Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 1 · 2 Kings · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
IOas was seven yeares old when he began to reign. In the seventh year of Iehu he V. 1, 2.was made King and reigned 40. yeares, &c.] The kingdome of Iudah being much disordered by Athaliah, cometh now by the divine providence to be under a childe; from whom in humane reason, what could be expected for the amending of their condition. But it pleaseth God, by weak means oftentimes to do wonderfully for the magnifying of his own power and mercy, and so he did at this time, Ioash by the good instructions of Iehoiadah the high-priest, did well, and was accordingly rewarded with along reign, whereas his father and grandfather that were wicked, V. 3.reigned but a short time. His mothers name also was Sebia of Beershebah, which was one border of the kingdome of Iudah, that we might know, that she was not alienigena, but rightly bred as his fathers mother was not, which turned to his ruine. But this good high-priest lived not alwayes with him, as is afterwards shewed, and then he did evill.
But the people still sacrificed in the high-places.] That is, as hath been before shewed, upon such mountains, as whereupon their holy fore-fathers had anciently V. 4.sacrificed, but it was unto the true God and not unto idols, and therefore yet tolerated, as it had formerly been by godly Asa, the great grandfather of this King, of which see more there.1 King. 15. 14. V. 5.
And Ioas said unto the Priests, all the money of the Saints, the money of him that passeth, the money of souls, and the money of him that willingly offereth, the Priests shall take to themselves, and repair the ruines, &c.] The vulgar Latin, to make it more plain, The money of the saints, which is brought into the house of the Lord by those that passe, which is offered for a price of the soul, &c. Here Lyra reckoneth but Lyra. Exod. 30. 12.two sorts of money; first, that of the half shekles, which all were appointed to pay when they were numbred by the poll from 20. years old and upward. Secondly, voluntarily given by such as were more wealthy. Wolsius besides these two, nameth Wolsius supplens Martyris comment.a third, viz. the money vowed by any for the preservation of their lives in danger. But forsomuch as the same is said to be paid for the life or soul, which is paid by those that passe under this reckoning, for it is said, he shall give for the redemption of his life, that there be no plague amongst you, and this shall be given by every one that passeth to the numbred, it is plain, that the money of every ones life, and the money of him that passeth, is all one, and if we make a third sort of money here appointed to be gathered, it must be founded upon these words, the money of the saints, but hereby nothing else seemeth to be understood, but the money of the holy things, as the word [sanctorum] signifieth, as well as saints, and so the first words set down only the genus, or the money in generall to be taken, and the next the two sorts, redemption money being about 10. d. and money voluntarily given, as we read was afterwards done, when Christ sitting over against the treasury, rich men cast in much, and the poor widow her two mites.
The Priests are bidden by the King to go through all the cities of Iudah, to gather 2 Chron. 24. 5.moneys for this end from year to year, but the meaning is, the redemption moneys, and what any would voluntarily give, as in this place. For when all from 20. years old and upward, had paid it once, others still attaining to the age of twenty, were to pay it the next year, and others the year following, &c. unlesse we shall think with Iunius that the work of repairing the temple, at this time lasting more Junius in Exod. 30. 12.years, it was gathered of all over again from year to year, as in a case extraordinary it might sometime be done, seeing it is said unto Moses, When thou numbrest the people, &c. so that it seemeth when ever they were numbred, these moneys were to be taken, yea as I have shewed upon that place, this numbring was from year to year, for the maintenance of divers things pertaining to the service of the temple, although Junius thinketh otherwise, and now most probably whilest the temple was in repairing, the service being intermitted, about which these moneys had been formerly bestowed, they were taken for the use of reparation. Whereas 2 King. 12. 6. it is said, that they should take these moneys of their acquaintance, but here that they should go out to gather money in all cities, it is most probable, that as the Priests dwelt in divers parts of the land, so they that dwelt nearest to some cities, where they were most acquainted, should go thither to gather it, and others to their neighbour cities. But it is to be noted, that before this 2 Chron. 24. 4 2 Chron. 24. 4.it is said, that Iehoiadah took him two wives, and this surely was not till he was of riper years, as may also be gathered by the age of his son Amaziah, who was 25. when he began to reign, therefore born, when he had been King fifteen, that is, anno 22. of his age, most probably then he took him not these wives till he was 20. or 21. years old, about the 14. year of his reign, and after this, he took orcer for repairing the house of the Lord, and yet it is said that it remained undone till Anno 23 of his reign, v. 7. If any man aske why Iehoiadah so godly a man took not order with the young king, about this so holy a work sooner? It may be conceived, that the decay was not yet grown so great, or at the least that the people not thinking it yet necessary to repaire, were unwilling to contribute unto it, or Iehoiadah being very old, for he dyed at 130. and therefore was 90 when Ioash was made king, thought not upon all things that were needfull to be done, or if hee thought upon this, he feared the peoples unwillingnesse, although it proved otherwise, and so delayed the time, at length yet as Iosephus saith, moving the king to provide, that Josephus.this work might be done.
