captains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without the ranges: and him that followeth her kill with the sword. For the priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the LORD.

16 And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by the which the horses came into the king's house: and there was she slain.

1

17 And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD's people; between the king also and the people.

m

18 And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the LORD.

19 And he took the rulers over hundreds, and the captains, and the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from the house of the LORD, and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the king's house. And he sat on the throne of the kings.

20 And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword beside the king's house.

21 P Seven years old was Jehoash when he began to reign.

CHAPTER XII.

Jehoash reigns well under the instructions of Jehoiada the priest, 1-3. He directs the repairing of the temple; the account of what was done, 4-16. Hazael takes Gath; and, proceeding to besiege Jerusalem, is prevented by Jehoash, who gives him all the treasures and hallowed things of the house of the Lord, 17, 18. The servants of Jehoash conspire against him and slay him, 19-21.

A. M. 3126
-3165.

B. C. 878-839.
Anno ante

A. M. 323

2 And Jehoash did that which was -312 right in the sight of the LORD all his B. CEZ days wherein Jehoiada the priest in- 1. Olymp. 102 structed him.

B. C. 856

An Fhereci,

3 But the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places. 4 And Jehoash said to the priests, AM 148. All the money of the dedicated Ante 1. O1. 80. " things that is brought into the house Arch Athen of the LORD, even the money of every perpet. §. one that passeth the account, the money that every man is set at, and all the money that cometh into any man's heart to bring into the house of the LORD,

5 Let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and let them repair the breaches of the house, wheresoever any breach shall be found.

2

In the sevenereyen, and forty years

1. Olymp. 102 reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Zibiah of Beer

sheba.

i 2 Chron. 23. 16.-k 2 Sam. 5. 3-1 Ch. 10. 26.-m Deut. 12. 3. 2 Chron. 12. 17. n 2 Chron. 23. 18, &c.-o Heb. offices.-p 2 Chron. 24. 1-9 2 Chron. 24. 1-r1 Kings 15 14. & 22 43. Ch. 14. 4.- Ch. 22. 4.-t Or, holy things.-u Heb. holiness. Exod. 30. 13.

Verse 15. Have her fourth] She had pressed in among the guards into the temple.

And him that followeth] The person who takes her part, let him instantly be slain.

Verse 16. By the way-which the horses came] They probably brought her out near the king's stables. It has been supposed, from Ezek. xlvi. 1, 2. that the east gate of the inner court was that by which the king entered on the sabbath day; whereas on all other days he entered by the south gate. And there was another gate, called the horse gate, in the wall of the city, Jer. xxxi. 39; this was for the king's horses to go out at from the stables at Millo, and is therefore called, 2 Chron. xxxiii. 15. The horse gate towards the king's house.

Verse 17. Jehoiada made a covenant] A general covenant was first made between the Lord, the Supreme King, the king his viceroy, and the people, that they should all be the Lord's people; each being equally bound to live according to the divine law.

Then, secondly, a particular covenant was made between the king and the people; by which the king was bound to rule according to the laws and constitution of the kingdom, and to watch and live for the safety of the public. And the people were bound, on their part, to love, honour, succour, and obey the king. Where these mutual and just agreements are made and maintained, there can be nothing else than prosperity in the church and the state. Verse 18. His altars and images brake they in pieces] It is probable that Athaliah had set up the worship of Baal in Judah, as Jezebel had done in Israel; or, probably, it had never been removed since the days of Solomon. It was no wonder that Jehoiada began his reform with this act, when we learn, from 2 Chron. xxiv. 7. that the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the Lord did they bestow upon Baalim.

Verse 20. The people rejoiced] They were glad to get rid of the tyranny of Athaliah.

And the city was in quiet] She had no partisans to rise up and disturb the king's reign.

Verse 21. Seven years old was Jehoash] The first instance on record of making a child seven years old the king of any nation; and especially of such a nation as the Jews, who were at all times very difficult to be governed.

