2 Kings 15:1--18:37
twenty-seventh <06242> [A.M. 3194. B.C. 810. In the.]
twenty-seventh <06242> [twenty and seventy.]
"This is the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam's partnership in the kingdom with his father, who made him consort at his going to the Syrian wars. It is the sixteenth year of Jeroboam's monarchy."
Azariah <05838> [Azariah.]
[Uzziah.]
high places ................ high places <01116> [the high places.]
Lord <03068> [A.M. 3239-3246. B.C. 765-758 the Lord.]
disease <06879> [so that.]
lived <03427> [and dwelt.]
Jotham <03147> [Jotham.]
ruled <08199> [judging.]
Azariah's <05838> [Azariah.]
Dr. Kennicott complains loudly here of "the corruption in the name of this king of Judah, who is expressed by four different names in this chapter: Ozriah, Oziah, Ozrihu, and Ozihu. Our oldest Hebrew MS. relieves us here, by reading truly, in verses 1, 6, 7, Uzziah, where the printed text is differently corrupted. This reading is called true, 1. Because it is supported by the Syriac and Arabic versions in these three verses. 2. Because the printed text itself has it so in ver. 32 and 34 of this very chapter. 3. Because it is so expressed in the parallel place in Chronicles: and 4. Because it is not [Azarias,] Azarias, but [Ozias,] Ozias, (Uzziah) in St. Matthew's genealogy
recorded <03789> [they not written.]
[A.M. 3246. B.C. 758.]
[Uzziah.]
thirty-eighth <07970> [A.M. 3231. B.C. 773. the thirty.]
"There having been an interregnum for eleven years."
Zechariah <02148> [Zachariah.]
ancestors <01> [as his.]
assassinated <05221 06905> [A.M. 3232. B.C. 772. smote him.]
"As prophesied. Am 7:9."
king <04191 04427> [slew him.]
fulfillment .... word <01697> [A.M. 3120. B.C. 884. the word.]
[Thy son.]
[And so.]
Uzziah's <05818> [A.M. 3232. B.C. 772. Uzziah.]
[Azariah.]
[Ozias. a full month. Heb. a month of days.]
Tirzah <08656> [Tirzah.]
attacked <05221> [and smote.]
[Tiphzah.]
pregnant women <02030> [all the women.]
thirty-ninth <08672> [A.M. 3232-3243. B.C. 772-761. nine.]
Pul ........... him <06322> [A.M. 3233. B.C. 771. Pul.]
Prideaux supposes that this Pul was the father of the famous Sardanapalus, who was called Sardan with his father's name Pul annexed, as was frequent in those times, making Sardanpul: thus Merodach, king of Babylon, was Merodach-Baladan, because he was the son Baladan. This Pul began to reign according to Usher, A.M. 3237, the fifth year of Menahem; and he is supposed to be the same that reigned in Nineveh, when Jonah preached in that city.
Menahem <04505> [Menahem.]
solidify <02388> [to confirm.]
Menahem <04505> [Menahem.]
got <03318> [exacted. Heb. caused to come forth. the mighty.]
each one <0259 0376> [of each man, etc.]
Or, rather, as Bishop Patrick renders, "to give to the king of Assyria fifty shekels of silver for each man," i.e., in his army. It may be supposed, that Menahem compelled "the mighty men of wealth" to give much more a-piece than this sum, (somewhat about 5Å“. sterling each) and each of them in some proportion to his affluence.
stay ..... land <05975 0776> [stayed not.]
[A.M. 3232-3243. B.C. 772-761.]
year ..................... years <08141> [A.M. 3243. B.C. 761. and reigned two years.]
[A.M. 3243-3245. B.C. 761-759.]
Pekah <06492> [A.M. 3245. B.C. 759. Pekah.]
officer <07991> [a captain.]
conspired <07194> [conspired.]
Argob <0709> [with Argob.]