What this decay was is not here expressed, only it is called the breach of the house, or the place or places broken through, as the word foreign signifieth. But 2 Chron. 24. 2 Chron. 24. 7.7. it is said, Athaliah being most wicked, her sons brake into the house of God, and took away all the consecrated things of the house of the Lord, to adorn Baal. The vulgar Latin, destroyed the house of the Lord.] Whereupon Ierom according to the tradition Hieron. ttadit. Hebr.of the Hebrewes, they destroyed it either by carrying out of it the ornaments, or as they say, because when Athaliah endeavoured to bring idolatry into it, there was an earthquake renting it, and the Chald. calleth it the scissure or cleft place of the house. This of the Hebrewes I passe over as an imagination of the Rabbins, because it is not spoken of in the sacred history. But we may well gather that some violence was done to the Temple in the time of such impious rulers, whereby breaches were made in the walls thereof, although the destroying of it was not attempted, and such a great rupture; and where ever else any decay was through antiquity for the Temple had now stood 155 yeares according to the Hebrews greater Chronicle, and as may easily be computed, or by any other means, the kings meaning was, should now be made up, and if there came in mony enough, that such ornaments as were taken away, should be repaired again, as is partly shewed, that it was done v. 1. Iunius calleth the breach of the house, Labes domus. The Priests Junius.having the care of this reparation committed to them, were negligent in gathering the money, because no benefit should thereby redound unto them, or the people delayed to pay it, as not being willing to commit it to their trust, or having gathered it in part as it seemeth, v. 7. where they are bidden to restore it, they V. 7.neglected to set upon the work: wherefore the king calleth for Iehoiadah, anno 23. of his reign, challenging him for this neglect, and forbidding the priests thenceforth to gather any more money. For he had commanded, that this work should be done with speed, 2 Chron. 24. 4. and v. 5. in challenging them for that they made no more haste, he saith, that they might bring from Iudah and Ierusalem the gathering of Moses the servant of the Lord, and of the congregation of Israel to the tabernacle, &c. pointing at the first ordaining of this numbring money, of which it hath been already spoken, and hereby it is implyed, that it was an annuall revenue of the tabernacle. To return to their neglect, the king for this would have them to meddle no further in this matter, and chid with Jehoiadah about it. Whereby because it appeareth, that the king had power over the high-priest (which the Pope can by no means endure now) Tostatus saith, that then the priests and laity were all alike subject to the king, but under the new Testament, the priests dignity received infinite encrease, so that he can both remit sinnes, and make the holy body of Christ. But this is a meer delusion, witnesse St. Paul, who chargeth every soul to be subject to the higher powers, even under the new Testament, Rom. 13. 1.
