A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Commentary on 1 and 2 Kings · Chapter
2 Kings CHAP. XII. and 2 Chron. CHAP. XXIV.
THESE two Chapters of Kings and of Chronicles, conſiſt of two General Heads, Firſt, The good Government of Joaſh during Jehoiada's Life, wherein Joaſh's Acts were laudable and to be commended. And the Second is, Joaſh's Apoſtaſy from goodneſs, after Jehoiada's Death, where his Actions were Illaudable, and to be condemned.
Remarks upon the firſt Part, are Firſt, All Joaſh's Acts in General were right, as to the Matter while Jehoiada lived, but they were not upright as to the Manner of them in the ſight of God, ver. 2. here, and 2 Chron. 24.2. Education moveth ſomewhat, though it be only an external Motive: So Nero was good (ſaith Grotius) for his firſt five Years, while he made uſe of his good Maſter Seneca, who wrote his excellent Book de Clemontiâ for his Direction, which had ſuch an influence upon him, that when deſired to ſet his hand to the Warrant for the Execution of a condemned Perſon, he cried out [Ʋtinam neſcirem literas] I wiſh I had never learn'd to write, ſo loath he was to ſign it.
Remark the Second, Joaſh's freeneſs and forwardneſs to repair the breaches and ruines of the Temple, which had been notoriouſly neglected (if not abuſed) by his Idolatrous Predeceſſors, eſpecially by the Sons of Athaliah, ver. 7. Jehoiada did what he could to make Joaſh good, and therefore he provided Wives for him, 2 Chron. 24.3. N.B. Well knowing the miſchief that Jezebel the Wife of Ahab and Athaliah the Wife of Jehoram had wrought in Iſrael and Judah: Therefore this good High-Prieſt provideth, that this King ſhould not miſcarry by ſuch miſchievous Matches: Now the firſt good Act of this Young King was [He was minded to repair the Temple] 2 Chron. 24.4. 2 Kings 12.4, 5. hereby he teſtified his thankfulneſs to God, who had ſo ſafely hid him in that Houſe for ſix Years from the bloody Hands of the uſurping and tyrannical Queen.
Remark the Third; This young King (doubtleſs by Jehoiada's Direction, for what could his own Father, had he been living, have done more for him, than to provide him Wives, and give him continually all good Counſel?) commands that all the Half Shekels. Exod. 30.12, 13, &c. payable by all above Twenty, that perpetual Poll-Mony, called the Collection of Moſes, appointed for the uſe of the Tabernacle and Temple for ever, yea and all the Redemption-Mony, Levit. 27.2, &c. and all the Free-will Offerings of the People, Exod. 35.5, &c. All theſe vaſt Summs ſhall be laid out only for Repairing the Temple, wherein the Lord had ſo marvelouſly preſerved him from the Murdereſs his Mother, to make up the Breaches which the Temple had contracted by Antiquity (having now ſtood 155 Years) or by the Iniquity of thoſe later times, 2 Chron. 24.5, 6, 7, &c.
Remark the Fourth; The fervency of Joaſh's Zeal, though but an Hypocrite, yet it ſeems he chides even Jehoiada his Tutor and Foſter-father, becauſe the Prieſts neglected to repair the Temple according to his Royal command, 2 Kings 12.5, 6, 7. and 2 Chron. 24.5, 6, 7. So zealous was Joaſh (ſaith De Dieu) that he bids the Prieſts and Levites paſs through the Land, and gather this Poll-Mony of the People in all parts, and not ſtay at their own homes till the people brought it to them. Menochius notes well here, That Joaſh found the Prieſts negligent, partly becauſe they gathered not the Mony for themſelves, but for the Temple, they had no benefit by it, but their Labour for their pains, taking the Mony with one hand, and paying it with the other. N. B. We love to ſee ſomething coming out of our Labour, which otherwiſe hath but little Life in it; and partly (he ſaith from Joſephus) that the people were backward to part with their Poll-Mony, not daring as yet to truſt the Prieſts with it, until their Faithfulneſs was after made apparent, ver. 15. and partly (ſaith Grotius) becauſe publick Work is always leaſt promoted; what is the care of all men, is oft the care of no man; 'tis a vulgar ſaying, The mean Pot boils but meanly. However, Joaſh chides Jehoiada for this neglect, which ſhews (ſaith Grotius) that Kings have the care of Sacred as well as of Civil Matters committed to them: N. B. To which I add, And that Kings may reprove the High-Prieſt the Pope: 'Tis a wonder ſo good a Man (as Jehoiada was) ſhould ſtand in any need of quickning from the King, who now, though a mere Temporary, yet was the fore Horſe (as we may ſay) in the Teem, the Ring-leader of his beſt Officers to a good Office and Exerciſe, &c.
