdsmen, and the wells of water he had digged there, by which means he might keep the command of the Arabian wilderness, which was hardly passable if men were kept from those few springs of water that were found there; all which is related, 2. Chron. 26.5, 15.

Vers. 5. And the Lord smote the king, so that he was a leper, &c.] The cause of this is expressed, 2. Chron. 26.16, &c. to wit, that Uzziah or Azariah puffed up with his prosperity, would needs usurp the Priests office, and went into the Temple to burn incense; whereupon Azariah the high Priest, attended with fourscore other priests, went in after him, and withstood him, and reprehended this his presumption: for which, whilst he was wrath with the Priest, the Lord smote him with a leprosy, and that in his forehead, (that everyone might see the judgment of God upon him) and so he was presently thrust out of the temple. And thus because his sin was pride and arrogance, by striking him with such a loathsome disease in his very face, the Lord filled his face with shame and confusion, making him ashamed to show his face amongst men; and because he had sinned with so much impudence, coming openly into the Temple to burn incense, as it were to out-face the Priests, therefore God struck him in the forehead (where impudence is wont to show itself, Jer. 3.3. Thou hadst a whores forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed:) and because not content with the Regal dignity, he would needs usurp the Priests office, he was not suffered to abide in the throne: for by reason of his leprosy he dwelt in a several house, that is, in a private dwelling where he might be severed, as much as was possible, from the society of others: And Jotham the kings son was over the house, judging the people of the land: that is, he lived in the kings palace, and kept his court there instead of his father, whose place he supplied, and as his Vice-roy and deputy governed the whole kingdom; wherein yet there was something to mitigate the poor kings sorrows, in the midst of all these miseries that befell him; to wit, that his son did not take this advantage to depose his father, but was content to govern the people as his substitute under him. Besides all these particulars, one memorable passage we find mentioned elsewhere, that is not recorded either here, or in the book of the Chronicles, to wit, that in this kings reign there was also a most terrible 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 earthquake, as we see Amos 1.1. The words of Amos, who was amongst the herdmen of Tekoa; which he saw concerning Israel, in the days of Uzziah, &c. two years before the earthquake: and again, Zach. 14.5. Ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah.

Vers. 6. And the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles? &c.] The acts of Uzziah or Azariah were also written by Isaiah the Prophet, 2. Chron. 26.22. Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet the son of Amos write.

Vers. 7. And they buried him with his fathers in the city of David.] To wit, in the field of the burial▪ where the sepulchers of the kings were, but not in their sepulchers, because he was a leper: 2. Chron. 26.23. So Uzziah slept with his father, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial, which belonged to the kings: for they said, He is a leper. When this king died, it seems the Philistines did greatly triumph and rejoice, because he had been such a scourge to them, as is related 2. Chron. 26.6, 7. And he went forth, and warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, &c. whereupon it was that Isaiah prophesied, that the grandchild of this Uzziah, to wit, Hezekiah, should sting them worse then ever he had done, Isa. 14.29. Rejoice not thou whole Palestine, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken; for out of the serpents root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.

Vers. 8. In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months.] The first of the fifty years of Azariahs reign, was the seven and twentieth of Jeroboams reign: verse 1. In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboams, Azariah the son of Amaziah king of Judah began to reign. Jeroboam reigned in all but one and forty years, chap. 14.23. so that the last year of Jeroboams reign, was but the fifteenth or sixteenth of Azariahs. Now if Jeroboam died the sixteenth year of Azariahs reign, how came it to pass that his son Zachariah began not his reign till the eight and thirtieth year of Azariah, which was two and twenty years after the death of his father Jeroboam? I answer, Some hold that the eight and thirtieth of Azariah here spoken on, was the eight and thirtieth from the time he began to reign with his father Amaziah: but rather, however it seems upon the death of Jeroboam, Zachariah found a party that stuck to him, to whom the crown of right did belong, and so the text speaks of his immediate succeeding his father, chap. 14.29. And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, and Zachariah his son reigned in his stead: yet two or three and twenty years did pass before he was by uniform consent received as king; whether it were the ambition of Jeroboams captains, each striving to keep what he held for himself; or some general dislike taken both by Prince and people against Zachariah, though he were the son of so deserving a father; yet they would not stoop to his government, till at length wearied with dissention, they were in a manner forced unto it, which was (as is here said) in the thirty eighth year of Azariahs reign, after which time that he was by general consent settled in the kingdom, he enjoyed it only six months.

Vers. 10. And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, &c.] In that little time that he reigned, it seems he carried himself so ill, that the displeasure of the people newly appeased, was soon stirred up again, and Shallum one of his captains taking the advantage hereof, conspired against him, and slew him before the people; that is, the people not opposing but rather approving what was done: they were not at first more unwilling to receive him, then they were now glad to be rid of him.

Vers. 12. This was the word of the Lord which he spake to Jehu, &c.] For Zachariah was in the fourth descent from Jehu. See the note, chap. 10.30.

Vers. 16. Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, &c.] Many Expositors take this Tiphsah, to be that mentioned 1 Kings 4.24. but because that was upon the frontiers of Syria, as is evident, because it is there said of Solomon, that he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even unto Azzah: and this was not far from Tirzah, (which was in the heart of the country, and therefore the royal city of the kings of Israel before Samaria) as is here clearly implied, in that it is said, that Menahem smote all the coast of Tiphsah, from Tirzah, that is as far as Tirzah; therefore I conceive that this was some other Tiphsah that was not far from Tirzah. The cause why Menahem smote this city is here said to be, because they opened not to him; it seems they refused to acknowledge him for their king, and would not open their gates to receive him; whereupon being enraged against them, like a true tyrant, to make the other cities afraid to follow their example, he smote not only the city, but all the coasts about it, destroying the inhabitants, and exercising therein all kind of cruelty, as appears by the particular instance here given: all the women therein that were with child he ripped up:

Vers. 19. And Pull the king of Assyria came against the land, &c.] This was the first Babylonian Monarch, called in other writers Belosus, and Phul-Belosus. The Assyrians had hitherto been the great Monarchs of the world: but this Pull or Belosus joining with Arbaces the Mede, besieged Sardanapalus the last of the Assyrian Monarchs, an effeminate prince, and hated of all his subjects, until at last after two years siege in despair he burnt himself: and thereupon his Monarchy was divided, Arbaces taking to himself the Empire of the Medes and Persians, and Pull or Belosus the Empire of Babylon and Assyria, and therefore called himself the king of Assyria, and this was he that now invaded the land of Israel; and though the cause of the invasion be not here expressed, yet most likely it is, that by the Arabians and Syrians from whom Jeroboam the second had taken much (chap. 14.28. He recovered Damascus and Hamath, &c.) he was now called in to invade the kingdom of Israel, when it had been many years together weakened by those civil and intestine broils before mentioned that were in the land.

And Menahem gave Pull a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with them, &c.] That is, he not only purchased his peace with the Assyrian king by that gift, but also procured a promise of his aid upon all occasions, for the establishment of his kingdom; whereby it is evident, that though he had usurped the kingdom, yet he enjoyed it not without opposition.

Vers. 25. And smote him in Samaria, in the palace of the kings house, with Argob, and Arieh, and with him fifty men of the Gileadites.] These it seems were Pekahs partners in his conspiracy against Pekahiah the son of Menahem.

Vers. 29. In the days of Pekah king of Israel, came Tiglath-pileser king of Assryia, &c.] He is called Tilgath-pilneser, 1. Chron. 5.26. and was doubtless the son of Pull king of Assyria, that had not many years before invaded the land in the days of Menahem, verse. 19. and therefore called Tiglath-pull-assir: the cause why he now came into the land of Israel is expressed elsewhere, though it be not mentioned here: it seems this Pekah king of Israel combined with Rezin king of Syria, against Ahaz king of Judah, and did first severally invade his land, and sorely oppressed him, and then afterwards jointly went up to besiege Ahaz king of Judah in Jerusalem; whereupon Ahaz being at the same time invaded also in other parts of his kingdoms, by other neighbouring nations, sent to this great king of Assyria, to desire his help against these two kings, as is expressed in the following chapter, verse. 7. So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy servant and thy son, come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me; and thereupon he came as he desired into the land of Israel (the rather happily, because this Pekah had slain the son of Menahem, whom his father Pull had settled in the kingdom of Israel, as is before noted) and so took the several places here mentioned in the kingdom of Israel; to wit, Ijon, and Abelbeth-maachah, and Janoah, a town belonging to Ephraim, Josh. 16.6. and Kedesh, and Hazer cities of Naphtali, Josh. 19.36, 37. and Gilead, that is, all the land without Jordan, where the Rubenites, and Gadites, and half tribe of Manasseh had their possessions, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria: so that indeed at this time he subdued in a manner five tribes of Israel; to wit, those without Jordan (who as they had first their inheritance given them, so they were now first carried away captives) and the tribes of Zebulon and Naphtali who were seated in the land of Galilee. And this was the first captivity of Israel. Neither do we ever read that these that were now carried away, or their posterity did ever return again into the land of Israel, as those of Judah did, that were afterwards carried into Babylon; whence it is, that when the prophet Isaiah threatened the Jews with the captivity of Babylon, he added this as a comfort, that their calamity should not be such as when their brethren of Israel, were carried captive into Assyria, Isa. 9.1. Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulon, and the land of Naphtali, and afterwards did more grievously afflict her, by the way of the sea beyond Jordan in Galilee of the nations.