Then Iehoiadah the Priest took a chest, and having bored an hole therein, set it on V. 9.the right side of the altar, where men entred into the house of the Lord, &c.] 2 Chron. 24. 8. Therefore the King commanding, they made a chest fit, and set it in the gate of the Lords house without. Whereas Iehoiadah is said to have prepared and set this chest, 2 King. 12. 9. it is to be understood by the kings appointment, then proclamation was made that they should bring the gathering of Moses appointed in the desart. Then all the Princes and people brought and cast in rejoycing, untill they had finished. That is, they who were employed about this, repair the whole work belonging to it. For the placing of the chest, it was set in a place, to come into which a man must go through the priests court, whereinto it was not lawfull for the people to enter, for it stood by the door of the house, therefore the offerers did not put in the money with their own hands, but giving it to the priests and levites to put it in, to shew which, it is said 2 King. 12. 9. that the priests who kept the door, put all the money that was brought to the house of the Lord there. And this was a means wisely devised to draw the people to a willing offering, when they were thus assured that their moneys should certainly be employed, as was intended, as also the setting of Wolphius.keepers, and placing of the chest near the altar, that men might be encouraged to it, as to an offering made unto God, as Wolphius noteth.
And when they saw, that there was much money, the Kings and high Priests scribes V. 10. V. 11, 12.came up, &c.] After that money in aboundance was brought in, now they fall to the disposing of it, giving it into the hands of such as were appointed to oversee the 2 Chron. 24. 11.work, and they here with hired carpenters and masons, &c. 2 Chron. 24. 11. this is more fully set forth thus, they emptied the chest and set it again in his place, and so they did from day to day, till they had gathered money in aboundance. That is, from time to time, so oft as they perceived that any good summe was put in. And v. 12. this the King and Iehoiadah gave into the hands of the overseers of the worke, who hited therewith carpenters, &c. and thus the work went on, till it was all finished, v. 13. somewhat being added, 2 King. 12. 16. in way of commending the fidelity of those that were chosen to take care of this work, they called them not to account, for they were faithfull] v. 134. before this we are given to understand, that neither V. 16.basons, psalteries, trumpets, or other vessels of gold or silver, were made of this mony, but that it was given wholly to repaire the house withall, v. 14. But 2 Chron. 24. V. 13, 14.14. it is said, that of the mony which remained when the reparations were finished, Instruments both of gold and silver were made, for ministration in the house of the Lord. To reconcile which it is to be held, that the meaning of the Kings is nothing else, but that these monies were not given to the overseers of the workin part to make any such vessels or instruments, but onelyonly to repaire the house, yet there being much mony remaining still, saith that of Chron. the fidelity of the overseers was such, that they brought it to the king and the high Priest, who caused these instruments to be made therewith. So then by the care of the overseers appointed no such vessels were made according to Kings, but by the care of the King and Priest, they were of the superabounding mony brought back unto them, according to Chron. so also Wolphius rejecting that of Rabanus, who saith that the mony Wolsius. Rabanus.whereof these instruments were made, was the mony voluntarily given, and not the redemption mony, which went wholly for reparations.
Finally because other monies by the law of God were also to be paid for attonement, V. 16.and consequently the safety of the offerers soule, viz▪ for trespasses and sinnes, which went to the Priests maintenance, it is shewed, that such equity was now used, that this belonging to the Priests of right went to them, neither was any part thereof taken for the foresaid uses. What mony this was, see Levit. 5. 15, 16. even the price of any mans fraud in keeping back part of the holy things, and a fift part more added hereunto. Sallianus addeth, that in case that he who was to Sallianus.offer was afarre off, he sent mony to the Priests to buy all things for the sacrifice, and what was spared out of this, when all things were brought, went to the Priests, which is not improbable; for difference between trespasses and sinnes, Tostatus saith those were omissions, these commissions, see before upon Levit. 5.
Pellican maketh the negligence used about repairing the Temple, a figure of the neglect to reform abuses in the spirituall Temple, that is, the Church; for as breaches Pellican. An Allegory.made the Temple ruinous, so corruptions put the Church of God in great danger of ruine, and yet in seeking to purge these out, great negligence is commonly used. And he noteth, that Iehoiadah was the onelyonly priest, that ever took care about repairing the Temple, but he should have said, till the time of Iudas Macchabeus.
