Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, 2 Kings · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
Verſ. 1. IN the twenty and ſeventh yeare of Jeroboam king of Iſrael, began Azariah, &c.] Manifeſt it is that Amaziah the father of this Aazariah or Uzziah, was ſlain in the fifteenth year of Jeroboam: for in the fifteenth year of Amaſiah did Jeroboam begin his reigne▪ chap. 14.23. and Amaziah reigned in all but nine and twenty years, chap. 14.2. ſo that the laſt yeare currant of Amaſiah, was but the fifteenth of Jeroboam; and how then was it the ſeven and twentieth of Jeroboam ere his ſonne began his reigne? Some ſay, that Jeroboam was deſigned king twelve years before Joaſh his fathers death, and ſo the firſt yeare of Azariah or Uzziah king of Judah, though it were the ſeven and twentieth yeare of Jeroboam, from his firſt being deſigned king▪ yet it was but his fifteenth yeare, accounting the years of his reigne from his ſitting in the throne after the death of his father. But better, I conceive, it is anſwered by others, that though Amaziah was ſlain in the fifteenth yeare of Jeroboam, yet his ſonne Azariah was not ſettled in the throne by the generall conſent of the people, till the ſeven and twentieth yeare of Jeroboam, when he was ſixteen years old, the foregoing twelve years either he reigned under Protectours, being but foure years old when his father was ſlain; or perhaps, though he were acknowledged king by ſome, who in thoſe troubleſome times ſtuck to him, as the heir apparent of the houſe of David; yet generally by the people he was not acknowledged king, till ſome order was taken for the redreſſe of thoſe grievances, which had enraged them ſo farre againſt his father.
Verſ. 2. And he reigned two and fifty years in Jeruſalem.] Beſides therefore the twelve years ſpent in his minority, fifteen years more he reigned in Judah, whileſt Jeroboam the ſecond reigned in the throne of Iſrael three and twenty years, in the time of Zachariah the ſonne of Jeroboam eleven years, with Shallum and Menahem (whereof Shallum reigned but a monethmonth) two years with Pekahiah, and a yeare and upwards with Pekah; ſo that he lived to ſee ſix kings in the throne of Iſrael.
Verſ. 3: And he did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done.] To wit, in the beginning of his reigne, as Amaziah had done whileſt Zachariah the Prophet lived, he ſought the Lord, and ſo long he proſpered wonderfully (inſomuch that conſidering the admirable ſucceſſe of Jeroboam at the ſame time in Iſrael; it is evident that the ſtate of Iſrael did never ſo flouriſh ſince the diviſion of the twelve tribes, as in the beginning of this kings reigne: for having an army of three hundred and ſeven thouſand men of warre, under the command of two thouſand ſix hundred captains (all whom he furniſhed with ſhields, and ſpears, and other arms requiſite) he overcame the Philiſtins, of whoſe towns he diſmantled ſome, and built others; alſo he got the maſtery over ſome parts of Arabia, and brought the Ammonites to pay him tribute; he repaired alſo the wall of Jeruſalem, which in his fathers dayes Joaſh king of Iſrael had broken down, and fortified it with towers, whereon he ſet new invented engins to ſhoot arrows, &c. he improved alſo the riches he had gotten with all kind of husbandry, as keeping of much cattell, &c. and built towers in the wilderneſſe for the defence of his cattell and herdsmen, and the wells of water he had digged there, by which means he might keep the command of the Arabian wilderneſſe, which was hardly paſſable if men were kept from thoſe few ſprings of water that were found there; all which is related, 2. Chron. 26.5, 15.