Vers. 30. And Hoshea the son of Elah, made a conspiracy against Pekah, &c.] Doubtless the people of Israel were greatly enraged, because so many of their tribes were carried away captive into Assyria by Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and laid all the blame upon this their unfortunate king Pekah; partly, because by making war against Ahaz king of Judah causelessly, he had provoked Ahaz to call in the Assyrians to his help; and partly because he got the kingdom by slaying Pekahiah, the son of Menahem, whom the Assyrian king had settled in the throne of Israel. Now being thus fallen under the contempt and hatred of his people, it is no wonder that Hoshea should find enow that would join with him in a conspiracy to kill him, which accordingly they accomplished, and so the Lord cut him off by a conspiracy of his subjects, that himself got the crown by the murder of Pekahiah his Sovereigne.

And reigned in his stead, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.] Here it is expressly said, that Hoshea having slain Pekah began his reign in the twentieth year of Jotham; and yet afterwards verse. 33. it is said that Jotham reigned but sixteen years: and in the first verse of the next chapter, it is said that Ahaz the son of Jotham began his reign in the seventeenth year of Pekah. But to reconcile these seeming contradictions, we must know that Jotham lived twenty years after he was settled in the throne of Judah, upon the death of his father Uzziah, but that four years before he died, he wholly resigned his kingdom to his son Ahaz; and so it was in the fourth year of Ahaz when Hoshea slew Pekah, and took upon himself the title of king of Israel; but this fourth year of Ahaz, is called the twentieth of Jotham, because Jotham had still the title of king, though he had four years before resigned his kingdom to his son Ahaz.

Vers. 32. In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel, began Jotham, &c.] To wit, after his father Uzziahs death (for he had the government of the kingdom under his father a long time before this; to wit, ever since his father became a leper, as is noted verse 5.) About this time therefore did the prophet Isaiah see that glorious vision, Isa. 6.1. In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple, &c. and in this kings reign Hosea and Micah prophesied to the people.

Vers. 33. Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years, &c.] Some Expositors conceive, that he was thus old when he began to reign in his fathers life-time; which they hold, thereby to resolve that great difficulty concerning the age of his grand-child Hezekiah, when he began to reign; of which see the note chap. 18.2. But I rather think it must be understood (for so the words seem clearly to import) of his age when he began his sixteen years reign, which was after his fathers death; to wit, to the seventeenth year of Pekah, as is evident in the first verse of the following chapter: In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign.

Vers. 34. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, &c.] This is more fully expressed, 2. Chron. 27.21. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that Uzziah his father did; howbeit he entered not into the temple of the Lord, and the people did yet corruptly.

Vers. 35. He built the higher gate of the house of the Lord.] Or, the high gate, 2. Chron. 27.3. which was (it seems) the outer east-gate, the gate whereby they went to the kings palace, 2. Chron. 23.20. And they came through the high gate into the kings house; the same, I conceive it was, which afterward for the stateliness of it, was called the beautiful gate of the Temple, Acts 3.2. and by Jeremy often the new gate, as Jer. 26.10. and 36.10, &c.

Vers. 36. Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, &c.] Some of these are related in the Scripture Chronicles; as first, that he built divers cities in the hills of Judah, and in the forests, towers and palaces: and secondly, that he enforced the Ammonites to pay him tribute, to wit, of silver an hundred talents, of wheat and barley twenty thousand measures, 2. Chron. 27.4, 5.

Vers. 37. In those days the Lord began to send against Judah, Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah.] That is, towards the end of his reign, they began to conspire against the land of Judah; but it seems till his sons reign after his decease, they did not invade the land, the Lord herein showing mercy to good Jotham, that he took him away before those heavy calamities, that immediately after fell upon the kingdom of Judah.

CHAP. XVI.

Vers. 1. IN the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, Ahaz the son of Jotham, &c.] The seventeenth year of Pekah was the sixteenth year of Jotham, chap. 15.32. at which time Jotham did either resign the kingdom to his son Ahaz; or at least he left the government to him, but yet the lived at least four years after. See chap. 15.30.

Vers. 2. Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years, &c.] If Ahaz was twenty years old when he began his reign, when he died, sixteen years after, he was but thirty six years old, and then was Hezekiah his son twenty five years old, chap. 18.2. Twenty and five years old was Hezekiah when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem: whereby it may seem that Hezekiah was born to Ahaz, when he was yet but ten or eleven years old; which (say some Expositors) we need not wonder at, considering the singular blessing that nation had for generation: but because it is very unlikely that the Jews had children so young, therefore other Expositors do answer this objection two other ways; to wit, first, that Ahaz was twenty years old when he (that is, Jotham his father ) of whom he had spoken in the former verse, began to reign, to wit, after the death of his father Uzziah: or secondly, (and I think thus it is better answered) that Ahaz began to reign when he was first designed king in the life of Jotham his father, and then he was but twenty years old; and the like must then be said of Jotham too, chap. 15.30. but when after his fathers death he began to reign as absolute king himself (from which these sixteen years must be reckoned) he might be twenty five or twenty six years old, or perhaps more.

Vers. 3. But he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel.] That is, he worshipped idols as they also did; for so it is expressed, 2. Chron. 28.3. He burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen.

Yea, & made his son to pass through the fire, &c.] Concerning this abominable idolatry of making their children to pass through the fire, see what is noted, Levite. 18.21. But the Ahaz did indeed burn his sons, at least someone of his sons, as by way of sacrificing them to his idol-gods, is evident 2. Chron. 28.3. where also the place is named where he offered this inhumane oblation, to wit▪ the valley of the son of Hinnom, a valley not far from Jerusalem: Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire. This high place was called Tophet, and was it seems especially used for this execrable idolatry, Jer. 7.31. They have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire: and by Josiah it was defiled, chap. 23.10. He defiled Tophet which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech.

Vers. 5. Then Rezin king of Syria, and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel, came up to Jerusalem to war.] No sooner was Ahaz settled in the throne of Judah, but both Rezin king of Syria, and Pekah king of Israel began straight to invade Judah; for Pekah reigned in all but twenty years, chap. 15.27. and Ahaz began not his reign till the seventeenth year of Pekah, verse. 1. In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign; and as Ahaz exceeded all the kings before him in wickedness, so the judgments that God brought upon his kingdom, were most terrible. First, they each invaded the land severally, as is related in the Chronicles, and both of them prevailed against Ahaz, and exceedingly weakened and spoiled his country: for Rezin carried away many of the people captives to Damascus, and Pekah slew in one day one hundred and twenty thousand of them, (amongst whom was Maaseiah the kings son (he sacrificed one son to his idol-gods, and now another was slain by the sword of his enemies) and Azrikam the governor of his house, and Elkanah the second person to the king: who were slain by Zichri a mighty man of Ephraim, and carried away also two hundred thousand prisoners, women and children; though indeed by the counsel of the prophet Oded, they were returned and delivered back again, 2. Chron. 28.5—15. but this invasion here spoken of was after them; when not content with what spoil they had made in Judah, they resolved to join their forces together, and to go up and besiege Jerusalem, and to depose Ahaz, and make the son of Tabeal king of Judah, Isa. 7.5, 6. Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah have taken evil counsel against thee, saying, Let us go up against Judah and vex it, and let us make a breach in it for us, and set up a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal: for this is that confederacy of Rezin and Pekah, whereof the prophet speaks in that chapter: when as is there related, the king and people▪ being grievously affrighted at the tidings of it, Isaiah was sent to comfort Ahaz, and to assure him that they should not prevail against him; to which end, when he had given him liberty to ask what sign he would, and Ahaz refused to ask a sign, he had for a sign given him a most glorious promise of Christ: verse. 14. The Lord himself shall give you a sign: Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel, Isaiah 7.1 — 16.

And they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him.] And so these two kings that assured themselves of such success, because in their former invasions they had so spoiled and weakened the land of Judah; proved in the conclusion, but as two tails of smoking firebrands, as the prophet called them, Isa. 7.4. that is, their great attempts vanished into smoke, though they thought to have devoured, and burnt up all before them.

Vers. 6. At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria▪ &c.] That is, being forced to leave the siege of Jerusalem, he went (perhaps with their joint forces) to Elath, which Azariah or Uzziah the grandfather of Ahaz, had taken from the Syrians, chap. 14.22. and took it, and restored it to Syria.

Vers. 7. So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy servant, and thy son, &c.] That is, he yielded to be his vassal, and tributary, upon condition he would come to help him; and hence it is said, chap. 18.7. that Hezekiah rebelled against the king of Assyria, just the same time when Rezin and Pekah vexed Judah on the north: the Edomites and Philistines laying hold on this advantage, entered upon them from the south, slew many people, carried away many prisoners; yea the Philistines took six cities which had formerly belonged to Judah: whereupon Ahaz seeing himself environed on all sides, he sent for aid unto the Assyrian king, 2 Chron. 28.16, 17, 18. At the same time did king Ahaz send unto the king of Assyria to help him. For again the Edomites had come and and smitten Judah, and carried away captives. The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah: when he craved this aid, it is not certain; but certain it is, first, that he sinned in craving the Assyrians help, because the prophet Isaiah had assured him, that these two king should not be able to hurt him: secondly, that Rezin and Pekah were gone from Jerusalem, before the Assyrian came against them: (for else Rezin would not have gone with his army to Elath to recover that, as verse. 6. it is said he did) and thirdly, when the Assyrian did come, he distressed Ahaz, but he helped him not.

