Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 1 · 2 Kings · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
THe history of Azariah or Vzziah conteined in the seven former verses being already explained, as being but the briefe of that which is more largely set forth, 2 Chron. 26. and the question arising about his beginning, Anno 27. of Ieroboam resolved, 2 Kings 14. 21, 22. now followeth the time of the next kings beginning to reign in Israel, viz. of Zachariah the sonne of Ieroboam, who is said to have reigned Anno 38 of Azariah 6 months, where again if a question bee made V. 8.how this could be, seeing Azariah began Anno 27 of Ieroboam, and from thence to the end of his reigne were onelyonly 14 yeares, see the resolution; also 2 King. 14. 21, 22. There was an interregnum as some think, during the minority of Zechariah, when the kingdome was governed by regents, whereof Shallum was one. And that we might know the cause of his so short a reign, v. 9. he is said to have followed Ieroboam in sinning, and therefore he was rewarded with death, which he V. 10. Josephus. Lyra.suffered at the hands of Shallum the sonne of Iabesh, who having slain him openly, raigned in his stead. Iosephus calleth him the sonne of Iothan, the kings freind. Lyra saith, he was one greatly encreased with the kings riches, and hereby gotten to great favour with the people, as he might well be by his liberality and courtesie towards them, wherefore presuming upon their good will, he openly slew the king, no man resisting him. Thus Wolphius saith, Lyra hath it; but indeed he speaketh not Wolphius.of his riches, onelyonly he saith, that he was one of the Princes who were regents after Ieroboam, till Zachary was made king, and so most probably was in great authority, and therefore committed this murther openly, the people for the most part consenting, and being ready to receive him for their king, in his stead. And it appeareth, that (although in respect of the divine providence, his living in the sinne of Ieroboam was the cause of this his untimely cutting off) Shallum did not slay him for this, because he also followed Ieroboam, but for his tyranny and ill governing of the kingdome, which made the people weary of him, being moved also by ambition to preferre himselfe, as Tostatus hath it.
The time also being now come, of which the Lord had spoken before in favour of Iehu his zealous proceedings, as is said, v. 11. that his children should sit upon V. 11.the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation, for Iehohaz was the first, Ioash the second, Ieroboam the third, and Zechary the fourth. However therefore the Lord had hitherto forborn to execute his judgements upon these idolarrous kings, the race of Iehu, and their idolatrous subjects for his words sake, that it might be verified, and for many yeares in the reignes of the two last, Ierobeam and Ioash had made them prosperous, that they might subsist till Zachariah the fourth, yet he would not now suffer them in their wickednesse any longer, but brake out against them in his fierce wrath by judgement after judgement, till they were utterly destroyed. Note hence (because the first times of Iehu and his race were miserable, the kingdome being then brought by Hazael and his Syrians Note. to nothing, but the following times of Joash and Ieroboam prosperous, although they were as wicked as their progenitours, but now that mercy being abused, and their hearts not hereby moved to turn from their sins, although they had Elishah, Ionah and other Prophets among them to improve it, misery followeth misery, as one wave of the sea another without end) note I say that no way is left by God unattempted to make sinfull man to turn unto him, for first he seeketh to engage by mercy, as hee did Iehu in raising him to kingly dignity, and making a promise unto him, then mercy not working, he sought to terrifie them by judgements, after this out of his compassion he returned in much mercy again, and gave them victory over their enemies, lastly, this not taking any effect, he cast them quite off, leaving them for a time to imbrue their hands in the blood of one another, and then giving them over into their enemies hands, the Assyrians. 2. Note that the greatest prosperity is followed with the greatest misery, when there is no reformation made therefore, that none may trust to present or long continued prosperity, or be hereby made bold to goe on in sin without feare of judgement.