All things being prepared about the Temple, as was aforesaid, sacrifices were there constantly offered unto God all the dayes of Iehoiadah, 2 Chron. 24. 14, 15, 16. but then he being very aged, viz. 130 yeares dyed, and was honourably buried 2 Chron. 24. 14, 15, 16.for his good deserts in the sepulchers of the kings of Iudah. And the princes of Iudah after this comming flatteringly to Ioash with most lowly reverence so wrought upon him, who had alwayes hitherto shewed himselfe a most godly king, that they drew him to idolatry, to worship idols in groves, leaving the house of the Lord, to the provoking of his fierce wrath against Iudah and Ierusalem, v. 17, 18.
The good demerits of Iehoiadah are thus expressed in the text. For the good, which he did in Israel towards God, and towards his house. That is, in Iudah, and not in the kingdome of the ten tribes, with which he had nothing to do [towards Hieronym.God] saith Ierom in beating down idolatry, and (to his house) in repairing it. For this also God blessed him with long life beyond any, that went before him since Iacobs time, who was of the same age, when he went down into Egypt. And his so honourable a buriall, is to be ascribed to the piety of Ioas, to whom he was as a father, as long as he lived, and therefore was by him accordingly honoured both in life and death.
After the death of Iehoiadah the court-sycophants, whose hearts had been all this time towards the idolatry formerly practised by his father and grandfather and grandmother, in all humility move him, that this religion might be set up again; in the text no more is expressed, but that the Princes of Iudah came before Ioash worshipping him, to whom he hearkened, and so they left the house of the Lord and worshipped groves and idols. Whereupon Lyra following R. Solomon saith, that Lyra. R. Solomon.they perswaded Ioash to accept of divine honour, and to this he yielded, because one idolatry easily draweth on another, they soon added hereunto idolatry with groves and other idols also. And he feigneth, that they drew an argument from his living in the temple sixe years, where none, but the priests must come upon pain of death, yet he continued there so long without any hurt, which proved him to bee more then a man, a god, and this is followed by Hugo Cardinalis and Pellican. But the ground of this opinion is too weak, viz. their bowing of themselves to him, which is no more then Bathshebah and Nathan the prophet did to David, or then is commonly done to any king. Whereas it is said, that he hearkened unto them, it is a forcing of the words to strein them to this, that he was willing and agreed, that worship should be given to him as to a god, neither was the like ever done to any king of the Iews before or after. However the heathen Emperour Caius Caligula presumed to set himself so up. Neither is it probable, that God would any time have tolerated it in him, being so well instructed, as he was, but presently have stricken him with some miserable death, as he afterwards did Herod. The words of the Act. 12.text indeed are so brief, that hereby it becometh questionable, whether they moved Ioas to turn idolater with them, or onelyonly to give them leave to serve such gods, as they had formerly done, because nothing else is said, but that they came and bowed unto him, and he hearkned to them, & that then they forsook the house of God, &c. But what they requested is not expressed, nor that they made any request at all unto him, but left to be gathered. So that from this Scripture we can rightly gather no more, but that they leaving him free, if he pleased to go on in serving the Lord in his house, as he had been by Iehoiadah taught, desired, that they might have liberty, as in times past they had, to set up in other places such worship as was used in other nations, which were most flourishing. And this being granted, they did so, but that the king did thus also, it is not said. Yet Iosephus saith, that both king and people Josephus.did it. But no more can hence be certainly affirmed, but that he tollerated idolatry in his kingdome, being drawn by their flattery, who durst not move him herein all the dayes of Iehoiadah his life, but now he being dead, moved for it and prevailed. Yet because he degenerated so farre, that he commanded Zechariah, a most godly priest, and sonne of Iehoiadah to be slain, when he reproved him, as is by and by shewed, it is most probable that he turned idolater also together with them, seeing this is peculiar to idolaters to be cruell and bloudy, by the instigation of that murtherer the devill, whom they serve. We may note hence, first, what need we have Note. alwayes to pray, that wee may be upheld in the truth, seeing Ioas being godly so long, yet now destitute of his old tutour, fell so souly. 2, that it is of greatavail to cōmit youth to good tutours & governours. Thirdly, that there is not a more pestilent way of corrupting princes or others, then flattery, that by shewing an hatred alwayes of such, we may keep out of their danger. Fourthly, that to tolerate a false religion, is the very way for kings to overthrow themselves and their kingdomes, although they embrace it not themselves, as the sequel here declareth.2 Chron. 24. V. 19.