Vers. 9. The king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, &c.] Though Rezin and Pekah were gone from the siege of Jerusalem, before the Assyrians came to help Ahaz; yet when he came he invaded the land of Israel, where what havoc he made, we heard before chap. 15.29. In the days of Pekah king of Israel, came Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abel-beth-maachah, and Janoah, and Ked • sh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria: and then at the same time, as is here said, he went against Damascus, and slew Rezin, and carried the people captives to Kir, of which Amos had long before prophesied in the days of Uzziah, Amos 1.3, 4, 5. Thus saith the Lord, For three transgressions of Damascus and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof, because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron: But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Ben-hadad, I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitants from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the scepter from the house of Eden, and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the Lord: and after Isaiah foretold the same, Isaiah 8.3, 4.

Vers. 10. And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria.] To wit, to congratulate his success in taking Damascus, doubtless he was highly pleased with seeing his enemies that had lately besieged him in Jerusalem, brought on a sudden so low; Rezin being slain, and his kingdom quite lost, and the king of Israel extremely weakened, and brought into contempt amongst his subjects, by the carrying away of five tribes of Israel captives into Assyria: and it is very likely, that he triumphed in the success of his own counsels, in sending for the king of Assyria, contrary to what the prophet Isaiah had advised, Isaiah 7.4. little thinking that within a few years that very nation, in whose victories he now triumphed, should utterly ruin the kingdom of Judah, as they had done other kingdoms; of which it seems, the prophet Isaiah gave Ahaz warning, Isaiah 7.17. The Lord shall bring upon thee and upon thy people, and upon thy fathers house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah; even the king of Assyria.

And saw an altar that was at Damascus: and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, &c.] What moved him to this is expressed in the Chronicles, 2. Chron. 28.23. For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me; but they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel: and because he did this also at a time when God had so heavily afflicted him, his sin was the more grievous; as it is there noted, verse. 22. And in the time of his distress, did he trespass yet more against the Lord.

Vers. 11. And Urijah the priest built an Altar according to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus, &c.] Though hitherto this Urijah had maintained the true worship of God in the Temple, and was not long before this chosen by the prophet Isaiah as a witness of his prophesy, which he fastened upon the doors of the Temple, Isaiah 8.1, 2. yet now he turned Apostate and yielded presently to further this wicked command of Ahaz.

Vers. 12: And the king approached to the altar, and offered thereon.] To wit, to the gods of Assyria, 2. Chron. 28.23. He sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria, &c.

Vers. 14. And he brought also the brazen altar which was before the Lord, from the forefront of the house, &c.] That is, having set up his new altar in the forefront of the Temple, where the brazen altar which Solomon had made stood; because he would not have the brazen altar stand above his, he removed that from the place where it stood betwixt his altar and the Temple, and set it in on the north side, as it were in a corner out of the way.

Vers. 15. And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, Upon the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, &c.] That is, upon his new altar, which it seems was greater then Solomon's altar; or else more highly esteemed by him, and therefore so called: yet that it was not of brass, we may probably conceive, because in the foregoing verse, Solomon's altar is distinguished from this new altar, by the name of the brazen altar.

And the brazen altar shall be for me to inquire by.] As if he should have said, meddle not with that but leave that to me, when I shall think fit I will make use of it, and otherwise there shall be no use made of it.

Vers. 18. And the covert for the Sabbath that they had built in the house, and the kings entry without, turned he, &c.] It is hard to say what this covert of the Sabbath was; some think it was a place provided for the Levites, that kept the watch before the doors of the Temple, into which they entered every Sabbath day in their courses: but the most probable opinion seems to be, that it was either some place provided for the priests, when they taught the people on the Sabbath days; or rather some costly covered seat, wherein the kings of Judah used to hear the priests expounding the law on the Sabbath day: whatever it was, both that, and the kings entry without, that is, the entry whereby the kings used to pass from their palace to the Temple, Ahaz turned them from the house of the Lord; that is, he took them from the Temple, and that for the king of Assyria; that is, either he brake them down, and sold the materials which were happily costly, to make up the money he gave to the king of Assyria; or else he diverted them to some other use, that the heathen king seeing him so estranged from the religion of his fathers, might be the faster friend to him: it is also added in the Chronicles, that he shut up the doors of the house of the Lord, and made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem, &c. 2. Chron. 28.24, 25.

Vers. 20. And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David.] But not in the sepulcher of the kings, 2. Chron. 28.27. And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem, but they brought him not into the sepulcher of the kings of Israel. He began his reign in the end of the seventeenth year of Pekah king of Israel, and reigned sixteen years verse. 1, 2. the first three years therefore of his reign, were the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth of Pekah; the other thirteen years of his reign, Hoshea was partly striving to settle himself in the kingdom of Israel, and partly settled in the kingdom. See the note, chap. 17.1.

CHAP. XVII.

Vers. 1. IN the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign, &c.] It is manifest that Hoshea the last king of Israel, slew Pekah in the twentieth year of Jotham, and that then he assumed to himself the title of king of Israel, chap. 15.30. And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and slew him in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah: and as manifest it is, that the year which is there called the twentieth of Jotham, was the fourth of Ahaz his son (for Jotham reigned but sixteen years, chap. 15.33. Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. Now if Hoshea succeeded Pekah in the kingdom of Israel, in the fourth year of Ahaz, how is it here said that he began to reign in Samaria in the twelfth year of Ahaz; surely, because though he thrust himself into the kingdom, yet he was not acknowledged king, but opposed as an usurper; and that perhaps not only by the Israelites, but also by the king of Assyria, who in the latter end of Pekahs reign, had (upon the persuasion of Ahaz) entered into the land of Israel, and seized upon a great part of the kingdom, chap. 15.29. and thus the kingdom of Israel was in a manner unsettled, until the twelfth year of Ahaz his reign, when either by the people, or by the Assyrian king, Hoshea had, it seems, the crown of Israel confirmed to him; and so he reigned, as it is said here, nine years: for after the twelfth year of Ahaz his reign (which must not be reckoned, because it was well nigh ended ere Hoshea was established king) there are four years of Ahaz his reign remaining (for he reigned sixteen years, chap. 16.2.) and five years of Hezekiah's reign, which makes nine years. Indeed chap. 18.1. it is said, Hezekiah began to reign in the third year of Hoshea: but of that see the note there.

Vers. 2. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, but not as the kings of Israel that were before him.] To wit, because though he continued the idolatry of Jeroboam, yet he abandoned the grosser idolatries of many kings that had been before him; and then besides he suffered such of his subjects as would, to go up to worship in the Temple of Jerusalem, which the former kings of Israel would not permit: this we find, 2. Chron. 30.11. &c. where it is said, that when Hezekiah had proclaimed a solemn passover, many of the ten tribes went up to keep the passover in Jerusalem.

Vers. 3. Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria, &c.] When Hoshea had slain Pekah in the fourth year of Ahaz, as is before noted, he found not so ready admittance into his throne, as perhaps he expected; and whilst the people were in this combustion amongst themselves, Shalmaneser (called by others Nabonassar) the son of Tiglath-pilezer, being either desired to come into the aid of that party that opposed Hoshea; or being of himself ready enough to take advantage of these civil broils, that he might wholly subdue that kingdom which his father had already in a great part ruined; he came up against Hoshea, and at length prevailed so far, that Hoshea was content to become his servant, and to pay him tribute: and so was settled in the throne of Israel, which was (as is probable) in the twelfth year of Ahaz, as is above noted, verse. 1.

Vers. 4. And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea, &c.] That is, Shalmaneser the Assyrian king, discovered that Hoshea had practiced with So king of Egypt, to wit, that Hoshea should cast off the yoke of the Assyrian king, and that he should be supported herein with succor from Egypt; and this he first suspected, by hearing that Hoshea had sent ambassadors to the king of Egypt, and then was confirmed in his suspicion, when he found that Hoshea neglected to pay the tribute, which formerly he had yearly paid: this So is thought to be the same that by other Historians is called Sua or Sabucus the Ethiopian, because in Ethiopia he had his education: the encroaching power of the Assyrian might be well terrible to Egyp • at this time, and therefore it is no wonder though he animated Hoshea against the Assyrian: the wonder only would be, that in a matter that so nearly concerned him, he should afford no more succor to the king of Israel: but that it is true indeed, that though this be not here expressed, yet perhaps he might afford him succor, however they proved too weak to support him against the overbearing power of the Assyrian Monarch.

Therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison.] To wit, when he had taken Samaria, as is afterwards related, verse. 6.

