2 Kings 14

Vcr. 9. And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria, aiul Joash his son reigned in his stead. Called in the next verse Jchoash. him to dismiss all the forces he had hired of the Israelites, (2 Chron. xxv. 10.) And he fled to Lac/ash.] The conspiracy, it seems, grew so strong, that he could not resist it; but was forced to seek for safety by flight, in a fortified city upon the borders of the Philistines., But they sent after him to Lachish, and sleio him there.’] They sent to have him privately murdered (as Josephus reports it), which some undertook and effected..

2 Kings 14:1

JLNtlie second year of Joash the son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, reigned Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah. This was, as Dr. Lightfoot observes, the thirtyeighth year of his father Joash king of Judah; three years current before his death. For his father had thrown himself into such a miserable condition by his apostacy, and his murder of Zachariah, (xii. 17, 18.) that he was become unfit to manage the kingdom. (Sco Harm, of the Evang. Proleg. cap. G.)

2 Kings 14:2

lie was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty-nine. years in Jerusalem: andhis mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. Joash king of Israel reigned" sixteen yiears,.(xiii. 10.) therefore Amaziah reigned fourteen years while, he ilived, and after his death fifteen years; which make twenty-nine. * (See ver. 17.)

2 Kings 14:3

And he did.that which was right. in the sight of the Lord, yet not like David his father: he did in all things according as Joash his father did. For both of them in the beginning of their reigns did very well; but both in their latter end fell into idolatry. Both of them also, as Abarbinel observes, contemned God’s prophets, who spake to them in the name of the Lord.

2 Kings 14:4

Howbeit the high places were not taken, away; for yet the people did sacrifice and burn incense on the high places^ Even in the best part of his reign, before he fell to idolatry, this licence continued, which had been long practised against the law of God. In this he imitated his father, (xii. 3.)..

2 Kings 14:5

And it came to pass, when the kingdom was confirmed in 7iis hand, that he slew his servants which had slain the king his father. He durst not venture upon this piece of justice presently, till he was well settled in his authority, and had divested those of all power who were the friends of those murderers. Who seem to have continued still at court, for they are called Ms servants.

2 Kings 14:6

But the children of the murderers slew he not: according to that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the Lord commanded, saying, Tlie father? shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin.] In this he acted like a good man, and was not moved to cut off the children, contrary to law, for fear they should make a faction against him, and take revenge for their father’s death.

2 Kings 14:7

He slew of EdomJ. He alone, and the men of Judah, made the following slaughter: having, at the command of a prophet; abandoned the help of the Israelites, though he had purchased it with a great sum of money; (2 Chron. xxv. 7—10.) the Edomites had revolted from Judah in the days of Joram, (viii. 10.) and now Amaziah endeavours to reduce them. In the valley of Salt.] A place mentioned 2 Sam. viii: 13. where see what I have observed concerning the reason of this name. Ten thoiisand.] And he took as many captives.. (See 2 Chron. xxv. 12.) And. he took Selah by war.] The metropolis of Arabia Fetraea; which took its name from hence: for Selah is the same with the word Petra, a rock; upon which the city stood. From this rock he seems to have thrown down the ten thousand whom he took alive, and broke in pieces, as is said in the forenamed place, 2 Chron. xxv’. 12. Hagar signifies the same, as Bochartus observes, by which name the Arabians called it; from the rocky mountain which hung over this place, which St. Paul calls by the Arabic name Hagar. And called the name of it Joktheelunto this day.] Which name; imports, obedience of God, or to God: because, having taken it/ he settled, as some imagine, the laws and statutes of Moses in this place; or rather, he acknowledged, by giving it this name, that the possession of this place was a reward of his obedience to the man of God, who required

