Westminster Annotations, 2 Kings (4 Kings) · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIIII.
Verse 1. A Maziah] 2 Chron. 25. 1.
V. 2. twenty and five yeers old] Heb. a son of twenty and five yeers.
twenty and nine yeers] Of these, he spent twelve yeers as a banished man in Lachish, v. 19. 2 Chron. 25. 27. See the Notes on v. 21.
mothers name] See the Notes on 1 King. 15. 10.
V. 3. right] 2 Chron. 25. 2. See the Notes on Chap. 12. v. 2.
as Joash] Who begun well, but revolted, 2 Chron. 24. 15. so Amaziah, 1 Chron. 25. 14. so Uzziah, 2 Chron. 26. 16.
V. 4. the high places] See the Notes on 1 King. 15. 14.
V. 5. confirmed in his hand] Setled and established in his person, as his undoubted right (as 1 King. 2. 12, 24.) for by reason of the treason raised against his father (Chap. 12. v. 20, 21.) there were fears, troubles and dangers in the beginning of his reign.
which had slain the king his father] Chap. 12. 20.
V. 6. the children, &c.] This is here noted, as one evidence of his doing right, v. 3.
The fathers shall not be put to death for the children] Deut. 24. 16. Ezek. 18. 20.
V. 7. He slew] In battell, because they had revolted from Judah, chap. 8. 22.
of Edom] Called children of Seir, (2 Chron. 25. 11.) from the place of their habitation, Deut. 2. 4, 8.
valley of salt] There was a water issuing out of Jordan, out of which ariseth much salt, called, by Jusine and others, Asphaltus, or, Asphaltites. A valley by it, was called, the valley of salt (2 Sam. 8. 13. Psal. 60. 1.) It is supposed to be that, which is called the valley of Shaveh (Gen. 14. 17.)
ten thousand] And cast ten thousand more headlong from a rock, 2 Chron. 25. 12.
Selah] Or, the rock. This word signifieth a rock. Selah was a fair city; so called, because it was built on a rock, 2 Chron. 25. 12. See on Isai. 16. 1.
Joktheel] The word, according to the notation of it, signifieth, obed…ence to God: which name Amaziah might give to this city, in testimony of his obedience to God, 2 Chron. 25. 10, 11.
unto this day] See the Notes on 1 King. 9. 13.
V. 8. Come] A word of chalenge, as 1 Sam. 14. 12.
look one another] Stand one against another in the open field: he means not this of a single presenting their two persons one to another, but of setting their armies one against another, themselves being as Generalls, in the head of them: so it is applied v. 11. See a like phrase, chap. 23. 29. This chalenge he made, in revenge of the wrong which the men of Israel had done to the cities of Judah, 2 Chron. 25. 13. and to restrain Israel from invading cities, and to move him rather to decide the quarrell by main battell hand to hand.
V. 9. The thistle] A parabolicall speech, as Judg. 9. 8, &c. In derision, the king of Israel resembleth the king of Judah to a thistle, a thistle in Lebanon, which grew under cedars: himself to a cedar: desire of marriage betwixt the son of the one, and daughter of the other, to a conceipt of equality: a wilde beast, to the army of Israel: treading down the thistle, to vanquishing Judah. This application is verified in the next verse.
V. 10. Thou hast indeed smitten] Heb. Smiting thou hast smit.
thine heart] The pride of thine heart, occasioned by thy victory over Edom, hath puffed thee up. The like is said of Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 32. 35, 36.
glory, and tarry, &c.] If thou wilt needs boast thy self, do it privately, in thine own countrey, among thine own people.
at home] Heb. at thy house.
why shouldest thou] A disswasive exprobration.
meddle to thy hurt] Put thy self into mischief?
V. 11. would not hear] Would not forbear to do what he was disswaded from.
went up] Into the field, not staying till Amaziah should come to him.
looked one another, &c.] Met with their armies face to face.
to Judah] Josh. 15. 10. and 21. 16. for there was another Bethshemesh in the tribe of Naphtali, Josh. 19. 38.
V. 12. was put to the worse] Heb. was smitten.
to their tents] To their own houses. See the Notes on 1 Kin. 12. 16.
V. 13. took Amaziah] Took him captive; seised on his person.
and came] In hostile manner with his army.
brake down] See the Notes on Neh. 8. 16.
gate of Ephraim] Which looketh towards Ephraim, Nehem. 12. 39.
corner-gate] Out of which they might look two ways, Zac. 14. 10. Jer. 31. 38.
V. 14. hostages] Children of the king, or other noble persons, for a pledge of keeping covenant with him.
V. 15. Jehoash, &c.] This is the same that is called Joash, chap. 13. 12, 13. where the same things are written of him.
his might] Chap. 13. 8. His valourous deeds against the Syrians, chap. 13. v. 25.
V. 19. they made a conspiracy] So many of his subjects, and such mighty ones, plotted and wrought treason against him, after his idolatry (2 Chron. 25. 14, 27.) as he durst not stand out against them, but fled.
to Lachish] A strong city in the borders of Judah, 2 Chron. 11. 9. Isai. 36. 1, 2.
V. 20. on horses] In a chariot drawn with horses, as chap. 9. 28.
V. 21. Azariah] 2 Chron. 26. 1. he is called, Ʋzziah.
instead of his father] While his father lived; for he reigned twelve yeers in his fathers time, even after the time that they conspired against his father; which thus appears: Jeroboam the son of Joash began his reign in the fifteenth yeer of Amaziah, and reigned one and fourty yeers, v. 23. Jeroboams son began his reign in the eight and thirtieth of Uzziah, chap. 15. 8. Amaziah reigned twenty nine yeers: take away fifteen from twenty nine, and there remains fourteen: adde to these thirty eight of Uzziah's, there will arise the summe of fifty two. Out of these must be taken at least eleven, to make the just account of Jeroboam's one and fourty yeers: these eleven (or twelve, because yeers of kings are reckoned currant) must needs be swallowed up in the joynt reign of Amaziah and Uzziah his son. See the like, 2 King. 1. 17.
V. 22. He built Elath] Elath was an ancient city, whereof mention is made, Deut. 2. 8. but it was so decayed, as by repairing it, he is said to build it. This was lost in Ahaz time, Chap. 16. 6.
V. 23. In the fifteenth yeer] See the Notes on v. 21.
V. 24. from all] See the Notes on chap. 13 11.
sin… of Jeroboam] See the Notes on 1 King. 16. 19.
V. 25. the coast of Israel] Cities which were betwixt Judah and Israel, and were then under the power of Israel, but of right appertained to Judah. These coasts were appointed by God himself to his people, Num. 34. 8.
from the entring] Compare Num. 34. 8. with Deut. 3. 17.
Jonah] Matth. 12. 39, 40, called Jonas; The fifth of the small prophets, Jon. 1. 1.
Gath-hepher] A city in the tribe of Zebulun, Josh. 19. 13.
V. 26. not any shut up] See the Notes on 1 King. 14. 10. It may here imply, that none was safe, whether he were shut up in a place of defence, or left abroad; whether he were great or mean; whether he had means or not.
V. 27. said not] Had not yet determined; though afterwards he said it (Hos. 1. 6, 9.) and did it, Chap. 17. v. 18. See Chap. 13. 23.
V. 28. and his might] See the Notes on v. 15.
Damas…us] Which David won (2 Sam. 8. 6.) and Rezon got again (1 King. 11. 24.) but now Jeroboam recovered.
to Judah] Of old it belonged to Judah, but now Jeroboam united it to the kingdom of Israel.
chronicles] Civill records.