To reign — He usurped the kingdom in Ahaz's fourth year; but either was not owned as king, by the generality of the people; or was not accepted and established in his kingdom, 'till Ahaz's twelfth year. Nine — After his confirmation and peaceable possession of his kingdom: for in all, he reigned sev... [ Continue Reading ]
But not, &c. — For he neither worshipped Baal, as many of his predecessors did; nor compelled the people to worship the calves; (one of them, that of Dan, being destroyed, or carried away before, as the Hebrew writers affirm;) nor, as some add, hindered those by force, who were minded to go to Jerus... [ Continue Reading ]
Shalmaneser — The son, or successor of Tiglath — pileser. The ancient Hebrew writers made him the same with Sennacherib, who eight years after this time, invaded the kingdom of Judah; it being very frequent in the Eastern parts, for one man to be called by several names. Josephus affirms, that he me... [ Continue Reading ]
Carried Israel away, &c. — There, we have reason to think, after some time, they were so mingled with the nations, that they were lost, and the name of Israel was no more in remembrance. They that forgot God, were themselves forgotten, and they that studied to be like the nations, were buried among... [ Continue Reading ]
Did secretly — This belongs, either, To their gross idolatries, and other abominable practices, which they were ashamed to own before others; or, to the worship of calves: and so the words are otherwise rendered; they covered things that were not right towards the Lord: they covered their idolatrous... [ Continue Reading ]
Seers — To whom he declared his mind, by revelations and visions, and by whom he published it, bearing witness, from heaven to their doctrine by eminent and glorious miracles.... [ Continue Reading ]
Hardened, &c. — Refused to submit their neck to the yoke of God's precepts. A metaphor from stubborn oxen, that will not bow to the yoke.... [ Continue Reading ]
Vanity — Idols; so called because of their nothingness, impotency, and unprofitableness; and by the long worship of idols, they were made like them, vain, sottish, and senseless creatures.... [ Continue Reading ]
Left all — They grew worse and worse; from a partial disobedience to some of God's laws, they fell by degrees to a total apostacy from all. The host — The stars, as Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus.... [ Continue Reading ]
Judah only — And the greatest part of the tribe of Benjamin, with those of the tribes of Simeon and Levi who were incorporated with them.... [ Continue Reading ]
Judah kept not — Judah's idolatry and wickedness are here remembered, as an aggravation of the sin of the Israelites, which was not only evil in itself, but mischievous to their neighbour, who by their examples were instructed in their wicked arts, and provoked to an imitation of them.... [ Continue Reading ]
All Israel — All the tribes of Israel: first, one part of them, and now the rest. But this extends not to every individual person of these tribes; for many of them removed into the kingdom of Judah, and were associated with them.... [ Continue Reading ]
They made — Which action is here ascribed to the people, because they would not tarry 'till God by his providence, had invested Jeroboam with the kingdom which he had promised him; but rashly, and rebelliously, rose up against the house of David, to which they had so great obligations; and set him u... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore — For their gross neglect, and contempt of God, which was contrary to the principles and practices of the Heathens, who used to worship the gods of the nations where they lived, and gave that honour to their false Gods, which here they denied to the true. Hereby also God asserted his own s... [ Continue Reading ]
Taught them — The manner of God's worship, as it was practised in Israel; as may be gathered both from the quality of this person, who was an Israelitish priest; and from the place of his residence, Beth — el, a place infamous for the worship of the calves, and from the manner of their making priest... [ Continue Reading ]
Sacrificed — Unto the true God: for as to the worship of their own gods, they needed no instruction, and would not permit a person of another religion to minister therein.... [ Continue Reading ]
They feared — They worshipped God externally in that way which the Israelites used. But every nation made gods of their own besides.... [ Continue Reading ]
Unto this day — That is, till the time when this book was written, above three hundred years in all, till the time of Alexander the Great, when they were prevailed upon to call away their idols. Former manners — As the Israelites before their captivity, gave these nations an ill example, in serving... [ Continue Reading ]
So — In like manner, and after their example. These — Who came in their stead.... [ Continue Reading ]