10 And it was so, when they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the king's

w Heh. the money of the souls of his estimation, Lev. 27. 2-x Heb. arcendeth upon the heart of a man-y Exod. 35. 5. 1 Chren 29, 9- Heb in the twentieth year and third year-a 2 Chron. M. 5-b 2 Chron. 24. 6-c 2 Chron. 21. 8, &c.-d Heb. threshold.

NOTES ON CHAPTER XII.

Verse 2. Jehoash did—right in the sight of the LORD] While Jehoiada the priest, who was a pious, holy man, lived, Jehoash walked uprightly: but it appears from 2 Chron. xxiv. 17, 18. that he departed from the worship of the true God, after the death of this eminent high priest; lapsed into idolatry; and seems to have had a share in the murder of Zechariah, who testified against his transgressions, and those of the princes of Judah. See above, ib. 20-22. O how few of the few who begin to live to God, continue unto the end!

Verse 3. The high places were not taken away] Without the total destruction of these there could be no radical reform. The toleration of any species of idolatry in the land, whatever else was done in behalf of true religion, left, and in effect fostered, a seed, which, springing up, regenerated in time the whole infernal system. Je hoida did not use his influence as he might have done; for, as he had the king's heart and hand with him, he might have done what he pleased.

Verse 4. All the money of the dedicated things] From all this account we find that the temple was in a very ruinous state: the walls were falling down, some had perhaps actually fallen; and there was no person so zealous for the pure worship of God, as to exert himself to shoar up the falling temple!

The king himself seems to have been the first who noticed these dilapidations, and took measures for the necessary repairs. The repairs were made from the following sources:-1. The things which pious persons had dedicated to the service of God. 2. The freewill-offerings of strangers, who had visited Jerusalem; the money of every one that passeth. 3. The half-shekel, which the males were obliged to pay from the age of twenty years, Exod. xxx. 12. for the redemption of their souls: which is here called the money that every man is set at. All these sources had ever been in some measure open; but, instead of repairing the dilapidations in the Lord's house, the priests and Levites had converted the income to their own

use.

Verse 6. In the three and twentieth year] In what year Jehoash gave the orders for these repairs we cannot tell; but the account here plainly intimates that they had been long given, and that nothing was done, merely through the

scribe and the high priest came up, and they f put up in bags, and told the money that was found in the house of the LORD.

11 And they gave the money, being told, into the hands of them that did the work, that had the oversight of the house of the LORD: and they laid it out to the carpenters and builders, that wrought upon the house of the LORD,

12 And to masons, and hewers of stone, and to buy timber and hewed stone to repair the breaches of the house of the LORD, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it.

13 Howbeit there were not made for the house of the LORD bowls of silver, snuffers, basins, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought into the house of the LORD:

14 But they gave that to the workmen, and repaired therewith the house of the LORD.

15 Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to be bestowed on workmen: for they dealt faithfully.

16 The trespass-money and sin-money was not brought into the house of the LORD: m it was the priests'.

B. C. 810.

D

A. M. 3164. 17 T Then Hazael king of Syria Ante L. O1. 64. Went up and fought against Gath, and An Arionis, took it: and Hazael set his face to go Perpet. 5. up to Jerusalem.

Arch. Athen.

18 And Jehoash king of Judah P took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own hallowed things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and in the king's house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem.

19

And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all

e Or, secretary-f Heb. bound up.-g Heb. brought it forth.-h Heb. went forth. i See 2 Chron. 24. 14.-k Ch. 22 7.-1 Lev. 5. 15, 18-m Lev. 7. 7. Numb. 18. 9. D Ch. 8. 12-8 See 2 Chron. 24. 23-p 1 Kings 15. 18. Ch. 8. 15, 16.-q Heb. went up. r Ch. 14. 5. 2 Chron. 21. 25.