He sent unto them his prophets, who protested unto them, but they would not hear them, &c. God being so greatly provoked, yet judged them not immediately, but first admonisheth them to turn from his great wickednesse, and it is said not a prophet, as if he had sent one onelyonly, but prophets, that is, many one after another, who exaggerated this sinne unto them, and threatned them with judgements, if they did not, laying before them doubtlesse the examples of other wicked kings and people, as of Ieroboam, Baashah, and Ahab, for thus prophets used to deale in the like case. He deferred therefore long to bring his judgements upon them, out of his accustomed goodnesse, seeing it is not to be supposed, that these prophets were sent altogether; but first one, and then another, afterwards a third, that when by no means they would be reclaimed, their censure how severe soever, might follow the more justly. But they were so farre from being moved by these admonitions, and this long patience, that they went on in their wickednesse, without regarding what the prophets said. And they perswaded the king most probably, that he being greater then they all, needed not to regard them, but doe what he pleased, notwithstanding their admonitions and protestations, as other kings of the heathen did.
Then Hazael king of Syria fought against Gath and took it, and then set his face V. 18.to goe to Ierusalom.] For here most rightly commeth in the history of the kings again not sooner, as Cajetan would have it, when he saith that this warre happened Caietan.before the death of Iehoiadah, for punishments follow sins, and go not before them, nor latter, as Tostatus, and Genebrard, and Iosephus, would have it, when they say, Tostatus. Genebrard. Josephus. Lyranus.that Zachary had first impugned their idolatry, and was slaine; so making but one only coming of the Syrians against Ierusalem, for they came manifestly twice. First taking a bribe without doing further hurt, and then this shaking off the rod over them, as it were not working, at the end of another year, when they had raged against holy Zachary to the shedding of his innocent blood, with a few, killing and slaying many, and all the princes of the people, &c. Thus also Iunius. Touching Junius. 2 Chron. 18. 1. … Chron. 11. 8.Gath, it was a city of the Philistines subdued by David, & ever since that time till this held by the kings of Iudah, for Rehoboam is said to have repaired it, and Iosephus writeth of it, as being now under the king of Iudah. Hazael therefore in beginning his warre, here fought against Ioash, and prevailing went on to the chief city of the kingdome, Ierusalem, thinking to take that also. But Ioash fearing it tooke all the sacred things, which Iehosaphat, Ioram, and Ahaziah had consecrated, and his V. 19.own sacred things, and all the gold, &c. It may seem strange that Ioram & Ahaziah being idolaters should consecrate any thing to the house of God, but it is to be conceived, that they did it in the beginning of their reigns, before they declared themselves, according to the accustomed manner of the kings of Iudah their predecessors, that their reigns might be the more auspicious. Whereas it hath bin already said, that the temple was before spoyled of all the ornaments which were carried into the house of Baal, so that it may seem there were now no pretious things therein remaining, it is to be conceived, that when Iehoidah caused the house of Baal to be destroyed, he first took and brought these ornaments out, and being sanctified, restored them to the house of God again, but now the temple being forsaken, and groves frequented, it was just with God to give these pretious things into the hands of the heathen, and so the king of Syria departed from Ierusalem home againe for that time. For his other comming against Ioash, as this is wholly omitted in the Chronicles, so is that here, there being only a reference made to the book of the Chronicles V. 20.of the kings of Iudah, for the rest of the acts of Ioash in this place. Wherefore we must now again look to 2 Chron. 24. 20, 21, 22, 23.