2 Kings 14:8

Then Amaziah king of Judah sent a messenger to Jehoash, king of Israel, saying, Come, let lis look one another in the face. Being flushed with his great victory over’ 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, saying, Let us set our armies in battlearray one against the other, and tTy our’strength. Which some think he did only to try their military skill and prowess; not to revenge injuries, or get his own again. Which, if he had intended, he would have assaulted the Israelites on a sudden; and not given them such a fair warning to stand upon their defence. But it is more probable, that, being encouraged, as I said, by his late victory, he resolved to be revenged for the slaughter of his ancestors by Jehu, (chap, ix.) and for the late.spoil the Israelites had made in his country; (2 Chron. xxv. 10. 13.) but he resolved to havo satisfaction in a fair and honourable way,* and not by surprise. And the words maybe thus understood: Either give me satisfaction, or let us try it out in a battle. It is probable, also, he might think of conquering the kingdom of Israel, if he did not satisfy him, and bring it back to the house of David: for so Jehoash understood him, as Josephus thinks, and the sequel shews.

2 Kings 14:9

And Jehoash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king ofJudah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon. He compares himself to a cedar, and Amaziah to a thistle; which is a poor shrub, not worthy of that name; but having drawn blood on some poor traveller, and sorely afflicted him (as Amaziah had done the Edomites), grew very proud, and would be no longer one of the shrubs, but equal to the most goodly trees. Saying, Give me thy daughter to my son to wife.] Make an affinity with me, and let us be one kingdom. So some understand it, that Jehoash thought he would have him join his great kingdom, which was ten tribes, unto his poor one of two tribes; that, being united, there should be but one king over them all; and they should try their fortune in a pitched battle, which of them two should be the king. But this seems to be too much strained. He only intimates, that if he should desire a friendly alliance with him, he despised it as below him, as much as a thistle is below a cedar. Andthere passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle.] This represents how easily his soldiers (who are compared to wild beasts) would repress his insolence.

2 Kings 14:10

In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah began Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned sixteen years. A difficulty seems to arise, by comparing this verso with the first: where it is said, Jehoahaz king of Israel began to reign in the twenty-third year of Joash king of. Judah, and reigned seventeen years: from whence it follows, that Jehoash began to reign not in the thirty-seventh, but in the thirtyninth, or fortieth year of Joash king of Judah. But this only shews the truth of what I said upon ver. 5. that he reigned with his father three years: after God was so gracious as to raise up a deliverer to them; who was this son of liis, by whom peace was restorod to them. This we note in the margin, he reigned in concert with his father, (xiv.l.) Thou hast indeed smitten the Edomites, and thine heart hath lifted thee up.] This hath made thee proud. Glory iu this, and tarry at home.] Be content with the honour thou hast won, and be quiet. For why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt; that thou sihouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?] He admonishes him to desist from this needless prQvoca^ion of his neighbours; which might end in his ruin.

2 Kings 14:11

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord; he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son ofNebat, who made Israel to sin: but he walked therein. But Amaziah would not hearken: therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up, and he and Amaziah looked one another in the face.] Encountered one another in a fight. At Beth-shemesh, which belongeth to Judah.] See I §am. vi. 12.

2 Kings 14:12

And the rest’ of “the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and his might wherewith he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?) They were all recorded in the book so often mentioned; (see 1 Kings xi. 41.) and his fight with Amaziah is particularly related, and set down at large, in 2 Chron. xxvl 17, 18, &c. * And Judah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to their tents.] So their houses were called, from their having no other habitations for a long time in the wilderness; and in Canaan many continued in such dwellings. Josephus saith, the people of Judah did not strike a stroke; but being possessed with a panic fear, when they saw a formidable army set in battle-array against them, ran away.