Jehoahaz reigns in Israel seventeen years; his various acts, and wars with the Syri

ans, 1-8 He dies, and Joash reigns in his stead, and does evil in the sight of the Lord, 9-13. Elisha's last sickness; foretells a threefold defeat of the Syrians, and dies, 14-20. A dead man raised to life by touching the bones of Elisha, 21. Hazael dies, having lung oppressed Israel; but Jehoash recovers many cities out of the hands of Ben-hadad, his successor, and beats him three times, 22-25.

IN

Nthe three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years,

2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.

C

A. M. 3148. Ante I. OL SO. An. Pherecli,

B. C. 856.

Arch. Athen
perpet. 8.

3 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael, all their days.

e

4 And Jehoahaz besought the LORD, and the LORD hearkened unto him: for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them.

5( And the LORD gave Israel a saviour, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians: and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents, h as beforetime.

s Or, Beth-millo.- 2 Chron. 24. 3, Zabad-a Or, Shimrith-v 2 Chron. 24 27.-a Heb. the twentieth year and third year-b Heb. walked after. Judg. 2 14.-d Ch. 8. 12-c Psa. 18. 34.- Exod. 3.7. Ch. 14. 26.-g See Ver. 25. & Ch. 14. 25, 27.-h Heb. as yesterday and third day.

It seems that the people had brought money in abundance; and the pious Jehoiada was over the priests, and yet nothing was done! Though Jehoiada was a good man, he does not appear to have had much of the spirit of an active zeal; and simple piety, without zeal and activity, is of little use when a reformation in religion and manners is necessary to be brought about. Philip Melancthon was orthodox, pious, and learned; but he was a man of comparative inactivity. In many respects Martin Luther was by far his inferior; but in zeal and activity he was a flaming and consuming fire: and by him, under God, was the mighty Reformation from the corruptions of Popery effected. Ten thousand Jehoiadas and Melancthons might have wished it in vain: Luther worked; and God worked by him, in him, and for him.

Verse 9. Jehoiada-took a chest] This chest was at first set beside the altar, as is here mentioned; but afterward, for the convenience of the people, it was set without the gate: see 2 Chron. xxiv. 8.

Verse 10. The king's scribe and the high priest] It was necessary to associate with the high priest some civil authority and activity, in order to get the neglected work performed.

Verse 13. Howbeit there were not made-bowls, &c.] That is, there were no vessels made for the service of the temple till all the outward repairs were completed; but, after this was done, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jchoiada, whereof were made vessels of gold and silver; 2 Chron. xxiv. 14.

Verse 15. They reckoned not with the men] They placed great confidence in them, and were not disappointed, for they dealt faithfully.

Verse 17. Hazael-fought against Gath, and took it] This city, with its satrapy, or lordship, had been taken from the Philistines by David; see 2 Sam. viii. 1. and 1 Chron, xviii. 1. And it had continued in the possession of the kings of Judah till this time. On what pretence Hazael seized it we cannot tell: he had the ultima ratio regum, power to do it; and he wanted more territory.

Verse 18. Took all the hallowed things] He dearly bought a peace which was of short duration, for the next year Hazael returned; and Jehoash, having no more trea

principal part of his nobility, so that Judah was totally ruined, and Jehoash shortly after slain in his bed by his own servants; 2 Chron. xxiv. 23.

Verse 19. The rest of the acts of Joash] We have already seen that this man, so promising in the beginning of his reign, apostatized, became an idolater, encouraged idolatry among his subjects, and put the high priest Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, his benefactor, to death: and now God visited that blood upon him by the hand of the tyrannous king of Syria, and by his own servants.

Verse 20. The house of Millo] Was a royal palace, built by Solomon; see 2 Sam. v. 9. And Silla is supposed to be the name of the road, or causeway, that led to it. Millo was situated between the old city of Jerusalem and the city of David.

Verse 21. For Jozachar] This person is called Zabad, in 2 Chron. xxiv. 26; and Shimeath his mother is said to be an Ammonitess, as Jehozabad is said to be the son, not of Shomer, but of Shimrith a Moabitess.