Vers. 5. Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.] To wit, in the seventh, eighth, and ninth year of Hoshea, which was the fourth, fifth, and sixth of Hezekiah king of Judah, chap. 18.9, 10. And it came to pass in the fourth year of Hezekiah king of Judah (which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel) that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it. And at the end of three years they took it, even in the sixth year of Hezekiah (that is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel) Samaria was taken.

Vers. 6. In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, &c.] And so now all the rest of the ten tribes were carried away captives, from which they never returned again, and the kingdom of Israel was utterly ruined, having continued from Jeroboam their first king about two hundred threescore and two years.

Vers. 9. And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right, &c.] The idolatry of Israel was open and public; but yet because they covered over this their idolatry and superstition with pretences of worshiping the only true God, the God of Israel; therefore it is said, they did secretly, or covertly, those things that were not right; and besides there were many private idolatries and impieties practiced amongst them, besides what were allowed or enjoined by public authority, to which these words may also have relation, according to that, Ezek. 8.12. Son of man, Hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? &c.

And they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of watchmen to the fenced city.] That is, in all places; not only in their cities, but also in the most solitary and unfrequented places; there was not so much as a tower built, where watchmen were appointed to be for the guarding of the castle, or for the defense of the country, but there they had their idols, and their high places to worship their idols in.

Vers. 13. Yet the Lord testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers.] That is, by all his messengers whom he sent to them, to whom he made known his will, partly by divine revelations, partly by visions.

Vers. 15. And they followed vanity, and became vain, &c.] That is, they followed idols, and did that which argued most gross folly and weakness, according to that Psalm. 115.8. They that make them are like unto them, so is everyone that trusteth in them.

Vers. 17. And sold themselves to do evil, &c.] See the note 1. Kings 21.20.

Vers. 18. Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight, &c.] That is, he cast them out of the land, which he had chosen for the habitation of his people, and where he had placed the sacred signs of his presence among them: whereupon it follows, that there was none left but the tribe of Judah only: for the tribe of Benjamin, since the revolt of the ten tribes, was incorporated, as it were, with the tribe of Judah, as one people; and so were reckoned as one tribe together with them. See the note, 1. Kings 11.13.

Vers. 19. Also Judah kept not the commandments of the Lord their God. &c.] This is added as a second cause why the Lord brought this heavy judgment upon the Israelites; to wit, because the kingdom of Judah was by their example corrupted and tainted with the same sins, whereby God was still the more offended: Hosea 4.15. Though thou Israel play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend, &c. and it may also be inserted as an aggravation of Judah's sin, who would not be warned by the punishment that was inflicted on the Israelites, according to that Jer. 3.8. when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery, I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce, yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

Vers. 20. And the Lord rejected all the seed of Israel, &c.] That is, all of the kingdom of the ten tribes, as is plainly implied in the former verses: and indeed though they of Judah were afterward carried away captives also, yet God did never reject and cast them off, as he did those of the ten tribes: for within a few years he brought them again into their own land.

Vers. 24. And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, &c.] To wit, Shalmaneser, verse. 3. other colonies were also afterwards brought thither by Esar-haddon the son of Sennacherib, Ezra 4.2. We seek your God as ye do, and we do sacrifice unto him, since the days of Esar-haddon king of Ashur, which brought us up hither: but doubtless the first colonies of these heathen people were brought up thither by Shalmaneser, who now carried away the Israelites captives, and transplanted other nations in their room, and these were they that after this time were called Samaritans, verse. 29. betwixt whom and the Jews there was always a most deadly hatred, Luke 9.52. And they sent messengers before his face, and they went and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him, And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. John 4.9. Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou being a Jew, askest drink of me which am a woman of Samaria: for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

Vers. 25. And so it was at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they feared not the Lord &c.] They served him not, no not so much as with performing those outward duties of his worship and service, which he had enjoined the Israelites.

Vers. 26. Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria, &c.] To wit, by those messengers, whom with this message they had sent to him. See verse. 27.

Vers. 27. Carry thither one of the priests whom ye brought from thence, and let them go and dwell there, &c.] That is, let the messengers that are come to inform us, how the lions have devoured our new plantation in Samaria; go back with the priest that is assigned to go with them, and dwell there again as formerly; yet some understand these words, and let them go and dwell there, of a new plantation that were to be sent thither, instead of those that were devoured by the lions; which was happily that which went in the days of Esar-haddon, Ezra 4.2.

Vers. 28. Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria▪ came and dwelt in Beth-el, &c.] That is, one of the Israelites idolatrous priests: even they pretended the worshiping of the Lord Jehovah the God of Israel, though under the images of the golden calves; and doubtless, did retain most of the ceremonies and ordinances which the Lord had taught his people; and because in these things he instructed these heathens, therefore it is said, that he taught them how they should fear the Lord.

Vers. 32. So they feared the Lord, &c.] That is, they worshipped the Lord Jehovah, the God of the Israelites, after the manner they were taught by that idolatrous priest of Israel, which the king of Assyria had sent to them; and because this worship was in many things according to the way of worship which God had prescribed his people; and because they did it for fear of being destroyed by lions, as formerly they had been; therefore it is said that they feared the Lord; yet withal, because they did not truly fear the Lord, but followed the way of Jeroboams idolatry, and withal worshiped their own Assyrian gods too, therefore it is said afterward also verse. 34. that they feared not the Lord.

Vers. 33. They feared the Lord, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations, whom they carried away from thence.] This last clause may be read as it is in the margin, after the manner of the nations who carried them away from thence, and then the meaning must needs be, that as they feared the Lord Jehovah, the God of the Israelites; that is, as they did outwardly serve him, so they did also serve other false gods, as did the nations that had carried them away, and planted them in the land of Samaria: but if we read it as it is in our bibles, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence, then the meaning may be, either, that these new colonies in Samaria, served both the Lord Jehovah, and withal their own gods, each after the manner of the several nations, of whom the kings of Assyria had taken some, and carried them into the land of the Israelites; or else, that these Samaritans did fear the Lord, and served their own gods, even as the idolatrous Israelites that were there before them had done; whom the Assyrians had carried away into captivity: for the word nations may have reference to the idolatrous Israelites, as in respect of their several tribes; or as jointly considered, with other bordering nations that were carried captive by the Assyrians, when the Israelites were carried captive.

Vers. 34. Unto this day they do after the former manner, &c.] All that follows from hence unto the end of the fortieth verse, may be understood of the Israelites, that were carried captive into Assyria; even after this heavy judgment they continued still obstinate, and feared not the Lord: yet I see not but that it may be also understood of the Samaritans, and that to show, that though they lived in the land of Israel, yet they were far from doing what God had required his Israel to do.

CHAP. XVIII.

Vers. 1. NOw it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.] Hoshea slew Pekah in the fourth year of Ahaz, as is before noted, chap. 15.30. and though he were not immediately acknowledged king of Israel, yet in the twelfth year of Ahaz he began his reign in Israel, chap. 17.1. and Ahaz reigned in all but sixteen years, chap. 16.2. so that the last of Ahaz his reign seems to have been the fifth year of Hoshea, and the first of Hezekiah perhaps the sixth of Hoshea; and yet here it is said, that the first of Hezekiah was the third of Hoshea: I answer, that though Hoshea was confirmed king in the twelfth year of Ahaz, and so it is said in the twelfth of Ahaz he began to reign in Samaria; yet because he reigned then only as a viceroy under the king of Assyria, the nine years of his absolute reign are not reckoned, till he cast off the Assyrian yoke, and took upon him to reign as absolute king; which was it seems two years after, to wit, in the fourteenth year of Ahaz: and so the third of Hoshea was indeed the first of Hezekiah.

Vers. 2. Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem.] If we compare this place with chap. 16.2. where it is said that Ahaz Hezekiah's father was twenty years old when he began to reign, and that he reigned sixteen years, and consequently was thirty six years old when he died; it may seem that Ahaz begat Hezekiah when he was little above eleven years old: for if Hezekiah was five and twenty years old when his father was but thirty six, it must necessarily follow that Ahaz was but eleven years old when his son Hezekiah was born: to avoid this inconvenience some hold that Ahaz was one and twenty years old, or nigh so much, when he began to reign, the incomplete year not being reckoned, chap. 16.2. the like also they say concerning the years of his reign, to wit, that he reigned seventeen years well nigh complete, and so was thirty eight years old when he died; on the other side they say that Hezekiah was but twenty four years old when he began to reign; only because he was four and twenty years old complete, and something more, it is here said, that he was five and twenty years old when he began to reign. Now according to this computation Ahaz being thirty eight eight years old when he died, and Hezekiah twenty four, it will follow that Ahaz was fourteen years old when Hezekiah his son was born, which, say they, was possible enough; but because we find elsewhere that it was so usual with the kings of Judah and Israel, to cause their sons that were to succeed them to be designed kings in their life; I should rather conceive, that what is said both of Ahaz and Hezekiah, concerning their age when they began to reign, is meant of the time when they were first designed kings, as is before noted, chap. 16.2.

His mothers name was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.] Or Abijah 2. Chron. 29.1. and if she were, as is supposed by many, the daughter of that Zachariah, by whom so long as he lived Uzziah was kept in the way of truth, chap. 26.5. we may well think that her piety, manifested in the careful education of this her son, was a chief means under God that he proved so zealous for the cause of the true Religion, though his father was so extremely wicked.

