A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Commentary on 1 and 2 Kings · Chapter 15
1 Kings CHAP. XV.
THIS Chapter is the Hiſtory of Four Kings, Two of Judah, and Two of Iſrael: The Two of Judah were Abijam and Aſa.
Remarks upon the Firſt are, Firſt, The Son of Rehoboam is called Abijah, 2 Chron. 12.16. which ſignifies, [The Lord is my Father;] but here is called Abijam, which ſignifies, [My Father is a Sea.] His Father gave him the former name while he held his Integrity, and probably with reſpect unto that Promiſe made to David, [I will be his Father, &c.] 2 Sam. 7.15. but becauſe this Abijah walked not in the ways of David, therefore he is called here Abijam, becauſe his Father Rehoboam kept not conſtant in goodneſs, but wavered like a Wave of the Sea, toſſed away by the Wind, James 1.6. The Reaſon why Rehoboam made this Man King, rather than any of his many Sons is rendred, [Becauſe he loved Maachah, this Son's Mother, above all his other Wives,] 2 Chron. 11.21, 22.
Remark the Second: Though this Abijah made a fair Profeſſion of his Faith, and ſeem'd to be good at the firſt, 2 Chron. 13.12. yet had he a ſoon corrupted Heart, and ſhew'd himſelf in his fould Colours afterward; for he walked in the wicked Ways of his Father Rehoboam's latter Reign, ver. 1, 2, 3. inheriting his Father's Sins no leſs than his Crown. 'Tis no marvel therefore, that after his ſpending three Years (as if he had been nothing of Kin to his good Grand-father David) his Reign was ſo ſhort, ſeeing it was ſo wicked: He began his Reign in the Eighteenth Year of Jeroboam, to whom he was a great Scourge, by God's owning him for David's ſake, ver. 4. not only making him a Lamp in Jeruſalem, but alſo a Fire-brand, to conſume Five hundred thouſand Idolatrous Iſraelites as before, and recovered Bethel from Jeroboam (where one of his golden Calves was ſet up) 2 Chron. 13.16, 19. but he deſtroyed not that Idol-Worſhip there, for which probably God ſhortned his Reign and Life, ver. 8.
The Second King of Judah in this Chapter is Aſa, a good King, ver. 9.
Remark the Firſt: Aſa began his Reign in the twentieth Year current of Jeroboam's, N. B. who lived to ſee three Succeſſions in Judah's Throne (Rehoboam, Abijam and Aſa) though he was a Sinner with an Accent, and of the greateſt Size [making Iſrael to ſin] ſo oft repeated; yet did this Wretch live until the Second Year of this good ſad Diſeaſe (as before) ſo that he died in the third Year of Aſa (ſaith Dr. Lightfoot) a little before the Sword of Baaſha deſtroyed his Family, 2 Chron. 13.20. whereas, on the other hand, this good King Aſa began to Reign in the time of the firſt King of Iſrael after the Schiſm, and continued until the Eight King of that Kingdom, of which there were five diſtinct Families, all deſtroying one the other. The five Stocks or Families were theſe, (1.) Jeroboam's, Chap. 12.20. (2.) Baaſha's, v. 29. here. (3.) Zimrie's, Ch. 16.10. (4.) Tibna's, Chap. 16.21. and (5.) Omri's, Chap. 16.12. 'Tis ſaid here [Aſa Reigned Forty and one years] v. 10. he lived to ſee all thoſe great changes in that Idolatrous Kingdom of Iſrael: Thus ſpeedily did Idolatry root out ſo many Families, when good Aſa had a long Reign granted him, tho' his bad Father was ſoon cut off.
Remark the Second, that this Aſa became a good King Reigning uprightly before the Lord, as did David his Great Grandfather, v. 11. is matter of Admiration, ſeeing he was of the ſeed of Abijam, and of the Soil of Maachah, both of them Wicked, and both Idolatrous. N. B. Hereby God would have us ſee (ſaith Dr. Hall) that Grace is from Heaven, nor needs he the helps of theſe Earthly Conveyances: Should not the Children of good Parents ſometimes prove evil, and the Children of bad Parents good, grace would ſeem natural, and the giver of grace would not have thanks given him for his free grace. Thus we have ſeen a fair Flower ſpring out of filthy Dung, and a Sweet-Fruited Tree ariſe out of a Sowre Stock. Peter Martyr addeth here, that this is ſaid to the juſt praiſe of Aſa, who being trained up under Impious and Idolatrous Maachah, yet he learned not her corrupt manners, but Maintained his true Piety.