They buried him with his fathers in the city of David] But they did not bury him in the sepulchres of the kings: this is supposed to express the popular disapprobation of his conduct. Thus ended a reign full of promise and hope in the beginning, but profligate, cruel, and ruinous in the end. Never was the hand of God's justice more signally stretched out against an apostate king, and faithless people, than at this time. Now Hazael had a plenary commission: the king, the nobles, and the people, were food for his sword; and, by a handful of Syrians, the mighty armies of Israel were overthrown: For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the Lord delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the Lord God, 2 Chron. xxiv. 24. Thus, as righteousness exalteth a nation, so sin is the disgrace and confusion of any people. Sin destroys both counsel and strength: and the wicked flee when none pursue. NOTES ON CHAPTER XIII.

Verse 1. In the three and twentieth year of Joash] The chronology here is thus accounted for: Jehoahaz began his reign at the commencement of the twenty-third year of Joash, and reigned seventeen years; fourteen alone, and three years with his son Joash: the fourteenth year was but just begun.

Verse 5. And the LORD gave Israel a saviour] This was undoubtedly Joash, whose successful wars against the Syrians are mentioned at the conclusion of the chapter. Houbigant recommends to read the seventh verse after the fourth; then the fifth and sixth; and next the eighth, &c. Verse 6. The grove also in Samaria] Asherah or Astarte, remained in Samaria; and there was she worshipped, with all her abominable rites.

Verse 10. In the thirty and seventh year] Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, was associated with his father in the government, two years before his death. It is this association that is spoken of here. He succeeded him two years after, a little before the death of Elisha. Joash reigned sixteen years, which include the years he governed conjointly with his father. Calmet.

Verse 12. Wherewith he fought against Amaziah] This war with Amaziah may be seen in ample detail, 2 Chron. xxv.; it ended in the total defeat of Amaziah, who was taken prisoner by Joash, and afterward slain in a conspiracy at Lachish. Joash took Jerusalem, broke down four hundred cubits of the wall, and took all the royal treasures, and the treasures of the house of God. See 2 Chron. xxv. 20-27.

Verse 14. Now Elisha was fallen sick] This is supposed to have taken place in the tenth year of Joash; and, if so, Elisha must have prophesied about sixty-five years. O my father, my father] "What shall I do now thou art dying? thou art the only defence of Israel." He accosts him with the same words which himself spoke to Elijah, when he was translated: see chap. ii. 12. and the note there.

Verse 15. Take bow and arrows] The bow, the arrows, and the smiting on the ground, were all emblematical things, indicative of the deliverance of Israel from Syria. Verse 17. Open the window eastward] This was toward the country beyond Jordan, which Hazael had taken from the Israelites.

The arrow of deliverance from Syria] That is, as surely as that arrow is shot toward the lands conquered from Israel by the Syrians, so surely shall those lands be reconquered and restored to Israel: see ver. 25.

It was an ancient custom to shoot an arrow, or cast a spear, into the country which an army intended to invade. Justin says that, as soon as Alexander the Great had arrived on the coasts of Ionia, he threw a dart into the country of the Persians. Cum delati in continentem essent, primus Alexander jaculum velut in hostilem terram jacit.— Just. lib. ii.

The dart, spear, or arrow, thrown, was an emblem of the commencement of hostilities. Virgil, (Æn. lib. ix. 860

An. Ariptronie,

perpec 7.

14 Now Elisha was fallen sick of Ante. CL 62 his sickness whereof he died. And Jo-Arch Athen ash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, " the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.

15 And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows. 16 And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it; and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands.

17 And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD's deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them. 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.

19 And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it; whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.

B. C. 87,

20 And Elisha died, and they buried A. M. 367. him. And the bands of the Moabites Ante 101.6. invaded the land at the coming in of the Arch Atha year.

An Ariphronis,

21 And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of

s See Ver. 14, 25.-t Ch. 14. 9, &c. 2 Chron. 25. 17, &c.—n Ch. 2. 12- Heb. Maks thine hand to ride.-w Ecclus. 43. 13-x 1 Kings 20. 2-7 Ver 5.

