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THE 


l^ULPir    COMMI-NTARV, 


Korrtb  w  nuL 


REV.   CANON    11     I).    M     SPKNCE,    M.A., 
vhvui  AMit  Kuau.  UC4N  <>t    •.!  itATt-Aia  TO  ms 


AJrO   BT  THE 


REV.   JOSEPH    S.    EXELL. 


INTRODUCTIONS 


BT  TSK 


REV   CANON  F    W    FARR.KR.  D  D  .  F.R.S.-RT    REV.  H.  COTTERILL,  DJ>..  F.R^R. 

VERY  REV    PRINCIPAL  J    Tfl  LOCH.  DD-REV    CANON  C    RAWLINSoN.  M  A 

REV.  A    PLUUMER.  U.A. 


FUNK    A.    WAGN*ALLS    COMTAXY 
Nrw  York  asu  Tmtasrru 


THE 


ruLNT  cu3iMi:M\n 


CDlTKli   UY   TIIK 


VKi:v  i;i;v.  ii.  d.  m.  si'kmk,  iu)., 


1/1  AM  u(    ijiiti  <  t  •,  t  *  m 


ANI>   UV   THE 


11 KV.  .lOSKI'II    S.    KXKI.L,  M.A. 


II.    K  \  NGS. 


Cvpooition  iinb  tjom  Ictict : 
By    HEV.    G.    HAWLIXSON.   M.A., 

aUK>JI  or  CAkTESIiL'BV. 

4oinil;ro  bn  l^iiriouo  ^nllioio 

Rf:V.   C.    H.   IRWIN.    II  A.  REV.   J.   ORR,   D.a 

REV     D.    THOMAS.   D.D. 


FUNK    &    WA0NALL8    COMPANY 
Nbw  YoftK  Axu  Tbaotrra 


THE    SECOND 

BOOK   OF   THE   KINGS. 


INTRODUCTION. 


Thodoh  ihe>  two  Books  of  the  Kinpn  "  were  oHginally  and  are  fmIIt  bnt 
one  work,  bj  out>  writer  or  oompiJer,"  and  thoagh  moat  of  the  poinU 
which  need  to  be  touched  on  in  an  "  In  trod  action,"  being  oommon  to  both 
books,  hare  been  already  treatt-d  in  the  lutrodactorj  8t<tiou  prefizad  to  tha 
Commentary  on  1  Kings,  still  there  i>eem  to  be  eert^n  Babjoeta  mora 
particularly  oonnectoii  with  the  Second  Book,  which  require  a  more  ganaral 
and  cousecative  treatment  than  is  pohaible  in  a  running  commentary  oa 
the  text ;  and  the  consideration  of  these  will  form,  it  is  bope<l,  a  not  super- 
fluous or  anweloome  **  lutrodiuiion  "  to  the  present  volume.  Thti*e  ttubjecu 
are,  especially,  (1)  "the  difficulties  in  the  Chronology,"  and  (2)  '*  the 
interconnection  between  sacred  and  profane  history  during  the  period  <d 
the  Israelite  monarchy. 

L  DirncuLTiw  n»  thi  CHionou)aT. 

The  difficulties  in  the  chronology  attach  almost  ezclusiTely  to  the  Seeood 
Book.     In  the  F  ionH  of  years  are  counted 

for  years  in  tl  kings*  rt-igns,  and  that 

thus  there  is  a  tendency  in  me  chrou'-lo^'  .erale  iUelf — a  tendency 

which  is  most  marked  where  the  reigns  arv i.    But  the  synch ronisma 

which  enable  us  to  detect  this  j)eculiaritT  are  a  sufficient  safeguard  from 
serious  error;  and  it  iH  not  difluult  to  arran^>e  in  parallel  oolumoa  th» 
Jewish  and  the  Israelite  ll^tH  in  such  a  way  that  all  or  almost  all  the  slAte 
ments  made  in  the  book  are  broaght  into  harmony ;  »,g.  Rehoboam  reifAcd 
seventeen  full  yeari  (ch.  riv  21),  when  he  was  suoceeded  by  Abijam,  wkoee 
ftrst  year  was  parallel  with  the  eighteenth  of  Jeroboam  (eh.  iv  1),  ard 
n.  Kisoa  ^ 


INTEODUOTION  TO 


who  reigned  three  full  years  (ch.  xv.  2),  dying  and  being  sncoeeded  by  Asa 
in  Jeroboam's  twentieth  year  (ch.  xv.  9).  Jeroboam,  having  reigned 
twenty-two  years  incomplete  (ch.  xiv.  20),  died  in  Asa's  second  year,  and 
was  succeeded  by  Nadab  (ch.  xiv.  25),  who  reigned  parts  of  two  years, 
being  slain  by  Baasha  in  Asa's  third  year  (ch.  xv.  28).  Baasha  held  the 
throne  for  twenty-four  incomplete  years,  his  accession  falling  in  Asa's  third, 
and  his  death  in  Asa's  twenty-sixth  year  (ch.  xvi.  8).  Elah's  "  two  years  " 
(ch.  xvL  8)  were,  like  Nadab's  and  Baasha's,  incomplete,  since  he  ascended 
the  throne  in  Asa's  twenty-sixth,  and  was  killed  by  Zimri  in  Asa's  twenty- 
seventh  year  (ch.  xvi.  15).  At  the  end  of  a  week  Zimri  was  slain  by  Omri, 
and  a  straggle  followed  between  Omri  and  Tibni,  which  lasted  four  years 
— from  Asa's  twenty-seventh  year  to  his  thirty-first  (ch.  xvi.  23).  Omri's 
reign  was  reckoned  by  some  to  begin  at  this  time,  by  others  to  have  begun 
npon  the  death  of  Zimri  It  is  from  this  earlier  event  that  his  "  twelve 
years "  are  to  be  dated,  and  those  years  are  again  incomplete,  since  they 
commenced  in  Asa's  twenty- seventh,  and  terminated  in  his  thirty-eighth 
year  (ch.  xvi.  29).  Ahab's  "twenty-two  years"  (ch.  xvi  29)  should, 
apparently,  be  twenty-ow«,  since  they  ran  parallel  with  the  last  four  years 
of  Asa  and  with  the  first  seventeen  of  Jehoshaphat.  The  entire  period 
from  the  accession  of  Eehoboam  and  Jeroboam  to  the  death  of  Ahab  and 
accession  of  Ahaziah  in  the  seventeenth  year  of  Jehoshaphat  was  seventy- 
eight  years. 

TABTn.AB  YiMw  ov  TH«  Ohboholoot  ot  1  KorcM. 


Tew 

Yewofthe 

belon 

Davldic 

Kiag  of  All  larML 

ChrUt. 

kingdom. 

1011 

41 

fil 

BoLOMON,  40  yeart  (1  Kings  xL  42y 

Kings  of  JndAh. 

King*  of  IbtmL 

y72 

R.  hoboam,  17  years  (1  Kings  xiv. 21) 

Jomboam,  22  years  (1  Kings  xiv.  20) 

'.»55 

OS 

Abijam,  H  yeurH  (1  Kiiip*  xv.  2) 

18lh  yt'urof  Jirulxiani(l  KiiigBXV.  1) 

•J'oi 

101 

Abu,  41  yeum  (1  Kiiit,'8  xv.  10) 

20th  yoar  of. Jeroboam  (1  KingH  xv.  0) 

051 

102 

2n(i  year  of  A^n  (1  Kinps  xv.  25) 

Nadub,  2  yoiiru  (1  Kinf^s  xv  25) 

yM) 

ion 

3r<l  y.ar  of  A-ia  (1  Kinpa  xv.  28) 

Biiawha,  21  years  (1  KmgH  xv.  83) 

027 

12« 

2Gtlj  year  of  Ami  (1  KiiiK"  xvL  8) 

Khih,  2  yciirs  (1  KingH  xvi.  8) 
fZiniri  (1  Kinpt  xvi.  10) 

I>28 

127 

27th    yoar  of   Ajm  (1    Klngii   xvL 

Tibni  (I  Kings  xvi.  21) 

10.21) 

lOinri  (1   Kings  xvi.  21),  12  yoara  (1 
[     Kings  xvi.  2.1) 

Ml 

131 

31»t  y.  iir  'i  Ana  (1  Kinsrn  xvi.  23) 

Oniri  iib>no  (1  Kings  xvi.  23) 

'.HS 

188 

3Kl)i  y<!ur  of  Ami  (I  Kht([»  xvi.  20) 

A  !ial).  '22  (21?)  yrarM  ( 1  Kings  xvi.  29) 

nil 

142 

Ji'h'mliHiihiit  (1  Kiii^'H  xrii.  41) 

4th  yi'ur  of  Ahab  (1  Kings  xxii.  41) 

895 

158 

I7tl<  7<«r  of  JultualtupliAt 

Ahaziaii  (1  Kings  xxii.  51) 

The  chronoloffy  of  tho  Second    IJook  of   Kinj^H  Ih  far  more  oomplioatiuL 
Th«-  following  aro  nomo  of   iU  (lifTiciiltioH.      1.   Two  datoH  arc  ^von   for  the 
tuju  of  Jolioruui  of   ImumjI,  vi«.  tho  aoooud  year  of  Jtboram  of  Judah 


TUB  ReOOm)  B(X)K   OP    T11E   KWOH 


(eh.  I.  17),  and  the  mf^htrcnih  jtmr  of  Jrho«K«phal  (eh.  liL  1).  1  J«K..r»!m 
of  JuJah  ui  Mill  to  \xmt9  bei^aa  to  rox^  in  thm  Mih  j«ar  of  ki*  fa',  -r 
J«boab»pk*t  16).  and  aUo  in  the  flftli  jm^r  of  J«kur»m  uf  I- 

whiok   WM  t:  'jr-MKWnd    J9^r  of  JeLo»ba|>h»i.      3.   J«)u>«hft«s    - 

J«ho.  i«  said  (oh.  xuL  1)  to  bar*  Mcwodod  the  tiiroo*  in  th*  twt^t^ 
j«ar  of  JtMuih  of  Judah ;  bat  M  Joaah  aao«nd«d  tb«  thron*  in  the  »«^.. 
of  Jehu  (ill  xii.  1),  and  Jfbo  mgntd  do  moro  than  twenty -n^f lit  >.»m« 
(oh.  X.  36),  the  irne  tcmu-  uf  the  aoooMJon  of  Jeboabna  moai  baT«  bMB  (a* 
JoMphoB  Bmy  it  waa)  Jonah's  twcntj-flrtt  4.  Amaxiab's  fin!  Jtmr  m  mad* 
lo  ran  parallel  with  tba  Moond  joar  of  Juaab  of  lamal  (cb.  stT.  1);  bat  if 
thf  n  ijfo  of  thia  Joaab  bf}fau  ;  -f   bia  namaaakr  .>| 

Ju.lah  (ch.  xiiL   10),  and   if   i  ^'rtber   forty  yo»rt 

(ch.  xii.  1),  Amaxiah  cannot  have  r-  '•■  him  till  Juaab  of  Iara<  !'■  fuortb 

jaar.  k.  Atariab  i»  said  U>  bare  br>'uu  u.  rfij^  in  the  twenty-»cvcMh  year 
of  Jeroboam  II.  (ch.  xv.  1)  ;  but  if  Amaxiah  hved  fifteen  yMum  only  aft^r 
the  dmib  of  Joaab  of  Israel  (oh.  xiv.  17),  Asartah  ahoski  bare  Bnr<r"1.^d 
him  in  Jeroboam's  sixteenth  year.  6.  Zachariab's  afleeadoa,  which  •ckh^ 
(ob.  xiT.  29)  to  be  placed  dire<'tly  after  his  father's  death,  aboold  have  fallen 
in  Axariah's  twenty-fifth  or  twentr-sixtb  year ;  but  it  is  plaoed  in  bis  tbirtj* 
eighth  (ch.  XT.  8)  ;  s<i  thut  an  iuUrre^nm  of  eleven  or  twelT*  jears,  whereof 
Scriptnre  tpves  no  hint,  and  which  is  Ter^  unlikely,  has  to  be  interpolat«d 
(Clinton,  '  Fa«ti  Helleuici,'  vol.  i.  p.  825)  between  the  son's  reign  and  the 
father's.  7.  Jotham  is  given  in  one  place  a  reign  of  sixteen  years  (ch.  xv.  33), 
while  in  another  (ch.  xv.  80)  hi«  twentieth  year  is  >  '8.  Uusbea'a 

acce«(>ion  is  placed  (ch.  xt.  8U)  in  the  twentieth  \*.t\.-  -  am — regarded 
by  acme  as  the  fourth  year  of  Ahax,  and  again  (ch.  xriL  1)  in  the  twelfth 
year  of  Ahax.  9.  Hexekiah's  first  year  is  said  to  have  been  the  third  of 
Unehea  (ch.  xriii.  1),  bat  bis  fourth  year  is  made  Hoahea's  seventh  instead 
of  his  sixth,  and  his  sixth  year  Hoebea's  ninth  (oh.  xriii.  9,  10)  instead  of 
bis  eighth.  10.  Altogether,  the  years  of  the  Liraelite  monarchy,  from  the 
■nnwainn  of  Ahaxiah  to  the  captivity  of  Hoehea,  are  made  to  amoant  to  a 
ktuidivd  and  fifty-nine,  while  thobe  of  the  Judjean  monarchy  for  the  sama 
period  amoant  to  a  hundred  and  eighty  •threes  or  an  addition  of  twenty- 
fonr. 

The  dilBcaltieo  are  inereaaed  if  we  eompare  the  Mored  chronology  for  the 
period  with  the  profane.  The  Assyrian  annals  place  an  inierrml  of  a 
bnudred  and  thirty-two  years  only  betweea  the  taking  of  Samaria  and  a 
year  in  the  reign  of  Ahab,  while  the  bcriptoral  nnmbeta  make  the  inlerral, 
at  the  lowest  oumputation.  a  hundred  and  sixty  years,  and  at  the  hi^'b<«l 
a  bnudred  and  eighty-four.  Uy  the  Assyrian  annals  Heaekiab's  expedi. 
tion  against  Sennacherib  took  place  in  the  twenty-ftrai  year  after  the  fall 
of  Samaria ;  by  the  present  soriptaral  nambeie  (eh.  xriiL  10.  13)  it  took 
place  in  the  eighth  year  afterwards. 

It  is  erident  that  any  attempt  to  restore  tlM  tr«a  ebrooology  mast  be  lo 
a  large  axtaal  ooajectoral    and  almost  arbitrary.      6om9  of  ibe  soriptaral 


mTRODUCnON  TO 


nnmbers  mnst  be  altered,  or  else  snppositions  mnst  be  made  for  wbich 
there  is  no  warranty.  Still,  a  commentator  is  almost  forced  to  take  some 
definite  view,  and,  so  long  as  he  allows  that  his  view  is  merely  put  forward 
tentatively  and  provisionally,  he  is  not  open  to  censure.  No  apology  would 
therefore  seem  to  be  needed  for  the  following  tabular  conspectus  of  the 
probable  chronology  of  the  period  between  the  accession  of  Ahaziah  of  Israel 
and  the  fall  of  Samaria: — 


Contemporwy  kings. 

Tear 

fetfofth* 

Kings  of  laraaL 

before 

D»Tldle 

Christ. 

monarchy. 

Egypt. 

Assyria. 

BabykMk 

895 

158 

17th  yew  of  Jeho- 
Bhaphat 

Ahaziah,  2  years 

Asshnr- 
nazii- 

894 

1 

159 

18th  yearof  Jeho- 
shaphat 

Jehoram,  12  years 
(2  Kings  iii.  1) 

Kings 

I»l 

890 

163 

Jbhoram,  8  years 

5th  year  of  Jeho- 
ram of  Israel  (2 
Kings  viii.  16) 

of 

the 

883 

170 

ARAnAR,  1  y*iftr 

12th  year  of  Jeho- 
ram of  Israi'l  (2 
Kings  viii.  25) 

j£HU,  28  years 

twenty- 
second 

882 

171 

Athaliah,  nsnrper, 
6  yean 

dynasty 

876 

177 

JoASH,  40  years 

7th  year  of  Jehu 
(2  Kings  xii.  1) 

8&6 

197 

21st  year  of  Joash 
(Jo«ephuB,'Ant. 
Jul.,*  ix.  8.  §  5) 

Jehoahaz,  17  years 

Shalman- 
eser  IL 

B40 

213 

37th  year  of  Joash 
of     Judah     (2 
Kings  xiii.  10) 

JoABH,  16  years 

Krogs 
of 

Babylon 

837 

216 

Amaziah,  29  years 

4th  (not  2nd)  year 
of      Joash      (2 
Kings  xiv.  1) 

the 

generally 

nnder 

Ass3rria 

824 

229 

15th     (or    rather 

14th)     year    of 

Jbuoboau   II.,  41 
VI  ars  (more  pro- 
bably 5H  yeiirs) 

twenty- 

Bhamas- 
Vul 

Aiiniziiih          (2 

third 

Kinps  xiv.  2^^) 

809 

244 

AzAniAB,  52  years 

27th  (really  16th) 
year     of     Joro- 
buam      II.      (2 

dynasty 

Vnl- 

nirarl 

Kings  XV.  1) 

771 

282 

3«th  year  of  Aza- 
riah    (2    KinpH 

ZA0>iARiAii,2years 

T70 

183 

XV.  8) 
8I»th  v.ir  of  Aza- 

Menahem,  10  years 

Later 

kinKH 
of 

Pul(T) 

riiil'i    (2    KinKB 

(porhujiH  1 1) 

7de 

t94 

XV.  17) 
ftOili  ynir  of  Aztv- 
riuli    CZ    KingH 

rBKAHiAii,  2  ymrs 

the 

twonty- 
thinl 

7M 

t»ft 

XV.  2.'J) 
S%ii<i  yiiir  of  Azii- 
riall    (2    KiiiKn 
i»   27) 

Pkkam,  20  (riithor 
27)      ynnrn      (2 
Kinj^H  XT  27) 

dyiiiiHty 

Tlplath- 
pilobur  II. 

717 

IM 

JoTBAM,  16  jrmn 

2n<l  v«'iir  of  l'«k«li 

I'iftti- 
khl  (7) 

NahoBuM- 
■ar. 

741 

111 

AitAX,  16  jrmn 

17tli  yi-nrof  I'nkah 

Bi>oolioriii 

1 

Na<1tiia, 
Oblnsirv^ 

THE   aiOOND   BOOK   OF  TRK   KINQi. 


1 

Wmm^itita^ 

■ftMi^W«A 

r    ■—        -       ; 

•• 

w                     < 

c*   . 

•    »•/• 

A«»}ft.                            .« 

7tO 
TIT 
7M 
711 

m 

m 

ai 

1?                '  Ah«a 
i>a  l> 

H  LUA 1  AM.  n  j«an 
kiaJi   (1   Kiii(« 

XTttI    V) 

6ib  « rt^r  of  II<«i». 

8rd    (rmllr    4Ui) 
(IKi 

( . 

9UiJfca 

ihmIm. 

•^'  IV 

(lUoJftM) 

(Afk^ 
MM) 

AfUr  the  termination  of  tli*  LvMlito  monarch j  by  ih«  captare  of  Sam  ana 
in  1.0.  722,  the  diffioultii*  of  the  chmnj.logy  become  mneh  Icm,  rhirflv  frum 
ib*  abaeooe  of  those  exact  RjnclirMnisfoit  which  hare  c  '    tbe  main 

diffienltj  in  the  period  between  th.  acie»«sion  of  Ahatih     iixe  larac-liu 

eaptaritj.  Such  exact  sjuchronisma  aa  uocor  (cb.  xxir.  12;  zxr.  S,  8L 
ami  i7)  ahow  in  gwienil  a  remarkable  affreement  between  sarivd  history 
and  profane,  while  the  Tagner  one*  (ch.  ix.  12;  xxiii.  29;  xxiv.  1)  are  also 
(joite  oonaonaiit  with  the  accounts  ^'ivvu  to  n«  by  aeoalar  hLitoriana.  Tkm 
only  Keriooa  difficulty  which  lueeta  as  ia  the  date  in  ch.  xriii.  li,  which 
aaaigns  the  6nit  expedition  of  Seunaoherib  a<^niit  Jerasalem  to  Urxekiah'a 
fomritmtk    year,    or   ■.c.    714,    wheruaa    the    A  snnala   pla*-*    it    in 

Sennachfrib'a  foorth  year,  which  waa  bx.  7U1,  ,-n  yt«ra  later.     Thia 

date  ia  beat  regarded  aa  an  interpolation — a  mar^iual  gioaa  which  haa  crwpt 
into  the  text,  and  which  waa  the  mere  ooiije>ctnn«  of  a  commeutAtor.  Tha 
event  iuelf  probably  itccarrtKl  in  the  twenty-aerenth  yaar  of  Heaekiah's 
reign. 

The  subjoined  table  will  compMe  the  obMmolofy  of  Um  Daridie  moruuvky, 
and  may  be  regarded  aa  acaroely  praaenting  any  doabiial  pumta  or 
anoertai  n  ti— 


Tmt 

Kk^aTJatek. 

OtoWL 

Un»- 

Amyrt^ 

■^r-^ 

T14 

SSI 

6tb  7tmr  <tf  U«»kMik 

l«lb«lto:  H— kfah'« 
UlBMaCtlLiaffaxx. 
«) 

Sarr*     (aa 

7*l~70i) 
(aa    TOfr- 

latUa     (aa 
7tS— 7k«) 

M-Aal    III* 

7M— 7tl> 

INTEODUCTION  TO 


Year 

before 
Christ. 

Year  of  the 

Davldic 
monarchy. 

Contemporary  kings 

Egypt 

Assyria. 

Babylon. 

701 

352 

27th   year   of  Heze- 
kiab:  Hezekiah  at- 
tacked   by   Senua- 
cherib     (2     Kiuga 
xviii.  13— xix.  36)i 

Tlrliakah  (B.a 
701—667) 

Asshnr-nadin- 
sum  (B.a  700 
—681) 

698 

855 

Makassku,  65  years 

(2  Eingt  xxi  1) 

Mi-ammon-nnt 
Paamatik  L 
(about     8.0. 
650—610) 

Esarhaddon 

(B.O.     681— 

668) 
Asehur  -  bani- 

pal  (&a  668 

—626) 

Esarhaddon 
(B,o.     681— 
668) 

Saul-Mugina 
(B.O.     668— 
648) 

ChiniladantiB, 
or    Asshar- 
bani-pal  (?) 
(B.O.     648— 
626) 

643 

410 

AuoH,    S    yean    (2 

Kings  iiL  19) 

. 

641 

412 

JosiAH,   31   ^ears  (2 
EiogB  zxii.  1) 

Xabopolassat 
(B.C.     626^ 
605) 

«23 

430 

18th  year  of  Josiah : 
celebration  of  Pasa- 
oTur  (2  Kings  xxiiL 
23) 

AssTTlan    em- 
pire      ends 
about  BXi.  617 

610 

448 

Battle  of  Megiddo  (2 

Kings  xxiii.  29) 
Jemoahaz,  3   moutha 

Neoo  (B.a  610 
-^95) 

609 

444 

JtuoiAKiM,   U    years 
(2  Kiuga  xxiii.  86) 

Nebnohftdno»- 
bir  (B.a  605 
—502) 

598 

455 

Jeiioiachth,  S  months 
(2  KiiigB  xxiv.  8) 

497 

450 

Zkuekiaii,    11     yours 
(2  Iviiigs  xxiT.  18) 

Paamatik     IL 
(B.o.     595— 
590) 

Hophra     (b.o. 
590— 5G5) 

586 

4G7 

End  of  reign. 

Kvil-Morodnoh 
(ii.f.     662 — 
ftOO) 

n.     l»fTEBOOJn*E(ni'tN    MKTWr.CN    SaoKKI'    ANt»    ProFANK    TllBTOttY    PUUIHa 
TIIK    I'KKIon    or   TMK    I.MIlAKr.ITK    MoNAIKMIY. 

At  th«  oomm»«ncom«nt  of  llm  niuuan'liy,  dnnn^  tho  roi^nn  of  David  and 
HAooMUL,  iLo  gnat  wurlil-puwur  v%um  liigj|>t.     Aits^ria,  wliicli  hod  uzci'ciHed 


moan  book  or  m  kikos. 


ivt  sw%j  la  ^Mt«r«  AaU  frrai  ■bail  IjS.  ItOO  I*  ftA  lOYQ,  ia  IW 
paK  ol  Um  •U*rputii  eaalsrj  »  a  f^mad  wndar  m  aload,  aad  d*4  muk 
horn  U  aoul  ab»at  i  o  9U0  Bf7pl»  m  Um  oUmt  Wad.  »bo«i 
KA  1100,  b(i;Aa  io  inore«a0  in  ■Lrrngik.  Atid  wmni  aftar  BO.  1000,  iwiawl 
k«r  r4^  of  A«i»4io  ounqaaror  aodar  tii«  SUcvltuukA  and  Ofearicoaa.  It  b 
^t«  in  aM«rtr•l^  >  Umm  heUm  tkai,  ia  U»«  firs!  pariod  ol  t) '  •• 

■H^narrkr.  fr\>t.  <«iioa  of    D«rid  lo  Uia  maarpalAoaa  of  .4 

AUtaltah.  the  kuionoal  Scripioraa  eoalaia  ao  aiontioa  at  all  of  Amynm,* 
which  Uv  eoUreJj  without  tha  tpharv  of  Hvhraw  tnHaaaoa,  kavioK  loat  all 
it*  aothuntj  oTvr  aaj  pari  ol  tUa  trad  wtwi  of  tha  laptinUaa.  Bc7p*«  oa 
Ika  eoatomry,  aoaM*  oaoa  man  lo  lU  homL  Uaaaalioaad  la  Um  kklorf 
fRNa  Um  dala  ol  Ika  Isodaa  to  tha  aaeoMioa  ol  BaloaMa.  aba  Umo  raafv 
p«*r»  aa  a  powor  friondlj  to  Isrmoi,  aod  aaxiooa  to  m^ka  alUaoea  with 
kiagdoa  whioh  has  baoa  aatobliahad  a*  ao  graal  dtatonoa  from  har 
WIm  Iba  Pharaoh  waa  who  gava  hia  daaghUr  to  Soloowa  (1  Kioga 
iii.  1),  and  with  har  the  oitj  of  Oaaar  aa  a  dowry  (1  Kixi|{i  ix.  16),  ta 
aaoartaiQ ;  bat  thrra  can  ba  ao  donbi  that  ha  waa  oo«  uf  tha  kinga  of 
Maaaiho'a  twentT-flrvt  djoaatj,  aud  it  ia  prub^bU  that  he  waa  one  of  tha 
lator  kiag*»  either  I'Lnetem  II.,  tha  last  bot  ooa,  or  Hnr  Paaahnniha,  Iha  laal. 
T^  nnioo  of  the  two  ro^al  hooaca  led  to  moeh  intarooaraa  brtwaaa  tha  laro 
pooplea,  and  a  bri«k  trade  waa  eiiUbUahed  betwaaa  Palaatina  and  tha  Tallrj 
al  lha  Nile,  which  included  a  larj^e  importation  of  E|gjpl«aa  hofaaa  aod 
tharinta  into  Paleatine,  and  aren  into  Srria  (1  Kings  X.  88|  f9\  whora  tha 
Hittile  kinga  porohaaad  tham.  Political  mfngaea  paMod  froei  ooa  ooantry 
to  tha  other  without  qaeatioa  (oh.  xL  17 — 19),  and  aomaHaiai  thoaa  from 
Aaia  obtained  oonaiderable  inflaeooa  at  the  Egjptian  ooori, 

Tha  twantj-firat  Eirjrptian  djnaatj  waa  aaeoaedtd  bj  tha  twentr-MKoud, 
probablj  aomrwhat  late  in  the  reign  of  Sohmoo.  Tha  bow  tiyommij  oxi. 
taaood  tha  policj  of  reoeiring  Aaiatio  refagoea,  aod  Sheahonk  (or  Shutmk ).  tha 
ftnt  BKNiaroh,  gave  an  aajlatn  to  Jeroboam  (1  Kinga  zi.  40)  not  manj  vtmra 
olOMOo'a  death.  Thero  wmi  nothing  in  this  to  di*tarb  the  rr!»t  .'oa 
tha  two  ooantries ;  but  when  Jeruboaa^  aftar  tha  dtiath  ol  Sulumua, 
HJaraad  to  Paleatine,  aod  the  two  rirml  kingdoaa  olJadah  aad  Taiaiil  wera 
oatobliahed  side  bj  aide  in  a  relation  of  motoal  hoatilitj,  Kgjpt  ooald  not 
well  remain  friaodlj  to  both.  Mot  onnatormllj  aha  laaat  to  tha  atato  which 
waa  tha  larger,  aad  appeared  to  ba  the  mora  powarfal  of  the  two.  aad 
whioh  bad,  ■oraoTar,  beaa  foaaded  bj  the  laraelito  ralngee  to  whom  aha 
bad  givaa  aa  aa7loB^  aad  who  had  probably  lired  ia  E^ypt  oa  t«rm*  ol 
peraoual  intimacj  with  the  rp>(ftiiii^  monarch.*  Acoundin^'l^r.  the  grvat 
aspadttioa  ol  Shiahak  into  Aaia  (2  Chron.  xii  d-~i)  ia  Rehuboam'a  fifth 

•  h  1km  Tmimm  Ikam  h  aa*  aMtloa  o#  AmjHm  (A^v)  mkiak  May  UU^  to  thto  tx^ 
(aM  Pa.  UxziiL  t>.  DavWt  Bjiiaa  euaqaMU,  |>rftk»|«.  kroachl  hiai  oa  aaa  aaaMtoo  lato 
anatiirt  with  tk*  Aa^jitaaa  (I  laak  i.  l&-lt>. 

*  Tha  Hiplmgial  *  I  iiliiiii  to  Kiafa'  to»  art  lha  aathorily  oT  hkawy,  hei  tWr  Aaw 
what  ihr  Alrsxaaitoa  Jews  toUevad  to  >«?«  baao  J«oi-(iMa'»  pvtltoa  at  ito  m^i  «< 

^w  ito  aidMaaa  to  1  KU^  siL  an*  rw  M) 


rm  INTBODUOnON  TO 


yeax,  which  is  recorded  on  the  walls  of  the  temple  at  Karnak,*  appears  to 
have  been  undertaken,  in  great  part,  in  the  interest  of  Jeroboam,  whoso 
hands  were  thereby  greatly  strengthened  against  his  adversary.  Rehoboam 
became  for  a  time  an  Egyptian  tributary  (2  Chron.  xii.  8)  ;  and  though  the 
Yuteh  malh  of  the  Karnak  inscription  may  not  especially  designate  him,' 
yet  the  war  was  certainly  directed  mainly  against  the  Jadaean  kingdom,  and 
resulted  in  its  degradation.  Sheshonk  had  probably  entertained  designs 
of  wider  conquest,  and  he  actually  subjected  many  of  the  Arab  tribes  in 
the  trans- Jordanio  region,  and  in  the  tract  between  Egypt  and  Palestine ; 
but  his  military  ardour  was  not  sufficient  to  urge  him  to  further  efEorts, 
and  it  was  left  for  one  of  his  successors  to  invade  Asia  with  a  greater  force 
(comp.  2  Chron.  xiv.  9  with  xii.  3)  in  the  hope  of  sweeping  all  before  him. 

Zerach  the  Ethiopian,  who  in  the  eleventh  year  of  Asa  (2  Chron.  xir.  1,  9) 
made  an  expedition  into  Palestine  at  the  head  of  an  army  of  a  million  men, 
is  probably  identical  with  Osarkon*  {Ua-sar-hen)  II.,  the  great-grandson  of 
Sheshonk  I.,  and  the  fourth  king  of  the  twenty-second  Manethonian 
dynasty.  Zerach's  army  consisted  of  Cushites  and  Lubim  (2  Chron.  xvi.  8), 
as  Sheshonk' s  (Shishak's)  did  of  Cushites,  Lubim,  and  Sukkyim  (2  Chron. 
xiL  3).  He  invaded  Judaea  in  the  south,  and  marched  upon  Jerusalem  by 
the  way  of  Mareshah.  Here,  however,  Asa  met  himj  with  forces  not  much 
exceeding  half  the  number  of  his  adversary's,  and  defeated  him  in  a  pitched 
battle — one  of  the  most  glorious  in  all  Hebrew  history — entirely  dis- 
comBting  his  host  and  pursuing  it  to  Gerar,  on  the  extreme  south  of 
Palestine,  and  returning  with  an  immense  spoil  to  Jerusalem.  The 
Egyptian  aspirations  after  Asiatic  conquests  were  crushed  by  this  terrible 
blow  ;  and  it  was  not  till  the  advance  of  Assyria  menaced  Egypt  herself  with 
conquest  that  the  soil  of  Palestine  was  again  trodden  by  an  Egyptian  army. 

Assyria's  advance  to  greatness,  which  commenced  about  B.C.  900,  upon 
Egypt's  decline,  is  not  noticed  so  early  in  the  scriptural  narrative  as  mi«^lit 
have  been  expected.  We  find  by  the  Assyrian  annals  that  the  contact  of 
Aftsyria  with  the  northern  kingdom  began  as  early  as  the  reign  of  Jehu, 
if  not  even  in  that  of  Ahab.  An  "  Ahab,"  described  as  "  Ahab  of  Sanihala  " 
or  "  Sirhala,"  is  engaged  in  hattle  with  Shalmaneser  II.  about  B.o.  854,  and 
■ufFors  defeat.*  But  chronological  considerations  render  it  e.xtromely 
doubtful  whether  the  porKon  tlius  deHignatod  can  have  Ixen  the  Bon  of 
Omri.  Johu,  however,  Hooms  certainly  to  have  come  within  the  Hphoro  of 
KhulmancHfr's  influence,  and  to  have  been  induced  to  sind  him  picsunts, 
which  ShalmaiiCHor  rcgariled  as  a  tribute,*  not  later  than   the  year  H.c.  812, 

•  B«n  Mr.  Il«!K'n*''J  Htuurt  I'<ir)Ic'i  article  on  "HliiHhAk"  In  Brnitli'M  '  Dirliomiry  of  lli« 
nil'l".'  Tol.  iii.  |>|>.  l'i!l)S,  12U«. 

•  Max  MBllir,  ID  lh«*Prt>c4!0(i{DK«or  Uio  Booictjor  Diblionl  ArcliaM>l«>(fy  '  for  l»<M»»Mil..r  tt 
18«7.  pp.  81— «3. 

•  KwaM.  ■  III«tnrj  of  I«nw»l,'  »ol    It.  p.  81,  Edk-  tr»ii«. 

•  ii.  hrnilh,  '  K^injm  C)«>i<>ti,'  p.  10-1;   iCawlinNuii,  '  Anoieiil  Muituiohioa,*  vol.  il.  p.  lO.H^ 

•  '  K\'>Ttjm  (Janoii,'  p   IIC 


TBI  noon>  looK  or  tub 


Diai»r«^  mmI  PImmuoimm.     SKAlm*  ib« 

B*aluMUd  wbo  pcvevdod  Haaa«l  on  ii>a  i    .  *«| 

luauwlfi  hui   rvign,   •onantiaif  to  ilia   Ab  n 

BA  860  to  B.O.  ft»  >      1! 

(BA  M»-«10).   m«j    ) 

DMBMoaiM  kingdom,  wkioli  waa  ai  Una  lima  Uieir  priacipal  mdrvrmry  (urn 

ak.i.Sa.tS;  tii  17.  18:  ziiL  17— U). 

TW  adTmaoa  of  Aaajria,  ihoagk  not  BBehaekarad  by  da/cAta,  coeliBuad, 
witbottl  aarioaa  taiorropuon,  onul,  io  the  rvt^fo  of  Maaakaw  (a-C.  770— 70O), 
Ml  actami  taraaioa  of  the  Dortkem  kioj^om  took  plaoa  aikdar  a  muaarck 
called  Pol  (oh.  xv.  19;  1  Cbruo.  T.  S6),  who  pot  the  Und  to  a  tribaU  of 
%  Ikirit^*^  lalaola  of  ailrar.  Tka  nativa  moBomaata  aaka  oo  maotaoa 
«f  tUs  Pttl,  for  ke  oaa  aoaroelj  ba  TiK^th-pilaaar.  who  took  tka  aama  aad 
vai^ad  aa  Palo  (Pol  or  Poroa)  in  Babjloc  for  two  jaara  (ax).  729 — 7SB) 
kafof«  kiadaoaaae  ia  a.o.  727  ;  tiuoe  Pul  ia  dtatingauhtd  from  Tiglath-pilMMr 
kolk  in  Kinga  (oh.  zr.  19.  2^)  and  ia  Okroalalaa  (1  Chrva.  ▼.  26).  aod 
Moraorar  TigUth-pileaor'a  ftrat  jaar  was  ft.a.  745.  Il  aaaaaa  ommI  ptofa^bU 
tkai  tka  Pttl  who  attacked  Meaakam  wae  a  pretaadar  to  tka  Ikroaa  ol 
Aaajria,  ooatamporary  with  Aaahnr-dajan  IlL  (B.O.  771 — 753).  ia  whoaa 
iTnT  wa  kaar  of  aarerul  rarolu,  and  midwaj  in  whoaa  rmga  tkraa  oopiaa  of 
tk*  BpoBjm  OaaoB  draw  a  line,  ibe  tuojd  aign  of  tka  oooimaiioamaBt  of  a 
new  reigu.*  Pal  may  hare  bean  aoknowladgad  aa  ICing  of  A«ajria  bj  a 
portioo  of  tka  nation  frum  n.c  76S,  wkare  tka  line  ia  drawn,  to  a  c.  7&8, 
wkan  poaoa  ia  aaid  to  hava  been  reatorad  to  tka  kind ;  and  daring  tkia 
intorrai  maj  hft  -  axpeditiaa  BMntionad  in  ok.  it.  19. 

Of  tka  axpoa  ath-pilaaar  againai  Pakak  Kinp  of  Israel,  wkiok 

raanJtad  in  tha  oonqnaai  of  tke  truaa-Jonlanio  territory,  and  tka  oaptaritj  of 
Ik*  Rcobanttaa,  theOadilaa,  aod  the  half -tribe  of  Mnnaaaak  (1  Chron.  t.  26; 
•oaipi  ok.  XT.  19),  tka  Aaajrian  annala  aonuan  a  fragmontanr  acooant,  aa 
w«UM«f  tka  war  betwaan  tkoMune  monnrok  and  Bann  Kingof  Dnmnaena, 
»antia«cd  in  ak.  zri.  9.  Tiglnlk>pilaaer  nppaara  in  kia  inaeriptiona  aa  n 
great  and  warlike  monarch,  who  ra-a«ubli«had  tha  militarj  aopremaor  of 
Aaajrin  orar  Wat  am  Aaia  after  a  period  of  dapraaatoa.  Ua  imnn  to 
hare  aaoaadad  tka  tkroaa  in  tka  jaar  a.a  7i&,  and  to  knra  raignad  from 
ih&t  date  antO  B.C  727 ^-a  apaoa  of  eighteen  jraarn.  In  tka  aarlii*r  part  of 
kia  raign  ha  aeaou  to  kafv  iavadad  Jadma,  probablj  from  tke  Phjliatina 
plain,  and  to  kava  baaa  angagad  for  aoma  lima  in  a  war  with  a  king  of 
Jodah  whum  be  oalU  AE&riah,  (Kit  wko  Maal  apparaat  -    tNr«ai  aitkav 

Joiham  or  AKaa      Thu  w&r,  whuh  ia  not  mantioaaJ  ire,  had  ao 

important  raaolt;  bnt  in  a  little  time  it  vaa  followed  bj  another  wkiok 
greatij  incrva*od  tka  ii^fluenoe  of  Aaajria  in  t*^  ".  '  j  ragiOB.  Ahai 
cartainlj  otxmptod  th«  Juda«n  thrune,  « :  »marta  vaa  kald 

ra^y  ^  •  iteA,  pa.  Mw ii^ 


TNTEODUCnON  TO 


by  Pekah,  and  that  of  Damascus  by  Rezin.  The  northern  Mngs  were 
anxious  to  form  a  Syrian  confederacy  against  Assyrian  aggression,  and 
invited  Ahaz  to  join  them ;  but,  that  monarch  declining,  they  resolved  to 
put  him  down,  and  give  his  kingdom  to  a  creature  of  their  own,  a  certain 
Ben-Tabeal  (Isa.  vii.  6),  who  is  thought  to  have  been  a  Damascene.^  Under 
these  circumstances,  Ahaz  invoked  the  aid  of  Tiglath-pileser  against  their 
common  enemies  (ch.  xvi.  7),  and  a  war  followed,  which  lasted  apparently 
three  years  (b.o.  734 — 732).  Tiglath-pileser's  first  efforts  were  against 
Rezin.  After  several  battles  in  the  open  field,  wherein  the  Assyrian  arms 
were  successful,  he  forced  the  Syrian  king  to  take  refuge  within  the  walls 
of  Damascus,  which  he  then  besieged  and  took.*  Rezin  fell  into  his  hands, 
and  was  slain  (ch.  xvi.  9)  ;  several  of  his  generals  were  impaled  on  crosses ; 
the  conntry  was  ravaged ;  the  unarmed  inhabitants  seized,  and  the  mass 
of  them  carried  away  as  captives.'  The  war  was  then  carried  from  the 
Damascene  territory  into  that  of  Samaria,  which  was  entered  upon  the 
north  and  upon  the  east,  and  treated  much  as  the  Damascene  had  been. 
The  captivity  of  Israel  commenced.  Assyria  extended  her  territory  from 
the  Lebanon  and  the  Hamathites'  country,  to  the  hills  of  Galilee  and  the 
coast  of  the  Dead  Sea.  Judaaa,  under  Ahaz,  became  her  tributary,'  as  did 
Moab,  Edom,  and  Ammon.'  In  Samaria  a  new  king  was  set  up  in  the 
person  of  Hoshea,  who  murdered  Fekah,  with  the  connivance  of  the 
Assyrian  monarch.* 

The  ABsyrian  records  agree  with  Scripture  in  making  a  Shalmaneser 
(Shalmaneser  lY.)  the  successor  of  Tiglath-pileser,'  though  they  do  not 
represent  Shalmaneser  (as  Scripture  has  generally  been  supposed  to  do)  as 
the  conqueror  of  Samaria.  They  give  to  this  king  a  reign  of  five  years  only, 
from  B.C.  727  to  b.o.  723,  and  represent  him  as  a  warlike  monarch,  engaged 
in  a  series  of  military  expeditions;  but  the  notices  of  him  which  have 
oome  down  to  us  are  extremely  scanty  and  fragmentary,  and  throw  little 
light  on  the  biblical  narrative.  We  learn,  however,  from  Phoenician  sources,* 
tljat  Shalmaneser's  wars  were  at  any  rate  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Palestine^ 
since  we  are  told  that  he  overran  all  Phcenicia,  took  Sidon,  the  continental 
Tyre,  and  Akko,  and  even  attacked  the  island  Tyre  with  a  fleet  manned 
chiefly  by  Phoenician  Bailors.  His  enterprises  seem  to  have  been  out  short 
by  a  domestic  revelation,  hoadtid  by  the  gpreat  Sargon,  who  drove  Shalma- 
DOHer  from  the  throne,  probably  put  him  to  death,  and  mutilated  his  annals. 

«  Kwald,  '  IIlHtory  of  I/irael/  toL  It.  p.  15a, 

•  (i.  Hn.itli,  '  Kjjonjm  C^non,'  p.  121.  •  Th\d. ;  onmp.  oh.  xtI.  9. 

•  CJh.  xri.  8;  oomp.  ch.  itILL  7  and  *  Kponym  Oancm,'  p.  124,  whuru  Alim  loflnui  to  b* 
■umlinniyl  w»  «  tributarj  under  Die  nainn  of  "  JuhoAhuL** 

•  •  Eii'injin  Canon,'  p.  124,  lin«a  CO,  Gl. 

•  In  nil.  XT.  :!0,  thn  murilur  of  I'ckah  l»  Miljfnnd  tollnnhrm;  bnl  In  tho  anniUi  of  Tlf^Uth- 
p{lr«nr  ('  Kitonytn  (J«iion,'  p.  12M,  lino  17)lhul  moiuuroh  •piiciin  to  liuvo  rupruHuulod  it  aa  hla 


•WD  art      M»>  nrrUlnljr  ma/|«  IlrMhna  king. 
'  H*ta  Iho  '  Kp»Q/m  Canfjn,'  p.  C5. 
•  Mmm^iuL  ICpL  ap  Joa-ph.  '  Ant  Jad^  Ix.  11 


TRB  ttlOOlTD  BOOK  Of  TUB 


eUiBM  M  Ilk  fln*  m4  IIm  aoi»q«ta|  of  8am»rU,  horn  wWlak  k« 
MT«  ih*(  he  oarried  off  87.890  oaptirm.'  H*  k,  p«rbAf«,  lb*  kiaf  tal—dad 
la  o^  xriL  6  aod  zriiL  11  ;  and  h«  obtAin*  di«ttaol  siMiUoa  ib  Iia  xx.  1. 
WfiM  Iro  have  rvroltod  frum  him  (ok.  sriii.  7)  (  b«i  b«  wm 
la  OKMt  oUmt  qoArUrm.  Urn  pol  duwa  »  rvboUioo  ia  vhick 
Himilh,  Arpad,  Zimirrat  Damaaooa.  and  SaoMri*  war*  eombioad.  abo«l 
Bya  180.  dafattUd  Ml  Efffpduk  amj,  and  kxA  Baphia  aad  Oaaa  in  iha 
Maa  jaar,  oooqaarad  Aakdod  ia  ro.  711,  aad  Babjloa  im  UA  710;  iavadad 
Bdom  ia  a.o.  707,  and  aatabliahad  hia  aoihoritj  orar  Oj^twm  aad  over  aoaa 
ol  iha  ialanda  of  iha  Poraian  Golf  aboat  iha  aama  timm^  la  hia  rmign  iha 
▲ajriaa  anptra  adraaoad  itaelf  io  iha  bordart  of  Igjp^  aad  from 
forik  salQ  abooi  ».a  650  iha  iwo  ooaatrioo  wwo  oagafod  ia  ali 
pvpalaal  iMMliltlioi,  Jodva  and  8jria  fnmUhiag  for  tha  n»oal  part  tha 
baMU  gf oand  baiwaan  tha  oontaading  foroea.  Sargoa'o  ftnt  adToraarj  wao 
a  oortaia  Sibacha,*  who  io  probablj  idaalioal  with  iha  Shabak  or  Shabatok 
of  tha  biorogljpKica,  the  Sabaoo  of  Harodotoo,*  and  iha  So  or  8«Teh* 
of  Scriplua  (eh.  zTii.  4).  Un  afiarwarda  oontaadad  with  a  monarch  who« 
ha  oalU  the  Kin^  of  Merod,*  who  i»  parhapa  Tirhakah,  parhapa  Shafaalok. 
Afior  ratgniag  aeranleaB  jeara,  Sargoa  diad,  and  waa  soooaadad  ott  iha 
Aaajriaa  ihrooo  bj  tha  world-famoaa  Sennarharih^  the  muat  widalj  kaowa, 
if  not  reallj  the  graateai,  of  Aaajrian  mnnarnhi 

It  waa  in  the  middle  of  the  reign  of  Sargoa  aboot  a.o.  714  or  713 — thai 
tha  first  contact  oooorred  between  Jadsa  and  Babjlon.  A  native  prtnoa, 
aamod  Marodach-  Baladan,  roae  in  inanrreotion  a^nat  tha  Aaajriaao  oa 
Iha  doUh  of  Shalmaneaer,  and  anooeeded  in  re-eatabliahing  BabjloBiaa 
jadopoadenoa  for  a  abort  ipaoe.*  Threatened  bj  Sargun,  and  anxiooa  io 
himaolf  bj  allianoca,  Uiia  king  aent,  aboat  B.C.  71^  aa  omkaaaj 
Pdaotine,  nnder  the  pratenoe  of  oongraialaling  Heaakiah  oa  hia 
from  hia  aoTora  illneaa  (ch.  zz.  12).  Tha  aiiitwoaailiaa  wara 
laoaivad  with  faroor,  and  abown  all  Haaakiah'a  treaaarea  (eh.  zx.  18)  ;  aad 
h  ia  moat  likalj  that  an  alliance  waa  eoncladed;  hot  a  few  jeara  iator, 
B.o.  710,  8af]goa  marched  an  armj  into  Babylonia,  liofwam]  Marodaah* 
Baladan,  and  ospallad  him  from  the  country,  took  Babyloa,  aad,  CoUowia* 
the  ezamplea  of  Tiglath-pflaaer  and  SLalmanaaar,  aatabliahed  himaelf  ^ 
king.  The  Canon  of  Ptolemj  ealla  him  Arkeanoa  (eqairaleoi  to  Sarkina), 
and  aasigna  him  the  apaoe  from  a.o.  710  to  a.c.  706.  It  waa  in  thia  Utiar 
jear  thai  Sargon  died. 

Tha  death  of  SargoD  and  tha  aeoaoaba  of  Iha  aalriad  Soaaaahanb  gare  tha 

•  *  Ermjm  CMoa.'  p.  ItS.  Baa  M. 

•  Bm  •  Aaeiaet  MwiawAUa.'  vdL  iL  pp.  141-M7. 

••Bpeaya  QMaa.' pfL  US.  IM;  Op|«rt.  •  Iii«riplldat  d«  Baffaalda^' p.  0;  Bk  B. 
BawUaaoa.  Atkmmmm,  Ba  IMS.  p.  04. 

•  Omoi^  tL  157. 

•  TW  pMpar  pe^ilK  «f  tba  votd  itd  la  ik  zrfl  «  to  probablj  «]^  a»l  aol  am 

•  *  BpuajB  Ctaaaa.'  p.  IM.  Baa  tl :  p.  190.  Ha*  •& 

'  "^r^  •' — 'r"     f  ■  nHfiiBiiiii.- 1  m 


xli  INTRODUCTION  TO 


■ignal  for  a  series  of  revolts.  In  Babylonia  several  pretenders  arose,'  and 
after  a  time  Merodach-Baladan  re-established  himself  as  king ;  bat  he  only 
wore  the  crown  for  six  months.  In  B.C.  702  Sennacherib  drove  him  ont, 
recovered  the  country  to  Assyria,  and  placed  a  viceroy  upon  the  Babylonian 
throne.*  The  next  year  he  made  his  great  expedition  into  Syria,  Phoenicia, 
and  Palestine,  chastised  Sidon  and  other  Phoenician  towns  which  had 
thrown  oft  the  Assyrian  yoke,  took  Ascalon  and  Ekron,  defeating  a  force 
of  Egyptians  and  Ethiopians,  which  had  come  to  help  the  people  of  the 
latter  city,  and  then  overran  Judsea,  and  attacked  Jerusalem.  "  Because 
Hezekiah  King  of  Judah,"  he  says,  "  would  not  submit  to  my  yoke,  I  came 
up  against  him,  and  by  force  of  arms  and  by  the  might  of  my  power  I  took 
forty-six  of  his  strong-fenced  cities,  and  of  the  smaller  towns  which  were 
scattered  about  I  took  and  plundered  a  countless  number.  And  from  these 
places  I  captured  and  carried  ofE  as  spoil  200,150  people,  old  and  young, 
male  and  female,  together  with  horses  and  mares,  asses  and  camels,  oxen 
and  sheep,  a  countless  multitude.  And  Hezekiah  himself  I  shut  up  in 
Jerusalem,  his  capital,  like  a  bird  in  a  cage,  building  towers  round  about 
the  city  to  hem  him  in,  and  raising  banks  of  earth  against  the  gates,  so  as 
to  prevent  escape.  .  .  .  Then  upon  this  Hezekiah  there  fell  the  fear  of  the 
power  of  my  Mrms,  and  he  sent  out  to  me  the  chiefs  and  the  elders  of 
Jerusalem,  with  thirty  talents  of  gold,  and  eight  hundred  talents  of  silver, 
and  divara  treasures,  a  rich  and  immense  booty.  .  .  .  All  these  things  were 
lKt>aght  to  me  at  Nineveh,  the  seat  of  my  government,  Hezekiah  having 
sent  them  by  way  of  tribute,  and  as  a  token  of  submission  to  my  power."  * 
The  close  accord  of  this  entire  account  with  the  notice  contained  in  the 
Second  Book  of  Kings  (oh.  xriii.  13 — 16)  is  very  striking.  The  **  fenced 
cities  "  are  the  first  object  of  attack ;  then  Jerusalem  is  threatened ;  Hezo* 
kiah  is  shut  up  in  the  place  (comp.  2  Chron.  xxxii.  2 — 8) ;  then  submission 
is  made  ;  a  sum  of  money  in  gold  and  silver  is  paid  for  a  ransom ;  even  the 
number  of  the  talents  of  gold  is  the  same  in  both  narratives.  The  only  dis« 
crepancy  is  with  respect  to  the  silver,  in  whioh  Sennacherib  may  include  all 
that  he  carried  uff  from  the  country.  Finally,  the  invading  host  retires,  the 
siege  is  broken  up,  and  peaoe  restored  between  the  countries.  One  serious 
difUcalty  aluue  preHeiits  itself — viz.  the  date  of  the  expedition  in  the  present 
Hebrew  text.  This  iH  given  as  "  the  fourteenth  year  of  Hezekiah,"  or  eight 
ycaru  only  after  the  capture  of  Samaria.  But  in  the  fourteenth  year  of 
llczc-kiab,  i.e.  714,  Sargon  was  still  upon  the  throne;  the  Assyrian  antis 
wure  engaged  in  Mudia  and  Armenia;  and  there  was  no  AHHjrian  expedition 
inU)  I'aluNtino.*  Seniiachorih'H  invaaion  cannot  possibly  have  taken  place 
until  h.C.  70.'>,  nino  ycann  later,  for  not  till  then  did  he  aHcend  the  throne  ;* 
by  his  annulH  *  it  appears  not  to  have  actually  taken  place  till  his  fourth 

>  PoljhiiAnr  ftp.  Kuwb.,  'Ohron.  0*nV  L  I.  f  1. 

•  '  All'  if'lit  M'liiA/rhlntl,'  Tol.  ii.  p.   137. 

■  Hit  U    IUHlinw>n,  IB  ■  Anrinnt  Mrmurokiea,'  vol.  il.  pp.  161,  \tX 

•  iU«  ■  Kiir.njin  (J«uM«,'  p.  «;«i.  *  Il>i(l..  p.  67. 

•  iUiL,  pi^  Ul     LM.  waip   ■  AiinioDl  BlooMrohiM '  toL  U.  p.  lU. 


8I00IID  BiK)K   OW  TUB  KlXOa 


f<mr,  PC  701      Tk«  JaK  tkwifor*.  is  <  ^  13  m»M  U  «*  mrror ,  mU 

liio  oIhuov  wuttid  Msai   lo  li»  bvtw»ett  i  .    il  »*  »  ix^rrupUoa — **  fMWi» 

t—ath  "  (or  "  iwmilj-covealil  "* — and  riowiaip  14  ■•  |^  maryuMl  Moto  of  • 
oommeatalor  wbieb  baa  orvpt  ialu  lite  t«ii 

A/tor  aa  iqUtvaJ  {i  Cbrua.  xxiii.  9),  whic^  ma/  noi  hmwm  matmdmA 
a  few  moQtha.  and  which  rrrtain'jr  Oanaoi  baT«  •10— dad  A  JMT  or  IWtt, 
8«nnai-b«nb  aiUkcknl  Umu>kia)i  (or  Um  aeooad  lioMi.  U  pvi^i^blj  vwMd 
hiui  liiai  ba  had  maH  inauu-d  ua  oorapyioK  JaruaalaM  vith  a  fminaua,  ao4 
he  may  aleo  have  reootved  frcwb  pruvuoaUun  from  H— akiah,  if  ilmi  OKmarek 
had  tuAilo  an  appUoation  tu  Ki^ypt  fur  aid,  aa  ba  aaama  lo  kava  doua 
(oh.  XTiii.  ^  ;  laa.  XXX.  1 — i).  At  aaj  r»to,  Sanaacbrnb  prooeeded  oaoa 
m<irr  Ui  lhn«trD  JeruB»irm,  sent  a  foroe  agmiiut  it  andtrr  limw  at  bu  chief 
«b  (oh.  xnii.  17),  atiompt«d  to  stir  ap  diaaffedioo  amoof  tha  aukliara 
• '.o  ^TirriAitn  (ch.  xriii.  17 — '  lUcod  hi*  inteDliub  of  ojtaiaf 

n.  .  nut  tbv  (Ut/ in  ptTAun  aad  "  uttarij"  (ob.  xix.  lU   - 13;.     At 

tbe  Miiuc  tinte,  be  laid  a^*^  to  ranoiui  towns  in  Southern  Mnatinc.  and 
ooiiicuipUt«>l  ioTadm^  K^ypt,  whore  TirhaWah  waa  oollaMia^  aa  armj  to 
oppuec  biiu  (ob.  XIX.  *J).  But  nt  tbiji  puint  of  hia  oaraar  hia  amhit«o« 
received  a  tigual  cbtK-k  In  a  ainf^le  night,  ailtnitlj  and  aaddenij — aa 
tbe  JowK  b«lieTed,  bj  the  direct  action  of  tbe  Aluiiffbtj*  (eh.  »if  'S^i 
2  Chron.  xjuii.  21 ;  laa.  zxxtu.  36)— almi«t  hi*  whole  army  waa  deatiojed ; 
aiiii  nutliin^^  remained  fur  bim  but  to  relinqaiith  his  hopes  of  fnrthar 
queat  ia  tiie  south  Moot,  and  U>  m^kc  a  hurried  retreat  to  hia 
(cb.  xiL  36). 

Tbe  later  jfn  of  Sennacherib  were  inglorioos.  In  B.a  694  Babjlooia 
rerolted  fri>m  bim,  and  Hucceeded  in  re-esittblisbing  its  indepeadoDOSL 
UetMceii  '  uuljexpeditaoos  wlitc  I  can  be  probablj 

asbit^ned  i  aud  another  into  Kdoui.*     lie  oertainlj 

made  no  attempt  to  recoTer  the  laurels  which  he  had  loet  in  Palestine  and 
on  tbe  bi>rdt'rB  of  E/ypt,  but  allowed  Manasaeh  in  JadaM,  and  Tirhakah  in 
th>'  ralU-y  uf  tiu-  Nile,  to  ruiu&iu  n'>mole«ted.  Douiestio  troubles  probably 
(•'-  .pitxl  tbe  laur  {.lurtion  uf  his  reign,  whica  was  terminated  by  his  murder 
iii  odi  s.c.  (ck  itz.  37).  after  he  bad  held  the  Assyrian  thrune  fur  the 
space  of  twenty -four  years. 

S«^  ^  tiot  distinctly  mentioned  in  tbe  Aasyriaa  reounia, 

but  1  ^   bis  sun  and  ■uocra.tvur,  aud   there  are  traor*  *  of 

this  pnuoe  hanug  bad  at  first  to  oootond  for  the  orown  with  his  half* 
brothers,  Adrammeleoh  and  Sharvaer  (cb.  zix.  37).  The  sosas  of  the 
eouflict  was  Aimenia;  and  aft<'r  it  was  orer,  Kaarbaddon  ap^wam  to  Wve 


•  TW  I  tiHiinihi  has  base  sItHbaSad  to  Ihs  itaiiiw  (MUiMa.  •  HIil  ij  af  Ife 
««L  t  ^  907).  to  a  pUc«'  (UsvakH.  Vla«  r.  sle-X  to  a  sadJaa  stosa  (Tim^i.  0toa%h 
aadeeaa  toa  aifbt  atii^  oi  ibs  aiij  (M*cba4iis);  ballhs  eeeds  af  Ihs  saitatfasd^ 
•uti-Uj  petal  io  (hat  aiUal,  saAdsB  eittaaitoa  vLkh  IT^tifc  tow  oalla  -  iha  vWulwa  tt 
Ood." 

•  •  Aasisal  MiaasiMia.'  sal  H.  pp.  ITS— 177.  •  DM.  p.  IM. 


«iT  INTKODUCTION  TO 


made  an  expedition  into  Syria,  where  Sidon  had  revolted,*  and,  after 
crashing  the  revolt,  to  have  established  his  authority  over  the  whole  of 
Phoenicia,  Palestine,  and  the  adjacent  countries.  Manasseh,  the  weak  son 
of  Hezekiah,  was  at  this  time  forced  to  become  a  tributary  and  subject- 
monarch,  as  were  also  the  kings  of  Edom,  Moab,  and  Ammon,  of  Tyre, 
Gebal,  and  Arvad,  of  Gaza,  Ekron,  Ascalon,  and  Ashdod.*  Assyria's 
dominion  was  at  once  extended  and  consolidated,  and  the  way  was  paved 
for  aggressions  upon  Egypt,  which  began  about  B.C.  672,  in  Esarhaddon'a 
ninth  year.' 

The  offence  given  by  Manasseh  to  his  sovereign,  on  account  of  which  he 
was  arrested  and  carried  captive  to  Babylon  (2  Chron,  xxxiii.  11),  may  be 
probably  assigned  to  the  reign  of  Esarhaddon,  who  alone  of  all  the  Assyrian 
kings  maintained  a  residence  in  that  city.  And  we  may  conjecture  that 
his  restoration  to  his  kingdom  (2  Chron.  xxxiii.  13)  had  a  connection  with 
Esarhaddon's  Egyptian  projects,  since  it  would  have  been  only  prudent  to 
eecnre  the  fidelity  of  Jerusalem  before  the  perils  of  an  Egyptian  campaign 
were  affronted.  Esarhaddon  carried  on  war  with  Tirhakah  successfully 
between  B.C.  673  and  b.o.  670 ;  but  in  B.C.  669  or  668  the  fortune  of  war 
turned  against  him,  and  Tirhakah  once  more  established  his  authority  over 
the  whole  of  Egypt.* 

It  is  somewhat  remarkahle  that  Scripture  makes  no  mention  of  Esar- 
haddon's son  and  successor,  Asshnr-bani-pal,  who  mounted  the  Assyrian 
throne  in  B.o.  668,  and  reigned  till  B.C.  626.  This  prince  must  have  been 
contemporary  with  Manasseh  for  twenty-five  years,  with  Anion,  and  with 
Josiah.  In  the  early  part  of  his  reign  he  made  at  least  two  expeditions 
against  Egypt,  and  must  have  repeatedly  passed  through  Palestine  at  the 
head  of  powei-ful  armies.*  In  his  later  years  he  warred  successfully  with 
Elam,  Babylon,  Armenia,  Phoenicia,  and  Arabia.  It  was  about  the  middle 
of  his  reign  that  the  decline  of  Assyria  began.  A  great  Scythio  invasion 
Bwept  over  Western  Asia,  and  spread  everywhere  ruin  and  desolation.* 
AflByria's  distant  dependencies,  Egypt,  Palestine,  Lydia,  detached  them* 
Bflves.  Before  she  had  tim*  to  recover  from  her  depressed  condition,  her 
conquest  was  taken  in  hand  by  the  combined  Medes  and  Babylonians,' 
Nineveh  fell  about  B.C.  616,  or  a  little  earlier,*  and  Western  Asia  became 
a  field  wherein  rival  ambitions  met  and  collided.  Media,  Babylonia,  Lydia, 
and  E;.'ypt,  all  of  them  sought  to  profit  by  the  downfall  of  the  great 
power  BO  long  dominant  over  the  Oriental  world,  while  even  sncli  petty 
Rt'tt.cH  as  .Jiidd-ri,  took  tlie  opjjortunity  to  aggrandize  themselves  (oh.  xxiii 
ir;— 20;  2  Chron.  xxxiv.  6). 

So  far  M  Jadcoa  was  conocmod,  the  world-powers  which  took  the  place 

»  'Kp-nym  Cnnrm/  p.  1.T7.  •  Il.id.,  p.  ini>  linctn  18—18.  •  IWd.,  p.  C9, 

*  Ihl'l.,  p.  tot.  •  •  Au.-iniit  MoimroJiir  H,"  vol.  H.  pp.  201— 2u.>. 

*  IIiTd*!..  i.  103-10«];  oomp.  '  Anriont  M-.mir'-lii««,'  vol.  II.  pp.  221—228. 

'   H«T'«1.,  I.  lOfl;   AJ>y  i«-riiin  »p.  r.iiiMjh.,  *  (Jliion.  (Jan./ 1.  9;  I'olyliistor.  np.  cnnil.,  1.  S. 

*  TL«  AM/rUo  lOpuujrtu  liit  oouUuuoa  duwn  U>  ii.a  G17  ('  Epoiiym  Ouuuu,'  p.  71). 


m  uoovD  BOOK  or  tbk  vmm. 


•f  Amjri^  And  strovo  lo  witkhliah  ilMtr  d  in   the  |'!»r«  of  lMf% 

w«re   li«bjrk)B  aad  Kgypt.     K^'jr(>t  appe«ni  i  •oticip«««J   hrr  rtT*!. 

Aa  earlj  ••  the  reign  of  PMtmatik   I.  ah*  reoorameoeod  •^rgreaiiiooa  ttpoo 
Am  bj  I  '  <  opon  thn  ■trongwt  of  Um  Pli  '  ritiem,  thm 

Hmon»  .\  ^t  ».o.  010,  nnder  Neoo.  the  m>'..  oeaaor  of 

PkAtuBtik,  she  inTk^ird   8rna  in  foroe,  def»at«><l  Juiiiah  itt    '  li,*  ovrr- 

rmo  Juilna,  I'hcBnicio,  and  Srha  aa  far  aa  Taama  and  thoii^.  .  ..     ..jphr«!M>, 

and  tuado  heraolf  miatreaa  of  the  entire  rrj^on  between  the  borO'  :-•  '.f 
Kf^pt  Aixi  the  gT«ai  ottj  of  Carchemiah.  Npoo  h«?Id  J»oa»»-*^  •:  f  r  ^.  • .« 
jrara  of  thi«  rieli  mad  interaating  r«(fion,  rocoTering  ihoa  the  h<>M  uj--;. 
Aaia  which  had  boon  poaatwaed  a  ihooaand  jeara  earlier  bj  the  f^rrai 
mnnaroha  of  the  eif^htMOth  djnaatj — the    'V'  nra  and   AmenhuU-fia. 

Then,  h<^w««r>-r,  Babjkm  baa  tin  ad  heraelf.  .  iHMir,  the  prinoe  who, 

in   r  n   with    the   Median    monnrch   Cjaxarea,    had    attacked   and 

deatru. i.^  .\...oreh,  became  indepeniient  King  of  Babjloo  from  the  momml 
of  Aaajria'a  downfall  ;  but  it  took  him  aome  time  to  catabliah  hia  authoritj 
OT«r  the  tract  Ijing  between  Babyluii  and  Carchemiah,  though  probablj 
be  elaimed  a  duminion  orer  all  the  western  prurincea  of  the  Aaajriaa 
empire  from  the  fint.  Neoo'a  oonqoest  he  viewed  aa  a  rebellion  which 
muat  be  cnuhed;*  bat  it  waa  not  till  the  jear  B.C.  005,  when  he  waa 
alreadj  beoominc^  enft-ebled  bj  oM  a^e,  thnt  he  foand  himself  in  a  poaition 
Aooarrj  the  Babvloniatj  arms  into  the  far  West,  and  attt-mpt  the  chaatiae- 
■lent  of  the  "  rebel."  Even  then  he  had  to  give  np  the  notion  of  pro- 
ceedicg  against  hia  enemr  in  peraon,  and  to  depute  the  task  of  aubjngatio* 
to  his  eldeat  eon,  the  crown  prinoe,  Nebachadneszar.  N  "  '  '  t-t«ar,  ia 
■.a  605,  led  the  Babjlouian  forcea  from  the  capital  to  l  .sh  (now 

Jerabas),  and  there  engaged  the  troopa  uf  Neoo  in  the  gr^at  battle*  which 
deetroyed  Egypt's  last  hope  of  maintaining  her  Asiatic  aupremacy,  and 
installed  Babrlon  in  the  poaition  of  the  dominant  power  of  South-Woat«m 
Asia.  From  her  defeat  at  Carchemish  E^'vpt  never  recovered.  She  made 
aome  feeUe  efforta  under  Apnea  (Phara<jti-Hophra)  and  Amaaia  to  effect 
Phoenician  and  Cjprian  oonqneata;*  bat  the  reaolta  were  trivial,  and  ia 
ft  ahari  time  ahe  collapaed  ntterij.  BabjIoo,  on  the  other  band,  earried 
•11  before  ber.  Nebaohadnenar  oonqaered  Bhtm,  Sjria,  Pbcmieia,  Jndaaa, 
Edom,  Ammon,  Moab,  Bgrpt  In  hia  long  reign  of  forty-three  joan 
(B.C.  605—562)  he  aeema  not  to  have  met  with  a  reverae.  The  Babjloniaa 
empire  under  his  away  atuined  to  an  extraordinary  degree  of  proapenty. 
Jehoiakim,  having  **  become  hia  servant  "  in  B.C.  605  (ch.  xxiv.  1),  revolt^ 
from  him  in  B.C.  602,  and  waa  deposed  (2  Chron.  xxxvi.  6)  and  pnjbably 
put  to  death  by  him  (Jer.  rxii.  19;  xxxvi.  30)  in  i-C.  598.  Jehoiaohin,  hia 
■on,  waa  then  aei  up  aa  kiner.  bat  within  three  month*  (cb.  xxiv.  8)  dia- 
bia  lord  paramoant,  who  deprived  him  of  hia  throne,  and  rmmed 

•  H-kmL,  H.  197.  •Ob.szitt.li:  MMsp.  Hero>l..a  190. 

•  Baraaua,  *  Fr^'  14.  •  Bae^ar.  xlvt  f— 17;  aod  Betoaaa.  L  a  a 

•  Haoi^lL  Kl,  181 


cri       INTEODUCnON  TO  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KIN03. 

him  captive  to  Babylon  in  B.C.  597  (ch.  xxiv.  10 — 15).  Still,  Judsea  waa 
allowed  to  maintain  its  semi-independence.  Zedekiah,  uncle  to  Jehoiachin, 
received  the  crown  at  the  hands  of  Nebuchadnezzar  (ch,  xxiv.  17),  and 
swore  fealty  to  him  (2  Chron.  xxxvi.  13)  ;  but  after  a  short  time  he  too 
began  to  contemplate  revolt,  made  an  alliance  with  Egypt  (Ezek.  xvii.  15), 
and  in  B.C.  588  openly  declared  himself  independent  of  his  suzerain  (ch. 
xxiv.  20).  Nebuchadnezzar  was  not  slow  to  accept  the  challenge.  He  at 
once  marched  against  Jerusalem,  and  laid  siege  to  it.  Apries  (Hophra), 
the  Egyptian  monarch,  made  one  attempt  to  come  to  the  assistance  of  his 
ally  ( Jer.  xxxvii.  5)  ;  but  the  attempt  failed,  either  through  the  defeat  of  his 
army  or  through  his  own  want  of  resolution.*  In  B.C.  586,  after  a  siege 
of  eighteen  months,  the  end  came.  A  breach  was  made  in  the  northern 
wall  of  the  town,  and  a  lodgment  effected  within  the  defences  (Jer.  xxxix. 
2,  3).  Zedekiah  fed,  but  was  pursued  and  made  a  prisoner,  blinded,  and 
carried  to  Babylon  (Jer.  xxxix.  4 — 7).  Jerusalem  surrendered  itself  ;  the 
temple,  palace,  and  chief  houses  were  burnt  (ch.  xiv.  9)  ;  and  the  bulk  of 
the  population,  all  except  the  very  poor,  were  carried  off  into  Bab^^lonia 
as  captives.  The  history  of  the  entire  Israelite  monarchy  thus  ends.  From 
the  accession  of  Saul  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  by  Nebuchadnezzar 
was  a  period  of  five  hundred  and  seven  years,  which  was  divisible  into 
three  portions  :  (1)  from  the  accession  of  Saul  to  that  of  Rehoboam — the 
period  of  the  undivided  monarchy — a  space  of  a  hundred  and  twenty  years, 
from  B.C.  1092  to  B.C.  972;  (2)  from  the  accession  of  Rehoboam  in  Judah 
and  of  Jeroboam  in  Israel  to  the  fall  of  Samaria — the  period  of  the  two 
parallel  kingdoms — a  space  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  years,  from  B.C.  972  to 
B.C.  722 ;  and  (3)  from  the  destruction  of  the  Israelite  kingdom  to  the  final 
captivity  of  Judah,  a  period  of  a  hundred  and  thirty-seven  years,  from 
B.C.  722  to  B.C.  586  inclusive.  During  the  first  period  Israel's  fortunes  were 
connected  with  those  of  Egypt ;  during  the  second,  partly  with  Egypt  but 
mainly  with  Assyria ;  during  the  third,  to  some  extent  with  both  .Egypt  and 
Assyria,  but  mainly  with  Babylon.  Most,  if  not  all,  of  the  points  of  contact 
between  Israel  and  these  nations  during  the  period  treated  of  have  been 
touched  on  in  these  pages,  and  the  result  would  seem  to  be  a  remarkable 
general  harmony  and  agreement  between  the  sacred  records  and  the  pi'ofiiiu', 
tx)gether  with  a  certain  residuum  of  difficulties,  for  the  most  part  connected 
with  the  chronology.  On  these  it  is  not  improbable  that  future  discoveries 
may  tlirow  further  li;^'ht ;  though  it  is,  perhaps,  too  much  to  expect  that 
all  «iiiri(Milti»;H  will  bo  ultimiitely  swept  away.  It  does  noL  seem  to  be  the 
gencnil  way  of  God's  providence  to  make  everything  plain  to  us.  "  The 
tryiuf?  of  faith  worlcoth  patience,"  and  without  it  paticnco  would  never 
*'  have  her  perfect  work,"  nor  would  faith  itself  bo  deserving  of  tho.se 
encotniumH  and  that  "good  report"  which  it  obtains  throughout  the 
(Jhristian  ScripturoH. 

'  JfMKphua  MjM  thnt  li«  wu  dnft^i'd  (*  Ant.  Jud.,*  z.  7.  |  B).     Joromiali'i  wortlt  (Jor. 
xxxviL  7)  m'tn  tkUum  to  imply  »  r«tr(^<t  witliout  »  Itnttlo. 


THE    SKCOND 

BOOK   OF  THE   KINGS. 


EXPOSITION. 


CHAPTKR   L 

W^n,  I—lS.— Tttr  Kexit  or  MoAii 
l^a  Iixiin*.  iMfirrr.  am>  Dkath  or 
AiiAliAB  Tb«  d&itmUt«  uf  the  8»<n)d 
liuiik  ot  Kiu^  follovs  oD  that  of  tb«  Finl 
H  .ok  In  th»  oiotaat  paasiMe  at<.ju<-n(«.  The 
bUtiirjof  AhacUh'f  rei|^  ^J^ix  >»  I  King* 
xiiL  SI,  and  U  earriod  on,  vitb^ut  anj  ntd 
braak  or  p*a*«  in  tb«  mum,  to  ch.  i.  IS. 
How  the  twu  books  cttmc  tu  be  dividtsl  at 
tliie  point  ia  quite  iDriplitNtble.  The  <liri- 
•ioB  fa  aoat  anhappv.  Not  onlj  d<«e  it, 
witlMMt  appiiraBt  reason,  draw  a  atnmg  lino 
of  damarration  in  tht*  middle  of  a  rei^:  but 
It  MpMatiM  whut  it  wait  «>vi.i  titlj  the  in- 
le«liea  of  th«  writtrr  iB<«t  <-l  '»t  ly  to  connect 
— Tit.  the  aitu  of  tht-  in''uar<b  and  their 
paiiioljiarnL  Ahnziah  bfpin  hi*  rri^ni  by 
o|M-nlT  ciiowinK  bim**  If  a  J'  viK'  c  »f  Ua^l — 
by  *  walking  in  tb<-  w»j  of  h-a  f,th<r  amd 
im  tke  ua^  of  kia  mmtkrr,"  .  Jej*. 

bil:  thciif  <iv  oalaiuity   itu:  »uKite 

tiim— finit  M(«b  r«bfll»..  iLirt-w  uff  tli* 
Israrlitf  yoke,  an  I  rt-<  r  Lull*  bed  its  ii>dfr> 
peodroee;  a!id  tlit-ii,  w.djin  a  »hort  aiaee, 
Attaxiah  hiuucW  met  «kitb  an  arx-idrnt  whi<-h 
pfodooed  a  •laiiRt-mu*  i11u«m«  The  writer 
r«-l«t«a  l«nrly  Ut<-  fortut-r  fact,  but  fulMi)(ra 
on  the  lattrr,  which  g%\9  nomciou  for  one 
of  the  moat  rrmafkabl«  of  the  BU»«.le«  of 
Klijah. 

▼•r.  1.— Than  Moab  rebelled;  lil«raily. 
mmd   Mtak  r^t^UfL,   t>ut   Wiih   aii   uitm,  not 

■Mtaly    of    M-\jUt-!»<-«-,     but     of     I'OliaMIMM)^ 

Tba**Muabii.   SttM- "  d.M->  trtcid  ia  186t, 
throve  eooatdrniL.1?  Ii^.t  on  the  rhaiartar 
U.  KIMOa. 


^m 


afa 


af  tUa  lahaOiML 


had.  w  kmem.  haaa  B«b>ael«l  by   Dav<4 

(1  Sam.  rliL  SX  Md  had  U«  vary  aavaMly 

tjaatad.     Kiiher  in  the  mrn  fi  tkiiotrnm,  eg 

Bore   pcoivbly   at   hie  draLh,  and    the  4ib> 

mptioo  of  hie  kifigloia.  the  ii^^^*-  t««  K»4 

ftrvoltad.  aad  nanmed  an  tDdaftr?. 

tkm,  whiab  tkej  had  ■aiataiti»l 

rei^  of  Onri    Osrl,  whn  wae  «   -*     .„ 

moiiarch,    tha    g,Tiataat    of    tha     Urmrl  le 

Bvitiarrhe    afW    Jaaohoam,    afler    »^ttlitiK 

himaelf  flrnUy  apoo  the   tiirtxka  of  Ura<l, 

attacked   tha   Uoabita  tamtory,  and    in  a 

abort   time  reducad  it.  nwk  ug   the  iiati*« 

kinft.  Cltemoah-^cail.  hie  tr.t<utary      At  the 

de«th    uf    Omh.    Abab    succeed' d    tu    the 

■ui<raiuty,  and   maiDtai:.«<J    ii   during   hie 

lift  time,  exact:   l-    a  ir  i  .-.-  •.    w^.   Ul% 

aa  a  MVrre  '-'Ac, 

line  6;    eon  ,  i      of 

Ahab  in   bat  Ic  au  1  tLc  dc.'eai  .4  Lu  amr 

ettoinirafred  Me«!  a.   who  had  txtee^-rdtti  hie 

fatlirr,  Cbctn     '         '    - 

of  rrToll  oim  - 

ouuniry  afl'  r    » 

he  e»tiiujU«B 

*•  Buhjo  '  u  < 

of   the    etrf*    i.\  t^^ 

territory.     After    ■.  l*?^. 

bab  r.  ...  . 

aeaptri 

Biuuari.. 

f^ucrui  ren   •. 

vttV  rtiiin  ■  I 

inhcrnt  hi*  «i^uur  ajivI  oa|«f-itr. 

Ver.   <^— Akacah   teU   down   tkraafh    a 
latUee:  Kr^mfk  Ik*  Uttit^     It   >. 

^M>«-  ><par*haaibar  had  a  etXiK  r 

viodo\». -MaluaadbyaM^laiaibar. 

or  ahutter  of  talatlacad  vpaaAtaoak.  The 
ahattar  OMy  have  haaa  laaafliiieiitlT  aeeafad ; 
or  the  woodwwfc  nay  have  beea  toi'  «««k 
la  bear  hie  wetghL  UaarM*  the  fWll  .4 
BatjabM  ( Aale  u.  f  X  viMn*.  havwrer.  the/ 

■ 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS. 


[cH.  £.  1— la 


is  no  mention  of  a  "  lattice.**  Was  siok ;  i.e. 
"  was  80  inj  ured  that  he  had  to  take  to  his 
bed."  Iniiuire  of  Baal-zebub  the  god  of 
Ekron.  As  a  worshipper  of  Baal,  bent  on 
walking  in  the  evil  way  of  his  father  and  of 
his  mother  (1  Kings  xxii.  52),  Ahaziah 
would  naturally  inquire  of  some  form  of  the 
Baal  divinity.  Why  he  chose  "  Baal-zebub 
the  god  of  Ekron,"  it  is  impossible  to  say. 
Perhaps  Baal-zebub  had  at  the  time  a 
special  reputation  for  giving  oracular  re- 
sponses. Perhaps  the  Ekron  temple  was, 
of  all  the  ancient  sites  of  the  Baal-worship, 
the  one  with  which  he  could  most  readily 
communicate.  Philistia  lay  nearer  to  Samaria 
than  PlicBnicia  did,  and  of  the  Philistine 
towns  Ekron  (now  Akir)  was  the  most 
northern,  and  bo  the  nearest.  "  Baal-zebub  " 
has  been  thought  by  some  to  be  equivalent 
to  *' Beel-samen,"  "the  lord  of  heaven " — a 
divine  title  well  known  to  the  Phoenicians ; 
but  this  view  is  etymologically  unsound, 
■ince  zebub  cannot  possibly  mean  "  heaven." 
"  Baal-zebub  "  is  "  the  lord  of  flies  " — either 
the  god  who  sends  them  as  a  plague  on  any 
nation  that  offends  liim  (comp.  Exod.  viiL 
21— 31),  or  the  god  who  averts  them  from 
his  votaries  and  favourites,  an  equivalent  of 
the  Greek  Ztus  aTr6fj.vios,  or  the  Rutnan 
"Jupiter  Myiagrus,"  flies  being  in  the  East 
DOt  anfrequintly  a  terrible  plague.  The 
Stptuagint  translation,  Bda^-fiviav,  though 
in;ioeurat';,.8h()W8  an  appreciation  of  the  true 
etymology.  Of  this  disease;  rather,  of  thu 
illn^nB  {(K  TrjT  a^lxiiffrias  fiov  ravTr)s,  LXX.). 

Ver.  3. — The  angel  of  the  Lord.  It  would 
be  b<'tt«r  to  translate,  with  the  LXX.,  an 
angfl  (6.yfi\oif  not  6  6.yy(\os).  An  angel 
liad  apfieari  il  to  Elijah  on  a  previous  occa- 
sion (I  Kintr-  xix. .'),  7).  Elijah  the  Tishbito 
{cA>\a\).  1  Kin;,'s  xvii.  1 ;  xxi.  17,  28;  ch.  i.  H; 
hnd  for  the  iijuanint^  of  the  expression,  hat- 
7'iKW/t,  81  e  tlie  comin(;nt  on  1  KingH  xvii.  1). 
Arise,  go  up.  Kl;jah  was,  aj)pur(ntly,  in 
the  low  tract  of  tin;  Slu-felah,  or  in  Sharon, 
when  the  unfMengcrH  Htiirtcd,  and  wii.i  thus 
<yimtiian<lc)'l  to  "go  up"  and  meet  them,  or 
inierftjpt  tln-in  on  thijr  journi  y  b(  I'To  thoy 
ile»»feiHl<.d  into  the  |)laiti.  God  wonhl  not 
hiivu  the  iiiHiill  to  liiH  niaji;Hly  ctirrii'd  out. 
In  it  not  bocauHo  th<;ro  in  not  a  God  in  iHrnolT 
rittinr,  /«  it  llint  Ih'Tr  in  no  (lod  iit  nil  in 
J»riul1  The  'louhlo  ni(.^uliv<)  is  intiiiHiltvu, 
atid  iinplif^H  tliat  (lii-  kin^'n  conHiiJIul.ion  of 
]'><ial-/.chijl),  fj^od  of  Kkron,  \h  ri  c<>Mi])l<'lt)  iiiid 
b);«<'iiiu-  (lirnial  nf  tlio  Iiivinily  of  Jrhoviili. 
'I'o  ooiiMult  II  fori-it,'n  fimch'  in  i:qui  vuliiit  to 
Miyitii;  ihiit  tho  v<iio4'  of  (i(.d  m  \\ holly  HJh  nt 
in  riw'u  owri  hiii'l.  'I'IiIh  whn  goin^  InrtliiT 
in  A]nuluiiy  tliun  Ahuh  hud  gono  (mu  1  King* 
xzii.  (]     ii). 

Vcr.  4.-  How  thorefore.  Tim  word  trim* 
Utfxl  "th<r<(or«"  (pS)  in  <Bij)hiilio.  iinl 
MauM  "(or  thij  r<««ou,"  "on  UiiM  account." 


Because  Ahaziah  had  apostatized  from  God, 
God  sentenced  him  to  die  from  the  effects  of 
his  fall,  and  not  to  recover.  It  is  implied 
that  he  might  have  recovered  if  he  had 
acted  otherwise.  And  Elijah  departed ;  i.e. 
quitted  the  messengers,  showing  that  his 
errand  was  accomplished — he  had  said  all 
that  he  was  commissioned  to  say. 

Ver.  5. — And  when  the  messengers  turned 
back ;  rather,  ivhen  the  messengers  returned  ; 
i.e.  when  they  reached  the  presence  of 
Ahaziah,  he  perceived  at  once  that  they 
could  not  have  been  to  Ekron  and  come 
back  in  the  time.  He  therefore  inquired  of 
them,  Why  are  ye  now  turned  back  t  "  Why 
have  ye  not  completed  your  journey  ?  " 

Ver.  6. — There  came  a  man.  It  is  not 
likely  that  the  messengers  did  not  know 
Elijah  by  sight.  He  was  too  prominent  a 
person  in  the  history  of  the  time,  and  too 
remarlcable  in  his  appearance,  not  to  have 
been  recognized,  at  any  rate  by  some  of 
them.  But  they  thought  it  best  to  keep 
back  the  prophet's  name,  and  to  call  him 
simply  "  a  man "  ('t«A) — perhaps  actuated 
by  good  will  towards  Elijah,  perhaps  by  a 
fear  for  their  own  safety,  such  as  had  been 
felt  by  Obadiah  (1  Kings  xviii.  8—14). 

Ver.  7. — What  manner  of  man  was  he? 
literally,  what  was  the  manner  of  the  manf 
What  was  his  appearance?  Were  tliere  any 
marks  about  him  by  which  he  might  be 
recognized  and  known  ?  Ahaziah  may  have 
already  suspected  that  the  man  who  had 
denounced  woe  on  him  would  bo  the  same 
who  had  di  nounced  woe  on  his  father  (aee 
1  Kings  xxi.  20—22). 

Ver.  8. — A  hairy  man;  literally,  a  lord 
of  hair  (iPi?  '?}'?)•  Some  take  the  meaning 
to  be  tliat  he  was  rough  and  unkempt,  with 
his  hair  and  beard  long;  and  so  the  LXX., 
who  give  dvitp  Saffui.  But  the  more  usual 
cxj)lanation  is  that  ho  wore  a  •shaggy  coat 
of  untanuod  skin,  with  the  liair  outward. 
Such  a  garment  seems  certainly  to  liave 
been  worn  by  the  later  prophets  (Zeoh.  xiii. 
4;  Malt.  iii.  4),  and  to  have  beon  reganlod 
as  a  bigri  of  tlioir  profesnion.  lint  (hero  is 
no  |)nHitive  evidonco  that  tho  dress  had  l)oen 
ailojilcd  hy  iHaiah's  time.  Girt  with  a  girdl* 
of  leather,  (ienerdly  tim  I>ni.'lite8  woro 
girdles  of  a  soft  iiiulorial,  lus  linei-  or  cotton. 
'J'ho  "curious  girdh*"  of  tho  liif^h  itriest's 
•■pliod  \vii8  of  "  lino  twined  linon,"  oin- 
bmidured  wiOi  gold,  and  blue,  and  |iur|do, 
and  BCJirlct  (lOxod.  xxviii.  8).  Giidlri  of 
h-alher,  riiiigii  und  uMeonifoital)lo,  woidd 
oidy  ho  Worn  hy  the  vory  p<ior  and  l>y  tho 
uxeitlio.  I')lijiih  MiJiy  have  udojitrd  hiH  rough 
iilid  coiirHii  eoHliiiiie.i'illior  to  hIiow  Contempt 
for  ihinga  eurlidy,  nn  llKii^Hti  iiherg  thinifH; 
or  iiH  n  |>i'idteiitiiil  gmh  indu-ntiiig  H(>rn)W 
for  ih«  ainn  <>l  lln'  pooplo,  iia  Keil  hupimwon; 
or  aiiuplo  U(  ohmdian  and  aubiluo  tho  fluiilt. 


m  1. 1— in] 


TDI  SBOOITD  BOOK  OF  THl  KINOA. 


lit* 

Tte  J— h|ilimi  Biw*  U  Mkuttgh.  Ttw  kiag 
km  ■•  l<*K**  •*'"  'WmiU.  Ilk  miftpMiaa  ia 
t«IV*4   lot  Vi>mf  M  BO  Uvi»( 

■«*«i  bti:  '..>  wu«)4  »l  aae»  h*v* 

U»  baiitar  I  w   Ki  )4m7  Um  Aialfc  of  Um 

4a^(tbad.    Kl^)ab  U  af  oovfMi.  him  aMaaiy. 

•«    l«    l«d    MMi    bU    fkth<r'a    ■'dMOij'* 

(1  K>i«(a  ui.  SO),  Bbd  will  vUit  liim  ill.  And 

HOiibwf  MoardtBiHy.  Um  viak  h»Ui(  *'(«ih« 

to  Um  tbiMt(i.i "    11  U  Ml  jmpnhMm  U»i 

10^  had  viikdfttva  hlaidf  fartoeWoTMy 

«  Ik*  ■BomdoB  ct  k\mtimk,  or  •!  aay  Ml* 

OB  Ki>  riLibiUao  of  MlvMid  idol*Ln>u«  pru- 

v»ld ),  ••  Ikf  b*tl  (1  ■« 

*«la«lc>u  fitxn  A  li»l>  (1  1  < .  I. 

iu,  viA^    A   ay      AiiaxiAii   in*T    t.a«c    booo 

luUiC    wtablQir  lu  ar  n«i   and   ituiir.«uo  blm, 

•Bfd  no«  Uicu^tit  he  tmw  hia  oppoataaitj. 

V«r.  ».— Th*  kiag  mat  Otokte  ft  tftftote 

"  li.  >taB  uf 

(Ki        I  <  .-b  bol 

kvid.  Ibay  ;  •  part 

«f  iLftBd  aapMBld  1  a*  of 

Mm  nwdaa  of  kr  arty. 

8mm  MaanMoB  of   ........  .^t-^.iinman 

pow  voftU  Maai  Id  Uave  1«1  Ahaiiah  tu 
MBd  M  lama  body.  liu  doln»:  *o  wm  • 
■tat  ei  cwlenge  to  iLa 


vbt^har  Aluu^  or 
fttod  WM  tho  « 

laoail  thuw 
frocii    t 
(John  XV 
**«llk  •worla  Bi.d  •(..  1 


kllOW 

t!  f  in    b« 

f  men 

-M       AOd 

.-  aent, 
.u  •thex 

rigtitoom  Pttrauti.     Ha  aat  oa  tha  top  of  a 

kfil;  Ut«c»lly.  um  tkt  taf  of  tk»  kiU  (/») 

(p«vf,  LXX  ).    Th*  hifh 

mhotr  ELj«h  b«d  met  xh»  aoMHwan 

to  bo  HUondwl      Wbao  Ihay 

k  hia  aaot  OB  tko 

f>^t.  waaplama  on  all  iidaa,  ao 

auy  kttMBpl  ftt  oooeealoMiit,  and 

.  U0  Bost  at»p  that  Um  ktac  voold 

uko,  caLuly  aud  aojoUy.     H*  apaia  auto 

bia,  Ikoft  Baa  of   Ood.    The  (m(>UuD   ta 

Id  bftva  ipob—  irooioail j ; 

«r  tkla.    Tb« 

.,4-..-     T\»  aii- 

..li-tt: 

cc     la  Uu>  aaoM 

asf  o-miuaadof  kia 

;    lo  doUvar  th« 

bat  batb  ""^  <}*** 


tko^lit  byaiMMt 
bM  Umm   ia   M 


larvloM  povMi  «f  E 
sTiU.M)«M»pnkftM: 
*bo  bopad  by  Iba  luw 
aaaitpa  ika  paapkalfa  • 
^Ul  ka  ftvaUa  iMftiag 
amm,   aad  parfbM  an 


kiac^a  ^oM*-***^ 


.  .  1« 
dova.     The  LXX.  rwotW.  aar*- 

'lf«  will  iioui*  dowBi"  aad 
■oAufna.  aho  ajo  ■■itw  to  claar 


tba  pMfbat  of  tka  aUfgM  aT  ar«attf  af4 

a<«UiMl  laot      li«l  Ikmtm  la  too  »« 

laf  Ika    liaftaliima      lOi/ob    ai»i  -wUioL; 

*  aMMaaftdad    tfa    to   *4»a    dova    fmai 

baataft*  (Laka  U.  MX  «.  la 

pftevad  to  Oad  IhM  k  atickl 

ftM  to  aftiwit  to  kta  ptsyor  ILo  iio  UL 

Tbo     DBrmllv*     MMT      ba     •»(     Miia     M     Oft 

awibolHabawBl  of  UM*  Ut»r«.  U>t-.c  m 
biatu(ie«l  tiiMtolinft.  by  U»<«»  «.v.  dik* 
E«%ld)  daaj  Itel  tolraoUa  u*  p  «•  •  U . 
bol,  U  II  ba  HBIBtoi  k  MMl  bo  oonat.!.!  •• 
It  auada,  aad  BUab  aMil  ba  nganiad.  aal 
oa  hoviof  MMMly  ponyboitad  o  aaoolt,  b« 
aa  bavltif  baoo  UMtruttvUl  la  yr  tinloj 
U.  W*  maat  jadiro  Kl  >aii.  aot  by  u*c  wlc«a 
of  oar  ovB  day.  Uti  by  Umjo*  ut  iL»  mf 
wbaMia  ba  Uvod.  lU  «*a  r»l»4  op  tu 
viadtoMa  Uod'a  bii«aM,tockock  aad  paiiib 
blotolfy.  to  kaao  altoa  ft  fcabfkl  HMtowl  to 
lataal,  vbas  ail  lb*  a»w*p*a  af  lb*  aartk 
««to  laonad  iBMlkar  it>  dasCrey  aftd  aaaolkar 
troo  rall^cioa.  Ho  vaa  aa  oMbodiMiM  al 
the  lav— of  abaulota,  ainet.  aa>wo  JaallaoL 
TI.O  fair  foM  of  aatvy  waa  doc  laiaalid  to 
him.  Ataaady,  al  OaivMl.  ba  bad  iiinalil 
Uf  Divtoa  faafaftftoa  oa  tdnbtata  a/tor  ^ 
atamptoiy  hahwa  (I  Kinga  itUl  40l  How. 
Al.amah.  tba  aja  o/Um>  wiek«l  JaaaUl.  bad 
ehalloacad  Johovah  lo  •  thai  uf  auaafib  by 
flnt  ictK>ring  bixu,  aad  tbaft  annding  a  toao* 
of  Kkldtaia  to  anaat  hia  ptopbal.  WoaK^Jaft 
to  aiMwuiiBb  wttboot  aft  affair  or  waa  bo  to 
riodtaftto  Iba  toi^aaly  and  kowv  d  Jehu- 
Tab?  Ha  bad  ao  powar  af  bimaalf  to  da 
c4tbM  food  or  bana.  Ha  aoali  bal  bh^  to 
Jrbovak.  aad  Jabofdb.  ia  kla  vtokn  a^ 
uetiMt  gnntin— ,  voald  atthor  Ktant  or  rafaa* 
aia  prayer.  If  ba  oaalod  it,  th*  puaiah- 
■Beat  infUolad  woald  aol  ba  Kl^'a  «u«b. 
bat  hia  To  lax  Biiab  vkh  aniaity  to  to 
tovolv.  Ood  to  t^dkftifa.  Ood  rajirdad 
k  M  a  lttk«  tfaa  fur  iMkiB«  a  aifMl 
aiam|da,  aad,  ao  tafardtof  it,  b*  UMpir^  a 
apirit  of  iadtgaattoa  ia  tka  bcaaal  of  Lto 
prophet,  vbo  Ihoaaapoa  mada  tka  pra«ar 
wLkch  hv  mw  fit  to  aaavor.  Tba  jiKi«;mral 
waa  iu  aeoonlaDoa  wkk  Ih*  gaaiaral  too* 
and  toaor  of  tka  Law,  vbtok  iiMgai  -  Inba- 
to  atary  aoal  af  maa  tkal 
iL  9),  aad  w^^i'  •  t>> 
daath  VTory  act  of  ralvlluxi  a^-. 
Tkar*  aama  dova  flr*.  Jivrpi.u*  ^  •  t 
th*  '  lira  "  waa  a  iaah  of  Ugt^tiu^  (ara^vtr  a 
aad  ou  tha  ftaaaMmtataaa  gaooaauy. 

V«r.  11.  >o;  lathar.  aad  *«ada 

(■■*  tita   1;  tioa).     ■*  aasawad 

a:'*^-'-^     '  .^  wfmXt  mmd  mid  {*AdX9»* 

OM*  dava  Ratably.    TU 
k  miariaati    U  ta  aDar««TabAa 

that  Um»  iLaiti  of  thp  iral  aaptoia  aitb  bta 
of   Ifty   bad    Uaa    ba|4    (naa    btfik 
ba  vaa  u&ly  awaat   si  aa  aaa* 


THE  &ECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS. 


[oh.  1. 1—18 


countable  delay.  He  therefore  changes  his 
order  from  "Gome  down"  to  **C«ne  dovm 
futcUy." 

Ver.  13. — A  captain  of  the  third  fifty; 
rather,  the  eajotain  of  a  third  fifty  (see  th« 
Bevieed  Version).  This  captain  went  up— 
i.e.  ascended  the  hill  on  -which  Elijah  wa« 
etiU  seated,  and  there  fell  on  his  knees,  or 
bowed  himself  down,  before  the  prophet,  as 
guppliauts  were  wont  to  do,  beseeching  bis 
compassion.  The  fate  of  the  two  former 
captains  had  become  known  to  him  by  some 
means  or  other,  and  this  induced  him  to 
assume  an  attitude,  not  of  command,  but  of 
submission.  He  acknowledged  that  the 
prophet  held  his  life  and  the  lives  of  his 
fifty  men  at  his  free  disposal,  and  begged 
that  they  might  be  precious  in  his  sight,  or, 
in  other  words,  that  he  would  spare  them. 
What  response  Elijah  wonld  have  made,  had 
he  been  left  to  himself,  is  uncertain.  But 
he  was  not  left  to  himself.  An  angel  of 
God  again  appeand  to  him,  and  directed  his 
course  of  action. 

Ver.  15. — Go  down  with  him:  be  not  afraid 
of  him;  4.:  "descend  the  hill  with  him — 
have  no  fear  ef  him,  ace  impany  him  to  the 
presence  of  the  king ;  do  my  vrill,  «md  there 
si  all  DO  harm  happen  unto  thee."  And  he 
arose,  and  went  dcwn.  Elijah  showed  no 
heaitatiosi,  no  f<  ar,  no  undue  regard  for  his 
own  peraonal  saft  ty.  He  had  been  coutend- 
in^'  ror  God's  honour,  not  for  his  own  ad- 
vaiitige.  Now  that  God  bade  him  contend 
DO  more,  but  yield,  he  complied  promptly, 
and  co&.-«d  all  res  sCauoe. 

Ver.  16. — He  said  uto  him;  i.e.  Elijah 
said  to  the  king.  Iittrodnre<l  into  the  royal 
prea^-nott,  as  a  prisoner,  perhaps  fettered  and 
chained,  the  propltcC  in  no  way  lowered  his 
tunf;  or  abnted  fW>m  the  scTcrity  of  his 
sperch.  Distinctly,  in  the  plainciit  poHsihlo 
words,  he  WMm^d  tli«  monarch  that  hiu  end 
appmachad — be  wo«ld  ntiTer  quit  the  l>od 
wlinrtmu  be  lay,  but,fc«cau«0  he  iiad  Insulted 
JuhoTali  by  sending  to  oumtult  the  god  of 
Ekron,  would  surely  die  Appunntly  the 
king,  kljiLiihail  anil  (ymfoun<Ied,  relea.sed  the 
pr>|ih'  t,  and  all<iw«>d  him  to  go  his  way. 
llias  laith  tho  Lord.  lOlijuli  ruh<  arMCs  tho 
wonlfi  of  ti.e  me«<«ge  whi<-li  he  hud  sent  by 
tic  flmt  of  the  thrr«i  oaptiiins  (myei  Trr.  tt> — 
Thuii  MJtk  lh«  I/ord,  F<;rasmaoh  as  thoa 
hnst  s«nt  measonK'Ti  to  lii({airo  of  Baal- 
t«tab  Ihs  god  of  Ekron,  in  il  nut  booaose 
'J.I  ru  la  DO  Ood  in  liirarl  to  Inquiis  of  his 
word  1  Th'  fTifors  thou  nball  not  coins  down 
off  that  bc<l  OB  whlrh  thou  art  gone  np,  but 
■halt  turoly  dls.  ilotl's  detaruitnntiona  ura 
urutlterabla. 

Vw.  ]7«  -Ho  hs  died  aneordlag  to  the 
word  of  th»)  T-ord  whlrh  Klljah  had  ipolinn. 
N«rt  >rn\j  dUl  hm  41«>  In  <vitiai'<iiirii''«  <if  his 
b>lJ   •llferiul  utm*  «|uiltinK    his    l>»l.    hut   hla 


death  was,  as  Elijah  had  said,  ft  judgement 
on  his  sin  in  sending  to  consult  Ba«l-zebub. 

Beion  or  JehobjLK. 

Ver.  171/;  —  And  Jehoram  —  or,  Joram, 
LXX.,  "  whom  Jehovah  exalts ;  "  another 
evidence  that  Ahab  did  not  regard  himself 
aa  having  abandoned  altogether  tho  worship 
of  Jehovah  (see  the  comment  on  1  Kings  xxii. 
40) — reigned  in  his  stead  ("his  brother," 
vna,  has  probably  fallen  out  after  "Jeho- 
ram," and  require*  to  be  inserted  in  order 
to  give  force  to  the  last  clause  of  the  verse) 
in  the  second  year  of  Jehoram  the  son  of 
Jehoshaphat  King  of  Jndah.  In  ch.  iii.  1  it 
is  said  that  Jehoram,  the  sou  of  Ahab  and 
brother  of  Ahaziah,  began  to  reign  over 
Israel  in  tlie  eighteenth  year  of  Jehoshaphat 
himself.  The  apparent  discrepancy  is  recon- 
ciled  by  supposing  that  Jehoshaphat  asso- 
ciated bis  son  Jehoram  iu  the  kingdom  in 
his  seTenteenth  year,  when  he  wns  about  to 
enter  upon  the  Syrian  war,  so  that  the 
eighteenth  year  of  Jehoshaphat  was  also 
the  second  year  of  Jehoram.  It  is  certain 
that  asaociation  was  largely  practised  in 
Egypt  at  a  date  long  anterior  to  Jehosha- 
phat, awl  David's  proclamation  of  Solomon 
aa  king  was  an  association,  so  that  the  oxpla- 
natiou  is  not  untenable.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  difficulties  of  the  chronology  of  2  Kings 
are  so  unmerous  and  so  great  as  to  defy  com- 
plete reconciliation,  and  t<i  lead  to  a  suspicion 
that  tho  numbers  have  either  sufT  red  ex- 
tensive corruption, or  have  been  manipulated 
by  an  unskilful  reviser  (see  In tro(l  notion, 
p.  iii.).  Becanse  he  had  n*  son ;  *.0.  because 
lie,  Ahaziah,  bad  n'>  son,  he  waa  sncoeeded 
by  his  younger  brother,  Jehoram. 

Ver.  18. — Now  the  rest  of  the  acts  of 
Ahaziah  which  hs  did.  Them  may  have 
included  some  montlis  of  warfare  against 
Meaha,  Kiur  of  kloMli,  who  seems  to  have 
r  helled  at  Uie  very  Ixginning  of  Ahasiah's 
reign  (ver.  1  and  oh.  iii.  S).  Masha's  war 
of  indopendence  consisted  of  a  MUceeasion  of 
Hiegi'S,  whereby  he  reoovore<l  one  by  one  the 
various  Htrongholds  in  hia  territory,  which 
were  oceiipied  by  tht«  Unieliles — Medeha, 
Atarotli,  Nelm,  .lahas,  Iloroiiaim,  and  others 
— «x|H^lliiig  th«  foreign  gurriHons,  rcbuild- 
iuti  or  stren^'theniiig  tlic  rnrtilleatioiia,  and 
orciipying  tiiocitieM  by  giirriHonu  of  hia  own. 
On  iiup  oi>caHion,  at  ihn  ai*<)^e  of  Nwbo,  he 
di><  liirna  that  he  idiltxi  aeymi  thoiiaand  iiioii. 
Iln  foiiud  in  Ibo  town  a  plaott  of  woiHJiip 
oontuiiiing  vi-Ritnla,  which  ho  r«garilc-<l  iis 
"  venafls  of  JrhoTah"  (Muabiln  Slono,  lino 
IK):  th)  a«t  ho  took,  ami  drdionliol  them  to 
ChxiiKiiih,  the  a|My<iul  KCHi  of  MiNib.  Mow 
iniD-li  ol  tliK  war  M\  iiitii  tlin  reixn  n1°  Aha- 
riidi,  and  h<>w  niuib  iuU>  timi  ol  .l<<li<>riiMi 
Ilia    brolJicr,    la     tinoartaiii.     Ar«    Lhoy    aat 


mil-ia.]  THK  PE<>^VD   noOK   OF  THF   KIM(ML 


•1 


HUMlLKIItK 
V...  }u      -n^  ^K^wi  rtt^m  ^  Akaadmk  t  IU$  ttiu,  mmd  tJif4t  fmmitAmtmi      Wm 


'^flii  to  qwMdir  tmyunimj   (1;  um  ■••;  (i) 
-     iXoL 
1.  a  uutubr' 

the  I-  ),  '*   r'-«J;  ■ 

»   '    »    ■  ' 


Ui.r    '  J  •      .     .    .»k  I   '   i   •    ..    .'  .. 
II.     luKlH     A<KikAVATI 


itt  iitJi  UTvii^ou — be  >«uuia,  &OU    be  ,    D«  ktr  Tr  to 

turDt  i)t  Jci.ovmh  witb  »  (^•fM.-ti'  a!    '.  liis  rtT&]      '  c     . 

wbtch  i>l*oa.i  tbt-Ui    lu  t-r  ihr  ;  i  ima  !'•  t-                         «. 

kiia»«U  IrfiiT  Jr-h   v»  ,"  »ud  :  Uv  in  m                  .     .  -'^    ; 

Ul.    27,    '.'  '  '    vi     tu     Uj^U.Ie    uf    K     '  U.C    LikU    »t 

JriKfchsj'*  .  9)  ;   b*  !  *-!  U"  '1<-  .  w  k'  •■•  o',  * 


JcU  IT.       •■ 

crt*turt« 


rb»Uf  >  ik« 


•  THE  SECX)ND  BOOK  OF  THE  EING&  [oh.!.!— 18L 

calves,  whether  he  would  persecute  or  protect  the  adherents  of  the  Jehovistic  religion. 
He  decided  to  "  walk  in  the  way  of  his  father  and  of  his  mother,"  and  at  once  the  first 
blow  fell  Moab  revolted,  and  was  successful.  The  mere  attempt  at  revolt  might  have 
happened  in  any  case,  for  Mesha  would  naturally  have  seized  such  an  opportunity  as 
the  death  of  Ahab  under  such  circumstances  offered.  But  the  God  of  battles  determines 
success  or  failure,  and  Mesha's  unbroken  series  of  victories  (Moabite  Stone,  lines 
9 — 33)  were  the  consequence  of  Ahaziah's  guilt.  As  usual,  "  for  the  king's  offence  the 
people  bled."  Seven  thousand  Israelite  warriors  were  destroyed  in  one  siege ;  the 
women  and  children  were  taken  prisoners,  and  "devoted  to  Ashtai-Chemosh."  There 
was  widespread  and  extreme  suffering.  This  should  not  surprise  us.  There  is  a 
solidarity  between  a  king  and  his  people,  which  unites  them  almost  indissolubly  in 
their  fortunes  and  in  their  sins.  The  people  foUow  the  king's  example,  and,  partaking 
in  his  guilt,  naturally  and  justly  partake  in  his  punishment  (see  the  homiletics  on 
1  Kings  ixii.,  pp.  542,  543).  The  king's  second  punishment  was  personal  It  was 
permitted  that  an  accident  should  befall  him.  Sitting  in  an  upper  chamber,  i.e.  in  one 
not  upon  the  groimd  floor,  which  had  a  latticed  window,  opening  out  jirobably  on  a 
garden,  he  rashly  leant  against  it,  when  the  fastenings  or  the  woodwork  gave  way,  and 
he  was  precipitated  to  the  ground.  The  hurt  received  was  serious,  and  forced  him  to 
take  to  his  bed,  where  he  lay  probably  in  much  pain  and  discomfort.  Here  was  an 
opi  ortunity  for  considering  his  ways,  for  asking  himself  what  was  amiss  in  them,  for 
mourning  over  the  sins  which  he  had  committed  (1  Kings  xxii.  52,  53),  and  renouncing 
them  and  turning  away  from  them.  God's  judgments  are  sent  to  lead  men  to  repent- 
ance. Prolonged  lying  on  a  sick-bed  is  especially  favourable  to  meditation,  self- 
examination,  self-condemnation,  penitence.  But  Ahaziah  was  obdurate.  He  thought 
nothing  of  the  goodness  of  God  in  sparing  his  life,  for  the  fall  might  well  have  been 
instantaneously  fatal ;  he  thought  nothing  of  God's  mercy  in  giving  him  a  time  for 
reflection  and  amendment.  He  was  merely  impatient  of  his  affliction,  and  anxious  to 
have  done  with  it.  And  in  his  impatience  and  obduracy  he  added  sin  to  sin.  Ignoring 
Jehovah  and  his  prophets,  through  whom  it  was  always  possible  to  "  inquire  of  the 
Lord  "  (1  Kings  xxii.  5 — 28),  he  makes  his  appeal  to  Baal.  It  is  an  ostentatious  appeal. 
He  sends  a  public  embassy  to  consult  the  Baal  of  a  foreign  town.  Then  his  final 
punishment  is  decreed.  Hitherto  his  life  had  hung  in  the  balance — his  fate  had  been 
in  the  hands  of  him  with  whom  are  the  issues  of  life  and  death.  Now  his  own  act 
had  shut  the  gate  of  mercy.  The  sentence  went  forth  from  the  mouth  of  God's  prophet, 
"  Thou  shalt  not  come  down  off  tliat  bed  on  which  thou  art  gone  up,  but  shalt  surely 
die."     Cut  off  in  his  youth,  childless  (ver.  17),  he  pays  the  fining  penalty  of  obstinate 

B!rBi^tence  in  sin,  and,  after  weeks  or  months  of  suffering,  "  goes  to  his  own  place." 
e  "  whom  Jeliovah  upholds  "  becomes  "  he  whom  Jehovah  destroys  " — destroys  after 
a  short  riign  of  little  more  than  a  year — a  reign  disgraceful  to  himaalf  and  disosiroua 
to  his  country. 

VerH.  9 — 16. —  TTie  **  spirit  we  are  of* — the  old  dispensation  and  tJie  new.  I. 
Thk  HniUT  OK  THK  OLD  uisricNSATioN.  The  spirit  of  the  Law  was  strict,  stern, 
inexorable  juHlicc.  "Cursed  tnj  the  man  tliat  maketh  any  graven  or  molten  imago. 
.  .  .  Curw^d  he  he  that  Hctieth  light  by  his  father  or  his  mother.  .  .  .  (^tirsed  bo  he  that 
removeth  hiH  neighbour'H  latidmark,"  i^tc.  (Dcsut.  xxvii.  15-20);  "  llo  that  cursoth 
father  or  niother,  let  him  die  the  death  "  (Kxod.  xxi.  17);  "  Eye  for  <  ye,  tooth  for 
looth,  hnn\  lor  hand,  lo<»t  for  foot,  hurnini^  f(jr  burning,  wound  for  woimd,  Htrij)o  for 
MtrijMj  "  (Jv.o<l.  xxi.  24,  25);  "  He  that  Hinileth  a  man,  ho  tliat  ho  die,  shall  surely  be 
put  to  death"  (Kxcxl.  xxi.  12);  "  ilc  that  smiteth  his  father  or  his  mother,  shall 
»iuri;iy  Vx-  riut  to  doath  "  (iixixl.  xxi.  15);  "He  that  Hleuleth  a  man,  and  selleth  him, 
■hall  Riircly  J*  imt  U>  death"  (Kx<Ki.  xxi.  10);  "'i'hou  shall  not  suffer  a  witch  to 
liv«) "  (Exr.<!.  xiil.  IH);  "  WhoiMxiver  llelh  with  a  benht  hIiuH  surely  bo  nut  to  death  " 
(Kxfxl.  xxii.  I'J)  ;  "  Ho  that  Mnerifictith  unto  any  I'od,  iiavo  unto  tho  Lord  oidy,  he 
th&ll  U]  iilt«rly  dintroyod"  (Kx<>d.  xxii.  20),  ntc.  Man  wax  no  fur  gontt  from  original 
righlHtunntint,  ho/l  lui  oorni|'te<i  and  depraved  himHidf,  that  only  by  the  HtrieleHt  |MiHhil)le 
Kjnfmm,  by  thn  inont  Miliunn  waiiiin((H,  the  moHt  nwfnl  thriMiln,  and  the  HlerneHt  iMMiHible 
fx<-<Ttit|fm  of  fhii  tlireatx  wlien  tli«  (K'.enHn.ii  came,  could  wii  KedntmH  b«!  repreHH»Ml,  crime 
fMVi:atMl   from   booonuug  rampant,  mankind   Ij«!  rrclainitxl,  auciaty  aavao.     Hence  the 


•b  L  1— l(i.J  THB  tBOOHU  BUUK  OF 


J  .\  .  \i 


••TrT  V 
Wll 

|im, ...   . 

AUbtt.  for  t.' 
Wb«o   K.>« 
•wmllowr 


.    to  tliiKMl  •99iy  c^  4   Malilry  vm 


vjpoa   iLr 


J   i"gtw     •Jl^M, 


<^ii 


PCX. 


by  an  eirrton  uf  : 

nidti,  ftod  go  his  W«Jr.     Ob  < 

tvo  t^bpeoMtiooi  in  the  mo  '. 

: !«  war*  pronf' 

aJ  thovB  lurD< 
**  bull*  U  ThuMkr,"  M 
panUkmeot  of  •um<^  S.: 
'  Lord,"  they  aaid,  "•il- 
eaa«iin«  Ui«m,  ereo  u  ! 
Jcmt^turoed  aud  rebuktra  tiicm,  atu 
ot     Fur  the  Suo  of  man  ii  ool  eome  t 
Umj  ««Dt  k)  auoUMf  ▼Ulaee"  (I.  ^- 
Traoflk,  *'M  tf  b«  bad  mkI.  •  Y«  arc 
patoM  of  iho  old  and  nrw  eo^ai. . 


1  lie 
'.owanl 
.-    (Matt.  ». 
jh«bJ— ■  tror  (' 

W .  keo-tieartr 
.  t<*  Mt  at 

■  (Luke  i> 


iitj^-"' 


avHiglog  ngtitwiiianoai,  when 
lurfiTiug  love"  (*Nolw  txi 
Ohnalkn  iHyBwrirw  it  caei 
DOl    «rU  but  whuaoeTrr  aha  . 

alao'  (M»tL  T.  3V) ;  •  LoTr  y 
that  hale  vui.,  aiid  (ray  fur 
(M.tL  T.  -44),  "  lie  k.1  dJy  ii 
|>r»!cmti^  <juc  auo'Lcr  "  (  K 
Otnn.  lii.  17);  "A>i».j;e  uo! 
i>  writt4ru  ,  Vpi,f:r«ijoc  i»  lu.uc 
Luai;er,  ferri  liiiii ;  if  br  thirst. 


yix. 

lie 


I 


fira  upuu  hia  haatL 
!»-   21> 


b%  Oui  uvc/^ 


>ul 

Ml 

i 

It 

•  S* 

« 

'.c' 

'• 

act 

-r 

tti 

irtr 

.ca'a  livoa,  but  tu  mtp  t: 
i — o-j).     "It  wa*,*  reuiarka  .». 
and  ooafcucxiiiig  the  di&««Bt  ■ 
i<  your  Btaitd  upuo   the  old — °  > 

4oe  to  take  it  upuo  the  Dew 
L.   It.   p.  84,   Dutcl      "lie   »-. 

•unnaBda  &. 

i^ht  chert ,  -.  « 

:  hat  ettrae  ywa,  ^  gonl  to  Lt.< 
uee  yo(j  and  parwcu'.r  y  u 
th  broCherly  love, 
f   t«>   BO   man   evil 

vrati..    Lr 
f  ibm«  aoeti- 
r    i4  »-•  awio^  iu<^a  ftiuJt  heap  ooala  « 
,  uit  uverouaa  •vil  wiik  good  *  0tam.  ti 


HOMILIES  BT   VARIOUS  AUTHOI 


iBliodtteed  lo  a  ktogly  hooe.   All  the 
hoM^    To  b^|to  with,  thora  la 


W*  «•  W« 

pu«D|>  of  royalty  i*  thervi    But  it  u  not  a  happy 
to  that  hooMk     Royalty,  or  rabk.  or  hchea 


8  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THB  KINGS.  [oh.  x.  1—18. 

cannot  keep  aickness  out.  Ahaziah  had  been  looking  through  the  window  of  hia 
chamber,  or,  as  some  think,  leaning  over  the  frail  baluster  of  wicker-work  which  rati 
round  the  roof  on  the  inner  or  courtyard  side,  when  the  lattice-work  gave  way,  and  he 
was  precipitated  into  the  court  beneath  and  seriously  injured.  But  there  are  homes 
of  sickness  that  are  nevertheless  happy  homes.  The  sufiferer  is  happy ;  the  other 
members  of  the  family  are  happy.  Why  ?  Because  they  all  know  that  Jesus  is 
there.  They  hear  his  voice  saying,  "  It  is  I :  be  not  afraid."  They  took  Christ  into 
their  house  when  all  was  going  well  with  them,  and  they  find  that  he  does  not  leave 
thetn  when  sickness  comes.  But  it  was  not  so  with  Ahaziah,  How  a  man  will  bear 
sickness  depends  a  good  deal  on  what  his  life  and  character  have  been  when  he  was  in 
health.  This  is  true  physically.  It  is  true  also  in  a  moral  and  spirittial  sense.  The 
bad  man  is  generally  afraid  of  sickness.  Yes  ;  for  he  is  afiraid  of  death.  What  about 
Ahaziah's  previous  history  ?  We  have  it  summed  up  in  the  closing  verses  of  1  Kings. 
**  He  did  evil  in  ti.e  sight  of  the  Lord,  and  walked  in  the  way  of  his  father,  and  in  the 
way  of  his  mother,  and  in  the  way  of  Jeroboam  the  son  of  Nebat,  who  made  Israel  to 
sin :  for  he  served  Baal,  and  worshipped  him,  and  provoked  to  anger  the  Lord  God  of 
Israel,  according  to  all  that  his  father  had  done."  Ohl  the  tremendous  influence 
of  a  bad  example.  Ahaziah  was  in  alarm  about  this  illness.  He  wanted  to  know  if 
he  was  to  recover.  He  had  forsaken  God  when  in  health ;  perhaps  he  does  not  think 
that  God  would  hear  him  now.  Or  perhaps  he  has  been  so  hardened  in  sin  that  he 
really  believes  his  heathen  god  can  help  him.  So  he  sends  messengers  to  inquire  of 
Baal-zebub  at  Ekron,  whether  he  would  recover  of  his  disease. 

I.  The  cause  of  seeking  after  strange  gods.  What  is  the  secret  of  that  idolatry 
which  in  all  ages  has  taken  such  a  hold  of  the  human  heart?  Why  is  it  that  such  a 
people  as  the  Hebrews,  descended  from  one  who  lived  so  entirely  under  the  power  of 
the  invisible  God  as  Abraham  did — they  who  in  their  Passover  had  a  constant  reminder 
of  God's  existence  and  power,  and  in  their  ten  commandments  a  constant  reminder  ol 
his  mind  and  will, — why  is  it  that  they  so  far  foigot  God  as  to  sink  into  the  degrading 
worship  of  the  heathen  deities?  Or,  to  bring  it  more  home  to  ourselves  and  our  own 
surroundings,  why  is  it  that  men  and  women  who  know  that  Christ  died  for  them,  who 
therefore  know  the  priceless  worth  of  their  immortal  souls,  who  bi  ar  in  the  very  name 
of  Christian  a  constant  reminder  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  who  have  iu  the  precepts  of  the 
gosftel  the  highest  code  of  morality  ever  tauglit  to  man, — why  is  it  that  they  too  forget 
God,  reject  his  mercy,  set  at  nought  his  counsels,  and  will  have  none  of  his  reproof? 
Why  is  it  that  in  our  Christian  land  so  many  are  living  in  practical  iieatheuism? 
Why  are  they  so  few  who  read  the  Bihle,  and,  of  those  who  do  read  it,  so  few  who 
obey  its  teachings?  Wliy  so  many  thousands  who  never  enter  the  house  of  God  ? 
Why  is  it  that  a  really  religious  daily  newspajier  it  is  almost  im|  o  sible  to  find,  while 
nearly  all  our  daily  newspapers  largely  devote  themselves  to  advance  the  interests  of 
the  theatre,  the  race-courso,  and  the  betting-ring?  Truly  it  may  be  said  that  our 
nation  has  gone  after  stran^^e  gods.  What  is  the  secret  of  it  all  ?  Largely  this,  ^'(e 
love  of  wliat  is  neen,  more  than  of  what  is  unseen.  This  is  at  the  root  of  all  idolatry,  it 
is  this  that  iiiak<-8  men  such  an  easy  prey  to  sin.  Tiioy  are  absoi  bed  in  the  interests 
and  plciHures  of  the  body  only.  They  forget  the  interests  of  the  immortal  soul.  They 
live  for  the  present,  hut  neglect  the  future,  'i'hcy  live  for  self,  but  uej;lcet  God. 
They  lay  up  trc-iHure  on  earth,  but  have  no  treasure  in  heaven.  W(!  see  this  lovo  ol 
what  IB  Keen — thiH  goiii'^  after  strange  gods — in  much  of  the  jihilomp'iy  of  tht\  prrscnl 
day.  Men  deny  Goi,  the  God  of  the  Bible,  the  intolli^^ent,  wise,  powerful,  provident, 
holy,  loving  ('rcator  of  the  universe.  And  what  do  they  substitute  for  him  ?  A  mor« 
ne/,iition.  Ai  l>ont  matter  or  force.  Here  j)lainly  they  iiro  al'suriied  in  what  is  Heon. 
Th<  y  Jiiakc  ii  K(kI  of  n. alter,  Tlpy  frr;;ot  that  only  mind  could  imxlnco  mind,  only 
•oul  could  priKluce  houI,  that  only  an  inlelli;;ont  Being  could  produeo  tlio  order  and 
control  the  workinj;8  ol  the  univoiso.  Strange  goiis,  indeed — gtnls  uf  which  tln-y  liave 
no  r«rLiiinty  -ihey  iM-t  up  in  phuo  of  the  Uo(|  of  our  Chnslian  faith.  Wo  see  thin  lovo 
of  what  in  d/y-n  ojwratin^;  hIho  in  thr  ni-.r  of  the  tnoney-lovci .  It  is  not  wronjj  to  ai  (piire 
Wf»llh,  proviilc<l  it  i«  rightly  won  ikud  rl^;i^lly  vi'ied.  But  IIkT"  aro  many  u'A«  make  a 
gild  of  vioiity.  It  wcupieii  nil  ih'ir  ihoii^hu  wlido  th'y  are  awake.  \V  lion  they  aio 
Mlei-|.,  thoy  ilrenrn  of  li.  Kvmi  thn  Habliulh,  »np|Hmo<l  lo  bo  dovotod  to  »ho  worHhi|i 
•i\  (ioa,  \m  oftvii  ilevuU^I   to  liUMiiUilionii  uu   moni-y  and   huw  to  gut  it      Yul  uvou  fur 


W.L1-1&] 


TUI  BAOOIID  BOOK  OF  TBI  KlNOft. 


Ik*  fimmx  Wh  xhe- 


K«v*  k* 


ir  b«l  fkAC^U  &o«««. 


▲ud  Ml  niT  VMiui 


A^  UiM  «ba  •Kan  w*  i^  u(  lt.< 

lor  Uito  kbon  life,  b»v«  tiiaJ*  Door 

•  in»a,  tf  Lr  a.h.\'>'.  jAJtj  tb*  wboU 


../ 


m'tilo  tu*\tn?  k>11t<T« 


m*kin|C  k 

\V«   ic« 

cUm/JL 

•  t'-.j  rn  ; 

cut 

m> 

Wv    . 

Ui^ 

avlia: 

U.  1 

r  acu 

hari  na  u>   : 

SaniuiK,  uxl 

lo  1          •     f 

•U.. 

Ti»«   rii»Ji^v 

kftf»  Mv«r  I' 

hMUMsaatii 

<tf   WWkBM    » 

•varjwbarv^  >* 

aitd  time.      N 

Um  god*  of  I' 

ul  the  k 

•KUIXO   ATTU   ■T14—   WSa      *  But   th«   UlCil  of  tk* 

.\.r>M,  fro  up  u>  oMet  Um  wmtrngctm  til  Utm  Kiaf  af 

DoC  br<*u*e  ihei*  b  Dot  •  Oud  Ui  braal,  tliM  ft  0» 

.   i     s  .^  (bere^««  thus  Mitb  lb*  Lord,  Tbo« 

.  art  g'l.o  up,  but  ti^l  •art^ljr  4iiL* 


1 


'i^tr  «.€.%)<* 


(.' CLrocL  xxtui.  ^3> 
Ouii,  aad  fc>uiid   thjil  t  . 
b  iBbn  bbi  lived  with  ui  U 
lielbMM  twuam  and  drAtb  wa 

•Lo    .... 

CO  I. 

fcu 

U»  u» — t 

ait  BMMs  -,^--.- , 

Um  mi— rni  of  lUc   Tu«  way  u>  pr«}>Ar«  iur  rtcKrxiM  n  to  Mrr«  Ifua  »uim  w  im^i 
-CELL 


V«r«.  B^\^—  Fi^e  from  i«a 
Tbtj  bruu^tt 


Ahamh't 


iBtarerplsd  by  Klit&b. 
I  pru^^Ml*!  •naouBovaa&t  uf  bw  0^^411.    K.i>&i<'* 
It  ^y  "TbtM  MUb  %k»  Luni.*    Tb«  ctAtcuiMii 
V  ay  Um  Mntaow  ol  bim  wbo  <  « 

~  Uk«  br««tb  ul  •varj  b  -iiiAU  « 

1   UrriLtM  MMaae*  bad  Mt  bn>^igM  AtiiLc     :.  im 

.     .!•  boOM  lb  OVdw.      Bm  da«  sot  (^tfri^rv  lu  u.«rt  bM 

^'       but  vkMI  Um  ■■!  i^vn  uii  Lua  u/  tb« 

^iaiag  Ml  oaoa  frwD  txictr  d^«cnL<kc  Uiu 

......*    J        tb«fB,lM  M  tIM  %iib  M>(w  a  4  -ffAa  i^ 

bMlib  i  iM»  b*  d»6«»  blB  horn  a  bad  «l  McbiMV     iia 


10  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.  [oh.  l  1—18, 


sends  fortt  a  captain  mth  a  company  of  fifty  men  to  lay  bold  upon  the  prophet.  It 
was  not  the  first  time  Elijah's  life  had  been  threatened  by  royal  sinners.  When  a  man 
is  fearless  in  rebukino;  sin,  he  must  expect  the  hatred  of  impenitent  sinners.  Smooth 
words  may  win  a  fleeting  popularity,  but  the  friendship  of  this  world  is  enmity  against 
Grod.  Popularity  is  dearly  bought  that  is  obtained  at  the  sacrifice  of  truth,  of  con- 
science, and  of  duty  But  Elijah's  life  is  safe  in  the  hands  of  the  Master  whom  he 
serves.  Once  before  God.  had  vindicated  his  own  honour  and  Elijah's  faithfulness  by 
sending  fire  from  heaven  to  consume  his  sacrifice.  In  a  similar  manner  now  he  defends 
Elijah  and  punishes  his  enemies.  The  incident  is  one  which  presents  some  difficulties. 
The  study  of  it  suggests  many  useful  lessons. 

I.  Febe  fbom  heaven  is  an  act  of  justice.  It  may  appear  to  some  that  these 
first  two  captains  and  their  fifties  were  hardly  dealt  with.  Some  one  may  say,  "  It 
was  their  duty  to  obey.  They  were  only  executing  the  king's  orders.  They  were  not 
responsible  for  the  message  which  they  brought  from  the  king  to  Elijah.  It  was  hard, 
then,  that  they  should  suffer  for  doing  that  which  it  was  their  duty  to  do."  These 
are  very  plausible  statements.  Let  us  examine  them  a  little  more  closely.  Let  us 
remember  that  man  is  not  a  mere  machine.  Every  man  has  an  immortal  soul,  coming 
from  God,  going  back  to  God,  and  accountable  to  God  for  its  actions.  There  is  such 
a  thing  as  individual  personal  responsibility.  No  external  circumstances,  no  position 
in  life,  can  ever  take  away  that  responsibility.  These  captains  and  their  men  were 
bound  to  do  their  duty  to  their  king.  Yes ;  but  not  in  defiance  of  the  Law  and  power 
of  God.  Where  the  will  of  man  or  the  word  of  man  comes  into  conflict  with  the  will 
or  Word  of  God,  then  it  is  the  duty  of  every  human  being  to  say,  "  We  ought  to  obey 
God  rather  tlian  men."  These  officers  and  soldiers  were  really  encouraging  Ahaziah 
iu  his  guilt.  They  knew  that  he  was  an  idolater.  They  knew  that  he  was  a  worshippei 
of  Baal.  They  knew  that  the  man  whom  he  was  sending  them  to  surest  was  a  servant 
o(  the  most  high  Qtjd,  and  his  foremost  living  prophet.  They  knew  of  the  sentence 
which  had  already  been  pronounced  against  Aliaziah.  Yet  here,  at  his  bidding,  they 
go  forth  as  the  instruments  of  his  defiance  against  the  living  God.  They  were  sharers 
in  his  guilt — -jiarticipes  criminia.  They  were  personally  guilty  before  God.  We  can 
never  .shift  our  own  responsibility  on  to  the  shoulders  of  others.  It  did  not  make 
Adam's  guilt  less  that  he  accused  Eve,  or  Eve's  guilt  less  that  she  accused  the  serpent. 
They  were  intelligent  beings,  with  the  power  of  free  choice.  Our  plain  duty  is,  if  we 
are  in  any  position  or  business  which  requires  us  to  violate  the  Law  of  God,  at  once  to 
give  it  up.  God  says,  '*  Them  that  honour  me  I  will  honour."  Moreover,  they  had 
already  been  warned  of  the  sin  and  danger  of  resistiJig  God.  They  knew  how  the 
prophets  of  I'ail  had  been  slain.  They  knew  how  Elijah's  prophecy — in  other  words, 
Gwi's  Hentf-ncc — ajainst  Aliab  had  come  true,  that  where  the  dogs  licked  the  blood  of 
Naboth,  there  they  would  lick  the  blood  of  Ahab,  and  they  knew  that  a  similar  doom 
was  foretold  against  Jezebel.  Yet  in  spite  of  all  these  warnings  they  went  forth 
a^-ainst  tlif  prophet  of  TJod.  So  the  sinner  has  many  warnings.  How  often  Otxi's 
Word  and  G'xI'h  messengfr  have  called  him  to  repentance  I  I'erhaps  hy  sickness  and 
Buffering  he  has  ha^l  nminders  i>f  approaching  death.  By  sudden  bereavement  he  has 
l)een  reminded  that  "  in  sucli  an  hour  as  ye  think  not  the  Son  of  man  cometh."  Let 
him  bcuae  ol  turning  a  deaf  ear  to  tl)c  warning  voice.  "Sic  that  ye  refuse  not  him 
that  B|<;ak'  th."  Further,  when  wt-  arc  considering  tlie  justice  of  this  fire  from  heaven, 
let  un  reiiicnil  er  thiit  the  life  <f  QinVf,  rnosf  useful  servant  wtut  at  ntake.  It  is  pri>tty 
certain  that  Aliaziah,  wln-n  lie  Kent  fur  Elijah,  wanted  to  tnke  his  life,  it  w 
[irctty  c«rtain  ano  that,  ha<i  Elijah  gone  with  either  of  the  firnt  two  cuptainH,  Iuh 
lifi!  woiilil  have  bofn  in  <iarig<r.  It  was  only  nft<!r  the  third  time  of  M-nding  that  (lod 
wild  to  F'-lijah,  "Be  not  afraid  of  him."  It  whh  only  then,  |)erha|m,  that  Ahu/.iah 
rr«lis<-«l  the  \\w-\vnnww\  ni  fi^'hling  aguiiiHt  Gnd.  We  hold  by  tht-  jirinciple  that  lile 
fihould  not  )»■  reckU'Huly  Kinrirn:rd.  Bui  if  we  ar*-  dinj)oHetl  t>o  t<i»<  uk  Of  thif  incident 
aji  recklcMM  wicrific*  of  lifi-,  let  uh  renH-mlmr  wlmt  hundrcilH  of  lives  have  been  iniperillod 
nnd  iia<:rifirfd  ni'irc  than  oneo,  t'wn  for  the  Hake  ipfa  hingle  Kritiih  Hiiliject.  No  right- 
riiihdfyl  [>«rnofi  would  condemn  the  m-nding  forth  of  wjlilierH — miiny  of  them  to  certnin 
dmith — In  hijch  a  cwm-  ius  Ihiil  cf  AhysHiriia,  wlu're  the  livui  of  HritiHh  HUbjertH  were 
in  d»intr«r,  <<t  that  of  iht!  allempted  rewue  of  (iineral  Gordon.  Hi  fmr  we  can  (licriMh 
a  •uapioloa  of  lnju«tlc«  agjunit  the  doalingi  of  (iod,  Ut  u«  b«  »\xtv  that  we  have  right 


L  1-ia.]  TUB  nOOVD  BOOK  OF  TIU  KlMO§. 


U 


hat  uibaMinMUaaftwBowMtMk.    Btt^  i^m.  iIm>«  an  mat  omm 

«r  >>v  uadorMuid  or  kttow  dl  Um  rtfiiatit U  aaek  •  mm    •    i 

*"'  <-  w«  MB  uk«  u>  U'w  la  wbakriM  to  lU  bii-vM*  vfll  of  (i  .1? 

"J^  (•  of  aU  U»r  Mrtit  du  rigblt*    PW  all  Unm  i^mom  I  «M>dtid« 

tlt«  oMM  dowB  fram  kaavw  opaa  iUm  auldkar*  •»■  m  Mt  W  IwitoiL 

rA^KK  !■  »M  Aoror  yr— II  i.    Mo««  Umd  oo*  r«MM  kM  ak^f 

fv.tii  I.MTrn  v«a  me— ary.     Ii  may  Uv«  kaaa  aae^Hfy 

•    ifa.     Ii  tuaj  hav*  ha«  aaeiaiary  la  viadkalks  «#  Ua 

!       t  uok  ula.^  at  a  Una  of  alawMft  uilvafMl  Muklry  a»l 

:-.virl.     TtiiiL,  huwvTar,  »a  nay  ba  aor*  ol^  tlul«  vhatlMr 


tira  Mrva*  la  Um  natural  arorld.  for  vktak 

',  ^•froyta^,  aad 
liia.     Parbapa  w« 


world.    Thaa  ar«  pmhfyimm,  d^Ur^m^.  a^ 
pofify  M  in  iha  apaiuial  In 


^<-  ^  eiiirroMod  with  tha  Iklaca  oT  tlUa  lila.  la«  iag  «• 

1^  Parhaps  wr  ara  aaktag  aD  Idol  of  moa^  «nkly 

wa  art  booomlog  iniritiiaUj  pco«d.    P.rbap»  •• 
oiikara,  aod  think  bow  madi  baltar  wa  ara  tliaa 
^d'    A  "I     "^  ■r.T,     V  r* u.rf  may  think  it  wiaa  to  purifr  tw  ftoa  aock  droa  a« 
!tt  J?  H  **^  "*  to  paM  tiifoutfh  iL«  furaao*  a/  afflictka,  or  adfar^y.  o* 

liokMaa.  Thus  ha  humi  1m  um.  Thua  ha  kaopa  m  mindful  that  wa  ara  b«l  imL 
Thoa  IM  k»  («  us  miuaiul  oi  our  dapwdraea  apa«  kirn.  TVs  thr  drw»rvvm§  iba  U 
■— J«>  in  Uie  mural  aud  tpihtual  world,  aa  wall  m  in  tha  natvnJ  warldL  It  »a«  a 
■aaaMary  put  ot  tha  Dtrioa  guvammaat  that  Bodon  aod  Oooonah  ahouU  ha 
Mrorad.  Thay  ware  a  moral  plafcu»«pal.  Tha  tetatlBg  Umh  moat  ha  oM  off  il 
tha  budy  is  to  b«  iavod.  Bo  ako  BareulaDMnB  and  hnpali  w«ra  dcatioTad  wh«  thar 
too  bacame  a  oantre  of  moral  defrradatioB  and  eomipttoa.  Woold  it  im  any  — V 
wo«ld  It  be  any  lojiiitica,  if  th^^  fire  of  Ood  would  ooma  down  from  hMT«n  and  bwm 
tm  aoma  of  tha  moral  ptague-«pou  of  modam  timatf  Would  not  tha  wvVl  U  vaaUy 
Iha  baltar  V  tha  fsamblinf-ltaUa  and  dhnking-ltlli  aod  Leila  of  immormlity  wara  burnt 
up  in  oaa  ra-t  ooaflacmiunr  AimI  K  they  art  iiared,  aod  if  tha  moral  oemip«c«a  ml 
othert  ara  tparad,  will  it  be  aov  better  for  them  in  that  <iav  whan  *'  the  frarfuL  and 
unbelieTinic  and  tha  abuminMble,  aod  murtlcrrrm,  and  wLofr:i>«M«a  aod  aofaarara. 
•ad  kiokt«r«,and  all  Uara.  ahall  have  their  pari  in  the  lake  which  buraaih  wiih  fira  aod 
■rtaMtaoa:  which  i«  the  aeoond  death  "?  TLa<i  tliera  ia  die  tmUmf  Jin.  Thia  alao  ta 
HOiiiury  In  tha  apiritual  world.  "Wherein  ye  gf.-aUy  rejoice,*  my  tha  Apoalla 
rKar,  "though  now  for  a  aea>oa,  if  nerd  ba,  ye  are  in  hearioeM  thro^  m^mit^ 
laaMation^  that  tha  trial  of  your  faith,  being  much  more  piaeioua  than  o/  aold  that 
nrlahath,  though  it  ba  triad  with  fita,  mi):ht  be  found  unto  praiae  and  honour  and 

d«7  at  tha  ar-  ^-^ '  '         ^^briat"  a  Pet.  L  6.  7).     If  tjJia  wuia  no  Irtal.  a«l 

^*    f***  uo  proof  of  .ur  faith.    And  then  the  time  ia  aamiM 

wh«i  the  firt-    -  .,  ^.  .  .-    V  Ood.  ludgmaot-ahaU  try  atary^ianS 

work  of  *L-i  auct  it  la.     If  our  1  aptm  CSL,  than  out  of  tha  MwyWaf 

tf  It  wiil  ..  u.c  .Irarar  and  hri,-}  _  ^^  rfw^-pffiij  6ra  It  will  auffer  no  harZ 

a^from;  y  fire  it  v  ^rib  to  honour  and  f>  icy.     "Than  ahall  tha 

"Kjf'^  **  '-     "  ogdom  of  their  Father  •  (Mate  xiiL  43V 

rS*  '^['L  '  ^»umurT  WITH  Tiia  Dirura  hkbct.     Haaa  wa 

■ajoonaldaradiffic  raiaed.    Whan  Jwua, on  hia  war  to  Jeru«la«, 

paaaed  through  a  Til-g.  «W  tha  hamantana,  tha  people  thcta  would  nc4  raoaiva  kirn, 
*•  ha»uaehia  face  waaaa  though  ha  would  goto  5«uaal«n.-  Tha  diacipea.  lo  an«r^ 
aakad  bim  if  thay  aheuld  ooouaand  ire  to  ooom  down  froa  hcuTao.  aa  EUiabdid! 
Miaonaumatbai^  Tha  jaawar  of  our  Sariour  waa,  -  Ta  know  not  what  maunaTW 
ET/'/t'^w  i  ^f  !f2'vH.**'  man  la  tKH  com  to  deaUoy  man'a  Uraa.  but  to  .aea 
4a«  (Luke  ix.  61-MX  Now.  tha  quaation  which  aona  hava  aakad  U  .hia-Hoa 
aol  OutebMaoaadamn  tha  action  of  Aijahf  A  oaraful  atudr  of  the  oarrauTe  bafcau 
»taoulda«aadiBpoaa  or  «ch  a  quaation  aa  that.  It  »a  aaid  hera.  -  71U  <r»  «•  <larf 
aama  down  Itan  haaren.  Brea  if  thia  were  not  atatod.  it  te  obvtona  u.ii  K  ,•>  W 
hlMalf  h«i  no  power  to  bring  dawn  Iba  ftm  haavw,  uUa  vHh  OoTa  ancuy*  aad 


12  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.  [oh.  1.1—181 

assistance.  But  m  great  many  commentators  and  preachers,  who  would  not  go  the 
length  of  saying  that  Christ  condemned  Elijah,  seem  to  suggest  that  he  condero^ned 
hif  spirit,  as  unsuited  to  gospel  times.  Even  for  this  suggestion  I  do  not  think  there 
is  any  warrant.  Gar  Saviour  condemned  the  disciples  for  a  spirit  ox  vindictiTeness  and 
revenge,  which  prcjbably  was  intensified  by  the  feeling  of  prejudice  and  animosity 
which  existed  against  the  Samaritans.  He  also  stated  that  he  was  not  come  to  destroy 
men's  lives,  but  to  save  them.  His  work,  tJien,  was  one  of  salvation.  But  those  who 
rejected  his  salvation  were  certainly  to  perish.  More  than  once  Christ  in  the  clearest 
manner  teaches  this.  "  Except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  likewise  perish."  He  foretells 
the  doom  of  Jerusalem.  He  foretells  the  terrible  agony  of  lost  souls,  who  shall  go  away 
into  everlasting  fire;  "there  shall  be  the  wailing  and  the  gnashing  of  teeth,"  The 
action  of  retributive  justice,  therefore,  is  perfectly  consistent  with  mercy  toward  the 
sinner.  The  consuming  fire  may  be  part  of  a  merciful  and  loving  purpose  toward 
the  world  at  large.  In  the  particular  case  bf/ore  us,  we  see  that  mercy  was  exhibited 
as  well  as  justice.  The  third  captain,  who  showed  a  humble  spirit,  and  apparently 
some  regret  at  the  work  he  had  to  do,  was  mercifully  spared  the  fate  which  had  fallen 
upon  the  other  two.  While  we  speak  of  the  consuming  fire  of  God's  justice,  we  would 
Epeak  also  of  mercy  for  the  penitent,  of  forgiveness,  full  and  free,  for  every  anxious 
soul,  for  every  returning  wanderer.  ''Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesui  Christ,  and  thou 
shalt  be  saved."— C.  H.  L 

Vers.  1 — 8. — Worldly  royalty  and  personal  godlinesa.  **  Then  Moab  rebelled  against 
Israel,"  etc.  The  two  Books  of  Kings,  which  form  but  one  in  the  most  correct  and 
aucieut  edition  of  the  Hebrews,  whilst  they  constitute  a  very  strange  and  significant 
history,  are  fraught  with  much  moral  and  practical  suggestion.  These  verses  bring 
under  our  notice  two  subjects  of  thought — worldly  royalty  in  a  humiliating  condition, 
and  personal  godliness  truly  majestic. 

1.  Worldly  kotaltt  in  a  HUMiLiATiKa  condition.  1.  Here  is  a  king  in  mortal 
suffering.  "  And  Ahaziah  fell  down  through  a  lattice  in  his  upper  chamber  that  was 
in  Samaria,  and  was  sick."  Nature  has  no  more  respect  for  kings  thiin  for  beggars ; 
her  laws  treat  them  as  ordinary  mortals.  2.  Here  is  a  kiug  in  mental  distress.  On 
his  bed  of  suffering  the  king's  mind  was  most  painfully  exercised  as  to  what  would  be 
the  issue  of  his  bodily  suffering.  He  sends  messengers  to  the  idols  in  (>rder  to  ask 
whether  "I  shall  recover  of  this  disease."  No  doubt  the  fear  of  death  distressed  him, 
an  indeed  it  distresses  most.  3.  Here  is  a  king  in  superstitious  darkness.  He  had  no 
knowledge  of  the  true  God,  no  enlightened  religious  feeling,  and  he  sent  his  messengers 
to  an  idol — the  g(A  of  flies — to  know  whether  he  should  recover  or  not.  What  a 
humiliating  condition  for  royalty  to  be  in  I  And  yet  it  is  a  condition  in  which  kings 
and  princes  are  often  found.     The  other  subject  of  thought  here  is — 

IL  Pkbsonal  ouulinebs  tbult  majestic.  Elijah  is  an  example  of  personal  godli- 
ness, though,  in  a  worldly  sense,  he  was  very  poor,  and  his  costume  seemed  to  be 
almost  the  meanest  of  the  mean.  "He  was  a  hairy  n)an,  and  girt  with  a  girdle  of 
leaiker  about  his  loins."  But  see  the  majesty  of  this  man  in  two  things.  1.  In 
tecnvini)  roinmunication  from  heaven.  "But  tiie  angel  of  the  Lord  said  to  Elijah  tiie 
Ti(ihbit<'."  A  truly  gfxily  m;in  is  ever  in  corriHpondonce  with  Heaven ;  hia  "  conversation 
la  iu  hi  Mvcn."  '2.  in  reproving  the  king.  "  Is  it  not  because  there  is  not  a  God  in 
Inrael,  that  thou  HcndcsL  to  inquire  of  lJa;il-zebub  tho  god  of  Ekron?"  The.  thing 
called  reiif/i'in  in  niany  countries  is  just  Htrong  enough  to  roprovo  tho  poor,  but  too  woiik 
Uj  thtimhr  rejirrnjf  into  the  ear  of  thi'  corrupt  anl  pleasun -seeking  munarchH.  In  his 
rrproof  he  prononnees  on  him  tlie  Divine  ju'igrncnt,  "Thou  shalt  not  come  down  olT 
that  hi^i  on  which  thou  art  gone  up,  hut  uhalt  surely  die." 

CoNCMiHioN.  Which  in  tho  bettor,  do  vou  think — a  throne  or  a  godly  character ? 
Fools  only  prefer  the  formcsr ;  the  man  of  sense,  thoughtful mumh,  aiuI  ruflocliou  would 
»*y  the  htiter. — D.  T. 

Vers.  9 — IH. — Afan  in  thret.  anpncts.  "Then  the  king  sont  unto  htm  a  capUiin  of 
ifty,"  sic.      Iu  tliiM  |Kir;i({rii|)ii  wu  liiive  man  in  three  ii^<|RtetH. 

I.  Ma*  koiitrd  THriovfiM  ruic  rtovinHrv  ok  otiikhh.  The  nitm.snngom  which  the  king 
MDl  to  Elijah — fifty  each  time  on  three  difTurent  occasions — were  all,  except  the  laNt 


m  L 1— ULl  TBI  nOOND  BOOS  OF  TBI  EIWHL  U 


V— •  »  """f        •  •    ■—•  I  ■■  ■  I    ■     •»'»«    u>vK    aw  ^— Mat 

Jut  ui^-tteuffn  ot  %La  Lu.^     TtiniUg b«ul  Um  koMMi  riMy  l«  all  raoM  ai^ 

t  uc-  o  imwl  millioa*  nuaninf  utxW  iK«  m«l»  and  tudartaai  Wougtit  fl« 

Mid  ihccl.  .««d«ik'* 

■MMMgara  AtMD  Um  king,  w«r«  •Uuck  d  ^»ii»iMiH  ot  Q^    TUetm 

w&t  DO  pTi— I  vaogoftixw  in  the  act.    \.  .        ..^w  u    m  iv  o.    Ou4^ 

)J«ii  ia  Ihk  worbl  b  lo  ^«miuA  m  wrii  m  lu  •iii<«  wm*.  Pbarwili 

)Mti.sh«d,  mm)  Um  OtttUttltM,  sic 7    bjr  maa.    tiiu/ui  u..    ...  .v  ^  ...  ...«i,  (Am  by 

wortiileM  klafi  and  ruthl««  cUapolc 

lU.  Mav  rrBPruo  iirru  tuk  fi.ACi  or  tub  pbab.    Th«  King  AhasiakdiM:  Jm^anm 
■iMiltiiu  hi*  placet.    '  Lb«  word  of  Um  Lord  wkkJi  Kli>ati  kM) 

^iCeu.     At.iJaLonv:  ** One  gaoaraiioo  ouOMli^  and  aawikar 

pM»<  l*>aoas,  jAMiti  lotu  oflkw  of  lif*  ara  oo  souck*  vac«it4 

byd  liioj  ara  »tc|pi<i  v     Tkoa  tbo  world  gu«a  oa.  aod  iha  da^d 

an  kMtt  tufgwUao.  Tb«  icroaUM  utau  ua  c*rth  Uvdaj  la  but  a  mare  bubUa  oo  iLa 
^•rwt  livar  of  kumaD  liia;  ho  aparklaa  fur  a  muoesi^aod  k  loot  iue  avar  la  i4a 
abjM.— D.  T. 

V«r.  L— r*«  rrfcJt  of  .Voah.     (O-,  thii  cf.  ■ '•     '    /)     V  .,V,,  ,,.  «     '..,....    -..,0! 
Oarid  (2  Sam.   Tiii.   2),   jriha,«  r      i  ht*i   il^  .,      -  ^^ 

taoo,  aud,  if  the  Mxi^itc  Sine  c  >ii   i-  ^^'0 

father.     N^v,  on  the  tx^^vKi'  u  of  tic  d' .t  .,,« 

off  ()»a  Itrarliii»h  Yoka.     1.  '1  he  or..;!ttii  cu  <; 
TLt-a«  iLio^t  baru  iuto  the  UiOiiiorv   of  ]>^^'\^.  v      L 
bfteo   OiOit      ■  •  V ..  ^    V,     ,.i    i  ,       V 

Um   DoDH 

the  reWll.  _i  ..   _ a  ._   :.  .    .  ^ 

fCoTc-miurnt.     S.  Ahab  aifl  l^r&ei  lisul  j  t^ 

Laniia  of  the  Byritu*  (1  Kii.^-s  ixil).     '1;,  ^^^ 

a  farourable  opjx.rtir  ity  f<.'r  rt-v.-lu     TL"(»e  w  oiA 

loTf,  cannot  be  blazuc^i  if  they  take  the  earlieet  4. 

larael  and  Muab  wera  liivia-.d  by  rvligi<>a.     '1  « 

among  pc-upIiA     K:iUonalitiea  baaed  ou  oifforaoi  :  -     .  ■;; 

asunder.  Anj  anity  in  which  thej  are  held  caa  b«  uaiy  tuLUxu*..  . 
of  the  rmoe  oan  oolv  be  acoouipIiBbed  on  the  baaia  of  the  worship  of  the  ' 
at'd  the  one  Lord  Jesua  ChruL     6.  God  uaed  tbaaa  revulta  aa  a  maana  oi  1 

(cf.  1   Ki(i4«  xi.  23X     Un<it?r  Davil,  the  greatoai  thoucntic  niler,  tha   >. 
buiJi  up,  c<>iiK)Iidst<<d,  extcii  inl  .olt  fr.'in  G^d,  loth  in  Jutiah  ana  Lejael,  u&a 

■gnalizei   by  the  reTolt  vi  dt  Will  our  o*ru   BritAin  hold  iu  L<nm*^ 

poaitiuu  auiuu^  tb«?  uattuns,  or  vti  ,  na  ^.trmiDtm  loo  daoay,  aud  ita  power  be  aborn  bj 
Mooaasivr  brraLing  oJ  of  lu  o(.>luuieaf  Tba  aaawar;  w«  b«U«T%  will  dapaad  rarj 
much  OD  iu  tkiciity  to  God. — J.  0. 

yen.l—S.—AAoMiak'imeJhum.    Sao  of  a  doocnM  hoDi>«  '1   ^' "^  Tti.  29\  Abab^ 
Moeaaaar  od  tiie  tbrooa  raigtMd  for  two  ingkirioua  jcara.  r  ia  daaw1b<d 

la  tba  wuria,  **  Ua  wallt !  in  tLe  w»t  of  bia  father,  and  lu  m  ,f>>.-r  «r)d 

Id  tba  way  of  JoroboH  <>f  Kel«i,  who  made  lara  i\ 

A  areak  niler,  be  «Tt<>  '■  n  ere  tool  of  bia  mother  .  m 

he  .iiheite^     Ii.  .  opaa  drfiaaoa  of  J' 

c.i.  :i  uf  Gud'a  ^  hia  attampi  oa  the  . 

ohiU  uf  th«  **  ctirtoi  >k^u..^  "  (cL.  LL  'Si),     Evao  00  bit  >  -   cb 

oouipiiiici)(jQ  aa  orraaioiially  iri»itr<i  his  father  Ahab  (1  :.  v    .^1 

by  r\t  .j.irn  u><i  .  he  **  harviciiod  bia  aeck"  ia  a  Ma/  w tau»  ietl  tu  Lia  hri,Ag 

"  iii.<:  ic-fily  dristr  v.  xxix-  1^ 

I.  TiiK  FATAi    FAiu.     iue/MiMuai  kiog  eaoka  to  bia  aod  la  a  mianar    I.  HaS- 
timU)  ttmftie.     Idly  lounging  at  tha  prujaodag  bttioa  window  of  bia  paUoa  la  tietaara 


U  THE  SECX)ND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.  [ob;  1.1^18. 


— perhaps  leaning  against  it,  and  gazing  from  Ms  elevated  position  on  the  fine  prospect 
that  spreads  itself  around — his  support  suddenly  gave  way,  and  he  was  precipitated  to 
the  ground,  or  courtyard,  below.  He  is  picked  up,  stunned,  but  not  dead,  and  carried  to 
his  couch.  It  is,  in  common  speech,  an  accident — some  trivial  neglect  of  a  fastening — 
but  it  terminated  this  royal  career.  On  such  slight  contingencies  does  human  life,  the 
change  of  rulers,  and  often  the  course  of  events  in  history,  depend.  We  cannot  suffi- 
ciently ponder  that  our  existence  hangs  by  the  finest  thread,  and  that  any  trivial  cause 
may  at  any  moment  cut  it  short  (Jas.  iv.  14).  2.  Yet  providential,  God's  providence 
is  to  be  recognized  in  the  time  and  manner  of  this  king's  removaL  He  had  "  provoked 
to  anger  the  Lord  Gt)d  of  Israel "  (1  Kings  xxii.  53),  and  God  in  this  sudden  way  cut  him 
oflf.  This  is  the  only  rational  view  of  the  providence  of  God,  since,  as  we  have  seen,  it 
is  from  the  most  trivial  events  that  the  greatest  results  often  spring.  The  whole  can 
be  controlled  only  by  the  power  that  concerns  itself  with  the  det^s.  A  remarkable 
illustration  is  afforded  by  the  death  of  Ahaziah's  own  father.  Fearing  Micaiah's  pro- 
phecy, Ahab  had  disguised  himself  on  the  field  of  battle,  and  was  not  known  as  the 
King  of  Israel.  But  he  was  not,  therefore,  to  escape.  A  man  in  the  opposing  ranks 
"  drew  a  bow  at  a  venture,"  and  the  arrow,  winged  with  a  Divine  mission,  smote  the 
king  between  the  joints  of  his  armoiir,  and  slew  him  (1  Kings  xxii.  34).  The  same 
minute  providence  which  guided  that  arrow  now  presided  over  the  circumstances  of 
Ahaeiah's  fall.  There  Is  in  thia  doctrine,  which  is  also  Christ's  (Matt.  x.  29,  30),  comfort 
for  the  good,  and  warning  for  the  wicked.  The  good  man  acknowledges,  "  My  times 
are  in  thy  hand  "  (Ps.  xxxi.  16),  and  the  wicked  man  should  pause  when  he  reflects 
that  he  cannot  take  his  out  of  that  hand.  S.  Irremediable.  From  the  bed  to  which  he 
ha'i  been  carried  up,  the  king  was  never  to  rise.  The  injury  he  had  received  was  fatal 
Yet  a  little  space  was  given  him — even  him — for  repentance.  His  fall  might  have 
produced  immediate  death.  These  few  remaining  days,  when  the  sands  were  running 
out,  were,  however,  only  to  demonstrate  further  Ids  incorrigibility  of  nature. 

II.  The  1CBS8AQK  TO  Ekbon.  A  sick-bed,  with  the  possibility  of  the  sickness  proving 
fatal,  tests  most  men.  It  tested  Ahaziah.  We  note  in  his  behaviour  the  following 
instructive  facts  :  1.  He  toaa  moved  to  apply  to  some  god.  Not,  indeed,  in  hope  of  a  cure, 
but  only  to  obtain  information  aa  to  the  issue  of  his  illness.  He  sent  to  consult  an 
oracle,  not  to  ask  a  blessing.  But  even  in  this  there  is  seen  the  desire  for  supernatural 
help,  for  direct  intera-urse  with  the  invi8il>le,  which  men  so  often  feel  in  their  hour  of 
trouble.  It  was  a  dark  hour  for  Ahaziah,  Life  hung  in  the  balance,  and  he  shrank 
from  death  with  a  great  dread-  He  could  not  wait  for  the  verdict  of  events,  but  would 
fain  wrest  the  8';cret  from  a  heathen  shrine.  Piety  can  afford  to  leave  the  issue  in  God'g 
hand*.  Impiety  dare  not  do  this,  and  can  find  no  comfort  save  in  the  assurance  of 
rec<jvery.  2.  He  did  not  apply  to  Jehovah.  Was  there  not  a  God  in  Israel  to  inquire 
of?  Ahaziah  know  very  well  that  there  was,  and  that  ther(3  were  prophets,  like 
Miciiah  and  Elijah,  who  would  tell  him  the  trutli.  It  need  not  he  questioned  that  it 
was  an  «'vil  conwcience,  and  that  only,  which  kept  hira  from  applying  to  J(^u)vah.  Ut! 
knew  how  impioiisly  he  had  behaved  towardH  Jehovali.  He  pcrfrctly  well  understood 
what  kind  of  rooejition  he  would  receive  from  the  propliets,  and  in  what  langua^^e  thoy 
would  ntVuim  him.  He  anticii»aleti  the  nature  of  the  sontouco  they  would  pronounce. 
He  dare<l  not,  therefore,  inquire  of  the  Lord.  So  when  men,  in  ihoir  dislrosH,  feel 
itn|«lltMi  U>  Ko  to  Gcxi,  thoy  are  often  held  back  by  the  ronicmhraMce  of  past  wickod- 
n<-fJi.  'I'hey  know,  if  tin  y  come,  it  must  be  with  changed  hearts  and  tlio  n  nounoing 
of  evil  fiwj'ih,  and  for  this  thoy  are  not  ))rei)are(i.  3.  He  a/ip/ied  to  the  yinl  of  Ekron. 
linal-Mjbuli — "lord  of  fiion,"  oh  the  word  mcanii.  'I'ho  oracle  ol  this  g.ii  had  prohaoiy 
("■rne  1o<hI  r<  put<-,  whii  h  li<l  him  to  geleet  It.  Hero  conicH  in  the  olement  of  HU]M'r- 
•lllion.  The  craving  after  the  HUiKjrnalural  in  human  nature  Is  not  to  bo  Hiiliod,  and, 
if  it  cannot  b«)  graiifie'l  in  \\  lawful,  it  will  Hoeii  giatifi.  anon  in  Homo  unlawful  way. 
Haul,  fciriiaken  of  ihA,  tumwl  to  th«)  witch  of  Kudor  (1  Ham.  xxviii.  fi,  7).  '*  A  noto- 
no<u  inddi-j  iik«  l*hilipi>f  Kj^aiit/),  though  in  other  reHpecta  a  man  of  abiliiy,  <"o»ild  yet 
Uy  to  j-ri-n-ix*  bin  fa'c  by  llio  iK»rl  of  cup-angury  invohrd  in  exiiinlning  the  groumlH  of 

f'ifl««.       '1  he  Itomaii  world,  In  the  tii )f  tho  ft|H>Mtli'H,  wan  not  more  cliaracleri/.«'(l  hy 

ii«  tA\icmU*\  Ml  |.iini»<ifi   than   by   tli(>  intlnx    into  it  of  overy   kind  ol  HU|M>rf<lition  (of 
Inrrar'*  '  Ht.  ruul,'  ( li.  lix.  ;  (^Miylnare  und  JInwHon,  ch.  ▼.).      In  our  own  day,  niuiti- 

"JM  («rufMNiiig  (iulwli)f  ill  (iod'i  rcTciitliun  luru  with  oagor  crwlulity  to  ihu  deluiiioua 


«.ii-iij       to  SBooHD  BOOK  Of  m  imoa  u 

«i  tfkitmJlkm.    Ii  vm  to  mt^mimA^  maUvfU  a»»<«i  e4  nniiitti^  IW  briii^  wwU 

l).»l  Or<i  f»V«  **Um  Mf*  »x«Nt  (W  ftVfktttf  "  (Dml  ivli.  ^— If>. 

111.  Tm  t'VK&raiTmu  iiemac    TIm  wiiMifi  WfA  «•  t^^  ■•tr  to  U 


IW  khiotkd  MJil  <l  iW  wtwiiin    li<  of  •bow  Qo4  Ud  ^td.  *  " 


lMwtUou«|«Mka  jowmwairMftMM^fBraix  )'*"Mlsl»yai*(Bst>'  -r      ri^    Tk« 


DIvtM  ita*  oT  Um  mkakf  wMsk  ted  bglOlM  AhuUk  «acMa  !•  1^  .  ummm 

WllMpK>f->''      *•-.'.»' •-w-^jga  o..«  »-■•  «>-4  bad  •"«  fafi^ .—    tub 

UM")micm>  .  wbo  tai.  caiiuB  of  bM  baoow  lalo  Ui  •«» 

Of  a  dwiMMo  Mtr|irtM.     ii«  ouwm  DO  ooe  koovt  whmm  t  b* 


k«o««  vbit^.    nu  tTr<i.>ti:>\'>  wMlmrraMlr*— "•  balry  aMa,aMl  girt  lU 

of  hMtUr  oboot  1.  '<X    Suddoolj  bo  ooafroau  Um  humii  ,  .!§ 

10  lk«o  Iko  liooic  ti  Dol  bKmoM  tbato  ia  oai  o  QuA  lo  loroc       -   .         lo 

lo^oli*  of  Bod  o*Lta»  Um  gwl  of  Kknio  ?  "  It  U  rmio  tbai,  to  iUaJpf  ftoui  Um  t*(0  of 
duly, ««  4o  ool  mMt  Oo4  lo  tbo  way  la  opom  form.  BoUam  oo  hit\pm»ii  to  ika  Kiot 
oTMoab;  Jooob  tooiog  tern  Ika  pnouuea of  thm  Ixirti  to Tiarabiab t  BMab bln^atf  vboa 
U  Sad  to  Botok^  boariM  tbo  n>le*  of  tba  Laf<  •  W  bat  doaal  iImm  bN%  Bihib  r  *  (lloMb. 
xxiLtS;  JooabLt  1  Kiot;.  xU.  9).  I  JMt  tidimmNt  A\mmlt\  tU  ■■iiiiia  i 
•oai  fo  oo  (ttitbor.  Tb*  mA  ^mattoo  tboj  «Mff^  ai  Esroo  vaa  glrao  tbara.  owoafcod. 
frooi  o  oaiw  aooroo.    kn  or»rl«  bod  apokrti  iba  ooo  to  wbkb  \h»y  vara  ai«i. 

Bkfooli  raply  voa  aaUdpoiad  by  Joborah'  um^tan  tbua  aaitb  iIm  Lard,  Tboo 

dovB  from  thai  bad  oo  »tiicu  xwjm  art  goaa  op,  but  »Lalt  suraly  <Iia.* 


^^'■'ffy  ■>*****^ I    Ood  balh  ^okao,  ood  oo  oib«r  oao  ravaraa  it  (Numb.  xiid.  SO) 

IT.  Tm»  vrnnw  to  tsb  kom.    TWa  waa  tbat  lo  tba  %\ ruaaaar.  a»d 

loofoifa  of  thia  moo  «bo  bad  eroaaed  tbalr  path  Uka  an  ap   .  .b  ooofiboad 

Ika  OMmaagan  tbot  Qv>d  had  apukso  thfuufb  kirn.     Tbey  ^.^ ^  j  raiorood  oft 

oooo  to  tko  liflk  kiug.  A  few  woida  of  ozplonatlai  oaflead  to  pot  blm  la  pooMamoa  of 
tbo  dnnMlooeaa.  A  l'  wltv  (x>ii»clri,c«  U  avift  to  oomprab«i<*  in  aucb  mattto.  Wttk 
•oonteg  praoiitoo  iba  ;jrvtod  tba  nddle  ol  ib«  luyturioua  proobcC 

**  Whol  maaoar  of  ma'        >  c  up  tookeal  joa,aikl  told  vou  ibaaawuoaT* 

**  It  U  KlHob  Ibo  TiahUuL*  AhauAk  knew  what  tkal  maooL  Hit  forlimi  oooM  bo 
tLvM  of  his  &thar  Ahab  wbao  ba  asclain»rd.  "  Haal  tbou  found  mr.  0  mioa  aormjr  T  * 
(1  K  n<:«  zxL  30).  Tba  apoaaroooa  of  Banauoli  f^***^  **  ^^  banquet  vaa  aoft  omto 
trrtibla  to  Macbrth  tkoQ  tUa  flTCOidof  of  bU  pou  bj  KUjob  vo>  to  Akatiab  al  tbal 
Btutneoi.  Hi*  »iL>a  bad  fuuod  kim  oofL  Hovarar  loog  tba  laoa  of  oiokadoaaa  omj  ba, 
v«  moj  ba  aura  tbo  kim%jm  alaoda  ol  tko  ami  of  IL--J.  O. 


▼ara.  •— 18.— Tk*  ftvfkat  of  Jif.  Tbo  oel  of  EU)ab,  to  eamog  dowo  Are  from 
baavaa  oo  bia  aoamtco,  la  tkoa  lomorked  opoo  b^  Dean  BtanUy,  witb  ridarauoii  to 
CkiWa  oUorfM  to  U  lo  tko  ooipd  (Loka  Ix.  61— 66).  -  Whan  UiO  two  apaatlm 
opiwalod  to  Ibaaiorar4aof  BUjak  *toeall  down  fira  from  basr-  •  ->  wbom  tbaj 

■nod  away  wtUa  Initloairtno  from  tha  raoMmbraooa  ^  .  ^rmx  of  tk!a 

.  of  kio  pronkaiio  pcodaeamoro  "  (*  Jawiab  Cborck,*  vuL  u.  ,  .  .  Wa  eooooft 
lUo  loniaA.  Jcoo^  ^*f^  l*"^!  rabukad  kia  dlodidoa.  telUof  tkam  tbay 
did  Ml  koow  wkol  oiaooor  of  ciirii  ilirr  wrrr  of  ati!  r«-miading  Mtimn  tkal  tba  Sao 
of  omo  voa  oot  eooM  to  daatroT  .aOL    Bui  ka  did  oot  n»aao 

to  Itopfy  Ika  Ibo  onirit  wkkk  1  .  uwo  Hom  ood  pioeOi  uraaf. 

It  waa  a  pora  and  koly  aaal  fet  u>d  God  aanettoood  it  by  Modtaig  tJM 

ira.     Only  tkora  woa  a  hetUr  ac  the  apiril  «i  lovo  aod  (raoa  to  Conat ; 

ood  It  woa  hy  ikia  ika  diadpla*  Kara  kaoo  adoaiad.     Wkoi  waa 

ouogtooua  wtak  iko  eld  <ii«i<erir  \'\\j  eoi  giouua  witk  the  kijtbar 

apiril  of  iko  oow.    Ot-  (bol  tba  duct  ^  ««« 

mioiakao  io  tkiokloc  ()*d  Ttaumaot  imo  a# 

Ood.     Ba  woa  morod  «.•!£]/  '  )  *m  patonoal  aofW 

ood  raaaotoMot  fokobly  gava  aL 

L  BfiMiii  asTUioa.     h  i   k.^i.  wtikio  o  few  hmm 


If  THB  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.  [oh.  1. 1—18. 

of  Ws  death,  instead  of  humbling  himself  in  repentance,  stretching  out  his  pony  arm 

to  do  battle  with  Grod  in  the  person  of  his  mes8eno;er.  If  he  must  die,  he  is  resolved 
that  Elijah  shall  die  also.  This  resolve  is :  1.  ^  sign  of  character.  It  shows  the 
thoroughly  hardened  and  irreligious  nature  of  the  man.  There  are  no  limits  to  a 
sinner's  madness  in  warring  against  God.  2.  An  act  of  infatuation.  Knowing  what 
he  did  of  the  prophet's  history,  he  might  have  understood  that  his  enterprise  was 
hopeless.  He  may  have  reasoned  that,  as  the  blood  of  prophets  had  been  spilt  before 
(1  Kings  xviii.  4),  so  it  might  be  spilt  again.  But  he  was  now  crossing  a  prophet  in 
the  direct  discharge  of  his  duty,  and  was  thus,  in  a  sense,  giving  a  direct  challenge  t*. 
God.  "  Woe  unto  him  that  striveth  with  his  Maker !  Let  the  potsherd  strive  with 
the  potsherds  of  the  eartli  "  (Isa.  xlv.  9).  A  knowledge  of  the  periJousness  of  the  task 
in  which  he  was  embarking  is  shown  in  the  fact  that  a  band  of  fifty  men  is  sent  to 
arrest  one  prophet  (cf.  John  xviii.  3).  If  a  band  was  necessary,  it  could  only  be  because 
Elijah  had  supernatural  aid  to  rely  on ;  and,  if  he  had  that  aid,  no  amount  of  force 
could  overcome  him.  3.  A  trace  of  evil  influence.  It  is  the  spirit  of  Jezebel  which 
breathes  in  this  Heaven-defying  resolution.  The  queen-mother  had  not  forgotten  her 
yet  unfulfilled  threat,  "  So  let  the  gods  do  to  me,  and  more  also,  if  I  make  not  tby  life 
as  the  life  of  one  of  them  by  to-morrow  about  this  time  "  (1  Kings  xix.  2).  There  were 
old  scores  to  pay  off  against  Elijah,  and  this  wicked  woman  was  no  doubt  there  to 
strengthen  her  son  in  his  resolution  to  pay  them. 

II.  Elijah  ok  the  hill.  The  band  that  was  sent  to  apprehend  Elijah  found  him 
seated  on  the  top  of  a  hill.  Observe :  1.  !I7ie  solitary  grandeur  of  his  situation.  The 
situation  was  characteristic.  "We  may  say  of  Elijah  what  Wordsworth  says  of  Milton, 
his  "soul  was  like  a  star,  and  dwelt  apart."  He  is  a  strange,  solitary  figure  from 
first  to  last — stern,  rugged,  unconquerable.  2.  His  moral  fearlessness.  The  appearance 
of  Ahaziah's  soldiers  inspired  him  with  no  terror.  He  had  apparently  waited  in  the 
neighbourhood  where  he  met  the  messengers,  and  did  not  now  retreat.  Strong  in  his 
sense  that  God  was  on  his  side,  he  did  not  fear  what  man  could  do  to  him  (Ps.  cxviii.  6). 
3.  His  invisible  protection.  The  result  showed  how  entirely  Elijah  was  justified  in  his 
confidence.  "The  angel  of  the  Lord,"  who  had  sent  him  on  his  mission,  "encamped 
around  him  "  (Ps.  xxxiv.  7),  and  kept  him  from  all  evil.  Those  who  are  engaged  in 
Divine  work  can  confidently  rely  on  Divine  protection.  Not  till  they  had  "finished 
their  testimony "  was  the  beast  allowed  to  kill  the  witnesses  (Rev.  xi.  7).  The 
mountain  on  which  Elijah  sat  was  no  doubt  as  "fnll  of  horses  and  chariots  of  fire"  as 
the  hill  of  Samaria  was  in  aiter-days  for  the  protection  of  Elisha  (ch.  vi.  17).  What 
could  bands  of  fifties  avail  against  one  thus  defended  ? 

III.  The  CAPTAINS  AND  THEIR  FIFTIES.  1.  Tlie first  captain.  Clothed  with  a  little 
brief  autliority,  this  first  captain,  accompanied  by  his  fifty  men,  approaches  Elijah,  and 
orders  him  to  surrender.  (1)  The  terms  of  his  summons:  "Thou  man  of  God,  the  king 
nath  said,  C<irne  down."  In  the  same  breath  in  which  he  acknowledges  him  to  be  a 
servant  of  Jehovah,  he  demands  his  sul'mission  to  the  wicked  King  ot  Israel.  Le  roy 
If  vtult — the  king  wills  it.  Thus  poor,  j)altry,  human  authority  ventures  to  assert 
itself  against  the  autliority  of  the  King  of  kings.  No  uncommon  thini:,  it  must  be 
said,  in  history.  In  the  extrava;.'ance  of  its  conceit,  too  often  has  royal  authority 
prehiimed  to  set  itself  above  the  law  of  heaven,  and  to  dragoon,  imprison,  and  coerce 
thoHe  who  chose  to  olicy  God  ratlier  than  man.  Nor  have  tools  ever  been  wanting  to 
carry  out  th'se  infinions  behestH,  (2)  A  Imkin-^  fear.  Notwitiistanding  his  hravado, 
the  oflicer  was  not  without  his  own  fear  of  Kljah.  He  does  not  boldly  mount  the  iiill 
Ui  Wicure  bin  prihoner,  but  KtMuds  at  a  rc'^pectful  distance,  and  summons  him  to  "come 
down."  'J'I.e  wicked  often  inwardly  fear  the  ri^^hteous  at  the  very  tinu-  when  they 
it"A>it  most  loudly  of  having  lliem  in  their  power.  (3)  Tiie  answer  of  fire.  Tiiis 
in-^olcnt  HumrtionH  Ui  Kiijaii,  in  his  chaiaitor  of  "  man  of  God,"  was  a  direct,  cluillengo 
to  J<  hovah  to  viiidicato  iii.s  own  honour,  and  that  of  his  iiiHiilted  servant.  Tiie  lUHult 
wa«  warjtoii  and  puljlic,  and  must  Ix;  an  puMicly  met.  Klijah  met  it  by  invoking  Clod, 
if  h<r  wan  truly  hJH  mTvant,  to  nerid  down  liio  from  heaven  tn  eouHumo  this  hiusieriug 
cAI'tain  ai.d  hiH  myrrnidonH.  Ah  hctfore,  in  tlie  confcHt  with  Uaai'H  prophets,  his  iiniycr 
wait  ifiii,i*y\,  >iinl  thi!  :iiiHwri  ( luni  )>y  ft  r<i  ( I  Kin.'H  xviil. 'J  1  •'{'.)).  "  iOlijali  will  lot 
him  know  that  the  <i<>i\  of  lMrnel  in  Huperior  to  the  Isiii^;  of  Israel,  ami  Iiuh  a  greater 
(Kiwer  to  enforce  Lu  coiuniaudit  "  (MatlLuw  licury).    TLuh  at  length,  |{oii{X)l  diH^tenaation 


flBL  n.  1-m]  THX  ABOOKD  BOOK   OF  TBI   KIV(ML  H 

ikoMk  U  b.  will  Ira  4«nB4  fr«B  b  -  -^^  tk»  ham^  vtik*  mmm^y  (Mm 

BttI  wk«B  n»«i  •••-  -  »■■    -  .•.•*/ 

own  livw  U>  T  ^  '* 

^na  Met  u>  iM  nwniliU  ImJ  aoate^w 

bi>t   i  *«^  a^w*^ 

U  .•  M«  u«l  a« 

Ui..  **  **^  • 

U.C  -  ,       -  >^^)^ 

ilM  IM.  S.  71M 
!  rirtinow.  Lik*  Phar»L4 
!pn  him  the  morr      A  if.ird 


(Air   / 

in 
C;. 
(1 


'J« 


oould  b«ip  <  tj* 

of  pr•rk>u^  *• 

orOuJ.  1  t  •  '• 

thy  •i«bu'*  »• 

piMM  a  f«u!i»li  J  * 

■ilaviou  of  iu  <. :  ■  -  ■ 
U(«  U  ta   DO  daiigcr. 
with  him :    be  duC  hI 

eapiaiu  (u)  nved  the  ii*«-»  "i  -"y^ 

mpuiiu  could  DOC  obuio  by  tL< .  -*^<' 
tn  da«ort*d«Nl  from  he«Teii  ■■]                 ' 
liOB  of  botUAD   li^f.      Add 

king's  : '      ••    ■■    ^  

tbr  tn.  i«  proud,  but  t:  ^ 

iV.   ii...  " i-  ci»imiiiiKn      1  *. 

to  Abaxub't    bedciiambcr,    Elijaii    fr  >• 

for'<'-ri^'  t-r-nt   liV    the  IiK  .•.s<-U^'  r?.       "   1  .  '^ 

ti  •. .  .'      i.     >   lue  worxi  «  »b 

c,  iir-  r  »-   :      :■   of  *  it  fui  •»l 

Ooa — u>  bear  iu»t  di»  ^xi  b*  ihr                     .el  %»bu»t  •    •>    •   t'' 

briDg  U>  the  diul.      1;.  .f  the   L                      c.»t*ud«i  f  «'" 

■Duer  prri«he«.      It  u  (m  «  •                      lbt»«  who  ttuw  li^-i 

and  uejp.M  hi*  gu«i*l  will  .  .  •'.  -<.        -^^  ^.  O. 

Yen.  17,  18  ^Unwritttm  kidory.    Abuiah  diod,  and  Jabrocam  bii  broi: 
bini.     "TiiP  I  u  *  ware  wruifD  "lu  the  t-     '      '  '  t 

i^  I«r«el ;  "    '  :  »•  not  J»r«er»ed  tb«m. 

In  tbe  net  (  and  enl  exi»i«m^  to  y 

"  Tbe  meui  UIea>«l ;  but  ihf  U!»m-  o!  'X 

Ku..ugb    U  ' :•     •         "-     -•    -    -■  - 

rx-tr: button  di^  aooufui^^  to 

the  wmd  ui  1^^=  *^.u  -^...^   ....j-^  .._ .  ^.  -. 


of 


EXPOSITION. 
CHAPTER   n. 


▼««.   1— 2i— Tm*  RuiuTAL  or  FixiAa 

rwju  Eabtu.  ASkU  auMi  Kaklt  Mik4<-i.s»  or 

Klimia.     Tbe  ^'fCst  prufihet  of    l»rw»\  w»« 

It  ^T*  •  de(i*nur«  (roai  •»nb  m  — ifttowa 

a.  tiaaa 


M  bU  tub  hMl  hMS.   E«alira«wda.tka«th 

not  iotradad  In  aa  bhrt^tfMsl.  but  i<ily  ia  a 
Uieniry  wi.  embody  very  fonibl?  «bat 
Ibf  bumUr  UlicTw  aMy  aeeciX  ae  Iba 
•ri^  roi^Ml*  of  the  tm^emrrLttcm  t*UMmA 
ia  v«M.  I— tt:   -Aa  aartbly  tttfwt  vblab 


18 


THE  SEC0N7>  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.         [oh,  n.  1—25. 


had  no  equal  in  the  purity  of  its  devotion 
to  the  service  of  Jehovah,  aud  was  at  the 
game  time  consummated  by  such  powerful 
efforts  to  promote  the  kingdom  of  God, 
could  only  have  a  corresponding  close.  It 
ceases  before  the  very  eyes  of  men,  only  to 
•be  taken  up  into  the  realm  of  pure  spirit, 
that  is,  to  heaven,  there  to  carry  on  its 
work  with  less  disturbance,  and  with  greater 
power;  and  at  that  moment  heaven  itself 
descends  to  earth,  to  take  to  itself  that 
spirit  which  is  already  entirely  its  own. 
And  so  »  fiery  chariot  with  fiery  horses 
comes  down  from  heaven  and  bears  Elijah 
in  the  tempest  up  to  heaven "  ('  History  of 
Israel,*  voL  iy.  pp.  109,  110,  Eug.  trans.). 
In  Ewald's  view,  the  narrative  is  pure 
imagination,  the  beautiful  conception  of  one 
who  greatly  admired  the  Tislibite,  and  in- 
vented for  him  an  end  in  ideal  harmony 
with  his  life.  But  may  not  Omnipotence 
sometimes  work  out  ideal  harmonies  in  the 
actual  matter-of-fact  universe?  And  is  it 
"  advanced  criticism,"  or  sound  criticism  at 
all,  to  take  a  professed  history,  and  pick  and 
cull  from  it  certain  portions  as  absolute 
factg,  quite  indubitable  (see  p.  107,  note  2, 
ad  fin.),  while  rejecting  otlier  portions, 
which  have  exactly  the  same  external  testi- 
mony, as  pure  fictions  absuluti  ly  devoid  of 
the  sliglite.-^t  historical  foundation? 

The  record  of  Elishu's  early  miracles 
(vers.  13 — 24)  prepares  the  way  for  tho 
po-iition  whicli  Elisha  is  to  occupy  in  the 
next  «i  ction  of  tlie  history,  under  the  Is- 
rneliVo  iiiiiiarchH,  Jtrlmram,  Jehu,  Jehoaliaz, 
and  Jelioa-h.  On  Elislia  fallsi  the  inantio 
of  J-lijah  (ver.  IIJ),  ami  witii  it  ii  portion  of 
h'u  Hpirit,  Hiiflicic  nt  to  enable  him  lo  eitrry 
on  the  itrr)|ihelio  oGQco  with  vigour  and 
•tcidfoHtni  Hit. 

Vor.  1.— And  it  oame  to  pass,  whon  tho 
Lord  would  take  up  Elijah  into  hoavcu. 
Tho  MulijiM'.t  Ih  iiitrixlin'fvl  hh  orio  of  (i^i-ncinil 
noUiri'  ly,  tlu'  wrinir  jirMfcuhing  ralii<T  to 
frive  tii«-  oxiK't  deUtilH  of  n  well-known  funl, 
thiin  in  rirlatc  a  now  furl  nnluiown  to  hin 
r<Md<Tii.  "  Whi-ti  tho  Inn"  i-auio,"  hn  rn<miiH 
to  lay,  "for  IJiJiih'*  triiiiHl.ition,  oT  which 
you,  rny  rr>ii(|i tm,  nil  know,  (hn  fullowint: 
wc(«)  thu  nirniMiMLikiiroH  nndi-r  whifli  il  took 
pliino. "  Tht!  ni'l  itwijf  wiuidc«jily  ini|ii<HHiti 
en  tll»»  .Inwinh  <viri»i'|f)iji(iifiiii.  "  l';iiiiH,"  muvh 
tho  Sou  of  Hinirh,  "  «ilh  tnknn  up  in  a  whirl- 
»laU  of  flro,aDd  inaohuriot  of  lli  r>  hurMw" 


(Ecclus.  xlviii.  9).     He  was    ranked  witlj 

Enoch,  as  not  having  seen  death  (Josephus, 
'  Ant.  Jud.,'  ix.  2.  §  2),  and  was  viewed  as 
"  continuing  in  heaven  a  mysterious  life, 
which  no  death  had  ever  interrupted,  whence 
he  was  ready  at  any  time  to  return  to  earth  " 
(Ewald,  'History  of  Israel,'  vol.  iv.  p.  113). 
The  scribes  thought  that  he  was  beyond  all 
doubt  to  make  his  appearance  upon  the 
earth  in  person,  before  the  coming  of  the 
Messiah  (Matt.  xvi.  10).  By  a  whirlwind. 
Sa^drah  is  not  so  much  an  actual  "  whirl- 
wind" as  a  storm  or  atmospheric  disturbance 
((rv(T(Tei<TiJ.6s,  LXX.).  It  is  a  word  which  only 
occurs  here  in  the  historical  Scriptures. 
That  Elijah  went  with  Elisha  from  Gilgal. 
Elisha  had  become  to  Elijah  what  Joshua 
was  to  Moses  (Exod.  xxiv.  13) — his  "'mini- 
ster," or  regular  attendant,  from  the  time  of 
his  call  at  Abel-meholah  (1  Kings  xix.  21). 
Elijah  had  no  fixed  residence,  but  moved 
from  place  to  place  as  the  Spirit  of  God 
suggested.  His  wanderings  had  now 
brought  him  to  Gilgal  (probably  Jiljilieh, 
near  Nablous),  one  of  the  most  ancient 
sanctuaries  of  the  land  (1  Sam.  x.  8;  xi. 
15,  etc.),  celebrated  in  the  history  of  Saul 
aud  Samuel. 

Ver.  2. — And  Elijah  said  onto  Elisha, 
Tarry  here,  I  pray  thee ;  for  the  Lord  hath 
sent  me.  Elijah  makes  three  eflbrts  to  rid 
himself  of  the  presence  of  his  faithful  attend- 
ant (see  vers.  4  and  G),  either  really  desirous 
to  pass  in  solitude  the  few  remaining  hours 
of  his  earthly  life,  for  ho  knows  that  his  end 
is  ajjproacliing  (vers.  9,  10),  or  for  tho 
purpose  of  testing  bis  fi  lelity  and  affection. 
Under  ordinary  circumstances,  the  servant 
would  naturally  have  obeyed  his  lord,  and 
submitted  to  a  tenipnniry  separation;  but 
JOlisha  has  a  presentiment,  or  sometliiug 
Ktrongor  than  a  presentiment,,  of  what  is 
ini])(nding  (vers.  3,  5),  and  will  not  l)o  in- 
duced to  accelerate  by  a  singit,'  moment  the 
time  of  thr  last  parting.  Ho  will  roniaiii 
with  his  master,  ready  to  <lo  him  all  needful 
servioo.  until  the  end.  To  Bethel,  lietliel 
was  tho  8|)iritinil  contro  of  thu  kingdom  ot 
the  ten  tribes.  There  may  have  been  many 
n  iiHon.s  wiiy  IClijah  shoiiM  viiiit  it  oueo  more 
before  he  (initted  thu  earth.  Ho  may  have 
iia  1  diri'ctions  to  leave,  coiiHolation  U^  give, 
Words  of  warning  to  Hpruk.  \\\i  muni  not 
Hii|i|ioHe  that  th(«  narrulive  liefoio  ua  is 
comi'lc  t(v  Aud  EliHha  Muid  unt4i  hiju,  Ah  tho 
Lord  livclh,  and  riH  thy  houI  livnth.  Tin  ho 
w<Ti)  ordinary  fririuH  of  earue«t  nHH(<veriition 
with  the  iHrutditcH,  genumlly  uhimI  He|iikralelv 
(.)ul>r.  viil.  !!>;  ituth  iii.  13;  I  .-nm.  i.'Hi; 
xiv.  3'.>;  xvii.  ,^.'t ;  xix.  (J;  xx.  2\  ;  'J,  Sjiin.  iv. 
'.) ;  xi.  ll,<'lo.);  hul  on  ooi'iiHJonH  nf  Hp(^ninl 
M)|i<iiinity  niiitixl,  ux  hem  anil  in  1  Sum.  xx. 
3;  XX7.  '2(\;  oh.  iv.  :iO).  Tin)  jirophoJ  ii 
uul  lo  ou  hlaniud  lur  umiij);  thorn,  tiuoe  tha 


n.  1— aa.)        THE  BBnojcD  nnoK  or  the  kinos. 


10 


ir  n'A  a  »ll  *  KmI  Bo*  TM 
WlU    ••«   U«V«  Um.     Tk* 

•htm  BMiarfty  u>  •»  bi>«  Um  whI  *o«aa  U 

WmK^I     mhn.,%        »»     |k*f     VM1     4«VB     M 

BstlMl.  T  .      .  •• 

lUm\  Um  ••  a 


y 


«/   •Hi' 
1   K 


r*-T^'-4^ 


iii.i  t»..  X     TW  aiwlvBli 

«l(  vlko  «»•  •  p*ma  of  toe 
to  W  lttlro>M  OB :  bat  KWK^t  mtt  «b«  m^ 
vaal,  to  five  him  ^  waroiiic  of  wb^t  li.cir 
pwohiilki  m^Dtl  MHWad  tAem  «u  aboat 
to  iupcMa.  KaowoM  thoB  thAt  ih«  I«ri 
will  tak*  %w%j  xhj  maMUi  from  ibj  kMd 
(ij.  6a«  hii  piinnn  MtaAcberBad  ■■rtur) 
to^y  1    IWra  «i^  pwbBp*.  ■inwIliiBg  • 

Uttl*   oAfltoM    UMl     wlf^MMft!   -     •- 

•■MtJM     1V»y  nifht  hftv*  ! 
tMj  bad  beea  propeii j  oMdeA,  i 
veali  baw  »t  leut  M  raooh  ^to^imUe  !•• 
■Itakot  aad  fur«»ight  m  Un-«f<4T»«.      Mc>tM« 
be  umwrt%  tbcta  with  aou.'  ~  -rbuke : 

Aai  b*  Mid.  Tm.  I  ka«v  I  .  /  to» 

I  <  ball  y  y—r  tm»» .  .-< .  ..u^— da 
'  abMl  vb«t  b  ao  Mflnd;  do  aol 
ya«  •■«  wtoor  tbaa  any  oa* 
•lae :  b*  a  iittU  Mnd— t  and  a  litU-  n  umnt* 
Vet.  4.— Aad  Bttkb  aaid  oato  him.  Tarry 
bM%  I  V^j  Cbaa.  Tb*  int  Uial  uT  Klusa'a 
idaUty  U  fbUovwd  by  •  a^cood.  A« 
MMtor  iimli  bii  toiryia^'  al  IkUMi,  i^ 
mtmi  aaatra,  wbara  b*  viU  bav«  lb*  «aa»- 
pMf  oT  tte  **  wu  of  tk»  propbou,'*  aad  vtO 
■OlM  OBipoBianliiM.  aa  perhap  h«  would 
Www  b««B  at  Qtlg*l  He  hinnrlf  la  orirmi 
to  take  a  aoaueU  -  ufber 

ttea  Iba  im.     :•  at  aa 

totatoha.  wui  u  <Kn  l« 

btearlf  tba  k^  _ 

iLn  hii?h-land  at  KniirmltB   |a 


"ciior  tu*t 


Iba  friaaJ  ^ .  r  .  . 

kio  JovMy  aloMf  Aad  ba  mM.  Aa  Iba 
XW  ttvMb.  aad  M  Ihj  H«l  livaih.  I  vfil 
aac  laava  ibaa     Aba^ato  Ma^ 


af  lailaltoa  ia  baal  Aawa  by  abaslato  «•• 

of  lyiiak     Mfaha.  thaiWia^ 

icpvto  bia  pt»fltf«a  vwda    AM 


lb*  OM-Vr  OM*  ■■«§  ytaida     U  lb«y  aa»« 
I-  .'--  -' 

AU  tba  MM  af  tta 

(  »:   J^rjkm  aa^a  to 

a*id  aate  M  tbaa  ibal  IX»  LaH 

viii  UA«  aaatar  tr^ai  Uy  baad 

to-4ayl     A^  U  &iu««r»<  Taa.  I  kawv  4 
baU  ya  ywKr  f^mtm.    At  Jctkbo.  v^  m  wWl 
aa  at   BatiM^l.   tbatw  vaa  a  octeat  a#  iba 
ptofb^U,  IlKMigb   Iba  t«o  atoeaa  VMa  mmt 

BOfr  lliAA  aik.ut    lae     li    tuQaa  aMffC       ^Vij 

-it— m  of  a  laifo 
^«  at  tbla  peffVid. 

Na  a  .!*•  •e&.laf  powwr  wm  »  at 

■dw)  to  Umm  iwliftoai,  t^jtfu- 

pbatirwj  orviot  i«4  to  toafca  toaraaMd  aototo 
to  alMlto  Mtoban  aW  toritltdy  lia  tabaife 

Tba  p">«.K"*-  nf  tfltwal.  H  -  •»-'  ►-  '- 

baMtl  '«   tba  W: 

ar«»  '  Miaa   (1  Cl 

iba  aula   imi  hara  of    tba 

Vor.  C-Aad  BUab  aaid  nto  hlia.  Tiury. 
I  pray  tbaa,  bar* :  tor  tba  Lertf  Kalb  aaat  ma 
to  Jardaa.  Elijah  laakia  a  luird  aA«t  Wu 
deiA-h  hia  foUowar  t»\jm  hiaii,  or  a  tbifd 
tnal  of  bia  Adrlity.  Ha  ia  ofdarad,  iA  to 
a  towa,  what*  bia  foUowar  Migbt  i»l 
kvllPBc  and  rafeMhiaant  aad 
•hip.  bat  iato  tba 
JorUan 
U-''      :t 

■ai  aol  oHitiBoa  a 
•eaa  tobaandlaM?  Bal  Ibal 
m  rtaoaab;  aothitisr  daoata  him:  aad  ba 
auk«  tba  aanM  reply  aa  bafora.  Aad  ba 
•aid.  Aa  tba  Lord  liTaCb,  aad  aa  tky  aoal 
Urack.  I  wiU  aot  iMva  tbaa.    Aad  tbay  iva 

Var.  7.— Aad  ifty  aaa  af  tba  mm  of  Iba 
■ioybaia  vaat.  aad  ataad  ta  vtow.  It  ia  a 
banh  jodgmaat  to  Maiaa  th«  ■■  aoaa  of  tba 
propbata  "  for  aa  idla  aad  aballDW  eaneaiiy 
la  aMfwly  "ataadiaff**  at  a  diataana  "to 
"  tka  woadatfa)  aroat,  wbieJi  Ebaba 
ditonaiaad  to  wilaaa  m  atoaoly,  aad 
tto  biaoalf  witb  m  JaHawUdy.  m 
piMulilA  For  ika  aoaa  of  Iba  pro}  bata  to 
i-  u-bad  naana.  attd  huaf  oa  tba 

I  laii,  wottid  ha«c  bcaa  aa  uapaa- 

tiii-MMw  £Luba'a  patauiaaea  ia  oaly  joati* 
ftad  by  hi*  alro^  aflrttioa.  aad  tba  i|«c4»l 
oAm  wlueb  te  batd,  of  attoMlaat  Miaiaaa 
Tba  Hty  atadaato  ibawal  a  > 
af  wbat  WM  dM  to  Iba  r« 
ai^lnainw  by  aol  yrwiaiiif  oa  bia  faoiataM 
aad  al  ti>c  mmm  UMa  a  nal  totoaait  u  kim^ 
aad  a  iMioaakli  aancMty.  by  qaittiek«  tbair 
aalicfa  aad  "atoailii^  to  vtow"  oa  iOM 
wbtob  —iMii<at  a  waffMl  al 
aallay.  Tbaa  w«a  May 
wtibla  a  abort  ii  <  oai  af 
Jaftoba  Aad  tbay  «va  toaad  ky  Jariaa^  Al 
iMCtbattatbar 


I  lato  laa  aoaa  Maatij — lo  ta* 
Aad  Ibaa.  wao  aaa  My  wlutiaar  * 
^babortfar  Kltol»tolMaabM 


ao 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.  [oh.  n.  1—26. 


Bhftken  off — **  they  tvoo  "  stood,  side  by  side, 
on  the  banks  of  the  sacred  stream,  which 
had  played  so  important  a  part,  and  was 
still  to  play  so  far  more  important  a  part,  in 
the  theocratic  history.  All  the  world,  ex- 
cept their  two  selves,  was  remote — was  be- 
yond their  ken ;  the  master  and  the  servant, 
the  prophet  of  the  past  and  the  prophet 
of  the  coming  generation,  were  together, 
with  none  to  disturb  them,  or  interfere  be- 
tween them,  or  separate  them.  Jordan  rolled 
its  waters  before  their  eyes,  a  seeming  barrier 
to  fnrtiier  advance;  and  Elisha  may  natu- 
rally have  looked  to  see  the  final  scene 
transacted  in  that  "plain  below  a  plain," 
the  Jordan  bed,  sunk  beneath  the  general 
level  of  the  Ghor,  green  with  lush  grass 
and  aquatic  plants,  and  with  beds  of  reeds 
and  osiers,  but  squalid  with  long  stretches 
of  mud  and  masses  of  decaying  vegetation, 
brought  down  from  the  upper  river,  and  with 
rotting  trunks  of  trees  torn  from  the  banks 
higher  up.  But  the  end  was  not  yet.  Jor- 
dan was  to  be  crossed,  and  the  ascension  to 
take  place  from  the  plain  whence  Moses, 
when  about  to  quit  earth,  had  made  his 
a>cent  to  Pisgah. 

Ver.  8.— And  Elijah  took  his  mantle  (the 
LXX-  have  -rhv  iJ.ri\(OT-l)v) ;  the  sheep-skin 
cape  or  capote,  which  covered  his  shoulders. 
And  wrapped  it  together ;  rather,  and  rolled 
it  up  (etKnae,  LXX.);  so  that  it  resembled 
ill  some  degree  a  rod  or  btaff.  And  [with 
this  he]  smote  the  waters ;  consciously  imi- 
tating the  act  of  Moses  when  he  "  stretched 
out  his  hand  over  the  Bed  Sea"  (Exod.  xiv. 
21),  and  divided  its  waters  asunder.  And 
they  were  divided  hither  and  thither,  so  that 
they  two  went  over  on  dry  ground.  The 
parallelism  with  the  miraculous  acts  of 
Moses  and  Joshua  (Josh.  iii.  13)  is  ohvibus, 
and  allowed  even  by  those  who  view  the  acts 
themselves  as  having  no  historical  founda- 
tion (Ewald,  '  Hintory  of  Lirael,'  vol.  iv. 
p.  Ill,  note,  Eng.  trana.).  It  was  intended 
that  Israel  shouhl  regard  Elijah  and  iClisha 
as  u  second  Momin  uud  Joshua,  and  should 
therefore  yield  thinj  a  ready  oljcdieiice.  If 
niir<clbH  are  impoHhdjIe,  rudit  qtuextin;  exe- 
gebis  of  Scripture,  and  even  reading  of 
Scripture,  may  as  well  he  put  aside.  13ut  if 
they  are  jfOHdible,  and  have  u  place  in  the 
Divine  ewniomy,  here  was  a  worthy  occawion 
for  thoin.  The  jtowers  of  the  world  were 
Hiruyod  H^^ainht  tliu  c<iuue  ol  true  rcdigiou 
and  no  a^aiuhl  (iod;  the  cause  wuh  ahinit  to 
h  m;  ilM  gnat  eh  <nipion  and  asMTtor,  I'Jijah; 
M  wi  Hknr  hiice«;MH'ir  was  aUtut  to  take  his 
jiliict! : — without  H'true  inuniriiHl  dinplay  of 
•  u|M!nuitural  ini^'ht  the  rauHo  of  religiun 
would  (.'vidently  have  Irmt  (ground,  pi^rhajis 
bMTo  b«on  ruiiK-d  tiltfi^^'ettier.  It  pleiiHe<l 
(irxl,  i\n.Tv{<>rt),  jUMt  At  this  tiino,  to  grant 
th«t  ki^ii  find  wonderi  of  an  oxtriMrdinary 


character  should  be  done  by  the  hands  of  hia 
servants  Elijah  and  Elisha,  that  a  halo  of 
mystic  glory  should  encircle  them,  for  thft 
better  sustentation  of  his  own  cause  against 
Ms  adversaries,  for  the  exaltation  and  glori 
fication  of  his  faithful  ones,  and  for  th^ 
confusion  and  dismay  of  those  who  were 
opposed  to  them.  Now,  surely,  if  ever,  was 
there  a  dignus  vindice  nodus,  justifying  a 
miraculous  interposition. 

Ver.  9. — And  it  came  to  pass,  when  they 
were  gone  over,  that  Elijah  said  unto  Elisha, 
Ask  what  I  shall  do  for  thee,  before  I  be 
taken  away  from  thee.  Elijah  knows  tha* 
the  time  is  growing  now  very  short.  Ha 
will  soon  have  left  the  earth.  A  yearning 
comes  over  liim,  before  he  goes,  to  leave  his 
faithful  follower,  his  trusty,  persevering 
adherent,  some  parting  gift,  some  token  of 
his  appreciation,  some  sign  of  his  love. 
What  does  his  "  minister  "  desire  ?  Let  him 
ask  what  he  will,  and  his  master  will,  if  it 
be  possible,  grant  it.  And  Elisha  said,  I 
pray  thee,  let  a  double  portion  of  thy  spirit 
be  upon  me.  Elisha's  request  has  been 
yariously  explained.  The  older  commenta- 
tors regarded  him  as  having  asked  for  twice 
as  much  spiritual  and  prophetical  power  as 
Elijah  had  possessed;  and  this  interpreta- 
tion is  certainly  favoured  by  the  reply  of 
Elijah,  as  recorded  in  the  next  verse.  But 
it  is  objected  (1)  that  Elisha's  modesty 
would  prevent  him  from  asking  so  much ; 
and  (2)  that  double  the  spirit  and  power 
of  EUjah  certainly  did  not  rest  upon  him. 
'I'his  latter  fact  is  quite  undeniable.  As 
Keil  says,  '"It  is  only  a  quite  external  and 
superficial  view  of  the  carei  r  ot  Elisha  that 
can  see  in  it  a  proof  that  double  the  spirit 
of  Elijah  rested  upon  him  "  ('  Commentary 
on  Kings,'  ad  loc).  To  one  who  looks  be- 
neath the  surface,  and  regards  something 
besides  length  of  life  and  number  of  miracles, 
Eli.sha  is  a  very  faint  and  feeble  replica  of 
Elijah.  Ewald's  judgment  is  here  correct: 
"  Elisha  is  great  only  bo  far  as  he  con- 
tinues and  carries  out  with  more  force  than 
any  other  man  of  his  time  the  work  which 
Elijah  had  begun  with  new  and  wonderful 
power  ...  ho  did  not  possess  uuy  such 
inteuHity  of  inward  power  as  his  master" 
('  Hi.itory  of  Lsraol,'  vol.  iv.  p.  82,  Eug. 
trauH.).  Accordingly,  Ewald,  rejecting  the 
old  explanation,  HUggestH  one  of  his  owji — 
tliat  KiiHliaaHkud  lor  "  <«oo-//«>rr{H of  Elijah's 
spirit  "  (ibiil.,  |).  81);  i(ut  (his  would  bo  a 
very  Htrange  ami  nnnHiial  recjucHt,  oven  if 
the  Hebrew  < ould  bo  niaile  to  uu^an  it.  Who 
<iver  hhIc.h  for  two-thirds  of  u  thing?  Tho 
thir<l  oxi)liiniition,  to  whieli  most  niodorii 
conunentalors  incline  (lveil,'rheuiiiH,rulricl(, 
Oliirku,  Tool,  ItuLtcher),  is  that  Mlihha 
inurul 
twice 


i)ly    ru(iueHt«<l    that    hu    might    receive 
'«  (kM  much  of  I'^lijah'ii  spirit  m  ■Lt>uld 


m.  %  1— M.!  THE  SBCOICD   BOOE  OF  THE  EIK 0& 


111*   p*aptM«tt. 

DmM.    111.    17     >  Me 

poftt.*"     (hU-r  ) 

Wbldl  w«a  "  -  -      o^    ■        I  lit. 

wajr  objoi  Ui'a  ana  «  «r 
(•r*  Ibt  >:<  '     < 

Vi  r   10  — A^nd  he  Mid,  Thorn  kuMt  ukad  a 

tea*' 
PWi  ^ 


■i«nlT  the  rt*iMo  flmtuBrtit  "t  tkj  vWk4 

I""*  I-  Um»  vpyw 

r«Kt>'ti    '>i     Utf    a.r,    aii<l     ••«    II»a««    ksl    lu 

•ixht     ThrM  amij  «l  Um  aaad  of  A«k»  - 

mrtli  U>  br..  ,    ij. 

'  T     I'*  .  <r    it    (n>ttil-     »«-r. 


.1  far 


tJi«t   w«>   not    K1t<nh*« 


r  avmy. 

!•    UOt 


Mk. 

bvtjU' 

^'""  , -.  i..»i 

k'l>t  bt  giMtod. 
m*  wb«a  I  am 
Uk*a  from  the*,  u  kkaU  b«  to  maXo  tk—', 
kat  if  not.  U  ihall  dm  b«  ao.  Our  trana- 
kton  hava  Uwrncht  to  alaar  tba  aoaae  bv 
iMWtliia  •  aafartbalaaa*  and  ••  when  I  ani> 
Bal  th«>Tanrt«(l  word»  won"  " 
A»  Kli  ah  cauiiiut  c>itli«*r  . 
rv«)U<«t  for  »  •ptntual  ^ 
In  bta  povar  to  baatow,  he  u  di*iri<lv  iu- 
atrueiaa  to  giva  Bliaha  a  eifm.  bj  wLiol.  h« 
•liall  know  whethar  U<id  ^rranu  dia  prajtY 
or  DoC  Tba  lign  of  ar<>«-|>LAuea  la  to  be 
kit  a<  tu  .11 J  aaaing  bia  luartor'a  traMlatkm. 
FrvUU>  Um  dMuioi  aad  koiaua  wara  aut 
▼  aible  U'  the  aaiural  kasMu  arc,  any  nHwe 
tl  an  tb^  a'  tr>  lie  buaU  were  abo  r  mjiaawirl 
Kliaiia  bimaelf  aboui  at  Dotban  (oh.  rL 
17). 
V«.  11. — Aad  it  eaaa  to  pau,  m  tbay  itill 
aad  talked  (or>up  Luke  uir.  M, 
fix  Tha  antitjpa  unaw<rra  to  the  tjpa  in 
Uttl<-  deUila  a«  well  aa  in  the  f^neiml  o«t- 
litte  That  behold,  thera  appoktml  a 
at  &ra,  aad  horaaa  ef  ftra.  Uod'*  ** 
ar«  apihta,  and  kia  niiniitarr  mJUitmimg /kv" 
(Pa  oiT.  4).  Whaa  the  9j^  at  BSMka'a 
•errant  wora  opanad,  and  ke  aav  the  aogaiie 
boat  that  protoalad  kia  luaator,  it  appeared 
to  kim  that  "the  nmonlaiu  wae  roll  of 
and  ehariota  0/  ^m  Rmnd  aboat 
"  (ch.  n.  17>  llatehal  flia  ia.  oT 
•a«BM,  nat  to  ba  llM^t  of.  Bat  the  glory 
Md  brifrktaaai  af  aalaatial  kaiaa.  when 
■ada  Tudblc  t4j  man,  kaa  aosM  aaalBgy  with 
■Mb  or  at  aiiv  rata  brian  llto  eouoaptton  of 
•f«  bafora  the  mimL  TW  biatoriaa  ^«bl- 
Itai  laporta  tba  aeaoni  wUab  BIWm  §»?• 
uf  vbat  ka  mm  ««  tkia  akti»arablr  ^^^tum 
Aad  parted  them  bath  unnder:  and  Elijah 
wcat  «p  by  a  whirlanad  laio  haavea ;  lite- 
rally. iuA  UtjaA  wtmt  up  M  a  ttcrm  iiUo 
Ika    taeewM.     Tkara  Ic  ao  aiantiaB  tt  a 


for   mr\ 

(oh.  » 

maptci,  aliu'wl  aiwaya  Uiua  a<i<lr 

T.r-.p»„.t    (rh     Tt    il:     Jiii     14 


kad  elaitofrl  the  "d 

ftiatbum.      That  hie    - 

•howcHl  tliat  the   r>  lat 

l«dgod     Tka  ekariot  of  : 

maa  tkaraof;  •.«.  thr  r 

of  btmaL    "  In  loaiii^ 

loaa  oor  mat  paoirotor 

a»  than  OMrioia  aad  k^nK-n. 

of  laraaU  afalntt  both  dooi. 

foeaL"     The  aight  of  tha  f. 

horane  may  hoVf  drtemin' 

but  they  are  aot  qukaa  ot     Sxa-o  u»t  m^ 

•titutioii  of  ••  kraaeaieu  **  for  **  bon^fs"  a.d 

eoin|k  oh.  ziiL  10,  wbara  tha  eaxue  «<xpree- 

iioa  ia  oaed  in  refanoce  to  Eiiaha     Aad  ka 

aaw  kim  ae  awra.     Elijah  pmm<I  bcvo^l 

Kliaha'a  kau.    8a  &r  aa  ve  oaa  ^ther  fr^m 

the  expraaiiijna  eapk>y«d.  ao  elood  rt««>iTc<i 

lilm  (Aata  L  SX  ^t  he  gradually  TaiiiUied 

from  aigkt    Aad  ha  took  kold  of  ku  ova 

alockaa.  aad  raat  tkam  ia  tve  piaeaa;    an 

aatMm  na^og  axtiaeM  korror  or  eitreua 

«iaf— kara  tha  latter  (ontap.  Oaa.  xixtu. 

» :  t  8am.  xiiL  19 :  Job  L  20 :  u.  12,  cie.X 

Var.  13.— Ha  took  ap  alaa  the  mantle  of 
KUjah  that  fall  from  t>1"«.  aad  vent  back. 
aad  stood  by  tha  bank  cf  Jord^ts ;  Itirrkllj. 
Uu  lip  0/  tke  JonLim;  t  -  bnuk  ot 

the  •tr<«iu.  at  the  poi!r.  where  be 

and  hij  luaater  had  erje»<^i  il 

Ver.  14.— Aad  ka  taak  tka  maatla  af 
nijak  that  fall  tk«m  kim.  aad  hmu  tka 
water*     imitatad,  i.».,  \u.-  aottoa  of  Elijak 

ivrr  8),  aa  Klijak  had  luiiuted  the  ae<k<«  of 
luem  ..t  U>e  in— g.    uf  ike  Bed  8(«— aad 
•aid.   Wkar*   U   tha   Lard  Oad   ef  Elijak  t 
IIm  praaeat  Ut'brew  t.  i 
thaLoHGodar  BlUai. 
tve  voida  baiag  enph*;..  .  . 
aoaroaly  appean  to  ba  naai  - 
teanalatora  kaya  very  geaara  ..■  '^: 

tva  voada  bam  Khaha'a  qoeit^a.  aad.  •(- 
taahlng  tham  to  tka  aaraaadlag  niiaii.  ba*« 


22 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.  [oh.  n,  1—25. 


rendered  it,  And  when  he  algo  had  smitten 
the  waters ;  but  the  position  of  the  vau  con- 
junctive, after  Nin-^K  and  before  ns;,  makes 
this  division  of  the  clauses  impossible. 
It  has  therefore  been  proposed  by  some  to 
lead  N-SN,  "now,"  for  XVT-F)N,  "even  he" 
(Houbigant,  Thenius,  Schultz,  Bottcber, 
Dathe),  and  to  translate,  "  Where  now  is  the 
Lord  God  of  Elijah  ?  "  Is  he  still  here,  with 
me,  or  has  he  withdrawn  himself  from  earth 
with  his  prophet,  and  left  me  alone  to  my  own 
unaid'  d  strength  ?  This  gives  a  good  mean- 
ing, but  is  perhaps  too  bold  a  change.  The 
LXX.  had  evidently  our  present  Hebrew 
text  before  them,  and,  as  they  could  make 
nothing  of  it,  transcribed  it  into  Greek  cha- 
racters, rioii  d  ©ebs  'HAioi/  a(p<p(i ;  they  parted 
hither  and  thither:  and  Elisha  went  over. 
God  showed,  i.e.,  that  he  was  still  with 
Elisha  by  enabling  him  to  repeat  Elijah'* 
last  miracle,  and  thus  gave  him  an  assurance 
that  he  would  be  with  him  thenceforth  in 
his  prophetic  ministry. 

Ver.  15. — And  when  the  sons  of  the 
prophets,  which  were  to  view  at  Jericho 
(see  ver.  7),  saw  him,  they  said,  The  spirit 
of  Elijah  doth  rest  on  Elisha.  It  is  not 
quite  clear  upon  what  grounds  the  sons  of 
the  prophets  came  to  this  conclusion.  Pro- 
bably they  had  seen  the  passage  of  the 
Jordan  by  the  two  prophets,  the  disappear- 
ance of  Elijah,  and  the  return  of  Elisha 
across  the  stream  in  a  way  wliich  they  may 
have  suspected  to  be  miraculous.  But  the 
Jordan  is  four  or  five  miles  distant  from  the 
city  of  Jericho,  and  their  apprehension  of 
the  various  circumstances  would  be  incom- 
plete, and  more  or  less  vague.  Perhaps 
there  was  something  in  Elisha's  appearance 
and  expression  of  countenance  which  im- 
pressed them,  and  appeared  to  them  to 
mark  his  exaltation  to  a  hi;j;her  dignity  and 
■piritual  position.  And  they  came  to  meet 
Mm,  and  bowed  themselves  to  the  grotind 
before  him;  thus  acknowledging  him  for 
their  mahter,  as  they  had  been  wuut  to 
acknowledge  JOiijiih. 

Ver.  Ki.— And  they  laid  unto  him.  Tlio- 
niuH  BUKg<'-bt8  that  Elisha  iirst  related  to 
thtrn  \vhat  liad  befalh.n  his  master;  but 
the  iiiiprcHwioii  left  by  the  narrative  isratlior 
that  thnj  b<t,'(in  tlio  convernation,  being 
aware  of  l^lijali's  liiHapitearaiieo,  wiiich  in 
thill  elear  alniOii»liere  thiy  may  havo  dis- 
tincily  perc/jived,  though  the  aH'cuhiori  may 
not  liuv))  l>c«;n  vmihlu  Ut  thorn.  Keil  tiiinK'H 
that  iJiey  (law  tin;  aw'-nuHion,  but  BU|>ii()H(td 
tliiit  the  Ik)' I y,  alter  lK;iiig  taken  up  a  certain 
hei/ht  into  llii)  air,  wouM  iieeeHHarily  lull  to 
earth,  and  that  th>  y  wisi.ed  to  find  it  and 
bury  it.  lint  the  natural  interpreiation  is 
that  thoy  thons<hl  lln>  i.ropliot  h..<l  lp<«)n 
"rnnjiht  iiwav  "  liy  a  Diuie-  inlluenee,  ad 
i'hilip    the   ()van({ulial  wm   in    later   tiuaw* 


(Acts  viii.  89),  and  wculd  be  found  some- 
where alive,  as  Philip  "was  found  at 
Azotus."  Behold  now,  there  be  with  thy 
servants  fifty  strong  men ;  literally,  sons  of 
strength ;  i.e.  stout,  active  persons,  capable 
of  climbing  the  rough  and  precipitous  rocks 
among  which  they  thougiit  that  Elijah 
might  be  cast.  Let  them  go,  we  pray  thee, 
and  seek  thy  master :  leSt  peradventure  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  hath  taken  >iiTn  up, 
and  cast  him  upon  some  mountain,  or  into 
some  valley.  On  either  side  of  the  ciccar, 
or  Jordan  plain,  are  rugged  districts,  con- 
sisting of  alternate  rocky  mountain  slopes 
and  narrow  guUeys,  or  water-courses,  dry 
duiing  the  greater  part  of  the  year.  The 
sons  of  the  prophets  think  that  Elijah  has 
been  carried  by  the  Spirit  of  God  into  one 
or  other  of  these  mountain  tracts,  and  wish 
to  search  them.  And  he  said,  Ye  shall  not 
send ;  or,  do  not  send ;  meaning,  "  it  will  be 
useless — you  will  find  nothing — it  is  not  as 
you  suppose." 

Ver.  17. — And  when  they  urged  him,  till 
he  was  ashamed,  he  said,  Send;  literally, 
when  they  urged  him  until  shame  ;  which  some 
expound  to  mean,  "  until  they  were  ashamed 
to  press  him  any  more"  (Gesenius,  Winer, 
Keil) ;  but  others,  with  more  reason,  "  until 
he  was  ashamed  to  persist  in  his  refusal" 
{ews  ov  TJo-xi^i/eTo,  LXX.).  It  is  always  a 
hard  thing  for  one  man  to  refuse  the  re- 
peated and  earnest  request  of  a  multitude. 
When  Elisha  said,  "  Send,"  he  had  not  in 
the  least  changed  his  mind ;  he  only  meant 
to  say,  "  Send,  then,  if  you  insist  upon  it, 
to  satisfy  yourselves,  not  me.  There  is  no 
harm  in  your  sending."  They  sent  therefore 
fifty  men ;  and  they  sought  thi'ee  days,  but 
found  V'iTn  not.  The  result  bore  out  the 
advice  and  anticipations  of  the  prophet. 
It  was  simply  nil.  No  trace-  was  found  of 
the  iigcd  seer  who  had  been  translated  from 
earth  to  heaven. 

Ver.  18. — And  when  they  oame  again  to 
him,  (for  he  tarried  at  Jericho,)  he  said  unto 
them,  Did  I  not  say  unto  you,  Go  not  1  The 
prophet  was  not  abovo  vijidicating  the  pro- 
priety of  his  past  conduct.  Ho  waittul  at 
Jorieho  until  tho  fifty  nun  returned  from 
their  vain  search,  and  then  reminded  them 
that  his  advice  to  them  had  been  not  to 
start  on  a  nseleHS  errand.  The  minislerH  ot 
(jod  have  to  vindicate  tiuMnnelvoH,  liecause 
(iod's  honour  is  couuorued  iu  their  being 
witliout  ruiiroaeh. 

VerH.  10 — 2.^. — Tho  historian  paPHCB  to 
tho  record  of  some  of  lOlislia'H  niinur  uii- 
nioh'H,  belonging  to  tho  tinio  whereof  ho  ii 
writing,  and  hel|iiiig  to  explain  the  pohition 
of  dignity  and  n  hpecl  which  he  iH  found  to 
occupy  lu  tho  uuxt  uhaptur  (vura.  11 — 14). 


m.wL\- 


THE  S15tX)VD  UnOIC  OF  THl  KTfOK 


Tlw 


▼•r.  19.— Ami  tk*  mw  if  tk*  titj-i^ 

Ik*  tnh* *■"--'*  of  Jrttcito.  iirotAUj  Um 
MVto  MrtkonUM.  bf»rla<  LmtI  of  iko  fWcttt 
-Mii  iUito  TiUka,  BikaU,  X  pny 
,tk*B:  '  tkto  ilt7  te  plMMat, 

J  tord  ^  «^Im  to  thm  aiMBl- 

I  voir-  .    Ik*  rt— ttoa   at 

(b    •  .•railaf.     Ljrlaf 

•kwKUat  nrer.  aft  Um  poial  vkoM  om  of 
Ite  BhUu  vmI/b  4*boncL<rI  frutn  U)<  Ju  !.r*a 
■poa  Um  k>» 

of  ImIb  uvea 
BR-Hiulberneo  t  Lukr  .  -.Uti 


t    MUt, 

both 
■p   A  *  •  bir, 

UioaovBlAiaaof  -.^mw. 

:j<>  vM.  ao  dML:.  •  • .  ..     bU- 

•M    ono    di^mimek  —  tko    VAUr    w 

i  thofiviadhairM.     Bi  Uar  ond 

:iu^  of  «kiek  tkora  m«  muj 

-'  tHMbod  forth  6«ai  the 

.  tad  fbr»cd  riToleta, 

l>\miM   tow»ni4    tL« 

lb  and  fcrtilitT. 


t'uo 


itn-:i  ct^oa. 


Tho 

roaa, 

and 

AaA 

cmllj 
bole- 


...      ,     »bMk 
•orrsplioo  .  ■ '  uu^  or  •tejed. 

UmIot  tke  >Qg  •»•   to  bo 

pviiod  bj  Mil  (.Lbi.  u.   13).    Tho  mm» 
tfwJbaUam    i»    wtill    rc!;-!"*^)    «iBilar    tho 

k     IX     4a; 
.  ii  to  bia. 


ia  • 


«»  bo  thoft 


-ut  te 

•dijod  Aiu 

aphag  of  tko  Bolf ."  «:- 

Mwa*  aoor  tko  aitc  u/  Uic  & .  ii-^t 
Tksae^MBtowB  iMoat  •  iJMlot^o 


•f  twm  alWo  fr>«i  II.  Atw  m  Haltko  lo  4»> 
■onbiid  ••  '  •  Une«  ottd  b^otlfoi  ti— lolo 
of  ovaa*  oad  fiiawl  valiit*  (Bibl  ■■» 
•  BmomoIioo,'  Mi  M.  PL  »«J^  m4  w  -m*. 
Ifti^foaoithoUti— I  mmtm.i*''  rv  n  a 
oad  ■ool  gmlofal  9^m4m»mm 
wamld  otkorvw*  bo  •  Xafo  Ifhri 
•oU."  Tho  olhov  f^f  of  th«  te4^*A«^< 
kood  MO  Wtatiay   htmekia^     Aad  «l4  Tkso 

Milk  Ik*  L«td.  I  kov*  hooloi  thoa*  vaun ; 
tkan  ikaU  m«  b*  txmm  th*Mo-««  tn>m  th* 


V«r.  XX— a*  tk*  walon  voro  hoal«i  m* 
tkla  daj.  imitlic  U  tk*  oayiac  of  Biika 
vhlok  ho  opok*.     it  wao  aot  •  mtm  tiipi 
rary.  b«t  a  |iiri*Ho«t.  boooAi  wkkk  Ilirti 
bootf.iwiid  apoa  tko  to««. 

Vor.  a-Aad  k*  vwl  ap  ft«a  ihmm 
m*  BoCkaL  Th*  ataait  m  ateofi  aad  tea« 
fraa  the  J.^Um  valWr  to  Ik*  kigbliaii  of 
Bmjx  -^  Bi«k*l  ■toad,  prohahlj 

onr  ly' •  three  th -ncsiH  ChL   Tk* 

'9  hMS  to 
altath*! 

Uij«ii.    Aad  0*  ka  vaagd^  ap  by  Ika 

w%r  t«  ''t  t)...  qmmJ  r«i*«i  «r  patlivay,  ia*; 
i:  <?  of  th*  •ord.  rtMiii   did 

.    «tio«— th*r*  eaa*  tertk 
h-  ea  out   of    th*   axj      "  LatU* 

c.  ^    an    Biifonutiat*    truulaU  a. 

nuitj^  ^uiie  a  vrooc  idoa  of  th*  tc«d*r  af* 
of  Ik*  pvaoaa  n  nhia  ol  Oa  th*  o|L«v 
haad.  biahop  Patxiek**  ■■aitiii*  Itel  tk* 
vocd*  an  to  b*  -aadoMood  of  mimkk 
ponutw,  who  had  a  hatnd  to  th*  |«Dp«ia«,'* 
M  qoito  aaUaatiUi  KaArim  kilmmmim  voald 
b*  tost  traaiiatod  (a*  by  *ar  UcTMH 


i)*Taaac 
twolVo  to  iflo«a.  8aek  mimM»:%tmm  jtmah» 
an  aMoa«;  tha  ahiof  aaaaaaaaa  of  Oriital 
tovaa;   tkay  vajlaj  tk*  toatcUcs.  4md* 


Ifawial  doiMl  tkat  bo  may  bait^  aad  mtf 
edoM  ia  loatiBf  it;  ltj*7  do^   hia  olopa. 


two  void*  to  violcat  aaM^ 
a*  th*  tiitoaiag  «f  atiaka.  or  m^mtm,  cr  mmL 
On  th«  aaetotoa  tkay  aaly  foi  aa  far  a* 
radawoHa.  Aad  wakad  hia^  »a4  •^4  aato 
kia.  Oo  ap.  tkoa  bald  koa^  .haa 

baldkoad!    IthaabaoD-^  the 

•ootf  of  th«  IblIo  ooalaif 
•Mcaaiae  of  Klilak  (1. 
uf  «kiok  ll«y  had  koi^ni,  ^u  «*•  »  <ma 
opoa  BUah*  to  feOov  kia  awatv'a  aioapla 
ia  qaittii^  Ika  world.  tk*t  tkay  aifht  b* 
ao  loafto  toaaUad  vitk  kiak  Bat  it  u  aol 
at  all  appanaft  tkal  Ika  lad*  •«€«  kaov 
«h*  Kliaha  wa«— tk*y  aaald  |iaotahly  ba*a 
iaeaad  at  *«f  actd  pMaea  with  akoto  Ihaf 
kaifaUaata;  aMi  by-O*  ap"  ihoyMarfy 
aMMft«Oa*al%j«^:''  Ika  liaaa  of  iki* 


24 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.  [oh.  n.  1— 2S. 


jeer  was  not  in  the  word  *dleh,  but  in  the 
word  keriach,  "  bald  head."  Baldness  was 
sometimes  produced  by  leprosy,  and  then 
made  a  man  unclean  (Lev.  xiii.  42 — 44)  ; 
but  the  boys  probably  flouted  the  mere 
natural  defect,  in  which  there  was  no  "  un- 
cleanness"  (Lev.  xiiL  40,  41),  but  which 
they  regarded  as  a  fit  subject  for  ridicule. 
Their  sin  was  disrespect  towards  old  age, 
combined,  perhaps,  with  disrespect  for  the 
prophetical  order,  to  which  they  may  have 
known  from  his  dress  that  Elisba  belonged. 
Ver.  24. — And  he  turned  back,  and  looked 
on  them ;  rather,  and  he  looked  behind  him, 
and  saw  them,  as  in  the  Revised  Version. 
The  boys,  after  the  manner  of  boys,  were 
foil. .wing  him,  hanging  upon  him,  not  daring 
to  draw  too  near,  hooting  him  from  behind, 
as  ill-bred  and  ill-intentioned  youths  are 
apt  to  do.  And  cursed  them  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord.  The  action  cannot  be  defended 
from  a  Christian  point  of  view — Christians 
have  no  ri>;ht  to  curse  any  one.  But  we 
can  well  understand  that,  under  the  old 
covenant,  a  prophet  newly  installed  in 
ofiBce,  and  commencing  his  ministry,  might 
deem  it  riglit  to  vindicate  the  honour  of  his 
office  by  visiting  such  conduct  as  that  of 
these  misguided  youths  with  a  malediction. 
Un.ler  the  Law  Goil's  ministers  were  re- 
quired to  curse  the  disobedient  (Dent,  xxvii. 
14 — id).  Elisha  could  not  tell  wliat  would 
Ix'  the  effect  of  his  curse.  It  could  have  no 
effect  at  all  excepting  through  the  will  and 
by  the  action  of  God.  And  there  came  forth 
two  she-bears  out  of  the  wood ;  or,  the 
/•rent;  i.e.  Ilie  forest,  wiiich,  as  all  knew,  lay 
within  a  hIioi  t  distance  of  Bethel,  and  was 
the  haunt  of  wild  beasts  (nee  I  Kings  iii. 
21).  And  tare  forty  and  two  children  of 
them.  It  iH  not  wiid  how  far  the  lads  were 
injured,  whctlier  fatally  or  not.  But  tiie 
jiuiilBhiiient,  wliiitever  its  severity,  came 
from  God,  not  from  the  prophet,  and  we 


may  be  sure  was  just.  For  "  shall  not  the 
Judge  of  all  the  earth  do  right  ?  "  A  severe 
example  may  have  been  needed  under  the 
circumstances  of  the  time,  when  a  new 
generation  was  growing  up  in  contempt  of 
God  and  of  religion ;  and  the  sin  of  the  lads 
was  not  a  small  one,  but  indicated  that 
determined  bent  of  the  will  against  good, 
and  preference  of  evil,  which  is  often  de- 
veloped early,  and  generally  goes  on  from 
bad  to  worse. 

Ver.  25. — And  he  went  from  thence  to 
Mount  Cannel.  Ewald  thinks  that  Carrael 
was,  on  the  whole,  the  main  residence  of 
Elijah,  and  "  tlirougli  him  became  a  special 
prophetic  locality  "  ('  History  of  Israel,' 
vol.  iv.  p.  68).  If  so,  we  may  account  for 
Elisha's  visiting  it  on  this  occasion  by  his 
desire  to  communicate  the  facts  of  Elijah's 
removal  from  earth  to  those  who  had  been 
his  intimates  in  that  quarter.  And  from 
thence  he  returned  to  Samaria.  Elisha  does 
not  imitate  the  wild,  half-^^avage  life  and 
almost  constant  seclusion  of  ins  master.  He 
"prefers  from  the  first  the  companionsiiip 
of  men,"  fixes  his  home  in  the  capital  of  his 
country,  Samaria  (ch.  v.  9;  vi.  32);  is  a 
friendly  counsellor  of  the  king  (ch.  vi.  9), 
and  highly  honoured  by  him  (ch.  viii.  4); 
his  whole  life,  indeed,  is,  compared  with  that 
of  Elijah,  one  of  aase  and  tranquillity.  But, 
though  living  "  in  the  world,"  he  is  not  "  of 
the  world."  As  Ewald  says,  "In  spite  of 
all  the  seductions  to  which  he  was  abun- 
dantly exposed  through  the  groat  consider- 
ation in  wiiich  he  was  lield,  be  retained  at 
every  period  of  his  life  the  true  prophetic 
simplicity  and  purity,  and  contempt  lor 
worldly  wealth  and  advantages"  ('History 
of  Israel,'  vol.  iv.  p.  83).  He  is  thus,  far 
more  than  i'ilijah,  a  pattern  for  Christian 
ministers,  especially  for  such- as  are  highly 
placed,  who  will  do  well  to  follow  hiit 
example. 


H0MILETIC8. 

Ver*.  1 — 10. —  Prepiratfon /or  our  dejxirture  from  enrth.  Abnormal  as  was  tlie 
nuxle  of  Klijih'fl  d"  parture  from  tho  earth,  his  conduct  in  prosjHjct  vf  departure  may 
be  lo  wjine  exinnt  a  ietitujn  U)  ChriHtians.     Note — 

I.  Him  kkhio.vation.  No  murmur  escaiiOB  him;  he  shows  no  unwillinpness  to 
dc|«rl,  no  ciinj^ing  to  eartli,  no  fear  of  rcninvai,  no  flhrinkiug  from  enlranci^  on  the 
uiiMM-n  world.  When  (itA  drt<!rmin(!H  that  th«i  obj(M  ts  with  wliicli  he  h  is  been  pla<'o<l 
U|.<>n  the  <yirth  ar<!  i.ccomiili.' li.  <l,  and  that  tho  Divitin  pur|M)H()H  will  now  !).•  best  carried 
oiil  bv  otiior  a:.'viiti«,  liu  is  quito  ready  to  go,  Hatisfied  tu  d<  part,  coiileiit  that  (iod 
nhoil'i  do  with  him  ax  »-twmetli  him  good.  Occupied  willi  liHloniiig  itileiitly  to  tlia 
I)ivine  voico  which  xp'iikH  williin  him,  and  oxecntin^  its  niiindafuH,  ho  inovoH  from 
piue  to  pla4«,  KM  ordered,  iudifTuriuit  wIkto  he  is  or  what  tuiln  hu  undorgocH,  so  that  to 
Um  ImI  ill  may  farhlully  |«rform  the  Divin**  will. 

II.  illH    AtUVtntTUtS    IN    I)|VISIt    UONTKMI-I.ATION    ANO    MKniTATIOll  11>e    thitlgfl    «f 

tiKrXh  ooucTU  huri  iki  mors.      11<:  ihovcm  on  in  a  iioiy  calm,  wrapt  in  piiiUH  thought,  ii<4 


«.  u.  1-M.]           TUB  SIOOirD  BOOK  Of  TRI  KlUOe.  ff 

0VM  ifiwiklac.  «so»p4  la  rw  mir*                         S«4  Kuaw.  'id. 

t  '.«    .'it        'I"hc  ft:;r  la  |.o    Aileron    k 

uol    Mwk  •* 

•                                r                  .    ATTACa  -      t 


b  lib  uf  ImIkmm  )uurBr]r« 

iUi        '  .     I   IL        '1  tiC   Uxii   A>kr«l   U  l«* 

b^  '.  >'•     I  -'.  .'.    %  liL      H« 


OM*  Mm*  uI  .  kf  tiliu. 

Vt%.i—\Z.-                                           Tboiiph  Kliih*  U  •»1<1  lo  b«T« "  r:  to 

Elijah  (1  Kinp'                                      <<  "  puuxr^l  waur  uu  Lis  tuiMl«*(i  rrt 

hr  WAS  l&r  luufr                                         hi*  MfviDL     TlMre  wm  oo  brua.;  -  ci 

milk  Utw^^D  t)  •                                        Rather  Kluha  waa,  in  original  «>  -  jo. 

t.  vkt  gri  uf  hi*  mriy  hum*  to  IK  1  ■  -;;l 
u  lo  educAtioo  and  maoDen  L'  vv«  be»o 
q^:r  .  .  «  e^jual.  A  I:ic:.<*.v.i|.,  in  the  pTuper  MOM  of  tike  t«rtD,  m  kjk  i:.  ^  pumtXh^c 
bt  I '«         .;.«iB,  and  Mriu*  u>  have  nibted,  and  to  have  beeo  wann  aud  tnie.     Ii  vaa 

•  (ricuuKbip,  buwever,               '    i        *        '        "•      va«  reougci'    '    ■  i.^>e 

ftAie  ««r  ^(^x^'  of                                                 r  man  of  •>  -e* 

the  twu  beoaine  aoqu-^iiii^.  lur                                      i_,..^  f-  •  ^^ 

the  time  wb«a  Bwha  wm  a  iu  <j| 

the  urophatioAl  ordar,  he  had  a  ,u..  .                            — _  .- .  ch 

BUiM  ooeupiad  during  hie  lifeuine.                               'Terb  m%>  •  U 

y  a  feoaVMin  OD  qui  &Iiar'.  rt  I'm    trr  .                                       '..uuicri^  >  aA 

natuial  thai  tlie  u     .                                                                       ^     L  tu.  ui» 

attachmeut   br   i:  >:                                                                               to    l«  o 

**  EUaba,  wbkh  pooTBil  wAt<  ■•  .  .     . 
apoB  the  great  pruphr',  a' 

maiiilc  at  Abel-MebiaUii  Uj  *• 

it  br  (;i»  <irt<»TniRStion  V>  •  a^ 

a»  be 

t:.-    .  '.Uc 

.a( 

^    it 


atleiiCf  - 

-,  Oic  bja. 

kb  in>i 

liA  aLaII  K 

by  hi*  Uerp  ;;nri  Hiit-: 

*'M\  lather!  my  fail. 

WAA     BLliaeChiOg     Tr     . 

A.  1  AvidaadV 

aa  Lli)ak  a^  Bh.»^  . 

u^«.     pi^.j. 

ttoeqaala, 
tactur,  iIm 


botk  aqtMlly  oooeuii  -.  '  » 

dliaolor,  tba  beoe^  •• 


dapMkiaDi,  tiM  Mkolar,  tka  aen 

altiHiu  •Iatc:  liuuad  logather  ici  k  „  ^  ^    „  «•> 

•-  ta,  not  merrlr  Ui  aw  Akao  la  ua  a  p-— ^  uitereat,  but  to  aitf  ua  uadrf 

•u    .    '  ^ooM  lo  imitalxat 


28  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINOa  [ch.  n.  1— 2S. 

Ver.  9. — Desire  for  spiritual  exaltation.  The  Apostle  Paul  exhorts  his  converts  to 
"  covet  earnestly  the  best  gifts  "  (1  Cor.  xii.  31).  Selfishness  can  intrude  everywhere  ; 
and  no  doubt  there  may  be  a  selfish  desire  for  high  spiritual  gifts  and  powers,  merely 
to  promote  our  individual  glorification.  We  must  be  on  our  guard,  not  only  against 
the  more  vulgar  forms  of  selfishness,  but  also  against  those  rarer  and  more  recondite 
forms  of  it  which  constitute  the  special  temptations  of  minds  not  accessible  to  low 
motives  of  the  ordinary  kind.  It  is,  perhaps,  difficult  for  us,  in  all  cases,  to  discern  our 
own  motives  ;  but  an  honest  wish  to  discern  them  will  go  a  long  way  towards  enabling 
us  to  arrive  at  the  truth.     Desire  for  spiritual  exaltation  is  noble,  pure,  and  right — 

L  Wheit  cub  motive  is  to  be  op  greater  use  to  others.  In  this  case  our 
wish  will  be  for  the  gifts  which  tend  most  to  the  good  of  others — for  the  power  to 
edify,  for  the  power  to  console,  for  the  power  to  convert  the  wicked,  for  the  power  to 
strengthen  the  upright.  We  shall  not  desire  to  be  clever,  or  eloquent,  or  logical,  or 
deeply  learned ;  but  to  be  able  to  win  souls  to  Christ.  We  shall  not  be  concerned 
about  other  persons*  estimates  of  us ;  we  shall  not  want  their  admiration,  or  their 
praise,  or  even  their  good  opinion ;  but  we  shall  want  to  see  some  fruit  of  our  minis- 
terial labours,  some  increase  of  earnestness  and  spiritual -raindedness  amongst  those  who 
are  committed  to  our  charge,  some  improvement  in  their  habits,  some  greater  zeal, 
some  warmer  devotion,  some  higher  spirit  of  self-sacrifice. 

II.  When  our  motive  is  the  greater  glory  of  God.  God  is  glorified  in  the 
perfection  of  his  creatures ;  and  desire  of  spiritual  exaltation  is  right  when  we  really 
and  truly  desire  it  for  this  end.  But  it  is  hard  to  know  when  this  is  the  case.  Great 
saints,  no  doubt,  have  attained  to  such  a  condition,  and  have  longed  to  reach  nearer  and 
nearer  to  spiritual  perfectness,  not  from  any  selfish  motive,  but  purely  to  do  more 
honour  to  God,  to  glorify  him  in  their  souls  and  spirits,  which  are  God's.  But  so  few 
attain  to  this  spiritual  height,  that  a  man  can  scarcely  be  justified  in  assuming  to  him- 
self that  he  has  reached  it.  We  shall  do  well  to  suspect  our  own  motives ;  to  keep 
strict  watch  upon  ourselves,  to  be  on  our  guard  a>;ainst  tlie  insidiousness  of  self-seeking. 
Ascetics  iu  all  ages,  and  some  in  the  present  age  who  do  not  affect  any  remarkable 
strictness  or  severity  of  life,  but  call  themselves  searchers  after  occult  science,  or  after 
the  higher  wisdom,  or  esoteric  Buddhists,  or  by  some  other  similar  outlandish  name,  and 
profess  to  be  seeking  high  spiritual  perfection  as  their  own  hijihest  good,  do  not  for  the 
most  part  seek  to  conceal  the  selfishness  of  their  aims,  or  pretend  to  be  actuated  either 
by  the  wish  to  benefit  others  or  the  desire  to  promote  the  glory  of  God.  Their  self- 
training  and  self-culture  begin  and  end  in  self,  and  have  nothing  noble,  or  grand,  or 
admirable  alx)ut  them;  but,  if  they  are  insincere,  are  a  cloak  for  ordinary  vui'j;ar  self- 
seeking,  and,  if  they  are  sincere,  are  the  result  of  a  delusion  cast  on  them  by  iSatan. 

Vers.  14 — 24. —  The  tvjnt  of  a  teacher  sent  from  Ood.  No  man  !s  entitled  to  assume 
the  po.sition  of  a  teacher  sent  from  God  of  his  own  mere  motion,  or  without  some 
external  authorization.  "How  can  men  preach,  except  they  he  sentf'^  (Rom.  x.  15). 
Where  an  organization  has  been  established  hy  Divine  agency,  human  authorir-ation, 
the  mishion  of  tliose  to  whom  the  power  of  mission  has  been  assigned,  is  suflieicnt. 
i'ut  where  there  is  no  such  established  Church  system,  the  commission  has  to  be  t;iven 
directly  by  GmiI,  and  can  only  \)e  attested  to  man  by  the  accompaniment  of  miracu- 
I'UH  jKiwer-j.  MiraculonH  operations  may  be  of  three  kinds  :  (1)  r^para,  mere  '*  wonders," 
hii«i)cnhionH  of  or  <lu|iartures  from  the  ordinary  course  of  nature  ;  (2)  ict/iaro,  "cures," 
workH  of  mercy,  miriculous  intcrj)osition8  for  the  benefit  of  mankind  at  large,  or  of 
certain  p<TH'»rjH;  and  (3)  <p6opai,  "  desti uctions,"  miraculous  hurts  to  persons  or  things, 
withering  up  of  limlis,  Kmitings  with  leprosy,  or  wilh  ]  ajsy,  or  with  death  itself.  It 
ban  often  been  remarke<I  that  our  Lord's  miracles  wore  predominantly  of  ll;o  second 
kind.  'I'he  f«me  may  \m  said  of  Klisha's.  But  as,  in  lh<^  jtrovideneo  of  (1(k1,  it  was 
thoiii,'ht  fitting;  that  our  Ixjni,  b  HidoH  his  numorons  mir;icle8  of  mercy,  Hhould  work 
w»riic  rnero  wonderH,  an  walkin;^  on  the  sea,  paHi<iiig  through  closod  doors  (Jolin  xx.  IS)), 
ajic*ndiii|<  up  in  Mh  human  Unly  to  hoavon  ;  and  Hhould  also  work  at  least  one  miraclo 
of  dentriiclioti,  the  witnerinv^  uj)  ot  the  harnn  fig  tree  through  Iuh  curso ;  ho  also 
Ehhha'n  nli»^hil.n  wim  al tinted  iiy  miroclcH  of  all  three  kiiidM.  First  of  all,  he  nxhibits 
a  "wonder"  by  dividing  JokIhii  ;  thou  lie  workh  a  miracle  of  mercy,  by  bnalirif;  the 
Utter  water*;  thirdly,   by  hla  cur*e,  hu  brings  about  u   miraclu  uf  doittrucliou,  or  «l 


OL  n.  1  -SO.] 


TBI  taOOND  BOOK  OF  TUB  KONML 


0<  •rrli.us  111 
•b>'wn  I  titi  u>  I. Ik 
)*.>»rr  of  Mch  kiatl,  aud  UMi«lur«  MtiU*!  to  fmk  to  i^mb  vub  fitli  •nd  tnTfrbu 


rjr    throttfh  Ik*  ab^-KMn  Uv  nc  tk*  ehiUlrra.      II*  !• 
uaMoq  m  Ood**  •orr^dilad  aiwtngw,  aoil'wad   ttUb  mmeukuA 


HOMILnn  BT  YARIOUB  AUTOOIta 


Trra.  I — 8. — Farting  wimU.     Hm%  thnwgb  < 

Irn.i'.lM    U>    wili«M   Um  OkMllif   SMIi*   of   •    ): 

c  l«a«  iharv,  fcir  the  Ilk* 

t  oaf\l^-Atid  It  liAs  u<  vrr  ). 

•  !.<..  I. >.,.%:  ^bt  frulB  r  . 

lu  a  mao'a  n  •    ■« 


)«  o/  Scrlptarr 
Loi  ua  dr*x  ' 
•plx^oed  < 

1 QOO.       Ol. . 


df«ih.    a  > 

•olemo  Uiue,  ^aI( 

U>  ■  cluM,  that  tlt«  khadowa  oi  doai; 

fpenin.'     '    ^--f'Tr>  him.     It  la  »oU 

**  Eye  a0ea«  nor  car  beftrd, 

tilings  u    .._  ....  hftth  pfvparad  for  U.&^  ;^..  .^..  ..  „  ^  ^ 

<Aua«  «a4o  af«  1^  Miarf.     What  auziooa  ^uesUooiog I     What  por^ 
tW  futural     What  aa^arnea•  to  \>-  k  iK-iiiua    In-  vi-il  ml  iMu<-ir»L<-  < 
hklaa  the  loved  •  no  froiu  uur  \ 
ae*  their  departed  aoM  en  tor  I  tig  I 

Lord  I  It  U  quite  eridaot  that  Uoa  Had  ouoveyed  to  t. 
fact  that  he  wm  au  aooo  to  bo  taken  awaj  frum  earth.  1 
aware  of  it,  anii  E  iaha  kuew  ii  alau  Bui  KUjah  lemu  V. 
mt   dit  tkougkt.     Mauy  hundred    yeant   aficr   thia,  wtieii  .  i 

&x>tland — was  ou  bia  dcAth-tied,  he  aaid  to  thuee  who  atuud  a 
the  Lurd  in  fi-ar,  aiid  death  ah&il  nut  be  terrible  uuio  yout"     .^ 
Elijah'a  expir.ci.ce.     He  hai  Iveu  faithful  to  Gud'a  cauae  auu  ix:-;..vu 
lifei,  and  now  he  waa  not  afraid  (bat  God  would  forsake  bim  at  iu  c\  m- 
did  Eliyih  tpend  tk»/ew  h"ur§  Uiat  ramainsd  to  him  be/vre  he  <■ 
«/  kit    Maker  t     Sotue  tht-re  are  who  would   like  to  a|«:.  : 
oonteiupLuon  aloi^e  witii  Gud.     Elijah  waa  himaelf  a      > 
He  kived  to  be  nlune  Mith  G  d.     IIU  "aoul  waa  lik 
Vet,  with  all  thia,  the  active  uaa  atronger  in  him  ti 
the  two  were  eo  well  lial>iQC«d  that  the  one  waa  a  Lr 
of  aoUtuiie  and  <;umiiiuuion  with  God  he  drew  inapir 
with  men  and  sin.     If  he  waa  a  mAn  of  Ofi- 


eiary,  ve  are 

-1'   moA    I'ok 

•r 

ch 

»  ii   cjf    t/f 

h  b  a 


Ut 
..h 


o<  th<i 


•»aa 


;  uu 

//i/ ..  (Am, 

tkt  prmenea 

in   peaceful 

-.•«itiuo. 

'     And 

•  rathrr, 

s  boura 


■0  We    Llid    hi: 

oAWry  mmd  u^/u  e  propbta. 

Ought  we  not  tu  ; :  tune.  In  w<. 

ye«  tnaal  to  tptmd  pour  iasl  Aoun  ur.  ,  you  ah. 

would  like  to  qiend  jour  laau     One  .     .   v  aakcd  ■' 

•pend  that  day  if  he  knew  it  waa  to  be  itin  ta«t.     She  d 
for  piuua  QMditation  aud  actrluaion.     Uu  aii»wer  waa,  *'J 
spend   It;**   an  1  then   he  proceeded  to  toll   her  what   hia 


aa  jou 
e  would 
:  euaie  ralea 
.  I  iutoud  to 
i'''^^^*'OM  oi  Work 
waa  for  the  day.  Oh,  that  we  could  all  aay  Ukat  every  day,  ti.a:  tf  it  waa  to  he  our 
last  we  Would  e|«n'l  it  juat  aa  ^^ 
Cor  mmp  day  may  be  uur  laau  N 
or  i  "  .  or  aufferin^- 

cic  their  elo~ 

luay  uc  i.«.iy  working  (ur  u  m  u\ 
bj  thoir  WL.ri»  uf  oounael  to  others 
to  work  fur  h  in,  thoo  it  ^n    -   *   ' 
Kotioe  the  tern*  ^  Ji|hA  • 
tko  eoUegaa  or  in>titiiti..i.> 
tOMhiniE  othare  ; 


to  spend  III     We  ought  to  be  able  to  aay  it. 

are  are  oiaay  whom  Ool  lays  aside  by  ace, 

then  homr.    TVy 

riflt.  though  titry 

:irriu^  ur  i  eir  faith  aud  1k<(«, 

fod  givea  ua  health  aiid  streDgih 

'-^  live  in  harasoa  to  the  U»t. 

tiM  aeboolsof  the  prophna, 

.^\    '..r   f.-''   '"urewufk  <A 

Loura   were 

„^     ...  .... :_  .  _c  yvMtng  werr 


fB  THE   SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINOS.         [ch.  n.  1—25 

the  hope  of  the  Church.  Hence  he  would  devote  to  them  his  last,  and  probably  his 
best,  hours.  He  would  give  them  words  of  counsel  and  exhortation — words  that,  under 
such  ci icumstances,  few  of  them  would  ever  forget.  IJhere  is  a  lesson  here  for  us  all. 
Parents  need  to  realize  more  the  importance  of  personally  instructing  their  chilciren. 
They  need  to  take  more  interest  in  the  kind  of  eiiucation  they  receive.  They  need  to 
be  more  careful  about  the  companions  with  whom  they  permit  their  children  to  associate. 
Not  merely  parents,  but  all  members  of  the  Christian  Church,  should  take  a  deeper 
interest  in  the  education  of  the  yoimg.  How  little  our  people  know,  as  a  rule,  about 
our  theological  colleges !  and  how  little  encouragement  do  those  labouring  in  then^ 
receive  from  the  Church  a;*  a  whole  1  Elijah's  closing  hours  were  spent  in  active  toork, 
and  that  active  work  consisted  in  visiting  among  the  young.  Such  were  his  parting 
visits. — C.  H.  L 

Ver.  9. — A  parting  request.  After  visiting  the  schools  of  the  prophets  at  Bethel 
and  Jericho,  which  were  both  on  the  west  side  of  Jordan — ^the  side  nearest  Jerusalem, 
the  side  nearest  Europe — Elijah,  accompanied  by  Elisha,  crossed  over  to  the  other  side, 
that  is,  the  east  side  of  Jordan,  the  side  nearest  the  centre  of  Asia.  Why  was  this  ? 
Elijah  was  a  Tishbite,  of  the  inhabitants  of  Gilead,  on  this  east  side  of  Jordan,  Like 
the  mountaineer  of  Switzerland,  or  the  Highlander  of  Scotland,  he  was  brought  up  amid 
the  mountains  of  Gilead.  Like  them,  he  was  fearless  and  brave.  And  he  would  seem 
also  to  have  had  all  the  love  of  the  Swiss  or  the  Highlander  for  his  native  hills.  He 
wishes  to  end  his  earthly  life  where  it  had  first  begun.  Perhaps  in  the  dim  distance 
he  can  see  the  spot  where  nestles  the  home  of  his  childliood.  His  life  has  been  a 
stormy  one,  and  now,  ere  he  leaves  it  for  the  peaceful  life  of  heaven,  he  takes  one  last 
fond,  lingering  look  at  the  quiet  home  of  earth.  The  friends  of  his  youth  are  gone. 
Those  whom  he  knew  in  childhood  have  forgotten  him.  But  by  his  side  there  is  a 
faithful  friend  who  forsook  home  and  friends  for  his  sake  and  the  sake  of  the  truth  of 
God.  Elijah  was  not  a  rich  man.  Silver  and  gold  he  had  none.  But  he  was  one 
of  those  who  could  say,  "  As  sorrowful,  yet  alway  rejoicing ;  as  poor,  yet  making 
many  rich."  Such  as  he  had,  he  wanted  to  give  to  his  friend.  "  And  it  came  to  pass, 
when  they  were  gone  over,  that  Elijah  said  to  Elisha,  Ask  what  I  shall  do  for  thee, 
bt-fore  I  be  taken  away  from  thee.  And  Elisha  said,  I  pray  thee,  let  a  double  portion 
of  thy  spirit  be  U{X)n  me."  As  Solomon,  when  he  came  to  the  throne,  asked  not  for 
riches,  or  honour,  or  long  life,  but  for  a  wise  and  understanding  heart,  so  Ellisha  also 
realized  what  was  of  most  importance  for  a  minister  of  God,  for  a  teacher  of  others. 
Oharader  is  the  best  gift.  You  may  give  your  children  a  good  education,  you  may 
•tore  u|i  a  fortune  for  them,  but  if  they  have  not  a  good  character,  all  else  is  useless 
and  worse  than  useless.  The  spirit  of  Elijah — that  was  just  what  a. minister  of  God 
needed  then,  and  what  th(!  minister  of  the  gospel  needs  still.  ITie  spirit  of  Elijah  was 
»  spirit  of  fidelity  to  duty,  a  spirit  of  faithfulness  in  rebuking  sin,  a  spirit  .of  fearlessness 
and  courage  in  the  presence  of  opposition  and  danger,  and  at  the  same  time  also  a 
spirit  of  teiidi-rness  and  love.  Such  a  spirit  every  ('hristian  worker  should  seek  to 
xKMUiOM.  And  jtiBt  as  Elisha  souglit  to  obtain  a  tiouWe  portion  of  it  to  qualify  him  for 
niii  n-Hponsible  and  prominent  jiosition,  so  also,  the  minister  of  Christ  needs  to  be 
doubly  <n<iowe<l  with  the  Spirit  of  Gu<i.  He  who  would  lead  and  teach  others  must 
Ix}  doubly  M|iiriiiial,  doubly  wise,  doubly  canful,  doubly  holy,  doubly  zealous  and 
KcmpulouB  for  the  honour  and  cause  of  Christ.  T/ie  spirit  of  Elijah  was  needed  then, 
and  it  Im  ne'denl  alill.  The  tins  of  his  time  are  the  sins  of  oxir  own  time.  TIkto  are  the 
mnifl  immonility,  the  Bamo  c<iv<toiiHnoHS,  tlm  saine  forgetful nesH  of  CJod,  the  Hiiuie 
jil'jiorptiori  In  tli<-  couccruH  and  nlcnHurcs  of  the  presont  w»)rld.  We  need  luoro  men 
with  th'!  Hfiirlt  of  Klijiili,  wlio  will  \w  faithful  to  dod  and  conscience  at  any  cost,  who 
will  nhuku  sin  in  lii({h  plnctm  and  in  any  place — the  hIuh  of  royalty  and  rank  iih  well 
a'«  th<'  Hinn  of  tho  [xKjr.  IIow  much  inilrciniou  and  worldlinisH  and  timidity  and  time- 
MifvinK  tlniro  arc  on  tho  piirt  <if  many  profcHsin^  (JhrisfiauHJ  Wo  \\(sm\  uioro  indn  witii 
the  iipirit  of  Kltjah,  tfi  ajik,  "  Who  in  on  the  Lord'H  MJiio?"  and  t4>  cry  aloiul  to  thii 
falt<!r>ri(j;,  w«>;»k-kii'  »r<i,  half-ln  iiried  ( 'hriHliiinM,  "  Mow  lonp;  hall,  yo  botweoii  two<)|iiuii)ns? 
If  the  F-'ird  \m  f  J.hI,  follow  him  ;  but  if  the  world  Ixt  your  ntnl,  follow  It."  KlfHhu'i 
jmrtitnj  rei/  r»t  ut  k  rt'iiui-ut  which  we  mi^ht  all  n|iprr>pruil('ly  make  lu  prujer  to  GKmI, 
that  a  double  purllou  of  fcllijah's  spirit  may  fMt  upuu  us. — C.  11.  L 


«K.  iL  1-M.]       ras  naaoMD  book  of  tui  kuioa.  » 

T 

?««  II,  11— .^v««i< /V»<^t^     Kit)**   MvoM  lo  barv  b«4  A^MtfvMsvuM  •  iafti 
pnin         KiiImt  km  iht^  i<*»«.  or  tu  (/  *   KltfliM**  d*Tuik«,  Im  uTcad  kuB  to  u/ry  fir« 

»t  '  iWllMl.      I                     u.      EitAi  !■— >■  ll  wilk   ki»   to  tU 

U  o  lKiw0                      ham  Iw  BU(«I     H^rw  k«  pa*  •**T 

(^  '''Uia  UMaoMo/ik*  |«v|4M«i 

•*io    I        r       L  » inm<r  tumt  kt»  ht^  ihu 

•'•-  i  ttKHT  tt{  boM  yyow  |— la.* 

Tt  At)  iiiiliiiilnMl  pnW»t  u4  kit 

kc.  '^  '^  ID*  ahoat  U.'     " ''"    '^ -ai 

u(  ■  er  Jur^ft,  ano                   -4 

<«>  V  '-«  bad4d«  ti  tCf ....  ..  .^^ 

ku  ■ .  aborv     fk  rnwii  b  to  W  1^4. 

(^>  £lv«a.    8o  MMSJ  wnitiilup  •• 

W}  bat  Um  aJurp,  iaoMftv*  Meaiaai  «aaMB 

•t  'aw  t.r-«r  lo  ib«  ewib.     Thrr  in  nfcrhila 

M-  ■•,  «Ad  ■Qdd«al]%ki'  A  vkirivttfed. 

It  1  e  in  adfin      Th«n,  r«QOV«fifM 

hki  r  ra.  h*  aim,  "  Uy  hthrnl 

my  R*  iitt«  m  iii«>  lut^BAJvj 

u'  :  from  it.     hut  b*  ■&« 

rt^  a    1          .           ,  boo,  will  Ihi  fllhrlHi 
1:      -      I 

-ak-  tkj  r««l, 

W*lDtt JmoUM: 

CMwdmgktl* 

ar*  parted  \j  6m/k,  parlup*  ih*  uo*  who  mbmIm  woAw  w4f  ••«  «m« 
CA«o<&«r  i^A.  P«rlaj«  y^M  war*  ool  pvparad  to  dk.  Purbaf*  jo*  bMl 
but  littk  far  jrour  M»«tar,  axrI  he  waut*^  yam  to  do  auiDo  morv  for  hio:.  Urn 
TOO  MKXhf  chaooa.  If  Ood  sparM  our  Uvm,  if  b«  rmiaca  oa  ap  &4«ai  fi\xu  a  bK4 
of  itetaMaa,  v*  may  ba  aaaorad  that  there  la  a  graciou*  puquaa  in  tt  all  But  Kh)ak 
BOt  <miy  paaced  out  of  ayr  It  ic  raomxiod  tbat  kt  wwiU  t*p  i«lo  ^tnw. 

Tbar*  ia  iko  word  of  au  <!)t*'  .^ta.     On  tkrougb  tkr  ira.-ly  |(at«a,  os  thr.«'j«k 

tka  ■traiB*  ol  bea«  >.v^  ui.  i.u>  ih*  prraeoea  uf  tba  &mg.     **  Lr-  •!.-• 

daath  €t  tba  rigbi-  i  luy  Last  eod  ba  hka  bia.*     Lac  nt*  liT«  a*  :  ., 

aad  I  akaU — aran  iiKugn  i  {aaa  ibrou^  cka  TaUay  ol  tka  akaidow  ot  daaiL — tuut  aa 
Elt)ak  aalarad  iBio  tbat  booaa  ol  many  manrfnaa,  that  koma  narnil  is  tba  b 
ikat  -ektj  tkat  katb  faitxiaifana,  wboaa  B«Udar  aad  Makar  b  Ooa."— a  H.  L 

Tara.  18 — l^—J%$  hm;immmf  ^  Miiak^$  wtrk.     L  DrruB  r^v-- -est.     Eik^ 

wantad  a  t  'keo  tkat  Ood'a  praaaooa  aBd  povar  wara  wiib  klm.  .riia  b«  «Mad 

E^jah'a  maotla  aa  (>••  ha.i  »««b  BUkb  oaa  it.    Ha  aaola  tka  waic^. <-a.  **  Whtf 

Is  Ika  Lord  Ood  of  :  Wa  Wb  ham  tkfa  a  twfcid  1— <m.     I.  Tht  kml  tmf 

la  araat  tit  potmrr  j  armm  i»  U  mmnim  tk*  fMt  mt  kmm.     **  K*fW«  no*  ih» 

gift  tkai  ta  to  tba&"     W*  aball  boI  aaonniplfak  madi  Ib  Ika  world  it  w  a-aod  puutf 
If  blto  kaiTM 

•Wa  May  Bot  sake  Oda  world  a  pamdlaa 
By  walki]^  U  lo««(kar  wHk  iliif  <  kaa^* 


1.  JB  tfort  tkmM  W  BaaMapMM  *y  aiayar.     BUaka  kaav  ikU  Ik*  aBBUa  o#  BB)ak 
w>t  X,  nnlaai  tka  Lord  Ood  of  Klijab  wa<  with  blm.    **  Apoaloboal  aiacoa«iaB  " 

prv  :   -  :  tkara  ba  boI  alao  tka  bapcMm  U  the  HoJy  Ubost.     If  wa  wosld  aiaeeaad 

[a  oux  >iiiiiriiwa,  w«  moat  k>ok  fur  tka  UTiae  guklaocv,  help,  aBd  biaariiBC.    *  Bxacpt 
tU  Lord  koUd  tka  k0■•^  tkaj  bboor  Ib  vaiB  tkat  build  iL* 

IL  Tm>  Dtrm  W  Ti  MAnnwrmB.  **  Wbaa  k*  bad  HBltlaB  tka  wataca,  tkay 
imrifi  b  thar  and  tkitkar;  aad  Eliaka  w«bi  Bvar.*  If  w*  h^d  faitk  to  «tidcrvak*  (raat 
tkli^  (or  iiod,  tkas  va  mldit  nueet  grMt  tkta(p  ftoa  Uod.  Are  w*  aiiamptlBt  m 
MkMVB  Bifkt  ferevr  Lavdf    Aft  w*  y«Mtaig  kli  DMbb  frantaa  aad  paww  » 


30  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINOa          [ch.  n.  1— 25. 

the  test?  Have  we  not  his  own  assurance,  **Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  to  the 
end  of  the  world"?  Why  should  our  efforts  be  so  feeble,  when  we  have  all  the 
resources  of  Divine  grace  at  our  disposal  ?  The  Divine  presence  was  manifest  not  only 
to  Elisha  himself,  but  to  the  sons  of  the  prophets  also.  When  they  saw  liim,  they 
said,  "  The  spirit  of  Elijah  doth  rest  on  Elisha."  If  we  are  walking  with  God,  abiding 
in  Christ,  the  evidence  of  it  will  soon  be  manifest  in  our  lives. 

m.  DrviNE  PtTBPOSES  DOUBTED.  Although,  as  we  have  seen  above,  the  sons  of  the 
prophets  knew  that  Elijah  was  to  be  taken  from  them,  yet  they  were  slow  to  believe 
in  his  actual  removal.  They  asked  Elisha's  permission  to  send  fifty  strong  men  to 
seek  for  Elijah,  "  lest  peradventure  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  hath  taken  him  up,  and  cast 
him  upon  some  mountain,  or  into  some  valley."  Elisha  knew  how  vain  it  was,  and 
forbade  an  expedition  so  futile.  But  in  response  to  their  urgent  and  repeated  entreaties 
he  gave  them  permission  to  send.  After  the  exploring  party  had  been  searching  for 
Elijah  for  three  days  in  vain,  they  at  length  gave  up  the  quest  and  returned  to  Jericho. 
So  the  human  heart  is  ever  reluctant  to  submit  to  God's  purposes.  Because  we  cannot 
see  the  meaning  of  some  good  man's  removal,  we  think  it  was  ill-timed.  Yet  God's 
work  does  not  depend  upon  the  human  instruments  whom  he  uses.  No  doubt  there 
is  something  beautiful  and  pathetic  about  this  affection  of  these  young  men  for  their 
old  teacher.  But  when  he  was  gone,  why  spend  their  time  in  profitless  brooding  over 
his  loss,  instead  of  showing  his  spirit,  and  fulfilling  his  desires  by  throwing  themselves 
heartily  into  their  work  under  Elisha?  The  Church  of  Christ  best  shows  its  regard 
for  the  workers  of  the  past  and  for  their  work,  not  by  standing  still  where  they  have 
left  of^  but  by  carrying  forward  and  improving  the  work  they  have  begun.  There  are 
ever  new  conditions  of  life  opening  up,  and  these  most  be  considered  as  well  as  the 
memories  of  the  past — 0.  H.  L 

Vers.  19 — 22. — The  waten  heated.  A  beautiful  city  wae  Jericho.  It  stood  In  the 
midst  of  a  small  but  luxuriant  plain.  Fig  trees  and  palm  trees,  and  wheat,  aromatic 
flowers  and  plants,  grew  there  in  great  profusion.  A  few  miles  distant  rolled  the 
river  Jordan,  "  the  most  interesting  river  on  earth,"  and  in  the  background  lay  the 
rugged  hills  of  Quarantana.  Jericho,  too,  had  a  famous  history.  It  was  the  first 
city  to  which  the  Israelitish  spies  came  when  they  set  out  to  view  the  land  of  promise. 
It  was  the  first  city  taken  by  the  Israelites,  when  its  walls  fell  down  as  they  were 
compassed  about  by  the  priests  and  people  of  Israel.  Five  himdred  years  after  that 
it«  walls  were  rebuilt,  in  the  days  of  Ahab,  by  Hiel  the  Bethelite,  who  suffered  the 
judgment  pronounced  by  God  against  the  man  that  would  rebuild  them  (1  Kings  xvL 
£4).  Tet  despite  their  history  and  their  beautiful  surroundings,  the  inhabitants  of 
Jericho  were  not  happy.  The  city;  rich  in  so  many  natural  advantages,  lacked  one  of 
the  moat  lmj)ortant  of  all  necessities  of  a  large  town — pure  water.  The  water  wot 
diseaned  or  bad,  and  its  badness  seems  to  have  affected  even  the  fertile  land.  The  men 
of  the  city  tell  Elisha  that  the  water  Li  bad  and  the  ground  barren.  (The  word  trans- 
lated "  barren  "  reilly  means  in  the  original  that  the  ground  cast  its  fruit  or  did  not 
bring  its  fruit  to  jwrfection.)  Beautiful  Jericho  with  its  bad  water  is  like  many  anothcT 
place  on  earth.  Many  a  city  is  fair  without,  but  all  corrupt  within.  Many  a  mansion, 
outwanlly  gorgeous,  is  full  of  w retched uohb  witliin.  Many  a  man  who  presents  a 
Hriiiling  face  to  the  world  has  the  canker  of  a  guilty  Cdiiscience  gnawing  at  his  heart. 
Tlio«e  who  are  wrong  and  want  to  get  set  right  may  find  some  thoughts  of  comfort 
and  \>(>]Ks  in  the  paHHago  Itcf  re  us.  It  pointK  us  to  Jesus,  the  only  Ono  who  can  set  all 
right  an<i  keep  all  right.     "ThuH  saith  the  Lord,  1  have  beftlo<l  those  wiitors." 

Notic«j  lien;  ROM  re  watkiih  that  nkkd  ubai.ino,  anh  Chriht's  powkb  to  niiAL 
TflKM.  1.  77iere  art  waten  of  sin.  Men  may  (liH|iiito  about  the  univcirHality  of  the 
Deluge  in  the  dayH  of  Noiih.  Hut  hero  is  a  flfKnl  alnrnt  whoso  universftlity  there 
in  no  doubt.  The  O u I f-Btr«!arn  has  a  woll-<l(!fitied  c<)\irHo.  But  the  stream  of  hiu 
is  nverywhore.  Ortain  forriiH  of  dirtdiHo  are  peculiar  to  certain  coinitrieH.  But 
the  riinpa*.  of  niri  in  loimd  in  every  land.  (1)  Therr  (ire  corrupt  airrntfn  in  oiir 
naliintiU  life.  Our  jxilitical  partien  aro  far  from  b>  itig  what  tlioy  ought  to  Iw.  Com- 
pare'l  with  thoH*  c<»nri)riHy|  In  thn  govorniimnt  of  other  countrieH,  perhajm  our 
■laleNrrieu  may  ntari'l  high.  Hut  compariMl  with  the  ro<iuiremoMtn  of  ImmI'h  Lavv, 
ooui;«w«d  with  the  aUudard  which  OD;;ht  to  be  rui^uirod  of  thoeo  who  would  loglnUte 


m.  B.  1— H] 


TR«  nOOND  BOOK  OP  TBI  KIXQ& 


lbr»<  ' 

qucw  . 

U.   !».<  vi 

»<■  •    ■  \  ■ 

»•      •. 

11. ». 

1 

«a  DffiaoipU 


how  fu  •bort  tber  oxt.e  !     W«  m»y  tkuk  0<m1  f^  •  f^fiadaa 

.r  «o  L«v«  •  CbruUar.  t        !»t4r«T      iWr*  aivCbnt*  kJi  iu'B  la 

itt  B*tiy  ». 

Um  |»u4w>w«i  law. 
.'laUluri  la  hat  •  U.  uf 


/l/f.    '1 


uf  ui.iTs  rui.1-...,;  iLdiii  Willi 
Tdorw  i«  •  C'!r~"   uj»'n  all  jll- 


do  it.      Jm<<*  u  .' 

tt>0  di'«ra«txi  curit  i.Lc  <  I  I 
th«  nit  into  the  U\d  M.H 
P<»peJ  intu  the  i»'i  •"'  -' 
the  (.x»n«cirucf  a 

jUiiglllrDt,  JUfl    VN    

uvrk»  alio  th-fiyh  /..■ 
th«  wurl.rt   lie.      ••  ^,     . 
furr«  of  thii  ■latrmeiit  la 
nit  IB  the  pT'  %'.  &r  t  ■>  Xv  « 
be,  io  the  a 
au<i  iLai  ui. 
oallod,  **  tL«  cLc;.w^^ 
praaarrative  agaiiut  c 
ufaaad  beftlih.      Novs 
watara  of  Jaricho,  CL ' 
Uiair  nYour  '  . 
aara  toaze 
iharciaCkiD^ 
Um  praeitcM. 

u 


em  witu  wQat  titej 

they  take  thru  |« 
..  all  the  excuk««  uf 
u:..^u.     Wealth  gutteu  br  <: 
'»r  •piritu.tl  expense  of  other- 
''*  life,  and  leave  it  kiue«: 
-f  f     I/vw  is  Oiii/oul  tt 
10  11.     i^wa  will  nut  du  it.     (! 
He  [>oura  in  (lie  fretfb  ^tre^ 


th- 


.  i."       ll  it  lUr   • 

.'l  onlj  ao,  but 
°.  ihe  »alt  It  to  the  ^ 
to  Ixi  til  iK><>  life  o' 


«. 
'« 
•I 

B 
nt 


.-I 


•0 

M 
A 

to 
% 

e« 

><€ 

rat  tu  Iha 

■■"'■  tn  I.ita 
■•T 


hara  lLum 
iWj  aavar 


.  U      «  •  .  C.  I 


can  h> 

rial  aoa  ; 
■>  is  ttUi  /. 

VtHJ    tLll    Jf^U    t 


Wha 

H.Ta 


81  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINOa         [oh.  n.  1—26. 

qnenc«8  ?  Have  you  never  startled  at  the  whisper  of  an  accusing  conscience  ?  Hai 
not  siu  left  it«  blight  upon  your  life  ?  Have  you  not  found,  like  the  men  of  Jericho, 
that  though  the  outward  surroundinga  of  your  life  are  pleasant,  yet  the  current  of  your 
desires  acd  pleasures  ia  only  bringing  evil  with  it,  and  your  life  is  barren  of  any  good 
or  useful  fruit  ?  If  you  thmk,  as  some  do,  that  you  can  yet  make  it  all  right  by  your 
own  exertions,  you  are  making  a  great  mistake.  You  can  never  undo  the  past.  Christ 
alone  can  give  you  forgiveness  through  his  blood.  Go  to  him  and  ask  his  mercy.  Go 
to  him  and  ask  his. .help  to  overcome  temptation,  to  conquer  old  habits,  to  get  rid  of 
old  associates.  How  happy  the  moment  when  you  hear  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  the 
Son  of  God,  your  future  Judge,  saying  to  you,  "  Thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee ;  go  in 
peace  "  1  What  moment  in  the  sinner's  experience  on  earth  can  compare  with  that 
when  he  hears  a  voice  from  heaven  saying,  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  1  have  healed  the 
waters  "  f  4.  But  even  God's  people  sometimes  need  a  healing  of  the  waters  too.  The 
Christian,  too,  needs  a  purifying  from  sin's  corrupting  influence.  Let  the  salt  of  the 
Pivine  Word  be  freely  used  by  God's  children,  that  it  may  exercise  its  purifying,  pre- 
serving influence  upon  their  spiritual  life.  'Our  lives  would  be  far  holier,  far  purer,  far 
happier,  far  more  fruitful  than  they  are,  if  we  kept  our  minds  more  in  contact  with 
the  influence  of  the  Word  of  God.  5.  And  then  there  are  the  hitter  waters  of  sorrow. 
Trial  and  sufi'ering  will  always  be  bitter  to  the  taste.  But  he  who  is  the  "  Man  of 
sorrows,  and  acquainted  with  grief "  knows  how  to  sweeten  the  bitter  cup.  Many  a 
tried  and  troubled  Christian  has  experienced  that,  "  though  no  chastisement  for  the 
present  seemeth  to  be  joyous,  but  grievous,  nevertheless  afterward  it  yieldeth  the 
peaceable  fruit  of  righteousness  to  them  that  are  exercised  thereby."  Many  a  time 
our  most  bitter  trial  proves  to  be  our  sweetest  blessing.  We  fear  as  we  enter  into  the 
cloud,  but  we  see  a  new  vision  of  Jesus  there,  and  before  all  is  over  we  learn  to  say, 
"  Master,  it  is  good  for  us  to  be  here."  The  salt  of  God's  Word,  here  also,  has  power 
to  purify  the  diseased  waters  of  nubelief  and  to  sweeten  the  bitter  waters  of  a£9iction. 
In  all  cor  troubles  we  may  hear  the  voice  of  Jesus  saying,  '*  1  have  healed  the  wateis.** 
6.  To  every  one  who  has  experienced  the  healing  power  of  Jesus  the  exhortation  may 
be  given — Be  a  sweetener  of  life  for  others.  Is  there  strife  between  neighbours,  between 
brethren,  between  fellow-Christians  ?  Don't  do  anything  to  embitter  it.  Bather  seek 
to  be  at  peace  and  to  cultivate  peace  with  all  men.  "Blessed  are  the  peacemakers:  for 
they  shall  be  calk  d  the  children  of  God."  Are  there  persons  known  to  you  in  poverty  t 
Try  to  tweeten  life  for  them  by  giving  them  a  little  of  your  comforts.  Are  there  young 
oersOTis,  lonely,  and  far  from  home  and  friends  ?  Try  to  sweeten  life  for  them  by  a 
little  kindness  and  attention.  Are  there  some  known  to  you  who  are  going  down  the 
broad  way  to  destruction  f  Give  them  some  message  from  God's  Word,  sicken  in 
kindnens,  that  may  help,  as  the  salt  at  Jericho,  to  purify  the  muddy  current  of  their 
life,  Lt  arn  of  Jestis  how  to  do  good  to  others.  And  though  you  may  but  cast  in  the 
■alt  into  life's  bitter  waters,  he  will  bless  your  efforts,  and  you  will  hear  him  say,  "  Thus 
■aith  the  Lord,  J  have  healed  the  waters." — 0.  U.  L 

Vers.  1 — 14. —  Tlie  departure  of  good  men.     "And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  Lord 

would  t'ik(!  lip  Elijah  into  Ik  avcn."     Two  Bubjects  are  here  prosontod  for  notice — 

L  TiiK  UKrAKTi  icK  OF  A  fioou  MAN  KuoM  TiiK  KAUTn.  Death  IB  a  dcpiuture  from  the 
world;  it  ih  iiot  an  extinction  of  l)uiiig,  hut  a  mere  cllIln^;e  in  itw  mode.  There  are  two 
fact*  c<inceriiiii)^  Elijah's  d<'i»!irture  whieh  inurk  the  departure  of  nil  men.  1.  The  </mc 
in  of  (Ji^l.  "It  cniiio  to  paiiH,  when  tlm  Lord  would  liiko  up  lOlijali."  Thero  Ih  m\ 
ii|>|<oUiU.-<i  time  for  man  on  the  ourth  ;  when  the  hour  is  u|i,  he  muHt  ^o,  not  before  or 
alter.  Klijalt'h  time  ho'l  emu.  There  are  no  necidintal  dentliH,  no  pr< mature  graveH. 
•*  Th<>u  tuiiieht  ititui  t<)  duKtruclion  ;  "  "Thou  laUoHl  iiway  his  hreatii,"  2.  Tlio  mainirr 
in  of  (Uxl.  Klij:ili  WHM  to  In)  Uikeu  away  by  a  "  whirlwind."  That  wi\h  tlui  nuiihtKl 
0<ni  npiwitjted  for  liirn.  lie  takeH  men  iiwny  by  viirinuM  niethcMlH,  Hometimea  by  deviut- 
tatiri(;  windtt,  ■•iiiieti'nca  by  Mculhin^f  li^htnin^M,  Hoinctinu'H  by  bolHturoUH  hillowH, 
•onietinien  l>v  nc4:i<l(!Ut  or  bUirvntioii,  HometimeH  by  prolonged  liiHenHe,  etc.  All  that  ia 
with  liijo-  Wo  are  not  tlie  crwilup  a  <>f  ehiiiieo.  ile  "  earelh  for  uh;"  for  each,  for  nil. 
II.  'I  HK  roWKIl  or  (KMIiKKhH  III  A  (KHll)  MAn'u  DKrAUIIIUK.  t>(IU  wimt  A  ^Mlllld  Hpirit 
Klijah  OikiJkyM  in  t)ii<  imme<li;itn  ]>um\t4vi  of  Mm  iixit.  1.  A  apirit  of  caltn  $rlf  jtimtm- 
WLno  Jbl^jjih  kiicw  uf  Ui«  aoleuju  wont  awaiting  him,  iiuw  calmly  ho  talked  U 


m-  n.  l-iB.]  TnB  aSOOHD  BOOK   OP  TUI  KINOI^ 


•M  M  •nH—>Mil  ur  |«ruirkAUa^  .  •  r»jTi-T  — f--  -a. 

BattflM  Aloa*  OM  giV*  UaU  |o«o».  <:t  UoM*    •!    -M    !!.  «| 

li  fUjrvd  OB  klok*    1  A  <  •. 

Uov  kmJmij  an)  c  :  p't  .^ 

Mi  M  tky  •nuJ  .  .teA 

tokadMU.**loai.u  U 

vIm  CMBs  mmAmt  Um  ^ 

pOOTTl.    --      -  ., 

•'IP*  » 

*  aoM  of  lh«  |«obImml*    Tb« 7  ven- 

Bi^  klMMir  k^fcoadtd.    Would  ^,wm^ 

•oiMlad*  «M  1^  UmM  JOaOf  DMI  >  •  »M 

timmkaftkmm.    TV  »•-•••  ••'■•■  .,. ^fta«i 

to  A  GkVOk*  A  OOUOU  ^ot  la    It!  i    Ti   J  ij  iiijMlfcMi 

ii»  yritital  iauitu 

Ymn.  15— C— T\*  f*>  r**-  »t  iVif  Ax-  f  •         A»>d  wKm  i^  vkm  <^ 

tlt<«iJlu|;  c&J   ►t    .;  .  »*-  -•,    •  « 

bee  mii>^  ai.a  :.  .  >      .  -.  .  - 

L  licT^o  U  a  >ii    .:     1  « 

Id  Tiaw  at  JcruLo  fa.v  :.  ..  . 
UmJ  eftlDtt  U>   U.c<ct  l.i::! 

•ooTiaood  bj  Uic 
dlvikdtlM  waur 

Tb 

of 

kirn  BKHi  ef  the 
qutlification  for   & 
int  U«cC,a»i)  kt^^ 
ladfaoTOuL    N 
•araaat  n.n..  i'  x 
•M  la  '  10  bum  la  itiotx^jOi  batun 


bMOOMOfl.  '   bitn. 

Ku  BMM  viU  e«cf  gU  ItMi  i 
Tha  d««p«t  «iT  of  Um  stu. 
vhara  la  tha  plaea  ot  uodr 
|«PfjMU  *  Ob  tbU  oecaaka. 

tbak,*aarau<l<!,  ^  .s**aBA'  / 

loquirT  ia  aaaeot.  aot,  au  1 

abal  dafaftifc    ^^  ^a,  «^  dow     ; 
ii«i  ;  tLej  Imagiocd  t) 


■Mvataia,"  or  **  csaat  into  »>< 

bat  tha  k  jpelkaria  to  vala  i 

tka  aapporftioa  of  tkaas  "  a 

vaa  aaaaeeatfAil.    Tba  ift j  mt 

Marokad  fur  *'Uiraa  da>-a,  but  : 

^•yattd  oarjaaek.      You  cannot  :  UU«  mbMi  »  tmA  i 


Vara.  tS— 2ft.— JNdieak.    **  A  i  t  ap  from  UMaoa  ania  Bnb«l :  •».)  a*  to 

*a*^og."Me.     llkM*  TVTMt  Im  1  .>  t   cv«aMar  rtdteuW  In  tbf  <-  ^ 

I    Aa  DiraMooaLT  m»bctsi>.     1.  l>irn:t«d  ^aloal  aa  old  u  v  ■aai  af  liia 

f  f /■  mi  fx  t  mmml  deftttt,     '  Oo  u{s  Iboa  bald  kMdt"    Tlus  »mi>i    }«  a.|«,  '  O*  a|^ 


84  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KING&  [oh.  n.  l--25i 

M  Elijah  has  gone,  if  thou  canst ;  we  want  to  get  rid  of  thee."  Though  baldness  ol 
the  head  is  not  always  a  sign  of  age,  Elisha  was  undoubtedly  far  advanced  in  years. 
Nothing  is  more  contemptible  or  absurd  than  to  ridicule  people  on  account  of  con- 
stitutional defects,  whether  of  body  or  mind.  Direct  the  shafts  of  ridicule,  if  you  like, 
against  defects  of  moral  character,  against  vanity  and  pride,  sensuality,  but  n'ever 
against  constitutional  defects, — that  is  impious ;  for  no  man  can  make  one  hair  white 
or  black,  or  add  a  cubit  to  his  stature.  2.  Directed  against  an  old  man  of  viost 
dUtinguished  excellence.  Elisha  was  a  man  of  God,  and  everything  concerning  him 
shows  manifestations  of  a  godly  character.  To  ridicule  a  good  man  is  not  only  more 
impious,  but  more  absurd,  than  to  laugh  to  ^^coin  the  very  sun  in  its  brightness.  3. 
Directed  against  a  man  engaged  in  a  mission  of  mercy.  He  was  Heaven's  messenger 
of  mercy  to  his  country.  He  came  to  Bethel  to  bestow  wise  counsels  on  the  sous  of 
the  prophets  in  their  seminary,  and  to  bless  all  who  would  listen  to  his  counsels. 
How  often  has  ridicule  been  thus  infamously  directed !  Christ  himself  was  once  its 
victim;  ay,  its  chief  victim.  "They  that  passed  by  wagged  their  heads."  They  put 
on  him  a  "crown  of  thorns." 

II.  Malevolently  inspired.  The  animus  in  this  ridicule  was  that  of  an  intolerant 
relision.  There  were  two  schools  of  religion  in  Bethel,  two  rival  sects ;  one  was  the 
religion  of  the  true  God,  and  the  other  that  of  idolatry.  One  of  Jeroboam's  calves  was 
there  established  as  the  object  of  worship.  There  is  no  malevolence  so  inveterate  and 
ruthless  as  that  inspired  by  false  reli.^ion  and  rival  sects.  Perhaps  these  children 
li:'i  not  this  infernal  passion  to  any  extent,  but  were  the  mere  instruments  of  their 
intolerant  parents.  Probably  their  parents  sent  them  out  now  to  meet  the  prophet, 
and  put  the  very  words  into  their  mouths,  taught  them  by  what  notes,  grimaces,  and 
attitude  they  should  ring  them  out.  This  ridiculing  the  men  of  God  was  one  of  the 
crying  sins  of  Israel.  "  They  mocked  the  messengers  of  God,  and  despised  his  words, 
and  misused  his  prophets."  These  children  were  but  the  echoes  and  the  instruments 
of  tlieir  parents'  religious  malignant  intolerance. 

III.  Terbibly  punished.  "  And  he  turned  back,  and  looked  on  them,  and  cursed 
them  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  And  there  came  forth  two  she-bears  out  of  the  wood, 
and  tare  forty  and  two  children  of  them."  1.  They  were  punished  b}^  the  tvill  of  the 
prophet.  He  "cursed  them."  Perhaps  there  is  no  arrow  more  poignant  than  that  of 
ridicule.  One  might  have  thought,  however,  that  one  of  Elisha's  moral  strength  and 
stature  would  riot  have  felt  it  at  all,  especially  when  dirictid  by  chihlrcn.  But  he 
knew  their  ridicule  was  but  the  ridicule  of  their  mothers  and  fathers,  and  perhaps  ol 
the  tiiwnspeople  in  general,  who  were  all  about  him;  and  his  ri'ihteous  indignation 
was  kindled.  The  more  loving  a  man  is  the  more  fierce  his  wrath  rages  wlien  set 
on  Hre.  Tiie  "  wrath  of  the  Lamb '' is  the  most  tremcmlous  wrath  in  the  universe. 
2.  They  were  i)unished  liy  thv  justice  of  God.  The  j)ro]>hrt'8  indignatioirwas  righteous, 
and,  Ijccause  it  was  righteouK,  the  justice  of  God  sanciioned  it  by  causing  "l wo  she 
l>e;irH  nut  of  the  woud  to  tear  forty  and  two  children  of  them."  This  was  a  tremmdous 
hiiiiiily  of  Divine  ju-tice  to  the  whole  population — a  sermon  that  would  thunder  in  the 
licarts  of  the  fathorH,  iho  motherK,  and  tlie  ncighliours. 

(  >  fxuHioK.  Take  care  how  you  use  your  faculty  of  ridicule.  It  is  a  useful  faculty 
iu  Ilh  place.  Satire  is  the  east  wind  of  thuw/ht.  Scorchin;^  sarcasm  has  withered  to 
the  r<M<lti  ninny  a  noxious  weed  ;  Hatire  huH  huMilil<'<l  to  the  dust,  has  struck  to  the 
earth,  many  a  proud  and  haughty  soul.  Elijah  usid  it  on  CarMiel'H  l)row,  tloh  used  it 
to  hi-*  arrogiint  fri<  ndu,  and  i'aul  to  the  conc<  ited  momboiB  of  tiio  (.'orintliian  (s'hurcli. 
KUIicwIo,  rightly  inhpiu'd  tvul  directed,  Ih 

"  A  whip  of  bIicI,  tliiit  run  rh  with  n  laub 
Iiiijiritit  tho  t-hiirueler  ol  HliiiMiit  ho  (Icop, 
lOv  n  in  tlm  hrii/en  forelwoij  of  proud  Niii, 
That  not  cU^rnity  Miiuli  weur  it  out." 

(lUndnlph.) 

D.  T. 

Vot».  1 — fl.  —PrejKiralive  to  tmnnhition.  Tlio  timo  liad  conio  wJiim  tbo  liord  woul(J 
( ikc  Kiijikh  up  In  ;i  wimiwind  int>i  heitvcn.  It  witu  ii  mn^uiiir  honour  to  Ihi  put  upoii 
H   aia^iilai'ly  gr<!«t   and   ^iH^d   man.      No  cam'  had    ha|>)>«tuod  lik<i   ii  aiuco  th«  days  ul 


aLn.i-M.1        TOR  «BcoxT>  unoK  Of  Tni  iinna.  M 


l>ui  uiii«c  M.  kit  uu*«»(J«kl«  14).     Wo  otkm  wvmid  ^Affaa 

wri<  ''  fA'   />.>^/      -  r  •  Ijur^  UOi  »«l  iu«  U/  iMhc:   ^ 
*  Tlw  Lont  !>■  u>  JuMIm.*     h 

«M  trtie  of  ^  .    in  t»v«  h*-^-!    ' 

•A 

TIm  U»t  »  •  ■•»  "» 

MpMvdlur  I 

llfi«l«Mlk 

\km  to  Jon'- 

of  tlWMO|lllil    ■ 

MM*  or  praphrlir 

Um  brad  01  ibom.  .»   .w     ■ 

U*  1^  do«klk«  1  u  mm!  (^ 

•p}««r»  MDuogai  L-    -.  -  :•  f-J''-  ' 

lie  UM  no  Wulm,  h»  Wuui>l   Irave  v> 

kithoMti<  bl«». 

to  koavoD*  (Lukr  .  / 

■iBiiAptirra   u  olacuic 

(form.  3,  6)  ;  tb«  auoi  uf 


pmoMful,  moTooMnla  U\*tu   ^-u 


I  of  birds  oa  Um  «▼«  i>!  < 

oo  oortii. 

IL  Elxiab  a»d  Ru«ba.     Elith*  »u  )ah  Uua  uy  oChor  (ck.  iiL  II). 

B*  to  touud  Lerv  i  upfttiy  at  UU^iii.     A  '  t^  lohrtnM  b«(w«ro  tb« 

•ud  hi>  (it  '  »aur,  io  Ti«w  uf  ttir   .  ig  dopoTttira  of  Um  luniMr, 

:    rt«i.      1  i  $tr«  /ur  aoiiluu      \j:n:v,   twiofl^  and  •    ibinl    tu»* 

tl  KiU^ia  hiud.  au«l  laavr  him  to  gu  whilbrr  h»  wa*  »^tit  aluoci. 

vt)  raa»Um  ul  luiD  •'    i:     wc  can  trace  a  varj  ootu—      —."..*  uf  a  Uiou  io  kM 

|v^.  -  acuw  of  owo  iu  ot'ODJCtiuu  wttti  whot  woM  kc  (4aoo,  vUoli 

m*...  .    ii»!i)^'*    *.-.r_  ....I    f..  ..  k     f    f   /v^r>    8,  5),   ~.  ^....  .^  •  far  UiioaMr 

iiit-*^  .  r.  1         ;>•<«  lUiurird.     (2>  Hut  tbf>  reqifl 

wa»  u/  II  <      -  .  uppurtuoity  uf  i*jM'li  vIm-iLf; 

bo  wool  -    oalura,  whkb  abowed    '. 

waa.lf/  f^co  up.     It  ia  du(  evrry  <.. 

bjk»  aorou  ■ooooi.     Jaom  look  uult  t'r:<cr, 

Jai..'  >^^iratiaa.  into  tba  bottM  o' J  «inu, 

•ltd   ibi  /«<»noi'aah'po    H  fvlimm   Eii^tk, 

Kl  •!  a  <•  V  -  tb«  U«t  uf  wbat  abtmlti  hrfil 

iiM  bcluvcki  Lu**(«r.     "  A«  li«c   LtLird   ItvetL,  -  ik,*  VOO  ^  > 

(«rh  •ora.*  'U,  "  1  wiU  not  koTe  ih««."     lo  i  .tloo  for  K  i 

uvarri  iAiu<7   the  buur  ^<r  (NiriiLi,'  witti  h>m,  t  ,  ;^a«  woa  bk  atcxct^.     il« 

ixmid  but   tvAT  itio  thougLt  uf  Uj»iii.'  uoo  OMimai.  um  tbot  jci  ramoiaod  li«r 

eaavona.     It  U  uoly  wum  doar  fnriiti^  >^\  .%..\  iaJloo  avaj  or  oo  tbo  puUil 

of  Mac  l*kro  frviu  us.  t^ia:  we  rra.i:  liable  ia  tbe  U.«.>o  <.»(  UmIt  proaatioe. 

(t)  A  dr-  lart  ol  livu  •  wufKiaic.     It  WM  tw  vaio  owioaitT  wbicb 

IVDoipir  KUjmb,  bat  a  ratiaaol  wiob  lo  om  ibo  orowa  of  ^^  cut 

ODOcaif  >  w.Ai  u».  .   ■»..,  .Moatrod  00  mook  booottr.    B*  widknd  to OM tko ooapMiaa 
of  one  uf  Oud*ii  Boot  wurka.     lie  felt  tbai  il  onild  Ml  bat  laAok  ki»  inofo  of  God, 


kidHmot 
iM|ilf«  bi 


tbfill  ood  i—idio  bliu  viib  DHin>  >»<    ^  •'  >^<  ^^,  is  pool  toipraorfeaa  of  Bli)^'<  «■  kb 


»4U,  oftd  oltufoibar  kovr  ta»UD^-  QOUiro,  to  witooaa  ibia  **  grool  <'^t>" 

Tbopafora  bo  would  oo«  mia  IL     ,  i   Haaainje.     Cuobl  ba  but  aaa  Bll|ok  oo 

bo  voa  tobae  from  biB,  ■oatatkim  wtitaparvd  tbot  ba  ojuid  ool  fail  iv  brt*(  a»mj 


M  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.         [oh.  n.  1—25. 


s  blessing  from  the  fight.  And  so  it  happened  (vers.  10,  15).  3.  Perseverane* 
rewarded.  Elisha's  importunity  prevailed.  He  and  Elijah  went  on  together.  Mostly 
perhaps  in  silence,  but  latterly,  at  least,  in  converse  (ver.  11).  There  is  a  holy  bold- 
ness in  seeking  a  blessing — the  spirit  of  Jacob,  **  I  will  not  let  thee  go  except  thou 
bless  me  "  (Gen.  xxxii.  26),  which  never  fails  of  its  reward. 

IIL  Elisha  akd  the  sons  op  the  prophets.  At  each  new  centre,  as  the  travellers 
went  on,  bands  of  *'  the  sons  of  the  prophets  "  came  forth  to  Elisha,  and  said,  "  Knowest 
thou  that  the  Lord  will  take  away  thy  master  from  thy  head  to-day  ?  "  His  answer, 
as  befitted  one  who  felt  the  unspeakable  sacredness  of  the  event  in  prospect,  was, 
•Tea,  I  know  it;  hold  ye  your  peace."  There  is  a  time  to  speak,  and  a  time  to  be 
silent'  (Eccles.  iiL  7),  and  this  was  the  hour  for  silence.  Speech  would  jar  on  the 
solemnity  of  the  occasion.  The  deeper  experiences  of  life  are  to  be  meditated  upon, 
rather  than  much  spoken  about.  The  tongue  has  great  power  over  the  heart.  The 
effects  of  many  a  solemn  hour  have  been  dissipated  by  unseasonable  talk  about 
them.— J.  0. 

Vers.  3,  6,  7. — ••  The  torn  of  t?ie  prophetB."  It  is  surely  instructive  td  find,  even  in 
godless  Israel,  these  numerous  bands  of  young  men,  congregated  under  prophetic 
oversight,  and  receiving  sacred  instruction.  The  origin  of  "  schools  of  the  prophets  " 
6eem8°traceable  to  Samuel  (1  Sara.  xix.  20).  But  the  order  took  a  new  impulse  under 
Elijah.  "The  companies  of  the  prophets  now  reappear,  bound  by  a  still  closer 
connection  with  Elijah  than  they  had  been  with  Samuel.  Then  they  were  'companies, 
ban  is,  of  prophets;'  now  they  are  'sons,  children,  of  the  prophets; '  and  Elijah  first, 
and  Elisha  afterwards,  appeared  as  the  *  father,'  the  'abbot,'  the  'father  in  God,'  of 
the  whole  community "  (Stanley).  In  the  development  and  fostering  of  these 
communities,  we  see  Elijah  working  with  an  eye  to  the  future.  He  takes  cnre  that  the 
fruits  of  his  reforming  labours  shall  not  be  lost,  but  shall  be  handed  down  to  after- 
generations.  He  provides  for  the  preservation  and  propagation  of  his  influence.  We 
do  well  to  take  a  leaf  out  of  his  book,  and  study  like  means  for  the  creation  and 
consecration  of  godly  influence.  Wherever  men  have  desired  to  perpetuate  their 
principles  they  have  formed  schools,  clubs,  guilds,  associations,  colleges,  and  by 
means  of  these  their  teachings  have  been  spread  abroad.  The  infidel  clubs  of  the  last 
eentury,  t.g.,  spread  the  principles  which  led  to  the  French  Revolution.  The  proj>hetio 
schools  seem  to  have  devoted  themselves  larg'ly  to  sacred  history,  poetry,  and  music; 
but  taught  the  pupils  also  to  labour  in  honest  occupations  for  self-support.  Any  mode 
ot  liinding  together  and  instructing  the  youth  of  our  time,  which  shall  combine  religious 
training  and  sound  education  with  an  inculcation  of  the  principles  of  honest  indepen- 
dence, deserves  every  supporL — J.  0. 

Vers.  7 — 15. — Elijah  taJcen  up.  The  translation  was  to  take  place  on  the  eastern 
si  in  of  Jordan.  Dean  Stanley  quotes  the  remark,  "The  aged  Gileadite  caunot  rest 
till  he  a?;ain  sets  foot  on  his  own  side  of  the  river." 

I.  Ckossinq  JoRDAiT.  1.  The  fifty  disciples.  "On  the  upper  terraces,  or  on  tlie 
Hi'  iniain  bei^rhts  hrhind  the  city,  stood  'afar  off,*  in  awe,  fifty  of  the  yi>ung  disciples; 
•ami  they  two  stood  by  Jordan'"  (Stanley).  Of  all  the  prophetic  company,  I51isha 
•lone  was  prrniitted  to  accompany  the  master.  The  others  do  not  seem  to  have 
ventured  to  ank.  liut  they  did  not  feol  themsolvrH  precluded  from  reverentially 
Standing  at  a  difitanco,  to  observe  wliat  mi^ht  tako  place.  Tiioy  did  not  witncsH  tl;e 
traiiHlation,  but  they  saw  tlm  waters  divided.  There  may  bo  ncMiphytcs  in  Hpiritual 
exi'-  rioncc,  who  are  uiuiunlified  for  tho  rece]itJon  of  God's  grander  revelations,  hut 
even  to  th<w,  "atfindin;^'  to  viiiw,"  God  will  roveal  his  power  In  homio  measure.  2.  7'h« 
utiean  divi'hd.  Tho  rivor  flows  botwoon  tho  travollors  ami  the  furtlior  bank,  but 
Klij  kh  li»fitiit<;»  not  a  moment.  As  if  his  eouHciouH  nearncHS  to  eternity  had  alreadf 
raifod  him  n\y  vo  nntural  conditiouH — had  givcMi  him  tho  faith  and  power  iR-foro  wliich 
ntilnrnl  ol)ntR<los  are  non-exiKt«nt — he  rolled  IiIh  ninntlo  toi^cther,  and  "Hmoto  the 
witfTi,  and  they  wore  dividid  hither  and  thither,  so  that  thoy  two  went  over  on  dry 
fTotind. '  A  mirii<:|.'|  Truly,  but  thero  are  HituiitionH  in  which  niiraoien  nocm  almost 
natural.  When  men  are  on  tho  p<jlnt  of  Iwinj^  U\,\wn  up  Ixxlily  to  hoavon,  wc  ncud 
not  wrjTuUir  it  "ther^-fore  mlfrhty  works  do  nhow  forth  themiwlvoa  "  in   tlmin  (Mark 


U.1- 


Till  UOOKD  BOOK  OF  Till  Kini 


W  IbI« 
i  «i  M  mrUm  as* 


baoooM  A«tlbl*.  and  baud  and  jitld. 
(J'«^    -      '  <      ' ''     ^nd,  OS  •  Umim  aoala,  ui  •' 
11  tMT.      1.    AMMW«0»M«nl  ■' 

bto    Ui.^i.^.i..         •     i...ci»l7    ■;•    '    ■*■•■    -r :0»,"  k«.i    »..  j.^u    w-   -».  . 

had  rvior  i»>-r  Ji«\lan,  **  .*  W|  do  for  UiM,  baA«r«  I   t 

Ihr*,''     tlijah  dul  uoi  put ,  ..c*  <<(  (}M.      11-  ...k^bi)  i.  .  .*  !• 

ft>k   ^  •  paftiag  bl«aD(,  ur  (ur  •  mr  uUirr  {%f     -  >rM  in  bi*o»D  y^mt  to 

f.-  «  .1      At  tu<al   u>  t««f«r  •  raq^twl  «1  ub  (J  ^i   im.  '.hn'U^b   bim.     A  anmim 

I  ••dbotpUt.  •lira  h0  wu  aU/.l  u>  if  i«k'U  fr  ta  ll»«a,  **  IKiiMtflo 

1  2  Ib  my  Narae:  a&k«  ait«i  jre  (hail  n^civc  **  (J.4  tj  ivi  '.'(>      2. 


ait)'  om;i 
^  14V 

acyxMupanuxl  i: 
or  aura  than  t 
to  U>  :  ' 
eomj  . 


wai  Di><  ali'W  to  avAiJ  Limarif  •>/  th*  o;  ;■ 

ho  wuuld    b«  oallod  to  occupy  aa  the  ■  i 

I  uf  a   pravar   fur  a  dt^uble  pLTti  a  U 

-!  p'fl«"('l  Ot   1(1    31V      Hfift-!.  i 


U    IV  ;   • 
>!  bf  lli^ 


thai; 

and  t 

than  i...j.™     

Eluba  had  a»kcd  "a  La: 

Tod«iign:i-'- »  IT  ! !  fi,  aj_  .   ....... 

Ikwal  mi  '.'.ft  obly  to  G.-l;    h 

Bialtont  Hit  :.i(\u  to  i>rt-ju<ij>' 

It  would  be  Gi.<i's  wtU  to  do»i^ii«t«  1 

ciTao  bjr  which  it  lui^bt  be  ki.'  wn 

M  WM  taken  fiom  Litn,  he  i: 

beeauM  it  waa  oolj  in  ao  ei 

•Ottld  b«  had  (etch.  ri.  16);  if  Le  ma  l 

▼iekio  aiMl  a  faculty  Divirxt,"  whi^h  ii  f 

SjiriL     Chri»t'a  [mu:  v  to  hia  d;*cibioa  hu  hu  b:..;:. 

but  all,  may  r'lMy  .»  iIt.  16,  \i;   xr.  26;  x»l.   13- 


Ua 

fttjd 

Ha 

f# 


.  M 

ia 


raalizf,  like  Kli»ha,  ii.ai  ii  is  oot  I  • 
Spirit,  tliat  we  are  6t:«>!  for  any  gu  . 
IlL  CuAKJon  or  riiuL     I.    Tht 
talked,  auddrnlr  there  a]  i««/cd  a 
parted  fti'm   »     -•  -.,  and  weut  ■•■    ' 
waa  an  a  .-ance  t" 

asainat  t:.-.  : — .  „  explain  t 
Bliaha  afterwarda  naaa  thla  i 
wLrtLer  the  reproaantatioa  U  i         :  a 
a  '   chanuta  aa<l   horaae  wiiich  aurrvuuda 

c  •    ua«d   aa   a  Oi.>UectiTe   (cf  ch.   vL   I7\ 

lu  iL.s  <.aM,  the  heavenly  chariot 
U  by   the  whirlwind.     (3)    At  m*- 
for  auma  little  way  upwiuda,  till.  |<.i..i«,  ••  ku 
raoaivad  bim  out  1/  hie  ai^l.i  •  (Acu  L  9).    T»  <■ 
le  Dot  aituatc<d  ia  tha  material  heaTaoi^  ao  tha- 
arrive  at  it.    Tha  ahanga  that  paeead  war 
IbIo  tha  iBvkibla  world,  waa  aA«r  a  fMhloa  < 
kauibfe— «o  ML    (4)  We  muat  bold,  kow«N 
body  to  baavaa.    Bahr'e  aitppaaitioa  tJhat  ba  » 
haat  eartl^  P«W*  ■ml«(giBg 


■var  of  uur  own,  lji  cu  ^  uj 
rvic«. 
KattoH,     Aa  the  tw    * 

i!.d  htrvr*  uf  lire,   ^ 

■   ■.     '    *    "  %Ki«,  Lra.  ■,    - 

»L.i  I.  -S-.     It 


■-fa 


.!•« 


aad 

a-aa 


J  hia  rBi.af<km 
>«Bt  Incumpr*' 
.  taken  la  iba 
and  dteapf«*a««4 
ic«  d^  (10  thit 


t8  THE  SECX)ND  BOOK  OP  THB  KINGS.         [oh.  n.  1—26, 

teems  to  be  Us  Idea),  is  too  much  akin  to  the  error  of  the  disciples  who  sent  out  fifty 

strong  men  to  seek  for  him  among  the  hills  (vers.  16,  17).  It  was  not  Elisha's  view, 
and  has  no  gupport  in  the  narrative.  2.  The  lessons  of  the  translation.  Besides  being 
a  signal  honour  put  upon  a  great  servant  of  GK)d,  and  a  striking  Old  Testament  anticipa- 
tion of  the  ascension  of  Christ,  it  gave  to  the  Israehtes,  in  midtime  of  their  history, 
a  powerful  confirmation  of  the  fact  of  immortality.  "  The  impression  made  by  the 
histury  of  Enoch,  that  '  Grod  took  him,'  is  marked  by  the  repetition  of  the  word  as  to 
the  ascension  of  Elijah"  (Pusey).  It  is  noteworthy,  also,  that  the  immortality  typified 
by  these  cases  is  an  immortaUty  in  the  body.  We  believe,  if  careful  examination 
of  passages  \&  made,  it  will  be  found  that  it  was  in  this  form,  that  is,  as  connected  with 
a  resurrection,  and  not  as  an  abstract  immortality  of  the  soul  in  Sheol,  which  had 
no  attractions  for  the  Hebrew  mind,  that  the  hope  of  immortality  was  entertained  by 
believing  Hebrews  (cf.  Job  xiv,  12 — 15;  xix.  25 — 27;  Ps.  xvi.  10;  xvii.  15; 
xUx.  14,  15;  Matt  xxiL  31,  32;  Heb.  xi.  13—22.  See  also  the  able  discussion  of 
tins  subject  in  Fairbaim's  '  Typology  of  Scripture,'  vol.  i.  pp.  352 — 361,  3rd  edit.). 
3.  Elisha's  lament.  As  Elijah  was  parted  from  him,  and  taken  up,  Elisha  broke  out 
into  loud  lament :  "  My  father,  my  father !  the  chariot  of  Israel,  and  the  horsemen 
thereof  This  no  more  implies  that  Elisha  did  not  believe  tliat  his  master  was  being 
taken  up  to  heaven,  than  the  mourning  of  Christians  for  the  loss  of  some  revered 
teacher  or  guide  implies  doubt  as  to  his  eternal  happiness.  It  is  the  sense  of  personal 
loss,  and  of  loss  to  the  world,  which  prevails  on  these  occasions.  Elisha  did  not  over- 
estimate the  value  of  Elijah  to  Israel — more  than  chariots  and  horsemen — and  we 
cannot  overe.<timate  the  worth  to  a  nation  of  the  presence  and  labours  of  the  servants 
of  Go<l  in  it.  The  religion  of  a  nation  is  its  best  bulwark,  and  those  who  do  most  for 
reli"i'in  are  those  who  serve  their  country  best.  Armaments  without  Gkni  in  the 
miu>t  are  ot  poor  avail. 

IV.  The  fallen  mantle.  Elisha  had  seen  the  prophet  ascend,  and  he  knew  that 
nis  request  was  granted.  He  accordingly  picked  up  the  mantle  of  Elijah,  which  had 
fallen  from  him,  and  which  he  rightly  regarded  as  a  symbol  of  the  new  spirit  with 
which  he  was  to  be  endowed.  Popular  speech  embodies  the  thought  of  this  passage  when 
it  figures  succession  to  greatness  as  the  descent  of  the  mantle  of  the  grcitt  man  upou 
hi-  successor.  1.  Test  of  the  new  power.  Elisha's  possession  of  the  "  spirit  and  |^H>wer 
of  Elias"  was  soon  to  be  tested.  The  Jordan  waters  again  rolled  between  him  and  his 
destiuaii  in,  but,  invoking  Divine  power  in  the  words,  "  Where  is  the  Lord,  the  Gtxi 
of  Elijah,  even  he?"  he  smote  the  waters  with  the  wonder-working  mantle,  and,  as 
bef  re,  they  divided  apart.  2.  Acknowledgment  of  the  new  jiower.  The  "  sons  of  the 
prophetH"  stili  "  stood  to  view"  at  Jericho,  and  when  they  saw  the  jirophet's  deed,  and 
Htiil  more,  perhips,  when  they  hx^ked  on  his  person,  to  which  iuspioition  lent  u  new 
grandeur  and  dignity,  they  said,  "The  spirit  of  Ehjah  doth  rest  on  Elisha."  Thou 
th<  y  bowwi  to  the  ground  belore  him,  and  acknowledged  him  master.  (1)  The  Spirit 
of  CJikI  in  a  man  readily  betrays  its  preHiiicc.  (2)  Where  the  Spirit  of  God  manilestly 
|**.-whK<-8  a  man,  others  will  not  l>e  slow  to  make  iicknowiedgment  of  the  fail,  and 
tu  yield  him  appropriate  honour.  (3)  It  is  mainly  the  pusscsuiou  of  this  Spirit  which 
cntillus  a  man  tu  ulfodienco  in  the  house  of  God. — J.  0. 

Vern.  Ifi — 18. — S-ekinf/  tK  tranalatid.  It  is  plain  from  this  passage  that,  wliilo  tlio 
prophet M  of  .lericho  knew  from  Divine  intiimitionH  that  I'-lijaii  was  to  ho  parlcd  fnmi 
them,  thev  did  not  underHtand  tlic  fidl  meaning  of  their  own  revelations.  Thev  Htill 
rlun;^  lo  the  belief  tlmt  the  parting  might  only  bo  tetn|Kirary — tliat,  as  on  oilier 
o<<.thiMiiH,  the  Kpiril  of  GimI  ba<l  caught  liim  up,  iind  carried  him  away  to  somu 
pliu:<!,  where,  by  iMyircbing,  ho  might  bo  found  (of.  1  KingH  xviii.  10 — 12).  They 
di  NiriMi,  thcrcforo,  |<cnniHMion  to  h<  nd  out  fifty  Hlrong  men  to  look  for  him  among  titu 
niouiitaina  and  vulleyH.  KliHha  kni!w  bett<r,  but,  hh  tiioy  iMMHisted,  he  allow(><l  ihom, 
r<r  thi)  twtinf.ti  (ion  ol  lh<  ir  mlndH,  to  iwnd.  When  thoy  liad  sought  for  tlir(M<  dayH, 
.nd  fouiiil  biui  not,  liny  rutunied,  and  Kiihiift  H;iid,  "  Did  I  ii't  nny  \inU}  you.  Go  not?" 
Olio  ri-«iilt  of  the  iM'iir(  h,  in  any  cami,  would  Ixi  to  Hot  double  at  roat  and  (-onfirm 
I'liiiha  III  hiii  |«iution  of  autliority. 

I.    It    im   tjik    makk    or   a  oukat    mimd   that    it   niHTiNcnrijiitii   hktwkkj*   tub 

TKMI^iaAIlT    AKD    AOUIDKNTAI.,    AifO    TUB     rKUMANKNT    AMD    TIUA.:^        1d    thi«    Elinhtt'* 


■im  l-HJ  THB  BBOOVD  BOOK  OF  THE  KI!f(l&  If 

>•  U  mak  trnthm  far  H^-iam  U 

IT  and  vbAl  •••  tu-  m 


I 


It 


•  Uam,  Id  k 
c«  by.  or 


1  :-e 


d— J.  u. 


lotptir—  oolj  ( 

•  iix.  n,  ij). 


Ui*  <i  ■  I  Oevd  vl  njrn.r  u  i 

I    '1  ;.      1.      ?•"    -  -v    ::  .*. 

1  ), 

it 

»■■  -'  iivti  ^1  Ku-r 

•  inc  oo  vi.icii  . 

■                                                                            1  tiO  silUAtiou  uf  tij«  c.v  »^  e 

*'  ■                                                                -ried***  L*.  V<*  w%Ut  hma  ad*                               o 

t                                                                        >  .-J  iwMM.      How  tui^  .                                           .1 

c                                                               w  dTiliutiuas  fctt!  .« 

'-.toly  aod  i-  -  ••^'ijr. 

thaeomi  biicma 

»  l 

t     •  -      -  •  . 

«M    uAugtil,   wad    tLr  Uteni   wm    Ui«   fti*»:>c« 

n  -^  '4L     Nu  ouuntrv  ^^~:««  pix«par  «ii:HAit  it  ' 

T.  U.  UuwM).     l\4ii.  <yMMk«.vUi 

4tmj  Mil  •  pun  i  .  ^  pao^'s  ^a*.                   i 

of  II  f  ikm  btiaa  of  hie  "  ^i  ..».  .«    . 

IL  1  til  rtturuKT'*  iiSAU^u  ur  i  T^a  oaaa  of  Um  dlj  of  Janobo  was 

>wmfai  «aiA«  Ite  MOM  ol  Eltaba  t>jr  iu«  mao  of  iKa  clijr— •  Ua*«  lo  «•  au*  to  iul 

1.  ria  «aM«  V  aara.      1 1«  b^mm  bj  vU^ 

ttCT-  -\     T.:<-«  vara  aiaairtii^j  mmfkk.     Ba 


40  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.         [ch.  n.  1— 2!k 

(Stained  "  a  new  cruse  " — new,  and  therefore  free  from  all  defilement,  and  in  this  waa 
put  some  salt.  The  salt  appears  here  as  the  symbol  of  what  is  uncorrupt  and  purifying. 
There  lay  in  it  no  natural  virtue  to  heal  the  water — a  circumstance  which  made  the 
miracle  more  conspicuous.  2.  Tlie  Agent  in  the  cure.  In  casting  the  salt  into  the 
spring,  Elisha  spoke  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  attributed,  as  was  right,  all  the  power 
to  him.  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  I  have  healed  these  waters."  The  miracle  looks  back 
to  an  earlier  wondtr — that  of  the  healing  of  the  bitter  waters  at  Marah,  where  God 
declared,  "  I  am  the  Lord  that  healeth  thee"  (Exod.  xv.  26).  One  act  of  mercy  layi 
the  foundation  for  expecting  a  second.  3.  The  effect  of  the  cure.  There  was  not  to  be 
from  thence  (the  spring)  any  more  death  or  barrenness.  The  result  of  Elisha's  word 
was  that "  the  w  aters  were  healed  unto  this  day."  "  Down  to  the  present  hour  all 
travellers  to  Palestine — Robinson,  Dean  Stanley,  Professor  Porter — speak  in  glowing 
terms  of  the  cool,  sweet,  and  pleasant  waters  of  the  'Fountain  of  Elisha.'  The  soil  is 
extensively  cultiva'ed.  Sugar-yielding  canes  are  plentiful.  Fig  trees  abound  on  all 
sides  "  (Howat).  All  which  things  may  again  be  interpreted  as  a  parable.  The  gospel 
is  the  new  cruse,  and  in  it  is  the  healing  salt — tlie  word  of  truth — w'uich,  cast  into 
the  di.-eased  spring  of  the  human  heart,  heals  and  purifies  its  waters ;  yet  is  the  eft'cct 
not  wrought  by  the  natural  action  of  the  truth,  apart  from  the  Diviuo  and  omnipotent 
operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  works  through  human  means,  yet  is  himself  the 
eflRcient  Agent  in  all  conversion.  The  work  is  of  God,  and  the  effects  are  incalculable. 
"Old  th'ngs  are  passed  away;  behold,  all  thincrs  are  become  new"  (2  Cor.  v.  17). 
The  mOot  marvellous  influence  is  exerted  by  Christianity  on  the  spring,  not  only 
of  private,  but  of  public  and  social  life;  and  State  as  well  as  Church  is  blessed. 
Christianity  is  the  salvation  of  peoples— the  source  of  true  national  as  well  as  of 
individual  well-being. — J.  0. 

Vers.  23 — 25. — The  mocJcers  at  Bethel.  This  miracle,  in  contrast  with  the  preceding, 
ig  one  of  judgment.  Its  apparent  severity  has  made  it  a  stumbling-block  to  many. 
The  deed  is  one  in  "the  8])irit  of  Elias  "  in  the  harsher  sense,  and  loaves  a  painful 
impression.  But  the  painful  aspect  of  the  miracle  need  not  be  made  gicater  than  it  is, 
nor  must  it  be  overlooked  that  the  occasion  was  one  when  some  display  of  the  "  severity 
of  G'  id  "  was  necessary. 

I.  Katiiie  of  the  sin.  Elisha,  going  up  to  Bethel,  was  assailed  by  a  band  of 
young  pcuplo  from  the  city,  who  mocked  him,  and  said  to  him,  "  Go  up,  thou  bald 
head!"  1.  The  mockers.  These  were  not,  as  the  text  might  lead  us  to  infer,  "little 
chiMren"  of  six  or  seven  years  of  age,  but  "young  lads,"  boys  and  young  men,  who 
had  come  to  the  age  of  responsibility,  'iliey  cnme  out  of  Bethel — once  a  patriarchal 
sanctuary,  but  now  a  foctis  of  IsraolitiBh  idolatry — and  had  evidently  been  trained  in 
utter  ungodliness.  2.  The  mocking.  Either  Elisha  was  actually  Imld — in  which  case 
there  was  addetl  to  profanity  the  ridiculing,  so  common  to  boys,  of  a  physical  detect — 
or,  aK  some  have  thought,  "  bald  head  "  is  a  synonym  for  "  leper,"  this  being  one  of  the 
signs  of  that  disease.  In  either  case  there  was  manifested  a  spirit,  contracted 
probably  from  their  elders,  of  bitter  haticd  of  the  pure  religion  of  Jehovah,  and 
reviling  of  its  projihcta  and  profcBsors.  Levity,  ridicule,  and  profane  reviling  of  the 
ploUM  and  their  ways  i«  something  on  which  Go<l  must  always  put  the  brand  of  liia  stern 
dL-ipprobfition. 

II.  AfiouAVATioNH  OF  THK  BIN.  ThcHO  niiist  be  considered  in  forming  •  fair 
Judgment  on  the  caRo.  They  enable  us  also  iM^ttor  to  draw  out  the  lessons  of  the 
offi-ncc.  Tliero  wan:  1.  Dif/nmonr  to  a  mrred  phire.  IJetliel  niemiH  "the  house  ot 
(iix]."  It  was  one  of  tho  iiliicoH  wliern  (!od  hiul  recorded  IiIh  name  (Gen.  xxvjii. 
ig_]0).  Now  It  wuH  Heth-aven,  "tho  Iiouho  of  tho  idol"  (IIoh.  x.  f)).  'I'hn  jeering 
outbufHt  of  Impiety  of  thene  young  men  of  tho  city  wan  only  a  Hynjpt^un  of  the  iniquity 
whieh  abounded  in  it.  (hA  wa«  dinlioriourod  in  a  holy  place.  2.  Dinhanoiir  to  a  narrnt 
jxT%on.  Kllwhft  wan  Oo<1'h  projihcit,  an<l,  in  tionm  HeiiHe,  the  living  rmneHentalivo  at  that 
tirrio  of  tho  jirophelic  order.  In  him,  nunkiTy  wiw  heap<<<l  on  all  G(x1'h  HorvantH,  and 
on  tnio  rollKion  In  grnoral.  Ho  wan  known  ami  endmnt  km  the  Hueoes'^or  of  Klijiih, 
and  prohahly  it  wiu  on  thin  account  Ihnt  he  wan  lin^hxl  out  for  tlumo  hoNtilo  mnnifeHta- 
li'trm.  3.  nt>h'm"ur  to  a  »ni-<i>tl  tuhjfct.  It  in  not  ciirUiin,  hut  it  is  tho  Ti<<w  of  H'nifk, 
thai  in  thn  w'ir<lji,  "Go  up,  thou  Imld  lieiKlj  "  llmrn  is  allunion  to  the  rnr.nnt  tninnlutioB 


•.■^l-tT] 


tlOOin>  BOOK  or  TUB  KIHCML 


hjOm  iflbal  lM«i^al4y 

ih«  wood,  tad  tan  tart^ 


^■MMiVl  fBMtid  M  aajr  <^  Ums  !•  \amik  doA*  u>  0«d. 

Ill    PvattMitnrT  or  tbb  ■■.      Aflv  baving  tW  aDstuBiljr  fcr  •  Iba^ 
4>-i •'.:(«•  bT  (i  0*1  lavkftl  ifknetitm.  tmnmi  twjad.Mi4 
jottiiilui  WKkara.    T  -       VidX  »"«  hi*,  as  i^Dva 

fjNw  to  It    "TIwt  ••0  •*»«-  br*r»  o«t  of .  —  — ^ ^ 

9.-'    •--■  r4  Umol*      ..  -  »»••  MCMfMl  «p«  art  ao«  ui4.  not  whmkm  •■   iImm 
•  «•  Mtuallj  killad.    BttI  M  •octMctad  viU  Etblta'a  0iira»,  tW  svaal  *M 

Had  UaM  ibibf  iwMd  u« 

i>e  «.  ui'i  bar*  *aad««d  al  fcri;  .        ti^ 

haaoft'eakmUj.'      ti.rr  >«  mom,  m^  m  fe 

U  te  ouuoar— d.  onlr  th'  '  th'  «*»» 
o  laetdaol  iMr) 

tUa  atorr  ta  t^  .  <-^  Baad 

'(:■!  iba  f^  ac  »-icii  &:c  :.  :  »''Ual  li> 

...4  eooafai'  .   Voo  n,»3r  \itmj  ^'^ 

.  yhiftg  manB  m 

ir  vw^Mia  aela  AikI  wltmst  buya 

rr!kiiy  a<jca  u<  -.  «eli  vlartbar  tWy 

'Ura^reUll  U  mm  hmmUm. 

I        -r    »  n       ..   i-   t     ».  t      aiic:i4   »UUkl»tha  »l  '.rXt  "  (,  I>r.  Anflld. 

iUt.  T.  IL  How»t>-J.O. 


I 

at.  ^- 
.  '    I!  r 


:.  4  xkfJt 


FlUba,  afiar  hU  re 
M  >   •  t  ..t  Oarmel,  a 

ti.t    lulx/ 


04   (A«  /ruU 


i^lO 


sxpoemoH. 


CHAPTEB  UL 

Tin   !     ""  Grill a^i   CnkUA<ma 

•r   J  -   oTBM   Uhau.      Uta 

W4fc ._ 

Vrr.  1.— »ow  Jabana  tba  aoa  af  Akak 
ka^a  t«  raic*  evar  laraal  la  Sucarlk  tk» 
aichtaaaU   faar  af   Jafcnabapba: 
J«dak     TLu  iioto  of  time  U  l 

■floarttaaoa  with  tha  ehnxMtlo^  ot  i  tv.-iji,   >   i^o  ui.^«  oi  iy^^- 
vhlek  pw  Jrbofthaj  b^t  a  m^ii  of  twratj-  |  It  ba4  dv4  baea  t 

Ati-    Tr^r.   n    k'T    '•    i\.i    4"       A)iK<     i-t'i.     (J        l.n  t    u-toallj  wt 

a  ba  b*<i 


Yar.t— Aaibavr»«fbt«T  ^kt 

af  tba  Ui*    »'  dil   '  xM  » 

I«T*e)  botti  Lrf    c  hi  .  It 

U,  M:  tTi    IS,  ly.  .'  -jJ 

a(W  him  (eh.  via   '.'7.  i,        .  li. 
«i»  24  ;  i»   ».  IK.  2*.  i-* :  x"L  »>  -  fc«i  aal 

lilca   bti    f»tli«T,    End   !:ke   kit  Better  -iA 


'*y 


rxiL 


u.«i  :.«  "aar« 
(I  Kiiffaif. 

■lucb  a  iiiur  of  c«k.i 

vied  (.  U   I 


lU 


c^  kte 


MM  tu^tit*  ivaiva  jaaA 


avadva^  aa4  to  rv^  '<.  w  tte  ^*a«*  "^ 


42 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.         [ch.  Tn.1-27. 


from  the  temple  where  It  had  been  set  np. 
The  image,  however,  was  not  destroyed — it 
was  only  "  put  away." 

Ver.  3. — Nevertheless  he  cleaved  onto  the 
sins  of  Jeroboam  the  son  of  Nebat,  which 
made  Israel  to  sin ;  he  departed  not  there- 
from. The  maintenance  of  the  calf- worship 
was,  no  doubt,  viewed  as  a  political  necessitj'. 
If  the  two  sanctuaries  at  Dan  and  Bethel 
had  been  shut  up,  the  images  broken,  and 
the  calf-worship  brought  to  an  end,  there 
would,  as  a  matter  of  course,  have  been  a 
general  flocking  of  the  more  religious  among 
file  people  to  the  great  sanctuary  of  Jehovah 
at  Jerusiilem ;  and  this  adoption  of  Jerusalem 
aa  a  spiritual  centre  would  natumlly  have 
led  on  to  ita  acceptance  as  the  general 
political  centre  of  the  whole  Israelite  people. 
Israel,  as  a  separate  kingdom,  a  distinct 
political  entity,  would  have  disappeared. 
Hence  every  Israelite  monarch,  even  the 
Jehovistic  Jehu,  felt  himself  bnund,  by  the 
political  exigencies  of  his  position,  to  keep 
up  the  calf-worship,  and  maintain  the  re- 
ligions system  of  Jeroboam  the  eon  of 
Nebat. 

Vers.  4— 27.— TnE  Wab  with  Moab.  The 
historian  goes  back  to  the  origin  of  the  war. 
He  had  already,  in  ch.  i.  1,  mentioned  the 
revolt  of  Mnab  at  the  death  of  Ahab ;  but 
be  now  recalls  his  readeis*  attention  to  the 
fact,  and  to  some  extent  explains  it  and 
•ccounta  for  it.  Moab  had  been  treated 
oppn  snivel y — had  been  forced  to  pay  an 
extruoidinaiily  1  eavy  tribute— and  was  in  a 
certain  bcuso  driven  into  rolullion  (vers.  4, 
5).  Jelioram,  when  he  cnmo  to  the  kingdom, 
determined  to  make  a  great  effort  to  put 
the  rel>ellion  down,  and  to  re-establisii  the 
authority  of  Isncl  over  the  revolted  peo|)lo. 
Ilia  reluli'iiiH  with  Jelioshaphat  of  Israel 
Were  »o  cl<)-«  that  ho  had  no  difllculty  in 
pc-rnuiiditi;^  iiiiii  to  joja  in  the  war.  lie  was 
alMo  uhli)  t<^  (ilitaiii  the  nlliiiticuof  tho  King 
of  Kdoin.  'i'liUH  Htrongthenud,  ho  mado  no 
doulit  of  b<  iiig  HUccB^iful,  and  conlMintly 
inv.i.l«><l  tln)  country  (v<th.  6—9).  Tho 
ouura<-  of  Ihu  war  u  thou  rulutod  (vom. 
10     '/7). 

Vnr.  fl.— And  Klnjf  JohofKm  wont  out  of 
SumarU  tho  trimo  time  litirally,  Uui  mmn 
iliiij  unA  numtiorod  nil  Iiraol  ;  ruilicr, 
tnufirrnl  or  rrri'im/  ( t'wtttKMiiiuTii,  I,.\X) 
ail  lariK'l.  "  Niiiiilxtiiri^^"  wiui  fDrliiiliJurt 
(I  Sum  xxir.  1),  nmi  ia  not  Imro  intoiideil, 
III"  »•  rb  iiKixl  fwiiiif  ^-c,  iind  not  n.n. 

Var.  7. — And  ho  wont  and  lont  to  Ja- 
koihaphat  tha  King  of  Judah,  saying.     .)•■ 


hoshaphat  had  origlnfllly  allied  himself  with 
Ahab,  and  had  cemented  the  alliance  by  • 
marriage  between  his  eldest  son,  Jeboram, 
and  Athaliah,  Ahab's  daughter  (ch  viiL  IS; 
2  Chron.  xviii.  1).  He  had  joined  Ahab  in 
his  attack  on  the  Syrians  at  Ramoth-Gilead 
(1  Kings  xxii.  4—36),  and  had  thereby 
incurred  the  rebuke  of  Jehu  the  son  of 
Hanani  (2  Chron.  xix.  2).  This,  however, 
had  not  prevented  him  from  continuing  hi* 
friendship  with  the  Israelite  royal  house; 
he  "joined  himself  with  Ahaziah  "  (2  Chron. 
XX.  33),  Ahab's  successor,  and  though  their 
combined  naval  expedition  met  with  disnster 
(1  Kings  xxii.  48),  yet  he  still  maintained 
amicable  relations  with  the  Israelite  court. 
Jehoram,  therefore,  confidently  sought  hia 
active  help  when  he  made  up  his  mind  to 
engage  in  a  war  with  Moab.  The  king  of 
Moab  hath  rebelled  against  me:  wilt  thou 
go  with  me  against  Moab  to  battle  ?  And 
he  said,  I  will  go  np :  I  am  as  thou  art,  my 
people  as  thy  people,  and  my  horses  as  thy 
horses.  Compare  tho  answer  which  the 
same  king  had  made  to  Aliab,  when  req  nested 
to  join  him  in  his  attack  on  the  iSyrians 
(I  Kings  xxii.  4).  The  words  were  probably 
a  common  formula  expressive  of  willingness 
to  enter  into  the  closest  possible  alliance. 
Jehdshapliat,  it  appraia  from  2  Cliroi.  xx. 
1 — 35,  had,  a  little  heforo  this,  been  h  niself 
attacked  by  the  united  forces  of  Blo.ib  and 
Ammon,  and  brouglit  into  a  jieril  from  which 
he  was  only  delivered  by  miracle.  It  was, 
therefore,  much  to  his  advantage  th  it  Moab 
eliould  be  weakened. 

Ver.  8. — And  he  said.  Which  way  shall 
we  go  upl  Ji;hiirani  asked  Jeho.shaplmt's 
advioo  as  to  the  plan  of  campaign.  Tlioro 
wcro  two  ways  in  which  M^ab  might  be 
approached — tho  direct  one  aoro.sa  tho  Jordan 
and  tiu'U  southward  through  th(>  country 
east  of  the  Dead  Soa  to  the  Arn.in,  wliieh 
was  tho  Ixmndary  botwoi  n  Moab  and  I.sraol ; 
and  a  circuitous  ono  tlirough  tho  (h'sert 
west  of  tho  Hod  Soa,  and  ai'^iosH  llio  Arab:ih 
south ot it, th.nnorlhwanlsthrouh  Northern 
Edoin,  to  the  biook  Zm  d,  or  Wady-ol- 
Almy,  which  wua  tho  boundary  between 
Jlo.i"!)  and  Mdoni.  If  tho  former  routo  were 
purMUC'l,  Moab  would  bo  entend  on  the 
north;  if  tho  hill'T,  hIic  would  Int  iiltackod 
on  tho  Hoiilb.  Jehos)ia|>bal  reeommended 
thr-  cin-uitoiiH  routo.  And  ho  answurod,  The 
way  through  tho  wildornonn  of  Ldom ; 
prMbably  for  two  reaHouH :  i'Mom,  tbougU 
UMiliT  u  natixo  Uin\^,  wum  a  dependoury  of 
Jndiili  (I  K  ni:rt  xxii.  47).  and  on  paKNJng 
tlir>>u:,'li  tlio  Mdoniiln  rouhlry,  an  I'idoniito 
O'li'tin^'Kol  ini^lit  Im<  lidded  U>  tho  inviichng 
foK'o;  Moab,  iiiornover,  wiM  uiorx  lilioly  to 
Imi  Niirpiiiiid  by  III!  attiolc  on  Ihia  <|iiikrlor, 
whieli  wiia  uniiaiiiil,  and  from  whiuh  aht 
would  Dot  aulieipaU)  dangui. 


<■  111.  1-«T0         TUB  UOCmO  BOOK  OF  TUB  K1X0& 


"     ••  Ik*  W^  at  faMil  wl   M 
•SfMllUa^  Im  to  pba*4  iM»- 

:>.-^    .-.    ^.^  af  IkAak      t)>«  «Ha4   Ib  MB- 

Kt»t  •!   I4mi  t«i   tipirti^ii. 

■fMlHtaMa«ft«)«iWlUiNrafJ»Uk(tKiiMPi 
itk  «7>     K  •«    -^  'iMviuJf.  •!.«  kM  h« 

TIM    4tolB>iM    froM    Jrrujairo,    wtirrv    tii« 


«r  bMl  ana  Jadik  Mibatly  wMad. 

^lalk*.  Mid  TluMBaf^ 


nuuvk  wi 
>«fl*  MOM 

una  J 


tij    11.  p. 
All  tiM 


t'rr, 


A&4   IK*   Eiaf  of  IfTMl   Mid, 

A..      ..-; 'Jm  Lord  h&U  CAllod  tktM  duM 

i    e*  tar*tkar,  t*  d«Uv«r  tkaa  laM  U« 

L..!ofM&Ak!    Jf  hofma  flwt  — ■nniin,  with- 

■  that  Uifl  •zpaJiUoa  to  one  whieh 


:.    .««lpt    to  1< 

aX  1U0  Maotii  o: 


for  ■■fpri—  or  > 


(ii«4r 


!• 


MtotoBM'li     TUaUaM^Mid 
MOMli  lUl  CM*   •««.  ••   «k* 


•iaik*««4 


ba«r.  IW  itckl  mmmm  tUU  U  tokM     ll 
»*7  n  4  *««•  fs*  b»  Wn  Ul«     Aad  •••  if 

or 

to.  j*f^Uy. 

Ik*  anaf.    U*  k«d  to  U  wlH^-it  ky 

MM»  <  r  Lla  •tirtk-I.ttta,  «k*  iiMipVai4  to  k« 
»<  -  fad.     W  e  aMjr  aaffaM 

th  ^  -i»ad  (La 


knar  'M  Uto 
xOkJtt  of  lb*  Mftt  of  U«d*  (K«4lk 
WiM  MHlf«4  to  I  HIM  Ik*  Imm'itum 


Ood  k*Hf  iwlirf  la 
ftotolkatoptoa  bf  kto 
•I  Ik*  toto*  «■•  to  aka 


toliijr.  < 
•k*«  fcrtk  ktoslafj 


fba*  tk*  Mfd**!  M<»k.   Tk*i 

(canp.  f  Kinsa  tlx.  Id.  IV).  vkkk  r*v«d 
vatar  •*  Ik*  baadaaf  B4)ab;  (a.  «l.o  «aa 
■rpii,toto*d  to  totitotor  to  llJO*k'a  viti^ 
Mwl  to  altoad  ■BBS  Mm. 

Var.  11-AW  J*k«te|fcM  toM.  Tk*  vtod 
•f  Ik*  Lafd  toviikMm;  Ikal  tot.«k*  to* 
Ink.  popkal :  k*  oaa  IrD  HI  Uka  vfll  af  Ood,* 
It  i»  taipn>^>ito  to 
R/TTiffi  tht*  «>o».  ftb'a 

"  bla  apodU  aUciidaal  ( t  Ktaf* 
<•  M  *e  da«bl  gaiiMmlly  k»i/«a. 
ana  maj  uav*  toiiwl  tpia<alin*a  ikaA 
Bltok*  Wild  h*  Ik*  MZt  giaal  pw|fciL 
Jahoalwipkal  mtmf  bat*  h*^i  ut  Um  ■dwwdiM 
rt<iurviaJ  la  c)i  ti.     A'.   .  apptmia 

to  liava   baau   fir  j<!«    >  Klt*ha'a 

iin  aa  th«  autli      :    :  •  i 
Will  at  tba  tima    fta  t^  Kiii«  •!  lacaal  aad 
Jabaabatykkt  aad  Ua  Xiaff  af  Btoa  vast 

4ov*  to  ki«.      T'  '    '•■'    >"•'     f>-tiiii»«ilf 

aanoMmad  into  t!  -    Uf 

thejr  b*d  •  iT'*'^  •    ■    i   • 

f^|n£  ia  »  •>  iicm  Liic J  knew  k* 

wnald    bau  kittfa  akoaU  aaak 

'"  cba  wit  a»<J   »i«.i  i-iut  «*a  •  C***!  MCB 

u  af  Ik*  koMW  iB  vbk-li  b*  »aa  b*t< 

i  alao  «/  Ik*  aitoBl  to  abicb  Uk*7  taaa* 

jM«J  bf  Ik*  itofor  vliiaii  UocAtoMd 


»orB«<lfld 
u#  Gad'a 


Vor.  ia-AB«  Elltba  a«U  aata  tb*  K1b« 

af  lanaU  Wbat  bar*  I  i«  do  v.:^  t^aal  («( 

tkaa  to  Ik*  yrof  batt  a<  tbj  tat^ar,  aai  U  iba 

prapbatoflf  tfeqr  MaUar.     IK.{.  ic  Jr:>..  mi^  • 

-  ir-haailiatioa,  Bit*b»  iv^^rvU  t  »•  ibc^i*- 

I  OB  bin  to  rvl«ka  ilo  B>o«i.&i<-^.  *i*Jt 

I      tigb  b*   bttd  **  t<ttt   a«»7  lt>a    uimh^  i^ 

iii^  vkiA   bto    fiibar   l>*i    tu^  ir."*   •uU 

"vpBivkl  •nl  IB  Um  akciil  U  iLr   Uel,* 

Bad  •claaaad  to  Ika  aiaa  af  Ama^»mm  ib* 

auBoT  Vahat-(ak.lLt.S>.    Jaknaa  ■«! 

•-t  baaltoawd  iaaBpiniB  tU(  ba  baa  4mm 

'^b  bj  bto  b*lf<«t*BU>KV  •t'i  paitLU 

rmattoB:b*ailto4b»r\t  .-f     i     -      f  ^  a'aa<d. 

-    BMj.  If   piaai  w    a 

of  oUBd  •    '.hm 

'baT«  I  to  da  wiw  u<a*'      •«*«• 


44 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINQl        [oh.  ra.  1—27. 


commoB  grotmd  do  we  occupy  ?  What  is 
there  that  justifles  thee  in  appealing  to  me 
for  aid?  Get  thee  to  the  prophets  of  thy 
father" — the  four  hundred  whom  Ahab 
frathered  together  at  Samaria,  to  ailvise 
liim  as  to  going  up  against  Ramoth-Qilead 
( {  Kings  ixii.  ti)^"  and  the  prophets  of  thy 
mother,"  the  Baal-prophete,  whom  Jezebel, 
w  ho  was  Btill  alive,  and  held  the  position  of 
queen-mother,  still  maintained  (oh.  x.  19) — 
"  get  thee  to  them,  and  consult  them.  On  them 
thou  hast  some  claim;  on  me,  none."  And 
the  King  of  Israel  said  unto  him,  Nay :  for 
the  Lord  hath  oalled  these  three  kings  to- 
gether, to  deliver  them  into  the  hand  of 
Moab.  A  most  soft  and  meek  answer — one 
well  cfllculated  to  "turn  away  wrath." 
*♦  Nay,"  says  the  king ;  ^  say  not  so.  Let 
not  that  be  thy  final  answer.  For  it  is  not 
I  aloue  who  am  in  danger.  We  are  three 
kings  who  have  come  down  to  thee  to  ask  thy 
aid ;  we  are  all  in  equal  danger ;  have  retpect 
uiito  them,  if  thou  wilt  not  have  respect 
unto  me ;  and  show  them  a  way  of  deliver- 
ance." 

Ver.  14.— And  Elishs  said,  As  tha  Lord 
of  hosts  liveth,  before  whom  I  stand,  surely, 
were  it  not  that  I  regard  the  presenc*  of 
Jer  c  sbaphat,  the  King  of  Judah,  I  would  not 
look  toward  thee,  nor  see  thee.  Jchosha- 
pliufs  conduct  had  not  been  blamek-sB;  he 
Lad  tsvice  incurred  the  rebuke  of  a  prophet 
foi  departures  from  tlie  line  of  strict  duty — 
once  for  "helping  the  ungodly"  Ahab  at 
Bnnv'lh-Gilcad  (2  Chron.  xix.  2) ;  and  a 
wcond  timo  for  "joining  himself  with  Aha- 
Einh  to  make  ships  to  go  to  Ophir"  (2 
Chron.  xx.  3G ;  conip.  1  Kings  xxii.  48). 
Even  now  he  was  engaged  in  an  expedition 
wliich  had  received  no  Divine  sanction,  and 
was  allied  with  two  idolatrous  monarohs. 
But  Ki  hIiu  comloncB  theuo  derolictionu  of 
duty  III  coHHideration  of  the  king's  hono^ty 
of  piirpoKO  and  sttaily  attuchmcut  to  Ju- 
boT.ih,  which  is  witiuH-cd  to  by  the  authors 
bolhof  Kings  (1  Kin<,'H  xxii.  48;  oh.  iii.  11) 
and  OhronirlcB  (2  Cluon.  xvii.  3 — 6;  xix. 
4—11 ;  XX.  fi  -  21,  (to.).  He  "  rrgurds  tho 
pTOsenco  of  Jeh'^hapiiat,"  and  thorofore 
eonx  ntj  io  return  an  uiiHWor  U)  the  thntu 
kiof^i,  arid  annriiiiiro  to  tbi-m  tho  mode  of 
thiir  d<'IJ\orauno.  I'lio  adjuration  whi-ro- 
wilh  he  ojKtis  Lid  «p«rrh  i«  one  of  great 
•Tilwnnity,  only  unci!  ujton  very  Hjiocial  occa- 
sions (iMj<i  1  KingM  xvil.  1  ;  eh.  v.  IG),  and 
add*  gititt  f'ircti  to  his  di^clarutioa. 

ViT.  l.").  — But  now  briiiK  ms  a  mlnRtrel. 
A  pinker  on  tho  L  ir|i  st^eniN  to  bo  inUMidixl. 

Mil"i<-  w:ui    riiliivaltil    in    thn   nrliofiU  of   Iho 

pr'>iih<t«(l  Hirn.  i.  f) ;    1  (Jhron.  ixv.  1—3), 
an<l  WMi  <rnphiy«-l   to  iMMithn  and  quint  tha 

•  •ul,  to  hrilp  N  to  fnrKc  t  thln«»  nnrllily  umi 

•  xt<'rtial,  ktiil  briti^  it  into  tlint  twixtalin  non- 
liiUuo    Id   wLioL    it  WM  ai<«4   ojh  u   to   ili* 


reception  of  Divine  influences.  As  David's 
harping  refreshed  Saul,  and  tranquillized 
his  spirit  (1  Sara.  xvi.  23),  so  the  playing  of 
any  skilled  minstrel  had  a  soothing  effect 
on  those  possessing  the  prophetic  gift  gene- 
rally, and  enabled  them  to  shut  out  the 
outer  world,  and  concentrate  their  whole 
attention  on  the  inward  voice  which  com- 
municated to  them  the  Divine  messages. 
And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  minstrel 
played,  that  the  hand  of  the  Lord  came  upon 
him.  By  "  the  hand  of  the  Lord  "  is  meant 
the  power  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  the  Divine 
effluence,  whaterer  it  was,  which  acquainted 
tlie  prophets  with  the  Divine  will,  and 
enabled  them  to  utter  it. 

Ver.  16.— And  he  said,  Thus  saith  the 
Lord,  Hake  this  valley  fall  of  ditches; 
rather,  full  of  pita  (ffoOvyovs,  LXX.).  Tlie 
object  was  to  detain  the  water  which  would 
otherwise  have  all  run  off  down  the  torrent- 
course  in  a  very  little  time. 