Verſ. 5. And the Lord ſmote the king, ſo that he was a leper, &c.] The cauſe of this is expreſſed, 2. Chron. 26.16, &c. to wit, that Uzziah or Azariah puffed up with his proſperity, would needs uſurp the Prieſts office, and went into the Temple to burn incenſe; whereupon Azariah the high Prieſt, attended with foureſcore other prieſts, went in after him, and withſtood him, and reprehended this his preſumption: for which, whileſt he was wrath with the Prieſt, the Lord ſmote him with a leproſie, and that in his forehead, (that every one might ſee the judgement of God upon him) and ſo he was preſently thruſt out of the temple. And thus becauſe his ſinne was pride and arrogance, by ſtriking him with ſuch a lothſome diſeaſe in his very face, the Lord filled his face with ſhame and confuſion, making him aſhamed to ſhew his face amongſt men; and becauſe he had ſinned with ſo much impudence, coming openly into the Temple to burn incenſe, as it were to out-face the Prieſts, therefore God ſtruck him in the forehead (where impudence is wont to ſhew it ſelf, Jer. 3.3. Thou hadſt a whores forehead, thou refuſedſt to be aſhamed:) and becauſe not content with the Regall dignity, he would needs uſurp the Prieſts office, he was not ſuffered to abide in the throne: for by reaſon of his leproſie he dwelt in a ſeverall houſe, that is, in a private dwelling where he might be ſevered, as much as was poſſible, from the ſociety of others: And Jotham the kings ſonne was over the houſe, judging the people of the land: that is, he lived in the kings palace, and kept his court there in ſtead of his father, whoſe place he ſupplyed, and as his Vice-roy and deputy governed the whole kingdome; wherein yet there was ſomething to mitigate the poore kings ſorrows, in the midſt of all theſe miſeries that befell him; to wit, that his ſonne did not take this advantage to depoſe his father, but was content to govern the people as his ſubſtitute under him. Beſides all theſe particulars, one memorable paſſage we find mentioned elſewhere, that is not recorded either here, or in the book of the Chronicles, to wit, that in this kings reigne there was alſo a moſt terrible duplicate page duplicate page earthquake, as we ſee Amos 1.1. The words of Amos, who was amongst the herdmen of Tekoa; which he ſaw concerning Iſrael, in the dayes of Ʋzziah, &c. two years before the earthquake: and again, Zach. 14.5. Ye ſhall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the dayes of Ʋzziah king of Judah.
Verſ. 6. And the reſt of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles? &c.] The acts of Uzziah or Azariah were alſo written by Iſaiah the Prophet, 2. Chron. 26.22. Now the reſt of the acts of Ʋzziah, firſt and laſt, did Iſaiah the prophet the ſonne of Amos write.
Verſ. 7. And they buried him with his fathers in the city of David.] To wit, in the field of the buriall▪ where the ſepulchres of the kings were, but not in their ſepulchres, becauſe he was a leper: 2. Chron. 26.23. So Uzziah ſlept with his father, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the buriall, which belonged to the kings: for they ſaid, He is a leper. When this king died, it ſeems the Philiſtines did greatly triumph and rejoyce, becauſe he had been ſuch a ſcourge to them, as is related 2. Chron. 26.6, 7. And he went forth, and warred againſt the Philiſtines, and brake down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Aſhdod, &c. whereupon it was that Iſaiah propheſied, that the grandchild of this Uzziah, to wit, Hezekiah, ſhould ſting them worſe then ever he had done, Iſa. 14.29. Rejoyce not thou whole Paleſtina, becauſe the rod of him that ſmote thee is broken; for out of the ſerpents root ſhall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit ſhall be a fiery flying ſerpent.