Servius, in his note upon this place, shows that it was a custom to proclaim war in this way: the pater patratus, or chief of the Feciales, a sort of heralds, went to the confines of the enemy's country; and, after some solemnities, said, with a loud voice, I wage war with you, for such and such reasons; and then threw in a spear. It was then the business of the parties thus defied, or warned, to take the subject into consideration; and, if they did not, within thirty days, come to some accommodation, the war was begun.

Thou shalt smile the Syrians in Aphek] This was a city of Syria, and probably the place of the first battle; and there, it appears, they had a total overthrow. They were, in the language of the text, consumed, or extermi

nated.

Verse 18. Smile upon the ground] As he was ordered to take his arrows, the smiting on the ground must mean shooting arrows into it.

He smote thrice, and stayed] The prophet knew that this shooting was emblematical: probably the king was not aware of what depended on the frequency of the action; and perhaps it was of the Lord that he smote only thrice, as he had determined to give Israel those three victories only over the Syrians. Elisha's being wroth, because there were only three instead of five or six shots, does not prove that God was wroth; or that he had intended to give the Syrians five or six overthrows.

Verse 20. And Elisha died] The two prophets, Elijah and Elisha, were both most extraordinary men. Of the former it is difficult to say whether he was a man, or an angel in a human body. The arguments for this latter opinion are strong; the objections against it very feeble. His being fed by an angel, is no proof that he was not an angel incarnate; for God manifest in the flesh was fed by the same ministry. Of him, the following, from Ecclesiasticus, chap. xlviii. 1-11. is a nervous character.

Ver. 1.-Then stood up Elias the prophet as fire, and his word burned like a lamp.

Ver. 2.-He brought a sore famine upon them, and by his zeal he diminished their number.

Ver. 3.-By the word of the Lord he shut up the heaven, and also three times brought down fire.

drous deeds! and who may glory like unto thee! Ver. 4.-0 Elias, how wast thou honoured in thy won

9 And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, "The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.

10 Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and w thine heart hath lifted thee up: glory of this, and tarry at home; for why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?

11 But Amaziah would not hear. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth-shemesh, which belongeth to Judah.

12 And Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to their tents.

13 And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits:

u See Judg. 9. 8-v 1 Kings 4. 33.-w Deut. 8. 14. 2 Chron 32 25. Ezek. 28. 2, 6, 17. Hab. 2. 4.-x Heb. at thy house.-y Josh. 19. 38. & 21. 16.-2 Heb. was smitten.-a Nel 8 16. & 12 39.-b Jer. 31. 38. Zech. 14. 10.- 1 Kings 7. 51.

Verse 7. He slew of Edom in the valley of salt] This war is more circumstantially related in 2 Chron. xxv. 5, &c. The Idumeans had arisen, in the reign of Joram king of Judah, and shaken off the yoke of the house of David. Amaziah determined to reduce them to obedience; he therefore levied an army of three hundred thousand men in his own kingdom, and hired a hundred thousand Israelites, at the price of one hundred talents. When he was about to depart at the head of this numerous army, a prophet came to him, and ordered him to dismiss the Israelitish army, for God was not with them: and, on the king of Judah expressing regret for the loss of his hundred talents, he was answered, that the Lord could give him much more than that. He obeyed, sent back the Israelites, and, at the head of his own men, attacked the Edomites in the valley of salt; slew ten thousand on the spot, and took ten thousand prisoners, all of whom he precipitated from the rock, or Selah, which was afterward called Joktheel, a place or city supposed to be the same with Petra, which gave name to Arabia Petræa, where there must have been a great precipice; from which the place took its name of Selah, or Petra. Verse 8. Come, let us look one another in the face.] This was a real declaration of war; and the ground of it is most evident from this circumstance: that the one hundred thousand men of Israel that had been dismissed, though they had the stipulated money, taking the advantage of Amaziah's absence, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria to Beth-horon, and smote three thousand men, and took much spoil, 2 Chron. xxv. 10-13. Amaziah no doubt remonstrated with Jehoash, but to no purpose; and therefore he declared war against him.