Vers. 4. He removed the high places, and brake the images, &c.] Other particulars are expressed in the Chronicles which are not here mentioned; as first, that in the first month of the first year of his reign he opened the doors of the Temple, which Ahaz had shut up, and repaired them, to wit, by overlaying them with gold where they were decayed. Secondly, that having called together the priests and Levites, he exhorted them to sanctify themselves, and to cleanse the house of God, willing them to consider that all the calamities which had lately fallen upon them, were for those foul corruptions in Religion which were crept in amongst them, and that this the priests and Levites did carefully, as he enjoined them; and so the king, with the rulers of the city, came up immediately to the Temple, and offered sacrifices there in a most solemn manner unto the Lord. Thirdly, that upon advice taken, because they could not keep the passover at the usual time, they resolved to keep it on the fourteenth day of the second month, to this end proclamation was made throughout the kingdom for the assembly of the people; yea the king sent posts with letters to the Israelites of the ten tribes, to persuade them also to return unto the Lord, and to come up unto Jerusalem to keep the passover, and the feast of unleavened bread; wherein he prevailed with divers of them (though the most of them laughed his messengers to scorn) and so there was a great assembly both of the men of Judah and Israel, in Jerusalem, where they kept the feast with exceeding great joy: at which time it was that the people by the kings encouragement beginning first in Jerusalem, and afterward procceeding to the other cities of Judah, yea, and to some cities of the Israelites too, brake down all the idols and their appurtenance, as is here relalated; yea, and removed the high places too, which had hitherto stood in the days of their best king. And fourthly, that he ordered the courses of the priests and Levites, and provided both for their work and maintenance, wherein he sound the people very forward.

And he called it Nehushtan.] That is a lump or little piece of brass: to intimate the folly of the people in worshiping the brazen serpent, when he had broken it, he called it Nehushtan.

Vers. 5. After him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor a • y that were before him.] That is, he excelled all that were before him, and all that were after him: for the kings that were before him the case is clear; for the comparison is not betwixt him and David or Solomon, but betwixt him and the kings of Judah, that sat in the throne of David, ever since the kingdom was rent into two kingdoms, the kingdom of Judah, and the kingdom of the ten tribes: now all these he excelled, in that he removed the high places, which neither Jehoshaphat nor any other of the good kings of Judah had hitherto done. But how did he excel all that were after him? seeing of Josiah his grandchild it is said, chap. 23.25. that there was no king before him like unto him? I answer; this needs not seem strange, if we consider, that though Josiah might excel him in some things, as indeed he did; yet Hezekiah might excel Josiah in other things: as first, in that Hezekiah was the first that removed the high places, though none before him had done it, yet he would not suffer them to stand; but when Josiah removed the high places, he had the example of this his good grandfather to encourage him: and secondly, in his many victories over the Philistines, wherein Josiah was never so successful.

Vers. 7. And he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.] If when Ahaz did send to the Assyrian to aid him against Rezin king of Syria, and Pekah king of Israel, chap. 16.7. he did not only hire him thereto with a great sum of money, but did all • o covenant to become his vassal, and to pay him a yearly tribute; and yet within a while after, when Hezekiah succeeded his father Ahaz in the kingdom, encouraged with his victories over the Philistines and others, he resolved to cast off the yoke of the Assyrian, and so withheld the tribute that had been formerly paid; then no wonder it is, though it be said here of Hezekiah, that he rebelled against the king of Assyria: some Expositors excuse, yea, commend this fact of Hezekiah's; and that either by supposing that Ahaz had covenanted to pay tribute for some certain years, and so that term of years being now expired, Hezekiah was free; or else by pleading that it was unlawful for Ahaz to subject God's free people to the yoke of a heathen prince; and therefore it was lawful for Hezekiah to cast off his yoke: but rather I conceive, it was a weakness and error in Hezekiah to do this, though he did it out of a zeal against the subjection of God's people to a foreign power: and that first, because it is here expressly termed rebellion▪ and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not: secondly, because Hezekiah did himself acknowledge afterwards, that he had offended herein, verse. 14. and Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish▪ saying, I have offended, &c. and thirdly, because we find elsewhere, that Zedekiah king of Judah was sharply condemned for casting off the yoke of the Babylonian king, contrary to the covenant that had been made with him; as is largely expressed▪ Ezek. 17.12, 13. &c.

Vers. 8. He smote the Philistines even unto Gaza, &c.] The Philistines had taken many strong cities from his father Ahaz, 2. Chron. 28.18. The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low-country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh▪ and Aialon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages thereof. Hezekiah therefore did now make war upon them, and did mightily prevail, taking from them all that they had gotten, as far as Gaza, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city. Concerning which expression see the note, chap. 17.9.

Vers. 13. Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, &c.] Because Hezekiah had rebelled against the Assyrian Sennacherib, therefore the son of Shalmaneser in the fourteenth year of Hezekiah, which was eight years after Shalmaneser had taken Samaria, and carried away the Israelites into captivity, raised a mighty army and invaded the kingdom of Judah; and thus did the Lord both punish the wickedness of the people, which was the more insufferable because it was under the government of so pious a prince; and withal exercised the patience, and tried the faith of good Hezekiah.

Vers. 14. And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended &c.] At the first entrance of Sennacherib into the kingdom, Hezekiah buckled himself with all diligence to defend himself and his kingdom against him; and to that end by the advice of his counsel and captains, he cut off the waters that were likely to be useful to the Assyrian army, and fortified Jerusalem • and calling together his soldiers and men of war, he spake comfortably to them, and assured them of God's assistance, 2. Chron. 32.2, 8. but it seems, when he saw how suddenly the Assyrian had taken many cities of Judah, and that proceeding on in his victories he had also besieged Lachish; he began to fear the worst, and so resolved to try if he could buy his peace, and sent his ambassadors to acknowledge his offense, and to entreat his favor, yielding withal to pay what ever tribute he would impose upon him.

Vers. 17. And the king of Assyria sent Tartan, and Rabsaris, and Rabshakeh from Lachish, &c.] Having gotten the money above mentioned into his hands, verse. 14. The king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah, three hundred talents of silver, and thirty talents of gold: he notwithstanding went forward in his enterprize of subduing them; and therefore not only continued the siege of Lachish, but also sent a good part of his army under the command of three of his captains, whereof Rabshakeh was chief (and therefore is only mentioned by Isaiah, chap. 36.2.) And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem to Hezekiah king of Judah: ) to besiege Jerusalem, 2. Chron. 32.9. After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to besiege Jerusalem, but he himself laid siege against Lachish: even now he had a purpose, as it seems, to invade Egypt, and was therefore resolved not to leave this kingdom of Judah behind him, to join with the Egyptian, and so to annoy him: rather he desired to make Jerusalem a place of retreat for his army; and therefore though he thought good to dissemble with Hezekiah, and to condescend seemingly to accept of a tribute; yet so soon as he had gotten the gold and silver into his hands, he perfidiously went forwards in his wars, and now nothing would serve him, but to have Jerusalem delivered up into his hands.

Vers. 18. There came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the Scribe, &c.] This Eliakim was he of whom Isaiah had prophesied, that he should be advanced to that place of dignity in Hezekiah's court, which at that time Shebna did enjoy, Isaiah 22.20▪ 21. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and commit thy government into his hand: and indeed what is there said of Shebna, that he was over the house, Isaiah 22.15. (Get thee unto this treasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the house:) is here said of Eliakim; and for the Shebna here mentioned, the kings scribe or secretary, it was not (as I conceive) that wicked Shebna, in whose place the Prophet foretold that Eliakim should succeed, but another officer of Hezekiah of the same name; and therefore perhaps it is so expressed, Isaiah 22.15. Get thee unto this treasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the house, to distinguish him from this Shebna the secretary or scribe.

Vers. 19. Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria.] It is conceived, that this manner of speech they might use by way of deriding the prophets of Israel, who in their prophesying did ordinarily begin after this manner, Thus saith the Lord God.

Vers. 25. Am I now come up without the Lord against this place to destroy it? &c.] This Rabshakeh might speak only to terrify the people, though in truth he had never any such thought concerning the all-ruling providence of God; but besides having heard of Hezekiah's taking away the high places and altars, whereon for many years together the people had worshipped the God of Israel, he might persuade himself that this marvelous success, which the Assyrians had had in their wars against Judah, proceeded from the wrath of the God of Israel against his people; and so urgeth them with this, that doubtless their own God had brought his master against them, to punish them for this which Hezekiah had done.

Vers. 26. Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, &c.] That is, one of them in the name of them all: though these three men came out to parley with Rabshaketh and the other Assyrian captains, yet it seems Rabshaketh when he spake to them, spake so loud, and that in the Jews language, that all the soldiers that were on the wall might hear what he said; which he did purposely to affright the people, as is expressly noted, 2. Chron. 32.18. Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews speech unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to affright them, and to trouble them, that they might take the city: Eliakim therefore, and those that were with him, desired Rabshaketh to speak in the Syrian and not in the Jews language, Speak I pray thee to thy servants in the Syrian language (for we understand it) and talk not with us in the Jews language, in the ears of the people that are on the wall: a strange request indeed this may seem, to be made to an enemy, who they might be sure would do what he could to discourage the people, and to raise sedition amongst them: but first, it is no wonder, that men in danger should seek to help themselves in those ways, whereby there is little or no likelihood that they should do themselves any good: and secondly, perhaps they desired this of him as refusing to continue the parley, unless he would speak to them in the Syrian language; upon which ground they might conceive he would yield to them, as hoping that upon this parley they would surrender the city to him peaceably.