Ver.  17. — For  thus  saith  the  Lord,  Ye 
shall  not  see — i.e.  perceive— wind,  neither 
shall  ye  see  rain.  Wind  and  rain  usually 
go  together  in  the  East,  especially  when 
there  is  sudden  heavy  rain  after  a  time  of 
drought.  What  Elisha  promises  is  a  heavy 
storm  of  wind  accompanied  by  violent  rain, 
which,  however,  will  be  at  such  a  distance 
that  the  Israelites  will  see  nothing  of  it, 
but  whereof  they  will  experience  the  effects 
when  the  torrent-course  that  separates  them 
from  tho  Moabite  country  suddenly  becomes 
a  rushing  stream  as  the  rain  flows  off  down 
it.  Their  "  pits,"  or  trenches,  will  retain  a 
portion  of  the  water,  and  furnish  them  with 
a  suffioient  supply  for  their  wants.  It  was 
necessary  that  the  storm  should  be  distant, 
that  the  liloabites  might  know  nothing  of 
it,  and  so  full  under  tlie  delusion  (ver.  23) 
wliich  led  to  their  coni)ilcte  defeat  Tet 
that  valley  shall  be  filled  with  water.  Tra- 
vel luis  toll  us  that,  iu  certain  cirouniBtancos, 
it  takes  but  ten  minuter  or  a  (luiirter  of  aa 
Lour  for  a  dry  wator-course  iu  tho  East  to 
become  a  raging  torrent  quite  impassable. 
That  ys  may  drink,  both  ye,  and  your 
oattio— 4.4.  tho  animals  which  you  have 
brought  with  you  for  food — and  your  boabts ; 
<.fl.  your  bfiiHts  of  burden,  or  bagp:agt(-nni- 
DiaU.  AniinalH,  oxce|)t  entnola.  BiilVer  from 
drought  uvt'U  nioru  than  men,  and  <iiu  sooiior. 
Tiio  iHraeliloa  do  not  appear  to  havo  uvur 
Oin|i|oyi'd  cainoln. 

Ver.  IK.— And  this  is  but  a  light  thing  In 
tho  light  of  tho  Lord.  God,  thu  Author  of 
iiutnri',  haH  full  control  ovor  nuturo,  mid  it 
1h  an  tuny  inatlor  for  hint  to  jirodiioo  at  will 
•ny  natural  phenoiiirna.  It  in  ()lh«>rwiite 
wli«n  tho  ■liili)M>rn  oleiiunt  of  tho  huinna 
will  is  brought  into  |ilny.  Thon  difltculty 
iiiKj  ariMi.  H»  will  dulivtr  tha  MoabilM 
alM  lat«  yoar  hand.     It  would  l>«  b«tt«r  tm 


m  m.  l-ffT]  Till   SBOOND  BOOK   OF  TUI   KIMOA. 


aV  •ill>«r  Mil*  ctf  Ik*  J«W«I»A. 

Ar<T»»^»''  rsitt*  •▼•ry  fiE«*l    |    « a.t    (t    *r»Tti    dfr-rir.t    kf 

«»u     .1 

•f'. '      .'1  c*»«  U^MiUlW  AMA* 

•  M  t^  IUm*  oI  ite 

«!li   r    •    r<  •    I'lrUua   f^  K  >|^ 

">«i<l«r.tl  .« 

V  ..,.   ,   .  -' •  A 

»      '       1  OMT-    I    >'•  4^ 

1     19    It  .4 


M    Do    gvoerkl 


>i 


fby' 
t  Um  (Ml 


kMrd  that  i:.^ 


fmtktrx  : 
mu>i«r 


Uut  UiM  ••■(■f^y 


ut 


to  >«t 


- '  J        •k4  tW*  Mo^ 


Mia  U  ••• 

p.    tt)  ;    D»    IVi-ll,   «b    -  u-r    rtv:a.>aiL.    fr       ..erf 
tW  IMlkly  4«f  toMifci  >*   at  BlU 
MMUryaa  t  Kii««i'  ^  SM);  Wt  u     .  ; 

«MM*  •(    Ik*    !■!■■■     MMbto-AMi    »LUr#    M 

Kirp*  or  ia  Jn»;-l:u»  u  r  r  i^iJy  Lm  «I 


j''^«r  uj  VtwUkerf    ^•oc    »ia:i      irv.    »;       •*« 


46 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.         [ch.  m.  1— 27. 


light,  falling  upon  the  water  in  the  pits, 
and  reflected  thenoe  to  the  opposite  side  of 
the  wady,  would  quite  sufficiently  swcount 
for  the  mistake  of  the  Moabites,  without 
supposing  that'  the  water  was  actually 
stained  anii  discoloured.  The  Moabites  con- 
cluded that  the  red-looking  liquid  was 
blood,  from  knowing  that  the  wady  was  dry 
the  (lay  before,  and  from  not  suspecting 
that  there  had  been  any  change  in  the 
night,  as  the  storm  which  had  caused  the 
change  was  at  such  a  distance. 

Ver.  23. — And  they  said,  This  is  blood. 
Even  Ewald  recognizes  here  "a  historical 
bewjkground  for  the  narrative."  The  idea 
of  such  a  mistake  could  scarcely  have  oc- 
curred to  a  romancer.  The  kings  are  surely 
Blain,  and  they  have  smitten  one  another. 
There  were  rivalries  and  jealousies  subsist- 
ing between  Judah,  Israel,  and  Edom,  which 
made  it  quite  possible  that  at  any  time 
open  quarrel  might  break  out  among  them. 
Edom  esptciully  was,  it  is  probable,  a  re- 
luctant member  of  the  confederacy,  forced 
tc)  take  her  part  in  it  by  her  suzerain,  Je- 
hoshaphut.  The  Moabites,  moreover,  had 
recently  had  personal  experience  how  easily 
the  swonis  of  confederates  might  be  turned 
against  each  other,  siuce  their  last  exfiedi- 
tion  against  Judah  (2  Chron.  xx.  1 — 2.5)  iiad 
completely  failed  throuu'h  such  a  sudden 
di8Ji;^reeiiient  and  contentioa.  Now  there- 
fore, Moab,  to  the  spoil.  If  their  suppusi- 
tiori  were  correct,  and  the  kings  had  come 
to  bl  .wa,  and  the  hosts  destroyed  each 
oth'  r  Moab  would  have  notliing  to  do  but 
t'l  Hy  upon  the  spoil,  to  strip  the  slain,  and 
plnnd'  r  the  camp  of  the  eonfriierates.  A 
ditwjrilerly  rush  Utok  jiliioe  for  this  purpose 
(wKj  JoH'  |)hiiM,  '  Ant.  Jud.,'  ix.  3.  §  2). 

Ver.  21.  And  when  they  came  to  the 
camp  of  Israel,  the  Israelites  rose  up.  .The 
lirrtl  ruHh  of  iIm  main  body  wf)nl<i  he  upon 
th.;  camp,  where  ihey  woulil  expect  to  find 
the  rich<-Ht  Hpoil.  It  wa.-)  near  at  hand; 
and  tlio  occupantH  kept  themselvea  con- 
e<!u1<d  in  it,  (•xi>ectint;  the  dinorderly  altaek 
wliifli  iiftually  t'^fik  j)l.'i(o.  They  then 
"f-M!  nji,"  and  f'dl  upon  the  rrowd  of  ivHwiil- 
anta,  who  wi  re  olT  thrir  gnurd,  and  cxpeit- 
in^'  nolhin((  1<k«  .\  c/ii\Ui-i-d  rout  followed. 
And  imote  the  MonbitOR,  to  that  thoy  flod 
before  th':m.  .JiMwphuH  BiiyH,  "  Some  of  the 
H>>4iliit<  H  vinn-  >Mit  to  pieci  H  ;  the  otli<  th  H*i\, 
aixl  din)  <  m  d  lh>  niM<dve*i  over  their  ronn- 
ttj."  But  iboy  wont  forwuni,  imitinK  the 
VoaKltM  evon  In  llmir  country.  There  are 
tw'i  rivWuKn  h«T<',  ".a",  mid  '.^'v  'llw  former 
li>  tn  I*  prrfi-rri^l,  und  Ij«  to  1m  |Hiint4Ml  'O'l 
(fm  r3'\  no  in  I  Kitit^n  ill.  12).  Tldii  Kive* 
tho  rn'-nnlnit  of  tlm  l-  xt.  Th«  murKinnl 
IrkimUtton  foil'.,,),  (he  K<ri  ci,  which  ii 
(ax  K'lil  *»}•)  "  »  '"«''  «  "•••ndiili'-n." 

Ver   26.     Acd  ibny  bMt  down  th»  cillM 


destroyed  them,  levelled  them  with 
the  ground — and  on  every  good  piece  of 
land  cast  every  man  his  stone  (see  ver.  19 
and  the  comment  ad  loc),  and  filled  it 
[with  stones].  And  they  stopped  all  the 
wells  of  water,  and  felled  all  the  good  trees 
— i.e.  the  fruit  trees,  d4v5pa  i^/xepa  (Jose- 
phus) — only  in  Kir-haraseth  left  they  the 
stones  thereof;  literally,  u)itil  in  Kir-hara- 
seth—i.e.  in  Kir-haraseth  only — left  he  the 
stones  thereof.  He  (/.e.  the  commander,  or 
the  army)  went  on  destroying  and  levelling 
the  citii'8,  until  he  came  to  Kir-haraseth, 
which  proved  too  strong  for  him.  There 
he  was  obliged  to  leave  the  stones  un- 
touched. Kir-haraseth,  which  is  not  men- 
tioned among  the  early  Moabite  towns,  nor 
even  upon  the  Moabite  Stone,  and  which 
is  therefore  thought  to  have  been  a  newly 
constructed  fortress  (Ewald),  was,  in  the 
later  times,  one  of  the  most  important  of 
the  strongholds  of  Sloab  (see  Isa.  xv.  1 ; 
xvi.  7,  11 ;  Jer.  xlviii.  36).  It  was  some- 
times called  Kir-Moab,  "the  fortress  of 
Moab."  At  what  time  it  got  the  name  of 
Kerak  is  uncertain ;  but  we  find  it  spoken 
of  as  Kerak-Moab  by  Ptolemy  (about  a.d. 
150),  and  by  Stephen  of  Byzantium  (about 
A.D.  530).  It  was  a  place  of  much  impor- 
tance in  the  time  of  the  Crusades.  The 
situation  is  one  of  great  strength.  The  for- 
tress is  built  upon  the  lop  of  a  steep  hill, 
surrounded  on  all  sides  by  a  deep  and  nar- 
row valley,  which  again  is  eompU  tely  en- 
closed by  mountains,  rising;  higher  than  the 
fort  it.solf.  "It  is  uniloiil)tedly  one  of  the 
strongest  positions  within  the  territory  an- 
ciently po.-^sessed  by  the  Moabite.-^.  Howbeit 
the  slingers  went  about  it,  and  smote  it. 
Ewald  thinks  that  by  "  slin;;ors  "  are  meant, 
11'  ■  Micro  ordinary  slin^cMs,  hut  persons  who 
work  1  more  elahonite  en;j;ine8,  as  catapults 
uii-i  iiio  like  (•  liistory  of  Israel,'  vol.  iv.  p. 
«;»,  note,  Kng.  tian:*.).  He  is  undonMedly 
correct  in  sayin;^  that  "all  sorts  of  elaborate 
modes  of  altaclving  fortirieations  wore  very 
early  known  in  Asia;"  Inn  it  is  vi'iy  (]U08- 
tionahle  whether  the  Hebrew  word  used 
(D'y'^p.l)  can  mean  anylhin'.;  but  "slingerH" 
in  the  usual  seime.  The  l,\.\.  translate  by 
(Tip! I'^iifilTai.  The  Hituatiou  is  on.'  which 
would  allow  of  "Hlin^^ciM,"  in  the  ordinary 
Hi-liH",  Helidint;  their  lni>HileM  into  the  place, 
ami  grii  voiiiily  hura-sHing  it. 

V<!r.  2<!.  -And  when  the  King  of  Moab  saw 
that  the  battle  waH  loo  B(no  for  him  i.«. 
that  ho  oould  n<il  hi>p<'  to  miinl.un  lliodi-- 
fcnc-n  Minch  loii('cr,  Imt  wonhl  Im  lcirre<l  to 
Ktirrendnr  tlm  lnrlicHH  ho  took  with  him 
■oven  hundred  men  that  drew  nwordn,  to 
break  throuj^h  even  unto  the  Kin^  of  Kdum. 
rorhiipM  he  r«K<>rd<d  tho  KIuk'  oI  Kdoin  aa 
lh»  would'  t  of  the  three  oonl'<«liri4ti'M,  and 
thii  lra«l   likuly  to  oflfur  effuctual  rottimaniHi^ 


m.  m.  1-tr.l         TOB  SBOOND  BOOK  OB  TUB  KOIQ&  Cf 


r 

f  u. 

Ul<t  •  i    III  Um  "  <     t>ai>i    tM    ^ff  iMIwi    (ttf    aXpt^^ili^.    ImA 


u   -Uv 

:»<«^»h 

.     .-.'T         AW 

f rwtl  l&dl^raUM  •fvUM  UimI  : 

dc^krt«A       It  «>■••  Wi  r  iiry  !• 

'•lai— i.  «»(1  |p  rr^Md  ilb«B  m 

>«M<lt«b«       lV>4M44flM 

:iaaaola>'  '           «    '«* 

.^  IMiMd                             ». 

.-,.  >       I                             -. 

BM  o-  'i«rt  Oo4^  "--  ~     ^ '  to 


OodM 


OOti'. 


pr  '.  Wo*  ID  'li*  prciptM-^  f  fMet4 

laaao,  HMt»ifawk  auMi  !»••  tai«  li«a»a. 
wka  Mt  U?    PioUbly  IW  Me 


knma  .   lu   j    1  U«  tHfihl*  Ml  of  llwte  ku«.  to  wktek  t^cf 

I  Ikat  LcMl  Itod  drivHi  bia.Mm«i 


U>«  •!•  the     eaMM««i«katLcMllMadrtvHibia.Mm«i 

1 -'•vkafallMar 


.  Jad  bi*M  tl.M4  «*M  to  Ik*  ( 


.:  Umt  had   bati  (iw  ap  tha  ai^a  aad 

..m.     TWy  ibwafKu  <WpaKni  twbfaa  — 

1  ^-  t^  I  '  i"  t^  KiDf  of  Umh — •mA  ratanMd  to  ibv^r 


1::  by      ova  laad;  MvaraUj  to   tiim,  JadMi,  aai 

Uk  okotiM  for  aibr    I 

UOyiLETIOB. 


TwB.  X—t.—BaJf-rtftm  laaato  M«  ■iiiiplif  ly  OadL  Jabaram  was  twttar  ibaa  kto 
felkv  and  bla  mathmt.  mj  oooMdarablv  bauar  tkui  Ui  hm^ar  (1  Kiafi  ii  L  5.'.  f>3> 
Ha  **  put  awav  ilto  iBMC*  o^  BmI  tkat  kl*  btkar  had  mad*,"  lavwad  t^  H»i  «  vvbif 
frMB  tka  poittiHi  af  Uw  Mala  rallck*  to  tkat  of  (at  ika  soai)  a  ftoAwmuiu  cuU.  4a  t 
pidbfd  fclMiilf  »  vonUpMr  at  Jdwvak.  Bvt  kU  bwt  wm  wH  vktda  viik  Oud. 
Ha  **clMf«d  aaio  Iba  lia*  or  Jmvhumm  thmw^dt  N«kat.  aad  dtaartil  sot  tktainm.' 
At  D«B  Mkd  Bribal  iW  fotdM  oalTM  ctOl  i«<oiivad  Um  koMif*  <<  «k  M^  Md 


UMMrfUa  liMgaa ;  aod  ritual  prarikw  wra  maiatoUMd  wklab  had  no  Diriaa 
JakaiaM^  ftlunaalioa  MofM*!  bal'-vay.  U*  rapaetad  ef  what  Abab  aad  Jaa»bal  aad 
AhHkk  kail  ^jma,  k«l  Mt  of  wbat  Jaroboaat  bid  doM.  lU  vm  •  balllMarv^ 
iMMNnnw 

L  Balt- nK ktrvnnma  u  wwtm  natiT  TO  iMm  om»Kwa»  »j  Semxnvmm,  "Hav 
!(■«  ball  ja  brtvcaa  two  aptbMMt  U  tba  Lord  ba  Ood,  iaUaw  kua:  but  v  BmI, 
tkM  Ml0w  bla*  (1  Kl^a  itliL  tl);  "Ob  ikal  tk«a  vara  aadb  aa  b«art  ia  CbM. 
tbai  Ikav  woold  fcar  ma,  aad  kaap  aU  my  aoaaMadaaMa  alwapi  /  *  (l»aat.  v.  It)  i 
- 1  eaD  Wavaa  aad  mrtk  to  tmmi  tkii  d^f  apiH*  jwa,  Ifeat  I  baaa  art 


48  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS,        [ch.  m.  1—27. 


you  life  and  death,  blessing  and  eursiag;  therefore  choose  life**  (Deut.  xxx.  19); 
"  No  TTian  can  serve  two  masters,  ...  ye  cannot  serve  God  and  mammon "  (Matt, 
vi.  24) ;  "  WhosoeTer  shall  keep  the  whole  Law,  and  yet  offend  in  one  point,  he  is 
guilty  of  all"  (Jas.  ii.  10)  ;  "  I  know  thy  works,  that  thou  art  neither  cold  nor  hot :  I 
would  that  thou  wert  cold  or  hot.  So  then  because  thou  art  lukewarm,  and  neither 
cold  nor  hot,  I  will  spue  thee  out  of  my  mouth  "  (Rev.  iii.  15, 16).  God's  true  servants 
are  those  whose  heart  is  whole  with  him  (Ps.  Ixxviii.  37),  who  are  "  faithful  La  all  liis 
house"  (Numb.  xii.  7),  who  "fear  him,  and  walk  in  all  his  ways,  and  love  him,  and 
serve  him  with  all  their  heart  and  all  their  soul"  (Deut.  x.  12). 

II.  Half-heartedkes3  contains  within  itself  the  germs  of  weakness  and 
OF  FAILURE.  "  A  double-minded  man  is  unstable  in  aU  his  ways "  (Jas.  i.  8). 
Changefulness,  vacillation,  infirmity  of  purpose,  inconsistency,  half-repentances,  half- 
resolves,  are  sure  to  result  in  failure  and  inability  to  effect  anything.  No  policy  is 
successful  unless  it  is  thorough.  No  character  is  calculated  to  impress  others,  or  carry 
through  any  important  work,  or  leave  its  mark  on  the  world,  but  one  that  is  firm, 
strong,  sincere,  consistent,  thorough-going.  Half-measures  are  of  little  service.  Half- 
resolves  are  almost  worse  than  absence  of  all  resolve.  Half-repentances  stand  in  the 
way  of  real  change  of  heart  and  amendment  of  life.  Half-hearted  rulers  are  apt  to 
"  ordain  something  good  here  and  there,  or  abolish  something  bad,  while  they  perceive 
still  more  which  their  duty  would  require  them  to  remove,  but  they  cannot  bring 
themselves  to  do  it,  from  motives  of  policy  which  are  not  pure,  or  pleasing  to  God" 
(Lange).  Such  half-heartedness,  while  it  angers  God,  is  not  even  expedient,  with 
respect  to  men,  in  the  long  run. 

Vers.  4,  6. — Bebellion  not  to  he  entered  vpon  with  a  light  heart.  We  are  not 
sufficiently  acquainted  with  the  position  of  Moab  under  Israel,  or  with  the  extont  of 
the  Moabite  resources,  or  with  the  grounds  of  just  complaint  which  they  may  have 
ha-i,  to  determine  whether  this  particular  rebellion  was  justifiable  or  no.  But  wo  can 
clearly  see  from  the  narrative  that  rebellion  is  a  very  grave  matter,  one  to  be  very 
care:ully  considered,  and  only  to  be  adventured  upon  .under  a  combination  of  circum- 
stances that  vei  y  rarely  occurs. 

I.  Thkre  must  be  grkat  and  serious  grievances.  Wliether  the  tribute  exacted 
by  Israel  from  Moab  was  excessive  and  unduly  burdensome,  or  even  absolutely 
intolerable,  depends  on  the  actual  wealth  of  the  country  in  flocks  and  herds,  which 
is  a  I'd  lit  whereon  we  have  no  sufficient  information.  But  it  is  clear  that  a  tribute 
may  Ixi  exces-ive ;  nay,  may  be  so  oppressive  as  to  justify  revolt.  Tiiere  is  a  point 
b^^yond  wliich  a  country's  resources  cannot  bo  strained,  and  no  subject  people  is  bound 
to  wait  until  the  last  straw  has  broken  its  back.  Systen)atic  insult  and  injury, 
determined  misgovemment  without  prospect  of  alleviation,  severe  oppression,  absolutely 
•xbauhtive  taxation,  arc  grievances  against  which  a  t^ubject  pcoplo  may  fairly  rebel, 
aiiii  ap]K-al  U)  the  arbitrament  of  arms.  But  the  weight  of  the  griuvuucos  endured  is 
Bot  I  be  only  factor  in  the  ecpiation. 

II.  TiiKUK  must  at.so  be  ▲  reabonablb  pbospkct  of  8UC0R88.  Pfobablj  ten 
reb<llii  n^  have  been  cruHlied  for  one  that  bus  sucee('<led.  It  is  difficult  to  cnloilata 
chanccH  l»cforfhftn(l ;  and  \ik\v  is  apt  to  "tell  n  (latliring  tnlo."  To  havo  a  f^ood  cause 
is  certainly  not  enough,  forinno  l)uing  too  often  uii  tbu  nido,  not  of  juHticu  and  ri^bt^ 
but  of  "  \<'ni  liattftiioiis."  No  cause  could  bo  much  bettor  tluin  that  of  the  j^iatiiators 
who  rcvoiic.l  under  HpartJicuH;  but  IJonio  cniHhed  tlieni,  and  (punicluil  tiio  llames  of 
tlnir  rchi-Wum  in  bloiMl,  within  tho  hjmci- of  two  years  from  (Im  limoof  Its  bnaking 
OUL  'I  hi'  war  of  tho  Krondo  wn«  ((lually  justiliablo  from  a  niond  imint  of  view;  lait  it 
WHM  ho|<5!'iiH  from  tho  tirHt,  and  ouj;bt  novor  to  have  been  ndvonturud  on.  t<n  ilie 
otluT  band,  tho  rclx-llion  of  tbu  Jowii  ii(;5»inHt  AntiocbuH  I'/piphane's,  and  that  of  tiie 
BwiM  B'/riiriNt  ((••Kulrr,  which  nuKlit  well  iiavo  H' oincd  ho|i(<b<NH  to  tbopo  who  iniliutdd 
them,  ■ucootbd.  '1  hu  Ihmuo  in  evury  cuho  Ih  in  thu  band  of  Clod,  with  whom,  lut  Judas 
Hacciibnua  nnid,  "it  In  all  ono  to  dfjivcr  with  a  Rrctit  intiltitudo  or  n  Hinull  com|mnj^ 
for  the  Tict/)ry  of  b.ittlo  Hduidith  not  in  liio  muliinidu  of  mi  hoHl.,  but  Htren^lii  coinoth 
from  hMviii  "  (I  Mwijc..  iii.  IH,  lU).  Still,  in  cwry  cane,  |irobnbdilir«  ounht  to  b« 
••noujtij  w«i(;li<vl,  ciiuMv|ii«nc4>a  tlion){htfiilly  ctinnidoriHl.  In  niuu  cnnm  out  of  l43n,  U 
la  hnttor  to  "War  tin-  ill<>  w  bavo  than  fly  tu  uthurs  tiut  wn  know  uuiof."     War  li  lucb 


«&m.i-ri     in  noovD  KOK  OF  m  uvoa. 


«f 


ffMCBM    VIU.    OCTWIMS 
•V-      An    oi  irf    ■111    mtUk 

to    lJ.i««      >• 


««•     «»V««T 


tk*  t>d    ft 


» I  -1  i 


«Uj  baifttto*  U  k«»  •ad  gaui  •Mjfui*^  ih**  ttiUiA*Mlj 


Te*^  »-lX 


M  it  ii  we. 


•*« 

•uot  doMnwiioa.     . 

.  to  MfMM.     far  from  ivlaf 
uim.    JabtiTak,  k*  ■ ' 
e  kutd  of  Moftb. 

A 

.  and  hm  hmi  w*  apukaft. 


was  aM  at- 
gval  vtoi<.> 

if  i^Utk.  .. 

•U  hk  Ml*  "hi 
diSeulty  draw  lortk  what 
ladUbrvoM  into  whkh  he 
oolj  aura  BafufB  in  tima 
Lurd,  that  wa  maj  iiiuui.- - 
boUk  bopafol  aiMi  he]p<ul 
|gr  bun,  au  lar  aa  a{>[«ars  Um 


(  Moah.  bat  w- 


'-:•  a  ftofLr 
■■y  uiui  /  "     Jcfaabat^iat'a  faiU  «ai 
*  ouurae  which  kwla  to  a  happy  naali.    Bai 
u.j^t  ikava  taniiinalad  la 


Tluaa 


Vara.  IS— 10.— r&aarraaaiy  a./  >^tmm  ^  A$  §rmi  ^  Ikt 

laaa  m  luaj  ba  loarnt  fruo  the  ouoc  «  baluf*  tba  eoaiadarata  binca 

L  A  Laww  or  tr  ■  '"'un.     c..i5.'  a  oo«a  not  allow  kiataalf  to  b>  abaabad  bjr 

iba  aartbljr  graadaur  .y  of  kfe  vWfeura,  or  to  ba  raadavad  jialdiac  and  »«»• 


klBtoiUlri 


It  hf  tlMaiiB(>iiui»iii  wiuab  tbaj  hava  patd  bin  ia  aaiHaa  bim  oat,  taauad  U 

gBraiauoa.    Aa  tba  aanraai  and  mtataiarof  Qod.ba  iaalwayta 

•  p«Mr  praanaa  UM  tMra.C  Aa  i:m  Laid  Oud  livrtb,  l|^  «a4a»  7  aiait^' *  ar.  1 4  > ; 

aad  ••  Ood'a  auolbpiaea  ba  u  aniitlad  to  ba  appnttobad,  avaa  bj  ika  a»i«l  rsaltcd  i4 

hoaaa  digirilariai^  aa  a  mxythot.    oat  of  aaal  km  Ood  ba  aaaarta  binaal^  aad  aioi<a 


aa  a  aopartor.    oat  of  aaal 
iiao— »w oa,  aad  aioiuat  om 


a  toM  of  rrboka,  laiaeaariMoa,  aad  aioiuat  ooataaip^  wbkb  voaU  bava  ill  badtiad  a 
aal^aet,  bad  b«  aot  baaa  aouug  in  tbo  oapadfty  of  Oad^l  prvi-iir  t  aad  rapraaaaiAiI**. 
IL  A  uiaiaoa  or  mAULmmsitMaL.    Omrnui 


ara  apt  to  icaaot  it.     Tbvjr  hava  daapixky  or  fwaw"  dait'  .  aad  oaa  * 

vary  aaaara  palaa  aad  pmaliiaa  thoae  who  provoba  tbaok     Ah*l»  iBpriaoaad  Uwrnrnt* 
thr  aoo  of  Uuab,  ittd  fad  bim  with  **  tha  biaad  at  aaicttoa  aad  tba  watar  vi  aHlirtw  * 
afiSliLXT);  Jaaabri  aot«bt  Kl^'a  Ul»(l  Kta(aux.8)i  Juaab  waa  privy  to 
oiuaAv  «f  ZaebMteb  tba  aoa  of  JabMMk  (S  OmA.  euv.  'JOX    U  otwal.T  rabokiac 
Jabocio^  k»  aoaaraifa,  oa  aeeouat  of  bia  idolatry,  Bliaba  abowad  a  ki^iMai  aad  • 

aarpriai^  aad  adaufabla^    Ba  aatdaatly  **  dtd  aot  laat 
aaold  do  mm  Mm*  (Pk  M  4X 


50  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.        [oh.  in.  1—27, 

nL   A     LESSOK     or     PBEPA REDNESS     FOB     DiVINE      EFFLUEKCES.         Elishft,     having 

exliibited  hi»  zeal  for  God  and  his  fearlessness  of  man,  had  finally  to  address  himself 
to  the  special  needs  of  the  occasion.  Three  kings  had  applied  to  him  to  know  the  will 
of  God  with  respect  to  a  certain  difficult  conjuncture.  He  did  not  yet  know  it.  How 
could  he  bring  himself  into  the  frame  of  mind  best  fitted  to  receive  an  eflSuence  from 
on  high  ?  He  regarded  music  as,  under  the  circumstances,  the  best  preparatiou.  His 
example  teaches  us  (1)  that  music  has  religious  uses;  (2)  that  it  is  of  the  utmost 
importance  to  prepare  ourselves,  if  we  would  have  the  Divine  Spirit  speak  to  oiur  own 
spirits.  Men  often  complain  that  they  derive  no  benefit  from  sacramental  and  other 
ordinances.  May  not  the  reason  be  that  they  do  not  prepare  themselves  aright  ?  The 
Holy  Spirit  will  not  enter  into  our  hearts  unless  they  are  made  ready  for  his  august 
presence. 

Vers.  21 — 25. — Ood^n  enemies  retoarded  after  their  deserving.  Whether  or  no  the 
Moabites  were,  humanly  speaking,  justified  in  their  attempt  to  shake  off  the  Israelitish 
yoke,  and  re-establish  their  independence,  at  any  rate  they  were,  as  a  nation,  distinctly 
hostile  to  Jehovah  and  his  laws,  and  must  be  coimted  as  among  God's  enemies.  Their 
Chemosh  cannot  be  reckoned  as  an  adumbration  of  the  true  God;  he  is  rather  an 
adumbration  of  the  evil  and  malignant  spirit.  A  people  that  delights  in  human 
sacrifice,  and  offers  to  its  deities  tender  and  innocent  children,  drowning  their  cries  with 
the  loud  din  of  drums  and  tom-toms,  must  have  depraved  its  conscience  by  long 
persistence  in  evil,  and  departed  very  far  indeed  from  original  righteousness.  Moab, 
moreover,  had,  from  the  time  of  Balak,  determinately  set  itself  at  once  to  oppose  the 
Israelites,  whenever  opportunity  offer^,  by  armed  force,  and  also  to  corrupt  and 
deprave  them  morally  and  religiously.  The  Moabites  had  recently  made  what  seems 
to  have  been  an  entirely  unprovoked  attack  upon  Jehoshaphat,  and  had  stirred  up  the 
Ammonites  and  Edomites  to  do  the  same  (2  Chron.  xx.  1 — 18).  They  had  already 
suffered  one  chastisement  for  this  wrong-doing,  at  -the  hand  of  God  (2  Chron.  xx. 
22 — i!4);  but  God's  anger  against  them  was  not  yet  fully  appeased.  The  rebellion  on 
which  Mesha  had  adventured  led  now  to  a  further  chastisement — Moab  was  ravaged 
from  one  end  of  the  country  to  the  other,  the  towns  were  taken  and  demolished,  the 
fruit  trees  cut  down,  the  good  land  "  marred,"  only  Kir-haraseth  was  left  unharmed  : 
and  even  there  the  inhabitants  suffered  greatly.  Moab  was  severely  punished ;  but,  as 
usually,  God's  justice  was  tempered  with  mercy.  She  was  not  crushed  ;  she  was  not 
desiruyed-  If  we  may  believe  Mesha,  she  gradually  recovered  and  rebuilt  her  towns. 
After  fifty  years  of  depression  she  was  able  to  resume  her  raids  into  the  land  of  Israel 
(cL  xiiL  20),  and  it  was  not  till  the  establishment  of  the  Roman  supremacy  over  the 
Eaiit  that,  having  filled  up  the  measure  of  her  iniquities,  she  ceased  to  exidt  as  a  nation. 

HOMILIES  BY  VARIOUS  AUTHORS. 

Vera.  1 — 3. —  The  continuity  of  evil.  How  hard  it  is  to  get  rid  of  the  power  of  evil  I 
Ahaziah  luul  Koiinlit  after  strange  gods.  He  had  Horvo<l  Haul  witli  all  his  corruj)tion8. 
Jehoraiii  hiH  brother,  who  HUCcecdB  him,  is  a  little  hotter.  "He  ptit  away  the  image 
(,{  I'.jL'il  wliich  hiH  father  had  made."  I'erhups  ho  was  frijhtened  hy  Ahaziah's  fate  as 
the  c>iiH<(|iienco  of  IiIh  Hin,  and  hy  the  fire  from  heaven  which  had  consumed  llie  two 
cajiiaiiiM  iihd  iheir  filtioH  lor  iheir  dormnce  of  the  Mo.st  High.  Hut.  Htill  "  he  cleiivcd 
nnU>  the  hIhk  of  JeroUtHwi  the  son  ol  Nel-at,  who  mailo  iHiaol  i^^  hu\"  Bolii  Aha/.iah 
»nd  .lehoram  had  Iwon  Iraiimd  in  evil  l)y  tlnir  fallier  and  moll»cr.  The  whole  land 
had  Uen  ■  onUmmnied  by  the  inlluenc<»  of  Aluil)  and  Jizrhcl.  How  true  ai«  tiio  |x>«t'(t 
wnrdH,  "  '1  no  <  vil  tliat  men  do  livi  h  after  them  "I  liewar*  of  leaving  evil  iujluentm 
behind  you. — C.  H.  1. 

Vflr«.  A — 12. — F<ir<je(tiiig  OmI,  and  iti  results.  Wo  »o«  from  theMo  verHon  how  very 
partlAl  wan  Joh'prnm'M  rrforniulK.n.  lie  put  away  the  Imago  of  Biwd,  hut  ho  ex|M«rion<od 
no  chann'-  of  hcuirt.  Outwiiid  oliw  rvftn(«'H  of  ri'ligion, outwiird  conforndly  to  (iixl'i*  Ijiw, 
ar«  of  little  iivii,  if  tho  hourt  is  not  nnht  within.  Obaorve  how  Jehonuu  hIiows  hi» 
•fiti/*  furgotfuluuM  or  diirogard  of  Uud. 


mial— «T.]         TBI  BIOOVD  BOt»K  OF  TBI  KTVOflL  tl 

I.  Bt  vn  vwTTtitira  vr  m«  rsoruL  T^  IQn(  of  Modb  k*^  rte«  la  rvMBaa 
MklnM  bliu.  What  u  JcL>>r«iti'«  ftr«<  »<-i  T  I*  )(  u>  mA  KvJp  or  g<it<U«n>  >r«i  Ou4? 
V- .  U  fow  k>ith  aad  buMmv  »U   '  H  •   Vij  •»«  |te  •4#«ttftk  «f 

t  >  umy.      lie  !  !  ■  >t  **t)MrliAnot<  n*«  l>— iif."     H«  iorfDl 

11     !  1  Msk*  Om  bdp  ti 

4MMt*ri«piuM  ivitig  m  ji>>i»ri.  '  "     Trwa  Ma  *!«• 

hi^mkik  wMmmm,    "  Which  v  dl  xmnkm^Vi 

Qmi  Ibr  dfavelkMi.  How  rrrr  —  ^  ««iAiTn 

ftDvvba*  bat  frocD  Ood.      '  r  x\.  4  ^4Um 

fcUoTM,  aod  ll' 

kMOi^*    Whm*  >« 

'hoir  am;  '  fc* 

.  r  ilie  e»r.  H« 

rMiiiiii>itfi  Uwr*  U  Moh  » 
flf  him  t  OuIt  lo  throw 
1^  at  tb«  Lord  luuii  edieil 
Y    .M  "     8o  w«  hare  bt  . 

Like  Jahofmm,  tb«7  will   La  re   l  ue   ul  U-l't  o-junsci. 
&nii  thco  th«j  crumbl"  at   Ood  bccauae  b«  lets  tiMm 
•  sv,   aii!    Ik-   filled   with    ;  '   ^oe*.     Then,  It 

Jt    V-   :«,     .    .    { lirm  fur  n  Lord.    Jchorm' 

b  oaooT^rwi,  uid  th«  ihrrc  »..  -  *  to  lend  fof  i.     .,  i-ii  ;...--     u   jt-  «    .. 

Mkd  tofvthar,  to  eooanlt   wit;  a   beautiful    tesiimuoj    that   ia   wiiv  h 

J«h«baph»t  bean  to  EUsba,  "  . ...  «  .v^  ^  iha  Luni  ia  with  bim'*.'     That  •«•  iLe 
■nrMO^Eiikha'a  puwcr.— C.  iL  L 

TcfiL  IS— 15.— ^iaJWi  oiU  M«  »Au«r«L    Whm  th«  ktoffi  «aaM  dovs  to  m«  him, 

il  int  Eliaba  ia  filled  with  Just  iodigoatioa.      Ha  rebuke*  the  King  vt  Unal  fur  bia 

■odkanaa,  UKi  aaTi,  "*  What  have  1  tu  do  with  tl.  be  prupbeU  ci  Xhj 

EiferTand  to  the  propUeta  of  thy  root  ef.**     A  c*    rum  r»|«at*  bw 

^'  the  blaiue  \x\^u  CI  r<>  '  tbo  prniiei 

of  J  :dah.  Kf  w-:l  •.  .    u.  aim.     Bat  he 

•  r  .^  • .  a.^a  au,  kii  o<ticx  u>  c»iut  bia  miiwl  aad 

j  --  .    '-,  be  MVft,  '*  faring  me  •  BUnatrel  ** 

'.   " ' '     "  A    '.  !  t  came  to  paa*,  wiMm 

f  !       :      :  "     And  tbao  Kii«ba 

I.  \ii'    anoMsa  ublaioed  at  «moa 

'  -  u  tho  right  vaj  'u 
oomeaos  to  c^jud 


omr   ■  Ui^  DO  ma' 

rt  lead  the 

loaaC     Are  a«>  ^^  *  ii 
»  '.o  be  madi  t     I>vai..-^<cid 

\^.x^».x       .  ai   U.-1  b  am  would  lai^e* 


a  (wu 


Uud  ai     -  ao4  ai  alL     U 


n  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [oh.  ra.  1—27. 

you  are  converted,  yon  are  never  fit  to  enter  heaven.  "  Prepare  to  meet  thy  God." 
Use  the  means  which  Otod  has  iiiven  you  to  ohtain  the  salvation  of  your  soul.  Strive 
to  enter  in  at  the  narrow  door.  Look  to  Jesus  as  your  Saviour.  Search  the  Scriptures, 
for  in  them  eteroal  life  is  to  be  found.  They  are  able  to  make  you  wise  unto  salvation. 
Go  where  you  will  get  blessing.  Heie  is  one  means  which  Christ  himself  recommends 
to  every  sinner,  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  1  will 
give  you  rest,"  The  same  exhortation  is  applicable  to  Christian  people.  Use  the  means 
to  bring  your  souls  into  fellowship  with  God,  to  obtain  the  touch  ot  God's  hand.  Use 
every  means  to  promote  the  spiritual  life  of  yourselves  and  others.  How  important 
for  parents  and  children  5s  the  observance  of  family  prayer!  Many  a  conversion,  many 
ft  consecration  of  a  yoimg  life  to  God,  can  be  traced  to  the  words  read,  to  the  earnest 
pleadings  offered  up,  at  the  family  altar.     Happy  that  home  where  God- fearing  parents 

"...  their  secret  homage  pay. 
And  proffer  up  to  heaven  the  warm  request 
That  he  who  stills  the  raven's  clam'rous  nest, 

And  decks  the  lily  fair  in  flow'ry  pride. 
Would  in  the  way  his  wisdom  sees  the  best 

For  them  and  for  their  little  ones  provide; 
But  chiefly  in  their  hearts  with  grace  Divine  presidt." 

2.  We  ought  to  use  also  the  best  means  for  carrying  on  Ood's  work.  The  Church 
must  not  despise  the  use  of  means.  What  progress  is  made  in  facilities  for  carrying 
on  the  business  of  the  world  1  What  rapid  communication!  What  gigantic  efforts 
made  to  push  commercial  enterprises!  And  b  the  Church  of  Christ  to  be  the  only- 
body  that  is  asleep  ?  Is  there  no  need  for  activity,  for  earnestness,  for  push,  in  th« 
concerns  of  eternity  ?  While  immortal  souls  are  perishing,  while  so  many  fields  are 
white  to  harvest,  ou^ht  we  not  to  be  up  and  doing?  There  are  methods  that  it  is  no 
advantaire  for  the  Church  to  adopt.  But  the  Church  of  Christ  should  avail  itself  of 
every  lawful  means  t<j  advance  the  Eedeemer's  kingdom.  It  should  use  the  press  far 
more  than  it  does.  It  should  advertise  far  more  than  it  does.  It  should  do  anything 
and  everything  in  the  way  of  enterprise  that  unll  bring  the  gospel  to  the  people,  and 
tnat  will  bring  the  people  to  the  gospel.  It  must  go  out  into  the  streets  and  lanes  of 
the  city,  to  the  highways  and  hedges  of  the  country,  and  compel  tlie  people  to  come  in. 
The  Ciiurch  that  knows  best  how  to  use  the  means  which  modern  civilization  has 
place<l  at  its  disposal,  is  the  Church  that  will  do  most,  with  God's  blessing  and  the 
presence  of  his  Sji.rit,  to  advance  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  We  must  seek  to  use  every- 
thing and  win  everytliing  for  Jesus.  Some  persons  say  that  ministers  are  so  often 
talkin,:  about  money.  There  ia  so  much  money  devoted  to  the  service  of  the  devil 
and  of  bin  and  of  pleasure  every  w.etk,  that  it  is  the  minister's  duty  to  try  to  win  a 
little  of  it  for  Christ.  If  he  spoke  about  it  every  Sunday  it  would  not  be  one  whit  too 
often.  L<t  ua  u.^c  the  means  if  we  wimt  to  win  the  world  for  Jesus.  Let  us  not  think 
that  anything  will  do  for  him.  Lot  us  not  give  to  the  Lord  that  which  oosta  ua 
nothing. 

11.  TiiK  U8B  OF  MDHio  IN  PARTiotrTiAR.  When  Elisha  said,  "Bring  me  a  minstrel,** 
It  was  because  he  believed  the  hart)er'8  music  would  be  a  real  help  to  him  in  oX|>eriencins» 
G"d'H  pr«»«rjc<!  atid  in  dojn'^  God's  work.  And  hn  was  right.  Kor  "  it  came  to  puss, 
when  the  initiHtrel  played,  that  the  hand  of  the  Lord  canio  uiion  him."  There  are  many 
Oho  of  muHi<;  in  the  Christian  life.  1.  Music  is  an  insjiiratton  for  uxrrk  and  warfare. 
Why  JM  it  that  our  ro^irn'  nts  go  f  rth  to  battle  accompanioil  by  their  hands  of  mu.sic? 
In  it  not  that  ihuy  may  Ixj  tUHpiritcd  and  cheerod  liy  martial  and  triumphant  Htraiim  ? 
la  tlioru  no  place,  tli(!ii,  f  r  inspirin  ;  muHio  in  tlio  Christian  life?  An:  there  not  times 
when  our  NjirilN  flag,  and  wu  are  ojisily  discouraged?  At  huoIi  times  how  inHpiriting 
U  a  joyful  K'lnj^  of  jir.iiw)  I  2.  Miuic  i«  alno  a  sooi/ier  of  th<-  spirit.  Ho  it  wa.M  lioro  in 
Y^\\\\tk%  yi\wt.  So  it  wa*  in  the  ruHO  of  King  Saul.  When  D.ivid  played  Ix-foro  him 
on  hi*  harji,  tho  evil  up  rit  went  from  him,  and  tho  troublwl  mind  becnmo  kI  pcaco. 
W«i  r«'iKl  *\mt  in  th'-  ii<:<  ount  of  the  liaHt  Suiiivr  of  our  Lord,  juHt  lieforu  hlH  ngony  nt 
OfithMuiitMe  and  uw  tho  epiHR,  that  "  when  tiny  hud  nun^  an  hymn,  they  went  out  to 
the  Mount  of  Oliven."  W!io  can  doubt  that  the  n|iiritn  both  of  MuhIof  and  <liHcip1ea 
ware  iio'>th<y1  and  'rari(piilllr.n<l  %m  tbnir  hiuirtn  and  Toiren  joiniHl  t(>Kethnr  in  the  hymri 
of  praliM?      S.    Music  if  largely  tK$  occupation  (^  Iht  rmietin4J  in  hsavtm.      St.  JobM 


m,  m.  1— IT  ]  THI   SEnojfD   BOOl   OF  TITl   KJintL 


.  *  Aa4  I  Um4  ilU  v«iw  «r  Wrym  Wfiac  «llk  UMlr  Wr« 
•  mim  «ag  htkf  ikm  tlbtmam^  %mi  tkm  hit  livtec  •r«»ftr«« 


llMjr  Mng  M  II  ««f« 


•««r  baM<  lb*  UiM«  Mid  baiMaAaad  abonM  of  kfemMi  wteM,  will  f  ^       i  • 

|it»l  »aM«|i>la«  of  Um  •waaUMM  aai  grMiAvay  «#  Um  kaivvaif  aiu*«.     M<«Brt  « 

•B  ibrilMBg  M  Ul*  aaM  MmuU  Um  U  ■  ■!.      OoMldiriog.  iUr«4a««,  iW  |a/««« 

W  miMMW  MMldviBg  UM  MM*  l»  wbu  :.  -  r^  «n  «»lll    S^  ilk*  Mp  M  f««4er» 


•olm«d«Tx4MMi.ec<Mt4«taf  Um  pbMMBijiun;  I.  viyrlvbtai 

tliat  MMc  ilwiK  !•  «M«  tmltimtad  hf  Ikt  Ckr^  «  v*  ^  Ml  fo  i« 

•liwvii  lur  •  anginal  pfionMiiw^  «•  should  b«ir«  ut  i^^i  ciiurciiM  Um  vt 


r«rv  taM  Mwa* 
ll  li  pOMibto  IB  kftvc  h  is  oftao  Um  rtry  wam.  Tb*  h«l  mm*c  vujkx  ao*  to  !• 
Idl  to  lb*  Mnrk»  of  Um  4«vU  ud  of  Um  warM.  IVi  pnaob  Um  foafid  m  mt  gf««i 
««k.  Y»i  bat  tb«r*  |i  M  spaokl  tovtl  Is  aMMlUag  lk»  9m^  wu\am  ruo  t/y  im 
g«l  lbs  poopW  (•  aoto*  aod  b«»r  it.  I^wa  ta  nftlljr  ae  nmm  vby  ••  UkmiU  aot 
■ratob  IJM  roapRl.  Mk'l  >'«*•  aiUttoilT*  torrloM  «id  bricbt  oioMo  at  lb*  toaw  Ub««. 
lUrtla  Uub»r  m^  "  Um  u/  Um  ImM  aad  anbltor  (ifu  of  Ood  to  ntoiic.  Tbto  to 
Y«rv  b*MAU  to  Um  ttotrU,  aod  vitb  U  «•  may  driv*  off  Uropftin—  aad  vnl  ibo««btA. 
4/W'l*n<if».  Iftmtkt  mmt  md  ki$lmt  fUe$  U  wmmk.     U  km  oltm 


■to  ao  tbat  1  bftT«  voo  «  imin  to  pwaeb      W«  oucbt  noi  to  wrtoto  yii—|  bma 
nrtmehmt,  it  ihmj  bav*  Ml  ItalMd  tti— aJy  1 1 
Um  •ebu'la."     Luthar  wm   im(  fiu  wrooK.     Our  eoofragaUo—  aboalil  <WTtic«  iiM«a 


to  tba  <iCeii  of  urtmehmt,  it  ihmy  bavo  Ml  ttalaad  tti— aiiy  i  maA  unttLmA  toa^nc  U 


litoa  to  Iha  pr»^ttm  mmd  frtparaitcm  wf  ooografaUooal  fmlmoAj.  Touuf  UdM«,  jrtmac 
■•a*  vilb  MMtoal  gtfta  Mtl  aooum | ii>ii mrnu— « by  i»gi  oo—ormto  tbaoi  la  iba  aanriua 
if  Janit 

•■te  ollba  aattoc*  baMdat 
TVay  bafo  M  auMto  tlMN^ 
▲ad  Um  ftdaa  «r  pnto*  to  iUaoi 
After  tba  foka  at  ptay«*- 

•8hig  of  tba  gaatla  Bavtoar 

lu  iba  alaptoal  bjM»«  700  kmom. 
And  tba  pata-^iaMMd  tj*  vill  brifbtoB 


Tba  IdU  T  .ad  IbaW 
And  tba  •  faUa  word  ^b«  ha 


A»  am  aawatoom*  goML 

•aiBff  ta  tb»  tiiad  aad  aaj 
It  to  yoata  to  ttaf  a  my. 
Faadng  larlaad.  bat  ab—rt^, 
▲anai  tb«  i«a«d  w%j. 

•  T%m*,  mtdtd  kf  ki»  UmMf. 
IXf  MMf  HMy  vte  lu  May 
IfWv  «MM  iad  ■•  adwiW— a% 
.4W  ii«>f»  Ac  mdfkl  I*  day." 

GH.L 

Tara.  16— 2S.— Tito  fBiy  >iy  <  rf»  I1     Tva  tooablai  bftd  obom  arm  TmH  ai 

tii<-  Ki' g  <j/  ll<^«l>,     fttnfe  U  ftu  <rvii  Ijrtweaa  aaiiotja  ur  ladiTidoak.     I-  »• 

';j  a  nalMB  to  wcptar  bun  tba  •lavaaiaUnf  aCecto  o#  war.     Trrr  ' '  r   -.r»t.'  <.t.<.ai 

•f  lUa  aad  prot«riy  «bkb  war  oaaato.     1W  tba  barrora  aad  pr;   •  la  ibto  cwa 

vaa  addid  a  fraab  dtfioajto.  llMb  analaa.  P**^'*!  tbivMifh  tba  ^itmm ,  xi  ao  waiar  to 
Mak.  Uadar  tba  baraiag  aaai  tbvy  Mflaad  haffJly  fraa  tbbai.  W«  kaow  bow  fn«Uy 
oar  ova  tioapa  ifctud  Ma  bek  af  valor  ta  %^]<  aad  tba  Koodaa.  Dr.  LirirsMottr, 
tal  Ua  nawto.  baa  ^k«a  ••  aa  tdaa  of  v^ai  it  u  to  ba  aritboat  vaiar  la  tba  daaart. 
WlMa  ba  a»w  bto  cbOdtaa  altoaa«  partobtaf  oi  tbirat  balwa  bto  ayca,  ba  k*d  a  aa«  Idaa 
«/  iba  vaiaa  of  vaur.     h   vaa  aa  «aaaar.  tbaa,  iAmi^  viib  tba  aoMton  aaak  aad 


S4  THE  SECX)ND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [oh.  m.  1—27. 

languishing  from  thirst,  with  no  water  either  for  them  or  for  their  horses  and  cattle, 
they  began  to  despair  and  regard  defeat  as  certain.  Bat  the  Prophet  Elisha  was  sent 
for,  as  we  have  seen,  and,  on  being  consulted  by  the  kings  of  Israel  and  Judah,  he  said, 
"Make  this  valley  full  of  ditches.  For  thus  saith  the  Lord,  Ye  shall  not  see  wind, 
neither  shall  ye  see  rain ;  yet  that  valley  shall  be  filled  with  water,  that  ye  may  drink, 
both  ye,  and  your  cattle,  and  your  beasts.  And  this  is  but  a  light  thing  in  the  sight 
of  the  Lord  :  he  wiU  deliver  the  Moabites  also  into  your  hand."    We  have  here — 

I.  A  8TBANGE  COMMAND.  "  Make  this  valley  full  of  ditches."  1.  It  was  a  strange 
command  that  ditches  shoxdd  he  dug  in  a  desert  place.  But  so  it  is  also  in  the  spiritual 
kingdom.  God  often  chooses  the  most  unlikely  places  and  the  most  unlikely  persons 
for  the  operations  of  his  grace.  Is  it  not  a  fact  that,  in  thinking  of  the  spread  of  the 
gospel,  and  in  engaging  in  Christian  work,  we  are  too  much  suided  by  human 
calculations  ?  We  judge  too  much  by  outward  appearances.  We  forget  that  God's 
ways  are  not  as  our  ways,  nor  his  thoughts  as  our  thoughts.  People  have  sometimes 
relused  to  give  to  certain  missions  because  they  did  not  think  there  was  any  use  in 
sending  the  gospel  to  the  particular  people  for  whom  the  mission  was  intended.  Is 
God's  arm  shortened  that  it  cannot  save  ?  It  is  time  for  us  as  Christian  Churches  and 
as  Christian  people  to  work  wherever  God  gives  us  the  opportunity,  even  though  it 
sho'ild  be  in  the  most  imlikely  and  unpromising  sphere.  God  calls  us,  wherever  we 
are,  to  di;?  up  wells  in  the  valley.  2.  Further,  it  was  a  strange  command,  hecause  there 
was  no  appearance  of  rain  at  the  time,  and  there  was  no  river  at  hand  from  which  the 
welis  could  be  supplied.  Why  dig  wells  when  you  don't  know  where  the  water  is  to 
come  from  ?  We  live  in  a  utilitarian  age.  Men  like  to  have  a  reason  for  everything. 
They  like  to  be  assured  of  a  return  for  their  labour.  Ctmsequently,  even  professedly 
Christian  men  are  disposed  to  question  the  utility  of  many  of  God's  commands.  Why 
rest  on  the  sabbath  more  than  on  any  other  day  ?  Why  attach  any  peculiar  sanctity 
to  the  sal'bath  ?  Why  not  worship  God  at  home,  or  walk  in  the  fields,  instead  of  going 
to  church  ?  We  might  show  the  benefit  to  the  nation  of  religious  observances  and  of 
religious  teaching.  We  might  show  the  benefit  to  the  individual  of  assembling  with 
others  for  devotional  exercises  instead  of  merely  worshipping  God  in  private  or  even 
in  the  home.  But  it  is  enough  here  to  notice  that  God  has  commanded  these  duties. 
That  ought  to  be  enough  to  cimvince  any  intelligent  being,  any  religious  betog.  God 
gives  no  command  for  which  there  is  not  a  good  reason.  I  may  not  see  the  roasim. 
1  may  not  ste  the  Knefit  that  will  result  from  it.  But  I  am  convinced  by  reiison,  by 
conscience,  by  history,  by  human  experience,  that  whxtover  the  command  may  be, 
a  real  benefit  follows  the  obedience  of  it,  and  real  unhappiness  and  sun'oring  the 
diiKjbedienc«  of  it.  3.  One  other  thought  this  8tranf];e  command  of  God  suggests — Qod 
wants  u«  to  he  fellow-worker*  with  him.  God  could  have  sent  the  water  ami  provided 
a  place  of  Htoragi-  for  it  without  the  assistance  of  the  Israelitrs  here.  But  he  does  not 
chooKe  U)  do  BO.  He  says,  "  M;ike  the  valley  full  of  ditches."  When  modern  missions 
to  the  heathen  first  began  to  bo  BjH)ken  of  alx>ut  a  century  ago,  those  who  mlvociitod 
ihfim  were  met  on  every  side,  and  in  many  a  church,  from  jiulpit  and  from  junv,  from 
prel.iU-  and  from  iTeshytor,  with  the  ohjfclion  that  God  couhl  save  the  heathen  without 
thi-ir  inMtrumentality.  It  is  (jhviouH  that  those  who  reasoned  thus  about  (iod's  uiclhoil 
of  convening  the  world  ha<i  rea<i  their  Hihio  to  very  little  I'urposo.  Wo  find  iiumaii 
a'/enry,  hh  a  rule,  a<;corni'anying  Divine  grace.  ChriHt'H  own  conunaiid  is  clear,  "  Go 
ye  thcnfoio,  and  toich  all  natioiiH,  .  .  .  and.lol  lam  with  yon  alwav."  How  do  wo  stand 
in  rcfi,iiTi\  t"  thf  coitnmndM  of  Go<l  ?  In  there  any  eominand  tiial  wo  iiro  d<'iii)erftleiy 
and  cumtiititly  diwiljeying  V  It  ought  to  l>o  the  daily  pniyer  of  every  C/hriHtiiin, 
"  Mai.e  111"  to  I'o  in  ttn)  jiatli  of  ihy  (vmrnandinentH  ;   for  therein  do  I  deliglit." 

If.  Hi'iiMiKhiVK  FAITH.  It  in  (dear  from  the  nairiitivn  that  the  rnc:i  of  .Iiidah  did  on 
f}<<«l  hrul  aimniandfd  them,  and  miule  the  valley  full  of  dilehoH.  'I'hi.sc  Ililm-w  miliiiirs 
pfRvn  h  go'*!  »nrim|il<'  of  unlpiniKMivo  practinij  fiiilh.  1.  'I'hey  might  hiivo  reaHoned  — 
Jlellrr  to  be  <jftnii  furth  at/nitiKt  our  eiirtnirn  t/nin  to  }m  w<iHliiii/  our  time  <li(/</i>i(/  l/ir.ie 
trenehti*.  Ho  m"n  rcfuxm  when  thi-y  hurry  forth  to  th<'ir  work  in  the  morning  without 
wkitinn  Ui  K'*"  '''"i  thankM  for  tlm  rtwt  of  ihn  idglit,  and  to  nxk  his  hlesning  ii|Min 
thft  work  of  tt  <^  day.  !■  it  any  wondi-r  that  the  life  it  h<i  dry,  and  that  Ihiiigx  ho  oftm 
•**>n»  t<i  go  wrnii^.',  whrn  wo  do  not  tdke  time  to  dig  up  wt'lJM  for  (lodV  hlesHing?  In 
bl  any  wmidor  limt  tlie  Churchoa  are  no  nnfniilful,  that  converaious  aro  no  intDipnnL, 


«L  m.  i-n )       Tim  BBCOifT)  BnoE  OF  TiTi  rrvQA. 


gk^  MvtTmW  ar*  »  rwK  UmI  Umm  to  wit  bmv  fmitmi  famm  to  iW  p«M4lac  «f 

wtofc  •!!  iW  allMiriwi  ID  niiiyifilii  ail  m»chut0rj  aad 

•MaMtoa  ••  oMHTigMtoaft*  fV^    li  >•  a  ia*  ii|(bt  id  loofc  aft  Um 

A  MCMMf  wkMI  W  MOliaai,  tAii   ^luliv    ( '.«  I**  it'.f  .1    tiit«  LaAIMB  of  CVl 

■i4  ftoioB.    Bttl  aU  ilui  •:  f  w^'vkl  ha  anarty 

«■!«•  ika  alaaoi  «m  Umtv  i  -*v«  our  diarafe 

aad  offfaatoabao  m  »««k«  m  max  K  >>»«  ^  <«■  riiaimfat  Ikal  Um  mttm  <rf  pMvar  ia 
fiAtW  AW  WvmU  a  alt  *•  Nut  bj  mhr'-t,  nnr  hj  fomw,  but  W  ny  K|4rii,  miUi  tkm 
Ixvd."    Tb*  lirtwvaoidtoradkl  Bo«  t'  •»•  kM  wktoiiiWj  sfwii  ia  p«ca#to« 

iW  »»]r  r.«  •  ^ai*  bkaitef.    t.  Tb«]r  i  r>aimw1— girtUr  i>  awwa  /wttir  — 

«i4«v«  M  aUIi  JUaa  walar  lUa  to  ifMhi  o«r  UUmr  im  iAm  ^mH  »JMi.  fV>  CbrtoiiaM 
ara  aoaadflMa  dtopaad  la  rMtna  Mtntoiara  grov  wary  of  Httag  ao  fntii  itf  iMr 
ktowa  BaiMlay-aekoal  taaohi  irn/w  woarv  t/  iMr  etoaa.  llui  if  aU  t>ia  vorkan  la 
Oodli  viMTard  bad  rwannail  to  Ui«t  war.  ao<l  abaadoaad  aaj  ajdMra  m  tobnv  haaaoa* 
It  Haawd  anfntitAU  or  baoaoaa  i^  war*  wmrf  «i  waiUac  *^  r'H  vMld  kar« 


iMda  fWT  liuto  p(«cr«aa  ia  Um  woHd.    8.  Tbay  mixht  kav*  raaaaoad-  (^  WV«  im  to 
aaaa<«fdU0toMiW.   It  ismot  lih^lktt  ^  -  %rmAm  imikt  mUtf  mOl  *d»mr 

mmd^tktkmmiB^  tk»  »l9^Mi%.    Bo  tbr  v^om  w«Mi  ha  to  W|ead  la  baltova 

OB  Um  Lard  J«t»  Chftot   Saun.  for  bto  acK  ••    r«««pt*  >>(«  v^  o^^^om 

to  tka  ptoa  di  MlTaUoa.     But  obfaoUooi  lo  i  ^Uc«  <«a  ao  nan  aliar  to 

ibaa  i«j  aogfaatioaa  which  a  aaa  «f  aetoj r-  ''--'-  ^'^  ^'  cuurw  ol 

■alara.    Tha  way  of  MlraUoa  to  etoar.    **  Battova  od  :  thoa 

ihall  ha  Mvad.*    Is  it  nuc  haltar  for  oa,  as  iLeae  n  ■  .  'sa.  m 

that  a^MiATw  h«  oummaada  to  fi  -  i  bu  knnag  u0«r«  «| 


advaHoB  iinrnhaMil  fur  us  by  tiia  pracioui  V  •  Sao.  and  to  ytold 

aalvaa  to  him  ao  willing  servscts,  duing  tb«  « ill  o(  Gwi  ftuttt  ibm  heart  ? 

IIL  8t«ba»s  or  txnaua^o  Avn  tirrrr.    **  And  it  eama  to  paai  la  tha 
whaa  tJM  OMat  oOaring  was  ue-  -  '■•**•  cama  watar  by  tha  war  U 

Edam,  and  tha  eouatry  was  filled  :«  aafvly  do  tba  waary  watcWa 

waleh  for  MorslBg  thaa  thoas  Isfn^tuil  Midien  watered  tor  iim  coming  of  tha  waiar. 
It  WM  a  watooins  sight.  So  it  is  with  tha  htoasinci  oT  tha  r»M  **  Hlmil  ara  ihay 
that  huapr  attd  thim  after  rightauusnaas :  far  thay  shall  ha  illad.* 

-As  daw  aiMM  tha  toadsr  harK 
DifMng  frafrmoen  fooad. 


Aa  ahowaas  l^t  anher  la  Iha  sHtif 

flhav  tha  thbatr  groaad.^ 
■aahaUhtoiia  wni  bissaowr  soaK 


▲nd^ 
sahal 

AadshwlajeyMlight, 
Thai  halloaed  ntom  ih»\\  rhM«  away 
Tba  mjtt^iw  at  the  tugtiL" 

▲W  Ibaa  ako  tha  Iimim  that  iUad  tha  toVMhaa  nrovad  lo  ha  i>r  mi  Y  •^^ 
Whaa  A$  Moabitaa  aroaa  la  tha  moruiue.  aad  kiokad  orar  to  tha  ptoea  whars  ttoi 
laaaUtaa  wars  ancamned.  thay  i :  glara  of  tba  aun  upua  the  «aiar  as  rad  aa 

htood.    ThsT  had  pntoafaly  DO  idr .  .  rr  oould  ba  thera.   And  ao  thcT  f.&i.i.  *'Thia 

to  Uaod;   the  kings  ara  aurelv  ttmiUt  mn^  thay  hava  swiliaa  oac  Thay 

ihoaght  tLey  bad  it^h**^  to  du  but  |Jundar  tha  diasrtad  oaaap  «f  i  <%  and 

tha  fHult  was  that  tha  laraHitM  (cained  ao  easy  Tietory,  and  wera  daUrc(«a  wut  et  tha 


of  thair  wamJM     It  u  iho  »»iu»  wiih  tha  hiaaitoiga  of  t^  f^^tpot     f^  f  T*^ 

it  aavra.     Iirrri 


«4M  Mto^toa  dba  aaaas  tk*  mnl.    And  U 
rsMftow  and  phOoaaohtoa  toiL    Thay  OMy  point  out  a  hkh  ideal,  but  thrv  .  « 

b'  it.     Thay  mar  puiut  uut  iIm  rvil  of  sia,  hut  thay  catio»(  ^■.  <r.  a» 

Id  I  or  deliver  us  frvui  it«  ^«cr.     Aim!  all  thay  eaa  oflier  u>  to  oaly  i  *  ib« 

pr  but  tha  goepal  iKt  •  belua  oa  t£a  hiigh  ideal,  t*..!  <ua'  .re  a* 

ttr    .  :na  fnea  la  aitaia  '.  itOi  ouly  shows  ua  tha  guiii  ^<  »r..  t^ai  ti 

poinu  u*  iu  t^  OMaiiag  htood.  li  uvt  u.f  shows  us  tha  aril  of  iin.  but  ctv««  u*  iJm 
victory  ovor  It  ihroagh  Ohitot  Jeaus  our  Lord.  It  ikui  oaly  givas  u*  hlfsstwp  far  tha 
IU<  hat  aaeurai  la  aU  who  heltova  oa  the  Lonl  Joaua  Chitoi  t^  lilt  «l  hMv««. 
with  Oad,  Ufc  thai  shaU  aaaar  and.     ifala  Oe  wmthg  /mU  V  dudm,    Op«  yoir 


66  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.         [oh.  in.  1—27. 

heart  to  receive  thip  satisfying,  Baving  gospel.  ChiWren  of  God,  if  you  want  God's 
blessing  to  flow  in  upon  you  in  reviving,  refreshing  streams,  prepare  the  way  for  it. 
Dig  up  udls  in  the  desert.  Value  your  Sundays,  your  opportunities  for  private  prayer, 
the  house  of  God,  the  prayer-meeting.  You  need  them  all  to  refresh  your  souls  and 
to  revive  your  spiritual  life  amid  the  parching,  chilling  influences  of  the  world.  And 
then  in  your  short  life  do  what  you  can  to  make  channels  through  which  blessings  may 
fioif  to  others.  In  this  aspect,  what  a  privilege  it  becomes  to  help  missions,  to  build 
churches  and  schools,  and  to  take  part  in  every  eftbrt  for  the  benefit  and  enlightenment 
of  others !  You  may  never  see  the  streams  of  blessing  flow,  but  at  any  rate  you  will 
have  dug  the  channels  for  them.     Such  labour  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord. — C.  H.  I. 

Vers.  26,  27. — The  heartlessness  of  heathenism.  1.  Heathenism  Nights  the  natural 
affections.  Christianity  honours  and  sanctifies  them.  2.  Heathenism  disregards  human 
life.  What  sacrifice  of  life  by  cannibalism,  under  the  car  of  Juggernaut,  in  the  suttees 
of  India  I  What  disregard  of  human  life  in  the  exposure  of  Chinese  infants,  in  the  aged 
and  the  sick  left  alone  to  die  on  the  banks  of  the  Indian  rivers !  Christianity  has 
clinnged  all  this.  It  takes  high  views  of  human  lifa.  The  body  is  the  dwelling-place  of 
an  immortal  souL  Care  for  the  sick  and  for  the  dying  is  due  to  the  influences  of  tbe  gospel. 
Where  are  the  hospitals,  the  philanthropic  movements,  of  heathenism  or  of  agnosticism? 
Even  for  the  comforts  of  the  present  life  we  owe  much  to  Christianity. — C.  H.  L 

\  ers.  1 — 5. — Evil — tfie  same  in  principle,  though  not  inform.  **  Now  Jehoram  the 
son  of  Ahab  began  to  reign  over  Israel,"  etc.    Two  subjects  are  here  illustrated. 

I.  That  whilst  the  fobms  of  evil  may  change,  the  PRmciPLB  may  continue 
RAMPANT.  "  And  he  [that  is,  Jehoram]  wrought  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord;  but  not 
like  his  father,  and  like  liis  mother."  His  father  and  mother  worshipped  Baal,  but  the 
very  "  image  "  of  the  idol  "  that  his  father  had  made  he  put  away."  But  notwithstand- 
ing that  "  he  cleaved  unto  the  sins  of  Jeroboam?'  Observe :  1.  Thou</h  the  existing 
generation  sins  not  in  the  form  of  the  preceding,  their  sin  is  not  less  sin  on  that  account. 
'J'lie  furms  in  which  barbarians  and  our  uncivilized  ancestors  sinned  appear  gross  and 
revolting  to  us  ;  nevertheless,  our  sins  are  not  the  less  real  and  heinous  in  the  sight  of 
G'kI.  Our  civilization  hides  the  revolting  hideousness,  but  leaves  its  spirit  perhaps  more 
active  than  ever.  Your  father's  prominent  sin,  perhaiis,  was  that  of  dnmkennoss,  but 
though  you  touch  not  the  inebriating  cup,  you  sin  in  otlier  forms — tlie  ftuins,  jicrliiips, 
of  vanity,  avarice,  ambition,  etc.  2.  That  mere  eatemal  reformations  may  leave  the 
spirit  of  evil  as  rampant  as  ever.  Jeliorara  "put  away  the  imago  of  Baal,"  but  the 
spirit  of  idolatry  remained  in  him  in  all  its  wonted  force.  "Ho  cleaved  unto  the  sins 
of  JcroVjoam  the  son  of  Ncbat,  which  made  Israel  to  sin ;  he  dejiartcd  not  therefrom." 
This  is  ever  true,  Rcligidusly,  you  may  destroy  a  superstitious  organization,  and  yet 
leave  the  spirit  of  religious  superstition,  intolerance,  and  pride,  even  more  vigorous  than 
ever,  to  assume  other  forms.  So  of  political  institutions.  You  may  destroy  this  form 
of  government  or  tliat,  monarchical  or  democratic,  and  yet  leave  the  spirit  in  which 
thcHfi  forms  work,  vital  and  vigorous  to  manifest  itself  in  otlicr  forma. 

II.  That  wiiii.rt  pin  may  only  he  in  tub  foum  oi-  nkolkct  of  nt'TY,  it  may  in 

THK   CAhK    OF    ONK    MAN    KNTAir,    BKKIOHH.  KVII.S   ON    rOSTICllITY.       "And    Mcslia   Kingof 

Moab  wa.1  a  HhecjimiiHter,  and  rendered  onto  tlio  King  of  Inrnel  a  luindred  thousand 
laiiil;H,  and  a  huridred  thouRnnd  ramp,  with  tlie  wool.  Rut  it  camo  to  pass,  wlion  Aliab 
was  deml,  that  tlm  King  of  Moah  rebelled  ngainst  the  King  of  Israel."  Moiib  w.ih  a 
tributary  to  tho  kingdom  of  iHrael,  and  contril)iited  largely  to  itp  revenue,  not  in  rush, 
but  in  tattle,  or  in  wool,  but  not  tlio  iesB  vahiaMoon  that,  aeeoimt.  But  now  a  relellion 
had  >irokcn  out,  and  a  ^eriouH  revolt  wap  threalened.  Why  was  thin?  Mattliew  Jlenry 
•jwiiJmii  it  to  the  nej^'Iert  of  Aha/iali,  (ho  former  king,  tho  brother  of  dehnram.  lie 
nnulo  no  att«'mpt  to  avoid  hurh  a  ealaHtrojiho.  Ah!  hIub  of  omiphion  entail  nerioup  evilp. 
Th«  i\i'v,\frX  of  one  genrration  luingH  mlperifut  on  another.  Tho  negleet  of  parenlH  often 
l)Hn{»ii  ruin  on  th«i  rliildren.  Ne;allv«  iiinH  am  rurmm.  "  Wo  have  left,  njidone  the 
thin^^M  wo  bii^^fit  to  hiivii  done;  "and  who  Hhall  tell  tho  r«nult  on  all  future  timeH? — I).  T. 

Vwr*.  fl— 12. —  Wmldly  rvltirt — mtm  in  trial  tenlcintj  help  from  a  godly  tnnn.  **  A'u) 
King  JahoruD  went  out  of  Kanikrla  th«i  lutinn  tiino,  and  nundMtrod  all  Ura*!,"  ota 


m  m  l-«r.]         T!1B  IUBIX)ND   DOOK   OF  Ttil  KHOft  t7 


L  B«r«  v«  k»v*  voaLBi.T  BVUM  IS  •■■at  t«al    *Aftl  Klaf  J< 
Tbt  rvTx4t '  f  oMflMd  ikanilauf  J«lkor«ni  «idklt«Mlfii^Mid  bi^wiau«  «i«k 


•k'w.  DUB)*'                    t     iTiri  ■!!  Iintl  ■nltiiirrbi  tn  TifciB^t|T  ir  I  '           t 

TiMjr.  villi  Uwr  vu  '                   loa«lteMtU*UM4r  ««BjroD«  ».  r. 

••Avrtilg  Um  prttaiW4.                 far  UMOMalvvsaad  tlMir  rt'-'f      A-  « 

iMnMy.dWMaftfMd  *tt<i •Al»ui<f>d,lK»y  rMcLed  •  ertatt  < '  /. 
WoiMIt  mUra  hiv«  Um^  ifida.    -U 


7  Um  tbc  ImmI  t  u 

intNttag 


uvriW*  «i4«  !•  MA  afw  kte«  Wv«  er«M  tot  aad  toni 
MMB  to  b»  totlaraM  to  ilMir  wL    PlovidMM  dMtiMi  tJ 


faj  •  tarrthb  viM  tor  it    Tb«  lh»^>  u.  tL« 

Iriili  af  BHi  M  nun,  Mw  oAn  •tarvlMlaln^    li  mUn 
tr  r^<^  ttkl— 

.  1    8«nnt«  avir  r*o«  a  •om.t  iia«.    *  Bui  Jeh«kaphal  Mid.  b  th««  mI  Imt* 

A  l<iv44M4  of  Um  Ixifd,  Um»  w»  BM7  iBdulr*  oflh*  La»i  ky  '  *             ..   ..>,l-..^ 

tf  kmT*  Mrraato  UMvvrad  aad  mM,  llwr  y  nUa,"  «<:  • 

•at  k«r«af>^>T>>ri  .^iK«L(adf*  Th«qttMtii«i  totB>«»''  ,^.m 

«fl«»el.  t-f                  1  of  BdoM— 1»  to  MraMC  qiK  •  ot  dova  to 

kim"    Tbu              >  wl  tk<tf  to^ofiiw  kt*^  to  lAr  (>.,  Valtr 
</  nvrv^f*.     Maa  dwsra,  ta  ovarwhalc 

Iboorito,  aad  k>ok«  up  u>  th«  Bv«r! 

V*('^9*^«to«w»UtA<tlf/W.    '1 


intooH  aod  Iboarka,  aad  k>ok«  up  u>  th«  Bv«r!a 
«•  tbair  <i«atb>Uds  art  oaadaaaUy  Modiag  fcr 


to  br  nM>f)  of  GimL    Hm  wfH  mtiM  •?«  bow  b«f 

bavr  <  f  ihit  io  Um  cam  of  th*  tiro  buwlvv^  ae 

t(«<>«<d  IB  tbe  daB««foiw  tm       : 

I'aiil  ua  board!     haul  wa«  :. 

d  •oldtara  uti  toorchaaU  auu  m«o  i>i  »^)m.^c.  l  ..i   lu 

taraaoii  ?    Paul,  who  at  tha  oatHl.  when  *  Um  aoutb  wv. 

tm  that  vaMrl,  beoanM  th»  mural  eoininan«1er  d---— 

fcariag  of  tha  elaoMDts,  tba  ch«  of  hi*  (bUum 

»).iT    I'h*.  4«rul  bowl  of  deatb,  la  ail  be  walkcc  » 

!  '^ira  wbidi  eapuin,  marchant,  »4dM.',  « r. 

^  '  r-r  b«eu ;  ao  tt  niuU  rvrr  l>r     llif  t-  .« 

t;  t .    •.    \  -,  iLc  t » .!.  *    wrver  ei-  i.'m 

ILc::.         HcW    ulUrO    Cj    lh«    WOT    .  •, 

•]rto|«iluM,  aoaaaal,  aud  prayara  uf  i^»a  gndjN  ^ImvI  la  aaahb  ! 

Vank  1ft— ITT.— ^•prc«i  ^a  ^e^  aiaii.     *  A '  .  nid  oato  tb«  King  of  lvB«i 

What  kava  I  to  do  wiib  thmJ*  tu  '  «a^  c  •.;c«««aij  a  (odlj  maa  of  a  ti^b 
tjna,  aad  tiMto  vartoa  rercal  blm  to  i  &«]«cta. 

1.  At  Btonw  acnouoB  to  KUioa.  n  cm  n  <>»«  ihrva  klata  Johoabapfcai  tba  Kist 
«r  Jiidak.  Jakoraa  tba  Klog  erf  laraal,  and  the  Kng  t4  Edota  appoaebad  Kl«ba.  «a« 
(^  »,,... ^  bj  ll^ir  splciMioarr  or  was  ka  aUi«d  bjr  tMrvUiT  Ka  n«  »m  ao 
/  trua  maa  aw  ia.    B«ra  are  kia  aubliraaij  bibIt  worda,  **  \^>»t  ba*«  I 

t  Lea?*    L  Jh  nkmkm  JtkarumJ^  km  irfelalrf.    ** Oh  tbae  to  tbe  prtif^kru 

%  ikod  to  tba  prupkala  of  ibj  aotikar.*  *  la  jow  iirta|«rit7  juu  l«wlite 
i  I  ««a  eerriof  taaw  tolto  teia,  aad  joa  bava  Amti»rd  me  u  tbe  eerraat  of 

Ute  iraa  U<>:.     Wkjoutae  to  ma  BOW  la  TOUT  dJetrreiT    ('•  '  ihnr  eaa  da 

f  r  you."    \V  u&t  aoorafa  ia  tbia  poor  kvMjr  maa.  tbiM  ealu      .  »ad  bMiaiiy 

Uj  rebuke  a  mi tiarxh I  Ab  B»e  I  vkera  ia  ikia  ewtfafa  ■ow  1  Ibe  kimfaal  irufcaeiaa 
u:  i/or  tt  .1  li  .li  t  r«e  tioMa  vtU  loo  oft<«  arottek  kalbra  kiag%  aad  »4drMi  tkea  la 
ie<iaft  ol  U^t.  iijc  fiaf.ery.  X.  iV«  yt^id*  to  cAair  arfMMV  a««  t/  rrifl  to  C/U  rn« 
rWt^oa.  **  Alia  Eotaa  aud.  Aa  ibe  Lunl  i/  beau  livalk,  MLra  vbom  I  ttoad,  mmiy, 
«ma  It  aot  ibat  I  rafud  iltojr  ■■■■  of  Jaboakapbat  Iba  Kisg  of  Judab.  I  wv^ld  m« 
bkJl  t«iarwd  tbaa.  Bor  aM  Ihaa.'  JakaakMkBlWM  lae  liailly  ar^i.y  nt*n  (?  Cbiv^ 
iTiL  5> <X »*»d  *fc«t  W*BMWil  tkagiaBtPia^toianriyiiaBktoU^Ml.    -Tt.MB«kai 


63  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.         [oh.  in.  1—27. 

honour  me  I  will  honour,"  saitli  the  Lord.  A  godly  man  is  the  only  true  independent 
man  on  this  earth ;  he  can  "  stand  before  kings  "  and  not  be  ashamed,  and  rebuke 
princes  as  well  as  paupers  for  their  sins.  Whither  has  this  spirit  fled?  We  are  a 
nation  of  sycophants.     Heaven  send  us  men  I 

n.  As  PREPARING  FOE  isTERCESsiON  WITH  Heaven.  What  thcse  kings  wanted  was 
the  interposition  of  Heaven  on  their  behalf,  and  they  here  apply  to  Elisha  to  obtain 
this ;  and  after  the  prophet  had  acceded  to  their  request,  he  seeks  to  put  himself  in 
the  right  moral  mood  to  appeal  to  Heaven,  and  what  does  he  do  ?  "  But  now  bring  me 
a  minstrel.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  minstrel  played,  that  the  hand  of  the  Lord 
came  upon  him."  Probably  his  mind  had  been  somewhat  ruffled  by  the  presence  of 
these  kings,  especially  at  the  sight  of  Jehoram,  the  wicked  and  idolatrous  king,  and 
before  venturing  an  appeal  to  Heaven  he  felt  the  need  of  a  devout  calmness.  Hence 
he  called  for  music,  and  as  the  devout  musician  sounded  out  sweet  psalmody  on  his  ear, 
he  became  soothed  and  spiritualized  in  soul.  The  power  of  music,  especially  the  music 
wliich  is  the  organ  of  Divine  ideas,  has  in  every  age  exerted  a  soothing  and  elevating 
influence  on  the  human  soul.  By  the  harp  David  expelled  the  evil  spirit  from  the 
heart  of  Saul.  "  Buretti  declares  music  to  have  the  power  of  so  affecting  the  whole 
nervous  system  as  to  give  sensible  ease  in  a  large  variety  of  disorders,  and  in  some 
cases  to  efl'ect  a  radical  cure :  particularly  he  instances  sciatica  as  capable  of  being 
relieved  by  this  agency.  Theophrastus  is  mentioned  by  Pliny  as  recommending  it  for 
the  hip  g'lUt ;  and  there  are  references  on  record  by  old  Cato  and  Varro  to  the  same 
effect.     iEsculapiuB  figures  in  Pindar  as  healing  acute  disorders  with  soothing  songs." 

"Music  exalts  each  joy,  allays  each  grie^ 
Expels  diseases,  softens  every  pain. 
Subdues  the  ra;je  of  poison  and  of  plague. 
And  hence  the  wise  of  ancient  days  adored 
One  power  of  physio,  melody,  and  song." 

Luther  taught  that  the  "sjiirit  of  darkness  abhorred  sweet  sounds."*  There  is  » 
spiritual  mool  necessary  in  order  to  have  intercourse  with  Heaven,  and  this  mood  it  is 
incumbf-nt  on  every  man  to  seek  and  retain. 

III.  As  itKCOMiSG  THE  ORGAN  OF  THE  SUPERNATURAL.  (1)  Through  him  Ood  viade 
a  promise  of  f/divruvce.  "For  thus  saith  the  Lurd,  Ye  shall  not  see  wind,  neither 
shall  ye  »ee  rain,"  etc.  (vers.  17 — 19).  (2)  Throu<ih  him  Ood  effected  their  deliverance. 
"And  wlien  ihey  came  to  the  camp  of  Israel,  the  Israelites  rose  uji  and  smote  the 
Moiibitea,"  etc.  (vers.  21,  25).  Thus  the  AlMii<ility  made  this  gtxlly  man  both  to /ore- 
ttll  &xn\  fulfil  his  plans.  We  would  rcniiml  thuso  who  are  scejitical  of  this,  and  whc 
jjerliapH  ridicule  the  idea  of  man  liecoming  the  organ  of  Divine  piwer  :  1.  That  there 
is  iiothing  aniendently  imjirahahle  in  this.  God  works  througii  his  croaturoa;  since 
he  creat«4i  the  univrrHC  he  employs  it  as  his  agent.  What  wonders  he  works  through 
th<  Bim,  the  fttiii..Hi.hcrc,  etc.  I  Science  teaches  that  even  through  worms  ho  i)rcparo8 
the  wjH  of  thiH  earth  to  produce  f<M.d  for  man  and  beast.*  But  inasmuch  as  man  is 
OfiifeHKcylly  preaU;r  than  tlio  material  universe — for  ho  is  the  «)flHpring  of  the  Inlinite, 
and  j.artieipites  in  tlio  Divine  nature — it  raiuiot  ho  al>.'<urd  to  regard  him  in  a  i>re- 
eriiim-nt  neri-e  as  an  organ  of  the  HUpernatural.  2.  /lib/ictl  histoiy  attests  this. 
MovfH,  ChriHt,  and  tljf  ftixiHlleH  ]Hrf"rnnii  <le<  iIh  that  seini  to  us  to  liave  trauHcendeti 
the  natural.  A  rnoriilly  gr<  at  man  Imjcouu-h  "mit:;hty  through  God."  Ood  has  over 
wotki-<i  wonflcFM  through  go<lly  men,  and  over  will. — D.  T. 

Vern.  1—3. — Jrhornm  ;  or,  owilifed  evil.  The  succoHHor  of  Ahazlah  waH  .Tehoram, 
anothfir  iKiti  of  Ahal<  aii<i  .lezelK-j.  It  Ih  Hai<l,  however,  concerning  him  tliat,  tliough 
h«!  did  evil.  It  wim  not  like  hin  father  and  mother,  for  ho  nuuovod  from  il«  placo  the 
\mtnt,r  of  lliiiil  whi<  h  they  liad  itnpioUHJy  Met  up.  NeverllielnHM,  bo  uphold  tiio  worshiji 
of  thn  rnlveii  ~th<'  di><tiri|{uiNhiti,;  xiti  nf  the  northern  kuigiiom. 

I.  Tur.v.r.  aiir  t>v.miy.rM  in  hin.  Homo  go  rreater  lengtlis  In  trnnngreHHion  than 
othrm.  Ii  in  rlKl't  ami  dutiful  to  nolo  oven  liiHtinetinUH  of  lliix  kind,  nn<i  givo  ov<«ry 
OTJD  hi*  dun.      ^^'f  niny  Ixi  thnrikfiii  whon  oven  a  leKH  form  i>f  ivii    ih  Mulmlitutod   for   • 

'  Him.  .Tiuvii'i  '  Hffiiilnr  Aniifitiitintia'  on  M>"lloamoiitiil  Mualo. 
•  Hon  Darwin's  *  VnguUl<l<    MuiiM  aixl  iOurlli-WnriiiiL' 


«&ni.l— ?7.)         TUB  SKOOXP  BOOK  OF  TUB  BJS'Oft 


\  -0  MS.  Jdboraa 


■MB  lUa  OMtate  «*t*  '  «rf  f lima    WMfcmg  dl  fm"  *'«i*, 

i  Bva  »  Kvu.  mt4.    Tk«  fc—ibtioa  «f  JalMmaili  fi^rxHf  w 

Mu.....        ^^  aril  Ift  Um  u^tit  of  Um  LoHl"  Tkk  U  Um  cn^  f^  «  •  ^ '^  Ou4 

kaka  M.  and  IB  ite  uAl  of  wbidi  Im  jvdfH  Wk    Barad'dklaMat  ,1«m» 

J.j.t.    '  c  !'>:4K  butkb  iMd  hmn  rmutkbtd  ■aekMifad  fHark  t.  »',  ^«1um1 

U 


\     .    4.   8.— JTuif   ifr«&«'«  nUJitm.    tU  gtMrml  «mmm  oT  Uik  rvMUoa  «• 

■  rh.  L  1.    Tb«  vtoiariM  rM0f4«l  oa  Um  Moahite  8i«a*  M  aekivvvd  bjr  Um 

riiK«h  bdd^  prol*Uj  to  Um  miikm  ma^m  ol  th»  mvuU.    Thmj  om 

w«il  thm  eriMkiaf  dtmathi  of  van.  S4,  tft.    Prifur.  aba.  to  u— 

■     -  cWMr,  miM(  bo  |4Mwd  Um  oil— ipi  to  uiwbdM  JokoalualMft  bv 

EaomitM,  ole.  (1  Clinja.  11.).  vUoli 
TIm  Unicu*;M  alika  of  tik«  kkturj 

u  Um  tounwou  «i  ik» 

lOfiBf.  bo  rflWKlMlly 

11  tfTrr  U>  L  .  ou^bl 

•    .  e  uf  the  »i  ,  .  cr«-  buC 

uirlnl  out   t4J  uLbnn  ^Ma   Mu*Uk>  Sk^iaJ^ 

»-  .  >•  u  Tictur. — J.  O. 

Tank  ^--SL— 71«  mHianet  tf  ike  (krm  Ma^a.  No  UnM  vm  to  ba  bat,  if  Um  Ctag  ol 
larorl  «M  to  dMck  Uia  pfoeraat  of  Uiio  fionuitUbU  lobal,  who^  tnm  Ite  »Mri(4M«  aa 
bu  kUiiM,  Ofpeani  to  bsT*  )uul  aoma  rooMrkablo  ■iioouMti. 

L  JutuBAM*!  raorooAL.     1.  Jahoraoi^  fink  atop  araa  to  noalar  f< '  -!'.>« 

tba  «Lc4a  annj  of  laracL     Hh  tntH  araa  in  charioU  and  bone*.  i-rj 

eooid  do  fur  bim,  amrt  fixxn  '  '>,  vaa  aooa  to  ba  mafia  aoaifMi.     'L.  U«  next 

aaat  a  maaMpt  to  Joboabap!  .;  bim  to  aooomfauiT  blm.     Tbu  •!»•«.  aft  iwait, 

tkat  b«  •  •    T.ciroUy  i*f*,  ,i*  \..  w  iW  iL-  -  4 

oator  Ol.  I'cf  bapk  alao  ba  Laii  Ui'  -o 

(o  wU  « iui  umi  i/  i^ia  flimlj  kia^  vara  on  u\m  •mo.     a  ...■««  t  .  .«i 

•bra  ba  eaa  §•»  a  good  oao  to  load  bia  wiiiafMaoa  to  an) 

IL  JsHOMuraA^'a  oosiorr.  Thia  arMat  oaea  aad  froc^..  .  -^^  » v ..  «;^.b«t  bad 
lafuwd  paitaanbip  vitb  Abasiah  (1  Kian  ixiL  49).  But:  1.  JdMcam  •»  a  aMa  of 
laai  kai|4oua  abaiactor.  t.  Tbo  war  aaaeMd  juot.  1.  Ho  bad  to  MoarB  tlM  aatev 
of  bb  oara  UafAom.  TUa  bfti  aliaadj  boM  BMaanoit,  aad  woold  ao  doubt  ba  aMaaoad 
aiEaid,  If  Moklia  oucititiiirJ  LI«  victuriout  t&rarr.  4.  Tbara  vaa  forlLar  tbo  oafurtaoato 
bijod  of  kit!  xb   biiaf   aMiricd    to  JolMj»baf<L*i'»   ».«. 

EataafWokri    -  -  tnaaj  a  aaaiaw    Jabnahaj»l>at'>  riii<f  arror 

va<  in  dookdiag  oa  bM  owta  fWDt.  4  aot  dotag  iiat  wbot  ba  »aa  gbd  aaaofk 

to  <k'  a/W — ^taqaba  of  tba  Llk.  oMajr  tiaabbt  •«  oAoa  gvi  lato  litfoadb 


auDfJy  BogtofUat  to  aoak  Diviao  tukLM.Bol    fiaoabr  tbiaci  ougia  to  ba  aMd>  t^ 
a<  >  ria  Ujmmwm  aa  bhhIi  m  apbUaal  iblafi,    **  la  ovarytbtag  bf  pt^jor  aad  mfflk' 

ea!       "  "    "     .    '"x 

-•«.     WkUk  way  vottU  Ihay  take?    Joboa^pbal  arfad  tbo* 
Ikrj  >iM>ut.j  ^  ov  Lbr  vildoffBOtoaf  BdoB.tbai  k^RwadtlMfcotof  iboDood  8«.    Tbb 
]  bo  tU  y^m,  bn  it  iiklal  Moab  la  ka  ataaokaA  *bm  a  aai«  aid^  aad 


eO  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.         [oh.  m.  1—27. 

had  the  furtter  advantage  that  it  would  secure  to  the  allies  the  services  of  the  deputy- 
king  of  Edom,  who,  as  a  vassal  of  Jehoshaphat,  could  not  refuse  to  accompany  them 
(1  Kings  sxiL  47;  ch.  viiL  20).  The  Edomites  had,  indeed,  hut  lately  joined  in  the 
confederacy  against  Judah,  but  they  were  now  probably  burning  to  be  avenged  on  the 
Moabites,  wIp  .  ia  that  expedition,  had  proved  to  be  their  worst  enemies  (2  Chron.  xx. 
23).     Thus  i  ixvi'lcucc  overrules  the  passions  of  men  to  work  out  its  own  ends. — J,  0. 

Vers.  9 — 17,  20. — Man*t  extremity  is  GocSs  opportunity.    This  expedition,  begun 

without  consultirig  God,  soon  landed  the  allies  in  dire  straits. 

I,  The  STRAITS  OF  THE  AEMY.  1.  The  failure  of  water.  The  host  must  have  been 
a  large  one,  and  they  had  much  cattle  witli  them  for  sustenance.  For  some  reason, 
the  journey  occupied  seven  days,  and  the  desert  was  waterless.  They  were  in  the 
same  distress  that  the  Israelites  were  in  centiU'ies  before  under  Moses  (Exod.  xvii.  1 — 3; 
Numb.  XX.  1 — 5);  but  they  had  not  the  same  right  to  rely  on  Divine  help.  When,  at 
the  end  of  seven  days,  they  arrived  at  a  valley  where  water  might  be  looked  for — 
prnbably  "the  brook  Zered"  (Deut. ii.  13) — their  condition  became  desperate.  2.  God^t 
hand  reco'iniztd.  Jehoram  recognized,  when  it  was  too  late,  that  it  was  not  Moab  who 
was  fighting  against  him  in  this  expedition,  but  God.  "Alas!  that  the  Lord  hath 
called  these  three  kings  together,  to  deliver  them  into  the  hand  of  Moab!  "  (1)  How 
readily  God  can  humble  man's  pride,  and  bring  to  nothing  his  best-laid  schemes !  We 
are  reminded  of  Napoleon's  march  against  Moscow,  and  of  the  annihilation  of  his  army 
by  the  severities  of  a  Russian  winter.  (2)  God's  hand  is  often  recognized  in  trouble, 
when  it  is  not  in  prosperity.  (3)  God  frequently  leads  men  into  distress,  that  they 
may  be  convinced  of  their  folly  in  neglecting  him,  and  may  be  led  to  seek  his  help 
(Ps.  cvii.), 

II.  The  appeal  to  Elisha.  1.  Jehoshaphafa  inquiry.  The  King  of  Israel  aban- 
doned himself  to  despair,  but  Jehoshaphat  asked,  "  Is  there  not  here  a  prophet  of  the 
Lord,  that  we  may  inquire  of  the  Lord  by  him?"  Had  he  inquired  of  the  Lord  at 
the  l)eginning,  he  would  not  now  have  been  in  this  difficulty.  But:  (1)  It  was  better 
to  inquire  late — if  haply  it  might  not  be  too  late — than  not  to  inquire  at  all.  A  good 
man  only  needs  to  be  convinced  of  his  errors  to  endeavour  to  repair  them.  A  touch 
of  the  rml  of  chastisement  turns  back  his  heart  to  God,  whom  he  may  have  been  for- 
getting. To  whom  else  shall  he  go?  God  alone  can  help.  (2)  Even  the  sinner,  if 
convinced  that  God  is  contending  with  him,  should  not  delny  repentance  through 
remembrance  of  past  sins.  If  he  has  never  prayed  before,  let  him  do  it  now.  But, 
al.'iH!  re[>entauces  of  this  kind  are  too  often  insincure — the  mere  fruit  of  present  fear — • 
and  are  not  followed  up  by  change  of  life.  2.  Tlie  three  kings  and  the  prophet.  (V) 
Jchohtiaphat's  question  elicited  the  fact  tlmt  Eliwha  the  son  of  Shajihat  was  in  the 
camp  or  near  it.  It  wa.s  a  servant  of  the  King  of  Israel  that  gave  this  information, 
■o  that  even  in  this  un-^Mlly  king's  honsohold  there  were  some  true  worshiiijiera 
(cf.  1  Kings  xviii.  3,  4).  This  servant,  though  in  a  humble  position,  did  the  gr(aiest 
Mrvirc  [M)Hhible  to  liis  king  and  nation.  But  for  his  infnrniaiion,  the  armies  of  three 
kinpl'ima  ndght  have  Invn  annihilated.  In  like  manner,  it  wan  "a  little  captive 
nifiid"  who  iiitoct<(l  Nnatnan  to  the  prophet  (ch.  v.  2,  3).  (2)  .lehoshujihat  felt  at 
f»nc«  they  had  the  right  man — "The  word  of  the  Lord  is  with  him."  IVetonders, 
f«Nc  prr»ph<tn,  hyiH»criteH,  are  of  no  avail  when  real  trouble  comiB.  It  in  the  uenuino 
prophet  that  iH  nenled  then.  Klisha  must  have  followed  the  camj)  by  Divine  dii(>clion, 
t/i  (five  tliin  aid  in  the  liour  of  extremity — nnntlier  evidence  that  the  events  of  thirt 
«»xi»p'iition,  lik<'  nil  otlier  oventM,  wore  In-ing  phaped  by  an  ovornilin'^  Proviiloneo.  (3) 
The  kln:;H  at  once  repair  to  KMhIia.  They  did  not  n»V  him  to  coino  to  them,  l»ut,  as 
iiu||»linn'H,  "  went  ijown"  to  him.  It  was  a  Htrangn  si/ht — the  throo  kings  sliih'iing 
before  thin  propliet  of  thn  Lord,  wliom,  at  otlier  tinies,  two  of  Ihetn  at  loiu't  wo  lid 
have  dia  '  >tn<  (1  lo  (Jiiiniilt.  But  It  wum  now  felt  that  Klislia  alone  hIimkI  between  ilum 
and  death.  TL>\  'Im  man  of  (bxl,  wan,  lik«  liin  maxter  U'fore  hlin — "  the  <hariot  of 
Iiirni-I,  ,iiii;  the  horiM.Mfri  toreof* — ntidtir  (bxl,  tbo  protrctor  nnd  salvation  of  (ho 
ntition.  Tlii'K-  I'lne  Ki'iiMiUx  wb<-n  religion  ^ctH  (he  hornii^^'  paid  to  it  wiiieh  its  iinpor- 
binrn  ftt  all  llmcd  denervoH.  3.  Ilrip  imly  for  the  luikr  of  Jrhnnh'iphit.  KIihIiuV 
■|rlrit  wiy  mN  U>  havr  \n-rn  NtranKoly  I'erturbcfl  by  thr  visit  uf  tlieHe  thrt>v  kin^H.  lie 
WM  ruuMxl  id  part  by  •corn  at  a  kln|;  like  Jehoram,  wlio  ordinarily  {luld  no  reu^>oct  to 


«iLULl-tT.j         THB  SBUiKO  BOOK   oP  Till   KlVOa  • 

laIWi*..  •L4tati«    te   Ml     IkU    ^    to    1^  ptMb  €i   fk9,irml    31,Armm».       Il    b    BfdbV   §f 

uuMMttl,  M    b0  Mvct.  c    1    to  4,  wUk 

,  -(tail  of  M  BKJihAr  (uw   limu-Pi*  : 

J«i«u(Mft    L< 


U»«  UuU.  ak«k     hu  wUl  It  U  wuk 

mimtji  ttm.  Tk*  aiaaeapaaad  ftUU  e/ 
of  **rtT«UtiuM  o<  tk»  Lovl*  If  (lod 
Md,  k»  cmUmi   tut  A  Minalfal.  U-U   hf 

■  .  Ma  •-ul  Ui.jLi  !•-  rc«i<j*«J  u^  »  c*  m 

I  .  •  to  U»0  ■pul, 

U4»  it  b>  Li« 
LmwI  oI  ti>«  LiW 

tTMclM*.      A«   J«t 

TIm  vork  SM  10 

:    b*  tcsDL      TkM  U 

rft  totUl.  attd 

lad  witk  fM^ 

i«^    U 

e  way  u/  Bdaai,«kd  '  ■!> 

God 

Tb«  bomteg  of  %  waaarapoHi, 

r  -c    t^<    t^o    pkflMBMBflML      Tkv*  •■• 

4o«kiiwi  ft  pronAw  .  -bara  *m  •  MoridMliii 

d«dini  in  tk«  autm*  obUtkm.    1Tm  4>llm 

t       wu  tkiM  eoaaictoU  «ilL  Um  tfltnpi*— Jeiio«4k'«  tras  MTtiry 

.1  «M  Cor  J«koikA(ik«t'(  c                          ^--.ce  «u  {^.- :  xi,  cu  »  tuk«o  •••  »>« 

gi>«o  iLat  it  «M  tk*  i«i  «c«.     Tb*  ko«n  of 

)<r»T(«  ftr«  dt  ■!■»■■  for  t  i.    (3)  b  mm»  la 

f  rrM  abuLKiuicaL     Wbrti  ojuutrj  was  JBhd 

wiii.  Mfter."     It  u  SD  »tix  ,{  tl«  varU — tkoM 

liriLc  *himnv!  ,    .{j).     Suck  cvaBU  m 

tiiMo  (.*:(•  U/  J).    111.  paiaiM  mjt^ 

V.     1  -Ami  tk«  Kififf  of  Imal  «U.  AImI  ikailULtW 

i  t«.l     1.  TnwUa  awakaM  ika  arj  ooMdaMaL    t.  1W 

^-woftkaMliaMarOoa.    1.  Tha  artt  aaMrian«»  b 
»  vitk  oikaia    (Baa  aiaaUaat  ramarka  Ib  Ktvm- 

I — 


^  irc«k.    Tkii  aka  «M  tMatold  by  BU«  aa  a  mmtj 

vilk  «kkk  tka  <*u|jcjj  of  watar  wa*  «  a  U^^t  t^Mf^*  U 
MiW*  Mralj  *•  »m  acA  Imt  to  a*k  bvm  kiai  all  IkaA 
IB  aakiag  loa  suak,  b«>  la  aakkig  too  ttiUa  (Jaka  sfi 


Tara.  1ft— ST.— 71*  ^c«« 
froaa  Um  Load,  laaaauAfiaaB 

tkato   ar*   Oodli  **liiJM  Ik*!         , 

«•  raqwra.    Ow  iia  k^  Ml  la  aakiag  taa  suak,  bat  la  aakkig  too  ttiUa  (Jaka  sfi 


6S  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.         [oh.  ra.  1—27. 

24).    "  He  is  able  to  do  exceeding  abundantly  above  all  that  we  ask  or  think  * 

(Eph.  ilL  20). 

L  Lost  thbough  illusioh.  The  manner  in  which  the  defeat  of  the  Moabites  wa» 
bronght  about  is  very  remarkable.  The  defeat  was  caused:  1.  Through  illusion.  Their 
forces — "  all  that  were  able  to  put  on  armour,  and  upward " — were  mustered  on  the 
mountains  opposite,  ready  for  battle  on  the  morrow.  As  the  morning  sun  rose,  its  red 
beams,  falling  on  the  pools  of  water  in  the  valley,  gave  the  water  the  appearance  of 
blood — an  efiect  to  which  the  red  soil  may  have  contributed.  This  startling  appearance 
the  Moabit«s — who  knew  nothing  of  the  unlooked-for  supply  of  water — interpreted  in 
their  own  way.  They  said,  "  This  is  blood,"  and  concluded — remembering  a  recent 
experience  of  their  own  (2  Chron.  xx.) — that  the  attacking  forces  had  fallen  out,  and 
destroyed  each  other.  2.  Through  over-haste  and  over-confidence.  The  cry  was  at  once 
raised,  "  Moab,  to  the  spoil ! "  and,  casting  aside  all  precautions,  the  people  flew  down,  to 
find  themselves  in  the  power  of  their  enemies.  How  many  defeats  are  sustained  in  life 
from  the  same  causes  I  We  eagerly  snatch  at  first  appearances,  which  are  often  so  decep- 
tive ;  we  hurry  to  the  fray,  without  taking  due  precautions  or  counting  the  cost ;  we 
are  confident  in  our  strength  or  numbers  as  sufficient  to  bear  down  all  opposition,  if  by 
chance  we  should  be  surprised.  Therefore  we  fail.  Gkni  often  snares  men  through 
their  own  illusionfl.  Haman  went  to  Esther's  banquet  tmder  the  illusion  that  it  was 
the  road  to  highest  honoiir,  and  foimd  it  the  way  to  death  (Esth.  v.  11,  12 ;  vii.).  Of 
the  wicked  it  is  said,  "  For  this  cause  God  shall  send  them  strong  delusion,  that  they 
•hould  beUeve  a  lie"  (2  Thess.  il  11). 

II.  The  mebciless  pubsutt.  The  passage  describing  this  pursuit  is  a  terrible  illus- 
tration of  the  severities  of  war.  They  were,  perhaps,  under  the  circumsfaiices,  not 
needless  severities,  but  they  are  none  the  less. extreme  and  painful  to  think  of.  (1) 
The  Moabites  were  pursued  into  their  own  coimtry,  and  cut  down  in  the  pursuit.  (2) 
The  cities  were  levelled  to  tlie  ground.  (3)  The  good  land  was  made  useless  by  every 
man  casting  on  it  a  stone,  till  it  was  covered  with  stones.  (4)  Even  fruit  trees  were  cut 
down,  and  wells  stopped.  (5)  There  remained  only  the  city  of  Kir-haraseth,  which,  on 
its  elevated  plateau,  defied  direct  assault ;  but  it  they  besieged,  while  the  slingers,  taking 
their  station  on  the  snrroimding  eminences,  galled  it  with  their  missiles.  The  wHirds  of 
the  prophi  t  in  ver.  19  are  perhaps  prediction,  not  command,  but  it  may  be  inferred 
that  he  gave  the  policy  pursued  his  sanction.  The  object  was  so  effectually  to  cripple 
the  power  of  M<>ab  that  it  would  not  be  able  to  lift  up  the  head  for  many  a  day  to  come. 

1.  The  most  direct  lesson  we  can  learn  from  the  passage  is  the  dreadfiilness  of  war. 
Wherever  or  however  wnj^cd,  wars  are  a  source  of  incalculable  misery.  Even  just  wars 
(•ntail  a  loss  of  life,  a  destruction  of  wealth,  and  a  waste  of  the  means  of  protluction  and 
of  human  hnppiness,  which  may  well  make  the  heart  of  the  lover  of  his  species  sicken. 

2.  An  inilircct  Icssoii  tf)  bo  gleaned  from  vtr.  25  is  the  power  of  little  things — "  every 
man  hiH  stone."  By  each  man  bringing  but  a  single  stone,  the  ground  was  covered,  and 
the  ei  d  aimed  at  attained.  Tlie  power  was  wielded  here  for  destruction,  but  it  may  he 
wicldwi  as  well  for  giK.d.  Each  doing  his  individual  part — though  that  in  itself  is  littl* 
— great  rcHultK  will  Ix;  achieved.  3.  We  do  well  to  carry  into  moral  warfare  the  same 
thorouphneBH  hh  xh  here  dinplayod  in  physical  warfare.  Not  cmitcnt  with  operating 
on  individiials,  let  ub  ntnke  at  causes  and  sources — stopping  the  wells  of  iKjisouous 
Influcncft,  etc. 

III.  Thk  i.aht  TRAOir  AOT.  The  war  was  brought  to  a  stiddon  and  unlooked-for  ter- 
mination. 1.  Thr  frfirfitl  nnrrifire.  Beaten  into  his  last  stronghold,  driven  to  dewpera- 
tloh,  th'-  Kinn  c)f  Moah,  having  made  an  un^u(  ce^sfiil  Horlie  with  seven  hundn-d  men, 
n-iKilved  on  an  act  wlijeh,  he  rightly  judged,  would  stiiko  horror  into  the  Iwarls  of  Iuh 
enomiwi,  whiln  it  mi;;ht  almi  propitiate  hJH  gixl.  He  t4M>k  his  eldist  koii,  the  heir  to  hiit 
throne,  and  ofTeriyl  him  np  for  a  Iturnt  offering  on  the  wall.  (I)  The  fact  that  h«  |<^r- 
foancl  thn  Miriificfl  uiori  tho  wall  would  Heein  to  iihow  that  ho  had  in  vi(tw  iis  niiioh 
th«  <  fr««l  to  l»n  prixluceii  on  tlm  MpectnforK  ajt  tho  iHrnnilile  etfiv-t  to  \h\  jiriKhiced  ou 
(JhennHih.  (U)  The  de.«i  wim  nwful  ami  Inhuiinin — |X(rhnp«,  from  Mewhii'M  point  of  viow, 
not  wifhoiil  Ita  ti'liler  and  irtilrirdie  >.id« — hut  in  itnolf  tiioHt  detenlnMn.  Wo  hnvo  nood 
U<  \m  tliKrikful  for  a  purer  reli^'iouii  faith,  which  t<  a<-heii  uh  that  (!<»!  diM^t  not  delight  id 
■iich  unnNt'iral  and  cruel  net-  (Mlcah  vl.  0—9).  2.  Hepultal  by  hot-ror.  "Thorn  whk," 
wc  rwd,  "  great  IndlfntUvn  agamit  [or, '  upon  'J  Israel :  and  they  dcpart4.>d  from  him, 


«L  IT.  1^44.] 


TUK  BBOOMD  BOOK   OP  TIIB  KlMQtL. 


iMd.*    1W  ■■■!■!  «•■•  to  W  IkH  *•  gkMlly  Ml  ■► 

rbk4  Ui  •  ^mUKU  m  md.    TV««  li  m  d— it  of  m». 

bf  M  ad  U^  p»««rf«i|r 

7Z 


4mtmA  *  «iAlv«ml  bomv, 
MU^on  dtlM  Ofiditkai 

MAUua  la  tU  MH^  mti  miAAm  wtuIiIbm  d  hatlM  « 
larvMHi  Um  laa^hMlias,  ar*  aoi  aaeeoiaMMk    flia 
MlliiiBil  Villi  tWa  MMtkai  of  kanvr  vblak  IvoaglM  apaa  t^Ma  iIm 
MoaNia^  af  tKl^kkaaHrri:  trlhn,  parbara  alas  aT  Ika  UoBUtaa  aU  o«Wa 
o«m  alllai^  Ikal  iWt  -  h«  tbuuffii  c/  wmarflag  fun^w.    TkM  anaM  a  mm* 

■aiwal  as|ilaMMlaa  (  ^1)  that  U^  tadlgiHnii  ■aaai  to  ika  rf  JAaaakj  cr 

(1)  tkfti  it  to  th-  vrau  vt  UbaaMikCOl  ar  (I)  Ika  wMiilin  k«Tur  of  tka  laaaHiai 
iTia.-^.  a 


ixfoflrnov. 


CBurm  IT. 

▼«»  1— 44— Tvr«A& lliaAOk.ai  aaueat 
■T  BuBBA.  OmmaHmtfimtHmk,  Tka  ait* 
■aiitai  •/  ilito  aluf  ia>  aaaaUal  Uw  MbanlM 
af  Many.  Tka  tm  aad  laal  aoMtol  la  Ika 
wdU^ljl^  af  ted.  aai  diw  bala^  la  Um 
MM*  «laai  aa  oar  Ltfafa  fcadinf  tlM  fear 
a^  tW  iva  tlinaMBV  aad  Bi^ab't  !»• 
anarf^llM»r<d  and  uti  of  1L0  widuv  of 
lanpbift  O  Kiafs  irU.  10—16).  It  mrfr* 
aa  aaalWI  fsipoaa  l»  aak  Am*  Mliaalaa  of 
lya  alMa  vaia  vfoagtiL  Tba  laap4rad 
viliHa  Lftta  aat  lold  ••:  and  ou«  vwa 
Hiaagkti  apoB  tlM  aabjAdt  ma  at  th*  bMl 
W  M«a  aataadad  aoajaotarM.  Tka  i»> 
Hwaallitlii  ■ttgiiti  whiak  ksT*  bMa 
la  aoiva  tke  mptmy  nhibti  a 
aai  flMblaaaM  tkal  ar*  afaaolalely  poarila 
(aa*  Bibr.  'Onmmmtmrj  oa  Kiaca.'  voL  iL 
^  Mt  Eas-  traaa-X  Tbm  mmamd  Miiaala  la 
tba  fWM  iiatiaa  of  a  dead 
bac^aoaaaqaMlijilo  th»  «arj 
9t  tmk  WMiwiai  at  wktab  la  Ifca  OU 
TnlaMaat  tiMN  aiw  tkitw  vtAy  (aoe  1  Klaga 
sviL  17— O;  k«f.  aad  ok  xiu  Six  Tba 
«kM  MimaU  aonM^ta  la  MadeHac  it  for 
Maa'a  aM  tkal  vluah  VM  favrkiaaly  aeilt  aal 
b7  kaaaa  ddU  or  inlMni.  bat  by  Miraala; 
and  to  aaahriaa  to  tba  aat  af  M obm  vbtM- 
bj  tba  vatvra  «f  Maiab  aamami  to  b*  bilUc 
(Ssfld.  ST.  XSX  aad  to  that  otbrr  Ml  of 
blMaalf.  wbanbj  tb*  watom  el 
waM  bt«Ud  (ab.  ii.  1»— a>.  b 
to  aridauUj  tba  o^aat  af  tba  vnlav  ar 
aamiiUM  of  t  Klaca  to  aailael  U  tbia  placa 
tba  |«taaifal,  or  ai  aaj  lala  Iba  aar«i  aotod. 
a#  iba  Mifaaalaw  aato  of  tba  gTMl  fwpbn 
vba  aaaaaadad  Ktiiab,  aad  m  to  paaam* 
IbaM  ftoM  obHvtoa.  Tbto  ah^aal.  wbtob  ba 
to  aal  Uf ««  kimiiU  to  «b.  U.  U, 


toaknlLC 
Tara.  1-7.-L  TL, 


iiMpir  iif  I  ^  ^ 


▼ar.  1.— Sav  tbara  adad  a  aartaU  w% 
«r  tba  vHaa  af  lb*  aaaa  af  tba  prvybaia 
Btoba,  Mytoc.  Wa  km  boM  tbia  ibat 
Iba-auaaaf  tkaaaaabato*  vaMaalM««4*. 
all  ti  tbato.  Mlhgi  alto<a»^  b1  to«ladMl 
totbanorbMOfaa.  vbaaaaMtbamaUfvd  a 
einiatoriiii  Itfk  bat  maat  !»?•  Ud  aa{Mata 
beoM*  far  tbaawalTM  aad  tbair  toMdiaa. 
9mtk  parMiia  aar  atiU  Lata  toi^t  la  Ika 
yaoobtotoal  aBboola,  aa  do  tba  aarHad  latoaa 
aad  prnfiMow  af  Modat*  ani  1  ataiiiaa.  Iky 
aarraM  ay  taabaad  la  daad.  KXitbm  ha^ 
it  aaaaa,  kaawa  bar  hu.i.n  i  «b,.  ^j  kaas 
bto  "aarraal,"  &•(  io^  bal 

ia  will  aad  baart,  1  -    .  .   t  to  aarra 

bim.  8ba  laealla  Uua  Uu  W  b^ 
to  pradiapoM  bin  to  baa  toaoat.  i 
kaavaai  tbat  tky  aarvBBi  did  toar  1 
Hara  va*  a  awaad  gtiiaai  tor  BWa^  to- 
lto><a»iia  tba  voMaa**  bwbaad  bad  baas 
a  Oed  hanag  aaa.  oaa  vba  as*  «aly 
aakaovfadffad  Jaborab.  bot  worabippad  IMm 
to  aetftt  and  ia  traftb.  Tbara  to  a  4»«rtob 
tfadlliaa.  ar  to«anl.  tbat  tba  woMan'* 
baabaad  «*•  Iba  Obadlab  <tf  1  KiMa  ivtii. 
t—l^  bat  aa  ^iiniiliaw  aaa  ba  nUmd 
aa  it  Obadfadk  tba  'go^mwm  af  Abab'a 
boaaa,"  aaa  aoafaalj  bar*  baaa  aaa  af  tba 
"aoaa  of  tba  pmpbala*  Aad  tba  araitoar 
toaaato  to  toka  aata  bia  mj  tv«  mm  to  ba 
la  prtMitira  aaaamaitka.  aM* 


tba  piiMHT  aaaarity  tor  dabt  aM  NMwdad 
M  batac  iMr  aaa  paaaiaa.  Ik*  fSaa  al 
Ibair  laboar.  awl  tbal  ^  tbMa  daaaadaM 
«a  tbas.  la  GaaaM  aad  tU^  «^iaally. 
aa  to  tba  Halnaa  aaaMaaity.  biaiuwiaa 
aadloaitty  aalaad  aanay  by  plad^iai  tlMt» 
PMMa.  aad,  IT  Ibay  aoaU  aaT^*^  tba 
•Ma  baaaaa  mi^  aaal  toto  aMTttad*  vMb 


tbato  abiktoaa.    YW  lf«ato   U 
af  CLuk^  aal 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.  [oh.  rr.  1—44, 


oontinaanoe,  bnt  in  two  respects  interferes 
to  modify  it:  (1)  by  requiring  that  the 
serrice  exacted  shall  not  be  severe  (Lev. 
XXV.  43,  46),  bat  such  as  was  commonly 
rendered  by  hired  servants  (Lev.  xiv.  39, 
40) ;  and  (2)  by  limiting  the  period  of  ser- 
vice to  the  date  of  the  next  jubilee  year 
(Lev.  xsv.  40,  41).  In  the  instance  brought 
here  under  our  notice,  it  would  seem  that 
the  creditor  had  not  proceeded  to  claim  his 
riglits  until  the  debtor  died,  when  he  en- 
forced them  against  the  man'a  children 
(comp.  Neh.  v.  1 — S). 

Ver,  2. — And  Elisha  said  unto  her.  What 
shall  I  do  for  thee  1  Elisha  acknowledges 
at  once  the  call  upon  him  to  do  something 
for  the  woman.  This  is,  no  doubt,  in  part, 
because  she  is  a  widow.  Widows  were,  in 
the  Law,  especially  commended  to  the 
attention  and  care  of  the  faithful.  As  Bahr 
says,  "It  is  »  well-known  feature  of  the 
Mosaic  Law,  one  which  is  distinctly  promi- 
nent, that  it  often  and  urgently  commands 
to  succour  the  widows  and  the  fatherless, 
and  to  care  for  them  (Exod.  xiii.  22 — 24 ; 
Dent  xiv.  29  ;  xxiv.  17,  19 ;  xxvL  12 ;  xxvii. 
19).  They  are  mentioned  as  representatives 
of  the  forsaken,  the  oppressed,  and  th'e 
necessitous  as  a  class  (Isa.  x.  2  ;  Jer.  vi.  6 ; 
xxiL  3;  Zech.  Tii.  10;  Mai.  ilL  5;  Baruch 
vi.  37).  It  is  especially  emphasized  and 
praised  in  Jehovah,  that  ho  is  the  Father 
and  Judge  (i.e.  Protector  of  the  rights)  of 
the  wid'WB  and  the  fatherless  (Dent.  x.  18 ; 
Ps.  Ixviii.  5;  c.xlvi.  9;  Isa.  ix.  17,  etc.). 
Nfgkct  and  contempt  of  them  are  counted 
RHiong  tho  heaviest  offonees  (Ps.  xciv.  6; 
Job  xxii.  9;  Ezek.  xxii,  7);  just  as,  on  tho 
other  hand,  cornpa-tiion  and  care  for  them 
ia  a  sign  of  tho  true  fear  of  God,  and  of  true 
piety  (Job  xxix.  12;  xxxi.  IG;  Tohit  i.  7; 
Jas.  1.  27)."  EIIhIih  could  also  path(;r  from 
the  tno  of  the  wonmn'H  address  tliat  she, 
like  h<  r  lit*)  liuhb.md,  was  God-fearing. 
Tell  me,  what  hast  thou  in  the  house  1  Ilaut 
thou  arivtliiti)/,  that  Ih,  whieh  th<>u  canst 
•ell,  an  I  Kf>  (my  thr  dcht?  And  sho  said, 
Tbine  handmaid  hath  not  anything  in  tho 
home.  Have  a  pot  of  oil;  lit<rully,  mre  (in 
ani'i'iitiiKj  of  nil ;  i.n.  mo  inueli  oil  ah  will 
■nfJl'd  (or  oiM'  niiointiiig  of  my  jiernon. 

\'iT.  M.  Thon  he  laid.  Go,  borrow  thoo 
▼euoli  nbrofid  of  all  thy  neighhoura,  e\i'n 
empty  v«  r.Bnli ;  borrow  not  a  few.  Go<l 
etinta  not  m  hm  ^mIIm  (l"ii  Iv.  1).  Wliuii  lin 
ofTire  th'rn,  mi<  ii  nhonld  luki>  adviintuKO  of 
ihn  oil)  r  litT'i'ly,  in  tlio  )iiini«'  eiiiril  in  which 
It  U  m/Mli'  r  <  o  Ul'>w,  .  h.  xiii.  19)- 

V»^.  4. — And  when  thou  art  come  in,  thou 
•halt  ihul  th«  door  up  <n  ihoe  and  upon  thy 
fjns.  Ti."  ti,  I  1  1..  .■.  .  ,  to  U)  iMTfiiriiMMl  iMi- 
orelly.    A  U.  IhmiiUihI  U)  It— 

Crli«i«  I  111''  |'ro|ih«l  w'liild 

V*   Moii   ir.»u*Ui'lun»i    Willi    a|ij<lio«tioae 


fh>m  others ;  perhaps  because  the  act  was  not 
a  mere  mechanical  one,  but  required  that, 
during  its  performance,' the  hearts  of  the 
woman  and  of  her  sons  should  be  lifted  up 
in  prayer  and  adoration  and  thankfulness  to 
God  for  the  mercy  which  he  was  bestowing. 
Interruption  from  without  would  have  inter- 
fered with  the  frame  of  miud  wliich  was 
befitting  the  occasion.  Compare  our  Lord's 
secret  performance  of  many  miracles.  And 
shalt  pour  ont  into  all  those  vessels— «.e. 
those  which  thou  shalt  have  borrowed — and 
thon  shalt  set  aside  that  which  is  fall ;  i.e. 
as  each  vessel  is  filled,  it  shall  be  removed 
aad  set  aside,  and  one  of  the  empty  vessels 
substituted— that  the  pouring  might  be 
continuous. 

Ver.  5. — So  she  went  from  him,  and  shut 
the  door  upon  her  and  upon  her  sons — i.e. 
obeyed  exactly  the  prophet's  orders — who 
brought  the  vessels  to  her ;  and  she  poured 
out;  literally,  they  bringing  Uie  vessels  to 
her,  and  she  pouring  otit.  The  modus  ope- 
randi  had  been  left  to  the  woman  and  her 
sons,  and  was  thus  arranged  and  ordered, 
so  that  there  was  no  confusion  nor  hurry. 

Ver.  G. — And  it  came  to  pass,  when  tht 
vessels  were  full,  that  she  said  uuto  her 
son.  Bring  me  yet  a  vessel.  It  did  not 
occur  to  her  that  all  the  vessels  had  been 
already  filled;  so  she  asked  hor  son  for 
another,  that  she  might  fill  it.  And  he  said 
unto  her,  There  is  not  a  vessel  more;  t.e. 
all  the  vessels  that  we  have  in  the  house 
are  full ;  there  remains  no  empty  one.  And 
the  oil  stayed.  God  will  not  have  waste. 
If  the  oil  had  continued  to  tlow,  it  would 
have  fallen  on  the  fioor  of  tiio  house,  and 
have  been  of  no  service  to  any  one.  Thoro- 
fore,  when  all  the  vessels  were  tuU,  thei* 
was  a  sudden  stoppage. 

Ver.  7.— Thon  she  came  and  told  the  man 
of  God ;  i.e.  IClishu  (comp.  vers.  9,  Id,  21,  22, 
etc.).  8ho  did  not  fetd  entitled  to  make  use 
of  tlio  oil  which  alio  had  got  by  Iuh  instru- 
montality  without  firbt  lelling  him  and 
rei'civin^;  his  <lir«>ctiiinH  rcHjieeling  it.  Tht) 
prophot  gave  tlunn  with  all  phiinm  mh  and 
hrovity.  And  ho  inid,  Go,  snll  tho  oil,  and 
pay  thy  debt,  and  llvo  thou  and  thy  children 
of  tho  rimt.  Tho  oil  in  the  vi'SHidH  wuh  more 
thiin  HUlUeicnl  lor  tho  dm>-liarg(>  of  tlio  deht. 
Till'  proplint  diri-<'lH  tho  wiiniun  to  m>11  tlio 
wlioh',  anil,  iiftdr  HiiliHiyinK  Ihc  ohiiiii  of  her 
«Trditnr  with  |)art  r>l'  tliti  money,  lo  Hllppurt 
hi  TM'ir  and  her  ohillron  on  tho  totnuindiT. 

Vom.  K— :«7.  -2.  Thi'  i>in,niir  „/  n  rhilil  to 
the  Hhuniivimile  tuotjuin,  iim({  tttf  r«ttA>ratitm 
(>/  the  ehild  to  life. 

Ver.  H. -And  It  fell  on  a  day,  that  The 
niprf<ai|(iii  himmiiii  t<i  l»r>  arohiile.  It  oc<'nra 
niiiy  liont  atid  in  thn  opining  oliik|ilotH  of 
th«    Uouk   of  Jub  (L  8,    !»;    U.    I>      The 


mnt.l-44.J         TUB  SBCUND  BOOS   OF   TUft  KIVQiL 


tki.^t 


f»»mt  la  tk% 


.J  ,  L— 


13 


"U    u>    »■■■  OS 


!<•(    • 


wtiiU  *K  P*rte|«  CM  tut  b^  btOMiU 
hm  k«kMd  lk»  Ulk  oT  kia  •milk.  AW 
*•  ■■■■liiiiii  Mb  to  Ml  kf«U{  !«.  aU 
lBvili4  kla  la  M  k»  mmt4  km  kemt,  m4 
■o   4miUL     Ooouim*    Ltft's 


OlMB|«M 

■fiiit  biwyitoltly.  m  reUlMl  la  li«a  lix. 
1— &  Aai  ao  it  vM.  iLat  ••  oA  m  ka 
mmA  kr.  ka  tanaA  te  tklikar  ta  wl  kraad. 
■kb«,  k  afaaacm  kad  IWismI  nwdin  to 
■Mi  tkiaa<k  Bkmatm  an  kia  w%v  from 
Umal  l»  fWllka  oilUa  of  Galilaa,  ar  ate 
•arad.  lt^T^*~*hfrh*'-"'  ■■••'"' —  •"nTja. 
to  aal  kia  aaaU  at  ■  rkk 

bkaaawiBiito.     Untot  >«lia( 

aa  ka«k  iidaa  aad  a  el 
▼«.  t.-^AiBi  *a  iiL 


M  aav,  I  aaraaiv*  iaat  iiu*  u  aa  kolj 
ar  taA  Mot  aU  tka  mi  iimmi  aaa  af 
Ood  «aa»  mdy  «ritfh«M  awl  Oul-faariM- 
la  Sluka'a  tt»i.  aa  la  all  elkar^  tkav«  w««« 


Ika  taaakaw  of  iali<iaa 


•ha 


aaa  ia  aktap'a  elotkia^"     Tka 


ii<a  titla  «MA  ka 
toalj  a  "  aaa  af  Oa4." 

a  laai  <la««tad  aattaal  li  Jabovak.  Ska 
tkarafoaa  aiifcil  to  4a  aaiM  far  kiai  tkaa 
•iic-  ttd  htthartodaaa.  Wktak  pawnfc  ky  aa 
»o£t  tiL&iljr ,    Lm.   vks  paaMa  lki<oask  our 

vtik  aa  m 


„.  ..  -Akaamtla 

I  fnj  ikMk  aa  Um  valL    Tkaaiaa 

•  k    ••    •  k    »:.  ehaabar."    vktak    ka 

'  bailt  apoa  Ika  iat 

I  tt  to  mof  |«okab4a 

tia«  appav 

tiay 


^    la 


U. 


•  «.w^4^      A.a4  ;«!  •«  Mt 


II.  ► 

•aal4  tMnl 
paffkai>. 

iai  U  faU  aa  a  i*y.  tku  ka 
»a  .  -. .^., .  aad  ka laiaad  iato  Ua  rki ■  I m. 
a~:  ^7  tk«ra;  i*  alirt  tkanw  §m  ail  iha 

V«.  11— Ai4  ka  aaU  to  OakaH  kia 
aarraai  0«^^ri  (a  h*T»-  »e-!t'-»«»!  f-f  !»*• 
aiM  1 1^ 

aaaa  twi^^u  »  n.  ui«  p  •  >^  • 

Ikat  aa  oaa  tm-iatiTra  {Ul.  «ui  i. 
aT  l««al  AM  auc  Ji.J»iti  w  Ik>14  • 
Ikm  with  ItiA.    C:^  >■■»•     Aatf 

arkMhtkadaaUas.  .^Mankla; 

<-<  'takaii       Kl.tfia    oa«M«'ita»t4« 

».  naa  liiiaa^  kl«  aM^aat,  or  a 

at>;  ravn  D  tua  pcaaaaaa^  paobabl J  to  ptxnMt 
aay  ■aa|iicioa  it  iBpafaiaty  anaiac  to  Ik* 
Bfuiiil  uf  ^*  <mml  tW  pawf  ait  al  iW  Laai 
&<  >U  •(ukaa  u/ 

A.ad  ka  taU  aau  kiai,  lay  aav 
aaie  iM,  BakalA  tkaa  kut  '.<«aa  aarartl 
— litef&lly.  aaaiWM  liar  u  vilk  all  tku 
aara  or,  aaaMlif  Ia  tkoa  kai«  tokaa  all 
tkis  Huakb  la  Mftnc  balk  aa  aad  mj 
aiaraal,  aad  laattoadiafoa  aa  arkat  to  to 
ka  Aaaa  tm   tkaal   or.  w\at   m  iJUr«   ti^ 


Umt  mtmUmt  kmm  Apm  /or  Um  f  U 
aa;tkiaf  Ikat  va  aao  Aa  lor  ik«a  la  ntora  t 
fca  ifikai  far  to  tka  ki^l 
tkat  kakaaaradit  at  aaai^ 
to  aaa  it  la  Ika 


faaaar.  If  aka  kaa  aaf  rii|aaai  to  fmit*. 
Wa  ara  aoawtkiag  of  kia  iaBiwawa  la  r^ 


ft.  »-lt.  tl-2S:  riu  i  A  Or  to  Ika 
aapuia  af  Ika  kaat  I  i^  ika  pmou  muum 
aui:.c<nt7  mttd  iaaa<ani  *m  aait  to  Ikal  «f 
tkakiaf.  AadAaaaavaraAIdvaUaaaiv 
■laaavapaaftoiLa.  **  Ibaemut  to  auikiaf 
to  aa  I  toMl  aalkiac  tfam  U.  1  kav«  ao 
wMag  to  aHaplaia  af.  aoqaait^l  viik  aar 
af  ■  w  aaigkkaeat.  ae  aa  to  aaad  tka  kaly  of 
aaa  la  !»•«  I  «1«<U  r«Mably  a»u^ 
Ifcaa.  tV7  ara  '  mr  ova  paatia ' — Il%m4» 
Tka  nHy  is  ikat  af  aaa 
arilk  kat  paiaiiaa.  Ftokaia 
Itel  aka 


66 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.  [oh.  iv.  1—4^ 


Ver.  14.— And  he  said — he,  Elisha,  said  to 
Geh;izi — What  then  is  to  be  done  for  her! 
K  the  woman  will  Buggeet  nothing  herself, 
can  Gehazi  suggest  anything?  Has  he 
heard  her  express  any  wish  ?  Does  he  know 
of  any  boon  that  would  be  welcome  to  her  ? 
Evidently  the  woman's  disinterestedness 
has  increased  the  prophet's  desire  to  do 
somcthiDg  for  her.  And  Gehazi  answered, 
Verily  she  hath  no  child,  and  her  husband 
is  old.  It  does  not  appear  that  the  woman 
had  made  any  complaint  or  exhibited  any 
special  anxiety  on  the  subject  of  offspring. 
But  Geliazi  knows  that  to  be  barren  is 
regarded  by  all  Hebrew  women  as  a  re- 
proach, that  it  exposes  them  to  scorn  and 
contumely  (1  Sam.  i.  6,  7),  and  that  offspring 
is  universally,  or  all  but  universally,  desired. 
He  tLerefore' assumes  that  the  Shunammito 
must  wish  for  it  And  Elisha  accepts  his 
suggestion  without  a  moment's  hesitation. 

Ver.  15. — And  he  said,  Call  her.  And 
when  he  had  called  her,  she  stood  in  the 
door ;  rather,  the  doorway.  The  same  word 
iu  Hebrew  stands  both  for  "  doorway  "  and 
for  "  door."  It  would  seem  that  the  woman 
came  at  once  on  being  called,  but,  out  (jf 
modesty  and  respect,  would  not  advance 
beyond  the  entrance  of  tbe  apartment. 

Ver.  16. — And  he — i.e.  Elisha  —  said, 
About  this  season,  according  to  the  time  of 
life— nithcr,  tclc-n  the  time  comes  rouiui; 
liU.r;tlly,  riritis;  i.e.  about  this  time  next 
year— thou  shalt  embrace  a  son  ;  t.e.  "a  son 
•ball  bo  born  to  thee,  whom  tliou  wilt 
embrace,  as  motlK  re  are  wont  to  do."  And 
she  said,  Nay,  my  lord,  thou  man  of  God,  do 
not  lie  unto  thine  handmaid.  Like  Sarah, 
thf  wom.m  was  iiicreilnious;  slio  could  not 
helievo  tlio  good  ticliiiK><.  ""^i  tlionght  Iho 
projihet  wa-souly  rui.->iiig  liopes  todiBapj)oiiit 
tliiin.  Her  words,  "Do  not  lio  unto  thy 
•ervunt,"  are  bsa  har.-h  in  the  ori^'inal,  being 
iDtn.ly  equiv.ilont  to  the  "Do  nut  deceive 
uie  "  of  %i  r.  'ZH. 

\iT.  17.— And  the  woman  eonoeived,  and 
bare  a  son  at  that  icnson  that  Elisha  had 
uid  unto  hor,  according  to  the  time  of  life; 
rutin  r,  ait  Iho  llfvihnl  Viirsion  ^'V'"  '''" 
[(inidiip-,  the  Vfniinn  nmrrived,  and  barn  a 
niH  III  thfil  intmn.  v^hrii  lite  limr  rtime  rtiuud, 
at  FAitha  hml  mid  unto  hrr.  'i'lm  ovi  nl  wiw 
i-xiirlly  uM  pri<licl<<l:  tho  cliiM  wan  \h>tu  ut 
l]i<-  Nunio  »<  aNoii  of  tlin  KtiHiiiii^  yiiir. 

Vur.  IH. — And  whnn  the  child  win  ffrown 
—  not  (rr')wn  vji,  lor  Im  wiut  itlill  a"cliild" 
/vera  <'iO,  HI,  .i'l,  i^f),  but  (^rowii  in  bo  m 
Ixiy,  jx-rlitipn  four  or  flvo  yiini  ol<l  It  foil 
tin  k  Any,  thit  ho  went  out  to  hit  fnther  to 
the  reopori.  'i  li"  r<>rnfl>  Mii  nl>oiil  hliumia 
iiirn/'l  ll,o  a/liiiirnlion  of  tr«vill<'r».  Tlio 
bualtiTid  of  Itin  hliuiininirilt«,  tlm  owner  of 
»'V«r.il,  wiu  ill  otiA  of  tliPin.  iiii|><  riiit<  Inline 
tJ>«  cutiinK  of  bU  ouru  bj  Um  rm^xira ;  ami 


the  boy  joined  him  there,  as  he  had  probably 
often  done  before.  Country  cbildren  delight 
in  watching  the  various  operations  of  tha 
farmstead. 

Ver.  19. — And  he  said  nnto  his  father,  My 
head,  my  head.  Sunstroke  was  common  in 
Palestine  (Ps.  cxxi.  6 ;  Isa.  xlix.  10 ;  Judith 
viii.  2,  3),  and  would  be  most  frequent  and 
most  fatal  at  the  time  of  harvest.  The  cry 
of  the  ciiild  is  at  once  most  touching  and 
most  natural.  And  he  said  to  a  lad ;  literally, 
to  the  lad — probably  the  lad  who  bad 
attended  the  "  young  master  "  to  the  field. 
Carry  him  to  his  mother;  i.e.  take  him 
indoor.<»,  and  let  his  mother  see  to  him.  No 
wiser  directions  could  have  been  given. 

Ver.  20. — And  when  he  had  taken  him, 
and  brought  him  to  his  mother,  he  sat  on 
her  knees  till  noon.  It  was  in  the  morning, 
therefore,  that  the  child  received  his  sun- 
stroke— an  unusual,  but  not  an  unknown, 
occurrence.  In  the  l^'ast  the  sun  often  be- 
comes intensely  hot  by  ten  o'clock.  And 
then  died.  Tliere  is  no  ambiguity  here,  no 
room  for  doubt ;  the  child  not  only  became 
insensible,  but  died.  The  historian  could 
not  possibly  have  expressed  hi^uiself  more 
plainly. 

Ver.  21. — And  she  went  up,  and  laid  him 
on  the  bed  of  the  man  of  God.  One  can;)(^t 
be  certain  what  thoiiglits  were  working  in 
the  poor  beroavid  mother's  heart ;  hut 
probably  she  eutcituiued  sonio  vaguo  notion 
that  the  prophet  might  bo  able  to  resusci- 
tate hor  chil  I,  and  thouglit  that,  until  his 
presence  could  be  obtained,  the  next  In  st 
thing  was  to  )ilace  tlie  child  where  tho  pro- 

Iihot's  presenoo  had  hilily  boon.  Elijah 
lad  placed  on  his  own  bed  the  child  whom 
ho  RHlorid  to  lifo(l  Kings  xvii.  1'.));  imd 
tho  fuel  may  imvo  been  known  to  tlu'  Shu- 
naniinito.  Nho  certainly  did  not  expect 
UHTe  contact  with  tho  beil  to  resuscitate  hot 
child.  And  shut  tho  door  upon  him.  Either 
that  tho  body  shouKl  not  bo  diuturlMxl,  or 
rather  that  tho  (Iculh  ehonhl  not  be  known. 
It  ia  clriir  thiit,  from  wlmtevcr  niotiv(>,  the 
woiimn  wiHhcd  to  conceal  tho  liciith  of  tho 
child  until  ulio  hud  hocu  what  Eli^iia  c>>ul<l 
do  for  Iter.  (She  neither  (old  her  buHhund 
nor  thu  Hcrvnnt  wiio  accompanied  her.  And 
wont  out;  ir.  quitted  thu  pi'0|)|R't'ii  apuit- 
Uicnt,  cloHiii;.:  tho  liiMir  iih  hIio  ijuittrd  it. 

Ver.  '22  -  And  Bho  cullod  unto  hor  hus- 
band, and  Bnid,  Siiiul  mo,  I  pray  Ihuu,  ono  of 
tho  young  nion,  aud  ono  of  tho  aiioi.  Sue 
"culled  U)  luT  btiHliiiiid  "  from  Iho  Iiouho, 
without  iMklling  hliii  iiilothn  Iioiiho,  exprena- 
iii^  her  doiiiro  ii<  wmi  lOlifhn,  witlioul  i-tut  ui^; 
tlio  iilijoot  of  her  viHil,  mill  uHk(><i  for  (lie 
nee<'HHiiry  riilinf<-uiiiiiiiil  niid  t'Hoort.  The 
lienreitl  part  ol  Ouriiiel  wan  at  leimt  foiirleeii 
or  lllleeii  tiiilea  fruiii  l->huiH<iii,  ho  that  hIio 
could  not  wuik.     That  I  may  run— t.a.  hailnn 


M.  IT.  1-441 


TBI  aniTtNP  HrV>K  OP  T1IB  KIKOA. 


Mfktf4ll 

Vat    Sa     4ai   k«   tmU.  WfcWifcti   «Ul 
gbsi  ff*  U   kUB    «»-4«y  t  U    M  IMtfcir   ••• 

1<»M  aha*  ■ftAwilly  IK*  f^'yh^u  ««• 
kkk  MM  illMlii  bf 
f^oa  IW  MigfthodHMMj : 
«Wl  mU  ika  vMt  «/  Klui.*  t  11*  karl 
lillnlij  M  Mm  UmI  Uir  c4iU  «M  dc»a 
Plvkftblj  U  Ua  »v.t  imlianl  to  :  kmmclt 
Iftiai  !«  w^  la  aaj  <l*i«c«r  4a4  •k*  Mt4. 
11  aUU  U  vaU.  Bba  iMmad  tU»  aiacU 
«««4  dUMM.  UumdHj,  "pmamT  Urt  «a»l. 
Uka  IW  «■■■■  f«r.  «  tka  Bi^hb  *aU 
H|||^*  I*  anaiHl  Mi(»|aii«r  «ttl««l  glTtaf 
iSr*  Aaiaii*  MW      Attd  tba  ka.tMk] 


aad  dkl  aol  pf«M 
fc*  a*  a«tUinlt—  Tba  mm  aai  Ilia  Mr> 
vaal  ««••  pUoa4  aA  bar  iMfiil  «liba«l 


tk^  ^^  »>4«irf(l«.-«MMadtoh*addla4'0 

U0  m** —O^  fmitic^lxt  uittaal  wkiabb«b«a> 
bMKi  bad  pW  ^iuaial      Aai  mU 

t*  bar  MrraBU  .  .  .  .  («  iarmmri ;  Lt. 
*«(  tb*  aa*  u>  lu-^-iU^i,  aaJ  thas  pcoifc^d 
ale».it  ;  ftrwa'd."  la  Ut«  lUat,  aaab  doakav 
bM  tto  Ofirar.  vbo  aa«i  U  !•  ■wtioB.  aad 


tU  paaa.    Tba  lidat  laavaa  all  t» 

MMk  Ml  U17  liiiaff  fw  Ma-nUbat, 

aM  Ml  Ibi  riiM^  (KMiaad  TanbaiX 

at.  rfMbM  M<  f  fidimm ;  lja.**4o  »al  laaaM 

lU  |Ma  «#  B7  ndiac    -«>Mrl  I  bU  tbaaL 

Tar.  Ml    ta  ika  vatt  aad  aasa  ibU  tba 

,  afa4  to  Maaal  f>ir»ai     Ouaal  vm 


la  HUM  vbat  GaM4  te4  hMB  ft*  Bikk 
la  Ua  avl J  <Ut»-«  pkM  fw  aaUlMy  atfM- 
■Mial  aad  ■arfHattaii.  wbaaa^  ttm  baai  dia- 
ftMbawM^  ba  al^  bald  aiMiaaioa  vilb 
aadwIlbOad.    ll  «m  Ml  mmI  far 


Ua  Jtiniflii  la  tanwia  apoa  bla  IbMi^  as* 
Mfla*  ilaftad  itaaa^  vtiM  Mlliiihf  wim 
Mdal  UaaMi4(«M  iatmAmltkm  aaifir 

vwabift.  Aai  II  aaaa  •*!•••  ^^"^  ^ba 
■■■  m  9mi  aaw  bar  ate  alT- :  rr 


ua.  oriiiBg  lc«B. 
x'*^r*>.  LXX.)    tkU  baaaiAu  Q^k^u 
aarra&u  librii,  Tottdor  to  tbat  Ibaaaaaua. 
Tba  iifjbal  kaicrv  bar  ai  •  ' 


baUy  bv  bar  anii*  aU  aant^i,  Wa  mt 
Mtbar.  DOM  bar  bMbaad^  «aHa  la  w.  B, 
ftalibavM  aMaT  tboMvbabad  b«c«  ar- 
ia I  till!  lb*  gilbanac*  aa  ••• 


Tar.  M.— S«a  mv.  I  ffj  tbaa.  U 
fta;  aB4  aaj  nu  bar.  la  it  vaU  wUb  tbaal 
bilvaUvllb  tb7baabaa41  k  It  vaU  vUk 

tba  abiyt     lUiaba  tmU  Ibal  *■ 


ba  aaartbtar  tba  aaltar.  te     m  1  fkr  r« 
Mbati*  .'  hi  kirn  m>  mmm  -. 

ba|»u«<.  •  u  k  .^w  aMI  Ma  Immo*.   ' 

alaad  af  waili^   far   1^   a  aia'a  •• 

b»  l^to  bM  awaal  »«Bi  aW  aak  vWi   ..  — 

•Ml  ba*a  b«|ina  d  r  r.««  fc,  l^>        u.  k« 

ktt»ba  ^    of    Id    I  .•  ■■:     1.x 

ll  to  9^.  ><  '•    .i 

aW*i  (••«    ^ 

PaMik     lalaa  1^ 

p«|  (^  1..'^..    •«.!  ,.   ,   .4^>*..  »>.•>>■'   ta 
aair  c  Mt  f 

Vrf  vMa  aba  aaaa  la  Iba  ■■■ 

af  Oa4    U   iM   biU     i%kkK4.  UU   ia^*n««  | 
La.  CbraMl,  •!«#•  KIi^Ih.'.  f^>A>i.>r  «••  - 
iba  «Micbt   bia  ky    ■. 
STUl    t;^.    Ma/k    t    2. 
41  i  Jaba  &..  »>     ll  fa*.  «<.*.. 
la  tba  laal  la  aaihaMa  tba 
kaai^  ta  aa4«r  to  aiM  faaaa  to  t 
B«l  OabaiA  aaaM  aaar  to  tbf«*(  «    • 

11a  rrcM^' Iba  Ml  aa  u*a  aa>l  ./ 

or  wmimlj  iaiparMaato»  aad  uiu^."^.  to 
prulaal  aM  mImm  hto  mmaUi  AM  tba 
■aa  of  Oai  aal4.  Lai  bar  aiaM;  fa*  bar 
aa«l  te  avai  vtlUa  bar  Kltoba  vmM  m« 
bava  Iba  wnwia  dialufbad.  Ila  mm  iku 
•ba  «a«  la  daep  dutrtaM.  aad.  If  Ibin  >  »« 
aaytitiQc  anan^r  la  )«ar  aattoa  aan  M.a^ 
to  tba  a(^•alto  of  tba  tim\  aitaaai  it  to 
ber  iwefMmd  giiat  aad  duiiMUaa.  Tbo 
nidlMrj  adad  waalarato  aMwiMiathtai  ; 
tbaavariar  aiad  faaaM  vb<«  to  ba  ab»M 
tbaaa.  4al  tba  Larl  baib  bid  H  ft«B  a^ 
al  told  aa.  UoJ  b»l  au*  a- 
Ktfaha,  b^  lavmfd  adfaaaloM  iOa- 
L,  of  tba  UhkcM  oT  ii>a  eiuid.  ur  iia 


da>tii,  or  tba  wild  ^.40*  •t.m:i<  la  tba 
a>Mad  aMibar'a  auad.  vioea  ladawA  bar 
fta^ikahw  laM 
W-  .»— I  «a«  feS 

a  liaut  to  iM  aur*c«laaa;  aad 
tu  .L^Mj  ha  Ukrnt  hj  a  iittla  lai|alry 
at*  Ut;  i^clv  wnmaamnaiaj  aaaarMli  r^'.w 
Var  ttu— TbM  aba  aald.  Md  I  daax.-.  \ 
anafBTlardl  did  1  aal  aay. Da  aal  daaaiva 
■a  I  Tba  wnaiiB  doM  at4  d^taellj  waaal 
bar  gnat  Oraal  aonow  la  laoaawt.  raaa< 
awlara  to  pal  iUmU  tato  varvU.  Hal  aba 
aalBi-toady  hutbialiM  tM  aaiwa  ml  Mr 
tMabla  bj  tba  fana  d/ bar  fafH«Mb.  -Did 
laafcfcraaMr  IHi  1  aa^ba  iM|lilHad 
tyikilrt ■?    Hadlr 


aad  ililaiaid  ay  aoa  of  tbM  by  awMit  aab- 
ii^  1  aoald  al  WaM  cnapfalMd.     Baildid 


■olaak.    1  dtd  aai  aMa  aaMab  jtMttIt  al  tM 
Idaaanad.     I  aaid.  •  Oa  aal  dc«a(«« 


daraif*  aa.  Tu«  bMl  baf«  tba  awd  af 
aruauaa  to  tba  oa/.  aad  bi«ibaa  «  to  iba 
MM.  It  la  ffaaur  aaarj  to  baaa  a 
aad  laaa  bla.  tbM  aavar  to  bara  fad 


$8 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGSL         [oh.  iv.  1—44, 


at  alL"  All  this,  and  more,  seems  to  be 
involTed  in  the  woman's  words.  And  the 
prophet  fally  understood  their  meaning. 

Ver.  29. — Then  he  said  to  Gehazi,  Gird  np 
thy  loins,  and  take  my  staff  in  thine  hand, 
and  go  thy  way:  if  thou  meet  any  man, 
salute  him  not;  and  if  any  salute  thee, 
answer  >iiTn  not  again.  The  object  of  all 
these  injunctions  is  haste.  Lose  not  a  mo- 
ment. Go  as  quickly  as  thou  canst  to  the 
house  where  the  child  lies.  Spend  no  time 
in  greetings  on  the  way.  Slack  not  Tarry 
not  And  lay  my  staff  upon  the  face  of  th« 
child.  What  effect  the  prophet  expected 
from  this  act,  we  are  not  told.  Gehazi 
appears  to  have  expected  that  it  would  at 
once  cause  a  resuscitation  (ver,  31);  but 
there  ia  no  evidence  that  the  prophet  par- 
ticipated iu  the  expectation.  He  may  have 
done  so,  for  prophets  are  not  infallible  be- 
yond the  sphere  of  the  revelations  made  to 
them ;  but  he  may  only  have  intended  to 
comfort  and  cheer  the  mother,  end  to  raise 
in  her  an  expecfcition  of  the  resuscitation 
which  he  trusted  it  would  be  allowed  him 
to  etfect 

Ver.  30. — And  the  mother  of  the  child 
gaid,  As  the  Lord  liveth,  and  as  thy  soul 
liveth  (comp.  ch.  ii.  2,  4,  6),  I  will  not  leave 
thee.  Apparently,  the  woman  supposed 
that  l^lisha  intended  to  do  nothing  more, 
but  trust  the  child's  recovery  to  such  virtue 
as  might  inhere  in  his  stuff.  But  her  own 
resolution  was  long  ago  taken — she  would 
be  content  witlj  notliing  le.-s  than  brin^'ing 
the  prophet  fuco  to  face  with  licr  dcudcliiiii. 
Hiie  "will  not  leave"  him  till  he  cout-euta 
to  ac<om[>any  her  to  her  home.  And  he 
arose,  and  followed  her;  ti^,  no  doubt,  ho 
ha-l  inti  Tilled  from  the  lii>.t. 

V*)r.  31. — And  Gehazi  passed  on  before 
them,  and  laid  the  staff  on  the  face  of  the 
child  ;  but  tin  r«  vtm  neither  voice,  nor  hear- 
ing, (jilmzi  liid  a-i  lit:  hiid  bteii  told,  exo- 
cuted  hit  iiiin.iion  fiiithlully;  hut  tiicru  wuh 
no  iiiiniroiil  rcHuIt.  'I'iio  chikl  wua  not 
rouM^l  \>y  Iho  rtill'  l>tiiig  pi. iced  acnmH  hiu 
fcM  (!.  All  ri'iniiiiii'd  Hlill  liiid  Bilmil  us 
Irf'foro.  Althnii^h  on  hoiiio  oocHhioiiH  it 
hiiM  plciu«<  d  (••xl  to  iilldw  niirnoli'H  to  bu 
wniutrht   by   tlic  iuMlr uiui'iitality  of  lirolcHH 

ohjlK-LN,   ax    Wlll'tl    ICliHliU'tl   bolll-rt   flHUHritlltcil 

•  (JMul  niiiti  (I'h.  xiii.  21),  mid  wlicii  virtun 
Wiiit  rml  from  th«i  hern  of  our  LohI'h 
Kiiriii*  111  (Murk  v.  2,'»  -,'M),  imrl  Hlill  iiioro 
r<;rimrkiiblv,  whffi  '*  hiindln  rfhiiifii  or  iijiroiiH 
from  th<!  (mmIv  of  I'liul  with  hroiip^lit  unto 
Ihn  link,  binl  thn  iliitoaMi'it  ili<pRrtrd  from 
thmn.  snd  Ihc  ovil  npiril*  worn  i-.<st  nut  of 
th»m  "  (Ai  U  xix  12);  y\.  tlt«  iriHlnriMm  iirr, 
r. .Ill inrntiTi'ly  api  akiiiK.  rnrp,  mill  fniiii  ox- 
rvj.li  tm  io  wliMl  lumy  Iwi  niilli"!  lli«<  umntl 
I>iviiii<  rinrrooinj  of  mirA'  lr«  Miriu'lKt  nr*, 
MM    »    gauaral    rulo.   nlUuiln-l    lu    Knrl)ituro 


to  intense  unwavering  faith — faith,  som*- 
times,  in  those  that  are  the  objects  of  them, 
almost  always  in  those  tliat  are  the  workers 
of  them.  The  present  case  was  not  to  be 
an  exception  to  the  general  rule,  the  circum- 
stances not  calling  for  an  exception.  TJie 
power  of  faith  was  to  be  shown  forth  once 
more  in  Elisha,  as  not  long  previously  in 
Elijah  (1  Eangs  xvii,  19—23);  and  Israel 
was  to  be  taught,  by  a  second  marvellous 
example,  how  much  the  effectual  fervent 
prayer  of  a  faithful  and  righteous  man 
avails  with  the  Most  Hish.  The  lesson 
would  have  been  lost  had  the  staff  been 
allowed  to  effect  the  resuscitation.  Where- 
fore he — i.e.  Gehazi — went  again  to  meet 
him — i.e.  Elisha — and  told  him,  saying,  The 
child  is  not  waked.  It  is  clear  from  this, 
that  Gehaii  had  expected  an  awikening; 
but  there  is  nothing  to  show  what  the 
prophet  himself  had  expected.  We  are  cer- 
tainly not  entitled  to  conclude,  with  Peter 
Martyr,  that  "  Elisha  did  wrong  iu  attempt- 
ing to  delegate  his  power  of  working 
miracles  to  another ;  "  or  even,  with  Starke, 
that  "  Elisha  gave  the  command  to  Gohaai 
from  overhaste,. without  having  any  Divine 
incentive  to  it." 

Ver.  32. — And  when  Elisha  was  come  into 
the  honse,  behold,  the  child  was  dead,  and 
laid  upon  his  bed  (comp.  ver.  21).  The 
child  remaiued  where  his  mother  had  laid 
him. 

Ver.  83. — He  went  in  therefore,  and  shut 
the  door  upon  them  twain — that  he  might 
not  bo  interrupted  during  bis  efforts  to 
restore  the  child's  life  (comp.  ver.  4) — and 
prayed  unto  the  Lord.  Probably  his  heart 
had  been  lifted  up  in  inarticulate  prayer 
Iroin  tho  tinii^  that  he  realized  the  cnlainily 
wliich  had  befallen  the  Shunammito;  but 
now  ho  went  down  on  hia  kiioos,  and  lifted 
uj)  hia  voice  in  ontHpoken  words  of  pr.iyer. 

Ver.  34. — And  he  went  up,  and  lay  upon 
the  child,  and  put  his  mouth  upon  hia 
mouth,  and  his  eyes  upon  his  oyos,  and  hit 
hands  upon  his  hands;  following  the 
o.\ani|i1n  net  him  by  hi.s  master  an<l  privle- 
01  BH'ir,  lOlijah  (I  King.s  xvii.  21).  Tim  idea 
niay  in  both  eiiH(>H  Inivo  In-eii  to  iU  the  body 
for  rcinlmbitalioii  by  tlm  houI  (hio  ver.  22), 
through  tlie  riHlonilinii  of  wuiiiith  to  it. 
And  ho  itrotohud  himsulf  upon  tho  child; 
I'.r  liiought  hin  M.  hIi  uh  i'Ioiio  hh  hn  eould  to 
tho  tieHJi  oT  tho  i-hili|,  envi  ring  the  hoily 
and  )ireMHing  ou  it,  t^i  foroo  liiH  own  liodilv 
waimtli  to  jxiHH  into  it.  Tho  word  iihi'iI, 
n.-i;'.  In  dimTcnt  fnim  tinit  in  1  Kingn 
xvli.  21,  wliieli  Ih  ii':n>,unil  iinpliiw  u  ehiHcr 
nontiw't.  And  tho  fln*h  of  tho  oliild  waxed 
warm.  l'*liHliik'n  fffirla  Iik<I  an  rll'eot ;  l\\v 
ehilii'M  iKMJy  witH  ikiMiially  wiiriiind  by  thi  ni, 

Ver.  It.'i.  Than  bo  mturuod,  nnd  walkod 
In  tho  homo  to  and  fro  ;  litentily,  onar  u 


«.iT. I-44.J      im  noon)  lOQK  OTTO 


4ow  iL< 


•  .•littffU  • >    I 

I  Ilk  %ti]i  nmauiki  ixooc^ 

me*.  UjrUMc 

OMl  iMt  ik«a»maiu ,  t  *  laU  ha*  k>  omm 
kM%  No  tt»o  ««a  U'  bs  loal  U  fMlartng 
Um  rhiM  le  ku  B»4lkar.  »•«  th»l  b*  «m 
»U*»  M^tla.  AmA  mh»m  tk*  w%m  mom  la 
msi*  kla.  k«  mkL  Titk*  up  Uiy.aoa ;  «a  lift 
kta  afk  *ftk»  kla  la  Uilac  ar«^  tmi  Uiia  ta 
ha  »11  UiiiM  ova  oaaa  aK>f«. 

\rr  ST— naa  ak*  vaat  ta.  aa4  f«U  at 
ki»  faM.  aal  Wvai  hanaU  U  tka  fftaaaA ; 
la  aatawtaicaiial  of  Um  booa  a«fanad 
•a  bar.  la  Um  Baal  mtk  pmismd'jm  aia 
aaaaoa,  aad  daaol*  aft  ona*  fnutada  aafi 
hmmUktf.  AaA  laak  ay  kar  aaa,  aai  waal 
•■t  (Ob  «aM  lalar  flimmstaaeM  ta  Iha 
lya  of  lb*  VuaMa.  aaa  cK  tUL  l-^) 

Tata.  U— 41  — S.  f%t  kmUmf  ^  UU  ■»- 


Var.    StL-Aa4  BUaka    mm    agaU   to 

•Ugal;  ta  laruilrd  Uilgal,  wbota  ha  had 
ptartoatJy  -"    '  ^  uMatar  (ok.  IL  Ik 
Mal|« ,  ; «  oo  aaa  af  hk 

ImoIu  Tiait  iha  aabaaU 

of  tL«  {«T>p>hat«.  4&d  iht-re  wm  a  iaartk 
ta  Ika  lamA— probftUy  th«  dearth  a^aia 
m»0ovoi*rd  is  eh.  viii  1  — aad  tka  Mat  if 
tka  praphaU  vm>  licUAf  b«f  ora  kiat  8eMa 
iMarfata  "Um  mb*  vt  tka  Hoaka 
«riik  Mb-  (YbIcM^  Latkat;  BUm 
lav)  :  but  (mr  vmioa  u  i>roljAblT 
TfcaLXX 
xvl  1 ;  1X1  •  .    ;.i 

<3B*y  OOr*  »•/    Wva   lb*    Ml— HHia  of   **  all- 

Hac  la  tka  ptaw  m  r4  %  pM«oa."  Aa4  ka 
mlA  aato  ki*  m.  ^  -  . a tkafiaaft  M— 
ia.  Ik«  MM  gT«c :  .  tkaia  voald  ha 

la  Ika  ki^w  >t .  •««uM  pattofa  fcr  Iha 
MMaf  Ika  ■iiiiH  Baaa  la  a  bMiaa 
ftkfia  waaM  faa  aaoM  vagalaklM  ptodaead 
an  «ki«h  life  Mif  bt  ba  *aaiaiwaii 

Var.  IVW-  lad  «aa  vaat  aat  Uu  tka  laU 
ti  fMkar  k«W  Oaa  aC  iha  mm  af  tka 
■Miitrti.  pmbakiy.  vaal  act  iato  tka  aaigk- 
Mffaf  aaaiilij,  afad  lankad  ahoat  far  aa j 
vfldlMlB  ar  fgilihlM  Ikat  ha  aoald  Ma 
aavwkaNu  Aal  fa«^  a  wild  vlaa.  Nui  a 
vtld  ffiapa  Tiar  ( fiau  lilnwuX  Iha  frail 
of  vkiok  auald  kava  kMa  harwIaM,  bat 
MMa  aaaarWlaaBoa*  plaat,  a  ilk  taadrtU, 
•ad  a  aiaalk  Mka  Ikaft  al  tka  via*  dad 
gilknad  tkwaiir  vUd  faafda  Tha  aaw« 
itedaf  antdM 


Mflya^atoi 

»ar"^^  Ml— dad  ta  l>» 

aambar"  tf  BaflUk  aalatalkto     n.M  to  a 

kiLii   iJ  a*>arvi     li>«    iry.  t    -4   ■..>•-'     !•   •*•• 


-to    rru 

aad  •• 
tia  fa»v««, 
tioavMkU 

la  a  fuufvl  . 

(tOUb  t 

atM  <-'  - 


tic  I  Af  fall  ;   ••   cbk 

earr  <    i'     u.«  I****,  OT  U^KV  f 

or  •(.•wl  Aad  Maa  aad  • 
tka  pat  af  paUafa:  hit  ii 
aat ;  Ca  iha  ana*  tt  Ikr 

bj   aitd  tmw 


tk« 

«14 


IkM  vara  aai 

t«r  46.— da  tkar  paaiad  aal  far  tka  aaa 
to  Mt  Aad  tl  aaaa  to  paaa.  aa  tkay  vara 
aatiaf  af  tka  paaaf%  that  tkay  anad  a«t 
aad  laid.  0  thoa  maa  af  Oad.  tbM«  ia  daatk 
la  tka  pot  Eitberlba  hitter  ftsTrmrkihnaod 
tbna,  or  thej  bp«^n  tu  f««-!  -  'fCMa 

ahal  tkaj  b«i  •w»Jlo««i.  «  .  ••« 

aolaajBlk,  Might  tarr  aooa  ti^r*  pt><iaaad 
■iBMank  lakiara— fcia.  Baaklaf. ftaarfhas 
at  OBM  to  ika  aorMl  poaaibU  aappaaitMaw 
tkaj  aaaeladad  that  tkaj  ««*a  poiaraad. 
aad  asfllalMod.  -  O  maa  ot  God,  tkrra  la 
death  ia  tka  pot  I  *  -  If  ««tr«  la  aay  larga 
qaaaiitj."  mt*  K*<I.  "ojiopTolha  Mtfte 
MailTprodn  ~     Aad  tkay  aaald  aai 

•at  thMvof .  ^Id  aet  aaoHaaa  to 

aal  ti>«  potu^^— «..  . ..  fip«d  aaltBir 

Vc/.  41— Bat  ka  aaid.  Tkaa  bnag  aaai 
Eluha  aoc-aa  aoi  to  ttafr  bcsiuinl  for  a 
Motooat.  ProMpI  aiMaan  a  Mual  bo  lakaa. 
if  piaanwtm  ia  aaaa  aacpartad.  Ho  kaa 
BMal  broaifht— B<^4  that  aMal  kaa  »aT  virtaa 
la  liMlf  agaiBol  aatoayiiik.  v*  ■c*iMt  aay 
atkrr  daittarMM  dnw  Bat  ba  aato^  acF« 
M  alvayiw  aadM  INviaa  difaatiou.  bmI  u 
laatnMicd  to  bm  Maal  oa  tkia  imnaMna.  aa 
kr  aaad  mU  tti  haaliBf  Lb«  armtrr*  /  JrfMka. 
Tba  r^rrmi  M  Kail  •••aarvta.  *  »lcbt  aaM»> 
*  '*    tka  bin  rawa  aiid    i^wnoaa 

(,  -Um  fc^atahle,-  «b>lr«rr  It  ai^ 

bui  ^vutu  aoi  poatthlj  l«kv  ikt«a  aatiwiy 
aaajr.  .  .  .  TWa  Maal,  ih 

faudof  MBB,  aaaealr  tbe<mTtl.'T  aal 
far   tka   veckii.^  of   r 
vkiak  Haaanl«d   fro*  ^a 

Ika  aaaVcMB faad  parfaeil j  «:^c«3aa.*    Aad 
ka  aMl  it  iMa  tka  pM :   aad  ka  aatd.  raar 
aat  aav  far  tka  paapla 
ly  af  aaM  al  Ika  I 


TO 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.         [oh.  iv.  1—44. 


may  eat.  And  there  was  no  harm  in  the 
pot.  Such  as  had  faith  in  Elisha,  and 
continued  to  eat  of  the  pottage,  found  no 
ill  result.  What  they  ate  did  them  no 
harm. 

VerB.  42—44.-4.  The  feeding  of  m 
hundred  men  on  twenty  havet. 

Ver.  42. — And  there  came  a  man  from 
Baal-shalisha.  "  Baal-shalisha  "  is  reason- 
alily  identitied  with  the  "  Beth-shalisha " 
of  Eusehius  and  Jerome,  which  they  place 
twtlve  Roman  miles  north  of  Diospolis,  or 
Lydda  (now  Lndd).  By  "  north  "  we  must 
probably  understand  •'  north-eaat,"  since  the 
"land  of  Shalisha"  lay  between  the  terri- 
tories of  Ephraim  and  Benjamin  (1  Sam. 
ix.  4).  The  position  thus  indicated  would 
not  be  veiy  far  from  the  Gilgal  (Jiljilieh)  of 
ch.  ii.  ana  iv.  38.  And  brought  the  man 
of  Ood  bread  of  the  firstfroits.  It  is  clear 
that  the  more  pions  among  the  Israelites 
not  only  looked  to  the  propheti  for.  religions 
instruction  (ver.  28),  but  regarded  them 
as  having  inlierited  the  position  of  the 
L<vitical  priests  whom  Jeroboam's  inno- 
vations liad  driven  from  the  country.  The 
firstfruits  of  com,  wine,  and  oil  were  a»- 
•i^ned  by  the  Law  (Numb,  xviii.  13  ;  Deut. 
xviii.  4,  5)  to  the  priests.  Twenty  loaves 
of  barley.  The  "  loaves  "  of  the  Israelites 
wtre  cakes  or  rolls,  ratlier  than  "loaves" 
ill  the  modern  sense  of  the  word.  Each 
partaker  of  a  meal  usually  had  one  for  him- 
Btilf.  Naturally,  twmty  **  loaves"  would  be 
liareiy  wulTicient  for  twenty  men.  And  full 
ears  of  com ;  i.e.  a  few  ripe  cars  of  the 
■itme  Of)rM  oh  that  whereof  the  bread  was 
ma<le.  Eiir»  of  com  worn  offered  ub  first- 
fruits  at  the  PiiHHover  (Lev.  xxiii.  10),  and 
were  refj.irded  na  the  moHt  natural  and 
becoming    tokens   of    gratitude    for   God'i 


harvest  merciea  In  the  husk  thereof; 
rather,  in  hit  bug,  or  in  his  sack  (see  tlie 
Revised  Version).  And  he  said,  Give  unto 
the  people — i.e.  to  the  sons  of  the  prnp!iet« 
who  dwelt  at  Gilgal— that  they  may  eat. 

Ver.  43. — And  Mb  servitor  said.  What, 
should  I  set  this  before  an  hundred  men  ? 
The  servant  felt  that  the  quantity  was  quite 
insufficient,  and  thought  it  absurd  io  invite 
a  hundred  men  to  sit  ilown  to  a  mail  which 
would  not  satisfy  a  fifth  of  the  number; 
but  Elisha  repeated  his  command.  He  said 
again.  Give  the  people,  that  they  may  eat. 
This  time,  however,  he  added  an  expla- 
nation of  the  proceeding:  for  thus  saith 
the  Lord,  They  shall  eat,  and  shall  leave 
thereof.  God  had  supernaturally  intimated 
to  him  that  the  quantity  of  food  would 
prove  ample  for  the  hundred  men ;  they 
would  show  that  they  had  had  enough  by 
leaving  some  of  it.  And  the  result  was  as 
predicted. 

Ver.  44. — So  he  set  it  before  them,  and 
they  did  eat,  and  left  thereof,  according  to 
the  word  of  the  Lord.  We  are  not  expressly 
told  how  the  miraelo  was  wrought,  whether 
by  an  augmentation  of  the  quantity  of  the 
food  supernaturally  produced,  or  by  a  les- 
sening of  the  appetites  of  the  men,  as  Hiilir 
supposes.  But  the  analogy  of  our  Lord's 
miracles  of  feeding  the  multitudes,  whereof 
this  is  a  manifest  type,  makes  it  probable 
that  in  this  case  also  there  was  a  miraculous 
increase  of  the  foo<l.  The  object  of  the 
writer  in  communicating  the  account  is 
certainly  not  merely  to  show  how  the  Lord 
cared  for  his  servants,  but  to  relate  another 
miracle  wrought  by  I'lisha,  of  a  different 
kind  from  those  pn>viously  r<  lated.  Ho  is 
occupied  with  Elisha's  miracles  through 
this  entire  ohunt^r  «nd  through  thtt  three* 
next. 


HOMILETIC58. 

VcrH.  1 — 7. —  Hif  need  of  Ifit  rightemin  never  fosdken  by  God.  Tho  whole  -rround  o{ 
ap[H-al  on  which  the  |i<>or  widow  relies,  and  which  proves  su  entirely  ade(|iiate,  i.s  the 
fidelity  li<  (hnl  of  her  doceaHcd  husljand.  '* 'I'hy  servant  my  huHbaml  is  dead  :  and  thou 
knowenl  that  thy  servant  did  har  the  Ixjrd  "  (vur.  1).  She  u.ssuine.H  thai  Klislia  is  on 
thi"  account  alinoHt  bound  t<>  inlerlero  on  behalf  of  tho  man's  two  mmH,  who  arc  in 
dan  e<  of  U  iii>{  carri'^i  int*!  HJavcry.  And  lOlisha  allows  the  validity  of  her  claim,  and 
■trai(fhtway  c-meii  to  their  relief.  Tlie  example  may  well  re<Mll  tho  emphatic  wonls  of 
the  iifulitiiHl,  which  the  iidni.>t4T  atid  direclur  cannot  too  HtrMu^ly  impresH  on  anxious 
atid  doubling  motherH,  "  I  have  \H:fU  young,  and  now  am  old;  and  yul  saw  I  n(<ver  Ihu 
rlKl''"©""  fortuiken,  nor  bin  »<c<l  iKjggiiig  their  broiul "  (I'h.  xxxvii.  25).  A  bleHsing  rests 
opon  the  MM.M1  of  th'   nnlilroiiB — 

I.  Ht  Divine  muiiuhk.  "  I  the  Lord  ihy  Qod  am  a  jenlouR  God,  visitini^  tho  Ini- 
■  uity  of  th<-  fKthfTm  ojon  the  cliildren  unto  the  third  and  Tourth  genet ation  of  thetn 
tl»at  hat'''  mn  ;  aii'l  tKutuinij  mrrrt/  uulo  thouHimln  of  them  tlml  lnvr  me,  aiiil  keep  my 
'<»mmiindrnent«  "  (Ei<>d.  n.  f),  H)  ;  "The  mercy  <if  the  Lor.j  \t<  frum  eMerln-timj  to  ever- 
I'Utimf  upon   thsrn   thai  f««r  hiiu,  uwl  his  righlvoujtuusN  unto  children  i  iW/<ir«n''  (I'lk 


«.  IV.  1-44.]         TBI  nOOVD  BOOI  OF  THE   Kl.SUii  n 


|T)t  *1\*  dilkirM  of  U17  iMiilt  iMI  iniM^  M^  ik^  a^  dkdl  W  «li^ 
_^d  Mum  Um« -  (I'.,  ai  S8X 
II.   Hi  -     '  »T«»  ISVUI.VSA  n  Ooo*i   "        -    rtoo.     Aft        f    '         fuL«rkau4 

llMir  iHkAvMik    ThMi  Uut  b«*  bun  Im  will  kotr^  •»!  wtU  i«r««ri  Uma  mkmm  U 


olkM,  dkJM  i^Imi,  muAm  bio  drvtow  wir^  dcfttrt  frooi  rtfbfn— ^  lao^A' 
4tm«  4o««  apo*  fciniMlf  OuJ*a  r?.a^t.MiaMiUi  but  !•  Uk>  ri^i  Lo«  v!l..  .^  o 
vfaoOy  kll  kw^jr,  ooipU>i>>  <<  I— ma  of  kk  jo^ 

pifiiu.  xhc  iixvtuA*  mt  o*f*i  oil  Into  kb  miad  k>     ■ 

MM  by  «  latduai  duw  b«  boouoM  •  UM|ib«nMr,  or  hi  imMwvr,  or  ■■  ^ 

Mrdatt».  Bo«  lAan,  ua  lb*  o(W  baad, 4u«  b«  Iwodw  Craa  frwvoo* 

raiarM  le  i^d.  i«t»oL  ■mwirf.  aad  **  do  tb*  iM  wurlu  *  I    Oudli  tMdar  oor*  »ix 
MVW  tbo  «bililt«i  at  lb*  rtcbicuua  tfom  bapftnc  >k«lr  fart^i.  or  fiftiliag  bUo  ml«<M  .; 
iMliaa,  bal  vaicbo*  ow  ibalr  aptnuud  woliuv,  mmI  ia  a  ibrmiid  arajB  eback*  li^u/ 
wamitmk^tt  ■■»■  iban  froia  ibair  vril  ouwaaa.  and  at  laai  bria^i  tboM  to  hinmH 


V«nL  8—^. — OtiUmm  Aaa.  la  a  Jarm  mitmt,  tk$  yrttmim  ^f  lAi$  li^  m  watt  m» 
Iki  1^  I*  OMna.    TU«  **  ^uud  ttbtUUunmTto  "  aud  bar  btubaad  ai«  vxa<upU>  at  ih»  u 
vbbb  b  OMTe  eotnnMB  tliau  oms  ai«  apt  to  allow,  batweoa  \*«ij  atxi  pr  •{wttjr. 


bava  aotbiiig  baroto  abuui  tham,  Dothiaf  otti  «t  tba  omniaijiai  '^^'^  ***  aabtin  ti»i 
■iiil»«lBai  P'^opK  dwaUuig  la  a  qalat  aeantry  abti^  fwmiac  oa  a  Okudvaia  aoala.  «  iia 
a  aoMfBTtobU  booaa  of  thair  owbi,  dwaUiac  eootaaiadlj  amad  ihtkr  Uboann  aad  iLmu 


own,  dwaUiaf  eootaaiadlj 
Bat  tbaj  aia  aoc  laod^vad  aelfiab  or  vorldlj  oiiadad  by  ibi«r 
poipmij.  ~Tht»y  (mI  aad  admit  tba  eUima  c/  raUgioa  «poo  tbMk  la  BlMba  it«y 
raafl^iaa  a  "naa  oT  Ood;'  Aral,  It  would  Mem.  lAekllv.  Am  tba  oIBcmI  ra|if»- 
Mletiii  to  tbam  el  tb«  Mom  Bigb,  thaj  rafcard  him  m  aaHUad  to  kladaiw  aad  htm^*- 
lality.  Tbej  prcM  up>.«o  Lim  their  p.«jd  uflioM,  iiiSirt  oa  liM  ukiug  hie  akral*  viib 
tbam,  "eucuiraiB  him  to  eai  br«*d  "  (rer.  8X  When  by  defraa*  they  bave  bro.«toa 
eOkiu&iDteii  wiib  bi*  ebareetar,  they  rocugniie  io  him  eomelbing  mcta  tbey  *  petceiva 
ti^  beUe  Wy  maaof  Ood''(Ter.  9X  Lake  ie  peroaivad  by  tike.  It  lakai  aoma  beli* 
umt  lu  peroei«o  aad  raoofuiae  hiJirwe.  Aad  iba  vene\4kM  raieea  a  deaiia  far  grmtm 
mtimacy.  Like  deiirea  like.  It  eriil  ba  a  blaaead  thing  if  tbay  oaa  paraoftda  ibe  pro* 
iJmi,  not  aaaraly  to  L&ke  ao  ooaeeionel  meal  ia  tbair  bo— ^  bat  la  ba  aa  01 
■■■H    tn  i«at  tbera,  to  elrep  tbara.    80  tb*  waaaa  propoaee  to  bar  baabaad 


tobiKM 
tba  pRpbol  a  ileaplag  chtmber ;  and  he  readily  ouoaeaie,  ap^ttfantljr  wiiboat  a  mii- 
(ear.  10^     Ue  la  niiiaar  jaakMU,  dot  »tiug7,  nor  Ul-o*tuf«a.    Tb*  wnmaa  bae  ber 
aad  bar  kiadly  aafia  la  ftatifiad  bv  tba  fraqoeBt  pfe*aiioa  a#  tba  fodly  aaa,  • 
iriitolniiiiM  aba  attaada  oa  aabbatba  aad  boly  day*  (ear.  28>    Aad  aov  bar  ^ 
wUab  bae  baaa  wboUy  dkiolHartad.  laoaiet*  aa  aartbly  lavaid.    TIm  dlagtM^     / 
bvtaaaam  bt  at  tba  pnipbatf*  latatoaadon,  reaovad  froai  bar,  aad  aba  obtaiaa  tbi  b  <«•• 
1^  of  i<h|iili»     Nay,  atora.    TVaiKb  daatb  iwiuiw  bar  nlfc|ali,  ba  b  laaiurad  lo 
bar,  iaDdar*d  dntblT  praebMM  by  kavia^  a**aMd  to  b*  far  aver  kal    Tbe  waU4iawTad 
BftiaBarity  of  bararlf  ^'A  Lu>l  And  culu^uiuaa  ia  tbb  bappy  raaloratiea.  wbbb  paia  tb* 
■abUag  loaeb  to  i  lad  laekad  oaly  tbb  eroemiaf  )oy.    Aad  aa  ii 

b  ia  bfa  ^aarmlly.  od  nacadly,  boi  tba  fodly  aWs  are  **  ntw»rd«d 

*Aar  tb*ir  deeemi  .  _>.     Uaay  rirtuei^  af.  boaarty,  aobfiatir,  iadur  ■< 

^«udaaoa,  bar*  at..  :■    drew  tu  tbeir  poMOMor  a  nnaiiHireMi  ab«.r    ( 

ilue  wurkfVi  gooda;  *.  Itabnneiy, draakaaaaaK  Idbaaaii.  imarmiiui^ 

have  •  uataral  laaid  s^^d*  wbaa  poaaeaaad  aad  pr««eat  tbair  aaa»> 

■abHaa.    Ouadae»  ua  wapaat  aad  BBieaa  ul  otber  awa ;  aad 

Iha  lanaot  aad  a*('  u  varioa*  way*  to  oar  wurVily  edr*ataca> 

llaa  plaea  bk-  '  m  ih»  aagodly,  aai  Aaattoo*  uf  trxM  arr ,  L* 

pan,  uiuat  weaadi  tbaeoaiidaradae  of  tbe  I».<uk« 

**TW  uiaott^  aad  bb  aar*  ar*  opaa  aata 

tbabavjibui  v.  daava'C^  mir.  11,  ie)s 

•■afoadtbiLA  •  ~c  oprigbUy  "  (hk  luxiT.  U> 


72  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.         [oh.  iv.  1—44 

And  the  entire  restilt  is  that,  upon  the  whole,  even  in  this  life,  right  conduct,  goodness* 
piety,  have  the  advantage  over  their  opposites,  and  that  happiness  and  misery  are  liis- 
tributed,  even  here,  very  much  "according  to  men's  deserving" — not,  of  course,  with- 
out exceptions,  even  numerous  exceptions — but  still  predominantly,  so  that  the  law 
holds  good  as  a  general  one,  that  "  godliness  hath  the  promise  of  this  life."  Our  blessed 
Lord  went  so  far  as  to  say,  "  There  is  no  man  that  hath  left  house,  or  brethren,  or 
sisters,  or  father,  or  mother,  or  wife,  or  children,  or  lands,  for  my  sake,  and  the  gospel's, 
but  he  shall  receive  an  hundredfold  now  in  this  time,  houses,  and  brethren,  and  sisters, 
and  mothers,  and  children,  and  lands,  with  persecutions;  and  iu  the  world  to  come 
eternal  life  "  (Mark  x.  29,  30). 

Vers.  27 — 31. — Limits  to  inspiration.  Many  men  seem  to  suppose  that  the  pro» 
phetical  inspiration,  the  Divine  afflattis,  whatever  it  was,  which  God  vouchsafed  i* 
times  past  to  his  prophets,  apostles,  and  evangelists,  was  absolutely  unlimited — a  sort  of 
omniscience,  at  any  rate  omniscience  on  all  those  subjects  on  which  they  spoke  or  wrote. 
But  Scripture  lends  no  sanction  to  this  supposition.  "  Let  her  alone,"  says  Elisha  to 
Grehazi ;  "  for  her  soul  is  vexed  within  her :  and  the  Lord  hath  hid  it  from  me,  and  hath 
not  told  me"  (ver.  27).  Ignorance  of  the  future  would  also  seem  to  underlie  the  instruc- 
tions dven  to  Gehazi  in  ver.  29.  And  there  are,  in  point  of  fact,  limitations  to  every 
prophet's  knowledge  even  with  respect  to  the  things  concerning  which  he  writes  or 
speaks.  "  Now,  behold,"  says  St.  Paul,  "  I  go  bound  in  the  spirit  unto  Jerusalem,  not 
kiiovAug  the  things  that  shall  befall  me  there"  (Acts  xx.  22).  And  airain,  "  Now  cou- 
ctrning  virgins  I  have  no  commandment  of  the  Lord:  yet  I  give  my  judgment,  as  one 
that  hath  obtained  mercy  of  the  Lord  to  be  faithful "  (1  Cor.  vii.  25).  The  apostles 
spoke  much  of  the  coming  of  Christ  to  judgment,  but  "of  that  day  and  of  that  hour 
knowcth  no  man  "  (Matt.  xxiv.  36).  Prophetic  knowledge  was  always  partial,  limited. 
To  Isaiah  the  return  from  Babylon,  the  establislmient  of  Christ's  kingdom  upon  earth, 
and  the  final  triumph  of  Christianity,  were  blended  together  into  a  single  vision  of  glory 
from  which  the  chronological  idea  was  absent.  Ezekiel  probably  did  not  know  whether 
the  temple  which  he  described  (xl. — xliv.)  was  to  be  spiritual  or  material.  Zechariah 
knew  that  a  day  would  come  wheu  there  would  be  "a  fountain  opened  to  the  house  of 
David  and  to  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  for  sin  and  for  uncleanuess ; "  but  the  nature 
of  the  fountain  wa«,  apjiarently,  not  revealed  to  him.  The  prophets  always  "  saw 
through  a  gliss  darkly,"  "  knew  in  part  "  and  prophesied  in  part;  had  not  even  a  full 
knowledge  of  the  meaning  of  their  own  wordn.  We  must  th-.-reforo  not  look  in  the 
inspired  writings  for  an  exactness  and  accuracy  and  completeness  to  wliioh  they  niakb 
no  pretci.ce  ;  we  must  not  claim  infallibility  for  the  o6j'<er  rfiWa  of  npostlos  or  evnnj;i'- 
liHts;  we  must  not  bo  surprised  at  occasional  slips  of  meinory,  as  the  quotation  of 
".Jeremy  "  for  "  Zachary  "  (Mutt,  xxvii.  9),  or  at  little  discn  |  am  ics, as  tho  various  read- 
in. ■«  of  the  title  on  the  cross,  or  at  other  bimilar  imi)erfectioii.-^.  The  Divine  eleniont  in 
Sripture  does  not  exclude  tho  prcHence  also  of  a  human  element;  and  the  human  elo- 
trunt  o:innot  hut  show  traces  <if  hMnmu  wtakncss,  human  i;^noranco,  human  frailty. 
'1  he  triflinK  rrror-  that  a  microscopic  criticism  iwiints  out  in  the  s.icrcd  volume  no  more 
int«rfere  with  its  illnminiitinjj  jK)v\er,  than  do  tho  sjKJts  seen  by  astronomers  on  its  sur- 
imc  int4'r;er«!  with  \\\i-  liyht  of  the  sun,  <ir  sliglit  tIawH  with  the  magnifnenco  and 
■plendour  of  H  unique  diamond.  Tho  \\\\At'  is  (toil's  Word,  tho  moHt  |)r' cious  trcasiiro 
that  man  fioHHeHMiM,  ovou  although  U  bu  tiue  ihut  "  wu  have  this  treusuro  ui  eurthuu 
▼ctMl*  "*  (U  C<>r,  iv.  1). 


HOMILIKH   RY    VAUIOIJS   AUTIIOllfc. 

V^r«.  1  -  7. —  Thf  utidouf'i  oH  increatnd.  Thin  iiimplo  and  touchlnf^  atory  in  one  of 
tkmwi  niany  narratiT«n  which  mnko  tho  Hihic  a  b<K)k  for  ovcry  one,  and  a  Ixxik  for 
•TTTday  lilfl.  I'hfi  individual  In  ikivit  lout  in  the  nation  or  (ho  rnco.  It  Is  •<>  in 
•etnal  fuel.  '^)'ir  own  jKT«"nt«l  nndu  und  iitrii^'ulon  and  anxlrti«iH  iiro  of  moro  lni|H)r- 
tanr#'  anri  int«!r' nt  l><  <i»i  tl.iin  thn  l<l^ll^'^'l•"^  of  n  nntion  or  tho  ^'incrnl  wi'U-hrmi.;  of  tiia 
knrnnn  rK/c  I'  !■  tl.ii  Mrnr  In  the  Hii  It-,  'i'hn  Hililo  ih  |  artly  a  liiNlory  of  nations, 
a»J  lArtU  itlarlj  of  th«  Jewiih  oauuu.     Uui  il  la  much  mor«  a  biatory  of  Loilivkiluala. 


m,  n.  1-44.]         TBI  OOOVD  BO  «  OP  TVt   KIIKML 


k««i  •!•  fao«4Mi  to  IS  «•  laarw  »■■•  fioai  tWir  kHk  mU  ik^ 

«f  ftK—  •»!  Um  vvll  o'  « W«      W*  Umb  tkM  llkrj  warm  »«  m4 


■■•  fHMaM  «Hb  i>urM|t«a  UMi   UM   «l1t<«rtuM    tWf  «^W««4  V«  ••• 

•n^MT  bv  tW  l«lp  c4  Um  M  UiM  Um  trtkU  t^ev  ««d«r^  ••  om  ■>4iiW . 

•fei  UU  MM  MU  Mi4  MlMa  to  wfe^J*  iImv  M(A  hia  our  MM^  skA.     At^ 

IkM  kw«  kooMlj  m4  IWMV  {VMtkBl  Ik*  lUbU  tol  ^  >»d  kaHilT  w  4^  »•<  jitt 

!•  *  Ulo(4^     It  •how  tkim  to  m  vadac  vary  touub  Um  •*•«  «a»d  ' 

fmim  auU.     h  aku«r«  thmm  to  «§  la  thmu  komm  m4  M  UmIt  Wite*: 

•fed  to  xhmU  tmufki  UK  •>  iW  fto^h  and  b  tii*  ialiiag-boAt,  u  tk»  u^'z.^t  Lomm. 


U  tW  IwmmtJL    NriMfs  ••  Uiftk  U  Itord  to  k»  laiglow  to  our  >wi<bw^  to 

ow  ddly  Ilk    1 


•ntirty.  er  Mili  lk«  pMf  «r«  and  wnmm  vi  ow  ddlj  Iflk  Tte  btO*  U^vt  «m 
»M  m4  wotoM  Imax  SMtor  ik*  mmm  •oadMsM^  Mtf  y«l  Hvti^  ••  n>w:k  im  il*  Umt 
9i  Ood  Md  Ik*  wwiiiBi  af  •taiatij  tWi  ik««  tri«idiil  ow  ik«r  d^matooM,  Md, 
vkikl  la  Uw  voAd.  ««•  not  olli.  8Mh  a  ^pn  «f  avvrrAMf  Mfc  ••  okiata  la  Ika 
p.r^.iiv*  balofr  ac  W«  laaraad  Mtoa  valuAhU  lamas  froai  ika  yaUaa  vi  Kiag 
v«  aav  lMn>  ^aito  aa  kaponaal  aaat  feas  ika  kutokb  hmam  af  a  prsfkat'* 


i>^  >amn  mwftmum.    1\am  la  a  teed  tel  a#  aafci^  la  Um  varid.     lUaf 

•c:;  r    « —if.     Bat  aoA  aO   Ikoaa  aba  Uilak   tW  aafci  laaaemli    %j%  rt*    « 

laaaaaal.     Baia,  bo»vvar,  Umw  aftfiran  to  ba  a  caaa  or  rvalljr  laaaeat. 

ii  a  poor  «idi<«  vko  ooaa*  lo  toll  Bluba  kar  tola  ol  vmai  a»d  vo* 

kad  kaaaaaaal  **tkaaMHaf  ika  propkau*— a  *uad  tkai  vm  uaid  to  a  gw^Mmi  mrawm 

ta  rfC"^  *^«^M  *^o  v***  POfdl*  of  tka  propktoi^  ualaad  hf  ika  Bro()k«t*.     He  ^*A 


•aCortaaatrl  J  got  lato  dakt     Huw  ka  vas  lad  faMo  It  va  aia  do«  told. 

ftonat  BMa.     It  waa  aot,  tkcr«f.jia,  tkrcMtdk  dkaipattoa  or  aia.     B^it  i< 

Ikwiagk  kla  ova  ImpnidaiK-a  or  imiaovMiaoa.    Or  it  dmj  kavr 

■aaifjilad  loas  <*  Uifuugb  (kilaia  oa  tka  part  af  oihara  to  mc^ 

kte.    At  aay  rata,  ka  diad  in  dabt,  aad  kb  poor  aidov  ia  tka  auSr  --      \ 

4nii  aad  tkara  1%  amnj  lika  H  kappaalag  awT  ^J.  dlowa  at  (i«/A*  a 

^M«faf  wto  da*!    Oaa  i/  tka  iwat  jtaltow  cTlt  la  Ikataooftf- 

wm  ar  dtildraa  «ka  r«rka'«  kaav  aotkli«  at  aU  (d  tka  dab^-^  ^ 

fcUy  ar  tka  diakoaaity  af  idkaw.    Wa  aaad  to  kava  a  toorr  -  - - 

Ikii  w^tol  of  aaiaf  Boaay  wkiak  raally  la  aot  ov  awa. 

poUey  aad  aradMnii^  it  Is  a  giaat  otiaiaka.    Aa  a  naltor  oT  a 

tatod.    Bam  aaay  af  Ika  liMiiidiiai  enakaa  wkkdi  kav* 

■iwiri  valid  Ma  tka  laaolt  </  n.tn  liTtn;  karoad  tkiir  toaajL- 

Anaaaii  am  tke  ^ltttra.    '  red   liabiliUaa  wbick  tkry  kiid  ao  win  c4 

■atCbAi    Aa<l  to  maay  oaaai  vaa  to  ba  a  taoiptatiaa  to  dtakaaaMy.     I  kava 

vat  to  Mam  tka  dtiaaaaa  bai«raa'  tka  dfakoaaaiy  9I  tka  aaa  wko  gate  a  »>«tk^ 

iMpriasatoaai  far  a  patty  tkdl,  aad  Ika  dIabiwMty  ti  aaay  a^M  ar»  bfallj  pfidactod 


la  tkair  aniaa  by  tka  MfaaM  dariea  (d  tka  baakrapwy  aoart.    Nat  tkat  arcry  banknipt 
aay  who  1 


b  dkkaaaM.     But  BM»y  who  ara  tkaa  protaetoJ  aia.    Wa  vaat  a  timtm  aniil  a  rlaaaar 


Kbl«  mmmi 1  <«  tkia  qimattna  cd  debt.  t.  TUw  <•  a  «aard  Wa  ala>/«r  crWtiMX 
a  eiaWtoi  to  Ukia  atory  vaa  a  rafalar  Skylaek.  Ha  waato4  kl>  paaad  <d  itak.  U« 
«a«U  ka  auMad  wiik  aockiac  laM.  Mark  tk«  nUar  hMMl— im  aad  crafty  <d  ika 
■aft.  B»  kaaw  tka  paar  vidov  waa  aaabia  to  pay.  TYimm  wm%  •»  fnda  a»<l  abaltafe 
I  or  aoaa  vartk  ■tIauiC.aD  ka  aataallr  flaMa  to  Mak*  kar  two  aoaa  bM 


atava^     Brae  tka  aUsktoM  toaek  of  baatoallv  toickt  bar«  lad  biia  to  enaiiMt  kiMi  K 

tka  atkar  to  ba  taa  autoea  aad 


vitk  aaa  of  tka  auML     Ua  Migkt  kava  Idltka  aikar  to  ba  taa  autoea  aad  aaaport  ad 

ku  aidaaad  Metkar.  Bat  aa  IWra  »  aa  Maaiy.  m»  piiT.  la  kb  bard  aad  arfA  kart. 

He  BMM  kaaa  tka  taa  anaa  to  aMbfy  bis  alalM.    Kov,  tka  fieripiara.  vkflia  It  Mito»ia 

aaaM  laadiac  to  tkaaa  wko  wa  la  vaat,  aad  vkBa  ll  aaaMHidi  lU  payMaat  afdskt^ 


■aouBuiMBMa  ISO  aaanaa  *m  many  aaa  ai^amuy  m  — *"»f  laia  payawaL  rar 
laaMiiii,  la  Rxodus  U  b  aakl.  *  Ta  abaU  Ml  aflka  aay  wato«.  ar  blkwiM  ekOd.  If 
tkoa  aihot  tk«a  ia  aay  vtaa,  aad  tbay  oryat  all  ttaiu  bm^  I  wfil  aafaljr  hmi  ihmu  «ry ; 
aad  My  wratk  tkaii  vat  bat,  aad  I  vfll  loB  faa  vltk  tka  •aard  i  m4  yaw  vI»m  Aal 


T4  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.  [oh.  it.  1—44 

be  widows,  and  your  children  fatherless  "  (Exod.  xxii.  22 — 24).  And  in  Deut.  xxiv.  17 
we  have  a  similar  command.  We  learn  here  in  all  the  relationships  of  life  to  mingle 
mercy  with  justice.  Too  often  in  the  keen  competition  of  lite,  and  in  the  race  for 
wealth,  the  finer  feelings  become  blunted.  If  you  are  a  Christian,  it  is  your  duty  to 
imitate  the  spirit  and  precepts  of  Je^us.  Whether  you  are  a  Christian  or  not,  you  are 
responsible  to  God  for  the  way  you  act  towards  your  fellow-men.  Always  consider  the 
circumstances  of  the  case.  Where  it  is  possible,  be  specially  careful  of  the  widow  and 
the  fatherless  and  the  orphan.  God  has  a  special  care  for  them,  and  he  will  aveuge 
their  cause  on  the  persecutor  and  the  oppressor. 

II.  Active  faith.  The  poor  widow  had  nothing  in  her  house  save  a  pot  of  oil. 
She  was  not  as  well  off  as  the  widow  of  Zarephath,  to  whom  Elijah  came ;  she  had  not 
even  a  handful  of  meal  in  the  barrel.  The  olive  oil  was  used  as  butter  with  the  flour 
or  meal.  Dr.  Kitto  says  it  is  indeed  a  remarkable  fact  that  poor  people  in  Israel,  who 
are  reduced  to  the  last  extremity,  have  generally  a  little  oil  left.  Yet  in  this  extremity, 
with  this  jar  of  oU  as  her  sole  possession,  what  does  the  prophet  tell  her  to  do  ?  To 
go  and  borrow  empty  vessels  of  all  her  neighbours,  and  to  borrow  just  as  many  aa 
she  Could  get.  Was  it  not  a  strange  command  ?  Empty  vessels  I  Wiiy  not  borrow 
vessels  with  somtthing  in  themf  No;  for  that  would  have  been  to  get  deeper  into 
debt.  Emjity  vessels.  The  fact  of  bringing  empty  vessels  into  her  house  implied 
that  she  had  something  to  fill  them  with.  This  just  shows  the  greatness  of  the  woman'* 
faith.  She  trusted  God's  prophet.  She  knew  that  he  would  not  deceive  her  or  bid  her 
do  anything  for  which  there  was  not  a  good  reason.  She  trusted  God's  power.  She 
knew  that  God  was  able,  in  his  own  way  and  in  his  own  time,  to  supply  all  her  need. 
We  need  to  learn  a  similar  faith.  We  need  it  for  our  temporal  affairs.  We  need  to 
trust  God  that  he  can  and  will  and  does  supply  the  daily  wants  of  his  people.  What 
though  the  purse  is  empty  ?    God  can  send  the  means  to  fill  it. 

**  It  may  not  be  my  time ; 
It  may  not  be  thy  time ; 
Bnt  yet  in  his  own  time  the  Lord  will  provideL* 

We  need  to  learn  similar  faith — a  faith  that  shows  itself  not  in  idleness  but  in  action — in 
regaril  to  npiritual  things.  We  may  see  but  empty  vessels  before  us.  God  is  able  to  fill 
them,  lie  does  it  very  often  by  making  us  labourers  together  with  him,  as  he  did  in  this 
case  of  the  widow  and  her  8t>ns.  A  respected  Sunday-school  teacher  tella  that  when  he 
first  went  U)  teacli  in  a  mis.sion  Siimlay  school  in  one  of  our  large  cities,  ho  said  to  the 
•iiIKirinttiident,  "  Where  is  my  class?  "  lie  could  see  no  class  for  him  to  teach.  The 
BiiiK'rinttndent's  answer  was,  "You'll  have  to  go  out  and  gather  a  class."  He  did  eo, 
an<l  8fj<jn  had  a  largo  and  attentive  class  of  lads  gathered  in  by  his  own  exertions  from 
the  HtreetH.  Don't  you  know  of  any  empty  ves-els  that  would  be  better  if  they  were 
filjfjd  with  the  love  of  Christ  and  the  grace  of  God  ?  Are  there  no  cmjity  vessels  in 
your  own  homes?  Are  there  no  Pin])ty  veascls  round  about  you  whore  you  live — ■ 
LeartB  that  are  without  G(k1  and  without  Jiojm',  lives  that  are  utterly  destitute  of  any 
aims  or  uw  fuliicBH  ?  If  you  know  of  such,  will  you  not  try  to  bring  them  under  the 
infiuenec  of  the  goHjK-l  V  TJiis  uoman  shoire/l  a  Htroiig  faith,  for  the  had  dcuhtlesn  to 
fact  the  ridicule  anl  difflniftirit  and  questionings  of  her  neig/diours.  They  probably 
Inuglicd  at  a  woman  Ixirrowing  vehnels  when  she  had  nothing  to  fill  thoin  with.  We 
muHt  barn  not  t**  mind  what  |)eoplo  will  say  of  ub  when  wo  are  doing  OtKi's  work. 
There  are  miiim  jtfyipli!  who  ol)j(!ct  to  everything.  'I'horo  are  some  people  who  are 
•IwayH  mining  diiliculli'B.  Those  who  raise  the  (iifheultieH  and  make  the  objections 
are  t'fiHTaily  thorn)  who  do  the  lean!  and  givo  the  hast.  Never  mind  thorn.  Make 
•ur«'  thai  your  work  in  Ood'H  work.  (Jonniilor  it  prayerfully  and  earefully  iM'foro  you 
iindcrtako  it.  And  lli<-n,  hitving  mndc  Huro  tliat  it  iH  (iimI'h  work,  no  far  lut  yoii  can  got 
light  tijir.ti  your  |iaih,  turn  not  anidn  to  tin-  right  hand  or  t<>  the  left.  TruHt  in  Ood  to 
carry  y(»u  and  your  work  nafoly  through,  and  to  crown  your  lalK>urB  with  huccohh. 
"'Hin  ff«ir  of  man  bringntli  a  nnaro;  hut  ho  that  puttolh  IiIb  truHt  In  the  Ix)rd  Bliall  be 
•af.-." 

III.  AanNPAVT  ni.iUMiiNO.  'ITio  woinan  won  wrll  rrwiirdivl  for  her  unciuontioning 
faith.  Ho  lung  mt  xhn  rx>ntinu(«l  {f^iuring  Tiomi  hor  liltio  jnr  ><(  oil,  no  long  Ino  oil  oon- 
tinuad  tu  flow  until  all  tha  veasoU  wore  /ulL     Ubu  could  liavo  filled  mora  voaaela  if  abt 


vH.if   1-44.J         THB  HBOOND  BOOK  OF  TUI  E1M0& 


W«MM  ikMB  WM  M  MMVYMHii  M  k»  Vki,  lh»  dl  «M^  •» 

iMv.    At  Mf  rate  ab*  b*i  Mo^  to  mU  Idti^  FTMbI  oI  hm  4«K  ^a  to  pn^iA* 
Wwtolf  Mad  Imt  aiaM  vtUi  »  totofutvj  •uMnrt.     W«  bw»  kv*  iku  Mr  MaMafi  Map 


lioOl  to  L^a  ULtwm  to  btoM.     li«  fina  to  cMr««ovia(  ■■■iiw.  Iv  h»r«to4  a«r  MfW- 


ULkj«^  far  Wfoad  «v  4aHnrte0k     But  lL«u  v«  tu«j  •libi 

br  Ml  briM  b  •  il  Mato  to  raoilv*  k.  W«  ar*  p  ■■miiiJy  to  HsrifAitf*  Ma  to  to* 
ktotory  of  Uw  Oukibto  Ckwdi  ibM  Umm  w*  iiwtoii  ^toiHinM  mdm  alitob  Wsw 
■arilMl  tilHtMi  mf  U  MpHtoA.  Md  ovtotai  wilriiiM  vkkk  Miy  kto4«  U«» 
r  rrl-f-  L  W0  mmp  ktmdm^  mr  Utm»f»  *y  «mI  V>«U  mmd  ■■■«<■  tw  lUd 
AbmhMi  pwf<r«d  to  pvvw,  Im  mifbi  Imv«  worn  Um  Mltmiiua  of  Kudun  wm  ua 
r  rUbtooM  Lot  ^am,    OBVUtor  oooMbto  KItaba  «m  lyiltot  1  «tlb  KIm 


J«M^  far  bte  wMl  «•#  faHb  Is  i^oUi«  tba  vTowa    Tba  ki^  ottl  j  itouto  tbHw  mm 


ti  ■         "Tboa  ■bMtdt  b*T«  «t>lUM  iv*  or  iU  lito«i 

|Im«  mUttob  ibM  brffi  aaMtoad  li :  vb«r«M  bu«  tl>«i  ibali  —in 

Syifa  b«l  ibrkM."     n   »  .•ficn  w  hfadir  Mr  bhtoJMi  biiaim  wm6o  mtA  pttMiw  to 


■■MWl  a.  r«M«y4«*aar  cv  A<MfafilyMl«*bMV«HyU«Mt^cAM»MUtof^ 
*Tb  kfai  Utol  bub  abaU  b*  gi«M,  Md  frtm  bia  IbM  bMb  toA  abaU  U  tokM  •••? 
•*M  tbM  vbkb  b*  iiitoilb  to  bavv."  Tbva  ta  ■•  vwto  fa  Oodli  Mi^mi  H*  vUl 
Mt  g|v»  fartbir  MtoiiBfi  to  tboM  who  «rt  mgbmiiif  or  toinifaf  tba  privifaga  iWjr 
bM«flDk  Lm  «•  to*  to  it  U>«t  w*  AT*  in  •  fit  Mato  to  raoiiv«  OuTt  bMifaif.  *If»e 
falqidty  fa  oar  baaria,  tb«  Lard  will  Mi  b«r  w.*  Lm  «m  «top<y  au/«rl*t«  .■< 
■«•  Md  iiUfabiMi  Md  ifa.  If  «•  art  to  vpael  Ood  to  ill  aa  wiii> 


▲  woad  to  Cbrfadaaa,    Biawib  foor  baart,  •xamlxte  ruor  oara  Ufa,  aad 

MTtbli^  tbat  Liudrn  the  IhriM  bUtoiac.  U  bwatljnf  lia;  giiv*  ap  ibsi 

fDdUto  nctotj  i  put  Awmy  that  prida.  or  hat:  >e  of  lb*  vwid,  or  •▼U 

aaft  of  yow  baart,  and  tbaa  jou  nuj  ex  i<ect  Guu  ui  Uc«a  joo  aad  maka  70a  a  ' 

TbM  7«tt  will  b«  a  mbm/  aiMf  /ar  (JU  M—lrr'$  mm.      A   vurxl  to  tba  uafapanitoc 

Wby  go  avaj  oaoa  mora  wltbuut  Cbiialt    Whj  ga  away  tmptj  tmm  tba  boaaa  d 


God  r  All  fuloaa  dwaUa  la  Cbrte— (ufatoa  of  pardoa.  folaaa  of  graaa  aad  Mraagtb. 
TbiratT,  uuaatufied  aoul.  draw  aaar  to  tba  faal  of  Jaaua.  KapMl,  aad  aak  <d  hhm,  aad 
ba  will  gita  juu  tba  Uriiic  watar.— C  H.  L 

Torn  fr— 17.— JTMdaaM  ragtotaa.     L  Uooo  ns  OAaaT  twkib  anon  a— 
TVKT  aa     Tba  Sbaaaatoiti^  worda  aia  a  taatimnay  to  tba  obaraoiar  ol  Klkb^ 
paroeiTa  tbat  tkit  fa  •  farfa  aMa  y  OW.  wbleb  patoacb  br  aa  oeaifaaaUy.* 
aoadttct  aad  ooavanafan  Jmwad  bim  to  ba  a  bol j  bm  of  God.    b  waa  avi 
Ood  WM  witkyn^Ml  tbat  baUvad  aaar  to  God.    Ba  did  aoc  laava  bfa  nIMm 
ktealboaM.    Wbaari  ba  waa.  ba  took  bfa  itUgfaa  witb  bfaL    A  Imhs  far 
Tbara  fa  aot  mucb  raalitj  fa  oar  lal^M  If  wa  do  aol  ooafaat  fa 


juat  aa  toaob  aa  wbara  wa  ara  kaowa.    Tba  faward  rkararter  ia  abowa^ytba 


aolaaid  aet^   **Oalam,aaa  a■taan■l^  aofaat,  qui  trana  m>  It 

dtot  nii^  waa  a  bmb  of  faodfaiM  ^UfaL    Tba  furelturr    .  .«  Kb 

■faoid  fa  bfa  room  abowa  tbfa     Tba  atod  or  ebair  and  tba  tobfa  waw  tataadad  to 
Uto  faeOltka  far  atudj.     Ha  wbo  «U1  taaob  oibara  mool  atora  bii  owa  aiiad  wfab 
Tml  asbortod  llawcby  tu  fiva  atiMtkw  to  raadiag.    Tba  auafaiar  aad 
nd  aowiaat  auidy  to  aquip  tbaotoalvaa  fur  iboir  itoportoat 


11.  Good  ma   oaut  a   ■■  —1  wa    Bnarwasaa.     T^oir  foodi^aaa  benaAu  otbara 
aa  waU  aa  tbaoMaNaiL    **  Tba  bolj  aaad  iball  ha  tba  aubotoaea  tbaraot*     S.«m  th«ra 


aia  wbo  farfag  aril  wbvavar  tbaj  m.  Om  bad  omb,  om  wkkad  wtMan.  laajr  o^ttji* 
.  SoiM  ata  tba  PMPMaal  nowBliai  of  olrifc.  diaocad,  Mfi  laiii 
Wbat  M  MMvfabbakwMfarl    Ob  to  ba  lika  bis  wbo  -  waat 


afaoot  ararj  day  dofaf  good  "1 

IIL  KxaiHiBto  to  aoao  uma  m   nwrtM   umr.     Tbfa  ikoaatoafaa  iraaiad  KBaba 
kindly  haMuM  ba  waa  a  aarraat  of  Oud.  aad  tba  Ood  wboa  ba  aarrod  rawardad  bar  far 
kiadaato  to  bfa  avraaL     *■  Uiva.  mA  B  iUU  bo  fhaa  aaia  yoa.*    8ba  faal 


aolbl^L  but  gafaad  maob.  by  bar  gaMro^  aad  boa|dtafity.  by  tba  toaubU  aba 
la  pavida  a  roMfa^-pfaaa  fur  tba  pr«|faai.    ^B«  tbal  rani'flb  a  prvpbai  fa  tba  1 


76  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [oh.  iv.  1—44. 

©f  a  proptet  shall  receive  a  prophet's  reward ;  and  he  that  receiveth  a  righteous  man 
in  the  name  of  a  righteous  mau  shall  receive  a  righteous  man's  rewai-d." — C.  H.  L 

Vers.  18 — 37.^ — Death  and  restoration.  This  is  a  touching  story.  It  is  a  story  for 
children.  It  is  a  story  for  parents.  It  is  a  story  for  every  one.  The  circumstances  of 
this  little  boy's  death  were  peculiarly  sad.  He  had  been  an  unexpected  gift  of  Grod  to 
his  parents.  His  mother  had  not  sought  for  him ;  but  God  sent  her  a  son  as  a  reward 
for  her  kindness  to  his  servant,  and  in  answer  to  the  prophet's  prayer.  Perhaps  when 
this  sudden  stroke  came  upon  her,  and  she  watched  the  little  fellow  pine  away  and  die 
in  her  arms,  the  poor  mother  felt  a  little  disposed  to  murmur  at  the  strange  providence. 
She  no  doubt  wondered  why  God  had  tried  her  thus,  to  send  her  a  child  entirely  unex- 
pected and  unasked  by  her,  and  then— when  he  had  reached  that  most  interesting  age, 
when  he  was  able  to  run  merrily  to  and  fro,  when  his  childish  prattle  filled  the  house 
with  gladness,  and  when  his  parents'  affections  had  begun  to  twine  themselves  about 
him — then  to  take  him  from  her !  She  may  not,  perhaps,  have  had  hard  thoughts  of 
God,  but,  with  all  the  faith  and  patience  which  she  afterwards  showed,  she  certainly 
was  a  little  disposed  to  blame  Elisha.  For  we  find  her  saying  to  him,  when  she  went 
to  tell  him  of  her  trouble,  **Did  I  desire  a  son  of  my  lord?  did  I  not  say,  Do  not 
deceive  me?  "  But  God's  hand  was  in  it  all,  as  she  soon  learned.  Perhaps  she  was 
beginning  to  make  an  idol  of  this  child,  and  God  took  this  way  of  reminding  her  that 
the  child  was  his,  that  on  earth  there  is  none  abiding,  and  that  he  himself  should  have 
the  supreme  homage  of  the  human  heart  Ah  yes,  she  knew  something  of  God's  love 
before,  but  she  never  would  have  known  half  so  much  of  it  but  for  this  trial.  The 
sunshine  is  beautiful ;  but  sometimes  in  a  time  of  continued  drought  we  learn  that  the 
world  would  not  get  on  with  perpetual  sunshine.  We  are  positivelv  tlad  to  see  the 
clouds  and  the  rain.  If  we  could  only  learn  the  same  lessoa  for  our  si)iritual  life  I 
The  sunshine  is  sweet,  but  the  clouds  have  their  uses  too. 

•  No  shattered  box  of  ointment 
We  ever  need  regret, 
For  out  of  disappointment 
Flow  sweetest  odouru  yet. 

•The  discord  that  involveth 

Some  startling  change  of  key. 
The  Master's  band  resolveth 
In  richest  harmony." 

We  have  here— 

I.  A  BKLiKviKO  MOTnER.  We  see  her  strong  faith  in  God  !n  that  answer  which  sha 
gave  to  Gehazi.  At  Elisha's  command  he  asked  her,  "Is  it  well  with  thee?  is  it 
well  with  thy  Imshaud  V  is  it  well  with  the  child?"  And  she  answered,  "  It  is  well.** 
Not  a  woman  of  many  words,  this.  But  a  woman  of  great  thoughts,  of  practic  il  faith, 
of  heroic  p;iiiciice.  1.  It  wds  veil  with  the  child.  She  had  no  doubt  of  that.  She 
knew  le«.<  al>jut  the  horeiiftor  than  wo  do.  She  did  not  know  what  wo  know  about 
hirn  wlio  is  the  Resurrection  and  the  Life,  who  was  himself  dead  and  is  alivo  again. 
Bhe  <iid  Dot  know  what  wc  know  about  heaven— about  the  angels'  son;;  and  the  pearly 
gal<e  iiiid  the  |.'(jMen  8lii  ts.  But  this  she  felt  assured  of,  that  thcio  was  a  liereaftcr| 
that,  though  the  l>o<lydicil,  the  soul  Htill  lived;  that  her  child  was  with  (iod,  and  tliat, 
tli«!Mfore,  il  wfti  well  with  hirn.  2.  It  mas  writ  with  her  hnshaud.  It  wan  will  with 
hri  'rJ/.  Yen,  allhou^;h  Hoirow  hail  entered  their  honii',  Hiill  hIio  could  feed  and  say  that 
il  wiiM  well  all  rounii.  She  could  have  anticijjatcd  Paul  in  his  unfaltering  assertion, 
fur  "  w«  know  thai  nil  thingB  work  t/);.'other  for  good  to  them  that  love  God,  to  them 
who  ari!  th'i  call'  d  aceordinR  to  hin  jiurpogo."  ('ahnly  and  conlidoiitly,  oven  thou'th 
{jf!rhn|«  h'  r  fi  nrH  were  falling  whihi  hIio  H|>oke,  nho  littered  th«  BJnulo  l!td)rew  word  wlm  h 
rn*!aii«  **  It  il  virll."  ThurJe  0<xl  for  hrlif.vin<i  mothern.  A  tuolhor'H  failii  in  Oixl  liaH 
rencund  riiiiriv  a  mm  from  iha  very  ^ruHpof  hell  itHelf.  Mow  nnuiy  an  nminent  Bervunt  of 
Oo-I  hwi  owirl  hit  ouvernlon  to  tli«  prnyum  of  a  Indlnvin^  mother  I  St.  AtijMiHtino  and 
Johii  Ncwt/iri  nro  well-known  Inntnncon.  A  toord  hrrt  to  hrrnivrd  parrtitn.  You  too 
■my  huTe  wktrhcd  n  donr  child  drcKip  und  dio.  l'erh(i|M  you  murmuriMl  rolMdIioanly 
uJD<lf>r  your  kniicllon.     Iamtu  to  l(v>k  away  b«hind  tlio  vnll,  into  that  happy  lau^i  of 


•«.  n.  l-^]  THE  BBOUMD  BOOK  OT  TUB   KINCML  Tl 

•  h  !•  w«l)     li  k  Wril  «llk  Hm  ablM."     A  mtrd  k^  »,  mO  pm^^mt*      Cm   t*-^  .        m 
ite  lA   laAMMSr,  ll  •■lAluljr    !•   <nU   vtU  ikMS.      B«l   yvmt  •klblrvs  otf  »M«t/«r  yMT^ 

•bo  «r  grovtag  ay  lalo  m— bmwl  ^rA  «t>-  »  hor.*— 4ww  it  «|  wiiA  i4ff»  f     ▲««  tb*«« 


ttu4  tome  IB  ymtr  bo— linlJ  tbM  y  u— ti it    O  yy— %  tmm  j% 

•siU   •  «  «la  iWai  te  Otrtrt  r  <  •  ib«i  •  pwi  aAiMBilos.     I»«i  u« 

■»«!  ua(««iaaft  «DM«ni '  '  ■(  UmIt  tauMffial  aavk 

11    A  oaA»  0WL»  Ml-  fttd  «bUdr«  vfO  b*  bro^bt  bMk  to  Mk 

rti*  Ualj  oalv  dlM;  lb«  ».^  i.f  c«  fur  ever.  Tbk  Uuk  OM^  bowvvw.  *m  W>^bl 
Uck  %L>  lb*  Hib  ol  Mrtk  |Vhk{«  Ood  ibougbt  tbM  ikte  poor  nMb«r  b^  bM» 
■iiftotMlly  Irtil  PwLa{«  b«  wMud  to  glr«  vvvb  Ums  acMM  pK>4b  o/  Um  [iiilMlto 
^U^mmnrntikam.  It  » m  aa •uapcioMl  mI  Umb.  Ii  !■  bo«  tob*«sfw««4  by  baf«*M4 
*  |«r«iii  mom.  Tb«7  om  gnly  My  vltb  I  >svk1,  "  I  abaU  go  to  blm,  but  b«  . 
rMuTB  to  Bw.*  /ailMlAiKvwf  Oikl  »«  wtah  tb«i  bMk  a^ia r  i. 
!•  IbM  brig bi  lud  wbm  Jmim  k,  aod  »b«»  tb«  iMrfi  ar*.  «bar«  Uk«L 

VAT*  brigbt  aad  k 


;  vbara  Ibatr  Uuk  ttem  urn  dvajr*  brigbt  aad  bappjr,  w««  u^tr 
•ban  MTanauca  bo  racked  bj  pa:a  or  Mfc»bUd  by  ifcka— .  vhw  itnt 
aarar  kaow  aaolWr  ibo«gbt  of  ila,  aad  toll  aa  IT  rea  vaoM  br\ag  u^«ta 
MM  ta  m\»  ««r4  of  wfekednaM,  ol  tomptarina,  ol  rinkatoi.  aaii  •#  awrow  ?     b«f«<!r 
Ml>    Saraly  Umj  war*  Ukea  avar  fruat  tb«  ar  j  iLai  la  to  enaa     Ta  dafatrt  «*4  W 

CA««  «aat  prayv.  **  And  vbao  Eiia  a  waa  onma  lato  tba  booaii,  baboid,  ibc  abld  vat 
daad.  aad  ktd  apoa  bk  bad.  H*  weat  la  tbarrlura, aad  abol  tbadfoor  upuo  tbaa  twaia, 
aai  prayad  aate  iA«  Lur^"  Bo  it  laaat  ba  ia  all  aSoru  ior  tba  rariral  tl  6md  aai^L 
TWwia  mart  bara  raa>urae  to  prmyar  if  tbaj  wuuld  aaa  tbair  cbUdraa  eumrmtmL  W« 
aaat  aftora  prarlag  koiUka ;  «•  waot  tnore  prajiog  Qiorcbaa.  Nuthiug  but  ibt  Hphii 
af  Oodcaa  oiaka  tbadrj  booaa  tu  l.va  if  •mu  work  k  to  kaC,  it  muit  ^  Aam»  ta 
pnrar.  (S)  Tbaa,  again,  obamra  tlut  KUskm  aa«d  I4a  aMtraa  la  ftrinf  («i**l  m  aa^wt 
la  Am  /iraaara.  Ha  aakad  (or  a  ear  (aid  blaaaiog,  and  ba  aboarad  that  t>c  cxpaLtad  «a 
aatirar  //•  atrttcJuJ  kimat^  wpom  tkt  tkdd^  that  bk  buly  migLt  aoaa  -  aa,cau  bM4 
to  Ibat  oi  tba  cii  id,  aad  bk  braaih  upuu  tba  cbild's  mouib  atioouragvi  ihe  .•(urmiag 
TkaUty.  It  u  Ou^'*  matbod  o(  ooDTarttug  tba  worid,  of  qukkMiiag  daad  aauk  k  ai 
iba  8|iifk  of  Ood  ihai  aluoa  can  qukkeo  a  daad  aoaL  Bot  ba  uaa  baoMB  JaaMa 
aMBiatttj.     lit  mm$  Umm§  Ckriatrnm*.    Tba  uoalka  «afa  aaa  aa  ira  ariib  tba  Half 

Oboat  aad  aritb  acal  fcr  aanki  aad  tbarafcra  thair  labcmia  araia  bkaaad.    Tba ■ 

tbaraaiaaofrveaBvaniaaa,lbaraaaoatbaCharab  baa  ao  ttttk  iaiuaaoa  apaa  thawarid 
aaaipaiad  to  vbai  U  oiigbi  bar^  k  tbat  too  oftaa  tba  Okanb  Itoilf  k  worldly.  — iiklng 
for  i»uir«>rii!  ik.«i:i^>u  ^A  worldly  gala,  aad  tbat  CbrialiuM  abow  toa  littk  U  Utt  tainl 
ul  ll  >vr  a  aartM  to  liva^  but  are  daad.     But  H  u  wa»darful  vbal 

oaai  :-•  oaa  affart  in  a  eoDi;Tvg»tKja,  in  aoommuBiiT,  arva  thrvufb- 

aal  t  f  mim  lAa  aifaa  ^  tkt*  dkilft  raaaaai     " Tia  eblld  ■p>i>»d 

4  opaaad  hU  rvra."    It  waa  aooagb-     BUaba  did  aot  «ait  tur 
Uc  tiki  au(  wai.  '  ''Walk.     Ha  laeagakid  tha  aatukiakaUa 

oaaa  ba  reaaorr  <  ui  hk  aorrowt^  imabai      CkrWkaa 

kOM  flf  i|drit  i»J  ..I:  B^  \.^  ra»ult  k4  ihekt  kbmua  and  tbair  prayar*. 
flaaaotagad  if  liiorr  *a»tus  bat  Uttk  fraiL     Do  But  diMo«ai^  iba 
d«air«  00  t :  ora  friaa  ka  a*i  ouom  to 

wbo  say  4^  fM-biy  alUf  tba  iruib, 

"  dlftcu.itr;  ki.vi  uouoiA      «V  bat  aoak  bsva  voa  baaa  tba 
.to  Uiat-O  a  L 

Ok  m  tkt  fM :  •  mrmm  im  fmmf  mm^     Tbaat  yva&g  »i«  wara 

-«Joad.     Tbcra  wa*  a  bmiaa  l»  '■  ^    -   ■>.  <-«aM  iv  OtlgU, 

a  achuul  or  oulic^  of  yoaaf  oml  «ofad  oOa*  vt 

„  -ua  aMi«  i/ tha 

r    >if  Ibr  tMA      Klkba  or^aiaA 
*  .  ■  -(ta^ra,  or  tbik  brmk,  far  tba 

oaA  to  falbar  barba  iur  llta  pttrfoaa, 


78  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.  [oh.  it.  1—44. 

Tkere  i«  &  species  of  wild  gourd  or  melon,  called  Cucumis  propTietarum,  which  is 
common  in  the  hill  country,  and  which,  when  green,  is  sliced  and  Iwiled  as  a  regetable. 
But  in  the  plains  near  Gilgal  there  is  a  plant  extremely  similar  in  appearance,  Imt  Tery 
different  in  its  qualities.  It  was  probably  this — the  colocynthus,  or  squirting  cucumber 
— that  is  called  the  "  wild  gourd  in  this  chapter,  and  that  the  young  men  gathered 
and  sliced  down  into  the  large  pot  of  broth  (see  Thomson,  '  The  Land  and  the  Book '). 
When  the  pottage  had  been  poured  out,  the  young  men  began  to  eat  of  it,  but,  alarmed 
by  its  bitter  t^ste,  and  probably  suspecting  then  that  poisonous  herbs  had  been  put 
into  it,  they  cried  out  to  Elisha,  "  0  thou  man  of  Grodf  there  is  death  in  the  pot ! " 
From  this  incident  we  may  show  that,  while  there  is  many  an  enjoyment,  many  a 
course  of  conduct,  as  pleasant  to  the  eye  and  apparently  as  safe  as  those  poisonoua 
herbs  appeared  to  be,  yet  there  is  need  for  caution.  "There  is  death  in  the  pot" 
"  There  is  a  way  that  seemeth  right  unto  a  man,  but  the  end  thereof  are  tJie  toay$ 
o/dtath,'* 

L  This  icat  bk  said  or  FBAUDtrLKirr  fbacticbb.  "There  is  death  in  the  pot.**  They 
nearly  always  begin  in  ways  that  seem  perfectly  safe  and  harmless.  A  man  takes  a 
httle  from  his  employer's  desk,  intending  to  return  it  again.  But  in  nine  cases  out  of 
ten  he  never  retumi  it  He  has  touched  what  is  not  his  own.  The  brand  of  the 
thief  is  on  his  brow  and  the  curse  of  the  thief  is  on  his  life.  A  young  man  who  had 
been  well  brought  up  went  from  home  to  enter  a  bank  in  a  large  city.  It  was  noticed, 
when  he  returned  home,  that  he  was  beginning  to  dress  very  extravagantly.  Each 
time  he  returned,  some  fresh  extravagance  was  noted.  He  had  already  begun  to  spend 
money  faster  than  he  made  it,  for  his  salary  was  but  smalL  He  was  a  smart  young 
man,  and  would  soon  have  got  on  well  in  his  business,  for  he  was  a  general  favourite. 
But  in  a  foolish  hour  he  began  to  abstract  some  of  the  bank  money.  Little  by  little 
it  went  on,  iintil  his  defalcations  were  very  considerable.  At  last  he  wtLS  discovered, 
dismissed  in  disgrace  from  the  bank,  and  it  waa  only  the  intervention  of  an  influential 
friend  of  his  family  that  prevented  his  arrest  He  broke  his  mother's  heart,  and 
brought  down  his  fether's  grey  hairs  with  sorrow  to  the  grave.  Fraudulent  practices 
may  be  very  often  traced  to  the  habit  of  gambling  or  betting.  This  was  testified  once 
more  quite  recently  in  London  by  Mr.  Vaughan,  the  Bow  Street  mairistrate,  on  a 
charge  which  came  before  bim.  There  was  a  cashier  in  the  receipt  of  a  salary  of  £160 
a  year,  with  prospects  of  advance.  For  eight  or  nine  years  he  had  filled  his  post 
creditably ;  but  having  got  behind  in  his  home  expenses,  ha  took  a  few  shillings,  and 
invested  them  in  betting.  As  he  was  lucky,  from  taking  shillings  he  proceeded  to 
poimds ;  and  having  ouce  started,  he  found  that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  stop.  He 
had  always  the  hope  of  winning  some  day  by  a  stroke  of  luck,  and  of  thus  being  able 
to  pay  back  again  the  sums  which  he  had  embetzleil.  But  the  "  luck  "  never  came, 
ana  hu  had  at  last  to  confess  to  his  employers  that  he  had  defrauded  them  to  the 
extent  of  £250.  "I  wish,"  said  Mr.  Vaughan,  "that  the  clerks  in  mercantile  houses 
would  oome  to  this  court,  and  see  what  I  see,  and  hear  what  I  hear.  This  is  only  one 
of  a  multitude  of  casoii  in  which  priaoners  have  confissed  that  their  robberies  are 
•ntirely  duo  to  betting.  /  rv/ard  it  a$  a  curu  to  the  country."  Beware  of  dishonesty 
in  any  furm.  "There  Is  death  in  the  pot"  It  means  death  to  a  man's  reputation, 
death  to  his  worl<Uy  [iroaix'cta,  death  to  his  peace  of  mind,  for  he  must  live  in  couatant 
Vttot  of  (ii^c^)V«^y  ;  and  if  he  should  escape  discovery  and  judgment  n]Mm  earth,  how 
can  ho  erj<iure  the  thought  of  that  day  when  the  secret*  of  every  lifo  Hhall  be  disclosed, 
au'i  when  he  bIwII  htand  condemned  at  the  judgment-scat  of  God  ? 

II.    TllIH  MAY   UK    SAID  AL«0  OF  PBA(T1CK8  OF  IMITJUITT.       "  77l«-f  l>  d^^th  in  the  pot."* 

T«nipt«tioriH  v>  it  atxiund  on  every  side.  A  corrupt  preiw  bowh  broadiHst  itn  dmnoralizing 
•tiriea,  with  itM  h  i  'i^'eMtivn  pjrturea.  The  theatre,  with  ItH  brilliant  lights  and  Htrains 
of  iiwj-rtrwt  iiiw K  w)  (i^ten  dedicated  to  the  iM«rvi(o  of  the  dovll — lures  men  into  tho 
way  fi(  tb»i  ttrnpt^r,  and  into  the  <len  of  the  dentniyer.  It  apix-arn  an  innocent,  hann- 
Inaa  amuKment  I'<ut  "  thnro  ia  death  In  the  jxit.  For  one  who  wnnen  un«rHthe<l  and 
aa/"  out  of  the  thnntre,  thorn  are  Korea  who  oome  out  of  it  morally  and  Hpirituallv  the 
worse  for  iU  mfiumice.  I>«i  mrn  aay  what  they  like  about  the  influ'-me  of  the  <lriinia 
M  a  teacher  (4  atornit  —and  there  ia  Dothing  to  be  Haid  a^ainiit  thn  drama  in  iUwlf  im 
thire  a  ■iB|;l'<  cmw  wt  a  man  nia<le  li<itter  by  goin((  to  the  the«tr«i  ?  M'Ker*  it  Ktf  L*i 
kim  ht  frvtiuotd.     And  avvi  1/  ooa  or  t«ro  o»uJd  ba  pruduoad,  what  would  they  be  aa 


n.  1-^]      tn  WKon  BOOB  of  tub  kui(i& 


llMMiafds  U  Ka*  ruio*)  ?  *  II  mi(M  4o  cwxl.  but  »•*(«  dtcl"  IW««r«  of  ttB{»intf  la 
•■7  (arm.  B««r*f«  of  loipiav  haok%  iMrav  »««*•  *^  ispw  )mI*  Impaf*  wgatnaa 
"TW«  b  ^Mik  Ib  Ik*  patL*  Iteft  li  M  ila  ikM  Mi«i  •  bom  ipaiiy  ar  »«• 
ifwHbU  NthlwtlM  l«  tkk  HK  ikM  liapurity  of  UKmfkt  «r  ^mI  U  *  <iiM>  <l  boAj 
•■a  •  <«■■!■  <  ated  ll  Imvm  lu  ^milf  maikk.  TW  taipara  mm  b  •  vttlkiM 
■ipil"!"*'  B«  b  4%G|I^  Ikb  Mva  !>«*•>  Ak»T«  dL  U  b  itiruyii^  aB  !»«•  «| 
•MMb«  Uiftt  |i««  Md  My  fcwf  »ti««  Oud  b.  Hii  bto  wkteb  dhM  •teO  !•  m 
«b*  «aur  M7tkb«  UmI  Mb«k. 

m.  Tm  MAT  uAADAtMor  ■AanororTs«r«mA«oi.  *T4r»<f4Mlk  te  A«fal* 
W«  aMd  ftM  uk«  lA  axtraoM  pjaitl  >b  uo  U.«  •ubif.  i  uT  ft!o  LjI  M17  mom  iIhm  «•  mmf 
9tkmmM»eL    Bat  It  b  rl^bl  i:  .  rmaum  *aa  a  oninrJMii^ 

M  fbfbtbi  MM  and  ««mq  »  "  »^amid  look  kc««  ta  tb* 

hsc    Mrdial  ofinioB  b  altm  tmMtai  to  bv  tboa*  «iw  mmk»  loo  frw  la  tWr  om  0/ 
•lopKoL     Lot  «•  hmr  tK>  Ut«M  ud  b«>t  m*lKal  optakia  m  tb*  wb^.     At  tW  bM 
«#  Ik*  Britbb  M»  k*l  iMwibrtf  rDvbUa,  1887%  oo*  «#  tk*  aoil  latora«ii« 
iM  tk*  N|nrt  uf  •  ip*ekl  rnaiaimi  vkbk  bad  bna  ftwjatoit  kjr  Ik* 

a  I*  iMiiir*  lato  th*  eoB— dJM  «f  Amm*  vitk  k*bii*  or  It— rwaar* 

Etf  tf  SMM  oT  Um  «aada«iaM  wbbk  tk*  •aMad»t•^  afUr  moai  awifcl  imwrniieaikm, 
■frivad  at:  "(1)  Tbal  bat4tii*l  ladalfnoa  bt  aleobol  kajroad  ik*  ommI  B^daru* 
•moottt*  k*«  *  dultmel  lumimijf  t»  ■AcHm  i|fK  *^  akoff  alaf  kiteg  oa  Um  avaruK* 
birij  prapirtioa*!  to  th*  dafraa  of  iDdulfnea;  (S)  tkat  tk*  alfiedy  t«np«r»i«  vn* 
b*v«  PM*H  tka  Mi  of  tvanlT-flT*  Uv«  ob  Ik*  avaraca  at  but  la*  jcari  i»<.««r  tbaa 
k'^  b  »ot  tkb  as  taipaftaBt  praoff  «f  oar  atatooMaif    "Habittl 


ki  abakol  hafoad  Ika  moai  aodarato  aiaoMf  kaa  a  dbliaei 
Hfc.*  Tk*  IBB&  wbo  dhnka  aloobol  to  any  eaoaki*r«bU  •siaol  b  alovlj 
killb«  kimMU:  *Tb«r«  b  dmth  lo  i»>*  pol*  1/  w«  twa  froa*  Ik*  a«aamUy  of 
doetora  to  th*  •iparboo*  of  mrttsdtj  Uk,  w  grt  . n  l«r  pcoolb.  Wbal  torrikd* 
madBwa  and  tafcutotba  driak  «i»^l    Wbal  f<  >  <  b  baa  aaadai    Wka 

bupto  b  baa  bligfitadl     What  bucna  it  Km  wrec  fL*!  krM  it   baa  ndacd! 

Then  b  death  is  the  cup  uf  l^toxieattng  dnnk,  m  maiij  *  nwa  ba«  prtnrni  vbaa  it  b&« 
bera  too  Ut«^  But  al>-«!icc  o(  wroog^otng  will  ocTer  laake  joa  riftbL  A*  C^b* 
OMt  tbaatoal  Inu*  ihm  poc,  vbolaaom^  aikd  aoarbbiag  food  tai  olaeaof  tka  daadly  p  4k«, 
•a  b*  It  jou!«  to  fill  jour  miiMl  with  th*  taicbing  of  OudTa  Wmd,  aad  juux  lii«  viiA 
hokj  aad  aaaAil  de«d«.  TIm  icra»t  Ttaaeher  u  Joauk  ChhaC  Aak  blia  to  *at«r  tato  jour 
UK  to  V"'^  7^  ^""^  *^  J^'*'  daiif«k    Aak  Lim  far  Ite*  aad  tar  *t*ruity  to  «v* 


Vera.  4J— 44.- 

i.-u-  of  bmiaaL 

-Bj 

loawm  mm'tijtlUd.    L  Tn  PBorBBT  pauffiuu>  voa.    It  wa*  a 

t   thrr  t'At   fr&r   tb«  Lord  abaU   not  waat  act  |^r«l   tbinc.* 

'c  !•>.'   f'uiB  tba  poiift*     "bfaad  cf  tkc  finiruila,  taaaty 

k«Tia  of  b«rl*> . 
raal  «  lk»  Wuru  <v  •  > 
wants  of  Ocd**  mini''t' 

A.'*     f  0  rx*      Tla  a^^atrft'aa  la  •  faid  mumtUry  L%»  mm  wmr- 
•^      01                                 ^^w  alike  anoiMir^a  prx  -       •    '  r'tl«* 
>.     Jt-                                    -rar  b  wortb?  of  L-                 ■'•al 

MiJ.*TVy  •'■• 

.... . 

^     -paL-    It- 

wkUliha: 
raqabas  a 

tbair  i'*!i 

M,  with 

»!1    I'l.r    % __                           .        } 

•.J  of  |«ovklioc  ior 

'.hMa. 

II 

uMbaM.     Ba  kai   fraalj 

xigbt  bara  tkoofbt    it 

Bm  an.     Ba  trtMia 

.  r*"^!^  vbuat  bim. 

>o»lfi.k- 

._    1          

ti-'*  ' 

v».       Hi>* 

.  «ttkdA'«a 

0 

'aa 
-  «d. 

giva  u 


80  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE   KINGS.         [ch.  iv.  1— 44. 

greatness  and  responaibility  of  our  work,  we  may  well  ask,  "  Who  is  sufficient  for  these 
things  ?  "  But  when,  on  the  other  hand,  we  think  of  the  Divine  power  which  works 
along  with  the  faithful  minister,  we  may  well  say,  "  T  can  do  all  things  through  Christ 
which  8trengthen(  th  me."  He  can  help  us  to  break  among  our  people  the  bread  of 
life,  and  bless  it  abundantly  in  the  breaking. — C.  H.  I. 

Vers.  1 — 7. — A  prophet's  widow  and  a  prophefs  kindness.  "Now  there  cried  a 
certain  woman  of  the  wives  of  the  sons  of  the  prophets  unto  Elisha,"  etc.  There  are 
two  subjects  of  thought  in  these  verses. 

I.  A  pkophet's  widow  in  distress.  "Now  there  cried  a  certain  woman  of  the 
wives  of  the  sons  of  the  prophets  unto  Elisha,  saving,  Thy  st-rvant  my  husband  is 
dead ;  anil  thou  knowest  that  thy  servant  did  fear  the  Lord  :  and  the  creditor  is  come 
to  take  unto  him  my  two  sons  to  be  bondmen."  This  poor  woman  bad  not  only  lost  her 
husband,  and  was  left  with  a  bleeding  heart — left  lonely  and  desolate  in  a  cold  world,  but 
was  left  in  great  poverty.  Her  husband  was  not  only  a  good  man,  one  "  who  did  fear  the 
Lord,"  but  a  "  prophet,"  a  religious  teacher,  one  engaged  in  disseminating  Divine  ideas 
ami  ngst  men.  It  seems  that  he  not  only  died  poor,  but  died  in  debt.  Even  now  a  large 
number  of  ministers  are  unable  to  make  provision  for  their  wives  and  cluldren  in  case 
of  their  death.  Some  of  the  most  enlightened,  thoughtful,  and  really  useful  ministers 
are  amongst  the  poorest.  Observe  :  1.  That  poverty  is  not  necessarily  a  disgrace.  It 
is  8 'metimes  the  result  of  inflexible  honesty  and  moral  nobDity.  2.  That  the  best 
liven  here  are  subject  to  trials.  It  is  reasonable  to  infer  that  this  widow  was  a  good 
woman— one  who,  like  her  departed  liusband,  '•  did  fear  the  Lord ; "  and  yet  see  her 
distress !  The  afflictions  of  the  good  are  not  penal,  but  disciplinary.  3.  That  avarice 
feeds  cruelty.  "The  creditor  is  come  to  take  unto  him  my  two  sons  to  be  bondsmen."* 
The  del:it  she  owed,  which,  we  may  imagine,  could  not  have  been  very  large,  her 
heartless  creditor  insisted  on  being  discharged  at  once,  and  demanded  her  two  sons  to 
become  slaves  to  him  in  order  to  work  out  the  debt.  The  avaricious  world  is  heartless  ; 
even  in  London  hundreds  are  dying  on  every  side  of  starvation.  4.  That  provision 
should  be  made  for  the  vidows  of  ministers.  The  incomes  of  very  many  ministers  in 
Engl  ind  to-day  are  not  sufficient  to  enable  them  to  make  provision  for  their  wives  and 
cliildren  in  case  of  their  death.  Churches  which  have  committees  for  sending  out 
riiis.-'ionaries,  for  distributing:  Bibles  (which  are  cheap  enough  now),  and  for  distributing 
tracts,  which  are  often  calumnies  on  Christianity,  ought  certainly  to  see  that  provision 
is  made  for  tlie  future  of  their  ministers"  families. 

II.  A  PROPHET  AT  WORK  TO  BELiKVE  A  BROTHKUs'  WIDOW.  In  her  distross  instinct 
tells  her  where  to  go,  and  she  goes  to  Elisha,  not  only  a  man  who  knew  her  husband, 
but  one  of  kindred  experiences  and  sympathies.  To  him  she  "  cried."  Her  appeal  was 
really  an  unintentional  com|iliinent  to  Elisha.  The  greatest  compliment  a  man  can 
offer  is  an  oppfjrtunity  for  contributing  to  a  truly  deserving  object.  Wiien  a  man's 
oompi  era  rank  him  amongst  those  whose  meanness  has  become  patnt.  Charity  ignores 
liim.  In  lier  b  ui^^n  mission  she  marches  liy  him  in  stately  silence,  as  one  whom  society 
1  uH  placid  in  thi-  branded  caiig  iry  of  sordid  souls.  See  how  Elislia  liel])s  this  widow. 
1.  Promptly.  "Ami  Elisha  said  nnto  her,  What  shall  I  do  for  thee?  tell  me,  what 
haHt  thou  m  the  house?"  Ho  did  not  want  arguments  or  tostimouials,  etc.,  hui,  witii 
a  lH.-aniiiig  g'-nerosiiy  lie  virtually  said,  "  TuU  mo  your  condition,  and  I  will  do  my 
utuiohl  to  MTve  you."  He  set  to  work  at  omc.  Ilaviu'^  told  him  slio  had  nothing  in 
ln;r  houiMj  but  one  "  |xit  of  oil,"  he  Kiiys  to  her,  "  Clo,  borrow  thrt-  vrssels  abrond  of  all 
thy  ncMghlx)urH,  ••von  empty  vismiIh;  borrow  not  a  few."  She  obeys  his  behest,  uon 
nirioh^Ht  her  ijtsi.  lilioiirH,  and  IxirrowH  all  the  vchhcIh,  and  then,  aeconiing  to  his  ilirec- 
iionit,  hIio  rioHCH  the  diwir  u|Kin  herni  If,  and  upon  her  houh,  ainl  liogins  to  |M)ur  out  into 
<'j«c'i  ▼«j«B'l  a  |>arl  of  the  litth'  pot  of  oil  which  she  had,  ird  as  she  jjourod  every  vosboI 
h\>i'  had  olh-riwl  b-came  fnll  u>  the  iirim.  The  more  she  ooured  the  more  came,  tintil 
hlie  lacked  vchMilM  to  hold  it.  A  symlx)!  thJHof  all  houevolrnt  virtues — the  uiont  they 
an;  xiMd  the  tuore  they  nmv:.  So,  indeed,  with  all  the  facultien  of  the  soul  undor 
thf  inflnifKC  of  tnii'  ;«Mierovify  ;  ri'/ht  vivin^;  Ih  the  way  to  the  most  procioUH  (getting. 
All  thU,  of  coufHA,  itiili(:Ht4]ii  on  KliHha'H  part  Hiip<  riiatural  n^.^islaneo.  2.  I'.fffctively. 
"  'Wtm  xka  rjin>'-  ani  told  llxi  muii  of  (iihI  [  l'!li  huj.  And  Ik^  hiihI,  <  io,  hiI!  Iho  oil,  ainl 
\>nj  tkf  d«bi,  a«^  Ut«  thou  aud  thy  cbiltlruu  of  iba  ra^iL."     OU  WM  ouu  of  lh«  ootu- 


m  IT.  1-44.]      in  noo!f D  BOOK  OF  m  nam  n 

•o4IHm  JwWm  »tt4«4  !•  (KMk   *▼"■"   ^'^'^     ^^-^  vooM.  tKw»f««.  Um  HttU  .1i«e«H7 
te  aitporing  «f  Ibis  oU.  wblch  ;  f    lU  b»l  .1««rr.j4i  <»*t« 

V«r«  lo  |D  f>'*<  t"  <' ^   •^I'^IMUu:'  ^  ~ .     eM  flrwiliiir,  Mkd  tlKM.  t>tn— I 

diftr«Mn  l«  rftctnamfrc  lo  truat  G  It 

l«  rd.'  I  ul  U   t  fr-   T  4       It  It  tr  «* 

nn'c  t«   1!    •-  ■" 

»  .  :    v«  »    i:  •* 

>V.rf>l.    ,cl  ■I    :_  ■■     »■■• 

UW  of  It  ,     •'  li.  »»  '    ^  *** 

biiUvl,  fcli^l  fr^  ;  lo  IL  •    .»:uc.    — iJ.    i. 

V«f».  t^-n.—  h'Mfit•Uif.    •  AtK!  »•  '  "  —  ^  -<-'   •»  •• 
•lOL     la  iH«M  TMwa  Umt*  m«  two  t»- 

I.  HoMTTAUTT  ki«irrvin.i.T  r-*"  * 

Um  prophet,  mkI  UmmUmt  oi  ii  :  « 

»«ry  ciear  Md  ••nt«'nti...,it.     "  ■'  >. 

•  bWVWMagTKv  >» 

M  oA  »»  ^e  !'>*'■  'f 

«r»l<  tr  • 

luima.  .  f 

•r  olh<r4.  o 

hwrtr  lh»t  •• 

C»       '  • 

I  i 

t  <• 

L  f 

•                                      '  r. 

a-  '• 

e:  n. 

t  «. 
1 

b 

U  4 


a»l    Dv    (>.>ruc  1  trial   ui    uu   »c.'t;iui   u   :.ai.      Ii* 

rid  tk*  apartmr 

I  .-vuULT  Itr-  ' f  bplBg  h»r--''  »•  •     'Kr  ^rrU 

UQsiaMt  g'.  'jadactr.                        :    .L« 

-..>.  "Mki  toUt. ^.  oAmmilA. ^  ~e  ^^id 

ly  DOW  unto  her.  Behold.  ul  for  «•  with  ell  th  *  eare; 

*• 

'1  • 


I 


J 

.14 
6ai  UmmtifL,  9at.  ^XX^iiL  |ti  te9. 


6S  THE  SECOND  BOOK  01»  THE  KTSOtS.        [oh.  iv.  1—44. 


eongciotisness  of  his  power  with  God.  He  finds  out,  througli  his  servaD.t  Gehazi,  that 
the  one  great  thing  on  earth  that  they  desired  most,  and  would  most  appreciate,  was  a 
family;  a  child  would  brighten  their  hearth  aiid  gladden  their  hearts.  This,  through 
his  wonderful  power  with  Heaven,  Elisha  obtains  for  them.  Thus  the  Almighty  him- 
self acknowlediied  the  hospitality  which  this  woman  had  shown  to  his  faithful  prophet. 
"  Be  not  forgetful  to  entertain  strangers :  for  thereby  some  have  entertained  angels 
unawares." 

CoKCLUSioN.  Dinings  out  and  social  banquets  are  common  enough  amongst  us,  but 
hospitality  of  the  true  sort  is,  it  may  be  feared,  somewhat  rare — the  hospitality  described 
by  Washington  Irving,  which  "  breaks  through  the  chill  of  ceremonies,  and  throws 
every  heart  into  a  glow."  There  is  an  emanation  from  the  heart  in  genuine  hospitality 
thaj  cannot  be  described. — D.  T. 

Vers.  18 — 31. — Great  tridU.  ***  And  when  the  child  was  grown,**  eta  This  paragraph 
suggests  three  general  observations. 

L  That  great  trials  often  spbiko  kbom  gbeat  mebcies.  With  what  rapture  we 
may  suppose  did  this  woman  •  welcome  her  only  child  into  the  world,  and  with  what 
care  and  affection  did  she  minister  to  his  health  and  enjoyments  1  It  was  her  greatest 
earthly  prize.  She  would  sooner  have  parted  with  all  her  property,  and  even,  perhaps, 
with  her  husband,  for  he  was  an  old  man,  than  lose  this  dear  boy  of  hers.  Yet  she 
does;  death  snatches  him  from  her  embrace.  "  And  when  the  child  was  grown,  it  fell 
on  a  day,  that  he  went  out  to  his  father  to  the  reapers.  And  he  said  unto  his  fiither, 
My  head,  my  head.  And  he  said  to  a  lad.  Carry  him  to  his  mother.  And  when  he 
had  taken  him,  and  brought  him  to  his  mother,  he  sat  on  her  knees  till  noon,  and  then 
died."  Though  the  boy  was  dead,  the  woman  did  not  seem  to  lose  hope ;  her  maternal 
love  would  not  allow  her  to  realize  the  terrible  fact  at  once.  She  first  lays  him  on  the 
bed  In  the  cliamber  which  she  had  built  for  the  prophet;  then  she  calls  to  her  husband, 
and  enti  eats  him  to  send  a  servant  with  one  of  the  asses,  that  she  might  fly  with  swift- 
ness to  Elisha.  When  her  husband  su'ji^ested  some  difficulty  about  her  going  just  at 
that  time,  she  replied,  "  It  shall  be  well."  "  Then  she  saddled  au  ass,  and  said  to  her 
servant.  Drive,  and  go  forward  ;  slack  not  thy  riding  for  me,  except  1  bid  thee.  So  she 
went  and  came  unto  the  man  of  God  to  Mount  Carmel,"  This  was  a  journey  of  about 
five  or  six  hours.  Distance  is  nothing  when  the  traveller's  heart  overflows  with  emotion. 
How  frequently  it  happens  that  from  our  greatest  blessings  our  greatest  trials  spring  I 
1.  Friendship  is  a  great  blessing.  One  true  friend,  whose  soul  lives  in  ours  and  ours 
in  him  or  her,  is  of  priceless  worth.  Yet  the  disruption  of  that  friendship  may  strike 
a  wound  into  the  h(  art  that  no  time  can  heal.  2.  A  sanguine  temptraiucnt  is  a  groat 
blesHiiig.  It  drinks  in  largely  of  the  beauties  of  nature;  it  paints  the  future  with  the 
brightest  htin-s,  and  stiniulaios  the  energies  to  the  greatest  enterprises.  All  the  best 
prtxiiictionH  of  the  hunian  species  have  sprung  from  such  temporaraents.  Hut  what 
triaJH  it  brii  gs,  in  frustrated  plans,  blighted  purposes,  and  extiugiuBhcd  hopes!  But 
life  ab<juridH  with  illuHlrations  of  the  fact — the  greater  the  blessings  we  enjoy,  thogreaUT 
agony  fell  in  their  loss. 

II.  That  great  triaU  snouLD  bb  fatii.nti.t  endured.  In  this  great  trial  this 
woman  he«rnH  wonderfully  resigned.  In  reply  to  a  difficulty  whiih  her  husband 
•ug '<  htcd  in  (Milting  out  for  iho  journey,  she  said,  "  It  hhiiU  \w  well."  And  when 
Geliar.i,  tin  w-rvant  of  Klisha,  on  nor  nopitiach  to  the  prnplut,  a.skoil  her,  "  Is  it  well 
with  th'!'-V  In  it  well  with  thy  husband?  Is  it  well  with  tlw  child?"  site  answired, 
"It  Ik  Will."  "  Tliowgh  1  left  my  dour  b<>y  u  corpnc  iit  homo,  and  my  heart  blioda, 
I  fwl  it  1m  all  '  well ; '  It  in  the  diH|K  uHatinn  "i  a  Katlnr  all-wise  ami  all-loving.  I  Ih)w  to 
bin  will."  A  htatoi.f  inind  to  in:igiianiinuiiH  oh  thin  uiiilir  gre.il  lii:il  is  the  duly  ol  aU, 
and  the  miblirne  |.  i^ile^;*)  of  tiie  holy  ami  the  go<Kl.  ThiiH  Job  felt,  "Tho  Iit)nl  ^;ave, 
i»n<l  thf)  I>ird  h.illi  taken  aw..y ;  bloHKcd  bo  tlio  Name  o|  ih-'  Lord."  Thus  our  great 
Kiniii|<ln  fnli  Mhoii  ovurwbeliiied  wiih  immooiturablu  dislioHS  b«Haid,  *'Nut  uijr  will 
but  tiiiiia  hm  dona." 

•"Thy  wftj,  not  minn,  O  Lord, 
Ilovsi'vi  r  iliirk  it  Imi  ; 
LxMJJ  Dii<  \>s  tliinx  own  linnrl, 
(Jho«M)  ual  Um  \f^iL  fof  ma. 


m.  n.  1-44.]         TBI  BIOOITD  BOOK  OT  TUl  UVOa  m 

It  <«i. 

Witt     t.j;  u(  .Uki^  :  t  U  iMllMt  M^ 
ll  WmU  »••  to  ii.y  rMC" 

in.    "ntftl    ffV«*<    tr4»'*   BtT    ■««>    A    »1  CMC        R«0.       Tb«   CAd   O/   Ikk  VaHMS*!   fl 

IriAl  «••  ih«  r«!<»t<<^'..'      '       rr  ar«  :  •    i      I    ii  r      Tblt  •••  bfuogill  •faovl:  1    /«  <w* 
—tin  tM<4  i#r  0u-n  ff>.*-U       If  i    r   i.»  1   r^  botaa^  aftid   MX  Vf^d   Ikar  w»T   Ui 

Ik*  {«u;J.<-t  «i  r«      '  .  •  «t  t>^>t  lb  liii  (ir<'t«  :,  ll  wovid  aMOi.  Mv*  rHb*jr.«rf 

*  0L#]**.  aii  .  «v>i:.J  tiarr  )  ».l  t<>  l»  b  in  xi  ■  r  twrr  a«|  of  kv  iijrhL  Wha«  •!>• 
r««rhAi  bim.  Mr  t>ci«r  t«'u»»(lr  •'■<•  j  !<-».■  .  •  Aad  vImb  dM  mw  le  lb*  mm  of  CM 
lu  lit*  bil..  •!>•  oaufl.1  tUB>  6j'  lU  (wi,"  HO.     J.  Ay  CA«  i^imt  ^  Qod  Ikr^m^  /TMiig. 


U  U.«  ru  Ming  fif  I  ««  kftv*  •  rM«MrtlUtki«  of  Um  v*j  la  vkkli  tills  va«  b«M^t 
•bma.  Ovd  MDt  "  -  ) "  "UL  All  ow  tfteU  nlf  kt  bow  •  kloMod  •b'i.  **  Oor  U^bi 
tlWHrl^'n^  vUbIi  V  xMuaBi,  vorkolk  far  «•'  •  far  bmto  osewiitBc  Ukd  •uru^J 

•oMkl  of  glorr.*  1  .  - -.xU  **  wo  look  BDC  ••  1^  thk«B  liiM  *r«  •Ml..'' iko  r«Mii« 
Hkiir  OodL  dspeada  apuo  oanolfoo.— D.  T. 


Tw^  W— ^T.— TV  rWahao  e/  pritftr  to  w— oifiir;  ao>i— i     "A;.;  o'^s    KlifKk  >»• 
eOOM  IbIO   tb«    boOM,    brhrH.    V:r    ct.iiil    «M   CflMi,"    H«.      Tb*   dr«'  '    I-        ">■    Mi.^B 

oiiWW  ooo.  M  v«  h«Tr  <  -  uoeadiag  roraa^  woo  m  moaj  Kb*  •  iv  Ur  •  v«rj 

••««(«  Icul — •  trul  fr.<:  .^o  haTO  taiwtod  thAt  frmt  thai*  i/t««  i>  %mf  /r^^m 

frmt  mfrtim;  that  frmU  t'*«^  tJi<ml4  ht  fhtmtlf  tmdmttd i  oad  tkut  frmt  IHrni* 
mifhl  kam  •  ymami  md,  Bj  pnjrtr  Klkho  so*  laioid  Um  wutnoa's  dwi  bey  I*  Mk 
tSoF  »  odtd  borii 

L  I BD  TO  TKB  LoBA.    **  Vm  tbii  ebikTs  Kml  eoBM  IbIo  bia  ocftm.* 

i:  .    >.  :  u».    Mootb  lu  tbo  eliOd'o 

inu.  aj  i/  bo  tun  ftiood  oil  tbo 

111   IIb  r«MBTiM»  wim  «u  BrtoBT.    Uuiil  tbo  ciaid't  1U*L  vu.«l 
Ibo  c&iU  MiitH  witb  tbo  brootb  of  bow  lifc.— D.  T. 


Tm.  88— 44.~if>iiwir«M  lo  aim,  fMrf  mtd  hod.  "Aai  Bkhs  «hm  ^ria  !• 
Oil^l :  Aod  tbaro  vm  o  dearth  in  tbo  loDd.*  oie.  ITHibi  bad  Riaread  lo  Qilsal.  ibo 
•rat  of  a  Mbool  of  tLe  pr'^^'iicu  ;  he  la!  onaa  tbitbor  ooeo  man  oa  bb  jmrij  cireait, 
aad  dofiof  the  bmine  which  prxst  c  Uad.     A«  tbo  studoau  Ml  bcwo  tboir 

Bioola;  bt  diooerard  in  their  eu.&.  uo  tbo  torriblo  offacU  apoa  tboa  of  ibo 

JMntao     la  tbo  aamuive  w  diaoL'V«<  n^  acdoo  of  M«oral  BUiuolnoi^  or  otoaio  viia 
wyab  M«l  aia  vkited  uhko  or  Uo*  m  pa«io^'  thruogh  tbio  oublunary  ilala. 

L  Hm»  h  %km  miititij  oi  urwrnm  ruiAU  -  I'boro  »aa  a  doarth  id  tW  kad.*  T»  bo 
doaUiulo  of  tboM  poyiMBaa  wbleb  ai*  caaratul  to  tbo  appoaaomoat  of  biiafor  aad  tbo 
wiMiailna  of  iJo  U  aadoobtadly  om  of  tbo  lErooteoi  triak.  8aeb  ifaoilialiwi  b 
of  two  kiada — tbo  onfrfiifi  aad  tbo  mmmmoidmlla.  Tbo  fcmar  io  wwoai  T«m 
of  tboBBMds  of  poofdo  to  tb»  uooaUj,  vbieb  m  ahnoiwk  vit)    •  -  r  ^Ixal  oab^oci 

to  tbo  trtal  of  ibio  doriltatioa  ovorr  d*  J.    Bat  mob  briac  .  oa  i 

oilrooL  T»  IIm  booitloM  eopldttj  of  oao  eloM  of  BiOB,  aad  u>e  iL.a  ^eucr,  r&uav«| 
•ad  iBftoMiMnaM  d  aaolbor,  ibo  povorty  vblob  m  roMaaal  la  K^Ual  l»^^y 
boMoribod.  Tbo  ktlar  kiad  of  doatimtlna, m.  tbo  fomiloiri,  io  tbat  rooutdod  ia  tbow 
vanM .  to  aiuM  oat  of  Ibo  olarilo  oondltiia  iaiu  *bkb  tbo  laold  wo*  throvn.  T^m  ««• 
Um  doatiiwiinw  vblob  bow  proraiUd  lo  Iwaoi ;  U  afllei«i  all.  tbo  gaud  aad  tbo  &«1 
lu  trutb,  Kaiufo  kaow*  of  ttu  awfal  <luiiamioio ,  abo  i/«au  kta^  aod  paupon^  itc 
h^tooiM  aad  tbo  wkkod.  alka. 

IL  Uoro  io  iIm  MJaiilif  of  aaoM  awwaaw  la  oodor  lo  allaj  tbo  roToaMa 
Imm(v  of  bio  pBfiK  Bmbo  M**i  lu  bio  oarraalt  **8ol  oa  tbo  groat  poi,  oad  iibi 
pntfogii  for  tbo  ouao  of  tbo  aropiaote.  Aad  uao  woai  u«i  taio  tba  6om1  to  gal^Kr  borbo, 
and  faoad  a  wild  rtao^  ob«  gaiborod  tberoof  wild  goaid^  bia  Up  hill,  aad  cbmo  aad 


ibrod  iboM  iaio  tb*  boI  of  prKiogo :  far  ibor  kaow  tbom  aoc    S>  iboy  poorod  oat  iot 
Ibo  Moa  to  oaL    Aad  H  oaoM  to  um>,  m  imj  won  aalii«  of  tW  fu€t^:%  iWi  ibr 
enod  oai,  and  mtd,  <  >  iWi  B<aa  of  Ood.  tboro  io  daaib  la  tbo  pot.     Aad  tboj 

oai  tbofooL*    Wbatooar  war*  ibo  borbo  wkfak  tbo  awraau  fcOiboraii  ii 


84  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.         [oh.  it.  1—44 

they  were  nauseons  and  pernicious.  "The  sons  of  the  prophets,"  says  Matthew  Henry, 
••  it  would  seem,  were  better  skilled  in  divinity  than  philosophy,  and  read  their  Bibles 
more  than  their  herbals."  Wiiat  they  put  into  the  pot  tended  to  produce  death  rather 
than  to  strengthen  life.  Every  day  men  are  afflicted  through  the  gross  ignorance  of 
themselves  and  others.  Through  ignorance  men  are  everywhere  putting  *  death  in  the 
pot,"  in  a  material  sense.  The  cook,  the  doctor,  the  brewer,  the  distiller,  how  much 
death  do  they  bring  into  the  "pot"  of  human  life!  Through  ignorance,  too,  men 
are  everywhere  putting  "death  in  the  pot"  in  a,  spiritual  sense.  Calvinistic  dogmas, 
unauthorized  priestly  assumptions,  etc.,  how  much  death  do  they  bring  into  the  spiritual 
"pot"  of  life!  Man's  ignorance  of  God  and  his  claims  on  the  sonl,  its  nature,  its  laws, 
»nd  the  necessary  conditions  of  true  spiritual  progress,  is  the  minister  of  death. 

ITT.  Here  is  the  ministry  of  human  kindness.  "And  there  came  a  man  from  6aal- 
ghalisha,  and  brought  the  man  of  God  bread  of  the  firstfruits,  twenty  loaves  of  bread, 
and  full  ears  of  com  in  the  husk  thcieof."  "Whoever  this  man  was  (for  no  description 
is  given  of  him  save  the  place  of  his  residence),  he  was  a  Heaven-inspired  philan- 
thropist. Mercy,  the  highest  attribute  of  heaven,  was  in  him,  and  he  left  his  hoiiie 
and  came  forth  to  minister  to.  the  needs  of  his  suffering  race.  Thank  God  for  that 
kindness  which  has  survived  the  Fall,  and  still  lives  in  human  s  hearts.  The  most 
precious  ministry  on  earth  is  this :  it  feeds  the  hungry,  clothes  the  naked,  heals  the 
diseased,  wipes  away  the  tears  of  human  sorrow ;  it  is,  indeed,  Christ  in  human  flesh. 
For  he  was  then  in  the  world,  though  the  world  knew  it  not. 

IV.  Here  is  the  ministry  of  supernatural  poweb.  Supernatural  power  through 
Elisha  comes  to  the  relief  of  these  sufferers.  The  supernatural  was  ni;\nifesttd  in 
two  ways.  1.  In  counteracting  the  death-tendency  of  what  was  in  t)ie  pot.  "But 
he  said,  Then  bring  meal.  And  he  cast  it  into  the  pot ;  and  he  said,  Pour  out  for  the 
people,  that  they  may  cat.  And  there  was  no  harm  in  the  pot."  A  suiicrnatuval 
power  is  required  to  counteract  the  pernicious  in  life.  If  the  Almighty  allowed  evil 
to  take  its  course  freely  and  fully,  death  would  run  riot  and  reduce  the  whole  race 
to  extinction.  The  supernatural  was  manifested  also:  2.  In  increasing  the  su[)plie8 
of  li''e.  Eii'^ha  commanded  his  servant  to  distribute  amongst  his  starving  pupils  th« 
provisions  which  the  man  that  came  from  Baal-shalisha  had  brought.  To  this  the 
servant  replied,  "  "What,  should  I  set  this  before  a  hundred  men?  He  said  again,  Give 
the  iKjople,  that  tiny  n.ay  eat :  fir  thus  saitli  the  Loid,  Thoy  .shall  eat,  and  shall  leave 
thereof.  8o  he  set  it  Vefore  them,  and  thej'  did  eat,  and  left  thereof,  according  to  tho 
Wold  of  the  Lord."  As  the  pot  of  oil  increased  in  the  pouring,  so  tho  pinvisions 
increased  in  the  eating.  It  has  been  said  of  old  of  God,  that  he  will  abundantly  Mess 
the  "provisions  of  his  people,  and  satisfy  the  pour  with  bread."  It  is  true  that 
ijioral  goodness,  truth,  and  justice,  skill,  pnideiue,  niid  diligence,  have  a  tomicncy 
Ui  increase  everywhere  the  imivisions  of  human  life,  and  they  are  doing  so  every  day. 
Hut  in  tliiH  case  there  8(  ems  to  bo  the  exertion  of  a  jower  transcending  tho  human. 
II'  wcver  this  may  be,  that  which  we  call  the  supernatural  is  nothing  more  than  tho 
natural.  Ah  Nature  In^rself  is  immeaHurably  beyond  our  comprehension,  transcends  our 
oonccptioiiB,  for  uu  tu  siR-ak  of  the  supurnatural  implies  the  arrogation  of  au  iuteiligeno* 
which  we  do  not  iJosbCBS. — D.  T. 

Vent.  1 — 7. —  T^fl  miraclea  of  Elisha:  the  pot  of  oil.  The  next  few  chapters  relate 
•  iiumlnr  nf  thu  rniracies  of  Elisha — nil  of  them  workH  of  mercy. 

I.  TiiK  wji'ow'b  TKotiii.K.  The  Htcjry  told  in  thP:<o  vorHCH  is  one  of  sore  diHtress.  It 
U  a  nifjry  :  1.  ()/  berrnvemeiit.  A  |ioor  woman,  wiijow  of  one  of  "the  souh  of  the 
prr,|.ii(  tg,"  crie<l  to  Pjiinlia,  " 'Iliy  ncrvunt  my  hu.si'and  is  dead."  Wo  loam  from 
thin  that  tho  prophetic  commnnilieH  wure  not  moiniHtio.  Marriage  was  p«>rmitt<<i. 
And  nuMiibeiN  of  tho  friitirnity  had  ImnneH  itnd  familieH  of  their  own.  But  thii 
j<KM  wnrnan'H  liiiMbiin<l  ha<l  recently  dii  d.  Sho  had  tn  f  no  tho  dillieiiltieB  and  figlit 
the  Wttlctt  <if  lif'*  ah  ne.  We  ar*  in  prcuPiico  of  oiio  of  tlio  minor  tragedies  of  lifo 
—  Hitle  tiion;'hl  of,   InjeftuiMj  nni   uncoinmoii.     2.    0/  drhl.     Ilrr  huHhand    had  bcoii 

£iou»--"Thoti  knowfdt  tlmt  (hy  wrvant  liid  fr»r  tho  Loril  " — but  liin  uiruiiH  had  Ixcn 
ift  In  corifnui'iii  At  hi*  donth,  or,  having  no  mniuin  of  nuliHiHtonco,  tho  laniiiy  had  Hiink 
Into  ({"[wridciiL'i  on  k  crnlitor  ninnx  hta  (Ii-cirho.  A  man  may  N'  goixl,  imd  yok 
Impru'leut.     Ou  th«  othar  hand,  miifortuni't  tony  overtake  the  beet-intentioned,  and 


•LIT.  1-44.1      rni  noovD  book  or  tub  kinoa 


•f  •  >o— ii  Ai  dtM,  at«l  Wvm  lo  >f  luBilj  Ml  iai«riUM»  itf  4»te.    Ttu 

It  A  ««Utt4ncj   k-   '-  .....,.*>.  wMtt  • '  -    ' --    '      " 

8o^4rsHi,«Mttit)«ii.  '*T*k9  no  tin 

SIX  *T*^  ^*  "-""  ».      .  .  — ,;«d  my  OW0  li.'s —  ___, — 

tvoMTjr  iictfcMi  of  !*•  Irai,  Mtd  a>M  f  b>  uwmt  — ihmi 

lift'  0   aiikieir  tLat  I  U*J  !•  oow  iMd  initia,  orv. 

Bj  t  <1  oom,'    S    ' 

l»  vkooi    '.    -  ,rr  -.Irsa,  It  ♦,   .•  , 

•"  p*  ,  <'WI.         Il     W»-  o    « 

■  rf    U  r 

C     «•  nl      W         I    1    •>.    l»  <  II 

'  Lcr    aiir  «•    tabu   Utc  »<.  > 

■«A.        At  r 

!     -!}.- 

!•  at  all  • 

.*.     -  Teli  D««  . 
.»  wh«t  we  «lrr  . 

~   was    tUklia    liJO    imata  ul^    Mh*i   Wa*   lu    br 

>idow  o<  Zw|>b»th'«  "hAod/ul  of  mcBl  w.  « 
xTii.  12),  aud  Christ  bu  od  the  Ud't  "  fire  U 
•  .  ri.  9).     Tb«  Imiop  it  thM  what  meuM  of  be 

for  a  lit-rmi  es}-'   .^.-r  f*  ^ooJmml     "O's  k>«Ti<«  th«*  v*iM^is  abroad  ol  a  .  tijy 

B«igbl>     1%,  e».  ■.  '      :  •  ^    w  «       •  .    tnjiTOW  oot  a  few."     B  ^ 

ofli-elv^n.  . u^  Um  v«anla  vaa, 

Ib  i^  Imi  cb:>.  irr    rti;i     .  V   B  work  of  faith  (cii.  n. 

rtist  OS  in  au»wer  lu  our  Hu  wurd  rathcc  is,  "*  ;■  >     : 

I  will  111  It' (F^  li^*'  ::  .ur  faith  viUbottniMhlc: 

hb  BiwilHj.    t.  /    '  iMcrwy.    "  Wh«B  thou  wt  eoti 

4oar  «|ioo  WM  a&c    ,   _  i_j  eooa,  aod  ahalt  pour  oat,**  otc 

bu  be  mado  a  vui^ar  voodor.     To  ioomto  th«  fuJl  bttkeoi  « 

of  tr>«  booae  mco  to  be  aioao,  la  priracr,  th«tr  tboui;b.- 
J«ao«^)aiBt  tbo  ctUti ratios  ctmencj  in  ral  gtou  (Matu  vl  i  — Irj     tie  .  tua 
farbBde  tko  hlMriBh>c  ahrood  of  hM  mira^lt*  (Matt.  viiL  4.  eic.)      11m  jAmii  g  -f 
ra|i0aDa  oxpinoaeaa  ukaa  tho  hlooa  off  them. 
uL  Tnt  MtTLTtTLTDM  AT  TBI  Oil.     L    Tk$  tH  mmUiflitd.     The  widow  and  bar 
<ttd  ■•  dirac^nl.  aod.  aa  thev  poorad  tha  oil  IbIo  tht  hooowad  vaaaak.  it  alUl 
tfll  the  Trawli  wrre  full.     TV*  ilfint  ei  oiinela  hara  la  very  ootahie,  W«t 
w  BM  Bot  eBlHiod  to  ozpoec  aooh  mi  >  '  .'.e  praaaot  day.     But  thr  f 

DivtBO  bilp  ts  dtatraat  implied  ia  auct  ematua  to  m,  a:  d  (1  «i  » 

•voiTdmft  OBhiaHoaJoM  mado by  laith,  i«»:u.  uarlf  oBoaehdeodaaathta. 
iBOidaBt  IB  proof  ■  iBOOfdn 


Ib  proof  H  mofded  by  Kromaarhar  b  hi*  raBMrka  %m  tkia  BdmBlc 
iaoL  ▼  ^     '•  •st^  aliBOil  br  -.' '  •'  t*  theco  m  a  orahiplyi^  peow  Ib  it^  i  .<.  •• 
ii^,  fnm  miracle  16).     1  TV  ea/  afayad.     Wh«B  the  vaMali 

«w«  : — .—.  widow  aa<d  lo  L.  ^...  iirio^  aa  ya«  a  vorteL*  Thero  vaa  mm,  ho«> 
af«r^  a  vaaaal  nwfB.  Than  tho  oil  aUyodl  Had  iharo  baao  ntmtv  vaearla,  it  vo«U 
bova  flovad  oo.  Tha  aolr  fitiiit  uf  iL"  *  :itf>Iv  waa  the  Uodt  of  thair  eapadtv  to  ry«aiai^ 
Wa  are  Dot  atraitmni  r  u<^  c«lj  ia    •urwlvca.     1.    tW  «d  mU. 

Tha  Bawa  brixtc  bnMtghi  o  tha  pata/ai  wotnati — |  oor  bo  Mofo— to 

•eO  tha  o41,  aod  pay  har  daU,  aod  h*%  aba  at>d  har  ohiUraB,  af  the  laaL     Tha  dah« 


86  THE  SECX)ND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.         [ch.  it.  1—44. 

was  not  repudiated;  it  was  paid-  God  would  put  the  stamp  of  his  approval  on 
honesty.  The  whole  incident  teaches  us  the  lesson  of  trusting  God  in  every  time  of 
need.  "When  have  the  righteous  been  forsaken,  or  their  seed  seen  begging  bread 
rPs.  xxxvii.  25)  ?  If  we  can  trust  in  God  for  temporal  supplies,  much  more  may  we 
for  our  spiritual  supplies  (PhiL  iv.  19).— J'.  0. 

Vers.  8 — 17. — The  lady  of  Shunem  :  1.  A  $on  given.  The  scene  of  this  exquisite 
story  is  the  town  of  Shunem,  on  the  slope  of  Little  Harmon,  one  of  the  eminences 
lookinz  down  on  the  rich  and  extensive  plain  of  Jezreel. 

I.  Receivtkg  a  prophet  in  the  nams  of  a  pbophbt.  In  this  town  dwelt  a 
wealthy  lady,  wife  of  a  man  who  had  large  possessions  in  land — the  Boaz  of  that 
district.  The  first  part  of  the  story  is  a  beautiful  instance  of  the  consecrated  use  of 
wealth.  1.  Elisha  observed.  Shunem  lay  in  Elisha's  route  in  passing  to  and  fro, 
probably  on  his  visits  to  the  schools  of  the  prophets.  The  lady  of  Shunem  did  not  at 
first  kuow  him,  but  his  appearance,  as  he  passed  and  repassed,  attracted  her  attention. 
She  saw,  from  the  gravity,  benevolence,  and  distinction  of  his  aspect,  that  he  was  "  a 
holy  man  of  God."  She  felt  an  interest  in  him,  first  as  a  wayfarer,  then  as  a  man 
of  piety.  It  is  well  when  even  our  outward  deportment  is  such  that  others  are  com- 
pelled to  take  knowledge  of  us  that  we  have  been  with  Jesus  (Acts  iv.  13).  2.  Elisha 
welcotned.  The  immediate  impulse  of  the  pious  lady  was  to  show  hospitality  to  the 
traveller.  (1)  This  illustrates  her  own  piety.  It  was  because  she  feared  God  that  she 
was  moved  to  show  this  kindness  to  his  servant.  Piety  often  lingers  in  rural  districts 
when  wickedness  is  rampant  in  the  cities.  One  mirked  manifestation  of  piety  is 
reverence  for,  and  hospitable  treatment  of,  God's  saints  (Matt.  x.  40 — i2 ;  xxv.  31  -16). 
Elisua  was  received  "  in  the  name  of  a  ptophet"  (Matt.  x.  41).  (2)  It  illustrates  also 
her  natural  benevolence  of  heart.  Had  this  lady  not  been  natmally  of  a  benevolent 
disposition,  accustomed  to  act  hospitably  and  generously,  she  would  not  so  readily 
have  thought  of  constraining  Elisha  •'  to  eat  bread."  St.  Paul  notes  it  as  the  mark  of  a 
godly  woman,  "if  she  have  lodged  strangers"  (1  Tim.  v.  10).  3.  Elisha  a  customary 
gu-Bt.  When  once  Elisha  had  found  his  way  to  this  good  lady's  house,  it  would  be  alike 
a  pleasure  to  hiiu  and  a  satisfaction  to  his  hostess  "  to  turn  in  thither"  every  time  he 
p:i8scd  through  Shunem.  The  more  the  Shunammite  saw  of  the  prophet,  the  more 
•he  reverenced  and  desired  to  serve  him.  With  the  inventiveness  of  a  mind  that 
"deviscth  liberal  things"  (Isa.  xxxii.  8),  it  soon  occurred  to  her  to  make  permanent 
arrari;;ements  fur  his  comfortable  reception.  Her  husband,  to  whom  she  j)ropo8e«l  her 
plans,  ent<  red  heartily  into  them.  Unlike  the  churlish  Nabal  (1  Sam.  xxv.),  he  was 
willing  to  give  of  his  wealtli  for  a  prophet's  entertainment.  A  chamber,  accordingly, 
wa«  fitte<i  up  on  the  wall  for  Elisha's  private  use,  and  there  he  abode,  and  could 
feel  at  home,  whinever  ho  passed  that  way.  How  beautiful  the  large  and  unstinted 
gencronity,  the  wipe  foretlu>Mght,  the  warm  consideration  for  another's  comfort,  dis- 
plny-d  in  thiH  incident  I  Tills  wise  and  unselfish  use  of  wealth  is  the  true  secret  of 
obtainin,'  enjoyment  out  of  it. 

II.  A  Piioi  iiKi-'s  BEWAitD.  We  are  called  to  notice:  1.  Tht  prophet'n  gratitude. 
It  WM  iiot  \Mili  liope  of  re'.\.ird  liiat  tlio  Shnnanimit*'  had  done  hor  arts  of  kindness, 
but  Elinha  was  none  the  le^h  anxious  to  show  liis  hi'm««  of  her  gencmsity  by  doing  hir 
■iimu  Hotvice  in  nMnm.  lie  biido  Gehazi  his  Hcrvnnt  lall  htr,  and  sav  to  hor,  "Thou 
h-'iHt  b.i;n  airelul  fur  us  with  all  tluM  care;  what  \n  to  bo  done  for  thee?"  A  giaieful 
npirit  well  bcroui'S  a  (iirvaiit  of  QimI  (2  Tim.  i.  Ifi— IH).  'i'hero  is  none  whose 
f(nitiiu<|c  we  should  HO  mu(  h  <lf  iro  to  have  aH  tliat  of  "  rightious  men."  They  may 
'K.t,  liku  EIimIui,  havo  intiront  with  kiiiuM  and  c»iuriH,  but  tliey  have  inl(>r<'st  wilh 
llcavcii.  (JinI  rfwardn  for  tlifir  xake.  Th<ir  praycrH  and  intcivehHioiis  aro  wurtli  more 
than  idlvcr  mid  V,tM.  2.  The  ShutKimmitr'n  humility.  (1)  Hlisha'rt  llrHt  jiro|ioMttl  was, 
'*  Woulildt  thou  bo  «|iokrii  for  to  tho  kiiii-,  or  l<»  tlm  captain  of  the  liost?"  liis 
iullu<-nce  at  cv.nrl,  nirict-  llm  vi(;t<iry  ovor  thn  Moahitcn,  wa«  iiruhably  very  •'jvnt.  It  ih 
not  char  what  exactly  ho  hup|>omh1  tliu  kin/,  roiilil  dn  fur  hor  that  tlin  Sliunnmniite 
wan  lik'ly  ft  d'Niri';  for  it  oonjd  not  Imj  thou;;ht,  IcnHt  of  nil  by  KIlHlia,  that  life  In 
Hariinria,  and  a  (Mmition  In  Jcdiorain'M  court,  <  von  thou;;h  attendcii  by  wealth  and 
hoiKMir,  wm  nri  a  lv.iiiU»j;o<iu»i  ixihaiiK"  for  Iht  pronont  rural  folloity.  A  cahc  did 
ariM,  liowMivt,  lal«r  uu,  in  which  it  wiu  uf  bcuotlt  to  l>«r  U>  "  be  spokuD  fur  to  tiie 


m  if.  1-44] 


TUB  nOOVD  BDOI  OP  THB  KOI0& 


kins- 

of  VtbtMlCh.      (*'> 
ABii  Ub«UtUUt>  -      :' 

Iwr,  for  Mar  grmi. 
ridbtljr.     I'U  clri 

fl|)uy(Kl.     Ti<«y  an  mc; 

•bov.     &.   71*  ^vv  .  .  ^ 
(1)  0«kMl,  w  ih   Um  ^ 
"Tailiv  ab*  luih  doc' 
lh«  Lkdy  Uunei't  b< ' 

ui.i  ).ji  [>y  !  f A-    ii' 

but  '  ihcw    li.a 

«A»     >  Urc«    lu   > 

loouui|>l<  t«.      1 
if  uoly  u> 
RlklM  M«  «i  ontm  the 

Oud."  ti 
wtth  bar, 
tturds  «6.^   '. 
Wbrtt  b«r  mi: 
jo  J  wookl  cb^ 

|nui4«abAil  I'ut  c- 
la  tba  lonu  t! 
i;t<»«Tri!lT  be    . 

lor  ^-     .        .   -■ 


4%    Tn 
I.     To  b»  ••  i*t 

It     «•»•    .Htlrtmt. 


nrinM)  m   EIUb«*l  voold  bs**  btti 

^   U     ir:    -  ,Rv  fiM»  (^  f.*bb«.  lb* 


•  (Hi      |«,M(if>4j 


lU  tAkr 


O. 


y«r»  18— ^.— TV  Z*^  ^  A«MM»  .•  2.  TV  MM*  teAw  aW  iwiuiiA  A  U^m  o/ 
wv'  •  }>•  alflnr,  (i  h  UnM  Um  ebild  bftl  grvvv,  lill  be  vm 

•blr  flotbaL- 

1.  iiiE  LVSxrwTEi*  vraOKft.  1.  .i  r-^,'^^  ^  pnmi*-.  Itrtrfthiuf^  oaabUMd  to 
iBTest  tiiU  flbaaMUBllc't  iob  vith  iutert»t.  uid  u>  m*ke  him  Lbe  kilui  t./  hi*  fwmiu' 


baw    U«  WM  Ml  odIt  «■,  t.V 
•f  a^MU.    U«  voold  b«  t. 
«bmmIm  rtndT.    Ba  wm  bi- 
tba««ylavbkk  tbaabOd  r 
'  k  mig^l  b*  tbou. 
ia  vbkbba ted  bMo 
f»fl#ebiMbonri 
•uC  lal  a  violim  to  di»^  . 
WM  H«  to  h*  dkowm.    'i.  r^' 
is  dkmfkf  awl  aaumllf  toll.     Itm  tmtj 
ba  anft^M^  **  Mt  baad.  mj  bt«d  ! " 
•0  bk  MAbar.     H«  t 
O  MMMb  far  btfr. 

«bMtte«ar'of  ib«  atraka    ibr  -     ■ 
bol^  blM  ibarateaL  ^ 


aid  a^a^  a  cbild  a^  |>i— iaa     a>ii>il 
/  bia  booaa,  a  ouci»iaBl  vottdar.  ao 
'har'a,  faTuurii^  aa  aaaa  bv 
«a  bopaa  «u«ld  ba  buiH 
Fraai  tba 


AImI  tbaeoMfary 

jJajrlU  obUd'a  aritura 

f  raapara,  wbaa  auiiicciir 

udi^  a*d  ofdara  bim  to  i« 

■^  illniMi     Iba 

avdy  diviiKa  tba  fatal 

I,  laklaf  bbaoa  bar 


m  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINOa         [oh  it.  1— H 

great  »  motlier's  1ot«I  The  father  is  sought  in  the  hour  of  play  ;  the  mother's  knee 
i8  the  place  in  sickness.  At  noon  the  child  dies.  3.  The  child  dead.  (1)  It  is  not 
an  unexampled  thing  for  children  to  be  taken  away  as  suddenly  and  pathetically  as  thia 
Shunaruniite's  son  was.  Many  a  parent's  bleeding  heart  can  tell  of  similar  wounds. 
The  suffering  and  death  of  little  children  is  one  of  the  •*  dark  things  "  of  Providence. 
Often  it  is  the  brightest  and  most  promising  that  is  taken,  and  the  removal  is  sometimes 
as  sharp,  startling,  and  unlooked-for  as  in  the  case  here  described.  Yesterday,  nay,  at 
mom,  the  mother  had  her  child  by  her,  happy,  winsome,  full  of  mirth  and  frolic ;  at 
noon  he  is  snatched  from  her  embrace  for  ever.  (2)  The  special  mystery  in  the  case 
of  this  Shunammite'a  son  is  that  he  was  a  child  of  promise.  Had  not  God  given  her 
this  son — given  him  without  her  seeking — and  how  could  he  now,  without  manifest 
injustice,  snatch  him  away  from  her  again  in  this  ruthless  manner?  Was  there  not, 
in  this  way  of  deahng,  a  breaking  of  promise  with  her,  something  arbitrary,  capricious, 
unfair?  So  to  her  wild,  whirling  thoughts,  it  may  have  seemed.  God's  ways  are,  in 
truth,  often  very  mysterious.  Yet  in  the  present  instance  may  not  the  very  fondness 
of  these  doting  parents  for  their  child  help  to  explain  something  of  the  darkness  of  God's 
dea'ing  with  them  ?  God  never  binds  himself  to  an  unconditional  continuance  of  our 
blessings.  There  was  danger,  just  because  this  child  was  held  so  dear,  of  the  parents' 
centiiniii  aU  in  it — forgetting,  in  their  feeling  of  the  security  of  their  possession,  that 
tbe  gifc  still  hung  on  the  will  of  the  Giver.  To  recall  them  to  a  sense  of  their 
dependence,  or,  if  this  is  rejected,  then,  as  in  Abraham's  case,  to  perfect  the  faith  of 
this  yhunammite  through  trial,  the  gift  is  for  the  time  withdrawn.  (3)  The  child  is 
dead,  and  with  almost  unnatural  composure,  the  stricken  mother  rises  from  her  seat, 
bears  the  child's  body  aloft  to  the  prophet's  chamber,  lays  it  on  the  bed,  and  goes  out, 
locking  the  door  behind  her.  She  tells  neither  servants,  husband,  nor  any  one  else,  of 
what  has  happened.  Her  husband  was  still  in  the  field,  and  she  must  have  put  off  any 
inquiries  he  made  with  evasive  answers.  A  great  mystery  hung  over  this  unlooked-for 
bereavement,  and  as  only  the  prophet  can  solve  that  mystery,  to  the  prophet  she  will  go. 
II.  'i'uK  JOUBNEY  TO  Cakmel.  1.  On  (he  way.  (1)  Tlie  lady  sends  to  her  husband 
for  an  ass,  and  a  young  man  to  accompany  her,  that  she  may  "nm  "  to  tlio  prophet, 
and  Come  a  ain.  She  pives  no  explanation,  for  in  her  heart  she  no  doubt  cherislied  hope 
ti  a>  her  niis.^ion  would  not  be  in  vain.  She  clung  to  the  promise  of  God  (cf.  llcb. 
xi.  17 — 1;>).  In  the  hour  of  trouble,  nothing  lightens  the  gloom  like  a  promise  to 
held  by.  (2)  The  husband's  surprised  question,  "Wherefore  wilt  thou  go  to  him 
to-day?  it  is  neither  new  moon,  nor  sabbath,"  shows  that  it  was  Elislia's  custom  to 
hold  religious  assemblies  on  the  sabbath  days,  to  which  the  godly  in  Israel  resorted. 
Thla  is  an  interesting  side  liglit  on  the  practice  of  the  time.  Weekly  assemblies  were 
Hut  proviilod  for  in  the  Law,  hut  where  Idvo  to  God  is  in  the  heart,  it  needs  no  law  to 
brin;;  helicvers  together  (Mai.  iii.  IG).  (3)  The  journey  was  made  in  haste.  "Slacken 
Dot  the  rioin^i."  Such  crnuidrt  brooked  no  delay.  When  one  is  earnest  in  pressing  for 
a  blcHHing  iiool^Hiacles  will  bo  allowed  to  stand  ia  the  way.  Neither  in  service  of  God,  in 
•C'kiiig  hlunKinf;  from  G'Mi.norin  pursuit  of  holiness,  should  wo  bo  teni))t.  d  to  "slacken" 
our  endcavourM  (I'lijl.  iii.  13,  11).  2.  Miethiff  Uetidzi.  From  :ifar,  from  his  dwelling 
on  Ciriiiei,  KliBha  Haw  the  Inini  ridin.;  i.f  the  lady  whom  ho  recognized  as  the  Shunam- 
niil<i.  With  an  insUint  pnscuiiiiKnt  llmt  Komelhing  w;ih  wron; — thoU"li  uuthiiig  had 
b*!'  n  reveal. -d  to  liim  (vcr.  '11) — In-  bado  (jrliazi  Imstoii,  and  impiiro  oiinicJiuiig  luim  If, 
h«-M  hniil;iiid,  and  her  child,  if  it  wero  "jioiico."  To  him,  Imwcvcr,  she  \\a^  in  no  wise 
nijridwl  t4j  ip|rtjn  np  lier  heart.  She  hut  curlly  rcjilicd,  as  sho  had  licloro  done  to  lier 
buNbtiid  (v'T.  23),  "  It  in  jteac."  With  all  her  deep  iilHicliMn,  she  had  not  Burrcmlond 
failh.  She  flit  that  ihA  wmh  tryin;^  h<r,  but  (h'iU';ii  "laith  and  form  "  wore  Hiindeicd 
if.  tho  iii((ht  of  fear,  nho  hail  couiugo  to  believe  that  it  would  yet  bo  "  woll."  Ibr 
C'liiifort  wiM  not  ill  the  well-lieiiig  of  her  rliild  with  God,  l)ut  in  the  hope  that  ho  would 
)■<!  riiitorcd  tf)  bfr.  With  the  now  linht  the  nimjiol  has  j;lven,  Glnislians  can  Hiiy  uf 
their  d<ar  loht  ebildreti,  "  It  Ik  well,"  ihongh  lln-y  havo  no  hopo  of  lieholdinR  lliem 
a^i^itln  CO  rurtli  (••.(>«■  mtimohh  iiml  piecoM  in  Ijm.'iui'h  *  WdkIh  of  (Idiiifort ; '  <'H|K*ciiillv 
H'rinrin  bv  0.  II.  K|>iir(;<  i>ii  on  thin  text,  '  infunl  KhIvhiidii,*  p.  117,  !)li>  odil.^. 
3  At  I'lUha't  fittl.  (1^  Arrived  in  thn  proplul'ii  proinnrf,  th«  lM>niiv«<i  iiiol her  rant 
hnraolf  In  inula  f,r\M  aiid  ■uppli(Ati<>u  at  bm  TmiL.  With  linitulnr  iiii4p]irrriiilinii  ^f 
' 'ii,    <\(\\\i%i  y    nf    ihn    nil iifil iuii,    (irlm/.i    a|  |>rrtiu'ljr<l     to    ihruNt    hnr    Rwuy.       UiiL    I'lliSha 


p.-: 


U 


m  IV.  1-44.)         TBB  txaiVD  MOK  OF  TBI  K1K0&  « 

iK.t  <aMM«k»«ita««4*niMk«lli.f«).    lUi  MovMT  iDok  ter  UoiiU*  to  li.*  H^ 

|.  ^.^     #f\  BT-«B4-bf  MM  lo"' <)   «i.>  ill.  wll.}.    in    f.^n.  acia  soMa  t/  vtliLxt    Ik  .  <. 

'  la  I  dMf«'»  MS  «l  ay  krvi  •»•?*    Ui 

«a»  I..     :    ■  to  Um  ^raNMl  It  9  k*4  t««Blt» 

In  1  ;  .u»T  pr«ri!««  Uinf  e(MB|J«(«lir  rarrriW      Oa4  M  pltM*  ' 

lie  bid*  M  **  1  nMBMabr«t 

«     ..  '     a  «.. 4  I'l  Viua  •'•ou. I  MO'Xie,  r..U!.S  CUM-  :-'.ia*t. 

1 V  thM  bimwif.  to  9fmi  fonnvd,  aad  kj 

MM  DviU>«r  tot" to b> WMlid,  >nr  kk  ^  ^ 

y  uo«  ua  Um  «k  •  Kia^  hutinwmt  «.* 

-  T    4.)    Ovb^^  ^.^  _^  ^  WW  oaoHMtx'r-l  '  -t^ 

.  i«  aUff  dU  Ml  work  Um  «e«»a«^ 
:  of  tVa  iKophade  aiiU  >  riir  utx!cr  » 

.     KlUba  hft^   t  f    n 

'  J  wmthor ;  oUi 

-  imj  •  new  tri . 

xwlal  •«.      ^ 
y  BM  ie,  I 

lovad  too  aarV.' 


Shiiiummita  had  it 

'  - !  UiMu.  ail!"    • 

taak  ia  » 


00  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.         [oh.  it.  1—44. 

Vers.  38 — 41. —  The  deadly  pottage.  Two  other  remarkable,  though  more  briefly 
related,  works  of  Elisha  are  narrated  in  tlie  closiug  verses  of  ttiis  chapter.  Both  hava 
to  do  with  "  the  sons  of  the  prophets  "  at  Gilgal ;  both  relate  to  a  time  of  famine  ;  anc 
one  is  an  Old  Testament  anticipation  of  a  signal  miracle  of  Christ.  The  first  is  th» 
healing  of  the  deadly  pottage. 

L  The  prophktic  <x)llege.  "We  are  transported  to  Gilgal,  and  aain  a  glimpse  into 
the  interior  of  the  prophetic  school.  1.  Beh'gious  instruction.  Elisha  is  there,  and 
"the  sons  of  the  prophets"  are  "sitting  before  him,"  receiving  his  instructions.  There 
is  dearth  of  temporal  provision,  but  none  of  spiritual.  The  usual  exercises  of  instruction 
and  devotion  go  on,  as  if  plenty  reigned.  2.  Beligious  fellowship.  The  famine  has 
not  sufficed  to  break  up  the  little  community,  but  has  drawn  the  members  of  it — as 
trial  should  always  do — closer  together.  They  have  a  common  table.  They  "dwell 
together  in  imity  "  (Ps.  cxxxiii.  1).  Elisha,  like  a  good  captain,  shares  the  hardsliips 
of  his  army.  God's  peoj^le  are  sometimes  brought  into  difficulty  enough,  but  tlie  etftct 
•hould  only  be  to  strengthen  the  bonds  oi  hrotherly  love.  3.  Ileligious  order.  There 
are  orderly  arrangements.  Elisha  is  not  only  preceptor,  but  diivctor  of  the  tempoial 
affairs  of  the  community.  All  Qbey  him,  as  all  appeal  to  him  when  trouble  arises. 
The  invisible  Head  of  the  community  is  Jehovah.  On  him  they  rely  with  confidence, 
when  every  other  source  of  help  fails. 

II.  Death  is  the  pot.  The  great  pot  is  set  on  to  seethe  pottage  in,  and  one  goes  out  to 
gather  herbs  to  eke  out  the  scanty  supply.  1.  The  poisonous  gourd.  Attracted  by  some 
wild  creepers,  the  messenger  gathers  therefrom  a  lapful  of  gourds,  which  he  mistakes  for 
goui  ds  of  a  similar  appearance  that  are  edible.  The  plants  he  had  gathered  were  in  reality 
poisonous.  He  brought  them  home,  and  they  were  shred  into  the  pottage.  We  may 
learn  two  lessons.  (1)  The  danger  of  being  deceived  by  appearances.  Things  often  are 
not  what  they  seem.  The  most  plausible  errors  are  those  which  bear  a  superficial  resem- 
blance to  great  truths.  We  need  to  have  our  *'  senses  exercised  to  discern  both  good  and 
evil"  (Heb.  v.  14).  To  the  true  vine  there  correspond  many  wild  vines;  to  the  gourds 
that  nourish  and  satisfy,  many  fair  but  ])oisonous  iniitatia«s.  (2)  The  best  intentions 
may  lead  to  sad  mistakes.  The  important  point  to  be  noticed  here  is  that  our  inten- 
tions, however  good,  cannot  prevent  things  from  acting  according  to  their  real  nature. 
The  person  who  gathered  the  gourds  thought  tluin  innocuous,  but  they  produced  their 
poisonous  effects  all  the  same.  *'  Sincerity  "  does  not  exonerate  ns  from  the  con- 
»equenc-8  of  our  actions;  at  least  it  cannot  prevent  these  consequences  following. 
Poisonous  j)riiiciple«  an-  as  liarmful  in  their  influence  when  promulgated  in  ignorance, 
ai>  wh'  n  diffused  with  the  fullest  knowledge  of  their  d(  atUy  character.  "  They  knew  it 
not"  dots  iiot  suffice  to  alter  the  nature  of  facts.  2.  The  timely  discovery.  The  |K)ttage 
wa*  no  sooner  tasted  than  the  peculiar  flavour  and  felt  effects  discovered  to  those  eating 
it  that  there  was  Bomething  amiss.  The  cry  was  raised,  "0  thou  man  of  Genl,  there 
Is  death  in  the  potl"  (1)  One  prisonous  in.;r(dient  had  destroyed  the  value  of  much 
whoU-B'Miio  f(j<Kl.  It  did  not  require  thai  all  the  elcmenta  in  the  |»ottige  should  he 
nnwholewjine ;  it  was  cnougli  tliat  this  one  was.  Through  it  the  whole  mixture  was 
rendered  datWy.  It  is  not  uncommon  to  defend  a  system  by  pointing  to  the  num<irous 
truths  which  it  contnins.  But  one  vitd  error  Mended  with  these  truths  may  give 
the  whole  a  fatal  quality.  The  gosjml  itself  uiay  ho  adulterated  with  si)w;ious  lies 
which  deutroy  itH  jjower  for  good.  (2)  It  is  well  when  there  is  timely  discovery 
of  evil,  it  lit  lH;tter  when,  hb  here,  thoso  who  have  made  the  discovery  resolve  to 
jjftrtake  no  more  of  the  piiwinf^d  dinli.  "  Tlmy  could  not  eat  thereof."  Hut  luiiny,  in 
moral  thingH,  who  know,  who  at  least  have  boon  warne<i,  that  there  is  "tleath  in  tho 
p't/'go  ou  eating  of  it.  There  Is  death  in  the  intoxicating  pot,  yet  many  will  not 
r'  frain. 

ill.  Tub  rcrTTAciK  iir.Ai.Kn.  Elisha  )ia<l  within  Idmself  a  monition  what  to  do.  Uo 
■aid,  "  Bring  meal."  Tho  nnul  wiu  brought,  and  (A.^!  int^i  tho  [lottage,  and  tlio  evil 
wna  at  oiic«  cure!.  I'hero  ho  iuh  no  rcuHoti  for  UHing  the  nun!  except  that  it  wan 
ctiatornary  U>  aiotinfiany  iheiu)  |>ro|  hetic  inirncli>ii  with  an  oiilwind  Hym)>ii|ie4il  act;  and 
th«  mnul,  an  a  lymUil  of  what  wiui  wholeivimii  and  nntritionn  in  fiNxi,  wan  oh  approprinto 
a  miwliiiin  ilh  any  U>  Iki  wm«1.  Wn  gut  (hiMiiloa  thiit  ihe  nnwhnle.Minie  in  to  Im<  diH|i|iu'nd 
Lj  tlt«  wiiohmoraa.  If  thn  Imuio  i*  to  Ixi  di  iilruytMl,  wo  mimt  uho  hm  nntidoto  that  which 
l»  I'f  vfiitmlM  ckaract«r.     Aji  a  wurk  U  (JiA't  power,  the  mlruclo  waa  a  pledge  lo  tht 


«■.  V.  1— tT.] 


T8B  BBOOND   BOOK  OF  TUB   KIKOIL 


tl 


fittaw  I*  kJp  Ums  !•  mrmj  Ha*  W 


tfOod 


IL-J.O. 


TV* 


•.'^, 


L  Tn  utrr  i>r    :   >  t  \  t  s       in  •  Um*  ul  craa 

Tuts  wr  .\40»  tf«ft  •*-      '     '' — ■' 
vt  Iti*  inM/htlta. "      IIm  r«lifto< : 

t^  iKr  >f>i^  uf  rv-Jigt"*'  '"  I«'-^'  

fre-ot  hliu 


-«Uljr,  lKrf»  e»iaa 
«L      It    ■k'   **  t<««>i 

•    t'  *  *\4t  I  (>.    lb« 

I  L.  1  L*  »'  t  M  \n»l 


ttf<  nihil      la 

TWir  wqipli^t  •««  c 
halp  Id  m  oiMMil  to 
ia  vltk  lite  braftd 
bPMlglu  braad  Aitd  e<»x 


<ktf  tif 


«f  Hovidliic  <nr  bl*  people 
•f  mId  Mat  in  J«|  M  vou< 


vouti,^  i..   .  ^  -    'tt  Uu«  pMaa^«  ci 

OK«SA»  'iitj  barWj  )a*T 

fcwrnd,  kAir  all,  b«i  >'>'>t   '  r^  ^  v  m«B.    tIm  , 

how—,  «arnuit  fn»  f  raqaiivd^     L  **  Thma 

mmtktl^rd.'     "G:  tiieT  nuj  f*!."     VSbco 

0«bttri  ob)aet«d  UiM  tb«r»  wm  :  <•  ci>mi«n7,  tb«  prophet  rvpoaiad 

hMeoauDftiMl,i<idiBg.*'For  U>u»  lixall  tm'.,  aad  fth«il  b«v«  UMfvol.'' 

A  "thsf  MJtb  th«  Lord"  mffier*  lu  urttcuma  mh  u^jaciKKML  What  ma  it  not 
tolub  T  It  m*d«  the  varkb  «t  firat ;  it  gmT«  th«  UrMlitas  i— niM  is  the  «ild«> 
I ;  It  brviU|[ht  water  frum  the  ruck  ;  it  bed  but  e  littlc>  before  BultiDtiad  the  vidfa>v*e 
oiL  IS  we  hew  thie  werrent  fur  anything  we  ere  v>\d  to  do,  we  need  net  heKitete  10 
etumpc  iL  t  Tk»  j>toj>l»  fmL  Aooonlingir,  wbeo  the  breed  wee  eerred  oot,  it  wee 
(uuod  to  be  kuffiiicni  lur  eii  It  i«  cuhouelj  tuppoeed  bj  eome  ihet  ti^  mirefiU  wee 
BuC  in  the  muiuplieetiaa  o(  the  U\«d,  but  in  eeaeing  the  portiotie  reei^ved  to  Mtklj 
hanger.  Tbe  euekigT  of  the  oih«r  niirvrka  bj  omlupUcatka,  oot  la  the  0««pele  ekMi^ 
b«t  ia  theae  very  htelariee  (1  Kuifce  svii.  IS— 16;  eh.  !▼.  1— T).  b  ^eiaet  thta. 
Wo  eeo  la  the  (oovieioa  mod*  (1)  •  Uoodtng  of  ptDvidonue  nod  nireet*.  Aa  opproeA- 
able  ^aaalitj  of  tho  breed  provided  wee  foniebed  by  the  oeea  of  Baokoba'bha;  Ood 
Biad*  thli  BuflUeot  by  a  direct  not  of  power.  Another  fllueiretiua  of  the  varietv  of 
tbo  DiHaa  aethode.  Tb«  <>i">  x^\n%  ovlaia  te  that  thoee  who  trwl  him  teiili  bo 
prurkled  lor  (Po.  »xiv.  •.  1  do  w«U  to  eee  ia  it  alao  (2)  aa  iOMHte  of  the  tnM^ 

Gv>J-ftvoa,  epifitual  br«ed.  •  -i  brtoice  to  ue  ia  uur  -p'-tl^n'  aeod,  aijd  by  whieh 

otir  apiritual  huiiger  (Juna  vL  26 — M).— J.  O. 


KXP061T10K. 


OBAPTKB 


Tom.  1-r 
LarwvT.    H-'  - 

rettve  of  Rluu*  • 
ok  iL,  aud  gieee  in 
eery  fiaphie  oad 


ONBarkabta^    aai 

parwUar  raliliea  lh«  «i« 

One  w- the  ■■■ml  of 

,  lie  iadiecioa.     One  eee 

fa«el(»er   a»d    e    bmm  of 

e  Habrtw  ead  a 

elwt«4her  iiaei 


92 


THE  SECOND  BOOK   OF  THE  KINGS.  [ch.  v.  1~  2X 


occasion  for  it  would  not  hare  arisen.  The 
two  together  must  have  greatly  raised  the 
reputation  of  the  prophet,  and  have  given 
him  an  influence  beyond  the  borders  of  the 
land  of  Israel ;  at  the  same  time  extending 
the  reputation  of  Jehovah  as  a  great  God 
through  many  of  the  surrounding  nations. 

Ver.  1. — Now  Naaman,  captain  of  the  host 
of  the  King  of  Syria.  The  name  "Naaman  " 
is  here  found  for  the  first  time.  It  is 
thought  to  be  derived  from  that  of  an 
Araiiiffian  god  (Ewald),  and  appears  in  the 
later  Arabic  under  the  form  of  Nomdn,  in 
which  shape  it  is  familiar  to  the  students 
of  Arabian  liistory.  Benhadad,  who  had 
been  wont  in  his  youth  and  middle  age  to 
lead  his  armies  into  the  field  in  person 
(1  Kinss  XX.  1—20;  ixii.  31;  'Ancient 
Monarchiea,'  vol.  ii.  p.  103),  seems  now  in 
his  old  age  to  have  found  it  necessary  to 
entrust  the  command  to  a  general,  and  to 
have  made  Naaman  captain  of  his  host. 
Compare  the  similar  practice  (ibid.,  p.  101) 
of  the  Assyrian  monarchs.  Was  a  great 
man  with  his  master,  and  honourable — 
rather,  honoure  I,  or  held  in  esteem  (^redavuaa- 
/isVov,  LXX.) — because  by  him  the  Lord  had 
given  deliverance — litemliy,  salvation,  or 
Bfifety  ((TtDTTjpiav,  LXX.) — unto  Syria.  Pro- 
bably he  bad  commaiuled  the  Syriiin  army 
ill  some  of  itsenfouiiters  witli  the  Assyrians, 
wh<j  at  this  time,  under  SiialmaneacT  II., 
were  threatening  tlie  indLpemlencc  of  Syria, 
but  did  not  succeed  in  bubjccting  it.  He 
was  also  a  mighty  man  in  valour — Qibhor 
hall,  r-ommonly  tninHhitod  in  our  version  by 
*'  ifii^hty  raiin  of  valour,"  does  not  mean 
mudi  more  than  "a  good  Boliiier"— but  he 
was  a  leper.  I  oprosy  hud  many  degrees. 
Some  of  the  li^liU^r  kinds  did  not  irirapaci- 
tate  a  man  for  military  H(;rvioe,  or  unlit  him 
for  tho  (ii«chfirgo  of  poiirl  duties  (vor.  IH). 
But  there  v.ftH  always  a  dau(,'<  r  that  the 
Iigbt4;r  foruiH  mi^'ht  develop  into  tho  sovorer 

OllC«. 

Ver.  2.— And  tho  Syrians  had  gono  out  by 
companioi;  or,  in  ntamwliuq  luivln.  No 
yiixci'  I  iid  l»*x-ti  iniidfiiftrr  y\liiil>'H  <  x|H  dition 
Bj'iiiiiMl  Uriui'iih-f Jil'ud.  lIoHtililiiH,  th-re- 
ff Iff.  •till  'viriliiiiii<l  ii|><)ii  tin-  iMinliTM,  whore 
rai'iH  wfT"  fr<  (jiKiit,  lui  iipr.ii  our  own 
tiorth«"ni  iKirdcr  in  nn  diinviil  tiiin-M.  And 
had  brouffht  away  captive  out  of  tho  land  of 
Isr*al  a  littU  maid.  Thi'  inHrmntint^  f>x 
{•(■^litions  of  iinrii  nt  tiiM<H  hud  for  one  of 
Ihi-ir  niiiin  nbjiTtii  tlm  mpluni  of  hIuvi*. 
Ill  AfrifR  >»ani  ari)  utill  r  irricd  on  rlii'  lly 
for  thiii'nrpoMo.  And  nho  woltodon  Nnnnutn's 
Wlfa.  KUh'T  Nniiinnii  hiwl  1«hI  llm  i  XI"  dl- 
tl'.n,  and  this  )mrliriilar  <i»ptlr<.  hml  N>mi 
kMilfnnd  in  him  in  Ihn  illviaioii  of  th«i  Uiotj, 


or  she  hai  merely  passes:  into  his  possession 
by  purchase,  and  thus  become  one  of  his 
wife's  attendants. 

Ver.  3. — And  she  said  unto  her  mistress, 
Would  God  my  lord  were  with  the  prophet 
that  is  in  Samaria !  literally.  Oh  that  my  lord 
icere  before  the  prophet  who  is  in  Samaria  t 
Elisha  had  a  house  in  Samaria  (ch.  vi.  32), 
where  he  resided  occasionally.  For  he 
would  recover  him  of  his  leprosy.  The 
♦'  little  maid "  con^udes  from  her  small 
experience  that,  ii  ^.J  master  and  the  great 
miracle-working  prophet  of  her  own  land 
could  be  brought  together,  the  result  would 
be  his  cure.  She  has,  in  her  servile  con- 
dition, contracted  an  affection  bcith  for  her 
master  and  her  mistress,  and  her  sympathies 
are  strongly  with  them.  Perhaps  she  had 
no  sirious  purpose  in  speaking  as  siie  did. 
The  words  burst  from  her  as  a  mere  ex- 
pr(  ssion  of  good  will.  She  did  not  contem- 
plate any  action  resulting  from  them. 
"•  Oh  that  things  could  be  otherwise  than 
as  they  are  I  Had  I  my  dear  master  in  my 
own  country,  it  would  be  easy  to  accomplish 
his  cure.  The  prophet  is  so  powerful  and 
so  kind.  He  both  could  and  would  recover 
him."  Any  notion  of  her  vague  wish  being 
carried  out,  being  made  the  ground  of  a 
serious  embassy,  was  probably  far  from  the 
girl's  thought.  But  the  "bread  cast  upon 
the  waters  returns  after  many  days."  There 
is  no  kind  wish  or  kind  utterance  that 
may  not  have  a  result  far  beyond  anything 
that  the  wisher  or  utterer  contcmiilated. 
Qood  wishes  are  seeds  that  ofttimcs  take 
root,  and  grow,  and  blossom,  and  bear  fruit 
beyond  the  uttermost  oouoeption  of  fliose 
who  tow  them. 

Ver.  4. — And  one  went  in,  and  told  Ms 
lord,  saying.  "  One  went  in  "  is  a  possible 
translation ;  but  it  is  simpler  and  more 
natural  to  translate  "ho  wont  in,"  ».«. 
Niiuinan  wont  in,  and  tohl  his  lurd,  Ben- 
hadad, the  Kinfr  of  Syria.  Thus  and  thus 
said  the  maid  that  is  of  the  land  of  Israol. 
Being  "of  the  land  of  lann  1,"  h<'r  words 
had  a  certain  wii<;ht—  she  had  ineaiif  of 
knowing — she  ou;,'lit  to  know  whodicr  tuoh 
u  thing  lis  tho  <'ure  of  leprosy  li}'  tho  int«,<r- 
v<  rition  olft  prophot  was  a  jKMisibloorourronoo 
in  her  country. 

Ver.  T).  And  tho  King  of  Syna  said,  Go 
to,  go ;  ratluT,  (i<>,  drfiart ;  i.e.  1ohi<  nc 
timit;  go  lit  oii(M<,  if  lhcn>  is  any  hucI: 
poHHiiiility  »N  tho  ninidcn  Ims  iiiiliciitcd 
"Wo  Bco,"  Hulir  hftVH,  "from  tho  kiii^,''i 
rciidiiioMii,  Ik'w  itnxioiiH  ho  wuh  for  the 
rexlorutioM  ol  Niuiinaii."  And  I  will  sond  a 
lo'.lor  unto  tho  KIhk  of  Isrnol.  I.etlors  had 
boon  iiili'i<-iiuiig<d  Ix'twcon  Holonion  and 
Ilirimi,  King  ol  Tyro  (2  ('lin)n.  ii.  a  II).  a 
ociilniy  ••iiilmr;  iiml  tim  c<imiimiiloutioiiB  of 
kinx   with   kiiii(   in  thu  Kiial   (liout(h  somo 


<«.  V.  1— 0T.] 


TUB  ttlOOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KlIKML 


MM    IB    Iik^e    Xvl 


hiilg>  4j«Mfly  «f  IM  Bf  kao*  •«•  dnrw 


Ml  Cf  lirpl.  Aiid  Um  Mttrt  MfMWMo; 


I^MIAa    sue*    *!mI    UMI  tlllUU*    •>! 


— Illlttg  *^ 
r  to  •  iiP<gfcWiirif  MfMiMrx-h  m  • 
.  1  ••ti  •rllMIT  MOWViMa.     And  It* - 

u  iBtM0OUMlm.ar  £>7dO:  bj 

'tn.  m 


M  Mual  l»  n^M0  Ihalarik  or  £9000— «ii 

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.  Ik* 

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cuia. 


Villi  1km  «oaifaf  aad  geiaf  of  »  mmmmv 
fra«  «I|1m«  king  la  tL*  oihe/,  who  «..iil.nM 
Ui«r»ttvl   »illi    nu    b'i'^-m!     in! 
Sow    WlitB    tVll     Ir'.'.rr    is    c    -t 

vlMto  kt(<  ■ 
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r«ai    kk   •toUoti    la 
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94 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.  [ch.  t.  1— 27. 


Israel  in  his  Bsving  might  through  his 
servants  the  prophets"  (Bahr),  of  whom  I 
am  one. 

Ver.  9. — So  Naaman  came  with  his  horses 
and  with  his  chariot.  The  Syrians  had 
had  chariots,  and  used  horses  to  draw  them, 
from  a  remote  date.  The  Hyksos,  who  in- 
troduced horses  and  chariots  into  Egypt, 
though  not  exactly  a  Syrian  people,  entered 
Egypt  from  Syria;  and  in  all  the  Syrian 
wars  of  the  Egyptians^  which  began  about 
B.a  1600,  we  find  their  adversaries  employ- 
ing a  chariot  force.  In  one  representation  of 
a  fight  between  the  Egyptians  and  a  people 
iuTading  Egypt  from  Syria,  the  war-chariots 
of  the  latter  are  drawn  by  four  oxen ;  but 
generally  the  horse  was  used  on  both  sides. 
Syria  imported  her  horses  and  chariots  from 
Egypt  (1  Kings  X.  29),  and,  as  appears  from 
thij  passage,  employed  them  for  peaceful  as 
well  as  for  warlike  purposes.  There  was  a 
similar  employment  of  them  from  a  very 
early  time  iu  Egypt  (see  Gen.  xli.  43  ;  1. 9). 
And  stood  at  the  door  of  the  honse  of  Elisha 
Elisha  was  at  this  time  residing  in  Samaria, 
whether  in  his  own  house  or  not  we  cannot 
say.  His  alx>de  was  probably  a  humbK 
one ;  and  when  the  great  general,  accom- 
panied by  hifl  cavalcade  of  followers,  drew 
up  before  it,  he  had,  we  miiy  be  sure,  no  in- 
tention of  dismounting  and  entering.  What 
he  expected  he  tells  us  liimself  in  ver.  11. 
The  prophet  regarded  his  pride  and  aelf- 
conceit  ub  deserving  of  a  rebuke. 

Ver.  10.— And  Elisha  sent  a  messenger 
onto  him.  Elisha  asserted  the  dignity  ot 
bis  office.  Nanman  was  "a  great  man" 
(ver.  1),  with  a  high  sense  of  hi^  own  im- 
portancp,  and  reganied  the  prophet  as  Tery 
much  inferior  to  himnplf.  Ho  expected  t<i 
>>o  waite<l  on,  oonrted,  to  receive  every 
pf)8t<ible  attention.  EliHha  no  doubt  in- 
tended very  pointedly  to  rebuke  him  by 
remaining  in  iiia  houno,  and  communicating 
with  thft  grciil  man  by  a  incsaenger.  J5ut 
there  in  no  t,T""ui*d  fr)r  taxing  liim  with 
"pri'«tly  ^ridc,"  or  even  witli  "  ini|)olite- 
ncM  "  on  ItiiH  acoount,  lie  ba<l  to  iinpruM 
ufion  the  .^vriuri  nohlo  tho  nnthiiigiH -,«  of 
wi-alth  fiiiil  enrlhly  gmn'leur,  ttml  the 
dignity  of  the  prophetic  olllei!.  Ue  did  not 
do  m'>ro  thun  waii  rtquJHite  fnr  tho«u  pur- 
|iofM-N.  Saying,  Oo  and  wash  In  Jordan 
■Qven  timei  IMiiliu  »<im  iiIcm,  no  doiilit,  "  by 
the  wor.l  f.f  tlie  I/.rd/'  Me  ia  .iirerte.l  U) 
rerjiiiMi  i>(  N'liiiriian  a  roin|iliiiiieo  with  a 
■'•iniwhat  )iurd>-tii>omo  nrhr.  The  ii'iiroHt 
(iriint  on  tlin  oonriH'  of  .lordnn  wiiM  ul>ovu 
twniity  niili<«i  dintiitil  fmin  Hittiiiiriii.  Noa- 
rruin  la  U)  fc"  Ihlther,  to  atii|i  hiiiiNi  If,  and 
'»  iiliinf^c  into  th<' alrrum  aeveu  tiinea.  TI10 
'lirrwlifirm  di-ftii  (fivoii  V>  li«l  hill  'iiillt.  They 
iriny  h«  r>itii|i<iri-<l  with  thitt  ut  our  l/onl  to 
iIm-  bitod  iuA»,  "  (io,  waah   is   Ui«  pool  of 


Siloam,"  and,  in  another  point  of  view,  with 
that  given  to  Joshua  (Josh.  vi.  3—5),  and 
that  of  Elijah  to  his  servant  (1  Kings  xviii. 
43).  To  repeat  a  formal  act  six  times  with- 
out perceiving  any  result,  and  yet  to  per- 
severe and  repeat  it  a  seventh  time,  requires 
a  degree  of  faith  and  trust  that  men  do  not 
often  possess.  And  thy  flesh  shall  oom^ 
again  to  thee,  and  thou  shalt  be  clean.  The 
scaly  leprous  scurf  shall  fall  off  and  reveal 
clean  flesh  underneath.  Thy  body  shall  be 
manifestly  freed  from  all  defilement. 

Ver.  11. — But  Naaman  was  wroth,  .  .  . 
and  said.  Not  unnaturally.  As  a  '*  great 
man,"  the  lord  on  whoee  arm  the  king  leant, 
and  the  captain  of  the  host  ot  Syria.  Naa- 
man was  accustomed  to  extreme  deference, 
and  all  the  outward  tokens  of  respect  and 
reverence.  He  had,  moreover,  come  with  a 
goodly  train,  carrying  gold  and  silver  and 
rich  stuffs,  manifestly  prepared  to  pay 
largely  for  whatever  benefit  he  might 
receive.  To  be  curtly  told,  "  Go,  wash  in 
Jordan,"  by  the  prophet's  servant,  without 
the  prophet  himself  condescending  to  make 
himself  visible,  would  have  been  trying  to 
any  Oriental's  temper,  and  to  one  of  Naa- 
man's  rank  and  position  might  well  seem  an 
insult.  The  Syrian  general  had  pictured 
to  himself  a  very  different  scene.  Behold, 
I  thought,  He  will  sorely  come  out  to  me, 
and  stand,  and  call  on  the  Name  of  the  Lord 
his  God,  and  strike  his  hand  over  the  place, 
and  recover  the  leper;  rather,  take  aioay 
the  leproty  (iwotrvrd^f i  rh  \tirp6v,  LXX.). 
Naaman  had  imagined  a  striking  scene, 
whereof  he  was  to  be  the  central  figure, 
the  propliet  descending,  with  perhaps  a 
wand  of  office,  the  atteiulants  drawn  up  on 
either  side,  the  paesors-by  standing  to  gaie 
— a  solemn  invocation  of  the  Deity,  • 
waving  to  and  fro  of  the  wund  in  the  pro- 
phet's hand,  and  a  sudden  manifest  cure, 
wrought  in  the  opou  strout  of  tho  city, 
l>eforc  tho  eyes  of  inon,  and  at  onoe  noised 
abroad  tliiaugli  tho  capital,  so  as  to  uiaka 
him  "  the  ol>  orved  of  all  observers,"  "tiio 
cynosure  i>|"  uU  noighhowriiii;  (  yos."  Instead 
of  tills,  he  iH  bidden  to  go  as  he  camo,  to 
rid(«  twenty  fnilea  to  thohtream  oftho.lordan, 
gontimlly  muddy,  or  ut  least  <liH0olourc<l, 
and  thoro  to  wauli  biniHolf,  witli  none  to 
look  on  hut  hiH  own  iittiiidiinlH,  with  no 
4rlat,  no  pomp  or  cireum^iinee,  no  >;loiy  of 
Hurroundiii^H.  It  ih  not  surpriaiiiK  that  he 
WRH  iliHUppoiiited  und  vexod. 

ViT.  Vi..  A 10  not  Ahnna  and  Fharpar, 
riviira  of  Dnmaaous,  buttur  than  all  the 
watort  of  InrnuM  may  I  not  waih  in  thorn, 
and  bo  oluan  1  Tho  "  rivera  of  Dmniw- 
ena"  are  alreiima  of  pnMil  fre  ImeHH  nnd 
heunty.  'I'he  priiiripiil  on«  Ih  the  jtiiriidrt, 
prohiihly  the  Alianu  of  the  preH'  iil  piuuin/.e, 
which,  rising  in  the  Antilib«nus  mugo,  aud 


«.f.i-fTO  tn  8100110  BOOK  or  TUB  KISQ& 


m1  •••n»««  iw 


<.   &.:!.».  I  »iM(ly  IW 


IW   >'. 


•fUw^Mwi^      i 

kuo«i> 


1    ^O.   OLJui. 

ixa  «a 

Uto 

We 

nui 

»  a*    t  t.P    Ic      I  '   :.• 

tmtm  aafl  •!>  •• 

■M*  I'— iai«t.^  ^      ..  ^- -    ~-~.  ^ 

•  l»»y. 

Vrf    IS. -A&4  ki  fclarma4  U  U«   •••  if 
OW.  k«  aai  ap*ai-     It   t«   ao* 

»!«•«•  aivti  V  <    i  I 

VMM    UUI   of    till 

At  Um  J<«\Uii,    s 

LraiovriMj:  i«  Uifw 

a  Dmmmoim,  In  ti.« 

of     ./ 


I^aM.      It    !•    Mat 


tiiiB  iLat 


Yer.  IS.— Aad  kl*  wmaU  oam*  arw, 
and  spak*  mau  kim,  aa4  aaid.  Mj  father. 
N*AU.»I>'t  att'  tidaliU  dlJ   IK>t   •:.»!«   Lis  111- 

dtfaauott,  wi^  if  Umj  did,  aineo  » 
tiM  BmI  «•  wI  ••  h*  iaaloiir 
■  KiwT  hawMT.  kad  UMirfei^l 


■ftikr  aoateol:  and  tbay  thrftr 
farad  witk  aild  wi«da.  ai>xl  i..- 
Um,  aad  aaiaaiiti  kia  Iv 

and.  aft  tW  ■■•  tisM^  a«  . 
draw,  aot  MMlwal  i»  tka 
•doMial  Miiawl  (aoe^r*  "' 
ia  Ikaa  aa  aaad  of  •■ 
l8U.«Mliaa  BmU(     : 
(Oa  far  •W)  pwpoauc     It  ti. 
b<>**««i^  that  U>«  I  X  X    >~ 
>*-  tu  tMr  eepir 
tkMdo  aan*  fr< 
i.«^  "luaM  iitu 
aat  kava  daaa  1. 
faboukloal  Umm 
ka  aailk  u  tkaa.  '• 
■•■••UiC  «••  ui 
KaaaM*  va«  {«■/• 


The 


a  ife 

Aid  ^iffM  k^a**;;  mtm  uam  la  ;erUa 


srt        H-    ;•  •:   I      If 


.-a. 

aev  1 
rank. 

a&oa   '.-                    '  &a 

..iUu 

kal  la  le                    •  w 

'    ika   K4e   •u^.r  MU^ 

a< 

ia  r « 1 . 

Aiaaa- 

a  Aa»B«i^ 

1. 

'ibali  la   . 
;  aMl  «k< 

%j« 

of 

-    1   A«UL  dJI-M.  3  Ctuv«.  U.  11.  4*atk  U.  ««  j 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS. 


[OH.  ▼.  1—27, 


iii.  29 ;  vi.  20,  etc.).  But  here  we  have  a 
plain  and  distinct  recognition  of  him  as  the 
one  and  only  God  that  is  in  all  the  earth. 
Naaman  thus  shows  a  greater  docility,  a 
readier  receptivity,  than  almost  any  of  the 
other  pious  heathens  who  are  brought  before 
us  in  Scripture.  Balaam  and  Cyrus  alone 
equal  him.  Now  therefore,  I  pray  thee, 
take  a  blessing — i.e.  "  a  present " — of  thy 
servant,  Heathens  were  accustomed  to 
carry  presents  to  the  oracles  which  they 
consulted,  and  to  reward  those  from  which 
they  receiyed  favourable  responses  with  gifts 
of  enormous  value  (see  Herod.,  i.  14, 50,  etc.). 
The  Jewish  prophets  did  not  generally 
object  to  such  free-will  offerings.  Naaman 
therefore  quite  naturally  and  reasonably 
made  the  offer.  He  would  have  contravened 
u-^age  had  he  not  done  so. 

Ver.  16. — But  he  said,  As  the  Lord  liveth, 
before  whom  I  stand,  I  will  receive  none. 
Elisha  regards  it  as  best,  under;  the  circum- 
stances, to  refuse  the  offered  recompense. 
It  was  not  comp'.ilsory  on  him  so  to  act;  for 
the  precept,  "  Freely  ye  bave  received, 
freely  give  "  (JIatt.  x.  8),  bad  not  been  yet 
uttered.  Pious  Israelites  commonly  brought 
gifts  to  the  propliets  whom  they  consulted 
(1  Sam.  ix.  7,  8  :  1  Kings  xiv.  3).  But,  in 
the  case  of  a  foreigner,  ignorant  hith'.rto  of 
true  religion,  whom  it  was  important  to  im- 
press favourably,  and,  if  pos.-^ible,  win  over 
to  the  faith,  Elisha  deemed  it  advisable  to 
take  no  reward.  Naaman  was  thus  taught 
that  Jehovah  was  his  true  Healer,  tlie  pro- 
phet the  mere  instrument,  and  that  it  wa» 
to  Jehovah  that  his  gratitude,  hi.s  thanks, 
anil  hia  ortcringB  were  due.  And  he  urged 
him  to  take  it;  bat  ha  refused.  Contests  of 
poliU  n' •^8  are  comniou  in  liiu  Ivi.st,  where 
the  one  j)arty  oilers  to  give  and  oven  insistg 
on  giving,  while  the  other  makes  a  prttenco 
of  declining;  but  hero  both  jnirtiea  were 
In  cnriieat,  and  Ihu  gift  wuu  absolutely 
declined. 

Ver,  17. — And  Naaman  said,  Shall  therenot 
then,  I  pray  thee,  bo  given  to  thy  servant 
two  mules'  burden  of  earth  1     Naaman  <1imh 
not  atJito  what  ho  intondH  to  do  witli  tlio 
earth;    and   tho  riiti<n  linvo  conti<  qncnlly 
kti(.'K*--ktod  two  iiHCM.     Somu  Bupjxmu  that  ho 
iiit'  i\<\*y\  to  make  the  cnrlh  into  an  altar 
upon  whjili   ho  might  off.r  liiH  HaTillccM; 
Cnitp.  Kx<k1.  XX.  'Jl,  wluTo  uM  altar  of  eailli 
i^  '  ■  •■    '  •  "■    '  -   Mtid  oth'-rn).     Iliil   II  n 

I  I   ('riiiiiiiirt,   V"in  ';<T- 

'  I"  wiitbixl  to  ^pniid  the 

ftifiii  <ivi-r  m  jiii'W)  of  Syrian  (froiiiid,  iin<l 
lh-')»l>v  to  Imli'.w  »b«  ground  for  piir|>'iHcii 
1  I  hoiiiMt'lvi  H  nro  knciwri 

*  '.  V,  tmiiKr*<iriii|{  tnrlli 

i.      .    ..•  ....  .  .,.    .-,    J'.byl'initt,  t<i    bnlld    n 

t<'iii|>lo  <>n  it;    and  tii»  i>lou  i*  n>>t  .>\i  iinna 
lur.4l  oiKi.      It  dotn  tuti  n«>o<'«Miirily   iiiiply 


the  "  polytheistic  superstition  "  that  every 
god  has  his  own  laud,  where  alone  he  can  be 
properly  worshipped.  It  rests  simply  on 
the  notion  of  there  being  such  a  thing  as 
"  holy  ground"  (Exod.  iii.  5) — ground  more 
suited  for  the  worship  of  God  than  ordinary 
common  soil,  which  therefore  it  is  worth 
while  to  transfer  from  place  to  place  for  a 
religious  purpose.  For  thy  servant  will 
henceforth  offer  neither  bmut  offering  nor 
sacrifice  [as  meat  offerings  or  firstl'ruits] 
unto  other  gels,  but  unto  the  Lord.  It  is 
impl'ed  that  Naaman  had  been  hitlierto  a 
polytheist.  Not  much  is  known  of  the 
Syi'ian  religion,  but,  so  far  as  can  be 
gathered,  it  would  seem  to  have  been  a 
somewhat  narrow  polytheism.  The  sun  was 
the  supreme  god,  and  was  worshipped 
ordinarily  under  the  name  of  Hadad  (Ma- 
crob.,  '  Sat.,'  i..  23).  There  was  also,  cer- 
tainly, a  great  goddess,  the  "Dea  Syra" 
of  the  Koraans,  whom  they  identified  with 
Cybele  and  with  their  own  "  Bona  Dea,"  a 
divinity  parallel  with  the  Ashtoreth  of  the 
Phoenicians,  and  the  Ishtarof  the  Assyrians 
and  Babylonians.  Whether  there  wore  any 
other  distinct  deities  may  be  doubted,  since 
llimmon  is  possibly  only  another  name  of 
Hadad  (see  the  comment  on  ver.  18).  Adonis 
is  simply  "Adonai,"  i.e.  "my  Loid,"  an 
epithet  of  the  Supreme  Being. 

Ver.  IS. — In  this  thing  the  Lord  pardon 
thy  servant.  Naaman  is  not  prepared  to  be 
a  martyr  for  his  religion.  On  returning  to 
Damascus,  it  will  be  among  his  civil  duties 
to  accompany  his  master  to  the  national 
temples,  tind  to  prostrate  himself  liefore  the 
imogesdf  the  national  deities.  If  he  declines, 
if  (like  an  early  Ciirislittii)  ho  will  not  enter 
"  the  house  of  devils,"  much  less  bow  down 
before  the  graven  imago  of  a  false  v,ad,  it 
may  eost  him  his  life;  it  will  oertninly  cost 
him  his  court  favour.  F(U"  such  a  siverltlco 
ho  is  not  prepared.  Yet  his  ccmseienco  tills 
him  that  he  will  bo  acting  wrongly.  He 
tlnrefiiro  expressoa  a  hoi)e,  or  a  prayor,  that 
his  fault,  for  a  fault  he  teols  that  it  will  1)0, 
may  bo  forgiven  him— that  Joiiovah  will 
not  bo  "exlrome  to  mark  what  is  done 
aniisH,"  but  will  oxiuho  his  outward  con- 
fonnily  to  his  inwaid  faitii  and  zeal.  That 
when  my  master  gooth  into  the  honso  of 
Bimmon.  Kinunon  ix  prubably  derived  fiom 
ruin  (or,),  "to  1)0  hi;;li,"  and  nuMuia  "(lie 
fxalti'il  gi'd."  according  tn  the  ploNa  of  Ho- 
■yehiuH --'Pttuat,  Pi^iirTos  0<Jf.  It  in  wMiigly 
conneetcd  witli  jhan,  "a  i>onicgranat»>,"  and 
iihi'uld  ntlMir  Im  o<inipan>d  with  llio  Arablo 
l.'r  lllidman,  "tile  Mi)Ht  lli(^h."  'I'lio  royal 
nanii',  '*Tal>  Itiiiiinnii  "  (I  Kingn  xv.  IH), 
ootitainN  tliiiroiit,  iiH  ilitrit  alHotlio  loenl  naiiin 
C/.i'rU.  xii.  II).  ■■Iliidail  Ilimninn."  'rhiN 
hint  Word  K>v<H  rlHii  U*  IliK  i<UM|>liai<n  that 
lliidiid  uml   Kininiou  are  wurvly  two  DnniM 


V  i-sT  ]      m  SBOOND  BOOK  OP  m  Kmoa. 


•..{  .1  ,\.a^  ~  Rii 


•f  tW  M«>*    trill.  vtiSWMCAlWid  "IUi«l' 

■ati"   M   Mtjr   ktkit 

••d  Iw  f«-lw»  to  U 
11 


Nm 


m4  wffl  Ml  ImmI  •!  •  tm^g  mm 


IMMfi^  at  U   Ml« 


l«frtitka  a#  tiM 
•asMly  am  ilie  auV 

voaU    aor 


(••Ui    of 

:•     to 
(Mil 


llu  **Uu  la  pr«rr 

**  vitttii^  thm  «!• 

flf  0«d  wpm  Uif  r,.ri  '     .- 

••  ht   i»ruuA   (rwa   kun 

NaaaMi  toft  Um  ax iwm  o.' 

8aaaifa,aa4  had  fonaa  m 

koMward  jaafnaj  vbva  (>.— - 

luai.  V«r.  IV  k  akaaljr  e.*aapcia>i  atta 
f«r.  SO. 

V«r.  M.-Bat  Oakui  tk«  Mrrmat  af 
Bkka  Iha  awa  af  Oai,  taid  (•>«  i  a.  if  li  - 
St  far  Um  jHaitoa  belil  tovania  KUiak*  br 
Oatiui).  MmU.  ay  atoaur  ka«  sparwl 
■aaaaa  tkU  tjxiaa.  Gvhaciaitbvir  >>•••(  u 
tkiakik  ar  at  l«a«l  pcvattadn  hiia»' 
tiffHait  i;p^.t  t  .  be,  n^T  fr*rp.1.  > 
».-  .  ao; 

ic  k« 

kcaa^i  ^•<«  ic'  ^}  yir'.txi.  iumy  uoi  ut«a 
kamwm  ham  aaak  U  va^  bal  ka  bad  a^B 
iK*  i^'i^ti  1  liawU,  a<>d  rir^t«  nmr  udaJ 
\  •  aaa  pe»L      E  Lord 

.i'         .   J...  laa  afttr  krm.  -.  ^.••• 

wL*;  wl  Ua.     '  ^  -  '    . ..  "  aoeoM 

ft  atntuipe  phnkar  '  <mm  ako 

w  brut  oti  Ivit)^'  a  .  1  (Ml  aiokuac.  Bat 
•xfjfmetxk'  to*'  br«  lu  titat  rgjiftoto  fcraittla 
<k>  dfof*  frMB  ibe  litM  of  pwaaa*  aaguad  la 
aqualljr  tudt  f-  Baibie  pfaar*line«-  Ink  k 
putiy  bttcmuao  fortoxila  by  fr««aaiil  aaa 
Moi«M  uner-    i<  r  <rb  ika  attrrar 

aUaebc*  »<>  u><«  r   biOinat  sea 

Ivw  u>  tiiF   wiaa^falaaw    af 


t«  par»'.  . 

.    -"^M  bUoacI.'   fr-u:_ 

toartw  tkuald 

'  -.  al  abair 

4i«lt  aa>t 

%a.    Maaii- 

^mtk,    or    wmnmk 

«  kiaL  rara^eataM  kla. 

davaflTMB  tka  akarM  U  toMi 
et  fiaat  an(i<taMMi*Ma.  A* 
*- l>M«rol  ftoto  a  faklrfe  k^  In  Ui 

<>r  rr«i«r(  fkiMi  Ika  lafaftof  t"  '■ 
.  uaa.  la   li^u-. 
.^lul  bav*-  iRi<-o  ' 

I>M>J'h«-t   IB   ki* 

KlasiW*  aX-  it 
•"•<   "■•"■aaMl)    ,  ..  . 
«••  aboo 
u  1  tia  wofU*  » 

l«uoa.    8aata4  tiai 
l>.  ka.  N 


f 

4 
•« 

>'.   to 
•ftor- 

mMam    "t    hto 


4 

U 

*^x.>j«ia 

be    UA 


tbafnatoUdaf  baa  kap^-u  u  .    ^  be  kaA 
t)  •  propbaf*  kaata.  aad  aarndtaxly  p«la 


■.Ma.  or>fn— »^*« 


tn'4    V*    a^U     A'l    <■    «:11 


lor  aay  aaaia*  of  saatlaM  bj  vkk^i  Ikay 
ksaa  to  BfodL 

Tar.  tl.-«a  Oakaii  Mlavad  afUr  Vaaaaa. 
A  aoaipaay  of  tr)iir«41fln  la  iKe  Eaat,  vvaa 
rttoafb  it  teom»\  ol  tka  rrtiaaB  of  a  ■ingia 
paat  Bail,  will  •.■aja  aoataia  fciit— a.  aa 
vaB  to  iiioap   «t>o  lida  aa  kofaaa  m   is 


kau't  rv- 
Cir 

aiA- 
kur 


ad 

to  t 

talaa;  oi  lUTsr,  kaj  iv:  cavr^n 

ta.  a  flkaac*  Ni**"*^  *^  *  **^ 

tkaai  -ratb«r  a  lafis*  •aa  ta  r« 

pcaton«l&i  ageaaiwi.  bat  a  u 

with  th     sTn-mnt  Tbt»^    N  a  . 


■pOB  I   •<■ 


tf 
O*. 

a 

.» 

-  la 

*r 

i.  awa 

.X.;  la 

jf 

>• 
a 


<4 


halaaaa    kb  «a 

aa   li.a  otkr'  «a 

aKkiaral*. 

Vav.  tt.— Aad  Vaaaaa  aatd.  1*  waiaat. 


98 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.  [ch.  v.  1— 27. 


— consent  to  receive  donWe  what  thou  hast 
asked.  Naaman  is  anxious  to  show  bis 
gratitude  by  giving  as  much  as  he  can 
induce  the  other  side  to  ficcept.  He  sug- 
gests two  talents,  probably  because  the 
strangers  who  are  said  to  have  arrived  are 
two.  And  he  urged  him.  Gehazi  must  have 
made  some  show  of  declining  the  offer.  And 
bound  two  talents  of  silver  in  two  bags — 
i.e.  put  up  two  talents  separately  in  two 
bags,  closing  the  mouth  of  the  bag  in  each 
case  by  "binding"  it  round  with  a  string — 
with  two  changes  of  garments — as  asked 
for  (ver.  22) — and  laid  them  upon  two  of  his 
servants.  K  the  Hebrew  silver  talent  was 
worth  £375  as  Keil  supposes,  or  even  £300 
as  Thenius  reckons,  it  would  be  pretty  well 
as  much  as  an  ordinary  slave  could  carry, 
being  somewhat  over  a  hundredweight.  And 
they  bare  them  before  him ;  i.e.  they — the 
servants — bare  the  two  saoks  of  money 
befire  him — Gehazi. 

Ver.  24. — And  when  he  came  to  the  tower ; 
rather,  to  the  hill  (Revised  Version).  Some 
well-known  eminence  at  a  little  distance 
from  the  Damascus  gate  of  Samaria  must 
be  intenled.  Here  Gehazi  stopped  the 
Blave.-i,  ami  took  the  money  from  them.  It 
was  important  for  his  purpose  that  they 
should  not  be  seen  re-entering  the  city,  as 
that  would  have  occasioned  remark,  and 
might  naturally  have  led  to  inquiry.  He 
took  tliem — i.e.  the  bags — from  their  hand 
— i.e.  from  the  hands  of  Naaman's  servants 
— and  bestowed  them  in  the  house ;  i.e.  by 
hinwt-lf  or  dtiiuty  brought  them  to  Elinlia's 
hoTMi-,  and  tlicre  hid  them  asvay.  And  he 
let  the  men — Naaman's  servants — go,  and 
they  departed.  They  hastened,  no  duuht, 
to  rojoiii  tlieir  mtf<t<T. 

Ver.  2."). — But  he  wont  in,  and  stood  before 
his  master,  (joliazi,  lo»t  his  ubKoncu  uhnuhl 
l>e  noticed,  a.-*  hooii  as  he  had  put  away  the 
m 'H' y,  b'pu^,'ht  bin  rniiHt<r*H  presence,  enter- 
iiiK  the  room  cnHUiilly,  as  if  ho  had  been 
bimicd  ntiout  the  hoWiM.  He  was  met  at 
nnr<',  Iiowovit,  by  iIkj  jiLiin  imd  Htrrn  qiioH- 
tinn  wiinh  followH.     And  EliHha  said  unto 

him,  Whonno  conu-nl  th Gehazi  t  lilcnilly, 

Whrnrj;,  (iihntil  A  ^hurl,  Mli'Tn,  iilini|it 
qiicntion.  And  bo  said,  Thy  ■orvaut  went 
DO  whither.  'rh<rn  wim  nu  hulp  for  it.  Oiin 
lid  U'cc  i<!tiit4M  nii'ilht-r.  (>n<-t)  cntor  on  thn 
ddViKiiN  piilh,  and  yni  ruiirint  hiiv  wliitiiiir 
It  «ill  citidu'-t  you.  'I'odf  <<iMuind  |ilMnd<r 
•  f»ir«Ti{fni!r  of  n  holij.'  iniiion  pniiijilily 
•(H-iiiisI  t<>  (ii'hii/.i  M  trilio,  filhor  no  hIh  at 
all,  or  K  v<T,v  VI  nial  »\u.  liul  now  Im  tiiiiU 
hiriiMtir  lc<l  on  to  titlliiiK  a  iIIdtI  lii<  Ui  hi* 
rniMU  r,  whirli  <<v«n  tin  r<iii|il  not  huvo  Junli- 
fli'l  t/i  iiiriiiilf. 

Vnr.  '1*1  And  h«  Mid  nnto  him,  Wont 
BOt  mln«  htart  with  tlin«<V  I'Ihth  im  no 
"  wilii  UiM  "  lu  Ibo  origin*! ;  aud  the  wurii« 


have  been  taken  In  quite  a  different  sense. 
Ewald  regards  'a*?,  "my  heart,"  as  desigw 
nating  Gehazi,  and  meaning  "  my  loved  one, 
my  favourite  disciple."  "  Thou  hast  denied 
that  thou  wentest  any  whither ;  but  did  not 
my  favourite  disciple  in  truth  go  forth,  when 
the  man  turned  again  from  his  chariot,  aa 
Naaman  did?"  (ver.  21).  But  no  parallel 
instance  can  be  adduced  of  any  such  use  of 

'27,  which  is  altogether  too  strong  a  term 
to  be  applied  to  a  mere  favourite  servant. 
The  irony,  moreover,  of  the  term  under  the 
circumstances  would  be  too  great.  Maurer's 
interpretation  of  '2^  by  "  my  prophetic 
power"  (my  prophetic  power  had  not  de- 
parted from  me)  is  no  better,  since  it  re- 
quires T|^n  tp  be  taken  in  two  different 
senses  in  the  two  most  closely  connected 
clauses  of  vers.  25  and  26.  Altogether,  our 
version  would  seem  to  be  the  best  rendering 
that  has  been  suggested.  It  accords  with 
the  Septuagint,  with  Theodoret,  and  with 
the  Vulgate;  and  it  gives  a  satisfactory 
sense :  "  Did  not  my  spirit  go  forth  with 
thee  when  thou  wentest  forth,  etc.  ?  "Was  I 
not  present  in  spirit  during  the  whole  trans- 
action ?  "  When  the  man  turned  again  from 
his  chariot  to  meet  thee  1  (see  ver.  21).  Is  it 
a  time  to  receive  money,  and  to  receive 
garments,  and  oliveyards,  and  vineyards, 
and  sheep,  and  oxen,  and  menservants,  and 
maidservants  1  The  prophet  follows  Ge- 
hazi's  thoughts,  which  had  been  to  purchase, 
with  tho  money  obtained  from  Naaman, 
olivo  yiirds,  and  vineyards,  and  sheep,  and 
oxin»  etc. :  atul  asks — Was  this  a  tinio  for 
such  procieilings  ?  Koil  well  explain.s, 
"  Was  this  tho  time,  when  so  many  liyi)o- 
orites  pnttiid  to  bo  prophets  from  sclfi.sli- 
no>s  and  avarice,  and  bring  tlio  prophetic 
office  into  contempt  with  unboliovera,  for 
a  Horvant  of  tho  true  (»oil  to  tiiko  nicinoy 
and  goods  from  a  uon-lHraolito  .  .  .  that  ho 
ini;,'hl  aoijinri!  i)ropcrty  ami  luxiiry  f(jr  hiin- 
Hi;U?"  ll  waH  evid.  ntly  u  nii)>t  unlit  tinio. 
As  ThcMiius  naVH,  "  In  any  other  case  Ipfttor 
than  in  thin  niiKhtcht  thou  havu  yielded  lo 
thy  deniro  fur  gold  and  floods." 