Verse 9. Jchoash-sent to Amaziah-saying] The meaning of this parable is plain. The thistle that was in Lebanon, Amaziah, king of Judah, sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, Jehoash, king of Israel, saying, Give thy daughter, a part of thy kingdom, to my son to wife: to be united to, and possessed by the kings of Judah. And there passed by a wild beast, Jehoash and his enraged army, and trode down the thistle, utterly discomfited Amaziah and his troops, pillaged the temple, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem: see verses 12-14. Probably Amaziah had required certain cities of Israel to be given up to Judah; if so, this accounts for that part of the parable, Give thy daughter to my son to wife.

Verse 10. Glory of this, and tarry at home] There is a vast deal of insolent dignity in this remonstrance of Jehoash: but it has nothing conciliatory; no proposal of making amends for the injury his army had done to the

M Ante 1 0134 A Arch Aur

B. C. 510.

perpet 15

19 Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there. 20 And they brought him on horses; and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David.

21 And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah. 22 He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.

23 In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah, B Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years.

A. M. 3179 -320

Anno Ju

24 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

25 He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain,

d Ch 13 12-e 2 Chron. 25. 25, &c.-f 2 Chron. 25. 27-g Josh. 19, 31 - Cu. 15. 13. & 2 Chron. 26. 1. he is called Uzziah-i Ch 16 6. 2Chrou 2 2 Now bo begins to reign alone.-k Numb. 13. 21. & 34. 8.-1 Deut. 3. 17. unoffending inhabitants of Judah. The ravages committed by the army of Jehoash were totally unprovoked, and they were base and cowardly; they fell upon women, old men, and children, and butchered them in cold blood, for all the effective men were gone off with their king against the Edomites. The quarrel of Amaziah was certainly just, yet he was put to the rout; he did meddle to his hurt. He fell, and Judah fell with him, as Jehoash had said-but why was this? Why it came of God; for he had brought the gods of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burnt incense to them; therefore God delivered them into the hands of their enemies because they sought after the gods of Edom, 2 Chron. xxv. 14, 20. This was the reason why the Israelites triumphed.

Verse 13. Took Amaziah king of Judah] It is plain that Amaziah afterward had his liberty; but how, or on what terms, he got it, is not known. See on the following verse.

Verse 14. And he took-hostages] manynn ha-taûruboth, pledges, from any arab, to pledge, give security, &c. for the performance of some promise. See the meaning of this word interpreted in the note on Gen. xxxviii. 17. It is likely that Amaziah gave some of the nobles or some of his own family as hostages, that he might regain his liberty; and they were to get their liberty when he had fulfilled his engagements: but of what kind these were we cannot tell; nor, indeed, how he got his liberty.

Verse 15. How he fought with Amaziah] The only fighting between them was, the battle already mentione; and this is minutely related in 2 Chron. xxv.

Verse 19. They made a conspiracy against him] His defeat by Jehoash, and the consequent pillaging of the temple, and emptying the royal exchequer, and the dismantling of Jerusalem, had made him exceedingly unpopular; so that, probably, the whole of the last fifteen years of his life were a series of troubles and distresses.

2

Verse 21. Took Azariah] He is also called Uzziah, Chron. xxvi. 1. The former signifies the help of the Lord; the latter, the strength of the Lord.

Verse 22. He built Elath] This city belonged to the Edomites; and was situated on the eastern branch of the Red sea, thence called the Elanitic gulf. It had probably suffered much in the late war; and was now rebuilt by Uzziah, and brought entirely under the dominion of Judah.

Verse 25. He restored the coast of Israel] From the description that is here given, it appears that Jeroboam reconquered all the territory that had been taken from the kings of Israel, so that Jeroboam the second left the king