Remark the Fifth; Joſephus excuſeth Jehoiada, ſaying, That it was the High-Prieſt himſelf who excited Joaſh to call the Prieſts to an account, and to call him among the reſt, becauſe he could not ſo well prevail with them to be more diligent in promoting this publick Work. Others make this Apology for Jehoiada, that he was now grown very old, it being in the Three and twentieth Year of King Joaſh, ver. 6. King Jebu dying the Year before, and leaving the Kingdom of Iſrael to his Son Jehoaaz: At this time 'tis ſaid expreſly, that [Jehoiada was grown very old,] 2 Chron. 24.15. which might be the cauſe of his Remiſsneſs, ver. 6. his Generation-work being now in a manner done, and therefore Joaſh took new and other meaſures for carrying on more effectually his Temple-work.
Remark the Sixth; When Joaſh ſaw the Mony the Prieſts collected abroad in the Country, was converted to other Uſes, and not to the right end for Repairing the Temple, the King commands the Prieſts to gather no more Poll-Mony, but orders old Jehoiada to ſet up a Cheſt (like our poor Man's Box) beſides the Altar of Burnt offering, 2 Kings 12.8, 9. 2 Chron. 24.8. and this means did prove effectual, for much Money was put into the Cheſt, both Treſpaſs-mony for omiſſion of good, and Sin-mony for commiſſion of evil (ſaith Toſtatus;) This was put into ſuch Officers Hands as dealt faithfully. The Fabrick was perfectly finiſh'd by them, ver. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 2 Chron. 24.10, to 13. yea and new Veſſels, ver. 14. inſtead of thoſe Athaliah's ſacrilegious Sons had ſtoln away, ver. 7.
Remark the Seventh; Jehoiada lived the Supporter both of Church and State, until he was an Hundred and thirty Years old, and then died, 2 Chron. 24.15. It was doubtleſs a great Bleſſing to the Kingdom of Judah, that he continued ſo long in it, which was an extraordinary Age in thoſe times for him to live up to: And ſuch an high Veneration the People had for him, that they buried him among the Kings a very great Honour done to him at his Death, becauſe he had done ſo much good in his Life, both in Repairing God's Houſe, and reſtoring God's Worſhip to be performed therein, when ſo repair'd. Yea, and reſtoring the Kingdom to the Houſe of David, in the Preſervation of Joaſh, &c.
The Second Sort of Joaſh's Actions were his Illandable Actions.
Remark the Firſt; His not taking away the High Places, ver. 3. but this was while Jehoiada lived, ſo not ſo bad as after his Death: for Cuſtom (that Tyrant of three Letters, Mos) had ſo prevailed, and riveted theſe high Places in the Hearts of a fond People, that the former Kings, of riper Years than Joaſh, and more firmly ſettled on their Thrones, and having greater power than Joaſh, yet could not remove them; no wonder then if Jehoiada was conſtrained to tolerate them, upon which the People ſo notoriouſly doted; inſomuch that Jehoiada durſt not adviſe the young King Joaſh to croſs the Mobile in this Superſtition they had ſo fondly eſpouſed, leſt it ſhould cauſe a Tumult, and leſt (as a learned Expoſitor expreſſeth it) the Multitude ſhould mind more Commotioners than Commiſſioners, and be more guided by Rage than by Right, Violence and Obſtinacy, like two untamed Chariot-Horſes, hurrying forward their precipitant paſſionate Deſires in a blindfold Career. Therefore good Jehoiada was forced to forbear, as 1 Kings 15.14. and the rather, becauſe the Matter was good, the People Sacrificing to the Lord there, and not to any Idol: So the thing was warrantable, but the place only was unwarrantable, Deut. 12.11, 13, 14.