From the contstruction of the Hebrew text, it would appear that Argob and Arieh were slain with the king, and that the fifty Gileadites were conspirators with Pekah.
<08147> [A.M. 3245-3265. B.C. 759-739. the two.]
Pekah <06492> [Pekah.]
evil <07451> [evil.]
Tiglath-pileser <08407> [Tiglath-pileser.]
Some suppose Tiglath-pileser to be the son of Sardanapalus: but the learned Prideaux makes him the same as Arbaces the Mede, called by ’lian, Thelgamus, and by Castor, Ninus Junior, who, with Belesis, headed the conspiracy against Sardanapalus, and fixed his royal seat at Nineveh, as Belesis, called in Scripture Baladan (Is 39:1), did his at Babylon. He reigned nineteen years, from A.M. 3257 to A.M. 3276.
[Tiglath-pilneser.]
Ijon <05859> [Ijon.]
Abel Beth Maacah <062> [Abel-beth-maachah.]
Janoah <03239> [Janoah.]
[Janohah. Kedesh.]
Hazor <02674> [Hazor.]
Gilead <01568> [Gilead.]
Galilee <01551> [Galilee.]
deported <01540> [carried them.]
conspired against <07194> [A.M. 3265. B.C. 739. made.]
assassinated <05221> [and smote.]
king <04427> [reigned.]
"After an anarchy for some years."
twentieth <06242> [in the twentieth.]
"In the fourth year of Ahaz, in the twentieth year after Jotham had begun to reign."--Usher.
Jotham <03147> [A.M. 3246. B.C. 758. Jotham.]
Jotham <03147> [Jotham. Uzziah.]
[Azariah.]
Jerusha <03388> [A.M. 3246-3262. B.C. 758-742. Jerusha.]
[Jerushah.]
father <01> [according.]
high places ................ high places <01116> [Howbeit.]
Upper Gate <05945 08179> [the higher gate.]
rest <03499> [the rest.]
days <03117> [A.M. 3262. B.C. 742. In those days.]
"At the end of Jotham's reign." This Jotham died at forty-one. He was too great a blessing to be continued long to such an unworthy people. His death was a judgment, especially considering the character of Ahaz, his son and successor: for we read, (16:3) Ahaz made his son pass through the fire. This son may have been Hezekiah, who served the Lord, and whose prayer in sickness was most graciously herd and answered.
prompted <02490> [began.]
prompted <07971> [to send.]
Rezin <07526> [Rezin.]
Pekah <06492> [Pekah.]
Jotham <03147> [Jotham.]
Ahaz <0271> [Ahaz.]
[Achaz.]
seventeenth <07651> [seventeenth.]
Ahaz <0271> [Ahaz.]
do ... pleased <06213 03477> [did not.]
<03212> [he walked.]
son .................... Israelites <01121> [made his son.]
horrible <08441> [according.]
hills <01389> [on the hills.]
Rezin <07526> [A.M. 3262. B.C. 742. Rezin.]
unable ... conquer <03201 03898> [but could not.]
recovered <07725> [recovered.]
Elat ......... there ..... Elat <0359> [Elath. Heb. Eloth.]
Tiglath-pileser <08407> [Tiglath-pileser. Heb. Tilgath-pileser.]
[Tilgath-pilneser. I am thy servant.]
rescue <03467> [and save.]
silver <03701> [the silver.]
royal .......... king <04428> [to the king.]
attacked <05927> [A.M. 3264. B.C. 740. went up.]
[Foretold.]
Damascus <01834> [Damascus. Heb. Dammesek. Kir.]
Josephus informs us that this place was in Upper Media; and it is clear that it must be understood of some city or country in the dominions of the king of Assyria. It is highly probable that it was the country on the banks of the river [Kuros,] Cyrus, or Kyrus, now called Kur, or Kura; and we find cities called Cyropolis, Cyrena, and Carine, mentioned by writers as lying in these parts, and a part of Media, called Syromedia, as it is thought, from the Syrians who were carried captive thither.
executed Rezin <07526 04191> [slew Rezin.]
saw ... altar .............. altar <04196 07200> [saw an altar.]
blueprint <08403> [the pattern.]
built ... altar <01129 04196> [built an altar.]
