THE LORD SMOTE THE KING, SO THAT HE WAS A LEPER - The circumstances under which this terrible affliction befel one of the greatest of the Jewish kings, are given at some length by the author of Chronicles (marginal reference), who supplies us with a tolerably full account of this important reign, wh... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE THIRTY AND EIGHTH YEAR - Rather, according to the previous numbers 2 Kings 14:23; 2 Kings 15:2, the 27th year of Azariah. Some suppose an interregnum between Jeroboam and Zachariah, which, however, is very improbable.... [ Continue Reading ]
BEFORE THE PEOPLE - i. e. openly and publicly. The Septuagint turns the original of the above words into a proper name, Keblaam, and makes him the actual assassin, but without much ground.... [ Continue Reading ]
Tirzah, the old capital, once more appears as a place of importance, giving birth to the pretender, who alone of all these later kings died a natural death, and left the crown to his son 2 Kings 15:22. It would seem from the present passage to have been on lower ground than Samaria.... [ Continue Reading ]
With respect to the supposed inability of Menahem to lead an expedition to Tiphsah (Thapsacus, see the marginal reference) on the Euphrates, we may note in the first place that such an expedition was a natural sequel to Jeroboam’s occupation of Hamath 2 Kings 14:28; and further, that it would have b... [ Continue Reading ]
This is the first distinct mention which we find in Scripture of Assyria as an aggressive power. From the native monuments we learn that she had been for above a century pushing her conquests beyond the Euphrates, and seeking to reduce under her dominion the entire tract between that river and Egypt... [ Continue Reading ]
MENAHEM EXACTED THE MONEY - The kings of Israel had no such ready resource in difficulties as that possessed by the kings of Judah in the temple treasury 2 Kings 12:18; 2 Kings 16:8. Hence, the forced contribution from the people, the odium of which was diminished by confining the levy to the compar... [ Continue Reading ]
Assyrian inscriptions show that Menahem was subsequently redfaced to subjection by Tiglath-Pileser 2 Kings 15:29.... [ Continue Reading ]
A CAPTAIN OF HIS - A mere “captain,” a person, therefore, of very moderate rank. The low birth of Pekah is probably glanced at in Isaiah’s favorite designation of him as “Remaliah’s son” Isaiah 7:4, Isaiah 7:9; Isaiah 8:6. From the fact that Pekah employed Gileadites to carry out his designs, it ha... [ Continue Reading ]
Tiglath-Pileser is the first among the Assyrian monarchs of Scripture whom we can certainly identify with a king mentioned in the monuments. According to the Assyrian Dr. he reigned from 745 B.C. to 727 B.C.; and the monuments show us this energetic and powerful prince (though, probably, an usurper)... [ Continue Reading ]
HOSHEA, THE SON OF ELAH - One of Pekah’s friends, according to Josephus. THE TWENTIETH YEAR OF JOTHAM - According to 2 Kings 15:33 and 2 Chronicles 27:1, Jotham reigned only 16 years. See also the suggestion in the margin. Strangely enough, this first year of Hoshea is also called, not the fourth,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE REST OF THE ACTS OF PEKAH - On these, see 2 Kings 16:5 note.... [ Continue Reading ]
The writer here resumes the history of Judah from 2 Kings 15:7, to resume and conclude the history of Israel in 2 Kings 17.... [ Continue Reading ]
Jotham imitated his father in all respects, excepting in his impious usurpation of the priestly functions (2 Kings 15:5 note; 2 Chronicles 27:2).... [ Continue Reading ]
HE BUILT THE HIGHER GATE - Jotham followed the example of his father in military, no less than in religious, matters (compare the marginal reference with 2 Chronicles 26:9). The “higher” or “upper gate” of the temple is thought to have been that toward the north; and its fortification would seem to... [ Continue Reading ]
The recent invasions of Pul and Tiglath-Pileser had effectually alarmed Pekah and Rezin, and had induced them to put aside the traditional jealousies which naturally kept them apart, and to make a league offensive and defensive. Into this league they were anxious that Judaea should enter; but they d... [ Continue Reading ]