2 Kings 14:13

And Joash slept with his fathers, and Jeroboam sat upon his throne. From whence some of the Jewish doctors gather, that he reigned with his father at least one year; though Abarbinel denies it, but without reason. And Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.] He doth not here conclude this history of Joash; for he afterward relates great things done by him. But being to speak of the death of Elisha, upon which those things depended, he interposes that before he proceeds further to relate his acts. And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh.] I suppose his ancestors are mentioned to shew that this was the greater disgrace to him; being descended from a race of kings, which Jehoash was not. And came to Jerusalem.’] Bringing Amaziah with him; and letting the inhabitants know (as Josephus saith) that he would slay him before their eyes, if they did not immediately open their gates unto him; which was accordingly done. And broke down the wall of Jerusalem, from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.] That the city might lie open to his invasion, if they should break the conditions he imposed upon them.

2 Kings 14:14

Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. This was in the tenth year of Joash, as they say in Seder Olam Rabba, cap. 19. and from thence gather how long Elisha continued a prophet in” Israel, viz. from the nineteenth year of Jehoshaphat till this time; which was sixty-five years. And Joash the king of Israel came down nnto him, and wept over his face.] This was no sign of his hearty affection to him (for he would not hearken to his word),* but he bewailed himself, and his people, who were in danger shortly to lose so great a defender. And said, My father, my father, the chariot.of Israel, and the horsemen thereof!] They are the words of Elisha concerning Elijah, when he was taken up to heaven, (ii. 12.) signifying the great authority he had maintained among them (which is included in the word father), and that by his counsel and prayers they had obtained glorious victories over their enemies. And he took all the gold and silver, and all tlie vessels that were found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the.king’s house, arid hostages.] The sons, I suppose, of the principal persons of the city, for a security that they would be quiet, and give him no disturbance. And returned to Samaria.] For he had enough to do to defend himself from the Syrians; and therefore did not intend a conquest of the kingdom of Judah, nor set a garrison in Jerusalem: but contented himself with the spoil of it; and perhaps made them tributaries to him. This was a heavy punishment upon Amaziah for going after other gods, (2 Chron. xxv. 20.)

2 Kings 14:15

And Elisha said unto him, Take boio and arrows: and he took unto him bow and’arrows. - This* was to represent the wars he was to have with the Syrians. Ver. 1G. And he said to the king of Israel, Putthy hand upon the bow; and he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king’s hinds.] This was to represent that they were not to trust in their arms, and their valour; but in God alone, who would give them the victory. Vcr. 17. And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it.] Part of Syria lay cast or north-east from Judca: and the Syrians also had possessed themselves of all the land of Israol eastward; (x. 33.) from whence he signified, by what follows, Joash should expel them* Tlien Elisha said, SJioot: and he shot. And he.said, The arroiv of the Lord’s deliverance, the arrow of deliverance from Syria.] A sign the Lord would wound the Syrians by the arms of the Israelites, and give, them a. glorious deliverance from their tyranny. For thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek.] In the territories belonging to it, (of which, see 1 Sam. iv. 1. xxix. 1.) The Syrians had taken Gath; and Aphck, I take it, was not far from it: so that it was as much as to say, they should drive them out of the country; as it follows. Till thou hast destroyed them.] Not all the. people of Syria, but all their forces wherewith they infested Israel. Vcr! 18. And he said, Take the arrows: and he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground: and he smote thrice, and stayed.] That which he represented before by the shooting of anairow, he represents again by smiting upon the giround with the arrows; viz. victory over the Syrians; whom he shohld overthrow and cast down to the ground in battle.. t Vcr. 19. And the man of God was tvroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times, then shouldest thou have smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed them: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.] By the former sign the king of Israel might have understood that this was intended to signify the same tiling; and I suppose the prophet spake so, as to give him to understand he would have him smite a good many times. And he was angry at his sloth and unbelief, which made him stop at the third stroke; for if he had done it oftcner, he should have utterly disabled them. He had before represented great victories which he should obtain; but not till now, how often he should overcome; which he was admonished by God to let him know by this sign. And it is probable the prophet himself did not know, till he saw how often he smote on the ground. Vcr. 20. And Elisha died, and they buried him: and the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.] Which was the usual time when people went out to war, as I have shewn upon 2 Sam. xi.«l..(sec there); but whether it was the next spring after his death, or some years after, is doubted: but the words seem plainly to import it was the next spring. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash ivhich he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?] There were many other things which happened in this war, as Abarbinel observes, besides these here compeudiously related; for which he refers to a record which was very well known in those days, but now is lost.