Uriah .................. Uriah <0223> [Urijah.]
approached <07126> [approached.]
offered <05927> [offered thereon.]
offered <06999> [he burnt.]
peace offerings <08002> [of his peace-offerings. Heb. of the peace-offerings which were his.]
bronze <05178> [the brasen.]
altar ................ altar ................ altar <04196> [the altar.]
morning <01242> [the morning.]
King .............. burnt sacrifice ....... royal burnt sacrifices ...... burnt sacrifice .................... burnt sacrifice <04428 05930> [the king's burnt.]
<01239> [for me to enquire by.]
took off <07112> [A.M. 3265. B.C. 739. cut off.]
frames <04526> [borders.]
Sea <03220> [sea.]
awning <04329> [the covert.]
There are a great number of conjectures concerning this covert; but it is probable that it was either, as Locke supposes, a sort of shelter or canopy erected for the people on the sabbath when the crowd was too great for the porch to contain them; or, as Dr. Geddes supposes, a seat, covered with a canopy, placed on an elevation, for the king and his court, when they attended public worship.
[A.M. 3262-3278. B.C. 742-726.]
buried <06912> [A.M. 3278. B.C. 726. buried.]
Hezekiah <02396> [Hezekiah.]
[Ezekias.]
<08147> [A.M. 3274. B.C. 730. In the twelfth.]
In ch. 15:30, this is said to be "the twentieth year of Jotham," which Calmet thus reconciles: "Hosea conspired against Pekah, the 20th year of the reign of this prince, which was the 18th of Jotham, king of Judah. Two years after this, that is, the 4th of Ahaz and the 20th of Jotham, Hosea made himself master of a part of the kingdom, according to ch. 15:30. Finally, the 12th year of Ahaz, Hosea had peaceable possession of the whole kingdom, agreeably to ch. 17:1."
Hoshea <01954> [Hoshea.]
"After an interregnum, ch. 15:30; 18:9."
kings <04428> [but not as the kings.]
Shalmaneser <08022> [Shalmaneser.]
This was the son and successor of Tiglath-pileser: he reigned 14 years, from A.M. 3276 to 3290.
[Shalman. king of Assyria.]
Hoshea <01954> [and Hoshea.]
paid <07725> [gave. Heb. rendered. presents. or, tribute.]
discovered ..... planning a revolt <04672 07195> [A.M. 3279. B.C. 725. found conspiracy.]
king ................ King .... Egypt ........... king ...... king <04428 04714> [king of Egypt.]
sent <05927> [brought.]
imprisoned <0631 01004> [bound him.]
king <04428> [A.M. 3281-3283. B.C. 723-721. the king.]
three years <08141 07969> [three years.]
king ... Assyria ........... Assyria <04428 0804> [A.M. 3283. B.C. 721. the king of Assyria.]
[foretold. carried.]
Halah <02477> [Halah.]
Medes <04074> [the Medes.]
sinned <02398> [sinned.]
Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
brought ... up <05927> [which had.]
worshiped <03372> [and had feared.]
<03212> [walked.]
Israel ........ kings ... Israel <03478 04428> [of the kings of Israel.]
said <02644> [secretly.]
watchtower <04026> [from the tower.]
set <05324> [they set.]
sacred pillars <04676> [images. Heb. statues. groves.]
high <01364> [in every.]
incense <06999> [burnt.]
Lord ............. Lord <03068> [to provoke.]
Lord's <03068> [whereof.]
disregard <06213> [Ye shall not.]
warned <05749> [testified.]