Vers. 32. Untill I come and take you away to a land like your own land, &c.] Because the Assyrian king had lately carried away the Israelites captives into a strange country, this people could not but fear the like measure, by way of answering these their fears; therefore he adds these words, wherein he yields indeed, that they might expect that at his return (for their purpose was to go against Egypt, as soon as they had perfected the conquest of Judea) they should be removed out of their country; but withal he adds that they should be carried to a land as good as their own.

Vers. 36. But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the kings commandment was, saying, Answer him not.] To wit, lest they should rashly either exasperate the enemy, or discover their fears, or give any other advantage to them, by anything they should say; and because there was no better way to pull down the swelling pride of this insolent tyrant, then thus to seem not to mind what he said, or at least, not to judge his words worthy an answer.

Vers. 37. Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, &c.] To wit, because of the blasphemy of Rabshakeh, and the great distress whereinto they were all like to fall.

CHAP. XIX.

Vers. 3. THis is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy.] That is, this is a day wherein the poor people of God are in great trouble, wherein the Lord hath testified his displeasure against us, and rebuked us for our sins, and wherein the proud enemy hath blasphemed God's name.

For the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.] That is, such as is the condition of a woman in travel, when the child is come to the very birth, and then her strength fails her, that she cannot be delivered; such is our condition: our sorrow is extreme, our danger desperate; as being brought to such extremities, that unless help come presently, we are sure to perish, and no power or ability we have to help ourselves; so that unless God do miraculously help us, we must needs perish, both prince and people: and in such extremities God is wont to come in to the help of his poor distressed people.

Vers. 4. It may be the Lord thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, &c.] That is, it may be he will manifest that he hath heard them by punishing him for them.

Wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left.] That is, pray earnestly unto God, for those few that are left of the people of God: he calls them a remnant, first, with respect to the captivity of the ten tribes who were carried away into a strange land; and so only Judah and Benjamin were left: secondly, with respect to the havoc that had been made amongst the people of Judah, both in the days of Ahaz his father, and now also by Sennacherib in many of their cities which he had taken; and for these he desires him to lift up a prayer; that is, to pray fervently: for in fervent prayer the soul of a man mounts up as it were to heaven, and is above all thinking of earthly things, according to that of David, Psal. 25.1. Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

Vers. 7. Behold, I will send a blast upon him, &c.] That is, I will drive him out of the kingdom, even as the dust or chaff is driven by a blast of wind; and thus the Lord shows how unable the Assyrian should be to stand against his indignation notwithstanding he thought his power could not be resisted. What this blast was wherewith the Assyrian was driven out of the land, may be probably gathered by that which is related afterward: it may be meant either of the report of the king of Ethiopia's arming against him, or of the slaughter which was made by the Angel in his army, verse. 35. or of the fear and terror wherewith he was stricken of God upon those occasions, or of all these together: and so likewise for the rumour that is mentioned in the next words, and he shall hear a rumour, &c. it may be mean • both of the rumour that the king of Ethiopia was come out against him, verse. 9. and of the rumour of the slaughter made in the Assyrian army, perhaps the tumult, and shreeking, and groans that were then amongst them.

Vers. 8. So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah.] Rabshakeh finding that the inhabitants of Jerusalem would not yield to open their gates unto him, went presently to Sennacherib to Libnah; either to inform him of their resolution, or rather to confer with him concerning the army of Tirhakah the Arabian, or Ethiopian king, whereof it seems he had heard. Whether he raised the siege, and went away with that army he carried against Jerusalem, chap. 18.17. it is not expressed. The threatening letters which Sennacherib immediately sent to Hezekiah, by terrifying him to make him yield, is a probable argument that Rabshakeh had left his army still before Jerusalem, under the command of the other captains, and only went himself to Sennacherib, to consult with him concerning their affairs.

Vers. 9. And when he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to sight against thee: he sent messengers again unto Hezekiah.] And withal he gave them letters written to Hezekiah, containing in effect the same message, verse. 14. and the reason why he thus sought by all means to terrify Hezekiah, was to make him yield presently to him, that if it were possible he might be possessed of Jerusalem, before they should hear of the coming of the Ethiopian army; and that the rather, because that city would be the most convenient place for him to retreat unto with his army, if need were to shelter themselves against the Ethiopians.

Vers. 14. And Hezekiah went up into the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord.] That is, he spread Sennacherib's letter before the altar, the sign of God's presence amongst them; and this he did, partly, to quicken his own spirit, and to strengthen his own faith in prayer, by the sight of that blasphemous writing; and partly, by that outward sign, to imply what he desired of God; namely, that God would take notice of, and revenge the horrible blasphemies of that daring wretch, against his great and glorious name.

Vers. 16. And hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God.] That is, the messenger that brought his letter.

Vers. 21: This is the word that the Lord hath spoken concerning him, The virgin, the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, &c.] That is, the inhabitants of Zion & Jerusalem shall laugh thee to scorn. The people inhabiting any city, or country, are in the Scripture usually called the daughter of that city or country, Psal. 45.12. And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift: Psal. 137.8. O daughter of Babylon who art to be destroyed: because they have been bred, born, and nourished the • e, and have lived under the defense & government thereof, and ought to be faithful and obedient to the government under which they live; whence naturally all nations are wont to style their country, their mother, 2. Sam. 20.19. Thou seekest to destroy a city, and a mother in Israel: and they are called the virgin daughter of Zion, not so much because they were not now defiled with idolatry, which is spiritual fornication (for even heathen people are so called Isa. 47.1. Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin-daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: Jer. 46.11. Go up into Gilead, and take balm; O virgin the daughter of Egypt: and where had been grosser idolatry, then amongst the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the days of Ahaz?) nor because she had never yet been subdued and brought under the command of any foreign prince (for after they were under the Babylonian command, they are still called so, Lam. 1, 15. the Lord hath trodden the virgin the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress, and 2.13. What thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? ) but rather, because of their constant abode in those places; for in that regard they might most fitly be resembled to a virgin daughter that lives with her mother; tenderly and delicately brought up by her: yea, perhaps in this place this phrase is used also to imply the weakness of Jerusalem at this time.

Vers. 23. By thy messengers thou hast reproached the Lord.] By this circumstance doth the Prophet aggravate the insolent pride of Sennacherib: that he set his servants to blaspheme the holy name of God.

With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, &c.] That is, the strongest places of the kingdom I have subdued, and passed through as a conqueror, even those that seemed to them most inaccessible; and am now come to the sides of Lebanon, that is, their chief city and strength, the city Jerusalem: and hereby is intimated that nothing could or should stand in the way of his armies; that as he had hitherto, so he would still subdue the land before him, take possession of their forts and castles, cut down the tall cedar trees, and the choice fir trees, that is, destroy there Princes, Nobles, and great men, enter the lodgings of his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel; that is, possess himself of their frontier towns, and all the fruitful and pleasant places of their country; even as conquerors in a land subdued are wont to do, as they go along, what they please themselves.

Vers. 24. I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places.] That is, when I have come in places most destitute of water, it hath been no hindrance to me, because even there I have digged up strange waters, that is, fountains, & waters, where never any were seen before; & on the other side where cities have been environed with great & deep waters, no sooner have I set my foot there to besiege them, but with the multitude of my soldiers I have dried them up. Thus he boasts, that nothing could be a let to his numerous army, and laughs to scorn Hezekiah's policy in cutting of the waters, 2. Chron. 32.3.

Vers. 25. Hast thou not heard long ago, how I have done it, and of ancient times that I have formed it? &c.] As if the Lord should have said, Thou boastest of the conquest of many nations, but didst thou never hear that there is a God in heaven that ruleth the world, by whose providence and decree all such things are done: surely thus it is with thee, now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps; that is, that which I before determined, I have now by thee brought to pass, using thee as my scourge to punish the wickedness of men, and to turn their strong fenced cities into ruinous heaps; which agrees with that which the Prophet saith elsewhere, Isaiah 10.5, 6. O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation, I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire in the streets: there is indeed another translation of these words, which is set in the margin of our Bibles, Hast thou not heard how I have made it long ago, and formed it of ancient times, should I now bring it to be laid waste, and fenced cities to be ruinous heaps? and according to this translation the meaning may be, that God had long ago and of ancient times made and formed the Israelites to be his peculiar people, and had planted them in the land of Canaan, which he had provided for their inheritance (a thing so famously known, that Sennacherib must needs have heard of it) and that therefore it was not likely that God would now suffer him wholly to lay waste their country, and to turn their cities into ruinous heaps: but the first exposition doth far best agree with the scope of the Lord's upbraiding the pride of Sennacherib, in boasting of what he had done to so many nations.

Vers. 26. Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded, they were as the grass of the field, &c.] That is, because I gave them up into thy power, therefore they were soon and easily destroyed.