2 Kings 14:16

And Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel, and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead.

2 Kings 14:17

And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah, lived after the death of Jehoash, the son ofJehoahaz king of Israel, fifteen years. But in no great credit with his people; for Rasi thinks he lived most of his time in Lachish, whither he was forced to fly (as it follows), by reason of a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem.

2 Kings 14:18

And the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?. He mentions nothing of his might which he shewed; being a weak prince, who lost the reputation of his country.

2 Kings 14:19

Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem. Their city having been exposed to reproach by the’great breach made in their wall, and spoiled of its best ornaments, and some of their children carried away as hostages for their good behaviour, he became very odious to the great men qf the city; all this being brought upon them by his pride, and rashness, and apostacy from God, (xxv. 27.). \

2 Kings 14:20

And they brought him on horses. In a chariot. And they buried him in Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David.] They did him some honour when he was dead, though they hated him when he was alive.

2 Kings 14:21

And it came to pass, as they were burying a man. Carrying him to his grave. Tliey. spied a band of men.] A party of the Moabites, who were coming towards the place where they wcro to lay the corpse. And they cast him into the sepidchre of Elisha.] Which ■being near to the place where they then were, they rolled away the stono, and laid the body by Elisha’s; for fear,if they proceeded to the sepulchre prepared for this man, they should fall into the hands of the. Moabites. And when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha.] From hence some conclude, that this invasion of CHAP. XIV.] THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS. the Moabites was some years after Elisha’s death; when his flesh was consumed, and only his bones remained. TJiat he revived, and stood upon his feet.] By which miracle God did the highest honour to his prophet, and confirmed both the truth of what he had promised the king, and the belief of a future life. For this was something more than he had done in Elisha’s lifetime, when he could not without many prayers, and stretching himself with great application upon the body of the child, raise it to life again; whereas now, upon touching of his dead body only, God restored a man, in an instant, to perfect health; for he stood upon his feet, and, it is likely, walked home with those that brought him to be buried. It is a poor conceit of Abarbinel and others, that he was a wicked man, whom God rather would raise to life again, than suffer his dead body to rest by such a holy person as Elisha. It had been enough, if this had been the reason, to have thrown this dead body out of.Elisha’s sepulchre, and let it lie upon the ground. And all the people of Judah took Azariah.] Called Uzziah in the next chapter, ver. 30. and in 2 Chron. xxvi. 1. Both signify the same thing; one being as much as the help of God, the other the strength of God. (Which teas sixteen years old), and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.] But this was twelve years after Amaziah *s death: for he was made king in the twentyseventh year of Jeroboam, (see upon xv. 1.) who began to reign in the fifteenth of Amaziah, e (ver. 23.)

2 Kings 14:22

But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. None of these things which Elisha promised were accomplished while Hazael lived; but after his death, Joash the son of Jehoahaz (as it here follows) vanquished Ben-hadad the son of Hazael.’ He built Elath.] Repaired it. And restored it to Judah.~] It was a city belonging to Edom, (Deut. ii. 8. 2 Chron. viii. 17.) which king David, I suppose, took when he conquered this country; but in the days of Joram the Edomites revolted, and recovered Elath. After that the king slept with his fathers] It is a«probable opinion of Abarbinel, that the king his father, after the great slaughter of the Edomites, mentioned in the foregoing chapter, took this place; but did not annex it to the kingdom of Judah, by reason of his succeeding troubles. Which Azariah did, by building a wall about it, and fortifying it; whereby he secured the possession of it.