Judah <03063> [and against.]
prophets ..... seers .................. law ............... prophets <05030 02374 08451> [all. Heb. the hand of all.]
seers <02374> [seers.]
back .... evil <07725 07451> [Turn ye.]
obey <08104> [keep.]
stubborn <07185> [but hardened.]
trusted <0539> [did not believe.]
rejected <03988> [they rejected.]
covenant <01285> [his covenant.]
laws <05715> [testimonies.]
worthless idols <01892> [vanity.]
worthless <01891> [became vain.]
Lord's <03068> [concerning whom.]
metal <04541> [molten images.]
Asherah pole <0842> [a grove.]
bowed <07812> [worshipped.]
Baal <01168> [Baal.]
sons <01121> [they caused.]
practiced <07080> [used.]
committed <04376> [sold.]
sight <05869> [in the sight.]
rejected <05493> [removed.]
tribe <07626> [the tribe.]
Judah <03063> [Also Judah.]
<03212> [walked.]
rejected <03988> [rejected.]
descendants <02233> [all the seed.]
handed <05414> [delivered.]
thrown <07993> [until he had cast.]
tore <07167> [For he rent.]
Jeroboam ........ Jeroboam <03379> [they made.]
Jeroboam ........ Jeroboam <05080 03379> [Jeroboam drave.]
sin <01419 02401> [a great sin.]
sinful <03212 02403> [walked in all the sins.]
Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
warned <01696> [as he had said.]
Israel ................ Israel <03478> [So was Israel.]
king <04428> [A.M. 3326. B.C. 678. the king.]
Babylon <0894> [Babylon.]
Avva <05755> [Ava.]
[Ivah. Hamath.]
cities .................. cities <05892> [in the cities thereof.]
worship <03372> [they feared.]
Lord .... Lord sent <07971 03068> [the Lord sent.]
settled <03427> [and placed.]
know ... requirements ........................ know ... requirements <03045 04941> [know not.]
one .... priests <03548 0259> [one of the priests.]
Bethel <01008> [in Bethel.]
taught ..... worship <03384 03372> [taught them.]
made .... gods .................. made <06213 0430> [made gods.]
Babylon <0894> [Babylon.]
Succoth Benoth <05524> [Succoth benoth.]
{Succoth benoth,} literally "the tents of the daughters."
Cuth <03575> [Cuth.]
Cuth is probably the Cush watered by the Gihon, or Araxes, now Aras (Ge 2:13,) the ancient country of the Scythians, where we meet with the Quitians, Co‰thians, or Co‰t‘, and Cytheans, and the cities of Cotatis, Cetemane, Cythanum, Cyta, Cethena, etc.
Nergal <05370> [Nergal.]
Supposed to denote the solar orb; the emblem of which, according to the Rabbins, was a cock.
Ashima <0807> [Ashima.]
Jarchi says this idol was of the form of a goat.
Avvites <05757> [the Avites.]
Nibhaz <05026> [Nibhaz.]
Supposed to be the same as the Anubis of the Egyptians; and was in form partly a dog and partly a man.
burned ... sons <08313 01121> [burnt their children.]
appointed <06213 07098> [made unto themselves.]
<01004> [the houses.]
<03373> [They feared.]
deported <01540> [whom they carried, etc. or, who carried them away from thence.]
The new inhabitants of the land imitated the idolatrous Israelites, by associating their idols with Jehovah, as the objects of worship. The remainder, however, of the verses seem to relate to the Israelites after they were carried captive. They still persevered in idolatry and disobedience; and not being purified, were left to be consumed in the furnace. It is said that the Israelites "did not fear the Lord," yet the heathens, who followed their example, are said "to have feared the Lord." The Israelites did not so much as fear the wrath of Almighty God; but, on the other hand, the poor pagans feared the power of his wrath, and to avert it paid some ignorant worship, according to the wretched instructions given them. As this was an external acknowledgement of his power and Godhead, and a homage paid to him,he was pleased in consequence to withdraw his judgements from them.--SCOTT
Lord .............. Lord <03373 03068> [fear not.]
Israel <07760 03478> [whom he named Israel.]