Ver.  27.  Tho  leprosy  thoroforo  of  Naanmn 
■hall  oloavu  unto  thoo ;  i.e.  "Ah  thou  hast 
tiilii-n  his  ^oods,  Ihon  HJialt  alio  taUo  hia 
IrproMV,  wliieh  gorH  with  (hini."  A  jnit 
NrnicHiH.  And  unto  thy  suod  for  uvur.  'I'hu 
iui<|nity  of  tho  falhrm  in  viHitid  upon  I  ho 
children.  <Joha/.i,  however, could  avoid  this 
pari  of  lli«  eiitne  hy  not  marrying.  And  !• 
wont  out  friim  his  proiinuoo  a  lopir  om  wliiM 
us  anow.  TlieiK  were  many  I'oiina  and 
«le^;ie<'M  of  leprnMV  (l<<'v.  xiii.  2  td).  <lii- 
haxi'N  wiiN  of  the  mionI  pronouni'til  kind. 
And  it  fell  on  hlni  Nuddenly,  aM  her  leproMy 
loll  up«u  Uiriaui  (Nuiub.  xii.  lU),  oumplet* 


M.v.1-tr.]  TIB  nOOITD  BOOK  OP  TUB  KIMOa 

^^-I 


MHILBTICB. 
MjB  lUakM,  **  M  •  arurUj  PM«  gf  IIM  hlalorj  of  tboM 


•ad  Is  dicl/  ua')mi«v  H— nda  <*•  foal  and  obl«ot.  vara  dMlfMid  lo  ptMii  mpm  mt\k 
lh*k:  iikavunhipuriLcinMOiidf    Mai  tt  u&tn  hadiln  w<  our  oifHiUra> 

lkj«  a  -  •  ^  f^^wjimi,  lo  whtob  aalttMr  baart  aor  an»Uwiaa»Um  oaa  rmlmm 

ft  V.  iii«  iMiwuartna*     Aaoug  tk»  I  ■■mi,  or  **  nftmtkam,"  «o«M  mmb  to  h*  i^ 

L  Mo  KABncLT  ■>!  MB—  viT«oCT  ALLOT.  NuoMa, M  ter  M  aslanMl  pMapvitj 
wot,  b*d  all  Umu  Le  <x>ul4  dvkira.  1.  11*  «m  "  oapUin  al  ihm  hati  of  Um  Kiftg  of 
Bjha,'  eoauBaaaiar-in-chla^  Lf^  of  all  Ika  aaiioaal  luraH.  B»  bald  a  fraat  oualimo, 
iuyv4Twg  Iwfb  fattk,  »art  paitnaafii,  eoaitiiarahla  auwlaiaw  i,  anJ  a  plaea  in  U»a  i^nMliu 
of  mat.  2.  Ha  was  "  a  graal  m^:    <  •  znaatar  * — hifli  ta 

Ika  K;  any  booa  that  ha  6tamt<  <  . .  «  all  wham  ha 

carad  lo^  |*u 'li  ><>-  a-ao  *'a  mifhty  mae  of  TaM^r,    uf  r»ihar  "  a  cuod  teiad 

^ddkr,"  afiprorad  by  .  ua  u>  th«  aatko,  and  oalojiaf  bia  o«b  enatiilaaea  aad 

aatf-wapaei.  Bui  oa  *••  iu»  ^uora  waa  ona  drawbacL  Kaaoiaa  **  vaa  a  lapar.*  Aad 
» II  to  foot  rally.  *  Bvoryvhara,  wbara  thara  b  or  aaama  to  be  » •mathinf  graal  aad 
iMtuaau^  tb<f«  to  alao  aena  dUonwiant  *  but,*  vbloh.  Uka  a  (al<«  duC«  Id  a  meiidj.  wmn 
tka  patiKtaaaa  of  tha  food  (urtuiiaL  A  vonn  gnaws  at  tha  root  of  aranrthiBg  partaiit- 
Ing  to  tkb  «.#'i!;  and  orarythiBg  bara  balow  eootaioa  ibo  Karma  of  daaih  m  itaaif* 
(Mankaay.  Jl  of  omnpOBaattoaa.    Thtn  to  do  BUaary  wiihuai  aUariaxiua ; 

BO  low  OkiA  I  aofsa  glaaai  uf      .     r  L  im  to  brigfatan  aiwl  gWify  it ;  aitd  alao 

DO  bappioaaa  witbout  aooaa  ood  ^ooa  or  dtoeomfon.    Now  u  todt^aaade 

Iroiibla^  DOW  au  uiihappy  turn  ii  ^    -oullactioo  of  aooM  da  in  tita  \mM,  mum 

DD  antki|iatiua  of  aucua  ealamitj'  ut  u*«  luuuik  Bot^pachapa  moat  fraquaoUj,  tt  la  Ul 
baalih,  aooM  fona  of  bodily  auflaring.  Naamaa'a  ailHotina  waa  of  tha  nan  isnovuua 
kiad — leijr\«yl  a  ditaan  at  oaea  paialul,  VMighUy,  dtogoatiDg.  and  ra^idad  aa  a 
di«|»rarra. 

>oi^c«  An  mwvr  oomm  to  oa  w>«    -^ns   ■oar  rvKxracrBD  goAarvaa.    A 

-  tuuo."  a  lowagnar,  a  cai'iiTv.  a  aU>> .  .    i  ciiully  intrudao»i  iau>  hto  bo(ta»- 

tiaio,  aod  oeeopyiofa  vary  hambU  plaaa  m  it*  parhapa  almcat  ■akaowa  by  tocht  tu  tha 

craat  kifxi  of  iha  manajna,  who  baa  anmatlrfng  battar  lo  4o  Ihaa  lo  laha  aottoa  of  bia 

wUa'a  iiiaaitoiita,    ihU  Uttia  oMld,  kambta  aa  aba  li^  aai  apaarMiJj  of  the  lioat 

poMibla  OBBMniiwina,  lailiaiao  tha  aottoa  aanaa  of  avaato  vhldkfam  Iho  aabaiahOi  of 

tha  tMnrnttvoL    8ho  aaaa  bar  maatar'o  aaBeriogi ;  aha  to  looehad  by  iham ;  aha  loiy  lo 

Uva  ihaoi  aaauagad ;  aod  aha  baihiiilu  baraau  uf  a  puMdhlo  cora  of  thaaa.     **  Woold 

liud  tuy  lord  wara  with  tha  |««>phat  that  to  iii  8aiaartal "    I^arhap•  it  «aa  a  laara 

vagua  vtoh,  a  theogbt  that  r^a  iu  tL«  miud, aoJ  waa  allarad  withuut  ti<«  »ii^:.(a»t  idaa 

tiki  actio  I  woald  ba  UxmkI  uu  11     But  our  !  k!litcat  worU  nuy  hava  rfrv..-    :'  abieh 

.^ju^hi.  maid'a  *  atkm  fall  oo  auma  r.%  .  <]k 

,  ioquirr  v>  .        .      .  bopa  »&«  aad  iaallj  ariiua  i  ihe 

tamii  iiuL-iidaal  of  aia  IfwAita  itkaid,  who  kavta  vrffiuaha'a  pow^r  iu  wurk  aitiaw.  uing 

a  maabar  of  hto  vtla'a  hoaaahold,  aod  giHag  attaraaea  to  bar  ff<r!  R?t  of  (t-«?7«>«K«, 

lad  oa  lo  tha  grvat  gaurral**  rura.  aimI  to  tha  glunfioatiua  <.'  lab 

thfooghoiu  tha  8jrriau  ualiuo.     Tha  uiuuar  ia  tha  (abl«  ^a««  a-  ^JtH 

vital  im(>>rui>ca  Uj  tba  lioo.     Wa  ota  aarrr  toll  from  what  bumUr  tui<^  ur  dt^«^-iaai 

wa  may  aui  raoMva  halp  la  trouble,  by  |f«cioaa  hhua  or  aaggaalfaai^  or  by  affaoioal 

•  may  U  of  UMotlmabto  aarrtoa  Id  aa. 

r  THB   aaara  a  vooa  otat   a«d  aorrootr.     K(4thar  Baahadad 
tijixm,  ut  Jucas  KiDg  oi  laraal,  wara  roiHy  of  aitv  halo  Iu  Naaama  la  hto 
wall  i  but  bia  totlar  lo  tiio  Kiag  of  lanal 


traoUa, 


100  THE   SECOND  BOOK   OF  THE  KINGS.  [ch.  v.  1—27. 

Issue,  and  was  not  of  the  slightest  practical  service.  Joram  had  to  acknowledge  himself 
utterly  powerless  (ver.  7),  and,  but  for  the  prophet's  interference,  would  probably  have 
represented  to  the  King  of  Syria  that  there  was  no  more  help  to  he  obtained  for 
Naaman  in  Israel  than  in  his  own  country.  Great  civil  personages  are  rarely  fit  to 
take  the  lead  in  matters  which  even  touch  upon  religion.  They  place  far  too  much 
trust  in  the  cunning  devices  of  mere  human  jwlicy,  and  far  too  little  in  the  force  of 
religious  principle  and  the  overruling  providence  of  God.  The  Magi  did  not  help 
Christ  by  hringing  him  their  gifts  of  gold  and  frankincense  and  myrrh.  They  did  but 
draw  Herod's  attention  to  him,  and  bring  his  infant  life  into  pi  ril.  Herod  Antipas  did 
not  help  John  the  Baptist.  He  "  heard  him  gladly  "  (Mark  vi.  20),  but  imprisoned 
him,  and  ultimately  put  him  to  death.  The  advice  of  the  psalmist  is  excellent,  "  Put 
not  your  trust  in  princes ;  .  .  .  for  there  is  no  help  in  them  "  (Ps.  cxlvi.  3). 

IV.  OuB  BEST  HELP  FBOH  EELiGioN  AND  ITS  MINISTERS.  Naaman  might  have 
returned  to  Damascus  in  the  same  condition  in  which  he  left  it,  unhelped,  unaided, 
uncured,  hut  for  the  existence,  and  for  the  action  taken  by,  a  minister  of  God.  Men 
often  jeer  at  ministers,  deride  them,  deny  the  use  of  them,  call  them  idlers  and  sxiper- 
numeraiies,  and  declare  their  belief  that  the  world  would  get  on  quite  as  well,  or  much 
better,  without  them ;  but  in  times  of  diflBculty  and  danger,  and  especially  in  the  time 
of  sickness,  they  are  apt  to  have  recourse  to  them.  A  Belshazzar  in  difficulty  seeks  to 
Daniel  (Dan.  v.  13),  a  Naamjm  to  Elisha,  a  Theodosius  to  Ambrose,  a  guilty  sinner  to 
his  parish  priest  or  to  the  nearest  godly  minister  of  his  acquaintance.  Ministers,  it  is 
true,  do  not  now  heal  diseases  ;  and  it  is  fitting  that  in  sickness  the  physician  should  be 
called  in,  to  begin  with.  But  when  the  physician  can  do  no  more,  when  he  declares  the 
resources  of  his  art  exhausted,  when  death  draws  near  us,  then  there  are  but  few  who 
despise  the  aid  of  the  previously  contemned  servant  of  God,  but  few  who  are  not  glad  to 
have  a  minister  of  God  at  their  bedside,  and  to  receive  from  his  hands  the  last  consolations 
of  religion.  How  many  have  been  brought  by  ministerial  aid  to  die  in  peace  and  joy, 
who  without  it  would  have  lain  for  days  tortured  with  doubts  and  fears  and  misgivings! 
How  many  have  even  been  snatched  at  the  last  moment  like  brands  from  the  burning, 
brought  through  ministerial  influence,  even  on  their  death-beds,  to  a  repentance  not 
to  be  repente<l  of  I  It  is  well  not  to  trust  beforehand  to  a  death-bed  repentance,  but 
to  set  our  house  in  order  while  we  are  still  in  health.  But  the  example  of  the  thief  on 
the  crofli  shows  that,  even  under  the  very  shadow  of  death,  the  mercy  of  God  is  not 
exhausted.  A  death -bed  rei)entance  is  always  possible;  and  in  bringing  it  about  the 
assistance  to  \>e  derived  from  an  experienced  minister  can  scarcely  bo  over-estimated. 

V.  Thb  katural  man  a  poob  jxjdob  of  God's  methods  of  salvation.  "1 
tho\ight,"  said  Naatiian,  "he  will  surely  corae  out  to  me,"  etc.  Naaman  had  made  up 
bis  mind  what  the  prophet's  methcxi  would  be.  He  had  his  own  notions  concerning 
the,  fitneas  of  things,  and  the  mode  in  wliich  Divine  help,  If  it  came  at  all,  would  como 
to  him.  When  bis  expectations  were  disapjRjinted,  as  human  expectations  on  such  m 
subject  are  likely  to  bi-,  he  was  ofTondid,  and  "turned  and  went  away  in  a  rage" 
(ver.  12).  Do  not  many  turn  from  religion  altogether  on  similar  utterly  insuflioient 
grounds?  They  "thought,"  if  Gt)d  gave  a  revelation  at  all,  ho  would  give  it  in  this 
or  that  way — by  a  voice  from  heaven  speaking  with  equal  force  to  all,  with  the  accom- 
paniment of  a  oontinuouH  dJHplay  of  iniraclcH,  liy  the  mouth  of  an  imninculate  itri»'8lhoo<i, 
or  In  Home  way  quite  diffircnt  from  tliat  in  wliich  it  has  pleased  God  to  give  it;  and, 
rxirr^  d  Haii|X)int<Hi  in  their  oiiHclation,  they  reject  tlio  whole  nmttor,  refuse  U.)  havo 
an>  thing  to  (]■'  with  it,  "turn  au'i  no  away  in  a  ra;.v'."  "  I  thouij;lit"  is  all  piworful 
with  thfui.  Will  i|o«w  Menken  obHirvr,  "ThiH  *  1  (liought '  in  the  most  mighty  of  nil 
rlli^;llty  thingH  uj«»n  inrth,  and  even  if  it  in  not  tlie  most  ruinous  of  nil  ruinouH  lliiiiL-.H, 
U  iH  yd  i.ortainly  the  iiiont  iinforlunato  of  all  unfortuiiRto  omi-h.  Tiiis  *I  tlmuglit* 
brought  nin  and  niiBory  arjii  doath  into  the  wtirld  ;  and  it  preventn  r(sionii)lion  from  sin 
and  death  in  iho  ciuwu!  thouHiiiiilK  I  TIiomo  thouHundu,  if  thoy  jioriBlt  in  thoir  0|iinioD, 
will  iirgin  Ih.   w.xt  Uf<-  with  'I  thouv;hl.'" 

VI.  Hr.iA)iti)  TiutvouTH  orrr.H  tiik  bust.  It  is  never  too  lato  to  amend.  To  pride 
on' '■•'•If  on  almoin!*!  (•onMi»it4incy  and  unehanglngm-HH  Ih  the  height  of  folly  in  a  brinn 
who  !■  aot,  and  kiiow«  ho  in  not,  omni  eient.  Om  (irMl  tli<iii|dilH  muHt  often  l'<>  min- 
Uknn  onen,  nnd  in  mirli  rnHfn  It  !«  jil  leiixt  |k.h'  iblo  thut  om  .croud  thoii|'htw  miiy  •>« 
lieMfK.     Moreover,  neoaud  tlioughto  may   \m  hiiggoNlod  fruut  without,  aud   uiny   uoiue 


«LV.  I— f?.]  TBI  mOOKD  BOOR  OP  THE  ElHQtL  Ml 


§Mm  IkoM  wko  V  fcr  vImt  IbM  ourwlWL    y4»m«B  Ao— J  lib  r>^  **>■*  ^  C*^M 


with  noety;*  b*  h»j  u.*  iuiiitmj  .i«hi]^i  nr^ 


Idr  ooMlftaMj^  mk»  wuU  ba««  baas  IbulUh  obMlB^jr,  aaA  •miid  Imv«  r«*ulud  la 

▼  1  «-    -TW 

Idbo..  '»!«-•:*€. 

TIm(«  »  •  tMmm  VDwi.  wid  Unw  mtr 
••  ivr«lr«  Mok  Ml  MMMWI  of  thl*  v^ 

li  oOlrtd  lo  tbwa.    Fur  u>j  •  .«»  aAc^* 

Irmmi^  bovad  !<♦  •»]*M  wK  S^fj^tr » ' 

tb*  haaait  ol  •   ^  mat  ui 

tH«Di  n  6am  u  ^ha  liimi^ 

ftvoi  Mm  aaa  of  lu 
was  **a  lima  to  loot ' 

ettar 
Ba  kal  to  taaeh  tKaaoeUief 
that  Mt  ovary  gil,  0Tai> 
W  iflBaiilii!      Tbara  ara  timi^  >  ^ 

■MMiiiallnH  oT  atipan).  tba  c:  ^  ha 

dtoaU  ba  gfad  to  *•  loaa  "  tKi-rv 

Yin.   OmATtTUM  »0«  "  •  r 

WbOD  ^TuLIQKU   fOOod  tht'. 

abd  tt  t\ww  bU  f 

war  i  thaooef 

fvni,  tut  uuij  unto  tha  LorU  (vor.  17 >.     U  ytmt  •  auUa  i«*uiv«.     I 

•0T»!T?~",  it  •■  ^^btbampar  bia  pronu-tion,  it  luii^bt  drprire  h'rn  o' 

!  '  it«;  ba  Diade  UM  r«».>lutioD,  ao<i  b«  pn* 

!'  '"\  we  are  Dot  ftc^ ;  wr  knuw  Dnthin^' 

■■jitit'.t  t<>  hU  o«o  eouctry.     But,  §o  Ur  x     ■  .e  , 

1  an  1  truei     Uo  bf«n  off  )iii  two  nm!'  >  Ha 

•loii.     Hf  will  »fkn    > ' 
:•-••  In  the  c«.>:ijj>r>  ■ 
;  ;  IB  B  ■ -nrdoia'-'e  «r«k(iir&*  lu     : 

r  i  aet«  ut  a  p\oi  rxa!ii|^)Ie,  id  hi*  ' 

.  <r  '  .  ..     Ue&^ioz  wt.iC^  he  haar«c«iTaii, ki^v.  =^  i^<:.t. 
hit  «ur»:.ip  aad  aU  bia  f  ratituda. 


—77. — f%a  kmm»  Immgkl hff  tkt  timmmJ  pmmUkmtni  '•  u 

»  -;;  «  I  c :  uriuMial  '  ijf  .   I'.c  c-.\«r  <  f  »  !- r-.  n  V'.- il'  tjth 

(b« 

-  ■.  —  a 

ai««Xa  latada  to  hmoantm  kutmt.     Tbe  &r»i  toMuo  tu  ba  iaamt  inMi  bit 

L  .t  '         -,....  yj^n^  f^  BABB  c^.  rr  wi!  • 

•CALF.  -J'  f/»^i  •»*•-  t"  I  a>«-  • 

I-can   L 
tfatrarra  > ' 
a  !■  ! 


bati^ra,    •  ' 

Ittiruacj  * 

kladaaM.  bia  bmI  for  Jf 

Ba  bad  grovD  proud  aii: 


108  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  BaNG&         [oh.  r.  1—27. 


Syrian  "  (yer.  20),  a  swearer  (ver.  20),  covetous,  untruthful,  careless  of  Ms  master's 
honour,  secretive  (ver.  24),  shameless.  He  had  no  sense  of  Grod's  watchful  eye  and 
continual  presence,  no  respect  or  love  for  his  master,  no  care  for  what  Naaman  and  the 
other  Syrians  would  think  of  him.  He  thus  did  as  much  as  in  him  lay  to  ruin  his 
master's  projects,  and  to  lower  him  in  the  esteem  of  those  whose  good  opiuion  he 
knew  his  master  valued.  Another  lesson  to  be  drawn  from  the  narrative  is  the 
following  : — 

II.    One   SDf   LEADS  ON  TO   AHOTHBB  BY  A  BEQTTENOB  WHICH  18   ALMOST  INBVITABLE. 

Gehazi  begins  with  covetousness.  He  cannot  see  the  great  wealth  of  Naaman,  the 
wedges  of  silver  and  gold,  and  the  large  bales  of  rich  stuffs,  without  a  keen  desire  to 
obtain  possession  of  a  portion.  He  hopes  that  his  master  will  spoil  the  Syrian,  and  not 
■j^are  him  ;  in  that  case  he  may  contrive  to  get  a  share  in  the  advantage.  His  master's 
refusal,  no  doubt,  seems  to  him  mere  folly,  quixotism — almost  madness.  He  sets  his 
clever  wits  to  work,  and  soon  frames  a  scheme  by  which  his  master's  intentions  shall  be 
frustrated.  The  sciieme,  as  any  scheme  must  under  such  circumstances,  involves  him 
in  lying ;  nay,  in  a  whole  heap  of  lies.  He  tells  a  circumstantial  tale  in  which  there 
is  not  a  single  word  of  truth.  The  tale  runs  glibly  off  his  tongue,  and  easily  deceives 
the  foreigner,  who  is  not  of  a  suspicious  temper.  Gehazi  is  completely  successful, 
obtains  even  more  than  he  had  ventured  to  ask ;  hides  it  away  without  any  difficulty, 
and  thinks  that  all  is  over.  But  all  is  not  over.  **  Whence  comest  thou,  Gehazi?" 
sounds  in  his  ears ;  and  he  must  either  confess  all  or,  directly  and  unmistakably,  lie 
to  his  master.  Of  count,  the  lie  is  resolved  upon ;  his  previous  conduct  has  so  demora- 
lized him,  that  we  cannot  even  imagine  him  to  have  hesitated.  The  direct  falsehood 
to  his  master,  wiiich  he  would  fain  have  avoided,  has  to  be  uttered  :  *'  Thy  servant  went 
no  whither."  FacUis  descensus  Averni.  The  only  security  against  a  moral  decline  as 
grievous  as  Gehazi's  is  not  to  enter  upon  it,  not  to  take  the  first  step.  Frincipiis 
dbsta.  Check  evil  tendencies  at  once,  and  the  fatal  sequence  need  never  be  entered 
u|<jn.  Gehazi's  punishment  has  also  its  lesson.  He  had  gained  his  coveted  wealth; 
the  [iropliet  could  not  take  it  from  him.  He  was  a  rich  man,  and  might  carry  out  all 
hifl  far-naching  schemes  of  proprietorship,  and  lordship  over  others.  But  what  will  it 
all  profit  him,  if  he  is  to  be,  to  the  end  of  his  days,  a  leper  ?  The  apples  of  Sodom,  so 
"  fair  to  view,"  are  felt  and  known  to  be  worthless,  when  they  "  turn  to  ashes  on  the 
lips."  So  was  it  with  him  ;  and  so  is  it,  commonly,  with  those  who  pursue  a  course 
similar  to  his.  The  j)ros|)erity  acquired  by  fraud  \r.\B  within  it  a  taint  of  rottinness. 
There  is  "a  little  rilt  within  the  lute" — a  drawback  of  some  kind  or  other,  which 
dejirivca  the  pro-sperity  ol  all  its  value,  ami  makes  the  wealthy  prosperous  man  a 
miHeiai'le  wretch.  If  he  escape  exttrnal  calamity,  ho  will,  at  any  rate,  not  escape  Uie 
worm  of  remorbc,  which  will  eiit  into  his  heart,  aud  poison  his  cup  of  pleasure. 


nOMILIKS  BY   VARIOUS   AUT^OR^. 

Vem.  1 — ?•. — The  captive  Jt>raelitish  maid.  There  are  four  pcrsonaficn  that  stand  out 
with  ii|-4.cal  |ir«>niiiicnro  in*  tlii^  cliapler,  fmni  each  of  winch  impirtant  IcsHons  may  bo 
li-arned.  Thewj  are — tlio  little  Ilebnw  maid  ;  Naaman,  lln'  commander-in-chief  of  the 
Kyiiiiii  army  ;  the  Pptphet  Elisha;  aud  Gehazi,  the  prophet's  survauU  Wo  uhall  speak 
firittof  (he  little  maid. 

I.    'Inm    MTPLIC    MAID  l'II»    NOT    FOIUIKT    IIKIl    UKI,1()U)N    WIIKN    HIIK  WKNT  KllOM   IIOMIC. 

Wii  fin-  thai,  thoii^li  in  a  r>ri)i({a  hind,  bhi^  Htili  thon^iit  of  liur  falhers'  (iod  and  of  hifl 
prophet.  '1  hat  Ih  nn  inipiriunt  h-Hhon  in  tliOHo  dayn,  wlion  trnvollin};  Iuih  iM'coino  ho 
Oi»rrinii>n.  Tho  uiuito  wiili  a  ^nui  nniny  prolctmin^  OhriHlianH  HeciuH  to  ho  tiial.  wlion 
tlx-y  are  at  Home,  they  noiHi  do  n»  U<>mi-  does.  Wiicn  Ihoy  travel  on  the  continent, 
thi-y  k<-<s|i  ih<-  oniiniiiial  Siinilny,  jiiMt  hh  if  the  hauio  (io<i  wuh  not  hMikiii;.;  down  upon 
thi'in  thiifc  a«  At  h'lin',  JwhI  im  if  the  Lurd'M  day  wan  not  tho  Lord'H  day  every  wlwio, 
aiKl  a«  if  ih<re  w<  D'  not  yiiii  (')iiiNtinn  |«<<plu  on  tlio  oinlinnnl  who  vuliii'd  the  <iay  aa 
a  day  nl  rent  and  M(iriilit|i.  Mr.  lliihkin  wrotn  wnnu  |M>iiit(vl  wordn  ialdy  in  rcferctiee 
to  lh«i  w»y  ('hrinliun  |»w<plii  iu-4-tt\  t<i  for^'nt  thfir  r^'li^rion  wln'ti  tliry  j^n,  abroad.  Ilo 
a^kffl  thi'Tii  t/i  count  up  th<kr  M|4'ndltiiri<  on  rniiwny  lai<N  rihI  Hi^ht-Heciii^,  on  ^nidi« 
a4><l  guwif>-b(iok«,  (M  luxurM*  and   phoU^rapUn  i  aitd  llion  to  ajtk  tliauiMdveM  bow  muoh 


«r  i-tT.)        Tnr  iEnovD  imoK  or  thf.  ki^qk 


W  Hmmm  t> 


bk*  Id  i»4  •  .c    .!(.<  ■           f 

ckwroll  MBOt.  cLAial  ^ 

«Im«  UiM  lam  11  g 

gaiAo-hock*  sad  ( '  u  iMtrn 

tnuikl     Nu  at*  '  talk 

ki*  iMio  E(7p<.  *-  ■  >-«r« 

iMtoSTrtiL    Ti»**  ' '(iU 

b  wx.iiVi  '  •».  I ,.  -.  T^*7 

»  .                           .           t                          f  Mf- 

fr  ftad  el 

di.  ■•  •  mrtmft  $'  mM 

«»*                           '  Nrr«r  a*m6o* 

!'••  •••  lAbiMir  ,   Im 

diict  iH'i  >        •            .   your  (■•• 

•rir<K««  Ik  a  >.-.;»  U-  -»."      Tru*!  O-al 

^C  III*  <ll>*i'«i(tV>ttni«  ■>/•  ACikltOMiWf* 

bit      > 

i  i  nUUKB  BTiL  roB  KTii.     8k«  k»i  b«N)  Van  fram  k«r 

Ik«»o  Kt)<]   in>m   iirr   n  ^  ru>i«  h*            '   '        .      i            >.      ParU«»«     ar 

CuAmt  iMd  bllan  bro*  •wi4tL      ^                                      i«r  e^wia   ^ .  » 

»pirik  of  vittdkitrMMW  »l«ad  of  ; 

Etim  lUm.    8b«  kmiti  kc«led  vi                       > 

•»«we  B»r-' -■■•I'-''  -^  'Khar*  ; •  .-t^...  .„,..! 

ofgTBtiflati  falUro  ooe  w        »        .  we  war*  si  T»n»ite*f 

8(wk    *    ><i'  L^cf    DBturS.                         -      i>    t.,.l    lh«   Bf4ht  of 

D  M  w«  would  w                                  «  iMk     Tb* 

Ct  to  bldM  Umb  I   ^                .■'■    -     '4  lo  Ikas 
tlt«t  hk                          I"^*.*'  (ur  ttjriu  II  at  il'-siatrfully  um  tu  and  per»ocut«  u«. 

III.     1  K    UAlf>    WAS    BT-T    T'  f'.r);     Trr,    BT    OOIXU   WHAT  UIB    OOTUt,    BKB 

•BCAHB  A  ki>EMikO  TLi  t  mj  k>  benrlf,  **  1  a!u   bal  Juui>{  ;  ttivra 

b  ttothirif;  /  es'i  <1«  **  sOom  KTMt  (iiit>(  lo  uit.      Mut  ait*  jvui  did 

tkr  wvfk  th>^  «  a  way  io  wbicb  fth«  mifbt  he  u««lui.  aad  »b« 

look  th«  o[>{>  i  (•>  I'fT  mutrcMA,  **  Woulu  Ot.«i  tar  iut\l  ••rv 

vitb  the  prv>|.>Lct  ..         :  rtsocrar  biio  ul  bu  le|ir\i»y.*      Thai 

VM  ftll.     8lt«  iuat  '.  altb  WM  likely  k>  l«  IlxumL     L   T%u 

■'       '             '  f  ytm  IB  (OO  Tuuitg   k>  du  BMu*- 

'  yOO  lo  4lk     It  OiBT  kr  LU  Wvtk 

"  ^r'>  habit.     U  may  b*  kit 

»  <og  bad  eau}unkuaa; 

%■  4  kind  «i««U,  ytM 


■utiCii.  *. 


itoiUali  tWakMBBof 


104  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.  [oh.  t.  1—27. 


go  out  into  the  streets  and  laues,  into  the  highways  andTiedges,  and,T3y  the  power  of  irre- 
sistible i  ersua'sion,  compel  them  t«  come  in.  Don't  trouble  yourself  by  thinking  of  your 
own  fituess  or  unfitness.  Are  you  willing  to  be  of  use  in  Christ's  work?  Ave  you 
anxious  to  be  a  blessing  to  others  ?  That  is  the  great  question.  If  so,  Jesus  will  do 
the  rest.  He  will  make  you  a  vessel  unto  honour,  sanctified,  meet  for  the  Master's  use. 
lY.  The  secret  of  this  little  maid's  faithfulness  and  usefulness  was  hkb 
STRONG  AND  SIMPLE  FAITH.  She  could  be  fiiithful  to  Goil,  because  she  believed  in  God. 
She  believed  that  God  would  take  care  of  her  when  she  was  faithfully  serving  him. 
She  could  be  useful  to  others  because,  though  she  was  a  captive  and  had  no  means  to 
help  them,  she  knew  of  One  who  had.  She  had  faith  in  God.  She  knew-  that  God 
was  with  Elisha,  and  therefore  she  had  no  doubt  about  Elisha's  success.  Yes ;  it  is 
faith  we  want,  it  we  are  to  be  u:^eful.  We  say  we  believe  a  great  many  things.  But 
how  do  we  believe  them  ?  Where  is  our  faith  in  God's  promises  shown  in  our  patience 
under  difi&culties  and  trials  and  discouragement.*  ?  Where  is  our  faith  in  God's  pro- 
mises shown  by  our  liberality  to  his  cause?  Wl  'e  is  our  faith  in  God's  promises 
shown  by  our  work  done  for  Christ  ?  If  our  faith  m  God  is  real,  it  will  show  itself  in 
every  detail  of  our  daily  life ;  it  will  overflow  in  acts  of  usefulness  and  love.-.-C.  H.  I. 

Vers.  4 — 19. — Naaman  the  Syrian.  This  case  of  Naaman  is  an  illustration  of  the 
imperfectiuu  that  there  is  in  all  things  human.  Naaman  was  commander-in-chief  of 
the  Syrian  army.  Not  only  so,  but  be  had  seen  service.  He  had  won  liis  spurs  in 
active  warfare.  He  had  led  his  troops  to  victory.  "  By  him  the  Lord  had  given  deliver- 
ance to  Syria."  Hence,  as  we  read,  "  he  was  a  great  man  with  his  master,  and  honour- 
able." No  duubt  he  had  been  greeted  on  his  return  from  battle,  as  victorious  generals 
were  greeted  then  and  are  greeted  still,  with  the  triumphant  shouts  of  a  joytul  and 
exultant  multitude.  His  cup  of  happiness  was  almost  full.  But  there  was  one  element 
of  trouble  that  minified  with  liis  joy.  "  But  he  was  a  leper."  That  little  word  "  Imi," 
how  sigailicant  it  is  I  We  should  all  be  happy,  but  for  something.  Our  plans  would 
all  be  successful,  but  for  something.  We  sliould  all  be  ver}'  good,  but  for  some  incon- 
siBtency,  some  failing,  some  besetting  sin.  Here  is  a  very  good  mnn,  but  he  has  such 
a  bad  temper.  There  is  a  very  kind  wcman,  but  she  has  such  a  bitter  tongue.  Here 
is  a  very  gooti  man,  but  he  is  so  stingy  ami  so  selfish.  Here  is  a  man  who  would  bo 
very  u.-eful  in  the  Church  of  Christ,  but  ho  is  so  worldly  minded.  Here  is  a  good 
preacher,  but  be  doesn't  just  pnctise  what  he  preaches.  These  little  "  buts  "  have 
their  uses.  '1  hey  keep  us,  or  they  ought  to  keep  us,  iiumble.  We  ought  not  to  bo 
very  proud  of  ourselves,  we  ought  not  to  bo  very  Imrd  on  others,  wiien  we  think  if  that 
ujly  sin  of  our  own.  But  most  of  all,  those  "  huts"  ought  to  be  the  means  ot  «lriving 
UB,  as  Na;inian'B  lejircsy  was  the  means  of  driving  him,  neater  to  God.  Tliat  almighty 
hand  can  alone  weed  the  evil  forces  out  of  our  nature,  and  bring  us  into  conformity  to 
his  own  heavenh   likeiiess. 

L  Na\MAN'h  pbidk.  Kings  sometimes,  like  other  people,  do  stupid  things.  The 
Hebrew  maid  had  spriken  of  the  prophet  that  w.is  in  Isia  •!,  a.s  being  able  to  euro  her 
mohtorof  IiIb  leprosy.  But  the  Kin;.:  oi  Syiia  s(  iids  a  letter  to  the  KiiKj  of  Isnul,  fliiyii\g, 
"  I  have  heiit  Naaman  my  mrvaut  unto  l/ief,  that  thou  nuiyest  recover  him  oi  hi.s 
jiprr.Hy."  The  K'lig  of  Syria  may  iiavo  n.eniit  nothing  more  tium  this,  that  the  King 
of  iMracI  ml  .ht  brnig  about  Naamnn's  recovery  by  sinding  liim  to  the  prophet  ;  but 
the  King  of  Ihnici  took  llir  words  an  an  attempt  to  jiick  a  (piarrei  with  him,  and  rent 
hiBcJoihct  in  :iiiger  and  passion.  Very  oltcn  great  and  d'.structiv  e  wars  imvtt  arisen 
from  iiHK  h  more  trifling  eauKes — from  the  folly  or  iinaj  rt' ily,  the  rashness  orHtubburn- 
iK-M,  the  pride  or  the  passion,  uf  rnleis  How  thaiiklul  wu  should  be  for  a  wise  nnd 
pnnlvtit  novereivn,  whin  wo  tliink  how  m\ich  liarm  a  foolish  sovereign  can  do  I  After 
Klislia  h<>ard  of  the  Kitig  of  iHraid's  absurd  and  cliildish  display  ol  anger  and  dismay, 
iio  tcDt  Ut  him,  miying,  "  Wlioreloro  Inst  thoii  rent  thy  elothes?  let  him  come  now 
to  me,  and  hi-  xhall  know  l)i  tt  tlmro  in  a  pr'phnl  in  Israel."  So  Nuiman  camo  with 
all  the  pornpan<l  (^rn'id'iirnf  a  \i,rnnl  Oiiettul  gciinnd,  nnd  stixKl  at  the  door  of  Klishn's 
h"ii«n.  Kli*>h«  Is  not  ovrrawmi  b\  tliis  (ilMpJay  of  nmu;nifir«nce.  Ho  does  not  ha'tnii 
f-nh  ami  rnitkn  a  hunibjn  ubeit-.uice  to  ibi^  man  of  rank.  Ho  knew  what  nspect  w»ii 
dine  u>  Huiborlty  nnd  ntnlion  ;  hnl  ju«t  thm  hn  had  to  do  with  I^'tuimnn  thr  ituin,  vith 
A*<ia">an  Ihs  I'ptr,  and  iml  •*\l\\  NiMmtin  tho  ^nnerai.      As  tho  iioiVHnl  ul  tiod,  it  ia  bia 


^^  l_f7]  IHK   HXOOhU   1KX4L  Of  TUB   UHQA.  101 

I     >.  .  •  1«{  r  «y   <•»•  »ii   wtif  But  Lc  t  *>i  •  U/ 

.  MM,  Wl  HM  •  aMMtatW.     Tll*l 

the     ti.c*«A_-r       Lkt    Lc    »  I  1       **  Oo 


-  lu 

t  M 

r  ■•■>. 

.'•  •»  lo 

)  «^«. 

i  ..«k 

ft.    '  .  I    M 

**  U.9  ifttAt  ail 

MiOU  ;  "   w  'V* 

8u(h  «M  1  I  e( 

G.«i»  J,olj  .                                                           ^  «• 

Aw-iy,   ik'rtj,  with  prida !      Avk«y   witb   i<ndo  of  riebe* !    •»»»    •■!*•   y    '  kl 

*^  '-of  Icamiiig  I  BWiy  witb  pri^ie  uf  bMuty  lo       '  <-  of 

«  p«id«  ft\>in  evanr  Oiriktuui  iir«rt  I  away  wit  «•• 

1  a  >ay  wit^  priilo  f  um  all  "  uf  ChrisUi .   m   it,     •■••y    »i  l     r>dc 

U  »  >  dt  our  frUow-OMol     Lot  ua  1  o  luouicpa  u/  kun  wuu  wa«  in<«k  aL>a 

k  wiy  to  b«u-i. 

ll.  Naamas'i  ctkb.  Obarrve  tJU  timplicilf  oftktmtn.  **  Oo  %iA  «Mh  lo  Ju«^d«u 
•pvea  tiffiea,  and  (bv  daah  ahall  cumt  a^»io  to  ibM,  and  lho«  aluli  h*  daaa."  li  ««• 
I  0  Twiy  ilroplicur  >4  th^  eura  ttiat  waa  the  •'uiablinf^liluek  to  NiAaaa.  8u  it  i«  with 
t'  •  •iijitvr  •till.  i'Le  -ituplkdtj  of  tb«  gotpal  <4tvi  pfweato  OMaj  A  oar  froa  aeeafrt' 
iug  IL  Tue  •mrauis  of  Kaamau  rx}>rea»nl  tbia  «rakiM««  of  tk«  kvoMD  kattit  wbro 
tbtj  mA,  "  Uj  father,  if  tLe  tr  I  •'.  LaJ  biJ  iboc  ^  aooM  gr«ftt  tM»)r,  W<Mlld<«  Ibuu 
ftiA  b«w  duoaltr"      llir  _••  thoofb   it   ni»jr   aaMii    l^  >'ft«a  iba 

Kaniost  lo  dok     Tba  gnut  i  u  eoaU  Boai  UU^ar.  \h  «^    '    tlc.Mr  b 

■tost  loaoi  fivov  own  'ff'ri,  u  tii<    i:     )•  wuieb  many  ind  ll  •  b 

oa«of  th«  ivMOoa  wb/  tit«  boatbrn  t'lt^toiia,  and  th»  Roaau  *v« 

•B  MOttg  •  bold  VpM  tbo  koniAD  baart.  Tbair  i«li|;ioa  b  Ju>u6uau^.  t,j  wxi^i*.  TWj 
aflbrd  Uf»«  wf*  (nr  bem^B  «|prt  una,  fur  pMiaitetaa,  for  |<ilgriiiMgc«.  Tb«f<e  b  ■(«H« 
Inrri""  •  li  w.     id  true  «  h'l.ianiij.     *Uooai«fu  '*!■ 

iruod  •  -   Up  ara  l.ia  «     kiuanabip,  tnatM  it.  ^»«M 

ooiug.-    »     1         !  ui  ^  .^.i  wfr^.(  a.-r  thr    t<  .  t   lilt  ibi  naiiai.  oattus. 

\Vr  cna  naver  by  anj  p^|riina[g«-»,  ^y  »!  y  |^   ^  '  y  aaj  fa«tiBg>  a  m1t»> 

Uou.  A  ruhliiiMuao^  tor  ouraoiv^*.     "  S^  bj  wvrks  of  ng||toa«MD<-»»  wi.icu  ••  kav« 
4on«,  b«l  aoeunliDf  lo  kia  mrrcv  b«  aavad  na,  by  iIm  -Mkllf  of  rpfrt>«r«ik«  utd 
■    ■      -  ■     -  t^j,^, 

bM 

fpultoit 


mao%  Dw  MOuruiDf  lo  Bia  mrrcv  b«  aavad  na,  By  UM  -Mllif  of  rpfruwnutoa  i 
raci«wtDg  of  U«  Buij  Oboat,  *h«b  bo  abad  o«  oa  ftku»lattlJj  Uiroog  Jom*  I'lu 
•or  Bftriour."  Wo*  ii  bo»  •  faolbli  tUag  far  NaoiiM.  •  boot.  »t««rmU«  b|«.  v>tb 
Ufa  o  bof^laa  lo  biin,  lo  bo  niiwrinott  t^  wrttirt  of  Us  euraf     l>  >'  "•(  •  fptJ 


tktec  fai  Mj  aianor,  vtUi  4c«ib  ot  ovary  MMit  •toHng  bin  la  i-  i  »  i^fc 

and  bofAMi  oiorvity  ravBlag  bafara  kla^  «e  qaaaliiia  OoTa  plan  of  .^  •  A  luaa 

«ku  b  aMaad  viib  a  4uifanMia  UlMaa  4em  ool  &fmd  a  wbob  day  to  iiaanoMag  wkal 


106  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.         [ch.  v.  1—27 

remedies  the  physician  has  orclered,  but,  if  he  has  common  sen^^e,  he  rises  the  remodiea 
at  once.  Sinivr,  the  cure  for  your  disease  is  a  simple  one.  "  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved."  It  is  the  only  one.  "  There  is  none  other  Name 
under  heaven  given  among  men  whereby  we  can  be  saved,"  except  the  Name  of  Jesus. 
Naaman,  at  last,  persuaded  by  his  servants'  entreaty,  believed  the  prophet's  pr^misr-, 
and  acted  in  obedience  to  his  instructions.  He  went  and  washed  in  Jordan,  and,  as  ti.a 
prophet  said,  he  was  made  whole.  God  promises  to  every  sinner  that  if  you  believe  on 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  you  shall  receive  everlasting  life.  Did  you  ever  know  God's 
promise  to  fail?  Why,  then,  should  you  hesitate,  as  a  lost  soul,  to  take  the  way  of 
ialTatioa  provided  for  you  through  the  mercy  of  God  and  the  infinite  love  of  Ski'lst  ? 

"There  is  a  fountain  filled  with  blood 
Drawn  from  Immanuel's  veins; 
And  sinners,  plunged  beneath  that  flood. 
Lose  all  their  guilty  stains. 

*»Tlie  dying  thief  rejoiced  to  seo 
That  fountain  in  his  day ; 
And  there  may  I,  though  vile  as  hei, 
Wash  all  my  sius  away." 

HI.  Naama5*8  grattttjdk.  Naaman's  marvellous  cure  made  him  a  believer  In  the 
God  of  Israel.  He  returned  to  Elisha  with  giatitude  in  his  heart.  How  different  the 
spirit  in  which  he  now  approaches  the  prophet!  No  longer  proud  and  haughty, 
waiting  at  tiie  door  for  Elisha  to  come  out  to  him,  he  enters  the  prophet's  house,  and 
humbly  stands  before  him.  He  shows  a  spirit  of  siratitude  to  God  aud  to  his  ]iroplu't. 
He  asks  Elisha  to  give  him  a  quantity  of  earth,  that  he  may  raise  an  altar  unto  the 
God  of  Israel,  saying  that  he  will  henceforth  sacrifice  to  no  other  god.  You  whom 
God  has  raised  up  again  from  beds  of  sickness — have  you  shown  in  any  practical  way 
your  gratitude  to  him  ?  Do  you  ever  count  up  your  mercies  when  you  calculato  how 
much  you  will  subscribe  to  some  religious  object  ?  If  you  did,  there  would  not  be 
much  difficulty  in  clearing  off  church  debts.  We  are,  all  of  us,  every  tlay  we  live, 
dependent  on  God's  mercy  and  lK)nnty.  In  his  hand  our  breath  is.  "  In  him  wo  live, 
and  move,  and  have  our  being."  Many  of  us  are  saved  sinners,  redeemed  thnrngh  the 
precious  blood  of  Christ.  What  have  we  done  to  show  our  thankfulness  to  (iod,  who 
called  us  out  of  darkness  into  his  marvellous  light?  Naaman,  though  a  ciia'  i:;ed  man 
and  no  longer  an  idf)latcr,  was  still  wanting  in  decision.  Ho  asked  to  be  panloned  for 
bowitig  in  the  temple  of  the  god  Uimmon,  when  his  master,  the  king,  went  in  to  worship 
there.  S<jme  have  thought  that  Klisha's  answer,  "  Qo  in  j)eitcc,'"  gave  juMinission  to 
Naaman  to  go  through  this  outward  form  of  idolatry.  Hut  tlio  jirophet  did  not  mean 
this  at  all.  His  words  were  but  the  Eastern  form  of  saying  "good-bye."  He  neither 
e^jtidemned  nor  approved  Naaman's  action.  Ho  loft  it  as  a  matter  forhisownconsoienco. 
And  BC  it  must  be  in  inany  things.  We  cannot  lay  down  hard-and-fast  lines  for  others. 
Beginners  in  the  (Jhiistian  life,  especially,  should  bo  tenderly  dealt  with.  Hut  wliile 
we  make  every  allowance  tor  Naaman,  who  ha  1  spent  all  his  life  in  heathenism,  let  vis 
not  imitate  him  in  his  want  of  decision.  Ho  oweil  allegiance  to  a  higher  King  than  to 
the  King  of  Syria.  Id  matlers  of  consciem  o,  lei  no  man  bo  our  master  but  Ciirist. 
Let  UH  never  Hacrifice  priiHijjlo  for  expediency,  or  obey  the  call  of  {xipiilarity  rather 
than  the  r^li  of  duly.  A  far  hi;.'her  example  is  that  of  Joiin  Knox,  who,  when  rebuked 
for  IiIh  outH|<)ken  words  before  Queon  Mary  ami  her  council,  said,  •*  I  am  in  the  phico 
whero  I  am  <leinandcd  of  conscienre  to  siteak  tlie  truth;  and  therefore  the  truth  1 
■|>oak,  impu;:n  it  wliotwj  liHt." — C.  H.  I. 

VerH.  20—27. —  I'^inha  and  fhhiizi.  Wo  nhall,  jmrliaj)H,  derive  most  nrofit  fnmi  the 
ttu'ly  of  tliem-  two  eljariu'tcrn  il  we  liNik  at  thum  together,  as  th<<y  are  nore  sot  before 
DS,  In  Rbarp  and  ntrikitig  rontrnHt. 

I.    (XJNTIIAHT    TIIK     ()r)VK.TOI)HNP;HH    or    Tlir     ONK    WITH     TflK     fmHKI.riSIINKM   OF     Tim 

oTiiKn.  1.  I/X'k,  lifMl  ot  (ill,  ni  h'.Unlin'n  ujinUhhttfM.  It  is  a  Hubllni"  pieturo.  Wh 
hardh  know  which  to  mlmin'  mom  h'.hjith  ait  lieMtnii'lH  foitli  iilnno  in  ru  'I'^d  gra'Khur 
U)  r/»n  front  lh«  irt-ophelii  «»l  1  Wl ;  or  Kli»ha,  km  in  quiot  Mlni|lieiiv  and  sincere  forgot- 
fuloaat  (A  Mlf  b«  itAnda  tb«ro  before  Naaman,  and  geutlj  puts  awaj  from  him  the 


m  r  l-?T.] 


THB  SBOOITD  BOOK  OF  TUB  KIHQB. 


Iflt 


mr>  fn^^  to 


t«M*%tS  imptiat  gifl. 
bad  af*^"*^  '('''^  H«  rla 

blmHU  artid*  •  lell< 
bM  vafthck)  U>  Jiir\U 
Id  uk«  (Kcj  «u»>i  )i 

r«ttlUIM(«lk<l.       llr    I  ' 

i.<f  ibjr  Mnrmnl."     Luirtt  to  lh« 
«    '  rrcalfv  motf."    AmmXu  N 


Um 


vctt 


or  iW  t«<N  I  Ihfrk  rw^aS  »a«  lU  liMte  aft4  tW««u««  ««• 

tMt  bar*  Ml    TW  h»a  t/  bl« 

«  |MMr«l,  Ika  fciraiDH  Mae  f^  ->fl 

blm  k>  U  Lc^o..  .1  kU  Wftfoaf.    1\a  Klair  • 

^TMraL     AtMl  bcw  •b«a,  at  Blhka%  M4diaff 

taacttrad.  >  '        'Of  '■ipQ'tw  ••  w  ^  ,^^^ 

rvarl  far  uaa  walwd  lo  gtva  bua  f<b 

|v«  blm.    **  .^   »  ij.r.-»..<«,  I  mj  ikM^  lakaa 

:  "  A*  ibe  Lord  Uwvlk,  balol*  *ba«  I 

ruf^  '  ■  - '  -  tbc  fiA,  aa " 


A»a  vbjT 


•ei«  vaa  aar  mim  la 
.i«til  la  ha  JafMBdiial 


laiaklaf 

r    Ko*  ai  alL    At  oUmt  ttoMa  be  ^m   .. i«til  la  ha  ifodnal  aa  iba 

bowijiiloUtara.  8c  ft«llaUa«aika»**avaBaobatb  Iba  Lord  avAalaad  Ibai  tb«7«>.k4 
praMb  tba  gaa)»l  •!>  ulJ  Hm  oT  ika  foapaL"  Bllab*  b^  aa  n^aBrioa  l»  l^  gift  m 
■Mk,  and  rrati  ot  want  it  U-t  htniaaH  ha  aavU  kava  aiada  food  um  el  t%, 

W»m,tktm,SU  :      ,  f    (1)  la  tbfl  Aratpk0a.A«a«iyAl^fA«AMaw^A^9*i. 

KUab*  kaaw  ««U  uuu  it  wm  iwi  by  Am  vottd  or  by  Ai«  t»««r  tbu  NMmaa  b*d  baa« 
haalad,  hot  hj  iba  povar  d  tba  U^iM  Ood.  Ha  vaaiad  Naamao  to  tblak,  not  uT  Iba 
■tiiBhil,  hat  of  Ibo  prDpbl'»  Ood.  So  8c  Patar  aelad  wb«  ha  and  8«.  Jc^  bad  b«Ud 
llMlaaMBiaoattbaBMuaiulBaUoribatenpla.  BaMidioUMpao|iK«*  WKj  l.«4  ja 
ao  aan»«aUj  oa  oi^  aa  tbougb  1^  oar  own  powar  or  bolioaas  w«  ImmI  Mda  Ibi*  omb  lo 
vaik  r  *  and  Ibao  pftJorwiM  lo  point  out  to  tha  peopU  tha  banail  af  fillb  ia  Obrkl 


8o  It  will  ba  with  rrcry  truo 
llMtar,  aDd  ox  lo  hlmwUl  < 
doabttaM  M%  that  If  ba  had  U) 
*  WaO,  tlMM  pro|>b««a  of  Imwt 
hatlar  thao  oar  own  btathw  pf. 
llhiiMi.*  BUaba  knav  that  t 
tba  pK,  and  jal  be  laflaaooad 
Mt  tbat,  tboofh  all  tUap  aia 
paofkU  vara  aqaallj  aoHaftoaa  a 


»  paint  BMB  lo  bU 
i/kd»ni>tiim.     Ba 


oarrful  w«  aboulU 
«ra  brli  J  rrf 
kamc 

J! 

laat  bjo 

■  >n  tLo  rr 

tbat  1. 

*k        „ 

tbaeiMii^«*M>n;:  t 
in  tK*  wsr  ars  ■ 

L     H  a  vlU  aark  10 

:    Naamaami,'  ^rxivhar* 

*  foUowan  -  Uv!,  ar«  ao 

'*  railing  Jli.^t  I' V  UM  muDrjr  tbat 

■t  (hat  ba  mlfbl  Uwfulljr  laka 

* '"-  ■■'  Ovd.     Btti  ba 

that  all  Ood'a 

-  -*-*  ix.  ..„^(1uib1    How 

taodai^  oar  tboof  btlaMBaM, 

tLcr,  jE/uAo  Oomfkt  ^  tU 

d  Ij  SyniL     E  -aii*  fell 

lake  h  rifl  f:    ta  ub«  u^ 

>.-9v>ai«l 

-    »j   aid 

•    xu4 

-    -?• 

— *;•  to 

I  .Ut  — 

.:^ 

•  a 


tr»Ut>o  al  llie 

b<«oar  el  bia 

lbou|.-l. 

ItU  b  -■ 


)>L«lr.  but  hia  auul  .. 

ohadaaa 

•"«-f,  re*.^ .-._;  „. 

^ 

*•  wuald  beoratoil. 

^  u 

U  atotii  oar  ataet: 

:  1 

^a  tboogt  - 

»   -   -  aC  teVIC^:.' 

•n»  otf  attarl&»bnra^  ■  > 

•<  diHriaot  (rmn  all  U  i^  f 

i  Ua  Ood.  Um  boDoor  .  f 

u.« 

»«a    wmmti  \km»  tldag^ 

1  a 

ri|r  otamaaiariag  »<u^c 
Elialtt  had  r«<aai4  lo  t^ 

•  r* 

»-.*• 

-■    '  •  maaiar  kia  a«t  hUD  w  a*&   Lr 

108  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.  [oh.  ▼.  1—27. 

money  and  clotbes,  just  as  if  he  was  so  fictle  as  not  to  know  his  own  mind,  and  so 
mean  as  now  to  send  and  beg  that  which  but  a  little  time  before  he  had  sturdily 
declined.  Gehazi's  greed  for  money  had  blunted  all  the  finer  feelings  of  his  nature. 
No  wonder  that  our  Saviour  said,  "  Take  heed  and  beware  of  covetousness."  No 
wonder  that  Paul  said,  "  The  love  of  money  is  a  root  of  all  evil."  All  kinds  of 
sins  result  from  the  love  of  money.  We  have  an  illustration  of  it  in  Gehazi's  case. 
We  have  illustrations  of  it  every  day.  How  often  men  grow  rich,  but  do  not 
grow  letter  I  Scmetiir.es  increasing  wealth  has  the  strange  efiect  of  decreasing 
liberality.  Sometimes  increasing  wealth  brings  with  it  increase  of  pride.  Some- 
times increasing  wealth  has  made  men  more  worldly.  Instead  of  seeking  to  serve 
Christ  more  with  their  increased  opportunities  and  increased  influence,  they  serve  him 
less.  Thank  God  if  with  increasing  wealth  he  has  given  you  increasing  grace.  Thank 
God  if  he  has  enabled  you  to  give  the  more,  the  more  you  got.  Thank  God  if  with 
inert  asing  wealth  you  have  kept  a  cool  head,  a  warm  heart,  a  steady  hand,  a  clear 
conscience,  and  the  friends  of  your  youth.  To  those  who  are  beginning  life  we  would 
earnestly  say.  Beware  of  covetousness.  Don't  imagine  that  to  be  rich  is  the  be-all  and 
eud-all  of  life.  There  are  some  things  which  money  cannot  buy.  There  are  some 
things  which  money  cannot  do.  Money  can't  keep  death  away  from  the  door.  Money 
cannot  purchase  the  pardon  of  sin,  or  obtain  for  a  single  soul  admission  into  heaven. 
"  We  brought  nothing  into  this  world,  and  it  is  certain  we  can  carry  nothing  out." 
But  wc  are  not  therefore  to  despise  money.  Get  all  the  money  you  can,  provided  you 
get  it  honestly,  provided  you  do  not  sacrifice  your  soul's  interests  because  of  it,  and 
provided  that,  when  you  have  it,  you  spend  it  welL  Make  a  good  use  of  your  money 
in  your  lifetime.  "  Make  to  yourselves  friends  of  the  mammon  which  the  unrighteoiia 
Worship,  that,  when  ye  fail,  they  may  receive  you  into  everlasting  habitations." 

11.  Contrast  thb  deceitfolness  op  the  onb  with  the  stbaightfokwab© 
HONESTY  OF  THE  OTHEB.  There  was  nothing  two-faced'  about  Elisha.  He  did  not 
say  oue  thing  with  his  lips,  and  think  the  very  opposite  in  his  heart.  When  Jehoram, 
Kin.'  of  Israel,  after  his  idolatry  and  liis  sins,  got  into  difficulties  at  the  time  that  he 
and  the  other  two  kings  went  forth  against  the  King  of  Moab,  he  then  sent  for  Elisha. 
But  Elisha  docs  not  meet  him  in  any  fawning,  flattering  spirit.  He  at  once  rebukes 
him  for  his  sins.  He  pays,  "  What  have  I  to  do  with  thee  f  get  thee  to  the  prophets 
of  thy  father,  and  to  the  prophets  of  thy  mother."  In  tlie  snme  way  he  treats  Naaman 
as  one  whose  pride  neeils  to  be  humbled.  Though  he  might  have  offended  Naaman  by 
refusing  to  take  his  </\(t,  he  plainly  tells  him,  "An  the  Lord  liveth,  before  whom  I 
stm'i,  I  will  rcciive  none."  What  a  contrast  to  this  blunt,  straightforward  honesty  ie 
the  two-fac<d  deccitfulness  of  Gehazil  Observe  how  one  sin  brings  another  with  it. 
lie  first  of  all  coveted  the  money  und  Vie  raiment,  when  he  heard  Elisha  refuse  Naaman's 
present.  Then  covetousness  leads  to  decejHion  and  lyin;/.  Ho  ran  after  Naanian's 
chari't,  and  invented  a  false  story  that  some  young  men  had  come  to  EHshn,  and  that 
h<-  wanted  m-  ney  and  clothint;  for  them.  His  guilt  was  doubly  great,  because  ho  was 
Elihha'struBti-^lHervani  or  steward,  and  liccanse  he  probably  had  other  servants  under  him, 
Au'l  then  he  lieH,  not  orily  to  Naaman,  but  to  his  master,  whin  ho  says,  "Tliy  servant 
*  cnt  no  whither."  Oh,  the  baseness,  the  wickeihuv-H,  of  deceit!  And  yet  howmueh  of 
it  fit  piaci  ihcd  in  the  wf>rld  I  How  much  «/"  it  in  the  serial  reJ(ifin7, ships  of  life  I  What 
sham  Iri' ndsi.ipH  I  What  hollow  civilitieHl  Whited  HepulelireB  and  Hociai  hIiiuus! 
How  m<ich  of  It  in  the  mu.merci'il  world!  What  barefieel  adulteration  1  What 
chciting  of  cu-totixrMl  What  falHO  HtiitomontH — known  to  bo  false — about  the  value 
of  ;.'n(Miii !  8omctirn»!»  tln-ro  are  revclatiotiH — pieit  fidlmes,  (^iohs  frauda.  Jiut  wliat.  an 
jfnnipns*)  amount  of  dceeit  gncn  on  that  i»  never  hnvrd  oil  Many  deceive  «)r  ael  dis- 
hotiohtly  JuHt  U|>  to  th(!  limit  of  dot<'ctioii,  jiiht  as  if  GodV  oye  waH  not  on  tlnni  all  iho 
lime.  To  i-ny.  "  Kv. ry  oi<o  doe«  H,"  nn  nn  i-xcuim  for  ileccit  or  tiishoncHly  in  a  liusinens, 
U  DO  r'SAon  why  ii  Ohrlxtian  man  hIiouM  do  it,  why  any  man  nhould  do  it.  (o'd'H  <>yo 
turim.  Hi"  coiiiii,nnil  i»«  char,  "'Ihini  sluklt  not  Ht<al."  'l'h"U  hhalt  not  put  forth  tliino 
bund  U>  tnku  wh  >t  In  not  liane  own.  'i'lifl  man  who  ndm  IiIh  cuHtomerx,  the  man  who 
plundern  or  pmlomH  from  hU  itm)  loy<<rf<,  ovm  Ihou'h  lio  may  ho  ieH|><'clahlo  in  the 
•yen  of  the  world,  Is  an  niiirh  a  thief  In  the  f<i^ht  of  (iimI,  nnd  |MtrliKpH  far  mor«  i^uilty, 
than  the  ]xm>t  hoy  wh«»  uteiiU  a  lonf  in  IiIh  hunt^fr  mul  want.  I)iT«it  and  <ll»«lioni'Hty 
Wt&foT  caii   bring  a  bloasio^     "  lie  nuru  yuur  mu  \sill  tind  you  ouL"     Wa  have  nnuajT 


m. «.  l-Cf  J  TBI  tlOOirD  BOOK  OF  TUI  KlKOt.  tOt 


•M  fTMl  •tola  M|««  Um  imiary  W  i 
■Ktl  Wlku  «««r  xlrtiiiittx^l  H 
ott  •■  l»lWui  pnao*.    TIm  «  .ut»  jc  u.a 


M^'C*  AT*  as  Inpartattl  Mid  •»  Im*.  /  :  "  Cbw«'« 

Wmc*  oI  Mik,"  U  to      "            ^  .  .      • 

vWUmt  II  b*  pam^^  I                   «  » 

krMflli  ci  ptiblte  fkiik.  ..  «<  11  ii]«« 

gf«l  lrail>.  ihfti  It  U  bc4  I  mii 

mmfmm  wtlA  wtwA  ■««  «>■  ,  .  •«.(  i 

fmts  lit*  Knicltkh  rul«r»  of  Uum  t^ 
imM  »•     i  <■        ■•««>     '                                                                    .^.j«,  «a4  t^  *v««l 

•WMTtfy.      Au  lu«  • 
iril  tM,  IW  |«r)u 

ft'i      |>r«co  !</  m.<it'.  ■  ffntmt 

i--:    Ctnn    l^ftl  a  a,   aad 

l<«Ui>hlDg  tltOl«  Vice*   !  V, 

I- It  i<l  otb«»  aim.     h  u 


duw  i>ui  into  yuur  hlo.  and  ikM  )oa  vOl  »»« 

.„.  ^...^- .J  >.,- a  ^  igtti,  lA  VQfxl,  ur  m  ^Md.— <1  B.  L 

V«r».  1— 17. —  P««*«^  "/  ^  •»-  '  ^— -   ♦'•—♦-•'■—    '  — '---  /-~r»  i« 

iQAo  vitii  lUa  nia*'  ^ 

OM  of  lb*  imgiiM  <  **  tl« 

«M.Md>iaJL 

M  bar*  tkalchrf).  -  .                                                                       .      u.  .     t 

UliuadTd* 

L  Tba  (i  -tM  4k|4aj«i  la  kis  ••« 


kud  liir  \ttxt\  ^, 

lii;:b,  kib^  >«..'»»'  ^, 

•vor  Urn  a  »aid  f.\  ^, 

of  |(rU'<i'^«.  'ixl  •'  •.. ~  ti 

tiigii  i«.«<tH.tt  UutwW  1 

ibe    prrft*    *•  ;i    r  V.  -d. 

irumi*  na  uror 

pofiulv  i.raMJii  t«-a> 

fuer.     S.  Tito  ^A  <j^  «wi«/in«m  iu  {•  )  .  ^r   •\  •!. 

BKi»l  duL<>L.<>urmUe  tu  Luuuui  u«i^tc,  Ut  •ttuiiut{|  tmutn  ayttit«UiV  wiUi  Um  rtr%  itt*'- 

vtt|>  l!>«  |JLA>r  lb  •uflenri;;. 

11.  Tba  fuftjr  uf  uitfivit>rAL  '  ibt  8friaii»  )  » 

eofi  |«t>iaa,  a»i)  ti»il  ttrvu^bt  •«  ••  la»>d  of  1^^- 

aftd  aha  vaiu^tl  oti   N»auiai ' 
tord  arara  «Uii  tbr  (jn>(^c4  t    . 
▲ad  aa«  •««»  la,  aad  loU  to*  k^^i,  m  ■  ^  »;  u  a<  u.« 


110  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KmGS.         [oh.  t.  1—27 

land  of  Israel."  This  little  girl,  who  had  been  torn  from  her  native  conntry,  and 
carried  into  the  land  of  strangers  by  the  ruthless  hand  of  war,  told  her  mistress  of  • 
prophet  in  Israel  who  had  the  power  to  heal  lepers.  This  led  the  King  of  Syria  to 
persuade  Xaaman  to  visit  Judaea,  and  to  give  the  leprous  captain  an  introduction  to  the 
king,  who,  in  his  turn,  introduced  him  to  the  prophet,  who  effected  his  healing.  The 
inriuence  of  this  little  slave-girl  should  teach  us  three  things.  1.  The  Tnagnanimity  of 
youivj  natures.  Though  she  was  an  exile  in  the  land  of  her  oppressors,  instead  of  having 
that  revenge  which  would  have  led  her  to  rejoice  in  the  suSferings  of  her  captors,  her 
young  heart  yearned  with  sympathy  for  one  of  the  ruthless  conquerors.  A  poor  child, 
a  humble  servant,  a  despised  slave,  may  have  a  royal  souL  2.  The  power  of  the 
humblest  individual.  This  poor  girl,  with  her  simple  intelligence,  moved  her  mistress ; 
ler  mistress,  the  mighty  warrior;  then  Syria's  king  was  moved;  by  him  the  King  of 
Israel  is  interested ;  and  then  the  prophet  of  the  Lord.  Thus  the  little  maid  may  have 
been  said  to  have  stirred  kingdoms.  No  one,  not  even  a  child,  "  liveth  to  himself." 
Each  is  a  fountain  of  influence.  3.  The  dependence  of  the  great  upon  the  small.  The 
recovery  of  this  warrior  resulted  from  the  word  of  this  captive  maid.  Some  persons 
a'lmit  the  hand  of  Grod  only  in  what  they  call  great  events!  But  what  are  the  great 
events  ?  "  Great "  and  "  small "  are  but  relative  terms.  And  even  what  we  call 
"  small "  often  sways  and  shapes  the  "  great."  One  spark  of  fire  may  burn  down  all 
Loudon. 

III.  The  force  of  self-preservation.  **  And  the  King  of  Syria  said,  Gb  to,  go,  and 
I  will  send  a  letter  unto  the  King  of  Israel.  And  he  departed,  and  took  with  him  ten 
talents  of  silver,  and  six  thousand  pieces  of  gold,  and  ten  changes  of  raiment.  And  he 
brou_'ht  the  letter  to  the  King  of  Israel,  saying,  Now  when  this  letter  is  come  unto  thee, 
behold,  I  have  therewith  sent  Naaraan  my  servant  to  thee,  that  thou  mayest  recover 
him  of  his  leprosy."  It  would  seem  that  Naaraan  at  once  consulted  Benhadad,  King  of 
Syria,  on  the  suhject  suggested  by  the  captive  maid,  and,  having  obtained  an  introduc- 
tion to  the  King  of  Israel,  hurried  off,  taking  with  him  "  ten  talents  of  silver,"  etc. — groat 
wealth — which  lie  was  prepared  to  sacrifice  in  the  recovery  of  his  health.  The  instinct 
of  self-preservation  is  one  of  the  strongest  in  human  nature.  "  Skin  for  skin,  yea,  all 
that  a  man  hath  will  he  give  for  his  life."  Men  will  spend  fortunes  and  traverse 
continents  in  order  to  rid  themselves  of  disease,  and  prolong  life.  Tiiis  strenuous  effort 
for  recovery  from  disease  reminds  us  of:  1.  The  value  of  physical  health.  This  man 
had  Icist  it,  and  what  was  the  world  to  him  without  it?  Bishop  Hall  truly  says  of 
him,  "  The  basest  slave  in  Syria  would  not  change  skins  with  him."  Health — this 
precious  blessing — is  so  lavishly  t;iven,  that  men  seldom  appreciate  it  till  it  is  lost. 
2.  The  neglect  of  spiritual  health.  This  man  was  evidently  mnrally  diseased — that  is, 
he  neither  knew  of  the  true  God  nor  had  sympathy  with  him.  Ho  was  a  moral  invalid. 
A  worse  disease  than  leprosy  infected  his  maidiood  and  threatened  the  ruin  of  his  being. 
Yet  there  is  no  strugjling  here  after  spiritual  recovery.     This  is  a  general  evil. 

IV.  The  fnrce  of  castk  fkkmno.  "And  the  King  of  Syria  said.  Go  to,  go,  and  I 
will  send  a  letter  unto  the  King  of  Israel."  Why  did  the  King  of  Syiiascnd  Naainau  with 
the  letter  to  tlie  Uitmarch  of  Israel?  Was  it  because  ho  was  given  to  understand  ihiit 
the  king  would  work  tlie  euro?  No;  for  mention  was  made  by  the  captive  girl  of  no 
Olio  who  could  effect  the  cure  but  "  the  jirojihet  that  is  in  Samaria."  Or  was  it  because 
In;  thought  that  Israil's  nion;u<h  wonid  discover  the  prophel,  ami  inlluenco  him  on 
K-liiilf  ol  thealTlicled  officr?  No  ;  for  in  liis  royal  letter  hi'  says,  "  Htiiiold,  I  have  .  .  . 
Ik  nt  Nifttnan  my  servant  U>  thee,  that  thou  mayest  recover  him  of  his  leprosy."  Why, 
then  ?  Simiily  hfcauso  of  cnHtc  f<  eling.  He,  forsooth,  was  too  great  to  know  a  iirophei  — 
Ux>  great  t**  cornHpond  with  nny  one  but  a  king,  Wiint  was  a  pro|ihet,  tiiou:;h  fidl 
of  liiviiio  iniolli'ciKe,  and  nerveil  with  Divine  <  lu-rgy,  c<)nii)ari(l  even  to  a  soulievti 
«iian  if  a  crown  fncirfled  his  brow  ?  1.  Casio  feeling  sin/cs  the  real  in  the  (idinititioux. 
Tin-  Minn  who  irt  rulc<l  by  it  Hocxa^'gcrftteKexlernnl  tilings  uh  to  Ioho  sight  of  those  ol<nienlii 
of  riioriil  rliiirailor  whirh  conHtiiiili-  the  ilignity  an<l  <1<  trrniini'  the  de  tiny  of  man.  \\» 
hvHM  in  huhhjiMi,  \i.  Cnilo  fwiiing  curtails  Ihr  irginn  of  hunmii  Hi/ni/iathicH.  U«  who 
U  c4jnlioll<-d  by  ihiH  feoimg  haH  the  circh^  of  ids  Hyn<palliieH  limited  nut  only  to  what 
Ut  uiiltVMrd  lo  man,  but  to  what  >>«  onl.vnrd  in  tboHn  only  in  his  own  Hpliere.  All  out- 
lying U\^  gr»<l«'  itrid  rlnw*  iir«  nothing  lo  h»ni.  3.  ('««ii>  r«< litu/  \h  mitiKfnniKtic  to  thr 
gifftl.     ChrJHt  ciUiiu   lo  dualruy   that,    middle  wall  of  paititiuu  Miut  divides  men  iuls 


e^v.  l-?7]         TUB  SEOOKD  BOOK  OF  THB   KINOS.  Ul 


fead  atfer«  <  OMMI  M  BMB. 

V.  I^r  1  IIWH      **  Aad  U  mm*  to  pMii.  vbaa  Um  Kiag  of  larwl 

Ua  U«  rmt  hU  doUM*.  Aod  aakl.  Am  I  Oud.  lo  kUl  mmI  lo  wakm 

a!;w  f^nd  aoto  m*  to  raoorvr  a  umu  </  bU  U(«x4tT     Wb«rifaw 

ow  b*  MskHb  •  qtarrvl  •cmioM  tna,'     Tm  Bllnwtfc  • 

A^.  t^crottfc    U«  Morib*l  vril  tuoUvw  wbar*  U"  "OM^ 

iiri.  Ui>lit  wb*l«  tb«r«   »»>   OwlL.u/    bul  A  food*!  i«>*>i 

>  (r  m  th«i  MMpMoa  vbkL  '    >  .       'Iimuvju*  '  ^jcki 

I.     Wb«f«  UiM  MwpkkM)  •  .UatAtLt  «ia« 

iMttmoaj,  ur  rr     ^ 


r:ii,  aitbar  ftom  obwrvitioo,  ftiaoay,  ur  vxp^teci^  or 

:.  •>    i  ■  "  —  '<  ^-:-h  ttD  atDOQot  of  hlwhootl  aod  aiihnoly  ta 

ct<t)  ^  due  AilvaiiUftof  umUmt.     Boww,  *b«tbrr 

c  baa  Uw  .....  ....  -  '^pt.  i«t«ot  to  «U  obMTvaot  •]r«iL    t.  TV 

•cwl^Mi*  m/.    Tb-  mao    kiK*wa  thai  ba  to  aUUIl,  fikr, 

.ii..).    nrk!  ^     .  1^0   believtu   ...-.  —  UMD  ETO   tiM  MID*.      1/  b*  ««r«  ao|  VvU. 

ikictou*  of  oihcta,  cTvo  tbOQgb  b*  kaaw  thai  ail  abuut  klm  war* 

i<lu\  I  truw,  would  aM>T*  *"«^*»f—  A  oorrupt  ag«  wiiboai  aay 

all  bad  moUvM  hliDMU.  h»  would  bo»  ba  abU 

t  art.     On  th«  otiMT  haod.  wer«  socictj  «f«r 

au  buir,  •  .ag  alL    An  uachMta,  m  Jaot  maa 

wonhi  r  '  ■  uc«,  axiii  the  miegritr  i      >  f  ba  U»ad 

'lii«  i;fi*t«»(  rotfUe*  ATM  a]%«a,v»  ibo  mu«i  •us(^>icious ,  lL»  mAmI  kMl/ol 

^  w.ivs  ih«  moat  paluua  of  thmr  wivrs,  attd  ibo  nrana.     Wall  baa  aur 

,  **  Soapieioii  baunu  t!.e  ^uiHj  m>uL*    A  miaanbla  tbia^  traly  ia 

I  ./iB  daiivar  aa  from  ausfiicluut  paopUl     Baat4cioa  btka  poiaaa 

ol  »a  ir  .  p;   it  U  tliat  whicb  make*  >  xaU,  marehanU  aiaetoa, 

mut«n  r  .  i  the  b*»t-natur«Hl  of  both  t  .  od  vitb  a  )ealou^  tbaft 

aliA'.u   -  .trt>i  q.icncbe*  all  the  iij^i'-s  oi  ooonu^'ial  liie^ 

VI  i^uuDxaaa.     Tboui^h  the  king  oould  Dot  ctire,  tlMra 

>  •-^  ir.it-i  oqual  to  tbia  amargoocT.     Tbat  power  lufiaite  Ouodi 

Gud  make6  man  tba  organ  of  bi«  reatoratiTe  puvera.     It  waa  ao 

"'.4  pra-amineiitlj  m  with  Chhat.     It  waa  au  »nb  tLa  afwallaai 

•  io  "  earihlv  raMala."    Tba  pawaga  aoBMto  Kvanl  ptHmtB 

I    !t  (ri»^<^iMiiaa<iirWpuw«r.    **  WLao  KUab*  tba 

Uiauffieboqr  Io  adiaet  tba  tmn.  Katwal 

cr.    Suprraatufal  rarabtkm  raTwIa  tha 

Utlaixity.     No  natural 


2.  It  ojtmd*  JUaMa  ari'rfi. 

*"  :>  pomp  uf  waalia  ac>4 

auti  Ai  htuTj  uut  ta  do 

hill  L»  iicv<.r  not  area  go  uat  to 

■Mr",  9^'  X  n  v.i  .0  J  <r>)aii,  aud  thrra 

«  -  '.  tie  aimpj*  n>acb»l 

he  *  vaa  vrotb.  and 

."  ete.     Heriia 

rrqu^rae  at  to 

J.  i  Are  aat  Ataaoa 

%'ttaM:u«,  !  %rlT  maj  I  Bot  waab 

"     '      -  •   -   "'    ^«k>Dg«  la 


atid  iiiat  riTrf  tur  ciaanaini^  bui 

*  And  hia  wrrai.t*  cau>«  oaar,  a       - 

bad  bid  tbaa  do  aucac  graat  tbiu^  wa^aMt  Uwa  uwi  tjate  doaa  it 


IM  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.  l^h.  t.  1— 27. 

when  "he  saitli  to  thee,  "Wash,  and  be  clean  ?  "  The  means  to  Naaman  seemed  to  be  too 
•imple  to  answer  the  end  he  sought.  Had  there  been  some  severe  regimen,  or  some 
painful  operation,  or  some  costly  expenditure,  he  would  have  accepted  it  more  readily  j 
but  "  to  wash,"  seemed  too  simple.  The  means  of  spiritual  recovery  are  very  simple. 
But  men  desire  them  otherwise.  Hence  vain  ceremonies,  pilgrimages,  penances,  pro- 
longed fastings,  and  the  like.  "  Believe,  .  .  .  and  thou  shalt  be  saved,"  says  God ; 
man  wants  to  do  something  more.  5.  It  demands  individual  effort.  "  Then  went 
he  diwn,  and  dipped  himself  seven  times  in  Jordan  according  to  the  saying  of  the 
man  of  God."  Naaman  had  to  go  down  himself  to  the  river,  and  to  dip  himself  seven 
times  in  its  waters.  His  restoration  depended  upon  his  individual  effort.  And  so 
it  is  in  spiritual  matters.  Each  man  must  believe,  -repent,  and  pray,  for  himself. 
There  is  no  substitution.  6.  It  is  completely  efficacious.  "  His  flesh  came  again  like 
unto  the  flesh  of  a  little  child."  The  means  employed  for  this  leper's  cure  fully 
answered  the  end.  Every  vestige  of  the  disease  was  gone,  and  he  was  restored  to  more 
than  the  vigour  of  his  former  manhood.  Herein  once  more,  "  Believe, .  .  .  and  thou 
shalt  be  saved." 

VII.  The  force  of  a  kew  conviotion.  **  And  he  returned  to  the  man  of  God,"  etc. 
O'iserve :  1.  The  svibject  of  this  new  conviction.  What  was  the  subject  ?  That  the 
God  of  Israel  was  the  only  God.  This  new  conviction  reversed  his  old  prejudices  and 
the  religious  creed  of  his  country.  It  was  not  reasoning,  it  was  not  teaching;  experience 
had  wrought  this  conviction  into  his  soul.  He  felt  that  it  was  God's  hand  that  healed 
him.  2.  The  developments  of  this  new  conviction.  A  conviction  like  this  must  prove 
influential  in  some  way  or  other.  Abstract  ideas  may  lie  dormant  in  the  mind,  but 
convictions  are  ever  operative.  What  did  it  do  in  Naaman  ?  (1)  It  evoked  gratitude. 
Standing  with  all  his  company  before  the  prophet,  he  avowed  his  gratitude.  "  Now 
therefore,  I  pray  thee,  take  a  blessing  of  thy  servant."  Just  before  his  cure  he  had 
anything  I'Ut  kindly  feelings  towards  the  prophet.  He  was  full  of  "  rage."  New 
convictions  about  God  will  generate  new  feelings  toward  man.  (2)  It  annihilated  au 
old  prejudice.  Just  before  his  cure  he  despised  Israel.  Jordan  was  contemptible  as 
com[iared  with  the  rivers  of  Damascus.  But  now  the  very  ground  seems  holy.  Ho 
asks  of  the  prophet  liberty  to  take  away  a  portion  of  the  earth.  "  Shall  there  not  then, 
I  pray  thee,  be  given  to  thy  servant  two  mules'  burden  of  earth?"  A  new  conviction 
about  God  widens  the  soul's  sympathies,  raises  it  above  all  those  nationaliiies  of  heart 
that  characteiize  little  souls.  (3)  It  inspired  worship.  "Thy  servant  will  henceforth 
offer  neither  burnt  offering  nor  sacrifice  .  .  .  but  unto  the  Lord."  His  whole  nature  was 
so  floode<l  with  gratitude  to  God  who  had  healed  him,  that  his  soul  went  forth  in  holy 
worhhip.  Through  the  force  of  this  new  conviction,  he  felt  as  St.  Paul  did  when  h© 
said,  "  Wliat  things  were  _ain  fo  nio,  those  I  couated  loss." 

VIII.  The  force  of  associates.  Naaman  had  been  in  the  habit  of  worshipping  "  in 
the  houKe  of  Uiinmon,"  with  hin  master  the  king.  This,  probably,  he  had  done  for  years 
with  other  odicerH  of  the  state.  The  influ(-uco  of  this  he  now  felt  c«)unlorncting  tho 
new  o-nviction  of  duty.  Ho  felt  that,  whilst  it  would  be  wrong  for  him  to  go  there  any 
more,  yet  he  could  not  hut  go.  "  lu  this  thing  tho  Lord  pardon  thy  servant,"'  etc. 
Loyalty  and  gratitmle  U^wartls  tho  king  contriltiitrd  much  to  prevent  liiiii  ronounoin;^ 
nil  ootmection  with  th<-  honsi;  oi  Hirnnion.  limv  often  do  our  aMsuciations  ])rcvent  ns 
from  iho  full  airrying  out  of  our  convictions  I  It  ought  not  to  bo  ho.  "  lie  that  lovotli 
falher  or  mo'her,"  etc.  It  Ih  Homewhat  rumarkahlo  that  tho  Prophet  Klislia,  iii.stoad 
of  exhorting  .N'aifiian  to  nvoiii  every  appc.u.inco  of  Idolatry,  said  to  him,  "(Jo  in  peaco." 
The  propli<  t,  (HrrhapH,  had  faith  in  tho  power  of  Naanian'H  conviction  to  guard  him 
from  any  m"ml  miHchiui. 

IX.  TIk)  forc4)  oi  Hfiiinin  avaiikk.  Gohn/.i  is  the  illuHtration  of  this.  In  his  cnHs 
we  bav»; :  1.  Avarirt  eayer  in  itn  jiuinuitn.  "Hut  Grhazi,  tho  Horvant  of  EliMhii,"  «lc. 
IIm  ihw,  an  hti  thoii'hl,  ii  fine  opportunity  for  Imm  greed,  and  Ihi  eagerly  Hoizcd  it.  "I 
will  run  after  hmi."  Avarice  In  one  of  tlio  nio.st  hiinnrv  pa-sHionH  of  thoHoul.  It  ia 
tiflver  HitlMti<-d.  Ilnd  tho  nvniiciouH  man,  like  tin-  fnl>l<il  Hiiatiim,  a  hur  drud  hand*,  hu 
would  «nipluy  them  nil  in  miiiixtonng  t4)  hlniHclf  -niyilrn  ndlH  it 

"  A  riir»4Ml  huiiK<tr  of  |M<rnielf)iiN  koM." 

It  li  that  |«JMilon  that  nmkrji  all  mon  like  Uuha/.i  "run."     Man  aro  rrorywh«re  out  of 


m.^.i'-m.]      m  Muomo  boi^k  op  mi  KiiiCMt  us 


Mi*    Ii  , 

X.  1^  toir*  «<  Mart  i>ar«  te  ^— tloa  a«  iKb  Mrik  m  ■•tl  •• 


ur  oibar.     U  a  <k- 

i_,u.  •.c*a>.  — D.  T. 

Vcr»,  1  —  7.  -  7^  tlM-y  ^  JVaaiiMMt :  1.   T**  «fi#i'  •'^"'-         :i   'n      "~      .     -»    -f  t^ 
frraai  ByriMi  oai>t&iii,  who  «m  healttl  at  hi*  irir-rv  ;»    :      ■  .•  o/ 

lQi»b«,  la  (Mi*  of  ti>«  aili«l  be  '  ' 

■r- •  ./ Um  OW  Twt  ^     m, 

Al  it  i*  not  alWa  ■   -X  ku9 

1  '  nujkT.     'lb«  •lury  '? 

fi  ._    _  -.        ;_o  Kin  •  <>^  .Sufi*       1 

>  ■■■  FurtttiM  Mtn.' 

<3>  mibhJvI  ia  w,  **  boouu' . 
S/nsi"  (4)  aUiittgutobed   f^ 

U<bf«*«  v«n  ffoa  rapudiB. 
«st«Bid«d  u>  oUmv  aatiucu  m 
Vk-frt**.      Na*MMM  bad  (hu«  > 


•ui'tiar  ta  bi*  ranks  vumI^  not 
vbksb  MMB  iMMl  HlftekU,  arr 
•otDfonm*  b>nac  bttabaad; 
to  iatk  ow  tMtblj 


WiUa  bMMfLb  Um  akiM."    1   : 

«f  NttAmau't  )iMiMn  bis  Mlv»ih«a.     U  krw^l  Ub  aAOAr  %k»   maue»  *tl  !*• 
u.  KiB«a,  I 


lU  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.  [ch.  ▼.  1— 21 

Hebrew  maid,  led  to  tis  visit  to  ElisTia,  ended  in  his  cure  and  his  conversion  to  tb« 
faith  of  the  Gk>d  of  Israel.  He  was  one  who  could  say,  "  It  is  good  for  me  that  1  have 
been  afficted  "  (Ps.  cxix.  71).  How  often  are  seeming  crosses  and  trials  thus  over- 
ruled for  good !  "  Men  see  not  the  bright  light  which  is  in  the  clouds :  but  the  wind 
passeth,  and  cleanseth  them "  (Job  xxxvii.  21),  The  evangelical  application  of  the 
story  is  aided  by  the  fact  that  leprosy  is  so  impressive  a  type  of  sin — insidious,  pro- 
gressive, corrupting,  fatal. 

n.  The  blave-qibl's  advice.  It  was  God's  design  to  show  mercy  to  Naaman,  for 
his  own  glory,  as  well  as  for  a  testimony  that  the  Gentiles  were  not  outside  the  scope 
of  his  grace.  The  instrument  in  accomplishing  that  design  was  a  little  Hebrew  maid. 
1.  Her  presence  in  2\aa7nan''8  house.  She  had  been  taken  in  a  marauding  expedition, 
and  brought  to  Syria  as  a  captive.  Sold,  perhaps,  like  Joseph,  in  the  slave-market,  she 
had  been  purchased  as  an  attendant  for  Naaman's  wife.  Her  presence  in  the  great 
captain's  household  was  thus:  (1)  providential,  even  as  was  Joseph's  residence  in  the 
house  of  Potiphar ;  (2)  sad,  for  she  was  torn  from  her  own  land  and  friends,  and  the 
thought  of  their  sorrow  at  her  loss  would  add  to  hers ;  yet  (3)  designed  for  blessing. 
It  not  only  gave  her  the  opportunity  of  doing  good  to  her  master,  but  no  doubt  ulti- 
mately turned  to  her  own  great  advantage.  Another  example  of  how  the  things  which 
seem  all  "  against  us  "  (Gen.  xlii.  36)  are  often  tor  our  good  (comp.  Gen.  1.  20).  2.  Her 
?ielj)/td  suggestion.  Slave  though  she  was,  the  little  maid  was  in  possession  of  a  secret 
which  the  great  Naaman  did  not  know,  and  which  was  worth  "  thousands  of  gold  and 
silver "  (Ps.  cxix.  72)  to  him.  She  dropped  a  hint  to  her  mistress,  "  Would  God  my 
lord  were  with  the  prophet  that  is  in  Samaria! "  etc.  Her  suggestion  was  indicative  of: 
(1)  Pity.  Though  a  slave,  her  heart  was  tender,  even  towards  her  master.  She  wag 
grieved  for  his  affliction.  She  yearned  to  see  him  recovered.  Her  *•  would  God !  " 
is  almost  a  prayer  for  his  recovery.  (2)  Fidelity.  It  is  told  of  Joseph  that  he  was 
faithful  as  a  servnnt  in  the  house  of  his  master  the  Egyptian  (Gen.  xxxix.  2 — 6). 
This  little  maid,  though  a  "  servant  under  the  yoke  "  (1  Tim.  vi.  1),  yet  "counted  her 
master  worthy  of  all  honour"  (1  Tim.  vi.  1).  She  served,  "not  with  eye-service,  as 
nien-pleasers,"  but  "  in  singleness  of  heart,"  "  with  good  will  doing  service  "  (Eph.  vi. 
5 — 7),  though  her  lord  was  an  alien,  and  might  seem  to  have  little  claim  upon  her 
gratitude.  As  a  good  servant  should,  slie  desired  his  prosperity  in  minci,  body,  and 
estate.  In  tliis  was  shown  (3)  her  disinterestedness.  In  her  position  it  need  not  have 
l>cen  wondered  at  if  she  had  secretly  rejoiced  at  her  master's  affliction.  But  her  heart 
(heriuhed  no  rcf^entment.  Anticijiatin'^  the  L'ospcl,  she  sought  to  return  good  for  evil 
(Matt.  v.  44).  We  learn  from  this  part  of  the  story  (1)  that  even  the  humblest  may 
be  of  essential  service  to  those  above  them.  Most  of  ail  is  thin  the  cnao  when  they 
jKjsschH  the  knowledge  of  tlio  true  God.  A  hint  dropped  may  guide  the  spiritual  leper 
to  the  fountain  ot  healing.  (2)  The  youn^,  too,  should  take  encouragement.  In  their 
hcveral  stitions  tiny  may  b(!  greatly  used  for  good.  (3)  Wo  bhould  do  to  others  th« 
utmr.Kt  go'>d  we  can,  even  though  they  are  <jur  enemies. 

III.  I  UK  AiiiiooANT  kino'h  KPisTLE.  Tlie  iiews  of  what  the  little  maid  had  inid  soon 
Bpp  !id  iihrcai,  an'l  came  first  to  tiie  eira  of  Naaman,  tlien  to  the  ears  of  .the  King  of 
Syn.i  (lienhadiui?).  1.  T/ie  King  oj  ,Sgiia's  cpislle.  The  monarch  valued  liis  general, 
ai^d  wivi  ready  to  take  any  ^te|lH  to  furllicr  his  euro.  Accordingly,  lie  indiUnl  a  letter, 
and  Hciit  Niiamaii  with  it,  with  much  pnmp  and  state,  to  the  King  of  Israel  (.lelioram  ?). 
He  wndn:  (1)  With  tlio  arrc-ganco  of  a  victor.  The  tone  of  his  comumniciition  to  tlio 
monanh  at  S;imatia  waH  unmiHlakal)ly  of  the  nature  of  conmiand.  It  haughlily 
Hnnonu't'M  that  hu  I. an  hcnt  Nuannm  to  him,  and  rociuiroH  that  he  hhivll  recover  him 
from  hiH  diiw-njic.  'ihern  lurku  in  th"  iottor  a  r«Tmindor  of  iho  dcloat  at  Uamotli-(Jilead 
(1  Kinj^i  xxii.).  (2)  With  the  l^'nrjnmce  of  a  heathen.  He  wrileH  to  tlm  rival  ruler  an 
if  it  lay  in  hi$  i^Avur  to  kill  and  to  make  alive,  llo  prot'iihly  thou  -Jit  that  tlie  kiu'.; 
hat  only  to  command,  V>  cotnpel  KliHhn  to  servo  him  in  any  way  lie  plwiHcd.  llenco, 
without  mentioniiiK  KliHhn,  hu  InyH  the  whole  reBponsitiility  of  moing  that  his  captain 
U  curod  on  the  tdioul'leiB  of  Jehuram.  He  linH  the  notion — common  enough  to 
moniirchii — thai  kin^^n  nhonld  hn  Nuprume  m  r)digi<>n  an  in  ovurything  ultto.     Ho  iliinks 

that  Gi»ir«  prophiitu  mu«t  Laku  thnir  command*  from  wl vor  clianceit  to  fK'oupy  the 

ihrono.     fS)   Willi  iho  munlh  < mo  of  a  ptovori-ign.     If  there  woh  liaughtiiieMM  In   thn 
U)ii4j  ot  h'lM  leitor,  ho  did  uol  at  loaal  ttund  hlj  uflioor  without  abundant  rewarda.     U« 


m.  V.  l-tT.] 


m  BB(y>in>  book  op  nre  Knroa. 


Uf 


)«•«  Wtlh  IiHB   (M  IaI««I»   nf  vtlvr*     dl    tlMMi«0<1   • 


•rt*  IB  •  M- 
VM  tliUt  . 


Tarn  S— 19 
Na&tnAB  AMD*  t< 

L  Ths  urrv) 
mhm  KUaba  u  ■. 

r     . 


hrlpT     UChriat  out 


tnit.     - 


?    TV   niTTMfnw  acirr       Tbr  oora  whtek 

i  mtxl  AV^j, 

-   ^:.      1.    A.iUa  i—ii  to 

.1  at**!  lo 

-.h 

An 
to 


c  KTMU   Ui&Xi  lia: 


to 


a. 

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ut~       i. 


(3;  Iti  1 

U»  ►*,  I*. 


'ft 

•a. 

Id 


11«  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.  [oh.  ▼.  1—27; 

there  was  the  simple  command  to  wash  in  Jordan.  What  a  down-come  from  th« 
imposing  ceremonial  he  expected  !  Men  have  their  preconceived  ideas  about  religi'  n, 
about  salvation,  about  the  methods  of  spiritual  cure,  which  they  oppose  to  God's  wa)  s. 
They  say  with  Naaman,  "  Behold,  I  thought,  He  will  surely  "  do  this  or  that.  'Ihe 
Jews  rejected  their  Messiah  because  he  was  "  as  a  root  out  of  a  dry  ground"  (Isa.  liii.  2) ; 
they  rej  cted  Christianity  because  its  spiritual,  unceremonial  worship  did  not  accord 
with  their  sensuous  ideas.  Others  reject  the  gospel  because  it  does  not  accord  with  the 
spirit  of  the  age,  is  not  sufiBciently  intellectual,  philosophical,  or  sesthetical.  God 
reminds  us,  "  My  thoughts  are  not  your  thoughts,"  etc.  (Isa.  Iv.  8).  (2)  He  w;n 
required  to  submit  to  what  seemed  to  him  a  humiliation.  He  was  told  to  bathe  in  the 
waters  of  Jordan,  a  stream  of  Israel,  when  there  were  rivers  as  good,  nay,  better,  in  his 
own  country,  to  which,  if  bathing  was  essential,  he  might  have  been  sent.  "  Are  not 
Abana  and  Pharpar,  rivers  of  Damascus,"  etc.?  It  seemed  like  a  studied  slight  put  upon 
his  native  rivers,  an  intentional  humiliation  put  upon  himself,  to  require  him  to  go  and 
bathe  in  this  local  stream.  How  often  does  wounded  pride  rebel  at  the  simple  pro- 
visions of  the  gospel,  because  they  involve  nothing  that  is  our  own,  that  reflects  glory 
on  self,  or  allows  iilory  to  self!  This  is  the  very  purpose  of  the  gospel.  "Where  is 
boasting,  then  ?  It  is  excluded  "  (Rom.  iii.  27).  Things  are  as  they  are,  "  that  no  flesh 
should  glory  in  his  presence  "  (1  Cor.  i.  29).  When  Christ's  atonement  is  extolled,  the 
cry  is,  " Have  we  not  rivers,  Abanas  and  Pharpars,  of  our  own?"  "  Naaman  came 
with  his  mind  all  made  up  as  to  how  he  was  to  be  healed,  and  he  turned  away  in  auuer 
and  diseust  from  the  course  whii  h  the  prophet  prescribed.  He  was  a  type  of  the 
rationalist,  whose  philosophy  provides  him  with  a  priori  dogmas,  by  which  he  measures 
everything  which  is  proposed  to  his  faith.  He  turns  away  in  contempt  where  faith 
would  heal  him"  (Sumner).  3.  Naaman's  obedience.  Thus  a  second  time  the  blessing 
was  nearly  missed — this  time  through  his  own  folly  and  obstinacy.  But,  fortunately, 
a  remonstrance  was  addressed  to  him,  and  he  proved  amenable  to  reason.  (1)  The 
remonstrance  of  his  servants,  'i'hey,  looking  at  things  through  a  calmer  medium,  and 
with  less  of  personal  pique,  saw  the  situation  with  cleaier  eyes.  They  addressed  hiui 
.'•o<  thingly  and  aflfectionately.  They  touched  the  core  of  the  matter  when  they  said, 
"  My  father,  if  the  prophet  had  bid  thee  do  some  great  thing,  wouldest  thou  not  have 
duiieit?"  It  was  Naaman's  prtV/e  that  had  been  ofi"ended.  But  they  pointed  out  to 
him,  in  very  plain  ternis,  the  folly  ol  his  condnct.  Was  it  not  a  cure  he  wanted?  And 
if  it  was,  then,  surely,  the  simpler  the  means  prescribed  the  better.  Why  quarrel  with 
the  conditions  of  cure  because  they  were  so  simple?  The  same  reasoning  may  be 
ai)i)lied  to  the  gospel.  It  is  the  sinijilicity  of  its  arrangements  which  is  the  beauty  of 
it.  If  men  really  wish  to  be  saved,  why  quiirrel  with  this  simplicity?  Surely  tho 
simpler  the  better.  Would  men  noi  be  willing  to  do  "some  great  thing  "  to  obtain 
]«acc  with  God,  j>ardon  of  sin,  renewal  and  purity  of  heart?  How  much  more,  then, 
■^hen  It  i8  said,  "  Wash,  and  be  clean"?  (2)  The  washing  in  Jordan.  Naaman's  iro 
bad  c(>oled.  lie  felt  the  force  of  what  his  servants  urged.  He  might  prefer  Abana 
and  Pharimr,  if  he  likid;  but  it  was  Jordan  the  prophet  had  named.  If  ho  did  not 
( hoose  to  Hubmit  to  bathe  in  this  river,  he  must  go  without  the  cure  alto;;ether. 
'  Neither  wa«  there  salvaticn"  (Acts  iv.  12)  in  tiuy  other  river  than  this  one.  This 
•I  cided  him.  Ho  went  down  wiilmut  further  parley,  latlK-il  seven  timoH  in  Jordan  as 
«i  rected,  and,  marvel  ol  marvels,  "  his  flesh  came  again  like  unto  the  flesh  of  a  little 
<  iiild,  and  he  was  clean."  So  Hjieedy,  sure,  arul  complete  wan  the  reward  of  his 
I  Ix'dienco.  AKefTcclual  to  procure  ndvation  arid  Hpiritual  healing  \n  tho  look  of  faith 
!■>  Jeaas,  the  appropriation  of  tho  merit  of  hJH  blood,  ibo  spiritual   buptism  of  tho  Holy 

III.  Naamav'm  fjHATiTiTpB  ANi)  I'IKTT.  What  joy  riow  filled  tho  heart  of  tho  nowly 
•  l>'»nsod  Niuinp:ii(  !  H-pw  rlearly  ho  saw  hJH  lormor  folly!  How  gbid  he  waH  tliat  he 
j.i')  not  ail"Wi<l  hiH  an/nr  to  pievail  agaitiHt  the  advice  of  hiH  HorviintM  and  hin  nwn 
1  I  iUtr  rttjuiu  !  At  on<  e  hi«  ri'liirm-d  t<i  Kli>.lm;  and  it  was  very  evident  that  Iuh  hoart 
WM  overflowing  wjih  /tiilittide,  nnd  that  he  was  a  chan|Md  man.  Like  Ihe  lfl|)er  in 
tlifl  Oo«j«i,  be  rfliurned  "to  t'ivo  ^lory  to  Gr)d  "  (Liikn  xvii.  17,  IH).  Gratlliide  \u  nioHt 
jxromitif^  in  thoiw-  who  have  leenivivl  great  iiierrioH  from  God.  Nnlvnlion  nwakeuK  joy  ; 
l/iatitudn  protiipti  V>  i<>aHiH:riilioii-  not  in  orthr  to  Halvatiun,  but  n*  tho  reaiilt  of  it, 
i.ian  baooujM  "a  u«w  crealure"  {2  Cor.  v.  17)      We  obMfve :  1.   IJi*  aJeuuwleUymeiU 


V.  1-«T.]  TBB  BSOOXD  BOOK  OF  THE  KTBtSL 


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118  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.  [ch.  v.  1—27. 


something  from  him.  "  As  the  Lord  liveth" — mark  the  profane  mixing  up  of  religion 
ami  impiety — "  I  will  run  after  him,  and  take  somewhat  ot  him."  Morality  goes  down 
before  the  greed  of  gain.  3.  His  unblushing  falsehood.  (1)  Naaman  beheld  Gehazi 
running  after  him,  and  was  delighted  to  think  that  he  might,  after  all,  have  the  oppor- 
'Junity  of  serving  Elisha.  He  alights  from  his  chariot — a  different  man  now  than  when 
his  stately  equipage  "  stood"  at  Elisha's  door — and  asks  eagerly,  "  Is  all  well?"  (2) 
Gehazi,  in  reply,  tells  him  an  unblushingly  invented  falsehood.  There  had  come  two 
young  men  of  the  sons  of  the  piophets  from  Mount  Ephraim,  and  Elisha  had  sent  to 
entreat  for  them  a  talent  of  silver  and  two  changes  of  raiment  The  finish  of  this  style 
of  falsehood,  and  Gehazi's  subsequent  hypocrisy,  speak  to  considerable  practice  in  the 
art  of  deceit.  Such  ready  audacity,  bo  great  perfection  in  the  arts  of  lying  and  a>n- 
cealment,  are  not  attained  at  the  first  attempt.  No  man  becomes  a  rogue  quite  sud- 
denly. Elisha  was  probably  no  more  deceived  in  the  character  of  Gehazi  than  Jesus 
was  in  the  character  of  Judas,  who  was  secretly  "  a  thief,"  and  "  had  the  bag,  and  bare 
what  was  put  therein  "  (John  xii.  6). 

II.  Gbatitude  dictatiko  libebalitt.  The  willing  response  made  by  Naaman  to 
what  he  took  to  be  Elisha's  request  is  the  bright  side  of  this  otherwise  discreditable 
incident.  1.  He  doubled  what  was  asked.  "  Be  content,  take  two  talents."  He  was 
glad  to  get  an  opening  for  forcing  some  acknowledgment  of  his  gratitude  on  Elisha. 
2.  He  sent  two  of  his  servants  back  with  the  sacks  of  silver  and  the  raiment.  What 
he  did,  he  did  handsomely.  He  gave  every  token  he  could  of  his  desire  to  oblige 
Elisha.  3.  Gehazi  relieved  the  servants  when  they  came  near  the  house,  and  had  the 
treasure  smuggled  into  the  house,  and  safely  hid.  This  was  the  fan  of  the  business  in 
which  there  lay  some  risk  of  detection;  but  it  was  securely  managed,  and  Gehazi  no 
doubt  breathed  a  sigh  of  relief  when  he  saw  the  valuables  carefully  stowed  away.  His 
treasure  was  a.s  safely  concealed  as  Achan's  wedge  of  gold,  and  two  hundred  shekels  of 
silver,  and  goodly  Babyloniah  garment  (Josh.  vii.  21).  But  it  was  to  prove  as  great  a 
curse.  Meanwhile,  light  in  conscience,  glad  in  heart,  and  pleased  at  having  been  per- 
mitted to  liestow  even  this  small  gift  (comparatively)  on  Elisha,  Naaman  sped  on  hii 
way  home.     He  probably  never  knew  how  he  had  been  deceived. 

III.  Justice  decreeinq  penalty.  Gehazi's  act,  however,  skilfully  concealed  as  it 
was  from  huuiau  view,  wiis  not  to  remain  unpunished.  Gotl  knew  it.  Geliazi  had 
forgotten  this.  God  is  the  one  factor  which  the  wicked  leave  out  of  their  calculatiims, 
and  he  is  the  most  imixjrtant  of  all.  David  was  careful  to  conceal  his  crinio  with  K;ith- 
shurja;  but  it  is  written,  "The  thing  that  Daviti  had  done  displeasid  the  Lord"-(2  Sam. 
xi.  '27).  1.  GehazTt  'ii/jujcrigy.  He  wont  calmly  in,  and  stuod  before  his  master,  as  if 
nothing  had  hapiKincil.  There  is,  ii»  alxjve  stated,  a  perfection  in  this  villainy  which 
shoWft  that  It  w;is  not  a  first  oflfence.'  But  there  comes  a  p'liut  when  nieu's  sins  iind  theiu 
out.  Tliey  gain  courage  by  reiieated  attempts,  and  by-and-by  take  a  step  too  far. 
What  ihf^y  tlmik  is  their  ma>ter-stn)ke  proves  their  ruin.  2.  K/ishas  ch'ilh'n</e.  What 
h;id  liapiK-ned  liiul  not  Ikjcu  *'  hid  "  from  Klisha.  The  Lord  had  siiowed  it  to  iwm.  His 
heart  had  gone  with  Gehazi,  and  he  had  seen  Naaman  turning;  from  his  chariot  to  meet 
liiui.  il'- now  ciia.len;^e<i  him  with  his  conduct.  lIo:(l)  10. \ posed  hm  falsehood.  Gehazi 
sn->werml  baldly  to  tho  qnestion,  *' Wlienco  comest  thou  i* "  " 'I'hy  servant  went  no 
whilhor."  Then  Elisha  told  him  what  he  knew.  We  can  unagine  the-  servant's  con- 
hcienco-hlriek'in  look  and  HpccclilcsH  confusion  at  this  discovery.  Let  sinners  cnsider 
how  thuy  will  fane  the  disclosureH  of  ihi!  jndgmeiit-day,  and  what  they  wil!  answer 
(Kccl»!H.  xii.  14  ;  llotn.  ii.  Hi;  Oil.  iii.  25).  Wc  have  a  i)aiallol  instance  of  e.xpoHurc, 
with  an  •jven  Hi-vcrer  puiiifhinent,  in  the  caao  of  Ananias  lind  Sapphira  (Acts  v.  I — 11). 
(2)  I  iiV'iled  his  iriiinmt  moiivcH.  "  Is  it  a  time" — in  connection  with  a  work  of  God 
iHi  grO'tt — "  to  r<:<"  ivo  money,  and  to  receive  ^armonlH,  and  oliveyiirds,  mid  viney'irds," 
etc.  Thf-au  woru  ihn  tlitn^H  (iidia/.i  iuieiided  to  purchiuto  with  his  money.  His  mind 
w.ui  rutinintt  out  in  (^rand  pinnii  ol  wliat  he  would  do  with  his  trensnres.  A  iniraele 
•ucli  a^  had  Ixuii  wroui^ht  Mhould  have  lillod  hnii  with  very  •lilleroiit  thou,:htii.  I'ilisha 
l.iVK  barn  tho  covflUiua  root  of  hiH  diM|MiHilioii.  (J04I  p'uds  to  the  ifittom  of  our  hoarlii 
(H'li  iv.  12;  li'-r.  \[.  -3).  (iold  Ih  vahied  iiy  covi'touH  men  for  what  i(  will  l)rin^.  It 
In  a  furthct  rirvelopniimt  of  aviinrn  whuii  it  omoH  to  Im*  loved  for  itH  oak  Hnko.  .H.  Thr 
fwlijrnrut  of  Irjrruty,  lly  k  JiiHt  n  1 1 iliiit Ion,  th«i  leproMV  ol  Nmimaii,  which  had  been 
Ukkeit  liijtu  biiii  froiu  iiiiraclo,  U  now  by  mirui  le  put  on  <i   hii/.i  uud  Itis  Houd  fur  over  (cf. 


m.  Ti  l-SL']         m  SBOOICD  BOOK  OF  THB  KDRML 


lit 


«1   bmm^ 


of  ttM» 

«.    10,    W 


iM  «>lf  lid  at^u  uf  wuftl  iuUf  y*Uj  ftiiMa/  »EUh»l.— J.  O. 


Ti 

w 

.*• 

»  « 

1  '.c  »     -ii^y 

-,  »••  Uil 

ixposmoH. 


Id  b»  maammn:   >  >4m« 


1—^  vtL  W.~rcaniBa  MimAflLM 
Tk«  liilnnaii  roUl— 
im    A   (M«pM«UT«l7)    prir»i«     Biraato 
ky  BItftiM  in  Um  vMsity  oT  J*- 
r  Mm  b«Mit  of  OM  (/  tK«  ~  •»«•  of 
(*«>«.  1— «>     !'  <-lU 

m  Me«j  oT  •  mnm  of  )> .  ..Iw 

wktak  Wa^lil  Klidli*  late  mmm.  b»bi  «t»a 
War.  it  «p|iaaiik  had  ac*^a 
••t  ia  •  pTMiuiiiicod  fans  b«tw— 
lafMl  ttd  Syria,  87m  l«.os  Um  >cfiM>iir. 
TW  ttjriM  aflaMali  pMparad  i»p«  for  bit 
■dtwqr.  — i»pl>g  to  plM<r«  wuri*  b* 
tepad  IB  ld»  kUa  at  a  lUoMltaBUfa.  Bat 
BIWm  fcMtiaHil  tkoa*  plaaa.  hj  mUnm- 
iaf  waiainc*  to  tb*  Kiag  af  larmrl.  aiMl 
paiattag  eat  to  kiia  tha  miaaa  poaitioua 
aecai^ieJ  (vrta.  ft— IS),  ahieb  Im  eoMa. 
^aeatly  avoiJai.  Wb«a  thia  eaata  to  tha 
aan  af  tka  Kin^  af  Syria,  ka  OMda  au  at- 
leM|l  toabtoia  (jaaMaMoa  of  Bli*ba'a  peraou 
— aa  attiBpl  vLiab  failad  atcaaliy  (va««. 
It— SX  •vtag  to  tha  adfaealoaa  puwan  of 
■d.  a<aa  time  aAar 
a  fnU  aspadiiixMi  lalo  tba  Uad 
of  lankel.  pi  aahaHag  to  tha  aaptui,  aad 
layteff  iiafa  to  it  Tha  aireomataaeoa  of 
Iha  atoc^  aad  tha  aaoapa  oT  tba  wty  abaa 
at  tha  laal  (Mf^  aia  raUtrd  partly  in  tha 
paaaal  <ha|»lar  (laia.  tl— Sj^  paitl j  to  tha 
•txt 

Vw    1  — Aal  tta  ana  af  tv.  — >»v,|, 

aaU  aau    Kluba.   labaU   l  «aa 

arhara  vadwe.:  viti  t^c<  «• 
liia— la  taa  • 

M  J,: 

U>1£  .1    a  '4     Url:      .  ,  .      . 

4ardaa.    Tha  "aai.o 
fhato*  at  Jaiirha.  ahaaaaf  •r 
iL  A.  It.  had  UHTteaad  a»  a. 
haa4to«i  whMh  hithartu  h^l  »  .     . 
*•    ••■•   ■•     !•••■    ■••"iaal.       A    Wgw    I    ««*h   uaa 


'br-'i    ue  cTKar*    aa 

hit  (oireaua,  Ihay  a»ha  ipfial  to  kirn, 

Vrf.  1.  -Lai  «  ga,  va  pra«  tk.< 

Jariaho  VM  aitaau^: 

■  mm  tha  JarvUa.  oa 
a  fi.ali  aiuwaa.  wbieii  ran  luu>  .1 
tit*  <«uur»a  of  tha  JuMaa  tr«.«  ■& 
«er«  aboiMiaaltchlr" 
ta.'iutnsLa  (Ma  Joa- 


aaa  af 


•«ta 

f 


Aii^  uJi*  ifarat«  aiafy  aaa  a 
bw.  Tba  OMaaiuc  u.  ■*  L«<  aa  alT  )ti«a  to 
Um  worfc,  aaeh  ttiUiag  Laaou  aad  aair^taf 
Iham:  aad  tba  aork  «iU  aaaa  be  >nf»M 
i(ii»*.r«i'*  A'  ^  i*t  ^^  *n«tfA  *^9a  alaaa IhM^ 
•  iaalUacaa 
u«  tfoabia  of 
auQ.i^a^  vuo  ••.m><>ft«U  M>^  ^"^  diataaaa. 
Wbara  w  aiay  AvaU.  Aad  ha  aMaaiad. 
Oa  y«.  lOiaba.  U^  apcxvtad  tha  pniaMl. 
S»to  .1  buaaaatiaa  aM  laanan^iaiMaiL 

V  ,  H  ^  A  .^  oaa  aaifi.  Ba  rralaal.  I  m^ 
tbtc  lb  thy  aarraata.    Oaaaciha 

B>.u  I  akUadad  vuh  tha  paoftbafa 

UMMo  a|>|4o»«i  af  tha  aatonato^,  bat  •  labad 
for  hia  aataal  pctaaaev,  prmi(>'T  m  tr^vitif 
a  bkataf  apoa  Iha  .  .     .< 

IvUlfa.    Bkhaa  ^ 

aa  i|ifiagto(  Doai  1"<~*7  bu  1  imxu  lo  <t-^ 
Ue,  ikiirahaaw  iaia»l  aa  diAraltj.  bat  at 
Ouoe,  in  iLo  aiaiplrat  auujt^r  »(v.i<>l  la 
tha  '  l'baf«  la  a 

ate*.  .1,  and  ab»  :  a^l 

tbal  LA^mIla  t^)»  auJ  dim^m. 

Var  i.— «a  ba  vamt  vuh  ihaa.  Aad 
vhaa  thay  aaaM  la  Jatdaa— «^  1.  iu»  nrm- 
(*ak  tkay  a«t  dava  vaad.  1  :.r*  m*  la 
aork.  aaik  toiUag  kia  u«a,  »aa  UtL.utki  .g 
It  iiiVo  a  roagb  baaia. 

\^  5  — Bst  aa  eaa  vaa  talluiff  a  baaa^ 

•  "  It  luki   a   L«mA— ika 

4*   tra».      We  «»   tf.m 


la  a«yp(.    Vau  laia  U 


120 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGrS.        ^oiL  vi.  1— 5& 


The  tree  mnst  have  been  one  that  grew  I 
close  to  the  river's  edge.  As  the  man 
hewe^i  away  at  the  stem  a  little  above  the 
root,  the  ase-head  flew  from  the  haft,  into 
which  it  waa  insecurely  fitted,  and  fell  into 
the  water.  The  slipping  of  an  axe-head 
was  ft  very  common  occurrence  (Deut.  xix. 
5),  and  ordiuarily  was  of  little  consequence, 
since  it  waa  easily  restored  to  its  place. 
But  now  the  head  had  disappeared.  And 
he  cried,  and  said,  Alas,  master! — rather, 
Alas,  my  master!  or,  Alas,  my  Irrdl — for 
it  was  borrowed ;  rather,  and  it  teas  a  bor- 
rowed one.  The  words  are  part  of  the  man's 
address  to  Elisha.  He  meanB  to  say,  "  it 
is  no  common  mLsfortune ;  it  is  not  as  if  it 
had  been  my  own  axe.  I  had  borrowed  it, 
and  now  what  shall  I  say  to  the  owner?" 
There  is  no  direct  request  for  help,  but  the 
tone  of  the  complaint  constitutes  a  sort  of 
silent  appeal. 

Ver.  6.— And  the  man  of  God  said,  Where 
fell  iti  And  he  showed  him  the  place. 
And  he  cnt  down  a  stick,  and  cast  it  in 
thither ;  and  the  iron  did  swim.  Two  na- 
tural explanations  of  this  miracle  have  been 
attempted:  (1)  that  Elisha  passed  a  piece 
of  wood  underneath  the  axe-head,  which  he 
could  see  lying  at  the  bottom  of  the  river, 
and  then  lifted  it  up  to  tho  surface  (Von 
Gerlach);  (2)  that  he  thrust  a  stick  or  har 
of  wood  thiough  the  hole  in  the  axe-head, 
made  to  receive  the  haft,  and  so  pulled  it 
out  (Thenius).  But  both  explanations  do 
Tiolenco  to  the  text ;  and  wo  may  be  sure 
that,  had  either  been  true,  the  ocourrenco 
would  not  have  been  recorded.  The  sacred 
writers  arc  not  concerned  to  put  on  record 
mere  acts  of  manual  dexterity. 

Ver  7.— Therefore  said  he,  Takfl  It  np  to 
theo.  And  he  put  oat  his  hand,  and  took  it. 
Kiisliu  ilo<  H  not  take  tiiO  axo-tieud  out  of  the 
water  liimself,  hut  ruquiruH  tlio  seli.ilur  to 
do  it,  in  order  U)  teut  his  faith,  llu  must 
hhow  that  ho  belicvi*  tho  miracle,  ami  ro- 
gardM  t!.e  iron  a.s  really  llouting  on  tho  top 
of  tho  water,  not  mi  merely  appearing  U> 
do  HO. 

Ver.  8— ch.  Til.  20.— PriiLio  Miraolks  or 
Ki.t^ii^  Hi  HI  >n  ii 

Ver.  8. -Then  the  King  of  Syria  warrod 
againBt  Iiraol.  It  may  hi  <  ni  HtriiiiK<-  that, 
mt  ifiun  after  K'  nding  an  eml'iH-^y  to  thu 
court  'if  Hntn.'irui,  uikI  iiMlunt;  ii  favour  (oh. 
V.  0,  0),  Kehli  <<iii>l  ttlioiiM  rehuino  hiiHlilllicH, 
(WHoi.illy  aa  till)  hiMiur  had  In  en  obtained 
(cL.  T.  14):  hut  the  norniul  nlatloni  lie- 
t*e*m  tlio  two  prinntriitN  were  thoMt  of 
rninlly  (rh.  v.  2),  and  li  few  y(«rii  wmilil 
■nlll<'<'  til  ditn  th>'  tnemnry  of  what  had  lia|>- 

(M'tiid  Tlie  K"*tiliii|n  i>r  kiiiK'K  la  prover 
fiiilly  Nhort-liTed  And  tr>ok  counaol  with 
bla  •orviint*  i  r  hi*  nMi  f  (inieem  aayiiig, 
la  tttch  aud  lu^k  aplaea  (nemp    I  Kum.  xii 


2)  shall  be  my  camp;  or,  my  encam^memL 
niinn  appears  to  be  "a  noun  in  the  form 
of  the  intinitive."  It  doe»  not  occur  else- 
where. 

Ver.  9. — And  the  man  of  God — t'.e.  Elisha 
who  at  the  time  was  "  ihe  man  of  God  "  {ko.t 
€|oxT)»') — sent  unto  the  King  of  Israel— -Je- 
horam,  undoubtedly  (see  ver.  32) — saying, 
Beware  that  thou  pass  not  snch  a  place ; 
for  thich^r  the  Syrians  are  come  down. 
Some  translate,  "  Beware  that  thou  negleei 
not  such  a  place,  for  thither  the  Syrians 
are  earning  down ;  "  but  our  version  is  prob- 
ably correct,  and  is  approved  by  Ba'u-  and 
Thenius.  Elisha  did  not  suffer  his  hostile 
feeling  towards  Jehoram  personally  (ch.  iii. 
13 ;  v.  8 ;  vi.  32)  to  interfere  with  his  pa- 
triotism. When  disaster  threatened  his 
country,  he  felt  it  incumbent  on  him  to 
warn  eren  an  ungodly  king. 

Ver.  10. — And  the  King  of  Israel  sent  to 
the  place.  Recent  commentators  (Keil,  The- 
nius, Bahr)  mostly  suppose  this  to  mean  that 
Jehoram  sent  troop*  to  the  place  pointed 
out  by  the  prophet,  and  anticipated  the 
Syrians  by  occup}'ing  it  But  it  agrees 
better  with  the  prophet's  injunction,  "Be- 
ware that  thou  i)as8  not  such  a  place,"  to 
suppose  that  he  merely  sent  out  sooute  to 
see  if  the  place  were  oceuinod  or  no,  aud 
finding,  in  each  case,  Elisha's  warning 
true,  he  avoided  the  locality.  Which  the  man 
of  God  told  him  and  warned  him  of,  and 
•aved  himself  there,  not  once  nor  twice  ;  i.i. 
repeateilly ;  at  leaat  three  several  tiuus, 
perhaps  more. 

Ver.  11. — Therefore  tho  heart  of  the  King 
of  Syria  was  sore  troubled  for  this  thing. 
Koil  sjiys,  "  Tho  King  of  tho  Syrians  was 
enraged  at  this;"  but  "ij'D  exactly  expresHes 
''  trouble," "disturbance,"  not  "  rage,"  being 
UHod  of  the  tossing  of  tho  sea,  in  Junah  1. 
11.  And  he  called  his  servants,  and  said 
unto  thom.  Will  ye  not  show  mo  which  of 
us  is  for  the  King  of  Israen  llcnhadad 
nut  unnaturally  HUHpeeted  treai  liery  anioii:^ 
his  own  Biibjoctfl.  How  nthorwise  «(nilil 
tho  King  of  Israel  heconie,  over  and  over 
Bgnin,  aware  uf  hi-i  intentions?  Sunie  one 
or  other  of  bin  ullii-erH  mubt,  he  iheu^^hi, 
lielruy  iiia  pliiUH  ti  the  enemy.  Cuuuot  tho 
otherM  point  oul  the  tra  tor? 

Ver.  12. — And  one  of  his  servants  said— 
i.e.  one  of  th.'Be  iiiterro;^ali'd,  anHWered  - 
None,  my  lord,  0  king  ;  lit.  rally.  Nay,  my 
liiitl,  Iht^  king — meaning,  "Think  not  no; 
it  Ih  not  iM  thoM  HtippoHeHt;  there  Im  no 
traitor  In  thy  emnp  or  in  thy  court;  wo 
are  all  trno  men  Tho  explanation  of  tho 
eiroiinialjinrca  that  NiiipriHO  thee  in  quit(< 
diirerenl."  But  Elinha,  the  prophet  that  ia 
in  Israol  oompnre  "  the  inim  "f  "od  "  (v<>r 
li) ;  ao  inni'h  nUive  the  ollieiN.  that  he  ii 
N)Mikon  i>f  a«  if  Ihero  wofo  no  other  -tollotk 


M.  n.  \-U]  nil  8KO0ND  BOOK  OP  THE   KIMUO.  Itl 


A*   Vlw    tl   In%d    a*    writ    f\«T    1^#«       Aftrtctt;   n»thflr.  •■  4m«  «H^pMv4  rU  iilpk 


Aft^'- 

fc. 

_. 

•  l.cfc    » 

.tUm 

la   1. 

B>« 

1    si      t, 

•  ' 

1. 

• 

a. 

I 

l  • 

•■  - 

I  •  -     ...  wmHl 


'4 

•  kc , «  •    kiii4  •   »        '  - ' 

••  kt  Om  •«,  iA  la  aay  vaf. 

- 1 
Ml  Vw   16— ▲aik*— t'   C  »h»— «a*v«rB4. 

■  .   U«y  lk*l    br    V  4 

im>l    to   aw    t:  .« 

\k 

W 

L 

I  ^ 

r«:-  »• 

■  tm 
Ih-  1-       -       .^      .  .  -.  ..  .„ ty 

dt  .pry    f»r    I:  LXXii.7)w(>  Um  Ul«MlD« 

II  •     1      i* 

•  xu^     If  Ver    17  —AmA    IU«k«   »nj»4,  ft»i  laii. 
1^                                                            ^>  It    i«       Lord.  I  pf»7  thM,  ?p«a   hit  frtt.  *k«t   k* 

•  «  m«j  •••.     If  ■                                           -to 

•  '  b»  it»<«u>e«l.  .                                                  .«t 
W  •                                                                                     ''.••!  liAiia  ,   I.C  » 

^  :-v«««    la    tbr     L: 

•  4  anatcB 
»•  -    •'»4 

rli 

<-«-.    .t^...ip  ^ 

Kk»H  .d 

Vrf    M  ..    .»L 

•ad  «li  ;  .  Dan. 

ti.  -• 

r 

f 

u   »  »^  • 

lie  V    c^  ■  ■'''• 

K  ■■  ■'  '- 

far  kill. 

V«r.  ij  -Abo  «kta  tk«   wrrmet  of   tk*  ^  --,    .   —   t* 

■•■  af  Oo4  vu  haw  aarlT     («  i  mI.  |vr-      ki:-  <^ 

<i  aarlj "  lo  r«  i* 


a  %om  >i^ 

•Mif*M«i   Iks   cij   u<ik  trtik  kofws  mad       ^ .  •  v* 


122 


THE  SECOiO)  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.         [ch.  Ti.  1— 33. 


ascend  in  order  to  reacli  Elisha,  not  to  de- 
8c^^.  We  must,  therefore,  with  F.  Meyer, 
Thenins,  and  Bahr,  translate,  "  When  they 
[Elisha  and  his  servant]  came  down  to  them 
[the  Syrians]" — either  changing  v'rfi  into 
Dr.-hii  as  Thenins  does,  or  understanding 
v^N  to  refer  to  the  "host"  (h\u)  of  the 
Syrians.  Elisha  prayed  unto  the  Lord,  and 
said,  Smite  this  people,  I  pray  thee,  with 
blindness.  Not  literal  blindness,  or  they, 
could  not  have  followed  Elisha's  lead,  and 
marched  a  distance  of  twelve  miles  to  Sa- 
maria ;  but  a  state  of  confusion  and  bewil- 
derment, in  which  "  seeing  they  saw,  but  did 
not  perceive"  (comi  are  the  ''blindness" 
of  the  men  of  Sodora,  in  Gen.  xix.  11).  And 
he  smote  them  with  blindness  according  to 
the  word  of  Elisha. 

Ver.  19. — And  Elisha  said  unto  them, 
This  Ls  not  the  way,  neither  is  this  the  city. 
This  was  clearly  '•  an  untruthful  statement  " 
(Keil),  if  not  in  the  letter,  yet  in  the  intent. 
Elisha  meant  the  Syrians  to  understand  him 
to  say,  "  Tiiis  is  not  the  way  which  ye  ought 
to  have  ta'cen  if  ye  wanted  to  capture  the 
Prophet  Elisha,  and  tins  is  not  the  city 
(Dotliaii)  where  you  were  told  tlint  he  was 
to  l>e  fund."  And  so  the  Syrians  under- 
Btooil  Liin.  In  tiie  morality  of  the  time, 
and,  indeed,  in  the  morality  of  all  times  up 
to  tlie  present,  it  has  been  held  to  be  justi- 
fiable to  dc'cive  a  public  enemy.  Follow 
me,  and  I  will  bring  you  to  the  man  whom 
ye  seek.  But  he  led  ihem  to  Samaiia.  It 
conli  only  be  tbrouirli  the  miraculous  de- 
luBion  for  whicii  Klisha  Imd  prayed,  and 
wh'ch  had  been  sent,  tlait  tlie  Syrians  be- 
lieve<l  the  first  comer  in  an  enemy's  country, 
followed  him  to  llio  capital  without  liesita- 
tion,  and  ullowrd  him  to  bring  them  inside 
the  walls.  Hut  for  the  delusion, ti.ey  would 
have  «nhp(  cI(h1,  made  iiKjuirieH  of  others, 
Hnd  retre-iiti  d  hu-ilily,  an  soon  as  the  walla 
and  tr>woiH  of  Samaria  broke  on  their  sight. 

Ver.  20.-  And  it  camo  to  pass,  when  they 
were  come  into  Samaria,  that  Elisha  said, 
Lord,  open  tho  eyes  of  those  men,  that  thoy 
may  bco  And  tho  Lord  opened  ihcir  eyes, 
and  they  saw;  and,  behold,  th<  y  w< n'  in  tho 
midnt  of  Samaria.  'I'lieir  diluMifm  was  i\\n- 
foilled  -thiy  r4  turnod  l^^  their  |)r(.p. t  uenHCfl, 
and,  iHM-iri(^  tho  hiz<!  and  Htnn^ih  of  the 
tr»wi»,  rr?e/)|.,'ni/,<d  lliii  fart  Unit  thoy  wero  in 
Harnnria,  ihuir  uticuiy'a  oupilnl,  and  ho  wore 

ll>  |p|<  HM. 

Vir.  21.  -And  tho  Kln^f  of  iBrnol  tiaid 
QBlo  Ell*ha,  when  ho  ii;iw  thorn.  My  fulhor. 
In  blM  joy  lit  tli«  di'livi  miirii  uf  no  lar)<(i  n 
form  of  thi'  I'lK'iny  into  IiIn  handH,  .li'horaiii 
'i>TK'^  tl"'  <'''ldn>  DM  ah'l  i  Htriiti|^i-in<  tit  whirli 
liMVi-  hillii  tt'i  <'hitm<U'ri7.<  d  th>-  rrlnliunii 
bMtwnn  biiiiiMilf  mill  tin*  |>ro|)li(il  (oh.  ill. 
]]_14;     V     H),    »u<l    nilnUa    liiin     by    tha 


honourable  title  of  "  father,"  which  implied 
respect,  deference,  submlBsion,  Compare  the 
use  of  the  same  expression  by  Joasli  (ch. 
xiii.  14),  and  the  employment  of  the  corre- 
lative term  "  son  "  (ch.  viii.  9)  by  Beuha- 
dad.  Shall  I  smite  them?  shall  I  smite 
them  ?  The  repetition  marks  extreme  eager- 
ness, while  the  interrogative  form  shows  a 
certain  amount  of  hesitation.  It  is  certain 
that  the  Israelites  were  in  the  habit  of  put  • 
ting  to  death  their  prisoners  of  war,  not 
only  when  tliey  were  captured  with  arms  in 
theii"  hands,  but  even  when  they  surrendered 
themselves.  When  a  city  or  country  was 
coii.y«cred,  the  whole  male  population  of 
full  age  was  commonly  put  to  deatli  (Numb, 
xxxi.  7 ;  1  Sam.  xv.  8 ;  1  Kings  xi.  15 ;  1 
Chron.  sx.  3,  etc.).  When  a  third  part  was 
spared,  it  was  from  some  consideration  of 
relationship  (2  Sam.  viii,  2).  The  Law  dis- 
tinctly allowed,  if  it  did  not  even  enjoin, 
the  practice  (DeuL  xx.  13).  Jeiioram,  there- 
fore, no  doubt,  put  his  prisoners  of  war  to 
death  under  ordinary  circumstances.  But 
he  hesitates  now.  He  feels  that  the  case  is 
an  extraordinary  one,  and  that  the  prophet, 
wlio  has  made  the  capture,  is  entitled  to  be 
consulted  on  the  subject  Keuce  his  ques- 
tion. 

Ver.  22. — And  he  answered,  Thou  shalt 
not  smite  them.  The  propiiet  has  no  doubt. 
His  prohibition  is  absolute.  Tliesa  prisoners, 
at  any  rate,  are  not  to  bo  slain.  "  The  ob- 
ject of  the  miracle,"  as  Keil  says.  "  wouhl 
have  been  frustrated,  if  tlie  Syrians  had 
been  slain.  For  the  intention  was  to  show 
tho  Syrians  that  they  hJid  to  do  \vill\  a 
prophet  of  the  true  God,  against  whom  no 
human  power  could  bo  of  any  avail,  Hint 
they  mi(jld  learn  to  fear  the  Almighty  God  "* 
('Commentary  on  2  Kings,*  p.  ;S27,  I'^ng. 
trans.).  Thero  was  also,  perhaps,  a  furlhor 
political  object.  By  sparing  tho  jjrisnnem 
and  treating  them  with  kindness,  it  might 
bo  possible  tio  touch  tho  heart  of  tho  King 
of  .Syria,  and  disp  iso  him  towards  peaeo. 
WouidoBt  thou  smite  thoso  whom  thou  hast 
taken  captive  with  thy  sword  and  with  thy 
bow  1  riithiT,  Woullfiit  tlum  hf  giiiiliiuj  (ho«ti, 
ete.  ?  i.e.  "  Wouldest  thou,  in  Huiiting  tlii'no 
pitruiiUH,  bo  smiting  thoso  whom  tlimi  JiudHt 
niadi-  prisoui  m  in  war,  ■<>  iia  to  he  able  to 
justify  thy  conduct  by  Dout.  xx.  I'.i'f  No; 
thou  would<Ht  Tio^  Tin  reforo  thou  nhalt 
not  nuiile  Ihem."  Sot  broatl  and  walor  before 
thorn.  "  Itn  ad "  unl  "wutir"  Btiiinl  for 
iinat  and  diiiik  geinTiklly.  I'lliHJia  l>i<lH 
.Ii  hniiini  ontertuin  tho  captive  SvriikoH 
hiMpilultly,  mid  tlion  wild  llioin  hiiok  to 
Keiihiidii'l.  That  thoy  may  oat  and  drink, 
and  ffo  to  their  niastor. 

Vor.  2M.  And  ho  pioparnd  (jroat  proviNion 
for  thorn.  Jihoriini  (i)lli>wi«l  tlio  <lireeliunH 
of  tho  pniphnt,  narr\lnK  tlxnii  out,  not  iii  '.ha 


m.  n.  |-«l.)         TIIK  RROOVD   imOK   Of  THE   KINOa 


■»*•  Um«  Imm  i.4  J«|i»it     Ak4  w^aa  tktf 


m4  fAUa  A»4  Anutk.  k*  »Mii  lk«a  tVAf, 

It  !»  *• 

I. 

(<•         . 

i>  ■  ■ 


Vr.      .'. 


r- 


<4 


V«r.  14.— Aai  II  WM  to  put  Utmli. 

|\K>lwll7  MBM  auDiAdcf..  icr.  suoa 

1..0    tt.<««BOrT   <*f   Jebufb  .    ».  (     had 

pafa«»i  ..  >i  B«nh»U>l  )uuf  of  Bjri* 

fMk«rr  hoM.      A    ruulTMt    \M    ID- 

U-adnl  i.ri.<vu  •»<•  Uuoatl*  ul^  •omJI  bwdua 
oi  plui»ti««m  and  tk*  lavMiuo  of  Um  larri- 
k>r«  bjr  tlM  MDOMreh  bin*'  If  tX  iho  baad  of 
kia  »iiiir«  forttc^.  Aad  w«nt  ip.  iiuwrvor 
K'V.inrfa  •*»•  !i;';'f»»a*"^»r«!  ffm  Svr.ti,  llirfv 
ii  itmf 

f  .  of 


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iiii;.    TiiB  k  ■  ,     - 
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thua,  •  A;.'.   J  .  . 
e  take  upoo  tiitu(> 
V.ll    Do(    mte    t.<r 
rt:lar>  ht^r  !<•  (t->i.  . 
wbat«h.Mk«.      W- 
WUeuoc,  i:.  tl  •! 
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11  •U  far  "aicht 
otf    •»!»*—     —    -' 
as  ta 
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tko«ft*t  by' » 
bat  M  i*  Ui 


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»-  EU    "  u  .  V  ..  .   .••.I-  1  IM  !!■   ar  ■! 

uiT  tub)  ru.     I  Oftaiioc  aiv* 

Vi-f.   tn  -  Aard   ik«  kiJif   »uA   aaia  k«r. 
W\%1  aiieth  lirel      I'r  ».-.'!t.  sj  !'k'.r  wi^. 


-    !.     I 


to    u:. 


.1*    BC 


1  '"^ 


ISft 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.         [ch.  tl  1— 33L 


the  hnsband  of  her  bosom,  and  toward  her 
Bon,  and  toward  her  daughter,  and  toward 
her  yonng  one  that  cometh  out  from  between 
her  feet,  and  toward  her  children  which  she 
shall  bear:  for  she  shall  eat  them  for  want 
of  all  things  secretly  in  the  siege  and  si.rait- 
ness,  wherewith  thine  enemy  shall  tlisness 
thee  in  thy  gates"  (xxviii.  56,  57).  'Ihere 
is  historical  testimony  that  the  prop..icy 
was  three  times  fulfilled ;  viz.  (1)  in  Samaria 
on  the  present  oaasion;  (2)  in  JerusaUm 
during  the  last  siege  by  Nebuchadnezzar 
(Lara.  iv.  10) ;  and  (3)  in  Jerusalem  during 
the  last  siege  by  Titus  (Josephus,  'Bell. 
Jud.,'  vi.  3.  §  4).  In  modern  sieges  sur- 
render is  made  before  tijo  population  is 
driven  to  such  straits. 

Ver.  29. — Sj  we  boiled  my  son  (conip. 
Lam.  iv.  10,  "The  hands  oi'  the  pitiful 
woman  have  sodden  their  own  children"), 
and  dil  eat  him :  and  I  said  unto  her  on  the 
next  day,  Give  thy  son,  that  we  ma,y  eat  him : 
and  she  hath  hid  her  son.  Some  have  sup- 
posed that  the  woman  concealed  her  child 
in  order  to  consume  it  alone ;  but  it  is  more 
probable  that,  when  the  time  came  for 
carrying  out  her  agreement,  she  found  that 
ehe  could  not  give  it  up,  and  hid  it  in  order 
to  save  it 

Ver.  30.— And  It  came  to  pass,  when  the 
king  heard  the  words  of  the  woman,  that  ho 
rent  his  clothes.  In  horror  ond  consterna- 
tion at  the  terrible  state  of  things  revealed 
by  the  woman's  story  (com p.  ch.  v.  7).  And 
he  passed  by  upon  the  wall,  and  the  people 
looked.  It  is  better  to  translate,  with  our 
Kcviters,  {Now  he  vaa  passing  by  upon  t!to 
wall ;)  and  the  people  looked ;  or,  and,  as  ha 
tcan  passing  by  upon  the  uall,  the  people 
loohid.  And,  behold,  l.o  h  id  sackcloth  with- 
in npon  his  flesh.  Jihoram  lind  secretly 
as-siimed  the  penitential  garment,  not  a  mcro 
Bi'^w  of  woe,  but  a  constant  chastisement  of 
tlio  fli  feh.  lie  wore  sackcloth  next  his  hIuh, 
no  one  suspecting  it,  until,  in  the  exaspera- 
tion of  hia  feelings  at  the  woinun's  tale,  he 
rent  Inn  rol>o,  and  fXj)oscil  to  view  tho 
Ba<k'loth  which  un<l(rlay  it.  Wo  aio 
•fMrcdy  fiititlid  to  deny  him  any  true 
pcriil4,iitiiil  feeling,  thoiigli  no  doiilit  he  was 
far  from  jKiKioasirig  a  chafdeueil  or  litiinhlo 
Rpirit.  r(xir  W(  ale  htiinunily  hwn  nt  one 
and  tho  lanio  timo  ^oo<l  nn<l  evil  iinjinlHCH, 
priiiho  worthy  ami  cnl|iiili<'  ri<'lin;.;H,  tiioiiijIilN 
which  ooine  from  tho  Jloiy  H|)irit  of  (ifxl, 
and  thoughts  wbiob  are  inti)iir«:<l  hy  tho  uvil 
(lun. 

Vt.  ni— Thon  he  iald,  Ood  io  *o  and 
more  alio  to  me,  if  l)ie  bead  of  Klinha  tho 
•on  of  Bkapbat  ebAll  ilnnd  «a  him  -  i.». 
"ror.tinun  <»n  hirn"  — lhl«  doy.  Tho  fun 
of  o.ilh  will  IX  coiiinion  < w  (romp,  linth  I. 
17;  I  H*m.  Hi.  17;  iiv.  'n;  U  Hum.  xix. 
U:  I  Kiiifp  tL  28;  x>x.  2,  nlo.X     ll  wm  an 


imprecation  of  evil  on  one's  self,  if  one  did,  or 
if  one  failed  to  do,  a  certain  thing.  Why 
Jehoram  should  have  considered  Elisha  as 
responsible  for  all  the  horrors  of  the  siega 
is  not  apparent;  but  perhaps  he  supposed 
that  it  was  in  Elisha's  power  to  work  a 
miracle  of  any  kind  at  any  mouieui  that  he 
liked.  If  so,  he  misunderstood  the  natuie 
of  the  miraculous  gilt.  lu  thieatoni.ig  to 
behead  Elisha,  he  is  not  making  himself  an 
executor  of  the  Law,  which  nowhere  sauo« 
tinned  that  mode  of  punishment,  biit  assum- 
ing the  arbitrary  p;>\ver  of  the  other  Oriental 
monarchs  of  his  time,  who  re'^avdod  them- 
selves as  al>solute  masters  of  the  lives  und 
liberties  of  laeir  subjects,  lieheaiing  was 
commou  in  Egypt,  in  liabyiouia,  uud  lU 
Assyria. 

Ver.  32. — But  Elisha  sat  in  his  house,  and 
the  elders  sat  with  him;  and  the  king  seiit 
a  man  from  before  him.  It  is  best  to  trans- 
late. Now  E^ii^hn  was  sitfing  in  hli  hottse, 
and  the  elders  were  filtinr]  icilh  him  jf/cie 
the  king  sent  a  man  from  hrfore  him.  Klisha 
had  a  house  in  Samaria,  where  heorilinarily 
resided,  ami  from  which  he  nnule  his  circuits. 
He  happened  to  bo  sitting  llitre.  and  the 
elders  of  the  cily  to  be  bitting  with  him, 
when  Jehoram  snit  "a  man  from  before 
him,"  i.e.  one  of  the  court  ofli.-ials,  to  put 
him  to  death.  The  "  eL'.eis"  had  probably 
assembled  at  E.isha's  house  to  considt  with 
hira  on  the  critical  situation  of  ailaiis,  and 
(if  possible)  obtain  from  1  ini  some  mira-n- 
lou3  assistance.  But  ere  the  messenger  cam» 
to  him,  he  said  to  the  elders.  See  ye  how  this 
son  of  a  murderer  hath  sent  to  take  away 
mine  head  1  Elisha  was  supi'iniitninby 
warned  of  what  was  about  to  take  place  — 
tliat  an  executioner  was  coming  alu.oat 
immcdialoly  to  tako  away  his  life,  and  that 
tho  king  himself  would  ar.ivo  shortly  uflor. 
IIo  calls  tho  king  "th  s  sou  of  a  muidcrer,'* 
or  rather  "this  son  of  the  murdcicr,"  with 
reference  to  Ahab,  the  great  mnnlcrcr  of 
the  time,  who  bad  siinclioncd  all  Joxcb.  I'j 
crncllies— tho  general  nmssiuTO  of  tho  pro- 
phet.i  of  Jehovali  (1  Ivin;;^  xviii.  13),  tho 
judicial  murder  of  Naboln  (1  Kings  xxi. 
'J-i3).  the  allompt  to  Kill  Elijah  (I  Kings 
xix.  2)  and  hnti,  by  a  lii  ico  and  long-con- 
tinued pt  iscrul  ion,  rc'luci'il  the  worshippers 
of  Jehovah  in  Ismcl  to  tho  Hcnnly  unnilicr 
of  Hcvcn  tlioiiH:ind  (1  KingB  xix.  IH).  J«- 
lioniin  had  now  bIiowu  llial  bo  inherited 
tho  blooiltliiialy  dmp  Hitinii  of  liii*  fiilhor, 
«nd  hull  jiiHlly  oiuncd  llio  c|iitliot  which 
KliMliii  boniitwcd  on  hiiii.  Louk,  when  llio 
muBiini.jjor  coinvih,  iihut  the  door,  and  bold 
him  fiiitt  at  the  dour.  Kiil  rcndcra  lli«  hntt 
rIaiiMi',  "  fur  II  him  back  at  tho  door;"  lh« 
I..\a.  "|pi  Ml  upon  hiiii  in  lln»  tliMirwuy'  — 
wufiaO^liait  uc'Ti»r  Jf  tjj  SiVif— Hh'T  ^f""   n(»t 

to  allow  hliQ  to  antcr  tliu  «p&rtiuonl.     U 


aLn.l-Jl]        THB  nOOVD  BOOK  OF  TUE  KIMO&  IS 

!■!>  Ill*  u^^i.  I    cf  ^f  u« 

•    ^    r        '        '  .■..■.«»■  ^  ^  »    I 


kkmik  tm  bwi  «i«  '  •<>»•  >i.  U>   »4m4   mm-i' 


1 1 


U«  atUM*  aoppa4  mm.  »«a  um4  tte  kiojf      Mm»  kuMim  M  ^j  la  nt^*)  ' 

UOMILKTICa 
Y«r^  1— T.— if«««af  torn  mmd  kJp  Of  Wl  homJ  </  rWi^iom  avmaraMilMt     •*  BalwOd, 


ilUO  r    in  bM  JIM,  MM 

Tbuuf  tt   buui'  . 


fc»t 

Imu 


•L. 


126  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGa  [oh.  vl  1-^ 

Vers.  8 — 23. —  Wicked  men  vainly  attempt  to  outwit  God.  Benhadail,  after  the 
miracle  wrought  upon  his  favourite  Naaman,  had  abundant  reason  to  know  that  Israel 
was  the  people  of  God,  and  enjoyed  special  Divine  protection  and  superintendence. 
Had  he  been  truly  wise,  he  would  liave  laid  aside  his  hostile  designs  against  the  nation, 
and  have  made  it  his  endeavour  to  cultivate  friendly  relations  with  them,  and,  if 
possible,  secure  their  alliance.  But  true  wisdom  is  a  plant  of  rare  growth,  while  ita 
counterfeit,  cunning,  is  a  weed  that  grows  rankly  at  all  times  and  everywhere.  Ben- 
hadad  resolved  to  have  recourse  to  craft  against  the  Israelites,  and  thought  perhaps 
that,  wi.ile  the  protection  of  their  God  would  not  fail  them  in  a  pitched  battle,  he 
might  be  able  in  petty  engasrements,  by  means  of  ambushes  and  surprises,  to  snatch 
an  occasional  victory.  But  his  plan  failed  egregiously.  God  enabled  his  prophet  to 
foresee  where  each  ambush  would  be  placed ;  and  each  time  he  warned  Jehoram  of  the 
snare,  which  was  thereupon  easily  avoided.  Craft  and  cunning  were  of  no  avail 
against  the  wisdom  which  is  from  on  high — the  Divine  foreknowledge,  of  which  the 
prophet  was  made  in  some  measure  partaker.  Benhadad  then  bethought  him  of  a  new 
device.  He  would  capture  the  prophet,  and  thenceforward  his  plans  would  be  unde- 
tected, and  the  success  which  he  had  expected  from  them  would  follow.  How  simple 
and  easy  it  must  have  seemed!  The  prophet  moved  about  from  city  to  city,  teaching 
the  faithful,  and  was  now  in  one  place,  now  in  another.  What  could  be  easier  than 
to  make  inquiry,  and  learn  where  he  was  residing  at  any  particular  time,  and  then  to 
make  a  sudden  inroad,  surround  the  place,  occupy  it,  and  obtain  possession  of  his 
person  ?  Such  seizures  of  individuals  have  been  planned  many  hundreds  of  times,  and 
have  generally  been  successful.  Had  Benhadad  had  only  human  enemies  to  deal  with, 
there  can  be  little  doubt  that  his  plans  would  have  prospered.  He  would  have  out- 
witted the  prophet,  and  would  have  got  him  into  his  power  ;  but  it  was  necessary  that 
he  should  also  outwit  God.  Here  was  a  difficulty  wiiich  had  not  presented  itself  to  his 
mind,  and  which  yet  surely  ought'  to  have  done  so.  What  had  frustrated  his  efforts 
previously?  Not  human  strength;  not  human  wisdom  or  sagacity;  but  Divine 
omni.science.  God  had  enabled  Elisha  to  show  the  King  of  Israel  the  words  which  he 
Bfiake  in  the  secrecy  of  his  bedchamber.  Why  should  lie  not  grant  him  a  foreknow- 
ledge of  the  new  design?  Or  why  should  he  not  enable  the  prophet  in  some  other 
way  to  frustrate  it?  There  are  ten  thousand  ways  in  which  Gixl  can  bring  the 
counsi  Is  of  men  to  no  effect,  whenever  he  pleases.  Benhadad  ought  to  have  known 
that  it  was  (lod,  not  merely  the  prophet,  against  whom  he  was  contending,  and  that 
it  would  l>e  imjiossible  to  outwit  the  ^iource  of  wisdom,  the  Giver  ol  all  knowledgo 
and  uiiderstanding.  But  men  in  all  a<];e8  have  thought  (and  vainly  thought)  to  hoo<i- 
wink  and  outwit  God.  1.  The  first  dwellers  upon  the  earth  after  the  Flood  were 
divinely  commanded  to  spread  themselves  over  its  face  and  "  replenish"  it  (Gen.  ix.  1). 
'I'ht-y  disliked  the  idea,  and  thought  to  Irustraie  God's  design  by  bnildin.:  ihemaelves 
a  city  and  a  tower  as  a  focus  of  union  (Gen.  ix.  4).  But  Qod  "camo  down,"  and 
cotjfounded  their  language;  and  so  "scattered  them  abroad  from  thence  ujxjn  the  face 
of  all  the  earth  "  (Gen.  ix.  8).  2.  Isaac  sought  to  outwit  God,  and  frustrate  bin 
preference  of  Jacob  (jver  E.sau  (Gen.  xxv.  23),  by  giving  his  special  blessing  to  hia 
firstbfjrn  ;  but  Go<l  blinded  him,  and  caused  him  to  be  iiimaelf  outwitted  by  lleheknh 
and  Jacob,  ho  that  he  gave  the  blessing  where  he  had  not  inteiuled  to  give  it  (^(Jcn. 
xxvii.  27 — 2!t).  3.  Pharaoh  King  of  Kgyj)t  at  the  time  of  Ihi'  lOxodus,  thciuglil  to 
fruKtrntfr  OikI'h  deHi.'UH  r(!S|ecting  hi.^  i>eo|ilo  by  a  long  Keries  of  delays  an<i  inipeiinnents, 
and  filially  hv  Hliutting  tlicm  up  into  a  corner  of  the  land,  wlionce  ap|)arenil\  they  had 
no  ewyipe  unlcHM  by  an  absoluto  Hurrender ;  but  (Jnd  gave  them  a  way  of  escajH"  aorosu 
the  U'nI  Sia,  which  reniovcd  them  wlioUy  from  hiH  control.  4.  Joiiali  thought  to 
outwit  Gt\,  when  a*mmande<l  to  warn  the  NineviteH,  by  flying  from  Asia  to  tli« 
reiiiot'  ht  corner  of  KurojHj,  and  there  lii<ii[ig  hiniHell ;  but  (Jod  couiiU^racied  hia  Heheme« 
and  madi-  IIhim  of  no  avail.  5.  Hennl  the  (jreat  thought  to  outwit  Ood,  to  preserve 
hiH  k\ii\i,iU)\n,  and  to  innko  the  advtait  of  Christ  \\\n)U  (girth  unavailing,  by  a  general 
niH>iiiiU'r<!  of  all  ihu  young  rhildrun  to  be  foiinil  in  Bethlehem  (Matt.  ii.  Ki) ;  hut  the 
warning  rivflu  by  (i<Kl  t)  JoMcph  and  Mary  confoun<l(>d  iuH  counHolH,  and  nnido  the 
ma*H<irri'  futile.  6.  Men  havu,  in  all  |x  rio<lii  of  the  worlilV  history,  nndeavouretd  tc 
hooilwiiik  Go(i  bv  proleHHing  to  Morvu  him,  while  they  offend  him  a  formal,  outwaitl, 
aad  oeremoDlAJ  obMrvaoce,  Tuat«ad  of  givlnK  him  the  true  worahip  of  the  heart.     Bui 


«.  TL  1>M] 


TUB  8EC0KD   IJOOK  OF  TUB   KlVOa 


Iff 


■wy  innefii  f/  bmb  to  ci  *4.    **  Tb« 

tSX     ^  UraiT*  hloL  c<l  ttd  0}«u«d  nalo  ike  •j^a  el 


T«nL  IS.  IT  —TV  •P<r«r-wrl<  m4  O* 
Ik*  alarai  foil  br  RiU)-a  •  mttaui,  aaii  Um  n 


LT.. 


1,  *>D  rmrrrrAL  rMMvurc,  AMinre  ot  av»   asott  ot,  or  t«s 

*  t^  «zlstMK«  of  aa  ac<i«r  ol  ^liriu  iaUnn*::s"   ■    ■  ' '    ■   ^    1 

muii,  «ko  •!•  okiMlj  eoaarrtod  wiUi  man,  and  play  aa  ImportA  >• 

§D>w»iuwt  of  Um  wiirki  wh«c«ta  w  live,  U  aa  e—tptUI  t«n  <  >• 

•M  bafcri  ••  ia  Um  SeriptttTM.    **Tha  docUiao  ol  aagaU"  a>  • 

UllSi     "Thst    tKrrr    li>ni      u    l^>«    t>ri  »-ncr   of   fi  J    a    tkjit    a*-!.      .  > 


praiM  God,  trtaa  abo^  to  wbom  b«  gtvoi  ebaif*  to  goard 

■Tipdlag  and  dMcoodiag  to  aad  ftoai  iMavaa  ao<^  rcih  f ' 

nX  taii  »bo  Tarioudr  minUtar  to  aao,  nvoat  < 

inlwHl  la  et  ••>-<  in  '^".r  w«>)-bHBs.     Wbra 

Ood  bunt  f  ■ 

tbrir  oara  li  -. 

Moaai  Stnai.  tii? .^ 

Mooat  Sioa,  ano 

tlMWMinda  n 

Ood,  wiUMM 

for  maa  la  \ 

t^Otj  la  Jr 

ttonglk  Umt 

Qod.    Tltutt 

'DaaiollhaPtojpb 
or  poalk  lBBaL*erv  a 

vbtch  M  to  f 
MMr Dt  «illi  ^ 

II.    Tua    fHnftrHiAL 


»fa 
■  »«r«  u>  La 


.       I  I  J   Wrre    !!i 

L  6  ;  li.  1  :  IK 
■  u   lo  thrm  whea  i:.  } 
yo  «parr,  n-ithfr  bare  ; 
-'    '    ej  mvul   ua0>U   ba  v 

raiiki,  amoitg  tiia  m^ 


lod,  to  roo« 

'  ruui  t>iiaMUi.-s  «v  rtiaaa  roakBavxit  or  FArni. 

oa  Mw  the  ao;;*!*  that  eoai|««Md  htm  r  und 

:bAt  ibey  vara  tbera.     He  «a<  au-  •{ 

'  ai  well  a eoaftdoot  faiUi  m  ** tL<  ( 

Aod  to  it  »a«  wiib  1>«tm1.     **  Tue  aiigal 

^'•uut  tbem  tbat   lear  Liin,  and  dalivarvih 

vImo  Saooacii-  *  land, 

2  and  ooum^r  %.i  uor 

ia  I' »:  !•  Mi'.fi   ti.'ti  :    for 

.  1.     Ju<laa  Ma>.<mi«Mia  bad 


abtu  Muttat  'ditatt,  and 

aa  imiutttt^tmt  ooiopa: 

vbaa  ha  gava  tha  aofeau  *  laiga  *Lai 

lkaaactb.aad  aiada  tbaoi  jfopiaaan 

▼IL  1— u.  S).     1/  i^  doouiaa  tea 


•  iu  aii  li*a  ki< 
(W  tba  Waaiit^* 
baaa  at  aajr  U:. 


ruaaiam,  aao  to 


128  THE   SECOND   BOOK   OF   THE   KINGS.  :        [oh.  vi.  1—33. 

faith  wavered,  and  there  was  a  tendency  to  confine  the  supernatural  within  the 
narrowest  possible  limits.  It  was  easy  to  suggest  that  the  expression,  "  the  angels  of 
Grod,"  was  a  periphrasis  for  God  himself",  and  that  he  had  no  need  to  act,  and  therefore 
probably  did  not  act,  by  intermediaries.  But  the  faith  of  the  Church  has  always  been 
dififerent.  The  festival  of  St.  Michael  and  All  Angels  lias  been  generally  celebrated 
from  a  very  ancient  date ;  and  the  Collect  for  that  festival  has  borne  wituess  to  the 
perpetual  ministration  of  angels,  not  only  in  heaven,  but  also  upon  earth,  and  to  th© 
part  borne  by  them  in  the  succour  and  defence  of  God's  people. 

IIL  The  possiBrLiTY  of  a  manifestation  of  the  presence  in  question  to  th« 

BODILY  SENSES  OF  THOSE  WHOSE  FAITH  IS  TOO  WEAK  TO  APPREHEND  IT.      Eiisha's  Servant 

did  not  see  a  vision.  It  was  not  his  mind  only  that  was  impressed.  His  bodily  eyes 
beheld  an  appearance  as  of  chariots  and  horses  of  fire  (ver.  17),  which  was  based  on 
the  objective  reality  of  the  actual  presence  of  an  angelic  host  upon  the  hill  whereon 
Dothan  was  situattd.  The  prophet  prayed  that  his  eyes  should  be  opened,  and  his 
piayer  was  granted.  **The  Lord  opened  the  eyes  of  the  young  man,  and  he  saw." 
Physicists  are  proliably  right  in  saying  that  what  is  absolutely  immaterial  cannot  be 
seen  by  the  optic  nerve.  Bat  we  are  nowhere  told  that  angels  are  absolutely  immaterial. 
It  is  the  belief  of  many  philosophers  that  all  finite  spirits  are  attached  to  bodies  of 
some  kind  or  other — bodies  more  or  less  volatile  and  ethereal.  We  can  readily  conceive 
that  the  optic  nerve  may,  by  an  increase  of  its  sensitiveness,  be  made  to  see  these ; 
and  in  this  way  we  may  account,  not  only  for  the  wonderful  sight  beheld  on  this 
occasion  by  Eiisha's  servant,  but  for  the  many  other  appearances  of  angels  to  men  and 
women  recorded  in  Scripture  (Gen.  iii.  1 ;  xix.  1 — 15 ;  xxxii.  24—30 ;  Judg.  vi, 
11—22;  2  Sam.  xxiv.  16,  17;  1  Kings  xix.  5—7;  Isa.  vi.  6;  Dan.  vi.  22;  ix.  21; 
X.  16—21;  Zech.  i.  11—19;  iv.  1,  etc.;  Luke  i.  11—19,  26—38;  ii.  9—13;  John 
XX.  12  ;  Acts  V,  19  ;  viii.  26;  xii.  7 — 10;  Kevelation,  ^assm).  Miraculously,  power  is 
given  t'  the  optic  nerve  which  it  does  not  ordinarily  possess,  and  it  is  enabled  to  see 
beings  actually  present,  who  under  ordinary  circumstances  are  invisible  to  it. 

Vers.  24 — 33. — Edlf-heartedness.  Jehoram  was  altogether  half-hearted  in  his 
religion.  He  "halted  between  two  opinions."  While  he  paid- a  certain  amount  of 
respect  to  Elisiia,  as  tlie  prophet  of  Jehovah,  he  nevertheless  allowed  the  worship  of 
Bial  to  continue  in  the  capital  (ch.  x.  18 — 28),  if  not  elsewhere,  and  maintained  the 
calf-worship  also  at  D:ui  and  Bethel  (ch.  iii.  3).  He  had  suffered  himself  to  be  guided 
by  Elisha  in  respect  of  the  Syrian  prisoners  captured  by  the  prophet  (ver.  23),  and 
had  evidently  been  iu  conimimicaiion  with  him  on  the  subject  of  the  present  siege, 
had  probably  been  exhorted  by  him  to  repentance,  and  promised  that,  if  he  would 
wait  up')ri  Jehovah,  in  dm;  time'  there  should  be  deliverance.  The  prophet's  words 
had  made  some  impression  on  him  ;  he  had  to  a  certain  extent  turned  to  God,  had 
put  sackcloth  upon  his  loins,  not  ostentatiously,  but  secretly  (ver.  30),  h<\d  borne  the 

{)rivation8  o(  the  wcge  without  murmuring,  had  refused  to  surremler  the  town,  and 
ooked  to  Jehovah  to  deliver  it.  But  there  was  no  depth  in  his  ]ionitence,  no  surrender 
of  the  heart  and  the  will  to  God,  no  firm  and  ro<ite<l  fnith  in  God's  truthfulness,  and 
in  the  certain  ncC'mpliHlirnont  of  his  promises.  His  repentance  was  but  a  half* 
repentance.  A  single  incident  of  the?  siege,  a  h<inil)io  one  certainly,  but  yet  not  with- 
out a  p.irallel  in  other  sieges  ami  in  shipwrecks,  sliattored  the  whole  fabric  of  his 
repentanee  and  his  resolution,  turned  him  against  the  prophet  and  against  Jehovah, 
cauitcd  hiiM  t4^)  threaten  the  iirojthet'H  life,  and  to  make  up  his  niinil  that  he  would 
follow  hJH  own  coursf,  and  not  wait  for  the  Lord  any  longer  (ver.  33).  llo  thus 
revcalcxl  the  true  state  of  liii  heart  and  soul,  hhowed  his  Hpiritua!  unsoundness,  revealed 
hImiM'lf  HH  one  whoHo  chararler  was  rotten  at  the  core,  who  hmi  never  turned  to  Jtiliovah 
In  oin'prity  nnd  inith.     What  wonder,  then,  tliat  God  had  not  granted  the  <leliv(  ranco 

firoriiiwd  to  tru«  faith  ami  trno  |)enilnncf,  that  a  lialf-ropeninneo  hud  not  availed  with 
liin?  Ho  It  had  h>  en  witli  Ahab  (1  King«  xxi.  27;  xxii.3l);  so  It  W(nild  always  bo 
with  all  thfme  wh'i,  nfter  .lelmram'H  I'xnniple,  should  bo  half-heart(^d  in  religion,  Hhould 
at  onrn  "  tear  tlm  Lord,  nnd  wirve  tlu-ir  own  niMlM"(rh.  xvii.  33) — own  lor  inaF.tori 
hr<th  G'kI  and  inftifitnori.  A  half  tcpiMitiine.fi  in  iiHeleHM.  Nothiii"  availn  but  to  turn 
t/i  Oo<l  with  nil  the  li<  art  nnd  nil  llm  nonl  and  all  th«^  Htron^th.  ()(m1  haloH  wnvenrH. 
To  tuch   he  tayn,  "1   know   thy  works,  that  thoQ  art  neither  oohi  nor  hot:  1  would 


m.n.\-9K] 


m  wmxnm  book  op  thr  eiho& 


if» 


IkM  tnrt  •oU  or  ImI    Bo  Umb  Imiii  Ums  mr%  Ink* 
1  «tU  ir^  Umml^mkf  ataMi*  -  (JUv.  UL  1ft.  16>. 


•d4  MliJbw  cdM  bat  ^ 


T«r.  t>.— iNfaow  may  h*  rmiatad  mktm  tktf  mrt  hmU  wftm  mrtmjf  4v4m§.  Tbcfv  »m 
•  IUd«  «b«ci  itfinoM  «w«  fl*t  («rad  bv  baUig  kiU  Uiai  UMry  **  cwuid  4o  ao  vn«(  i "  ih»t 
"•dlTinltjr  badgad  U»«aite("lUtlMrMb|«>u*«r»be«»dlormUrtkaM.«»4v«ll 
cirrumaUooM,  mi  •l«iil«U  Mid  •nqoftllflM  obadkiiM.  \^"^ 
•etiiHural  uaetiiiii^    Tb»  blfb«r  ^w«f»  art  lo  htobaraii 

bul    Bol    lb    ti  rir    U'  Uwful   tiiicM.      Wl  rB    Piiaraol^   KiM   w. 
■IklolTM    (  :>    bodM   by   tbe 

tb*  men  cl 

fur*  Oud «!««  I 

bouM*"  (Kx«Ai.  L  1X>,  :.l  I.     ^o  I 


A|C«io,  ib« 

Juka,  ahiift. 

cf    '  "     Vcls  »r.  i-'    .    I 

»  i  to  b««ikrD  U!. 

t^  m  Uic  UiiriKi  «hi  ' 

lawfttl  autbority,  wl<eu 

man'*  dutj.  and  uu^bt  ;^  ^  .. 

«u«o  u  iimmaftda  lawful  aoUL 


(•  eartalaijr  Ml 
avfal  r  wniia4^ 

ck  iiiOMa  ad  iba 
>  <ueu,  "  U« 
..  but  wvad 
«  :  -  1  b*a. 
•  mad*  ibaia 
rldam  raua» 

.  d 


■  u    'b« 


ihumj 


HOMILnSS  BT  VARIOUS  AUTHOR& 


«|kfM^  »bara  youaf  bmo  n  -  • 
laeaivafrem  tba  CbrictiaD 
]!>««  iataratt  ouf^ht  t<    ':  .  m  edut . 

Bkure  intcrast  io  Sum'.  .>otli.     If  i : 

land  would  viiit  t 
laaaoiM  aad  dag  ' 
«DoiMiafaiD«nt  t 
tfaaMwfi    111*  V 
a/ otb«  plaeos  u:  .» 
public  oovki  Dot  be  e  i 
«f  ahowing  an  istaret '. 
Hataatttg  to  a  profeM'  . 
•Mtildaralla  turn  to  ' 
■»0mbcn  of  tb«  • 
Is  hayiBf  Dot  e\ 
L  Tnaa  va- 
bow  to  work,  ai 
tbat  ) 
bouar, 
tbam. 
t^k*  t 


«f»   h^t  and   l'~t*nn*.      C^ir 

\*trj,  do  Mil 
..'i«7  dwatrfc 
»houU  abov 
rf  Cbriatiaa 
r«L«at  ibeir 
i  M  *  great 

1  tbal 

_      r 

.h  ieare*  a 

-Mjoa  by  tt>« 

<Jlturob  are  lntcnat«<d 

:.;•  io  ElUba'e  oaUege  karV 

'k     Tbcj  bad  Dot  reaebad 

red  a  dieipaca.    Tbdr 

> .  beeooM  boo  amall  far 

.1  gu,  we  ;  oato  Jorlui,  and 

It  a  place  e  we  majr  dwe-L* 

ibat  ararv    >•.'..  n^  mauar  wbai   hk 

Tb*  JewUb  telmud  tay.  -  Whu  ia 

rirr.imeiaa  bin,  to  leacb  bitn  tb*  Law. 

Apoatla  Kol,  wb'>  had  eat  at  tba 

-  alau  a  teatmakor.     Eraa  wbea 

1  tot  bte  euppuru     It  m  Dot 

'!   w  aaj  ailer  cmUitig.     It 

-utirriy  to  tb*  work  el 

l^auL     It  to  tnM  tbal 

ail  ieara  a  U'mli^  aad  Boat  ci 

■ 


130  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.         [oh.  vi.  1—33. 

Bupport  themselves  by  their  own  exertions  at  farming  or  other  work.  But  this  also 
has  been  found  very  undesirable,  and  it  has  been  under  serious  consideration  to 
abandon  the  custom  altogether.  But  whether  they  engage  in  manual  labour  or  not, 
all  ministers  and  all  students  for  the  ministry  should  be,  as  these  students  in  Elisha's 
tkne  were,  industrious  in  their  work.  In  whatever  calling  we  are  engaged,  let  ut 
cultivate  habits  of  industry.  Let  us  remember  the  apostle's  injunction  to  be  "  diligent 
in  business,  fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord." 

n.  There  was  discipline  in  that  collegk.  These  young  students,  excellent  and 
well-conducred  as  they  no  doubt  were,  did  not  -think  they  might  do  as  they  liked 
or  go  where  they  liked.  They  came  to  Elisha,  and  asked  his  consent  to  their  proposal. 
And  so  it  should  be  in  all  the  relationships  of  life.  **  Order  is  Heaven's  first  law." 
There  should  be  discipline  in  the  family,  discipUne  in  the  Church,  discipline  in  the 
Sunday  school,  discipline  in  the  nation,  and  regard  for  constituted  authority.  Dr. 
Arnold  of  Rugby  once  said  to  his  assembled  scholars,  when  there  had  been  some  disorder 
in  the  school,  and  he  had  expelled  several  boys,  *'  It  is  not  necessary  that  this  should 
be  a  school  of  three  hundred,  or  of  one  hundred,  or  of  fifty  boys ;  but  it  is  necessary 
that  it  should  be  a  school  of  Christian  gentlemen."  No  wonder  there  is  disregard  for 
authority  in  the  nation  when  it  is  not  properly  taught  or  insisted  on  in  the  home. 
The  Christian  Church  should  be  a  model  of  order.  Order  should  characterize 
its  services,  its  management,  its  work.  "Let  all  things  be  done  decently  and  in 
order." 

III.  Thebe  was  kindness  in  that  college.  What  pleasant  and  brotherly 
relations  between  the  prophet  and  his  pupils  1  He  could  be  stern  with  the  haughty 
Naaman ;  he  could  severely  rebuke  the  covetous,  lying  Gehazi ;  but  he  knew  how  to 
unbend  among  his  innocent-hearted  students.  He  had  evidently  already  won  their 
affections.  Jt  was  a  good  sign  of  both  him  and  them  that  they  asked  him  to  accompany 
them.  And  now  he  shows  his  kindly  nature  once  more  by  going  with  them  at  tlieir 
request.  So  it  ought  to  be  with  all  Christians.  We  hardly  think  enough  of  Christ's 
command  that  we  should  love  one  another.  What  friendly  relations  there  should  be 
between  professors  and  students,  between  ministers  and  their  people,  between  parents 
and  children,  between  teachers  and  scholars,  between  employers  and  employed,  between 
masters  and  servants  1  Authority  is  never  weakened  by  kindness.  Some  employers, 
some  teachers,  seem  to  think  it  adds  to  their  dignity  and  to  their  influence  to  be  stern 
to  those  beneath  them.  They  make  a  great  mistake.  The  most  respected  professors 
are  those  who  treat  their  students  as  brothers,  and  not  as  inferiors.  The  most  respected 
employers  are  those  who  are  kind  and  courteous  and  considerate  to  those  in  their 
employnierit.  Kindness  does  not  weaken  influence ;  it  increases  it.  Oh !  to  be  filled 
with  the  spirit  of  Christ,  who  made  himself  of  no  reputation,  and  took  upon  himself 
the  form  of  a  servant.     Kindness  and  humility  are  twin  sisters. 

IV.  Thebe  was  gbowth  in  that  oeLLEGB.  Under  the  influence  of  snch  a  teacher 
as  Elisha,  the  numlier  of  students  increased  so  much  that  the  place  became  too  small 
for  them,  and  it  was  necessary  for  them  to  build  a  new  school  of  the  prophets.  Let 
me  see  growth  in  a  Church  and  I  shall  believe  in  its  life.  A  stone  does  not  grow, 
because  it  has  no  life.  A  tree  grows,  because  there  is  life  in  it.  If  you  see  that  a  treo 
h»n  ceased  to  grow,  to  put  forth  new  leaves  in  the  spring-time,  you  know  that  it  is 
dead,  A  Church  that  is  not  growing  must  bo  a  lifeless  Church.  If  you  are  a  living 
Chrisliiin,  let  the  signs  of  it  bo  manifest  in  the  growth  of  your  Christian  graces. 

V.  Thk  I'Rkhence  ok  God  wab  thbbs.  This  was  shown  in  the  miracle  which  Elisha 
wrought  of  cauHirig  the  iron  to  swim.  It  was  not  by  his  own  power.  Ho  was  only 
the  instnimniit  in  the  hand  of  G'mI,  and  God  owned  his  efforts,  for  ho  was  engaged  in 
God'«  work.     This  laHi  feature  of  that  theological  college  was  the  best  of  all.     God's 

f>rcm'nc«  wax  in  tho  tniilst  of  it.  Without  ihat,  of  what  uho  would  have  been  their 
oduHtry  or  their  diHciplino?  Without  that,  would  there  have  been  such  bonds  of 
kin'lric«M?  Wiihoui  thiit,  would  there  have  been  such  ovidonccH  of  growth  ?  "  KxcepA 
the  Lord  huild  the  houHo,  they  labour  in  vain  that  build  it."  Without  that,  what  A 
m'>ckery  it  would  havo  boon  for  them  to  havn  hK)k('d  forward  to  he  the  t<Nicheni  of 
othiTH  ill  thi-  truthH  ol  religion!  What  a  mockery  f<»r  any  mini  to  enter  a  pulpit  and 
Hpnak  alxiut  the  love  of  .reHiin,  who  iH  hiniRilf  n  Htningor  to  that  lovel  What  a 
WM;k«rj  fgr  any  man  to  H|x>ak  al>out  the  graoo  of  God,  who  has  Bovor  expurieuuud  it 


•.TLl-JlS]  TUR  BBOOND   BOOK   Uf  THB   KiNOA  iSl 


la  hia  owD  hMrt  an<1  liM     Tlia  Uts  R«T.  Dr.  Ouoke  of  Belfivt  ooe*  Mid  ib«l  **•■ 
•rfMOUlW  miMwlry  M  <^tru&^  ^vl  •  tommrtwd  minulry  u  rMriU«a/."— O.  U.  I. 

▼•«.  S— 16.— f7«rf  |ir>iwiai  wUM  kit  p^^  Thero  bM  bam  m  •d.Mwt  eb«n»«  la 
tk«  borisoo  uf  Kiikha'a  hf«.  Krum  iho  quiei  work  uf  cutuo^  d"*'^  tr_.  ...  .  ,  i. 
int  •  eollrfjo,  b*  u  ■uiidaulj   (mllod  u|>>ii   to   stAiMl   •  ■ioK*   f' 

TbrM  Cllkli.-W   do    C».>lll«    til    V.,t>   liVfi    of    111    'I    of    a*.         II'\!li    ■ 

•k'kiioM.     Krt<n>i»liip  su  u^^ 

povcity.      Siicli  cb.tu>;''»  >  ».  ,     ,| 

too  Cburcb  of  CK*L     At  ouo  liiuo  all  fto«iu»  Ui^ut ;  lu«  uc»t  i.  i 

•MOM  d*rk    ind  d»icuurj.;uij».      It  U   well  to  bo    prrjiafel     or  •  ^ 

they  route.  The  truo  acrvaiit  of  Qud  will  b«ad  tb«m  vw/  UiU«l.  lim  Uvm  t«ui  uiMior 
^l  AiMVc,  Lbo  Ibiiigi  ol  oarlb.  ' 

**  A*  K>n>e  Udl  rliflT  thut  lifta  ita  swftil  fans, 
8Mflla  fnun  the  vali ,  m»1  nmlway  eleaTt«  th«  atnra, 

Thoii^'b  nuud  ita  bi««ui  the  mlltDK  elouda  mrm  aprBad. 
litvmai  ■uuabiud  totUoa  ou  iu  boad." 

8»R  WM  «ith  Rlinha.     WhartTer  you  fiod  him,  h«  alwun  a^^ema  tha  Mina.     On  tha 

br«««iit  , , .  t>  1  t  I-  ( in-umstJinoet  were  aiicb  aa  to  BtriKo  terrur  to  ibo  r'  •— •  •  -\rt. 
I  kt  llio  aigbl  tbnt  met  bim  when   b«  roM  th^:  ntd 

1  y  walla.     A  mit;hty  boat,  witb  burs«a  and  ch^i.     u,    ...  m- 

pxl^^«<d  ibo  city  niuuii  al>out.  It  was  an  uuex])ectty!  attack.  No  fsroM  weie  wuhia 
tV'  r:ty  to  defrnd  it  a^iast  aucb  a  n.igbty  boet.  ElUba  waa  tha  only  ooe  «r:,um  tba 
!  army  w.iitwl.      In  tba  desire  for  aelf-pr.  uervation,  it  waa  not  unlikely  that 

.ADU  of  Dutban  mi^bt  gire  biin  up  to  the  etiemy,  and  thoa  turn  aw^y  tba 
ii....icr  :ru!u  tbcir  gate^.  From  a  human  puiut  of  riew  it  waa  uo  wonder  tb»t  Kliitbt'a 
aervant  Bad,  **  Alas,  my  master  I  bow  shall  we  do?"  There  waa  no  tarrur  it.  Kli  .;a'a 
(act?,  DO  itaaic  in  bis  beirt,  at  this  startling  news.  What  calmneaa,  what  courage, 
whut  subuiue  confi'lence  there  ia  in  tb&t  answer  of  his,  "  Ft-ar  not :  for  tbey  t!.at  Ita 
with  us  are  more  than  tiiey  that  be  wiib  them  I**  And  what  wot  (he  tfcret  1/ kit  oui^ 
fi'l-ncef  Tlie  one  reason  of  Elisha's  coufi>leuc«  and  calm  waa  that  G  -i'a  prebeiice  waa 
aitb  him.  What  a  beautiful  fultilment  of  that  proiniaa,  **  Thou  shalt  hiie  them  il  tha 
•eciet  of  thy  presence  from  the  priiie  of  man ;  thou  fhalt  keep  them  arcrctly  in  a 
pavilion  from  the  ftnfe  of  tongues  **,!     We     •  -    f-^-n  this  story — 

I.    God's  PKEtiKKCB  WITH  ULd  PKOPl.E  I»   -  aLLT  RaAiaZED  BTTHRIR  FKKMIBa. 

It  «aa  ao  OU  the  occasion  b<:f<<re  ua.   The  k.    ,       .  ^ria  commt-nced  anuther  warAgai'.at 
laraeL     He  held,  at  we  should  say,  a  countu  ol  war,  at.d  c<>ubuU'.o  muh  hi*  geLeraia 
Oonciniii-'  tLe  arrangements  for  the  campaign.     He  thou^ut,  by  ekufil  siratrgv,  to 
taktr  '  f  Israel  unawares.     But  all  hia  {lans  and  maLoru^  res  were  ibworted  in 

•o:.  '  A  way.      The  King  of  iarael  set-mi-d  to  ki  ow  all  bia  muTcu.eula  a.tb 

c    ■'■  I.'       iiiiy  than  a  clever  player  at  a  game  of  skill  might  antic  {>ate  th;*  movecof  t.ia 
b]  .    li' ;.:.    Sereral  timea  in  this  way  the  King  of  Israel  aared  bin.M-X    At  Ia2>t  the  King 
of  Syria  te^.iii  to  Iv  susi'icioua.     Tiiere  mu&t  be  a  tndtor  in  tlie  camp.     S^me  of  thcae 
en'M)ing  the  king's  confidence  must  be  revealing  his  plans  to  the  enf">T.     Ar:d  so  ba 
asks,  *•  VV  ill  \  e  not  show  me  which  of  us  ia  for  the  King  of  Israel  f  "  ~-   ria 

waa  an  able  t.'eueral ;  but  like  another  great  c<-neral  of  modem  t:  ib« 

Great,  the.''  e  forcas  that  he  did  t.  Ticiaut  account '  f  .c  u  not 

always  to  I  or  tba  battle  to  the  ^  .era  ara  other  t  military 

akill  and  bi^  oaiui..uu*  to  ba  th         *    '  .  :b  to  battle.     \>  l  '   tha 

English  king,  came  forth  to  tK  beforv  the  buttle  of  a, 

he  aaa  artouiahed  at  the  ^v  -'    '  _  v..  .  -  ;  to  receive  tha  attack  ui  u  :<  lui^uiy 

army,     but  they  wara  pu'.  .  in  the  God  of  baitlea,  and  praaaatly  ha  aaw 

the  unusual  ki  ':  t  i<f  the  y,..  ..  .  .  -'-"my,  as  ibeircu*lum  waa,  knaaljnr  down  and 

afferiu.;  a  r  r  to  God.      "  l^<..i' ve  i:  t ,"  t^ud  the  geoeial  who  rodaoy  hia  *>ida, 

•you  met.  r  dia"      Of  th  it  uu>tvh  1' .«er,  in  whoac  l  i    "s  are  thp  L^>ui^  o| 

battle,  the  bvnau  king  took  no  aixxiuut.     He  did  luti  rtaitm  '■  l^b 

•»t(A  ki»  j<opU.     Is  not  tbu  tha  mu>uka  «bti.b  tha  atMOueaol  '  ^da 

la  ail  agea?      It  waa  lUu  mi»taka  of  the  paiaaootoca  aad  oppraMun  U  ImtwaL.      It  waa 


132  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.         [ch.  vi.  1— 3S 

the  mistake  of  those  who  persecuted  the  Reformers  of  England,  Scotland,  France, 
and  Switzerland.  It  was  the  mistake  which  Pharaoh  made  when  he  refused  to  let  the 
children  of  Israel  go.  It  was  the  mistake  which  Herod  made  when  he  thought  to 
crush  the  new  kingdom  that  was  yet  to  arise,  by  slaughtering  the  helpless  babes  in 
Bethlehem  and  its  r.eigli  hour  hood.  It  was  the  mistake  which  Nero  made  in  his  perso- 
cutions  of  the  Christians  at  R(ime.  It  was  the  mistake  which  Louis  XIV.  of  France 
made  when  he  revoked  the  famous  Edict  of  Nantes.  It  is  the  mistake  which  the  Romnn 
Curia  has  made  in  all  agts,  in  thinking  to  crush  out  civil  and  religious  liberty  by 
the  tortures  of  the  Inquisition,  by  the  martyrdoms  of  the  scaffold  and  the  stake,  by  the 
massacres  in  the  Waldensian  valley,  by  the  autos-da-fe  of  Spain.  The  same  thwg  may 
he  said  of  the  unheliever  and  the  sceptic.  They  have  not  realized  that  the  presence  of 
the  living  God  is  with  his  Church  and  in  the  midst  of  her,  and  that  he,  in  his  own  way 
and  in  his  own  time,  can  vindicate  his  own  truth.  How  often,  during  these  eighteen 
hundred  years,  has  the  unbeliever  exulted  in  what  he  has  called  the  overthrow  of 
Christianity!  and  yet  how  vain  and  foolish  the  boast  has  proved  to  be!  Voltaire 
boasted  that  with  one  hand  he  would  overthrow  the  Chrisiianity  which  it  had  required 
twelve  apostles  to  build  up.  "  At  this  day,  the  press  which  he  employed  at  Feruey  lo 
print  his  blasphemies  is  actually  emj^loyed  at  Geneva  in  ])rinting  the  Holy  Scrii)tures.'* 
May  we  not  still  say,  as  we  think  of  the  enemies  of  the  truth,  the  enemies  of  virtue, 
the  enemies  of  religion,  and  as  we  listen  to  their  audacious  boasts,  "He  that  sitteth 
in  the  heavens  shall  laugh  ;  the  Lord  shall  have  them  in  derisi<in  "  ? 

II.  God's  presence  with  his  people  is  not  realized  by  many  amoxgst  them- 
BEi.vES.  Elisha's  servant,  no  doubt,  bcliisved  in  God.  If  any  one  had  denied  God's 
presence  with  his  people,  he  would  doubtless  have  firmly  asserted  it  as  his  belief.  Yet 
when  the  time  came  to  put  his  belief  to  a  practical  test,  we  see  how  slight  a  hold  it 
had  taken  of  him.  When  he  went  forth  in  the  morning  and  saw  the  horses  and 
chariots  and  the  mighty  host  encompassing  the  city  round  about,  he  said  to  Klisha, 
•*  Alas,  my  master  1  how  shall  we  do  ?  "  Do  you  never  feel  a  sensation  like  Elisha's 
servant?  You  believe  you  are  a  child  of  God,  you  believe  that  God  takes  care  of  his 
people,  yet  perhaps  there  are  times  when  you  are  unduly  anxious  about  your  business, 
and  allow  yourself  to  be  weighed  down  by  foolish  and  causeless  fears.  How  many  are 
alarmed  by  the  thought  of  si<kness  in  themselves  or  in  their  families,  and  nervously 
ask,  "  What  shall  we  do?"  Oh  that  we  would  learn  to  realize  God's  ])resence  with  us  ! 
"  My  times  are  in  thy  hand."  In  the  same  way,  how  many  professing  Christians  are 
there  who  do  not  auiiiciently  realize  God's  presence  in  his  Ghurchl  lluw  much  more 
active  we  should  be,  how  much  more  earnest  in  Christian  work,  if  we  realized  that  God 
is  working  with  us  I  With  what  power  a  minister  ought  to  preach  if  he  could  only 
remember  to  say  with  John  the  Baptist,  "There  cometh  One  mightier  than  I  after 
me  "  1  Then  how  many  are  enslly  discouraged  hy  difficnlties.  Some  are  always  saying 
when  they  bee  a  difliculty  iu  the  way,  "  What  shall  we  do?"  "Who  will  roll  u> 
away  the  stone?"  Sume  are  always  imagining  difficulties  and  foresoein.:  them  at  t\\v 
very  begiiming  of  a  work.  This  spirit  of  timidity,  of  fear,  is  a  great  hindrance  in 
Christian  work.  Half-belief  is  almost  as  bad  as  no  belief,  in  this  respect,  llalf-hoarted- 
newi  in  roligioUH  work  is  one  of  the  greatest  hiiulraiices  to  its  success.  In  this,  as  in 
•  ▼erytliing  eli-o,  the  maxim  holds  good,  "  \Vhatsoev('r  thy  hand  findeth  to  do,  do  it 
with  thy  mi'/ht."  The  half- h'rai led  ten  out  of  the  twelve  spies  sent  to  viiMv  the 
promised  land  frightcni<l  tlie  Israilitcs  from  going  uji,  and  nearly  caused  (!od,  hi 
lii«  righteous  tin'.Mtr  at  tlnir  unhclief,  to  disinlieril  them  altogether.  Thv.  half-hmrted 
inhabilanln  of  (lulilte  provent<'<i  the  blessing  of  the  Saviour  of  men  resting  upon  them, 
ior  wo  read  that  "lie  old  not  many  mighty  works  there  bccaiiHe  of  tiicir  unbelief." 
Tlie  half-lierirted  Jo'hiners  of  (Jhrislophvr  Cohnnhus  nearly  ])revcnlod  him  from  dis- 
(ovoring  America.  Tliuru  Im  no  room  lur  half-liejirte<lnesH  iu  roligiou.  Tliere  in  a  loud 
cull  for  dr-riNJon  and  firmniHH  both  in  belief  and  in  conduct. 

III.    Ooi/h  rUKHKNOK   WITH    IIIH    FKOI'I.K  IH  ALWAYS  RK  A  I,I/.KI>  JIT    III«    TUtTK  RKHVAWTH 

The  King  of  Syria  did  not  rnali/.o  that  Oou'h  jiri'sence  was  with  Iiih  |)('o|)1o,  and  ho  was 
at  IiIh  wiln'  end  to  know  liow  to  rirciimvont  thnin.  Mlisha's  Horyant  did  not  realize 
that  (iod'N  jiri'nnnc«^  wan  with  himHrlfarul  his  master;  and  how  panic-Ntricki'ii  )io  was  at 
the  dan^"  r  ihni  iKfiriityl  lo  threaten  thotn  I  Hui  tliore  was  onn  miin  for  whom  the  armies 
of  ih»  K  uiK  of  Syria  Uiul  no  t^^rrur,  to  whom  dlfliculliiH  hmughl  no  dlsnniy,  and  Uiat  wajt 


ca.  n.1— M.         iill  BSOUND  BuOK   <»r  TUI  KINOA  \M 


|h«l  •»  !•■  y 

ih»i  »•■                   ..'     .V.  ii  :.-4  v<« 

rt*lltc                                  '•  ^«<*ollC«   WMK  ry 

k«T(l  »1  ■...;■■ .  •  f . 

ImaIv  II.O  Iltoot  f 

Uod,  **  nut   '  M 

vtib  blm.     ly  i« 

Ivrful  Mitm;  •»• 

Hut  be  «>    .  .  »t 

Toa    karc    it    i'l    !.lt  i-  ; 

Ibwvf  4 

l«0  ft  w. 


•ioutl  Au«i  Ut  givs  liiMu  tha  Ticturj  over  aii  th 


1*C 

1* 

a. 

,»l 

»  r  M 

»;.  . 

^U   i*V) 

We  will  nut  be  afraid." 

Ommrkmprmetkm.                 ■n*.     1.  It  it  %rtU  to  ha  om  Ooft  $Ut,  Tn  a  ttm*  of 

^■af«r  or  of  troubU,  ^                 ^aj  peuple  txp«ct  Gud  to  be  on  tLcir  f.  •,«><••  hav* 

Mvv  t  '                  ,                    .   thomMlTW  on  Lit  ciJa.     If  juu  -.Lc 

WMpe.1                                         .  praaaoe*  vith  jou  in  your  time  of  i.  ^  rt, 

ihr   lU.-M    ):..;     :iiui   ij^ucslKli  you  OOuId   OOW  *-'»-     ,               '           "'   "  ?  »4l.c  »  " 

SL  A  wuru  to  tliuee  who  are  Ooid't  people    Umi'  iiMOilwr 

that  jou  have  unlimiittl  reoourees  at  yuar  eomiu -^ i .  i.      >>  f  huw 

Utile  we  are  attmii  tii)g  to  do  for  God,  when  we  luTe  t  .   u/ 

Pitinp  jtr*c«  to  Lilp  ua.     8     V,,^  rw/er  yvm/f  to  h»  u  y  ».»^ 

cw   ir*      Tur  greater  the  >                   the  neater  ahould  :  of  Um 

Christian.     **L,tooun»je  ;  •cr.       Luther  aaii^  _  .  „  ^oge  ol 

\<\it><!  and  hope  and  i  -.  iDomenta  uf  Lu  UiOb     'lliuee  wlu>  tuTe  Gud 

w.ib  liiem  OAD  aflbrd  I  .  k.oeM. — C  11.  L 


Vera.  17— 28.— fyei  efoMd,  an^  «yai  npmti.     L  Km  oxmxd.     I.   TV  ytmng  ma^'a 

«^'>  M>rfv  dottd,     Ue  did  not  aee  the  hoTMa  and  chariule  of  fir«  th.>t  wrrr  jt 

K   't^a      H«  did  nnt  r*-«lia9  that  dclireranoe  waa  at  haad.     lluw  tuauy  x!9 

I                                     '        !,  to  the  prv'vi.'.rno**  of  G>«1 1     How  m^ny  arr  m» 

a                                                r  t«rmp(.>ral  advaiiU;«,  but  alow  to  •urn  i\.x\   w  .a 

t'.                                             >  manr  mm  do  hoauijr  tn  CbrUt  I    2.  -'• 

€i<-i       L                               act  of  God  in  ravu-'oae  to  Klt»ha'a  ^  a 

•;         ■^'                                     "^ociug  they  ahall  at«,  but  tkot  j«c:.  y 

•  sad."     It  ia  a  B|iirit(ial  law  which  i  a 
^                                                        'i»c  any  of  our  bodily  powert,  tLc 

*  al  poweriL  if  aafieeud,  will  •(>>.«  bc> 
''«•••     f                                                     "'•*«•  •nd  opportuaitios  aikd  t*lri,'.- 

^«a  CiT«Q  aa.  tcM  utey  be  ukaa  troai  ua  Juigtber.    **  To  bus  that  hath  ahaii  be  givea.* 


184  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.         [oh.  vi.  1— S3. 

that  is,  to  him  that  hath  made  a  good  rue  of  his  talents ;  "  and  from  him  that  hath  not " 
— fix)m  him  that  has  so  neglected  his  talents  that  they  are  practically  not  hi$ — "  shall 
be  taken  away  even  that  which  he  hath." 

II.  Eyes  opened.  1.  The  Syrians'  eyes  were  opened  to  see  their  true  condition. 
Instead  of  being  a  victorious  army,  with  Elisha  a  captive  in  their  hands,  they  find  that 
he  has  them  in  his  power,  and  has  led  them  into  the  midst  of  Samaria  and  into  the 
presence  of  the  King  of  Israel.  They  then  saw  how  defenceless  and  how  helpless  they 
were.  That  is  the  first  step  in  the  path  of  salvation.  The  first  step  for  a  sinner  is  to 
see  his  need.  So  with  Banyan's  pilgrim.  The  first  thought  that  led  him  to  set  out 
on  his  journey  was  the  feeling  of  his  utter  helplessness.  "  Sir,  I  perceive  by  the  book 
in  mv  hand  that  I  am  condemned  to  die,  and  after  that  to  come  to  jU(i<j:inent  (Heb. 
ix.  27);  and  I  find  that  I  am  not  wiUing  to  do  the  first  (Job  xvi.  lil),  nor  able 
to  do  the  second  (Ezek.  ixii.  14)."  "  Lord,  show  me  myself."  2.  The  young  man's 
eyes  were  opened  to  see  that  deliverance  was  at  hand.  "The  Lord  opened  tlie  eyes  of 
the  yotmg  man  ;  and  he  saw  :  and,  behold, the  mountain  was  full  of  horsts  and  chariots 
of  fire  round  about  Elisha."  This  is  the  second  step  in  the  sinner's  salvation.  Having 
seen  his  need,  he  next  needs  to  see  the  Saviour.  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world!"  Have  you  seen  your  true  condition,  your  spiiitual 
need?     Have  you  seen  your  need  of  Jesus  as  your  Saviour? 

•*  When  free  grace  awoke  me,  by  light  froiu  on  high, 
Then  legal  fears  shook  me,  I  trembled  to  die; 
No  refuge,  no  safety  in  self  could  I  see — 
Jehovah  Tsidkenu  my  Saviour  must  b& 

•  My  terrors  all  vanished  before  the  sweet  Name ; 
My  guilty  fears  banished,  with  boldness  I  cam« 
To  drink  at  the  fountain,  life-giving  and  tree — 
Jehovah  Tsidkena  is  all  things  to  me." 

in.  The  poweb  or  pbayeb.     Eliaha's  prayers  prevailed  three  times  in  this  short 

Dftfraiive.  There  may  be  some  one  known  to  us  whose  eyes  ar<-  clo>ed,  who  is  spiritually 
blind.  Have  we  brought  the  case  to  God  in  prayer  ?  Is  it  a  wamiiiing  sou  ?  "  Lord, 
I  pray  th'C,  o|>en  his  eyes,  that  he  may  see.  Is  it  a  wayward  diumhtcr?  a  godless 
friend  ?  We  may  not  reach  them  by  our  words  ;  bnt  we  can  reach  them  by  our  prayers, 
IV.  The  powkb  of  Divine  grace.  Elisha  did  not  exult  in  his  triumph  over  liis 
enernies.  He  did  not  take  advantage  of  their  helplessness.  They  had  coino  to  take 
him  captive,  yjerhaps  to  take  away  his  life;  but  he  heaps  coals  of  fire  on  their  head. 
The  King  of  Israel  wanted  to  smite  them.  But  Elisha  reminds  him  (according  to  one 
view)  that  it  wa.s  not  customary  to  smite  even  captives  taken  in  war:  how  much  less 
tihould  he  smile  those  who  had  been  put  within  his  power,  not  by  any  exertions  of  his 
own,  hill  hy  the  miniculous  iuterjioHition  of  God  I  On  the  contrary,  Pilisha  rcconimeiids 
that  they  shouid  Ije  well  treated  and  well  f(d.  This  was  done.  And  what  was  iho 
c<jii»«!qnence?  "So  the  bands  of  Syria  ciime  no  more  into  the  land  of  Isracd."  This 
little  act  of  kirtdneu  hatl  turned  away  tlnir  nrrath.  What  an  examj)l(<  for  us  to 
iiiiiLfito  i/i..aid  ihi'i-e  who  treat  us  ill  1  "Be  not  overcome  of  evil,  but  overcome  evil 
with  ijooU," — Cj.  11.  I. 

Vers.  24 — ^.3. — Samaria  hesieqed.  L  A  oiTT  nf  dirtiiicrh.  Onc«  more  the  peo|)le 
of  Sarna'ia  Were  in  gieiii  hi  nuts.  A  hesicgin.:  army  was  at  their  gat(<s,  and,  most  torrihiu 
ol  all,  ih'-  horrorw  <jf  fimiiKi  were  vsiihln  tin  ii  wnlls.  Thoy  weid  rediiceil  to  the  gn'at<'Ht 
i-xtrejuiti'-N.  Th<-  Women  were  uclually  hcgiiiiiin:;  to  c<iok  and  eat  their  own  cliildren. 
Whichever  way  lln-y  |ixjkc4i,  the  proHjx  ct  was  dirk,  'i'o  open  the  gates  to  the  Syrians 
iiicaMt  dfalh  or  (-u|)iiTily.  And  the  longer  they  remained  within  their  wal's,  the  more 
c nidiilv  deaih  aricl  ntnrvulion  Mfared  lliein  in  th«  fuee.  .S>r  hre  the  evil  rrsult  of 
fitrmktntj  (Itxl.  T<*  mir.h  extremities  lh«y  had  hroilght  thomselvj-H  liy  thoir  own  Niiin. 
I'hny  IimI  f'lxkk'n  thn  living  (tixi,  nn<l  now  thr<ir  falw  (.mmIh  were  not  nlilo  to  help  thorn 
In  th«  day  of  lh<Mr  enlairdly.  it  in  an  evil  day  in  a  man's  hintory  when  he  tnrnu  hia 
hrifk  ii{><>n  flo<i'«  Wnril,  ii|K>ii  O'kI'h  eommnndinenta,  ii|hiii  (IoiIh  Son.  A*  it  oft^Ti 
liAppaua,  Ihetr  caiamttifM  fufi  hnrdtned  thr%r  hmtlt  und  biindat  their  eyef.     There  way 


ri    1-53] 


TUK  SI'jOoND  DOOK  UP  THE   KINGA. 


^1  ^-   .*  .   (h«  ■•■  of  Ooi,  In  liMir  dty— 4i»*  MMl  wbu,  by  09^  :  ^kc 

It'                1  of  ilHifcw.  bad  4aUt«rt^  Um  1I.«Uu»  iak'  i^i                                •> 

Biutk«y  ted  iwf 

iWjr  bUoM  bin  <  .                    « 

M(   iblo  difBoiilUMk  Ui»y  •!       ^^b^    uvu.«*    *.4 

2i(ftculti«*  eocce  apcm  n«,  r  ««rch  uu/  uab  b«i«iu  Bf>4 

11.  A  rif"  m  m if  kMttirm  ol  tktm  pf^-\-^ 

IUm»(v  (?.     B«»  t«  b«  «r 

Ood,*!.  • 

bMbob  • 

«AlUd  u  i> 


?  o 


out-.^ 

bu 

He 

Wt 

malm! 

fur 
O  . 


I   i«   in  d.' 

til    tile    < 

with  Jeliu.'aiii  Itl  :c. 

Well   fuf   Uii*e    »h.i. 


Ilk 


I 
of  OtM  u/  ibMS 

Su  hctm  Jabutam 
>|l«i  »b«ll 

la  tbu  eaaa 

rc«;jot4ibU 

-<«  aad 

9  tb« 


i;  c  v». 
mmI  tb> 

\  1—7.— .4 

If  Ibara  wn 

CUlUlirtl   »   iJi 

aarrailv«,ibt««<oi%  m^ 
and  a*  aoeli  fear  Uua^  - 
pffiM»  •Itould  poadtf  ati 
L  TbU  Ob«i«k<«slr: 
Tba  ofal  cpbara  hMl  bc^ 

b  too  •' 


,    1    HI..    icAJ'  Uo  evil  . 

CIL  L 

.«.     -Al 


ior  u 


pciaeipi 


ftad  eta 
vbob(. 
Od  s" 

rei.. 

all: 

H 

b:  . 

a  T  ^ 


Ntiua.     Tba  faei  b 


ii^T   lud 


•  J-.    r.r  u.-   etc 


ibam,  lb«j  had  (Mtcrova  iL     '^  A;.^  Lb* 

1  cow,  Um  plaor  w)>ar«  w«  dvrll  wiiii  Um* 

Usiao  Ut  fflirbi  ai'd  liir  ioci&k-  uf 

r  wkot*  pUea  ooold  a&>rvl.     T  u  i»  a 

vjotad  t  Ml  \m  tba*F  mudent  tin.ra  u  t* 

aieb  rtatbUoi  *bo«  Ui«i  iitt  cii:.'«.  i^c* 

ioeaaUBadalba  iiBwiMry    •.ir   iitm 

■r«d  forlkaWIBbwaf  a'lri'^'^t.u. 

' — ^  "'  "^^trnmy  oo«iinbiii<o   ^^ 

^  attaad.    Attd  >«t  »ull, 

ag  at  aa«  cburcb*  la 

'.i  c/  .  iLr  oaia  ul  nuMiard 

..  »*.e     U  ».U-.'.». 

-    1    ■  4  '      1     ■▲«»«&.      L    /'*• 


136  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.         [oh.  vi.  1—33. 

test  cotintd  teas  sought  he/ore  a  step  was  taken.  These  sons  of  the  pruphets  went  to 
Elisha  and  said,  "  Let  us  go,  we  pray  thee,  unto  Jordan."  Though  they  were  young, 
perhaps  with  all  the  stirring  impulses  of  youth,  they  were  conscious  of  their  need  of 
counsel,  and  they  sought  it.  In  these  modern  timis  iu  England — we  speak  from  exten- 
sive experience — churches  and  chapels  are  often  built  from  ignorant  zeal  and  a  spirit 
of  rivalry.  How  unmanly  is  this!  2.  Each  man  set  to  honest  work  in  the  matter. 
"  Let  us  go,  we  pray  thee,  unto  Jordan,  and  take  thence  every  man  a  beam,  and  lee  us 
make  us  a  place  there,  where  we  may  dwell."  Matthew  Henry  quaintly  says,  "When 
they  wanted  room  they  did  not  speak  of  sending  for  cedars,  and  marble  stones,  and 
curious  artificers,  but  only  of  getting  every  man  a  beam,  to  run  up  a  plain  hut  or 
cottage  with."  Each  man,  it  would  seem,  felled  his  beam,  carried  and  adjusted  it. 
How  right,  manly,  and  honest  all  this!  They  never  thought  of  putting  up  a  grand 
place  at  other  people's  expense.  Ah  me!  how  far  we  are  fallen  in  spirit  from  them  ! 
To  erect  modern  churches  and  chapels,  what  means  do  we  use  ?  Fawning  entreaties, 
addressed  to  moneyed  ignorance  and  stupidity,  bazaars  with  their  questionable  pro- 
cedures, their  displays,  their  raffles,  and  their  flirtations. 

UL  This  Church-extension  enterprise  encountered  difficulties  unexpected. 
"  And  when  they  came  to  Jordan,  they  cut  down  wood.  But  as  one  was  felling  a 
beam,  the  axe-head  fell  into  the  water  :  and  he  cried,  and  said,  Alas,  master !  for  it  was 
borrowed."  Why  this  distress  of  the  woodman  ?  Was  it  because  the  axe  was  borrowed 
and  he  had  not  the  wherewith  to  pay,  or  because  he  was  checked  in  his  operation? 
Perhaps  both  were  reasons  for  his  distress.  The  former  I  trow  the  greater.  In  all 
worthy  enterprises  on  this  earth  difficulties  crop  up  unawares.  Perhaps  the  best 
enterprises  encounter  the  greatest  difficulties.  "  The  race  is  not  to  the  swift,  nor  the 
battle  to  the  strong."  But  difficulties  are  in  truth  blessings  in  disguise.  They 
challenge  the  courage  and  rouse  the  forces  of  the  worker.  They  bring  out  his  manhood. 
They  are  to  the  true  worker  what  tempests  are  to  young  trees — they  deepen  tlie  roots 
and  strengthen  the  fibres.  Besides,  there  is  no  consciousness  of  virtue  iu  doing  that 
which  involves  no  struggle. 

IV.  This  Church-extension  enterprise  obtained  supernaturaIj  help  when  needed. 
When  tlie  man  who  had  lost  his  axe  was  crying  out  iu  distress,  Elisha,  the  "  man  of 
G"d  Kaid,  Where  fell  it?  And  ho  showed  him  tlie  place.  And  ho  cut  down  a  stick, 
and  cast  it  in  thither;  and  the  iron  did  swim.  Tlicroforo  said  he.  Take  it  up  to  thee. 
And  he  put  out  his  hand,  and  took  it."  Elisha  here,  by  raising  the  axe  and  nuUung 
the  iron  swin,  overcame  a  law  of  nature — the  law  of  gravitation.  Up  to  this  point 
in  this  enterpriso  there  does  not  seem  to  have  been  any  8U|)cruatural  interposition. 
Th<-y  prosecuted  their  journeying,  they  cut  down  the  timber,  thoy  carried  llieir  lieams, 
all  l>y  their  own  natural  skill  and  force.  They  did  not  require  supernatural  aid.  But 
nuwoDf;  of  them  did,  and  it  caine.  Wi'  must  not  expect  any  special  power  from  heaven 
tu  du  that  which  uo  have  the  natural  fuic«  tu  accomplish  oursulvcu.  "  As  thy  day,  bo 
thy  Btren^th  shall  be."— D.  T. 

Vcm.  8— 23.— 77wr  Kint]  of  Syria  and  Elisha.  "Then  the  King  of  Syria  warred 
»KftitiMt  iHraid,"  <  to.  In  theHo  Hixtoen  verscH  wo  have  four  sulijicls  worih  looking  into 
— wickodnetiH  lhwart<Ml,  timidity  dlHpulled,  HUpuruatural  power  inanifualed,and  revenue 
overc-x)inc. 

i.  WicKKDNKHH  TiiwAUTKn.  Tho  Kiii^  of  Ryrift  had  dctflnnined  on  an  «'iitcr|iriH«  of 
bl'i>idjth'-<l  and  wii  1(<;  irxHi.  Ho  had  iiiadii  nil  nrniii'^i-niciits,  II.vmI  on  tho  nlaco  lor  liiH 
rAiii[i.  "  In  Nii<  li  mid  hiicIi  a  placo  Hlinll  Ixt  niy  caiii|>."  IdU  KliHlia  iliwaittMi  \.\w  blooily 
|"ir|K»»Mj  of  Ih''  Kvtiaii  kiiin  tiy  infiMiiiiiig  tin-  iHiatlitiHli  inonmch,  .IcIioraMi,  of  tho  very 
plitco  w hero  tint  SyriaiiH  luiil  deiirnii  ud  l<>  •■neaiii|i.  IIim  woidn  urn,  "  Howaio  thai 
thmi  |4Uiii  not  MiH'i  M  pliiof! ;  for  (liiilinr  tlm  SynniiN  urn  coiiin  down."  Tho  kin^  ultiiidcd 
I'l  thr  pro|tti(!t'ii  ilireciiortK,  "ami  navod  linnMcIf  I  hero,  not  oiui-  nor  twno."  Tonible 
VM  tl>('  diiui|>|>'iiiittn<Mit  uf  (lie  Syrian  tiioniircli.  "  Tlin  Innn  ol  llio  Kiii)^  of  Hv  rla  wai 
•uro  troiiblxi  Uir  thin  'Idn.';  nml  lie  callivl  hiN  MnrvmilN,  nnl  Haul  iiiilo  tnuin,  Will  yo 
not  Khow  tn«  which  n(  iin  In  for  flni  Kln(t  of  Ihiarl?  An!  oni<  of  Ium  HrrvaiilH  Hald, 
S'oM,  my  lonl.  O  kill!! :  hiil  KPhIiu.  ilm  |iru|<lint  tlint  In  in  IhiiicI,  inlli<ih  llic  Kin^of 
larMi  till)  wxrdii  Una  tlmn  (i|Niik<Ki  m  thy  lK<<)i<|i;itnli«r."  ()lmi<ivi<:  I.  '1  Inil  wickod 
%tm  iiii«l  ••■cr«tM«  to  lliMtr  pui|hnmmi.     ll  wuuld  auuiu  ibfti  llie  pUua  ol   lii«  iviug 


ML  VI.  I— ^a^:       f9M  ■■ooifo  BOOK  nr  TUK  y 


UT 


%k9j  •«««  r«ic«*«i  W>  ih*ui  te  kte  hi<tcfc>iiihf       I  b«r«>.  mm!  |>c<fe*««  Umtv  only.  4l4  h» 
4M*ia  UMB.a<Nlt«ik4|«  « lib  «la»i44oan  tad  aoli  •  kt*f •!«»(«     Wic4«4  im*,  to  «4« 

lor  Umm  u  ibte  MorrtivMM*. 

lO   b*   Oprti    ftttU 
t.   1\M  t.x^e  u:   . 

It      Th***  U  ( • 


A   !.,^     ■.  f    ,    .,.     ^«      -           .    . 

•>'"  i%,%hmmimm 

'*,  u«4aHMs, 

MM   l«l^ii« 

u*  OM  ailtjrt 

•     W'.^    liVil. 

•aa 

-       •!! 

-41"        X     ILc 

U  AsicUd 

o  to  th*  cma*  <  ' 

BOOMC^ 

>    VM   to 

4m6m  ' 

«M  to 

—    '. 

7 

»• 

II.    i  .M.:<ri  1 


b.i  I  . 


c«,e|«(. 


i-  a 

»  If 

L   In  ujviuiii;    ■'  :•  •erraoL      li    it.  bttu^iut;  utt<ir.'  i  .i   u ''.k»  Um 

moottto'B  vhkii  ■  .-:uu>jfdr«                                                   '.h« 

my«d  uaiu  lite 


•  Vr>    «rl< 


aaa  Umu  tosy   teuc.  .  •  IB  Ui 

lfcainaiia»'*  Ib  tft*  L-^au 

IV.  Bbtskmb  ortu  1.1  r»vaal«d  ^.^ 

■ftoidarotta  |Jm  Ib  tLc  7c<w  aa4  tkc 

fiao  <f  Iw  wipiicn.  »**  ^^^  and 

chaibti  and  a  ff««»  ku*i ;  mtvmt.' 

Bom  Hnumdj  w  u-  ..  jxf. 


\ 

▲ad  iki»  iMUaff  »v 

haifaf«i  liiaai  tob*  ix- 

witkia  U«  vary  grM|>  .^,^, 

advMi  Um  King  o(  U.  >  aow  7    *-                          u/ 

it"'  "  D«aui7  t                .» **. 

Ba  aaatte-'nl- **  <kf«ib«trL>                %k» 

Uhmb  I  f  tMirdaa"?    i»ia  te  My. 

**  D»(  ka  Mid,  **  twl  brvaa  aod 

■alar  my  m    »                   ^ad  fa  to  tlMlr  maMar.     Aad  ba 

l«»faf^  .  i'a»ii  ■i.<^              aaaaiaaaad  drwak,  teaaat  u     < 


138  THE   SECOND   BOOK   OF   THE   KINGS.  [ch.  vi.  1— 33. 

•way,  and  they  went  to  their  master."  What  was  the  result  of  this  generous  treat- 
ment 'f  Did  they  go  away  with  the  old  passion  of  veoiieance  burning  in  them  ?  Away 
Vo  reorganize  themselves  in  greater  numbers  and  with  greater  force  to  make  another 
attack  ?  No.  Here  is  the  result :  '*  So  the  bands  of  Syria  came  no  more  into  the  land 
of  Israel."  The  magnanimous  kindness  extinguished  the  flames  and  paralyzed  the  arms 
of  revenge,  so  that  they  came  no  more  into  the  land  of  Israel.  This  is  the  Divine  way, 
nay,  the  only  way,  of  conquering  our  enemies.  Evil  can  only  be  overcome  by  good. 
The  most  glorious  victory  over  an  enemy  is  to  torn  him  into  a  friend. — D.  T. 

Vers.  15 — 17. — Invincible  helpers  of  the  good.  "  And  when  the  serv&nt  of  the 
man  of  God  was  risen,"  etc.  The  context  illustrates  two  circumstances  too  frequently 
overlooked,  but  ever  demanding  the  recognition  and  study  of  mankind.  1.  The  value 
of  a  good  man  to  his  country.  The  Syrian  monarch  makes  war  with  Israel;  his 
counsels  are  formed,  his  arrangements  are  complete,  and  sanguine  are  his  hopes  of 
victory.  But  there  is  a  good  man  in  Israel — Elisha — who  reads  the  hidden  purpose 
of  the  Syrian  despot,  sounds  the  alarm,  puts  his  country  on  its  guard,  invokes  Heaven, 
and  thus  confounds  the  wily  stratagems  and  thwarts  the  murderous  purposes  of  the 
fi>e.  "  So  the  bands  of  Syria  came  no  more  into  the  land  of  Israel."  True  piety 
is  the  source  of  true  patriotism ;  its  prayers  and  prophecies  are  the  sure  **  defences  "  of 
nations.  This  idea  is  dawning  on  tiie  world  now ;  and  in  coming  periods  will  blaze 
in  broad  daylight  on  mankind.  We  shall  one  day  see  that  the  victories  of  truth  and 
prayer  were  the  only  victories  that  ever  served  the  interest  of  any  nation,  and  that 
many  a  pious  man,  who  liveil  in  obscurity  and  died  under  oppression,  conferred  greater 
blessings  on  the  commonwealth  than  those  statesmen  and  warriors  whose  patriotism 
has  been  emblazoned  in  history  and  sung  in  verse.  The  context  illustrates :  2.  T/>e 
source  of  a  wicked  Tnan'a  vjeakness.  Why  did  not  this  Syrian  tyrant  succeed  in  his 
plans?  The  worils  which  one  of  his  servants  addressed  to  him  explain  the  cause: 
"  Elisha,  the  prophet  that  is  in  Israel,  telleth  the  King  of  Israel  the  words  that  thou 
Bpeakest  in  thy  bedchamber."  His  projects  would  not  bear  the  light.  As  a  principle, 
wicked  men  would  seldom,  if  ever,  realize  their  ends  wore  there  a  prophet  to  unveil 
their  hearts,  and  publish  all  the  selfish,  sensual,  dishonest,  and  blasphemous  thoughts 
that  transpire  iu  the  hidden  cliaraber  of  their  souls.  Wicked  tradesmen,  lawyers,  states- 
men, and  others  succeed  only  as  they  conceal  their  hearts  from  public  view.  Let  some 
prophet,  like  E)zekiel  of  old,  break  open  the  liarred  door  of  their  "  chamber  of  imagery," 
and  expose  the  hideous  forms  **  jjortrayed  upon  the  wall,"  the  impious  works  that  are 
wroujht  "ill  the  dark,"  and  forthwith  they  will  lose  all  public  sympathy,  patronage, 
and  Bupjxjrt.  0  my  soul,  cherish  thou  thoughts  that  shall  bear  a  prophet's  fiery 
j^lance — jirinciples  that  will  glow,  bloom,  and  look  attractive  in  the  dayliglit;  and 
puq>'>He8  that  will  cimineiid  thee  to  the  Divine  consciovisness  of  brother  spirits,  and  to 
the  fiivour  of  the  Everlasting.  I  proceed  to  state,  with  the  utmost  brevity,  a  few 
(general  truths  Hugi,'ist<d  by  the  incident  before  us. 

I.  That  tjik  cnou  ahe  oftkn  pi>acki)  in  oiRonMaTAWOKB  to  bkqdirb  bupkuhumak 
HKi.p.  Elmiia  and  his  servant  were,  at  this  time,  at  Dothan.  'I'he  Syrian  king,  enrageti 
with  the  prophet  for  frusirating  his  military  desiiins  on  Israel,  sends  "horses,  and 
chariots,  and  a  gnat  host"  in  pursuit  of  liim.  The  miuhty  army  "came  by  niijht,  and 
Cimpai4-«<1  the  city  aliont."  I'iarly  in  tlio  morning  tlie  prophet's  servant  lu'hold  the 
arnn-d  and  ruthiess  multitude  drawn  up  around  the  city.  n<ro  were  ciiomioi 
which  the  pr(i|iliet  liimK<'lf  could  not  Hubiiuo,  perils  from  which  his  unaided  power 
ould  not  oxtric-it"'  himnclf.  Faint  symln)!  tliia  of  tlio  H|iiritual  enemies  tluit  surround 
our  dwollinjiMl  True,  in  tlicse  days,  the  antagoiuHtH  of  the  gnod  ar«i  not  so  outwardly 
T'nibi"*  AM  they  wern  in  titn<'H  tiiat  iire  past.  The  gren'  nietni/  does  not  send  forth  hid 
tumi  now  ^'m1h<1  in  th«!  iiltin-  of  the  perw^Mitors.  Tliey  a|i|«'ar  not  amongst  us  in  tli«i 
grim  and  luivn -c  fonnn  of  th»  JuliaiiH  aixl  tlio  NoroH,  th'  Maximins  and  tlio  DiooleliaiiH  ; 
th«y  &MNtmio  ftfi  haliiliini'iit  moro  roiiHuniint  with  tho  tiiHion  of  thin  eivili/.isl  ora.  'i'lixir 
fiinnn  fjuwitwlo  r»tli»>r  thiin  Urrify.  liny  Koi-k  to  ilniw  rntlifi  tlian  lo  drivo.  Hut 
■  nil,  *re  they  iinj  li'*i  disully  in  ih'ir  aim,  or  fonniilalilo  in  tlieir  [xiwer,  Ixn'miNo  thev 
c'lmTiK'-  th'-lr  p;arb,  <lr<rj)  tho  nwonl,  and  stroteli  out  the  liiind  of  falso  frinndKhii' V  It  ih 
not  tfi«  piuB'  iTiri((  of  our  pro|M<rty  nor  tho  wiiiin<)ing  of  nui  ImhIic^  tli.it  injuroii  un  m<>^t, 
but  lh»  oumipiioK  of  our  iKiula.     'I'Ik  awiikonin^;  within  uur  aiiirituAl  naluriMi  of  an  Impure 


m  VI.  l-m.]         m  tlOOMO  BOOK  or  TRB  KIKO&  IM 


mmr  wvtk  •  kr  Bar*  iMiful  rmla  Una  larawwHag  ••  la  4««0b«^m 

«|DUM»»  '  c  m4  JMUM     1  ad!  th'M* /WrtM  aia*  MMy**  ikal  •«• 

•o  ai;  tirlfc    WWntir  dkM  ajr  Immt  vWoa.  aaa  ta«4i  Im 

Vifl  %MB   MM  Um  '  ■  ol  lk«  *ttMMai*  «b«wv«r  4(«4rM  mj  HatfWtitT 

Id  4«^,  aftd  l0laH»  -  fN»  md  y%awi— phy  ol  ly  farulit— ,  wtutr^tr  <>»■> 

■•  ft«ai  Um  slanu  .:^  Uak*  ■•  lo  lit*  trmMMM  pnaactii   •k«i«*flr  o-cS. 

MUMkHMi^  Mid  QUI  >  ■yaiiAlkUi^  aad  ka«pi  mm  BKir*  la  •oMMMlua  vttk  U.r 

M<«l<irp«lbo(i  ««ilBii>  I  otii  la  ftkldiag  kivallbMi  I" 

Um  lifc  «r  J«i  CTt  Ml  i;  .  mb|4mmU.  nr  f -r*.     A»d  '  • 

•M  aaall  fca*  ^  ina  trf  •  |>0n<<l  vi»aa  **  •i&Ail  ~  «•> 

•filaM  IW  aov.  '    kod   ftrvre   th«a  au»  ?     0«r 

■Mia  tkaa  a    ,  star  lo   iba  nan  ,  t^t^W   to  t^ 

apMillM.aadK  d^  w  fUlllb«M«vrf  %ri-!<f  •  taor* 

wida  tad  ailf!  Bianinkoo   ao  aad 

UiiralrUl  iw  ^M  over  tba  auca!    »       i  :.c  mmI* 

of  am<r.  Imi^atj.  ■■  i  u  r>ow  ?      Wc  .vrr  a*  umIt 

iMaaMd  la  by  anla.-tx  l^  .?  «a*  r.  i>  ir,r  boTMt  aiid  ebanou  aad  bu»t« 

Ikaa  aaooapaaMd  bim  »'■  A«  wc  Klanoa  at  ibam,  ih»  laiaraii^  t<  i^ 

Hofikal^i  MTtaat  eomaa  lu  m,  a.k«.  la^-trr  '  »(iftt  thail  wa  dot"  Wa  ^aq^ar«  lit* 
ka|p  tbal  EUaha  had— h«lp  ftoB  «iti     .'.     'r   i    il'-aveii. 

U.  TlUT  Hbatkh  MAa  raov!'""    "   '  ^>       f  <:.  mkm  »rrstir>a  r^  ••  •    • -"-lonvtan. 
*Aad  ba  aatTvarad,  Faar  n<>t  .-  w.-.u    n  ar«  mu<v  .  iii*i  b* 

aritb  Utam.*     It  ia  eriicr«!iv  »  a:  •..'•  rrcrrui*  u  hrr,.  •.     .       c^a  **  tbat 

auai  ia  aUaaftil,'*  •>  .^  were  the  b' tnc*  a:. a  cha.'.   u    f  !irr  ;:.at  caoM  to  t^ 

propbaC'a  bal|«.     Aii  o   L<jau  of  O-^^i,  and  "ti.r    ..  v-    it'^i     f  t)i«  guod  * — 

""miBiaUtiDg  »p  r  ;«  -r  '.  :.  U  t..iiiii>u-r  uuto  tL"  hnni  <  f  rjt.«Ai.  li  "  'I  it  docttlaa 
laaoaiitaeaiMliti>  i  roUi  ...  ►^.  cir^■ly  rtvmir^^l  tu  Sc-;  :  -.  ,  a:,.1  *  •  - '  ..iir  faalWvad. 
aa  to  rrquirv  i>o  «v;<ie<(v       its'.  -  $uf^rujrt  la  aov  ealk^ 

I.   Thry  art  "•ion "  m  ».    ■ .'  .     .e  /ue.     If  -  tiod  to  mar^ly 

what  wa  aea  ia  ttiia  wurl-.    .  r    r    ,  <?  that   tL  ara  t^  MD«a 

aittuaimi*.     A  wkicr  aurvcv   <:  r  >  ..   :na!m  of  •]  .-  auKgcaiad  by 

pbiloao^iby.  aod  ai  revraird  lu  t  :     ,  ;    r  -  :  u  an  oy\.  -.-.c  view.     A*  tnalfurmatioaa 

m  aatura  ara  law  oain(«r«d  with  •,:■■■  >  r  orgauiird  exiatearoa,  ao  evU  apthia  ara 
few  rofopared  with  Iha  good,  iur  ^'  i  .  ca,  prmopalitiaa,  and  hiararcbiaa  ct  iba 
uBivafaa  ara  loyal  aubjecU  ot  the  , .-  >  m^.  aad  aaalniia  agaaia  ka  nmmouam  bia 
wiU;  it  ia  but  a  UtUe  -  ^  that     ^.  and  tbara  tJuowaotf  iualkcMaeaTUcIl  M 

but  a  wiibarad  laaf  it  •.    I       — «  iickariag  mHaor  ia  iba  atarry  vault  ol 

beiBg.     It  la  our  haj    .  .^      »  ■'  :^.  ewl  ia  tbe  exwpcloo  la  tba  oaiTerM;  foe4  U 

tbanila.    TbaaavU  aiuu  aaa  .   <  cv— itmightor  migbt  noi  ba;  but  gotvl  ex^U 

by  aa  abaolnto  areaaaity— It  u  ^  t«.  >«cauaa  Qud  ia  and  bhmI  ba.    2.  7Vy  ara 

"mtrv' im  a»  i'ttrt4m0mt4tJtl>r-  J.     Tba  IfMli  oC  avtl  ai«  ac4  ooh  f*w«r  In 

Bunibrr,  but  lo  rr  ur  alau  u>  i'  ir.     Pababood.  arlS  L:  »•.  »rx«{;.— t>4aa  ara 

thrir  li.iaaraUr  «f«(<«»;  aod  are  tticy  u<  t  weakaaaa  eo  :■ ,  lure,  ligbt, 

(be   «ea(iuaa   ol  tike  guud  >     Av  ;  th.v   oan    no   n.ore  >■  .    •■  ,.,   -dry 

•tuLbIa'  baforatba  rafiagfirr  .^ic 

Tba  hMmy  «#  tb*  world  0vaa  hi» 

ilda,  -  nmatriaa  aitdar  ■     .  ^«^,  - 

im  tJ.  HtdttmmimmU    .  -■^■.,    _ 

vdl  aiH  t«  k.ttraly  or  ei  t 
•UMfth  of  tba  pnrpoaa  l 

rvM  biaadvaaiaflaa,wUi  u  i:.»j»cib»e 

pMpna^  for  tba  obvkw*  as  ea 

givalavlaeibUity— araaot  <-«!  ii  rir  .^  .ic     ^u*-. 
o#  aviU  ba  mual  ba  iekla  aad  foarfuL     *  I'ba 
tba  nxhtaotta  are  bold  aa  a  liuo.*    4.  7A<w  a*  < 
Oayad.    Tbe  BiUa  laacbaa  tWt  tba  aafaiaor  **il  arv  u 
mM  or  darkacoe— -  tba  prteoa  o#  iba  |K>w«r  «<  Um  a;.  . 


140  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGa          [ob.  tx.  1— 33. 

under  the  authority  of  the  Infinite.  His  Spirit  inspires  them*  his  will  they  obey,  his 
energy  is  their  strength.  Satan,  the  master  of  the  evil  spirits,  is  himself  the  creature 
and  slave  of  God.  The  moral  usurper  cannot  move  or  breathe  but  by  the  permission 
of  him  who  "  maketh  his  angels  spirits,  and  his  ministers  a  flame  of  fiie."  Truly, 
then,  my  pious  friend,  however  great  the  spiritual  foes,  thy  helpers  are  gieater.  To 
the  eye  of  sense,  indeed,  thou  seemest  to  wrestle  against  fearful  odds.  Wealth, 
fashion,  customs,  influence,  worldly  maxims,  habits,  and  even  numbers,  seem  against 
thee ;  but  "  fear  not :  for  they  that  be  with  us  are  more  than  they  that  be  with  them." 
Open  the  eye  of  faith,  and  look  beyond  the  botmdary-line  of  sense,  and  thou  shalt  see 
that  the  great  "  mountain "  of  universal  being  is  "  full  of  horses  and  chariots  of  fire 
round  about "  thee. 

III.  That  the  superior  helpers  of  the  good  are  only  seen  by  some.  Elisha 
saw  tbe  celestial  helpers,  but  his  servant  saw  .them  not — saw  nothing  but  the  enemy. 
The  one,  consequently,  stood  calm  amidst  the  gleaming  and  rattling  weapons  of  the 
Syrian  army,  the  other  was  all  perturbation  and  alarm.  Thus  men  under  similar 
circumstances  receive  dififerent  impressions.  The  event  which  overwhelms  one  with 
alarm  inspires  another  with  hope  and  heroism.  The  reason  of  this  is  that  some  have 
eyes  to  see  only  the  evil  in  things,  others  to  see  the  good  as  well.  Why  is  this  ?  Why 
it  it  that  all  men  cannot  see  the  spiritual  helpers  that  surround  them  ?  Several  reasons 
might  be  assigned.  1.  There  is  the  tendency  to  judge  after  the  senses.  The  majority 
of  men,  like  the  servant  of  the  prophet,  see  only  with  the  physical  eye.  Although 
true  philosophy  shows  that  all  things  that  come  within  the  cognizance  of  the  senses 
are  shadows,  not  substances — semblance,  not  essence,,  they  reversely  consider  the 
visible  and  tangible  only  as  real.  Spirits,  therefore,  which  lie  beyond  the  line  of  sense, 
and  which  are  the  living  creatures  in  all  the  "  wheels  "  of  human  events,  and  in  all 
the  forms  of  matter,  are  never  practically  realized,  and  often  theoretically  ignored. 
2.  There  is  the  habit  of  referring  everything  to  secondary  causes.  This  habit  allows 
no  room  for  God,  nor  for  spiritual  interpositions,  but  in  a  miracle.  What  is  regular  it 
calls  natural ;  what  is  miraculous  alone  is  Divine.  It  sees  God  in  holding  the  sua 
over  Gibeon,  and  the  moon  in  the  valley  of  Ajalon,  but  sees  nothing  of  him  in  rolling 
these  stupend' (US bodies,  age  after  age,  in  their  spheres,  with  an  undeviating  regularity, 
and  a  swiftness  incalculable.     I  say  nothing  of  the  irrationality  of  this  habit,  nor  of  its 

Erevalence,  of  which  there  can  be  no  question.  All  I  say  is  tliat,  since  God  helps  us 
y  nat'iral  laws,  this  habit  manifestly  prevents  men  from  seeing  the  helpers  he  sends. 
8'  There  is  also  a  gloominess  of  disposition.  Tnis  ia  sometimes  a  cause.  There  are 
men  who  will  not  see  good,  'i'hey  hear  no  music  in  the  harp  of  lovo;  they  see  no 
brit;hlues8  in  the  unclouded  sky  of  noon.  On  this  earth,  even  when  robod  ia  its 
Hummer  beauty  or  laden  with  autumnal  wealth,  tluy  sing,  or  rather  groau — 

"Lord,  what  a  wretched  land  is  this, 
That  yields  us  uo  supply  1 " 

The  horoes  and  chariotH  of  mercy  may  move  around  them  an  celestial  guards,  ye# 
thoy  cry,  "All  thcHo  things  are  against  me."  4.  There  is  want  ofsi/mpathij  with  Qod. 
StroiiK  and  earnest  Hyiii|'.iihy  with  a  being  alwiiys  induces  the  mind  to  bring  that  Uiin<{ 
Btar— n'  ar  to  the  inner  eyo  and  Inart.  Hy  this  law  wo  bring  the  diHlauL  near — crciBS  oceans 
and  cntinoiitH.  Yes;  Irum  worlds  beyond  the  grave  the  ini:iginaliou  wafts  the  loved 
one  homo  to  our  intnoHt  hrciihlH;  and  wo  hoi-  the  form  and  In  iir  tiio  voice  again.  Had 
we  thiH  Hvniiutiiy  with  God  and  lioly  spirilH,  we  Bhould  But  them  always  before  us. 
JcsuH  liad  it,  tttiii  ho  naid,  •*  Yo  leave  me  alono;  and  yet  I  am  not  alone,  bocauso  the 
KftthiT  i»  with  me." 

IV.  That  to  hkr  tiikhr  Hm-KniiuMAN  iiKi.Puns  oni-y  hkquiiikh  tme  oi'Knino  or  tii« 
■Yia.  "  I^>rd,  1  pray  llioo,  open  Win  oyeH."  Tlie  outward  world  ih  to  uh  uicording  to 
our  five  soriKcs.  Had  wo  lowur,  it  would  bo  Icbh  than  it  ih;  or,  if  moro,  it  would  ho 
((fisiter.  Tlmro  arc,  proUibly,  prnpertioH  in  tho  nniU-rial  «yHtem  wliicii  wo  Inivo  at 
pr<:"«nt  no  MinMi  t<»  diHc<fVi)r ;  or,  peiadvintum,  tluuo  may  Ihj  houhos  cloned  up  willnu, 
that  will  one  day  Ira  dovolo|H><l,  and  nniUo  thin  oM  world  a  now  tldn^  to  uh.  I'xit, 
likely  a.  liiin  may  Im,  tho  cxlwfineo  of  a  Henno  in  tho  ii'ul  for  seoinR  Hiiiritinil  exiHU^nios 
i«  mofi  prol»;ililo.  I  am  not  «ii«|XM«o<i  to  pronounce  ail  who  liuvo  hIiiIo<1  thai  tlii«y  have 
•svii  Hui  li  VH<iii|{B  to  bo  either  fatmliui  or  ini|>oMtora.     Tbw  <i  prtori  wuudsr  is,  iml  thai 


«L«vi-^j      TBB  iioon  BOOK  or  tn  uma  ui 


ikr,  ,  \^IA  W  tm,  but  UmI  lh*7  M*  Ml  •(■«  MMMlIf  fmtdwmL     W*  w«  NteMi 

o  .  tnaf«  laUafttvJT  «t^  1  toUMaiy  nUM  lo  llM  ifirtiMl  i  mU  to  ll  ftol  mumni 

l»  afci^^i  iUi  ••  tin  >  aMM  U  •••  •|ir  iuaJ  W»>pt    W««  mm^  •  tmm  •• 

U  9^ca^  vllkte  ••,•>>  ^  '*>♦  r»w^»k^*»  »*'»»««  «M  sow  npMrf.  vkaC  vtotot* 

ai  I     T:  '  •  -.        .  worid  of  «<j«(W« ,  but 


OoaieoMtttUtdriUMlt  -mM  Wr««'«    H    Ah.  m* 

«i0lthraitarl4Na«itkou>..  .vMmf  WU«tlM«|M 

Um  9tm  IkillkM  Im»  »tv«r  Mrt  bK  ■— Mfly,  «Ui  m«  «rr« 


IIma.    WDI  IImi  |«r«li »  dMf  :  .u.«f«U)rai«wr«lo«ril0»4/ 

■twiMli^tiMiMi  WImm  —t  «r  {  or  •  bHa4  •••  l»  4«7  Iku 

A  rauAow  bM  •** "'   *  -   i.rw.  .•     >i^  Mvar  mm  ib« 


**  Bm  M  »mIv  Van  hto  t«Mi>n.  cf    -  \u»  BkuoeUla 


but  UW  BjrtM  bort.*     All  M  o:  im4.  Mid  vb*i  »  aCMW 

bunt  «pBa  bkm I    "Tkvmrrrnt  >U  of  trs  rovtid  aU^xt 

Kt*o  to  It  ^  <  c  t.,^^/  ua/i  dull  |«M,  Ood  anil 

IhiM  tjm,  AD '  tHo«  art  bov  fhiag,  aa4  vboM 

rOi  Lon-i^  a»U  *.  -uitt*  Mtoatobad  auul  I— D.  T. 

▼«•.  H    t8.~Jb>>B>  «nrdft  aMM<i«r«M.  %m$  m  Jim  •hm  Ibh,  ibat 

1  all  bto  bu 
•TMt.  brimfol  of  tba  viciMl  and  Uic  uumuMy  pi—  tba  fuUuwi^  Nbjacta 


Baiibt<>t  tt«  of  Bjiia  ntbarrd  all  bto  bi«t,  ^  «^  Md  br«l»;:r4  Samark." 


of  8^  gub«rrd 
■«.  brimfol  of  tba 
OB  owatteBtktt. 

L  Tb*  nnnmAvmr  of  warn.  "And  U  oaoo  l»  tarn  afUr  tbia,  tbaft  Basbftiiad 
kt ..  of  Sjrria  §»tk«r«)  all  hit  boit,  aad  v«Bt  np,  aad  b«ii*f«d  Bamaria.  A»d  tbrra 
*^  a  p«at  &uiiu«  io  Ha  ^ :  an.!,  hahold,  thty  htdf?^  li,  aalil  an  Mali  baad  v«a 
•old  te  ftwnoiira  pie    -  .the  fourth  part  of  a  cab  of  dove'a  duac  for  fi%e 

bUom  of  rflw.*     'i  '  <■  .V  of  the  Syrian   kltg  and   bto  boat  ia  iDra«Mrc 

ftoniirto  to  oaoo  Ib  the  »baii.r:ui  di«««ard  of  the  ktndDeaa  whieb  tbo  BamaritaM  bad 
preTioaaly  abewa  thorn.  Id  tiie  preoadiiig  veraes  we  rr*d  that  the  8amartt*ua  had  not 
oiilj  allowed  tbem  to  e«e»pe  eotire  dortraettoB  wbea  thrj  wrre  at  their  marcj,  bat, 
at  the  liilvpoiittaa  of  Rliaha,  euppBed  tboa  with  aboadant  fcuTuiooo  to  apf«aM 
their  boBger  aoti  to  ioTlforau  their  ftrnmea.  Nidollhrtamlliif  tbtoi,  they  »ow  rame  to 
work  ivin  oo  theii  very  oaTioura  War  baa  w>  gratiUidi^  so  iaiMO  of  ngbl,  ao  aaatU 
of  kindnaoaj  idum  It  dihnmoni—  Iuhbm  b«uu%  inMiuaM  tbo  ■••  lalo  • 


•  How  aB  BtBor  orwHtoo  of  Ma 
Am  eamaMd  la  war,  eoonlyatee  ef  ell  ortaee  I  * 

Cr-taa') 

n.  Tn  twamnuanm  m  wnmuL    To  earb  abMlvIe  deetitotloa  did  tbeoe  r«tf)1«a 


varriura  radoee  the  inhoMtaato  of  Banarla.  that  do(  only  dki  the  raeeooua  hungw  driwo 
tboa  to  obnya  tea  6««  tbo  **afl^a  bead*  Mkd  Craa -d 


'dove**  dua^"  bol  fhKB  bv 

taah  mntbofi  from  tbo  cblldroa  of  their  voiuU  **  And  a*  the  Kli^of  laraal  era*  im». 
IbC  bjr  npoD  tl«e  wall,  there  criod  a  woman  voio  Liii<.  a*)  lag.  Help,  tay  lord,  O  kii^ 
And  be  aaid.  If  the  Lord  do  not  help  thee,  wh»Qc«  a/.di  1  hdlp  th««t  out  uf  the  UraAouc, 
or  oat  of  the  wioopraaa  I     And  tbo  k  uio  her,  Wlut  aj'rth  thc«  f     And  ebe 

OMwared,  Tli*  woaau  ndd  unto  bm,  ^jix^  that  we  majr  m1  hio.  bj-dar.  a»d 

we  will  eat  B7  aoB  to  ■cnuw.  8o  «•  iiUko  mr  aaa,  and  4U  eat  bini."  etc  Gfefv  M 
a  tragk  lAl^  a  tato  tbal  aiakeo  the  heart  quail,  and  tbo  Borroi  qoivor  with  bovrtv. 
HttBcv  Ib  teoiir  li  B  MiioB,  to  lapliee  boalth  and  ortnwitotee  to  action  s  h  U  la  irutb 
iM  MtaifriBg  AM  k«^  Itoo  boMB  ■ortiiiiwy  of  tbo  worid  In  action.  B«t  wWe  tt 
fctnnmi  Inlonoo  ani  BBMifbl^  to  mio  nB  BMml  ooBWHUMinMBU  ai  dr^AAc*.  it  «tU 
bmk  ibrMidk  *ao  wnlh,  ohoMor  tbrosM,  and  brank  b^  ospirea.  It  m  amc«f  tbo 
ryAnifaiolrBlsoiokeepibebaiicareftbepMfdaappeaLMd.  AWl  «v<YTvb«B 
Ita  poaoa  \  aof  not  ibooe  gMouinfi  be  ibo  ■itiMliifi  «f 


142  THE   SECOND   BOOK   OF   THE   KINGS.  [OH.  Ti.  l— 33. 

nL  The  MisDrBEcnoK  or  pabsios.  The  tale  of  the  famishing  woman,  and  the 
rerolting  scenes  he  beheld,  pierced  the  heart  of  the  King  of  Israel.  His  feelings  at  first 
Mem  to  have  been  those  of  great  hnmiliation  and  deep  sympathy.  "  And  it  came  to 
pass,  when  the  king  heard  the  words  of  the  woman,  that  he  rent  his  clothes."  But 
they  soon  became  those  of  raging  wrath  against  Blisha.  "  Then  he  said,  God  do  so 
and  more  also  to  me,  if  the  head  m  Elisha  the  son  of  Shapliat  shall  stand  on  him  this 
day."  If  Elisha  had,  from  a  malign  spirit,  really  bronsiht  all  this  distress  upon  the 
Samaritan  people,  this  wrath  might  have  been  justified.  Anger  against  wrong  is 
right.  But  it  was  not  Elisha  that  brought  the  calamities;  it  was  themselves — their 
idolatries,  their  sins.  Elisha  was  their  greatest  friend.  The  misdirection  of  human 
indignation  is  no  uncommon  eviL  How  often  men  are  angry  with  oae  another  without 
a  cause  1     Passion  misdirected  put  to  death  the  Son  of  Glod  himself. 

IV.  The  calmness  op  eooDNESS.  Whilst  all  these  revolting  scenes  were  talnng 
place,  and  the  king  burning  with  r^e  against  "Elisha,  was  resolving  on  his  destruction, 
where  was  Elisha  ?  "  But  Elisha  sat  in  his  house,  and  the  elders  sat  with  him." 
With  his  disciples,  fellow-citizens,  and  "  elders  "  Elisha  sat,  without  anxiety  or  alarm. 
Mark :  1.  It  was  not  the  calnmess  of  servile  submission.  Though  he  knew  the  threat 
of  the  king,  he  had  no  idea  of  making  an  apology  or  seeking  to  appease  unreasonable 
indignation,  or  yield  with  stoicism  to  his  fate.  No.  Whilst  he  sat  calmly,  the  pulse 
of  manhood  throbbed  stronger  in  every  vein,  and  when  he  heard  the  king's  messenger 
approach  the  door  of  his  house,  he  said  to  the  elders,  "  See  ye  how  this  son  of  a 
murderer  hath  sent  to  take  away  mine  head  ?  "  It  is  grand  to  hear  men  give  others 
their  proper  title,  even  though  they  be  kings.  Were  all  men  thus  honest,  many  of 
those  who  are  now  called  "right  honourables"  would  be  "right  aborainabhs."  2. 
It  was  not  the  calmness  of  irresolution.  It  was  not  a  state  of  unnerved  indifference  ; 
on  the  contrary,  there  was  in  it  a  resolute  power.  "  Look,  when  the  messenger  cometh, 
shut  the  door,  and  hold  him  fast  at  the  door."  For  the  man's  own  sake  hold  him,  do 
not  let  him  contract  crime  by  committing  murder.  Probably  at  this  moment  Elislia 
saw  the  king  himself  hurrying  towards  him,  to  revoke  his  murderous  decree.  Conscious 
goodness  is  always  calm.  He  is  "kept  in  perfect  peace  whose  mind  is  stayed  on  the 
Lord."  3.  It  was  the  calmness  that  conquers.  The  king  himself,  it  would  seem,  was 
soon  at  the  door.  He  had  relented,  and  hurried  to  prevent  the  execution  of  his 
mijrderous  command.  "  And  while  he  yet  talked  with  them,  behold,  the  messenger 
came  down  untu  him :  and  he  said,  Behold,  this  evil  is  of  the  Lord ;  what  should  I 
wait  for  the  Lord  any  longer?"  This  utterance  is  that  of  the  king,  and  it  would 
Boem  it  was  a  response  to  the  prophet's  exhortation  to  "  wait  for  tlie  Lord."  And  he 
ineaiiH  to  say,  "This  evil  is  not  from  thee,  Klisha,  but  from  the  Lord,  and  it  is  hojioless; 
'  what  nhould  1  wait  for  the  Lord  any  longer?'"  It  is  not  likely  tliat  such  a  humili- 
ating utterance  as  this  would  have  fallen  from  the  lips  of  the  king,  haii  lie  met  Elisha 
in  a  t-tate  of  furious  excitement.  No  doubt  it  was  the  moral  majesty  of  calmness  that 
struck  the  heart  of  the  monarch. — D.  T. 

Vflm.  1 — l.-'The  borrrrwrd  axe.  This  is  another  of  Elinha's  miracles  of  aid.  The 
■tory  bclongH  to  the  hamu  class  of  acts  as  those  rulated  in  uu.  iL  I'J — 212 ;  iv.  1 — 7, 

I.  'J'mi  Axr-nKAD  vrr.KDrro.  Tho  first  vorHon  present  us  with  a  picture  of  expansion 
and  exteuHion.  Tlio  placo  where  "  the  sons  of  tlie  prophetH  "  dwelt  or  "sat"  botbro 
Klisha,  at  Jericho,  ha<l  l)eromo  too  strait  for  them.  Eiisha's  influ<'iiee  was  evidently 
tellioK  on  tlin  nation.  Thn  roligiouH  iiiovoment  rcprrHciitcd  iiy  tho  prophetic  schools 
was  «rowin;^  in  force  and  volume.  It  ih  eneonra^iuK  to  hear  of  j^rowtii  and  jiro^^nws 
i'l  the  Church.  Wo  noto :  1.  T/ie  projthrti  faced  thrir  sitwitioti,  *' Hohold  now, 
tb«  place  wlicrf  wo  dw<ll  with  thfte  ia  too  Htrait  for  us."  'l'li»\v  did  not  Htand  htill, 
snd  rndcavonr  to  nfAMiuiiifxhiUi  thnir  incri;aHi-(i  nuiiilx^rs  to  tlie  old  conditioiiH.  'I'lioy 
■howed  ft  iipirit  of  entorpriMfl,  of  (ulvrinco,  in  curreB|M»iid(ine«  with  th<iir  liltorcMl  necdn. 
Tbia  woM  truo  vi.i>vd')tn.  'i'hn  (Jhurch  munt  luliipt  lnTwif  to  mw  nueda,  to  sllercti 
ctrcumatatiu-.a,  to  tluj  i otiditi' iim  of  nro^rcMii,  if  mIio  ih  to  hold  her  ^jroiind.  "  l'',idiir|^« 
the  |-lac»)  of  thy  tflnl,"  <  to.  (Ins.  Iiv.  2).  2.  They  wrm  wtlUng  to  put  forth  nrsd- 
fwl  •/art.  "  IjTt  \i»  Ko,  wfi  i>ri4v  tlin«i,  unt<>  .liinlitn,  mid  litkn  tliriice  ovnrj  nnin  a 
brant,"  elo.     '1  lioy  worn  pn  pitrixi  to  du  what  wss  uocusHary  to  bring  about  ths  obiingos 


MLTvi-ja.]       mi  RBOi^ND  Booi  or  tub  eixqIl  iu 


Hm^  •d«U  aMUV  HMka  •  bIm*  fcr  UmIt  mmmm  ■>■■—■ i  tHK^    1   TV«  ^Mt^W 

Mr  i»i»»Ur«  tMcmiUMlMaaflipuiytbMi.   TVaOkorak,  »<»f«^  bmi  •dOa 

kwT  •!  J  4^^l••,  MtHM  ^«T>  tTMs,  and  ftmfuing  far  tk*  m«  b<tllHaf.  TIm« 
MourT'd  a»«  akliAp  aM  loH  wkkrh  pTw  lu  aftoM  to  Um  ttotj.  A.a  t«*  «••  M :i»( 
Wmb,  tU  M»>k««a  Uw  oC  aad  (Ml  leio  Um  awp  fait  •/  Um  rivw 


•«4  tW  MAB^  iMMtttaitoo*  w««  itutaot  att4  itecvm.     V 

odvUki^*.     I.  Ih  Aa</  r<iif  «dWM  •  m»i«k*mir  kmi  Iml  »«•.         Ck« 
mptrt;  b  ova.     Il  bkd  baro  Ui  t  blm.  Mo^ablj  »t  kk  ova  raqurwt   tn4 

U  Um  •i«!U  o;  ori|jbba«H7  |ood  vUl.  Budi  Mlftibimrijr  Mto  M*  Btt«aitic  k>  U>wk 
•C  B«l  Ite  Mora  villiMly  ika  m«  ImI  b««  l«it  kia.  tk«  mora  •U  tW  Iomt  mdv 
r«>:i«l  tW  mkH»  vHlehW  Inliaka  It.  It  to  wril  tiMl  Mictiboart  tk^XA  \m  tr^j 
to  Vmi  I  bat  tk«  lacidaai  also  ahova  Um  itaafir  of  banvviiic.  W«  iiio«ld  awk  to 
ha  aa  Mipiidant  of  ollMn  aa  wa  aaa ;  thm,  if  Blatartsaa  ioM  Mall  aa.  vi-ai  »• 
loaa  to  al  Um*  aaly  oar  ovm.    X.  //«  tmM  aoC  rylm  tMt  Um,    Had  1m  Wm  •Ua 


da  aa,  ba  voold  not  bar*  rrquirad  to  borruw.     Tbr  '<  M«ii  ci<  tba  prvfibato*  ««ta 
flaad  MM,  bat  poor  aaa.     Aa  ax»-brard  w*»  a  vmall  t  t  aMaat  mocb  to  Um 

a«r.  aai  p«rba{a  aot  toat  to  tba  oriiriDal  ovnar.     I:        .  at  eoo*WQ(i>4MB^«« 

vbtob  i^raks  111  the  luaQ'*  Umetit      He  beld  (br  axa  aa  a  iruM.  mad  d««i;ad  earookdr 
tarafeWB  iu    It  b  |T.K«i  k>  »c«  mm  "faitbful  in  that  wbicb  u  Iratt  *  (I>akt  x>L  10). 


nera  U  a  laiaatkaMa  Waodiaa  of 
Bltobaaakad,*WbrraMltor^  1 
tobftec  Um  boa  to  tba  aaHbMu  b« 


lb  Bt  mmU  m»  l<i~o>r  ^  JUi  far<  f^  lA«  work.  Tt.e  axe-baaJ  »aa  iP'tupanaabU  lor 
tba  aatUag  dov«  off  bto  baaaa.  He  i»r!  the  b9n<!!e  h-^i  it  waa  of  t>o  u*  vitbout  ib« 
toon.    Ilito  atoo  griarad  biaa.     Ar  >  tauo  a  maa  U-r  baahaf  bto  \mn 

tol  tba  bufidl^  work  oTOod'akiL^  .  to  bita 

III.  Taa  aXB-BEAD  bsootuiko.  i:e  udi:  cl  a;  [-^al  made  to  Ellsba  la  tba  »<.Kdk, 
*  Alaa,  maatar  I  for  it  was  borfowad,"  waa  Dot  in  vain.  It  waa  a  eaae  ia  wb  cb  i  itkba 
^if bt  ba  azpaetod  to  boi|v  and  ba  '  '     "     .«•  a^r*;^. 

I  ■'       f.-Wrf 

e  man 
Tl  it    Ui 

i    I  The 

inait*  -   i^»B, 

Um  watar.    Tba  t^  "  !>•(  tb« 

tooa  avtoa  aa  tbto  atkk  doaa."    It.  >.r  ,.^f. 

aa^ural  rroulL     t.  Ahmigktg  9om>r 
alirrauooof  tba  proparttoa  of  iroo 
of  a  aow  oauae,  vbtob  aeaatcrac 
to  tba  aaiiaoa.    Natan  to  but  a-. 
b<Bi  to  bto  ova  ntfpoaak    Tf  - 
vbat  W9  aaigbt  aa  toa^lad  t 

■Mjaaaoi  a  tfirtol  etoaiMMa:  c«  ih  itc   a**  uf 'Xc  .:.i>c-'ec. 

baft  aritb  Ood  tbara  to  aa  ci««  ^l*  kiM/va  oi/ oar  vaala  to  bia. 


ra  toaDB«« 
brf^kaTprf 


altb  aaaiiiancia  oi  brfag  bolpc^— ^.  u. 


Tara.1    tl.     ij  taaJaaa  iaiairia.    1^  abioc*-       .■  <    r  w^'  «^   fuldHi<  bxwa— 
»i  Iba  Qjitoa  kto^daaM  aooa  br  .r     U  tbk.  aa  la 

07rta  waa  tb*  atfraaaor.    Tba  i^..  <-Uv««wd,  ant 

IbRM^  "ftba  award  aad  ibo  bow*  (tar.  C)  of  lu  k;  ^luacb  tba 

Jarpndrtna  oT  Rtoba. 

L  FManurBD  wtua^  L  #afaf  i*wi' 
■maa Bad  waa  iataadad  to  ba  oartiad  oa. 
noi  af  aurjjriaaa,  oauaad  bf  tba  itlauiiiaf  c:  oa  aa  ouaraaiaal  aiKrt*.     ii  aaa 


144  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.         [ch.  vi.  1 -33, 

cnnninp  more  than  strength  that  the  king  relied  on.  He  "took  counsel  with  his 
servants"  as  to  the  best  method  of  cam-in?  out  his  plans.  Men  are  apt  to  overvahie 
sunning.  It  plays  a  largo  part  in  the  conduct  of  worldly,  espuc'ally  of  political  and 
tnilitary,  affairs.  2.  The  failure  of  plans.  If  the  plotteis  were  "  pnifonnd  to  make 
slauehter"  (Hog.  y.  2),  God  was  deeper  than  the  p'otters,  "  a  rebutter  of  thein  all" 
(Hos.  V.  2).  This  was  tlie  element  Benhadad  left  out  of  liis  calculations.  Everytlu'ng 
that  passed  in  the  king's  council-chamber  wns  revealed  by  God  to  Elislia,  who  told  it 
to  the  King  of  Israel.  What  was  spnken  "  in  the  ear"  in  Damascus  was  pruclaimed 
"upon  the  housetops"  in  Samaria  (Luke  xii.  3).  Thus  the  King  of  Israel  saved 
himself  "not  once  or  twice."  The  wicked  greatly  err  when  tl.ey  say,  "How  doth  God 
know?  and  is  there  knowledge  in  the  Most  High?"  (Ps.  Ixxiii.  11).  Not  one  of  their 
plans  but  is  "  naked  and  opened"  (Heb.  iv.  13)  to  him.  With  a  knowledge  and  skill 
infinitely  beyond  theirs,  he  can  easily  bring  the  cunningest  of  their  schemes  to  nouglit. 
ITiis  is  the  comfort  and  safety  of  those  wlio  trust  God,  and  are  under  his  special  care. 
3.  The  secret  discovered.  The  King  of  Syria's  chagrin  at  the  continual  frustration  of 
his  schemes  was  great.  He  could  account  for  it  in  no  other  way  than  that  some  of 
hie  own  servants  habitually  betrayed  his  counsels.  Tliey  who  have  God  to  fight  with 
must  lay  their  account  for  many  disappointments  and  troubles.  At  b^t  the  real  state 
of  the  case  was  made  knowQ  to  bim  by  one  who  had  learned  the  facts  about  Elisha. 
It  was  a  startling  discovery  to  make,  that  the  things  which  he  spoke  in  his  bedchamber 
were  accurately  told  by  Elisha  to  his  enemy,  the  King  of  Israel.  None  of  us  wonld 
like  to  be  thus  supervised  in  our  secret  doings  by  our  fellow-men.  How  little  we 
reflect  that,  in  sober  fact,  we  are  being  thus  morally  supervised  by  the  living  God  I 
Elisha's  name  would  be  well  known  in  Syria  since  the  healing  of  the  famous  captain. 

II.  Invisible  defence.  If  Elisha  was  the  medium  of  discovering  his  plans,  ths 
only  practicable  course  for  the  King  of  Syria  to  pursue  was  to  secure  the  person  of  the 
prophet,  and  so  stop  further  communications  with  the  King  of  Israel.  Benhadad  might 
have  reflected  that,  if  all  his  plans  were  known  to  Elisha,  this  plan  would  be  known  too, 
and  Elisha  a^uld  easily  esca]  e.  But  wicked  men  do  not,  as  a  rule,  reflect  on  the  folly 
of  their  opposition  to  God.  The  king,  having  ascertained  that  Elisha  was  at  Dothau, 
sent  an  expedition  to  arrest  him.  1.  The  encompassing  host.  The  force  despatched 
against  Elisha  was  "a  great  host,"  far  exceeding  the  captains  of  fifties  with  their 
fifties  who  were  sent  to  arrest  Elijah  (ch.  i.).  Benhadad  put  trust  in  chariots  and 
horses  (Ps.  xx.  7).  Yet  why  so  great  a  company  to  take  one  prisoner,  if  no  super- 
natural arm  was  there  to  fight  for  liiin  ?  And  if  God  was  Protector,  what  would  even 
this  great  host  avail  ?  Another  proof  of  the  inward  uncertainty  with  which  this 
entcrprisf^  wa-s  entered  upon  is  seen  in  the  fact  that  the  host  surrounded  the  city  "  hy 
n'ght."  Combined  with  the  worldly  man's  belief  that  physical  lorco  is  irresistible, 
tbore  ifi  the  lurking  fear  that  it  may  not  prove  irresistible  after  all.  2.  TJie  tvemhUng 
tervant.  Awaking  early  the  next  morning,  and  going  forth,  the  servant  of  Elisha  saw, 
Uj  hifi  dismay,  the  city  compa.ssed  about  with  both  chariot  and  horse.  His  cry,  as  he 
ru>hed  baek  to  report  the  fact  to  his  master,  was,  "Alas,  my  master!  how  ehall  we 
do?"  Thus  apt  are  men  to  judge  of  a  situatiim  I'urcly  ly  iho  standard  of  senso. 
Tlie  m  iterial  fa'tors  arc  nearly  the  only  (mes  looked  at.  Things  are  esteemed  to  go 
well  or  ill  with  uh  according  as  the  nalnral  situation  looks  favourable  or  the  reverse. 
It  i«  t\u:  cn-'tant  aim  of  Bililc-tcaching  to  lift  us  above  this  ]ioii\t  of  view — to  give  us 
a  higher  one.  3.  YVcr  invinihlr  j>roterlvrii.  Kli^iia  |)raycd  that  the  young  nmi\'«  oyos 
mi;ht  l>c  o|i<  ned,  and  then  he  saw  the  mint  iko  he  was  committing.  "The  UMuntidn 
wan  full  of  lnTH'  H  ami  chariotH  of  firo  round  alxMit  Klishn."  Mo  wonder  that,  in  this 
rfi"rn<nt  of  a|.|  areiit  datiger,  Elinha  wuh  full  of  culm  trunt.  Knowing  Bcnbadal'.s 
driigns,  ho  rn  giit  Iibv<;  eseaped  had  ho  doKired,  but  with  the  forces  ol  the  iuvlHihlo 
Kui„'  InlorjHi.rd  Imlwieti  liim  and  IiIh  «'i,(«niio8,  hedid  not  feel  rveii  this  to  Im  lu'ceHsarv. 
.S'"t  lesjt  o(jiifidently,  in  MiaHniiH  of  dang<T  from  ungodly  nirn,  nuiy  the  heliovor  commit 
h;*  war  unto  th);  L'lril.  It  may  not  Iw  c.ivon  htm  t<>  nne  ihn  HymliolH  of  InviHiMo 
pioloctlon,  but  not  iho  h-KN  mirely  can  hn  <le|iend  that  "tin- angel  of  tho  Lord  cnciimi  ith 
round  nbout  them  thiit  Irar  him,  and  «leliv«)ielh  thom  "  (I'm.  xxxiv.  7).  lie  can  nay 
•  ilh  David,  "  1  Mill  not  \m  (ifruiil  of  t<tti  thouhand  of  jx-ojilo  that  have  H«t  (liemMilvos 
■^a  nut  me  round  »^JoMt"(l'l^,  iii.  0).  They  can  do  him  no  funlier  harm  than  Uod 
mm  ojeot  %u  allow.     They  iiimi  Mtn  for  turn  wn  nioio  timn  ihey  that  be  Aguiiiat  bim. 


m  n.  i-ni      m  nooxD  book  op  tub  kivoil 

ff9  lk««,    MMU     WlDOaoM.  ' 

<ir.':j'Ti  »'  *  du.?»>^n<«  of  I 


;    'i 


I 


y 


am  to  wimcD  w«  abow  fciiniiiuM  <ie  aoft 


▼art.  Si— S8. —  TV  tt^  ^f  SmmmHm.  UawanMil  br  thr  fttf^i'T  rf  pm4-:f  tttrmpu* 
Baoha  ad  wwt  ■ck4i  itnraii[>1  io  •  ucw  w  ao  larfttL    T'  -  tk« 

tMWii  III  uf  •  (rmb  <lwv*>f«>tc<>,  buutb  wuod<rrful  tb«r>  -  aoi 

W<ur*  tkmArm  bad  t  •  •!  lu  the  u*(  >' <r 

1.    iHBMOKaoWir  1.    7&«  rify  iMtrsfr  m;  of  St  ri«  advanor^  «iUi 

and  MniCt- 

If  it  «a«U  uc  I  «Txv 


-  -  •-    "  '  f:imiiM  ewi-i-.. 
I     M.'i'a  '  -' oouU  mora  a«>  >tTat«  tke 

•  t,r:  .:^  MM  uf   Um  0<«^-  r!i..ii«  . 


146  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.         [ch.  vi.  1— 33w 


"  An  ass's  head  was  uold  for  fourscore  pieces  of  silrer  "  etc.  Hunger  is  one  of  the  most 
conimanciin?  of  appetites.  "In  every  land  and  in  every  age  theirst  and  most  interest- 
ing question  the  majority  of  men  have  to  practically  solve  is, '  How  are  we  to  get 
bread  ? '  Man's  social,  moral,  and  spiritual  welfare  turns  to  an  incalculable  extent  on 
that  question.  Throughout  all  history,  sacred  and  profane,  this  great  want  has  been 
swaying  and  moulding  as  a  first  power  the  nations  of  men.  Hence  the  signiBcance  of 
the  petition  in  the  centre  of  the  Lord's  prayer, '  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread.*  It 
may  seem  at  first  sight  a  comparatively  small  petition,  overshadowed  and  dwarfed  by 
the  great,  spiritual  petitions  both  before  and  after  it;  but  he  who  knew  what  was  in 
man,  knew  what  a  powerful  influence  the  question  of  daily  bread  had  upon  his  whole 
life  and  welfare ;  and  when  we  ourselves  consider  what  a  power  it  is  in  the  world,  we 
Bee  somcihing  of  the  reason  for  placing  such  a  petition  in  the  centre  of  a  model  o 
prayer  "  (F.  Ferguson).  3.  Natural  ajfection  destr-oyed.  The  shocking  episode  narratea 
"n  vers.  26 — 29  illustrates  the  previous  remarks  (of.  Deut.  xxviii.  53 — 57).  The  king 
ras  stopped  when  pasf  ing  by  on  the  wall  by  a  woman  appealing  to  him  for  help.  With 
ot  unnatural  bitterneas  he  replied,  "If  the  Lord  do  not  help  thee,  whence  shall  I  help 
Aee?"  Was  it  out  of  the  empty  barnfloor,  or  the  dry  wiuepress?  He  then  inquired 
into  hei-  complaint,  and  heard  from  her  her  revolting  tale.  A  woman  had  proposed  to 
her  that  she  should  yive  her  son  for  food  to  them  both  that  dny,  and  she  would  give 
her  son  next  day.  The  complainant  had  fulfilled  her  part  of  the  bargain,  and  now  the 
second  woman  had  hidden  her  son.  One  asks— Could  human  nature,  in  its  direst 
extremity,  ever  descend  to  such  revolting  deeds?  Alas!  the  instances  in  history  are 
not  few.  We  have  reason  to  thank  God  for  his  goodness  in  preserving  us  from  such 
extremity  and  such  temptation. 

II.  Guilt  laid  at  the  wbono  door.  1.  The  token  of  humiliation.  The  woman's 
dreadful  story,  revealing  such  depths  of  horror  in  the  city,  stung  the  king  to  the 
heart.  His  first  act  was  to  rend  his  clothes,  and,  as  the  people  looked,  they  saw 
that  secretly  he  had  been  wearing  sackcloth  upon  his  flesh.  The  commentators, 
perhaps,  hardly  do  justice  to  Jehoram  in  this  act.  Tiie  next  verse  shows  that  his 
reli;:iun  did  not  go  very  deep;  but  various  circumstances  suggest  that  there  was  a 
measure  of  sincerity  in  his  penitence.  He  had  evidently  thus  far  listened  to  the 
counsels  of  Elisha,  and  tried  to  "wait  on  the  Lord"  for  deliverance.  He  does  not 
.show  badly  in  his  sympathy  with  the  people.  The  very  secrecy  of  his  wearing  of  sack- 
cloth distinguishes  it  from  the  act  of  an  ostentatious  formalist.  He  probably,  like  his 
father  Ahab,  really  "humbled"  himself  for  a  time,  "and  went  softly"  (1  Kings  xxi. 
27,  29).  If,  in  his  outburst  of  passion,  he  uttered  a  threat  of  death  against  Elisha,  it 
appears  to  have  been  no  sooner  spoken  than  it  was  repented  of,  and  he  hastened  after 
h  is  messenger  to  counteract  it.  It  is  good  when  God's  chastisements  lead  to  humiliation 
of  the  soul.  We  can  at  least  make  Jehoram  an  example  in  the  nnostentatiousness  of 
h  is  exercises  of  penitence  (Matt.  vi.  16—18).  2.  ITie  threat  and  its  reception.  Carried 
away  by  his  anger  and  his  feeling  of  the  intolerableness  of  the  situation,  the  king  swore 
an  oath  liiat  that  very  day  the  head  of  Elisha  should  be  taken  from  him.  It  was  a 
wicked  and  inexcusable  utterance.  The  reasons  of  it  may  be  thus  assigned :  (1)  Elisha 
Lad  api-arontly  urged  him  to  patience  and  repentance,  assuring  him  that  help  would 
(ome.  That  hojie  had  been  disajipointed.  (2)  He  fixed  the  responsibility  of  the  delay 
of  help  on  liiisha,  hh  one  who  had  power  with  God,  and  had  not  exercised  it.  (3)  He 
WHH  nn^rry  with  God  himself,  and  was  moved  to  wreak  his  vengeance  on  God's  ministers. 
Had  h'"  j.n)i>erly  conflidcred  the  matter,  he  would  have  reflected  that  Elisha,  like  him- 
Kclf,  could  tut  prcKent  his  desireH  to  God,  and  wait  God's  time;  that  the  prophet  had 
unwearii-dly  been  doing  thiH,  and  was  the  one  hope  and  saviour  of  the  people;  and 
t  at,  if  guilt  lay  at  any  one'H  door,  It  was  his  own  wickedness,  and  that  of  his  associates, 
In'  was  hrii.trin-  tliCKf)  calamiticH  Ujion  the  nutinn.  \Vi<ked  men,  however,  are  seldom 
viliing.  except  in  a  very  lirnitcil  de^^recr,  to  tak((  homo  guilt  to  thcmselvcH.  They  will 
jifimo  6<x],  their  f.-llowH,  their  Hpirituai  rounHellorH,  any  one  but  thciusolvoH,  for  theii 
miw;ri«H.  It  iH  a  very  dill'erent  pictur.'  we  have  <>f  Klislia.  Ilo  sits  composedly  In  hi 
houtMi,  with  the  ohhrii  <if  Sainaria  autund  him,  no  <l<tul)t  ex  hoi  ting  tiiein  and  strengthen- 
lag  thVrn  to  wait  i>n  God.  liy  that  prophetic  dairvoyanoe  of  which  wo  have  ho  many 
\t>H\AuvAt\  h»i  know  «f  the  kiiiL''M  threat  uh  hooii  oh  it  waH  uttered,  and  lift<le  the  eld«'r- 
Wiut  tile  d»ur  a^iuuiit  thLi  iiiuAMjnger  of  "  the  auu  of  a  murd«ror,"aBddutaiu  him  till  the 


•LTn.1— 2a] 


TUE  BECY)XD  BOOK  op  Tin  WOOIL 


m 


a.  ITly  watt  tamtttr  M  At  Lordf  J«kanuB  «»■  Mvlvtid,  and 
Ut  ftn«  «a(«k  m  KUaha  «rr«.  "  IWti>«.>l !.  ihu  rr\\  u  (^  ih*  Lard;  wbal  Bhuold  1  wait 
Ibr  Um  LavxI  ai  V  '  \txMu  bU  I^TMA  SMV  b«  pimummi 

ttvm  Kha)ft  ai  vU  tbuw  kb  ratttnimkeaaovfitM* 

••MatMl  prt'prtrty.    It  ««»,  t.f  thow^tji,  a  mrans  to  aa  coU.    1/ L«u< ' 

front  It,  It  vaa  i<>  t<c  d-^nv  ,  if  oi>l,  it  w  ib  to  b«  art  aat'ie.     tv-rYiua  U    .  ^  -^ , ^m 

irxxi)  ihia  |Ciniu  Ip  >■  lu'i  trur  Mtrvicc      It  u  diB^m*nl  Mlf-lataraM.     ll  has  bo  r«ttl 


f 


t>l-  1  I  'II  at 
ai  .til   »r  ti'  T 

JuBtllX?     "1      . 

or  gri'W  «u,  li 


iirTt>Ui>u,  ur  wumi  i|.      T'  r  anint  Is   kitidrad  witll  that  at  thr  fetuit- 
piay*   t<i  hia  fCOtia  '.  Imla  ttieiii  it  hm  tiumt  ttoC  ^f  t 

^:ti,  aa  if  b«  wrrv  »  ittiKia?      |k«a  uot  U>«  aai:  r  •  i       <r 

,'uonK  ounrlvrn  V      't*i  till"  the  auD  al.iac^  uo  tKa:u  * 
If  ».lT.-r»ity  OiitucM,  there  U  unlNUirf,  munii-r 

1^.     "Shall   we  r«)C(*i^t-  (TuimI  at  thp  Lau.i  .^    t^-*!,  a>Ml 

h  )i.  10).      It  la  itut  eutmgb  to  ackn<j«  'ril.-<-  ti.ai  evii 

ooraelTtat  under  hia  haiMl,  aubiiiii  to  Liuj,  uwu  the 

L         prudt   by    hia  chaoti'^tueiita.      Wc  m  .at  oot  Laiiii, 

ll  t«*  .i*'irt?ij  that,  in  i>o>tract»iij  the  hour  of  tie  iveraircv,  G«i 


Wl  waiiu)^  l4>  liiake  tha  daiiverauoe  luura  ai^ttAl  aod  giurtuua  (llab^  SlL  § — 11^ — J.  U. 


BXFoernoN. 


OUAPTKI  TIL 

Van.  I  SO— Tri  SnoB  cm  Bababia 
(m^Ummtti' :  rum  Deutkkavcb. 

Fan.  1,2.-  The  aepuration  of  theae  venea 
ttjtn  the  pr\^-rdiu(;  uarrutite  la  muat  an- 
furtunalr,  Thej  aie  aa  integral  |>iirt  of 
it,  and  (onu  ita  ftlimai  In  aiuwcr  to  the 
kin;^a  attampt  upon  hia  life,  and  haaty 
•pc«rh  id  which  he  haa  threat«aad  to  r»- 
DuUDce  JrboTah,  Eliaha  ia  eoaimi«iooed  to 
prot-laim  t.at  tbo  Mffe  toon  the  point  of 
t  If,  tlie  CamiiM  abovt  to  be  witliin 

-r  houn  ■aoeeeded  by  a  time  of 
|ticui>.  Th«ra  ia  thiu  no  raMon  for  tho 
king's  daqialff  or  soger. 

Var.  1.— Tk«B  Kiiiha  said.  Hear  y«  tha 
UM*  of  tka  Leri  Thu  waa  a  Tory  aolemn 
Bxordiam,  woU  oalnnlated  to  arreat  aitecf 
tion  It  maat  be  remembered  tii^i  the 
Bvopbefa  Ufc  waa  tiaflablini;  in  the  buianoo. 
Th»  exaoBttoiwT  waa  pfvoent :  thr  king  ha  1 
Bot  ramkad  hia  aadar;  tke  eldcm  wi.uKl 
pfobablv  hava  aaAsid  tta  kiBg  to  work  Li* 
wilL  All  depandad  am  Kliaka,  >>v  La  f  a 
doats  wuria,  ebaafing  the  k 
He  th'Tr'-- *•  aanoonoea  a  Di . 
(coti  xiii.  4  ;  XT  3 :  xx.  'iU  .  a  d 

feru  .'' MioOtare  I«a.  L  10  ;  xxriu. 

M:  111  J,  cu-.;  Jar.  \L  i  .  tu.  2.  vVe  >. 
Thoa  aaitk  tka  Lori,  Ta-aaarrow  about  thia 
time  ahall  a  maaaua — htendly.  a  moA— of 
iaa  tav  ba  aokl  far  a  ikakaL  Tbe-avah" 
waa  probablT  abuat  equal  ta  a  peek  and  a 
kalf  Bacllah.  the  >heiiel  of  the  time  ta 
Tkaa  aa  axtraordinarj 


1-  _., I,  J 


^nt  only  an 

ralo  currv-iit  at  the 


aloftat  neocManiT.  tnc 

stage.     Jaboram  apfn^-  i 

thf  pfopht  t's  aolt-mn  a*at^  tcr^u  a,  -i«vi  ^m 
the  ktren^th  of  it  to  hafe  apLu^d  hia  hfe,  at 
any  rate  till  the  reaalt  ahoald  be  aeao.  AjU 
two  maastirea— literally,  araJb  —of  barley  for 
B.v..^.'  <  •^  the  gate  of  Samaria,  The  gat  a, 
c-  .'.ewaya,of  Oncntal  town*  wcra 

■:  .    w-ca,  where  buaioea  of  rarioos 

kutiia  «aa  tr^ioaarted.  <  Ito  at  SmeV' b  had 
an  ai«a  of  abuTe  two  thousand  6it  bandred 

3iurD  fe«C  Kings  often  btid  tiietr  ooorta 
jtMtioa  in  the  eity  gataa.  Ou  tkia  aeea- 
MOQ  ooa  «l  the  gatas  of  Samaria  saaoM  la 
bare  baaa  oaad  aa  a  aor»-aarkat  (auafk 
vara.  17— 20> 

Ver.  1— TksB  a  lari  aa  wkaaa  haai  tka 
king  laaaad  ;  rather.  tk$  lerd,  or  du  captrntm^ 
tti  the  word  r*^  ia  aoounonly  tranalatwd 
(Exod.  xiT.  7;  zv.  4;  1  Sam.  xxiu.  8; 
1  Kinj;*  ix.  ."i ;  ch.  iz.  tS;  i.  i5 ,  xr.ti; 
1  Chroo.  XL  11;  xu.  18;  1  Chroo.  ruL 
'J).  (For  the  habit  of  kin^  to  loaa  am 
tl.e  hand  of  an  attr  ,.i&:,i  are  above,  ck.  t. 
1^  )  An«wered  iha  tnaii  of  Oad,  and  aaid, 
Br£^ld.  if  iha  Lord  woo.^  &:aka  window*  ta 
hcaTon,  miifht  thia  tbi: «,'  be  f  The  king 
tuiik--a  DO  rrply:  he  waita  Ibr  tka  raauiL 
Kut  liie  ('ffi^vr  on  whc«e  arm  ke  Iran*  la 
no',    eo    rviioenL       ''  laefwduWia,   ka 

eiLTiiia  Lia  lUi  -  a  aeufti^  **J  • 

"  tjould  thia  pooe.  .  .^  £Taa  if  tie4  Waca 
Ad  *  make  wiadowa  lu  tteaeea.'  aa  ba  did  al 
tke  tim»  of  tka  FU<ad  (0«n  rli  1 IV  aa4 
poor  tkruvgk  Ikaaa.  laatciad  uf  ram.  aa  tke^ 
a  saattBBalstowar  vl  Aaa  maal  and  aotm  1 


148 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [oh.  vn.  1— 2a 


Disbelief  ia  expressed,  not  only  in  the  pro- 
phetic veracity  of  Elisha,  but  in  the  power 
of  God.  Hence  Elisha's  stem  reply.  And 
he  said,  Behold,  thou  shalt  see  it  with  thine 
eyes,  bat  shalt  not  eat  thereof.  At  once  a 
threat  and  a  warning.  If  the  thing  was  to 
be,  and  the  h-rd  tq  see  it  and  yet  not  profit 
by  it,  the  only  reasonable  conclusion  was 
that  his  death  was  imminent.  He  was  thus 
warned,  and  given  time  to  "  set  his  house  in 
order,"  and  to  repent  and  make  his  peac« 
with  the  Almighty.  Whether  he  took  ad- 
Tantage  of  the  warning,  or  even  understood 
it,  we  are  not  told. 

Vers.  3— 16.— The  mode  In  which  Eli- 
■ha's  prophecy  of  relief  and  deliverance  waa 
fulfilled  is  now  set  forth.  Four  lepers,  ex- 
cluded from  the  city,  and  on  the  point  of 
perishing  of  hunger,  felt  that  they  could  be 
no  worse  off,  and  might  better  their  condi- 
tion, if  they  deserted  to  the  Syriani.  They 
therefore  drew  off  from  the  city  at  nightfall, 
and  made  for  the  Syrian  camp.  On  arriving, 
they  found  it  deserted.  The  entire  host, 
seized  with  a  sudden  panic,  had  fled,  about 
the  time  that  they  began  their  journey. 
The  lepers'  first  thought  waa  to  enrich  them- 
■elvea  by  plunder,  but  after  a  while  it  oc- 
curred to  them  that,  unless  they  hastened 
to  carry  the  good  news  to  Samaria,  inquiry 
would  be  made,  their  proceedings  would  be 
found  out,  and  they  would  be  severely 
puuishe'l.  So  they  returned  to  the  capital, 
and  reported  what  they  had  discovered. 
Jehoram,  on  receiving  the  news,  feared  that 
the  Syrians  had  prepared  a  trap  for  him, 
and  declined  to  move.  He  consented,  how- 
ever, to  send  out  toouts  to  reconnoitre.  The 
•onuta  found  evifient  proof  that  the  entire 
army  had  actually  fled  and  was  gone,  where- 
opon  there  was  a  general  raid  upon  tin- 
eamp  and  its  stores,  which  were  so  abundant 
Uial  Klirtha't  prophecy  was  folfllled  are  thu 
day  endud. 

Vnr.  8. — And  there  w«re  four  leprous  men 
at  the  entering  in  of  the  gate ;  <ir,  at  the 
mitninrr  tn  titr.  iintr-htnun.  I<i-|K)rH  wrTO  for- 
|*i<li|i-ii  \>y  lilt)  i.iiw  to  rt'Hidti  within  citio;, 
(1/«!V.  xiii.  4(i;  Numb.  t.  3).  'I'lioy  wf-ro 
Uiriiat  out  whnii  the  <Iih<iis4i  (li'V<'|n|M-(| 
itiMiir.  nnd  f'irci  >l  Ui  dwiil  without  tlir  wiilU. 
No  di'iihl  tl.iir  frif  iidi  wnhin  tlt<i  city  or- 
dinarily »in|i[ili"<l  lli'-m  With  foorl  ;  nnd 
belli-,  iliiiy  («>nj;r' K"'' d  itl-oiil  tln' nity  K^ti  h. 
And  thiy  satd  one  to  anothur,  Why  «it  we 
her*  ontil  wo  dlel  In  tim  ailr< ma  ■rainty, 
U  U  pruLdblc  that  uo  food  vium  brought  tu 


them,  the  inmates  of  the  city  having  barely 
enough  wherewith  to  sustain  themselves  (ch. 
vi.  25).  Thus  they  were  on  the  point  of 
perishing, 

Ver.  4, — If  we  say,  We  will  enter  into 
the  oity,  then  the  famine  is  in  the  city,  and 
we  shall  die  there.  The  lepers  were  cer- 
tainly not  at  liberty  to  enter  the  city  when 
they  pleased ;  but  perhaps  they  might  have 
managed,  in  one  way  or  another,  to  return 
within  the  walls.  They  ask  themselves, 
however,  "  Cui  bono  ?  "  What  will  be  the 
use  of  it  ?  The  famine  is  inside  the  town 
no  less  than  outside.  If  they  entered  the 
city,  by  hook  or  by  crook,  it  would  only  be 
to  "  die  there."  And  if  we  sit  still  here",  we 
die  also  ;  rather,  if  we  remain  here,  or,  if  ice 
dweU  here.  Lepers,  excluded  from  a  city, 
are  in  the  habit  of  building  themselves  huts 
near  the  gateways.  "The  lepers  of  Jeru- 
salem, at  the  present  day,  have  their  tents 
by  the  side  of  the  Zion  gate  "  (Keil,  ad  loc.). 
If  the  leprous  men  remained  where  they 
were,  death  stared  them  in  the  face  equally. 
Now  therefore  come,  and  let  ns  fall  tmto 
the  host  of  the  Syrians.  Let  us,  i.e.,  full 
away  from  our  own  side,  desert  them,  and 
go  over  to  the  enemy  (comp.  ch.  xxv.  11 ; 
Jer.  xxivii.  13,  14 ;  xxxix.  9 ;  lii.  15).  If 
they  save  ns  alive,  we  shall  live;  and  if 
they  kill  us,  we  shall  but  die;  i.e.  wo  cannot 
be  worse  off  than  we  are,  even  if  they  kill 
us ;  while  it  may  be  that  they  will  be  more 
merciful,  and  let  us  live, 

Ver.  5. — And  they  rose  up  in  the  twilight. 
Most  certainly  iu  the  evenirig  twilight,  .is 
soon  as  the  sun  was  down  (see  ver.  0).  Had 
they  set  ofl'  in  the  daytime,  the  garrison 
would  have  shot  at  thorn  from  the  walls. 
To  go  unto  the  camp  of  the  Syrians :  and 
when  they  were  come  to  the  uttermost  part 
— i.e.  tho  most  advanced  part,  that  which 
was  nearest  to  Samaria — of  the  camp  of 
Syria,  behold,  there  was  no  man  there.  The 
camp  was  empty,  deserted.  Not  a  soul  waa 
anywhere  to  be  soon. 

Ver.  6. — For  the  Lord  had  made  the  host 
of  the  Syrians  to  hear  a  noise  of  chariots, 
and  a  noise  of  horses,  ovon  the  noise  of  a 
groat  host,  'pip,  voice,  is  UHod  for  noiaoa 
of  any  kind  (hio  Kxod.  xx.  18;  Va.  xlii.  7; 
xciii.  4;  Jor.  xlvii.  .S ;  Kzck.  i.  '24;  iii.  IIJ ; 
.Ifml  ii.  5;  Null.  iii.  2),  thou<;h  goncially 
for  thoHH  in  which  tho  hniiian  voice  pro- 
pondcratod.  A  noise  liko  that  of  ohaiiota 
and  of  hnrscH  and  of  a  grout  host  ("^SnJ  v'Nn) 
WHH  hnrno  in  ii|K)n  tho  earn  of  tho  Syrians 
iiImiiiI  nightfall  of  tho  diiy  on  which  Johomm 
hii'l  detorniiniil  to  put  Klinha  to  ih'ntli ;  and, 
an  they  ex|i<-le(l  no  reinforoomentH,  thoy 
iialuruily  conchidod  that  auconur  had  ar> 
rivod  to  holp  tlH<ir  enemy.  How  the  noie* 
wim  iirotlno.  <l  it  ia  iin|M.(uiihl«»  to  eay.  Na- 
tural c»Ui>ea  ar«  insufllciout;  aud  lb*  wrllar 


m.  ru.  i-aa] 


TUB 


iOOE  or  TUB  KIKQL 


!«• 


<^>..t.  f<< 


1 . 

U  » 


i: 
u 


•nek 


Vw     - 
llM  »U* 

boa  Ik*   pot'il  wkvrv  tt  «» 

la  Mf  k 


A»4 


•Tflki. 


Cauoo 

JwWU  mui    rallro    111    lljr 

tiU  ciNiMMMry.  ud  UmI  U< 
•«  MVT  lo  hii  a^i.i'«n<N. 
Ik*  - 

I 


1 


•tit    ;• 

•  "    <.!U 


»t     i  ;.'!■<•.  « 


It  «.  .,-  ■,:  . 

ft-     '. 

\      •  ■ 

U    t^*    t«ui{(&t       At 
of    ismmiknm    io    f . 

ftB4  t^alr  ftMc*. 

FmtiXj.   pi  rttA|». 

tedw*  ft  twite/  o-   _.    ,^ 

lkA<  U^J  kftd   ftot  gullied 


P^  1 

flB 

,..•-  1 

k 

. 

Ti.; 

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Ur. 

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Wr 

LK>W- 

to 

4a 


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ThmfUW« 

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tb«y«ft,      . 


<«1 


L.ut 


« 
4*. 


160 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.        [oh.  vn.  1— 2a 


and  hiding  away  their  booty.     They  ought,  ' 
%K  goon  as  they  had  satisfied  their  liunger,   ! 
to  have  hurried  back  to  the  city  and  spread  j 
the  good  news.     Thia  day  is  a  day  of  good 
tidings,  and  we  hold  our  peace ;  i.e.  we  keep  | 
silence,  and   do  not  proclaim   them,  as  we 
ouofht.    If  we  tarry  till  the  morning  light, 
iome   mischief  will  come  upon  us;   rather, 
punishment  icill  fall  ontu;  we  shall  suflFer 
for  what  we  have  done — a  very  reasonable 
supposition.    Now  therefore  come,  that  we 
may  go  and  tell  the  king's  household.    The 
"king's  household"  means  the  court,  the 
metiium  through  which  the  king  wa«  ordi- 
narily approached. 

Yer.  10. — So  they  oame  and  called  onto  the 
porter  of  the  city;  i.e.  to  the  guard  of  tlie 
gate  nearest  them.  Tlie  word  "tyjff,  "  porter," 
or  "  gate -man,"  is  used  wllectively.  And 
they  told  them,  saying.  We  came  to  the 
camp  of  the  Syrians,  and,  behold,  there  was 
no  man  there,  neither  voice  of  man,  bat 
horses  tied,  and  asses  tied,  and  the  tents  as 
they  were.  The  horses  and  asses  within  a 
camp  were  always  "  tied,"  or  tethered,  :is 
we  see  from  the  monumental  representations 
of  Egyptian  camps  (Rawliuson,  '  History  of 
Ancient  Eg}pt,'  vol.  i.  p.  476),  and  also 
learn  from  liistoriane  (Herod.,  iv.  13o).  It 
is  soiuewhiit  surprising  that  the  horseti  were 
left  behind,  as  they  would  have  expedited 
the  flight  ljad  they  been  saitiiled  and 
mounted.  But  this  was,  perLapa,  over- 
look* d  in  the  p mio. 

Ver.  11. — And  he  called  the  porters ;  and 
they  told  it  to  the  king's  house  within; 
fiilher,  and  the  porli-rn  (or,  ijate-hecperM) 
'•.aWitl  nut  and  told  it,  etc.  K^p'  may  be  a 
plural  before  its  subject;  or  the  true  rend- 
ing may  \jo  ^t*"^ ,  which  in  found  in  some 
mnnuHcriplii. 

\'"  r.  1 2.  —And  the  king  arose  In  the  night, 
and  said  unto  his  Bervuuls,  I  will  now  uhow 
yoQ  what  the  Syrians  have  done  to  us.  They 
know  that  we  ij«  hungry ;  thorofore  are 
th»y  gono  oat  of  llio  camp  to  hidu  them- 
solvet  in  the  field.  Juliomm,  knowing  of 
MO  t>  lufiii  lor  tlie  flight  of  thu  >Syriuiit>,  buh- 
|i(srt<  i]  a  not  uneoniiiion  Htratagem.  Iln 
■ut>|Hm<  'I  that  the  enemy  inul  merely  f^one 
n  lilth  way  from  their  cariip,  un<l  pluecd 
th'rnwlT'4  in  amliiiNh,  riiuly  to  take  ad- 
viiiit.H'-  "f  "I'y  r'l^h  iiiovomfiil  wliicli  the 
UraiMitin  riii/ht  niiikn.  Ho  CyruH  Ih  nuiii 
ill  hiivn  I  ntr  ')i|H<<l  and  Mluu^hleriMi  Hpnrgn- 
|iiMw,  the  arm  of  'I'oinvris,  to^ethi-r  with  • 
liir),'>-  det«rhini'iit,  in  liiN  InU  war  a^ainMl 
II.'  >t  ix«iiK'tat  (II<  r.Nl,  i.  211).  iliN  HU|>- 
iH.rii  II  wiiM  ii'l  iinr  ikHonnlile.  Saying, 
W'.ca  they  come  out  of  thn  city,  wo  shall 
eatch  thnm  alive,  and  ((nl  lut«  iho  ally.  A 
'J'>iil,'ii<  a/lvantaKit  iniKht  \m  i'i|M<ot<wl  tn 
(o||..w  ih'HK-  wi  o  •|iiillnl  th«  t/iwn  U> 
pluDflur  tiio  oamp  wouhl  U-  iuiT<juudo<i  aud 


made  prisoners,  while  the  town  itself,  lefl 
without  defenders,  would  be  captured.  Com- 
pare the  capture  of  Ai  by  Joshua  (Josh.  viiL 
3 — 19),  when  the  chief  part  of  the  garrison 
had  been  enticed  out  of  it. 

Yer.  13.— And  one  of  his  serrants  an» 
Bwered  and  said,  Let  some  take,  I  pray  thee, 
five  of  the  horses  that  remtdn.  One  of  Je- 
horam's  "  servants,"  i.e.  of  the  officers  at- 
tached to  his  person,  suggested  that  a 
small  body  of  horse  (four  or  five)  should  be 
sent  out  to  reconnoitre.  The  besieged  had 
still  some  horses  left,  though  apparently 
not  many.  Note  the  phrase,  "five  of  the 
horses  that  remain."  The  majority  had 
died  of  want,  or  been  killod  to  furnish  food 
to  the  garrison.  (Behold,  they  are  as  all  the 
multitude  of  Israel  that  are  left  in  it — i.e. 
in  Samaria — ^behold,  I  say,  they  are  eTen  as 
all  the  multitude  of  the  Israelites  that  are 
consumed) ;  i.e.  they  will  run  no  more  risk 
than  the  other  troops  who  remain  in  the 
city,  for  these,  too,  •'  are  consumed,"  i.e.  are 
on  the  puint  of  perishing.  Supposing  that 
they  fall  into  the  enemy's  hands,  it  will  go 
no  harder  with  them  than  with  the  •  multi- 
tude "  which  ia  on  the  point  of  starvation. 
And  let  us  send  and  see.  We  can  do  nothing 
until  we  know  whether  the  siege  is  really 
raised,  or  whether  the  pretended  withdrawal 
is  a  mere  ruse.  We  must  send  and  have 
this  matter  made  clear. 

Yer.  14. — They  took  therefore  two  chariot 
horses  ;  literally,  ttoo  ehariots  of  horstii ;  i.e. 
two  chariots,  with  the  accustomed  number 
of  horses,  which  (with  the  Israel  ile-)  was  two, 
tliough  with  the  Assyrians  and  I"]gyi)tiauB 
it  Wis  frequently  three.  The  employmout 
of  cliariots  instead  of  horsemen  is  remark- 
able, and  seems  to  indicate  that  with  the 
I.sniolitos,  as  with  the  I'gyptiuns,  the  chariot 
force  was  regarded  as  Bupmiorto  the  cavalry 
for  )>raetii'al  purpiisee  And  the  king  sent 
after  thu  host  of  iho  Syrians,  saying.  Go  and 
BOO.  The  lulvieo  of  the  king's  "servant" 
was  taken ;  a  couple  of  chariots  wuro  sent 
out  to  nxxinui litre. 

Yer.  15.— And  they  went  after  thorn  nnto 
Jordan,  'nut  chariotoeni,  flndini:  tlie  camp 
really  om])ty,  dinoovering  no  anilinsh,  and 
r-oMiiiig  ui)on  itliuiidanl  Hignn  of  n  hanty  iind 
pi'rlurh««(l  llif^ht.  followc^l  ui)on  the  track  of 
lh<<  fngitiveH  until  thi<y  reiielixd  the.lordan, 
probably  in  the  vicinity  ot  lb  th-Hhan,  which 
lay  on  the  ordinary  route  between  Sanitiria 
and  I)aniiiH>  UH.  (Jonviiu-ed  by  what  ihey 
HHW  tlmt  the  Syriant  had  really  withdrawn 
into  their  own  ciMintry,  they  punned  no 
fnrib  r,  but  reinriml  to  Samaria.  And,  In, 
all  the  way  wuh  full  of  gurmonti  and  vurnoU, 
which  the  Syrians  had  onit  away  in  th  r 
haste.  ('loiilm,  BhuwlH,  nhinhU,  and  even 
Nworili  Mild  M|>oiiis,  wotihi  Im«  chhI  away  m» 
itmjptdiinrniti     bindrauovM  to  a  rapid  fll){ltC 


m.  rtL  l-4a]         TBI  BaOOKD  BOOK   OF  TUI 


lU  Mm  •#  tk» 
Mi  laM  tW  Ittac     «»•««•  full 


•  -10>       Al   Um  CMM  OflMW  M  4Mil<  UmV 

!•  IIm  Iwlk     Batteg  aftttaAi^ 


ImM  tttlMi  if  MM  l«fcl«M  SHW  Mi 


mtm*ai  iMMllaDailjr  Isl*  Um  ■»(«,  aiiM* 
Um  oois  ^Mi»d  la  tit*  emmp  *m  WJi<<  »  tj 
••  •  ■Mwr*  if  ia«  t*w  i  r»U»«f.  ui»<i  • 

t«*  aMMN*  «f  kutojr  tv  •  Aalni.  MMvA. 
«laff  M  tk«  VM<<  af  Ik*  Lwi  (m*  f«r.  11 

TW.  I7.-A»4  tte >^  ■iiilmi  Ik*  M 
•■  viMM  haai  te  iMMf  iBMf*  Ik*  ikarg* 
•f  U*  g«l^    AMiMpaliBf  dtoariar.  •ale« 


•I^-aI  car*  •w*  tekea,  iLioagk  tk*  pr»' 
|b(4«  •*frfn««  «f  Ik*  >■*■!■  k>  porckMa 
Ik*  flam  wkiflk  «■•  aflMai  la  thmm  U  •* 
ila  a  laH  Jakw—  appoiatad  th* 
aa  vkoM*  an*  k«  kad  laaat  vk«a  k* 
vi*>iad  Ik*  havM  af  Bi*ka  (•*•  w.  tX  to 
k*v«  tk*  ahkif*  af  tb*  ouat  aad  pwi**!* 
•*m  Uia  »kL  ProkakTy  tk«i*  «••  a* 
tk-«gkl  af  tka  part  kaiag  am  aT  daagar. 
Aa« ika fatfU  tnia ifwMi  la  tta ftt% 
aa4ka4i<>^     '•  ^   - ' -    * -rhttliw 

tk*  d^«  >B>1  SM* 

fcaead  i  J  PM|iI* 

iwifCtol  i.^  «^.0CiUj  bor* 

*t*a  kl*  ait  I  ti>««i     B«| 

p»uW*  viti 

».  ■*    -  «*»«rd* 


if  auiaa*  aaf  i  _ 

9l  ••ihU  aaM.  vk*  apU^  «k«a  O*  Um 
*aM«*VBl*kla.     **- ■—  --^-  IT* 

kM«  <to  ao*  aChI   UM  OMM^  aiMM.      TW 

•ni-«'»  UiiMUM  I*  Id  by  i^xal  cu^  aa 
Um  fiUtllM— t  a#  KiUk*-*  f-  iImt  .  «k4  to 
aanOMii**  Uw  |Mtt.w..jacai  ika  MWa*  «« 
a  kok  •#  iblilL  11m  mada  llai  f-  mji  ^ 
K  a*  Ilakff  M/^  -a  tagw  «r 


■tataf  to  aat^ltcvvfv' 

Vet   I  &  —Ami  u  Mja«  to  ya«  m  Ik*  aaa 

«f  0«4  kU  »»rt*a  to  U*  ktoff,  wjit^  Tv* 

aMacarM  •/    Uftoy  iw  «   ikak<  aa«    • 

■•aaar*  af  ia*  Imt  fcr  a  Aakai  A*U  W 

aWal  ttii  Am  la  tk*  ^u  ^ 

Tk*  alt*M  aaaaililaa  ot  «ii 


Ik*  vkal*  *r  ««.  1  Ma  *alj  k*  as^U.  «4 
•*  •  toad*  •#  wapkarfaiat.  Md  a*  lto|«to» 
laf  apoa  Ik*  Md«  laa  sata  aoteii:  in 


lAff  apoBlk* 
KllaU^i    I 
draadftUaHHa^a 


poteli:  (I) 

aJ    (1)  Ika 

lkalMk>aaa*aaaaiy 

Oad(a**lk* 


l«l)wiiaa  of  a 

Tor.  ItL-Aad  (ku  laH 

*f  •*«.  aU  aaU.  ■•«.  Uh*14.  If  ik*  Lwd 
ritoaid  m«ka  vtad*v«  U  kaav*^  Biifkl  aMk 
*tkia«W1  AjU  k*  aaii.  BakaU,  ikM  AaH 
a*«  U  wuk  tkiaa  tft»,  kat  ahalt  aal  «•• 
tk«xMf  (m*  lk«  wwnaaai  aa  Ika  ftwini.af 


Var  tO-Aad«IIMl«atMl*kla:  U, 
«k*  iiiilifcuj  aa*  •taallT  ftelfilk^  Tk* 
kwd.  kafnf  aptw^atod  to  laaa  onSw  la  tim 
fate  ».  (vra  »m  a-ld.  -••»  »  ih 

kl*   r  1)   the    acM.  I.r^   Ikit     / 

:■■-  a  u.»  akort  Maow  a<  taly  JDMg 

«>k  Bttrfto  kad  proaUaiad;  l«l 
•I  Ikaiaar"— did  a<4.  la  lik  aaa 
prMua.  «U«1b  aaj  HmiIi  horn  Ika  aadklaa 
pl—ly.  rfac*  k*  prriakad  bate,  k*  aoald 
wdu  bv  it  7or  iK*  ytofto  trada  ayaa  kla 
b  Ika  tfkUt  aad  ka  diad  (aaa  Ika  aoi^wal 
aa  *w.  l7k 


B^.v.. 

did  MiglxC* 

CMH    atkkl'  r 

aaoliM^ 

kkaat. 

Our* 

!)■ 

u.^ 

d* 

HnMlLE-liCK 

in    t/  t\#   •ftjffr 

i:  ^jit  LkuT  acv» 


152  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [oh.  Tn.  1— 20 

thought  MmBelf  entitled,  not  only  to  disbelieve  the  announcement,  bu*  to  pour  contempt 
upon  it.  "  It  is  too  often  the  case  that  high-born  and  apparently  well-bred  men,  at 
court,  take  pleasure  in  mockeries  of  the  Word  of  God  and  of  its  declarations,  without 
reflecting  that  they  thereby  bear  testimony  to  their  own  inner  rudeness,  vulgarity,  and 
want  of  breeding  "  (Bahr).  They  think  it  a  proof  of  their  own  cleverness  and  supe- 
riority to  superstitious  terrors,  to  mock  and  ridicule  wh:it  they  know  to  be  reverenced 
by  others.  For  the  most  part  God  allows  them  to  escape  punishment  in  this  world, 
but  now  and  then  he  signally  vindicates  his  honour  in  the  sight  of  all,  by  a  manifest 
judgment  upon  the  scoffers.  An  Elymas  the  sorcerer  is  struck  blind  (Acts  xiii.  11) 
suddenly,  an  Arius  perishes  in  the  dead  of  night,  or  an  Israelite  "  lord  "  suffers  the 
penalty  due  to  his  rash  words  by  being  "  trampled  underfoot."  God  can  at  any  time 
'•  arise  to  judgment,"  and  "  reward  the  proud  after  their  deserving."  -Let  men  see  to  it 
that  they  provoke  him  not  by  "speaking  unadvisedly  with  their  lips."  If  they  cannot 
receive  his  Word  and  hold  fast  his  truth,  let  them  at  least  "  keep  still  silence,"  refrain 
themselves,  and  not  draw  down  his  vengeance  upon  them  by  profane  scoffs  and  idle  jesting. 

Vers.  3 — 15. — T}ie  plenitude  of  GocTs  power  to  deliver  from  the  extremett  dangfrt. 
It  is  impossible  to  conceive  a  peril  greater  than  tliat  of  Samaria  at  this  time.  Tho 
Syrians  were  masters  of  all  the  open  country.  They  had  for  months  surrounded  the 
town  and  strictly  blockaded  it.  The  store  of  provisions  within  the  walls  was  almost 
wholly  exhausted,  and  there  was  no  possibility  of  obtaining  a  supply  from  without. 
Jehoram  had  no  ally  who  could  be  expected  to  come  to  his  aid.  Human  wisdom,  as  per- 
sonified in  the  "  lord  on  whose  hand  the  king  leaned,"  might  well  view  the  end  as  certain, 
not  seeing  from  what  quarter  deliverance  could  possibly  come.  But  man's  extremity  \a 
God's  opportunity.  With  God  nothing  is  impossible.  Nothing  is  even  hard.  He  has 
a  thousand  resources.  He  can  send  forth  his  angel  into  a  camp  at  nightfall,  and  in  the 
momin;i  the\  shall  be  "  aU  dead  men  "  (ch.  xix.  35).  He  can  make  brothers-in-arms 
to  fall  out,  and  turn  their  swords  one  against  another  (2  Chron.  xx.  23).  He  can  send 
a  groundless  panic  upon  the  largest  and  best-appointed  host,  and  cause  them  to  flee 
away  and  disappear,  "like  the  chnff  of  the  summer  threshing-floor."  He  can  make 
two  men,  like  Jonathan  nnd  his  armour-bearer  (1  Sam.  xiv.  6 — 16),  victorious  over  a 
multitude.  "  A  thousand  shall  flee  at  the  rebuke  of  one,"  if  God  so  wills  it  Panic  he 
can  cause  in  a  hundred  ways.  *'  It  is  only  necessary  that  in  the  darkness  a  wind  should 
blow,  or  that  water  should  splash  in  free  course,  or  that  an  echo  should  resound  from 
the  mountains,  or  that  the  wind  should  rustle  the  dry  leaves,  to  terrify  the  godless,  so 
that  they  flee  as  if  pursueil  by  a  sword,  and  fall  though  no  one  pursues  tbera  "  (Lev. 
xxvi.  30).  In  tho  present  ca-^e,  the.  Syrians  heard  a  sound,  how  caused  we  know  not, 
and  itistiiitly  ima;.'ine<i  that  a  danger  threatened  them,  which  could  only  be  esraped  by 
imni'  diate  flight  Israel  had  hired  against  them,  they  thought,  two  armies,  one  of 
K(iyptianH  and  the  other  of  llittitcs;  tho  annies  had  arrived,  and  would  fall  upon  thorn 
at  dawij  of  day.  So  they  hastily  tied  in  the  darkness,  cjisting  away  arms  and  vessels 
and  ^'amieniH  as  they  %vcnt  (ver.  ir>),  anil  leaving  behind  them  their  cam])  standing, 
with  all  itB  Htore«  intait,  its  flour  and  barley,  its  gold  and  silver,  its  rich  raiment,  its 
war-hor(M)M  anri  lH"a'<t«  of  burden.  Tho  Sain:inlaii8  were  called  upon  to  do  nothing — 
\\n-y  had  but  tu  "  Hian<i  still,  and  see  the  salvation  of  Gud"(IOxod.  xv.  13).  In  (Uie 
day,  wiihoui  any  exertion  of  their  own,  their  delivorauce  was  cotupletc.  And  ho  it  is 
ujth  (jixl  alwHVH. 

I.  fJoD  MAS  I'owKK  TO  DKLivKR  moM  Ai.i.  lAnTnLT  PKiiii.a.  In  an  hour,  in  a 
morroMit,  If  h«  pliii«e«,  G'kI  him  j»ower  to  deliver  :  1.  Kroin  dlH(•K^e.  He  can  rleanso  the 
!•  per;  (^T^siglit  to  the  blind  ;  heal  malignant  ulcers;  iiifuHc  Htrun^^th  and  vii^^our  into  tho 
imlhiivl;  make  jilajMie,  or  fisver,  <>r  any  other  m<irtal  Hickness  to  pass  away.  2.  From 
joivtTty.  He  (All  cauMj  the  jHiiiiot  man  to  liiid  a  irea'*ur<i,<)r  put  It  into  the  heart  of  a  rich 
man  U*  leare  him  on**,  or  mi  Mcmi  hJH  little  Ht'iro  that  it  becoiiicH  nbunihiiicu  (ch.  it.  1 — 
7).  of  Hive  him  favour  in  tho  KJuht  of  a  iii>>narch  (ICMlh.  vli.  6 — 11),  or  put  tho  wealth 
of  tlioii«and>»  at  hif  «iit<|H.».il  (AcIh  iv..'M-  'J7).  3.  From  (>|i|ireHHion.  He  can  deatroy  or 
raMl  down  thn  op|/r''fiiiir,  cut  him  oil  auddenlv,  reiiMsn  Iiih  vieliiiiH,  break  the  chaiiia 
from  off  th'-lr  Deck,  "  lift  ihnm  up  out  of  tho  mire,  aii<i  sul  tliein  with  the  pnnroH  of  hia 

■oplc"     4.   Kn»m  ahauif.      ilr  can  rain*)  fn>rn  th«<  dun^oon  to  the  palace  (don.  xli.  14; 
1.  vL  2Z  —  'M);  oui   maki^  men   ready  to  wurahip  one  whom  a  momeut  iMlure  the/ 


I'"!'! 


«  m.l-»L] 


TUB  SKOOND   IIOOK   OF  THB   KIKQS. 


IM 


if««i«<il  M  **  Ik*  aAwMUiB^ 
IL  Otn>  MA*  *■—  '—^rn  ra  t>*i..«.   ' 
tmm  Um  |«*«r  i  •IImv  from  Ut^ 

liM  MiJa.  r»«iM  U..W  ....  Uk»4umiakifi  •-—  ; 
It    t.  B«  CM  Mtw  AtMB  Um  gttiU  of  tLn ; 


«Mti%  a.    r 

If"-:- 


uiH»Ak«bl«  Gi/i  1 " 

'"     -■'  •  d,  •bMO   » 


b 

-•y 

a.  Awl 

-••tm. 


1 


Jehorab  "  ^ 
thfjr  •'•  a» 
Cuuiitrjiur: 

but  to  IT  '  ' 

rrea  t 
mucivr- 
iB«a  ^ 


I;.. 
I  . 

law  .'I  L»n.v 
Tb«  Irpan  '. 

It  ami 
•o  tiM  :.... 
in  a  fH'^y 

c. 

•' 
ra 


Latl  oot   beafO 
;  u>  aurieiMiar 
.>•  Out  tL' 
Ouurt :  I' 

-strar  ■  t   ■ 


wa   ii**i   ii-c^    Li»'    1 
V  du   Dot   car*.       \S  hat 
.  >o  ibeir  wretrt- 
.  be  mid  ibat  " 
J  rrr.'  rvNii'U  at  ail  Ouata.      D^iu  i- 

(ura,  and  raaeb  the  Sjiian  oampi 


ThU  thr> 

tto    Utl(>    %l  . 


:  a 

■■jf 
"i 


y- 

ir 

ia 

'•y 
j^y. 
««t 


-Xi«ll 

^«  u 


"7 


I 
I 
but 

L  '!  >  '  >  -K  Aaa  aa^ 

raaii   ...   _       « i.  -.    :u«a  i»  * 

•va*  §ratsiuiij,  a«  Uila<«a«a  k*  Uucfii  iml 


^.^vai).nif«CM^J. 


154  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.       [oil  vii.  1—20. 

IL  That,  it  we  extbact  not  fbom  them  the  sweet  uses  fob  which  thet  webb 

MEANT,  WE   SHALL   BE   APT  TO  GET    FBOM    THEM    IBREPABABLE    HABM the    irreparable 

harm  of  k  lowering  of  our  moral  tone,  and  an  alienation  of  our  souls  from  their  Creator. 

Vers.  12—15. — Unseasonable  distrust.  Humanly  speaking,  Jehoram's  distmst  of  the 
report  of  the  lepers  was  not  unreasonable.  Such  a  stratagem  as  that  which  he  sus- 
pected was  often  practised  in  the  wars  of  the  ancient  world,  with  great  advantage  to 
one  side  and  great  loss  to  the  other.  But  his  distrust,  though  not  unreasonable,  was 
unseasonable  from  the  point  of  view  of  faith  and  belief  in  God.  Elisha  having  just 
announced  such  an  inversion  of  the  actual  state  of  things  as  could  only  be  brought  about 
in  an  extraordinary  way,  the  occurrence  of  something  extraordinary  was  to  be  expected, 
Jehoram  ought  to  have  been  on  the  look  out  for  some  strange  intelligei.ce;  and  that 
which  the  lepers  brought  him  was  in  such  complete  accordance  with  the  tenor  of 
Elisha's  prophecy,  that  a  very  moderate  degree  of  faith  would  have  sufficed  to  make  him 
receive  it  gladly,  joyfully,  and  without  any  mistrust.  He  would  then  have  shortened 
the  suflFerings  of  his  people  by  a  day,  which  must  have  been  lost  by  the  despatch  of  tlie 
two  chariots  to  reconnoitre ;  and  he  might,  perhaps,  have  saved  the  life  of  his  "  lord," 
whose  dreadful  death  may  have  been  caused  by  the  impatience  of  a  famished  multitude 
too  long  restrained  from  sallying  forth.  Men  are  apt  to  be  mistrustful;  and  it  is 
generally  just  at  the  wrong  time.  They  are  sanguine  and  over-confident  when  it 
would  have  been  well  to  suspect,  suspicious  and  over-circumspect  when  there  is  no 
need  of  doubt  or  circumspection.  God  calls  them  to  the  kingdom  that  he  has  prepared 
for  men,  and  bids  them  "  come,  buy  and  eat ;  yea,  come,  buy  wine  and  milk  without 
money  and  without  price"  (Isa.  Iv.  1) ;  and  they  hang  back,  hesitate,  delay,  ai  if  they 
were  about  to  be  entrapped.  A  bold  impostor  invites  them  to  adopt  his  shibboleth, 
and  trust  in  it  for  salvation — they  listen  eagerly,  hang  on  his  words,  are  persuaded 
and  join  the  Mormons  or  the  Peculiar  People.  Rash  youth  boasto  as  it  girds  on  its 
armour,  and  looks  for  an  easy  victory  over  sin  and  Satan,  over  the  world,  the  flesh,  and 
the  devil.  Timid  old  age  faints  and  is  weary,  and  despairs  of  winning  through  and 
"  persevering  to  the  end,"  though  God  has  brought  it  so  far  upon  its  way.  It  is  well 
to  mistrust  one's  self;  it  is  faithless  to  mistrust  G^d.  He  who  has  borne  us  up  hitherto 
on  eagles'  wings  will  still  bear  us  up.  H«  "fcduteth  not,  neither  is  weary,"  He  "  will 
not  leave  us,  nor  forsake  u&" 


HOMILIES  BY  VARIOUS  AUTHORS. 

Vers.  1,  2,  with  12 — 20. —  The  unbelieving  lord.     Elisha  interrupts  the  king's  evil 

denign  by  a  prediction  of  plenty  in  Samaria.  His  mention  of  a  fixed  time  doubtless 
iaiucei  tlie  king  to  wait  until  he  shoulil  see  if  the  prophecy  was  fulfilled.  "Thus 
haith  the  Lord,  To-morrow  about  this  time  shall  a  measure  of  fino  flour  bo  sold  lor  a 
shekel,  and  two  measures  of  barley  for  a  shekel,  in  the  gate  of  Samaria."  It  was  a 
l>/jld  Htati  moiit  to  make,  for  tliere  was  no  human  likelihood  of  its  fulfilment.  If  the 
next  day  ha<l  proved  Kliwha  to  b"  a  dcciiver,  no  doubt  he  would  have  hoeu  torn  limb 
Irom  liiiih  by  the  itifuriatwl  and  hungry  pojiiilace.  But  Elishti  makes  not  the  state- 
ment cjm  his  own  authority,  but  uses  liio  words,  "Thus  snilh  the  Lord."  One  of  tho 
kind's  priiicijial  courtiers,  on  whose  artu  he  leiuiod,  c<iuld  not  conceal  his  scorn  and 
incredulity.  '•  Iksliold,  if  the  Lord  would  make  windows  in  heaven,  ndgiit  this  thing 
Ix;?"  Ob  orre,  his  Htatemeni  Ih  not  "If  tho  Lord  would  m:iko  wimlows  iu  heaven, 
tfiiii  tliln,i  mvjht  be."  llo  doesn't  oven  admit  that.  It  is  a  question  expressing  entiro 
iiofK>»»ifiljdity.  "Even  if  the  Lord  wmild  open  windows  in  lieav<'n,  t«  it  at  all  likely 
that  purh  a  thin^  an  thlH  woidrl  ImppeuV"  Hut  what  Hceuied  irnpossihle  to  him  wiis 
j>«.iiHilIe  with  (Jixl.  '1  he  |)r<iphnt  wiirned  him  that  ho  would  hiiII'it  lor  liis  unbelief. 
"\Uhu\i\,  thou  nlialt  w«  il  with  ihino  eycH,  but  slmlt  not  eiit  ihoreol."  A«  it  wiw 
pri-*!  ct-d,  w}  It  cumi-  to  pas.  During  tho  ui|^ht,  the  liOid  caused  tho  Syrian  army  U> 
h-Hr  a  ((roat  noltM^,  like  the  teiHH  ul  liorxeH  nu<l  chai  lots  and  a  mighty  liost,  and  they 
lied  in  trrror,  knvin^^  their  j-ump  with  all  their  pomhohhIohb  and  provisicuiH  behinil  tlu-m. 
Four  lo|i»rH,  K"'n«  o>it  o|  th(i  city  in  lh<-  i  veniti;;  iwilij{ht,  liiscuveiod  tho  df-Mcrled 
cauip.     Ttivy  bruught  back  the  news  to  the  Ixiluaguurud  oity.     Ai   llrsi,  a  Miratu^uin 


m.  m,  1-SOl]        TBI  UOOIIO  BOOK  Of  TBI  KIM«a  Ui 

VM  fc«f«d  !  b«l  br-Attaby  la  wtH  •-iferMM  far  foaJ  mmI  iJavUr.  Ula  fialilirf 
culUMM  nJbtd  ftirtk.      IV  un'  "         vi  doubud  Um  prufibM'a 

Ain!  tiM  framlM  i^  Qui  hiiiM*.;  a  lk«  |pU«  mm!  <Ui4. 

•I'  CM^  sucy  »•  nut)  uiuu  — 

sr  H«v   MA VI  uiAAus,  ArrAaKim.T,  on  IT*  auM.    Hit*  omitun  aifiil 
)  %  .>iU«  twMuu*  (ur  lUxi  JUtw^fL      1.   /^  MtyW 

i>i  '^*   ritrAl  I*  (pMA  »>.  .(  «!/       H«  mici.t   U»r« 

k  *.l»   mail    U    •]»**!    ^;  i.'^-.u?'    U.'U.L    c  Tw.    ti>ef« 

K  tatij;tU«  prxAif  u/  hi*  cradiUlity  fti>4  ira.i«^<rU<iutft: 

1  *«1     DO*    mllirf     'J         »    u/    OMb,   ^rr  1  !  !      "     '•  f;a4 

(>k>  Avruljr  mmI  u{>  •trj.     2.  O;  i  r  ,«• 

.,^   -v.-,y    .^    :.,    ;..r*JiW«.      It   U    u;;-....   ....iA««ibUi.      WLe:- i« 

fktMD  !•  Mtcii  |>lriilt  Aa  (4j  tai  pljr  ihu  whuU  cily  o(  BMuaru?  ILrfv  !.•>  b(«u  • 
Ansj  arouuii  uur  v»lU  for  tuAuy  iMjK  TbvT  bave  daauUtol  ^xl  ^iUiv.vfvJ 
IBlry  IWMd  •U.iuL  Wbar*  i«  lb«  food  to  ot<iM<  frucu,  rT«n  if  tL«r«  «a«  au^  <'U« 
lO  brttuc  tt  to  Ua?  Atid  ««  kituw  u(  ou  friMxlly  army  that  la  o^'Il,  :  ^  t  i%.m-  tLr  •  r^« 
or  out  ibr  M-rflcxl  rai.ki  o(  thr  8>ri&Am.*'      All    '  i    L««e   bwo 

vary  tik  •   u>  (<u«  thrvmvh  that  ouu/tirr'i  Uilml.      N  ■•>  wen-  (ba 

wry  rvaautek.  u4  •wiue  of  theui,  which  lad  bilU  todiabrlicve  K.-bLa*  Uicz^i*.'-  I''  '•'  y, 
if  ba  bad  ilatoi  hi*  rvMauii*  to  the  paopla,  Le  Wi'uld  have  ^.tH  a  i.uuiirr-  ■>..■  •  ■■  with 
bim  fur  aTrr  l«lkrV9ii    KlishA.     Nu  duuU   thay  all   Imko'.  >  ^  a 

fan*  I  to  and  '"t       7*'.#y,  to  all  appraiaiic*.  had  eomm"!!  ^<  v-   u  uii 

tbair  iidc.     A   a  >  ri  it  to  be  utte  uf  tL<jae  luaiiy  caaaa  il  wL  ^ '    "  '  ■  •.   Li*tb 

tha  fi«>luu  Uti    .  -  world   Vu  outifiAiud   the  war,  ai.d   the  wrai  '.    t:j^->    lo 

the  uiiKLty."     '  :     ^     U  vcrv  ) '«!  iMp.     L'nhrlie/ uwu^ly  aj  w»   »  »,  )*-*/a 

lO  hava  ntM>u  «.>u  iU>  >:  r-  .  >  •  n.  l  i  a  .:  •  ■  nf  thr  HMc  a..>  u-t  «:.  <  :i.a 
Bioal  pLaotib''  :     '     >:.•!    :i>>r-   uui,  been  advaaccrl.      K  -     '  .ra 

iUalf  cao  I*  <,  :.   r...-f    a:.;    BiO.       "Thf  devil  lau   cil'  f  * 

bia  parpUMi.  "  .  ^rr   i^jf   a«oeMur»/y  a  prvi/  c/  (A«  fru{^  i/'  ^  • 

oaa*.     Tbu  ti  in  ko  agv  wlicn  iiiaiiy  ar.uuicula  nrr  »t 

tha  truth  «.>!  ^'.    {'iaaaible  rts<i«<jtia  have  Ntiu   ar>;ek:  «^  ..  a 

truthaofthr  u'     'lake  <>K-  />n7y./ CV.n*r,  for  ria:ui  Ic     1  .a 

are  'Ur  ..rk'  .      I  .  :ra-.  :.  .  au   bniij{   fiTw&rd  jm-uuBl   iLr  d  ■  .ua 

T'  .et  of  what  value  axc  •..ch  a/jju:;..:  •. •   ^  :  en 

|;%  cut,  **  I  aiid  my  Father  arr   .l.     "   .« .;  .  laa 

aialoniii  ai  Um  Apolic  Juhti,  "  1  he  Word  wa»  with  lioil,  aud  ihr  \\'-t^:  «•■»  Gv^l ;  * 
or  wUb  the  Btat«np-  t  f  t'  c  Ajwatla  Paul,  that  "Jn  him  d-.«> !  f.h  all  ili©  !  .■.ws  v  tha 
Godbra  siue  way  the  lU'iet  pl%  .s  (.a;.  Ljt.  «  ^ 

hrottgl  :  fufwr*  </  ('Krxtfi  d  ^e  h*\c  w  ..  - 

ol  (i  •  ir  aiua  iu  .  >  uu  the  tree,'  »:.-:     L.-^t'a 

life  for   '.  (>Ter  tutA  over   »^-ain  il  haa 

I    at    tht  (i'-ti<i   n.ini-  .>«  nrt    ;  «t 

platMJbU  argunja'iu  have  lieru  b'  .  ..a 

tha  clcAr  aad  rtuphatto  atalatnapt*  of  uur  Lakw  Jeeua  v  nrui  L 

Uobeliaf  may  bava  taaaoa,  apparaoUj.  oa  Ua  atdai 

II.  OT'r  V..-..-.  .p  ^..  --^-  ..y  , :ijTT.     Our  kiaaa  air  n     . 

{A«db.<  ■<!  MX  thaif  rmuge.     How    ! 

of  •ei'^  fix*   hanfianad   that    tbii.. » 

Impuat.  <•  la^aaiUa  ia  Iheu^it!     It  ta       .  « 

buiidf'-  .rxl    U>  impHaOOIl'eM     \\    '.i.r     '  f     r 

a-  uu     K»aB  our 

ti.  tu  who  dlaoorrr 

at'  Mra*  aaaailad  with  anob  aboaa  uL 

hu  d  oa    auppraaring  tha   third                     .   a 

'PntK.  au.    Aod  wt  at  kball  we  lay  of '. 

of  tha  '■.  T  »  h'liidrfl  yran  b^v» — an  inv                     - 

baa  rev  lea  >pc«d  of  lueuui^ .               *.  .a 

aod  ar^  e  uuly  a  few  \mtn  a.  t'.x^ij 
diaeorarj  wl   kaoat.«,  «Ta(|  lut'-uu...  u.  u^  \^mtLA  arl^  baa  at  &iat  beati  auuxued  m  aa 


i5«  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.        [oh.  m.  1—20. 

impossible  dream,  then  laughed  at  as  impracticable,  and  fiually  accepted  when  it  became 
impossible  to  deny  the  truth  of  the  one  or  the  usefulness  of  the  other.  The  impossi- 
bilities of  to-day  turn  out  to  be  the  possibilities  of  to-morrow.  It  is  well  to  remember 
this,  that,  because  we  are  unable  to  conceive  of  something  taking  place,  it  does  not 
therefore  follow  that  it  is  imiiossible.  The  fact  is,  that  when  we  say  anything  is 
"  impossible,"  we  just  mean  that  we  cannot  conceive  it.  But,  as  has  abeady  been 
shown,  this  is  no  reason  why  a  doctrine  or  statement  may  not  be  true,  or  why  a  certain 
occurrence  may  not  take  place.  We  may  have  never  known  anything  of  the  kind  to 
occur  before ;  but  that  is  no  proof  that  a  thing  is  impossible,  though  in  the  minds  of 
many  people  it  is  the  only  argument.  What  has  never  occurred  .before,  may  occur 
yet.  There  are  discoveries  in  science  stiU  undreamed  of  in  our  advanced  philosophy, 
Ti.ere  are  inventions  yet  to  be  conceived  which,  if  to-day  we  could  hear  of  them,  we 
might  pronounce  the  wild  ravings  of  a  fanatic.  There  are  infinite  resources  in  the  hand 
of  him  who  rules  the  world.  Who  are  we,  that  we  should  limit  God  ?  Who  are  we, 
that  we  should  set  bounds  to  his  power?  Who  are  we,  that  we  should  set  bounds  to 
his  justice  on  the  one  hand,  or  to  his  mercy  on  the  other?  Must  we  not  bow  in  deep 
humility  before  all  the  problems  that  affect  his  dealings  with  men,  and  say,  "  Shall  not 
the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  do  right  ? "  Must  we  noi;  reverently  accept  whatever  he 
has  been  pleased  to  reveal  in  his  own  Word  of  his  Divine  purpos«s  and  plans,  no  matter 
what  our  reason  may  say  ? 

IIL  The  dangerous  chabactteb  of  unbblibf.  We  have  seen  how  unreasonable 
this  courtier's  unbelief  was.  Not  only  so,  but  it  was  injurious.  So  unbelief  in  a 
professing  Christian  is  injurious  to  himself  and  to  others.  It  hinders  his  own  useful- 
ness. It  hinders  the  progress  of  the  gospel.  It  hinders  the  success  of  Christian  work. 
It  is  the  Achan  in  the  camp,  the  canker  of  Chiistiau  life  and  j^ower,  tlie  chilling  blight 
i)f  the  Christian  Church.  What  an  age  of  deadness  in  the  Church  of  Christ  in  England, 
Scotland,  and  Ireland,  was  the  eighteenth  century,  the  age  of  modern tism,  the  age  of 
indifference  and  rationalitim !  What  an  absence  of  missionary  enterprise  I  What  an 
absence  of  evangelistic  effort!  As  Churches  and  as  individuals,  we  should  pray  to  be 
delivered  from  unbelief,  and  to  be  filled  with  living,  working,  all-con (lue ring  faith. 
Mr.  Sporgeon  says,  in  his  remarks  on  this  passage,  that  if  we  are  hindering  God's  work 
'ly  our  unbelief,  it  may  happen  to  ns  as  it  happened  to  this  nobleman,  that  God  may  see 
fit  to  tike  us  out  of  the  way.  He  says  that  he  has  remarked,  **  that  when  any  truly 
g'Kxi  man  has  stood  in  God's  way,  God  has  made  short  work  with  him.  He  has  taken 
iiim  home,  or  he  has  laid  him  aside  by  sickness.  If  you  will  not  hel|)  and  will  hinder, 
yuu  will  be  put  aside,  and  perhaps  your  own  usefulness  will  be  cut  short."  If  you 
liave  not  faith  enough  in  the  power. of  the  gospel,  if  you  have  not  faith  enough  in  the 
iTumises  of  God,  if  you  have  not  faith  enough  in  the  power  of  prayer,  then  be  in 
earnest  in  asking  for  more  faith — such  faith  as  will  stand  firm  in  the  day  of  temjttatiDn, 
of  trial,  of  conflict,  of  oppijsition.  Never  say  to  yourself  about  any  Christian  work, 
"  If  the  Lord  would  make  windows  in  heaven,  miuht  such  a  thing  be?"  An  affcctionatu 
word  to  the  unbeliever,  to  the  sinner.  Unbelief  is  dangerous.  Christ  speaks  of  nnbuliof 
as  a  sin.  Ue  says  of  the  Holy  Spirit  that  "  he  will  convince  the  world  of  sin,  because 
they  iHilievid  not  on  me."  Men  may  call  it  a  hard  doctrine,  but  there  it  is.  "  He 
that  hel  eveth  not  is  condemned  already,  because  he  l.ath  not  believed  in  the  Name  of 
the  only  begotten  Son  of  Go<i."  Is  there  anything  hard  in  that?  The  offer  of  salvation 
iH  made  t<j  every  one.  It  is  r-<i  plain  that  there  can  ))e  no  mistake  about  it.  If  there 
had  l<een  any  other  way,  any  other  Saviour,  men  might  plead  uncertainty.  Hut  they 
art)  plainly  toM,  "niither  is  there  salvation  in  any  otlior."  Those  who  believed  not 
the  warningH  in  the  ilays  of  Nnah,  iHTisheil.  Their  day  nf  grac^o  was  long,  hut  thoy 
neglected  it.  So  with  tlio  IsraeliteH  whose  bones  lay  whitening  in  tlie  wildirness. 
"They  ent^!p<l  not  w  VKjcauHO  of  unlxdiof."  Oh,  how  terrible  that  unht-lievinn 
wjurtier's  d'KjiM  :  "Thou  shaltwie  it  with  tiiineeyes,  but  uhalt  not  oat  thereof  "I — C.  U.  I. 

Ver«.  1,  2. — A  Divint  teacher  and  a  haughty  nceplic.  "Then  Rlisha  said,  Hear  y« 
the  word  of  th«  I^^ird ;  TIiuh  ttaith  the  Lord,  To-morrow,"  uto.  llora  are  two  olijects 
n'/t  only  V»  W  lookwl  Mt,  hut  tu  b«  Htudled. 

I.  A  DiviWK  TKAOMKU.  "Then  KlJHlia  Hall,  Hear  yo  the  word  of  tlm  fionl ;  Tluis 
li'ilth  the  Lord,  To  inorr<>w  alxjut  thi>«  time  hIi.iIi  a  niua.-Auru  of  Guu  Hour   bu  sold   for  % 


CH.  TIL  1-tlL]         THE  lUfiOONl)  BOUS   i)f  THI   KI.SO&  Iff 


1:  ^  «emmmi  -i  to  nutk*  •  fnKlunmu>jm  In  •  atarruii^ 

Th*  kii  Tti«  •!•     w  •  f  1  .lit  iUrk«a«d  1^  Akv, 

br«M4  WW  IB  Lb«  kir,  »:  IJM  eaal««  a#  |^ 

IbtM,  Whta  tkloit*  •t«ti.«i    U.  br  :.  >■•   M  ft  ru«aHM»# 

It^  x-n.dMUnag  ItiM  <«  llln  bc&l  ui  .    i|ft^ft^>,f 

.  !  !t>l«  Id  Um  g»U)  o(  Sftiimri*      '1  .  ^  la^  ^Ij^ 

!j  U>  the   ^-t*]*-;.      1     Ji  «A>  Ki^iy  •••lirf  !» 

•'   ••  wKpm  *l  wa*  rndtirm^  i  ^^   ij^  ^^^ 

I                                    >i  rMtoiaUoa,  ui>l  .  IL      %.  \i  «»•  «  «m»- 

WMfMoiiti'H  Ma<M  »A  iA«  MtU«n4y  ^  fA«  Ar^f-r.  t.  u  ii»«  IxW."    Tb»i  tl>« 

IMil  Is  a  DiviiM  m*«|i«  U  •  UuUi  u>>  firmlv  r  ctm  to  Jualt/y  <UbM«L 

Bt  th«  tt»|*J,  o'                  !    •     .  •   T  h     he  bouk  wvodl   tha 

Lii'lr  iaotMi.t-«r                                                                    .,  ^  t.:«fourbt«»^fmriwiw 

^    "*'     '■  a -od  aaavMMi 

migbt 

COUf- 


1' 

ft 

•1  i 

'  I*  i>^m^ 

i:  • 

r         1btM 

i>i 

.•  frv  ifv 

«-f  I 

f>'»i»i.-i 

til' 

;    >• 

r 

,.    ■,    i.-: 

him.  ..  -i  .  ,,        ji^i 

«*»«>S  *  .eiL     It  ►.//. 

MmI  tUtUuMi. — i>   '1 . 

Vara.  $—8. —  J%$ /mrr*  ^  vnlL  "  Aod  titer*  wars  fiiur  kprtxi*  B«tt  at  tW  wilanaf 
Ib  of  the  g«t«,'*  etc     Here  ^e  here — 

I.  Mkk  isvoltep  in  ihr  MOST  WEKTCHBO  ooiTumua.  "Ther*  were  foor  U^bum 
mrn  at  lh«  euteriT  ..«  m  »•!  th--  ■.•»•«."  Or  all  the  dis««*t«  which  --fflirt  vsnViH  Bf-i»e  y 
mofe  fjeinftil,  Uv:  >stroue  thao  leprvMV.  It  ^  ■•« 
race.  Muere  ii.  >  the  a}>|ita'au(«  uf  ti>ir  ^aJ 
forcible  ruVa  i4j  ^i\rrii  I!  e  lueoical  treatmeai  of  iu  Kat  ^iea 
of  diet  wliici.  mite  it  a^rarau  nonitltnrin—l  UodoDotto  •<«• 
KtrictJy  forbiiitieo  to  tke  Jewii  Thera  ara  manj  poiute  ui  auaiu,  ■  ^y 
aiid  Aia. 

II.  Mas  in  the  moat  wretchnl  e<^>nHtiaa  wouawo  a  aMiitiii  ma  uor 
tu  an^Hhar,  Wbj  ait  we  here  untii  »«  die?  1/  we  aay,  We  will  eater  :v. 
thfu  t^  fajBiiiia  if  in  the  ruv    ■..    \  w.-  thai!  die  there :  and  if  we  sit  -' 

alack.     Now  therrfuTf  cx'tuc  -  Call  (uto  the  txiat  of  the  By-                          ^ 

tu  alivp,  wt  aliall  IiTe.  »'.  1  ua,  wa  ahaU  bat  die.*     Kma<.. 

aa  nii;{!jt  have  beeu  t  ,  their  moral  satara  IukI  - 

left  u>  make  a  rtwul  t  .,   more  aetiTa  in  ptlTtli(^^ 

phjaieal  hfalth.     Paiu  wl.:  .a  iiito  aoCion,  inar«hal»  ..                   »  vt  ibe 

auoL     Trtily  wooderfal  la  u.  :.e  human  wilL     Let  ii<                      .  tuebtal 

iadolapft'  and  moral  io<rtuk  l>>  is  bodily  uouhlaa.                             tiua  i* 

dosal     Bow  often  do  yo^t  >  ^r  >  '  We  can  do  noihioK                         -  cireum- 

kiancM  in  which  we  a  '  "  cauuut "  of  anck  ia  ILtut  ^  wdi  bk**,"  and  tka 
••  wi  1  not  ■  ia  thetr  o» 

III.  Mro  aomio  o  ^  (L^nned  ia  the  moaC  wralabad  eoaditkm. 
llkc-ae  lout  puor  ainrv:  .  oulj  farmed  a  raaulatioa,  bat  tkej  worked 
it  out.  **  iind  tkay  rv«r  up  m  mr  im  ight,  to  go  unto  tba  enmp  of  tka  ByriaQa.* 
la  prmg  metiml  aOaet    tu  thrir  reM>.utioi>.   two   raaolti  foUowed.      1.  Dt^emitim 

Their  mat  dread  waa  of  tiM  Bjiiatio,  but  aa  (kay  apprtjaekad  the  Synan 
there  wat  no  man  there."  Wberaiara  bad  thi^  fladf  Bare  ia  tbn 
't  *  Far  tha  Lord  hath  made  the  boat  of  the  Byitana  to  h«v  a  aoiaa  of  chariotn, 
and  a  aolaa  «f  koraM,  eves  the  aolaa  of  a  great  boaL  Atvl  they  tmd  one  lo  aiM>thar, 
La,  the  KijMi  ef  laraal  haih  hired  agaioat  u«  the  kinpof  ihc  U  tuioa,  and  ih^  i.itxg»  uf 
the  Vfr\-*iAr^  to  eoma  ttpoo  ua.  Whereforv  they  roaa  atid  fled  in  the  twi  .bt,  and 
Uf  U»-^  •<«Ul.  and  their  boraaa  ai»d  tioir  aaaaa,  even  the  oaap  aa  it  waa,  and  flad  f» 
t'  '*f  <1^^     aj  what  (area  ware  iUmm  bynaoe  eoarad  away  I     H«A  tha  faraa  af  Iht 


158  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [ch.  th.  1— 2a 

rough  elements  of  nature,  or  the  force  of  armies,  but  the  force  of  terrihle  Ideas — ideas 
that  made  them  hear  the  noise  of  the  rattling  chariots  and  the  tramping  steeds  of  war, 
that  had  no  existence.  But  these  ideas,  albeit,  were  ideas  from  Qod.  "  The  Lord  had 
made  the  host  of  the  Syrians  to  hear  a  noise."  God  often  frightens  wicked  men  by 
ideas.  "  God  can,"  says  Matthew  Henry,  "  when  he  pleases,  dispirit  the  boldest  and 
most  brave,  and  make  the  stoutest  heart  to  tremble.  Those  that  will  not  fear  God,  he 
can  make  to  fear  at  the  shaking  of  a  leaf."  Before  a  strong  resolution,  apprehended 
difficulties  frequently  vanish  into  air.  Where  there's  a  will  there's  a  way,  even 
though  it  be  over  rugged  mountains  and  surging  floods.  A  man's  "  I  will "  has  a 
power  in  it  mighty  as  the  forces  of  nature,  ay,  mightier,  for  it  can  subordinate  them. 
"  If  thou  hast  faith  as  a  grain  of  mustard  seed,  thou  shalt  say  to  this  mountain,  Be 
thou  removed,"  etc.  2.  2^e  object  was  realized.  What  these  poor  starving  leprous  men 
deeply  needed  and  sought  was  provisions  to  appease  the  cravings  of  hunger  and  to 
reinvigorate  their  waning  life.  And  they  got  them.  "  And  when  these  lepers  came 
to  the  uttermost  part  of  the  camp,  they  went  into  one  tent,  and  did  eat  and  drink,  and 
carried  thence  silver,  and  gold,  and  raiment,  and  went  and  hid  it,"  etc.  Thus  they 
gained  even  more  than  they  sought ;  they  not  only  gained  food,  but  wealth. 

CoNCLUSiOH.  Learn  here  the  wonderful  moral  force  of  the  human  mind.  It  pos- 
sesses a  power  to  make  resolutions  under  the  most  trying  external  conditions,  and  the 
power  to  work  them  out  successftdly.  The  fiat  "  I'll  try  "  has  wrought  wonders  in 
human  history,  is  working  wonders  now,  and  so  it  ever  can.  Well  does  Dr.  TuUoch 
say,  "  Everything  yields  before  the  strong  and  earnest  will.  It  grows  by  exercise.  It 
excites  confidence  in  others,  while  it  takes  to  itself  the  lead.  DiflSculties  before  which 
mere  cleverness  fails,  and  which  leave  the  irresolute  prostrate  and  helpless,  vanish 
before  it.  They  not  only  do  not  impede  its  progress,  but  it  often  makes  of  them  step- 
ping-stones to  a  higher  and  more  enduring  triumph." — D.  T. 

Vers,  9 — 11. — Th»  right  and  the  prudent.  **Then  they  said  one  to  another,  We  do 
not  well,"  etc.  These  verses  record  the  conference  which  these  four  lepers  had  with  one 
another  after  they  had  succeeded  in  working  out  their  resolution  to  go  unto  the  "  host 
of  the  Syrians; "  and  in  this  conference  we  discover — 

I.  The  eight.  "  They  said  one  to  another,  We  do  not  well :  this  day  is  a  day  of 
good  tidings,  and  we  hold  our  peace."  The  silver  and  the  gold  which  tliey  had  dis- 
covered they  had  hidden  away ;  and  now,  perhaps,  conscience  told  them  it  was  not 
right.  It  is  not  right  for  us  to  conceal  the  gtKxi  we  have  discovered,  or  to  appi  opriate  it 
entirely  to  our  own  use;  let  us  communicate  it.  The  distribution  of  good  is  right. 
Every  man  should  be  "ready  to  communicate."  The  monopoly  of  material  good  is  a 
huge  wrong,  and  the  crying  sin  of  the  age.  Legislation  will  have  to  deal  with  this 
social  abomination  sooner  or  later ;  it  is  crushing  the  millions  to  the  dust.  Monc^polies 
niUMt  be  broken  up;  the  wants  of  society  and  the  claims  of  eternal  Justice  demand  it. 
What  v\  truly  "glad  tidings"  to  us  we  should  proclaim  to  others.  The  rays  of  joy 
that  fall  over  our  own  lives  we  should  not  retain,  but  reflect. 

II.  Thk  pbudkkt.  Whether  these  poor  men  felt  it  was  right  to  communicate  to  others 
the  tidings  of  the  good  they  had  received  or  not,  they  certainly  felt  it  was  prudent.  "  If 
we  tarry  till  the  mf)mlng  light,  some  mischief  will  come  upon  us:  now  therefore  come, 
that  we  may  go  and  tell  tlio  king's  hotisehold."  Accordingly  they  acted.  "So  they 
came  and  called  unto  the  porter  of  the  eity :  and  they  told  them,  saying,  We  canio  to 
the  camj)  of  the  Kyrians,  and,  behold,  tlu-re  was  no  nmn  there,  neither  voice  of  man, 
hut  horhoH  tied,  and  asHnH  tied,  and  the  tents  as  thoy  were.  And  he  called  to  the 
[ortrrH ;  and  they  told  it  U>  the  kin-^'H  house  within."  Not  to  do  the  right  thing  mtist 
•n'M  some  •  nimchifjf  " — niischiif  not  only  to  th<^  Ixidy,  but  to  the  soul  as  well,  to  the 
entire  nian.  There  i»  no  pMidenco  apart  from  re<titude.  W  hat  in  wrong  in  moral 
[inncipln  \n  iniw:liievouB  in  c*)ndu<t.  He  who  in  in  th"  riglit,  howflver  outvoted  by  his 
age,  in  lilwAvx  in  tln>  majority,  for  he  linH  that  vote  wliirli  carricH  all  material  universes 
and  Npiritual  hif)rarc:hiun  with  it.      Uii^'ht  in  infallililo  utilitarianiHui. — D.  T. 

Verm.  12 — 16.— 77i«  hrlp  that  rome»  to  (li»treHHr<l  men  from  vnthoitt.  "  And  the  king 
AT'mf  111  the  ninht,"  cf/"..  'I'hoHe  vern«ii  iu^^gwut  a  few  thoughtn  eoncort)ing  the  h«'lp  thi^ 
■ometuQM  oumm  to  diittrwutcd  men  (rom  vtitMoMt.     The  best  help  that  a  man  can  gtt 


«L  TO.  l-JOk]        TBK  BJBOONl)  DOOK  OF  TBR  KlVfiK  \m 


to  aav  (taa*  U  frnoi  w4tJkim-~fn.m  •  rigbl  worVing  oT  hit  ovm  hrah<'«  'r<^'  „ 

kM  Makar.     BtUl.  b»lp  fiv«i  «iuli.>ut  U  oHhi  imwt  valuaMc     Tba-  -  kUiU  </ 


ktUDAB  baJnra  wuKuuL     1.  Tl>-^  (h^it  h^p  n>«ti  ftjr  tA#*r  wOL  n^-     t* 


VfcU. 


W«  ««  WIpad  Ib  II  M      W 


•ffi  ta  ottM  to- 
•^ltaa.Mid  «« 


.4  or 


U, 


uom 


>t  aod  a0fit  f<wi!  •--■.». 


tti» 


to  w«  wkat  k^  kAplMMd.     Ax 

1m4  (l«|iat«ad.  but  Ua  lefi  (l.r  r  ,    ■  ^*.  ...uu 

•^•^k  w»  ulbetrl.  .                              iLaUmuio^ 

thm  dtrtreai  l!  ^,  in  }«s  i    ^              „.  ..> ,  uA«a  au  ii> 

a«  wrli  a*  lii   f  ue  (;rniU«l  axUsuuij  haip  apjjvan.      Wbaft 

.     kft  darkavt  a  )<<>  .  ..n  it 

IL  It  WAa  l'^u^^^.uvKu.      ii«j  t                                                                      ,  maaaa 

T%mf  WW*  o«arly  nil   kdnlatruiii  an-*  iHjniah 


111       iT    W  A^ 

\K  liethrr  thev  \» 

t     •       •■   :-   • 


cA  j  T\  icvj. — M, 


^-^  rcc«iva 

>     •    -'tain 

•Ale 

Lcivuii;  umtiptcUd  taruuia?     The 


Van.  17— aO^Omfa  /irawm  rmiiami  mmd  kit  trutk  vimdiimUd.  -  And  tU  kiox 
appoiotod  tka  lonl  oo  wboaa  hand  k«  lauiad  to  bar*  tha  olurg*  of  tha  Rata.*  aCc  We 
kava  bar*  aa  inataooe  of  two  thioga. 

1.  Qou'a  PBOMuts  HRALizu).  lu  tb««  flnt  Teraa  o#  tbia  ebaptar  Eliaba  bad  aaid, 
•  Bear  ya  iba  word  ol  the  Lord ;  Thiw  aaitii  tba  Lord,  To-OMirrow  abuul  tbia  Uma 
ahall  a  mcHuare  of  fine  tour  bo  aold  Cor  a  abekal."  1  b«-  morrow  bad  ouom-  aud  hera  ia 
Ibe  fine  flour  and  tba  hmr\ej  being  aold  in  the  i»te  of  Saniahfa.  Uer«  u  tiM  Dinne  pn>- 
miaaf.  Ifilled  to  the  letter.  God  ia  erer  faithful  »»b..  bath  promlaad.  If  a  bring  makra 
a  promiae,  and  it  ia  not  fulfilUtl,  it  lutibt  be  fur  one  o/  three  rtaaons— v  tliar  K«r»|f^  )|« 
•aa  inaiaoera  wbao  be  n.^Uc  the  i«\,mi««,  or  aubaequentlv  chwi.r.?  bia  mind.  o»  met 
with  uBfaKflaaa  difficuliie*  which  he  had  not  the  (..wVr  t  -•:  ni  Nooa  of 
IbaM  i.>  "iod  to  ibe  aJi-in.thful,  unehangeaMe,  a!    ^  ,  Qod. 

W-  '                  ru  TWDlCATKi*.     The  haughty  c<r tier  ^.      .  atrrday, 

wbaa  toe  wa»  wiU  that  a  mmaure  of  fiur  flour  would  be  fculu  f,  r  a  ;.(*.. .,  •  1/  the  Lo»it 
Would  maka  wiadova  m  bearen,  Ui-ght  thi»  ihmg  »«>"  a*  if  i  r  ('.»■)  n'd  -IX* 
Mlpraoumaioimpoaaoii  m«.  a  man  of  myiiitrlli.r  .^j. 

lactaal  rabble  may  believa  in  jou,  but  I  canuot,"  ^ 

•TL.*i  .1  »lt  MM  it  with  thine  eyea,  but  »ha.t  n- 1  rat  i   . ..    :.  ^^^ 

I-                       flwur  »iid  ibe  baxlry,  aiid  there  Lw.  draJ  tt.c  i.nj  il 

'•^                      ^'i^"^  ■  f"'  ibe  Dtuplo  tn.<le  upon  Lim  lu  iLc  t.«ir,  »; ..  :..  i        :    i.^^ 

•••f  "  «>d  \»ill  ever  du  bl..  Mtu".  uhlirii.f  ii;  ;»<i^  .i.ici.  :.•  i  nthrr 
*^**'>  >i  the  f»cu  rf main.  Thou^ch  *J1  the  w^*.a  acii»  ti*c  cxnuu.e  ul 
a  Oud,  ttMtmi  u6ii(;«ii  u,  and  lutura  ratrtUiUuo,  tba  bcu  rofnam. D.  T. 

,_7*^   '•  f  -^'  •  ^»  or  daapair  bad  takan  i  i  mil       a| 

Moram.     Ii  wa«  at  •  ,<MBd  wtik  bia  prwniaa  U  ArUw^t^f*. 