Moreover when the spirit of the Lord comming upon Zachariah the sonne of Iehoiadah] he from an higher place threatned them with Gods judgements for their foule sinnes, they conspiring against him, stoned him in the court of the Lords house by the kings command, who remembred not the kindnesse of Iehoiadah his father towards him, Therefore at the end of the year certaine bands of the Syrians coming up, destroyed the Princes, &c. When this holy man saw that the judgement before going made the King and his Princes no whit the better, he according to his place, as the spirit moved him, inveighed most earnestly against them, and threatned a greater judgement to come upon them by the Syrians, at what time they should have no help from the Lord. For some hold that he was high Priest after his father, as Tostatus and Wolphius, Pellican, &c. But in the Hebrew Chronology Pedaiah Tostatus. Wolphius. Chron. Hebr. …enebrard. Josephus.is said to be high Priest now, and Zachariah a priest and a prophet, Genebrard followeth this Chronology, Iosephus calleth him that was high-priest now, Phidaeas. And because the Scripture saith nothing of Zachariah his being high-priest after his father, we may well follow the Hebrew Chronology, holding that Iehoiadah had another elder son, who succeeded him in this office. And if Zachary were not high-priest, yet he was a priest and a prophet, and so a sacred person, who should have been reverenced, and the rather, because he was the sonne of so well-deserving a father. But such is the madnesse of idolaters being opposed in their idolatry, that all respect of persons being laid aside, they breath out nothing but slaughter and bloudshed, against those, that tell them the truth, and so did Ioas and the princes of Iudah against Zachary, and not onelyonly against him, but as may be gathered from vers. 25. against his other sonnes also, for it is said, his servants conspired against him for the slaughters of the sonnes of Iehoiadah. Vnlesse with some wee hold, that the plurall Junius. Vatablus.number is put for the singular, which is not unusuall in the holy Scriptures, as where Sarah Speaketh of her giving children such, when she had but one, and of the theeves crucified with Christ, it is said, that they railed upon him, when onelyonly one did so. Therefore the vulgar Latin rendreth it by the singular number, and Iosephus also, yet Hieron. tradit. Heb. in 2 Chr.Ierom saith, that Zachary was slain together with his sonnes, and that not improbably, although he onelyonly be first spoken of, seeing it is said likewise of Naboth at the first, but afterwards by Jehu his sonnes are spoken of, as slain also. Our Lord reciting this parricide saith, Zachariah the sonne of Barachiah, whom ye slew between the temple Matth. 23. 35. Junius. Hugo Cardin.and the altar. Iunius and Hugo Cardinalis, Lyra, and others say, that the same man had two names, as many more bave had, or that he was called Barachiah commonly by the people, the blessed of the Lord, as the word signifieth, because he enjoyed the blessing of so long a life, farre beyond others, and was a blessed instrument of so much good, to restore the decaying estate of that kingdome and church. But why the murthering of this man is instanced in next to the murthering of Abel, when as it was 800. years before the time that Christ spake thus, and in that space they had murthered many more prophets? is a question. Iunius resolveth it by saying, Junius.that Zachary dying called for revenge, as Abels bloud had first done, for he said, the Lord shall see and require it, 2 Chron. 24. 22. and the like is not said of any other martyr. Wherefore our Lord threatning revenge, nominateth two examples alike, and passeth over all others, leaving all the righteous bloud also shed from Zachary till his time, to be understood hereby. What other opinions there are touching Zachary the father of Iohn Baptist meant there, or Zachary one of the small prophets, see my comment upon that place. Genebrard relateth a tradition of the Iews, that Genebrard.his bloud continued bubling up, untill the time of Nebuchadnezzar, as calling for revenge still, so long after. And out of Epiphanius, that after this bloud-shed the answers of God ceased, because the temple was hereby polluted. Whether this were so or no is uncertain, because many wonders are invented and passe for old traditions, but this murther indeed was most heinous, as the sacred history noteth, saying, the King remembred not that kindnesse, which Iehoiadah his father had shewed towards him. For he saved a venemous serpent from destruction, to be the death of his most dear and godly sonne, which was the highest degree of ingratitude, and a childe of the family, where he had been tenderly brought up, which was most unnaturall, his father and mother also adventuring their lives to save him, that gave out this bloudy command, which was unparaleld tyranny, and that for nothing but zeal for God, and against most abominable idolatry, and obedience to his spirit moving him, which was a very presumptuous fighting against God himself, and therefore if he did miraculously a long time after shew his displeasure against it, he did but thus brand it to deter all men from the like ever after.
