2 Chronicles 25

Chap. XXV. ver. 2. — but not with a perfect heart.] It is said at 2 Kings xiv. 3, that he did that which was right, but “not like David his father.” He did in fact what the law required but not with a sincere and solid piety. Bp. Patrick.

this.] God, who is the Lord of the whole earth, has the earth, and every thing which it contains, at His disposal. “Every beast of the forest is His, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.” “The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine, saith the Lord of hosts,” Psal. l. 10; Hag. ii. 8. He could have at once extended the dominions of Amaziah to the widest bounds promised to the children of Israel; from Lebanon to the confines of Egypt; from the Western sea to the great river Euphrates. He could have rendered this king an object of respect, of admiration, and of dread, to all the surrounding nations. At the present hour, all the kingdoms of the earth, and the glory of them, are at the disposal of the Son of God, our Lord and Saviour. All power in heaven and in earth is given unto Him. Every article, in which worldly prosperity consists; every event, which contributes to worldly greatness; every outward circumstance in any respect advantageous to men, is in His hands. Well therefore may we be assured, that whatever we lend to the Lord, by resigning it for His sake, He is able beyond measure to repay to us again. Gisborne.

2 Chronicles 25:5

5. — three hundred thousand choice men.] We here discern how much the iniquities of the people had now diminished their numbers since the days of Jehoshaphat, that is, in the space of about seventy years; for this king could bring only 300,000 men to the field, and Jehoshaphat brought nearly four times as many; see chap. xvii. Bp. Patrick.

2 Chronicles 25:6

6. He hired also — out of Israel] In hiring these Israelites, the king acted rashly and presumptuously. For, in the first place, he “enquired not of the Lord” upon the occasion: see Judges xx. 27; 1 Sam. xxiii. 2, 4; 2 Sam. ii. 1; v. 19, 23; 2 Kings xvi. 15; 1 Chron. x. 14, &c. He sought not, as, upon concerns of importance, David and the other religious kings of Judah had constantly sought, those special directions from God, which, under the existing dispensation, a dispensation, into the texture of which miracles were interwoven, were always to be obtained by an immediate reference to the Most High before His altar. And, in the next place, he knew that the people of Israel had long been open idolaters; and that the heaviest calamities had fallen upon his own ancestors, in consequence of connexions which they had formed with idolatrous Israel. He could not then look for the Divine blessing upon this proceeding: but he had reason to expect that his sinful misconduct would be made the instrument of his punishment. Gisborne.

2 Chronicles 25:7

7. — for the Lord is not with Israel, &c.] The Pro-

shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin.

2 Chronicles 25:8

8. But if thou wilt go, &c.] If thou wilt go to fight against Edom, do it only with thine own men; for, though they are not a numerous army, yet God will make them to be strong enough for the battle, so as to conquer the Edomites; but, if thou take the forces of Israel with thee, “God will make thee fall before the enemy:” for God hath power to help or give thee victory by a small army, and to cast thee down or cause thee to be conquered, even with the greatest army. Dr. Wells.

2 Chronicles 25:9

9. — But what shall we do for the hundred talents &c.] Amaziah was confounded at the message of the Prophet. He could not venture to retain the Israelites to go with him to the war, when he was assured that his own destruction would be the consequence. But he was far from possessing that singleness of heart, that true and lively faith, which would have taught him to obey the command of God instantly and cheerfully, whatever present sacrifice might be inseparable from obedience. His heart hankered after the money which he had advanced. Was that to be relinquished? If not, how was it to be recovered? If compliance with the Divine will would not have cost him any thing, he would readily have obeyed. But an expensive proof of obedience was required. He pondered therefore and hesitated; and “said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the

2 Chronicles 25:13

13. — the soldiers of the army] That is, the Israelite army. — and smote three thousand of them.] Thus Amaziah was punished for having entered into an alliance with idolaters, although at the Prophet’s reproof he broke it off: and God, it is probable, also suffered this calamity to fall upon him, because he used his victory over the Edomites with too much cruelty. Bp. Patrick.

2 Chronicles 25:17

17. Then Amaziah — took advice.] Although he would not be advised by the Prophet, it appears that he consulted others, who led him to destruction; for he proceeded, without first desiring to have satisfaction made for the injury done to him, to make war on Joash king of Israel, and provoke him to battle. Bp. Patrick. He is slain by conspiracy. Uzziah succeedeth him.

shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to † the corner gate, four hundred cubits.

2 Chronicles 25:24

24. — with Obed-edom.] Who had the chief care of the treasures in the temple. Dr. Wells.

2 Chronicles 25:27

27. — after the time that Amaziah did turn away &c.] He survived Joash several years; but it appears he grew more and more hated by his subjects, and at enmity with God; so that at last a conspiracy was formed against him, under which he fell. Pyle.

In obedience to the command of God, Amaziah resigned the hundred talents; yet he lived in calamity, and died by violence and treason. Did the Lord God, the God of goodness and truth, forsake His servant? No: the Lord forsook Amaziah, because Amaziah drew back from being His servant. Amaziah, when he had destroyed the Edomites, brought with him to Jerusalem their idols; and with the infatuation, which belongs to presumptuous wickedness, set them up to be his gods, and burned incense to them, and worshipped them: yet the sword of Divine justice paused in its scabbard. “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” The Lord, instead of immediately cutting off the king in the midst of his ingratitude and impiety, was mercifully pleased to send a Prophet, to rebuke him and call him to repentance, ver. 15. How did the king receive the message from God? When the former Prophet had delivered his message, Amaziah obeyed his command. But he now refused to humble himself before his Maker. His heart was obstinately fixed in apostasy. He charged the Prophet with insolent obtrusiveness for daring to reprove him; and ordered him to be silent on pain of punishment, ver. 16. Then the Prophet, perceiving him not to be reclaimed, pronounced his doom, “I know that God hath determined to destroy

days of Zechariah prospereth. 16 Waxing proud, he invadeth the priest’s office, and is smitten with leprosy. 22 He dieth, and Jotham succeedeth him.

THEN all the people of Judah took * || Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah.

2 Chronicles 25:28

28. — in the city of Judah.] In Jerusalem, “the city of David,” as it is stated at 2 Kings xiv. 20. Bp. Patrick. And as the old versions read in this place. Dr. Wells.

Chap. XXVI. ver. 5. — in the days of Zechariah.] This is not the Zechariah, whose book of prophecies is extant in the Bible, for he lived 300 years afterwards; nor Zechariah the son of Jehoiada, who was slain some years before; but probably the son of the latter Zechariah, who was called after his father’s name, and was eminent for his divine wisdom. It is not here said that he was a Prophet, but that he “had understanding in the visions of God,” by which is probably meant, that he was skilful in expounding the ancient prophecies, and giving instruction out of them. Bp. Patrick.