I.  PkuiicTKn  DFLivibAxca.     K.i»La  ux..ae  what  BMft  bava  MMuad  «  '  i- 

aar)out>ormrtiL     1.  The  city  «m  at  thM  ?-  •     nt  tnffWnf  tha  aitieuMx-t  -  .4 

laujine.     Bt  xUr  ^rne  hour  on  the  a..  ■  -•  it,  plaoty.     t.     bueii  hoi 

aa  wa*  tl«o  obu.iiat.le  waa  u(  the  fo^  -.  and  num  wolm^g  aatai* 

^7  it^-narrow  ihaj  would  ka  dwitm  uu  iiua  tWo;  aiMi  Lm^icy  ia  ahimtanoa     IL  Tbcif 


160  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [oh.  vn. 

disgusting  food  was  onlj  to  be  had  at  famine  prices.  To-morrow  a  measure  of  fine 
flour  would  be  sold  for  a  shekel,  and  two  measures  of  barley  for  a  shekel.  4.  To-day 
ihey  were  fast  beleaguered.  To-morrow  flour  and  barley  would  be  sold  in  the  open 
gates  of  Samaria.  After  this,  •*  is  anything  too  hard  for  the  Lord  ?  "  (Gen.  xviii.  14).  If 
Ben  will  not  seek  him,  Grod  leaves  them  to  feel  the  extremity  of  their  own  ht-lplessiiesa 
befc»iii  he  interposes.  Then  he  shows  himself  **  plenteous  "  in  mercy  (Ps.  ciii.  8).  Who 
can  doubt  that,  if  king  and  city  had  sought  God  earlier  with  sincere  hearts,  the  deliver- 
ance would  have  come  sooner?  Thus  by  his  own  frowardness  does  the  sinner  stand  in 
the  way  of  his  own  good. 

n.  Eationalistio  doubt.  The  spirit  of  incredulity,  which  must  have  been  in  many 
minds  when  Elisha  made  this  surprising  annoimcement,  found  expression  in  the  utter- 
ance of  the  captain  on  whose  hand  the  king  leaned,  "  Behuld,  if  the  Lord  would  make 
windows  in  heaven,  might  this  thing  be?"  1.  The  author  of  this  sceptical  scoff  waa 
a  person  in  high  rank.  The  atmosphere  of  a  court,  and  the  position  of  a  courtier,  are 
not  favourable  to  the  development  of  piety.  They  are  more  apt  to  develop,  as  here, 
a  worldly,  sceptical,  cynical  spirit,  with  small  faith  in  God,  virtue,  and  truth.  Piety 
is  to  be  looked  for  rather  in  the  cottages  than  in  the  palaces  of  a  people,  though  there 
are  notable  exceptions.  "  Not  many  mighty,"  etc.  (1  Cor.  I.  26).  2.  The  language  it 
that  of  scornful  incredulity.  It  is  the  speech  of  a  rationalist.  Judged  by  the  standards 
of  seose  and  of  natural  reason,  the  sudden  access  of  plenty  which  Elisha  predicted  waa 
impossible.  If  the  Lord  opened  windows  m  heaven,  it  might  be  looked  for,  but  not 
otherwise.  And  who  expected  help  from  that  quarter?  Thus  the  worldly  wise  lord 
reasoned,  sneering  at  Elisha's  word  as  the  imagination  of  a  heated  brain.  He  is  the 
type  of  all  rationalists.  Interpositions  from  heaven  are  the  last  things  they  are  dis- 
posed to  believe  in ;  and  in  any  case  they  will  not  believe  God's  Word  unless  they  can 
see  how  it  is  to  be  fulfilled,  and  on  what  natural  principles  the  unusual  event  is  to  be 
explained.  As  in  the  present  case  there  was  no  possibility  of  help  from  within  the 
«ity,  and  no  prospect  of  the  Syrians  leaving  when  the  city  was  just  about  to  fall  within 

Ckeir  power,  and  no  evidence  that  food  in  such  abundance  could  be  obtained  at  a  day's 
otice  even  if  they  did  leave,  Elisha's  promise  could  only  be  assigned  to  the  category 
«»'  delusion.     The  spirit  of  faith  is  the  opposite  of  this.     It  takes  God  at  his  word,  and 
■^ves  Aim  t'>  find  out  the  means  of  accomplishing  hia  own  predictions. 

III.  The  I'ONisiiMENT  OF  UNBKMEF.  Elishii  entered  into  no  arii;ument.  He  left  his 
word  t<j  be  proved  or  disproved  by  the  arbitrament  of  time.  Hut  he  told  the  ij;roat 
lord  who — so  much  wiser  than  Elisha — had  scdfled  at  its  fulfilment,  what  the  penalty 
of  his  unWlief  would  be.  He  would  see  the  promised  jilenty  indi cil,  but  he  would 
not  eat  of  it,  la  not  this  the  fate  of  every  unbeliever?  God's  woid  stands  sure; 
it  comc-8  U)  pass  in  due  time;  but  the  intellectualipt,  the  8tH>fl"or,  the  doubter,  the 
man  who  was  too  wise  to  believe,  finds  himself  shut  out  from  ^rticipation  in  the 
blessing. — J.  O. 

Vers.  Z— II.— The  four  Itper*. 

"  God  morriH  In  a  m  jateriooa  way, 
Ilia  wondori  to  perform." 

S|iecu1«tion  mlpbt  hare  exhausted  i  I  self  in  vnin  in  conjootnrinpj  bow  EliRha'R  pre- 
diction waH  t<)  U)  a<:c<>rnpliHlii'd.  Nevcrlhch  hh,  the  wonder  was  pcrforjued  by  a  series 
of  evi-nlH  aH  BlmjiWt  an  it  was  utilooked  fnr. 

I.  A  HiMrv  OF  ni'.hPAiK.  1.  Thr  Irjim  at  the  gnte.  We  are  first  intnuluced  \n  fnur 
l«jxT»  at  ill*!  Piitcrin^;  In  of  the  pale.  'Jhey  were  miiHide,  iintl  lind  hitherto  (ml>.siHtc<i  l>y 
f<*<«l  hnndud  out  or  thrown  to  them  from  wiiliin.  Hut  now  tiie  fimiino  in  the  city  made 
»iUfh  wwi'Kinco  iinj-iUHililc,  and  the  four  men  were  dvin*  of  hun^;or.  i'oor,  pitialile 
•bjx'tH,  the  loMt  |i<T)ionH  lo  whom  nny  one  would  huvn  thought  oT  looking  for  a  glimpse 
of  ^i'  ;"  '>n  tli«  Nitnntion  within  the  wiilU.  Yet  th«"<i  dcHpisrd  lepern  were  to  he,  in 
n  »(■  I.  ■  ,  the  savifiiim  of  tlm  el'y.  Wr*  eiinnot  hut  reliert  on  the  hunihlo  and  Heemin>{ly 
UM  k<  ly  iniitriiment«  (\<A  often  choonoH  tu  ii<'<'oinplir<h  IiIm  endH.  lie  pnlH  the  "  trensure 
In  Biifthnti  yeiweln  "  (2  (k)r.  ir.  7).  An  If  to  nlcme  human  |>riile,  h«  piir|>oHrly  Heliy^ta 
inxtrtininntalillet  which  ilm  wiiklnm  of  man  would  neorii.  2.  Dire  altrmnlimt. 
Urou|^l  face  to  faoe  with  death,  the  pcxir  lepnrs  are  forced  to  the  earuost  oonsideratiua 


OT.vn.i-A)     m  noo!n>  book  op  thi  inrot. 


lit 


kmm  put  oir  ••  liwf  ••  p(«*iUa ;  ttut  It  •pfMar*  bow  ••  k*  U«  oalv  cmk**  mkyk 


TiM 
WkMI 


lB4wt 
But  i 


I •>•  Hyriatxt  kill  t^vu.  .4 

tlica  Mkd  Mv«  iW(.  «. 

•    Utt«    UM,  ftt>a     M(Uf     ILAt.     tMMM. 

i  iflloaa  iImM  to  Ml  Spo^     TlwjT 

T«ot»bUUj  10  tan  ib«  Ukae*  ot  ikttt 

><>  with  a^ittal  yiii^>     '  •  —  M 

f  •  ftUura  hk,  «••.  •« 

i^'>  nor*  Ums  proU H« 

Km  c/  ihtm  tfam  hit  mioA, 
-  '.1  u  T     In  u><xL««  v»v  1^ 

yiMtioB  Um  irulii 


tttiw  wtfl    1 

W7  Ik*  ooMhWmi 
■or  hftd  Ml/  Iku 
Ooft  nefM  em: 

•mbittoci*,  «•   t> 


1: 


(' 


AMP 


1     -4» 


agoia 


li  imt  4ad  tramhUn;  that  t 
Ik,  mja  .  '.uc  vcxjr  •..ctto*  that  •varywbcrv 
i<r«.     But  B>>«  «B  AatfloMilmr  w*!*  of 


ro/ 


At  nlf;>itfkll.  >» 

o<  tb«  SjrnAiik.     it  «••  liM 

Of  ti>«  Lot  r'  en  bekl  otil 


eauj' 


10  IL 


tkvj  «•!»  otJiT  izi<w  Ki  me  n  r>«-<  i»!,a  aacrs  »  ncn  wrre  ci:  >- 
mmr  wmj  our  Hlvfttiaa  b«  lo  at,  ukd  «•  kiiov  it  wH.  ]L  T^ 
TW  wrpUaitfaM  of  lh>«ut>of  tkinf  whidi  tb*  leMv*  dtooovarr 
TW  BntaMllMaMilvM  bmj  In  later  jr«>n  bar*  tfold  tb»  Mor/, 
fraa  BliAa.  «ba«  uoabiMie  glA  ^-ftv*  biiu  Um  kaovledfi  6lmh% 
BjmiM.  U  »(fMn,  W  1mm4  amiig*  »nto—  ■ouaat  m  of  char. 
ri««t  ^    -'.  .  aikL  ftiuitietj  w:tli  ■  jd.ir^i  lAiiie,  bativtrmc  that  lb 


-•« 

■  b« 

xt  to  b« 

«bMM. 

■A. 

7. 

-•  4 
.  M 

a 


1* 

tbitMt  «< 
■BiU  Vtik  "I 

eaa  naka  bmb  iba  ipatt  of 
IbraaiMad  •piam  iba  wk< 
vbaa  tb*v  Aaunowd  thai 
vaatA.  Wc  «aa  Itaoylb* 
vas  »4  all  a  draaa.  tW^ 
kodaod  Mak  to  ohwaiia 


latriac  Ibal  lh<- 
■banfaioi  ov« 
la  of  Mi 

rtnolaboMBl  of  boa.' 
tio  aad  4atoaio  • 
-  tfA    Tbo  tr  ^ 
-^^y  aapty.  wk 

to  aaaa  roctoa  <d  ma.- 

•ad  yalaihbo  af  atfy  bjai4 


;    ^«a 


162  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.        [ch.  vn.  1— 2Gw 

They  were  stunned  with  thor  good  fortane,  and  wandered  ahout  from  tent  to  tent, 
eating  and  drinking,  and  carrying  out  the  good  things  they  saw,  to  hide  them.  Wo 
can  compare  with  the  surprise  of  these  lepers  the  joy  of  the  soul  on  its  first  discovery 
of  "the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ"  (Eph.  iii.  8).  How  infinite,  grand,  and  varied 
the  provision  found  in  him,  the  riches  of  salvation,  the  supply  for  spiritual  wants,  the 
treasures  for  the  enrichment  and  beautification  of  the  soul !  and  how  wondroiisly  and 
unexpectedly  these  burst  upon  the  view  when  God  "  reveals  his  Son  "  in  us  (Gal.  i.  16). 
At  first  the  absorbing  concern  is  for  one's  self — the  engrossing  thought  is  to  appropriate 
what  is  necessary  for  our  own  life.  But  this  stage,  as  in  the  case  of  the  lepers,  soon 
passes  by,  and  gives  place  to  another  less  selfish. 

III.  The  bringebs  of  good  tidings.  1.  Self -rebuke.  Four  leprous  men  alone  in 
that  great  camp,  and  a  city  near  at  hand  perishing  of  hunger:  it  was  a  strange 
situation.  The  lepers  themselves  began  to  feel  they  were  not  acting  rightly  in  delaying 
to  carry  the  news  of  this  astonishing  plenty  to  their  famine-stricken  brethren.  "We 
d"  not  well,"  they  said :  "  this  is  a  day  of  good  tidings,  and  we  hold  our  peace."  Dues 
not  every  mind  feel  that  their  words  were  just  ?  Would  it  not  have  been  selfishness 
unsf>eakable  had  they  continued  to  think  only  of  themselves,  and  delayed  to  carry  the 
good  tiiiings  to  their  friends  in  the  city  ?  Acting  thus  selfishly,  might  they  not  justly 
fear  that  some  "  mischief"  would  come  upon  them?  And  did  they  not  at  length  do 
right  in  saying,  "  Now  therefore  come,  that  we  may  go  and  tell  the  king's  household  "  ? 
The  application  is  obvious  to  our  own  duty  as  those  who  possess  the  saving  knowledge 
of  the  true  God,  and  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son.  "We  do  not  well,"  if  we  withhold  it 
from  those  who  are  perishing  for  lack  of  this  knowledge  (Hos.  iv.  6).  How  many  are 
in  this  condition  1  The  whole  heathen  world,  and  ignorant  multitudes  are  around  us. 
"  It  is  a  day  of  gi^jd  tidings:  "  shall  we  not  make  these  good  tidings  kni)wn  ?  '•  Freely 
ye  have  received,  freely  give"  (Matt.  x.  8).  "Shall  we  whose  souls  are  lighted,"  etc.? 
2.  Bearing  good  news.  The  lepers  delayed  no  more,  but  hastened  to  the  gate  of  the 
city,  and  told  their  wonderful  story  to  the  porter,  who  told  it  to  others,  who  carried  it 
to  the  king's  house.  Thus,  from  one  to  another,  the  news  spread.  It  was  not  reckoned 
any  drawback  to  it  that  they  were  lepers  who  brought  it. — J.  0. 

Vers.  12 — 20. — The  good  news  verified.  The  tidings  brought  by  the  lepers  were  so 
a^t«unding  that  it  was  natural  there  should  at  first  be  some  hesitation  in  acting  on  them. 

1.  'i'uK  king's  suspicions.  Jehorani  was  roused  in  the  night-time,  but  his  mood 
was  diHtrustful  and  desponding.  He  was  convinced  that  the  Syrians  were  but  playing 
him  a  trick.  Their  apparent  retreat  was  a  piece  of  strategy  to  get  the  Israelites  out 
into  th«  plain.  Then  tiny  would  fall  on  them  and  destroy  them.  "I  will  now  show 
you  what  the  Syrians  have  done  to  us,"  etc.  1.  Distrust  of  man.  The  suspicious 
•liKIKwition  of  the  king  accords  with  his  general  character.  It  has  been  noticed  that 
Jehniain  proHcatH  iiimsclf  tlirt)ughoiit  tlio  history  as  a  man  of  moody,  changeful, 
unreliable  nature.  "  When  the  piopliet  leads  the  enemy  into  hia  hands  without  a 
blow,  he  bec<jriieH  violent,  and  is  eager  to  8lau.;htor  tluiu  all ;  then,  however,  lie  allows 
hiiiiHelf  Ui  bo  soothed,  gives  them  entertainment,  and  piimits  them  to  depart  in  safety. 
At  the  Hiege  of  Samaria,  th''  great  ili.stress  of  the  city  toue.hoH  his  heart,  lie  puts  on 
KarriieriiH  which  are  sigiiifieant  ol  grief  and  ropentumo,  but  then  allows  Iiimsclf  to  bo 
wi  ovcrj«)woro<l  \>\  anger,  that,  inst  ad  of  Hei  king  the  chuho  of  the  i)rovaiiing  misery  in 
hi«  own  »iK)hUiHy  and  tliat  of  the  nation,  \w  Hwoars  to  put  to  death,  without  delay,  th<i 
innn  whom  ho  had  onai  a<idroHHod  as  *  father.*  Yet  this  anger  also  is  of  short 
iluriition.  He  dwm  not  hear  the  promino  of  deliverance  with  scorn,  as  his  oflieer  does, 
hut  with  h"[Hi  and  confidence.  Then,  again,  when  the  proiiiined  deliverance  is  anui/uncod 
■/isctiialls  irtweiit,  hn  (>ncii  niort;  i>ecoineH  douhtlnl  and  inistriisiful,  and  his  Hervanls 
havH  to  encoura,.'''  turn  and  pimh  him  on  to  a  ilocision  "  (Uiihr).  It  is  shown  by  the 
pr<iu'nt  iDtiRnee  how  ■  HUHpicioiiH,  diHtriiHifiil  diHjMiHition  oliini  oiitwitn  itself.  One 
QouUI  not  h'iv«t  blnmiMl  JnlKiriiin  for  Ixting  cautioiini  but  his  habit  of  mind  led  him  to 
j/o  loyoinl  cii'ition,  and  to  ooiiebidi!  for  cTtftiii  that  tin-  ru-WM  broin-hl  wan  false,  and 
that  thnHxriiitiH  wtiro  Rtt<iiiptiri;;  n  deception.  Had  hn  Imvii  lelt  to  himHelf,  he  would 
bav<^  r«^l'-<l  In  tKat  ciiiiiliininn,  uiid  imjuired  no  funher.  Yet  lie  wrm  wronj!;,  mid  llio 
Syrinii^  hod  »»liinlly  (le<l.  An  exeoHM  of  HrflpticiMrn  thnii  lrc(|iiriiily  IohiIm  lliose  wli« 
^•dulj{«  it  Rjtniy.     JohoraiM  wbj<  wj  Bccuxlomod  to  dijilomacy,  tu  intriguii,  Vo  slratoKy, 


m.  vn.  1-Sa)       THB  SKOHP  BOOK  OP  THK  KIHOi.  Ml 

Umi  Ho  tSfvie^t  c4  BO  oiHfv  eijOwiAttaa  of  Um  fin«  f4M«l  to  kia.     ^'  ^  •  ■ 

Oodti  PfontlH,  M  oaawvad  Uuwigti  iCtkb*.  bMi  um  oI  faiu.  k* 
fw«i»b(4  a*l  tkk  vkieli  wm  uU  Ua  w  Ito  ftUClt. 


Wu^'fr 


to  fcfwh  Btaib*.  mxnA  •tk  hUu  for  kit  kuuUuo*.     It  «m  Mt  wibvuv  • 

duk  Ui^  u>  kb  r»lbo<hiiM      Am  w  mad  ufUtt  fuliiy  td  AmOm  dtou^-* 

»  rrt.  ADd.  wkM  tlto  Mitw  ciwi  .  »«  arv   ■■inaUkil.  aad  cm  •- 

V  s  ^^  lu.  16,  19X    Ow  toikallar  4ark«M  Gua't  pfvndaua*  to  «^  •a4  !*> 


1 :    ".  .  oirtOAftoM  or  r«B  ruoffr.     1.  TJU  m  ■■■!»'  »»— wl.    TlMaw^Mto  o«  ikis 
A*  uo  iittiif  nrwiinni.  ihowil  tbaBwIvoi  wlaar  th*i>  iboir  '■  v. 

ISX     Om  of  thcoi   fAV*  kla  ««»d  4ariML      Tk«   rtpuri    ;  ^^^ 

•urrlv,  •X  Wal  vortk  laqaMag  lato.     Lm  kim  Mod  ■oom  of  uic  ciiA^.<x  i^r^r*  tLu 
mitAiMd  (lk«y  WW  vary  i»«,  Md,  Hk«  Um  ramnaal  uf  Uto  paoob  ol  braal.  wmU<1 
.  .tiL«.  au  UiAi,  M  Ik*  vuTii,  tto  crmur  wtl  eodd  kdUl  tk«a  ik«A  »lf«*ljr 
J  lo«  Uie  okartoiMn  kriag  «urd  of  lb*  tnw  atoto  af  Ika  oaaa.    Uo«  maity 
rmao   .  I  I    \  m    kMiT  onmlwaMlkia.  uowiM  dakya,  woold  k*  avokiad,  if  mm  «otU4 
but  MlVfaa  M  pnaoipU  "fsaMd  m***!    T\«  pnkelied  losUoeu  tm  oAao  aMiAdor 
la  Ika  oaaiBiBB  paopU  Ikaa  la  Ibair  lunilv  aapariora.    1.  TV  ktof'a  ■iiiwj  n.    Tka 
klif  did  aa  ky  avTMt  angiaiiail.  and  tka  ekariou,  iva  la  oomber,  vera  aaol  furtk. 
T^aoBHto  vaa  iaand  daaettod,  m  Ik*  bfiara  bad  aaid,  kat,loiD*ka  aura,tb«  mo->««  «• 
oootlaaai^  tkair  kiur  ot  inayaettaa  along  Um  road  Uadiu;;  to  Jurdaa.    " 
of  kMKT  fllgkl  wara  iitdubiuhla.     "AD  Um  vajr  «m  full  id  f^ium: 
wbkk  Uia  Syriaaa  kad  omI  away  la  thair  baato.*     Tkara  waa  auw  n 
ao  **  Um  iiiMaiaj.wi  ratumad,  aad  uM  tke  kins.'*    Tkay  bad  aaaa.  a    ' 
a«ok  baitar  ktti  U>r  king  truated  tka  word  of  Ui«  Lord,  aod  balie  i*^ 

aol  aaaa  (Joka  ix.  'i'J)  1     Wi.aa  vam  ara  Aeflitig  for  tkair  Uraa,  ikev  <-  al> 

kaklad  than      It  akoald  Ofcrtdarato  our  meuv>  ot  tba  Talaa  of  aartbl v  •« 

aM  kow,  la  an  aoMrgaoey,  tkay  ara  ao  liiUa  rockod  of      A  day  «  ik« 

prottdtat  and  bauphiieat  wi>ul<i  gladly  part  with  all  tkey  baro  for  a  e 'i^.r  *:..\,r  u  ■  . 
Ika  fara  of  him  wb  •  aiU  ^uo  iIm  groat  white  tbrana  (IUt.  ri  IS,  19;  xt.  11) 
S.  (7*i*«  Mwrrf /«////«/.     TiiU*  It  caiu-  ab>ui  i  ^  Luaooer  wkuUy 

atid  unlookad  fur,  tba  pradietk>o  of  Rliaba  »»  Tka  atarrin^' 

lv«i  aai  (raa  bwa  ikair  kaatgara.  ab..  :t  to  tba 

"  unaalTi  iw  thn  aknnilaaiTf  nf  nrrh  ^  had  lafL 

'*-!'--,-  koat  waa  at  tkiirdiapuaal,  aai  a  nN>~vxiv ...  .  .^  . 

iiaaaiirii  of  karWy  (or  a  akakaL    ''Wiadon 

,  ....^  j...  19).    nwaaaraalwayalooadrigktaklaalvku...,^^     ., 

Wort.  Woridly  man  ^  kaak  at  ikam  ;  larinnaHato  vlU  aook  tbam 
Ikla  woriA  ^hlf«  wiU  aout  tbam  bara-braiaad  aad  foaltak ;  bat  tk* 
tlMto.  IW  Briaoipla  of  voriftca^iuti  b  lU  aa  tntola  raBciaB  a*  ia  ask! 
•ow  aooapl  b  bltb  will  uiu  v.  Iv  U  vcnfted  by  ^gtot.  TV  ^ 
raligioo  *ad  aeieooa  la  tkat  tke  »»  t  •  act  ti!!  i:  baa  rev 

(tbuufb  araa  tkja  la  aak^nct  to  h  '  .  u> ,  tba  k«u.ar  truato  o  • 

tba  vanfioati>«L 

UL  Pan  or  m  aocKOL    Tbara  rwaalMd  to  ka  f^mUA  tka  w«^i  wblok  BIkb» 
bad  apukaa.  tkal,  ikougk  tka  ki^a  oOoar  wko  kad  aeoAwl  •'•  taa  akould  •«• 

tka  prwikted  piaatty,  ba  woaU  tK4  oat  tbarauf.     Tkia  war.  ^  •  v«n6c«l  In  • 

roflMtfkabta,  bat  acwoilagfy  acridet.ul,  w»jr.     Tbia  oAear  waa  a|>i<L>i !>(<<'•  to  »^ 
tka  aala  of  i^vviaiaaa  ^  tka  gaujwa^ ,  Uii  tka  paaiara  of  tka  (raatte  or  • 
rraat  tkat  ka  wa«  ttadiia  — darjtwt  aad  diad.      Bow  itoaply.  v«<  kaw  aaeurmic.j,  »«■ 
Ika  prepkatli  farawaal  hWMad  I     L  Tba  laoidant  ia  uKHbar  arUaww  tka  aaaa  aaeaiag 
'aosklMta*'  6        ■  <'^  ^titaftda  tba  t»inilaaei  of  God.    X.  !•    -^    -  laaa  tkt  faMy 
aad  daacar  of  '  KjJ'*  WurL    i.  It  akowa  tka  cart*  •  tbraatoatap 

baii^E  fulflllfxi       «    ..    .  .i»trau«  tka  «»d  of  tka  aar«ilv>  ^..,,    ...^  fiitiltaaat  of 
Ood'a  (vuaiuaaa  uf  ■i>ef,  bat  aot  (rrmiilcd  to  m^.-^.  0. 


164 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE   KINGS.      [oh.  vm.  1— 2& 


EXPOSITION. 


CHAPTER  Vra. 


Vers.  1 — 29. — Thb  Seqt?kl  of  the  8tobt 

0»     THB     ShXTNAMMITE.      THB     KlLLINO     OF 

Bentsadad  bt  Hazasl  ;  and  the  "Wicked 
Beigns  ok  Jehobasi  and  Ahaziah  in  Judah. 

Vers.  1 — 15. — Elisha  is  still  the  jprofa- 
goni$te$  of  the  hlstoridd  drama.  The  writer 
brings  together  in  the  preaeat  section  two 
more  occasions  of  a  publie  cLaracter  in 
which  he  was  concerned,  and  in  which 
kings  aljo  bore  a  part.  One  of  the  occasions 
is  domestic,  and  shows  the  interest  which 
Jehoram  took  in  the  miracles  of  the  prophet, 
and  in  those  who  were  the  objects  of  them 
(vers.  1 — 6).  The  other  belongs  to  Syrian, 
rather  than  to  Israelite,  history,  and  proves 
that  the  inflaence  of  Elisha  was  not  confined 
to  Palestine  (vers.  7 — 15). 

Vers.  I— 6.— The  $equel  of  ths  ttory  of  the 
ShunammiU. 

Ver.  1.— Then  spake  Elisha  onto  th« 
woman,  whose  son  he  had  restored  to  life. 
There  is  no  "  then  "  in  the  original,  of  which 
the  uimplest  rendering  would  be,  "  And 
Eliiiha  spake  anto  tlie  woman,"  etc.  The 
true  sense  is,  perhaps,  best  brought  out  by 
the  Revised  Version,  which  gives  the  follow- 
ing :  Now  Elicha  had  tpoken  unto  the  reoman, 
etc.  The  reference  is  to  a  time  long  anterior 
to  the  siege  ol  Samaria.  Saying,  Arise,  and 
go  thou  and  thine  household,  and  sojourn 
wheresoever  then  oanst  sojourn:  for  the 
Lord  hath  oallod  for  a  famine.  A  faibine  is 
ini  iitioned  in  eh.  iv.  88,  which  must  belong 
to  the  reign  of  Jehoram,  and  which  is 
probably  ideutitied  with  thut  here  spoken 
of.  Klisha,  on  its  appmeMh,  recommoiidod 
the  Kbiinammite,  though  she  was  a  woman  of 
suh.iUincc  (oh.  iv.  8),  to  quit  her  liome  and 
fffrti'iTu  to  Home  other  residence,  wh<re  Hhe 
mit'ht  eKu{»e  the  prcHsuro  of  the  calamity, 
ilt^  left  it  to  her  to  ohixjHi'  the  place  of  her 
t<iiipf>rary  nbo'le.  The  phraH«,"Ood  hath 
diU'-il  fitr  a  lurnine,"  moanH  no  more  and  no 
le«M  tti>in"(<t¥l  hiut  ilutoriiii tied  that  thure 
mIiuII  Itt)  a  fumiiKi."  Witli  (iod  to  iiK-nk  the 
«or<l  iH  to  hriiix  itlxxit  the  event.  And  it 
shall  also  oomu  upon  tho  land  ioven  years. 
H'  ven  yean  waa  thn  ai'tuul  ilufHtinn  of  tho 
^'r<  at  faniine  which  .hmtnt\<  fnrrliM  in  li^ypt 
((Jon.  xU.  27),  anrl    .wu  thn  idfiklly  porfcol 

(.♦•ri'xl  fftT  »  tnwri'  hiDiin«i  (2  ('hr*>n.  niv. 
S)  Many  «)f  the  U»<t  mctt'nr'ilogiHtH  aro 
inclintMl  tri  r^ffikr<\  thn  irrnt  of ''  m4<viiii  yi  iiih  " 
a«  a  rjrAw  p«ruKi  lu  ownneoUon  with  wautbur 
fthangaa. 


Ver.  2. — And  th*  woman  arose,  and  did 
after  the  saying  of  the  man  of  God.  It  is  a 
satisfaction  to  find  that  there  was  yet  f;iith 
in  Israel.  There  were  still  those  to  whom 
the  prophet  was  the  mouthpiece  of  God,  who 
waited  on  his  words,  and  accepted  them  as 
Divine  commands  whereto  they  were  ready 
to  render  immediate  and  entire  obedience. 
It  is  conjectured  by  some  that  the  woman 
had  become  a  widow,  and  fallen  into  com- 
parative poverty;  but  the  narrative  gives 
no  indication  of  this.  Even  opulent  persons 
have  to  migrate  in  times  of  severe  dearth. 
And  she  went  with  her  household,  and 
sojourned  in  the  land  of  the  Philistines. 
Philistia  was  a  great  grain  country  (Judg. 
XV.  5),  and,  though  not  altogether  exempt 
from  famine,  was  less  exposed  to  it  tlian 
either  JudsBa  or  Samaria.  The  soil  was 
exceedingly  fertile,  and  the  vapours  from 
the  Mediterranean  descended  upon  it  in 
dews  and  showers,  when  their  beneficial 
infiuenoe  was  not  felt  further  inland.  The 
Shunammite  may  have  had  other  reasons 
for  fixing  her  residence  in  the  Philistine 
country ;  but  probably  she  was  chiefiy  ileter- 
miued  in  her  choice  by  its  proximity  and 
its  i)roductivenes8.  Seven  years.  As  long, 
i.e.,  as  the  famine  lasted  (see  the  last 
clause  of  ver.  1). 

Ver.  3. — And  it  came  to  pass  at  the  seven 
years'  end,  that  the  woman  returned  out  of 
the  land  of  the  Philistines.  She  stayed  no 
longer  than  she  could  lu  Ip.  Her  own  land, 
where  she  could  have  the  ministratious  of 
a  "  man  of  God "  (ch.  iv.  23),  was  dear  to 
her;  and  no  sooner  had  the  famine  abated 
than  she  returned  to  it.  And  she  wont  forth 
to  cry  unto  the  king  for  her  house  and  for 
her  land.  During  her  prolonged  absence, 
some  grasping  neighbour  had  seized  on  the 
unoccupied  house  and  the  uncultivated 
CHtate  adjoining  it,  and  now  refused  to 
roHtore  them  to  tho  rightful  owner.  Widows 
wore  especially  ii:ible  to  such  troalniont  on 
tho  part  of  gre<dy  oppressors,  wince  they 
were,  comparatively  spoakin;-;,  weak  and 
defeuctilesu  (sue  Ina.  x.  2;  Matt,  xxiii.  11). 
Under  such  circuniHtancus  tho  injured  party 
would  natunilly,  in  an  Orictulal  country, 
make  appial  to  tho  king  (eonip.  2  Sam. 
xiv.  4;   1  Kings  iii.  Ki;  eli.  vi.  2(!,  etc.). 

Ver.  4.-  -And  the  king  talked  with  Oohnsi; 
rather,  note  thf<  king  i/ian  talking  utth 
(iihaui,  aa  in  tho  Ucvined  Vuraiou.  The 
king,  ^0.,  hiip|)i<no<i  to  Int  tilking  with 
OehnKi  nt  Ihti  inomnnt  when  tho  woiimn 
rami'  into  his  prcHonen  and  "orii-d"  to  him. 
It  liuH  Inm'M  rnnaonahly  ooncliided  frniii  this, 
thill  (;hronol<>Ki«'ul  onliT  is  not  olntur v<iil  lu 
the  portion  of  th«  narrativu  which  UiaU  nt 


m.  rm.  l-A]       TllK  SBODVD  BOOK  Of  THB  KlVOa 


\U 


vmUd  •  <■ 

vMl  •  lep«r  I  rvnii      it  Mljr 

Um  Mnrtal  «f  BMitU.  ••  br  wtdMrtly  as* 
*«k  tkftar  Ma  l^pf^T      1I<^  aiMt  bav*  Mwrli 
-  wtUtuvl  lb*  Jp^U-      Tk*  MrraBt  sf  tii* 
■AS  «f  ••A.    TliAl  *  Vlbg  •Loald  eoti«  ••'^ 
wUh  •  mtmxi  U.  no  ti  uliC.  •utB««b*t 
MHkl;  k«i.  MB4hf  »ci«Hi,Utaf«  It  apt 
te  tb«  rlrriuMfUae*  lift  um&A  mImI  * 
It  to  ■Aluj«l  ■■nugfc  UlMt,  k«'  nr  tk^o 
Mlf  •  vitBCM  of  »  wutmj  <  ' 

■laiiMlliiiii  mU  (Ion*  to  p 
■haalil   brmaw   6«fiow  •niK«r. 
oUmt  irrtltowt  Mto  whieh   br 

fcnaad  la  Hi«M%  aBflBg  ^  P**** 

a«l  ■— iiMilM  with  •Mptri  lo  •> 

maww  Bwi  hav«  (ot  «i-— ^<  -  » 

mttk  looLuun  ao  Mm 

•ovrw OQ  •ii>-h  b«  oul 

thto  <1a*  rr.  Le  >  >  ulil  •i-<ui4u>  "Pk'J   ^  ^''*' 

jmUllwl    hUbw)'    •Ith    »h'^li    he    aiu   At   tM) 

■kiiak 


■.t*M  la  Um 
▼•r.  t  ~Aa4  vb«a  lk«  feiaf  Mkai  tt« 


•B   «r»>«iiAr  Ob* 

mhu  woul<l  ■!«»•? 

OlieuU. 

him     tAju  > 

grwit  tb^)^  I    L/: 

(n-Vi:)  in  Mm  Old  Tartaamnf.  bat  f:m(-rftll7 
to  flODDMiiaa  «ilh  U<^id  M  ti>e  doer  oT  tLem 
(MS  Job  T.  9;  ix.  10:  xtxviL  5;  Pt.  lixL 
1»:  wt  tl.  «-u-  > 
Var.  S.-  Acd  it  earn*  t*  paat,  m  b*  vm 
lb*  kisf  b««  b* — ».«.  KlMbA — bA4 
1  a  4Mi  be<j  to  Ufa.  1  hi*  wm  an 
domhkMj  tb«  M»I1  of  all  i  U*Lft'«  mi. 
r>cl«ai,  a»d  (iob*ti  Bfttarallv  .i«» 

it     As  aa  eia-witiM«t  («ii    .<  ,.  ha 

eoald  giva  all  th«  daulU.  Tb&t.  haholA,  tha 
vhoaa  aaa  ba  ha4  rtatorad  U  Ui^ 
•  tha  htof  tor  hat  hamaa  aaA  tor  bar 
Tha  eaiaaMaaaB  aaa  aeanaiy  bar* 
aertdaatal.  Divtna  nforuirnrM  m 
•  H<-rHl  mntten  that,  j oat  « '  nr'a 

inlerwt  in  tha  woaaa  «aa  !  mm 

»bo«l>l  appaar  haton  bioi  lo  ui^  Lvr  vUim. 
At  ASuthar  tiakti,  Jehi>raBi  wootd,  it  i»  prr>b> 
ahto.  hava  baaa  bat  allghUy  bm»t^  by 
raai|itoiat  Uadar  Iba  yawalU 
«IMfai«.  li*  vaa  da«ylr  aM«d.  aad  at  amtm 
Kfanidd  Um  wniaaa  uia  radfVM  for  aLicb 
»b*  Mhnd.  Arnd  OtkMti  aald.  M7  lox4,  0 
kiac.  tbia  ia  tha  weaaa.  aad  thi<  ui  bar  aoa, 
who«  Bliaba  raataia*  la  lito.  Tbr  8  aitBa»- 
Miia  vaa  aawtwap— ta<  by  b<>r  mm,  now  a 
boyafAt  Uaat  laa  ar  atovaa  yaaiat^J-lba 


Twt.  l—lL—EUttkA't  vuit 
mmd  U»  aammqmgmett.     li  ba«  bn- 
eooiirrt  tbia  rwit  ol  Kli»ba'»  !<%  1 1 

«itli   tUO  OumUllMMMl    glVoU    I 

rr«i«  pcariottaj.  I"  b'v  •  •.    1 
kin^  ore*  St- 
is  r«rlainlj  « 
is   Ktijah  autWrismi   b 
ti.iNo  <  u  uQ  aiKlLcf,  tj  r 
duo«  so,  Bor  is  thara  au  ^ 
prrtKOt  nanutira  ar  cU 
It    I 


'7 

b* 

:    H 

•»- 


t  ta  Iba 
: ^t  Kluba 
i'..tT\iagm  (|a(ta 
pnfcibU  that  Eli»ba'a  jourucy  «a*  «l>u.|y 
wiib  tljs  (oiumAad  g-^rxi  to 
II  May,  as  KvaM  UL.S4{iac«,  u^*% 
tits  anaaaqaanwL  of  «li»-rl«n  aad 
daofrra  ia  8am«ria,  froviar  oot  of  ti>« 
dirargwofv  of  vie**  Utar*^  J  .'.  r*m  %>»A 
the  q »<«-'>■  I  ^b«f  Jc»  Url.  •bottiU  rataiaed 
eotif  dueoec  urrf  iii    govecBawat; 

aad     ..• — .J  i>af«  l*kcti  h  »  joaraoy.  aa% 

■o  murii  for  ibe  saka  of  s  ii.-il.  as  a/  s  pto> 
limpwl  ai^oura.  Tl-at  bo  »ttx»cioJ  tha 
aMaatiwa  both  of  Bru....dMl  aud  ul  usaua- 
eoMu*  Uaaarl  ia  a  t  sMfpr-ata^ 

Ycr.  7 AM  Elijha  aama  M  HaasMM. 

It  «aa  a  bald  «a|k,  vbaurw  tha  eiimrnm- 
afeuMiaa  that  tod  lo  it  X  4  T«ry  kwtg  a(»i 
vi<  «-ly  tba  Bfiiaa  kia<  bad  aiada  asW- 

•ntixary  ijhrto  iDcaptarr  ITItoba  *at«ndteg 


166 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.     '  [cm.  vra.  1—29. 


either  to  Idll  him  or  to  teep  Wm  confinecl 
as  a  prisoner  (cli.  vL  13 — 19).  Elisha  had 
•absequently  helped  to  baffle  his  plans  of 
oonquest,  and  might  be  thought  to  have 
caused  the  disgraceful  retreat  of  the  Syrian 
army  from  the  walls  of  Samaria,  which  he 
had  certainly  prophesied  (ch.  vii.  1).  But 
Elisha  was  not  afraid.  He  was  probably 
commissioned  to  take  his  journey,  whether 
its  purpose  was  the  anointing  of  Hazael  or 
no.  And  Benhadad  the  King  of  Syria  was 
sick.  Ewald  supposes  that  this  "eicknesa" 
was  the  result  ot  the  disgrace  and  discredit 
into  which  he  had  fallen  since  his  ignomi- 
nious retreat,  without  assignable  reason, 
from  before  tbe  walls  of  Samaria;  but  Ben- 
hadad must  have  been  of  an  age  when  the 
Infirmities  of  nature  press  in  upon  a  man, 
and  wl.en  illness  has  to  be  expected.  He 
was  a  contemporary  of  Ahab  (1  Kings  xx. 
1),  who  had  now  been  dead  ten  or  twelve 
years.  And  it  was  told  bim,  saying,  The 
man  of  God  is  come  hither.  Elisha  seems 
to  have  attempted  no  concealment  of  his 
presence.  No  sooner  was  he  arrived  than 
his  coming  was  reported  to  Benhadad.  The 
Syrians  had  by  this  time  learnt  to  give  him 
the  name  by  >\hich  he  was  commonly  known 
(ch.  iv.  7,  21,  40;  T.  20;  vi.  6,  10;  viL  2, 
18)  in  Israel. 

VcT.  8.— And  the  king  said  tmto  HaxaeL 
It  is  implied  tliat  Hazael  was  in  attendance 
on  Benhadad  iu  his  sick-room,  eitiier  per- 
m  lucntly  aa  a  chamberlain,  or  occasionally 
as  a  minister.  According  to  Josephus 
('  Ant.  Jud.,*  ix.  4.  §  6),  he  was  "the  most 
fuitli  ful  of  the  king's  domestics"  (d  in(n6Taros 
twv  o'lKfTwv).  Wc  cannot  presume  from  ver. 
12  that  ho  Lad  as  yet  distinguished  himself 
aa  a  warrior.  Tako  a  present  in  thine  hand, 
and  go,  meet  tho  man  of  God.  It  was  usual, 
boil  I  among  tlio  hcallicn  and  among  the 
I.MU'litfB,  for  th'wo  wlio  consulted  a  prophet 
to  l.ring  him  a  prfsent  (see  1  Sam.  ix.  7; 
I  Kings  xiv.  3).  II<nce,  mainly,  tlio  great 
mculth  of  tijo  J)oli)liio  and  othir  ornclcs. 
Nil  iriian  {r)\.  v.  5)  \\vA  broiiglit  willi  liim  a 
ricli  prt;rrMil  win  n  hn  went  to  coMhult  lllislia 
ill  Siimiiria.  And  inqiiiro  of  tho  Lord  by  him, 
•aying,  Shall  I  recovur  of  this  disoasol  Tlio 
tiiirit^lirK  iif  Kliflia  liud  lirid  rit  (iiiy  rat«  this 
ell'^t— till)  hii'l  convinced  tlio  SyrianH  that 
Ji;liovali  won  a  ^n.'at  anl  |>owiirr(il  (•od,  and 
miflt!  tlii-m  r>>;iir(l  IMiHlia  liimiulf  a«i  a  truo 
jir<i|>hit.  '1  Ik  ir  fuitli  iu  their  own  Miii)er- 
•tili"iMi  miikt  liavu  l>n<!U  at  leant  [Nvrtiully 
fliiikiin  by  tliew)  roiiviotiotii.  It  wim  by 
tie  Mt  ami  miiiilar  wo.ikiiiiiiif.in  of  4>HluMiHli(>il 
•rr(ir«  tliut  Ihu  woriii  wii«  (^nwlimlly  <)i1u<-iiI<mI, 
•lel  tlin  Wiiy  i>ro|>»r.<l  fur  tlm  iutrodnrljdii 
r.f  <liri»li«ilty,  Tluro  wiia  fery  curly 
anion/,  tliu  HyrikDi  a  ilouriiiliing  Chriatiua 
*>bnmh 

V«r.  \i. — S«  HauMl  wuxt  to  maat  hua — 


i.«.  Elisha — and  took  a  present  with  Mm; 
literally,  tn  hia  hand;  but  we  must  not 
press  this  expression.  "  In  bis  hand"  means 
"  under  his  controL"  The  present  was  fas 
too  large.ito  be  carried  by  an  individual. 
It  consisted  even  of  every  good  thing  of 
Damasotis ;  i.e.  of  gold  and  silver  and  costly 
raiment,  of  the  luscious  wine  of  Helbon, 
which  was  the  drink  of  the  Persian  kiwj^a 
(Strab.,  XV.  3.  §  22),  of  the  soft  white  wool  of 
the  Antilibanus  (Ezek.  xxvii.  18),  of  damask 
coverings  of  couches  (Amos  iii.  12),  perhaps 
of  Damascus  blades,  and  of  various  manu- 
factured articles,  the  products  of  Tyre, 
Egypt,  Nineveh,  and  Babylon,  which  her 
extensive  land  trade  was  always  bringing 
to  the  Syrian  capital.  Forty  camels'  burden. 
Not  as  much  as  forty  camels  could  carry,  but 
a  gift  of  such  a  size  that  it  was  actually 
placed  on  the  backs  of  forty  camels,  which 
paraded  the  town,  and  conveyed  in  a  long 
procession  to  the  prophet's  house  the  king's 
magnificent  oflferiug.  Orientals  are  guilty 
of  extreme  ostentation  with  respect  to  the 
presents  that  they  make.  As  Chardin  says, 
"Fifty  persons  often  carry  what  a  single 
one  could  have  very  well  borne  "  (•  Voyage 
en  Perse,'  vol.  iii.  p.  217).  The  practice  is 
illustrated  by  the  bas-reliefs  of  Nineveh  and 
Persepolis,  which  furnish  proofs  of  its 
antiquity.  One  present- bearer  carries  a  few 
pomegranates ;  another,  a  bunch  of  grapes ;  a 
third,  a  string  of  locusts ;  a  fourth,  two  small 
ointment-pots  ;  a  fifth,  a  branch  of  an  olive 
tree,  and  the  like  (Layard,  *  Monuments  of 
Nineveh,'  second  series,  pis.  8,  9,  etc.).  It 
is  not  unlikely  that  a  single  camel  could 
have  carried  the  whole.  And  came  and 
stood  before  him,  and  said,  Thy  son  Ben- 
hadad King  of  Syria  hath  sent  me  to  thee, 
saying — Benhadad  socks  to  propitiate  Elitfhs 
by  calling  himself  liis  son,  thus  iudioating 
tho  respect  ho  feels  lor  him  (comp.  oh.  vi. 
21 ;  xiii.  14)— Shalllrocovor  of  this  disease! 
Notldiig  was  more  conuunu  in  tho  ancient 
world  than  tho  conwultulmu  of  an  oraelti  or 
a  iirojihot  in  cases  of  disease  or  other  bodily 
afllielion.  Two  qncstions  were  ronniiouly 
asked,  "Rliall  I  recover?"  and  "How  may 
I  recover?"  Ho  I'heion  of  I'-^ypt  is  saitl  to 
h.ivo  coiiHidtod  an  oraclo  with  re.s)>>  ct  to  his 
blindnuHH  (llorod.,  ii.  Ill),  and  Battus  of 
Cyrone  to  havo  deiio  tho  Bumo  with  rt'H|U'ct 
to  hiu  fltaminoiing  (ibid.,  iv.  155).  It  was 
H<  Idoiu  that  «  clear  and  diivot  auawer  was 
givon. 

Vur.  10.— And  Eliaha  laid  unto  him,  Oo, 
■ny  onto  him.  Thou  nniyust  certainly  r*- 
oovor.  'V\\o  oxidtiiif^  MiiHorotio  toit  (^^7~^DJ^ 
n'nn  rrn)  ia  uiilrunHlaUiblo,  •iuco  iuuU-l* 
oauiiot  iiieiiu,  "  wty  nut,"  on  uooouiil  of 
tlin  nnler  iif  thu  wordii  ;  and  In  cuiiikiI  Ii« 
joitind  wUli  khayih  ihikhytih,  i\ni  on  itooouiit 
«f  th«  mukkupii  whinb  attaobM  it  to  iiiutr. 


«Lvm.i— 9&1     Trns  fiw/n?m  nooK  of  mn  icT^oa 


Mf 


Ik*  II 


V.  •rvwfUd 

by 

d» 

>    .M  »v^.. 

>m- 

\ 

, 

%r« 

U« 

p»» 

f'« 

u»- 

»ll 

•Jl 

»L 

■ot  aauUvd  Id  toi 

*tSis  My  aiiW>  lilui,  1  I. 

4^  <  '•  M  «        U !    t  ) 

•  'r 

€><".■ 

•luU  rarviy   Ai*      If  i 
Mm  «Ih4«  •  -     I 


rar.  II.— A»A  b*  Mttlsd  hu  •oaataaaac* 

f— lttrrr.l'v    ifi  1  hf  trf.'.r  i  kf  '>1M»- 


ii.rrr  liaalMd   oa 
lite  loog  aifira  of 

(HI.  AI)<1 
HIjfht  of 

Mid.  WlkJ  VMpMk 

<«  la  <Mmm 

kliiiad* 

of   cEUwas  4afM«aw    >  i.     **My 

lorU "    WM  th»  pktMmm-  li   t\»wm 

■ili>rf«rf  U'rir  MMUfKi^  <«■  thtir 

■KMui«kB(*M«k.  f.  S:  vL  j-^r  ;  iLadk* 
•jwvwal.  BMaaM  I  ka«w  tt«  tvu  ihat  tkom 
vitt  4«  mau  Um  aklMrM  of  UtmI  iktir 
I  wUt  tihn  Ml  ea  ira,  aad  tk«ir 
will  Ikaa  Blay  witk  %k»  9wi4, 
•ad  wilt  duk  tkair  ehildraa.  ftad  tip  %p  iktu 
wiMM  wiU  ekild.  TW  pfupttat  dm  aol 
ialratl  to  Ux  UmmI  with  an?  apMial 
•mallj.  Bo  onlv  mmum  to  my,  "Tlwa 
wIM  WMK  !■•«  aaa  hkndf  vara  «'iUi  I— I, 
la  wU2  will  oee«r  all 


■aka  war  m  lamhla  iha 
tiatal^  of  oium.  Um  dimhtor  of  Um 
iawar  of  U*  joath.  ik*  violcat  daMJi  of' 
al*iURWi.aBd  vvaa  Ih*  ■■■  nra  of  vaakM 
la  a  alala  af  pugaaaey.  TVms  iMrvoca 
Moa^ad.  aawa  or  UMk  to  all  Onmul  wan, 
^  aia  laanfctd  aa  ia  Pa  uutii.  V;  oIl 


!•:     la^     itti     Id     tt.     H'«     i.     Id; 

111    10     Ammi.  IX,  0**       IX     •»#«  ^ 

-     -  •     "  -   I-  -      .,-...        .,  „^t^  |« 

V  4. 


If 

4 


fulurc,    bul     c^la     L..Lum.ii     m     ^  ^      )a 
f>rT«-iiL       "Dtf"    u   a    aori    of    est. 


U 


!>«><   «i^   LaihMn  f-  a 

mcr«o>urtiar(«<lotL  «!, 

•liould  efar  wa4C«  >■ 
th»  "  Ktaat  Ibiaf*  ' 
dirt-d    of   bi»»       i.--    - - 
TK*  Lard  kaU  •howvd  a*  ii  ^i 

b«  kiaf  avar  tyru.     Ui»ha  '  j* 

H  wtmii   ba   puMibla.     Ilaj*ci    wv*^    aoA 
«w<t>R'»»  ia  hU  poor  and  bauiMa  caadittoa. 
liM    rovtalrd   it   tu  btia  that   th» 
UM  «iU  ftburtiy  MiMUit  Um  8yrtaa 


Ycc.  14. -Sa  ka  dapaitad  fraa  Bia^ 
aad  eama  to  kii  aaaiar;  wk*  mid  ta  kia, 
Wlut  aaid  EluKa  u  tkao  1  Aad  ka  aaawarad. 
Ha  told  m*  that  tkea  akoaldaat  aara:y 
'I'Uim.    M    alrc«dT    LilMaio-l.    aaa 


ciriair  kaJf  klliUia'*  aiuacv.  aad  — ti|*»iat 
lac  w  ott>*«  iMUf     Tu*  mffftmrnm  mtri  la 
a  aagfoidfe  /alM ;  aad  tka  ■aptiriLintoa  aaa 

!•}- 

-h*  «•»: 

koaltKAl  (be  l^ufvl  tuik  «tka«<>i  MM  u.*!  ka 
•kail  tmrtiy  d**"— IWalwdad  M«kl  k.v« 
kaaa  paxilcd,  hvtk  U  woaU  aol  kaa*  Uaa 
dc«aivad. 

Vrr  ISl— Aad  It  aaaa  ••  paM  aa  Ika 
Marrow,  tkat  ka  took  a  tAuk  clock.  Jfaidd^ 
la  a  rl  •111  of  •  <vmr«e  imar«>  •  .at,  or 
pit«w  of  a»rf>rimir      li  l>a«  L<  f^m 

piaA&ad  to  il  ^K-^m  m»t*>fr^    -  ><* 

that   thota  a%f  lu  tUe   •k<-kr\jnflk 

Wa  aav  aoaK  u  vaa  a  aMt  aMd 

aaaaati  9t  ^ii^^'-.  •>•-•  mfaaiif  id  ki(4«T«« 
Uto  k(«d-(«iat  (ao  aua«Ha  la  KcM-<  »•' 
AMTTto)  and  tho  k«ad  (oaafaaa  %kc  f  l^  ti 
I  N*ak  K1&.  IS^  Aai  dirpad  tt  u  w»u«. 
Tbo  Wfti«r  woaM  till  ap  tb*-  ml  /•i-.am 
tlifaaah  wktrk  air  aiiftt  othrraiM  kava 
kaaa  4»wa,  aad  kaalaa  tha  «i*K«iMa.  A 
di^k  af  tka  Maa»  klad  u  iw^^^Ud  in  tka 
pMaiaa  kteory  •auu.U    -  kh.4«M>  •!  Akh- 


168 


THE   SECOND   BOOK   OF  THE  KINGS.      [oh.  vm.  1—29. 


bar,*  which  contains  (p.  162)  the  following 
passage:  "The  mslik  ordered  that  they 
«hould  place  a  carpet  on  Abdallah'i  mouth, 
BO  that  his  life  was  cut  oflf."  And  spread  it 
on  his  face,  so  that  he  died.  It  has  been 
supposed  by  some  commentators,  as  Luther, 
Schultz,  Geddes,  BootLiroyd,  that  Benhadad 
put  the  wet  macber  on  his  own  face  for 
refreshment,  and  accidentally  suffocated 
himself;  but  this  is  very  unlikely,  and  it 
is  certainly  not  the  natural  sense  of  the 
words.  As  "  Hazael "  is  the  subject  of  "  de- 
parted" and  "came"  and  "answered"  in 
ver.  14,  80  it  is  the  natural  subject  of 
"  took  "  and  "  dipped  "  and  "  spread "  in 
ver.  15.  Ver.  11  also  would  be  unintelli- 
gible if  Hazael  entertained  no  murderous 
intentions.  Why  Ewald  ('History  of  Is- 
rael,' vol.  iv.  p.  93,  Eng.  trans.)  introduces 
a  "  bath-servant,"  unmentioned  in  the  text, 
to  murder  Benhadad  for  no  assignable 
reason,  it  is  difficult  to  conjecLuie.  And 
Hazael  reigned  in  his  stead.  The  direct 
succession  of  Hazael  to  Benhadad  is  con- 
firmed by  the  inscription  on  the  Black 
Oiielisk,  where  he  appears  as  Kin^  of 
Damascus  (line  97)  a  few  years  only  after 
Benhadad  {Bin-idri)  had  been  mentioned 
as  king. 

Vers.  16—24. — The  Wicked  Reion  o» 
Jehubam  in  JunAU.  At  this  point  the 
writer,  who  has  been  concerned  with  the 
history  of  the  kin^lom  of  Israel  hitherto 
in  the  present  book,  takes  up  the  story  of 
the  kingdom  of  Ju'hih  from  1  Kings  xxii. 
50,  and  proceeds  to  give  a  very  brief 
account  of  thi:  reign  of  Jehoshaphat's  eldest 
son,  Jehorani,  or  (by  contraction)  Joram. 
U'm  narrative  lias  to  be  Bup))leniuiitcd  from 
2  Chroii.  xxL,  which  contains  many  facto 
not  lueulionud  by  the  writer  of  Kinj^a. 

Ver.  Ifi.-  And  in  the  fifth  year  of  Joram 
the  son  of  Ah.ib  King  of  luraol,  Juhoshaphat 
Ix  in;:  then  King  of  Judah;  literally,  unil  t>/ 
.hliii'h'iphat  Kiiiff  (if  JuiUih.  The  worth  ar») 
w.intinir  in  lhie<j  Ilelirew  innnnHcriptH,  in 
noiim  e«liti"TiB  <if  thu  Septii  i^i"'.  •"  <1"" 
]'f)ihit/>  Hyriitc,  in  the  I'lirinian  lie|itu)ihir 
Kyriiif!,  in  llu-  Ambio  Verrimi,  imii  in  nmny 
(V'piea  of  tliu  \'iil;.'nto.  They  riuiridt  |n)h- 
nii'ly  hiivii  tho  m  >ihii  aHHi^'ned  Ui  llifni  in 
"iir  vetaion,  anil  um  ni'«l  iimhulily  h  nhmn 
wlti>h  U»M  cmpt  into  tho  text  rmni  Ihn 
miirxiu.  Johoram  tho  ton  of  Jehoihnrl.nt 
Kijtff  of  Judnh  bt^nn  to  rei^^n.  .)<  hMntiu'M 
r^JKii  tail  ifirn'  tiiri(«  ('"\iiit<-<l  froni  (he 
Mivrniot'tiih  yrtiT  nf  hU  fiilhor,  ulnn  lie 
WH«  frtvrn  tho  rxykl  lith',  •>>ni)'liiiH<ii  from  ' 
lii»  tmihfT'o  twcrilyfhini  y«'nr.  wlimi  h"'  wiui  ' 
•  ■*v*l<ilM>i,  aixl  »iui*liiiie«  ffiii  Ilia  r«lhi<r'» 


death  in  Wa  twenty-fifth  year,  when  he 
became  sole  king  (see  the  oomment  on 
ch.  i.  17  and  ch.  iii.  1). 

Ver.  17. — Thirty  and  two  years  old  was 
he  when  lie  began  to  reign ;  and  he  reigned 
eight  years  in  Jerusalem.  The  eight  years 
seem  to  be  counted  from  his  association  la 
the  kingdom  by  his  father  in  hie  tweuiV- 
third  year.  He  reigned  aa  sole  king  oMiy 
six  years. 

Ver.  18. — And  he  walked  in  the  way  of 
the  kings  of  Israel,  as  did  the  house  of 
Ahab ;  i.e.  he  introduced  into  Judah  the 
Baal  and  Astarte  worship,  which  Ahab  had 
introduced  into  Israel  from  Phoenicia.  (On 
the  nature  of  this  worship,  see  the  '  Com- 
mentary on  the  First  Book  of  Kings,'  p. 
374.)  The  "house  of  Ahab"  maintained 
and  spread  the  Baal-worship,  wlierever  it 
had  influence.  Ahaziah,  the  son  of  Aliab^ 
championed  it  in  Israel  (1  Kings  xxii.  53) ; 
Jehoram,  his  brother,  allowed  its  continu- 
ance (ch.  X.  18 — 28);  Jehoram  of  Judah 
was  induced  by  his  wife,  Athaliah,  the 
daughter  of  Ahab,  to  countenance  it  in 
Judaea ;  Athaliah,  when  she  usurped  the 
throne  upon  tlie  death  of  her  son  Ahaziah, 
made  it  the  state  religion  in  that  country. 
"  Evil  comninnications  corrupt  good  man- 
ners." The  alliance  of  the  two  separated 
kingdoms,  concluded  between  Jehoshaphat 
and  Ahab  (1  Kings  xxii.  2 — 4),  hud  no 
tangible  result  beyond  the  introduction  into 
Juilah  of  the  licentious  and  ilobasing  super- 
stition which  had  previously  overspread  the 
sinter  country.  For  tho  daughter  of  Ahab 
was  his  wife.  In  ver.  26  Athaliah,  tho 
wife  of  Jehoram,  is  enlled  "  the  <laufjchter 
of  Omri ;"  but  by  "(hunrhtor"  in  that  j>laee 
must  be  meant  "descendant"  or  "grund- 
<lani!;htor."  Athaliah  has  boon  well  called 
"a  second  Jezebel."  And  ho  did  ovil  in  the 
sight  of  tho  Lord.  The  wicked  aetionsol  Jiv 
horum  aro  recorded  at  soino  length  in  Chri>- 
nioleH(2Chron.  xxi.  2— 4, 11  — I.H).  Slmrlly 
after  ids  ncoession  he  put  tn  d(;ath  his  six 
brntheni  -  Azaiiuh,  Jehiel,  Zei-lmriali,  Aha- 
ziah (?),  Miehnt^l,  and  Hhciihaiiah— in  onhr 
to  "Htrnnglhen  hiinsc  If.'  At  the  sanio 
timo,  ho  cjiiised  many  of  tho  "  prineeB  of 
Ihmel  "  to  lie  oxecnti  il.  Soon  aflerwiiria 
ho  "  niielo  hit^h  phicpH  in  the  mutmtiiinM  nf 
Jtididi,  and  eaiiMxl  tii«  iiilniliitantH  ef  .lerii- 
■alom  to  commit  forniealioii  "  (i.e.  to  heeinnii 
idolatePH),  "  and  enm|H'lleil  Jiidall  therote."' 
Thitt  the  Idolatry  whii-h  he  introiliiceil  wmc 
tho  Itaiil-wiirMliip  in  (dear,  Uith  Iroiii  the 
pietK'iit  |>ikNrii^'i-  niid  rrmii  '2  ChrKti.  xxi.  Kl. 

Ver.  I'.».  Yot  tho  I.onl  would  mdI.  diiHlroy 
^ud.ih  for  David  hii  norvant'i  lukn  The 
naliirnl  pnniahiiiont  of  H|inHtnsy  whk  r<<- 
joetiiiii  Ity  (Ifxl,  and  on  rrjoction  noiihl,  i«a 
It  matl4ir  of  oinnir<,  rollow  diiilr'o-iiiiii  iind 
rnio,       (ioi    LK<i    d«oiar»<l    hjr    MiM«t«.    "  (/ 


M.vm.I—Mi]       TDK  (UBOOKD  BOOK  OF  TUB   IIKQl. 


•r    it  i* 


Hi.  I  <»^  tliy  Oo^  lo  ohmfT^  to  4o  all  lUi      UfU  *i  rwyMf  V  W  i*«J 


tkte  day  .  all  Um*' 

•MM  MM    Ikw  ItM   I. 

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•f  Ik*  a<4 

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Wllk  M  !■!■■! IMttM.  Mid  vttll  ftD 
trnfll^t.    *i^     vlth    the    !«    rV    t 


btM^Md  tk*  Mrth  UmI  k*m4«ffi>< 
•hAU  k*  bM.  .  .  .  Tb«  Uvd  •!  <. 
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•hah  !•  «■!  «B*  way  •faiaal  Uimk. 
••Mil  w%y  l«fcM  UkHB :  and  U 
k*  iiMnfiit  IbI*  all  Um  kiafdoit 
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likaMBl,  •  pVMMki,   Mid  •  bTVOr'. 
IkM**    (DmI      : 

Is    i/f 

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Darid.  and  to  lit  m*^\ 

Til.  11-16;  Pe.  Ui 
«hi^k  «  'uIJ  In  u  .' 
Ir.r 


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-jc«  la  bftoM; 
mifAjaa  •# 

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flair  ««*«    l•tMkd«^l.  u   mvmU 

It    tl      t    (  Lr  u     U    10.  a,  01 


tt    i>rt  ~  UkU       IB   i 


170 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.       [oh.  vin.  1— 29. 


or,  all  hii  chariots  (Kevised  Version).  The 
article  has  the  force  of  the  possessive 
prononn.  And  he  rose  by  night,  and  smote 
the  Edomites  which  compassed  him  about. 
Josephus  understands  the  writer  to  mean 
that  Joram  made  his  invasion  by  night,  and 
smote  the  Edomites  on  all  sides  ('  Ant. 
Jud.,'  ix.  5.  §  1);  but  it  seems  better  to 
suppose,  with  most  modem  commentators, 
that  the  meaning  is  the  following:  Soon 
after  Joram  invaded  the  country,  he  found 
himself  surrounded  and  blocked  in  by  the 
Edomite  troops,  and  could  only  save  himself 
by  a  night  attack,  which  was  so  far  success- 
ful that  he  broke  through  the  enemy's  lines 
and  escaped ;  his  army,  however,  was  so 
alarmed  at  the  danger  it  had  run,  that  it 
at  once  disjiersed  and  returned  home.  And 
the  captains  of  the  chariots  ;  i.e.  the  captains 
of  the  Edomite  chariots.  They  too  were 
"  imitten,"  having  probably  taken  the  chief 
part  in  tryiug  to  pn  vent  the  escape.  And 
the  people  fled  into  their  tents ;  i.e.  dispersed 
to  their  homes.  Compare  the  cry  of  Jero- 
boam (1  Kings  xii.  16),  "  To  your  tents,  O 
Israel  !- 

Ver.  22. — Yet  Edom  revolted  ;  rather,  and 
Edom  revolted;  or,  «o  Edom  revolted.  Jorara's 
itttempt  having  failed,  the  independence  of 
the  country  was  established.  From  under 
the  hand  of  Jndah  unto  this  day.  The 
8UfX>esse8  of  Amazi;ih  and  Azariah  against 
VAoxQ  (ch.  XIV.  7,  22)  did  not  umonnt  to 
reconijut-sts.  Edom  coutinued  a  separate 
country,  not  subject  to  Ju<la3a,  and  fre- 
quently at  war  with  it,  until  the  time  of 
John  Hyrcanus,  by  whom  it  was  subjugited. 
"  Unto  this  day"  means,  at  tlie  most,  until 
the  tifiie  when  the  Books  of  Kings  took 
th<ir  present  8hai>e,  which  was  before  tlio 
p  turn  from  tlie  Captivity.  Then  Libnah 
revolted  at  the  same  time.  I,ibnah  was 
HituuU;d  on  tlie  IxiriiTH  of  Philislia,  in  ilio 
Rliefelah,  or  lf)W  country,  but  towanls  its 
fHut' m  e<l[;o.  It«  exact  poHJtion  is  un- 
curtain;  liiit  it  in  now  generally  tlioii'^ht  to 
b«  i'lentieiil  with  the  iikkIi  rn  Trli  ttSiiji, 
between  (Juth  and  Kkron,  alwait  long. 
.^4"  M'  K..  Iftt.  HI"  :iH'  N.  It  had  l>e<>i.  an  in- 
dnpendent  city,  with  a  kiiii;  of  itH  own,  in 
lh<-  ■  uriy  CHriiiiiiiite  time  (.loili.  x.  'Mi :  xii. 
1ft),  hut  htul  tx'<  n  ii-tii^Mied  to  .luiliili  (.lonh. 
XV.  4'Z),    <nd  hiul   liitiiiirUi  reniaiued,  ho  fjir 

)!•  H\)\M  ,,IH,  Ofilltl'lltl'li    Witll    itH   (lOHilion.        ItH 

|>«w)|iiu  cnii  aiiirei-h  liuve  hiid  Hiiy  Hyinpalliy 
witll  tliri  Ivliitniti'n,  find  iUi  revolt  ul  lliiH 
tiin<'  I'lin  h»v»i  liii'l  no  e|M(»o  conneetion  with 
the  Kdotnit"  nlM'llioii.  I.iliuali'N  HvniputhieN 
would  U'  with  I'liiliHiIrt,  ntnl  tli"  (M-euHioii 
of  thr.  rnvolt  irinT  l.nv"  Immh  tint  jnvn  ion  of 
.)ni\mm  bv  thii  I'liiliiitiMeii  In  tiio  rei|.rn  of 
J'horum,  "t  whlrh  lh««  nullior  of  ClironieleN 
«fx^ka  Ci  (Ttiivin.  xxl  HI),  »nd  lu  which 
J)  bona'a  •uu«  ware  carried  off. 


Ver.  23. — And  the  rest  of  the  acts  of  Joram, 
and  all  that  he  d'.rt,  are  they  not  written  in 
the  book  of  the  oaronioles  of  the  kings  of 
Judah  ■?  Some  of  these  acts  are  recorded  in 
our  present  Second  Book  of  Chronicles; 
e.g.  his  execution  of  his  brothers  and  of 
many  nobles  (2  Chron.  xxi.  4);  his  erection 
of  high  places  (2  Chron.  xxi.  11) ;  his  perse- 
cution of  the  followers  of  Jehovah  (2  Cliron. 
xxi.  11):  his  reception  of  a  writing  from 
Elisha,  which,  however,  had  no  effect  upon 
his  conduct  (2  Chron.  xxi.  12 — 15)  ;  his  war 
with  the  Philistines  (2  Chron.  xxi.  16)  and 
with  the  Arabs  (2  Chron.  xxi.  16):  his  loss 
of  all  his  sons  but  one  during  his  lifetime  ; 
his  long  illness,  and  his  painful  death 
(2  Chron.  xxi.  18,  19),  But  the  'Book  of 
the  Chronicles  of  the  Kings  of  Judah  '  was 
a  work  on  a  larger  scale  than  the  extant 
Book  of  Chronicles,  and  probably  went  into 
much  greater  detail. 

Ver.  24. —And  Joram  slept  with  his 
fathers.  Joram  died  after  an  illness,  that 
lasted  two  years,  of  an  incurable  disi  ase  of 
his  bowels.  No  "burning"  was  made  for 
iiim,  and  there  was  no  regret  at  his  death. 
And  was  buried  with  his  fathers  in  the  city 
of  David;  t.*.  in  the  portion  of  Jerusdem 
which  David  built ;  but,  according  to  Jose- 
phus ('  Ant.  Jud.,'  ix.  5.  §  3)  and  the 
author  of  Chronicles  (2  Chron.  xxi.  20),  not 
in  the  sepulchres  of  tho  kings.  And  Ahaziah 
his  son  reigned  in  his  stead.  Ahaziali  is 
called  "Jelioahaz"  in  2  Chron.  xxi.  17,  by 
an  inversion  of  the  two  ehnieuts  of  his 
name,  and  "Azariah"  in  2  Chron.  xxii.  (J, 
apparently  by  a  slip  of  the  pen. 

Vers.  2.')— 21).— The  Wickkd  Rkk^n  or 
Ahaziah  in  Juuah.  Tin;  writer  continues 
the  history  of  Judah  Ihiongh  uuothor  reign 
— a  very  short  one — ulnmst  to  its  close.  He 
describes  the  wicke<ln(  b.1  of  Ahaziah,  for  tho 
most  pari,  in  general  tiTins,  attriiiutes  it  to 
his  connection  with  tho  "house  of  Ahab," 
and  notcH  hi.s  allianeo  with  Joraui  of  Israel 
against  the  Syrians,  and  his  vi.^it  to  liis 
brother  nioiuiroh  at  Samaria,  which  led  on 
to  hin  death. 

Ver.  2.'). — In  the  twelfth  year  of  Joram 
the  son  of  Ahab  King  of  Ismol.  In  ch.  ix. 
211  the  year  of  Ahii/ali's  iiccenHion  is  wiid 
to  hiiv<>  been  .lorani's  rlrvntlh  year.  It  is 
OoMJeclured  lluit  ho  liev;an  to  mign  uh  vire- 
niy  to  bin  falher  during;  his  nnvere  lllneHH  lit 
.lorani'dtdeveMth  yi-ar,  and  Iweann'  Mole  King 
nt  hin  fiitlo'r'H  deutli  in  the  year  folluwin:. 
Did  Ahri/iah  llio  ion  of  Jrluiram  Kinj;  of 
Jndnh  begin  to  reign;  i.r.  Iiegin  to  b<«  full 
king. 

V«r.  20. — Two  and  twonty  yonri  old  wita 
Ahailah   when    he   botpiD   to    rei|pi.     Tba 


.•«.  wm.  1  -^]       TUK  UOOKD  lOOK  Of  TUB  ClKOa. 


171 


(t  Qiiw   itiL  tx  «iitali  to  ila  Uirfj  ub. 

km  tik*!  /Ml*  «.  >    I '    ...1  ~  .^fv  t  OhniL 


<  b  l«>tu  IS  bis  CMiteT's 

Uo  LmI  wvwml  •tdor 

-    1.11    17.  atlL  1)1    T^i 

^A*«  to  immmahm  (1)  Um 

t>   ti  »fr  •««  !•  aaatr*c«ad 

«ad(t)lk«  fMt 

-»•»-•    bto  wUk 

*-i  kto 


(Mtcah   Tt.  I6V 

Up  U  ihr  . 


L.. 


i  bj 

•    of 

.d  to 


to  th«  wmy  of 

wBt 

I  ap  tb«  h»ml' 
-  rttoJwUk. 
Ab4  4m  vn  rd.  M  did 

U«   bABM      -  h*MB-to- 

tow  of  tka  !  J'/*'  A« 

jm  la  r  ,o»  **aa»> 

fa^to*  Lii.  1.  Md 

▼«  -cat  vitb  Jorsa  tb* 

MB  aC  ■'  »  X.  A4f«mst  HamaI  Xlaf 

•f  l|fr.&  -uUm^     Hooi*  trmuatoto^ 

•mW  ^>-  i««»i .  but  tbu  !•  •  vary 

MM   •»  (^  .-fk,   Md    OM    vbtob   VMld    b* 


Is  Mi  ytera    tm  vbj  -l'«»« 
*  wb—  *  tmmm  '  •^t  «  •  .t« 

litoMArtosir    Aftd  I  •« 

!•  t  Obfoa  t«li.  i.  wi^c  lAc  «*« 

ll  to  b—t  Ibwitli.b.  fcnito* 
vb«  MV  Ml  ■— <d  bi«b  «M« 

lb*  0i*tMtt*«ua   Md    viib  iw    Vttif  u 

Ahiaifc  iBltovwd  Ul*M*»tiU  oT  htf  .r.^  I 
tiuhm  Jdnabiiitm.  wbo  U  k.^ 

Ab^  to  ■■■nib  fJiUad  (I  ).  jy«. 

to  ifM  MdHl  ikm  Mymiu  m  ite  iui«  U 
hmktial  Tb»tb»ifcy  w»«itfl|  iiqiml 

•bov*  lb*  l»t»rLKi>n  alltob  ll  ^OMBMid    Ift 

UMojMuf  '—  r     TnlMi 

wttBdW  Jo:;.  pMfa  tba  HiMii. 

■ona  aAar  bU  »er«<ai  tt.  «ii!j  |b*  mi<^jmt  «f 
•  ytxittg  priDO*  Aatv***  to  dutinfuab  biai- 
Mf.  M^  Ml  apadiuaa  aoiarf  biiiib 
UiUttl.  «btok  iMd  hM*  itaotmmi  b*  IW 
IsmaUtoi  bMvtM  |W  dwib  af  AK*b  Md 
Um  IUm  of  vbkrb  Uj«  btoiartoa  la  m^w  Wiaft. 
tn«.  Jomai  wvnt  10  lb*  ralUf  ^  a  •-  Ur«a 
-  :  '.b  •  torn  fuiMk  atid,  bcAa^-  -  ib- 

Ui*  ««n«,  ■Mlwtaifiad  •  «      .^» 

•-orw  of   «Lkci>    km 

UiO«gb   But  toUllj 

olb(«  ki^^wMad 
to  tbdr  tiap  iti*» 
-  re    girri—     to 
1<  .3difl«ao«bw 

I'Ai  *:   ftad  <*f«/id 

Bumng    ou    :  LiM    «<MUid>,   aad 

AL^d  VWi  A'.y    vubdraw    «iib 

bltB,  alafla  k*  ««/>»»  uv^*  aEfv*  mmii*  m  mtf 

Vrr  29 — A>d  KLa»  Jeraa  vaftt  baak  to 
b«  bMtod    to  Jm  m   »i«« 

■eeeauUefron  H* 

It   Uj   iLi  I'  u.Aixd  MmU  be 

vitboal  V  <•*«  aaji 

(x'iiuui.    it  va 
to  vkiak  tW  eowt 

VaMulb*  im  WtmUm  *d 
Batuui^  M  it  Lm  brv-ti  mllcd  Of  tb« 
we«Bd«  vbicb  IL*  IjnAsa  b^d  ftv«a  bxm 
at  B*aah.  wb«a  b«  totfU  acujim  lAmci 
ZiM^ttMjTiM.  -  Ki—h  "  to  aiKHbar  l  i^r 
far    *  BMolk-OitoMi  -     «    -  !.  in 

OitoMl,''  wktok  to  tk*  fiUJ   .  « 

pUML   Tbavutvi  ■MMM'hifb,'  i.* 

aimI  la  CD|n^at«  k>  drva.  Aad  AbAj;;..  Lt« 
•a«  tt  Jabar—  Xtoc  af  JadAb  vaM  4«.  va  la 
•aa  Jaraa  tba  aea  W  AbAk  la  J«raaL  Ali*- 
sub  woukl  MobaUv  Ub*  ib*  imua  bf  mmf 
af  J«rMM^  Ika  Jortea  vaiiay,  aad  ika'tVata 
al  Jalnd.  aad  voaU  rw^g— Uy  k^[to  kto 
ioviiagr  ^  Ik*  rapid  d»m»<^  ft\>m  riiMil  ■ 
m  Janakn,    Baaaaaa  ba  vaaAak;  t^  aa«ai^ 


172  THB  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KING3.      [oh.  vm.  1— 2a 


HOMILETIOflL 

Vers.  1 — 6. — "  AH  things  work  together  for  good  to  tJiem  {hat  love  Ood!*  The  piety 
of  the  Shunammite  had  been  sufficiently  shown  in  the  previous  record  left  us  of  her 
(ch.  iv.  8 — 37).  The  sequel  of  her  slory  indicates  how,  in  a  wonderful  way,  events  an  1 
circumstances  seemingly  fortuitous  and  unconnected  work  together  for  the  advantage 
and  happiness  of  one  who  lives  virtuously,  and  seeks  in  all  things  to  serve  God  and 
advance  the  cause  of  religion.  "  The  series  of  incidents,"  it  has  been  well  said,  "  forms 
a  marvellous  web  of  Divine  dispensations  "  (Bahr). 

L  The  famink.  This  lies  at  the  root  of  the  whole.  If  God  had  not  ordained  a 
famine  upon  the  land — "  called  for  it,"  and  brought  it  about — none  of  the  other  incidents 
would  have  been  possible.  The  woman  would  not  have  lost  her  property,  would  have 
had  no  occasion  to  "  cry  "  to  the  king,  and  would  have  come  into  no  personal  contact 
either  with  him  or  with  GehazL 

II.  The  pbophet's  wabnino.  The  prophet,  when  wo  terrible  a  calamity  as  a  seven 
years'  famine  impended  over  the  land,  might  well  have  given  all  his  thoughts  to  the 
general  sufiferings  of  the  people,  and  have  forgotten  individuals.  But  God's  providence 
determines  otherwise.  Elisha  bethinks  himself  of  the  Shunammite,  albeit  she  is  but 
a  unit  in  the  vast  mass  of  suffering  humanity,  and  warns  her  of  the  coming  evil, 
bidding  her  quit  the  land  and  sojourn  elsewhere.  This  advice,  which  she  follows,  is 
the  second  link  in  the  chain. 

III.  Thb  coreciDENCE  or  THE  king's  dkbirk  to  lbarn  mors  aboxjt  Elisha  with 
THE  RETUBN  OF  THE  WOMAN  TO  HER  OWN  LAND.  It  was,  humanly  speakiug,  a  pure 
accident  that  the  curiosity  of  the  king  with  respect  to  Elisha  happened  to  be  aroused 
just  as  the  famine  was  over,  and  the  woman,  having  returned  from  Philistia  into  the 
land  of  Israel,  found  her  estate  occupied  by  another.  It  was  another  accident  that 
she  bethought  herself  of  appealing  to  the  king,  instead  of  having  recourse  to  any  other 
remedy. 

IV.  The  ooincipencb  op  Gehazi  being  sfeakino  of  her  case  exactly  ab  shb 
MADE  HER  APPEARANCE.  Gehazi  had  scores  of  miracles  to  relate,  and  might  have  been 
discoursing  of  any  one  of  them  ;  but  events  were  so  ordered  tliat  it  was  of  her  child's 
resurrection  that  he  was  telling  the  king,  aiid  not  of  any  other  miracle,  when  she  came 
into  the  royal  presence.  This  ctiincidcuce  it  was  which  so  interested  the  king  in  her, 
that  he  at  once  gave  the  order  for  restoring  licr  estate  to  her. 

We  may  learn  from  the  entire  narrative,  (1)  that  our  lives  are  divinely  ordered ; 
(2)  that  nothing  happens  to  us  by  more  chance;  (3)  that  events  which  seem  to  us, 
at  the  ti'ne  wh<'n  they  happen, of  the  least  [wssible  iinpoiiance,  may  be  necessary  links 
In  the  chain  whicii  Divine  providence  is  forging  for  the  ordering  of  our  lives,  and  for 
the  working  out  through  them  of  the  Divine  purposes. 

Verm.  7—9. —  The  power  of  calamity  to  hmd  the  spirit  of  th«  proitd.  Benhadad  had 
hitherto  been  an  enemy  of  Jehovah  ami  his  prophetH.  lie  had  sought  EliHha'i  lile 
(ch.  vl.  13 — 20),  and,  when  liafflod  in  liis  <ic.sign  to  seize  hia  person,  had  made  a  bold 
attempt  to  cnmh  and  destroy  the  whole  Israelite  nation.  Hut  now  God  had  laid  his 
liHiid  u]>ru)  iiiiii  ;  h«  wan  proHtratod  on  a  sick-lwd  ;  and  lo!  all  was  altered.  Tlie 
iiii'K'hty  monarch,  bo  lately  fuloryin^;  in  his  Htrcngth,  and,  in  his  own  ojnnion,  infinitely 
HlK)ve  any  noi-ditmnt  proi'hot,  in  hrou^ht  down  ho  low  tlmt,  on  hearing  of  Klisha'i 
havini;  oawnt  vrjlunlarily  to  hin  capital,  instead  of  H(>i/,in<^  hiui,  hu  scndn  him  a  humble 
etiilK«"y.  Ha/.Ji-  1,  a  hi(.»h  oflicor  of  the  court,  in  bidden  to  "  take  a  proHont  in  inn  hand, 
and  (io  mwt  ('-«  man  of  dud,  and  in<|iiir(<  (»f  .Ichov.ili  l)y  hini — Will  the  king  rooover 
from  bl*  d  M'  im'i"*  The  prcHent  l»  a  ricli  ono,  made  by  ()ri«-ntal  oHtenialun  to  appear 
•■Ten  ^xAuAnx  than  It  Ih  In  reality.  Forty  cameiii  ln'ar  tlifir  burden  to  the  pro]il\'t'« 
d'Kir,  and  hnn^?  hltn  "every  hocmI  thlnfi;  ot  I)aiiiaH(-ua,"  without  lot  or  htint.  Tim 
rt**.\.  kinjf  call"  hiMi»<lf  Klinha'a  non — "Thy  aon  Monhadad  \\\\»  nont  me  to  the«  " 
(▼•f.  '*)■  N"vor  wan  thero  a  more  romjih^to  revcral  of  huinan  conditioiiH.  Th<i 
hnntwi  ♦»n<»iiiT  l«  now  frit  U)  l>«  th<>  Im-mI  Iriend  ;  In  rourU-d,  (latt«r«vi,  iir()pitiat<'d  lx)tl 
by  act  and  wf)rd.  Thfi  nr'Hiil  kinj^  groviiU  In  tii«>  diiHt,  in  conti-nt  to  ln>  llm  |  rophet'l 
■<tri   an<l   tfTvatit,  dona  hiin  olMiaatic'-  nioraJly,  and   haii(;pi  u|><>n   hia  worda   an  tbone  of 


«.  nxL  l-m]       TUB  SaOOVD  BOOK  OF  TBB  KIVOA  ITl 


IdKUobrv  ku  «uu»  AD^  '  •  ^•-^       >    1  kau«  »^  .  ^                    -  «  U  1  ••« 

lvi4fle"(Kto4.  V.  S)i  b  as  Uw  MM  rtMn.                             in  iW 

d«l  «■  IIm  »%bv  aad  to  c  •  MrrmaK  Mcmh  at^ _    ~.  mUmU 

\kim  ••  go  lorU  frooi  aao^  •  4k  lh0j  aimI  tW  rbll4t«a  «r  lan»i,  a^d  «^ 

~  to  b»  (Oft*  i  Attd  i<  c  t« 


Jakovsk,  aad  mU*  ktmaaU  |0  «  ir 

ivbukad  aod  tkmtrtM«1  vttk  r~  a 

ftrtlh— .  And   put«                                                    »  -^ 

aAar  aU  Um  abLM  ^nt 

•p  Alton  for  Bm  4, 
•M  ■k«d»  laaoewi  t 
(cb.  sxi.  16X  aod  <k». 
•kiklNB  of  btMl.  •«• 

bill  OAUmtlj  MuiiM  h.  ^  A 

piibook*  lA  ki«  tt      •  « 

lolb«Kl^o(A'  .1, 

And  te  kta  dUeti  r* 

lb*  Oed  ol  kb  («  4 

ibMOiAinlk  kri«<  ^ 


■bwai 
tm$m 
«r  Oik 


i* 

Um  OA  u 

ll«ndbr  •/ 

And  iLc  >»{r«r 

cruel,  t,  If  • 

IVwikArtAil  OJ-Asl  L 

eo«U  Pan  to  Oot'. 

lb*  toOM  kfilAniiii  •uiuco. 

T«A    KV-IS.— i»BaaW  owl    KNtU.     Tb*  o      -  •     »       -^-    -    '- '^^  tv« 

dkAraeun  bars  brouKtii  (  r  liic  fir»i  aixl  last  tiui 

L  Tib  oaaftt  blubmcil,  culiuu^:  a^'^  "'>^  ^  '.r 

bb  ova  oppoftttuuy  .    «rihu  faab  bo  cut 

vAAkaaai  mmi  aoflrnaj;.  au  ojtnt.  r.oi:  •  « 

of  OfituA,   BO  drMd    'jf  tbc  .t>« 

tratooi:    BamaI  U  •mi  in  » 

»H An*  to  oadi^  HCTM,  «kiHiuui» :  k 

ml!  l«iT»  tso  trmce  c^  ritiierc^,  •  >  .     ii 

ka 

»?i«  •if^»pA»*"tj      He  r^rk^m  ik<r 
IL: 
A^  ' 
111 
At'  >  oa  ki» 

OMiAU  :  i* 

ivlneAa     i*  »;,  _  —  ..._„,  —  x^ 

to  piirftA—  pAAA*  A&  Ala  AAbii*  (oA.  AU.  !•>     ha  wa^  aa  lAa  wAoK  UM  tooai  aarttte 


174  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.       [oh.  vm.  1—29. 


of  all  the  early  kings  of  Syria ;  and,  though  he  suffered  one  great  defeat  at  the  hands 
of  the  Assyrian  king,  Shalmaneser  IL,  yet  he  issued  from  the  struggle  unsubdued, 
and  left  his  dominions  intact  to  his  son  and  successor,  Benhadad  IIL 
In  Elisha,  ou  the  other  band,  we  have — 

I.  The  wise,  cleab-sighted,  sikgle-minded,  hoxest  adviser.  Elisha  has  no 
cunning,  no  art,  no  special  cleverness.  But  he  can  read  character ;  he  can  see  through 
Hazael's  designs.  Whether  king,  or  noble,  or  common  person  apj^lies  to  him  for 
advice,  he  uses  the  same  simplicity,  counsels  each  as  seems  to  him  for  the  best,  and 
seeks  to  gain  nothing  for  himself  by  the  advice  which  he  gives  them.  His  plainness 
offends  Naaman  (eh.  v.  12) ;  his  firmness  enrages  Jehoram  (ch.  vi.  31);  his  penetration 
disconcerts  Hazael  (ch.  viiL  11);  but  he  cares  nothing  how  men  may  receive  his 
words.  It  is  a  Divine  message  that  he  delivers,  and  deliver  the  message  he  inust  and 
will,  in  simple  plain  language,  whether  men  will  hear  or  whether  they  will  forbear. 

II.  The  man  of  peace.  Elisha's  character  is  eminently  peaceful  and  conciliatory. 
He  weeps  at  the  thought  of  those  horrors  which  war  causes  almost  of  necessity  (ch. 
viii.  11).  Once  only  do  his  counsels  lead  on  to  an  engagement  (ch.  iii.  16 — 24); 
mostly  he  contrives  that  i^erils  shall  be  averted  without  the  shedding  of  blood  (ch.  vi. 
18 — 22;  vii.  6 — 15).  He  will  not  allow  the  prisoners  that  he  has  made  to  be  put  to 
death,  or  in  any  way  ill  treated  (ch.  vi.  22,  23).  He  seeks  to  check  nazael's  murderous 
propensities  by  a  look  which  he  cannot  misunderstand  (ch.  viii.  11). 

III.  The  prophet  akd  teacheb.  The  ofiSce  of  the  prophet  was  to  rebuke  sin,  as 
Elisha  did  (ch.  iii.  13,  14),  to  sustain  faith,  to  train  up  fresh  prophets,  to  teach  the 
faithful  (ch.  iv.  23),  to  announce  Grod's  will  to  king  and  people,  and  to  execute 
commissions  with  which  Grod  specially  entrusted  him.  Elisha  never  failed  in  the 
performance  of  any  of  these  duties.  Cast  upon  a  dark  time,  when  a  debasing  super- 
stition, imported  from  a  foreign  country,  had  fiill  possession  of  the  court  and  had  laid 
a  strong  hold  upon  the  country,  he  faithfully  upheld  Jehovah  and  Jehovah's  laws 
before  liacksliding  kings  and  "a  disobedient  and  gainsaying  {leople."  To  Elisha 
principally  it  was  owing  that  true  religion  still  maintained  itself  in  the  land  against 
the  persecutions  of  Jezebel  and  her  sons,  and  that,  when  the  dynasty  of  Omri  came 
to  an  end,  there  was  still  a  faithful  remnant  left,  which  had  not  bowed  the  knee  to 
Baal,  but  had  clung  to  Jehovah  under  all  manner  of  difficulties.  If  Elisha  left  no 
great  prophet  to  succeed  him,  it  was  probably  because  great  men  are  not  made  to 
order,  and  Go<1'b  providence  did  not  see  fit  to  continue  the  succession  of  first-rate 
j)rophetical  teachers,  which  had  been  raised  up  to  meet  the  extreme  danger  of  the  intro- 
duction and  maintenance  of  a  false  state  religion  by  apostate  kin;^8. 

When  two  such  characters  are  bronoht  into  contact,  the  natural  result  is  mutual 
repulsion.  Hazael  is  awhamed  that  Elislia  should  read  him  so  well;  and  Elisha  weejis 
when  he  thinks  of  the  woes  that  Hazael  will  inflict  upon  Ismol.  Outward  respect  is 
iiiaint'iined ;  but  the  two  must  have  felt,  when  they  parted,  that  they  were  adversaries 
fir  liffi,  bent  on  opi^isite  courrfes,  with  (ij)|Mised  principles,  aims,  motives;  not  only  tlie 
w  rvantH  of  difTennt  gods,  hut  antagnnistic  in  tlioir  whnlc  conception  of  life  aud  't<s 
(>hjcct«,  Hurc  t<i  claxh  if  ever  they  shoidd  meet  again,  and,  cvrn  if  tiiey  should  not  meet, 
sure  to  be  ever  working  fur  difiureut  euds,  and  engaged  iu  thwarting  one  the  other. 

Vem.  16 — 27.  —  Th»  power  of  hid  women  for  evil.  All  the  evil  wroup;ht,  all  the 
irt' ligion,  all  the  licontiouHncHH  ami  dejiravity,  and  aim  ,  all  the  misery  Buffered 
(iurint;  the  rei^^nH  of  Ahah,  Aha/.iah,  imd  Jehoram  in  I.m.m'I,  and  of  Joliuram  and 
Ahaziah  in  .ludah,  wi-ro  cniifM-d  by  tlu-  miichinalionM  imd  Inliuence  of  two  wiektyl 
wiiinoii — Jf/.elxrl  and  hi-r  dau^htor  Atliallah.  Jozelx-l,  a  |»riiud  impttriouH  woman, 
liorri  in  the  purple,  ■  "kitig'H  dau^^htor,"  and  extranniinarily  Htnin:'.-n)in<l(Hl  and 
uriMTDptilouH,  i>htJiin<vl  a  coniph  t<i  aM-<'iidRiiey  over  tlf'  wrak  and  unstahlo  Ahab,  and 
triMMt  \»'  vjcwtyl  All  th«  inNti^^at^ir  of  all  IiIh  wieki**!  acliunn.  With  Aliah'H  conMivanen, 
iihn  "  •!' w  tlif<  proiihi'ta  of  iho  Lord,"  jMrMcculcd  tlio  fiiilhful,  h«<I  up  th  )  worshin  of 
Uial  »rid  Anht'Tctli  in  Siimaria,  intpxiiurd  into  iHrncl  llio  tinelia-td  riU-i  of  the  Pea 
hvrit  and  ol  Adonia,  thrt-iiiriiod  th<>  life  of  Klijah  and  di-vr  hun  into  buniHlinirnt, 
cohtrivivl  the  jii<li(-ial  murdir  <!  Naloilli,  niid  iiii|iiirt<«l  t4)  Aliahn  rei^n  thiil  (-liurael<  r  of 
Uf  i4tioiiarirM  and  lijcindy  cni'liy  wlii(  h  ({iv<iH  it  iUi  Kv\  pnv(>mlnon<'o  alMivo  all  otiiora 
In  tli«  black  Ual  of  laraai'i  Luuuaruha.     Nur  did  Juzobol'i  evil  IntluuDOO  itup  buro.     Hli* 


m  T  n   I     ZX]       TIIK  RBTOVD  BOOK   OF  Till   KlVOa.  ITt 

«llv«4  \m  kiMUftd  Vf  aaoM  iklriMB  jmr\  aal  4«fiM  ^^^  t*"^  •«  lIU  •HI 
fM*M  of  b«r  twv  »«M,  AhAiUk  mA  Jwkofmm.  AiiMitfc  tkm  ■■>*■*  iy  i«rv«nai 
(•k  lilt.  as.  'JX  Otm  J«b.tf»Mi  *•  Ui  k«  ialM>M  i  kia  lo  W»  v«  »«m  ft«»tW 
It  fKat  a««iB«  Km  f«4«»  %U  Ihtl  ■■wfctp  •DMiA<M4  IB  iW  Mfitel  («L  I.  -'  r?  ,  4 
Ib  tLr  AMMirj  41iinc«i  (ck  B.  tlX  iMgk  b*  himmU  look  m  |«ft  la  :>. 

A*Uh>K,  tfcaiiji  wiUxmt  tk>  BlTMigU  <l  »Ua  >i4  »lU  ^kUk  tkutmt  >  ^  .  tt, 

mmuU\i  bw.  ft*  •  Uiiii  nipJUM  w  iniMii  •  af^^fijr  |«iaiW^  m  u> 

J«k(if«ac#I««4,a  VMk  wiiM^ab*  had  IUi«  li-fl^u  I*  ito  wUUi*' i  ^'*f^^ 

•fw  yat,  Md  bmiwlij  \k  abUf  advUM  <« 

b«dir«ri;.u.  tL»i  Jv^ofMB'MMdaklck  pU  <4 

Um  b'  »  f  J^oimImb  to  OOOUbII  tankmikm,  mmk  vmmpmimi    Jm-  * 

CB  Okr>  i  iX  or*  ta  oUmt  •«4«K  iiUliHitiiil  Ik*  BMlMiurJUp  u.  ud 

Jw^Ui^  *U  iufwd  Uw  InhftWl— to  to  MibraM  U.  Ovw  AkfttlJi.  Ut  .^  .ba 
«w  Vil  NWMd  twMity  ft!  Ui  ■eoMiloa.ktf  toAiMac*  *m  MMnJIy  r>«(.-«      lU 

-■■■--  *    -•     W       .       .. 

pD««r.  viikk  lb*  b«U  lur  ft 


MNM  to  ltof«  b««  •  OMCft  pttpMl  b  k«  bM>ls  (S  Ckfuft.  iiii-  S— 6X 
MM  wtvtkj  of  Imt  hwUm.  AlWkk,  oa  tte  dMik  •!  Imt  mi  AUauK, 
kte  Ulf-braUMfi^  ftttd  Mbad  tk*  wvftnicB  {»«•'.  vkkk  ik«  bald  fur 


•atqo*  faftiort  in  tk«  klalorj  of  Ika  J««a.     I't*  B^l-vtmklp  »m  u  to 

mtmmit  tka  wonkip  of  Jakorak  b  iko  toaida  «  Muiuii  Boa.  awI 
okW  «r  BmU  vto  btuUad  b  tka  pbaa  onAamij  owpiid  by  tb.  a 


prbM  (I  Okiva.  uiO.  17).  Jako««k-«Qnkip  was  forbiddai,  paawiii.  *  ~  ».«,»».; 
b  tocfal;  aad  Ika  kbflduM  <rf  Jodak  «ai^  to  far  aa  apfxartaea*  ««*i, 
w«(«  Um  avUs  vitMttbt  bj  Umm  two  aalitbu*  aad  miekad  votoaa. 
bbtary  of  tka  world,  ikoogb  it  mm  Av&bk  ao  «saet  paraUaU  Lm  Mtair  csMa 
ar  kM  riodbr.  Hiliamfa  waj  h»  a  b>  ik.  but  Q<imm  HaiMu  in  !*;«.■..  Quaaa* 
▲taaa  aDil  Pftryaatto  b  PiKib,  Obmiibs  b  OrMM^  McaaJiaa  Mkl  1  -tiaa  la 

Baai^  OftU-ftHa*  d*  Madid  aiid  C«tLrnii«  Hxufr^M  uf  Ru««l%.  ;:.  (Iufvf«, 

equally  impti  ■«! 

It  vvuid  aMn:  t  >^a 

aa  kvfaly  tovanb  giM>  ta 

■a  bwci  r  a^y  la<  w  rr  ■  -a 

k«fft  hard  aod  u  ^) ,  tiA  .  ^i 

avaa  iKwa  fcarfu.  -  •/  (>>•  •   '•« 


dovs  I 


ill  nmgbi 
aad  fti' 
•ill  dwabbbarii 


vviL    Ska 
Ska  1 
pnmaeaa  todaai 

a  dT  J  war  tkat » 

all  tkk  BbekW  .  . 

be  fur  Ood,  ftbd  6uuxg  tka  food  wbek  aka  waa  tbaiyiad  lo  da 


HOIOLIBB  BT  TAB1O08  AUTBOlflL 


T««.  1-4L— JV  SlaaaaiiiVa  Immd  vmlnrti.  Tka  Bllda  baa  a  icood  daal  to  aay 
akoat  Ika  bad  fwarthm.  Tbwa  I*  oaa  aatiaabb  paaa^a  b  laatak  (v.  8):  "Wo* 
aato  tkam  Ikal  jub  hatmt  to  bouaa.  that  lav  iaid  to  iaJd.  uU  tkat*  be  im  (bea. 


Ikay  aav  ba  plMad  akMM  b  tka  n.ida  of  ika  aartk  I  **  Tbara  U  aautkar  — aanrabb 
nw^i  la  Ika  Bfdatta  «f  81.  Jaiuaa :  "  Brktdd,  Ika  ktf«  af  ika  bb>i«raM  abu  ba*v  raapai 
dava  yaar  iaUa,  wbbk  b  af  yoa  k«pi  back  by  frafad.  oibtk :  aad  tka  criaa  al  ikfMa 
vkljkhava  laaMd  aiaaMaradbto  tbaamaT  Ika  Load  Ood  olBatMHk-  If  aaak 
daaaardattnii  J  afyitmium  aad  wfoag  kad  bMa  ntoitobwart.  wa  akould  ba**  bad  la« 
af  aaabttMb  auoibiaalbaa  aad  baa  ef  agnrba  orttoa  la  Ibia  BM«ca  wv  Law - 
L  A  aaaaAva  oaavaa      KUaka'a  nwaiaaiil   aaamai  a  Wrd  «»a,     Tbia  waMa  ul 


17«  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS,      [oh.  vm.  1—29. 

Sbtinem  was  to  arise  with  her  household,  and  leave  her  home  and  farm  for  seven  years. 
He  told  her,  indeed,  that  there  was  to  be  a  famine  in  the  land.  But  she  might  have 
wanted  more  proof.  She  might  have  said,  "  Well,  I  shall  wait  till  I  see  some  signs  of 
the  famine.  It  is  a  great  hardship  to  have  to  get  up  in  this  way  and  leave  my  home, 
without  any  immediate  reason.  What  if  Elisha's  fears  should  turn  out  to  be  imtrue? 
ilay  not  the  famine  be  as  bad  anywhere  else?"  So  men  often  reason  when  God  gives 
them  some  comnMind  or  points  out  to  them  the  way  of  salvation.  Lot  lingered,  when 
urged  to  depart  out  of  Sodom,  though  the  very  angels  of  God  had  come  to  warn  him 
of  his  doom.  So  men  linger  still,  when  urged  to  flee  from  the  wrath" to  come.  They 
linger,  though  every  day  is  bringing  them  nearer  to  eternity.  They,  linger,  thougii 
they  know  not  the  day  nor  the  hour  when  the  Son  of  man  may  come.  Whether  it  be 
the  path  of  salvation  or  the  path  of  Christian  service  which  God  calls  us  to  tread,  let 
us  not  linger,  let  us  not  hesitate  to  obey,  but,  like  this  woman  of  Shuuem,  let  us  do  at 
01  ce  what  Grod  commands. 

II.  Loss  isoUBBED.  This  woman  actually  did  suffer  by  her  prompt  obedience.  She 
escaped  the  famine,  indeed,  but  she  lost  her  land.  On  this  subject  Dr.  Thomson  says, 
in  •  The  Land  and  the  Book,'  "  It  is  still  common  for  even  petty  sheikhs  to  confiscate 
the  property  of  any  person  who  is  exiled  for  a  time,  or  who  moves  away  temporarily 
from  his  district.  Especially  is  this  true  of  widows  and  orphans,  and  the  Shunammito 
was  now  a  widow.  And  small  is  the  chance  to  such  of  having  their  property  restored, 
unlcis  they  can  secure  the  mediation  of  some  one  more  iuflueutial  than  themselves. 
The  conversation  between  the  king  and  Gehazi  about  his  master  is  also  iu  perfect 
keeping  with  the  habits  of  Eastern  priuces ;  and  the  appearance  of  the  widow  and  her 
son  80  opportunely  would  have  precisely  the  same  effect  now  that  it  had  then.  Not 
only  the  land,  but  all  the  fruits  of  it  would  be  restored.  There  is  an  air  of  genuine 
verisinulitiide  in  such  simple  narratives  which  it  is  quite  impossible  for  persons  not 
intimately  familiar  with  Oriental  manners  to  appreciate,  but  which  stamps  the  incidents 
with  undoubted  certainty."  We  may  incur  loss  from  a  worldly  point  of  view  by  obeying 
a  command  of  Ood.  But  which  do  we  prefer — worldly  gain  or  a  couscieuce  at  peace 
with  God  V  Which  loss  is  greater — the  luss  of  a  few  pounds,  or  the  loss  of  our  heavenly 
Father's  smile?  Even  if  we  do  lose  by  it — it  is  best  to  do  the  will  of  God,  to  follow  in 
the  footst  p8  of  Jesus. 

III.  Qi/EbTioNfl  AUKKD.  We  are  not  told  what  led  to  this  remarkable  conversation 
whicli  Jehoram  had  with  Gehazi.  Perhaps  the  time  of  famiuo  had  Immbled  him. 
Perhaps  he  was  becoming  penitent  for  his  threat  of  taking  Elisha's  life.  Perhaps  it 
was  mi  re  idhi  curiosity.  But  at  any  rate,  here  is  the  Kmg  of  Israel  inquiring  of  Gehazi, 
'♦Tell  me,  I  pray  thee,  all  the  ^reat  things  that  J'^lisha  hath  dom."  Gehazi,  at 
this  lime,  loved  to  think  and  speak  of  Elisha.  He  had  been  a  good  master  to  him. 
\\\a  tlee<lh  were  worth  recording.  And  so  Gehazi  proceeds  to  toll  the  story  of  Elislia's 
iiiigiity  deeds.  1.  We  ought  to  be  ready  to  answer  questions  about  our  Master.  They 
inay  jn<x;ec4l  fniin  curiosity,  from  wn)Dg  motives.  Never  mind.  Our  answer,  given 
in  a  tyliristian  sjiirit,  may  he  the  means  of  disarming  ridicule.  It  may  bo  an  oppor- 
tunity for  iiM  t<)  toll  the  old,  old  story  of  the  cross.  2.  We  ought  not  to  be  ashamed  of  our 
Mti»ter.  Ii«  is  " the  chielcHt  among  ten  thousand  .  .  .  and  altogether  lovely."  Ilii 
Niimi;  in  al>ove  every  name.  The  Name,  the  life,  the  works,  the  words,  of  Jesus  ought 
to  Ih;  a  favourite  theme  with  un. 

IV.  Ill  htituti<jn  mauk.  When  God's  time  comes,  how  very  easily  he  can  fulfil 
his  [lurpoHcM!  Gehazi  had  Just  reached  that  part  of  his  story  wh<  ro  I'.iisha  restored  iho 
Slionammitc'H  mi\  to  life,  when,  U>  his  autoniblimunl  and  delight,  the  Shiiiinmmitu  herself 
M|i|H-.irod  on  I  ho  ■c<ne.  She  came  witli  her  i>otitiou  to  tho  kmg  that  ho  would  oauso 
licr  }ious<-  and  land  to  Ixi  rc«t<jred.  Gehazi,  not,  jwrbapH,  very  rc;;ardfnl  of  couilesy  or 
eliipiotle,  (slln  out  in  t)ie  fulncHH  of  his  Joy,  "My  lord,  0  king,  tliin  is  the  woman,  and 
thiM  Ik  bor  turn,  whom  KliMha  TKHtored  to  lifi!."  The  king,  wIiohu  fodlings  had  itlroadv 
\*i>a  touched  by  tlm  {jathutiu  narrative  of  the  little  lad  curri«Hl  home  from  the  harvests 
fifld  I/)  die,  toijchi<l  «»liw)  by  tlm  oritr<iity  of  iho  wumnn  for  the  rrstDralion  of  hor  lost 
jif'iKTty,  and  jirrlmj)*  rfcoj/iii/.itig  IIk*  lian<i  of  I'rovidi  ik  n  In  the  r«nmrkahl«(  ••vciiIm  of 
thai  day,  KlTM  oriiuis  that  not  mdy  hr>r  liiri'l,  hut  th«  truitii  of  It  from  \\\v>  <Imv  nho  loft, 
sLoiilil  U  rtMtorwi  U>  her.  '1  hat  wa»  wholiiuilu  reNtoriilion  und  rnMiitution.  Who  hIwiII 
■aj  tt  «M  unjust?     What  a  dingorgiug  thttru  would  )>o,  if  all  who  have  taken  money 


«.nn.l-tlL]       THK  BBOOND  BOOK  OF  TUB  KUKM. 


in 


IHi  ok*l  abi*^     "  .N     ..u»     nil  hfiiii 
.  .  .   bui  bo  titail  i»«ir»  •*  U\ 
HWtMiiii^'— <1  U.  L 

bM  diWAM.       It   It  MOttdr 

•  1.1    to    •rrk     t.U    b*lp  ■l.r 


«  or 

i-j 


;;ue!i    •..   Mm       luttt-Aii 

i   b«  khall  »urelT  di*.      TA*  aMfrrvw  mum  .  aa^  or. 

'         IV--4t«    all    h\M     HUtMUtiOQi    of    WcakliOM    MMl 

)?••  trual«d  ar-.  *«i«t'b  oual 

r  K  thi^k  rk'.  VAtrr,  k««pi«aa  ll 

uiikicf  ^viAXt  a/  eooltPf  umI  rvfraabtag  tutu. 
ii*  kii^  aiad.    TambU  ■iinn— imi  of  bW- 
r.      '   c  IcA.--  from  tbla  toddent — 
r  KTiL  n   rsB  auHAS  BBABT.      Maaj  fi^tma  Aamj  ikm 
La  ator^  of  Um  Fall    Thay  ob^  to  aaek 
aM,  aiki  th«  BMra  en«iluBaW  Barmv,  b«rd, 
iAil  o/ oiaa  aad  tha  «lr     .  <  »!««• 

dafiBM.      Ilkaj  Ara  fkci-  .    (^ 

-   Ht  facia  at«nh4fc>.     al^  . 
ftod  tba  daprannr  of  kuBAa  : 
V  snd  ioTC     To  beiiav«  to  i   ^  ,.  .,  , 

t«  OMMiatottt  viib  brlieTiaf  la  lu  graai 
iiiAii**  fikU,  l«kcltr«  ai*.i  thai  OMtt  vaa 
tbai  Um  utd  bdad  Im^a  to 

'Immb  ka  kM 

r  8aa  «f  ao4 

Til^wmmm»  ti  aiaa :  * 

'  •<^««tJ^  Ilia.*     II 

■«  ara  uk  tka 

•  »>  i—B at 

7  at  ika 


17«  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.      [oh.  vm.  1—29 

come  the  wrong  must  faithfully  point  out  to  them  the  possibilities  of  evil  that  are 
within  their  own  heart.  Who  that  knows  human  nature,  that  knows  the  facts  of 
history,  can  doubt  that  such  possibilities  exist  ?  Look  at  Hazael,  hitherto  the  faithful, 
trusted  servant,  stooping  over  the  bedside  of  his  master,  and  calmly  and  deliberately 
taking  away  his  life.  He  had  the  ambition  to  be  King  of  Syria,  and  he  wades  to  the 
throne  through  his  master's  blood.  Who  that  knows  what  crimes  men  will  commtt 
when  under  the  influence  of  covetousness,  intemperance,  hatred,  or  some  other  passion — 
men  who  otherwise  would  have  shrunk  from  the  very  mention  of  such  acts — can  doubt 
the  possibilities  of  evil  within  the  human  heart  ?  There  are  possibilities  of  evil  even  in 
good  men.  The  old  nature  is  not  taken  away.  **  When  I  would  do  good,"  said  St.  Paul, 
"  evil  is  present  with  me,  so  that  how  to  perform  that  which  is  good  I  find  not."  "  For 
I  see  a  law  in  my  members,  warring  against  the  law  of  my  mind,  and  bringing  me  into 
captivity  to  the  law  of  sin."  What,  then,  is  the  difference  between  a  Christian  and  an 
unregenerate  man?  There  are  possibilities  of  evil  in  them  both,  but  the  Christian 
strives  agaiust  the  evil,  whereas  the  unregenerate  man  yields  to  sin  and  loves  it.  The 
Christian  may  fall,  but  if  so,  he  is  filled  with  penitence.  The  Christian  will  have  his 
faults,  but,  if  so,  he  acknowledges  them  and  seeks  help  to  forsake  them.  "  Faults ! " 
says  Thomas  Carlyle,  in  his  lectures  on  '  Hero- Worship,'  '*  the  greatest  of  faults  is  to  be 
conscious  of  none."  Yes ;  there  are  possibilities  of  evil,  there  are  actualities  of  evil,  in 
the  best  of  men.  Christ  might  still  say  to  an  assembly  of  even  his  own  disciples, 
**  Let  him  that  is  without  sin  cast  the  first  stone  at  a  fallen  sister  or  an  erring  brother." 
n.  The  dangeb  of  ignobino  these  possibilities.  Hazael  did  not  become  a 
murderer  all  at  once.  The  old  Latin  saying  is,  Nemo  repents  Jit  tnrpissimus — "  No  one 
becomes  suddenly  very  wicked."  It  is  true.  Perhaps  a  tew  years  before  this  if  any 
one  had  told  Hazael  that  he  would  be  a  murderer,  he  would  have  been  highly  indignant. 
Even  now  he  asks,  "  What  is  thy  servant,  this  dog,  that  he  should  do  this  great 
thing  ?  "  It  is  uncertain  whether  this  exclamation  of  Hazael  refers  only  to  Elisha's 
prophecy  about  the  cruelties  he  would  perpetrate  on  Israel,  or  whether  it  refers  also  to 
the  suggestion  of  Elisha  that  he  was  to  be  the  murderer  of  Benhadad.  If  it  refers  to 
the  murder  of  the  king,  then  the  exclamation  would  express  surprise  at  the  idea  of  his 
venturing  to  lift  his  hand  against  his  master.  If  it  only  refers  to  the  subsequent 
cruelties  which  he  was  to  commit,  it  shows  in  any  case  th;it  Hazael  did  not  know  of 
what  he  was  capable.  Shakespeare's  representation  of  Brutus  when  meditating  the 
murder  of  Julius  Cassar,  to  which  he  had  been  incited  by  other  conspirators,  throws 
light  upon  Hazael's  feelings. 

"  Since  CaseinB  first  did  whet  me  against  Otaut 
I  have  not  slept. 

Between  the  acting  of  a  dreadful  thing 
And  tlie  first  motion,  all  the  interim  la 
Like  a  phantueina,  or  a  hideous  dream : 
The  geniuB  and  the  mortiil  instrumentB 
Are  then  in  council ;  and  the  state  of  a  man. 
Like  to  a  little  kingdom,  sufiirs  then 
The  nature  of  an  inuurrootion." 

It  \b,  indeed,  a  danRcroua  thing  to  tamper  with  temptation.  There  is  that  affinliy 
between  the  evil  which  is  in  our  own  heart  and  the  teni])t!itionH  which  are  without, 
that  there  Ih  between  thf  gun[K)wder  and  the  Hpark.  It  w  wisdom  to  keep  the  spark) 
Hway.     It  ia  wiikloiu  to  keep  away  from  the  temptation. 

•*  Vic©  i«  a  moiiBtcr  of  bo  hldoouB  mien. 
An,  to  bo  liiitid,  nncdH  bat  to  Ih>  hcoh; 
Yot,  neon  tof)  i>ft,  faiiiiliur  with  lur  fiioe, 
We  fimt  unduro,  then  pity,  thon  uuibruoe." 

It  Ih  "fooln"  who  make  a  mock  at  sin.  It  is  a  foolinh  thing  to  make  light  of  the  guilt 
ijf  Bin  in  Ood'i  ni^'ht.  It  Im  a  fooliuh  thing  to  make  light  of  the  power  of  aiu  in  our 
tiwii  hcartH.     "  L<;a<l  uh  not  into  toniptntiiiii." 

III.    'I  KKIlK  IH  ONI.T  ONE   iArKOUAIlI)    AOAINMT   TIIRHl    KTTL  TRNDKNOIKB  Hf    OUR  OWN 

)iKAHTii:  THAT  HAnutuAiU)  III  THK  aitA(  K  OF  (joD.  Ol  tlio  )>owur  ul  that  gmco  liaKncl 
ku*w  ntjtbia^.     'I'oinptatloo  u{wn  temptuliuu  camo  crowding  into  hii  iniiid.      Tlie/irat 


m.  no.  l-n.]      TUB  BBOOVD  BOOK  OF  THI  DHOa  17f 


MM  tls  frmi  tmltHtm  tt  h$  Mif .  R«  Km  rWkUl  to  Umi  k»c  ilsM.  It  Km  uk«i 
•ooiilctc  i^MMaiiio  of  hk«  miiMl.  Tb«o  tbarv  okOM  <A«  l—yralu^w  t»  "t'ry  «  /^iM 
■MM^^  lo  his  OMMar,  who  b*d  n\*»  U  meh  oooftdaoo*  lo  hitu.     IJ«  ttAi. 

TbcO   UmM  eUM   lA«  iHMftiilMt    (o    rijor  anoy  Ai«  NMUf#r'«    </r        It   >         :.  ^  ii«, 

•odoUtC       Th«f«  VM    t     :  tX*.    holpl^^  .|uOA    tvxl    of    •ufcl.r,,.    l«l«<^o 

hin  aod  ilk*  thrxMMw     D  :,  wLicli  i.                    i  •lutiacl,  »o<l  ib«  u)^i  u/  tu 

•BUtiuo  wuu"   ^-^  -"-  i.Lii  if  be  ba<i   t   -            iLe  uibar  lMa|^><«ttou>,  (hu  "t.« 

nii^ht  nmrm  \:nn  1  all,  or,  ii   it   t.m>i.  be  w  •  ild  «•*!]«  i  avc  rr«^ir«l   iL 

YV  rRwon  ^     ..  •%(  <^  ^  n^fieittU /vrtm  w\l\mk.     Wn  tmai  mnutilii.^ 

UMir*  UiftD  kuiuAu  t  »uaio  po««r  of  tia. 

^M  Ml  Ik*  iMBlv'a  povwt 


H>imI  had  Ao  rw;. ..  rfik  hit  own  •vfl  taadaooiai^  mc  rr$,,itny  y 

U>  Mop  tho  toiui'Utiuu  a.  '.  «otaml  and  touk  poMM^OO  ol    :..-  i>'  *  i 

MV4I1B    tu   baT«    bat^l   a   (r'  a^   wfn.       r<    Kr-CUM  OOOfuMil    i-ciu^c    l^i^..^  i 

»ic*dy  glaiioe.     Kut  abn  ■'^ffior  inflmoot  to  Muuiu  ii,   • 

ea>ilv  TUiqui»bt«l.     Lur  tjtr^iep.^-rvt^v  ikm  u^  (kaac  u 

at>lc  U)  put  kliaiur  tu  tii^hi.  OS  Bhamr. 

'Ibr  l^t^T,  thi-  cuvet<ju»  mtii—  .aMeaaiuua 

Tbc  ambittutu  tuaii — be  will  Qui  aiiuw  t  u  Um  deaifc  (  <  uuwar  »u4 

)  lac^e.     I'he  Jri.'iAarxi — abamo  b*a  tub.  ^1^fo^^^^d   Uii.iJ  .   &.  l:.cii 

i>  mxa  apuo  bia  bl<>ai«d  face.     Nu ;  If  wo  tuo  lo  i '  if  We  are  ' 

mu*t  be  u>  auuio  puwer  atr^ut^or  than  pour  h(iv:n  .u  aupt-lv.  i 

kuuw  that  puwt-r.     Ue  trusted  in   bi»  owl  ,  itj  hia  uwu  muw  o/  «u*t 

waa  ri^cht,  aud  that  lailod  him.     He  who  \...  .:  ia  Ux\  MrrTaut,  t'>ia  d<^^, 

that  he  aboul  i  .  "on  ibe  i.-rru^  to.k  iiu  uiaaicr'*  life.     Guuirui 

Ilacael'a  excl .  a  wbeo  br  wis  templc<d  :  "  Uuw  ran  1  du  thia  ^rrat 

wickednaae,  ana  b::  ^  ;  "     Ah  I  there  waa  au.  lo  wbi^^h  11a.:ac1 

waa  a  atnuiger.     '1  he  prraonal  preeeooe  of  n  .  the.-c  waa  tt.e 

fear  of  oflending  tliai  w.y  viuil;  there  waa  the  fear  of  gri'  .  v 

Father  who  liad  watched  uver  Juaeph  when  hia  brethreii  I. .  , 

bad  providad  fur  all  hia  wauia.  Uaiaeri  feeling  it  murv  li>.i.-  i. x  .^.  i  ...<^  i  ..u 
all  msD  (oraake  thee,  yet  will  not  I  " — the  ex|>rra>iuti  uf  w  .aiided  pnde,  uf  t*<a*:fui  kcif- 
■eearitj.  Tet  PetM'  fell  iuto  the  rery  aio  of  which  be  L&a  ex[>f<»Boa  aucb  hurrur  uuij 
ft  few  houn  before.  It  is  liut  auch  aelf  nwifilkniie,  but  a  bunti.e  \tx\mg  \A  o«r  uwb 
weaknaM  and  ait  attitude  uf  entire  dopeodeooa  opoo  Uuu,  that  mlU  really  keep  tite  duur 
barred  against  teuiptatioo. 

Ooe  or  two  pr<u.tlca;  a;  plicationa.     L  Be  cm  ^out  awxr,!  a-y^'u^t  i\e  he^/iumimot  V 
tvil.     If  yoQ  yMsld  -  .putiuti,  do  matter  ,' 

br,  other*  are  atire  u  .  lU  wake.    2.  Be  cLi  , 

^  otktn.     Wh«a  we  kao«  what  ]•  v.-c  to  uur 

oaa  we  hare  the  praMunptioo  to  e.  a?    If    ■ 

and  we  are  aecure,  perhaps  it  waa  bccauae  we  w«re  uol  ax^A^Md  to  . 
We  are  to  ounaider  ouiaelTea,  leet   we  also  bo  tempted.     S.  I. 

experianoad  the  fbrgiTeoeaa  that  is  in  Chn>t  Jeaus  aod  the  puwer  U  4 ' r 

tk$m  moml     LaC  it  be  TOur  aamaat  prayer,  ''Create  lu  cne  a  cWn   t»««rt,  ( • 
a  ri^U  spirit  within  me."     If  you  would  l<e  m' 


tiMt  an  is  voor  own  heart,  and  from  the  tcui(  «tioj. 

prsjar  dwald  ba  now  and  always,  "  Lead  me  to  the  Uock  uiai  la  m^ner  uuuj  i.  — w  .  iL  L 

▼•m  1— A.— TWs /br  nr/t«rf«o«.  *  Than  apake  EUik*  ulo  Ika  woaan,  wh«M  soA 
ha  had  restored  tu  life,  etc.  lu  theaa  Tinas  w«  hav«  aa  Hhaimtea  of  tha  rwwaid  of 
kindnasa,  the  ignoranoe  of  royalty,  and  the  iaiu— oa  uf  godUasi^ 

L  Thb  aiWAU)  OF  tivnmwm.  **  Than  apake  Biaka  aalo  tka  waaaa,  wkoaa  mm  ka 
hfti  raaturad  to  lUis,  aayinf,  A>iae,  a:>d  >7o  tliuu  and  tkiaa  kou*">"  'i  *  -^  ^..^...r.  wkH>f«- 
aoavar  tko«  oaoat  sojouru  :  lur  ib  .u  eallad  (or  a  .    ^m 

aooM  apm  tka  laud  seres  ye<irB.  *iniaa  aroaa,  atv:  .^<_^^ 

tka  maa  of  Ood :  aud  she  went  .« ith  ncr  nousahutd,  aad  aqtoomai  to  tike  teoa  <n  tfta 
FkittallMa  asrea  jaank"    Through  Kusha  ihia  ShunaiBalia  woman  obcaiaad  tki«a 


180  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.      [oh.  vra.  1--29. 

great  fevonra :  (1)  the  restoration  of  her  son  (ch.  Iv.) ;  (2)  direction  for  herself  and 
family  to  leave  their  old  home  during  the  seven  years'  famine ;  and  then,  when  she 
returned  from  the  land  of  the  Philistines,  where  she  had  sojourned  seven  years ;  (3) 
the  restoration  of  her  old  home,  which  had  either  fallen  into  the  hands  of  covetous  persons, 
or  been  confiscated  to  the  crown  (ver.  6).  These  are  confessedly  signal  favours ;  but 
why  were  they  rendered  ?  Undoubtedly  on  account  of  the  kinduess  which  this  woman 
had  manifested  to  Elisha,  as  recorded  in  the  fourth  chapter  (vers.  8 — 10).  Slie  had 
shown  him  great  hospitality,  built  a  chamber  for  him  in  her  own  house,  furnished  it, 
and  boarded  and  lodged  him  for  a  considerable  time.  Here,  then,  is  the  reward  of 
kindness.  Ol^serve  :  1.  Kindness  should  always  awaken  gratitude.  The  very  consti- 
tution of  the  human  soul  and  the  moral  laws  of  God  as  revealed  in  Christ  show  this. 
Yet,  alas !  so  far  away  has  the  human  soul  gone  from  its  pristine  state  that  real  grati- 
tude for  favours  is  somewhat  rare.  So  much  so,  indeed,  that  it  often  turns  out  that 
the  person  on  whom  you  bestow  the  greatest  favours  turns  out  to  be  your  opponent  and 
foe.  Seneca  has  truly  said  that  "were  ingratitude  actionable,  there  would  not  he 
in  the  whole  world  courts  enough  to  try  the  causes  in."  So  common  is  it  that  it^  is 
almost  a  maxim  that,  if  you  would  alienate  a  man  from  you,  you  should  bestow  on  him 
favours.     Shakespeare  has  compared  it  to  the  cuckoo — 

•♦  The  hedge-sparrow  fed  the  ouokoo  so  lonr 
That  it  had  its  head  bit  off  by  its  young.'* 

2.  Gratitude  vfill  always  requite  favours.  The  man  who  receives  favours  without 
some  practical  acknowledgment  is  an  ingrate.  "  A  man,"  says  L'Estrange,  "  may  as 
well  refuse  to  deliver  up  a  sum  of  money  that  is  left  him  in  trust,  without  a  suit,  as 
not  to  return  a  good  office  without  asking." 

*•  He  that  has  nature  in  liim  must  be  grateful ; 
•Tis  the  Creator's  primary  great  law, 
That  links  the  chain  of  beings  to  each  otner. 
Joining  the  greater  to  the  lesser  nature, 
Trying  the  weak  and  sstrong,  the  poor  and  pQwerful, 
Subduing  men  to  brutes,  and  even  brutes  to  men." 

(Mnda«.) 

n.  The  ignobancb  of  royaltt.  When  the  Shunammite  woman  had  returned  from 
the  land  ot  the  Philistines,  she  made  application  to  the  king  for  the  restoration  "of 
her  house  and  for  her  land,"  whereupon  "  the  king  talked  with  Gehazi  the  servant  of 
the  man  of  God,  saying,  Tell  me,  I  pray  thee,  all  the  great  things  that  Elisha  hath 
done."  Now,  mark  the  ignorance  of  this  King  of  Israel.  He  was  so  ignorant  of 
Elisha — the  man  who  had  been  working  such  wonders  in  his  country,  delivering  such 
sublime  truths,  and  rendering  such  high  service  to  the  state,  that  he  here  inquires  of 
the  prophet's  sc  ivant  concerning  him.  "It  was  to  his  shame,"  says  Matthew  Henry, 
"  that  ho  needed  now  to  be  informed  of  Elisha's  works,  when  he  mifxht  have  acquainted 
1  imself  with  them  as  they  were  being  done  by  Elisha  himself."  Shame  1  that  kings 
hhonld  he  i'.'norant  of  the  morally  best  and  greatest  men  in  their  kingdom  1  Yet  thi  y 
hav  always  hem  so,  especially  if  the  men,  as  in  Elisha's  case,  lived  in  ])overty.  They 
know  all  about  the  moral  pigmies  that  live  in  splendid  jialaces,  bear  high-sounding 
titU'H,  are  lords  of  castles,  and  owners  of  broad  acres.  Such,  they  not  only  know,  but 
will  liononr  wiih  their  visits,  consort  with  them,  shoot  with  thorn,  etc.  liut  to  go 
into  the  obHcure  homo  of  a  truly  great  man  who  blossoH  the  country  with  his  soul- 
quickening  thoughts,  and  holds  fellowship  with  lleavtwi,  they  wouhl  no  more  think 
of  dc>in^^,  than  ol  travrlUng  to  the;  iiinon.     Will  it  bo  always  thus?     Heaven  forbid  I 

III.  TiiK  isri-UKNCK  or  oodi.inkhh.  When  the  king  heard  from  Gehazi  what  Klisha 
had  done,  "his  niajosty  "  (as  we  say)  graiitod  the  woman  her  request.  "And  when 
tho  king  asked  the  woman,  she  told  him.  So  the  king  appoinlod  unto  her  a  oortain 
ofiicer,  wiying,  H-stMro  ail  that  wbh  hors,  an(i  all  the  frnits  of  the  lit  Id  nince  the  day 
that  Hhn  left  the  hind,  even  until  now."  It  was  the  involuntary  inlbionoe  of  Elisha 
iha'  diHjioMrrl  tli«  iiKinnrrh  to  do  all  this.  Who  shull  tell  the  g(H)d  that  even  the 
involiioitary  iiifiuence  of  a  \!<A\j  man  oommnnicatoH  to  his  ago?  The  v(duntary 
|iifliieiic«  of  a  inHn'*  life — tliat  ia,  the  inlluence  he  exerts  by  intention  and  conscious 
•.•fTortn  -Is    ir  il  '    inslgnlfieimt    rMmj>nreii    with    that   Hfremn   of  iniconBcious   influence 


m.  rrm.  !-«.]       TEl  8BO0XD  BOOK  OF  TOB   KTS(HL 


Itl 


•crv>a^ 


a  ti« 
i  »a 

«ra  BK»flid 

itv«  of  lib 


-  -  -      -J .  -.      .J   ,     » -^       ^    .    w„ 

*oJ  Ui«  fuuuiAiu  »t  wbidi  bi>  •ogvii  dnok."— D.  T. 

▼•rt.  T— l<l—flrrair  .'<TiL     "And  KlUU  aam*  lo  DamaariM,*  aia     W« 

I.  A  DTITO  ■!?«..      -  i  the  KIm  of  8yrt»  wm  rick."     BmIu<1»*    ht  hU 

•«*  *na  oounlrr.  nv      .  rich  •od  n  '?»  tr,  h-y.  r:   w  ho  ta  on  !•',••  ■ 

eiortLi  1  hUbehtlf.  ax.  . 

t^.  y  baT«  mow  to  K«.  and  r-romptorf  A,f   t     . 

•Tuny*  f.i-  ;».      m    It  u*s  t  ;,ii,  4  ;„,  ...   ^^ 

f''^'"?'"'  vL14,  15 

^*'**'»  "'  '  ■»..  :  «'.  i  th'.  . 

tha  cJtT  aU/ut,"  in  uracr  to  cai'*ur«  i.  i^-.iphct,      \\  .  . 

l>vin?  hour*  reverbo  our  judgiiuni*,  rev   .  .;,  our  f«::i!  -a, 

(•J)  Ii  WM  stran.e  for  him  to  ask  a  f.ivuur  0/  a  man  v 
ha-lad  was  au  ido!at«r;  Eliitha  waa  a  munolheiBt,  »  *>  ■ 
Now,  in  dying,  aU  the  king's  idolatroua  thoughu  have  t«kou  win  -  a- 
»:  !•  am  as  the  great  reality,  an.l  to  the  aerraut  of  that  one  God  he 
favour  (3)  It  was  stranpe  for  him  to  make  C0MI7  preatnu  to  a  t- 
The  king  said  unto  Hatael,  Take  a  present  in  thine  hand,  and  -  •  ■ 
Ood.  and  inquire  of  the  Lord  by  him,  aayiug.  Shall  I  recover  .  ^^ 

rnxaal  went  to  meet  him,  and  U-ok  a  pntaent  with  him.  even  o;  .  ,j 

iMmMoaa,  forty  camel*'  burden,  and  «•       r,    '  '  "    ' 

wealth,  the  grandeur,  the  crown,  the  ac- 
be  fettU  himself  dying?     He  will  barter 

II.  A  f ATBioTic  hi.upurp.     "ThemR  .»     u     • 

death,  aod  kn  .win.:  t>.c  wick-  li.e«»  ,  f  •  '"    '°K« 

Huittaaw  ■^^^ 

hluabedw  .  ^^^« 

why  did  he  wcx;/.'     "  WiiV  uecj^ih  luv   lord?-  *...:  „',* 

Be<»aae  I  know  the  eul  th.4t  thou  wilt  do  unto  the  c  '  ^T* 

hokk  wUt  thoQ  Mt  on  fire.-  etc     This  wu  the  ov,  .  J  .  l".' 

far»  would  befall  larael,  wh-  n  th:s  wretchoJ  *x  ^T\ 

tbetbioo..     Ak  f"      -   ^.reaawthe  oom.ug  doom  ol  J.^.^.u..  .  * 

Eliriu  aaw  the  roachlog  Is.ad.  and  broke  iuio  u*f..    T  ,  '  « 

01  agoaiy  maii  _,»,  u^i.  tunfioed  to  dmo  or  dIacm.  hm  ai...^  —  .  .,  -      . 

dowu  10  bloM  j**i«rity._D.  T.  ™"  **  P^***^  '*"*  •!  "•^  •»«  ^^  •i-.  *^  dow 

tbrir  phj..c*l  a.xi  mtd.ectuaJ  quaiiUe.    .  \^Z^^t  *^                   "'"'* 

feurr     J.hur»mw...b.aman^aodaw.  .?.t,hT.        •                   'T 

who  waa  a  man  ol  diMiamiiah*!  Di.tir   •  .i•»a.tn•^                      -;*•*• 

lor  twwty.fiT,   yJuTofSm  S   J:*  T'^^^  "'^  '  ''   '                   ^'^  '^ 

th,mcwhl.b..,tw..Uft«i  upu.  a-w.y.o^ti^L«i-ia<inrSlL 


188  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.      [oh.  vra.  1—29. 

5,  6).  He  caused  the  ftltara  and  places  of  idolatry  to  be  destroyed,  and  the  knowledge 
of  the  Lord  to  be  diffused  throughout  the  kingdom,  and  the  places  of  ecclesiastical  and 
judicial  authority  to  be  well  filled  (2  Chron.  xvii.  9).  But  how  different  was  his  son  ! 
One  of  the  first  acts  of  his  government  was  to  put  to  death  his  six  brothers,  and  several 
ol"  the  leading  men  of  the  empire.  It  is  here  said  that  "he  walked  in  the  way  of  the 
kings  of  Israel,  as  did  the  house  of  Ahab."  He  regulated  his  conduct  by  the  infamous 
"  house  of  Ahab,"  aad  not  by  the  religious  house  of  his  father.  He  was  in  truth  a  mur- 
derer, an  idolater,  and  a  persecutor.  But  whilst  piety  is  not  necessarily  hereditary — not 
necessarily,  because  children  are  moral  agents — what  then  ?  Are  parents  to  do  nothing 
to  impart  all  that  is  good  in  their  character  to  their  children  ?  Undoubtedly,  no !  They 
are  commanded  to  "  train  up  a  child  in  the  way  it  should  go  "  when  it  is  young.  And 
where  their  power  is  rightly  employed,  there  is,  if  not  invariable,  yet  general,  success. 
Where  the  children  of  godly  parents  turn  out  to  be  profligate  and  corrupt,  as  a  rule 
some  defect  may  he  found  in  the  parental  conduct.  How  often  eminent  ministers  of  tlie 
gospel,  and  in  the  main  good  men,  are  guilty  of  neglecting,  to  a  greater  or  less  extent, 
tlie  parental  oversight  and  religious  training  of  their  children!  Even  in  the  life  of 
Jehoshaphat  we  detect  at  least  two  parental  defects.  1.  In  ^permitting  his  son  to  form 
unholy  alliances.  This  good  man,  Jehoshaphat,  formed  a  league  with  Ahab  against 
Syria,  contrary  to  the  counsel  of  Micaiah  (2  Chron.  xviii.).  For  this  the  Propliet  Jehu 
censured  him  severely.  In  consequence  of  this  alliance  his  son  married  the  daughter 
of  this  infamous  Ahab,  and  the  matrimonial  connection  with  such  a  woman,  idolatrous, 
corrupt,  and  the  daughter  of  Jezebel,  had,  no  doubt,  a  powerful  influence  in  deterio- 
rating his  moral  character.  2.  In  granting  his  son  too  great  an  indulgence.  He  raised 
him  to  the  throne  during  his  own  lifetime.  He  took  him  into  royal  partnership  too 
soon,  and  thus  supplied  him  with  abundant  means  to  foster  his  vanity  and  ambition. 
All,  mel  how  many  parents  ruin  their  children  forever  by  over-indulgence! 

II.  That  immoral  kings  are  national  curses.  What  evils  this  man  brought 
upon  hie  country  !  It  is  said  that  "  in  his  days  Edom  revolted  from  under  the  hand  of 
Judah,  and  made  a  king  over  themselves.  So  Joram  went  over  to  Zair,  and  all  the 
chariots  with  him  :  and  he  rose  by  night,  and  smote  the  Edomites  which  compassed 
him  about,  and  the  captains  of  the  chariots:  and  the  people  fled  into  their  tents,"  etc. 
Through  him  the  kingdom  of  Judah  lost  Edom,  which  "revolted"  and  became  the 
determined  enemy  of  Judah  ever  afterwards  (Ps.  cxxxvii.  7).  Libnah,  too,  "revolted 
at  the  >ame  time."  This  was  a  city  in  the  south-western  part  of  Judah  assigned  to 
the  jiriests,  and  a  city  of  refuge.  But  these  revolts  are  but  specimens  of  the  tremendous 
evils  that  this  immoral  man  brought  upon  the  kingdom.  It  has  always  been  so. 
Wicked  kings,  in  all  ages,  have  been  the  greatest  curses  that  have  afflicted  the  human 
race.'  God  said  to  Israel  of  old,  "  I  gave  thee  a  king  in  mine  auger"  (lios.  xiii,  11). 
And  the  gift,  on  the  whole,  it  must  be  confessed,  has  been  a  curse  to  mankind;  and 
that  Vxicause  few  men  who  have  attained  the  position  have  been  divinely  royal  in 
iiitclli  cl,  in  heart,  in  thoughts,  in  aims,  in  sympathies.  What  does  Heaven  say  of 
wickfxi  kings?  "  As  a  roaring  lion,  and  a  raging  boar;  so  is  a  wicked  ruler  over  tho 
[loor  people."  When  will  the  world  have  true  kings? — such  a  king  as  is  described  in 
thi;  l'.(Kk  of  Proverbs,  as  one  "that  sitteth  in  the  throne  of  judgment,"  and  who 
**  w^altcrcih  away  all  evil  with  Ids  eyes"?  He  is  one  who  sees  justice  done.  He  does 
not  rul<!  fur  tho  intorcHt  of  a  clas.s,  but  for  the  good  of  all.  His  laws  are  equitable. 
I'artiuiiiictf  and  predilections  which  govern  plebeian  souls  have  no  sway  over  him. 

♦*  IIo'b  a  kinj?, 
A  tme  ripht  king,  thtit  diiro  do  might  Have  wrong, 
F<  an  notliiiiK  niortiil  l)ut  to  b()  inijuHt; 
Wlio  ia  not  blown  up  with  thu  iliitt«iriiiK  piifTB 
Of  n]i(>uf^  HycoiiliniitH  ;   who  MtiiiitU  uuriioviHl, 
l)in\nU}  thn  joHtling  of  upiidon." 

Til.  TriAT  DKATii  iH  wo  UKHi'K<rrKB  OF  I'KiiHoNH.     1.    Death  fioes  not  respect  a  man** 

J  'iitioti,    hoiofvtr   hti/h.     "  Ami    .J<honiin    hlipt   with    hirt   fiithorH,   and    was   biiriiHl." 


^C 


l'al«ii:<-ii  Hff  HH  luxMiMiibNi  t"  <liRih  an  ])iiii|i(irH'  hiitn.      AttrMi|il('d  roHiHliiiici!  in  th<i  former, 
'  ttw)  '  N*w  il<x>k  ol  KJufi^'  bj  Diivldiiou,  M,A.  (U(.<«tm  and  Co.,  FIvi  Siruat> 


«■  rm  1  -» 1       THF.   REOOVD  BOOK  OP  THI 


>  •    -iltMlT  oTKMlMid,  vmiM  b*  •■  fotlU  M  la  Ik*  bMar.     fVatH  cm 

ofvwua.  •'katl«(D«,  •r»fi4r«»  fkMiru»r»,  fto4  poapoiw  paKcftiit'io*  m«  atijjr  m 
dutl   iii  hi*  Icy  Kis:.>>ai.     H.   I'r  ■  *»ol  rm^0ei  •   «•••  oAaraciar,  Ammmvt  •«/«. 

Jaiiafmin  «a*  a   b«Ml   iumn,  ai  <i  t  tu  i!ie;   k>u(  dActb  valU  not  lor  OMufml  pfr- 

'-  >  .  ^**  ''lA    Thar*  b  uiwuy 

f  '  ili«  rmcw  In  i  hanMa  Mk  M««rt  6nwM, 

«'■■-   •  *  ><i»ti,.i  .  "^-•^l«a  ar*  watH  frooi 

.  »  it  arc  uvr                           iiumao   Israel  oaa 


0>  >  '    W\tk  all  MTBMi. 

AM*  -.  uk\  to  wahadj  tba 

s  tw  rojai  ID  nwral  ciiar«cur.     Ail,  uimntx  ta  rwdlna^  lor  tka 
•i       •. i>.  T. 

▼•ra.  1— «.— rW  AuMHiiiUfo  on^  htr  Imnd*.    This  tuurmtira  to  tiM  wgod  lo  Um 

Uatorroft'  ^  ^  niiiiu  in  oh.  iv.  It  fumi*ha*  aoothaf  laaf  now  at  kam  Qod  car— 
for  and  rr«  .  ,  .|il«. 

I.  Ki.uHAB  WA1.MNO  In  rhronolof^^ral  orlrr  thia  narratire  aaams  to  ptaeifa  tka 
eorv  of  NaAmaii,  while  (i«hRzi  wiui  -n'l  tue  Mnrant  uf  the  prophet.  A  ^fittftt  o#  kng 
•  «.'u  abotit   to  deaopud  <'U  tiic  land,  aud   )- li^h«  g«ve  timr-lj  varninK  to  tiM 

'•^  •'-   t4»  lake  refuge   a-rnrwtrrf  elm.     I.    TKa  gooi  art  ^Irn  aAonr*  im   tka 

cu<ur;tiii  •  (•/  the  iricJc«d.  This  faiutite  wrb  no  doubt  aeni  on  ianai  aa  a  pnniihiannt 
for  aiD.  Civid'a  ]>r>|>hel  fort-t.  Ui  it,  aa  Eiijith  had  torVUM  tha  droi^B'^t  la  tba  dajra  (^ 
Ahab  (1  Kiti^'t  xTiL  1^     '  -^  nad  kimiiar  oalamitiea  lio  ooi  euma  aneaUad  for. 

Thrr  arr  iu>'.''UUflDta  ubo  hu  moral  guTemmeut  (Rack.  kit.  '.'1 ;   Araoa  iw.y 

Aq<i  in  the  iiistreaaea  br  the  world  bj  am  God'k  pr<>ple  are  «>fieo  aharara. 

'I'hr-  jnnccrut  areiuTolveo  -rioga  o(f  the  guilty  (Ktoit.  ixi.  8,  4).     Thi«  ladj 

of  Sr.'i-  r::i   n  w  {irobibly  ;i  -.  compelled,  by  the  apjiixjac!.  •  f  fauiioa,  to  abaackm 

h"Utv  t  and    ru  '.    f<.>r  a  aujuum   among    id    aiera.     2.   Tk»    foo^ 

m-twi:  .  ;,  art  mar  ■  -^(e  t«d  amuUt  th*  oalatnttu*  tf  tkt  withti.     U 

waa  G  u  ■  lurrcy  to  this  -a   ua  in  former  aaya  hai  beCrieodad  hto  pcopkH, 

wtitch  now  lod  to  her  l.c.ii     u  ^  >  .and.     Qoii'a  rewardi  for  kindiMH  akova  la 

kia  aerrants  are  nut  »-"i  •  \    \  .^  ■>.      U  waa  aad  U>  be  r  the  f*miit»^  b«l  it 

would  have  been  aa<:  .'  r      .  :.  \  received  thia  wan:  oraw  in  food  ttm^ 

Thua  Oud,  by  a  a|«K.-iaI   prundr^cr,  cares  fur  and  «-.!  .cf   tiie  int«fe«ta  of  his 

prcplew     lie  guido  I'.rir  »i<-t«,  and  ia  a  Sideid  to  \h  '     f-  "•jh!a     &.   Tka  food  an 

prvvided  for  amidst      -  .lYiaa  ^  tka  «ci>      .  .:«  waa  dirwri^d  to 

•i.j.'um  with  her  :  ■  •  rer**  ahe  oou  -  beliere.1  \Ur  w<H 

ol  tiM  Baa  at  Ood,  oL--\ t  :  11,  and  dt  the  Pniiiscioa^ 

Thfla  aba  aboda  for  tba  aev'  n  yean  t  ig  tiat  penod  wm 

•■flfei^' ''~  '  ""Hded  lor.     It  waa  an  m:\  >'i  i^i  ^liunaMinute  to  laka 

•I  '    had  nothing  tu  go  u(»>d  in  :■  bat  tba  propbat'i 

*. —      .    j.1^  however.  «---<-•'     -•  •  i,    ,,,,  ^^  ),«  bad  biddn 

ber.    Ood'a  i«>ila  ar•alw^  When  Elijah 

to  bide  bv  t}.«-  1)1.  k  n.r-  "  to  loci  Jaa;  < 

ka  wa>  KimilariT  " 

torn*  1  b   and  hi*  liOtiirL.Id 

B(7pl  m  a  tAUiS  o(   iainine,  au   i 
troat  him.     "They  f  at  »r,  ^  t 

11-  Tbb  SaOBAMM  lui.      Ai  i.u^in,  thrviMb  tiia  oawang  u/ 

ly  waa  ofwa  fi»f  t  -j-e  t-i    -p  back-     Her  return  wu 

t   the    la:.  X 

^     U« 

.-MU     ahr     w   I 

'  a/  I  'agua  ?     :« 


184  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINO&      [ch.  via  1-29. 

old,  laddle  her  ass,  and  repair  to  the  prophet  on  sabbaths  and  new  moons  for  consolation 
and  instruction.  Exile  of  this  sort  would  be  painful  to  her  spirit,  as  it  was  to  that  of 
the  psalmist  (Pi.  xlii.  4,  6).  God  in  his  providence  often  thus  deprives  his  people  for 
a  time  of  the  privilege  of  ordinances,  perhaps  through  sickness,  perhaps  throu<i;h 
removal  to  new  scenes,  perhaps  through  the  interposition  ol"  direct  obstacles.  There 
was  in  the  Shimammite's  case  a  famine  of  the  Word  as  well  as  of  bread.  These  things 
try  faith,  and  operate  to  the  quickening  of  spiritual  desire.  2.  To  meet  a  new  trial. 
The  Shunammite  came  back  to  her  home,  to  find  that,  in  her  long  absence,  her  house 
and  lands  had  been  alienated  from  her.  Probably,  as  deserted  by  their  owner,  they  had 
become  the  property  of  the  crown  (ver.  6).  Or  some  neighbouring  proprietor  may  have 
possessed  himself  of  the  abandoned  fields.  In  any  case,  it  was  a  sore  discovery  for  the 
Shunammite  to  make,  on  her  return,  that  she  could  no  longer  obtain  her  own.  The 
trial  of  coming  back  seemed  almost  greater  than  that  of  going  away.  Might  not  the 
t«me  providence  that  had  cared  for  her  in  Philistia  have  watched  over  her  possessions 
at  home?  It  was  Gud  who  had  called  her  thence:  might  he  not  have  secured  that, 
when  she  returned,  she  would  get  her  own  ?  The  issue  of  this  trial  should  encourage 
believers  not  too  readily  to  distrust  the  Almighty.  It  came  to  be  seen  that  Qt)d  had 
been  caring  for  her  in  her  absence — had,  so  to  speak,  been  putting  out  her  lands  at 
interest  for  her,  so  that,  when  they  were  restored,  she  "  received  her  own  with  usury  " 
(Matt.  xxT.  27). 

IIL  The  Shukammite's  appeal.  The  most  striking  part  of  the  story  is  yet  to 
come.  Having  no  other  remedy,  the  Shunammite  appealed  to  the  king,  as  first 
magistrate,  to  restore  to  her  her  lands.  "  She  went  forth  to  cry  unto  the  king  for  her 
house  and  for  her  land."  We  note  concerning  her  appeal :  1.  It$  Justice.  The 
Shunammite  had  a  good  and  just  cause.  Kings  and  magistrates  are  set  to  administer 
justice.  Yet  it  is  possible  that,  but  for  the  circumstances  next  narrated,  the  impo- 
verished lady  might  have  cried  long  enough  before  her  possessions  were  restored 
to  her.  It  is  dillicult  to  ^et  the  holders  of  unlawfully  acquired  property — especially  in 
land — to  yield  up  again  their  title  to  it.  The  cry  of  the  poor  does  not  always  penetrate, 
as  it  should  do,  to  the  ear  of  justice.  2.  Its  providentinl  opportuneness.  It  is  God's 
prerogative  to  maintain  the  cause  of  the  oppressed  (Ps.  ix.  4,  9,  10),  and  he  was 
preparing  the  way  for  this  cause  being  heard.  The  circumsiances  are  remarkable, 
•showing  how  entirely  all  events  are  in  the  hand  of  God,  how  what  we  call  accidental 
conjunctures  are  really  providences,  and  how,  without  overriiliug  human  freedom,  all 
things,  even  the  most  ordinary,  are  working  together  fur  good  to  those  who  love  him. 
(1)  It  happened  that,  just  as  the  Shunammite  approached,  her  son  being  with  her,  to 
present  her  prayer,  tlie  kinji  and  Gehazi,  Elisha's  servant,  were  talking  together  of  the 
wonderful  works  of  the  prophet.  "Tell  me,  I  pray  thee,"  said  the  king,  "all  the  great 
things  tliat  Eliaha  hath  done."  Jehorani,  though  a  wicked  man  (ch.  ix.  22),  had  yet,  as 
we  liave  formerly  seen,  a  certain  susceptibility  to  good  in  him.  His  was  a  divided  na'uro. 
He  had  a  ruvercnce  and  respect  for  Elisha;  he  knew  the  right;  ho  took  pKaauro  in 
hfaring  of  l',liRh;i'B  wonderfil  deeds.  Yet  he  never  took  God's  \mw  truly  into  his  heart. 
How  many  are  like  him  (E/.ek.  xxxiii.  30 — 33)1  (2)  In  particular,  Gdiazi  was  relating 
to  the  king  how  Elisha  had  rentored  the  dead  son  of  tlie  Shunainmito  to  life.  How 
singular,  we  sriy,  that  this  Hhoiild  have  been  the  sulijrot  of  conversalion  at  that  very 
moment  I  liut  it  was  Owl  who  ordered  that  this  sl-oiild  come  about.  We  find  a  very 
similar  instance  in  tiie  cane  of  King  AhaKueruH  in  tiio  Honk  of  EHtlior.  Ho  could  not 
sleep,  and  orierr-d  the  clironieleH  of  his  kin  (Inrn  to  bo  road  before  him.  It  was  tlio 
ni^^ht  wiien  Ilanmn's  plot  was  riiw  for  thu  diHiruction  of  Mordecai,  l>ut  the  paasai^o 
rua'l  wan  that  which  told  how  Mordecai  had  nja<la  kuDWU  a  conHpir:iey  a^aiuHt  the 
king'M  lile.  Thin  Have<l  him,  an<l  li-d  to  IlMmnn'H  own  dtmtructiou  (^Ivslh.  vi.).  The 
wh<cl«  withn  whiielH  in  God'a  |)rovid<'neo  are  truly  niarvtillouH.  lie  lifts  up  one  aJid 
cnntn  down  another  hy  tho  nimplcnt  pnnHJldo  nn'nnH.  (.1)  As  Gnha/.i  was  spr.iking,  the 
Hhonrirnmitc  and  her  non  ri<><k1  before  ihi^rn,  and  rii  tl  to  the  kin|;.  No  douht  in  ^icat 
MiirpriM,  (i'hazi  Mild,  "  My  lord,  O  kin/,  tliJH  ih  the  wonmn,  and  thin  is  her  smi,  whom 
Eiinha  r#wt(or«!d  U>  life  "  The  t-iir  of  the  kinj^  wbm  nnw  edrctiially  ('iiino4l.  3.  Its  Hiirirns. 
Thu  wnrnun,  Ix-iriK  ankwl  to  ntnto  her  ph-ii,  did  no,  atid  her  riMpicHt  was  at  onee  nnint<<l. 
Not  only  wiTfl  her  houi"'  niid  innd  reslnrfd  In  her,  but  rc(i>m|MinHe  whh  inmhi  fur  all  iho 
IruiU  uf  t^e  tield  aincu   ihi   dmj  »h»  ha<l  left  iU     Thus  shu  ivceivud  huuk  m  abuuduuo* 


OL  TIB.  I— so]       TBB  8B00VD  BOOK   OF  TUB   RlNOt, 


•n  tkf  y'"*M>wi    n««  aoi  m\j  got  )t»rtk«,  bal  gwt«m><ty      H»«  fr«»4  k  b  to  %•  • 

(Hm>  bt  lor  ua,  wbo  oatt  b«  m^pkUw 

kirn  I  .1  Mad  w  fmt7    lUvUm  giv« 

la  r»«i^i  K>r  i>rr  titi  uioe«  lo  hi«  pruobtl,  b«  doaa  BoC  »:t'  '      i  ir«i«B  Lor  may   .c«Mr 

flft    Bo  B^j  ih«  UiM««  wa,  If  Uod  •••^•d  ma  kto  wa  bam,"  •!«.  (Rum.  vmL 


to  oury   uul   Ui  ti^rtt 


nub*  ua 


to  Dim— wia,  prokably  hsI 
g|f«a  kiog   bJaw  to  10^ 

K«A«iL    L  Jli h;    •RMhAdad  tbaSlBfoT  Syria  «m«iirk* 

intiaolioo  aoabM  iha  inrMioiM  of  dtanan      N •  r  La  Uia  tbuufbl  ci 

"  Booarch  lli>n  to  ti.«  (N^uiatiL     K  tort  ttotobtad 

bU  lawM  of  hi*  iruubla,  and  be  gl»  :  biaaalf  of  tba 

.  ■  tirvarnce  In  Damaaooa  to  avod  a  me*Mrnger  w>  6iai.     li*  .•  ^       t 

■•  «  tb  Abaci&b't  (ch.  LX     Tbal  l»r»el;t  «n  kr  ■: .  f  r**'  :t^  u»«  o«-i 

•t  an  1<U>1  •briti«  at  Klcruo.     I  irkaaaiMl 

('■•II*  in   bi«  sickui-M   frutu    '  ..1.   HU 

v&a  Ilasa«l,  one  of  Beabada^'s  ^:cai  cuui^usf^     Haaaal 

a  man  fnmi  Naamaa.     U«  waa  a  boU,  kad,  amUlioiit 

agaiaat  hia  nxMt«r.    Ym 

e  Um  friendahipa  of  iba 

r  LcAis  art  naliee,  (altri^<««l,  ai^ 

i^     Uaaaal  eama  U>  K.i«ba  wi  b 

'  u  i  I  T  catmaU.     If  lavuk  vr  buy 

y  DOW  it  would  ba  obUinad.  •>  no 

-* 'n-    if  ibr  biibaa.    Wa  nu..    ■^.  » .      aai, 

>  tbtng  of  all  tbia  w«altb  ibat   waa 

i  tuMaaga  from  tba  kio); :  **  I'Ly  um 

'«r  iroin  thia  diicaaa?*     ¥tjt  iinjmt 

A  '     V  vef(>bU  Bomaub     Wall  tuay  ibaj 

;«fMr. 


oiiog  (o  lUo  wtio  tiava  Dulliing  beyoita  to  a 
11.    Tui    lUTKBVlEW    WITH    HaHTL.       L 

Hasael  suxmI  I 
Uaxaal  waa  a\ . 
priTata  daaigna  ujjuxi  iLa  il 
to  bim,  ha  waa  nui  ttio 
thougbt  of  laiuoving  the 
vailed  to  learn  wbeihar 
parpoaa.     !' 


-Go,  toy 

aickoeaa;  t 
Uaaaal'a  g 
thai  %<•"' 


hei'a  clear  yuiou  rtiaa  to  tbr 
I  the  poaaibiliiito  of  his  mn 
'■ideaoflDa^  ' 
itiooa  pr.' 
...._.o  had  DO  dou    . 
^4t  Would  prore  Ca^ik. 
a!:ikrar  that  hia  rra.! 
oertainly  rawvar  "- 


Ui>. 

jL 

o 

i 

ail. 
■  '.<■ 

K  . 

•   «t 

> 

:    IlaX.lci'» 

■    :l  a  I    i: 


] 


tua  auoi. 

aod  bad 

:.g  itad  oeeuitad 

i>  aftta.    Tka 

1  bim,  hot  ba 

ued  a  aatiled 

cr  of  tha  mao. 

&s  ragard*  iba 

ui  auraly  dia.* 

to  fvaiambar 

'A  i.  ^  .».        Ail  tbinga  ara 

.>•  to  .;o"(.Heh.  i».  13)      Oxt 

t.  him.     Ho   un<'ef»ta!i  "r;t» 

V  </  //lU  "/•  Vi  fco/^KMa. 

>  ,  .  J  Utvma  5a:.>. ..  ttV     We 

/  au  aubaeo;  cu     (1)  lie  ftcu.cO   hia  (aoa 

i.ici  t>Ai9  at  li  >  o   l&ttrr  wx*  as:.  t'u»J.     Tbeo 

;o  ii      i   .  \>  :>  :  ..    :  -    ettoe.      iio  nrvcaied 

I'     c   t      c  '    :i  .     >  ^aicb  be  sa*  lo  bu 

t'  >       ">         .  LiiaUa  lu.'uoa  uu  iiaxjk  .  ^a  loik  u(   rrf^vtai, 

li^-  I-       r  t  tliat  it  wjiB  au  wiMO  hm   biu»hcti  ua  .or  it, 

>  '«piB^  Kliaha  baoama  mure  ex{4)citt  atiJ  uM 

.:>io(  ea  kraal.    Tha  picture  waa  ao  drt^x  ..'vd 

•   aakad,"  Wbob  tby  earvant,tliL«  di^  ti.ai  i.a 

o  many  ocbcta,  waa  ooi  a«ar*  u/  ib«  |uMtbi> 

^^«uf  onaa  ha  knaw aitoaaif  tobe  na|ahiao^ka» 


186  THE  SECOim  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS,      [ch.  vm.  1— 29. 

tie  thought  that  other  iniquities  were  beyond  him.  Once  on  the  downward  grade,  how- 
erer,  there  is  no  point  at  which  a  sinner  can  be  sure  of  stopping.  One  crime  leads  with 
a  &tal  facility  to  a  worse.  The  heart  grows  hardened,  and  things  are  done  which,  at 
an  earlier  stage,  might  have  been  thought  impossible.  It  is  told  of  Robespierre  that,  in 
the  beginning  of  his  career,  he  was  almost  driven  distracted  by  the  thought  of  having 
sentenced  a  man  to  death.  The  greatest  criminals  were  once  innocent  children,  and  at 
one  period  of  their  lives  would  have  shuddered  at  the  deeds  they  afterwards  calmly 
perpetrated.  The  only  safe  course  is  to  resist  the  beginnings  of  evil.  3.  Elisht£% 
announcement  of  BazaeVs  greatness.  Elisha's  final  announcement  to  Hazael  was,  *'  The 
Lord  hath  showed  me  that  thou  shalt  be  king  over  Syria."  The  prophet  announces 
the  fact,  which  indeed  fulfilled  a  Divine  purpose  regarding  Hazael  (1  Kings  xix.  15), 
but  announces  it  without  approval  of  the  particular  means  by  which  that  purpose 
woiild  be  realized.  Jacob  would  have  received  the  blessing  in  God's  time  and  way, 
though  his  mother  Eebekah  had  not  covmselled  deceit  as  a  means  of  obtaining  it ;  and 
the  kingdom  would  have  come  to  Hazael,  also  in  God's  good  time  ftud  way,  though  he 
had  kept  his  hands  free  from  crime. 

UL  A  PALACE  MURDER.  If  Elisha's  words  did  not  arrest  the  guilty  purpose  which 
was  shaping  itself  in  Hazael's  mind,  they  could  only  have  the  contrary  effect  of 
inflaming  his  ambition.  Like  Macbeth  with  the  witcheis'  salutation  ringing  in  his  ears, 
he  felt  himself  a  child  of  destiny,  and  took  speedy  means  to  fulfil  his  destiny.  1.  He 
deceived  the  king.  He  repeated,  in  the  letter  of  them,  Elisha's  words,  "  Thou  shalt 
surely  recover ; "  but  said  nothing  of  the  context,  which  gave  the  words  so  terrible  a 
significance.  The  king  was  assured  that  his  disease  was  not  mortal,  which  was  true ; 
but  he  was  left  in  the  dark  as  to  the  declaration  that  he  should  nevertheless  surely  die. 
2.  He  slew  the  king.  Next  day,  probably  while  Benhadad  slept,  Hazael  took  a  thick 
quilt,  ami,  dipping  it  in  water,  spread  it  over  the  king's  face,  and  suffocated  him.  He 
thus  fulfilled  the  prediction  that  he  should  be  King  of  Syria.  He  "had  his  reward." 
But  was  it  worth  the  crime?  What  could  compensate  for  a  soul  stained  with  the  sin 
of  treachery  and  murder?  Of  Banquo  it  was  prophesied  that  he  would  be  lesser  than 
Macbeth,  yet  greater ;  not  so  happy,  yet  happier.  Would  the  same  not  have  been  true 
of  Hazael  had  he  been  content  to  remain  Benhadad's  faithful  officer,  instead  of  climbing 
to  the  throne  in  this  hateful  fashion?  What,  after  all,  is  there  so  much  to  envy  in  the 
state  of  kings,  that  a  soul's  peace  should  be  bartered  to  acquire  it?  Surrounded  by 
false  friends ;  served  by  courtiers  ready  at  any  moment  to  turn  against  him  if  it  serves 
their  interests  better;  envied  even  by  those  who  flatter  him;  exposed  to  the  peril  of 
assassination, — the  monarch  is  almost  more  to  be  pitied  than  the  humblest  of  his  subjects. 
Hazael  had  but  exchanged  his  own  pillow  for  a  more  thorny  one.  "  Uneasy  lies  the 
head  that  wears  a  crown." — J.  0.    • 

Vers.  16 — 29. — Two  kings  of  Judah.  (On  the  chronology,  see  Exposition.)  The  reigns 
of  Jehoram  and  Abaziali  are  black  spots  in  the  history  of  Judah. 

I.  Jehoram,  son  of  Jeiiohhaphat.  We  may  notice  concerning  this  ruler:  1.  H« 
had  a  pious  father.  We  may  quote  Thomas  Fuller's  quaint  comments  on  this  part 
of  the  Saviour's  genealogy:  "Lord,  I  find  the  f^cnoalogy  of  my  Saviour  strangely 
checkfred  with  four  remarkable  changes  in  four  immediate  t^enerations.  (1)  *  llehoboam 
Ix.'gat  Ahiam;*  that  is,  a  bad  father  begat  a  had  sou.  (2)  '  Abiam  begat  Asa;'  that 
Ih,  a  bad  father  a  good  son.  (3)  'Asa  begat  Julioshaphat;'  that  is,  a  good  father  a 
HO<xl  Bon.  (4)  '  Jciioshaphat  begat  Joram;'  that  is,  a  good  father  a  bad  son.  I  see, 
Jyord,  from  hence,  that  my  father's  piety  cannot  be  entailed;  that  is  bad  news  for  me. 
But  I  SCO  ftltif)  that  actual  impiety  is  not  always  hereditary;  that  is  good  news  for  my 
norj."  2.  lie  vkkU  an  evil  marriage.  "The  daiii;lilor  of  Ahab" — Athaliah — "was 
hiH  wife."  In  Hanctioning  thiH  union  of  his  son  with  tlut  houHO  of  Ahab  JehoHhn))hat 
grleToiiHJy  erred.  .I«:h<iHha[  hat's  wholo  iK)licy  of  keeping  up  friendly  relations  witli 
Ahab  wan  a  mintako,  dewtined  to  b(!ar  bitter  fruit  in  IiIh  family  and  his  kingdom.  No 
eooaiderati'^iriH  of  )>'iliti(:iil  nxpodifiucy  hIioiiM  have  t(iui[)t(!d  him  to  allow  a  marriage  of 
the  heir  of  liiH  thn^rn'  ujtli  a  daughter  of  the  infamouH  Jezebel.  Knleru  havo  even  yet 
Ut  Inani  tiiat  the  nacriiie^i  of  reli|.'i()WH  and  moral  coUHiderations  to  stale  [wHcy  is  in 
th«  f'lxi  ill©  gri-HtCKt  imp' il icy.  Marriiigi-  in  a  relation  which  cannot  be  too  «'.arefully 
enterixi  inUj.     Y«t  it  in  ufUoi  the  rulaliuii  wluch  is  eatorod  into  most  thougiitlusulj. 


«iL  IT.  1-47.3         TSB  BBOOKD  BOOK  OP  TIIS  KIIKML  If? 

FHtioUrr,  wrl*I.  or  fkmDj  oonMm%lkm»  ««  a]lo««d  lo  dcunulo*  a  M^p  whUk 
cwicht  tMTor  to  \»  ukrtt  •■oapl  OB  gnmiidt  ol  rmi  Afloeikia  aiwI  mural  aad  •pAHttMl 
•Qinity.  Alh«IUh'»  entnuM*  bio  Um  rojral  huuasboM  a/  JutUh  had  a  di— iwi— 
vlTwl  OQ  lu  futurii.  Bhr  wm  a  tnM  cbiM  of  tb«  UrMlUlah  Jaaofa^  sad  rof^uloood 
b«r    chametrr    lo    all    U«    mwhiUI    fmiuroc      Bold,   bad,   Miggalk^   ■MOrupulowt, 

■  ••■» -    ^■•'   " '' -  ■•'-'   her  huiliaiitl   was  wholly   for  «^l.      And  b«  •'-n.*  ui 

up  tu  IL       S.    //•  ng/iwrf  te  0wil  w«iyi.     **  i 
i     '.  ir.  "    ri.-       The  ootieoUoo  of  ihi*  witti    i..»   :  • 

II,    I,  ,  ;»,  "  Ki'f    '  'trt  of  Ahab  waa  hi*   «ifo"      1  o  i 

I  .  U>  be  atUi  '  tn^^t  chiu<>  with  wLi>  h  hu  rri^ij   ' 

>>t  hi»  kit   brrlhrvii,   witti  many  ut  ttie  prioore  ('J  Chriti.  ill.  '2 
I  «  of  hia  rt-ljjn  are  imilcaleit  by  llie  Chr-niclrt — totn|'lJri|{  aod  cirii.  «> 

p0i>f4e  l»  uLlatrr,  rt  .  xxi.  11,  13).      4.    //•  wn*  fn*rq/ijfy  ci«a/r  «. 

•aA-<>  oA    I'ttviJ.     (ii  ^>i   (KhI    waa  with   his  ouo'luct,  he   W'uiti   i. 

Ju'lah,  haTitiu'  pleilgiw    l.iuv  If  u>  I>avid   to  {«rjit-tiiatf  hU  liot.     Ttir  6r*-  ' 

b<>lv  iii«n  aud  >*>>iurn  ii<>  lmi  kouw  how  luiicb  oi  Ctu<i's  mercy  aiid  furbearaoc<-  '. 
owe  to  tbrir  anorktral  ov.nrciiua.    Otxi  iiiarea  tht-m  fur  ihrir  fatherB*  aakea  (H<>...  <  ■   -  -  /. 
6.    }'$(  ki»  mn*  hrvu^^hf  htttvy  dimutert  on  lAe  kingd^m^     Uul  did  D<>t  d'atro)  J  .  :.>a, 
but  he   (•Qiiiklied   it.      At  the  wukrduras  of  the   Israelitiah   kiug*  was  putiU' 
revolt  ol  Miia)>  (ch.  L  1),  ao  Hie  siiu  of  Jrhoratu  were  Tisitrd  by  a  aariaa  of  •> 

whirh  (ell  upou  the  nation.    The  rt- volt  of  hMitn.of  LiL<i>iih,  luraaiocuuf  the  i^iji.    ...'-&, 
Arabaut,  ate^  broka  in  0|>ou  and  deeolated  the  lan<t  (2  Chrun.  xxL    16.  17).     Uiilj 
when  rulrra  and  peo{<le  wer^-  ftariiig  the  \^*A  o>uld  it  be  aaid,  **  Ahk>  in  Judah  th  ■  .-s 
went  well"  ('J  Chrvm.  xiL  12).     Tlnnj^s  caoout  go  well  whao  men's  he*rt«  arc   Lt: 
wickfdtieaa.     God  iit  a^in^t  mt,  and  trua)>l>a  riae  ttiick  on  evny  aiie.     The  tv\   . 
l->i"tn  iit  the  only  calamity  rrferrt^l  to  in  detail  in  the  text.     Jehoram  aeems  lo  ti.it c 
attenipied  to  8tip]>rt-s8  the  rebellion,  but,  btriDg  cDOonipaMed  by  the  enemy.  ^^'-    '     >i 
difficulty  in  cutting  his  way  through,  and  eecapiiig.    The  luasof  Edom  was  a 
one.     6.   He  oame  to  a  murrahle  end.     He  w.  nt  down  to  his  d««(h  Tiaibi\  .i 

cloud  of  Dirioe  wrath,  and  amidiit  the  oootetnpt,  if  not  the  execraiioot,  ol  hia  peupieL 
G\>d  smote  him,  the  Chrunicler  (ells  ut,  with  a  painful  and  incurable  diaaaae,  aud  he 
died,  deapiaod  and  unlaihcutod  (2  Cbmn.  xxi.  IH,  19).     He  wa«  buheii  in  Jeri:^ . 
but  not  in  the  ^>mb  of  the  kings.     Presuinptuous  tranagreaaon  are  nghiiy  «.  .  ' 
«  th  judgmenu  of  exceptional  eeverity  (cf.  Act«  xlL  23).     It  ia  the  memory  ol  the  ju*i 
that  Is  bleaaad,  bat  the  name  of  the  wicked  shall  rut  (ProT.  x.  7). 

IL  AUAXiAH,  BOH  or  JKiiOKAH.  L  A  iKort  but  tfii  reifn.  Abaaiah,  who  rrigned 
but  one  year,  was  the  youngttst  aou  of  Jehoram,  the  elder  harine  beeo  alaiu  in  the 
wars  with  the  Arabians  (2  Chron.  xxii.  1).  Uia  reign  wae  aril,  lixe  his  father'a.  In 
this  catM!  it  is  aaid  exprtMwly  that  Athaliah  and  others  of  her  kindred  wcra  his 
oouoaeilera  to  do  erii  (2  Chron.  xxii.  3,  4).  A  uother't  Infloenoe  ia  eren  more  potent 
than  a  fiather'aL  But  when  both  parvnta  gu  partners  in  opea  wickeducas,  it  ia  Do 
w<«dor  if  a  «>n  folloM-s  iheir  example.  2.  A  fml^yl  wiaii.  Ahasiah  and  Jeh-ram  of 
Ivraal  arere  •{>(  t^ily  to  mt^i  tht-ir  end  together.  The  Chrooktar  mvs  "  the  deairLiCtkm 
of  *  >»»»«>>»  waa  of  Ood  by  coming  to  aee  Joram  *  (2  Chron.  xxii.  7).  Jehoram  had 
beao  wouided  in  a  camiiaigQ  against  Haaael  at  Ramotb-QilrAd,  and  was  now  at  Jeareel 
to  be  healed  of  bii«  wouixla.  Thitiier  Ahaziah  rei^adred  U>  viaii  tijm,  and  thrra  \>*!tx 
king*  were  slain  by  Jehu.  The  riaibie  proridence  of  Ood  ie  again  Mao  in  this  viaiL 
Hie  hook   is  in  the  nuae  of  the  tinner  i    he  laada  hira  wherever  he  will  (2  Kings 

XIX.  2u>.— J.  a 

IXPOSITION. 
CHAPTKB   QL 


Teva  I— S7  — Tbb  AwMariae  or  Jaac. 
Hn  kit  Knaa  ur   JiHotutM   avo    amaiam 
Taa  Ukath  or  J  najui. 

Vets.  1— 10.— Khah*  \m  atUi  the  prl^kry 


la  the  klatorieal  drama :  bll  at  IM 
potat  hia  peraao&iiiT  mcx^em  la  the  geakeral 
aoeottiit  of  th*  kia^docn  of  Ur»ri.  •Lioli  a 
It  oaaof  theati^ecto  of  the  »itu-r  w>  Umw 
traoi  hinJimiK  ^  "^  Klui^  \m*  f«r. 
brwM  hit  laat  pahUe  eel,  bedag    iiM«it 


188 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  07  THE  KINGS.         [oh.  u.  1— S7. 


gioned,  and  carrying  out  his  commission,  to 

transfer  the  kingdom  of  Israel  from  the 
unworthy  dynasty  of  Omri,  which  on  ac- 
count of  its  persistent  idolatry  has  fallen 
under  Divine  condemnation,  to  a  new 
dynasty,  that  of  Jehu,  which  will,  at  any 
rate,  check  the  worst  excesses  of  the  preva- 
lent idolatrous  system,  and  maintain  the 
Jehovah-worship  as  the  religion  of  the 
state.  The  position  recalls  that  of  Saul  and 
David  at  the  original  institution  of  the 
monarchy,  but  has  many  special  points 
which  diflferentiate  it  from  that  conjuncture. 
Tlie  circumstances  called  on  Jehu  for  prompt 
action;  there  was  no  such  immediate  call 
upon  Dtivid.  Jehu's  public  proclamation 
as  king  laid  him  open  to  a  charge  of  high 
treason;  DavicVs  secret  anointing  placed 
him  in  no  such  danger.  History  never  re- 
peats itself  exactly,  and  its  events  have 
severally  to  be  judged  by  a  consideration  of 
all  their  circumstances,  without  much  refer- 
ence to  any  former  juasi-parallel  historical 
passage. 

Vers.  1 — 10. — The  anointing  of  Jehu, 
Ver.  1.— And  Elisha  the  prophet  ealled 
one  of  the  children  of  the  prophets;  i.e.  one 
of  the  students  in  one  of  the  prophetical 
echoois  which  he  snperiutended.  There  is 
no  indie^itiou  that  the  individual  chosen  for 
the  mission  blood  to  Elisha  in  any  peculiar 
relation.  A  rabhinical  fancy,  scarcely  to 
be  aillpd  a  tradition,  makes  him  "Jonah, 
the  Kon  of  Amittai."  And  said  unto  him, 
Oivd  up  thy  loins,  and  take  this  box  of  oil ; 
rather,  lli,i$  flank  of  oil.  Oil  and  ointments 
wercconuiionly  kept  in  open-mouthed  jars, 
vases,  or  buttles,  made  of  fctone,  glass,  or 
•labuBter,  as  appears  from  the  remains  found 
in  I'Vypt  and  Assyria.  Many  of  the  l)ottles 
are  e.iVlicr  than  tin-  time  of  Elisha.  In  thine 
hand,  and  go  to  Ramoth-Qiload.  Ramoth- 
GileiKl  hiy  acroBH  tho  Jordnn,  in  tlm  j)roiior 
U^TiWny  of  <iiul.  It  had  been  seized  and 
oc4rui>ied  by  the  Syrians  in  the  rcigu  of 
Ahnb;  and  the  p(>/4H<  uuion  liad  Ijcen  main- 
Uiined  till  ri;«!utly.  Joraiii,  however,  had 
ri:o(ivered  it  (JoH<;|>huH,  'Ant.  Jud.,'  ix.  <J. 
J  1,  'HStj  fap  a\n)]v  rii>-/iKtt  icaTh  Kfxiroi),  and 
bud  left  a  Htionti  K'^rri^u  in  the  placu  when 
he  retired  U)Jr7.Ti  el. 

Ver.  2. -And  when  then  comest  thithor, 
look  oat  there  Jehu  the  hoq  of  JohoHhaphat 
the  ion  of  NimnhL  .I<liii  had  been  iu  a 
hi^'h  [irmliori  umlor  A  hub  (vnr.  2.')),  niul 
had  bMiii  iHiirittxl  oul  to  lOli juli,  l>y  Diviint 
Kivi'lHtioii,  iiM  tho  fiiliirit  Kiii^  of  iHruol 
(1  Kmik"  XIX.  l<^>-  Kliiiih  h^id  boeii  biddnn 
lo   kuoiul    Liiu    kiUK,    uul    uiip.iruutlj    hud 


neglected  to  do  so,  or  rather  had  devolved 
the  task  upon  his  successor.  Meantime 
Jehu  served  as  a  soldier  under  Ahaziah  and 
Jehoram,  Ahab's  eons,  and  attained  such 
distinction  that  he  became  one  of  the 
captains  of  the  host  (infra,  ver.  5),  accord- 
ing .to  Josephus  (I.  s.  0.)  the  chief  captain. 
Jehu  was  commonly  known  as  "the  son  of 
Nimshi"  (I  Kings  xix,  16;  ch.  ix.  20), 
either  because,  his  father  having  died  young, 
he  was  brought  up  by  his  grandfather,  or 
perhaps  simply  "because  Nimsid  was  a 
person  of  more  importance  than  Jehosha- 
phat."  And  go  in — i.e.  seek  his  presence, 
go  into  his  quarters,  wherever  they  may  be, 
have  direct  speech  with  him — and  make  Ii:.m 
arise  up  from  among  his  brethren  (comp. 
vers.  5  and  6).  Jehu's  "brethren"  are  his 
brother-o^cevB,  among  whom  Elisha  knowa 
that  he  will  be  found  sitting.  And  carry 
him  to  an  inner  chamber.  Persuade  )iim, 
i.e.,  to  quit  the  place  where  thou  wilt  find 
him  sitting  with  the  other  generals,  and  to 
go  with  thee  into  a  private  apartment  lor 
secret  conference.  Secrecy  was  of  extreme 
importance,  lest  Joram  should  get  know- 
ledge of  what  was  happening,  and  prepare 
himself  for  resistance.  Had  he  not  been 
taken  by  surprise,  the  result  might  have 
been  a  long  and  bloody  civil  war. 

Ver.  3. — Then  take — rather,  and  tnJcf— 
the  box  of  oil — rather,  the  jlask  of  oil — and 
pour  it  on  his  head.  Compare  tlie  consecra- 
tion of  Aaron  to  the  high-priestly  (Lev.  viii, 
12),  and  of  Saul  (1  Sam.  x.  1)  and  David 
(1  Sam.  xvi.  12)  to  tlie  kingly  ofiice.  The 
oil  used  was  the  holy  anointing  oil  of  tlie 
sanctuary  (Exod.  xxx.  25) — rh  ayiov  eAaioi', 
as  Josc})hus  says.  And  say.  Thus  saith  the 
Lord,  I  have  anointed  thee  king  over  Israel. 
Tills  is  an  abbreviated  form  of  the  actual 
message,  wliicli  is  given  lu  its  entirety  in 
vers.  7 — 10.  Tlie  writer  of  Kings  avoids 
all  needless  repetitious.  Then  open  the 
door — the  conference  was  to  be  with  cloNod 
doors,  that  no  one  might  either  h(nvr  or  see 
wh.at  took  place — and  flee,  and  tarry  not. 
Tlie  Divino  message  delivered,  all  would 
liavo  been  done  tiiat  needed  to  be  done. 
There  would  bo  nething  to  wait  lor.  So 
tiie  young  man  was  to  doi>art  with  the  same 
haute  with  which  he  )iad  oonio. 

Ver.  4. — So  the  young  man,  even  the 
young  man  tho  prophet— tho  repetition  of 
hanniiar  in  doulitrul,  since  it  is  not  found 
either  in  tho  Syriac  or  ia  tlie  Sepluagint— 
wont  to  Bamoth-OiloRd. 

Ver. .').-  And  wlioii  ho  oame,  behold,  the 
oapldins  of  tho  host  wero  sltling  elllKir 
"  Hittnij?  in  oounril."  or,  ut  any  rule,  eolitelod 
to^;<•lhl•r  mi  one  plu(M«,  not  enj^iigid  in  any 
(K'livu  woric,  hutHeuli  d  -  and  ho  nald,  I  have 
an  errand  literally,  u  wH>r<{  — to  thou,  0 
oapL&in.     Probably  ha  know  Juhu  by  Hit(h^ 


m.  m.  1— «t.)         TOE  ftlOOND  BOOK  OF  TUl' 


■Ml  laak«a  ftl  Ilia  M  h*  wftkm;  b«l,  w  k« 
•a  immd  M  MM  by  bmm^  thim  atfbl  b« 

•  da«bl  Vko  »M  ititrl.tr.!         J.),f.     lK.>r>r.. 

^•Mltott.    An.. 

Uf     Aa4  iM  I  .»a   li  o 

pn»P*»M  •!!••.  u   Jc)  tt 

■I— f    ikmmmm  l»  wIms  abMM  U  wm 

^  >  trcfp,  iBd  w»at 

•  .«•  h* 
bi                                            w,  UM  elk«r 

r  lok  aUolMl 

»;^  :  llowwl:  md 

t'-  -                                >e.     Andk*— tfA 

Wi-  c  oU  on  tu  hMd  — 

••  iOo:  uud  uv                 uj 

•»■  f  I«i»*l;  1                .    u* 

'  '     'rrasi.       Jih    viili't 

•.  fiTnard,  in  eoB> 

'   u  thiU  of  Um 

la  Bad*  to 

'ehoTah,aDd 


*.  s  ^  •"'  "»•  poup.o  9t  uit  ix)rd,  0V«B  vvtr 

I  >  a«l ;  litanllr.  owr  UU  jMopla  ^  J^Mdk, 

ot-r   Irnd.    PnetieKllr,  th*  peopU  ia.  in 

ii.0BMto, -Um  people  oT  Bui ''^(ch.x.  19— 

t'>.  b'jt  tbeoteUoaUT  ai>d  Ly  ooviORut  it  i« 

'  pl«  of  Jt-Lf'VaL"— hU  "peculiar 

(Oeat  xir.  2X  ehoMo  dt  him  out 

V    .  .  i   ,  iiafioiiiof  thof*::'        '     '   •  cwo- 

V.r    7 -And  tkMAah  o  booM 

•f  Ahab  iby  mMt«r.    Tbe  ..:    ,  ftoom- 

Band.  Bot  •  prpi  tx'T.  Jt-iiu  u  exprcMir 
•rdcfcid  by  (.iinl  u»  ••mai*."  i^.  iWtfoj 
ntlc/lr.  the  vLule  h<>UM  of  Abab.  Tbia 
a>!um«iMl  be  cairic^  oul  r  \c?r*.  24,  :^; ;  eb  x. 


Ia«bk4  te 

^   M 

—if  IB  wock 

iMpOfBl  rBVBTd  fat   IHMbHif  klMBlf 

I7,  vbaii  rci  ulr.i  L»  litA  f..«  1.  •  .<», 
•    i   ao  bottovr 
I"-  I  la     Bet  J- 
will  of  G.-:    .. 

ilX  vbic: 

ah -wf,!  t} 

Ir    tt.  ■.,    I.  .        , 

f  .•    I:  .     ,. 


Ju4- 
•bfld 

God.  i'ul  1 
Pro|>b«U,  ^ 


•lain 
fruiB  1  hr 

tka  blood  (.r 
TbM«UJ  < 
«rtkM«rtLt 

int-I«lyap.r 


(I  i. 

"  ►•■>•  '1  ' 
J<-.       ! 
cu:. 
Ltr  .  . 
•aw  tL< 
xxi.  8 
t  J  "  * 

h:  .1  ;: 


i.    :u.  li.     A-a 
*  of  tba  L'.rd. 


bel 


1^; 


buuae  of 


bloKl, 

of  hi* 


n 

ia  lar««i  ^arr  Um 

lOX     WbiW  th« 

>c4b  do«U/al. 

•eaia  tka  ara. 

•^^dtMktod. 
bMM  i# 

Aa  aoB  il 

^01 

i(.  .A>>. 

i''- 


1    Dot    b«  «. 

mil       A_ao  Ilka  tba 


190 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.         [oh.  ix.  1— «7| 


Bon  of  Ahijah.  As  the  whole  house  of  Jero- 
boam had  been  cat  off  for  its  idolatries,  so 
the  Louse  of  Buasha,  which  succeeded  to 
the  Uirone,  wa^  removed  even  more  speedily, 
Baasha  himself  and  all  his  posterity  being 
swept  from  the  earth  by  Zimri,  who  "  smote 
him  and  killed  him,"  and  succ«;eded  him 
(1  Kin^s  xvi.  11).  The  house  of  Ahab  had 
had  a  double  warning  of  the  fate  in  reserve 
for  those  who  deserted  the  religion  of  Je- 
hovah, but  h:id  disregarded  both  warnings 
alike,  and  had  provoked  God  yet  more  than 
their  predecessors,  by  introducing  a  novel 
and  degraded  form  of  idolatrous  worship. 

Ver.  10. — And  the  dogs  shall  eat  Jezebel 
in  the  portion  of  Jezreel,  This  had  been 
previously  prophesied  by  Elijah  (1  Kings 
xxi.  23 ;  ch.  ix.  26,  27).  To  an  Israelite,  and 
even  to  a  Phoenician,  it  was  an  awful  threat ; 
for  both  nations  alike  buried  their  dead  care- 
fully in  deep-dug  graves  or  rocky  recep- 
tacles, and  both  regarded  the  desecration 
of  a  corpse  as  a  grievous  calamity  ('  Records 
of  the  Past,'  vol.  ix.  pp.  112, 114).  The  dog 
was  to  the  Hebrews,  and  to  the  Orientals 
generally,  an  unclean  animal,  and  to  be 
devoured  by  dogs  would  have  been  viewed 
as  a  fate  which,  for  a  queen,  was  almost 
inconceivable.  And  there  shall  be  none  to 
bury  her.  Jezebel  had  no  one  sufficiently 
interested  in  her  fate  to  watch  over  her 
remains.  Rizpah,  the  daughter  of  Aiah, 
had  kept  watch  over  the  bodies  of  the  seven 
sons  of  Saul,  and  suffered  neither  the  bin  Is 
of  the  air  to  rest  on  them  by  day,  nor  the 
beasts  of  the  field  by  night  (2  Sam.  xxi.  10) ; 
and  in  Hreece,  if  wo  may  beli(»ve  the  poets, 
life  had  been  risked,  and  actually  forfeited, 
to  save  ii  near  relative  from  siiuilar  igno- 
miny (Soph., '  Ant.,'  lines  245—743).  But 
"  Jezebel  had  none  to  bury  her."  When  she 
was  ejected  from  the  palace  window  (ver. 
33)  and  fell  to  the  ground,  and  was  trodden 
under  foot  by  Jehu's  chariot- iiorses,  no  one 
Clime  forth  from  tho  palace  to  give  the 
bruihcd  and  woundoii  corpse  such  tendance 
as  waH  iKiHHJble.  There  was  entire  neglect 
of  tii<;  lx>dy  for  (probably)  mime  hours;  and, 
during  theHo,  the catastrophu  occurred  which 
Divine  fon  Mi(,'ht  ha<l  projilic.siod,  but  which 
human  ni.ili<;e  had  nut  intiiuded  (soe  vers. 
34  37>  And  he  opened  tho  door,  and  fled. 
Tho  young  man  the  prophet  obeyed  to  tho 
lt'tt4T  the  injunctioiiH  which  IClishu  iia<l 
given  him  (ver.  3).  'i'iio  mumont  tliat  be 
ba<l  cxocuImI  IiIh  errand,  he  Uc  <1. 

VefM.  11  —22. — dninpirdnyof  Jehu  againtt 
Jf}urrnin. 

Vor.  II.— Then  John  came  forth  to  tho 
aervanU  of  bin  lord.  After  Iho  young  man 
th>  |irr>p|iHt  had  fnaili)  hin  priyi|iiluto  retreat, 
J»)hu,  U/o,  ({uitl<'il  tiie  inner  cliiiMilxjr,  and 
"  came  forth  " — retumod  to  the  jilaco  where 
k«  had  \t—a  littiug  with  **  tha  MrraoU  of 


his  lord" — the  other  oaptaina  of  the  host 
(ver.  5) — and  rejoined  their  company.  And 
one  said  unto  hun,  Is  all  well  ?  One  of  the 
other  captains  of  the  host  took  the  word, 
and  asked,  in  the  ordinary  phraseology  of 
the  time,  "  Is  it  peace  ?  "  (comp.  vers.  17, 18, 
19,  22)--or,  in  other  words,  «  Is  all  right?" 
<*  Is  all  well  ?  "  The  sudden  appearance  and 
disappearance  of  the  messenger  had  evi- 
dently created  an  impression  that  all  was 
not  well.  Wherefore  came  this  mad  fellow 
to  thee  1  He  did  not  suppose  the  man  to 
be  actually  mad.  He  calls  him  "  this  wild 
fellow  " — "  this  scatterbrain,"  on  account  of 
the  haste  and  strangeness  of  his  conduct; 
but  he  quite  expects  to  hear  that  there  was 
"method  in  the  madness,"  and  that  the 
communication  had  some  serious  import. 
And  he — i.e.  Jehu — said  onto  them,  Ye  know 
the  man,  and  his  communication.  Jeha  sus- 
pected that  the  whole  scene  had  been  ar- 
ranged beforehand:  that  Elisha  and  the 
young  prophet  and  the  captains  of  the  host 
were  in  league,  and  had  concerted  a  way  of 
offering  him  the  throne.  He  may  have  had 
reason  to  regard  the  captains  as  disaffected 
towards  Jehoram,  though  this  does  not  ap- 
pear at  cdl  distinctly  in  the  very  brief  nar- 
rative. 

Ver.  12.— And  they  said,  It  is  false.  Ther« 
was  no  rudeness  in  the  reply.  It  merely 
denied  that  Jehu's  supposition  was  correct. 
There  had  been  no  collusion  between  the 
spiritual  and  temporal  authorities.  The 
captains  had  no  knowledge  of  the  young 
prophet's  errand.  Tell  us  now.  "  Tell  us," 
i.e.,  "  what  the  young  prophet  said,  since  we 
are  completely  in  the  dark  upon  the  subject." 
And  he  said,  Thus  and  thus  spake  he  to  me, 
saying,  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  I  have  anointed 
thee  king  over  IsraeL  Jehu  declared  to 
them  witliout  any  reserve  all  that  the  young 
prophet  had  said  to  him.  He  accepted  their 
declaration  that  they  were  not  in  league 
with  him,  and  then  gave  them  an  exact 
aocDUut  of  aU  that  had  occurred.  He  left 
it  for  them  to  determine  what,  under  the 
circumstances,  they  would  do. 

Ver.  13. — Then  they  hasted,  and  took  every 
man  his  garment,  and  put  it  under  him  on 
the  top  of  the  stairs.  Kings  wore  honoured 
by  the  spreading  of  garments  in  their  way, 
tliat  their  feet  might  not  touch  tiio  dusty 
ground  (Matt.  ix.  8)  The  captains  of  the 
host,  without  hesitation,  ac(^laimed  Johu 
king  on  the  strength  of  tho  prophutical 
announcement,  raailo  his  cause  tiieir  own, 
ami  JuiiKMl  ill  his  rebellitin.  It  Ih  reaHonably 
conjcvliin  d  (Milhr)  tiiat  "  u  deep  disHatisfao- 
tion  with  .lorani  muHt  have  prevailod  in  the 
army,"  though  wii<ftlior  the  diusatisfaotlon 
aroBu  from  tiiu  idolatry  of  the  liouBoof  Ahab, 
or  from  Joram'i  withdrawal  from  the  war, 
may  b«  doubted.    Jeho,  on  the  othur  luutd. 


«B.n.l-J7.1       TIIK  8E'X)ND  POOK  OF  THE  KIKO^ 


wm  triimtij  bifblj  Mtoiiiii«d.  Tlw 
akptaiQo  thrvw  th«>it>Mlv«*  wlUt  «rda«r  lato 
h'.u  ■tk\:t>,  and  rsU'infinriatal  •  wet  of  mi* 


Uir  :  f-ii.ruL       A- 
An  r»t<  rtial  tt 
Uie  •      

ftllU. 

bltU     «A      « 

lop  uf  tbc  lUi 

uuM  .Hi 


taOrtantel  boo**, 
ttam  tb*  taatt  lo 


i  bo    cliifu— tun,  <^- 

t  no!  litfraHT,  "oo  the 

«  ilaln 

10  oap- 

iiliii    uj-   :i     ujv  tOpOOMt 

And  bl«w  with  traiBpcU.  ThM  WM 
•  IwrifrniUMl  put  of  ttio  corennaUl  at  • 
enronaUni  (mv  8  8ara.  it.  10;  1  Kitig«  L 
IW :  eh.  xl   UX     SajlBf .  J«ha  1«  king. 

Var.  14. — So  Jtha  llio  son  of  J«boihAph»t 
til*  KB  of  Hlmihi  (»tH'  tilt'  ix>iiim<'Dt  od  vtr. 
X)oaB*]ur«4sfaiBM  Jonun  It  iau<>t  meftnt 
th*t  Umm  WM  A  MOTf t  (XiDkpirucj  prt'vtoua 
to  tb*  praptivt't  eomiug,  but  tl.»t,  by  tbi 

Spi-n    acta    wLirh   fulloMcxl    oo   hu  OLni.i:  g, 
ehu    and  tbo    oapt«iu«    wcrr   grailtj    uf  • 
••  oou»pir»cy."      How  Jorwn  had  kopt  R»- 
moth'Oilaad  ;  rmtti#<r,  «am>  Joram  iro*  keeping 
hap  Q  hia  cai«oitj  « 

oiii< :  -•.    t-«.    defptnting, 

Ram^  ^  ;......  .^„,  .c.  >.,o  Sjriiiuit  wiiii  the 

balk  of  hu  f<>r<<«id.  He  and  all  Iirael,  b»- 
MOMof  Hacaei  King  of  STria;  ■iiio<  Hatiel 
wished  to  wiu  the  citr  back,  and  wouM  haTu 
dooe  ao,  ha<l  it  sot  be«  n  atoutlT  dtrfeadt-d. 
The  writ«r  tpt^ka  of  Joram  aa  toe  defender, 
though  b«>  waa  ab»<-ut,  because  the  defeDoe 
wa«  ouuie  under  hia  irdera.  Then,  to  pre- 
vent miMiDdertitaDcii!!'.,'.  be  rejteata  what  be 
bad  already  aaid  id  cii.  riii.  '29  witb  reapc«t 
to  Jonim'a  woanda,  and  hia  retaraaiecit  lo 
Jeir««l  to  be  healoil  ut  ihem 

Vcr.  15. — Bat  Xing  Joram  waa  retvned 
(0  be  healed  in  Jexreei  uf  the  woimda  whiob 
tk*  •jnana  bad  glTen  him,  when  he  fooght 
with  Haaaal  King  of  STiia  (w-c  the  <.>)imUiVOt 
on  eli.  Tiii.  'Zay.  And  Jahu  m.<1  h  .t  be 
romr  minda.     Aa  mod  aa  he  i-  <1 

kiug.  Jrhuaddr«tiat«himH«If  t<' .  ■, 

and  prop<j«es  a  poUey.  He  d'x»  i.ot  njuiuf© 
to  aasume  a  toor  of  authority,  or  of  im- 
■unand.  aino-  ht?  ib  btlU  but  a 
ftnd  not  **MtAblih>i(!>-t  in  ilie 
**!/ it  be  jour  uiiuda,"  be  aaja  ; 
ia.  **  If  70a  agrje  with  me,  and  tutve  u<  'liiiug 
to  urge  at;mjDat  m  j  propoaal.     Then  let  none 

C  forth  nor  eacape  from  the  city— UtrrKilj, 
no  MeofMT  ffo  /unh  /rvm  Ikr  r«/y  equiva- 
lent U>  Ul  mo  our  tjuit  ike  eily  -  to  go  to  tail 
it  in  Jesreel  'Ihu  u  the  iuii-TU:<t  {><>int 
Baererjwaaa^>M.luU»l|«Mrtitial  l/ib*re«olt 
bad  r't  wind  -«nd»dagl«»MMafpririlfbt 
have  oatnnl  the  neas— 41t«  wkola  allaaipl 
aiit.'ht  have  failol,  or  odIt  haTe  •ucr«««lrd 
after  a  long  aod  blooilj  etvil  war.  All 
Jcliu'a  aCiurta    ww«   bant  ua  keeping  hia 


iwvah  aerrBt  natll  be  himaolf  aai»o«Ma4  H 
Id  the  aal"autt«d  kiti;;  {mm  ter   tt\ 

Vor.  16  —to  Jehtt  r«4*  ta  a  abarlei,  aa4 
w«Bt  M  Jwrnl ;  f»r  Joram  lay  tbar*      W* 

.  ttiat  Vir  nki4atiiaflaj»e  ibu> 


.Ui..,«,  .i...  •^<>ka«>al(«lg«id  tbe  naaaaalty 
.'jok  pfamiailiwM  agaiaiA  iJw 
'  oaa,  openly  or  aeetetiy,  ttvm 
Ujo  Oily.  Jvtiu,  with  a  n*<>der»to  t^xtp  or 
eonpatiy  CPvC).  »U  out,  partia{«  oe  tht 
Terj  day  of  hu  etitLiim— mat,  and  baaleiia 
with  all  •{'•xl  to  Jtzreel,  l«Dt  on  arrttm^ 
tbera  beltare  any  awpiakMi  haa  ariaaci  of 
ravolt  or  rabaUloa.  uU  great  obj«ir<  wm  to 
■urjiriae  Joram,  and  lo  kill  or  eaptiu*  blm 
b«f'>r«  he  OMild  lake  any  et^pa  to  orK^iiae 
a  drlenee^  rrot»)jiy  the  fufr«  «h>rb  ai  • 
oo«j|i«n«»i  liirii  wa^  w^  <  lit  a  chari'*  frirrw. 
And  Ahaiuh  King  of  Judah  waa  oome  4ewv 
to  tee  Juram  (aee  oli    >  .     VT.*.  au  i  ihr  ct'll, 

meijt  lui.  lucy  AilitZiti  ..  1:  <.^...:\  \-r  -rlij'  :. 
berx^l,  waa  Junan'a  iterl«i*ew,  aa  »<il  aa  hia 
ally  in  the  war  •■aUMll  Syrm  It  «a« 
natural  that  be  aboold  fiait  iiia  ui^oie  wbrn 
b«  waa  woonded,  arao  if  tbe  wooada  were 
•ot  rery  aerioua 

Tar.  17.  — And  there  stood  a  vatehmaa  oa 
the    tower    in   Jaareel ;    htrrally.   and    tk» 
matekmam  aloud  on  tke  UnKr  in  Jerrr*l.     I'bo 
wateb-tower    on    the    auutu-eaai.    v  wa/ la 
Bamotb-Oilead.    ia   int- n  1<^.     Ttiere    w.  re 
prvbablr  I'thera  in  other  oirc^iicioa  .   but  tuo 
writer  (a  uot  ooootsmod  wit.,   ihcui.      l^cb 
watch-tower  had  it*  oaa  wav  hman,  wbo  gave 
warning    if  anything    uuueual  caogbt   hia 
attentioa.     Ami  ha  *pi*d  tho  eompasT      .' 
Jehu  aa  ha   earn*,      bkifk'aik   b   gen 
"abundance,"  " multitade "  (Deut.   m... 
19:    Job  xxii.    11;    1m.   Iz.   6).  bat  eeroka 
lusre  to  designate  a  "  band  "  or  **oumpaiiy  " 
of  moderate  use.     It   is  a  aomewbat  rare 
word.      And  aaid,  I  aee  a  eompaay      T>- 
watobman  gave  notice  U>  tnoae  v 
aaaa  it  waa  to  inform  the  kiug,  i 
or  eompany  of  OMrn  was  appi«jto.>^u  nn,   tii<- 
city.    And  Jaram  aaid.  Take  am  beraaaaa, 
and  aaai  ta  meet  them,  aai  let  kirn  aay.  Ia 
it  peaea!    Joram  apprtrbeoded   bu  da:  .    ' 
If    t>  e  '■company      had   baeo  a  ba^  1 
^  '  <«Utar  cBamiaa,eoa»ii^  Ib  h<«iii< 

-  watcAunaa  wo«ld  Imva  w.r!"<i 
liui  xoiui.igdUbfaotly.  TbakiagptDlinbh 
cou<  lodad  that  ha  waa  abowt  lo  r««t:M 
tidmga  bom  tha  seat  of  war,  aad  •aaat  i 
aak.  **  la  the  oewa  gi>ud  or  bad  -  paaeafaJ  •( 
the  oontrar^  7  "  No  bhuue  atlaooaa  k>  b.i.. 
fur  not  taking  alanii    t  octook 

Var.  18-to  Ihar*  wMt  oaaasharaabaaa 
to  meet  him,  aad  aaxii.  This  aalth  the  king 
la  it  peaae  1  Aad  Jeha  aaid.  What  fcaat  thee 
to  do  with  peaee  1  cnra  thee  babiad  ma 
Jeha  eliooaea  bu  aec^pt  the  ■inaaMar** 
woctia  aa  if  tl..  y  wrre  hia  oa  n.  and  Bot  iLok 
of  the  king      -'  Wl*t  doe*  It  awtiv  la  ai^ 


192 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.         [ch.  ix.  1— 87. 


a  one  as  tliee.  a  mere  common  man,  whether 
my  tidings  are  peaceful  or  the  contrary  ?  I 
shall  not  tell  thee  my  errand.  Turn  and 
follow  in  my  train."  The  messenger  had 
no  choice  but  to  obey.  An  attempt  at  flight 
would  have  led  to  his  being  seized  or  slain. 
And  the  watciiman  told,  saying,  The  mea- 
senger  came  to  them,  bat  he  cometh  not 
again.  The  watchman  evidently  thought 
his  not  returning  suspicious,  and  reported 
it  at  once.  Joram  should  now  have  taken 
alarm,  but  he  did  not.  He  appears  to  have 
had  no  notion  that  any  danger  could  be 
approaching. 

Ver.  19. — Then  he  sent  ont  a  second  on 
horseback.  Persistency  in  a  course  shown 
by  experience  to  be  futile  was  characteristic 
of  the  sous  of  Ahab  and  Jezebel  (compare 
the  conduct  of  Abaziah,  as  described  in  ch. 
i.  9,  11,  13).  Which  came  to  them,  and  said, 
Thus  eaith  the  king.  Is  it  peace  ?  Exactly 
the  same  inquiry  as  before,  and  no  doubt 
in  the  same  sense  (see  the  comment  on  ver. 
17).  Jeiiu,  a  Idre^sed  with  the  same  words, 
thinks  it  sufiBcieut  to  give  the  same  answer. 
His  object  is  to  lose  no  time,  but  to  reach 
the  king  as  quickly  as  possible.  And  Jehu 
answered,  What  hast  thou  to  do  with  peace  1 
turn  thee  behind  me. 

Ver.  20. — And  the  watchman  told,  saying. 
He  came  even  unto  them,  and  cometh  not 
again.  A  still  stranger  circumstance,  and 
one  still  more  suspicious.  The  second  mes- 
senger could  only  have  been  sent  out  be- 
cause the  king  disapproved  the  detention  of 
the  first.  Whoever,  therefore,  had  detained 
the  second  messenger  must  be  consciously 
acting  ill  opposition  to  the  wishes  of  the 
king.  And  the  driving  is  like  the  driving 
of  Jehu  the  son  of  Kimshi.  It  is  not  meant 
that  Ji  hu  was  driviug  hii  own  chariot 
(which  Kieat  men  never  did,  oh.  ixii.  34), 
and  drove  in  a  furious  manner,  but  that  the 
"  company  "  was  being  urged  forward  at  an 
uuubuui  pnce,  in  a  reckless  and  hot-headed 
way.  The  watchman  conjectured,  therefore, 
that  Jehu  must  be  leading  them,  aince  he 
had  a  cl/uractcr  for  impetuosity.  For  he 
drivoth  furiously;  or,  m'ully — "  like  a  raad- 
mnn  "  (K<il)— "  preecipitantor  "  (Vatabl.). 
'i'h<!  LXX.  tranalato  ti'  irapaWayp  —  which 
haa,  jHirhftpH,  the  same  mf-anin^  (comp. 
Exit.,  '  Hipj).,'  liiifj ;   Lyhias,  Vr.,  5K). 

Ver.  '^I.— And  Joram  said,  Hake  ready — 
rathor,  luiriw.tt;  linral)  y,  ultarh  —  i.e.  "nttiK^h 
tho  liorw:8  to  tliu  clmriol  and  his  chariot 
wan  made  ready--lit«!nilly,  anri  oiif,  alldrhrtl, 
or  hiTuftfd,  kin  rlmriol — and  Joram  King 
of  Inracl  and  Ahaziah  King  of  Judah  went 
out,  0  I  h  in  hit  chariot.  'I'lm  nwU:  and  the 
tinp)i(;w  Willi  nut  tn^i  th'T,  Hlill,  an  it  would 
K'lm,  uiiupjiri'liciiNivo  of  any  iluiigcr,  though 
the  cirf'tiiiiatiinci'ii  won^  '•ortiinly  Hiirli  aH 
might  well  have  arriiifd  luii^ioion.     Joram 


was  probably  anxious  to  know  the  reasons 
which  had  induced  the  captain  of  his  host 
to  quit  his  post  at  Ramoth-Gilead.  Ahaziah 
probably  accompanied  him  out  of  politeness, 
though  he  too  may  have  been  curious  to 
learn  the  news.  If  any  disaster  had  over- 
taken the  army  of  Israel,  the  safety  of  Judah 
might  also  be  endangered.  "  Tua  res  agitur, 
. paries  cum  proximus  ai'det."  And  they  went 
out  against  Jehu — rather,  to  meet  Jehu — 
els  diravTrjv  'lov  (LXX.) ;  see  the  Revised 
Version— and  met  him  in  the  portion  of 
Xaboth  the  Jeireelite.  Humanly  speaking, 
this  was  accidental.  The  "portion  of  Xi- 
both,"  or  his  plot  of  ground,  lay  outside  the 
south-eastern  gate  of  the  city,  at  no  great 
distance  from  the  walls;  and  it  happened 
that  Joram  and  Jehu  met  within  its  limits. 
Had  the  king  started  a  little  sooner,  or  had 
Jehu  made  less  haste,  the  meeting  would 
have  taken  place  furtlier  from  the  town, 
and  outside  the  "  portion  of  Naboth."  But 
Divine  providence  so  ordered  matters  that 
vengeance  for  the  sin  of  Ahab  was  exacted 
upon  the  very  scene  of  his  guilt,  and  a 
prophecy  made,  probably  by  Elisha,  years 
previously,  and  treasured  up  in  the  memory 
of  Jehu  (ver.  26),  was  fulfilled  to  the  letter. 
Ver.  22. — And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Joram 
saw  Jehu,  that  he  said.  Is  it  peace,  Jehal 
Still  the  same  question  is  asked ;  but  we 
cannot  be  sure  that  it  is  asked  in  exactly 
the  same  sense.  Something  in  the  a.>^pcct 
of  Jehu,  and  in  his  furious  haste,  may  by 
this  time  have  alarmed  the  king.  Or  pos- 
sibly he  maybe  merely  repeating  the  question 
put  through  his  messengers,  and  still  un- 
answered, "Is  all  well  with  the  army  or 
no?  Has  there  been  any  disaster?"  Jehu, 
at  any  rate,  chooses  to  understand  his  vag^e 
phrase  in  the  former  sense,  ns  if  he  had 
asked,  "Is  it  peace  between  thee  and  me?" 
and  answers  in  the  negative.  And  ha 
answered,  What  peace,  so  long  as  the  whore- 
doms of  thy  mother  Jezebel  and  her  witch- 
crafts are  so  many  1  literally,  so  long  as  the 
whoredoms  of  thy  nmlher  Jezebel  and  tlio$e 
many  witchcrafts  of  hers  oontinue.  By 
"  whoredoms "  are  meant  idolatrie.n,  as  so 
frequently  in  Scripture  (Lov.  lix.  29;  xx. 
5;  Jer.  iii.  2,  9;  xiii.  17;  Ezek.  xvi.  17; 
XX.  80;  xxiil.  11,  etc.;  Ilos.  ii.  2;  iv.  12; 
v.  4  ;  Nab.  iii.  4,  etc.) ;  by  "  witchcrufts  "  all 
thnso  mtigioal  practice*  which  wore  so 
common  nt  the  time  in  ICgypt,  As.syria,  and 
Babylonia,  and  no  doubt  also  in  l*ho9ni(Ma, 
and  which  wore  so  Btrictly  forbidden  by  the 
Monaio  Law  (Exo<l.  xxii.  IK;  Uout.  xviil. 
10).  BoHidts  tho  Biial-worHhip,  Jezebel  had 
iiitio<luood  thoBo  unhallowed  pnictiooH  into 
thu  kingdom  of  iBnul.  Jehu  rrproaoh^H 
Joram  witli  iillowinn  them,  and  di  «lnr«w 
tliat  thore  can  bo  jio  jwacw  l»<'twc<  n  him 
and  his  master  under  suoh  oirouiiiHtiinoea 


CK.  a.  1— ST.]         TOE  BBcOND  Boul  OF  TUJt  KINO& 


Itt 


Ravteg  o'Md 

pioii    . 
Mrli 

V.  • 

the  ciiur 

(lirik 

u« 

A»d  tall  U  A 

of  aiij  kind,  k- 
••  trBArbeir." 
fl«l),.  .   

whi 

eoaiu.  .  r.    ' 
V«r.  •^*.—iuid 

■    in    th. 
JeliD 

'    .:    .-        r     ti..      , 
•  u.ot      Jo!;    rnrn    : 
r>x-U«i  an  arro» 
true  uD  aim.  t'  : 

Aad  the  arrow  ■ 


kk  abjw^  aad  r><  vitlila 


If  t 


I  m  '«y  /aJk*. 
haada, 
r  turn 

'    a 


1    ti.  I 


him  to 


::o«  a  bow  with  kla 

...kniiijj    u    ararwlj 

H      r.  w,    which    men-ly 

'tiUod  Lia  hand  with  *■:» 

•  •     tjok  ixia  bow  int..  hia 

.'■■  ■*(■  of  uj*in^'   it     Ajid 

'.weaa  hii  armj;  L».  di- 

a^nst  Jehorum  with  tu 

tt    it   ftn'.ok    him    iu    tb« 

•  a  hi«  •hual<i«*r». 

.1  hij  heart     This 


o(<ii<^u«  wound  And  he  s  L:.k  down  in  hi* 
ehanot  J' hnram  f.li  ini.'  ih.  "well,"  or 
Uidy,  of   ■  :,   kn<i    there   lay.   tha 

ehartol  l«  t.  m  at  »rid. 

Ver.  -J.  Bidkar  hi* 

Midem  •• ,  .  —    f 

tllL>9«      •b^ 

Taka  ap,  *:.  -.o 

field  of  XttJwih  iho  Jcxfotuiia.  "  Take  up 
th.  br.!?."!*  "and  .-n-t  it  i'!U>  th(>  plot  of 
'  lU  tha 

«u  at 
I  tKcupua- 
u,  IG).     riia 
•'      ■  ■  -     ;  : ci:it;m\,eT 

:.  *  .h*.  ~  I  aua  UitiU  rodo  t  . 
A  .1  ;..!  :..  tr.  lii»  Lord  laid  ■. 
u;        .._      Tie   LXX    ha  <r#  >*>:....,.  ,^  ••  I 

I<     .•  ."    l,ilt  til*  H.l»r»-W  t«lt  la  -(31,  uot 


•aflM  cLafial  with  kia.  ateMflb^r  1 

bin,  ai>d  oAm  tftlaRUiiu  lk«.     > 

"'-thiajHIKML      UHJuL   Mv   fl   :...'.? 

•uJ  Oidkaf  woald  kmt  My  •p»-h 

u    «M    ■iliiiMi4     le    ALak      by    • 

''  bunlao"  U  ■— Bl  m  ae&taooa  of  puniah. 

tuoot   (coaiL    La.    sllL    1.  iv    i;  gvIL  !• 

•«e.:  Vmh.  L  l,*«e.> 

Ver    Mk— #aral7    I   hava  aaaa  ra«t*r4ay 
tka  blood allAhoch  («>•(,      -  ' 

wbara  th»  mam  Ida*  U  r 

1'   '  Mk    L  tLouirh  ia   dlAfO'l     -  >■      vi 

■^if  ioartaeQ  *<^ara, 

r  iCOtWa  the  r  I  •  aw*L 

^od  cf  hia  iOBa      lii  '  ic«'atia« 

■  eooa     «d  ant   b^  n  fj^*— •'■—f^ 


Lufd ,  and  I   wui  reotuia  Uiaa  i 

■aith  the  Lord      T'  n  wa*  t  f  -, 

p^'phery,   »  .    • 

■  httli  dog*   Il^r     I      1       ..   .;,      T  , 

tharefora  take  a-i  1  cait  hi:  ' 

trr'uud,  aooordui^  tj  tie  .  ^ 

TLc  ex  il  pr  jih.  »ic«i  a. 

formally  a-i  1  ci].rt-a»l<  -       , 

day*    on    Ahab'e  rtpt-nuiK*   (cf.    1   Kiu^a 
xiL  29).  ^ 

Vera.  27—29  —Murdtr  «/  AKatiak. 

Ver.  27. — Bn:  wLen  a>>>>  mK  ^^  M»y  of 
Jadah  iiw  this,  he   fled  by  '    > 
garden  house.    Aj  *>  >!i  a;»  .^ 
iJ:'v  t  his  arrr.w,  f..    tc»-  t-  , 


"^.'.ri  !i   ii'iuse  "  IB  tl..    r:j.;:.i    :  ■» 
;:""  ."^2,  we  ran  aay  no  m-n-  iha.-. 
probably   or        '    *'       '    ' 
di-me«i>e,  >« 
Jezreel,    wl. 
But  it  ia  4 
tmiisLti',  w 
Iklh-'. 

Ok*.' 

tf...    1.     1 


9f  the 

JrliU 

n  t, 

a.  but 

If 

I.     ^ 


rillep*   or 


by  ilf     If.  U 
the    •urvry* 


th"a  an-J  I     -  . 

•  •    "»:-cSi    wp    iwo    aUxJ    U.ii..,J 

•  ohafi  .t  "     The  AMTiitn  •eu  p- 

iuii*     •  .»  ly   it-jri»ri,i  iht    uj. >ii  r^h  aa  «!• 

taiidtj  by  two  l-»ly-f  UAf«la,  wLo  nde  in  tha 

U.  KUKM 


akaHo< 
kinfi  r  ■ 

(vac.  ll>  li  •«« 
bot  rat  arttl.d  u 
the  b(Mtilit«  "f  . 
aorde/lnc  (ta  m- 


7 
.hi/ 


194 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.         [oh.  ix.  1—87. 


thought  he  had  more  to  fear  from  Ahaziah 
himself,  who  had  been  on  such  close  terma 
of  friendship  with  Jehoram,  than  from  any 
probable  successors.  He,  therefore,  finding 
him  in  his  power,  pursued  after  him  and  slew 
him.  From  a  religious  point  of  view  he  could 
justify  the  act ;  since  the  commission  given 
to  him  (ver.  7)  was  to  smite  all  the  bouse 
of  Ahab,  and  Ahaziah  was  Ahab's  grand- 
son. And  they  did  so  at  the  going  up  to  Gnr, 
which  is  by  Ibleam.  The  "  ascent  of  Gur," 
-nj-nSy.D,  was  probably  the  rising  ground 
between  the  southern  edge  of  the  Plain  of 
Esdraelon  and  the  place  known  as  "  Ibleam," 
or  "  Bileam "  (1  Chion.  vi.  70),  which  is 
reasonably  identified  with  the  modem  Btr- 
d-Bdameh,  two  miles  south  of  Jenin. 
Here  the  steep  ascent  necessarily  delayed 
the  chariot,  and  Ahaziah's  puisuers  gained 
npon  him,  approached  him,  and  wounded 
him.  And  he  fled  to  Megiddo.  Wounded 
at  the  ascent  of  Gur,  and  despairing  of 
making  his  way  through  the  rough  moun- 
tainous country  which  lay  between  him  and 
Jerusalem,  Ahaziah  suddenly  changed  his 
route,  perhaps  thereby  bafiQing  his  pursuers, 
and,  skirting  the  MIL,  Lad  himself  conveyed 
to  Megiddo  (Ledjun),  where  he  died,  either 
of  his  wounds,  or  through  some  fresh  violence 
on  the  part  of  Jehu  (see  2  Chron.  xii.  8,  9). 
The  reconciliation  of  2  Chron,  xii.  8,  9  with 
the  present  passage  is  difiScult,  but  not 
wholly  impossible.  Perhaps  the  Chronicler 
nieauB  by  **  Samaria  "  the  kingdom,  not  the 
town. 

Ver.  28. — And  his  servants  carried  him  in 
a  chariot  to  Jemsalem.  No  king  of  the 
house  of  David  had  as  yet  been  buried  else- 
where than  in  the  rock-hewn  sepulchre 
which  David  had  constructed  for  himself  and 
family  at  Jerusalem.  As  soon,  therefore,  as 
Ahaziah  was  dead,  his  atteudants  conveyed 
his  dead  boily  in  a  chariot  to  the  Judocan 
capital.  Jihu  did  not  oppuso,  having  no 
quarrel  with  the  dead.  And  buried  him  in 
his  Mpulchre  ;  i.e.  in  the  particular  excava- 
tion, or  locHhi*,  whifh  lie  had  prepared  lor 
bimnelf  Jewiwh,  like  Egyptian,  kings  seem 
to  have  made  it  tlieir  buumcHS  to  see  to  the 
cxjiihtruction  of  their  tomb  as  booh  an  they 
ni<iunt/xl  tho  throne.  ThuH  Ahaziah,  though 
ho  had  r<iK'i*d  hut  a  year  (cli.  viii  2('>),  had 
alrcHdj  pr<-]iur<'d  himholf  a  wpiilchro.  Ilia 
**  itorvanta "  huriod  him  in  it  With  his 
fathers  in  the  city  of  David  (romp.  1  Kines 
xi  43:  liT  37;  xt.  8,  2i ;  xxii.  50;  ch. 
Tiii  2-i). 

\cr.  2'J. — And  in  tho  olovcnth  year  of 
Joram  the  lou  of  Ahab  bogan  Ahaiiah  to 
reiK^a  OTor  Iiiruel.  In  cii  viii  'Z'>  tho  accvM- 
■i'  n  of  Aliaziiih  in  jdivrod  in  .Icjruni't  twellth, 
biitUMul  of  Lis  I  hi»f)nth,  jMir.  Tho  uli^lit 
4i*nrrpnn'v  in  nnninipntiy  nzpluiiKul  by  tlio 
duahli'  Tbckdiituif  of  a  king'*  "  (Iritt  y<  ar," 


familiar  to  chronologists,  either  (1)  from  the 
date  of  the  accession  to  the  end  of  the  current 
civil  year ;  or  (2)  from  the  date  of  the  acces- 
sion to  the  same  day  in  the  ensuing  year. 
Vers.  30— 37.— Death  of  JezebeL 
Ver.  SO. — And  when  Jehu  was  come  to 
Jezreel.     Some  commentators  suppose  that 
Jehu  did   not    engage    personally  in  the 
pursuit  of  Ahaziah,  but,  leaving  that  to  a 
portion  of  his  retinue,  pushed  on  with  all 
haste  to  Jezreel,  where  Jezebel  was,  "the 
originator  of  all  the  mischief."    But  it  is 
certaiidy  more  natural  to  understand  (with 
Keil    and    Josephns)   that   Jehu    himself 
pursued.     The    pursuit  to  Ibleam,  where 
Ahaziah  was   mortally  wounded,  and  the 
return  to  Jezreel,  need  not  have  occupied 
more  than  about  three  hours.    Jezebel  heard 
of  it.    She  would  naturally  be  the  first  to 
hear.    On  the  death  of  her  son,  which  must 
have  been  plainly  seen  from  the  walls  of 
Jezreel,  she  became  practically  the  chief 
authority  in  the  place,  and  indeed  in  the 
kingdom.     Jehoram's  sons  were  probably 
minors.    And  she  painted  her  face ;  literally, 
and  she  put  her  eye*  in  antimony  ;  i.e.  she 
adorned  her  eyes  with  the  dark  dye  which 
has  always  been  fashionable  in  the  East, 
and  which  is  still  used  at  the  present  day. 
The  dye  is  spread  both  on  the  upper  and 
the  lower  eyelids.    It  at  once  increases  the 
apparent  size  of  the  eye,  and  gives  it  un- 
natural brilliancy.      The  Oriental  nations, 
Babylonians,  Assyrians,  Medes,    Persians, 
were  acquainted  with  the  practice  from  very 
early  times ;  and  it  is  not  surprising  that  it 
was  known  to  Jezebel.    What  was  her  exact 
object  in  applying  it  is  more  doubtful.    The 
older  commentators,  who  are  followed   by 
Ewald,  suppose  that  she  intended  to  "sum- 
mon np  hU   her  seductive   fascinations  in 
order  to  tempt  and   conquer  Jehu ; "   but 
more  recent  writers  (Bahr,  Keil,  an<l  others) 
argue  that  lier  probable  age  renders  this 
incredible,  since  she  had  already  a  grandson 
who  was  twenty-three    years  of  ago  (ch. 
viii.  2G),  and  must  therefore  have  been  her- 
self at  loatit  lifty.      But,  if  wo   romonii)cr 
that  Cleopatra   was   forty  when   bIic    hold 
Antony  as  hor  slave  and  lioped  to  captivate 
AugUBtuB,  it  would  seom  to  ho  not  altogothiT 
l)oyond    tho    bounds  of    possibility    tliat  a 
Phoenician  princesB  of  fifty  may  have  thought 
that,  by  tlio  use  of  art,  she  mi^^lit  n  ndor  hur- 
s-li  a  captivating  personugo.     Tliero  in,  at 
any    rato,   no  oviilcnco    (hat   "  jiutting    the 
oyoH    in  antimony"    was  an   ordin;iry   or   a 
fitting  preparation   for  m<'eting  <leuth   in  a 
way  worthy  of  a  <|Ucon.      l'Avalii*H  view  ii«H, 
thoreforo  much  tix-oniinend  it  Uj  our  aooept- 
amn.     Jezobol,  truHtiiig  iu  tho  cliarniH  and 
tho  faHoinatinii    whicli   had    been  ito  potiMit 
over    Ahab,  may   have  Imti^^incd    that  Hhe 
ha<l    ■till   onougli    beauty    loft   to   capture 


TX.  I— tT]         THE  SBOOIfD  BOOK   OF  THE  KINOft, 


IM 


^tUmBt^m*  br  •  mnttl  um  •-'    *"  "  -   r«- 

IU(«AU  cUtun*  of  tfiklJeMM  h**  ^^ 

Arrmiicwl  JmiI  «arU  »»'!  l»«'  «i 

Ihrir  l.o.  •     .  niaaloAp  «it^  •  n*>>«« 

wr(«Uif»l  rouiid  U-c  hmm-     TV  -^  ^ 

ably   hmi   <)u«xM   mkI    prloftv  >r 

Miidah  Tbari  U  bo  •Ti<l<D<^  i»*%  »;«• 
kalr  WM  vara  la  ThcBiai  ia.  i  iUi«r  bv  mmo 
•r  wiiw-  Aai  loekad  Ml  at  a  wtUam. 
Wladowa,  aDaa^tiBM*  •dm.  «MOfHim<a  lai- 
tiflMi.  ««r»  eommuB  in  OHmiUI  buuMa  from 
tha  Mrl'.Ml  tituM.  Thaj  noatly  loukad  into 
tiio  auort  louad  wktah  a  bouM  «a«  cam- 
ID<«I7  buUt;  bM  aoaa  fc<w  van  in  Um 
•xtcfoal  wall  of  tba  boikUnf :  and  tbroogh 
tbaM  M«  arrivab  nlffbt  b»  raonandUad. 
jMibil  •  lookad  •■t,"  |>arU7  to  aaa.  but 
paf bapt  aliU  tua««  to  tw  awQ 

Vtf.  St.-  And  ai  '  hn  antarad  la  at  tba 
fata,  ah*  Mil  >Iad  li:i.n  pcaca,  who  tlaw 
bu  maaiarl  Thi»  ii  a  |i(«aibla  inaaning  cf 
Jrarlvl't  wt«dm.  and  It  iiaa  amoof  Ha  aoM^ 
aalra — Lutlirr,  i>e  Wt-it«-.  Maurer,  and 
Datbe,  br«tdoa  our  owu  ti  .M^liloia.  Hut 
au  defiant  tui  u\\  miicr  i»  y\'i\\x  iiir..iijp«Ublo 
with  «ti  lUtt'Utiiiii  U.)  captiViiie  nn  i  i-  ■•.■•ilinU-. 
ProL«bly,  th<  leforc,  we  •liouM  n'.'-l-m'ii'!! 
the  qur>c>o  eitbor  aa  ■a>iii^  n 
-  Ptm.^  to  iLw,  Zimri ! "  (' r.  - 1  i  .. 
"•l«jcfof  tLy  lord,"  or  tlmt  •Miu>:-  ).,  »-  ik 
pi«or  "  (i  «.  "  1«  it  peac*  now  bftMn-u  ihea 

SU'I  '"     ■  "  V  ••  /iM  ri    aliNi  r  <  f  t!iV  1    r J '' "      In 

*itL  '», 

vbo  brtU  rvvv^llod,  »ia>ii  lua  iu.i^U-t,  and 
l«ifntc<d  aa  kinf?. 

Ver.  S*i.     Al"     ' "   !  np  bla  fa««  to  tka 
vlndow,  and  »:■  un  my  aide  Y  who  t 

WbaiBver  Jr^  ..  .  .  .  ■.:>>  u,  Jcbu  yi(-!<lc<d 
not  a  jot;  b«  «aadeaf  tubrr  flAtt^rieB,  L>liu>l 
to  ber  aeductioua.  Ue  Lad  made  uy  kia 
mind  for  **  wkt  to  Uio  kuife  "  boCon  ba  «in> 
faariied  B|aa  bia  aotprprifc-.  and  tka  faeble 
attaujpta  of  a  4'i<^  d  wb>^«D  part  waa  plajtil 
•  •at,  wboao  a^.^  )•«  ko<-w,  and  wbotn  tko  no 
douU  rtr;.-mivl(U  aa  au  old  woman,  had  n<> 
powrr  oD  biiu  IiiKtrad  of  r«apondiu^  tu 
Uor  bUiiiiiabuttfOta,  Lr  UAik  a  et^m  aiid  liarvl 
Una.  Ua  would  uul  o«o  ber  privately.  Ho 
0aiQiiK>ut>l  lo  bia  aid  tba  iu«uiala  of  iho 
piUfla  -  tb«»uiilloba— tlxiacou  wbotn  beauty 
naa  leaat  inlnanfi      "  Wbo  la  on  my  ailr  ? 

wbo?-  ba  «■' '     •  •  -    '•     -  ^^'       - 

wttbaarwL 
aarraiiU  \,  i 
toi 

Ihr 

rr»<  1-U  u.  \S  c  v.. 
amlii  of  fiiT'ur.  ;  ' 
Ul. 

Ibr 


witk  •• 


yrr 

it  u>4^1j;   Im-   i^-~.. 

out     to     biXD     '.  > 

■aaacba  bad  baaa»e  an  itiUyrc 
of  Iba  Jawbib  and  <if  tba  lar* 


aadin  Am'     ■ 

at  TafiatKr   «.u>  al.   a 

and    aapirwUoua,  of 

obaiarefar,  voabaoa  tba  m-- 

•■da  hj  dt*'a*'tg 

biatarr.  tba  b>vaa(,   tUaat'  pa.-. 

plaTi-<)  by  tba  ranurba  •/  li>«' 

an-  f-Ti  f  rr-3ilT  V^  takr  j»-.rl  tn  a 


ot   uumaiiitj        1  U'-    ■ 

oal**   to    Jaba    wirr  ^ 

auBoeba  of  tlia  pala..-..  ••„_  .  j 

(•vt-r  tba  oibeia.  and  ludiwd  ovar  Um  oowt 
officiaLi  f(raanJJy. 

Var.  Xii.     And  ba  aaid.  TVow  her    '    •*  : 
A   aplvndid  naiuple  of  tb«    vickn:  • 

it  and  U'ld  a!ud  unacrapul-  u-    ■    .r 
,  .orix,    a    au< fD  molbar,  al*.^  f  v 

u.^  icxly  reKarvIad  Lban  an  ord 
rt-gnant,  a  prineeai  in  bar  o^ 
T«r.  S4),  daoKbtaf  of  a  naiirii  ■  i 

Ewarful  poifiitata,  arttlnl  in   i>cri   iu<,^-ut 
•    oTcr   thirty    jf-tn    t>H«   ro«»t    jirti.rrfu| 
paiaoD  in  U>e  ata 

Dack<d  UL)  by  I  I 

party  of  tiar  eu-t...  j 

notbinc  bat  A  wifokt^i  a 

way;  2tainaolrx-«  hi  '  • 

Uott-VtH)  t   I.  '-•fwCt. 

'•  Ibrow    L.  •  't*  no 

paridlil   U<    e  ■  i 

«|Ur<  ua  ha<l  ^■'  ■  » 

Yl     I.  .     .      I.'.'      •  L.  » 

h..  .  '■■-  :.  -r.  .        \  :.     .      :  ■      r-       ' 

\.    ■  .•      i;  .•   ;         ;--•.     .  -    * 

«  ■..■v.*  .  f    .    •  ■» 

ot     U..-  -.    .:    •.     .il     '.                            .                                           f. 

vt..>    a  L.C  i»     \i,.:i^.    i- 

IrUi  It     l:    .«t     La>                                                             1 

■  -    ■    ,    ii.);i.'tj»   •■(       r 

;    JcliU     all     Wr^l     1,.»      .-  • 

'.       '    •-     !.  »    ui'icr  , 

-    I.  •    crrmlc    k    '  •  ••        •  - 

'.     ►■  •      " , •  i  1      t .  .. •  '       '•'-.O 

-T  ihraw  bar 

.*•      lan-B    liO 


196 


l-HE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.         [ch.  ix.  1—37. 


tlie  road  by  -which  the  palace  was  approached, 
and  lay  there  Meeding  and  helpless.  And 
Bomfc  ol  her  blood  was  sprinkled  on  the  wall. 
As  she  fell,  some  portion  of  her  body  struck 
asainst  the  wall  of  the  palace,  and  left 
fcplasbes  ot  blood  upon  it.  There  were 
probably  some  projections  from  tho  wall 
between  the  window  and  the  ground.  And 
on  the  horses.  As  her  body  struck  the  pro- 
jecti:;ns,  a  bloody  shower  spurted  from  it, 
which  fell  in  part  upon  the  horses  that  drew 
Jehu's  chariot.  And  he  trode  her  underfoot. 
Like  Tullia  (Liv.,  1. 48),  Jehu  had  his  chai  iot 
driTen  over  the  prostrate  corpsp,  po  that  the 
Loofs  of  his  horses,  and  perhaps  his  own 
person,  were  sprinkled  with  the  royal  blood. 
Compare  the  passage  of  Livy,  "  Ameus,  agi- 
tantibus  funis,  Tullia  per  patris  corpus  car- 
pentum  egiese  fertur,  partemqne  sanguinis 
ao  CEedis  paternae  cruento  vehiculo,  contami- 
nata  ipsa  respersaque,  tutisse  ad  penates 
suos  virique  sui."  It  is  not  often  that  royal 
corpses,  unless  in  the  heat  of  battle,  have 
received  such  treatment. 

Ver.  34— And  when  he  was  come  in— 
i.e.  when  Jehu  had  established  himself  in 
the  royal  palace — he  did  eat  and  drink,  and 
Baid.  His  first  care  was  to  refresh  himself 
— to  order  a  banquet  to  be  served,  and  to 
satisfy  his  appetite  with  food  and  drink. 
Not  till  afterwards  did  lie  bethink  himself 
of  the  bloody  corpse  of  his  late  queen  and 
mistress,  lying  on  the  cold  ground  uncared 
for  and  untended,  exposed  to  scorn  and 
ipnominy.  When  the  thought  occurred  to 
hirn,  it  brought  about  a  certain  amount  of 
r<denting.  Go,  see  now  this  cursed  woman. 
He  calls  Jezebel  "a  cursed  woniati,"  not 
inappropriulely.  She  had  brought  a  curse 
on  lier  hu8l)and,  on  lier  sons,  and  on  her 
f-Ti'dsona;  slie  had  been  tlie  evil  genius  of 
two  countrieH,  Israel  and  Jud.ih ;  she  had 
l>cf;ri  tho  prime  mover  in  a  bloody  persecu- 
tion of  tho  W(>rshi)>pers  of  Jehovah  ;  and  was 
tho  true  original  source  of  tlie  prescmt  revo- 
lution, whicli  was  to  result  in  tlie  deaMis  of 
H')  ninny  otlierH.  And  bury  her:  for  she  is 
ft  king's  daughter.  ABqiK-on-rnother,  .Jehu, 
it  Kci'iiiH,  wmdd  not  liHve  rignrdcd  .lezcdicl 
iiM  «;iitith<l  to  burial  ;  but  as  dauglitir  of 
]-)th-n:uil.  King  of  tlie  ZidonianH(l  Kin;,'8 
xvi  I'.l),  and  mi  a  jirinci-HH  Ixirn,  lie  allowed 
li«r  f-laiiii  I'<  rliapH  he  fiarerl  NhI  fnrtlicr 
itictill  t'l  tlif  corj)^'-  mifrht  jiroToki'  the  m- 
fw-ri'iii'-nt  of  tli<-  I'tininiciiiii  nionnndi,  and 
dr.iw  ilown   iijion  him  that  jirinco'x  iioHtility. 


Ver.  35. — And  they  went  to  bnry  her : 
but  they  fonnd  no  more  of  her  than  the  skull, 
and  the  feet,  and  the  palms  of  her  hands, 
"  The  harder  parts  of  the  human  frame  " 
(Stanley);  perhaps  also  the  less  palatable, 
since  cannibals  say  that  the  palm  of  the 
human  hand  is  excessively  bitter.  Dogs  in 
Oriental  countries  are  ever  prowling  about, 
especially  in  the  vicinity  of  towns,  on  the 
look-out  for  food,  and  will  eat  flesh  or  offal 
of  any  kind.  They  have  been  called  "  the 
scavengers  of  the  East,"  and  the  phrase 
well  describes  them.  Dean  Stanley  saw 
"the  wild  dogs  of  Jezreel  prowling  about 
the  mounds  where  the  offal  is  cast  outside 
the  gates  of  the  town  by  the  inhabitants." 

Ver.  36. — Wherefore  they  oame  again,  and 
told  him.  The  men  whom  he  had  sent  to 
bury  Jezebel  returned,  and  told  the  king 
what  they  had  found.  The  narrative  woke 
another  chord  of  memory  which  had  hitherto 
slept.  And  he  said,  This  is  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  which  he  spake  by  his  servant  Elijah 
the  Tishbite.  The  prophecy  referred  to  is 
doubtless  that  recorded  in  1  Kings  xxi.  23. 
It  is,  however,  here  expanded,  either  because 
Jehu's  recollection  was  not  exact,  or  because 
the  record  in  1  Kings  is  abbreviated.  Tlie 
great  point  of  the  prophecy  is  common  to 
both  records,  viz.  that  the  dogs  should  eat 
Jezebel  at  Jezreel,  on  the  scene  of  her 
iniquities.  Saying,  In  the  portion  of  Jezreel 
shall  dogs  eat  the  flesh  of  Jeze>oV  It  is 
not  quite  clear  what  is  meant  Sy  the 
"  portion  "  (p^n)  of  Jezreel.  Probably  there 
is  no  allusion  to  the  "  porlion  "  (npSn)  of 
Naboth  (vers.  25,  26).  Rather  tlie  same  is 
meant  as  by  ^n  in  1  Kings  xxi.  23,  viz.  the 
cultivated  space  or  '•  portion  "  of  land  outside 
the  wall  of  the  town  (see  the  comment  on 
that  passage). 

Ver.  37. — And  the  oaroaso  of  Jezebel  shall 
be  as  dung  upon  the  face  of  the  field  (com p. 
Ph.  Ixxxiii.  10;  Zeph.  i.  17;  Jer.  ix.  J;; 
xvi.  4,  etc.).  The  oxjjre.'-sion  was  proverbial. 
In  the  portion  of  Jezreel  (sor  the  coniincnt 
on  tho  preceding  verse);  so  that  they  shall 
not  say.  This  is  Jozebel.  The  rray;nuMit.s  of 
tin;  ijody  wore  so  scattcrod  that  there  could 
1)6  no  coilectivo  tondi,  no  place  whonat 
admirors  could  congregate  and  say,  "  Here 
lis  tlm  great  (jueen  licro  lies  Je/ihcl." 
'i'o  rest  ill  no  tomb  was  viewed  au  a  ahame 
and  a  diugraoe. 


HOMir.ETTCa. 

Vftm.  1 — 10. —  Thfi  prnjJirf  and  thf.  projilirf-dixriph  -  the  dnfien  of  dtrerfion  and  of 
bhri/iinrr.  Tho  timo  bad  curMo  for  a  f^ront  idiaii  ;0 — a  "great  rovolutioii,"  to  use  the 
wordx  of  Kwald.  'llio  firHt  dynuHly  nf  iHrael  which  had  hIiowii  any  iiiilicationH  of 
stability  wan  to  be  Hwvjit  away,  and  anutlicr  btill  more  stuhle  dyn.i.sty  was  to  be  cstab- 


«.n.l-S7.]  TUR  BIXXtND   IKX)K   op  TIIR   KmOiL  Uf 


litlMiL    Tkftt  Um  will  of  Ood  night  W««  •»-'  r«...«  ..i  in  ik*  .aaiiar.  lu  IsltbtiMi 
«W  eDtrustad  to  th«  rr^t'ilar  flipuuixlart  of  ifcr  optMi*.     KltatM,  *a 

IB  ti'  .  »ji«l,  OAdrf 


.  :.eiu       lie   pf>*4.jti-<«  »  tiit^  »  ..;  «.l<aul>  mm 

■  '    ■  tu  carrjr  out     Il«  wutra  uu  time  <  •  or 

i«  '.  '  .o*.  A  c«rUun  w>irk  i«  to  b«  di>u«  i  and  Lu  •uu>jai;.a:c  i«  u>  Ow  ii  m  ihm 
a.  '        1  m<«t  Jinw-t  wnv. 

■  ■       *-     -  -^tUMATE      AOKKT.  1.     Th«      pn.|.b«-t-<ll»c  j    • 

n  .'lorrfully,  wiiLoul  rvlucUnof.     II«  u  c>'i.i<    i 

Jift  I  of  A  tout  ur  iiiBlraUiciiL      'J.  lli^  utio  kci.' c     • 
'11  urdenxl  to  du,  he  ilc»  • ;  aii<l  be  •luee  u<>  lu  ■  >■ . 
1  1    '»,  >»  MTTantb  we;  ho  •  ur*  not  ««-<  W  l«  U 

<      3.   IIu>  ;>)iOiir«,  aitiks  \ti%t.\   lulu  uWuriiy. 

*I    ""■        >•>  ■   •    ■       ■    ,  I  or  ou   Jcliu.     The  fjriMt*»t    ixliltcAi   i.  .u  - 

A*.-li<^>ii  if  '.'  iQltiaUTe;   I'Ut  he  &> •  ■>  uu  rr«r»rd,  be  itiakos 

k   t  u  ktiU  tc  :   |»  r»  .u« — «lir-ctur« 

a                 '  int*.      It  will   I .     s  ^  >.'.,<  ,ju( 

are   kepi    lu  ur   dc|kirltxi    from.       1 1         <  .    ul 

n '.  :..ri;.^'    iu   the   Morkltig  ot  ao  tuBh  :j    Ul 

a  great  lUMuure  tu  the  Uct  ihrnt  lx>iu  airKlun  aotl  exocuianu  act  in  lb* 
t^                 aiiimatvd  ElihliA  and  the  pro|>ht:t-di»ci{i«. 

VaWL  11 — 24. — Politieal  rtmJution*  Juttifiabir  milder  tmiaim  nrrwmtfa'.em.  Iu  » 
ffD'-ral  way,  revolution,  rr>^i»lanc«  to  cuQBtitut<-d  authuritv,  T'  ^  a^rBinst 

the    civil    ja^ivver,  aeem    14*  be  ooodemoed,  or  nt   any    rai«     :  ...   by   the 

tcatiiing  of  .'vripmif,  whether  Id  the  Old  Ttt^tatueiil  or  the  Nc>».  li.-  \  x'i»e,  f.  '  the 
m<.«t  part,  froni  hiiuau  auibitiuua,  from  luai  of  {>jwer,  from  ft,'f^\  '>  •'■  'if  '■-«•  \<'i*^ 
^nukaioiu,    I:  ■  ;    they   iuvolve  iu   their    oi>urM)    ui.t 

Dti'nl<eni ,   :  nni\\  io  a  ouDiiitiuD  uf  aocial  aad  [>  . 

N»\>rwe,  tbau   ii..»i  m-m  wm.  h   they  ^prauJ;.      '*  I>et  every   tuul    t-r  i>  .'  •.<.  ;:.r  :..^^,cr 

pow«ri ;  "  *•  K«iar  (iod:  honour  the  king;"  "Ye  muat  uotnit  be>utit-vt,  uul  .  L..y  lor 
w"i'^\  '•  r    '  '    •  •-■•iruc«'  .v;ikt- "  are  pr>«e{>t»  of  wide  a;        *■  •  f  n», 

'-  •   i^'it  fr  IU  the  fac«  that,  when  they  ir '. 

t:.  eir  fo!c»'  may  be  over-'-f'— <       Sorij.i.'  •   - 

tt.  al«>  lute  and  entire  ^  .   lo  the 

r.  -   of  li.r   r.-uig'aiue   tt...^  •    '"    •-»• 

1  -  ffered  by  D.. 

A  ^     ;        -jeUetb    was   the    <c„i 
r  u.    1  — iO>.      11.   The   rebellion   of   , 

ii  stance — tbe  reU-llion  o(  Jeliu.     4 

\-  «    tint    and    Mouod    Books   of    the    MJM.x^tI•T-^,    «:  our 

•^  '  their  behalf^  and  arw  art  l^imr  her  mci;  l»-r»  i  y  tt.r  <  ••  for 

struction  Id  muraU."     If  we  aak,  "  Wb«o  U  rebalUoo  juaUAftUr  ?" 
l;       .  •      ;u  to  be — 

I.  !>  luE.  LJLBT  acaorr,  wbkx  trb  >AnoN  Ht^ar  oTKiawiaa  n  nasrantvABLT 
txJUECD.  Id  Jehu'a  cuae  "  a  family  waa  oo  the  ihruoa  which  had  iMrudiwed  a  Uc«otk«u« 
worahi] ,  !'.•:  fi^irrol  it  aad  had  perbecuted  the  i4dar  aod  purer  religioa,  which,  if  it 
had  ikH  tuLxxMlad  m  taking  ao  firm  a  hold  upuo  the  paoplr  as  bo  hi»d  then  to  purity 
aad  virtue,  at  an^  ratr  ha<l  uot  brt-ii  iiaelf  a  dcwpiy  oormpUnK  inAtteaeaL,  The  mt»chipf 
kftd  eprrad  ao  far  that  it  waa  time  to  try  the  laet  end  eerertet  m«Mearaa,  or  V<  gi««  up 
the  ouotest  rnti'ely  The  iixlictmei  t  waa  made  out  agaiitai  the  roling  h«j«Ae  •< 
oafmpliMg  the  naUoual  hocKur,  and  vixkdermtaiug  the  aaikmal  ■iiilenoe,  of  daorivuig 


198  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.         [ch.  ii.  1— 37. 

the  nation  of  a  religion  whose  spirit  was  pure  and  elevatin':;,  and  giving  it  one  whose 
spirit  was  corrupting  aud  licentious"  (Bahr).  In  the  case  of  the  Maccabees,  a  foreign 
power,  duminant  over  the  country  by  right  of  conquest,  had  formed  the  design  of 
completely  sweeping  away  the  Jewish  religion  and  substituting  for  it  the  Greek,  or 
rather  the  Syrian,  polytheism  and  idolatry.  The  crisis  was  even  more  terrible  than 
that  in  Jehu's  time,  the  danger  more  pressing  and  greater.  In  both  these  cases  the 
nation  seems  to  have  waited  with  the  utmost  ]>atience,  until  there  was  no  other  remedy. 
I'.ither  a  convulsion  had  to  be  faced,  or  the  national  religion,  the  national  morality,  aud 
the  national  self-respect,  would  have  been  swept  away.  The  nation  in  each  case  pre- 
fei  reii  revolution  to  submission ;  and  the  sympathies  of  the  sacred  writers  evidently  go 
with  ti.em  in  their  choice. 

II.    WhEX     there    18    A    FAIB    PROSPECT   OF    SUCCESS    IF    A    STAND    IS    MADE,        A^g'/JM) 

tenetur  ad  impossilnlia.  If  the  force  on  the  side  of  authority  is  overwhelming,  if  the 
national  spirit  opposed  to  it  is  weak  and  faint,  if  there  is  no  reasonable  hope  that 
resistance  maybe  effectual  and  save  the  nation  from  the  evils  suffered  and  apprehended, 
then,  whatever  their  reluctance,  though  it  be  "  pain  and  grief  to  them,"  patriots  are 
bound  to  restrain  themselves  and  to  remain  quiescent.  As  Plato  says,  they  must 
shelter  themselves  under  a  wall  while  the  storm  rages;  they  must  be  content  to  keep 
themselves  pure,  as  the  seven  thousand,  who  had  not  bowed  the  knee  to  B  lal.  Hid  in 
Ahab's  reign  ;  they  must  wait  for  better  days.  If,  however,  there  be  a  fair  chance  of 
success,  if  it  be  reasonable  to  hope  that  the  yoke  which  is  doing  deadly  hurt  to  the 
nation  may  be  thrown  off,  then  no  considerations  of  their  own  convenience  or  ease,  no 
fear  of  blame,  no  shrinking  from  disturbance,  or  even  bloodshed,  should  deter  patriotic 
souls  from  initiating  the  struggle  by  which  alone  their  country  can  be  saved.  Desperate 
diseases  require  desperate  remedies.  If  Elisha  and  Jehu  had  waited  with  folded  hands 
for  Joram  and  Jezebel  to  work  out  their  wicked  will,  the  Baal-worship  would  have 
been  riveted  upon  the  northern,  perhaps  even  upon  the  southern,  kingdom.  If  tlie 
Maccabee  family  had  submitted  to  the  agents  of  Antiochus  Ephiphanes,  and  failed  to 
raise  the  standard  of  revolt,  Judaism  would  have  been  merged  in  heaihenisni,  aud  have 
jxris  ed  from  the  earth.  It  may  be  added  that  if,  in  our  own  country,  no  resistance 
haii  been  offered  to  James  IL,  but  his  commands  had  been  submitted  to  and  ciirried  out, 
then  Great  Britain  would  have  been  recovered  to  the  Roman  obedience,  and  the  witness 
to  a  purer  Christianity  than  that  of  Home,  which  has  been  held  up  to  the  world  by  the 
English  Church  during  the  last  two  centuries,  would  have  been  extinguished  and 
crushed,  with  what  loss  to  the  nation,  to  Europe,  aud  to  the  world  generally,  it  is 
impjssible  to  estimate. 

Vera.  25 — 37. — Rttrtbuticn  may  "be  long  in  coming,  hut  it  comes  at  last.  Even  • 
heathen  could  say,  "  Raro  a^itecedentem  scelestum  deseruit  [Hide  poena claudo  "(Horace, 
'Od.,'  iii.  ■-',  lines  31,  32).  Yet  throughout  all  history  evil-ilisposed  men  have  persisted 
in  wickefl  and  cruel  conduct,  just  as  if  it  was  not  only  possible,  but  prol)able,  that  retri- 
bution would  be  e-cajwd.  The  lesson  thus  needs  continually  to  be  impressed  on  men, 
that,  hooner  or  later,  retribution  mxist  come — that  there  is  no  escape  from  lU  Retribu- 
tion must  come — 

I.  Hkc:auhb  God  rdleb  the  universk,  and  (iOD  is  juht.  Disbelief  in  retribu- 
tion iHe^sen'ially  athcM^tic.  It  iiiiplii'suither  tliat  thcrois  noGod,  or  that  God  is  witli(»ut 
one  nt  more  of  those  attributes  which  make  him  G(xl.  A  jnsi  Gud  must  have  the  will  to 
punish  ;  an  omnijxitent  G<k1  must  have  the  jxiwor  to  punish.  If  a  so-called  God  did 
not  pnriiKh  hiii,  ho  niust  Ix;  either  not  just,  or  not  omnipotent,  or  not  either;  but  then 
he  would  not  Ixj  God.  As  IJiihr  says,  "A  Gnd  without  v()n;^eance,  i.e.  who  cauuot  aud 
wdl  not  pnnihh,  in  no  Ciod,  but  a  divinity  fashinnod  from  one's  thoughts." 

II.  HKCAtlhK    God     UAH    DKCLAUKD   TJIAT    it    HIIAIJi    COME,    ANIi    (ioO    IH    TUUK.       God 

haH  naid  U>  cnrh  man,  through  hiH  conscience,  that  ho  will  punish  sin.  lleniorHO  and 
r<-,'r<!t,  the  din  aiisfiietion  of  a  guilty  cotiscionce,  are  such  pniiisliuKMit  begun.  In  his 
Word  Oo<l  huM  exprcHrtly  d<cliired  that  he '*  will  reward  every  man  aet^mding  to  hia 
work*"  (l'«.  Ixii.  12;  Prov.  mv.  12;  Matt.  xvi.  7;  Rum.  li.  (5;  2  Tim.  iv.  H);  that 
he  "will  by  no  mnnuH  clear  the  guilty"  (Kxod.  xxxiv.  7);  that  "  Indian. itimi  und 
wrath,  trilailation  and  an^'oisli,  Hliall  IxMtn  evi-ry  houI  of  man  that  d(Mtth  evd  "  (itoin.  ii 
K,  b).     Is'utliiug  i«  mure  ^ilamly  taught  in  the  whole  of  tScripture,  from  the  beginning  to 


m.  OL  1-^0         TUl  BKOUND  BOOK  OF  TUK  KINCML  MB 

b  iAm  g«a<t«l  prtDdpl*,  >  i  Um  wmoc  oanmpimAwmoa  be 

punkbotaDL    Buob       -  uv«  i«  rtrt  ao '.  - ' 

Id  UoM^  Mid.  vbM  -  i«r*  U  kmimUi 

•Ulkla^     Wb«o  il.i   «  of  nru«ert< '^'" 

4Mhrooarof  kingt,  Na|«.4euo  I..  i«  tiioiM-l 

TllUa  OaIml    f.i''»  »  vi,  '..'11    Ui  a;i    :!.»•.:.'. 

vbc 

^••«>  -^  ■  J,      ■ 

Hi  •       1      •  K    THAT  PAW    UK   rmODOCBD    Wn-L   05TT  tn    • 

J      DCLAt.     HiirT     AK      '  'n     UIIM    b     ^ 

f»f  Ihp  Ami.Lly.  •  not  OTr- 

Tr  apt  U'  V  .;.^l  (I  wui  •  w 

l:.iu^  Uj  .  .>  I    .■  .      .  ;     . 

tun  t    U    •  -   .n-  ■■■.'...■         .  ' 


eUudix* 


H0MILIF8  BY   VARIOUS   AUTHOIia 

^em  1 — ST.^BU  dmtkt  of  JeKoram  and  JtttM ;  or,  tf^e  '.'ii. 

Kiof;  Jeborani  WM  lying  >ick  at  .K-zrex  1  of  the  wuuoU   h«  i   .  .. 

tli«  Sjriitaa.  Ahaziah  King  of  J  .  tL  baii  como  down  to  Yiait  him,  wki,  ma  i:  r 
ouDveraed  to'^fiiirr,  tLe  \vau-h::.a:i  uj>'!i  the  city  wall  brour^'.t  ti?:n_*«  of  an  ar  ^  i 
ci>iu]«nT  *j'pr\>achiii{;.     J-  liu,  at  ihv  tr;tii  of  thfiu,  waa  I  v  > 

funuus  orivjiig.     He  ha<i  alrr.niy  U<?:i  pr  vl;iiiu©il  ki:  g  in  R.»  .   i 

kiiew  ttut)jiug  of  thia.     He  suBpecl^ni  noiue  ill  news,  ho^rvt-r,  i:   .  .  Ah-^  aU  vi.'o»» 

out  with  their  twu  chariuta  to  iiiM^t  Jehu.     And  wKert  mu  %(  .'*.;.'   :'^     «<f     J<-hQ 
had  good  reaaoD  to  know  the  |  hioe.     So  had  Jehonkm.     Akut  iwciity  >< 
■n^Ktf  mamonblfl   mwtiag   hvl   takeu    place  tiiora.     JeLur^oi'*   laiber,   > 
ooveted  Ntbolh'a  viuevard.     Jeburam'^  :  t 

daath  by  a  nrctsss  if  false  Bvearing  n 

a  rird  by  bit  t«u  captaina,  Jehu  aua  i>    kut,  p*.  *i 

whoM  owner  the  quoen  had  muniertxi.     Bi.'.  u 

iwij>  .  iii«  meaaenger  uf  Qud,  met  him  thera.     A;:'  ''  >  >  u  -...  :.  u« 

bad  proetired  through  ooTetooaneat,  enry,  traacherv  wae  ootii |t  :»! 

to  Het^D  to  hU  do>""      T'^rrihle  words  they  warts  .^ ^  '  •«»'  • 

aatth  the  L<.>rd,  In  t;  v  lare  dog«  licked  the  bloud  of  N 

lil.«.i.  .T- n  tLi:i    "  -el,  the  i:i-i'i^ator  of  the  ciiiur. 

wJI  of  JezTveL"     An  i  now, 
w  J  mee'.a  Jclioram,  the  auu  o:  A 

king.      1  lie  biuuu  of  NaL>utti  cht-a  to  Uearen  f'>r  ven^'eance.     Jehormiu  waa  . 
than  hia  f  '    <*r.      He  t«jo '*clc«red   unto  the  citia  of  Jerubuain   the  »>u   c<f    '< 

I»  r.  He  foreouk  the  trueOMaud  aervM  uiher  g"iK     N>.>  u   ^M  Ui* 

encc  .'u  and  bia  •[>irit   'ailr*   !:irn,  aa  h.r  •l^V'-]  cf  Je^.!,  "la  it  i«-ao»?* 

But  there  »aa  i. -i  Uiueb  tnae  left  >  «ere  irw,  aad 

bto  aetioii*  qa>rk   aa  thi'u^'Lt.     W  #  and  aeot   hia 

arrow  atni  t.-i^qi^uj',   h»;t.      1.  llc   Muria  vl  Kiijab,  tj-      ;i 

twenty  y<  m  that  rery  ;  Iv-^,  n  hka  mind,  and  ha  cauar*:       " 

U'eleaa  booj  oi  JruoraiD  to  be  raat  into -.  ."««Hta.     Bui  Jenu'e 

wwk.  ot  vaogeanee  it  Dot  JM  done.    Jr  du«aa  had  hardraed 

ber  hMrt  and  bUoded  bar  to  her  <^.  i  •  atty,  aha  Ml  aft  biv 

wukOuw  m  bar  beat  atlira,  aa  If  to  d  ih  iba  mmtia^  f wMki*, 


20a  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.         [en.  ix.  1—37. 

"  Had  Zimri  peace,  who  slew  his  master  ?  "  But  Jehu  is  not  a  man  to  be  trifled  with. 
He  finds  willing  helpers  in  her  own  servants.  At  his  command  they  threw  her  down 
into  the  street,  and  she — the  adulteress  and  the  murderess,  the  woman  whose  name 
has  become  proverbial  as  a  symbol  of  everything  that  is  bad — is  trampled  under  the 
horses'  feet,  and  once  more  the  doom  of  Heaven  is  fulfilled :  "  In  the  jjoi  tion  of  Jezreel 
shall  dogs  eat  the  flesh  of  Jezebel."  We  learn  from  this  narrative  some  important 
lessons. 

I.  Sin,  not  repented  of,  mitst  be  pukished.  This  is  a  law  of  nature.  It  is  a  fact 
of  history.  It  is  the  very  essence  of  morality.  It  is  the  very  essence  of  justice.  It  ia 
at  the  I  isis  of  social  order  in  a  nation.  It-  is  at  the  basis  of  the  moral  government  of 
the  universe.  Those  who  transgress  tJie  law  of  nationt,  those  who  transgress  the  laws 
of  honesty  or  of  morality,  those  who  take  away  the  life,  or  the  property,  or  the  character 
of  others,  must  be  made  to  suffer  for  it.  This  is  necessary,  that  justice  may  be 
vindicated.  It  is  necessary,  in  order  that  property  and  person  and  character  may  bo 
safe.  It  is  necessary,  in  order  that  other  evil-doers  may  be  deterred  from  crime.  Even 
under  our  own  national  law,  we  feel  that  there  is  something  wrong  when  an  evil-doer 
escapes.  We  feel  that  it  has  a  bad  effect  upon  the  community  when  crime  goes 
unpunished.  Now,  what  is  sin  in  the  Bible  sense?  Sin  is  the  transgression  of  the  Law. 
It  is  a  transgression  of  a  far  higher  law  than  the  law  of  nations,  of  that  law  on  which 
the  well-being  of  all  nations  depends — the  eternal  Law  of  God.  The  Law  of  God  is  at 
the  foundation  of  all  true  well-being  and  happim  ss  in  every  nation  and  in  every  age. 
"This  do,  and  thou  shalt  live."  "  The  commandment  is  holy,  and  just,  and  got  d."  It 
is,  therefore,  in  the  interests  of  every  nation,  it  is  in  the  interests,  not  of  one  generation 
of  men  merely,  but  of  those  who  shall  come  after  them,  that  those  who  transgress  the 
Divine  Law  should  suffer  for  it.  Every  violation  of  a  Divine  law  rmist  be  followed  ly 
its  corresponding  punishment.  "Whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap." 
Look  at  your  own  lives  in  the  light  of  this  great  truth.  Are  there  any  sins  in  your 
lives  vmrepented  of?  Then  be  assured  that  the  punishment,  if  it  has  not  yet  come, 
awaits  you.  Sins  against  God,  against  God's  Law,  against  God's  sabbath  ;  sins  against 
our  fellow-man — sins  of  imfair  dealing,  sins  of  evil-speaking,  or  other  and  grosser  sins ; 
every  one  of  these,  if  not  repented  of,  is  sure  to  bring  its  corresponding  punishment. 
"  Be  sure  your  sin  will  find  you  out." 

II.  Punishment  may  be  delayed,  but  it  is  none  the  less  bube.  There  is  an  old 
Irish  proverb,  "  The  veng;eance  of  God  is  slow,  but  sure."  We  have  many  illustrations 
of  that  in  history.  It  was  long  after  Jezebel's  gn  at  crime  before  her  punishment  over- 
took her.  When  the  Israelites  were  ion rneying  through  the  wilderness,  tlie  AmaUkitea 
treated  them  with  great  treachery  and  cruelty,  falling  upon  them  in  the  rear,  and  when 
they  were  faint  and  weary.  It  was  not  until  four  hundred  years  afterwards  that  the 
sentence  against  Amalek  was  executed  ;  but  it  was  executed  at  last.  We  may  kill  our 
enemies,  we  may  seek  to  destroy  all  traces  of  our  crime,  but  we  can  never  destroy  the 
memory  and  the  guilt  (f  it  by  any  acts  of  ours.  Charles  IX.  of  France  was  led,  by  tiie 
importunity  of  another  Jezebel,  Mary  de  Medieis,  to  kill  Admiral  Coligny,  who  was 
the  great  leader  of  the  French  Protestants.  For  a  long  time  he  refused,  but  at  last  he 
consented  in  the  memorable  words,  "Assassinate  Admiral  Coligny,  but  leave  not  a 
Huguenot  alive  in  France  to  reproach  me."  That  was  the  origin  of  the  Massacre  of 
Ht,  Bartholomew.  Having  killed  Coligny,  he  did  not  want  any  of  his  friends  to  remain 
to  bear  witness  against  iiiui.  How  anxious  men  are  to  destroy  all  traces  of  their  crime  I 
And  yet  how  vain  all  Huch  efTorts  are!  There  is  One  whuso  eye  sees  every  act  of 
human  life.  Wo  may  escape  the  judgment  of  men,  but  we  cannot  escape  the  judgment 
of  Gf<d.  If  nut  heri,  then  certainly  hereafter,  every  sin,  not  repented  dl,  will  receive 
iiH  due  reward.  "  h'or  wo  tnuHt  all  apitear  i)ofore  tin-  jud'^mfut-Heat  nf  Christ;  that 
I'very  oric  may  receive  the  thing's  done  in  hid  IxMiy,  according  to  that  ho  hath  done, 
whether  it  he  gofMJ  or  bad." 

in.  ThKUK  IH  OrrKN  a  HKHKMBLANCK  nKTWKKN  TIIF:  PLArK  AND  MANNRR  OF  THE  BIW 
AND   THK    PI.ACK    AND    MANNKH   Of    THK    I'lINIHilMKNT.        1.    It  Was   at    Ndhoth's  vineyard 

that  the  threat  win  of  AhiibV  honH<'  had  liecn  rornrniftpil.  There,  too,  at  Ni\lH>iir«  vine- 
yard, Jchomtri,  A  halt's  Hun,  waH  xiain.  It  whh  outnid-  the  irnlh  <f  J'trrrl  ftiat  the 
flogH  llck^l  th«  hUxHJ  of  Nalxttli.  'I'licre,  Uh),  the  do^jB  li(ke«i  lli'^  IiIimkI  and  atr«  the 
'\'<ih  of  .Joc«h«l  bin  murdentM.     It  would  Hicm  an  if  t'  in  whh  {Mitt  of  the  Divine  likw  of 


m.  a.  I-^.]  THl  BHOOND  BOOK   OF  THE   KlXOa 


■•iribuUtXl.       Ob*  rr^&A..n    (.^    II    ......L4    .. •.      k_    .%^     ,      ,    ^ 

Ik.. 

glllllotujo.        J  .,  • 

lh«  (nultttlMlek       (    .  t 

..r  the  S,>'H;-h    H  .        ,.  •• 

»»*.'•  '      .      ■  ,,  ^  ""-  •' 

"^  ■  wo   Utp  wmiia  ol    bu  ra«(i«  at  til  , 

•^*'       '  ^'f-f'*  I'    '«T^»   IHJl   to  doath,  ftixl  bi.>  * 

^^^V  '■  e  he  h»a   looked  ai 

'**^  *•  ■    •"   n«<-A  tMing^     Ti 

"  wJi»t«orr«if  k  m*n  aowvtA,  i 

'/a»i«  &Wuwn  rA«  ntoMMr  »/  / 

<•/.      Jr.-       "a   munioc  of  Nabuih    w&»    •.  .,   4^,4 

^.is  fHit  t«>  ile.ith   in  «  lrr»chrn><i'<  %jA   -..■  .  «  .»-. 

•      b.-   iiitHwurt-d    to    >  y 

>-■»  blind  Mid  fr^M.-. 

Od'  *  '***^  '"■' 

u^  ',  "^  "^='  ',  t'"t  u  wc-  hAre  traau^:     :   c.-s  w^  ^i^Ail 

-^„;  •••  ^-^   ^'f  Kr»uo«^  rvfarrai  to  aU^«.     He  c«o- 

With  the  biou.j  ..I  :  at  th«  .^i  o#  i^     w 

death!      Fr^i.'    •  •itueag.of  r:  and  what  a 

""      '^   '^' ' -  -rler  mr  that   ur-    .*  v,         «  / 

f*,'"^*'  •  '•<i-    Tba  U..«i  that  ou»«l  frum  hu  ■  [ 

r!°  *"J  *>•  l*^  -i-  »r«»'y  -ii*!.  *nd  h«  crio.  ..a; 

™*»**  ^'  ifa«  UugueMuta.     Hurnhi©!     Ye.;   hut  thema   . 

•'**"°''         ^  til  thia.     It  U  a  tniih  that  ihould  l,arp      - 

erery  nfv  -  \\  .lii  wi.ni  menure  y«  m.»t-,  it  »hall  b«  m.-a.anU  t- 
BD  u  pubiic,  mi«t  (!k.  V  your  puDiahment  will  b«  public  Men  w! 
'  ^t  f'ublio  Oi>nfideuoe  »nd  trust 

If  your  siu  it.  »<-cr«t,  vour  ; 

Tb,?y  wh-  bin  by  •peakiiii;  rvil  about  of  era  m^»i  hk.  .v  will  h  v-      a^y  ^ 
8  •'  ■m»*lvra.     Suiidiig   tbtre  by  Naboth'a  vint- v.rd.  ac  :   i\     V 

t  -*,  ai  d  munler.  of  which  it  raminda  ua,  aud  th.ir  i- 

f^^.'t^^vT      "'I  *'''  **  m.*«u«d  to 

y  the  Dvne  law  of  .......  ,  nu  .,.,,  who  U  ju«i   it 

Dot  lixr  dr.ih    f  a  iinDer,  but  rather  t>at  he  ahould  turn 

bre.     \\e  b  ve  lo.lcedat  thewayof  hi*  ju.,i«.     Let  u.  1-  k   .  >.  u  tha  way  .f  1  . 

be..otti.n  Son.  ti.at  whonm  beUeTeth  in  him  .hould  not  per^h.  but  haTe  . 

#T*f~;*^  *•*••"  ^^*'*''»T</'''*«^     -Tbr„  .T.hu  came  f-v^  .    •' r     • 

oj  hih   1  ni.     etc      Jehu  waa  tb.-  aon  of  Jef  M>d  the 

Hr  W..8  .  i,e  of  (he  m  -venj  of  LInU^^-.     The  u  of  hu  - 

found  in  tfisatid  ib^  baper.      Hu  ,         lij^bea—  "   "  '  ""*  " 

I.    A     a«Vnl.TlNO     ,  v     ,„      Hi-M^^      1-        ^wrr.        He     -a,      r.fM...      ... 

*^  lie  »L-t  Jii,c.r.*in  deiad     n   bi«  cha'tol.      "Ai 

..  an  i  Bit  ote  Jeh.  raiii   Ut««-ru   bia  amia"     1;^ 
T',.     r**  '  •  wjudow  a»  he  dfoTe  up,  to  bi-  thrown  «j,.v»n   a 

""  *7  *    •  *."»'l  »»«  boiy  »M  troddM  down  br  the  >. 

IL     1       7!  >.  '  ^  •!.»?.  (»ef.  36).     He  lh«i  f^^.«i^  u.  , 

'*'"•'?  '•'    -^     •  '^  -i   l«»tt«"   to  ih..^  who  had   the  cure  , 

^.h.u  *,wi.i,    u      ..  oro,  and  profKiMd  10  th«n  to  aaiw^  the  fittr^i  ..:   u,au..  ai^i 
pUee  him  on  u..  throne  0/  hi.  iktW.     Thk,  th^  d-li.*!  10  do  (u^rougbliLr^ 


a^' 


202  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [oh.  ix.  1-57. 

Jehu),  but  promised  to  do  anything  else  that  might  be  required.  Accordingly  Jehu 
directed  them  to  bring  the  heads  of  Ahab's  sons  the  next  day  to  Jezreel,  and  thev  were 
sent  in  two  baskets.  He  directed  them  to  be  emptied  out  in  two  heaps  at  the  gate  of 
the  city,  and  to  remain  there  over  night.  The  next  morning  he  ordered  a  general 
slaughter  of  all  Ahab's  family  and  adherents  in  the  town  of  Jezreel.  He.  then  set  out 
for  Samaria,  and,  meeting  on  his  way  a  party  of  forty-two  persons,  all  of  the  family  of 
Ahaziah,  he  seized  and  slew  them  (ch.  x.  1 — 13).  Pursuing  hit  malignant  cruelty,  on 
his  arrival  at  Samaria,  he  cuts  off  every  branch  of  the  house  of  Ahab  that  he  can  find 
(ch.  X.  17).  To  effect  this,  with  an  infernal  craftiness,  he  ordered  all  the  worshippers 
of  Baal  throughout  the  land  to  assemble,  as  if  he  desired  to  join  them  in  united  worship. 
All  having  assembled,  without  the  absence  of  a  single  man,  he  caused  every  one  to  be 
put  to  death  (ch.  x.  20 — 2»).  Here  is  a  fiend  in  human  form ;  and,  alas !  he  is  but  a 
specimen  of  those  monsters  in  human  history  who,  in  almost  every  age  and  land,  have 
revelled  in  the  blood  and  slaughter  of  their  fellow-men.  Such  characters  as  these 
declare  in  thunder  that  men  have  fallen  from  their  normal  state.  For  who  can  believe 
that  Infinite  Puiity  and  Benevolence  would  create  characters  of  this  class  ?  All  sin  is 
an  apostasy. 

IL    A    DISTEESSrNO    MYSTERY    IN    THE    GOVERNMENT    OF    GOD.        That    a  jUSt    God 

should  allow  such  men  to  become  kings,  and  should  even  place  them  on  a  throne  over 
the  destinies  of  millions,  is  a  mystery  at  which  we  stand  aghast.  That  the  merciful 
Father  should  permit  men  to  be  murderers  one  of  another  confounds  us  with  amaze- 
ment. Yet  this  has  been  going  on  everywhere  through  the  millenniums  of  human 
history.  Verily  "  clouds  and  darkness  are  round  about  Mm."  "  His  way  is  in  the  sea, 
and  Ijis  path  in  the  great  waters,"  etc. 

HI.  A  MIGHTY  AKauMENT  FOB  FUTURE  RETRIBUTION.  Were  we  to  believe  that  this 
state  of  things  is  to  continue  for  ever,  that  there  is  no  retributive  period  before  us, 
when  there  will  be  a  balancing  of  human  accounts  and  a  settling  of  human  affairs, 
religion,  which  is  supreme  love  to  God,  would  be  out  of  the  question.  He  who  could 
prove  to  me  that  there  is  no  future  state  of  retribution  would  destroy  within  me  all 
the  possibilities  of  religion.  But  the  concurrent  belief  of  mankind,  the  universal  cries 
of  conscience,  and  the  declarations  of  the  gospel  assure  us  that  there  is  a  reckoning 
day  to  come.  "  We  must  all  appear  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ."  **  I  saw, 
and  behold  a  great  white  throne,"  etc. 

IV.   A  PROOF  OF  THE  SUPREME  NEED  OF  A  MORAL  REGENERATOR,     What  Can  alter  the 

char.icter  of  such  men  as  this  Jehu,  and  put  an  end  to  all  the  cruelties,  tyrannies, 
frau'is,  and  violence,  that  turn  the  world  into  a  Pandemonium?  Philosophy,  literature, 
civilization,  leLiisl.itive  enactments,  ceremonial  religions?  No ;  nothing  short  of  a  power 
wiiich  can  change  the  moral  heart.  "Marvel  not  that  I  say  unto  you.  Ye  must  be  born 
again."  The  gospel  is  this  regenerating  power.  Thank  God,  One  has  come  into  this 
world  who  will  "create  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteous- 
ness."—D.  T. 

Vers.  1 — 14. — Jehu  made  king.  The  word  of  the  Lord  to  Elijah,  that  Jehu  should 
be  anointed  kin;^  (1  Kings  xix.  16),  was  now  to  be  fulfilled.  The  delay  in  the  fulfil- 
ment is  porhaiis  to  bo  attributed  to  Ahab's  repentance  (1  Kings  xxi.  29).  God  bore 
lung  with  this  wicked  house,  and  di<l  not  cut  it  off  till  the  cup  of  its  iniquity  was  full, 
'i'he  execution  of  Uod's  thre;ii(  ningH  may  be  long  jxistponed,  but,  like  his  promises, 
his  thr(jat'iiiri..'H  never  fail  in  the  end  to  bo  fulfilled  (2  Pet.  iii.  9). 

I.  'J'fik  MKsKKN(iKii  DKHPATciiKi).  1.  lie  mas  sent  by  Elisha.  On  Elisha  had  fallen 
the  rnantle  ui  iOlijah,  and  to  him  belonged  the  task  of  executinji;  Elijah's  unfulfilled 
cotnmiHsiotiB.  We  muHt  distinguish  tliroiii^hout  tluM  history  between  the  motives 
which  actuated  .Jclni  in  his  cons|)ira(;y  agiiinst  Ahab,  and  the  providential  purpose 
which,  au  Ooij'h  iristruineut,  ho  was  raised  up  to  fullil.  That  is  to  bo  nad  from  llio 
Rtarid[><jint  of  the  prophet.  Israel  was  a  [leuph!  called  into  existence  for  tho  pur|i()HO  of 
IrfMij^  a  witiK-KH  fop  tlic  tfiie  (\iA  aniidsl  Hiirrounding  licalhcniHin.  It  owed  itn  uxi.Hti  nee 
and  poK-w^HHion  of  the  land  of  (Jaiiwin  to  Jehovah.  From  him  it  had  rocoivod  its  jxtlity; 
Vi  him  il  waH  iKjiind  in  Holornri  covcniiiit ;  the  fuiidamciit.al  laws  of  itH  ooiiHlilution 
r<'j'iir<<l  uu'l  vid«-<l  Hlic^^iaiice  U>  him.  'riio  |n'MalticM  which  would  follow  from  ilin- 
o6edieuoe  wt  e  but  a  couuler^xut  of  the  blusttiugt  which  would  iiuw  from  obudieuoflu 


«.n.  1-^87.]  THB  UDOOND  BOOK  OF  TUI   KINQ& 


Th*  flrat  gniftl  iIb  of  Um  Mtioo  wm  la  th«  ■i>tting  «p  of  Uw  edr«  aadar  Jaroboaa. 

Fur  Adh- rroc*  to  this  unUvfiil  lonu  of  wurahip  Iwo  djDMltM  h«d  alnttdj  pviabwl 
(tot.  9).     Uut  vilh  Uie  iiyaMJOB  of  tit*  buuM  of  Ouui  a  o«w  dcrvlopiMOl  tr:  ft  >  •      ^ 
^bM  (1   Kiofi  xtL  81,  321    Th«  worvlilp  of  U>«  Pbankui  BmJ  va*  i 
Ood'a  irvihcLs   wrr*  rvlcoUMaij  iwr««cut«d,  ftnd,  uiKi«r  the  iuflu«oe«  of  Jd..;*..,  u^ 
tuo\  r«  r«i|;tu,  ottmipitoii  had  n>rr^  iu  and  bcw  ihrrwmhiwil  Um  imlin, 

aod  rroo  to  Judnh.     Jrburmiu  »i  finl  thuWMi  •  twUv  spiHt  (ok.  Ui.  tl 

but  be  must  aJic-rwarvia  hftTs  rielded  lu  tbf  •.{■erlur  iufliMOOO  of  kit  ay\,rt,  fur  luIH 
woritiij  wu  r.  <i  '  vl.  ».1  hvl  tb.«  pratti^e  of  oourl  exarapU  (»of.  'JJ .  cJl  i.  l.'l>. 
l^^O'-'  wu  fillj  to  hrsluta,  if  Iar».l  «m   to  b«  ft^vrd.      **  llct« 

t*'^  .enoM  o!  rabrllioD   ag&iust  «   l«f;itituat«  dvnutj,  ur   of 

r^  Ui   ibe  ufd.uMjr  aoiiM  of  the  word,  cauDut  viae.     Tb«  oo«ii»e  oi    tbe  ^ioum  of 

«  rvbrlhoD  artist  all  law.  buiuao  and  Dirin*,  In  Iara«l  "  (liahr^     K?«ii  la 
'irtbly  aiatM,  ibe  ri^^ht  of  rvTulutino  when  rdijjioo,  libertj,  m>jT%hir,  ai»<l 
ruour   cau    be  aarni    by   no  otbcr    umui,  u  uuiTeraally   ouoocit^l.'    But 
I  brrr  waa  u<<i   left  to  dubious  bumao  wiMluin.     Tba  lutistir*  m%»  ukwn  hj 

iiu»rl(,  act  !i^  thmugh  bis  pi\)phet,  and  expfrss  I>iTii,e  aAjictiuo  wi»  g  rrn  to 
tu<  xcriuruwof  Ahib'.s  bouse.  'J.  //is  rttpviuiUe  evmintuum.  Tbe  pir»>u  chuaMi 
ly  Elisiia  to  cuuTey  GimI'*  call  to  Jcbu,  and  aooiut  bim  kiug,  was  one  of  ibe  auos  of 
tiis  iropbela.      llie  was  to  be  in  aecrot:  benoe  tbe  choice  «.f  a  lic   uty.     No 

v»lueaitacb'»  Uy  ii.  .  ibat  the  DUMeuj^er  was  li.r  faiim:  TrM;  h-^i  J  n%b.     Of 

bis  tieraona  iiv  we  ku.  ..  u  w;,.  j»  mor*  than  is  bere  bold.  Ha  was  an  obscun  iiiaiTJdual, 
yri  be  set  in  i.u  tii.u  a  iraiu  of  events  of  tbe  mo«t  tra^  ai)nu6canoa.  A  cbi.d's  baiil 
may  suffiof  u. .  1  1-  •"%  "in*.  This  iueai»on'.:er  EliaJia  Ofderod  to  take  a  flask  cf  ibc  \.^\j 
oi.,  and  go  to  1.  aaii.  where  Jehu  waa.     Wboo  he  found  the  Sf-n  of  N  ij.»hi,  be 

was  to  reiiiv  %*u -.o  the  innermoel  apartment,  and  aiKjint  him  King  of  Iar*el  io 

Iho  name  of  JehoTati,  ihtn  be  was  tu  "open  th«  door,  and  fl«*,  and  tarry  noC"  8.  7TU 
tptrit  in  trAicA  he  v\u  to  extvuU  it.  It  waa  a  clear,  unuiUtAkable,  but  terribly  aerv>ua 
and  iiupftAut  tuesaage  this  prophetic  dt^iple  was  entrusted  with;  and  it  is  instrucUT* 
to  liotice  the  manner  iu  which  be  waa  directed  to  perform  his  ttek.  **Oird  up  thy 
lotna,"  etc,  said  Elisha.  He  was  to  prepare  at  oooe  for  action;  he  was  to  maia  no 
delay  on  his  er  and  ;  he  was  faithfully  to  execute  th«  commaoas  givao  to  bim ;  wb«a 
his  work  was  done,  be  was  direciiy  to  leare  tbe  spi  t.  In  G<.«i's  servioc  ther*  ia  to  be 
no  lingering,  or  lu.kine  t«ck,  or  turiiing  from  aide  to  side,  or  dallying  on  ibe  fiald  of 
duty.  Tbe  powtru  of  body  and  soul  are  to  be  braced  up  for  the  doing  of  the  *0€>a 
thiu^"  given  us  to  do.  •'Girdine  up  the  loins  of  your  mind,"  aays  an  apostle  (1  Fee 
L  13>     froiDptitude,  ej>ei  '      ,  stopping  whcra  the  ootumaad  of  Oud  ato^ — ihftt 

are  lUTaluable  qualities  f  •  -I's  work. 

IL  JxHO  a»ouiTED.  1.  ine  rn«$mmo9i*$  arrival.  Jehoram  I  ad  rwtumftl  to  Je«iaei 
to  be  beal-ti  of  wouuds  r*x5eiTod  from  tha  Syriaus,  and  Jehu  was  at  this  tirae  in  eoiD- 
mand  of  tbe  army  at  lUinoth-Oilead.  The  city  itaelf  bad  prxrvioualy  fallen  into  the 
hiiids  of  the  laraelitea.  When  tha  meast'n_'M  arrired,  be  fooud  the  captains  of  the  ho»t 
aitiiug  together  in  b^me  houaa  or  court,  ana  ha  at  oaoe  addreasad  Jehu  with  the  woros, 
•1  have  au  errand  to  thee,  O  capuin."  Jtbu  put  the  qtiaatioo,  **  Unto  which  of  all 
oa? "  and  liie  answer  was,  -To  thae.  O  eapuin.**  The  c*ll  ot  God  may  cvu.a  to  as  at 
uneir«eci«.i  times  a  .d  in  kurpnaing  waya  it  may  oou.a  ihruugh  others,  or  its  T^iiie 
may  be  Ltaid  m  proTidence.  There  are  general  calls  which  G  <i  giraa  "to  us  aJl." 
and  there  are  special  calls  to  the  indiridual.  In  whatever  way  tha  call  ol  God  is  made 
kn  wn  t  ua,  we  do  well  to  give  allenliTe  haed  to  iu  'i.  TTiead  of  anointing.  Jehu'a 
«  «*«  to  take  place  aecretly.     Tne  maeaengar  was  to  take  hiiu  into  an  "iuiirr 

a  d  there  make  known  his  errand.  We  are  ramindad  that  it  is  grnrrally  in 
ti.ti.cc  aud  secrecy  that  God  givaa  man  their  aummona  to  their  w«uUar  Ufe-work. 
N  '  time  was  wasted.  The  young  man,  txamblinj;.  excitad.  no  douK,  at  the  ii»ou;;bl 
of  the  perilous  deed  ha  waa  performing,  and  at  the  awf^il  nature  of  the  mt»mj:e  ha  had 
to  deliver,  had  no  aoooar  jot  Jehu  in  |T.vaU  than  be  poured  the  ihI  frum  bu  tia»K 
uj.  n  his  head,  and  aaid,  "Thus  aaith  the  Lord  God  of  Israel.  I  ba»e  anointed  the* 
kmg  o^er  tha  paopla  of  the  Lord,  *Ten  over  laraaL"  Thara  is  iavolTed  in  ihia  brvrf 
anBouooaoMOt  the  truths:  (1)  Tliat  royal  authoritv  is  from  O  J.  He  aru  up  ku<g« 
•Dd  p«|i  down  kmf»  (Dao.  ii.  21>      T^oac  only  who  rtila  by  his  aanctiao  and  vit^ 


204  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KI^Ga        [oh.  ix.  1—37. 

his  fsTour  are  legitimate  ruleni.  (2)  lirael  was  a  people  of  the  Lord.  Ouly  God, 
therefore,  had  the  right  to  appoint  its  rulers,  and  to  determine  the  limits  within  which 
royal  power  should  be  exercised.  It  was  by  their  setting  at  nought  of  all  the  limits 
of  a  theocratic  constitution  that  Ahab  and  his  house  had  foi  feited  the  throne.  (3)  Jehu 
was  made  king  by  the  direct  act  of  God.  God  had  taken  the  kingdom  from  Ahftb's  house 
and  given  it  to  him.  It  followed  however,  that  if  he,  in  turn,  departed  from  God's 
commandments,  he  would  incur  the  same  fate.  3.  The  terrible  charge.  The  prophet 
next  declared  to  Jehu  the  terrible  duty  imposed  upon  him  as  the  executor  of  God's 
judgments.  It  was  certainly  work  frpm  which  any  man  might  shrink,  though  to 
Jehu  it  does  not  seem  to  have  been  repugnant,  as  paving  his  own  way  to  the  throne. 
We  notice :  (1)  The  ground  of  the  judgment ;  "  That  I  may  avenge  the  blood  of  my 
servants  the  prophets,"  etc.  "  Precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  is  the  death  of  his 
saiats  "  (Ps.  cxvi.  15).  Whoso  touches  them,  touches  him  (Acts  ix.  4).  He  will  not 
allow  the  least  injury  done  to  them  to  pass  unavenged  (Matt,  xviii.  6).  (2)  The  range 
of  the  judgment :  "  The  whole  house  of  Ahab " — king,  queen-mother,  the  royal 
household,  every  one,  great  and  small,  having  in  him  the  accursed  blood.  It  was  a  root- 
and-branch  extermination  that  was  decreed.  (3)  The  terribleness  of  the  judgment. 
Dreadful  as  this  execution  was,  it  was  in  accordance  with  the  ideas  of  the  time.  In 
some  sense  it  was  a  necessary  concomitant  of  such  a  revolution  as  Jehu  was  about  to 
bring  about.  From  the  Divine  side  it  was  justified  as  an  act  of  vengeance  against  a 
wicked  house.  Ahab's  house  did  not  fall  without  warning,  for  it  had  already  tlie  doom 
of  Jeroboam's  and  Baasha's  dynasties  to  warn  it  from  evil  courses.  Special  signs  of 
the  Divine  wrath  were  to  attend  the  end  of  Jezebel,  the  prime  instigator  of  Ahab's 
wickedness.  It  was  foretold  that  the  dogs  would  eat  Jezehel  in  the  portion  of  Jezretl, 
and  there  would  be  none  to  bury  her.  How  fearftil  a  thing  it  is,  as  shown  by  these 
examples,  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  a  liring  Gk)d  (Heh.  x.  31)  1  Great  persecutors  have 
often  met  a  terrible  end. 

in.  Jehu  peoclaimed.  1.  Jehu  and  his  captains.  The  whole  circumstances  of 
the  prophet's  visit  had  been  so  strange,  his  appearance  had  been  so  wild,  and  his  calling 
out  of  Jehu  for  a  private  interview  so  remarkable,  that  the  captams  who  had  witnessed 
the  scene  were  naturally  much  astonished.  Their  first  question,  accordingly,  whea 
Jehu  reappeared  among  them,  himselt  somewhat  agitated,  and  Ids  hair  streaming  with 
the  oil  which  had  b'en  poured  upon  it,  was  " Is  it  peace ?  Wherefore  came  this  mad 
fellow  to  thee?"  Men  under  any  spiritual  excitement  seem  *'  mad  fellows  "  to  profime 
minds  (Hus.  ix.  7  ;  Acts  xxvi.  24  ;  2  Cor.  v.  13)  ;  but  there  may  have  been  something 
in  this  messengei^B  dishevelled  appearance — the  result  of  his  haste — his  eager,  hasty 
manner,  and  the  strange  fire  that  burned  in  his  eye,  which  gave  them  the  impression 
of  one  not  altoj,^eiher  accountable  for  his  actions.  His  hasty  flight  at  the  end  of  the 
interview  would  add  to  their  surprise.  Jehu,  in  reply,  sought  to  evade  explanation. 
His  words,  "  Ye  know  the  man,  and  his  communication,"  mean  eitlier,  "  You  have 
tak'n  a  right  estimate  of  him  as  a  madman,  and  therefore  need  not  concern  yourself 
with  what  he  said;"  or,  "You  are  yourselves  at  the  bottom  of  this  trick,  and  know 
VI  ry  well  wherefore  he  came."  The  latter  is,  perhaps,  the  better  sense,  and  may  indicate 
that  Jehu  wished  to  sound  his  companions  before  going  further.  Their  eager,  "  It  is 
false  ;  tell  us  now,"  shows  how  greatly  their  curiosity  was  aroused.  Jehu  thereupon 
t^'ld  them  (rankly  what  had  happened.  2.  Jehu  proclaimed  king.  The  resixtnse  on 
the  part  of  the  captains  was  immediate.  Jehu  must  already  have  l)eon  a  general 
fnvfiurite,  or  the  proi)<)Bal  to  make  him  king  wouhl  not  have  met  with  such  easy 
acceptance.  Ah  with  one  accord,  the  captains  threw  off  their  upjjer  garments,  spread 
thcrr.  on  the  Hiairs,  made  .Jehu  mount  above  them,  anil,  blowing  the  trumpets,  forthwith 
proclaimed  him  king.  Would  that  when  God  comes  declaring  to  men  the  tiiiointing 
nnd  exultation  of  "  another  King,  oven  Jesus,"  his  words  found  as  ready  a  response  1 — J.  O. 

Vf'm.  14 — 37. — Jehu  as  avenger.  No  sooner  Is  Jehu  proclaimed  king  than,  with 
(haracteri«tic  d«^i«ioii,  he  gives  ordfjrs  that  no  one  bo  permitted  to  leave  tho  city  to 
CMrry  ri<  wn  to  Jcboram  ;  thnn,  inoiiriting  his  chariot,  he  firives  off  furioiiHJy  to  J«/.reei. 
Whatever  Jehu  dil,  he  did  "  with  all  Iuh  might"  (KccIch.  ix.  10).  It  in  this  vimitous 
i>'(-ifiion  of  character  which  miido  hira  so  suitable  an  iuutrument  in  uxoouting  God's 
/finji'ance  on  the  boii«i;  uf  AhaU 


m.  IX.  I-<8T.]         Tint  8BC»ND  BOOK   OF  THB   KllfOa. 


I.  jKttr**  ArruKAai  ru  Jkxu»u.      1.    1\t  MQ<cAf«a«'f  •si'WMHMmI     !■  Ik*  ht 
.11.!..,  ,.  it.n  wi»i.  '  mux  (>u  Ut«  lowrr  ol  Jrcraal  b(>ht>l«i«  •  •••iii:«    v  g^  banaOMii  rmti^i'v 
a    CAU    li    pirietMlT      'I'be    repurt    i'  i    lu    iht 

s  '   ii  It  II, <  ^MUt;or  uu  hurvolKkck  (u  n.  .       '        ,  oirrcr*  «i»<: 
arv  !  ,   Aud  lU  iuhat'ltAJiU.      Ilul    "  Ulvj  t    ih«    Lu: 

dljr.  il   lii  VKtii "  (I't    cixvii.    1).       And  if   ib«   I.  > 

Ui«  Uotr  ai  (Kill  "1  »  iitv,  or  <•(  ti,(»«  III  It,  Uiwern  au<l  w»tcbm«o  will  't<>  I-  I  ' 
ttinu.     'J.      wo*-**!!"*-  ff»^»»<-(i  ,r'«.      'I  hrn*   TrriM*    trr  chi'-rty  Jtitrr'-Tip  t« 

llir  cbantt  t<-r  of  Jabu.      1  l. »«i,^;pr   •rut   by  .'  - 

aii«iMk«,  "  ltU|«ftOrf  "  'Hit  1,;.  11  loUbly  u,  •' V. 

Jetiu  tlt«it  uut  evm  aiiawer  bim  (.ivilly,  but,  witli  a  rui:  "  W.i^i  b^iat.  .:.    a  u. 

(iriAco?''  be  ordar*  bitu  to  turu  U'hmd  bitu.      A   tuau  ibia  who  will  huMjk  <  ■ 

■iiltiiiit  lu  no  curh,  eD<iurt>  DO  cL(<ck,  iu  ilia  imperioua  couhmil     ilci, 

bii  path,  it!i  ,  beitdo  tbetn  to  bU  wilL     Tliii  iue->«eu:.'er  rvturua  u 

oui  frxMii  ib<-  kins,  meei«  a  like  rect-ptioD,  an<l  U  a1>  '     '  '  '^ 

reviPsiiierti.     At  leoglh  tt  r  hor-«iueu  are  nrar  eO'  r 

▼  ew,  aii>l  i.e  bai  no  dlQiculiy  m  roi-u^uiKiu^  the  I    : . 

aa  tlip  (living  of  Jehu.      Ilia  faiuili.ir  to  all   liiat  ,  l^    . 

I'tiyait-tgnoiiiy,  walk,  geatup-,   biUi<lwniiDg    »-veii,  axa    *...  .<^". 

uLacirTaiii  eye,  tbt-  auul  l<>-'kt  uut.     Hypocriay  luajr  create  a  aLA>-  u  the 

rt>al   cliaracur  aeeka  to   Luir    itaelf.     iiut  hyi-x:ria>,  too,   haa  <.; .-ijfi     I 

Itetrajriug  ita  pn-aenoe,  auii  the  iiuutk  catmut  aiwaja  be  ke[4  on.  1/  we  wiah  bahitually 
to  am>i«r  true,  we  tuuot  be  trut . 

IL  Jeuobau  and  AiiAZiAU  6t.AUi.  1.  7V/a(«/W  wt^tting.  Od  learning  ti.at  Jcbu 
waa  Hpjwikuiiiug,  Kiu^  Jehuram,  now  cotiTaleeoeet,  prei*r.  1  (,.-  cL  .'■  !,  aa.i, 
•coom|«ued  bj   Ahazi.ih  of  JutUh,   went  uut    to   meet    )  two 

Miooant«r«<d  at  tbe  |*>rtiotj  of  Naliotb  the  Jetrwlittt.     Strazi  u  we 

■ball  MS  below,  more  than  coiiici<ieoc«.  As  the  cbahou  uic«i,  lUo  iiiU|$  puta  tb«i 
aijxi<His  quMtiou,  "la  it  peace,  JehuT"  Alaal  the  day  of  (•eace  is  over;  it  ia  now 
the  daj  uf  Tetigeano-.  (2)  Jehu  throws  do  dioguiae  over  hia  mteuliooa.  Witb  his 
usual  vehfiDfDt  abriiptneisa  he  at  once  burata  forth,  "What  |«sace,  au  kng  as  the 
whortduuiB  of  tbj  cuuiher  Jr»tl>el  and  her  witchcrafts  are  »oinany?"  Jehu  wa*  righ:  : 
there  can  be  do  peace  in  a  Biat«  when  the  foiind<itiuua  of  religion  and  morality  are 
everywhere  aubTcrted.     When  u>uut*iu8  of  immorality  are  optued  at  bea  -, 

their  poisonous  influence  8p(.'»,ily  iuft^ta  tbe  whole  nation  (Hoe.  it.  6). 
are  reaionaihle  for  the  subvention  of  rigb'eouane^a  Id  •<  state,  mu^t  \<tAT  i 
(3)  Jehonun  needed  to  hear  no  more.     He  saw  at  a  glaucc-  thr  ^U'.au>  u,  a 

about,  "  Trejithery,  O  Alia    an!"  he  luruci.  and  tied,      but  there  ma*  uo  ^ 
in  Jehu.     Witli  tierce  proini>titude  he  aeites  his  b<>w,  fits  on<.  a'row  to  the  , 

taking  sure  ami,  smiUrs  thtr  dying  king  right  thrv>ugh  the  hi.irt       JeboTii  « 

dead.     2.  BUhmI  /ur   bioud.       Tne    tragi-dy    thus    transacted    waa    in    the 
neiglilxjurbood  of  Naboth'a  vineyard.     On  that   very  spot,  or  near  it,  N  .  u 

bk>od  had  been  abed  (I  Kiu^s  xxi.  13),  and,  aa  this  verse  buowd  (v,  r.  'li,),  u^'i  u  a  e, 
but  the  bloml  of  hi^  sons.  Thither,  after  tbe  murder,  Ahab  wrnt  d"\*u  t-  i»iie 
poast-asion  of  the  vineyard,  and  there,  wben  be  arrivetl,  be  found  Eiij.ti  stAud  ..;, 
Vkaiiiug  to  denounce  ujn-n  him  me  doom  of  bli-"i.  This  waa  nut  all,  f<  r  ajucn^'  i;  ••«» 
who  rode  with  Aiab  that  day  were  t^o  of  1.  ■,  one  of  them  Bidk.ir,  the  fii.er 

this  J<bu,    who   beard   the  prophetic   anno  agair^st  Aba)>    and  hia    ta    uy 

(1  Kings  xxi.  19 — -4).  Ahab  himMlf  waa  •uU^ue  itly  spar^l,  b^t  the  doiu 
preOictod  a;:aiuBt  him  tia>i  now  lailen  on  his  sun:  "  lu  tlie  place  wherv  d^v*  it<  k<*i  the 
blood  U  Nabi'tb  shall  dogs  lick    thy  llood,  even   thine"  fl    Kit,ga   iii.  .i 

pn.»phecy,  pri^ba*  !y,  had  n«-ver  alto-'e'her  l*>ft  the  mind  «>f  Jelm,  b  .1  ni'*  i:  ■i 

to  aim  with  fre»h  force  as  he  saw  ^  oi*n  ha.i,'..  , 

M  it  cliancfri,  was  there,  and  Jehi  tic  orwclr       I  <* 

■\X\y     ...:.'■-  ■■ 

be  I  '         : 

Corroj"  .  iiioa  t«,i  .r  t>r-.>»,  .  .t-y 

occur  in  8[*iak  I'f  them  a>  ■ry,  m 

this  aa  in     ...i.  c«,aoa,  ia  "  ujjowiiicK'Ui>  ^ ..      .  ,    j ,     »..>.  ^  ..   .     j  i-    ■      •     ••  -•"•     '^ 


206  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  EINOa        [en.  ix.  1—37. 

truth  in  sucli  representations  lies  rather  in  seizing  and  bringing  to  ligbt  actual  laws  in 
the  moral  eovemment  of  the  world.  There  is  a  singular  tendency  in  events  in  history 
to  fold  back  on  each  other — even  dates  and  places  presenting  a  series  of  marvellous 
coincidences.  3.  A  partner  in  doom.  The  King  of  Judah  had,  the  moment  the  alarm 
was  given,  sought  his  own  safety.  He  fled  "  by  the  way  of  the  garden  house " — was 
it  the  "  garden  of  herbs,"  into  which  Naboth's  vineyard  had  been  converted  (1  Kings 
xxL  2)  ?  But  in  vain.  The  perenaptory  Jehu  allows  nothing  to  escape  his  vigUance, 
and  immediately  he  is  on  Ahaziah's  track.  His  command  was,  '*  Smite  him  also  in 
the  chariot,"  and  this  was  done,  "at  the  going  up  to  Gur,  which  is  by  Ibleam." 
Ahaziah  continued  his  flight  to  Megiddo,  where  he  died.  A  slightly  different  account 
of  the  manner  of  his  death  is  given  iu  2  Chron.  xxiL  9.  Whatever  the  precise 
circumstances  of  the  death,  we  cannot  but  see  in  it  (1)  a  righteous  retribution  for  his 
own  sins;  and  (2)  an  example  of  the  end  of  evil  association.  Through  his  mother 
Athaliah,  daughter  of  Jezebel,  he  was  brought  into  close  and  friendly  relations  with 
the  court  of  Samaria,  and,  sharing  in  the  crimes  of  Ahab's  house,  shared  also  in  their 
fate.  It  was  his  visit  to  King  Jehoram  which  immediately  brought  down  this  doom 
upon  him. 

nL  Thb  fate  of  Jezkbbu  1.  Eer  daring  defiance.  When  Jehoram  had  been 
■lain,  the  end  of  Jezebel,  the  prime  mover  and  presiding  spirit  in  all  the  wickedness 
that  had  been  wrought  in  Israel,  could  not  be  far  distant.  Jezebel  perfectly  apprehended 
this  herself,  for,  on  hearing  that  Jehu  had  come  to  Jezreel,  she  prepared  to  give  him  a 
defiant  reception.  While  one  loathes  the  character  of  the  woman,  it  is  impossible  not 
to  admire  the  boldness  and  spirit  with  which  she  faces  the  inevitable.  Her  proud, 
imperious  nature  comes  out  in  her  last  actions.  She  paints  her  eyeliJs  with  antimony, 
tires  her  head,  and  adorns  her  person,  as  if  she  was  preparing  for  some  festal  celebration. 
Then  she  plants  herself  at  the  window,  and,  when  Jehu  appears,  assails  him  with  bitter 
taunting  words.  "Is  it  peace,  thou  Zimri,  thy  master's  murderer ? "  she  mockingly 
asked.  What  a  power  for  evil  this  woman  had  been  in  Israeli  What  a  power,  with 
her  strong  intellect  and  will,  she  might  have  been  for  good  1  2.  Her  ghastly  end.  If 
Jezebel  thought,  by  this  show  of  imperious  defiance,  to  produce  any  effect  on  Jehu, 
perhaps  to  disarm  him  by  sheer  admiration  of  her  boldness,  she  had  mistaken  the 
man.  Jehu's  impetuous  nature  was  not  to  be  thus  shaken  from  ita  purpose.  Hd 
quickly  brought  the  scene  to  a  conclusion.  "Who  is  on  my  side?  who?  he  cried, 
lifting  up  his  eyes  to  the  windows.  Two  or  three  eunuchs,  no  friends  of  Jezebel,  and 
anxious  only  to  please  the  new  ruler,  gave  the  needful  sign.  "  Throw  her  down,''  was 
the  pitiless  order;  and  in  another  instant  the  painted  Jezebel  was  hurled  from  the 
palace  window,  and,  daslied  on  the  ground,  was  being  trodden  by  the  hoofs  of  the 
horses.  Pitiless  herself,  she  now  met  with  no  compassion.  One  who  had  slied  much 
blood,  and  rejoiced  in  it,  her  own  blood  was  now  bespattered  on  the  wall  and  on  the 
hortita.  Jehu  had  no  compunctions,  but,  fresh  from  the  dreadful  spectacle,  entered 
the  palace,  and  sat  down  to  eat  and  drink.  But  the  climax  was  yet  to  come.  As  if 
even  he  folt  that,  vengeance  being  now  sated,  some  respect  was  due  to  one  who  had  so 
long  held  sway  in  Israel,  he  bade  his  servants  "  Go,  see  now  this  cursed  woman,  and 
buryhor:  fur,"  he  said,  **  she  is  a  king's  daughter."  Tiie  servants  went,  but  aoou 
rfitnmed  witli  a  shocking  tale.  Attracted  by  the  scent  of  blood,  the  prowling  citv  do'^a 
hat]  found  tlnir  way  into  the  enclosure,  and,  short  as  the  time  had  been,  all  that 
remained  of  haughty  Jezebel  was  the  skull,  and  feet,  and  palms  of  the  hamls,  strewn 
aJxjut  the  cfjurt.  .3.  A  prophecy fulJiUeil.  Such  was  the  dreadful  end  of  tiiis  huighty, 
domineering,  evil  woman.  PoHsibly  even  Jehu  could  not  restrain  a  shudder  when  he 
h'^ird  of  iU  He  liad  not  tliought  of  it  before,  but  now  ho  recalled  the  close  of  that 
awl'iil  |)rophecy  of  Kiijah  to  Ahah,  "The  dogH  shall  cat  Jezclxd  by  tlie  wall  of  Jezreel  " 
(1  Kin^a  ixi.  2.'!),  the  t«rm»  of  which  had  been  r(!|Hiiie.d  to  him  by  I'^iisha's  meH.scii'^or, 
(ver.  10).  That  word  of  God  hiui  been  fulfilled  witli  ghastly  litornlnoHH.  Would  that 
]B«n  would  l«y  to  hftart  the  Iomod,  and  baliev*  that  all  God's  thrcateningi  will  Im  aa 
omaiaiy  fulfiiiW  I— J.  O. 


m.r.l-M.} 


THE  BBOOVD  BOOE  OF  TBI  KIIKML 


SOT 


ixrutin'iON. 


a»  Jamv  otbi 


CMAJT  KK 
Twa  1— 3&     Tu  Uki. 

llBABU 

Von.  l-n.— TiM  Mvolatfoa  tettialid 
by  lb*  <l«a(nMtt«  of  Jorui  and  Ja*»bel  ia 
Imm  tmoad  UirMiffk  lU  Moood  and  iU  third 
■lifVA.  TW»  UnaMdlal*  qotatkw.  ftflar  Jo- 
iMBti  Anlki.  «M— Wo«ld  Mj  mflabw  al 
kli  teitlj  riM  «p  M  •  nhtaat  of  tL« 
tlitiMw,  mm)  dlapDto  Um  ■niTi— Iwi  with 
Jahnf  AhAhlxAdMTttntj  tual«d«aM>odABta, 
•11  ot  them  n  udcat  la  H*iuariA :  would 
Umm  b*  Ukj  OB*  Hinaox  tbeir  Duui'>er  bold 
■■flfil  to  eooM  fbrwmrd  and  MMrt  hia 
harwditory  ri^tr  J«La  r«fn^l«d  thla  m 
pcwMtini;  an<l  Imuiinent  daiiKer, 
hi*  5r»t  strp  waa  k>  rLallenga 
action,  and  either  prvTipitate  tt  or 
lit  in  T.r*.  1  — 11  ia  iflatrdUieaotkMi 
takeD  by  him.  ao  far  aa  the  daacendauta  of 
Ahab  wt-n)  euoeemed,  and  hia  aneeeaa  la 
liddiBf  himaelf  of  all  rirala  poaatiiaod  of  so 
atiOMg  a  claim.  Vera.  13—14  reLite  hia 
dtmlinga  wiUi  auoiher  bodj  of  ALuL's  rt>- 
luUuua,  beiunging  to  the  u«i>;hbuuriu^  luug- 
dom  of  JuiWi.  1q  Ten.  15—28  an  a<-oount 
la  gl^en  of  the  atill  more  blou<lT  and  more 
awt«ping  mraaurea  br  wiiicli  he  ei>we<i  the 
|«nj  oppoeed  to  hiui,  and  flnnlj  (wtabluhed 
hu  dTnuat;  in  tho  I&raelit<-  ktngUum. 

Vara.  1— 11— 71U  dtUrueiiam  of  tta 
aaaaaly  aoM  of  AJiob. 

Vav.  1. — Aad  Ahab  had  aaraaty  aona  la 
laaazia,  Bj  "aoua"  we  luoat  uo<lrr>iAO(i 
"maledeaorn-la-  *."  "  S!  '*l  of  the  "aetenty  " 
arte   probk'  -^  (aee  ver.  3); 

aom«  ntaj  t.  ■  r^U'i»>oa    TL-v 

ItTed   in    Samana ;    nnce   >.. 

principal  raiidaaeaef  thaoD 


aa  It  haa  )-c«n  c^I<xl.  or  "  WindBur"  uf  the 
Ur»«hie  kinira.  And  Jebn  vrote  lattera, 
and  Mat  to  Bamana,  u   ■  r-ra  of  Jea- 

ra«L    "  jtirt«l "  uali;.  >  aoi'rrupt 

n  a<ling  The  *  ruler*  i>i  Jriri«-i  '^  woaid  ba 
at  J<  xxeel ;  aad,  if  Jobs  viabad  to  •oauaa- 
Limtf  with  thMn.  be  would  aol  neMl  to 
"wnta."  Ila«l  auj  rl  anoe  ukeo  them  to 
Bamana — a  verr  uuprT>t4U>ia  rirrumatanea 
— iLfT  w<>al<J  have  bia<l  no  autlKKitv  tbava, 
and  to  a<Liraaa  then  would  have  btir«  aa^ 
lea*  Jehu'i  Irttrra  w«t«i,  ae  doabi,  ad- 
iiwaaod  vu  tk4  rMT*  9f  Saiarja ;  aad  aa 


Iba    LXL  aipraaalT   atoto  (^4^«a.«»  k» 

1^1  yif  v^  **ki  l»t«r*ai  Sa^a- 
fclai):  but  the  rna^ilM.'  "  Jrlf**!  '  rvaa 
aoaroalj  have  artaaa  out  of  "Mam.rt** 
(Sty-r  out  of  p"«^  atnaa  the  .liff.  fr<«» 
of  the  two  wocda  la  as  irT*«i  Mngpt  j  r  '•aMy 
the  odfiaal  word  waa  -  laracl "  '^t-T'-X 
wbleh  ia  aaail  J  aorrapted  tato  "  Jrx/eel  * 
(SuT'ir).  The  nilera  of  Kemaria.  tb»  rwpital, 
mlf(bt  well  be  calld  "  tha  rwleta  ot  l.rael" 
To  tha  aldera ;  lathav.  mm»  ik»  <4<Wa  Se4 
di*tine(  penKMia  fi«m  tha  **  nil'-r* '  t>ut  (Sa 
■amo  nadar  aaolbar  Bama(aea  1  Kinc-  iti. 
H,  IS;  aad  eoaapara  Iba  Berii««l  V.  r«»<«i^ 
▲ad  to  than  that  kroafh:  -  * 
—i*.  ilif  tuton^er  so«' 
ehar^''   tbej  were  pla<»<l      ■ 

Ver.  "L — Vow  aaa^oa  ■ 
t«   yoo.     In  the  hUai  a'. 
ii'>et  {Kuta  of  it  to  tlia  \.t.»Ki. 
can    ouIt    he    a^-it    b»   a(«^i«l 
Tl. 
ill  ' 

wji.    .- ,..  .... 

dea(«tot  r«.      Ktcd    Ih' 
Dariua    Uvataapia   wa» 
daily,  but  ofily  ••U''  k>*|'t  r 
to  nan  when  be  had  oix-»^-! 
yoor  maatcr'a  aona  arr    - 
m^ater'a   aoua"  mu»t 

by  wbi'    "'-  ' ' 

Abazi.i 

wbc  aur  > 

re«t    of    Ahab'a    •!   -<>  :i  latita,    at     tNumria. 

And  there  are  with  you  chariota  and  beraaa, 

a  faaead  aity  also,   and  armoar:   hur^illy. 

Ok*  tkaritiU,  aad   U^    i  •••.  a    f'^r^i  eitf 


■  «>hil.li 
r  whuaa 

elh 

'.    lu 

..■.IrfU 

'  -i.'r-ra. 
>kta 

*hrt 

Mr 

•  <»ot 

\  l-t  ih<-   kiciK 

(■■r  iL      ftecinf 

"  Your 

I'a  atia : 

'  ■< 

the 


alaa.  mmd  Uka  anh- 
foi\3a  of  tha  eoun .  .- 

<-h»cf  a'»«-!»«i. 

aOL.Laitii'.L'     \mtlh 

i»r'ii»      *>-ra 

IL    ■ 

.'ht 

i     of 

tl . 

Jc;«u    my>tn' 

fu: 

a  OX!  uf  thrtr 

r^f     r. .  ■    .    .»    .-■. 

*.!» 

f'T    a  (*>ntt-ei       1 
The    l.X\     havr 
^YKj^f)  trialra  i  of  "  a  r. 
exiatinK     iifLrrw    irxt 
iaaaaria  waa  tha  oalj  Ujf u&«J 

'aC 

bat  «ba 

.  ly    rtiftot 

uwa'ia  tlietr 

Vat.  T-: 
■aauac  of  t 

m    hia    '•• 

' 

r    Sart    aad 
'   ae:   Lim 

boldnat,    . 

la  hia  falhaf'a  rueua;  l^li.-  <  itu  f^  «  ur 
leadar  a^yaal  BIO  :  do  not  haajuta  ndW.i 
about  tba  buab  :  but  at  ooee  make  ui>  ju«r 
Buod^  aad  tot  ma  kaow  wttaft  i  have  I* 


206 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINQS. 


[oh.  X-  1 — 36. 


expect."  And  fight  for  your  master's  house. 
There  had  been  a  civil  war  before  the 
dynasty  of  Omri  succeeded  in  settling  itself 
on  tiie  throne  (1  Kings  xvi.  21,  22).  Jehu 
believes,  or  atieets  to  believe,  that  there  will 
now  be  another.  He  does  not  dejirecate  it, 
but  invites  it.  Probably  he  felt  toieiubly 
confident  that  the  garrison  of  Samaria,  even 
if  called  upon  by  the  municipality,  would 
not  venture  to  take  up  arras  against  the 
army  of  Ramoth-Gilead,  which  hud  declared 
itself  in  his  favour.  Still,  supposing  that 
it  did,  he  was  not  fearful  of  the  result. 

Ver.  4. — But  they  were  exceedingly  afraid. 
They  were  men  of  peace,  not  men  of  war — 
accustomed  to  discharge  the  duties  of  judges 
and  magistrates,  not  of  commandants  and 
generals.  They  could  not  count  on  the 
obedience  even  of  the  troops  in  Samariai, 
much  less  on  that  of  any  others  who  might 
be  in  garrison  elsewhere.  They  would  natu- 
rally have  been  afraid  of  taking  up  arms 
under  almost  any  circumstances.  What, 
however,  caused  them  now  such  excessive 
fear  was  probably  the  tone  which  Jehu  had 
adopted — his  "  scornful  challenge,"  as  it  has 
been  called.  He  evidently  entertnined  no 
fear  himself.  He  dared  them  to  do  that 
which  ho  protended  to  recommend  them  to 
do.  They  must  have  felt  that  he  was  laugh- 
in?  at  them  in  his  sleeve.  And  said,  Behold, 
two  kings  stood  not  before  him :  how  then 
shall  we  stand?  The  kings  intended  are 
Joram  and  Ahaziah,  who  had  confronted 
Jehu,  and  had  met  their  deaths.  Whnt 
wore  they  tliat  they  should  succeed  where 
"  two  kings  "  had  tailed  ?  The  argum(;iit  was 
fuUaeiouH,  and  a  mere  cloak  for  cowardice. 
The  two  kings  had  hi  en  taken  by  surprise, 
and  tr'  aeherou>ly  murdered.  Th6ir  fate 
cnld  jirove  nothing  cencerning  the  prob- 
able isHue  of  a  civil  war,  hail  the  "princes" 
▼eiitnre<l  to  commence  it.  It  must  bo  ad- 
mitted, however,  that  the  chance  of  success 

WftH  iiUI    hligllt. 

Ver.  S. — And  he  that  was  over  the  house 
— f'.r.  the  ofii  cr  in  cliarge  of  tlio  royal 
palace  Ciomp.  1  KingH  iv.  G)-  and  ho  that 
wiiH  over  the  city.  Tliero  would  Im  n  hiiu'e 
**  (;f)V(r!i(tr  of  the  city" — not  tlio  comiiiand- 
anl  of  th"  rarriHr)n,  but  the  «!hi«l  civil  rub  r, 
n-  arly  fvirro'^poiidJiiK  to  n  niodeni  "  mayor  " 
(nio  I  KiiiKH  xiii.  2(1).  The  oldora  also 
(rfi(ri[i.  vor  I ).  'I'h"  "trovernnr"  of  u  town 
wn*  BHuiBled  by  a  einincil  of  "elderH."  And 
'h')  briiigeni  up  ot  tho  olijldrrn  (hci-  Iho 
eminent  on  vor.  1).  Sfut  to  Jehu,  Baying', 
v/o  »r«  thy  sorvantn,  and  will  fio  ali  that 
ihou  ihalt  hid  an;  wo  will  not  ma'co  any 
king  Jehu'*  letter  had  the  elliM'l  whiehi 
h'  jnt»'nd''d,  'it^  rnnklnt'  tin-  anthorltioH  of 
hntiiKria  deeliif   tlnirn»nl vch.     They   niij,'lit, 

(K  rhafm,  hiivi'  t<)rn|Kirired,  linvn  Moit  in  iiin- 
liguotu  auawer,  or  Iiats  mouI  do  aiiawer  at 


all,  and  have  let  their  action  be  guided  by 
the  course  of  events.  But,  taken  aback  by 
Jehu's  directness  and  plainness  of  speech, 
it  did  not  occur  to  them  to  be  diplomatic; 
they  felt  driven  into  a  comer,  and  com- 
pelled to  make  tlieir  choice  at  once.  Either 
they  must  resist  Jehu  in  arms  or  tliey  must 
submit  to  him.  If  they  submitted,  they  had 
best  (tliey  thought)  do  it  with  a  good  grace. 
Accordingly,  his  letter  produced  a  reply, 
■  more  favourable  than  he  can  possibly  have 
expected — "They  were  his  servants,"  or 
"his  slaves,"  ready  to  do  all  his  pleasure; 
they  would  not  set  up  a  king,  or  in  any 
way  dispute  his  succession  ;  they  submitted 
themselves  wholly  to  his  will.  Do  thou 
[they  said]  that  which  is  good  in  thine  eyes  ; 
i.e.  "take  what  steps  tiiou  pleasest  to  con- 
firm thyself  in  the  kingdom." 

Ver.  6. — Then  he  wrote  a  letter  the  second 
time  to  them,  saying ;  rather,  a  second  time. 
The  reply  of  the  Samaritan  authorities  gave 
Jehu  an  opportunity,  of  which  he  was  not 
slow  to  take  advantage.  They  miglit  have 
been  contented  with  their  negative  response, 
"  We  will  not  make  any  man  king  ; "  but 
they  had  gone  beyond  it — they  had  de- 
parted fiom  the  line  of  neutrality,  and  had 
placed  themselves  unreservedly  on  Jehu's 
side.  "  We  are  thy  servants,"  they  had 
said,  "and  will  do  all  that  thuu  shalt  bid 
us."  It  is  always  rash  to  promise  absolute 
obedience  to  a  human  being.  To  volunteer 
such  a  promise,  when  it  is  not  even  asked, 
is  the  height  of  folly.  If  ye  be  mine- 
as  they  had  said  they  were,  when  tiiey 
called  themselves  his  "slaves" — and  if  ye 
will  hearken  unto  my  voice — i.e.  obey  me, 
do  as  I  require — take  ye  the  heads  of  the 
men  your  master's  sOns,  and  come  to  me  to 
Jezreel.  The  Samaritan  authorities  wore 
ordered  to  bring  the  heads  with  them,  that 
they  might  be  seen  and  counted.  In  the 
East  generally,  the  heads  of  rebels  and  pre- 
tenders, by  wliatever  death  they  nniy  have 
died,  are  cut  oil',  brought  to  tiie  sovoreii:n, 
and  then  exposed  in  somr  pnlilie  nlaeo,  in 
order  that  the  public  at  large  may  no  octrti- 
flod  that  th(!  men  are  really  dead  (comp.  1 
S  iin.  xx.xi.  '.()•  iJy  to-morrow  tins  timo.  As 
Jozreol  was  not  more  than  about  twenty 
miles  from  Samaria,  tlu!  order  couM  be  exo- 
cutiMJ  by  that  tiiue.  It  neceHHitatod,  iiow- 
eviT  very  prompt,  miasurcH,  and  rave  Iho 
autle>iit.ieH  but  little  time  for  conHiilerjition. 
Now  tho  king's  sons,  being  Bovouty  porsona, 
wer(!  with  ttiu  groat  men  of  the  oity,  which 
brought  thorn  up  (romp.  vor.  1). 

Ver.  7. — And  it  oamo  to  pass,  when  the 
letter  camo  to  thorn,  that  thoy  took  tho  kind's 
ions,  and  hIuw  Bovuuty  pornnns.  Ilavie^; 
committed  tbemite'vim  by  lh(>ir  auHwer  to 
Ji'Iiii'h  llrHt  h'ilei,  tho  Humiirilan  gxut  men 
■oumiid  to  tlienuolvflH  to  h»Te  no  ohoiou,  ua 


•LLl- 


THS  BBOOHD  BOOE  OF  TBS  KTIfOft 


Tt. 

rail 
Tl. 


WA<r4.  Htrt  tn  »»fTW  thi-Tn*-'»r«        w*'**  »%•  L#ri  «^*k« 


r 

1 


tbr  l.rw  II  bt   I 
V  '     <      A 

J*  lXi< ::.    . 

•nt<  n«l 

»<(>  iKiu.  and 

the  truth 
blm^i    (if 

Ui 


•    BMMSftT. 

LaT«  breufbi  Iha 
And  he  taid.  Lay 


Tl..  H 

tllblv 


I  r    I 


i<».     ^ a  O  «0  UIIU>Um1  »  Bl^tiL 

Wr.  9  — A.ad  U  earn*  to  psM  In  the  moru- 
|a(,  tliat  he  went  onu  and  itood.  and  aaid 
to  all  the  poop. a.  Ye  K    rigbiooo*      N'-i  au 

Iroiiiral  rcpn>«k<*ti  Ui   tho^  «kliu  liml    liH'UL'lit 
tUe  Lt^^la — ^  ^ 
ei>UN  r«t  tbi" 


tut!  ' 

tL 


■I  J*iv 


'UlttrUl  lur    \l»  U.-.i 


.  1— ••  Jth«  ■tow  aU  tkftt 
homaa  of  Ahah  U  leirMi,  aU  aU  hia 


Uu<tl>a  lie  -•!«?• 
h'Un-  <>(  Aiiab  lU  J 
pn>l>il>lv,  aa  Wi  II  as  '. 
put  ^>  lit-uth  all  ti.e 


and 


J<«»- 


■Uw  aii  tnoM  i     I 
bat   hi-rv  are  w-r. 
la  ^uiltj  of  t 
but   tl>i-    Uue' 
djrUKrtJ,  tllr  ! 
tepSal,    aud    '. 

u. 

A: 

»('■ 
ai  : 
tor    . 


:uul\lrr 


I     1,    'JT     I 

U   of   th< 


w<-arv  ol   Uic 
n?    'rV'*^  It 


.ek 


of  Uiat  uuuutainad  by  iiigah 


\e$.  10  Kmow  aov  tkat  there  ahall  tall 
IBlo  tka  aanh  — i^  **  yoruU.,"  "  c^  iw  k) 
M^bl  *— aaCUac  ^  <ka  vard  of  tko  Lord. 


ooa.     l*erl.a|«  '.  •'^  "»l 

u    u  vrf    19.  '■'■<»  of  ibair 

»<>.  ao^l  the  aar- 
.   full  MalMB.ot  el 
u.(  h«  Ufl  him  aoaa 

r«tL  .  "   Mitira   AWUla 

fiaruuu  » .1*  u"  I.  1  ..ui. 

Jm%.  It—li.— n*  ■■—■>•  a^A#h«>f 

Tcr.  1;:.     Aad  ho  aroaa  and  dopart«d.  aai 

ffiat  to  R*J::»ri.»  ;    ra'.licf    4/<^f   r..    in  v/«y 
to/faaMT.  '    V 

•    a 


210 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.         [ch.  x.  1—86. 


thii  point  to  ver.  17  is  of  eventa  that  hap- 
pened to  him  while  he  was  upon  his  road. 
And  as  he  waB  at  the  Bhearing-hoase  in  the 
way.  Between  Jezreel  and  Samaria  was  a 
station  where  the  shepherds  of  the  district 
were  accastomed  to  shear  thoir  flocks.  The 
custom  gave  name  to  the  place,  which  be- 
came known  as  Beth-Eked  (Baidafcad,  LXX. ; 
Beth-Ahad,  Jerome),  "the  house  of  bind- 
ing," from  the  practice  of  tying  the  sheep's 
four  feet  together  before  shearing  them. 
The  situation  has  not  been  identified. 

Ver.  13.— Jehu  met  with  the  brethren 
of  Ahaziah  King  of  Jadah.  The  actual 
**  brethren "  of  Ahaziah  had  been  carried 
off  and  slain  by  the  Arabians  in  one  of  their 
raids  into  Palestine,  as  we  learn  from  2 
Chron.  xxL  17 ;  xxii.  1 ;  the  youths  here 
mentioned  were  their  sons  (2  Chron.  xxii. 
8),  and  therefore  Ahaziah's  nephews.  And 
said,  Who  are  ye  1  Travellers  in  a  foreign 
country  were  always  liable  to  be  questioned, 
and  were  expected  to  give  an  account  of 
themselves  (see  Gen.  xlii.  7 — 13;  Story  of 
Saneha,  line  38 ;  Herod.,  ii.  1.^9,  etc.).  The 
princes  were  thus  not  surprised  at  the  in- 
quiry, and  readily  answered  it.  And  they 
answered,  We  are  the  brethren  of  Ahaziah ; 
and  we  go  down  to  salute  the  children  of 
the  king.  There  is  something  abnormal 
and  needing  explanation  in  this  visit. 
Forty-two  princes,  with  their  retinues,  do 
not,  under  ordinary  circumstances,  start  off 
on  a  sudden  from  one  capital,  on  a  compli- 
mentary visit  to  their  cousins  at  another. 
Perhaps  Ewald  is  right  in  surmising  that, 
"  at  the  first  report  of  disturbances  in  the 
kingdom  of  the  ten  tribes,  they  had  been 
sent  off  by  Athaliah  to  render  any  nsisist- 
ance  that  tley  could  to  the  house  of  Ahab 
in  its  troubles"  ('History of  Israel,*  vol.  iv. 
p.  100,  £ni^.  trans.).  In  this  case  their 
answer  mast  be  repjarded  as  insincere.  Fall- 
ing in  with  an  armed  foTCo  stronger  than 
their  own,  they  'pretendi-d  ignorance  of  the 
revr>lutiou  that  had  taken  place,  and  songlit 
to  paHH  oir  their  hostile  purpose  under  the 
pretence  of  a  visit  of  com|iliinont.  Hut 
the  jiri-u^-nce  did  not  deceive  Jehu.  And 
the  cbildroQ  of  the  queen.  Tiie  quren- 
tnother,  Jezi  hi  1,  is  probably  intended.  Her 
Tank  eiititl(;d  li(;r  to  H|»e<-ial  mtMition. 

Ver.  14. — And  ho  said,  Take  thorn  alivo. 
And  they  took  thom  alivo,  and  slow  them. 
1  ho  brevity  of  the  narrative  leaves  many 
(KJiritk  of  it  ohMeure.  It  iH  ini|>OHhil>lr  to  nay 
vvhy  the  order  waH  fciven,  "Take  Iheni 
alivi-,"  when,  iintindiulrly  aflerwuniM,  tliey 
wcr«  tnasnai'-red.  l'<irhii|i,  .Irhii  at  tirHt  in- 
t4;ii'l<Mi  U>  ■(mm  tlioir  livih,  hut  iiflerwards 
thoii^'ht  that  it  would  b«  Hafur  U)  have  thum 
pat  out  of  his  way.  It  innal  l>u  horiin  in 
Ujind  that  Ihi^y  wore  di><r)'[ic|iintti  o(  Ahab. 
At  tha  pit  of  tbs  ihesrinif  houia  ;  rather,  •! 


the  teeU  of  Beth-Eked.  Probably  the  bodies 
were  thrown  into  the  well  (comp.  Jer.  xli. 
7).  Even  two  and  forty  men.  It  is  this 
number  which  makes  the  idea  of  a  visit  of 
compliment  incredible.  Neither  left  he  any 
of  them.  The  Greeks  said,  Krimos,  ftj  ■n-a- 
repa  Krelras  iraiSas  Ku.To\elirei ;  and  the 
general  Hebrew  practice  was  to  give  effect 
to  the  teaching  conveyed  by  the  maxim 
(see  Josh.  vii.  24,  25 ;  ch.  ix.  26 ;  xiv.  6). 

Vers.  15 — 17. — Jehonadab  the  son  of  Be- 
thah  associated  by  Jehu  in  his  acts. 

Ver.  15. — And  when  he  was  departed 
thence,  he  lighted  on  Jehonadab  the  son  of 
Eechab.  Between  Both-Eked  and  Samaria 
Jehu  fell  in  with  the  great  Kenite  chief, 
Jehonadab,  the  founder  of  the  remarkable 
tribe  and  sect  of  the  Eechabites  (Jer.  xxxv. 
6 — 19).  Jehonadab  is  mentioned  only  here 
and  in  the  passage  of  Jeremiah  just  quoted; 
but  it  is  evident  that  he  was  an  important 
personage.  His  tribe,  the  Kenites,  was 
probably  of  Arab  origin,  and  certainly  of 
Arab  habits.  It  attached  itself  to  the 
Israelites  during  their  wanderings  in  the 
Sinaitic  desert,  and  was  given  a  settlement 
in  "  the  wilderness  of  Judah,"  on  the  con- 
quest of  Palestine  (Judg.  i  16).  Jehonadab 
seems  to  have  been  of  an  ascetic  turn,  and 
to  have  laid  down  for  his  tribe  a  rule  of  life 
stricter  and  more  severe  than  any  known 
previously.  He  required  them  not  merely 
to  dwell  in  tents,  and,  unless  under  the  com- 
pulsion of  war,  never  to  enter  cities,  but  also 
to  abstain  wlioUy  from  the  use  of  wine,  and 
to  have  neither  house,  nor  field,  nor  vineyard 
(Jer.  xxxv.  8—10).  Gautama,  between  three 
and  four  centuries  later,  enjoined  a  some- 
what similar  rule  upon  his  disciples.  It  is 
indicative  of  much  strength  of  character  in 
either  ease,  that  so  strict  a  rule  was  accepted, 
adopted,  and  acted  upon  for  centuries.  On 
the  present  oocafiion,  Jehu,  it  would  seem, 
desired  the  sanction  of  Jehonadab  to  the 
proceedings  upon  which  he  was  about  to 
enter,  as  calculati^d  tu  legitimate  them  in 
the  eyes  of  some  who  might  otherwise  have 
regarded  tlieni  with  diwipproval.  Jehnuu- 
dab  had,  no  doubt,  the  iuiluenre  which  ie 
uhvavH  wielded  by  an  ascetic  in  C)ri(>ntal 
eonntries.  Coming  to  meet  him.  Tliis  ox- 
prcHsion  tells  us  nothing  of  Jehonndab's 
intent.  The  meeting  nuiy  have  bj'on  merely 
a  chanoo  one.  And  ho  saluted  him,  and  said 
to  him,  Is  thin*  heart  right,  as  my  heart  is 
with  thy  heart  1  liternlly,  he  hhmiil  him; 
but  tiui  Word  uhfd  {Laruh)  lias  fre(|U)(ntIy 
the  H<MiHO  of  "to  Milnto''  (nre  1  Sam.  xiil. 
lU;   xxv.   II;   <  h.   iv.  29,  etc.).     John's  in- 

aniry  was  inuiin  toaxHun*  hiniiuOf  of  Jehonft- 
iih'H  nyinpnthy,  on  whieh  no  <Iouht  hn 
eoijiited,  hut  whereof  he  wiui  ^lad  to  me«iT« 
a  ]M>Hitiv»  proniiso.  .lehonadah  muHt  hav* 
buou  knowu  as  a  soaIous sorvant of  J«hoTaii[, 


m.  X.  I— M.]  Tm  SBOOITD  BOOK  OF  TOT  KOfOft 


211 


•d    thm    hOOM     of     Ahat.        And      JakDUa.l.h 

•mwmU,h^    Vi.- 


A|rT«rlurti{a. 


tbov  axi  hokjt  aii4  akml  «uii  u««  tu  U)« 
■•iter.  |Mrt  Ml  Ujr  haad  «uJ  I  will  t%kf> 
th«  iBto  «j  ehtftoC"  Jrhu  inU  n.lrd  ^t 
m»  to  d*  bowmr  to  Um  Kmito  rUief.  and 

to    MlWlfthMl     i.'.     .-.on      f.^.t     ...      i.y      t.     ...« 

MMtobp 

iA    J«b0L  J 

■■M  i  *»'■•  ■)  njt  Ui  Ktm  lato  jji^ 

^anot.    1  •  *»<«r.   1.  in«eliaiiot 

Wr  ^    j«^«     «  r  '       .riL.|i»     iho 

OMiiolMr  and  i:  ,.  ch«hot  ia 

friMit,  Mid  009  or  t«.   ^  ut.iw;'  iTiiioJ, 

Vw  16.— A^  h«  Bald,  Com*  vith  a%  aad 
aM  B7  ami  for  th«  Lord.  Je>honaa*b  miut 
kava  ODilenttoiid  xhtt  noatv  rurtber  iij««aurx« 
••la  about  to  bo  taken  •jrnu«t  tha  family 
and  adhareiiU  of  Ahub.  HeeNidenilr  i.p- 
proroJ  of  ftll  that  Jrhu  ha«l  alre».|y  d  in*. 
•J**!  •••  willitip  to  piTo  hiM  i-ouuierianco  to 
lurthaf  •(-»,[. I..*.  Hb  proUbly  did  not 
kuow  *iactlr  what  Jehu  d.-  -..«i  l-ut  liO 
UiU*t  buTo  b«ju  able   to  i  rublj 

•hnwd  gu<M  at   wliat  «ae  ^.     go 

lk«y  mad*  him  nd*  ia  hi*  cLatu-i.  1  erhap* 
*^?*\  ibould  be  chungtd  into  3'5Ti,  which 
■aoBM  to  hava  bean  tha  reading  of  tite  LXX.. 

who    toaaalatl^  hj    lvut^«r<r    aJr^r    i,    rp 

<f^>an  «^M^  -kt  mada  him  rida  la  hi* 

Vot.  17— Aad  whm  ka  aama  to  Bamaria, 

ba  tlew  all  that  r*maia«d  onto  Ahab  ia 
aaauria  till  fee  had  dectrofvd  him.  8«r«tjij 
■Mia  li'  >  t/ Ahab  had  Ltten  airaad  J 

daiilito  .u^ia  (van.  1—7).  It  aotnut 

enlikri ,  iuB»  tu«  attr  aaa  Lava  <in»it»^Tttd 
anv  oLbar  toaabara  or  hi*  bowa  aioapliac 
r<  tiialaa  Did  Jaba  now  daatrojr  tha  daofrb- 
tar*  ut  Abab  ivriJent  in  Saiiiaxia,  »»iih 
tb«4f  fcini!!«^f  Ti  «•  maaeollnB  form  u>t^l^ 
C"  roTp  ibia.    Aoeordiaf 

U  .    .'d,  whieh  h*  ipak*  to 

lu^ikB  ^cH't.  ]•.  \fr.  10,  aud  •*«  »>"«  tit* 
•oauMSt  oo  ah.  ix.  7). 

Van.  18-28.— 7<A«  d«frt>y«  UU  tMvdW^ 
ptn  tf  B^al^mmd  ymU  mmmd  Utk4  Bm^ 
wonktp. 

Vtv.  18.— And  Jeha  fatharad  all  tba 
paopl*  io|f«ihar,  and  caid  oaio  than,  **>«» 
Mrrad  laal  a  Uxxl» ;  but  Jaha  ahall  —rrt 
Urn  Baah.  Hitharto  the  ivToluiioa  had 
hoiBa  the  appoafaaaa  of  a  aterv  draafltia  I 
ahaafa.  I  Lr  tiinw  iatendaead  by  Uaaate 
O  Co**  »».  »7    i9X  *i»rt  (I  Kiu^  »^   I 


m  and  Omrl  (I   Klaf*   ivi  17-in 

'   >>ad  bftd  aanaaT  tha  ahanataviatW  «^ 

km*  lafcawMlfcwi.     Pial*U*.  ••  j^ 

••  •u  hwi  ttrtirixaJ  Um  paulte  M.iad 

KwlatM  wurahi^ 


■  Til    lu        1 

io  (ho  oar  ' 

I: 


aofur 

ftlall*!, 

A      . 

TaU  «<{«>  {. 
tii«  reat  of 
daja,  aad  c> 
fcaitiBib  •» 

POBia**au   lUluici^Ac  •44XBCUUU     lUf     Uii 

tuat«  of  Aaiatiaa 

Vor.  I'J— Maw  tbwfw*  aall  aato  m*  aU 
the  piopheu  of  Baal,  all  hu  •arraata.  aad 
aU  hi*  priert*.  In  Pbtuuu  .,  it  would  arcui. 
a*  iu  Egypt  aud  autuaa  tha  Jeaa.  -pr.phcU* 
and  -pha*u"  waia  diatiaat  claMr*  ■■(  |«t. 
»>na.  Tba  £«>  ptiaa*  aallod  th«  phMt  at> 
tba  prophat  aetor  kom,  litctaliy,  -  awTant  ot 
^'"^       Thay  h«ld  tb«-  priect  ia  tha  gnator 


|£'t*l 


God.^ 

bouoor.     Ia'  Phcsu  ci^  oe    the    flontfarr 
judging  from  the  aanty  aotiaaa  that  «a 
prmmm,  ptopheU  appc»r  to  harv  Ukn  pr»- 
oodaaaa  af  prieata,   and   to  hava  bad  tho 
mora  ioiportant  fniitti<<ua  aarignMi  to  ti  tm 
(•<«  1  Kingn  xriiu  ly  -40;    ixii.  Sy    Lu 
aon*  ba  wanting  -lit«rally,  Ut  mei  m  ««■ 
/aii— for  I  Hav*  a  great  eaariS**  to  do  to 
Baal.     Likr  w>  otUer  gvxia  J  tha  haathea, 
Bujti  anl  Aaburvtb  war*  vonhippwl  ehkdj 
by  aacriiioa.     Tbe  MeriAM  waa  aooMdav 
human,  but  aiare  oouimualy  a  aa^hfleial 
aaimal.  aoeh  a*  a  bull,  a  lam.  oa  a  h»-ir«L 
In  tha  giaatar  ftotiral*  aavaral  handr^a*  of 
viatimt  v«a  oCbred;  aad  th*^  fla^  va* 
•anrad  ap  at  the  ba>K|aela   by  vbteh   tha 
fciet:r;»lfl    «rr«    ai-o  lujvuiiad.      Whcaoaver 
aha^i  be  waatlag,  he   akall   aM  llaa.     Uia 
abMaoa  aooid  ba  lapwdad  aa  aa  art  of  am- 
tumae^  vanltg  oa    lahallioa.  aod    ao  a* 
rlmarriag  ofeapital  paniahmraL     Bat  Jaha 
dtfttte  aabcilty.  to  th*  iataat  that  t*  might 
ii«i  ly  th*  wanhippen  af  BaaL  "Kubuliy- 
waa  charaffieruuc  of  Jrba,  vho  alvaye  p«^ 
ferr«d  to  gam  bia  ooda  bv  aanniag  rnlhm- 
thau   la  a  atm  ^-Lt/orw.rd  «av      Id  .laicwa 
vcfv  br  the  !««  Uahl*  to  de*Lh.  aad  Jaha 
voald  LaT«  had  a  parfiMt  ri^bt  to  ereah  tha 
Baal-*of«hip  thtoaghuat  v  r  1^.1.  by  ankd- 
fag  hi*  atniaearia*  *Taryab«^«,  viih  omlata 


212 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.  [ch.  x.  1— 36, 


to  Blay  all  whom  tkey  fonnd  engaged  in  it. 
But  to  draw  some  thousands  of  his  subjects 
by  false  pretences  into  a  trap,  and  then  to 
kill  them  in  it  for  doing  what  lie  had  him- 
self invited  them  to  do,  was  an  act  that  was 
wholly  unjustifiable,  and  that  savoured,  not 
of  the  wisdom  which  is  from  above,  but  of 
that  bastard  wisdom  which  is  "earthly, 
sensual,  devilish"  (Jas.  iii.  15).  Jthu's 
religious  reformation  did  not  succeed,  and 
it  was  conducted  in  such  »  way  that  it  did 
not  deserve  to  succeed.  A  little  more 
honest  boldness,  and  a  little  less  frequent 
resort  to  subterfuge  and  craft,  might  have 
had  a  different  result,  and  have  been  better 
both  for  himself  and  for  his  people. 

Ver.  20. — And  Jehu  said,  Proclaim  a  solemn 
assemhly  for  BaaL  The  word  translated 
"solemn  assembly"  ia  the  same  which  !■ 
applied  to  the  great  feasts  of  Jehovah 
among  the  Israelites  in  Lev,  xxiii.  36 ; 
Numb.  xxix.  35 ;  Dent.  xvi.  8 ;  2  Chron.  vii. 
9 ;  Neh.  viii.  18 ;  lea.  i.  13 ;  Joel  i.  14 ;  ii. 
15  ;  and  Amos  v.  21.  Originally,  it  signified 
a  time  of  repression,  or  abstention  from 
worldly  business;  but  it  had  probably 
grown  to  mean  a  day  when  worldly  business 
was  suspended  for  the  sake  of  a  religious 
{Tiithering.  Such  gatherings  had  no  doubt 
b..cn  held  from  time  to  time  in  lionour  of 
r>aal ;  and  JehiiV  proclamation  consequently 
<  Xf ited  no  distm  t.  And  they  proolaimed 
it.  No  opposition  waB  made  to  the  king's 
wish.  No  Jehovist  party  showed  itself.  The 
"  solemn  assembly "  was  proclaimed  for 
some  day  in  the  near  future,  when  all  the 
pe>>|)le  Lad  been  apprised  of  it. 

Ver.  21. — And  Jehu  sent  throngh  all 
Israel;  i.e.  through  the  whole  of  hi^  own 
kin.'dom,  from  Dan  on  the  north  to  Bethel 
oil  tbi.-  south.  And  all  the  worshippers  of 
Baal  came,  so  that  there  was  not  a  man  left 
that  came  not.  Duty  and  inclination  for 
oii'(.  o^iiiiciijc-d.  Th(^  king's  command  made 
it  iiii-umbent  on  them,  thiy  would  argue,  to 
Rttr-Dd  ;  and  m tendance  would,  they  sup- 
jioHL'd,  n-Hult  in  ii  time  of  exciti  mcnt  and 
«  njiiyment,  which  they  were  not  ili8|)<)Hed 
•o  miKM.  TIki  deiitli-poiially  thifitoncd  for 
iioii-ttll«-ii<lance  (ver.  I'J)  wuh  scnrrdly  iierdcd 
i"  iii<luc4;  llitjni  all  to  comu.  And  they  oame 
into  the  houBo  of  Baal.  Almli  Imd  enot' d 
h  t4riii[))(>  U)  Itiuil  in  tSiiiiiuriii  Hhorlly  after 
hiH  niiitriuKi-  with  Je/ebcl  (I  KingH  xvi.  'J2). 
I.ikr-  Ihtr  other  ternpleH  of  tli<-  timo,  in  .ludiou, 
in  K;.'V|»t,  iitid  in  riiwiiirin,  it  wuh  not  u 
ni'  r«'  "  lioii  «•,"  but  o(intuinf>d  viiHt  rvnirtH  rind 
r/irridor«  litlfd  (or  thu  rrf^-jitinn  of  iiiiiiieiiH*^ 
niitiilx  rH.  And  tho  houiio  of  Biml  whh  fall 
from  ono  end  to  anothur ;  liU-rally,  /mm 
I'rim  In  lirim  ;  l.«v  brirnfii!  —  "  iiii!ta|<hr>rii 
iiiirii{itn  A  TiuriHnN  hnmon  iiliqiio  plmlti." 

\'*<r.  22.  And  h«  uild  onto  him  that  wan 
cv«r  lh«  vestry.     I'Lo  won!  tmualAtiMl  "  veM- 


try  "  (nnn^n)  occurs  only  in  this  place ;  but 
its  meaning  is  sufficiently  ascertained,  first, 
from  the  context,  and  secondly,  from  the 
cognate  Ethiopic  altah,  which  means  "a 
linen  garment."  Linen  garments  were  re- 
garded as  especially  pure,  and  were  gene- 
rally affected  by  the  priests  of  ancient 
rLligioiis,  and  preferred  by  the  worshippers. 
Heathen  temples  had  almost  always  "  ves- 
tries "  or  "  wardrobes "  attached  to  them, 
where  garments  considered  suitable  were 
laid  up  in  store.  Bring  forth  vestments  for 
all  the  worshippers  of  Baal.  It  may  be 
doubted  whether  "  all  the  worshippers  of 
Baal  "  could  have  been  supplied  with  robes 
out  of  the  temple  vestry,  which  would  ordi- 
narily contain  only  vestments  for  the  priests. 
But  Jehu  may  have  had  the  supply  kept 
up  from  the  robe-room  of  the  palace,  which 
would  be  practically  inexhaustible.  Tiie 
gift  of  garments  to  all  comers,  which  was 
certainly  not  usual,  must  have  been  in- 
tended to  render  tlie  festival  as  attractive 
as  possible.  And  he  brought  them  forth  vest- 
ments. The  keeper  of  the  wardrobe  obeyed 
the  order  given  him,  and  supplied  vestmeuts 
to  all  the  worshippers. 

Ver,  23. — And  Jehu  went,  and  Jehonadab 
the  son  of  Beohab,  into  the  house  of  Baal. 
Keeping  up  the  pretence  that  he  was  a  de- 
votee of  Baal,  anxious  to  "  serve  him  murdi  " 
(ver.  18),  Jehu  himself  entered  the  sacred 
edifice,  together  with  Jehonadab  the  son  of 
Rechab,  whom  he  wished  to  have  as  a  wit- 
ness to  his  "  zeal  for  the  Lord  "  (ver.  XG). 
Having  entered,  he  addressed  the  multitude, 
or  the  chief  authorities  among  them,  requir- 
ing that  they  should  exercise  extreme  vigi- 
lance, and  make  it  quiti^  certain  that  none 
but  true  followers  of  Baal  were  present 
And  said  unto  the  worshippers  of  Baal,  Search, 
and  look  that  there  be  here  with  you  none  ot 
the  servants  of  the  Lord,  but  tho  worshippers 
of  Baal  only.  Jehu's  real  object  was  un- 
doiibttxlly  to  save  the  lives  of  any  "  servants 
of  Jehovah  "  who  might  incautiously  have 
niix(^  tliemselves  up  with  the  Baal-wor- 
shippers, out  of  curiosity,  or  to  have  their 
share  in  tho  general  holiday.  That  h(t 
hhonlil  iiuvi' tlionichl  such  a  thing  possible  or 
ov(Mi  |m)bable  indieutes  tho  general  laxity  of 
(he  time,  and  tbe  want  r)f  nuy  sharp  line  of 
demarcation  between  tho  a<iheront.s  of  the 
two  r<  li;^ionH.  He  cleverly  mauki  d  liis  de- 
sire for  the  safety  of  IiIh  own  religionists 
under  M  hIiow  of  ku(^M  anxiety  tiiai  the 
roniiiig  cereinonies  Hlioiild  not  he  [trnfuned 
by  the  prontMic<'  of  BciifrerH  or  indilloront 
|KirHonh.  IIIh  re<|nireni(Mit  wim  in  the  spirit 
of  tiat  wiiriiing  which  the  heiithnn  com 
iiionly  giive  bi'fure  entrHiig  upon  the  morn 
wiori'd  rit«w  of  tin  ir  religiou--"  I'roeul  uhIu, 
profiinl." 