Lord <03068> [With whom.]
instructed <06680 0559> [charged them.]
worship other gods <0312 0430 03372> [fear other gods.]
military ability <05186> [a stretched.]
<03372> [him shall ye fear.]
rules <02706> [the statutes.]
carefully ............. wrote <03789 08104> [wrote for you.]
worship <03372> [and ye shall not.]
forget <07911> [ye shall not forget.]
Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
rescue <05337> [he shall deliver.]
attention <08085> [they did not.]
observe <06213> [but they did.]
nations <01471> [these nations.]
day <03117> [unto this day.]
third <07969> [A.M. 3278. B.C. 726. in the third.]
Hezekiah <02396> [Hezekiah.]
[Ezekias.]
twenty-five years old .......... twenty-nine years <06242 02568 08141 01121> [Twenty and five years old.]
As Ahaz was 20 years old when he began to reign, and died when he had reigned 16 years, his whole age only amounted to 36 years; and as Hezekiah was, at least, entering on his 25th year when he began to reign, then Ahaz must have been under 12 years of age when his son was born! This is not at all impossible: and there are well-attested facts of men having children at as early a period, especially in eastern countries.
Abi <021> [A.M. 3278-3306. B.C. 726-698. Abi.]
[Abijah.]
approved <05869 03477> [right in the sight.]
David <01732> [according.]
eliminated <05493> [removed.]
smashed ............... demolished <07665 03807> [brake.]
sacred pillars <04676> [images. Heb. statues. the brasen serpent.]
time <03117> [unto those days.]
Nehushtan <05180> [Nehushtan.]
That is, a piece of brass.
trusted <0982> [trusted.]
kings ....... after <0310 04428> [after him.]
loyal <01692> [he clave.]
None of the kings of Judah, from the time of the division of the kingdom, equalled Hezekiah in the stedfastness and simplicity of his dependence upon the Lord; in which he aspired to an equality with his progenitor David, who had reigned over the whole land. Even Asa, through weakness of faith, sought the assistance of a heathen prince; and Jehoshaphat formed an alliance with idolatrous Ahab; but Hezekiah clave to the Lord, in entire confidence and unreserved obedience, to the end of his life.
him ... obeyed <0310 08104> [from following him. Heb. from after him. kept.]
Lord <03068> [And the Lord.]
endeavors <07919> [he prospered.]
rebelled <04775> [rebelled.]
Philistines <06430> [the Philistines.]
Gaza <05804> [Gaza. Heb. Azzah. from the tower.]
fourth year .......... year <08141 07243> [A.M. 3281. B.C. 723. the fourth year.]
Shalmaneser <08022> [Shalmaneser.]
[Shalman.]
captured ..... sixth .................. captured <03920 08337> [A.M. 3283. B.C. 721. they took it.]
king <04428> [the king.]
Halah <02477> [Halah.]
It is thought, with much probability, that Halah, or Chalach, is Ptolemy's Calachene, the northern part of Assyria; that Habor, or Chabor, is the mountain or mountainous country, between Media and Assyria, called by Ptolemy, [Chaboras,] Chaboras; and that Gozan is Gauzanitis of Ptolemy, situated between that mountain and the Caspian sea, and between the two channels of the river Cyrus.
obey ............... pay attention <08085 06963> [they obeyed not.]
Moses <04872> [Moses.]
fourteenth <0702> [A.M. 3291. B.C. 713. the fourteenth.]
Sennacherib <05576> [Sennacherib. Heb. Sanherib. come up.]
have violated <02398> [I have offended.]
doors <01817> [gold.]
King ............................. king <04428> [it. Heb. them.]
king .................. King <04428> [A.M. 3294. B.C. 710. the king.]
general <08661> [Tartan.]
Calmet remarks, that these are not the names of persons, but of offices: {Tartan} signifies "he who presides over gifts or tribute;" {Rabsaris,} "the chief of the eunuchs;" and {Rabshakeh,} "the chief cup-bearer."
large <03515> [great. Heb. heavy. the conduit of the upper pool.]
