XVII. JEHOSHAPHAT (2 Chronicles 17-20). PROPHETIC MINISTRY OF MICAH THE SON OF IMLAH AND JEHU THE SON OF HANANI. Jehoshaphat labours to strengthen his realm internally and externally. This entire chapter is peculiar to the Chronicle.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JEHOSHAPHAT ... IN. HIS STEAD. — The last words of 1 Kings 15:24. The name means _Iah judgeth._ AND STRENGTHENED HIMSELF AGAINST ISRAEL. — As described in 2 Chronicles 17:2. _Israel_ is here the northern kingdom. These defensive measures were taken in the early part of the reign, and before Jeh... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE PLACED FORCES. — Comp. 2 Chronicles 11:12. The fenced cities. — ‘_Arê ha-bĕtsûrôth._ (Comp. 2 Chronicles 11:5 _sqq.,_ 2 Chronicles 14:6.) AND SET GARRISONS. — _Placed military posts_ or _prefects_ (_netsîbîm_). (1 Chronicles 11:16; 2 Chronicles 11:11.) Syriac, “appointed rulers.” THE CITIE... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WALKED IN THE FIRST WAYS. — The _former_ or _earlier ways_ of David, as contrasted with his later conduct — a tacit allusion to the adultery with Bathsheba and other sins of David committed in his later years (2 Samuel 11-24). A few MSS. and the LXX. omit _David._ AND SOUGHT NOT UNTO BAALIM. — _... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE. — _And_ (so “also,” “so that,” in 2 Chronicles 17:7; 2 Chronicles 17:10). THE LORD STABLISHED THE KINGDOM IN HIS HAND. — Comp. 2 Kings 14:5. PRESENTS. — _Minchah._ This word often means tributary offerings, as in 2 Chronicles 17:11, but here it obviously denotes the voluntary gifts of l... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HIS HEART WAS LIFTED UP. — _Gabhah lçbh,_ which usually, like the phrase of Authorised version, has a bad meaning, as in 2 Chronicles 26:16. The margin is right here: “his courage rose high,” or “he grew bold” _in the ways of Jehovah,_ i.e., in the path of religious reform. Vulg., “cum sumpsisse... [ Continue Reading ]
THE COMMISSIONERS OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION IN THE LAW. (7) HE SENT TO HIS PRINCES, EVEN TO BEN-HAIL... TO MICHAIAH. — Rather, _He sent his princes, Ben- hail and Obadiah_... _and Michaiah._ (The _le_ “to,” in the chronicler’s idiom, marking the object of the verb.) If, however, Authorised Version were... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WITH THEM HE SENT LEVITES. — Rather, _And with them were the Levites._ The construction being changed. So LXX. and the Syriac. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 16:41; 1 Chronicles 15:18, for the same mode of enumeration, which is characteristic of the style of the chronicler. ZEBADIAH. — Some MSS. and Syria... [ Continue Reading ]
JEHOS APHAT BECOMES A POWERFUL SOVEREIGN. (10) THE FEAR OF THE LORD. — _A dread of Jehovah_ (_pachad_)_,_ Revelation 14:13, Revelation 20:29. (Comp. Exodus 15:16; 1 Samuel 11:7; Isaiah 2:10.) This phrase is not peculiar to the chronicler, as Keil and Bertheau assert. “The kingdoms of the lands” is s... [ Continue Reading ]
BROUGHT — _i.e.,_ continually. Such is the force of the participle. PRESENTS. — _An offering, i.e.,_ tribute (_minchah;._ 2 Chronicles 17:5). AND TRIBUTE SILVER. — Rather, _and silver, a load,_ or _burden, i.e.,_ a great quantity (_massâ’_)_,_ 2 Chronicles 20:25. As if, “silver _as much as they co... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JEHOSHAPHAT WAXED GREAT. — Literally, _And Jehoshaphat was going on and waxing great, i.e.,_ became greater and greater. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 11:9.) EXCEEDINGLY. — ‘_Ad lĕmà’lah._ This phrase occurs again in 2 Chronicles 16:12; 2 Chronicles 26:8, and nowhere else in the Old Testament. (See on 1... [ Continue Reading ]
BUSINESS. — Rather, _much goods,_ or _stores;_ literally, _work_ (_mĕlâkâh_) and then _produce._ The Hebrew word is so used in Exodus 22:7; Exodus 22:10 (“His neighbour’s goods”). Stores of provisions and war material seem to be intended. (Comp. 2 Chronicles 11:11.) AND THE MAN OF WAR... WERE IN JE... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THESE... THEIR FATHERS. — _And this is their muster_ (or census), _according to their father-houses_ (_clans_)_,_ 1 Chronicles 24:3. The warriors were marshalled in the army according to clans, so that men of the same stock fought side by side with their kindred. Perhaps in the original document... [ Continue Reading ]
NEXT TO HIM. — _At his hand, i.e.,_ beside him, and subordinate to him. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 25:2.)... [ Continue Reading ]
AMASIAH. — _Iah carrieth_ (Isaiah 40:11); different from Amaziah (_Iah is strong_). WHO WILLINGLY OFFERED HIMSELF UNTO THE LORD. — (Judges 5:2; Judges 5:9.) An allusion to some noble act of self-devotion, which was doubtless more fully recorded in the source from which the chronicler has drawn this... [ Continue Reading ]
ARMED MEN WITH BOW AND SHIELD. — Literally, _drawing bow and shield: i.e.,_ as the Targum explains, “drawing bow and grasping shields.” (Comp. 1 Chronicles 12:2.) LXX., “Archers and peltasts;” Vulg., “Grasping bow and shield.” (Comp. also 1 Chronicles 8:40, for the arms of the Benjaminites.)... [ Continue Reading ]
READY PREPARED FOR THE WAR. — _Equipped for service._ (See on 1 Chronicles 12:23; Numbers 31:5; Numbers 32:29.) The _hoplites_ or heavy-armed infantry are probably meant.... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE WAITED ON THE KING. — Rather, _these are they that ministered unto the king,_ viz., the five generals above named. BESIDE THOSE WHOM THE KING PUT IN THE FENCED CITIES — i.e., the commandants of the fortresses of the kingdom (2 Chronicles 11:11; 2 Chronicles 11:23). These latter, as well as th... [ Continue Reading ]