Shallum having gotten the kingdome enjoyed it onelyonly one month, and then V. 13, 14.he was slain by Menahem the son of Gadi coming from Thirza, and taking the kingdome upon him. For although Zechary for his idolatry was worthy to dye, and the time appointed by God was come, to translate the kingdome from the family of Iehu to another, yet he was a wicked conspiratour against his lawfull king, and a murtherer, and therefore vengeance from God soon cut him off, as it doth likewise Note. all such as attain to royall dignity by bloudshed, according to that saying;
Ad generum Cereris sine caede & sanguine pauci
Descendunt reges, & sicca morte tyranni.
Menahem is said to have come from Thirzah to Samaria, where he slew Shallum, that is six miles; of Thirzah, see Iosh. 12. 24. where the king of Thirzah is said to Patriarks travels.have been slain by Ioshuah, arguing it to have been a great city, and here it seemeth Menahem gathered his army, and so came against Shallum, when he heard, that he had slain Zechariah his master. From Samaria, when he had thus gotten the kingdom, he went to Thipsah, being also sixe miles, the vulgar Latin renders it also Thirzah, but in Hebrew and Chaldee it is Thipsah, another Town not farre off Thirza. Iosephus saith, that Menahem was captain of the Army at Thirzah, which was once the Metropolis of the kingdom, for there Ieroboam began to reign and Josephus.his successours, till that Omri translated the seat of the kingdom to Samaria. He therefore now that Zachariah his master was dead, thinking that he had as good right to succeed him as Shallum, who had wickedly conspired against him, and slain him; went with his army against him, &c. then hearing happily that the men of Thipsah would not receive him for king, he went against them, and when they shut their gates against him, he fell into a rage against them, and breaking in, V. 16.smote whatsoever was therein, and all the borders thereof from Thirzah, and hee ripped up the women great with child] Why they would not open unto him some conjecture, the reason to be, because they had given their faith to Shallum before, some because they had seen some experience of his cruelty, when he lived with his army near unto them at Thirzah, but upon what occasion soever, he practised this barbarous cruelty amongst them, that other cities being terrified might not dare to withstand him. Iosephus speaking hereof, saith, that he spared not the tender Josephus.age, taking liberty to doe that which was not lawfull towards Hebrewes, being overcome. But he mentioneth not his ripping up of women with child, as abhorring to tell of such unheard of cruelty, amongst the men of his nation. Some saith VVolphius expound it by bulwarks made like mountains, as if it had been Wolphius.meant, that he brake them open, because foreign signifieth mountains, but the word here used is foreign which is never rendred otherwise, but gravidae, and so the Septuagint and Chaldee. This was horrible cruelty on his part, but on Gods a just judgement for their foule sins, in which they went on so long in impenitency, that others may be ware.
In the 39 of Azariah he began his reign, and reigned ten yeares, &c.] Although V. 17.he were a most cruell tyrant, yet God suffered him to continue thus long to aggravate his own misery, and the misery of this wicked people, for he going on, as V. 18. V. 19.his predecessours had done, ever since the first beginning of this kingdome in Ieroboam, suffered by Phul king of Assyria, who came against his land, and although he made his peace with a great summe of money, that he might reign under him, which he exacted of his subjects, even a thousand talents of silver, which was above 100000 pound, that is, 187500 pound, yet he was brought thus to live basely and poorly all his dayes. This Phul is said to be king of Assyria, or of Babylon, for these names are sometime confounded, because Babylon was the chiefe city of that kingdome. He was called Phul Belochus, who succeeded Sardanapalus, and gave part of his kingdome to Arbaces, viz. the Medes and Persians, keeping to himselfe Babylon and Nineveh, and he was the first Assyrian king, that ever came against Israel; yet some think that he came not against Menahem, but being called by him, fearing for his cruelty to be deposed from the kingdome, which he had usurped, and that the mony here spoken of was not given once only, but as a yearly tribute, grounding upon Sept. Sixti, where it is read, all his dayes came Phull, and he gave him 1000 talents, which reading is followed by Tostatus, and because Tiglathpilesar Tostatus.his sonne came again against Israel, when after the death of Menahem and his sonne, this tribute was paid no more, v. 29. But it is said expressely, 1 Chron. 5. 26. that God stirred up Phull and Tiglathpilesar to come against Israel for their sinnes, and therefore when Tiglathpilesar came, there being no word spoken of tribute denied, as the cause; this appeares to be a meet invention, and touching these words [all his dayes] they are erroneously in that translation taken from v. 18. and transposed to v. 19. farre from their place. And if Phull had come by the procurement of Menahem, it would have been so said as well as when Tiglathpilesar came in the dayes of Ahaz, 2 Chron. 28. 16. and hee should hardly have raised such an huge summe from such a multitude of wealthy men, as it is said, 50 shekels of each man, for so to the raising of it about 60000 men, must be seffed, seeing 50 shekels come but to three pound two shillings six pence; and it is incredible, that so much should be paid yearly out of so little, and now so poore a kingdome. Therefore I conclude, that this was only once paid, Phull happily promising hereupon, if there were any rebellion to be assistant unto him, which might be the cause that he cotinued 10 years, and then died a naturall death, leaving his kingdome to his sonne after him.
