2 Chronicles 17

Chap. XVII. Ver. 1—19. Jehoshaphat, copying the early zeal and piety of Asa his father, begins his reign with reform, and sends itinerant teachers through the country.—The early part of this reign being sketched with so much brevity in the contemporary history of the 1st Book of Kings, (ch. xv. 41—45,) we pause here, to notice an example worthy of imitation among Christian rulers, (see note;) namely, his special encouragement of religious education, and the circulation of the Scriptures throughout his kingdom. To this end, he sent forth certain of his princes, no doubt of pious character, attended by a deputation of priests and Levites; “and they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the Lord with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught.” King Edward VI., of England, who seems to have made Jehoshaphat his model, took this method, in an early stage of the Reformation, and on account of the ignorance and prejudices of the Popish clergy, sent out learned laymen also, to assist in the pious and benevolent design.

Bibles being at that time also very scarce, copies, in the large folio size, were placed in all the parish churches, and those who could not procure copies of their own, were encouraged to come there and read.

Jehoshaphat reproved for uniting

Notes on the verses

Chap. XVII. Ver. 7. Sent to his princes.—(In these verses we have an account of a remarkable itinerant ministry established by Jehoshaphat; in which three classes of men were employed: 1. the Princes; 2. the Levites; 3. the Priests. We may presume that the Princes instructed the people in the nature of the civil law and constitution of the kingdom; that the Levites instructed them in every thing that appertained to the temple service, and ritual also; and that the Priests instructed them in the nature and design of their religion. Thus the nation became thoroughly instructed in their duty to God, to the king, and to each other; they, therefore, became as one man; and from a people thus united, on such principles, no enemy could be successful.

—Bagster. (2 Chronicles 18)—This chapter corresponds to the 22d of the 1st Book of Kings, ver. 2—37, to which cheseling [cross-referencing] we refer. Compare (2 Kings 3)—11. Ver. 1. Joined affinity with Ahab.—(He took Athaliah the daughter of Ahab to be wife to his son Joram, ((2 Kings 8:18);) which fatal connexion was highly displeasing to God, and Jehoshaphat was severely reproved for it by Jehu the seer, ch. xix. 1—3.)—Bagster. Ver. 9 Void place.—(Threshing-floors, among the ancient Jews, as we have before remarked, were only, as they are to this day in Shato’s Travels, round level plats of ground in the open air, as we are of Horace. Hence a floor might be which was built on a and Israel to give audience to the prophets.

—Bagster. Ver. 10. Horns of iron.—(Bruce, in describing horns of these [fa—] Leg be and tied behind their head, of silver, gilt, about four inches long, much in the shape of our common candle-extinguishers. This is called Kirn, (eren,) and is only worn in reviews, or parades after victory. Such, it may be supposed, which Zedekiah, (who appears to have acted as a military triumph,) made for himself when he to flatter his prince with the promise of victory; these “thou shalt push Syria, until they be consumed.” Homer, speaking of the East, Achilles, uses a similar expression: ‘He pushed with horns the Trojans.’)—like the Liby- IS ster. 3 x t well be near the gate of Samaria, averse Inner chamber.—(“In one of the halls of the Seraglio at Constantinople, and afford no improper place for the kings of Judah nople,”

says De la Motraye, “the eunuch made us pass by several little chambers, with doors shut, like the cells of monks or nuns, as far as I could judge by the head-dress of the gover- “a large broad fillet was bound upon their forehead, one that another eunuch opened.”)—This exactly corresponds with the idea of a “chamber within a chamber,” and it would appear that Michaiah predicted, in the middle of this was a horn, or conical piece that Zedekiah should fly for shelter to a Harem, which we have seen was deemed inviolate. See (1 Kings 20:30). (Isaiah 26:20).)—Bagster.