2 Chronicles 15

And they carried away very much spoil. From the men that weTe slain in the field of battle, and those that nin away and left their baggage behind them: for he speaks in the next verses of the spoil of their cities, and of the fields about them.,… /. VI X

2 Chronicles 15:1

JjlND the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded. Some think he was also called Obed, (ver. 8.) - but had the name of Azariah given him, to distinguish him from his father.

2 Chronicles 15:2

And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The Lord is with you. As appeared by the late glorious victory they had obtained by his help, (chap. xiv. 13.) While ye be with him.] While you continue to worship him alone.. > m And if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you’] He would not have them presume of his continued favour, if they forsook his worship and service: and therefore admonishes them to slick close to him, otherwise he would forsake them. The Targum thus expresses it, The Word of the Lord is your helper, while you walk in his ways, &c.

2 Chronicles 15:3

Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God. The Targum explains it veTy clearly: There have been many days since the house of Israel departed from tfte house of David, because of Jeroboam: in which they have not worshipped the true God, but the golden calves,- And without a teaching priest, and without law.] For all’ the priests were gone into the land of Judah: and the Israelites neglected the study of the law, as the Targum explains the last words. But there are a great number of learned men who will have these words, and those that, follow, Tclatc to the times of the judges; when they were more manifestly in such a condition as is here described. And truly Campegius Vitringa hath learnedly asserted this opinion, in his book de Synagoga Veteri, par. ii. lib. i. cap. 6.

2 Chronicles 15:4

But when they in tlteir trouble did turn unto the. Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them. If we follow the common interpretation, which respects the prosent and future state of Israel, these words should thus be translated; If in their trouble they had turned, &c. they should have found him.

2 Chronicles 15:5

And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in; but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the, countries. We do not read of such troubles hitherto in the kingdom of Israel; therefore the words must be translated, In those times (if they continue to displease God) there shall be no peace, &c.‘No quiet, no safety; but they shall be infested both by external wars and intestine discords. Which was fulfilled;. as we find in their history, 1 Kings xy. xvi.&c. Vct. 6. And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city.] These words also must be translated in the future tense, Nation shall be destroyed of nation, Sec, Where by nation is meant tribe: one of which fought against another, in those times, when there’was no certain settled succession in the kingdom; but whosoever killed their king, hoped to make a party to help him* to get into the throne. For God did vex them with all adversity.] For God shall set them one against another, with mutual slaughters, and all those evils that accompany civil wars. The Targum here again translates it, The Word of the Lord, Sec. .*;

2 Chronicles 15:7

Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak. To root out idolatry; which had brought sdeh calamities upon the Israelites, and would still bring more. For your work shall be rewarded.] As they might learn* from their late great victory over idolaters. *. -

2 Chronicles 15:8

And when Asa heard these words,. and the.prophecy of Oded the prophet. & short expression, being as much as the son of Obed the prophet. Though some think the father prophesied as well as’ the son, and foretold the same calamities: the more to awaken them, and confirm them in the belief of what Azariah said. He took courage.] This explains the foregoing words, be strong therefore, to be meant of an undaunted. resolution to abolish idolatry: which required great courage, when so many were addicted to it, and had practised it both in the days of Rehoboam and Abijah…Andjntt away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and ouL.of the cities which he had taken from Mount Ephraim.] t)r, which, had, been taken, viz. by Abijah.;,,.’. •?.’ ( -[ And renewed the altar of the Lord that was before theporch of the Lord.] At the entry 6f the court of the priests.

2 Chronicles 15:9

And he gathered all Jiidahand Benjamin, and the. strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out. of Simeon: (for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance. - Though the Simeonites had their portion out of the tribe of Judah, when the land was divided by Joshua,, yet it appears from hence, as well as from other places, that they joined, themselves to the rest of the Israelites, when the kingdom was rent by Jeroboam. But now great numbers of them came over to Asa: which they might easily do, for one side of their tribe adjoined to Judah, as the other to Dan… Wlxenthey saw that the Lord his God was with him ).] The Targum here again renders it, When he saw the Word of the Lord was his helper… >. * Ver; 10. So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem, in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.] • This seems to have been a voluntary assembly by common agreement, rather than by the king’s commandment or invitation. Unless we suppose it to have been at one of the *

2 Chronicles 15:14

And they smote all the cities round about Gerar. Into which, it is likely, the’ Ethiopians fled.??’ •For the fear of the Lord came. upon them.’] /Seeing so vast a host defeated, they had no courage to defend themselves. And they spoilt J all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them?] Partly by their own riches, and partly by the booty which the Ethiopians afforded them.

2 Chronicles 15:15

They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem. The abundance of camels which they had shew they were Arabians.* And. the Scenitee and Nomades (as Bochartus observes) did not live all the year in theopen air, but had tents both for themselves and their cattle in winter time. And they that dwelt in tents are opposed to those who lived in" the open field, who arc said aypavXuv. Thus Esau and Jacob are distinguished; the former of which is said to be a man of the field, and the other to dwell in tents, (Gen.xxv. 27.):;.