In the 50 yeare of Azariah began Pekahiah the sonne of Menahem to reign over V. 23.Israel, &c.] Whereas Menahem is said to have begun, anno 39. and to have reigned 10 yeare, it is to be understood, 10 compleat, the time which he reigned above, before and after, being a few odde dayes, not being here reckoned. Of Pekahiah nothing is said, but that he went on in the sinne of Ieroboam, and reigned but two yeares, being slain by Pekah the sonne of Remaliah, and Argob and Arieh, and with him 50 men of the children of Gilead, &c. This Pekah is said to have been his Captain, Hebr, foreign being called from the word signifying three, either because he V. 25.was the third man of the kingdome according to some, or had command over the third part of the army, called the rereward according to others; who also say that the valiantest men were here placed to uphold the battell, when the others quailed. Argob and Arieh are thought by Lyra to be no men, but places near unto the Palace, Lyra.where this murder was done, wherefore in the vulgar Latin it is rendred [near unto Argob and Ariph] but for Ariph, saith he, Hebr. it is Arie, signifying a Lion, by which the place was named by reason of a golden Lion standing therein for ornament, and this out of R. Solomon. And this is most probable, because the particle foreign set before Argob and before Arit, as it sheweth the Accusative case, so it sometime signifieth in or super, adversus or ad; that is, above, over against, or at. Although some think two speciall men to be hereby meant, who together with Wolphius.the 50 Gileadites conspired with him. But the more probable opinion is, that these were slain together with the king in taking his part, as being in speciall favour with him, and then at a feast. For so Iosephus telling this history saith, he was slaine at a feast.Josephus.
The 52 year of Azariah began Pekah the sonne of Remaliah to reign over Israel, V. 27.20 yeares.] Hee was suffered 20 yeares in the kingdome, which hee came to by blood, although a wicked idolater also; but then his blood was required therefore, a conspiracy being likewise made against him by Hosheah, and hee being by him slain, v. 30. Neither did he escape Gods punishing hand in the mean season, for Tiglath V. 28.Pilesar king of Assyria came and took from him Hijon, and Abel Beth-Maacah, &c. and carried the inhabitants thereof into Assyria. Besides the places here said to be taken, he took the countries of the two tribes and an halfe also, viz. of Reuben, Gad, and halfe Manasseh on the other side of Iordan, which were most fruitfull, 1 Chron. 5. 26. Lyra.and on this side Galilee, the whole land of Nepthali, so that he bereft him of three tribes and an halfe, and so left him but a poor king. The cities here named were the uttermost bounds of the kingdom of Israel, as wee may see touching Hijon, 2 Chron. 16. 4. and touching Abel, Beth-maachah, 2 Sam. 20. 14. Touching the other places here named, Ianaah was a border of the tribe of Ephraim.Josh. 16. 6.