Va*  M      And  whsn  thsy  wtat  In— rather, 


«.  K.  1— i&j  TBI  BIOOKD  BOOK  OF  THl  KUfOA. 


rf 


«i«i  6Uf  LkI  ^mw  r-  •  '  -B  0>«  wKnl* 
MOHUmU  of  lU  1  .  .  (.ri<«U  «aci 

MOpKkad  vnuroa  •.  ..  \ixe  prcMaeto  uf 
M  lMB|tle  to  eff^  •MhflcM  m4  kmnt 
•fMlft-  Tl.»  prir.ta  .•'*'  -•'  t.'it  the 
olWinc*  aro  rrK*idcvi  ar  i    mii<lo 

bj  priwl  and  ixMiplo.     Jc.  ir^  foar 

•Mr*  B«  wtlhuttL  JoMt^(...ii«  •*)■  ('Ant 
Jad,' Is  A  I  (3)  Ui  I  iLrr  w.rn  (>>«  m<  .t 
ItmIj   B«a  at   bU    U<d>-i,'u»t  '  la 

lilwlj  •oottt;h.      Tboj  «<  to  i.  ^i 

kaowa  to  J<  hu  aa  n"  i  *  ,  p 

of  Jaliofab      And  i  '.a  mwi 

whoa  1  k»Tf  Vrrup'  <  raeapa, 

hi  forth* 

lift        -  (i»<ikn 

vera  oomti.'ti  :kiii   ii 

tTiinilM«i  to  \  ^a 

(•w«  ArtitH.  I-  .  iw.  ..>r 

Vrr.  25— And  it  came  to  put,  m  mob  tM 
be  bad  &ada  aa  and  of  ofTcr.  .„•  ;!  o  bnrut 
efTtriaf.     It  has  b>«n  r< 
tliat  John  "  t  ffV-nxl  tho  m 
Aiia4l,ae  tb>>u^-)i  l.c  vn 
Baal'eaiktrpra"  (i:. 
vol  It.  p.  100)  ;  but 
ftj'l  >w  nwnraaanly  fr 

Tbe  sttflU  ^  in  Sn'-;,  ^...j .. 

•itrlj,  **«hen  one  flauhod,"  or  **  wIjod  tXey 
ftiiabed:"  vT  Jehu  maj  bo  said  to  biive 
Bi  ide  tbe  I  ■'  '  oatue  bo  furnUhed  the 

vic-uina,D  eimmolatoJ  tlu-m  with 

kU  OWB  LkU'J.  liiruU'.'liuQt  beitthi  U'lutu, 
«'  tsrerer  there  were  pru  ?u,  it  waa  the  dutr 
9f  the  piiofta  to  »lay  t.o  ric  ■■  '  •*  -  .1. 
That  Jeba  Mid  to  tba'^oard— 1  ■'.« 

nMui4r<(aeo  the  oomuicut  ou  1  .^) 

— aaA  to  tk*  Mptaiaa— ^.e.  lLq  otuwn  io 
eoiuiaand  of  the  punr!  Oo  in,  and  alaj 
tham;leCaoBe  .>-t  aup- 

piwe  that  outii  .  vbile 

otiieni  adraaet-a  i  i  >  mv  < :  >v,,i  mud  vtruck 
iit;bt  and  left  The  uu&rmt-J  mult.iude 
•co-me  to  have  made  i.  u^  -...•-«•.  And  they 
•mot*  tkam  with  t'.  '  -.he  tword— 

la.  out  them  dowu  r      v  a;: J 

alow  till  oooa  won*  : 
uA  tk*  Mplaias  e^ 

r  •■•-''- '^ratouu  v-i  ,ii  ino 

'VBbjtb<  t  of  the 

Stanlej  »:.  uninle 

»■■  alixvu  «itb  orpM*.  :\a 

th«7  frlU  tl>e  t;u!irJ  anJ  ',  « 

•ut  wilL  t!.rir<'«     La'.Hls'V  .,' 

T<<L  iL  p.  l^'•)      H   I  :i  ii  r 

they  aLfuU  L>  -  '  •  .-. 

kapa  likLi  ia  i  y 

Moia  it  mtaui  i  .« 

•Amm  tkrttattbo  U^iioa  <  %» 

Ika^  pf ieei.1  J  fnr»!i''!  %o  <  •  y 

wbi  ■  4 

vac.  r 


tuary,  the  aorluaur*  of  wh:       r  ^> 


Hka  •  kAy  feHrciaa  -fy  arfglMny  mmoi 

"  f"rtr»-4  *     vfti-r«  ItMj  «M««tkf««d.OTik 

r  iiwHpaa  (rf  hia  Mio«-«ula* 

^'  L  a  aX     It  !•  le  U  re- 

>.ai    the   ■■■■titii  B^uiule 

'>e  *a«rt  «r  aoartiaflkalMii  te, 

-i-k,  tB  a  w—aBitlBg  poaiiiaa, 

waa  tba  -  houae  "  Of  *•  Mttolaary  '— perhapi 

rvavrTod  tot  tbe  prioale  oaly 

V«.  ML-Aai   tkey  hr-  '    -^    lU 

taufM  tst  ef  the  beaM  of  .>  rJU 

v4IUrt  (aea  the  maai—il  • 
2S>.    It  wae  a  epBabl  telur     ' 
olaa  worabin  u,  r.  uraannt  i> 
or  ■.'•rtl,  * 

Btjnra,  or  <•  , 

into  t 
tua,  • 
Uoth(«.,'  I 
PL  S84). 


,1    ,! 


,  A<lo  U 
an  1     t».. 


iiiatauoo  ««fe  ytijijttij't  ■  a  of 

wood. 

Ver.  17.— And  ibey  :  a 

of  Baal;   ratLer.   thry 
pillar  of  BaaL     'I-  ■ 

the  main  i<ef/  of  i       .  ^ 

or  metal,  eouM  u  :  t 

Wa*    tllirvfore    broliaB    k>   |nrr«a   (c  iu|i    rh. 

zxiii.  14).    Aad  krah*  down  th«  h  q<^  ef 
Baal— <A  parti  I  "i 

partkKtaof  itatu! 


tinu>  ihi*  day  ,  iun«io  tl,  •  a,  '  a 
for  all  the  flilb    oT  t!)^   tnwn" 
Ezra  »L   n      " 
■  word  -<>. 
.....V  i»   17.     S         . 
poeaible  He*-      . : 

Ver.  M.     Tl'.;i    ;.;.-    ■    • :     ^  -  .    F    .        .; 
of  Israel.     'I'he  : 
tuaJ;    the  mnt*\ 

•ad  leBol  •    ' 

kiagdoM  of 

eeematobat.  >..*■  .  ...  , ...     v  .^  w.  ...      . .  ► 

Vera  ?^J  — SI.  — JcAe't  >Aorfawa4'»<yi 
Ver.  ty. — Bowbait  fr^^m  the  mat  ei  Jera- 
beaa  tk*  •■•  af  ]l*bat,  wke  maAa  liraal  t* 
aa.  Jeka  departed  aoC  trvm  tf.tr  '.item     U 
waa  a  eraeial  tft  of  J  ^  la 

Jebotak;  would  hem*:  »Lip 

of  Jaroboaai  ar  Dot  f     \'<  .lu  n^avrir^  katM4 
tha  watiktp  iMd  beeo  aet  ap  by  tla  aatbo^ 


su 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.  [oh.  x.  l-5a 


ihe  CTirse  of  God  had  been  pronounced 
against  it  by  the  chief  propliet  of  the  time 
(1  Kings  xiii.  2),  and  his  word  had  been 
atti-sted  as  from  heaven  by  two  miracles 
(1  Kings  xiii.  i,  5).  Jehu  ought  to  have 
known  that  the  caU-worehip,  if  not  as  hate- 
ful to  God  as  the  Baal-worship,  at  any  rate 
was  hateful,  was  a  standing  act  of  rebellion 
against  Jehovah,  and  laid  the  nation  under 
his  displeasure.  But,  while  his  own  interests 
were  entirely  detached  from  the  one,  they 
were,  or  at  k-ast  would  seem  to  him  to  be, 
bound  up  with  the  other.  The  calf-worship 
WAS  thought  to  be  essential  to  the  mainte- 
nance of  the  divided  kingdom.  Abolish  it, 
and  all  Israel  would  "  return  to  the  house 
of  David"  (1  Kings  xii.  26— 3i)).  Jehu 
was  not  prepared  to  risk  this  result.  His 
"  zeal  fur  Jehovah "  did  not  reach  so  far. 
Thus  his  "refi)imation  of  leligion"  was  but 
a  half-reformation,  a  partial  turning  to  Je- 
hovah, wliich  brought  no  pLTmanent  blessing 
upon  the-  nation.  To  wit,  the  golden  calves 
that  Were  in  Bethel,  and  that  were  in  Dan. 
Tlie  erectifin  of  the  calves  (I  Kings  xii.  29) 
was  the  initial  sin,  their  worship  the  per- 
Bisient  one.  (On  the  nature  of  tlie  calf- 
worship,  see  the  comment  on  1  Kings  xii.  28, 
and  compare  the  '  Speaker's  Commentary ' 
on  the  same  pas.>age.) 

\er.  30. — And  the  Lord  said  unto  Jehn — 
■carcely  by  direct  revelation,  ratiier  by  tlie 
mouth  of  a  pruphet,  most  probably  of  Elisha, 
a.i  Thi  nius  supposes — Because  thou  hast 
done  well  in  executing  that  whicli  is  right 
in  mine  eyes.  In  making  himself  the  exe- 
cutor of  God's  will  with  respect  to  the  house 
of  Aliab,  and  utterly  destroying  it,  as  he 
ha-l  bf-en  commanded  (oh.  ix.  7),  Jehp  had 
"  dfjiie  well ; "  he  had  also  done  well  in  put- 
ting down  tlie  worship  of  Baal,  and  sltiying 
thi-  idolaleiH,  for  tiie  destruction  of  idolaters 
wjunJisiiiiclly  c»mmiin<le<i  in  the  lAw(i^xod. 
xx:i.  20;  xxxii.  27;  Numb.  xxv.  5).  Thcsn 
ill  tH  of  hJH  arc  praisid  ;  jjut  nothing  is  said 
of  his  uiotiven  in  doing  tlioiii.  Tliey  wore 
jirobubly  V>  a  ^Tcat  extent  ai-l(lHh.  An  1  hast 
done  unto  the  house  of  Ahab  all  that  wan  in 
mine  hoarl  (mi  ch.  ix.  21  -:i7;  x.  1—7,  11, 
14;,  thy  children  of  the  fourth  geijiTiition 
■ball  (it  on  thu  throne  of  Iiirnol.  ICxti^rnal 
olM.dinni'f  wiM  cuitalily  rnwiirilrd  by  an  rx- 
U  rtiiil,  Mirllily  honour  the  honnur  of  having 
tiiH  clyiiiuity  Mi'lijiwl  u|ion  tho  thmrio  during 
fIVK  i^'iMi  ruliKhN,  iitid  for  a  |>orii>i|  of  nl>ov(i  a 
buniiriMl  yiTiirn.  No  otlmr  ItruilitA  ilyiiiutty 
hiri'l  ill)'  tliroii)'  lnnt^nr  than  throo  gi-niTu- 
ti'MiK,  or  fur  NO  nui'li  lui  (ifty  ynTn.  Tim 
"  i^liililri'D  "  or  il««<  ti'iilunt«  of  .luhu  wlm  Mit 
Uif'U  tho  thfiri"  nfU't  him  with  Juhouhuz, 
bi«  •'•n,  Jidj'-itoh  or  AitunU,  \n»  graniliton, 
JdrotiTMiii  II.,  hi*  grfut-gminlHoii,  anil  /u- 
rliariith,  i'iti  of  Jiifiixmixi  II.,  hi*  gn  at-groat- 
graUiUwo. 


Ver.  31. — But  Jehu  took  no  heed  to  walk 
in  the  Law  of  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  with  all 
his  heart.  Jehu's  character  is  thus  summed 
up  by  Dean  Stanley :  "  The  character  of 
Jehu  is  not  diiflcult  to  understand,  if  we 
take  it  as  a  whole,  and  consider  the  general 
impression  Isft  upon  us  by  the  biblical 
account.  He  is  exactly  one  of  those  men 
whom  we  are  compelled  to  recognize,  not  for 
what  is  good  or  great  in  tliemselves,  but  as 
"  instruments  for  destroying  evil,  and  prepar- 
ing the  way  for  good;  such  as  Augustus 
CsBsar  at  Kome,  Sultan  Slahmoud  II.  in 
Turkey,  or  one  closer  at  hand  in  the  revo- 
lutions of  our  own  time  and  neighbourhood. 
A  destiny,  long  kept  in  view  by  himself  or 
others — inscrutable  secrecy  and  reserve  in 
carrying  out  his  plans — a  union  of  cold, 
remorseless  tenacity  with  occasional  bursts 
of  furious,  wayward,  almost  fanatical  zeal ; 
— this  is  Jehu,  as  he  is  set  before  us  in  the 
historical  narrative,  the  worst  type  of  a  sou 
of  Jacob — the  '  supplanter '  .  .  .  without  the 
noble  and  princely  qualities  of  I.srael ;  the 
most  unlovely  and  the  most  coldly  com- 
mended of  all  the  heroes  of  his  country  " 
('  Lectures  on  the  Jewish  Church,'  vol.  ii. 
p.  2S9).  The  estimate  is  lower  than  that 
formed  by  most  other  writers  ;  but  it  is  not 
far  from  the  truth.  For  he  departed  not  from 
the  sins  of  Jeroboam,  which  made  Israel  to 
■in  (comp.  ver.  29). 

Vers.  32 — 36. — JehtCs  wart,  length  ofreign^ 
and  auccesaor. 

Ver.  32. — In  those  days  the  Lord  began  to 
out  Israel  short.  It  is  certainly  not  stated 
in  direct  terms  that  the  ill  success  of  Jehu's 
foreii^'u  wars  was  a  punishment  on  him  for  his 
continued  maintenance  of  the  calf-idolatry; 
but  tho  juxtajjosition  of  vers.  31  and  32 
naturally  raises  the  idea,  and  oonstitutt^s  a 
strong  presumption  that  it  was  in  the  writer's 
miud.  The  "  theocracy  "  under  tho  kings 
was  carried  on  mainly,  as  tho  writer  of 
Chronicles  clearly  saw,  by  tho  bent(>w«l  of 
worldly  i>n)«j)0iity  and  military  success  on 
good  kings,  and  Uiu  accinuulation  of  mis- 
fortunes and  military  diHasters  on  bad  ones 
(see  a  Clinin.  xii.  6-12;  xiii.  4—18;  xiv. 
2-15;  XV.  2—1.5;  xvii.  3— S.  etc.).  My 
"cutting  Inriiol  nhnrl" — literally,  "rutting 
off  in  Ivniel  "— iH  probably  meant  tho  con- 
(juiHt  of  eertaln  jmriionHor'tho  ti-riiiory.  Ha- 
zael  rehunieil  thr  war  which  llenlmdaii  had  ho 
liiug  wiigrl,  ami  gaini'il  niiMn'iniiM  HUecrHHm. 
And  Hasiiul  •molu  thoni  in  all  tho  ooants  of 
laraol ;  or.  ii/iKir;  titrir  trlmlr  front  irr  (IMtr). 
Tho  friinliiT  inli'iiili'.l  in,  of  I'ourHi',  that  on 
tlix  north  itnil  ttant,  wliero  (In-  iNracliln  tnrri- 
torv  waa  runtiirniinouH  with  that  of  Hyria. 

Viir.  83.  From  Jordan  oaatward.  Tho 
tnrritiiry  w«'mI  of  tho  .lunlan  wan  nut  nttin'liid 
at  thiN  tinin.  IIu'/4w<l'«  expuililioiiH  wera 
diru<'l«d  agaiuat  tha  Iraua-Jurdauie  rcgioi^ 


•LI.1- 


m  noovD  BOOK  op  m  niFfMi 


n« 


•  tmr  tm\*m  €4 


<■  tb*  Mkuf*  «Lxi<l.rra  f«ifi'«.  r«»'  biaf 
ban  iW  U>r  km  i>f  M  ^b  oti  t^  cmiUi  Io 
Ik*  Uiiiwum  or  ttb«i>«t«l'll«tt(ltitr  mptm 
1km  Mrtk.  Um  yropty  Uad  af  ito  OUiua, 

MrtlMni  Niriu«.  vkiik  b»laa«iid  wkoUv  to 
!!■■■■  h-trm  Aimt  (b»v  >lr«l').  wUA 
la  ky  tk*  rtT«r  4rB-a— IS*  ir<Hr<l-V«>^ 

M<*b(S'utuU  i  ^« 

aiWmakaM.    Thaw t> allMr ■Hilw^ 

Ihia.   ll.at    n&Mol    V»«   CM*   of   tiM 

'  i  kiac*.    W«  iad 
bia,4Mi(  k  of  BkalaMMMT 

IL,  — ti  m  ]  M  m  aiuUburn  tdtvnmrf  of  tho 
A«flteB»nM.  laUMWfoateMUiouipttin 
•f  tkahmmmmt  ft  groat  ^ftt*^  «••  faai|pil 


!■••  iko  icM  BMra  Umui  t*.  «»  >.ut^ir«4 
ahariiila,  bat  wm  drfimi'-  to 

l«4Mal.  hi*  oarap  fkJU&K  -.  .      •  of 

tba  OBMay  ('  Ueouivla  of  Uic  I'mu'  «uL  i .  p^ 
t4X  Fb«r  jr«n  Utar  Bhalminaaiy  invailad 
HaflMini  tomiotr.  aad  took.  aaeardlBC  <o  ^ 
•w  iMBwl  (tUl,  ■.  MX  fc«r  ■***-  or  tm- 
tivooMbolaaigiactobiak  Ha<lot«Bot(>Uiai, 
ko«*ror.  to  bftTv  dmmI*  kiia  a  tribuurv  ;  »uil 
by  kio  latar  aanaU  it  la  rrkdrut  liuU  ho 
avoidod  tether  ooataat,  prafomng  to  twa 
kto  MM  Ik  oikor  dliMrtiiM    (Ob  Hawaii 


•—JJjJBto  

17.  Ift) 
V«  M-l»«U*rHiaf  ikoaatoaf  iak^ 

a»d  ikll  Uut  U  4i4.  aU  all  kla  aOfU.  Tbta 
U«l  ubrMO  la  rvMAfkaM^  aottai  irfiog  ibat 
Jcbu  •  aart  •l^e«  S«  b«^UB»  kia^.  •>«aa  to 
kava  bwt.  jcMWOrtoM  oooi^  it^l 

ko  bit  a  «  of  kio  4MaiotoM  to 

SffKa^l  ym»  .1,..^  by  iboBtock  Okrik*) 
mM  Iriboto  to  Iko  A*itftaooC  MhjoHi  af 
IkoPMt'vai  V  .^  «!).     -M^ia*  !..^    -c  • 
•arrsbml    br  lb*    vrtlM   • 
fUaalia  aa<l  Ouin  Maua^c  u 

■iQMwtio.  and  aalj  lu  ▲»  ^^  J.r  «..^,  ..«i 
■■oag  atartoaa  J»wiak  omo.  •- AU  hb 
■Ifkl"  Vaa  a«lj  kooa  mmi  td  Am^  W« 
aaal  pvekaUy  aadoraiafaa.  Ikat.  ailkn^k 
<ifcilii  ioka  calaod  saak  itfatiaoriaa.by 
kla  paanal  ptowaai  aad  otkar  Bihury 
qaanttoi.  la  tka  Sjrtoa  van,  aad  ••• 
toakoBiil  *  a  aiicktr  aoui  of  Taloor  **  la  tfiim 
of  iko  lU  MieeMa  of  hla  van.  An*  tkof  aoc 
wiituaia  tka  boak  of  cka  akroatoiaa  af  Ik* 
kiaga  af  laaall  (aoa  Uto  iim«  al  oa  ok.  L 

\VnL  U.  B8.— Aad  Jakm  alapt  vltk  kia 
falbora :  aad  tkay  banad  km  la  laaana. 
Aad  Jakoakaa  ku  aoa  raio*d  la  kia  it  aad 
Aad  tbo  Urn*  tbat  J*ba  r«io«4  arvr  lara^ 

la  S-  ci^  Toaia. 

Tvr  rvigo  lor  aa 

lara'..^  ....k  ^y  oa*  utkac 

kitiK  ia  tka  oii  L  Joiakoaa  U, 

who  ia  aaid  ia  c       <         bo  i«v*  trig,M 
CoftT-ooo  jaaia     liw  kuup  at  Ji 
UfaA. 


H0M1LETIG& 


Vara.  1— T-^fltilar  ^ oiaa  •  ttnmgtr  mHm  with  lAa  w4e^d  mmd  wiiM^  Omm 
At  fmt  ^  Otd.    Barolutiuo*  aub)ao(  to  aaircav  trial  omm  '  '  -^^apy  bigb 

atattooaattlMttmaoftkoiroeoBfrMWik    Sneb  paraoM  kavr  t  ..  mraikort 

''^oy  will  pvfaaa,  tue  ^  a 
.o  la  Umv  Mpport  of  iu 


varraiMirt 
■  Li  (.b  tk«y  vi:| 
lo  makiax  Lb<-ir 


^v.«.. ,  iWoCkrr 


fer  tka  moai  part,  tk*  Her  ^r' 
.and  tlw  laagUu  to  wkkk> 
rkoloa  tkov  ara  apt  to  think  law  ul  ~   _.  ;..<./  oof^' 
lalaraato  rr^uira  ihoa  to  da    They  **  aro  Id  a  » 
ia  the  f.  ••    f  oMa,  oa  tka  ochar  tho  fr«r  of  Oi<L      . 
out:  '  -  prevaiL     Lot  oa  oot>okiar  a  httlo  wt.y  : 

1     WHY  rma  niAB  or  Goo  »  vbak.      1  cJ  and  w^HAlw,  vha 

fcjRn.  aiaa  i  tho  voat  aiaai  of  BMBkiod,  do  ik4  KmcrkUy  rYoo  ai>  muck  aa  roaltaa  tka 
9Si*'rvem  of  Ood.    Thar  aaj  not  br  akaoloi*  a-.Lrua,  bai  tmetkaJlj  tikev  iu  bi4 
hava  U^  la  tkair  Ikoa^la.     t.  Thoaa  who  heitovr' io  Ood  at>d  harv  aMw 
Tiov  bim  a*  diaiat,  aad  kia  Totigraooo  aa  a  thiny  that  Bar  ei<n*  vt  mar 
maraifttl,  aad  may  Wi  pi>|4tiat«d ,  be  ia  aumpaaamoato,  aad  may  aot  ka  " 
■Mfk  what  la  doaa  amfaa."    Mao  kopa  that  bo  will  fwfat  thoir  mfarta^li. 
thaai  fcr  kia  Bm.'a  laka,  or  aocrpt  a  taoiy  rrietitaaea  aa  eoafenaatioc  k*  '-i^-     - 
S.  8otaa  vkev  Gud  aa  ailogHhar  kaaaaulmi  aad  b«a«6<Mb..  x. 


tkawfafo  ■■  laeaiaklo  of  poaiAit  moo,  fargHtlD. 
aBd.lf  kotolbr|;|T«aC.Wlaabo)aak«a.  TW  u 
ia  ravoalod  aoMnilBc  kim  \m  Beriptuia.  bvi  (nttx 

laf  thair 


itkrir  uwn  uiia^Uiaaoaa 


he  u  alao  jufl^ 
out  fraa  what 


216  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KIN(JS.  [ch.  x.  1— 3fi 

n.  Reasons  why  thb  teas  of  man  is  stbong.  1.  Man  is  visibly  present,  and 
has  a  power  to  injure  and  punish  which  cannot  be  doubted.  2.  Man's  vengeance  falls 
heavily  and  speedily.  It  is  rarely  delayed ;  and  it  is  often  of  great  severity.  3.  It 
consists  of  pains  and  penalties  which  are  more  easily  realized  than  those  which  God 
threatens.  We  know  very  well  what  is  meant  by  the  death  of  the  body,  but  what  the 
death  of  the  soul  may  mean  is  obscure  to  us.  4.  If  we  offend  men,  it  is  very  unlikely 
that  they  will  forgive  us.  Most  men  regard  clemency  as  a  weakness,  and  exact  "the 
uttermost  farthing  "  from  those  who,  they  think,  have  injured  them. 

Under  these  circum stance*,  the  fear  of  man  prevails.  The  rulers  of  Samaria, 
challenged  by  Jehu  either  to  raise  the  standard  of  revolt  against  him,  or  definitely  to 
embrace  his  cause,  and  mark  their  adhesion  to  it  by  embruing  their  hands  in  blood, 
must  have  balanced  in  their  minds  for  a  time  the  two  alternatives — should  they  con- 
eent  to  slay,  without  offence  alleged,  seventy  persons  obnoxious  to  the  powers  that 
were,  undeterred  by  fear  of  Divine  vengeance,  to  escape  the  anger  of  Jehu  ?  or  should 
they  brave  his  anger,  and  refuse  to  engage  in  the  massacre  required  of  them,  out  of 
regard  for  the  Law  of  God  (Exod.  xx.  13),  and  through  fear  of  the  vengeance  denounced 
by  God  upon  such  as  contravened  it  (Gen.  ix.  6)  ?  They  yielded  to  the  lower,  but 
more  immediate,  fear,  and  submitted  themselves  to  be  mere  tools  in  Jehu's  hands, 
because  they  feared  man  rather  than  God.  Having  made  up  their  minds  that  their 
forces  were  insufficient  to  contend  with  those  of  Jehu,  they  put  themselves  at  his  dis- 
posal, and  consented  to  do  all  that  he  required  of  them.  So,  constantly,  in  civil 
Btrugirles,  parties  have  put  before  them  the  alternative  of  following  conscience  and 
embroUing  themselves  with  the  civil  authorities,  or  of  defying  those  authorities,  keeping 
their  conscience  clear,  and  observing  the  strict  Law  of  God  in  the  mattere  whereon  they 
have  to  exercise  a  choice.  Sometimes,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Girondists,  the  better  part 
ia  taken — duty,  truth,  virtue,  are  preferred  to  expediency,  and  martyrdom,  a  glorious 
martyrdom,  is  for  the  most  part  the  consequence;  but  generally  the  result  is  different — 
expeiliency  carries  the  day,  and  the  sad  spectacle  is  seen  of  men  sacrificing  their 
principles  to  their  immediate  interest,  and  consenting  to  wade  through  crime  if  they 
may  preserve  their  worthless  lives  by  so  doing. 

Vers.  8 — 11. —  TTie  wicked  fuive  small  regard  for  their  hrlpera  and  confederates, 
Jehu  had  made  the  authorities  of  Samaria  his  tools.  He  had  recjuired  of  them  the  per- 
foniiance  of  a  wicked  and  bloody  act,  such  as  despotism  has  rarely  exacted  from  its 
inbtrurnc-nta.  Seventy  j)er8on8  to  be  slain  in  the  course  of  a  few  hours — for  no  offence, 
for  no  state  necessity  except  to  smooth  the  path  of  a  usur|)erl  And  the  seventy 
jiersouK  for  the  most  jwirt  boys  and  youths,  some  probably  infants,  and  these  (iefence- 
ieKB  ones  entru.sied  to  the  care  and  protection  of  those  who  were  now  called  upon  to 
take  their  lives  I  It  was  a  tremendous  burden  to  cast  on  men  not  previously  his 
partihatis,  not  l)oimd  to  him  by  any  interchan_'e  of  good  oflices  and  henelits — ratlu'r, 
under  the  circumstances,  his  naiural  op])<)nents  and  adver.saries.  Yet  tliey  took  the 
burden  on  theniHciveH;  they  accepted  tlie  mi8(ral)le  task  assigned  to  them — they 
ace-  pted  it,  and  cariied  it  out.  No  doul)t  they  thought  that  by  so  doing  they  had 
bound  the  king  to  tlium,  made  him  th(  ir  duhtor,  and  laid  him  under  an  ohligatioit 
which  hf!  would  not  Iw  slow  U>  aeknowleilge.  liut  the  deeii  once  «lone,  thti  deailis  once 
A<:c/j(n[iliHhed,  and  immediately  the  insti^'alor  of  the  crime  turns  against  his  acconi- 
pIicoM.  '*  Ye  ar^  right«!oUH,"  he  t^ays  to  the  crowd  wliich  has  gatheri'd  together  to  f;a/,o 
at  the  hf'.'idH  nl  flie  victimH — "  yo  ran  diwern  ariglit ;  now  judge  hotween  mo  and  tlies(< 
niurd'TiTK.  I  h|i  w  my  mft^fer — I  killed  ono  man,  a  I'olitical  necessily  compelling  nw  : 
hut  wlm  ulew  aJl  Ihrnef"     ilo  holds  up  his  fritinds  and  alli'S,  witliout  the  least  com- 

Iiuiiction,  to  thd  |M>pulnr  <Mllum.  He  entirely  conrealH  the  laet  that  he  him  elf  han 
Hrrn  at  the  r<n)l  of  thu  whole  matter,  haH  conci)ive<l  tlie  niasHacre,  and  commaiided  it 
(>Br  6).  Mfl  oontrauli*  th«<  titrrihle  deed  of  blood,  which  has  horrified  all  who  liavo 
hcar<l  of  it,  with  hmown  comparatively  ninall  crime,  and  claims  l4i  liavi>  hiH  li^ht  i>llen(^o 
con'l'iniHi,  overiiha<low(«il  aa  it  in  by  the  heinuuii  deixl  of  the  SanuiritanH.  VV(«  do  not 
know  whMhnr  by  hia  M|4web  hn  pruvoktMl  any  |)OpuInr  outhreak.  At  thu  least,  lie 
tun  cl  tbo  udn  of  pop'ilar  (linfaTour  from  hlniHcIf  tf)  bin  citiftMluralen,  and  left  them  to 
anKWf-r,  a«  bent  they  n.l^ht,  tlin  bit  ■  iim  quention,  "  Who  dhw  all  thes"?"  It  Ih  worth 
liie  prcachor'a  while  bo  iiuj  reNi  on   itivu   tliu  frinpiency  of  hucIi   oouduot  uu  thu  part  ul 


ma.1- 


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8(batUo   uri  iiitula.     Tba  K... 
4«rtas  a  ur¥;«  |«rt  of  thiiir  wat. 
to  tl.'i'  I  N'      t»^  « 


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.._  _   ._.    — _  -.jr- 

Uul  ba  at/oiU, 


«va  ditte  Jcburab  mufa  buAuuff  bad  b«  ba^i  blMtoH 


318  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.         [ch.  x.  1— 36. 

aloof  from  the  crafty  schemer  who  diigraced  the  cause  of  true  religion  bj  liei  and 
treachery. 

Vers.  29 — 33. — HcUf-Tieartednest  punished  hy  Ood  at  teverely  a$  actual  apostasy 
from  true  religion.  The  temper  of  the  Laodiceans  is  no  uncommon  one.  Men  may 
even  think  that  they  have  a  "  zeal  for  the  Lord  "  (ver.  IQ),  and  yet  show  by  their  acts 
that  it  is  a  very  half-hearted  zeal — a  zeal  that  goes  a  certain  length,  and  then  stops  sud- 
denly. There  is  no  reason  to  doubt  that  Jehu  honestly  disliked,  nay,  perhaps  dotested, 
the  religion  of  Baal.  It  was  an  effeminate,  sensual,  weakening,  debasing  system,  which 
a  rough  soldier  might  well  view  with  abhorrence.  Jehu  was  honest  and  earnest  in  his 
opposition  to  it,  as  he  showed  by  the  measures  which  he  took  to  put  it  down.  They 
were  no  half-measures — they  stamped  out  the  religion,  for  the  time  at  any  rate 
(ver.  28).  But  with  this  destructive  process  his  zeal  terminated.  He  did  not  go  on  to 
consider  what  he  could  do  to  reintroduce  and  stimulate  the  true  worship  of  Jehovah. 
Had  his  thoughts  moved  in  this  direction,  he  would  have  been  brought  face  to  face 
with  the  calf-worship,  and  would  have  had  to  consider  seriously  the  question  of  its 
maintenance  or  abolition.  But  this  question  probably  never  presented  itself  to  his 
mind.  He  was  not  possessed  by  any  real  love  of  God,  or  desire  to  worship  him  in 
spirit  and  in  truth.  Had  he  been,  he  would  have  called  in  the  advice  and  help  of 
Elisha,  and  taken  counsel  with  him  as  to  what  was  best  to  be  done.  But  this  is 
exactly  what  he  does  not  do.  He  comes  into  no  contact  with  Elisha.  After  delivering 
his  one  great  attack  upon  Baalism,  he  rests  upon  his  oars,  and  is  "  neither  cold  nor 
hot"  (Rev.  iii.  15).  Consequently,  punishment  falls  upon  him.  Hazael  "  smites  him 
in  all  his  coasts.'*  While  the  apostate  Ahab  and  his  dynasty  had  maintained  the 
kingdom,  on  the  whole,  without  serious  loss  or  diminution  of  power,  Jehu  loses  province 
after  province  to  Syria,  is  deprived  of  all  his  trans-Jordanic  territories,  and  induced  to 
submit  to  the  indignity  of  paying  tribute  to  Assyria.  God  punishes  his  lukewarmnesB 
AS  severely — may  we  not  say  more  severely  than  Ahab's  open  rebellion? 


HOMILIES  BY  VARIOUS  AUTHOR& 

Vers.  1 — 11. — Ahah's  sons  put  to  death.  Jehu's  commission  is  to  cut  off  utterly  the 
whole  house  of  Ahab.  Like  a  moral  plague  was  the  iniquity  of  Ahab's  house.  Every 
iiiemher  of  it,  by  heredity,  by  example,  by  association,  shared  the  guilt  of  Ahab  and 
JezebeL  There  is  a  '^ood  moral  reason  lor  the  extermination  of  such  a  nest  of  evil- 
doers. But  Jehu  was  n(jt  troubled  with  many  scruples  or  ditlicultiea.  He  had  got  a 
certain  work  to  do,  and  he  did  it.     We  have  here — 

L  FaithT/ESs  8KRVANT8.  The  general  corruption  and  demoralization  were  manifest 
in  the  way  in  which  Ahab's  sons  were  treated  by  the  elders  of  Samaria,  and  those  that 
brought  up  Ahab's  children.  It  was  no  zeal  for  what  was  right,  no  particular  hatred 
ol  what  was  wrong,  that  caused  them  to  yield  so  complaisautly  to  Jehu's  real  wish. 
Jehu,  inde'd,  satirized  thim  to  their  face.  H<'  made  it  appear  as  if  he  really  wanted 
them  to  defend  their  inastor'a  childreii  and  fight  (or  their  nianter's  house.  It  would 
iM.t  iKivtj  t>een  untiauiral  t(j  exiHJct  tliia  from  thi  m.  But  thoy  were  son' afraid.  Not 
only  were  they  willing,  in  their  craven  cowardice,  to  surrondi  r  Ahab's  children  t<>  Jehu, 
uWet  him  wi.rk  hin  own  will  on  them,  but  they  nctually  shnv  them  with  ihcirown 
Itiindu,  iiiiii  »fnt  their  In  ads  to  Jehu.  Uliere  there  is  nu/dith/uhwas  toward  (h>d,  there 
will  be  vinfaithfuliie»!i  in  the  relations  betiveen  win  and  inan.  FicldoncKH  is  a  charao- 
t'Ti^tic  of  tlie  wuiIiI'h  friondHhipa.  Deception  is  a  clianictoristic  of  the  worhl's  biisineiH. 
l'>iit  thoChriHtian  will  be  faiihful  to  duty,  to  ootuiciuucu,  to  God.     "He  sweareth  to 


hiH  own  hurt,  and  ctian^^eth  not"  ("Ph.  xv.  4). 
II.  'i'liK  u.vrAii.iNO  woiiD.     "Tlier 


no  HJiall  fall  unto  tho  earth  nothing  of  tho  word  of 
th»)  Ix)r'l,  which  the  L<ird  Hpako  tonc(!riiiii(^  the  Iiouho  ot  Ah.ib:  for  tlx-  Lonl  hath  done 
that  which  hii  B|Kike  by  hiw  Horvant  iOhjali."  Kvory  UKlv^UHUit  ol  (lod  which  was 
thrfliiK-rnyl  upon  Ahah'ii  hoijiMj  wan  fiillilh^d.  Ood'n  judj^montH  upon  iHrael  —  how 
literally  and  fully  hiivo  they  Ix-eu  fiilfilltHll  Kvory  Jiid-nient  j)ronouna'd  ngaiiiHl  hIu 
i*  aim  of  cori»in  and  c<»nij>h)te  fullilment.  Ho  aisu  (lud'*  promisrs  iiill  hf  fulJiUfd. 
Nol  a  tiiigle  jiruioijKi  of  Qua  vsui  avor  brukuu.      Why,  Uieu,  ithuuld  any  ol  uw  duubl  hit 


m,  M.  l-M.}         TUB  nOOVD  BOOE  Of  TUB  KUIO& 


wvti,  kU  wtUtfn—  to  i«mIv«.  hla  pow«r  to  mT\  hlj  dcatra  I*  nu^oc  f    "  Cuom  aw, 
ha  M  vUita  M  aoow ;  titouisti  ihmj 


•  i«mIv«.  hb  pow«r  to  mr%  hia  daitra  !•  nrdoo  t  "  Cuom  aw, 
li«r,  i^U  the  Lord  :  thuo^h  yvw  dm  b«  m  MaHaC,  Umt  •h«U 
Much  thaj  ba  rad  Uk*  erlutauD,  Umj  ah*!!  ba  aa  •oaL*-<l  U.  L 


▼•m.  i»~li.— iOtia'a  liiilia»  yl  ia  dmA    Fiwk  fhia  Um  acx^  uT  r««ribttlk« 
•nd  Mtadabad  al  Jri;M<i.  Jehu   U  now  oo   kU  wav  to  Hamari^     At    iIm  rtr-»rtir 
iKMiar  uB  Um  »•>  "O  of  AhaLttah  Riog  i4  Judah.     AbasltJl  blmaaU 

iMfd  alr«<«^j  l^rit      .  fur  bia  (Mu|<aiituculii|j  vlti)  JeKur-ui      And  aw w 

bia  hee:'  wntuvtx   by  AtiB<i»b'a  fata,  go  duwo  **  to  aalut«  iL«  cLulrvii  of  tlia 

klog  «D>.  iroii  of  iha  auMn  *    Jrhu'a  wmigr^aet  oo  Ahab*!  Ukim  wxt  ^r  v  Mi.g 

and  oneuilala      Ha  had  alrvailx  aaio  at  Joaraal  iwC  onlj  Ahah'a  km*/  Ul.  »i 

BMS  Md  bU  |«i(ct» — all  wl)»  in  any  waj  abowvd  Cavoor  or  aaeoora^vii.  »tj. 

la  tka  aama  auirii  ha  bow  'rath  thaaa  bratkrao  of  Ahasiah  bac»<<M  U  fcLair 

rrUtiooahip  and  armfiaihy  n«  '•  houaa.     NoCa  hafa 

I.  Thk  aouLi^  vsioKaHir.     "Tba  er«ni><n<ao  of  fcola,"  «ira  tJM  vW 

■Mi^  **  »hAll  tw  d  >«  brathrao  of  Ah«aUh  lui^i^bt  hava  fj»i1^  that  they 

artra  doing  oo  barm,     luu  1:1c  uoum  of  Ahab  vm  001  It  had 

baatt  dngCed  ool  for  tka  tarrlhla  ralributloo  of  Ood.  -.u  tuao 

aad  iroaai   r-  -i.^-^i   ^f^  t„  baoom«  a  partakar  •  I.«ua 

pfOTarbwa^  i  mxw*— **A  man  u  kn  wo  l^  1/ »• 

vooldavuid  .. .« ;  ihe  wlcktxi,  l«t  lu  avuil  th«tir  :  ■     'ha 

palk  of  tba  wickad,  and  go  out  io  tha  waj  of  evil  mc  u 

ham  It,  and  paaa  awaj."    "BloMrd  ia  th«  man  '     -  -^ 

ungodJv,  oor  atAodi  th  in  th«-  way  of  aiuorrt,  our 

U.  Tub  Eithi  lt  ><r  i  mh  1  it  :■  WAHMSua.     '1^  ...  .   y 

gol  a  ^^  illeo    th«tr  br  '.  g 

tkU,  tJ.       ■•  u.     8t)  Uicu  »<.i  ■  1 

MSnw  lAras  ('«^  •••  fit.  .  to  aoorn  the 

tbain  to  accept  aalratiou,  a-  m  the  wrath  i 

lu  the  dayt  uf  Nuih,  '  .  <itxl  tha  warning*  of  luai  fatthiui, 

aod  knew  Dot  till  tb'  -  an-l  (<wept   them  all  awar.     2.   '      .  1 

warn  (Aam,  frw/  in  ivi.  .  .  them  of  Ultra  OBoa'tdUiiiv.     iWtuiua 

fcjT  a  day  ur  two  ihey  ar  :^  j  booooM  aagroaaad  wiiL  the  wurld 

again.  1/  000  wore  to  a^-c  ik  to  Lhcm  ab.ut  Lhcir  aoul,  thej  would  aay,  **  Qo  thy  waj 
for  thia  tima;  whro  I  hare  a  oooTaoioDt  aaaa<>n,  I  will  call  for  thee.*  3«  fJtnf$ 
fmifmtmUt  warn  (Aam,  htU   in   min,  tt«  man,  the  iuim'.tfial   man,  tlM 

dkkoMtt  man,  intatuatad  with  evil  o  n   their  aiiiful  oooraea,  nulwith- 

iteadiag  tha  ruin  and  miaory,  the  prematu.-'  .^xappj  Urea,  tb«drgr»datkio 

•Bd  dllgraea,  which  ao  many  hare  aufferaii  e  of  thaaa  d^     "  Saa  that 

j«  raftna  bo»  him  that  tpeakkh." — GL  H.  L 

Ymn.  l&—il,—  Tk»  mat  of  Jtk;  mmd  U»  Umotu.  Jaba  la  now  going  up  lo  SaoiMia 
Willi  tha  raaolva  to  daatroy  tha  pfopbala  of  Baal  firmly  rooted  io  bia  heart.  Oo  bia 
way  ba  mreti  Jahunadab  the  *^<n  at  R«eb»K  Tbia  Jeh.i!  •.  »■  wm  tha  fuuodfr  of  tha 
lieehabitte.     It  waa  L  uaodod  hia  childrc:.  wa  win^  to  build  00 

houaaa,  and  plant  do  ti:  -it  to  liTe  in  teuu  a.  ».va— a  c«j:..:   a:.  !  »"     h 

waa  ao  acrapuoaaly  obeywi  oy  ihoir  daaoaodanu  that  um  Lora  inatx  <-i 

Jeraoiiah  to  bold  thrm  up  aa  an  exampla  of  obodimoe  to  tha  Jewa  ia    .  .  .d 

with  thia  obediaooa  Ood  waa  au  much  plraaod  that  he  mndr  tha  protutac  uiai  J>jixM>.mb 
the  ai>o  of  Rachnb  ahould  not  want  a  man  to  aund  bafora  him  for  arar.  It  «»•  ihia 
aimpU>mitMiod,  tamperati^  aeUHiesying  man  whom  John  mat  in  bi<  earaar  <•/  Tai.gcAuoa 
a^  amUiiuo,  and  whom  d<iab(]«aa  ha  w^otad  to  aaaoelati  with  himaalf  ia  ordw  to 
gira  a  m«aaura  of  raa(>.  •..  hia  further  proooadlofk     Ua  inritad  him  into  bia 

charioi,  aod  aaid.  **Oo:  -,  aud  aer  my  aaal  for  tha  Lorl" 

L  TuKES  WAB  Mt^OB  THAT  WA»  oooo  AaoOT  JBBiy*a  BftAi.  Pfum  tha  day  that  Jaha 
fot  bia  work  to  du,  ha  luat  no  tima  tn  the  doing  of  It.  He  waa  amioantJy  a  uaa  of 
action.  That  ba  had  good  oualitiaa  00  ooa  can  iembL  Tbera  are  many  thmtfi  than 
are  attract;Tr  about  Jehu,  tie  waa  a  brara  and  fanrtnaa  aoAdier.  Dmwian,  t^i 
frttmftmim^  tk»rrtigkitm», — thaae  ware  iba  ohla#  faatoraa  of  hla  cbaraotar.     Hla 


220  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.  [oH.x.1— 3& 


character  impressed  itself  on  every  detul  of  his  life.  When  he  was  still  far  off  from 
Jezreel,  the  watchman  upon  the  city  wall  was  able  to  distinguish  him  in  the  dim 
distance  by  the  way  he  drove  his  horses.  "  The  driving  is  like  the  drivina;  of  Jehu 
the  son  of  Nimshi ;  for  he  driveth  furiously."  He  did  not  waste  many  words.  When 
the  messengers  of  King  Jehoram  rode  out  to  meet  him  with  the  question,  "  Is  it 
peace?"  his  answer  to  one  after  the  other  of  them,  without  reining  in  his  horses  .for  a 
moment,  was,  "  What  hast  thou  to  do  with  peace?  turn  thee  behind  me."  Neither 
did  he  waste  words  when  he  came  to  deal  with  Jezebel  and  Jehoram.  He  knew  that 
in  such  work  as  he  was  engaged  there  is  danger  in  delay.  We  may  learn  much  from 
what  was  good  in  Jehu's  character.  Zeal  itself  is  a  grand  thing.  It  is  men  of  zeal 
who  have  revolutionized  the  world.  Moses  was  a  man  of  zeal.  So  was  Elijah.  So 
was  Daniel.  So  was  St.  Paul.  So  was  Martin  Luther.  So  was  John  Eoiox.  All  these 
men  were  mocked  at  as  fools  and  fanatics  and  enthusiasts  in  their  time.  But  every 
one  of  those  men  has  left  his  mark  lor  good  upon  the  history  of  the  world.  We  may 
say  the  same  of  such  enthusiasts  as  William  Wilberforce  and  John  Howard,  and,  to 
come  to  more  modem  times,  as  PlimsoU,  the  sailors'  friend.  It  is  the  world's  enthusiasts 
that  have  been  its  greatest  benefactors.  Yes ;  we  want  more  zeal ;  we  want  more 
enthusiasm.  It  is  the  fashion  amongst  many  to  sneer  at  enthusiasm,  and  to  mock  at 
seal.  But  let  those  who  mock  at  enthusiasm  show  what  they  can  do  compared  with 
what  the  enthusiasts  have  done.  Give  me  the  man  who  has  an  enthusiasm  about 
Bomethina;.  Give  me  the  man  who  thinks  that  life  is  worth  living,  and  that  there  is 
something  worth  living  for.  Let  it  be  study,  let  it  be  business,  let  it  be  one  of  the 
learned  professions, — the  man  who  has  enthusiasm  in  his  work  is  the  man  that  is  most 
likely  to  succeed-  If  there  is  any  one  who  should  show  enthusiasm,  it  is  the  Christian. 
Who  should  be  so  full  of  zeal  ?  Who  has  so  much  cause  to  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable 
and  full  of  glory  ?  Who  can  point  to  such  a  leader  as  the  gnat  Captain  of  our  salvation  ? 
What  example  so  inspiring  as  the  example  of  Christ?  What  name  is  such  a  watch- 
word as  the  precious  Name  of  Jesus — the  Name  above  every  name  ?  Who  can  look 
forward  to  such  a  prospect  as  that  which  awaits  the  faithful  Christian?  "  be  thou 
faithful  unto  death,  and  I  will  give  thee  the  crown  of  life."  Who  has  such  resources 
at  his  disi>osal  as  the  (Christian  lor  work  and  conflict?  Zeal  I  surely  the  Christian 
ought  to  overflow  with  zeal.  Zeal!  when  he  thiuks  of  his  Saviour  and  his  cross. 
Zeal  I  when  he  thinks  that  heaven  with  all  its  glory  awaits  hiiu.  Zeal  I  when  he 
thinks  ot  the  welcome  from  the  King.  Zeal!  when  he  thinks  how  short  his  time  is 
here.  Zeal  1  when  he  thinks  of  the  perishing  and  needy  all  around  him.  Yes;  it  is 
well  to  have  within  your  heart  the  glow  and  lire  of  Cliristian  zeal.  What  if  the  care- 
less and  the  callous,  the  godless  and  the  worldly,  mock?  You  have  a  heart,  yon  have 
a  hope,  you  have  a  strength,  that  is  above  their  shallow  sneers.  And,  having  Christian 
zeal,  let  it  not  spend  iihclf  in  mere  sentiment,  profession,  or  words.  But  let  it  show 
itself  in  action  pri'iiipt  and  dtcisive,  in  earnestness  and  thoroughness  of  life.  "What- 
ever ye  do,  do  it  h'  arlily,  as  unto  the  Lord,  and  not  unto  men." 

II.    'I'llKHB    WA8    MUril    THAT  WAS    WBONQ,  ANU   TUEUK   WAS   SOMETHING   WANTING,    IN 

Jkhu'h  zkal.  1.  Tlitit  ivtis  much  that  was  wrung  miniiled  with  JclitCa  zeal.  (1)  In 
thtj  firHl  place,  there  was  buaslfulness.  "  Coinn  with  me,  and  see  uiy  zeal  for  the  Lord." 
'I'ho  rnan  who  tliuu  p^irades  bis  g(M)d  deeds  is  lacking  in  one  of  the  lirst  elemonls  (  f 
true  K'xxlnfHs  and  UHefuln(;sH,  and  that  is  humility.  Yet  there  has  been  a  u(H)d  deal 
of  that  kind  of  zeal  for  (icxl  in  all  ages.  The  I  hariscis  considered  them  selves  V'"y 
7,<!alonH  for  lie  Law  of  (lod,  but  thev  Hnui  ded  a  trumpet  before  them  wlien  ihoy  gave 
their  HJmH,  nrnl  invcd  Ui  pray  htandmj;  at  the  corner  of  the  Htreels.  We  have  n«.t  llio 
Houndiig  of  the  tiuinpet  nowadayH  in  the  sime  fnini,  but  we  h)ivo  oilier  ways  of 
making  known  (iur  gi.-ncrous  an<l  philnithropic  acts.  There  is  nothing  wrong  in  tin  so 
acu  being  ina'io  known.  On  the  c<pntrary,  a  ])ul)lic  iickiiiiwled;j;nii'nr  of  ehaiitaiile  Hh(i 
ruii((iouii  contiiliutions  is  n(;cus,sary  to  guard  a,':iihHl  Iraudulencu  and  deceit.  It  is  of 
1IW  niMi  to  remind  uihuru  of  thciniuty  and  Htiniulali<  iheiu,  {xrhapn,  to  greater  liber.diiy. 
hut  when  we  glvo  our  almH  in  order  that  wo  may  be  known  lo  huve  given  tlicm — "  tv  bfl 
«.'eri  wf  UK  li "  —we  ^;iv(!  fiorn  a  wp^ng  motive — wo  do  tlial  whicii  CiiriHt  condemned.  It  ia 
till'  hatiie  wit))  all  bruMJicH  ctf  (JhriHiian  work.  And  il  m-emH  to  be  one  ol  liio  danger* 
fif  lii'xl'  m  CbriHtian  life  tliat  thi-ri)  in  U«)  much  tiinpiation  to  Immihi  of  in>'io  numlnrH 
in  our  Churchcjt,  or  of  ik*  much   niomy  uccumulatcd,  ur  ul  hu  many  converts  made. 


ea.i.l--ML]  TBI  UOOWD  BOOI   Of  TRB   EIK<ML 


Tm  mtu^y  flirtlUn  itt—  mI  V\»  JAu  wIm«  k«  miA,  'Odom  v  (k  m;  wiJ  mm  aiy 


haal  •  ^m:)»  ;  ^  r  ,'r'  -j  «^.^!!  t^m  h»m  m-t^  •     *!>»••,  nailar  ii-r  |-t-trM-«  f-f  -Ifr-m^  • 

b. 


<»  :   ID  11,  '. 
Lr«   ui 


B,        ■  . 

bcca  t*r  II  »»•  A  1:   c<rt*i:.'v  w** 

nuwl*   Itfaai    Ui   «iB,    .  -I    ra  Tr<« 

tkml  mtn  in    1^  bcl,  a:.u  u  ki  «>>n;   iii   l>*i.  "  , 

•o  hmtd  ha  v«Jk   Ib  (h«  I^w  uf  tbe  Luru  (f<<l 

Wf  may  loam  berr  that  •  mas  mAj  b*Vf 

pow«r  fiif  ic      Hr  niay  Al'tx^r  to  br  a  furv:. 

MV«  Bt>  r«li(k]0  in  hi- 

Mtd  j«t   h«  mar  be   ' 

WM  mhU  to  fmii  dtncn,  ['u<   <ir  »i<m<  i»k<'.ii.,  up.       tt  :  v   ■      i- 

Ukd  life  wnv  DOl  fuuudiyl  on  tli«  n«k.      li«  h*>i  d  h   Ix-f^a     ai    . 

of  Ood  hkJ  !^-  Vr  ■     ''— V    •*  Ue  u.  k  fio  be.<l  t..  w«:k  in  liie  i-.w     ,...-.      .     i.,« 

bean.*     ^  .r  tKftl  a{>HiiK«  frum  a  right  iuoiJv«,  and  (bat   it  «  'k*  ta 

«ar«  of  «L.. »  ,  i>n->v«. 

fll.   NOTB  BBBK  W'MI   LRMBOmi  ABUCT  Ouo'i   DKaLUML      1.    (Vo^   i/Un    ttakf    urn  mf 

mm  iHj>.n«\»  turn.      IVri.a{o  S"a  ^  *M  at    iLia.       T*«       but    it    i>    tr    r         //r   u*- ■     '.f.    fmr 

Tberaa"  «r. 

I-     ■■  '      ■  r% 

v.-  ..y 


tna  of  rur 
liaory  Vii:.  i„v. 

•*B.      2.    Ooti  yimrg  $1.. 


lb 


ambiUue  c! 
fM  tb«m. 

kla  «»w«  ai  ^  .  .  _     

of  a*»  M  a  ftwiriiy,  aa  aa  ima^-' 
Id  tbe  utM  aaaaa.     Ba  waa  of  so  a^Ar. 
uttlj  t^uaa  vko  thinaolfaa  hava  raooiTeo 
artnl  aW  l»  lk#  faayi  im  wdUaA  A«  «mL 
Mr*Wt»  vke  kafd  lapMtod  u/  bla  iiaa— «aa 


•ur 


iMt  ffi»>a4  tu  biiua  •  bw<jM  tu  kt»  i*Mmm, 


m  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGa.  [oh.  t.  1— 3a 

because  his  htxaia  were  Btalned  with  blood ;  he  had  been  a  man  of  war  all  his  days. 
David  was  permitted  to  provide  and  store  up  the  material,  but  to  Solomon,  David's  son, 
was  given  the  great  honour  of  building  a  temple  to  the  God  of  Israel.  If  we  want  to  be 
of  use  in  God's  service,  we  must  be  thoroughly  consecrated  to  God.  "We  must  be  vessels 
meet  for  the  Master's  uro.  **  Their  hands  must  be  clean,  who  bear  the  vessels  of  the 
Lord."  It  is  personal  character  that  gives  power  for  God's  service.  It  is  personal 
character  that  gives  fitness  for  God's  fellowship  here  and  hereafter.  "  Except  a  man 
be  bom  again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  ef  God."  "  Follow  peace  with  all  men,  and 
holiness,  without  which  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord." — 0.  H.  L 

Vers.  1 — 14. — Destruction  of  Ahah'$  hotue.  Jehu  was  not  a  man  to  do  things  by 
halves.  Whatever  matter  he  had  in  hand,  he  pushed  with  unhesitating  feet  to  his  goal. 
His  motto  was,  •'  If  it  were  then  done  when  'tis  done,  then  'twere  well  it  were  dona 
quickly."  This  vigorous  determination  is  a  feature  in  his  character  worthy  of  com- 
mendation. It  is  not  so  clear  that  the  craft  and  guile  he  employed  in  securing  his 
ends  were,  even  from  an  Old  Testament  standpoint,  justifiable. 

L  The  cbafty  message.  No  small  amount  of  craft,  as  this  chapter  shows,  mingled 
with  Jehu's  headlong  zeah  1.  TJie  seed  royal  in  Samaria.  The  direct  posterity  of 
Ahab — here  called  Ahab's  sons — amounted  to  seventy  persons.  Some  may  have  been 
his  own  children,  others  the  children  of  Jehoram,  or  of  his  other  sons.  They  resided 
at  Samaria,  and  were  under  the  care  of  nobles  responsible  for  their  education  and 
up-bringing.  On  them,  too,  the  judgment  of  God  was  to  fall.  In  itself  it  was  a 
corumon  Oiieutal  practice  for  the  founder  of  a  new  dynasty  to  put  to  death  the 
descendants  and  blood-relations  of  his  predecessor  (cf.  1  Kings  xv.  29;  xvi.  11;  ch. 
xi.  1 ;  XXV.  7).  This  was  to  protect  the  new  ruler  from^  blood-vengeance.  In  the 
present  case  the  destruction  was  by  direct  command  of  Heaven.  The  principle  of 
cor{jorate  responsibility  for  sins  committed  is  recognized  and  acted  on  throughout  the 
Old  Testami-nt  (see  Mozley's  '  Ruling  Ideas  of  the  Old  Testament ').  It  embodies 
a  truth  of  permanent  validity  (Matt,  xxiii.  34,  35).  Nevertheless,  a  pathos  attends 
a  fate  like  that  of  Ahab's  sons.  "  Whirled  down,"  as  Carlyle  says  of  other  unfortu- 
nates, "  so  suddenly  to  the  abyss ;  as  men  are,  suddenly,  by  the  wide  thunder  of  the 
mountain  avalanche,  awakened  not  by  them,  awakened  far  off  by  others  1"  2.  The 
crafty  htter.  Having  struck  his  first  blow,  Jehu  lost  no  time  in  delivering  his  second. 
But  instead  of  openly  advancing  to  Samaria,  and  demanding  the  surrender  of  the 
seventy  sons,  he  proceeds  by  guile.  His  policy  was,  not  to  put  the  nobles  and  elders 
in  Sarjiaria  in  opposition  to  bim,  but  to  gain  them  to  his  side.  His  further  object  was 
to  implicate  those  persons  in  his  deeds,  by  making  them  the  direct  agents  in  the 
slaughter  of  Ahab's  sons.  The  manner  in  which  he  accomplished  these  ends  shows  no 
little  skill,  lie  first  sends  a  letter  to  the  great  men  in  the  capital,  offering  tliem  a 
challenge  to  open  war.  He  recounts  to  them  their  advantages — the  presence  of  their 
master's  sons,  a  fortifii  d  city,  horses,  chariots,  armour,  etc. ;  then  bids  them  select  the 
one  of  Ahab's  descendants  whom  they  think  most  suitable,  and  make  him  king,  and 
fight  for  their  master's  house.  This  put  the  nobles  in  the  dilemma,  either  ol  getting 
up  an  itiiprovised  resistance  to  Jehu,  or  of  making  unconditional  8ul)mi8sion.  No 
tunc  was  given  them  to  consider.  They  must  decide  at  once,  and  that,  in  circumstances 
like  tli'-irs,  mcunt  only  submission.  3.  Th»  submissive  reply.  The  course  taken  by 
the  nobles  arid  ciders  was  what  Jehu  anticipated.  A  terrible  panic  took  possi'ssion  of 
them,     'i  hey  Haw  how  vain  It  was  to  attempt  war  witit  the  most  {Mtpulnr  and  onorgctio 

f;en<Tal  in  th''  army,  backed  aa  he  was  by  the  Bnpj)ort  of  other  captains.  They  had  no 
i^,  and,  iiotwitlmtnnding  Jehu's  narcastio  list  of  their  a<lvnnia':;efl,  no  ])ro|)or  mians 
of  defenc.  The  fact  that  two  kings — not  to  speak  of  J(/.cl)ol — had  already  fallen 
Uiforc  this  •' «c<iiir).'o  of  (ii>d"  a<1dod  to  their  dismay.  With  the  unanimity  of  despair, 
"  he  that,  wan  over  the  houK«,  and  he  that  was  over  the  city,  tlio  ohiers  also,  anl  the 
brin  <T»i  U[i  '  f  the  chiidrun,"  inrlitwi  a  humbhi  epintle,  sent  it  to  Jehti,  and  ])iit  thein- 
n«lv«H  entirely  In  IiIh  handw,  offering  to  do  whatovrr  ho  bade  tiiem.  NtH'.eHsity  !■  a 
tsrriMo  tyrant.  How  many  things  men  yield  to  force  and  fear  which  they  would  not 
yield  to  r«'.:iH'in  or  iKTHiuit-ion  1 

li.    ThK  TKK.ACUK.IlotlH    MAHHArUB.       1.    TTlfl  TltW   deJIUlTld.      Johu  t(K)k    the    lender*   at 

iLmu  word,  and  »i«iit  thuui  the  cunditions  uf  liiu  accoplunco  of  thuir  submiuHiuu.     Ijt 


m.M.l-M.]  THK  BEOONT)  BOOK  OF  TIIE  KHrOIL 


t' 
t 


cJU»«  wjM  b«  U  '  him  hf  ih»  mam  honr  u>^manvm  th»  h^  at 

5*?*'  ""•■"  **'^  *••  ffOiftorf,  Um  urn*  |1tm  hhtt,  Md  lUj 

j||*^  urMdj  eoe  '  tUMiv«a  by  promiaiDg  olvdtaeo*  to  vbalwar  J«ii«  vMlMd. 

Tb«tr  MM  «M  ft  O0ir«rth«l.«s  iha  »cl  tb«7  ww  ealUd  upcv  to  fwrfo..  •  ... 

rrt>!t.  ibairitiW,  a  tc\. .:...;  aod  irrftcbarotMoiMi     1  ilAa^a  mm  a<M<».     lUur 

ro;  urcOMBl  w»»,  thm  tu.Ulm  uid  «l(iart  of  BairaHa.  ttov  thai  thrr  hkl  con  ^ 

w»Ui  J«hv,  do  i»  ,  r-  »h(>Mn  mnr  lirM!  t:..o  la  cant  ,  ^ 

Amo  hfM  been  '  ir  car*;  iLry  la     uu  quATTvl  » 

!>••*■  to  K  for  •  ot'njmai.i  ot  Ood  ;  jrci  la>w 

"•^  ••«  ir  ehanpM  kbuuld  b*  fiTra   up 

MqolMoad  M>><"   .i  .  li.   :i^.;;r.  a «  Ite  wr*!  '    .uf»l  IreUi 

MMM  of  BuBMia.     It  ftbowB  )  v  foClM  »  <  boods  t 

tolMa.     Th»  wlUlornrM  with  **.,.,  „  iur  men  ol  JriLreri  iwor*  avsj   Na  .  \-        . v  *i 

J«Mh»ni  eonoMiMl  (1  Kiiiu*  xix.)  wm  on«?  lu^laooa,  and  b«r«  it  m-ihrr.    -  i  .,i  mh 

fov  tfiut  In  priaoM,  n.-r  iu  U»e  kd  oI  m»u"  (Pt.  cxM.  8).     P.lmcAl  lu.nslrr  >•  of 

tb«  ««ak«i  flora.     K.  r   Mine  |*Jtrv  interMt  m.  u  will  turn  ihtir  imckt  u^iu  •     w  oo 

th«  OWft  MCfod  pf\  fcfhiuui  of   U>-d*j.     Tb<y   wi.l   {nnw,M   lb*  cl.«rn:    ' 

»la^  tTen  to  th«  lo»r»t  irMdMry.    S.  i/a«'«  ;mWi«  atiMi/.    Tb»i 

•ppsrmtlT,  th»  hMdj  of  Ahab'i  mmM  wtn  bfoUL-i.i  i-.  .Tr-V,i  it,  )...V„,- 

•  •  wu  baaf*  at  the  tiitranc*  of  the  ^• 

i  ■'•nr,  hp  cnllid  thp  j.-  j '..  to  vkithc--  ^._, 

'  "  ••«    -  ngt.lrOtt*." 

'  '  -'TrrrJv  f<«f  bu  acta 

'                     '°;  but-  ;  ^,  ,     In 

iTuiii.  be  *fnt  ou  to  avtr,  u-i  ai.y  of  :..v.                               r  ii,i«  m»>  L,u    .  -at 

of  the  word  of  tba  Luai  whicb  be  bail  e;  (1)  Jeh-:  x*  tia 
avcrttivtit, '*Kdow  n^.w  that  ib.re  sl.all  fail  ly  iLt  i  .  . 

l^fd."     MMiiy  driuooatnitiunB  of  that  fact  have  Ut        . .  • ;.  ,„ 

'*'"  ■"■'^  ■■'  "  """  '^Huda.  (2)  It  Ua  common  thing  I^r  n  ta  i  *;..<...;  •.:....^.\t» 
I..  '  of  tlieir  acU  by  i-leauiiig  tbat  oihera  are  a>  guiit>  &»  liic*  a/w. 
^L.t,  „   ...  .1,,  .            •  "    vfy  them. 

A>"i  '?**^^'*"^  '"'*•     ^  further  act   In   the  tragedy  of  th«  dMtructi.  n  <4 

A'ababuu-.--  . --tajn  »KeartDg-»  -         "^    r«d  to  Sa    H-ia.     Ti.itbcc 

forty-two  I  f  Ahaziab  b*.  .n  on    t),i     ua.    i..   ,  ^v   a 

vi^^^^^   ■  •■<■'■  -,,-Hi.t  ;..^  ,.   ..1.  Ti..vu,  .  .         :^ 

jrt  utiawarv  oi  iiit  n;^  ,  u  ,,h,c^     Ji  ^..^.^  j_.  ,,/,,  .  . 

TlMt  tn  them.     Jrhu.  •  -  _     f  U.<jd.  »-•  '    -   '  ' 

1  on  aacfit  tiiey  were,  bad  t; 

I'  -  »"■•  ca«  .;.'-   pit  ..f  t!ie   rUce.      i  ^ 

waoT,  lite  Aha«:ah'a  bfeiLreu,  i  th.-inselv, 

•I  plaaaura  la,  fcf  maujr,  the  wav     :  th<  wav   .  .    u 

Vnm.   15-2a-2Wr«k<M»  ^<A*  u  Ba.J.     Tha  pUna  of  Jehu  wm 

already  aMuoiing  krgw  abape.  He  bad  uow  a  •u.e...*  in  view  far  rootiag  Baal  mtiraiv 
oai  of  tha  laiid.  •  ' 

L  Turn  MECTUio  viTH  JuowADAB.     1.  A  Mpfui  ally.     \\  oa 

hia  own  pr«..U4j>uiudr  and  Wimtfj,  Jcbu  bad  a  ahr.  w,i  eve  t«  v  ^ 

•traopf  '   '  re  ihe  p«)i  le.     Ua^; 


•  •"»''  for  aaucuty— Jeb.  I  ,  p^^ 

\-^  T  would  driuk  n..  v^  ^r  build 

]£;'■■  -  leau  ail  their     .-, .  7v. 

A°.8*  '^"  •i«i«    wouid,   Jebu   U  ■  ..M 

claim*.     It  ..                                             ..,   i^  hU  j*t<»«l    ,.,  ,^ 

•^'  t<J  hiui,  and  findiD^'    '.      ■  ^ 

*?  ■•£»•  anchonio,  and  t.-  t                -..  .         ...  uta 

•k^***-     "  -                        w  auxiuua  luan  vku  toaka  oo  preiciiaiwu*  lu  ^--^''^tm  ofcaa 


224  THE  SECX)ND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.  [oh.  x.  1—36. 

are  to  get  the  eoontenance  and  approval  of  good  men  for  their  deeds.  Hypocrisy  has 
been  called  the  homage  which  vice  pays  to  virtue,  and  this  desire  for  the  approval  of 
a  holy  man  is,  in  another  form,  the  tribute  of  worldly  policy  to  the  superior  power  of 
character.  2.  Z sal  for  the  Lord.  "Come  with  me,"  said  Jehu,  "and  see  my  zeal  lor 
the  Lord."  (1)  Of  Jehu's  "  zeal,"  in  itself  considered,  there  could  be  no  question.  Zeal 
was  his  most  prominent  characteristic.  His  zeal  is  seen  in  his  eager  haste  to  attain  Ins 
ends,  in  his  scouting  of  difficulties,  in  the  thoroughness  with  which  each  piece  of  work 
is  accomplished,  in  the  quickness  and  skill  of  his  devices.  Such  zeal  is  in  large 
measure  a  natural  endowment — a  thing  of  temperament.  Still,  it  is  an  essential  to 
success  in  practical  undertakings,  spiritual  as  well  as  worldly.  The  man  who  gets  on 
is  the  man  who  does  not  let  the  grass'grow  beneath  his  feet,  who  is  an  enthusiast  in 
what  he  takes  in  hand.  "It  is  good  to  be  zealously  affected  always  in  a  got)d  thing  " 
(Gral.  iv.  18).  (2)  More  doubtful  is  the  quality  of  Jehu's  zeal  "for  the  Lord."  Osten- 
sibly it  was  God's  wiU  Jehu  was  carrying  out ;  outwardly  it  was  God's  work  he  was 
doing.  He  may  even  have  persuaded  himself  into  the  telief  that  he  was  honestly  and 
disinterestedly  serving  God's  ends.  But  the  result  showed  that,  in  serving  Gtxl,  it  was 
reaUy  his  own  ends  Jehu  was  serving.  His  zeal  was  impure.  It  was  largely  inspired 
by  selfish  ambition,  by  considerations  of  policy,  by  the  thought  of  the  reward  to  him- 
self. It  was  impure  also  in  its  admixture  of  craft  and  worldly  expediency.  Had  the 
same  service  been  proposed  to  Jehu  without  any  apparent  material  advantages  to  him- 
self, his  zeal  would  not  have  been  so  easily  evoked.  (3)  Similarly,  how  much  that 
passes  for  "zeal  for  the  Lord  "  in  this  world  is  of  the  same  impure  nature  I  How  much 
of  it  is  inspired  by  sectarian  rivalry,  by  party  spirit,  by  the  desire  to  make  "  a  fair 
show  in  the  flesh"  (Gal.  vi.  12),  by  self-interest  and  worldly  ]X)licyI  How  largely  is 
it  alloyed  with  human  passion  and  intrigue!  Truly  we  do  well  to  examine  ourselves. 
Zeal  is  to  be  tested,  not  by  its  passing  and  spasmodic  exhibitions,  but  by  its  power  of 
endurance  amidst  good  report  and  evil  report.  3.  The  end  of  AhuVs  house.  When 
Jehu  reached  Samaria  with  Jehonadab,  he  made  an  end  of  all  that  remaineil  of  the 
fiuiiily  ol  Ahab — the  word  of  the  Lord  by  Elijah  being  thus  completely  fulfilled. 

II.  The  FEAST  TO  Baal.  1.  Jehu's  proclamation.  Hitherto  Jehu  had  acted  without 
giving  to  any  one  much  explanation  of  his  motives  and  designs.  He  had  denounced 
to  Jehorani  Jezebel's  idolatries  and  witchcrafts;  he  had  whisjxjred  to  Jehonadab  of  his 
*'  zeal  for  the  Lord ;  "  but  to  the  eye  of  the  crowd  his  proceedings  bore  only  the  com- 
plexion of  an  ordinary  political  conspiracy.  Having  established  him.self  upon  the 
throne,  the  Bta;.;e  was  clear  for  the  revelation  of  his  own  intentions.  And  great  liisniay 
niuat  have  spread  through  the  ranks  of  all  those  who  looked  for  a  revival  of  true 
religion  fnnn  the  downfall  of  Ahab's  house,  when  the  first  public  manifesto  of  the  new 
king  {JMclain^ed  him  an  enthusia.stic  worshijiper  of  Baal.  "  Ahal),"  were  his  words, 
"herved  Bfial  a  little;  but  Jehu  shall  serve  him  much."  If  Ahab's  service  of  Raul  was 
reckoned  little,  what  was  to  be  expocteii  from  one  who  would  serve  hini  so  much  more? 
It  was  certain  that,  whatever  Jehu  did,  he  wouhl  do  it  with  abounding  zeal.  If  he 
took  up  IJairs  cause,  there  was  no  saying  to  what  len>ithB  he  wouM  carry  it,  or  what 
iieverlties  he  would  employ  V)  crush  rival  worsiiips.  Terrible  diHa]i|Miiniment  would 
seize  the  liearU*  of  the  worHhip|K!ra  of  Jehovah;  and  the  servants  of  Haal,  who  had 
thought  their  cause  destroyed,  wi'uld  be  corresjMindingly  elated.  It  is  good  noiihor  to 
bo  unduly  uplifted  nor  too  hi  avily  cast  down  at  unexpoctu<l  tuniu  in  public  alVairs. 
ThoHO  wlio  rely  for  the  huccc.'<s  of  their  wiuse  on  the  favours  of  great  men  are  apt  to  Ivi 
■firoly  diKapiMiintod.  2.  The  deludfl  annr.m}>ly.  ItHeouiod  at  the  first  as  if  .lehu  woio 
to  bo  overy  whit  as  grxd  as  his  word,  liis  proclauiation  not  only  inchulud  a  deela- 
ration  of  his  fixe<l  intoiition  to  worship  Baal,  but  gave  o(T(h'I  to  that  intention  by 
summoning  a  great  HS-munbly  of  the  pronhoth,  iirientM,  and  servants  of  lliial,  to  \m\  held 
in  the  houM!  of  Hiuil  at  Samaria.  A  day  was  set  apart,  and  tho  iiSHnuibly  was  pro- 
claitiH-d  tlir(»ugliout  all  iHrnel.  Thf  king  was  to  offer  a  great  saciifioe,  publiely  ratifyin;; 
his  avows!  of  alle((ianc«  to  the  heathen  ginl.  Krom  all  parts  of  tho  land  tho  wo  • 
shipfiors  of  H.ial  rome  trooping  u|),  and  f  h<'  s|Mioious  courts  of  the  j^ront  "  hnuso  of  Haul  " 
were  filled  to  overflowing.  As  if  to  eivu  tlm  hi;'h<st  iHisxible  /r/a<  to  the  (KeiiMmn, 
Jehu  firxt  orrlered  Testumnts  to  b*'  prfHiuco  I  Iroin  the  t<'inplo  or  palaco  rol)»-<!lianil)er, 
and  (flven  Ut  the  worxhliJierH  ;  tlim  he  caused  ■ourrh  to  lio  male  that  none  but  Mirvanls 
gl  Uft*l  wer*  prosout.     Tho  wondiijijiors  of  HaAl  wore  charmed;  yet  iu  truth  thoy  wur« 


OIL  I.  i-^aA.] 


TUB  SBUi.VD  BOOK  Of  TUB  KIXQ& 


UhM  4* 

»  »- 
lb. 


vogviW  far  Ik*  cUl 


-    tti«   L«i«r« 


•  t: 
2. 


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aMdof 


1   -    '  .iCiBf 

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J 

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< 

1 

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ul 

liie 

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■  J 

■«Uw  u  aaaij    •i«iu«>»;    wiiii    uuiU-tu  ^Vk&MOU,  urOCiL,  a..ia   Wfuti^ — ><.  U. 


\    111     )|V      t 


V»f*  ?« — ^f; TV-  •-'• 

I 

ItraiL 

hu  ouiiducl. 
b*  »hi>ulii   h«Vo    u 
tit*  litM  would  b*«r 
Quill  ouul '.  l>o«  be 

IhTlfM    OoaitUAlid. 
l>lTl 

but 

•a^iuciii  ]i* 
b*  bOUM  of 

»    ■.   .    ..    .«  Hu«^  •'   •• 

be    c.^.vl    »t    tb*   *. . 

aiiju.iot  uf  Uood  to  Maura  tbt 

'  OM  wiib  AttAb  ta  hu  aioA,  J«uu 


tbr   . 

flttlv** 


e  tMrvn*.     Jehu  bftd  outMrtrdlj  ful« 


t-^\    U!. 

J«ku.- 


«k  r.. 

'  f ,  1        a      L.>  r .  « t      ,  1  ^       >      ■   .  '       .      '^ 

■  9 

•  vivi     Ait    «A,     'M 
>«f.   uulv    ll    ..a 

If   U.T  1  *i>iii«  likAJkiiaL* 

■'           f 

>* 

» 

.  -V--.  i.  -.. .  —  ..^ 

paritfca  cd  §M 


Hr    0>  •«!■■;  '.r**       • 


Mil 


1 1.    ■  I  n  u« 


•  prautoikj  tmi  tot 


27fS 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.         [oh.  xi.  1—21 


him  politically  prudent  to  keep  tip  the  division  of  the  kingdoms  by  perpetuating  the 
calf-worship  of  Jeroboam ;  so,  though  he  knew  it  was  wrong,  he  refrained  from  inter- 
fering with  it.  We  see  in  this  the  distinction  between  true  and  false  zeal.  True  zeal 
for  God  is  careful  above  all  things  to  walk  in  God's  ways.  It  honours  his  command- 
ment above  considerations  of  expediency.  It  is  not  spasmodic,  but  persists  in  well- 
doing. False  zeal,  on  the  contrary,  is  fitful  and  wilful.  It  is  moved  when  self-interest, 
or  private  passion,  or  inclination,  or  the  praise  of  men,  coincides  with  the  Divine  com- 
mand ;  it  throws  off  the  mask  when  religion  and  interest  point  in  opposite  directions. 
It  is  time  alone  can  test  the  quality  of  zeaL  2.  His  punishment.  We  find  that  after 
his  declension  Jehu  sucfered  severe  losses  of  territory.  Hazael  and  the  Syrians  pressed 
in,  and  took  from  him  most  of  the  land  on  the  east  side  of  Jordan.  It  is  not  difficult 
to  connect  the  two  things  as  cause  and  efi'ect.  Had  Jehu  remained  faithful  to  God,  it 
is  not  to  be  thought  that  he  would  have  suffered  these  losses.  Because  he  did  not 
remain  faithful,  he  was  scourged  more  severely  than  perhaps  another  man  would  have 
been.  He  was  raised  up  to  punish  others,  and,  foreseeing  his  declension,  an  instrument 
had  been  prepared  to  punish  him  (ch.  viii.  12).  When  God  was  against  him,  his 
generalship  and  valour  were  of  no  avail.  We  are  thus  taught  that  true  self-interest  and 
irreligion  do  not  coincide.  Jehu  sought  his  owu  ends,  and,  as  a  politic  ruler,  thought  it 
wiser  to  disobey  God  than  to  run  the  risk  of  putting  down  a  popular  idolatry.  The 
result  showed  how  short-sighted  his  calculations  were.  The  wisest  course,  eveu  for  our 
own  interests,  is  to  do  what  God  requires. 

Nothing  more  is  told  of  the  twenty-eight  years'  reign  of  Jehu.    He  was  buried  in 
Samaria,  asd  his  son  Jehoahaz  succeeded  liim. — J.  0. 


EXPOSITION. 


CHAPTEB  XL 


Vera.  1 — 21 . — Revolution  in  Judah,  fol- 
lowing THE  EeVOLUTIONABT  MOVEMENTS  IN 

IsRAEU    Reign  of  ATP-kLiAH  over  Judah. 

Co.N'HPIRAOY    OF    JSUOIiJJA,   AND    DeATB    OF 

Atualiau. 

Vers.  1 — 3. — On  learning  the  death  of 
Ahaziah  (ch.  ix.  27),  Athaliah,  daughter 
of  Ahab  and  Jezebel,  the  queen-mothcr, 
mordera  all  her  grandchildron  (except  the 
youngeat,  Joa.th,  who  is  secreted  by  his 
BDiit,  Johoflheba)  and  8<'izoi  the  kingdom. 
}l<>  reuiBtanoeLi  made  to  hor,  and  alio  rotuins 
the  i»lo  authority  for  aix  year*.  Tlio  wor- 
ship of  liad,  introduced  by  Jehomm  into 
Ju'lub,  and  aupporlod  by  Abaziub  (oil.  viiL 
S7>,  U  m&intatuod  by  Lor  (ch.  xi.  18). 

Vor.  1.  — And  whoa  Athallah  the  mother 
of  Ahaz;ah  law  that  hor  ion  waa  dead.  (On 
Atliiiii  til,  a<  o  tho  ooiiiuH  tit  upon  cli.  viii. 
18.)  Him  woJi  iiiiiriiiil  V>  Jolifinun,  iif)M  of 
Jvh"Hlin|>liat,  pr'il>ii)ily  in  tlio  iifi  timo  of  liia 
fKtIicr,  Vi  ciIiHitit  llio  Allinnno  nr)iKiliir|fMl  l>(»- 
tw<-<-n  Ahull  and  Ji  h'mliniiliut  n^'ikinal  tha 
PvHanti  d  Kiii(c«  xiii  2—4).  Hho  uiluTitod 
nunli  of  ln-r  footbf'f  .l''/i"l)<«l'«  nliariiol(<r,  ob- 
t«tri<>d  an  iiiilitnito<l  mn'^Miiiiitiny  ovur  Imt 
huiil>*nil.  Jr>lr>inin,  au'l  k'|>t  h«r  B<in  Abii- 
liaii  In  ii>«'i>ti;(-Htrii)K*  It  wa«  iui(|n<-Hliiin- 
ftbly   ibrougli  li«r   lutluoiio*    liiat  Juhoram 


waa  prevailed  npoa  to  Introdnoe  the  Baal- 
worsliip  into  Judah  (ch.  viii.  18;  2  Chron. 
xxi.  5,  11),  and  Ahaziah  prevailed  upon  to 
maintain  it  (ch.  viii.  27 ;  2  Chron.  xxii.  3, 
*♦  He  also  walked  iu  tlie  ways  of  the  house 
of  Ahab  :  for  his  mother  wa$  hit  counsellor 
to  do  wicheiUy  ").  On  the  death  of  Ahaziah, 
ehe  found  her  position  aerioubly  imperilled. 
The  orown  would  have  passed  naturally  to 
one  of  her  fijandchildron,  the  eldest  of  the 
aons  of  Ahaziah.  She  would  have  lost  her 
position  of  geljirah,  or  queen -mother,  which 
would  have  paused  to  the  widow  of  Ahaziah, 
the  mother  of  the  now  aovoreigo.  If  she 
did  not  at  once  lose  all  influouoe,  at  any 
rate  a  cotintcir-influonce  to  hera  would  have 
been  eHtablislKMl ;  aud  thia  might  well  have 
been  that  of  the  high  pricht,  who  was  closely 
connecled  by  inarriago  with  the  royal  family. 
Under  theses  cin'um.stnneea,  alio  took  the  bnlii 
reuiiluliou  <i(>.serilHul  in  tho  n<-xt  <-1iiuhu.  8ha 
arose  and  doMtroyod  all  tho  anod  ruyal.  She 
iHautul  lier  onli'iH,  and  hiul  all  tlu«  memb(>ni 
(if  tlio  hiiUHn  (if  David  on  whom  hIiu  ooulil 
lay  her  liandH  put  Ui  deutii.  Tho  royal 
lioiiRii  liu<l  already  liiicn  greatly  dt'pleti^il  by 
JulKiram'H  niurdrr  of  IiIh  liriilh<TN  (2  Chnm. 
xxi.  i),  by  Arab  nuirauderH  (2  Chron.  xxi. 
17),  anil  liy  Jihu'a  murder  of  tlio  "  brolhrni 
of  Aliit/.iub  "  (oh.  z.  H);  but  it  In  oloar  lliut 
Aha/niii  lia<l  li<lt  Hcviral  noiih  In-ImmI  hiin. 
Hill  aiiMiK  (if  liiH  "bri'tliron"  IiikI  iiIho,  in 
nil  jiriplialiilily,  b-ft  Immuh.  Thcim  may  uIho 
liuvi'  lin  n  many  <itb''r  ib  H>-en<liiiila  of  David 
in  Judah,  bulongmg  toothur  brikneliM  of  ih* 


m.  XL  l-tl.3  TUK  BBOOND  BOOK  OP  TIIB   KINQC 


ten 


4l»»Ndl. 


■■Mf  Ul« 
A*  Mltil   of 

MdUl 

vOI,  b 


Mm  *  . 
•I 
if 
t 

wbieh  it  on: 
tkaxh*  VM  : 

■•J  B0t  b«Vr 

kararail  or: 
V«>. 


r^    Chaidfai 

icuUl  {jaIaco, 
-clirimbar.  ftod 
j.'^m  AthAliAh.  M 
AtLaliali'i  •rr^ftUU 
\1M  k>  i-«rrjr  oot 
tost,  mixd  nmj 

WM  wttk  k«— La,  iA 

t.r  Jeho«b«ta,liia»unl — 
kid  is  Um  haa—  U  th«  Lord  ;  i^  the  tampl*. 
W«  Irmru  frocB  CLruMclt*  (1  Ciuub.  xxiL 
11)  iLftt  JeboitMb*  «•«  uuii  h«d  to  JaboUki^ 
tlj*  li^^b  priaal,  aimI  woold  Utw  hftv*  raady 

•M*<«  to  tb*  iHBpla.      W«  mmH  f" 

th  .t.  slier  A  Ibw  dkyi*  anneaalar 
-  thmmhmt  tt  — Wiiimih.*  Jt>bu.V< 
•aoppoctaaityof  tivaiCHRiii.-  uia 

B«rM.  U» »  ebambar  te  Um  U  c  b« 

«ai  UiMadhnimA  ■oariaboii  «ita  tfiouffat 
■p.  Tbflv  •(«•  TWMW  nharnhnu  Ib  the 
u«ipU  SMd  for  Mcvlar  uuipuf,  m  «• 
kttni  boM  1  Klafli  ft »-«  mad  Nail  &iiL 
i-y.  tUyt^nCe*  ujp  ttft  tlaodtChrao. 
SJLir.  11     A       *  Toi^  oTar  th» 

kaA     It  t*  c  ail  tL»t  Uiia 

ill        ^      '  ^>  tluM  Ui»t  for 

»i  Uant  la  Ju  !aU 

— u»>  — -i^, .»  .M  ^.  ...^  .u  UU  into  d<«M7 
;«Il  siL  S>  -«  toMpto  to  Baal  vaa  emnad 
Jrrt^a^f-ia  iUrlf.  b->  •ut>-  raoda  Um  to<upU 
ef  I  '  a  biirii   prvMt 

ft,  •    MlCOoaauC    of 

▲*<u^      >^  .    .  ■  ^  iiMiu^ad 


r 


bi.  aa  WMtor  Jib  aaia  (t  OhrMi   f  t 

•i»r«art*ia .    but   ll«    aaWMiU 

9mfw  at  aaf  r*i<>  Mkia*  a  a^«.  i 

awiiMMMd.  bad  M  a/  aBall  mhu^mpI      .  •   • 

b«p»  va  MAT  aaactttii^  teaa  tliM>  fK<*>(«u« 

ied  I7  JihtHiiU.  aad  ft«Ma  lb*  |»*  ra 

.  he  »M  abta  to  asaMiM  «bi«  t«>  •!»• 

r-roll(var.  4|  t  •'   •  *     •  • '  ». 

>lUb.  dortbff  •  / 

;j<>    rltMl    bal  f 

«  '<lil«b  aba  ktM^w  to  vtta^ 


(S 


■Jjr  dW 

•  •   i  aa  lb* 
uvu^aj  «bu«  lb«7 


•JttLi  Uu»l. 


▼an.  4-lflL— CJbMplrMy  •/  /« 
AfW  waiting,  Iffl^HUeaUy  we  maj  ba  aara. 
for  aix  long  jc^n,  aod  aaaiog  tba  Jtmkg 
piiuea  flow  from  as  iah»t  to  a  boy  of 
aaroa  yaan  oT  aca.  JabflbMk  daanad  Ibat  tbo 
timawaa  ouom  to  vauutra  oa  •■  aAwt  It 
Cur  Um  to  Baka  bia  aitaac^* 
luifaii^iil  wub  gi«a  aaM.  Ilia 
int  atop  «M  tosMod  tba  aaptotoa  af  tba 
loyal  gmud.  To  Ibaas  aaa.  dta  ia  aaaibrr 
(1  Cbroa.  nUL  IX  ba  aaot  wnlly.  amI  u*. 
fltad  thaa  to  aoahr  witb  bia  te  tba  tonpto 
OD  impottaiU  ha^aa  Fladiaf  Ibaai  vail 
dl^paac4  to  adopt  taa  vtova,  ba  latialail  to 
tboa  tba  bat  tiwt  Joaab  bad  aaaap«l  tb« 
nil wa fin  of  Ahaii.h'a  aooa,  aad  *aa  aiiU 
LTiii(.**aa  aUowiafC  tbea  totcwLia.  Tba 
laiilt  of  tba  Inirrf  >aw  vaa  that  tbay  fMil 
Itl— whai  al  Jabuiada'a  di«^>^<Ml.  »a<l  mgtw»l 
to  tolto  tbaiff  oidaco  6«aa  iutu  ( r«r  4X  Ja- 
botoda  tbaa  pronaidad  to  bu  >awd  atrffc 
THhiir  dhtl— tinf  tba  bod;  tinmM  whirb 
tba  oaptoiaB  OHBaMBdad.  or  iv^'mMmg  11  aa 
iMttA^Mll  la  ■MBban»ba  f««e  Uica  i«i«r« 
to  vktt  tba  vwtoaa  oitiaa  ul  J»Jaa.  atkd 
auUart  boa  tbaa  a  atfoag  laf«a  ul  Lvtii  a 
aikd  olbar  traatj  panota^  auJ  l<nac  tb<a 
to  J<r«Al««a  (1  C  n>u  iti  .' ..  «b<rr  Im 
woald  gita  ibato  Ibair  uroafa.    Tbia  vaa 


228 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.         [ch.  xi.  1— 21. 


done  sncceBsfullj,  «nd,  as  it  would  seem, 
without  in  any  way  rousing  the  euspicionB 
of  Athaliah.  A  day  was  fixed  for  proclaim- 
ing Joash  king ;  the  guard  and  the  Levites 
were  skilfully  disposed  about  the  temple 
and  the  palace ;  the  king  was  brought  up, 
crowned,  anointed,  and  saluted  as  monarch, 
with  noisy  acclamations  (ver.  12).  The 
noise  was  heard  in  the  palace,  and  Athaliah 
went  forth,  with  a  few  attendants,  to  inquire 
the  reason  of  it.  Following  the  sound,  she 
came  to  the  temple,  and  entered  it,  when 
she  saw  what  was  going  on,  and  cried  out, 
"  Treswon  I  treason  1 "  By  Jehoicuia's  order 
the  guards  seized  her,  conducted  her  out  ot 
the  temple,  and  ^eir  her  (Ters  13 — 16). 

Ver.  4. — And  the  seventh  year — literally, 
and  in  the  seventh  year;  i.e.  in  the  course  of  it 
— Jehoiada  sent  and  fetched  the  rulers  over 
hundreds,  with  the  captains  and  the  guard ; 
rather,  the  captains  over  hundreds  (or,  cen- 
turions) of  the  Carites  and  the  guard  (see 
the  Revised  Version).  The  "  Carites,"  liere 
first  named,  are  generally  regarded  as  iden- 
tical with  the  Cherethites  of  earlier  times 
(2  Bam.  viii.  18 ;  1  Kings  i.  38 ;  1  Chron. 
xviii,  17).  Tbty  were  undoubtedly  a  par- 
ticular portion  of  the  royal  guard,  and  may, 
]ierbap8,  as  many  suppose,  have  been  "  Ca- 
rian "  mercenaries,  though  we  have  no 
other  evidence  that  the  Caiiaus  had  adopted 
the  mercenary  life  bo  early  aa  the  time  of 
Atiialiah.  Still,  as  their  devotion  to  it  liad 
pasj^ed  into  a  proverb  when  Archilochus 
wrote  (B.C.  700— 6t;0),  it  is  quite  possible 
that  they  had  begun  the  practice  a  century 
or  two  earlier.  When  Jehuiada  is  said  to 
have  "Hint  and  fetched"  the  oonturiona, 
we  must  understand  that  he  accretly  in- 
▼it«,-<i  thirn,  and  that  they  consented  tocoiue. 
He  oonld  not  poh.sibly  have  any  authority 
'ivt-r  th<  rii,  HO  us  U)  require  thi  ir  attendance, 
'i  h<-  names  of  the  five  cenlurioUB,  together 
witli  their  fatliem'  nanicH,  sveropat  on  record 
liy  the  writer  of  ChronieleH  (2  Chron.  xxiii. 
1),  uhoH)  Hcount  of  (he  revolution  is  in 
iiiiiiiy  rrn|)<'<:tH  fuller  than  that  in  )\ingH. 
And  brought  thorn  to  hiin  into  the  hmHo  of 
lb']  Lord  an  tli>  HafoHt  plivci'  for  ati  inl(>r- 
vmw  whi'-li  iiad  U<  Ixi  kej)t  swiret  fMni  tiie 
,|,,,.,.i, — ftnd  mad'i  a  oovonant  with  them,  and 
took  an  oath  of  thuin  m  the  house  of  tho 
Lord.  Wh  cnu  e.i.ily  undi-rntimd  that  th'' 
filiiicm,  wh')  hud  ix-fiti  wdliii).;  to  mtvo 
Athaliitli  under  tho  rxiti'in  thnt  the  Ikmiho 
of  l)avid  wan  oxtinet,  iiii)<lit  wuvisr  Iri  tlmir 
ull' i^ian'"  ftf)  noon  u*  they  hcnid  that  a 
nc.mn  nf  th"  'ilil  royal  hI/k-U  Murviveii,  itinl 
r>'>nld  ^Mi  rir'xhir^d  at  a  in'iniint'H  nntieo, 
Tlicir  tri'litioni  would  alta<'h  (Jntm  to  I>Mvid 


and  his  seed,  not  to  the  house  of  Ahab. 
And  showed  them  the  king's  son.  Having 
bound  the  centurions  by  a  solemn  covenant 
to  the  cause  of  the  young  king,  Jehoiada  in- 
troduced them  into  his  presence.  He  had, 
no  doubt,  previously  sworn  them  to  secrecy. 

Ver.  5. — And  he  commanded  them,  saying. 
This  is  the  thing  that  ye  shall  do.  It  is 
evident,  from  2  Chronicles  and  from  Jose- 
phus,  that  a  considerable  interval  of  time 
separates  the  events  of  ver.  5  from  those  of 
ver.  4.  The  immediate  arrangement  made 
between  Jehoiada  and  the  centurions  was 
that  they  should  "  go  througliout  the  whole 
land "  (Josephus,  '  Ant  Jud.,'  ix.  7.  §  2), 
visit  "all  the  cities  of  Jud£ih"(2  Chron.  xxiii. 
2),  and  gather  out  of  them  a  strong  force 
of  Levites  and  priests  (Josephus),  together 
with  a  certain  number  of  other  representa- 
tive Israelites,  which  force  they  should  bring 
with  them  to  Jerusalem,  and  place  at  his 
disposal.  To  accomplish  this  must  have 
taken  some  weeks.  When  the  force  had 
arrived,  Jehoiada  summoned  it  to  meet  him 
in  the  courts  of  the  temple,  and  swore  it  to 
a  similar  covenant  to  that  which  he  had 
made  with  the  centurions.  He  then  bided 
his  time,  completed  his  arrangements,  uti- 
lized the  store  of  arms  laid  up  in  the  temple 
armoury  (ver.  10),  and  finally  gave  two 
charges — one  to  the  centurions,  which  is 
given  here  (vers.  5 — 8),  and  the  other  to  the 
foree  collected  from  the  cities  of  Judah, 
which  is  given  in  Chronieles  (2  Chron. 
xxiii.  4 — 7).  The  orders  given  to  the  two 
forces  were  very  similar,  but  not  identical. 
A  third  part  of  you  that  enter  in  on  the 
sabbath.  The  royal  body-guard  consisted 
of  five  divisions,  each  probably  of  a  hundred 
men,  and  each  commanded  by  its  own 
captain  (2  Chron.  xxiii.  1).  It  was  usual 
on  the  sabbath  for  three  divisions  out  of 
the  five  to  mount  guard  at  the  royal  palaco, 
wliile  two  were  engaged  outside,  keeping 
order  in  the  city,  aud  especially  at  Iho 
temple.  We  do  not  know  the  ordinary  dis- 
position of  the  guard,  either  inside  or  out- 
side tho  nalace.  On  this  occasion  Jehoiada 
conunamled  that  tho  palace-guard  should 
1k)  diHi)oseil  as  follows:  one  division  at  tim 
pulace  propi-r,  in  thn  courts  and  halls  ami 
anicrhundM^rM  ;  u  second  at  one  of  the  i^^HMeH 
fioni  the  palace,  known  as  "the  galo  of 
Kiir;"  and  a  third  ut  an  isHuo  called  "  tiiu 
gate  of  tho  guar<i,"  whicii  was  certainly 
towards  lliu  eaal,  wliure  tho  pulaco  fronted 
till-  teiuplo.  The  nbject  wa*  to  ■leiiro  the 
jialaoi  ,  Ijut  not  to  iirrvcnl  tho  (|Ueen  froiii 
leaving  it.  Shall  ovun  bo  koopors  of  tho 
watoh  of  the  king's  houto ;  <.«.  uf  the  royal 
paliKV). 

Ver.  (5.  And  a  third  part  nhall  Im  at  the 
gate  of  Bur.  'I'ln'  "  nulr  of  Sur "  in  not 
elHUwhiirv  muiitioncd.     It  itottniH  to  Im  ouIIimI 


El.  !-•!.]         TUR  RBOOKD  BOOK   OF  TIIR   KIlTOiL 


tH  CbWUllllM  (t  Qiwa.  Iini.  l)*U)e  Ate 

— ililm    kMViBff    r< 

ellMrbf  •«ami|4.- .. 

eiM  of  ik*  pal««»    fffeir* 

!•  ««c«rtaia.    4b4  At' 

CM*  of  Ui0  KttMil.*'  %qA  akhowu  iUftf  lo  bar* 
MBS  Ml  Ui0  tmtl  •iklr  of  Lb*  |Hkl»r«-,  »i.cr« 
It  taemi  lb*  Inupl*.  »nd  kbuiUxl  ou  ll»« 
TyMpn-"-       ^—    -  >    r-    t—   ■>-    -.-.oh  al 

U«  k  ■  0* 


of  U« 

•Mbr. 

Mcapt 


Ire-. 
A< 

•rv..    .  , 

•baph* 


ytcvcrtmum  im  wriiMtL 

rU  uf  all  70a  that  fo 


ll-rxK-fift 


li  .    ■ 

U     HH  U.B     I.. 

The  L\X    , 

V»*.  7. — A^a  ;wj  p. 
tenb  on  th«  Mbbath 
fUftjvl  Uaviiijf   l«>  '  '     ' 

^«OCBp«BtM**   (ni»  V 

•Imi).    TbMe  J«boi»<U  romuiAu  ' 

th#  tr-nf>!*    «n<i    pn>trr(    the    ). 

E^  '  n«p  tha  w«tah  of  '. 

ct  .-.  th«  king.     A' 

(.  _  . 

ct 

Jui.L      .._  


■f  I 


-*  of 
.  1  to 


t; 

to  La\'- 

for   OM. 


:np4M  the  king 
eTcrj  n^&a  with  hli  veapoos 
The  guAid  wtu  tu  tak'    nri  a 
in  front  of  Uie  kuj.' 
1 ;  int««rprt»ing  th«•lI>^• 

■•tn'<«h(^  ai-roM 

(Trf      1  1  )    In  Ul 


Aaa  n*  laai  eon. 
rtBfM,  let  hiB  be  alAla ;  ru 
ffwJbL      ■'  -'-'    --'    • 

•ntet<(>'. 
thfoot'!. 

AfDBt  oi   iLt    M,:,^  ot    U-hkuU  L<Ui.  lir    ^ll.  uul 

ineUntU  be  put  Iu  d<-ath.      No  atteia(>(  of 
If.  .'     .k^le;    aud  «•  tl»f  onic-/  nv 

ti  I  leitt^.     Aad  be  fe  vith  the 

kLL.B  ^  ^.  K-'tth  oat  aad  m  he  eoinelh  la, 
•«roaip«ti«  Litn.  t.«.  la  all  bu  DiuvMueiiU 
Wt  klM  ucver  fi'f  a  tojiO' at  felnj  ouU  de 
ywr  make--«uotiiiue  to  eorruuiMi  bim 
vbltbrrKieTer  be  foe*.  E.ja  are  raetiaea, 
•ad  evicaitj  voold  lead  th«  yoang  talB«« 
•0  wof*  from  pUe*  to  pUae  Ib  onlair  w  aea 

what  VM  P^BC  ML 

▼er  9.—^  tk«  nytkLu  erar  the  hu- 


ufdi;*  »^'-^ca  luO<u.      Mj 
two  oui  of  ih^  flvd  a<M> 


Areds  did  the  pn**!  p  tc  KlAf  Darid'a  tpeara 

.u  the  templo  of  the 

.oarryitiie  «.lb  hiiu 


all 

to  i. 
TiU.  7) 
hUeeU 
ail  l.nuart>i 
thftB   Qp   ill 


h« 


1  *.  ii>>      K 

tbrtw  tiuadi<  . 
t7\.  whi<-b.    buaei 
e  ixT  {■<-.  iiiiVr   of 


it     ^l     II. r 

:<M7«f  U(.. 
with  Wttu 
r  vbieb  b« 


^d* 

.4 

of 

s^ 

ll«. 

;  iu 

Lb* 

•  w. 

t»f 

i    i;p   la 

lh« 

' 

1  4 

'   • 

• 

.<i 

'     U 

lb« 

-itb 

(be 

" 

Yef.  11— Aadth' 
vUh  hii  v««poaa  : 
Ik*  klBf .  (rm  <k«  r 
M  Ik*  Ufl  MfMT  «; 
to  a  vroac  «oH  «**-.  .^  .^■ 
!%•   ll*br«w  *]|r9  U   UiMUiy. 


S30 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.         [ch.  xi.  1— 21, 


and  mtwt  mean  here,  not  "comer,'*  but 
"  side  "  (bo  our  Eevisere).  The  guard  was 
drawn  np  right  across  the  temple  court  from 
wall  to  wall,  probably  in  several  ranks,  both 
before  and  behind  the  king  (see  ver.  8). 
Along  by  the  altar.  The  "  altar  "  intended 
is.  of  course,  the  altar  of  burnt  offering, 
which  stood  in  the  great  court,  a  little  way 
from  the  porch,  right  in  front  of  it ;  not  the 
altar  of  incense,  which  was  inside  the 
sanctuary.  No  one,  it  must  be  remembered, 
was  ever  allowed  to  enter  inside  the  sanc- 
tuary but  the  priests  and  officiating  Levitea 
(see  2  Chron.  xxiii.  6).  And  the  temple. 
"  The  temple "  is  here  the  sanctuary,  as  in 
the  passage  of  Chronicles  just  quoted.  The 
guard  occupied  a  position  at  the  upper  end 
of  the  court,  immediately  in  front  of  the 
altar  and  the  temple  porch. 

Ver.  12. — And  he— i.e.  Jehoiada — brought 
forth  the  king's  son — produced  him,  i.e., 
from  the  chamber  or  chambers  where  he  hud 
been  concealed  hitherto.  (On  the  temple 
chambers,  see  Neh.  xiii.  4—9.)  And  put  the 
erown  upon  Viim  That  the  Israelite  kings 
actually  wore  crowns  appears  from  2  Sam.  i. 
10  and  1  Chron.  xi.  2.  The  crown  was  pro- 
bably a  band  of  gold,  either  plain  or  set  with 
jewel*  (Zech.  ix.  16),  fastened  behind  with  a 
riband.  It  receives  here  the  same  name  that 
is  given  to  the  high  priest's  diadem  in  Exod. 
xxix.  6  and  xiiix.  30.  And  gave  him  the 
testimony.  The  words  "  gave  him  "  are  not 
in  the  original,  an  1  are  supeifiuous.  What 
is  memt  plainly  is  that  the  high  priest 
laid  on  the  young  king's  head  a  copy  of  the 
Law,  or  of  some  essential  portion  of  it,  per- 
ha[)8  the  Decalogue,  which  is  often  culled 
"tlie  testimony"  (Exod.  xvi.  34;  xxv.  16, 
21,  etc.).  The  object  ai)parontly  was  to 
i-h'iw  that  the  king  was  to  rule  by  law,  not 
arbitrarily  tbat  he  was  to  be,  as  Dean 
Htiinley  says,  "  not  ab  ive,  but  beneath,  the 
l:iw  of  hirt  country  '  ('Jewish  Church,'  voL 
ii.  p.  3'j7).  Tho  ceremony  Beeni.s  to  have 
lief-n  a  new  one,  and  is  indicative  of  the 
^cniduiil  curtiiliiient  of  the  regal  power 
under  the  later  monareliy.  And  they  made 
him  king,  and  anoinlod  him.  A  eiiange  is 
iiia<lc  from  the  eiuguliir  to  the  plural,  bt»- 
iMuan,  a*  wo  learn  imm  2  Chron.  xxiii.  11, 
••  Jehoiadii  (iHil  hi'  noun  iiiioiiitoil  hiia."  Wo 
have  bad  no  monti'in  of  tlie  unoiniing  of  a 
I'ow  riioD.ire})  in  Judah  uint^u  the  time  (jf 
hUilomon  (1  Kinp:ii  i.  39).  It  tnuy,  h. weaver, 
l.avfi  Jx'cn  the  Uiuml  pni'-tieo.  And  thoy  - 
ie.  th«j  ixviplo  (ul  uho  were  prcmiMit — 
cUipp^d  tholr  hands— un  orllnury  hign  of 
I'V  (Bon  Fh.  xlvii.  I  ;  xrviii.  H;  Ino.  Iv.  12; 
.N'nh.  iii.  19.  >  In.)  -and  *aiil,  Ood  invo  tho 
kinifl  lltnnilly, /"n^  litir  Ihr  kiiKjl  (eump. 
I  -am.  L  24  ;  2  huiu.  xvi.  10  ;  1  li>im»  i.  25, 
Bin. 

Vnr.   I8.-Ab4  whra  Athallah  haard  th« 


noise  of  the  guard  (comp.  1  Kings  i.  41 — 45, 
where  the  noise  accompanying  the  corona- 
tion of  Solomon  was  heard  to  an  equal  dis- 
tance) and  of  the  people.  The  "  and,"  which 
is  omitted  in  the  present  Hebrew  text,  may 
be  supplied  by  a  very  slight  alteration.  We 
have  only  to  read  Dj;ni  '^fnn  for  d^\t  J'i'^n— 
an  emendation  rendered  almost  certain  by 
the  fact  that  the  plural  in  ]»-  does  not  be- 
long to  the  date  of  the  writer  of  Kings. 
She  came  to  the  people  into  the  temple  of 
the  Lord.  It  was  not  her  habit  to  enter  tho 
temple  on  the  sabbath,  or  on  any  other  day ; 
but,  hearing  the  noiee,  she  hurried  across 
from  the  palace  to  learn  its  cause.  It  would 
seem  that  she  was  still  unsuspicious  of 
danger,  and  brought  no  guards  with  her,  nor 
any  large  body  of  attendants. 

Ver.  14. — And  when  she  looked,  behold, 
the  king  stood  by  a  pillar;  rather,  on  the 
pillar,  or  on  the  raised  platform.  The  king's 
proper  place  in  the  temple  seems  to  liave 
been  a  raised  standing- place  (nisyn,  from 
nby,  to  stand)  in  front  of  the  entrance  to 

the  sanctuary,  which  made  him  very  con- 
spicuous (comp.  ch.  xxiii.  3 ;  2  Chron.  xxiii. 
13,  and  xxxiv.  31).  As  the  manner  was — 
i.e.  as  was  the  usual  practice  when  kings 
visited  the  temple — and  the  princes — i.e. 
the  centurions  or  captains  of  the  guard — 
and  the  trumpeters  by  the  king  -  tho  officials 
whose  business  it  was  to  blow  the  trumpet 
at  a  coronation  (see  2  Sam.  xv.  10;  1  Kings 
i.  39  ;  ix.  13)— and  all  the  people  of  the  land 
rejoiced,  and  blew  with  trumpets;  i.e,  the 
people  who  had  been  admitted  into  the 
great  court  to  witness  the  coronation.  Some 
rumour  of  what  was  about  to  occur  had  got 
abroad,  and  many  of  the  people  had  pro- 
vided thenisolves  with  trumpets.  As  Dean 
Staidey  puts  it,  "  The  temple  court  was 
crowded  with  spectators,  and  thoy  too  toek 
)iait  in  the  celebration,  and  themselves  pro- 
longed the  trumpet-blast,  blended  with  tho 
musical  instruments  of  the  tomplo  service." 
And  Athaliah  rent  her  clothes.  Athiiliuh 
tO'ik  in  all  with  a  single glanco.  She  "saw 
that  tho  fatal  hour  was  come"  (Staidey) 
With  a  strong  liand  hIio  rent  her  rojnl  robes, 
partly  in  horror,  partly  iudeHjjair;  for  the 
■ingh»  glaneo  wliiiii  slio  hud  C4i8t  around 
waH  tiiilllciont  to  hIiow  iier  tliitt  all  was 
loHt.  And  oriod.  Treason  I  Treason  I  or, 
connpirary  I  connpirary !  Tho  cry  was 
srarreiy  an  nj)iieiil  for  help,  nn  .TdHephun 
niaUeH  itC  Ant.  Jnd.,'  ix.  7.  §  :t),  Init  rii(li(«r 
an  inHtiiK-livo  utlera  iro,  witliout  dislinet 
aim  or  obj»Hit,  wriinic  from  her  und<<r  tlio 
riiiuin«Uin(um.  It  loll  dead  on  llioaHHonibly. 
Vur.  15.  But  Johoinda  tho  prioit  com- 
mandod  tho  oaptaiim  lilomlly,  jninrrt-  ot 
tbohandroda,  t)i«olllourioftholio8t  Ihnnoni- 
maudora,  Lt.,  of  l*i«  iimaii  "  army  "  aMuiubled 


«L  w.  1-SI.]  niB  BEOOKD  BOOK  OF  TUB   KI!f(ML 


li  tka  Imi^  iMMH-  *ci  Mii  BBtA  t^a«,      •/ Ills  aMMikM^     A  Wli# 

kit*    i*r    '     f^  .,        |»    nil  ■■■«■  miaiiM  !■• 


.1  lh« 


V«   17  -A«< 


U  :;< 

|>rr  •  e&oOUUUU 

Vm     iu  — Aj*^    litay    i^id    Latoda  OB   h«r. 
Bo    tho     LXX.    (<»»^'!-.a»   (ii-^'     tr    --,)    lhf» 
▼•10M*^     Lutixr 
■adaru*  wb<lef»t 
tve  Uaosootf  an  c-.w.<^i  «: 
Ua  km  fmm  oul  of  th«>  b  m  i 

•  1 


Athaluk  pMiOllt 

rkti'    all  J   iif«i'<rliu 
I 
Ot 


Klr.1    1 


was  aoiM 


•ntr.iMv  to  I 

(»rf.    -iO). 


Tan.  17— tl.  AircLtr  ^otfu^t  mf  J- 
kmlmdm  Th«  kiu;;  bvtDg  «t  pn  ci^t  «  lurra 
p«pf«|     <•     liu    liatida,   Jc-boi^xlA    !>»•{     to 

■srjr  to  b«  taken.  Tti«M,  in  bw  juJ^Uirut, 
vriv  tLrt^e.  I.  A  HklnaB cut ru&ut  bbsI  ha 
—  U  bi<»W  lk«  klttg  and  lb«  profit' ; 
Mkl  •aoUMT  be««<^B   \hr-  k)!i-.  t'r    J^.j  !«, 

.«b. 

•  I .    .  o .  Lbo  (urtuc-r 


MtlOod      tK 

paepl*  i^'  »- 
•ad  »>v«r  kr 
pbdgiaf  tbi-  ».>-  rim^^  to 

k«.  ukl  tb. 
I  TU 

ba.WatroywL     t.  1      .    ^ 

Hum  Um  to«pU  aad  i— ultod  ta  ib«  pal«M 


r   rroc  ■  c- 
A  111  5 


V<x   la— AaAalilb*  p*opl«  of  tbaiuA^ 
C*  bII  U>«.*h  wb**  i-\  »*- -  .  ;,  V,  Jrrcislrta 


bouaa  of   Baal"  beta  u.  ..\ 

br  Jahnfam  and  Albali  .       .     .  _  u/ 

ioniMw  (' Ant.  JimIV  >i    '    i*)      bji,if 

w»»  thr  raw,  it  v»  r»r'  r-  e--  t   at 


^^1    -i,  -   u  't   uK-'iUixi  iL     1  ba 

prr>«-ut  °tjow«  tk«l    Um  laiinJa 

Vaa    in.  r.  Ji-f u^..mi,      t.nt    i>v«f« 

i»  t-  a 

d.-  ., 

Ciuuxul"  (aa  .a   a.;an   aAiA  lua 

UaafM  teak*  ««  tkoroackljr.     U 

vaa  oomaMio  ai-^utig  lue  hwiitma  id  ba«a 
■evaml  altan  ia  oaa  laauda,  and  aoi  a»' 


(luiutiMtu  Ui  havv  •^•••r^l 


I' 


of  Ciirt.i  If*  (»  «.    .  .     ^ 

•law  Manaa   tka  p-  .« 

aitara      Tba  aauM;         .  .  .( 

of  iba  la*t  Kicif  of  Jud«i.  |. 

kMr   M:.tt..     i«\a4Uival<  i*. 
itif.   17>      Maifaui  •void  ba 

W«     BMKr  {'■— .  BWf    (iial, 

li'uu^tt   i<»ij   oallad   'p*!  -      :-*• 

kiffk  priHL    Aad  ika  F  t* 

— apfalatad  ••«•»  owr  ... m  .i  ^^m 

Lard.     Tba   pMailel  \**m^  ml 


£32 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINOa         [oh.  xl  1—21. 


(2  Chron.  iiiiL  18,  19)  explaina  thit  itate- 
ment.  "We  are  there  told  that  "  Jehoiada 
appointed  the  offices  of  the  house  of  the 
Lord  by  the  hand  of  the  priests  the  Levi  tea, 
...  to  ofl'er  the  burnt  offerings  of  the  Lord, 
M  it  u  written  in  the  Law  of  Muses,  with 
reioicing  and  with  singing,  as  it  was  ordained 
by  David.  And  he  set  the  porters  at  the  gates 
of  the  house  of  the  Lord,  that  none  which 
was  unclean  in  anything  should  enter  in." 
During  Athaliah's  reign  the  temple  serviLe 
had  ceased;  breaches  had  been  broken  in 
the  outer  walls;  and  neither  tlie  priests  nor 
the  porters  had  served  in  their  regular 
order ;  there  had  been  no  morning  or 
evening  sacrifice,  and  no  antiphoual  psnlm- 
■inging.  Jehoiada  re-establislied  the  re- 
gular courses  and  the  worship. 

Ver.  19.— And  he  took  the  mlers— lite- 
rally, princes — over  hundreds — i.e.  the  five 
centurions  of  2  Chron.  xxiii.  2 — and  the 
captains— rather,  and  the  Cnritet  (see  the 
comment  on  ver.  4)— and  the  guard— i.e. 
the  "runners,"  the  other  division  of  the 
guard — and  all  the  people  of  the  land — 
tljose  who  had  flocked  to  his  standard  either 
orit'iiifilly  (2  Chron.  xxiiL  2)  or  since— and 
they  brought  down  the  king  from  the  house 
of  the  Lord.  They  escorted  Jonsh  from  the 
temple  to  the  palace,  first  bringing  him 
doion  into  the  valley  of  ti.e  Tyropoeon,  and 
then  conducting  him  up  the  opposite,  or 
western  hill,  on  which  tlie  palace  stood. 
And  came  by  the  way  of  the  gate  of  the 
guard  to  the  king's  house.  Tlie  "gate  of 
ti.e  guard"  is  prubuMy  tl.at  called  in  ver.  6 
"the  gate  behind  tho  guard."  We  may 
presume  that  it  was  thu  mnin  entrance  to 
thr-  y'alaee  on  the  rnHtprn  sido.  And  he  sat 
oa  the  throne  of  the  kings.    Not  till  he  liad 


placed  Joash  on  the  royal  throne  of  his  an- 
cestors, in  the  great  throne-room  of  the 
palace,  was  Jehoiada  content  with  the  work 
of  the  day. 

Ver.  20. — And  all  the  people  of  the  land 
rejoiced,  "  All  the  people  of  the  land  "  has 
here,  perhaps,  a  wider  sisrnification  than  in 
vers.  18  and  19.  The  whole  land  was  con- 
tent with  the  revolution  that  had  taken 
place.  No  opposition  showed  itself.  Ewald 
has  no  ground  for  his  statement  that  the 
heathenizing  party  was  strong  in  Jerusalem, 
and  that  the  worshippers  of  Jehovaii  "  had 
for  a  long  time  tokei-p  watch  in  the  temple, 
to  prevent  surprise  by  the  heathenizing 
party"  ('History  of  Israel,' vol.  iv.  p.  13(j, 
note  3).  He  has  mistaken  the  intention  of 
the  Inst  clause  of  ver.  18.  If  anytliing  is 
clear  from  the  entire  narrative  of  tlie  early 
reign  of  Joash  (ch.  xi.  3 — 21;  xii.  1 — 16; 
2  Chron.  xxiii.  1 — 21;  xxiv.  1 — 14),  it  is 
that  there  was  no  heathenizing  party  iu 
Jerusalem,  or  none  that  dared  to  show  itself, 
until  after  the  death  of  the  high  priest  Je- 
hciada,  which  was  later  than  the  twenty- 
third  year  of  Joash.  And  the  city — i.e. 
Jeru.-aiem- was  in  qui:t:  and  they  slew — 
it  niiglit  be  translated,  uhen  they  had  slain 
— Ai;haliah  with  the  sword  beside  the  king's 
house.  The  intention  of  the  writer  is  to 
conneot  the  period  of  tranquillity  with  the 
reuioval  of  Athaliah,  and  therefore  to  point 
her  out  as  the  cause  of  disturbance  pre- 
viously. 

Ver.  21. — Seven  years  old  was  Jehoash — 
or,  Joash— when  he  began  to  reign  (conip. 
vers.  3  and  4  and  2  Chron.  xxiv.  1).  The 
clause  would  be  better  placed  ut  the  begin- 
ning of  the  next  ohaptur 


HOMILETICa 

Vcni.  1 — 3  and  14 — Ifl. — Afhaliuh  and  Jezebel,  the  uticked  daughter  and  the  w^eJced 
motlttr.  It  has  often  been  noted  lliat,  while  women  are,  as  a  general  rule,  belter  than 
men,  in  the  (as's  where  tlioy  enter  iipon  evil  courses  tlieir  wickcdncs.s  exceed.s  that  of 
their  mnie  asw,.  iatca.  Tl»«  character  of  Lady  Macbeth  is  true  to  nature.  Wicked 
wornnn  are  HKin*  thoronRli-^oiiip;  tlian  wicked  nion,  more  liloody,  nu)n'  (hiiiii,',  nioro 
un^-crui  iiImuh.  In  Athaliah  we  haveas^rtof  reirtition  of  Jezebel— a  ki  cond  picturo 
Oh  t4i<;  name  lituR— tho  j/icture  of  a  fierce,  ambitiuUH.  uKerly  iinHcrupulnus  woman, 
occupyine  timch  tin-  Haino  Htntinn  an  lier  nintlier,  o<|ually  iMiwcffui,  c(inally  unsparinj?, 
ai>d  e-itially  ^^•M^(Jr^el^•KH.     IJnth  w<pm<ii  arc  n'lueHentid  an    - 

I,  I»KV</TKI'.H   OK    TilK    HAMK    HI  NKIIOUH    AND    IMMollAL  CUI.T.       JpZcbol  introHuCen  th« 

IWil  and  Achii-reth  worship  into  lHra<d  ;  Atlmliah  into  Juibili.  Kaoli  doiihm  lliti  ortpilftl 
of  her  a-loj-tid  rr.uiitry  with  a  t"iiipU)  to  Haal  — a  tompio  where  liiuiK'Sof  I'ad  are  HOt 
up,  all«r»  «Tcc!<- '  t-i  him.  ami  Ha"  rilic«'ii  olh  khI  t4»  him.  Kaoh  briuiis  wiili  her  Into  her 
DOW  home  th«  Hiuil  priinth'XKl,  and  iiiHinU  it  in  i>ower. 

II.  OrKK  AKTA«»uj«iirrH  or  Jk.icovaIi.  Jcz-bol  jHirMicuU's  th««  Jeliovi-ttio  prophets, 
•UtinK  M  maiiT  «"  nho  run,  ami  thronlruinj'  the  lito  even  of  Kliiah  (1  Klnj^s  xvlii.  4  ; 
Sli.  2).  Athalinh  «loj»«  the  t-iniilp- woi^l.ip  at  Joruhajem,  bad  broiuilift*  mad-'  Id  tlia 
Viiipl*  wmHh,  and    k'^*^    ^'    " "^^    ^^* 


ufrurliiKi   which    projicrly   Iwlong    Ut   .Ulmvali 


(2  Chnift.  iiiv.  7). 


m.  Mt,  l-tl]  1  HI  BCOuMD  BOOK  OP  TUB   KUGlL 


ni    llrmMSHMi.    JmtM,  aI  KftWiK  (1  Kiaci  iil  ft— U)m4  W  i^  J*lwi«i«ite 

IV.   KAai»  T\>  aiABT  Akt>  wilt  »  auvikBius  r>'MBE  J«««M  ,                                       • 

IB  I.  •^x  ^"^  ^  ■  •-'"*  (1  ^  "*!!•»*'  •X  «^'^-f  ' '  '  '» '••  n  I                ■    » 1       i, 

ant  th*  :.kc        A            1  ,  |:M«e<t.»  Jrb   ram  (  .  OoliM,  AMl  ^X 

U.  ft 

•»  '•<> 

a.                                          .  ■                                  f- 

B  r 

•  « 

I  a 

i;  .                                           i 

of  "• 


t- 


iJittij*  Juu|^uj*(<1  wh  bat. 


ftVMk  a.  xu  MDOOf  %h»  blgk 

pn«gi»  '.)!•  fae«  lUi  ib«  bigk 

priwil  "SUM*  ti  th9  oOos 

•htel  «  iB^vkt  lioMa. 

Jehoi*  ■»«"■  i«  »WA 

|)«  «4(  wiL«  OBurjoi    au4 

rv'i  t'i.  r  I          :i  aol  BU'.c  ».i^ 

f  c«  of  ui  cDKuy  »Uk«  U   '.    aa4 

»i.  t'f  tb«  roj%\  tUxk  by  *■.    -   xh, 

«h>ci  vu  «ntkipftir>i  U  i  bui                   a 

be  I     .M  TH*,  ooDOMlcki   Lim  :                  -j 

tv<-,  ;.'  t  c:«i  .  'om  hU  •iiBUi.oc  I-   L-c  oao 

•  aj^    tr«l.      Ib    •  -Ul  L*d   b»«X»l!»«  ft  b^jr  oi  aa 

s^c  wj  UiU  '  i  L»i  ite  aSeciioM  o#  ftU  eUtM*  of  b« 

«ut  ry  14.     i  vulutk«  to  tb*  OM  affMtod  bj  Atbdiab, 

«.                        «'.r»l  (.ui-    i.cr,  a    k-'^gMitJ.      Il  VOIlld  bftV*  bMB  CftfJ  ID   fUUr 

I  1  nia*  •  r«vi.,i  ^aJa  ftbrwDk  from  ib«  koiTin of  •  dnl  w,  ibA 
in  Til  lor  nu.  9f  kaiB«  bi«  ifrxi  u«  dur(«  by  •  fUmj  abol  or  a  •bane*  •word-ibriMk 
B*  Ibwrfiin  ■•»  to  work  to  meb  AUuli«b*B  Mpportor*  from  b«r  ooum  by  tbo  piooiM 


Bitibod  of  jiwwiMltm  nm  bo  ffiiaod  ovor  tbo  toptoioo  oT  bor  guftnl.  tboo  ibiwigb 
tbotn  tbo  mfk-oad-ik. taoily  tbo  **oblor  Ibibm*'  oT  Imol  to  tbo  vonooo  oitko 

gCbfoo.  xsUt.  S).    Doobttog  tbo  nffirieiii  v  of  it/io  ftjioo,  bo  fanhor  muumoatd  w 
•  aid  0  krsi  bodij  of  L»viio&    Ana  ail  «>  oKroUy  oo  to  craou  ih>  okna, 

to  ftfo'  ftc  M>  mm^kkm.    Wb«  tbo  tine  •      t.  ouo*.  bo  aiod*  bio  ftrr«-:^pTrM:to 

».     ■.::.-'.  oQouauBOtofkilL    H*  oottU  O0«»  toio*4| MOO  iBrvoooa  li  -  U 

»    ...  m  I  >)  iuio  bk  bood,  oo  oboaid.  byoototoff  ■JHio  Ibo  tomp^  «.  • 

Of  •»  otMkiAuu;  but  bo  bod  tokoo  bis  BoMOfW  to  ooob  o  vfty  oa  to  n^le  UU^to 
Itoiwibia,  obii  to  roduoo  to  o  mtflmifn  tbo  foohobOItT  U  lutuuli  or  onaod  woiXfttKic 
It  woo  OB  "it>t"T*i»ft  of  ostmofdiDAnr  fintdr  •  .ittaol  wtodoa  to  bo  obU  \o  c#aM 

B  ooai4r<«  rvvtdotkiB.  boib  to  Cbureli  ukd  >  .«  eoot  of  two  bvo^  boik  of  tbo« 

^MaooB.   Up lo  uuB  uti^ ^■katodo'o  wiiAiM  boA  boiBobtoly 


Sfattou  by  tbo  Uw  of  MaooB.  Up  lo  uu.  uu^  ^■katodo'o  wirfw  boA  boiBobtoly 
■BWL  UMMfcilb  It  k  bM  ftdoUiy  tbot  diBwo  o«r  aiitoWirino  iiwlog  ol 
;  for  bhBwH  to  lito  Ibeofb*  lo  for  tbo  boaoto  of  Oed.  oad  Iborofon  bo  MBe«« 


234  THE   SECO^^)  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.         [ch.  ii.  1— 21 

the  Mosaic  covenant ;  his  next  for  the  welfare  of  his  country,  and  therefore  he  maizes 
king  and  people  mutually  swear  to  each  other ;  his  third  for  the  honour  of  true  religion, 
and  therefore  he  destroys  the  temple  of  Baal,  and  inaugurates  afresh  the  Jehovistic 
service.  As  Bahr  says,  "  If  ever  a  man  stood  pure  and  blameless  in  the  midst  of  such 
a  bold,  difficult,  and  far-reaching  enterprise,  then  Jehoiada,  the  ideal  Israelitish  priest, 
did  so  here."  The  after-life  of  Jehoiada  is  less  remarkable  (ch.  lii.  2 — 16 ;  2  Chron. 
xxiv.  2 — 14),  but  not  unworthy  of  his  earlier  reputation. 

Vers.  15 — 17. — God^ a  judgments  not  unfrequently  fall  in  this  life,  though  sometimet 
they  are  deferred  to  the  life  beyond  the  grave.  The  Athaliahs  and  Mattans  of  history 
seldom  come  to  a  good  end.  Though  the  wicked  man  be  often  seen  in  prosperity, 
though  he  "  flourishes  as  a  green  bay  tree,"  yet  it  is  nbt  often  that  he  continues 
flourishing  to  the  close  of  his  days,  or  die.i  in  comfort,  peace,  and  happiness.  The 
psalmist  was  satisfied  when  he  saw  "  the  end "  of  the  man  whose  long-continued 
prosperity  had  vexed  and  grieved  him  (Ps.  Ixxiii.  2 — 22).  Heathen  wisdom  bade  men 
''never  to  pronounce  anyone  happy  before  his  death,"  since  inhuman  life  changes 
were  of  continual  occurrence,  and  the  higher  a  man's  exaltation  above  his  fellows  at 
a  given  time,  the  lower  was  likely  to  be  his  depression  and  degradation  at  another. 
The  rationale  of  the  matter  seems  to  be — 

I.  God  has  attached  penalties  to  vice  in  the  way  of  katubal  consequencb, 
WHICH  TAKE  EFFECT  IF  TIME  BE  ALLOWED.  Tyrants  lay  Up  for  themselves  a  con- 
Btantly  increasinj;  amount  of  hatred  and  resentment,  which  naturally  bursts  forth  and 
sweeps  them  away  after  a  while ;  e.(j.  Hipparchus,  Tarqiiin,  Dionysius,  Caligula,  Ntro. 
Drunkards,  gluttons,  and  profligate  persons  destroy  their  health.  Reckless  spendthrifts 
reduce  themselves  to  poverty  and  want.  Unfaithfulness  strips  men  of  their  friends, 
an<i  leaves  them  weak  and  defenceless  against  their  adversaries.  The  prosperity  of 
the  wicked  is  naturally  but  for  a  time — give  them  the  full  term  of  human  life,  and, 
before  they  die,  their  sin  will,  to  a  certainty,  find  them  out,  and  they  will  cease  to 
prosper. 

II.  God  does,  on  occasion,  visit  high-placed,  prosperous  sinners  with  sudden, 
SIGNAL  PUKI8HMENT8  DEALT  BY  HIS  OWN  HAND.  Scripturc  iiives  US  a  Certain  number 
of  examples,  as  those  nf  the  Pharaoh  of  the  Exodus,  Saul,  Jezebel,  Sennacherib, 
Nebuchadnezzar,  Herod  Agrippa,  and  the  like,  whose  afflictions  are  distinctly  ileclarod 
to  have  bein  sent  upon  them  by  Gnd  himself  io  the  way  of  punishment.  While,  no 
doubt,  great  caution  is  necessary  in  applying  the  principle  thus  indicated  to  other 
persons  in  hist<jry,  and  especially  to  living  persons,  we  need  not  shrinlc  from  some 
application  of  it.  God  speaks  to  us.  in  history,  not  only  in  his  Word.  When  selfish 
usurpein,  who  have  delugeil  wliole  continents  in  blood,  and  sacrificed  tens  or  hundreds 
of  tliousiinds  of  lives  to  gratify  their  aml)itioii,  are  cast  down  from  their  thrones,  and 
de  In  exile  or  banishment,  it  is  almost  impossible  not  to  see  hi^  hand  in  the  occurrences, 
executing  judgment.  When  an  Arius,  bent  on  the  disruption  of  tiic  Church,  and 
•eemingly  at  the  jxjint  of  triumph,  expires  silently  in  the  night,  or  a  Galcrius,  the  most 
cruel  of  jKirafcutors,  perishes  in  most  horrihle  agonies,  there  is  no  want  of  charity 
or  of  reverence  in  once  more  recogniziii;.;  his  finger  interposed  to  save  his  Church  or  to 
avenge  Ids  martyred  ones.  "Some  men's  sins  are  open  lelnrehand,  goini^  beliirc  to 
judf;ment"  (1  Tim.  v.  24);  and,  when  tin;  judgment  falls,  it  would  bo  wilful  blindness 
on  our  part  not  to  recognize  it.  W(!  must  bo  cautious,  and  roniembor  that  those  on 
whom  th<:  tower  in  Silcjaiii  fell,  and  slew  them,  were  not  sinners  above  the  otlier 
dwclicrH  in  .lerusal  ra  (Ijuki-  xiii.  4);  but,  if  it  was  God's  vcngeanci;  that  destroyed  the 
ciiicH  of  the  plain,  and  tliat  visited  Nadab  and  Aliihu,  Korah,  Datluin,  and  Aliirain, 
Hili'JH  and  Og,  iJaiaam,  Adonizidck  and  liis  brother  kings,  lOgloii,  Sisora,  Zebah, 
Ziilmunna,  Abimelech,  Aga;^,  Doeg,  Sliimei,  Jezebel,  Hainan,  Ananias,  Sappliira,  Herod 
A.'ripi  a,  KlyinaH,  so  w(;  m  ly  )xj  Huro  that  it  has  lallen  on  hundreds  ol  others  wIiohu 
namcH  do  not  fxxur  in  Sciijitiiro,  coming;  suddenly  upon  them,  and  culling  them  off 
in  their  iniquitie«,  ^'eueralis  when  neitlier  tliey  nor  otlicrs  wi  ro  in  the  least  expecting  it. 
0<«1  in  Htill,  HM  ho  haM  over  been,  "  the  ^;r(•at,  I  ho  niighty  God,  the  Lord  of  hohts,  great  in 
eouiiMtl  and  mighty  in  work  ;  hin  eye^  are  upnn  ii|Kin  ail  t.lio  wayn  of  tlii!  sons  of  men, 
to  ;'iv<t  fvery  ono  n'  cording  to  bin  wayH  and  acoording  to  thfi  fruit  of  Iiih  doing!  " 
vJer.  xxxli.  lH,  i'J).    Either  ui  ihiit  lllu  or  in  tbu  llfo  to  uomo  hu  will  uxucuto  Tunf^eaticu 


m.  SL  1-ti.]      Tin  noovi)  BOOK  OF  TUB  Km aa  tn 

«pne  •vfl-doMi.     Well  for  tb«ai  If  II  U  la  UiU  life,  ^ni  M  thmj  m  CMttp*  iK*  d/tuaful 

BOMILIES  BT  ▼ARIOUB  AUTUOB& 
Wm%,  1  — IC—  7X»  fir*frr>tHom  mud  mronatien  of  JiMuk.     Tbis  b  •  «o«itaf  Hary 

I  «<i«,  (rais  fD  aoae' 

H"        .-4f -  ••.  '  MXT^  mu  -  ■<•-     flb* 

di<'.                                                              A  daugbt«r  uf  Abab  ftod  Jr  Vd 

a  .'                                                                      jhter  tbe  w»»'i    •■  r  h.->!  i:  i*t>. 

1^                                                            J  ktr  «iti«  '.  u.     w« 

r»  .  aV  of   Ibr  I      .  \                      U-^t»r  ut 

A  '    wt/«  .   »'■  .         ••'       -':<l  Uiai  «uicii  wta  wU 

ii.  >     ^'^  '''■''              '    ^^  *<*  ifAociiaA.     \V« 

rt:.  vj  lu  li»*  w%yt  '  Aliab:/(/r  Au  Mt/^Afv 

«>^.  y.     Wli«reIor«  J-  -  »•  Ht  -f  'k-p  liord  Uk« 

ti<                                      :  U.ejr  were  hit  ooonaall  r  to  Au 

dti-.  u  .                             iii.  3,  4).     And  DOW  •!  .'•»'  >7 

fmttimg  to  <;  -ni,  tbe  mwJ  royal  <-•  nj 

likr  work  is  a  work  of  drs  l<x1 

caii  d  '  !  .  <nLU  of  others.  1 

;  do  what  .'i«  rvpatatioo  a- 

The  JeifbcU  aiid  .ai:  -r  '-.-  '  -.  -  •  t», 
tbe  I'l '!  |«'U)ur»,  tlir  ' 

loo  »..-  (er.     But  •br  had  not  b«en  oocTupied  by  h-'j  *  uf  tt>« 

court.     .  ..^      —  -    -  "f  Jeboiada  lb«  wieat— a  good  »ifc  of  a  ,.      .   ...lO.     8h« 

fv«cued  Joaati  fr  ^b't  maaaacre,  aod  kept  him  hid  In  tha  prieat*'  ap«'tm-DU 

in  tba  temt  le.  ^raa  hid  for  six  jeara,  until  tbe  time  tL  t!.  a«  a   i-  ^   i  .tig, 

be  WM  callod  U'  '  If  there  are  At)  aliahs  in  tbe  «  to 

Jeboabehaa.     If  t  a   men  of  crueltj,  therr  are  alao  wu  >ad 

cum|*»'aiuQ.ite  spinu    If  there  art-  womooimo  are  oorrupcan  of  ottiara,  b<>«r  maajr  i  .ere 
are  who  br  tbeir  own  pure  life  and  ooodod  bare  been  tbe  p^eaerTers  tf  :  :' !-  T'J'^'T 
and  ntorality  I     If  one  wicked  woman  can  do  r- 
wotnan  can  do  •  rast  Amount  <■(  fr><j.     What  a.. 
carried  oo -by  Chri>t  an  w>  t  the  wui.u  at  t:.c  j      ^^■,  tiay  !     W..*i  a 

raat  inimVier  of  !a<ii«^  wh  »ter  to  tbe  pour  1     \\  i.«(  a  va»t  num>«r  of 

W  A  .  1  lu  pnsai«  L-'Uaea,  derola  ibMDat-'  .-rk 

vi  many  are  engaged  in  inalnwCinff  t)  iar 

ac  guoe  fortb  M  miaaionariea  to  nea  ^a't 

wi  ^b,  and  tm  th*  c&am  of  durity  aL  i  •  to 

ASD  Hia  wouL     Jeh'ia'lali  work  wm  of  a  tw  -     'a.     Bis  worA 

•  •    ind  pmrmt.f.     H»  dealroyed   Idol't/v.                  •  -.•;    etjd    to 

f«-.     He  ci  1   Dol  belieT*  In  tb«  policy  of  i  «•     He 

|>r                                         -f  fr>  uvcrthrow  ereo  lb*  power  of  tb«>    ■  ,    «  •  . 

-U  end  axtrreiaad  iu  an  aril  w.a 
a  the  natioiL     Like  many  anot.' 

t                                     .y  ano  treaHon.      But  thara  ara  many   -.  '^  u>  im 

<'  •                                J  can  oTemtimite  the  barm  di>ae   bv   »  T      H«i| 

JehuiMia  waa  bo  Btara  revolutionist.     H«  did  Doi  rabal  ar:v  u'« 

aaka.     lie  did  not  put  an  rn'i  to  her  reign  beoaoaaof  b  f  ^  -t^ 

He  would  have  agreed  with  St.  Paul  thai  **  tbe  puwera  tb*t  U  *><:  <  '    t* 

U*  eH  ap  another  king  in  her  place,  and,  in  pLaoe  of  tbe  td>.4a'.r\    »  tad 

a^                 he  aeC  op  tbe  vorsblp  of  the  true  Ood.     Weaae  m  the  »U  .-  rA« 

c              ,  yrovidtmm  ^  God.    Atbaliab  Ibougbt  Ae  •ooU  make  ber  {•  i*f 
im  UvMAAuM  «  TOttog  |«iMi^    Bui  nan  prupoeai^  aad  Ood  dUpuaai.     vn  ,  •««  ott 


236  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.         [oh.  xi.  1— 2L 

f?ie  use  of  human  instrumentality.  God  works  by  means.  He  used  Jihosheba  to 
preserve  the  young  life  which  in  the  end  was  the  means,  in  Jehoiada's  hand,  of  over- 
throwing the  wicked  power  of  Athaliah. — C.  H.  I. 

Vers.  17 — 21. — The  covenant  and  its  results.  Jehoiada  was  faithful  to  God.  All 
that  he  had  hitherto  done  was  but  the  work  of  a  pioneer,  preparing  the  way  for  the 
restoration  of  G'd's  worship  an(1  God's  Law  in  the  land.     We  have  here — 

I.  Thk  covenant  made.  Very  early  in  the  history  of  God's  people  we  find  them 
entering  into  covenants  with  him.  When  Jacob  had  that  comforting  vision  at  Bethel, 
he  entered  into  a  covenant.  "  If  God  will  be  with  me,  and  will  keep  mo  in  this  way 
that  I  go,  ...  so  that  I  come  again  to  my  father's  house  in  peace ;  then  shall  the  Lord  be 
my  God;  and  this  stone,  which  I  have  set  for  a  pillar,  shall  be  God's  house:  and  of  all 
that  thou  shalt  give  me  I  will  surely  give  the  tenth  unto  thee."  The  pillar  he  set  up 
was  the  witness  of  the  covenant.  When  God  gave  the  ten  commandments  to  the 
children  of  Israel,  they  entered  into  a  covenant  that  they  would  keep  them  and  do  them. 
That  covenant  they  publicly  renewed  and  ratified  many  times  in  their  6ubsequ«>nt 
history.  They  renewed  it  shortly  before  the  death  of  Moses.  They  renewed  it  shortly 
before  the  death  of  Joshua,  and  on  that  occasion  Joshua  set  up  a  great  stone  to  be  a 
witness  of  what  they  had  done.  On  the  occasion  before  us  they  renew  it  under  the 
influence  of  Jehoia  la.  "  And  Jehoiada  made  a  covenant  between  the  Lord  and  the 
king  and  the  people,  that  they  should  be  the  Lord's  people;  between  the  king  also  and 
the  pe'^ple."  They  renewed  it  also  in  the  reizn  of  Josiah,  and  under  Ezra  and  Nehemiah 
after  the  return  from  the  Captivity.  In  all  these  cases  we  find  three  important  features, 
common  to  them  all.  In  each  case  the  duty  of  making  the  covenant  was  enjoined 
upon  the  people  by  eminent  men  of  God — prophets,  priests,  and  kings.  In  each  case 
it  WHS  a  public  covenant,  entered  into  by  all  the  people.  And  in  each  case,  when  the 
covenant  was  renewed,  it  was  accompanied  by  moral  and  spiritual  revival  and  reforma- 
tion. Have  we  net  in  the  New  Testament  the  same  duty  pointed  out  and  practised, 
though  not  indeed  under  the  same  name?  It  was  a  public  covenant  with  the  Lord 
when  on  the  Day  of  Pentecost  the  thr  e  thousand  souls  were  bajitized.  When  Paul 
jiraises  the  Churches  of  Macedonia  for  that  "they  first  {rave  their  own  selves  to  the 
Lord  ;  "  when  he  calls  his  readers  to  present  themselves  a  living  saciilice  unto  Ood  ;  to 
remember  that  they  are  not  their  own,  hut  are  bought  with  a  price;  to  come  out  from 
among  the  godless  and  be  separate; — :dl  these  are  just  different  ways  of  reminding  them 
that  as  Christians  they  have  entered  into  a  covenant  with  God.  Passin'i  over  the  dark 
ages  which  came  upon  the  Christian  Church,  we  find  that  when  the  Bible  truths  began 
to  shi  d  their  light  once  more  in  the  surrounding  darkness,  the  early  Reformers  foimd  it 
necessiry  to  band  themselves  tf)jiether  in  a  solemn  covenant  with  GKxl  and  with  one 
another.  By  this  means  thiy  kept  before  them  their  great  purpose.  By  Lhia  means 
they  Mtimulalcd  imd  Btronglhomd  and  encouiaged  one  another.  By  this  means  they 
lifted  up  a  testimony  against  surrounding  error.  Such  a  covenant  was  publicly  agreed 
to  hy  tno  PioLeHtant  princes  and  states  of  Germany,  and  also  by  th  >  Huguenots  of 
Franco.  But  the  bost-known  and  most  momorablo  covenants  are  those  of  Scotland. 
John  Ki  ox  laid  the  foundation  of  the  f^ofonnaiion  in  Sc  >tland,  but  tlio  covenants  built 
it  up  Rr;d  Htr<  n^lhenod  it.  The  first  of  iheso  was  calloil  the  National  Covenant,  first 
drawn  u|i  in  the  yar  loBO.  It  was  wigrud  liy  tho  king,  nolilos,  and  norsons  of  all 
ranks — tlic  ki^  g  being  James  VI.  of  Sootlaiifl,  afterwards  James  I.  of  England.  By 
thi»  meraor.ih  0  docnrucnt  tiio  whole  people  of  Scotland  pledgnil  themHclves  to  renonnco 
ao<i  rcKJul  all  tlic  urrorH  of  iH)|iiTy,  and  to  maintain  iho  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  It  was 
this  covenant  whiih  wan  aflf-rwards  renewed  in  tho  OnylViar's  Cliurchvard  at 
KdtnViurub,  v^h  n,  amonK  tho  irnmunHO  inultiiudo  who  siv^ned  it,  many  nponeil  tlxMr 
▼uJtiH  ami  wrol<"  Llioir  nauKU  with  their  own  blood.  'I'lio  other  was  thr  Solemn  Lca^ufi 
and  Oivinnni,  fnt'ie<l  into  Ulwwm  thu  two  parliimicntH  of  Kngland  and  Scotland,  also 
for  rmittafUfl  to  ixi|HTy,  and  th'i  maintonanci'  of  puni  ndigion  ihrou-liout  tlin  land. 
Tliew  ihin^ii  siU'^'uHl  t-.  us  tliat,  in  timwi  of  prevailing  WKktilneHs  or  of  prevnilinj^ 
error,  If  In  tho  duly  of  G-hI's  noojile  to  mako  pulill<;  avowal  of  ilwir  laith  in  Christ 
aifl  nlli'i^iinro  to  him.  Il  ix  a  duty  ixiinlofl  -Mit  Ixith  in  the  Old  Tstamont  and  in  the 
N-w,  and  cnitirtnwl  hy  th«-  eiii«rl<in'»)  of  God'n  Churcli  both  In  Scripture  titmiM  and  in 
DMiTc  rucflot  days.     If  fvfr  ther*  was  a  time  wbuo  U  was  ihu  duly  uf  Cbnat'a  puople 


m.  XL  i-n.] 


THB  BBOOND   BOOK   OF  THB   EIMOa 


i«  lor*  of  BMij   «»i«a  aoM.      lUajr  ol 


Mm  Ik- 


(kid        !•. 


alMltalMlk' 


i  -  iiMiaM  u  .. 

id.     A  Iklltiful, 


t 


-! 
A  < 

Lr 

r 

1.     . 

abii  i.'.c  . 

N  '■  i  I  .r. 


VuW   Alxi    lu>t 


-  V  my  ruic' 
10  abuve 


i 


.1,  li-!.:.  Tc  s:.— 1    !«  a 
•   miiir."     Tbon  ««<•■ 


dll«d.  I. 
■««  r«Ml  t 
1  their  ^< 

S,    ill    !■ 


Imwti,  war  it 

CUVCIMBtMk,  ^^ 
btoul  iB  drf  ' 
tttwlrAlad  r«li^- 
**OuCU^  MKi  irl  w.» 

fuffuitou  *  (Jar.  1. 


."     it  * 


1. 


▼•NL  l—fl^Tk»  kukfry  V  JIAo/mJL  *  And  «K«b  AiUImK  Um  MOlkv  of 
AKasiah  mw  ihai  b«r  tun  ««•  dcawi,"  rtc  Amuag  th«  bUckcwl  iiAmm  in  the  iv  f  t\4l 
ol  ihr  wijckl's  ibfainy  va  thusi  of  kioK*  and  qu«eii»,  uhI  aim'tifrM  i^vtn  AihaliAh  u  tK4 
lb*  !*«•(  ftblMvrMii  '■  *  ■- -^     vnt.     8bf  ■^--  ••  -  •      •  '■-•'■'■■;•  trf  U-^r!.  »    ■ 

of  JrlrvlMl,  bb  M>l<  Sh«  m«  ,4  Judai. 

«••  tb«  mutbcr  of  A -J xuM  mIviw^.  .  Ubu  ho 

klm,  A*  ranlrttl  to  put  an  cutl  u>  all  the  c!  u  totn^t 

aad  tbas  Buunt  Um  tbfuiiecjf  JiKiali  briMtif  ^.ft'    J< 

■■eurad  Jii**b,  cmm  ol  lb«  cbildraa  uA  be 

DufM  fur  4x  iooc  jroara.     la  ibe  »<  >  rt.U.  « r  .  ..  i^ 

pUood  OB  ibo  toraac     Oowtia  .  r 

Ait«liab,  boarinj  Um  i^mIs  of  t>ir  • 

of  tko  a«t^<lto»  of  ibo  N  .  .  wOatM,  a^*  6>  i4>il  a  a^^Ll  »   li*« 


238  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.         [oh.  xt  1— 2L 

yomg  king  and  heard  the  hurrahs  of  the  crowd,  she  felt  that  her  atrocions  plans  h»d 
been  frustrated,  and  in  her  savage  humiliation  rent  her  clothes  and  cried,  *' Treason  I 
treason ! "  But  her  hour  was  over;  she  was  too  late  to  rally  a  party  in  favour  of  her 
own  interest,  and  by  the  command  of  the  priest  she  was  instantly  removed  and  violently 
destroyed.  In  this  woman's  life,  as  here  sketched,  we  have  hereditary  depi  avity,  out- 
witted wickedness,  and  just  retribution. 

I.  Hereditary  depravity.  We  find  in  this  woman,  Athaliah,  the  inTernal  ten- 
dencies of  her  father  and  her  mother,  Ahab  and  Jezebel.  Though  they  had  been  .'•wept 
as  monsters  from  the  earth,  and  were  now  lying  in  the  grave,  their  hellish  ?pirit  lived 
and  worked  in  this  their  daughter.  It  is,  alas !  often  so.  We  have  an  immortality  in 
others,  as  well  as  in  ourselves.  The  men  of  long-forgotten  generationa  still  live  in  the 
present.  Even  the  moral  pulse  of  Adam  throbs  in  all.  By  this  fact  we  are  reminded  : 
1.  That  the  moral  qualities  of  parents  may  become  physical  tendencies  in  their  children. 
The  man  who  voluntarily  (and  all  moral  qualities  are  voluntary  productions)  contracts 
habita  of  falsehood,  dishonesty,  profanity,  incontinence,  drunkenness,  and  general 
intemperance,  transmits  these  to  his  children  as  physical  tendencies.  This  is  marvel- 
lous, but  patent  to  every  observer  of  society  and  student  of  history.  Who  cannot  refer 
to  both  men  and  women  who  have  received  an  unappeasable  craving  for  strong  drinks 
by  the  drunken  habits  contracted  by  their  parents  ?  2.  That  the  evil  moral  qualities  of 
parents,  reappearing  in  their  children  in  the  form  of  physical  tendencies,  is  no  complete 
justification  for  the  children's  wickedness.  This  is  clear:  (1)  From  the  fact  that  God 
has  endowed  all  with  sufficient  force  to  control  all  physical  tendencies.  Most  men  have 
BuflBcient  mental  faculties  to  quench  the  strongest  physical  passion.  (2)  From  the 
jersonal  consciousness  of  every  sinner.  When  the  conscience  is  quickened,  the  greatest 
liar,  debauchee,  drunkard,  thief,  becomes  filled  with  compunctions  for  the  crimes  com- 
mitted. Every  sigh  of  remorse  on  account  of  sin  is  a  testimony  to  the  power  of  the 
human  mind  to  control  the  passions.  (3)  From  the  Divine  Word  as  found  in  the 
Scriptures.  "  Whatsoever  good  thing  any  man  doeth,  the  same  shall  he  receive  of  the 
Lord,  whether  he  be  bond  or  free."  "He  that  doeth  wrong  shall  receive  for  the  wrong 
which  he  hath  done  :  and  there  is  no  respr-ct  of  persons."  3.  Tliat  the  way  to  raise  the 
human  race  is  to  improve  their  moral  qualities.  Indoctrinate  men's  .souls  with  truth, 
benevolence,  piety,  chastity,  purity,  etc.,  and  you  help  on  the  race  to  its  milleunium. 
And  in  no  other  way.     The  gospel  is  the  instrument  for  this. 

II.  Odtwitted  wickedness.  No  doubt  tliis  won;an,  who  thought  she  had  destroyed 
all  the  "  seed  royal,"  consideied  she  had  made  her  way  to  the  throne  clear  and  sctMire. 
For  six  long  years  she  had  no  conception  that  one  had  escaped  her  bloody  purjinse. 
Now  it  was  revealed  to  her,  and  her  disappointment  maddens  her  with  vengeanci',  and 
excites  the  de8j)erate  cry,  "Treason  !  Treason!"  It  is  i  verso.  "  lie  disappoiuto;  li  the 
df^vicea  <if  the  erafty."  History  abounds  with  the  examples  of  the  balUenient  of  wnni'^. 
The  amduet  of  .Joseph's  brethren,  Ahithophel,  S.inballat,  Hainan,  and  the  Jewish  San- 
h»i<lriti  in  relaiinn  to  Christ,  are  instances.  Satan,  the  arch-enemy  of  the  universe,  will 
exemplify  this  throti'^h  all  tlio  criscH  of  his  accursed  future,  A  piece  of  coiidnet, 
wrou^^ht  by  the  hi;;he.st  bnmiiii  skill  and  earnest  industry,  if  not  in  accord  with  the 
initMiitahle  principles  of  rij^ht  and  truth,  can  no  more  succeed  in  its  purpose  than  a 
hoMtn:  can  stand,  which  is  built  ro;.'ardlis8  of  the  resist  loss  laws  of  gravitation.  The 
architecture  may  look  well,  the  inaterials  be  mnnt  precious,  and  the  production  bo  most 
c/i«tly,  yet  down  it  innnt  come,  and  confound  tlie  builder.  Craflinc.ss  uses  lies  an  con- 
calrncnt  ami  <:«fcnce,  but  the  eternal  law  of  rrovidenco  makes  them  anarea.  One  lio 
Ic.'idn  to  »ri(»tln;r,  and  W)  on,  until  they  l)ccnine  ho  ntinvrous  that  the  author  involvoa 
hiinKcll  in  conlradiclioiiH,  and  he  falls  aid  (luundcrs  like  a  wild  Ixast  in  a  Hiiaro. 

III.  JUHT  KETiiimrnoN.  "Jehoinia  the  priest  commanded  the  captains  of  the 
bnidnxlji,  tho  oflicfrrn  of  the  host,  and  said  iintu  tlii^n,  Have  hor  forth  without  {\w 
tmni^'m:  and  him  tl  at  followrth  her  kill  with  tlM»  BWonL  .  .  .  And  tiny  laid  hands  on 
bor ;  nnd  ■he  wont  l>v  the  way  l)y  ilm  which  the  horHcii  came  into  the  king'H  housn  : 
axid  th<Ti'  waa  Nhe  hiitin.  .  .  .  And  all  thn  niMiple  of  the  land  rejoic(<<l,  and  the  city  svan 
in  quiflt  :  nnd  tli^y  iil<  w  Athaliah  with  tlio  Hword  Ixmido  tho  kin).;*H  Ikhihc."  'riniM 
fitrj-f  iTilfreuiit  aliii  m- 'h'tdnten  trrrm.  TIiohc  wIh)  plot  the  iIchI  riicl  li>ii  of  olhePH  oil  en 
full  t' I  rri"' IvcK,  Horn  in:  1.  A  tnrihU  reiriliiilion.  2.  A  promjii  n  triliMlKni.  It  t\'uiio 
on   hor  burn  bv/ore  aha  piuuicd  lutu  tbu  uthur  world.      ItotriLuliuu  la  gukng  uD  uuw  auti 


•LXLl-tl.]  THR  BRCX)HD  BOOK  OP  TUB   KINO^  tSI 

Wai     1  A  MHlutl  n  ,i/f».«MvW  ly  Ammm  Im^it.     Tndj  *i^  tf««a|ililac  af 


pariah  fur  rvw.  ...  Tm.  b«  '  »a  «  Tiaiooof  ih«  t  •.-l.t.*    ▲«  Uvicaiy 

pual  iku*  flfwiljr  da»cf)t««  I  i  nt  UHon  •yifkulnw  - 

'         ■  "'U  mtimij  r«a  It : 

«.  oM  wtU  ted  kl& 
It-  ^udtMm, 

Y.i ;  ''•iPMt  {d  LurHJ  irtior. 


•  br«rk««)a| 


Ai.  .  ..-..Uu 

In  ^j  B  oonet-alliif^ 

PiVv  la^Lus  I:...'.  »  .  L^  -'-   tx  L»  iu:.({  »  aiUMt 

Oui  oblj  b«  b J  tt  of  «Mi  A  wiaow." 

IXT. 

Vam  1 — 8.— i4Aa7('aVa  mtunaMtm.  Ath»Il(illi  wm  the  erfT  r^'  «  --f  J  .'i  ,  m 
J«Mb«l  wu  of  lar  fll.     The  mother  wu  kl^iu,  but,  uiiwarnr-d  by  Lrr  :  .  :.-.«r 

■utchr"  •■•.  •*—  '-ni  of  power,  and  held  the  throiM  for  uz  jearv.  Tb«  u»c*  .  f  lAjik 
vu  niR  Icnoe,  bloodshi'd,  aod  political  eoomlaioii. 

L  Tui.  a.  ._.  :.cas  OF  Atbauah.  Ahuuh'admUi  gave  Athalbh  her  opportuaity. 
Mocyag  eould  more  elearlj  ivTetl  the  wicked  di^naittoo  of  Um  woman  than  th«  mmm 
\j  which  slif  r&I»»!  h«rr»el/  to  the  throne.  Wbao  eh*  **mw  thai  hm  wo  was  d(*d,  ah* 
•fuae  aii  t!>e  Aced  ru7*L*    1.  She  vtu  a  woaMM,  jet,  to  pare  har  vaj  to 

Euwer, »  tt«  to  crueii  eTcrv  feminine  inetiaei  Ib  har  braaat,  and  to  Imlwa 

er  hukXM  lu  ood.    t.  8b«  waa  a  wtoUktr,  jet  the  ramnriilaaaly  pat  to  death 

her  own  gra  The  joaos««t  waa  a  bab^  but  har  aaraga  tampar  made  no 

dUtinetiooa.  lie-  kuu'tf  offstring  ware  odIj  rlTala,  to  ba  pot  out  of  tbe  waj  bj  murvier. 
In  thla  tigreaa-Uke  nature  of  the  qureo-reuther  all  womanhood  la  eifaoed.  Trulj  *  the 
tofKier  mardaa  of  the  virkMi  are  cruel "  (ProT.  xiL  10). 

IL  Tbb  nauBTATios  or  Joaaa.  After  all,  Athaltah'a  end  w«a  not  gained. 
UakaowB  to  thU  aarage  wocmd,  ooa  of  Ahax  ah'a  auua.  the  vuutifMt,  waa  Mrad  buca 
tha  fnaral  maaaaora  by  hia  aunt  Jahdahaba,  ai>d,  after  a  tom|^.>rarj  eoooaalm-al  ia  tha 
•toM-ehambar  of  tha  |«lao^  waa  eoDTejed  to  iba  tample,  and  Itara  aeoradj  brtM(hl 
1^  Wa  hare  io  thla  dalivMaaoa  of  the  jouog  Joaab  :  1.  An  mhi^  OWiA  «W 
■uwuiya     It  waa  "  bj  faith  *  thai  tba  ptoua  Jaboahe*-n  '"ing  ae^  a?«a  aa  H 

»a*  bj  faith  that  the  naranto  of  Moeea  hid  their  foodl.^  231    AW  Uth, 

ia  this  inatanoe  aj  in  tka  uihrr  h%,\  iu  raward.     &  it  j 7'  v     •^--    /Wl^j^fcii  $0  U$ 

miM,    It  to  David  thai  ha  ahoold  aavar  waDt  a  raaa  to  ait  <« 

lbrooe(l  .  at  uromiaa  aaamad  sow  fruatrated,  wbea  to  outward 

M  avery  dvortniaut  of  I>arld  waa  daetrojad.     But  **  the  eoanaal  of  tha  Lo<4 

forevar"  (PiL  laxiiL  11).    Nudartoaofmao  can  prevail  afaaal  tbat.    t.  ^a 

a^Aaw  Ood  mm  d^mt  tkt  dttifma  ^  tU  yirfcarf     f 


t(««a»j'4 
hklbr 


Skilfully  aa  ih«  »  i  d 
laj  their  plota,  ib««<e  ia  gaoerall.T  auoMthiag  ovarlaokad,  forfoitoD,  wtuch  bnnga  i  rm 
to  Btfu^v.    6uciae  wiUtMa  of  u«atf  aruaaa  ie  iaft  iBdalaaia^    Th^  aaam  to  tere  oioMd 


240  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE   KINGS.         [ch.  xl  1— 2L 


ap  eTery  chink,  and  cranny  through  which  defeat  could  enter,  yet  it  is  found  that  some 
loophole  ha»  been  left  A  good  aud  Ixue  cause  may  be  safely  left  in  the  hands  of  God. 
He  will  not  suffer  it  to  falL— J.  O. 

Vera.  4 — ^21. — The  coronation  of  Joash.  For  six  years  Athaliah  was  dominant  in 
IsraeL  Jehoiada  meanwhile  kept  his  secret  well.  Least  of  all  did  the  usurping  queen 
suspect  that  a  legitimate  heir  to  the  throne  was  in  hiding  in  the  temple  almost  at  her 
own  palace  door.  Her  reign  must  have  grown  well-nigh  unendurable  to  the  people, 
wheu  they  were  so  willing  as  the  event  proved  to  throw  it  off.  At  the  six  years'  end 
Jehoiadi  prepared  for  his  coup  d'etat. 

I.  Jehoiada's  pbeparations.  1.  Joash  produced. ,  The  good  priest  found  it  neces- 
sary to  proceed  with  caution.  His  measures  were  taken  with  skill  and  secrecy.  He 
first  took  into  his  confidence  the  five  centurions  of  the  life-guards,  made  them  swear 
an  oath  of  fidelity,  then  produced  the  king,  and  showed  him  to  them.  The  soldiers 
entered  into  his  plan  at  once.  The  risks  were  enormous,  but  God's  shield  was  arouud 
this  one  remaining  "lamp"  of  David's  house,  and  did  not  allow  its  tremulous  light  to 
be  extinguisheii.  The  hoy-king  was  the  feeble  ark  that  bore  the  fortunes  of  David's 
house  and  of  Messianic  promise.  Had  he  perished,  God's  Word  would  have  fallen  to 
the  ground.  The  Chronicler  teUs  how  the  captains  of  hundreds  went  forth  and  secretly 
spread  among  the  Levites  and  chief  of  the  fathers  of  Israel  the  tidings  that  there  was 
s:ill  a  living  heir  of  David's  line,  and  how  these  came  to  Jerusalem,  and  saw  the  young 
krng  too  (2  Chron.  xxiii.  2,  3).  It  is  remarkable  that  a  fact  known  to  so  many  persons 
did  not  in  some  way  leak  out.  But  the  people  were  of  one  heart  and  one  soiU,  and 
Athaliah  was  left  in  her  false  security  without  a  single  friend  to  warn  her  of  her  danger. 
2.  The  eventful  sabbath.  The  day  chosen  for  the  public  production  of  the  king  was 
probably  a  fea-it-day.  Otherwise  the  large  concourse  of  people  from  all  parts  of  the  land 
C'juld  hardly  have  faileii  to  attract  attention.  It  was  a  sabbath  and  an  high  day — "  the 
better  the  dny,  the  better  the  deed,"  What  was  contemplated  was  indeed  a  revolution, 
and  might  involve  bloodshed;  but  it  was  also  a  reviving  of  the  fallen  theocracy,  ft 
replanting  of  the  rod  of  Jesse,  and  therefore  fit  work  for  the  sabbath.  Nothin>j;  that 
favourably  affects  the  fortunes  of  the  kingdom  of  God  is  out  of  place  on  tiie  sahbath 
day.  Jehoiada  made  careful  strategic  preparations,  combining  apparently  the  Lovites 
who  went  on  and  off  duty  in  the  temple  with  the  life-guards  un<ler  the  captains,  and 
assigning  to  different  cmpanies  their  res[ective  posts.  3.  T/ie  palace  and  temple 
guarded.  Guards  were  told  off  both  for  the  "king's  house"  and  for  the  temple.  (1) 
Th'jse  who  ent(  red  on  duty  on  the  sabbath  were  divided  into  three  parts,  and  posted 
round  the  palace.  One  third  was-  posted  at  the  principal  entrance;  a  second  thiid  at 
"the  gate  Sur" — perhaps  a  side  gate — and  the  remaining  third  was  placed  at  agate 
which  coraniunicaied  with  the  temple  (ver.  19),  where  tlie  guanls  or  "runners"  were 
u.suaily  stationed.  (2)  Those,  again,  who  went  off  iluty  on  the  sabbath  were  placed 
within  ihe  court  of  the  temple,  stretching  across  from  side  to  side,  to  guard  the  person 
of  the  king.     To  these  weaponn  were  given  from  David's  spears  and  shields,  whieh  were 

,  in  the  temple  of  the  Lord.  While  trusting  in  GchI,  Jehoiada  thus  took  every  human 
jiroeautioii.  Faith  and  works  coojierate  in  Ond's  service.  Our  depen<l<'nco  should  he 
EH  entirfly  in  G'ld  as  if  human  nr  ans  were  unavailing,  yet  our  use  of  means  should  be 
an  diligent  ;i-<  if  everything  depen<l d  on  their  employment. 

II.  I'liK  KINO  CKowNKi).  1,  The  safctij  of  the  kimff  jiersun.  When  the  young  kine 
JoiHh  was  hrought  firlh,  md  jil  >c<'d  on  a  laJHcd  stand  in  tlio  temple  court,  his  guard 
slfxxl  fitiiilv  around  him,  inch  man  cluiching  his  we8[K)n.  The  instmetions  were  that 
any  jif!r?«on  at  i  mptlng  to  break  ihrou^li  the  ranks  should  at  once  be  slain.  The  ncr.soii 
ni  David'n  H-.n  wuh  U)'i  precious  to  be  left  wittmiit  an  rffectual  ;.niard.  Yet  mon-  ellectual 
in  thn  guard  which  Oixl  |ilar(!H  roimd  his  homh  (I's.  xxxiv.  6,  7).  2.  The  ceremony  of 
cftrimation.  '{'hf  act  «if  coronation  of  the  child-king  was  then  proceeded  with.  Jehoiada 
]*r' Hided  at  the  ceremony.  (1)  The  crown — viHiblo  nymhol  of  royal  oflico — wan  placed 
ujon  hU  head-  QikI'm  prieHt  could  well  prcnido  at  the  roronntion  of  Ood'H  king.  Ah 
Don  of  Davlfl,  Joftith  was  the  Ifgitimaio  hiir  of  the  throne.  Hoyal  authority  Ih  from 
G<m1,  and  invfltittiD-  nt  the  hiii<<lH  of  GikIh  ininiHtiTH  Ih  our  a(-kiiowU><igment  of  thin. 
Only  th'  M  who  rulw  by  l)lvin<-  favour  cuu  htok  fur  n  hl<H'<iiig  on  their  crown,  ("-i)  Me 
I     '   i"it  Hj>on  h\n  h«iid  **  th#*  tnMtimony,"  <a   thn  I>iiw  of  Mobok,  hy  which   kin^;H  of 


OLXt.  1-Sl]  TUB  SBOOVD  BOOK  OF  THl  KINOfl, 


til 


or,  »*    '  » 

wtUi  •  Bwuttl  Mud  ivcik"  (Lu(iier). 


t.t     )«     .Xltl^H)      /T^>><         1T><         f^-     1^\ 


-     f      .     -1^      ,^ 


«bra  it  rvkU  on  iii< 

111.  Tub  tiBATu 

of  Jttdah,  «iiB  Dot  k 


•     iboT«  hi«  fellow.  "V  >!••>«   1,  91     (4)   M-    --« 
»  '  " "  •  i«4f  n«ud» 

nCllOO  u!    ! 


f  the  Q 


and  t« 

«  uh  riiy, 
livx!  tky. 


11^  WM  » r 

'^     Sue  ! 

It    WM    C 

V 1,  the  oa 
tir  air  rafif;  witO  ine  joy:  of  the  t^ 

,  *n(J  Willi  crirs  ol  **  I,«t    ■  v«5 !  "     f  i 

^^kti  itie  iiii<aiiiii|;   uf  tlie   aoeiie,  fur   - 
'•H  mw  ^>    >'s;h  to  tt-H  her  that  tl  • 

The  rejuuiii^-.  o(  iii«  jjctjup  » 
her,  not  onlv  that  it  waj«  a!!     \ 
ii  was  BO.     Huw  svs  ' 
tiie  wick  a)  ?     An   ! 


rtady 

and     .>       .       :-       ...    i^ 

passa^f  18  HU  il. 
jieuplc  rej.  >ic«  ;   ! 
2.  7V«<aJo/4  to  a 
aiid  witoeaeed  r 
TrtiUii»D  is  an  act  or 
guverntoei.t,  a;  <i  is 
tiitimale  g 


na«  being  dt^i. 

...  1    >^_4      •• 


lustiHi^Uun  for 
but  lu  deAaiMW 


'   wi,icfi  m.iKp  niot-i 
auaiuat  It.     Yet  it 
ppuaiUutt  that  the  ^Ttmmcnt 
^>o«.     A  jjoremroeiji  which  i»  ; 


tr«a*L>a,  aod  itM»i 

:-ii  i";  m  art-  ii.' 


tr«a»(tQ  in  ot! 
!ind  m<»m!'tv. 


\> 

t. 

dc:-    ,  -     . 

■plrea.     li 

oihen  iiiij 

%k»  aane  ttuu^  (huu.  u.  l>.     JL  Jutt  rHrtt^nm. 

a.  BiMM. 


w«s  qiier 
«d  th«  iL' 
to  iL      IrtMMJU  agminat  • 
y.  wM  ■  ol  a  cfiuM,  but  lu 
*  '      ■       •    •    »  tiwd,  the    i..i  .  .  .,vi»  ik*j 

-ihoughlof;  •!.«•  cK-f*  uoJy  lie 
too  oommuD  ?    McA  arc  kmd  in 
flagranti/  guilty  of.     Thay  pmat 
'^^am  in  ibair  owa.     C«Ui>ua  a» 
c-tact  lo  aa  iaafauit,  and  budJv 
•  whan  prarti^  •'  '»  tiirCi- 

K'f  th*  j«..«i  I  aiti   ill 

i»  the   |*r»ou  ./   b^  di». 

Tba  onlar  uf  Jer.L.iibii  waa  that 


242  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF   THE  KINGS.         [c-h.  xii.  1— 21 . 

if  any  one  ventured  to  follow  Athaliah,  he  was  to  be  killed  with  the  sword.  Bat  no  one 
seems  to  have  shown  any  pity  for  the  fallen  queen.  The  downfall  of  her  power  was 
thus  oomplete.  A  new  government  having  been  constituted,  her  own  attempt  to  excite 
rebellion  now  fell  under  the  category  of  treason,  and  was  punishable.  Jehoiada  givea 
orders  for  her  being  taken  beyond  the  temple  bounds,  and  tliere  slain.  We  see  hands 
laid  upon  her,  and  she  is  led  away,  or  goes,  "  by  the  way  by  the  which  the  horses  come 
into  the  kiug's  house,"  and  in  that  place  of  stables  meets  her  death.  An  inglorious 
end !  But  what  glory  can  we  look  for  to  crown  a  career  of  sin  ?  In  Athaliah,  the  last 
member  of  Ahab's  cursed  house  met  a  deserved  doom.  Judgment  against  the  sinner 
mav  not  always  be  executed  speedily,  but  the  stroke  will  surely  fall  at  last  (Eccles. 
viii".  11). 

IV.  A  COVENANT  WITH  Jehovah.  1.  The  covenant  with  Ood  renewed.  The  people 
bad  received,  as  if  from  heaven,  a  new  king  of  the  line  of  David,  and  the  moment  was 
auspicious  for  a  new  covenant  being  entered  into,  and  formally  ratified,  with  God.  It 
is  good  when  special  mercies  are  made  an  occasion  of  renewal  of  vows.  The  covenant 
promoted  by  Jehoiada  was  twofold.  (1)  It  was  a  covenant  between  the  king  and  peojile 
an<l  Jehovah.  In  this  transaction  they  solemnly  pledged  themselves  to  be  the  Lord's 
people.  National  covenanting  is  only  appropriate  when  it  springs  from  the  spontaneous 
impulse  of  the  masses  of  the  people.  Among  the  Hel^.ews,  who,  by  the  very  form  of 
their  national  existence,  were  a  people  in  covenant  with  Jehovah,  such  renewfd  of  reli- 
gious vows  was  speiially  suitable.  The  idea  of  a  "  people  of  the  Lord  "  is  now  embodied, 
not  in  a  national  form,  but  in  the  Church  of  Christ.  Great  is  the  honour  of  forming 
part  of  this  "chosen  generation,"  this  "royal  priesthood,"  this  "holy  natioti,"  this 
"  peculiar  people  "  (1  Pet,  ii.  9),  and  we  should  often  recall  the  fact  to  ourselves,  and 
make  it  the  liasis  oi  new  consecration.  (2)  It  was  a  covenant  between  the  king  and 
the  people.  He,  on  his  part,  would  pledge  himself  to  maintain  the  i;overnnient  according 
to  the  Law  of  God;  and  they,  on  theirs,  would  promise  him  loyally  and  obedience. 
Happy  is  it,  when  rulers  and  people  stand  in  this  bond  of  mutual  contidence!  2.  Zectl 
in  religious  reform.  The  earnest  spirit  awakened  by  this  solemn  act  of  covenant  imme- 
diately showed  itself  m  zealous  efforts  for  the  removal  of  abuses.  We  read  that,  not 
one  or  two,  but  "all  the  people  of  the  land,"  set  themselves  to  reforming  work.  (1) 
%ey  weiit  into  the  house  of  Baal,  and  brake  it  down.  A  iiouse  of  Baal  in  Jerusalem, 
and  p<jssibly  on  the  temple  hill,  was  a  deliberute  insult  to  Jehovah.  No  respect  for 
the  beauty  or  costliness  of  the  building  was  allowed  to  save  it  from  destruction.  When 
high'T  iut'  n  sts  are  involved,  artistic  and  sentimental  considerations  must  go  to  the 
walL  (2)  They  brake  in  pieces  "  thoroughly  "  Baal's  altars  and  images.  Idolatry  was 
to  be  thoroujhly  routed  out  in  aceordance  with  the  word  of  the  testimony  (Dcut.  xii. 
1 — ti).  (.i;  They  slew  Mattan,  the  high  priest  of  Baal.  By  the  Law  of  Israel  his  iiln 
was  firfcited  throui^h  the  practice  of  idolatry.  (4)  They  restored  the  worship  of  the 
tempi'-,  'i  hifl  is  implied  in  the  Btat<;meiit,  "The  priest  apiiointed  officers  over  the  huuao 
of  the  Lord,"  It  is  evident  from  the  next  chapter  that  the  temple  service  had  lueu 
all"W  d  t'l  hccoriio  greatly  diH"rf^aiii7,o<l,  The  zeal  of  these  reiorniers  had,  ilioreloro,  its 
jiohitive  t'uh:.  'I'hcy  hon^ht  to  imild  up  as  well  ns  cast  down.  The  fiilKu  wi)rHliip  tif 
*»od  wan  replaced  by  tl  e  true,  ("uurt  fashion  ^oes  n  long  way  in  delerminiiig  nre- 
ferenccB  in  m  Ij^iou.  Wi.cn  Athaliah  worshipped  Baal,  it  was  fashionahle  to  neglect 
Ji-hovah  ;  row  that  JoaKh  reHtund  the  worship  of  .Jehovah,  peojilo  lk)eUed  hack  to  the 
tom[  Ic.  '1  Ikjm;  in  high  HlatiouH  have  great  rcHiHuiHibdilies,  an<l  not  least  for  ilia 
cxampiBH  they  net  In  rcllu'ion.  3.  The  joy  of  the  jifojtle.  Joash  was  now  esc^orled  in 
(ifrand  pn)C<?'»iion  Ut  the  jialace  of  Imh  f»thorH.  Athaliah  was  dead,  and  he  sat  on  liu 
throne  of  the  klngw.  Joy  filled  tin-  jMnplc'H  h'-arta,  and  i|inet  reigm-d  in  the  city 
When  godliiuuu  ui  vlctoritnu,  it  diffuiM:*  |M-acu  and  gladueu  through  all  miuda. — J.  0. 


EXPOSITION. 

nnAPTFR  xn 


Vfrni   I     21       I  lie  KcKiM  or  JoAHii.     Tub 
BvAta  t   TUB   TuiiLa.     Wab  or   JoAau 


WITH  Haiael,  aid  n»  Dbatii  bt  a  Ooa« 

xnilAUT. 

V'em.   1     8.  -Thn  writer  of  Klti^ft  !■  «i< 
troiualj    brio/   aad   liiooui|>l4ite  in   hla  ao- 


ml-ll]         Till  raoOKD  HflOI  OF  THl  KlSOtL 


kata  U»^t  A  (T«»i  k-ij  ic4iM«a  far  Htik.  mmi 

iw^wvl  t    I'  tcK  |0  ku  diaaradli,     W«  Imv* 
fci  f^.  u.  I''  nxit-loa  (1  clww.  nlv.)  fbr  • 

(V<U>)'  cHi-    »^v>  ubl,    MmI     ft«    All    oSUOmI*    «f 

iho  rtml  eitiknk  irr  of   t' «  kin^  mmI  <if   kit 
livtm  Um  •>««•  ot^oai   tl    II  Wilt,  b«l  lk« 

wmar  «f  KiBf*  aarf*  kfg*  oalMlaaa  fraa 
It      l»  •  faw  fttatt  osly  to  bit  DMT»tlf« 

V«r.   L— Xk  tt* H    fMT  af  lakm. 

Atl'&!  :>(>  iv.iKii  u>  lai^ii  tofv  MiiMl  aftiif  tk« 
ar  M»tl  raifoed 

Ml  first  jMf  uf 

J...  •••VMtk. 

J«:  urtlltMA 


t       '         V 

ki»  a<,u.ex  •  : 
JiwM  j.iiua  emV.t 

\m.  -J      « 
ilfkft  III 

VkMilB. 

6otk«h 
EvaU  » 


.rvm.  i.iit 


.ad 


Only 


iag.**Jeu^>.*: 


Ika  di^t  of  tha  Lord  »! 
laknCrla  tka  pri«t  k» 


lakrtaiia   tte  Bricat  ki 
B«t  ikia  tnoaklfam  k 

■auuaL     Tr.e  wriWr  a«. : 

add  a  q'  '-Ltua*  iw  . 

l^tJo.  wall -all 

did  uoH  auu  w  am*  Mw  nuoi  uIuuulxj 

tail. 

•<  (I 

kill.  iS):  Vkd  ao  it  «aa  vilk  tlie  otkoc 
opood"  kteci(ak.  liv  i;  i*.  4.  :i6)  atiUl 
tke  laiick  af  Uraakiak,  bj  «k.>m  tk«  Lifk 
plarr*  ««•  raawfad  (»—  '-  -  <-)i.  stoL 
4X     W«  aiMt  KMMMibar  JtlM»vak 

vko  WM  wockktppad  is  -  plaeaa,* 

■at  llaal,ar  MalMk.av  Ai^totMit  (ao*  a»a 
inMwiiH  m  1  Kiuga  sv.  !«>.  Tka  faopU 
•IIU  ■wiiiH  aad  kual  hiiii    la  ika 


Mfk  pIkMk  Tka  jHMdc  M«  tka  kiaf.  ui 
Ika  aarllar  pottioa  e/  bis  mrn  ;  baft  in  ti»e 
lilw  P'^tuam,  pfobabl;  tka  kiuf  alau  (aaa 
t  Cki>aa.  Kiif.  17. 1») 

Vara,    i— IC— n«  r«pa4r  ^  dU 
U  Urukar 


•«<  haa«  ttwiiagMy  n|iiiil  ky 
durUif  lij*  lutig  MOtoonlji  W  '— ffi.  •!•■•  ka 
aiMt  ptMUaallj  ka««  ^4  tk«  aOa  ••m«^ 
Mat  a<  a^iM  Prakaklf  ka  did  f^«tf 
tk«  vo««l  af  ti"  '  .  '  «•  by  AlKali^'a 
afdM«(S  Cbr  aktrk  aMjr  ka«a 

baaa  wmj  mi^iUt^M.  b«l  Mciaetel  ika 
tmimtlkm  ul mek  fmrttmmvl  tka  adiAM  m 
apt^aiad  ia  kla  at  aaonadary  li|inrliiiiiB. 
a*  tka  walla  of  tka  eMUla  a«d  tka  aalki^y 
Ian-  Ji«ik.  kovMw.  vkaa  kla  alaatiif 
aaaM  to  aa  aad.  aad  ka  n — lid  to  tka 
adinlulctfmtiaa  af  tka  atol%  took  a  difMw4 
fiav  Ta  kiai  tkaanaiplatina  af  tka  rayaira 
■laaiiil  a  iiiiMiaf  baaiBow.  l*iot*k4y  ka 
tkoagiit  Ika  kaaaar  af  UoJ  raqaimJ  ti** 
aalira  oblilar.tiaa  ol  Atltaliak't  vtakKl  p«^>. 
aaadiaga.  aad  tka  raaavml  of  ik*  Imbi^Io'* 
aid  glanaa.  IIU  «ii  yaan*  ra»ifiia*MB  viibia 
tka  la«Bpla  prvriari.  oukj  kav*  alao  liup<r«d 
kiai  wttk  a  knaof  Uto  baiUiaf  aa  a  baiU.a^ 

'  Jehoaab  aali  to  tka  prUmM. 

-u  hiu^  aad  Ckfaa:ek« 

4).     TlM  p<aa>al  ««a.>  -j 

>.  ..ixtc-r,  aad  vaolaf  ricoor  atj  •  u^  ..  ■». 
mnko  it  tka  atota  aarptiamf  lk»t  ka  akuaU 
iu  liiia  |Mrtie«ilar  BiaUar  kav«  •!«•«.  :  im- 
melt  tm\mbla  of  takiDK   hu  o«  1 

adlnrnuf*  to  it  (f«r    7>.     Hf  t 


uo   mmm    u 


AV. 


of    Uie    LvlU  . 
kUf  gi/i*  4<mU    I 

Ika  Lard;  iia. 
paopia  ia  ILo 
a^^craad  boai  i^ 
pivenM^    to   I 


oft 
ola 


■•aty  ikat  arvy  maa  u   aat  at;  t-«L   K^ 

ladc:      -  .     '      ^    y»,i\    fivm 

tka  t  ^  ti<«  dn«- 

kotli  i.*Jt    f     i^i 


t— «Jtu« 


244 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.       [ch.  xn.  1— 2t 


And  [thirdly]  all  the  money  that  cometh 
into  any  man's  heart  to  bring  into  the  house 
of  the  Lord ;  t.e.  all  the  free-will  offerings 
that  should  be  made  in  money  by  any  of 
the  Israelites. 

Ver.  5. — Let  the  priests  take  it  to  them, 
every  man  of  his  acquaintance.  The  money 
was  to  be  gathered  of  "  all  Israel,"  out  of  all 
"  the  cities  of  Judah "  (2  Chron.  xxiv.  5). 
The  priests  of  each  locality  were  to  be  tho 
collectors,  and  would  thtrefore  gather  "  of 
their  acquaintance."  As  we  cannot  sujipnse 
that  very  much  would  accrue  from  either 
the  first  or  second  source,  since  a  census  was 
rarely  taken,  and  personal  vows  were  not 
Tory  common,  we  must  regard  the  command 
of  Joash  as,  in  the  main,  the  authorizatiou 
of  a  general  collection  throughout  the  king- 
dom of  vfiluiitary  contributions  towards  the 
temple  repairs,  and  so  as  analogous  to  the 
♦*  letters  "  which  our  own  coveroigns,  or  arch- 
bishops, issue  from  time  to  time  for  collec- 
tions in  churches  for  special  objects.  And 
let  them  repair  the  breaches  of  the  house, 
wheresoever  any  breach  shall  be  found. 
The  "br<a<hes,"  or  dilaiudations,  may  have 
been  caused,  partly  by  the  neglect  of  neces- 
sary repairs  during  the  reigns  of  Jehoiam, 
Aliuziah,  and  Athaliah;  but  they  were 
muinly  the  result  of  the  wilful  violence  of 
Athaliah  (2  Chron.  xxiv.  7).  Apparently, 
the  damage  done  must  have  been  very 
gr<at. 

Ver.  6— But  it  was  so,  tliat in  the  three 
and  twentieth  year  of  King  Jehoash  the 
priests  had  not  repaired  the  breaches  of  the 
house.  No  charge  is  nuide  against  the  priests 
of  malvxr.-fition  or  embezzlement.  Tliey  had 
simply  hein  negli^^ent  rroi)al>ly  very  little 
money  had  come  in ;  and  they  Jiad  not  been 
very  aciive  in  their  enleavours  to'  obtain 
larger  crintiilnitirms.  It  must  be  remcni- 
b<  red  tiiat  what  went  to  tiie  fnlirie  fund 
would,  for  the  inoHt  part,  bo  a  deduction 
from  tho  ordinary  rev<  nuo  of  the  t  niple, 
which  wiiM  not,  i»erhftp^,  much  in  oxcchb  of 
the  finlin.iry  deriuitKlg  iipmi  it.  Wo  can, 
theriTore,  (|iiit«  undi-intikud  that  tlio  king's 
jioli'-y  would  n<it  he  [Kjpiilrir  with  tin-  jiric:'t8 
(m-e  2  Chrnn.  xxiv.  .'>).  Btill,  it  is  to  he  ob- 
•<rved  th  il  liicy  iiro  not  Hnid  to  have  cxo- 
eut<;d  no  riparM,  but  only  not  to  have 
*«m«'lf!  hiiMlj-  '  nrid  romplcicd  tl  oir  UihU  l.y 
th<'  lime  tliat  tho  kin|{  looked  for  iUt  oom- 
ph tion. 

Ver.  7. — Tlicn  Kin(?  Jehonib  oallod  for 
JehoiadK  tho  prio«t.  Ho,  too,  ih<-  writir  of 
(."hroriirhn  (2  (Jliron.  xiiv.  (!).  Th«  kiti^ 
did  not  Inko  th«  inutior  into  bin  own  handn, 
but  oxtiaulUMl  willi  thi>  hind  <<f  ihii  piiiHlly 
nnii-t  on  thii  ix'«t  sU  pn  t/>  tulix  in  onlcr  to 
OX|>o<lll<-  Ihi)  K-jrum  Ho  inu;n  no  "  cJiiirKo," 
daiivrorl  rio  "  rohukn."  II'  dul  n"l  "  ri>- 
^OTo  ti.»  »rlmiDislr»Uua  ol   lh«  funda  troui 


the  hands  of  the  delinquent  order"  (Stan- 
ley). On  the  contrary,  he  left  it  in  their 
hands  (vers.  9 — 11).  Two  chan<i;es  only 
were  made:  1.  A  public  chest  was  set  up 
conspicuously  in  the  temple  court,  near  the 
great  altar,  and  the  people  were  invited  to 
bring  their  contributions  to  the  temple,  and 
hand  them  to  the  priests, who  should  straight- 
way deposit  them  in  the  chest  in  the  sight  of 
the  congregation.  2.  The  chest  was  opened 
from  time  to  time,  and  the  money  counted, 
in  the  presence  of  the  high  priest  and  of  a 
royal  secretary.  It  was  then  delivered  over 
to  "the  overseers  of  the  house" — persous, 
probably,  of  the  priestly  order — appointed 
by  Jehoiada(ch.  xi.  18),  who  disbursed  it  to 
the  carpenters  and  masons  (ch,  xii.  11,  12). 
The  chest  was  a  sort  of  tangible  evidence 
to  the  people  of  the  purpose  to  which  their 
contributions  would  be  applied,  and  natu- 
rally stimulated  their  giving.  The  pre- 
Bence  of  the  king's  officer  at  the  counting  of 
the  money,  was  equivalent,  not  really  to  an 
"audit"  (Stanley),  but  to  a  publication  of 
the  accounts,  and  would  prevent  any  sus- 
pension of  the  work,  so  long  as  it  was  clear 
that  the  money  found  in  the  chest  had  not 
been  expended.  Tlius  s  new  impetus  was 
given  to  the  movement  The  nieasures  taken 
completely  answered.  Contributions  llowed 
in  rapidly,  and  in  a  few  years  the  whole 
work  was  accomplished  (see  2  Ohron.  xxiv. 
13,  I-l).  And  the  other  priests,  and  said 
unto  them,  Why  repair  ye  not  th»  brer.chcs 
of  the  house  1  This  shows  that  no  repairs 
were  going  on  in  the  twenty-third  year  of 
Joash,  but  not  that  none  bad  been  done  jirfr- 
viously.  Now  therefore  receive  no  more 
money  of  your  Roquaiutanoe.  This  was  a 
revocation  of  the  order  given  in  ver.  5,  and 
uecissarily  put  an  end  to  the  local  coUoo- 
tions,  which  that  order  required.  But  do- 
liver  it  for  the  breaches  of  the  house.  If 
the  priests  wore  not  to "  nuoive "  tho  money, 
thny  could  not  "  deliver  "  it.  Obscurity  is 
introduced  by  tho  desire  for  extreme  brevity. 
In  point  of  fact,  they  wore  to  "receive* 
(ver.  it),  but  in  a  mw  way. 

Vor.  8.  And  tho  pilosis  oonsontod  to  ro- 
oeivo  no  more  money  uf  tho  poopio    t.o.  to 

fiut  an  end  to  tho  local  collections  ordcn d 
n  ver.  5 — neither  to  repair  the  broaohus  of 
the  honno;  I'.i.  neither  to  bo  rcHponsiide 
sovcrally  for  laying  out  the  money  which 
tlp'y  0(dh'ot<  d  in  repairs. 

Ver.  !).— But  Johoiada  the  prioat  took  a 
ohoaU  Tho  writer  of  (MironiidcH  aityH,  "  At 
tho  king'a  conmiandmont,  tiioy  miidu  a 
ohi  at"  (2  CiiMu.  xxiv.  8),  Tho  HUggintion 
wua  proliaMy  tho  kiti^'H,  but  Ihn  ocrh'Ni- 
iixli  III  und  civil  aiithoriticH  woiUrd  liar- 
nioiiiouHly  in  lhi<  Ihihiih  hh.  Anil  buroil  h  hoia 
In  Ibo  11(1  of  it  '  lui  hiiiidredii  ol  llniuhiinda 
havo  Juue  aiiioe  bia  tiwH—aud  aat  it  baaida 


«.  xn.  l-Sl.]         TBI  8100VD  BOOK  OF  THI  KOnML 


light  kftAtJ  M  vu 

the  Mwld  il-^r      It 

it 

e 

f 

c 
II 

B    • 

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I 

t" 


4  Uk»  iBOipU^ 


th« 


wh»D  thvT  MV 
.    :.i    iLo    chMt. 


•H>.    i  "      1  .  ■v    »      .    .   :         "  ..,  Bt 

«»«    !»->:■       i:    fii  1,  (.lit    «  Ik    <'W  l.y  th« 

«r  .  t.  •  I'-rt:"''*  )<r  1  .0  aoaad  vbioh 
tl.r  :  1  i:  n  >-  .  .  It  wa«  droppsd  in. 
Th»:  il;r  ».;:<•  sn  o  "  1  wil  MeraUric*** 
Vrif  <N  :.  1^  u  :u  u  .^-icul  iVr>i*,  And  oAmI 
•rli-d  M  lli«  kiiif'*  «oauBiMtonef«(H(-h4^ 
iii.  1.'8:  X»u^  'OjTopi^'  VIIL  &  I  16 ; 
'OlcoiiomV  >▼•  OX  8ueh  penoas  ara  •»»• 
«■  liia  AMjiiftB  aottliiterad  aUbc,  with  a 

RkU  of  pajiT  or  Mr^) '<<  in  oim  hu»l,  uid 

•  pen  In  lito  oUi<  <x>ant  f  t  thm 

kiug  of  tho  apinl  -1  froin  foreign 

•oantiiM  (M«  'AnoMUl  Mtuurt-bioa,'  rol.  iL 
p.  ^'J).  And  the  hivk  pritlt.  Hinoe  the  tinM 
«f  JoahoA.  th*  bign  priaat  had  baaa  ealled 
timflf  "the  prtMi.''  Th*  laahMlliM  of 
th*  fall  title  (JM  aati  laf  yirlrf)  Bfurln 
Ih*  inniMriin  po««r  of  tLa  pncato  aai  th* 
dUaimiahing  power  «f  the  unga  mnder  th* 
Ut«r  ■woatrhy.  Came  ap,  a&d  thef  pnt  np 
li  baga,  *ad  told,  tba  money  that  waa  foaad 
Ib  tt*  hMMa  cf  th*  LwC  MoM^ 
•cdinarilv  pot  Bp   la  "^  ~ 


I  bagjit  onntaiaiag  • 

•t    ti.M  month  «f  Ih* 

tiiLb  a  •triag 

t  rli  20:  lea. 

f;  auaflw 

^  la  thii 

v-laU." 

.  a  inth* 

1 . . .  tMf  k  a 


e  money,  Mag 
u^^.i.y  li— into  tho 
haada  af  thrm  ihet  did  the  work,  that  bad 
tha  evert     ■  ^  '  :'     Lord.     It 

Baat  L. 

aayet:  t^    .  .   ii 

••  ahakcie    •  «aro 

•     .  ■•  lb"  r^ue  af 

ia  T  li  La^,  U  «M  tMrnmry,  ad 


bag  bt 
(aeed. 

il.     '. 

pUkOr,  -  oiui. 

•r«MBlad,t 
bafiafWak 

V*fT  ClOBllltt'. 
V«.  11- A 

taU— lather. 


if  Terr 


flfiW  In  fwant  Ibe  t 

wer*  baa<l"l  oew  L;  i.  r   ugf\ 
Iha  loral    aHvalarT   I0  U4  oOkaf*  •!«« 
*->  -'a.'labea  ••        •  •- «   "»•    »•    ••<>t>lM*a 
<M»«fal  e«  '^Ma* 

-    .  they  I\ii  •«  aal 

bttUdera.  '  t 

IheLeid. 
labatlwtheii 
«f  th*  l«aM>le 
a&d  th*  b«ril^ 
•KMiey  M  Vea 
deiag. 

Ver.  It -A  r*  A* 

«M.i«r>««        T>>"  .f*   tke 


«b 

buT 

bre^. 


■  od  eu^ii*  u>  r»aui  ike 
«e  ef  tbe  Lord      Tl« 


in'!. 

XXi  «     . . , 
wa*  bikrn  tli  r 
thai  rf  paiia  ol 
Bcvdnd.      The     U  i.^.U 
buti  he«l  and    thirty-^ii 
thla  time  it  bad.  to  ' 
no  nr|win  at  ^ 
itiooad.    And  fox  — 
tn  th*  heua  t*  repair 
•laoaaahowi  how  wide  « 


K 

I 

.•• 

L*i     •>"■! 

!«     e 

*r4irm^   R    1 

(!f<       to 

.     0 

the  0T*T- 
ahicti  m 
treat  lamariuii 
and  traat  «L 

aiB<«og  all  Ukv- 
Vtr.   1:1  — H 
iar  the  boaae 
aaaifora,   ba^-:! 
go!d.  or  Tea*«.i 
was  b..uj^t  I:.' 
wLilc   ti.o    rvj 
the  wurk  •  ^  - 
th*  aaooe. 


•hethflV  ot  m>-  r 

Muffara,  or  oar  « 

waa  figidlv  appiiro  u.i  r  r  r  '  • 
taipla  bttildinx.    Tb«f«  u  uo 

be(««Mi   tliU  atatwumt    a'l  i    ; « 

wr;tpr  of  Cliioatetea  (1   i  Ln-n  iii»    H>, 
wbo  teiU  aa  ti^at.   a/T"'   ti«  eali>«  fr^>iir« 

lua       BirO(M>T       a     * 

I  lite   |-uivi.*ae  of 

I*  toii.i*'.rr  a!..i  Id  i4inr,  apooa^ 
aad  vaaaab  af  foU)  aa<i  atWrff."  We  oaa 
veil  ukdtma&T  tl,%L  kTu-  :  p  sia^lii^  «f 
the  jy  off 


(1  kui^pi  UT.  ibX  bjf  A«e  ki  4i»Ui> 


246 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINQS.        [ch.  xii.  1— 2L 


dad  (1  Kingi  Xf.  18),  and  by  Joash  himself 
(ver.  18)  to  procure  the  retreat  of  Uazael 
from  the  siege  of  Jerusalem,  the  vessels  of 
the  temple  must  have  required  renovating 
ahndst  fts  much  as  the  fabric  itself;  and 
when  it  was  foun^l  that  there  remained  a 
surplus  over  and  above  all  that  was  needed 
for  building  purposes,  we  cannot  wonder 
that  it  was  applied  to  the  renewal  of  the 
vessels,  absolutely  essential  as  they  were  for 
the  service  of  the  sanctuary. 

Ver.  14. — But  they  gave  that— <.e.  the 
whole  money  contributed — to  the  workmen 
— equivalent  to  "the  carpenters,  builders, 
masons,  hewers  of  stone,  etc.,  mentioned  in 
vers.  11,  12— and  repaired  therewith  the 
house  of  the  Lord ;  t.«.  expended  the  money 
on  the  repairs. 

Ver.  15. — Moreover  they  reckoned  not 
with  the  men.  into  whose  hand  they  delivered 
the  money  to  be  bestowed  on  workmen. 
Society  rests  upon  faith  and  trust.  In  all 
business  transactions  confidence  must  be 
reposed  in  some  one,  whose  character  is  the 
guarantee  of  his  honesty.  In  the  case 
before  us,  the  overseers  of  the  temple  were 
the  persons  trusted  to  expend  the  money 
aright  (see  ver.  11).  The  overseers  (ch.  xi. 
1 8)  ha(i  been  appointed  by  the  high  priest. 
For  they  dealt  faithfully ;  i.e.  honestly. 

Ver.  16. — The  trespass  money.  When  a 
miin  had  injured  another,  he  was  bound  by 
the  Law  to  make  compensation  tu  the  injured 
party  at  the  valuation  of  the  priest,  with 
the  addition  of  one-fifth  more  than  the 
value  ( I^v.  vi.  2—6 ;  Numb.  v.  6—8).  The 
comf)ensation  was,  primarily,  to  be  made  to 
the  mail  himself;  secondurily,  if  lie  were 
d<  ud,  to  his  nearest  kiimman;  finally,  if  he 
h;id  left  no  kinsman,  to  the  priest.  Aud  sin 
money  According  to  the  L;iw,  the  priest 
WHS  entitled  to  no  money  with  a  ain  offer- 
irjj^ ;  but  it  seema  to  have  be'cmo  customary 
to  make  the  priest  who  offered  it  a  volun- 
tatv  ^'ift,  to  oompensate  hini  for  his  trouble 
Hii'ti  fr  e  gifti  the  priost  was  liy  the  Law 
(Nuuib.  V.  10)  entitled  to  reroive.  Was  not 
brought  into  the  house  of  the  Lord — i.e.  it 
Wiu  not  (IcpoHit)^  in  the  olu-Ht,  or  iipj>Iied 
to  tbs  repuini,  but — It  wa«  the  priests'. 

Vers.  17,  IS.—Tfut  tear  of  Jwuh  tcith 
lliifteL  A  ofinHidoriiblo  gup  oceura  lielwoon 
vir«.  1«»  and  17.  Wh  lourn  from  (Jhronicloa 
•<iiii<;  iMirticuUra  of  the  interval.  Not  long 
uft<  r  thoooiiipl'li'in  of  Iho  r-  [wir-*,  Jehoiiida, 
who  hiul  UvimI  to  a  g-xxl  old  ago  in  coiiipli/t« 
iiHniiony  with  thn  tnoniiroli,  uxpinxl.  Ilia 
pn  ty,  ari'l  hi*  gioMl  aiTTinoM,  k*  proHorvur  of 
Ui«>  hotiMi  of  l>»vid,  a«  rf>»it/)r<  r  of  th<' t<'m|>liv- 
wrirahlp,  und  jnirit  ropiiiriT  with  .ItHuih  of  thn 
t>  lupin    itMl/,    wore    ngardcxl    m    euliUing 


him  to  extraordinary  funeral  hononn;  and 
by  general  consent  he  was  interred  within 
the  city  of  Jerusalem,  in  the  sepulchres  of 
the  kings  (2  Chron.  xxiv.  16).  His  removal 
led  to  a  fresh  religious  revolution.  "  The 
Jewish  aristocracy,  who  perhaps  had  never 
been  free  from  the  licentious  and  idolatrous 
taint  introduced  by  Kehoboam  and  confirmed 
by  Athaliah,  and  who  may  well  have  been 
galled  by  the  new  rise  of  the  priestly  order, 
presented  themselves  before  Joash,  and 
offered  him  the  same  obsequious  homage 
that  bad  been  paid  by  the  young  nobles  to 
Behoboam.  He, . . .  feeling  hiraself  released 
from  personal  obligations  by  the  death  of 
his  adopted  father,  threw  himself  into  their 
hands.  Atlialiah  was  avenged  almost  upon 
the  spot  where  siie  had  been  first  seized  by 
her  enemies"  (Stanley,  'Jewish  Church,* 
vol.  ii.  p.  345).  Joash  began  by  allowing 
the  reintroduction  of  idolatry  and  grove- 
worship  (2  Chron.  xxiv.  18),  and  then,  when 
remonstrated  with  by  Zechariah,  the  son  of 
Jehoiada,  who  had  succeeded  his  father  in 
the  oflBceof  high  priest,  had  the  remonstrant 
set  upon  by  the  people  and  slain.  The 
writer  of  Chronicles  closely  connects  this 
murderous  deed  with  the  Syrian  war,  which 
followed  it  witiiin  a  year  (2  Ciiron.  xxiv.  23), 
and  was  generally  regarded  aa  a  Divine 
judgment. 

Ver.  17. — Then  Hazael  King  of  Syria  went 
np,  and  fought  against  Gath.  Ilitiuito 
Judah  had  been  safe  from  any  attack  on  the 
part  of  Syria,  since  Israel  hud  been  inter- 
posed between  the  two  jwwers.  Now,  how- 
ever, that  Hazaol  had  conquen  d  from  Jehu 
tiie  entire  trans-.Ioid.mic  territory  (oh.  i.  3:?), 
the  cnso  was  wliolly  altered  Judah  and 
Syria  had  becomi^  conteruiinnus  alonp;  tlio 
line  of  tho  lower  Jordan,  and  Syri.i  eonld  in- 
vaile  .Imlroa  at  any  moniont.  It  is  surpriaing 
thatdlulh  «h(Hild  have  been  tho  Bpecjal  object 
of  attack,  since  (iulh  (Ahu-dliritli)  lay  ronioto 
from  tho  Syrian  frontier,  in  tho  south- 
wcst^^rn  pint  of  .Tudiea,  and  could  only  l)o 
reachi'd  from  Syria  by  an  em  my  who  wan 
not  alraid  of  leaving  .leniHalom  h(<hiiid  hinj. 
(lalb,  \vli<  n  liiHt  inciitiiined,  wan  h  .IndaMin 
city,  and  wiiH  foi  tilled  by  Ueiiolxiam  (2 
('hron.  xl.  H);  hut  it  wan  (jrigiimlly  I'liilis- 
tine  (1  Sam.  v.  17),  and  tho  rhilihtini'H  had 
H'covenMl  it  bcforo  the  tiinit  of  Uzziiih  (2 
Chron.  ixvi.  <i).  To  wiiich  |H>wer  it  In  long  d 
whim  Ila7.a«l  miidi<  war  n|K)n  it  Ih  uik  rrtain. 
And  took  U  prnliftldy  lixik  it  l>y  Ht<irm,  und 
plunduriMl  il,  but  did  not  atlutupt  uii  oocu 


m  in.  l-fl]         Tni  BffOOVD  BOOK  OF  Till   KIKOa 


til 


ertaa    >a4   Man*)  Mt  kU  '    -         ^-o  wf 
JwMatoa      ir  (i.tti  t.  ,.  •• 

•Iftmn  pioU»l<l«.  II  wuuU  >->    ...  .....    t^-ux 

JoruMlMi  Del  lam  IbMi  ^irljr  tnllv*  in  • 
li.rtx-t  Uac  If  liktjkpl.  hovvfor,  «M  r»- 
i..r!it!i|r  to  tlip  t'  '  eoaulry  l*kra 

fr    lu    lararl,    tl     u  .:i    bis    WKJT.   WmI 

•ilCtit  balu  !..:u  lo  Bake  •  d*all 

V.  r' 1& - Aai  JalMMk  KlM>^ fmiAh  took 

a:i  ih«  k4llov«4  Uimfft.  Th«  »ril<  r  .f 
(  :  *  trlU  u*  tiukt,  Urtt  of  all.  tttcro 

*  ^  a  at. la  ••  T*'*  mrmy  of  th©  8>r«i»j 
e^.tuo  «l(!i  s  •'!  al'.  .1  Ul« 
1/  nl  >!•  1  ».  r>»l  »  '.Iifix 

*  '  "  '  i     .    .  I  i       J  1. 1-      5»  «nM 

>!..  iig    i1j«    u  I'K^    «bo 
~ii  »iuiv.     Much  )>tunilrr 


t9> 


UikfU    lijr     tijr>    Til- 


("J  Cliron.  11  iT. 
»-•»•  of  tha  citjr 

•  V  26;  XT. 

1  ■  (ch.  iTiiL 

1  tr«>ti»ure«, 

•  r       II 

U.      .  .       ,     jrhO- 

■hkphk^  a:.d  itli^riLiu..  OLil  AIulxi&^i,  his 
ftikus,  kin^fs  of  Jadah,  h&d  dedififttttd. 
1 !  "  ■':  *  '  i«w  Atxl  AUnziali  ftpocUtited 
»•  tuMnUio  thtt  b«&l-«unliip  in 

J<  ,  :vud  evao  to  foroo  %ttcutiuic«  on 

it  (2  Cliroa.  XxL  IIX  yet  UiOj  did  not  re- 
linquish altogether  the  wonhip  of  Jt-liorah. 
That    Jib'nuD    c^lltxi     hU    aoii,    A.'mziali, 

•  |»«»f«el..U  of  JehMTah,"  ftud  All&xi»it  OttO 

of  Lu  aoiut,  Ji4ish,  "  whom  Jehovah  tn^ 
potts"  io  iudicAtiro  ot  Xha  •ynerotiua, 
vhi^-h  wa»  o»minoQ  lu  aDcicut  tiiitoM,  bat 
a^^uiust  which  purt)  JuiUutn  lualtf  tha 
•Uuu^'rst  poMil>l«  prutost.  And  bi«  ova 
kallowod  thin^  -i.r  the  gift*  which  he  hud 
himaelf  nukJe  lo  the  Unai  lo  -and  all  the 
foU  tb«t  WM  fMud  ia  tk*  troMvrw  of  tho 
Emm  af  tk«  UH.  Thia  wm  prohnbly  not 
■oak :  bat  MMM  ••  vmmU  or  ffoia  "  bMl  beea 
B»d«  (1  Chron.  xxiv.  li)  uut  of  Lho  ntaiJua 
of  the  moooj  auixti-ribod  fur  the  rvp«in. 
And  in  tho  kind's  hooa*.  'I'ho  ri^jal  imUoo 
hm-i  bcca  p)uu>l«red  by  tho  Arab*  and 
ritili»Uit«a«uBibiue.^  : 
(S  Cbroo.  ExL  It. 
Mkia  that  had  aiL 
UM  lar  frt«h  a.x 
t>  Kaaaal  Kinf  of 
f^oa  JorualML 
Uaaaolat  th( 


gn  of  Jehoram 

in  tho  thirtj 

i«ro  hod  boon 

And  oent  it 

h«  v«at  awaj 

Tl*  |wt»iitial  proM>u<t>«  ol 

tobobereiuii'liwl. 


«hilo  t  Cbroo.  ul?.  tt  i»th«r  impUM  his 
•feHM*.  PorbafM  bo  WM  ihMiil  at  irol, 
Wl  joiaod  tbo  Urtiagon  afUr  •  wkik. 

V<n.  l»-Xl.-rb*  tUm  tf  tk»  fMya  </ 
/iwt*     JU«  Mard«r  fry  ttia  aarvaala      A^aia 


tSanarr  '^'•^gali  lo  Wi 

^7  ti^'i  a.     rraa  ObroaWv  •• 

loaro  Ui^i,  u.:-te  tha  wilhdraaal  of  tho 
Bjnatia.  J<cash  bad  falloo  1>.U>  a  tm^tn  Ul- 
Doaa.  whirb  oouflued  bla  lo  bia  a}«ntiac«| 
(1  Chrao.  i&if.  t5>.  TUU  ga*o  ef>pi«t«. 
nitjr  f>^>r  ooaapiroojr.  Ai»4if  tbo  onwiitMt 
worti  two,  pofhape  morv,  wbota  tho  Ihio  of 
Zr«ita<  iab  had  grioT^l,  and  who  voiw  poa^ 
abijr  oppoood  to  tho  votirw  orttoo  of  lahw 
ohoagw  la  i«li(ioQ  wbieh  bad  btwa  mi»- 
tknod  hj  Joaah  (1  Chron.  siiv  17,  lt> 
Theao  poraooo  **  toada  a  oooapuary."  which 
wa«  ooeooovful,  au<l  ■•  alow  Joaah  on  bia  hod  * 
Qi  Ohnm.  sxiv.  t^y  Thej  thoo  b<maJ  bia 
In  Jomoiloia,  but  **  aut  iu  iLo  aopokhioo  o# 
the  kings." 

T<  r.  19.— And  tha  reat  of  tha  aeto  of  Joaak, 

and  al]  that  ha  did,  uie  thajr  n^t  vnttaa  ta 

V  -  ■'  '  nifllae  of  the  kia^  of  Jodah  1     TLia 

iiraoe,  with  «hi'  h  ho  rL'uclu.lw  hia 

of  aliuoat   r>   r<    J.  .  1.      •   (t 

km^a  Xi».  2y:   XV    "  .    ij. 

X3;  \iv    !":  XT.  6,  .4 

aa  u  .  .  .J 

•  It  t» 

the   fri:.'U   Ul    (iiVBU.       *i '  I 

uaconoaioaa  of  %nj  oach 

to  ooiit  much  ia  evory  c.  ; 

he  happe Ucd  to  Oluit  all  '.  ,  ; 

auJ  tho  rrstilt  was  an  c  .  .  f. 

traituni  <•  ii„;,  ui   i 

vidouoo  «  :  .-   hi»tL>hoal  ,  -■      o 

waa  aeeun?u  t  ■  .•«  and  n^o^cu^* 

of  aoeeood  iii» 

Var.  20.— Al^  _^  '•  «rooi^aadaaio 

acoaqdnoy.    liy  •  ."oAcwnof 

hia  hooacholJ  arc  ]>.'  Mlad,at4aad> 

auta  whoae  poaition  w„u..i  ^;v«  th«ai  r««df 
aooMO  t0  bia  peraun.     And  alav  Jaaab  ia  tko 
hoaoo  of  miio.    Jc. 
fiinvd  hia  reaidoaot  ■* 

—  tho  t.'rc-.at  f./ruwai    -  -  ..  ._..,..  ...^ 

▼•  i*  -iou  (1  Kiiiga  ix.  li,  x«>  in 

Joiur  I  grvihUr  aivurty  da  .    .•   .Lo 

sirt;a;  jci,  Luug  ti  k- 

ooaa,  eould  not  re: 
•iogo  waa  uTor. 
No  eouBoataUir  I 


Wkiea  goau  oown  lo  Biua. 
baa  aooMdod  ia  oiplai  t:  t  u  f 


thia  tjauai^T? 

Bit! . 

1  i  .-r^  ,»   .., 

'  oibor  aMBtioa  at 
•  aod«tilaad  ho* 

a  f 

any  i^laoo.    u 
Oawof  IUI9. 
aooeplad  aa  a 
laipiiia  i:.«t  a 
of  tho  IcxL 

«uf\i 

•.0  -go 

dowa*  10 

•---a* 

^«  bo 

;    I 

.1 

atk ;  <mlW   in 

r  Juaa<har 
eurrupujo 

-    -^ 

abljthfwi^  a 

0^  Uia 

iaat.     iiu 

S48 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.       [oh.  xn.  1— 2L 


mother,  Shimeath,  was,  Bcwrding  to  Chro- 
nioles  (2  Chron.  xxiv,  26),  an  Aramonitesg. 
And  Jehozabad  the  son  of  Shomer.  For 
"  Shomer  "  we  have  in  Chronicles  "  Shim- 
nth,"  which  u  the  f«minine  form  of 
*'  Shomer,**  and  we  are  told  that  she  was  a 
Muabitess.  The  Jews  were  at  all  times  fond 
of  takiug  wives  from  Moab  and  Ammon  (Ruth 
L  4  ;  1  Kings  xi.  1 ;  Ezra  ix.  1,  2 ;  Neh. 
xiii  23),  despite  the  prohibition  of  mixed 
marriages  in  the  Law  (see  Dcut.  vii.  3).  His 
servants,  smote  him,  and  he  died  (for  their 
uiotivea,  see  the  introductory  paragraph), 
and  th«7  buried  him  with  hia  fathers  in  the 


eity  of  David.  Some  critics  (a«  Theninc 
and  Dean  Stanley)  see  a  contradiction  be- 
tween this  statement  and  that  of  2  Chron. 
xxiv.  25,  that  he  was  "not  buried  in  the 
sepulchres  of  the  kings ; "  but,  as  Bei theau, 
Keil,  and  Bahr  observe,  "  the  two  statements 
are  not  irreconcilable,"  since  he  may  have 
been  regarded  as  "  buried  with  his  fathers," 
if  his  grave  was  anv where  in  Jerusalem, 
even  though  he  was  excluded  from  the  royal 
burying-place.  And  Amaziah  his  son  reignod 
in  his  stead)  (For  the  reign  of  Amazj^h, 
see  ch.  xiv.  1 — 20.) 


HOMILETICa 

Ver.  2. —  Weakness  in  d  monarch  almost  as  had  as  wickedness.    The  most  prominent 

trait  in  the  character  of  Joash  was  his  lack  of  independence  ai;d  moral  weakness.     He 

had  no  strength  of  will,  no  stamina ;  in  the  expressive,  if  inelegant,  ]angua;:;e  of  our 

imes,  "  no  backbone."    He  must  always  lean  upon  some  one.     Let  us  look  at  Joash — 

I.  In  nis  YOUTH,  At  this  time  he  was  so  fortunate  as  to  have  a  natural  prop  and 
Buppjrt  in  Jehoiada,  his  uncle  by  marriage,  and  his  guardian  during  the  years  of  liis 
minority.  Jelioiada's  was  a  strong  character,  and  the  life  of  Joash,  while  Jehoiada 
guided  his  steps,  if  not  marked  by  any  strikingly  great  actions,  was  coriect,  exemjilary, 
wiiithy  of  praise.  There  was  piety  and  right  feeling  in  the  pains  which  he  took  to 
promote  tlie  restoration  of  the  temple,  and  prudence  iu  the  measures  whereby  he  suc- 
ceeded in  effecting  his  purpose.  The  measures  may  have  been — iirobably  were — tug- 
geslud  by  JehuiadA;  but  the  king  deserves  some  credit  for  adopting  them. 

OuTos  ixkv  TaydpiaTos,  ts  avrds  viyra  fodrai, 
iipaaaSfttyos  ri  r'  fx*iTa  Kol  is  ri\os  iffrlii  afxtlvm, 
'LaQKhs  I'  ai  K^KHvoi,  6s  *l  *lit6fTi  rlBrirax. 

As  the  writer  of  Kings  says,  "Joash  did  that  which  was  right  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord 
all  his  days  wherein  Jehoiada  tlie  pri'st  iribtrucUd  him  "  (ver.  2).  Hut  Jclioiada  could 
not  live  for  ever.  He  reache<l  a  very  advanced  ago;  but  at  last  he  "  waxed  old  and 
die«l "  (2  Chron,  xxiv.  16),  and  Joash  was  loft  to  manage  as  he  might  without  him. 
Let  UH  lo<jk  at  him  now — 

II.  I«  II IK  Ml  put, K  AOE,  AFTKR  THR  DEATH  OF  Jkhotada.  Apparent!  V  his  weaknesf 
is  kn-iwn,  ami  it  is  at  once  nsMitncd  tiiat  he  must  put  himRoll'  under  directors.  The 
••princes  of  Judah"  go  to  him,  pay  him  court,  Hatter  him  probably,  at  any  rato  olVor 
him  unnw'ial  hnnonrs.  And  at  once  he  succumbs,  and  i>]aies  himsell  under  their  itillu- 
cnc«.  Wo  raniiot  BMppoBO  him  nut  to  have  boon  aware  of  what  lio  was  doing,  lie 
munt  havi;  known  tlio  loaniugH  of  tlin  "jiriiiccH,"  and  have  underhtood  that,  in  adupt- 
\na  ihnm  a«  bin  advisers,  lie  was  ^ivin^  up  all  the  traditions  of  his  earlier  life,  and 
tatiri;;  a  now  <ie|artiire.  Such  lightiioHH  would  not  have  been  eurpriHing  in  a  mero 
Touili ;  but  J'-anli  waH  now  at  lea  a  thirty  years  of  ngo,  j)r()bably  more,  and  nii'.;ht  h»vo 
been  exiH'ct«!-i  to  have  fnrmod  and  Kottleil  IiIh  prinoiiiles  and  his  clmractcr.  HtiU,  experi- 
cnc«  shows  that  oven  thirty  yisam  of  a  plouH  liff,  If  it  hart  been  passod  '•under  tutors 
and  f^urnTUotH,"  duen  not  fix  a  nian'H  future  in  the  Hanio  lino — iniy,  oi'li-n  loadrt  him  to 
an  almuMl  irre)in  Khihl"  desiro  fur  rovult,  and  for  departing  wulely  I'rnm  lii«  aniecoileiilM. 
'i'lin  donlro  is  a  t<Mii|itniiuii  of  the  devil,  and,  if  yieMtid  U>,  hax  devillsli  rosultrt;  but  it 
\»  tnry  ofim  yIeMn.i  to.  Nero's  oulhieak  afiur  h«  hiul  got  rid  of  N  neea  is  tlio  muHt 
]<Al|ttDla  hlMt'irnnl  exain[)lQ  ;  but  tlio  nx[Hinuiice  of  niimt  piuHnns  must  have  nhnwii 
l;i  m  •ctrtta  of  IntUiiiem  of  nioii,  traltDwl  and  brou^'ht  up  in  ^immI  oouiitcn  till  iniddU 
tlfo,  kiMl  tliflii  Nuddoiilv  Hit  freo  III  tak«  their  own  lino,  who  havo  plnn  nl  inio  disHipa- 
t'o!;,  iii|il«ty,  and  wirk«vlii«iMi  «if  sU  kindH.  'I'he  cnmi  i>f  Jtxmh  Ih  ejtriiciiiliiiiny,  nut.  ia 
lO  ,  '  :■■  a.  f'-atiiren,  hut  in  ih'-  lnii^;iliii  u>  which  h«  wcni.  (Imh'r  llxt  inlluiMico  <<l  the 
"pruiOM,"  be  allowed  the  I'.aaI- worship  to  bu  relniroducod,  and  gavo  it  Iroo  toloraiio*. 


«.  in.  i-«io      TBI  mum)  WOE  or  m  kikq^  §«• 


^  It,  toy,  ihnk  Jo»»*i,  «a>o>imn«tn.t  t>  op| 

•p  '  cugi^  air  »«mtf     niBnAf  df  •  ktgb  yftoii.  <                e 

^  •  •ftMl  AmU  «f  aUiftlac.  Mi  »im4w  mi  mm  km  m^mt  km 

•  L  Brjiiia^  la  riBiwWirimi  »f  (K«  vm4  biatjf  wlii^f  ^e  ^•4 

i«»  '                             «,  J  Ciinis.  Ills.  BtV    li  u                •  y*— 4M]r.  p< 


Sk...  .■.•••  Um  AftUua  IB  ftiiU  frmu- 

k..  I  UM  MMi  wiekad  of  ptwadiiic  iKJOk 


r  Ul«   tMBfiU,  it   M 
i.  <  iOttg    th«    J      >•    '.  '    ' 


'^UlirikVMB 

era,  it  WM  BOi  lOBg  WoW  OiMiipkiuu 


\K  .•  avly  Chuiirik  VMS  D 


-•  iiMioo  Ulu  tiuU  oC  lh«  Qbnr 

'0*  to  <ImwmI  lk«  Hrfonit* 

^ .  ,-1^  >pportioai»g|  — d  Hlrtwwiag 


1 

A*  A  ei'NrNA 

■(■•^ 

to^- 

•p» 

•I. 

■>• 

bv 

flMi:  i 

toMcA 

II  • 

& 

h*. 

•F^ 

•e:. 

...  w._ . 

V>'. 

.itf  ia  U. 

«>■ 

1 

•IT,' 

•t-> 

»i.  -     ; . . 

'  -  '  .* 

AlV:  I- '    ;     ^  ' 

.'.  '        ' 

toe::.;      \    i 

,  -•-•U,   (■   '.Ii    : 

•htfiri  Li  . 

.   Ot     .'ft.       1 

'..' 

<U« 

f^ 

It 

ki 

^  '    . 

..         ■ 

A*    A    ei'SCNAL  RVl  R.  ml    M>WT    ^r:flm'A!.!f    M'^l'-Dur    Utt    AkB    ml 


■!?«-•  art  !9 


ul  II,  iiMu^b  lu*  bwOMij  VM  quii« 


850  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.        [ch.  xn.  1-21, 

IV.  Because  it  peomotes  habmout  ahd  toion  if  thb  laitt  are  employed  nr 

THE   BUSINESS   MATTERS   OF  THE   DISTBICT,   OB  CHUKCH,   OB  PARISH,      In   ftlmost  every 

parish  or  congregation  there  will  be  among  the  laity  persons  quite  fit  to  undertake 
the  functions  whereof  we  have  been  speaking.  And  such  persons  will  in  most  cases  be 
gratified  by  being  asked  to  undertake  them.  They  will  be  glad  to  be  associated  with 
the  clergyman  in  parochial  matters,  and  to  relieve  him  of  a  portion  of  his  biu-dens.  It 
will  be  a  satisfaction  to  them  to  be  doing  some  work  for  Christ  and  his  Church,  to  feel 
that  they  are  a  part  of  the  organization,  and  that  by  their  gratuitous  service  they  are 
furthering  the  cause  of  their  Lord  and  Master.  And  the  greater  intercourse  which  will 
thus  take  place  between  them  and  their  spiritual  guides  will  foster  good  feeling  and 
mutual  regard  and  respect. 

Vers.  4 — 15. — Church  resforatton  a  good  work,  tteeeptalle  to  God,  David's  desire  to 
build  God  a  house  is  often  mentioned  to  his  honour  (2  Sam.  vii.  2 ;  1  Chron.  xvii,  1,  2 ; 
2  Chron.  vi.  7 ;  Acts  viL  46).  Solomon's  reputation  for  piety  and  zeal  rests  m  linly 
upon  the  pains  which  he  took  to  erect  for  God's  worship  a  noble  and  suitable  edifice 
(Wisd.  ix.  8  ;  Ecclus.  xlvii.  13;  Acts  vii.  47).  The  "  repairing  of  the  house  of  God" 
(2  Chron.  xxiv.  27)  by  Joash  obtained  him  his  place  among  the  good  kings  (ch.  xii.  2). 
Jo-iah's  restoration  (ch.  xxiL  3—7)  helped  to  put  hira  in  the  higher  category  of  those 
who  were  in  no  way  defective  (Ecclus.  xlix.  4).  Zerubbabel  and  Jeshua  were  long 
held  in  honour,  because  they  "  builded  the  house,  and  set  up  an  holy  temple  to  the 
Lord"  (Ecclus.  xlix.  12).  It  was  the  great  glory  of  Judas  Maccabaeus  that  he  cleansed 
and  "  renewed  the  sanctuary  "  (1  Mace.  v.  1).  If  God  is  to  have  any  outward  worsliip 
at  all,  if  nations  are  to  honour  him  openly,  if  men  are  to  join  in  common  prayer  for 
mutual  encouragement  and  edification,  there  must  be  buildintrs  for  the  purpose :  and 
natural  reverence  requires  that  they  shall  be  kept  solely  for  the  purpose.  He  who  pro- 
vides such  buildings  does  a  good  work ;  he  who  repairs  them  when  they  need  it,  or 
restores  them  when  they  have  £rone  to  decay,  shows  the  same  spirit  as  the  original 
builder,  and  deserves  scarcely  less  praise.  Of  course,  we  assume  that  both  builders 
and  repairers  and  restorers  do  their  work  in  a  proper  frame  of  mind,  and  from  prefer 
motives;  otherwise  church-buildin:;,  like  almsgiving  or  any  otlier  good  work,  may 
cease  to  be  pleasing  to  God,  or  may  even  become  an  "offence"  to  him.  Church-builders 
and  chnrch-restorer.H  should  see — 

I.  That  THEY  no  not  tukiu  work  out  of  ostentation  ob  fob  thbibown  glory. 
This  their  conscience  will  readily  tell  them  if  they  honestly  consult  it. 

II.  That  thky  do  it  not  in  a  spirit  of  mere  .sstheticism,  opt  of  a  lovb  of  art 
Omsidering  the  personal  character  of  those  who  built  St.  Peter's  at  Rome^  and  the 
dominant  bj  irit  of  the  age,  it  is  difficult  to  suppose  that  the  main  motive  at  work 
among  the  promoters  was  not  the  eesthetic  one.  And  there  may  be  a  danger  of  the 
same  kind  at  the  present  day,  when  art  is  in  such  high  estimation. 

III.  '1  irAT  THKY  DO  IT  NOT  OUT  OK  8TUIFK,  OR  JEALOUSY,  OB  EMOLATION,  BUT,  IF 
FOR'^ini.K,  WITH  A  HINOLE  KTB  TO  Qod'h  HONOUH,  OB,  AT  ANY  RATE,  WITH  God's  HONOOB 

AH  THKiK  MAIN  oiuKcT.     As  souio  prcarlied  the  K0H|)(!l  out  of  strife  (rhil.  i.  IB)  in  the 
ajuwllfH'  lime,  m)  it  may  be  that  occaHinnally  nowadays  the  d(»iro  of  surpassing  a  neigh- 
bour, or  outshining  a  rival,  may  bo  at  the  root  of  mori'rt  niuniticenco  in  church-building 
aixl  chapol-builditiK.     A«*'dead  flji  s  cauHo  the  ointment  of  the  a|)othocAry  to  stink 
(KcciojL  z.  1),  so  a  wron;^  uiotivo  tiikoji  away  all  its  swcut  savour  from  a  good  action. 


HOMILIES  BY  VARIOUS  AUTHORa. 

Vem.  1 — '^. —  The  inflnrnot  of  a  wite  ofmn*ellor.    *'  JoaHh  did  that  which  wan  right  la 
th«r  *  I'iit  of  tli«i  l/oid  all  liiH  dayH  wiiiircin  Johoiadft  tho  prii  Ht  InHtructcd  him." 

I.    MUOH    DKIT.NUH    UIMN    THB    CM  Alt  Atll'.ll    or     TIIIC    BoVKIlKKIN.         Compare     KllgliUld 

uriil<<r  thfl  HlimrlH  with  Kn^rlitiid  iiiidir  Cromwull  or  Qiiitiii  Victoria.  An  impuro  und 
licontioiis  aiiirt  <l<!iiiorali/.i<H  a  wliolo  nation.  A  pnra  cmrt  ih  a  itAndiiit^  ruhtiko  to 
Ini'i'iily  ill  liiKh  iila<:<-ii.  W«'  havo  much  m-' d  Ut  iirivy  "for  km^^ii,  nnd  for  all  that  are 
In  aiitlionty."  Wo  hava  much  dmxI  to  bo  thankful  fur  ilio  chaniular  aud  Ufa  of  our 
^OMUt  ■<jvoraigiL 


ULiitl'*!]         TOK   BKOnND    IVVilC   Of  THE   KIKOa  U\ 


n.  T«i  VATtoaAL  uw  LAMtcLT  »*y«VM  rm*  t««  niAtAPraa  or  t«»  ■»  iw^** 
mmmmjum^.    lu  fui  Unutoa  wam^teky  ikm  "  inuiiaurs  «W  tkm  Orova  '  v 
IkftmUnof  Um  b»u<i.    How  tiiMtuat  tkmi  •  Cknika  aifcui  ikmM  b**^ 
l«lfWSObrtatiMb«UUirar«l    1^  uom  bM  MfvJj  ooom  *k«i  Ui«  vote 
pMfil*  ol  Um  MtUi  Miif^r*  ikouM  b*  mnob  ma««  k(«rd  !•  IVlUaM 

«ku  win  rHMOlbw  .l«ouMiM*  WiallMh  •  b«U  «.'      W*   mu.: 

ksHd  «BM  Um  clrf  Oud.     W«  «r«oi  lrgi»Uui««  *be  t^^ 

T%f&f  tktmJA  M*  k*  ••  X  k^.  «w  Iftr  M  ihmy  cmn  wrtira  li,  CkfteUA 


Tut*  waui  MAD  m  ouBta  la  nu  kum^  oovMAaa.    Kui^*  ir^i  >  c-r* 

kttuck*  auvadaj*.     Bat  kiagi  Imv*  boI  bsM  all  bwL    tv  ^ 

•bkli  boaia  up^xt  a  ihrvuc.  %x\\  lb«  afMHslal  lampUliooa  k>  •• 

parha:*  Um  citwmciar  of  >  boar  Iotmi  gmiioa  a*  vail  ••  it<<-  iUmj»i  > 

Ol  their  cviliea.     IflaJr^  ry  w«  fiod  a  Jarobnam  aod  aa  AL*b,  « 

Bolmnoa  aoil  a  UcMkiak     It  tu  i^'uan  li>»tar.r  w*  tA  a  N«(t>  sUiaii.g  • 

abd  bloudabad  the  im;<>rid  |>ia|'ir,  wo  tiu.l  iHlter*  nk«  TraJAB  an<i   Mxca! 

tka  patroiM  of  liu-r  «upbj,  aad  tb«  art*.     If  la  o<^-  .»t  >  i.  >     c     f 

uur  waTBiftM  war^  :.oj  Aboukl  hav*  l«ra.  ««  oaa  \-  <:  i^'  a- l.  «  ' 

■Ood  vhkch  UiAoy  ^l  u^  i  U««  h»»o  eiercia*!.     tit-,  allhougii  j   •.^^  «;..:».  i*.'. 

Hfaa  waU.     Iba  firet  «<.>rk  <.<(  J'>A>ti  aod  Jrhoia-U  «a«  tu  pull  duwu  li^e  ua. 

Baal,  aad  dwtroy  hte  imaicoa.     7k«r  aaaf  ««tr*  w»»  t»  ryiir  lit  l#t»|i«  v/  r  - 

No»  BMialy  bad  iJm  hottia  ol  tk«  Lortl  baao  Drgl<«ied  far  tka  vurabip  U  i 

«•  «Md  ta  S  Chroaldaa.  **  tha  mm  d  Athaliah,  that  arlekad  vocaaa,  bad  .     . 

Ika  k«M»  oT  Ood :  and  alao  all  tha  dadkalad  tkiiigA  of  tba  kouao  ol  tha  Lurd  dvi 

kartov  vpOB  Baalim.*     Jaa*^>  "-  -"-^ed  that  the  booM  of  Gud  ■hould  ba  lu  l-.> 

■haiaifal  aoadllioa.     B«  ^^  .  d  thai  iba  tampla  abould  fao  iwiainnL     Ha 

UMlrue«od  tka  priaata  and  L  .  ^i  thev  vara  to  maka  ouHactkau  Um  th*  ('^r- 

i«jaa,ikot  oalyia  tba  tanpla,  but  lurvxigiiuul  a«  land,  aTary  tnao  fnMu  1  --   -r 

1.    W9  kmm  fot  tJi4  ctmumMmd  </ a  Ai'^  tn  rr/e/«aor  to  44>  CAarck.      i  r«-> 

duiM  axpcKTU  tliAi  all  wLu  ara  hU  poujle  will  take  ad  piirrMt  lo  b  .  <  i^  la-. 

Gkwvk.     Wa  ar»  brat  of  aJl  iu  build  up  the  CLunrh  t'f  ( '>:•  st  in  ocr  >  m  :.  1  >'  .1  *:.^  .u 

MTflWB^talriet.     lb*  prufrAAiug  ChristiAM  wbu  c  '  k     1.  .  t.ii,  t-^i 

aoalribalM ■DthiBf  to  iiA  Auiiort,  i«  iK>t  I'U  yiii;!  -.  -  \S°  .- ..     1  ^r  .. 

aba^  vaara  lo  pray  and  iciTe  auo  Ltbuur  (■•r  ii.r  riui^^ik  u:  t.    :.-   ^  l.  ^'  u.  ::.-    .^1- 

OVft  tka  world.     "  L<i  bun  tba'.  Lraxct     aav,  C-iuf."     *•  G    jro    tiu  »..  ;    c  »  . . :    a_.i 

prt-Jk  '  j*l  toeTrry  crrati.re.'     -'Ibei.*   .  -    •  • 

anr  :  ye  tkarrfurr  the   liurd  0/  tbr  : 

talo  DIM  nmiyrmL.^      V    -  oiumaoda  <  i    « 

iImmT    %.  Tit*  €m*^'  .uttoma  rmi»  a 

■av  tklak  litiia  ol  <..i...c....  ^.o*uaa.    Tbey  m  .  >^v  .   .^.-..^  . . 

uadwaltts  tka  work  ikoy  kava  dooa— ibough  ia»'.  ralua  ol  iiita»x  -..»  . 

work  ara  kaotMning  mura  fraquaot  arary  yaar  frou.  ..  .   • . 

AiaiaMMB,  99tm  ftoa  baAtkao  «  bu  kava  aui  bMn 

I  Gknatiaa  ikat  (  brat  kaa  winiinAndad  tb«  ^       , 

mU  tka  Duka  U  WallinntUiO,  **la  ibe  iu«njuax  aruan  ol  lAa  L&r.e-. 
t-borak.- 

IL  Tni  VOKK  waa  dklateo  bt  KiuLatr  -  N'otwllkllBBdlcf 

maad  of  KbM  Juaab.  wuicit  w.^  t  areiu  to  .  aafiy  ki  kla  ^ 

Vamg  ikmm  Botniftg  vai  duoa.     Tba  timr  («m<^  tw««itTtbird  >c^ 

nifB.  inil  atUl  tka  pria«a  b«d  aot  ro;«  ml  (>«•  <  ib«  b-^<»  •/  it.e 

JoMk  ealkd  tka  pnorta  aod  ika  Lc«  ibci   l»4 

BOC  oarriad  i>ut  tkr  work  aatruataJ  to  w  laaoa  tu  a 

mrttim  Hiaaaiira     Tbay  who  sboulii     *  -ti  lu  i:.«ir  ara:  r  -e  tba  >..«tia 

if  Oed  kad  bars  taroy  la  tkla  \m\'  /ua  t  bai  aabapntly  b>aa  •*  la 

tka  UMoiy  of  tka  CkrMk*  r\  ite  pnaatkood  of  tka  W« 


252  THE  SEC05TD  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [oh.  m.  1—21. 

Church  in  the  Middle  Ages  that  the  greatest  corruptions  crept  in.  Forgetting  their 
spiritual  profession,  they  mixed  theuiselves  up  with  the  political  strife  of  their  day. 
The  popes  aspired  to  be  lords  over  Gx)d's  heritage — a  claim  which  Christ  forbade  his 
a|K>stles  to  exercise.  They  thirsted  for  temporal  power,  and  put  the  power  of  the 
Church  into  competition  with  the  governments  of  the  nations,  just  as  the  present  pope  is 
seeking  to  do  in  our  own  time.  They  thirsted  for  wealth  and  splendour,  ^nd  thus 
began  the  traffic  in  indulgences  against  which  Luther  raised  his  mighty  voice.  All  this 
time  they  were  unfaithful  to  the  high  commission  they  professed  to  hold.  They  were 
foriietful  of  the  plain  statement  of  Christ,  "  My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world."  But 
this  unfaithfulness  ot  the  teachers  of  religion  is  not  confined  to  the  Church  of  Rome. 
All  Churches  have  suftered  from  it  at  one  time  or  anotlier.  How  much  of  the  delay 
in  the  great  work  of  Christian  missions  has  been  due  to  the  neglect  and  unfaithfulness 
o  r:!'i:ious  teachers!  For  centuries  scarcely  anything  was  done  to  carry  the  gospel 
iiiiu  ueatheu  lands.  Protestant  missions  can  scarcely  be  said  to  have  existed  before  tiio 
nineteenth  century.  The  blight  of  moderatism,  which  was  over  all  Christian  communi- 
ties in  the  last  century,  was  fatal  to  all  missionary  effort  for  the  time.  But  Ooifs  work 
does  not  depend  upon  men,  or  on  any  class  of  men.  If  those  who  are  stewards  of  Gmi  are 
unfaithful  to  their  trust,  God  will  commit  it  to  other  hands.  If  men  enter  the  sat  reu 
oflBce  of  the  ministry  for  the  sake  of  earning  a  livelihood,  God  can  deprive  ihem  even 
of  that.  How  important  for  ministers  of  Christ  to  remember  that  thev  are  waiihmeu 
upon  the  walls  of  Zion,  and  that  if  they  neglect  to  warn  the  sinner,  the  blooa  of  lost 
souls  will  be  required  at  their  hands!  They  are  to  be  loachcrs  and  examples  of 
the  flock,  leaders  in  every  good  work.  Well  it  is  for  the  Christian  minister  when 
he  can  say  with  the  Apostle  Paul,  "I  take  you  to  record  this  day,  that  I  am  luue 
from  the  blood  of  all  men,  for  I  have  not  shunned  to  declare  unto  you  all  the  counsel 
of  God." 

III.  This  work  was  supported  by  oenbrous  people.  We  may  learn  much  fmm 
this  chapter  about  the  place  of  money  in  the  Church  of  Qod.  First  of  all,  we  see  that 
the  peoph  were  regularly  rated  or  assessed  for  the  support  of  religious  ordinancs.  It  is 
to  this  that  Joaah  refers  (ver.  4)  when  he  speaks  of  the  money  of  every  one  that 
passeth  the  account — the  money  that  every  man  is  set  at.  And  in  the  account  ujiioh 
is  given  in  2  Chronicles  it  is  said  that  they  made  a  proclamation  throuulunit  Juiiah 
and  Jerusalem  to  bring  in  to  the  Lord  the  collection  that  Moses  the  servant  of  tlio 
Lord  laid  upon  Israel  in  the  wilderness.  When  we  look  into  the  thirtieth  chapter  of 
Exodus,  the  last  chapter  of  Leviticus,  aud  other  passages,  we  find  the  clear  instructions 
of  Go<l  himself  on  this  matter.  When  the  numbering  or  census  of  thr  people  was 
mad"',  each  on*-  was  assessed  at  so  much  for  an  atonement  offering.  This  money  was 
dovote<i  t<i  maintain  the  services  of  the  sanctuary.  Then  again,  if  anv  one  entered 
into  a  Bi)ecial  vow  to  be  tlio  Lord's,  he  incurred  special  pecuniary  obi i>:;at ions,  ami  was 
ratf-d  accordingly.  All  those  offcrim^s  Joash  orcli-red  to  be  set  ajiart  on  this  iicca-^ion 
for  the  repairs  of  the  temple,  with  the  oxceptidii  of  the  sin  and  trespass  oirorin:,s,  which 
were  Becurcd  to  the  priests,  and  which  could  not  ho  touched  for  any  oihor  purpose.  From 
thoMJ  an^  oth<!r  detiiils  wo  learn  that  God  expected  the  Israelites  to  oontribnio  regularly 
A  fixi-d  Hum,  in  pro|Mirtion  to  their  incf)tne,  for  the  sujiport  of  religious  ordinances.  Ho 
«x{>'-cted  of  thoHC  who  t*v»k  special  vows  u|^>n  them  that  thoy  should  consecrato  moro 
of  their  money  to  his  nervico.  Ho  G<k1  (ixnccts  of  his  people  still,  and  particularly  of 
thoho  who  makn  the  full  profession  <>f  CliriHtimity  iuvolvetl  in  attondanco  at  the 
IxW'i'ii  tAl)l«.  Some  jiriMchor  ^t.al•d  lately  that  it  is  no  "  charity  "  wh(«n  wo  givo  to 
thn  KUpjwjrt  of  tlio  (Jhurch  with  which  we  am  conneoled.  It  is  meri'ly  the  payment 
of  •  debt  —the  fidfilmont  of  dlili^^.ttintiH  which  every  one  incors  when  In-  lii-comcs  a 
rii*'ml»cr  of  a  Chriiimn  (!hurch,  and  obliRatioiiM  which  can  no  more  ho  rightly  bIiiiIumI 
than  any  othrr  JuMt  inul  lawful  di  hi.  Over  iiml  ahnvo  that,  he  Hiiiii,  ihoro  is,  of 
courun,  a  Ur^ie  marniti  for  the  i'x«Tc.ii»e  of  (UniHllan  charily  and  btMiiVdlcnoo.  Tliis  wim 
tl.p  ri\%n  when  Joimh  np|-al<<l  to  thu  jwiopln  t<i  coniribulc,  not  only  the  fixed  sum  at 
which  ih«y  wi-rn  mtji-l,  l.ii  nUi  "  all  iho  moiioy  that  ronwih  into  any  man's  loTtti* 
bfiiiK  into  tho  houjMi  of  tin-  L-.rd."  lie  wan  mil  aMlmmcd  i<i  iipiieal  to  them  for  monny, 
i(*t  It  WKM  for  a  Ro'"!  rami' .  it  wan  for  GimI'h  (^auM,  lor  <  ItMl'ii  nouNc.  lie  |iut  iho  client 
In  a  protiiifirnl  plaro,  wIi<t.  ii  ro  il.|  Iv  m'on  fvcr.  !•).  And  Im.  hnthfnl,  nirnit.t  n|>|><'iil 
WM  not  wkihoul  •ffwU     W«  tvtA  in  2  Cbruuiolus  (ailv.  10)  llt*i  "  ail  tbo  prlnoM  atul 


ua.l-ll.J        TBI  nOOWD  BOOK  Of  TOR  ftlVOC 


I  so. 

V"     .   "■         .  -cut 


rata  l^( 


■J   bAlh     (  M«Of4« 


i'U«*r  ia 


'.atl  la  I 


^    uO«U**.jr   U*    I.Lj;   MufiL  U    U.c.^    U..r>i.iU< 


loM  al  (b«  NigB  uf  JoMb  M  •  maUneholy  '     •  aM<*c 

■I— tluMi  wmy  ywirfd,  by  tii«  proirUiaow  t :  fMnng 

WOOMa.  feMltba  DiMflMTr     "       '- ■      ^  .  .k  ....  Lovd  fuT 


•it  ffl  of  kM   lMtl|4c«l  I  ^t«   fclTfOUMI 


lad  to<iMnoML    Johai»  .^  b*  caw.- 

latkaduaaa,  Jaliobaa  l>i  (s  !«•  l«<«ui 

kk  rciga  wit^  a  grr^ :  of 

Uod.    TtMia  w«ia  I.           .  .                                                               ii« 

wfafMiibn  was  »at  axiiiiiiula,    Ti*«  ttf ui*  »/  •• 

•bovU  ka  of  Um  toctwuBfi  of  «▼«(!  It  Krt^                                                            k 

tkam,    Btti  Uiat  aoMli  aiM  of  -r 


Uolalnr.  aod  fur  tha 

Ml  irulM 


of  r.J 

••4ui»Awa.    It  va*  .<r 

Ik*  iaalll  of  JolMto^*   csum   mo   t>rii.^r 

fli  lit  fe«f  kmrkmti  mi>t»  tkamk,    Alo 

tothan^aftd  awai  «vv«« and  Idob-  •>• 

IklsllMir  lrt«|««"^Gki«a.  sii*.  ■  .uaiuai> 

•ATuMtf.     bml  kmtm  tomtt  mm  mc-  •> 

i    uiflMtoa  to  kM  varuiocBk  bu .  io 

••.Mf'U,  iMhanali'B  latbar,  ha  (Mt  ■  :4<^  U  u.>.  u^/ 


tM  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.       [ch.  xn.  1— 21. 

Buffer  for  his  faithfulness  in  rebulving  sin,  as  John  the  Baptist  was  imprisoned  by 
Herod,  but  no  royal  power  can  stay  the  judgments  of  God.  Joash,  who  had  slain 
God's  prophet,  was  himself  slain  by  his  own  servants.  The  nation  had  forsaken  God, 
and  God  forsook  them  in  their  time  of  need.  Such  a  career  as  that  of  Joash  shows 
the  necessity  for  constant  watchfulness  against  sin.  Many,  like  him,  begin  well,  but 
end  badly.  They  make  a  fair  profession  at  first,  but  by-and-by,  when  troubles  ot 
persecutions  arise,  they  are  oifended.  They  go  back  and  walk  no  more  with  Christ. 
Or  they  become  worldly  minded,  and,  being  engrossed  in  the  present,  forget  the  concerns 
of  eternity.  Many  might  utter  the  meLmcholy  cry,  "  Our  lamps  are  gone  out."  To 
every  one  of  us  the  message  may  well  be  sent,  "Let  him  that  thinketh  he  standeth 
take  heed  lest  he  fall." — C.  H.  L 

Vers.  1 — 21. — The  history  of  Joash.  "In  the  seventh  year,"  etc.  The  whole 
rtory  of  Joash  is  soon  told.  He  was  a  son  of  Ahaziah,  and  the  only  one  of  his 
children  who  escaped  the  murderous  policy  of  Athaliah.  "  It  would  seem  that  this 
child,  whom  the  pity  and  affection  of  a  pious  aunt  (Jehosheba)  had  preserved,  was 
the  only  surviving  male  representative  of  the  line  of  Solomon.  Jehoram,  his  grand- 
father, who  married  Athaliah,  in  order  to  strengthen  his  position  on  the  throne,  slew 
all  his  brethren,  and  all  his  own  sons  were  slnin  in  an  incursion  by  the  Arabians,  except 
Ahaziah,  the  youngest,  who  succeeded  him;  while  on  the  '  vth  of  Ahaziah,  his  wicked 
mother,  Athaliah,  'arose  and  destroyed  all  the  seed  royal  ot  the  house  of  Judali,'  except 
the  little  child  Joash,  who  was  rescued  from  her  grasp.  So  that  the  unholy  altiancea 
formed  by  the  descendants  of  Solomon,  and  the  manifold  disorders  then  accruing,  had 
reduced  everything  to  the  verge  of  ruin.  Measures  were  concerted  by  Jehoiada,  the 
high  priest,  for  getting  rid  of  Athaliah,  and  placing  Joash  on  the  throne,  after  he  had 
attained  to  the  age  of  seven;  and  having  in  hia  youth  the  wise  and  the  faithful  round 
hij  throne,  the  earlier  part  of  the  reign  of  Joash  was  in  accordance  with  the  great 
principles  of  the  theocracy.  The  Lord's  house  was  repaired  and  set  in  order,  while  the 
temple  and  idols  of  Baal  were  thrown  down.  But  after  Jehoiada's  death,  persons  of 
a  different  stump  got  about  him,  and,  notwithstanding  the  great  and  laudable  zeal 
whicli  he  had  shown  for  the  proper  restoration  of  God's  house  and  worship,  a  return 
was  made  to  idolatry  to  such  an  extent  as  to  draw  forth  severe  denunciations  from 
Z<'chariah,  the  son  of  Jehoiada.  Even  this  was  not  the  worst,  for  the  faithfulness  of 
Zerhariah  was  repaid  with  violence;  ho  was  even  stoned  to  death,  and  this,  it  is  said, 
at  the  express  com  rnand  of  the  king.  The  martyred  priest  exclaimed  as  he  expired, 'The 
Lord  Icidk  upim  it,  and  require ;'  and  it  was  required  as  in  a  whirlwind  of  wrath.  For 
a  Syrian  host,  uncler  Ilazael,  made  an  incursion  into  Jutl.ea,  and  both  carried  otf  much 
treasure  and  exe(  iitcd  summary  judgment  on  many  in  Jerusalem,  not  excepting  Joash 
hitiiHcIf,  whom  they  left  in  an  enfeeliled  state,  and  who  was  shortly  afterwards  fallen  upon 
and  clain  by  hia  servants.  Such  was  the  unhappy  termination  of  a  career  which  began 
in  much  promise  of  gooii,  and  the  cloud  under  which  lie  died  even  followed  him  to  the 
tomb,  for  while  he  was  burii  d  in  the  city  of  David,  it  was  not  in  tho  sepulchres  of  the 
kitigH  of  Judah.  Ho  reigned  forty  years — from  D.o.  876  to  838."  Tho  narrative, 
whether  we  r«gard  it  aa  iMH|)ired  or  not,  reminds  us  of  five  things  worth  considering — 
the  dilapidating  influence  of  time  npon  the  best  material  productions  of  mankind; 
the  incongruity  of  worMly  rulers  busying  themBclves  in  religious  institutions;  tho 
value  of  tho  co-uporative  iirim-iplc  in  tho  enterpriHcs  of  mankuid;  tho  potency  of  the 
rcligioiiH  olmncnt  m  the  Uiiture  ut  uvvii  depnivod  people;  and  the  |)owur  i>f  luouey  to 
■uUluo  flnernJcH. 

I.    'rilK  lUI.AI'inATINO  INFI.nF.NCI":  or   TIMR  CPON  TIIR  BKBT  MATKUIAI,  PROnDOTIONH  OF 

MANKisu.  J' iihIi  hero  called  ujton  tho  pri(>Ht«  and  tho  jwopio  "  to  renair  tlie  lironcliea 
of  tho  houw,"  i.«.  tho  tcmplo.  'i  iio  Uunpli',  thireloro,  tlinugli  it  hail  not  boon  biiilt 
iMoro  than  aUmt  a  hnndrod  and  iiixty  yoarH,  had  got  into  a  stato  of  dilapi<lali<in, 
there  wore  hro.iclieM  id  it;  wle  to  the  hrenchoa  wore  wo  aro  not  ti'M,  whothor  in  tho 
not,  tho  (l<Kir,  th<'  w.ilb«,  <ir  in  tho  coiling.  Tho  crumbling  hand  of  time  bad  (ouohod 
It  No  lininan  nujxirnlrui  turo,  porhnpH,  ever  nppi  irod  on  Ihn  earth  built  of  liottor 
rnat/Tialii,  or  In  a  IxtUjr  way,  than  tho  loinjile  ol  Solomon.  It  wan  thn  wondor  ot  agea. 
KotwitliiiUindinn  thin,  It  wan  huI  j.et  to  tho  invinniblo  law  of  tlocay.  'i'ho  law  of 
dilapidation  Mema  univorul  throughout  organic  nature;  the  trao*  of  the  furoHt,  the 


eiLiii.1-21.1        TUB  SrXOXD  BOOK  or  THB  KIKr.9.  tSf 


ma4  air,  fe'  r ;  u^  m  das  vHk  tk«  OMUdal  praduetioiM  </  ImU*  ukau. 

T^RNIC^'  «ofU  »•  M«  niAMtoM,  ek«l«b«i^  mlHwiraU.  fmlacmt  viUac««, 

•i*«iw.  Atoi  cAiMil,  ui  futuA.  All  ootupoond  bodUa  Umd  lo  dUauluUao;  tkan  is  auCh  <>( 
•ttdunuit  ku  pfimiUva  r!<-v:r-  la  or  witiUii uml  Tbt*  baioj:  n,  mm  Ml<Li«ftdi''^ljr 
pvfBaUrBoa  1*  ■»ii*«  aff  ;«Caala  kia  mamary  b  awunal  »attom«au  I    Tha 

••ly  rwdaattoai  of  m»(  tli*  •ooeli  of  tiiaa^  ■md  tkaft  ar«  andurtas,  um  imt 

tbi'  '   dr^«.     IIo  vbo  build*  up  th»  Utt>|4*  of  a  trua 

■K>.-  ;re  that  will  laal  Uuuufb  tba  awaap  of  a^gm,  Uia 

!•  Di.T   BCLxaa  acvTDM  Twajtuu-Tia  u   msuomoa 

.1,  ih«  n>ot  «jf  Oia  maltar  vaa  ant  la  blm ,  ba  bad 


•o  «  vith  ibe  SuprvoM  Bila^  jai  ka  waw id  amloaa  la  tba 

wtMk.i  •       -     ■>         ' -^b  ealU  lor  Jaboiada  tba  Drtaal,  aad 

Um  o(b»'  r  jt  t»ol  tW  braacbca  vi  tka  bouaa  T 

BOW  tbr:  -•'•%>  •^'!'?^  but  dalivar  l»  for  Um 

bfiMcbat  .00  is  btujU^ 

wltb  tl  V  .  .;  la  M« 

»«  ^a  bo<h    .pateyi  ur  trnmrnttiHtm. 

Tbr  «.  ratrn  reL->>.Iilr«  aud   MBCtkm. 

'I°b  .  *j  a  maai.-  itnoKtbaa 

tbci:  . ,  ttxieed,  ar     ■  1  tboa,  but 

avau  tlje  ofiiipi  .',  ric,  muai  »:.  r«ai  in  Um 

pop«!3ir  r^-'-'i  n  ic  -ilar  pjrrj'^t  •.   »'.!'f:.  {»«•••  wall 

M  ;•  ^-.icfauf  rcagioa.     Da 

■ot  .  .  m>titatiooa,  kovittg 

tbarabjr  to  eaca  «  ,  ..e  lLc  :*ruur  uf  Uca  cx>  ?     Alas!  kjom  <m  iLa 

•ocraiaal  bmd  art  nsUfiuua  aflalra,    Tb<-  mau  that  betnjad  tba 

Boa  01  Old  at  tha  1a»(  fa«>K>Ter  wm  tuoat  ioaj  oa  that  aarful  ni^bt ;  **  bia  baad  waa 
oo  tbr  uMe.* 

Ill  Tui  TALca  or  m  oo-onnATin  raixcirLB  n  thi  nrrsaruaBB  or  ■Ajnnn. 
It  wo  .Id  airm  that  the  wurk  of  repair  Lg  tii^  t^rnp'e  waa  ao  graat  that  bo  ooa  maa 
aouM  have  ac<.«.>iij{>  ikh<xi  it.  Ileiioe  the  king  ealioa  oaniaktly  lor  tba  eo-operatioo  of 
aU.  **  And  Jrh  •.Lti;  aaid  u>  the  prieata.  All  tha  muoaj  of  tba  dadteat»l  thioga  that  ia 
brought  into  the  iiuusr  i>f  the  lA>rd,  otou  the  mooaj  of  avary  ooa  that  ^aiaatb  t>ia 
•orou  t,  th«  mouFV  that  rrtrry  luaii  i«  act  at,  aiid  all  tha  o>onay  that  ooaaatb  lafcu  aaj 
aaao**  heart  to  bnn|i;  IlIu  the  huuae  vi  the  Lord,  let  tba  priaata  take  it  to  tbam,  ararj 
man  of  bis  acq  .ain  unce:  and  let  thfiti  re;«ir  the  breachaa  ut  the  booaa."  Tbay 
u(»  yrti  bia  Toice  The  jir-..;  1  j  iw  the  u.  u  v.  >  i  all  art  to  work  ;  tba  **  prir»'  that 
kept  tha  dL«r,"  the  "  hi^  "  mammM,"  tba  **  b* 

•*  bawara  of  at  n. ,"  etc     i  -^  ui  rrd  tke  booae  c^  . 

Two  lanarka  i^  ivuicfuiu.:  t  atioo.    1.  It  it  a  pr.bnpia 

that  tkomU  y^  c:i  iu  the  un  ie:  ^  Bavcr  the  purpL«e  of  th« 

Almighty  tiiat  ii.il..  ti.  ^id  act  al<  iie  lut  L;..  ^<  ^ealcKM  hiaoars  ittdiTtd-ial 

Intaraata.    Meu  n  ay,  aikd  ufieu  d<.,  Lu&ke  lar^-    .  .  L>al  thar  daalroy  their  u*a 

ufl 


of  oniBd,  ejra.:«  ihiir  i. at  area,  aud  uutrafs  the  D.v::^  lawa  uf  aociaCj.  Me*,  ara 
■U  MMBbfri  of  «.>De  gr^i  budy ;  aad  «nu  eT«r  a  aambaf  id«1«  u>  work  alooe ?  So ;  but 
for  tha  good  of  tba  whoK  tha  aoaimoo  waaL    t.  It  i>  v>  doms  amd 

4t  daimf  mmdtn  io  tha  ttadartaklBga  of  life.     Our  o  -llr .  . .  s  mc,  ara 

aO  tha  producia  of  oo-oparBtkm.     The  oaara  omo  get  i  aod 

OMHally  tm{<o*ad,  tha  oiora  tbi*  prmcipia  will  ba  put  ipia. 

hoaaaaar,  haa  ita  Uallk  la  apimual  miitata  It  mnat  Bt>t  •  t^' 

If  uniiKltty.  Thrra  la  ao partaafiUp  la  Motal  raapot 
i<a|«at,  aod  baUara  far  hinaaUl    *  Brcrjr  bmb  n  «»t  *-^ 

IV.  Tax  roTKBCT  or  tsb  awjomni  wlbu. 
tlma  bn«il  WM  ::a  r&I!r  almaat  aa  eompi  aa  the  i ' 
leraal  wa-  Ood  io  little  mure      > 

biaturjo:  ■    ':iara  baao  a  meuibcT 

Jehurab  ware  aa*  aapiaai^     Baft  h«w  aa^  of  tha  Je«       >.  •jiio(«iajf 


256  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [oh.  xii.  1—21. 


Notwithstanding  this,  the  religious  sentiment  was  in  them,  as  in  all  men,  a  constituent 
part  of  their  natures ;  and  this  seutiment  is  here  appealed  to,  and  roused  into  excite- 
ment; and,  heing  excited,  men  poured  forth  their  treasures  and  employed  their  energies 
for  the  repairing  of  the  temple.  This  element  in  man  often  sleeps  under  the  influence 
of  depravity,  but  mountains  of  depravity  cannot  crush  it ;  it  lies  in  buraan  nature  as 
the  migiitiest  latent  force.  Peter  the  Hermit,  Savanomla  the  priest,  Wesley  the 
Methodist,  and  others  in  every  age,  have  roused  it  into  mighty  action,  even  amongst 
the  most  ignorant  and  depraved  of  the  race.  Cunning  priests  and  crafty  kings  have 
appealed  to  it  as  the  strongest  force  that  can  bear  them  on  to  the  realization  of  their 
miserable  ends.  The  truly  good  and  godly  must  appeal  to  it  if  they  would  accomplish 
any  great  work  for  mankind.  By  its  right  action  only  can  men  rise ;  by  its  dormancy 
or  wrong  development  men  must  inevitably  fall, 

V.  The  poweb  of  money  to  subdue  eijemies.  "  Hazael  King  of  Syria  ...  set  his 
face  to  go  up  to  Jerusalem.  And  Joash  King  of  Judah  took  all  the  hallowed  things 
that  .  .  .  his  fathers  .  .  .  had  dedicated,  .  .  .  and  all  the  gold  that  was  found  in  the 
treasures  of  the  hotise  of  the  Lord,  . .  .  and  sent  it  to  Hazael  King  of  Syria :  and  he  went 
away  from  Jerusalem."  Here  is  a  man,  a  proud,  daring  monarch,  who  was  determined 
to  invade  Judsea,  and  to  take  possession  of  Jerusalem,  relinquishing  his  designs.  Wiiat 
was  the  force  that  broke  his  purpose  ?  Money.  It  is  said  that  Joash  sent  gold  to 
Hazael,  "  and  he  went  away  from  Jerusalem."  Truly  money  answereth  for  all  things. 
Money  can  arrest  the  march  of  armies  and  terminate  the  fiercest  campaigns.  After 
contending  armies  have  destroyed  their  tliousands,  it  is  money  alone  that  brings  the 
battle  to  a  close.  Money  is  the  soul  of  all  pacifying  treaties.  Wiiat  fools  the  rulers 
of  the  people  are  not  to  employ  money  to  prevent  war  and  turn  it  away  from  their 
country!  Enemies  can  be  conquered  by  gifts.  Evil  can  only  be  overcome  by  good. 
"If  thine  enemy  hunger,  offer  him  bread  to  eat ;  and  if  he  be  thirsty,  give  him  water 
to  drink :  for  in  so  doing  thou  shalt  heap  coals  of  fire  upon  his  head." — D.  T. 

Vers.  1 — 3. — A  mixed  character.  The  reign  of  Joash  began  with  bright  hopes, 
showed  for  a  while  excellent  promise,  yet  ended  ingloriously.  To  e.xplain  this  we  may 
consider — 

I.  Joash'b  advantages.  1.  27c  had  a  pious  education.  As  a  child  be  was  brou^^ht 
up  by  his  aunt  Jehosheba,  who,  with  her  husband  tiie  high  priest,  would  instil  into 
liis  mind  the  princiiiles  of  true  godliness.  In  his  strict  seclusion  he  was  kept  Ireo 
from  sights  of  vice.  Like  Timothy,  ho  would  be  taught  from  a  child  to  know  the 
things  I  hat  make  wise  unto  salvation  (2  Tim.  iii.  15).  To  have  an  e^rly  training  of 
this  kind  is  an  inestimable  advantage.  2.  lie  had  a  (joud  counsellor.  The  early 
education  of  our  own  Queen  Victoria  was  carefully  conducted  with  a  view  to  the  royal 
office  she  was  afterwards  to  fill.  It  would  not  be  otherwise  with  young  Joash.  Jciioiada 
would  carefully  impress  upon  his  mind  the  principles  of  good  government,  and,  after  his 
coronation,  this  holy  man  continued  to  be  his  guide  and  counsellor.  So  it  is  said, 
"Jehoah  did  that  which  was  right  in  the  siglit  of  the  Lord  all  liis  days  wherein 
Jchoifula  the  jtricHt  instructed  him."  It  is  a  happy  thing  when  a  king  is  willing  to 
receive  connw;!  from  older  and  wiser  In  ads  than  his  own  (cf.  1  Kings  xii.  (! — 11). 
3.  J/e  hud  an  exrellent  o/ijx/rlunity.  Joash  started  with  every  advantage  for  n  igning 
well.  The  piMjjilo  were  animated  with  liatrud  of  idolatry  from  the  experienee  they  iiid 
had  of  it  in  Athaliah's  reign;  tiiey  were  enlhusiiustic  in  thoir  return  to  the  worship 
of  Jthovidi ;  ihfy  bad  inaugural<rd  tlio  resloriition  of  the  lino  of  David  by  a  new 
rovcnaiil  with  God,  and  by  zeiduuH  acts  of  refurm.  Tlio  tid(!  was  with  Joufsh,  if  iio 
liad  Hhown  hirenjth  of  character  HiifTiciciil  to  avail  himHolf  of  it. 

II.  .loAHiiH  WKAKNKHH.  Circum^tiiiiieH  toht  iniiii,  and  it  was  to  bo  proved  tliat,  with 
all  hiH  ftiiviihtn^fCM,  .loa'^h  wa«  a  wcnk  king.  1.  //«•  hicked  iiidrprii<li>irf.  of  juilipiwut. 
Whulher  tbii  iiirly  Her.luMion  of  biH  life  had  anything  to  do  with  this,  wo  cannot  ttdl  ; 
but  it  nncmM  plain  that  ln!  wan  not  a  king  aceustnnied  to  thitik  and  luM  for  himself,  liut 
one  who  yii\n  eiuilly  in(iui!iic«!d  and  led  by  otbtTM.  His  nature  waH  piiHsive  elay,  on 
whtoh  the  jud^ineiit  ol  otbotH  Ht;iiii|i(!d  I'.Hulf.  While  .Felioiiida  lived,  hn  allowed  liiniHelf 
U>  he  \r>\  \tj  hiiM  ;  mid  when  tbiH  good  pricHt  and  counHelloi  died,  bo  allowoil  hiinHelf 
nn  r<  ndlly  Ui  b«!  turned  inm  evil  conrHeH  by  ilie  wlckcil  iiolnlity  (2  ('liron.  xxiv.  17,  IH). 
2.    lit  Utcktd  /lrmn«»*  of  will.     '1'U\h  <l(fecl  (lowotl  Iruin  the  feubluiitMU  ofjudgmout  iiovf 


m,  sn.  l-s:.j        TUI  SSOOKD  BOOE  OP  TBI  KOrML 


whiTi  jvr.  Bnir    wis  »t  -u 


'«  or  \m- 


n 

M  C 


cWacur  wtuci.    .. 

V«t«.4— «.— TV 
hla   raifn,  Ji>a»}i, 
templa  put  in  > 

!.  Tni  »KhA.  . 

.  i  fallMi  oo  tr 
•man,*  *■ 

lOU«MI  to  i 

j.tri  ui  t:  ■ 
takm  •«.. 
7>     Tber 
workmec 
Church — I.  -. 
to  mnMt  de> 


ro  aottrlj  lo  Ugbt  warn  JoiiuiMi*  «M  rvuiuvM,— J.  U. 

•  Wrt — a  ^-od  yurjK-te  f  \utr\%ttd.     At  an  aftrij  t«rind  of 
'  <!(>Qb(   by  the  K'o:  JcLuiada,  tuok  ttrp*  tu  hAVs  iJm 


k     I.  .     IK-     . 

i  show. 

f  ;  and  ai.i.  .•.■ ..  .    . 

to  !»■«  them  iiicij'l  li.     'J 
,  f  the    •'•mi'l'-  »h'uld 
ijortiy      But  it  u  a 


aiuw  uit-u 

fori    Tl. 

II.  Tn 

th»t  th* 


"vckouiii^.      * 

IIL  TuE  k> 
moch  a*  brg  .u.     U 


*;  la  au  k«Hj  a  vuti  *. 


J  *»h  hal 


268  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINOS.        [ch.  xn.  1— 2L 

have  prevailed.  The  fact  may  be  attributed:  1.  To  the  inertia  of  the  priesthood. 
Everything  seems  at  first  to  have  been  left  to  the  priests  aud  Levites.  They  were  to 
go  through  the  land,  make  proclamation  of  the  king's  purpose,  and  collect  the  money 
for  the  work.  In  this  duty  they  appear  to  have  been  slack.  "  The  Levites,"  the 
Chronicler  says,  **  hastened  it  not "  (2  Chron.  xxiv.  5).  Large  bodies  of  men  are  slow 
to  move.  Some  of  the  priests  and  Levites  were  probably  men  of  no  great  religious 
enthusiasm.  One  can  sympathize  with  them  in  their  shrinking  from  the  task  of 
collecting  money.  There  are  few  tasks  more  thankless.  2.  To  the  distrust  of  the 
people.  The  people  appear  not  to  have  had  the  requisite  confidence  in  the  priests  to 
entrust  them  with  large  simis  of  money.  At  least  the  money  seems  to  have  come  iu 
more  freely  after  Jehoiada  made  his  chest  with  the  hole  iu  the  hd  of  it,  than  it  did 
before.  The  distrust  of  the  people  was  natural,  for  the  priests  were  in  no  hurry  to  lay 
out  the  revenues  they  collected.  3.  To  the  self-interest  of  a  privileged  class.  The 
priestly  dues  would  8ufi"er  serious  diminution  during  the  reign  of  such  a  queen  as 
Athaliah.  Irregularities  would  creep  in,  and  the  priests  and  Levites,  deprived  of 
their  proper  income,  would  feel  justified  in  appropriating  primarily  to  their  own  support 
whatever  moneys  came  to  hand.  Joash's  decree  had  the  eflfect  of  cutting  off  tliese 
perquisites,  and  of  restoring  them  to  their  original  use  iu  keeping  up  the  sanctuary. 
It  could  not  be  expected  that  the  classes  who  were  to  suffer  would  be  very  eager  in 
carrying  out  this  decree.  It  is  never  safe  to  trust  a  privileged  class  to  Citrry  out  measures 
which  tell  against  its  own  interests.  Average  human  nature  is  not  so  disinterested  aa 
to  act  enthusiastically  for  the  promotion  of  reforms  which  injure  itself. — J.  0. 

Vers,  7 — 16. — The  temple  repairs — a  good  purpose  accomplished.  When  so  many 
years  had  elapsed  without  anything  being  done,  Joash  called  the  priests  to  account, 
and  ordered  them  to  take  no  more  of  the  money  of  the  people  for  themselves,  but  to 
repair  the  breaches  of  the  house.  A  new  itart  was  made,  and  this  time  luccess  was 
attaitie<l.     We  may  ascribe  the  success  to — 

I.  rBUDENT  A.BRAMQKMENT8.  Wise,  busiuess-like  arrangements  hare  much  to  do 
with  the  success  of  any  undertaking.  Tliose  now  entered  into  were  under  the  supiuin- 
tendence  of  Jehoiada,  aud  afforded:  L  Security  against  misappropriation.  Jehoiada 
obtained  a  chest,  and  bored  a  hole  in  the  ii<i  of  it.  It  was  |)laced  beside  the  altar,  on 
the  right  side,  and  all  the  money  that  was  brought  was  put  therein.  There  could  thus 
be  no  suspicion  of  any  njal-apjiropriatiiin  of  the  funds.  Every  worshipper  had  the 
c^iFtainty  that  what  he  gave  would  go  for  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  given.  2.  A 
removal  <jf  temptation.  The  arrangement  of  the  chest  was  an  advantiige  to  the  priests 
as  well  as  to  the  i>eople.  It  no  longer  afforded  any  temptation  to  needy  individuals 
among  th<  m  to  retain  funds  that  were  passing  through  their  hands.  It  put  the  order, 
as  a  wliole,  alxive  suspicion  and  reproach.  It  is  well  not  to  put  needless  temptations 
in  any  oiie'H  way.  3.  A  convenience  for  giving.  The  chest,  as  it  stood  there  besldo 
the  alUr,  wan  a  f)ermanent  dejio  itory  to  which  ttie  coutribulums  of  the  faithful  cduUI 
b«  brought.  The  jxnple  had  n<>t  to  seek  out  p«r«ons  to  receive  their  gifts.  Thoy 
knew,  without  askm/,  where  t<)  take  them.  Sound  arrangements  of  this  sort,  inspiring 
ooufi<ii.ncc,  iiiiniiiiiziiig  teinptiitionH  to  neeligenco  or  dishonesty,  aiui  consulting  the 
oonveni'inoH  of  tlie  ofTerern,  were  admirably  a'lapted  to  promote  tiiu  ends  uiiuutl  aL 
T\ii  exain[ile  iii.iy  )><■  atl4-iido<l  to  with  profit  in  the  financial  management  of  churches, 
«h^irili«i,  Ini^si^Il;lry  Kucieties,  etc, 

II.  WiLi.iNU  uiVKRS.  The  fiict  that  the  work  wsm  taken  jMirthiUy  out  of  the  bauds 
d  the  pruy»t«,atnl  thiit  the  peoph-  hml  now  Hicunty  for  their  gift^  In-ing  properly  applied, 
ha-i  an  iiniJK-^liKtti  (•(T<<cl  on  the  ilow  of  contril>utioiis.  Wo  find  :  1,  Lihernl  giftt 
hruM.kt.  It  wmM  nut  long,  an  wi<  are  told,  bcforo  iheix  was  "much  nmncy  "  in  the  eluwl. 
I'eoiiifi  nr*  mtlAan  u^  wiiliug  to  give  for  religion  an  they  should  be,  but  if  m  gtxxi  causu 
Is  pui  )«for«  tbmii,  if  they  li:iv<'  the  ni' n  proiNrly  pr>  Heiile<l,  nnd  il  ihey  fuel  Hucure  as 
tn  the  di'powkl  of  lhi«r  gillM,  It  Ih  w<»rtd«rful  ofien  how  In  ely  lilwrality  (Iowh  forth.  Wo 
muat  not  blanM  p>«|4<s  for  lililMTality  when  their  iNtekwnrdnenH  in  |{iving  urinen  from 
rainoraMfi,  and  tifwhap*  jtiNtifulile,  cauMen.  2,  A  utrirt  acrnunt  kepi.  TiiiH  ih  another 
f<«lurr<  in  ih«i  mini' cKH-liko  nmtiii^fltnent  of  tho  IiiikIh  wliudi  wiut  now  intriKiucM, 
kliowtnit  wbttl  (rrat  |juiiin  wrri  Uiknn  to  impriM  tb<  luiiutnof  tbo  |tHi)tle  with  conlhitfuoa 
in  lk«  'luiiKMai  \jI  tkdi   mtoumj.       Wheu  tLe  cLaimI   wud  lull,  lii«  kiu^'s  mniim  aa4  tli4 


1.11  ]       TRB  nOOND  BOOI  OP  TBI  KIlKIt 


Ml  «k    TW  mm  vbo  !•  lawl  !•  lUa  pwonterj  «fiiU«  to  Ukaij  to  h«  lk^«»««t  *I| 

!•  »a*»rr  UmMMMosA.     l»44ac«l*«lj  w«  "iMl^  **  lU  Uk*l  U  Uilktel  Is 

tbai  vixb  it  laft»t  I*  f^ih'u!  ftlM  \m  Buct.  *t  la  ualoM  ta  ifa*  k*t«  m  ■■)«i| 

•toskiSMb.     1'  »r»  ao(  br-r  tfci—  — w  a,  w^b 

vftl  oommll  W>  T  .    >m  liehmm  }' 

III  I>>LMarT  m^tiht^  ilM  U'<Mj  oubUiUtioi  t^jr  U*«  t""?^  **•  ■pf'^  ■•  ^f 
t\f  Mr«.i««  of  iKirkan  lo  Marut*  liie  iiwAwi  rr|»if«.  1.  TX»  wwAwri  mot*  ak^ay. 
TWfv  «r«f«  c«ri«aU(«  Att4  buUdafi,  luiKBiim  Mid  Im«««,  aad  part  at  lh»  whm^ 
«M  •ipM»il<«l  kiaa  OB  Um  pttrdMM  of  mUmhah.  A»  la  1^  tnapk  twHMinj;  ••  la  %h» 
OirmtoB  Ckurol^  Ikara  to  ttaai  aol  aaij  tat  gtwa  b«t  iur  workar*.  aad  avarj  vandy 
if  ^tk  fnnm  to  be  uf  ■arrtoa.     Santa  eaa  fiva  vko«a»aat  work  ;  oibara  eaa  «ufk  «t>o 


giva  (    01  ban  aaa  balb  i;  Tbara  ara  taidad  ibuaa  viiA  n-iaMus 

-4ba  ^uarrvoM*  tad  «  •<   a^a  d««U4   tboM  vbo  m»  aA«tciaiaL 

«r  ktw  Mid  potkk  lb*  MOM*  «!  ^  I  <^  -lAiiici .  tbata  a«a  OMdad  tba  orniuaari  and 
baidwi  llmw  viMaa  ftuelftoa  it  ia  to  pui  iba  Mooaa  ia  ibair  plaraa,  aad  Uiil>!  up  tba 
toaly  iMBpb  Id  iba  i^rd.  %.  Tkt  wnrhtn  wtn  Miftmt.  Tbay  vara  aac  ou  aa  aouo  aa 
Ania  vara  •anbeooiiiif  lo  acaiiloT  tbaoi.  Mid  Ibajr  wroogbt  witb  «oed  baart  till  ib« 


woffk  WW  tetabad.     Labuur  la  iba  ki^doM  of  uud  aboold  I-   ii!>.rt«i.    llw  oMiiv 
w%tktn  did  MA  «vfc  Mpamulj,  bat  ftofaibar.  aD  of  Ibaa  Lr  ukgiUr ;  and 


iIbbUm  oombi  .atiaQ  and  oo-of«raliaa  aia  aaeaMry  lo  oaartaki  <  (  Cbrwi. 

IV.  KAiTtiia  L  OTSMOsaa.     AmAbar  atop  to  tba  right  diraniMm,  fuiiuwui«  up  tba 

KvkoOB  (m>c»utiooa  to  iavpirr  ctniftdflaoi^  was  tba  app^Dtmaot  of  omb  to  Mipanot'  u4 
work  vbo  ooold  ba  lu  -  istad.      It  U  •  n  I'.o  UMUm  loy  buroa  ooocartiiaf 

ibaaa  aao  iKte  did  tba  oai .  <ont  la  the  work  ul  ihv  taoiplo,  (L»(   tSrr  -«H  v4 

■aad  lo  bo  nekoood  witb.  "  fur  u^>  deolt  faiihrullj.'     1.  Hay  taira  /u.  -tr 

•mnifkL      Tber  vara  moo  o(  probitj  mod  boouur,  wbo  euoarianiiou*.  >  :'.«r 

tba  meo  aat  aodar  tbaoi,  aaaiag  tlxAi  iha  work  oommittad  to  th  ir  cjtrr  rj 

daaOi     It  la  diflScull  lo  aatimmte   (he   Ta!ur,  even   in  an  teuauiuic*!  ibo 

higbw  mrr  '  '  >«,  aofiartoc  di>'  :  lo 

ifmk  of  t:  tbfoogb  badlj  '>a 

rrrtt     Ti-tr.r  '-   -^S'^  of  a^  tr. 

x.'.>le«jauf  (rum  tbc 

^l\m   D<.<    '■:  ,     ■-   brirkAnis   -- 

ildst  r^iti.  ihv  wurka,  wbkh  % 

lofioitcly  1  :    -,  _  ^   Uia  loact,  Uit  ooly  iLc   ;,.    .     :.   a 

«^<.«tt»i   in   itifti  caii  ■  iOik*     S.   Tktf  wtr9  /miikfyti  la   Ukt^r 

momry  i/ao/in.'t.  >iu  not  Ml  Booaanrr  tu  kr^i'   »   »\rycX 

rackjudlog  '  iba  wurktuau.  ua 

oould  He  .u%  iroat  tbua  rr  _  U 

wao  I  Avukl  warrant  It.     Aa  a  ruK  '*  *•  *mo 

lo  krr  V  wa  do  ool  d'aputet. 

▼  la  raraour  -    -  ^"^^V^l  batoafod  lo 

ib«  ;  . .  w«r»  o-  \  Iur  tba  parpLO*  ^ 

1  ibo  baitdtat  AppU^l. 

'■i»«  aaaotaafjr — bowUcf 

r  *bova  arrhi  • 

pruwit* 


.1  to 


A  rv.;»rd  iar  juaboc  :* 
Ibo  prapar  baiia  le 


VariL  \1—t\.—Dmrk  4m^  fm  Jmdak.  Tba  lalffa  of  imak  b^^  wiib  br%bl  paw- 
ii^  bat  aadod  la  ctoaM  aad  tfibukttuo.  It  furaiaba*  aautbar  latinoa  of  tbc  aril 
■iiiiiiiirii  of  fawAtom  Qod. 

L  Joamm"*  AKOTAaT      Of  tbia  a  hiUar  aoc>  >«  la  tb«  Book  af  Gbraatai(« 

barvt  tbooc^  tba  auiocnaet  la  «ar.  t,  i  ng't.i  all  bto  doT*  wbaraa 


260  THE   SECOXD  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [ch.  xn.  1—21, 

Jehoiada  the  priest  instructed  him,"  already  hints  at  a  falling  away  after  Jehoiada'a 
death.  Frorii  Chronicles  we  learn  the  nature  of  his  apostasy.  1.  Ee  yielded  to  bud 
counsel.  His  good  adviser  having  died  at  the  extreme  age  of  a  hundred  and  thirty, 
he  listened  to  the  flatteries  and  seductions  of  the  princes  of  Judah,  whose  bent  was  all 
towards  evil  (2  Chron.  xxiy.  17).  2.  He  revived  idolatry.  U  he  did  Dot  actually 
particii'ate  in  the  renewed  setting  up  of  idols,  he  permitted  it.  Baal-worship,  from 
which  in  infancy  he  had  suffered  so  much,  again  lifted  up  its  head  in  Jerusalem.  For 
this  trespass  it  is  said,  "  wrath  came  upon  Judah  and  Jerusalem"  (2  Chron.  xxiv.  18). 
3.  He  she>i  innocent  blood.  This  declension  of  Joash  was  not  allowed  to  go  unrebuked. 
God  sent  prophets  to  him  to  testify  to  hiip  and  warn  him,  especially  Zechariah,  the  son, 
or  perhaps  grandson,  of  the  priest  Jehoiada.  But  so  far  had  the  infatuation  of  Joash  gone 
that  he  actually  permitted  this  son  of  his  former  friend  and  benefactor  to  he  stoned 
with  stones  between  the  temple  and  the  altar  in  the  court  of  the  Lord's  house  (2  Chron. 
xxiv.  20 — 22 ;  cf.  Matt,  xxiii.  35).  This  ineffaceable  crime  completed  his  ruin.  As 
Zechariah  died  he  had  said, "  The  Lord  look  upon  it,  and  require  it "  (2  Chron.  xxiv.  22) ; 
and  God  did  require  it.  The  Jews  had  a  tradition  that,  at  the  capture  of  Jtrusalem, 
this  blood  of  Zechariah  bubbled  up  from  the  floor  of  the  temple  court,  and  could  not  be 
pacified.  Nebuzaradan  brought  rabbis,  and  slew  them  on  it,  still  it  was  not  quiet;  he 
brought  children,  and  slew  them  on  it,  still  it  was  not  quiet ;  he  slew  ninety-four  thousand 
on  it,  yet  it  was  not  quiet.    The  fable  illustrates  at  least  the  heinousness  of  the  deed. 

11.  Hazael's  invasion.  The  instrument  emjloyed  to  chastise  Joash  and  the  people 
for  their  sins  was  the  redoubtable  Hazael.  He  invaded  the  land  by  the  way  of  Philistia, 
and  reduced  it  to  great  distress.  We  uute  re^^arding  the  invasion :  1.  Its  resisiles$ 
character.  It  was  but  a  very  small  company  of  men  that  came  with  Hazael,  but  they 
seem  to  have  swept  the  "very  great  host"  of  Judah  before  them  with  ease,  destroying 
the  princes  of  the  people,  who  had  been  ringleaders  in  wickedness,  and  sending  the 
spoil  onto  Damascus  (cf.  2  Chron.  xxiv.  24).  It  is  a  fatal  thing  to  break  faith  with 
God,  to  afx)statize  from  solenm  covenants  with  him,  to  provoke  him  to  anger  by  open 
wickedne.-<8  and  deeds  of  blood.  The  strength  of  a  nation  stands  not  in  its  mighty  men, 
Vmt  in  the  favour  of  God,  and  where  that  is  withdrawn,  a  handful  of  armed  men  will 
clia.se  a  thousand  (cf.  Deut.  iv.  25 — 27  ;  xxviii.  27 — 48).  2.  T7i€  ignomi7iions  tribute. 
What,  in  so  deplorable  a  case,  could  Joash  do?  His  princes,  so  bold  in  counselling  him 
in  courses  of  sin,  were  cowards  in  the  field  ;  and  Hazael  seemed  bent  on  utterly  over- 
throwing: him.  He  had  no  alternative  but  to  make  the  best  terms  he  could,  and  buy 
the  invader  off.  To  furnish  the  requisite  tribute  he  had  to  strip  both  the  temple  and 
liis  own  hou.se  of  all  their  goodly  treasures.  Ho  took  the  hallowed  things  of  his  ioio- 
f.ithers  out  of  the  temple,  and  the  gold  that  was  found  in  its  treasuries;  he  tcKik  also 
his  own  gold,  and  sent  everything  to  Hazael.  lie,  the  restorer  of  the  temple,  is  forced 
t")  become  the  spoiler  of  the  temple.  To  such  depths  of  ignominy  and  misery  are  men 
li-<l  by  forsaking  the  ways  of  God.  Yet  nothing  seems  to  avail  sinners  for  warning  1 
They  ^o  on  as  madly  in  ways  of  wickedness  aa  if  no  one  had  ever  tried  these  paths 
before  them,  and  found  them  the  ways  of  death. 

in.  Thk  fatal  cos8PIKa<y.  We  have,  finally,  the  account  of  how  Joash  met  his 
end  by  a  c  uspiracyof  two  of  his  servants.  1.  7V»<  ori'/in  of  the  conspintry.  We  can- 
not err  in  HUjfjKiBmg  that  it  ha<l  its  origin  in  the  seething  discontent  of  the  people. 
They  Miw  the  kin;^doin  goini;  U)  pieces  in  the  hands  of  an  unfaitlifnl  king;  they  saw 
rightOfjUH  bl'xxl  bdeii  ;  tliey  had  Hnffered  sevctrely  from  the  barliarities  of  invasion. 
The  con-pirators  do  not  seem  Ut  have  plotted  any  dynastic  cliange.  Tiieir  act  only 
ft^)UtMOt\  the  hitler  hatred  with  which  the  jterson  of  the  king  had  conm  to  Im  rcgardi'd. 
flow  difTerriii  from  th-  day  wimn  tin;  multitude  Hlionte<l,  *' Gixi  savo  the  king!"  And 
mill  ch.'uiire  IiikI  C)m<i  ubnit  Kojejy  through  Joash'n  departure  from  the  riglit  wayB  of 
<ic^l.  2.  Itnf'iUU  rf  ull.  The  MorvantH,  wIiomo  nnmcH  arct  givon  in  the  text,  smote  him 
io  "  the  i.oiiM  of  Milln"  ao  that  hn  ijied.  'I'liiii  .Joanli  fell  by  the  ntroku  of  an  asHaNHin, 
unpitiod,  niilamenltvl  hy  hix  |KH>plii.  Wli<*ti  the  liotidn  oi  godlineHS  arti  loosed,  the 
}iorid>i  of  firldiiy  Ixjtwron  itian  and  man  aro  hnisicl  t<Mi  (IIoh.  ir.  1,  2).  3.  The  di» 
hmt/ur  U>  hit  ho<ly.  Tho  crowning  Ignominy  put  npon  .loimh  woh  the  refusal  of  the 
l<-o|i|i<  to  allow  him  to  Im-  hnrii«i  in  the  H4'pnlrlir«  of  the  kingH,  aH  Jehoiada  \\(u\  \nH<\\ 
(2  Cbron.  ixiT.  25).  I^Im  ounGriuii  what  la  aaid  uliovo  of  the  odium  in  which  b«  wait 
)i«ld  by  hui  |«'op|«.   -J.  O. 


oKOLi^ai.]     TBK  bblx)nd  book  of  tub  KIKOa 


lit 


Kxri«mnN 


OHArrsm  xiii 


.  —   ,  -hMh  •••  r»- 


m  Jan.  amu  Joami.  aoa  or  Jknuahai, 

\ 
Tt     -. 
titaiory 

•Mdad  to  Um  «la*laf  vrf«t«  of  ak  i.  ll* 
■IwfliM  Maij  Um  Mi(n  of  J«lia'«  «■  m4 
■iMwi^w.  JelHBh*!.  to  the  |<(«»t  nl  — aitoii, 
•IW  vblok  k*  pai^w  Id  UmI  of  J«ttii'» 
fmndaDtt.  J  Anal  L  or  Ji>mJl      TIm  BjriAO 


Tar.  I.— la  tH«  Ure«  aai  rvtsHitk  tmt 

•fjM.»h     f!kt     tr  ^.     :.  J.*ri..,u.  I    AbL  JiMi,' 

It  .\   yMT. 

T).  <•   10  mmI 

»v  .'-ilCBiblirAl 

CoamM-uuLrr.  -.    !      !'•   r 

C  Books  et'ti  It 


ebimii«ti 

J«ltok  AK    u. 

tlM  work  of 
Akaiiaik  (coti 
in  KlM  •< 

J«km  WfU  u  . .  -e  - 

«bt«k  iBMCled  Lb«  ■ 
tt>  Utof  U»«  two  p 

ki  »>v«r  ap    t 


of 

<Wt«l 

ra«  into 

•xO^kt 

'     trmutUlUkf 

Umb  Mpply* 
ibf  *au4  rc<«^-^  .^  •»<  next  etou•^ 
And  Rt^aad  mwImb  7«an  (ao  aUo  Jo«» 
ihn,,  :  »  f\ 

\  ■      '   k«  4U  tk»l  Vkiek  VM  CVO 

to  : .  ik«  LmC    IV^^  t*  tH*  r  «Me 

to  U  ,  «t   ILit  JHkuAkftJ    • 
BMil-tPofikip^or  •toaed  it 

wsT   ■■-.■-   '  r  tiktolatoii' 
•I   .  iMLaL     J 

■A*  k  ••  t*d  c      , 

of  if  like  ti»o  cif  Jciutewu       ib0 

li*L>  •!     l»«»f»T-r.    jvtjB'.rwl    tkal 

l&>:4  uulxid. 

•atl  .:  .(  eckr:  - 

WW     UK     »  '    .«B     b* 


•ad    i«t 


,    ■•  r»hip     of 

UmMV    J*a«     lOMtail.     MlVtIh- 


•lBr>'tlt-r   th«  fond  •>- 
t!i  •-'    •        g  Ihc  IW* 

b»  «•  .J   (  u    1    t: 

»»t.tiuu«'»'»     >•■    X'  — 
%ty\    rftm 

pO      Ift.nl 

aiMj  lit*  (^^^  ■  «, 
Itoaod.  Um  aota  •*« 

kiw«a.*   kaittili'm 

tka  MB  af  l**^ 

tha  »s«ir*(«aAl 
ika  ^<lra  oal  < 
to    iJan")    «l 

(OBMlB^     1     KiBf: 

M.r4BL);  kaie 
toaiBptatie    J< 
to  ihn  (all.  a^  ta 
d««JiDa. 

Var  S.— Aad  ih»  uif* 
ktodlod  aotoat  l>ra«l 
Um  o(  thm  tiatafv  ai  ikt 
d  Ike  HtM  «hi>-k  •eantai 
moil.. I  ti  (ka  MaMrti<-'i' 
ooaoaeCi' 
'j^  Baa!  » 


ti>ouirtit  loo  hoaTT  a  |>rti 


waj   Milferwd  it  to 

! 


be   d*:iverr 
XlAf  of  B^ 

caotu  of 
b»B  olnndj 


ka  was  to 
antniy. 
tka  wa  of 
ail  fi«4ar 
tko  tao  k 


of 


!:frtimr 


J^ 


fcacaai  (lar.  t^)  iJaru^  kt»  tattocT** 


hai 


k»9«c^ 


•at^NBuac  iiua   ko 


i«f«a*  M9a. 
•M   laailxi 


I  UvLorA; 

It   *i  1m  ^ 

ki»< 
of    tiM. 


262 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.      [ch.  xiii.  1—25. 


of  the  hands  of  Hazael,  and  not  suffer  him 
to  continue  subject"  ('Ant.  Jud.,'  ix.  8.  §  5). 
He  did  not  turn  from  his  sin  of  idolatry, 
perhaps  did  not  suspect  that  it  was  tliis  sm 
which  .  ad  provoked  God's  anger;  but  in 
a  geueral  way  he  repented,  humbled  him- 
self, and  besought  God's  mercy  and  assist- 
ance. And  the  Lord  hearkened  unto  him. 
God  accepted  his  repentance,  all  imperfect 
as  it  was,  so  far  as  to  save  the  people  from 
the  entire  destruction  with  which  it  was 
threatened  by  tlie  severe  measures  of  Hazael 
(ver.  7),  to  continue  the  national  existence 
(ver.  23),  and  ultimately  to  restore  the 
national  prosperity  (ver.  25  and  ch.  xiv. 
25 — 27).  But  he  did  not  remove  the  oppres- 
sion, as  Josephus  imagines,  in  Jehoahaz's 
time.  Ver.  22  makes  this  fact  absolutely 
certain.  For  he  saw  the  oppression  of  Israel, 
because  the  King  of  Syria  oppressed  thom. 
Opjiression  is  always  hateful  to  God,  even 
when  he  is  using  it  as  his  instrument  for 
chastising  or  punishing  a  guilty  people. 
He  "  sees "  it,  notes  it,  lays  it  up  in  his 
remembrance  for  future  retribution  (comp. 
Exod.  iii.  7;  Isa.  x.  6—12,  etc.).  (On 
the  nature  and  extent  of  the  oppression  of 
this  period,  see  ver.  7,  and  the  comment 
ad  loc.) 

Ver.  5. — And  the  Lord  gave  Israel  a 
saviour,  so  that  they  went  oat  from  under 
the  hand  of  the  Syrians.  A  "  saviour " 
means  a  deliverer  (rmn  the  hand  of  the 
Syrians  (comp.  Judg.  iii.  9,  15;  Neh.  ix. 
27,  where  in  tho  Hebrew  the  word  used  is 
the  .-ume).  The  tpecial  "deliverer"  was 
probably  in  the  min<l  of  the  writer,  Jero- 
uoiim  II.,  by  whom  he  says,  in  <h.  xiv.  27, 
tliat  God  "  saved  "  Israel ;  but  Joaah,  who 
bt;Kan  tho  di  liveiance  (ver.  25),  may  also 
b<-  ■^\.iuc*.ti  ut.  And  the  children  of  Israel 
dwelt  in  their  tents.  lien-,  as  so  often 
elmwhere  (1  Kings  viii.  CG;  xii.  16;  ch. 
XIV.  12;  Z(;(;h.  xii.  7),  tlie  word  "tont«"  is 
a  mere  ureJiaiHin  for  "alxxles,  houBes." 
Ltrail  hiid  tlwelt  in  t«ntH  unlii  tliu  going 
down  iiit'i  Kgyi't,  ami  a;^aiii  frmn  the  time 
at  'iniiliiig  Ku'\\>i  to  tho  (intniiice  into 
Chiiuiim;  Hii'i  UiUH  tho  word  ohi  I  hml  ao 
qninril  a  i»«yon<lary  meaning  of  "alioiie," 
"dwelling-place."  In  tho  time  whifh 
followrd  on  tlio  delivcranno  from  the  Kyrinn 
yokit,  thn  iHriK'litoH  of  tho  ton  trilx'U  woro 
no  InngKr  engagi-d  in  niHrchcn  and  rounlnr- 
iiianb'-B,  m  liiittliH,  >-l{irniiHheM,  or  Hie;^eH, 
bill  ijiiii-lly  uIhmIii  in  Ihi  ir  aovoriil  Iihum;*. 
Ai  bbforotime  i  i.f.  lui  in  the  iioac^iful  tiiuo 
bcfote  ihi'  alLackH  of  iluzji«l    begun. 

Ver.  ••.  Novorthnlom  Ihuj  departed  not 
from  thn  aim  of  the  housn  of  Jeroboam,  who 
made  Iiraol  iLn.  "  Thn  hiiu»r  of  Jnroboaui  " 
li  an  iiriuaiial  nxpn-iwioii  in  thia  coniKy'tlun, 
■nd  In  a'Mf' Ij  iippfipri/iti  ,  airinii  cirry 
*■  hiiWM  "  had  Mfllud  lu  the  aaiiiu  waj.     bom* 


manu.scripts  omit  the  word,  and  it  is  want- 
ing in  the  Chaldee,  Syriac,  and  Arabic 
versions.  Tlienius  would  cancel  it.  Bnt 
walked  therein;  literally,  he  icalked.  But 
hero  agiiin  a  corruption  may  be  euspected. 
Instead  of  "^hn  we  should  read  ^3hn,  wiiich 
lost  its  final  letter  in  consequence  of  the 
vau  that  immediately  followed  it.  And 
there  remained  the  grove  also  in  Samaria. 
"  The  grove  in  Samaria"  was  that  idolatrous 
emblem  which Ahab  had  set  up  at  Jezebels 
suggestion  (1  Kings  xvi.  33),  the  nature  of 
which  has  been  much  dispu;cd.  Somo 
think  that  it  was  "  an  image  of  Astarte " 
(see  '  Homiletic  Commentary  '  on  1  Kings, 
p.  374) ;  but  more  probably  it  was  a  mero 
emblem,  analogous  to  the  Assyrian  "  sacivd 
tree."  Its  material  may  sometimes  havo 
been  wood,  but  was  perhaps  more  usually 
metal.  The  mistran-^latiun  "grove"  origin- 
ated with  the  Septuagint  translators,  who 
uniformly  reudered  n^i^.N  by  AAtros.  It  is 
surprising  that  Jehu  did  not  destroy  the 
aslicrah  together  with  the  other  idolatroua 
erections  of  Ahab  in  Samaria  (ch.  x.  2(3 — 
28) ;  but,  for  some  reason  or  other,  it  seems 
to  have  been  spared,  and  to  have  been  still 
standing.  So  long  as  it  stood,  even  if  it  did 
not  attract  the  religious  regards  of  any,  it 
would  be  a  standing  dishonour  to  God,  ami 
would  so  increase  the  sin  of  tho  nation. 
Hence  its  mention  in  this  passage. 

Ver.  7. — Neither  did  he  leave  of  the  people 
to  Jehonhaz  but  hfty  horsemen,  and  tea 
oharicts,  and  ten  thousand  footmen.  This 
verse  seems  to  be  an  exogetical  note  on 
▼er.  4,  which  perhaps  it  onee  followed 
immediately,  tho  parenthetic  section  (vers.  5 
and  (!)  having  been  added  later,  as  an  after- 
thought, either  by  the  original  writer,  or 
perhaps  by  a  later  hand.  The  meaning 
uei  niu  to  be  that  Hazael  limited  the  Htand- 
ing  army  of  Jchoahaz  to  tii'ty  horsemon,  ten 
chariots,  and  ten  thou.-nn<i  footmen,  not  that 
he  slew  the  entire  military  jMipulaticm  excejit 
this  Hniall  reinniint.  The  policy  of  limiting 
the  force's  to  be  inaintaiiKHl  by  a  subjcet- 
king  was  one  known  to  the  Itonians,  and 
has  often  been  ndopti'd  in  the  Kaat.  It  is 
xtill  a  jmrt  of  our  own  policy  in  the  govern- 
ment of  India.  The  liniitation  lolt  tho 
country  at  tho  mercy  of  all  \iit  neighbi'nr.-i 
(aeo  ver.  'H)).  For  tho  King  of  Syria  had 
doHtroyod  them,  and  had  niadu  thoni  like  the 
dual  by  thrOHhiiig.  r>>Hhil>ly  thiH  incaiiH  iii> 
Dion-  than  an  utt4«r  di'Htrni^ion  atraMijiiiug 
in  ti.«)  diiHl,  riH  we  |iiiraHi'  it  (mmi  Jer.  li.  'S.\ ; 
Mirah  IT.  12,  lU;  and  peibajia  laa.  xxi.  10). 
Itiit  it  iiiitj  bi<  an  iillnHioii  totliat  dnHlriii'lion 
of  prinon<  ra  by  meaiiH  of  a  IhnMhiiig  inatrii- 
meiit,  wliK^h  wiia  e4)rtaiiily  Hoinotiinra  prao- 
tixid  ('I  Ham.  xii.  Ml;  I'rov.  ii  '^(i),  and 
which    la    made   a   sjhjoIiU  obuige   agiuiiat 


mi  im  !-tl)       THK  «rX»)XT>  TV>OR  OF  THE  KINOa 


r.  and  fura 

•    tl«pt  wiUi   kl« 

^H:    eti.    X 
of   laTMi 

•     !   in   Uj«  c«)mu1, 

.h  wiTP  in  Jcru- 

r  r   h»d 


Vf^    H     Vow   \k»  ntn    91   tk»  Mti  af 
i«Ko«)u«.   m4  aU    U*I    k*   am.   m4    kit 

Bi«irht,    rm'.ti  r.    1^^*  prr^vvM,  or  4i«  maJUfm. 
I         I       i  vj  lo«tbU«(kia 

>  ■    '>        "  •*)>•>    bad    <li*- 

t  situva  bit  •«• 

)  ^  ^  ura*  of  Um  *«r. 

A        '.    r  tha    bc^ik   of   tk« 


telhrrt,  K 
(.  tnji  1  t 
I     ,     rU-    1 

laiir     .   .'     ' 


tb«lr 

-■   waa 
to  U>  .       •  u  ii<  >iii .  to  h* 

rxciu  .  .  rac*.    Aild  JM«k 

hit  na  ru^&»d  is  fej«  ittftd. 

Ten.    10— tS— Tas   Bnn   •»   J<u«l 

TL«  writer  |aM««  from  tLe  tvi^  uf  Jrbo> 
»h»l,  Jehu'a  aOO.  to  Lbfti  of  JiA.-h,  Jcliu's 
(nuidaon.  wLioii  bo  aoaoM  to  havo  iuloiidt.^ 
at  fir»t  to  ■••pateb  ia  tha  abort  tptu-e  uf 
four  T«fac«(tert.  10 — 13).  Ue  aflcrwurda, 
kowrvcr,  aa<»  rt-aaoa  to  add  lu  bu  aarraUre, 
flnt,  an  aoouut  of  an  iiit<rnri«*w  ltrt«t^ii 
JoaaL  and  KluLu,  sborllv  before  tbo  doatb 
9t  ib^  bau-r  («rra.  14—19);  aocoodlj.  an 
a<v>-u.it  uf  a  iutr»  1«  wnxigbt  aooo  afUr- 
«  i'>l>  bj  m(«iia  uf  Klu  .a'a  orpaa  (yvn. 
W,  'il):  atid  tbirdlj,  a  briof  aotiea  af 
Jaaiti'a  Byrua  wax  (vara.  t2—tS%. 


Ver  10  —In  th«  thirty  aAd 
«f  Jv»*h  Ki&f  of  iudak.  rbr«r  jean  belura 
kit  UtALb,  aiaeo  ba  niiciMii  fbrtjr  ji  ■>» 
(eb.  lU.  I).  Tba  t«o  Jo^baa  ww«  tbu. 
ermtmmfenrj  awawba  for  tba  apace  of 
ibiaa  Taan.  B^fui  Jabaaab  tba  aoa  af 
Jabaabaa  ta  lalcB  arar  laraal  ia  Samaria, 
aad  iwjntad  dtttw  jraaim.  TVa  cocutiuo- 
ttoo  ia  tiie  sarcF  u  that  of  var.  1,  aii^!  • 
»j    .1  y    •-.•  I       Our    f 

^&iti  a'!  I  pkr«a«  (•> 

IDg   tba    »«<fUa    -  i  "        .  ex- 

laaa  jmn'    of    .  are 

awiiMiii  by  J..*.,  ...  '.^.11.  a. 

I  <X  but  atill  ^rv*  tit  jlty    (Ma 

Iba  noniaieiii     n  rh  i  i 

Var.  IL— Aai  k»  AU  u.«t  miudt  waa  avU 


la  tba  i%bi  ar  tba  LaH{  ba 

firaai  aU  tba  ilaa  al  iarabaaa  tba  aaa  af 

S»i>&r  «Ka  toA^ia  lata.*)  »ik     ),>.i  ^  valka4 
t:  .4   mm»  m 

If  utitM  la 

^  •  '-^1    ba   to 


at    ooe    tit!: 
anco4int 
naed  U 

of  c«0«>    . 

bavv  b<- 
Ver  1 
aad  Jtrotwaa 

av. 


wooU  ! 
d<«i  a  L  :: 
moana,  **  be 
waa  (boa  a-  ■ 
mrat  of  • 
plae«    ' 


Vm.  li.— Wav  SUaba  waa  laUc 

bli  ilcksoai  wharaof  be  d:c<d.      )  : 

A 

laaat    r 
J<«ab. 
tlM»   r«v 
Joaab  !' 


iior 
aia 

•la 


li  I 


-•a 


tba  Wat  .ai 

bp  a  vex  >  j«l 

of   tbe    •    :    :  •    L  I     ■  t        i  Lj    .  .ad 

at   ti>e  p«Mit>J   uf    ^\.\.'\i    \L<  la 
t/tteiiiiK,    It    «■-.-■  • 

IV'pbrU   aai' 

p(«1)boia.      ll  :      .  • 

iKMMa,  It   was  «  (W  an  rmuka  of 

vaageaaat  (e).    >  -t  oa  otM  of 

aaai  aad  aympaUij.      I'b*  «r«    of 
anftaialy  baiJtaa  a   liaaiau   ti 
aad   eaaaUaMtioa    aa  bia  f*rt    vary  as- 
al  tka  Ub^  aad  ta  a  Caca  to  abic^ 


tbat  waftaaaf  1 


264 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.      [ch.  xra.  1— 25. 


was,  at  any  rate,  a  prince  of  an  amiable  dis- 
position. And  wept  over  his  face — t.e.  leant 
over  the  sick  man  as  he  lay  on  his  bed,  and 
shed  tears,  some  of  which  fell  on  I  dm — and 
said,  0  my  father,  my  father,  the  chariot  of 
Israel,  and  the  horsemen  thereof.  A  s  Elisha 
had  addressed  Elijah,  when  he  was  quitting 
the  earth  (ch.  ii.  12),  so  Joash  now  addressed 
the  dying  Elisha,  nsing  exactly  the  same 
words,  not  (certainly)  by  a  mere  coincidence. 
Joash  must  have  known  the  circumstances 
of  Elijah's  departure,  which  had  probably 
been  entered  before  this  in  the  '  Book  of 
the  Kings.*  and  intended  pointedly  to 
allude  to  them.  "  O  my  father,  my  father," 
he  meant  to  say,  "  when  Elijah  was  tiiken 
from  the  earth,  thou  didst  exclaim  that  the 
defence  of  Israel  was  gone  "  (see  the  com- 
ment on  ch.  ii.  12) :  "  how  much  more  must 
it  be  true  that  it  is  gone  now,  when  thou 
art  on  the  point  of  departure  1  He  left  thee 
as  his  successor ;  thou  lea  vest  no  one  I " 

Ver.  15. — And  Elisha  said  unto  him,  Take 
bow  and  arrows.  The  prophet  was  moved, 
no  doubt,  by  a  sudden  inspiration.  He 
was  bidden  to  assure  the  weeping  king  of 
victory — speedy  victory— over  Syria.  The 
defence  of  Israel  would  not  fail  because  he 
— a  mere  weak  instrument  by  whom  God 
had  been  pleased  to  work — was  taken  from 
the  earth.  God  would  bless  the  king's  own 
efforts.  *'  Take  bow  and  arrows,"  he  ex- 
claims under  the  prophetic  afflatus.  "  Take 
tbem  at  once  into  thine  hands,  and  do  my 
bidding."  Words  would  not  have  been 
enough  ;  greater  assurance  and  conviction 
was  produced  when  prophecy  took  the  shape 
of  a  symbolical  action  (comp.  1  Sam.  xv.  27 ; 
1  Kings  xi.  30;  Isa.  xi.  3;  Jer.  xiii.  1 — 11; 
xviiL  3,  4,  etc.).  So  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
moved  the  prophet  to  the  performance  of  a 
symbolical  act,  or  set  of  acts,  which  the 
historian  now  proceeds  to  describe.  And 
he  took  unto  him  bow  and  arrows.  Joash 
would  take  these  from  the  hands  of  his 
attendants,  who  mi<];ht  be  carrying  his  own 
HjX'''ial  wapoiiB  atter  Lim,  ns  was  thi;  prac- 
tioo  in  PorHJii  ('  Ancient  MoMnrrhieH,'  vol. 
iv.  p.  ICl),  or  wIjo  would  at  any  rate  have 
arinH  of  their  own,  since  they  would  wait 
uprm  him  not  merely  as  attendants,  but  as 
ganT'\a. 

\ir.  10.  And  ho  said  to  the  King  of 
Israel,  Put  thino  hand  upon  the  bow — lilo- 
TiWj,  b I  iUiiif,  IkiikL  riili-  njion  Ihe  how;  i.e. 
•'Tiilcc  it  itito  iii'tive  iihi-  \i\ncii  thino  IkiikIh 
hn  t)i'>u  dotit  foniMKiii) y  fur  Hho'tin^j"-  and 
h*  put  his  hand  ii|i'>ii  it  ho  <li'l  hh  IHihhii 
efininiMiKlfd-  and  Llittha  put  hit  handn  upon 
the  kinff'i  hands.  Kli  ha,  it  woidd  mciii, 
rxHi:  ffoKi  hJH  hi'il,  nnd  tool-,  the  nttitiKh;  nt  an 
•T'-her,  ttiM-nun  the  )<iii^''N  two  liiuidH  with 
hi*  own  hiiniU,  •n>l  iniil<iii|.'  lui  if  he  I'hi 
«>ui  pulling  the  bow.  •»  lliMl  the  itli(j<itinK 


should  be,  or  at  least  appear  to  be,  the  joint 
act  of  himself  and  the  king.  The  intention 
was,  no  doubt,  as  Keil  says,  "  to  show  that 
the  power  which  was  to  be  given  to  the 
bow-shot"  was  not  the  king's  own  power, 
but  "came  from  the  Lord  through  the 
mediation  of  his  prophet." 

Ver.  17. — And  he  said,  Open  the  window. 
Though  glass  was  unknown,  or  at  any  rate 
not  applied  to  windows,  yet  the  windows  of 
sitting-rooms,  and  still  more  of  bedrooms, 
had  latticed  shutters,  which  partially  ex- 
cluded the  light  and  the  air,  and  could  be 
opened  and  closed  at  pleasure  (see  the  com- 
ment on  ch.  i.  2).  The  prophet  ordered  the 
shutter  to  be  opened,  that  the  king  might 
shoot  from  the  window.  He  addressed,  not 
the  king,  whose  hands  were  both  engaged, 
but  his  own  servant,  or  one  of  the  royal 
attendants.  Eastward.  Not  so  much  iu  the 
direction  of  Syria,  which  was  north-east  of 
the  Israelite  territory,  as  in  the  direction  of 
Gilead  and  Bashan,  which  had  been  the 
scene  of  Hazael's  victories  (ch.  x.  33),  and 
was  now  to  be  the  scene  of  his  reverses. 
Aphek  lay  almost  due  east  of  Shuuem, 
where  it  is  probable  that  Elisha  was.  And 
he  opened  it ;  or,  and  one  opened  it,  or  they 
opened  it.  The  Hebrew  idiom  allows  of  this 
indefinite  use  of  the  third  person  singular. 
Then  Elisha  said,  Shoot.  And  he  shot.  And 
he — i.e.  Elisha — said,  The  arrow  of  the  Lord's 
deliverance,  and  the  arrow  of  deliverance 
from  Syria;  rather,  an  arrow.  "This  is," 
the  prophet  meant  to  say,  "  an  arrow  sym- 
bolical of  deliverance  about  to  come  from 
Jehovah,  of  deliverance  from  the  cruel  op- 
pression of  the  Syrians  " — and  not  merely 
ol  deliverance,  but  of  victory.  For  thou 
Shalt  smite  the  Syrians  in  Aphek.  The 
Aphek  intended  is  probably  that  which  lay 
east  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  at  the  distance 
of  about  three  miles,  in  lat.  32°  49'  nearly. 
This  place  was  on  the  direct  route  between 
Samaria  and  Damascus,  and  had  alrrady 
been  the  sceuo  of  one  great  victory  gained 
l)y  I.Taol  over  Syria  (1  Kings  xx.  2G  30), 
'riie  Hiti-  is  markcil  by  the  modern  village 
of  Fik.  Till  thou  have  consumed  them ; 
literally,  till  eonnuintug—i.v.  till  tin-  army 
which  (hou  hhalt  defeat  at  that  place  is 
(IcHtioycd  utterly.  We  huvo  no  account  of 
the  tiilfilnient  of  this  propiiecy,  but  may 
r(7;ani  tln^  defeat  a.s  one  of  those  touched  on 
in  ver.  2."). 

Ver.  IK.  -And  ho  snid,  Tako  the  arrows. 
And  ho  took  thiin.  lOlishn  l)ad(>  tho  king 
liil<i>  into  hJH  hiin<I  III"  nMnaindrr  of  the 
lurowii  which  thn  (|iiivrr  conliiini'd.  This 
tho  kitiK  <lid.  and  hchi  llnm  in  u  bunch.  iiS 
nrrlii TM  do  whm  Ihcy  have  iioipiivur.  And 
hf;  naid  unto  llio  King  of  iHrnol,  Saiite  upon 
till)  ^rdund  It  m  dihpiiliwl  wl  at  l.liir<  nirant 
Tho    I. XX.   tniUHhtto   Ildra^**'  *••   tiif  jvw 


OB.  zm.  I— 2S.7       TUR  SKOnND  BOOK   OP  Tttr,  KISQ%  m 


Id    Iw    luic 


o'td  hit  Um 

taml  MWtlM 
(in) 

f   lU 


II  -t-  !n  ttr  |n  !  II   .1      And  h»  ra-M*  thnr«, 


kirn. 

(rti.  a  11; 

I   ■ 


LU-i     ^-IV^l,!!.; 


^  «  k  -. 


ihe  Bka  of  God  (miup.  eh. 


V    L 


ABd  u. ' 

Und  at  • 

nnca.      Ju»t   »•  the  >\r.au«  ill  t  ''-  ■!•¥•   of 


Sv: 
I  . 


-:ut  at 
•lit   I  avr>  Ui'ii  tiiitlilKi  to  l'r»««  lier«#lf 


!i    «i>d    r'i«l        If  h» 


U"ll      uf     tiie      ^iuui>ll    ■     »■      -M-rp      UiLl>      lilt  ir 

oouutry.     AiD4«  (li.    1)  pvruapa  gl»j>oM  at 
these  inrun>  <  us  of  Mntt). 

Vor.  21  — And  it  came  ta  paaa,  u  tXty 
w«r«  burjui{f  a  m^: 

iutlitiuilcl)   ut  m  I 


•plai  a  I 


'loue 

{A«  ^ti'. 

'.-    ' 

111  in 

MJC  tht 

OjI    uf 

ta  . 

.ic»i    U/    iK> 

U  t-n 

Ij 

i.-h  lh«JT 

I 


1 


fiv'i-     uf     BIX      litur*      ll»l.  »•! 

i<lr«   tltai    U*'  mi»\H\t>*'\    <  v    <«r 

f...u    ,:u.l. 
U^alj'lP     :. 
(.r;U  I,  ,  :. 
DarruUir        li< 
be.au   .      -  h. 
■Ml  ! 


breo  ut 

biih.il.     li 
U  a  I'll  •I'll 

duW  II  «  :< 

I  ft- 


1  lmU>t»l*>,    mmti     < 

Aad  i«Mh«4  Uia  :.  ^ 


whaa 
•.  * 


r   lo 


266 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.       [ch.  xm.  1— 25i. 


rted  to  it  a  movement  which  bronght  it 
contact  with  the  bones,  i.e.  the  body 
(1  Kings  xiii.  31)  of  Elisha,  as  it  lay,  wound 
in  its  grave-clothes,  but  uncoffined,  on  the 
floor  of  the  sepulchral  chamber.  At  the 
moment  of  contact  the  dead  man  came  to  life 
— "  revived."  And  stood  up  on  his  feet.  In 
many  Jewish  tombs  the  sepulchral  chamber 
would  allow  of  this. 

Ver.  22.— But  Hazael  Zing  of  Syria  op- 
pressed Israel  ail  the  days  of  Jehoahaz; 
rather,  now  Hazael  King  of  Syria  had 
oppreised  Israel,  etc.  The  author,  having 
parenthetically  related  the  extraordinary 
miracle  wrought  by  the  instrumentality  of 
Elisha'ij  corpse,  returns  to  the  subject  of  the 
Syrian  oppression.  He  had,  in  vers.  14 — 19, 
dwelt  upon  tlie  promises  of  victory  given  by 
the  prophet  to  Joash.  He  is  now  bent  on 
relating  their  fulfilment.  But  before  doing 
BO  lie  recapitulates.  Ver.  22  refers  back  to 
ver.  3,  and  ver.  23  to  vers.  4  and  5. 

Ver.  2.3. — And  the  Lord  was  gracious  unto 
them,  and  had  comp?ission  on  them.  Even 
in  his  wrath  God  "  thinketh  upon  mercy." 
While  he  was  still  punishing  Israel  by  the 
Bword  of  Hazael,  he  was  yet  careful  not  to 
make  a  full  end,  not  to  allow  the  affliction 
to  proceed  too  far.  He  stili  preserved  tiie 
nation,  and  kept  it  in  being.  And  had 
respect  unto  them — i  e.  "considered  them — 
kept  tliem  in  liismind — did  not  permit  them 
to  slip  out  of  his  recollection" — because 
of  his  covenant  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and 
Jacob.  God'b  ovenant  with  Abraham,  Isaac, 
and  Jacob  wa.s  a  covenant  of  m<  rcy.  By  it 
he  had  pledf^od  himself  to  multiply  their 
seed,  to  he  their  God,  and  the  G^d  of  their 
BCOfi  after  them,  and  to  give  to  their  seed 
the  whole  land  of  Canaan  for  an  everlasting 
p'HJH' Hhion  (Gen.  xvii.  4 — 8,  etc.).-  This 
covenant  buuiul  him  to  extend  his  protec- 
tion over  the  ii(oj)l(!of  iHrael  so  hmg  as  tlioy 
hrwl  not  utterly  and  oiuiroly  ami  off  tiuiir 
alicgiiujco  (comp.  oh.  xvii.  7 — 18).  And 
would  not  destroy  them.  Tliey  were  "  jKir- 
Bccutod,  but  not  foiB.ikon ;  cant  down,  but 


not  destroyed  **  (2  Cor.  It.  9).  The  national 
life  might  seem  to  hang  by  a  thread,  but 
the  thread  had  not  snapped.  Neither  oast 
he  them  from  his  presence  as  yet.  The 
writer  has  it  in  his  mind  that  ultimately 
they  were  cast  away,  rejected,  removed  out 
of  God's  sight  (ch.  xvii.  18,  20,  23)  ;  but  it 
was  not "  as  yet " — there  waa  still  an  interval 
of  a  century,  or  a  littl'?  more,  before  the  blow 
fell,  and  the  nation  of  the  tien  tribes  ceased 
to  exist. 

Ver.  24. — So  Hazael  King  of  Syria  died ; 
rather,  and  Hazael  .  .  .  died.  His  death 
is  a  new  fact,  not  involved  in  anything  that 
has  been  previously  stated.  It  appears  by 
ver.  22  that  he  outlived  Jehoahaz.  And 
Benhadad  his  son  reigned  in  his  stead. 
Hazael,  the  usurper,  gave  his  eldest  son 
the  name  of  the  monarch  whoiu  he  had 
murdered.  It  was  an  old  royal  name  in 
Syria  (1  Kings  xv.  18),  having  been  borne 
by  at  least  two  of  Hazael's  predeocssora. 
The  meaning  which  has  hi  en  assigned  to  it 
("  Son  of  the  sun  ")  is  doubtful. 

Ver.  25. — And  Jehoash  the  son  of  Tehoahas 
took  again  out  of  the  hand  of  Benhadad  the 
son  of  Hazael  the  cities,  which  he  had  taken 
out  of  the  hand  of  Jehoahaz  his  father  bj 
war.  The  capture  of  these  cities  by  Ben- 
hadad had  not  been  previously  mentioned. 
It  appears  by  the  present  pas>age,  compared 
with  ver.  22,  that,  during  the  lifetime  of 
his  father,  Benhadad  had  led  expoditioua 
into  the  land  of  Israel,  acting  as  his  father's 
representative  and  general,  and  had  made 
himself  master  of  several  Israelite  towns. 
These  were  now  recovered  by  Jehoash. 
They  lay  probably  in  the  Cis-Joidanic  terri- 
tory. Three  times  did  Joash  beat  him,  and 
recovered  the  cities  of  Israel  (com  p.  ver. 
I'J).  Tiirico  defeated,  Hazael  was  forced  to 
abandon  his  conquests  in  Western  Samaria. 
Ho  rotjvined,  how<vor,  the  trans- Jordan io 
toriitory,  which  wa><  not  n^covored  by  the 
lHraelit(;s  till  the  reign  of  Juruboam  II.  (so* 
oh.  xiv.  25). 


I10MILETIC3. 

Vm.  1—7.—  (lodu  irverittj  and  Godt  gmdnrM  alikfi  ihown  in  the  hittory  of  hrati 
undrr  Je/t'Mihaz.  I.  (Jod'h  HKVKuri'Y.  Two  sins  only  are  nolod  nB  cxiHtiiin  nnioni^  tho 
|ic>ple  at  thiM  time— tho  calf  worsliip,  and  tho  niainii  nance  of  the  "  ^:rt^ve,"  or  ashorah 
(▼or  ('}).  (Jmo  of  tlicw',  the  worhhip  ol  the  calves,  wa.-*  anccMtnil.  it  ha<l  been  an 
••Ntablinheii  Ufa;^'«!  for  ii  hundred  and  twenty  yeirM,  and  liad  boon  uplieM  by  every  kin|» 
from  the  date  of  itii  inMtilutlon.  Even  the  jiripphctH,  willi  one  exceplidu  (1  Kinps  xiii. 
iJ.  3),  hmt]  not  deMoiMice«l  it.  Tho  it<'0|>le  at  thirt  litno  accepted  it  witho\ii  (lueslinii, 
and  were  orolmbiy  ijuiU*  unrniincintin  that  it  wan  a  HJn  at  all.  The  other  niii,  the  njain- 
t«iiniire  oi  the  aitlierah,  wan  ne^^;.l(ivo  rather  lliuti  |><iHitiv(«  —the  oniblem  Htill  Binod  cieel ; 
It  hiid  not  hitm  reinnvofl — hut  it  |m  not  nuid  that  It  wa-*  wniHhipped.  Yet  (lud,  in  his 
Bovofil^,  rtniU-<\  Ihr  i^iiple  for  ihew  two  NinH  heavily,  terribly  (verH.  4  and  7).  He  did 
wA  Mxc^jt  tboufbtioiutoess,  uucouaciuuitnemi,  absenou  of  any  evil  inleutiou,  aa  an  oxcuso. 


«.sm.l-«.]      TBB  aOOMD  BOOl  OP  TUB 


im^  c  ib«  thmmk  rtrr^*-iL  m«  le  tov^  ll  4ov».  wm  Id  dbo«  •  ««^  oT  smI  far  tW 


of  Ood.  far  tb«  inM  falik.  Cur  vtfUM,  far  ilmr y.   To 
UiUrmu  It,  10  amtimm  M,  vm  le  !*•  te  wawoi 

liud  »«ld  MK,  vo«ia  ftD^  lofamu  tkk.    If  U« 

eflkaa*ikakwlgDMl»ilM|«.lMfliiiMru(M«lL    BjikM^Mbi^^ 


HMwr  ol  nlifM*.  far  Um  hamom  or  (K 
btnUini*  ID  ^mU-wai^  to  « 
ifcihttno  of  Um  OMaad  cowwottdinrtil 


a 


■■tetioB^  hf  mAmi  or**^  »^ ■ry.  >»•  ■»«»■*  i«tf  «^—  *«»  ^  , 

ftvoko  tbam  10  wtf-oiowtooltna  Md  k««o  wArclOaci  of  hmux,  ood  »  Mag  Ikoa  lo  • 

MM*  cl  il«ir  MB  u'tMiM.  if  oot  10  0  aiotiaol  NaofBittao  ol  ik^  opodol  ilM. 

IL  Ooo'»  <      A*  »<»  M  ooy  lotMilof  li  ikowo,  ■•  •«•  m  Um  kiM 

MkoovV*!.-'  m1  ia  ti^  paalikMHtl,  ond  Ioim  lo  klm  aad  «Ui<*u  Lia  ai. 

mm  a  out  pui  o  iftop  lo  tbo  ^neticm  hf  •bkk  Oodli  m^  hm  hmm 

Erokr  rhr  iMriaoeufDiMOWHi  U  •Urrod.    "Tbo  Lord  hf^wiid  to 

I  *  (««  4  k     .^  >  '-n,  !•  Uto  Divio*  oouoarU,  1/  out  •&  OMO  k  fad.    l^o 

Milao^  fall   i«  ^  ^   BfolooMd.      *-  O  faiiMul  C^rfallo■,  If  Ood   hmi^i 

JobooliMLb>^  »;  1  tMWrt£c«,  If  thoaallMfl  «f«B  klal   Tko  Lord  pv« 

ImmI  g  |j,ii   ,  .ihaa  dkd  oot  livt  to  Me  blm.     Ood  k«Of«  lb*  OfJ  of  UkoM 

*bo  «onM»t  Mpi  •bom ;  but  tbc  UOM.  ood  pUco.  oad  BOBWr  «l 

bis  oil  ore  t  a«nUoa.    Do  aul  do»|air  If  tbj  pr«y«  doao  Ml  omm 

lo  bo  bmrd.  bb  OMittatMO.     H«  kttuwi  tbol  fituec  oroooe  ••  ««U 

oobokoov*  *  (SlArkc). 

▼».  6.— ??-#  ;  ^  rwnalntti  the  por*.*     (^  weold  bovo 

[.I   f.i     .  f  J-     .           T    1 '  — 2H),  tbwo  woold  bo*o 

1  Kins*  iTi.  33)  vuuld 

^Y,  '.!i*t  m«ii  d  '  liT«o  ofW 

ll^^^w  -rfemoUuO  e«er  •««vf* 

^q^.  n  ■.f^v*  romaia*.*     llaw 

■MB J  boati  '  Ui'tiB  •uftivnl   iLe   ».  :    bT  CbflaliOBlljt 

How  jnaoy  ^^^  ouoliD'.e  in  a!!                                             '-a\<  «boi  lo  aodo 

U.  rr^  '  i:  I  inauT  ab  :                                                        of  obuoeal     Tbo 

n».  :  i»  (»  f.u!t  ".f  •                                                          »ujttl  dotof  tbair 

wctL  t  :.■'..._•    ... .  ..u  -            '    -    '.  to 

oik   CAU^  -;  .L  I *-•■•.  t  .  •  *7 

I..^-f  *>     lli    I'  •  I-   ■  -•* 

m  ihc  char  c  c  ^ 

nULli  t    ak(W  k    ;.■•'  ■■  ■■.    »  '• 

ibr  mL  la  u<:i:i  'J     f  L.» 
lofbttaia  of  l^  wki  ioaVM*.  -,. 

witb  ili  oomip(iog  :  ^  ^ 

Bj  ooio,  by eooa.^^         _.  i._  -»  * 

M»  ba  mot  ood  oouatOToolid.     Uv^l'i  H^.j  ^,  im   u 
oodoovouo;  ood,  vbotbor  In  o  eummunity  or  to  oa    .: 
dlTUnalj  OMied,  vlll  )jr«T0U  ot  UoU 

V«tL  li— 19.— TV  etoMOf  aeaM  ^  JPmAo'*  H^o.  TW  titna  bal  eotoa  to  EUabo 
wbiob  OOBM  fc)  oU  ti>«  auoa  of  moo,  bowovvr  great,  hovarar  bulr,  at  iba  laat.  Ba  bod 
aaooidod  MOB**  ocdioorj  Ura  uf  thraa  aoara  yean  atxl  tact — tiOj.  be  bod  eicre^ad  tbo 
OKUtadod  farm  of  tboa*  «bo  ora  eio9pti<>«)«lly  "atiuog*  men.  T  ur  a(x>rr>  j<mn  (Pa.  lo. 
10) — but  oow  at  laa^-tb  b*  w^  ▼  aK-kueaa.  b«  «m  tuoaifeotlj  drowiof 
Dc*r  t..  deotb.     Wbat  Icaaoat  d  -  -  «««:b  u«T     It  may  laocb  oa—      

L  A  LjowNi  ov  oomoLATioa.  1 1 1*  a  i:_  •  *i  uuof  ao  lo  bova  titrwi  tbot  oar  daportaro 
la  Irlt  oa  a  loa^  ka  mwalT  lo  oar  faiDlj  ur  lo  o«r  owo  oonow  drda  of  ftfkB>K  bat  10 
ow  kiQC  aod  ootti  try.  Not  awoj  t«r«uoa  eoo  do  tbo  oorl  of  aorrieo  vbiob  BWibi  dU 
farlarorl.  botoUoiaydoooaMaorrtea.  AB  aoy  aoak  tbotr  eomry^  food.  lok«r  far 
It.  atriva  far  it,  pra>  fuc  iL  AU  moy  no*  tbo  uowara  ood  taloalo  ooMimiwod  lo  lba«  by 
&<1  10  aucb  o  aay  tKat  oot  iIimooItoo  okM^  b«l  tbdr  ooaolry  oloo.  Boy  danvo 
adTiDtac*  fr-m  ib^  Booeot  oadaovooro  of  tbla  klod  wtt  ofl  oey  roio  brio<  lo  «o 
**  ibe  oitoo«  o(  o  fgod  WBK*Mifn  *  Ot  tba  Uot^-tlioy  otoy  brtbf  lo  m  ■■mbfaf  wrs 


268  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.       [oh.  xm.  1—25. 

•viz.  praise  and  acknowledgment  on  tbe  part  of  those  who  represent  the  nation  and  hn\  e 
•  right  to  speak  on  its  behalf.  Due  acknowledgment  is  seldom  !jrud2;ed,  when  the  end 
has  come  or  approaches;  and,  though  man's  judgment  is  a  ** small  thing"  compared 
with  Grod's,  it  is  not  altogether  to  be  despised — we  may  feel  in  such  acknowledgment 
a  legitimate  satisfaction. 

IL  A  LESSON  OF  FORTiTUDB.  Elisha  makes  no  moan,  expresses  no  complaint.  It 
is  extraordinary  how  many  men,  even  men  who  profess  to  believe  in  a  future  life  of 
infinitely  greater  happiness  than  the  present  one,  are  discontented,  and  murmur,  or 
even  passionately  cry  out,  when  a  mortal  disease  attacks  them.  And  this  altliough 
they  have  lived  the  full  term  of  average  human  life  in  this  world.  Very  few  quit  the 
scene  gracefully,  placidly,  bravely.  Almost  all  seem  to  regard  the  summons  to  set 
their  house  in  order  as  untimely,  and  themselves  as  hardly  used  by  the  call  being  made 
npon  them.  There  is  always  something  for  which  they  think  they  might  as  well  have 
been  allowed  to  wait — 

"  Half  the  cows  to  calve,  and  Bamaby  Holmes  to  plough." 

IIL   A   LESSOR  OF  PERSEVERANCE  AND   EFFORT  TO   THE    VERY  END.      Elisha,   thoUgh 

Btricken  with  a  mortal  disease,  does  not  give  himself  up  to  inaction,  or  cease  to  take  an 
interest  in  the  affairs  of  this  life.  On  the  contrary,  he  has  his  country's  welfare  most 
deeply  at  heart,  and  initiates  and  carries  through  a  scene,  in  which  his  physical  powers 
mssthave  been  severely  tasked,  for  encouraging  king  and  people  in  thsir  death-struggle 
with  Syria,  and  assuring  them  of  final  victory.  The  confidence  inspired  may  have 
been  a  serious  factor  in  the  result.  Elisha,  at  his  age,  might  have  been  excused,  had 
he  remained  wholly  passive,  and  received  the  king's  visit  as  the  compliment  which  it 
was  intended  to  be;  but  he  could  not  be  content  without  utilizing  the  visit  to  the 
utmost.  He  rouses  the  king  from  his  despair  (ver.  14);  inspires  in  him  hope,  cour;ige, 
energy ;  promises  him  success,  actively  participates  in  the  symbolic  drama,  which  at 
once  indicates  and  helps  forward  the  result  aimed  at.  We  may  learn  from  this  that, 
while  we  live,  we  have  active  duties  to  perform;  we  are  not  exauctorati  till  the  last 
summons  com'  s  ;  on  our  sick-bed,  on  our  death-bed,  we  may  still  be  aj;ents  for  good — 
we  may  advise,  exhort,  incite,  rebuke  evil  ^ver.  19),  and  bo  active  ministers  of  gocnl, 
impreijsiiig  men  more  than  we  ever  did  before,  when  we  speak  from  tbe  verge  of  the 
grave,  and  having  our  "strength  made  perfect  in  weakness." 

VerH.  20,  21. — Life  in  death.  The  miracle  wrought  by  the  instrumentality  of 
Eiislia'H  boncH  would  seem  to  have  been  designed  for  tliree  main  ends  or  i>urposes. 

I.  Foil  TiiK  HONODR  OF  THE  PBOPHpT ;  that  sti  he  mij;ht  have  in  his  deatli  (as  Elijah 
had  had  in  tue  method  of  his  departure)  a  testimony  from  God  that  ho  was  approved 
by  him,  and  that  he  would  have  him  reH|>ected  and  honoured  by  his  countrymen. 
Worship  of  relics  was  not  a  Jewish  snper-tition  ;  and  thus  there  was  no  danger  ol  those 
ill  results  which  followed  <.n  the  alleged  niinick-s  wmu-zlit  b}  the  bodies  of  Ciiristiaii 
martyrH.  Thowj  wlio  witncsHe<i  or  iieard  of  the  miracle  in  Klisha's  tomb  were  led  to 
venerate  the  memory  of  the  projihet,  to  whom  ho  j^ieat  a  testiiMDiiy  had  been  given; 
and  nii„'ht  thenco  1k)  moved  to  i)ay  greater  attention  and  stricter  obedience  to  what 
they  kiu'w  fpf  hin  teacliing. 

II.  Full  TIIK  BNOouKAdK.MKNT  OF  TIIK  ifATiow.  The  death  of  Fiiifilift  was  no  doubt 
felt  a«  a  nati'.iiiil  calamity.  Many,  iH-sid-M  the  king,  must  have  hoou  in  it  ilio  loss  to  the 
nnti'in  of  (jikj  who  wan  nmro  to  it  than  "  chariots  and  horsttmen  "  {\vv.  14).  Dospdii- 
tl»-iicv,  wo  may  be  Hure,  wei;,'hed  down  the  KpiritH  of  iiumlKirH  wiio  miglit  think  tliat 
0«xl.  in  wilhdrawiiif'.  his  proplji-f,  had  foiHaken  hiH  i)C<)pl«.  It  wnn  n  'ireut  thing  t<i 
siw:h  |>ort«<-riji  ihnt  ihoy  nhoiild  havo  a  clear  maniffiHUilinn  that,  though  the  propliot 
WHS  !.'"no,  'mhI  Ntill  c/.Mtinuod  pnHout  with  his  p-opl.>,  wan  Hiiil  among  lh«m,  ready  to 
help,  poli-iit  t/>  navfl.  The  more  HiPirltually  minded  might  view  the  mliaejn  an  «yin- 
boliCAl,  and  liilprjirft  It  to  mcmii  that,  m  llm  deiwl  man  Inul  Hpruiii';  to  li'"  again  on 
cotiLnct  with  Kli"'  »'•  bonrn,  no  iho  dead  nation  mIiouM,  oh  it  wore,  riHii  out  of  hlM  lomb 
aiid  r»Nyiv«r  itn'-lf,  ono«  more  Htaii«Mng  on  IIh  fret,  in  lull  |><mm«nwion  of  all  ItM  eneiKJes. 

III.  KoH  Tiir  iionoim  or  '.on,  akd  riir.  hiiowimi  roinii  or  iiih  thanhcknimcnt 
/•.wsa.  To  ulrn  hfn  is  amotiK  tho  hl/he-t  of  th"  I>ivine  altrihut«m.  It  Im  (IinI'm  Mpoidal 
gnr\\t%%  oiiS  thai  ho  eAtmui  c«»ioiiiiioii.it<i  u>  a  creature.     Ktou  rDod«rii  •nUntiHla  Uiw 


BUL  1— ML]       TBI  tBOUyO  BOOK  Of  mi  Kivoa 


A*d  I0  •ftiva  all    hj  Uttifla^   l'-*   be*  Itto  <.>-jl  ui   i\o*-.ii,  • 

MWV*    <  '  ll    TIta&IJtiMM    l««|'    (  1 

Um  nto»t  f  mmiki  \mti0m»  ul  ^    '  k 

Oa4  wtUw  »    :..»  oaMle  Ao»  iImi  Wcou  • 

4«||i  gtva  nil  10  UMft  trMoli  VM  tvoNMlv  a  >  u 

^Mtvr  ikM  ikovid  nwMciuu  mmI  rMwfnii ' 
ti»  |iUoul  d«»Ui  ■  tb«>of»olU«tm— fat. 
«x«li  tkt«,  I  wtii  intM  ibf  N«m«  I  tar  1^" 
trulv  *  wodaM  Mt  ikon  U  thy  doloi; 


Id  {ommb  MIT  •uoti  |>«^' 
'  10  tk*  fclUtfal  10  h»  V- 

— iktili    \  iLmx  <i«d  had  baaa  pl«»«^^  u>  » 

lh*t    Lb«J    migbl    b*    ri|t^!<>'1    t- 
lo  rrflMto  la   tM  iMDb    M 
MA  rill  Um  Uom  ol  JuUmi  t 

«•  Bual  omidaiU  ikM  ik«7  b4<i  d^cvom  vtf^tm0  s4  n 
iMi  iMk  IL*  uvttbU  isbwrn  ikMk 


BOMILIEB  BT  TABIOni  AUTHOBflL 


> 

n 

•r 

. 

-<^   ito 

c*^»,      * 

:>•  li|«. 

li  •»• 

u.«ai;  U  vw  Mfor 

!Vt 

w«r« 

■1.      Il 

T«m.  l~ia»  •Hk  »— ^— 21U  f«VM  ^  JOmAm  mmd   JmJk.  ktef*  ^  /v««. 
ObMrr«kar<»— 

L  Tat  rn"'"'"^  or  mnu     Bow  aad  U  U  to  raad  «#  as*  kiaf  alWv  aa>()Mr, 
*B«did  Uw  eril  IB  (Jm  dfht  of  tb«  Lord  "  I    And  th«e  tW  •utrcucal  « 

«MiAUjr  m*iic,     ..  ^-t«l  Do(  fma  !b<i  aIim  of  Jorobuotn  tk*  «•  of  Ntbat,  «ku  ii«d« 

lanol  k>  •iu."     A  !a    iu«B  dMa  i  .  .aw  toadw  htinwtf.     "Nua*  of  u*  hvvtli 

to  UfBMoit*     Nut  mrf-  \j  wbflo  «c  fW  *•  or*  fOBo,  oar  Uvm  aad  wurd*  «ul 

4m4i  vill  HiioMfo  oihatt,    W«  tItm  totj  ubacurv  axkd  icuiAiftrAtit, 

m  Jnmgnitimmy  ihti  ti  mijaiyi  ...or  tootbarB  bi>w  «e  hr«.     biu  wua 

OMi  BMMura  1L0  cirda  gf  Lia  i«(lui>to,»'  't  la  ••>•  th«t  vv  kfi^*  ux,  lafltMoea  aa/ 
vndk  oCbar  kaartt  and  o<h«r  H?«a.  Ob!  h-w  As*  :-f>ra«  i«  ooa  arU  IiJmmo  to  a 
I    U  lakto  a  lobg  uum  to  du  a»  tiecu. 

'  Tito  avtl  tlMl  aaa  ^  1  •  -ikMa : 

Tba  saad  la  oft  totonki  ttu^  ifavit  Uim*.* 

uUtark.     Tot    goad   «r    fcr   aril    «•    «ra 
iy,  00  iboaa  aiouad  ia,     It  w  «<^uivi 
iftflu  ckoe  ittca  igr  faod,  •aoomrfvaa  toiMl  Uva  Mar  to  Ood. 


I :  '  acT  09  Oool    Ood  piirtAid  Jabmhaa  aad  kb  paofib  fcr 

**lir  Ikaaatoto  tkakaal  of  Baaaal  Kinsuf  Bvr^  aid  iato  tb*  IxAik!  ./TUd- 

kftAftd  tk.  tt«  of  Hawtl.  aU  ikair  dav*.-     Wkaa  aaSc 

vkathar  tkt  eaoaa  of  tkofn  to  Boc  a  lUiia  o«r  ovs  ka»  ■  i 

aMrrjr  trtr^  ;«4faMat     Ood  la  avar  00  tka  watek  tat  ak^aa  «f  u**  (  ■     e«u/a. 

Uuaar  i«  cT«r  «|Mo  far  tkaery  of  paBitoBO^  far  IkaMatoM  fvajar  Il>  «•  and 

kal^    •  Jakoakaa  kaonigki  tW  Lord,  aad  tka  Lord  knark^aad  «Ato  k.>« .  :<^-  u»  m« 
of  laaol,  kaoBBto  tko  KJBf  fli  8jTto  oppfoand  Ikoa  *  (rac.  «,  aaa  a«aa 


M  as  la  tka  I^ad  am  Ood 
WMk  aoatnia  kaaili  raiar*  . 
Oar  Otid  to  gmnwaa,  aar  «ai  Uawa 
VW  d«a*tou  to  ■iTB 


270  THE  SEC02TD  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.       [oh.  xra.  1—25. 

"  His  Totee  eommsnds  the  tempest  foiih« 
And  Btillfl  the  stormy  wave ; 
▲nd,  thoagh  his  arm  be  strong  to  mita^ 
'lis  also  strong  to  save." 

nL  Human  nfaBATmrDR.  Though  God  delivered  them  from  their  difficulty  and 
distress,  and  gave  them  peace  from  their  enemies,  yet,  when  the  difficulty  was  over, 
they  forgot  all  about  Gkxi's  mercy.  They  went  back  to  their  old  sins.  "  Nevertheless 
they  departed  not  from  the  sins  of  the  house  of  Jeroboam  the  son  of  Nebat,  .  .  .  but 
walked  therein "  (ver.  6).  How  prone  the  human  heart  is  to  forsake  God !  The 
Books  of  Judges  and  Kings  are  full  of  illostrations  of  this  painful  fact.  By  forsaking 
Grod  the  Israelites  brought  themselves  into  misery  aud  bondage.  Time  after  time  God 
raised  up  judges  and  kings  and  prophets  to  be  the  means  of  their  deliverance.  But 
when  these  were  dead,  or  when  the  immediate  danger  had  passed  away,  once  again  the 
people  forsook  GkxL  It  is  the  same  in  the  history  of  the  individual.  How  ungrateful 
we  are  for  Gtxi's  unceasing  and  xmfailing  goodness  I  How  forgetful  of  his  command- 
ments and  his  promises!  "The  way  of  man  is  not  in  himself;  and  it  is  not  in  man 
that  walketh  to  direct  his  steps."  We  need  all  the  induence  of  Divine  grace  to 
keep  us  in  the  way  that  is  right. 