Remark the Third, There be Five Principal Monuments of Aſa's true Piety; as Firſt, His Aboliſhing of Sodomy ſo far as he could find it out; for as it had been ſet up, Chap. 14.24. ſo ſome eſcaped his cenſure, Chap. 22.46. Secondly, His Removing Idols, ver. 12. call'd Hagillulim, dirty or dunghil Deities that ſtank in God's noſtrils. Thirdly, He Depoſed his Mother from being Queen-Regent, or Queen-Mother at the leaſt, v. 13. becauſe ſhe had abuſed her Authority for the patronage of Idolatry. N. B. Good Aſa will not know any bonds of nature in a caſe of diſhonour to the great God; he will not ſuffer his Mother to be a Prieſteſs (ſay ſome) in that filthy Worſhip of Priapus. Fourthly, He Demoliſhes her [Miphletzeth] Hebrew, the Picture of Priapus. or Pan, an horrible ugly Idol, which he burnt firſt, and then drown'd it in the Town Ditch Kidron; poor Gods they were in the mean time, that might be both burnt and drown'd, v. 13. the evil example of his Forefathers muſt be no preſident to him. Fifthly, He Augmented the Sacred Treaſury, v. 15. namely with thoſe Spoils which his Father had taken after his great Victory over Jereboam, 2 Chron. 13.15. and devoted them in thankfulneſs to God, but had not brought them into the Temple; hereby the Lord's Treaſury (which had been exhauſted by Shiſhak King of Egypt. Chap. 14.28.) became well repleniſhed again. All theſe Five Famous Acts were as ſo many ſparkling Diamonds in this good Aſa's Royal Diadem, and that which gave the greateſt luſtre to him was God's own Character of him [that his heart was upright with God:] v. 14. a good Root for good Fruit, a good Heart cannot want a good Life.
Remark the Fourth, Tho' the ſtate of Iſrael and Judah were moſt deplorably plunged into a depraved and degenerate Eſtate, wo and alas, when Sodomy and Idolatry was found in even Judah, and Jeruſalem it ſelf, as well as in Iſrael, &c. Idolatry had ſo debauched them, that God gave them up to Sodomy, Rom. 1, 21, 22, 23, 24. N. B. To what a low ebb was the true Religion now reduced, the whole World had now no Viſible Church, but like the Lily, Cant. 2.2. was in this Winter-ſeaſon gone under ground, yet was it not ſo much her Grave as her Sanctuary; behold this Spring-Seaſon, God raiſeth up this Good Aſa to raiſe her up from her Retirements, and to reſtore God to his own Land by his Reformations, &c. To whom God gave a long Reign, to eſtabliſh God's Worſhip, &c.
Remark the Fifth, Aſa's uprightneſs of heart was bleſt by God with his firſt ten years peace, wherein he put down Idols, ſet up God's Worſhip fortified Cities, and trained his Armies in time of peace, providing for war, 2 Chron. 14 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. and then alſo (while he and his People ſought the Lord) he obtained a moſt Glorious Victory by his affectionate Prayer to God over a Million of Ethiopians (nine hundred thouſand foot, and one hundred thouſand horſe, ſaith Joſephus) beſides three hundred Chariots armed with Inſtruments of death, called in (likely) by the Ten Tribes in revenge of their late overthrow given them by Abijam.
Remark the Sixth, When Aſa found his Army of five hundred and eighty thouſand Men over-matched by almoſt double their number, he earneſtly prays [Help us, O Lord, for we reſt in thee; let not ſorry ſickly Man (as the word Enoſh Hebr. ſignifies) prevail againſt thee, &c.] 2 Chron. 14.9, 10, 11. So the Lord ſmore the Ethopians, tumbling them down headlong from Mareſhah unto Gerar, a City of the Philiſtims, who probably were Partners, and ſo Sufferers with them. N. B. God ſent an Hoſt of Angels, ſaith Lyra, to match and over-match this Million of Enemies, ſo that Aſa's Spoils of them were vaſt, v. 12, 13, 14, 15. of 2 Chron. 14. which was a good amends for the Treaſure that Shiſhak King of Egypt and Ethiopia had taken from Rehoboam not very long before.