Therefore at the end of the year, certain forces of the Syrians coming up against him, 2 Chron. 24. 23.invaded Iudah, &c. v. 24. And although these forces were but few, yet the Lord delivered multitudes into their hands, &c. so they executed judgements upon Ioas. After so horrible a sin, judgement was not long deferred, the king of Syria himself came not, for it is thought by some, that Hazael was now dead, and a new king set up in Syria, who not regarding the great price not long before paid to his predeceslour by the king of Iudah for his peace, entred his kingdome with some forces to spoil and destroy those, whom the Syrians commonly counted their deadly enemies, as they did them. And it seemeth, that he was extraordinarily stirred up by God, who hated so much the abhominable wickednesse of Ioas, because otherwise he should have done like a desperate man, to send out fewer against many more, unlesse it shal be thought that he presumed upon the valour of his men, and the cowardise of Ioas, who had formerly without making resistance compounded with very great treasure with Hazael. However, the hand of God was certainly in it, as the words of the histroy do imply. Therefore the forces of the Syrians came up, &c. viz. Because when he consented to idolatry he dealt so tyrannically with Zachary reproying it, and God delivered great multitudes into their hands being fewer. Thus fulfilling that which is threatned in the law against transgressours, Levit. 26. 37. ye shall have no force to stand against your enemies. For their invading of Iudah and Ierusalem, it is most probable that it was done in this order, first their comming being heard of, the king gathered a mighty army and went out to fight against them, but the Syrians having slain many of them, and put the rest to flight, went on to Ierusalem, and having slain the Princes and done what they would to the king, most probably wounded him incurably, they took the spoyl of the Princes and sent it away to their king in Damascus; the vulgar Latin hath it] in regem ignominiosa exercuere judicia, Hieron.that is, saith Ierom, they used hiw basely, or slaying his sonnes before his face, they upbraided him by his wickednesse committed against Zachariah. Whatsoever the judgement was, it seemeth that he was evill entreated by them in that they left him grievously sick and full of pain and torment by reason thereof. For it is said, they left him in most grievous diseases, v. 25. Vatablus thinketh, that by their executing Vatablus.judgements upon him is meant that they punished him diversly, and it is most likely, that hereof he fell thus sick. Lyra, that they wounded him with divers Lyra.wounds, which were not mortall, and so left him languishing. And it is to bee noted, that having him and his city in their power, they neither slew him outright, nor took possession of the city, nor carried him away to be ransomed; for in this the singular providence of God appeared, who would have him reserved after much misery endured in his body, for his foule falling into the abominable sin of idolatry, to be slain by his own servants, who ought to have reverenced him, for his shamefull murthering of Zachariah, whom he ought to have reverenced for his fathers sake, to whom he had been more obliged, then any of his servants to him. For so it followeth, 2 Chron. 24, 25, 26.2 Chron. 24, 25. His own seruants conspired against him for the murther of the sonnes of Iehoiadah, and in his bed slew him; and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchers of the kings.] v. They that conspired were Zabad the sonne of Shimhathah an Ammonitesse, and Iehoshabad the sonne of Shimrithah a Moabitesse. 2 Kings 12. 21. he is said to have been slain by his servants in the house of 2 Kings 12. 21.Millo, of which, see 1 Kings 11. 26. it was a building reared up by Solomon upon a prerupt place, which he filled up, which goeth down to Silla, where the house stood which Solomon built for Pharoahs daughter, when he had levelled the ground. Iunius understandeth Silla appellatively, as signifying an heap of earth, and not as a Junius.preper name. It was then in his own house, that he was slaine. And of his murtherers one is said to be Iosachar the sonne of Simeath, the other Iehosabad, the sonne of Somer, so that it seemeth, that the first had two names, and the mothers of them both likewise.