Verſ. 8. In the thirty and eighth yeare of Azariah king of Judah, did Zachariah the ſonne of Jeroboam reigne over Iſrael in Samaria ſix moneths.] The firſt of the fifty years of Azariahs reigne, was the ſeven and twentieth of Jeroboams reigne: verſe 1. In the twenty and ſeventh yeare of Jeroboams, Azariah the ſonne of Amaziah king of Judah began to reigne. Jeroboam reigned in all but one and fourty years, chap. 14.23. ſo that the laſt yeare of Jeroboams reigne, was but the fifteenth or ſixteenth of Azariahs. Now if Jeroboam died the ſixteenth yeare of Azariahs reigne, how came it to paſſe that his ſonne Zachariah began not his reigne till the eight and thirtieth yeare of Azariah, which was two and twenty years after the death of his father Jeroboam? I anſwer, Some hold that the eight and thirtieth of Azariah here ſpoken on, was the eight and thirtieth from the time he began to reigne with his father Amaziah: but rather, however it ſeems upon the death of Jeroboam, Zachariah found a party that ſtuck to him, to whom the crown of right did belong, and ſo the text ſpeaks of his immediate ſucceeding his father, chap. 14.29. And Jeroboam ſlept with his fathers, and Zachariah his ſonne reigned in his ſtead: yet two or three and twentie years did paſſe before he was by uniform conſent received as king; whether it were the ambition of Jeroboams captains, each ſtriving to keep what he held for himſelf; or ſome generall diſlike taken both by Prince and people againſt Zachariah, though he were the ſonne of ſo deſerving a father; yet they would not ſtoop to his government, till at length wearied with diſſention, they were in a manner forced unto it, which was (as is here ſaid) in the thirty eighth yeare of Azariahs reigne, after which time that he was by generall conſent ſettled in the kingdome, he enjoyed it onelyonly ſix moneths.
Verſ. 10. And Shallum the ſonne of Jabeſh conſpired againſt him, and ſmote him before the people, &c.] In that little time that he reigned, it ſeems he carried himſelf ſo ill, that the diſpleaſure of the people newly appeaſed, was ſoon ſtirred up again, and Shallum one of his captains taking the advantage hereof, conſpired againſt him, and ſlew him before the people; that is, the people not oppoſing but rather approving what was done: they were not at firſt more unwilling to receive him, then they were now glad to be rid of him.
Verſ. 12. This was the word of the Lord which he ſpake to Jehu, &c.] For Zachariah was in the fourth deſcent from Jehu. See the note, chap. 10.30.
Verſ. 16. Then Menahem ſmote Tiphſah, &c.] Many Expoſitours take this Tiphſah, to be that mentioned 1 Kings 4.24. but becauſe that was upon the frontiers of Syria, as is evident, becauſe it is there ſaid of Solomon, that he had dominion over all the region on this ſide the river, from Tiphſah even unto Azzah: and this was not farre from Tirzah, (which was in the heart of the countrey, and therefore the royall citie of the kings of Iſrael before Samaria) as is here clearly implyed, in that it is ſaid, that Menahem ſmote all the coaſt of Tiphſah, from Tirzah, that is as farre as Tirzah; therefore I conceive that this was ſome other Tiphſah that was not farre from Tirzah. The cauſe why Menahem ſmote this city is here ſaid to be, becauſe they opened not to him; it ſeems they refuſed to acknowledge him for their king, and would not open their gates to receive him; whereupon being enraged againſt them, like a true tyrant, to make the other cities afraid to follow their example, he ſmote not onelyonly the city, but all the coaſts about it, deſtroying the inhabitants, and exerciſing therein all kind of crueltie, as appears by the particular inſtance here given: all the women therein that were with child he ript up:
Verſ. 19. And Pull the king of Aſſyria came againſt the land, &c.] This was the firſt Babylonian Monarch, called in other writers Beloſus, and Phul-Beloſus. The Aſſyrians had hitherto been the great Monarchs of the world: but this Pull or Beloſus joyning with Arbaces the Mede, beſieged Sardanapalus the laſt of the Aſſyrian Monarchs, an effeminate prince, and hated of all his ſubjects, untill at laſt after two years ſiege in deſpair he burnt himſelf: and thereupon his Monarchy was divided, Arbaces taking to himſelf the Empire of the Medes and Perſians, and Pull or Beloſus the Empire of Babylon and Aſſyria, and therefore called himſelf the king of Aſſyria, and this was he that now invaded the land of Iſrael; and though the cauſe of the invaſion be not here expreſſed, yet moſt likely it is, that by the Arabians and Syrians from whom Jeroboam the ſecond had taken much (chap. 14.28. He recovered Damaſcus and Hamath, &c.) he was now called in to invade the kingdome of Iſrael, when it had been many years together weakened by thoſe civill and inteſtine broiles before mentioned that were in the land.
