CHAPTER XVII _Hoshea's wicked reign_, 1, 2. _Shalmaneser comes up against him, makes him tributary, and_ _then casts him into prison_, 3, 4. _He besieges Samaria three years; and at last takes it, and_ _carries Israel captive into Assyria, and places them in_ _different cities of the Assyrians... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 17:3. _SHALMANESER_] This was the son and successor of _Tiglath-pileser_. He is called _Shalman_ by Hosea, Hosea 10:14, and _Enemessar_, in the book of Tobit, 2 Kings 1:2. _GAVE HIM PRESENTS._] Became tributary to him.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 17:4. _FOUND CONSPIRACY TO HOSHEA_] He had endeavoured to shake off the Assyrian yoke, by entering into a treaty with So, King of Egypt; and having done so, he ceased to send the annual tribute to Assyria.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 17:5. _BESIEGED IT THREE YEARS._] It must have been well fortified, well provisioned, and well defended, to have held out so long.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 17:6. _TOOK SAMARIA_] According to the prophets Hosea, Hosea 13:16, and Micah, Micah 1:6. He exercised great cruelties on this miserable city, ripping up the women with child, dashing young children against the stones, c. c. _CARRIED ISRAEL AWAY INTO ASSYRIA_] What were the places to... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 17:9. _DID SECRETLY_ THOSE _THINGS_] There was much _hidden_ _iniquity_ and _private idolatry_ among them, as well as public and notorious crimes. _FROM THE TOWER OF THE WATCHMEN TO THE FENCED CITY._] That is, the idolatry was _universal_; every place was made a place for some idolatr... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 17:10. _IMAGES AND GROVES_] Images of different idols, and places for the abominable rites of _Ashtaroth_ or _Venus_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 17:13. _YET THE LORD TESTIFIED AGAINST ISRAEL_] What rendered their conduct the more inexcusable was, that the Lord had preserved among them a succession of prophets, who testified against their conduct, and preached repentance to them, and the readiness of God to forgive, provided the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 17:17. _SOLD THEMSELVES TO DO EVIL_] Abandoned themselves to the will of the devil, to work all iniquity with greediness.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 17:18. _REMOVED THEM OUT OF HIS SIGHT_] Banished them from the promised land, from the temple, and from every ordinance of righteousness, as wholly unworthy of any kind of good. _NONE LEFT BUT THE TRIBE OF JUDAH ONLY._] Under this name all those of _Benjamin_ and _Levi_, and the _Isra... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 17:24. _THE KING OF ASSYRIA BROUGHT_ MEN _FROM BABYLON_] He removed one people entirely, and substituted others in their place; and this he did to cut off all occasion for mutiny or insurrection; for the people being removed from their _own land_, had no _object_ worthy of attention to... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 17:25. _THE LORD SENT LIONS AMONG THEM_] The land being deprived of its inhabitants, wild beasts would necessarily increase, even without any supernatural intervention; and this the superstitious new comers supposed to be a plague sent upon them, because they did not know how to worshi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 26. _THE MANNER OF THE GOD OF THE LAND._] משפט _mishpat_, the _judgment_; the way in which the God of the land is to be worshipped.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 27. _CARRY THITHER ONE OF THE PRIESTS_] Imperfect as this teaching was, it, in the end, overthrew the idolatry of these people, so that soon after the Babylonish captivity they were found to be as free from idolatry as the Jews themselves, and continue so to the present day. But they are now n... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 29. _EVERY NATION MADE GODS OF THEIR OWN_] That is, they made gods after the fashion of those which they had worshipped in their own country.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 30. _THE MEN OF BABYLON MADE SUCCOTH-BENOTH_] This, literally, signifies _the tabernacles of the daughters_ or _young_ _women_, and most evidently refers to those public prostitutions of young virgins at the temple of _Melitta_ or _Venus_ among the Babylonians. See at the end of the chapter. 2... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 31. _THE AVITES MADE NIBHAZ_] This was supposed to be the same as the _Anubis_ of the Egyptians; and was in form partly of a _dog_, and partly of a _man_. A very ancient image of this kind now lies before me: it is cut out of stone, about _seven_ inches high; has the _body, legs_, and _arms_,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 32. _OF THE LOWEST OF THEM PRIESTS_] One priest was not enough for this motley population; and, as the priesthood was probably neither _respectable_ nor _lucrative_, it was only the lowest of the people who would enter into the employment.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 33. _THEY FEARED THE LORD, AND SERVED THEIR OWN GODS_] They did not relinquish their own _idolatry_ but _incorporated_ the worship of the true God with that of their idols. They were _afraid_ of Jehovah, who had sent lions among them; and therefore they offered him a sort of worship that he mi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 36. _BUT THE LORD_] JEHOVAH, the supreme, self-existent, and eternal Being; author of all _being_ and _life_. This was to be the sole _object_ of their adoration. _WHO BROUGHT YOU UP_] This was a _strong reason_ why they should adore _Him_ only: he had saved them from the hands of their enemi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 17:41. _SO DO THEY UNTO THIS DAY._] This must have been written before the Babylonish captivity; because, after that time, none of the Israelites ever lapsed into idolatry. But this may chiefly refer to the _heathenish_ people who were sent to dwell among the remains of the ten tribes.... [ Continue Reading ]