IV.  A  HUMBLED  NATION.  To  what  a  low  level  sin  reduces  a  nation!  How  shame- 
fully Israel  was  humiliated  before  Syria  1  The  King  of  Syria  only  left  to  Jehoahaa 
fifty  horsemen,  ten  chariots,  and  ten  thousand  footmen ;  "  for  the  King  of  Syria  had 
destroyed  them,  and  had  made  them  like  the  dust  by  threshing."  The  fate  of  Israel, 
the  fate  of  other  mighty  nations  of  the  past,  are  a  great  national  lesson  to  be  remem- 
bered 80  long  as  the  world  shall  last.  Ought  we  not  earnestly  to  pray  that  this  great 
British  empire,  which  has  been  built  up  by  God-fearing  men,  and  which  God  has 
blessed  and  honoured  so  highly,  may  not  forsake  Gkxi  lor  secularij^m  or  gross  corrup- 
tion, and  thus  fall  into  the  fate  of  the  fallen  nations  of  the  past  ?  Knowing  how  great 
are  th'-  forces  of  evil,  it  becomes  every  true  Ohristian  to  be  more  valiant  for  the  truth, 
to  be  more  active  in  everything  that  will  extend  the  kingdom  of  Christ  in  this  and 
other  lands. — 0.  H.  L 

Vers.  14 — 19. — A  royal  vieit  to  a  dying  prophet.  What  a  peaceful  death-bed  Elisha'i 
wa.s|  He  had  long  since  made  his  choice.  He  had  lived  ni>t  for  time,  but  for  eieniity  ; 
not  under  the  fear  of  man,  but  under  the  fear  of  God ;  not  for  the  favour  of  ivings  or 
tiieir  rewards,  but  so  as  to  win  the  approval  of  his  conscience  and  his  Creator.  And 
now,  when  death  came,  it  brought  him  no  terrors.  Not  only  so,  but  he  was  able  to 
give  encjuragement  to  others.  When  King  Joa.sh  sees  the  prophet  on  his  dcatli-hod,  he 
feels  how  great  is  the  loss  which  Israel  is  about  to  sustain.  Good  men  arc  a  nation's 
xtrength.  And  so  Joash,  bending  in  tears  over  the  dyin'^  prophet's  coucli,  oxclaiinSr 
"  ( )  my  fatiior,  my  father,  the  chariot  of  Israel,  and  the  horsemen  thorcol  ! "  Hut  Klish* 
wants  to  kfM3|)  up  his  heart.  Ho  wants  to  teach  him  that,  thou'^h  tlie  pro]>liet  dies,  the 
proph'lV  (nxl  remains.  The  workmen  pass  a\v;iy,  but  tii<'  work  of  (Jod  ;;ooa  on.  So 
tiie  tru<-  <!hrinlian  will  ever  \(x)k  beyond  hiw  own  death  to  the  glory  iliat  awaits  liini, 
beyond  th'  present  hour  of  darkne.sH  or  dilVuuilty  or  delay  to  the  \iltiniMto  triumph  ol 
tli«  (;hiir<:h  of  ChriHt.  It  was  in  this  spirit,  that  tho  martyrs  died.  What,  a  vision  of 
the  future  lit  uj)  their  Hnffering  ficoH  I  What  a  prophrttic  insiinet  in  Hucli  words  as 
th'»»M'  which  UiMhop  I.atimor  nixiko  to  his  fcillow-rofornier  liidley,  as  thov  stood  sido  In 
n\t\n,  wailtu-.^'  for  th<-  fa^'^otH  to  Ixi  kindhxl  :  "  iJo  of  rckhI  clioer,  liroihcr  Ridley,  and  pla\ 
the  mail ;  w«  nhnii  this  day  light  Huch  a  candle  in  Kiiglnm),  an  by  GimI'h  ^^raco  shall 
n»'ver  b<'  {Mil  out."  And  horo  KliHha  on  his  doath-lnxl  givcH  uitrranco  to  pronhetii 
words.  n<'  Uild  Ji'iwh  that  th<'  arrow  which,  in  ohcdii'iicn  to  his  dim  tions,  he  had  shot 
f.  rth  from  ihi-  <-iieii  window,  nij^niflcxi  llm  arrow  of  thi-  Ivoni's  dolivcranoo.  Hut  Joash 
wM  alow  Vi  Irjini  the  doiiblo  Ichhoq  of  Oixi'H  unlimiUvl  |Miw«ir  and  tint  nocnsnily  foi 
hurnun  effort  which  thin  Mimplo  iiluHtralion  taught,  Klislia  hml  alieady  told  iiim  that 
hf  Mhould  •iiiit'-  thi-  Svri.iiit  till  they  worn  ronMunu*d,  and  iht-n,  to  Iruh  him/urtKei 
mor»  tKt  fttmitity  /or  pr}  nri<»ratu»  nu'l  jxiiinire,  ho  coiimmndii  him  U)  Hmito  (j|i<in  tin 
UTtjund.  J(«sb,  n^fAitfn  ilmt  tho  iiMpli-i  jia.l  ulriin/ly  rnvralod  t<>  him  so  much  an 
vnr/.uragad  him  so  gmatiy,  iui>(ht  havs  oouiiuusd  uulil  ho  was  r»iuflst«d  t«i  oouss.     Tim 


m  OL  1-«L]      TRI  ncom  BOOK  OP  TUB  KUtoa  m 


I  «i  UmI,  W  wUy  wKito  Um««  rtw .  MhA  ikaa  §•*•  •«.     TIhm  Im  Ul«iU*te4  M* 

ink  larklo.i  i»      )•  ^       ^  .  MwrA. 

•U'*  ^4  utiw  ai»iu»T      ll   !^  mmmmi  u.  -^  ..         >  ....  ^  .^l%iiti  U» 

kiBl^i  in.  M  if  a!:  .  li.rr  ir    dfoai  w«t«  >  »  ioM  J  Um  -1,  vIm>  Iu4  m  9l%m 

wk<c.   >:..>;»  tiiki  {C.tcii  bim      11    i.i^  -.ikotigliu  Awaj  few 

«bd  buu.ai>  •uruifih.  »!.  i  ium<vi  I  nti  Um  aUaUtitJt  «aBmlt'4  i»^m  of 

Ood       -  nu  arrvw  ^  lit  l«r/«  ^ofwrtuM*.'  WkM  wytwltiMH  o/                 '  b«l|^ 

•f   vieta*7,  m^n  la   iboa*  alniiJ*  »i.iil«|     T\»  !jynf$  xfTiiirrrt%-t  *                       <bi» 

pi>««r  «lttrii  d«Uv«rt«l  l*«*t4  uul  U  Um  b*»'  'kkk 

tarooj  back  t^r  «»¥«•  .^  Um  lUd  Sm,  an<i  »  .«»ii 

•kat  alafti(:>itjr  po*ai  wktok.  oalj  a  (•«  >  r  aad 


Ika*  nrr  rieiary  %u  larapi.  and  wbicb  > 

UnaTowt  of  1^  baixi*  i '  .U  u  viUi 


ML  -  aaarKvUfl 

■baaJH  bar*  bran  »«a4ri  r  Ul\^ 

m,  tka  LoH  b  oa  ar  litla.     N  .  *.!m« 


ilKn 


ifcaifia    of  Luaal,  acaiact  " 
«rvaiWLard<m]j*t    Bui  J 
aa  oayarfaity  of  ■bowriag  Lu  ^. 
W  had  is  Um  |r«mt>ai  of  OuL 
pomi-iM  ara  int^  U  U  but  roaMM. 
•vc  aool  Ood  Mjs  **  b< 

witk  Ik     Tua'-  >;  him  u  <^' 

Kia^    Hoar  i.  id  likr  v   . 

Wilhaf  to  lrfc>  *uu«l  like  l"«.>b  aiu  >-4u<*. 

vtlHm  Id  Uik  Tb«7  >ar.  **  li  1'  n  u> 

Mvad.*     To  a  i^  aU<ui  oim.  ■ 


wb<««  .-k  •-«■«•   or    ^ 

•7.  -  fti 


r,  U    •• 

OodMiiur^ 

Barrovd 

Utajrac 


lokiapaL 


won.    »  <•  -«.     W«  c» 

w  afv  twi  uuuig  ai*  wutk.     Ab  1  »«  ouiiiwi  ik>  kis  vork  J  <■ 

OB  bM  pfOQUaBB> 

IL  Caawn*'  .  ,    . 

rovaa.     !■>  v 
ka>i  mati> 
•bob  b.  . 

Cburrb.  war   L\  ■ 
ibr  sirauctL  •. 


an  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS,      [oh.  xm.  1—25. 

the  little  companies  of  Cliristians  who  surviyed  the  massacre  met  for  worship  in  secret, 
in  dens  and  caves  of  the  mountains,  and  were  in  cc  nstant  danger  of  their  lives.  Yet  in 
that  large  island  to-day  there  is  a  Christian  population  of  nearly  three  hundred  thousand, 
the  idols  have  been  publicly  burned,  and  the  Christian  religion  is  publicly  recognized 
by  the  state.  What  hath  God  wrought !  Think  of  the  work  which  Dr.  Moffat  accom- 
plished among  the  degraded  tribes  of  South  Africa,  not  so  many  years  ago.  The  con- 
version of  Africaner,  the  Hottentot  chief,  under  his  ministry,  is  well  known.  Every 
one  warned  Moflfat  against  him  as  a  man  who  was  a  terror  to  the  whole  neighbourhood. 
But  MofiFat  thought  he  was  just  the  man  to  go  to  with  the  gospel.  He  went,  and  wa« 
the  means  of  leading  the  savage  chief  lo  Christ,  and  "  Africaner's  changed  life  con- 
Tinced  many,  who  had  never  believed  in  them  before,  of  the  efficacy  of  Christian 
missions."  Think  of  the  progress  of  Christianity  in  Japan,  in  India,  in  China.  The 
following  testimony  was  recently  borne  to  mission  work  in  China  in  his  report  to  the 
Foreign  Office  by  the  late  British  Consul  at  Newchwaug.  He  says,  "  The  labours  of 
the  missionaries  indirectly  benefit  our  merchants,  manufacturers,  and  artisans.  I 
further  believe  that,  partly  owing  to  the  Christian  principles  disseminated  by  the 
missionaries,  the  tone  of  morality  among  the  Chinese  people  has  during  the  last  twenty 
years  perceptibly  attained  a  hi.;her  platf  inn."  The  Kev.  William  Swanson,  a  veteran 
missionary,  and  lately  moderator  of  the  English  Presbyterian  Church,  states  that  when 
he  went  to  China  twenty-six  years  ago  there  were  only  five  small  churches  at  the  treaty 
ports.  Now,  in  going  from  Canton  to  Shanghai,  and  travelling  twenty  or  twenty-five 
miles  a  day,  he  could  sleep  every  night,  with  one  or  two  exceptions,  in  a  village  having 
•  Christian  church.  The  first  time  Charles  Darwin  visited  the  island  of  Tierra  del 
Fuego,  he  said  that  the  people  there  were  irreclaimable.  He  saw  four  Christian 
Fue>rians  at  a  meeting  in  England,  and  was  so  impressed  by  what  he  heard  of  the  work 
of  the  missionaries  that  he  became  an  annual  subscriber  to  the  funds  of  the  Missionary 
Society,  and  said  he  should  feel  proud  if  the  committee  would  think  fit  to  elect  him 
one  of  its  honorary  memliers.  When  we  think  of  these  things,  of  the  wonderful  work 
done  in  tiie  Soutli  Sea  Islands,  and  of  the  many  nations  where  heathenism  i>as  yiehled 
to  the  preaching  of  the  cross,  surely  we  may  well  say,  "  What  hath  God  wrought!  " 
To-day,  just  as  in  St.  Paul's  day,  the  gospel  is  "  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to 
every  one  that  believeth."  If  we  doubt  the  power  of  the  gospel,  our  doubts  are  in  the 
f;U3e  of  overwhelming  and  irresistible  facts. 

IIL  The  bvil  uesults  of  this  want  of  faith.  This  want  of  faith  has  ill 
results  on  lile  and  practice  and  Christian  work.  Many  who  went  part  of  the  way  with 
Christ  turned  back  and  walked  no  more  with  him  because  of  their  want  of  faiih.  It 
is  HO  still.  IVant  of  faith  leads  to  low  expectations  and  feeble  efforts.  True  faith  in 
Gixi'a  presence  and  jKJwer,  insiead  of  making  us  inactive  and  careless,  is  the  greatest 
htirnuhiH  to  activity.  It  rouses  uu  to  jiut  forth  all  our  energies.  It  ujakes  us  patient 
under  difficulties.  It  causes  us  to  persevere  even  when  we  see  no  immediate  result. 
Uow  many  a  i^<xk1  work  has  been  begun,  but  given  uj),  liocause  of  want  of  faith  I  This 
vxu  Ti'itrly  being  the  cnae  at  one  time  with  what  l<ns  since  j'roved  one  of  the  most  success- 
ful missions  to  (hit  heathen.  After  twelve  years'  labour  in  the  island  of  Tahiti,  in  the 
I'a/.-ific,  ih<-  misKioii  seemed  to  be  an  utter  failure.  All  but  one  of  the  missionaries  left  tlu 
South  ^ea  iBlands.  At  iiotiie  the  directors  of  the  London  M  issionary  Society  seriously  dih 
cnii.-e<l  tin-  abandoning  of  the  mission.  But  two  members  of  the  committee,  men  oi 
Htrong  faith  in  (iod  and  the  goH|i<!l,  htrcnuonsly  opjtosed  this,  and  pro|>oHed  a  season  ii 
•|>eclal  prayt  r  for  a  blehhin;^  on  its  work.  This  was  agreed  to;  letters  of  encoura^enien 
were  wriileii  U)  the  mlHsionnrieH  ;  and  wliih^  llm  sliip  lhatl)ore  these  letters  was  on  In 
w  «y  U>  Tahiti,  ano'hrr  ship  huh  hearing  to  J'Jti;/laiiil  the  rejected  idols  of  the  juiiple.  \\v\^ 
hw\  ihiN  hapi'C'ni'dV  home  of  the  miHHionuricH  wlio  had  loft  the  ishimi  were  led  iii 
•oine  way  to  n  turn.  One  morning  oik;  of  ihem  went  out  into  tho  fields  for  ineditatloii. 
wlirii  be  b'jnrd,  ^Mlh  a  thrill  of  jo\,  the  vuiio  of  a  native  raiswd  iti  prayer  t*)  Qtxl — th- 
fiTHi  tijkeii  that  their  t4>a(diiii^  hiul  h<-uu  ble^Hed  in  'i'ahiti.  Soon  they  ht^ard  of  olIiorN. 
A  Chriitian  Church  wim  form<d.  The  priestn  pulilidy  l>urnod  iliuir  idoln;  and  lhu« 
afUsr  a  nli;lit  o<  toil  of  xixtf  n  yi-ar-<,  tint  dawn  at  last  hroke  (hcu  'Uutllnos  of  I'lotestant 
MbaioiiH,  by  Kev.  John  Uolimin,  D.D.).  What  a  rebuke  to  the  weak  faith  uf  ihi^ 
dlr«ct«ini  wlio  hiui  |iru|M>M'<l  to  dmiidon  the  iniHsionl  \\  \\,ii  a  Iohhou  to  ever;  niiulHter 
ariil  BLuioriAry,  tu  aTwy  Sundtiy -•ch<H>l  t4ia<'hor,  V)  avory  Chrivli.iu  worker,  not  to  stay 


m  un.  l-IA.]      Tm  tlOOVD  BOOK  OF  THl  KnTOC 


Ai*' '-    '   pr<m  mJU*  cA«y  MM  rmt'li^a*^  UlMTf     -  n»  Ik^i  pmlk  tank  mk 
««0|«  ;  prcctova  Mad.  khAlt  <>u4b4kM  raoM  ac*!*  vtlh  r«i<4ria|.  hria(  af  kit 

tic .^uTCkftelM^ 

llw  «b(M  •rmoMr  of  Oud.     /' 


.  IL  L 


«       .i  l"     i»     JUr  I 


p  ^^^<«L     NuiM  trot  b«  has  ever  darod  lo  «j,  "  1  atu  the  RraurracU<  ti  fto  I 

t      ; 
11.  Ttvo  i]cn.i<BMnt  or  oood  > 

if  ll.  :.  ro  I.      Hit  t»..    h  .:i.»' 


.i*h  -'.cfcJ'. 

ti>  hm  inir 

. 

M     t-j    (j    • 

•    L= 

'.  .  be  a  I 

•  to 

>  .v>    n  »»  ug  woraa  a 

.  «J 

■*7  laal,  or  what  a&< 

Mid 

\.^   i_fL_7V  '-'k  "/ WidU.     "  In  tha  thraa  and  tw«iH««h.*  •It    Tba  Book 

•,  to  a  \tfi  ^  rveord  of  eriiu«,  and  of  erim«    f  tl.«  inoai  LaiiKMM  acMl 

..-{.arbiter  .\i\f  tUf  •tr'>-i!i   a    fi<OUwied  aff,   I    '    *''•■   i'-^  r»-i     %v<^. 

•  V  okaptar                                          '.wu 

t  'HIT   <ni»    a 


tike  trrrtjt 


J" 


jM  IM  bad   I-  \  and  oMfufi* 


274  THE  SECOND  LOOK  OF  THE  KINGS,      [oh.  xra.  1— 2B. 

ETen  the  most  useful  public  men,  and  the  most  popular  too,  cease  tu  attract  great 
public  attention  as  they  pass  into  years.  Often  they  become  as  "  dead  men  out  of 
sight,"  albeit  they  are  useful.  Though  all  men  have  to  die,  death  is  not  the  same  to 
aU  men.  It  has  a  widely  dififerent  significance  to  different  men.  To  the  good  man  it 
is  life  breaking  through  exuviae  and  taking  wing  to  revel  in  a  sunny  universe.  It  ii 
the  "  mortal  putting  on  immortality." 

IL  A  WICKED  MAN  BEGRETTiKG  THE  EVENT.  **  And  Joash  the  King  of  Israel  came 
down  unto  him,  and  wept  over  his  face,  and  said,  0  my  father,  my  father  1 "  Why  did 
he  weep  ?  Not  because  he  had  any  sympathy  with  the  character  of  the  departing 
man.  His  moral  sympathies  were  in  antagonism  to  those  of  the  prophet.  Not  because 
he  felt  that  the  prophet  himself  would  suffer  loss.  He  was  not  thinking  of  the  prophet's 
gaining  or  losing  by  death.  Not  because  he  knew  that  the  event  would  be  a  loss  to 
the  living  in  general.  He  cared  nothing  for  his  race,  not  he ;  but  because  he  knew  that 
the  prophet  was  the  "  chariot  of  Israel,  and  the  horsemen  thereof."  His  ch;u:iot8  and 
horsemen  were  gone,  and  Elisha  was  his  only  hope. 

HI.    A   GOOD   MAN   LEAVING  THE  WORLD  INTERESTED  IN  POSTERITY.      EUsha,  though 

dying,  still  took  an  interest  in  the  future  of  his  country.  "  Elisha  said  mito  him. 
Take  bow  and  airows.  And  he  took  unto  him  how  and  arrows,"  etc.  (vers.  15 — 19), 
Elisha  seems  to  have  been  touched  by  the  king's  tears ;  and  he  held  out  the  hope  that 
he  wuuld  yet  become  victorious  over  the  Syrians.  The  symbolic  action  which  the 
prophet  recommended,  putting  his  hand  upon  the  bow,  opening  the  window,  shooting 
the  arrow,  smiting  the  ground,  does  not,  I  think,  necessarily  mean  that  the  prophet 
approved  of  the  future  wars  of  the  king,  but  merely  indicated  the  fact.  He  foretold 
his  success ;  for,  in  three  campaigns  against  the  Syrians,  he  recovered  the  cities  which 
they  had  taken  from  his  father.  He  was  also  successful  in  the  war  with  Amaziah 
Kino'  of  Judah.  But  the  point  worth  notice  is  the  interest  felt  in  the  future  by  the 
prophet  in  his  dying  hours.  Had  he  not  done  with  life  ?  Would  he  not  soon  be  in 
his  grave?  What  would  the  world  be  to  him  in  the  future?  An  interest  in  pustnity 
teeuis  to  be  an  instinct  in  humanity.  There  is  a  nerve  in  humanity  that  runs  through 
all  races  and  all  generations,  linking  men  together.  "  No  man  liveth  to  himself;"  all 
men  are  in  one.  The  more  moral  goodness  a  man  has  in  him  the  more  sensitive  this 
nerve  becomes.  Hence  the  best  men  in  all  ages  have  been  the  men  who  made  provision 
for  posterity. 

IV.    A   DEAD   MAN   EXKBTINO  A  WONDERFUL  INFLCENOB.      "It  Came  to  pass,  aS   they 

were  burying  a  uian,  that,  behold,  they  spied  a  baud  of  men;  and  they  cast  the  man 
ii  to  the  seiiulchre  of  Elisha :  and  when  the  man  was  let  down,  and  touched  the  bones 
of  Klisha,  he  revived,  and  stood  up  on  his  feet."  The  incident  which  takes  piaco  in 
his  grave  is  as  strange  as  it  is  significant  and  suggestive.  The  bearers  of  a  dead 
man,  struck  with  terror  at  the  approach  of  enemies,  instead  of  carrying  the  remains 
to  their  &\>]xnuttd  lesting-place,  pushed  tlum  into  the  sepulchre  where  slept  the  liouoa 
of  the  iliuHtriouB  Elisha.  No  snouer  did  the  corpse  touch  the  sacred  relics  of  the  great 
•eor  than  it  quivered  witli  life,  and  the  dead  man,  to  the  astonishuicnL  of  all,  revived, 
and  hfjod  on  his  feet,  'i'his  miraculima  incident  was  designed  and  calculated  to  make 
a  wholesome  moral  imj)re.-Bi()n  on  the  mind  of  the  ago.  It  iiad  a  tendency  tn  domon- 
btrat*;  Uj  all  the  Disinily  of  the  j)rophet'B  mission,  to  show  the  honour  with  wliich 
the  Paternal  tna'H  the  Imly  dead,  to  prove  the  existence  of  a  Power  superior  to  death, 
and  to  ffjrenhiidMW  ii  future  state.  Whilst  I  would  ut  all  times  btudit)UHly  iiuii'uvour 
to  avoid  the  iiiisiake  of  what  is  called  hpiiitualizin:;  (jod's  Word,  1  feel  thai  it  is  lawful 
to  \itu-.  im  incidfMil  like  tliin  as  an  illuHtration  of  Hjiiritual  rnilition.  'l'bi>  incident  which 
occurred  in  the  giavoof  KliHha  on  thin  occaHiKii,  vib.  the  doriviiig  of  lifo  by  oonUict 
with  the  holy  doid,  in,  in  the  maU^riiil  department  of  ihingH  to  which  it  hulongs, 
nubiiinely  ningular.  Such  an  ovont  as  tliiH,  |HTha|iH,  will  novi-r  oixur  again;  \ml  a 
thin::  aiialo;juuii  Uj  tluH  in  the  Hpirilual  domain  ih,  ihank  Clod,  of  fr«(|niiit  t)C(''.urr«'nc(\. 
Thii  df-ad  mindit  of  <arih  aru  coniilanil)  deriving  lilo  from  contact  with  iho  npirilual 
reuianm  of  ib<  dca<). — i).  T. 

Vfim.    1 — 7. —  InrarCt    huniiluition    under   Jrhaahaz.      Thn    atory    of  the    rnign   at 
Jiihoahnz,  .lohu'n  noti,  la  a  aiory  i>f  nnmiligal' <i  miHiortnno.      Wo  not4> — 

L  JkUUAUAX'a    ■viL    HMiun.      1.    Ths   dvumwitTii   utovmsiU   im  iva«L      With  ike 


«B.mLl— iL]      VBB  BnOKD  BOOK  OF  TUB  KIVQft  Ml 

■alluttiua  ol  AK«>  '•  booM.  tK*  pootfag  oat  of  BmL  Mkd  Um  MUbUahaMBl  of  Jaku  . 

ivMMj   Icrsr!  (.  1 1 V  :r<*  >  t.  «  rhinos  U  duUkf  w«U.     B«l  Jahu'a  raloraMif  mU  mam 
Sad  <■       *■  rm  vajrm.     Ilia  mm  kUuwmi  ikt  wm^  mmi  au 

•k*  Iw..  rt-  .a.     TbiM  Um  ^owavafd    aovMMBl  acMs 

hreUL     i.  r  uuua  r«6«lB  ba*  k«  b*  •fukatt,  *  U«  dM  iJMI 

14  Um  mam  r« 


:e,  (ran  flrM  to  Im4,  thma  U  but  (*•  o<  vbtjoi 
4  oar^ao/  mm.     Tba  (urvokjal   «a   o^  Ui  thaia 
lAogkd  Ukib  in  oUmt  Ma*— «m  Um  parprtwuioa  *4 
tbe  «ar»Mi  .ioa  •Ael*  Um  •prlttfi  of  aoralttj.  sod  ihu  hioUcHMM 

•^MMBt  '""r^  '^  wht4a  lifeaf  Um  aalioa.     It  vaa  tb«  gnad 

nalurma,  wm  o«tw  atiapikiow!. 


ILTm:::-.  .^  mgtr.    *•  TU Mf» of  Um  UW »aa  kladW 

■plait  bnaL*  cii  for  Um  paopla^  had  craaiad  ihmu  m  fanjw 


.T" 


•  "r*  ran-  okk,  aad  c*J.i. 

t  1<*^4^  ^  l».-ar. 

!  •Atty  it  WM  u 


...^j 


Judj. 


but  6 '  u>tl  un  thuuiaiid  fontman.     }                  r A|:iit  c^ 

1'  'he  oaii'Jli  WM  thua     '                                       .  al  . 

.f  ■  ia  the  fruit  uf  >ui '                                       .aa 

t  1,  **  8ar  y«  U>  tb«  rt       ou  >,  i:i  m  u  ruA^i   In 

^  . !  ii  kLJdi  ba  ill  witb  blia :  (ur  Um  reward  uf 

'■  •  ^   -"   x.^ -.  nx 

•AHAr's  rmATBB,  avd  m  AvawKm.     1.    71a  Maf^a  ^rayir.    Tba  varr 

ex  :   t!.r  )..:iirdoui  M^med  lIirrAttrMed.     Ha[)nilr,  tba  dea'.rrAir  •'.r^u  t<>  arhich 

ba  WM  reo  oualf  belurv  OuiL  tiac 

band*  of  a  .  .       ■      i.  ^  caUmitic*  wbk  U' 

JaboTah'a  a&gcr.  tic  luratxi  to  Jvbmmb  lor  bla  bal|L    Tba  cbaaUkr 

Ood  viaiu  iXiaD  for  tLeir  >ia»  are  deaigDad  to  break  thHr  prida  aftd  ;  > 

lead  tkam  to  rv^M^uuiOc     TLej  ofiea  kava  tkaaffrv  .dag  a  u  ^tv- 

■iaaiiim,  tboi^a  iLcjr  cauuui  uf  thamanlfai  ebaaga  i  ^  .      \^e  biv  •  ib 

Pbaraob  (Exu>i.  riii.  28)  aad  in  Abab  (1  Kiu^  xx-  ::7>.     2.  U  -^  u,  t^ 

mrmjfm.     A  p'a>ar  wranff  from  the  king,  not  by  the  eeoaa  of  h  ;  Ky  tiie 

■iolarabla  p^«»ura  of  ."  t  hare  bean  ti.  .  ••rr. 

Bm  tka  Lofd  ia  var.  loomaa  tba  Uii-  '•   aniu 

bi^       ?!•=    '  :    ruBi  ii.p  aa^^iiiaat  away,  bat  aec^a,  oy  g»»  ; /.  t      ?     '  :    ■ 

^-  :  «rfrct  daairaa  into  real  i  mianlanf     Afloaixlio^i.v,  •.      »  , 

ti4  tf<ru<.«i.A£  i'.  Lu<7  ibrooa  of  graoa  mrt  -^  ••  -  — seiooa  laapuoar.  •:  » 

MvfcMT  to  Ika  land,  aod  ultimatalj  raia»i  ika  paraoa  of  J  Lc 

kia  want  of  paraavaraaee,  would  bava  oum^  >^  .. -.V  ^  •  arad  tba  aatbx. 

Tba  work  wiJtok  ba  laft  uikdooa  vaa  •w^****^  by  bia  aoa,  Jarobo* 

akow*  bimarlf  ready  to  baar  iha  ci\t^  nvao  of  tJb»  w  c^i  ut  uma. 

ia  c«lUiiig  «jo  Uaa«ao  wbei.  .'  i«taoad  tw 

wbu  are  lad  to  call,  tboug  itfpdia,  t*j  ■  < 

turn  a!ir  »«•?.     Uta  pru;  o  ma  IB  tba  day  o<   '.  • 

ibaa*(V..  L  ISX    t.  Imf>  -     Tba  imperiecckn  .  ( 

la  aaa«  ta  tka  Im*  tkat  li**  »»«.  .p  u  tka  oalToa  waa  atill  mt^kuu^uaa ,  m.  r 

fnalaad  Ika  aymbol  of  Aaiarta  la  S«inah^    God'a  {Mnauaa  baviag  beaa  c  >       -m 

Doi  rarokad,  aad  tkara  waia  ocbar  rnaaMa  wky  ka  waa  wiiliag  tu  help  tka  ymjfU 

(?«.  tl>    B«i  tkaaa  alaa  la  klgb  plaeaa  wiw^  mb  afUrwania.^J.  O. 

TaOb  t— IA. — ^oaaA  maU  JRuW     Jrboakaa  nlgirl  far  eayaaiaaa  yaar*.  aad  wm 


876  Tin:   SECOND  COOK  OF  THE  KINGa       [ch.  xm.  1— 25., 


Bucceeded  by  hia  son  Jehoash,  or  Joash.    In  tliis  reign,  after  a  long  Interval,  Elisha 
•gain  appears. 

I.  Accession  of  Joash.  The  change  of  rulers  was  in  some  respects  a  gain  fot 
Israel.  Joash  was  a  man  of  better  disposition  than  his  father,  and  under  his  reign 
the  kin::!dom,  which  had  been  so  sorely  broken  down,  was  again  partially  built  up. 
But  he  still  adhered  to  the  cardinal  sin  of  the  nation — the  calf-worship — so  that  of  him 
also  the  formula  has  to  be  employed,  "  He  did  that  which  was  evil  in  the  sight  of  tlie 
Lord."  That  is,  notwithstanding  military  successes,  and  some  signs  of  respect  for  and 
attention  to  Elisha's  monitions,  things  slill  remained  on  a  fundamentally  false  basis 
in  the  kingdi^m.  So  Herod  feared  John  the  Baptist,  and  observed  him,  and,  when  he 
heard  him,  did  many  things,  and  heard  him  gladly,  yet  remained  a  bad  man  (Mark 
vi.  20).  God's  judgment  on  men  is  not  according  to  superficial  characteristics,  but 
according  to  the  fundamental  bent  of  their  minds. 

II.  Elisha  on  his  dkath-bed.  1.  Elisha's  sickness.  Elisha  by  this  time  was  a  very 
old  man.  He  was  Elijah's  attendant  in  the  reign  of  Ahab ;  he  was  a  prominent  figure 
in  the  reigns  of  Ahaziah  and  Jehoram;  he  gave  the  commission  to  Jehu  to  overtlirow 
the  incurably  corrupt  dj'nasty  of  Ahab,  and  lived  through  the  twenty-tight  years  of 
tiiat  king's  reign ;  he  witnessed  the  troubles  of  the  reign  of  Jehoahaz,  and  was  per- 
haps the  means  of  that  monarch  being  led  to  humble  himself  before  God;  now,  in 
Joa>h's  reign,  he  is  still  alive.  From  the  time  of  Jehu's  accession  he  seems  to  have 
taken  little  part  in  the  pohtical  life  of  the  nation  ;  at  least,  no  accounts  of  his  activity 
remain  to  us.  "^'hen  the  curtain  again  lifts  he  is  lying  on  his  death-bed.  It  was  not 
to  be  with  him  as  with  Elijah.  He  must  pay  the  common  debt  to  nature,  experience 
the  infirn-ities  of  age,  be  smitten  with  sickness,  and  succumb  to  death.  The  longest 
and  mo>t  usefid  life  thus  comes  to  its  close.  It  is  well  when,  on  a  doath-bed,  one  can 
look  back  on  a  life  which  has  been  spent  in  the  service  of  God.  2.  The  visit  of  Joash. 
T"  the  bedside  of  the  dying  Elisha  came  the  King  of  Israel,  apparently  drawn  thereto 
by  sincere  reverence  and  respect  for  the  aged  prophet.  He  came  to  him,  it  is  said,  and 
w.  pt,  saying,  "  0  my  father,  my  fatlier,  the  chariot  of  Israel,  and  the  hoi  semen  thereof  I" 
Th:8  laDgua<.'e  speaks  to  former  relations  of  intimacy  and  friendship  between  the  king 
and  prophet.  Pnbibly  Elisha  had  been  the  counsellor  of  his  youth,  and  had  guided 
and  encouraged  liim  in  his  duties  as  king.  It  is  to  be  remembered  also  that  the 
promised  deliverance  from  the  Syrians  was  not  yet  begun.  The  kin'j,dom  was  still 
in  himailiation  and  distress,  and  Joash  may  have  felt  as  if,  with  the  death  of  Elisha, 
the  last  sjiark  of  hope  for  the  nation  would  be  extinguished-  We  see  how,  in  the 
hour  of  extremity,  good  men  are  telt,  even  by  the  ungodly,  to  be  a  tower  of  strength 
to  the  htate.  Their  pres(  nee  and  prayers  are  its  truest  bulwark.  The  full  extout  of 
the  lo.-s  8UHtained  hy  their  removal  is  only  realized  when  they  are  taken  away.  We 
HPC  alK(j  h"W  ix)H«ihle  it  is  to  have  great  respect  for  God's  soivants,  to  appreciate  their 
worth  to  the  community,  and  to  weep  over  and  deeply  regret  their  loss,  and  yet  not 
do  the  tilings  thai  they  say.  Joash  shows  fairly  well  in  this  narrative,  but  hisconduct 
im  a  whole  is  Htiunpwl  as  "evil  in  the  Bi;.'ht  of  the  Lord." 

III.  Thk  akuow  ok  DEliivKUANCK.  Once  and  aiiain  had  mighty  deliverances  for 
Israel  bt.cii  announced  through  Klislia.  The  last  was  to  be  the  greateHt  of  all.  1.  The 
plf'lfff.  of 'I'Uvtraur^.  IJiising  liimself  tin  on  his  bod,  projilietic  (ire  gloaming  in  his 
ev'-,  Kii-'lia  \>w\<  the  young  arni  Htalwart  king  take  his  Imiw  ami  armw.s.  Joasli  did  as 
till-  jirophet  rei|uired,  not  yet  untiorstiuxling  hi.s  meaninj^,  but  no  doubt  forecasting 
norii<?  iMie"nr.i|.'in.r  nie.H..;i,,e.  IOHhIih  then  hatlo  him  [Hit  Ins  hand  up<in  his  how,  and 
phii  inn  hi>«  own  handt*  on  the  kind's,  toll  him  further  to  ojhjii  the  windt)w  east  waid, 
und  Hiioot.  ThiH  wrm  doni-.  'I'Ikmi  the  BymtK)lic  action  was  oxpluined.  Tiint  arrow  he 
liad  nhot  inUi  the  iiir  wuh  the  arrow  of  the  Ixird's  delivenmce,  iin  arrow  pledging  delivrr- 
■i(( »« from  th<'  yoke  of  Syria.  It  wan  shot  eiinlw  ihIh,  Imicjiohc  tiie  Syrian  rava;^',eH  were  coni- 
Diuhlv  from  tliRt  quarUir  (ch.  x.  '.\2,  'A'>\).  '1  bo  action  dwliireH :  (l)  1  hat  dijiveranee  iiv 
troubl'-  In  from  GmI  only.  Am  he  aiotin  can  give  it.  bo  ho  Ih  tho  truo  Source  from  wliich 
to  IK  ek  it.  (2)  God  <  iii|iloyi«  human  agencv  in  his  tloliveraneeM.  'I'he  Ixiw  and  armwii 
wr(!  th<!  Rjfiibolii  ef  thi'  linmun  InMtnunentalily.  JoaHli  hud  to  put  hiw  hnuilH  upon  (hn 
KiW.  It  wiiM  k«<  who  h\i>\  th<*  Jirrow.  It  wax  ho  who  wuh  to  Hinite  thi<  Syiiann,  Man 
kaM  hid  |«rt  riven  him  In  all  tl'^l'i  workw  of  delivoranco  on  earth.  (^)  Tho  liunian 
agwit  could  only  *uoo«ed  aji  ()<'d  nirrii^'ilieiio<l  him.     KIimIui  put  hiH  handii  ujnui  .loiuih'a. 


•L  sm.  1— Mk]       tm  nOOKD  BOOK  OF  THI   KlXOt.  m 

iWl  Um  |iu«r«r  IB  itila  t^ '      '  '  -im  fmn  (UA.     IIU  k»u4« 

»)k>"MMa«»if  «ff  Kv  !»>•  b«(».i-  r  Jatt>b*iO«*.  sit.  X4X    b 

k        ~;  ■  '.^  »u4  miOm 

J 
iJ 
u 
Tbc  )  •« 

•  iKil    ■      ■   ■  •• 

I..  ,,■. .  ,  ..'-7 

I'.p    I  ■.  ,  :.c  -   • 

I.  f..;.,   :.. 
t.'  h.-  .1  »  .r«ci«r^^  WAal 

utt*  caa  Mr  I .    rt    ;  .  !•  < 


iMTItt   (1)    Vr    V  »1   •  fr«M«iMl 


tu 

r 

.ad 

^    w. 

s'*  -'un 

<« 

^<o« 

• 

!^* 

»r» 

pi^«r»   fur    t.C.  r  .-     r                                             r«  uf  rkCtUTMM.      J( 

•mIj  ihrM  TtcUif  •  ^  Ui.eo.     Hfti  ha  Mkcd  for  mufr 

piM  BMff*.     Bad  A      .                              plrAdiof  fur  Saittm  vkaa  ha  o                           .i« 

gD»    •    >     '.     '  i  U 

•rror  1  • <• 

Oud  Ui  .     '     Mk 

tw  au  .  ^      ■ . .        - .     J  . .                                                •  ■  i ,     -. 


«  were  t  *• 

IbIo  E.        '  -  >ra   by  :    M                                                                             al 

L  Tax  aoub  iiA>  laid  is  uisanivE  '.   rroTod  to  U  io^Wd 

lUilD  4aatli,  awi  ki*  uurul  »  •r(>Ahr>s.     U« 

who  kad  bevo  ih«  mracM  «•  <••>«  m»ir  iIm 

laslru!'  '          '  be  uiiivefeal 

law.      1  it«  Ut  rvtWl 

W  U 

b 

at  -cT  •»■ 

a  u.     -ile 

(i 

"  aouD  Ma                                                              I  uk«a 

I.  ■»«••..                                                               I    .■•tia 


t:                                                         1  -  -' 

j                                          .  Ui  -if  .  W 

k  -   i      A  rait-  -■• 

!•  ardiL     It  u    nii  •  •  Uii  vMeh 


278 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [ch.  xiv.  1— 29, 


can  be  thus  rescued  from  oblivion — the  mere  bones  of  his  history ;  bnt  what  a  power  if 
in  them  1  So  of  a  man's  words.  The  fiagments  of  a  man's  speech  that  can  be  preserved 
in  any  collection  of  his  sayings  are  comparatively  few.  They  are  the  mere  bones  of 
his  speech.  But  they  quicken  souls  through  the  ages.  The  words  of  David,  of  St. 
Paul,  of  the  prophets,  touch  and  work  on  souls  to  the  present  hour.  The  world  is  the 
Hying  thing  it  is  because  of  the  influence  of  these  dead  men  in  it.     They  are 

*  The  dead  but  sceptred  sov'rans. 
Who  rule  our  spirits  from  their  iu*ns.*' 

3.  Tl)e  highest  life  ha$  come  out  of  death.  Jesus  said,  **  Except  a  com  of  wheat  fall 
into  the  ground  and  die,  it  abideth  alone,"  etc.  (John  xii.  24).  Elisha  communicated 
resurrection-power  without  himself  rising  from  the  dead ;  Christ  has  himself  risen, 
and  is  now  the  Principle  of  resurrection-life  to  others. — J.  O. 

Vers.  22 — 25. — JoasVs  victories.  We  have  in  the  closing  rerses  a  record  of  th* 
fulfilment  of  the  promise  given  through  Elisha.     Notice — 

I.  The  gbound  of  these  victories.  While  God  had  respect  to  the  prayer  of 
Jehoahaz,  there  was  a  deeper  ground  for  his  interposition  to  save  Israel.  He  was 
gracious  to  them,  and  had  compassion  on  them,  and  had  respect  to  them,  we  are  told, 
because  of  his  covenant  with  Abraham  and  Isaac  and  Jacob.  More  specifically,  we 
have  as  groimds :  1.  Love  to  the  fathers.  God  rememnored  Abraham  and  Isaac  and 
Jacob,  and  would  not  hastily  cast  off  their  posterity  (cf.  Deut.  iv.  37;  Eom.  xi.  28). 
Many  of  the  blessings  which  sinners  enjoy,  the  forbearance  God  shows  them,  etc.,  are 
due  to  the  prayers  of  godly  ancestors.  2.  Regard  for  his  own  promise.  God  had 
made  a  covenant  with  the  patriarchs,  and  had  promised  to  be  a  God  to  them,  and 
to  their  seed  after  them.  That  covenant  was  the  main  fact  in  the  history  of  Israel. 
It  underUes  and  governs  all  God's  dealings  with  them,  past,  present,  and  prospective. 
It  was  the  remembrance  of  this  covenant  which  led  to  the  deliverance  from  Egypt 
(Exotl.  iL  24,  25) ;  to  the  settlement  in  Canaan  (Deut.  ix.  3) ;  and  to  God's  patient 
deaUngs  with  the  nation  amidst  their  various  rebellions,  and  under  their  constant 
provixations.  God  saved  them,  not  for  their  righteousness'  sake,  but  for  his  own 
Name's  sake.  He  is  the  God  of  unchanging  faithfulness,  3.  Unwillingnei^s  to  destroy 
the  people.  God  casts  olf  none  hastily,  for  he  has  "  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  him  that 
dieth  "  (Ezek.  xviii.  3"2).  He  bears  long  with  men,  if  haply  they  will  repent.  Whore- 
fore  it  is  said,  "  Ho  would  not  destroy  them,  neither  cast  he  them  from  his  presence  as 
yet."  There  is  a  limit,  however,  to  Divine  forbearance.  The  time  came  when,  still 
remaining  imjienitent,  they  were  cast  away,  though  even  then  not  for  ever. 

II.  The  extknt  of  tuesb  victories.  They  amounted,  as  Elisha  had  predicted, 
only  to  throe.  Three  times  Joash  beat  the  King  of  Syria,  and  recovered  the  cities  of 
Iwrael  from  his  hand.  This  waa  a  great  "ain,  but  It  migi)t  so  easily  have  been  greater, 
had  Joahh  only  fulfillel  aright  the  conditions  of  success.  How  nmch  blessing  we  often 
deprive  our.M-lveh  ol  oy  our  own  unfaithfulness  and  shortcoiniugl  It  is  reason  for 
rejoicing  that  God  does  so  much  for  us ;  but  the  joy  must  etornally  b«  sliadod  by  regret 
when  we  rufloot  that  it  is  by  our  own  doings  that  far  more  is  not  duns. — J.  O. 


EXPOSITION. 


cn AFTER  xrv. 


Von  1 — 29. — Usioirs  or  Amaziaii,  (»ow  of 
JoAHK  Kino  or  JnDAii.  ovkk  Ji dam,  and  or 
Jkuoikiam,  m^h  or  JoAHii  Ki.NO  or  Ihkaei., 

OVCH    InHAKU 

ViT«.    1  -20.     Tub    IlKiriH    or   Amaziaii 

OTKH  Ji;i>AM.  'rhi*  r|iA|it4<r  tiiko*  up  th(< 
l.iK'/rrjr  of  UiA  kln^'lorn  ii(  Jmlnli  from  tlio 
•u(i  of  cb.  111.,  wiUt  wliiob  it  Is  oluuoly  ooii- 


nectod.  The  writer,  aflor  s  fow  Bnoh  gf»n«TnI 
runuirkfi  as  tliouo  witit  wliieli  he  coininonly 
opeiiH  tlio  lii.slory  of  each  roipfii  (vers.  1 — 4), 
}iir>cr(<ilH  to  ruhllo  (I)  llin  pillilHhllieiit  by 
Aiiiiiziiili  of  tlio  inurdi  rerB  of  Ioh  fiilhir  (yers. 
fi,  G);  (2)  tlio  wur  of  Anmzinli  witli  lOilom 
(vtir.  7);  (3'  tho  olmlleiif^o  wliioh  l>o  went 
to  Joiish  KiiiK  of  Inriiol,  tliiit  l(iii;<'H  ruply, 
nnil  tho  wfir  wliioh  f<i|]owo<i  (vofH.  8  10); 
anil    (4)    tho    oirouunttttuo*!*   of    Aiiiaiiali's 


flLliv.1-11.]       TUB  BHX>!n>  BOOK  OP  THl  KINO& 


It  I^M«   t*  tatiiryu— d  •  Mbmrr  rf  U« 
MtgB  «f  Kl&K  JoMh  of  JlkUll.  V  » 

mmm  tbM  •  r«|iKitk«  oT  rh    i  i. 

Mid  ^  UiOUfkl  bj  MMaj  lo  b«  •*  latatpol** 


▼«.  L— b  Ik*  MMai  7«ar  if  JmA  m« 
•r  JakMku  Uac  ar  UtmI  tMgwU  Amadak 
fhtmmut imAXiam  at  JUak,    Afaka  IW 

«^-  -  li  <M>cUv«L     U  '  --'    ■'  '-"^4 

tw  UuwM  IB  t  '.a 

•1  uf  JndAb  (  !^    i 

r.1     f    H»     )o«/« 

cspl»- 
•  t 

5  r 

k^fiii;.(  i>T»'  JUDO. 

Ver. 'J-H«u^  »(•  eld 

vkm  k«  befui  l«  riU^Xi,  &i^  re:^£U4l  tvaaty 
aad  b1b«  7**n  is  Jcrnaalea.  Jiaepbiu 
CA^  Ji«i^'  im-  ».  i  3)  an  1  th«  mUm*  oT 
OmniBlw  (1  Cbraa.  xiv.  l)  ousinB  tkan 

naBtlM-rB.      And   ku    n. ^   :  rr  •    tiaoM  wa*  J^ 

-    »  L«.eL)cmlla 

'•o,  atunt  eur- 

\mt.  t.— Aad  h«  dii  Uwt  whMi  »m  rifht 
ia  lb*  lif  ht  of  Om  Lord,  jH  Bot  Ilk*  I)«nd 
bufatbar.    ( 'ijlyooeKingof  JutlAbhithfltto, 

,     ,       *  ..»  .    t   ,        •-,1,     .<   -I,^  ..r^    ..     I      ..»,_-. I. .1 


•ud  Ai«mh  feU  •bott  in  muij  f  pacu. 
li*  «M  waatiaf  la  **«  peffBel  baut"  ft 
Cbioa.  SXT.  SX  ^  •  i^  intrntka  Is  do 

t  ;.-<•-  « > 1 1  •  ite  ^r*«  prmtd  mnd  toaalAU  (»•». 
>c  ••/  to  kdiiUirv  ia  kia  lalv 
.rvL.   XIV.  M>,  mud  ba  Jaaptid 
I  .  U  iba  naapbal  wbo  vm  tctd  to 

r.  k  .-  Bin  {i  ChNA.  UT.  16).  Tbouk 
I  ;  -  K  L  -fDod  kia^"  by  Um 
»  .  ::.  K  :.g«  Md  Clrwainlaa.  it  ia, 

*•  .1  «*(«,  w>iM  iiiwtaat.  vilk  •  dfatiaal 
Uiiiu^uoa  ibal,  *'**^"a^  haMw  iImm  mad 
ol  Li»  fttJUiMman,  ba  dU  mai  n^u  •  Lirb 
■tan  ianL     Ba  did  aaeordlaf  to  &.  *s 

J«Mb  hi*  iMlkml  iixA.      Tlten  11  !^  ( 

Oneotal  tijuartiula  in  tiiu  ai  ■.-         .  ^ 

■iiMt  km  oodanlaod  ia  ii>r  -  c 

UOa*.     Iba  twokiBir 
IMI    III     I     Md    bi^. 

llMir*   ia   tb«ir  lal^i^ 

JoMb    vitb   r«Bpaal  ••  J*b<>t»>l«   nuia   do 

pMmiUl  iti  Um    iroatutmeBi  ^f  thr  :  f    c/ 


'  oMaaad  th— Mal»w  la  pmifkita,  aad  traabad 
Ibrlr  r«Uilua  vilb 
aplr^rjr  afataal  ibaai  bf 
aM  ••««  aianiaaai  by 
Fanbor.  Locb  ••••  aaaMMMAy  la 
la  vtUtftaad  a  ^aff*  of  tbair  aapHal  aad 
bii«(bt  off  Ibair  mmaty  by  tka  — iiaad  r  w/ 
Um  graalor  mn  o^  lu  •c*ltbi.  l^adlaf  tLo 
traaMUM  oc  {!*«  taBi|4c  (n  <ap  ab.  BM.  It 
•  lUi  cb.  &iT.  14> 

Ver  4  -Eowb«a  tba  bl«b  pl—m 
aac  ukaa  away.  No  king  ?«ui«u«d  lo  i 
tb*  **  btcb  plaeca  '  antil  tlM  tta*  of  liaa»> 
kiaJi.  by  abooi  tboy  wwa  pat  daaa  (ab. 
t)  Bvaa  Aaa  dkl  aot  lamnf  tbc«« 
^  IV.  Mi  Tbov  vvra  wiwali  ol 
an  ubi  aaeaatial  vonbip  wbiab  w«at  baak 
to  tba  tiaM  ol  tba  jadr*.  aBd  *bkb  bad 
bcaa  eaaaivad  at  by  ^adfaa  aad  kiafi  aad 
pivipkria.  Leaal  faaUaf  waa  avaryvbofa  la 
tkair  Ckvav,  aiaoa  ibay  pwfidad  far  loaal 
aaada.  aad  aoablad  aaa  to  diapraaD  witb 
tbo  loag,  aad  ladiooa  jemrnej  to  tba  d^laaC 
Jaroaalaat.  As  yat  tba  p**9^  did  aaanJaa 
aad  baxBt  taaanii  oa  tka  kifk  plaaaoi  liho- 
lally.  mmm  tMwi$ttmf  aad  tai  mi»t  in»m»t ; 
U.  eoBlfaiaad  tka  ptaelka,  vkiek  Lad  «>M»a 
dowa  t»  '>■■'"  tmn.  t>.»^i>»t.  F'lainva  (Oa  tlka 
toovali'.  i^ract^aaatba 


Var.  J. — Aad  u  «aa*  to 
tba  kinfdoiB  vma  aonflrmad  la  bi« 
Joaab  bad  baoa  maidarvd  ia  J  email—  by 
ooaapiialon  (ak.  ziL  10).    A  tiaa  ol  boabla 
k...i  ...>. I. ......  ...;.-rveaad.    Tka cuaapiratan 

.  MO  (laMri»h  plai«J  a^ioa 
;:iay  bava  oppnwad  «aJ  d^ 
laj«>i  Li»  oMMtataoaL  But  tbeir  e€  rta 
paovad fraitlaaa.  Aflrradiae,  tbejoub^  ki-if 
«aa  iiiialliaMil  (Ulnallv,  ''■tTi<o,tb««r<J'*|^ 
ta  aaltlad  aad  aatabU^Mil  ia  bu  kiug  !«m.  «11 
OBpoaMoa  kaiac  avrtemao  or  drutg  •«*y. 
Tliia  aaaaa  la  a*  wbat  tb«  vnii««  Maaaa. 
Ha  aaaaot  iatood  a  ooaflfaiatiaa  by  a  furciifa 
auBMmin,  aiucb  tii*  pLrvav  uaol  mi^Li  lu^- 
port  (ck.  XV.  Itfx  ab«ia  b«  Um  giviMi  tto  lutii 
of  aay  aab^aetiaa  d  tba  kinylna  to  aaj 
farsifa  aewar,  ar  iad«ed  at  aay  aannm  at- 
taak  «■  Ita  iadapaadaaea.    Tkat  ba  iiav  kla 


at  &j> 


af  Joadb,  appaiaatly  doaatia 

-kta  aawloyaJ  in  bu  |jal»(v.  an-1   ara 

tkitaiara  taAwMrf  "aarvanu"  a..ao  i4  urn 

ITklak  kad   aiaia  tba  kis^  ki« 

la  tka  -koaaa  ol  MJku."  »  <r«  ha 

k      Tbay  -alav  bia  aa  bia   t>«d~ 

'  LivtL.  xxiv.  tft>. 

.  6.-BattbaakildTCaartk*radaNM 
ba  aiav  aat  It  waa  ihtt  oriiaary  aaafi  Im 
tka  EmtA  tot  tkc  aoaa  of  tf^bxa  to  abaia  tka 

tmUr  ot  titrU  tmihm*.      A  (i rrrjt   p«  I  aecit  m 

taf  aa  t<j  tmj  that  a  mtma  «aa  a  tool  m  u>  pal 

'     -ar,  aad  alluvad  Ike  aaa  la 

.  .«  bad  a 


280 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINQa       [ch.xiv.1— 2a 


Sons,  it  migbt  be  asanmed,  wonld  be  cog^ii- 
zant  of  their  father's  intention,  and  would 
so  be  accessories  before  the  fact.  And  the 
law  of  datm,  or  "  blood-feud,"  would  make  it 
dangerous  to  spare  them,  since  they  would 
be  bound  to  avenge  their  father's  death  on 
his  destroyer.  That  the  practice  prevailed 
among  the  Isrsielites  appears  from  Josh.  vii. 
24,  where  we  find  the  children  of  Achan 
involved  in  his  fate,  and  again  from  2  Kings 
ix.  26,  where  we  are  told  that  Naboth's  sous 
suflFtred  with  their  father.  But  it  was  con- 
trary to  an  express  command  of  the  Law,  as 
the  writer  goes  on  to  show.  According  unto 
that  which  is  written  in  the  book  of  the 
Law  of  Moses.  "The  book  of  the  Law  of 
Muses "  (ri2^D-nT,n  n?D)  may  be  either  the 
Pentateuch  ngarded  as  one  book,  or  Deu- 
teronomy, the  particular  "  book"  of  the  Pen- 
tateuch in  which  the  passage  occurs.  In 
either  case  the  j)assage  is  fatal  to  the  theory 
of  tlie  late  composition  of  Deuteronomy, 
which  is  her©  found  to  have  ruled  the  con- 
duct of  a  Jewish  king  a  hundred  and  fifty 
years  before  Jlanasscb,  two  hundred  before 
josiah.  and  two  hundred  and  eighty  before 
the  return  from  the  Cajitivity — the  dates 
assigned  to  Deuteronomy  by  recent  "  ad- 
vanced "  critics.  Wherein  the  Lord  com- 
manded, saying,  The  fathers  shall  not  be  pnt 
to  death  for  the  children,  nor  the  children 
be  pnt  to  death  for  the  fathers ;  but  every 
man  shall  be  pat  to  death  for  his  own  sin. 
As  uaiiul,  when  one  sacred  writer  quotes 
another,  the  quctation  is  not  exact.  ''  I5ut  " 
(D(<  V3)  IB  inserted  at  the  beginning  of  the 
final  clause,  and  tlie  form  of  the  verb  in  the 
buiue  claiiBe  is  m<<iiifi(>d.  It  seems  to  be 
iiitciidod  that  we  sliould  be  made  to  feel 
that  it  ia  the  sentiment  or  meaning  con- 
Vfcye<l,  and  not  the;  pliruseoiogy  in  which  it 
ia  wmpiK.d  up,  tiiat  is  of  imiwrtance. 

V«ir.  7. — He  slew  of  Edcm  in  the  valley  of 
salt  ten  thousand.  Edom  hail  revulted  frt)m 
Juiiiih  uml  rect)Vore<l  conij)U  to  inilf!|K'n(len<o 
in  ihi-  reign  of  Jelioruni,  alxnit  fifty  yours 
previoudly  (ch.  viii.  20).  Hince  that  tinio  the 
two  eountricii  ha<l  remained  at  jieiico.  Now, 
l.oweror,  AiiJiiziah  rew)lvi:il  u)i(in  a  great 
t-norl  to  rniu\'j\iu'"-ii^  tiiem.  A'cordin^'  to 
JoM  phiiB  ('  Ant  Jud.,'  ix.  U.  §  1  >  and  Oliro- 
nicli;H  ('2  (/'hron.  xxv.  !i),  ho  li)vie<l  an  nrniv 
of  400,000  men— IWO.OOO  JewH,  uii'l  100,000 
hiied  lnriieliUj* — with  which  lio  ninr'hcd 
riKaiiiNl  Ihii  thr<u  nulionMof  (he  Airiali  kiteH, 
the  MuMiBvinM,  and  the  (fiiliuliU-M.  If<'linke<i 
by  .1  proplml  for  wunt  of  hiith  in  calling  in 
III*  nid  thr*  wirkwl  lNrii>  lit«H,  he  roiiNenUMl 
to  di*<iniM  tlietn,  kiiil  iiiixlii  tii<t  InvuHion  ut 
tlie  lieud  of  hi*  own  Iroopn  only.  TheHO 
Wefi'  rurelnliy  or({uni/.ed  (2  (']\r>i\  ixr.  H), 
»rid  ainl  with  a  (cre«t  htirvera.  Ten  thoiiNttii'l 
of  hi*  trintiiira  Irll  in  l><itllr,  nnd  itn  i'(|iiitl 
liiiiiiltcr    wi^rii   mado  prit'in«r»       'llit^An   liial 


were  barbarously  pnt  to  death  by  being 
precipitated  from  the  top  of  a  rock  (2  Ohron. 
xxv.  12).  "  The  valley  of  salt,"  the  scene 
of  the  battle,  is  probably  identified  with  the 
sunken  plain,  now  called  Es  Sabhah,  at  the 
southern  extremity  of  the  Dead  Sea.  Tiiis 
is  "  a  large  flat  of  at  least  six  miles  by  ten, 
occasionally  flooded"  (Tristram),  but  dry  in 
the  summer-time.  It  is  full  of  salt  springs, 
and  is  bounded  on  the  west  and  north-west 
by  a  Ions:  lidge  of  pure  salt,  known  as  the 
Khasm  Usdum,  so  that  the  name  "valley 
of  salt"  would  be  very  appropriate.  And 
took  Selah  by  war.  Selah  with  the  article 
(has-Selah)  can  only  be  the  Idumssan  capi- 
tal, which  the  Greeks  called  Petra  (Jlerpa 
or  i]  TleTpa),  and  which  is  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  sites  in  the  world.  In  the  rocky 
mountains  wliich  form  the  eastern  boundary 
of  the  Arabah  or  sandj'  slope  reaching  from 
the  edge  of  the  Sabkah  to  the  Red  Sea, 
amid  clifiis  of  gorgeouB  colours,  pink  and 
crimson  aud  purple,  and  ravines  as  deep 
and  narrow  as  that  of  Pfeflfers,  partly  exca- 
vated in  the  rock,  partly  emplaced  upon  it, 
stood  the  Edomite  town,  difiScult  to  approach, 
still  more  diflBcult  to  capture,  more  like  tho 
home  of  a  colony  of  sea-gulls  than  that  of 
a  number  of  men.  Petra  is  graphically  de- 
scribed by  Dean  Stanley  ('  Sinai  and  Pales- 
tine,' pp.  88—92),  and  has  also  received 
notice  from  Robinson  (*  Researches,*  vol.  iL 
pp.  518  53S),  High  ton  ('  Dictionary  of  the 
feible,*  vol.  iii.  p.  1191),  and  others.  And 
called  the  name  of  it  Jokthoel ;  t.e.  '*  sub- 
dued bv  God."  Tho  name  took  no  perma- 
nent hold.  Selah  ia  still  "  Sela  "  in  Isaiah 
(xvi.  1),  Obadiah  (ver.  8),  and  Jeremiah 
(ilix.  IG).  It  is  known  only  as  "  I'eti-a  "  to 
tlie  Greeks  and  Romans.  Unto  this  day ; 
I.e.  to  the  time  of  the  writer  wiio  composed 
the  account  of  Araaziah's  reign  for  the 
•  Book  of  the  Kings,'  aud  whoso  words  the 
autlior  of  Kings  transcribes  hero  as  so  often 
elKOwhore. 

Ver.  S.^ — Then  Amariah  sent  messengori 
to  Jehoash,  tho  son  of  Jehoahaz  sou  of  Jehu, 
King  of  Isvacl,  anying.  Ania/.iali  had  a 
oiiuHo  of  ooniphiint  a;;ain8t  JihoaHJi,  or  ut 
any  rate  ugainnl.  bin  aiibjectH,  whieli  does 
not  nppour  in  th<>  imrrutive  of  Kings.  'I  ho 
author  of  Gliroiii<-htH  telis  iia  tliat,  when 
Ainn/iah  dlHiniH  i  d  his  iHrnolite  mnroonaricH 
tlioy  \v(5ro  oll'eniled,  and  vented  Ihi'ir  anget 
by  an  Inioaij  into  \\'\h  1.  riitorioH  (2  Chron. 
xxv.  I!<),  whert;  they  l<iMed  liireo  tliouHiml 
men  and  "  t>Kik  niiieh  KjHiil."  Tiiia  woh  ii 
clear  riimui  hrlli,  if  Ainuziah  ohoao  to  onn- 
aider  It  Hiirh.  Como,  lot  ua  look  one  another 
In  the  fnoA.  A  riwlo  ineH:  nge,  if  it  wiia 
iieliiiilly  roiiehed  in  th)<N(t  tefina.  Iliit  pnr- 
iiii|iH  the  wnli  r  HidiMi iliitiia  thft  rial  of  IIia 
nil  MMtK<*  f'T  tlie  hillgurtKe  in  whleli  it  wna 
wrn|>|M)d   up.      Joaephiia  hu))i  tlinl  Aiiiikxiaii 


«.  UY.  l-ta.]       TUK  HKOOND  BOOK  OF  TBK  KUfQH 


•  c  MHlMrKy   I  « '  -.at*  «A  ■<!/  i«— ■  f •> 

»  'T.>4«'«»    lit*     I    r  r«*    •«<•      r«M      UkM.   «•< 


tt) 


Wj      a  tug      .MUl 
ft     (    Ml.       (KrVW 


The  lui.t 

but   t») 

(M    Jtmryi.is*   miib.'Alii     j   . 

WM  thr  lufw  ■|»ttrr>d  «•  |p  IT 
Uoa.    TU«r*fM«  J«kAAak  K  ■ 

■p       "JomL,"  M  I  k 
f-T    th»    KtU^rV    of    ♦. 


<n   %in«tit 


fie 


ktre  <•  mnrh 

The  tt:f:<f 


«orid  MttI 
tMt  to 

a«  — 
-  -  -.■  Oll« 


>m  •cii   «i«   luK   utto'a   mm   «••  IS 

hi*  ("{Ml     Aad   tK«r*  p»ni 


vu 


UnA  i  ■■■!■>  K 

a»etk«ria  tk«  (»<« 
tD<  lit  (eocop  «er.  ^) 


»i  i 


lu 


AlO-SLrlli* 


aa  aorirni  ui« 


lb* 

«• 


-lu. 

01  aa 

TuL  lii.  n.  17) 

api  nsxeh  tr  ■■ 

BMjr  au-pvet  '. 

Uueof 

Uiioufr 

tta  ^\:  Ma*. 

(mbrt^  (n^    i   hia^rr:    Ui.  it> ;    &ttL  11^  Ut;  ST. 
40;  x*i   4     «.  tU:  ), 

Vor  IX— Aai  JaiakwaaMSMtkcvMW 
Wfor*  UtmI  ;  aai  tkty  tM  tvwr  aaa  I* 
tkdt  tMM;  <^  -  l«  Uaeiff  Wmm''^  («•  tW 
eoaimrst  om  eh  sill.  S>  Tbia  w«a  tlM  tm 
trial  of  ati«D|^  l«tv«m  the  t«o  &  ti<cMaf 
»l)i<-h    vr    kuvr    aaj     '  I| 

rv»ulu«l    la  the  c«]ai|>  <  -    tt 

lar.cl.     Tbrfr  wa»aftoCbcr  g:  c  tm 

tha  lima  i>f    I*.  k»b    aad     '  r-an 

'  ••    txl    •*«•    »Pt«   ■F-inrK    «^»«*   t 

&a4  likaaA   Dae  "f  1«mI 
took  Aaiawifc   Daf  of  Jaiftk.  U«  aoa   of 

-  Jtmt]  «aa 

<lMer«r>:  ixh 

a  MKllii«  |«'.ir  au  I  u.  u   [{<.<ti  irr   C<  I  '.       »mA 

««••«•  Itrmlcai.  aad  knka  4*vm  tka  waB 

cf     Jaraili         A'^ooffdii^    la     J<iMfc«^ 
■  wahawi  kia  pfiner    vHk  iaalfc 
ili*  ntei  of  Jan:»  '         s^aia 

k>    Liiu,  aad  bla    -■     ■     - 
to«B  .    aad  II   m^ 


282 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KDTGS.        fcH.  xiv.  1— 29. 


soon  as  the  Israelite  army  appeared  before 
the  place.  The  breach  in  the  wall  was 
therefore  not  the  result  of  siege  operationB, 
bnt  the  act  of  a  conqueror,  who  desired  to 
leave  his  enemy  as  defenceless  as  possible. 
From  the  gate  of  Ephraim ;  i.e.  the  main 
gate  in  the  northern  wall  of  the  city — tliat 
by  which  travellers  ordinarily  proceeded 
into  the  territory  of  the  tribe  of  Ephraim. 
In  later  times  it  seems  to  have  been  called 
indifferently  "  the  gate  of  Ephraim  "  (Xeh. 
viii.  16 ;  xii.  39)  and  "  the  gate  of  Ben- 
jamin" (Jer.  xxxvii  13;  Zech.  xiv.  10). 
The  great  north  road,  which  passed  through 
it,  led  across  the  Benjamite  into  the  Ephraira- 
ite  territory.  TJnto  the  comer  gate.  The 
"  comer  gate  "  is  generally  thought  to  have 
been  that  at  the  north-western  angle  of  the 
city  wall,  where  it  turned  southward,  but 
this  is  perhaps  doubtful.  The  exact  line 
of  the  city  wall  in  the  time  of  Amaziah 
is  exceedingly  uncertain.  Four  hundred 
cubits;  six  hundred  feet,  or  two  hundred 
yards.  This  seems  to  have  been  the  entire 
distance  between  the  two  gates.  As  there 
were  at  least  thirteen  gates  in  the  circuit  of 
the  walls  (Neh.  iii.  1—31;  xil.  31—39; 
Zech.  xiv.  10),  which  were  probably  not 
more  extensive  than  tho^e  of  the  present 
town  (3960  yards),  the  distance  of  two 
hundred  yards  between  one  gate  and  an- 
other W"uld  not  be  improbable,  the  average 
distance  being  about  three  hundred  yards. 

Ver.  14. — And  he  took  all  the  gold  and 
silver,  and  all  the  vessels  that  were  found 
in  the  house  of  the  Lord.  As  Jdasli  of 
Ju.lah  had,  fifteen  or  twenty  ycirs  pre- 
viuusly,  stript  tlie  temple  of  its  treasures 
to  buy  off  the  hostility  of  Hazael  (ch.  xii.  1>), 
there  cr)uld  not  have  been  at  this  time  very 
mm  h  for  Joash  of  Israel  to  lay  his- hands 
on.  Still,  wiiati-vcr  there  wa«  passed  into 
the  {>rjB8eB.iion  of  the  iHraelite  king.  And  in 
the  treasores  of  the  king's  house.  Neitlicr 
can  tliih  liave  amount  d  tf)  much,  unless  tho 
Ujoiy  tiken  from  Uuzael  after  his  defeats 
(ch.  xiv.  2.'))  w(iH  very  c^>n-id(rablo.  And 
hostages.  This  is  a  new  feature  in  the 
warfare  of  the  time;  but  hoHtngos  were 
((jven  and  taken  from  an  early  <iato  by  tlie 
rorHiiiriH  CXen., '  Cyrop.,'  iv.  U.  §  7  ;  Herod., 
vi.  \t'J),  th»)  CireekM,  und  the  Itranans. 

VerH  l.'),  1*5  Now  the  rest  of  tho  acts 
of  Jehoaih  which  ho  did,  and  his  might,  and 
Aowho  fought  with  Amaziah  Kin^;  of  Judah, 
ar«i  they  not  written  in  tho  buck  of  tho 
ehronlolei  of  tho  kinf,'N  of  iHraol  1  And 
J('boa«h  ilept  with  hiH  fathi^R,  and  was 
bari)-d  in  Hamaria  with  tho  kiti((H  of  laraol ; 
and  Jeroboam  hit  ion  roi^^ned  in  his  itoad. 
Th'-ao  vir)M-«  nro  re|><  nti  d  with  vi-ry  Hii.'lit 
alUtratlorm  fr-im  rh  liii  II,  \2  (!nri<inHlr, 
in  brdh  o<vA»ionii  limy  are  out  of  r-jnro.  It 
ilj    wortii    while   to    couiihIit    how 


they  came  into  the  text  at  this  point,  since 
no  explanation  could  be  more  than  a  con- 
jecture. In  point  of  fact,  they  are  redun- 
dant. 

Yer.  17. — And  Amaziah  the  son  of  Toash 
King  of  Judah  lived  afcer  the  death  of 
Jehoash  son  of  Jehoahaz  King  cf  Israel 
fifteen  years.  This  note  of  time  is  ba^ed  on 
ver.  2,  which  makes  Amaziah  begin  to  reign 
in  the  second  year  of  Joash  of  Israi  1,  and 
hold  the  throne  for  twenty-nine  years.  If 
he  really  began  to  reign  in  the  fourth  year 
of  Joash,  he  would  have  survived  him  only 
thirteen  years  (see  the  comment  on  ver.  2). 

Ver.  18. — And  the  rest  of  the  acts  of 
Amaziah — especially  the  circumstances  of 
his  war  with  Edom,  as  related  in  2  Chron. 
XXV.  5 — 13,  his  idolatry  (2  Chron  xxv.  14), 
and  the  rebuke  which  he  received  from  one 
of  God's  prophets  (2  Chron.  xxv.  15,  16)  in 
consequence  -are  they  not  written  in  the 
book  of  the  chronicles  of  tha  kings  of  Judah  t 

Ver.  19. — Now  they  made  a  conspiracy 
against  him  in  Jerusalem.  The  author  of 
Chronicles  connects  this  conspiracy  with 
4he  idolatry  of  which  Amaziah  was  guilty 
(2  Chron.  xxv.  27)  ;  but,  though  his  subjects 
may  have  been  oil'ended  by  his  religious 
clianges,  and  have  become  alienated  from 
him  in  consequence,  the  actual  conspirucy 
can  scarcely  have  been  prompted  by  an  act 
which  was  fifteen,  or  at  any  rate  thirteen, 
years  old.  It  is  more  likely  to  have  i<prung 
outof  di.-satisfaction  with  Amaziali'smilitary 
inaction  from  and  after  his  defeat  by  Joaalu 
Wliile  Jeroboam  II.  was  carrying  all  before 
him  in  the  nortli,  recovering  his  bonier, 
pushing  it  as  far  as  Hamath,  and  even 
exercising  a  suzerainty  over  Damascus  (vers. 
25,  2!S),  Amaziah  remained  passive,  cowed 
by  his  one  defeat,  and  took  no  advantage 
of  the  state  of  weakness  to  which  he  had 
reduced  Edom,  but  sat  with  folded  hands, 
doing  nothing.  The  conspirators  who  re- 
moved Amaziah,  an<l  plaoeil  his  son  Azariah, 
or  Uzziub,  upon  tho  throne,  may  be  credited 
witli  till)  wish  and  intention  to  bring  the 
period  of  inaction  to  an  end,  and  to  effect  in 
the  south  wiiat  Jorol)oam  was  effecting  in 
the  north.  It  iH  true  that  A/ariah  was  but 
sixteen  years  of  ago  (ver.  21  ;  CKimp.  2  Chron. 
XX vi.  1),  but  he  iii.iy  hnvo  given  indioiitinuH 
of  his  umhitioii  and  cii|)iicity.  Sixteen, 
nioroover,  iH  tiio  timo  of  nutidiood  in  tho 
JOast,  and  tiio  eon>|iir.itorH  hiid  ])nihHbly 
waited  until  A/.nriuh  was  Hixteon  in  order 
that  iuH  rK)ni|>eli'ncy  tu  reign  Hhonld  not  l*o 
diHpnled.  Ah  H<Mm  uh  b«t  wkh  on  llin  tbroiio 
be  initiated  lh«  warlike  jiolioy  which  Ihey 
ih-nired  (lie  «  vor.  22).  And  he  flod  lo  Lachiih. 
l.iiebiHli,  r>no  of  the  Noiilb  wimloni  .ludniiiti 
townn  (Jonh  xv.  .H'.t),  won  at  nil  tinicH  a 
forlreHH  of  ini|H>rtano(v  It  reniHtrHl  .limhnn 
(x.  li,  81),  und  wa«  takun  \>j  ■Uirta       It  waa 


XIT.  1     ?9.J        THR   SWX>ND   DOOR   Of  THE   KINOS. 


Ct   Ow .    ML    Vl       II    WM    t^ke^ftKl    M.a 


ktxiut 


-    '       -  -J 

OIL,'  U.  tl.  I  «>:  b«l 

itj   krvmffht    kla    m  ' 

Iks  fciirma.  «r.,trh  mu«t  i 

Vr>btMj  AmmMtmh  i 

ifht    lfU«>r    in    it  I 


I'Jiers  In  lK«  cujr  of  Darli  ;  ia 
•  Mtrra  Mil.  wbieh  L>«nd 

...  .u>. 


klm  k!a«  t&tiM4  W 

(■■ra    iLrCti      ■ 


Vrr*     •!.     ?•       Bim—WIIM    or    AtAHAB 

am  THE  Was  wttm  Bikml 

■  hit   nr-  lUUt  of  tii«  NigB 
•.ff  (Trrt.    1 — 7\ 

t  >-ireuiiMlaiieM  of 

to  OMOUoa  «l  MMW  Um  fiMi 

.!i'i  ■■eoowino.  tad  the  Ant 

im^orLaut  MA  of  Li«  rrign,  tha  roHBplkai 

c'f   »ar  ttiiL   I!  !..>iu.      Uo  thou  bi«aks  off 

luu  rpom  •■  •oeouBt 

on  m  wbo  «M  aa»> 

;•■•-  = 

▼«.  tl.—kad  an  th«  p«>pl«  of  Jidak 
took  Asanak.  Thi«  is  •  Dc«  exfiNaoion, 
and  iia(jlii«  •  new,  pn^ha|»  o  tuaaltuair, 
prit^crdiBX.  TlM|Ma|»^  SBeertttiB  ptofakbfv 
of  tb«  it>i<<BliaH  of  thi*  «oti^mtian^  and 
fearful  t' at  thof  aight  nt  DO  •  kin?  not  of 
tliti  Loom-  of  D«Tid,toQk  tbr  .trnt 

tA  iJ.e  rij\mi  pmImo,  sod  fts  .  •  aoa 

ofAiiAiKh  whotiMr  kis«ldu«i  c^  Xi  or  Dot, 
«e  ctuDoi  mj  -pcuoUiaMd  kuo  kiog  and 
fUn-l  lUM  aiua  Um  Uuoaa  Tho  autlM« 
«r  OniahlM  (S  Oknm.  xri.  i)  trtt^ 
jM*pkiu  io  artwit  WUek  «m  wmaa 
7«ar«  &11  TooQC  ecxtaittir,  ov^m  .cring 
t!i«l  Lit  f^thpT  VM  ttij-tviit  (•(«  «er.  :()^ 
l»ut  D  I  ut<<r«*»nl7  -  a  yovagw  auo,**  idno* 
Amvitol)'*  i«:..rr  ci.il  lii  lay  hav*  br«a 
daiifi.uan.  or  b«  in«f  k«v«  ■MtTJod  lata  la 
MCa.  U  ia  aoi  dovUad  Um  Maw^ah  *w 
llaa»kiak'a  r!l.«t  «>n.  yw*  ba  vaa  oaij 
ivalva   «Lc  h   •li««|  u  iha  aaaa 

'A    uAj-iuMC.     Aj 


ia 


4  U 


far  Ui' 
tkal  k 

aiaoa  i! 

••  Aaa/ah  "  1- 

•  I'MiaJi.--  !^ 
••  Itxtab**  i»  tUr  : 
rtof  foar  lifn««  In  i  ■. 

1  (^UlHilciar,  ttirrv    t  Uira   .u 

Hoi«a,  ot»««  tu  A  riKM,  and  oti'  ' 

•  l.a*   -Ai.r  «■■  "  '~  •  • 

(ri|;ht  liuMM  < 

Jua<-uboa  ttarc 

U)  ■*  UUiakjk*'   *i«A  aw  tiuM  £>4.   il«Uij««  iL 

8.9X 

Vrr  tl— Xa  k«Ilt  Elatk.  « 
la  JadAk.      On   the  prvtu. 
Elolh.  aud  iU  iin(«irt  k- 
OD  1  KiBfa  IL  16       It 
qoartara  of  Bolcxn-  <q'i  v. 
and  atrmia  of  JvhL«l  ei|4ukt'*  (1  K 
48:    t  Chruu.   u.    mi):    bat  h;^! 
aowan,   neoremd  by   the  1-  •  baa 

thaj  lovulled  (rh.  Tul   22)  .   ra 

oerupation  •retna  to  iM^plj  ui  u.r.it.i*  oa 
hu  ;«ft  '  f  rt-uoMiug  \U  old  Bad  Ifaa  tiwW. 
By  *  bu.it "  IB  thia  p«»-  ..-c  wc  uiiut  uimW* 
•land  "rabuilu"  ur  (n«    m  '.  i      (S) 

*«  fortifl'^1.''     Aftar  tkat  tha  lu  witk 

kit  flukara.  K<-il  u  [>r>  ^  .\  :.,  i  la 
BsderatandtaK  thu  to  iu>b(i  "i»-^'/MiWy 
aflar  ka  had  aanemlod  the  i)  r"'tc  '  ot  -  m 
aooa  m  a««r  kia  Catbar  »  »•  ii<  ^td  "  <  at^  tba 
cnaamaat  oa  tot.  Itti  II. •  furt  <-r  uniiiary 
•uoooaaaa  will  br  OL>utt-l.  mvI  lu  l-e  (x<auu<tat 
ou  lua  i«^(u»  aa  mkeUMad  la  tW  aait 
whaplar, 

Ytn.  tS — M.— Rnoa  or  Jianaof  tbi 

Bam  or  JoAm  otkb  ijaaaL.  Tkia  loiga, 
tha  moat  ioip  runt  of  (hna»  belflai^Bf  W>  Ika 
kincdoa  of  Urmcl  aiuca  tk^t  >./  AUaL.  u 
tlcaU^I  witk  git^l  brarity  by  thr  «niar. 
vkoaa  ialaivat  la  far  mut*  in  Jud^k  iLaa 
la  laraaL  Be»aa  fvrtm  odIt  arv  'lri'>u>l  w> 
kim.  Tka  raaaUof  hta  Wan  to  i:.«^b  aitk- 
oBt  aay  aeooaal  of  tba  •»<•  OirOMrltr*. 
the  grcl  faet  of  kto  ru..u^  owm 
oaly  aaaiiM  in  by  •  »  <t  ..f  a/w^ 
tkoafkl  (via.  ttX  The  ii»aal  f  ruula*  aaa 
Mlowad  la  lMvodam'<f  kia  r«ca  aad  4t^ 
U. 


Tat.  0  — b  dM  tftaaatk  tmu^  of 
Ikaawaf  JaaakKiaffaf  Ja4ak    lumiaamti 


284 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.       [oh.  xiv.  1—29. 


time  agrees  with  those  in  ch.  xiii.  10  and 
ch.  xiv.  1,  17,  but  not  with  that  in  ch.  xv. 
1  (see  tlie  comment  on  that  passage) — Jero- 
hoam  the  son  of  Joash  King  of  Israel  began 
to  reign  in  Samaria,  and  reigned  forty  and 
one  years.  Jotephus  says  "  forty  years." 
Many  moderns  (Thenius,  B'ahr,  and  others) 
extend  the  term  to  fifty-one  years.  Some 
suppose  that  Jeroboam  was  joint-king  with 
his  father  in  Amaziah's  third  year,  sole 
kiug  from  liis  fifteenth.  But  it  is  better  to 
acknowledge  the  general  confusion  of  the 
chronology,  and  to  regard  it  as  uncertain, 
imlesa  where  a  synchronism  is  distinctly 
made  out.  Such  assured  synchronisms  are 
the  following :  (1)  The  synchrouisin  of 
Ahab  with  Jehoshapliat ;  (2)  the  synchro- 
nism of  Jehoram,  Ahab's  son,  with  the 
same;  (3)  the  synchronism  of  Jehu's  first 
year  with  the  first  year  of  Athuliah ;  (4) 
the  synchronism  of  Amaziah  with  Joash 
of  Israel;  (5)  the  synchronism  of  Pekah 
with  Ahaz;  (6)  the  synchronism  of  Hoshea's 
last  year  with  Hezekiah's  sixth ;  (7)  the 
synchronism  of  Amaziah's  fourteenth  year 
with  Jeroboam  IL's  first,  being  twice  asserted 
in  two  distinct  forms  (vers.  17  and  23),  ia, 
at  any  rate,  highly  probable.  Numbers 
which  occur  once  only  in  ancient  writers 
can  seldom  be  implicitly  trusted,  since  the 
liability  uf  numbers  to  corruption  is  ex- 
tjessive. 

\  er.  24. —And  he  did  that  which  was  evil 
in  the  sight  of  the  Lord :  he  departed  not 
from  all  tha  sins  of  Jeroboam  the  son  of 
Nebat,  who  made  Israel  to  sin  (corap.  cli.  x. 
29  and  xiii.  2,  II,  wbcre  the  sanio  is  said  of 
Lis  fatlior,  grandfather,  and  great-grand- 
fallier).  Tlio  jud/incntH  which  had  fallen 
u|ioii  Jfhu  and  Jelioalin/.  on  accfjuut  of 
thine  sins  did  not  teach  anv  iessun  to  Joash 
or  JerolKHiin  II.  The  fatal  taint,  which  was 
cf)\ij<u\t&\  wit'i  the  Israelite  monarchy, 
or>ulii  never  be  purged  out,  but  clung  to  it 
to  the  end. 

V'ci  2.'). —He  restored  the  coast  of  Israel 
from  the  entering  in  of  Hamath.  By  "  tlio 
entering  in  of  liaiiiuth"  in  to  Ixt  underulofKl 
tln'  oji'  iiing  inl'i  Ihe  CoBle-Syriuii  vnlloy  s 
lilllc  north  uf  IJiuillxic,  where  the  ground 
)j<)/inn  to  Mlopf  iiorthwiirdH,  and  the  Htrouraa 
to  flow  in  till)  Hikine  din^stiori  to  furni  the 
Oro  \Um.  Haiiiiith  ilnitlf  wunbetwi  en  eii^hly 
ftiid  ninety  niihii  fnrtlior  to  tho  iiorih,  on 
tho  nii.lill-  Onmt.M.  ulK.ut  N.  lul.  :i..°  22'. 
'1'Ihi  "  I  hUtIii^  in  of  iiuniiith  "  wan  III  ways 
r«'<^l<(in)*d  thn  iiortliDni  Ixiundiiry  of  tiio 
Holy  jjind  (m.-o  N'lunb.  xsxiv.  8;  Joith. 
xiii.  Ti ;  Judg.  iii.  3;  1  KiiiRd  viii,  tifi).  It 
CTfrr' M|ion'l<'<l  with  thi<  wal<THlin  I  Ixilwi'i'ii 
the  ()r"nt4-M  and  tiio  Liluny.  Unto  the  soa 
of  Iho  plain.  The  "  m-a  of  the  ilain"  in 
nn-hai  Mi.illy  tlio  !>■  ml  H<>»,  "  tlpi  |.lain" 
(ha  Ariilxth)  iK-lng  UJK"*!  tm  n  nnrt  uf  propor 


name  for  the  lower  Jordan  valley,  like  £?• 
Ohor  at  the  present  day  (see  Deut.  iii.  17 ; 
Josh.  iii.  16;  xii.  3,  etc.).  The  territory 
recovered  no  doubt  included  all  the  trans- 
Jordanic  region  as  far  south  as  the  river 
Arnon ;  but  the  recovery  of  dominion  over 
Moab,  and  even  over  Ammon,  which  some 
have  seen  in  this  passage  (Ewald,  '  History 
of  Israel,'  vol.  iv.  p.  124),  is  scarcely  con- 
tained in  it.  According  to  the  word  of  the 
Lord  God  of  Israel,  which  he  spake  by  the 
hand  of  his  servant  Jonah,  the  son  of 
Amittai  (com p.  Jonah  i.  1).  Jonah's  date 
is  determined  by  this  passage.  He  was 
contemporary  with  Hosea  and  Amos,  and 
earlier  than  Micah.  His  prophecy  coueern- 
ing  Jeroboam  is  probably  assigned  to  the 
early  part  of  that  king's  reign.  The  prophet, 
which  was  of  Gath-hepher.  Gath-hepher  is 
mentioned  in  Joshua,  under  the  name  of 
Gittah-hepher,  as  a  city  of  Zebulon  (ch, 
xix.  13),  not  far  from  Mount  Tabor.  It  is 
conjeoturally  identified  with  El-Mi'»hhed 
north  of  Nazareth,  where  the  tomb  of  Jonah 
is  shown. 

Ver.  2G. — For  the  Lord  saw  the  affliction 
of  Israel,  that  it  was  very  bitter  (camp.  oh. 
xiii.  4,  23).  The  repetition  is  perhaps  to 
be  accounted  for  by  the  desire  of  tlie  writer 
to  explain  how  it  came  to  pass  that  no  great 
a  deliverance  was  granted  to  Israel  nnder 
a  king  who  maintained  the  worship  of  the 
calves.  Ho  views  it  ivs  the  consequence  of 
God's  infinite  compassion,  and  of  tiio  extreme 
bitterness  of  Israel's  sufferings  umlor  the 
Syrians  (eomp.  ch.  .xiii.  7  ami  Aueis  i.  H), 
For  there  was  not  any  shut  up,  nur  any  leit 
(see  the  comment  on  1  Kings  xiv.  10),  nor 
any  helper  for  IsraeL  Apart  from  Jehovah, 
Israel  liad  no  one  to  come  to  her  aid. 
Judah  would  not  help  her,  for  Judah  had 
just  Biiirored  ut  her  hands  (vers.  11 — 14); 
still  less  would  Philistiu,  or  Moab,  or 
Amnion,  who  were  her  constant  onomies. 
Her  isolation  rundorud  her  all  the  more  aa 
object  for  the  Divino  oonipassion. 

Ver.  27. — And  the  Lord  said  not  that  h« 
would  blot  out  the  name  of  Israel  from 
under  hoavon.  (^od's  deei.'^ion  un>lor  tlio 
ciri'UiiiHlanced  was  not,  as  it  well  uii.:ht 
huvo  lieen,  eonHidoring  I.srael's  ill  desort,  to 
hint  lint  forthwith  the  very  namo  of  Israel 
from  the  earth.  On  the  eontrary,  he  gavu 
till)  nation  u  broathiiig-Hpaen,  a  gleant  uf 
lii^hl,  Ik  seeoTid  HUiiiiiiiT  bi'fnro  Iho  winter 
Hilt  in  -li  furlhiir  op|M)rtuiiity  of  repi  nlin|; 
iiM<l  turning  to  him  with  all  their  hunrts  it 
thoy  woiilil  only  have  talum  advanlagu  uf 
it,  II  chaiioo  of  rn<lu(iiiiiiig  t.'io  |>mhI  uud  nv 
estalilinhing  lUeiiiHolveH  in  IiIh  favour,  lie 
Mii^'ht  well  havo  ileiilri<yHd  them  at  this 
tiuio  if  ho  liad  looked  mily  to  conMiileratioin 
ofjuHliee,  if  in  hiM  wrath  he  hud  not  thought 
ii|><>ii   iiiorivy.     But  ho  lavod  thorn;  i.;   b« 


tm,  uv.  1— ai.J        TUI  UDOOKD  BUOK   UK  TUB  KUli 


Uk«(rk  tlM.  ITX  Mi' <iM  by  JoMlk  Um 
•oa  of  AmIM^  (««  tt)  JtMiiMiiM  frooi 
tyrw.  Koxiry  «  MmU  lnwlaWb  aarf  ifMunp  • 
cw^  Uxif  i^wtw  lU  («*•  t^MB  dl  iLu 
kj  '.K«  k»a4  if  JwWfw  th*  MB  cf  Jo*«k 

fnr  J«r>bQMB  to  ffnaptr 

MtMw4»t  It,  I   iliiii  Ma  ■■rtiiit  gUM%m, 
amA  i:»t«  It  lu  ntd  4lMMMlaa& 

V«r.  tt-Bov  tk«  r««  af  lk«  Mti  if 
JiwbiiW.  aai  »U  Uut  k«  4id.  ia4  lot  MifhU 
k«  mtni,  uU  kow  b«  Hiitirii  D»- 
ItUiha«mc»tiid 


r\!a    iLir  .n    ii' 


l»0     J'puL-L,     ; 


.1,     1'..      a 
4>  .    (lit 


<<  lABi-Jofduaie 

•Ik  •00*0  anall 
>  «Uey,  abuut  tb* 
«  Bfid  LiUBj 
ibeN  dam  oa( 
iMtt  fbr  fiTlac 


••  I. Live 
-'    lis        •«        l'l<lt>- 

.  cui.,'.,  r.-d   11. 
I.     .;i.;  I:.  ■!   ;ti 


l«X  Um  fvh»  VM  «»-»  --  •  ■  ^» 

lu      Mb    kiu4    bI*  I. 

' )  -itm,'  f.  liSif,  •«<  u  •••  <«*• 

u  iMl«At  ta  Bc   7ia      At    U« 

iiKl«p<o<Wtii  kiikfvkiui  (IU4 . 

'        •      '     -       lu      C'WB      (»<•  ^fr^. 

.  ^     KhI  »»!  HUu 

;>. —   'I--.  -  . -lii,"  iwj«M»im  Tm^ 

M    i     KruiUVB.        B«»^<1      |irv>(«a««    |0     r»Ml 

n^ttS  npn,  -llun»tib  (jt  Z/Amh'  (aatk^  1 
C^ron.  *llL  5t  or  •!«•  lo  iM  o«ft  rmrr> 
•  Ui^'dtar.  Tlw  |*>M|p»  ifl  -JO*  of  gnmi 
difficult/  For  Iirftel  It  la  qaavUouAbU 
wbcTtkcf  Uii«  lucAUiug  flBD  b*  nhtoiiMfci  fnm 

Uta  prvarot  text,  muiek  ia  Sf?^-  ^^^ 
tluaka  UtAt  it  obq  ;  but  KwbU  raganla  Uia 
•liaac*  into  ^Ttr^  aa  mm  "af  MCMaltj.' 
Mifhl  wa  But  Bfuid  »]!•«'-  «< Tstiofi*  hj 
^aiply— -L  xawl  [>•. 

Uautath  U  "■'^   I*- 

IB<*1**7        AttMM'ig     lh<-tu     lu     Ut^ol     WM    B 

aort  of  rw**»-rM./    of  ili-m   to  JulAl^   tu 

vliiah  (t  '  <     i  aod  SuL4ou«t ) 

tbtj  hk  \r«   tkay   aot 

wxntaa  i~  ;^<i  iw^*  y;  ^«  ^ianitalM  «f  ika 
kingi  of  Itmal  1 

fik  bia 

f  •  .«♦ 

I.tti  U.  ..     i    1»- 

iBol;     I...  !.««««««, 

WafBWDlBl  i  klx^ratufa 


diftNDtqM*- 


grtnrfsl. 


tkBBtkHa 


JBl 


Ad." 


m  « 

hu  iatlMr  did."      Lika    hi*    imthar.   ha    »aa 

«  kr[it  lo  tha  woraUp  of  JchovaL.  ai.  i  "did  tb*t 

ra."  yat  not  with  any  aMl  or  aoarfy.    ▲itarararda 

Iltvu.  xxt.  14),  aad  «b«i  a  ofuokat  rabokad  bia 


HOMiumaL 

Tfta.  8,  4.— if /olWa  ai 
"  did  aocording  t4>  all   tkinga   bji 
LalMteartad.     la  kta  aarlkv  Tr«- 
«b  ch  »M  right  tai  tba  4f  <  I 

\*  irll  aarsT,  ialVDd«ead  U  urvu.  xxt.  U),  aad  «b«l  a  Bfuf4at 

(.••^  iiU  r«il  LX'urara,  an— r— a  Liui  «iib  •ouCi  aod  thwalaalay  (:  C^roa.  xxv.  15,  14X 
li.»  laiLrr  J<«wt  had  diaw  avMi  wofaa  aitar  tha  daalk  of  Jabotark.  Ila  bad  t>' t  uaij 
aaartinnad  tdoutnca  (1  Okfoft-  xxiv.  17.  18X  b«t  bad  kaid  tba  Mrvaat  of  Oud  wbe 
labakai  lb«B  prt  !•  iMik  (t  Ckraa.  xxiv.  SIX  Tkk.  kovavar.  ia  w«  batd  W  tte 
Mrrad  vtHv  to  \im  anj  JwaHfaaiioo  ar  ^«uaa  far  Amaiiak.  Tka  vmmmm  aia  aaailiiL 

1.  No  HAi  u  TO  M  oauJ»  HAarsi,  wen  Bvm  a  rATsaa  Ood  giraa  ■■»  Ib 
bia  Law  atxl  in  tiiair  eo— cuocii  a  atandard  of  rifhi.  whtcL  v  rs  ara  lu  foUow.  Ha 
aowkwa  bida  ikiB  taka  anj  aaa  bat  tiia  **  Oud-Maa  "  lur  |j^uar».     Ua 


286  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGa        [oh.  xrv.  1— 2a 

that  men  are,  all  of  them,  more  or  less  Imperfect.  He  requires  that  parents  shall  h« 
**  honoured,"  not  imitated. 

n.  The  evil  example  op  a  patheb  is  a  WARNrNO  to  sons,  which  bhould  lead 
TO  AVOIDA^-CE,  KOT  unTATiOK,  The  sight  of  a  drunken  father  should  disgust  sons 
with  drunkenness.  Blasphemous  and  violent  words  should  so  shock  them  as  to  suggest 
an  exactly  opposite  behaviour.  Looseness  of  morals  should  breed  in  them  a  determina- 
tion never  to  offend  in  a  way  so  absolutely  revolting.  Given  that  simplicity  which  is 
natural  to  youth,  and  every  fault  of  a  father  should  so  keenly  wound  and  vex  their 
souls  as  to  bend  them  in  the  exactly  contrary  direction.  Sin  is  so  ugly,  so  offensive, 
so  coarse,  that  in  another  it  naturally  disgusts  us ;  and  the  more  plainly  it  is  revealed, 
the  closer  it  is  brought  to  us,  the  more  are  we  naturally  provoked  and  angered  by  it. 

IIL  The  punishment  which  sik  dbaws  afteb  it  should  come  especially  homb 

TO  those   whose   homes   ABE   CURSED   WITH   IT,  AND   ACT   AS   A   DETERRENT.      Disease, 

decay,  the  loss  of  others'  respect,  the  severing  of  friendships,  general  dislike  and  aversion, 
in  some  cases  contempt,  dog  the  footsteps  of  sin,  and  mark  it  as  a  thing  to  be  avoided. 
Sons  are  naturally  sensiti\e  with  regard  to  their  fathers'  honour,  and  keen  to  mark 
whether  they  are  held  in  respect  or  no.  There  can  be  no  natural  deterrent  from  evil 
courses  stronger  than  the  perception  that  one  with  whom  we  are  bound  up  is  deterio- 
rating from  day  to  day,  not  merely  in  character,  but  in  reputation,  falling  in  men's 
esteem,  becoming  a  mark  for  their  scorn.  The  father's  fall  should  thus  not  produce  the 
son's,  bat  rather  stimulate  the  son  to  rise  to  greater  and  greater  heights  of  virtue. 

Vers.  5,  S.— 'A  father's  sins  not  to  he  visited  hy  the  civil  magistrate  on  his  children. 
Human  legislators  have  differed  greatly  in  their  judgments  upon  this  poiut.  In  the 
East,  and  in  early  times,  the  idea  was  generally  accepted  that  the  guilt  of  the  flither 
attached  to  all  his  descendants,  and  was  justly  visited  on  them.  "Lege  cantum  erat," 
says  Q.  Curtius  C^'t-  Alex.,'  vi.  11),  "  ut  propinqui  eorum,  qui  red  insidiati  essent,  cum 
ipsis  necarentur.  The  family  was  regarded  as  the  unit  of  society,  and  the  ci  ime  of 
one  member  tainted  the  whole  of  it.  What  the  Egyptian  practice  was  is  uncertain ; 
but  we  find  the  Israelites,  shortly  after  the  Exodus,  putting  to  death  the  whole  family 
of  Achan  on  account  of  their  father's  sin  (Josh.  vii.  24,  25),  and  the  usage  seems  to 
have  continued  long  afterwards  (ch.  ix.  26).  The  Greeks  and  Romans  adopted  a 
different  line  of  action.  Recognizing  the  separatcness  of  the  iuilividual,  they  never 
executed  a  family  en  masse,  but  only  the  guilty  member  or  members  of  it.  Yet,  in 
secondary  punishments,  the  contrary  idea  to  some  extent  prevailed.  At  Athena,  when 
the  sentence  on  a  man  was  degradation  from  his  rights  of  citizenship  (irj^/o),  the  ]>eii!ilty 
wa«  sharci  by  his  children.  A  similar  disability  attached  to  the  children  of  tliose  who 
were  executed.  So,  even  by  our  own  law,  attainder  and  forfeiture,  which  mainly  affect 
the  children,  are  attached  to  the  crime  of  treason,  and  the  property  of  felnns  escheiita 
to  the  Crown.  It  is  very  remarkalilo  that  the  Law  of  Moses  should  have  anticipated  the 
ultimate  judgment  of  the  human  conscience  ujion  the  point,  and  have  laid  down  so 
clearly  and  strongly  the  humane  principle  that  the  criminal  alone  should  be  punislied 
fir  bin  own  crime.  To  us  at  the  ])r(  ^cnt  day  the  principle  may  appear  axiomatic;  Imt 
at  the.  time  when  Moses  enunriali'(i  it,  the  contrary  idea  was  prevalent;  and  it  is 
doubtful  whetlier  the  broad  assertion,  **  Every  man  shall  be  piit  to  death  for  his  own 
HinH,"  had  ever  been  heard  previously.  Even  now,  though  in  the  letter  the  principle  is 
uuivernaily  aec  pt«d,  infraciioriH  of  its  spirit  are  comuKm  enough — 

I.  Hy  NATioNH.  Nations  infringe  it  when  tlicy  caslii'T  a  royal  family  for  the  fault, 
or  even  the  crime,  of  iho  roigning  Koven-ign.  In  an  hereditary  monarchy  the  hdu  jms 
a  rij^ht  to  Hucem-'l,  thou)^li  bin  father  iiiiiy  by  nnconstitiiiional  acts  have  justly  lorreitiii 
the  crown.  Still  moro  uiijuMt  in  th'-  |K'r|o.tual  exile  of  all  iIioho  wIiomo  aiiocstoi'H  have 
ev»rr  reigno'I  over  a  coui.lry.  Such  pTHonrt  are  punished,  not  bo  niueh  for  the  Bins  as 
for  the  innriU* — th"  wIh  loin,  prnweHH,  high  n-nnwn — of  their  forofalhoiH,  sineo  it  is  for 
lh«ir  nieritiH,  ordinarily,  that  ixTHonn  an-  lirMt  pla<ed  u|K)n  thronoa.      (!oiili^calion  of  the 

i(ru|>«Tty  of  exiiwi  [trirneH  Ih  mill  morn  indefensible,  Hiiiee  it  la  at  onco  unjuHl  and  mean. 
I  nmy  \m  ailded  that  forfeiture  nnd  atlaiiidor,  an  tlioy  cxint  In  our  own  law,  Heem  to  b« 
onntrary  t/>  th«  ipirit  of  the  rule,  which  Ih  that  no  onu  shuuld  bo  puuishod  lor  anything 

bill  hU  ()Wn  lu-tii. 

II.  Mr  iNUiTiDOAUk     InHividuaU  iifringo  tlU*  rule  whftn  they  maintain  a  family 


««.nT.  1— n.]       TnK  RBOOKD  TVy)K  OF  TRR   KlSQh, 


9mA,  twirfbrritu  to  Ut«  ehlMrM  t4 
hm^  li^wva  the 
Or  vtMtt  llMf  ( 

Ml  fcr  MtSCc  lk>'. 

ym  lM«<ldMrB«fk:  , 

Mid  mmtA  or  IkU  bj  bu  owa  acu. 

our  p»i'i:  atr  >  '  •  iu»  .   -»tITl  in  ff.  if 


L   . 

ti.. 

aad  mht^. 
•rtimatoti  t 

lea  qtiMT»l  wui. 
to  rtiir— ,  DO  b«<\i  \ 
ttrmij  iur  moc%     A: 

»«0riB0td  C  -'I'    ' 

B«  farfoC 

raUgioo,  A  . 

almjnt  •  tio — m  th  a  uat 

«  bui    :u^  Of  •«►.•_•    •TiV 

UL  Tua  uju- 
■MB  aislik«  •(> 
Mipla  time  lo  r< 
for  tbtt  enc^^w 


bj  «^  001  (Krf 


.  t  tow  Of  c 


U   Um  ta«,   "Kvaf/  MiAto 


/ii//."    Ant*«««l)S  «lMlki«ir>  u<f  tea 


Tho  ' 
Thi 


»houkl  br 


!>  iracLT.    la  r V  — 

«»hkb  b«  (c 
.  >^^4  ooa  aueroas  ^.^  -  -■ 
>  wa*  earalaM  bow 


_  ler   ,     oil      li.1'     C*.-liUiiXy,    i.C      AJt> 

peaoa  if  Amazub  Mould  have  let  liiin.     But  to  n  tx . 
bava  barn  uDploa»ant.    Tba  prida  wbkb  had  t^veu  t<i>^ 
fbrh«d«  it«  witii<'rairaL 

Li  aa  ea») 
«  '.  .  i»/mri  u  Lie  luMidooc  «■;  .  r^-;   ...  -e 

tuuubhiaptiaooaia  with  death  (var.  7X     ^ 
title,  DOC  a  kog  war  with  kllaroati-       ' 
irom  which  thefv  la  tw  reouvarj  avrt 
ha  hinuali  ia  a  priaooar  in  the  iianda  <^.  --^  -~   •..■   ■ 
oowo,  ha  tfaMUTM  eanied  uff.    Ha  ie  dlagraoHl  in  t: 
aa  t4  tha  oeif  bb^MiHaf  batiuoA,  and  theooaA«th  retiiA, 
^^•''■'nj:,  but,  huiuUad  ajMi  ounfooDdad,  **  dta  in  the  duak* 


Ulc  CI. 3, 

r> 

nr 

•*^ 

^1 

al 

.14 

to 

AUii 

-V      V 

# 

'no 

^«o 

•  ell 

B0MILIE8  BT  YA&IOUS  ACTUOKA. 

Terf.   1 — 4   with  7—30. — Oowtpromim   mmd   ill    «WM«7«ir««a.      Wa  rmA 

A-  .at  "be  did  ihst  which  tdfta  h^jht  in  ti>«  »i- 

i..  h«  dk  1  acci.>ro>ufr  to  all  iLia^  ae  Jo^t 

f  iooM  u^  (  ••c4  (oican  ait>Liy  he   t*.>i'le  did  •^r  l  r  >     : 

kigb  plaoea.'*     And  wa  roA  ■  2  Chrvfiiiclaa  that  "  be  diU  l' 

In  tbaiifbtof  tba  Lufd,  bui  i>ui  «i.u  •  prrfect   i.eart."     '! 

tha  MaiaoMnt  wbieb  wa  meat  with  »>  ^-tum,  that  '*  the 

awaj."  wa  b«mi  go  back  la  iba  •-■ 

Iaiml     At  that  UOM  tb«  inbat 

One  o/ ma  peouUartiiaa of  thatr .„,._. ,      _  . « 


rid 


288  THE  SECX)ND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [oh.  xiv.  1— 29. 

of  oaks,  planted  on  the  summit  of  the  hills.  In  these  ffrores  there  was  usually  placed 
a  shrine  with  an  image  of  their  deity,  just  as  we  see,  when  travelling  on  the  continent, 
shrines  of  the  blessed  Virgin,  or  shrines  with  a  crucifix,  by  the  roadside  and  on  tlie 
hill-tops.  The  custom  of  having  groves  of  oaks  for  religious  purposes  was  shared  by 
ilie  early  inhabitants  of  Britain,  and  the  Druids  derived  their  name  from  this  very 
practice.  In  these  groves  the  heathen  priests  sacrificed  and  burnt  incense  to  their  gmis. 
It  was  to  such  groves  that  the  name  of  "high  places"  was  given.  When  the  Israelites 
were  about  to  enter  Canaan,  God  foresaw  the  temptation  to  which  they  would  be 
exposed  from  the  idolatry  of  the  heathen  inhabitants  and  of  the  neighbouring  nations. 
He  therefore  charged  them  not  only  to  drive  out  the  heathen  nations  from  Canaan,  but 
also  to  utterly  destroy  their  high  places,  to  overthrow  their  altars,  and  break  tlioir 
graven  images,  and  burn  their  groves  with  fire  (Deut.  xii.  2,  3).  This  command  was 
repeated  over  and  over  again.  But,  notwithstanding  this,  the  high  places  were  never 
utterly  abolished.  Time  after  time  during  the  period  of  the  judges,  the  people  set 
up  a  worship  in  the  high  places,  which,  though  nominally  that  of  Jehovah,  was  tinged 
with  idolatrous  practices.  It  was  much  the  same  under  the  kinga  Now  and  then 
some  courageous.  God-fearing,  whole-hearted  king  made  a  clean  sweep  of  the  high 
places.  But  the  old  habit  was  continually  revived,  and  so  in  one  reign  after  another 
we  read  the  policy  of  compromise,  "  The  high  places  were  not  taken  away."  And  when' 
ever  that  was  the  case,  we  find  it  had  evil  results.  It  was  so  in  the  time  of  Solomon 
himself.  It  was  so  in  the  time  of  the  two  kings  who  succeeded  him  over  the  divided 
kingdom — Eehoboam  and  Jeroboam.   It  was  so  in  the  case  of  Amaziah  now  before  us. 

I.    AmAZIAH's  C0MPB0MI8E  PREPARED   THE  WAY    FOB   POSITIVE   SIN.      The  high   plaCCS 

in  themselves  were  not  necessarily  places  of  idolatry.  There  is  no  doubt  that  sincere 
worship  to  the  true  God  was  often  ofl'ertd  up  in  them.  Thus  we  find  Solomon  sacri- 
ficing to  the  Lord  in  Giheon,  which  was  the  great  high  place.  But  the  associations  of 
these  places  were  entirely  idolatrous.  From  time  immemorial  they  had  been  associated 
witii  the  worship  of  the  heathen  gods.  It  was  for  this  reason  that  Gud  forbade  the 
Use  of  them.  It  was  necessary  to  make  the  wall  of  separation  between  his  people  and 
ihe  heathen  as  wide  as  possible — to  teach  them  that  they  could  not  serve  God  and  Baal, 
that  there  could  be  no  comjiromise  between  right  and  wrong  without  danger  to  the 
light.  The  results  showed  the  wisdom  and  necessity  of  God's  strict  command.  The 
natural  tendency  of  the  huinau  heart  is  to  worsiiip  what  is  seen,  to  look  at  the  outward 
bymbol  rather  than  at  the  thing  signified.  This  was  just  what  happened  in  Amaziah's 
case.  He  di<l  not  see  that  there  was  any  harm  in  preserving  the  high  places.  Might 
not  God  be  worshipped  there  as  well  as  in  Jerusalem  ?  And  so  he  made  the  com- 
promise :  "  The  high  places  were  not  taken  away."  But  look  at  the  result.  "  Now  it 
came  to  nass,  after  that  Amaziah  was  come  from  the  slaughter  of  the  Kdomites,  that 
he  brought  the  gods  of  the  chiklreii  of  Seir,  and  set  them  up  to  he  his  gods,  and  bowed 
down  himself  before  them,  and  burned  incense  unto  them  "  (2  Chrun.  xxv.  11).  What 
a  falling  off  was  tie  e  1  This  is  that  Amaziah  who  began  his  career  by  doing  right 
in  ti.e  sight  of  the  Lurd,  now  stu|iidly  bowing  down  before  tlie  lifeless  idols  of  the 
Itcithcn!  lie  con<pieied  the  liealhcn  in  one  souse,  but  the  heathen  conquered  him  in 
another  and  more  dangerous  Heuse.  Has  it  not  been  the  same  in  the  history  of  the 
Christian  Church  V  The  early  Christian  Church  was  siniple  in  its  worsiiip  and  its 
govoruinuut;  its  moniburH  were  Himi)Uj  in  tlieir  iiabiis  and  pure  in  their  lives.  Rut 
when  it  Ijcc-imo  |Kjwurlul  ai  lldine,  and  in  a  senso  cajitured  pagan  Uoine,  its  very  |miw.  r 
wan  itH  dangur.  'J'hcru  was  a  house  in  whi(-h  the  paganism  of  Rnme  ciptured  iho 
•>uitplicily  of  thu  g<>H{)ol.  Ah  Motinint  Ikuok  has  ho  fully  shown  in  tiiat  interesting 
\)M>ik  o(  biN  on  '  Kome  :  I'agau  aii>l  Papal,'  and  as  Oibbon  and  other  liislorianH  havu 
Ix'int'tl  out,  (JhriHtianity,  in  Kume  at  irast,  made  a  compromiso  with  paganism.  And 
the  compfomiHC  w.ih  anything  bnl  an  advantage  to  the  Chrintian  religion.  The  ill 
cfr<«tH  of  it  rcn.ain  to  this  day  in  the  imagoK  and  pilgnnnkgcH,  and  the  many 
oth'T  HU|)erNtitiMri  1  wliieh  (lefiu:e  the  Roman  Iminch  c.f  tho  ('liriHtian  (/hnrch. 
Buch  facin  of  history  carry  wilh  tlirm  n  m«m<>niblo  hmnoM.  'I'Idi  Christian  ('hurch 
OK^ht  ever  to  kt-vp  in  mind  ilui  Hpiritual  nliicctH  for  which  it  oxints.  Il  ouglit, 
thfiifitri'.,  to  f^uiTii  moNt  Kru|iiiloM><ly  thn  Hpiriinallly  and  m'ripluralily  of  itn  wor- 
»hi[i.  "  (hni  iH  a  Spirit,  nnd  thi^y  I  hat  wornhip  him  muit  worhhip  him  in  npirit  and 
iti  trutk."     It  ought  to  guard  alHo  the  spirit itality  ami  scriplurulity  of  its  doclrino, 


«■.  &!▼.  I— W.)      THK  gBOOHD  BOOK  OF  TEM  WTKOL 


tit 


m4  tmA  mm  lo  to«<  m(  10  awwiiwi  or  ti»!  i'^mmm  fer  ilMir  MBif*MM  vtili  0«< 
Nrt  i»tK«  mcrk  utA  B*«r<u  of  J«mm  Ckhu.  U.^  ^ibly  Moauior  bHwMa  (M  and  mM. 
TIm  oottBliiM  of  tk»  tLdvtvulUm  •!«  bm/KmI  uuI  ftiuuAC  (^  aattoM  of  i  ttmfm  far 


oa  I 

tb«  eon 
downfall 
II.  Am 
MrMtftli  i 
of  •eUBf  Uiub  c«iU 
oaniid  UmI  •ffni 

feUo««d 
In  t  •tot 

IMA.      ll 
lO<^V    OlUiit;    >i 

thee;  k*  the 

bar-.  '        \    h^m 

off 

«bk^  1 
LoitlU* 

•Ml   •«».« 

erdocW  r  ^ 

fwnoBit^ 
Uiis"!    • 

tb«  vorl 

1«« 


cbanclar. 


: : .    -<■  ?    ixixr    t  ■ 


pctioiUA  vtih  tta,  or 

hut  0^   IjurJii  j»   - 


•I*  t 

OB  iIm  Lur\i'»  «i«J  M  «.: 
war*  ABxkMM  to  bavo  Dt.< 
to  Um  owbw*.  prajing  : 

the   '  '.h    Um  uu 

wrfr  i.»h«d,  lor 

to  keic|j  iXiCi  r   Okbilif  •^c*.- 
doing  10  would  ma  iho  r 
WM  ^«loUj  ood  pnyorf 
to  obaj  Oud  rmthor  ih* 
bfcntrf  witk  hte  fDV. 
wyofi  OKldfod,  W  ma 
^iic\.Artil^t  hiiu.   &&d  aa 
D.l  »t  »»•  at 

far  '.   '  &      s^iiug  U/ 


tif  Uud. 

''ti^c'   w^/rr  //mIM  M.i't 


H'«  may  6*  ( 

1;.    .:.  ,..>•■ 


290  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.       [oh.  xiv.  1— 29. 

different  resseV  earnings  during  the  year.  At  last  he  stopped,  and  pnt  down  the  paper. 
•*  Oh,  but,  sir,"  exclaimed  several  skippers,  "  you  haven't  read  what  So-and-so  made," 
referring  to  the  skipper  who  had  fished  seven  days  a  week.  "  Why,  what  is  that  to 
you  f  I've  read  what  you've  made :  doesn't  that  satisfy  you  ?  "  **  Why,  no,  sir, 
because,  don't  you  see,  he's  fished  every  Sunday,  while  we've  kept  our  trawls  on  board." 
"  Well,  well,"  muttered  the  owner,  "  I  suppose  it's  sure  to  come  out,  so  I  may  as  well 
tell  you.  He's  at  the  bottom  of  the  list."  The  man  who  related  this  story  added 
reverently,  "Them  that  honour  me  I  will  honour,  but  they  that  despise  me  shall  be 
lightly  esteemed."  Those  men  showed  true  faithfulness.  They  would  have  no 
compromise.  Cost  what  it  might,  they  would  obey  the  command  of  God,  "  Remember 
the  sabbath  day,  to  keep  it  holj\"  And  he  who  gave  the  commnnd  honoured  and 
rewarded  them  for  their  observance  of  it.  He  prospered  their  industry  on  the  six  days 
of  the  week  more  than  the  industry  of  the  man  who  laboured  on  every  day  of  the 
seven.  Even  in  temporal  blessings  the  policy  of  compromise  is  a  policy  of  disaster. 
Much  more  when  we  look  at  the  eternal  consequences,  '*  What  shall  it  profit  a  man, 
if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his  uwn  soul  ?  "  We  find  that  Amaziah's 
spirit  of  compromise  infected  his  whole  character.  Unfaithful  htms<lf,  he  did  not  Ukt 
faithfulness  in  others.  When  he  began  to  worship  the  heathen  idols;,  God  sent  a 
prophet  to  remonstrate  with  him.  The  prophet  said  to  Amaziah,  "  Why  hast  thou 
sought  after  the  gods  of  the  people,  which  could  not  deliver  their  own  people  out  of 
thine  hand  ?  "  (2  Chron.  xxv.  15).  A  very  reasonable  question,  one  would  say.  But  the 
king  was  beyond  rebuke.  He  commanded  the  prophet  to  cease,  and  threatened  to 
punisli  him  if  he  continued.  It  is  a  sign  that  something  is  wrong  when  men  and 
women  begin  to  dislike  faithful  preaching.  Those  whose  own  conscience  is  clear  need 
feel  no  hurt  when  sin  is  rebuked.  Beware  of  the  policy  of  compromise.  Let  there  be 
no  compromise  with  the  world,  with  godlessness,  with  sin;  no  compromise  with 
gofllessness  in  your  family;  no  compromise  with  wrong  in  your  business;  nocompronuse 
with  evil  customs  or  compaaiouships  in  your  social  life  ;  no  calling  of  evil  good,  and  of 
good  evil.  Nail  your  colours  to  the  mast.  Let  there  be  no  compromise  with  your 
own  l<esetiing  sins.  Many  a  man  has  begim  well,  like  Amaziah,  but  has  ended  badly, 
because  he  made  a  compromise  with  sin.  He  retained  some  old  habit.  He  did  not 
put  away  the  high  piaci'S  of  his  pride,  or  his  ambition,  or  his  covetousness,  or  hia 
passion — and  in  the  long  run  his  sin  became  too  strong  for  him. — C.  U.  L 

Vers.  5,  6. —  Personal  responsibility.  Amaziah  visits  with  just  execution  the 
nervaiitB  who  had  conspired  against  his  father  Joaah.  But  ho  did  not  put  to  death 
tiie  cliildnjn  of  the  murderers.  '  Ho  acted  on  the  principle  laiii  down  by  God  through 
Mo.s"  8  (Deut.  ixiv.  1<J),  that  "the  fathers  shall  not  bo  put  to  deatli  for  the  children, 
nor  the  chddren  for  the  fatliers ;  every  man  shall  bo  put  to  death  for  his  own  sin." 

I.  iOvERY  ONK  OF  UB  18  RKSi'oNBini.E  KOR  1118  OWN  MFK.  "  For  WO  must  all  appear 
belon-  the  judgment-S' at  of  CInist;  that  every  one  may  receive  the  things  done  in  his 
btxiy,  acconlinj;  to  that  ho  hath  done,  whellior  it  be  good  or  bail." 

II.  KVKIIY  ONK  OK  UH   18  nKSI'ONBIULE  KOK   TIIK    IIKIIIT  niSCIIAItOK  OF  HIB  OWN  DUTIK8. 

W<-  ciiniiot  excuBo  ourselves  by  the  unfaithfulnesH  of  others.  Uesponsibility  is  soino- 
tliing  wliirh  we  can  never  transfer  to  any  ono  olso.  Men  may  deny  thoir  rcsponsibilily. 
'I'hfjy  may  rcftino  to  fulfil  it.  They  may  neglect  it.  Hut  there  it  is.  'i  hi'v  lannot 
f;<-l  rid  of  it.  Our  resp  >uKil>ility  to  God  for  tlio  life  and  op]H)itnnitien  which  he  haa 
given  Ik  a  truth  wo  ithouid  du  well  to  keep  cunbiantly  bi  lore  us. — C.  11.  I. 

Vcm.  1 — 29. — Hirjnificant  fact*  in  Go(r»  Qdi-rrumnit.  **  In  the  m-coiid  year  of 
Joihh,"  etc.  In  tliJN  ebiiittor  wo  hav«  n  Hki-tch  ol  ii  MuccesHinn  of  kin'.;H  i>otli  of  .ludah 
and  IxrtK-1.  IIiTfl  aru  two  kin  'B  of  Judiih-  Anmzinh  and  Azariah  ;  and  iloa^-h,  JorolK)iun, 
ai.il  bin  H' III  Zncliarinli,  kiu;.'ii  of  iHraeh  Tho  v\  In i|e  chapter  HU^;;uHln  c<'rtiiiu  Hi/nificaut 
fact*  In  G'^IV  f^overnment  of  iiutnkiiiil. 

i.    'I'JIK    f.N'ollMol'H    Mil  r.lMiM    or    AITION    Wllirn    ItR    AM.OWH    WICKRI)    MRIV.       IIiTO   We 

l»^rii :  1.  That  0<xl  nllown  wicked  men  tn  furin  vhhkj  amcfjituiut  qf  himnrlf.  Ail 
thcnc)  kiii({«,  Kllh<iii(;)i  ilfw  ornlknlH  (if  Abrulium,  wli'>  wnn  ii  nuinothiiiil,  iM'innie  idnlnierii 
*"rhn  bii(li  jilar4>a  w<Ta  not  inknti  hwrv  :  rh  ynl  the  |H»>iile  di<l  Kncnlico  un<l  liuriit 
Lbc«i>M  oD  the  blgb  \Asicm."     Gulden  calvon,  ■yuiltula  ol  KgyptiaD  wofHhip,  Btill  atood 


•L  BIT.  1— iil]    Tm  noovD  book  ov  m 


la  I%a  tad  lW(h«l.  M  «Jm  ^tfMaitWa  «#  IIm  iTfciJriin      TvriHv 

iMbar.  bad  b*  UU  |^>«<-r,  vt^om  t<Mn&ii  lita  c^   Anm  lo  tern  ^-t 

iaH»iaH<M  til  iiim— If?    Fw  iAm  tmmam  Uus  U  jiwi^iibI 

i^*«  Oiid^i  IvmUobI  rMMct  hr  IhU  frwd'«i  of  artMi  vtik  wbtcb  M  r  M  «««>^>»u    • 

t.  Tku  Oud  aUovt  vttiai  an  lo  oMite  AwoIm  <fniw  o«r  «tfA<n.    AB  a«^ 

kli^  wmrn  wtckoA— Aaukh.  Aaiteb,  JoMb.  Jwoboaa.  mA  iMikOfUb.  aad  f««  tb«7 

«^)^«dM•laM■l•(lrta■ml•4Miiila•ovwtk•rtgM^p«•«iia»^•ttd  Uv«  f  n.Olk^-'.a. 

Bira  vo  road  of  AbmIbIi  dMrtec  Mi  tlMMMutd  bmis  MpMrtM  !■•  t^^MAiail  •  >*  •■ 

bonAly  Um  ildkli  of  Um  omMiwrjr.    "  II*  caiu«  to  J»f  uH^cui.  u>d  Lr%kr  '.  - 

of  J«ru«ka  mm  Ibo  foao  of  Kphn  rvc  •«. 

vhu  rtifod  fanj<oo*  yvar^  UmI  br  i«}«/tflA 

D^4    f'OOl    tbo  •tiM   «f  bU    (OlW.*      AtolmiUolty  OM  aiicbt    batr«  OBfjlrtli    tbAl,  1/  o 

wtrkad  OMB  VM  alknood  to  llvo  oiDi«nt  kis  fwovi^  Iw  would  bo  iaamtd  to  otMcunij 
oiki  tu  aud*]  atid  poUlkol  bapelODO* :   but  it  b  ool  «k     Wby  T    W¥o  Aball  aa*w«  f 
IL   OOO   n-)lli««  VICKID  WMM   IT  TUKlk  OV«   WUXSMraOO.      L    A  W<*¥mA  ttM  lo 


jwnlifcwl  hj  Aw  o«Po  tpfaibAMH.    AoMSMb's  oaadaal  b  od  ciftiiitJo. 
Ml  lri«m|ib  oTor  the  Rtomilot,  bo  aotwkt  oeoMiaa  «f  wsr  with  tL«  K 
*  Bo  MDt  iMiBMmra  lo  Joooh.  tho  ooQ  orJ«lMohM  m  of  ' 


OuoM^  bl  m  k»k    ooo  ooocbsr  lo  tbo  boa,*  oio.     A 

Im  Aid  froa  Jomaolom  lo  Locbbb  lo  «euo  oommium^xi,  w. 
bim,  oDd  atraek  kim  dood.    Iibovoroik    wkkodaoM  b  luow: 
wiekod  i—lnno  of  •  eofrapi  ommi  oio  kb  linawirtM  drrib. 
t,  A  wiek<d  non  b  panbbod  by  tko  mirhtimm  ^otWo.    TIm  tbuuMo 

Skbifi  lodocwd  lo  ooguUk.  dortiuitiaa,  oad  dootk,  von  Wi  !> 
llMiwu  »ad  by  tbo  hood  of  wkkod  bmd  thoy  ««•  pMli^ 
■o  Ibob  ova  ianBOBlank    flte  ooovofU  o  ooni»raity  of  &.t  ^ 
i;  BOB  booocDfO  tbo  ovooglDg  (o(«  uf  man. 
teumom.     Laoni :  L  Btmtomity  im  tkia  worid  it  otwiowWy  te  o  oMroiJy 

It  ooD  DOTor  bo  that  bo  vboao  povor  b  iouDoaourabk,  vbioo  witdtmm  aod 
gnndpw  •!•  lofiniie  aod  radiaot  orvyvbor*  obovo  m  aod  brlov  na,  oould  cftoto  oorb  » 
rta'.p  of  tklaoi  00  vo  koTO  brfo.  Bo  orMaaioa  tbo  good  alone,  pomita  tbo  vril.  aad 
w;l.  uldBaioiy  ovorrub  it  for  good.  2.  /UlA  4m  o/biori  Ami  aUU  netjfy  tk$  e^t  ^f 
fJU  frtmmt  oviM  mmmiimt  lo  Itm  r^lMom.  Ooaataio  niiotrm  b  a  mpronto  tovo  fur  tko 
SapraoM  Rxutcttco.  Bat  vko  ouubi  ]o99  •  Bupnaw  RtMioBoo  vbtck  ooold  panuii  far 
oTor  mmk  a  nou  of  oibtoooa  aa  vo  ka^o  bora  t  T^owiouaaad^of  wetMbailna; 
-  Wk«  tbo  Sob  of  noB  akaU  oooM  IB  kb  glory,  and  a  Ibo  koty  M«db  vbk  klHw*  CM. 
(Matt  XXT.  31— 46).— D.  T. 


f  HfkL  Tko  MQvdw  of  JoMk  Kiag  of  Jo^b,  oad  tbo 
took  BbooB  Bub  aftvlkoaeeaaiAuB  of  Joaab  iko  ooo  of 
ja«  Mora  Iko  tora  of  tko  liilo  Ib  ika  inriBBM  of  tko 


VofiL  l—1.^Ammimk  doimf  HakL 
BOOMifaa  of  kb  aoB  AoMiiak, 
Jokookot  IB  lanol,  tkM 
ktt^r  kJBfiiMB. 

L  KabLT  B»asr>ooiML  \.Af*  wmUi^  Itfimmd^  Aaosbk  vooDocaay  oboootkoB 
kb  f»tkar,  a  bob  ut  atf«c«  okoiaMor.  Bo  pn^od  to  bo  vbIb.  boaotM,  ooid  loobmk.  But 
ka  ka«BB  voU,  givlB«  baad  lo  tko  eoiinaria  of  Gad's  tonjibili  (eC.  S  Cknotv.  iit  7— !0X 
aDdikM«*mkbMiduf).im,*BodidrifkiiBlkoilcktof  tboLoitL"  v. 

oTw.  tka  badoBlag.  bot  the  oDd,  vbbk  ia«»  flkwBciar  (OdL  L  2S :  He  S. 

Sifm^/Ummi  tktrtttmi^.  To  tbo  raooH  of  bb  rigbt-^olog  H  b  kMfti. 
DBTtd  bb  fatbor."  or.  aa  obowbora,  -  Dol  viik  a  p««K«  btttrv"  Hu  cut. 
to  that  of  Jtioak  bb  htbar,  vboao  bbtory  wr^  Boeb  rvHobbd  bi»  uwo.  a_a^  ^.  .l« 
JoBkb,  bagBB  vbU,  B^WvBrtb  Upac^  into  IdtiMry  aod  cnaalty,  aad  Atmi  by  o  <  •i<r»cy  <d 
kb  aorTBBla  BBdor  Bdbad  of  l^taaaiBy  aod  oootonpL  TKho  wb-<  ar-  :  ke  m  »!&  dm4 
BOtvoadortbBltboyBlolIkolBdoiBB.  Iw  71«%4fJona»»r«»>»fW.  l^i*«Mc«M  ul 
Ibo  polBta  Ib  vbbk  AiWBriBb  akov»-  f  iiiofoBgbiiaai  *m  ncbi-^kAoe-    Tbo  lim 

VBB  OM  of  obonoootlBg  foibar  tkoo  '.iWHpoMioB,  Hko  tb«  i<«ftBg  op  of  iko 

■iBikiti  of  tko  oolfoa  k  IvaaL    It 


292  THE   SECOND   BOOK   OF   THE   KINGS.        [ch.  xiv.  1—29. 

worship  ;  but  the  after-effects  show  that  no  portion  of  God's  Law  can  be  neglected  with 
impiinity.  The  worship  on  high  places  was  a  temptation  and  snare  to  Judak.  The 
neglect  to  remove  them  reacted  seriously  on  the  Ufe  of  the  nation. 

IL  JcsT  JUDGMENT.  The  treatment  by  Amaziah  of  his  father'i  murderers  gives 
further  evidence  of  his  early  disposition  to  do  well.  We  observe :  1.  The  execution  of 
j'ustict.  The  murderers  were  put  to  death.  This  was  right.  The  existence  of  even 
real  grievances  does  not  justify  resort  to  crime.  DaAdd's  treatment  of  Saul  shows  the 
right  course  to  be  pursued  in  such  cases  (1  Sam.  xxiv.  4 — 12).  And  a  nation  is  only 
secure  when  real  crime  is  punished  within  its  borders,  2.  Discrimination  of  innocent 
and  guilty.  It  is  specially  noted  about  Amaziah  that,  in  taking  this  vengeance  on  tlie 
men  who  slew  his  father,  he  did  not,  as  was  a  frequent  custom  in  those  times,  slay  the 
children  of  the  murderers.  He  actetl,  therefore,  on  principle  in  his  judgment,  not  in 
blind  fury.  His  object  was  to  vindicate  justice,  not  to  take  revenge.  He  drew  the  line 
where  it  ought  to  be  drawn — between  the  actually  guilty  and  the  innocent.  There  is  a 
strong  tendency,  where  anger  is  strongly  kindled  against  a  person  or  persons,  to  allow 
rage  to  overflow  on  those  not  directly  implicated  in  their  offence.  The  odium  that 
attaches  to  them  is  extended  also  to  their  families,  and  pleasure  is  taken  in  inflicting 
insult  and  pain  on  their  children  and  relatives.  This  ought  not  to  be.  3.  Beyardfor 
God's  Law.  The  reason  for  Amaziah  acting  as  he  did  was  that  it  was  so  commanded  in 
the  Law  of  Moses  (Deut.  xxiv.  1(3).  On  the  seeming  contradiction  between  this  passage 
and  those  which  speak  of  the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  being  visited  on  the  children,  or 
which  illustrate  the  actual  punishment  of  children  for  their  parents'  sins — as  in  tlie 
c&se  of  Achan(Jo8h.  vii.  24 — 26) — it  may  suffice  to  remark  that  the  rule  here  laid  down 
is  oue  for  human  jurisprudence.  There  is  a  wider  treatment  of  human  beings,  con- 
stantly finding  illustration  in  providence,  in  which  the  principles  of  organic  union  and 
corixjrate  responsibility  have  full  play;  but  God  does  not  entrust  the  enforcement  of 
these  t>  any  human  niagistr<»cy.  What  specially  concerns  us  here  is  the  fact  that, 
finding  such  a  rule  laid  down  in  the  Word  of  God,  Amaziah  faithfully  adhered  to  it. 
His  conduct  ahows  an  advance  in  the  moral  cinceptious  of  the  time — a  better  appreoia- 
ti"ii  of  the  fact  of  individuaUty. 

III.  Early  tictobt.  In  connection  with  this  earlier  and  more  promising  part  of 
Araaziah's  reign,  we  are  told  of  a  great  victory  which  he  gained  over  the  Edomites. 
The  Ed  /miles  had  revolted  in  Jcliuram's  reign  (ch.  viii.  20);  but  Amaziah  now  felt 
hiiiiself  btrong  enough  to  atitrnpt  their  resubjugation.  In  sotting  out  on  this  war — 
the  origin  of  which  we  do  not  precisely  know — he  had  the  countenance  of  God's  prt>- 
pheta,  and  acted  by  their  directions  (2  Chron.  ixv.  6 — 10).  lie  had,  ixa  men  always 
have  when  God  is  with  them  and  they  are  content  to  be  guided  by  his  will,  great 
sue  688.  He  slew  of  lOdom  ten  thousand,  took  Sdah,  or  Petru,  and  changed  its  nanio. 
liut  tiie  flush  of  his  victory  proved  also  the  Ixginning  of  his  ruin.  1.  His  conquest 
WEH  not  unmarked  by  great  cruelty  (cf.  2  Chron.  xxv.  12).  2.  He  foil  into  idolatry, 
actually  setting  up  the  gtnls  of  tlie  Edomitos  wliicli  he  had  Wrought  jjomo,  and  burning 
iocenae  to  them — those  gods  which,  aa  a  |>rophet  reminded  him,  could  not  deliver  tin  ir 
own  |)©o,  ,t  <»iit  of  his  hand  (2  Chron.  xxv.  15).  From  this  iwiut  dates  iiis  dedeusiou. 
Ho  act' d  )>rccih«ly  a«  his  father  had  done  in  forcibly  silehcing  the  prophets;  and  God, 
in  return,  gave  him  up  to  a  repnlmto  mind  fur  his  destruclion.  ProHjHjriiy  te.^ts  a  man's 
nature.  'Ih'  n:  aru  few  who  can  carry  thu  full  cup  without  becoming  haughty  and  God- 
forgetful. — J.  O. 

Von..  B— 14,— 7^'  hnntful  chftlle»<fa,  and  Us  rentits.  It  !■  in  the  light  of  the  fucti 
UitrrnU»\  iu  the  IVM>k  of  (JhronicieM,  but  n<>t  nlhidol  to  here,  that  wu  uro  to  rend  thu 
nUity  of  Amaziah '■  fully  iu  hin  boaAlful  chuUunj^o  t<.)  Jou^tU  of  laruul  (c(.  2  Ciiroii. 
XIV.  20). 

1.  'I'm  BoAHiKi;i.  ciiAM.KifnB.  1.  Ttu  motivfs.  It  la  not  difllcult  to  concoive  Iho 
kind  'i  inftunnx^n  which  l<'<l  Amaxiah  ttj  ((ivo  thin  challciign  Ui  Joiihli.  (1)  Naturally 
VAin-Kl<>riou«,  h>  was  ((ri-aily  ol.iiod  hy  his  HUcceHMVM  over  Fdotii,  ami  wan  amhitiniiH  t^i 

r[j>"  as  a  ((rent  miiltsry  c'<>n<|u<  ror.  How  many  wnrH  hnvci  had  th«ir  origin  in  no 
i^lier  M>iir(«I  To  gratify  llu*  vKnity  and  amhition  of  individnilH,  or  the  luHt  of 
glory  in  tiaiions,  tamuO*  of  hi<>o<i  havn  l>««iM  hIkhI.  (2)  lHra<'l  witM  at  lliin  tinm  in  a 
%nry  buuibl)^  stato,  but  show«i  siguit  of  reviving.     Ainaxi.di  prulwbly  thought  it  wa« 


m  trr.  l-».] 


OP  TUB  KI!C(1& 


•  «Mi  •••  I*  lili«  iMfc  Ik*  fvvoliai  lr<%«  to  Um  «h«m  «r  JUdL  O)  TV*  Uwl. 
t«tobarlgtv««MM>pf«v««MMBl«altMka«|MaUMiMM«rj«4Ak(1clM.iBv  IJX 
Tut  AllaMi  wmIA  rMrnMi  •  ■rM«s^    V  H*  ^  >  '•     TV.  .*^  .««gi  la*k  iW  for*  ^ 

•  Moafi  to  ^vmfk,  *Omm.  m  w  htk  m»  ^  '    !•  fHiw  Mck  • 

,•1  -  •>-4ag 

^\ 

r  <r^r^  trr  n    !tmtto  totlMvilMII  to< 

«1  Tki»  9km»  0«d  «w  BM  «tU  Attiii  it  M 
iiMnlad.  matitkmai,  m  praMtoi4  yi  agi  <« 
<  a  tootkM.  mad  la  mIImm*  Mkif  •■  lOs  ••• 
^«L    la 

II.  Tni  Ukvuwrt  kbvlt.    J«Mh  ^wtelljr  took  Um  mmmnr%  «/  hk  i 

i«)  ol  l»>MMi  MBl  to  Uw  oaiar  of  UAaM*. 


pivot  tM  « 
tfffbiL     Pnt  thf 


mmk.  in  tlii* 
Bat  It' 
toMi 
LH.tS).  D^ 
(1  Sun.  ztL  4 
UplivAt'^ 


TVkito: 

«yekkm 
•wiJul 


4otlto» 
•rarai  b 
/btoli  r» 
•apratot*. 


> 


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Um  fut^irc 
torry  al  Lu:;  «.    *! 

AoMtol' 

if  vai»ni;ury.    ii> 


TIm  U«  or  lU  pamlil*  K  o/ 

S  to  pot  klmailf  OB  ■•  eq««iiijr 

i>li  klag  bf  iBlJMrtit  to  t  tw 

c  briar  !•  c«.>Uii«rL»Jci  wiiL  th* 


whiebbrHuliM 
kittgiW  m  ut  It 

>•,  umI  m  the 

M  wall  M  th«  >     - 


\?t,  ii?4  r«l 


•.rwigth— '. 
-  l.x»  bee- 

-  1    'Ib«y  b«cu. 
«  what  tktjr  i» 
naad  tkr: 


|i«ni«t4a    k. 


•ta  t*|>|iB*  u  fa«  !■«■•«  ia  Urn  iiM*i*fc 


294  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.         [oh.  xiv.  1—29. 

oouTM.  "Wiy  stonldest  tbou  meddle  to  thy  hurt,  that  thou  shouldest  fall,  even  thou, 
and  Judah  with  thee  ?  "  It  perhaps  was  not  to  be  expected  that  Amaziah  should  take 
advice  so  unpalatable,  so  tauntingly  conveyed,  so  wounding  to  his  pride  and  royal 
honour.  But  the  result  showed  that  Joash  had  not  overstated  his  case.  Amaziah 
meddled  truly  to  his  hurt,  and  he  fell,  even  he,  and  Judah  with  him.  It  is  the  fatality 
of  a  foolish  mind  that  it  is  impregnable  to  considerations  which  would  show  it  its  folly. 
III.  The  cKUSHEfo  defeat.  Amaziah,  as  was  to  be  expected,  would  not  hear.  No 
obstinate  man  does.  He  went  on  his  foolish,  headstrong  way,  and  brought  down  upou 
himself  an  avalanche  of  trouble.  1.  The  army  was  defeated.  He  and  Joash  met  in 
battle,  and  his  army  wtis  utterly  routed.  It  is  characteristic  that  the  fight  took  ])lace 
at  Beth-shemesh,  in  the  territory  of  Judah.  This  shows  that  Joash  was  the  first  to 
move  when  he  saw  that  war  was  inevitable.  While  Amaziah  was  dallying  and  muster- 
ing his  men,  Joash  was  already  on  the  march,  and  took  the  ofi'ensive.  For  victory  of 
anv  kind,  much  depends  on  promptitude,  alertness,  and  activity  on  the  part  ot  the 
assailant.  2.  The  king  was  taken  prisoner.  Joash  "  took  Amaziah."  How  long  the 
kinsc  remained  a  captive  is  not  said.  He  was  probably  delivered  up  after  "  hostages  " 
had  been  given.  But  the  humiliation  was  great  and  bitter.  The  people  of  Judah 
never  forgot  or  forgave  it.  3.  Jerusalem  was  captured  and  plundered.  The  royal  city 
shared  the  fate  of  its  king.  It  had  no  alternative  but  to  open  its  gates  to  the  con- 
queror. Joash  did  not  spare  it.  To  mark  the  completeness  of  his  conquest  he,  (1) 
brake  down  four  hundred  cubits  of  the  city  wall  on  the  side  towards  Ephraim ;  (2) 
plundered  the  liouse  of  the  Lord  and  the  palace  of  the  king  of  their  treasures.  Tiie 
treasuries  had  been  emptied  in  the  preceding  reign  for  Hazael  (ch.  xii.  18) ;  now  a 
second  time  their  contents  are  taken  away.  Miserable  people,  and  miserable  king !  No 
wonder  burning  indignation  existed  aszainst  Amaziah,  who  had  led  the  kingdom  into 
this  trouble.  We  may  see  some  parallel  to  it  in  the  feelings  of  the  French  towards 
their  emperor  after  the  Franco-Prussian  War.  The  lesson  had  been  taught  in  the 
preceding  reigu,  but  Amaziah  had  not  profited  by  his  father's  misfortunes ;  and,  having 
followed  his  footsteps  in  sin,  was  now  reaping  the  consequences  in  even  severer  chas- 
tiseiueut. — J.  0. 

Vers.  15 — 22. — Chanqe*  in  ttpo  thrones.  The  next  events  recorded  are  the  acces- 
sion of  J(  roboam  II.  after  the  death  of  Joash,  in  Israel ;  and  the  conspiracy  against 
Amaziah  fifteen  years  later  and  the  accession  of  Azariah,  in  Judah. 

I.  The  accession  of  Jkrohoam.  More  is  not  told  us,  than  we  have  already  heard,  of 
tlio  "  might"  of  Joash.  Jeroboam,  who  succeeded  him,  proved  the  able  son  of  an  able 
f.ither.  But  the  stock  of  Jehu  w^  godless  as  ever.  The  new  king  also,  as  wo  aro  to 
•<e,  "did  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,"  and  kept  up  the  "  sin  "  of  his  namesake,  Joro- 
bjam  I.,  in  the  worship  of  the  calves.  Great  natural  ability  \b  often  associated  with 
go<lleBHneHH  of  heart. 

U.  The  accession  or  Azariah.  1.  Azariah  made  king.  The  notice  of  the  oon- 
■piracy  a;jaiiiBt  Amaziah  precedcH  in  tho  narrative  the  notice  of  Azariah's  accession; 
but  there  is  aonio  reason  from  the  chronology  to  think  that  the  son  was  nia<le  kiu!» 
ali'tij^  wiiii  liirt  father  Bhorlly  after  Amiziah's  disastrous  defo.it.  (1)  It  is  sta(od  in 
ch.  XV.  K  tlmt  the  Bnn  rif  JerolMiiim  II.,  Zachariah,  brj^au  to  m'gn  in  the  thirly-eighth 
year  (*f  Azariah,  and  an  there  is  no  sign  in  tliu  narr.itivo  of  iho  int(!rrc^num  ol  eleven 
ycarH  whu.ii  i  iii'tinin^irH  UHiially  introduce,  it  would  follow  that  Azariah  really  begin 
to  rei^ii  aU>ut  eleven  yearn  b<fore  his  faihor'a  dutith.  (2)  This  is  in  itself  not  uidikoly 
when  wo  retneriiber  tliu  (Miiuin  wliich  miiHl  have  falhui  on  Amaziah  after  his  d(>leiit  and 
captivity,  and  the  (R|(turo  of  Jorusalem.  'Iho  proof  ho  had  ^ivcn  of  incjiiiiuity  f>ir 
govrmniRiit  wouhl  make  it  doHiiablo,  t^i  secure  the  popularity  of  the  throne,  that  Ins 
H<>n  fih'iuld  Vw  aHiKM  iul<il  with  hiiu  in  tho  kingdom,  (li)  There  aru  iiidicalioiiH  in  the 
narrativfl  which  |>"iiil  in  this  direction,  «.r/.  the  ago  of  Amaziah,  only  mxteen  y<arH; 
the  htAieuii-nl  that  Ama/.iah  *•  lived  "  fifii-en  yeam  iift4<r  tho  <leath  of  Joash,  whore 
we  nii|{ht  loivo  ex|K><  U^*!  tho  word  "  reignod  ;  laUly,  llie  iitnt(Miieni  that  Amaznih 
"  built  Klnth,  and  rentornrl  It  to  .luddi,  iifmr  that  tho  king  hlipt  with  bin  (iithcrH." 
2.  AnuituiJt'i  if/ntrmini'-u*  end.  In  any  <  ann,  it  iM'tiriM  rcrlain  that  Aiiift7.iHh'ii  |v>|  uhirity 
Df-vw  rfrvirr*)  iifi»-  tlio  nnhfcppy  ♦'riroiint4T  with  .Iimnb.  Fifl^nn  your*  roIUvl  on,  and 
ai  l«u^th,  froui  cauMs  to  ua  unkuuwn,  a  |>lot  waa  (urmtMi  agaiuai  buu  in  Jarujudom. 


i 


WW.  1-9L]        TUB  BROON'D  BOOK   OP  TAB  KIHOA, 


B«MloT 


^^J     yitl_i  ^^  .     T*^'-      V'~'' 


It    .  .     .-.. 

a 


It. 


»il  is. 


I 

B 


r  U<\1.  all  '  >tr|«rt«d  Bol  imta  iKc  tiu*  u/  J-*— *— m  |W  MS 


br. 
1      .'rr./ 


•1    «c^ir       TL  •  aU* 


&>  « 

wa*  ainMcv  «tirii  it 
Ood  MbM  Urn.    Ti 
Ood  ImA  fbr  ImcJ.  bi»   ; 
km  rMpici  fur  th*  eovw 

■i^-'  '  '-•  "      • 

rsMli . 
IL 


<   of 


l:  r  , 

U 

I.i 

I" 

t:.r:„ 
U  1  -  - 


.:.d    the   k. 
.  ^.  O. 


..  IT.  IV 

V  -rifkt  of  pra»> 
«  U<ht  bate*  iftd 
-rtr   M  ttKat'— Om 


EXRttilTlOS. 


OHAPTEB   XT. 

T«n.    I — in     llnaw  or  AtAUAB   hart 

JtTTit*  fi^sa  JiOAS:   *m  or  ZA«.MiLKiAM. 

t'l    '  '  -  >Aa«JK,  POLAmAM,  AJIb  PCKAtf 

VocA  1— 7  — Tu  EcMBor  AtASiAHoTia 
JrtkAa.  Th*  vriirf  ••«  Ma«  mkI  ■«•• 
mamyfw^*   kk  — nartt^      lai*  •  Magto 

IW  CVvMi  «l  MVW  PligM. 

>  flf  Mart  J  M^Miiy  fcM*. 
H«itBBiimiiHyiiiMpilliito<i»itfi>l 


l«»urt—i 


aeru(<4M  flttlj  awaa  *«»e«,  U  Ckr  «Mka 
(8rt  I  CknM.  uvi  1— tt.) 

▼••  1.— >Ia  t^  ivMiy  %Mi  mvmU  f«ar 

MS  «f  AsMUk  Xlaf  of  JftiiAii  u  n^r*^     U 
«k.    lit.    O    U    to    iliMiu  U;     alAk*!     UiAl 

aHaani  la  Ika  HlMBlk  of  Aaa»Aii.  «b» 
froai  IhAi  tlM*  Nvad  anijr  UUmi  «•«»  ,«a. 


vhMb  •!«       ait.  I7>     lUliimi.  t^wli,iw>  AaanA^ 


29« 


THE  SECOXD  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.         [ch.  xv.  1—38 


h»Te  h»gnn  to  reign  in  the  fifteenth  year  of 
Jeroboam,  or  there  mnst  have  been  an  in- 
terregnum of  twelve  years  between  the 
death  of  Amaziah  and  the  siccession  of 
Az  iriah.  As  this  last  hypothesis  is  pre- 
cluded by  the  narrative  of  2  Chron.  xxvi.  1 
■nd  ch.  xiv.  20,  21,  we  must  correct  tlie 
"twenty-seventh  year"  of  this  verse  into 
the  "  fifteenth."  If  we  do  this,  corresponding 
changes  will  have  to  be  made  in  vers.  8,  13, 
23,  and  27. 

Ver.  2. — Sixteen  years  old  was  he  when 
he  began  to  reign,  and  he  reigned  two  and 
fifty  years  in  Jerusalem.  These  numbers 
arc  confirmed  by  Chionicks  (2  Chron.  xxvi. 
1 — 3)  and  by  Josephus  (.'  Ant.  Jud.,'  ix.  10. 
§  4),  who  says  that  he  reigned  fifty-two 
years,  and  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight. 
And  his  mother's  name  was  Jecholiah  of 
Jerusalem.  Josephus  ('  Ant.  Jud,,'  ix.  10. 
§  3)  calls  her  "  AchiaUi." 

Ver.  3.— And  he  did  that  which  was  right 
in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  according  to  all  that 
his  father  Amaziah  had  done  (comp.  ch. 
xiv.  3  and'2  Chron.  xxvi.  4).  Josephus  uses 
etill  stTMiiger  expressions.  **  Azuriuli  was," 
he  says  (?.  $  c),  "a  good  king,  naturally  just 
and  high-miuded,  and  indefatigable  in  his 
administration  of  affairs."  According  to 
the  author  of  Chronicles  (2  Chron.  xxvi.  5), 
he  "  (Ought  Go<i  in  the  diiys  of  Zecliariuh." 

Ver.  4.— Save  that  the  high  places  were 
not  removed :  the  people  sacrificed  and 
burnt  incense  still  on  the  high  places 
(comp.  ch.  xiv.  4,  and  tiie  comment  ad  loc). 

Ver.  5. — And  the  Lord  smote  the  king. 
ThiNC/imert  in  somewliat  strangely.  Inllowing 
cIkhc  ujxtn  a  Htittim  nt  that  tho  king  "did 
thai  which  was  right  in  the  pij,'i  t  of  tho 
I>jrd."  Wo  have  to  go  to  Chronuloa  for  an 
>  xphination.  By  Chnmiclos  it  appears  tliat. 
In  the  earlier  [)oilif)n  «)f  his  reign,  Azariah 
wiui  a  f^ixnl  rtnd  pious  prind',  and  tliat  (iod 
hie  w-*!  him  in  all  bin  imilertiildngH.  Nut 
o!ily  did  he  rec-)ver  Kloth  (2Chrf)n.  xxvi.  2), 
bill  he  mrri<<l  on  a  HUercMMlul  war  willi  the 
I'hiliMliiieH  t'l'ik  fSalh,  .hi)in<  h  (liininiu), 
and  AahdtMJ,  and  rliHnianllid  tli<  mi  (2  (Ihroii. 
xxvi.  G),  diTeiitfd  thd  AtuliiunH  <if  (iurlliuil, 
and  tlie  Mehuniiii  nr  Mii<)iiit<!)«  (2  Chrou. 
xxvi.  7),  foro'd  the  AintnoniliH  to  [>ay  him 
»  tribnl*.  ami  <iiuxi'(l  h  h  p-iwi-r  to  Ih'  known 
and  limrni  far  and  wide  (2  ('hr<>ii.  xxvi.  K). 
Tiki  Mtin.lintr  nrniy  whirli  ho  tnuintninrd 
hiiui\>ff<l  :W)7,5<K)  m.  n,  nnd.r  2r,()0  oilier*, 
well  ari(ic<l  and  nr)iii|>|>«<d  with  iihiulda, 
BtmnTn,  helm'-ta,  brrir>*t-|iUl(<ii,  Ikiwr,  and 
AUi'u  (2  (■h^.tl.  iivl.  12  14).  "  llin  niinm 
•|'r<  a/t  f»T  ahraid,  fnr  h^  wiui  wiitiil<<rfnlly 
h«l|"-r'  f2  (;iiron.  Xl»l  1.*^)  Thin  iniirvof- 
k/U*  ittiajx-rity  dnvrl(i|i<t<i  in  him  a  priiln 
r>|iial  U»  that  of  hia  father,  hut  i>ni<  Mhloh 
•  null-,  ilm-if  il\tf»f  id\y  A  7'<r  itili,  d<  rrillni^ 
■  lutanlf    •ii|x>nor     U>    all     MiliKr    ihkii,    and 


exempt  from  ordinary  rules,  boldly  invaded 
the  priestly  oflice,  took  a  censer,  and  entered 
into  the  temple,  and  proceeded  to  buru 
incense  upon  the  golden  altar  that  was 
before  the  veil  (2  Chron.  xxvi.  16—18).  It 
was  then  that  "  the  Lord  smote  the  king." 
As,  in  defiance  of  the  high  priest  and  his 
attendant  train,  who  sought  to  prevent  tiie 
lawless  act,  Azariah  persisted  in  his  en- 
deavours, God  struck  him  with  leprosy.  Ids 
fori^head  grew  white  with  the  unmistakable 
scaly  scab,  and  in  a  moment  his  indomitable 
pride  was  quelled.  The  priests  closed  in 
upon  bim  and  began  to  thrust  him  out,  but 
no  violence  was  necessary.  Aware  of  what 
had  happened,  "  he  himself  also  hasted  to 
go  out,  because  the  Lord  had  smitten  him  " 
(2  Chron.  xxvi.  20).  It  is  not  very  clear 
why  the  writer  of  Kings  passes  over  these 
facts  ;  but  certainly  they  are  not  discredited 
by  his  silence.  At  any  rate,  those  who 
accept  the  entire  series  of  conquests,  where- 
of the  writer  of  Kings  says  nothing,  on  the 
sole  authority  of  Cluonicles,  are  logically 
precluded  from  rejecting  the  circumstauees 
accompanying  the  leprosy,  which  is  acknow- 
ledged by  the  writer  of  Kings,  and  viewed 
as  a  judgment  from  G"d.  So  that  he  was  a 
leper  unto  the  day  of  his  death,  and  dwelt 
in  a  several  house  (com|>.  2  Chron.  xxvi. 
21).  Lepers  had  to  tie  separated  from  the 
congn  gation — to  "dwell  niono" — "  without 
tho  camp"  (Lev.  xiii.  4(5).  Ahaziah'a 
"  several  house"  is  regarded  by  some  as  an 
"infirmary,"  or  "  bo.spital  tor  lejiorB " 
(Ewald,  (iesonins,  Wimr);  but  there  is  no 
reason  to  bi  Hove  tluil  hospitals  of  any  kind 
exi.stod  among  tho  Israel itis.  The  lepers 
mentioned  in  ch.  vii.  3  are  houseless,  n'3 
n'irnnn  is  best  translale<l  "  house  of  separa- 
tion," and  understood  of  a  house  standing 
by  itHelf  in  tho  ojMjn  country,  sepanite  fnim 
othiTH.  "ProliMbly  the  hmiHti  in  which  tho 
1<  prouH  king  livml  was,"  ns  I'.iihr  Hays, 
"o.-ipcciully  built  for  liiin."  And  Jolhini 
tho  king's  son  wa.s  over  tho  house-  not  i>v(<r 
tliO  "several  houH(\"  Inil  uviir  th<*  royiil 
palaee— judging  the  pooplo  of  tho  land;  i.e. 
oxtrciiting  tho  royal  fuiii-tionH,  whenof 
"judging"  wiiM  one  of  the  liiKheHl.  A/a- 
rnih'M  inlliniity  ma<l<i  a  re^^'i'ucy  nece.^Hiiry, 
and  naturally  IiIh  ildiHt  unw  held  tin*  olllee. 

\'er.  (\  And  Iho  ront  of  tho  acts  of 
AEarinh,  and  all  that  ha  did,  are  ilioy  not 
writton  in  tho  book  of  tho  ohroutcloi  of  tho 
king!  of  Judnh  1  For  Ararinli'ii  iirimipul 
artM,  ni'o  Ihu  (M)innientary  on  tho  llrHt  oliiUMt 
of  ViT    ."k. 

Vi-r.  7.  Bo  A«aHah  oinpt  with  hU  fathnri , 
and  Ihny  biirli*d  hlin  Willi  hts  fiilhom  in  tho 
clly  of  David.  Ilnro  again  the  writer  of 
(Miroiii'  li«  i*  moTv  oiaot.  Axariah.  Iio  t<  ll« 
iiM  (2  Chron.  iivl  2:)),  wan  iiki  Iniiinl  in 
iho    ni«k  auiiulehrB    which     eniilalnod    th* 


m.  XT.  I— M.]        TllB  BBlXiND  BOOK  OP  TIIB  KlVOa 


«UMl»t  ,«!•• ■!  wtik 

Ib  kit  au^     JiImw.  AlMftlv  ter 
Mat  Mft 


■OiM  •!  MMM  aahCfb 


Un  ■  rt         »  -  ,      . 

tv.  .1  .  . 

f/    /  xr,»!.    :     ;    ..  .    muaIm    b;    Hi— 11 'it 

II  enslilB  Um  «Mal  IbnaaU.  V«r  10 
gtf«i  Mm  oaly  <»— I  llul  ■iiJil  fcMord. 
Y«v.  U  riwlli  to  tJ.r  rvft.lcr'*  aMMtiM  a 
la  wh  )>  •  pf«>ptic«j  ImI 
w.-mrnei  XaalMnak'*  n%B 

T«r.  •  — b  U*  tidrty  aa4  alfktb  y«ar  if 
AauUh  naf  i>t  3uUk  414  UckarUli  tito  mm 
tt  Jarafcw  r«.^a  vvw  Icra*l  la  ft«mafia. 
If  Aariafc  bcf»a  U>  r««$n  in  ih  twMily. 
Mvnik  y««r  af  Jrw'«n>a  (t^r  ly,  aM 
J«nkaaa  clio<l  in  ii  •  f  ri«  rr<i  or  ferly- 
•M^^d  y««'  rtak   oiual 

ka«aaaaMk>.r  ftoentli  or 

'   •^  r%nah 


kiac  IB  Um  t 
M  liM  hwma  kttova  Id 
It  as  v«v.  l\  /■ 


t  ar 

■r%«l 


U»<r 


ts«ak 


lif  af  oar  u 
m4  ui  Uaai* 


.»-+4       Tho 


^^•'''^ift       A  AC 


U  aM  i#  »l  I  ■■ 

ew  feia.  aa4  r«if»«>e  n  km 


i«al   af  Ik*   Mt« 
tteB.«'i>A    i^s«i«.  IAV7  af«  ^HWaa  U  tii 
took  H  tk*  itwyiJM  flf  cka  kto«a  •«  Iw. 
▼av.  II.— Tkiiwaa  Ika  v«t4  t«  lLc   !..<i 
vkuk   k*  aaaka   aaia  iak«. 
*>>  ••riejr  TVr  aras  fka!!  •;•.  t 


tur   toron*  •■  »  f  kf  .         Ili* 

•  Tk»7  akaU  aal  kol4  II 

kad    *r<l    (■>«•   *«Bliti«    r<Ka«    It  <1 

u.-    . 

af^m  Um  :.^ 
kad  ■««•  fur 
Ikal  Uod  vwttj  1  -ru*  a^>   i 


TWa  Uir*.i    kd  kaa 
•r  •*«   kiaMaU  (Aflkoa  vu.   1 1  k 

iMi.  •  «    a    itatauapt*'  latiua.     Tl'* 

votvl*  U~U/  poiutad  lu  •  nr«<4ait4a  la  ik  - 
tiaaa  at  kla  »«.  Aa4  aa  It  aaaa  la  paak 
Tka  katM*  of  Jaka  mmati  la  !«««•  ki  Ika 
lB«ftk  gaaiwllua  of  tho  ilarialiata  ti  Na 
tommAet.  No  ««iAd«^aUnaa  of  p>-<.—  — 
of  Kt«ut«d*  «aaU  k«a|>  Um  mu^k 
to  aajr  dTi.Mtr  '<•'  a  laac«f  U»a  i: 
la  brtk^  '  <i«  tk*  iitriutlj  eu..,^m 

.  1  akaaaiaf  la  IkMticJiaa 
•kTiitaa  bad  aova  Ute  Mml*  of 
ikair  aUtc, and  f«l  tLriMvlraa 
-^f  aaj  ambtuuaa   ptrt»o<i«r. 
r^  alrr»J«  banw  r»l«  ta 
'  r^n  tku  tka  kia^tk>«a 
<ar»  abnat  u>  LUi 


Bci 


UiM    <rf    tk> 


ea^wi^. 


Tan.  I  *  ~  ->oaT  aav  TnaroaTAVT 

EsMB  I  •  Tktoa   vanra  tmMm 

tat  v.m  n,^ii  U  &Lil1a«.  tka  aaa  af  JalMk. 

«bo  brd  Ika  ttiaai  fbr  oaly  Iklrty  daja 

Aa4      lic«rt  .|r  of  kia  mnafkrmcj.  Moukkaa.  Ik* 

tp»      trv  ,>^uadi    "tkagiaiiitl."— Jwapkaaialla 

(■▲•I.  Jal.' L  U    it)    awiakwdfawa 

<^  to  Baaana.  r**  t»  »Uaa  krta  kia 

l»o«r.aadp«lktelodr»ik(var  l«X    Tka 

vrila*  ooodadaa  wttk   Ik*   aao*l    fcramla 

Tar  la.— «kall«a  tk«  vm  if  JakMk 
kagaa  to  rate*  U  tka  t.;^*  %a4  tkirucU 
faar  af  Dauak  Klaf  af  ia^ak      I\i«  .,»im 


298 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [oh.  xv.  1—38. 


follows  from  that  of  ver.  8,  and  mnst  stand 
or  fall  with  it  The  true  accession-year  of 
Shallum  was  probably  the  twenty-seventh  of 
Uzziah.  And  he  reigned  a  full  month  in. 
Samaria  ;  literally,  a  month  of  day$ — "  thirty 
davB  "  according  to  Josephud. 

Ver.  14. — For  Menahem  the  eon  of  Gadi 
went  up  from  Tirzah.  Ewald  supposes 
Tirzah  to  have  been  the  "  native  city  "  of 
Menahem*  but  this  is  not  stated.  Accord- 
ing to  Josephus  (I.  s.  c),  he  was  commander- 
in-chief,  and  happened  to  be  in  Tirzeh  at 
the  time.  (On  the  probable  site  of  Tirzeh, 
see  the  comment  on  1  Kings  xIt.  17.)  It 
was  the  royal  city  of  the  kingdom  of  the  ten 
tribes  from  the  later  part  of  Jeroboam's  reign 
to  the  building  of  Samaria  by  Omri  (see 
1  Kings  xiv.  17;  xvi.  6,  8,  15,  23).  And 
came  to  Samaria,  and  smote  Shallum  the 
son  of  Jabesh  in  Samaria — Josephus  says 
that  there  was  a  battle,  in  which  Shallum 
wa«  slain — and  slew  him,  and  reigned  in 
hia  Btead. 

Ver.  15. — And  the  rest  .of  the  acts  of 
Shallum,  and  his  conspiracy  which  he  made 
(t-ee  Ter.  10),  behold,  they  are  written  in 
the  book  of  th«  ohronioies  of  the  kings  of 
IsratL 

Vera.  16 — 22.— RKiQif  of  Meitahbm,  and 
Expedition  of  Pcl  against  Samaria. 
Two  events  only  of  Menahem'a  reign  receive 
notice  from  the  writer.  (1)  His  capture  of 
Ti|.h<ifth,  and  severe  treatment  of  the  in- 
liabitanta  (ver.  16).  (2)  The  invasion  of 
Ilia  land  by  an  Assyrian  monarch,  called 
"  I'ul  "  or  "  Phul,"  and  his  submission  to 
tliat  monarch's  authority.  Pul's  retirement 
waa  Ixjuglit  by  a  large  sum  uf  money,  which 
M'Tiahem  eolleoteU  from  hia  Hubjeota  (vera. 
I'J,  20). 

Ver.  16. — Then  Menahem  smote  Tiphsah. 
Th<-  only  town  of  thin  imnie  known  to  liiMtory 
or  g' f>^rrii]iliy  in  thu  famous  city  on  tho 
KiiphrulcH  (I  KingH  iv.  21),  called  by  tho 
iJrc'ltM  '1  hiipMociia.  It  ha-s  Ix*  n  thou^rht 
tliAt  M<-iialii'rii  ciiild  not  havti  puHhi  d  IiIh 
mnnui-htu  mt  far,  nntl  a  w-ond  TiiihHuh  has 
\feu  lnvi"nt/<l  in  (Im  I«miiit«  liik'hi.md, 
Ix-twr^'n  Tir/iili  and  .'^arniiria,  of  wliirh  tlii>r« 
in  no  other  noliri'  nny  whiTQ.  Hill  "TiphMiili," 
whirh  mftiiiia  "  piiMHin^'i' "  or  "  forl^iiy,"  ia 
an  nnmiitAhln  nunn*  for  a  city  in  Hiu-h  a 
aitiiittioti.  Thfi  vi'w  of  Kfiil  ia  clr  i|y 
tfnahio  tbiit  /nriiiirinh  iin'l  inU'ridcd  Ut 
inrrj  on  hia  fulli' r'a  Wurhko  |Hilicv,  iiiiij 
h«  I  <  olli-rtivl  Kfi  uriiiv  for  a  (ftciil  Ivkwli'm 
•l|M«|iti'>n,  whir-lt  had  It*  )i<  nd  i|iiiirt4irN  at 
Xhn  foyal  cttv  <■(  Tir/iih,  nn>l  ■.■.»«  unrli  r  th<' 
rfitnmmuri  of  M>  iiuKiirii.  A»  ih-  i-x|M'<|itioii 
waa   aboQt   to   aUit,   tlM  iwwa  oaMoa   that 


Shallum  had  murdered  Zaehariah  and 
usurped  the  throne.  Menahem  upon  this 
proceeded  from  Tirzah  to  Samaria,  crushed 
Shallum,  and,  returning  to  hia  army,  carried 
out  without  further  delay  the  expedition 
already  resolved  upon.  The  Assyrian  records 
show  that,  at  the  probable  date  of  tlie  ex- 
pedition, Assyria  was  exceptionally  weak, 
and  in  no  condition  to  resist  an  attack, 
though  a  little  later,  under  TighUh-pileter, 
she  recovered  herself.  And  all  that  were 
therein,  and  the  coasts  thereof,  from  Tirzah. 
"From  Tirzah"  means  "starting  from  Tir- 
zah," as  in  ver.  14.  It  is  to  be  connected 
with  "smote,"  not  with  "coasts."  Because 
they  opened  not  to  him,  therefore  he  smote 
it.  Determined  resistance  on  the  part  of 
a  city  summoned  to  surrender  has  always 
been  regarded  as  justifying  an  extreme 
severity  of  treatment.  It  is  not  clear  that 
Menahem  transgressed  the  ordinary  usages 
of  war  in  what  he  did,  however  much  he 
transgressed  the  laws  of  humanity.  And 
all  the  women  therein  that  were  with  child 
he  ripped  up  (corap.  ch.  viii.  12,  with  the 
comment ;  and  see  also  Isa.  xiiL  18 ;  Hos. 
X.  14;  xiii.  16;  Amos  i.  13). 

Ver.  17. — In  the  nine  and  thirtieth  year 
of  Azariah  King  of  Judah  began  Menahem 
the  son  of  Gadi  to  reign  over  Israel  (com  p. 
ver.  13,  and  the  comment),  and  reigned  ten 
years  in  Samaria,  So  Josephus  ('Ant.  J ud.,' 
ix.  II.  §1). 

Ver.  IS. — And  he  did  that  which  was  evil 
in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  :  he  departed  not  all 
his  days  from  the  sins  of  Jeroboam  the  son 
of  Nebat,  who  made  Israel  to  sin.  Tlie 
writer  lioos  not  seem  to  regard  Jlonahem  as 
either  lietter  or  worse  than  his  predocessora. 
The  usual  forniula  suflicis  to  deseribo  th« 
moral  and  religious  aspect  of  his  reign. 

Ver.  19.— And  Pul  the  King  of  Assyria 
came  against  the  land.  Thoro  is  no  connoo- 
livo  in  th(i  IleNrow  text,  and   it  hiis  been 

riroposed  to  8ii|i|>ly  ono;  bnt  I  hero  can  be 
ittlo  doubt  tiiai  theliOHt  omen  lution  is  that 
BiiggeHti'd  by  Thunius,  who  changes  the 
va— Sa  of  vor.  18  into  vdo,  and  attaohoa 
that  word  to  vor.  Il>.  Ver.  li>  will  then 
read  thus:  "In  his  <iay8  Tul  tiio  King  of 
AHsyriii  ramo  agaiimt  tho  land  " — ajid  no 
Ooimiii  livo  will  h«  wanted.  'I'ho  greiitoat 
dnuht  hiiH  li<'t<n  enteriaiiieil  with  regard  to 
thu  identity  of  I'ul,  wIiohc  naino  d^eH  not 
ap{)'itriii  tlu)  AH-Ayriaii  Mpouvni  ('.iiinii,  or 
In  any  oHht  purely  AHHyiiuu  doiMiineiit. 
liut  feoi'iitly  •liNO()y«Mi<d  lliilivioniiiii  iIimmi- 
mcnla  m'i>iii  to  pmvo  that  I'ul  (I'lilii)  was 
tho  KaliNlonukii  nniue  for  'riglnlh-pdcNiT, 
who  n  i^'iHxt  under  tl<iit  iiitiiK'  In  lluhyloii 
duritiK  lii'<  IiihI  two  yeiirn.  and  nplieikrH  in 
f  ho  (IfiiiMti  of  I'tuh'tny  im  "  I'ciri  n  "  ri^jiilh- 
piled. r.  tho  fu»il  founder  of  tlw  UUtr 
Aaajiiao    ciBplr*,    mad*  hlmaolf  k^    ii 


ML  IT  l-m}        THR  FTOONT>  HOOK  OF  TflT.  KTHOK 


W  kit   ct.ttL    f   *r.   » 

•  ! 
it 

Af  •  •• 

mmAwmek  -4  Tit4>.' 
Kii« 


^   !k 


t- 

e 
I 
ii 

•f  I 


STiiL  1. 

to  kwi 


U.   L 


M4  k««  U. 
To  mumivet 
U4   to  W   1 


..  ato 
Pal 


r   ^o   «*•  ool   i*.*- 
-<«MU«^  •■eh  M 

aawttl*  dmw 


i  oblais 
'  4U 
u>xt 

:  1 


LbX. 


laA      tvtafs  <rf  A* 
a  Um  cad  «f  < 

rW     U 


Var.   S..— Aa4  tte  nM   af    tk*  Mto  if 

iBltekMkaf  Ik*  ikrwtoUa  af  tk« 
ktaM  if  IvMl  f  NuOilM  Mt«  b  kaova 
if  Mmmkmm  iW  •«  af  0»il.  itoa*  1m 
i-r- -|jM«>-1  *"  t^— **-  '  «>Ut  UwpriM* 
if    Um  mm*  mm*  •ktf  I* 


»kC 

tl  ml 


B#TM  C^M>^'  ^    '  H^ 
Ifc*  iMC  viM  ««*  ftiW««4 


itopt  vtu  y* 

•Ai     fftkULU     ku     MS 


■tAS.  1^  tkart  mAo  •f  r*^*kl*k  «•• 
•  hullj  — u»a^*ttkil  fU  WU  Um 
thriMi  far  l»o  ;•«/«  ocily.  txr  poh  f  to« 
pMto  of  two  jr»n^  »a  i  p  f  r  Ti'B^d  B»  aMMa 
'.  aaj  hlMiina*  faM  ilkiHi|^  vattllj  atf 
rd.  Oar  MrtJMf  ha*  »u«laac  to  rriaii 
>.(  biM  but  Um  WMaaatoaMB  af  hU  4mUi 
(var.  SSX  vhMwith  W  «MahiaM  Um  Maal 
tomalM  (fan.  tt.  K  M> 

▼m.  n— bik*  iWatt  yaar  a(  Aaaitoh 
Bat  •(  Jaiah;  Mallj  to  tha  thjty  aBfaUi 

tnai    I  BO      liio   ouUitur:>l   uti    «rr»      ..    !*.    %Mtk 

■  •■ii- 

■  cmt 

(*  K^jOMja  Ommb.'  pi*.  )  17  -  SOX  ahMh  I* 
lb<Mffht  to  hava  hMa  aa  73a  Apfarratlj. 
Ito  loo  «a*  f  into  I  to  aaj  tnbato  (lUi, 
pp.  117.  Ill,  Ubm  II  •)  to  th*  A«7haa 
■waaroh.  Pak&kuh  th*  aoa  af  M^ikMi 
hafaa  to  i«l<«  vvw  laraal  to  haMarto.  aad 
MC^Md  tvo  yaaja.     ba  J<««fiha*  (L  «.  a  X 

Set  Ji— Aa4  h*  did  U^t  whMh  «a«  avtt 
lath*  ufht  af  ik»  lacd:  ha  **»art>i  Mt 
fr*M  th*  ita*  if  Jarahaaa  ih*  aaa  af  lahal, 
vKo  ii>«4«  laraal  to  ria.  Juarphaa  »ida 
rtineJ  with  tha  mm*  araallj  a* 
r  (ry  T««  vs'^  ■•««■•&••#*#«■ 
•fi^f^'.X  bat  V*  «aaae«  ha  *ai«  thai  du* 
I*  MOM  tluB  a  oM^iactar*.  toaadad  aa  Iha 
ib««iB<M  ot  hi*  ivt^o- 

Vm.  U.— Bat  fakmh  th*  aaa  if  Iwalfaih. 

■aMattoh    aaa   pmbsM*   a    Maa    of    mamm 

toipuftaar*^  aiaM  Pekab  aa*M*  to  hava  baaa 

aluKal    imiut  ka»«a   by   hia   eaifvataii^ 

Baaialtoh.   "mm  €4    R(Mkl..h.*  tbaa 

^ila  aara  p*B|«r   aaaa  (aw  !«».  ni   i, 

'if).    A  aaptaiB  af  kto— 'cafaaM 

-^aaad,**  »ordt«ltaf   to  Jaarphu*  (L 


(   to  Joartih 
hm.  aai   i 


k*  pal*M  af  th*  kiag^ 
■  •>    ito    tow     I    /     A*^) 
^   a»    immf't   4WM-.    th*   W^     -  -■ 

b   frRM  3*%  to  ba  hi^)     <^r  Lte 

h«MM    (B«4MX   1/    I'ck.  -       :if 

thMa    aHh    hia    frtaad*  <• 

#*»*^t^  #«rd  aiAa*  *»**^.  k  M   J  «^paa* 

a»«*       Wllh   Ai««b   aKi   Artah.      iVaaa 
■rvai  to  ka  tM  '  (naada  *  af  iaaaahaa  «W 


300 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [oh.  xv.  1-38. 


were  teith  (he  hing  and  shared  his  fate,  not 
fellow-conspirators  with  Pekah.  The  names 
are  nncommon  ones.  And  with  him — i.e. 
Pekah — fifty  men  of  the  Gileadites ;  fifty  men 
of  "the  Fonr  Hundrel,"  according  to  the 
LXX.  "  The  Four  Hundred  "  were  probably 
tlie  roval  body-guard,  which  at  this  time 
may  have  consisted  of  Gileadites.  And  he 
killed  him,  and  reigned  in  his  room.  It  does 
not  appear  that  Pekah  had  any  grievance. 
His  crime  seems  to  have  been  simply 
prompted  by  ambition. 

Ver.  26. — And  the  rest  of  the  acts  of  Pe- 
kahiah.  and  all  that  he  did,  behold,  they  are 
written  in  the  book  of  the  ohronicles  of  the 
kings  of  IsraeL 

Vers.  27-31.— Reign  of  Pekah.    The 

writer  is  again  exceedingly  brief.  Pekah's 
reign  was  a  remarkable  one,  and  might  have 
furni.-lied  much  material  to  the  historian. 
In  ojujunctiou  with  Eezin  of  Damascus,  he 
made  war  upon  Judaea,  defeated  Ahaz  with 
great  IfiBS  (2  Chron.  xxviii.  6),  and  laid  siege 
to  Jeru.-alem  (fsa.  viL  1).  Ahaz  called  in 
the  aid  of  Assyria,  and  Tiglath-pilescr  made 
two  expeditions  into  Palestine — the  one 
Dicntioncd  in  ver.  29,  and  another  some 
yt  ars  afterwards.  In  the  latter  he  seems  to 
have  bad  the  assistance  of  Hoshea,  who, 
with  his  sanction,  slew  I'ekah,  aud  bccuuie 
kiug.  Tho  icunty  notices  of  our  author 
must  be  HUpplemeutcd  from  2  Chron.  xxviii. ; 
I»u.  vii.  1 — 'J;  viiL  1 — 8;  and  the  Assyrian 
iuHcriptiouB. 

Ver.  27. — In  the  two  »nd  fiftieth,  year  of 
Azariah  King  of  Jadah ;  ratlK^r,  in  the  tliirty- 
uinth  or  Ihirty-fiahth  year  (kco  the  coiiiiiient 
on  ver  23).  i'cK.diiuh'H  "two  yiiirs"  may 
ijot  have  bc«ii  comjilele.  Fokah  the  son  of 
Bomaliah  bugan  to  roiga  over  laraol  in 
Eaiiiuria,  anil  rei.tieil  twenty  years.  The 
Aaayriuu  rc'^nU  iiiuku  tiilH  nuinlier  iinpo.s- 
mblu.  Tiglalh  |iilt-Hi;r'H  ciiliro  reign  lusted 
only  riijUUen  ycnrn,  yot  it  iiiiirc  than  covcrod 
th«'  eiitirn  nigfi  of  P(  kiih.  Whon  ho  flrnt 
iiiva'iMl  (hn  kingdom  uf  Kamariii,  Menulina 
%iui  \\\fi\\  tlio  tiirono  (*  l'°.p<iiiyiu  Canon,'  p. 
1/U,  Inin  'l'.*)\  wiiun  hu  In  I  iittmkod  it,  pro- 
biiljly  lu  MO.  7U0  —two  yciirM  beforo  bin  iliuth 
In  H  U.  7^H  ~ho  M-t  iiji  lI'iHlion,  or,  iit  any 
rfet«,  •<knrti<inc<l  hia  UMnrpiitiou  (ibid.,  pp. 
r/^t,  \'i\,  liui-a  16  — IH).  I'likrkb'a  onlirnrei;.;n 
tuiut  buvii  I'ino  in  ttm  itiU<rviil,  wliinli  la 
ei<ri«inly  not  ruom  tli m  otio  of  flftcen,  pro- 
li«tily  not  rii'>r<'  than  onn  (if  U\u  ycrtm. 

Vor  'IH.  And  ha  did  t)i>kt  v^  .  h  wna 
•nl  In  tha  algbt  of  tho  Lord:  ho  drparlnd 
M«i   Iron   tba  ciiu  of  Jarobuaiu   Iha  aon  of 


Nebat,  who  made  Israel  to  rin.  Josepha* 
(•Ant.  Jud.,'  ix.  11.  §  1)  says  that  Pekah 
was  an  ineligions  king,  and  a  transgressor 
of  the  Law  (dtreyS^j  re  Koi  irapdvoftosy, 
Isaiah  shows  how  he  intrigued  with  foreign- 
ers against  his  brethren  of  the  sister  king- 
dom (Isa.  vii.  2 — 6).  The  writer  of  Chio- 
nicles  tells  of  his  fierce  anger  against  the 
Jews  (2  Chron.  xxviii.  9),  and  of  the  dread- 
ful carnage  which  he  sanctioned  after  the 
great  battle. 

Ver.  29. — In  the  days  of  Pekah  King  of 
Israel  came  Tiglath-pileser  King  of  Assyria. 
Tiglath-pileser's  records  are  not  in  the  shape 
of  annals,  and  are,  moreover,  in  a  very  mu- 
tilated condition.  He  does  not  date  events, 
like  most  Assyrian  kings, by  his  regnal  years. 
His  first  expedition  into  Syria  is  thought, 
however,  to  have  been  in  his  third  year, 
B.O.  743,  but  there  is  no  evidence  that,  on 
this  occasion,  he  proceeded  further  south 
than  Damascus,  where  he  took  tribute  from 
Rezin.  Some  years  after  this — b.c.  738,  ac- 
cording to  Mr.  G.  Smith — he  penetrated  to 
Palestine,  where  his  chief  enemy  was  Aza- 
riah King  of  Judah,  who  had  united  under 
his  sway  most  of  the  tribes  as  far  as  Haniath. 
After  chastising  Azariah,  he  extended  his 
dominion  over  most  of  tho  neighbouring 
states  and  kingdoms ;  and  it  was  at  this 
time  that  (as  related  in  ver.  Ill)  he  took 
tribute  from  Menahem.  Subsequently  (about 
B.O.  734)  he  made  an  expedition  lor  the  pur- 
pose of  conquest,  whicii  receives  very  scant 
notice,  in  one  inscription  only.  This  is  pro- 
bably tlie  expedition  of  tho  present  passage. 
And  took  Ijon,  and  Abel  -  beth  -  maachah. 
The9(\  were  phices  in  the  extreme  north  of 
the  Israelite  territory,  in  tho  vicinity  of  the 
Lake  Merom,  sucli  as  would  nalMrully  be 
among  tho  liiat  to  fall  before  an  Assyria)! 
invailer  (on  thoir  exact  (tosition,  see  tlie 
oomnumt  on  1  Kings  xv.  20).  And  Janoah. 
Janoali  is  now  generally  regarded  as  identi- 
c.il  with  the  modern  lluniu,  a  villago  olo::ie 
by  "an  ancient  forties.s  of  groat  •tri»nj;th  * 
(Kc)liinnon,  '  Lator  Kea(  arches,' p.  371),  in 
tiio  hill  country  northwest  of  Moroni.  It 
is  in  a  iliroct  linit  iMttween  Alxd  belb-maa- 
ohah  (Al<il)  aiul  KedoMh  ((\iili$),  as  wo 
HJiould  expect  frnrn  the  prcHcnt  paHHngo. 
And  Kodn«h,  and  Hazor.  Kcdenli  ia  ln-yimd 
all  doulit  tliO  "  KedcM,"  or  "(.'ndeH,"ol  t<v 
(liiy— an  iin|>orliint  Hito  in  tho  Haniu  moun- 
tain ilihtiiet,  rnllier  nioro  than  hix  niilea 
south  of  1 1  unit),  and  four  fnmi  the  "  waters  of 
Mcroni  "  (h<>«  UoliiiiHon,  '  Later  IteHearehoH,' 
iip  3(!fl,  3«!7V  lla/.or  was  in  llio  n(<ai  iieich- 
bcmrbrMtd  of  ICixIihIi,  tiiwardH  tlio  noulli  pro- 
bably. 'I'lio  ixrect  position  la  dinputed. 
Hdliinmiii'H  nrgninenln  in  fuvnur  of  Kl-Kltu- 
rcilioli  arc  weij.;bly  ;  Imt  tli<<  i<UK\\\rir»  om- 
ploynd  bv  thn  i'nIeHline  Kiplorntitin  I'linil 
rr^Mrd    kburb«l-ilarr«li,   b«>lw*«>D    li*d(«i»li 


«.■«.  l-JH]         TUB  8Bi>>IID  BOOK  OF  TUK   MIMOA 


»C«b»J  b«MB  C^Hi>t«<M  (1 


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larML 

▼•m.  n— ML  Rnos  or  JontAS.  Om« 
■art  Ik*  vrtlvr  Uuwt  bvm  Unal  ki  Ju<Uli. 
•ad  pooM^  lo  glvo  ••  iwwit  ol  xhio  rriipi 
of  iU^MB   U^*  «•  of  4infc.  et  l'ui*k, 

plaM.  vkM  I'oMk  «M  MnMk  vtUi  l«t«^^ 
(««•.  SX    11m  MMaBa  gitaa  d  «^  ivifa  b 


b«t  kit  >atal  f«4«  •it 


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o«a    TMr*    la   Jtm*'—       (a    •ti<.r«« 
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II    tuiivi     I   five     ■«-  '    ..uv    ai^ 

kiaigs  of  JimUK.  at  aaj  r 


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•lau  "uib   LL*    «*a   ui   U^<k«l    tA4<li    *uci«' 


802 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  TEE  KINGa         [oh.  xv.  1—38. 


Nor  was  he  content  with  fortifying  the 
capitnl.  He  also  "  built  cities  in  the  moun- 
tains of  Judah,  and  in  the  forests  he  built 
castles  and  towers."  Tiglnth-pileser  had 
made  war  on  his  father  ('  Eponvm  Canon,' 
pp.  117,  US).  He  felt  that  any  day  his  own 
turn  might  come. 

Ver.  36. — Now  the  rest  of  the  acts  of  Jo- 
tham,  and  all  that  he  did.  The  principal 
eveut  of  Jottiam's  reigm  was  his  war  with 
Animon.  The  writer  of  Chr<)nicles  says, 
•  He  fought  also  with  the  king  of  the  Am- 
monites, and  prevailed  against  them.  And 
the  cliildren  of  Ammon  gave  him  the  same 
year  an  hundred  talents  of  silver,  and  ten 
tliousand  measures  of  wheat,  and  ten  thou- 
sand of  barley.  So  much  did  the  children 
of  Ammon  pay  unto  liim,  both  the  second 
year,  aud  tlie  third"  (2  Chron.  xxvii.  5). 
Josephus  (*Ant.  Jud.,'  ix.  11.  §  2)  gives 
nearly  the  same  account,  but  regards  the 
payment  as  an  annual  tribute,  intended  to 
be  permanent  Are  they  not  written  in 
the  book  of  the  ohroniclef  of  the  kings  of 
Judah! 

Ver.  37. — In  those  days  the  Lord  began  to 
•end  against  Judah  Rezin  the  King  of  Syria. 
Kfzin's  name  occurs  in  the  Assyrian  in- 
BcriptioQA  early  in  the  reign  of  Tiglath-pi- 


leser,  probably  in  the  year  B.C.  7i3.  At  that 
time  he  pays  to  the  Assyrians  a  heavy  tribute, 
consisting  of  eighteen  talents  of  gold,  three 
hundred  talents  of  silver,  two  hundred 
talents  of  copper,  and  twenty  talents  of 
spices.  Subsequently,  about  the  year  B.C. 
734,  he  is  found  in  revolt.  His  alliance 
with  Pekah,  here  implied,  is  directly  stated 
by  Isaiah  (vii.  2).  Begun  in  Jotham's 
reign,  it  continued,  aud  came  to  a  head,  in 
the  reign  of  Ahaz  (see  ch.  xvi.  5  and  Isa. 
vii.  1 — 9 ;  viii.  6).  And  Pekah  the  son  of 
Eemaliah.  Pekali  and  Rezin  intended  to 
establish  on  the  Jewish  throne  a  certain 
Ben-Tabeal  (Isa.  vii.  6),  a  creature  of  their 
own,  with  whose  aid  they  thought  to  ofl'er 
an  effectual  resistance  to  Assyria. 

Ver.  38.  —  And  Jotham  slept  with  his 
fathers,  and  was  bnried  with  his  lathers  in 
the  city  of  David  his  father :  and  Ahaz  his 
son  reigned  in  his  stead.  It  may  be  sus- 
pected that  the  full  name  of  this  king  was 
Jeho-ahaz.  Ahaz,  "  possession,"  is  a  name 
never  assigned  to  any  oiher  Israelite,  and 
it  is  one  not  likely  to  have  been  given  by  a 
religious  fatlier  like  Jofham.  In  the  As- 
syrian inscriptions  the  Jewish  king  con- 
temporary with  Kezin  and  Pekah  is  called 
"  Yahu-khazL" 


EOMILETICa 

Vers.  1 — 7. —  The  leper-king  a  pattern  and  a  warning.    I.  Tn  his  BARLnsB  tears 

AzAuiAH  WAS  A  PATTKRN  KINO.  He  "did  tliat  which  was  ri^ht  in  the  sight  of  the 
Lnrd"  (ver.  3);  he  "sought  G<>d"  (2  Chron.  xxvi.  6);  he  consorted  with  "Zcchariah, 
wiio  haa  understanding  in  the  visions  of  God;"  and  the  result  was  that  "God  made 
him  to  priisf.cr."  "God  helped  him  against  the  Philistines  aud  the  Arabians  and  tlie 
W'hunim"  (li  Chron.  xxvi.  7),  and  he  "  was  marvellously  helped"  (2  Chion.  xxvi.  15). 
H  •  far,  he  is  a  pattern  to  us,  the  model  of  a  good  king,  of  one  who  is  at  once  religiously 
minded  and  full  of  practical  zeal  and  emrgy,  who  serves  God  witliout  ceasing  to  serve 
null,  "not  slotliful  in  buHine.«8,  fervent  in  si^rit,  serving  the  Lord"  (Rom.  xii.  11). 
but  tli<  re  is  a  reverse  to  the  pictura 

II.  Is  HIB  LATKB  YKAUH  AZAIIIAII  WAB  A  WARNING  TO  KINOfl  AND  GUKAT  MKN 
OKSKUALI-V.  A/.arifth,  like  his  father  (.h.  xiv.  10),  became  "lifted  up"  (2  Chron.  xxvi. 
!»)).  He  wiw  not  contciil  with  his  kingly  jiower  and  groitncHs,  his  secular  di  .nity  and 
majextv;  be  would  1)C  first  ev(!ry  where,  and  invaded  the  nriostly  oflico  (2  Chron.  xxvi. 
Hi  — I'J).  It  hft-l  pleavcd  God,  In  tlio  theorratic  polity  which  h(>  had  set  uj),  to  tlraw 
th«  i»liur|K-Hl  |H)HHJlple  line  between  the  sacerdotal  order  and  the  rest  of  tlio  community. 
N<»n«!  w<Te  allowed  to  Kaciitice,  or  t«  burn  inronso,  or  «von  to  enter  into  tho  sanctuary, 
bill  "  the  ipfiehUt  the  HoriH  of  Aaron " — the  lin<al  descendantH  of  tho  lir.-^t  and  great(<Ht 
o(  ihe  hi^h  prie.MtH.  King-*  had  their  fiiiictioiiH— gre.iL  and  high  and  (in  a  certain 
iMMiHff)  Mcrod  liiriclionK — to  nilo,  to  judge,  to  determino  on  jx'aeo  or  war;  to  lead  armies, 
if  It  HO  plruHOii  thorn;  to  direct  tho  wliulo  iwilicy  of  tho  nalii>n.  But  one  tiling  thoy 
miKl't  n"t  do,  Btid  that  wuh  to  anHumo  tho  dnties  which  had  boon  assigned  to  the 
tiriiHU  kikI  I>viii»«,  who  bad  Imwu  a]iiN.inted  God's  H|>ici  il  niinistiTH,  to  iiiiniHtor  to  liiin 
In  tho  o<ingr«  g;aioii.  The  excluHivn  right  il  tho  priiHts  to  their  riincliouH  bad  been 
▼  indi' »t«ii  In  ft  rnoNt  U-rriblo  and  awful  way,  whiui,  Minm  aflor  tho  liiHlitution  of  the 
lyt-Miical  pfHiitbcxxl,  it*  honour*  woro  coveted  by  \i,xw\K.  moii  wlio  diil  not  In-long  t4>  tlio 
privih-gorl  body.  Korah,  I»»»htin,  an<l  Ablntm,  wiili  tli'  ir  com|iany,  wire  HwallowcHi 
tip,  nrrl  "  wnnt  down  (jiick  into  h«ll,"  lM<<auH<'  lliev  chiiioed  t<)  Iw  an  "holy"  aa  the 
{irioiU  (Nuiub.  ivL  3>,  aiwi  to  ulfor  Iu(uum  boluio  tho  d<A>r  of  tho  labt^mnclo  uf  the  CUQ- 


miT.I-Ji.)        TBI  taCOKD  DOOK  Of  THB  KlXOft. 


TW  Whb  lmr«  ■'  U  Am  ■Tuili  W4  ^M  M** 
1^  Id  Wwt ;  Mkd  •*«■  mmIi  alckiy  hmmuvIm  »  4  Mmmb  iMi  m0nNlif 

ttami  tmm  Mltibg  Midi  Um  ymil«g«i  «l  IW  ;  iii1a<l>t  •{■•  %hmm  « 

uiy  WHT*  i»l  Aaui«k  4«|4m4  iW  uaciaag  a#  iW  dmi,  aMi  Uw  «saAfli0  art  kte  bf 
Wte  ptvMMaalk  Bm  Mm  m  Joa»pt>«M  d^firu  kla  1  Un  •  gn»i  faauval  dsj,  «4«a 
IW  fMOffe  kai  til  tem»  tapMl^r  ta  afov^d*  to  kwp  Ika  Ih^  U  tvhmi  Uaatf  i* 

vtUilB  iCa  laapb  bMUdli^  and  Uaailf  (Atittg  lf««i«  aa  Ika  goAiaa  ahar  itel  «m 
Ite  vaU.  U  «a«i  dtJ  Ite  atgliij  ivisu  la  aWilaw  ,  W«4a4  Imt  iU  kMb 
Nilal  kla,  aad  atkort  Um  to  U7  and*  kte  daain  aad  rrtua  {  Aaaf^.  kat  «& 
^  riAwad,  attd  ibrrau««d  tkmm  siili  daaUi  iff  IImj  mmW  aova  ad&     TVi^ 


liflia<  daelan^  Um  groaad  aaddaalj  rockad  wUk  aa  •tfUtqaUa  (aDaifk.  Aaoi  L  1| 
iMk  lb.  fV  Md  Iba  foof  af  IW  lanpb  ff^*'*  ■■^  •  m»ii«  MlMiiv  Maxda  «p« 
tlw  Wai  af  IM  Uag.  aad  •!  oaaa  Inrwy  aivt^d  ovar  Mafcea,— d.  iiiwfcilBiiil  «|||| 
cnWaMahMMLkadafAfiadCAaL  JudVlx.  laf  4X    Hera  Amkk  to  •  VM^^  to 


cnaTaMahMMLkadafaiiadCABL  JudVlx.  laf  4X    Hera  Amkk  to  •  vM^i 
iliV  (1)  ikM  ttaj  attawpt  aol  to  mlatoiar  iba  Wo(d  aad  fwiaKtu  aad  (I) 
ikMT  Ib  m  «w  to«Mli  wfam  Um  rigkli  e#  Ika  priaato  m  tt»hm  iiatoiara;  a»i  tart^. 
W  li  •  WflM  to  giaa»  BMs.  or  tuck  m  tklak  tli—Mlf  paal,  to  kaa  auliad 


Mmtk  iKai  tiaj  n«l  OMitrot  with  ihm  parfa— ana  ti  iMr  ova  Fopar  datka  aad 
Ml  tonda  tba  aSoa  o#  oUkan:  altW  (1)  bf  dlatod^ 


ikaft  daalfiaa 
Ukej  ikall  ia«Mk ;  or  (V)  ^  uadoa  toiiHbtiiaei  viUi  ■ehooK  toaebara.  «u. ;  or  (1)  br 
asjr  oiktr  tra  o#  am^uit  and  n?ar toting  aoadaec  PwaWbrn—t  aiu  mmutOj  hil 
«M  iboaa  wbp  ao  act.  TW7  will  loa*  naali  laapaet  and  0<d*«  «pprovaL  FMJwa 
aiU  oaartaka  ibaot  at  tba  mumaot  wbaa  tkar  look  to  kava  thair  afcrta  crvwaal  viUk 
•ooiblcto  WBBMi  Well  fur  tlMB  If  U  ba  lUBDly  fcOva.  and  »at  an  utiar  6owmUL 
It  anas  fcapfniii  tii*t  b«  vho  oo*ato  man  tbaa  to  baa  aay  liglit  ar  aUiai  to  baviL  laaa 
tkal  whkk  *aa  k»fuUj  la  hia 


WorUlff   prmmtHtf   mat    M/W^waffy    At   rmtn    tf  ks',>dcm»,      L 

lAElA.     Beaioaiy  aw  waa  therr  %  mcfr  (cv-j*  r\  UB  rv  ^  l:  &^i   that  of 


KitHrijior  ^«A■Al 

Jc-f<  (...MCi  11.— «  rr  ^  of  fDrty-^iiM  }earB  o^  outiiianal  aoccf,  uuctMckerad  by  a  tola* 

At-  S>Mk  dcfratcd.  tba  old  bofdar  avarjvbaia  mavarad,  Haaatli  aaaapiad. 

UfttuMcu*  U<^-u^ia  iiitu  a  aub^t  ^     ""-n.    Ai  umal,  wtoaa  tbaia  ia  toUliafy  aaeeaa^ 

vaahk  lowad  IB,  aad  with  v^  .  **  Onat  boiMa  "  vara  bvflt  (Amm  iiL  UX 

"ivorr  hamf,"  U.  fcnnati  ic :    ,.&nalkd  vltk  Ivarr;  dirtinct  tmmdam  wwtm 

labahbad  d«riB«  tka  aaaMNT  aad  dwtDf  tha  wiator  llaM  (iaoa  UL  15X  TW  Afl^ia 
d  I«aal  paotod  tkair  Btaa  in  Satiikrla.  'riax  **  to  tba  aoraar  of  a  1.  vi."  t^  in  DnmMMH 
kaafiaa'anxi  a  ol  .      '  'rUfoMof  wia«  "  -..  HL 

1);  *  •boaadiMB  aod  «  :  r  »  book  away  ttoir  bm  >    t    :  i       Aad 

witk  tlua  toftaiia  waa  UMidad.  aa  ito:  ««m  toad,  tka  aadaaliva  uiQwooa  o^  a  haaattnM 
wlifiiii— .  em  iJto  otkar,  tba  ooarMr  and  nidar  vieaa  to  wbkh  liuor;  and  MM^todal- 
■■Ma  toavitably  Wad.  Pkuiotiam  diaaopaarcd,  aad  ailf-aeakiM  took  Ito  pkea. 
^MUkallj  all  wm  auatekj  or  m  aniU;  kiafi  Bftia  Ikair  «aj  to  tba  ttoaaa  ikroagk 
Ika  toaidM  af  tbair  iridaoMaiwa.  aad  aaada  arajr  fcr  Ikiir  ■aoewnri  ibroofb  ikalr  oam. 
ifcall—  dtm  Saebariab  (eh.  xr  10);  Meaatoa  rirv  flkaneto  (v«.  14);  Pkkak  riav 


I  (v«.l 
ika  aoa  a# Mwafcw  Crac  96);  Bmk\^  »lcw  Prkak  (mr.  90).    1^  wtoik  "'ij'  ^  of 
I— I  wm  a  BiMtoi J  iln|i  iHm^  aad.  *i  io  tha  Kotuaa  — lyiia,  tkoat  to 


totkalkraM'*(PaBi7'a^MtoarP>Dt4ia«a.'|k2X  Scdaty  «aa  aarrMl  to  ika  conl  l\m 
idohlnai  d  tka  ealvaa.  of  Baal,  aod  ot  Meloek  vorkad  wH  tkair  Mtoml  laaaha.  Md 
kota  ikilr  bUtar  fruit.    ■  Oaatora-watably^  aa  tk.  PImJ  pataiii  ot  OLam.  L  U-TlX 
«aa  tka  |f  I  «f  avary  aort  at  aUaBtnatwa ;  aad  lal^aa  lwfk«  toeosa  wia 
wankifs  wbatOod  gavaaa  tkaakack  to  »"  >>~->»'>v>  It*  toeaaiira.     Braryc*-^    •• 
■««tar&«i  •a»b*t>k<^.  uidlkalkabitttA  •«  laMbuud  (Uoik  it.  U - 

(B«y.  I*-  11  i  Amo»  IL  jy,  WeadibiiMiaa  ^i        >    . ,  rl  b),  danit  ol  (KJ  (U 
pwiaama  fcnt^liaioiai  lu  maii;  rxoaM  aad  hizory  arrrr  W|T^M  by  arcrat  ur  o} 
lalkaj  (Baa.  »it   !^  ^r^Ta^*  fH.«.  xiL  7X  Uaa  dr*'  -    TA.  ■•  nt  S;  U<«.  «.i 
farvaf^eaoffja*  «  i.  4 ;  ioMa  IL  fX  |pi»iit^ .  :  «.  xil.  TV 

vaa  ibad  lib*  »  .  uo«  alraato  aat  aaoltot  .  d  a»aia|taad  tka 

wHk  aM  diAitti  ^icluga.     idaltory  ia  nnanwii    1  aa  —  >>*  W  raiic^aa  (awL  ti; 


804  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KmOtS.       [ch.  xv.  1—38 

14).  Those  who  were  first  in  rank  were  first  in  excess.  People  and  king  vied  in 
debauchery  (Hos.  vii.  5) ;  and  the  sottish  king  joined  and  encouraged  the  free-thinkers 
and  blasphemers  of  his  court  (Hos.  vii.  3).  The  idolatrous  priests  loved  and  shared  in 
the  sins  of  the  people  (Hos.  iv.  8,  9) ;  nay,  they  seem  to  have  set  themselves  to  inter- 
cept those  on  either  side  of  Jordan,  who  would  go  to  worship  at  Jerusalem,  laying  wait 
to  murder  them  (Hos.  v.  1;  vi.  9).  Corruption  had  spread  through  the  whole  land, 
even  the  places  once  sacred  throuffh  God's  revelations  or  other  mercies  to  their  fore- 
fathers— Bethel,  Gilgal,  Gilead,  Mizpah,  Shechem — were  especial  scenes  of  corruption  or 
of  sin  (Hos.  iv.  15 ;  v.  1 ;  vi.  8,  9,  etc.).  Every  holy  memory  was  efi'aced  by  present 
corruption.  Could  thin .'s  be  worse?  There  was  one  aggravation  more.  Remonstrance 
was  useless  (Hos.  iv.  4) ;  the  knowledge  of  God  was  wUfully  rejected  (Hos.  iv.  6) ;  the 
people  hated  rebuke  (Amos  v.  10) ;  the  more  they  were  called,  the  more  they  refused 
(Hos.  xi  2,  7) ;  they  forbade  their  prophets  to  prophesy  (Amos  ii.  12)  ;  and  their  false 
prophets  hated  God  greatly  (Hos.  ix.  7,  9).  All  attempts  to  heal  all  this  disease  only 
showed  its  incurable ness"  (ibid.,  p.  3). 

II.  Example  of  Tyre.  The  prosperity  of  Tyre  in  the  seventh  and  eighth  centuries 
before  our  era  was  c  straordinary.  She  was  mistress  of  her  sister  cities,  Sidou  and  Gebal 
and  Arvad ;  she  ruled  over  a  hundred  colonies ;  on  her  island-rock  she  was  safe  from 
Assyria;  the  trade  of  the  world  was  in  her  hands.  "Situate  at  the  entry  of  the  sea, 
a  merchant  of  the  people  for  many  isles"  (Ezek.  xxvii.  3);  full  of  wordly  wisdom,  the 
wisdom  that  gets  increase  of  riches  (Ezek.  xxviii.  3 — 5) ;  rich  beyond  all  conception  in 
precious  metals,  and  in  gems  (Ezek.  xxviii.  13),  and  in  spices,  and  in  broidered  work 
(Ezek.  xxvii.  22,  2i),  and  in  ivory  and  ebony  (Ezek.  xxvii.  15),  and  in  all  manner  of 
merchandise;  approved,  respected,  called  "the  renowned  city,  strong  in  the  sea" 
(Ezek.  xxvi.  17); — she  had  reached  the  acme  of  her  glory,  of  her  wealth,  of  her  great- 
ness. But  with  what  results  to  her  moral  tone  and  temper?  Her  heart  was  *♦  lifted 
up"  (Ezek.  xxviii.  5);  her  pride  became  excessive;  she  said  in  her  heart,  "I  am 
of  perfect  beauty  "  (Ezek. xxvii.  3) — "I  am  a  god;  I  sit  in  the  seat  of  God"  (Ezek. 
xxviii.  2).  ••  Iniquity  "  of  every  kind  was  found  in  her  (Ezek.  xxviii.  15) — envp  (Ezek. 
xxvi.  2),  and  "  violence  "  (ver.  16),  and  corrupt  wisdom  (ver.  17),  and  profanation  of 
aanctuariea  (ver.  18),  and  even  dishonesty  in  her  traffic  (ver.  18).  And  with  iniquity, 
as  usual,  came  ruin.  Because  of  her  pride,  and  her  envy,  and  her  violence,  and  her 
other  iniquities,  God  brought  a  fire  into  her  midst,  which  devoured  her  and  reduced  her 
to  ashf-s  (Ezek.  xxvi.  18).  Tlie  Babylonians  were  made  God's  instrument  to  chastise 
her,  and  carry  off  lier  wealtli,  and  break  down  her  walls,  and  destroy  her  pleasant 
houses,  and  slay  her  people  with  the  sword  (Ezek.  xxvi.  11,  12),  and  make  her  a 
byword  among  the  nations  (Ezekj  xxviL  32)— a  desolation,  a  hissing,  and  a  terror 
(v-r.  36). 

III.  ExAMPLB  OF  RoMK.  The  ruin  of  Rome  was  undoubtedly  wrought  by  that  long 
career  of  uii'xarai)led  military  success  which  bcL^an  with  the  closing  years  of  the 
■Second  Punic  War,  and  cuntinuod  till  she  was  the  world's  mistress.  The  wealth  of 
Carthage,  Maceilonia,  and  Asia  flowing  into  her  cofl'ers,  destroyed  the  antique  simplicity 
and  severity  of  manners,  Htimnlatod  Hmhilion,  provoked  inordinate  desire,  and  led  to 
thoH  •  terrific  civil  wars,  in  which  the  blood  of  the  noblest  and  the  bravt^st  was  shod  like 
rater,  and  "  Koine  fell  ruined  by  hor  own  strength"  (Horace).  It  was  not  the  inilux 
of  the  barhariina  that  destroyed  Rome;  she  fell  from  internal  decay,  'i'he  decline  of 
R'jinan  civilization  dat' h  from  befon;  the  fall  of  tin-  rcpnlilic.  It  was  then  that 
pcjpiilatioii  h'  gaii  to  diminisli,  and  tii(!  pure  Homan  blodd  to  be  minified  with  the  refuse 
of  every  nation.  Slaves,  ticcdmon,  clients,  glided  into  the  trilx  s  and  gentes,  and  were 
/ollowe  I  by  alwoliitc  forei;^n<rH,  (riecks  and  Egyptians  and  Syrlan.s,  eflVto  races  in  a 
•late  b<fth  of  |)l.yHir;,il  and  moral  degradation.  "The  OnrntcH  (lowed  into  the  Tilier." 
The  very  iiarncH  of  th<  Hf;  in  the  higln'ht  jxisilion  lieeauic  groh  mpie  ami  slrange,  sncli  aa 
Ciwjm  arid  Tato  would  have  pronounco<l  manifchtly  barharouH.  A  doeay  of  moral 
prir  ciplcu  f(dlowe<l  thin  ndndxturo.  Slavery  jirevaili'd,  and  HJavery  in  anci<  nt  as  in 
m'-i'Tn  tlincH  wan  "a  hoiluxl  of  vice  and  HeifiMh  indnlgi'ncf,  (MUTvating  the  npirit  and 
TiUil  forcfH  of  niatikiml,  dlMeoiiraging  Wigitiinate  marriii;^",  an(i  untieing  to  promihciious 
atid  barren  c<jnciil)lnftj50.  The  fruit  of  Hiich  haiefnl  unionH,  if  fruit  there  wiTO,  engaged 
lit  ill)  regard  from  thoir  Helfinh  lathcrn,  an'i  Ixitli  law  and  UHage  continuod  to  Hancilon 
t^ia  ox[Mj«ur0  o/  infantii,  from  wldi  h   ihn  fiwiiaia  MS  unduubUMily  ButTurod   most.     Tha 


cm  XT.  1-aa  ]      thb  rbooicd  book  of  the  kimqil 


ti  Italy  frnoi  ihb  korrVl  prn*  (!<'«  w«r«   t4^iUiUr  'Xr  crr^h 
•Uu  VmX    (•!>•(» •rUi«ab)>  ,    t  '     ''. 

fruitUw*;  ihr  cm  "ir^'«  t/  ■ 
iadttlnroov 

4»|WDitwiBi'  » 
<1m    OMVkI    •: 

*  lUtiii..  ,.     1 1    WM  •  r»tw    > 

►lawttiB.  >!>■!   i^xoiuc  r:;.  !.    a  -al    •ucCUtob»l    Uj    U,li*r4i. 

a  hm  MoUffiM  aarUar,  U  w  -xi  wiUiuut  any  diOicultx. 


'•v»i  ti»c  itfi<ni 


•r.rn  to 
•  ■■»% 


HOMILII 


>U8  AUTHOSa 


Vwfm.  1 — 7.  —  Prt'iferiiu    nrui 
ll.. 

.lit   O''''--^'    >-'»• 
•et  bs/(Kr 

1  : 

Mrr:i    -V   at 

vVr   riM-li    ' 

El                          '.   W!th    thr   <'. -W  of   ):, 

u 

ID 

nvrn  ;    t-' 

Amitx  . 

b«  WOf^ 

pn-'    • 
J" 

5-                   I   in  au  «?Til  huur  L'/ 

tc 

of  <. 
Aarou- 

rapraaeuiati . 

to  C-i. 

taa  •pint  uf 

•Dt^rii     illU>     llic    r.. 

it  w  a'lotiicr  cav.- 

eomst^uamen.     H  ■ 

to  th«  Ti'-latiuu  '■'  ' 

lOMUsr  of  ttkt^ 

ks  Trr*  little  >.( 

Oil. 

W 

.  kit  ill  Tai'i. 

L 

KOuM  u 

bMid.     i 

Ue  ^  a  .' 
tbrukt  L. 

•T. 
>      1 


\ 

''is 
'• 
«( 

.    lb   th« 

•    whcb 

•a 

■  '.'• 
'.  • 

■a 
i. 
c 

au  old  cuititnaiMl 

..   ,    .>      .     ,„f 


I 

.  • 
1 


IC 


E 


iTT  AKD  m  orwARu  FATH.     Puf  a  long  tltoc-  tb«  efet  c/  ri'iAb  vas 

:h       III.  Ill   I'.,  w  .  ii  ■    ..~.       •  .   .  .v_    1 —     ...    .1.      .      ..       /  .         _ 

"^ 

■a 


theme  itift^  ne[m  cvtry  I'litJ  o/  up 

r»r»l  of  si,  rVr-  Ntu  Ovt  ftuT  </  , 

frarufti  iUwyoa.     Wr  r»-/vi  «  i  i.  in 

Thi»    Ui.,  .:     b«    bobourtai    »t'«!!i    «  j, 

Wxioiiroii  Li.«^'*  Aurd,  and  auugiil  guiuaiM*  \t\tm  (^  i>i*iiM  ijaw.     Ai*a  wbai  aaa  iba 
U.  KUMM.  s 


306  THE  SECOND  BOOK   OF  THE  KINGS.  [ch.  xv.  1— 38. 

consequence?    Just  what  tbe  consequence  of  a  God-fearing  Kfe  will  always  be.    **A« 

loQg  as  he  sought  the  Lord,  God  made  him  to  prosper."  It  is  so  still.  God  keeps  his 
word.  He  has  never  yet  broken  that  promise,  "  Them  that  honour  me  I  will  honour." 
This  was  the  starting-point  in  Uzziah's  prosperity,  and,  so  long  as  he  prospered,  the 
secret  of  it  was  that  he  sought  the  Lord.  Godliness  is  the  best  foundation  of  all  true 
and  lasting  prosperity.  Men  like  the  late  Samuel  Morley,  or  the  late  Sir  William 
McArthtir,  were  not  less  successful  because  they  were  God-fearing  men,  and  theif 
business  did  not  suifer  because  of  the  large  amount  of  time  and  attention  and  money 
they  devoted  to  religious  work.  To  seek  God's  guidance  in  everything,  God's  blessing 
on  every  undertaking  and  every  event  of  life, — that  is  the  secret  of  true  prosperity  and 
success.  2.  The  second  step  in  Uzziah's  prosperity  was  a  good  mail's  influence.  We 
read  in  2  Chronicles  that  "  he  sought  the  Lord  in  the  days  ot  Zechariah,  who  had 
understanding  in  the  visions  of  God."  While  the  Word  of  God  and  our  own  conscience 
are  to  be  our  chief  guides,  there  are  many  details  and  plans  of  daily  life  in  which  we 
shall  be  greatly  tlie  better  for  the  experience  and  advice  of  others.  To  what  kind  of 
men  do  you  go  for  your  advice  or  guidance  ?  Go  by  all  means  to  those  who  have  best 
experience  of  the  business  or  subject  in  question.  But  if  you  are  to  choose  between 
the  advice  of  a  practical  Christian  man  and  that  of  a  practical  worldly  man,  surely  for  a 
Christian  the  Christian  man's  advice  will  carry  most  weight.  Some  one  has  well  said, 
"  You  can  never  rise  above  the  level  of  your  companionship."  Cultivate  the  society, 
seek  the  advice,  look  for  the  symjathy,  of  good  men  and  good  women.  3.  The  third  step 
in  Uzziah's  prosperity  was  his  diligence  in  business.  Uzziah  was  no  idler.  He  realized 
the  responsibility  of  life.  He  realized  the  responsibilities  of  his  high  position.  So  we 
tind  him  improving  the  defences  of  Jerusalem  and  building  towers ;  improving  also  the 
condition  of  the  country  and  digging  wells,  so  useful  to  the  traveller  and  the  husband- 
man in  the  East ;  and,  as  it  was  a  time  of  warfare,  providing  suitable  equipments  for 
his  soldiers,  and  encouraging  new  inventions  of  military  engines  and  weapons.  No 
success  is  won  without  hard  work.  Whatsoever  our  hand  findeth  to  do,  we  should  do 
it  with  our  miglit.  By  these  three  methods,  then,  Uzziah  attained  to  great  prosperity. 
"He  was  riiarvellously  helped,  till  he  was  strong,"  are  the  words  of  the  writer  in 
2  Chronicles.  His  name  and  lame  became  well  known.  If  you  want  to  attain  to 
prosperity  and  success  in  your  business — and  it  is  a  desirable  thing  to  see  wealth, 
honourably  earned  an-l  wisely  spent,  in  the  hands  of  Christian  men — then,  with  the 
strong  arm  of  a  vigorous  resolution,  cut  these  three  steps  in  your  upward  path,  and 
plant  your  feet  firmly  in  them — the  fear  of  Ood,  the  influence  of  good  men,  and  diligence 
in  business.  This  is  prosperity  and  its  upward  path.  But  we  have  reached  the  summit 
of  Uzziah's  career.  Hitherto  all  has  been  progress  upward.  Hitherto  all  has  been 
bright  as  the  path  of  the  just.  But  the  scene  changes.  The  shadows  gather.  The 
footsteps  that  pointed  upwards  now  are  turned  downwards.  We  must  look  now  at  the 
other  side  of  the  picture,  at — 

II.  Pkohi'kbity  aku  its  downwabd  path.  We  may  gain  prosperity  by  rightful 
means,  but  sometimes  the  dillicully  is  to  keep  our  prosperity  and  our  religion  at  the 
8:iriic  time.  Riches  bring  with  them  their  own  temptations  and  dangers.  Wo  see  in 
Uzziah's  case  tfi€  way  to  prosperity,  which  wo  should  follow ;  we  also  see  the  dangers 
of  pro'i>erity,  which  we  should  avoid.  1.  Prosperity  letda  to  pride.  Wo  reacl  of 
Uzziah  in  2  Chronicles:  "  I'.ut  when  he  was  slrong,  liis  heart  was  iiftid  u])  to  his 
dcHiruction."  lie  became  filled  up  with  ideas  of  his  own  iniporiantu^  ami,  in-lead  of 
givin^i  G<xi  the  glory,  rotlectcd  with  coinplacincy  on  all  the  great  deeds  that,  Im  had 
done,  and  all  the  IxuditH  ho  had  conferred  upon  the  na(ion.  When  ho  was  younger, 
»'.il  in  tiio  V>e^inning  of  his  career,  ho  waH  hunihlor.  Ho  was  vory  gliul  then  to  week 
VuA'h  guidance,  Ut  have  the  iielj)  and  influence  of  Zechariah.  But  now  he  has  got 
U.7uDd  all  that.     IHm  whole  cliara<  ler  is  cumplotely  chan;;ud. 

"  For  lowlinctu  in  yoimfc  ambition's  ladder, 
Whorcto  Uki  cliinlx  r  npwiird  liirnH  IiIh  fioo; 
liiit,  whiMi  ho  onco  liavo  (^iiinod  lliu  tnptiiotit  rnund^ 
III    tlich  niito  till'  liiildiT  InriiM  IiIh  back, 
I>K)i<H  ill  llm  cIoikIh,  Kcorning  lliu  boM*  diigroos 
Bj  wLioL  b*  diii  awAiiKL" 


■  prid*  WM  bad  • 


■L  XV. !.«.]     rwm  noovD  book  or  tbb  nvoiL  aot 

Pri>    '      *  '       '     ,    ■     ■   .«  vain,  how  fui4iali  ihejr  krat     RkKMir.*<  "  *4Ul 

rmrou.     But  If  hfXxh  (um  or  tn^tir  t>At 

oaniiiTi  ran  iiir\  i  «o  iLr  >  >nT  MiUlBfllkio  or  {mao*  I'l 

Ikif  baakk  o«rr  •  r    Cao  '.  tb«  •kioar  iuDd  uf  Dmi 

to  ■  ^  ~fl   dat'grt    w    U*u«e  who  »(«    iir\«|rruUS   !•   VOndlj    I^O^— io  i^ 

«  '''0^*7  •&*!  unrr»»ouahU  pHda.     Uov  Bttok  W  dl  »Md,  Ui  '>      -  o< 

Lr-^,-   ....  u>  |<r»jr  («r  '•!     '  'vl     If  ow  bttiliMai  proapeni,  tol  tit  atF^  '-  «ta 

Iraoibl*.    U  uuT  Cbur  ft,  lal  our  ■iocrr*  utt«noM  9wm  \^  .  O 

fxird,  l»o4  «nUi   u«    I.  V-mir  )w-  f»ll    fhf 

It    l«i  \.\'.'.\  Iat«  the  •ftrroiliirM 

f4acr,  «• 

ihia^  Iwcvttir*  Krtu.      'i'tiey  tiavv  hftpmif  itiMiiT'  ''.  U 

•  Trrj  uu&ll  iu>tt«r  indccii  id  thflir  •70*.     1.  utt 

triumphs   >Ter  the  S\>ttijtii  CuTrnAntfln,  M  with  ^hC« 

of  Juho  Brown  i«f  I'ntwtLill.      louche!  br  thf  •*»! 
of  hta  wua  and  h>li  1  >s  <' 
ejr*,  rffu*cd  to  du  th'  ir  c 

hliDMU'  Abot  the  pu<id  m.t  >  . 

wUoir«d.beMid, -\Vh»t  bi 

moeb  of  him,  •ir,"  rr  lieii  i  !.*  .  »  i\y. 

Bmt  4m0  ar«  jfim  to  ant  ^tr  for  :  "I  c«ii 

b*  amwerable,  aod  ^^  *  -  ' '    '    '  u  iir  cwu  nm-..-                      .r*  aft«r- 

wvdi.  In  th«  Pua  < :  ■<<'  died  by  an  uul.                         H<j« 

n--.'"-  •'  "'V  MdUTeri  •  -v-  '-.•  i-    •■-  •^>-.  •                    r,  tiMf«>- 

Uv_  :, —    u.dU  tboug  ..             ..  *nd  h«- 

alUnwdt  ieMified  that  that  (  •*   f&l 

aad  uU^race.     Btx-iiie,  by  th-  ^'.i    '.efr 

I                                      'e  tLrv  Ki.a.Mue  they  can  ai^  -f  Goo. 

b           -                       .K«.     Nu  prusj^rity,  nu  riches,  L  ^      .     .  .-                   •«rU/laa 
abuv«  th«  Law  \A  Gud. 

•Inth.-  '  thlj  world. 

Offei-  -.'i'Tf  by  JiutiM^ 

Aud  u.f  « hkmI  pna«  it«cl/ 

Bu  ja  But  'tia  not  ao  abovA, 

Tkert  -L  >>.'    tlicm  th«  aetioo  U«a 

In  hia  irut  urMrlvea  oouipeQad, 

Etvd  t    tV  cmJ  uf  our  faolta, 

Tof  >  .oo." 

Ah  I  yea;  that  la  th«  one  ujr^w^r  i^r  rich  and  poor  alike.  "  For  we  moat  all  appear 
Wfure  tb«  Judgmmt-keat  uf  ChriaC;  that  ovary  ooe  may  receive  the  ihiuga  dooe  in  h'« 
(^.•v  >.v-  '  ■  t.,  1^1^  ^e  hath  done,  whethar  tt  ba  goud  or  bad."  Such,  then.  a:e  iha 
•aperity  bringa  with  it.  lliara  to  a  atioac  tampUtioa  to  proauBpcioo 
a  li  we  hare  rmirh  ir.Mijerity,  tbaa  wa  need  lo  bo  much  io  prayer.     II 

ri  .a«,  the  re.>pi  :  •   uaa  tham  wtfU   iocreaaea  aWi.     If  we   lo  k   at 

Mk  '  ■  \s  \'.i  rclat  ..ty,  on  tba  oo«  haxMi  it  will  *c»-m  wry  ^xor  <ia^ 

I  aX9  aii  toe  ncttaa  uf  thia  w«.irld  comparad  with  tiio  *'il.!.(   ..atioo 

ii.  rfikrl,  thai  (adeth  iiot  away"?     What  are  %.\\  th-  h  •.      --   aad 

\  ra-  k  and  pr<«(«xiiy  b  m^  with  tiMm.  c<  -jpa 

ui    <'  9  (AtAfraaf     Wuat  ia  ail  txje  audacy  of  ea  -.in 

the  leiiua*.  0?     If  yoQ  are  tnaking  wurkilT  pruapariCy  tha  b»-«U  a:«a  etj>l<«U 

of  your  exi>  tioing  fur  it,  aa  many  do,  haalth  and  oopadaaw  and  your  apifinMl 

iifa,  fOMM  anJ  .'/.!.« )     7i  il  wvrtk  xt^     Put  the  tw<>  wurida  in  t^  halafwia      Tk  mm 

—  lawarf  auW,  «0t(A  a  dark  onJ  kopeU^  ttarnUy,  mirtkly  utmptritjf  it  oaif  a  aaaebary. 
Bvt,  00  tba  othar  hand,  worldJj  proaparitv,  wuu   ty  LniiMiaa  «5an»,  fufatod  by  a 

-  ^Mrt»  OBd  oaad  by  a  OiMtaB  band,  w*at  a  kttmimg  M  mmn  hmtmml    Ui 


308  THE  SECOND   BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.         [oh.  xv.  1—38. 


JegoB  be  in  your  heart  first.  Let  him  abide  there — ^his  love  your  motiye  power,  his 
Wfflpd  your  guide — ^and  then  there  will  be  no  danger  in  prosperity. — 0.  H.  L 

Vers.  1 — 38. — Some  lessons  from  the  history  of  kings.  "  In  the  twenty  and  seventh 
year  of  Jeroboam,"  etc.  The  mighty  Governor  of  the  universe  is  represented  as  saying 
to  the  Jewish  nation,  "Igave  thee  a  king  in  mine  anger"  (Hos.  xiii.  2).  And  truly,  with 
a  certain  number  of  exceptions  here  and  there  through  the  ages,  kings  have  proved 
malific  scourges  of  the  race.  In  this  chapter  there  are  mentioned  no  less  than  seven  of 
those  men  who  are  called  kings,  but  who,  instead  of  having  one  grain  of  moral  royalty 
in  their  souls,  were  contemptible  serfs  to  the  last  degree,  slaves  to  their  passions  of 
aensuaUty  and  greed.  How  many  conventional  kings  in  all  ages  are  moral  paupers 
and  Tassals  of  Satan !  Glance  for  a  moment  at  each  of  the  kings  before  us.  Here  is 
Azariah,  elsewhere  called  Uzziah,  who  was  the  son  and  successor  of  Amaziah.  Here 
is  Zachariah,  the  son  and  successor  of  Jeroboam  II.  King  of  Israel,  who  reigned 
only  six  months,  and  then  fell  by  the  baud  of  Shall um.  Here  is  Shallum,  the  fifteenth 
King  of  Israel,  and  the  murderer  of  Zachariah,  and  who  in  his  turn  was  murdered. 
Here  is  Menahem,  the  son  of  Gadi,  who,  having  slain  Shallima,  reigned  in  his  stead  ten 
years — a  reign  characterized  by  ruthless  cruelty  and  tyrannic  oppression.  Here  is 
Pehahiah,  the  son  and  successor  of  Menahem,  who  reigned  two  years  over  Israel,  and 
then  was  assassinated  by  Pekah.  Here  is  Pekah,  who  was  a  general  of  the  Israelitish 
army,  and  assassinated  King  Pekahiah  in  his  palace,  and  usurped  the  govenment,  reign- 
ing, according  to  the  existing  text,  twenty  years.  Here  is  Jotham,  the  son  and  successor 
of  Uzziah,  the  eleventh  King  of  Judah,  who  reigned  for  sixteen  years.  He,  perhajis, 
was  the  least  wicked  of  all  these  princes.  The  whole  chapter  reminds  ua  of  several 
thinjiB  worth  note. 

L  The  existence  of  eutribution  in  this  life.  Here  we  discover  retribution 
in  the  leprosy  of  Azariah,  an  i  in  the  fate  of  the  other  kings.  Of  Azariah  it  is  said, 
**  The  Lord  smote  the  king,  so  that  he  was  a  leper  unto  the  day  of  his  death,  and  dwelt 
in  a  several  house."  Of  all  physical  afiictions,  perha|)S  that  of  leprosy  is  the  most  pain- 
ful and  revolting.  It  eats  out  the  life  of  a  man  and  dooms  him  to  solitude.  Disease 
strikes  princes  as  well  as  paupers.  Then  see  how  the  other  wickrd  doers  fared.  The 
miirderc-r  is  murdered,  the  slayer  is  slain;  Shallum  strikes  down  Zachariali;  Menahem 
strikes  dnwn  Shallum;  and  I'lil,  the  King  of  Assyria,  strikes  Menahem  with  a  terrible 
blow  of  huujiliation  and  opiiression  ;  Pekah  smites  Pekahiah,  and  reigns  twenty  yenrs 
when  lie  is  himsell  .struck  down  by  the  blow  of  an  assassin.  Truly,  even  in  this 
life,"  with  what  measure  ye  mete  it  shall  be  measured  to  you  ajain."  Though  retribu- 
tion hi  re  may  not  be  complete  and  adequate,  still  it  is  at  work  everywhere  in  human 
society.  It  comes  as  a  pledge  and  a  prophecy  of  that  realm  beyond  the  grave,  where 
every  man  shall  be  de;dt  with  according  to  his  works. 

n.  The  miohtiness  of  RELKiious  ERROR.  In  this  chapter  there  is  the  record  of 
long  periods  and  of  ;jreat  changes.  Battles  are  fought,  revolutions  arc  effected,  miuarch 
succeeds  monarch,  and  the  years  come  and  go;  but  one  thing;  remains,  that  is,  idolatry — 
"Thehiih  pliices  wtjre  not  removed:  the  people  sacrificed  and  burnt  incense  still  on  the 
high  places"  (vers.  4  ami  34).  Among  the  many  evil  tendencies  of  man  there  is  none 
*>  mighty  ami  influential  as  the  psewlo-religuma.  Two  facts  will  account  for  tlds. 
1.  The  alreniith  of  the  religious  element  in  man.  Burke  and  others  of  the  wisi  st  ol  the 
race  have  <ie8i:.'nated  man  as  a  religious  animal.  Religion  with  man  is  not  a  faeuliy, 
but  tlie  BuliHtMtum  in  which  all  the  ficiilties  inhere;  ii  is  the  euro  and  the  root  of  his 
aature.  iietice,  wiieiever  man  is  foinxl,  if  he  has  no  homo,  he  has  a  shrine;  if  he  has 
no  frii'iid,  he  haH  a  g(Ml.  2.  T/ie  might  of  se/fishnenH  in  man.  What  man  uvvaIh  most 
iirft-entH  the  groatcHt  inotiveH  lo  linmaii  avarieit  and  amhition.  IUmicu  the  erention  of 
h-niien  of  prieHtHlo  IxilHter  up  false  roligiotm,  and  derive  i)OMition  and  wealth  from  thetii. 
d/rruptii)  njitirni  j>rnnirn'i.    It  is  most  Hail  when  men  seek  to  "  make  again  of  godliness." 

III.    'IlIK    OKAVKS    IlKAItTKDNEMH    OK    KNHI,AVK1»    I'KOI'liKH.        II  id    tllO  {KJOplcH  of  .luduh 

and  iMraJil  l><;ori  really  m<  n  worthy  of  llxiii  humanity,  would  they  havo  toUwatcd  for 
■  day  Hinh  monHlorH  hh  we  hava  in  thiit  chapter?  The  oxiHtouce  of  tyrantu  in  the  fault 
fd  ihn  psuple.— D.  T. 

Yen.  1 — l.  —  AnoOur  king  heginnxng  vrr.U,  mding  (U.     Ik  b  rmnarkabla  that  thrM 


•L  ST.  1-M.]         m  tiOOND  BOOK  OF  THI  KINOa.  M» 

klti^a  of    JiiA^V   Ut   inoe— iOl   ei^   ''      '      '    •      '  !i       '       ctk.     T^y    b«(lll   »••!,  acrta 
O  >:  r>r  a  t         ami  pn«p*r,  yr:   >  i.     W*  b*v«  mmmi  lb*  (aU*  "f 

1.                                                    '                  <    rWr      A.                  ^-ut    to  rMtfti   wbrMt  uoJy 
•ittorii    ..  ......  L,     ..    ....    .^..      / 

ktU  rvicti  ' 
»err  uurr, 
rulrr,  mu.  !.  iH'rT«  »' 

i  Tml"  <  . 

;1.  U    ii.   l 
7  .     >  tDc  ii  .  k  of  I 

r  ;    nnde  hitn   tc 

W  vtiltt   hiUi.  ifth  h*<l   »■  ab** 

•  k  ,.j.      He  si:'                                           f-n.  th«*  A-  .  1*1  ; 

\.e  .ir.itly    s                                                        '    ■  '  the 

O'Uiilrj,  a:  tb« 

anur  lo  »  :  li.      As  r.   u  .-■  .  ._a  UlI  a:-;  -►: ,   t-r 

lie  w«»  ma.  hf  «riui  KtniriL'  It  waa  ■«  if  Gini 

wi«b<  !     '  ■  . ; 

'.nail  ihe  J  re  CTiing. 


II.     A..  A  :u  .\  II  f>   Lfernii.'^l.        i.      i    ir    u^<r  rrt    (i  1    iftt    T  UJ    UOUCtlj    FMCttCQ 

thv  kcmi"  uf    ^8  (iower,  when,  u  iu   the  caa«  uf  .  declenakn    befut. 

Uumrued  by  thi-  pi-'     *-  -'lowed  bu  he*rt  to  >;.  ^    , .    .  -  -.    -^    ^-      M-  waa 

head  of  the  date;  w  be  not  also  l>«>  head  uf  ti.e  '  .etae 

a.'v  .-  '  »a>  by  tbu  : ved.  ai.d  he  w.i»  left  to  the  U  la 

L-r,  he  luaiiiioil  un  going  into  the  holy  place  of  tLr  '  «om 

t  It  was  there  his  doom  fell  u|>ou  hitu.     We  art-  a^  .  u     •  .     f  tike 

■ut'tie  um;  tatioaM  that  li«  iu  pro«[iehty.  When  meu  wax  Cat,  ihey  kuk;  aod  thrir 
hearts  nre  apt  t^.  l»-  lifted  up  t-i  their  de-tructioo  (Dent,  viii.  11 — 14  ;  aixii.  15).  Ouce 
1ft  i>r.  .<  euter  the  heart,  and  dt-terioratioD  is  rapid.  Its  begiuaings  may  be  uu-  ax,  L>ut 
it  by  Hi  l-by  rev.nU  itself  in  overt  act^.  2.  '''.^  <f'-  ■:■' /rom  Keavm.  It  wa*  ilraveo'a 
laws  ti  itt  Azariah  wa>  <Jef\  iii^,  and  it  wa-  litch  ainick  bia 

p'i  le  low.      Whilf  yet  he  bt. «.«'.  at  God's    .  .-«,  'hi*  )<r{«oua 

r         '<^an  to  burn  in  his  f(..i-hea»l,  and  lii   i.ic.H;;*A  uf  iL..  j..  tiooa 

»l  iMrJ,  he  It-lt  himself  a  \v\'-t.     The  prie»ta,  in  hi»rr<.>r,  t  tbe 

h'ly  p  icti.     Hut  it  Deed*!  not  their  riolenoe  :    "Yea,  hitn-  -, 

bec-tuae  the  Lord  had  sinittrn  huu"  (2  Chrou.  xivi.  20).      H 

'   w  I      He   is  a  jealoub  IKkI,  and   wha     '.■   .  .-ur    i 

is  of  bpeci;il  ooncorn  lo  him.     We  are  w  >mi    i  a   .tm»i  will- 

'     '    U.  23;  cf.  Numb.  X.   1,2).     T^  :   the 

-  sin  of  pride;  yet  how  lif.'.e  ■  :   ua 

•     •        '   by  an  outran.!       •  We 

iracter  Mill  »  :  .   ti.e 

.I-  '.   that   fr.' 


Cnjd\  La  - 

It    W"U1''.     *  .     ■           <            .  1 

I    °  %■    y<Mi»   ibciuile   Ui  »  <•«« 

land."     Sio  is  a  h>  was 

kiug  lu  ukiut:,  •>    N .  he  was  dead  ,  --t  te 

•imply  a  proi'                 .  &                 a,  la  Imi,  he  c  -1  la 

Jeri'Mlem,  but  in  a  "  ts<  %  ,  as  aor.uf  life  km  had  dwelt  lu  a  "  m* uat 
(I  Ckroo.  utL  23>-J.  u 


?.'0  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.         [ch.  xv.  1— 38. 

Vers.  8 — 22. — Anarchy  in  Tsrcu^.  "With  rapid  descent  the  kingdom  of  Israel,  which 
had  risen  to  great  exterual  prosperity  under  Jeroboam  II.,  hastened  to  its  fall.  The 
prophets  give  us  vivid  pictures  of  the  corruption  of  the  times.  The  bonds  of  social 
life  were  loosened,  oppression  was  rampant,  the  fear  of  God  seemed  to  have  died  out  of 
the  land;  there  was  no  confidence,  peace,  or  good  will  among  any  classes  in  the  nation. 
As  a  consequence,  the  throne  was  a  prey  to  any  adventurer  who  had  power  to  seize  it. 

I.  The  fall  of  Jehu's  house.  1.  The  shadow  of  doom.  With  the  accession  of 
Zachariah,  Jeroboam's  son,  the  fourth  generation  of  Jehu's  dynasty  ascended  the  throne 
The  shadow  of  doom  may  thus  be  said  to  have  rested  on  this  ill-fated  king.  A  prophet 
iiad  spoken  it  to  the  founder  of  the  house,  "  Thy  sons  shall  sit  on  the  throne  of  Israel 
unto  the  fourth  generation."  That  word  had  its  bright  side  of  reward,  but  it  had  also 
its  dark  side  of  penalty,  and  it  is  this  which  becomes  prominent  as  the  predicted  term 
nears  its  close.  Yet,  as  we  can  now  also  see,  there  is  no  fate  in  the  matter.  The 
reason  why  Jehu's  sons  were  only  to  sit  on  the  throne  till  the  fourth  generation  lay  in 
their  own  character  and  actions.  God's  decrees  do  not  work  against,  but  in  harmony 
with,  the  existing  nature  of  things,  and  the  established  connection  of  causes  and  eliects. 
Jehu's  house  was  about  to  fall  (1)  because  Jehu's  sons  had  been  ungodly.  None  of 
them  had  sought  God's  glory  or  taken  any  pains  to  promote  godliness  in  the  nation. 
On  the  contrary,  they  had  continued  sowing  the  wind  of  disobedience  to  God's  will, 
and  the  nation  was  now  to  reap  the  whirlwind.  (2)  Under  the  rule  of  these  kings, 
irreligion  and  immorality  had  spread  fast,  and  struck  their  roots  deep  and  wide  in  the 
kingdom.  This  will  undermine  any  dynasty,  will  overthrow  any  empire.  Rulers 
make  a  great  mistake  when  they  fix  attention  solely  on  external  prosperity.  If  the 
foundations  are  rotten,  the  structure  will  sooner  or  later  inevitably  come  down.  (3) 
Zachariah  himself  was  a  feeble  king.  This  is  implied  even  in  the  brief  notice  we  have 
of  him.  It  may  be  he  who  is  referred  to  by  Hosea,  "  In  the  day  of  our  king  the 
princes  have  made  him  sick  with  bottles  of  wine,"  etc.  (-Hos.  vii.  5).  In  any  case,  we 
know  that  he  was  not  only  weak,  but  wicked — "  He  did  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord." 
2.  Tlie  prophetic  word  fulfilled.  A  brief  six  months  of  the  throne  was  all  that  was 
allowed  to  Zachariah.  He  seems  to  have  been  held  in  contempt  by  the  ]ieople.  His 
feeble  character  would  appear  the  more  feeble  in  contrast  with  that  of  his  energetic 
and  victorious  father.  We  have  a  similar  contrast  in  English  history  between  Richard 
Cromwell  and  his  father,  Oliver.  But  Zachariah  was  more  than  feeble,  he  was  worth- 
less. Therefore,  when  the  conspirator  Shallum  smote  the  king  in  the  light  of  public 
day,  "  before  the  people,"  no  hand  seems  to  have  been  raised  in  his  defence.  He 
perished,  and  the  house  of  Jehu  was  extinguished  with  him.  Sinners  do  not  live  out 
half  their  days  (Ps.  Iv.  23).     In  due  time  the  words  of  God  are  all  fulfilled, 

II.  'J'uE  BKiQN  OF  Menahem.  We  may  pass  by  the  brief  reign  of  Shallum,  which 
lasted  only  a  month,  and  of  which  no  events  are  recorded.  He  was  slain  by  Menahem, 
the  son  of  Gadi,  illustrating  the  truth  of  which  this  chapter  affords  other  exemplifica- 
tions, that  tliey  who  take  the  sword  shall  perish  by  the  sword  (Matt.  xxvi.  52).  In 
reHpect  of  Menahem,  we  notice :  1.  Ilia  violent  usurpation.  He  too  possessed  himself 
of  the  thrnrio  by  violent  means.  He  smote  Shallum  in  Samaria,  as  Shallum  had,  a 
few  weckH  before,  Hiiiittcn  Zacliariah.  The  effect  of  these  re  vol  lit  inns  on  iho  morals  of 
the  I'eople  and  tlie  adniinistialitin  of  law  may  bo  imagined.  What,  respect  could  be 
felt  for  piyalty  establiHlicd  by  Kiich  methods?  Shidlurn,  indeed,  was  a  murderer,  but 
M<Miah'tii  wiiH  no  iieltor.  Neither  by  Hanction  of  God  nor  by  election  of  the  people, 
but  solely  by  bruio  force,  did  he  set  IdmHeif  upon  the  throne.  Ills  rule  was  thus,  in  its 
incejitioti  and  cHHence,  a  tyranny.  To  this  had  Jsrael  cotno  by  rejietiug  their  true 
Ruler — Go<).  "  They  have  H<t  uj)  kin^s,"  said  0(kI,  "  but  not  by  mo"  (llos.  viii.  4). 
He  who  n  jectH  Go<i  aH  his  Sovereign  must  bear  a  heavier  yoke.  2.  Jlis  sicktming 
eruelliei.  The  fact  that  Menahem  kept  the  throne  for  ten  years  hIiowh  him  to  have 
V>e«Ti  A  man  of  no  Hinall  natural  ability.  Hut  his  diHpoHition  was  Havagely  cruel.  Not 
•nly  di'l  ho  Htnilo  ShalliiiM — a  deed  which  might  he  jianloned — but  in  his  var  with 
'I  ipla-iih  hn  wax  guilty  of  brutal  alroc.ilieH  on  iho^e  who  rehired  to  Hubinit  to  him 
('  f.  ver.  ICi).  In  thiH  hn  HJiowed  hiiiiHrlf  a  man  of  a  fn'rce  and  unseiupulouH  cha- 
raclf^r.  H'lie  |M-oplo  htui  l>ecoiiie  fierce,  ^v"'I'^h,  and  violent;  and  (iod  gave  them  a 
kiri|/  *ft«r  their  own  Ima^in.  3.  J/m  Inti/iw  unth  Atni/riti.  Tliis  Ih  not  the  (irHl  co  il.iujt 
(U  litriiul  wiih  AiiMyiia,  but  It  Ls  the  firHl  monliou  ol  thai  coutuct  In  the  aaorod  liiflory. 


«L  ST.  1.18]         TITR  nOOVD  BOOK  OP  TilR  KnfOA.  ttt 

TIm  Klnf  of  Aarrla.  here  n'vmrd  Pal,  eaoM  aolo**  *1^«  Un<!.  •r{<!rntlr  viik  IkmUU 
iutooti  but  Uc*aaiiri  ■.loimh.  '.   •vcurwl 

>                        "l       Ufftrl    1                                       »    '  I-             .  ,    fc^ys 

•lirli  i.f  tl.  :'■*■.    */'.ef 

c       .                                          1^<«  »ii<l  »ul  ^>«  Ui  U'F  •                       .     '   -1  .I'ti    ta 

li.         .%■          .                        ,lc  X».   15,  16,  4.    //•«                                '    ".*    f-nyfit. 

1                                                      -^    I'ul,  UPDnhMU    vkAJ  U;.<1(;J    (it*  MOO'lV    lA    '  -                           Jr  m  .Uit 

I  I  in  ti'B  Uim(.     Knita  mieH,  «•  sr«  u>M,  b«  i                     ckeU  uf 

ftijrcr.      M  -     .               tru  fr>»m 

I  be  rirti.     1'  u<<  ti«..k. 

1-          '  ■  -.'..u:,  ut 

c  \S  <-  liCK^i  nul 

i:  -•-!,  Uuw- 

»a:-     ...P    r>       .      1    <    I.  .11.1    .     . 

111.  TiiK  HKiuN  vr  like  that 

ni»r  br <.>.r  r    If,.-    ,»  ,.i 

iu  lhl^  ih. 

1.   <'  ..a 

.  •  .  _  -,  :     ■  .,  ;  uiA» 

the  king  in  bip  {«:.ice,  aim  bu  attrodanu  with  biiu.  ibiu  siiottier  Tiuirot  rvTuiutioo 
took  place  id  larM^l.  It  i*  ■Uted  that  P<kah  kp  t  lY.c  iV.r-  :.<  f  t  tweoij  yr«r*.  but 
ther*  ia  |(r««t  diflicultj  at  ihia  iKiint  in  a<ijiu>tii  '  '  i  Mema   iiipu»«il>lp, 

on  tlie  MUe  of  Juiiah,  to  cboit^rii  the  nri^n  of  A  .    bi»  uwu   ago,  atid 

that  of  liu  son   11<  tekiah,  at  their  r<  i>i*tfctiv«  a.  iu  uuig  the  Jiwikb  aod 

A&fejrian  ciironoUgies  into  accofxl,  we  muitt  ■{'!  ^  ither  (1)  aijortcu  the  rrign  ut 

Prkah  by  about  leu  yearii,  and  briu^  down  t:  :  Ahai  (o  a  aat<-  i-oiJK:din»blj 

beluw  thnt  usually  (n^^Qi  wliich  iuvuke*  alrto  i  .meat  of  the  bibli<.vU  dat«  fur 

the  c  •iiimrncemmt  of  the  reign  of  Hezekiah  (cii.  xui:.  I),  and  of  the  •yochr'Oiauia  ut 
ttiiK  ifnod  generally;  or  (2)  ■up|io>«  some  bn-ak  or  hiatus  of  twenty  ytanor  ao  id 
t*  1  I   lists  at  tlie  e|K<h  of  thi-  accosniun  of  T      .  '        •-«er,  im.  l\.'  .c»- 

I  new  Aasyrian  emi  ir«.     Thia  riew  nas  it-  »,  but  ia  i.  '.>la. 

I'lr  luB  ii  tgu  waa  at  evil  aa  that  of  his  pr«)dcce«>aors.     _.    j,:u*tunt    '  .  yuemr. 

During  thia  mgu    began    thoM  inra»iou8  of  tiie  Aasyriami,  aud  '  ^  of  tb* 

|»o|jiil.iiion,  which  culmifiat*^'   ••    "  ■•  fail  of  Sa  nana  and  <•  ••■v"  •  -  >- *:.jI» 

pt>jj  le,  luuM  yt-Hra  later.  lioQ,  of  which  met  '  .aa 

lUM:rii>tik>nH,  U-^k   pUce  tow :..-  end  of  I'ekah's  jn?n  -^     :  .        ,  jrl 

to  tite  ereoia  related  iu  ch.  xtu  6 — y.      I'ckaii,  in  all.ai-ce  «i  d^ 

liui  i;  a'f  a  I  !   t  u.<  dt-poae  Ahai  of  J  .  In  :,  and  to  mi   a  ii-  »;  the 

t  .To  tLi-  I'tuck  we  -cy 

« .  "l.     8.   />  .'•«.     Tlii«  II  .ad 

cliiiiUxi  to  ilio  ;  1  a  victim  u>    .  He  mm  aiaia 

bj  llt>*b(«,  the  .  him  ax  the  la<  i>    .   .. — J.  O. 

Vcn.  tS — 88. — A  good  rtifm.     In  .>t  with  the  characu-r  of  tbe  raifCM 

we  Lave  boeo  euaatdering,  (taiMla  thia  uf  JoUiam,  wttu  walked  io  tb«  fuL>ut<-(M  of  bit 
f  .t   ' !  in  all  that  was  right 

1.  JiitAti  v«KLL  uoTEUiBn.  1.  Jtule  in  0.« /ear  </ OuJ.  Jotham  prove i  an  excel- 
lent rulci.  li'  look  warning  from  hia  father'*  rxaiuilo,  and  "  ^trepartxl  hi*  wave 
before  the  U.r>i  hii  God*  ('2  Cl.ron.  xxviL  t>X     H  .   1  rief  oie 

eom]<ared  w.tii   his  faliu-r's,  and,  Lad  time  l«ru  g  n  .diieu  aa 

Li'i    hi*   1  ie^J<  ^r^s.  r«.      liul,  fcj  fw  aa   it   went,  hi»  t».'tju  ui  »  ..  ■  tluH 

ti.c  high  I   .-icra  wrrc  »tdi    unrrmovi^      1:    ».    aMtume  that  Jo'.  are 

r«ckoDcii  f;.  in  tite  lime  when  he  lui  k    his   Uiner**  |>laoe  in  tl  <  .^-.wuo, 

he  cannot  have  rcignc<i  alone  for  tn>  re  ti.au   tive  or  atx  yeara.  ^•mtmrtd. 

It    u  told  of  him,  nefcaliTrly,  that  ht  did  nut,  like  bU  father,  umpie  of 

iba  Lur\i  C^  L'iiXuB   iXTiL  2^  and  puaitivelj,  tbat  "  be  buUi  f»U  gf  %h» 


312 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [oh.  xvx.  1-^2 


house  of  the  Lord."  Whereas  a  wicked  niler  like  Athaliah  broke  down  the  temple, 
thi§  good  king  set  himself  to  adorn  and  strengthen  it.  In  this  he  showed  a  laudable 
zeal  for  God's  honour.  3.  The  kingdom  strengthened.  Jotham  strengthened  tlie 
kingdom  of  Judah  in  many  other  ways — by  just  administration,  by  extensive  works 
of  building,  by  subjugation  of  enemies,  etc.  (2  Chron.  xxvii.  3 — 6).  If  the  annals  of 
this  reign,  "written  in  the  book  of  the  chroaicles  of  the  kings  of  Judah,"  could  be 
recovered,  they  would  show  Jotbam  to  be  one  of  the  best  kings  Judah  ever  had — a 
worthy  son  of  a  very  able  father.  Such  rulers  are  a  blessing  to  a  country.  Their  loss 
is  to  be  deplored,  for  there  is  no  guarantee  that  their  successors  will  be  like  them. 
From  Jotham  to  Ahaz  the  descent  is  great. 

II.  JxjDAH  THREATENED.  1.  A  discordant  note.  It  is  said  in  Chronicles  that,  not^ 
withstanding  Jotham's  enlightened  and  righteous  government,  "  the  people  did  vet  cor- 
ruptly "  (2  Chron.  xxvii.  2).  It  is  not  easy  to  purge  out  evil  leaven  when  once  it  has  got 
into  a  community;  and  the  worship  of  the  high  places  gave  opportunity  for  evil  practices 
to  develop  themselves  away  from  the  centre,  which  was  more  under  the  king's  eye. 
The  pictures  Isaiah  now  begins  to  draw  for  us  show  that  the  corruption  was  not  slight. 
2.  Threatened  invasion.  To  this  inward  corruption  of  the  people  may  be  attributed 
the  chastisements  which  God  now  saw  fit  to  send  on  Judah.  In  Jotham's  reign  they 
but  begin,  but  in  the  reign  of  Ahaz  they  develop  to  considerable  proportions.  In 
the  text  we  are  simply  told,  "  In  those  days  the  Lord  began  to  send  against  Judah 
Rezin  the  King  of  Syria,  and  Pekah  the  son  of  Remaliah."  These  two  kin^s,  as  we 
.shall  subsequently  see,  had  designs  upon  the  throne  of  Judah.  Chastisement  is  the 
more  deserved  when  great  privileges  are  given  and  fail  to  be  improved. — J.  O. 


EXPOSITION. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Vers.  1— 20.— Rkign  of  Ahaz  ovkb 
Judah.  War  ok  Ahaz  with  Pekah  and 
Rkzis.  Expbdition  of  Tiolath-pilkser 
again&t  tukm.  Rkligioob  Changes  made 
BT  AiiAZ      His  Death. 

Vlts.  I — 4. — General  character  of  the 
riigji  uf  Ahaz.  Aiiaz  was  the  most  wicktd 
king  that  hml  ns  yet  rei;;ned  in  Judah.  The 
aulhnr,  therefore,  prefuccB  iiis  nccouiit  of 
the  n-ii^u  by  a  brief  humnmry  of  Home  of 
the  kin(,''H  <hief  iuiqiiiticH.  ( I )  Ho  fit-jtarU-d 
from  th<-  way  of  iJiivid  (v<,t.  2) ;  (2)  hn 
Diado  liin  Boii  {laMO  through  the  lin;  to  Moloch 
(ver.  '.i) ;  and  (3)  lie  lo<ik  an  activt-  jiart  in 
t\u<  woifhii*  at  the  liigh  |ilii<-eH  and  in  the 
ffrxtrvH.  Hi  which  iiuMt  prcvioiiB  kiiipt  liad 
wink<-<i,  l>iit  which  till  y  had  not  oouii- 
tonanr^-d. 

V<!r.  1. — In  th«  ncvontocnth  year  of  Poknh 
the  ion  of  Riininliuh  Ahtz  tho  son  of  Jotham 
Kinff  of  Juddh  Iickhii  to  roign.  (i'or  tlm 
'  lironologiml  (lirtl  iilliM  r<iiinr<'lni|  with 
tliln    •tAl^tlnnril,  mx)    llic  roniiniMlt  on  cli.  xv, 

Vrr  2  Twenty  jnart  old  wan  Ahni  when 
he  beKKD  to  rel|fiL  A*  hIiIiimi  TMim  nfU'r- 
■Mirtln  lil-i  enri  IliS'kmh  wkm  tw<'iily-flTi< 
ir-ti     xvili     V>,    it  ia   M-An-xly    {mipJiiIiIo   iLut 


Ahaz  can  have  been  no  more  than  twenty 
at  bis  accession,  sinoe  in  that  case  he  must 
have  married  at  ten  years  of  age,  and  have 
had  a  son  at  eleven  I  The  rciiding  of 
"twenty-five"  instead  of  "twenty,"  found 
in  some  Hebrew  codices,  in  the  Vatican 
manuscript  of  tiie  Scptuagiut.  and  tlse- 
where,  is  tlurefon'  to  bo  preferred.  And 
r6igned  sixteen  years  in  Jerusalem.  So  tho 
autlior  of  Chroniolcs  (2  (Jhron.  xxviii.  1) 
and  Jo!?ephu8  ('  Ant.  Jud.,'  ix.  12.  §  3).  Tho 
reign  of  Ahaz  probahly  lasted  from  B.u.  712 
to  KG.  727.  And  did  not  that  which  was 
right  in  tho  sight  uf  the  Lord  his  God,  like 
David  his  father.  Conipare  what  is  said  of 
Ahijali  (1  Kin^'M  xv.  H),  hut  the  form  of 
•[Miecii  here  usid  is  etronger.  Maiuisseh 
(ch.xxi.2)and  Anion  (ch.  x.\i.20  22)alonf, 
of  all  the  kings  of  .ludah,  loceivo  gr«'ati  r 
oonili-niiiatioii. 

Vii  ;t  -But  ho  walked  in  tho  way  of 
tho  kings  of  Israel.  Not.  <>t  conrsc,  liy 
*-.iial>lihliing  a  worHliip  of  nilvcs,  hut  hy 
Iniliiwing  lh(<  worst  piiMiiccs  of  ih<-  worst 
l.Mai'Jitt'  l<in;{H,  f.(j.  Aiialt  ami  Aha/iah,  itn<l 
rcinlroihicing  into  Judah  the  I'lioiniciaii 
idoliilry,  which  JoaHh  and  the  hi^'.li  prioMi 
J«h>iin<la  IiikI  caxt  out  (ch  xi.  17,  IS).  An 
thi<  writnr  of  ( liionich'H  Mayn  (2  Chron. 
xxviii.  2),  "He  wnlld'ii  ill  Ihn  wiiyii  uf  tlm 
kiiigeof  iHracl.  and  vunlr  nlmt  mnllru  iiiii\yi» 
fur  nnnlim."  UmiUin  Id  «itli<  r  u  pliiial  of 
dignitT,  or  n  woni  dKnolin^  thx  <lith<roQt 
loiuia    iitnli  r    which    Itiuil    wwi  woriihijip«d. 


oLivtl-ta]        TUB  b£a)ND  IKiOK  OK  TUK   KINCML 


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l«t«   ea  kr-XlB  ait  1  1'    kali   Lu 
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•Ilk*  iism.      tU.    ox   «>i<    ti^AB    *• 


814  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGa        [ch.  xvi.  1— 2CC 


rely.  The  two  confederate  prinees  then 
began  the  campaign.  Pekah  invaded 
Judsea,  and  gained  a  great  victory  over 
Ahaz,  which  is  perhaps  exaggerated  in 
2  Chron.  xxviii.  6 — 15;  Eezin  carried  his 
arms  further  south,  took  Elath,  and  re- 
established the  Edomites  in  power  (see  the 
comment  on  ver.  6).  Then  the  allies  joined 
forces  and  proceeded  to  besiege  Jerusalem. 
And  they  besieged  Ahaz,  but  could  not  over- 
come him.  The  siege  is  mentioned  by  Isaiah 
(vii.  1),  who  was  commissioned  by  God 
to  comfort  Ahaz,  and  assure  him  that  the 
city  would  not  fall  (Isa.  vii.  7).  The  fortifi- 
cations of  Uzziah  (2  Chron.  xxvi.  9)  and 
Jotham  (2  Chron.  xxvii.  3)  had,  no  doubt, 
greatly  strengthened  the  city  since  the  time 
when  (as  related  in  ch.  xiv.  13)  it  was  cap- 
tured so  easily  by  Joash. 

Ver.  t). — At  that  time  Eezin  King  of  Syria 
recovered  Elath  to  Syria.  The  Syrians  had 
certainly  never  previously  been  masters  of 
Elath,  which  hail  always  hitherto  been 
either  Jewish  or  Edomite  (see  1  Kings  ix.. 
26;  xxii.  48;  ch.  xiv.  22).  Hence  it  seems 
to  be  nef^essary  that  we  should  either 
translate  the  Hebrew  verb  s's-n  by  "gained," 
"conquered,"  instead  of  "recovered;"  or 
else  change  onu.,  "  Syria,"  into  din,  "  Edom." 
The  Syrians  could  "recover"  Elath  for 
Edom  ;  they  could  only  "  gain  "  it  for  them- 
Belved.  And  drave  the  Jewa  from  Elath — 
t.e.  expelled  tie  Jewi.-li  Lrnriisnn  wliich  had 
been  nmiutained  in  lOl.itli  I'min  the  time  of 
\in  o(jii'iiie«t  by  Uzziah  (ch.  xiv.  22) — and 
the  ByriauB  came  to  Elath ;  rather,  thp 
Momih^  — D'cni*  for  a'p  -in.  Kezin  could  not 
liavi!  thought  of  hoidini?  a  [ilaco  so  remote 
Iroiii  Dumu.~cuH  as  Elaili ;  and,  iiad  he  done 
!¥>,  the  danger  of  Ium  kin;^doni  in  the  nc..!. 
year  would  liiivc  neces.sitiiUid  tlie  rclinquiHh- 
Dieiit  of  tfi  dlHliint  u  pn-i-osion.  And  dwelt 
there  unto  this  day.  It  iu  quite  certain  tliiil 
Khiih  Udonged  U>  VA<<iii,  und  not  U>  Syria, 
at  thf  time  when  the  Kfxiiiu  of  KiugH  were 
writUin. 

Vwrn.  7—9. — Kxjifilitinn  «/  TiijlalU-pihur 
agithift  I'-lntli  anil  lirzin.  In  llieextnMnity 
ol  bill  dfiiii^er,  when  tlio  r/)nrrdi'rar>y  liiid 
(Ii-<'lar<-d  itiM.'ir,  or  p(*rhii|Hi  inler,  when  hct 
biwi  nuffi-n^l  tirrildi-  delVutii,  ami  wuh  iilxiiit 
U>  \m  l>i-nii-(()Ml  ill  hmciipiliil  (2  ('liroii  xxviii. 
b,  C),  Ahaz  invokiMl  th«  iiid  of  TiKJiilh- 
piliMor,  M'nt  him  nil  th>'  triaMnr<'  on  which 
h<i  could  lay  lib  liiindM  (vi-r.  H),  od'errd  t<i 
(ilani  liiiiiiw'lf  «nd  Iun  kingdom  iindor  llio 
A*ii>rl.in  moiittrnh**  RiUfTuiiity,  and  nn- 
Iri'Mb-d  liim  U)  rninn  nnd  "  aivo  hiin  out 
of  111"  hrmdi"  of  In*  em  iiii<«  (vif.  7). 
lluniAnlj   titrtkkiug,  Imi   might  Lw  Juatlllud. 


He  had  not  called  in  one  foreign  powei 
nntil  Fekah  had  called  in  another.  There 
was  no  other  prospect  (again  humanly 
speaking)  of  escape.  But,  had  he  accepted 
the  offers  of  Isaiah  (vii.  4 — 16),  and  relied 
wholly  on  Jehovah,  his  position  would  have 
been  far  better.  However,  he  was  unable  to 
see  this ;  he  made  his  application ;  and 
Tiglath-pileser  "came  up,"  and  utterly 
crushed  the  Syro-Israelite  oonfederaoy 
(ver.  9). 

Ver.  7. — So  Ahaa  sent  messenger!  to 
Tiglath-pileser  King  of  Assyria,  saying. 
This  appeal  to  mau  rather  than  to  God, 
this  trust  in  "  an  arm  of  llesh,"  was  exactly 
what  Isaiah  had  been  endeavouring  to  pre- 
vent, what  he  viewed  as  unfaithfulness,  and 
as  inevitably  drawing  down  God's  wrath 
both  upon  king  and  kingdom.  Ahaz  waa 
young,  was  weak,  and  had  no  doubt  a  large 
body  of  advisers,  who  considered  the  prophet 
to  be  a  fanatic,  who  had  no  belief  in  super- 
natural aid,  and  who  thought  that  in  any 
emergency  recourse  was  to  be  had  to  the 
measures  which  human  prudence  and  hiunan 
policy  dictated.  The  aid  of  Tiglafh-pileser 
seemed  to  them,  under  the  circumstances, 
the  only  thing  that  could  save  theui ;  and 
they  persuaded  the  weak  prince  t<i  adojit 
tlieir  views.  I  am  thy  servant  and  thy  son. 
The  otVer  of  submission  \va.s  unmistakable. 
"Servant,"  in  the  language  of  the  time, 
meant  "  slave."  Complete  subjection,  en- 
roluioiit  among  Assyria's  feudatories,  the 
entire  loss  of  independence,  was  well  under- 
stood to  bo  the  price  that  bad  to  be  paid 
for  Assyria's  protocti<m.  Ahaz  and  hii 
worldly  adviscrH  were  preparotl  to  pay  it. 
Tlioy  Burrendired  thomsolves,  l)ody  and  soul, 
into  the  hands  of  the  gn  at  world-power  of 
tli(!  iK-riod.  Come  up,  and  save  mo  out  of 
thu  hand  o'  he  King  of  Syria,  and  out  of  tho 
hand  of  tho  "ing  of  Israel,  which  rise  up 
against  me.  S\ria  is  |iut  forward  hh  at 
once  the  more  fnrmidiible  of  the  two  foea, 
und  tho  one  most  open  to  AsHyriiin  attack. 
Already  DiiiuaHeUH  hail  Uh^ii  luoro  Ihanonoe 
iiiemiceil  by  AHH\rian  armieH  ('  lOponyiii 
('anon,' pp.  /IM,  11.^,  IKi),  while  the  kinn;- 
dom  of  r^umariii  hud  only  aulfentd  at  her 
oxlremilieH  (ch,  xv.  '2'.\).  Samaria  could 
not  well  be  approached  exce|itiiig  through 
Byiia,  and  after  Hyria'H  ilownlall. 

V«r.  H.  And  Ahas  took  tho  ■ilvor  and 
(fold  that  wild  found  in  tho  housn  of  tho  Lord, 
nnd  In  tho  IroaHunm  of  the  kinK's  houso. 
Illliielln  llio  tom|ilo  IreaHiirofl  liud  been 
divirl^'d  fnim  tlioir  pru|n<r   uho.  and  rnxmlar- 

iZed      for    tlll>     unlit     pUI|NK«e     (eXC(«pt     in    OHO 

im<likiir^i)  of    buying   elf  ilio   imilility    of  • 
furuigu  fo«,  whu  Uiru»t4iuod  lliuoitj  and  Dm 


«.in.i-ia]     Tint  beooxd  hook  or  tub  kinoa. 


Btf.  M;  rk  tlL  It;  tl«    l«> 

A     J 
I  ti*    1       f      '   A^!<     ;*. 
Ho  .    .J    ....    .  ►    „u    U. 

U*o  ^'  tol. 

L    t  >«*uu   mi    UaiMiu*   M«l    lll« 

«^  »  «-.  I'mtMi.  MlM«  af  KkM 

OrMtWM  «r  llM  kllkl  MM 
Il<    )«    ArortitML      Tito   Kr««l 


f 

•I 


«  Uictu  ft  »ii*>Jw 


•Mflf 

*  MiigkbOBM. 

taawMia— 

I  c<i>ul<f  aol 


and  Uk*  » 

<i  1 


•  «uia 

M  ■»• 

>No    May 

ll«sia  bofka 

'^-'.d,  and 

;toaUy 

-    mrl9 
la 

.». 

-ik  II.  UWMgll  BO* 

•  abof*  •  jmi 
■  ■•  Amjtit/k 

I    br«tC);«d, 

1  Lim.     Uu 

li    wn«  vitkoal 

i  Ml  !<•«•  •  to** 

4m.  lU  Imm*  of 

.-  at  8;rW    AU 

a^>etM  kiagdoa, 

or  8alnMNi 

.">«gkt  !•  u 

\MyriMM   •• 


^.^Dliiiejj  ab* 


a  afnajraM  (•  B|«ar« 

u»>      ii*«  ea|Har«  of  lL«  otij, 

^«  Aan  (L   i,  &>.  »««  foUu»od 

lioA  «f  ili  vaUi  aad  paUcM 

p*«pW  af  II  Mfttv*.    TlMi 

:>.  .t  ■  >r   L.tos  ■■  t.an  «f  iIm 

ira  to 


«!•••  ta^  U•^».y*U«r»^  «• 

lu  ro   ij.»a  Ikktf  •••  wi  I  ■  i>^-^^■io 

«M  Mla««d  hj  Ma  «•>«•  ^  auU 

Urfm  arala,     fa  Iir.     1^    .....>.^«  w 
"kif*    i'rp)  la  aWoUy  ■k<««ta<«.     ||  Ua 

brMi  Ide^llAod    with  Kte(MaM   r«    ^ 

aiUi  Um  eanal/j  vataMd  ^  Um  > 

Kottf^aaar  lU<«um,aa  U.c  >  wrM 

Karlbtf,  Ihm  iHSiMm  h 

»c«r   LHartolif:  aftd    > 

Urttoiijab  aowaUjr      Itut   xur  tLtiUntt   .4 

aMind  la  tLa  aoU  baaia  tut  mmek  aiid  all  '4 
tb»  It  la  bcal  ta  tottU^ 
kmi  •!•*  Baaia.  Tti«  w 
lapltad.  ImI  It  la  MX  dhmuimly 
la   Utm  aalal  aaaaU  af  Tli(Wt^ 


iaia  Jmdmm  ty  ^^Uik  Tba  »••  y^tlii^  lata 
•biab  Abas  bad  Waa«bt  fcii  i  If  mtik 
rtfiil  Id  AmjHm  vaa  fcUawcd  by  aatWa 
laligioM  abaaeoa,  vbkob  WW  ptdmhtj.  la 
pati  al  any  raia,  iu  iwai  naaiieu.  tbuti^b 
•utna  of  tbeoi  Buy  Late  Iwmm  tba  icaail  ci 
biaown  raii«i('Ua  (ur  irft:it((kMW)«aavMte«a. 
Ua  had  a  ua*  alUt  BM«la  aad  lalfod»r«4 
iulo  tba  IflOipU,  vbicb  al  flnt  ba  uani  ^« 
hU  owa  phvala  aacr&OBa  («a««.  1(^11); 
tbaa,  tbat  bit  aa«  alia*  at««l>t  oecapy  tba 
poat  of  beooat,  ba  iwaaiiil  froa  Ua  pUoa 
tba  old  btaaaa  altar  al  StAtmom,  a»d  p«u  it 
la  aa  lateiar  pcaitioa  (v«.  14).  AfW  ibi^ 
ba  raquifv^  all  aaenlSoca  to  ba  uftanJ  aa 
tba  ac«  alur  (?««.  1&>.  Filially,  W  |«»- 
raodad  la  llaift—  mtik  aaraial  albar  of 
BabaMa'a  aiianiBiala.  vtib  wbat  |air> 
tiaaW  object  la  act  vary  appuaal  (vara.  17, 
It).  la  oairyi^  out  all  tbaaa 
bad  (ba  bifb  |«t««t  af 
aboeqalDaB( 


Tav.  I« -AW  naff  Abaa  ««Bt  ta  BaBMaM 
ta  Moat  Tlfflatb-ptlaaar  Kimg  af  Aatyna.  U 
•  aa  a  fi(«f(ic«  of  tt>e  Ami  i  a'<  m  <t.k.  rL«  la 
bold  dmrimtr*,  ur  ooorta,  al  crtitr*!  (-*«««  la 
tba  proTiaoBa,  la  tba  aoaiaa  of  tbru  BMhla/y 
to  looaiva  tb«  a«lv<«« 
af  tba  aaifftibaartiiinil.  abo  mm 
PSaad  btiaff  wub  tbc«i 
iiad  tfibata.  T^Utb- 
pileaar  bald  mm  aaah  oaart  t«  tba  imt  i*€ 
paft  of  bia  loiffa  al  Arpad.  a  iyr.»ik  uaa. 
al  vbiflb  vaaa  paaaaal  tba  ktaM  af 
Hyria.  xyta.  CaiabwiM. 
Ua  Maaa  to  b>>- >>' 
aakaaau  pUfl*. 


316 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS         [oh.  xvi.  1— 2Q 


attended  by  the  king*  of  Commagene,  Car-  1 
chemish.  Gebal,  Haniath,  Gaugama.  TubaL 
Arval,  Ammon, Moab,  ABkelon,Gaza,  Edom, 
md  Judah.  the  last-mentioned  being  Yahu- 
khazi  (Jehoahaz),  by  which  is  probably 
meant  Ahaz.  It  is  with  reason  conjectured 
that  this  was  the  occasion  mentioned  iii  the 
text,  when  "  Kin>:  Ahaz  went  to  Damascus 
to  meet  Tiglath-pileser."  And  saw  an  altar 
that  was  at  Damasens.  It  is  almost  certain 
that  this  was  an  Assyrian  altar.  Ahaz  may 
at  one  time  have  turned  for  help  to  the  gods 
of  Syria  (2  Chron.  ixviii.  23),  and  asked 
their  aid  acain-t  his  enemies;  but  the  glory 
of  Syria  was  now  gone,  her  go>ls  were  dis- 
oredited,  and  the  place  of  power  was  occupied 
by  Assyria,  which  had  asserted  its  supre- 
ma<  y  When  Ahaz  visited  Tiglath-pileser 
at  U.iina-cus.  and  "aaw  an  altar,"  it  was,  in 
all  probability,  Tiglath-pileser's  altar.  The 
Assyrian  king>  were  accustomed  to  carry 
altars  aboui  with  them,  and  to  have  them 
Bet  uji  in  their  fortified  camps,  or  in  other 
cnveiiient  places.  They  also,  not  unfre- 
qu-ntly,  set  up  altars  to  the  great  gixis  in 
the  countries  which  Ihey  conquered,  anil 
required  the  inhabit  ints  to  pay  them  rever- 
etn'O.  Ahaz  may  either  have  been  required 
by  Tigialh-pileBi-r  to  set  up  an  Assyrian 
ultar  ill  the  temple,  or  he  may  have  volun- 
teered the  act  as  one  which  was  likely  to 
please  his  suzoiain.  And  King  Ahaz  sent  to 
Urijah  the  priest- t.<.  the  higli  priest-the 
fatrhion  of  the  altar  and  the  pattern  of  it. 
A  Syrian  .iltars  were  quite  dilVcrent  from 
Jewioli  ones.  Generally  they  were  of  small 
eize.  eitlur  sqniire  witli  a  hattleniented  edge, 
or  round  at  the  t<ip  and  sup|"irled  on  a 
trif-ngular  Imis.-  ('  Diet,  of  tin-  llibl.  ,'  ail  vnr. 
"  Altar."  V'll.  i.  p.  .'■>"),  wortdciila  N'oh.  H  and  .')). 
It  JH  wurcely  likely  tliut  Ahaz  was  par- 
tirulurly  phased  with  tin;  ))attern  (Kuil), 
and  til.  r<f.iro  wihlieil  to  have  oih'  like  it 
III!  pfotmbly  merely  winhed  to  HatiHfy  his 
Niizt.Tain  that  L<-  hud  conforinod  to  houic  of 
)  <N  U)-a;;eH.     According  to  all  the 

.;p    thereof.      Tlinn;,'h    noi    v.ry 
tli>)    AHHvrian     ultarv     hiivi;    an 
ion  wlii<  h    id   peruliiir   and    nn- 
II  (!iirefnl  iiiHtrurlionH  would  be 

iu'd'd  f  r  worKnu'u  who  hail  never  Mi-en  the 
ivirt  of  objiH't  which  they  wtru  ri<juito<l  t<i 
pn)<lu<^. 

Ver.  II. — And  Urijfth  th«  priont.  No 
(ioiilil  the  rrinli  of  iH.ii.th  (vin  2),  who 
riiiflit  !•*•  n  "  (ftf  liful  NsiiiiHii "  t^i  III"  ri  o<iril 
of  •  f  •'-»  '  ■  ■  •  a  b  III  Ilia II,  ovrr-<viinpliil-aiit 
in  riir  'lie  Will  (i(   th.    kllii.'.      Built 

an  »  <  to  all  that  KinK  Ahni  had 

MOt  frorii  I;»iiiit»cua  :     mibir. /m<i7(  thr  ultur, 
in   tl"  iilinr  r'.ininniidral   by   (lie  iii'tiiirnli 
•o   TJrIj'K   ibo   prloal   nmdo  it   ■k'*!"*^  Klig 
Abu   '  >ii.o   from    DiimaMiu*        A    l>o|i|   IiIkh 
prMMt    iik>     A/iri.tli    (2   (jhr>n     xivi.     17) 


would  have  refused  to  work  the  king's  will 
in  such  a  matter,  whicli  was  certainly  • 
desecration  of  the  temple,  and  to  some  extent 
a  compromise  with  idolatry.  But  Urijah 
was  a  man  of  a  weaker  fibre,  and  does  not 
seem  to  have  thouglit  even  of  remonstrance, 
much  less  of  resistance. 

Ver.  12. — And  when  the  king  was  come 
from  Damascus,  the  king  saw  the  altar  :  and 
the  king  approached  to  the  altar,  and  offered 
thereon.  It  is  not  necessarily  implied  in 
these  words  thnt  Ahaz,  like  Uzziali,  usurped 
the  priestly  functions,  though  conceivably 
he  may  have  done  so,  and  Urijah  naiy  have 
stood  tamely  by.  What  tlie  writer  has  it  in 
his  mind  to  record  is  tiiat  the  king,  on  his 
return  from  Damascus,  at  once  made  use  of 
the  new  altar  for  his  private  sacrifices.  If 
he  had  meant  to  Uix  Ahaz  with  so  great 
a  sin  as  that  whieh  brought  the  curse 
of  leprosy  upon  Uzziah,  he  would  almost 
certainly  have  made  his  meaning  clearer. 

Ver.  is. — And  he  burnt  his  burnt  offering 
and  his  meat  offering,  and  poured  his  drink 
offering,  and  sprinkled  the  blood  of  his  peace 
offerings,  upon  the  altar.  (On  the  different 
kinds  of  ofiVrinirs,  see  Lev.  i. — vii.) 

Ver.  14. — And  he  brought  also  the  brazen 
altar,  which  was  before  the  Lord.  One  sin 
leads  on  to  another.  Uaviuj;  intnulucid  his 
self-invented  qMdnj'-idolairoiis  altar  into  tlio 
temple,  and  so  inserti  li  "  the  thin  end  of 
the  wcdfjje,"    Ahaz   was    not   satisfied,    but 

firocicdrd  to  another  innovation.  Urijah, 
iaving  had  no  express  order  from  the  king 
with  resptict  to  iho  position  of  the  new  altar, 
had  plaeed  it  in  front  of  the  idd  one.  between 
it  and  tlio  eastern  gale  of  the  court.  1  hun 
the  old  altar,  which  was  direelly  in  front  of 
the  ti  niplc  porch,  se.  mod  to  ent  the  ni!\v 
altar  (df  I'roni  llie  teniiilo.  Aliaz  would  not 
have  this  eontinue.  and  resolved  on  renioving 
the  altar  of  Solomon  from  its  place,  and 
pulling  it  elsewhere.  From  the  forefront  of 
the  house  (roiii|).  1  Ivint^H  viii.  .M),  from 
between  the  altir— i.r.  the  new  altar  and 
the  house  of  tho  Lord-  /.c  the  Icmplo 
biiililiiiK  and  put  it  on  tha  north  sido  of 
tho  altar.  'I'lie  removal  <>(  Solomon's  altar 
from  ilH  pliic4i  of  hiiiioitr  to  a  siile  position 
I  fl  the  Hpaeu  olear  iM'twet  u  the  lemplo  ami 
tlie  new  altar,  which  thtis,  without  i  xiiolly 
o<'cii|iying  the  haiiio  site,  look  pruclically 
till)  place  of  Solomon'H  altar.  Sol  ihoii'h 
KlUr,  ■hilled  to  ono  hide,  wan  |'iii,  as  it 
wiTi',  in  tho  bai'l.gioiind  ;  the  eye  r«  Hied  on 
the  new  altar,  right  in  front  of  the  porch 
and  teni|>lu,  which  ho  became  "tho  iniiiii 
iillar"  C'l^n  n:}^Q.nX  kii  It  in  nallod  in  tlin 
ncit  ver-o 

Vir.  I.'i.  And  Klnf(  Ahii  ooinintiiulod 
Urijnh  tho  prln»t,  iuytng  Here  llie  kiiin. 
n»  doubt,  all  PI  •CI  I  out  nf  thi>  Hpln  re  i<(  Ilia 
diilem,    not    l<>    usurp    umclly    liio    priinllf 


okivti^sa]     THE  h»UK*sD  liooi  or  tue  kis'H 


:&:'. 


,  tat  i*  M^** 4i>*i'T1  liii  t»  MsttafV  ■•'*'4       fWkf    li^*f    %Ma    tlw   tWrW 
Ml  m  «ilM  kanvM  af  tu  »*•  «ICM  U  ■i4«  « 

-.-•I  MtfliMk    I   "(vtvfl  fur  Um  m    «. 

OMIft  of    U»«   lauit.  r     I 


i«  1  alMll  bcvwJUt  (lairf 

•ay.  il  »h«ll  bn  DO|  |a 

4lK«<iplM.     «U      IM     l«(U«H     *..»     ~.     .. 

or««UawU  ■Mdt—  w«t«  to  b»  aft>r>d  v^ 

1  !•  ti<  •   idt*r,  tk»  oUm*  vo«M    iiTvtInft!' 
rlii(M»     It   «<i«ld    h*^ 

•      II 


»^:dit.f    I. 
Ali    .u.,! 


ct 


Ak. 


••  lb  kor 
tob«teN 


u 


^k   tk*  prtMt.  M- 

AL&j  oommAaiai. 

liigk 

.'    pro- 


fit 


Ua 


ItM 


Vaca  19.  to  —TV  <C<«(*  V  '*'^  T1>« 
«rit««  lamiMftU*  bw  •a^vmuii  •/  ib«  laifti 
uf  AltAi  vttii  hu  iMUkl  ('•naaljk  m^kek  !• 
tlli*  iriM*t»cr  ATP  «>»-|:«   ^>i<M«f>««A       Ab»<  • 

'fvvitlUMit'  '  okMMialcM 

kia««:  be  .      4«M  «ttb 

ki*  alraMa.    Tlu*  la  »il   Uiai  ka  thmltt  •! 

Sm.  18.->aw  tk*  raal  «f  Ika  aau  •! 
4kM«kkk  k*4i4.Ai«  ik«f  M«  vntMB  ta 

\\%  b^k  of  i^e  c^o&icla*  of  iL*  ki^^i  -f 


.«  wwpliia  4alt«t  a#  Akai  b;  lVk.A. 

kiM  wttk  a  mHi  alM«tiM 


MBoto  Wm  wiui  a  mimk  •teacbM  - 
.«L  nvML  fV  kUUac  »  k— <aai 
•  r-.iT  tk-HiMbd'/  bU  aJM— .  aai 


^    Id  ».«•«    ' 
;.— pU  or  A 

'  J*   aff  I 


•AM ail  flAftl««a. 


p|k4  la  ak  1*1  •;  b«t  It  li  AM  «s|«a»Jt 
<lAla4.     (t)  Um  dalaal   by    tba    Kkwiai^ 


318                          THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.  [cH.  xvl  1— 20 

who  invaded  his  land,  and  made  a  large  1  in  every  several  city  (2  Chron.  xxviii.  25)t 
nnraber  of  prisoners  (2  Cbroii.  xxviii.  17).  The  religious  condition  of  Judcea  can  searcely 
(4)  The  conquest  in  his  reign  of  a  consider-  have  been  worse  in  the  worst  time  of  Ma- 
able    portion  of    Southern  Jud;isa   by   the  nasseh  or  Anion. 

Philistines   (ver.    18).     (5)  The    fact    that  Ver.  20.— And  Ahaz  slept  with  his  fathers, 

Aliaz  at  one  time  in  his  life  adopted   the  and  was  buried  with  his  fathers  in  the  city 

Svrian  worship,  and  "sacrificed  to  the  gods  I   of  David.     This  must  be  taken  in  the  same 

of  Damascus  which  smote  him  "  (ver.  23).  ;   sense,  and  with  the  same  limitations,  as  the 

(6)  The  fact   that   in  his  latter   years   he  i   same  phrase  in  ch.  xii.  21.     The  writer  of 

shut  up  the  temple  (ver.  24),  closing  the  I   Chronicles  (2  Chron.  xxviii.  27)  says,  "  And 

doors  of  the  porcii  (2  Chron.  xxix.  7),  ex-  j   Ahaz  slept  with  his  fathers,  and  they  buried 

tinguisliing  the  lamps  (2  Chron.  xxix.  7),  him  in  the  city,  even  in  Jerusalem  :  but  they 

and  putting  an  end  tu  the  burning  of  incense  brought  him  not  into   the  eepulckres  of  the 

and  the  oti'ering  of  sacrifice.     (7)  The  fact  i   kings.'^     Like  Uzziah,  he  was  not  thought 


that,  not  content  with  the  previously  exist- 
ing high  places,  lie  set  up  a  number  of  new 
ones,  80  that  there  dhould  be  a  "high  plaot** 


worthy  of  sepulture  in  the  royal  catacomb 
(see  the  comment  on  ch.  xii.  21). 


HOMILETICS. 

Vers.  1 — 4. — The  gnrJliness  of  parents  does  not  secure  the  perseverance  of  their  children 
in  well-'/oing,  hut  incrrases  the  children's  guilt  if  they  take  to  evil  courses.  Ahaz,  the 
worst  of  all  the  kings  of  Judah,  is  the  son  of  one  of  whom  it  is  said  that  "  he  did 
right  in  the  siglit  of  tlie  Lord  "  (ch.  xv.  34).  Manasseh,  perliaps  the  next  wor.st.  is 
the  child  of  the  one  king  for  whom  the  sacred  writers  have  no  word  of  blame.  Wicked 
Abimel  ch  is  the  son  of  the  pious  Gideon  (Judg.  ix.  1).  We  naturally  expect  the 
contrary  of  tliis  to  happi  n.  We  suppo.'^e  that  education  does  evervthiiiL:,  and  we  look 
to  see  the  children  of  godly  parents  grow  up  godly,  and  are  apt,  without  any  inquiry 
into  the  circumstances,  to  suppose  that  every  ill-conducted  young  man  must  have  been 
badly  brought  up.  The  dictum  of  the  wise  man,  "  Train  up  a  child  in  the  way  he 
should  go:  and  when  he  is  old,  he  will  not  depart  from  it"  (Prov.  xxii.  6),  may  be 
quoted  in  justification  of  such  views,  and  is  often  so  quoted,  as  if  it  were  a  rule  without 
any  excfj^licn.  But  no  proverb  is  of  this  clmracter.  All  a,To  general  rules,  which  admit 
of  excepiions ;  and  the  exceyitional  character  of  this  particular  proverb  is  continually 
allowed  in  the  Scriptures  (I'rov.  xviL  21,  25;  xix,  13;  Ezek.  xviii.  10,  etc.).  The 
j>f»infH  to  be  urg"d  practically  are — 

L  That  pakknts  bhoold  make  evert  possible  effort,  jcst  as  if  thkik 
cmii.drkn'b  cuahacteiis  UKi'KNDKu  ENTiiu-.LY  UPON  THKM.  "  Instruction,"  education, 
training,  though  sometimes  of  no  avail,  have,  in  the  majority  ot  cases,  very  great  weight. 
Even  when  they  seem  to  have  failed,  it  often  happens  that  their  results  remain  deep 
buriwl  in  the  soul,  and  in  the  end  show  themselves,  and  are  of  .suflicient  force  to  snatch 
many  a  brand  from  the  burning.  The  jMiront  must  not  despair  because  he  does  not 
nee  much  fruit  of  his  laliours  at  once,  ilo  has  to  do  his  Ix^st,  to  "  liberate  his  own 
Houl,"  to  H«e  that,  if  his  ciiiM  Yx'  lost,  it  is  not  owing  to  his  neglect.  Ho  has  to  *'  hope 
»,'»»riHt  hi<\'i',"  to  pcrMcvere  with  his  efforts,  to  1x3  unwearied  in  his  prayers,  to  do  the 
utmoHt  that  lies  in  his  power  to  lead  his  children  into  the  right  jtath.  A  jiarent  ought 
never  to  <1'H]  air.  Whih;  there  in  life  there  is  hoiKi.  The  way  of  repenlniiii)  is  ojien  to 
all;  and,  liiHtoric.illy,  theie  have  hmin  repentances  from  such  a  depth  of  depravity  that 
no  cam-  nhonld  neern  <jnilo  hojioleHH.  *'  Where*  sin  alxiundefd,  grace  did  much  more 
aU'und  "  (I  <.m.  v.  20).  The  mercy  of  God  is  unHearrhahle,  unlathomable.  There  is 
Do  luiyiiig  what  Hitiniir  may  not  turn  from  his  iin,  put  iiway  the  iuujuity  of  his  duingi, 
and  UwMiiio  a  true  Msrvanl  of  the  MoHt  lligli. 

II.  That  pakk.stm  hhoih.d  not  hk  ovKit-Hoimowrni,,  on  okpukshko  mrvoNn  MKAmmE, 
narAiMr.  tiikih  r.rroiiTM  i>f»  kkkp  tiik.iii  ciiiliuikn  in  the  uhiiit  path  havic  in 
•<)MK  <  A"»>  rAit.KO.  If,  indeed,  they  hnve  hiid  many  children,  and  their  efTortn  have 
fadwi  wiUi  tJl,  thry  may  n-aHoiiably  (tUMpe  i  Nome  defivt  In  themnelveii  or  in  their  Hythnn. 
Bui  if  thn  r«Hinll*  are  viirii«l,  if  a  jKirliun  ol  their  chililren  have  Imth  all  that  they  eould 
wi»h,  wiiil«i  (jihiT*  <lr»ii'iU'  ail  that  they  oould  do — have  pr'  ferre(l  to  "  walk  in  iho  way 
of  iloiMr*,"  and  cm  to  **  ait  in  the  neat  of  the  aouruful,"  than  thojr  have  no  Do«d  til 


OLSTLUia]        TUB  tlEOUND  BOOK  UK   lUL  kl^OC  Bit 


■n—  www— fc,  m  to  rwprd  lb— wlyii  m  eolfaUc    TW  lai«aaM  iHiiili  »  u 

Id  4t»k    Ac^a,  Umm  to  **  Um  p«mmI  aqMUan.*    Thara  4»  mmb  10  U  aoow.  sLu  ~  «• 
MM  « iMf  ara  km^  go  MMr^  miA  *P**k  hm.'    ll  to  Mirwg  ik«  myu. 
«itot— w  Mr*  no  Mtt!.  iLkl  uuural  diapoalliooa  A<ml  ~ 


liafiMiliooa  A<mld  aa  ftMtij  varjr.  o4 

BuBV  ohlMfMi  Ik.  «ipari«ooi^  tKM  lib  to  aui,    i>o*  tkM  ■>*••  •• 

IfOitUii,  sad  tmtx  'anr*.     Adn<l>f  to  w  Ifal.  fMrrafM,  1 1*  liiiii^ 

AtaMM  daVuU  of  C  iCllMrtoa  U>  rrtt.      l'a.'«:iU  W  a   •««»«• 

for  ■■Kt'***  ^  <*'  ex»mpl»i  but  ilwy  »«»•  (»>(  (  */,  1/  Umjt 

•UttMilj  MB  a«<rt  irvo,  U>«t  io  Oud't  J«Mrt  J^<i»«i  Umi 

Ibt^uily  oS  |i«^r  •••n.     **Tb«  wo   abAlt  d>jI   b«f  iW 

iai|Uiivofti  ■  '      ^^tf  ^  Ik0  mm' itamk.  MtWL 

111.  That    uc'.i'tiiN  Ml.  >   itAve    :                                r    uaucoar    vr.     r   -       1    TVU 

to  CTiL  ouruE*.  i>rt-M  A  rkAitrvL  "It  bad  Hnr                      tb«m 

sol  to  k**«  kti   M  :  -  arc  k:     '«  :i   .'. .  '.o  t«r« 

frooi  tW  biJjr  o  -1>.      11  I  Ll  a  CO,  aoii* 

witblindii^^  >  fr  -  •  •  '  ^  ibMt  tkmj 

vo«ld  k»v«  doo*  tmoM,  •ik'1 

froBiaCiAcjruiw^-. .  ^'•^tararj 

U«ilog  abuMd  boood  •'  tym, 

lO  kftV«  VirtM  UutilUi  ae   tba 

§Dod — to  to  provi'k  a 

M.     WLa:  ri.  u»r  r 

da    tbr                                               iijc.r    pu'  Mondij 

proi;T<r-                                            ,  vft  fur  a  -ir«y«« 

U                                                          ■    llieir  ao-.  ,  m*4- 

»<-    .                                                             .    :jra«   wnic'  -   -rjr  •!« 

aju»<i..                .,  -tt.u  Milt  i.Ave  lu  ftaawer  at  (.1  i  :. !  i.^*:  ih«y 

Vuukl     .                .:  i«  too  Ui«>,  r<r''<rrii|«  th«  fuUy  •.  umI  "  |ut  avay 

tbcir  luiijiu'jr  "!                                        :u  p«nloQ  al.  w.  r«  lu  lira.     Lei  tb«m 

*  ariac,  aad  go  t^>  \  >  v  uulu  bim,  **  \'  iuvd  ; "  aod  b«  will  gu 
out  to  iumC  ihem,  aaa  r^xcrc  '.  "  th«r«  wiu  be  j../  10  tb«  fttmacfo  ol  t£a 
•Ofola  of  Ood  uver  each  auch  ai:  -  naotatb,  mora  than  ovar  ni—ly  aad  aiaa 
Jmi  pttaoua,  vbtcb  oeod  no  raiKMAuo*     i,Luka  xr.  7,  10^ 

Yon.  S— 7. — 0«^t  pumitkmmtt  </  •  w»tiom*»  tit  an  ^/tm  lom§  dtdaytd,  Vmt,  wkm 
lAay  aMM,  U  i»%Uhm  ittjrtm,  ktU  tmddmJjf,  mcUntif,  mmd  af  tmea.  Tkia  avbieei  maj 
baat  ba  titAied.  aa  tha  ImI,  uadar  tlunaa  haiiii.  vti.  (1)  ti«  anu  y  /«K<aA.  viae*  Aa4 


_  Ootf;  (t)  fJU  laM  ^ay  ra  iMr  pMJdkaMni;  and  (S)  Uu  tmddcnmmt  mmd 
aaaru  XJminAj  fvrrm  witk  mkiek  tkt  pmmitkmmt  emmt  at  laaL 

AH.    Tbougli,ootba  wbula,lM>  K'iiliT  thaalMr  itolar,  Bpkralm, 
at  Ilia  diTfaioo  ol  tba  kingtiom  01  8iit<non,  bats  mora  or  )tm 

u  t  axi  in  aararal  raapaeta^     L  An  n— ittknhaad  and  iilagitiiBaia  bigb' 

pii>  1  with  aaparatitioo  and  parba{«  ar«n  idoUiry,  bad  mmntntitarl  lia 

I  -  c  aulikariaad  Jalwrab-ooil*  tbrougbout  tba  vboUjuriod  of  tW 

d.  ■  .  U.e  aoeawioa  of  Bobobonm  to  tba  daatb  dt  Abu  (1  Kia^i  siv. 

S3i  Av.  li  ,  ck  ill.  3;  liv.  4;  XV.  4,  36,  xtu  4^      t.  IVa  wur^p  of 

Baal  baa  tr,  .«i  ft\>in  ibia  ai»(4<r  ki(tg<iciui  hy  iba  Induaaoa  of  Atbaliab,  aikd 

ka  if  Mgoi  of  br  J<*baraiB.  bar  ajo,  AbaAiab.  and  bor 

••  xi.  lb).    S.  L  1  efliamiBMT  ba<J  cfvpt  in,  atpaenllj 

donng  una  uxvicn.'ua  nsMna  of  Uuiah  a:..^  j  inam,  and  bad  led  oa  to  dabaaokar;  aM 
llBMl1ii«wm  (U^  L  4|  IL  6—8 ;  UL  16— M  ,  T.  n,  U:  Joal  L  6i  Aona  tL  1—4, 
•IB.X  i*  lajoatie*  and  oppamuo  bad  bccuwa  nit.  TVa  rieh  Man  aoacbt  ••  'join 
booaa  to  hanm,  and  Aald  to  fiaU  '  (l*a.  v.  8);  tbaj  alrippad  tba  poor  of  tkilr  aanU 
WMpartica  bj  lapU  eklannarj  (laa.  ui.  14X  oppriJiad  tbam,and  "gfouad  tbair 
(U<  Ui.  16>  na  Mg«  la  Iba  ooarta  aaoaptod  bribaa  (ba.  L  B)  and  otTa 
jodgmaou  (Ua.  T.  £IV     Widow*  and  iimbaai  vara  tba  ipiaial  oHaeu  «f  a 


.     .  aad  nrpbaai  arara  tba  ■yiaial  ob^eu  «f  aMaek,  o^t 

aocMUii  uf  litau  waiuaai  aad  ^iaimatkmmtm  (la^  L  17,  St;  x.ty    L  Tka  ham  1/ 


SaO  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [cH.ivi.l-aa 


religion  were  kept  up,  but  the  spirit  had  evaporated.     Men  thronged  God's  courts, 

brought  abundant  offerings,  made  many  prayers,  kept  the  new  moons  and  the  sabbaths 
and  the  appointed  feasts,  but  without  any  real  care  for  the  honour  of  God  or  any 
thought  of  seeking  to  serve  and  obey  him.  Hence  their  worship  was  "  an  offence ;  " 
their  ceremonies  were  mockeries,  their  oblations  "vain,"  their  soltmn  meetings 
"  iniquity."     God  was  "  weary  to  bear  them  "  (Isa.  i.  11 — 15). 

IL  'I' HE  LONG  DELAY  IN  THEiB  PUNISHMENT.  More  than  two  ceuturies  had  elapsed 
since  Judah  began  to  "  do  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  and  to  provoke  him  to  jealousy 
with  their  sins  which  they  had  committed,  above  all  that  their  fathers  had  done  "  (1  Kings 
xiv.  22).  Above  a  century  had  p;issed  since  the  apostasy  of  Jehoram  and  Ahaziah. 
During  all  this  time  Judah  hal  maintained  her  independence,  had  received  no  severe 
blow,  lal  en  under  no  crushing  affliction.  Latterly,  she  had  even  prospered.  Under  Uzziah 
she  had  recovered  Elath  (ch.  xiv.  22),  conquered  a  part  of  Philistia  (2  Chron.  sxvi.  6), 
defeated  the  Arabians  and  Mehunim  (2  Chron.  xxvi.  7),  and  made  the  Ammonites  her 
tributaries  (2  Chron.  xxvi.  8)  ;  under  Jotham  she  had  maintained  these  conquests,  and 
when  Amnion  revolted  had  reduced  her  to  subjection  (2  Chron.  xxvii.  5)  without  any 
difficulty.  God,  in  his  long-suffering  mercy,  bore  with  his  people.  He  would  win 
them  by  kindness,  draw  them  to  him  by  cords  of  love,  at  any  rate  give  them  ample 
time  for  repentance.  But  it  was  in  vain.  The  longer  he  left  them  unpunished,  the 
further  they  wandered  from  the  right  way,  and  the  more  they  hardened  tlieir  hearts. 
The  time  came  when  the  prophet  could  only  say  of  them,  "  Ah  sinful  nation,  a  people 
laden  with  iniquity,  a  seed  of  evil-doers,  children  that  are  corrupters :  they  have  forsaken 
the  Lord,  they  have  provoked  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  unto  anger,  they  are  gone  away 
backward.  .  .  .  The  whole  head  is  sick,  and  the  whole  heart  faint.  From  the  sole  of 
the  foot  even  unto  the  head  there  is  no  soundness  in  it ;  but  wounds,  and  bruises,  aud 
putrefying  sores"  (Isa.  i.  4 — 6). 

III.    'IhE    suddenness    and   OVEBWHELMINQ    FOBCB    WITH    WHICH    THE    PUNISHMKNT 

DESCENDKD  WHEN  IT  CAME.  Bishop  Butlcr  remarks  how,  in  the  punishment  which  God 
brings  upon  vicious  individuals  in  this  world,  there  is  often  a  long  respite.  "  After  the 
chief  bad  consequences,  temporal  consequences,  of  their  follies  have  been  delayed  for 
»  great  while;  at  length  they  break  in  irresistibly,  like  an  armed  force;  repentance  is 
too  late  to  relieve,  and  can  only  serve  to  aggravate  their  distress  ;  tlie  case  is  become 
de*iperate,  and  poveity  and  sickness,  reuioiae  and  anguish,  infamy  and  death,  the 
efficts  of  their  own  doings,  overwhelm  them,  beyond  pussibility  oi  remedy  or  escape" 
(•  Analogy  of  Relij;ioti,  Natural  and  Itevealed,'  pt.  i.  ch.  ii.  p.  5-')-  And  so  it  is  often  with 
niiti'inH;  BO  it  was  now  with  the  nation  of  the  Jews.  As  soon  as  the  punishment 
began,  hhiw  was  dealt  upon  blow.  First,  He//m  "smote  them,  and  cariied  awav  a 
great  multitude  of  thorn  captives,  and  brought  them  to  Damascus"  (2Chrou.  ixviii.  5). 
Th<-n  they  were  delivered  into  tlie  hand  of  Pekah,  who  "suiote  them  with  a  great 
slaughter,  slaying  a  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  in  one  day,  whicli  were  all  valiant 
men  "  (2  Chron.  xxviii.  5,  6).  Next,  Edom  had  her  fling  at  the  siek  lion,  and  "  came 
and  Htiiote  Judah,  and  carried  away  ciijitivca"  (2  Chron.  xxviii.  17).  Tlion  I'liilistia 
attacked  the  citioH  of  the  low  country,  and  of  the  south  of  .Indah,  and  took  a  niimbor 
of  ihom,  "and  dwelt  there"  (2  Cliron.  xxviii.  18).  Presently,  Pekab  and  U  zin,  joining 
their  foreen,  advanced  together  to  the  siege  of  Jerusali  in.  All  wiuh  lost,  oxeopt  only 
honour;  and  then  honiur  was  thrown  into  the  gulf ;  Judah  wont  down  on  her  knees 
to  AH'iyriji,  and  itn|ilor(Ml  ai<l,  gave  tribute,  ucceplod  a  suzerain,  made  the  inglorious 
conl'SHion,  "I  nm  thy  servant  and  tliy  8i)n"((;li.  xvi.  7).  Having  incurred  defeat, 
diMgrac4',  the  loiw  (»f  military  honour,  the  loss  of  the  flower  of  hor  troop.s,  she  crowns 
nil  I'y  K'*''"K  'M'  ^^i"  national  inilefx-ndence,  inviting  a  master,  and  herself  placing 
K  rrri/ri  yoke  U|*in  her  own  shoidderB.  lint  for  the  wonderful  elTorts  made  by 
Ile7,'  kiah  when  he  nurcndcd  the  throne  fch.  xvili.  3 — H),  Judnm'H  ruin  would  have  Iwen 
cirnpl<'i«l  under  Alii/, ;  afid  the  puniHhrnont  no  long  delayed,  whou  it  cauiu,  would 
have  \ti^u  fmal,  **  without  eHcajio  or  remedy." 

Vom.  10 — 17. — A  wirked  king  allowed  to  have  M»  imy  }ty  a  lotak  j'rifti.  The  double 
rJK/irnt.  r\\\\  and  ecch-  iiiHlical,  whicb  it  pleaded  Uixl  to  nHtnbliHh  In  hiH  first  Chunli, 
th"  •I'^Aiah,  and  to  contiuua.  with  certain  nxNlihoAlionn,  In  hit  t>ecoiid  Ohiiroh,  llin 
LbriAtiaiit  noerna  Ut  have   bucn  d<  Ki|{nixi    lur  tho   uiutuul    iMlTaiita4;u  (if  both  |)artio«. 


m.  in.  1-m]       TSB  MOOND  BOUK  Of  TUK  KINOa  aji 

Artliuittj.  la  wb«UT«r  bM^  11  to  pfaoHl.  W  a]»»ra  lUbto  to  U  thmai,  to 


•-•t     tk*^     -tT'! 


1-  ,l'. 


I  . 

*  .U  hit 

"■  .-c  .    lAlUl  '•Pt-tllUi^  rullJUiiA  ■'■f-«^-|.i-i  ■  «f 

HOMILIES   BY   VARIOUS   ADTHORSl 

•haptor*  ..I  T".-i.  •- ►.-.  , '    f  -be  (x-ndiii  •      '    '     k  '  '  .    ;^ 

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.^       it  bl«^U^Ul    U.C..      -              , 

u.  a.i»M*, 

323  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF   THE  KINGS.        [oh.  xvL  1— 20. 


was  worse  thau  useles:^.  It  was  a  foul  and  degrading  worship.  It  is  best  described 
in  the  words  of  the  third  verse,  "  the  abominations  of  the  heathen."  We  can  have 
but  a  faiut  conception  of  the  loathsome  practices  associated  with  the  worship  of  the 
pagan  deities.  The  passage  before  ns  speaks  of  one  act  of  worship — by  no  means 
th©  worst,  though  sufficiently  cruel  and  revolting.  This  was  the  worship  of  Moloch. 
In  the  valley  of  Hinnom,  afterwards  called  Gehenna  or  Tophet,  an  image  of  Moloch 
was  erected.  Dr.  Thomson,  in  '  The  Laud  and  the  Book,'  refers  to  the  passage  in 
Jeremiah  (xix.)  where  the  valley  of  Hinnom  is  spoken  of,  and  thinks,  because  it  is 
said  there  that  the  image  of  Baal  was  there,  that  Moloch  and  Baal  were  one  and  the 
tame.  At  auy  rate,  part  of  the  worship  of  Moloch  consisted  in  making  children  pass 
through  the  fire  before  his  image,  or  in  actually  burning  them  in  it.  The  cries  of  the 
children  were  drowned  by  the  sound  of  musical  instruments  and  the  shouts  of  the 
frenzied  worshippers.     It  is  to  this  that  Milton  refers  when  he  says — 

"  First,  Moloch,  horrid  king,  besmear'd  with  blood 
Of  human  sacrifice,  and  parents'  tears ; 
Thougli  for  the  noise  of  drums  and  timbrels  loud 
Theu-  children's  cries  unheard,  that  passed  through  fire 
To  his  grim  idol." 

Such  was  the  worsiiip  which  Ahaz,  in  his  infatuation  and  desire  to  be  like  the  nations 
round  alwnt  him,  substituted  for  the  spiritual,  elevating  worship  of  the  great  Father 
of  us  all.  After  all,  was  he  much  worse  than  many  in  modern  times  who  profess  to 
be  80  enlightened  that  they  regard  the  Christian  religion  as  a  superstition?  And 
what  do  they  give  us  in  place  of  it?  A  worship  of  dead  matter,  of  blind  force  ;  of  a 
mere  supixtsition  of  their  own  minds.  If  Christianity  be  a  superstition,  what  are  soma 
of  the  fancies  of  our  pliilosophers?  Before  we  give  up  our  Christian  religion,  let  us 
know  what  we  are  to  have  in  place  of  it.  Let  us  compare  the  results  of  Christianity 
with  the  results  of  any  rival  system,  and  how  immeasurably  superior  to  them  all  it 
stands,  in  the  jiurity  of  its  teaching,  in  the  power  it  exercises  to  elevate  and  ennoble 
human  lif'-,  and  in  the  blessings  it  has  brought  to  the  nations!  How  it  alone  lights  \\\) 
the  darkness  of  tiie  grave,  and  breathes  into  the  bereaved  heart  the  inspiration  and 
comfort  of  the  heavenly  hope  I  This  was  the  first  downward  step  in  the  career  of 
Ahaz — forsaking  the  w(/rship  of  Qod.  So  many  a  man  has  begun  the  downward  path. 
The  empty  seat  in  the  house  of  G<>d  indicates  often  the  beginning  of  a  useless  and 
wasted  life.  Or  if  he  comes  to  the  house  of  God,  he  worsliijis  Qod  in  furm  only.  His 
th'iughtfl  are  far  away.  Self  and  th(!  world,  m<mey  and  pleasure, — how  often  are  those 
the  idols  men  worship  with  the  thoughts  of  th»ir  hearts  and  with  all  the  efforts  of 
their  lives ! 

II.    THK    NRXT    STEP  Hf    TIIK    DOWNWARD   PATH   OP   AhAZ    WAB    THK    ALLIANCE     HR 

K.sTKUKij  i.sTO.  (Vera.  G — 7.)  The  Syrians  made  war  on  him  along  with  the  King 
of  JHracl.  Aliaz,  in  his  difiiculty,  sought  the  lielp  of  the  King  of  Assyria.  How 
humiliating  is  his  entreaty  I  "lam  thy  sorvaut  and  thy  son,"  was  the  message  ho 
h«nt :  "eorne  \\\,  and  save  mo  out  of  the  hand  of  the  King  of  Syria,  ind  out  of  the 
hand  of  the  King  of  Inrail,  which  rise  up  against  \m\"  There  was  nothing  wrong  in 
itftelf  In  ffv  king  tho  help  of  friendly  kings.  On  tiiis  ocoasion,  however,  G(m1  alisolulely 
wam'-d  Ahaz  ftgainht  ho<king  their  heln.  lUit,  to  Iwgin  with,  theri'  van  sovtHhinij 
wanting.  Ahaz  oid  not  ««•  k  God's  guidance  in  tho  nuitter.  lie  did  nnt  seek  (J.'d's 
help.  He  wh'>  hnil  irjected  tho  hcrvU-.o  of  the  living  God,  nnikes  Idmself  tlie  cringing 
•lave  of  the  King  of  Attxyria,  and  huinhlcH  hiniHnlf  to  a  heathen  for  help.  What  a 
mUtake  when  a  naii'.n  iruHtH  t<»  its  rowjiircos  or  itn  strong  alliances,  and  forgets  to 
\<n>k  to  ih'it  Divitii)  [Kiwur  from  whom  all  hluHHingH  fiow  I  'I'liere  may  bo  nothing 
wrong  in  nil  our  effortH  Uj  improvo  our  worldly  jKmition,  hut  ihero  nniy  In  somrthiug 
winting.  There  mav  l«!  niitldng  wroni;  in  your  life,  but  thor*-  may  lie  Hiiinrtln'iig 
wanting.  You  inav  U'  nnxiouM  to  b"  UHufnl  In  th'-  world  ;  but  aro  you  Mittini:  ahoiit. 
It  in  the  ri({ht  wny?  On<'  tiling  in  noulfid.ono  thing  ih  OHwntiiil  to  all  triio  haii|Mn(>HH, 
Ut  all  tnin  uMefiilnciM.  'I  hat  in  tho  nroM^nco  iind  halp  of  GihI.  la  the  Lord  Juiiua 
dw«llinK  lo  your  heart?     WhaUivor  nino  may  dlHnpiMiint  you,  ho  will  uovor  faiL 

"  Wlioti  <illi<-r  lii'l|Mr'i  fnil,  nnd  eoinfnrl*  flfM>, 
lleJ|>  of  Ui«>  hel|ilnM,  oL,  aliLdo  wiUU  in*  I  " 


M.  in.  1-90  J        TUK  bKOuNU  IIUOK  OF  lUl  KIKCML  Mt 


It.'  i:;  !  *j  "f  tti  • 

r<  r 


iom.     But  • 

Ui. 

b  f    Ua«  b*  D>j                            t 

on;  f   pf'^t'^QK.  O'  r.                              ^ 
b«  . 

J>  .     ,                              .                        . 

of 

.  .iK  MH.I    l^»  >»  A-t>  »U-i-  ur   AUAt  U  A»    TO  *KT  UT  A  Hf  ATHE!«    AI  "                         I 

r  THI    I>'K!'      (Vrri.     Ift 17.)      A  KaX  !.».  1  pi»U«  Ui  iHlliik  a«  tu  Ili«<trt                                 f 


n§ii(  uiiU>  •  BAD,  bui  U'«  aoa  ihanxM  w  Um  wmjt  «f  a»th."— <^  iL  L 

T«a.  1— Sa— i«  P^TiU**  Mm;  mmd  primi;  or.  kt»^Ka^  and  fHmlkmd.  *  la   Um 

WVMtMOtb  y««r  of  Kkah,"  ale.     lliruuighuui  all  UokU,  aIummI  Um>ugbt<'ji  &J!  Uma*. 

Iiw  ybwrfiwriw  bftv*  beao  ftt  tb«  l>«ad  u/  i^  r>m»U^  loo  oAr  il»iu 

dowo  bj  opi*— km.  aixl  fai^Qtoj;  on  thi^ti  >>v  ih«ir  •ftmA.     Oo*  of  U.  .».'V« 

WM  Bo(,  •moac  th«  J«w»,  o(  P                                          Aint'ctitj  kt  re,  • 

i^jiaCi''TlMj  Mve  kri  u[<  kiii^t,                                             nMds  pntioM.  « 
ll  aui."    Lm  ■§  aouo*  Mch  i  l.i                               m  lait  ohapiAr— u^  ^  ■ ,.  '  i 

tU  priMi      lb>  OM  ■■■■  t  ilVi.-,  It.e  .'. 

L  Tn  BOMMoa.     b  to  Md.  **  iu  >  tk  y«r  oT  Pekah  :^-  ^        i 

y— ■Ititi  Aht  ibo  w  of  Juchaiu  Ki.;;  ^!  .->■  to  raicn.     Tw«t.. 

•M  AilM  wb«B  ho  b«piD  ID  MifU.  A..U  IW^;.-^  ^                   —'-"1"'-^'  « 

ihM  wkieh  WM  r^[fatlii  tboiifta  of  Um  Luird  hit 

looni  Uk*t  Aku,  vbowM  iho  •on  o/ Juciivn,  b«g» .    „               & 

JMT,  aod  UtM  Lm  rvtfo  cuntiiutod  ior  Mil—  7**'^      lbao«b«M  ••  or*  lOM  ibM 


S24  THE  SECOND  BOOK   OF  THE   KINGS.       [ch.  xvi.  1—20 

Hezekiah,  his  son,  succeeded  him  at  the  age  of  twenty-five  (see  ch.  iviii.  17).  According 
to  this  he  became  a  father  when  he  was  only  eleven  years  of  age.  This  is  not,  neces- 
earily,  a  mistake  of  the  historian,  since  among  the  Jews  in  Tiberias  there  are  mothers 
of  eleven  years  of  age  and  fathers  of  thirteen.  And  in  Abyssinia  boys  uf  ten  years  and 
twelve  years  enter  into  the  marriage  relationship  (see  Keil).  The  account  given  of 
Ahaz  in  this  chapter  furnishes  us  with  an   illustration  of  several  enormous  evils. 

1.  Tlie  dthumanhing  force  of  false  religion.  Ahaz  was  an  idolater.  "  He  walked  in 
the  way  of  the  kiugs  of  Israel,"  we  are  told.  Instead  of  worshipping  the  one  true  and 
living  God,  he  bowed  down  before  the  idols  of  the  heathen.  This  false  religion  of  his 
made  him  so  inhuman  that  he  "made  his  son  to  pass  throu'zh  the  fire,  according  to  the 
abominations  of  the  heathen,  whom  the  LoM  cast  out  from  before  the  children  of 
Israel;  aud  he  sacrificed  and  burnt  incense  in  the  high  ]ilaces,  and  on  the  hills,  and 
under  every  green  tree."  SIolocli  was  this  idol-god  of  fire,  and  the  rabbins  tell  us 
"  that  it  was  made  of  brass,  aud  placinl  on  a  brazen  throne,  and  that  the  head  was  that 
of  a  calf,  with  a  crown  upton  it.  The  throne  and  im;ige  were  made  hollow,  and  a 
furious  fire  was  kindled  within  it.  The  flames  penetrated  into  the  body  and  limbs  of 
the  idol,  and,  when  the  arms  were  red  hot,  tlie  victim  was  thrown  into  tbem,  aud  was 
almost  immediately  burnt  to  deatn."  The  revolting  cruelty  of  Moloch- wor»hip  is 
thus  described  by  Milton — 

"  In  Argob  and  in  Baean,  to  the  etream 
Of  utmost  Aruon.     Nor  content  with  such 
Audacious  neighlKjurhood,  the  wisest  heart 
Of  Solomon  he  led  by  fraud  to  build 
His  temple  right  ay^ainst  the  temple  of  Gk)d 
On  that  opprobrious  hill;  and  uiade  his  grove 
The  pleasant  valley  of  Hiuuom,  Tophet  theuoe 
Aud  black  Gehenna  call'd,  the  type  of  hell." 

Thus  the  idolatrous  religion  of  tnis  Ahaz  dehumanized  him,  by  destroying  within  him 
all  jianntal  affection  aud  traiislorming  him  into  a  fiend.  This  is  true,  tm)re  or  less, 
of  all  false  religions.  Idolatry  is  not  the  only  religion  that  makes  men  cruel.  A 
corrupt  .liidaism  and  a  corrupt  Christianity  generate  in  their  votaries  the  same 
dehumanizing  results.  False  religiou  kindled  in  Paul  the  savage  fenicity  of  a  wild 
bea.-t.    ■'  lie  breattied  out  slaughter."    Ecclesiastical  history  abounds  with  illustrations. 

2.  The  na> tonal  curse  of  a  corrupt  kinyhooil.  Then  "  Reziu  King  ol  Syria  and  Pekali 
Kon  111  Iteinaliah  Kiig  of  Israel  came  up  to  Jerusalem  to  war:  and  they  besieged  Ahaz, 
but  ci>uld  ui)t  overwjuio  him.  At  that  time  Uezin  King  of  Syria  recovereil  Kiath  to 
Syria,  and  dravo  the  Jews  from  Klath  :  and  the  Syrians  camo  to  Elath,  and  dwelt 
there  muU)  this  day.**  Th<  se  two  kings,  Uezin  of  Syria  and  Pekah  of  Israel,  had  their 
ryen  njKjM  this  Ahaz,  saw,  jverha|iH,  how  his  wickedness  had  injured  his  peo|ilo,  had 
uk'-n  away  their  Ik  art  ami  exhausted  their  n  sources,  until  they  felt  that  this  was  the 
lime  f.r  striking  at  Jerusiileni,  taking  possession  of  the  metropolis,  and  subjugating 
the  country.  And  thcv  Mia»le  the  attempt.  Allhouiih  they  could  not  "ovorconio'' 
Ahuz,  and  failwl  to  strike  him  down  jHirsonally,  yet  thoy  "  recovered  Klath  to  Syria 
(or,  '  Kdoin '),  and  dravo  the  .Josvk  from  Klath."  Si»  it  has  ever  W-en  ;  corrupt  kings 
ei(ioH«  their  aainlry  lo  danger,  li.ey  invito  the  invmler  and  make  way  for  hiui. 

"  rroiiilly  up  tim  rcgiil  liei^jhtM  tlif»y  «it  in  piiin|M>red  power, 
While  flret  diiiouliler  uudertfroinid  Hint  Hlreiinthen  evory  hour." 

"J.  The  mi»ehievou$  i*$ueM  of  a  teinjxfrary  exptdirnry.  Ahaz,  in  order  to  extricate 
hiiriM-lf  from  iho  dirTiculliett  ami  irialH  which  II  zin  an<l  Pnkah  had  bnxight  on  his 
(oiiiilry,  appiioK  to  llie  Kin({"f  AH-^yria.  "  So  Ahaz  mml  nn's.sengerH  to  Ti:.;hvth-pileHer 
KltK'  of  Amtyria,  ^ayinn,  I  nni  thy  neivunt  and  lliy  mo»  :  ei>ine  up,  and  nave  m«  oiu  of 
ihe  hand  of  ihu  Kinn  of  Syria,  and  out  of  the  hand  of  the  Km",  of  isriuil,  which  rise  up 
agMihtt  ine.  And  W\x/,  UMik  llio  HJlver  and  gold  that  was  fouml  iii  the  hoiiHO  of  llie 
l>ifd,  and  in  the  trcihiiren  ..f  the  king'it  houKe,  niid  m-ni  it  for  a  present  to  tho  Kiiin 
ui  Aiuyri*,  And  the  Kiti^  «»f  Aiwyria  hoarkeu.  <|  uiiu>  him  :  for  the  King  of  AHhvriii 
»»oiil  up  H '»ln»il  Da-iia'tcuH,  and  Uiok  it,  ami  cirrietl  tint  |K'ople  of  It  tvipiivo  to  Kit, 
ao<l  iilcw  U«-niO.*'  Wlial  iiIim<  could  h«-  d.iV  To  whom  i.oiiid  li«t  have  looktitl  f.ir  help 
•  b  hu  •Uiiittfeacy  'I    Tim  rt^hl  ihtntt  u>  have  ooiiu  wuuM  hav«i  l^eu  the  utu<r  inuiinoiu* 


ML  sn.  I-XL)       TUB  UOOSD  BOOK  Of  TUB  UJKMk  « 

tkam  ol  Idi  Motatry.  mbmbabai  lo  %k»  Dit\o»  vtU,  Mtd  Ibramikia  oT  ika  Aloidbtj^ 
Mlpi  bal  Im  Mlwwtia  sKal  ftfipMfvd  bu  bim  i^  uimUMii,  it  4  iJm  rt^'t.  uv*  I^omv 

twu  cirtU  vttMMd.     (1)  /!•  rfiyrairfwi  kt->fi/.     11*  a^d  hlWMlf  — •  ^  >   ^« 

o(  lb*  b«Bd  of  U»e  Kiag  of  BjrnA."    Wh/u  u.  .^  <k> 

than  to  MaoiuMM  Kia  liid»pMwl«oo*  tad  b«Oi>ii>«-  -r^  bk 

•r!                  '                 Um  vary  mmmm  cI  I'u*  Ui:>  '..« 

rwk   xhm  wUrm  tad  g<>ld  lk«i  • 

nr   irt«»ur«  o(  Um   kteg't  iMMtM,  Mid    Wui    n   i    r  { 

m  TbU  aUvar  and  fold  bak^Msd  to  ib*  b«u«.     I 

ykum^  ••,»;  hftd  b*  lo  dispoM  of  A  frMUottt    No  tight  »>  -  h 
aaoaaaMB  Ibr  kiM"  <•  ^'t>  t^Mtr  paopK  oomobo  vlMt  U>r . 
a»  Um  po|«rt]r  of  oibort,  aad  ihuo  iMpoforfab  Uoir  oub^.  ^  . 
AkM  mMl  kappMI  vilk  aU,  is  tbo  kxiic-ruu,  mLv  |Mr»uo  Um  oa|«i'. 
tko  hgbL     Tb«  niiht  aluoo  is  UuU  ri.^iiri.i. 

IL  TBS  nuarrii' Mit.     Urijab  u  u 

on*  of  Uiia  luuuo,  aD«i  Uuir  a 


to  Uw  pl«MOA  ebapier.      11«  wm  lb«  fnmu,  ^-  m  Um  iMufM  <rf 

J«r«MML     Ho  Ofcms  to  b«v«  bero  inflnp:  '  ^jpb  «  \^'tm»md 

MODuibciot,  WM  1b  far  too  doM  ouuuei  ■  ^ 

•ra  wortliy  of  Dole  Ok4KvrnlDg  blm.  w  a 
all  itaMik     L  iin  timfmtmm  the 

Ukoo  DoiWM nw.  U  rtiutnl  bv  A  (, 
|u  I                               :u   uo  hit 

b.  .  .       U«  »< 

U 

P' 

•tl.  .        -,w.      ....        r.    .... 

|i>r  %\lu  0(Xx>rUiii|;  to  & 

•e^i    .  V..,    .  •.,-.,.,-.» 

Dabuucim. 

•ad  tlip  i  .  t 

ir.  ■       !                               -.                    .        .          .  .                      ^  i« 

to  baoltw:  ftod,  la  ibo 

■nrleaa.    **a    .   ..  •  u  iKo  grm* 

dhar  buni  ti«o  it*urb>bt.  ..  aad  iho  kiof** 

kvrni  aaariSoi^  ood  hi^  -.ho  paufik  uf  lao 

Uad,  aad  Uioir  moat  <  <-  uymm  it  ail  (h« 

Wood  of  tbo  bumi  off<  th«  k4r%»«(>  >l(ar 

■ball  be  Ibr  BMlo  1  •            S 

Abaa  oaotmaad*''  « 

wiini  li  tk$  royu  i'  e  irt^ti  «  uf 

tbo  iirioM.    **  Aii.  "movod  tbo  kror 

fraM  off  tboai;  ai-                  ^u  » .^  •».  .i,  lu  .u   i  r                               ■  ^—  -    •-  tt, 

and  p«t  il  MpoB  >                 t  of  tiuoaik  Aad  tb«  c                                                   r 

bad  bail!  to  0.«  ■                  •   -  k  .       ,  ..»  ^.,<  ,.,•                             ..^    ^.  .,  . ,  ;^ 

Lord  far  Ibr  •   ai4   ualy   "dMl 

•eeoMiaf  tu               ^  .    ^u\  m.>.:^r-—M 

vtlbutti  a  wan  of  pruu  4 

la  bk  prof— loB  M  •  .        ^1 

uuutviMaji 
-  %  diriaoljr 

tioDod  aiUX  A'.trs».if  ,    «•  viu  .  i!JM  lA 

btoi  lo  aak*  aiteb  au  aliar,  b*  «  «ilr^C« 

ua  bU  lorsilr  Uj  Hatrmk,  ai  A  L^:.  bo  aav 

tbe  kiii«  ■  Laud  aai^ptofiid  f  ibe  t^^lK  bo 

voato  bavo   rvM^tod  bitb,  ••  .^ ' .  ^!.     -■  ~i".   i  •          .                            u> 

Bm  to«aad  of  Ibi^  ba,  lib*  »Jtu«  uf  bu  olao*  la  >       «i  '  ^   •  ...       -^aM  la  bawa 


826  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.       [ch.  ivl  1—20. 

transported  with  the  honour  of  seeing  the  royal  presence,  hearing  the  royal  voice,  and 
doing  the  royal  bidding.  A  true  priest  should,  by  inflexible  loyalty  to  Heaven,  uiould 
kings  to  be  lonls  paramount  in  all  mundane  atTairs,  and  in  none  other;  and  .tjuld 
lead  them  to  be  very  kings  of  men,  governing,  not  by  craft  and  lore©,  trai.d  and 
violence,  but  by  royal  thoughts,  actions,  and  aims. — D.  T. 

Vers.  1 — i.— T^  tmckedness  of  Ahaz.  The  history  has  passed  rapidly  ovei  the 
later  kings  of  Israel.  That  kingdom  was  lost  beyond  recovery.  "  The  victim 
having  once  got  his  stroke-of-grace,  the  catastrophe  can  be  considered  as  almost  come. 
There  is  small  interest  now  in  watching  his  long  low  moans;  notable  only  are  his 
sharper  agonies,  what  convulsive  struggles  he  may  make  to  cast  the  torture  off  from 
him  ;  and  then,  finally,  the  last  departure  of  life  itself"  (Carlyle).  In  Judah  the  crisis 
too  is  approaching,  but  it  is  not  yet  reached.  Prophets  and  good  kiugs  are  yet  to  do 
their  utmost  for  the  natioiL  But  a  reigu  like  that  of  Ahaz  is  a  sensible  step  in  the 
advance  tj  the  catastrophe. 

L  The  character  of  thb  king.  Though  the  son  of  the  vigorous  Jotham,  and 
already  twenty  or  twenty-five  years  old  whin  he  ascended  the  throne,  Ahaz  proved 
one  of  the  weakest  and  most  incapable  of  rulers.  One  sees  in  him  the  reflection  of  the 
luxurious  and  effeminate  a^e  described  by  Isaiah  (iii.  12 — 26).  Feeble,  petulant, 
arbitrary,  in  his  ways  of  acting;  without  strength  of  mind  or  strength  of  will ;  busying 
interests  of  his  kingdom  were  at  stake  ;  craven  in  war  ;  above  all,  full  of  religiosit}'  and 
himself  in  dilettante  fashion  with  novelties,  with  altars  and  sun-dials,  while  the  greatest 
superstition  without  the  faintest  spark  of  true  religion — "this  is  that  King  Ahaz" 
(2  Chrun.  ixviii.  22).  Possibly  his  father  Jotham  was  too  much  occupied  with  state 
aiid  public  alTairs  to  give  the  necessary  attention  to  his  sou's  education — a  fatal 
mistake  not  unfrequently  committed  by  parents. 

11.  His  abounding  idolatries.  Ahax  disjilays  great  zeal  of  his  own  kind  in 
religion,  but  it  is  zeal  of  the  most  perverse  and  suicidal  description.  We  observe  : 
1.  His  imitation  of  the  kings  of  Israel.  He  took  for  his  pattern,  not  his  ancestor 
Diivid,  the  type  of  the  true  theocratic  king,  but  the  wicked  kings  of  the  northern 
kingdom,  whose  idolatries  were  brinjing  their  own  realm  to  ruin.  He  made,  like 
them,  molten  images  to  Baal,  and  sacriliced  to  tiiem  (2  Chron.  xxviii.  2).  Wicked 
111"  n  seem  absolutely  impervious  to  warning.  The  northern  kingdom  was  an  object- 
IciiNon,  to  iho-se  who  h:>d  eyes  to  see,  of  the  tolly  and  fatal  eflects  of  this  very  course  on 
which  Ahaz  wa.s  now  entering.  Yet  lie  would  not  be  doierrod.  2.  //is  reversion  to 
('anofiuitis/i  practices.  Not  content  with  imjHirting  the  licentious  Biul-worship 
|i;iiroiiizi  d  in  Isra' 1,  Ahaz  revived  the  worst  aboininations  of  the  old  Canaanitish 
rclijioiiB.  He  evm  went  ho  far  as  to  sacrifice  his  own  son  to  Moloch  in  the  valley 
of  iliniioni — a  deed  imiicating  a  degree  of  fanatici.Min,  a  blunting  of  the  moral  si  use, 
a'<<l  a  depth  ol  HUp'TMlitioii  wiiieh  could  hardly  have  been  believed  possible  in  a  King 
of  Jiiflah.  It  was,  moreover,  a  daring  defiance  of  the  direct  letter  of  God's  Law  (Dent, 
xii.  .'il;.  Well  mii;ht  such  a  deeil  briu^  down  wrath  on  Judah  1  3.  Jlis  ixtrava</iiiire 
in  wurtliip.  It  is  further  riarniied  that  Ahaz  siicritire*!  and  burnt  ineonso  in  the  high 
plac<  c,  "lid  on  tlie  liilU,  and  under  every  green  tree.  Worship  iu  this  reign  seeiued 
lu  have  run  riot;  yet  then:  wiut  no  true  religion  in  it.  All  tliis  depravni  religiosity  was 
but  a  liifiriifenUition  of  Htilf-^\ill,  of  Hiibjeetive  caprice;  it  iuui  its  origin  in  Hupurstition 
and  an  impure  craving  lor  exeiiciiK^nt,  not  in  the  fear  of  (ixl.  Yet  Ahaz,  in  lii.i 
dilrtlatttr  way  of  looking  at  thingH,  may  have  thoU:;lii  that  he  waa  introducing  im|)rovo- 
riK-nlk  into  .IfWiMh  teli.ion.  H<;  may  have  thittiTi'd  hiniHull  that  he  wn-*  robbing  it  of 
ltd  n.'trrowricHM,  and  giving  it  the  pluloHophie  l)r>  allli  Huitable  to  ]K>rHonH  of  tJiHle  and 
cultiinr.  ile  iiii^hi  iir;.'ii<t  that  there  vmih  Hoiiieihing  ;'ood  in  nil  ruligioiiH;  that  all 
wero  but  (liviTiM-  expUHHioiix,  ei|iiiiliy  iieeeptiilili-  to  ()im|,  of  the  fiindanienlal  iiiMtinct 
<if  wornldp  ;  iind  thai  ie>Hc,  lliorefore,  ought  to  U)  deHjiHe  I.  Wo  hear  Hiich  urgumenlii 
re.w.iduyn,  and  they  may  very  well  havr  Imm-u  iim<  d  ilien.  Ahij.  wiih  but  going  in  for  li 
ii|K-<  i<ii  of  •lawiith  Itioii'i  (^hurchiHiii.  Hut  the  Itiblo  brands  thiH  ho-caI1ic1  lireitdlii  of 
view  a«  ireo/von  axainitl  the  (io<|  who  hn^  (iDJinituly  rovealod  hin  will  to  mni,  and 
Uaughl  thniii  how  ihny  arn,  and  how  thn\  are  not,  Ut  wiirMJiip  him.  Thn  true  .«mHona 
Ut  \m  Inarnnd  from  thm  (Miiidiirt  ul  Ah/iz  m  that  r«ligioiiity — doHght  in  h<  nNUiam  and 
iro^uxc  rvhgioua  MfTicM — ia  fax  difloruni  fiom  ruli|(ion  ,  that  ulLom  may  bo  miil'.ipliud. 


■.ITLI-Sa]       TiU  nOOHD  lOOK  OF  TBI  KINOS. 


OT 


y«l  ntthlititca  o»lr  to  ite  (Boa.  tUL  11)  I  UmI  i)m  f«ilgi«M  Imi 

li^>  ■  ■     «amauu)4sa«ttl  U  aeoriitAble  lu  Oud. 

ll  ibMra  V  MWlltO.      IV    .9;i£ii»a    lu    wKkcIl    AhM    «oui>i    rx    ApfttTMiUf 

vkWv  ^fattwl  from  Oud.    Tkk  b  kara«> 


•  Mvarar     ■ 
"  (Bom.  tUL  T^-^.  U 


lorah.     '1 


Tara.  i    >.     flf  5yv»-/»wMMdk  Mr. 


^ua    brill L* 


7*di7 


brou(fat  iuu>  a 

L    1  as  AT 

•BdQTfiA  b*^ 

iidc^wt  A 

•Oli'g  tiMtUkr. 

aad  vtMiki  bt 
B«cii)  liftd  br^' 
lb*  lbraa%  I! 
Abai,  aad  po' 
Ibair  txpadiu 
Ibilrbaartiw 

•ad  frtrc  dffhtts 


(■■■ 


1.    TV  ^yr»-/ar«Wil«   >w«y«>i'y.      U'**! 


illU*  Ia: 
lavarted 
of  Abaa,  tnit 
fr««i  aooocD)'. 

prriu  ;.< 
tbrjr  Mte 

bii  bvou  .  .  .. 
rifbisMu  •(. 
rvfaotonov. 

ibfOM^Stki: 
OM*  Ot  iVkali   :« 

eutttniL  It  •('(«D*i«*i  •*  t(  Ui 
■kttl,  **  Utiheriu  fttiah  (b  ■•j  r 
ptOod    »iiT<-»    arr* 

|[aUi  to  iLr  Srn«! 

ibc  !:  '.      . 

11 

Urr.-. 

lasi  (Uut.  f.  Ui  *UL  l>.  10.   1 


.  .IS*  Ui«l    n 
(iud    J»r.  o 

'■'■>•  ouoquerun 

litt  pftlCTML  o 

rukaiflOl,  MM  1  ■ 

g  tba  bouM  vi 

'.  <•  UbbrlMf  of  A    K^,    Bi^a       .7    Hi.   jj 
»t   the  adwWTJM   «uukl   b«V«   ber* 

..  ^k«^  OMD  oAfltt  raoaiv*  »■>«*«  o<  » 
•  th«m.  Bfoc  bwMiM  tb«y  bav«  aaj  ekin. 
'  r  prattiM  at  bis  ova,  or  from  rtfvd  u  _c 
lb*  iiniMra  J9i  aooihar  of>(nrtuiuijr  uf 
vld  Umi  bk  Mid  abiMbl  ail   a{K>ii    iL« 
•ckad  Abas  to  ha  rwn^vad. 
.»n  nioreni*  .!•  are  MW.tt  :tf  '. 


a  Mb 

'f 


328  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.       [ch.  xvl  1— 2a 

worldly  policy,  the  action  was  foolish.  A*  well  might  the  lamb  invuke  th«  help  of 
the  lion  against  the  wolf,  as  any  lesser  power  invoke  the  help  of  the  King  of  Assyria 
against  an  enemy.  The  conqueror,  pleased  with  any  pretext  for  interfering  in  another 
nation's  affairs,  would  not  refuse  his  help,  but  only  that  the  weaker  power  which  had 
solicited  the  help  might  in  the  end  be  despoiled  and  devoured.  Thus  Aliaz  found  it. 
The  King  of  Assyria  was  glad  enough  of  the  occasion  to  march  against  Israel  and 
Damascus,  but  when  once  the  conquest  was  effected,  Ahaz  found  that  lie  had  derived  no 
benefit,  but  only  exchanged  one  oppressor  for  aaother.  2.  Expensive  help.  To  purchase 
the  aid  of  Tiglath-pileser,  Ahaz  had  (1)  to  become  a  vassal  of  the  King  of  Assyria ; 
and  (2)  to  send  him  a  large  present  of  gold  and  silver.  This  he  could  only  obtain  by 
emptying  once  more  the  ofteu-ransacked  treasuries  of  the  temple  and  the  palace.  The 
accumulations  of  years  of  prosperity  under  Uzziah  and  Jotham  were  again  dispersed, 
and  the  freedom  of  the  country  was  sold  to  boot.  God's  people  passed  formally  under 
the  yoke  of  a  Gentile  conqueror.  To  such  straits  was  the  kingdom  brought  by  Ahaz's 
godless  policy.  3.  The  Assyrian  a  broken  reed.  The  King  of  Assyria  marched  against 
Pukah  and  Rezin,  and  soon  reduced  them  to  his  power.  Damascus  was  severely 
dealt  Nvith.  Its  king  was  slain,  and  the  pO'^ple  carried  captive.  Pekah  was  also 
chastised;  his  territory  was  ravaged,  and  considerable  parts  of  the  population  were 
removed  (ch.  xv.  29).  The  instruments  employed  in  punishing  Ahaz  were  thus  them- 
selves punished.  The  fact  that  men  are  used  as  instruments  in  God's  pi-ovideuce  does 
not  exonerate  them  from  guilt.  Ahaz,  however,  as  we  learn  from  the  parallel  narrative, 
reaped  no  benefit,  for  "Tiglath-pileser  King  of  Assyria  came  unto  him,  and  distressed 
him,  but  strengthened  him  not "  (2  Chron.  xxviii.  20).  It  was  his  own  ends,  not  those 
of  his  foolish  vassal,  that  the  King  of  Assyria  was  serving.  Ahaz  leaned  on  a  bruised 
reed,  and  only  got  his  hand  pierced.  Thus  it  usually  is  with  those  who  put  their 
trust  in  the  help  of  man.  They  reap  from  their  assiduous  sowing  but  the  gall  and 
wormwood  of  chagrin  and  disappointment. — J.  0. 

Vers.  10 — 20.— Religious  innovations.    The  remaining  events  of  the  reign  of  Aha 
recorded  in   this  chapter  shed  a  strong  light  on  the  king's   frivolous   and   arbitrary 
character. 

1.  The  Damascus  altab.  1.  Ahaz  at  Damascus.  We  are  now  introduced  to 
Tiglath-pileser  holding  court  in  Damascus,  ami  Ahaz  is  there  as  one  of  the  vassals 
and  tributaries  of  the  Assyrian  king.  Ho  does  not  seem  to  fool  the  humiliation  of  his 
jMiH.tion,  but  is  probably  pleased  to  figure  as  part  of  so  brilliant  an  assemblage.  Thus 
the  slrmer,  renouncing  true  freedom  in  God's  service,  for  a  time  positively  hugs  the 
chains  which  sin  binds  ujxjn  him.  lie  counts  them  no  dishonour,  but  delights  to  wear 
tliem.  Yet  in  t\v'.  end  they  sliall  eat  into  his  very  flesh.  2.  2%c  new  altar.  tSo 
lintitlv  tioes  his  va-salage  sit  on  Ahaz,  tliat  his  mind  is  free  t<i  lose  it>elf  in  admiration 
ol  ibe  jialtern  and  workmanflhip  of  an  altar  ho  chanced  to  behold  in  that  city.  It  was, 
uo  doubt,  an  altar  to  somo  lieathen  deity,  but  tint  did  not  mattir.  llo  was  charnn<  I 
with  itM  ftppcaran'e,  and  nothing  would  serve  him  but  to  liavo  the  like  of  it  sot  up  i 
JeruHah  m.  Wlial  a  mea-snre  ol  this  man's  soul — fritlurin;^  away  bis  inlor.st  up»>n  ihe 
i»bft[»<-  and  de<yirjiti(»ni!of  tin  altar,  wiiilo  hiH  kinmloin  is  sold  into  serviiudo;  toying  with 
trifbrH,  while  .ioing  ol<jiKane<!  ton  conqueror  1  Yet  is  liio  conduct  of  A  liar,  any  more 
Htrm;.';!)  thin  that  of  multitudes  whoso  nolo  concern  is  for  the  vanities  of  time,  while 
tlx!  n'tiliilfrM  of  i-tcrnity  8Uind  nnlioedcd  ?  When  mi-n  who  arc  at  variance  witii  (lod, 
tinii  iK.nd'lavo.  of  bin,  are  fonnd  i-a^crly  amnHing  tlunisulveH  with  worldly  trilles,  what 
•f>'  th«y  «i.;tnK  litiL  roiwaiing  lli<-  error  of  this  frivolous  monmch  ?  Tlinre  ih  the  same 
In.  k  of  thi-  H.  nn"  of  proportion  in  ihinj^H ;  llio  hamc  Haenlirc  of  HubHtuuio  to  shadow  ; 
the  name  ludifbTcuco  to  nnpronid  InUTiiMtH.  3.  'I'hr  pliant  priest.  Having  obtjiinrd  ii 
piit  rn  of  thi)  covi  tiMJ  idifti — itH  fnhhion  and  workmunhbii' — Aliiiz  sent  llio  mune  lo 
I  r, Jill  the  prlfHi,  in  (»«l  n  flinilar  onr  male  for  the  Unnple  at  .IiTuKaleni.  TliU  prio.»t 
via,  i,f  a  .ilfforciil  mould  irom  that  Ay.unah,  who,  with  four  mor«<  ollur  pricKls,  reHinled 
King  Uiir.i»h  in  bin  |irr«mnptiioui«  attempt  to  UHiiip  wicenlotul  fiintiioiiH  {^'1  Oliron 
xiivi.  17,  IH).  llrljMib  wtw  M  eoiittliT  (Iimi,  and  «  iitiful  of  tb««  I^irxl  aflirw  ir.U,  und  hn 
•t  •.i.criMa  mUxiI  i-nxjulln,'  thn  ord'fK  hi*  hitd  iBCclvnd  Irum  tlu'  Klr^j.  Facile  pi  ii'Ktii  ol 
I  rijih't  dtAiiij*  h«v«  uiit  l««'u  rarti  In  hiMioiy.  Tb.'  l4<iidoiioy  of  bl^jb  (ll'iiliiirlcn  in  tunny 
iixiOirU*  io  (oll'tw  court  fainblon,  and  |mii  u  kln(('x  pIcuHiirn  in  room  of  wary  \\\g\uH  law, 


■tBtal-^aOL]       TUI  tBOONU  HtMlK  Of  ItlK  KIMUH. 


WWa  9^mm  mte  ^  e  Lord  cmm  •■■  4 

€••  ao»;     ltf^4«yj     Ik*     I-»  -i^    J* urn* 


Tkb|>  • 

k.r...'.  4 

••           .         .  .                                            rt 

9i  tb«  wirknd  Mr  >l 

witkh  oooM*  frocij  d 

AkaA.     It  It  io 

•nv^u  •  r  <« 

th«  Wtto    ^    :    .      .  IB  tkc  «                                                i« 

parlimi  wko  b«Te  do  rv    •                        U 

A*  • 

Ml'  :• 

o  •*. 

It  -• 

«:  m 

4l   ■  A 

»t  •• 

rxr  »«^ 

i»t                                                                                     l>  .«    >  "  li*i 

1  I  .  fcW  1  ar;  ■  :jC  i*« 
Mlnin  L*i  Un>kl.  .«cii  ^  lulUui  at  >f  yJDf  Ooil  m  i>«  »m  Ut  c-ri^;^^  -.—I  U«  brk(«u 
»»'  Ah%t 

'"                                                -tanr  t«IU    '  t«f»ik»«  e"*                                  .« 

k :                                                                           •:    th«  tA>^  .  '  «M,  BB'I   t                                                   « 

UMir  oMtivt  »P«ii4b 

piOlMra  n^  (  KUtt  o/ 

ilftvW  .'.letufi« 

19  COC  I 

ia«W»ri  •{ 

kiaip .  . 

(»' 

til 

#r^  I.I  1  t  -111     tt}.      ■J.  V 


4»f  kl« 


330 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS,      [oh.  xvn.  1— 4L 


EXPOSITION. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 
Ten.   1 — 41. — The    Eeign    o»    Hoshea 
OTEB  Israel.  Destruction  of  the  Israelite 
Kingdom,  and  the  Grounds  of  it.      Re- 
peopling   OF  THE  Kingdom   by  Assyrian 

Ck)L0NIST3. 

Vera.  1 — 6.— Reign  of  Hoshea.  Koshea, 
the  laat  King  of  Israel,  had  %  short  reign  of 
nine  years  only,  during  two  of  which  he  was 
besieged  in  his  capital  by  the  Assyrians. 
The  writer  notes  that  he  was  a  bad  king, 
but  not  io  bad  as  most  of  his  predecessors 
(ver.  2)  ;  that  he  submitted  to  Shalmaneser, 
and  then  rebelled  against  him  (vers.  3,  4) ; 
that  he  called  in  the  aid  of  So,  King  of 
Egypt  (ver.  4) ;  that  he  was  besieged  by 
Shalmaneser  in  Samaria  (ver.  5)  ;  and  that 
after  three  years,  or  iu  the  third  year  of  the 
siege,  he  was  taken,  and  with  his  people 
ftarried  off  into  captivity  (ver.  6X 

Ver.  1 . — In  the  tweuth  year  of  Ahaz  King 
of  Jndah  began  Hoshea  the  son  of  Elah  to 
reign  in  Samaria.  In  ch.  xv.  :;u  Hoshea 
was  .said  to  have  smitten  Pukali  and  slain 
liini,  and  become  kiiij^  iu  his  stead,  •'i;»  tlie 
twcutitth  year  of  Jollmm."  This  has  been 
Bui)ii<.8(-d  to  iiieun  "  in  the  twentieth  yeiir 
fruiii  the  accession  of  Jolliam,"  or,  in  other 
woriJH,  iu  tiie  fourth  year  of  Ahaz,  siiico 
Jotliain  reigned  only  sixtein  yo;ird  (eh. 
XV.  3;t).  ISut  now  tile  begiuiiing  of  liis 
rei^n  18  placed  ciglit  years  lattr.  An 
inlc-rregimin  of  tiiis  duration  lias  been 
placed  l)y  Hoiiie  l>etwe(n  PeUiiii  and  Hoshea; 
l<ut  tliia  is  contradicted  l^y  cli.  xv.  30,  and 
hIh'i  liy  an  inMcri|pti(iii  of  Tit;latii-jiileHer 
('  KjOiiym  Canon,' |.|i.  lU.'J,  12  I,  linis  17.  18). 
Jf  Aiiiiz  reigiMtd  Hixtieu  ycarri.  the  priseiit 
•Liiicmi-nt  wiiuM  Htfin  to  Ih3  (oim  i,  and  iliu 
former  one  wrong.  IIiHlica'i  aco-hiiiii  may 
be  ronfllo  tly  (iiit<  d  lu  in  b.o.  I'M).  Nino 
7«an  ((viiiip.  ch.  xviii.  ID).  It  iu  ortiiii 
that  IIoHJirvi'ii  ruign  came  Vi  an  end  in  tlio 
tint  vi"Hr  of  hurijtn,  B o.  721',  from  whi<*li  to 
t.c.  l.'ii)  Mould  Ixi  I'l^lit  coiiijiletc,  or  uiiiu 
iiicotiiplolti,  jeurN. 

Vi-T.  2.— And  he  did  th  it  \«hich  wm  ovil 
la  the  liKht  of  tho  Lord,  but  not  oa  the 
kln(fi  of  Iiraol  that  wbro  boforo  hlni. 
Ho  iK'ii'l  ((<'ll^rnl  (iltilmji-  towuril  i  .Irliovuli 
wim  iiiU''li  tlin  Hani''  im  lliut  of  I'lnoir  Unn^u 
of  luriw-l.  Ho  iriMintitiiiixl  lln'  cnir-wnrHliip, 
li-nht  iijinn  **  RniiN  oi  tli-ali,"  itrid  luriicd  u 
<lf%t  >  »r  l/>  till-  IcnrhltiK  of  thii  |ir'>|i||i<l4i,  r  ij. 
Il'«li<'«  K'i'l  .M.ruli.  who  R.l.lr'xiv.l  tlhir 
variiiiigi  to  liiiu.     iiul  b«  wm  not  guilty 


of  any  special  wickedness — he  set  xrp  no 

new  idolatry  ;  he  seems  to  have  allowed  his 
subjects,  if  they  pleased,  to  attend  the 
festival  worship  at  Jerusalem  (2  Ohron. 
XXX.  11,  18).  The  rabbis  add  that  when 
the  golden  calf  of  Bethel  had  been  carried 
off  by  the  Assyrians  iu  one  of  their  in- 
cursions, he  did  not  replace  it  ('  Seder  01am,* 
ch.  xxii.):  but  it  is  not  at  all  clear  that 
the  image  was  carried  away  until  Hoshea's 
reign  was  over  (see  Dr.  Pusey's  comment 
on  Hos.  X.  6  in  his  '  Minor  Prophets,'  p.  64), 

Ver.  3. — Against  him  came  up  Shal- 
maneser King  of  Assyria.  Shalmaneser's 
succession  to  Tiglath-pileser  on  the  throne 
of  Assyria,  once  doubted,  is  now  rendered 
certain  by  the  Eponym  Canon,  which 
makes  him  ascend  the  throne  in  b.o.  727, 
and  cease  to  reign  in  b.o.  722.  It  is  un- 
certain whether  he  was  Tiglath-pileser's 
son  or  a  usurper.  The  name,  Shalmaneser 
(_l:>ali-vianu-uzur)  was  an  old  royal  name  in 
Assyria,  and  signified  "  Slialman  protects  " 
(compare  the  names  Nabu  -  kudur  -  uzur, 
Ner^al-asar-uzur,  Nabu-pal-uzur,etc.).  And 
Hoshea  became  his  servant.  Hoshea  had 
been  placed  on  the  tlnoiie  by  Tiglath-pileser 
(*  Eponym  Canon,'  pp.  12;?,  124,  lines  17, 18), 
and  had  paid  him  trilailc  (ibid.,  lines  IS,  19). 
We  must  suppose  tliat  on  Tiglath-iiilesor's 
death,  in  b.o.  727,  he  had  revolted,  and 
resumed  his  indcpoudonco.  Siialnianesor, 
having  bocomo  king,  prohahly  oaino  up 
again.st  Hoshea  in  the  same  y.ar,  and  forced 
hira  to  resume  his  i>iisition  of  Assyrian 
tributary.  This  nuiy  have  been  llio  time 
when  "  Slialman  (Spoiled  Bcth-Arliol  in  the 
(lay  of  battl(< "  (Hos.  x.  14),  defeating 
Ho>lioa  near  tiiat  place  (Aibola,  now  Irhid, 
in  Galileo),  and  taking  it.  And  gave  him 
prosouts;  or,  rrndrrrd  him  trihitti',  as  iu  the 
margin  of  the  .Vutlioiizcd  Version. 