Remark the Seventh, After this Glorious Victory, Azariah the Prophet meets Aſa to Admoniſh him and his Army of their anſwerable returns of duty, 2 Chron. 15, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. that as they had begun an happy Reſormation, ſo they muſt promote and perfect it. When Aſa heard theſe words, v. 8. then was he (according to his double obligation both of Victory and of Prophecy) far more fervent for a thorough Reformation, and renews the Covenant of God with all the People, to deſtroy all thoſe that would not leave their Idols to ſeek God; yea this ſolemm Oath doth not only Depoſe Queen Maachah for her paſt Idolatry, but ſhe muſt dye by it if ſhe did the like again, v. 12, 16.
Remark the Eighth, As Aſa had the five fore-mentioned jewels to beautifie his Imperial Crown, ſo he had as many Infirmities that blotted the beauty of his Royal Eſcutcheon, as follows.
Firſt, He Removed not all the High Places, 1 Kings 15.14. 2 Chron. 14.17. He did indeed remove all thoſe that had been ſet up in honour of Idols; but thoſe High Places which had been uſed for the Worſhip of God (mentioned 1 King. 3.2.) he let ſtand, not only becauſe David and Solomon had uſed them before the Temple was built, but alſo becauſe the People were now loath to be tyed to the Temple for fear the Iſraelites ſhould break in upon them when all their Males were gone up thither; therefore he wink'd at this w…ll-worſhip, which he ought alſo to have aboliſh'd, ſeeing variety of Altars were forbid by an expreſs Command, Deut. 12.5, 6, 11. yet God would not impute this Infirmity, where he ſaw Sincerity; for with one breath God reports this weakneſs, and the uprightneſs of his heart in the main courſe of his life.
Aſa's Second Infirmity, even of this Religious King was, when Baaſha King of Iſrael came to wage war againſt him by blocking him up at Ramab, that none of Iſrael might reſort to Jeruſalem for the Worſhip of God; Aſa baſely beggeth help from the Idolater Benhadad, v. 17, 18, 19, 20. and hires him with the Treaſures of the Temple which was Sacrilege) to break his League with Baaſha, and to Invade Iſrael, contrary to his Fidelity. N. B. Where was Aſa's Piety now, while he rob'd God to hire an Infidel for the deſtruction of Iſrael? And where is the Chriſtianity of him that is call'd the Moſt Chriſtian King, while he hires the Turks to deſtroy Chriſtendom?
The Third Infirmity is, Aſa's relving upon this Arm of Fleſh which he had ſo fordidly hired, for which failure God ſent Hanani the Prophet to reprove him, 2 Chron. 16. 7, 8, 9. telling him, he had loſt the glory and booty that God would have given him: Had Benhadad come up with Baaſha againſt him (as by Covenant he ſhould have done) they both in Conjunction ſhould have done no more than the Ethiopians did, had he relyed upon God's Power and Providence; but now having relyed on Perfidious Benhadad (whom he hired to Perfidiouſneſs) therein the Prophet told him he had done fooliſhly.
Aſa's Fourth Frailty was, His being wroth with the Lord's Prophet for his plain-dealing and faithfulneſs, 2 Chron. 16.10. which might better have become an Ahah, a Joaſh▪ or an Herod (all bad Men) than ſuch a good King as was Aſa; what was Hanani but God's Herald from Heaven to denounce War againſt him for theſe his ſins upon Earth; here Repentance was his Duty, but Rage and Choler was his Sin. N. B. And (as Dr. Hall ſaith well) it had been more meet that the water of godly ſorrow had been found in his eyes (guſhing out with tears) than ſuch ſparkles of fire and fury flaming forth at them upon this innocent Seer. His Holy Grandfather David did not ſo with Nathan the Prophet in the like caſe of heavy tidings, 2 Sam. 12.4, 5, 6, &c. yet Aſa impriſons the Prophet for delivering God's Meſſage only.
