CHAPTER XIV _Amaziah begins to reign well; his victory over the Edomites_, 1-7. _He challenges Jehoash, king of Israel_, 8. _Jehoash's parable of the thistle and the cedar_, 9, 10. _The two armies meet at Beth-shemesh; and the men of Judah are_ _defeated_, 11, 12. _Jehoash takes Jerusalem, br... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 14:5. _AS SOON AS THE KINGDOM WAS CONFIRMED IN HIS HAND_] No doubt those wicked men, _Jozachar_ and _Jehozabad_, who murdered his father, had considerable power and influence; and therefore he found it dangerous to bring them to justice, till he was assured of the loyalty of his other... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 14:6. _BUT THE CHILDREN OF THE MURDERERS HE SLEW NOT_] Here he showed his conscientious regard for the law of Moses; for God had positively said, _The fathers shall not be put to death for the_ _children, neither shall the children be put to death for the_ _fathers: every man shall be... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 14:7. _HE SLEW OF EDOM TO THE VALLEY OF SALT_] This war is more circumstantially related in 2 Chronicles 25:5, 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 lev... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 14:8. _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 Am... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 14:9. _JEHOASH - 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 _-... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 14:10. _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 unoffending inhabitants of Judah. The ravages committed by the arm... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 14:13. _TOOK AMAZIAH KING OF JUDAH_] It is plain that Amaziah afterwards had his liberty; but how or on what terms he got it, is not known. See on the 2 Kings 14:13.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 14:14. _AND HE TOOK - HOSTAGES_] התערבות _hattaaruboth, pledges_; from ערב _arab_, to _pledge_, give _security_, c., for the performance of some _promise_. See the meaning of this word interpreted in _Clarke's note on "_Genesis 38:17_"_. It is likely that Amaziah gave some of the _nobl... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 14:15. _HOW HE FOUGHT WITH AMAZIAH_] The only fighting between them was the battle already mentioned; and this is minutely related in 2 Chronicles 25:21-14.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 14:19. _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 wer... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 14:21. _TOOK AZARIAH_] He is also called _Uzziah_, 2 Chronicles 26:1. The former signifies, _The help of the Lord_; the latter, _The_ _strength of the Lord_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 14:22. _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.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 14:25. _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 kingdom as ample as it was when the ten tribes separated under... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 26. _THE LORD SAW THE AFFLICTION OF ISRAEL_] It appears that about this time Israel had been greatly reduced; and great calamities had fallen upon all indiscriminately; even the _diseased_ and _captives_ in the dungeon had the hand of God heavy upon them, and there was _no helper_; and then Go... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 28. _HOW HE WARRED, AND - RECOVERED DAMASCUS_] We learn from 1 Chronicles 18:3, that David had conquered _all Syria_, and put garrisons in Damascus and other places, and laid all the Syrians under _tribute_; but this yoke they had not only shaken off, but they had conquered a considerable port... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 14:29. _JEROBOAM SLEPT WITH HIS FATHERS_] He died a natural death; and was regularly succeeded by his son _Zachariah_, who, reigning badly, was, after _six months_, slain by _Shallum_, who succeeded him, and reigned but _one month_, being slain by _Menahem_, who succeeded him, and reig... [ Continue Reading ]