Vi  r.  4.  And  iho  King  of  Assyria  found 
oonHpirncy  in  Hotihoa :  for  ho  had  sout 
mossoiigerB  to  So,  King  of  Egypt.  W(>  learn 
from  tho  rrijihet  lIi>Hea  that  tlio  nx- 
peilieiicy  of  oalling  in  lv,'y|it  as  a  counter- 
IKiiHo  to  AHnyria  liud  long  bei  ii  in  tho 
tlioii^^ditH  of  llioHo  who  directed  the  ])iilicy 
ol  tlio  lHriii<lil(>  Htato  (Hco  IIoh.  vii.  1 1  ;  Xii.  1, 
etc.).  Now  III  last  llio  pliingn  wuh  iiiUoii. 
An  Kthio|iinn  dyiiaHly  of  hhiih  strength  and 
vigour  had  pobHeMiioii  of  lOgypt.  and  hohi 
lt«  eoiirt  diiiiiig  »>niii  part  of  tno  year  nt 
MoiiipliiH  (Hon.  ix.  (i).  Tlio  liiu;  who 
(M'eiipi<<i  tlin  thmnn  wait  calli<d  HIiahaK  or 
Sill  liek  a  name  wliic<li  the  (Jreel(N  repro- 
■•  iittMi  by  KalNilcofi  or  Snvecliim,  and  tho 
Helifi  WM  by  H^D.  ('i'lioorigliiid  viwulizulion 
of  iIiIh  wofil  wim  probably  Nir,  Srrrh  ;  bill 
lu  iulur  timea  thia  vuoali/.atiou  waa  li>«i,  antl 


«.  ITU.  1— 4L]       TBB  UBOOKD  BOOK  09  TBB  KlMOtL 


m 


MsffwA.      I|(«*i««   mom    arai    aa    iwi  ■— y 


»«•    »1    l~«    I c  •....(«  I  «<4Uta( 

•Uj  fcarUMl,  «iM«  Tviv  •*■  Ulto*.  kla 
•••  tani  mmM  VMM.  Ul»Ml«l«rko« 
WiitoW  f..rv^.~i   i I  •!««•*•  •««««?«•:   birt 

««  to*'  •>•  lit:*!   II   »M  «tth 

•rafTvly  irfk«»  f<tilui«J  le  wUiiboU  hit 
t/it>ui«,  M  bo  ■wnn  lo  Imt«  doiM.  Jt  aiaal 
W««  beaa  la  iwbanr*  oa  "  Um  ativagtli  «/ 
■tarvl"  likat  k*  «rBtiif«d  It  bntw  tW  Mfw 
<f  iayihi.  Aa4  kr»«f1ii  m  ptwwi  l». 
•Mrf  ■•  arA«l*-U  tk*  iLiAf  •/  AMyru,  M 
k*  iMfd  dua*  7«»r  bj  t*at  ;  Uuroiv^r*  Ik* 
Xi£f  sf  Amftlm  skml  kia  ap,  uU  ko«ai 
klA  u  BrtM^  TIm  ultituato  rvaall  t* 
BM-tit  iiCMd  aft  aa«i^  bafota  Um  HvM  bj 
«L.rh  li  VM  aaapaipinhaj  «i  ivlatod. 
aid  Ml  **aa8MMa  Hn*b« 
I  Id  liMva  le  hit  aiplana 

. .  'm  aaua  m  bacaaM.  taka 

Wai  pfiaaMV.  pat  htm  in  ebaia^  aad  im- 
phmm  Uim"  (m  Eaald  lhiiik«)b  tml  timjAj 
daokiad   var.  lafadad    Ucahaa'* 
kiM  in  hto  oipilal.  aad  l 


viMB  Im  Miik«tl«ad.  «aa»-  ■■  -  ■».  * 

friiM.  a*  MiliaAiiliwi  did 

JckoUrAleCek.sziv.  U:  ii<  iher 

V.»<  H'>ehi  ik'>  rrlfTtl  would  liaVv  cvuio  Vu  Ml 
rb  1  Ui  ).:•  UXlii  v<r  •  tili'.ti,  aad  imh  ia  LiU 
til    t).  Tmr 

V<r  6  —  Tk*a  tkt  Klaf  af  AwttU— 
raiiicr.  aaui  iJu  |f^  y  4m>na  ■■■■  ap 
tkre&ir^oui  all  ika  MM— ta.  aHlk  aa  ^pav 
UiuX  t)  <  •  .  iiaairaloaaaavrff  i'.v  aLMielaud. 
U.«t  <MUBD  lo  ooaqaar,  uol  i: 

vaat  ay  u 

TT       '         V '  » '.i.c  u 

!,  1#\.      Amifdiri:?    lu    ; .' 

Mo^    oi    r«aa<  ■- 
awtT:trd   at  Tfcrt 


.1   up 


ti: 


-^  ^ 


wo 

'lO*  «aa  W' 
(oaai|> 


of  Btikw 

:4rta.     Iti 
•uaa.  Ikrf* 


a»4  hatfrja  tr* 
TWfa  lMt«  km 
(lUU.    MUr)    «W 


kva  a«a«   iiiiiw<    U>*i   Lk* 
Aflvjrtaa  lafwliaiiiat   aaff*>it   u.c:r   tkr« 
bat  Um  iba«  I*  ««i»«r«laa     N  .    .       ^ 

aanaia  tlMa  UmI.  atttarluc  i  'i,<« 

•anaaadad  Ikalataai^rr  IV  i--  a..  ..i  t^ 
a  i«fal«Maa.  ■■d  «■•  tW  k«iU  ei  m  ut« 
draaaly.  ifa  daiaa  U  lita  aoaaU.  »^.«^ 
bit  aarlWl  arU.  IIm  iA«c»  aad  «».  t«Mr  «2 
Bawtria  (*  Kioo^ai  CWataa.'  p  iU>  li  u 
laaiaiiiatiU  tbal  KcntAaf*.  «:  lU  la  ao  way 
aaaaaeiiag  bl«  aiu  lb*  oaptar*.  ar(«« 
dlMlartly  aaaifaa  11  la  WialaMawn  Hm« 
waaMaalf  laid  U«l  -  lb»  Kmf  of  A««rM- 
laak  H    la  ak.  s*ilL  «,  It.  abM*  ••  m« 


oaptaia  b  asprcMad  bj  ibc  p^ 

look  ll,"aefbafc>uk  IL."    Pc^i^i*  mHIm^ 

kiB(  vaa  praiaat  ia  prraL«  •!  it«  aue*.  at. 
at  aay  laio,  al  tl*  lonuiaaUo-.  1  L.r  «ii« 
aMf  kiaa*  bava  lak«a  by  an  Aaa*  n»i>  gx^eeJi, 
wklla  BkalaaBMar  aad  t^^rgtm  «t««  »«• 
taadtef  im  tka  arava.  Id  i.  at  r.k«.r  ti.« 
aaptaia Micbt  l«  mmaigtt^i  u  -  .->« 

aattaialy  cUiitM  ii.    i»La.u.  »ia 

kafa  baaa  ae  ■aliUtwil  by  bta  »u^o.  a^^'^  iumt 
wa  aaa»a«  laU  vbaCker  ba  oUiaK^  n  c«  ituL 
Tba  eity  fell  in  a  "   ''  -  1  Uw  dayti««^ 

tioa  ut  lU  iubat>.  ■•  look  |rlara 

▲ad  aamad  laraa^  e, »  .  .  :  Aa*rru  Tb* 
loartiplkun    cf    ^ar>;<  u     a->  I0 

akcOlKH^  otil,>  U.o  virj*  rut.  ty 

of  8aaMtria  itar.f,  U  ■::..  -.1  ^^  r^.  *  S.j 
doabt  a  Taal  tiumtx-r  <•(  >  \:.rr%  mrrr  c^mmi 
o#  taam  tk»  aawdW  lowna  aad  (r  <u  u  • 
tuwmtgj  diatrieta,    flull.  IW  aoaatr?  ^-  m  ?^4 

It  fl    utiiliii>i>.tr«i      ai..i      >^r  ■    <i     ..^^    >~  '!      tia 

a.' 


11..-^     (— )  bM  b««a 
b>  br  !>«•  -4i   AMiiiaa 

<in    to   tba    tiMe  1/  -*^    f'-« 

itai;  bat  t   r 

•rvm    to    kaaa    vwvr    u»uaa>  ru-^ 
lo  Ikair  a^aiala.      It 
'iut.bia   la  aoH'*' 

..    a»i    Har 


832 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS,      [oh.  xvn.  1—41. 


mistranslation.  The  Hebrew  runs.  "And 
on  Habnr  (Khabor).  the  river  of  Gozan" 
(ao  also  in  ch.  sviii.  11).  "Habnr,  the  river 
of  Gozan,"  is  uniloiibtidly  one  of  the 
Kliaboure.  Those  who  find  Halah  in  Calah, 
or  in  Calacine  (Calachene),  generally  prefer 
the  eastern  river  which  runs  into  the  Tigris 
from  Kurdistan  a  Utile  below  Jezireh.  But 
there  is  no  evi.lence  that  this  river  bore  tlie 
name  in  antiquiiy.  The  Western  Khabour, 
on  the  other  hand,  was  well  known  to  the 
Assyrians  under  that  appellation,  and  is 
the'Aborihas  of  Straho  and  Procopius,  the 
Chaboras  ot  Pliny  aid  Ptolemy,  tlie  Aburas 
of  Isa  lore  rf  Charax,  and  the  Abora  of 
Zosimns.  It  adjoins  a  district  called 
Chalcitis,  and  it  drains  the  country  of 
Gauzaiiitis  or  ilygdonia.  The  Western 
Khabour  is  a  river  of  Upper  Mesoputiraia, 
and  runs  into  the  Enplirates  from  the  north- 
east near  the  site  ot"  tlie  ancient  Ciroesion. 
The  tract  which  it  drains  is  called  Mygdonia 
by  Ptnbo,  Ganzanitis  by  Ptolemy.  And  in 
the  cities  of  the  Medes.  Media  had  been 
re[>eatedly  invaded  and  ravaged  by  the 
Assyrians  from  the  time  of  Vul-nirari  FV. 
(about  B.C.  810);  but  the  first  king  to  con- 
quer any  portion  of  it,  and  p<  ople  its  cities 
with  settlers  fr  ^m  other  parts  of  his  domi- 
nions, was  Surgon  (0|)pert, '  inscriptions  des 
6argonide^*,'  pp  '25  37).  We  ham  from  the 
present  pa.'-sage  that  a  certain  number  of 
the&e  settlers  were  I&raelilea  (oomp.  oh. 
iTiii.  11  and  Tubit  i.  H). 

Vers.  7—23. — The  provneationt  which  in- 
dwifd  God  to  di»lroy  the  hradite  kingdom. 
Here,  for  ou?e,  tlio  writer  ceases  to  bo  the 
mere  historian,  and  becomes  the  religious 
teachnr  and  priphet,  drawing  out  the  les-oiis 
of  hirtt/iry,  ami  ju.stifyin'.;  tlie  ways  of  God 
to  mull.  As  Uiilir  says,  lie  "does  not  carry 
on  the  narmlive  uh  taken  from  the  original 
•uthxriticH,  liiit  liimHclf  h«ro  Ijogins  a  re- 
Tiew  <if  the  liihtory  and  fulo  of  Israi  1,  which 
ends  witii  vi  r.  2'),  and  forms  an  indupundont 
•ootiou  byili«ir."  The . Miction  dividna  itself 
into  four  ixirli'iuM:  (1)  From  ver.  7  to  Tor. 
12,  a  (,'<-ii)-rnl  Ntutoment  of  Inrni  I'm  wickid- 
netM :  (2)  Irom  v<  r.  I'd  to  vor.  IT),  a  ii|)c<'ial 
•IfKravHiion  »f  ilioir  K»'lt,  viz.  tlioir  rKJootion 
of  prnplictfi:  ('I)  vifH.  1(1  and  17  contain  a 
•|i«y<ifl''iktloti  of  tli<-ir  rliinf  actM  of  sin;  and 
(4)  from  v«-r.  IH  U)  vcr.  2M.  a  ^'fiicriil  num- 
mary, incliMling  a<>mu  wur<U  of  vturiiing  to 
Jodah. 

Vrr.  7.— For  m  It  was,  that  iha  ehlldrtn 
of  Iiranl  had  iilnn''d  atfaizul  ihn  Lord  Iholr 
Sod  ;   ralhnr.  And  i(  rmm*  Ut  jMiai.  lehrn^  <ito. 


The  clauses  from  the  present  to  the  end  of 
ver.  17  depend  on  the  "  when "  of  this 
verse;  the  apodosis  does  not  come  till  ver. 
18,  "  When  the  children  of  Israel  had  done 
all  that  is  stated  in  vers.  7 — 17,  then  the 
result  was  that  the  Lord  was  very  angry 
with  Israel,  and  removed  them  out  of  his 
sight."  Which  had  brought  them  up  out  of 
the  land  of  Egypt.  So  commencing  his 
long  series  of  mercies  to  the  nation,  and 
iiidic<ating  his  gracious  favour  towards  it. 
"  The  deliverance  frcm  Eiiypt,"  as  Bahr 
well  says,  "  was  not  only  the  lieginning,  but 
the  symbol,  of  all  Divine  grace  towards 
Israel,  and  the  pledge  ofits  Divine  guidance." 
Hence  the  stress  laid  upon  it,  both  here  and 
by  the  Prophet  Uosea  (comp.  Ho>.  xi.  1  ; 
xii.  9,  13;  xiii.  4).  From  under  the  hand 
— i.e.  the  oppression — of  Pharaoh  King  of 
Egypt,  and  had  feared  other  gods;  t.e.  re- 
verenced and  worshipped  them. 

Ver.  8. — And  walked  in  the  statutes  of 
the  heathen.  The  "  statutes  of  the  heathen  " 
are  their  customs  and  observances,  especially 
in  matters  of  reli-^ion.  The  Israelites  iiad 
been  repeatedly  warned  not  to  follow  these 
(see  Lev.  xviii.  3,  80 ;  Dent.  xii.  29—31  ; 
xviii.  9 — 14,  etc.).  Whom  the  Lord  cast  out 
from  before  the  children  of  IsT&el—i.e.  the 
Canaiinitish  nations,  whose  idolatries  and 
other  "abominations"  were  particularly 
hateful  to  God  (see  Lev.  xviii.  20—29;  Deut. 
XX.  18;  xxix.  17;  xxxii.  IG,  etc.) — and  of 
the  kings  of  Israel.  Tlie  sinsaud  idolatries 
of  Israel  had  a  double  origin.  The  great 
majority  wore  derive<l  from  the  heathen 
nations  with  whom  they  were  brouglit  into 
contact,  and  wore  adopted  voluntarily  by 
the  people  themselves.  Of  this  kind  were 
the  worship  at  "  higii  places  "  (vor.  9),  tlie 
"images"  and  "gnncs"  (ver.  10^  the 
causiug  of  Ihoir  ehildrun  to  "  pass  through 
the  firo  "  (vor.  17),  the  employment  of  diri- 
nation  anil  onchantmeiils  (ver.  17),  and  per- 
hupa  tho  "  worship  of  the  host  of  lieavon" 
(ver.  1(>).  A  ctirlain  number,  howovt  r, 
camo  in  from  a  dilVeront  source,  boing  im- 
I>oHi(l  upon  the  people  by  their  kings.  To 
this  clahB  iM'loiig  thuduHertiiui  of  the  lomplo- 
worshiii.  onlorcid  by  Jernlioum  (ver.  21^ 
th<<  Hotling  up  of  tho  04i1voh  at  Pan  and 
Iti'thrl  (ver.  1(>)  by  tho  Name,  ami  the  Hani 
and  Ahlitrtfl  worniiip  (ver.  1(!),  inlrodueed 
by  Ahali.  'I'hiH  litHl  and  worst  idolalrv  was 
not  oHLihliahed  withnul  a  gixNl  deal  of  per- 
Hei'ution,  aji  wu  luarn  fmm  1  Kings  xviii.  i. 
Which  thoy  had  mado. 

\  i^r. '■).  -And  the  ohildron  of  Israol  did 
■oorolly  thoHK  thinffii  that  wero  not  right 
agninil  tho  Lord  tholr  (iod.  iMohI  of  tint 
nvil  priii'tii'i  R  iif  tlio  iHriii'liten  wcn<  op<in  auil 
ll>i({ranl,  hut  •<>mii»iiu|:lit  llii'  veil  of  hi  rri<ny, 
KM  the  UM>  of  diTin»iiiiii  iind  oncliKiilnionta 
(var.  17).     U  U  douhlful,  huwuvor,  wh«>ih«r 


m.  wm.  1—410      tn  nOOVD  lOOK  OV  TBI 


Tui^  ai^  »••■  ttB  HMif*  Um«  IImI  Ik*  l» 

1  K<  •«•  > 

r^My*    !•    U-ftl.    tU»|r*.l     i>       ».cv  I  t     f     k>>     li'O 


u  c 


Ikt^VM  piiilfci  tk»  Ui4 
M  MfM  (mm  haft««.  •««»   li     |:> 

▼w    It     H«  tt«9  Hrv««   liali.  *«lk«. 

ftvt:.  ^  *.  ««r«*   Utaf   )-4ka4  I* 

tTt  ft''-    »riB   »^-        -t"  T- 

.    .4 


ti«^*    "ardarv.'      W\ir>>l 

>«y  mato  i>i.  T*  akAJ  m« 

(L.  .  .  c  Ki«L  ta.  «.  lit  a  .  UmL 

It     ! 


U  Ik*   te^~ 

••I  MO. 

Um  Ut^ 


St:<     ^ 

IW  •*»>»  •  '^■^ 

•ia   •<■««>  ala. 

Witj 


.'>.•  »o4. 


In  IaMl,UM  • 
iUi  Ik*  MifW 
Wa  (1    K 


\  um  «lk.  1'  •rj  Uffc  kiO 

.••fwrf  iw.  ■~..  .^mad«ff»T«ffT 
gTMB  li«*.  ll«l»lfeallk»-grtm«''(M4^ 
rte)  WW*  *M(  ap  aodar  sn^a  tr^«»,^  and 
•art  tiMHfea*  kat*  kaca  artiAcial  tfraatarai 

tkaif  biMiciA 

V«f  U-AaAik««ik*7k«nilM*aMte 
all  lU  U0  piMM  (cnaip    1  V     -    '•    <• 

4>      I     ei<K>  wfmhaUaml  pn* 
t>  t  ie  hav*  ba*a  L«tr«t  gaiy  aa 

iL  .  imi  at  ta*  Bii  «  Uuo  tk*  *«U. 

Aj  .  .^i  titatk—  wkaa  U«  L«r4  mniaA 
avftj  i^tf  ttaa.  Tb*  oAwlnf  of  laeooM 
ip  u»^if  c<i«  by  ik»  Ck— ■ailiiii  iwn  -.' 
aot  kMa  pr^f^asil*  iiatinarf;  ku; 
if  laaaaMi  is  mHcmm  ■laAip  «M  >•  - 
■lail  ia  tk»  &ac;«Bt  world,  tkal  tkair  mm- 
pk^Bcet  of  It  oti.-hi  Lair  tvtfti  MMflaad  ai 
alxi-  k  u     Tk*   Ecji'^^^a*   u«»l 

*-:  ta   Ui*    vur*    p  of   An 

(•  :  '      •     W   L  |iL  l»i      1 

lU  «  hJ  I  ill  III ^wt, 

a/   .    '  *i  r*t:*ftiar  IW 

ll««uu»  r-k«  aad   I  tec*  (W  w 


•  .(     .'  1  u«i  .-<     ^<miA«i  lir%*L  aa4 

.  .  .^'^  by  »_.   U,«   prvpkma^  •'■4   h>y 

•    ••«ri        A   "•■••"    Ift.    nrxfavl        '•• 

Ik"  prapli«(,    a*«  <   *{.«r«4 

"»  «aa     Bat   ik»   w(»la 

:a«  («•  I  8am.  U.  »V 

t:*pf  Mtaoe  ibvrtvuti  of  J•ffute■a^  tkiM*  kal 

t»^  wkii    «>•■•  II  hmd  hmm  I*  labak*  •• 
prvwpb  «#tk«  Lav 
tamm  Hli».«Mk.«Mlt 

.*     .  -.'Jl  Jvt.Jifth*- 

J^»Sk4.  tka  ■3«i  of 

>>  x<»  (  i  CUKA.  II.   14): 

>«k.  »teB  n—W  • 
<*«wa.  as.   ST}: 


ui  «ttffaraF  ik*  prvwob  ti  tk*  Lav      la 

ti  tkarv  k»i  boB*  hW»  >«iak.  MaWtaf*- 


Oi.roa.   ti 


'lb    (t 


«): 


>    i^    I): 


ui    11— a^u    i4>.    inwh, 

II  (f^.    i<*   aS).  llo«.a(ad 

'    L  1 :  AjmmlI); 


aoattaVDu* 

•—4  f-f— 


|iaiM>  w*p- wp— 

. -fersc  «#    Ohm    1a« 


.  to  tk*  kati  «^ 

a  Ik*  aii^ 


■.r    CL' 


334 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS,      [oh.  xvn.  1— 41. 


The  prophets  continually  addressed  them  in 
the  N  ame  of  Grod,  saying,  Turn  ye  from  yonr 
evil  ways,  and  keep  my  commandments  and 
my  statutes,  according  to  all  the  Law  which 
I  commanded  your  Others,  and  which  I  sent 
to  yoa  by  my  servants  the  prophets.  Thia 
was  the  general  bnrden  of  the  prophetical 
teaching,  both  in  Israel  and  in  Judah,  both 
before  the  captivity  of  Israel  and  afterwarda 
(^ee  Hos.  xii.  6 ;  xiv.  2 ;  Joel  ii  12,  13 ; 
Amoe  V.  4—15;  Isa.  i.  16—20;  xxsi.  6; 
Jer.  iiL  7,  14  ;  Ezek.  xiv.  6 ;  xviii.  'SO,  etc.). 

Ver.  14. — Notwithstanding  they  would  not 
hear ;  rather,  and  they  would  not  hear.  The 
©onstruction  still  runs  on  without  any  change 
(see  the  comment  on  vers.  7  and  12).  But 
hardened  their  necks.  (On  the  origin  of  the 
phr.isc,  see  'Homiletic  Commentary'  on 
Exod.  xxxiL  9.)  The  obstinate  perversity  of 
the  Israelites,  which  the  phrase  expresses, 
is  noted  through  the  entire  history  (see 
Exod.  xxxiii.  3,  5;  xxxiv.  9;  Deut.  ix.  6, 
18;  Ps.  Ixxv.  5;  2  Chron.  xxx.  8;  xxxvi. 
13;  Xeh.  ix.  16,  17,  29;  Jer.  vii.  26;  xvii. 
23;  A  ts  viL  51,  etc.).  Like  to  the  neck  of 
their  fathers,  that  did  not  believe  in  the 
Lord  their  God.  The  reference  is  especially 
to  the  many  passages  in  the  Pentateuch 
where  the  Israelites  are  called  "a  stiff- 
necked  people  "  (see,  besides  those  already 
quoted,  Dcut.  xxxi.  27). 

Ver.  15. — AnA  they  rejected  his  atatutei, 
and  his  covenant  that  he  made  with  their 
fathers.  Tlje  covenant  ma'le  at  8inai«  first  by 
the  p<o{)le  generally  (Ex'id.  xix.  5—8),  ana 
♦lien  by  their  formal  repri  seutative*  (Exod. 
xxiv.  3  —  8),  was,  on  their  part,  a  solimn 
pn>mi0e  thut  "all  which  the  Lord  com- 
manded  thfm  they  would  da**  Rejecting 
the  "etatutes'*  of  God  waa  thus  rejecting 
the  "rovbiiint."  And  hi£  tostimonios  which 
he  testified  against  them.  The  "  testi- 
moaiea"  uf  (hA  are  his  oominandmentit, 
ooimi'li-rod  ait  wilneBaing  of  him  and  setting 
forth  hiii  nature.  The  use  of  the  term  is 
noiniQOii  in  I  >eut<jronouiy  lUid  in  tho  I'HiihiiB, 
)iut  othcirwiMU  raro.  And  tboy  followed 
vanity,  and  became  vain.  FnlHO  g'<l«  iiro 
"vanity;"  falMn  rt-lif^ions  am  "vanity;" 
there  ijt  nothing  ilnn  or  hu4i  tiintial  (il>i)ut 
tliom;  tlii'y  lxil<ing  to  tho  n-nlin  of  Inlility 
and  ii'itliiiii''!'"-'  Anil  tho  rillow<TM  of 
•urii  r»'lij.:i"0"  dcrivu  »<uiknoMi  from  tlii-in 
—  thoy  "Iwo.me  vain"  »>.  w<'ftk,  futilo, 
iiii|'it<;nt  Hmir  pm  rgio«  an-  wiutU-d  ;  thoy 
•Ui^t  ttolhiiiK  of  that  whi<  h  thuy  wmh  to 
ttfifi,  Uk')  art'  r/.(ii|.h  Udy  |i<)Wtrli  •«  for 
lf<tf*\,»i  any  rat« ;  and  thoy  an-  not  rf«ily 
pi/Wfiffnl  (oT  I'ViI.  Th«rir  pliiuM,  fur  tlio 
mimi  jxirt,  niur'arry  ;  and  "  timir  nnd  is 
drmtrftrUitn."  And  wont  aftor  the  hoathon 
that  w  rn  round  about  thntn.  [1\m>ii  a  nr^- 
Lnnt  Ui  Ui'Ai  (i'xi'i  r».|iitnnti<tiii)Mila  fotl'iWS 
•atiT*  r«T<iit    fn<ni    hlin,   ami    lli<<   doing   of 


that  which  he  has  forbidden.  When  they 
rejected  Grod's  statutes,  the  Israelites  adopted 
"  the  statutes  of  the  heathen  "  (ver.  8),  and 
*  walked  in  tliem."  Concerning  whom  the 
Lord  had  charged  them,  that  they  should 
not  do  like  them  (see  above,  ver.  12,  and 
compare  the  comment  on  ver.  8). 

Vers.  16,  17. — The  main  sins  of  Israel  are 
now  specified,  that  they  themselves  may 
stand  self-couvicted,  and  that  others  may 
be  warned  against  doing  the  like.  Firs^ 
generally. 

Ver.  16. — They  left  all  the  oommandmentB 
of  the  Lord  their  God ;  i.e.  neglected  them, 
rendered  them  no  obedience,  offered  none 
of  the  stated  sacrifices,  attended  none  of  the 
appointed  feasts,  broke  the  moral  law  (Hos. 
iv.  1,  2,  11 ;  vii.  1,  etc.)  by  swearing,  and 
lying,  and  stealing,  and  committing  adul- 
tery, by  drunkenness,  and  lewdness,  and 
bloodshed.  And  made  them  molten  images, 
even  two  calves.  These  at  least  were  un- 
deniable—  there  they  were  at  Dan  and 
Bethel,  until  the  Captivity  came  (Hos.  viii. 
5 ;  X.  5,  6 ;  xiii.  2 ;  Amos  viii.  14),  wor- 
shipped, sworn  by  (Amos  viii.  14),  viewed 
as  living  gods  (Amos  viii.  14),  offered  to, 
trnsted  in.  Every  king  had  upheld  them, 
so  that  Bethel  was  regarded  as  *'  the  king's 
court,"  and  "  the  king's  chapel "  (Amos  vii. 
13);  all  tiie  people  were  devoted  to  them, 
and  "  brought  their  sacrifices  to  Bethel 
every  morning  "  (Amos  iv.  4),  "  and  tiieir 
tithes  after  three  years."  And  made  a 
grove.  The  "  grove  "  (^atiherah)  whioli  Ahab 
set  up  at  Samaria  (1  Kings  xvi.  38),  and 
which  remained  there  certainly  to  the  time 
of  Jchoahaz  (see  tho  coninn  nt  on  ch.  xiii. 
6).  And  worshipped  all  tho  host  of  heaven. 
This  worship  had  uot  been  mentioned  before; 
and  it  is  nowliere  else  iisfrihod  to  the  Is- 
raelites of  tho  northern  kingdom.  Manns- 
seh  seems  tu  have  intrmiueed  it  into  Judah 
(oil.  xxi.  3;  xxiii.  5,  11).  8ueh  knowhdgo 
as  wo  have  of  tho  Wuatem  AHialio  religions 
aeoniH  to  indicate  that  astial  worship, 
strictly  so  callod,  wiis  a  jiociiliarity  of  tho 
AHHyro- Baby  Ionian  and  Arahiiin  ByslemB 
only,  and  tliil  not  Ix'long  Ui  tlu*  Syrian,  or 
tho  rhoenician,  or  tho  Oannaoito.  It  may 
1h'  BUHiMClcd  that  tho  nroHont  pa.-<Hii>;o  is 
nnnii  what  rheloricml,  and  luitiigim  to  tho  Is- 
raoliteH  the  "  worHliipof  tho  hontof  heaven," 
HJiiiply  Imtiuimi  an  iu<tnil  rhararler  attached 
to  liiuil  and  AHhtonHh,  wlm  w«<n<  aHHooiaU>d 
ill  thu  roli^s'iou  of  tho  I'luitoieiaiiH  with  tho 
Bun  and  moon.  On  tho  oIIkt  IkohI,  it  in 
jnxt  pi>Hnil)lo  tlmt  tho  Attsyro  Maliyloniun 
Hlar  wonihi|i  htui  hoen  inlnxinee.l  into  Innud 
utiih  r  Mi^iialiom,  I'eliah,  or  ll>i»,|ioa.  And 
■orvod  Biial.  Tho  Hiuil-NS'>rNlii|i,  inlrodnwtd 
In  Ahuh(l  KioKa  ivl.  31 ),  wiu  not  llnally 
alM>llMh<-<l  by  .Fehu  (oh.  i.  2H).  Lik*»  othor 
popular  riiliipuaa,  it  had  a  rovivaL     liom<tL, 


«1.  STV.  1-41]       TUB  SKOXD  BOOS   OF  TUB   EUKML 


((Hi  Ihu    ;      -t-^     »»    I 


II  UaU«U4  to  I  If  t:   f 

wmi  tL  %.  It  «»•  M)  oivi  •!•  of  Uw  i*- 
mibMA  iilliii  (Uv.  ztUL  tl. ilaX  Mid 

•m>«Miw4  I*  h»  fiwMimi  hj  U*  MmbiUa 
l«k  10.  17:  Amm  U-  I)  Axl  Ani»«ilr«. 
MiclibMMi  ef  UtmI  A«4  mM4  dtn««ttMi 
•■i  laikMtftoMU  TH*  ~  vitavbcntA*"  of 
J«mW4  1m«*  bM*  •IrvttJj  mctntna^l  (ak. 
ll.  rtX  M*«w«l  |w*rUaw  alwAja  aanoi 
pkjtioi  l<k<Uti«,  MM  ««•  of  MMay  kittJ^ 
ry»tt*c4itttc«tli»ui*i-<-"  ••—  *'•  '•■"■■•  of  tiAfM 
«*  it»i*  (ilwUloOift  ■•  iMkai> 

pulktad   i!>    <»n<>i.>  it    CT ; 

Mibt4   ad   S*l«alMll  ,     1    r«  ■    ,'  61 
'(■«««M^..'   I    !0:    Amm    Mar<" 
Ute.  if.  1S>     8oa»<-tu»r«  it  «•  ■• 

(Kfrk  xzi  tU     Vrxy  ofWi  ta 

Orfc«»  »'xl  VUmm,  H  wm  bj  .^^^^  ....^  Um 
MinuU  U  «M«ia«.  WImm  Mill  la  Ood 
«»ti<«.  •  tra^l  iu   u.»i;  o.  I   tir»' tii«k.  »»li\*- 

AsaffBlillM  iickt  of  tk«  LoHL  to  yravoka 


It  UMr.    (Oq  th*  ex 
Ml«wi0<lo«vU,-aM 


1  KiBKB  zxL  M.) 

Vor  18  — Tterafer*  tka  L«ri  w»  wry 
•aery  «ix^  Imal;  t*ihc^t,  (i«l  ii«N  rJU 
Larii  mm»  aarf  «i9ry>  '^^  ^*  *>***  '^ 
U'  apiiirMh  aT  tha  loiig  aaatoara  bafiat 
viU  %m.  7  Attd  wwliaaif  to  tfit*  a»j 
far.  17.  Wbaa  aU  that  ia  ■■■■■■■li  : 
tWaa  vaiaaa  kiii  tokM  (<laaa,  Ikca  Um  1. 

■■lian   l**J   rM£lk»l   •   iriuA,   lL«  eu|>  '-f 

tkair  tadfaitj  «m  Ml.  and  G<«1'.  a> 

bsif  Malralaad,  Juanaaiid  oa  ihnn.    a 

iiBiiit  tbm  — t  ar  Ma  iir"- 

oal  of  Ood'a  dgjkl  b  bat  oT  t 

af  Uia  aaaa.    "TIm  ayaa  of    , 

evw   ii«    fifhtoawa"  (I^   &xiiv.    Id) 

tkctt  "    . 

(P..    ca 
Uto   L«ru   ta 

tkaai]  vka  . 
vili  aut  Laci 
TV«r«  va«  &<■ 
aaij.     Tbe  - 
of 


pafft  a#    Daa  aad  Itom    l.^   »'•     !-«« 
a*««Wi      T1^   lNa»i««  f. 

(i<>l'*  "|iprtjtt»f  'i»  pA«,'  a 

lota  aail     '  TLx   miu*.  .t  mim< 

U    i«Mr~  'g*   to    a*    |«««a4   af 

Um  I  m\Ai  <  I  •     •.  ^  w  mut  ayaaktaif  af   iIm 


sh&rp  (k  »a 

'si.^  .fa  »««   la«.^.i.4a 
^  9mm  aalj  far  a  Uua 
juLab   i<  :i<'aia     ti  Itfaal'a  ala^  aad   alu- 
atotoljr  altoaai  la  hm  falitiMt      Tbta 
••».  .h^.i  i>.-   ,.,.(   ..,    ...f^^.tikHM.     Bat 

wUak  Uar 

i.M    U*   a^il 

<»Wl*«a,    tUU    Ifa    b*^     i~-.  ••>«lo# 

Jvknraai,    AhotiaK     aM  A'  thaa    la 


a.4x 


of  Crrtal- 


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336 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.       [oh.  xvil  1—41. 


to  his  snccessore.  Israel  conM  suffer  alone, 
while  Jiidali  was  spared,  because  the  king- 
dom of  David  and  Solomon  had  been  rent 
in  twain,  and  the  two  states  had  thenceforth 
eontinned  separate.  Israel  from  the  house 
of  David;  and  they  made  Jerohoam  the  son 
of  Nebat  king:  and  Jeroboam  drave  Israel 
from  following  the  Lord.  The  separation 
alone  might  not  have  liad  any  ill  result; 
but  it  was  followed  by  the  appointment  of 
Jeroboam  as  king,  ami  Jeroboam  introduced 
the  fatal  taint  of  idolatry,  from  whieh  all 
the  other  evils  flowed,  including  the  earlier 
destruction  of  the  northern  kingdom.  Jero- 
boam not  only  introduced  the  worship  of 
tlie  c;ilves,  but  he  "drave  Israel  from  follow- 
ing the  Lord" — i.e.  compelled  the  people 
to  discontinue  the  practice  of  going  up  to 
worship  at  Jerusalem  (2  Chron.  xi.  13 — 16), 
aod  required  them  to  take  part  in  the  calf- 
worship.  And  [thus]  made  them  sin  a 
great  sin. 

Ver.  22. — Tor  the  children  of  Israel 
walked  in  all  the  sina  of  Jeroboam  which 
he  did.  The  nation,  having  lieeu  once 
persuaded  to  adopt  Jeroboam's  innovations, 
continued  to  "  walk  "  in  them — followed 
Jeroboum's  example  in  "all  liis  sins"— gave 
up  the  temple- worship  altogetiier;  accepted 
til"  ministrations  of  priests  not  of  tlie  seed 
of  Aaron  (1  Kings  xiii.  33;  2  Chron.  xiii. 
9; ;  bniught  their  tithes  to  these  idol- priests ; 
Bftcrificed  to  the  calves  at  Dan  and  lietlu  1 
(Amos  iv.  4);  and  put  their  trust  in  the 
"Bimilitiido  of  u  calf  that  eatith  hay." 
They  departed  not  from  thorn  (couip.  1  Kings 
XV.  -'G,  .34;  xvi.  2.  ID.  '26,  31;  oh.  iii.  3; 
X.  2iJ ;  xiii.  G.  11 ;  xiv.  24;  xv.  9,  18,  28). 

V<  r.  23. — Until  the  Lord  removed  Israel 
out  of  his  sight  (see  the  coninieut  on  ver. 
IS)  as  ho  had  said  by  all  his  servants  the 
prophets,  'iho  destruction  of  tlu'  kingdom 
of  Iriiael  Itad  been  disliiiclly  pro|ilie>ied  by 
Ahijah  the  Shilonito  (1  King.-,  xiv.  15,  IC), 
JloHi-ft  (i.  4;  ix.  3,  17),  und  Ahiom  (vii.  17). 
<iiiicrii  wiirriingB  and  di  iiunciations  had 
\hh-u  niv<n  by  MoMJh  (Lot.  xxvi.  33;  Dout. 
iv.  20,  27;  xxviii.  3G,  eto.),  by  iHuiuh  (vii. 
8;  xxviii.  1 — 4),  an  i  probably  by  tin'  inliro 
WTUit  of  jiroplii  t.i  ••rinniiTat4xl  in  tlio  coininont 
on  T«r.  13.  8o  waH  iHraol  carried  away 
riut  of  thuir  own  land  to  Assyria  nrito  this 
day;  i.r.  up  to  thn  timo  that  tint  Si^cond 
}(<'il(  of  KiiiK*  WKH  written,  ul>out  ii  (J. 
ttM)  .ViO,  ilip  Ixriu-litiM  rdiiiulnrd  within 
till'  liiiiil«  rif  till'  i-oiiritry  to  widcli  tiiey 
•  •■r*)  rnrried  i»y  thi-  ifitKiui  ror.  Not  buig 
»fi>  r  thia  timn,  ulxitit  ii  r.  .VtH,  a  o'liiMidciahle 
HNiidMir  rvliir  '■<!  with  /crubltulNil  t/i  rali-H- 
tin«i,  und  olh' r-t  with  I'.zra  (ne<i  Kzra  ii. 
70;  lit.  I:  Ti.  10.  17;  vii.  18;  viii.  35; 
1  Chrm.  Ix.  2,  H;  Zwii.  vdi.  13).  What 
l«wriir  (if  tho  r<"t  liM  licnn  n.  furlllr  miliji'Ot 
Off  ■(^rulaUoQ.     i'rul<«hljr  Iha  unttv  rullgiuua 


nnited  with  the  Jewish  cfommumties,  which 
were  gradually  formed  in  almost  all  the 
cities  of  the  East;  while  the  irreligious  laid 
aside  their  peculiar  customs,  and  bec.me 
blended  indistinguishably  with  the  heathen. 
There  is  no  ground  tor  expecting  to  find 
the  "  ten  tribes  "  anywhere  at  the  present 
day. 

Vers.  24 — 41. — Bepeoph'nrj  of  fhe  h'ngilom 
of  Israel  by  A»8yrian  colonists,  and  format  ioti 
of  a  mixed  religion.  The  writer,  before  dis- 
missing the  subject  of  the  Israelite  kingdom, 
proceeds  to  inform  as  of  certain  results  of 
the  conquest.  Having  removed  the  bulk 
of  the  native  inhabitauts,  the  Assyrians  did 
not  allow  the  country  to  lie  waste,  but 
proceeded  to  replace  the  population  which 
they  had  carried  ofif  by  settlers  from  other 
localities  (ver.  24).  These  settlers  were, 
after  a  short  time,  incommoded  by  lions, 
which  increased  upon  them,  and  diminished 
their  numbers  (ver.  25).  The  idea  nroso 
that  the  visitation  was  supernatural,  and 
might' be  traced  to  the  fact  that  the  new- 
comers, not  knowing  "  the  manner  of  the 
God  of  the  land,"  displeased  him  by  the 
neglect  of  his  rites  or  by  the  introduction  of 
alien  worship  (ver.  26).  A  remedy  for  tliis 
was  sought  in  the  sending  to  them  from 
As-vria  one  of  the  j)riists  who  had  been 
carried  off,  from  whom  it  was  thought  they 
might  learn  how  "  the  God  of  the  land " 
was  to  be  propitiated.  This  was  tho  origio 
of  the  "mixed  religion"  which  grew  up  in 
iho  country.  While  the  nations  who  had 
replaced  the  Israolites  brought  in  their  own 
supcrutitions,  and  Bovenilly  worshipped  their 
own  gods  (vers.  30,  SIX  there  was  a  general 
acknowledgnient  of  Jehovah  by  all  of  thoni, 
and  s  continuance  of  Jehovistio  worship  in 
tho  variouH  high  places.  Tho  nations  both 
"  fcan^d  tho  Ijord,  and  served  their  gravon 
iinu'CH,"  down  to  tlu<  time  when  tho  writer 
of  KiiigM  co[np(HM>d  his  work  (vers.  83 — 41). 

Ver.  24.  -And  tho  King  of  AssyriA  brought 
men  from  Babylon.  It  huH  In  en  HiiniMiseil, 
in  ooniii'i  tion  with  K/.m  iv.  2,  tnut  no 
<viIoni«l«  woftt  intr..<liiced  Into  the  country 
till  tho  tlinn  of  IsHarhiiddon,  who  began  to 
reign  in  lie.  GSl.  Kut  thiM,  which  would 
Im-  Intrinsically  luont  iniiirobalplc  (tor  wluii 
(lid  n  IdriK  fon-go  Ids  trinuto  from  a  fnlilo 
country  for  forty-ono  yoani?),  Uoonimdioifd 
by  n  Klali'iiii'iit  of  HarKoii,  that  ii«t  |diic4«l 
eoluiilaU     tiMira      In     B.a     71A     ('  Auduut 


m.  xrxL  1-41.1       TBI  tlCnVD  KOK  OF  THI  KTVOa. 


Il       .     4I«N 


M,i.««.tVM         T^  •    ^mrm.,V<m^ 


tl     U    tt>-^ 


Of  tiia  • 


liiika  « 


«•  ~j<  > 


t«o 


•Abot' 
V«    . 

M»  Mt  »»<• 


•  •       t       .      II. »K. 


J  aio'.j  t    on    1 


^  -  ■      A  1 1 1        «  «  1 


(ftlkar  froai  what  b  aia  kaw 


t^ 


;«/.-     I    It   la   IT'  ' 

t'iit*-.  I  {ym.  ".- 


a*  af  IXC 


Ba»<»— 


•11  Lte 


tirr  rr»V»  t* 


^^MkC 


(4   •I«taaa»ie        Uirvit  <v>Cjj  iaiui  iu  u>«  ■.!>{.  i.-«i   >■■■•» 


838 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS,      [oh.  xm.  1—41. 


of  the  persons  about  the  court, having  heard 
of  the  matter,  reported  it  to  him  as  one  re- 
quiring consideration  and  remedy.  Hence 
the  nse  of  the  third  person  instead  of  the 
first.  The  nations  which  thou  hast  removed, 
and  placed  in  the  cities  of  Samaria  (see  ver. 
24),  know  not  the  manner  of  the  God  of 
the  land.  It  was  the  general  belief  of  the 
heathen  nations  of  antiquity  that  each 
country  and  nation  had  its  own  god  or 
gods,  who  presided  over  its  destinies,  pro- 
tected it,  went  out  at  the  head  of  its  armies, 
and  fought  for  it  against  its  enemies.  Each 
god  had  his  own  "manner,"  or  ritual  and 
method  of  worship,  which  was,  in  some 
respects  at  any  rate,  different  from  that 
of  all  other  gods.  Unless  this  ritual  and 
method  were  known,  new-comers  into  any 
land  were  almost  sure  to  displease  the  local 
deity,  who  did  uot  allow  of  any  departure 
from  traditional  usage  in  his  worship.  There- 
fore he  hath  sent  lions  among  them,  and, 
behold,  they  slay  them,  because  they  know 
not  the  manner  of  the  God  of  the  land. 

Ver.  27. — Then  the  King  of  Assyria  com- 
manded, saying,  Carry  thither  one  of  the 
priests  whom  ye  brought  from  thence.  It 
does  not  appear  that  this  was  a  suggestion 
of  the  colonists.  Either  it  was  the  king's 
own  idea,  or  that  of  one  of  his  advisers. 
The  priests,  who  ministered  at  the  two 
nutionul  sanctuaries — those  of  Dan  and 
Bethel — had,  as  important  personages,  been 
all  carried  «S.  Though  a  "  remnant "  of 
Israel  was  left  in  the  hind  (2  Chron.  xxxiv. 
9),  they  were  probably  of  the  baser  sort 
(comp.  ch.  XXV.  12),  or  nt  any  rate  couM  not 
l)e  trusted  to  know  the  details  and  intricacies 
of  the  Samaritan  ritual.  Thus  it  was  necea- 
sary  to  send  back  a  priest  And  let  them  go 
and  dwell  there.  We  should  have  exi)eoted, 
"Let  him  go;"  but  the  writer  assumes 
thut  tho  priest  would  have  an  enlnurage, 
Bttsintjint -ininist Tri  and  servants,  and  so 
Buys.  "  Lft  //('  m  v.o;"  but  ininicdiutoly  aftcr- 
wardn.  And  let  him  teach— since  ho  alone 
would  hi:  r'>ni|ioteat — them  iho  manner  of 
the  Ood  of  the  land. 

V<  r.  2K.— Then  one  of  the  priests  whom 
thoy  had  carried  away  from  Samaria— tho 
oonritry,  not  tho  city,  aH  in  vith.  2J  and  2.')  — 
came  and  dwelt  in  Bothol.  li<  tlnl  from  a 
very  tyirly  time  ^'I'-.itly  i-<lij)Hc<l  Dun.  Wliilo 
tlio  uiluHiriiin  in  Dotlii'l,  commonly  cjilird 
"  Be  tloiven  "  ("  IIouhi'  of  nolhingiutnii"  for 
**  llouwi  of  (•(xl"),  lire  titfjuiMit  in  tho  (h- 
rM<;IUiiib  iiniphi^Ui  (Hon.  iv.  15;  v.  8 ;  z.  5, 
8,  1.');  AnuM  iii.  14;  iv.  4;  T.  5,  « ;  vii. 
10  13),  thrrro  in  lint  a  iiin^flu  dJHtiiK  t  niin- 
■lon  to  Dan  (Ainnit  viii.  14).  IS<  iImI  wun 
"tl.n  kln^^■»l  eliftp<  1"  antl  "Hk-  I(1ii(.;'h  oonrt " 
(Anion  vil.  l.'i^  Tlifi  prii'Ht  M'li'('l4id  hv 
S«r((iiii'«  o'lrLN'rv  wmi  a  I{<ilhi-lilii  prii<Hl,  luiil, 
r'tamiiiK  thUh«^,  Ucik  up  the  worahip  fami- 


liar to  him.  And  taught  them — i.e.  the  new 
settlers— how  they  should  fear  the  Lord. 
This  worship  could  only  be  that  of  the  calf- 
priests  instituted  by  Jeroboam,  which  was, 
however,  most  certainly  a  worship  of  Je- 
hovah, and  an  imitation  or  travesty  ni  the 
temple  -  worship  at  Jerusalem.  Whether 
tiie  returned  priest  set  up  a  new  calf-idol, 
to  replace  the  one  which  had  been  carried 
off  to  Assyria  (Hos.  x.  5),  is  doubtful. 

Ver.  29. — Howbeit  every  nation  made 
gods  of  their  own,  and  put  them  in  the 
houses  of  the  high  places  which  the  Samari- 
tans had  made,  every  nation  in  their  cities 
wherein  they  dwelt.  The  several  bands  of 
sittlers  found  in  the  cities  assigned  to  them 
"  houses  of  the  high  places,"  or  high-place 
temples  (ver.  9),  which  liad  been  left  stand- 
ing when  the  iniiabitauts  were  carried  off. 
TJiese  '*  houses "  they  converted  to  their 
own  use,  setting  up  in  tliem  their  several 
idolatries. 

Ver.  30. — And  the  men  of  Babylon  made 
Succoth-benoth.  There  is  no  deity  of  this 
name  in  the  Assyrian  or  Babylonian  lists. 
The  explanation  of  the  word  as  "  tents  "  or 
"  huts  of  daughters,"  wliich  satisfied  Selden, 
Calmet,  Gesenius,  Winer,  Keil,  and  others, 
is  rendered  absolutely  impossible  by  the  con- 
text, which  requires  that  the  word,  what- 
ever its  meaning,  should  be  the  name  of  a 
deity.  The  Septuagint  interpreters,  while  as 
much  puzzleii  as  others  by  the  word  itself, 
at  least  saw  this,  and  rendered  the  expres- 
sion by  Ti)i'  'S,ovKx<^&  Bevfff,  showing  that 
they  regarded  it  as  the  name  of  a  goddess, 
Tho  Babylonian  goddess  who  corresponds 
most  nearly  to  the  word,  and  is  most  likely 
to  be  intended,  would  seem  to  be  Zirat- 
banit,  the  wife  of  Merodach  ('  Transactions 
of  the  Society  of  Biblical  Archjeology,'  vol. 
iv.  pp.  136 — 147).  Zinit-banit  means  "tho 
creating  lady;"  but  the  Ilebrow  interpre- 
ter soems  to  havu  mistaken  tho  lirst  element, 
which  ho  confounded  with  Zarat,  tho  Baby- 
lonian for  "  touts,"  and  so  translated  by 
"Succoth."  Tho  goddess  Zirat-hanit  was 
certainly  ono  of  tho  principal  ileities  of 
Babylon,  and  would  lie  more  likrly  to  be 
Bolected  than  any  oilier  godth«.sH.  Probably 
shu  was  worHhi|iprd  in  comliiuiition  with 
her  huHliiind,  l^I(^rlMilloll.  And  tho  mon  of 
Ciith  i.e..  "Cutliiih" — made  Norgal.  Nor- 
i^n\  wiiH  the  Hpi'oial  deity  of  ('iitha.  Ho  was 
llio  It.iliylonian  war-god,  an<l  hal  u  IukIi 
pohitioii  ill  thu  Auxyrian  piiiitiiuoii  iiUo.  His 
nunui  apjaaiH  uh  uu  ehinonl  in  lliu  "  Nur- 
)^'Hl-Hhiiie/."r ''  of  Joromiah  (xxxix.  8,  18) 
and  thii  Nfcri'ili-Hiir  of  rtohdiiy  iinti  IlifouiH. 
And  thu  nioii  of  llamath  nnido  ANhimn.  Tint 
niiiM  oonjiii'liiri'H  Ihui  "  AHliinia"  ri'iircHcnt^ 
tlio  I'haiiiiriiin  l']i<lini()un,<>n(<ortho<'ikliiri,or 
Ki^ht  "  (iriMil  Oiien."  Hill  tliii  <ilyniologi(«l 
ruaotublaaoe  of  Uio  two  wurUa  la  not  oloao,  ma4 


xru  1    41 J       TUX  BBOOITD  BOOK  OF  THB  KIH<Ml 


HUM 


«l  all  <^u1b  IK* I  lb*  R*flMilli  t«« 

Ult»r     a<-k'">»    '•  '  "—     1*1. .»  •, 

Tl.r   11. 


U' 


t 


vl  by 


goia 


til* 


•an. 
kins,"  or 

')    VMOO* 
oCUmI 

:  II  u  pro- 

:  ««tBd    bj 
n'lUd  M  au 


,1  Uf 


auJ 


to  or 


irfl  la  lb*  Im»1    AfUr  U«  a»«Mr  af 
•/!«#   a«    iwir    •/   (i« 

•dr<c>*>  ^  (Ary  (L»    Um  •«il.-nt*wj 

>  OMB    •!     L  «!•        'IImi 

tUr  MbvrttBd  Vw«ta«  fiVM  IW  (MMi^ 
-->  -f  tfa*  wtkta*  tnm  iiiiif  skAs 

:igB     «a«     Wfillo*    (dbuVl    •&. 
'  V  ■■ilaf  thr  ! 

«  »  t  up  oa  llMai  t  -va 

i''  "^  DOM  a1Jli>  •    u«uur<*j  Btt^ 

ailjriAf*  )«»nu<Ml7— «lMy  tms  Ml 

1        TLi*     •lAlr«lic:j(     aBvaM     .iiirtfUf 
■     lli« 

'  la 

-  -•      'f 

-    olvi    b*««    lu.^.ir  4 
»  ilM^  Mad  unit:.*  .  «•« 

K  of  (luii^.  ii«ii^«r 
.'.au«,  «r  alUr  th«tr 
; —  -•uoulas'aaJ  -a»> 
.  mniad  M  bariaf  krtoaM 
by  ihcir  oortt|jatioa  of  IW 
lli>.>  l^^of  "  liMiiir'*  ntftu  '  y  a^Uatpaiiu* 
to  **Uu  ohUdiMi  of  Jb0o6"' iu«»/Ni«  Uio 
dlow of  tho  yaw  w  afUr  tK«  Law ~(»i^.c«, 
•■4i0l»tt«LM»-*aiMaiBaaimiat  wkich 
Um  Lorl  •wimlxl  tM  •hiMrm  of  jMok, 
wkaa  k*  •MMti  Imol  (m*    iieo.   ixiii. 

Vcr.  S5  — Wltk  vhMk  t^  UH  kU  Mai* 
a  MTMoat.  aai  akamd  ikam,  mjim^  Ta 
ikall  BM  tear  oU«  roia,  aar  Ww  yauMlvaa 
to  tk«a.  Bar  tarr*  UaiB.  aar  ■mlti  ta 
tkaa  (-^    '  II.  S:  DmH.  »  7:  rl  14; 

xi  tt.  oToAjjit,*  aoa  Rxod.  lix. 

»— «;  11 

Ver.  3«i.— B«i  U«  Loci.  vW  hrMckt  yaa 
Of  oat  af  tk«  Uai  af  IcTT*   vttb   frtat 
povar  aad  a  atraukad-aal  ar-^ 
Ti.  6:  Deoc  IT    »4.  ?    13: 
f*.  euuin.  IX  t4&x  biis  tlu..  t 
kia  ikall  ya  votakip,  aai  u  his:  : . 
■arrtlaa  (aM  D««L  n.  19;    i.   ».• 
J.ah  &iiT.  li,alr.) 

\ ««  97— Aai  tka  autvtat,  a^  t&»  rr^- 
aaaeaa,  aad  tka  Lav,  a^^ 
vktek  ka  vrau  fcr  yt. . 
PionJiaei^  aaaa  ft«v. 
iana  (mfa   Biad.  ks. 

J<ak.  Ttii   M)— ya  *a  

avacmara  (cuaip^   1^0*    iv  i   i.  &.  &m  V?; 
Doat.  if.  i;  f.  1 ;  rt  Xi.  XA,  •«&) .  aai  ya 


T; 
d. 

arc 

d: 


S40 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS,     [ch.  xvn.  1— 41 , 


•hall  not  fear  other  gois  (see  the  comment 
on  ver.  35). 

Ver.  3S. — And  the  covenant  that  I  have 
made  with  you  ye  shall  not  forget.  The 
"  covenant "  intended  is  not  the  covenant 
of  circumcision,  which  God  made  with 
Abraham  (Gen.  xvii.  9 — 14).  but  the  cove- 
nant of  protection  and  obedience  made  at 
Sinai  between  God  and  the  entire  people 
(Eiod.  xix.  5 — 8),  and  most  solemaly  ratiiied 
by  sprinkling  with  blnod  and  by  a  covenant 
f&ist,  as  related  in  Exo  1.  xxiv.  3 — 11.  This 
was  the  covenant  \\hich  Israel  had  been 
warned  so  frequently  not  to  "  forget "  (Deut. 
iv.  23 ;  viii.  11  ;  xxvi.  13 ;  Prov.  ii.  17),  yet 
which  they  had  "  forgotten,"  or,  at  any  rate, 
"  forsaken,"  as  already  declared  in  ver.  1.5. 
Neither  shall  ye  fear  other  gods.  The  writer 
has  probably  a  practical  object  in  his  re- 
iteration. He  expects  his  words  to  reach 
the  ears  of  the  mixed  race  inhabiting  Sa- 
maria in  his  day,  and  would  fain  warn  them 
against  their  idolatrous  practices,  and  point 
them  to  the  pure  worship  of  Jehovah.  It 
is  plea-sing  to  remember  that  ultimately 
the  mixed  race  was  won  to  the  true  taith, 
and  tli.it  the  Samaritans  of  our  Lord's  time 
were  as  true  worshippers  of  Jehovah,  and  as 
eealoiis  followers  of  the  Law,  as  the  Jews 
thems'  hes.  The  interesting  community  at 
Nabliis  still  mainlaiuH  Samaritan  forms, 
and  reads  the  Sumariian  Pentateuch. 

Ver.  39. — But  the  Lord  your  God  ye  shall 
fear  (cump.  ver.  36) ;  and  he  shall  deliver  you 
out  of  the  hand  of  all  your  enemies.     This 

iironiioG  had  been  madi-  repe.iledly  (see 
Oxod.  xxiii.  27;  I>ev.  xxvi.  7,  8;  Deut.  vi. 
18,  19;  XX.  4;  xxiii.  14;  xxviii.  7,  etc.). 
'I'he  writer  of  Chronicle  s  ainiH  at  showing 
in  detail  that  the  [jroinisp  was  literally 
fiilillli-d  in  the  lii«)t"ry,  victory  in  every  cahe 
d>  claritiK  it  elf  in  favour  of  (Jod'u  people, 
wli"  n  they  Were  fHilhful  and  obedient,  while 
ruverbcfl  always  befell  them  in  the  contrary 


case  (see  1  Chron.  v.  20—22;  x.  13;  xiv. 
10—16;  2  Chron.  xii.  1—12;  xiii.  4—18; 
xiv.  9—12  :  XX.  5—30,  etc.). 

Ver.  40. — Howbeit  they  did  not  hearken. 
The  mixed  race,  with  their  mixed  religioii, 
though  professing  to  be  worshippers  of 
Jehovah,  paid  no  attention  to  the  warnings 
and  threatenings  of  the  Law  (ver.  34),  which 
were  to  them  a  dead  letter.  But  they  did 
after  their  former  manner;  i.e.  they  con- 
tinued to  maintain  the  syncretism  described 
in  vers.  28—33. 

Ver.  41. — So  these  nations — i.e.  the 
Babylonians,  Cuthajans,  Hainathites,  Avites, 
and  Sepharvites  settled  in  Samaria — feared 
the  Lord,  and  served  their  graven  images. 
The  rabbinical  writers  tell  us  that  Ncrgal 
was  worshipped  under  the  form  of  a  cock, 
Athiina  under  the  form  of  a  goat,  Nibhaz 
under  the  form  of  a  dog,  Tartak  under  that 
of  an  ass,  while  Adrammelech  and  Anam- 
melech  were  represented  by  a  mule  and  a 
horse  respectively.  Not  much  confidence 
can  be  placed  in  these  representations.  The 
Babylonian  gods  were  ordinarily  figured  in 
human  forms.  Animal  ones — as  those  of 
the  bull  and  the  lion,  generally  winged  and 
human-headed,  were  in  a  few  cases,  but 
only  in  a  few,  used  to  represent  the  gods 
symbolically.  Other  emblems  employed 
were  the  winged  circle  for  Asshur;  the  disc 
plain  or  four-rayed  for  the  male  sun,  six  or 
eight-nxyed  for  the  foiuiile  sun;  the  crescent 
for  the  moon  god  Sin ;  the  thundeib(dt  for 
the  god  of  the  atmosphere,  Vul  or  itlmmon  ; 
tlie  wedge  or  arrow-head,  the  fundamental 
element  of  writing,  for  Nelxi.  Iraagi  s,  how- 
ever, were  made  of  all  the  gods,  and  were 
no  doubt  set  up  by  the  several  *'  nations  " 
in  their  respective  "cities."  Both  their 
children,  and  their  children's  children — i.e. 
their  descemliints  to  the  time  of  the  writer 
of  Kings — as  did  their  fathers,  so  do  thoy 
onto  thu  day. 


IJOMILETIOS. 

V<Tii.  1 — 4. —  77ie  unxnis'litn  of  worldli/  craft  and  policy.  Hoshpa  came  to  the 
thrxiiH  at  a  time  of  kicui  danger  and  difli(  nlty.  The  Assyrian  Hyalein  of  gnidual 
tv.pinnion  iind  annexation  was  bcttled  and  alnumt  dt'clarwl.  'I"lm  potty  statcH  upuu 
her  \nitdnrn  w  ri'  brut  iiiva'ed  luid  ravii^-cd  ;  then  they  were  taken  under  her  prolectiou; 
linaiy  ihi-y  smtc  iili.nilnxl.  The  pmce.^H  bad  Itccn  ^oini;  im  from  the  ilayH  of  'i'i/lutb- 
|<il>iw.<r  I.  (aUiul  H.O.  1130),  and  wan  still  in  o|Kfration.  l)annt:<euH  waa  a  k  cent  exanipbi 
of  it.  Under  tliuito  ciicitniHtancoH,  iioHhna  could  nut  but  feel  iiis  throne  preearidus,  and 
thn  inile|M-iid'  uc  ol  bm  C4>untry  more  than  ilircatuntxl.  Mow  would  he  net  nnml  wisely 
fur  ItiH  own  Rocitrtty  and  thai  u(  hin  omntry  ?     'I'liurfi  woio  thruu  coiirscH  (i|N'n  to  iiiin. 

I.  ila  MKiiiT  i^KtK  Hui.Bi.T  Tri  TiiR  AsHYKiAN  Ki.NU.  Alxiolulu  HubniiKHion,  fidelity, 
WKtrhfiil  tnnnni  for  Iba  hiir>nrain'N  int^rentii,  pundnal  pnyninnt  <>{  the  bxe<l  tributii, 
lib*ir:il  d<itinii<>na  t"  the  c-Murt  ofliciala  Kn<l  the  nionaicb  l>i<yund  tho  honi  ap|i(iint<Hl, 
Ijeinralls  urn.rMl  to  ih"  |  fleeliHl  Niate  lh«  (ontinuau'  e  i.f  Itn  MizeraiiiV  (avour,  ittiil 
a  prolongation  of  in  |)ri>icclod  exixience.  floHhnk  im^ht  bnve  adopUxi  ihi*  uilioy. 
He  tmn\tt  have  \j«al  all  hit  edurla  lu  the  propilialiuu  uf  the  AsHyriaii  monareti,  and 


m  im  1-410      TttI  nOOVD  kOOI  OF  TBI  DIIOiL 


Ml 


U  ihkt  v«y  b*  *a«M 


y  Imw 


•  y««r  ilk*  iMotTuf*  al  »at.  •imIT  ■ 


"1: 
|.<  • 

H 


op««d  ftt  tiM  tlm*  by  ik*  riM  lo 

'  iUtm»  a^s 11-  oioa  i  Mid  as 

c  »id  of  frutm  afAiMt  A«MUi^ 

.  '  \MV'ta.  ttkifh  •ctvally  oviag 


«RP  "  »«»»  or  rt  wn.    awp 


1 


*••  too  Um. 


pi4k}  tLe  wucM  p4kr7  il«t 


Tank  7— :r3      7t/  f^M  m  to  k  iMntI  frmm  Urn   rfirfrwrtrfia   ^  U«  htm,fimm  ^ 
-^dKMi  ia,  of  oottrHi  Um  great  (act — 
eo  BT  God  aa  aaaroxaiaLa  cvrrk,  aw  a»  n-ytasi^ 

ib  »ts».      It   Mac   thau  "ctU   ways"   i' rt'  hi 

'4  0»«i   '.kat    aT  al   ib«  rouC  of  !•  »    %   ••  »»* 

-     f  the  c».»i 

»  I  '  RIM<»>,    111 

IT.     11        'U. 


I.  Tmat 
BTMi  oan-awiA. 
afriaal  iW  eoc 
prDc4ri>  Hum*   . 
Ua  lai«/  kio^a 
avnca  U  Gul  •&«  » 
OMNlf .  M)  raal  "  ki» 

iab-Wiua. 


!li^  Iv. 
»7 


ll. 
X»rrA 

L 
r» 
k 


u  ifeMB  ;  tikrj  euuM  ikot  ba  |i 


.lb 


^    Aaa    aaKATLT    a  ■<iHAV4TKi>   ni  Ooo^  Maar   whih   nuv    aaa 
A  o>Trici<rT  Maui   with  mi«.     braal  vaa  oDdar  CDVr   r   t  vtth  Oo4 

(L*    rlt#«B«   o-rdjlh.*^  .     hla 

>ail  ili«a  tb«   <i»         I  •«!<:      llc_c«  iba 
vba  braaek  ol  tbv     .«r   a^^;   iv  iba  aonkara 

til  Kblfat  b  %Xf  Lua  !'  »■  '  »(K<  *J  cA'.ia*  fl#  Ma 


$42  THE  SE(X)ND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [oh.  xvn.  1— 4L 

even  when  it  is  only  between  man  and  man  (Gal.  iii.  15);  but  a  covenant  between 
man  and  God — how  can  anything  be  more  holy  ?  Must  not  the  infraction  of  such 
a  covenant  entail  fearful  consequences? 

in.  That  it  is  a  ftjbther  great  aggravation  of  the  guilt  of  sin  to 
COMMIT  IT  against  FREQUENT  WARNINGS.  "Yet  the  Lord  testified  against  Israel, 
and  against  Judah,  by  all  the  prophets,  and  by  all  the  seers,  saying,  Turn  ye  from  your 
evil  ways"(ver.  13).  Comp.  2  Chron.  xxxvi.  15,  16,  "And  the  Lord  God  of  their 
fathers  sent  to  them  by  his  niessengers,  rising  up  betimes,  and  sending  ;  because  he  had 
compassion  on  his  people,  and  on  his  dwelling-place :  but  they  mocked  the  messengers  of 
God,  and  despised  his  words,  and  misused  his  prophets,  until  the  wrath  of  the  Lord  arose 
against  his  people,  till  there  was  no  remedy."  The  sin  of  Israel  would  have  been  far 
less,  would  not  perhaps  have  been  quite  "  without  remedy,"  had  they  not  for  so  long 
a  time  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  the  warnings  and  exhortations  of  the  prophets,  refusing  to 
"  hear  the  voice  of  the  charmers,  charmed  they  never  so  wisely,"  and  persisting  in 
their  disobedience,  their  wickedness,  their  greed,  their  cruelty,  their  besotted  idolatry, 
despite  the  scathing  denunciations,  the  tender  pleadings,  the  wise  coimsels,  almost  unin- 
terruptedly addressed  to  them.  "StiflFnecked  and  imcircumcised  in  heart  and  ears" 
(Acts  vii.  51),  they  "  resisted  the  Holy  Ghost;  "  and  their  doom  ha*d  to  be  pronounced. 

Congregations  in  this  country  and  at  the  present  day  may  be  reminded  (1)  that  Eng- 
land is  not  without  her  national  sins;  (2)  that  the  sins  of  Christians  are,  all  of  them, 
infractions  of  the  covenant  made  in  baptism  between  themselves  and  God ;  and  (3) 
that  tlie  sins  of  Christians  are  committed  against  the  constant  warnings  of  God's 
appointed  ministers,  who  stand  to  them  as  the  prophets  stood  to  the  Israelites. 

Vers.  24 — 41. — The  absurdity  and  uselessness  of  a  mixed  religion.  Syncretism  has 
been  at  all  times  a  form  which  religion  is  apt  to  assume  in  mixed  communities. 
Theoretically,  religions  are  antithetic,  exclusive,  mutually  repulsive.  Practically, 
where  they  coexist,  they  tend  to  give  and  take,  to  approximate  one  to  the  other,  to 
drop  differences,  to  blend  togethir  into  an  apparent,  if  not  a  real,  union.  Christianity 
had  at  first  those  who  would  sit  in  an  idol-temple,  and  partake  of  idol-saerificfcs  (1  Cor. 
viii.  10).  Judaism  under  the  Seleucidse,  but  for  the  rude  impatience  of  Antiochus 
Epiphanes,  was  on  the  jioint  of  making  terms  with  Hellenism.  In  Samaria,  after  the 
events  related  in  vers.  2-1 — 28,  a  mixed  religiou — a  "  min.;le-mangle,"  to  use  Refui  - 
mation  language — took  its  place  as  the  religion  of  the;  mixed  people.  "  They  feared 
the  Lord,  and  served  their  own  gods."  Jehovah  was  everywhere  acknowledgid, 
honoured,  wor.>hi|i|)ed  with  sacrifice.  But  at  the  same  time,  heatiien  gotls — partial, 
local,  half-material,  sacred,  but  not  holy — were  objects  of  a  far  more  real  and  intense 
woraliip.     Such  a  n  lii^ion  is  (1)  absurd,  (2)  useless. 

L  Synckktism  is  absurd,  sinoi'  it  Ih  self-contradictory.  "  What  concord  has  Christ 
with  B<lial?"  (2  Cor.  vi.  15).  Keligions  which  are  really  diflcrent  have  contradictory 
fir»t  iirinciplea;  and  agreement  can  only  be  etlccted  by  a  droi>pin<_', on  one  side  or  the 
oth- r,  or  both,  of  what  Ih  viUil  and  ess'  ntial.  in  the  particular  case  before  us,  absolute 
nionothei  m  was  the  very  core  and  essence  of  the  Johovah-W'  rship  ;  ai  tual  poly  tin  ism 
wa-i  the  root  and  groundwork  of  the  other.  The  two  were  lo;j;ii  ally  inconsistent,  incom- 
|>alible.  I'ractnally,  the  contnulicliun  may  not  always  havo  been  perceived,  for  nniu, 
thouf^h  a  rational,  is  not  a  logical  animal;  but  the  ynienil  result,  no  doubt,  was  that 
the  rnonotii(!ij.lic  idea  had  togivc  way  :  Jehovah,  the  one  only  God  of  the  whole  earth, 
had  to  nink  into  a  '*  (;od  of  the  land,"  and  to  n  ccivo  an  «»cc4i«ional  and  grudginj^  acknow- 
icd:incnl  from  thoHO  whone  henrtu  ^v«re  with  their  own  ^o<1h,  Nti^al  and  Ashinut  and 
AdrttminpJiH^h.  Hut,  in  tlii«  cane,  the  worshiji  of  Jehovah  was  MUperlluoiiH.  God  does 
not  tiiank  ncn  for  drai^Mu^  him  into  a  ixintheon,  and  Hrttin^  him  Hide  by  side  with 
beiD|{n  who  an;  no  gixlii,  but  the  fantaHiio^nvontiunn  of  ima^inulionH  d(>|iravud  and 
(:<>rru|'tc<l  by  nin. 

II.  Svn<'nrnM»i  iti  i;hki.khh.  Contrary  Hyutemii  of  religion  will  not  Mir,.i!frnnu»le,  btt 
ni'fi  do  what  they  may  Kithcr  ft.icb  neutniliz.tm  tbo  otluT,  and  the  result  In  no  relii^iou 
at  »ll  ;  or  ifOi'  ((•  tx  thn  ii|ii><'r  liand,  an<l  tlio  oilittr  rlrmcni  tni);bl  mm  well  \w  al>Hi  iit. 
Thrra  ii  no  M!rvin«  **(i<Kl  and  miimnmn,"  "CliriMt  tiuU  Belial."  Tho  ndnd  ca-inot 
r<  Ally,  hi  iiur  iind  ihr  Mmo  timx,  Mxx'pt  C4intrn<licl4iriin.  Tho  lliw  may  <lo  no,  but 
raligiun  u  an  a(T>iir  uf  lb<  LoarL     byucrotiani  Lh  an  »pj>Aiuiit,  uul  a  raal  union.     Th>  i  :iua 


m.  iTiL  1-41]       TQB  BBOONO  BuOC  UF  TUB  tLlSQtL  :^a 

— iilly  it<1rill»» oMWoi  imlinii      T\«i.  ptiimwilty.  ijantHw  to  vhIha.    b  <■ 

4llMr  •  BMr*  ttLuiiu^  uakaa  or  *  aud*  of  •Hit.  u^titi*  re  .>    n  fruai  b<i—  Mk     la  ik« 
«Mi  Wfora  •  ia  bav*  Wl  Um  K.  .ok  poljriMrt^  )u«  •• 

aneli  Moki  '    lu^t  thna     ZrmV  «  Ukrai  ao  part  la  Um 

baltdlag  of  Uir  Mx&n  '  a  Um  cun  aiM»*'.  **  Y«  bav«  aoCklftf 

ID  do  with  a*  u>  (Kul.!  Sua  Iv.  SX     Had  Im  doM  o(bar»iM. 

ka  taoaU  kata  aMnail  J>*im,»tu  ui  *  |AMjfU.«»*U(3  sad  IdoUifuaa  pMuda^allglaa. 

BOMIUBS  BT  yARIOUS  AUTIlOltfi. 

Tab  I  $.  -fit  ra^wjf  AaUa.  L  A  voouaa  «DirtOB.  Thf  lift  of  ororj  mam  b 
a  avHoa  of  wmf  •urt.  Wa  aaaoot,  vwd  if  w«  vuuU,  br  »b»jlui4»x  uur  ova  ouatara. 
BoBM  oiaa  aia  lh»  Mrraau  ol  aalL  >^:ii9  an  tko  m<v«:<u  uf  oiiton.  Boom  am  ite 
Mt^aata  of  food.  Scom  ara  tba aanranu  uf  criL  Suoia  o"^  >' ^  ^^>  ^>  <«  of  nuary,  or 
«f  plaaaaN^  or  of  UmIt  paiinaa     What  kighar  apiiaiiti  .«•  ovor  aaf 

ttjoa'a  laak  thai  ih»  fitutJe  w>irda,  **  A  aarraat  of  Ood*  '  _      .-  oboiea  eatdi 

aaj  nail  n  ^  and  my  buuM,  wo  <*iii  mtt*  ia«  Lurd*?     But 

'aa  !  -!>«•  mada.     fia  t^^^tit   the  aarrieauf  Ood  vm 


alaTvnr.     lioci)<'>  ti*a  Kiagof  Aaayri».    Wiiat  fuuU  tnaa  ara  aooacimaa! 

Hu«  bl  O'i  to  tL'  ^-laalal    Tka  pr>lii^  auo  ia  his  fxthar't  b<n-«  k^ 

araiy  cnnefurt,  o  ,  aii :  rara,     But  bo  tbougbt  tiioro  •       '                                «. 

Ha  woulil  like  I*.  '•  (if  hia  own  wmy.     AihI  •>  b«  w«oi  r't 

kooaa.     But  b«  »  to  rvtutu.      Ur                   'hmJ    iLo   t^yiu*  ui   iLe  m^Jiii 

aad  of  aiD  quito  ^  «  cxprciad.     h                  acuvrr,  whco  it  ia  too  laii^ 

"Tba  w^aa  ul  •  ■  i^ ;  Vui  lita  i;ift  of  UvO  la  atciii*!  Uia,  thxuugk  JoMiaCknot 
oar  LanL" 

II.  A  riTT  'T.     Hoa)>ea  waa  ooCaithfal  to  Ood.     Aod  tha  man  *ko  k 

aotaitLful  I  liuJ — tba  bigbeat  o(  aJl  claiiua — la  gviM-rallj  uti(Mtbfal  to 

kia  fallow-:  lu  thia  caae.     **l'ka  Kinc  of  Aaajria  fMiaU  <»«upir«cj  la 

Hi^ea."     1  -rrd  iutu  a^afaoMBU  whleb  ka  did  doC  fulfil     Tka  laal 

intrityfar  -tumm  mtam  mmd  wtam  i»  obmUmtm  to  Uu  Lmw  a^O^    Tka 

kiaturyufb.  <  iiluab  taaekaa  ua  tkat.    Tka  aatioa  wkaia  Uod  ia  koooarad, 

wLtra  tiM  \N      .        .  rAi!  ia  l*.  n.  riJlv  kimerior  to  oikara  la  tba  iodoatry,  oi»iaa^ 

a»rot,  and  proapenty  u/  lU                                   laB  wko  faani  Ood  b  tbo  naa  wko  oaa 

ka  dr(«ii<lad  oa.  **  Uo  bacL  '^^"^P**  ^"^ dualk  tml  to  bia  aaigbbjor. 
■or  lakolk  ap  a  tvpruack  afauiaa  kia  nai^iihoiir.*— C.  iL  L 

Tcta.  6— 2S.— Oa^lMly  mmd  tti  aaaaa.  nrra  la  tka  kacbmlag  of  tka  dtepaniea  of 
brati  Sooa  that  iaToarad  aatitti  will  be  "  a  pe^'pla  aeatiarad  and  paakd."  Tkaaa 
vaiaaa  giva  aa  tka  ezptanatioo  of  laraaTa  axila.  It  la  a  arOatna  wanuog  a^aiaai  tko 
aailari  of  of«x>rtuBitka> 

L  CuMMAraaMnasTm    "T  ^    M  kk  atatotM » (var.  15);  "Tkaykft  aU 

ika»><un  aadaaaliaf  tka  Lord  t  (var.  16);  ^'Tu.t  aerrod  i'ola,  wba««uf  tK« 

Lord  kad  aald  one  Ikam,  Taaiiai  ixK  au  tbia  thin.-"  '    I     Oboaidar:  1.    H'kmm 

iiiiimifi  1%  dimkmmi.    Tka  eommaada of  tbe  U  1     It  va«  ba  wko  kad 

krougkt  tkaa  oui  af  Ecjpi.  It  waa  ka  wko  kad  brvugoi  mem  lOlo  tka  promlMd  kkud. 
It  waa  ka  wko  kad  aada  of  tbarn— a  raea  of  kombla  akapkarda  a  grmt  aaiioa.  Wkoa 
God  faaa  Ika  taa  onaainandmaota,  ka  firaftwad  tkaia  by  lamtadib^  lanMd  of  kia  atrial 


wm  tkaok  ** I  am  tba  Locd  tky  Out,  wLuh  bava  brm^t  tb«»  uut  of  tka  laud  «f 
K«7pt«  ool  of  Um  kooaa  of  kuodaciL*  Tkia  waa  a  ttnimt  raaai«  iut  okailtaacaL  **  Tka 
Mafciia  to  Ika  taa  onmiaaodinaau  toaokaa  ua  tku  kaoaoaa  Oud  la  tka  Lord,  and  oar 
Oodaa 

arcUim:fl)  Cyaoawrr^  Ammm  Amm^.    TLia  u  nailoo  aadpiaaar- 

valkai  aad  urondauea    *la  bim  «o  Itve,  aid  movr.  ^  w«bc.*    WmJmt 


tkanfbra  waara  kottod  lo  keapall  hi*  c  <  I  I  fta^Imaota.**    Oud  baa 
arfaularcUim:fl)  Cyaoawrr^  Ammm  Amm^.    TLia  u  nailoo  aad 


Bka  II  or  aa(,  ikay  aanol  got  hd  of  Ood*a  alalia  tuna  tb«tt.    (3)  V\ 

Ba  kaa  kniagbt  aa  out  of  tka  kooaa  af  boDda^     **  la  wfKMa  wa  kaa« 

a  of  ataiL"     "  Aoeordiaf  aa  ka  kalk 
wurld,  tkat  wa  akmU  ka  kg^  mk 


roagk  Ua  klood,  avae  tka  t>rifai>aaa  of  ataa."     "  Aoeordiaff  aa  ka  kalk 
klB  bafaa  tka  iouadaite  of  Ika 


844  THE  SEC50ND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.        [oe.  xvn.  1— 41 

■without  blame  before  him  in  love."  2.  What  commands  they  disobeyed.  All  God's 
commandments  were  for  their  own  good.  They  were  rational  and  wise  commandments. 
To  forbid  idolatry  was  to  forbid  a  sin  which  in  itself  was  ungrateful  and  dishonourino 
to  the  true  God,  and  which  was  degrading  and  demoralizing  in  its  consequences.  Oh 
that  men  were  wise,  that  they  would  consider  the  consequences  of  sin  for  titne  and  for 
eternity !  "  The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom,  and  to  depart  from  evil 
is  understanding." 

11.  Waentsgs  DISREGARDED.  Note:  1.  God's  forhearance  and  mercy.  God  did  not 
cut  them  off  at  once  for  their  sin.  Time  after  time  lie  forgave  them.  He  sent  them 
his  prophets  to  invite  them  to  return  to  him,  to  give  them  promises  of  pardon  and 
blessing,  to  point  out  to  them  what  must  be  the  inevitable  consequence  of  perseverance 
in  sin.  Sis  anxiety  to  save  them  was  very  great.  The  phrase  used  in  Jeremiah  is  a 
remarkable  one.  "  They  have  not  hearkened  to  ray  words,  saith  the  Lord,  which  I 
sent  unto  them  by  my  servants  the  prophets,  rising  up  early  and  sending  them.'* 
What  a  wonderful  and  touching  description  of  God's  desire  to  save! — "Rising  up 
early."  As  if  he  wanted  to  be  before  men.  As  if  he  wanted  to  anticipate  their 
temptations  by  his  messages  of  warning  and  of  guidance.  If  we  make  God's  Word  our 
morning  study,  what  a  help  we  shall  find  it  in  the  difiBculties  and  temptations  and 
duties  of  each  day!  2.  Man's  folly  and  hiivdness.  "Notwithstanding  they  would 
not  hear,  but  hardened  their  necks,  like  to  the  neck  of  their  fathers,  that  did  not  believe 
in  the  Lord  their  God"  (ver.  14).  All  the  warnings  were  in  vain.  "  They  sold  them- 
selves to  do  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  "  (ver.  17).  Is  it  not  a  true  description  of  the 
life  of  the  sinner?  He  imagines  that  sin  is  freedom,  and  he  finds  it  to  be  the  most 
grinding  and  opjiressive  slavery.  He  is  "  led  captive  by  the  devil  at  his  will."  The 
sinner  serves  a  hard  master.  "  They  caused  their  sons  and  their  daughters  to  pass 
through  the  fire  "  (ver.  17).  How  cruel  is  heathenism  I  How  it  crushes  out  the  tender 
feelings  of  humanity  and  kindness!  Look  upon  the  picture  of  it  as  presented  in  its 
Moliichs,  in  its  Juggernauts,  in  its  suttees.  See  how  the  aged  and  the  sick  are  left 
alone  to  die.  Contrast  with  all  this  the  spirit  and  work  of  Christianity,  its  care  for  the 
sick  and  the  poor,  its  sympathy  for  the  oppressed.  Heathenism  makes  slavt  s ; 
Christianity  emancipates  them.  This  is  true  alike  of  the  slavery  of  the  body  and  the 
slavery  of  the  mind.  3.  (S'tn'«  bitter  fi-uit.  "  And  the  Lord  rejected  all  the  seed  of 
Israel,  and  afflicted  them,  and  delivered  them  into  the  hand  of  spoilers,  until  he  had 
cast  them  out  of  his  sight."  Calamity  is  never  causeless.  If  we  are  afflicted,  let  us 
see  whether  the  cause  may  not  be  in  our  own  hearts,  in  our  own  lives.  What  a  warning 
is  here  to  Churches  1  What  a  warning  against  unfiuth fulness,  ngainst  setting  up  human 
ordinances  in  the  worship  of  God !  "  Remember  therefore  from  whence  thou  art  fallen, 
and  rei>ent,  and  do  the  first  works;  or  else  I  will  come  unto  thee  quickly,  and  will 
remove  thy  candlestick  out  of  his  place,  except  thou  repent."  ]\'hat  a  waminii  is  here 
against  n' gleet  of  opportunities  1  If  we  fail  to  use  out  opportunities  and  pvivile;^es,  they 
will  1x3  certainly  taken  from  us.  Let  us  f^ive  an  attentive  ear  to  tlic  warnings  oi'  Gud'a 
Word,  t<j  the  everyday  warnings  of  Ond's  providence.  "  Because  I  have  called,  and  ye 
rofuhcd  ;  I  hiive  Htretched  out  my  hand,  and  no  man  regarded  ;  but  yo  have  set  nt 
nought  all  my  counsel,  and  would  nunc  of  my  reproof:  I  also  will  laugh  at  your 
calamity;  I  will  mock  when  your  fear  comoth.  .  .  .  Thev  would  nono  nf  my  counsel, 
they  de-filHed  all  my  reproof.  Thenfori!  shall  they  eat  of  tiie  fruit  (f  their  own  way, 
and  be  filled  with  their  own  duvicus." — C.  U.  I. 

Vcm.  24 — 41. — Samaria  and  its  religion.  I.  Itb  rAnr.T  oodlkhsnehh.  The  land  of 
Fatn.iria  wrh  nowd'  prived  of  it*  iHriiclitiKJi  inhahitanlH.  Thf  Kiui;  of  Assyria  colnni/.cd 
it  witli  hfatlifin  iin  i'/rants.  "  At  the  heginuiii';  of  their  dwollini;  there,  they  feared 
not  til'-  Lord."  What  a  inlhlal<<;  lo  go  anywluire  without  lalving  God'H  jirescner  with 
um!  H'W  many  junrniyH  are  underlaken,  liow  many  a  ItusinesH  is  entcmd  on,  wilhout 
ever  n  wor<l  of  jiraver  Ix-ing  olTeri'd  to  God!  How  many  a  hom<t  lifo  Ih  comincinid 
wilhoiil  n  family  altar  !  Am  the  younn  Scotch  lai  na'd  of  a  liouso  wliorr  li«  HUyod  for 
•<itn<'  tiriiii,  and  whuro  thop'  wft«  no  family  prayer,  "There  in  no  roof  on  that  houHe." 
"  Kx'«pi  t)i<'  I/ord  hiiild  the  lioum',  thev  laliour  in  vain  that  huild  it." 

II.  Ira  m;iM»r<ji;EN'r  ji noMKNTH.  "Ther«f<ir«  the  Ij'ird  wnit  liouM  among  tluMn, 
wliicb  slew  Muuitt  of  iLriii.       Wb<  rc-riirc  they  Hpnk<'   to  tliu  King  of  AxMyria,  Hiiyiiig, 


m.  &TU.  1— 4L]        TUI  BBOUND  BOOK  Uf  TUB  KllfUiL 


ill  ti..   i  'i»t  <v  >.  1 


>»..rld.    '1 

iii  lh«  M.  • 

.  l.t   lU    '.l' 
li.UiUtut'.t 

Ti>u.  : 


\--:  at  ft! 


lo  u.i  -V  a.  1. 


r.3 


IJc     f    ^ 

•  ;..      ■"  1  ' 

•  ?  •'    **  1 

ce  vain 

t„'</'^c... 

.'fi     »<^.r. 

•  -•  Kias  of  UnaL    H* 


(uiitj  wurliar  t»i  wruug ;  Mid  m  •  umbM  vicuni  of  wraog. 


346  THE  SEC0J!JD  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [oh.  xvn.  1— 4L 

I.  Ab  an  uiTFOBTirNATE  nraERiTOB  OF  WBOXG.  Upon  Hoshea  and  his  age  there 
came  down  the  corrupting  influence  of  no  less  than  eighteen  princes,  all  of  whom  were 
steeped  in  wickedness  and  fanatical  idolatry.  The  whole  nation  had  become  completely 
immoral  and  idolatrous.  This  king— the  last  of  the  Israelitish — it  is  said,  "  did  that 
which  was  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  but  not  as  the  kings  of  Israel  that  were  before 
him."  If  one  shade  better  than  his  predecessors,  he  was,  notwithstanding,  a  man 
whose  character  seems  unredeemed  by  one  single  virtue.  It  is  one  of  not  only  the 
commonest,  but  the  most  perplexing,  facts  in  history  that  one  generation  corces  to 
inherit,  to  a  great  extent,  the  character  of  its  predecessor.  The  thoughts,  the  principles, 
and  the  spirit  that  animated  the  men  of  the  past,  come  down  and  take  possession  of  the 
minds  of  the  men  of  the  present.  Though  the  bodies  of  our  predecessors  are  mouldering 
in  the  dust,  they  are  still  here  in  their  thoughts  and  influences.  This  is  an  undoubted 
fact.  It  serves  to  explain  three  things.  1.  The  vital  connedion  hetiveen  all  the  members 
of  the  race.  Though  men  are  countless  in  number,  and  ever  multiplying,  humanity  is 
one.  All  are  branches  of  the  same  root,  members  of  the  same  body,  links  iu  one  chain. 
None  can  be  affected  without  affecting  others ;  the  motion  of  one  link  propagates  an 
influence  to  the  end  of  the  chain.  None  of  us  liveth  unto  himself.  Solemn  tliouglit ! 
Our  very  breathings  may  produce  ripples  upon  the  mighty  lake  of  existence,  which 
will  spread  in  ever-widening  circles  to  the  very  shores  of  eternity.  There  are  mystic 
springs  connecting  us  with  the  universe.  Can  we  move  without  touching  them?  Can 
we  give  a  touch  that  will  not  send  its  vibrations  along  the  arches  of  the  boundless 
future?  The  effects  of  a  man's  influence,  either  for  good  or  evil,  will  be  determined 
by  his  moral  character.  A  bad  man  is  a  moral  curse;  the  influence  that  streams  from 
him  will  be  moral  poison.  A  good  man,  under  Grod,  is  a  blessing;  his  influence,  like 
the  living  waters,  will  irrigate  and  beautify  the  mental  districts  through  which  it 
flows.  2.  The  immense  difficulty  of  improving  the  moral  condition  of  the  race.  There 
have  been  men  in  every  age  and  land  who  have  "  striven  even  unto  blood  "  to  improve 
the  race.  Poets  have  depicted  the  charms  of  virtue,  moralists  have  reasoned  against 
wrong,  martyrs  have  died  for  the  right;  and  during  the  last  eiahteen  centuries, 
throughout  Christendom,  the  best  men  throughout  all  communions  have  struggled 
hard  to  bring  the  world's  mind  under  the  supreme  ?eign  of  the  true,  the  beautiful, 
and  the  good.  But  how  miserable  has  been  the  result  I  Evil  is  everywhere  the 
dominant  force — dominant  not  merely  in  markets  and  governments,  but  even  in 
Churches.  Those  of  us  who  have  lived  longest  in  the  world,  looked  deepest  into  its 
moral  heart,  and  laboured  most  zealously  and  persistently  for  its  improvement,  foel, 
like  Sisyphus  in  ancient  fable,  struggling  to  roll  a  large  stone  to  the  top  of  a  mountain, 
which,  aw  soon  as  we  think  some  progress  has  been  made,  rolls  back  to  its  old  position, 
and  that  with  greater  imixjtuosity.  Scripture  everywhere  recognizes  this  difficulty, 
nnd  Bp<  aks  of  the  work  as  a  "  race,"  a  "  battle,"  a  "  crucifixion."  I  question  whether 
the  world  is  morally  much  better  than  it  has  ever  been.  3.  Theahsohde  need  of  svper- 
human  arjcncy  epiritiinlly  toredeem  the  race.  Philosophy  shows  that  a  bad  world  cannot 
improve  itself,  cannot  make  itself  good.  Bad  men  can  neither  help  themselves 
morally  nor  help  others.  If  the  world  is  to  bo  improved,  thoughts  and  influences  from 
hupcrhiiriian  ro;.ioriH  must  be  transfused  into  its  heart.  Moral  pondncss  must  come  in 
a  new  form,  aiid  ply  n>  w  agencies.  Herein  is  the  gospel:  "When  we  wore  without 
htrcngth,  iti  due  time  Christ  dioil  for  the  ungiHlly." 

II.  Ah  a  orii.TY  woiikkh  of  wiiono.  liusliea  and  his  peojilo  were  not  only  tbo 
iiihrritoig  (if  the  corruptioriH  ftf  pawt  gcrioriitioMn,  but  they  tiioinselves  bccanio  agciits  iu 
iirojKigatirjg  find  |.<:r|.»!tuttlitig  tlio  wiekodntWH.  S<!<i  wliat  ih  Haid  of  HohIhm  Ikmo.  "  TIio 
King  of  At-Hyrifi  found  conHpiracy  in  Ib.Hhm."  'I'liiH  in  only  one  •pccinien  or  devc'op- 
ment  of  thi»  inan'H  wi(:l<*'<hiOHH.  Sr«  what  is  wiid  of  liis  pidplo.  " 'i'iin  children  of 
Ih'iu!)  bad  Hiriri'd  nguiuHt  ihn  Lord  fhfir  (lod,  wliich  bad  brouglit  tboin  uj)  out  of  tbo 
land  of  Kgyrit,  from  uridi-r  tbo  hand  of  I'liarauh  King  of  Kgypt,  and  bail  feared  other 
((fxlH."  So  that  wbdo  they  wcro  the  InhcrilorM  of  a  corrupt  past,  tb(\v  wire  at  the  Hamo 
lime  iptiily  iiK""t"  in  a  wickoij  promiil.  Strong  ax  in  tlin  Influfiico  of  thn  pa^t  unon  uh, 
It  la  not  ntrotig  cnoigh  to  rncrc4i  uh  Into  wrong.  QrnciouH  Ileavun  has  lUMowru  evrry 
rrinn  with  iIk-  powir  of  tbouKhl  nnd  rcwdvo  nnnicient,  if  b(*  uhkh  It,  to  rirtn  abovo  ibe 
Infl'iTiOd  of  til"  rH»>il,  and  to  mount  into  a  now  mural  oiliit  of  lifn.  lie  ban  lb«  pnwor 
to  itAiKl  ou  iLo  firm  rock  of  hla  own   individuulily,  and  to  itay  tu  tlio  nwulUnt;  mie  u( 


«&XTM.i— 4L]       THB  HiiAuND   B(»<»K   of  TUB  KIVOiL  Mf 


dr  rsvlty.  w  lu  w»v<«  III  inf iiiiiMn  M«.  "ft    kt  i^i'l  ikun  •mm.  ^mA  m  hnhm,* 
li  i«UM  ((>•  f*llM«  Km  hsMI  Mi,  UmM  U  bo  >bi<  fM*  '  ^•^ 

al«x       IV*-t*e    a..    I'.e    fMMWliutN   tkkl    l«f«  fuO*    Li  -« 

•(«•  o<  |«4  whhwi»i«^  Imi  f»tWr  like  iImm*  «.  •  ibM  «mi  al  |4HnM  mmw* 

fr,..   .»..  »'iu.«a^aftd^uUU«ai  for  Um  wida  §• ^. 

•  ruuMA  ncnm  or  vao»«i.     WLai  w  Uw  ^tUtimi  oiinwi  «f  all 
U  ^      fl*r     Ralrtbi»u«>  -r'B,  rlflaraw^  aad  w^abiM      "IImo  Um  Ei^   ol 


AMjrte  aaoM  aptktonf*n>                 Um.  aad  »«bi  «p  la  Baaaha.  ao^  Um^  it 
.-•     -TbU  va«  U  ^    * 


Ufta  jti&r*."    "TbU  vas  ti  ^  ^.'m1  iital  aai^dUkB  af  SkaiaMiMflr 

vMa  i  -^l  U  •(«(&•  to  bar*  baaa  afur  Um  la(«*  u/  a  jva/  ur  t»u  fhiM  kla 

Wbal  arw  odauoa  k^  excilad  kb  VT»tli  ba«  but  U«i  rMuMad ; 


Wl  aa  a  liiuaiii  il  laanAaaaa  was  mad*  by  hU  nftaoturt  fail.  Khtlimn— r  taafiaj 
far  a  fapdar  s^f^  ti  "■maili.  wtiiob,  ibnmfk  Uw  atebbora  va?  <ur  a/  tb*  braaUtaa 
lb— Itii.     ■  ■:•  Kid  c/  KfTpcka  Uuopi^  I—ltd  k*  tx^^  jaarK     Ai 

Utflb  Ibsc.  *i«d  i  or.  if  JwriikiM  U  eonaol,  WM  tak  iVit  iimi 

gkry  «f  ibk  cxittnuoi  »a«  aol  a^^yad  by  Bbitnuaiaar,  vbu  bad  Urit  »^:.  a4 

bjr  iba  outb(t«k  of  a  duuxaik  ravoiaiiaB  neBaaixiail,  or  at  kttrt  «acuuf«|^  ^ 

MaiaA  akHVoca  from  bis  oa(4ul.    H*  »a«  deibruonl  bv  iba  iuaiu  ^t.i  .i^ua 

■iljMl,aaH  b>  wann  lo  batu  dtrd  al«o  balurtr  tba  (aII  of  Baaaria  '  »^X    Ttiua 

tiM  «Ma  af  tba  iabalMiauta^  oo»  aod  all,  «or«  carried  aw«7  by  tj  r«ii  m:  i  -  "  "^  u* 
hMOripllaaa  !•  Ib«  palaoa  at  Kbonabail.''  mj*  a  nodani  aapi«itur.  **  wh.  :>• 

aajabar  of  Ir-  '    oapiivaa,  U  apctaaia  u>at  27,280  w«(«  Ukaafortnl  ■« 

faMaBaaariA  r  |«rt«or  iha  klagfioaof  l*rarL    Tboiaaovalof 

lartnaa  fr""  ■  •^•' •  ••-"^  •- anfnaoUMr  (ortiuo  of  tha  aaw|uof«  u« 

bad  SDi  t>i«  biatofj  tasiftas  m  tba  yuicy  U  ui 

auvam^^-  .      ..:.  i^^.  .     ^    .  miduaHl  aul  adad  ui.  :i   (>v  uk  '.  ^a 

biagi     ttbiOMta  wfece  uv«  in  lattlo.  «u«aa  ao :  a 

annq— ad  atkeioj.  It  La  r  •::a>  b«ao  tba  oualoe>  '■  ii« 

viator.    Aiid  rvea  Dumon.  oigBon^  jaiidrt  .  sad 

.«•  •fhk- 
fcu^iiaa  lo 
•at*,  ff  'vo 

»y 

^a  or 

j»a 

•a 

•anua. 

O    BMJ 

uaiufal 


radaead  t-:.  a  -■-.•c  .f 

trarr  » 

kb.ur 

bi. 

kings  i 

*.^k».- 

%  Uiai  lo  EgTi<. 

Lecb   Oi«^gvU    to  diffrfr:. 

Here  i«  tl»c  l«<>.f«ra. 
»          :.c»a.     l>anQ±:  t 

t« 

'¥*».                                   »      ■  1. 

d. 
b^ 
VtM-re  iijcv 

iUoatlyaad 
wrilaaof  ti  m    y 
9mk  BMda  tbaa 
Aiiiatilo  atM<  ''• 
ablalavo^K 
Tbaiiaaof  »  _. 
ba»»  aru  brely 

1 1\9  ia«i  tnor* 

'h«a  arc  ii*.->  ?     1«> 
.  aod  BOD*  eaa  \m\  u 
Diid  jott  oql"     r.  ' 
:«  atap.     It  (oUuva  t 
.1  «  of  tbe  iMMbtat  tL^    I  . 
larrihta  ealaurofiba.    8u  it  r 
wi  w«va  luat  aritb  lb*  •«  -  t-.'-  *  ^ 
cio*  la  OQf  EittlaDd  tbat  ^ 
a  aubcarraiMaii  fi-^. 

baautic^  aad  lu  \hm  fjnt^  .                 iMtttatiom,  ax. 
9i  iia  ttudorrroubd,  will  ocic               ..k  o«t  iB  flama»,  '. 
tba  oaaa  tif  tba  lau  tiiUa.— D.  'L 

>r,  aa  ia 

Tara.  ^— O  —  ^  yraal  frtfaiZ«jy«,  wirkiAutm,  mmd  rwte.  **  Fur  ae  It  waa.*  r!  -.  W* 
bava  umk)  tb«i  fift  t  raoAuf  tbia  cbap(«>r,  id  <xir  Imi  •k<>«rb,  u*  aat  f  m  i!  r  i'*  t»  </ 
•  o*rr».  Iha  l«aeUtish  yr-  >■■    rafuiaat  «.  m 

aa  uol<  hcniar  of  wroug.  a  t-  ^X  "^d  a  / 

rtwajbl    ■  graat  watiKMl  t^iTJIaga;  a  yU  ailiMd  wtabiidawai;  at 

L  A  oaaAT  VATViaAL  raiviiBBi      W«  laani  btrfteai  tbat  tba  It-: 
Ihi  Ti  fbl  hill  t,n  Ml  iliMii  11  iMai  Itmi  |,imi  ailfiaiijM    tudllira'  ^-.^.^ 


S48  THE   SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [ch.  xvii.  1— 41. 

land,  and  the  highest  spiritual  teaching.  He  had  given  them :  1.  Political  freedom. 
For  ages  they  had  been  in  political  bondage,  the  mere  slaves  of  despots ;  but  here  we 
are  told  that  God  had  "  brought  them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  from  under  the  hand  of 
Pharaoh  King  of  Egypt "  (ver.  7).  When  they  crossed  the  Red  Sea,  entered  the  desert, 
and  stepped  into  Palestine,  they  were  civilly  free ;  the  chains  that  had  bound  them  so 
lon^  were  then  completely  broken,  and  each  had  the  common  right  of  liberty.  Political 
freedom  is  the  inalienable  right  of  all  men,  is  one  of  the  greatest  blessings  of  •  people, 
hut  one  which  in  every  age  has  been  outraged  by  despots.  The  millions  are  groaning 
in  many  a  land  still  under  political  disabilities.  2.  A  right  to  the  land.  Canaan  was 
the  common  right  of  all ;  true,  it  was  divided  amongst  the  ten  tribes,  but  this  was  not 
for  the  private  interests  of  any,  but  for  the  good  of  all.  What  we  call  "landlordism'' 
scarcely  existed,  and  perhaps  it  would  have  been  as  well  had  it  never  existed ;  it  bare 
the  common  rights  of  mankind.  When  one  thinks  that  all  the  land  in  Scotland, 
Ireland,  Wales,  and  England  is  in  the  hands  of  eight  tliousand  men,  a  number  which 
could  be  crowded  into  Spur^jeon's  tabernacle,  and  that  thirty  millions  have  no  portion 
in  the  land,  it  is  impossible  not  to  feel  that  the  condition  of  things  is  anomalous. 
Archdeacon  Paley,  no  mean  authority,  with  his  characteristic  clearness  and  common 
sense,  has  the  follo^ving  remarkable  words :  **  If  you  should  see  a  flock  of  pigeons  in  n 
field  of  corn,  and  if  (instead  of  each  one  picking  where  and  what  it  liked,  taking  jnst  as 
much  as  it  wanted  and  no  more)  3'ou  should  see  ninety-nine  of  them  gatliering  all  they 
got  in  a  heap,  reserving  nothing  for  themselves  but  the  chaft'  and  the  refuse,  keeping 
thi<  heap  for  one,  and  that  for  tlie  weakest,  perhaps  the  worst  pigeon  of  the  flock,  sittin.; 
ror.nii  and  lo(jking  on  all  the  winter,  whilst  the  one  was  devouring,  throwing  about,  and 
wasting  it;  and  if  a  pigeon  more  hardy  or  hungry  than  the  rest  touched  a  graiu  of  the 
hoard,  all  the  others  instantly  flying  upon  it  and  tearing  it  to  pieces ; — if  you  should  see 
this,  you  would  see  nothing  mt)re  than  what  is  every  day  practised  and  establislud 
amongst  men.  Am(jng  men  you  see  the  ninety  and  nine  toiling  and  scraping  together 
a  heap  of  superfluities  for  one  (and  this  one  too  oftenlimes  the  leeblest  and  woist  of  the 
whole  set — a  child,  a  woman,  a  madman,  or  a  fool),  getting  nothing  for  thcrasrlvos  all 
tiie  wiiile  but  a  little  of  the  coarsest  of  the  provision  which  their  own  industry  produces, 
looking  quietly  on  while  they  see  the  fruits  of  all  the  labour  spent  or  sjioiled,  and  if 
one  of  the  number  take  or  touch  a  paitiele  of  the  hoard,  the  others  joining  against  him 
and  hanging  him  for  the  theft."  What  boots  collecting  and  publishing  facta  concerning 
the  HufTerings  of  people,  and  entitling  the  tract  the  'Bitter  Cry  of  Outoast  London,' 
nnless  somi  thing  is  dune  to  put  a  greater  share  of  the  land  into  the  hands  of  the  pet>ple, 
not  liy  violence  or  spoliation,  but  by  a  calm  and  just  legislatiim?  Ala^l  even  good 
men,  through  a  weakness  of  judgment  and  the  workinizs  of  a  traditional  faith,  seem  to 
dream  that  by  multii)lying  churches  and  chajxjls  they  will  hush  the  "  bitter  cry." 
How  al>Hurd  I  3.  Ihe  hiijhcst  spiritual  teaching.  "The  Lord  testified  against  Israel, 
and  agiihst  Judah,  by  all  the  prophets,  and  by  all  the  seers,  saying.  Turn  ye  from 
your  ivil  ways,  and  keep  my  commHiidments  and  my  Htatutos,  according  to  all  tlie 
Law  which  1  eornuiandcd  your  fathers,  and  which  I  Kent  to  you  by  my  .lervants  tli<> 
prophetn"  (ver.  13).  One  of  the  fimdKm<!ntal  wooAh  of  mankind  is  true  rthical  tcaeh 
ing;  m.t  the  t<  aching  of  abstruse  dovmas  and  vain  coremonios,  but  the  teaching  I'f 
itiimutaM*!  law — the  "  btatutcH  of  God."  TIkho  Btatntcs  are  not  oidy  written  »>n 
jiapi.T,  hiil  on  every  page  of  Nmuro's  inagnifieenl  volume,  and  on  the  labhtiH  of  human 
re.iHon  and  oiiHcii-nce.  "  Do  unto  others  aH  yo  would  have  otlurs  do  unto  you." 
'i<'niiine  din-iph-H  of  aunh  toachiii,;  will  overnutro  act  rightly  towards  themselves, 
tiiwanin  th»ir  fellMW-mi-n,  and  towards  their  (JimI. 

II.     A   OllKAT  NATIOSAI.   WICK  KU.S  KHH.        I'oHSi  Hsillg  all   thesi-   pri  V  llcgeH,  lloW  UCted   th<  HC 

|ini<|>l<) — Dot  muri'iy  llif  iM'opIr  of  Israid,  but  ih«  peopl(<  of  Judah  lui  w«ll  V  Was  tht' 
Mrntiriioat  of  woniliip  iin<i  juhtic<t  rognant  witlon  tlietn  V  Wero  th<«y  loyal  lo  all  that  is 
U«auliful,  true,  and  g<xMl  ?  Nay.  I.  Vhey  rrj'rrtd  Ood.  "  'I'liev  would  not  hoir,  but 
hardrnol  their  niK-ka,  bko  to  thi>  neck  of  (heir  fathom,  that  did  not  lM<lievn  in  the  Lord 
their  G'-l,"  etc.  (vorn.  It,  15).  'I'lmy  diriined  th«  Htudy  of  hiH  nlatiiteH.  and  roiiounnsl 
hi*  c'Iniiii  on  thnir  devoiion.  2.  They  (nloptni  itliUa.  Ilaik:  (1)  Tlu<  tutmritliirna  of 
ttirir  idolatry.  With  what  unremiiting  /,■  al  llwy  promoUMl  tho  rauHe  of  idolutryf 
"  Thu  rhildr<ii  of  Iirin'l  did  »M«!rnlly  thom-  thiii^;«  tliiit  w<t«  not  right  ii-alnHl  the  I,oid 
tiii-'ir  Gud,  wul  thoy  built  thrnn   high  pliuxMi  lu  all  tholr  citieit'  (vur.  U).     It  is  aUo 


«L  KTv.  l—iL]       IWM  nOOVD  WOK  OF  TUB  KIWia 


i<«lit.  *1Vr  Ri»W  ikaai  »alMi  iaMfw,  .  .t  t^i*  •  kp-**,  ami 

MHM  mU*»  Uwb  Iniik.  •n«g  !■  man  ia4u»  rk>^  i/iiui  •  kiw«i 

«•  art  all,  far  Um  »al  pMV  UMufsliMi  iMmiw  bi4  Ikmv  aiMy  |«wu^  ^     ^  .  f 

|N«  IC«glMHl  Id  •  1m9»  nUAi  t«»tf«  i^  Aimchtj.     li  mlfki  b«  a^  «f  m^^.  «,    ^ 
"  ikA  M  »j«  ia  all  Q«r  UMMf  hu.' 


(I)  IW  arwMir  «r  Ikair  Idolairj.    •  Aad  Uiy  «wad  iMr  aoaa  aad  4a^kl««  la  pM 
Uunoff)  tkt  Ira.  aad  wad  diTlaaHoa  aad  wdwtwta.  aa^  aaU  iliMMilTM  la  4* 


a*-.  bt  ii/  th«  U^a  '  (rt/.  171 

1.  ^T  VATiuSAL  aiu.  'IWaforv  Um  L4ird  vaa  varj  aacrjr  wiik  ImmU, 
aAd  rvmutad  tham  o«l  oT  bli  rickt"  (r«r.  16))  "Tka  Lat4  i^Ktad^aU  iIm  aatd  u/ 
Ivaal.  aad  afliotid  th«m  aad  Mivwaa  lk«a»  tarte  tba  ka^  «#  •poilara.  aatfl  ka  bad 
eart  t^MBoalof  kia  iighi"(Tv.  aOV  LT  iavolvad  Ua  Mttra  kaa  a#  Omt 
anralry.  **  8o  waa  Waal  carri«l  »w%j  o  o«»  Uad  lo  Aatrria  aato  tkit 
day"!'  Kipamatiott  M  ao  aaonsuus  uiA.  i.  TMr  rata  li><  '  leas  ol 
tbair».  'MIL  "  1^  Lonl  raoMvad  tkaa  o«i  «#  kda  ilcki '  Tba 
tatt  thba»  »:<  K"»<--,aiMi  li  rt  3-  ^  '  ^'-^  wbalhar  Umj  vara arar  wurts  ^l»  t.  u^  kIW. 
lor  (bay  vrf«  •  mknntbU  i>  >.  "Hmt  kiacdtaa  o#  U>«  im  ua««.*  M«t 
Dr.  Blackta,  **  waa  arrar  ra»;  ..  ,  „  ;  —  ^«  di^tawad  of  laraal  arar  ■ttaapt  to  r««u/« 
Is  a  bodj  la  tbair  laadL*  Mora  thaa  two  haadrad  jaartof  UuLu/jaad  wtekadaaai  Lava 
ham  fellovad  bj  mura  ti  .-.  •.w^  ilKMiaaad  jam  d  dUpanloe  and  ■1iiMrtn>_  BaTiaj; 
Mid  ia  tkair  Ikarta  ID  n  frva  a*!'  O  «i  mi-:  t.  i:  r:  ,  ■  lv-|«n  ftacs  ma!* 
Tka  diroroa  «a«  oocnplr  ^  .1  a  rBooticili.tu^i  a^ju.  ukr  j  »r«.  it*  akd.  d^fV  fr  ita 
miMliaiDi^a.  ^  Thiit  r\uu  mrmraA  iharttribmhm  m</mef^  hmvm.  T  • 
wm  oalr  tba  InatnuDaota.  It  ia  God't  plan  to  patiiab  th«  wicked  bj  . 
Ko  wmtim  tbal  amid  ao  grom  a  parraraioo  l4  the  wunbip  ul  tba  trua  ( • 
inrtonal  Bit>ea(Mit«  to  do  rav«raaoa  to  Idola,  tba  IhwUte  patkmoii  vat  axL*  i 
tbat  tba  Ood  wbom  ibay  bad  funak«  by  Tialatlag  eoaanut,  u  a>lh0?r  •  ^ 
fomad  tbair  tUla  lo  tba  oecMiia»bi«  of  Cboaaa.  praltiad  tb«a  u>  go  u.. 
tbal  tbay  muLt  leara  tba  ddMaaoa  batvaao  bU  aniba  and  tbat  ci  tbair  -^-f t-  ^^t 
D.  T. 


Tm%.  n-Al.^a^ti4$  warU  CMaAfaf  a&a«l  **  AimI  tba  King  af  Ajajna  btwrbi 
■a«  Cras  Babjluo  *  ale.  TUt  bacmaoi  ol  Uraalltkb  bwtarr  hriofi  aodar  oar  aoilea 
fa«r  MbfaMi  vbieb  rwi  thR.iigh  alThuiiMa  blaiorj,  and  vbieb  tad  tbMr  UhMVatftoa  m 
tba  >aw>i  af  modara  m  wdl  m  aadaat  titm. 

L  Tms  TTEAVVT  or  MAM.  Hara  wa  (tod  tba  AmjiImi  a— Ittfag  taia  gwat  feraW 
tiaton  tbam^  <•{  I'v*  :  -iriTidt  tbam  oat  of  tbair  ova  land  iaio  Aatjrlii.  aad  lakiag 
|>iiiidca  9t  -wl  booM.    *■  Aad  tba  Eiof  of  A^yTia  brai^t  Maa 

Ihaa  Babvlnb,  a      >Qd  from  At^  aad  froot  Bamath,  aad  fram  Bv|ib«»> 

vaua,  aad  |daaaa  tb>«a  Ui  tba  cuto*  o(  Sau»ha  inma^  at  tba  ebikiraa  of  UnA  :  miA 
tbay  paaM«ad  8aiaaria»  and  dwelt  la  ib«  etttac  ibaraof."  Who  tbat  Kiof  ot  AMTr« 
««a  at  tbii  tiaM  wbo  oarrted  ava.r  tba  laat  raaaaat  af  tba  laa  tribal  iaio  a  kMmg^ 
laad.  and  braagbft  Cnaa  Tariao*  parts  ot  bla  o«ra  eouairy  aaa  lo  aeaapy  U«eir  nvprrty 
aad  tbair  baaaaa,  vbacbar  Hhdmaniaar  or  Kiarbaddois  b  a  ^aattiaa  ««  vartb  ^^tiiif. 
Ua  waa  a  tyraaL  Tba  plMaa  torn  wbiab  ha  wlietad  tk»  mm  wbm  ba  pkaad  la  tba 
cittaa of  Sbbiv  aatto—d.     Out-  aboat  Iftaaa  Mika  aortb-aMt  tram 

BabytaatAv^  oa  tba  Ru(4rm  .ortb  of  Babrbia  ;  Uamatb,  tba  ablrf 

dty  af  Uppar  .->«  r>» .  Mid  Ba|4ar>aiiii.  •^n'  •»!  to  ba  aa  a  W.  ■  .  froM  tba 

lapbiaiaK  lytac  abaal  itelMa  aika  riuai  Babjrfaa.    Vav.  ibar>  .y  fm  haib 


TbMv  wa*  tyraaay  la  takinf  thr  lijiilaaa  hiaa  tbaw  owt:  ^  <a  k   asead  |iAiM^ 
Ibaai  lo  tb«  ctiMa  of  fiaiuana;  aa  ••.!  m  tyraaay  ia  laki^  •^•y  iba  laa 


850  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.        [oh.  xvn.  1— 4L 

Samaria  into  foreign  regions.  Had  the  exchange  taken  place  with  the  mutual  consent 
of  both  parties,  there  wouW  have  been  no  outrage  on  the  rights  of  man,  but  it  might, 
indeed,  have  conduced  to  the  interests  of  both  parties  concerned.  Men  are  constantly 
changing  their  countries,  especially  in  this  age,  when  facilities  for  travelling  are  increas- 
ing every  day,  when  the  old  coimtries  are  becoming  over-populated,  their  resources 
rapidly  decreasing,  and  new  and  fertile  regions  opening  up  in  every  part  of  the  globe. 
All  this  is  right  enough,  as  well  as  often  necessary  and  truly  expedient.  But  to  be 
forced  away  from  home,  this  is  tyranny,  and  such  tyranny  is  not  extinct  even  in  our 
England.  The  tens  of  thousands  that  leave  our  shores  every  year  for  strange  and  distant 
lands,  for  the  most  part  do  it  by  a  terrible  coercion.  Not  only  is  he  a  tyrant  who 
inflicts  positive  injustice  on  another,  but  also  he  who  withholds  from  another  his  duo. 
Tyranny  is  not  confined  to  the  throne  of  despots,  but  it  sits  in  every  heart  where  there 
is  not  a  practical  regard  for  the  rights  of  others.  It  is  in  Belgravian  mansions  and 
ducal  castles,  where  the  groans  of  starving  millions  around  are  diaregarded,  as  well  as 
in  the  palace  of  the  Czar  of  Russia,  where  the  rights  of  millions  are  trodden  underfoot, 

**  Thinkest  thou  there  is  no  tyranny  but  that 
Of  blood  and  chains  ?    The  despotism  of  vice, 
The  weakness  and  the  wickedness  of  luxury. 
The  negligence,  the  apathy,  the  evils 
Of  sensual  sloth — produce  ten  thousand  tyTanti» 
Whose  delegated  cruelty  surpasses 
The  worst  acta  of  one  energetic  master, 
HoweTer  harsh  and  hard  in  his  own  bearing." 

(Byron.) 

IL  The  bktbibutionb  of  life.  "  And  so  it  was  at  the  beginning  of  their  dwelling 
there,  that  they  feared  not  the  Lord  :  therefore  the  Lord  sent  lions  among  them,  which 
§1»'W  some  of  tiiem.  Wherefore  they  spake  to  the  King  of  Assyria,  saying.  The  nations 
which  thou  hast  rerao»etl,  and  placed  in  the  cities  of  Samaria,  know  not  the  manner  of 
the  God  of  the  land :  therefore  he  hath  sent  lions  among  them,  and,  liehold,  they  slay 
ttjera,  because  they  know  not  the  manner  of  the  God  of  the  land."  Probably  the 
liouB  had  been  in  the  land  of  Samaria  before  the  settlement  of  the  Assyrian  colonists 
but  aft<;r  their  .'■ettleujent  these  furious  beasts  of  prey  seem  to  have  been  multiplied. 
Perhaps  the  colonials  were  too  few  in  number  to  keep  them  down  and  to  check  theii 
increase.  Still,  whatever  the  natural  cause  or  causes  ol  their  increase,  it  was  regardoc 
by  the  now  pipulation  as  a  retributive  visitation.  The  statemeui  of  the  courtiers  to  the 
king  was,  "  The  natiunu  which  thou  hast  removed,  and  i>laced  in  the  cities  of  Samaria, 
know  not  the  manner  of  the  <  iod  of  the  land  :  therefore  he  hath  sent  linns  among  theni," 
ttr.  The  law  of  retribution  is  over  at  work  in  human  history,  not  only  in  the  Uvea  of 
riati"nH,  but  in  the  lives  of  individuals.  No  man  can  do  a  wrong  thing  without  suilering 
for  it  in  noun;  form  or  other.  Nemesis  surely,  though  silently,  treads  on  the  heels  of 
wrong.  "  WhatHoever  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  ho  also  reap."  The  lions  of  retribution 
track  our  Mi«[>g  as  siunerM  stealthily,  and  are  ready  to  spring  on  uh  at  any  moment.  We 
are  lar  eiiough  from  miying  ihal  retribution  Ixtru  is  adcipiatu  and  complete;  huuco  tln^e 
is  within  all  a  "fearful  looking  for"  of  sonio  fuiuro  jmlginout.  We  do  not  fuUy  dis- 
Ciiarge  th<-  debt ;  aH  we  go  on  it  accumulaton,  and  there  is  a  bnlancu  to  lut  sotlled  in  the 
groat  burealior.  AUicil  the  retribution  here  is  a  forutaatu  and  pledge  of  a  judgimxnt  to 
coma. 

"  Nrituni  baH  h«<r  biwB, 
That  will  lint  brook  iiifriiiKom<'ii( ;  in  all  (ime, 
All  cirriiiiiHliiiKiii,  all  htiitu,  in  cvory  oliino 
Hbe  IioMm  idiifl  tliK  miiiir'  iivcn^iiiK  nwoni. 
And,  Niltinx  on  Ixr  lioundb  nh  throne  nubliTno, 
Tlifi  \iul«or)i<ir  wrulii,  with  .luNlini<  iit<iri>il, 
Hliiill  ill  iinr  own  ((<m><1  hour  on  nil  tlml'a  ill  bn  |>oi]mit.* 

(roroUal.) 

III.  TfiF.  rRnmTKTiov  fir  mri.tfiioN.  Tbn  Annyrian  kln^,  It  would  Mnem.  in  »n«wnr 
U>  tb«  akriM  wliirb  win  fell  C'liririiing  thii  coionii<(ii  whom  bn  bivd  Hitlllod  in  th<'  eiliiiM 
of  Haitiarta,  concelTed  Ui<-  plan  uf  a<lopllng  rvligion  an  the  reroo<ly.     "  Thon  tli<i  Kinguf 


m  SHL  l-iLJ       TUB  iaLX)SD  BOOK  Of  TUB  KlMOft  Ml 

•f  Ibi  iMd.*  1^  prtHt  vImb  iIm  ktef  avst  to  Ums  ««m  to  Imv*  !«•  om  c4  iW 
mUM  fritoto  «^  Itod  loraMfij  ImA  kU  b«a-i|MitM«  *l  BatkaL  li  to  wrt  «M  ikk 
■iHl  took  A  eD|i]r  ol  tk«  Natotouek  vtik  bin:  nriwps  k«  tnti*ii4  to  I  i>  r<:i/k.«M 
totolllcnto  m4  to  kk  «nl  •kOlilM.    Tk«  be«  ol  W  kilac  <*•  «<  (^  <  =  «. 

ud  Mi^  toCt)^  la  Brtkal,  voaU  Imt-tr  t).»t  '«  »m  »»(  •  I^*  u.  1    i  / 


•ottad  or  um/uL  Nw, 
rolkitaB?  Nttoeiouool 
■MO  godi  of  \Ldt  OVA,  ooJ  |<ut  Umoi  la  tk«  bourn*  ul  iL 


Ik*  qiMoCkiti 
?     N  t  lodouoo  k*  or  hU  p*t>|*i«  LtJ  ••m^/iMiA  m  O. 


Bmmtum  kod  otodi^  ovofy  Mttoa  to  tkair  oiUto  wkarala  lk«>  ^  £>— 

SIX    Booaral  of  tko  gods  ol  Umo*  poonb  aro  kM«  BMrtlcvtod.  '    Tko 

■tonlag  of  ikU  word.  «birk  k  tkcM^bi  to  ba  **  toaU  or  bout)  >  "  tol«bt 

tmm  to  pcdnt  to  tko  placM  vbora  ibo  tUbvUinUa*  oeUbrotod  v  how  ll 

rift«HMioaoof  f^                   "AVya"'            :    kovobooovw  -o  funs 

of  o  ooek ;  Md  f  r                  .  Id  bit  «                   ovokMdBab.N  ..  oeock 

W  OOtoOtltoOO  to                                            '     u  tuo  i>  **y fVUI  MOWUBOb '  MOOM* 

iaftoMaM.«M«                                «niorokoip»i«kikdtor  '*.V*U«r'* 

Tkkii^jr,"^                                     'odof.   "JWtoA."  •       --^ 

iMi  Mij  V                                                      .  .  MIL     •  ii^raaMor  t^ 

"•to-klBg."                                                                   --i       «-4..^'-..^  1, 

ootooi^  Id  tio 

godi  kl  vbi^  >'0 

inw  anl  li«  't 

to  ikefQ  fe  i  '-« 

It)  >i 


aalvto  U  u  '-.intern 

IB  tke  ko<u^'  >  fwiiw 

aftar  tko  m.^  ^iU  dajr 

tkoj  do  a/tr  pi««  of 

ibot  rWiytca  </  ,  ^^   >0 

kUtory.  Doj.  lo  r  :>u  eod, 

-  ■'   -  -'  -  <u.*aiagi^ 

of  tbo  ooaL 
.  .  ....sBoto 

trir  ova 

_    _    Two 

u.     lo  tt  aiu(>«  bu  blgkai< 

rsUuv  rr«:..' xL    Uat,ala*i 

r>  r  .  r  naleiilolioas 

ci  c^fiiitwdowi. 

yuocf  aill  aavor 
r.      .  ■ 

ll'.  if 

c 

•j  .  4 


ut  ul  all  prtmt     It  t»  wrtttaa  oa  Uo  ouaon    lati—  o'  .  nmaa 


ttt  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.        [ou  rvn.  1—41. 

nature.  Like  the  fact  of  our  own  being,  it  is  too  near,  too  evidient,  too  much  a  matter 
of  living  self,  for  outward  argument  to  have  any  force.  Faith  in  God  springs  from 
within.  It  is  based  on  those  immutable  sentiments  of  the  soul  that  "utlive  all  theories 
and  defy  all  scepticism.  To  deny  the  existence  of  God  is  to  offer  violence  to  all  that  is 
great  and  sacred  in  human  nature. — D.  T. 

Vers.  1 — 6. — The  end  of  the  kingdom  of  Israel.  We  learn  from  the  inscriptions  that 
Hoshea,  the  murderer  of  Pekah,  only  secured  his  throne  by  acknowledging  the  supre- 
macy of  the  King  of  Assyria.  It  was  not  long,  however,  before  he  coii»pired  to  acnieve 
his  inrlependence.     This  led  to  the  final  overthrow  of  the  kingdom. 

I.  A  LAST  FLICKER.  1.  Hosheo's  letter  character.  It  is  said  of  this  last  King  of 
Israel  that  be  did  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  "but  not  as  the  kings  of  Israel  that 
were  before  him."  The  testimony  rather  points  to  the  great  wicke  Iness  of  the  earlier 
kings  than  implies  any  exceptional  virtie  in  Hoshea,  who  came  to  the  throne  by  blood, 
and  showed  no  more  reliance  on  God  than  the  others.  His  character,  however,  must 
have  had  some  redeeming  qualities.  Possibly  he  tried  to  check  some  of  the  exoi  sses  of 
wickedness  in  the  land,  and  to  discountenance  at  least  foreign  idolatries.  The  unfavour- 
able judgment  we  are  sometimes  compelled  to  pass  on  men's  characters  as  a  wb^le  need 
not  blind  us  to  what  is  praiseworthy  in  them.  2.  A  hopeless  task.  It  is  both  curious 
and  pathetic  to  see  this  last  flicker  of  a  better  disposition  in  the  kiigs  of  Israel  just 
bef  ire  the  end.  But  even  had  Hoshea  been  a  better  ruler  than  he  was,  it  wa-  prohahly 
now  too  late  to  do  the  nation  any  good.  Every  attempt  to  bring  the  people  back  to  God 
had  proved  in  vain,  and  corruption  had  reached  a  height  which  made  a  crisis  irn  vitable. 
The  carcase  was  there,  and  the  vultures  were  preparing  to  descend  upon  it.  We  have 
a  modern  example  in  the  state  of  the  French  nation  prior  to  the  great  Revoluti  in.  A 
nation,  like  an  individual,  has  its  day  of  grace,  and  if  that  is  sinned  away  there  remains 
only  "  a  fearful  looking  for  of  judgment"  (Heb.  x.  27). 

II.  Broken  engagemknts.  1.  A  policy  of  double-dealing.  Hoshea's  desire  from  the 
first  was  to  fee  his  land  from  the  yoke  of  Assyria.  Some  attempt  if  this  kind,  \no- 
bably  at  the  death  of  Tiglath-pileser,  brought  down  upon  him  the  new  king,  Shal- 
maneser,  who  compelled  his  submission,  and  exacted  tribute.  I'ut  Hoshea  was  not 
faithful  to  his  inga.L'empnts.  Wliile  still  pretending  loyalty  to  Shalmaneser,  he  was 
carrying  on  a  system  of  intri'^ue  with  So,  King  of  Egypt  (Sabaco).  They  "  made  a 
C'lVenant  with  the  Assyrians,"  and  at  the  same  time  "dil  was  carried  into  Egypt" 
(Hos.  xii.  1).  It  was  not  God  Hosliea  trusted  in,  but  an  alliance  with  Kgyj't.  He 
relied  on  treachery,  on  double-tlealing,  on  clever  intrigue,  to  get  hira  out  of  his  difB- 
cnlties.  This  kind  of  policy  never  permanently  succeeds.  2.  Open  revolt.  When 
Hoshea  thought  himself  strong  eni)Mt,'h,ho  threw  off  his  allegiance  to  Shalmane-^or.  lie 
brought  him  no  pre-S'  nt,  as  he  had  done  year  by  year.  He  was  playing  a  desporate 
game,  but  he  seems  to  have  thought  himself  secure.  A  pooi)le  is  justified  in  rebellion 
a^jainHt  fi-'ign  authority  when  it  is  strong  enough  to  make  bucccss  probable;  but 
G'hI'h  blessing  could  hardly  he  hoiked  for  on  an  attempt  which  was  cradled  iii  dupli- 
city, and  in  whidi  find  himself  was  totally  ignored.  3.  A  hmised  reed.  As  might 
have  bci  n  anticipaieil,  So  failed  Ilimhea  in  hia  hour  of  n<^ed.  His  "oil"  and  <ilher 
jin  B'^ntH  hu'l  Vx;en  Kent  in  vain.  Tho  King  of  Assyria  came  against  him  ;  l)ut  thoro  was 
D'l  rriovemeiit  on  the  partof  Iv'ypt  for  hishelii.  Ho  had  trusted  in  the  Btalft)f  a  liruised 
reid  (ch.  xviii.  21).  Ilow  manifold  are  the  disappointuienta  of  those  wht)  rdv  on  "  the 
help  of  riiiin"  (I'k.  Ix.  11),  and  put  thoir  "  trust  in  princes  "  (Ps.  cxlvi.  3^1  llihlieii 
iiimfolf  was  rajitured,  and  Hhnt  u|)  in  prison.     Ili^  ultimuto  fate  w«  do  not  know. 

ill.  Final  huin.  1.  Tlie  $iefje  of  H'lmaria.  The  King  of  AHHyria  now  marciied 
BKaiiiit  Haniarin,  which  bravely  lield  out  lor  thno  yoarH.  Had  dotailH  Ixen  given  us,  it 
wouM  no  d(jubt  have  been  founfl  that  thin  wan  one  ot  tlio  groat  Hieges  of  history — gnat 
in  it«  horrofH,  an  well  an  in  itH  aft- r-reHultH.  We  may  picture  the  oxtremilieH  of  the 
famine  of  ch.  vl.  reju-alcd  with  iMidilioiml  lioirom  of  uiiar<hy  and  bluoilHh'Mi  ;  or,  with 
|«rrhn|m  rnoro  truth,  we  rimy  draw  our  id- an  of  ihiH  siogo  from  the  descri|ition«  of  (ho 
lAn't'  of  JeriiHftlcm  by  Nebucha-inez/.ar  ((  f  ch.  xxiv.,  xxv.).  That,  wa*  the  C'liicbidinK 
%t\.  in  I  hi)  hUitory  of  the  (untbeni  kiri'dom,  ah  thin  wiih  the  conibiiiing  R' t  in  th« 
hiitory  ol  the  north<-rii.  Both  wore  l«ini^-delayi'<l,  and  iti  tho  end  t«irril)le  jmlirmeMlj 
•(  ij'id.     The  cup  of  Iniquity  wm  full,  and  »nolh<  r  ru|i — thn  cup  of  Uixl'a  wraths 


«.  sm  1-41.]     TBI  fBOOVD  BOOK  OF  TUB  mniL  M 

«w  Mv  p«l  biB  lk«  aatte^  Ual  (ft  K  Inv  f>    TU  ilty  U  bftftk  Ml.  ■»«  tK« 

•lUr  iW  fcU  of  ftftmAHa,  Um  KtM  «r  IfTpl*  aUroMd  |««b»Uy  fcr  IM  •«•  mMv. 
•py««MUa,  a^  «M  aw««ted  br  flM^  AaIibammi's  WBMMir.  la  aay  «m%  Md 
«••  ttu«  •aaraUii^  (ur  tka  «abapyy  unMUtac  Tba  ablldfM  of  Lvaai  v««  raakawd 
<hj«a  tkrir  dtio*.  aad  oarrted  avaj  aapUra  luto  A'a>rk»  bcteg  aoatuM  «^  aa4  ^owa 
to  iba  plaoaa  OMnad.  ST  !!>'<  a.^-urJl!.#  to  Fa'j  n.  ««•  t«lM  (tms  B>m^^  «!  •  4u 
WkM  aanow  «m  b«r«  f|t«a  ko«w  ittfi  ko- 

•a)  ut>c!<vu)  {}i.^>  ^.  '  mtlnaal  MUu«ea  «■ 

fu  <suN,  vbMi  ibvT  kbw  Ooly  tkaj  voiiVd  B(< 

a*  idomb  fclob,aBd4•AI•dkbkBa«ithtlMirft^ 

•Ali  mill-   I  kU*  ^Ju  te  ix*d  ao  riehiy  batiuvad  «•  Ihaa  (eC.  Uoa.  ML).— J.  U 

VrriLT— "'  efMtrmd.   na  BMa  doaa  Do4  rfnply  rdaK  bat 

drava  atkie  i.  iwiMTMoat  apriafiaf  Oo4%  pfmrii*»**,  aM  >>••« 

tb«^  vurk.     i;  tba  daa|«at  eaiw*  of  iLr                         f 

»kUoq&    Tb«  w  .  nooBomkal,  or  i>^:it  i-a>,  CK                          t 

rrl>fc«i^  ai. :  '"e  maj  mj  at  Uiia  aurvrj  ui  u.-ik  ic 

btflufy    U»e>  •oiUoo,  opoo  wkoM  ika  aada  ot  thm 

•'.    TbU  ia  t>ut  b  tba  faf«igrumi4. 
It  ■  "tba  uud  «1m>  b^  hroa«b| 

tb«iu  \  :%  vbo  bad  aaada  a  ■aiioo 

if:"'.  t.iV..?     tt.r'Il   lil     }   ifflfcr^f     \,f 


I 


t 


br  •  I  <i    1« 

»«lfC'.  -J 

Jeborai.  .  i    i 

tbej  WkiKo^. 

ivuwttibarc*! 

Ibnmgb  wtti.  .... 

•reted  vlUl  tbem  Uut  « 

frvcB  C»  kAii  rhtt.   1  ,       i    1    :       _  1 

L  i-td  had  pvaa  ibcn.    bi  « 

i!  '    c  filtbj  abomlBaUfUoa,  «L  i 

•aUuto  ?   A.  Zm^  m  tk»  wrvw*  i/  ti^tJiL    lantal  bad  no  baart  fo  >. 

tbay  ab0«T<ij  anhcwmi^!  »^  ia  tba  avriea  ot  tbeir  Idok.    Pabh 

la  «T«rv  and  uMler  arrrj  graaa  tiw^  vt>a  r 

valcht:  .        .  ibara  tbay  ast  up  tbcjr  bbtb  Hm^ 

**  wTtHi;;iii  vu^Lni  lUxig:  Lu  pruvolu  tba  Lovd  lo  aafflr.      T 

vail  laaini  a  Imoa  ftwu  tba  ebUdraD  of  tbia  world  la  raafiar-.  ■, 

of  tba  canMatoas  witJi  vbkb  maa  aorra  tba  daril  vc- 

how  rapid  woald  ba  tba  «Md  ot  traa  nlMoa  i    Tba  r 

«r  tbair  aonia  lato  tkab  fcUka.  tbab  Bamdt  of  pl«aii.' 

d»Til.aiiailMfl«^    But  bow  alack-bairiad  aad  balPb. 

Wbal  woodtr  Ovd^  eaow  aaiara  I 


IL  Ruacnoa  or  laui— i^    L  (hf$  aripliii  t^.: 
thk  witbout  trying  ovary  aMaaa  lo  torn  tba  paupla  i 
wata  aant,  ao<l  Umm  mI  oaa  or  tvu,  birt  "att  tba  pro) 
wara  ami  buCb  le  l*raal  and  la  Judab.  Tbaj  apoka  Ib  • 

Sad  acaiaai  tb«tr  ai»^  aad  axbor«ad  tbaa  la  laaar*  la  tb«  wmj«  ot  n^nu    i  a** 

1  J 


854  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.      fcH.  xvn.  1— 41. 

them  also  of  the  consequences  of  disobedience  (ver.  23).  Thus  it  was  shown  that  Gbd 
has  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  him  that  dieth  (Ezek.  xviii.  32).  The  fact  of  warning 
being  given  is  a  great  aggravation  of  guilt  if  sin  is  persisted  in.  It  leaves  the  trans- 
gressor without  excuse.  In  our  own  land  warnings  abound.  The  Bible  is  widely  cir- 
culated, the  gospel  is  faithfully  preached ;  there  is  no  lack  of  voices  proclaiming  the 
need  and  duty  of  repentance.  If  men  perish,  it  is  not  in  ignorance.  They  sin  against 
light,  and  their  blood  is  on  their  own  heads.  2.  Their  testimony  rejected.  The  efforts 
of  the  prophets  to  bring  the  people  back  to  God  proved  unavailing.  No  heed  was  paid 
to  their  warnings;  rather  the  people  grew  bolder  and  more  daring  in  sin.  If  faithful 
counsel  does  not  soften,  it  hardens.  Judged  by  Qutward  results,  no  class  of  preachers 
ever  had  less  success  than  the  Hebrew  prophets.  Their  exhortations  seemed  as  water 
spilt  upon  the  ground.  Yet  through  them  was  preserved  and  kept  alive  in  the  nation 
a  remnant  according  to  grace  (Eom.  xi.  5),  and  to  it  belonged  the  great  future  of  God'» 
pr^  mises.  The  stubbornness  of  the  Jewish  character  was  proverbial — they  were,  and 
had  ever  been,  a  stiff-necked  people.  The  root  of  their  evil  was  they  "  did  not  believe 
in  the  Lord  their  God."  When  they  did  believe,  the  same  basis  of  character  dis- 
covers itself  in  their  unyielding  tenacity  and  perseverance  in  serving  God  and  obeying 
the  dictates  of  their  conscience  (cf.  Dan.  iii.).  3.  Aggravated  wickedness.  The  people 
latterly  threw  off  all  restraint  in  the  practice  of  their  evil.  It  was  no  longer  "  secretly," 
but  openly,  that  they  rejected  the  statutes  of  the  Lord  their  God  and  his  covenant,  and 
the  testimonies  which  he  testified  against  them.  It  but  aggravated  the  evil  that  in 
name  they  still  claimed  him  as  their  God,  and  professed  to  do  him  honoiir,  while  in 
reality  they  had  "left  all  his  commandments," and  had  chani^ed  the  whole  substance  of 
his  religion.  The  form  is  mthing  if  the  heart  is  wanting  (Matt.  xv.  7 — 9);  but  the 
Israelites  changed  even  the  form.  They  went  after  vanity,  and  became  vain,  imitating 
the  heal  hen  who  were  round  about  them,  and  unblushingly  introducin;:;  the  worst 
heathen  abominations  into  their  own  worship.  (1)  They  changed  the  fundamental  law 
of  Israel  in  making  molten  images — intended  to  represent  Jehovah,  no  doubt,  but  still 
idids — Baalim.  (2)  Tliey  imported  the  Phoenician  Baal-worship,  with  its  pillars  and 
aslieras,  and  its  liceutious  rites — another  direct  violation  of  fundamental  laws.  (3) 
Tliey  went  further  afield,  and  imported  from  Babylonia  or  Assyria  the  worship  of  "  the 
host  of  heaven  " — another  thing  directly  forbidden  on  pain  of  death  (Deiit.  xvii.  2 — 7). 
(4)  Still  unsatisfied,  they  abandoned  themselves  to  the  horrid  rites  of  Moldch,  and  to 
the  jjractice  of  every  kind  of  divination  and  enchantment — the  last  and  lowest  stage  in 
a  people's  religious  degradation.  This  also  was  most  emphatically  forbidden  to  the 
Israelites  under  the  most  severe  penal; ies  (Lev.  xx.  1 — 6).  Tims  they  literally  "sold" 
themnelves  to  do  evil,  thnjwing  otV  all  shame  or  pretence  of  regard  for  God's  authority, 
and  became  confirmed  and  wedded  to  their  evil  ways.  In  heart  and  outward  conduct 
th<  y  had  ab^jlutely  and  utterly  apostatized  from  <iod,  and  seemed  bont  only  on  jjfo- 
vokin;i  him  to  anger.  Inst'  ad  of  marvelling  at  their  final  rejection,  one  wonders  how  n 
holyijod  Bhonld  have  borne  with  tiiem  so  long.  But  is  not  God's  patience  with  sinners 
and  |>eoplc8  siill  just  aa  wonderful?  Their  iuic^uitios  Uterally  gu  up  to  heaveu  before 
he  cutH  them  off. 

III.  JuHTlCE  NO  i/JNOKB  TARRTTNO.  If  the  Ixird's  juHfim  tarries,  it  does  not  sleep. 
And  wh<n  th«  blow  do<!»  fall,  it  is  nil  the  more  severe  that  it  lias  been  so  long  delayed. 
1.  /»rfui  rrjrrteii.  Thin  jieople  liad  n  jcelod  God,  and  God  now  rejected  them,  as  ho 
hud  from  the  tirst  thnatf-nod  ho  would  do  (Lev.  xxvi.  14 — 21().  Ho  did  not  cast  them 
off  without  tlio  warning  alfonl'd  by  many  j)remonitory  jud;.;mont8.  Bui  when  noitber 
Jud;.'[ni-nt  nor  iiien-y  whm  regard' <1,  and  lliu  cup  of  their  IninsgrcHsion  was  brimming 
«jver,  he  gnvo  lb'  tn  nj).  and  "  cast  tliem  out  of  bin  sigiit."  Th«y  wore  curried  away  out 
ol  tlieir  own  land  t"  AnHyria,  and  never,  an  a  tuition,  rnturmd.  2.  Jm/iih  not  titkimj 
vyimiritf.     Tin*  nnd  ihin^r  \va«  lliiil  .Jiidah  bImi,  wbieh  bad  bigun  to  walk   in  the  saiim 

|«itii«,  did  not  tiik    wirning  by  tin-  full  of  the  Histrr  kingd "Tl  e  prlnoeH  of  .ludab 

»»!r<!  liko  tbfm  tbnt  rfm.iv<i  the  IxummI  "  (ll'm.  v.  10),  and  mmy  wammgH  dircclo'i  to 
J'i'ltiii  iMMiKb'  wilb  ti'O  propbeiic  (ii'tiunciiil i'lnn  of  iNrucl.  Yet,  not  wiliiHlandin:^  i  nrtiitl 
r<(ortii;itioni«,  the  |>ooti|q  did  hoi  re|M'iit.  'I'bo  hI^IiI  in  not  unp  iiallrlotl.  If  wickiMl 
Dtffi  i<.iild  \m  (|)t«rro<l  from  itin,  or  IimI  to  r)'|>iuilnii('i',  by  wiirningH,  thimo  are  nmnr 
WiititMi((.  IliHitiry  and  rx|i<'ri<  U'-n  iMMir  uhifoim  ii'Htiiiioiiy  that  it  ih  well  with  llin 
righu^UM,  Ul  with  the  wickoii ;  mtii  b»Tii  daily  niainplua  ri  tbn  niiuoaa  «ffi«i«  uf  vioa 


«L  sm.  i^uj    mt  saoovD  book  or  mi  Kiyo& 


call 


ll  I 
lUvlfoui 


•  •#  llMrgkt  to 


c>«*iy 


J.  u 


▼an.  M— 4L- 

■a»tb«ni  kittf  V«! 
of  A^jiia  f 
L  Ihi  «r 

■Buiiati 

«ujr  if 


a- 

of  Umi 


lov*. 


>«.    Tb*  palkw  of  I— uilaa  laUUkNM 

'^  uA«  with  like  kjmjtSmnm    \iA  m« 

^  bul    lu  ('jrm.b    avUW*   batac 

lUci  a#  tb«  ••»  fhafcuMU  •!« 

■ah.  Mid  Ara,  aa4  Hii—lh,  aa4 

»»a  dv«it  !•  ^Km.    BakoM 

I  tioa  tBm«f  id  kauwladf* 

^-t^lMa  la  bMTt,  aad  waia 

■«klarOoi  UaUiur 

.  aijvik  Ti^  battaf  l^a 

XMMlVCIfMt 

«r   VtiO  b«<a 

.    xu.  41>     Id.    nu  wwfaiuia  %'  i>mu.     llxkok 

Et«q  Um  m     wi'-    w  nLip  ^f  Jc^      1*.    ;.  4 

th<.«e  uf  U'C 

'  wiuk  *  al  the 


paopU,  U  vaa  u^i  ::.«kI  llaI  auu^atkiag  abould  aoC  be  Uuim  w  atwuM  iLai 
TIm  laotoral  U  \h»  funuor  iottaMtaato  ••«■§  to  hava  lad  la  tba  aalllpiaai  a^ 

aad  iImm  bov  be^ui  to  atu%  ^  pU  in  a  way  wUak  eoaHMMU'^  t»« 

Ood  of  tba  kad  was  duolaa  a.     It  U  out  ooljr  tba  enbtairta  w  • 

viaw  of  tba  matter.  1^  a»craa  waier  givat  tba  mom  lUarprvUtka.  «>*4  um  ha 
ova  way*  id  •pakking  to  tba  oooMfaaaai  of  omo,  aad  tUa  wa«  Ui*  ooa  i*uw  ailu(j««4. 
Tbr  pou^  w«fa  hfbi  ia  aatHug  la  tba  Tkilaliao  a  r— inilw  of  tkatf  aotlwl  of  "  tba 
of  tba  Ood  of  tba  landi*  tbay  wara  wrai«  !•  i^firlrt^  itet  all  tbai  waa 
lawaady  tbto  aaglort  wa>  tba  pirfunaauoa  of  atala  ««t— al  riiaa.  It  waa 
Mid  oa  a  ligkt  kBovladfi  oT  htmaal/.  wbieb  "tba Ood  of  tba  kaa  * 
raqairad.  B«t  tbair  anw  waaoaW  pMtof  tbair  dark  bt«tbaa  aoprTvttMa.  %.  Jtmr 
rt^fmadfm  iaiiiBi^i'iii  Tba  paopla  vara  otoab  onaoarmad  abuat  tba  vMiiaakai  wb>ch 
bad  bafallaa  tk«B.  aud  tbiir  atm  wm  laponad  at  oaoa  lo  the  Ki^  fd  Amyr^  who 
••at  tbaio  oaa  of  v^  ijriaau  who  had  baan  oarri«d  away  oaptira,  lo  loacb  tban  **  b  w 
tbry  abeald  bar  tba  Lord."  Aiaa I  bow  abaU  tbe  hhod  Uad  tke  hUadI  Tkbanoat.A. 
UaMalfoaawbobad  Dongbikaofriadfaof  Jakorab.    Ha  waa  doabibaioMof  ika  uv»u 

ofBatbal.wbe^baaomiudapwltb( 

IotnI  had  hmm  oarriad  a-«  ar. 

itcbt ! 

Ibal 

Hana  of  Jakoaib.    A  ndl^aa  ao  davply  aorrvplad  waa  bardly  baiaar  tbaa  tbaa»  ikaf 

abaady  fwHiMd     lokoaii  wataid  lo  timm  a  leeal  daity.  of  wboaa  raal 

tbay  kaaw  aotbiic  aad  vboat  tbay  avvad  boat  MoHvai  of  fear. 

IL  MxzJtD  ■ttinioMi,  L  EHrtf^immrf  MMntfiHa.  Aa  attranadlMij  i 
DOW  aritan— d.  Tiyt  vrnw-camu^  oaea  oMiad  ui  tkrir  oWai^  ka*  aa  tbaa  tai  i 
tbatr  rabc^uaa— IB  ihu,  **  bU  arvati^  ■■M^  ■■  naflula  lo 


tiM  oalf-vwabip  Bad  all  tJba oibBT  alaa  ior  « tacit 
Tiad  a-« ar.  It  U  arideui  fr\«n  tba  raaulla  dMt  bt  fa«a  tba  paofA*  aa 
Ba  urubaUy  Mi  up  »^a,u  at  tba  Bctbal  Maefeaary  tba  dbaa  d  rllaa  of 
.aadtaucbt  tba  pautJU  aoaae  aitaraal  iibTfiaBai auaaactad  wiib  tba 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS,      [oh.  xvin.  1— 37. 


The  Wgli  places  formerly  used  by  the  Israelites  stood  temptingly  ready  to  receive  the 
■ew  idols.  Whatever  may  have  been  the  character  of  the  priest's  instructions,  they 
kad  no  influence  in  checking  the  multiplication  of  strange  gods.  In  the  mixture  of 
peoples,  each  nationality  adhered  to  its  own  deity.  The  Babylonians  made  Succoth- 
benoth,  the  Cuthites  made  Nergal,  the  men  of  Hamath  made  Ashiina,  etc.  The  result 
was  a  chaotic  confusion  of  religions,  such  as  perhaps  has  never  before  or  since  been 
equalled.  The  new  worships  needed  priests,  and  tliese  were  made  from  the  lowest  of 
the  people.  The  whole  is  a  sad  but  instructive  picture  of  heathenism  in  its  want  of 
internal  unity,  its  Babel-like  confusion,  its  destitution  of  moral  character,  and  its 
degrading  and  cruel  practices,  e.g.  the  burning  of  the  children  in  the  fire  to  Adrammelech, 
etc.  Only  monotheism  can  give  true  unity  to  life,  religion,  and  worship.  2.  Jehovah 
and  strange  gods.  Meanwhile  Jehovah  was  not  overlooked,  but  had  his  place  given 
him  among  the  rest.  The  people  "feared  the  Lord,  and  served  their  own  gods."  This 
showed,  of  course,  that  the  first  principles  of  the  religion  of  Jehovah  were  not  under- 
stood by  them-  But  is  it  so  uncommon  a  thing  for  men — not  heathen,  but  professedly 
Christian— thus  to  attempt  to  combine  incompatibilities  ?  Is  there  not  such  a  thing 
as  attempting  to  combine  the  service  of  the  Lord  with  the  friendship  of  the  world, 
which  yet  is  declared  to  be  "enmity  with  (Jod*  (Jas.  iv.  4)?  Is  there  no  such  thmg 
as  prolessing  to  serve  God,  yet  giving  the  chief  place  in  the  heart  to  money,  pleasure, 
fashion,  or  some  other  spiritual  idol,  which  is  duly  worshipped  upon  its  own  high  place  ? 
The  less  glaring  idolatries  are  not  always  the  least  sinful.  Ere  condemning  the 
irrational  practices  of  these  heathen,  let  us  sit  strictly  in  judgment  on  ourselves.  3. 
The  absence  of  true  religion.  The  cause  of  all  this  religious  confusion  was  that  the  true 
God  was  not  rightly  known.  Men  may  possess  theoretically  correct  notions  of  God, 
and  not  act  upon  them  ;  but  it  is  impossible  to  base  a  right  moral  or  relisiouf  life  on 
conceptions  of  God  which  are  fundamentally  erroneous.  These  colonists  did  not  know 
Jehovah's  real  character;  .they  had  not  been  properly  instructed  in  his  statutes;  there- 
fore they  thought  they  were  serving  him  when  they  were  doing  him  the  highest 
dishonour. 

IIL  A  PAST  MEMORY.  1.  Ood^t  ancient  covenant.  The  sight  of  this  indescribable 
cliaos  recalls  to  the  historian  the  memory  of  that  original  covenant  of  God  with  Israel, 
bv  the  terms  of  which  the  people  were  pledged  not  to  serve  strange  gods,  but  to 
adhert  to  Jehovah,  their  Redeemer  from  E'jjypt,  and  to  keep  his  holy  statutes.  Had 
they  been  faithful  to  that  covenant,  how  difTerent  would  have  been  the  result!  Instead 
of  b'ing  In  exile,  the  nation  would  have  been  safe,  happy,  and  prosp  rous  under 
Jehovah's  care.  2.  The  mlancholy  contrast.  As  it  was,  the  people  had  been  driven 
from  their  land,  and  this  moiloy  crowd  of  heathen  held  possession  of  it.  'I'hoir  obcdioiice 
was  not  better  than  that  of  the  rejected  Israelites,  nnd,  so  far  as  experience  had  gone, 
they  showed  no  sij^n  of  improvement.  It  is  due,  however,  to  the  Samaritans  t«)  say 
that,  wiien  better  instructed,  they  did  improve,  and,  in  Christ's  time,  they  were  as 
surict  monothcists  as  the  Jews,  and  more  willing  to  receive  the  gospoL— J*  O. 

EXPOSITION. 

Ok.  XTiiL — xxT. — Thb  FIistobt  of  thk  Kikodom  o»  Jcdah  afteb  tdb  PaUi  oi 

Bamaria. 


CIIAPTKR  XVIII. 

Ve,.  1— <;h.  xix.  37.— The  AooEwnow  or 
Ilr/KKiAH.  IliM  Hi  rxtwtES.  His  WaB  wiTH 
bi.umouy.niH. 

V.r*.  l—H.—Tur.  Kari.t  Ykatw  o»  IfitZB- 
KlAii.  From  hl'i  iKirrutivo  of  tlio  doHtniolion 
of  tlio  kliiK'loin  of  Kamariii,  tho  wrilor  tumit, 
with  cvjfl' nl  r'liof,  t/)  tlin  nryvHcinn  of  tlio 
|['''kI  )<iiiK  ll<'/<'kiiili  ill  .Tmliili,  iiiul  iit  a 
brM(  Muwiuiil  of  (1>  Ui«  rulitfiuiu  rMforiutttioo 


(vers.  3—6);  (2)  his  revolt  fVom  Assyria 
(ver.  7);  and  (3)  his  v/nr  willi  tho  Philis- 
tincH  (ver.  8).  Tiio  narrutivo  is  btill  oxeet-d- 
inf^ly  briof,  and  huH  lo  l>n  llllud  out  from  tlio 
Kocoiid  lUutk  of  ClironioloH,  whoru  tlio  ro- 
lil^^iouH  rofdriniition  of  II('Z««kiah  is  truutiHl 
witli  Kfoal  fiiliK  HH  (all.  xxix. — xxxi.). 

Vor.  1.— Now  It  came  to  pivis  in  tho  third 
y(  ar  of  Hoslin  i  Bon  of  Elah  Kinff  of  Ifii  aol, 
tliut  Hozckiiih  the  Hnii  nf  Ahiii  Kinr?  of 
JiulAh  bogaa  to  rst^fii.      i'lioxu  oao  auikrodlj 


m.  xtui.  1-47.1     mi  RPiXiST)  nooK  Of  niK  KIWOII 


af  i}it«avi>.-i>»iAi»i<    *>ik«>ii{.  in     1    #r..*..    T*...,ii.l 


•r    till*     .!.-,,   <.r, 

AajriAD  taadriftiuu*.    11.. 

V«»  I. 
mUm  km  \ 


tofn 
•ki*l.l)     

JmIV  t.  a.  f  1).  AbJ  u^ 


t  mpam 


(1  CkKM    &ft.il.   1).       i.»  i*^um1  Iwu^ 

•mm   *«*«   hatcf  km   •-*•«•   tllni,  mU 
f  ■  U     Bit  ai»(k«r't  aaa*  ftlM 

-mj  tmlket,"  U  Ai^raelj   • 

1     ^*' •"   •»—'■"     fxsnM* 

K  ii^t    111    >      '  r    tnM 

1  ..•  .     .«   A  itonk 

If*'     ■•  AL4<«1  ">.         1k» 

r  N..  ,  !  laa.  iiii    :^ 

\  «r  a.  -  And  k*  did  thai  whi«li  wm  rifht 


to  aU 


11 


went 


U«  Urd. 

..h«r  iiA. 

i  -      -      _       ..    .    _-  -  irord  U.  I  • 

Ja<ub— Am(1  Kitiir*  iv   1 1 

Kill.  tt.     U  u  euriou*  iLb 

Ui<  *«•  of  viekt^  father* 

(•r^ilaitl),  at    an   t«rlT   a^v, 

bje  iulttfUOr  of  laaiali.  «h<>  w   ■  r 

trr«a  wi'li  hit  father  A  has  rl>a   > 

a'xl  wo«ld  >««.  hkflT  t'.  <l*i  all  Ihm  ,  ,,  ,„  „„ 

I'x'tT  to  turn  Ut-wkuih  irutu    hia  falhar** 

•Til  war*,  and  to  fbaiar  all  the  gvruxa  »(  good 

ill  kiaalMfMter. 

V««.   4— Kt  r«tov*d  th«   kifk    yteow. 
T  ,  otmfamtixtky  l»l«  stop  in  Ucm. 

^  >.«•  refcnMlioa.     H«  iMcaa,  »• 

a.  ...i..  ..uia  ObitauolM  (1  Obna.  xxix.  S, 
17).  -  ia  Ite  Am  jMT  of  hi*  nism  the  flf«t 
■M»th.  Md  Ik*  Am  dftj,"  by  ivopMlBg  th« 
taipto,  whiab  AbM  bad  abut  op,  mBorina 
t  II  aU  lb*  •  AhbinM  "  vhisb  Ahai  bad 
>al«l*  (S  CbiDo.  xiii  5). 
pri— to  mmI  Leritw 
Obim.  uii.4— 111 

_  MMk  wbieb 

ibai  had  at  im  Di»>-.«  I'i  (\.r>.i>    «<■<    i>4> 


»Mi  lav>  UMdtbM«rittMb 
I  tbr«  teirs  wvaral  af  ito 

Mtd  'l'<-k     ihr   in.s^va  Ib 

----.  iha  fTvT*«  .11' 
tng  to   (h0  pr«Mol   i 


h.r  : 
vdl  a 
tMfUe 

WkAU 


Mfua  laal 


k  uo  •».: 

pi«iti<.>u*.  ( 
tTpiIi  d  (Jo! 
tlut  Moattt 
pretem  it  v 
Dacl«,  or  ti 
•tnie'Qie,  it  f 
«  r»- !  I  ■  , ,  ■  «   - 

tboUaMi. 

vritor 
dfMtriy 

M  of  b 
Ut!        - 

Ui 

da 


lU 
St 


if  It  va* 


t  (X   Um 

dbi     tK»« 

■    ■»  .  i«,** 

,     CB. 


id. 

<: 


&XX.    lu.    11.    In;       It 
•l  "m*  o*».f  that  iho 


Ujo«   •t*o 


f-oUaraUnl  ">  •>^iu«alebt  to  *-Uc><^WL* 


858 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS,     [oh.  xvra.  1--37 


or  "  it  was  called  "  (comp.  Gen.  xxv.  26 ; 
xxxviii.  29,  30).  Nehushtac  is  not  from  B*'n3 
"  serpent,"  but  from  n»n2,  "  brass,"  and 
means  "  the  little  brass  thing,"  )  being  a 
diminutive,  expression  of  tenderness. 

Ver.  5. — He  trusted  in  the  Lord  God  of 
Israel.  Unlike  Hosbea  (see  homiletics  on 
ch.  xvii.  1 — 4),  unlike  Ahaz  (ch.  xvi.  7 — 10), 
Hezekiah  discarded  trust  in  man,  and — it 
may  be  after  some  hesitation — put  his  trust 
wholly  in  God.  This  was  exactly  what  God 
required  as  the  condition  on  which  he  would 
give  his  aid  (Isa.  xxx.  1 — ^7),  and  what  no 
previous  king  since  the  Assyrian  troubles 
began  could  bring  himself  to  do.  So  that 
after  him  was  none  like  him  among  all  the 
kings  of  Judah,  nor  any  that  were  before 
him.  It  has  been  concluded  from  this  state- 
ment that,  "  when  the  merits  of  the  kings 
were  summed  up  after  the  fall  of  the 
monarchy,  Hezekiah  was,  by  a  deliberate 
judgment,  put  at  the  very  top"  (Stanley 
'  Lectures  on  the  Jewish  Church,'  vol.  ii.  p. 
397)  ;  but,  as  exactly  the  same  words  are  used 
of  Josiah  in  ch.  xxiii.  25,  the  true  conclusion 
would  seem  to  be  rather  that  Hezekiah  and 
Josiai  I  were  selected  from  the  rest,  and  placed 
upon  a  par,  above  all  the  others.  At  first 
sij;ht  there  may  seem  to  be  contradiction 
between  the  two  passages,  since  absolute 
pre-eminence  over  all  the  other  kings  is 
ascribed  to  Hezekiah  in  one  of  them,  to 
Josiali  in  the  other ;  but  the  context  shows 
that  the  pre-eminence  is  not  the  same  in  the 
two  cases.  To  Hezekiah  is  ascribed  pre- 
eminence in  trust;  to  Josiah,  pre-eminence 
in  an  exact  observance  of  the  Law :  one  ex- 
cels in  faith,  the  otlier  in  works ;  Josiah *8 
\vh  le  life  is  one  of  activity,  Hezekiali's 
great  merit  lies  in  liis  being  content,  in  the 
crisin  of  his  fate,  to  "stand  still,  and  see  the 
salvation  of  God." 

A'er.  6. — For  he  clave  to  the  Lord — rather, 
and  lie  dave  to  the  Lwd;  i.e.  he  persevered 
through  the  whole  of  his  life;  he  did  not 
full  into  Hins  at  the  last,  like  Asa  and  Aza- 
riah  (.-ee  2  Chron.  xvi.  7 — 12 ;  xxvi.  16 — 
21) — and  departed  not  from  following  him. 
The  writer  probably  considers  "  the  princes 
of  Judah  "  aiiHuerable  for  the  embassy  to 
VtuVi'^  mentioned  in  Isa.  xxx.  4,  and  ex- 
CUKCJ!  llezekiah'H  ostentatious  dibplay  of  his 
trouiiuicrt  to  tlic  uinb:iBaad(;r8  of  Meroducii- 
Biiiudari  (ch  xx.  \'.'>)  iiu  a  weakness,  not  an 
uctnal  broach  ol'  oh'  liionco.  But  kept  his 
commandments,  which  the  Lord  commanded 
llosoa. 

Ver.  7. — And  the  Lord  was  with  him.  Of 
nf>  otlicr  King  of  Jmhiti  or  IsriM:!  is  this 
eaid,  iic<!pt  only  of  iMvi'l  (2  Ham.  v.  10). 
It  wart  the  [irornJMi-  nui.lrs  to  Mo.icb  (i'^xod.  Hi. 
12;,  rfjjioaUxl  U)JoHhua(JoHh  i.  .'i,  7),  nnd  by 
iin|ili''utiori  |^v<;n  in  thorn  to  nil  tiioH*^  who 
Would  rul«  hij  people  fuilhluUj  (comp.  2 


Chron.  zv.  2).  And  he  prospered  whither* 
soever  he  went  forth;  ratlier,  in  all  hia 
goings — in  eunctis  ad  quae  procedebat  (Vul- 
gate). Hezekiah's  prosperity  is  enlarged 
upon  by  the  writer  of  Chronicles,  who  says 
(2  Chron.  xxxii.  27—30),  "And  Hezekiah 
had  exceeding  much  riches  and  honour :  and 
he  made  himself  treasuries  for  silver,  and 
for  gold,  and  for  precious  stones,  and  for 
spices,  and  for  shields,  and  for  all  manner 
of  pleasant  jewels ;  storehouses  also  for  the 
increase  of  corn,  and  wine,  and  oil;  and 
stalls  for  all  manner  of  beasts,  and  cotes  for 
flocks.  Moreover  he  provided  him  cities, 
and  possessions  of  flocks  and  herds  in  abun- 
dance: for  Gt)d  had  given  him  substance 
very  much.  .  .  .  And  Hezekiah  prospered 
in  all  his  works."  Many  brought  presents  to 
him  to  Jerusalem,  and  he  was  magnified  in 
the  sight  of  all  the  surrounding  nations  (see 
2  Chron.  xxxii.  23).  And  he  rebelled  against 
the  King  of  Assyria,  and  served  Mm  not. 
Hezekiah's  "  rebellion  "  probably  took  place 
at  the  very  commencement  of  his  reign,  b.o. 
727,  in  the  year  that  Shalmaneser  ascended 
the  throne.  Most  likely  it  consisted  simply 
in  his  withholding  his  tribute,  and  neither 
going  in  person  nor  sending  representatives 
to  Nineveh,  to  congratulate  the  new  monarch 
on  his  accession.  This  would  be  understood 
as  an  assertion  of  independence.  That  it 
was  not  at  once  resented  must  be  ascribed 
to  Shalmaneser's  diflBculties  with  Samaria 
and  with  Tyre,  which  were  more  pressing, 
as  they  lay  nearer  to  Assyria.  Before  these 
were  over,  Sargon  usurped  the  crown.  There 
is  reason  to  believe  that  he  made  at  least 
one  expedition  against  Hezekiah;  but  the 
date  of  it  is  uncertain.  Rebellion  met  him 
on  all  sides,  and  had  to  be  crutshed  near 
home  before  he  could  venture  to  deal  with 
it  on  the  remote  outskirts  of  his  empire. 
Meanwhile  Hezekiah  strengthened  himself 
and  built  up  a  considerable  power. 

Ver.  8. — He  smote  the  Philistines.  Heze- 
kiah's Philistine  war  seems  to  have  followed 
on  an  attempt  which  Snrgon  made  to  bring 
the  whole  country  under  the  Assyrian  do- 
minion. Sargon  attacked  Philistia  in  b.o. 
720,  made  Gaza  and  the  other  towns  subject, 
and  committed  the  custody  of  them  to  tribu- 
tary kings,  in  whom  he  hud  confidence.  But 
opposition  soon  manifested  itself.  Sargon'e 
rreaturesweroex])!  lleil — Akhimiti  from  Ash- 
dud,  Padi  from  Kkron.  Hezekiah  nssisted 
in  this  war  of  independence,  attacked  Sar- 
gon's  viceroys,  and  helped  tho  cities  to  free 
tbemselvoH.  About  tho  year  b.o.  711  Sargon 
Bi)eakH  of  a  league  against  Assyria,  to  which 
tho  purtioH  were  I'hili.stia,  Judjua  Edora, 
and  Moab  ('  Ei>onym  Canon,'  p.  lilO).  The 
I'liilJHtincH,  whom  Ilo/.nkiali  "sniolfl,"  must 
h«  rr^^Mfdcd  aa  AHHyriiiii  piirtiHaiiH,  whom  ho 
ehastisud   in  the  intareHt*   '*    be  national 


m  xrm.  1-  ST.]      THE  fiEOOJTD  BOOK  OF  THK  KINOfll 


lof  biai»< "      y 
to  hmwt 

•IptttfV  li. .  

fr«B  tlM  towdr  or  '.  va  maio  Uia 

fMMd  dty.     (Oa  1  ..ua,  aw  lU 

•oauaaol  upoa  clt.  xku.  j.> 

▼«•.  »— It —Till  PrimnMBWT  or  Pi- 
■  A«u  rua  I>  !^>M  lauiL-K.  la  ootitmat  with 
llrtckikh'a  puiy  «uil  ouQMqncut  proafwrttf, 
lh<>  mulUor  pl.i^«  Uie  diaobediaoeo  (v«r.  IS) 
and  OQoart}ut-iit  cxUoetlon  of  Um  •istar 
kitl;^la■  (vera.  9— IIX  wh  oh  »«*l^ftil  to 
Uocekiab't  earlier  yean,  aoJ  waa  au  ereot 
•f  Um  gnmXo»l  impotiamcm  to  him,  aiuea  It 
madahik  >1  >a0 

of  At»\Tln  ,-r 

toattaakat  *:  > 
foreea.     A*v«>r 

«•!<•'  ■  .  bl.oiil.i  i^Mva 

been  koti  JuJosa; 

•nd  but  ioi  tiio  cLui  gt>  of  Jjiiaatj,  and 
treoblM  OB  all  sid.a  which  en^ii- J  t>ipr»> 
upon, thi*  would  usturalljr  have  taktii  placo. 
A«  it  waa.  Jnia-n  wm  allowctl  a  brtatliing- 
•I'aoe,  d   •  aha  •trengihiu<tl  Ler 

puwar  in  1  ■     <«  the  eomiuiut  on  the 

pneediag  ««ne^  aud  otherwise  |>rep&ri.d 
henelf  to  vaeiat  attuk  (8c«  2  Ciuon.  uxiii. 
»— «:  Iaa.xxiL8-ll>. 

Ver  9. — And  it  cama  to  pasa  ta  the  fourth 
jear  of  King  Hezakiah.  which  w  tu  the  seventh 
JMT  oX  Heahaa  son  c'  T  '  '"..ng  of  larseL 
HiMwkidi  begaa  to  :  Hoahen  liud 

eoBpletad   his    tl.:  r.   1).     Hia 

flrat  year  tLoa  r  part  of  Ho- 

aht^'s  third  ai.  i;hi^furth 

with  |>art  of  11  ;.  a's  e.ii;.  a.LiJ  part  of  hia 
•Bvenih;  hia  titii  » iih  j>.irt  of  Hrwbea'a 
eighth  and  part  of  hit  nuiih.  That  Bhal- 
■laneaer  Kixig  of  Aaayria  came  np  against 
■•maria,  ead  beaiegdd  it  (aee  the  ouimueut 
oo  ch.  xviL  4,  5). 

Ver.  10.— And  at  tha  end  of  three  yeare 
they  took  it.    The  txpreaeiou,  "at  luv  end 
of  thrtx'   years,"  doi*   not  ah'-w  that   the 
thri-«  )e.,ri  were  ootnplcto.     ()      • 
trMry,   aa   the  siege    began   in 
fourth   year,  pmliibly   in   \\,v 
waa  ovrr  in  Lij  sixth,  aiv,  by  •. 
th>.  ciiUre  duratiuB  waa  loI  m 
ycAra  aod  a  lialt     The  y     ■      >■■      -     - 
"tkey  took  il,"is  reinark^i  .    -  •.  «    .  i 

have aeemed  more  natural  to  wriic  — :— ,  ""he 
teok  if— and  ao  the  LXX^  the  Vulgato,  and 
the  ByriafO— bat  the  writer  eeema  to  iiare 
kDowa  that  PkeimennMt  did  not  taka  i^ 


I   Iwrt  dM  doH-^if  th*  t4*r»  tt>#«  raptwTw  fkH- 


me.  I  _  ^  .^  __   .»j.._ _t 

oh.  x«ii.  6>. 

Vrr    I!  -A-Jd  the  I'.sg  of  Aaayna-^a. 
^-aal  aal«  Asayrta 
-y  — a&d  pat  ihaa 
>  >  lao  rivar  of  fli— i, 
-0  Medea  (aoa  tha  «o»> 


i;.  i.  . 
and  1 
nicot ' 
Vcr     1. 

▼oif^  ff  tL 


they  obeyed  aet  the 
r  Gud,  bat  Iraaagreaaad 

'.  .-.-^  ^u  .  o-i  that  Moeee  the  »«-.  .zi 
.  oommanded.  and  woold  ao*.  lcx: 
li.  n.  i-uf  do  thetn  (eooiparv  the  rX(«  .  i  .j 
vervioii  of  thi«  Ktateaaot  in  eh.  xtii.  7—1'  :>. 
Tie   t.:t    of    ^:l  ..&ri»    ti>«*    \--    >    \       ., 


LorxL' 


Vera.   IS  — 18  —  F  r 

SKCSACIIEUIB       AUAl-.     .        ■_._ 3 

writer  BOW,  aa  ia  hia  raatiut-r,  ooiittin);  aa 
ootupanitirely  ani(ii{K)rtaQt  all  Uc-xckt.iL'a 
dculuif;*  with  Sar;;<jn,  wiiich  were  witi.out 
pobitiro  result,  proctxxU  to  giro  a  L-ru-f 
a^rouot  of  Sennacherib'a  first  expi-.iiti>n 
againat  him.  and  of  ita  onfortanata,  if  not 
diegnicefuU  iaaua:  (1)  t!.e  capture  of  all 
the  iuijx)runt  citiee  ei'-'  j  t  Joruaairfn;  (2) 
the  auLiiiiiMsiou  of  Utit i.ah  to  any  teitua 
which  Seuoacherib  chuM  to  ijnpo«e;  aitd 
(3)  the  porohase  of  peaoe  by  the  payment 
of  three  hundnsl  talents  of  silver  aod  thirty 
talrota  of  gold  out  of  the  treaaurea  at  uie 
t«uiple  and  of  the  ruval  lutlaoa.  The  aarm- 
tiTe  obtaiua  oupiuua  UlusUatiuB  Croca  tha 
inaeriptiona  of  Sennaeharik 

Yer.  IS.- Vow  ia  tha  tearteeath  year  a( 

King  Eetekiah  did    ftennachehb   King    ef 

Aasyria  come  up.     It  i^  ••• • !-  t-  a  --r-pt 

this  iioti-  of  tirue  ka  ;.■ 
ii)4  alto_'.  ther  tli-  nui 

a  ".'s^,  tt!  .  ' 

-  \  c-Dtc<en  an  1           •.  i 

■f   whieh  we  have  au  mi.i.x.r      ila 

!t   did    not    as-.v-ia'.f  S  •  ■  .-^--rtb 


throaa  aanandad  "  ('  Enooyoi  Caaoo.*  p.  C7x 
Beaaaoharih  nlaeea  Bia  flrat  axpsijItMia 
against  Ueaekiah  in  his  f-urth  ytmt.  a-a 
70L    Thaa,  aneorling  to  the  Aas^naa  r*. 


MO 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINOa     [oh.  xvm.  1— 37 


cords,  wtich  are  very  ample,  and  of  •which 
we  have  the  actual  originals,  twenty  years 
intervened  between  the  capture  of  Samaria 
and  the  attack  of  Sennacherib  on  Heze- 
kiah ;  according  to  the  present  passage, 
compared  with  vers.  9,  10,  eight  years  only 
intervened.  No  contradiction  can  be  more 
absolute.  It  has  been  proposed  to  alter  the 
date  from  "  the  fourteenth  year "  to  "  the 
twenty-sixth  year ; "  but  it  seems  most  prob- 
able that  the  original  writer  inserted  no 
date,  bnt  simply  said,  "  And  Sennacherib, 
King  of  Assyria,  came  up,"  etc.,  just  as  he 
had  said,  •without  a  date,  "Pul  the  King  of 
Assyria  came  up  against  the  land  "  (ch.  xv. 
19);  and  "a.2;ainst  him  (Hoshea)  came  np 
Shalmaneser  "  (ch.  xvii.  3) ;  and,  with  a  very 
vague  date,  if  it  may  be  called  a  date,  "  In 
the  days  of  Pekah  King  of  Israel  came  Tig- 
lath- pileser  King  of  Assyria"  (ch.  xv.  29. 
Comp.  also  ch.  xxiv.  1,  11).  Later  on,  a 
redactor — perhaps  the  same  who  inserted 
the  whole  series  of  synclironisras — intro- 
duced the  words,  "  In  the  fourteenth  year 
of  King  Hezekiah,"  having  obtained  the 
number  from  ch.  xx.  6,  which  he  assumed 
to  belong  to  the  time  of  Sennacherib's 
attack.  Against  all  the  fenced  cities  of 
Judah,  and  took  them.  Sennacherib  himself 
says,  "  And  of  Hezekiah  of  Judah,  who  did 
not  submit  to  my  yoke,  forty-six  strong 
cities,  fortresses,  and  smaller  cities  round 
about  them  without  number,  by  the  march 
of  my  troops,  ...  by  the  force  of  battering- 
rams,  mining,  and  missiles,  I  besieged,  I 
caiitured"  ('Eponym  Canon,'  p.  134,  lines 
6—12.  Comp.  also  2  Chron.  xxxiL  1  and 
Isa.  xxxvi.  1). 

Ver.  14.— And  Hezekiah  King  of  Judah 
•ent  to  the  Zing  of  Assyria  to  Lachish,  say- 
ing. (On  tlie  position  of  Lachish,  see  the 
ooinment  upon  ch.  xiv.  19.)  A  bas-rclicf  in 
the  British  Museum  is  thought  to  re)  neseiit 
Sennacherib  at  the  siege  of  Lachish.  He 
is  seated  on  a  hijilily  ornamented  throne, 
and  iH  engaged  in  re  eiving  prisoners.  The 
city  is  ro[)re.4i  ntcd  as  stronf^ly  fortified,  and 
a^  attacked  with  scaling-laildors  and  batter- 
ing-mnis.  'I'lio  surrender  is  taking  place, 
aitd  the  cu]itive8  of  importance  are  Iming 
cfjnductcd  from  one  of  tho  tower-gates  to 
the  prcHonco  of  tho  conqueror.  An  accom- 
panying iuKcription  ia  to  the  fillowing 
efTect:  "  Hi  rinaclierib,  tho  gnat  l<ing,  the 
Xing  of  A^Hyria,  Billing  on  the  tlirone  of 
ju'lgincnt  bcloro  tho  city  of  LakliiKlia  (La- 
diihhv  I  give  pcrmiHHion  for  itw  dcHtrnc- 
lion.  It  would  Hceni  I  Imt,  whihi  Kenniichii  ib 
wjiB  porwiniilly  eiigiig<(l  in  tiiiH  sirgo,  a 
lK)rlion  of  IwH  army  liad  invent*  il  .IcriiHulfMn, 
nrnl  were  prenHing  tlio  hi<v'o  (nee  Ihu  xxii. 
1  7>.  I  Lave  oJlondod ;  return  from  me. 
Thti  tone  of  the  HubmiMiion  in  ttljrct.  In 
vaiii  litui   iMHtuh   o<iiinM)ll<<<i   r<tHiHtiinc«t,  and 


promised  deliverance  if  trust  were  placed 
in  God  (Isa.  viii.  9—15;  x.  24—26;  xiv. 
24,  25).  When  the  siege  commenced,  all 
was  dismay  within  the  walls — it  was  "a 
day  of  trouble,  and  of  treading  down,  and 
of  perplexity  "  (Isa.  xxii.  5).  Some  of  the 
rulers  fled  (Isa.  xxii.  3);  others  gave  them- 
selves up  for  lost,  and  resolved  on  "  a  short 
life  and  a  merry  one  "  (Isa.  xxii.  13).  Heze- 
kiah found  no  encouragement  to  resist  in 
any  of  his  counsellors  except  Isaiah,  and 
was  therefore  driven  to  despair — acknow- 
ledged himself  in  the  wrong  for  rebelling, 
and  besought  Sennacherib  to  "  return  from 
him  " — i.e.  to  retire  and  withdraw  his  troops. 
That  •which  thou  pnttest  on  me  •will  I  hear. 
"Whatever  burden  Sennacherib  chooses  to 
put  upon  him,  Hezekiah  says  he  will  bear, 
be  it  tribute,  be  it  cession  of  territory,  be  it 
indignity  of  any  sort  or  kind.  He  makes 
no  reservation;  but  of  course  he  assumes 
that  the  terms  about  to  be  oifered  him  will 
be  such  as,  according  to  the  usages  of  war 
ei  the  time,  would  be  regarded  as  reason- 
able. And  the  King  of  Assyria  appointed 
unto  Hezekiah  King  of  Judah  three  hundred 
talents  of  silver  and  thirty  talents  of  gold. 
Sennacherib  says  that  the  payment  made 
him  by  Hezekiah  was  thirty  talents  of  gold 
and  eight  hundred  talents  of  silver  (*  Kecorda 
of  the  Past,'  vol.  i.  p.  39,  line  34).  He  has, 
perhaps,  exaggerated,  or  he  may  have 
counted  in  all  the  silver  that  he  carried  off 
from  the  whole  of  Judtea ;  or,  possibly,  the 
payment  to  purchase  peace  was  eight  hun- 
dred talents,  the  fixed  tribute  three  hundred. 
We  learn  from  Sennacherib's  inscription 
that,  besides  making  this  money  payment, 
Hezekiah  had  to  consent  to  (1)  a  cession  of 
territory  towards  the  south-west,  which  wa» 
apportioned  between  Gaza,  Ekron,  and  Ash- 
dod ;  (2)  the  surrender  of  an  Assyrian  vassal 
king,  detained  in  Jerusalem;  and  (3)  tlio 
contiibution  to  the  harem  at  Niucvch  of 
two  if  not  more  of  his  daughters. 

Ver.  15.— And  Hezekiah  gave  him  all  th» 
silver  that  •was  found  in  the  house  of  the 
Lord,  and  in  the  treasures  of  the  king'i 
house.  Aiiaz  liad  exhausted  both  these 
stores  of  wealth  about  thirty  years  previously 
(ch.  xvi.  8),  and  thoro  could  not  have  been 
very  much  accumulation  since,  llonoo  the 
stripping  of  tiio  inetal-philing  from  oil"  the 
temple  doors  (see  the  next  verse). 

Ver.  16. — At  that  time  did  Hozelriah  cut 
off  the  gold  from  tho  doors  of  the  tomplo  of 
the  Lord,  and  from  I'  i  pillars  which  Heze- 
kiah King  of  Judah  aad  overlaid,  and  gave 
it  to  the  King  of  Assyria.  In  tho  time  of 
liiH  great  W(  all'.i  nnd  proHpitrity,  Hezekiah, 
whilo  engugixl  in  reNtoring  the  temple  (2 
Cliron.  xxix..  17-19),  had  adorned  the 
pilliira  and  doors  of  thu  tuiiiotunrv  with  a 
nmtal    covering,  which  waa  probKldy   gohl. 


«.XTra.l-t7.)      THl  8I00ND  BOOK  OF  TUB  KINOA 


llk»  8olnmne'i(1  Kf-f*  ri    *0    ft.  ?8.  80 
Kl     To  riiAks   up    II, n    •■  iJiiriv  UJmiU   of 


o  bUown 

t' p   two 


f^'ll "  li<-  .tfia  now  (  l.lij; 

»(vrk.  au<l  sUlp  Co  do 

Bi-'tiMohmb  u!!'  «!•  t! 

ki. 

•»i 

•»*•■■•  .■■■  aizo  ; 

•mtrhoi-  ( ivory : 

•kiMof  i^;  and 

•»<*  lili  "  C  li  cxirti*  o/  th«»  Pajt,' 

'''1  i- P  •  —37).     It  wa«rtl^t'•rllur7 

lo  tenuity  uy  11,0   Hxwl   tribute   with   the 

■iu(«  pTK-iou*  prxxlucu  of  oucli  oouulry. 

▼•w.  17— 87.— Secx^md  KxrKDiTuw  «v 
(■nuOHIHlB.  Tbia  •ertion  ud  cb.  xis. 
ftmi  OM  eoDtinuoua  nunstive,  wliicb  cmo 
only  h«v»  been  divitlod  on  aeoouiit  of  iU 
great  Un^'tb  (flfly-<-igLt  Tenn-«).  TJio  inb- 
j«et  is  one  throughout.  Tit.  Sonnachtrib'* 
»oood  ex|<ed:tiun  B!^iiii<<t  Hi-zekiub.  The 
niUTmtive  flowa  on  without  •  break.  It  con- 
•iat^  of  (I)  an  account  of  the  em>>a^j  of 
Rabahakeh  (eh.  xfiiL  17—37;  xix.  1— 
8) ;  (2)  an  account  of  an  inBulting  letter 
writtoii  by  SouuRcberib  to  Her.  kiab,  and 
of  H.rekiab'a  "sprtadiug  it  Ufore  the 
Lord"  (cb.  xix.9— H):  (3)  the  prayer  of 
Hfttkiah,  and  Ood'a  anawer  to  it  by  the 
nt'ttih  of  Iaalah(cb.  xix.  I5-:i»):  (4)  the 
dt-b'.ruction  of  Seuimcherib'a  host,  bis  flight 
to  Niueveh,  and  hia  njur.ler  by  twa  of  lib 
•ona.  The  Aaayriun  in8cri|.ti..na  are  ab»o. 
lutely  ailent  with  rwi»|.<Kt  U)  tbia  «xi>©ditiou 
and  itj  roaoU— it  being  •  fixod  rul«  with 
the  biatorio^-rnphera  of  Aasyria  to  pa«  uvar 
without  Lutue  all  defcutj  auJ  diduateriL 

Ver.  17.— And  the  Xing  of  Aaayria  teat 
Tutan  and  Eabearij  and  Babehakeh  from 
Laehiih  to  Xing  Heiekiah  wuh  a  great  boat 


uiioberb  appcam, 

huTe  returutMi  to 

I  oij>!iTea  (more 

r)  and 

t?  ye»f 


•gaioat   Jorusjilerj 

S'  his  CT,  a 
InOTMl. 

than  two  l.u    .: 
kta  rich  bootv, 

»c.  701.      In  ..    ..„   ^^ 

called   into  B:.'  uoul  b<  h^ 

brkcn  out,  aii  .  ,i  ^  himaelf, 

•eema  to  have  ii. .  ;  up  i.„  miod  to  rwfult. 
aj.d  to  buvo  culled  iu  tbo  a«-i,t.iic«  of 
fc-'>pt(IeA.  XXX  4;  ob.  XT  ii  21).  8aU.tok 
W.WI  probttblT  the  nomii,..!  a.jvirfi-n,  bat 
1  irb  .k»h,  who  held  l.ia  cjurt  at  Meroe,  WM 
k)rd  pttmri)' uiit  An  alliance  WM  made- 
and  L"p«  held  out  that,  if  Sennaeharib 
a*?aiu  marchr.1  into  Ju.i«.a,  II,  ieki«b  would 
iwwiTe  efft<ctual  aid,  twpocially  in  ehariots 
•ad  bomiraen  (tm.  t4).     Under  theM  eir- 


ma/1«  kta   •r^-n4 
•>iu  riiruijr,  aod  JiflaM  ms  at 

>*•  M  hk  anij  bjr  tb*  <v. 

'•  the  PiulikliAJi  tiUin,  p(^)|^ 

X«al* 


ut  the 
o   the 


Wbiahu 


•ntsatoar.- 
•tptditit 
Hffyft  %. 
•m..  . 

dii...- 


",  .w>arixeli 

A^  '  lbf*«  r(a«. 

''  '  '  io     r  aw-    l»>nu-,   all    of 

.    via.   the    Tanao.  or 

^  f;-    lb.    lial-r..    or 

cli.f  euauri, ;"  u>|    the    lUUI.krh    or 

-rb.af  pupU^irrr."      T' r   T  rtan  w«a'(t« 

nil  the  ofl  rriii.!re.a'*| 

xt  to  the  1.  ..  i.crjb  dv 

•  {<irc«  fr>iu  ijiri  I-   ^  whuhar<inj 

vollt<l.  iioJ   to  htt»e  lj«)  It   uu.bf- 

I  "till  aiivf.     And  when  thty  were 

Ci>uit>  up,  ihey  cam*  uadalood  by  iba  coadu.t 

of  tba  uppar  pool     It  wiu,  iKibi«i«.   i  i, 

aruiv  w)iicb  lauiuh  aaw  in  Tui  .n,  a.|»aurii.g 

on  Jtirat«lem  from  tha  p,um  <f   >fi-biuiuh 

(x.  28  -  3'J '     ■   '  -.    '    > 

cit.v  iroin  '. 

Walhi-tbe     -_ 

•yfiana."     At  auy  rule,  Uie  -  u 
and  the  **  ftiller".  field  "  were  in  li. 
(oec  the  ooiiiiueut  on  lad.  riL  3). 
in  the  highway  of  tbe  fuUer'a  fiald. 

Ver.  is.— And  when  they  bad  ealUd  to 
the  king— rf.e.  ^btu  tbey  bad  ann  .i,n<>«d 
tlmt  tb.  y  had  a  mcaaagi-  to  delif.  r  to  Uie 
kin-  ihere  came  out  to  tham;  bv  lU-t»- 
kiuii'd  order,  doubileaa.  l.«-arnin-  \\.  ■.'.  v  ,-» 
Were  three  of  Sennacherib'^  hi^i. 

bo  aeut  out  lo  them  three  o/ 

of&CAto  of  hia  own  eooit.     Zliak.;..         ^  :. 

of  Hilldah,  whitb  wu«  oTar  the  .       .i.  l 

Ittvently    promoted    to  tiut  hi  ■ 

iu»tc\ul  of  Sbcbna,  aeecadiag  i 

pbit'v  (laa.  XX  L  19-22X  and  i 

tiie  iaflueno*  o/  l»*i»>^      /.  , 

Kribe;  or,  aaareiary— tlie  i: 

to  driw   up  d'-cutnent*,   a-.:,    i^    ■...^•....^ 

pr..t  <•   \t   dt*f>atohra,  and  tb. 


(xxii.  la>  bad   i. 
tke  ton  of  AaapL 
fcmnefr— the    p,•r^■  u 
probably  waa  to  olini. 
oocurpoil.aod  flnidlT  tu  um  . 
of  each  ivign  at  fli  ekee 
Tic  w,  aee  the  *««««■>— >^  on  1 
Ver.  19 —And  RabahuVel. 
Altboii^'h    the    tbiri    -u      - 
Babahu' 
be  wa- 
an. I    . 

1 

U    .      .  ,       _ 

In     ibe     pantiiel 


l:k 


li.-bi^ 


a«  they 

Uiet 

-cm, 
.:ty. 


a  to 


^XXXTl  ). 


862 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS,    [oh.  xvra.  1— 37. 


over  In  silence  the  other  two.  Speak  ye 
now  to  Hezekiah.  It  was  a  rude,  almost 
an  insulting  commencement,  to  give  Heze- 
kiah no  title — neither  "  the  fcng,"  nor 
*•  King  of  Judah,"  nor  even  "  your  master," 
but  to  call  him  merely  "Hezekiah."  The 
same  rudeness  is  persisted  in  througliout 
(vers.  22, 29,  30,  31, 32),  and  it  is  emphasized 
by  the  employment  of  some  title  or  other, 
generally  a  lofty  title,  when  Sennacherib 
is  spoken  of.  Sennacherib  himself  is  less 
rude  in  his  inscriptions  (see  the  '  Eponym 
Canon,'  pp.  133,  line  45 ;  134.  line  6 ;  136, 
lines  21,  15).  Thus  saith  the  great  king, 
the  King  of  Assyria.  The  "  great  king  " — 
sarru  rabu — was  the  ordinary  title  assumed 
by  Assyrian  monarchs.  It  passed  from 
them  to  the  Babylonians  and  the  Persians. 
Sennacherib  calls  himself,  on  Bellino'a 
cylinder, "  the  great  king,  the  powerful  king, 
the  King  of  Assyria,  the  king  unrivalled, 
the  pious  monarch,  the  worshipper  of  the 
great  gods,  the  protector  of  the  just,  the 
lover  of  the  righteous,  the  noble  warrior, 
the  valiant  hero,  the  first  of  all  kings,  the 
great  punisher  of  unbelievers"  (see  'Records 
of  the  Past,'  vol.  i.  p.  25).  What  confidence 
is  this  wherein  thou  trastesti  We  may 
assume  that  Hezekiah  had,  at  the  beginning 
of  the  year,  withheld  his  tribute.  He  had 
certainly  not  gone  out  to  meet  the  "  great 
king"  as  he  approached  his  territories,  to 
do  homage,  and  place  the  forces  of  Judah 
at  his  (1i>iio8al.  On  the  contrary,  he  had 
tn\- 'n  up  an  attitude  of  hostility.  He  had 
f>,;ified  his  capital  (2  Chron,  xxxii.  2—5); 
ho  had  collected  arms  and  soldiers,  and  had 
ehut  himself  up  in  Jerusalem,  having  made 
eveiy  preparation  for  a  siege.  Sennacherib 
inquires  why  he  has  dared  to  do  all  this — 
on  what  strength  does  he  rely?  VVhat  is 
the  ground  of  his  confidence? 

Ver.  20. — Thou  sayest  (hut  they  are  but 
vaia  words);  literally,  words  of  lips;  i.e. 
words  which  tlio  lips  speak,  without  the 
heart  having  any  conviotion  of  their  truth. 
Wo  niuHt  BujijKjHe  that  Sennacherib  has 
either  lieurd  from  his  spies  that  Ilfzckiah 
iH  speaking  to  the  people  as  he  ropresonts 
him  to  be  api  aking,  or  conjtcturos  wliut  lio 
in  likoly  to  Hay.  Affonliii^  to  tho  writer 
of  CliroiiiflcH  (2  Cliron.  xxxii.  7,  8),  wliat 
be  did  Huy  wuH  very  ill ntrcnt.  IIo  neiUior 
bfKDitcd  of  "r-oiiiimtl"  .lor  of  niatorinl 
••  Btrcngth  ; "  but  hitnply  Hiiid,  **  Thero  be 
nuoro  with  im  fhni  witli  him:  with  him  is 
an  (inn  of  (Ir-Hh  ;  ImiI,  with  )ih  ih  tho  Tiord 
our  (•(>(]  V)  h'  li)  iiH  atil  to  fl;.'ht  our  l»iililr'H." 
I  have  coun«ol  and  Btronglh  for  tho  war. 
H<;iiii(u'h'Til)  ini  itriii/'H  liml  llczilciiih'H  nul 
truht  iH  ill  tln!  "  flcHhly  iirin  "  of  I-^j^ypt,  iiiid 
In  tlio  ciiiii-i-IJorH  who  linvo  ndvJHod  und 
broiit.^ht  hIxmiI  tlio  uJiiitnr-o  And  prrlnuiM 
h»  is  not  iikT  wTou^.     IIi)/,<  kliih,  it  would 


eeem,  "halted  between  two  opinions."  He 
hoped  for  aid  from  Egypt;  but,  if  it  failed, 
then  he  hoped  for  the  Divine  help  promised 
by  Isaiah.  Now  on  whom  dost  thou  trust, 
that  thou  rehellest  against  me  "i 

Ver.  21. — Now,  behold,  thou  trustest  upon 
the  staff  of  this  bruised  reed,  even  upon 
Egypt.  Sennacherib  had  good  information. 
Hezekiah's  embassy  to  Egypt  (Isa.  xxx. 
2 — 7)  was  known  to  him;  and  he  rightly 
judged  that  Hezekiah  was  expecting  aid 
from  this  quarter.  This  expectation  he 
ridicules.  What  is  Egypt  but  a  "  bruised 
reed"?  The  Nile  bulrush  (pi)  has  a 
goodly  show;  it  rears  itself  aloft,  and  looks 
strong  and  stately ;  but  use  it  as  a  staff, 
lean  upon  it,  and  it  snaps  at  once.  Such  is 
Pharaoh — nay,  he  is  worse ;  he  is  a  bruised 
reed,  which  can  give  no  support  at  all,  even 
for  a  moment.  The  Assyrian  monarch  was 
justified  in  his  contempt.  Egypt  had  never 
yet  given  any  effectual  support  to  the  states 
attacked  by  Assyria.  Shebek  gave  no 
manner  of  aid  to  Hoshea,  but  allowed 
Samaria  to  be  conquered  in  b.o.  722  without 
making  the  slightest  effort  on  her  behalf. 
In  B.O.  720  he  came  to  the  aid  of  Gaza 
('Eponym  Canon,'  p.  126),  but  Gaza  was 
captured  notwithstanding.  In  b.o.  711 
either  he  or  Sabatok  undertook  the  protec- 
tion of  Ashdod,  but  with  the  same  lack  of 
success  (ibid.,  pp.  130,  131).  "  Kings  of 
Egypt"  assisted  the  Ascalonites  against 
Sennacherib  liimself  in  B.C.  701,  and  were 
again  completely  defeated  (ibid.,  pp.  133, 
i;54).  Snrgon  calls  the  King  of  Egypt,  whose 
aid  was  invited  by  the  Ashdodites  (ibid., 
p.  130,  line  37),  "  a  monarch  who  could  not 
save  them."  On  which  if  a  man  lean,  it  will 
go  into  his  hand,  and  pierce  it;  i.e.  trust 
in  Egypt  will  not  only  bring  a  country  no 
advantage,  but  it  will  bring  positive  injury. 
Tlie  sharp  silicious  casing  of  a  reed  might 
run  into  the  hand  and  give  an  ugly  wound. 
So  is  Pharaoh  King  of  Egypt  unto  all  that 
trust  on  him.  Snrgon  in  one  place  (ibid., 
p.  130,  liuo  36)  speaks  of  a  King  of  Egypt 
under  tho  title  of  "Pharaoli." 

Ver.  22. — But  if  ye  say  unto  me.  Wo  trust 
in  the  Lord  our  God.  Sonnuchmib  had  also 
heard  of  this  Hccond  ground  of  trust,  which 
Hezekiah  had  certainly  put  forward  with 
great  opcniicHH  (2  Chron.  xxxii.  8).  No 
doulit  ho  tliouglit  it  pur(!ly  fantastical  and 
illusory.  But  ho  waa  not  unaware  that  it 
might  inHpiro  a  doterminod  rosislanco.  He 
tliiircforo  condi'Hoendi'd  to  argiio  a^^aiiist 
relianoo  on  it.  Is  not  that  ho,  whoso  hi^'h 
placos  and  whoso  altars  Hosokiah  ha.h 
takon  away]  IIIh  onuunellorH  have  niig- 
gcHted  to  Sciioiic-horih  a  niicpioun  ar^uinont  — 
How  can  Ho/.ckiali  oouddnntly  roiy  on  (ho 
pidtuction  of  tlio  (Joil  of  the  land,  Johovuii, 
whua  hu  Ltta  buuu  employing  himself  for 


CiLZvnL  1-87.]      Till  noOVD  BOOK  OF  TEB  KIVO& 


vrArt  la  Ik*  awtmnUwi  of  thb  mr  OmTs 

fill  l>bM«Midftllu»r  BarBlylk«Oo.i  will 

I.'  ;    faVMIr   ntlr    •  iio    liAi   )»«-ii    iiu'.lltiir    •,     m  ii 
bi.*  J  1»-<M>  .   ' 
Ihc  •|»<-ia 

tlic<   iLr^'t^^i.i '.t   ui  ..  :.i    ».,     i-..,i,   u '•»;•*<*  li- 
ft I  >lr       Al    >u>  rnl'  .    t  M  [.  -  '   >>'  I. .nltMi  U)  liavn 
ft  crrtA.ii   .  il.ci  nii   I.  .  '    Mbo 

«c-n'  Atiu  I  (  :    l"   i:.'  '■Uip, 

«uJ  timiM  .  r>  O'lii  ■.    ..  ....»  „_.li  said 

%•  JUdft^  iUiil  Jc.'uta.cm,  T«  thAil  wurmhip 
iL.»  a'.'.ar  1,.  Jcnualrui.  A  »fjk 
'  M.  .1  I.  .'  AS  ..f  Jcfuaalom 
t<'  La«<  wci^tit  with  the 
mmtArj  J <■>»•,  tr.  &.->  i*  pn>(«bl«,  th»y  had 
W Willed   Into  the   oitv   wh«o   Ik*   iaVMkm 


Or 


am 


*t: 


fm.  n.— Vow  t)wr«fbr«.  I  pray  thM, 
fiva  yladffM  to  my  lord  the  Kin^  of  Aaajria, 
and  I  will  dftliver  thM  two  Uiotuand  horses, 
if  ihoa  b«  ftblft  on  ihj  pan  to  mi  rider*  upon 
thML  "Plod^  tliysoU."  i^  -tu  tSnd  ihe 
■MO,  and  I  wdl  plc'ii^e  myeelf  to  find  the 
It  U  a  ktriig  expix-MUun  of  ouo- 
for  the  tuilitarj  power  uf  tha  Jewa 
They  hate  n  t  only  no  trtiin"d  caTalrr,  but, 
«<rf  an?  ODt>  to  fuFDuh  tht-m  with  tvo 
t  •  uaiud  horaoa,  tliey  oiuld  Qot  fiud  the 
tiieii  lo  ride  them,  'i'be  Je>«ijtU  artuy  doeo, 
in  fiv-t,  ft|>pear  to  have  ootuoAtud  of  infantry 

ftl)<i  ciiU.'loU  "Illy. 

W:  -H.  Row  then  wUt  thoa  ttim  away 
the  fiice  of— I.e.  **  r<  pu.Mi, "  uauee  to  r*  tn  at " 
—OB*  captain  of  the  leait  of  my  master*! 
•arranu;  liu  rally,  oae  powmor— the  w-rJ 
aa<-<i  is  that  «Licli  in  modem  times  takes 
the  form  of  "paeha,"  or  "paeha.'*  It 
propetly  applit-a  to  ti  e  ruK  rs  of  pro\iDtt«  ; 
Dat  as  ll.wt*'  wt-r*  ex|..o;t>.l  H  onllKt  and 
eonmaQ'l.  upon  oec«uii<  •na,  the  troops  o^ 
their  pmriitoe,  it  has  a  seooodary  Muae  of 
**  eomuiandtw"  or  **  eaptain."  And  pat  thy 
trust ;  rather,  ami  Umu  jmUstt  ti  y  trutl  -id 
tli!>  f-xtrf-rritr  r>f  wtttkr-rp*,  so  far  a*  tliino 
r 'U  art  M>  foolish 
B  '.  and  to  expfct 

I  •up  fur  thine 

o»  :  (»«  Trr.  21> 

0:.  i-o'/r"  -  ■  —  -"^r  horssment  or, 

rKartutt  an  'a. 

Ver  'li  A  come  np  without  the 

Lord  a^^unst  ihu  p:ao«  to  destroy  it  1  The 
Lord  said  to  ms,  Oo  op  against  thit  Uknd, 
•ad  daatroj  it.     The  Aaav  r  .  ■ 

aoMtuuly  state  tiat  Aj«h  i 

mii^  d>r~^-  i)..-n.  t .V- 

ortba*. 

pp.4- 

»ol  ol  .y  lo   Uj  u 

It  is    :  aerount   I-  ^ 

Te*7  exfxpuoaal    boast,  "Jt-:  <  ' 

me.  Oo  «p  aciioat  this  land."     i 

idrntiflos     **Jeborah'*     with     °  .-i>r     .t  ' 

Partiaps  Uc  has  l^oard  ot  prupheetoe,  Bttoitxl 


wtik-h  thirat»«ed  the  land  with 
>t  ti.n  )iaa<l  of  the  AMyyiaaa  (cf.  laa 
X.  »-ll:  Joel  IL  1— il.o«e.X 
>«  have  made  tJM  stalaoMal  la  i 
Ltm%  *<U>.  as  ooe  that  aidU  W<fct— 
aad  ftt  ftu;  rate  ooald  aote*  eaaf 

Ver.  X6  -TkM  said  Biahia  tlM  MB  «f 
Eilioah.  aad  Ihabea.  aad  Joah.  «■••  Bah- 
shakeh.  Speak,  I  pray  the*,  to  tkv  iirfmala 
in  the  Synaa  laafva^fe ;  lilefalJy,  im  A* 
>4ninMiie  lan^ptay.  Hehrt-w,  traanJn.  aail 
Assyrian  wen)  thre*  eocoat*  liinamas*, 
eloftcly  allied,  aad  Terr  siiailar  both  Ui  tB*ir 
namtiiat  r^l  f<>rm»  m'k]  in  t'  rr  «'«ab«larie^ 
but  rtill  su(B<'!r!itly  iitf  r  ut  k  he  dietlaat 
Uiignaitesi,  which  «rro  oaiy  iaIaUigibI*  la 
those  who  bad  lenmt  then.  Bahihalnh  had 
addr  a»  <1  tlie  Jew.sh  oflelals  ia  Hebrew, 
uruhably  as  tue  la  ^'ua^'<  wh.rh  iL<-t  «  uM 
beet  underktaod,  if  ii  *vtr>  u.l  r»on  th"-  uijIt 
•  •Do  tiiat  they  wouM  Uii  lera'.ft'.d  :  imfl  wtLa 
the  express  **  obj«>-t  >j{  uiducncing  the 
oonmoo  peopU,"  aa  b4Jir  cuppoees.  Uatth* 
In-rtdi  oOmaU  flsared  that  tLe  words  attefod 


Oiide  aU>u>i,  altd 

that  llabahakrh.  a.- 

aleo  know.     Aramik.c   was  •[•okt-u   in   tuot 

of  ibe  tract  that  lay  betweeo  Aaeyna  aihI 

Pm'  — ^v  -,     •  '  <'- --utftis  oertkinir, 

ii;  the  line  o!  tj.e 

Ki.,  ^^r  as  the  K ha- 

hour  T\rvr.  For  we  auaerstand  it.  It  is 
not  likely  that  the  Jews  of  Lhts  time  K«-o»- 
rally  t:n<lerst<(>d  Aramaic;  tut  hi^h  ifticials 
of  t  e  court,  who  mi^bt  haTt<  to  dc<«i  with 
rmlisssies  and  B*gniisie  tnmtiaa,   found  it 


neeeaaiT  to  ■mlw*lanil  it.  Jnst  a* 
per*oa*  la  oor  owa  aeuatiy  hav*  to  1 
Preoeh.  And  talk  aot  with  us  in  the  Jews' 
langaag*  ia  the  ears  of  ths  pcopls  that 
are  on  the  walL  bceidt*  the  seutinela  ai>d 
other  soldier*,  therv  would  probably  be 
many  idlers  apon  tlie  wail,  atuaciad  br  tha 
onwonteil  >peet*Bl*  et  an  ■■b**s*ifnti*l 
eori^,  uni  aaxioo*  to  piek  ap  iatctlinea**. 
The  1  >1  Toina*  of  Orientals  woold  be  heard 
to  ft  1  uuaiderabk  dislanoe. 

Ver.  X7.  — But  Babshakah  said  UU  th«B, 
Hsth  my  Blaster  seat  m*  to  thy  Blaster,  aad 
to  thee,  to  speak  these  worial  hath  he  aat 
sent  me  to  ths  aaa  whioh  rft  «B  th*  vaU  I 
1 ,.  ■•..■.iMabl*  •Ptvt^  oa  the  part  of  aa 
rvod  *■•  which  Blight  baw  jiastiflad 
r  to  HDd  aa  arrow  threoKii  bis  head 
Aiiiliieailow  ai«  aeoredilad  by  goiumat— !■ 
to  gerennBHiila,  and  tha  *als  eoodact  gii  iit*d 
loUMai  i*  ott  the  iiisUialiltiH  t^<^  ^^ 
will  eoudaet  thaBaalv**  *«ar>MliM  to  «ia^ 
lishrd  Dsa,^  la  no  sUte  of  *oelity  eaa  it 
bare  b««  allowable  for  euvej*  I*  I 


864 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS,      [ch.  xvni.  1—37, 


between  llie  govemora  and  the  governed, 
and  ende&Tonr  to  stir  ap  dieoontent  among 
the  latter.  Tet  this  iB  what  Babshakeh  did, 
and  boasted  of  doing.  V^ell  might  Isaiah 
say  of  such  an  arrogant  and  lawless  aggressor, 
"He  hath  broken  the  covenant,  he  hath 
despised  the  cities,  he  regardeth  no  man" 
(see  Isa.  xxxiii.  8).  That  they  may  eat 
their  own  dung,  and  drink  their  own  piss 
with  youl  Rabshakeh  means  to  say  that 
the  effect  of  the  men  "  sitting  on  the  wall," 
and  continuing  the  defence  of  the  town, 
will  be  to  bring  them  to  the  last  extremity 
of  hunger  and  thirst,  when  they  will  be 
forcid  even  to  consume  their  own  excre- 
ment (comp.  ch.  vi.  25 — 29). 

Yer.  28. — Then  Babshakeh  stood  and  cried 
with  a  loud  voice  in  the  Jews'  langnage,  and 
spake,  saying.  Babshakeh  had  probably 
beeu  sitting  before.  He  now  stood  up  to 
attract  attention,  and  raised  his  voice  to  be 
the  better  heard.  Still  speaking  Hebrew,  and 
not  Aramaic,  he  addressed  himself  directly 
to  the  people  on  the  wall,  soldiers  and  others, 
doing  the  very  opposite  to  what  he  had  been 
reque.-sted  to  do,  and  outraging  all  propriety. 
History  scarcely  presents  any  other  instance 
of  such  coarse  and  barefaced  effrontery, 
unless  the  affronts  put  upon  a  Danubian 
principality  by  the  envoy  of  a  "  great  Power  " 
may  be  regiirded  as  constituting  a  parallel. 
Hear  the  word  of  the  great  king,  the  King 
of  Assyria.  It  is  scarcely  likely  that  Senna- 
cherib had  anticipated  his  envoy's  action, 
much  less  directed  it,  and  told  him  exactly 
what  he  was  to  say.  But  Rabshakeh  thinks 
his  word-  will  have  more  effect  if  he  repre- 
sents them  as  those  of  his  master. 

Ver.  29. — Thus  saith  the  king,  Let  not 
Eezekiah  deceive  you.  Babshakeh  and  his 
master,  no  doubt,  botii  of  them  thought 
Hezekiah's  grounds  of  conlidence  would 
prove  fallacious,  and  that  all  who  should 
trust  in  them  would  find  themselvei  "  de- 
ceived." There  were  but  two  grounds  that 
H<  zekiali  could  possibly  put  forward:  (I) 
deliverance  by  human  means — by  his  own 
armed  strmt^lh  and  that  of  his  allies;  (2) 
drdiverance  by  supernatural  means  — by  some 
prcjit  rnaiiifestfttion  of  miraculous  power  on 
thi-  purl  of  Jehovah.  Babfliiakoh  thinks 
iKitli  equally  irn possible.  The  first,  how- 
ever, is  tof^)  a))hiird  for  argument,  atid  he 
tbenfon;  tukits  no  further  iioticf;  of  it;  but 
the  Hocond  lio  jir'treeiiH  to  conibit,  in  vers. 
Hii — ;!.'i.  For  he  shull  not  ho  able  to  deliver 
you  out  of  hifl  hand.  Cornet  (^'ratnmir  n;- 
qiiir<w  "out  of  mij  hand;"  but  Ual)Hh(ik<!ii 
foru'elH  tliat  he  is  prufimiing  to  re[)ort  the 
wfinJH  of  KonriHclinrib. 

Vor.  HO.— -Neither  lot  Hozokiah  make  you 
tmit  in  the  Lord.  KahMhukeh  ixteiiiH  to  he 
hWHro  that  thiu  it  tlie  sr^'iinient  which 
HoKukiuh  ia,  te  point  of  fact,  mainly  orf^ng. 


If  at  onetime  he  had  trusted  in  Egypt,  that 
trust  was  now  quite  or  well-nigh  gone. 
The  tone  of  his  exhortations  was  that  re- 
corded in  Chronicles  (2  Chron.  xxxii.  6 — 8), 
"  He  set  captains  of  war  over  the  people,  and 
gathered  them  together  to  him  in  the  street 
of  the  gate  of  the  city,  and  spake  comfort- 
ably to  them,  saying.  Be  strong  and 
courageous,  be  not  afraid  nor  dismayed  for 
the  King  of  Assyria,  nor  for  all  the  multi- 
tude that  is  with  him :  for  there  be  more 
with  us  than  with  him  [see  ch.  vi.  16] ;  with 
him  is  an  arm  of  flesh ;  but  vrith  us  is  the 
Lord  our  God  to  help  us,  and  to  fight  our 
battles.  And  the  people  rested  themselves 
npon  the  words  of  Hezekiah  Kingof  Judah." 
Saying,  The  Lord  will  surely  deliver  us,  and 
this  city  shall  not  be  delivered  into  the  hand 
of  the  King  of  Assyria.  Hezekiah's  was,  in 
part,  a  general  conviction  that  God  would 
not  forsake  his  people,  who  had  recently 
turned  to  him,  if  not  with  absolute  sincerity, 
yet  at  any  rate  with  public  confession  of 
sin,  and  public  acknowledgment  of  his 
mercies,  and  public  profession  of  an  intention 
to  serve  him ;  in  part,  probably,  a  special 
reliance  on  some  definite  prophecies  of 
Isaiah,  that  the  city  should  not  be  taken 
(see  Isa.  xxzi.  4 — 6;  xxxiiii.  20—22). 

Ver.  31. — Hearken  not  to  Hezekiah:  for 
thus  saith  the  King  of  Assyria.  Babshakeh, 
before  concluding,  tries  the  effect  of  blandish- 
ments. The  King  of  Assyria  is  no  harsh 
lord,  as  he  has  been  represented  to  them. 
He  will  be  a  kinder  master  than  Hezekiah. 
Hezekiah  condemns  them  to  all  the  hard- 
ships of  a  siege ;  and  then,  if  they  survive 
it,  to  a  wasted  land,  ruined  homes,  broken 
cisterns.  Sennacherib,  if  they  will  but 
yield  to  him,  promises  them  peace  and 
prosperity,  a  time  of  quiet  enjoyment  in 
their  own  laud,  and  then  removal  to  another 
equally  pood,  where  they  will  "  live  and 
not  die,"  be  happy  and  not  miserable.  It 
will  be  observed  that  none  but  material  in- 
ducements are  held  out  to  them.  They  are 
expected  to  barter  freedom,  indepoudonce, 
religious  privileges,  country,  home,  for  the 
sake  of  creature  comforts — for  ease,  qiiiot.and 
security.  Setting  aside  the  question  whether 
tliey  ciinid  count  on  the  perforinaucn  of  the 
pminisi^H  niiule  tiiem,  it  will  bo  folt  that 
they  did  well  not  to  be  tempted.  Bettor 
vigoroiiK  national  life,  with  any  amount  of 
liardahip,  Hliiiggle,  and  hullering,  tiian  tiio 
gilili'tl  oiiain,s  of  the  most  peacel'ul  servitndu 
Make  an  a^^reenioiit  with  mo  by  a  prosont — 
ratlior,  viakr.  pence  with  wtfl,  or  "  make  linnn 
witli  nio"(Knobel,  'rhenius,  Keil,  Ilillir);  in 
other  wordn,  give  in  your  HnbnuHsion  and 
comu  out  to  mo  ;  i.e.  quit  tlir  town,  surrender 
it  (wo  I  Sam.  xi.  S;  Jer.  xxi.  0;  xxxviii. 
17),  phii'o  yoursi'lvoH  at  my  nieroy,  "and 
than"  nee  what  grout  things  I  will  do  for 


ML  XTm.  1-^.]      THK  8B00ND   B(X)K   OF  THB   K1K0& 


•  haVr^,     •!!  1     i).rf     A&^-«r'iki>     ^i-rirr    \,\       ■  >  i« 


03»  <■' 

-T  irsr.  c 

wnon  iini> 
■tatbaaeM. 
If  of  8«fi- 
1  their  own 
tenn— in  • 
'   ttiiti  tjuutiiM*  before 
i«   Uiki  n  it)><>iit  tltero 

1 

m'l 

It 

tl 

1 

I'l  been  too 

<  xuuplet  of 

liuiimth,  Asbdod,  eto^ 

T  it  to  \xf  wrth   hit 

1    that  Ju<i«a    V 

He  tlieref'ifo  f 


I  I'^rfcRe 

<  uruoiL 

\  rr.  u^  —  Uulii  1  e<.>me  ^ud  uike  you  away 
to  a  l&nd  like  tout  oven  land.     ]<  i' -hnkefi 
did  not  d.^ 
l(H>k    for   It 
felt  tbat,  1.  1 
lifvi*  L     TlitJ  ir 
Diiiiicroua  an. I   : 
Bainaria,  1' 
WiTr   tto    1 
•i.ile  t  .    I 
•II V   !■'.    ■  r    :.. 

t(:'  '.-     .  :    ■  .--•>..    .- 

J     .    :.!i    :. 

0;  c»i:ii  d.:..^  .    ..    .-      :,.-....   :,  .  .. 

to  be  eiiTieu  ratiier  Uiaa  pined  U'T  being 
n'  ■■■■'.  toi  spirience  it    TlieKiiigof  At^vii^i, 
lesdof  hlB  paU^rnal  l>r>abt,  wuuld 
t  '.liem  a  land  as  nearly  aa  {xniiiil'le 

••  u..t-  l:.     : 
eoru  and   \ 

tra'ta,  of   \ .        ..  .,    _    . 
\\li.c-b  would  ^lelJ  tbem  t: 
iurth    to   wliich  iLey   wire 
abundance.     >VLat   »curity  iLcy   IomI  t..at 
tl.<^  -  (ifomisea   would   be  fullilu-J,  he  did 
DmI  tttttuipt  to  thuw     '  uoh  leM  did 

I.e  « ipliiu  to  tbeiu  *  vcre  to  gain 

r-'-    t'  in  lo6e.  It   \  .i,ii..  tr.... 

'  lu  ut  all  ; 
-I  all   aiii.. 
liiiu  ai<itliiy,  and  guvc  uu  ir^uLlo  U>  tLcir 
Dia-U.n(.     A  land  of  com  and  wioe,  a  land 
of  bread  and  tu.  a.  land  of  oil  olive 

and  of  honey  (c  viiL  8,  9,  which 

t    '■  ■'*  •  .    ;    ■•  !n--i:ij.-^  of  the 

r  ■-'..•  .:    !.-Mor    of 

i  -     _         ,    !  .1    c  u!  1    I.  ;   have 

tukr.i  d-jmu  Of  iwve  reiueoibt-rrd  Li4  t-xact 
Words)  that  ye  may  live,  and  not  die — 
a  )•   .  "  \L.u  foil  w  I.'  itdvioe 

— «&u  ]  hearken  :.  .  rklah, 

vhen i<0 i/v.>u.»u«ih — ^.c^c^-si-i  .  i  '  isuaile 
—  yoo,  wyiBf,  The  Lord  will  dtuiTor  oi 
(eeo  the  cuuiineat  od  Ter.  SO). 

Ver  83  Hath  any  of  the  ^ od*  of  the 
maliona  dellTered  at  all  hli  land  out  of  the 
hand   of  the   Kuif  of  Aaayrial     To   iUl>- 


Itjoli,  <<r   lioal,  Kit    .\r 

OT  M i.^»i»     \V 


lt«B  U'  ' 

from    i 

BUO  t•^»-^rfl-       \S. 

that  he  would  ■ 


tt,  ur  kii  il  11,  UC  lirl, 
' "d  be  d"oe  fnr  «'•»» 


from  !:'• 


**uo  goda"  (oh.   XIX.    iB),   while  Jehovuo 
Wae  "  the  Lord  of  the  whole  earth.* 

Vcr.  31  — Whe:  J  ure  the  godj  cf  :' 
and  of  Arpadt      llmuath  and    A 


I  i\s  Bite.  oon* 

with     1'.  23: 

'  Lix>uyiu  Cuii  'U,'  )>|i.  t^^,  lUo>  ikwJ  ii^maih 
(eh.  xix  \'^ :  Iki«-  x  9;  ixxvi.  ly ;  xxxut 
13:  J<  .  Canon,'  p^  126X 

aud   1.  :i   lay    betwtxn 

tl  r    ,,  tijp  Anti- 

ootumeiH 

-;«pialgod. 

iu.il  uii  lu.  mi.  oU  )     Wbeie 

t>  -jf  Sf'T'btrTaim,  HeniL,  and  Irah  1 

('  ■  uf  bepha;  1 

1  ommeiit  > 


1    •  ■     . 

KuphtalcB.  .ty    tuiic*   atu«o    iiit 

(IvuhV       N  -n-'vin   of    ite    goda. 

Pr-lably  h  .  Ivah  h*J 

rt?l«-il»d   in  u   rt«on- 

qucrvl  "'  •  .  .>a  u^e«itioM 

in   bi^  1,'ed  and  took 

6e(.Li  .'  ;•  twrlftii  J9mt 

(B  a  71o>.  Have  uey  deuver«d  Saaaru  Mt 
ofminah^ndt  Tiicrv  ia  pcobably  aoaaeonh 
pr«ieBiun  uf  the  ori^ioal  awmtive  he* k.    T. 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS,     [ch.  xvni.  1— 37. 


meaning  is,  "Have  they  delivered  their 
■everal  cities,  or  has  the  god  of  Samaria 
delivered  his  city  out  of  my  hand  ?  "  No 
god  had  hitherto  delivered  any  city  which 
the  Assyrians  had  attacked. 

Ver.  35.  -  Who  are  they  among  all  the  gods 
of  the  coTUitries — i.e.  the  countries  with 
which  Assj-ria  had  been  at  war — that  have 
delivered  their  country  ont  of  mine  hand, 
that  the  Lord  should  deliver  Jernsalem  out 
of  mine  hand'?  "'Produce  an  example  of 
deliverance,"  Eabshakeh  means  to  say,  "  be- 
fore you  speak  of  deliverance  as  probable, 
or  even  possible.  If  you  cannot,  relinquish 
the  hope,  and  submit  yourselves."  Eab- 
shakeh cannot  conceive  the  idea  that  Je- 
hovah is  anytliina;  but  a  local  god,  on  a  par 
with  all  the  other  gods  of  the  countries. 

Ver.  36.  -But  the  people  held  their  peace, 
and  answered  him  not  a  word.  All  Rab- 
shakeh's  efforts  to  produce  open  disaffection 
failed.  Whatever  impression  his  arguments 
may  have  made,  no  indication  was  given 
that  they  had  produced  any.  If,  then,  he 
had  hoped  to  bring  about  a  mutiny,  or  even 
to  create  a  disturbance,  he  was  disappointed. 
For  the  king's  commandment  was,  saying, 
Answer  him  not.  Hezekiah  had  either  an- 
ticipated Eabshakeh' 8  tactics,  and  given 
an  order  beforehand  that  no  word  should  be 
uttered,  or  he  had  promptly  met  them  by 
sending  sucii  an  order,  on  learning  Rab- 
shakeli's  proceedings.    The  latter  is  more 


probable,  since  sueh  an  outrageous  course  as 
that  which  Eabshakeh  had  piusued  can 
scarcely  have  been  expected. 

Ver.  37. — Then  came  Eliakim  the  son  of 
Hilkiah,  which  was  over  the  household,  and 
Shebna  the  scribe,  and  Joah  the  son  of  Asaph 
the  recorder,  to  Hezekiah  with  their  clothes 
rent.  They  had  rent  their  clothes,  not  so 
much  in  grief  or  in  alarm,  as  in  horror 
at  Rabshakeh's  blasphemies.  They  were 
blasphemies,  no  doubt,  arising  from  "in- 
viiicilde  ignorance,"  and  not  intended  as 
insults  to  the  one  Almighty  Being  who 
rules  the  earth,  of  whose  existence  Eab- 
shakeh had  probably  no  conception ;  but 
they  struck  on  Jewish  ears  as  insults  to 
Jehovah,  and  therefore  as  dreadful  and 
horrible  (comp.  Gen.xxxvii.  29;  1  Sam.  iv. 
12 ;  2  Sam.  i.  2 ;  Ezra  ix.  3,  etc.).  And  told 
him  the  words  of  Babshakeh ;  reported  to 
him,  i.e.  as  nearly  as  they  could  all  that 
Eabshakeh  had  said.  The  three  envoys 
would  supplement,  and  perhaps  correct,  one 
another;  and  Hezekiah  would  have  con- 
veyed to  him  a  full  and,  on  the  whole,  exact 
account  of  the  message  sent  to  him  through 
Eabshakeh  by  the  Assyrian  king,  and  of 
Eabsliakeh's  method  of  enforcing  it.  The 
crisis  of  Hezekiah's  life  was  reached.  As 
he  acted  under  it  would  be  fixed  his  own 
fate,  his  character  in  the  judgment  of  all 
future  time,  and  the  fate  of  his  own  country. 


HOMILETICS. 

Ver.  4. — Iconoclasm  right  or  wrong,  judicious  or  injudicious,  according  to  eircum- 
stancea.  The  destruction  of  the  brazen  serpent  of  Moses  by  Hezekiah  has  always  been 
a  favourite  argument  vnth  extreme  iconoclasts  for  their  extreme  views.  In  the  time 
of  Henry  VI II.,  and  still  more  in  that  of  Cromwell,  statuary  was  destroyed  or  mutilated, 
jjrecious  pictures  were  burnt,  i)riceless  stained-glass  windows  were  shivered  to  atoms, 
by  those  with  whom  a  main  justification  of  their  conduct  was  the  example  of  Hezekiah. 
Let  that  example,  then,  be  considered,  both  in  respect  of  what  Hezekiah  did,  and  of 
what  he  <iii]  nut  do. 

I.  What  IIkzkkiah  did.  1.  He  removed  the  high  places,  which  were  distinctly 
cmtrary  t<j  the  Law,  since  the  Law  allowed  sacrifice  in  one  place  only — before  the  ark 
of  the  covenant,  in  the  talximaclo,  or  at  Jerusalem.  2.  Ho  brake  down  the  "images," 
or  idolatrous  emblems  of  Baal — mere  pillars  probably,  which  were  tlio  t)bjocts  ol'  an 
actual  worship.  3.  Ho  cut  down  the  groves,  or  idolatrous  (tmhicjtns  of  Ashtoreth — 
"  sacred  trees,"  also  the  objects  (jf  worship.  4.  IIo  brake  in  pieces  the  brazen  serpent, 
Vi  which  the  Isra<  lites  lia<l  for  some  time  been  in  the  habit  of  olToring  incense. 

II.  What  IIkzkkiah  did  not  do.  Hezekiah  did  not  umlei stand  the  second  com- 
II  :iniiifi<nt  in  any  othtsr  hciiho  than  Solomon.  He  allowed  the  ministry  of  art  to 
religion.  lie  left  unt<;u(;hc<l  the  carved  finureH  of  ciierul)ira  and  palni-trooH  and  open 
h'.wiTB  upon  the  walls  of  tlio  toinple  (1  Kin^;H  vi.  2'.>).  Ho  hift  untouched  the  brazen 
lavers,  nn  the  Uinlers  of  which  were  lions,  oxen,  and  cherulum  (1  Kin^s  vii.  29).  Ho 
pr<>b-,il)ly  restorfyi  to  thoir  pliu;c,  l.e  certainly  did  not  destroy,  the  twelve  oxen  (J«r. 
lii.  20)  which  H«jlomon  hud  made;  to  Hupjtort  his  "  brazen  Hoa"  (1  Knigs  vii.  2.^>),  and 
which  Ak.iiz  h;id  romovcvi  from  tho  temple  (ch.  xvi.  17).  Ho  himself  mldod  to  the 
t'oM  orriHrnonttttion  of  the  lioorM  and  pdlars  (ch.  xviii.  10).  It  is  evident,  therefore, 
lliiii   Uezokudi'M  louiiochuiua   wtut  liiuitud  U>  lLoim)  objects  which   were  buing  aotuallj 


«.  irra^  1—87.]      THK  ronOlVD  BOOK  Of  T1!K   KINGd 


mhamA  to  tdolMfM  ««  at  Um  tim*  wSro  b*  6»tttr>j^  ihmn.  H«  4U  Dot  ip^  am««| 
bit.  ^  '>«  |M^of  MkOaUT  Intvor;  tauffvoroUMT  rvprwMiuuottal  iMtur»J  ftioM 
I  iw  dotm  u.  biio  ftom  taniMr  affM,  •vm  whm  limj  wm  tmpiofd  it.  iW 

••        >  r.tgkm.      He  w»«  uo  the  Khlfl  l/ A  riri,  a',.t  »<irf«rMu  aod  artift"- — '-....niiii 

».  •  muMOBl  MTTiM  (:<  Ch'  .!ii«ii»i  ..net..  Z^ 

M  "maffDiflod"  M  art  o  v,      H.,  r«.       ^  iW 

pfWHrruioo  oT  artkUo  obj  ,  or  t^mm  th» 

rmiv  woapUoB,  onir  )(ttti!  ctwpi  la  •  trt 

(2)  wbm  Mei.  «  .^   0.«a'w,» 

U.i..uikiM«ott]  .  ih.  p^i.  and  may 

n  raqulTH  to  mto  >«Lal  rciuaiua  Ui  u«  u;  rcUgk>u«  ul  lu  (a«  luiu/«. 

^f*'  6--7.— (Torf**  MTTM*  M<  mZ^y  a  Aarrf  wrvww.     Oixi'i  Mrrioa  U  do(  tb«  A«r«< 

MTviea  that  aumo  auppiNM)  it  to  ba.  Nu  doul.t  it  idtoItm  a  oarUtn  amount  €4  |«iq 
•'"  *    "'^  ^*  '*-•''  era  w  no  true  lerTice  of  Otjd  «  -aaJ ;  aa-l  aal^ 

«  "  V,  It  iDTulTt*  cha«tri,injj  at  t  :  u*  -  mi  <tn 

li.i.    w.  >.  ,..vi»,  u*>  «.4i>«i«urth,  auti  ■ouurgotb  every  ai'  ',"  (Heb. 

XII   •);  aud  ohactaning  U  -not  joyoua,  but  {(rievoua"  (i  there  mrm 

t^'  br  act  a  hIi.-i  li  .«  paini  ao  many  and  to  p — ;•  -  .  n  a.,,  ,.■  mi>  i  %v.  m  raat  f««> 
jjooderancr  »  e,  and  arau  enjoyment,  i  v  over  the  unif.iiily. 

L  'Im  BA  N  OF  A  oooD  ck.nm  1KN.-K _*  iiicTr  •' T  nful,  m 

depivaaing,  ao  buruenaomc,  aa  an  evil  ooujK.ieiic«,  the  oiit  •  -c-nae  ul 

giiiliiuaaa  and  ill  dchert,  au  there  is  nothing  whiii,  u  »  p-r-,,!^-  ^,,r% 

calculated  to  ■UbLmi  him  aiid  muiuiaiu   .  i  ,-„. 

than  "theankWrr  of  a  guoii  oonitcieijoe  t.  ^-^ 

that  one  baa  striven  and  is  stnvini:  to  du  tiiai  b>  <  .^ta  has 

ber'i  kejx  fr-.!!i  falling  av^ ay  from  him.     :>    .  g  iheir^r.  uiuo  aod 

*^  ••  "\«"  liavf,  on  the  whole,*  hcii-«ppruving  ouuscinjoe  \it.m,  iL  16X 

^  uf  inward  Batiaf.iciion  and  enjuymenL 

II.  1  iiB  KcTt:icit  AVD  AFfBovAL  or  GOOD  MKM.'  Tbef*  U  Im planted  in  huui  a  loTa  of 
apicobation,  tba  gratification  of  wh  ch  ia  the  8..uroe  of  a  very  puaitivc  pleasuia.  Gullj 
map.  good  men,  whataver  aujount  of  dislike  they  may  arouse  amoi.g  thoae  wboae 
dangna  tbay  thwart,  or  to  whom  their  livea  are  a  O'Uii'uuaI  repr.*ih,  eUcit  from  t»>a 
bettar  aort  a  -  '  *ter  amount  of  very  warm  and  cordial  approval  This  cannot 
but  be  a  6at:  .  thaxn.  Ihe  praise  of  meu  is  not  what  thry  seek  :  btit  wbao  it 
cumtra  to  th.  ixi  ^ixi,  Lx.iit,  aa  it  will  almost  certAinly  ooma  at  laat,  it  cauooi  fidl  to  ba 
gmif-Ml  and  Bcoeptabia. 

III,  Ti:Mix)KAX  raoapEKiTT  Asmifo  ntoK  hay's  brspect  akd  amsm.  Tba  •pptxml 
of  our  fallo»-m<-ii  natundly  Irads  on  u.  temporal  advantage*.  Mi-u  plaoa  thoae  whom 
they  a»te«m  in  situations  of  trust,  which  are  also,  ^enarally  or  f-  ''r.  cituatkiis  ol 
•dj.  lun.enu  Th  y  make  tham  preaeuts  or  leave  li  em  Irgacie*  >«  ihem  their 
eust-  :u.  and  rt  :ii  ..  u.i  their  fnenda  to  do  iijt-  same.  The  w. ;,  . .  .,.*A.m,  **Uooesty 
is  tLe  Lieist  I-  uewea  to  the  worldly  a^ivantape  which  a^vr,  .^.  by  mef«  natural 
ea'x-Ati..ii,io  I  t, honest  man.  "^^  (Ain^a  vkurk  togeihcr  fur  gocxl  to  them  that 
love  Gud;"  aiki,  geoatmlly  ape-iking,  eTeo  this  world's  giMj^is  anxu  to  gthm  rooad 
the!!-,  aivi  to  cliug  to  tham,  in  spite  uf  their  slight  eaieem  fur  earthly  droaa,  aad  their 
{                     scatter  their  riehaa  oo  thoae  arouud  thrm. 

-"'lAL  rsoerirHrrr  ASMnfo  mow  thk  uikkot  aotion  or  Dirura  raonoBvca. 

Ol  li^-  wc  1  A  lie  "ck»e  ,o  ihe  Lord,  and  departed 

aot  from  fol  .,,t-.  .     .  an  !  ihr  !x^  was  with  him; 

ai  ■     'fU  M /.I. '/.<•' Ki-rr  Af  u  all  that  ba 

<i  rospered  him  in  all  f  death,  be 

Bi.   .  •  reoorert^l  from  his  q  vsars  (ch. 

XX.  C         '    .en  bepfoTokedau;  :  w^  granted 

kim  liiat  a*e  Judfnaut  ahoulri  n.  i    uu.  in   u  ^  n     ly^       w  ..eti  an  uver- 

vMmlas  ealamilj  Maaed  about  u>  (all  upL»L  lu  crush  huih     im  and  hM 

■atioa,  the  eaiaatropha  waa  averttxi  by  a  aiu(«:  At  was 

deatfoyad.  and  the  paril  eaoaped  (ch.  xi».  35X     '  much  " 

••ra  giveo  him  (2  Ckroa.  lxxIL  27X  *ud  be  «»«      .^.^oU^.^.  lu     ..c  «^ul  u/  all  the 


868  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS,      [oh.  xvin.  1— 37. 

nations"  (2  Chron.  xxxii.  23).  It  may  be  said  that  all  this  was  abnormal,  and  beloi^ed 
to  "  the  age  of  miracles ; "  but  the  principles  of  God's  action  do  not  change,  and  if  we 
examine  human  life  at  the  present  day  dispassionately,  we  shall  find  that  still,  as  a 
general  rule,  if  men  cleave  to  the  Lord,  and  keep  his  commandments,  and  depart  not 
from  following  him,  he  will  be  with  them,  and  will,  more  or  less,  prosper  them. 

Vers.  13 — 17. — 77ie  danger  of  trusting  to  a  purchased  peace.  I.  In  the  history  of 
NATIONS  a  purchased  peace  is  seldom  more  enduring  or  more  trustworthy  than  this 
peace  which  Hezekiah  bought  of  Sennacherib.  Once  successful  in  extorting  money  by 
threats,  why  should  an  enemy  refrain  from  repeating  the  process?  Why  should  he 
stop  till  he  has  squeezed  the  sponge  dry,  and  there  is  no  more  to  be  got  from  his 
victim?  Even  then,  why  should  he  not  step  in  and  execute  his  original  threat  of 
destruction  and  ruin  ?  So  Samaria  found  when  she  gave  her  thousand  talents  to  the 
Assyrians  (ch.  xv.  19).  So  Rome  found  when  she  bribed  Attila  and  Alaric.  So  will 
all  nations  ever  find  who  seek  to  prolong  their  lives  a  little  bit  by  paying  for  being 
let  alone.    And  so  also — 

II.  In  THE  HISTORY  OF  INDIVIDUALS.  Persons  frequently  get  themselves  into  some 
trouble  or  other,  which  they  do  not  wish  to  be  known,  and  their  secret  is  discovered 
by  some  unscrupulous  individual,  who  proceeds  to  trade  upon  it.  What  will  they  give 
him  to  remain  silent?  If  they  once  consent  to  purchase  a  peace  of  their  enemy,  all 
peace  in  life  is  gone  from  them.  A  man's  appetite  is  only  whetted  by  the  first  bribe, 
and  still  more  by  the  second.  "  Increase  of  appetite  doth  grow  by  what  it  feeds  on." 
Demand  follows  demand,  threat  follows  threat.  The  blood-sucker  is  insatiate.  True 
wisdom  consists  in  not  yielding  to  the  first  threat,  in  declining  to  purchase  peace,  and 
defying  the  enemy.  He  may  as  well  do  his  worst  at  once. as  at  last.  It  will  generally 
be  found  that  his  worst  is  not  so  very  bad.  Even  if  it  is,  it  is  the  just  penalty  which 
has  to  be  paid  for  our  past  transgression,  and  which  must  be  paid  in  some  way  or  other, 
and  at  some  time,  here  or  hereafter.  It  is  best  for  us  that  it  should  be  paid  soon ;  for 
the  penalty  of  sin,  if  not  so  paid,  is  apt  to  be  demanded  at  last  with  a  heavy  accumulation 
f  interest. 

Vers.  20, 21. — Bruised  reeds.  It  is  astonishing  what  trust  is  still  placed,  by  generattom 
after  generation  of  mankind,  in  "bruised  reeds."  Whatever  may  be  the  case  with 
individuals,  mankind,  the  human  race,  learns  nothing  from  experience.  Men  still 
trust  implicitly  in  such  "bruised  reeds"  as  these — 

I.  Bio  battalions.  They  think  they  are  safe  if  they  have  sufficient  "  strength  for 
the  war."  Tliey  go  on  increasing  their  military  establishments,  adding  regiment  to 
regiment,  and  battery  to  battery,  and  corps  d'armee  to  corps  d^armee.  They  count  the 
armies  of  their  neighbours;  they  reckon  up  man  against  man,  and  gun  against  i:un, 
and  ship  against  ship;  and  calculate,  and  plan,  and  act,  as  if  tho  "multitude  of  an 
host" — the  number  of  troops  capableof  being  brought  at  onco  into  tho  field — was  every- 
thing. They  forjiot  that  "it  is  nothing  to  the  Lord  to  help,  whether  with  many  or 
with  them  tliat  iiave  no  power"  (2  Chron.  xiv.  11).  They  forgot,  or  misread,  history, 
and  fail  to  note  how  often  "the  race  has  not  been  to  the  swift,  nor  the  battle  to  the 
strong"  (Kccles.  ix.  11). 

II.  PowKUFUL  ALLiiw.  Weak  powers  have  always  some  "  Egypt "  to  wliich  they 
louk  for  succour.  Strong  powers  count  on  "  triple"  or  "quadruple"  alliances  to  augment 
their  Htrcn-th,  and  render  them  irresJHtiblo.  They  fori^et  how  easily  alliances  are 
broken  U|i,  how  huro  they  are  to  aroiiH(!  disconicnts  and  jealousieH,  how  little  dopondence 
can  lie  [»laccd  on  tho  promises  of  state.'^mcn,  or  the  j)erflistenco  of  a  |iarticnlrtr  mood  in 
i  nation,  or  the  view  which  a  stato  may  take  of  its  intorosts,  Tlioy  forgot  that  the 
Ti<  nd  of  Ui-diiy  may  V;o  tho  enemy  of  to-morrow,  and  may  fail  thorn  at  the  moment  ot 

^.tat«5Ht  no<<i. 

III.  Saoaciods  rtatksmkn  AND  oKNKiiALB.  It  \n  forgotten,  or  at  any  rate  not  borne 
«t<- idlly  in  mind,  how  intellect  docayH,  how  mental  power  Iokhouh,  as  men  grow  old; 
how  often  under  a  jirolon;";!!]  Htrain  tho  Ktrongest  intollect  sud'lcnly  Hiiapn  and  is  no 
kjn(.^or  of  aoy  account.  Nor  \h  it  nennrally  fflt  anil  rocogni/.ol  how  llmitid  and 
Imj-iffect  oven  tho  ^nateHt  miellect  alwuvH  in — how  iniom|i<aont  to  forecasl  all  poHsi- 
kililit!*,  or  to  dual  with  ail  eiuurguuuioa.     "  The  woakuuM  *tt  God  is  utronger  ihiiu  man. 


m.  xmi.  1-47.3      TUX  HEOO.VD  BOOK   OF  THE  K1M0& 


»a  IW  fca«  All  ■■  rf  Qo<  fa  wtMT  Uun  nun  *  fl  Ctar.  L  tS^    Maa'a  vfadaa  fa  at  biH 

•  iuur  purl-'aud  wikUMu,  apt  lo  mr,  *(«  to  f»U  wl»«i  moai  aiJ«4  >  vary  "  tratwi 
r»««d"  lo  ir  .»t  in. 

IV.  0».                'IB  A  rormiATE  kti*.     The  irurt  of  Um  ••  1 

•••••r"  ^-                     -  :i.      Il  U  Dut  to  <»rll  kitowo.  but  >t  U  iufRHe-  •  »        <» 

:><mrij  M  ImplU'ki  a  (ruaL.     Tb<>aa*ii>*.a  "  «•<» 

i!i   ihrir   **{»'*'«1    '''  ^,"  ••   >f  II  wefc  an  \  /ibfa 

Uti.                                                                                'Tc  !».      1  -Maou  of  Italy 

aoci  ' '                                                                                        omI  the  f  RbvIkim!  fa*a 

ID  (•  '   «  J  if  » 


V 


n  >t 


wk   wu  K,  and  work  u   iK>t  vrry  i<kciy   10  bcxik  buzL 
rem&iu  an  idlrr  to  tbe  end  of  tbe  chNiit«r.      Vi 


lie  IB  an  idier,  aiMl  will 
pt«r.      1  bere  U  do  help  (ur  biiu,  uoUa  b*  ftva* 
op  bu  atUy  trvut,  aod  belakaa  bituaeif  Ut  a  b«ttar  oaa. 


HOMILIES  BY   VARIOUS   AUTHORa 

Vera.  1 — 8.— TV   trr^t  </  a   tueonaful   life;   or,  tnui  im  0«d,   an4  iU   r^«'«il«. 
WbAt  a  rrfrc  :  '  >st   to  aoiue  uf  tb«   Itrea  we   bare  beeD  oi.  .« 

dMcripUuD  uf  -.  Heiekiahl     Huw  1 1'-aaaiit  it  u  t>  read  uf  k 

aftrr  we  bavt^  :    t :  .  t  m>  many  kiit|;a  uf  Judab  a    '.   ' 
aigiit  uf  tlie  LaT'I,  and  walked  in  tbe  waya  uf  Jrr 
larael  tusin"!     It  u<  a  ile&auiit  amtnat  '     : 

It  u  a  aomewhat  etrange  ihiti^  tliut,  br'  1 

•huuld  bave  turm^  uut  au    mcIL     Th^  i^i^     ...    r    a 

•zample  wa«  auyil  iug  but  faruurable  U  bU  aon.     H   w 

earaful  parenttf  sbo"   ■   *-    •"  to  tbe  exa^.., ... ;     Th*-  *- 


{Mtrenta  can  give  t; 


9    l»^a^..  1   .  V 

u  to  begin  Ufr 

iC   1  .f  tbf   Ki.a-. 


wiib    18 


mg  aiid  ^ 


ie  influenoea  atirruu 
is  OD  Darents  to  tra  :    . 
d«p«*jti*  upoD  Ute  butiie  life;  ui  ci. 
motber.     Perhaps  be  had  ^>*^n  n. 


th 


«!  hat  a  rwp'isi- 

future  I  api'iut-aa 
.'.lah  bad  a  g'iud 
the  pn«t»  who 


'.    i  liie  L'-Tii. 
:'<«  Lortf  God  I 


I.  IB    W!»_V»  ;  J     .- 

1.  Tblttt  l> 
not  a  n»f«' 
facta.     It 

eonMst  IL  :..    ^ 

faitk     It  ex  traded  tu  b. 

tbe  Li>rd,  aooordinc  to  &.        ^ 

Lord,  aid  depart*]  ikot  from  luLiuwia^  turn,  bui  kapt  bia  oumi 

n.   KUMik 


I 

A 
:     t 


«70  THE  SECJOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGa      [oh.  xvih.  1— 37. 

Lord  commanded  Moses"  (ver.  6).  Such  is  true  religion.  Religion  is  the  dedication  of 
the  heart  and  life  to  God.  A  man  may  differ  from  me  in  creed,  and  in  the  way  he  wor- 
ships the  same  God ;  but  if  he  loves  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  serves  God  in  sincerity, 
he  is  a  truly  religious  man.  "  In  every  nation  he  that  feareth  God,  and  worketh 
righteousness,  is  accepted  with  him."  How  expressive  and  instructive  are  some  of  these 
quaint  old  phrases  1  "  Ee  clave  unto  the  Lord."  Hezekiah  set  before  him  one  great 
aim  at  the  commencement  of  his  life,  and  that  was  to  please  God.  Whatever  it  might 
oost,  he  made  up  his  mind  to  keep  close  to  God.  It  is  a  grand  resolution  for 
the  young  to  make.  It  is  a  grand  aim  to  keep  before  them  in  life.  But  Hezekiah  had 
not  merely  a  goal  at  which  he  aimed.  H»  had  certain  well-defined  lines  along  which 
he  reached  that  goal.  He  knew  that,  to  please  God,  he  must  keep  his  commandments. 
He  did  not  set  up  his  own  will  in  opposition  to  the  will  of  God,  king  though  he  was. 
He  did  not  dispute  the  wisdom  of  God's  commands.  He  felt  that  God  knew  much 
better  than  he  did  the  path  of  wisdom  and  of  duty.  This  is  one  of  the  best  evidences 
of  true  faith — of  real  trust  in  God.  We  may  not  see  the  reason  for  a  command  of  God, 
but  let  us  obey  it.  A  parent  will  give  his  child  many  commands,  for  which  it  is  quite 
unnecessary,  perhaps  undesirable,  that  the  child  should  know  the  reason.  Obedience 
baaed  on  faith  is  one  of  the  first  principles  of  life.  Here,  then,  was  the  beginning  of 
Hezekiah's  success  in  life.  It  began  with  the  state  of  his  own  heart.  He  trusted  in 
God.  That  trust  in  God  moulded  his  whole  character,  and  character  is  the  foundation 
of  all  that  is  permanent  in  life. 

IL  Trust  in  God  liEADa  to  practical  effort.  Hezekiah  very  soon  showed 
by  his  conduct  that  he  was  determined  to  serve  God.  He  did  not  leave  the  people 
long  in  doubt  as  to  which  side  he  was  on.  In  the  very  first  year  of  his  reign,  and  in 
the  first  month  of  it,  he  opeued  the  doors  of  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  which  his  father  had 
closed,  and  repaired  them  (2  Chron.  xxix.  3).  As  soon  as  the  temple  was  set  in  proper 
order,  he  caused  the  priests  and  the  Levites  to  commence  at  once  tlie  public  service  of 
God.  Then,  in  the  second  month,  he  issued  a  proclamation  throughout  all  the  land 
of  Israel  and  Judah,  inviting  the  people  to  come  to  Jerusalem  to  keep  the  Passover  in 
the  house  of  the  Lord.  Wiiat  a  festival  and  time  of  rejoicing  that  was !  For  seven 
days  they  kept  the  Feast  of  Unleavened  Bread  with  great  gladness,  and  the  Levites  and 
the  priests  praised  the  Lord  day  by  day,  singing  with  loud  instruments  unto  the  Lord. 
Peace  offerings  were  offered ;  confession  of  sin  was  made,  not  to  the  priests,  but  to  the 
Lord  God  of  their  fathers;  and  the  presence  of  the  Lord  was  so  manifested  among 
the  large  congregation,  that  when  the  seven  days  of  the  Passover  were  ended,  the  whole 
assembly  unanimously  agreed  to  keep  seven  days  more.  "  So  there  was  !j,reat  }oy  in 
Jerusalem :  fur  since  the  time  of  Solomon  the  son  of  David  King  of  Israel  there  was 
not  the  like  in  Jerusalem."  The  effect  of  the  service  was  electrical.  When  tlia 
Passover  was  finished,  the  people  went  out  to  all  the  cities  of  Judah,  and  brake  the 
images  in  pieces,  and  cut  down  the  groves,  and  threw  down  the  high  jilaces  and 
the  altars  until  they  had  utterly  destroyed  them  all.  In  all  this  work  of  destroying 
the  symbols  of  idolatry,  Hez'Jciah  the  Icing  took  a  leading  part.  Even  /he  brazen. 
serpent  which  Moses  had  made  did  no*  escape  the  destroying  hand.  It  was  an 
iuterebting  relic  of  Israel's  journeying  in  tiie  wilderness,  and  of  their  wonderful 
deliverance  by  God.  I'ut  it  had  become  a  snare  to  the  peojile.  It  lia<l  become  an  ol)ject 
of  worrthip  to  some,  as  relics  and  images  become  to  many  professing  Christians.  Tliey 
worshipped  it  and  burnt  incense  to  it.  Hezekiah  was  not  the  man  to  destroy  anything 
that  was  a  help  to  true  devotion.  Ho  encouraged  the  Levites  to  use  the  trumpets,  the 
harp,  and  the  psaltery,  to  stir  up  and  stimulate  the  singing  of  the  con.Lijrogation,  and  to 
render  to  God  a  hearty  and  glorious  service  of  praise.  But  ho  saw  that  the  brazen 
nerpent  ha<l  becorne  an  idol  in  itself,  and  was  leading  the  thonghts  of  the  people  away 
from  the  true  Object  of  worsiiij).  So  he  broke  it  in  pioeea.  All  honour  to  the  determined 
reformer,  wli(j  de.^troye<l  evc^ryihing  that  hjui  become  diahonoiiring  to  (iod  !  All  honour 
to  thohe  stem  rcformerH  who  from  fimo  to  time  have  broken  in  pieces  the  Hyniiiols  of 
idolatry  in  the  Church  of  Chrihtl  Would  that  in  the  Church  of  Homo  to-day  soino 
mich  refoinicr  would  ariK(!,  who  would  diMiounco  and  overthrow  its  inKige-w<irship  and 
Mariolalry  1  Su(;h  woh  tiio  work  of  relormaLion  which  lle/.ekiah  accomplished  iimoug 
hm  |io,f)pio.  Jt  nhowt  how  (iod  hououTH  Ihoite  who  are  dctir mined  to  Hcriie  him,  and 
hou,  h»  blestca  tmjiieUiute  and  decided  action.     Uenukiab  uiij^ht  well  huvu  heaitiilod  in 


I.  XTin.  1— .n.]      THE   RKOONP   HOOK  OF  TRK   KIVOA  fTl 


this  work.  Hm  whole  oountrj  wu  ftiwa  trtm  kt  \A>-Utr^  F*  rriUt.i  ko  w— ^oj 
a  r«l«llk».     1b  mmf  nru  uf  tb«  ouuotrj  b«  goi  i  u 

rrslor*  Um  tDciecil  n  Uttlua.      Whou  thr  lurMCQL'rrB  i:.  r 

MMSad  ibn>u^'h  (ho  cx>uutry  nf  I  , 
WUKhMl    theiu   to   •corn  aOil    incx  < 

niigtit  bnve  cauocii   IlMekuh  u>  i»lirr  in  iiia  iitx:>.<>Q.      i.  al 

bo   wuuld    luUuilucr    hi*    rir>rii.it    ^'r»  IimIIjt.       Hut   uul    lii'  -  ,1 

it  lUUkt  br  put  iloMU  at  <  int-      Ttie  wurvhip  uf  thi-  true  IK>I  wa  at 

OOt-v   ><•  nMUittod.      Hetf  .m>t   uiu  ri</ht.      ll&d    ba  wmIKmI,  had   :>  ''f 

luloTBtinft   idolatry   fur  a  Mhiia,  b«  would    hava  fuuud    it   luuch   t>»/  w 

afirrMania.     la  tlierc  not  hers  a  It^i^D  fur  ua  all  ?     7/  yow  mt  0>«  r  y 

f-oiiif<«<  <m/  to  yoM,  ffo/cT  to  wa/ilr  in  it,  though  ail  trun  t'.ould  ck  ii^^umU  yoM. 
jtt*iiicuil>rr  the  braTe  word*  uf  Athaiuutiua.  lie  waa  iiiiK;ked  at  fur  bit  ir*!  fur  (h« 
truth.  Sume  ose  aaid  to  him,  "  Athanaaiua,  all  tho  wurld  i»  at^iiiiint  jou;'  ih<-Q  »«m1 
he.  "  AthanaiUUB  ih  it^uoat  the  wurlo."  Kull<>w  the  li^ht  uf  a>UM.'ifti'-e  aimI  ut  dulj. 
What  iualt4sr  ihuugh  ^uu  iimj  incur  a m^er  ur  wurldlj  luna  by  ao  diAUg? 

"And  becaoae  riglit  ia  right,  tn  follow  right 
War*  raaaoQ  in  the  aoaru  ci  oouaeqoanoa.* 

ForUwfUKwa,  whatever  work  vmi  aee  needa  to  be  done,  do  it  at  9mm.     Profnpto«aa  a<ta 

det-iiiiuu  are  tw».  t*«ii'.  is  of  auc<x«a  in  life.     Ikt  yuu  aee  that  y<>u   ueod  to 

U'lieve  on  ilie  Lurd  Jch  .  ii  you  aie  tu  be  aared?      Jlten  eom»  in  'ir/,  ti^  ,iy. 

A  inure  (X'UV-.uifut  lk•a^>uu  may  nerer  am\e.      We  know  uui   wl.at  a  d:»  » 

lonh.     Do  yuu   in-ar  0>xi  calliuj  you  by  hu  Won!  to  j>erfomi  aome  act  oi   ;  .,r 

for};iveneM?  Then  do  tt  at  uuce.  Do  you  h«wr  Uo>i  callmg  you  to  auuie  worn  u/ 
usffulnead  in  bia  Chnrh?  Begiu  at  onc«  Uj  uodeitake  iu  If  our  trual  in  Got  la 
a  real  trust,  it  will  lead  oa,  uot  only  to  (wrffiuai  religiou,  but  also  to  yraciiral  rtT^rt, 
We  can  trust  him  to  take  care  of  uu  wi.en  we  are  duiu^:  hi»  work.  "  Thfrefure  be  ye 
steadfast,  uuuiuvable,  always  aUmixiing  in  tiie  work  of  lUe  Lurd,  fora*mucii  a^  ye 
know  that  your  latour  is  uut  m  vaiu  in  the  Lord." 

III.  Tbcst  IH  God  leads  ixj  buockm  vh  mkk.  "And  the  Lord  waa  with  hiin; 
and  be  pru«i<eri-d  w hitheri>oeTer  be  weut  forth  "  (ver.  7).  lie  wn*  vi<  tunuua  oTer  his 
enemiea.  Ue  threw  off  the  yoke  of  the  Kiny  of  A>»yrui,  and  droiK  bacJc  the  Phiiu^.ur*, 
who  bad  made  great  iuroaids  duritij^  the  previuus  rtri^u.  Whm  the  j^ople  hvtw  trd 
6'cx/,  their  Qod  honourtd  tf.em  and  yuc*  them  victuriea  over  ('.  .  <«.     As  «  rvM.<nl 

ot  Hezekiah's  lai'.h  and  faithfulneBK,  God  gave  bim  much  ri<  uour.     lirx«kuu 

had  trusted  Go*l  at  the  hegiuuiH<j  of  bis  reif^n.     He  bad  doi  -     .ugh  he  dtd 

not  knt>w  what  it  might  cobt  him,  and  before  be  waa  eatal  rone.     Attd 

Goti  did  not  disappoint  his  trust,  but  made  him  grea'-'   .  i;  ■  if^.!  th*n  all 

the  kiu^s  of  JuJun  before  or  after  his  time.     Even  iu  ^  :  ul  view,  no  uue 

•Ter  luaea  by  trustia.:  Oo.i  and  doing  wiiatis  rifihu     <  «  \)-m  rv-rv     -.e 

who  is  willing  to  give  up  every  earthly  uohse^siou  for  h     ^  ...    >;. 

fold  more  lu  this  life,  and  in  the  world  to  oome  life  ev'    ..^  ..  ^  « 

dangers  of  pruhpetity.     lierekiah'K  career  shows  us  what  is  r.-        '    .  .    ; 
••The  lyonl  wa*  with  him."     Wiiere  that  can  he  i>aid,  iher.    i-  v. 

In  the  g.<iltf8  mHn,  protpetiiy  is  ofien  a  cun>e.     It  hanicu-.  hi»  i  ^  that 

be  is  rich  aiid  incre4u>ed  iu  giH^is  and  has  need  of  nothing.     Uiii   '.  .     f  the 

Christian  m%j  be  a  gnat  hle^«lng  to  himself  and  othenL     Take  with   you  uu--   vuur 
huBine-s,  into  your  st^Krial  rel.iiunK,  \\iV>  everv  pUuj  you   make  ai.d  every  w.  n    v.  a 
un'ienake,  tha|>ra«iM«  t/  Qod,  the  Aur  of  Uud,  the  eominaudtntntt  of  God ;  a 
there  will  be  oo  bar  of  your  succes-.     Ti«ii.i  in  the  Lor»r     Put  your  etw^n^i'    •  , 

Into  the  hands  of  Jasua.     He  u  wunhy  of  your  trust.     They  that  tr  u^ 

him  shall  never  perish.     Trust  in  the  Lord,  that  it  may  lead  you  to  j.  ^    ...^^a, 

IfO  f/raetieal  e^ortf  tu  $uoc€mm  in  /(^s. 

"Bet  thou  thy  trast  upou  the  Locd. 

And  be  thou  doi' (,'  r'<^"d. 
And  so  thou  ID  the  Inad  ahalt  dwell, 
▲imI  verily  havo  fijud.* 

aR.L 


8Tf  THE  SBCO?rD  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS,      [oh.  xviii,  1—31; 

Yen.  9 — 12. — Captivity  and  its  cau$t.  (See  homily  on  preceding  chapter,  rerg. 
«— 28.)— 0.  K  L 

Vers.  13 — 16. — Hezehiah's  toeaknesa.  Hezekiah  had  now  been  for  aeme  time  on 
the  throne.  God  had  been  with  him  hitherto,  and  had  prospered  him.  Perhaps 
Eezekiah  began  to  trust  too  much  to  his  own  strength.  In  the  seventh  verse  we  are 
told  that  he  rebelled  against  the  King  of  Assyria,  and  served  him  not.  It  does  not 
appear  that  Hezekiah  sought  God's  guidance  before  taking  this  bold  step.  Perhaps  it 
would  have  been  wiser  if  he  had  waited  a  little  longer.  At  any  rate,  now,  when  he 
begins  to  feel  the  consequences  of  his  action,  he  is  disposed  to  shrink  from  them.  The 
King  o\'  Assyria  "came  up  against  all  the  fenced  cities  of  Judah, and  took  them." 
Hezekiah  was  panic-stricken.  He  trembled  for  his  throne.  He  sent  a  submissive 
message,  saying,  "  I  have  offended ;  return  from  me ;  tliat  which  thou  puttest  on  me 
will  I  bear."     We  learn  here — 

I.   How    WEAK    EVEN    A    QOOB    MAN    IS    WITHOUT    THE    HELP    OF    GoD.        Hezekiah 

was  a  good  man.  He  was  a  wise  man.  Yet  when  left  to  himself  how  weak  he  was! 
how  foolishly  he  acted !  "  Let  him  that  thinketh  he  standeth  take  heed  lest  he  fall." 
It  becometh  us  all  to  walk  humbly  with  our  God.  "  God  forbid  that  I  should  glorj', 
save  in  the  crc^s  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

n.  The  evil  besults  of  want  of  faith.  Hezekiah's  faith  in  God  failed  him. 
When  that  went,  he  was  helpless.  Sennacherib,  seeing  his  craven  spirit,  appointed  him 
a  tribute  of  "  three  hundred  talents  of  silver  and  thirty  talents  of  gold  "  (ver.  14).  Heze- 
kiah was  in  a  difficulty.  He  had  no  money  to  meet  this  demand.  So  he  followed 
the  very  dangerous  examiile  set  him  by  his  father,  and  stripped  the  gold  from  the  doors 
and  pillars  of  the  house  of  God,  and  sent  it  to  the  King  of  Assyria.  Want  of  faith  often 
leo'/s  men  to  use  questionable  methods.  Men  are  in  need  of  money,  and  they  cannot 
trust  God  to  provide  for  them  in  the  way  of  honest  industry,  so  they  have  recourse  to 
speculation  and  fraud.  If  we  are  doing  God's  will,  we  may  trust  him  to  take  care 
of  us. 

**  It  may  not  be  my  way ; 
It  may  not  be  thy  way ; 
Bat  yet  in  hia  own  way  the  Lord  will  provida" 

0.  H.  I. 

Vers.  17 — 37. — The  tempter  and  his  methods ;  RahshakeVs  address  to  the  leaders  and 
peojde  of  Jerusalem.  Hezekiah's  gift  to  the  King  of  Assyria  had  not  saved  him.  The 
weakmss  he  showed  was  rather  an  encouragement  to  Sennacherib  to  continue  his 
attacks  u\x)n  Judaea.  And  now  a  detachment  of  Sennacherib's  army,  headed  by  three 
officers  of  rank,  craes  up  Uj  Jerusalem.  Their  first  effort  is  to  induce  the  people  of 
Jerusalem  to  surrender.  Rnbshakth  is  the  spokesman.  His  speech  is  like  the  speech 
of  a  Mrphistopheles.  It  may  fairly  He  taken  as  an  illustration  of  how  the  wily  tempter 
hinisclf  proceeds  in  his  desire  to  allure  to  sin  and  destruction  the  souls  of  men. 

I.  IJK  PRKTENOs  TO  BK  ooiNO  God's  woitK.  1.  He  ridicules  their  confidence  in 
Ef/i/pt.  Isaiah  InmHclf  could  liardly  have  warned  them  more  strongly  against  the 
vanity  of  alliari(r!  with  other  nations.  "Thou  trustest  upon  the  staff  of  this  bruised 
rcf^i,  even  upMii  Kgypt"  (ver.  21).  2.  He  censures  Hezekiah  for  disreaprct  tniuird  (Hod. 
"  if  ye  say  iint)  me,  Wo  trust  in  the  Lord  God:  is  not  this  Ik!  wiiose  hi;4ii  places  and 
whose  altars  lh;z<kiali  Imth  taken  away?"  (ver.  22).  So  Satan  sometimes  apjicars  as  an 
an^el  of  light.  Mi-n  of  sin  and  worldliness  HometiuKfs  show  a  remarkable  iuLirest  in  the 
Chnrch  ol  G(k1.  'i.  He  represents  hirnsetf  as  hnviny  a  commission  from  God.  "Am  I 
now  come  up  without  ih<;  Lonl  ajiainst  this  place  to  destroy  it?  'I'hii  Lord  said  to  me. 
Go  uji  atraiuKl  this  land,  and  destroy  it"  (ver.  2r)).  It  is  thus  that  sin  constantly 
prewjiitM  ii«i;lf  to  men  and  women.  It  inaskH  its  real  features.  It  preHonts  iIhcU  in  a 
religioiiK  garb,  A  debawd  theatre  prolesHeH  U)  be  the  teacher  of  morality.  But  for  ouo 
whon»!  life  it  ban  changed  for  the  brtter,  there  are  thousandn  whom  it  haa  chani^ed  for 
th«  worse.  I'erhapH  we  HhouUi  he  justifiwl  in  going  the  length  of  I'ollok,  in  his  'Oourse 
Di'  Time,'  and  in  Haying,  "  It  ml^ht  do  good,  hut  n<"vor  di«i."  How  many  questionable 
pntcticcfl  defend  thirnHulvea  uu  the  ground  that  they  are  uuctioned  and  enoouraged  by 
**  raligioaji "  p''«)plu  I 


iTm.  I— a?.]     THE  REonvD  BOOK  OF  TnE  invon.  fit 


n.  Hi  HAKia  UBRT  OF  Tvmr  u  Ooo.    B«t  »--«  •'•-  -i  r-^  '^^  ■npit,    Th« 
tafnpt«r  ».ii   1«|{1M  to  WMO  lU  «ml  (ipoa  llM  r  UrwUb*  pvo. 

fMM«  lo  he  Bi)  jodutu.     8m  h«r»  Um  iDOiinalatri  <  ,^^      H,  ^^^ 

oT  all  iMdp  it  »ppMr  Ihst  he  »M  oocnii  „fof,  ^\   ,h.,f 

eflhrt»  tn  r«5'«'  him  wuul.l  l*  futile.     Bt.i  .    ,<r-i,  ,/ i. 

vrr.     **  Ni  lli.er  l«t  H— kuh  make 
1  .  drlirer  i«"(T«r.  SOX    "H:n>.  »nx 

»'•  »         -     '  !     '  '*.     fiaiiH  of  th*  Kliigof  A  -v  ^ 

I"     -"'  ^'       *    •  ■'!        '»  '         !•   lr.1   »W»y   by    ihc  »   1      :r   ;    rl,'. 

'^   y>li\cU   lie  <»o  the  U>riw.l»ii.l  l«<n»,«,,   i,.p  l^^j  .  ,j|j_ 

irM  or  pnreiiu  ahuut  which   m*-".   •mr,  "(^    \  (»-,-»,. 


■I' -^        i    ■ 

d-uht  its  tr    t'  .      It 
•     w  'TM-  bii  »      Maijv  >  : 
•.  of  -ij  .    ..►■."  'Let 


<»  i.. 


i»      'i      Lli'.' 

trtuit  iri  ' 


ttiall  U-«c-h  ni'ii  Ml,  t,e  bIikII   '  t|t, 

*>  '  "i  »nd  oiii  w  e-:i(v  mv  til  u«,  "  '. i,,i  ,, i  n*.- 

ihe  U'nji»t<T  tT.  :,g^  "  You  may  " 

ill.    Hk    mak'  How    fH:r-i)poken    ta    h.iL»..u.ik.i- .         Hjw    »trf\ 

i  -  {>'«.-iui»-8!      If  of  JeruKaliriu  wooM  only 

f  Atsyria  by  a  -  ^-n  ihey  would  eat  ev.'ry  ■.  ■. 

U:  t:;v.  until  he  would  a:i.  iwaida  Ukc  ttieiii  away  u>  a  la,  i  ..Kt-  i.-'.^*;.  ,i  :,  "» 
UikI  t.f  oorti  and  wiue,  a  land  of  brwid  and  TineyKrds,  a  la-  '.  .  f  ;  !  v.  aiiU  ■  f  /.  -iif^, 
tiiat  yp  may  lire  aini  not  die."     Id  thi»  §|ieci..Mii  way  he  !  i  an  atiraciite 

jn^jicct.      But   it  was  aa  empiy  aa   the   babble  in   the   r  It    wfta  the 

ple*'at,t  et  he  aoughl  to  ^Im  ovrr  lUc  pri«i  .    i     !  .^  ■  <)<i«ftt  and 

c»l  t'^  ity.  8  of  aia.     H"w  bnjjht  and  how  att   »  ■  \.,  i.j  otitward 

ai|«:\rancr,  arr   t:..-   hiuiiw  of  wickeduese  and  Tioel     The  1 -;  -  of  the  ciu- 

I«li«*— how  they  allure  its  unhappy  Ttctima,  often  by  the  .ii  .:  tlie  drmniiflBia 

and  miwery  oi  their  h..iiit>8!  What  a  pleasant  prottin-ct  mii  in  n  i-i  .-  !  .r:i.»  [.  ,  ,^  ,u\ 
But  how  terrible  ia  the  reality  I  How  ffrim  la  the  bkrl-too  at  the  ft  .>t  !  "  Mv  .  n.  if 
•innera  entioe  thee,  ooom-ui  thou  liou*     Such  an  the  temp:er'»  ♦     •  l'h« 

liiirty-aixth  v«rM  oootaiUH  a  very  good  aosgrttiuQ  aa  to  m    wav  ot  i  ..n, 

•'  But  the  people  held  tlieir  (i«ac«,  and  answ^rt^  hiiu  not  a  word;  tn- 

ii.»ndineni  ^aa,  aaviug.  Answer  hiin  not."    It  u  u  trite  ruU  uot  lopjr/ry  i. .;  tm: 

i/ we  pray.  "Lead  oa  not  into  temputioa,"  then  we  ought  to  be  carcf^.  _.;  u.  uui 
oonelTtM  in  teoipution'a  way. — G.  H.  L 

Verm.  1—57. — A  ttrikimg  reformation,  a  mthUn  drnpotitn^  and  an  unprtnrifj^t 
dtplon%ary.  "Now  it  came  lo  piaa."  etc.  Am  .nJ;^l  the  luadcn  »  rec "drd  and  the 
characters  meotiontti  in  ihia  chapter,  therw  stand  out  in  .r-at  [.foi  i  ,ruce  tl.rt^ 
aubj«x-U  ftjr  practical  oontemplatioo :  (1)  a  $tr%ktng  rrA/rm-afi.rj  ,-  (L')  a  mf'.,V»j 
•iaapo/f  .  -v  :  (3)  on  uuprincifJed  dtfjumaey.  I'h.-  iii:iii>  Btran-e  a.d  ai-me-hal 
tm^Xi  ■  eTeuts  that  make  up  tne  buii  of  thus  ci.a  t«r  v»ui  c.  luc  out  in  the 

diaoiuviou  OI  in  D«  thn-e  Kui'jecta. 

L  A  rraiKino  REfoKMATioB.  Hraekiah,  who  waa  now  Kinc  ol  Judah.  and  ooo- 
|i,., . ..(.■■....  r.r  .k,    ...  .      •■•-••   tra,  wa»  a  man  ol  (fr»-v*     ■  '     -  md 

I  which  was  rig   t  ii>  I  rxl- 

l.-^  *_    ._...    ^ „^   ;_;,. ;,"  etc  (Ters.  A—H).       .,  ^j^ 

his  history  abowa  that  OB  the  whole  it  was  w.il  a. M.'vtxi      c-  u.s 

tcvieoeaeora  and  ooBUfrnpontrvw,  he  af>fiears  u*  have  U-«n  an  .  i.  .                               an. 

Hr    ivxl  ill  a  per  od  of  great  uatiuual  th»   and  mor*!  oorruptK'U.  l»r                             ^^ 

Kint'dom,  was  in  its  dimth-thrues,  an  i  nu  oviu  peupir  i  .^  :  ■  .  '                          '       . 

9us»«i  kind.     Id  the  very  dawn  of  hu  rr^^u  be  ari  » 

tton.  We  find  In  2  Chnm.  »»ix.  2 — M  a  draenp  .  r  i  r  *  t;  r  ^^  , 
frfnnnttiiiii  which  diapla/ad  itaeX     but  the  puint  of  t\m  rvlufiuM.Te  «ur*«  oa  which 


874  THE  SBCX)ND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.     [oH.xvra.1— W 

we  would  now  fasten  our  attention,  is  that  mentioned  in  ver.  4,  "He  removed  the  high 
places,  and  hrake  the  images,  and  cut  down  the  groves,  and  brake  in  pieces  the  bmzea 
serpent  that  Moses  had  made:  for  unto  those  days  the  children  of  Israel  did  bum 
incense  to  it :  and  he  called  it  Nehushtan."  His  method  for  extirpating  idolatry  from 
his  country  is  detailed  with  minuteness  in  2  Chron.  xxix.  3;  xxx.  1 — 9.  In  this 
destruction  of  the  brazen  serpent  we  are  struck  with  two  things.  1.  The  perverting 
tendency  of  sin.  The  brazen  serpent  (we  learn  from  Numb.  xxi.  9)  was  a  beneficent 
ordinance  of  God  to  heal  those  in  the  wilderness  who  had  been  bitten  by  the  fiery 
serpents.  But  this  Divine  ordinance,  designed  for  a  good  purpose,  and  which  had 
accomplished  good,  was  now,  through  the  forces  of  human  depravity,  become  a  great 
eviL  Tkie  Jews  turned  what  was  a  special  display  of  Divine  goodness  into  a  great  evil. 
I  am  disposed  to  honour  them  for  preserving  it  for  upwards  of  seven  hundred  years,  and 
thus  handing  it  down  from  sire  to  son  as  a  memorial  of  heavenly  mercy ;  but  their 
conduct  in  establishing  it  as  an  object  for  worship  must  be  denounced  without  hesitancy 
or  qualification.  But  is  not  this  the  great  law  of  depravity  ?  Has  it  not  always  per- 
verted the  good  things  of  God,  and  thus  converted  blessings  into  curses  ?  It  has  ever 
done  so.  It  is  doing  so  now.  See  how  this  perverting  power  acts  in  relation  to  such 
Divine  blessings  as  (1)  health;  (2)  riches;  (3)  genius;  (4)  knowledge;  (5)  govern- 
ments;  and  (6)  religious  institutions.*  2.  The  true  attributes  of  a  reformer.  Here  we 
observe:  (1)  spiritual  insight.  Hezekiah  (if  our  translation  is  correct)  saw  in  this  serpent, 
which  appeared  like  a  god.  to  the  people,  nothing  but  a  piece  of  brass — "  Nehustan." 
What  is  grand  to  the  vulgar  is  contemptible  to  the  spiritually  thoughtful.  The  true 
reformer  jieers  into  the  heart  of  things,  and  finds  that  the  gods  of  the  people  are  but  of 
common  brass.  (2)  Invincible  honesty.  He  not  only  saw  that  it  was  brass,  but  said 
so— declared  it  in  the  ears  of  the  people.  How  many  there  are  who  have  eyes  to 
see  the  vile  and  contemptible  in  the  objects  which  popular  feeling  admires  and  adores, 
but  who  lack  the  honesty  to  express  their  convictions  1  A  true  man  not  only  sees  the 
wrong,  but  exposes  it,  (3)  Practical  courage.  This  reformer  not  only  had  the  insight 
to  see,  and  the  honesty  to  expose  the  worthlessness  of  the  people's  gods,  but  he  had 
the  courage  to  strike  them  from  their  jiedestal.  "  F"  brake  in  pieces  the  brazen  serpent." 
1  have  no  hope  of  any  man  doing  any  real  spiritunl  good  who  has  not  these  three 
instincts.  He  must  not  only  have  an  eye  to  penetrate  the  seeming  and  to  descry  the 
real,  nor  merely  be  honest  enough  to  speak  out  his  views,  but  he  must  have  also  the 
manly  hand  to  "break  iu  pieces"  the  false,  in  order  to  do  the  Divine  work  of  reform. 
The  man  that  has  the  three  combined  is  the  reformer.  Almighty  Love!  nmltipl\' 
amongst  us  men  of  this  threefold  instinct — men  which  the  age,  the  ivorld  demands!* 
3.  Tlie  true  soul  of  a  reformer.  What  is  that  which  gave  him  tlie  true  insight  ami 
attributes  of  a  reformer — which  in  truth  was  the  soul  of  tiie  whole?  (1)  Entire  conse- 
cration to  the  right,  "He  trusted  in  the  Lord  Gkxl  of  Israel;  so  that  after  him  was 
none  like  him  among  all  the  kings  of  Judah,  nor  any  that  were  before  bin).  For  ho 
clave  to  the  Lord,  and  departed  not  from  following  iiiin,  but  kept  his  commandments, 
which  the  Lord  couimanded  Moses.  He  trusted  in  and  clave  to  the  One  true  and 
living  Go<i,  aiid  k(;pt.  his  eominandmcnts.  And  this  is  right,  and  there  is  no  right 
hut  this.  (2)  Invincible  antngoniHin  to  the  wrong,  "And  he  rebelled  against  the  King 
of  AsHyria,  and  Kcrvetl  him  not,"  "Tlio  yearly  tribute  his  father  had  stipulate*!  to 
[«y,  he  withliehl.  PurBuing  the  [Kilicy  of  a  truly  theocratic  sovereign,  be  was,  ihrough 
th<:  Divine  bbsHing  which  resU-fi  on  his  government,  raiso<l  to  a  ixjsiiion  ol  great  public 
and  national  strength.  BlialmaneHer  was  dead  ;  and  assuming,  consccpiently,  that  full 
indo|4:n<ieiit  Koveni^nty  which  (Jol  luul  suttled  on  tin-  house  of  David,  he  both  shook 
cfl  the  AHsyrian  yoke,  an<i,  by  an  ener/rtic  movement  against  the  I'hilistineH,  rocovoroil 
the  credit  which  Lm  lulher  Ahuz  had  lost  iu  his  war  with  that  (Kople  (2  Chron. 
xxviii.  18)." 

11.  A  BUTHLf-Mi  DKurTrnHM.  Tlioro  are  two  dospotH  mentioned  In  thlrt  chapter — 
Rhalmanenor  and  K«jiina<:herih,  \t»i\\  kingH  of  AHRyria.  A  brief  (hmeription  of  the 
former  we  hRve  Iu  Tcm.  '.",  lo,  12.  Wliat  is  Htnlr-ii  in  these  verm  h  Ih  iait  a  rojx'tition 
r>f  what  we  biive  in  thn  prcyMling  cbnptiT,  iiikI  llic  r>  markh  made  on  it  in  our  Inst  homily 
l>recl«<U  Xihut  uec'aiiity  of  (iny  olmtirvationH  hire.     TImm  Hhalmanemir  wan  a  tynuit  of  Lh« 

■  !••  •  (all  (iboourau  of  Una  lubjoot  lo  *  Hopium  In  Uiu\'  p.  ML 


ML  XTm.  i-^.]     TMM  UOUVl>  BOOK  OF  TBI  KUNHL 


B*  l»v»M  mi  n 
hid  dimm  !•  ftaOMru,  aarrioa  U> 

toflDfir  Seanadtr 

immdrd  4  <M»iUrp  im  wJU-  >. 
llMi4«b  did  8MUkAcb«rlt'     . 
Jadah,  mi  u«k  thrm.'     **  l 
HlbTlltc«h(i.  11— IC 
rbius  MM  J«roa>c 
mMmmmU 
6X  aMr  B»phir  Aad  ^LaAi. . 

MlU    J«rUMirtn  i    L^rkitk    < 

lialh;  ^rAfi^,  between  Komu  >:. . 
lh«  k>w  (x*uiilrv  gf  JtftdAb  (Joah.   x 
1— IS).    Ovorruunlug  PAlartiBf,  ^ 


b 


I»  :»«!iUa 


Tb(M  Im  uUmtIv  dMlmjid 

.»•«.  IS— in,    s  r 


Uftd  ol  ImmI.  UkfMV  HwtiM  toio 


.,    i,c«.'    i! 


la 


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lU.k 


tbe   wav    ui 

Motifl^  lh«  il«ir>  of  A 

(Jo^h.    XT.    ">d  ,    lUAhtMO'l 

uu  aooUker  iuv&kiuu,  a'th  -; 
$itm  amd  Urgt  tamtril:- 
-  And  H««kUh  Kln^ 
nff—dwd;  ivturo  fruiu  u.a : 
U  •  ▼i'ldmg  of  thii  crvat 
«:  »i castor  baa  immui 

«  _;  iL     But  hrre,  in 

tbik,  ua  ui.rii.':.iauuKly 
"Aad  tbe  King  of  '.\ 
idaoU  o^  ailvrr  und  -. 

VapUltfMDOUi.liU^   Vl 

UiM  warn  WM  JiUtr&^io.   . 

alau  rifled  fruiu   the  trm;>  • 

tbe  wUtT  t>'  »•  -I*-  I  ...  .„ 

houat.     At 

the  Lord,  a 

gATa  it  Ui  the  K.I:  g 

juatified.      IntMDUCD  . 

Vu  alaodoo  ail  i<lea  oi  »U'  t 

Mkd  luiMloe>«,  but  to  Mjr  li 

tt*e  King  of  A^kvn*  eeut    iw^au,"  cu    v' 

and  yet   tb*T  ar*  n-'t    rare.      !«   thrrr  a 

to-day,  wbn'  • 

tbi>  |«rt? 

Ill     A»    . 
Ill  ki»ti.  w: 
.\ 
t 


iu-imj !     A  daabit^  meteor  and  .-. 

'  '  ^•.  itj  uikka  ilia  o«n  oout>ii.v  i 

■  i.-  -..  ^  ua  aeaiu  ie  aeanttatu.     i.  i!/« 


-trcxioa  ;." 
racetWi  /f 
iairy  uZoim.     Mara 
Kin;:  of  AwT-  a  t 


I  !^va 


U.  »    (AAiil    lie    L*:  .IB 

C' •  an  ap'l'vr      A  ;i.ao 


lex«k>ab  I 

l.r,    wbl 

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crib   *<.^< 


Utile  I  uX  1 


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tui«e  ur  atouUiB* 


J 

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ul 
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tiM  aua  v4 

*. 
M 

•■>l 

'.4 


876  THE   SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.      [oh.  xvtii.  1    37. 

utter  inability  to  resist  the  invading  army,    **  What  confidence  is  this  wherein  tt-^a 
trustest?"— D.  T. 

Vers.  1 — 8. — Hezehiah  the  good.  It  is  with  a  sense  of  relief  that  we  emerge  from  the 
dark  and  oppressive  atmosphere  of  the  time  of  Abaz  into  the  "  clear  shining  "  (2  Sam. 
xiiii.  4)  of  a  reign  like  that  of  Hezekiah.  Once  more  Divine  mercy  gave  Judah  a  king 
in  whom  the  best  traditions  of  the  theocracy  were  revived. 

I.  Eight  conduct.  1.  An  evil  upbringing  belied.  As  if  to  set  laws  of  heredity  at 
defiance,  the  worst  King  of  Judah  hitherto  is  succeeded  by  one  of  the  best — the  best 
after  David.  It  is  diffic:  t  on  human  principles  to  account  for  such  a  phenomenon. 
Hezekiah  had  every  disadvantage  in  inherited  tendency, in  evil  example,  and  in  adverse 
surrounding  influences.  But  Divine  evace  triumphed  over  all,  and  made  out  of  him  "  a 
chosen  vessel "  (Acts  ix.  15).  Doubtless  some  human  agency  unknown  to  us  vi-as 
employed  in  moulding  the  young  prince's  character.  It  may  have  been  his  mother, 
"  Abi,  the  daughter  of  Zachariah  ; "  or  perhaps  the  Prophet  Isaiah,  who  bad  afterwards 
so  much  to  do  with  him.  2.  A  good  example  followed.  Hezekiah  took  as  his  model, 
not  his  own  father,  but  David,  the  founder  of  his  line,  of  whom  God  had  said,  "  I  have 
found  David  the  son  of  Jesse  a  man  after  mine  own  heart,  which  shall  fulfil  all  my 
will "  (Acts  xiii.  22).  Hezekiah  is  the  new  David.  Of  no  other  since  the  times  of  Asa 
is  it  affirmed  th;  t  he  did  "according  to  all  that  David  his  father  did;"  and  even  of 
Asa  the  testimony  is  less  emphatic  than  here  (1  Kings  xv.  11).  Hezekiah  mounted  to 
the  original  model.  David  was  the  model  for  the  kings  of  Judah ;  we  have  a  yet 
higher  one — Ciirist.  It  is  well  in  ordeiing  our  lives  to  go  back  to  this  ultimate  standard, 
judging  ourselves,  not  by  the  degree  of  likeness  or  unlikeness  to  our  neighbours,  but  by 
the  njeasure  of  conformity  to  him. 

II.  Reforming  zeal.  Hezekiah  evidenced  the  reality  of  his  piety  by  his  works. 
In  carrying  out  his  reforms  Hezekiah  would  no  doubt  be  strengthened  and  assisted  by 
the  prophets;  and  the  people  were  perhaps  prepared  to  acquiesce  in  them  by  their  dis- 
gust at  the  extravagant  idolatries  of  Ahaz  (cf,  2  Ohron.  xxviii.  27).  1.  Temptation 
removed.  Hezekiah  early  took  the  step  which  had  hitherto  been  neglected  by  even 
the  best  kings — he  "  removed  the  high  places."  This  centralized  the  worship  at  Jeru- 
salem, and  did  away  with  the  temptations  to  idolatry  which  the  local  altars  afforded. 
It  was  further  important  as  an  evidence  of  his  thorough-going  determination  to  carry 
out  the  provisions  of  God's  Law.  We  may  wonder  how  Hezekiah  could  venture  ou 
such  a  step  without  awakening  widespread  resistanee  and  disaflfection ;  but  the  Book  of 
<  hronicles  shows  that  it  happened  while  the  wave  t>f  enthusiasm  created  by  the  great 
i'assover  was  yet  at  its  height — a  sufficient  explanation  (2  Chron.  xxxi.  1).  2.  Destruc- 
tion of  vi<i'itiment8  of  idolafry.  Ilrzckiah  next  proceeded  to  clear  the  land  of  those 
idols  of  which  Isaiah,  at  an  earlier  period,  had  said  that  it  was  full  (Isa.  ii.  8).  He  brake 
the  imaires,  and  cut  down  the  asherab.  These  vigorous  measures  were  indispensable  if 
true  religion  was  to  be  re-established.  It  is  not  otherwise  with  the  individual  bean. 
True  rei>entance  is  a  stripping  the  soul  of  its  idols — love  of  money,  fashion,  gaiety,  dross, 
etc.  *'  Ye  cannot  serve  God  and  maiunion"  (Matt.  vL  24).  "CoveLousuess,  which  is 
idolatry  "  (CoL  iiL  5). 

**  The  dearest  idol  I  have  known, 
Whate'er  that  idol  be. 
Help  me  to  tear  it  from  thy  throne. 
And  worBhip  only  thee." 

8.  Breaking  of  the  brazen  nerpent.  Another  notoworthv  act  of  Hezekiah  was  his  broak- 
Inj;  in  f)ioceH  iho  \ir.\7.<n  Herpont  tliat  Mohoh  had  made.  'J'hiH  is  llio  first,  and  last 
glunitBf  we  get  ol  tliiH  vrri<  lablo  relic  since  tiio  time  wlion  it  was  set  up  in  tlie  wilder- 
iiCHH.  ItH  firenjrviitirin  was  natural;  it  had  done  a  wonderful  work  in  its  day;  it  was 
the  Bymbol  ot  ii  great  deliverance;  it  had  clustered  around  it  the  nflHoeifttions  of  miracle; 
it  wan  t)ie  ty[)«  ev«n  of  thej  salvation  of  MeHsiali.  Wo  cniuiot  marvel  that  it  was 
riverenr;<-d  aH  a  HArrwl  olij(-<  t.  Yet  now  it  had  luieomo  a  Hnare  to  the  people,  wlio  l)urnt 
itiren«e  U>  It,  and  Hfz.ikiali  rutlileHHly  doHtroyed  it,  callinj;  it  (or  it  wbh  called)  eon- 
'  •rnp*HouMly  NehuHhtan — "  a  pi<e«  of  braHs."  Wo  hco  from  tliiH  how  th'gngH  orli^iiially 
•  icrtd  may  become  a  luaro  uuu  a  tctuptatiou.    HuiwrHtltion  ia  a  fungujt  uf  rank  growth, 


m.  xrm,  1— 3T.J      TIIR  8Ka)Nn   HOOK  OF  THE  KIKOA. 


S7T 


u  ia  a  /wiiWW  6r(  7  i  " — •  ^ 


.od   Wuud- 


iNKML     1.    n^:fkiaX  tht  bnt  </ his  lin«.     A 


tic 


n<  ;   hr  c'.aTr  !"  t!  f  I^tt?  ;   I  e  ('rpart«Ni   n   t 


NS  c    &:c    I'-   ^>J.,   :.   »cVc:,   li.-;, 
,•  rfecl.     tie  li»>i  his  tLt«k^  hu  kib^ 

|4ety  won  fur  him  Dirin*-  faTour,  proUcitoD,  %t^ 

it.     ••  H-   -•»-*- 'I  ■'-•••  •       l:.^.^^...       ..  . 

Ai.««.    i:.    .  . 

e  »"ho  fea        .       ^  ,     .. _ 


IV.   Dl\ 

•tuc*-**.      1.    J 

^rfv^!ld  (lilii  DuL'*      11 

w  i.;<  h   it   )ia  !   l-    n 

iiii|«>rt&iit 

f.  rib.     Sj  1 

withiu,  atid  Victur^  u%er  lae  wuria,  the  lievU,  aijd  ihe  Ocsh. — J.  u. 


V«ti.   13 — 17, —  S^nnaeM«rA'$  Jint  a**aui:.  'in  thU   ;  ^  th«  o«- 

udrratkto  of  uo«  ol   t^'r  m'»n   uMoiunUo   ct.  cvcr     a  _'h.     Tt»c 

Awyrian,  the  n»l  il  i  r  (Lia.  x.  4),  huiig  .  ii..-  now  t»t^ 

dr»tntctiuo   it   •»>   II  not   iuteriMio.      A    i  <m  vuucb«*<n>, 

*■  -^  m  kAi'urity  if  uuly  flcfLijr  uj4.tia«.;.vc  m«*  roDuUDcad,  aaii 

t  :i  the  living  G<.<1. 

1.    rENSAPij     11  -       AhiY    bltx:n*Ba.       1,    aiiliM-rV«    irtlA    fA^   m-'r^i?   tloii  ^  (A« 
f>*opi«~      l>r^|  u<   lt.«  etiufft  uf  lleMklaii  aj.d  L^iAr.,  ihc  oium    kiAif  .  1  iLr  ^•fij«a«»- 


•A.     l.     1'    ,    1  ij.  1       r 

area  ul  \ht  Mtij  ri 


:..'«w»  (:uLu 


^      ffTf<T    ^  JUt    «»COCMM. 


ile   bad 

1  iiatmn,  a  •iia 


878  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS,      [oh.  xvm.  1— 87. 


cities  of  JndaK  Hia  own  aroals  mention  forty-six  strong  cities,  and  lesser  cities 
without  number.  He  claims  to  have  taken  also  200,150  prisoners.  This  was  a  fearful 
blow  to  the  prosperity  and  resources  of  the  kingdom.  (2)  At  this  stage,  moreover, 
Sennacherib  invested  Jerusalem.  The  text  speaks  only  of  Hezekiah  paying  tribute,  and 
entreating  Sennacherib  to  depart  from  him ;  but  it  is  morally  certain  that  at  this  time 
Jerusalem  endured  a  severe  siege,  and  was  saved  only  by  the  submission  referred  to. 
(o)  In  2  Chron.  xxxiL  1 — 8  we  have  an  account  of  Hezekiah's  vigorous  preparations 
for  the  siege.  (6)  Sennacherib,  in  his  own  annals,  describes  the  siege,  (c)  The  prophecy 
in  Isa,  xxii.,  which  belongs  to  this  period,  depicts  the  state  of  Jerusalem  during  the 
siege,  and  a  fearful  picture  of  demoralization  it  is.  The  theory  that  this  prophecy  refers 
to  an  earlier  siege  under  Sargon  seems  to  us  to  have  little  probability.  The  hand  of  GJod 
was  thus  lying  heavily  on  the  people.  Only  by  leading  men  to  feel  their  own  weakness 
does  God  train  them  to  rely  upon  his  help.  When  Hezekiah's  trust  in  man  was 
shattered,  and  he  was  led  to  look  to  God  alone,  Sennacherib  s  campaign  came  to  an 
ignominious  end. 

II.  Hezekiah's  STTBMI83I0N.  1.  The  failure  of  the  arm  of  flesh.  Hezekiah  had  been 
seeking  alliances  with  Egypt  and  Ethiopia,  but  no  help  reached  him  in  his  hour  of 
extremity.  Isaiah  had  warned  him  of  this  (Isa.  xxx.).  The  act  of  seeking  such  an 
alliance  implied  a  distrust  of  God.  Astute  politicians  no  doubt  thought  an  alliance 
with  Egypt  a  much  more  tangible  affair  than  an  alliance  with  the  invisible  Jehovah. 
So  long,  however,  as  Hezekiah  looked  in  this  quarter  for  aid  he  was  doomed  to  disap- 
pointment. Neither  the  King  of  Egypt  nor  strongly  fortified  walls  availed  to  save  him. 
He  had  to  learn  the  lesson  :  "  In  returning  and  rest  shall  ye  be  saved ;  in  quietness  and 
in  confidence  shall  be  your  strength"  (Isa.  xxx.  15).  2.  The  humiliating  tribute. 
Despairing  of  help  from  his  ally,  and  faltering  in  his  faith  in  God,  Hezekiah  made  an 
unworthy  submission.  It  may  be  gathered  from  Isa.  xxii.  that  affairs  in  the  city  had 
reached  an  awful  height  of  wickedness.  Pestilence  was  sweeping  off  the  people  in 
crowds ;  and  Hezekiah  may  have  felt  that  he  could  stand  it  no  longer.  The  King  of 
Assyria  accepted  his  submission,  and  appointed  him  three  hundred  talents  of  silver  and 
thirty  talents  of  gold  as  tribute.  To  obtain  this  large  sum  he  had  not  only  to  empty 
once  more  the  often-ransacked  treasuries  of  the  temple  and  the  king's  house,  but  had  to 
cut  off  the  gold  from  the  very  doors  and  pillars  of  the  temple.  It  was  himself  who  had 
overlaid  these  pillars  with  the  precious  metal,  but  now  they  had  to  be  stripped  of  their 
adornment,  and  all  given  to  the  rapacious  Assyrian.  Truly  it  was  "a  day  of  trouble, 
and  of  treading  down,  and  of  perplexity  "  (Isa.  xxii.  6).  What  humiliations  men  are 
willing  to  endure  rather  than  submit  themselves  heartily  to  the  sway  of  the  living 
Goll  After  all,  "willing"  is  not  the  word,  for  they  would  fain  escape  these  humilia- 
tions, but  find  they  cannot.  Yet  they  do  not  return.  3.  His  submission  no  advantage. 
Sennacherib  withdrew  to  Lachish,  and  Hezekiah  was  left  to  hopo  that  by  this  great 
sacrifice  he  had  got  rid  of  him.  He  was  soon  to  be  undeceived.  What  happened  we  do 
not  know  ;  possibly  some  rumours  reached  the  King  of  Assyria  of  the  march  of  Tirha- 
k:ili  alluded  to  in  ch.  xix.  9,  and  he  may  have  suspected  further  treachery  on  the  part 
of  Hezekiah.  In  any  case,  a  new  host  was  despatched  against  Jerusalem,  and  fresh 
demands  were  male  for  surrender  (ver.  17).  Hezekiah's  distress  must  have  been 
unK[K;akal)l<'.  lie  had  paid  his  tribute,  and  was  no  better  than  before.  Waters  of  • 
full  cup  wi  re  wrung  out  to  hitn  (Ph.  Ixxiii.  10).  It  Is  thus  evermore  till  men  turn 
from  the  help  uf  man  to  the  help  of  God. — J.  0. 

Vers.  17 — 37. — Jiahnhakeh'$  boastings.  From  Lachish  Sennacherib  sent  an  army  to 
JeriiHah;m,  and  with  it  Homo  of  his  highest  officcM-s,  tho  Tartan,  RabsariH,  and  l{ab- 
khakoh.  Taking  their  htaml  hy  "tho  conduit  of  tho  njiiior  poul,"  whore  thoy  could  be 
hoard  from  the  w;i1Ih,  thoy  called  for  tho  king  to  come  to  them.  Hezekiah  did  not  come, 
but  Merit  thrco  onvoyH,  Eliakim,  Hhehna,  and  Joah,  to  whom  UniiHhakoh,  tho  orator  of 
th<;  [<ftrty,  adilf  HH(;d  himHi-lf.  His  Hp<(!ch  is  a  very  skilful  ono  from  his  own  {K)int  of 
view,  utid  falls  intrj  two  jiarta.  It  in  |H)rvu<ied  by  the  utmoHt  arrogancy  and  contempt 
of  th<!  d'A  of  tho  JcwH. 

I.  IliH  ADDiiKHH  TO  THK  KNVovH.  Tho  qiioHtion  RabKhnkoH  had  been  sent  by  hli 
miiMUjr  to  ahk  of  Hrz<kiah  whh — "What  c<iMfld<nc('  Ih  thin  wher«in  thou  truHtflHtT" 
He  procoudji  to  demolitth  odo  by  onu  lIozukiaii'H  Hopj^joHud  cunQdvnous,  and  to  abow  liow 


xfUL  1—37.]      TUB  BKOOND  BOOK  OF  THE  lIKOa. 


«i^  H  wM  fcr  him  fts  kopi  %a  mrrr  on  !»>•  w«r.  I.  nntkiaX'$  mmfidmm  te  Kfyj*. 
ll«ytn>A  urnmm*  h  •  own  quc«(kMi  by  a«rUrinK«  ftrrt,  UaI  Hrt»hnh'>  onaiiirtrfw 
«M  pbfHd  hi  t^jyl.  '1  hia  «M  inM  (  •»<!  ii  wm  ftlao  Irw  ibal,  m  Um  mdUr  Mil 
««at  OB  U>  My/Uita  euafidwtcw  wm  In  •  **  bniaMl  rmd.**  The  pi>l^7  <"  '*'7ii^  <* 
BfTpl,  lt>4ic«.l  uf  Making  b«>lp  fn>ni  0<«1.  wu  H<«pkU(  '•  frmt  iul(Uk«L     B«Mb*krk 


Klaf  «l  Bgypl  «rM  iDdw^l  «  bruiaci  rMd.  OB  wliioh,  if  •  bhmi  ImdI,  j  ibIo 

MaftMd.  ud  riar««  IL    l«)fth'«  Ibuhmk*  >m<A  ^mb  Ml  Im  airoBg  ( 1^  ^  4 .  >.    Tb« 

iB«7  b«  Apptbd  to  aay  iwImm  oa  um%  kamui  wttilaai.  kaoMB  Dov«r.  ur 


Mp.    OA«a  U  bM  prmd  m  is  iBdlvidad  uptriMin  BDd  Um  bUtory  of 
TWowk  «WM  vmwktA  hoict  la  Um  wkwihUnM,  noM  nntipwud  torn 

1b  jWfkUaWb  MOM  IIMClhf  J.  ■riMalWtti,  or  dclar  on  the  t«ri  of  Bllia*.   Oi«  U»l. 
I  bi«Bk  dowB«  Um  ■troBffett  eomf  imok*.    1'  t 

iAiJUUmJL    BabJiakeh  ri.-xt  .V  vuttiati' 

aoM  BOt  at  tbk  mint  orfr  ■  '.a  bo  jr-  1 

bclbraUMKincorAMyru.    1  Mtoaadb;. 

•It^fT  BB  tdb  boBtt  or  an  alluoi.'ii  a  L*kl  Lc^d  uf  iKUah't  propbacia*  (<        ^ 

Til  17— 26 ;«.  6— 19).     But  be  h  »ke«  u««  of  H«rk  *»>.•«  »rtJeB  iB^wtt    . 

tb«  Ucb    plftcy^  and  ali«r«.     **  la  i.i.t    liiis   h«  whc>»<*  >        1 

BflBWBb  lulh  takrn  awny,  and  liath  tail!  to  Judah  a  ;> 

bafora tbil al .  valcra?"    "  Iwaor.  u  rrj<r*rMCTi 

•aaaoatrapr  ^ioiiufJ<  baaspacud  toareoiM. 

How,  then,  cxni^i  jit-zcKtah  exf>e«  1  >'<:  •/gumaot  »«a  a  akilful 

one  as  dinclMl  to  the  Uxiv  <  f  ^h  pUoaa  wara  of  loog-ataoding 

'^—  -•  '  !  .  .  i  i;.om  witb  aaparatiUoaa  reTarrooa. 

.    'ii^(  c^t^i^i  Jti.  \ah  by  aupivaaunf  tbam?    Oalamiij 

•■."  i.atiu:    waa  iLcre  not  a  cauaaf    A  refonnar  must 

ac<x.unt  Willi  c;  .:..•!<  •{  ihia  kin<J.  Any  j»jliijc»l,  aocial,  or  ivli^oia 
. ',  t«)  ba  tlAn..vl  1  r  ir  it  lea  tbat  aris«  on  iLo  back  of  it  Pott  hoc,  trfo 
proplm'  kod  Tba  aarly  C)in~.:t:i:>  Mire  tl&wed  for  tha  calamitira  of  tha  Runao 
rmpAra;  tba  Bcformation  wa->  L.time>i  fur  the  civil  ounvulsioaa  that  followed  it;  wbaB 
drought  or  tn>ubl«  fiilU  on  tribea  which  Lave  beoB  panuaded  to  al-ai.Jjn  idolatry,  tbey 
are  apt  to  think  tha  idola  are  angry,  and  to  go  back  to  their  old  wundiip.  In  i^  it 
arguii.ent,  huwerer,  BaUhakeb  was  as  wrong  as  ba  was  right  In  his  finU  ooe.  Tia 
fault  was  that  the  people  did  not  trust  Oud  enough,  and  what  be  thought  waa  a 

rvocatioB  of  Jehovah  w.is  ao  act  done  In  his  houoar,  and  in  obedieoca  to  hia  «ilL 
giisfciaVs  »i\/idetu»  in  ki$  rtmmrem.  Lastly,  Babahakeh  ridieoka  tba  Idra  u  %t 
HiwnHah  abb  raai«t  his  noaatar  hr  foroa.  Whara  ara  his  cbariuU  and  boraaoMB?  <.»f. 
If  b«  had  koraai,  whera  ara  tba  nders  to  put  ob  them?  lie  underlakaa  U>  give  two 
thniMBnil  brr—  ■*  "—  '  •  »  -■"  '— ;  1  tha  men;  and  ba  knows  ba  eannot.  H^.w, 
tboa,  ean  be  '  ast  of  Baanaebetib's  caiitains  7    Bababakeb 

i^Bia  was  n^...   .^  .■  '"  ^>Ad  do(  material   luroea  wbrrawith   to 

aoataad  witb  BaDnaclt '  :  waa  too  well  aware  of  the  fact.     Ua 

bad  aot  eoafldaaoa  in  L..       ..     .  orator  w:La  wrong.     But  ILababakeh's 

whole  epeaeb  abows  that  he  was  1 1  uounonl  in  Urukiah. 

If  tb* qoaetioe  ware  retorit^i.  -  \.  tkou  uu»t«»t?  "  the 

aiiawareoabl  oaly  ba — I  aud  hontcv,  m  iho  pcwru  uii^ut  of  tlia  Aaayrtan  arci^ 

Hie  qiaaok  breatbes  ti  :h«  spirit  of  the  man  who  has  uul>>undc<d  tru>t  in 

anaaoiaeta,  prorided  oniy  iLcy  are  gigantio  aoougb.  Becauaa  Banaacltarib  has  a-  cb 
hnmaaae  armlaB,  Taliant  soldier*,  and  Mob  nnmbera  of  tbaoi,  tbafafer*  ba  ia  invioalia 
in  war,  and  can  defy  God  and  man.  The  ann  of  flaab— ^big  battalioBB**— ia  «T«y- 
thi:  g  bare.  Berviu  Uy  kit  prufouiMl  misuke;  and  it  was  euoo  to  ba  daakuaatratni. 
Tha  Btakl  of  tba  JnwimhU  waa  to  ba  daclarad  agaiaat  iba  power  of  tbe  owaMa. 
PlditanhB  vaa  to  racaiva  aootbar  orartbrow  ihii  lima  wiiboat  area  tba  aliug  aai 
•tnr  -  "  ^.m.  xtL  40-filX 

^T^TuBJawa.    At  this  point  HeaBkiab'soOeerelntarpoapd,  and  Nqaaela4 
B*u»...vu  u>  apeuk,  t  ot  iu  the  Hebrew,  but  ia  tbe  Sjriaa  toagua.  tbat  ble  ' 
■J^  Boi  be  uadrr^to^  by  ibr  {cx>(le  oa  tbe  waUL    Bababakeb  bad  ooma  oe  a 
af  wplonaoy,  aad  it  was  prv^«r  tbat  in  tbe  irat  iaatanee  oalj  tba  Itiag^  1 


880  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS,     [oh.  xrva.  1--37 

should  be  consulted  with.  The  envoy,  however,  insolently  hroke  through  all  cnstomary 
bounds,  and  declared  that  it  was  the  common  people  he  wished  to  address.  Taking  up, 
therefore,  a  yet  better  position,  he  now  sptike  directly,  and  in  louder  tones,  to  the 
people,  who  by  this  time  may  be  supposed  to  have  crowded  the  battlements.  Again 
declaring  that  he  bears  a  message  from  "the  great  king,  the  King  nf  Assyria,"  he  bids 
them  not  let  Hezekiah  deceive  them,  and  urges :  1.  The  advantages  of  submission.  As 
it  was,  they  were  in  evil  case.  But  if  they  surrendered  to  beimacheril),  ihey  had 
nothing  to  fear.  Here  Rabshakeh  touches  on  delicate  sround.  He  cannot  deny  that 
they  will  lose  their  liberty,  and  be  transported  as  caitives  to  Assyria.  All  he  can  (io 
is  to  attempt  to  gild  the  piU.  He  tells  them,  tirst,  that  in  the  mean  time  they  will  he 
allowed  the  utmost  freedom — to  eat  every  man  of  his  own  vine  and  of  his  own  fig  tree, 
and  to  drink  every  man  the  waters  of  his  own  cistern.  When  the  time  dues  come  that 
they  must  be  removed — and  he  tries  to  represent  this  as  a  privilege — it  will  be  to  a 
land  like  their  own,  a  land  of  com  and  wine,  of  bread  and  vmeyards,  ot  oil  and  olives 
and  honey;  a  land  where  they  shall  live,  and  not  die.  The  promises  were  alluring 
only  by  contrast  with  the  worse  fate  that  awaited  them  if  they  did  not  submit  to  the 
Assyrian  ;  but  more  than  this,  they  were  deceitfuL  They  were  promises  which,  if  the 
people  had  ti-usted  to  them,  would  never  have  been  fultilled.  Sennacherib  was  not  in 
the  habit  of  treating  his  captives  tenderly.  His  good  faith  had  just  been  tested  by 
his  perfidy  towards  Hezekiah.  Is  it  not  always  so  with  the  promises  of  the  tempter? 
When  a  soul  capitulates,  and  yields  to  sin,  what  becomes  of  the  bri;iht  pro8i)€ct8  that 
are  opened  up  beforehand?  Are  they  ever  realized?  There  is  a  brief  period  of 
excitement,  of  giddy  delight,  then  satiety,  loathing,  the  sense  of  degraciation,  the  dying 
out  o(  all  real  joy.  What,  if  by  yielding  to  sin,  some  present  evil  be  avoided,  some 
immediate  good  gained?  Is  the  good  ever  what  was  anticijvated ?  or  can  it  compensate 
for  the  exile  from  God  and  holiness  which  is  its  price?  At  all  hazards  tlie  vise  course 
is  t<)  adhere  to  Gkxi  and  duty.  The  visions  of  corn  and  wine,  of  bread  and  vineyards, 
of  oil  and  olives,  by  which  the  soul  is  tempted  from  its  allegiance,  are  illusions — as 
unsubstantial  as  the  desert  mirage.  2.  T/ie  /utility  of  resitita^icf.  To  enlorcc  his 
argument  for  submission,  Rabshakeh  returns  to  what  is  iinileuiabiy  his  strongest  pnunt, 
viz.  tlie  futility  of  resistance.  Can  they  hope  to  be  delivered  ?  He  had  argued  this 
before  irom  the  side  of  Hezckiah's  weakness,  showing  the  baselessness  of  his  grounds  of 
confidence  ;  he  now  argues  it  from  the  side  of  Sennacherib's  streugtli.  Here  undoubii  dly 
he  has  a  plausible  case.  (1)  From  the  military  point  of  view.  •*  Let  not  Hezekiah 
deceive  you :  for  he  shall  not  be  able  to  deliver  you  out  of  his  hand."  Since  the  days 
of  Tiglath-j  ileser  the  Assyrian  arms  had  swept  on  in  a  tide  of  almost  uninterrupted 
conquest.  Not  only  Hamath  and  Arpad  and  Sepharvaim,  but  Babylon,  Damascus, 
Israel,  I'hilistia,  an<l  K;:ypt,  had  felt  the  force  of  their  resistless  miuht.  Judah  had 
alp  afly  severely  sullered.  What  hope  had  Hezekiah,  with  his  little  handful  of  meu, 
caged  like  a  bird  in  Jerusalem,  of  rolling  back  this  tide  of  conquest  I  The  thing,  on 
natural  grounds,  seemed  an  imjwssibility.  (2)  From  a  religious  point  of  view. 
"  .Neither  let  Hezekiah  make  you  trust  in  the  Lord,  saying,  The  Lord  will  surely 
deliver  us."  Here  the  position  of  the  Assyrian  couipieror  8eome<l — from  the  heathen 
»*tandjK)int,  but  of  course  only  from  that — equally  strong.  In  heathen  view,  the  contest 
was  not  only  a  coutcst  of  nian  with  man,  but  of  Asshur  and  the  other  Assyrian  j;ods, 
with  the  go<iB  of  other  nations.  And  how  h;ui  that  contest  gone?  The  gtxls  of  Assyria 
had  iti  every  case  proved  the  stronger  in  the  balllo.  Where  wore  the  ..ods  of  the 
yniquerod  nations?  What  l.a<l  tiny  b«on  able  to  do  for  their  worsliippers?  Whit 
had  even  J<  hovali  ixx-u  able  to  do  for  Samaria?  Who  amon^;  thorn  all  had  delivered 
th' ir  oounti  V  out  (jf  the  hand  of  Si  nnacherib  ?  What  hope  was  there  that  Jerusalem 
would  faie  any  b<tter  than  Samaiia  had  done?  The  validity  of  this  conclusion  dc|icnd8 
cntinlv  upon  the  HoninlncMH  of  the  prumiHcs.  If  the  giMls  of  ihi'sc  natioim  had  a  real 
eiin'oiicn,  atid  J<-IiovmIi  w.im  but  one  more  local  deity  anions  the  lest,  it  would  l>u 
difiiciill  to  reHiMi  the  inT  retire  that  lh(t  chaneeH  wer«  sirongly  in  lavour  of  Asshur. 
H'.t  the  tiMM?  w.iM  alt<  re<i  if  iheso  i<lol  i^ikIh  were  nullities,  and  Jehoyuli  was  t'  i  onu 
K'iler  of  h<'*ven  tnd  eaiili,  in  wIiom)  providenu*-  the  :ii<>v<  tueniH  evun  of  Sennacherib 
tr>4|  blx  hII  0'n<pieruig  tumiiii  wern  onibraccxl.  And  ihin,  of  ootirHo,  wiu«  the  fitilli  of 
I**!*!,  kn  :  tl«/.<kiRh  Htid  iho  g'xlly  |>ait  of  JmUii  i'liui  li  wiu  the  right  one  waM 
abtiwo  hy  iha  rna  ill.      We  mmi  from  tliLs  uxuiuple  huw  a  falito  viuw-j>ouil  ooinpul*  a  CalM 


■LKia.1-47.]       TBI  SBOUMD  BOOK  OP  TIIK  KlSQtL 


•ua  mi 

111.     Ihi     A^^. 

•*  Ikll  •  «•  <  f  t»  .     L      '      - 
•  l.ri.     U.r     j.v 
wuk       Aiv    ...    ^ 

4»>WM    >   (      M    rl.. 

u   . 

hir.       ' 

n.< 

«.. 
A . 


*ni«  vie* 


•  truM 
oanuv 


.  r     M    r<>iK       To    thM     lnwncHM    ot 

*iDuag  Umoi  t 
1.  RmktkmkJt't  mw^ 

.  V  .  umI   k  1 


««■    ft   WiMI  UtiflL. 


Wiicii  w« 


h. 

fititl  »  (icv(icr  uuilv 
ut>ciin>tiAii  TM«»  ' 
mmmt  q^  mImt  »r«  " 

drliverad  u) 

Dl    '  ■'  <.U  >    bL  'M 

U,, 

•1- 

whan  a.. 


■    ^Aowt,  Ukd  ihmf, 
•!  •<■  of  Ui«  k  &.*• 

tl  baa 

c«  rra«u«Mil 

Id  ba  ooftowiad. 

r^  otliar 


fuTt 


L 
A I 
Ujr  io 
':    xad 


Uial,    II    UiU«t   rr*ar.      B«(w«>- 

,  itirr*  u  uo  UH  S.  A'»w»^>t/». 

(KmI  WM  tu  I  :  ut  wuuld  Itt  1. 

le  bad   pruVukuC   U;ii.   U'    IriiVcr  tbriu    u^  «•   b«  !iad 

jo*  wkn  oua<llUuAAi  i>Q  rt(«utAitoa:  dkl  U>e  atale  u| 

.  uf  rope uUaoe  ?     Or,  if  Gud  meant  to  d  '  in, 

rd  faa  ID  the  liuo't  Jawc    Tbc  war  of  , 

'    \o\it,  rea,  tio  w*y  •ertneid  ;-<>».*  Io.        •     .^■..  w.m, 

Oiiel    lO   JcLuvah'e    W.'.c  [•  b.I.   t.   *  i-    aii   act  i^ 

'  cn^ai, 

mu  im 

.«  (!*•.  xlri.  10).— J.  a 


KXKMITION. 


OBAPTBB  XIX. 

T«ft.  1— -17 — 8auiMii>  tlxru>muii  or 
SmacMBua  aaAUi»T  Hcuji.iAU  (om»- 
Maaatf)  Tbe  eba|»trf  (alls  iuto  four  |iar> 
ttncr  '!^  Thp  aniiaal  b>  the  9mbmmy  ot 
K..  ra.   1—8);   «)  the  mtuluof 

Wt  -  »         .  9-14);(S)Uaa»- 

Idk  xtmmof  to  it  by  tit« 

■Knjiii  '•    i.-:<i  1 '  ;  aod  (4)  th« 

dwtoaiHiim  of  ^  rl,  hia  buriiad 

flifht,  and  hu  lu.T.f  Ki  Siuefok  bj  bis 
aaoa  (rare  SA  57)  The  uan%tir«  runs 
pawlUI  wttk  that  ia  laa.  x&xrii..  with  vbicL 
it  iwnamiiiBili  abaaal  wwd  for  word. 


\et.  1.  — Aad  It  eaaa  to  paat.  yg%tm 
Waaalriih  baard  it  tiut  ba  raat  bla  aloUat 
ioUwtag  tbaaniivlaor  kMflUaf 


«bo  e 

cOoti    ••     - 

bifll: 

Mjr 

1    Sattk    Ui.    (ik  . 

zxi    f7 :  "h    »i 

that  . 

aii^ 

tkai 

Ol'U 

V 
•vax 

aad  '. 


Into  bla 


I   1   1 

W.  «4P  )       It    «W 


e/aad 

.»     54 


U*e  tUbc  .    but  It  i» 


382 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE   KINGS.        [ch.  xix.  1—37. 


any  of  them  were  aoeessible  except  Isaiah. 
He  had  been  Ahaz's  counsellor  (Isa.  vii.  4 — 
16),  and  was  now  certainly  among  the  regular 
counsellors  of  Hezekiah.  Moreover,  he  was 
in  Jerusalem,  and  could  readily  be  consulted. 
Hezekiah,  therefore,  sends  to  him  in  his 
distress,  and  sends  a  most  honourable  and 
dignified  embassy.  It  is  his  intention  to 
treat  the  prophet  with  the  utmost  respect 
and  courtesy.  No  doubt,  at  this  period  the 
prophetical  order  stood  higher  than  the 
pritstly  oue  in  general  estimation ;  and  not 
unworthily.  If  any  living  man  could  give 
the  king  sound  advice  under  the  circum- 
stances, it  was  the  son  of  Amoz.  Covered 
with  sackcloth.  Probably  by  the  king's 
command.  Hezekiah  wished  to  emphasize 
his  own  horror  and  grief  in  the  eyes  of  the 
prophet,  and  could  only  do  so  by  making 
his  messengers  assume  the  garb  whicii  he 
had  judgt  d  suitable  for  himself  on  the  occa- 
sion. To  Isaiah  the  prophet  the  son  of  Amoz. 
Nothing  more  is  known  of  Amoz  beyond  his 
being  Isaiah's  father.  He  is  not  to  be  con- 
founded with  the  Prophet  Amos,  whose  name 
is  spelt  quite  differently:  Dicy,  not  y^DN. 

Ver.  3. — And  they  said  unto  him,  Thus 
saith  Hezekiah,  This  day  is  a  day  of  trouble, 
and  of  rebuke,  and  of  blasphemy.  Of 
"  trouble,"  or  "  distress,"  manifestly — a  day 
on  which  the  whole  nation  is  troubled, 
grieved,  alarmed,  distressed,  made  miser- 
able. It  is  also  a  day  of  "rebuke,"  or 
rather  of  "chastisement" — a  day  on  which 
God's  hand  lies  heavy  upon  us  and  chastises 
us  for  our  sins.  And  it  is  a  day,  not  of 
"  blaspiiemy,"  but  of  "abhorrence"  or  of 
"  contumely  " — a  day  on  which  God  contu- 
meliously  rejects  his  people,  and  allows 
them  to  be  insulted  by  their  enemies  (see 
the  comments  of  Keil  and  Bahr).  For  the 
children  are  come  to  the  birth,  and  there 
is  not  strength  to  bring  forth.  A  prover- 
bial (■xproMnion,  probably  meaning  that  a 
dnngerouB  crisis  approaches,  and  that  the 
nation  has  no  strength  to  carry  it  through 
the  [teril. 

Ver.  4. — It  may  be  the  Lord  thy  God — 
Htill  "  Ihij  O'kI,"  at  any  rule,  if  iio  will  not 
condcwtind  t/»  h<-  callod  (mr$,  Hiin'O  wo  havo 
■o  griovouHJy  oH'endod  him  by  our  many 
■ins  and  liar-liHlidingH — will  hear  all  the 
wordh  of  Rabahakoh.  "  The  words  of 
Iliil-Mhakoh"  (Ihu.  xxxvii.  4);  but  thr>  ox- 
pn-MMiuri  h<T<)  uhccI  Ih  ni'iro  otniiliatio. 
IlfZikiiili  hoped  that  (iind  wnnM  "hear" 
iCnhnhiilo-h'*   wirdn,    would    iioto  thom,  and 

tntiJHh  th<-ni.  Whom  tho  King  of  AHnyria 
Li  maiitor  halh  nont  to  rnproach  tho  living 
Ood.  (For  th<'  "  n'j>r<i«irli(  ■  "  int4iiidod,  m^t 
•li.  iTlii.  JtO— 85.  Vor  llio  nxpriHMion,  "  tho 
HtIiik  God,"  n  c-'hf,  w«)  I)<uit.  v.  '26;  ,hmh. 
lii.  10;  1  Kam.  xvii  20:  IV  xlil.  2;  Ixxxiv. 
ii  Uoc.  i.  10,  etc.;    A  •untrul  U  iuUmdud 


between  the  "living**  God,  and  the  dead 
idols  whom  Eabshakeh  has  placed  oh  a  par 
with  him.  And  will  reprove  the  worda 
which  the  Lord  thy  God  hath  heard.  The 
"words  of  Rabshakeh,"  his  contemptuous 
words  concerning  Jehovah  (ch.  xviii.  33 — 35) 
and  his  lying  words  (oh.  xviii.  25),  consti- 
tuted the  new  feature  in  the  situation,  and, 
while  a  ground  for  "  distress,"  were  also  a 
ground  for  hope :  would  not  God  in  some 
signal  way  vindicate  his  own  honour,  and 
"reprove"  them?  Wherefore  lift  up  thy 
prayer  for  the  remnant  that  are  left.  Sen- 
nacherib,  in  his  former  expedition,  wherein 
he  took  forty-six  of  the  Judsean  cities, 
besides  killing  vast  numbers,  had,  as  he 
himself  tells  us  ('  Eponym  Canon,'  p.  134), 
carried  off  into  captivity  200,150  persons. 
He  had  also  curtailed  Hezekiab's  domi- 
nions, detaching  from  them  various  cities 
with  their  territories,  and  attaching  them 
to  Ashdod,  Gaza,  and  Ekron  (ibid.,  p.  135). 
Thus  it  was  only  a  "remnant"  of  the 
Jewish  people  that  was  left  in  the  land 
(comp.  Isa.  i.  7 — 9). 

Ver.  5. — So  the  servants  of  King  Hezekiah 
came  to  Isaiah.  SuperHuous,  according  to 
modem  notions,  but  rounding  off  the  para- 
graph commenced  with  ver.  2. 

Ver.  6. — And  Isaiah  said  unto  them,  Thns 
shaU  ye  say  to  your  master.  Isaiah  secma 
to  have  been  ready  with  a  reply.  The  news 
of  the  words  spoken  by  Rabshakeh  had 
probably  flown  through  the  city,  and  reached 
him,  and  he  had  already  laid  the  matter 
before  God,  and  received  God's  instructions 
concerning  it.  He  was  therefore  able  to 
return  an  answer  at  once.  Thus  saith  the 
Lord,  Be  not  afraid  of  the  words  whioh 
thou  hast  heard,  with  which  the  servants 
— rather,  lackeys ;  tlie  term  used  is  not  the 
common  one  for  "servants,"  viz.  ^^^^V,  but 
a  contemptuous  one,  \TJ?3,  "foot-boys,"  or 
"  lackeys  "—of  the  King  of  Assyria  hav« 
blasphemed  me. 

Ver.  7. — Behold,  I  will  send  a  blast  upon 
him.  Tho  meaning  is  doubtful.  Most 
modem  orilice  tranHlale,  with  tho  LXX., 
"I  will  |iut  a  spirit  within  him,"  and 
undcrHtand  "a  spirit  of  cowardice,"  or  "a 
doHpoiidont  mooil"  (Tlionius),  or  "an  ex- 
traordinary impulse  of  Divino  inspiration, 
wliicli  is  to  linrry  him  blindly  on  "  (Drcchs- 
Icr).  lint  tho  idita  of  our  traimhitorH,  lliat 
tho  blast  (nn)  is  ()xt(>rn!il,  and  sont  njion 
him,  not  put  in  him— that,  in  fact,  tho  (hv- 
■trnctiim  of  bin  army  is  rofirrcd  to,  Hciina 
drrcuHil>h)  i)y  Hiich  jtuHHUgoB  iiH  l';xo<l.  XV.  8 
and  Ina.  XXV.  ■!.  'I'jio  jirophooy  waH,  n(><loulit, 
iiitontionally  vaguo  oiiongh  for  IIh  immo- 
diato  pnr|H)HO,  which  was  to  comfort  and 
iitr<Mi),'lh(Mi  llo/,okiKii — but  not  intonded  to 
gratify  man's  ourloiilty  by  rovt'aling  th« 
f  xaot  mod«  In  whioh  God  would  work.    &u4 


mux.  1-^3      lUJt  UUMHD  BOOK  OF  TUK  KLh'Q& 


kmf  ktmmni  i  •.  b«  »hftU  b*  leld  ««M- 
lltl^  vktcilt  wiaU  dfirrmfno  hla  «a  •  baalv 
II  it  bi»t    '  to  mAmttmad, 

mw  tt  Ttr)  ^M«  (Kaobcl, 

MJwX  Baab  "^  i'o««  of  •■  tM«r> 
te  aoa*  clkv  Mit  af  lb*  <Mp4ti 
(OlMyMX  Wl  laferawtlM  oT  Um  Ai^Min  u, 
kto  •ray.  It  u  M  ■htoWwii  (<>  ' 
8«UMabMfb«M'*wlUiUaainT.'*  ■ 
h»  «•■  Bat  h«  vo«ld  loan  tbo  fliL->.rjriiq 
ftoa  th9  luoath  of  msm  om  who  •«■»•  uil* 
Mi  iNl  ud  told  kl»— Im  «o«14  •  hMV  • 
iNHagr.*  Aal  iteD  ratus  t«  kit  •wm  kai 
(M*  «w.  MX  nd  I  will  CMM  kta  t«  fkll  b7 
tk*  iword  la  kU  owa  land.  (Oa  bontinrh' . 
rtb'a  nardar.  arc  Um  t^oititurat  upoo  ver.  37.) 
Var.  a-«o  Iththakah  ratanad.  1UI>- 
b'a  MB>WT  oama  to  aa  and  with  tha 
■ait  af  IliWih'aottaaaa  fkoa  tbdr 
^Mk  tha  lluaa  aovm  d  8ao- 
Vn  fiiHiior  M,i  ti.QBiestkta  waa 
:  rtged  all  pro- 
pMf  l^  men  apoa  tha 

wall     (ek.  1V..1.  V7— 1<  t  mrema  to 

ka?a  been  tkoai^t  m' : .  1  to  fpra 

hte  ao  aaawar  at  alL  iio  un-i  t4ferad  no 
toraa  ha  hfti  aiaiply  daUfMcd  a  anaiBwaa 
to  aanaadar,  and  ua  aloaad  gat<a  and 
gaafded  walla  iftra  a  anflfeiaot  K|  ly.  iNi 
M  felt,  aad  i«turn«d  to  klji  aaaater,  r»  *n/tria. 
Aad  iMad  tka  Zing  af  AnTxla  warrisf 
afaiaak  Ubaak.  Tho  poaitioo  of  LibDah 
lalativalj  to  Laehiab  ia  voeartoln.  TUa 
aito  of  l.arf>iali  may  ba  ragaidad  aa  flxed  to 
Vm-Lakit ;  bot  that  of  libMh  leaU  wh'  lly 
•a  aoBJ«etur«.  It  )  m  baaa  plaeed  at  Tel' 
mSn/Uk,  twelT«  mile*  nortk-caat  of  Tw. 
LmkU ;  at  Anit•^l-M^mtk  tycJk,  about  fi va  milea 
nearlv  dna  aaat  of  tha  aama ;  au'i  n<>ar  Vwm^ 
al-BiMr,  Ibw  BiUea  aoatb-ea*!  '  .Via. 

Amwval  firom  l'm-L*ku  t  .;ieh 

vonld  BMaa  a  rrtreaL  A  m&.-.u  ..  ^  L'a- 
laku  to  aitber  of  the  otLcr  titea  would  ba 
qoite  »<mpatibla  with  an  iutention  to  puab 
on  la  Kgjpt  For  ka  bad  kaard  tkat  ba 
waa  depaztad  trom  Iiaohlth  NVt.e'.hex 
Larahiih  had  baaa  takan  or  doI  aannot  ba 
datonrfaad  froB  thaaa  woida.  B«t  waaaa 
•aaaaalr  aappoaa  tbat  a  plaaa  of  aaah  alishft 
■toatib  out  haf«  daiad  tka  Aivyfiaa  anw 
•aeeeairally.  It  U  kaat  tkaroCara  to  anppoaa, 
witk  Kail  and  Tkaaio^  tkat  Laclaak  kad 


Tata.  »-ld.  g»aaaAir<ya  UUtr  la  /?•• 
aakfak  Baaaaehnib  aaena  to  kava  baMi 
ladaaad  to  whta  to  Il«aekiak  by  tha  fiMi 
that  ka  oooU  aot  aMrab  acaiaat  kin  at  ooeai 
A  ferwaid  aaarraMat  oa  tha  pait  of  Tiriiakah 
waa  lafHrtad  to  kiai  (tar.  O^aad  ha  thoagkl 
It  aaaaaMfj  to  aMat,  aa  at  k«at  watch  iL 
bat  ha  Btwt  Taal  kia  axifw  on  tha  aabal 


a  laUar,  tkaaafnra^  aa 
laipca«iffa  Ikaa  a  awaa  aiaaafa  Ha 
Uaadklak  affalaal  batag  khaaatf  daaUv»l  by 
Jahovkk  (Tor.  10)1  aad  ka  aspaada  kia 
lodocUTa  arfaaMal  la  paaof  af  tLa  Irr^- 
•UubU  aUffkt  of  Aaaytta,  ky  aa  aaaamain  a 
of  loar  Moaa  laoaat  ana^aaaia  (t«r.  11). 
Otkarwtoa,  ka  data  llttU  bat 
Bahahakah  had  aliaadj  affad. 


kakak  King  of 

oaaaf  IhaaM'c'. 


Tar.  f.-da«  «k«  ka  kaard  ray  af  Tbb 

Z'.hioci*.      Iiibkkak    waa 
•b«a  of  tha  lalar 
Errptiaa  mnr-  iibu>}Maabyktrtk, 

and  ori^i  ■  Itjoi  Ha^ato  ovar  tka 

l'p(«r  K  .-oai  tha  rUat  Oakwaot 

to  (DarLaia;  ivnari  •■,  ha  aataadad  kia 
daaktadoB  erar  %7pl  pMbahlj  ahaal  aio.  700. 
aiilntahilng.  howoTrr.  >:hjiUt.>k,  aa  a  aort 
of  paupat  Bar  aa.     Akaai 

a.a  on  ha  r  k,  aad  bald 

tba  •  It  u  OH,  bc-g  iBjgagait  ia 

BUI.  .  the  AMTriaaa.    Tha  aatita 

furm  oi  ui*  DAiua  ia  "Taiuak*  or  "Tahark," 
tka  Aaayriaa  ■'Tarko"  (it  •Tania."  tka 
Qmk  "Taiaaoa"  or  **  Tr^oirhoD.'  Ua  bM 
left  BonMarooa  m«-u. '.>:.»!•  ia  E^pt  a!id 
Ethiopia,  aad  waa  rcj^urUeiJ  by  the  Grerka 
aa  a  great  eooqucxur.  At  the  time  of 
Senaaohahb'a  wciudJ  attack  on  He  ark!  ah 
(nboQt  a  0.  6'.'9)  ba  waa,  aa  appeaia  ia  ti>a 
trxt,  not  jet  King  of  Barpt,  bat  aaly  of 
kUhiopia.  Still,  ko  ragaroad  Egypt  aa  prae- 
tloally  oadar  kia  aaaanunt^.  aadwkea  it  aaa 
tkreataned  by  Saonaohanh'a  apoauaah,  ha 
inarwt>a>l  to  tha  iv*  ua.  Babeld,  ka  la  aama 
aot  to  flgkt  agaiiut  tk^a^  iio  nkay  kava 
lafardad  kiataal/  aa  kouod  ia  hoaeav  la 
aoaia  to  tha  aallaf  of  HaarMah.  m  ha  aay 
ba«a  baaa  dmply  beet  oa  dt- frodtag  hla  owa 
tcnitory.  Ha  aaal  ■waaagara  agaia  aata 
Haaakiak,  aaylag, 

Vcr.  10— TbuakallyanaaktoHaaakiah 
King  of  Jadak,  aaylag  Tbo  BMaaaegrra 
faroogkt  a  "lauar"  (onfcX  aa  wa  aaa  ftoai 
far.  14:  hat  atill  thoy  wara  to  -ap(*k  la 
Haaakiah  "— Ca.  tk«y  wava  int  to  nad  tha 
aoatoau  tokiB.aad  tkaa  tokaad  kiaa  tha 
aepy.  Lat  aat  tky  0ad  ia  arkaa  thaa 
truataat  daaalTo  tkaa,  aayiag,  Jaraaalam 
•hall  aat  ba  daliTarcd  into  tka  kaad  af  tka 
Kiag  af  Aaayrla.  8«ouaeherib  dropa  tha 
fletioa  that  ba  himarlf  ia  aeut  by  Jehovah 
to  atlaak  Jadmaad  daatitiy  U  (A.  »tUL  tsy 

any  aaanaaiiaMMla  wkleh  Haaaktok  mmj 
1m«i»  raoaiTad  bum  Li*  <i<»l  at«  aatraa^ 
aurtky.  Probably  k«  •(■-•i.e  j  u  ««! 
Ua  did  aot  thmk  it  ^*»  Ue  ti^^t  J< 
aoaU  laaiat  or  caoapo  Lim  (cmba,  li^  a. 
»-ll  aad  la,  H>. 


884 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINOa        [oh.  xix.  1— 87. 


Ter.  11. — Behold,  thon  hast  heard  what 
the  kings  of  Assyria  have  done  to  all  lands, 
iy  destroying  them  utterly  (see  the  comment 
on  ch.  xvili.  33).  The  fact  was  indisputable 
(■ee  ver.  17).  The  question  remained — Would 
this  triumphant  career  of  success  necessarily 
oontiuue  ?  And  shalt  thou  be  delivered  ? 
A  perfect  induction  is  impossible  in  practical 
matters.  Anything  short  of  a  perfect  in- 
duction is  short  of  a  proof. 

Ver.  12. — Have  the  gods  of  the  nations 
delivered  them  which  my  fathers  have 
destroyed  1  The  Assyrian  kings  always 
speak  of  all  their  predecessors  as  their 
ancestors.  In  point  of  fact,  Sennacherib 
had  had  only  one  "father"  among  the 
previous  kings,  viz.  Sargon.  As  Gozan  (see 
the  comment  on  ch.  xvii.  6).  It  is  uncertain 
at  what  time  Gozan  was  finally  conquered 
and  absorbed.  It  was  frequently  overrun 
by  the  Assyrians  from  the  reign  of  Tiglath- 
pileser  I.  (about  B.C.  1100);  but  it  was 
probably  not  absorbed  until  about  B.o.  809. 
The  Prefect  of  Gozan  first  appears  in  the 
list  of  Assyrian  Eponyms  in  B.C.  794.  And 
Haran.  "  Haran  "  is  generally  admitted  to 
be  the  city  of  Terah  (Gen.  xL  32),  and 
indeed  there  is  no  rival  claimant  of  the 
name.  Its  position  was  in  the  western  part 
of  the  Gauzauitis  region,  on  the  Belik, 
about  lat.  36°  50'  N.     It  was  probably  con- 

Sered  by  Ajs=yria  about  the  same  time  as 
»zan.  And  Eezeph.  A  town  called 
"  Eazappri,"  probably  "  Eezepli,"  appears  in 
the  Assyrian  inscriptions  from  an  early 
date.  It  is  thought  to  have  been  in  the  near 
vicinily  of  Haran,  but  had  been  conquered 
and  absorbed  as  early  as  B.C.  818.  Whether 
it  is  identical  with  the  Resapha  of  Ptolemy 
(*  Geograpli.,'  v.  15)  is  doubtful.  And  the 
children  of  Eden.  Probably  the  inhabitants 
of  a  city  called  "  Bit-Adini  "  in  the  Assyrian 
inscription.s,  which  was  on  the  Middle 
Euphrates,  not  far  from  Carchemish,  on  the 
left  bank  ('Records  of  the  Past,'  vol.  iii. 
pp.  G9,  71,  etc.).  This  place  was  conquered 
t>j  Aflshnr-nazir-pal,  about  B.o.  877.  Which 
were  in  Thelasar.  "  Thelswar  "  is  probably 
the  Hobrew  equivalent  of  "  Tel-Aashur," 
**  the  hill  nr  fort  of  Asshur,"  which  may  have 
been  the  AHsyrian  name  of  Bit-Adini,  or  of  a 
city  dependent  on  it.  Asshur-nazir-pal  gave 
Assyrian  names  to  several  cities  on  the 
Middle  Kni)hnito8  («jo  '  Records  of  the 
I'aHt,'  vol.  iii.  p.  55,  lino  48 ;  p.  G'.t,  lino  50). 
Ver.  13.-  Whore  is  the  King  of  Hamath. 
Iln-bid,  King  of  ILiniatli,  raised  a  rebellion 
•guiuHt  Rar^on  in  b.v.  7'20,  and  wiih  taken 
^Honer  the  Biinif  yeiir  and  curried  to 
Auyrin  Th' e  the'Ki)onyrn  (yanon,'  p.  127). 
And  tho  King  of  Arpad.  Arpiid  revolted  in 
conjnnelion  with  Ham  ith,  rm<l  wiih  rednrod 
ahont  the  Mfttrm  tirnfi  ('  KjKJnytn  (Jiinnn,'  p. 
12C).    Its  "  kiug"  ia  not  nic  ntioned,  but  hfl 


probably  shared  the  fate  of  Hu-bid.  And 
the  King  of  the  city  of  Sepharvaim,  of  Hena, 
and  Ivahl  It  is  probably  not  meant  that 
these  three  cities  were  all  of  them  under  the 
dominion  of  one  and  the  same  king.  "  King" 
is  to  be  taken  distributively.  (On  the  sites 
of  the  cities,  see  the  cawment  upon  ch. 
xviii.  34.) 

Ver.  14, — And  Hezekiah  received  the  letter. 
It  had  not  been  previously  stated  that 
Sennacherib  had  written  a  letter.  But  the 
author  forgets  this,  and  so  speaks  of  "fhe 
letter."  Kings  generally  communicated  by 
letters,  and  not  merely  by  messages  (see 
oh.  V.  5;  XX.  12;  2  Chron.  ii.  11;  Neh.  i. 
9,  etc.).  Of  the  hand  of  the  messengers,  and 
read  it.  Probably  Sennacherib  had  caused 
it  to  be  written  in  Hebrew.  And  Hezekiah 
went  up  into  the  house  of  the  Lord,  and 
spread  it  before  the  Lord.  Not  as  if  God 
would  not  otherwise  know  the  contents  of 
the  letter,  but  to  emphasize  his  detestation 
of  the  letter,  and  to  make  it  silently  plead 
for  him  with  God.  Ewald  rightly  compares 
what  Judas  Maccabaeus  did  with  the  dis- 
figured copies  of  the  Law  at  Blaspha  (I  Maco. 
iii.  48),  but  incorrectly  calls  it  ('History  of 
Israel,'  vol.  iv.  p.  183,  note  1,  Eng.  trans.)  "  a 
laying  down  of  the  object  in  the  sanctuary.'* 
Maspha  was  "  over  against "  the  temple,  at 
the  distance  of  a  mile  or  more. 

Ver.  15.  —  And  Hezekiah  prayed  befor« 
the  Lord,  and  said,  0  Lord  God  of  Israel. 
In  the  parallel  passage  of  Isaiah  (xxxvii, 
16)  we  find,  "O  Lord  of  hosts,  God  of 
Israel."  Our  author  probably  abbreviates. 
Which  dwellest  between  the  chembims ;  or, 
on  the  cherubitn — "  which  hast  thy  seat," 
i.e.,  "  behind  the  veil  in  the  awful  holy  of 
holies,  consecrated  to  thee,  and  where  thou 
dost  manifest  thyself."  Hezekiah,  as  Keil 
observes,  calls  into  prominence  "tho  cove- 
nant relation  into  which  Jehovah,  the 
Almighty  Creator  and  Ruler  of  the  whole 
world,  had  entered  towards  Israel.  As  the 
covenant  God,  who  was  enthroned  above 
the  cherubim,  the  Lord  was  bound  to  help 
his  people,  if  they  turned  to  him  with  faith 
in  the  time  of  their  distress  and  entreated 
his  assistance."  Thou  art  the  God,  even  thou 
alone,  of  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth. 
Thou  art  not,  i.e.,  as  SonnaelnTib  supposes, 
a  mere  local  god,  presiding  over  Judasa,  and 
protecting  it ;  but  thou  art  the  God  of  all 
the  earth  and  of  all  its  kingdoms,  inclu>ting 
liis  own,  equally.  Moreover,  thou  aloiw  art 
tho  God  of  the  kingdoniH.  Their  supposed 
gods  are  no  gods,  have  no  existence,  are  the 
mere  flotious  of  an  iille  and  exciteil  imagina- 
tion, are  mere  "breath"  and  "  nolhingness." 
Thou  hast  made  heaven  and  earth.  Whereat 
Ihey  have  done  nothing,  have  given  no  proof 
of  their  exiHteiico  (moo  Isa.  xli.  23,  24). 

Ver.  16.  —Lord,  bow  down  thine  ear,  aa4 


zzx.  1-^37.]        THE   SBUUND  BOOK  OF  TUJI  KINQiL 


kau.    *Bo«  dova  thlMiar*!*  ft  Flebraw 

Klitim  f.«  "fx^vroT,'  "all.  nd  "(•«>  !*•  ml. 
f .  Ixxl  7    U'l-    I     ••     V    ..  .    1      .  •  (I 

U  Ui»«l  •     ti 

lo  a«t<-h  1 1  .      :u, 

Uic-T    (ifUil    111  «•(%!•    liiiu,    »imJ 

briDK  nil'   •cir   n-  i<itn   ft^^    iLrj  oatl. 

Op«&.  Lord,  Uu::e  •)  >  Take  oufC- 

uikiDi-r    U>tl>    with  >r  ;    i.«.   take 

Ami  hMT  th*  whi«k 

h«ih  Mat  huD  I  i  Oo4 ! 

fHtiwr,  wkiek  k«  ka*  »emt  to  rwpnaek.  Th* 
•uffls  iTmnalftU^l  **him"  iu  ov  renioo 
nmiij  MWDt  -  it  "—*  e.  Hit  tp^-eob  or  UUar 
of  Bw^irhefib.  mhicii  Host  ki^h  hM  "nraod 
bcAM  tho  Lon)." 

Vw.  17— Of  a  inih.  Lord,  tho  kiiift  if 
AatTriA — 1a   S<  aoAcnenli.  nnd   Lu   pr«d»- 
ftwnw  —  the   \'Jtxg   liDe  uf    tiK>u.iiT..»    who 
b*Te  Bat  OD  tl'C*  Aj»rr  au  throue  for  mauy 
p»0l  ax««— hiT«  dMtroycd  the  aationi  and 
th«ir  laada ;  rHtbw,  Aarr  lai<<  %taie,  »m  iu 
.'!  I  |iiHMg«  of  laaiaL  (xxiviL  18). 
1"  u  toe ■troog*  word,    lltuc' i  th 
'     t\M    botwt    of    the    Am>'    •  I 
III  ;«  MDd  hit  predeecMon  Lae 

tiH'i  .  !  cmref  r  of  ■uoeeH(uumi».  Lhl 

X.  6— li>;  bill  bf  rt-fii«*<«  tor«^'•^i  this  \»»t 
Buccfa  »»  eDsuriug  eui-ifsii  in  the  future. 
All   is    in    tlf    lifttid  of  Gi>d.  and   Mill    be 
drteriuine<i  h*  lT<id  plra«e«.    It  ia  n-t  an  iron   . 
..    ^..  .....    .  ...I..,.,...,.     11   » -.t  fc  peraooal    i 

i  i.y  rrayer,  I 
^»    •  „j«  recourse. 

Ser.  ib. — And  have  c&:st  liielr  godi  into 
the  4f«.  The  imn^'t  wi.rrliii>jied  by  the 
var.ou*  Dttiuna  are  rt^rded  ua  "  tl.ei  r  god*"  | 
which  they  wervi,  at  aiir  rate  in  the  mind^  , 
of  th«  oommoD  people.  The  ontinary  praotioe 
of  the  AAsyriana  waa  to  carry  off  tli-  imugeg 
takon  frofB  a  oonquerud  people,  and  to  aet 
tboia  ap  In  thoir  own  eonntrj  aa  tn>phiea  of 
rkiory  (aee  laa.  ilvi  1,  2,  wl.ere  a  aiuular 
pnietiee  ia  ascribed  by  anticipation  to  the 
Peraiana).  But  there  art*  plac«a  in  the 
inaeripuona  where  the  •^tnia  aie  t>aid  to  have 
been  "doatroyed"  or  "burnt."  It  ia  r^ a^on- 
>).  I  .i  ..  ,.,.  ,  _  *-• -troytsj 
which 
le  the 
iiiuis  «er«  cairiid  off  to 
No  doubt  idola 
red  ih(ae  of  the 
u-k  uf  a  oity  the 
<•  .  ..  I  iiuuiuiud  were  moatly 
buriit.  Tor  thay  wer*  BO  godBi  but  tho 
work  of  mea't  handa,  wood  aadatoaa  (oomp>. 
l^  xhi.  17;  xHt.  9  20;  xlvi.  d,  7). 
Wuudon  iuia^ia  (the  <irt«-k  {^a)  were 
probably  the  ear  wure  madi,  and, 

ea  aoeoant  of  t  i^ty,  were  oflea 

especially  reTanmc4.xi      1 1^.  y  wvf«  ~caxvtxl, 
hat    rudoi,   wilk   ■Ddi«id<^   f«*t,  and   eyc« 


tu  lioatMl  br  a  Una,  the  hm  ool— red  1*4,  or 
or  (ill.     It  waa  o«lj  Ular  Uut  ivry 


abU  tr 
were  •. 
had  I 

^■c'M    alid    BiiVcr 
ih»-  land  of  th«-  '-•nqaeror. 
i  u,r      • 

I  lit  Iff 


a  d  K'ol  I  plat(« 
tho  >«(..i,  Trwlod 
tlii  lit-"  (lK.l;.!,.r 

p.  •-•»)     ^•. 
uiaaDt-a.  ti. 
tl'Ua    ol     liio    :. 
tho  ru   •  .1  Tri,r< 
•tatu'  .       '  ' 
thoM 
of  aD> 


.d 


laid    u*er 
wilh  orua- 


kuJ  (frtill 


k  par  <cu. 