If the Fuller's field were near En-Rogel, or the Fuller's fountain, east of Jerusalem, as is generally supposed, then the conduit of the upper pool may been an aqueduct that brought the water from the upper or eastern reservoir of that fountain, which had been seized in order to distress the city.
Eliakim <0471> [Eliakim.]
Shebna <07644> [Shebna.]
scribe <05608> [the scribe. or, secretary.]
secretary <02142> [the recorder.]
chief adviser <07262> [Rab-shakeh.]
He was the chief speaker, being a very eloquent man, and, according to the Hebrews, whom Procopius follows, an apostate Jew; which is not improbable, as he spoke Hebrew so fluently; and when he blasphemed the Divine Majesty, the king and nobles rent their clothes, which was usual unless the blasphemer were an Israelite.
said .... Tell <0559> [Thus saith.]
confidence <0986> [What confidence.]
claim <0559> [sayest. or, talkest. vain words. Heb. word of the lips. I have counsel and strength for the war. or, but counsel and strength are for the war.]
rebel <04775> [rebellest.]
trusting .................................. trust <0982> [trustest. Heb. trustest thee. the staff.]
Egypt ........................... Egypt <04714> [upon Egypt.]
Pharaoh <06547> [so is Pharaoh.]
trusting <0982> [We trust.]
high places <01116> [whose high places.]
deal <06148> [pledges. Heb. hostages.]
give <05414> [I will deliver.]
refuse <07725> [How then.]
trust <0982> [thy trust.]
chariots <07393> [chariots.]
marched up ............ March up <05927> [Am I now.]
Speak ............ speak <01696> [Speak.]
Perceiving that the object of this blasphemous caitiff was to stir up the people to sedition, they mildly and reasonably required him to make his proposals in the Syrian language.
Aramaic <0762> [in the Syrian language.]
eat <0398> [eat.]
<04325> [their own piss. Heb. the water of their feet.]
chief adviser <07262> [Rab-shakeh.]
king ... king ... Assyria <04428 0804> [the king of Assyria.]
says <0559> [saith.]
Hezekiah <02396> [Let not.]
trusting <0982> [make you.]
city <05892> [this city.]
Send .... token of your submission <06213 01293> [Make an agreement with me. or, Seek my favour. Heb. Make with me a blessing.]
each ..... eat .... own ........... own <0398 0376> [eat ye.]
cistern <0953> [cistern. or, pit.]
come <0935> [I come.]
land ....... land ........ land ....... land <0776> [like your own.]
misleading <05496> [persuadeth. or, deceiveth.]
actually <0376> [Hath any.]
gods ......... gods <0430> [the gods.]
Hamath <02574> [Hamath.]
Hamath, there is little doubt, was the Epiphania of the Greeks, as Josephus, Theodoret, and Jerome, expressly assert. It was a celebrated city of Syria, situated on the Orontes, and the present Hamah doubtless occupies its site; as Abulfeda, who was prince or emir of Hamah about A.D. 1345, expressly states, in his Description of Syria, that Hamah is an ancient city mentioned in the writings of the Israelites. It is still a considerable town, situated on both sides of the Orontes, about three days' journey and a half from Tripoli; and must contain, Burckhardt says, at least 30,000 inhabitants.
Arpad <0774> [Arpad.]
Arpad is probably the town of Arphas, mentioned by Josephus as limiting the province of Gamalitis, Gaulanitis, Batanea, and Trachonitis, to the N. E.; and the Raphan, or Raphanea, which Stephanus places near Epiphania.
gods ......... gods <0430> [the gods.]
[Ava.]
rescue <05337> [have they delivered.]
gods <0430> [Who are.]
Lord <03068> [that the Lord.]
silent <02790> [held their peace.]
clothes torn <0899 07167> [with their clothes rent.]