2 Kings 14:23

And the Lord was gracious unto them, and had compassion upon them, and respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. ~\ For whose sake he spared them, and would not let the oppression of the Syrians continue so long as to ruin them. And would not destroy them, neither cast he them out of his presence as yet.] But allowed them a longer space for repentance. In the fifteenth year of Amaziah king of Judah, Jeroboam the son ofJoash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years.] Which was much longer than any of the kings of Israel: Jehu himself, the first of his family, reigning but twenty-eight years, which was longer than any before him/as I observed, x. 36.

2 Kings 14:24

So Hazael king of Syria died, and Ben-hadad his son reigned in his stead. The name of Ben-hadad had for a long time been common to the kings of Syria, and now was renewed in another family. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: he departed not from all the dns of Jeroboam the son ofNebat, who made Israel to sin J] As he had the name, so he trod in the steps of him who first corrupted Israel with idolatry.

2 Kings 14:25

And Joash the son of Jehoahaz took again, out of the hand of Ben-hadad the soji of Hazael, the cities which he had taken oat of the hand of Jehoahaz Jus father by war. He took all the country on the other side of Jordan in the days of Jehu; (x. 33.) besides which he made further conquests on this side Jordan, in the days of Jehoahaz: whether Jehoash recovered all is not certain; but what. his father lost, it is here said he regained. Three times did Joash beat him, and recovered the cities of Israel.] It is not recorded where these three battles were fought; but the success of them was so great, that he retook all that his father had lost. He restored the coast of Israel, from the ente?ing ofUamath to the sea of the plain.] 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; viz. all the country from Libanus on the north, to the lake Asphaltites on the south. According to the word of the Lord God of Israel, ivhich he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son ofAmittai, the prophet, which tacts of Gath-hepher.] The prophet Jonah encouraged them to this war, promising them success in it. Whose words are not here set down; but this place shews that God was very merciful to them, though a very wicked people, still in continuing prophets among them, when Elisha was dead. And this prophet, the Jews fancy, was the son of the woman of Sarepta, whom Elijah raised from the dead. For which I cannot find they have any ground, but this poor conceit, that he is called the son vol, n. otAmittai, i. e. of truth, say they: because his mother said to the prophet, when he restored her son to her, Now I know the word ofGodindhy mouth is truth, (1 Kings xvii. 24.) But this is fully confuted from this single observation, that he is said to be of Gath-hepher, which was far from Sarepta, towards Tiberias in the tribe of Zebulun, as St. Jerome tells us. Ver. 2G. For the Lord saw the affliction of Israel, that it tvas very bitter.] He shewed them this favour, not for any goodness -that was in them; but in compassion to their misery, which was greater than could be expressed. For there was not any shut tip,’nor any left.] • Men of all sorts were destroyed: or, as some interpret it, they had lost all they had in their houses, and all that was in the field. But see of this phrase, 1 Kings xiv. 10. xxi. 21^ Nor any helper for Israel] None to relieve, much less to deliver them.

2 Kings 14:27

And the Lord said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven: but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash. But since the Lbrd had not yet decreed to root them out of their own land; therefore he saved them, even by this wicked prince, for the present, from their enemies; who would otherwise have jnade an utter end of them.

2 Kings 14:28

Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he warred, andhow he recovered Damascus, and Hamath,which belonged to Judah, for Israel, &c. Or rather, by Israel, as Abarbinel expounds it; by the hand or power of Israel they were restored. For when David fought against the Syrians, and brought them in subjection to him, he put garrisons into Damascus and Hamath, (2 Sam. viii. 6, &c.) Which the Syrians afterward recovered when they rebelled against Judah: but Jeroboam possessed himself of them again, and by his valour made them as subject to Israel as they had been to Judah. Ver. 21). And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zachariah his son reigned in his stead.] He was the third king of Israel of Jehu’s race, and so might be said to sleep with his fathers of Israel.