Vers. 27. But I know thy abode, and thy going out, &c.] That is, I know all thy counsels and enterprises; there is nothing thou doest advise upon, or determine, nothing thou doest attempt or accomplish, but it is known to me; yea, thou doest nothing but what I have determined shall be done: and this is fully that which David acknowledgeth concerning himself, Psalm. 139.2, 3. Thou knowest my down sitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thoughts afar off, thou compassest my path, and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

Vers. 29. And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things as grow of themselves, &c.] That is, though ye have been hindered from sowing and planting this year, by reason of the Assyrians that have invaded your land; yea, though there be no sowing nor planting the next year, (to wit, either because it was the Sabbath year, the year of the lands rest; or because the Assyrians left not the country till seed time was past) yet there shall be sufficient that shall grow of itself of the scattered seeds of corn that fell upon the earth; and hereby some infer, that the Assyrians continued a time in the land, even after this promise was made to Hezekiah by the prophet Isaiah, at least, till the seed time of the second year was past: and a very miraculous passage this was, that for three years they should live of that which grew of itself; nor is it any wonder that the Lord gives that for a sign to strengthen their faith, which was not accomplished till the Assyrians had left the land: we see the like Exod. 3.12. And he said, Certainly I will be with thee, and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee, when thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. (Concerning which, see the note there.)

Vers. 30. And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah, shall yet again take root downward▪ &c.] Because though they should at present be delivered from the Assyrians, they might fear that being brought to such a poor number, their nation would never be able long to subsist; this promise is added concerning future times, to wit, that that small remnant of them which had escaped the sword of the Assyrians, should like a thriving flourishing tree, grow and prosper, and replenish the land again, as in former times.

Vers. 31. For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion.] That is, that poor remnant that now for fear of the Assyrians, is shut up within the walls of Jerusalem, shall go forth thence (the enemies being fled) and shall again replenish the land.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this.] The Lord's zeal for his own glory, the fervent love he bears to his people, and his just indignation against the enemy, shall move him to do this, however his people have deserved no such favor at his hands.

Vers. 32. He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, &c.] It is evident that Rabshaketh came up against Jerusalem with a great army, chap. 18.17. if he removed his army thence when he went to Sennacherib to Libnah, verse. 8. (which perhaps he did, having heard of the Ethiopian that was coming against them) then the meaning of this place is clear, that notwithstanding the threatening letters he had sent, he should not return again to lay siege unto Jerusalem; but if the army of Rabshakeh lay still before Jerusalem, then the meaning of these words may be, that though the army of Rabshakeh had blocked up Jerusalem, and waited for the coming of Sennacherib's army, who was happily gone against the Egyptian and Ethiopian army, intending then with their joint forces to assault Jerusalem; yet he should never cast a bank against it, but should return the way he came, which accordingly came to pass, verse. 35. as was formerly prophesied by Isaiah, chap. 14.25. I will break the Assyrian in my land▪ and upon my mountains tread him underfoot; then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulder.

Vers. 34. For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake, and for my servant David's sake.] That is, because of my promise made to David concerning the perpetuity of his throne, which had respect chiefly to Christ the son of David, of whom David was a type.

Vers. 35. And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went out, &c.] That is, that very night, after the Prophet had sent this message to Hezekiah concerning the deliverance of Jerusalem, or that night when the Lord performed this which the prophet had foretold, the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians, one hundred fourscore and five thousand; and amongst others the captains and leaders of his camp, perhaps even Rabshakeh amongst the rest who had lately belched forth such execrable blasphemies against the God of Israel, 2. Chron. 32.21. And the Lord sent an Angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valor, and the leaders, and captains, in the camp of the king of Assyria, &c.

Vers. 36. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, &c.] With shame of face, 2. Chron. 32.21. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. &c. the book of Tobit also telleth us, that at his return, he in a rage slew many of the Israelites in Nineveh, Tobit 1.18. but of this we find no mention in any of the canonical books of Scripture.

Vers. 37. And Esar-haddon his son reigned in his stead.] Who in the beginning of his reign, sent new troops out of Syria into Samaria, to fortify the colony therein planted by his grandfather Shalmaneser▪ Ezra 4.2.

CHAP. XX.

Vers. 1. IN those days was Hezekiah sick unto death.] That is, immediately after the slaughter made in the Assyrian army by the angel, related in the end of the former chapter: and indeed manifest it is, that Hezekiah sickned in the fourteenth year of his reign (which was the year wherein Sennacherib invaded Judea, chap. 18.13. Now in the fourteenth year of Hezekiah, did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them: ) for he reigned in all but nine and twenty years, chapter 18.2. now a promise was made him of living fifteen years longer, verse. 6. and withal it is most probable, that he fell not sick before the departure of the Assyrian army; because not long before that, when he had received those blasphemous letters from Sennacherib, he went into the temple and prayed unto the Lord, &c. chap. 19.14. though he was newly delivered from so great fears, yet partly for the further trial of his faith, and partly to render him yet better, and to honor him with the ensuing miracle, God was pleased to visit him with this dangerous sickness.

Thus saith the Lord, Set thy house in order, &c.] That is, make thy will, and dispose of those things which it is fit should be set in order before thy death. Hezekiah had not yet a son to succeed him in the throne, for Manasseh was borne three years after this, as being but twelve years old at his fathers death, chap. 21.1. and therefore it is probable, that this was one chief thing which Isaiah had respect to in these words, that he should advise and determine what was requisite concerning his successor, for (saith he) thou shalt die and not live, that is, thou art but a dead man by the ordinary course of nature; there is no way of recovery for thee, unless the Lord shall be pleased by his almighty power to deliver thee: it is true indeed, this condition was not expressed, yet was it understood; the Lord purposely (or else where) concealing this part of his will, that Hezekiah receiving the sentence of death in himself, might the more earnestly seek for help unto the Lord: and that Hezekiah took it for a conditional threatening, and not a declaration of what God had absolutely determined, is evident by his praying to God for mercy herein.

Vers. 2. Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed, &c.] To wit, either because that wall was towards the Temple, or rather to hide his tears, and that being thereby the freer from distractions, he might the more freely pour forth his requests unto God, to whom he now turned, as to his only hope and comfort.

Vers. 3. I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now, how I have walked before thee in truth, &c.] Besides that love of life, and horror of death, which is naturally in all men, and which grace hath much ado to overmaster, even in the best of God's servants, there were many things that made the sentence of death in a special manner terrible to Hezekiah: as first, because he had yet no son to succeed him in the throne, chap. 21.1. and it must needs be very grievous to him to think that the promise made to David and Solomon, 1. Kings 8.25. There shall not fail thee a man in my sight, to sit on the throne of Israel, should not be made good to him in his posterity, who had to his utmost endeavored to keep the condition required of God at the giving of that promise: Secondly, because he could not but fear, lest upon his death Religion would go to wrack again, lest the reformation newly begun, would soon come to nothing, and the poor Church of God would quickly be overgrown with superstition again: Thirdly, because he saw that those that had been already forward enough to ascribe all the calamities that had befallen the kingdom in his time, to his suppressing their high places, altars, and idols, would be now much more bold to insult over him, if God should thus suddenly cut him off: And fourthly, especially because his own faith must needs be sorely assaulted, and shaken with these temptations, and that the rather, because the coming of the Prophet to him in such a manner, as God's Herald, to threaten him with death, Thou shalt die, and not live, might seem to imply, that God meant to hew him down in displeasure: doubtless, in these regards the heart of Hezekiah was almost overwhelmed with terrors; (as himself afterward expressed in his song, Isa. 38.10.—14.) and hence it is, that in this his prayer he pleads his integrity, that what he had done in the reformation of his kingdom, he had done with an upright heart, because he knew it was good in his eyes; not by way of expostulation or pleading his merits, but to support and strengthen his faith against these temptations, that he might with the more hope and confidence call upon God, and might by this argument move the Lord to show him mercy.

Vers. 4. And it came to pass afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, &c.] Some read this, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle city: and indeed it is by many held, that Jerusalem was divided into three parts; whereof one was the city of David▪ which is called Zion; another that which was of old called Jebus, or Salem; and a third, that which lay betwixt these two and joined them together, and was called the middle city, the same where Huldah the prophetess dwelt, chap. 22.14. for so some read that place, she dwelt in Jerusalem in the second part, and accordingly they understand this place that before the Prophet was gone out of the city of David into the middle city, the Lord sent him back to Hezekiah with a promise of recovery: but because the text seems most plainly to speak of the Prophets going out of the kings house, and the tender compassion of God in the speedy sending back of the Prophet to comfort the afflicted soul of Hezekiah, is the more eminently discovered by this, that afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court of the kings house, he was sent back again to the king, this translation is justly put into the text of our Bibles, as the best; and this middle court I take to be the same which is called the court within the porch, 1. Kings 7.8.

Vers. 5. Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, &c.] In sending to Hezekiah the promise of his recovery, the Lord stiles himself the God of David his father, because the promise made to David concerning the continued succession of his seed in the throne of Judah, should by this means be made good to Hezekiah, who should now live to have an heir to succeed him; even as in former time, to imply that God would perform to the Israelites what he had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, he used to style himself the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

On the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord.] The suddenness of his recovery makes it evident that it was miraculous, and the mention of his going to the house of the Lord, sweetens the tidings of his recovery, since nothing could more glad his heart then to he • e that having received the sentence of death in himself, he should yet again praise God in his holy Temple.