Chadesh was a city of Galilee in the tribe of Nephtali, and so was Hazor, although J…sh. 19. 36, 37.there were other cities of the same name of the tribe of Iudah, Gilead was that, where the two tribes and an halfe dwelt. Galilee was both superiour called Josephus.Galilee of the Gentiles, and inferiour; both which are greatly praised by Iosephus not ony for fertility, but for the great number of inhabitants there maintained. Whereas they are said here onelyonly to have been carried into Assyria. 1 Chron. 5. 26. the places in Assyria to which, are more particularly named, Chalah, Chabor, and Haram and Nehargozan, where they abide to this day; but of these cities see more upon 2 Kings 17. 6. where the carrying away of the whole kingdome is spoken of. Thus although the Lord suffered long the wickednesse of the Israelitish kings Note. and their people, viz. 220 years yet when after divers, coorrections and admonitions, in this long time they being nothing amended shewed themselves to be incorrigible, he sent a judgment by the Assyrians, that swept away a great part of them at the first, and then all to live for ever after inperpetuall captivity and misery, and this will be the end of any nation, that in like manner abuseth his long continued patience, to the hardening of themselves the more in sin.
Then a conspiracy being made against Pekah, Hosheah smote him so that hee slew V. 30.him, and reigned in his steed Anno 20 of Iotham.] Here because Iotham reigned onelyonly 16 yeares, v. 33. and began but Anno 2 of Pekah, who reigned 20 yeares; Expositours are troubled about reconciling this. Iunius saith, that it is said, in the Junius.20 year of Iotham, as meant only of the 20 year from the time that hee began to reign, 4 yeares also of Ahaz his son being now expired, wherefore he rendreth it 20 yeares from the kingdom of Iotham begun, so likewise Wolfius having first confuted Wolphius.two other opinions. 1. That to make up the number of 20, it must be understood, that 4 yeares are reckoned here to Iotham of his fathers life, because after the time that he was a leper, Iotham governed all, but this makes the chronologie uncertain. 2. That Ahaz being a wicked king is thought unworthy to be named in counting the beginning of any kings reign; and therefore he that was dead is rather mentioned, then this wicked king, that was living, but forsomuch as the sacred history hath hitherto reckoned by the wicked kings, as well as by the godly, it were strange, if for this reason he that began to reign in the fourth or fifth of Ahaz, should be said to begin the 20. of Jotham, yet Lyra indifferently followeth Lyra.either this, as being the solution of R. Solom. or the other already rejected by Wolphius touching four years expired, when he began to reign alone. But I marvail, that he considered not, how ch. 17. 1. the time of Hosheah is reckoned by the years of Ahaz also, which sheweth, that the year of his reign, when Hoshea began, is not passed over in silence for his malice or wickednesse, but because the beginning of his reign was not yet spoken of, but long after ch. 16. 1. the whole history of Iotham, his fathers reign coming between this and it; and it is not the manner of the sacred history to reckon by the reign of any king so long before his time comes to be set forth, but by the nearest, which here is Iotham, v. 32. By the twenty year of Iotham, I conclude then, is meant the 20 from the time that he began, he being now dead four years before Hoshea his reign; who this Hoshea was it is not said, but Iosephus saith it was one of his familiar friends, and most probably by himself Josephus.preferred. And it was just with God, that Pekah, who had been false to his lord and master, under whom he had been in an honourable place, should be likewise dealt withall by one preferred by him.
The second year of Pekah the sonne of Remaliah, began Iotham to reigne over Iudah, V. 32.&c.] The history of Iotham being intermitted from v. 7. hitherto (that the kings of Israel, who began to reign before him, might be shewed together, Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, and Pekah) is now again prosecuted, his age, his mothers name, and the time of his reign being shewed. Whereas he is said to V. 33.have begun the second year of Pekah, who reigned twenty years, and yet Hosheah that succeeded Pekah, began twenty years after the beginning of Iothams reign, it is to be understood, that the second year of Pekah was but new begun, and so Pekah being dead, nineteen years had passed from the beginning of Iothams reign, and in the beginning of the next, which was the twenty, Hosheah began. Iotham is said V. 34.to have done that which was right in the sight of the Lord, as Vzziah his father.