And Menahem gave Pull a thouſand talents of ſilver, that his hand might be with them, &c.] That is, he not onelyonly purchaſed his peace with the Aſſyrian king by that gift, but alſo procured a promiſe of his aid upon all occaſions, for the eſtabliſhment of his kingdome; whereby it is evident, that though he had uſurped the kingdome, yet he enjoyed it not without oppoſition.
Verſ. 25. And ſmote him in Samaria, in the palace of the kings houſe, with Argob, and Arieh, and with him fifty men of the Gileadites.] Theſe it ſeems were Pekahs partners in his conſpiracie againſt Pekahiah the ſonne of Menahem.
Verſ. 29. In the dayes of Pekah king of Iſrael, came Tiglath-pileſer king of Aſſryia, &c.] He is called Tilgath-pilneſer, 1. Chron. 5.26. and was doubtleſſe the ſonne of Pull king of Aſſyria, that had not many years before invaded the land in the dayes of Menahem, verſ. 19. and therefore called Tiglath-pull-aſſir: the cauſe why he now came into the land of Iſrael is expreſſed elſewhere, though it be not mentioned here: it ſeems this Pekah king of Iſrael combined with Rezin king of Syria, againſt Ahaz king of Judah, and did firſt ſeverally invade his land, and ſorely oppreſſed him, and then afterwards joyntly went up to beſiege Ahaz king of Judah in Jeruſalem; whereupon Ahaz being at the ſame time invaded alſo in other parts of his kingdomes, by other neighbouring nations, ſent to this great king of Aſſyria, to deſire his help againſt theſe two kings, as is expreſſed in the following chapter, verſ. 7. So Ahaz ſent meſſengers to Tiglath-pileſer king of Aſſyria, ſaying, I am thy ſervant and thy ſonne, come up and ſave me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Iſrael, which riſe up against me; and thereupon he came as he deſired into the land of Iſrael (the rather happely, becauſe this Pekah had ſlain the ſonne of Menahem, whom his father Pull had ſettled in the kingdome of Iſrael, as is before noted) and ſo took the ſeverall places here mentioned in the kingdome of Iſrael; to wit, Ijon, and Abelbeth-maachah, and Janoah, a town belonging to Ephraim, Joſh. 16.6. and Kedeſh, and Hazer cities of Napthali, Joſh. 19.36, 37. and Gilead, that is, all the land without Jordan, where the Rubenites, and Gadites, and half tribe of Manaſſeh had their poſſeſſions, and Galilee, all the land of Napthali, and carried them captive to Aſſyria: ſo that indeed at this time he ſubdued in a manner five tribes of Iſrael; to wit, thoſe without Jordan (who as they had firſt their inheritance given them, ſo they were now firſt carried away captives) and the tribes of Zebulon and Napthali who were ſeated in the land of Galilee. And this was the firſt captivity of Iſrael. Neither do we ever reade that theſe that were now carried away, or their poſterity did ever return again into the land of Iſrael, as thoſe of Judah did, that were afterwards carried into Babilon; whence it is, that when the prophet Iſaiah threatned the Jewes with the captivity of Babilon, he added this as a comfort, that their calamity ſhould not be ſuch as when their brethren of Iſrael, were carryed captive into Aſſyria, Iſa. 9.1. Nevertheleſſe the dimneſſe ſhall not be ſuch as was in her vexation, when at the firſt he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulon, and the land of Naphtali, and afterwards did more grievouſly afflict her, by the way of the ſea beyond Jordan in Galilee of the nations.
Verſ. 30. And Hoſhea the ſonne of Elah, made a conſpiracie against Pekah, &c.] Doubtleſſe the people of Iſrael were greatly enraged, becauſe ſo many of their tribes were carried away captive into Aſſyria by Tiglath-pileſer king of Aſſyria, and laid all the blame upon this their unfortunate king Pekah; partly, becauſe by making warre againſt Ahaz king of Judah cauſeleſſely, he had provoked Ahaz to call in the Aſſyrians to his help; and partly becauſe he got the kingdome by ſlaying Pekahiah, the ſonne of Menahem, whom the Aſſyrian king had ſettled in the throne of Iſrael. Now being thus fallen under the contempt and hatred of his people, it is no wonder that Hoſhea ſhould find enow that would joyn with him in a conſpiracy to kill him, which accordingly they accompliſhed, and ſo the Lord cut him off by a conſpiracy of his ſubjects, that himſelf got the crown by the murder of Pekahiah his Sovereigne.