Remark the Second; But after Jehoiada's Death, Joaſh permitted deplorable Idolatry to be reſtored in the Kingdom, 2 Chron. 24.17, 18. Thoſe curſed Court-Paraſites (who had diſſemblingly concealed their Idolatrous Minds all the days of Jehoiada) came cringing to the King as ſoon as Jehoiada was dead, and perſwaded this Ambitioniſt, that during his Tutor's Days, he was a King without a Kingdom, a Lord without a Lordſhip or Dominion, no better than a Subject to his Subjects, &c. that he ſhould do well to aſſume to himſelf his Royal Power, and (as Menochius, Oſiander, &c. ſay) they deſired him to ſhew his Royalty, in granting Liberty to every Man, to Worſhip God as he liſted, and where he beſt liked, and not be tied to the Temple, &c. yea, a Liberty to recal the Worſhip of Baal, &c. [The King hearkned to them] Grotius here quotes Curtius, ſaying, Flattery is more miſchievous to Kings than an Enemy, when they give Ear to it; fair Words make facile Fools fain, and Princes minds are eaſily altered for the worſt thereby, as Joaſh was here, who was ſoon wheedl'd into baſe Apoſtaſy, &c.
Remark the Third; No ſooner had thoſe Court-Paraſites prevailed with Joaſh for a Liberty to Worſhip God in the old High places, but preſently they Worſhipped Baal there, ver. 18, 19. for which Wrath came down upon them by Hazael King of Syria, 2 Kings 12.17, 18. when Jehoiada was dead (ſo great a loſs to a Kingdom is the death of a Godly Governor) and when Joaſh was relapſed into Idolatry. Principium fervet, medium tepet, exitus alget, was the Character of this Apoſtate. So zealous was Joaſh at the firſt, as to rebuke even good Jehoiada, for his Remiſneſs in Repairing the Temple as before; he was too hot to hold, he is now grown ſtone-cold for God, and as hot for Idols, when he had loſt his Religion, he loſt his peace of the Kingdom, for then the Lord let looſe the King of Syria upon him, as after, &c.
Remark the Fourth; Joaſh's Tyranny, the Daughter of his Apoſtaſy into Idolatry, and that with Obſtinacy: Such was God's pity and patience towards his own people, that he ſent Prophets to proteſt againſt their back-ſlidings, and to fore-ſignifie his future Judgments, 2 Chron. 24.19. yea, the Spirit of the Lord came upon Zechariah the Son of Jehoiada, ver. 20. who ſet himſelf in an higher Place, that his Meſſage from the Lord might be the better heard, and he earneſtly inveighed againſt the wicked ways of King, Princes and People. Hereupon all theſe three conſpire againſt him, Tyrants are Teachy, tange montes & fumigabunt, Touch great Men-Mountains, and they will ſmoake; nothing but ſilken words will down with them; the corrupt Courtiers taxed him as a Traytor to the King, the King commands to ſtone him, ver. 21. who as they were ſtoning him, cryed out [Lord look upon it, and require it] ver. 22. that is [Make Inquiſition for my innocent blood]; or it may be read, ſaith Piſcator, &c. [The Lord will require and requite it;] So it is a Prophecy rather than a Prayer, for 'tis not probable ſo pious a Prophet would die with a deſire of private Revenge, contrary to Chriſt's, Luke 23.34. and Stephen's practice, Acts 7.60. unleſs it were to diſtinguiſh the ſevere Temper and Spirit of the Law from that ſweet one of the Goſpel.
Remark the Fifth; God Anſwers Zachary's Prayer or Prophecy, from ver. 23. of 2 Chron. 24 to the end, and 2 Kings 12.17. to the end: Joaſh (for this monſtrous Ingratitude to Jehoiada. to whom he owed his own Life and Kingdom, thus to requite him in Murdering his Son, merely for giving him faithful Counſel) never enjoyed good day after; for, 1. The Syrians executed God's Vengeance upon him and his People, tho' Joaſh hired off Hazael by a great Bribe in his firſt Invaſion, 2 Kings 12.17, 18. yet the next Year he returns again, ſpoils Jeruſalem, kills the curſed Claw-backs that had ſpoil'd a good King, and ſo baſely whips and tortures Joaſh himſelf (ſaith Grotius, Piſcator, &c.) that he fell grievouſly ſick upon it, 2 Chron. 24.23, 24, 25. And, 2. his own Servants (which Joſephus ſaith were Zachary's Friends) executed God's Vengeance upon him for Murdering Zachary, only for his plain Dealing: The Syrians left him diſeaſed only, that he might have time to repent, but becauſe he repented not, his Servants left him dead; God was juſt, though they were unjuſt. N. B. Chriſt declares how this innocent Blood lay upon the Jews from Age to Age, Matth. 23.35. where Jehoiada is called Barachias, the bleſſed one, Hebr. (as Solomon is Jedidiah, one beloved of God) for Honour's ſake, &c.