2 Cron. 27. 2. it is added, that he went not into the temple, as his father had 2 Chron. 27. Josephus.done, but the people corrupted themselves. Iosephus praiseth him for a right godly and excellent prince, neither doth the Scripture speak otherwise but very well of him, and of his deeds for the good of the church and kingdome, and of Gods blessing him therefore. Which maketh against the people, in that having so godly a king, and some famous prophets, who were of that time, as Isaiah, Hoseah, and Michah, yet they were corrupt. 2 King. 15. 35. No more is said, but as in the time V. 35.of Vzziah, Amaziah, and Ioash, the people sacrificed still in the high places. This therfore, how ever tolerated hitherto, is thus censured as a corruption in the service of God, whereby he was much offended, seeing all sacrifices were now to be offered in the temple only, which Solomon built, of which I have spoken often before, see upon 1 King. 15. 9, 10. And therefore the Lord to shew his dislike, raised up adversaries against Israel, Rezin king of Syria, and Pekah v. 37. most probably towards the latter end of the reign of Iotham, so as that he lived not to see their comming, but was before in mercy taken away, and in the dayes of his wicked sonne Ahaz they came, making preparation only in Iothams time, ch. 16. 5. But because Esay prophesying in Iothams time, speaketh against Iudah, as hearing but not understanding Esa. 6. 9. it seemeth, as Ierom also thinketh, that by these words, they corrupted themselves, is not onelyonly meant by offering in high places, but also falling to idolatry, whereunto they saw Ahaz the young prince then inclining. The piety of Iotham is further set forth v. 35. he built the upper gate of the house of the Lord. Whatsoever his subjects did (because it seemeth that they could not yet be restrained) in sacrificing upon high places, he applyeth himself to beautifie yet more the house of the Lord. The Septuagint, for upper gate, have the high gate, portam excelsam, and so it is in the Chronicles. This, Vatablus saith, was the East Vatablus. Rabanus. Lyra.gate; Rabanus, the gate called beautifull, Act. 3. which Lyra well confuteth, because the temple standing then was burnt down long before. But about this we need not contend, it was most probably, the highest and most magnificent gate of the temple, whereby it was most adorned outwardly, but now, it being above 200 years since Solomon built it, and in decay, Iotham out of his piety rebuilt it, for the honour of God, and that the people might be the rather drawn from high places, to the temple. 2 Chron. 27. 3. and in the wall of the hill he built very much; 2 Chron. 27. 3. Junius.That is, saith Iunius, behinde the temple Westward, where the ground was highest, between the brook of Gihon and the fish-gate. The vulgar Latin renders it, in the wall of Ophel, the Hebrew word being retained, which signifieth, high, or defenced, or a tower, he built the wals of an high tower, for the defence of the city. v. 4. He built also cities in the mountanous places of Iudah, and in the plains, pallaces and towers. In the vulgar Latin, castles and towers, which were also for the defence of other parts of the kingdome.
He also fought against the king of the Ammonites and prevailed, so that they gave V. 5.unto him 100 talents of silver, &c.] Thus likewise Vzziah his father did before, ch. 26. 8. and the Ammonites gave him guifts, that is, as being subjected by him, they paid tribute: but now refusing so to do any more, Iotham by war compelleth them again unto it. And his power to do all these things, is ascribed to his piety towards God, v. 6. and this is the onelyonly way for any king to prosper, as many examples more, both in the holy scriptures and other histories do shew.
Concluding the history of Iotham, he saith, the rest of his acts, &c.] and in those V. 36. V. 37.dayes the Lord began to send Rezin the king of Syria, &c.] That is, at the latter end of his reign, they began to prepare to come, and in the time of Ahaz his son, they came, as appeareth chap. 16. 5. as hath been already shewed, as also the cause, the sinnes of the people; notwithstanding the good King and Prophets, which they had most famous amongst them.