And reigned in his ſtead, in the twentieth yeare of Jotham the ſonne of Uzziah.] Here it is expreſſely ſaid, that Hoſhea having ſlain Pekah began his reigne in the twentieth yeare of Jotham; and yet afterwards verſ. 33. it is ſaid that Jotham reigned but ſixteen years: and in the firſt verſe of the next chapter, it is ſaid that Ahaz the ſonne of Jotham began his reigne in the ſeventeenth yeare of Pekah. But to reconcile theſe ſeeming contradictions, we muſt know that Jotham lived twenty years after he was ſettled in the throne of Judah, upon the death of his father Uzziah, but that foure years before he died, he wholly reſigned his kingdome to his ſonne Ahaz; and ſo it was in the fourth yeare of Ahaz when Hoſhea ſlew Pekah, and took upon himſelf the title of king of Iſrael; but this fourth yeare of Ahaz, is called the twentieth of Jotham, becauſe Jotham had ſtill the title of king, though he had foure years before reſigned his kingdome to his ſonne Ahaz.
Verſ. 32. In the ſecond yeare of Pekah the ſonne of Remaliah king of Iſrael, began Jotham, &c.] To wit, after his father Uzziahs death (for he had the government of the kingdome under his father a long time before this; to wit, ever ſince his father became a leper, as is noted verſe 5.) About this time therefore did the prophet Iſaiah ſee that glorious viſion, Iſa. 6.1. In the yeare that king Uzziah died, I ſaw alſo the Lord ſitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple, &c. and in this kings reigne Hoſea and Micah propheſied to the people.
Verſ. 33. Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reigne, and he reigned ſixteen years, &c.] Some Expoſitours conceive, that he was thus old when he began to reign in his fathers life-time; which they hold, thereby to reſolve that great difficulty concerning the age of his grand-child Hezekiah, when he began to reigne; of which ſee the note chap. 18.2. But I rather think it muſt be underſtood (for ſo the words ſeem clearly to import) of his age when he began his ſixteen years reigne, which was after his fathers death; to wit, to the ſeventeenth yeare of Pekah, as is evident in the firſt verſe of the following chapter: In the ſeventeenth yeare of Pekah the ſonne of Remaliah, Ahaz the ſonne of Jotham king of Judah began to reigne.
Verſ. 34. And he did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord, &c.] This is more fully expreſſed, 2. Chron. 27.21. And he did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord, according to all that Uzziah his father did; howbeit he entred not into the temple of the Lord, and the people did yet corruptly.
Verſ. 35. He built the higher gate of the houſe of the Lord.] Or, the high gate, 2. Chron. 27.3. which was (it ſeems) the outer eaſt-gate, the gate whereby they went to the kings palace, 2. Chron. 23.20. And they came through the high gate into the kings houſe; the ſame, I conceive it was, which afterward for the ſtatelineſſe of it, was called the beautifull gate of the Temple, Acts 3.2. and by Jeremy often the new gate, as Jer. 26.10. and 36.10, &c.
Verſ. 36. Now the reſt of the acts of Jotham, &c.] Some of theſe are related in the Scripture Chronicles; as firſt, that he built divers cities in the hills of Judah, and in the forreſts, towers and palaces: and ſecondly, that he enforced the Ammonites to pay him tribute, to wit, of ſilver an hundred talents, of wheat and barley twenty thouſand meaſures, 2. Chron. 27.4, 5.
Verſ. 37. In thoſe dayes the Lord began to ſend againſt Judah, Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the ſonne of Remaliah.] That is, towards the end of his reigne, they began to conſpire againſt the land of Judah; but it ſeems till his ſonnes reigne after his deceaſe, they did not invade the land, the Lord herein ſhewing mercy to good Jotham, that he took him away before thoſe heavy calamities, that immediately after fell upon the kingdome of Judah.