Iosephus saith, that they were a kinne to Zachariah, who thus revenged his Josephus.blood-shed. But wee may rather with Wolphius observe the sutablenesse of the judgement with the sin of Ioash. One of his murtherers was an Ammonite by the Wolphius.mothersside, the other a Moabite descended from two nations, that came of Lot, whom Abraham had saved from destruction out of the enemies hands, whereinto he fell in Sodom; but as they ungratefully sought the destruction of the Hebrewes, the children of Abraham, so did Ioash against the children of Iehoiadah, to whom he was obliged for preserving his life, when he was in danger to loose it, and therefore it was just with God, that he should now perish by the hands of some of these nations, and those most probably his slaves, born of women, that were enthralled unto him. He was as an Ammonite in condition, and therefore an Ammonite was made his executioner; lib. trad. Hebr. saith, that this is set down to denote the wickednesse of the Iewes, they would not take revenge upon Ioash for that foule murther, therefore men of another nation were stirred up to doe it. But seeing they were murtherers for this, it is to be held, that their malice stirring them up, God permitted it for the blood of Zachariah.
And they buried him with his fathers in the city of David.] which least it should V. 25.be understood of the sepulchers of the kings, the Chronicles saith, that it was not there, as he was unworthly of it, so he had not that honour; the high Priest who acted a kings part better in restoreing and well upholding all things, had this honour, but the king thought unworthy to lye near him, whom he so much wronged in his posterity, was buried lesse honourably in some other inferiour burying place. If any shall marvell that his sonne would suffer it, most probably his body was so corrupted with his disease, that it was not to be buried with any solemnity, and therefore not amongst the kings; and the hand of God so grievously upon him, shewed him to be so hatefull unto him, that men durst not thus honour him, so it was verified in him, pride went before, with which he swelled through the flatterie of the Princes, so as that he thought he might doe what he listed, as having all power, and dishonour followed after. And Amaziah his sonne reigned in his stead.] From hence some gather, that the tradition before spoken of, is not true, viz. that the Syrians slew his sonnes, determining this to be one of the judgements which they executed upon him; for if this had been so, saith Lyra, he should not now have had a Lyra.sonne to reign after him, and therefore he saith that book of the Hebrew questions wherein this is conteined, is none Ieroms, as also appeareth by the stile; and because in lib. de illusir. viris, where Ierom reciteth all the books by him written, hee mentioneth the book de Hebr. quest. upon Genesis, but not any any other. Wherefore he concludeth, that it was written by some Iew, who mingled together things true and feined. In which his censure touching that book, although I deny not, but it may be just; yet his arguement against that particular touching Ioash his children is not good. For some might then be slain, and yet one escape by a singular providence to reign after him, that the promise made unto David might stand. There was great perill of cutting off all his posterity before, when Ioash was preserved; which yet the faithfull not knowing, were tryed 6 yeares together, whether they would continue to believe it, even all the time that he was hidden, and now again the like danger was renewed by the Syrians, touching whom being masters of Ierusalem and of the king, it may be wondred that they destroyed not all his sonnes. And no lesse illustrious was the divine providence once before both these in preserving Ahaziah, when all the rest of Iehorams children were taken away by the Philistines, that in him Davids line might be continued, so that God in 2 Chron. 21. 17.judgement remembreth mercy, and how greatly soever provoked, will never falsifie Note. his word, to the comfort of the faithfull. But his sonnes and the burthen imposed 2 Chron. 24. 27.upon him, and his founding of the house of God, behold they are written in the book of the Kings, and then followeth. Amaziah his sonne reigned in his stead. For the place where these things are written, Iunius referreth us to 2 Kings 12. but there Junius.is no mention made of his sonnes, nor in any Canonicall Scripture, but only in generall, 2 Chron. 24. 3. that he begat sonnes and daughters, and of his building the Temple decayed is lesse said, then in Chronicles, and although the treasure which he sent to the king of Syria to depart from him be there spoken of, yet nothing is said of a burthen of tribute imposed upon him. Wherefore it is most probable, that not 2 Kings is meant, but some other book, wherein the histories of the Kings were more largely written, which was not Canonicall Scripture, and so as many other writings of the Iewes perished in the many mutations, which befell them.