His Fifth Blemiſh is, Aſa in the latter end of his long Reign is ſtricken with the Gout, 2. Chron. 16.12. as he had laid up the good Prophet by the heels in Priſon, even ſo doth God lay him up by the heels in his Bed: He ſhould therefore have ſought to the Lord principally (who had Impriſoned him, and with whom he had ſolemnly Covenanted to own for his) yet 'tis ſaid of him [He ſought to the Phyſicians and not to the Lord] tho' his Name Aſa Hebr. ſignifies a Phyſician to mind him of Jehovah Rophekah, the Almighty Healer, Exod. 15.26. No wonder then that his gouty ſeet ſerv'd to carry him to his grave. No doubt but before he dyed he repented of this and his other ſins; ſee 2 Chron. 15.17. and 20.32. where 'tis ſaid, for his heart was perfect with God all his days, &c.
The latter part of this Fifteenth Chapter gives an account of the two Kings of Iſrael, contemporary with thoſe of Judah.
Firſt, Nadah Reigned in the Second year of Aſa, even while his Father Jeroboam is alive (ſaith Dr. Lightfoot) for God ſmote Jeroboam with ſome ſad Diſeaſes, that he could not Rule the Kingdom, 2 Chron. 13.20. This made him reſign his Crown to his Son before his death, as ſome ſuppoſe, &c.
Remark the Second, Before he had Reigned two full Years, Baaſha ſlew him, as appears from ver. 28, and 33. The Lord ſeeing the Son as wicked as the Father, ſaw it high time to cut him off (according to the Threatning, Chap. 14.10, &c.) for his own Sins, as well as for his Father's.
Remark the Third, Baaſha traiterouſly ſlew him in his Army, as he was beſieging Gibbethon, which the Philiſtines had taken from Iſrael, but the Slaughter of the King prevented the Recovery of this Right, Joſh. 19.44, and 21.23. therefore the Siege was renewed to recover it, Chap. 16.15.
Remark the Fourth: It may well be ſuppoſed, that this Murtherer of Nadab (Baaſha) did caſt his dead Body to be devour'd by the Dogs or Fowls, as the Prophet Ahijah had fore-threatned, Chap. 14.7, 10, 11. ſaith Menochius. The next King of Iſrael was Baaſha, who placed himſelf in the Throne as ſoon as he had Murther'd Nadab, ver. 29, 30, to 34. concerning this King.
Remark the Firſt, Baaſha deſtroys all Jeroboam's Houſe, and Jeroboam himſelf was alive this Year (ſaith Dr. Lightfoot) and if he eſcaped the Sword of Baaſha, yet died he not long before Baaſha deſtroyed his Family.
Remark the Second; Though Baaſha, in all theſe Murthers, did but aim to gratifie his own Ambition, and Cruel Diſpoſition, to eſtabliſh himſelf upon the Throne more firmly, and without Emulation; yet God wiſely ordered Baaſha's wicked, both Intentions and Actions, to bring to paſs his own righteous and glorious Ends. God over-ruled his Pride and Malice to accompliſh his own Counſel and Prediction. N.B. Thus the Devil and all his Imps and Inſtruments are made to do God's Will, not only while they are doing their own, but oft ſore againſt their own Wills. Thus wiſe Phyſicians uſe Leeches (which aim only at ſucking of Blood) for Cure of their Patients, &c.
Remark the Third; Though this Baaſha was God's Inſtrument, to puniſh the Wickedneſs of a wicked Father Jeroboam, and of his wicked Son Nadab, yet neither did he aim at any Obedience to God in thoſe Executions of God's Juſtice; nor was he reclaimed at all thereby from the ſame wicked Ways, ver. 34.
Remark the Fourth; Thoſe very Means and Methods of Wickedneſs, whereby Jeroboam thought to have eſtabliſhed the Kingdom to himſelf and to his Houſe, namely, by ſetting up Idolatry, became indeed the true Cauſe of their utter Ruine. Baaſha is imployed in executing this divine Vengeance; yet the ſame Sin which was the true procuring Cauſe of all this Miſchief and Miſery to Jeroboam's Houſe, he ſtill retained in himſelf.
Remark the Fifth; Baaſha [now ſettled in his Kingdom] begins to buſtle and diſturb good Aſa, with Inroads into Judah, though he ſaw ſuch a mighty Preſence of God with him, in his Victory over a Million of the Ethiopian Army, yet will he ſtill be an Enemy to him, God puniſhing Aſa by Baaſha for his harſhneſs to Judah, as well as to Hanani, Tyrannizing over the People, as well as over the Prophet in his declining Days, 2 Chron. 16.10.