2 Kings 14
DOYLYVer. 5. — he slew his servants] While Amaziah began his reign by executing justice on those servants who had been concerned in assassinating his father, (chap. xii. 20.) he spared their children out of regard to the law, that forbids (Deut. xxiv. 16.) in such cases to punish children for their father’s transgressions. Pyle.
2 Kings 14:7
- — and took Selah by war.] A more particular account of these transactions is given at 2 Chron. xxv. For the valley of salt, see note at 2 Sam. viii. 13. The name of the city Selah signifies in Hebrew “a rock,” and thus exactly answers to the Greek word Petra, which also signifies “a rock.” On this account, it is agreed by commentators, not without reason, that this Selah was the same city as that called Petra by the Greeks and Latins, lying in Arabia Petrea. Some have supposed that the country was called Petrea from this its chief city; but it is more probable, that, as the city had its name from its situation on a rock, so the adjacent tract of country was called Arabia Petrea, from its being overspread with such rocks or rocky hills. Dr. Wells.
— called the name of it Joktheel] This name imports “obedience of God,” or “to God.” He so called it, as some imagine, because, when he had taken the
place, he settled in it the laws and statutes of Moses; or rather, he acknowledged, by giving it this name, that the possession of the place was a reward of his obedience to the man of God, who required him to dismiss all the forces he had hired of the Israelites. See 2 Chron. xxv. 10. Bp. Patrick.
2 Kings 14:8
- — let us look one another in the face.] Being flushed with his great success against the Edomites, and incensed by the damages the Israelites had done him, (2 Chron. xxv. 13.) he sent this challenge to the king of Israel, meaning, Let us set our armies in array against each other, and try our strength. Bp. Patrick.
2 Kings 14:9
- — The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar] Fables or apologues of this description were suited to the taste of Eastern people. There was an instance of them before at Judges ix. 7. Joash king of Israel could not have availed himself of a more ingenious device, or one more proper for humbling Amaziah, than comparing him to a thistle, which made pretensions to rival the cedar: at the same time he raised himself above him, and made him feel the vanity of his pretensions. Calmet. This transaction shews the great superiority of the kingdom of Israel over that of Judah at that time.
Amaziah slain by a conspiracy. Azariah’s good reign. Before CHRIST about $25. d 2 Chron. 23. 27. 810. e 2 Chron. 26. 1. he is called Uzziah. 825. f Matt. 12. 29, 40. called Jesus. 822.
2 Kings 14:19
- — they made a conspiracy against him] He was probably hated by the people for the great calamities and shame brought upon them through his folly. Bp. Wilson.
2 Kings 14:21
- — Azariah,] Called Uzziah in the next chapter, ver. 30, and at 2 Chron. xxvi. 1.
2 Kings 14:22
- He built Elath,] Respecting Elath, see note at
2 Kings 14:25
- He restored the coast of Israel &c.] As Joash his father had restored many cities which Ben-hadad had taken, so Jeroboam restored a large territory which other kings had taken from them; namely, all the country from Libanus on the north, to the “sea of the plain,” or the Dead sea, on the south. Bp. Patrick. For Hamath, see note on 2 Sam. viii. 9. — his servant Jonah,] The only mention which we have of this Prophet, is in the present passage, and in the account of his famous message to Nineveh. What the prophecies were by which he encouraged Jeroboam to proclaim war against the king of Syria, we find no where recorded: but not only do we not possess all which the several Prophets wrote; but, in many instances, they did not commit their predictions to writing. From this instance, however, we may learn, that God was very merciful to the undeserving Israelites, in continuing a race of Prophets to them, even after Elisha was dead. Stackhouse. — of Gath-hepher.] It is expressly said by Eusebius and St. Jerome, that this place was situate in the tribe of Zebulun: the latter says, that it was no considerable place, and that the sepulchre of Jonah was shown there in his time. It may have been the same with Gittah-hepher, mentioned as lying in the eastern coast of Zebulun, Josh. xix. 13. Dr. Wells. Chap. XV. The seven first verses of this chapter are to be compared with 2 Chron. xxvi, as are the seven last with 2 Chron. xxvii.