Vers. 6. And I will deliver thee, and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, &c.] Though Sennacherib were returned (as is most probable) into his own country: yet, first, there might be some garrisons left behind here and there in the cities he had taken: and secondly, just cause had Hezekiah to fear, that having reinforced his army, he would return again, and endeavor to wipe of the stain of his present flight; and to remove those fears, the Lord assures him, that as he had, so he would still deliver both him and Jerusalem out of the hand of the Assyrian.

Vers. 7. And Isaiah said, Take a lump of dry figs, &c.] That is, a mass made of dry figs. Both the boil that Hezekiah had in this dangerous sickness, and the mass of figs appointed to be laid to the boil, which are ordinarily used for the ripening of such hard, purulent, pestilential tumours, make it very probable it was the plague, whereof Hezekiah was now sick; and though therefore the medicine prescribed was proper for the cure in a natural way; yet if we consider how speedy the cure was, we may well think that there was a miraculous and supernatural virtue added of God, to hasten the operation of these natural means.

Vers. 8. And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me? &c,] Not because he believed not, did Hezekiah desire this sign, but for the strengthening of his faith; the rather, because the promise he now made, did so directly contradict what he had said before. See the note Judge. 6.15.

Vers, 9. Shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go backward ten degrees?] Because it is left to Hezekiah's choice, whether the shadow should go forward, or backward ten degrees, and both are propounded, as equally miraculous, for the confirmation of his faith; hence I conceive it is evident, first, that the Prophet meant it, of the retiring, or going forward of the shadow so many degrees in an instant, for the leisurely going forward of the shadow, would not have had any wonder in it, and could not therefore be proffered to him as a miraculous sign to assure him of his recovery: secondly, that the degrees that it was to go forward, or backward, were not the lines, wherewith in the dials the hours are marked out (for there could not be ten hours for it to go forward, and ten to go backward, since the day was never twenty hours long in the climate of Judea) but it must be meant of those lesser lines or degrees, where with half hours, or quarter of hours are marked; yea rather I conceive it is meant of the quarters, and that because this miraculous motion of the sun was to be observed in the dial of Ahaz: now had the sun gone backward ten hours, or five hours, it might have been as well observed in the motion of the sun; but going back no more then ten of these smaller degrees it could not be so well observed in the sun itself, as in the shadow of the dial.

Vers. 10. And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees, &c.] The very going downward or forward of the sun or shadow ten degrees, would have been a wonderful miracle, to wit, being done on a sudden, or in an instant; yet because it is natural for the sun or shadow to go forward, though it had removed far faster away forward then at other times, it had not been so great a miracle as to remove backward, which was a course directly against nature; and therefore doth Hezekiah reject this, and choose the going backward of the shadow to be his sign.

Vers. 11. He brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.] Though the sun’s going backward were the cause of the shadows going backward, as is expressed, Isaiah 38.8. Behold I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward; so the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down: yet the retiring of the shadow is only expressed, because this miraculous turning of the sun ten degrees backward, was not so easily discerned in the sun itself, as in the shadow of the dialls, and though doubtless the shadow went backward alike in all dialls, yet the dial of Ahaz is only mentioned; either, because it was the court dial, and so in that the sick king or his servants by his appointment, were to observe the miracle; or because it was set up by Ahaz in some public place for common use, and so the miracle was therein most generally observed by the people.

Vers. 12. At that time Berodach-baladan the son of Baladan king of Babylon sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah.] This Berodach-baladan is called Merodach-baladan, Isai. 39.1. by other writers Mardocem-padus; and is by many good writers counted the first Babylonian Monarch, at least he is the first that took that title: for Esar-haddon succeeding his father Sennacherib in the monarchy of Assyria, chap. 19.37. it seems this Merodach Sennacherib's lievtenant in Babylon, taking advantage of the loss of the Assyrians before Jerusalem (where an Angel had slain so many thousands) and withal of the young kings weakness, and his contention with his brothers, revolted from him, and made himself king of Babylon. Now his Chaldeans the great Astronomers of those times, having observed with astonishment, this strange alteration in the sun’s motion, and hearing a report that it was done by the God of the Jews, to assure their king of his recovery; Merodach took this occasion to send his Ambassadors to Hezekiah, both to inquire of the wonder, 2. Chron. 32.31. Howbeit in the business of the Ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him, to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, &c. and to congratulate the recovery of Hezekiah; and withal doubtless to assure to himself the friendship of Hezekiah, a known enemy to the Assyrian kings, from whom he was revolted; and therefore it may well be that it was some years after that miracle was wrought.

Vers. 13. And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shown them the house of his precious things, &c.] Though a little before he had been brought low enough, yet now he was greatly enriched, partly by the spoil of Sennacherib's camp, and partly by the rich presents brought him from many places, 2. Chron. 32.23. And many brought gifts to the Lord to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah: and these riches he shown to the Ambassadors in a vain-glorious ostentation, as being puffed up in his mind, in that he was become the wonder of the world, for the sun’s going backward for his sake; and sought to by a prince so far remote from him, whose Ambassadors he would have see, that their master had cause enough to desire to be in league with him; and of this pride is that spoken, 2. Chron. 32.25. Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him, for his heart was lifted up, &c.

Vers. 14. And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon.] This is spoken by way of boasting.

Vers. 17. All that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon, &c.] Thus he is threatened, both because his heart was lifted up, 2. Chron. 32.25. and because his ambition to assure himself of the Babylonian friendship, argued too much trust in his aid; a great sin, in him that had such experience of God's defense.

Vers. 19. Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?] However it be grievous to think that these things should befall our posterity in future times, yet it is God's mercy, that yet it shall not be in my days.

Vers. 20. And how he made a pool, &c.] This was it seems, a great pool in the city of David, and the water was brought in pipes under the ground from the fountain of Gihon▪ when Sennacherib did first besiege Jerusalem, 2. Chron. 32.30. Hezekiah also stopped the watercourse of Gihon, and brought it to the west side of the city of David: and is therefore called the kings pool.

CHAP. XXI.

Vers. 1. MAnasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, &c.] So that he was borne three years after his fathers recovery from his dangerous sickness, chap. 20.6. and he began to reign about four and twenty years after the ruin of the kingdom of the ten tribes: for Samaria was taken in the sixth year of Hezekiah, chap. 18.10. after which he reigned three and twenty years, chap. 18.2. and then Manasseh succeeded him, being then but a child; (of whose tender years it seems the princes took advantage, that never in their hearts had approved the reformation that Hezekiah had made, and so drew him to reestablish his grandfathers idolatry) yet he reigned, as is noted in the following words, longer then any of the kings of Judah to wit, fifty and five years.

Vers. 2. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, after the abominations of the heathen, &c.] Considering all the particulars that are here afterwards mentioned, it is evident that he did worse then all that had been before him: it is noted, chap. 20.5. that one of the chief things that made Hezekiah mourn so bitterly, when the Prophet told him he should die of his sickness, was because he had then no son to succeed him; but alas, could he have foreseen what a son he should leave behind him, the want of an heir could not be so bitter, as this would have been:

Vers. 5. And he built altars for all the host of heaven, in the two courts of the house of the Lord.] That is, not only in the people's, but in the priests court also he built altars for the worship of the sun, moon, and stars.

Vers. 6. And he made his son pass through the fire.] See the note chapter 16.3.

Vers. 7. And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, &c.] That is one of the idols of the grove which he had made, he set up in the Temple; or a graven image made as a representation of the grove which he had made: and indeed that there was an image with a carved grove about it, seems to be most probable, because it is said, chap. 23.6. that Josiah brought out the grove from the house of the Lord without Jerusalem unto the brook Kidron, and burnt it, &c.

Vers. 9. Manasseh seduced them to do more evil, then did the nations whom the Lord destroyed, &c.] To wit, because the Israelites set up more idols then ever the Canaanites had; but especially, because they sinned against more light and means of grace then ever the other enjoyed,

Vers. 13. And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab, &c.] That is, I will deal with Jerusalem as I have dealt with Samaria, and with the house of Manasseh as with the house of Ahab; as I did utterly destroy Samaria and the family of Ahab; so will I utterly destroy Jerusalem, and the house of Manasseh: and indeed the posterity of Manasseh was cut off, as was the posterity of Ahab, Jer. 22.30. because workmen do try places, which they would have to be levelled, with the line and with the plummet, therefore the Lord to imply that he would utterly pull down and destroy Jerusalem and lay it as it were level with the ground, as he had already dealt with Samaria, and the house of Ahab; he expresseth it with this phrase, that he would stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: the like phrase is used, Isai. 34.11. He shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness: and to the same purpose is the next expression here used; and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down; that is, as a man wipeth a dish that hath had some oil, or other thing in it, turning it upside down, and wiping it, that he may be sure the least drop or crumb may nowhere be found upon it; so the Lord will utterly overthrow the state of Jerusalem, turning it upside down, and will clear her of all her wealth, yea of all her inhabitants, so that there shall be nothing left not carried away.