;i-.v»ork   of    »11 
tmr  tioii" — th« 


not  h     , 
dovoteoa  ur  u.t 
their  ptotaL'tioa. 

at  that  the  Aaayna  ..   :  ^\   '.r 
Mwh  fckla 

r 

Utu^ciiib   tiad   pWou    Uiexn   upon 
xviiL    33  -85  ;     xn.    Iu— 18). 

iuitiat*   tl.at   tl.e   id  U  ar«  "  i>" 
■•  iiothiiiK  "— at  any  raU-  art-  la^  • 


and  lartn  ^rer.  15),  t;. 

(T«r.  I'J)  -answering;  i 

iug,   all-audioieDt.   the   gtu 

other  «xiatene«.    Aud  i  e  la  * 

•pecial  God  of  Ir 

pr«>teot  (A«m  agHi 

thea,  aaTo  thoa  n: 

that  which  thi« 

that  thou  oauat  li  : 

hiu    that    thoa    art    iaj    m  u'  .    •       u.  <       uo 

aappuaea,  wholly  unlike    <-   •—    •  r;  ..,..!-■• 

oror  whoa  he  :  ~ 

^  very  maent  II 

aHT&       I'oat   ail    Uuo    m^^^MLm^    ui     u*q    c&rtii 

may  know  that  thoa  art  tha  Lord  Oed.    The 
glory  of  Oi  <1  is  the  and  of  cfeatioo ;    and 
Ood'a  true  aiiuu  always  boar  the  fact   in 
mind,  aud  deatro  nothing  ao  muo;i  aa  th<a 
his  glocy  ahould  be  stiown  forth  eTta-Twh..r« 
and    alwava      M<^aea,   in    hij    praym    fr« 
rebalUoua  laiael  iu  the  »  ' ' 
arg«a  apoB  Ooil  that    . 
plory  to  deetmv  or  de*  r:  . 
12;  Numb    xiv    13— 1«:   l> 
Daviil,  lu  hi:  ;:n-->t  atraiL,  a*, 
ti  n  of  his  i-iifmiea,  "tkat  Mr* 
that  thou,  whoce  name  alooe  u  J 
tiie  Moot  High  orav  all  the  e^nir    i^i  ». 
Ixxxlii.  18);  attd  again  (Px  lix.  13),  -Ooo* 
aume  tham  in   wrath.  eon*u:::r  tlia«n,  that 
thev  may  not  U  ;   an  i  trf  rA' n  iraotf  that 
Uod  rulath  in  Jaoob  onto  t:.c  .  nda  of  itia 
aarth."     Hanekiah  ptaya  far  a  aignal  t.i^ 
geanea  on  Sennacbehb,  not  f  r  his 
uot  creo  r  r  Lis  ^euole'a  saka,  ao  Uiuch 
for  tha  rindioatiuu  of  God's  hottour 

M  e 


386 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.      [oh.  xix.  1—37. 


the  natioiiB  of  the  earth — ^that  it  may  be 
known  far  and  wide  that  Jehovah  is  a  God 
who  can  help,  the  real  Ruler  of  the  world, 
agaiBst  whom  earthly  kings  and  earthly 
might  avail  nothing.  Even  thou  only.  It 
would  not  BatiBfy  Hezekitih  that  Jehovah 
riiould  be  acknowledged  as  a  mighty  god, 
one  of  many.  He  asks  for  such  a  demon- 
■tration  as  shall  convince  men  that  he  iS 
unique,  that  he  stands  alone,  that  he  is  the 
only  mighty  God  in  all  the  earth. 

Ver.  20. — Then  Isaiah  the  son  of  Amoz 
sent  to  Eecekiah,  saying.  As  Hezekiah 
prays,  Isaiah  is  by  Divine  revelation  made 
cognizant  of  his  prayer,  and  commissioned 
to  answer  it  favourably.  That  he  sendi  his 
answer,  instead  of  taking  it,  is  indicative  of 
the  high  status  of  the  prophets  at  this  period, 
which  made  it  not  unseemly  that,  in  spiritual 
matters,  they  should  claim  at  least  equality 
with  the  monarch.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God 
of  Israel,  That  which  thou  hast  prayed  to 
me  against  Sennacherib  King  of  Assyria  I 
have  heard.  First  of  all,  Hezekiah  is  assured 
that  his  prayer  has  been  "  heard."  God  lias 
**  bowed  down  his  ear"  to  it  (ver.  16) — has 
taken  it  into  his  consideration,  and  has  sent 
a  reply.  Then  the  reply  follows,  in  fourteen 
verses  arranged  in  four  strophes  or  stanzas. 
The  firot  (vers.  '11 — 24)  and  second  (vers. 
25 — 28)  are  addressed  to  Sennacherib,  and 
breathe  a  tone  of  scorn  and  contempt.  The 
thirl  (vers.  29 — 31),  is  addressed  to  Heze- 
kiah, and  is  encouraging  and  consolatory. 
The  fourth  (vera.  82 — 34)  is  an  assurance 
to  all  whom  it  may  concern,  that  Jerusalem 
is  safe,  that  Sennacherib  will  not  take  it, 
that  he  will  not  even  commence  its  siege. 

Yer.  21. — This  is  the  word  that  the  Lord 
hath  spoken  conoeming  him.  "  Him  "  is,  of 
oource,  Sennacherib.  It  adds  great  liveliness 
and  force  to  tho  opening  portion  of  the  oracle, 
that  it  should  be  addressed  directly  by 
Jehovah  to  Sennacherib,  as  an  answer  tu  hia 
bold  challenge.  The  only  addnss  at  all 
similar  in  h-cripture  is  that  to  Nebuchad- 
nezzar (Dun.  iv.  31,  82),  spoken  by  "a  voice 
from  ht«iveii."  But  the  present  passage  is 
one  of  fur  greater  force  and  beauty.  Ths 
riigin  tho  daughter  of  Zion;  nther,  tli« 
virgin  d'tniihlKr  of  Zion,  •r  the  virgin 
duuijlili.r,  y.mn.  Citir-.8  wore  omiii'iuly  jicr- 
•onirtiwi  \)y  Ui'-  mri<A  writers,  and  n  i>r(Biutei 
•a  "duu^^'htoru"  (h'  o  Ina.  xxiii.  10, 12;  xlviL 
1,  i,  bti:.).  *•  Vir;,Tn  duughtr"  liore  may 
ixjrhai'H  r<;j)reH"iil  **  tho  oonHcioiiMniHH  of 
Uii|>r<({riahiiity"  (DrochNlip);  but  tho  phriiM 
•4«ms  u>  l.avi)  bin  umvI  rhuUirionliy  or 
pooticttlly,  U>  h<  iKhLoii  tho  \»  uuly  or  pulhos 
of  Uu>  picturo(lHU.  xxiii.  \2;  xlvii.  1;  Jur. 
zlrL  11;  l.uiu.  ii.  IH),  without  any  ntfuronoe 
to  th«  ({U<-nti'iti  whothir  th<<  purliouhir  oily 
k*d  or  hA<i  not  Imvau  pr))vi<>u»<ly  tukoii. 
Jaruaithim    o«rt*inly    liAd    boon    lukun    by 


Shishak  (1  Kings  siv.  26),  and  by  Joash 
(ch.  xiv.  13) ;  but  Zion,  if  it  be  taken 
as  the  name  of  the  eastern  city  (Bishop 
Patrick,  ad  loe.),  may  have  been  still  a 
"  virgin  fortress."  Hath  despised  thee,  and 
laughed  thee  to  scorn;  or,  despises  thee  and 
laughs  thee  to  scorn.  The  Hebrew  preterite 
has  often  a  prisent  sense.  Whatever  was 
the  case  a  little  while  ago  (see  Isa.  xxii. 
1 — 14),  the  city  now  laughs  at  thy  threats. 
The  daughter  of  Jerusalem  hath  shaken  her 
head  at  thee ;  or,  wags  her  head  at  thee — in 
scorn  and  ridicule  (comp.  Ps.  xxii.  7). 

Yer.  22. — Whom  hast  thou  reproached  and 
blasphemed  1  i.e.  "  Against  whom  hast  thou 
been  mad  enough  to  measure  thyself? 
Whom  hast  thou  dared  to  insult  and  defy  ?  " 
Not  an  earthly  king — not  a  mere  angelio 
being — but  the  Omnipotent,  the  Lord  of 
earth  and  heaven.  What  utter  folly  is  this  t 
What  mere  absurdity  ?  And  against  whom 
hast  thou  exalted  thy  voice T  i.e.  "spoken 
proudly  " — in  the  tone  in  which  a  superior 
speaks  of  an  inferior — and  lifted  np  thine 
eyes  on  high  1 — i.e.  "looked  down  upon"— 
treated  with  contempt,  as  not  worth  con- 
sideration— even  against  the  Holy  One  of 
IsraeL  Isaiah's  favourite  phrase — used  by 
him  twenty-seven  times,  and  only  five  times 
in  the  rest  of  Scripture — marks  this  eutira 
prophecy  as  his  genuine  utterance,  not  the 
compositio'n  of  the  writer  of  Kings,  but  a 
burst  of  sudden  inspiration  from  the  Cory- 
phSBua  of  the  prophetic  band.  The  oracle 
bears  all  the  marks  of  Isaiah's  elevated, 
fervid,  and  highly  poetic  style. 

Yer.  23. — By  thy  messengers — literally,  b» 
the  hand  of  thy  meifBengers — llabshakeh  ana 
others  (see  ch.  xviii.  30,  35;  lix- 10— I H)^ 
thou  hast  reproached  the  Lord,  and  hast 
said.  Sennacherib  had  not  $aid  what  is  here 
attributed  to  him,  any  more  than  Sargon  had 
taid  the  words  ascribed  to  him  in  Isa.  x. 
13,  11.  But  he  had  tliought  it;  and  C<od 
accounts  men's  deliberate  thoughts  as  their 
utterances.  Isaiah's  **  oracle  **  bringa  out 
and  places  in  a  striking  light  tho  pride, 
Boli'-coutidtiucu,  and  selt'-sullioionoy  wliicli 
uuderhiy  Sounuoherib's messages  and  lelleiM. 
With  the  multitude  of  my  ohariotB ;  or,  u-ith 
ehariolt  vjnm  cJiariott.  Tho  chariot-force 
was  tho  main  arm  of  tho  Assyrian  military 
Borvico — that  ou  which  most  dopoudonuo  was 
placed,  and  to  whicii  victory  was  oomnioiily 
attribulod.  Tho  number  of  chariots  thut 
oould  bo  brought  into  tho  Held  by  tint 
AMHyriaiii  is  nowhoro  Htat(<d ;  but  wu  iind 
nearly  four  thouHuiid  iiostilo  chariots  ool- 
Icotoil  to  oppoHO  uu  ordinary  AuHyriun  io- 
vuHiori,  and  defeal<.xl  (mo  '  Anciont  Monai^ 
oldoH,'  vol.  ii.  p.  8G'iJ,  nolo  K).  Th(>  outiuuitos 
of  (JtoriuH— «dovon  ihouHund  for  Ninu*,  and 
a  liundriHl  thouHand  for  Hoiiiinuniii  (DiocL 
Hlo.,  ii.  &.  §  4;— are,  of  oounw,  uuhlstorioaL 


OLzn.!-^.]       THE  BEOOND  BOOK  OP  THK  KIHOft 


u    » 

t. 

La  «  c  lu   \r% 
0yrtAa    rm! 

I'alrwI.Ur    U'    I 

bul     It      II. ST      tw     «k<--<<4      •«      *     "  Aitl-'  "     uf 

'  flmiV  "    'if    Iio)«  lai        In    p^iinl   »f   fkcl, 

1 .  ;  U  to 

f  lata 

(>  .••« 

k 

l«        • 

Ui»i  Um  A»^ 

or^  it     T 

fv    morr   li 

KipbaiM  ft 

I  . 

M  :  trrbkcw,'  TuL  ii.  p.  74>.  To  the  tide*  of 
L>«b*uoa.  An  arniv  wluch  i*  m  :r-*  I'  !i- 
liii.-   I'V   t. .•  t  a>lr->_\  r.  »u    »  , 

Dot-,  •■.'.rily  pAAM-a  al  Ui;  ti  «-  •  i.u.r  •  >.  :  ri 
••  iidr,"  or  "  fl»uk."  (if  I>eli  ill  ".i,  wLirh  11 
iL.  i-rw^-r  ineAQiDt;  of  ^-Z-" ,  uud  uol  "  lulli- 
(•t  Lt.fjlil"  (KeilX  or  "luiirnurat  roi-«*«  " 
(UrTiaeni  Vtmou).  TL«  pi  urn!,  TCT,  is 
UBiur^  whrQ  ft  ni'>Qnt&i!t  riit><fr,  like  Lrl>»- 
iKkn,  k«  »|»  >keii  of.  And  will  cat  dova  ih* 
tAlI  Oftdar  iTMt  Uiftreof,  ftnJ  Ui«  choio«  fir 
tr»et  tneroof  Ti.«  felling  of  IiiuIk-t  id  the 
bynau  ujciLi!iUtiii-<iuaua  wim  ft  eominon 
pnMT'wCc-  of  tiir  Aitajriftii  iaTa<l' ra,  mmI  had 
l«ii.  ■]  .\u-  ■!'-■'•  ■'  ..>.--•-  -- — f...._.  .f 
«ae  !.,>  rt-  • 

ftud     lIupi'N 

uA<-u  il  was  u  ijf  :<  {  LUc  Kit.-   '■'  lur  uuiLK-r,  i 
«iiich  llio  ctju  (u. :  ■-'  I  .irn.xi  >  iT  lu'.u  L.e  own  i 
ojuutry.      ••  1  uc    u.- .  .'a.    b   if    Am;i:iuB    I  ' 
•awndrd,"    iftTa   Am..u:  niir-}'.!,    "  «  • -1 
(or  bri '  -  -f    ■  MA,  1  eul  «lo«*a 

>aM  I  dMlia«l 
for  b  .<  ifft-booM  wU*! 

A<m*ku,  K  uinpla  of  tb»  mooa 

ft.ud  oKia,  U.  .Mia.     I  tiroeeedad  to 

the  1  .ud  o:   1^  ...ci^xi,  and  tooc 
of   it    ihrv'u^-uout :  I  eot 
»  r  '  ■  --     '    '.'■■ 


v«t«n;  raSw.  fm^^  I  M§.  mU  4r*9k 
{  <iry  «^^<lko  pf«U»tto  lift«l»g  ftc»l« 


)^v*  1  driad  af  au   th«  nrart  ef  >aanga4 

^la«««  ;    rHtK«>r.  *r^%U     I    rt-y    •»■■  «//    fKr    rtt^9% 
of     hjyy:  ,     I*. 

••  Maaur  '  m. 

6  ftttd  kl  ' ...  .11    I.  ikT 

from  wbleli  «aa  f  «. 

Wli.  ihrr    it    lucauit  t        ^.!i* 

r -*  Uod  of  diMivM  "  ( K«  .>M  ».  uiaf 
'.M.    ^'.■.rr    wr     !  art?    bu     n^jtit    t« 

i     WLicIl     tiM 

'    tliO 

<*• 


UMMMIon 
DMBM    for 


th    u^liU  — 

**Te   |tfttior  aoftd«at0  fkgkm,  e«i  MMaril 
ouiDta 
Obaeqaiia  natam  umu  J    B«lMi.iflr«    ii>fa 
Bttb  peditmt  MBlltM^  f»aaira  9id-mu»  «»- 

Frr^M  Alpea,  gmleiaqoe  Padum  ttctricilNM 
tutuaL 


-^ 


Ver.  15  — Ha«t  tkom  not  haard  lesf 
I  ■'*   T  haTtdeaaitI    T  - 
Hfaspoanaoft 
iuBcar  8>iona«h.  -  iu« 

liiuu^uU  of  hia  OVD  iMMTt,  bat  Jci*»rab 
wlio  a>iilrva»r«  tb«  prno.!  ^nnamii  **  Il^at 
thoa  Dot  ':.  J.   '  '    m  Voog  ago  1  hat* 

•etvd  I      -  iitfvtf  bceo  laacbt 

that  r«T«'.  .>:  "J  cvi^Uie  riaaAodlm 

d  uatiuoa,  miv  Gvjd'a  doisf,  damj^d  by  kia 
long,  long  a^"' — ar.  frnoi  tbc  rrv>..ti..a  of 
the  world  T     Art  thuu  n-t  •>  ihia 

ia  ao,  H!ht^  frill  irr.'Jt   ••:.    :  ,■  k> 

tii.   . 
Il 


ba  lU    U.r    |>  >ax  »• 

asilrat  tiiMC  tba 

r    eUiri  -al  fr ;«  lir 


»rr* 

Into  •.• 


-I      Aad  i. 
M  b'.rdera 


■  \  le 
:  af 
A 

B. 
ich 

at 


r\m.  dfal 


Vac  %i.-l  kftTo  d^^aiaad  4i. 


•J  <  laa,  tLe  i^ukI  of 


888 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGa       [ch.  xir.  1— ST. 


hi  tbelr  liand  Is  mine  IncHgnatlon.  I  will 
tend  him  ftgraingt  an  hypocritical  nation, 
and  agaiust  the  people  of  my  wrath  will  I 
give  him  a  charge,  to  take  the  spoil,  and  to 
take  the  prey,  and  to  tread  them  down  like 
the  mire  of  the  streets  "  (Isa.  x.  5,  6),  But 
the  heathen  kings  whom  God  made  his  in- 
ptrunients  to  chasten  sinful  nations  imagined 
that  they  conquered  and  destroyed  and 
laid  waste  by  their  own  strength  (see  Isa. 
X.  7—14). 

Ver.  26. — Therefore  their  inhabitants  were 
of  small  power ;  literally,  were  short  of  hand 
— nnable,  i.e.,  to  make  an  efTectual  resistance. 
"When  God  has  decreed  a  change  in  the  dis- 
tribution of  power  among  the  nations,  hi» 
providence  works  doubly.  It  infuses  con- 
fidence and  strenglh  into  the  aggressive 
people,  and  spreads  dismay  and  terror  among 
tliose  who  are  attacked.  Unaccountable 
panics  seize  them — they  seem  paralyzed; 
instead  of  making  every  possible  preparation 
for  resistance,  they  fold  their  hands  and  do 
nothing.  Tliey  are  like  fascinated  birds 
before  the  stealthy  advance  of  the  serpent 
They  were  dismayed  and  oonfonnded.  His- 
torically, the  prophet  declares,  this  was  the 
cause  of  the  general  collapse  of  the  nations 
whom  the  Assyrians  attacked.  God  put  a 
craven  fear  into  tlieir  hearts.  They  were  as 
the  grass  of  the  field,  and  as  the  green  herb, 
as  the  grass  on  the  house-tops.  The  "  grass 
of  the  field"  is  one  of  the  most  frequent 
similes  for  weakness.  "  All  flesh  is  grass  " 
(Isa.  il.  6) ;  "  They  shall  soon  be  cut  down 
like  the  grass"  (Ps.  xxivii.  2);  "The 
grass  withereth,  the  flower  fadeth"  (Isa.  xl. 
8);  "I  am  withered  like  grnss"  (Pa.  cii. 
11).  In  the  hot  sun  of  an  Eastern  eky 
nothing  faded  more  quickly.  But  this  wcak- 
n<  H8  was  intensified  in  the  •'  grass  of  the 
house-tops."  It  "withered  before  it  grew 
up"  (Pb.  cxxix.  6).  The  depth  of  earth 
WU8  it)  blight,  tlie  exposure  so  great,  the  heat 
■<>  fK'orching,  tlmt  it  sank  Id  death  almost  as 
•fKjij  u  it  had  sprung  to  life.  Buch  has 
b<<n  the  weakiiesf  of  the  nations  given  over 
»M  a  (in.y  tf)  iho  ABxyriuna.  And  as  corn 
blasted  before  it  be  grown  np.  Corn  blasted 
Ix^forr:  it  hhc'itf  into  a  «tulk  is  a.s  frail  as 
gtahH,  or  fraiji-r.  It  dwindleu  and  disappears 
without  even  a."«erting  iUtelf. 

V.-r.  27. — But  I  know  thy  abode,  and  thy 
going  out,  and  thy  coming  in.  "  ICeHliiig  in 
l^eacf,  |{"ing  out,  and  cuming  in,  cover  all 
the  a'tivily  of  a  umn  "  (litihr),  or  rather, 
c^ivor  his  whole  life,  actire  aiul  pau-'ivo. 
Jelioviih  claims  an  aliM'>lutu  kuowlolgo  of 
all  that  Honiiiichorib  doex  or  thiiik«,  Ixdh 
wh'-ij  he  is  III  action  and  whna  he  in  at  ri  Ht. 
Nothing  ia  hid  from  him  (nornp.  Pa  rxixJz. 
1—  Hi)  Huinnii  J. ruin  ahoijl'l  mIuikI  nlniHhi'd 
\i(rtr'  iiirl,  a)«f)|iitii  knu^s leilgfi.  And  thy 
nnf  agiUiiJt  n«.     Opposiliou  tu  Uiuu  will 


fills  violent  men  with  fury  and  rage.  Se»- 
nacherib's  anger  was  primarily  against  Heze- 
kiah,  but  when  once  he  was  convinced  that 
Hezekiah  really  trusted  in  Jehovah  (ver. 
10),  his  fury  would  turn  against  God  him- 
•elf  (comp.  Ps.  ii.  1 — 3,  where  the  Lord's 
anointed  is  primarily  David). 

Ver.  28. — Because  thy  rage  a5^inst  me, 
and  thy  tumult — rather,  thy  arrogancy  (see 
the  Revised  Version);  ]^^^  is  rather  the  quiet 
security  of  extreme  pride  and  self-confidence 
than  "  tumult " — ^is  come  up  into  mine  ears — 
i.e.  has  attracted  my  notice — therefore  I  will 
put  mv  hook  in  thy  nose,  and  my  bridle  in  thy 
lips.  The  imagery  is  most  striking.  Captive 
kings  were  actually  so  treated  by  the  As- 
syrians themselves.  A  honk  or  sjdit-ring 
was  thrust  through  the  cartilage  of  the  nose, 
or  the  fleshy  part  of  the  under  lip,  with  a 
rope  or  thong  attached  to  it,  an(l  in  this 
guise  they  were  led  into  the  monarch's 
presence,  to  receive  their  final  sc  ntence  at 
his  hands.  In  the  sculptures  of  Sargon  at 
Khorsabad  we  see  three  prisoners  brought 
before  him  in  this  fashion,  one  of  whom  he 
eeems  to  be  about  to  kill  with  a  spear 
(♦Ancient  Monarchies,'  vol.  i.  p.  367).  In 
another  sculpture  set  up  by  a  Babylonian 
king,  his  vizier  brings  bt  fore  him  two  cap- 
tives similarly  treated,  bnt  with  the  ring, 
apparently,  passed  thn  i;  i  the  curtilage  of 
their  no.^cs  (ibid.,  vol.  iii.  p.  436).  .  I anasseh 
seems  to  have  received  the  same  treatment 
at  the  hands  of  the  "captains"  (2  Chron. 
xxxiii.  11)  who  brought  him  a  prisoner  to 
Esarhadilon  at  Babylon.  Other  allusions 
to  the  practice  in  Scripture  will  be  found 
in  Isa.  XXX.  28 ;  Ezek.  xxix.  4 ;  xxxviii.  4. 
Tiie  threat  in  the  present  passage  was,  of 
course,  not  inteuilcd  to  be  understood  lite- 
rally, but  only  aa  a  declaration  that  God 
would  bring  down  the  pride  of  Beniia  lierib, 
humiliate  him,  and  reduce  him  to  a  state  of 
abject  weakness  and  abasement.  And  I  will 
turn  thee  back  by  the  way  by  which  thou 
earnest  (comp.  vor.  33).  The  meaning  la 
clear.  Bonnacherib  would  not  be  allowed 
to  come  near  Jerusahm.  He  would  liurry 
back  by  tho  low  coast  route  (ch.  xviii.  17), 
by  which  hu  had  made  his  invaHii<n. 

Ver.  2'.).— And  this  shall  l>o  a  sign  onto 
thoe.  AiiotlurHudilenrhangoin  thendilrena. 
Tho  piophet  turns  from  l>ennn<"lmrib  to 
Hezekiah,  and  |irticeedd  to  give  hiin  a  sign, 
and  olherwiHO  speak  to  him  encouragingly. 
Sigiu  were  at  the  time  freely  otIVroil  and 
given  by  God  both  to  the  faithful  and  the 
iinruithrul  (h<  o  eh.  xx.  4;  Ihii.  vii.  11,  14). 
They  g'liorully  coiiHiitcfl  in  tho  pn^iictiou  of 
■r)iiio  noar  nvint,  whimu  oocurreiioo  was  to 
■iTVi'  iiH  Ik  pleil^o,  or  uvidtncOfof  tho  pn>biiblo 
liilllliiicnt  <>r  ani'lher  pri'diclion  of  an  ovont 
niiTi'  <liHlniit  HiK'h  iii^;!iM  iini  not nocw'iiMarilT 
uiiraculoua.     T*  shall  eat   this  jsar  amm 


m.  xn.\~&7.)        TITF  BBPOHD  BOOK   Of  THE   KIN(NL 


I  m  fff»^  tf  tin— iHm.  TIwA«ti4>« 
ooMinc  aviy  in  Um  i^l&ic.  m  ••« 

»«tBg  tlMtff  Un4>      I' 

is 


(Lrt    1 1  .        .  I  ;    . 

—Ud  rotam  to  tbrtr  t>arm:<)  cmodiuun. 
TW  ■Ik*  *m  bo*  (i«<«  wvh    rrfi  rrtita  le 

8«MMM4wib'»  tlrpMrtVr  I  tO 

Um  tm  9«ar.  ao4  mi.^  ^tr 

Ik*  iMlllMliM  of  Ulv  •>  ii-o  «  n  oorn  CDuld 

hagiB,  Ml  viu  iifciMBt  to  IIm  |««Miia» 
tba4  immaitm  »ht>u\A  \m  fVa*  fr>a  kny 
harUMT  MImIi   oi.  Bcni>arli«-nb 

nigami  wrvotar  r.  but  k<d  uo 

fnnbcr  «■!««  4nd  ib 

U«  MM«4  Jr  -.h  of   th« 

w;  »b4  m  iisr  imra  reiir  •  w  fs,  aod 
r«*|),  tmi  yUmt  TiBejarda.  uid  Mt  tk«  tr«lu 
tkarwC 

Ver.  90  -  Aad  tk«  rcauiaBt  th*t  li  MMp«i 
•f  Um  kom»e  of  JmdAk.  ^-  imaebrnb,  who 
in  hU  flnA  tx^xviiiMMl  kad  earriad  AWAy  o«t 
of  Juaa*  xuu.lSO  priKMMn  (*  Kponym 
OwKn.'  t>-  IM.  bne  IfX  bad  iB  hi*  aMniwl 
Holablr  doo*  eofMtdanbl*  itmmgt  to  th* 
ievM  la  tka  armth-wrol  at  I'alratiD*— 
Laabiak,  Iw  iiialaa<%  *hMli  «u  •  citr  of 
Jadak  (Jtn^k.  xw.  IB;  cb  xir  19).  Tha 
ep*«  otxintrr  had  been  «uit«d,  groat 
BBflshm  )"llrtl,  aod  iD«n,T  probMblj  n^riMl 
off  '■   aod   pe.-tilrnoo.     ThiM   Iv'th 

B  t.  4)  aa.l    Iniah    rt-garvl   th« 

kUKHt    •iiU    ia    (be    laud 

iL"      Ikall    y«t    tfaia 

be  inolT  fiX(<d  and  atab- 
lubtd  In  ikr  Uod,  likv  «  rieoviNM  trea 
tkkt  atrtk'  B  it«  roou  into  Uir  aoil  rlf«p|iiT  — 
aad  baar  fnit  apvard ;  i-*  •  ■    ■  '  tbe 

ovtoanl  aigaa  ot  ptoaicritv  i  of 

•baa    Um   Jovisb    dcNniinuu  *•• 

tba  wkola  of  Fdaatfaa  (ak.  nlH. 
IS-MX  was  Ik*  afwc^al  MiNwat  of  Ikia 
paopbor?. 

Yer  SI.— Far  oat  of  JanaalaM  abaU  g« 
tetk  a  ramaamL    Tba  MMok  of   8eaba- 
rb«-hb   and  Um  raid  of    IUbakab»b    bad 
drt««a  tka  Maaa  of  tke 
c/ Jadmlalaks  nN^ 
JenMal-"'    ''•—    "Ik"!..  „^   ;„,    . 

of     Ve  •0«ld    fl^ 

fatk."  I  r!r   UiX 

and  ia»u<i%  .  .oa.    kmA  Uay 

tkat  aaeapa  lU  mmj>f — •«« 

•f  M*«Bl  Zi.  L«  k  <  ' 

for  JartMaW: 

^tt4    ttt^    iVk  . .  ^    —  uiv  A«mi  vi 


lb*  Lari  c>! 
tax.  7  a&il    I 


y  -' 


'aad  tMili  pnkaMr 
Tba  MaiBla^  ta  (kaft 

^  .    a»r«    r>  V    '  U    t*  ■  t4a 

to 
•I 


to 

oi> 

wl.fci    tt^l    uui    ; 

8ao  uM>bwi  b— «bAll 

wmk>—^kiM  citv 

aaarrovtkaic 

aliark.  ■«  waa  — 

of    arrowa,    to    ei*^ 

defeod«n.  and  luAi 

and  Biium  »nd  u  < 

MAT — aor  aoaM  br 

adraiior  r' 

or  miitr 

Ui-  .  •■  • 

4 

n 
m 

:  a 


object  ot   cflf  1.    i  m   b.  ■■   a 

■DeeaalT*  alago  of  a  •■■ .  .  d 

DesaiiTad.     Noim  of  Ukk  ^  « 

dona.      Tkai«   akall    be    no  .  .« 

raptaaeiiUtiaaa    uf     Um    Aa»^  «. 

ba' k*.   aod   ODgiuoa,  atw  La>  -  a- 

menu  of   NintTrb.'    at«ood  i^a 

SI.  31.  Xt,  4a.  eu>. :  ad  Ua  •  luiauu.  '  An. 
rieiit  Moii&ivbiOii,'  vol  L  p.  9U9;  «oL  tL 
p.bl.) 

Vor.  SSL— Bj  tk*  vaj  tkat  ba  cama,  by 
tka  aama  aball  ba  rvcvrs  .~'  .»/  XK)^ 
Not  mrraly,  -  La  bLaII    •  t  " 

(Bbbr,    KrtlX    -U     -'.:>  .j^ 

lUlr  .  ;"     bu  r«i/Mfla 

i»   »/'-/<#,   ba  b«    tbe 

■aiii*   roat«    b'  tija 

eoaat  fo«ia  ak  :  .  u 

Ml  JoroaalaB  f 
furlT    milea. 

rmiber.  «■!»  \n 

•uipbatie     aodui^  ^vbui^v     imm.     xxti.     14; 

xlf.  IS:   liv.  17;  It.  »;   Ux-  M.    U«    X5: 

IXTl   11.  t3> 

\\t  %i—Tn  I  will  datead  tbia  dir.  u 
•ava  ix — ooi  Brt«>l,«  vitk  a  t-  — -^ 

it.  bat  la  aocb  aort  aa  oAbctaa  a 

— flar  Bias  awa  aaka— d^  bt^  .  ^a 

boaottr  ia  oaoeanMid  ia  ifti  prvrrtBUo*. 
r-«"r--ial!»  tifU-9  tb^  ta'tsta  «f   8«>ut>)»rb«nb 


E 


6u  tu  laa. 

laaa* 
Um     LcMd." 


ua    u»c    I  :vuj:>««    oiauv    !•    UaTid«  SB 

•r   tba  lava   vkiak  Oad   hnro 
I  kia  iar  bW  latlkfblaoaB  ^aJ  aanj(«t 


davedoa 


S90 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KING&       [oh.  xix.  1— ST. 


Vers.  85 — 37. — Destbtiotion  of  Sbnna- 
ohebib's  Host,  and  his  own  Violent  Death 
AT  Nineveh.  The  sequel  is  told  in  a  few 
words.  That  night  destruction  came  down 
on  the  host  of  Sennacherib,  as  it  lay  en- 
camped at  some  distance  from  Jerusalem, 
silently  and  swiftly.  Without  noise,  with- 
out disturbance,  the  sleeping  men  slept  the 
sleep  of  death,  and  in  the  morning,  when 
the  survivors  awoke,  it  was  found  that  a 
hundred  and  eighty-five  thousand  were 
slain.  Upon  this,  with  the  remnant  of  his 
army,  Sennacherib  hastily  returned  to 
Nineveh.  There,  some  time  after — about 
seventeen  years  according  to  our  reckoning 
— a  conspiracy  was  formed  against  him  by 
two  of  his  sons,  who  murdered  him  as  he 
was  worshipping  in  a  temple,  and  fled  into 
Armenia.  Another  son,  Esarhaddon,  suc- 
ceeded. 

Yer.  35. — And  it  came  to  pass  that  night. 
The  important  expression,  "  that  night,"  is 
omitted  from  the  narrative  of  Isaiah 
(xxxvii.  36),  but  is  undoubtedly  an  original 
portion  of  the  present  history.  It  can  have 
no  other  meaning — as  Keil  and  Bahr  have 
seen — than  "the  night  following  the  day 
on  wliich  Isaiah  had  foretold  to  Hezekiah 
the  deliverance  of  Jerusalem."  God's  word 
"runneth  very  swiftly."  No  sooner  was  the 
promise  given  than  the  destroying  angel 
received  his  orders,  and  "that  night"  the 
terrible  stroke  fell.  That  the  angel  of  the 
Lord  went  out ;  or,  an  angel  (&yy(\os  Kvpiov, 
LXX.).  We  cannot  ^ay,  with  Bahr,  that  it 
was  "  the  same  one  wiio  smote  the  firstborn 
in  E;:yi>t,  and  inUicted  the  pestilence  after 
the  census  umler  David."  Revelation  does 
not  tell  UB  that  there  is  definitely  one 
destroying  angel.  "  Tite  angel  of  death" 
is  fi  raltbiiiical  invention.  It  accords 
rather  wiili  the  analogy  of  God's  dealings 
tliut  he  hiioiiid  Ubu  at  one  time  th(;  services 
of  one  rjiiniMter,  at  another  time  tlioso  of 
anotlier.  And  smote.  Imagination  lias  been 
ovcr-hnsy  in  cxjiijoi'-turing  tlie  exact  manner 
of  th<'  Hiiiiting.  Some  (;riti(;8  have  HUggestod 
jK5-til<:ii''e,  or  more  detinit<!ly  "  tlio  jilague" 
(CiewmiiiM,  Datlio,  Maiirer,  lOwiiM,  Winer, 
I'lieiMUH,  Ked,  <to);  otliers  a  teiril>lo  storm 
(Viliinpa,  Stiiniey);  oIIiith  the  sinjoom 
d'rid' aiix,  iMiimiin);  otiiorH  a  nocturnal 
atUnk  by  'I'irliakali  (IjHilier,  rieiHS,  Mi- 
clili' iiH).  M<iin<)  of  tlm.ie  the  Uixt  aitogitli<T 
liriy'iiiditH,  tui  Die  Hlta<  k  of  'l'iihul(uli,  wideii 
tiiiiit  havo  aroiiHO'l  the  wholn  lioHt,  and  not 
left  l)ii;  di>i:int4)r  to  Ix)  rliHOTorod  by  tlioH« 
who  "awiike  <>)Lrly  in  tlio  moridM^."  OtlnrH 
ar«  iaiprui>*blA,  aM  the  limooui,  or  a  torrildo 


storm  with  thunder  and  lightning,  which 

have  never  been  known  to  accomplish  sucdi 
a  destruction.  Pestilence  is  no  doubt 
possible,  but  a  pestilence  of  a  strange  and 
miraculous  character,  to  whicii  men  suc- 
cumbed without  awaking  or  disturbing 
others.  But  the  narrative  rather  points  to 
sudden  and  silent  death  during  sleep,  such 
as  often  happens  to  men  in  the  course  of 
nature  singly,  and  here  on  this  occasion 
was  made  to  happen  in  one  night  to  a 
hundred  and  eiglity-five  thousand  men  bj 
the  Divine  omnipotence  acting  abnormally. 
In  the  camp  of  the  Assyrians.  The  de- 
struction was  not  only  at  one  time,  but  in 
one  place.  "  The  camp  of  the  Assyrians  " 
cannot  mean  half  a  dozen  camps  situated  in 
half  a  dozen  difierent  places,  as  Keil  sup- 
poses. Sennacherib  was  somewhere  with 
his  main  army,  encamped  for  tiie  night,  and 
there,  wherever  it  wns,  the  blow  fell.  But 
the  exact  locality  is  uncertain.  All  that 
the  narrative  makes  clear  is  that  it  was  not 
in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Jerusalem. 
Herodotus  places  the  catastrophe  at  Pelu- 
sium  (ii.  141).  Bahr  thinks  it  was  probably 
before  Libnah.  I  should  incline  to  place  it 
between  Libnah  and  tlie  Egyptian  frontier, 
Sennacherib,  wlien  he  heard  tliat  Tirliakah 
was  coming  against  him  (ver.  9),  having 
naturally  marched  forward  to  meet  and 
engage  his  army.  An  hundred  four  score 
and  five  thousand.  These  figures  do  not 
pretend  to  exactness,  and  can  scarcely  have 
been  more  tlian  a  rough  estimate.  They 
are  probably  the  Assyrians'  own  estimate 
of  their  loss,  which  the  Jews  would  learn 
from  such  of  the  fugitives  as  fell  into 
their  hands.  And  when  they — i.e.  (lie 
survivors — arose  early  in  the  morning,  they 
— i.e.  the  hundred  and  eighty-five  tliousand 
— were  all  dead  corpses— absolutely  dead, 
that  is;  not  merely  sick  or  dying.  The  fact 
makes  against  the  theory  of  a  pestilence. 

Ver.  3t). — So  Sennacherib  King  of  Assyria 
departed,  and  went  and  returned.  Tiie 
original  is  more  lively,  and  more  expressive 
of  haste.  Sennacherib,  it  is  said,  "  de- 
camped, and  departed,  and  returned"-  tho 
heaping  up  of  tlio  verbs  expressing  llie 
hurry  of  tho  march  home  (Keil);  oomp. 
1  Kings  xix.  IS.  And  dwelt  at  Nineveh. 
Nin(?V(!h  was  Sennaciierib's  favourite  nwi- 
dencr.  lilt  had  l)uilt  himsilf  a  palace 
tlicrr,  maikeii  i)y  the  modern  mound  of 
Koyuiijik.  Sargnn,  his  father,  iiiid  dwelt 
mairdy  at  Dur-Sargina  or  KhorHfihiid, 
'l'igiath-|iili'Her  and  SiinlmancHcr  at  C'aiah 
nr  Nimiud.  KcMnnchiTili'H  palace  and  iiis 
(ilher  liuildingH  at  Nimvoh  are  deHCrilHHl 
in  his  annalH  at  Homo  hinglli  (huo  '  Uecords 
f.f  the  rast,'  vol.  1.  i>i>.  .')0— r>'2).  'I'lio 
uxprcHHion,  "dwelt  at  NinuToli,"  docH  not 
mean  that  he  never  quittod  it,  hot  merely 


J 


^  XIX.  1-^1        TUB  8E00N1)  BOOK  OF  TUK  KINO& 


lit 


liBlJiw  UiM  be  'U  !|  ibrrv  fbr  »Jtu«  eoo- 
■  ulr/%)>U  titttr  a  ;<  r  hu  n  turn,  mi  b« 
yH— ni  to  karo  liutio  by  bt*  »iia»U.  Tbo 
■MUf  Ommi  m»km  bu   ImI  yeAr  B.a 

Vc*  97— 4b4  It  earn*  to  pM» — •rTctitroti 
Of   MKblom    yvn    •ft<-r»  .r  !- :    r^^    -  rtftr 
flrv   tiara"   «/trr.   »*   tlio    f 
(i.    tl)    M.va     M    b*    vaa 

Ih*  booM  of   Ifuroeb  ^.■>    . 
■•  N   >r<K'b  "     i'l!<  l»     1-" 

1;     l.tM     bc«0     OiiUtlcVlr.;      .. 

till'    t«.-lr>  h    .k^l<~'i    .-'     ..llB   »': 

:r«S    ('Aoci'Dt      UaO- 

a:  ;>).      liut  ti  rro  b  no 

t>»lJt..*-.      LLat     tLu    K''  ■'  I     * O"^'    ***"• 

•hipficd  in  AjSTria,  smi-:.  -^  that  tb»y 
IxM  tciiBi>U'«  of  tbt<ir  "wii,  '.or  la  aov  iitiiue 
rrseaiblinff  "Ni«nirb"  i»'.tj»rh«vi  t)  unv  of 
tli«<in.  Thf  worl  it*elf  ia  •■'incwl.iil  .loulji- 
ful,  and  ilifft-rrnt  manuacTiptji  ui  tii  Sep- 
tua^nt,  bt-rt>  aud  in  I»a.  ixxrii.  :t>,  bavo 
tbf  Tartauta  of  Satoni'-h  I.y  ■ro'  K,  Jifea»- 
n%A,  and  Atartirh.  uhi  ti  J.>N«r|,:.aa  bna 
wlrualKU.       Kwt\::\  '.    coQo«.-i..k    ly    1j«> 

a  •tr<  u;:tli»-iind  \^e!ajr.    i>  i    '.uo 

ii-'' ■    '.     ■■  .    ,'■:    »/.ia   la  it^aiUst 

StUl,   Aoabar    was   <cr- 

•  rib't     favourite     p>d,     tbe 

11     ii«    priDcipaily    worship^K-d. 

r  putl«  tbe   Dame   aa    b«ioug.u^, 

Qui   lo   the   (fOii,  but  to  tltf   temple  («r   r^ 

ill^      »aV      'K^Aorf      k*•ru^t.*r^),     whii-b      u 

perbaus  tbe  truo  aolutiou  uf  th' 

Trmnalato  — "  tut    bo    wi*^    woni.  « 

god  in  the  buuae  NiAJv^cii."     TL  . 


■kvWb    \m   ■ 

N«tUMV    fam 

■vrian   tx^nte.  bat   A'Irt 


MM.     Af»nm- 


I     n<tiilu<  111     ua 


llua 

ibf 


.*       bi:..l«  Lui.  w. —    _4   t«.._ 
■  (' Aat    Jod  .'  L  1.  {   5)   ai>d 
(•ll:«t.    Armcn  .*    t     r.')       A 
ii  ijoof  Eaa-  -"•ma 

V  bia  war  •  Lhara 

(•  iCt'o  rU  ;  t  .  I'aat.'  »'d.  m.  j  i  >  ;  at  tbe 
cxmiDfUc^tU'  Dt  of  bia  rftfm,  but  ibe  ea/hff 
part  ie  aautiD^.  And  •."--  •-^'-'>m  iaio  t^ 
land  of  Anseoia ;  hirr.>  rat    TliO 

llebraw    "Ararat"    u    .  'i-ui    "  L'r- 

arda"  (be  ordinary  uaato  i"r  liie  eudniry 
at»ut  Lakoa  Van  an<l  I'ru  ■  iirb  Tbe 
name  ".Knueuia"  ia  ii  .rlit-r  tlwa 

tbe  itiaeriptioua  of  Dar  ,<ia      AmA 

Ei:trLaddon  bis  aoa  rct^acu  i^  bia  ttMA. 
I  >  ^  ;  i  u  c  .-  .SuftA^itm  ot  Tobit  i  21, 
n:  X-^Biiur  akli-iddin  of  tbe  Aierriaii 

1  .  )   Bucoeeded   bia   fatht-r   in   ».a 

<j^ ,  1  enpi^txl  for  •ou«>  titne  in  « 

witr  Willi  bia  bn>tber»  on  tbe  I'il-"' 
Kupbralfa,  after  wbicb  be  made  li  i..»  .f 
tuaaier  of  Ninevcb.  He  iw^Ded  frota  mjo, 
iSl  Uf  B-c  G(j.*,  when  be  wae  eaueaadwi  bj 
hie  eon.  Aaabur-baui-pal.  Aaeyrte  reaobMl 
tbe  ticuui  uf  htat  prueperily  in  bia  Uiue. 


H0MILETIC3. 

▼««.  1 — S5.—  TV  triaAwi  of  trust  in  (7o<f,  a«J  '  — sa  ^  rrtis/  wi  i«(r.     Th« 

OODtrast  bet-.vf>fu  tiic  devout,  God-ffariug,  Gva-tru.-  ah,  a-.d  tbe  pfuud,  aelf- 

•     .'          -        .-^iTtiLg  Seunaclit-nb  i»  one  of  tbe   ui-ii    -i.  >    "•   liwtructiTe  iu 

two  are  »ei  oue  over  ligaiust  tbo  other  m  t'u  •  '  way. 

L   1  HE  iicrfiiB  OF  Hezekiah  »ho*8  him:    I.  Jtnlotu  <.</  'ik^x*  /Voaour      Seona- 

rherib'ti   woida  againat  Cod    strike   liiui    with  horror,  ai.xtr  to  hitu   such  abockiDf; 


tbat  be 
w  ipe  out  : 
i«  prci^'i.tt 
I  of  another. 


rs  hiiusclf  w.th  «ac5: 
bv  one  <  f  I  is  crrat 


I  ..tl.l  ^. 

h«-r  li.r.  •■;^: 


if 

by 


rrv 
ah 


y  \   i.c  .  -wi 


abow  tL'-:u  t- 
"  WL.  cf  re  . 
th^t  (.a:,  i'.i' 
eiii-rta    If.iiai 


k   a  d<«.>r 
u>  do  the 


a)  •  r  for  tlie  ft 
>i  escape.      lit 


word*-  -^in, 

4.  Rt\   .         .   :.-  ,       -  .     lyw. 

.:  are  left.'     l*r»yer  u  tne  cu;y  key 
t-aurU  to  ^yer  (tot.  \h\  aud  be 


ue.      If  be  buu>eif  la  ainful,  laaiah  U  %  ri(bt«ou«  bhn 
Ta  [4\>t>h«-t,  aud  "tbe  efTix-tual  fervent  prayer  of  a  rightaout  man  aradleAk  mwb 

LL  Tiu  norvEA  ov  au«acamua  ahowa   hia:  L  J    Aoter   tmd  rmiim-  ^   0«^ 


392  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [oh.  xrx.  1—37, 

"  Let  not  thy  God  .  .  .  deceive  tliee "  (ver.  10).  As  though  God  ever  deceived,  ai 
though  he  were  not  the  Truth  itself.  Senuacherib  represents  him  as  either  a  poor 
braggart  who  could  not  do  what  he  had  promised,  or  a  malevolent  being  intentionally 
beguiling  men  to  their  ruin.  "  Jehovah,"  he  says,  "  has  sent  him  aj^ainst  Jerusalem," 
has  bidden  him  "  go  up  and  destroy  it "  (oh.  sviiL  25),  while  at  the  same  tiiiv?  he  was 
deluding  Hezekiah  with  promises  of  deliverance.  2.  Ahsolutely  confident  in  his  own 
strength.  Who  can  stand  against  the  Assyrians  ?  Who  has  ever  been  able  to  resist 
them  ?  "  Hath  any  of  the  gods  of  the  nations  delivered  at  all  his  land  out  of  the  hand 
of  the  King  of  Assyria?  "  (ver.  33).  And  if  not,  "  shalt  thou  be  delivered  ?  "  He  sets 
his  own  strength  against  Hezekiah's  weakness  (vers.  23,  24),  and  regards  himself  as 
irresistible.  His  will  is  law.  What  can  hinder  it?  Not  armies — least  of  all  Egyptian 
aruiies — not  mountains,  not  rivers,  not  deserts.  Intoxicated  with  success,  he  think.'? 
there  is  no  power  equal  to  him  either  in  earth  or  heaven.  The  gods  of  the  nations 
have  all  failed,  Hezekiah's  God  will  fail  equally.  3.  Secure  of  the/uiure,  and  without 
any  thought  of  suing  for  Divine  aid.  Why  should  Sennacherib  sue  ?  Success  had 
always  attended  him  in  the  past;  surely  "  to-moirow  would  be  as  to-day,"  only  "yet 
more  abundant."  He  does  not  appear  to  give  even  his  own  gods  a  thought.  Conven- 
tional ascription  of  his  victories  to  Asshur  may  be  found  in  liis  inscriptions ;  but,  as 
Isaiah  lays  bare  to  us  the  workings  of  his  innermost  soul  (ver.  23,  24),  there  is  no  leaning 
on  any  higher  power,  no  recognition  of  anything  behind  his  own  greatness  and  material 
strength,  no  suspicion  even  of  the  possibility  of  a  reverse.  He  is  a  god  to  himself;  he 
Commands  the  future ;  everything  must  necessarily  go  well  with  him. 

The  event  shows  the  wisdom  of  Hezekiah's  trust  and  the  utter  folly  of  Sennacherib's. 
"  Out  of  the  depths"  Hezekiah  "  cries  unto  the  Lord,"  and  "  the  Lord  hoars  his  voice." 
"  With  the  Lord  there  is  mercy,  and  with  him  is  plenteous  redemption."  Hezekiah 
uiay  in  the  past  have  wavered,  have  listened  to  evil  counsellors,  have  paid  Vis  court 
to  rharaoh,  and  put  his  trust  in  the  bmken  reed  Kgypt;  but  now,  at  any  rate,  he  lias 
repented  of  such  evil  courses,  he  has  put  them  away  from  him,  and  thrown  himself 
wh'  lly  upon  God.  His  words  (vers.  15 — 19)  have  the  unmistakable  ring  of  sincerity 
and  truth.  To  God  he  looks,  and  to  him  ouly.  His  streugth  is  become  perfected  in 
his  weakness;  with  the  result  that  Gotl  hears  his  prayer  (ver.  20),  and  grants  the 
uniaraleled  deliverance  related  in  ver.  35.  Sennacherib,  on  the  other  hand,  finds  iu 
ft  moment  the  wl)ole  ground  of  his  self-coufideuce  fail.  It  was  as  the  master  of  many 
1'  gi'-iis  that  he  had  thought  to  bend  all  things  to  his  will.  Bereft  of  his  legions,  he  is 
ij')thin<;.  To-day  a  mi;^hty  conqueror  carr\  ing  everything  before  him,  unfeignedly 
astonished  that  any  one  sliould  dare  to  disobey  his  commands:  on  the  morrow  he  is  a 
wretched  fugitive,  hurrying  homewards  as  fast  as  his  chariot-steeds  will  bear  him,  only 
anxioujf  to  escape  from  the  foes  whom  he  so  lately  despised,  and  to  bury  his  shame  and 
hiH  disgrace  within  the  walls  of  his  distant  palace.  In  his  pride  and  hissilf-truat  ho  had 
thrown  out  a  challenge  to  God.  God  took  up  the  cliallengo,  and  struck  liiui  down  to 
llie  earth.  The  circumstances  of  the  catastroplie  are  ui.i(iuc  in  the  world's  history; 
but  the  lehflon  is  one  that  the  events  of  history  have  taught  again  ami  again.  At  the 
hd'.'ht  of  his  jiride  and  arrognncy  and  seli-trust,  the  un;.;odly  conqueror  is  stricken  with 
failure,  huniiliat<;d,  In-aten  down  to  the  groimd,  shown  that,  after  all,  he  is  a  mere  man, 
and  that  tin-  fates  of  nations  are  not  in  his  j)owit,  but  in  tlic  hand  of  One  whusu  name 
is  "the  Muttt  High,'  and  wlio  ruletli  in  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth. 


Ho.MIMKS  I'.Y   VAIU0U8  AUTHORS. 

Vofn.  1 — 7, — A  ijMtd  man't  praym  tonght.  Hezokinli  \s  in  deep  diHtroHB  of  spirit 
■t  the  haii(;hty,  dotinnt,  confidi  iii  tone  of  Italmhiikeh,  He  wants  helti  In  his  trouble. 
He  Mindrt  ijot  to  his  inini  of  war,  nok  Uj  hiH  Htatusineii,  for  advice,  out  to  tiio  man 
of  Go-). 

I.  CnARA'TKR  fiiTKH  «oNrinK!«oit.  Idftiali  WM  known  to  livn  near  to  OikI,  'I'horo- 
fir*"  H<-7.<klAh  liiul  roiihilenco  in  him.  II<rr  i»  n  y«(></  tf»t  vf  th«  r.hariictrr  <ff  pour 
annffintftnt  mtid  iin»>eia(rK.  Would  you  uit  to  lh«"in  in  limr  of  ironlili-?  VVoiild 
jrou  ni |i>  •  I  thum  lo  K>^o  y<'ii  nnjr  comfort  r  Would  you  u^ll  ihiiin  the  lnn<  r  secrete 
tl  jouf  LoATt  f     11   tiul^  U  it   not  b«)cauii<i  you  huvo    uu  ix>ufid«i>o»  iz>  Uu'iu  V     Th«4i 


flLlll.l-4T.]        TUI  anOVD  BOOK  OF  TUB  B1JM& 


rt^l.ln'ua  Tb«  m«a  «bo  eiiMrU  mi  mm««*  U»  kit  ■  ti« 

'   ••      tK>  Uv     ..      ........  lu  Otid.     \! A' y  W^t^tt  «l  houU  Mid s^ '- 

u  Knot  nH««  ihMl  Mt  artiy  •/    t*b    tL-^MIKi  MMft.      TkWli 

^  •*•  MvUJ  **>-t  ,«  .  .ji.«..       I      rr  far  MTTk*  «o»ai  fi<^ 
Mmi  Ui«  laAU  .—  wiablM  ia«  u. 

C«.iD&«Ir..Cr         "  I'.  ..k    iL-  I.   La«l   Lr«     1  ' 

hrf  mm  ^Ml^  .  mtm»»  1  auj,  &l>  .  »  t<u«. 

or  l>>v«  •ttdniv . 
Or  ..  .  .c   the(B»^ 

a  H  !. 

¥•-"      *  ■    ~                    .-.J    A  't*   «t     ..'-  i."    •    I.'  .    ."  "n.       W«    h«T«    •rrc    tL*i 

Bm>>  !    «  iT^Fi                              ;  arc   kcrii  h<.>w  hi  tr^»t 

Is  O^wj  i««   MI'..  .4cr.     llii  trust  m  *ii«i   L«l  U'  ^«-r»«'»;  ..'  ff  ly  .'«». 

to  f  raaliwl  *§v  .  i«  i*/*.     W«  Me  bar*  bcw  be  ftitcal  wLcti  rr. 

C*Ui«.      IX;^  ■■ his  pMM  «ttb  Ul>1  wLet)  ail  u  . 

wttb  blm-  '.  wbaa  <A«  h>r.«  i/  irv>«i^%«  (i/t . 

BMD  »bo  vi  <--  „;    Aorkllj  prt""-  •  V     '  ». 

di««  hiui  %m%\  st  (iod  ic  Bflftr 

•ad  of  i..«cxi      i '.  :  daiigvr  aiitl  & 


u>  dalivcr  rJUaa,  sad  Im  bim  bl4  ■    tiia 

bim.     Tbu  kU«r  And  H— tkiih'i  acu.^  :c^'iiii^( 


L'Vlk       UC 


dowt 


v-A-    -iTaaocuvT.    (V«rm.  •— 11.)    TW 

kiab  I*  Ww#nM<  OW.  Scaaachcnb 

XI  ilr.'I:a..^a  to  MfrMMlef  to  bin,  ao  \3bax  b« 

!'al*  M  be  oottld,  and  m  tb*  mom  tio**  locor  »o  kw  u/  lifi 

•ivM  Into  ridievb  B«Mkkb%  feiib  in  bu  Gud.    "Lrt  km 

.aUM  dr««T«  tkM^  ••jit'C^  JitmaliM  abAll  Dot  be  dttivernd 

4  ol  AwTTu.    BdkaU.  Am  Uil  h»mr4  «*•!  ci«  K*^  ^ 

<^  U  <M»i«ffaf  lAcM  «Mirf|r ;  mU  dUif  CAm  iv  dd^wmmi  f 

»  deUvervd  tbeoi  vblcb  mt  fclkec*  bare  daa.'  vrd  ?  .  .  . 

and  tbe  KiBf  of  An»d.  aad  tb«  Kia^  e# 

t'     la  •  etmiiar  waj  kahanakcji.  oae  oi  -  b'a 

tbt  pN»|4a  oi  JeruMlem.     Ue  ba<d  *>  u^M  u  :t.i^Lvtice 

-aM  Umbi  by  bribea.    Br  bad  aak),  *■  Lh  •  1  >'rr  kiab 

lahiab  make  )««i  trort  ka  ibe  Ll«^1.  .  .     !  .to 

^  K  of  Aaitjr^a  Make  an  airwuj'tn  «  uh  *  -   t, 

;   il»rn  eat  ye  t  >  .     f 

^  <arjr  uoe  tbe  «» 

.IP  jii^or  ova  laad,  a  la^>u  w:   ojnt  a: 

U  ci4i  olifa  aai  «f  boaej,  ikai  ya  ai^  i  .  a 


894  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.        [ch.  xix.  1—3?. 


not  unto  Hezekiah,  when  he  persuadeth  you,  saying,  The  Lord  will  deliver  us."  It  is  easy 
to  imagine  the  effect  of  such  statements  upon  a  people  few  in  number  compared  with 
the  Assyrian's  mighty  host.  The  horrors  of  a  protracted  siege  were  in  prospect. 
The  longer  they  continued  their  resistance,  the  more  desolation  and  devastation  would 
be  committed  by  the  Assyrian  army  in  their  fields  and  homesteads.  Many  of  them 
doubtless  were  already  murmuring  at  Hezekiah,  and  some  of  them  perhaps  ready  to 
make  an  agreement  with  the  enemy.  It  was  a  trying  position  for  Hezekiah.  Both  the 
letter  of  Sennacherib,  and  the  circumstances  in  which  he  was  placed,  were  a  strong 
temptation  to  him  to  distrust  Gk)d.  He  might  have  said, "  Is  this  the  reward  which  my 
service  of  God  has  brought  me  ?  I  have  been  faithful  to  God's  commands.  I  have 
restored  the  temple ;  I  have  restored  the  service  of  God.  I  have  thrown  down  the  altars 
and  high  places,  and  broken  the  images  in  pieces.  Even  the  brazen  serpent,  which  the 
people  valued  so  highly  as  a  relic  of  the  past,  I  have  ground  to  powder,  because  their 
idolatry  of  it  was  dishonouring  to  God.  And  now  is  it  thus  that  Ghxi  rewards  me  ?  " 
This  is  just  the  temptation  that  our  difficulties  and  troubles  constantly  bring  to  us. 
They  tempt  us  to  distrust  God.  1.  It  is  so  in  the  growth  of  our  orjon  spiritual  life. 
How  often  the  young  beginner  in  the  Christian  life  is  discouraged  by  the  difficulties 
which  arise,  and  which  he  did  not  calculate  on !  He  finds  that  there  is  still  an  old  nature 
within  him  which  has  to  be  grappled  with  and  conquered.  He  meets,  perhaps,  with 
op{X)sition  and  discouragements  from  the  world  without,  and  perhaps  even  from  those 
from  whom  he  expected  sympathy  and  help.  These  difficulties  tempt  many  a  one  to 
distrust  Gk)d.  Many  there  are  still  who,  like  the  disciples  when  difficulties  arose,  "  go 
back,  and  walk  no  more  with"  God.  One  of  the  common  difficulties  which  tempts  us 
to  distrust  God  is  the  prosperity  of  the  wicked.  Everything  seems  to  prosper  with  men 
who  have  no  respect  for  the  Law  of  God.  The  temptation  is  for  us,  in  distrust  of  God's 
promises,  to  imitate  their  godless  practices.  We  begin  to  say,  "There  is  no  use  in  our 
being  too  scrupulous."  Ah!  what  a  mistake  that  isl  Supposing  we  had  all  their 
prosj  erity,  would  it  compensate  us  for  the  loss  of  a  quiet  conscience  ?  Prosperity  is 
dearly  bought,  business  is  dearly  bought,  for  which  we  have  to  sacrifice  one  command- 
ment of  God,  or  silence  the  still  small  voice  of  conscience  that  speaks  within.  "  What 
shall  it  profit  a  man  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his  own  soul?"  When- 
ever this  difficulty  of  the  prosperity  of  godless  men  troubles  you,  and  success  which 
seems  to  be  reached  by  questionable  and  unscrupulous  means,  remember  the  grand 
words  of  the  thirty-seventh  psalm,  "  Fret  not  thyself  because  of  evil-doers,  neither  be 
thou  envious  against  the  workers  of  iniquity.  For  they  shall  soon  be  cut  down  like  the 
grass,  and  wither  as  the  green  herb.  Commit  thy  way  unto  the  Lord  :  trust  also  in  him ; 
and  ho  will  bring  it  to  pass."  2.  In  the  same  way  there  are  difficulties  in  Christian 
v)ork.  How  common  a  thing  it  is  for  Christians,  who  make  nmch  profession  of  tlieir 
faith  in  God,  to  be  dismayed  and  discouraged  by  difficulties  that  arise!  Very  often  they 
are  hindered  from  engaging  in  Christian  work  at  all  just  by  the  difficulties  that  exist. 
1  do  not  mean  to  say  every  person  will  suit  every  kind  of  work.  There  may  be  many 
kinds  of  work  in  which  a  man  should  not  engage,  because  he  lias  no  fitness  for  them. 
I'.ut  every  ChriKtian  ought  to  be  engaged  in  some  work.  If  you  are  doing  nothing  for 
the  Matiltr,  may  we  ask  you  why?  What  is  your  reason?  What  diHiculty  is  in 
y(jur  w;iy  ?  No  difficulty  is  an  excuse  for  idleness.  You  may  think  yourself  too  young, 
or  t<jo  in(;xiK!rienc(;<i,  or  to(j  humble;  you  may  lind  others  iiard  to  work  with;  you  may 
in<;<;t  witii  iliKcouragcriient  and  opiKJsition  ;  but  no  one  <f  these  things  is  any  excuse  for 
idleness.  Il  dinicultieH  wc  re  a  reason  for  doing  nothing,  no  Christian  work  would  over 
have  l»e<-n  done — no  churclicH  built,  no  inisHiDnaiies  sent  lorlli,  no  schools  creclod — ft)r 
ihcrc  never  wa«  a  ('hnstian  work  yi  t  that  liad  not  its  dillicidti(m.  Lot  uh  leaiii  to  take 
aH  our  motto  in  ChriKtian  work,  "1  can  do  all  tilings  through  Christ  which 
htrongtii' neih  mo."  Each  one  of  you,  no  doul)t,  has  hiw  or  hor  own  diflieultioH  to 
coiiUiid  with — diflictdticH  in  your  daily  (iniployment,  dilli(-ullioH  from  thoso  you  como 
in  cituUuX  with,  troulib-H  and  nnxiotii  h  of  (-jjirit,  cares  and  worries  of  various  kindn. 
My  tncH>^e  to  you  in  thin.  I'm-  not  unduly  cant  down  by  your  dillieultiiv^.  Don't 
n>akir  too  much  of  them.  JuhI  do  with  tlioni  uh  iie/.itkiiih  did,  and  you  will  sen  how 
iwx>ii  thiy  will  diMpfwar  alto^i^cthor,  or  at  any  rat«i  they  will  Ixi  very  ooHHidurably 
fiiniiulHhed. 

II.  Ubxkkiab'i  rKATxa.   (Vunt.  14 — 10.)   Hezekiah  bod  learned  by  uxperieuoe.   At 


mLMa.l^n.]        TUB  BBOUND   BOOK  OF  TUK   KIS< 


kM  ciuc«,  and  bad  ftdvuMid  «po«  JaruMlMu,  Hwkiah  Mbt  •  n  cmm^*  i..  liiu, 
■K)uu;.  "1  hvn  oflaodadi  ratws  frooi  bm:  i*Ai  vLicL  iLi^u  i    t'.c«(  uo  Ui«  ■dl  f 

hmtr    fhanifhTlli  apiintirtii  kla  IIm  MorKiuiit  «  bosdr^  ia1«>u 

of  (rilv«r  AB<i  tbirlv  u'cuU  of  k-»t<l     IlpMkkb  «m                          >  for  OMiaM  to  tumi 

thiadanuuMl.     li  Uw  tuu.                    t  h*»  omn  i»UMr  Ak«a, 

•ad  took  Um  kill  buuM  of  I               .  (>rtdi  rutt.c;  off  ib« 

fold  from  Um  dwH*  •  ui  iW  ivui^*,  and  Umb  moi  ih\»  m  • 

to  flwninlii  rlV      H-'.  •  »odlo<  all   Uiut,   Swrtiytt  did  m^^                   ku 

waHikt  imtr-  r*  UmatoOfd  Jvntmiam.     Ti.U  litn*  ii  ^  k.Aii  acu 

difclWill  (A«  mtuktim  pf  nuJdf  fhddtm^  to  d\f.  ^i—.     Ii  U 

A  Vmmm  ■   -  wa  ytWrf  to  omr  dijlemllim,  lt>«}r  vill  n  i  .t..  v»ici   aud 

vtok  t<  ilty  jiaUod  k>  tuakaa  tke  next  uuc  i  i^.-  irr  <  <  rr«i»u 

Oat  d'  a9  far  aa«a«r  lo  orar  utua.     1.   Il'^i^rk  kd'a 

im  ^  lattar,  k««  t»  f  *tf  *nto   tki  X4>«.m  </  IJU 

Jjtr^  It   «a  «            '•!<«  Id  ^ickurM,  *«i«Ke  ^  u> 

ow  bi>  'M  *ji  our                k!u     I:   wr   Wf>[.t  t"        -ii.aaa 

Hood  or  ( I    .  —                           '     ba  otui  o'..     II- r  luh 

VM  M>«  lli  "^  Li^>  U'c  I"   till:..      N> 

ha  ffur*   '  .V — U>  iLe    !.    .BO  «f   li.a 

L<.>ru.  a  wue  oi'e.     h  t^^iuu-Xt  tia 

ihi'    •  ...-     :  — .  ■  »    '       ,Y  .     •  ••    t    ,-  ».^m 

<.'!  s  ua  that  th<rv  >•  •                                                                  m. 

1>  }.  j::  .v:.     i..  .>:ts     Law      '  '  .    '4 

c  -jwor  at>d  «ti<«e  ^'  *>• 

a  •'   fttid  f  f  th  .r  (ji»!.  -4. 

>  >  r  waal  a  :  :    tbo  Li^rd   baa    t«ru  to 

t.  1  without  -  ca?     H jW   <ftcii   hava 

«  ame  ruuuii,  aii«i  wo  juOioU  io  the  »oug  of  (ra  >«, 

ai.     :>  i«ii\  with  other  auiiuiu,  citjful,  irv'uUfti,  lumaii 

kaafU  ak.0  u^  omu,  a*  »«  UaUuicU  lu  the  wi  rda  of  everbuttiu);  life;  as  we  i.rar>i  uf 
kiiu  who  U  th«  "  Mau  oi  •»rru«t  aud  acqa.iiul«d  with  grit-f,'*  aj  we  hturi  hi:u  aatiug 
to  ua,  "  Couia  UQlo  lue,  ail  jo  that  labour  aui  are  boarj  Udcu,  and  I  will  g.vr  y^..^ 
real ;" — how  oitt-n  have  we  felt  that  the  uiOiculUcw  of  tb'  week  taittahc<d  ,  the  h  iraeoa 
of  the  week  .  .'    eucvi  ;  the  cloud  uf  aurruw  that  huug  over  oa  aaooMd  euddenlj 

to  lilt  ;  We  :.  a^aiu   with    Dew  ho;«  io  i>ur  hearia,  aod  vitk  atv  Slftaclk  !• 

•or  llTtoi  a:.u  a^uu  our  Upa,  perha{«,  were  auch  w^rd^  aa  ihc«» — 

■*  Goodneaa  and  laarriy  all  mj  UJa 
Shall  aurely  foUuw  BM, 
▲D<i  ID  Ood'a  hu«M  Urn  e»«fTa<— 
Mj  dw^ltuc  plaa*  d^U  ba"! 

AarKaJL  Aaa,  Mi  •  ifiaa  (kim§  immm§  I*  Ike  alaaa  laker*  McasMif  «•■§  la  ka  fommd. 

h  UM>re  thao   thau     2.  //•  iproatf  Ike  Wlar  k|<br«  Ua  Lord.     What  a /atiA 

iii  '  •  -riitr  •\.^.i  ahowed  1 — a  real  pfvaanee,  tadaad,  not  of  body,  but  of  that  evt«- 

ttfTKiii  bpir.'.  Li  we  lire  aod  luoTe  aud  have  ov  bainc  !     What  a  cvofrieuca 

U  t.*:  w-^'  :  n«t  m  tke  affaira  lA  all  hia  (xofdal     What  a  Wao::  :t  i<  f  r  ua 

ai:  '  -  eau  do  wttk  imr  JtJficuUtm  M  la  apraafd  Ckaai  0%:  d. 

h'      k  :.  lo  apresad  ihctu  out  ufure  htm,  aotue  of  tliom  wi..  ..y 

»  ^  a^A/ai,  uaidly  Worth  a^irvaidiug,  and  the  Terj  act  of  duinc  *u  ik.~>  urui^ 

u.-  it    whairvrr  It  luay  be  that  ^ivi«  ua  txuubla,  evaa  tboufb  it   be  a  amall 

II  .  that  haa  beao  aakl  about  o^  ad  uo|ileaaaot  Irt'.rr  that  wa 

ka«  rl  [urn  in  butinaaa,  Jaf  aa  mrmd  it  mU  U^ort  U-.-i.     Yooi 

Buuaay  Uiuruin^  oe  ore  y>Ki  go  into  OvAl'a  bouae,  Wuold  ba  well  apant  lu  ihiuktig  ovcc 
ib*  mawMi  Toa  bava  to  ihaLik  Oud  (or,  t  e  aina  y^u  have  to  O0olaa«,at.d  iiic  aidicultiM 
which  troabia  joa,  and  tben  >ou  woulid  cu  iuto  Ood'a  booaa  aakioc  ja»t  fur  what  yua 
aaad.  I  know  a  awaai  of  Oud  who  ton  mm  ibat  ba  alwaya  naada  it  a  ru  e  u>  be  to 
bia  place  it)  eb'irek  at  laaat  fire  mioaiaa  belora  tba  aarrioa  bafan.  That  i^itv  hia 
ttBi^  ka  m^  iw  oaim  kk  Biad,  and  to  laok  iaio  kto  owb  kaan.    Tka  fo^  aoati  iLm 


S96  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [ch.  xn.  1—37. 


fell  OB  prepared  gronnd,  and  he  said  that  wheneTer  he  did  not  do  to,  he  did  not  get  at 

all  10  much  benefit  from  the  serrice. 

•*  What  a  Friend  we  have  in  Jesut, 

All  onr  sins  and  griefs  to  bear  I 
What  a  privilege  to  carry 

Everything  to  God  in*  prayer  I 
Oh,  what  peace  we  often  forfeit. 

Oh,  what  needless  pain  we  bear,— 
All  becauee  we  do  not  carry 

Everything  to  God  in  prayer  I" 

Hezekiah's  confidence  in  God  had  two  results.  (1)  It  encouraged  othert.  He  gathernd 
the  captains  of  war  together  in  the  street,  and  said  to  them,  "  Be  strong  and  courageous, 
be  not  afraid  nor  dismayed  for  the  King  of  Assyria,  nor  for  all  the  multitude  that  is 
with  him :  for  there  he  more  with  us  than  with  him :  vrith  him  is  an  arm  of  flesh ; 
but  with  us  is  the  Lord  our  Ood  to  help  us,  and  to  right  our  battles  "  (2  Chron.  xxxii. 
7,  8).  And  so  great  was  the  confidence  which  the  words  of  the  king  inspired,  that  we 
are  told  that  all  the  people  rested  themselves  upon  the  words  of  Hezekiah  King  of 
Judah.  What  a  power  the  quiet  influence  of  one  believing  man  can  exercise !  What 
a  power  it  gives  us  to  live  near  to  God!  (2)  Their  confidence  ivas  not  misplaced. 
God's  people  never  trust  in  him  in  vain.  Hezekiah' s  prayer  was  answered.  That  very 
ni<i'ht  the  angel  of  the  Lord  went  out  and  smote  in  the  camp  of  the  Assyrians  a  hundred 
and  eighty-five  thousand  men. 

"  Like  the  leaves  of  the  forest  when  snmmer  is  green. 
That  host  with  their  banners  at  sunset  were  seen : 
I^ike  the  leaves  of  the  forest  when  autumn  hath  blown. 
That  host  on  the  morrow  lay  wither'd  and  strown. 

"For  the  Angel  of  Death  spread  liis  wings  on  the  blast, 
And  breathed  in  the  face  of  the  foe  as  he  pass'd  ; 
And  the  eyes  of  the  sleepers  wax'd  deadly  and  chill, 
And  their  hearts  but  onoe  heaved,  and  for  ever  were  still  t 

•*  And  the  widows  of  Asshur  are  loud  in  their  wail, 
And  the  idols  are  broke  in  the  temple  of  Baal ; 
And  the  miglit  of  the  Qeutile,  unsmote  by  the  sword. 
Hath  melted  like  snow  in  the  glauee  of  the  Lord  1 " 

^et  us  learn  from  this  lesson  that  there  is  nothing  too  hard  for  God-  Let  ns  ask 
his  help  and  guidance  in  every  undertaking  and  event  of  life.  Let  us  abide  in  his 
presence  continually.  Let  us  cling  closer  to  the  Rock  of  Ai^es.  And  then,  come  weal 
or  come  w(je,  come  sickness  or  come  health,  come  adversity  or  come  success,  we  shall 
alwa\  8  be  resigned  to  our  Father's  will,  and  shall  possess  within  our  hearts  the  peace 
which  pabseth  all  understanding. — 0.  H.  L 

Vers.  1 — 87. — A  nation*»  calamttte$,  counsellor,  and  Ood.  "And  it  came  to  pass, 
when  King  Il'zokiah  hoard  it,  tliat  he  rent  his  clothes,"  etc.  Our  pnri)08e  in  our  sketches 
on  this  bojk  has  not  allowed  us  to  inquire  into  all  the  minute  particulars  of  the 
charactcrH  <>r  events  recorded,  or  into  the  authorship  of  the  book,  or  into  the  right  of 
the  prophet  or  firophets  so  frequently  to  say,  "Thussaitli  tlie  Lonl,"  but  simply  in 
the  oriefeHt  way  to  dcvrilop  for  practical  pur|KmeH  the  truths  either  oxj)resscd  or 
Hugge»te<i.  In  this  cliapter  wo  hiivo  three  monientoiiH  ovenis  rrcorded — the  torriblo 
calamity  to  wliicii  JeruHalcm  was  oxi»os»!<l ;  the  utter  (lestrnction  of  the  Assyrian  army; 
unrl  the  death  of  Sennacliorib  tlio  AHsyrian  despot.  Tho  whole  should  1)«  read  in 
connection  with  Isa.  xxxvii.  Wc!  have  hero  for  notieo  four  Buhjocts  of  thonght — tho 
fxjjosure  of  a  nation  Uj  an  r)verwh<'liiiin;:  calamity;  the  bles-iinj;;  to  a  iiaticm  of  a  ruU'r 
who  looks  to  llcavin  fir  hflp;  the  advantit^^o  to  a  nation  of  a  truly  wise  counsellor;  and 
the  ■treti|,;t)i  "f  a  nation  that  has  tho  true  (}o<l  on  its  side. 

L  The  kxi-ohl-kk  or  a  natmn  to  an  ovkuwiikmiinu  oai, amity.  1.  The  naturt  of 
the  threai<-n<«l  calaroitv.  It  wuh  the  inviwKioii  of  thu  Kin;;  of  Assyria.  Thin  wan 
annuuocod  ui  ■tartluig  UtnuM  and  in  a  haughty  and  ruthleiM  Bpint  by  the  mMsengers 


«iL  su.  1--9T0   THB  BIOOND  BOOK  OF  TUB  KINO&  Mt 

i/8n.n\<iit*^><  '"ni   •  •♦  «'l  fr  t.-^Ak   U->  TlrirWah   K\ng  of  Jiadak.  «Tln£.  l^\  aei 

6r-  J  on  bb 

«k  -  uf    tba 

»  Tb. 

o:  ^     lu 

a  :       .  *«•  Ki<fUri4 

«!  ■•■ttmn  ^  titt 

r  .     ",i;i     •    I      ••-•''K      in:'   r.       "  K^A    U 

At   he  rriii   Uu  cloChok,   aod    ruvrr«4 

.jT  Ibe  L.i»xi.     An.lli©*-'    ^^'-^-n, 

»  KTibe,  *(m1   (he  rliim  > '.                     .^ 

»  V  ^   ikin  i/  AoKdL     Atid  tic. __to 

hi  t'le"  (Term.  1—3).     I'ii*  reodtog 

the  hf  rL     (  .y 

u/ Uu.iL4<.  &:  ! 

tbora  is  :  '*  ttist  uf  a 

wbtiee  •:,,■.:  .,   at  t':*-   : 

rvqu.r«.\l   U>    ;  ^c    «•• 

Ooii »•<-)•.  d   tt'  <>f  th« 

kiOi:ii«  It 

iOlil!!!!  .% 

A>>  -I    :-i.-rj.-. -u  u  l'->r   ■                                                           i 

•  ti;  "       lie  0    U    UlUJT    (U- 
tx:> 

I  ^9  TO  ▲   VATloa    or  A    KUt.BB  WBO   LOOKS    TO    JIeaTKV     rOB    KTUF. 

w  .':-       - .,.--.._.   .      >    ..    ..      ,^, 

t^c  A 

tli  .:'!,..    iuc    JV-L..:    ''i                                                                   i    '    ,    »«-.a.                                             U 

di'  lutu  tlie  huUM)  of                                      '-  prayed.     "A                    .b 

rt>  -  .  f  f.  ^  t  ..  ,  .f  f                                      id  it:  n\'\  n.                 r-  .1 

u;  rd.     A&ii                               '^ 

b  'vpr«.    I         .  _  ..      .^    iLii 

•  '  Kad  i4(ut  Kgn,mi.  li« 
•i:  '.i-c  MAker  i>f  **beArcn 
AOii  earth,"  ti.«-  i>tu  ana  uiiiy  Lord.  t.  iit  -  Ai«  otMi  aoW  to 
dttiprr  iKe  f.u  :-]/  •*  N".  *  thtT' fnr«,  0  1.  e,  MTe  thou  im 
out  o(  bu  i...  :<<mt  of  tL'  •  .  ^n  the  Lurd 
Utxl,  evei:  ;:  -  st  pit-as  !•  .  "aT  tK- •« 
liiat    are   ta  >      .       .       .  •  ua>cr    '                  :& 

•  Hi»!!..w~i  ..  -  I  .  Wh*^.  w  ^i 
hu'  .  •  tiic  LLuii.  wuo  rvlic*  uLi  L.-«  "Vku  J.  W'.r  Uid  tk  ■  ci  Lf 
Ok  r,  and  e^rk*  tu  socura  it  iu  thr  ;>»>.  -»i'  n  aitd  e>  all  ita 
ri.  ■              :  L.f  <•  li.' 

tr  u  •  t ..    a  .  .   I *_• ; ;.. 

<  C  1  ^  I    •    - 

r.   TO  A   Va  Y  Wits   OOlSttLUM.      A\lX  ffUfB  hii 

»u^  '-  fairl)    uij.  --  •'-    -  .-.--     <  ^   -w^ 

All  ..  ^  .,  .  '                                                                          .ije 

A 

(».        . 

tlic    1       .        •  ■                                                          i                        ■                                    .     ■»'i 

Cttfturmid  Tuiea  ur  ma  mam  rwmv^,  cmm*  am  rnggmti  bm  hmi  tt  t               r~.     He  uAiv 


898  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.       [oh.  xix.  1—37. 

b  the  true  counsellor  of  men  who  gets  his  wisdom  from  ahove.  Whence  do  the 
advisers  of  sovereigns  get  their  instructions  ?  From  hoary  precedents  or  the  fallible 
conclusions  of  their  own  feeble  minds;  and  not  directly  from  above.  Hence  the 
incessant  blunders  of  cabinets,  and  the  scandal  in  these  days  of  one  political  party 
dunouncing  the  blunders  and  professing  to  correct  the  mistakes  of  the  other.  2,  What 
he  received  from  heaven  he  communicated  to  men.  In  the  communication :  (1)  "  Sen- 
nacherib is  apostrophized  in  a  highly  poetic  strain  admirably  descriptive  of  the  tnrgid 
vanity,  haughty  pretensions,  and  heartless  impiety  of  this  despot.  'The  virgin  the 
daughter  of  Zion  hath  despised  thee,  and  laughed  thee  to  scorn;  the  daughter  of 
Jerusalem  hath  shaken  her  head  at  thee,*  etc.  (vers.  21 — 28).  (2)  Hezekiah  himself 
is  personally  addressed,  and  a  sign  given  him  of  coming  deliverance.  He  is  told  that 
for  two  years  the  presence  of  the  enemy  would  interrupt  the  peaceful  pursuits  of 
husbandry,  but  in  the  third  year  the  people  would  be  in  circumstances  to  till  the 
earth,  plant  the  vineyards,  and  reap  the  fruits,  as  formerly.  *  And  this  shall  be  a  sign 
nnto  thee,  Ye  shall  eat  this  year  such  things  as  grow  of  themselves,  and  in  the  second 
year  that  which  springeth  of  the  same ;  and  in  the  third  year  sow  ye,  and  reap,  and 
plant  vineyards,  and  eat  the  fruits  thereof,*  etc.  (vers.  29 — 31).  (3)  The  issue  of 
Sennacherib's  invasion  is  announced.  'Thus  saith  the  Lord  concerning  the  King 
of  Assyria,  He  shall  not  come  into  this  city,  nor  shoot  an  arrow  there,  nor  come  before 
it  with  shield,  nor  cast  a  bank  against  it.  By  the  way  that  he  came,  by  the  same 
ghall  he  return,'  etc.  (vers.  32 — 34)  "  (Dr.  Jamieson).  Such  was  the  communication 
which,  in  language  passionate,  poetic,  and  powerful,  Isaiah  made  to  this  perplexed  and 
terrified  nation.  It  involve*  two  things :  (a)  the  deliverance  of  bis  country ;  (6)  the 
ruin  of  the  despot. 

IV.  Thb  stbenqth  of  a  kation  that  has  God  on  its  bide.    Who  delivered  the 
imperilled  nation?    Who  overwhelmed  the  despot?    "The  zeal  of  the  Lord  of  hosts." 

*  And  it  came  to  pass  that  night,  that  the  angel  of  the  Lord  went  out,  and  smote  ia 
the  camp  of  the  Assyrians  an  hundred  four  score  and  five  thousand :  and  when  they 
arose  early  in  the  morning,  behold,  they  were  all  dead  corpses,"  etc.  (vers.  35 — 37). 
Who  was  the  "  angel  of  the  Lord  "  ?  Was  it  some  transcendent  personality,  or  some 
tremendous  force  in  nature,  such  as  a  pestiferous  blast,  or  an  electric  bolt?  It  matters 
not ;  the  "  angel "  was  but  the  instrument  in  the  band  of  God.  1.  How  swiftly  was 
the  deliverance  effected/  *' That  night."  What  a  night  was  that! — one  of  the  most 
memorable  nights  of  the  world.  Perhaps  the  whole  was  effected  even  in  one  single 
hour,  or  even  in  one  instant  of  that  night.  2.  How  terrible  the  ruin  which  that 
deliverance  effected/  •'An  hundred  fuur  score  and  five  thousand  mou"  destroyed.  Ai 
night,  a  glittering  array ;  in  the  morning,  "dead  corpses." 

*  Like  the  leaves  of  the  forest  when  summer  la  green, 
That  host  with  their  banners  at  sunset  were  seen  : 
Like  the  leaves  of  the  forcat  when  autumn  hath  blowU) 
That  host  on  the  morrow  lay  witber'd  and  strown." 

H^  w  rapidly  God  can  do  his  work  I  he  can  annihilate  a  universe  in  the  twinkling  of 
an  eye.  I'ehold  a  mystery  I  Why  should  these  hundred  and  eighty-five  thousand  be 
thuB  deatroy«id  on  account  of  the  conduct  of  one  man—Sennaoherib ? 

"  God  ia  his  own  Interpreter, 
And  ho  will  make  it  pliiin." 

The  forty-nixth  pRalm  Is  mipposcd  to  be  the  triumphant  outburst  of  the  delivered 
TK'ople.  "G<i(l  iH  our  IJcfiige  and  Strenpth,  a  very  present  Help  in  trouble.  .  .  .  Tl:e 
iKTithen  ragwl,  the  kingdoma  were  moved:  he  uttered  his  voice,  the  earth  molted." 
ThiH  Sr-nnaclicril),  thia  ruthlc^aa  despot,  doca  not  soera  to  have  fallen  with  the  others. 
UIh  lxj<!y  woM  n(jt  foiind  amon^^Ht  tku  dcail  corjm<'8.  Albeit,  ho  did  not  cacapo. 
"S)  Kcimachorib  King  of  AHHyria  departed,  and  wont  and  returned,  and  dwelt  at 
Niii'.vch.  And  St  came  to  puna,  an  ho  waa  woraliipping  in  the  house  of  Nisroch  iiia 
O'"*!,  tliat  Adrammcifch  and  Hliarorer  bin  Hona  amoto  hitn  with  tlieaword:  and  thoy 
t»c.A\>»A  \nU>  the  iatid  of  Aniifnia.  And  Kaiirhaddon  his  aon  roigncd  in  his  Htoiid" 
(vcrH.  86,  87).     What  grcatttr  calamity  could  befall  a  man  than  to  be  murdered  l^  hia 

•  WQ  Mas?— D.  T. 


«i.  TXT.  1-37.)      THl  BROOND  BOOK  OF  THl 


V     '^   1— T.— /7wK«A  »nd  FmiaX.     Th«  a  ■— ■■  wbnm  TTi— fcfati   k^  »(.t 

h»vi!  g  rrtoraad  iOd  r»p.'ti*i  u.  htm  tha  ».irli  ..f  K*h«'  »»ah  (cK  «TtU.  S7 

**»   !     'ttfid  !•  «M|«ika  lo  duUoM.      W«  u»T«  bow  Uj  ofaftTT*   hk   baU*  >^ 

tfXiul'  r. 

I.    UriKUH*.    •KiEr.      1.    m  -mtmtd    tkt    tiffm$    y  ^stpml  memmirr      The 

I**'  '  tiieir  ck>th««  reoL     HTitlrtah  Do*  tmmx  > 

*^'-  111*  humilLuka  wm  liiiMra.     Tb*  « 

*****~'°»      0  ^uo«    cwikl  dollar         Ihw 

mooMol  ci  \l>^  { 
>  hnof  kia,  aL 

ukUi,  4attv«raDo*  «&^»  a  •  ml 

^'                                                                             «  Boom  or  Um  Lord."  rMthM- 

•^  Mm  do  th*  «        . .  .ut^f^uf  V.  h... 

rvrry   .na.ura^rmrtii  i  ^ih   our   truuMo.  (P^  id.   16).  .;.d  ootbinc 

»...  frt  th«.h.^rt  !  ke  J.  ir  .orrowi  beloc*  him  (PhU.  U.  6,  7).     Pnj«r 

^  *'  '  "It  in  tiiiioB  of  ciirrmitv. 

''  "'"  "^  '^AiAH.     li,  addition  t..  rrmvi  ir  himself  to  O--!,  net«ki«'i 

•^"''^^  u.  Isaiah,  ton  .r»ioo  for  tU  c  it,    L  //« 

•"*<^»  f*>  '  iV.T  for  .ome  .  and  Isaiah  Lad  ,.ot  a,.., 

»''"<^n  o»  '•  -    ounaela  bad  yt^wv^i  ;.    Hi.  d. 

^[  ^'^'^  *J  have  been  noeirt,:  .     or  (I«a.  ^ 

a.>T»ce  Oort*.my   1  :.  „or  can  it  lave  U^u  «iih  hi*  .t 

Hefl«kiah  made  Iim  ...  8fnnacL.rib.     Now,  in  th«  bou;     . 

UeMkub  ti-nds  on.,-  i.^.  re  i..  rj  i:..  iie  h<ndi  hU  highest  offict-r^— the  laiua  wi^  L*.i 
conferred  wul.  lUbshakeh— and  the  elders  of  the  prirsta.  AU  went  eoTaivd  with 
•ackclotli,  in  token  of  their  ^^^ruf,  penitence,  and  '  ;.  of  h«ul,     Thia  is  what 

oft«-n  bappena.     G^d's  terranta  are  not  apj.re.ia:.  .our  of  ral  ne«d  oaiD<^«: 

then  meu  are  glad  t-  get  tht-ir  couus^ls  ai-d  tUir  i  >•..:».  h  would  i.  «cll  if  In  the 
i.u  met  of  state  affairs  resi*  tt  wm-  p»id  to  the  counsels  of  re  i  i.-n  e  .-  •  r  It  wou'd 
MTe  many  a  bitt<r  hour  afterwards.  2.  He  maim /uU  amfn»im  •  f  ta,  ud  tttat*. 
A  cnai.  ha  i  come  in  which  thrre  waa  no  ray  of  human  hope.  From  "Hetckiah's  dd« 
It  was  a  day  of  -  trt.uble  "-of  deep  distrese  and  mortification  ;  from  God's  aide  U  was 
•  day  of  " chastisement  -  (Hoa.  t.  2,  "I  am  a  Rrbuker  of  them  aU"):  from  th«  iid« 
uf  the  Assyrian,  it  was  a  day  of  -  bl^s;  hemy  "-.  f  in  :  i-.us  Taunting  against  Jeborah. 
And  I.ke  a  woman  in  i«ins  of  childbirth,  wi-  gth  for  dSTerr,  they  hsd  no 

meana  of  bnngmg  themselves  out  of  their  per  n.    -Th«  meui-  or  exprwMa 

In  tha  BOit  afltcUng  manner,  the  ideas  of  ti  ,  ain,  immfaMot  dancer  oriticnl 
•niergency,  att«;  wedkneea,  and  entire  d.pen  ei..  :,  ..«  »,d  o{  other*  "  (Alexander! 
The  spirit  of  self-irust  is  now  utterly  slain.  In  making  thU  ooaf««ioii.  Hesekiah 
ownei  that  Isauh  was  ri-ht.  and  he  had  all  along  been  wrong.  «.  He  entrtatt  lAe 
m>*ers  pr^ftrt.  Herekuh's  one  hope  now  was  that,  for  hto  own  gkrr'i  sakeu 
w*Tl!r  T*T  ™I"«^«  »^«  blasphemous  ^.  rds  which  Babshakeb  bad  uttered,  aad 
be  beaougbt  Iniab  to  lift  up  hu  prayer  for  th,-  r,nmaat  of  Javi  sUU  left  It  is  a 
tru.-  instrna  of  the  soul  which  le»is  us  to  w-ek  the  intarorwiaa  oo  our  behalf  of  th.«e 
who  siaud  nearer  to  Gu-l  than  i.ur*<rlvea.     -  The  etfectml  ferrant  prayer  of  a  righteooa 

him  (E.cmL  vu,^28;  iL  16);  Mo*»  on  Tarious  occaaiooa' intartieded  for  the  peupb 
(Eiod.  ixxiL  .iO-^;  Deuc  ix.  12-20);  EUjab  inl«ft«)«|  for  the  land  of  IsS 
(1  Kmgs  XTUL  11—46);  the  high  priest  in.ere^ied  for  the  trib^:  and  Chriat  nov 
intero«le«  tor  us  (Rom.  Tiii.  34 ;  1  John  iL  1).  We  cannot  Uy  too  much  atfwas  <w 
wlff?nr  alF'^LV'^  '*'L^  ^  *?*'"""  U)  get  an  intareat  in  the  pcayen  ol  the  holy. 
H«ekiah  did  waU  in  joining  with  his  own  prayers  thk  i«qo»t  foTtbe  intrrfarimi  of 


IIL  Th«  norarr's  «rn.T.  Wa  hava  alrm<^y  mui  fevqanttr  aaaa  ho*  r«Mly  0«i 
la  to  rBB;vnd  to  the  faintest  moTenenU  of  the  soul  to*aftla  him.  The  proc4et  did 
aot  asod  thoaa  «ho  now  «Migbt  bun  away  wiihoiu  aomfan.     Us  gav*  il«a  •  L  A 


4O0  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINQa        [ch.  xix.  1— 37. 

word  of  ensouragement.  "  Be  not  afraid,"  etc.  In  his  own  heroic  trust  Isaiah  had 
never  faltered.  Such  trust  is  contagious.  The  words  which  Isaiah  spoke  would  send 
a  new  thrill  of  hope  to  the  hearts  of  the  messengers.  How  marvellous  a  thing  is  faith 
in  God!  How  it  supports  a  man's  own  soul,  lifts  him  above  ordinary,  and  even 
extraordinary,  discouragements,  and  makes  him  firm  as  a  rook  when  others  are 
trembling  and  despairing  around  (of.  Ps.  xlvi.)l  2.  An  assurance  of  deliverance.  In 
the  name  of  God,  Isaiah  was  able  to  give  them,  further,  an  assurance  that  Sennacherib 
would  do  them  no  hurt.  God  would  put  a  spirit  in  him,  and  would  cause  him  to  hear 
tidings  which  would  make  him  depart  into  his  own  land,  and  there  he  would  perish 
with  the  sword.  Nothing  is  said  as  yet  of  the  destruction  of  the  army,  unless,  indeed, 
it  is  the  tidings  of  that  which  Sennacherib  was  to  hear.  Another  boasting  message  of 
Sennacherib  and  another  prayer  of  Hezekiah  come  in  between  this  promise  and  the 
final  and  fuller  one. — J.  0. 

Vers.  8 — 19. — SennacheriVs  letter.  While  the  foregoing  events  were  taking  place, 
Eabshakeh  had  returned  to  his  royal  master.  The  siege  of  Lachish  had  been  con- 
cluded— adding  another  to  the  score  of  victories — and  Sennacherib  was  now  at  Libnah, 
Here  the  news  came  that  Tirhakah  was  on  his  march  against  him,  and  naturally 
Sennacherib  wished  to  secure  the  capitulation  of  Jerusalem  before  the  Etldopian  could 
arrive.  To  this  end  he  sent  another  message  to  Hezekiah — this  time  in  the  form  of 
a  letter — renewing  the  attempt  to  frighten  the  Jewish  king  into  surrender. 

I.  Sennacherib's  proud  boastings.  The  letter  is  an  echo  of  the  speech  of  Kab- 
shakeh,  and  is  couched  in  the  same  boastful  spirit.  1.  He  makes  light  of  the  power  of 
Jehovah.  **  Let  not  thy  God  in  whom  thou  trustest  deceive  thee,"  etc.  Sennacherib 
assumes  that  Hezekiah  may  have  received  true  oracles  from  his  God,  but  he  warns 
him  not  to  trust  them.  In  his  arrogance,  he  defies  all  gods  as  well  as  men.  To  him 
Jehovah  was  but  one  god  among  many — the  god  of  one  small  nation — not  for  a 
moment  to  be  compand  with  the  powerful  Asshur.  His  idea  of  the  morality  of  the 
gfKls  is  .-een  in  the  supposition  that  they  practised  deceit  upon  their  worshippers. 

2.  He  extols  his  own  prowess.  He  again  recounts  the  victories  which  he  and  previous 
kings  of  Assyria  had  gained.  Their  conquests  had  extended  to  all  lands ;  gods  and 
kings  had  everywhere  gone  down  before  them  :  how  should  Hezekiah  escape  ?  As  an 
induction,  Sennacherib's  argument  seems  very  complete.  The  countries  he  names  had 
been  conquered ;  their  gods  had  not  availed  to  save  them  ;  their  kings  had  been  over- 
thrown.    Logic  seemed  on  his  side.    Only  faith  could  furnish  a  sufficient  answer. 

3.  He  is  certain  beforehand  of  victory.  In  his  assurance  that  he  would  overcome 
Hezekiah,  Seimacherib  is  the  tyi)e  of  many  boasters.  Often  has  the  voice  of  the 
adversary  been  raised  in  exultation  at  his  prospective  victory  over  the  people  of  God. 
Paganism,  Mohammedanism,  and  infidelity  have  each  boasted  that  they  would  extinguish 
Christianity.  Voltaire  predicted  that  in  a  century  from  his  time  the  Bible  would  be 
found  only  in  antiquarian  libraries.  The  same  scoffer  said  that  it  took  twelve  men  to 
found  Christianity,  but  he  would  show  that  one  man  was  sufficient  to  overthrow  it. 
Modern  unbelieving  science  sometimes  speaks  in  the  same  strain.  The  argument 
per  enumeratifjnem  is  often  employed,  as  it  was  by  Sennacherib.  All  otlier  religions 
show  a  tend'-ncy  to  collapse ;  their  miracles  are  exploded,  belief  in  witchcraft,  etc., 
<li«apiK;ars  b(  fore  the  march  of  enlightenment;  therefore  Christianity  cannot  hope  to 
stand.  liut  arrogance  is  a  bad  prophet.  "  Before  honour  is  humility;"  but  "pride 
goeth  before  dcstiuction,  and  a  haughty  spirit  befop'  a  fall  "  (Prov.  xvi.  18;  xviii.  12), 
li  was  HO  with  Sennacherib,  and  it  will  bo  found  to  be  so  by  his  -iiodorn  imitators. 

II.  IIkzkkiah'h  pkavkh.  When  Hezekiah  received  this  iusultinj;  ejiistlc,  he  went  as 
before  to  the  temple,  and  spread  it  out  before  the  Ijord.  lie  did  as  we  should  all  do 
with  our  troubles,  ciirrie<l  it  straight  to  the  presence-chamber.  God  in  truth  knows  all 
we  have  need  of  before  wi'  a.sk  him;  but  that  is  no  reason  why  wo  sliould  not  present 
our  jHjtitions.  0<xl  know  all  that  was  iu  this  boastful  htter;  but  that  was  no  reason 
why  Hezekiah  should  not  place  it  before  him,  and  make  its  contents  the  basis  of  his 
prayer,  'i'he  prayer  ho  olTered  amUuncA:  1.  An  arknoiohdgineut  <f  God's  Hupremacy. 
To  Sennacherib's  falMo  idea  of  Jdiovah,  Hezekiah  opposes  the  true  one.  The  Lord  God 
of  Inraol  wwt  no  loc»l  deity,  but  the  God  ol  the  wliolo  earth.  (1)  lie  is  the  God  of 
rovelatioo.     "  0  Lord  God  of  Liraol,  which  aittust  upon  the  cherubim."     It  wm  becauae 


OL  aix.  1-37.J       TUJC  BLOUKD  BOOK  OF  IIUL  KlUQB. 


«M 


ll   lirMk    . 


'  to  uffor  Up  thi- 
ir«  wo  ftl 


•*  Tiiuu  ftr 
it  inrolv.  '  .•.  tt 

OUt<  Wl 

•vditc,  ^ 
biatory.     '1 : 

kn  v»S.!.-.  I 

h;. 

r  . 

•»tli,  U  be  '.:.' 

he  can  do  all  ilimga  f»r  uh 

Stnuacherib'B/aH  !■  y.     Ih-i 


1  in  tn  •  t: 
N  .in  be  its  -I 

ixvaiis*-  (koi   IS   the  Aliu  ghly  ili 
:iL-«;  ami  '^--auae  be  U  Lurd  id  nai  . 
t;rk-   (I'-        V.    1,  2;  czxxv.  6,  d).     2.   A',     j; 
.ki'   :  1  -  .\  .to  the  tacU  rectt«d  by  S'  i.i.-i 

ducit  be  attempt  to  U  1  tHe  ihtui  iu  a:iy  way.     "Of  a  Irutb,  Lorvi,"  be  say*,  "  t 
of  Aaayria  Kave  «!L-in'yod  the  natiouit  ant  ih*lr  landa.**     No  vooJ  cau  ouiue  of 


ua 

all 

►^  ^-f  m 

ID  th« 

.     i 

t  it  of 

;.ur 


to  look  facu  10  tbe  fnce.     It  I  a^  <  f 
lietD  made  to  deor,  explain  awav,  or 

t..       -       '  ■  •  -'    '■ 

illVa:  i.in.  V      • 

(acta,  :iO'i  tu 
e.st!kbliabe(i,  lu..,  - 
tb<'m.     Truth  m 
resting  on  \\-  ■  ^^ 
evidence.     ! 
upon  thr  fal 


mauy  uatiotia,  and  cast  their  gLMlti  into  tbe  fire;  but  why  ?     b>-ca  i 


\  iu   a]iologetu-6  tbat  the  att/r.':i]  ■.    ;.  .a 

t  le  forue  of  lacta  wMch  were  m.    ;•       I 

'  y.,  or  hicti  of  biatury  ur  t.  ,;a.»a 

Tbls  procedur--  \i  uiiwi*<r,  ati<l 

<•   ire  e.titleid  to  a«k  for  (inxif  of  allej;»i 

pr>>uf  is  gi^eo;  but  when   the    acta  ar« 

•  I  I'ur  tb©orit»i<  widened  to  fi  ,d  roiu  fur 

t  with  tru;h  in  ano  h  r,  and  reii.'ion, 

'i   ro  deal   fairly   with  <•■•    -  ^t 

v\%\  but  he  pu:   :  >  •  •« 

A-oyriaus  had  lud  >-  •« 


tJ.rv  ha: 


but  tbe  work  (>{  lue.'s  bands,  wood  and  stone.     'Ilu 
It  was  different  when  they  bad  to  deal  with  tbe  tr 
earth.     The  error  of  mcJorn  tinbelief  '\&  'iistiniriUM  i 
error  of  S<^-unacberib.     ^  rib  attnbued  a  reantv 

none.     Yet  it  ajrrees  «  i-  .  herib  m  denying  t..  J.  h 

one  Urine  God  of  nature,  [-rovivuuce,  an<l  grace.  I'.i  • 
be  la,  aita  that  he  is  the  R<- warder  of  them  tbat  <:. 
Denying  thia  trutl  f  tkoffs  at  ni.jji.-u,  at  the  iJiil.  lewia.i 

denoe,  uiiracles,  It  trwRt-  the  oontidence  of  ("hri*  i 

v^tem,  iind  moc  •     i 
if  there  is  no  '. 
r  «  rea^serus  ii-H-ii.     ~s.    An  argument /or 
^  for  the  belief  that  G<<i  can  interpuae, 
ierpoee.     (1)  The  *"--'  ^      '         aourofl.i 
Sennacherib  had  in  bia  pride  an;  *  •*  reprua. 

reason  wny  Oud  should  reve.d  hui•^.^i  lu  ui-   ir  ."    ■ 
fiture.    Tbe  blaspbetn  >us  in  ;e    f  the  creature  ex 


•s 

.       ,  m. 

Ma-.er  uf  heaven  aitd 

,   yet   kmdre^i   with,  f  • 

ns  ^oiis ;   i.i.t'e..  f  aJlowa 

h>  true  chara  t.  r  a»  the 

•  to  iJod,  beh-  \e«  **  that 

ek  him  "  (Hrh.  xi.  6^ 

.It  ;  v|. 


ill 
ta 

IU'        ' 

sb.--, 

wh>    lie  * 


beir 

Je 


'ht    iiw 


only."     ii  i- 
tnerit  to  urge,  ■ 
to  tuem  for  bis 


A  second  reai^jQ  wa-  tiiat, 
X   _'rand  le.-vson  of  bin  side 
'  of  the  e:ir'. "f,  !.  .1         .  '■* 
.  which   i 
•  -wnor  ll'  I 

ru  Name*!  aake. — J.  U. 


:nat 
aa  a 

:\- 

■I  I 


Vers    ?(>— S4.— /saioA's  orae^     Gid  is  tbe  Hearer  of  prayer.     Aj  la  the  case  of 

Da  lal  (I>au.  Ix.  20),  wbiU  Hetekiah  was  still  spi-aklng.  an  answer  waa  sent  to  bim 

ihrv.  .({li  l^aiab  the  j  -  phet  (cf.  cb.  xi    4).     Thus  al*.  an-w.  n»  to  prayer  wer»  arnt  ib 

the  C&M3S  of  Paul  (Acu  ix.  10— lb;  and  Coruaius  (Acu  x.  l—Sy     ImiMh  was  ihe  eoa 

a.  Kuioft.  f  9 


402  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINOa       [oh.  xnc  1—37, 

person  whose  feith  had  remained  unshaken  through  all  this  crisis.  But  it  is  not  merely 
Isaiah's  confidence  which  speaks  in  this  composition.  He  brought  to  the  king  a  direct 
*'  word  of  God."  His  oracle  is  one  of  surpassing  beauty,  grand  and  sustained  in  style, 
and  expressing  the  greatest  truths. 

I.  ZiON^s  DEBI8I0N  OF  THE  INVADEB.  The  introductory  picture  is  very  striking. 
The  city  Jerusalem  is  represented  as  a  maiden,  standing  on  a  height,  derision  imprinted 
on  every  feature,  slmking  her  head,  and  sending  out  bursts  of  mocking  laughter  after 
the  retreating  Sennacherib.  Is  she  insane  ?  So  to  the  world  it  might  have  seemed. 
Insane  at  least  it  might  appear  to  draw  such  a  picture  at  a  time  when  the  condition  of 
the  city  seemed  past  salvation.  But  faith's  manifestations  often  seem  like  madness  to 
the  worldly  (Acts  xxvi.  24 ;  2  Cor.  v.  13).  Faith  triumphs  beforehand  over  all  the 
power  of  the  enemy  (Luke  x.  19,  20).  It  does  not  need  to  wait  to  see  their  overthrow; 
it  is  assured  of  it  as  if  it  had  already  happened.  The  strength  of  faith  is  seen  in  the 
degree  in  which  it  enables  its  possessor  to  rise  above  adverse  circumstances.  In  its 
higher  reaches  it  can  not  only  hope  and  wait,  but  exults  and  treats  the  threats  of  the 
enemy  with  ridicule  and  scorn  (cf.  Ps.  ii.  4). 

n.  Sennachebib  as  glassed  in  his  own  eyes.  Jehovah  next  asserts  himself  as 
"  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,"  and  takes  Sennacherib  to  task  for  his  blasphemien  against 
him.  He  puts  language  into  Sennacherib's  lips  poetically  expressive  of  that  monarch's 
lofty  ideas  of  his  own  power.  Alluding  both  to  what  he  has  done  and  to  what  he 
intends  to  do,  Sennacherib  boasts,  "  With  the  multitude  of  my  chariots  I  am  come  up  to 
the  height  of  the  mountains.  ...  I  have  digged  and  drunk  strange  waters ;  and  with  the 
sole  of  my  feet  will  I  dry  up  all  the  rivers  of  Egypt."  The  meaning  is  that  no  obstacles 
of  nature  can  prevent  the  accomplishment  of  his  designs.  Mountains  like  Lebanon 
carmot  stop  his  march ;  he  will  find  water  even  in  the  desert ;  Egypt's  rivers  will  be 
trodden  disdainfully  underfoot.  His  chariots  pass  over  all  heights ;  cedar  trees  and 
fir  trees  fall  before  him ;  he  penetrates  to  the  farthest  lodging-place  and  most  fruitful 
region  of  the  country.  It  b  "  I,"  Sennacherib  says,  "  who  do  all  this."  Such  boasting 
is  :  1.  Extravagant.  In  his  inflated  self-consciousness,  Sennacherib  sets  no  bounds  to 
what  he  can  accomplish.  His  language  is  exaggerated  and  hyperbolical.  It  is  a  man 
pufiBng  himself  up  to  the  dinnensions  of  a  god  (cf.  Isa.  x.  13,  14 ;  xiv.  13,  14  ;  Dan.  iv. 
30).  Napoleon  was  accustomed  to  use  similar  language  to  impress  the  minds  of  his 
ignorant  enemies  (Bahr's  'Commentary  on  2  Kings,'  p.  226).  Only  in  part  is  this  extra- 
vagant self-assertion  delusion.  Those  who  give  vent  to  it  know  very  well  that  much  of 
it  is  theatrical  and  unreal — mere  froth  and  foam.  But  it  gratifies  their  pride  to  indulge 
in  it.  2.  Irrational.  This  on  two  grounds :  (1)  Even  granting  that  these  boastings 
rested  on  real  exploits,  such  self-exaltation  is  unbecoming  in  any  mortal.  The  mightiest 
C'lnqueror  has  only  to  reflect  how  soon  he  will  become  weak  as  other  men  (Isa.  xiv. 
10 — 17),  to  see  how  foolish  is  his  self-glorying.  (2)  The  past  is  an  unsafe  ground  for 
boasting  RH  to  the  future.  Because  his  arms  had  hitherto  been  so  uniformly  successful, 
Sennaclierib  imagined  that  it  was  impossible  any  rover.se  could  now  befall  him.  He 
iiftd  got  into  his  Jiead  the  idea  of  his  own  invincibility.  Napoleon  had  the  same  con- 
fidence in  the  invincibility  of  his  arms.  Experience  shows  the  baselessness  of  such 
c^jnfidence.  A  long  run  of  victories,  intoxicating  the  conqueror  with  his  own  succeae, 
in  generally  followe<l  by  a  disastrouH  calamity.  Thocastio  gets  built  up  too  lii'.;h,  and  in 
tlie  end  topi'lcHover,  Nii|>oleon  loaint  this  at  Moscow  and  Waterloo.  PjXccs.s  of  pride 
MimllyoiKlH  iti  an  overthrow,  3.  hnpicyiu.  Sennacherib's  boastings,  finally,  wore  impious. 
it  was  the  creaLuio  arrogating  Uj  hinisolf  the  [wwer  of  God.  Any  roforonco  to  Asshur 
Sennacherib  may  have  made  in  his  inHcriplionH  whh  hut  a  thin  veil  to  cover  his  solf- 
t'lorying.  IIih  lanicular  li]aH|.h(MideH  agaioHt  the  Ood  of  Israel  arose  from  ignorance  of 
•lohovali's  true  cliariictcr.  He  ihouglit  ho  was  contending  against  tlin  potty  god  of  a 
Mrjifcll  tribf!,  wheriiiH  iw  had  t<»  deal  with  "  tho  Holy  Ono  "  who  made  hoavoii  and  earth. 
M«ti'«  rniHtak'M  ax  V*  G<><1  do  not  altor  tho  reaiiiies  of  their  relation  to  him.  Beeauso 
Goi  in  "  the  Holy  One,"  he  «ariiiot  overlook  nun's  impiotioB.  llolinosH  in  tho  principU 
which  gnardn  tho  Divimi  honour.  It  "  guards  tlio  efornai  dintinction  hotwoon  ( Jroator 
and  rri«;ili.re,  l>etwi«ii  Gxl  and  man,  in  tho  uninn  ellectiMl  iHitwwn  them;  It,  pnisurvuH 
the  I)ivm<-  digrdty  and  inajodty  from  Ixnng  infnng(Ml  u|ion"  (Mart4)nH('n). 

HI.  SrN.NACiiK.Riii  AH  iii'HKi.i>  MY  (J'l).  Vusllv  dilVerf'nt  from  H' niiiicliorih'H  view 
•/  kiiiLMli  wa«  th«   Tiaw   Likkua  uf  hiui  bjr  God  hiM  Makur.     1.  tkunachcrtlt  a  tn«r« 


OT.  xn.  1-^.]      TBM  tmOOKD  Wy)K  OP  TRB  KI?ffl& 


ko*  1  ha»F  tli-a    II  I  ««  tttfu,  aimI  farmni  it  o/  •ackvut  UuMi  ?     N 
but  It  v^  %i  6tenmA  lb* 

|.   k..^^...    ......>  ^iOfrt  him  tbu  .    » 


lbs  pad  at  v  s.  Ux     1  bu  b 

whW^  M>^.i..._.  ita«lv«a  mpn  '  •' 

i;»Te  ikMB  Ibair  l  Kt  iA>  i. 

■•wU,aBd  MM  ttt«a  M 
ti>W(^  M  b*  cboo—  u> 

Jc      tmii  \nu\  I  '  '       il  w  If 

.    »,  »Im1   lilla   ■  t'  rir    »f 

lb«7M«di>  :».u. 

'«  f.^r  ha  w  t  w»a  marh^ 

WdrO  be  I-  .in.      injd 

bad  Wait!  uui,  aimI 


y  lh«  w»y  by 


..  10>      \N  -.^un 

IV.   A  «.:  .<rf 

the  truth  «  1  .  •  »  To 

I'lftoe  Uiai   >rtj)   u  ^UU      iiil  aa  «  (ufliiftf    ; 
I         &Q  — a  tokru   liirtt  1,6  would  not  rf'-ro 
lL«  vkhola  Uod  would  be  agaio  andf 
providad  for  bjr  that  which  grew  of  i^ 

frowns;  raatorad  wbaa  ha  •fiiilw.    2.   I  .  4w« 

Uod  had  baao  daptonbly  tliinaed  by  mv  v  ua 

■luah  kioger,  Jtklah  wuiild  Lav.         .  :,  a.-,  i-r^- .  :  . :   :  l-.  i-er, 

«a«U  ba  Mvad,  aod  tiuA.  La^.t.  •vuwarvi,  ui  i  l<cariim  fru::  .  by 

God*!  hlaaaing  ^^  3. 

had  |gyiiniaad,  1 

far  bkt  p«»t4a  a: 

nadanakiag. OKI.  -i    .  •      :  -   ..  -  .  ^*,  -„.  v*.. 

M? "  ^Kiaa.  vitL  89>     God's  imI  u  all  efforta  kjt 

iii«  of  his  goaprl,  tha  aalTaiiuo  of  u.  btaoucaew  id  i.. 

▼.  Tm  sarsTT  or  tub  citt.  aoos    i»  |0>c-n  tiiai.  lai 

BauBacharib  lafD  M  i.e  :l.<\.  tLe    :*.  Ua  »li -a' i       .     r- cxMaa 

into  il.  auf  iboel  an  >  c-    .r  »nit4d,  ik  ■  na( 

It,  a»  oaOB  bdbfi  ha  :  >  by  the  »  .llis 

God  would  do  (1)  fur  km  uwu  »«•.  .  •<■  .^  ■      -  .  in  i  a 

layrMcihas  of  SaoaaabMib;  aijd  ^^  i  :  r  :.■-'. ..  i.^  .-vim- 

raooaa  littJa  kaov  bow  mueh  il  >     »r  t    < ..-.»'.«   .  .  m  ^laya 

DML     Ait  wM  Jartiaalaaa,  so  is  ii.r  (..-■.>;.'-'>  .    irt.  ld> 

FoK  the  hifbar  David's  ■aha,  he  w\'A  :..     but  lui  ii^'a  cars  axkd  sblsUi^ 

powar,  it  would  laac  «•  (his  bava  baeo  ..^i.-     <.^.   ^.  U 


404  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [oh.  xx.  1—21 

Vers.  35 — 37. — The  mighty  dtliverance.  God's  word  was  not  long  in  being  fulfilled. 
That  very  night  the  angel  of  the  Lord  smote  a  hundred  and  eighty-five  thousand  of 
the  host  of  the  Assyrians.  In  few  words — for  the  end  is  as  good  as  reached  with  Isaiah'a 
oracle — the  sacred  narrator  sums  up  the  facts  of  the  catastrophe. 

I.  The  destruction  of  Sennacherib's  army.  1.  Its  historic  truth.  On  all  hands, 
though  Sennacherib's  own  annals  pass  over  the  event  in  silence,  this  seems  to  be 
admitted.  "Thus,"  says  Wellhausen,  "  it  ijroved  in  the  issue.  By  a  still  unexplained 
catastrophe,  the  main  army  of  Sennacherib  was  annihilated  on  the  frontier  bt-tweeu 
Egypt  and  Palestine,  and  Jerusalem  thereby  freed  from  all  danger.  The  Assyrian 
king  had  to  save  himself  by  a  hurried  retreat  to  Nineveh ;  Isaiah  was  triumphant." 
2.  Its  miraculous  character.  Granting  that  the  event  liappened,  it  seems  impossible, 
in  view  of  Isaiah's  distinct  prediction,  to  deny  its  supernatural  character.  God's  hand 
is  almost  seen  visibly  stretched  out  for  the  deliverance  of  his  city,  and  the  bringing  low 
of  Sennacherib's  pride.  Allow  that  the  sweeping  off  of  this  great  army  was  in  any 
way  connected  with  Isaiah's  faith,  hope,  and  prayers,  and  a  supernatural  government 
uf  the  world  is  established.  3.  Its  spiritual  lessons.  (1)  We  see  the  end  which  com- 
monly overtakes  worldly  boasters.  Greek  story  delights  to  dwell  on  the  Nemesis 
which  overtakes  inordinate  pride.  Napoleon,  the  moderu  Sennacherib,  met  with  a 
discomfiture  not  dissimilar  to  that  here  recorded.  (2)  We  learn  not  to  be  afraid  of 
spiritual  boasters.  The  nations  may  rai^e,  and  the  peo[)le  imagine  a  vain  thing ;  the 
kings  of  the  earth  may  set  themselves,  and  the  rulers  take  counsel  together,  against 
the  Lord  and  his  anointed.  But  "  he  that  sits  in  the  heavens  will  laugh ;  the  Lord  will 
have  them  in  derision"  (Ps.  ii.  4).  Scientific  and  philosophic  boasters  have  not  pre- 
vailed against  the  Church  yet,  and  are  not  likely  to  do  so.  (3)  We  learn  the  advantage 
of  entire  reliance  on  God.  While  Hezekiah  leaned  on  the  help  of  man,  he  could 
accomplish  nothing.  When  he  cast  himself  on  God's  help,  he  was  saved.  God  has 
all  power  in  heaven  and  earth  at  his  command,  and  is  able  to  do  all  things  for  us. 

n.  The  end  of  Sennacherib.  1.  The  great  king^s  retreat.  At  this  poiut  "the 
great  king,"  the  King  ol  Assyria,  his  boastin;j;  efi"ectually  silenced,  disai)pears  for  ever 
from  Jewish  history.  He  "  departed,  and  went  and  returni  d,  and  dwelt  in  Nineveh." 
No  more  is  heard  of  his  exploits  in  these  pages.  2.  His  misirable  end.  His  end  was 
a  fitting  satire  on  his  boasts.  Two  of  his  own  sons,  Adrammelech  and  Sharezer,  con- 
B|»ired  against  him,  and  slew  him  while  he  was  worshipping  in  the  hou^e  of  his  god. 
This  is  the  god  to  whose  power,  it  may  be  presumed,  he  attributed  all  his  conquests. 
P'tor  god  I  that  could  not  save  his  own  worshipper.  Sic  transit  gloria  mundi.  The 
Hons  who  slew  him  could  not  keep  the  throne,  which  was  taken  by  Esarhaddon. — J.  0. 


EXPOSITION. 


CHAPTEB  XX. 


Vers.  1 — 21. — Illness  of  IIkzekiah  and 
Emhasat  or  MKuorjAcn-BALADAN.  Hezb- 
KiAn'.sDiiATH.  The  writer  proceeds  to  relate 
an  illricHH  and  a  recovery  of  Hizekiah,  wliitih 
hiip|K)iied  (ihout  the  middle  of  his  ruif.;n, 
prolciljly  in  b.o.  71H,  and  which  wiis  ao- 
(ymififtiMiid  by  Htnin^e,  if  not  rniraoiilouB, 
rirciirnHtiin''' B  (vori.  1 — 11).  HcZfikiiiii'H 
roTfiTiry  wuh  followed  by  iin  ornhiuiHy  of 
enii(.'ral.iil.'itioii  from  Mrtrodiich-Itiihuliin,  King 
of  I'.iiliylori,  which  hA  Ile/.i  ki  di  into  iin  nut 
of  folly,  and  hroii^^ht  npon  him  tho  rnhiiko  of 
(Hiijnli  (v«rH.  \'l — 19)-  ''^'"  nrirrulive  tinni- 
riKt<ui  with  A  notion  of  moiij)*  of  llt>r<-ki  di'i 
gruAt  workii,  and  of  hia  deoouM  (vers.  20,  2 1 ). 


Vert.  1 — 11. — The  Ulnet  and  reoovery  of 
Hezekiah. 

Ver.  1. — In  those  days.  This  is  a  very 
vague  note  of  time,  and  cannot  be  rej^ardod 
as  determining  the  posiiiou  of  the  events 
hnre  related  with  ro.spect  to  tlio  procodiuf^ 
narrative.  Ver.  6,  however,  shows  tlnd,  a 
time  anterior  to  Sonimoliorih'a  diBeunilitnre 
is  intended ;  and  the  Biinie  vorse  aluu  tixes 
the  date  to  llezekiali's  fourteenth  year, 
which  was  D.o.  71!t.  If  th<>  date  in  oh. 
xviii.  18  ho  rof^arded  iw  peniiiiio,  wo  munt 
cunflidcr  tiuit  the  illncHs  hap|)ened  in  thu 
year  of  Honniicherih'H  firnt  ex|iedition  ai^uin.st 
i'ldeHtinn;  hut  if  we  re^ar>i  tiiat  daUt  us 
inl<>r|iohil<'d,  and  nooept  tlie  AnHyrian  iu- 
neriiitionn  kh  nnr  chronoln^^ieiil  mithoritioH, 
wo  mUHt  plaeo  the  eventM  of  the  pn^muit 
oltapt4'r  twelvu  jwani  aarlior  than  tuut  ax- 


ML  XX.  1— SL]        THE  RBOOKD  BOOK   OP  THl 


«0I 


thr 

k»i 

•  I 
^  : 

h.:u 


"  in(on  oT«r  AmjH*. 

II     «  1         -     -■      •  r    rst«,  to 

t  of  III  «  wbile 

rr-      In.  t  i  7),  kikI 

Wm 

....  l.y 

,rj  ixjur*-  of 

.1.     And    lh« 

'    \      1    rAm*   to 

..   "  lh» 

\...  _     a*  If  prt>- 

n^Mlff,    ibtlioMa* 

'  f      nr«rrati»«, 

•.a   u:p    ;  !•    rioa»«   la 

-  ihuB  th  .:  Jt  liT*.   The 

It    la     (nmillil    to    titbit    of    J  lio 

NiucTtu«,  "  Yft  fortj  J«}».  ..  '  »ih 
■hall  be  oterthruwiu" 

Vi-r.  1. — Then  h«  tani*d  hi«  tme*  u>  th* 
VaU^-^  kw^y  fiMiu  Uio»<  w)u>  wiTi-  aUrKltu;; 
bitoido  Li»  bad,  itiid  mi^lil  Imito  tiuttr*  t^il 
hi*  atteiiUon,  tu  prar  with  (u<>re  cT>u<eiiU» 
tian  an«l  («niostn0»<--^aad  prmj*d  onto  the 

Lord    «-»•  —    -  cli.   xix.   15>     It  wa« 

DkI  ,  in  eTery  kind  <>f  nfBio- 

ti<*i<    •  tuk>   hutrxiMc  diriM-t 

Ver.  S. — I  b«M*eh  tb««,  0  Lord,  rtmtmbor 
now  how  I  hkT*  w&lkod  befor*  the«  ia  tmth 
and  with  a  porfoot  heart.  Tht-re  i*  do 
I'har.Miiiil  M-lf-rigliteoiWDMa  here.  Uexo- 
kiah  ia  i-ouaci  >u«  that  h«  haa  hooeatly 
•odraTOured  tu  rtrre  God,  and  tu  do  hia 
will— that,  whatcTer  may  have  be«a  hie 
■horto  .mi'i -T.  his  h  art  hua  been  right 
tow » •  '  1  rt«a    theref-  *e,  on 

■ODi'  uifii       Why   ia  ho 

to  b<   Cli'.  .<!  hit  d«ya.  at  the 

a.:r   of  I    aiich    a    wicked 

kinr  ~»  i  ;  lo  \<v  »ixty-eight 

(iL  .!u  ti>  U?  tifty-«i>:ht 

(IK  -  tu  b<'   reuM-uihered 

thai.  kiU'nt  U;  kOt,  1<  n^h  of  daya 

waa   ez^raMilv  :    to   the    righteutu 

(Prov  ui  'i:  ii  II.  i.  27,  vU-.\  and  that 
a  aliorteofd  life  wa>  thv  prochtno'd  pt^ualtj 
of  «•  I -<  '  •:-  (Job  x».S2.  :^'  1-  ■  '•  • 
Pi  '  T    I    27).     H. 

aea  '  u«   R  (•>rt  of  lii^\ 

(iod'a  |)n>:^.iwa  And  haT*  dotte  that  which 
u  rood  la  thy  fl^t  ;  <»■  mp  fh  xnii.  S— 6; 
aa.T  '    iHiTid, 

-11  I  thoe" 

(P.      1  1  .      .  thy 

Shu..  am 

I    f.a  ;      •    a  J     i   ^    ,       -    .     '•-  " 

(I'a  cxix  &6,  56 >.  KD  I  iiic  Uliei.  Aua  Hcro- 
klah  wept  tore  Hvm.in  naiurt-  »hr.uka 
fttm  d' >ih   I'  -  aiii  It  rt-<|uir«  • 

V«y  rirtd  iiimk,  of  ou  the  C 


la  mUU\m  lilb  lo  fc4.  with  Pt       . 
"It   U  bcllrr  km    kita   U>   di^' 
with  Chrut."     Tia*  Uvhrww  >m   ■■    •' 
titae  bad  far  taatm  nmanm  to  roKmri 
aj  an  rvil       If  ■  hi>iw«  ,,f  »  1    r  >. 
irrave    «rr' 
hfo,  if  lif.   . 

t<Kr4t.    like     U>..t»,     )ta^     a     >^ 
trr(tl>U    thing.      If   ve  rodaidrr 
wnrda.    "  Tba    gratr 
d»tth  i-aarMH  crlrt'f 

.i,,<.i,  1'  •.,  I),.   ...I  ,^» 


Ik.  ^  I 

rbai..  < 

a    yet    fur  i 

had    as    > ' 

'  Aut.   Jud  .    i     .    _.    .  ■ 

vt<t  uuhoni  (encnp.   «•  r  i 

If  h.-  d  t^l  U'.w.  hia  I  '.. 

be  would  h«  without  u  curit)  •  »  rv  urnei 
to  eT»ry  llebrvw.  Kwald'a  r>  f  r  ■<■»»  V» 
laa.  xxxviii.  19  and  xxxix.  7.  a*  mclinaiivo 
of  llexrkuli  baring  eoua  at  the  t.UM-,  are 
ab*<>lutt?ly  without  value. 

\«t.  4.— And  it  eaae  to  pan,  afore  laaiah 
was  gone  oat  into  the  middle  eoort  Tl>e 
narratire  iu  Ikaitb  (xxxviiL  4)  doca  not 
oi'DtaiD  thia  touch,  ahioli  ia  T«ry  graphic, 
and  Indicitirv  of  ihf  eye-vitneaa.  "  The 
uiidiili-  court "    is    prt>bahly    tJ»»-    ar^md    nr 


Ooffi: 

eamc  '. 
I>iinl  ctkiii' 
tnyrlrry.     ^ 

Tisioii,     whi    h 

UDdcrstaud. 


.1  the 

phets  M  It 


t.' 
But 


walk 
thou^ 

meeaage,  it  u  m 
Still,  we  eunu 
minee  to  eooui. 
miut  be  able. 
an    u'     '   • 
a-M<ur 


aitii  a  u<c-M<iy  of  •. 
Ver.     5, — Turn    • 
*•  ri-i .  M 
into 

tell    ii  .   . 
An  11 :. 
but '  ■   ■ 

Saul,  au>i   i<<    i 
».  X  to  l>»»vd 
is    ••  lewd  r  **  — -  ou. 


,   of  -.; 
•  :..:    ^  •  a    iti    fkoaL" 
Thiu  sauh  th»  Lord,  the  Ood  tt  David  ihj 


406 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [oh.  xx.  1—21, 


father — Hezekiah  obtains  mercy,  both  aa 
David's  son  and  as  David's  imitator  (see 
ch.  xviii.  3) — I  have  heard  thy  prayer,  I 
have  seen  thy  tears  (comp.  Exod.  ii.  24 ; 
iii.  7 ;  Ps.  Ivi.  8).  There  is  not  a  cry,  not 
a  groan,  not  a  tear,  not  a  sigh  of  his  faithful 
ones,  to  which  the  heart  of  God  is  not  open, 
which  does  not  touch  him,  move  him,  draw 
fortli  his  sympathy.  If  he  does  not  always 
grant  our  prayers,  it  is  because  we  "  ask 
amiss" — without  faith,  or  without  fervour, 
or  things  not  good  for  us.  Hezekiah's 
earnest,  faithful,  and  not  unwise  prayer 
was,  as  such  prayers  always  are,  effectual. 
Behold,  I  will  heal  thee :  on  the  third  day 
thou  Shalt  go  np  unto  the  house  of  the 
Lord;  i.e.  thou  shalt  be  so  completely 
recovered  as  to  be  able  to  quit  thy  palace 
and  pay  thy  vows  in  the  courts  of  the 
Lord's  house.  God  knows  that  to  do  this 
will  be  Hezekiah's  first  wish,  as  soon  as  his 
sickness  is  past  (comp.  Isa.  xxxviii.  20). 

Ver.  6. — And  I  will  add  unto  thy  days 
fifteen  years.  God  "does  exceeding  abun- 
dantly more  than  we  eitiier  ask  or  think  " 
(Eph.  iii.  20).  Hczekiah  had  asked  for 
nothing  more  than  immediate  escape  from 
death.  God  grants  him  fifteen  additional 
years  of  life,  i.e.  more  than  doubles  the  length 
of  his  reign.  And  I  will  deliver  thee  and 
this  city  out  of  the  hand  of  the  King  of 
Assyria.  If  Hezekiah's  illness  took  place 
in  B.C.  713.  and  Jerut-alem  was  then  in 
danger  of  being  attacked  by  the  Assyrians, 
the  king  who  threatened  the  attack  must 
have  been  Sargon.  Sargon  made  an  expe- 
dition into  Palestine  in  bo.  720,  another  in 
B.C.  713,  and  a  third  in  b.o.  711.  In  none 
of  them  does  he  seem  to  have  invaded 
Judioa;  but  in  the  third  he  counts  the  Jews 
among  his  enemies  ('  Eponym  Canon,'  p. 
130,  line  32).  IL  zekiah,  who  had  revolted 
from  him  (ch.  xviii.  7),  may  well  have  felt 
alarm  both  in  B.C.  713  and  711.  And  I 
will  defend  this  city  for  mine  own  sake, 
and  for  my  servant  David's  sake  (comp. 
fii.  xix.  '.'A).  The  promise  givm  in  b.o. 
713  in  roHpfrct  of  Sargon  wa«  reixatecl  in 
}i.(;.  i>U'.>  ('/)  with  respect  to  Bennachurib  in 
.'tliiiciHt  the  Hiiriie  Words. 

V<r.  7.  —And  Isaiah  said,  Take  a  lump 
of  figs.  KigH  \v(  re  the  usual  remedy  for 
IimIIh.  DioHO/)riil<;H  taiyn  of  the  flg,  5ia(pupf7 
iHK-qfAa^;  riiny,  "  Ulcerii  a|»orit;"  while 
.JiToiiie,  in  hirt  comniontmy  on  l.-'aiiih,  han 
the  following:  ".Juxtii  iirtcm  ni(-ilici)iiiia 
DTumH  HimioM  MicrioriliiiH  {\v\n  nlijiii-  contMHiH 
in  ciitiM  HU|><;rlIci>  in  |(iov«K-aliir."  'i'ho 
ri-in<-i|y  JH  fiaiil  U>  Ixt  Htili  iti  iiho  nmong 
ivinii'MiM  ll  Clin  HCiircfly  Ix)  Hnp|i<iHi'(|  to 
havH  (midmI  It  inulignunt  Ixiil  hy  IIh  jnlrinHic 
forcij;  liiit  iiri'hir  the  Divinti  bliHMinj.;  it  wuh 
rninle  ••fr»»oliiiii.  (irnl  tlittcuro  followi  d  And 
Lhoj    took    and   laid    it   on    Uw   boil.     Tho 


royal  atvi^dants  obtained  a  lump  of  figs, 
and  applied  it  to  the  inflamed  boil  or  car- 
buncle, as  Isaiah  had  suggested.  It  is 
impossible  to  say  what  exactly  was  the 
nature  of  the  "  boil,"  since  diseases  change 
their  characters,  and  every  age  has  its  own 
special  disorders ;  but  modem  medical 
science  knows  of  more  than  one  kind  ot 
pustular  swelling,  which,  as  soon  as  it  is 
detected,  is  regarded  as  fatal.  And  he  re- 
covered. Not  suddenly,  but  by  degrees ; 
after  the  manner  of  natural  remedies.  It 
was  three  days  before  he  was  well  enough 
to  quit  the  palace,  and  offer  thanks  in  the 
temple  for  his  miraculous  cure  (see  ver.  5). 

Ver.  8. — And  Hezekiah  said  unto  Isaiah, 
What  shall  be  the  sign  that  the  Lord  will 
heal  mel  Having  regard  to  the  w<akness 
of  human  faith,  God,  nnder  the  old  covenant, 
often  gave,  or  offered,  near  "  signs  "  of  pro- 
mised blessings  that  were  more  remote,  in 
order  to  sustain  and  encourage  the  doubtful 
and  the  wavering  (comp.  Exod.  iii.  12 ; 
ch.  xix.  29;  Isa.  vii.  11,  14,  etc.).  Heze- 
kiah assumes  tiiat  a  near  "sign"  will  now 
be  granted  to  him,  and  simply  askfi  what 
the  sign  is  to  be.  And  that  I  shall  go  up 
into  the  house  of  the  Lord  the  third  day  1 
Three  days  would  be  a  long  and  weary  time 
to  wait.  It  was  not  unnatural  that  Heze- 
kiah should  crave  some  more  immediate 
assurance  that  his  prayer  was  indeed  heard. 
Neither  God  nor  the  prophet  was  angry  at 
his  request. 

Ver.  9, — And  Isaiah  said.  This  sign  shalt 
thou  have  of  the  Lord,  that  the  Lord  will  do 
the  thing  that  he  hath  spoken.  Hezekiah 
is  no  more  reproved  for  asking  for  a  sign 
than  was  Gideon  (Judg.  vi.  37,  39).  Ahaz, 
his  father,  had  been  reproved  for  not  asking 
(Isa.  vii.  13).  It  would  ho  faithUss  now  for 
Christians  to  demand  signs;  but  in  an  age  of 
miracles,  when  there  were  prophets  upon  the 
earth  empowered  to  give  signs,  faithlul  men 
might  request  them  without  incurring  God's 
displeasure.  Shall  the  shadow  go  forward 
ten  degrees  1  The  Hebrew  text  will  scarcely 
l)car  this  translation,  which,  however,  S(  ems 
to  be  required  by  Hc^zekiah's  answer.  Per- 
haps for  -pr\  weshoidd  read  "ij'^nn.  Or  go  back 

ten  degrees  1  literally,  in  hotii  olau.ses, 
tun  iitepH-  Thi^re  are  ahnndant  reasons  for 
believing  that  the  early  dials  consisted  of 
a  gnomon  set  u])  on  tlie  top  of  a  flight  of 
t4te|).s,  and  that  time  was  mnHHured  l)y  the 
nuniher  of  Hteps  on  wiiit^h  the  sinidow  of 
tho  giiomon  f(dl  (hoo  a  j)aper  hy  Mr.  Uo- 
Han<|uet,  in  tlie  '  TruhHactious  of  the  Hocioly 
(if  I5il)lical  Arohioology '  for  1874,  pp. 
I     H2). 

Ver  10.  And  Hozokiah  auHwored,  It  if 
a  light  thing  for  tho  shadow  to  go  down  ten 

('ogrOlil.       Ile/.rkliih    Ti(UVH    it   as   II    ('o|ii|lai'l,l- 

tiTuljr  u«ay  tiling  for  the  shadow,  which  is 


CB.  U.1— 21.]       THE  8BO>KD  BOOK  OP  THE  KINO& 


401 


■lyMty  Mnandlnf  th«  ilom,  to  •eoaMr 
Hi  paaa  m»J  rmpttlTj  dmamir)  dftaeo  d<-f  raa* 
Inili— d  of  alowlv  tnkvrrviiii'  Uitqn ;  and 
thMWfnr*  ATOrpU  iMiKlt'a  <i(h<  r  ofT'-r  H«7, 
bmt  Ul  tht  •hadow  rr-. ..       '  1    :  t«a  d*- 

fT>—        liCt  It.  i.«.,  <  'O,  Ulii 

r, —  i..^„.i..« .,  ...  ,...|. 

11 

I  -  ...  1. 

vliirii  will   ii.nr  ii^i.ljr  o  1  be 

thou.-ht    wm«    ualumi,  Ui      .  .[>•  uot 

MricUy  l^it^l 

Ver.  II.— And  laalah  the  prophst  eri*d 
«■!•  tk*  LorA.  Tbougli  ih«  aigii  UmI  besD 
ptoadaed,  laaiah  ragiirdod  hi*  o«ro  inter- 
Winnal  pnTW  m  not  out  of  plMxs  aad 
**«i«d  unto  tlie  Lord,"  i.o.  pruvcil  witli 
MMlfT,  that  the  kin(^«  wt>b  iiii^lit  be  ao- 
euapfUbed.  8o,  though  w»  Lave  (ioii't 
pniBiae  to  oare  for  ut,  and  kt«p  tu  fmm 
want  (Matt  vi.  25—30),  y*  t  we  munt  d.iilj 
beaot-ch  hiiu  to  *'  ^ire  u»  this  day  uur  daily 
bread."  And  he  brought  the  ihadow  t«n 
dayraM  baokwm-d.  Huw  tiiia  wan  d'>ne,  we 
an-  Dot  told,  and  can  therefore  only  conjc>c- 
tura.  The  earlier  oomnit  utat<>ra  ium^'uifd 
that  the  reTolutioii  of  the  earth  u|>ou  ita 
axit  waa  aota  illy  reversed  for  a  time ;  but 
this  idea  ijt  now  pnerally  rt^jt  ct^-<l.  It  ia 
rk-tir  from  2  Chron.  xxxii.  31  that  the 
phfDOiueDOD,  what(.>'er  m.iy  hnve  Ut-u  ita 
cmai«,  waa  local,  "  done  in  thi*  land "  of 
Judah,  and  U'<t  visible  •lo^where.  tK)ine 
Djodema  havo  tiuggitittd  an  eartbqunke 
affecting  the  guomou  ;  itume  a  trick  on  the 
part  of  I-ttiah  ;  oUtera,  and  thc<  pfmndity, 
•  VOIT  abtwrmal  refmotiiri  '" 
AaoOMrrt'd  in^tanc    n{  r 

wWeh  took  plaoe  at  Mitr.  1  .  i ^ 

the  Tear  170:^,  i»  on  rt«oni.  1  wu  acit-ntitta, 
Profeaaor  Heyfforth  and  Mr.  J.  W.  Bomiu- 
quet,  tliink  that  the  phinomt-Don  wiia  due  to 
an  ecli^iae,  Id  which  the  u|i|M>r  limb  of  the 
auu  w.ui  oliaturKl  t«rm[>.i:iiri;y  I  i  emli  h 
ease  II  i-ht:  t  rt'onus.  :i  o!'  I  I-  -i.  .  :  iN  «  ;.!d 
evrUkiulv  Ukkc  y'.WL^ .  Lui  it  v«  'U.d  •caro«:ly 
b*  mmIi  m  to  attr  1'  I  ttv<  itiHii  fn.ui  any  ooe 
bot  a  aeieBtiiio  <>>--.-rv.  r  (^Huiiiley,  •  Leoturea 
on  the  Jewish  Chur-h,'  vol.  iL  p.  537)  On 
the  whole,  th**  nv>«t  pp>bable  i-au^^e  would 
^  '      T'  '■  which  i«  ao<v[.te»l  by 

1  '  By  which  it  had  gt>na 

(.<■..  V.  ul  Ahax  ;   lit«-ri\lly,  um  (Aa 

»try>*  .-^un^ialo  wt-re  in\<uted  by 

the   U.   .  .    •!  (H.n«i.,  ii.  lify),  and  were 

DO  duabt  in  uae  at  Uabylou  long  bc-f^n-  ilio 
time  of  llesfkiah.  They  wt  re  of  vnn 'Ua 
kinds,  and  in  aome  of  tliem  the  gii<>ni'>:>  w:ts 
madi-  to  cant  ita  •hadow  up'>n  att-ps  1  tit  re 
are  ktiU  t«u  dm'-         '  om?  at  ll< HMrn. 

known  mm  the   >'  ukI  tlic  oti.<  r  at 

iKJUi  —  where  ;.._l  _  ;_-i.-  i-a«e  (■«•  Mr. 
Buaanqoct't    pa|Mr,  already   4uottid,   plata 


▼am  \%~\%.~Tk4  tmhmmf  •f  If  nrfaiA 
haliiimm.  B(»n  aflrr  hu  reeo«ary.  Haaa- 
ktali  reerived  an  nulAMiy  froM  a  uav 
quart4V  liiUirrto  lia^yluu  aud  Judaa  \xmA 
been  iaolated  frum  no  ajtutiirr,  and  had 
perUapa  anamely  kix/wu  uf  r».  h  uther'a 
axiatence.  Aaayria  hul  tt/**!  btlw.  eo 
them,  and  lUbyloiiia  had  be«m  fur  the  tmmX 
p.>rt  an  Aaayrtan  dnpendeney.  Hut  ret^NiUr 
lialiylonia  ha<l  aaaurtud  beraalf  la  B-a  7XX. 
on  the  dath  of  BhalBMMMr,  a  ^4i*« 
Chaldean  named  Merodaolfllaladaa  ha>l 
made  himaelf  kiny  of  tlie  ounntry,  and 
maintained  hla  indepaodapea  a^ainat  all 
the  efforta  of  HargoQ  to  radoee  iiim.  Ilia 
poaiti'in,  however,  waa  preoarioua,  and  tt 
wa»  prubjtbly  in  the  ho]«  of  eoncluding  an 
alliance  with  Ueaekiah— alj*>i  an  euetuy  «f 
Sarf^on'a  (aee  the  onmment  on  ver.  6)  tliat 
he  aent  hia  eiubaaay.  Ue  hail  two  excu««« 
for  it  A  Dei^Lboanng  kiig  ruiK'it  wt-ll 
oongratulate  hJa  brother  Uionurrb  un  hi« 
reeovery:  and  a  Chaldtun  pnuoe  ini^hi 
well  inquire  into  an  aetrouomu^al  tu:>r«<l 
(2  Chron.  xxxiii  31).  Tlie  date  of  t;.e  eiu- 
baaay appeara  to  have  been  ac.  712,  tha 
yt>ur  following  on  Heaekiah'a  illneaa. 

Ver.  12.— At  that  time  Barodaah-B&ladaa. 
laaiah    givea   the    naiue    luore   oiTr««.tJy    aa 
^Merodarh-Baladan  "  (laa.  xxxix.  1).     Tlie 
'  ...  furm  ia  Marduk-|ml  i  !  '       r      '  Mrro- 
It  aon  haa  given  "     1  akea 

...^  ..rat  appearance  in  a:i  .  .  .  ,  ..  u  of 
Ti^lath  pileiaer'a,  when-  be  ia  one  of  many 
ehiefVuna  among  whom  Eabyluuia  ia  di- 
vided. Buljaeqaentlr  h<-  ia  umti'iied  aa 
revolting  frtin  Sarvnn  in  the  latter'a  tirvt 
year.  b.c    722  (' 11  f    the  Pa-t.'  vl. 

rii.  p.  'ti),  uu  1  L  ti.rone  ••f  Baby- 

lon fof  twelv-  •  41 ),  when  Sar- 

SO  eonqur  I  him.  and  l<<.>k 

e  kingid'  i:  1  hia  iw  h. 

,ed    bv    1*1'      ;v 
.     oi  th      V    •  .•    ;, 

given  aa  >I  . 

of  Sargon. 

again  revohoi.   . 

when  t.o  waa  lin  r 

Beunacherib,  a-c    ,    i      _. 

«-»<r,  \v>  give  iruubie  even    . 

.■•r.s  of  the  Paat,'  vol.  vii  • 

iH>  <9  and  grandaona  were  \:-  ■  ..^t.n  u<  i.  a 

lialivl   vian    throut-  in   tin-   r<  t'ti*  ••f   Kaar* 

h.»  id"!i    a-id    hi*  auo  ci-f  r,    '.  •  '  .  li-ual 

(«•<•  '.KLiiiiit  M  ■u.tfi-i,.i»,  f>.  4ti9 

and  400)      The  kon  of  B.»:»......      1  .  :iie  Aa- 

■ynan  inn-riptiona  >lr.'  •.lu'-ii  iialadan  u 
aiwaya  ckiiled    "  laa  ao  i    oi    Vakin  "  ^'  iU- 


^ean'  reign   la 
in  hia  Canon,  b' 


408 


THB  SECOND  BOOK  OP   THE  KINGS.        [oh.  xx.  1—21. 


eords  of  the  Past,*  vol.  vii.  p.  40;  vol.  ix. 

p.  13,  etc.).  YaMn,  however,  may  have 
heen  his  grandfather,  as  Nimshi  was  the 
granilfather  of  Jehu,  and  Baladan  (Bel- 
<laan?)  his  father.  King  of  Babylon,  sent 
letters  and  a  present  nnto  Hezekiah.  Thus 
opening  diplomatic  communication.  It  has 
been  almost  universally  t'elt  that  the  object 
of  tlie  enibassy  must  have  been  to  conclude, 
or  at  any  rate  to  pave  the  way  for,  an  al- 
liance. So  Josephus  ('  Ant.  jud.,*  x.  2.  § 
2),  Ewald,  Von  Gerlach,  Thenius,  Keil, 
Bahr.  and  others.  Assyria  menaced  both 
countries,  and  the  common  danger  produced 
naturally  a  mutual  attraction.  But  it  was 
prudent  to  disguise  this  motive.  For  he  had 
heard  that  Hezekiah  had  been  sick.  As- 
syria could  not  take  umbrage  at  an  enibassy 
of  congiatulation,  nor  at  one  for  scientific 
purposes  (2  Chron.  xxxiii.  31).  So  these 
two  objects  were  paraded. 

Ver.  13. —  And  Hezekiah  hearkened  nnto 
them.  Hezekiah  was  dazzled  by  the  pro- 
epuct  that  opened  upon  him.  It  was  a 
grand  thing  that  hia  fame  should  have 
reached  so  far  as  Biibylon,  a  still  grander 
thing  to  be  offered  such  an  alliance.  It 
must  be  r*  membered  that  he  and  his  coua- 
sellors  were  inclined  from  the  first  to  mc^t 
Aiisyriaii  m'-nace  by  calling  in  foreign  aid  (oh. 
xviii.  21 — 21;  Isa.  xx.  6;  xxx.  2 — 7;  xxxvi. 
U).  He  had  not  yet  accepted  the  view  of 
Lsaialj,  that  human  aid  was  vain,  and  that 
tlie  only  reasonuble  ground  of  hope  or  coii- 
tidenre  was  in  Jihovuh.  And  showed  them 
all  the  house  of  his  precions  things;  i.e. 
liib  treasury.  Hezekiali  ilid  not  do  this  in 
mere  oslentaliou,  thou^^h  lie  may  have  had 
a  certain  pride  in  exhibiting  his  wealth. 
His  main  \\i:^h,  no  doubt,  was  to  make 
knowri  his  resources,  and  show  that  he  was 
a  valuable  ally.  So  Oroetes  acted  towards 
I'olycrateB  (Hurod.,  iii.  123),  and  Hannibal 
towardri  tlio  Ciortyuiana  (Corn.  Nop.,  '  Vit. 
IlHiinih.,'  ij  9).  It  is  to  lie  homo  in  mind 
that  IlezoKinh's  trcasnres  wero,  in  no.  712, 
.ttill  intact,  and  inelu<lo<l  all  that  ample 
Mtoru  wliicii  ho  sacrilicod  to  sjivo  .JcriLHiilom 
at  the  time  of  tho  firHt  ex[>odition  of  Soii- 
iiaclicril*  (•««  ch.  xviii.  14  —  IG.  and  coinp. 
'  EiKinym  Canon,"  p.  l.'to,  whero  wii  find 
onamcratoij  amon^  tho  trcaHureM  givoii  ii|), 
licairJcH  t;<d<i  and  hilvcr,  "  prerioim  cur 
liuiii'leM,  roiichex  of  ivory,  clcvutoii  tlironeH 
of  ivory,  HkitiM  of  hiifTilooM,  hornH  of  hiiffa- 
lo<a,and  \mii|K)ii>i";.  Tho  ailvor,  and  thof^old, 
and  tho  spicoi.  Coiii|iiini  tiin  ili:Kcii])tioii  of 
tho  wc.ilth  of  Kolr)nion  (I  Kiiigx  x.  2.')). 
"H|»ii  <»("  iiiw  ijH  form  fiti  iiii|Kirtiint  portion 
of  tlm  tr<  nuiirx  of  Orieritiil  kin^'M  (eomp. 
Ilffxi  ,  iii  1'7,  luh  Jin  )■  And  tho  procioui 
ointmeot  i  rntluT,  Ihr  pricinun  nil  )Dk?, 
urit  np"  (nompnr*  thn  HfptiiAffiiil,  i)i  t.\aiof  ih 
a  ,ix»if},      It    u    Uiou^ht   (Kiiil,    lialir)  tlint 


the  valuable  balsam  oil,  which  wai  obtained 
from  the  royal  gardens,  is  intended.  And  all 
the  house  of  his  armour ;  or,  of  his  vessels ; 
but  arms  and  armour  are  probably  intended. 
It  would  be  almost  as  important  to  show 
that  he  had  abundant  arms  in  store,  as  that 
he  had  abundant  riches.  And  all  that  was 
found  in  his  treasures — a  clause  implying 
that  there  was  much  more  which  had  not 
been  specified,  as  precious  stones,  ivory, 
ebony,  and  the  like — there  was  nothing  in 
his  house,  nor  in  aU  his  dominion,  that 
Hezekiah  showed  them  not.  This  is  a 
manifest  hyperbole ;  but  it  can  sen  reel  j 
mean  less  than  that  he  gave  orders  for  them 
to  be  shown  the  collections  of  arms  and 
stores  which  existed  in  his  other  strong- 
holds besides  Jerusalem.  Hezekiah,  no 
doubt,  had  many  "  store  cities,"  as  Solom.-n 
(2  Chron.  viii.  6)  and  Behoboam  (2  Chrou. 
xi.  5— 12)  had. 

Ver.  14. — Then  oame  Isaiah  the  prophet 
unto  King  Hezekiah,  and  said  uuto  him. 
When  a  prophet  came,  unsummunod,  into  a 
king's  presence,  it  was  usually  to  rebuke 
him  (comp.  2  Sam.  xii.  1 ;  xxiv.  11 — 13;  1 
Kings  xiii.  1,2;  xviii.  15 — 18;  xxi.  18— 22; 
ch.  i.  15,  16;  2  Chron.  xii.  5;  xvi.  7 ;  xx. 
37;  XXV.  7,  15,  etc.).  What  said  these 
men  ?  and  from  whence  came  they  unto 
theel  Isaiah  does  neit  ask  bee  i  use  ho  does 
not  know,  but  to  obtain  acoiifessi  :n,ou  whieli 
lie  may  base  the  niessaii:e  that  he  has  to 
doliver.  And  Hezekiah  said,  Thoy  are  come 
from  a  far  country,  even  from  Babylon. 
Note  first,  tliat  Hezekiali  does  not  give  any 
answer  to  the  prophet's  first  question, 
"What  said  those  men?"  being  unwilling 
probably  to  make  known  the  overtures  (hat 
no  had  received  from  them,  since  he  knows 
that  Isaiah  is  oi)j)o>ed  to  any  reliance  on 
an  "  arm  of  flesh  ; "  and  secondly,  that  he 
answers  the  second  question,  not  with  slnmio, 
but  with  complaconcy,  "Thi^y  are  come  to 
me  from  a  Very  far  country,  whither  my  famo 
has  reachud — oven  from  l{ai)ylon  are  thi'y 
come,  *tho  glory  of  kingdoms,  the  l)i'auty  of 
tho  Clialdeos'  oxcollenoy  '  (lni.  xiii.  ll)).'' 
Scif-sntisfaetion  shows  itself  in  tlio  answer, 
lie  thinles  it  rodoumlH  to  ids  honour  that  iio 
hau  b4N<n  sought  out  ti'om  ho  great  a  distanee, 
aiicl  by  HO  great  a  eily. 

Ver  l.'i.  — And  he  said,  What  have  thoy 
Been  in  thino  h'luso  1  i.e.  What  hast  thou 
showed  lli(>mV  iiast  thon  treated  them  like 
or  linary  amhaHHiiiloiN,  or  IniHt  thou  gone  oiil 
of  Ihy  way  txi  (V)iirl  an  uilianeo  with  tliei; 
ruHHtur?  And  Hozoklnh  anuwurud,  All  ilie 
thing's  that  arc  in  mine  houRo  hnvo  thoy 
noon :  thoro  ii  nothing  among  my  troaauros 
that  I  hnvo  not  ithnwod  thoni.     The  rejily  Ih 

o) mid  Hlruightfoi  wiinl.      Ile/.ekiah   in  not 

anhiimod  <if  wiml  ho  iian  done,  or  nt  uny  rate, 
will  not,  to  (tiKtt|>u  blttiiKi, Uiko  refugu  iii  li«t 


«&xi.l-tlO        TUB  SKOOND   »K)K   OF  TUK   KINOIl 


uixik.  tf,  iU*. 


\    ■  «     ■    • . 

II 

I! 

•  ' 
I 

I  i 

%ik   X  &«.  ^ 

b.  1 ;  ou>  > 

Vor.  1 .      bcium4(  tk«  dMT*  M»«^  tkftt  tU 
Ual   >•  U  IhlM  ko«M.  AM  that  VtUh  UlJ 

(•then    h«T«  U14  ip  Ib  •(ar«   un'n    tbU    ds/, 

tluk.1  b«  Mrnod  iuio  h  :  ucm  t/r«- 

»i.n-»  >•:  t   y  r  xikl  '.  '  .  r  t  »' 

pn>ud.  I 

t.l 
C 
«  .' 

K' 

tL  tiU, 

•  Uoe« 

k  ■  ■••' 

tl    ■• 

J 

t'- 

t 

» 

or  I... 

li.tl:   1.  .'         . 

to  an   '  'vef  m  • 


iKtr*i   •»«  mtli 


17 


(cii    &&I    7>. 

n<      A -.4  thfT 


.ijiLK-rtaim     • 


OO  I 

Old' 

tu. 


Vol.  in.    -. 
Good    !•  U!« 


II.. 

pl.tCi'  t  ^-i 

tiUucialiot   ' 

of   till'    UUi 

oHuHkrjr  ouc.     L 
luenly  oue  of  »  . 

« itl)  dt-.>trucU' li     1 


!r# 


1- 


1). 
-      KrtI 

-    »-'  ■--  •■^1' 

xuti  Cor  Utv  (uUU- 

-I- 

XjklAk  Oslo  luia^ 
Lord  vbicb  '.i^* 

ni 


J 


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u 

A' 


ir  I  ..ocjr 


•  M    VM 


•«d  kit  4amm»r      H 


110 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [ciL  xx.  1— 21, 


only  M  a  pions  king,  and  the  king  in  whose 
reign  the  pride  of  the  Assyrians  was  dashed 
to  the  ground,  but  also  as  one  who,  by  works 
of  great  importance,  conferred  permanent 
benefit  on  Jerusalem  (see  2  Chron.  xxxii. 
3-5  and  30 ;  Ecclus.  xlviii.  17).  The  writer 
feels  that  he  cannot  conclude  his  notice  of 
Hezekiah's  reign  without  some  mention  of 
these  works.  He  enters,  however,  into  no 
description,  but,  having  referred  the  reader 
for  details  to  the  "  book  of  the  chronicles," 
notes  in  the  briefest  possible  way  the  decease 
of  Hezekiah,  and  the  accesaion  of  his  son 
and  successor. 

Ver.  20 — And  the  rest  of  the  acts  of 
Hezekiah,  and  all  his  might.  Hezekiah's 
"might"  was  chiefly  shown  in  the  earlier 
portion  of  his  reign,  when  he  "smote  the 
Philistines,  even  unto  Gaza,  and  the  borders 
thereof  "  (ch.  xviii.  8).  Against  Assyria  he 
was  unsuccessful,  and  must  have  succumbed, 
but  for  the  miraculous  destruction  of  Sen- 
nacherib's host.  And  how  he  made  a  pool; 
rather,  the  pool,  or  the  reservoir.  The  writer 
of  Kings  either  knows  of  one  pool  only  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  Jerusalem,  or  regards 
one  as  so  superior  that  it  deserves  to  be 
called  Kar  i^ox-fifi  "  the  pool."  Kecent  dis- 
coveries make  it  hi<rhly  probable  that  the 
"  pool "  intended  is  that  of  Siloam,  or,  if  not 
the  pre.-^ent  Siloam  reservoir,  a  larger  one,  a 
little  b'  low  it,  now  known  as  Birket  el 
Haiitra  (see  the  'Quarterly  Statement'  of 
the  Pall  stiiie  Exploration  Fund  for  April, 
188f),  p.  88).  That  there  was  at  least  one 
other  pool  in  Hezekiah's  time  is  evident  from 
Isa.  xxii.  9,  11.  And  a  conduit;  rather, 
the  conduit.  If  "  tlie  pool  "  is  Siloam,  "  the 
conduit "  must  almost  certainly  be  that 
which  was  excavated  under  Ophel  for  the 
pur|)08e  of  conveying  tiie  water  from  the 
Well  of  the  Virgin  in  the  Kedron  valley  to 
the  Siloam  rcHervoir  on  the  western  side  of 
the  spur.  This  conduit,  which  is  curiously 
twisted,  has  a  length  of  1708  feet,  with  a 
licight  varying  from  two  fec^t  to  four  or  five, 
and  a  width  of  atif)Ut  two  f(  et.  Tim  roof  is 
lliit,  the  hides  perpendicuhir,  and  the  floor 
hollowed  into  a  groove  for  the  more  rapid 
paHsage  of  tiie  water.  About  nineteen  feet 
from   the   southern    extremity,   where    the 


channel  opens  npon  the  Siloam  pool,  a  nicha 
has  been  cut  in  the  right-hand  wall  in  the 
shape  of  a  square  tablet,  and  smoothed  to 
receive  an  inscription  of  six  lines,  the  greater 
part  of  which  has  been  recovered.  The 
letters  are  of  the  old  Hebrew  or  Phoenician 
type,  and  by  their  forms  indicate  a  date 
"  between  the  eighth  and  the  sixth  cen- 
turies "  (Sayoe).  The  inscription,  so  far  as 
it  is  legible,  appears  to  have  run  as  follows : 
"  Behold  the  tunnel !  Now,  this  is  the  his- 
tory of  the  tunnel.  As  the  excavators  were 
lifting  up  the  pick,  each  towards  the  other, 
and  while  there  were  yet  three  cubits  to  be 
broken  through  .  .  .  the  voice  of  the  one 
called  to  his  neighbour,  for  there  was  an 
excess  (?)  of  the  rock  on  the  right.  Then 
they  rose  up  .  .  .  they  struck  on  the  west  of 
the  excavators  ;  the  excavators  struck,  each 
to  meet  the  other,  pick  to  pick.  And  tiie 
waters  flowed  from  their  outlet  to  the  pool 
for  a  distance  of  a  thousand  cubits;  and 
three-fourths  (?)  of  a  cubit  was  the  height 
of  the  rock  over  the  head  of  the  excavation 
here."  We  learn  from  it  that  the  workmen 
began  at  either  end,  and  tunnelled  through 
the  rock  until  they  met  in  the  middle — a 
result  which  their  previous  divergences  from 
the  straight  line  force  us  to  attribute  more 
to  good  fortune  than  to  engineering  science. 
And  brought  water  into  the  city.  The  Well 
of  the  Virgin  was  without,  the  Pool  of  Siloam 
within,  the  city — the  wall  of  the  town  being 
carried  across  the  Tyropoeon  valley  from  the 
extreme  point  of  Ophel  to  the  opposite  hill 
(see  Neh.  iii.  15).  Are  they  not  written  in 
the  book  of  the  chronicles  of  the  kings  of 
Jndah  ?  Hezekiah's  iame  rested  very  much 
upon  these  works,  as  we  see  by  what  is  said 
of  him  by  tlie  son  of  Sirach  (see  the  com- 
ment on  vers.  20,  21). 

Ver.  21. — And  Hezekiah  slept  with  his 
fathers.  The  \vriter  of  Chronicles  adds, 
"  And  they  buried  him  in  the  ohiefost,"  or 
rather,  in  the  topmost,  "of  the  sepulchres  of 
the  sons  of  David"  (2  Chron.  xxxii.  33). 
The  catacomb  of  David  being  now  full, 
Hezekiah  and  his  descendants  (oh.  xxi.  18, 
2G ;  xxiii.  30)  had  to  be  buried  elsewhere, 
'i'he  tomb  of  Hezekiah  was  either  over  the 
catacomb  of  David,  or  on  the  ascent  whieh 
led  to  it.  And  Manasseh  his  son  reigned  in 
bis  stead.  So  2  Chron.,  I.  a.  o. ;  and  Josephus, 
'  Ant.  Jud.,'  X.  8.  §  1. 


nOMILETICS. 

VofH.  1 — 3. — AspertB  of  death.  Wo  may  look  on  death  from  throe  points  of  view — 
that  of  the  natural  man,  uneidi^hlened  by  I)ivin«!  revelation  ;  that  of  the  Israelite  under 
the  Law;  anil  that  of  tho  Christian.  The  contemplation  will  be  wholoBomo,  for  wo  are 
all  I'M!  apt  t<)  turn  our  tlionght-H  away  from  any  consideration  of  the  grim  enemy,  who 
will  wrrtfiinly  have  t<>  Ix;  met  and  encountered  i>tio  day. 

L  Dkath  ruuM  tuk  k>int  ok  viuw  or  tuk  natubal  man.     By  nature  man  haa 


M.xz.1-21.]        THB  8B00KD  BOOK  OP  TBI  KINO&  Ul 


an  ftWauta  burrur  ut  d'tth.     aalf-nfww  uttop  U  tb«  flnt  Uw  of  bii  briog.     lU  vUl 

•utTer  uijtiimg.  b*  will  du  AoytblDg,  to  truiJ  Je«th.      Death  ia  iu  hit  ej«  a  fierac 

m»tist«r.  crurl.  rrlri.tlcM,  drtc^uMe.    To  live  mav  La  barl,  jfricToua,  » fcuLaJ,  acarrvlj 

t-leraUr;  bui  u.  dir  it  wholy  miolerablp.     It  u'to  «ict>atiK«  tbc  bri^bt  pure' Uj  bl  of 

day   f.ir  a)>»>lut«  dAiki»r»«,  or  at  beai  f  r  a  ditn,  dull,  iimrky   rr-»ou  ia  wLlcb  »nil» 

wa,  .(.,  >.  ,.  .,,t  ,„„  ^r  bi'|«-.     Itu  to  \m  cut  ..ff  fr.iu  all  that  ia  k  «»a'T, 

!"'•  ii  to  b«  tbTiwn  iuto  a  World  unknown,  m.faaiiliar,  full  It  U 

*«1^^-*      .  vy.n!    V   .    ,r  ,1]  ^,bu»tn.-«!i,aJ    -  '  {wwer.     It 

Aalila,"  tb<«  «h.iil«  .  •  iu;tn  luay  »tii.  .•  untubat  .  r 

daar.or  antrlni<-;  I    :    .       ,    :t  ita  fi.«.r  aud  ^.      ..  .      rtplicaof  :  , 

aod  it  »ut»cll«al«Hl  with  bill  little   hati-f-ntion.      lUtt.  r,  lu  the  ej- 

to  lire  on  oartli.  .  v.  i,  ait  »Uvi-  or   hinliiig,  tbe  bar  J.  it  of  all  j 

than  to  bold  y  [.of  the  world  lirlow  and  rule  over  the  e;  ,' 

(Monin  *0d.,'  ^  i;.      Ill  tbe  Tifjour  of  hU   Ti'uth  and  rar \  ^; 

uian  for;:et«  deaiii,  vu-wb  it  aa  ao  distant  that  tbe  Ut  of  it  at^ii 

but  let  the  ahad.-w  1*  •uddeiilycaat  acuuM  bia  With,  aiid  he  -    .  f 

t«rror.     Ue  can,  iudted.  me«l  it  without  blcucbiiig  in  thr  Latiie-Qelii,  wfien 

hot,  and  to  the  but  he  dots  not  know  vkhetbt-r  h**  will  a'ay  bin  foe,  or  bia  fo«  n  f 

be  baa  lo  die,  be  a«.x-ei.ta  hia  death  aa  a  naistrable  mieabity.    It  i*  hateful  to  biui  to.iie ; 

it  ia  atiU  mor   hateful  to  be  cut  off  in  h  8  prime,  while  he  la  atill  «tr..ijjj.  Tigoroua.  1..b:>.' 

It  ia  not  till  old  a^;e  cornea  on,  and  hia  arm  ^r^^w*  we»k,  and  bi>»  i  vc  dim,  that  Le  can 

look  on  death  without  loathing.     Then,  perhnpa,  be  may  accept  tne  ueoeMity  ^»ithout 

i.rot*«t.  feeling  that  actual  death  can  be  little  worae  than  tba  daath-in-Ufe  whereto  be 

haa  coiue. 

II.  I»»ATH  FKOM  THB  POIST  OF  VIEW  OF  TH«  Ihhaiojtk.  The  NrMlite  ha-l  n-  I 
very  much  advantage  over  the  natural  man  in  r<w|«tt  of  the  coDtemjUtion  ..f  d.-.th. 
But  little  waa  reveaied  to  him  concerning  the  life  Iwyond  the  •^rave.  He  kuni.  i  ,  :.  ^-1, 
that  hia  life  did  not  end  everything,  that  he  would  cerUinlv  ::o  down  to  Sht>.l  wn- n  :  e 
died,  and  there  have  a  cotitiuue.1  exiiU-uce ;  hut  Sheol  pre>*nttti  u««-lf  to  i,im  in  aa 
dism:tl  clouni  aa  H.idea  did  to  the  (Jreek.  "  The  liTing,  the  hvin^'  »i,  ,:i  prai*-  thee  • 
Sh.vl  caiinot  praise  thee,  death  cann.t  celebrate  thee,"  cried  llezckiaii  from  hi-  Um  ,,f 
aickneas  (laa.  xxxviii.  18,  19).  Thus  the  Is^raelite  too  ahrank  from  death,  not  m-reiv 
uiatmctively,  but  as  a  fcid  and  po-r  condition  oomiared  with  life.  And  unt  larlV 
d.ath  was  even  more  hateful  to  liim  than  to  the  natural  m;in,  «ince  under  the  M  *iic 
di>pen8ation  it  was  dedared  to  be  a  mark  oi  tbe  diapleasure  of  GcJ.  •'  The  (rikr  ..f  the 
I>.rd  pn..lont;eth  daya ;  but  He  years  of  the  wicki^i  ahall  be  •bori^ned,"  aa  d  S.lomou 
(TruT.  X.  27).  "  bl.jmlthirsty  and  deceitiul  men  aball  not  lire  out  half  th.  .v  -  - 
laog  David  (Pa.  Iv.  23).  '•  L..ng  lile  "  waa  a  gift  repeatedly  promi>e.l  u.  tl 
(Prof.ui.  2.  !•;;  ix.  10,  11  ;  I'a  xci.  16,  etc.);  and  when  a  man  fo  md  hiu, 

down  by  a  .  angeroua  diat-aae  in  hia  middle  age,  it  B.-emetl  to  him.  and  to  tni«e    . 
him.  that  he  muat  hare  binned  grievoualy,  and  to  brought  ilown  upon  himaelf  i. 
anger,     btjil  naore  bitter  waa  the  feeling  of  one  who  ^aa  cut  .ff  in  mid  life,  if  be  waa 
chiidle«a.     Then  tbe  man 'a  name  was  "  <lean  put  out;"  hL»  memorial  peri-bed  with 
him;  be  had  no  more  part  or  lot  in  Israel,  no  more  inheriunc-.-  among  ha  lireth-  u 
Thua  death  remained  a  terror  and  a  cal  imity,  even  to  the  mobl  religioua  Jew,  u   i  . 
•t..ut  the  litiie  oi  Daniel,  the  doctrine  of  the'  reaurrection  l.eg.in  to  be  preached' (Daii. 
iiL  1 — 3),  and  the  life  bey.nd  tbe  -rare  U.  take  a  more  cheer!  ul  aafwcL 

III.  Death  fbom  tuk  i^ijrr  of  view  of  the  Chkistiajc.  Tbe  whole  relation  of 
■  ieath  to  life  and  of  life  to  death  became  chaug.d  by  ti  e  reTelatMD  mad«  to  man  in 
L  nritu  Theu  for  the  tirsi  time  were  "  life  and  immortality  "  fully  "  brought  lo  light." 
Then  firat  it  apj«*red  that  earth  waa  a  mere  aojouruii'g-plaoe  for  ttjoM?  who  w©tb 
iier    aa  ••  ^t^;l!, 'rr-  h    •      ilrn.,,."  ,,,.,,,   it,haviug  "  no  ot>utinuing  citv."     '!" 

were  the  i  g  huea,  and  men  told  that  "eye  h. 

n<>r  ear  h    .     .                        ,    ,  li  ,,  h,^ri  of  man  [to  t-  •  •' 

which  Ood  ha«i  prti*r©.!  J.r  tti-a.    •  i  *   (^1  Gt  ii.  H).      :- 

of  earthly  j.>y«  wa»  depct-d,  no  '  Cv  :  <  lenr^  "n..  n..r»  >  .^                               .    , 

Uii»  borne,  the  [Aiu.,-  «    .  atat«- 

be  will  be  reunucJ  t--  those  »  _^            . 

and  wbara,  above  all,  be  will  "  be  with  Cbnat  "  (PiiiL  L  2ii)^  wia^me  liod  "^  (I  John 


us  THB  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [ch.  xx.  1—81. 

iii.  2),  and  "  know  even  as  he  is  known  "  (1  Cor.  xiii,  12).  The  prospect  of  death 
thus,  to  the  true  Christian,  lost  all  its  terrors.  "  I  am  in  a  strut  betwixt  two,"  says 
St.  Paul,  "having  a  desire  to  depart,  and  be  with  Christ,  which  is  far  better'"  (Phil. 
i.  23) ;  and  again,  "  I  am  willing  ratlier  to  he  absent  from  the  body,  and  to  be  present 
with  the  Lord  "  (2  Cor.  v.  8).  Natural  shrinking  there  may  be,  for  '•  the  flesh  is  weak ;  " 
but  thousands  have  triumphed  over  it,  have  sought  martyrdom,  have  gone  gladly  to 
their  deaths,  and  preferred  to  die.  Even  when  there  is  no  such  exaltation  of  feeling, 
death  is  contemplated  with  calmness,  as  a  passage  to  a  better  world — a  world  where 
there  is  no  sorrow  nor  sighing  (Isa.  xxxv.  10),  where  there  is  no  sin,  ''  where  the 
wicked  cease  from  troubling,  and  the  weary  are  at  rest "  (Job  iii.  17).  Untimely  deatli 
from  natural  disease  or  accident  is  to  the  Christian  no  sign  of  God's  displeasure,  bnt 
rather  an  indication  of  the  contrary.  God  takes  to  himself  those  whom  he  recognizes 
as  fit  to  die,  of  whom  it  may  be  said  that  TeXeiajflfWey  4v  6Kly<fi  iirXyipwaav  ■x^p6vovi 
fioKpSvs.  He  takes  them  in  love,  not  in  wrath,  to  join  the  company  of  "  the  spirits 
of  just  men  made  perfect"  ^eb.  xii.  23),  to  be  among  his  "jewels"  (Isa.  Ixi.  10; 
MaLiii.17). 

Vers.  12 — 18. — The  nmshine  of  prosperity  a  greater  danger  than  the  storms  of 
adversity.  When  Sennacherib  threatens,  when  his  messengers  blaspheme,  when  the 
huge  battalions  of  the  most  powerful  kingdom  in  the  world  have  entered  his  territory 
and  are  about  to  march  upon  his  capital,  the  Jewish  monarch  remains  firm ;  his 
faith  is  xmshaken  ;  he  casts  his  care  upon  God,  looks  to  him  and  him  only  ;  believes  in 
him,  trusts  in  him,  regards  prayer  as. the  only  door  of  safety.  Similarly,  when  disease 
prostrates  him,  when  a  painful  and  dangerous  malady  confines  him  to  his  bed,  and 
the  prophet,  instead  of  bringing  him  words  of  comfort,  is  commissioned  to  bid  him 
"set  his  house  in  order;  for  he  shall  die,  and  not  live"  (ver.  1),  his  faith  fails  not, 
in  God  is  still  his  refuge,  to  God  alone  he  betiikes  himself,  and  prays  and  weeps  sore 
(veis.  L',  3).  The  blasts  of  calamity  cannot  tear  away  from  him  the  cloak  of  faith  ; 
he  clutches  it  the  tighter  the  more  the  storm  rages ;  nothing  will  induce  him  to  let  it 
go.  But  the  danger  past,  health  restored,  the  admiration  of  foreign  kings  attracted, 
his  ear  besieged  by  congratulations  and  flatteries,  his  court  visited  liy  envoys  from  "a 
far  country,"  and  at  once  his  grasp  relaxes,  tlie  thought  of  God  fades  from  his  heart, 
his  faith  slips  from  him,  and  he  is  a  mere  worldling,  bent  on  winning  to  himself  a 
great  alliance,  and  obtaining  the  aid  of  an  "arm  of  flesh  "  against  bis  enemies.  And 
so  it  is  and  will  ever  be  with  most  of  us.  We  can  bear  the  world's  frowns,  the  buft'ets 
of  fortune,  the  cruelty  of  oppressors,  the  open  attacks  of  rivals  and  enemies ;  we  can 
resist  them,  defy  them,  and  still  maintain  our  integrity ;  but  lot  the  world  smile,  lot 
fortune  favour  us,  let  riches  increase,  let  friends  s|)ring  up  on  all  sides,  and  how  few  of 
UH  can  stand  the  sunshine !  How  few  of  us  can  remain  as  close  to  God  as  we  wore 
before!  How  few  of  us  but  drop  the  habits  oi  prayer,  of  cominuning  witli  Goil,  of 
Constant  reliance  ujion  him,  which  were  familiar  to  us  in  the  darker  time,  and  snhstitiito 
a  rnero  occasional  and  pcrfurictory  acknowledgment  of  his  goodness  1  Alas,  how  few  ! 
Oh  !  ni  ly  our  cry,  the  cry  of  our  heart,  ever  be,  "  In  all  time  of  our  tribulation,  in  all 
tijM  of  our  wealth,  .  .  .  good  Lord,  deliver  us  I  " 


HOMILIES  BY  VARIOUS  AUTHORS. 

Vern.  1 — 11. — TJezrkiah'i  nickness.  Kvory  changing  scetio  of  life  is  depicted  for  us 
•n  the  I'iV)le.  Whritcvcr  our  circuniHtanceK  may  lie,  we  can  g- 1  houk^  guidance,  help,  or 
conilort  from  thai  treaHuro-houHe  of  wisdom  an<l  experionco.      We  Imve  here — 

I.  A  Boi-KMN  MiCHHAOK.  "  Sot  thiiie  liniiso  in  order;  for  thou  shall  die,  and  not  live." 
1.  It  VMM  a  loleinn  rnesitdtjr  for  Ihtrkiuh.  His  kingilom  Hcenii  d  now  lo  lu^  securely 
c  tahliHhcd.  G(xl  had  helped  liiin  itgairmt  the  I'hllintincH,  luid  had  overthrown  them. 
Ii»;  w(iM  doubtlfHii  looking  lorward  Ui  many  years  of  rcHt  and  (jnietnosh,  when  he  nught 
•  iijoy  for  liim  ell  the  henefiiH  ol  pence,  and  dnvi  lup  ilie  rew. .mccrt  of  thi'  nation,  so  Ion/ 
i\iwAmU'A\  by  invading  ariid<;H.  linw  Htartling,  then,  tin'  an  <>iin('em<>nt  nf  his  approaehinj 
I  <;itb  I  2.  It  it  a  Kilemn  itirit'n'ir.  ftrr  every  one.  it  Ih  a  HnliMnn  thing  fur  ii  linniAn 
K<<ul  to  \iUM  froHi  tiuio  into  eternity,  Uj  enter  mU)  llio  iniinediato  proMence  of  the  Klorualf 


>TImu  • 


■LU.1-«L]        TBI  aOOirD  BiiOK   or   TllK   llV(Mk  ill 

brttfr    (t.t  S     /i    U 

^                       xiompUi.'  4                                        Jsalk  mttf^tU  Iks  HSt^*i                     .    ,r  imU 

your  God  r    U  )  J    n» 

tu  bMug  |ir«^.«.  .  .  itb 

lUltftit  OOate  boluTB  wr<  «» 

kn««  U'*i  'iroH.  »%.,  _  u» 

Uicrl   t  .'  U  lii«  >. 

i:  ."17                               ■         .  m 


^ 


^  .c>«  lu   iruili  ai«(i  wiiJi   k  ,  .  .j 

li..  It  U  w. !:  :„  hav.  i  ;  ..  ,« 

t:  i.       ll  !•   »•    .    .         :;  )g 

1  .  .  vrays  »  i-     ■  .  »j J 

^  tkt  -  .«r  whal  ia  «>»-•'.    !•■!  ua!      Ii    »a-    ,/i«f 

•  • 


(>  .  Ul»Wtit   I 

h 

til 

D<  .  U>  wi.a;    -  AD  as  *•  i  t*l 

tl  ■  --  lake  a  lu; -.^  '•  <   ■    -.  ^ 

lv<  r-  7  i  Iml.  X  \  i  V  ill.  'J  1 ).  u* 

b<  !»:-■'.    ^  f  1    •*         '•■'  111 

•<. 

Hm/  m  ^e  uk*.      iiuM  ,aa  i.a«  i> 

naajc:  •-  L»ck  ag^io  tr^:  :  doalii?      . 

of  G^<d    >tai>i  ua  Ui  repoufauioo.     I<el  the  Uvoa  ikfti  ^m  ha*  spArad   bm  aadioBtad  u> 

him.— C  U.  L 

Vert.   13 — il.—  nrtfkiak  mmd  <A#  ambamadon.      fheodly   Krt«UDg«  ar*  alva^* 
wvlcuma.    T  -ocully  »i' <>'  MokDMi.    U«s«kiAh'a  iUa«a^  do  d^uU, 

eallvd  (urth  :  <  -aiuua  uf  «iDao|;  the  real,  a  m*aa>y  mm)  fw«»rDl 

frooi  ll<iru(ia> :.  i  a  u.:.».  ._.0 

and  tbe  pr«at-oi  wef«  v<  .^4 

kiunarlf  tu  b«  uo ^   '  i{« 

aiK>wr<d  the  tuMM  ,j 

ftr     -    V. '  ,■  ■•  -■ 
11 

y  fur  ooe«  led  >•'"   •('•"iT      I.  Bt  gum  m^t 
0tory  Ic  Uud.     It  >  oJ  biui,  *i4  ,  hU  Utfc»ur»  »4t:i 

•uocvMa.     b'jt  iht'  ..    \:.'iKkJMMijct.  >  »I1  ihe  (MJiKNtf 

au<1  Ri'ry  U)  Littiaeif.     i  .^i  liimaeiJ.  ui,  bjr  MVii^ 

thai  iLc  •  ia  Ot-  u»«-  i  .  :.^cf»      I  i'J  Li  La»« 

b««0   aa  autitl   U  ka 

kia  buui'iMMV      V.  .    .  -«  .  .^ 

Oi  Chnal  la  out  uuiji  •eak  aAU  ow«a.Uijr ,  .l  ^  .      >  Ae  ««•  ^a^  t^« 


«ii  Ui*  v;.>.>..  .ui    u. 


414  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KTNQS,       [oh.  xx.  1—21. 

foolish  Hezekiali's  pride  was,  when  we  remember  his  recent  sickness.  It  was  not  so 
long  since  Hezekiah,  now  so  vain  and  boastful,  turned  his  face  to  the  wall,  and  wept 
Bore.  The  memory  of  that  should  have  humbled  him.  Not  only  so,  but  when  he  was 
recovered  of  his  sickness,  he  made  special  promises  of  praise  to  God  and  humility  of 
spirit.  "  The  living,  the  living,  he  shall  praise  thee,  as  I  do  this  day."  Where  was 
Hezekiah's  praise  of  God's  goodness  when  these  Babylonish  ambassadors  came  to  him  ? 
"  I  shall  go  softly  all  my  years  in  the  bitterness  of  my  soul"  (Isa.  xxxviii.  15).  Where 
now  is  Hezekiah's  humility?  On  the  contrary,  as  it  is  said  in  2  Chron.  ixxii.  25, 
"  Hezekiah  rendered  not  again  according  to  the  benefit  done  unto  him ;  for  his  heart 
■was  lifted  up."  3.  We  see  here  how  watcJiful  we  need  to  he  over  our  own  hearts.  We 
read  in  2  Chron.  xxxii.  31,  "  Howbeit  in  the  business  of  the  ambassadors  of  the  princes 
of  Bal  ylon,  who  sent  unto  him  to  inquire  of  the  wonder  that  was  done  in  the  land, 
God  left  him,  to  try  him,  that  he  might  know  all  that  was  in  his  heart."  We  cannot 
tell  how  we  may  act  until  the  temptation  comes.  Such  a  crisis  as  this  may  come  to 
each  of  us.  Let  us  watch  and  pray,  that  we  enter  not  into  temptation.  "  Above  all 
treasure  guard  thy  heart,  for  out  of  it  are  the  fountains  of  life." 

II.  A  FAITHFUL  PROPHET.  Isaiah  did  not  delay  in  the  path  of  duty.  Hezekiah  had 
humbled  himself  and  his  nation,  and  he  had  dishonoured  God,  be  lore  these  heathen 
ambassadors.  Isaiah  at  once  proceeds  to  the  king's  presence,  and  rebukes  him  for  his 
folly  and  pride  (vers.  14 — 18).  Not  only  so,  but  he  foretells  that  Babykm,  whose 
avarice  had  thus  been  aroused,  would  one  day  take  advantage  of  this  act  of  weakness, 
aud  take  possession  of  the  treasures  of  Jerusalem.  Hezekiah's  answer  was  wise  and 
huruble.  He  was  a  God-fearing,  if  mistaken,  man.  "Good  is  the  word  of  the  Lord 
which  thou  liast  spoken."  So  let  us  receive  God's  judgments,  in  humility,  submission, 
and  patience,  and  not  in  rebellion  and  defiance.  What  a  blessing  to  a  king  to  have  a 
faithiul  and  wise  counsellor!  What  a  bles^ing  to  a  nation  and  to  a  Church  to  have 
faithful  ministers!     They  who  fear  God  need  not  fear  the  face  of  man. — C.  H.  L 

Vers.  1 — 21, — Death.  "In  those  days  was  Hezekiah  sick  unto  death,"  etc.  A 
thoughtful  man  might  raise  many  questions  on  this  chapter — indeed,  on  all  the  chapters 
in  this  book.  He  might  ask — Who  was  the  writer  of  this  chapter,  ay,  and  of  the  entire 
Books  of  Kinfi;s?  A  question  this  which  has  not  been  settled,  and,  perhaps,  never  will 
be.  He  might  ask  on  what  authority  certain  men,  called  prophets,  sneh  as  Isaiah, 
speak  as  from  heaven,  and  say,  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord."  Priests  aud  leaders  of  all 
sects  profess  to  speak  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  say,  "Thus  saith  the  Lord."  Such 
questions  might  open  up  discussions  of  critical  and  speculative  interest,  but  would  be 
of  no  practical  benefit  whatever.  Anyhow,  I  forego  them.  My  purpose  all  along  has 
been  to  turn  whatever  I  find  in  tliis  or  any  other  book  of  tlie  Old  Testament  to  some 
practical  ust;.  Some  yeans  before  the  overwhelming  destruction  of  Sennacherib  and  liis 
army,  as  recorded  in  the  preceding  chapter,  Hezekiah  was  seized  with  some  severe 
disease  which  threatenc<l  the  extinction  of  his  life:  death  was  before  him.  The  account 
leads  UH  it)  consider  death  in  three  asjwcts :  na  (1)  consciously  approaching ;  as  (2)  tempO' 
rarily  arrested ;  and  as  (3)  ultimately  triuin/ihant. 

I.  Ah  consciouhly  appiioachino.  "In  those  days  was  Hezekiah  sick  unto  death. 
And  the  Prophet  Isaiah  the  eon  of  Amoz  came  to  hiu),  and  said  unto  him,  Thus  saith 
the  Lord,  Si;t  thine  house  in  order;  for  thou  shalt  die,  and  not  live."  Mark  hero  throe 
thin^H.  1.  FV/wfM  ho  became  coiiKciouH  of  its  approach.  "  1  n  those  days."  "By  this 
exi)r(>Hion,"  huh  Dr.  Keil,  "the  illness  of  He/.okiah  is  merely  assigned  in  a  general 
manner  to  the  s.-i'iic  time  as  the  events  previously  described.  That  it  did  not  occur 
Bft<:r  the  departure  of  tlic  AHsyriaiiH,  ...  is  evident  from  the  sixth  verso,  both 
fp.m  the  fact  tlmt,  in  answer  to  bis  praver,  fifteen  years  more  of  life  were  promis^jd 
him,  and  that  he,  neverthelesH,  roijjned  only  twenty-nine  years  (ch.  xviii.  2); 
and  aJHo  from  the  fiict  that  G<k1  i)romise  1  to  deliver  liim  out  of  the  hand  of  the 
AHHvriariH,  wnd  to  defend  .J'TUHalem."  2.  /low  ho  bociimo  conH(nouH  of  its  approach. 
"ThuH  miith  tlio  Iy<ird,  Hut  tliine  honB«»  in  order;  for  thou  wlndt  die,  and  not  Hv«."  It 
nee.iti  no  Ihniah,  or  any  other  |iroi>liet,  to  (h-iiver  tliin  messago  to  man.  It  comes  to 
hirn  Irom  all  lilntory,  from  every  graveyard,  from  every  fuiienil  procoHsion,  an  well  aa 
from  tlio  In^xoruhlo  law  of  decay  working  over  in  hU  cunstitulion.  Yob;  and  not 
Uicrcly  iLc  aniujniicciuxait,  but  the  duty:  "Set  thine  house  in  order."    (1)  Men  h»T# 


m.MM.  l-tL]      THE  noon)  BOOK  OF  THB  KDIOt^  ilf 

WK-b  k>  A<  lo  UiU  1  fc  The  *Kt*uM>  *  U  otti  c/  ord«.  (t)  XJalam  tk»  work  b  4inm 
lm%  It  «i.l  u^t  t-  i  r  ^H,j0r.  **  WLAUuerrf  thy  liWMi  IniWUi  tu>du,  du  ii  viUi  tbj 
Mjgibl«"  etc  S.  Uo»  Lo  /i^l  lo  Um  oocuickiusbMi  uf  lu  acipraaih.  **  'ILma  b*  iuru«Kl 
kto  bo*  to  Uip  w«)l.*  (1)  ll<i  mmtf  U>  kav*  baao  ov«rwb«in.u^ljr  diaUoM*!.  "  U« 
Wpl  WrK.*      I'      '  ^   lu  mullipiri  c*jU<Trr>«,  frtu  aII 

^  NifAl  pt^'I  u  Itj&nito.      {2}    lie  t.lif'i  rmJUomlXt 

k>  b<«V«Ci.  IxJ  •'.,  ra  ob  ibew,  (J  l>.-il.  rrijjci.i»f  U"W 

bo«  1  Lav*  N«  inilb  ai.  -rfaci  L'Vt,  a^.a   i.4<r  .:  :  <•  iu«t 

vkiek  b  gwu  III  (  eery  u/  oaIu/q.     A  wu 

t|ka«  «buM«  •('      ^  «  of  iImu  •{•int  la)  ry 

to  bMT—  Ib  gftna  -i.  ...    K''»y''  *•  ^^"^  '^•■'<'  ^    •  •       r     ' 

MlTriglliaiMUaMKi     **  1  I  Lave  walk»i  brfurv  tLo^  in  u^ii.  *l.o  «  tL 

ft  |Wffart  kaartf  aiid  L:>  ^  .  ..  i»  gm*!  in  ibr  ugbi."    Tbuu^L  Lc  l»>^  Locii 

ttm  ftom  must  •ioa,  &:  >i  •om«  virtoaa,  M  bad  noC  duiM  ibu.     ftrLap* 

■A  BMB  that  ever  «p['.  ^ .ixiti,  mt*  th«  **8oq  of  man,*  eould  aay.  **  1  b«T« 

walked  b«for»  tbee  ii>  iniiii  and  wilb  a  i^rfrct  brart."  M  rml  •<  U-(l«eepCkMl  b  oo«  u( 
Iba  mart  (nvraleol  aina  uf  tLc  buman  bmrt.  Like  tbc  I'Liu^Mr  in  tlM  tampU,  w« 
axult  iu  virturb  we  Lave  out,  Nuw,  deatii  ia  ai>[<uacbiiig  ail  meo,  wbeiber  wa  are 
ctmtnous  uf  tbc  fact  ur  nut.  Tbe  decree  baa  goCM-  iJrtb,  "  TLou  abalt  div,  aii<i  oot  livr." 
Death  ia  aver  ouoiintc  witb  etraltby  steps,  jet  witb  rrai'-tlaM  furoa.  Ue  i*  o^ti.iug 
alwajTi)  whether  wc  are  at  bume  or  abruaJ,  ou  ooeau  ur  eo  land,  lu  aucietj  ur  iu  auliiude  ; 
•aUap  or  awakf,  be,  tbe  king  o(  teirun.  i>  oomiug. 

IL  Aa  TBMPuKAiULT  AKUxaTKD.  Kive  tbiu.e  are  to  be  ohaerrail  hara.  1.  Tb* 
frimarv  AuUmr  of  it*  arrest.  **  Au>l  it  nunc  to  paj«,  afure  La«'ali  wa«  gube  out  into 
tha  niiddle  oourt,  tliat  ihe  wurd  of  tbe  Lurd  came  tu  biiu,  Mjiu^.  Turu  again,  and 
tall  HaBakiab  tbe  oaplain  of  my  i>ec>ple,  1  boa  tsaiib  the  Lurd.  tbf  Oud  of  L>arta  thy 
father,  1  bave  iieard  tby  irayer,  1  have  e««a  tLy  Uafs:  bcbuld,  1  will  Leal  tbea. 
Huw  came  l^iab  into  puaa<ai>iuo  uf  tLis  kuuwlc<'.(!e,  tbia  "word  uf  ti^e  Lurd,"  euti- 
oaroiDg  lit ju  kiaL'a  rvstontiuo  ?  Was  it  by  a  dreati.,  ur  Uiruugb  aumr  utbcr  euiicruatural 
eommunicaiion  ?  (.^  this  (loiot  I  couftras  my  utt«r  iguoraiioe.  Tbc  gr..iid  uractical 
idea  is  tliat  Gud  caa  arrest  death,  and  be  only.  Our  tiiu«»x  are  iu  bis  :  auda.  ILa 
oooatant  vuitatiuo  prreerTetb  ua.  He  \»  tbe  a'ltiutute  ll«ster  of  dr^tu.  At  bu 
bidding  tha  most  fra^le  crt-ature  may  live  for  ever,  tbe  mo»t  rubust  rx,'ife.  'I,  Tbe 
mamdmry  mtant  of  ita  arreau  "  Isaiab  luiid.  Take  a  1  m\>  of  figa.  Ai.d  tLey  tci.>k  aiid 
laid  it  on  tha  boil,  and  ha  recoTered."  It  would  st^iu  tLat  the  aii  .  uia,  \u  the  c-am?  uf 
boila,  abaceaaea,  and  such  like,  frequently  apjlit^i  dgs  to  th-  aiitxicvi  ^«ru,  taA  nu 
d'Aibi  there  was  reiurdial  virtue  in  tbe  figs.  V^*  augbt  we  knuw,  there  may  be  an 
actidote  aleej  ing  in  plants  and  n  iiierals  for  all  our  pby.-ical  outu^daiuia.  The  man 
wbu  live*  bv  tbe  medical  art  ib  untrue  to  bis  mi  ii:<>u,  aiid  unfaitLf  il  to  bu  {Atieat, 
mn>atts  he,  with  an  inde{>endent  n.md  aiid  a  drvutod  heart,  »<a:cL«  Nature  U>t  thoee 
lanadial  elements  witb  wLich  s:  e  u  cbar^>-:.  3.  'ibe  exfra'Ttiinary  •!,•  uf  lu  arrest. 
**  And  HeaakiaL  Said  untu  laaiab.  What  ^nall  be  tbe  hx^u  :Lat  the  Luru  will  LtaJ  me, 
and  that  I  aball  go  up  into  the  boose  of  the  Lord  the  third  dar?  And  Ibaiah  said. 
This  sign  abalt  tLuu  have  of  the  Ix>rd,  that  tlic  Lord  will  do  tbe  ihm^  liiat  be  Lath 
tnukeo:   shall   the  sbaduw    .  -i  ten  dcgrtxra,  or  go  back   ten  degreea?     Aod 

neaekiab  antwertd,  It  u  a  .;  for  tbe  ahadaw  to  gu  down  tao  defraea:  oay, 

bat  let  the  abadcw  return  b&  km  mi  ten  degreaa.  Aod  leaiab  tbe  pmphat  eriad  untu 
Ibe  Lurd :  and  be  bruu^bt  the  aliaiiuw  ten  defreas  backararxl,  bv  which  it  had  gooa 
down  in  the  dial  of  Ahaa."  PerLaia  it  wa«  -  *  — .  f  >r  a  man,  wfto  wbaa  he  felt  Utn- 
■alf  on  tbe  brink  uf  et«Tuity  was  told  he  w.  .to  dasiia  aoma  aaauranee  of  tha 

laet  au  uatMixctaa  and  \et  au  aixypt^Lle.  <...Jt  draired  a  sigtf,  and  ha  had  iL 

But  what  was  tha  eigo  ?  Wo  are  tuld  ti.ai  ibe  rn^dow  on  the  dial-;  .au  "  ratoraad  Um 
4igrMS  back  wards. "  How  waa  tbia?  Did  tbe  am  recnie,  ur,  iu  uiLcr  Mt.«da, 
latrtlOB  of  tLe  earth  reveni»;?  1  knuw  nut;  neii..cr  d<.«s  it  mai(«r.  It  is  suf 
to  kaow  that,  whether  it  waa  au  lli.ai'  n,  or  a  naturaJ  eclipse  of  tii«  sun,  whwh 
artruaoPets  say  did  a4.-tually  take  plaoe  at  this  tune  (ac.  t>M*),  <«  a  (•Lvaioal  ailraal^ 
It  aecna  to  hare  satisfied  the  king.  It  i>««ms  to  be  a  law  of  mind,  ii.ai  iihennte— 
whic^j  It  rarneetly  cx|«cte  ifteu  uecur.  "  lie  it  t-  tL««p  aooording  to  tby  ^ih.*  4.  T^s 
f  lia«iwi  0^  its  affesk     **1  will  atid  ui<lv  '.:.y  oa/s  tifteau  yoara*     'lt<a  H-hl>M 


416  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.         [ch.  xx  1—21. 

of  fifteen  years  to  man's  brief  existence  in  this  life  is  a  considerable  item,  and  the  more 
so  when  tliat  fifteen  years  is  added  at  a  period  when  the  man  has  fully  reached  middle 
life,  and  passed  through  the  chief  training  experiences.     He  who  can  add  fifteen  years 
to  a  man's  life  can  add  eternity.     "Our  times  are  in  his  hands."     5.  The  mental  ineffi- 
ciency of  its  arrest.     What  spiritual  good  did  these  additional  fifteen  years  accomplish 
for  the  king  ?    They  might  have  done  much ;  they  ought  to  have  done  much.     But 
did  they  make  him  a  morally  letter  man,  or  an  intellectually  wiser  man  ?     Not  the 
former,  I  trow,  for  mark  his  vanity.     The  letters  which  the  King  of  Babylon,  Mero- 
r!ach-Baladan,  despatched  to  him,  together  with  a  present,  so  excited  his  egotism  that 
he  "hearkened  [or,  as  Isaiah  puts  it,  'was  glad*]  unto  them,"  that  is,  the  Babylonian 
deputies ;  and  "  showed  them  all  the  house  of  his  precious  things,  the  silver,  and  the 
gold,  and  the  precious  ointment,  and  all  the  house  of  his  armour,  and  all  that  was 
found  in  his  treasures :  there  was  nothing  in  his  house,  nor  in  all  his  dominion,  that 
Hezekiah  showed  them  not."    At  this  time  he  had  enormous  possessions.     We  find 
from  2  Chron.  xxxii.  23  that  presents  were  brought  to  Hezekiah  from  various  quarters. 
"  He  had,"  says  the  Chronicler,  "  exceeding  much  riches  and  honour :  and  he  made 
himself  treasuries  for  silver,  and  for  gold,  and  for  precious  stones,  and  for  spices,  and 
for  shields,  and  for  all  manner  of  pleasant  jewels  ;  storehouses  also  for  the  increase  of 
com,  and  wine,  and  oil ;  and  stalls  for  aU  manner  of  beasts,  and  cotes  for  flocks  " 
(2  Chron.  xxxii.  27,  28).    All  this,  with  an  elated  vanity,  he  exposed  to  the  Babylonian 
magnates.    Vanity,  for  many  reasons,  is  one  of  the  worst  of  all  the  bad  elements  of 
depravity;  it  is  a  species  of  moral  evil,  hideous  to  all  beholders,  and  damnable  to  its 
possess<ir.     Did  these  fifteen  years  added  to  his  life  make  Hezekiah  an  intellectually 
wiser  rrixinf    No;  his  judgment  was  not  improved.     In  sooth,  he  seems  to  have  lost 
that  jienetration,  that  insight  into  things  and  men,  which  he  had  previously  possessed. 
How  blind  was  he  not  to  see  that,  by  exposing  his  treasures,  he  was  exciting  the  avarice 
of  the  Babylonians,  tempting  them  to  make  an  invasion  of  his  country  I     Tiiis  Isaiah 
told  him :  "  Behold,  the  days  come,  that  all  that  is  in  thine  house,  and  that  which  thy 
fathers  have  laid  up  in  store,  unto  this  day,  shall  be  carried  into  Babylon :  nothing 
bhall  be  left,  saith  the  Lord."    Affliction  does  not  always  improve  men,  either  morally 
or  intellectually.     Ah  me  1  how  many  have  I  known  wlio,  when  they  have  "  turned 
their  face  to  the  wall,"  writhing  in  agony,  with  grim  death  before  them,  have  solemnly 
vowed  improvement  should  they  ever  recover?    They  have  recovered,  and  become 
worse  in  every  respect  than  before.    What  boots  a  term  of  fifteen  years,  or  even  a 
thousand  years,  added  to  our  existence,  if  our  souls  are  not  improved  thereby  ? 

III.  As  ULTIMATELY  TRIUMPHANT.  "And  HezcUiah  slept  with  his  fathers."  Tho 
end  of  tlie  fifteen  years  came,  and  he  meets  with  the  common  destiny  of  alL  The 
unconquered  conqueror  is  not  to  be  defrauded  of  his  prey,  however  long  delayed.  Since 
death  cannot  be  escaped  by  any,  whether  young  or  old,  it  has  been  asked,  is  there  any 
advantage  in  lotjgevity?  Rather,  would  it  not  be  better  to  die  in  the  first  dawn  of 
inlaticy,  than  in  any  subsequent  period?  "  Whom  the  gods  love  die  young,"  was  said 
of  yore.     We  may  go  a  step  further,  and  say,  "  Why  live  at  all  ?  " — D.  T. 

Vers.  1 — 11. — UezekiaTi'B  ncknoBB.  Tn  order  of  time,  this  recovery  of  King  Hezekiah 
from  BickncBH  stands  before  tho  destruction  of  Sennacherib,  though  in  order  of  narration 
it  comes  after  it.     So  with  the  Babylonian  embassy  (see  on  ch.  xviii.  1 — 13). 

I.  Warning  of  dkath.  1.  Unexplained  tiicknesB.  "In  those  days  was  Ilezokiali 
sick  uut<»  death."  His  disea.so  was  Kome  ulcerous  growth,  called  in  tho  narrative  "a 
IkjII."  We  hiivo  h-cn  aocustomeil  in  tliis  history  to  soe  troubles  of  body,  and  cahimities 
in  tlio  state,  connected  with  Hin,  as  part  of  its  temporal  pnnishtnent.  Hut  fhero  is  no 
natMjn  to  b«!lievo  that  Hezekiah  was  guilty  of  any  npecial  iransKnssion  which  led  to  hia 
heing  vi»jite<l  with  this  Kicktiosa.  His  own  conHc.icnce  was  cltar,  and  thero  is  no 
iiidie^ttinn  of  blarno  in  tlie  narrative.  Aflliction  ia  sent  for  other  reason'^  than  the 
j»uni«lini' nt  of  Hin,  and  we  ^.-rievously  orr,  and  do  groat  injustico  to  tho  Huffcrors,  if  wo 
i/iHlKt  on  always  interpreting  it  in  tluH  lipht.  .lob'H  friendw  committed  this  error  (.lob 
xlii.  7,  8;  cl.  Luko  liii.  1 — r> ;  John  ix.  I — 3),  In  He/.ekiiih'M  c.iho  afllietion  wa.s  no 
fioubt  Hont  nn  a  purificatory  and  htron;j;ih(!nin^;  dinciplin'',  intended  to  try  hiH  faith,  and 
lead  hirn  U)  now  oxiMiri'tnoe  of  the  graeo  of  fJixi.  2.  7'he  annimncemont  of  druth.  It 
WM  while  Ue/4}kiab's  miuU  wan  troublud  about  his  HickuoMS  that  the  Prophet  Isaiah 


m,  MM.  l-n.]       TO  nOOMO  BOOK  OF  TUK  KUiQL 


itt 


Ml  llv&*  ourw  the 

•  •Ur  BHiT'k  •>  •■''•  ' 

l.,u.  r.i. 


a.     Wo  >  Mvo  ouijr  u>  {'ill  w.t   iu.. 

.V    wrrki   <r    <i«^•  «>f  ••■If    <l«lth.    hV. 
lU   »ucli    <  -  • 

.r.T     15. 

\  '  .  ixi  auy 

3       .    .?    c;  j.'y  i^' 
U    M    »' 

ai.-ah^'  .i    '.    at,  II    >v . 

'1  .,r   :  .     I   .■!    ih.-    ■-: 


iKm  alu^'  *>'  -^-^ 


1 


>uaa  in  c : 


11.    .  '■'»    LIFR.        1.    JTrt-i-ia-Vi   diffrrss 

Kxiu  tu  aie  Ulii.^  li  :.•  kiah  with  ii< 
CMUoeiiy  tu  God,  in  '-.  vs*  ;.t  tore.     '1 . 

m  ilia,    Tuu  U  . 


jr.      If   U  u  imjiurUiM    l 
jcb  Uiure  lo  iiav«  aver^ 


tb« 


Tlie    •rnKunctrruetit   lV»t   br   «i« 
face  lu  ! 
iu*y  K'    ■ 
cr  bis  nc   iciy  <l»t.  xxxviii.  14 — 110).     (  iu%« 

in  e^eiy  one.     It  ha^  its  root  in  a  tr<i«  "!  ia 

L>f  the  Lu;udU  U^iug  is  uddi'itaL     It  wai  uot  a  part  < 
by  G  -i  w!»-  <iti».  i' »v'!   for  iininTtality,  D'-t  init'-r'a' 

1.     I)..i'.h  ia  ti.  » 

lueaiit  to  be 
-J.     Q_'J    1  lie  WRDt  of  a  cl' 
t  saiutii  te<icLc4  us  to  i. 
a  b.         •  .   -v    . 

th«    . 


m%'^ 


of  lue  U. 

uoe,  aiiu   8.<c:i 
fw  beli«v«l  ia 

(.vuituTt    to    thoHt. 


Il8  shatiuwy  lile  ^vas  DO  Ouu. 
k,,v   .  ■.  ,,f..  .--.      In  houn*  •  f 
!ita  of  stri 

--   - -.-u  in  She  ., 

Hebrew  h"pe  uf  lUiiuortal  ty  »  .• 
15).     It  u  Jr-8ua  Christ  who,  in  -. 

i.Jity  to  light  (2  Tun.  I.  10).     (j;    . 
••   e  txnnrTta  uf  Gf.'s  prvseiice,  nvii  t 
'iuu  is  lUipl.cJ  iu  his  vicvir  u!    - 
It  ^ifl,  thcreiorf,  u  >  uiilslIv  ft  >. 

good  aad  subbUiutiai    ica,r>uiix      L' 
.  •s^kiah  )»ptook  hiiuMif  in  ♦mni«^t  j 
^aa  auswerad,  i- 
1  oatameot  aW> 
I  '  I'-o,  Urftakiat^ 

. >!!•««.     "I  be- " 

I-'                                             and  with  a  \m:l.>  ;  -ju;.     Ci..       It    •> 

ar                                       >t  be  urg*d  ihia  (  .<*.      Ho   was  ol 

Xaivii..    k  • /.        11. ■    .iicaai..^   was  '.I.aI  I>c    IlimI   eudoaT«>u 

vtaii  ati  uimIiv  dad  i»mii   aiki  uaa  Lk«  \utin  wbicb  Oud'* 
n.  eoiml 


luacUou. 

) •   ■ 


G   -  .= 

al>  Jea.     Tb 
10.   I'ix.  14 
1.; 
I  . 

aarviii);  laut. 
xixm:i    IIX 
out   • 
•arti 

r     !a  sicknaaa. 


out 

..  d 


.>   I-:   :c      -:y 

'  »a.  T.  13— 16). 

^  to  aaTour  tuo 

I  bava  w^lod 

if    r.iof 

laa. 

.  - ...ad 

.j«a  ^T«  bua  tff  Ufa 
1  > 


418  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.         [oh.  xx.  1—21 

and  blessing  to  those  who  acted  thus.  A  good  conscience  is  a  great  encouragement  in 
prayer  to  &od,  though,  with  the  deeper  views  of  siu  which  the  gospel  gives,  there  is 
rightly  a  greater  shrinking  from  pleading  anything  that  might  seem  like  one's  own 
merit  (see  Perowne's  'Introduction  to  the  Book  of  Psalms,'  ch.  ilL  sect.  3,  "Asser- 
tions of  innocence  in  the  Psalms  "). 

nL  Recovery  from  sickness.  1.  The  promptitude  of  God's  answer.  Scarcely 
had  the  prayer  left  Hezekiah's  lips  than  the  answer  was  communicated  to  Isaiah.  The 
prophet  had  not  yet  left  tlie  palace,  but  was  still  within  its  precincts,  *'  in  the  middle 
court,"  when  word  came  to  him  to  retxirn  to  Hezekiah,  and  assure  him  of  recovery. 
God  in  this  case,  as  always,  was  "  waiting  to  be  gracious  "  (Isa.  xxx.  18).  The  answer 
was  given  (1)  out  of  regard  to  Hezekiah  himself,  "  Tell  Hezekiah  the  captain  of  my 
people ;  *'  (2)  in  answer  to  his  supplication,  "  I  have  heard  thy  prayer ;  "  (3)  for  the 
Bake  of  David,  "The  Lord,  the  God  of  (David  thy  father"  (and  cf.  ver.  6).  This 
recovery  was  one  of  "  the  sure  mercies  of  David"  (Isa.  Iv.  3).  For  similar  examples  of 
prompt  answer  to  prayer,  see  on  ch.  xix.  20.  2.  The  promise  of  lengthened  life.  The 
message  which  Isaiah  was  to  carry  to  Hezekiah  contained  three  parts :  (1)  a  promi.se 
that  he  would  be  healed,  and  able  to  go  up  to  the  house  of  the  Lord  on  the  third  day. 
"  A  striking  instance  of  the  conditionalness  of  prophecy  "  (Cheyne).  Hezekiah's  first 
use  of  his  recovered  health  is  assumed  to  be  a  visit  to  God's  house.  (2)  A  promise  of 
fifteen  years  more  added  to  his  life.  God  thus  exceeds  his  servants'  askings.  The  king 
sought  only  healing;  God  assures  him  of  a  prolonged  terra  of  life  (cf.  Eph.  iiL  20). 
(3)  A  promise  that  the  city  would  be  defended  against  the  Assyrians.  This  wa.3 
another  wwd  to  Hezekiah  through  which  God  caused  hira  to  hope  (Ps.  cxix.  49).  Yet  he 
nearly  forfeited  it  by  his  subsequent  worldly  policy  (see  previous  chapters).  3.  The 
king'a  recovery.  Isaiah's  word  was  fulfilled,  and  the  king  recovered.  Whether  "  the 
lump  of  figs"  was  a  simple  remedy  or  a  mere  sign  need  not  be  discussed.  In  our  case 
the  duty  of  using  means  in  connection  with  prayer  is  plain. 

IV.  The  biqn  of  the  sun-dial.  1.  The  request  for  a  sign.  When  Isaiah  com- 
municated his  message  to  Hezekiah,  the  king  said,  "  What  shall  be  the  sign  that  the 
Lord  will  heal  me,"  etc.  ?  One  wonders  that  to  so  good  a  man  the  prophet's  word  should 
not  have  been  sufficient,  and  that  he  should  have  asked  for  this  additional  confirmation. 
But  (1)  It  was  an  age  of  signs  (Isa.  vii.  10—12  ;  viii.  18  ;  ch.  xix.  29).  (2)  The  thing 
promised  was  very  wonderful  and  hard  to  believe,  especially  after  the  announcement, 
"  Thou  shalt  die,  aud  not  live,"  made  a  few  minutes  before.  There  is  no  doubt  a  greater 
blessing  on  those  that  have  not  seen,  and  yet  have  believed  (John  xx.  29) ;  but  weak 
faith  too  has  its  rights,  and  God  shows  his  condescension  in  stooping  to  give  it  the 
needed  supports.  2.  The  sign  given.  Isaiah  had  ofi"ered  Ahaz  a  sign,  either  "  in  the 
depth,  or  in  the  height  above"  (Isa.  vii.  11).  Hezekiah  had  now  proposed  to  him  a 
sign  in  the  height.  The  shadow  on  the  steps  of  Ahaz's  sun-dial  would  be  made  either 
to  go  forward  ten  degrees  or  go  back  ten  degrees,  according  as  Hezekiah  should  desire. 
As  the  more  wonderful  phenomenon  of  the  two,  Hezekiah  asked  that  it  might  go  back  ten 
degrees,  and  at  Isaiah's  prayer  it  was  done.  We  inquire  in  vain  as  to  how  the  wonder 
was  produced.  The  laci  that  it  seems  to  have  been  a  local  sign,  though  widely  noised 
abroad,  suggests  a  mii  acle  connected  with  the  laws  of  refraction.--^.  O. 

Vers.  12 — 19. —  The  Babylonian  embassy.  Berodach-Baladan,  or  as  he  is  more 
correctly  termed  in  Isaiah,  Merodach-Baladan  (Isa.  xxxix.  1),  at  this  time  held 
piSKCSKion  of  the  throne  of  Babylon,  and  was  everywhere  casting  about  for  alliances 
u>  Ktrongthen  him  against  Assyria.  We  have  here  the  account  of  his  embassy  to 
Hezekiah. 

1.  Rkckption  of  thk  Babylonian  mkssenqkeb.  1.  HezekidKa  visitors.  In  the 
Bireets  of  Jerusalem  were  seen  strange  men,  in  princely  robes,  with  servants  bearing 
CjHtly  prfBcnts.  They  were  the  envoys  of  tiie  King  of  Babylon,  ostousilily  come  to 
congratulftU;  Hezekiah  on  his  recovery  from  Kicknoss,  and  to  inquire  into  the  wonder 
that  ha<i  bo-  n  done  in  the  land  (2  Cliron.  xxxii.  31).  This,  however,  was,  it  is  probable, 
only  a  pretext  to  cover  their  njiil  object,  which  was  to  establish  an  ofTensive  and  defensive 
hlliaiice  with  Hezekiah  againHt  AsHyria.  ProfeHsions  of  friendship  veiled  the  designi  of 
a  merely  iM;lfiHl]  {»olicy.  Doon  not  much  of  what  is  callo<l  diplomacy  consiRt  of  deceit, 
juakicoro  profM«iun,  intrigue,  lubtlo  denigna,  covered  by  fair  ap{)earanoeu  ?    2.  JIu*hicM» 


(a.  u.  1-21]        TlUC  8K00ND  BOOK  OF  TUB   KINQB.  419 

9«mitf.  Het«kUh  irrnii  Ui  h«v«  h»m  eonplcUly  boposad  oo  bj  th«  bir  words  of  kla 
vuk>r«.  Me  lilt  liti.  ;i>l  »i  tiriDg  ■tttjtUii  uut  (ur  umUc*  bj  ihi«  kiu|{  u/  "a  far 
ci>ut."-v"-  ■■  uupreai  the  »iuba«ii««ii«ri  with  lilt*        •   -    -^ -.  Kr«MUM»«. 

He  ^  eai,  all  the  rra>>urc««  ui   hll    kmi{'l<  r,  hu  |{uid, 

his  I  •   h«  h*J.     TliU  lovB  of  (liBp.ay,  ll*...  ._  ..    .^.rc  to  •(■(i<i 

«rl.  ■'V'Sn   putantAto,  thia  bLriUtm;;  ul   mere  «»>jfl  :ly  wmiiL   mM 

I   o  ii ...     _.   ^       .1,  •o»wt  •  we«kit>-a«  we  ihould  t»oi  (..»i<-  •  i  •    •••.  .     i     5 

gy**i   tiiiig.      Sv  tuu)  Ik  jaCicU     The  Im-«    clmniclrr  \ikm  iu  aiilo  '  i 

are    BiU);ulArly   Apt  lu  l>c   lo :   a-^ttay   whcu    skilful    apijoala   are   i 

S.  //r^«^^aA'*  mm.  It  wa^  uui  a  iult«  Wc-aknos^  of  Luiiiiiu  ualure  that  li'tim^Xi  waa 
guiliy  of  whcu  he  "  lie.trkouad "  uuto  the  aiubnaMMlon,  and  ahownl  thru,  ail  tia 
pracii'ua  thiQga.  It  waa  nut  fur  a  mere  jirldiiii^  to  vauity  that  luuah  afierwanla  ao 
mevmij  rrbukod  him.  IIU  ut!etice  waa  uf  a  graver  kiud.  The  ain IxuaNdort  had  oom« 
with  pru|<jaitla  fur  au  alli.iucr,  ai)d  iu  hcarkeoiii^  to  them  OQ  Ibia  aub}«ct  ileK  kiah  t.ad 
rrjilly  boeii  unfaithiul  u>  hia  pu»iiiuii  as  a  thtxxratic  ktug.  He  waa  die^Arini^  ti^iu  the 
exiiiuple  bet  him  by  l>avid.  Aa  kiu^  of  the  huly  natiou,  it  waa  hia  duty  lo  kr«p 
h>miM-lf  frre  from  eotitii^lm.'  wurldiv  all  aucea,  to  make  Gtid  hia  buast,  to  r<iv  ou  him 
fur  defeuc**  him  help,  anl  to  resibt  aoliciiationa  to  worldly  pride  aud  vauity.  Kr<>m  thu 
ideoil  he  hiiil  fulU'ii.  Fla;tenxl  by  the  atttrition  uf  hu  Tihitor&,  deoeiTctl  by  ther 
■pecioua  pro{><>aaU,  and  led  away  with  the  idea  of  figuring  aa  an  iuj()ortaut  (joliiical 
paraoiuge,  he  cousentoil,  ur  waa  dii>puaed  to  oooaent,  to  the  aJlian'  e  t«>a^hL  Id 
aisi'l.iving  his  treaaures,  ht-  w  .  t'ly  placing  them  before  Oud,  aa  tne  glory  au  1 

dcfeuce  of  hta  kiu^Uotu.     li.  :i^  the  friendship  of  the  forrignera,  acx:<:puijg 

their  ^ifia,  and  encuuni^iu'.;  tii<  u  i  itiucia,  he  was  taking  a  firvt  step  in  that  direcUou 
of  toruiiug  Worldly  alliunct-a,  which  afterwards  brxMight  auch  trouble  on  the  sU»l«.  It 
WM  thia  j.i' -v  .  !  od,  which  ultimately  led  to  the  Captiriiy,  aa  alrc^idy  a  similar 
policy  h.i  :   the  ruin  <>f   UraeL      The  leaaons   for  the  Chriatiitn   are  i<bvtuua. 

**The  iru  t*.  w.,r  ,i   is  enmity  with  G»-«d  "  (Jaa.  it.  4),     It  la  Lis  dvilv    to 

avoio  wur  a  ainst  beinj;  ruled  by  worldly  motivea  a-.u  am' it.Jhis, 

and  to  av(  ^    ,    ;      y  alli.incea.     lie  who  given  way  to  thebe   ihn-^^  i*  uiyi  g 

the  foundations  ol  hia  own  epiritual  overthrow. 

IL    PhEDlCTION     Of    TUB     IUBVLONIAN      CAPTIVITT.        1.    TV    propJiet    eoufruhii     fU 

king,     lu  the  theocracy  the  prophet  stood  beside  the  king,  to  be  his  friend.  1 

cuuiibellor  il  he  did  right,  and  his  accusing  couacieDC«  if  he  did  wrun.:.      Ti.  i 

C(.iifroute<d  l>avid  (2  Sam.  xii.  1 — 14),  Elij^ih  conrronted  .\h*b  (1  Ku.^s  i^at.  17; 
XXI.  17 — 24),  Zecbtriah  ootifront«d  Joa^li  (^2  Chron.  xxiv.  20).  Uere  It^uih  oonfruais 
UeKrkiah,  and  calls  him  to  account  for  hia  tran>'.:rei»t>ion.  The  king  aid  not  anem 
aware  of  hia  wrong-doing,  for  he  aniiwered  the  prophet's  quebtioua  wiih  the  utm<i»t 
fninkneaa.  (1)  The  questions  leaiah  a-^ked  were  s«rarchiiig  onea.  He  made  llext-k.^vh 
tell  out  of  hia  <>«m  moutti  who  the  men  we  e  that  had  o>me  to  him,  whence  they  c^i^-.r, 
and  how  he  hai  received  them.  The  object  of  these  interrogations  wa«  to  ui&iie 
Hezekiah  aware  of  hia  ain.  Many  a  thin>;  is  done,  of  which  we  do  not  at  fir«t  [^vfcuve 
the  criminality,  but  the  sin  of  which  is  obvious  enough  when  we  have  hail  i       ■  i 

objc«.liveiy  befi-rc'  as.     (2)  Ilezekiah's  an^wt-rs  revealed  the  folly  he  had  . 
lu  the  very  bUling  of  what  he  ha.1  aone,  M       '      h  must  have  peiceived  thr  ii;  ,     ..,.  ^   o 
of  hia  error.     It  is  Ciud'a  deM^u  in  hia  q  f  us  to  bniis^  ua  to  couvicU  -u.     lie 

Would  have  lu  jud^e  ourbeivea.  It  d'xa  .  ■  ■.  .  ..  .>,  ih  ii  '— ;t..ao  we  are  uui.»ju><..u  i>  tif 
bill,  therefore  we  have  no  sin.     The  .  bu-ct  of  Divii.-  .,  .»..c  is  to  make  u>  c>,u.-«,i  us. 

Every  suri.-r  ui  1    *t   the  last  be  couvictt-d  ""t  ■  '  u.vu   mouth.     -     T'-.r    ■■■      •.-/ 

prtdids  f.  7.      If  doubt  remnii.  d  in  -  mind  aa  to  h  i» 

waa  spetro  ,  :  Ipv  Is^iiah's  bleru  aii»w  The   pn-i  ii- t. 

parley,  aun..iiiic«a  «i  ment  for  the  .••  -'1 

•o  many  of  <io>rB  j«-    .  ,  to  the  nature  .  : 

ooma  from  Babylon  i  into  Uai>yK>n  should   li 
•wfty.     He  h>d  displayed  \xu  trcoAure^ ;  theb< 

H«  desired   union  with   Babylon;   hv  eli   iild  »  w<ty  ne  uta   i.  •  A 

prophaoy  o(  thia  nature  iiupUod  a  cullap^  ot  i  :u  of  Judah  n*  .    0\  t 

which  hiid  overtaken  laraeL    Such  aoi  :la{v<  w;a^,  .1  co^rre,  ih<   \- 
■oat  of  Iham  airaad/ in  opacmtioo.    But  not  the  least  potent  m  as  . 


«90 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [ch.  xxi.  1— 2<l 


policy  of  wMch  Hezekiah's  action  was  a  typical  example.  As  an  outstanding  and 
contributory  cause,  God  fixes  on  it  as  the  point  of  counection  for  the  prophecy.  We 
must  take  onr  share  of  the  responsibility  of  every  event  which  our  actions  have 
contributed  to  produce.  3.  The  king's  reply,  Hezekiah  was  no  doubt  shocked  and 
startled  by  Isaiah's  message.  The  only  ray  of  consolation  he  derived  was  in  the 
thought  that  the  predicted  evil  was  not  to  fall  in  his  days,  but  in  that  of  his 
descendants.  His  language  on  this  point,  "  Is  it  not  good,  if  peace  and  truth  shall 
be  in  my  days  ?  "  may  seem  selfish  and  even  cynical.  It  is  doubtful,  however,  if  there 
is  much  room  for  blame.  Hezekiah  gathered  that  a  period  of  respite  was  granted,  and 
that  the  fulfilment  of  the  threatening  was  somewhat  remote.  He  rightly  took  this  as 
an  act  of  mercy  to  himself.  There  are  probably  few  who  would  not  feel  relieved  to 
know  that,  though  calamities  were  to  fall  upon  their  land  in  future  days,  there  would 
be  peace  and  truth  in  their  own  lifetime.  With  lapse  of  time,  too,  opportunity  was 
given  for  repentance;  and  who  knew  but  that  the  sentence  of  doom  might  be 
reversed  ? — J.  0. 

Vers.  20,  21  sum  up  briefly  the  good  deeds  of  Hezekiah  for  the  city,  and  narrate  his 
end  (see  2  Chron.  xxxiL  1 — 6). — J.  0, 


EXPOSITION. 


CHAPTEE  XXI. 

Vers.  1 — 26. — The  Reigns  of  Manasseh 
AND  Amon. 

Vers.  1 — 18. — The  Reign  of  Manasseh. 
Hezekiah's  good  and  glorious  reign  was 
followed  by  one  of  exactly  the  opposite  clia- 
racter.  His  eon  and  successor,  Manasseh, 
reversed  Hezekiah's  entire  religious  policy, 
and  returned  to  the  wicked  practices  of  his 
grandfather  Almz.  In  vers.  3 — 9  and  ver. 
16  his  various  abominations  are  enumerated, 
whilo  in  vers.  10 — 15  God's  sentence  is 
pronounced  upon  them.  The  account  of 
hiH  n-ign  terminates  with  a  brief  summary 
(vers.  17.  18). 

Ver.  1.— Manasseh  was  twelTe  years  old. 
MiiiMBseh  wa;j  thus  not  bom  till  three 
yciirH  after  Hezekiah's  dangerous  illness,  or 
till  the  yiar  no.  710.     Hczokiali  may  have 

SivfMi  hiia  th(!  name  in  the  Bpirit  in  which 
OHeph  gave  it  to  his  firetljorii  (Gon.  xli. 
51),  hccauHo  (jod,  in  at  last  blessing  him 
with  a  son,  had  "inado  him  forget"  his 
datigc  roufl  illneHH,  with  the  f,'riofH  and  regreta 
that  uc<f)tii|jfitii()<l  it.  "AIunaHdeb"  lacuuB 
"  Korj^etting."  Wbea  ho  began  to  reign — 
ill  BO.  6IJ8  or  €97,  tbo  Kevonth  or  oiKhth 
year  «f  Heiiniuherih  -and  reigned  flfiy  and 
five  years  in  Jerujialom.  So  the  aullior  of 
ChroiiielcH  (2  Chron.  xxxiii.  1)  nud  Joho- 
pliun  ('  Ant.  .Iiid  ,'  X.  3.  §  2).  Tim  n  ij^n 
*:x<->  <d«  ill  length  thilt  of  any  otlifr  Kin^^  of 
Ju'lnh  or  iHrai-l.  And  his  mother's  nnmt 
mil  Hophxibah.  '•  llcijilir.ihuli  "  nuiiin  **  My 
dnli^'ht  it  in  h«r."  Itwiali  f^ivcH  it  an  a 
T)«fiic   of  honoar   ti»  lb«  mHt/iri-d   J«irMniiliiin 


(Isa.  Ixii.  4).  It  has  been  conjectured  that, 
as  queen-mother,  Hephzibah  was  regent 
during  her  son's  minority.  But  there  is  no 
trace  of  her  regency  either  in  Kings  or 
Chronicles. 

Ver.  2. — And  he  did  that  which  was  evil 
in  the  sight  of  the  Lord.  Manasseh  was  too 
young  at  the  death  of  his  father  for  his  cha- 
racter to  have  been  then  definitively  formed. 
He  probably  fell  under  the  influence  of 
the  "  princes  of  Judah,"  who,  supported  hy 
many  of  the  priests,  had  maintained  them- 
selves as  a  party  antagonistic  to  Isniah 
during  the  whole  of  Hezekiah's  reign.  He- 
zekiah's reformation  had  been  carried  out 
against  their  wishes.  They  had  always 
leant  towards  foreign  alliances  (Isa.  xx.  5  ; 
XXX.  1 — 7)  and  foreign  rites  (Isa.  ii.  6—9; 
Ixv.  3).  The  accession  of  a  boy-king  wonhl 
be  joyfully  hailed  by  them,  and  they  would 
make  every  effort  to  draw  him  to  their  side. 
It  would  seem  that  they  were  successful. 
After  the  abominations  of  the  heathen—  the 
details  which  follow  in  vers.  3 — 9  suffi- 
ciently  explain  this  strong  expression  — 
whom  the  Lord  oast  out  before  the  children 
of  Israel.  It  was  solely  because  of  their 
aboininationi  that  they  were  caHt  out  (see 
Gen.  XV.  16;  Lov.  xviiL  25;  xx.  23;  Duut. 
ix.  5;  xviii.  12,  etc.). 

Ver.  8.— For  he  built  up  again  the  high 
places  which  Hezekiah  his  father  had  de- 
Btroyod  (comp.  ch.  xviii.  4,  22).  On  the 
hifrh-pluco  woTHhip,  see  the  Ooininent  ii|Min 
]  KingH  xiv.  2:{.  It  in  quite  cleiir  that  tho 
pi  (>[il<i  wort)  deeply  attachcMl  to  it,  and 
gladly  Hikw  it  restored.  And  ho  reared  up 
sllarH  for  Baal;  i.e.  he  rointtoduond  tli« 
l'li(iitii<-iaii  I iaal- worship,  the  sponiki  iiboiiii- 
imtmii  of  thn  buiian  of  Ahab  (1   Kings  xvL 


«.  xzi.  l->38.]       THE  BEOOND  BOOK   Of  THK   KINOfi. 


tl:  iiU  88;  i4.  fill.  in.  r:. 

At)iBll.th    h»<l    l>r(«n   th<«   flrvt 

IhW.Jii.t*'     .rl,      ,.      I*        >.  1         > 
lit..       .  • 

llU  n»Ujr.  itm  .iJ,r-tuK,  or  rtntiictn  ol  A»Uirie 
(<vai|au«  Ihr  c  .itmioot  «>n  1  Kiatct  xiw.  tH) 
— M  did  Ah*b  Kiug  of  UtmI  (».<»  1  KIdk* 
xri.    S3)    and  wonkippod    &11  tbs   hoA  of 

hMTea.    KSd    fr-r*    •> ''  '  ,/ 

thr  l.o,t  rt!    ii,  ;> 

of  lli*>  h'iivinl\  -  .   ^ .^ 

Snl>»iniF>m  i<T  >B:»*>i»ui»in.  wu*  an  anctent 
lUti)  Ionian,  A la Linn,  ami  S\nan  {imrtim. 
It  had,  |N  rhii|«,  bn-ii  introluc>tttl  ainon^  the 
Jf>w»  b>  Ahai  Ich  niii.  12).  At  any  rata, 
it  wn    '-  ,,.  of  Mana— ah  ooe  of 

**»*  '  *  of  Ute  Jewiah  people. 

The  r      _  ,>«Hi  to  tniMf  the  (lea- 

tiuv  ut  men,  and  aatrolof^y  wiu  cultivatt-«l 
•a  a  main  jiart,  or  oien  aa  the  mi»<  uoe,  of 
religtou.  A«tro!  .fjR'jtl  trirts  form  an  im- 
iiorUuit  fl.'iin'riJ  ill  <he  littTtture  of  the 
litkln:  Paat/Tol.  L 

PP    '  U  of  a<Jor». 

tion  u.  ,w..,  •..,.,,,.  „.,,•  li.o  sun  and 
moun,  tlie  flte  plaueta,  and  the  liguM  of  the 
coiliae. 

V«r.  4  —And  he  btiilt  alian  in  the  hooae 
of  the  Lord,  llu  crmtwl,  i.e.,  alian  V>  other 
goda  in  the  very  (49iuplt<  of  Jehovah  (aee 
Ter.  5).  Tliig  wiui  a  poilnti  -n  Uyond  miy 
that  eitlier  Athuliah  or  Ahai  had  ve  itiirtMl 
on.  Of  which  the  Lord  had  said.  In  JenuaJem 
will  I  put  my  Name  (aev  1  Kiug*  viii.  I'J; 
ix.  3;  xiv.  21;.  Whire  Jehovah  "  put  hia 
Name,"  making  the  jdace  hia,  and  cnlo. 
»<>endinfj,  in  «  i-ertaiu  uen-*,  to  dwell  thortj, 
it  might  at  least  have  been  expectexi  that 
he  would  not  lind  himaelf  onufrouti-d  with 
HvaU. 

Vor.  5.— And  he  built  altan  for  all  the 
host  of  heaven  m  the  two  coorta  of  the 
house  of  the  Lord.  The  u-uiplo  of  S<.1  -mon 
had  two  oourta  only,  an  inner  and  an  outer. 
The  outer  court  w  .g  for  the  peoph*.  the 
inner  f.-r  th.    i  r  JAsrite^     Manae- 

•eh  di-«e.rate<l  •.  to  the  ext- ut  of  I 

■  .'      :•  iicftt.d  to   •. 

-'•  "■   1. 1-  '\'  u      III  tlie ;   .-  ..r. 

Lt«  luUtr  «na  a  hral  tj  the  great  I. mien 
aUnr  '■!  <<-1-m-.n  (1  Kiuf,-*  ix.  64  :  2  Chrm. 
'  I  for  a  tiiue  remoTMl 

-  of  the  porch  (ih.  xrL 
U)  i.  i  wiiini  ii<z.<Kiah  had  moat  Ot-rtainly 
r«ii  cUted. 

\-'     >'■  — And    he    made    hii   s  ^       .ss 
•  Are      Tl  e  auth.r  .  ' 
'  ^mB"(2  0hr'U    xxx...    .,.   .._i 

ihu  i».  |«-rha{ia  rh  ti.ri<-al  It  was  uiiiially 
tiie  <  Mm!  Non.  who,  aa  the  iu<«t  pn^ioua 
fxioaDilo  offering  was  «•  rifloM  U.  .Mol.itb 
(aM>   oh.    ill.  X7 ;  xvL  8 ;  auO,  tot  iho  true 


.  aa*  the  anwiH»ept  o% 
A  ad  oSeerv*d  tiaac 


a  huppi»  lu'-iiii  , 
t)i«    mi'thr.r'*    •  1 1 


•olki 


I    And 
i*  I-  r' 

Mr  pent*  (o-i^;>  were  eh.ir: 
meut  on   laa.   xUiL   9>       '  ^i 

familiar   tpirita    and   wixanu       rat   •r.   k^ 
ploffti  in  ojiem  nf*n/tiuineen  (\\li-m]\r    t  n^ 
eromaneer)  amd  »rixarl$ ;  i  ©.   h' 
peraons  officini   |k«iiion«  at  hlc 
•tend  of  pultin.'  'I.   ■     •  .. 

(Lev.  XX.  27)  r.  .•  ..        .   ^ 

wickedness   in   iLc    ,^_.     .    ._.   L^.d,    ij 
proToke  him  to  anger;  la.  raily,  ke  mulli- 
flitd  to  ycork  xriek'iiurf  ;  \f.  '  e  ».    ^I.t     'it 
everv  p^«<ible  way;    he  r 
all  liie  different  kin<U  of  I. 
uni  i'      ■ 
use  u 

to  Je! ,.  ^  .  ,       .^,  . 

aaya  (' 11  alory  of  Israel.'  vul.  iv.   p 

**  Hf    eudi-avoure<l    to    h«>come    mBt\u  •. 

with  all  Ih.   h<*4tth<  n  r.  ligi^ni.  he  t^.ul  .  ml 

and  intr.xhiL-e  tlituu  int--  .T^s  !.i!i       K  r  '.    ia 

p'-  Mjiit  iuio  I    ■ 

^^  .■•■   WAa   an_\  t 

g. ..  ...  ...  [laine  for  in-  ■■; 

V«  r.  7. — And  he  set  a  jrav  f  the 

^ve  that  he  had  ::.aie  i:.  H- 

introduced  int'  t 
for  adoration,  an 
rah,  or  "  aaort«l  tr.    ,' 
the  elalx)rat«-  KuTfl  :  ■ 
('Aocu-ut     Mo    .  11.    p.     ^  ,.y 

Th.se    hzid,    in  the    ««>etitial 

•l*V,  or  pilhtr, ofi ...    .      ith  -niis' L<.ru«, 

ayiuU>la  of  ftvati  lity,  a.d  cnjwuctd   with   a 
^  ;  nsenUilion    of    a    j«!  i,   tr  '•,  t5i.     » !    "o 
•  nrirclod   hy  a   ' 
^  ahout  it,  an  I  ti 


rra 


1,;,.        ...     .. 

n.iU .-      :,.'  >•.      r  .    ! 

either  tt'i.mil   or    . 

Of  which    iho   L.r .    !  ..  ; 

Bolomon  his  son.  In  liua  houaa,  aaa  in  Jeru- 

aalem.   whrh  I  have  fbo9*2  '>i\  ff  ill  ;ht 

thbaa.f  ■  -     .^^ 

It  Wae  •  .i:!*. 

a^>.'. 

t 

>• 

"I-      ' 

Jcr^.  „        . 


It. 


422 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [ch.  xxi.  I— 26. 


on  the  opposite  Mile,  as  Solomon  had  done 
(1  Kings  xi.  7),  or  in  a  rival  temple  within 
the  walls,  as  had  been  done  by  Athaliah 
(ch.  xi.  18),  but  witliin  God's  holy  temple 
itself.  In  each  of  the  two  courts  lie  placed 
an  idolatrous  altar,  whereon  the  people  were 
invited  to  deposit  their  offerings;  and  pro- 
bably in  the  temple  building  itself,  perhaps 
in  tlie  very  holy  of  holies,  he  placed  that 
lust-exciting  emblem  of  Astarte,  which  was 
the  most  horrible  profanation  of  all  true 
religion,  turning  the  truth  and  grace  of  God 
into  lascivionsness  (Jude  4).  What  practical 
consequences  followed  on  this  profanation, 
we  are  not  distinctly  told ;  but  we  may 
readily  surmise,  especially  in  the  light  of 
ch.  xxiii.  7. 

Ver.  8. — Neither  will  I  make  the  feet  of 
Israel  move  any  more  out  of  the  land  which 
I  gave  their  fathers.  The  writer's  argu- 
ment is  that  Mauasseh,  by  these  impieties, 
annulled  God's  promises,  brought  about  the 
destruction  of  the  temple  and  of  Jerut^alem, 
and  caused  the  entire  people  to  be  carried 
ntf  into  captivity.  The  promises  of  perma- 
nence to  the  city  and  temple,  and  of  the 
continued  possession  of  the  land  by  the 
people,  were,  he  notes,  conditional;  and 
Manasseh,  by  breaking  through  the  condi- 
tions, forfeited  them  (comp.  ch.  xxiv,  3). 
Only  if  they  will  observe  to  do  according  to 
all  that  I  have  commanded  them,  and  accord- 
ing to  all  that  my  servant  Moses  commanded 
them.  The  words  are  not  taken  from  any 
single  passage,  but  express  the  general 
sense  of  numerous  passages,  as  for  example 
of  Deut.  iv.  2.5—27  ;  xxx.  15—19 ;  Ps.  Ixxxix. 
28—32;  1  Kings  ix.  4-9,  etc. 

Ver.  9. — But  they  hearkened  not.  The 
people,  and  not  Manasseh  alone,  were  dis- 
obedient. Had  tiiey  remained  faithful,  Ma- 
iiasseh's  sin  would  not  have  airected  their 
future.  And  Manasseh  seduced  them.  The 
iudueuce  of  a  young  and  gay  king,  always 
great,  is  in  tlie  East  imra(  nse.  When  such 
a  king  sui-ceeds  one  of  strict  and  rigid  prin- 
ciples, he  e.isily  carries  away  the  multitude 
with  him,  and  leads  them  on  to  any  excvaB 
of  pKiHigacy  and  irn  ligion.  The  iiegiu- 
TiingH  of  hIu  are  delightful,  and  tiio  votaries 
of  pieaHuic'.  r(;ailily  beguiled  into  evil  courses, 
know  tiol  wlien;  to  Btop.  Manaaseli  seduced 
lh<  m,  wi:  are  tol<l,  to  do  more  evil  than 
d'.d  the  nations  whom  the  Lord  destroyed 
before  the  children  of  Israol ;  that  is,  thati 
llio  HiviU:  ,  llittilort,  AnioritcH,  (Jatiaanite.H, 
I'erixziten,  (!<  rgaHliiteH,  and  JobuHitoH 
(I>eul.  vii  1,  etc.).  'I'lio  sin  of  lHra(;l  ex- 
n<M)ilcd  that  iif  till!  ('ainiiinitJHli  rintinnH.  not 
no  macii  in  any  outward  ancl  taiigii>lo 
features,  aa  in  tho  faet  that  it  was  coni- 
niitt«xl  agairiHt  light,  in  Hpitu  of  the  Law, 
ririd  ngitinat  all  tho  warningH  km<1  denuncia- 
ti'ifit  of  the  propheUt  (oouip  oh.  xvii.  13,  14). 


Ver.  10. — And  the  Lord  spake  by  b's  ser- 
vants the  prophets,  saying.  It  is  uneertain 
who  were  the  prophets  of  Manasseh's  time. 
Probably  Isaiah  was  one  of  tlieni  (see  '  In- 
troduction to  Isaiah,'  p.  iii.).  Hubakkuk 
is  thought  to  have  been  another  (Keil). 
Nabum  and  Zephaniah  seem  also  to  belong, 
in  part,  to  his  reign. 

Ver.  11. — Because  Manasseh  King  of 
Judah  hath  done  these  abominations  (comp. 
ver.  2),  and  hath  done  wickedly  above  all 
that  the  Amorites  did.  which  were  before 
him  (comp.  ver.  9).  The  "  Amorites  "  are 
put  here  (as  in  Gen.  xv.  16;  1  Kings  xxi. 
26;  and  Amos  ii.  9,  10)  lor  the  Canaanitish 
nations  generally.  Next  to  the  Hittites, 
they  were  the  most  important  of  the  seven 
nations.  And  hath  made  Judah  also  to  sin 
with  his  idols  (see  the  comment  on  ver.  9). 

Ver.  12.— Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord 
God  of  Israel,  Bshold,  I  am  bringing  sueh 
evil  upon  Jerusalem  and  Judah,  that  whoso- 
ever heareth  of  it,  both  his  ears  shaU  tingle. 
"  As  a  sharp  discordant  note,"  t^ays  Bahr, 
"  pains  one's  ears,  so  the  news  of  this  harsh 
punishment  shall  give  pain  to  all  who  hear 
of  it."  The  phrase  is  one  never  uttered  by 
any  other  lips  than  those  of  Jehovah  (1 
Sam.  iii.  1 1  ;  Jer.  xix.  3).  "  It  denotes  " 
(Keil)  "such  a  judgment  as  has  never  been 
heard  of  before,  and  excites  alarm  and  hor- 
ror." Not  the  Jews  only,  but  the  other 
neighbouring  nations,  when  they  heard  of 
the  sufferings  endured  in  the  siege  (ch.  xxv. 
3),  and  the  severities  exercised  upon  the 
king  (ver.  7)  and  the  city  (vers.  9,  10)  and 
the  inhabitants  (ver.  11),  would  have  a  thrill 
of  pain  go  through  them  at  the  hearing, 
partly  unselfish,  partly  perhaps  selfish,  since 
the  treatment  that  was  dealt  out  to  others 
might  al.so  be  reserved  for  them. 

Ver.  13. — And  I  will  stretch  over  Jerusa- 
lem the  line  of  Samaria ;  i.e.  "  I  will  do  to 
Jerusalem  as  I  have  done  to  Samaria;  I 
will  execute  upon  it  a  similar  judgment." 
God  applies  his  measuring-line,  a  perfectly 
uniform  standard,  to  all  nations,  us  to  all 
individuals,  and  metes  out  to  them  an  equal 
measure  of  justitie.  Jerusalem  will  bo  pre- 
sently treated  as  Samaria  has  been  recently 
treatttd  ;  and  a  similar  destruction  will  over- 
take it.  The  niotaplinr  is  not  to  bo  pressed, 
as  if  cities  were  dt^htroyod  with  as  much  care 
as  they  are  built,  by  constant  u.so  of  the 
mea.'-uiing-Iine  and  the  phimuuit.  And  th 
plummet  of  Iho  house  of  Ahab.  'IMio  justi<'( 
nioleil  out  til  tlio  hoUHo  nf  Ahab  shall  be 
meted  out  also  til  the  hiiimi' of  David.  Tho 
ways  ill' (}i»d  am  e(|ual  (lOzek.  xviii.  2.')),  and 
ho  is  no"  r(!M|MCt()r  iif  jtorHunH."  ilo  has  one 
law  for  all;  and,  as  tho  house  of  llavid  has 
ninnod  in  tho  Haine  way,  and  to  tho  hmuio  vx- 
torit,  as  tho  houso  of  Ahab  had  ninnod,  one 
and    tho  same  pani«hmuut    will   fall    upov 


ai.zzi.  1—16  J       Tin  IBOOVD  B«K)K  OF  THl  KINQ& 


«tt 


M    •    BMUI    Wl|>«th     k     duK    W.  .  .4 

tmrmlBf  it  npaldo  dovs      J.  .  i| 

b*  MUlCtwl.  •«  •  lii»!i  rinptln*  ma  liulj  uf 
Um  NraM  aefVCC  irn.  ,  '.r.ug  <>U  It.  auti  Mill 
k*  IkM  pat  *«rM,y.  14a  dt.ur  wiUi.  Iha 
■Mlaphor  UftrvaBO*  euuuiuj'i  *•  well  m 
oi>n>i.  tii«-i,.  ., 

V'  1  I  wUi  foimk*  tk«  rMiuBt 

•^  iii-   "^  ■.  «ae«.     "  TUf  rvmiiaiil "  brra 

k  »u(  Ujo  it^uant  loft  of  Ju.lali  aft«T  the 
d«*poH«lt<Mi  irf  two  huuilitxl  tiM.u»jniJ  moult 
i  .crib  (m  in  ch    xis.   4>,  but  tli« 

\al  U  left  of  tli«  whole  pM>{i|<<  of 
1-,.^.  .uo  two  tntww  M  (ItAtiiirt  from  th« 
••II.     The  t«»n   lriU-«   w»Tr  for»nktn   wbrn 


th«  Ajarrians  u»<k  ami  . 
(en.  xvil.  18,  23):  ti.«  tw 
lh««  twf>  nlw'  wotiit!  t '   f  r 


Now 

.110  liuit 

..^louL.     And 

I  heir  enemiea. 


ii-t 


oppar  Willi ■(trph  HI  I— S):  tUpmlMM 
wore  ••  ll^^it  «im1  Ur-tsLatunt  perw^ ;  "lh« 

yiir-^U    **|iollttUsi     Iha    Mnrl.isrT.    •Ad    «li<i 


violf-tloa     t<)     tit 
"  S|>.ilinf  an.l   v 
IrllUnli  ;"•  » . 
i    3>       K»n 
follow!  :    *-  J 
poiarMtol  ft. 


liicr«.lti.lo 

OUIflit      to 


a    I -ax 

f.I    r 


'''    fur  Lu>  u*ui( 

dum :  tuaaj  of 

beaediM»iJ 

-  .n»<l 

■V;.^i 


k 


a  trr ' 
thau 


>nitaa  (•«*  ch.  xiir.    .  , 

XIV.  ivf:  J,,l  ill.  1  .  i 

■*  at  tlit»  liut,  Bti'i  (H» 
lemel/Tol.  i»'.  p.  270) 
..  .ruut  hain<d  by  ukiii;; 
ill  iii  ti.t*  bual  war."  And 
■  e  a  pre  J  and  a  ipoil  to  all 
iDp  Jer.  xli.  2  —  10;  »lviii. 
.4  ;  Zeph.  ii.  «.  etc).  1  he 
Tmrn  wiiioii  tuimtxiinU-ly  followed  the  Cap- 
tivity werv  yi-ar»  of  timble  nufft-ria;;  to  the 
rt-uiiiiiut  whom  NVbuchadiiczx.ir  left  iu  the 
Ian  i  (ch  xxv.  12)  Kverv  petty  power  in 
the  n.ij,'bbourli.v  '  '  '•  •  f  ,i  liberty  to 
at  ita  plpmaiire, 
.  J  drive  off  cap. 
Uvea,  or  ma-vikicre  tn.iu  in  ci.ld  bio- J,  or 
commit  any  olhrr  aiMcity.  S^me  critiea 
ragard  the  deacripiiou  or  liAiah  in  ch.  xlii. 
Ti—ti  aa  pn>|>hetic  of  the.-*  aufftnuga. 
Ver  1!1  Bc<aaa«  ibey  have  done  that 
;.i'  ;.  v»  .-  ..v;.  in  my  li^jht.  Th--  chief  aiua 
(  IX.-  1-  .  ie  woM  the  fullorting:  Alt.ir, 
f..r  th.  *  r-ijip  of  the  boat  of  htsttVtu  »,re 
erect.-.!  pou  almfoat  every  r">f  (Jer.  xix 
IS;  Zeph.  L  5):  offerir.tM  of  raki*  were 
'uft'leiti  t'e  vrrv  i-trt-Ts  t-  .\-'  .rr.  (^er.  wu. 
'"" '     '■  ■■  -e  in 

»ntlv 


re  iiirurnionr 
to    plunder  ttiid 


ill. in  Ii  V'  lUe   I. 
-  rj«:'.   .ai    (Jt-r      »  ..      . 

(  waa  a*  ooium'  lU  ti  c  ■. 
Molucii  a«  by    that     f    ' 
l,aaeiviou»  rit«w    - 
tie  temple  the  u: 
:m1    their    habitau   tiF 
lie  atteudftota,  the  •  ■ 
Dtera,   plied    Uwir    u 
•  ruuitj  u 


•    o  of 

5) 


among  the 


to  et<  ■ 
the  «.  , 
Ho  t4-mble    waa    • 

aet  in  nn^ler  Mn 

"  i!ul  tu  lijo  »i,ei 

f  t  at  »a  fnola.  <»r  n 


-n.h 


to  anger,  ■. 

forth    out   c:    .  ^_._ 

The  utoml  and  •piniuai  dej-ravit^  of  .tua.ii, 
thoufrh  it  only  oame  to  a  head  lu  the  timo 
of  Maua-^aeh.  ha.]  iu  rood  in  a  ion^f-iuUt.l 
pael,  Aa  8L  Stephen  pointed  oat  to  the 
Hanhednn  (AeU  vii.  Sy — I  ;  1.  it  began  in 
the  wilierueaa  with  th"  w.-rahip  of  the 
golden  o^lf.  and  went  on  to  the  w.^rWdp  of 
the  boat  of  heaven,  of  M  l^li,  mod  of 
Bemihan;  it  wae  ahowu  luarknlly  in  the 
t«rribloain  of  Poof  (Numb  rx».  1—3);  it 
•tiiittol   Gtvl'b  liaud   when   tlie   natioiM  li»l 

to  be  driven  nut  f  rum  Ca  il  1 5); 

it  pcoToked  tio.l'a  anif. .-  \dntxg  the 

WBoIa  period  of  the  Juliji.    ,.  ...    u  11  -lb») 
cheeked  under  David  and  t><itom<>n.  11  broka 
out  afreah  on    the    •ccyAaion    ,,f   l£rhoi*»m 
(1    Kinga  liv.   2'^     S4».  and   »h<.wed   iim-I;. 
luoru  or  le-a.  un>ie«  etery  au!<«>  ■••;ef;!   kt-  • 
itt  la»t  in  Luat  l< 
,<li   tiaa    litvii  u 

LMUlt  UQ    Um  fifai  e.1..  uao  o<    \.UIM 

» t-nic>. 
V'.'  16     Meraerar  Minaurt  abed  *-itt 
i  very  raaeb.     Wr  mual  D(<  umIm^ 

i«  of  bia  '-nn  .ff  r  nga  Id  Moloefa, 

-  »dy  put  eo  reaoH 

1  ihia  la  anfedting 

of  the  nTihitndi— M  iMHAoM  of 


424 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.        [oh.  xm.  1—26. 


the  sarne  kind  which  were  the  resnlt  of  hia 
mJiuence  on  the  people.  Some  culminating 
horror  is  required,  something  not  touched 
upon  before,  and  something  specially  attach- 
ing to  the  monarch  himself.  These  con- 
ditions are  answered  by  supposing  a  bloody 
persecution  of  the  faithful  to  be  intended. 
Josephus  declarcB  positively  that  Manasseh 
"cruelly  put  to  death  all  the  righteous 
smong  the  Hebrews,  and  did  not  even  spare 
tlie  prophets  "  ('  Ant.  Jud.,*  x.  3.  §  I).  A 
tradition,  very  widely  received,  declared 
Isaiah  to  have  been  one  of  the  victims 
('  Gemara  Jebam.,'  iv.  13 ;  '  Sanhedr.,'  f.  103 ; 
Tertullian,  '  De  Patientia,'  §  14 ;  Augustine, 
*De  Civ.  Dei,*  xviii.  24,  etc.).  Stanley 
says,  "  A  reign  of  terror  commenced  against 
all  who  ventured  to  resist  the  reaction. 
Day  by  day  a  fresh  batch  of  the  prophetic 
order  were  ordered  for  execution.  It  seemed 
as  if  a  devouring  lion  were  let  loose  against 
them.  From  end  to  end  of  Jerusalem  were 
to  be  seen  traces  of  their  blood.  The  nobles 
who  took  their  part  were  thrown  headlong 
from  the  rocky  cliflfs  of  Jerusalem "  ('  Lec- 
tures on  the  Jewish  Church,'  pt.  ii.  p.  492). 
The  persecution  has  been  compared  to  that 
(if  Anglicans  under  Mary  Tudor.  Till  he 
had  filled  Jerusalem  from  one  end  to  another 
—i.e.  "  till  he  had  filled  it  with  bloail  and 
Blaughter"  (comp.  cli.  xxiv.  4)— beside  hia 
sin  wherewith  he  made  Judah  to  sin,  in 
doing  that  which  was  evil  in  the  sight  of  the 
Lord  (see  ver.  9). 

Ver.  17. —Now  the  rest  of  the  acts  of 
Manasseh.  Important  additions  to  the 
history  of  Manasseh  are  made  by  the  writer 
of  Ctironicles.  From  him  we  learn  that, 
atter  prophetical  warnings  liad  been  in  vain 
aildrf'fised  to  him  and  to  his  people  (2  Chron. 
x.wiii.  10),  he  was  vi.sited  with  a  Divine 
jmlsfmcnt,  an  Assyrian  army  under  "  cap- 
taitm"  lacing  sent  against  him,  who  took 
liiiu  |irisoncr,  and  carried  liim  to  Babylon — 
tilt;  city  wliere  Esarhaddon,  the  successor  of 
S.  iiiiiiciieiib,  and  contemporary  of  Manasseh, 
onliiiarily  held  his  court.  Here  lie  remained 
lor  Hfivno  c()imtl(:Tii\t\D  titjio  "  in  adlii'tioii " 
(\<T.  12),  iind,l)0''oming convinced  of  Hinand 
d  eply  jKjniteiit  for  Iuh  mariifohl  tran.sgres- 
(■ioHH,  he  turned  to  (i<xl  in  sincerity  and 
iriitli.  ftTid  bein;.'  reHlored  by  the  AsHyriana 
to  hin  kingdom,  he  ]^\^i  away  ttio  idohitrouH 
jiriK-tieen  and  etriMen.H  which  ho  had  pro- 
vioiiMly  intr<Mlneed,  "  repaired  the  altar  of 
tlin  Lord  "  which  had  -/ntio  to  deeay,  and 
r<!-eHt.iblihh<!d,  HO  far  n^  he  conld,  liio  wornhip 
<.i  .lehuvah  (ver.  li!|  A  Hpeejuj  prophet, 
1 1  ><Mii,  «erniH  lo  hftvi!  rhroniel<M|  hiH  Hinn  and 
hin  refxjntftnce  in  a  work  whieh  nurvivod 
lh»*  Cn-itlvity,  and  is  twion  <|niiled  bv  the 
poinniler  of  the  Hooknof  ('hro!nr|iH  C/  (jhrou. 
iKiii.  IH,  19)  Thv  MubniiiiNion  ol  Miina»Hi'h 
Ui  (•.Marh»<ldo[i  i«n>ittMj  lu  Lha  lAllnr'i  liouulM, 


abont  the  year  b.o.  680  (see '  Eponym  Canon,* 
p.  139,  line  13).  Other  "  acts  "  of  Manasseh 
were  the  fortification  of  Jerusalem  "  on  the 
west  side  of  Gihon  in  the  valley,"  the 
strengthening  of  the  defences  of  Ophel,  and 
the  occupation  with  strong  garrisons  of  the 
various  fortresses  within  his  dominions.  He 
thus  p'ayed  his  part  of  tributary  ally  to 
Assyria  with  zeal,  placing  the  south-eastern 
frontier  in  an  excellent  condition  to  resist 
the  assaults  of  Egypt.  Manasseh  outlived 
Esarhaddon,  and  was  for  many  years  con- 
temporary with  Asshur-bani-pal,  his  son, 
whose  inscriptions,  however,  contain  no 
mention  of  him.  Most  likely  his  name 
occurred  on  Cylinder  C,  line  3,  which  is  now 
illegible  (see  Gr.  Smith's  '  History  of  Asshur- 
baui-pal,'  p.  31,  line  c).  And  all  that  he  did, 
and  his  sin  that  he  tinned,  are  they  not 
written  in  the  hook  of  the  chronicles  of  the 
kings  of  Judah  %  The  "  sin  which  he  sinned  " 
is  probably  his  persecution,  which  was  viewed 
as  his  worst  sin  (see  ver.  16;  and  comp. 
ch.  xxiv.  4). 

Ver.  18. — And  Manasseh  slept  with  his 
fathers,  and  was  buried  in  the  garden  of  his 
own  house.  We  have  already  seen  reason 
for  believing  that  the  catacomb  of  David 
was  full,  and  that  Hezekiah  was  buried  out- 
side it,  though  in  the  neighbourhood,  on 
this  account  (see  the  comment  on  oh.  xx. 
21).  Manasseh  seems  to  have  made  a  new 
family  tomb  in  a  garden  belonging  to  his 
house  (see  ver.  26  ;  and  comp.  ch.  xxiii.  30). 
It  is  quite  impossible  to  fix  its  site.  In  the 
garden  of  TIzza.  Probably  an  addition  to 
the  old  palace  garden ;  perhaps  a  purchase 
made  by  Manasseh  with  the  object  of  con- 
Terting  it  into  a  burial-ground.  "  Uzza," 
or  "  Uzzah,"  was  a  common  name  among 
the  Jews  (2  Sam.  vi.  8;  Ezra  ii.  49;  Neh. 
Tii.  51;  1  Chron.  vi.  29 ;  viii.7;  xiii.  7— 11), 
and  does  not  point  to  any  definite  individual. 
And  Amou  his  son  reigned  in  his  stead. 
"  Amon  "  in  Hebrew  means  "  Nursling,"  or 
"Darling,"  and  it  is  quite  pos3il)le  that 
Manas.scli  gave  his  son  the  nivniu  in  this 
sense.  But  it  is  also  the  ordiniiry  Hebrew 
form  of  tlio  term  ("  Amen,"  or  "  Amun  ")  by 
wiiieh  tlio  lOgyptians  designated  the  grent 
god  of  TlieboH,  wimm  tlio  (Jrooksand  Komans 
railod  "  Amujon."  U  liaM  tlujreforo  boon 
thought  by  many  that  it  v/nn  given  by 
MuiniHHi  h  to  luH  Hon  "in  an  iihdatrous 
Hpirit."  So  Minliop  Cotton  in  Smith'H  '  Dic- 
tionary of  thu  Biide,'  vuL  L  p.  Gl,  and 
otiuirH. 

VerH.    19     20      Riaoif    or    Amon.      Tho 
Hliorl  reign  of  Anion,  tho  hoii  and  HU(^C()H8or 
of  ManaHHeli,  wiu  dlHtingnlMhed  by  nuly  two 
eveiita  :  (I)  liiH  rtmtoriilion  of  all  tlic  idolu 
troiiN  kod   wi<l{ed  pniotiooa  which  hi*  father 


m.  ui.  1— M.]       Tn  BBOOND  BOOK  Of  TBI  KOTCML 

•        


kad  apkaU  dnriair  thx  f«Hl«r  portiaa  of  bit 
Niftt;  attd  (Y)  bU  untnutlj  dMtll.  to  am- 

of  •  oooiltinM-jr  wUicli  «m  fonB«d 
DOttf  t)>«  ufflcort  of  bu  ooart 
TiM  vriior  of  Kings  (•  ihar«fao»  ablo  to 

hto  ki«tarjr  to  M^'bi  vrr 


V«r.  19— Anea  «m  twantr  *nA  tv«  vMira 
oU  whM  h«  b«(pia  I.        . 
(- AnC  Ju.i  ,'  1    4    ( 

)i«vc  Ittu  !• 

he   r«ifn»d  two   yf»rf   in   J^mml^m 
-  t«    l>t<   ^r«r•••   »►••• 

I'.-l.-  of    M:»   .-:  .    •■  r 
art      w        '  > 


A  act 


i..uK! 


'.  hia  pitri  <' 


10    WA»    IC 
01    of    Jb*. 


>  ooo* 
t  «o. 

AT-d 


X"  ■  .1 

t'f  fcii'ii-f;»  u  the 

AntiMili      J    -  a  JuU 

Im;.  «im  "  a  i.i._i   ..I  J 

\  rr  ::o  -  And  ht  .»  that  which  wm 
otL  in  ihe  iighi  of  the  Lord,  a«  liij  falliftr 
Manssbth  d.d  (cy)Uip.  "J  Chr>u.  xxxiiL  lili, 
»;.il  .l'j^.piiUs.  •  A- t.  Jiid..'  X.  4.  §  1). 

V«ir.  'JI.-  Aud  be  wtuk^d  in  ail  the  waj 
that  hi«  father  walked  in.  Thi  rr  was  not 
•  •iu^le  oti*  Huinti^'  tbf  lurly  wi'ki-.liierbe« 
of  Mttuaaet-h  uK  .  Anio  i  .ii>1  u<-\  iinit«ii- 
Tl.  dllai!^  '  • 
4— t4)»L.  w  I 


of  Um  toad      ABdMnradtl'  • 

totkar  oorved -a«  1  *al.  A*.' 

the   Aabarah,  and  oUion— a6«   wu(»a.pj<«a 

tbom. 

V»r.  ft Aad  t>>  Abv^aoV  tv>  i  »«^  n^u  m» 

kla   fatktra.      0\ 
ina-le   a    artrt    of 

W<T»hl|>    of     '  k%t. 

10  -15^     M  .  .    tl^ 

witr»h.| 
not  Iti 


I, 


Lia  kl( 
•pired  n. 
own    houie 
frr<|it«Ql   lu  I 
ii    :«     T7;    - 

id  .lU'iuh  (^' 

ari*«  frutu « a 
hupM  of  ad' 
a«   in   tlir-  i 
it    U 
which 

li^OtlB  luoii^c*  lau  ? 
pUr. 

>  er.    14. — And  the  p^oil*"  of  th*  w- A  •'.r  w 
all  them  that  hmd  el 
Amen.      We   f'  rt-.:'  '% 
tribute  Am<  ' 
O^inat    hia 
to  pmvu  thiti  Ui 
fuv.  ur  with   tiio   ; 
tliat  the  ki'   - 
more    n^ner . 

piireued  tlie  o 

of  the  land  ::  .u^  la  h^ 

•lead,     Ti..  of  \^y  -\ 


tm  111  ha 
«!^w  Ih* 


,    «.IC.       W  I  cfw, 

.    hv 

IV  ll^te   (V>iu«    miO 


'.rua 

tLe 


"lit  r<-th 


1 

f 
fmii-a;    (6)   li»e    ; 

lUiUallT  i'l  ?J»^  Vn' 

w<-rt>    ■      •  .'c    Uj 

Molo  held 

piVOottaiuu    ui     n. .  v    f 

Judao  oad  Sattj: 
doriTlni;   tLcir  a 

Iniriit  i:ii>ri.- 

t)..    (Uli.    li. 

boat  o(    h<  b 

ttie' 


lu    a    luuiuiiuiUT    I 

.1  theOKUaJiiralOrt  » : 

•. •  :■■   heir,  afi  1. 
>«  lut  a  boy  '  '. 


jk\i.t  I  h     \ii 


of 
rouo 


:  'Jie  arts  of  Aaoa 
wkieh  he  did,  are  they  not  vntten  la  ike 
book  ef  the  ehrunieiee  of  ihe  k:r.?t  of 
Jndah  1  No  iitliff  arU  of  Ai 
down  to  oa.  lie  wae  pcoha 
ahtot  roi|{n  of  two  year*,  a  aui;-  »:.  •  <  ..'.^u- 
tanr  of  Aaabor-baaipai 

Vor.  S0.  And  he  wa<  bnried  ia  kto 
■opvkkre  to  ike  garden  of  Ucza  i»  -.u  iho 
aacM  place  a«  hta  falLi  r  (xx  wr  l^>  aad 
Jooiak  kia  mb  raigned  to  hit  stead  i4c 
the  writer  of  Okmoklee  (t  Chioo.  xxxui. 
^X  »Bd  Jaw»pbiie  (L  «.  aV 


426  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.       [oh.  xxi.  1— 28. 


HOMILETICS. 

Vera.  1 — 18. — The  lesson  of  Manasseh's  life,  that  it  is  far  easier  to  do  than  to  undo 
evil.  Manasseh,  carried  away  by  the  impetuosity  of  youth,  and  under  th«  advice  of 
evil  counstillors,  threw  himself  into  a  movement  the  direct  opposite  of  that  instituted 
by  his  father,  and  in  a  short  time  completely  changed  in  all  respects  the  whole  religion 
of  the  kingdom.  His  idea,  so  far  as  we  can  trace  it,  seems  to  have  been  a  welcoming 
of  heathen  and  idolatrous  creeds  and  rites  of  all  kinds  and  from  all  quarters,  together 
with  a  stern  repression  of  the  religion  of  Jehovah.  The  bloody  rites  of  Moloch,  the 
licentious  orgies  of  the  Syrian  goddess,  the  Phoeuician  Baal-worship,  the  Arabian 
astrology,  the  magic  and  necromancy  of  Babylon,  were  all  regarded  as  equally  worthy 
of  his  patronage,  all  given  a  home  in  his  capital ;  one  single  cult  was  disallowed,  and 
its  exercise  punished  with  death — the  worship  of  "  the  Holy  One  of  Israel."  In  all 
these  respects  Manasseh  found  it  easy  enough  to  work  his  will ;  no  one  resisted  him  ; 
the  awful  child-sacrifices  suited  well  with  one  side  of  the  national  temperament,  the 
wild  sensualism  of  Syrian  and  Phoenician  orgies  harmonized  with  another.  Manasseh 
easily  "  seduced  "  the  mass  of  the  people  to  do  as  he  would  have  them ;  and,  when  he 
met  with  recalcitrants,  had  a  "short  and  easy  method"  with  them — the  method  of 
instant  execution.  All  went  smoothly  and  satisfactorily  with  him,  probably  for  near 
thirty  years  of  his  reign,  when  by  some  act — we  know  not  what — he  displeased  his 
Assyrian  suzerain,  was  carried  captive  to  Babylon,  and  there,  in  the  bitterness  of 
confinement,  brought  to  see  the  error  of  his  ways.  Restored  to  his  throne,  he  thought 
to  undo  his  evil  work  as  easily  and  completely  as  he  had  done  it.  Again,  outwardly 
no  one  resisted  his  will.  The  external  changes  were  made.  "  The  strange  gods  "  were 
"  put  away  "  (2  Chron.  xxxiii.  15) ;  the  idols  cleared  out  of  the  house  of  the  Lord ; 
the  idolatrous  altars  banished ;  the  formal  worship  of  Jehovah  reintroduced ;  the 
brazen  altar  of  Solomon  "repaired"  (2  Chron.  xxxiii.  16)  and  used  for  sacrifice  ;  Judah 
commanded  to  serve  Jehovah,  the  God  of  Israel.  But  the  spirit  of  true  and  pure 
religion  could  not  be  brought  back.  Thirty  years  of  idolatry  had  debauched  the  heart 
of  the  nation.  Jehovah's  faithful  followers  had  been  martyred.  The  rest  of  the  people 
could  only  give  to  Jehovah  a  lip-service.  And  thus  no  sooner  was  Manasseh  dead 
than  everything  reverted  into  its  former  condition.  The  idols  were  restored — the 
altars  to  the  host  of  heaven  replaced  in  the  temple  courts — the  flames  of  Tophet 
relighted — the  filthy  rites  of  the  Dea  Syria  re-established.  When  Josiah  came  to  the 
throne,  the  state  of  things  was  as  bad  as  it  had  ever  been,  even  in  the  worst  years  of 
Manasseh.  Baal  was  the  god  chiefly  worshipped  in  Jerusalem  (Zeph.  i.  4) ;  altars  to 
the  host  of  heaven  covered  the  housetops;  men  commonly  swore  by  Moloch;  the 
whole  nation  had  "  turned  back  from  Jehovah "  (Zeph.  i.  6),  and  the  city  was  filled 
with  "violence  and  deceit"  (Zeph.  i.  9).  Not  even  could  all  Josiah's  efforts  remedy 
the  evil  which  Manasseh  had  brought  about.  The  corruption  was  too  deep-seated; 
and  it  was  Manasseh's  evil-doing,  which  he  could  not  uudo,  that  caused  the  final 
deatruction  of  the  kingdom  (ch.  xxiii.  26,  27;  xxiv.  3,  4). 


HOMILIES  BY  VARIOUS  AUTHORS. 

Vers.  1 — 10. — Manasseh's  wicked  reign.  Two  thoughts  are  brought  before  an  by 
the  r<;ign  of  Manasseh.     They  are  a  striking  contrast  to  one  another. 

I.  'I'liK.  I'oWKK  OK  HiN.  1.  Wo  sec  hoiv  siu  pevpetudtcs  ifseff.  The  deeds  of  Manasseh 
were  just  a  repetition  of  the  worst  deeds  of  his  predecessors.  "  Ho  did  that  whicii  was 
evil  in  the  slight  of  the;  Lord,  afti-r  the  a!)OMiinations  of  the  heathen."  lie  built  up 
attain  the  high  piares.  He  made  aliiirs  for  Baal.  He  worshiiiped  all  the  host  of  heaven. 
He  mtLfUi  hJH  son  jmh^  lhrou'j;h  the  fire  U)  Moloch.  (What  wo  hav(!  already  said  on 
these  siriH  a|)|>lieH  here.)  2.  W'a  see  also  the.  jirof/rrssive  portier  of  wtn.  There  in  a 
itrogrcHH  in  sin  Iroin  ha<l  to  worse.  Miinasstsh  imitated  the  sins  of  his  predeeeHHors. 
lint  he  went  further  than  any  of  tluttn.  "  He  built  altars  for  all  th«  host  of  heaven  in 
the  two  courtH  nf  the  house  (if  the  F/urd"  (ver.  5).  Worsr  than  all,  Ik-  sot  uf»  a  carved 
iinaf*,  tJbe  idf)l  that  he  had  made,  in  the  very  toniplo  of  the  living  God.     tt  ia  al»o 


«LZSLl— ML]       TBI  BROOKD  BOOK  OF  THR  KI.VOiL  iT 


■Utad  that  hr  fthad  iBO<K«>nt  Uood  wr  much,  till  b«  hftd  AIM  JrniMlMn  with  Kl  Hid 
frutn  OM  eotl  tu  the  other  (var.  16X     I'*t  <u  >««ftr«  of  the  )«>/  '  rvli     S.  W« 

Me  atao  tktftnim  t^  t%n  to  hardtn  wttn't  kaarU.     W«  rm.1   ml;  ,  th*t  "0<«1 

•|«k«  to  IUim«M-h  »iid  hU  Jieuple;  but  Hey  would  out  tievkru  "  How  oftrn  (hiA 
•itU  •{«aks  to  men  by  I  U  Wtmi,  hv  h  ■  prv.Tl.!euc«,  an>l  yei  uq  hM  bu  h»f.!rt»od  their 
^•«ft».  'hat  ihry  |«j  no  atUDltun  to  hl«  w»riiin(?«,  remuu«t-KtiC4w,  and  apjcaUl 

11.  Till  r>.wKu  or  fHATUL     Thore  U  no  r.  frr* uce  In  t>i!»  s- i-t  4  M^nMaeh   to 

•BT  jirmyer  cf  I-  b      And  yel,  »tr»DSc  though  it  may  ••  |KNt«til 

jiarl  ID  Mai.  i^M-li'ii  hUtory.      When  we  turu  to  the  •  .  *  give* 

iu  2  C'hrxMi.  xn  u..  wf  rond  (vrr».  18,  VJ\  *•  Now  the  rr»t  .1    ;.  -h,  «•</ 

Au  pray<^  unr..  /.u  Wt*/,  and  tl.e  w  rda  of  the  »>yrn   ttiat  ej^ke  „  Mine 

of  the  Ix)r.i  (i.-l  i>f  Umel.  behold,  tiiey  are  writKri  iu   the  bi«jk  ui   :;.r  ,■.  '     ^^j. 

n%»  prayrr  a/»o,  and  how  O^d  wu  mtrfite<l  of  him,  atid  all  hia  aitii,  aoo  •« 

.  .  .  bfforv  I.©  wiia  liuiiililod  :  behold,  they  arc  wrilietj  %m<jU7.  the  savli,^-,  wi  m  -  rra." 
Now,  what  w;w  thi-  prayer  of  Maiia»8«h  ?  It  wah  simply  •  pravcr  for  |«r  i  .n.  Ob»4rwm 
Mow  MantuaeA  Uarued  to  pray.      For  all  hia  wickiviii-ai  the   I>jrd   br  •  ■         ta 

upou  him  (vera.  10— 15).     Ho  bn.tiKht  ui^n  him  and  hl«  |*  ople  "  t  •« 

liobi  of  the  King  of  Asjjvria,  which  U^jk  Mananseh  pr;»o«or,  and  Umto    .  ,, 

and    oarripd    him    to   liabyloo."     It    wk*   then,  in    liit  extremiiv  a-l  c  tt 

Mana^Mh  learned  to  pray.     "And  when  he  waa  iu  alMi  iit«i.  he  br-»u.i  hi  :.. ;..« 

Oo.i,  and  huiublt-d  hiiuse.f  greatly  Uf  re  the  G.jd  of  hia  fathera.  and  i^nyfd  unto  Kim: 
and  be  waa  eiitreat^d  «if  him,  and  heard  hia  aupplication,  and  brought  hiiu  a;*. in  to 
Jeru^Alelu  into  hia  kingdom.  Then  Mauass.  h  knew  that  the  lx>rd  he  waa  <  Jod  "  (2  Chrun. 
xxxiii.  Vl,  13).  Oft-  n  it  ia  aflBiition  and  trial  thai  first  teach  men  Vt  pray,  to  turn  to 
Ovid.  We  let  A<re  the  power  o^ penitent  prayer.  We  aee  heiv  that  no  une'ia  too  gr«ftt 
•  BJnner  U>  pray  to  GuJ  lor  mercy.  Your  pk^>t  life  may  h  ive  been  giveu  up  t  >  ain.  So 
waa  Mauaastha.  You  may  have  diahououred  and  dihobeyed  <Jod.  So  did  M.tuaaM:h. 
Yet  he  obtained  mercy.  The  jireateut,  guiltiest  ainuer  may  get  j«rdon  at  the  ervaa. 
**  Though  your  sina  be  aa  acarlet,  thev  shall  l«  aa  white  aa  bdow  ;  though  they  be  red 
like  cnmaL.u,  they  ahall  ba  aa  wool."— C.  H.  L 

,  V**-  19 — 24.— Jmon'«  trieked  reign.  We  hare  here  more  than  one  Inatructive 
leaaon. 

L  Thr  rowKB  OF  ETU.  OFTU  oouvTKKAcn  THE  oooD.  Mana«a#h  had  humblMi 
himaelf  before  God.  He  o»>Uined  pardon.  Bui  he  could  not  un'o  the  gijlty  j*»t. 
He  oouM  not  undo  the  effects  of  his  evil  example  and  indueiice.  We  aee  how  hia  ama 
were  liniute.!  and  continued  by  hi^  aun  Amun.  How  carefal  we  ahould  be  what 
infiuenoe  we  ex.rciae,  whai  an  example  we  leave  behiud  ua!  Many  a  penitent  ainner 
would  L-ire  world*  if  he  oou.d  undo  the  oonaequencvs  to  others  oi  hi*  own  j»**t  sina. 

U.  The  law  of  betbibutioj*  onoe  moke.  "  With  what  meaaure  ye  neta,  it  ahall 
b«  mean  .red  U.  you  again."  Every  casi-  of  diaobtviieiicc  agaiu^-i  Gixi  on  the  i*ri  of 
larael  and  her  king*  brought  iU  corresponding  penally.  Amon  w.ia  very  defiant  in  hia 
ain.  "He  humhied  not  him».lf  before  the  Lord,  ...  but  tresuaj,>erl  more  and  morv" 
(2  Chron.  xxxiii.  23).  He  cast  off  the  authority  of  God.  The  day  came  when  his  own 
•ervania  rose  in  reJwlliun  against  hia  autiiorily,  and  oouapirwd  ag;uuai  him,  and  slew 
him.  The  cnaptrators  also  met  with  their  I'uniahmeut  "The  j*ople  of  it.e  land 
slew  all  them  that  had  oonspirtid  against  King  Amon"  (ver.  24).  Amid  all  iu 
corruptions,  the  nation  had  not  yet  ulUrly  lust  the  sense  of  justice.  "  WhatK^rvcr 
a  uia  <  lioweth,  that  eh.dl  he  also  rtjap."— C.  H.  I. 

V««-  I— IS.— .«fo»aaaa*  ;  or,  the  materud  and  moral  in  knman  life.  "  Maoaaaeh 
waa  twalve  yeara  old  when  he  »«egaii  t-.  rei.-t  ,  aud  reigned  fifty  and  five  yeiara  in 
Jeniaalem.  And  his  motiiw's  name  w  u»  H.  phribah.  Aud  he  did  thai  wh'ch  waa 
eTil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,"  etc.     "  Manaa*<h,"  aava  Keil,  ••  h  »  a 

an  early  age,  did  not  choose  hia  father's  waya.  but  set  up  the  idol.. 

Ahax  again,  aiDoe  the  godlees  parly  iu  the  nation,  all  wh.  «•  ch».  .  .  ^  .^  ,.  ,  «i..r> 
prupheta  stood,  and  who  would  not  hearken  to  the  Law  of  the  U  rd,  »ud  »n  the  uiue 
ot  iletek  ah  I  ad  s-.ught  halo  against  Aasyria.  not  from  Jehovah,  but  frv»m  iba 
Ef/pciaoa,  had  obtained  oontrol  (A  the  youug  and  inaxpariaooad  king      Ua  bailt  again 


428  THE  SECJOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.       [oh.  xxi.  1— a6w 

'the  high  places  which  Hezekiah  had  destroyed,  erected  altars  for  Baal,  and  Asherah, 
like  Aiabof  Israel.'"  There  are  two  great  mistakes  prevalent  amongst  men^-one  is  an 
over-estimation  of  the  secular  ;  the  other,  a  depreciation  of  the  spiritual.  Many  theo- 
retically hold,  and  more  practically  indicate,  that  man  should  attend  mainly,  if  not 
entirely,  to  his  secular  interests, as  a  citizen  of  time;  that  the  present, the  palpable, and 
the  certain  should  engage  a  far  greater  portion  of  his  attention  than  the  future,  the  unseen, 
and  the  probable.  It  is  bad  to  hold  these  ideas,  but  it  is  worse  to  practise  tiiem.  More 
respect,  perhaps,  is  due  to  the  mistaken  men  who  theoretically  adopt  them,  than  to  those 
who  denounce  in  no  very  measured  terms  their  votaries  and  yet  practically  carry  them 
out  in  their  daily  life.  And  yet  such  characters  abound  in  Christian  England,  abound 
in  our  congregations,  and  in  our  clergy  too.  The  religionist  who  gives  more  of  his 
thought,  energy,  and  time  to  the  secular  than  the  spiritual,  is  carrying  out  in  bis 
everyday  conduct  the  principles  of  those  secular  and  infidel  teachers  against  whom 
he  is  ever  ready  to  thunder  his  condemnation.  Far  more  distressed  am  I  at  the 
practical  secularism  of  the  Christian  than  at  the  theoretical  secularism  of  the  sceptic. 
The  other  mistake  is  overrating  the  spiritual  at  the  expense  of  the  secular.  It  is  not 
very  uncommon  for  relisiious  teachers  to  profess  to  despise  secular  interests,  and  so 
to  enforce  the  claims  of  piety  as  if  they  required  the  sacrifice  of  our  corporeal  and 
secular  happiness.  I  have  no  faith  in  such  representations  of  moral  duty.  Man  is 
one,  and  all  his  duties  and  interests  are  concurrent  and  harmonious  ;  the  end  of 
Christianity  is  to  make  man  happy,  body  and  soul,  here  and  hereafter.  These  remarks 
are  su:;gested  by  the  history  of  Manasseh.  He  was  the  son  of  Hezekiah ;  was  born 
upwards  of  seven  hundred  years  before  Christ ;  began  to  reibm  when  he  was  twelve 
years  of  age  ;  continued  his  rulership  for  fifty-five  years,  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight, 
and  was  buried  in  a  sepulchre  which  he  had  prepared  for  himself  in  his  owu  garden 
(see  2  Chron.  zxxiii.  1 — 20),  His  inner  life  or  character  will  appear  as  we  proceed  in 
the  illustration  of  our  subject.  In  his  biography  we  have  three  instructive  views  of 
the  secular  and  spiritual.     We  have  here — 

I.  The  elevation  of  the  secular  and  the  degradation  of  the  spiritual. 
**He  built  up  again  the  high  places  which  Hezekiah  his  father  had  destroyed;  and  he 
reared  up  altars  for  Baal,  and  mad(!  a  grove,  as  did  Ahab  King  of  Israel ;  and  worshipjwd 
all  the  host  of  heaven,  and  served  them,"  etc.  Here  is  a  man  at  the  height  of  the 
secular  elevation.  He  is  raised  to  a  throne,  called  to  bear  sway  over  a  people  the 
most  enlightened,  and  in  a  conntry  as  fertile  and  lovely  as  any  on  the  face  of  the  earth. 
In  the  i)er8on  of  this  Manasseh  you  have  secular  greatness  in  its  highest  altitude 
aiid  most  attractive  position.  But  in  connection  with  this  you  have  spiritual  degra- 
dation. Penetrate  the  gaudy  trappings  of  his  royalty,  look  within,  and  what  see  you? 
A  low,  wretched,  infamous  spirit,  a  spirit  debased  almost  to  the  lowest  poiut  in  moral^ 
Few  names  in  the  history  of  our  sinful  world  stand  out  with  more  prominent  features 
of  depravity  and  vice  than  this  of  Manasseh.  Look  at  him  :  1.  Socially.  How  acted  he 
a.'-  a  b-ju?  Hiij  father,  Hezekiah,  was  a  man  of  undoubted  i)ioty — a  monarch  of  dis- 
tinizuished  worth.  Man\'  earnest  prayers  ho  offered,  no  doubt,  for  his  son,  and  many 
tender  counoels  on  religious  subjects  had  ho  addressed  to  liim,  Yot  what  was  the 
retuni  Tt  all  this?  His  Hire  was  scarcely  cold  In  his  grave  before  the  son  conimonciKl 
undf)inn  hi  the  kingdom  all  that  his  pious  father  had  for  years  endeavoured  to  accomplish. 
His  insane  fanaticism  in  the  cause  of  deba^eil  religion  was  not  surpassed  oven  by  the  king 
in  m-dfrn  titiioH  who  most  reHimblod  him,  I'liilip  II.  of  Sj)aiu.  How  did  ho  act  as 
a  jmn-ntf  Was  ho  anxious  fur  the  virtue  and  haj>])irii'SH  of  his  chililren?  No;  "lie 
cau^e  I  his  childr<ii  ti  jmikh  through  the  fire  of  tlio  son  of  Ilinnoni."  History  repiosenta 
the  Ro<i  M"l"<;li,  tx(  wlilch  this  MaiiasHoh  presented  his  children,  as  a  l)razen  statue, 
which  waH  ev<;r  kepi  biriiing  hot,  with  ils  arms  outstretched.  IiiId  those  outstroiohed 
arniH  the  idolalroUH  pir()t;t  thren  his  children,  which  soon  foil  down  '\\\Xa  the  raging 
furna*;**  i)ctieath.  2.  UrUijioHnhj.  A  duix'  of  tlie  most  stupid  itni>oHturo.  "  lltt 
c^fMorvtyl  tiineu,  and  um-d  uncKHnMiiontH  [and  used  witchcraft],  and  dealt  with  familiar 
■I'irita  and  wi/.ardM."  Flo  wai  the  uiii<id<in<)d  votary  of  the  most  oruni  and 
njoiiMtroiiH  ■ufmr«titioii.  3.  /'o/iti<affi/.  Itiiiniu(?  his  own  country,  provoking  iho 
indi  •nation  u  Hearen.  "H"  Man  im  ii  uiadc  .Fu<lah  and  the  inhahitantH  of  .lenisaloin 
t<j  rrr,  and  to  do  worie  than  th«  hetth'wi,  whom  the  Ixtnl  had  d'Htroyed  Ixtforo  the 
•hildrvn  of  larmiiL"     Th    a. ovation  of  mo  H«cidiir  an<l   the  dH>j;rAdatloD  of  the  apirituali 


m.  ua.  l—ti.)       Tut  8K00ND  IIOOK  OF  TUI  Kl!f<ML 


t!  tB  all  umm  avd  UmU^  b  man  Aartiiuu  ei  naaj  fmv«  aad  aurtbtg 
•<4^«ilap».  1.  It  »ii  w  ik»  WktrmI  d*Mt'fmmi*tt^m  f/ ti*  kmimtm  *m»'t4  TbU  ai*!  - 
of  tKlta^  «iA  »«v«(  ba  «<*-••'••  •-<  lit*  urUiiiftI  |iUb  of  lk«  «rv*ttu(t.  Qm  ll  b« 
M^>«dMil  vMk  IW  an(l»k  u#  ib«  OrMiur  ikM  wiatalMw  i4fB«ld   ilt  oo 

U.r  4*«»  Md  InM  Ik*  Miptnt^  •'>'<  >'  i<-  ffrMpr    Qm  U  U  Uui  loiatt*  Pufttv 

iMaaidiA  |o  «a49W  drfamvity  wit  ««aih  aod  po««r?     Iai{«ai«tbla.     A 

•-  -    TU 

rMnt*ij  ol  I  It  mtiu<»t  >/  ikt 

mmt       I  '•  K  ■  ■  .    K-nl  •   :  '<    tb« 

CtHi»m::m  ...       M     ■■  >«f,  iLc    l«r  ^r    t(:^  »':--iiii    .-f  '.ii« 

grvOar  Um  fKiUU«t  M  vail  ••  ti  -  v^ 

and  pUcy.     B«l  barii  la  Um  m^  m 

tllffmoi  4«srMs •wjrwbar*  tu  Lu:iju.  -^ 

•draaUfM  lo  the  flkoal  itftdikb  ioiquitjr. 

«M  ntay  wall  ftU  o*  with  amaaemrot  aod    .  '.u, 

aaka  Um  trea  u(  bfe  drop  poiauu,  aixl  cau  aL 

S.  It  abowa  lh«  iU^  vroiaoiiitf  ^  a  jud'jn^ni.     i  :  i 

muoarch,  will  vioa  aJwaya  hava  tu  l«x>qu«u.  iu 
mrm»  Mmkanieia-.  ri-^-—  ->i--^'  .-»,-•. 
IB  eonftialon  ?     v< 

oaUiLc-  ; .    - —     .-^ 

BOiwnta;  a  .    u>  tiumaa  Lbkvy 

abima  hafonfawiJy  with  t-         «, 

IL  Tub   oariitADATtoii  «r  thi   •£  .•  tuk   klktat  o*  or  thx   u-iain  al. 

The  ju<!gturii'    -f  0*1     w*;Uli    r:l'l^l  .»    fiii.    .t!    '--:..  t*.   ,  % .  n, .  V     -hr   *iKk»ti 

Booarcb.  •jlitt, 

•ikI  carriod  a  .  fio 

is  aaiaad,  buuiMi  ut  cLaiuA,  '  >« 

la  arcuUr  dagradatjnn.     11  -..e 

bacaa  U>  thlnV.     Hit  guilty  coucuci  -^i 

onnita  aud  abusad  uicaic?  iu  awful  &  .  ia 

wilb  ooLitrit»i>n.     He  pf»y»;  t^  t'r*^ 
(/  aecuUr  rreAii  eu,  i  e  brgina  U>  rue  b; 
Monl  Dum  ('.' '  r^X     We  coAj  learc  fr  Lu  I !i  •  :   i.    .  r 

#ra  •«  ii«r«M  (o  o(Mii«r<u />«.     U  the  queaiioii  we.-'  •V'kat 

alaneaa  aia  lur  .   :..^....  ,q  ^f  piety  T   1  BU'iuii  uubedtadn^y 

■BBWir     Admmi  uat  adraraiiy,  aa  in  tha  oaaa  bafura  ua, 

«llaa  aoeoaada ilt  . ....  -■■■'  •-■  "-  oa,  whan  pr-"'-' ■-  bM 

fuled;  that  afllottona  law  tha  aoai,  .ba 

earaloM  tu  oooaiAnT  h\^   *^  ^ ,  .  .juumA  n^^~  *.   -.*.ljr 

itarl:  u  iLe  I!.  .  !i  <rf  tha  ntifiam  ehataoiar.    SoSad^a  ar» 

l&iinical  to  that  J,  '.la!   rff>rt   wliicb   r«-!iir5ou«  ctiltor*  rvoolro^ 

It  i»  whan  tha  ayataiL  «« 

the  miod  la  not  nan--  '  ^  ^b> 

A'attnea,  wbaa  Uisura  ai«i  mad  a&«-  .m*od, 

that  m«s  are  h>  tb#  Nn-t  y*  v  i  r*- ! '  hr**"  w* 

iada  .4, 

•nd  b  .   .i4 

^iraettiij;  tiM  (wl  u.u  lL?  ;<aiu  uf  hplitiw,      buulx  a  oaaa  -  -  <  •.     .-e  tic-taa 

whieh  aaootar  for  tLc  want  of  nligioa.     It  ia  oftan  »  <•«•:&  auch  aad 

a««h  aJreomifoai  wa  wooM  ba  raUciouak**    Tb*  tick  m^  I  la  biuoMa 

Ufi,  mtam  fraa  ftwai  tha  aniioriaa,  caraa,  rii[  nnilMWriaa.  %i  ai>  pu«tiwu, 

I  wmU  Ht*  a  godly  afc."     Wbtlat  tha  puur.  oa  tha  oil  f^  a»oca 

**  War*  mr  ipint  aot  praaaad  dova  hj  tha  arxMk  had  I 

bfij  £OLida  la  ratDora  mm  (hn  al  aaeaaaaj  >  >    >     .  t    .  •  -v^.     ^it«  my 
mimi  to  ralifUA,  aatf  aar?*  B7  Ood.*     Tha  aaa  ia  tija  mwut  ^  um  aAaiUi:^«»i  a^A 


.3 


4S0  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINOa       [ca.  xxi.  1— 3ft. 

buBtle  of  commercial  life  says,  "Were  I  in  •  more  retired  situation,  in  some  rural 
region  away  from  the  eternal  din  of  business — away  in  quiet  fields  and  under  clear 
ekies,  amidst  the  music  of  birds  and  brooks,  I  would  serve  my  Maker."  Whilst  on 
the  contrary,  and  with  greater  reason,  the  tenant  of  these  quiet  scenes  says,  "  Were  I 
distant  from  this  eternal  monotony,  amidst  scenes  of  mental  stimulus  and  social  excite- 
ment, I  should  be  roused  from  the  apathy  which  oppresses  me,  and  I  would  be  a 
religious  man."  The  fact,  after  all,  is  that  circur^tances  are  no  necessary  hindrances 
or  helps  to  a  religious  life.  2.  That  Heaven's  me'  cy  is  greater  than  man's  iniquities. 
When  conscience-stricken  with  the  enormity  of  his  wickedness,  this  one  of  the  chief  of 
human  sinners  betakes  himself  to  his  kneos  in  humble  prayer  "  before  the  God  of  his 
fethers,"  how  is  he  treated?  Is  he  scathed  with  a  flash  of  retributive  displeasure? 
Who  would  have  wondered  if  he  had  been  so  ?  But  no.  Is  he  upbraided  for  his  past 
wickedness  ?  Who  would  have  been  surprised  if  he  had  been  stunned  with  thunders 
of  reproof?  But  no.  Is  he  received  with  cold  indifference?  No.  "  He  was  entreated 
of  him,  and  heard  his  supplication,  and  brought  him  again  to  Jerusalem  into  his 
kingdom."  What  a  confirmation  is  here  of  that  promise,  "Let  the  wicked  forsake  his 
way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts :  and  let  him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and 
he  will  have  mercy  on  him;  and  to  our  God,  for  he  will  abundantly  pardon"! 
*'  Abundantly  I"  This  is  a  glorious  word,  a  word  that,  like  the  boimdless  heavens  of  GJod, 
towers  and  expands  over  a  universe  of  sin. 

III.  The  concubbent  elevation  both  of  the  spiritual  aijd  the  seoulab.  The 
Almighty  hears  his  prayer.  He  is  emancipated  from  bondage,  brought  back  to  his 
own  country,  and  restored  to  the  throne  of  Israel.  There  he  is  now  with  a  true  heart, 
in  a  noble  position — a  real  great  man  occupying  a  great  office.  This  is  a  rare  scene ; 
and  yet  the  only  scene  in  accordance  with  the  real  constitution  of  things  and  the  will 
of  God.  It  seems  to  me  that  if  man  had  remained  in  innocence,  his  outward  position 
would  always  have  been  the  product  and  type  of  hia  inner  soul;  that  he  who  got 
a  throne  would  do  so  because  of  the  moral  nobility  of  his  nature,  and  that  in  all  cases 
secular  circumstances,  whether  elevated,  affluent,  or  otherwise,  would  ever  be  the  efi"ects 
and  exjjonents  of  spiritual  character.  Manasseh's  restoration  to  the  throne,  and  the 
work  of  reformation  to  which  he  sets  himself,  suggest  two  subjects  of  thought. 
1.  The  tendncy  of  godliness  to  'promote  man's  secular  elevation.  The  monarch  comes 
back  in  spirit  to  God,  and  God  brings  him  back  to  his  throne.  As  the  material  con- 
dition of  men  depends  upon  their  moral  condition,  improve  the  latter,  and  you  imjirove  th« 
f(^rmer.  As  the  world  gets  spiritually  holier,  it  will  get  secularly  hai>pier.  Godliness  ii 
material  as  well  as  moral  "  gain."  The  system  that  best  promotes  godliness  is  the  system 
that  best  promotes  man's  temporal  well-being.  And  that  system  is  the  gospel.  Hence, 
let  philanthropists  adupt  this  as  tlieir  grand  instrument.  When  (Christianity  shall  have 
won  its  triumph  over  all  souls,  men's  bodies  will  be  restored  to  their  lost  inheritance 
of  health,  elasticity,  force,  and  plenty,  as  Manassch  was  now  restored  to  his  Inst  throne. 
There  is  a  physical  millennium  for  the  world  as  well  as  a  spiritual ;  the  former  will  grow 
out  of  and  reveal  the  latter,  &s  trees  and  flowers  their  hidden  life.  2.  The  tendency 
of  p-nitrnce  to  make  retribution.  Concerning  Manassch,  it  is  thus  written :  **  Now 
after  tliiH  he  built  a  wall  without  the  city  of  David,  on  tho  west  side  of  Gihou,  in  tho 
▼alley,  rven  to  the  entering  in  at  the  flub  gate,  and  compassed  about  Ophcl,  and  raised 
it  up  a  very  gicat  height,  and  put  cajjtains  of  war  in  all  tho  fenced  cities  of  Judah. 
And  ho  t<»<)l:  away  the  htr;ingo  gixlw,"  etc.  Here  in  restitution,  and  au  earnest  endeavour 
to  utido  the  mischief  wliich  he  had  wmught.  Thus  ZacohajiiH  acted,  and  thus  all  truo 
pciiitentu  have  over  actod  an<l  will  cvor  act.  Truo  jxitiitencM!  has  a  rostitutionary 
mstiiict.  Hut  how  little,  ala-sl  of  tho  mischief  donn  nan  over  ho  undone  1  Whkt  can 
we  do?  We  cannot  doKtroy  tho  fact  of  wrong.  That  fart  will  never  Iw  erased  from 
the  moral  annaln  of  the  nniverno;  it  is  ehnmirled  with  unfadin;^  ink  im  an  impiTisli- 
abl«  ■uimtarico.  What  CJin  we  do?  Wo  cannot  destroy  th«i  inlliienco  of  our  wrong. 
'Ill''  wron^;  that  Ih  (,5<>ne  nut  from  ui  will  mil  its  {XHtiloiitial  Htreanm  cluwn  thnHigh  tho 
»;••••.  Wliat  (an  wod<i?  Wo  CJin  "crami  to  do  evil;"  ami,  thank  Qo<J  I  w<'  can  do 
mnny — wo  i  an  make  Morno  coinpxMiMatinn  for  th"  injury  we  havo  dono  tho  creation.  Wo 
can,  by  fi'^tven'i  griu;f),  o|Mjn  up  within  on  a  fountnin  for  thn  washing  away  of  hid  and 
unr  Icfui'j'H* — a  fo'iiit  on  whuKO  utruamji  will  blaut  with  li/u  and  buauty  maitjr  |i;o<t«ra- 
Urjn    j*t  to  ooma.— D.  T. 


BOOK  or  Tni  KiNoa 


~  f  ifcTl 


wirkad  r«igQ  of  AtDOQ  itM  auo  of  Minownh 

1.  )lu  kKu.«  «*•  Tsar  ■■osT.    **  U«  rvifs^^  two  fov*.*  vie.    Tbo  «ua4or  b 


••      I    _  I. 


MMk  4  a»Ait  tiKHii.)  bov«  baoti  ; 
Mm  dioi  Um  houor.     L  Tb 
Wltt«ui4  tho  aitgmratlue 
mtanl  i«4m«  boo  boao  Uriad 

II.     Ha  BBlUK    WAS   VkBT    V  '•< 

w»lk»*l  ID.  k: 

vir^cdura*  1 1 

•  flr*  that  turns  i\  iivart  Um  agat. 

HI.  'Inr    Kr:iv    was    vriT  TBAWCAL.     "Am!  tha  aarranu  of  An 
•r^lttM  >  4  Ib  bifl  own  booae."     Um  img^  tba  r 

Hit  "ar      .  h«T«  irt^rdrd  him,  murde  e-i  Kv-      ~  ' 

Uiat  aboulo  :.Atc  :  r-oeo,  «raa  tba  |4aca 

»ar»<- th<-  •«»  I. Ir  :  l  '  aitort  «»4o  «i«r^«r«.. 


, „  ul 


»i     <''-6>l4ff«l 


in 


I 


un. 


'■>(i«r  JfawnawA.     Lb|bt  aod  •^ark  aU^^ittT  frs!  jrvlf 

Oreriuuliing    tb«   niof  i^ign   >(    Am  a,    H'/rk,iai> 

^    Mana«ah.     The  sowi  km>  a^r  v<-r>    ^■••l, 

wickeduaoi  U  raacbad  iti   MaiiM>«ti      llr  h^ 

"  u.«oa  uoK,  jat  ho  ovtouip|«^  lu  darioij  iiii^i«iliiwoo 


.im. 
1 


Ffim    t^,f,0^4^    ifg^    fipiJ.        MaT" 

the  atroog  bant  bo 

i  'il    twrlvn.    a    ii. rr^ 


.»,v,'.    »-♦,  <• 


iicZ^kuii    L.B    fa 
'I,  If  't    HM   th"   th  •/, 


•tM     ^. 


k'^  bad: 


l<«>fB  in  :■ 


with  Amoo  f<>r  a 
»lf  a  eeotury  o(  ' 
y.  oDTimuiiom 


iN»m»/  «aii 


u>  a 


'y 


k  vaa  to 


^G«i4M>>. 


43S  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINOa        [oh.  xxl  1—26. 


upper  hand,  ami  secured  the  countenance  of  the  king,  it  was  sure  to  preva.L     The 
earnest  followers  of  Jehovah  shrank  down  into  an  inconsiderable  minority. 

11.  His  excesses  in  idolatby.  The  account  giveu  of  Manasseh's  doings  shows 
to  what  lengths  he  went  in  undoing  the  arrangements  of  his  father.  He  seems,  in  fact, 
to  have  aimed  at  nothing  less  than  a  complete  suppression  of  the  worship  of  Jehovah, 
and  the  reorganization  of  the  religious  cult  of  the  nation  upon  foreign  models.  1.  Ee 
rebuilt  the  high  places.  These  Hezekiah  had  pulled  down — a  point  of  attainment  to 
conformity  witli  Grod's  Law  not  reached  by  any  previous  kmg.  Mauasseh  now  reversed 
that  action  of  his  father,  and  rebuilt  the  shrines.  The  centralization  of  worship  in 
Jerusalem  may  have  been  felt  to  be  irksome;  perhaps,  too,  the  bad  chara^  ter  of  many 
of  the  priests  added  to  its  unpopularity.  Manasseh  may  have  claim  d  to  be  going 
back  to  old  custom,  with  the  end  of  making  religion  more  free,  popular,  and  joyous 
in  its  character.  In  this  he  had  the  mass  of  the  people,  and  most  of  the  official  classes 
with  him,  as  "  in  England  the  bulk  of  the  nation  and  of  the  clergy  returned  at  once 
to  Eomanism,  when  restored  by  Mary,  after  the  death  of  Edward  VI."  It  is  a  sad 
thing  to  see  a  nation  going  back  from  any  high  point  of  attainment — Keformation 
or  other — as,  again,  it  is  a  sad  thing  to  see  one  individual  building  again  the  things 
which  he  destroyed  (GraL  ii.  18).  2.  Bis  wholesale  importation  of  idolatries.  (1) 
Foreign  idolatries.  Manasseh  exceeded  even  Ahaz  in  the  zeal  with  which  he  imported 
idolatries  of  every  kind  from  foreign  nations.  Baal  and  Astarte  worship,  of  course,  was 
introduced  after  the  pattern  of  Ahab,  and  the  Asherah  symbol  again  reared  itself  in 
public  view  in  Jerusalem.  The  taste  of  Ahaz  for  new  altars  was  more  than  surpassed 
under  the  auspices  of  his  successor.  There  was  imported  also,  in  grander  style  than 
ever,  the  worship  of  the  sun  and  moon  and  heavenly  bodies — the  white  horses  and 
chariots  of  the  sun  being  now  one  of  the  institutions  of  the  temple  (ch.  xxiii.  10,  11). 
"  Hath  a  nation  changed  their  gods,  which  are  yet  no  gods  ?  "  asks  a  prophet  (Jor.  ii. 
11)  ;  but  Judah  had  changed  her  God  for  senseless  idols.  A  policy  of  this  kind  is  bound 
to  end  in  the  dissolution  of  a  nation.  The  deepest  bond  of  nationality  is  religion,  and 
when  a  people  renounces  its  traditional  fa'th,  and  becomes  a  mere  receptacle  foi  a  chaos 
ol  foreign  religious  ideas,  it  is  sure,  ere  long,  to  fall  to  pieces.  The  Romau  Empire 
was  in  this  condition  before  its  fall.  (2)  The  worst  idolatries.  It  was  not  merely 
foreign  idolatries  which  Manasseh  introduced,  but  the  worst,  the  vilest,  and  the  most 
cruel  of  these  idolatries.  In  particular,  licence  was  given  to  the  practice  of  the  worst 
and  vilest  rites  of  the  Astaite-wor.~hip,  and  that  close  by  the  V(iy  house  of  the  Lord 
(ch.  ixiiL  6,  7);  while  the  fearful  worship  of  Moloch,  with  its  hun)an  sacrilices,  was 
revived,  and  the  king  himself  gave  sanction  to  it  by  devoting  at  least  one  of  his 
srjnB  to  the  fire.  These  wore  the  abominations  for  which  Goil  had  cast  out  the  original 
inhabitants  of  the  land,  and  now  they  were  leintroduced  in  full  force.  (3)  The  attend- 
ant superstitions  of  idolatry.  Idolatry  here,  as  elsewhere,  brought  in  its  train  a  host 
of  <jthcr  baleful  suptirstitions.  Those  who  forsake  God  have  ever  been  prone  to 
fall  a  rirey  to  the  most  childish  delusions  and  iiuposturcs.  The  worship  of  the 
heavenly  bo<lioH  ljr<iu;jht  with  it  the  practice  of  astrolugy  ;  the  ciaviug  for  coniniunion 
with  the  nnhcen  world  led  to  necromancy,  witchcraft,  and  eiichantmoiils ;  luiastiug 
a  laUe  free<l(jm,  the  mind  fell  into  an  abject  slavery  to  deinonism  (of.  ilie  dtivolop- 
mcrit  of  HjtiritnaliKm  in  our  own  day).  The  movers  in  this  new  introduction  of  iiiolatry 
would  no  (iouijt  claim  the  piaiseduo  to  minds  <MiIigliliiic(l  and  ouiancipatcd  front  the 
narrow  ideaH  in  which  the  jHiopIo  of  .ludali  liitluMlo  had  buen  bound.  They  were 
brinnirij^  in  a  new  era  of  toleration,  culture,  breadth  "f  view  ami  Hontimout,  and  the 
r«:null  wafl  U)  b»!  II  great  itnnrovernent  in  tlui  slate  of  tlie  nafi(»n.  In  n)idity  they  wore 
.o-'xciiing  all  r(;li;{iotiH  and  Hocial  l)oudH,  and  o|ietnn^  tlin  jloudgates  to  corruption. 
3.  /fin  detecration  uj  the  temple,  'i'lui  tale  of  ManaH'-ch's  ini<|uitieH  is  not  yet  ondod. 
Not  cont<rnt  with  brinfing  new  idolatrien  into  vuguo,  MiinuHmh  sot  to  work  Hystcin- 
atujilly  to  ovorllir'iw  tliii  womliip  of  Jeliovali,  and  put  his  foreign  goilH  in  the  plac(t 
«1.  vc»li«i  to  .leliov.di'n  honoiir.  .NOillior  Atliiiliali  nor  Aluz  had  voutun  d  l<i  introduce 
iilolatrj  into  the  temple,  but  ManaHHcli  touk  rblH  slop  liuyoud  either  of  llieni.  lio  mil 
up  hi*  TiuriKipiuii  altarN  in  the  houNu  of  thu  liifrd.  Snccially  ho  or<-cto<l  allarn  for  th« 
worthip  of  lliM  boat  of  heaven  in  thu  two  oourUt  of  tlio  tiMuplu.  Then,  to  cup  all,  h« 
iiitr'nluc^yi  iiii'i  ih«i  very  buildint^  Itxi-lf  an  inia 'e  of  the  AMhuiah  he  |ia<l  nuvdo,  replet* 
tLM  LhAl  wiui  with  vile  UL«(t<M;ialii>uit.      ln»ull  ti<  .)<  Imviili  could  gr   uu  furlhur.     lu  lltAt 


m.  Ml  I— M.1      mw.  ii»nn?rT>  T¥*nir  of  TfTl 


I  pat  mr  Nun*  |i«  •rcr , 
*  "lid  lapurr 


II* 

Mki  to  »i  i'l'    r 

Mr«  Miu— («r  b  ftps 
Th 


err  <!arrr<D^-tI»or   'f   Om   L.  !  >     G  .1 


-1 


«  la  Kr&:.c<-.  •  iltlwliiwl 
»L«d.       It    u   U>r    ftL«tl'irg 


oo 

II 

Jo  •' 

thr    : 

mercy  Uuui  G 
well  thruu  h  '.. 
mmI  onl  r  nu*  uf  a  J 
story  or  Mini— h'a 

vhleb  at  bet 

1 ,,  timn^n.    .\i:< 

irM  WM  iMvly 
A*    .    .•    uitT*  prHupt   rht^.^    •      :j    w  u. 
rnhdma  am  to  kimaei/  by  ablution.     1 ' 
by  tbe  eaf>uiiu  of  the  Kiag  U  AMyri*— 
^EoM  «0<  a/uoya  •rcwr*  lib  rmmnai  </  t 

tiirOUi?L  &  1  'D-'  rriiTi   \«  r.  .'ii''f,r 


PlT^o:^ 


Tbr 


o»^ 
»ot 


(HS  wui^  vrv  km  aom^k»teij  raoftuad. — J.  O. 


-v>/<<NUL     Ld  aU  th*t   h«  h*d  doM, 

aeduorJ  "  olbrrs  tn  tin  (rrr  9V     Prr»  eg  in  bi.H 
-.     They  art   i 
'  •ril.     Ti  •  K 


All    ! 


•<«•  frmUtr  tktm  t> 
.  .Xc^  luraodar  •»  • 
tb«  licbt  of  reveh 

It  audi  a.* 
^   :aiDtotrv 

r'*  eiAinpi*  at.'' 
•  M  •  hriatMU  of 

.^«  U  j^^«d  by  the  Ufbi  w« 


B      Re  bad  "  dc.b«  viekftlly  abov* 
>T«  bars  tika  Mil  •■  '     '  ^« 


(uuka  ui.  47,  ie^ 
I  t 


484  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.        [oh.  xxi.  1— 26. 

and  if  our  light  is  not  improved  it  will  be  more  tolerable  for  heathen  nations  than  for 
U8  (Matt.  xi.  21 — 24 ;  xii.  41,  42).  2.  He  was  guilty  of  apostasy ;  they  wtre  not.  If 
the  Amorities  did  these  abominations,  and  served  these  idols,  it  could  at  least  be  said 
that  they  had  never  lived  under  any  other  system.  God  had  suffered  them  to  walk  in  their 
own  way  (Acts  xiv.  16 ;  xvii.  30).  But  in  his  evil  Manasseh  was  guilty  of  a  direct  act 
of  apostasy.  He  was  going  back  from  past  attainments.  He  was  violating  a  covenant 
made  at  Sinai,  and  repeatedly  renewed.  It  is  a  different  thing  for  a  heathen  to  commit 
the  vile  acts  in  which  he  has  been  brought  up,  and  for  a  Christian  to  renounce 
Christian  training  and  baptismal  engagements,  and  do  the  same  acts.  3.  77ie  corrup- 
tion of  the  best  is  the  worst.  This  is  another  principle  which  explains  why  Manasseh's 
abominations  are  represented  as  worse  than  those  of  the  Amorites.  A  nation,  being 
once  enlightened,  cannot  sin  as  the  semi-ignorant  heathen  do.  It  develops  worse  and 
more  virulent  evUs.  As  a  brute  cannot  sin  in  the  same  way  as  a  man,  or  a  child  in 
the  same  way  as  an  adult,  so  a  nation  enlightened  by  revelation  can  no  longer  sin  as 
a  nation  does  which  has  not  this  light.  The  higher  consciousness  reacts  upon  the 
sin  and  modifies  it.  There  are  evils  possible  under  a  Christian  civilization  which 
surpass  anything  known  in  heathenism.  If  our  great  cities  show  higher  heights  of 
virtue,  they  could  also  reveal  lower  depths  of  vice  than  Nineveh,  Borne,  Pekin,  or 
Calcutta. 

II.  The  SEVERITY  OF  Jerusalem's  PUNISHMENT.  1.  The  grounds  of  the  punishment. 
These  are  twofold:  (1)  Manasseh's  sins  as  above  described.  "Because  Manasseh  King 
of  Judah  hath  done  these  abominations,"  etc.  (ver.  11).  In  this  sin  of  the  king, 
however,  the  people  shared.  He  "made  Judah  also  to  sin  with  his  idols."  King  and 
people,  therefore,  must  suffer  together.  There  is  a  corporate  responsibility,  which 
involves  a  community  in  common  guilt,  whether  the  sin  proceeds  from  the  head  or  the 
members.  (2)  The  entail  of  past  transgression.  "  Because  they  have  done  evil  in 
my  sight  .  .  .  since  the  day  their  fathers  came  forth  from  Egypt,  unto  this  day  *' 
(ver.  15).  That  entail  would  have  been  cut  off  by  timely  repentance,  but,  in  default 
of  repentance,  the  guilt  continues  to  be  handed  down.  This  is  another  phase  ot 
corporate  responsibility.  The  life  of  the  nation  is  continuous,  and  one  generation  hae 
to  accept  its  responsibilities  from  another.  We  see  the  same  principle,  e.g.,  in  the 
iianding  down  of  national  doubt.  Christ  views  the  Jewish  nation  of  his  day  as  charge- 
able with  all  the  righteous  blood  that  had  been  shed  from  the  days  of  Abel  downwards 
(Matt,  xxiii.  35).  2.  The  character  of  the  punishment.  It  would  bo :  (1)  Startling. 
*'8uch  evil  upon  Jerusalem  and  Judah,  that  whosoever  heareth  of  it,  both  his  ears 
fihall  tingle."  Wars,  sieges  of  cities,  and  captivities,  with  the  horrors  attendant  on 
them,  were  common  enough  in  those  days,  but  this  vengeance  of  God  on  Jerusalem 
would  be  so  awful  as  to  shock  and  amaze  even  those  familiarized  with  such  scenes. 
The  very  report  of  it  would  produce  a  stinging  sound  in  their  ears.  The  fulfilment  of 
the  threat  was  partly  under  Nebuchadnezzar,  but  com[)letely  under  the  Konians 
(Matt.  xxiv.  21).  (2)  Measured.  "I  will  stretch  over  Jerusalem  the  line  of  Samaria, 
and  the  plummet  of  the  house  of  Ahah."  The  idea  is  that  God  would  take  strict 
account  of  Judah's  sin,  as  already  he  had  done  of  that  of  Samaria.  The  measuring- 
line  iuid  plummet  are  introduced  for  purposes  of  precision.  God  would  measure 
exactly  the  ir.iuHgressiou  of  the  people;  would  note  precisely  the  degree  of  tiieir 
deviation  fnjm  rigliteousness  (cf.  Amos  vii.  7 — 9);  and  to  this  measured  guilt  tlie 
punishment  would  l)e  pro[Xiriioned.  The  reason  of  tueasuremcnt  was  that  judgment 
wa.H  no  more  to  be  qualitied  l)y  mercy.  The  nation  was  to  bear  the  full  load  of  its 
iniquity.  It  is  a  terrible  thing  when  God  thus  "marks  inicjuity"  (Ps.  cxxx.  3);  for 
then  the  cnHo  of  the  ninncr  is  hojmless.  (3)  Complete.  "1  will  wipe  Jerusalem 
art  a  man  wi|icth  a  disli,"  etc.  "I  will  forsake  th<i  remnant  of  my  inheritance,"  etc. 
'J'ho  figure  of  cloim.-iinj^  out  a  dish  till  it  is  as  ch  an  an  wiping  can  make  it  is  a  very 
graphic  one  for  the  ult<;r  emplying  and  dcHolation  that  was  to  ovorluko  .lerusaiem. 
'Die  city  would  not  simply  \ni  humlded,  uh  on  many  previous  occasions,  l>ut  would  Ixj 
C"mi»letely  deHtroyed,  and  the  lUMtpIo  led  away  by  tiioir  oncmieH  as  a  prey  and  a  sjH)il. 
'J'iie  pre<iicii'>nn,  uh  we  know,  were  fulfilled  to  the  letter.  Manasseh  might  kill  th« 
tiion  who  uttered  them,  but  hi;  could  nut  bindtir  their  words  from  cumin;;;  true;  nay, 
hiH  viohncM  put  a  new  neal  on  the  certainly  of  their  fuliiimisnt.  lu  the  tom|M)ra] 
Mlamitii.M  ihiit  were  to  uv»rlake  JeruoaUm,  wo  find  a  proof  that  verilj  there  "U  a  Qvd 


aB.un.1— »c]       TIIK  KFD(X)ND  book  OP  TUB  KINCML 


i3S 


tlktt 


A    1 

r>t.  ■ 
Ik.. 

MM 


to  the  MTih  "  (Pa. 

UCtrrilKwl  "  (1  TliC 


Mtl.  IIX  anH  *•  > 
aa.  U.  16)  by  uur  u» 

■     -    •  ■  • ' "        I    -  •   ■  ■  !i  i.f  tuurv  ". '  -.  - 

tl  wei0  I 

O'UIp.        1 

4.^     He 

-\--.  ii»J  WM    bu ._     ..u    ^- ^1^. 

.araeu  vhiOi  IimI  •  Mpuiciir*  la  it  (Jubo  xii.  41);  but  ba* 
O. 


t  w«  (/rovuk*  hU 


.« 

I 

■  ■• 


Vi  fk   19 — 28. — m*  rti<;n  ^  Ama%,     Id  thii  Wva  we  h*T»— 

L  A  rALKM  oorr  or  iiui  FATHKit.     I'he  o\A\  it  Ataoti,  <forio$ 

hU  hrirf  twti  y«ftr«*  teigu,  arr  :   1.    fht  i<uUnX\<>n  ^  rm.     Hii>f«'h»r, 

«lur                    i<  itt«r   |Mrt  uf  I                       »<i  »rt  «u  VVli    •- '  ■>  aaIc  ita  ci<»«  h« 

h*:                       Anion  dul  iii.t                   im  r«|«i-tit«nce,  t     i  -  •ir      !!-  «s  ^ol 

in  «1    '. :.c  v\av*  hi*  f:ith<-r  had  w.4,it.c^  in,  nppa  «>:itly  ■clUi.K   u.  U 

bia  lat).<  r  had  Uilrrly  rrtiiiivvd  ('J  (!hruu.  ^iiiii.  15).     2.   I/e  u  .  -i 

MM,   vu.   Josi.th,   :                  aor.     Thia  la  auothvr  of   th«   aurp.-i  i  ,;    ..ii                     f 

character  alri-sdv  n                        ll<>w  J^iaiah  caiue  <>ut  uf  ■iich  a  home  with  l:                   -.or 


&s   wa  w  lo  alUihuU  tt   to  hia  gr>LtaUlLt<ir'a 


hf        ' 

IL  .A.-\.'iii&a  vii-iiM  "r  oiLKT  < I'MefiKACT.  JuAJth  and  Aoiaziiib  atuuflig  the  kings 
•  •f  Judttii  hM^i  n)«t  tii(«ir  ileMtti  by  oouauir&cy  (ch.  xii.  'JO,  21 ;  xiv.  lU),  and  tuAny  o( 
the  kiu^a  o{  l»ra«l  lind  thus  utritJied.      But  U"  kin^  uf  Ju<'-  '  -  vi  thi«  end  till  b« 

ha<t   tiriti  {alleo  awity  fn.«u  G«<d.     Amou    ti.xi  a  like  iiii»-  ;i.     Uia  •rrrmntA 

«>'!i«|  1  •>!   -^      ■  -■   *  "■     »•"*   ''lew  hiiii  in  hiao»n  houMj.     'i...    .  ••  :\.9y  dared  to 

do  V  to  reaction  in  ihe  put  lie  min<i  :>  ric<  aica  at 

ido   .:       -         ^      idulged.      '1  he  j-^r  .('It;,  h"»M  Vtr,  ha-.   _ l>0  of  aliow* 

mg  ounBj>u«u>rB  lu  m-ilc  the  thrtKic,  6u  tliey  blt-w  the  imrdercnL,  an  i  »■  t  uu  Joaiah  a* 
king.     Thia,  Again,  fur  a  tiuia  led  lu  a  great  ruactiuu  (ur  the  better. — J.  O. 


EXPtJSITION. 


cnAPTEB  xxn. 

Vera.  1 — SO.— AooxauoN  up  Jcmiah.  Bb- 
rAiB  UP  THk  TutriiB.  Be  utkkt  ur  tub 
Boob  or  tbb  Law. 

Ver«.  I — 7. — Gembbal  Cuabaotbb  or 
JcAJAH'a  Bbigb.  Uu  repair  of  tkt  trm^Jf. 
lite  writer  U-j^ina  hi«  aei-ouut  of  Ji«iali'« 
reij^  with  th<  luual  brief  •uuiUmry,  firing 
hi«  age  at  hia  acoe«eion,  the  l<  n^th  of  hi* 
rvign.  hia  mother's  name  and  l>lrth(ila>t< 
(ver.  1),  aitd  the  i;fD«ral  rharartcr  of  hU 
role  (Ttr  2).  He  ilien  proii^a  to  men- 
tion Mwue  eircumataii  m  oonnerttxl  wiih  the 
repair  uf  the  teui^-le,  whiob  Jo^iah  had  taken 
in  hand  (venL  ;t    7). 


1)   and    JoaeUtiU* 

He  tuiiac  bare 


▼ar.  L-^odak  »ae  aigkt  jeara  eld  wk«a 
ke  befaa  to  raiga.    (>••  thv  «riu-r  of  Chu>- 
uklea  (2   Chron.    ixBiv. 
(A        '       ■    z     ■■    S 
bee! 

■o   u.  . i.iuaMi    _, _        _.   _^ 

Aiuan   Dtut   hate    marriMl   when   he   »aa 


»X  

when  hia  Mher  waa 
yeara  of  ace.  and 


only  flflras.  And  ha  rd^aed  thirty  and 
one  yean  in  Jamaalem.  PnUmbiy  rroai 
B.a    6J0    t-.    ».a    6<h*— •  »:  •  rent 

f«hud  of  the  wurUl'a  hiit  •<.  aa 

It    duea,    (1)    the    Rn--'t    ."" m^ -u ; 

(2>  the  fall  of  A««yria:   i'i)  lUe  f<'rui.iti<«i 

of  the  Mrtliaii  empire;  and   l].c  '         \:.  a 

of  tii«  b<ib>  Ionian  ruii  ir»    by  N 

And    hi«    Bother't    tvama   wa«  J 

**D»'  .ightor    ef    a.:..  f 

Boec^  -  nrntiDoed  a*  :. 


^7 


Vm-0l-U*kar,   tw..    ii)t|«e    n!>l    a 
eaat  of  A  .    c 

Wokteru  t 

TrtUwnj 
Vciir   % 
la  th»  ai^L;     - 
the     way    uf    DaVMi    his    r»;^cr        i  ..:t 

been  .   r  ] n  \ .     *  '•  \   g  ij  J, 

esoe)  '.  .  BU'l  IS  '.....'.< .-  a  V.  n  ! 

tiagTi  I    «.'i    aj',  :v>ial  1  Lc  »  li  <■(  .*HTa    L 

of  Jiaiah,  -   lite  (ciucu.t>ra  .oe  ef  J 


Mr. 


i«    a 

La« 

..U'. 

-?• 

ia 


4S6 


THE  SECOKD  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.      [c«.  xxn.  1— 20. 


like  the  composition  of  the   perfume   that 
is  made  by  the  art  of  the  apothecary  :  it  ia 
•weet  as  honey  in  all  mouths,  and  as  music 
at  a  banquet  of  wine.     He  behaved  himself 
uprightly  in  the  conversion  of  the  people, 
and  took  away  the  abominations  of  iniquity. 
He  directed  his  heart  unto  the  Lord,  and 
in  the  time  of  the  ungodly  he  established 
the  worship  of  God.     All,  except  David  and 
Ezekias  arid  Josias,  were  defective:  for  they 
forsook  the  Law  of  the  Most  High,  even  the 
kings  of  Judah   failed"  (see  Ecclus.  xlix. 
1—4).    And  turned  not  aside  to  the  right 
hand  or  to  the  left;  i.e.  he  never  deviated 
from  the  right   path  (comp.  Dent.  v.  32; 
rvii.  11,  20 ;  xxviii.  14 ;  Josh.  i.  7 ;  xxiii.  6). 
Ver.  3. — And  it  came   to    pass    in    the 
eighteenth   year    of    King    Josiah    (comp. 
2  Ohron.  iixiv.  8).     The  writer  of  Kings, 
bent  on  abbreviating  as  much  as  possible, 
omits   the   early  reforms  of  Josiah,  which 
are  related  in  2  Chron.  xxxiv.  3—7,  with 
perhaps  some  auticipation  of  what  happened 
later.     The   young  king  gave  marked  in- 
dications of  personal  piety  and  attachment 
to  true  religion  as  early  as  the  eighth  year 
of  his  reign,  when  he  was  sixteen,  and  had 
just  attained  his  majority  (Ewald,  'History 
of  Israel,'  vol.  iv.  p.  232,  note).     Later,  in 
liis  twelfth  year,  he  began  the  purging  of 
tiie  temple  and  of  Jerusalem,  at  the  same 
time    prolmbly    commencing     the     repairs 
sp.-ken   of  iu   ver.  9.     Jeremiah's  prophe- 
sying, begun  in  the   same  or  in  the   next 
year  (Jer.  i.  2),  must  have  been  a  powerful 
assistance  to    his   reformation.      That   the 
king    sent    Shaphan    the   son  of    Azaliah, 
the  son  of  Meshullam,  the  scribe,   to  the 
house  of  the  Lord,  saying.     Shaphan  held 
tiie  office  which  Bhebua  had  held   in  the 
lati  r  part  of  Hezekiah's  reign  (ch.  xviii.  18), 
an  office  of  much  importance  and  dignity. 
Accordinj;  to  the  author  of  Chronicles  (2 
Chron.  xxxiv.  8),  there  were  associated  with 
him  on  tliis  occasion  two  other  personages 
of  ito[K>rtance,  viz.  Maaseiah,  the  governor 
of  tlio  city  (comp.  1  Kings  xxii,   26),  and 
Joah  thii  son  of  Joahaz,  the  "  recorder,"  or 
"  rfinicmbranoer." 

V<  r.  4.-  Go  up  to  Hilkiah  the  high  priest. 
Hilkiah  is  mentioned  again  iu  tlio  g(!nea- 
loi^'v  of  Kzru  (Kzra  vii.  1).  He  in  lliero 
riill'fd  "  tlie  Hon  of  Shallum."  That  he  may 
tarn  the  Bilver  which  is  brought  into  the 
house  of  the  Lord.  A  colli  ction  must  liave 
b<-«ii  progrcHHiiiK  for  hoiiui  (iuio.  Ah  in  the 
roigti  of  JjMiHh,  iift<?r  tile  impieti"  H  am! 
idolatry  of  Atlmliali,  it  wan  foiiml  iiccrHHiiry 
to  r/ill.V-t  moiK  y  for  thti  repair  of  the  teniplo 
(ch.  lii,  4  II).  *'  now,  after  the  wiekod 
doiriKu  of  Ma  lUHHeh  fimi  Anion,  a  renova- 
tion ol  tho  mi'  f'd  hiiililinn:  wan  n'(|Mire<l, 
*nd  the  mnnoy  n<»<»<l<«J  wan  Ixing  riiiMr.j  hv 
■  ooUection.     (Jrcat  o*r«  wwi  Uken   In  all 


rach  cases  that  an  exact  acconnt  thonld  be 
kept  and  rendered.  Which  the  keepers  of 
the  door — literally,  0/  the  threshold — have 
gathered  of  the  people.  The  money  had, 
apparently,  been  allowed  to  accumulate  in 
a  box  or  boxes  (see  ch.  xii.  9),  from  the  time 
when  the  collection  was  first  authorized, 
probably  six  years  previously.  The  high 
priest  was  now  required  to  count  it,  to  take 
the  sum  of  it,  and  undertake  the  distribu- 
tion. 

Ver.  5. — And  let  them  deliver  it  into  the 
hand  of  the  doers  of  the  work,  that  have 
the  oversight  of  the  house  of  the  Lord. 
The  "doers  that  have  the  oversight"  are 
not  the  actual  workmen,  but  the  superin- 
tendents or  overseers  of  the  workmen,  who 
hired  them,  looked  after  them,  and  paid 
them.  And  let  them  give  it  to  the  doers 
of  the  work  which  is  in  the  house  of  the 
lord— let  the  overseers,  i.e.,  give  out  the 
money  to  tlie  actual  workmen,  the  car- 
penters, etc.,  of  the  next  verse — to  repair 
the  breaches  of  the  house;  rather,  tho 
dilapidation  of  the  house.  It  is  not  implied 
that  any  violence  had  been  used,  such  as  is 
required  to  make  a  "  breach."  Th(^  "  house  " 
had  simply  been  allowed  to  fall  into  disre- 
pair. 

Ver.  6. — Unto  carpenters,  and  builders, 
and  masons,  and  to  buy  timber,  and  hewn 
stone  to  repair  the  house  (comp.  2  Chron. 
xxxiv.  11).  The  money  had  to  be  ex- 
pended, partly  in  labour,  partly  in  materials. 
The  materials  consisted  of  both  wood  and 
stone,  since  it  was  of  tliese  that  Solomon's 
temple  had  been  built  (see  I  Kings  v.  18; 
vi.  7,  9,  10,  15,  36). 

Ver.  7.—  Howbeit  there  was  no  reckoning 
made  with  them  of  the  money  that  was 
delivered  into  their  hand,  because  they 
dealt  faithfully  (comp.  ch.  xii.  15).  The 
superintendents  or  overseers  were  persona 
of  position,  in  whom  full  confidence  was 
placed.  Their  names  are  given  in  2  Chron. 
xxxiv.  12.    They  were,  all  of  them,  Levitea. 

Vers.  8 — 14. — Ditawery  of  the  hook  of 
the  Law.  When  Shapiian  had  transacted 
with  Hilkiah  the  bimineHS  entrusted  to  him 
by  tlie  king,  Hilkiah  took  tho  oi)j)ortunity 
of  sending  word  by  him  to  the  king  with 
respect  to  a  discovery  that  ho  had  reoontly 
made,  during  tho  invesfigatiouH  «^onnt^cted 
with  the  repairs.  Ho  had  found  a  book, 
whi<!li  ho  calhxl  without  any  doubter  hesita- 
tion, "the  book  of  tho  I-aw  "— nn'inn  190 
—  and  this  book  ho  put  into  tho  hands 
of  Mliiijihan,  who  "road  it,"  i.e.  some  of  It, 
and  found  it  of  such  imporlanro  that  h« 
took   it  back  with  biin  to  thv  palace,  and 


cm.  XEU.  1— aa]       THE  BE(X3ND   BOOK   Of  THE   KINOflw 


ASI 


iwd  ■  prrtioa  lo  \h»  klag.  Harropnn  th« 
kia(  "  rrut  hi*  rloitu  ■,"  «ntl  rm|alf«>l  UmI 
•pam^  III  |iiir\  •..  Ill  I  U)  mm,l»  vt  lh«  \Ait\i 
coaorniHu-  tt>p  «  r  :•  »f  il-..«  UmiV,  fttid 
parilt-ulArljr  oi>iic<  riiiu^  tb«  liinmU-uiiiga 
•uiiUiued  in  it  TUn  |ir>r^aa  •utruaU«>l 
With  tliU  Uuik  IbutiKltl  it  bnat  lo  lay  tbo 
in«lt«sr  U<for«  llul<l*h,  •  |<r'>pi><-t«««,  wlio 
llTvd  in  Jcruflaloia  al  (he  liiurv,  uikI  pnv 
MedoJ  to  vowiot  with  li>-r  at  brr  nmlili  uco. 

Ter  8  —And  Hllkiah  the  hl^h  priMt  uld 
bato  Sbtphan  tho  irribe,  I  )iave  found  tbo 
book  of  tbe  Law  in  the  h  lbo  of  the  Lord. 

Ti.-     '-•-    t ■      ■      I    •'     •         ■         '  ;oi. 

Ml  J 

K»  .  .  k  of 

DtM.  .    Mbirb    iiBtl,   bv   liiiuhi,   becD 

eon.  ,(<  thirty  »>r  r>ftr  y—ps  hef  .re 

in  Kijj]  t  by  a  Jew  -        i  ;ud 

itj  w  .J-,  by  a  •"rt  le, 

vbert.-  "  Mtnnf  prtfi  ii;  i  ui  ■  i  »  i"i<jf  of 
It  IB  the  Uruj.h-  ('Hi-t.ry  ..f  Ir-nul,'  toI. 
iv.  pp  23 . — 2A5)  I'Ikihub  »  ■■■•'•>  -» 
ei>llecU'<D   of    tho    law-   ,,n<l  -   of 

)f<iaM(,   which    wa«   afU-rwurl-  up 

Into  U»f  Pentat4-iiph ; "  B«rUicau.  "  tnu 
thre«  iuiddl<«  bookii  of  the  PeiiLiiteucli, 
Ki    '        f        '  '    N'uiiiUra ; "  GrHiii- 

b<  r  but  tlicre  mt^  m 

t'  U  ; :  ^.    ..uiia  fcr  quitttiuning 

thi'  aiicicDi  opinion — that  uf  J<«  jihiu,  iiu<l 
of  tiM  JewB  pen'  niUy-  that  it  w:i*  a  copy 
of  tile  entir.'  Pc-utateuoh.  (8o  De  Wette, 
•Kinhitu'.r  in  lias  AU.  Te«t.'  §  1C2  a; 
Keil.  'C  v  on  Kmjja,'  pp.  477,  478; 

liahr.  'i  v."   \ol.  tL  p    257;   aul 

oth.m).      i cr,   "<A«book 

of  the  Law,"  are  r.  nt  to  de<-iJe 

tlio  i>oiiit .  Moe.  a--  .  .  ...o,  tht-y  ••can- 
not oican  aoM  iiig  t-i>c,  either  gnunma- 
titally  or  li.  tor:c4tlly,  than  llic  Movato 
bouk  of  the  1.HW  (the  l*e'.Uit*Uch).  wbioh 
ia  to  deai^Miat'ti,  aa  ia  ^' mniUy  H^lnntted, 
in  the  Chroiiiolta  aij.i  tin  !'  '  -  '  '  .  umI 
Neheniiah."     The  aauK-  wa 

from  the  exprei-aion.  ...  „  ,.  ,..,  ihe 
•otenant"  (n -.^-^  -tr).  in  ch.  ixui.  2,  and 
alao  fioai  eh  xxiii.  24,  2A,  and  2  Chroo. 
XXXiT.  14  Whether  or  no  tb«  copy  waa 
the  ar<«  I  -r^ririi!  '1t-i«>«il«d  in  t!,e  ark  of 
th.-  I)eut  1X11.  2'-),  aa 

Kt-  ul.     A*    llgsptiaa 

Bbiii  u  ~<  1 1  pis  wiiiiij  are  iroui  throe  to  fear 
tlioiMuid  yean  old  atill  exiat  in  c«<od 
eoaditioQ,  there  eao  be  bo  reason  why  a 
Butnuacript  of  Moana'  tioM  aboul  t  not  Lava 
been  found  and  have  botn  It-^ihle  ia 
J<«iBh'a  Hilt,  if  not  ti.e  u<  t  al  band- 
writing  of  iluata.  it  waa  prt>h.i.ly  lU  Uur«l 
deoneiidant— the  eupr  makle  for  i,  e  tcuipla 
•tirrioa,  and  kept  unlinarilj  "  in  iha  uda  of 


theark"— whleli  a 
tn    ti»e   tloM  af  M  . 

wbicb    waa    now     I.  ••^tUMl."      Aa4 

Eiikiab  fave  tJi«  bov*  to  tka^kam.  Bad  ke 
r»ad  tt.  Wr-  iirr'<]  uiH  (uppi«a  tbat  ftba* 
phau  rvad  tho  wbula.  Uut  b<-  i«».!  .  u  -ugk 
U>  abow  him  bow  iiu|iurtaijt  the  wu:^  wae, 
and  how  iiiouMMkry  it  waa  iu  make  U  k*owa 

to  ihr  klUg 

Ver.  J.—AMiA  BluBhaB  tba  aorlbe  aBBW  to 
the  kiaf ,  aad  bro«f kt  the  kiaf  word  afaia, 
and  aaid,  Tkj  aerraato  bava  gatkarvd  the 
BO&aj  that  vaa  in  the  houae  (tx  at^ive, 
vara.  4-(>x  and  h^ve  deuTered  u  into  the 
hand  of  them  that  do  the  work,  that  have 
the  oTeraight  of  the  hooaa  of  tha  Lord  ,  Lt. 
"  Wi-  hare  oarried  out  the  kutf'a  orJofe 
exactly,  iu  eTory  imrti- uUr  " 

Ver    lO.-And  Bh--    -" 
the   king,  aaymg,   i- 
deliTered   me   a    be 
venture  to  character 
haa  done,     lie  ia  i. 
the  Law.      And   be   i.  ^ 


•^y^ 


•«    nui 

ib 

lU 


)    tv^tA  a  {>.\ 


|wagea  of  it     To  hiui,  tht  pr>re>.  it  ia  only 
**a    bwjk,"    tlie    aalhorBl.ii>    »    '         '        .>f 


I' 
wiii  b  hi-  leaT' a  it  Ui  >>th<  ra 
And  Shaphan  read  It  bef  rt>  \  ^ 

ia  moat  natural  to  uiul  .  -    ■ 

Ter.  8,  that   Sh  >  pliau   rvu  .  -of 

book.     Where    the    author    ii.uu.;a   to 
tliat  the  whole  book  wua  read,  he  ex| 
hiuukir  .!   '         ■'     (m«  cb    xxuL  :i    "  Tb« 
kiri>;  r<  a  :  .ra  aU  LU  wurd$  ol  Um» 

U«.k  of  li..       .   ;••). 

Vur.  11. — And  it  came  to  paaa.  when  the 
king  had  beard  the  worda  of  the  bo.k  of 
the  Law,  that  he  reat  hii  diihaa  To 
J>-aiah  the  book  wua  iTidiutly,  .■•  to  Hil- 
kiah,  in  aunie  aort  a  diaouvery.  It  w^a  not, 
however,  a  wi  oily  uew  tbii:;,';  ruther,  ba 
aooeuted  it  aa  the  RHOVerT  of  «  thing  t^  i%t 
waa  known  to  h«Ta  beeo  Met,  and  waa  now 
happily  foand.  And  ia  acvepttng  it  h« 
regarded  it  aa  autboriiutiTo.  It  wa«  not 
to  hiui  "a  book  of  Law"  (Ewald),  Lot 
"tiu  book  of  flu  Law."  We  mu  well 
iniagine  that,  althoti^h  the  bu><k  may  ha«o 
b«en  lot>t  early  in  M.iuaiiM.-b'a  rv.^u,  jvt 
eohoea   uf   it    tiad    liu»:vrx-U    uo    (1)   lu    Uio 

litUr»,M>  »    of     '.)„•     .1,       ,,v..I,-     m,    ■.».    ,.  ',     j., 

the  « 

tr».l.; 

ao  that  lii«.  pl->Ua  o«/   {oo^M./.-^i  I 

aa  fiiniiliar.     It  ia  alao  pr  l>  I.I.-  t 

weio  external  tokeiia  about  ihi 

tiTe  uf  ita  eh«raoti-r,  which  >-ai. 

aoc«ptji>i<-<^ 

Vi-r    12  —And  tha  king  eoBuaaaded  HU- 
kiah   tha   pnei*.,    and   AhiV^m    tha    ion   of 
Bhaphaa.      "  Ah:k  .11,    !».. 
ia  aluKwt  oartMulv   J'  r>  i..  at 

the   OOait   of  JrhoLiklui   (Jcf    tXM.    .i>,  iho 
'atbar  of  the  Gt«laliah  who  wwa  uiada  g» 


■r 


438 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGa      lch.  nn.1— 20. 


r  rnoT  of  Jxidsea  on  Nebuchadnezzar's  final 
conquest  (Jer.  xxxix.  14;  xl.  7).  " Shaphan," 
his  father,  is  no  doubt  "  Shaphan  the  scribe." 
And  Achhor  the  son  of  Michaiah.  The  paral- 
lel passage  of  Chronicles  (2  Chron.  xxxiv. 
20)  has  ""Abdon  the  son  of  Micah,"  which 
is  probably  a  corrupt  reading.  Aehborwas 
the  father  of  El-nathan,  one  of  the  "  princes 
of  Judah  "  (Jer.  xxxvi.  12)  in  Jehoiakim's 
reign  And  Shaphan  the  scribe,  and  Asa- 
hiah  a  servant  of  the  king's — or  Asaiah,  as 
the  name  is  given  in  Chronicles,  I.  ».  e. — 
saying, 

Ver.  13. — Go  ye,  inquire  of  the  Lord  for 
m:  Inquiry  of  the  Lord,  which  from  the 
time  of  Moses  to  that  of  David  was  ordi- 
narily "  by  Urim  and  Thummim,"  was  after 
David's  time  always  made  by  the  consul- 
tation of  a  prophet  (see  1  Kings  xxii.  5-8; 
eh.  iii.  11;  viii.  8;  Jer.  xxL2;  xxxvii.  7; 
Ezek.  xiv.  7;  xx.  1,  etc.).  The  officers, 
therefore,  understood  the  king  to  mi  an  that 
they  were  to  seek  out  a  prophet  (see  ver.  14), 
and  so  make  the  inquiry.  And  for  the 
'  people,  and  for  all  Judah— the  threats  read  in 
the  king's  ears  were  probably  those  of  Dent, 
ixviii.  15—68  or  Lev.  xxvi.  16—39,  whicli 
extended  to  the  whole  people — oonceming 
the  words  of  this  book  that  is  found.  Not 
"  whether  they  are  autluntic,  whether  they 
are  really  the  words  of  Moses"  (Duucker), 
for  of  that  Josiah  appears  to  have  had  no 
d'  ubt ;  but  whether  they  are  words  that  are 
to  have  an  inimedinte  fulfilment,  "  whether," 
as  Von  Gerlach  says,  "  the  measure  of  sin 
is  already  full,  or  whether  there  is  yet  hojie 
of  grace  ? "  (compare  Huhlah's  answer  in 
vers.  16-20,  which  shows  what  she  under- 
8too<l  the  king'n  inquiry  to  be).  For  great 
is  the  wrath  of  the  Lord  that  is  kindled 
against  us.  Josiah  recognized  that  Judah 
h;ii!  "lono,  and  wan  still  lioing,  exactly  those 
thingn  against  wliich  the  threnteuingsof  tiie 
Ijaw  w«re  directed— hail  forsaken  Jehovah, 
and  goni'  nftir  other  gods,  and  madf  to  theni- 
•clveH  high  places,  and  si  t  up  images,  and 
done  alt.  r  the  customs  of  tlie  nations  whom 
thi  Lord  had  ca»t  out  b<foro  tliom.  Ho 
coulil  not,  therefore,  doubt  hut  that  the 
wrath  of  tin-  1-onl  "was  kindled;"  but 
would  it  blnz<-  forth  at  onco?  BecauBo  our 
fathers  have  not  hearkened  unto  the  words 
of  this  hook,  to  do  according  unto  all  that 
which  in  written  oonccridng  ua.  .loHiah  uh- 
Niiiii'H  th  il  their  fatlierti  loivo  had  tho  ImhiU, 
and  mi/ht  havi-  known  ilii  wohIh,  oitlmr 
biy'iiii'-«  ho  (Hiiii'civi!M  that  it  had  imt  liocn 
▼ery  long  \mi,  or  Imi-mhiu)  he  rogiinlH  thum 

M  haVIIlK  p'-WM-HHe.!  <.th<T  ropieH. 

V«'r.  U.  So  Hilkiiih  Ihf  pricmt,  and  Ahi- 
knm,  and  A'h*i"r.  and  Hh-iphnn,  and  Atia- 
hi«h,  wont  unlo  HuUluh  Iho  prophitcmi,  tho 
Vifn  of  Bhallum  tho  ion  of  Tikvah  Tho 
priooip^  prophela  nt  or  Tory  utmz  tiiu  tiiiM 


were  Jeremiah,  whose  mission  had  com- 
menced in  Josiah's  thirteenth  year  (Jer.  i.  2) 
and  Zephaniah,  the  son  of  Cushi,  whose 
prophecy  appears  by  internal  evidence  to 
have  belonged  to  the  earliest  part  of  Josiah's 
reign  (Pusey, '  Minor  Prophets,'  p.  4S8).  It 
might  have  been  expected  that  the  matter 
would  have  been  laid  before  one  of  these 
two  persons.  Possibly,  however,  neither  ol 
them  was  at  Jerusalem.  Jeremiah's  early 
home  was  Anathoth,  and  Zephaniah  may 
have  finished  his  course  before  Josiah's 
eighteenth  year  (see  Pusey,  I.  s.  c).  Hul- 
dah  may  thus  have  been  the  only  possessor 
of  the  prophetic  gift  wlio  was  accessible. 
The  son  of  Harhas,  keeper  of  the  wardrobe ; 
literally,  keeper  of  the  garments  (comp.  ch. 
X.  22).*  In  Chronicles  the  name  of  the 
keeper  is  given  as  "  Hasrah."  Now  she 
dwelt  at  Jerusalem  in  the  college— rather, 
in  the  lower  city  (comp.  Zeph.  i.  10  and  Neb. 
xi.  9 ;  literally,  in  each  place,  "  the  second 
city  ") — and  they  communed  with  her ;  lite- 
rail  v,  spohe  with  her ;  i\i\r)(ray  irphs  oun^K, 
LXX. 

Vers.  15 — 20.— The  propJieey  of  Euldah. 
The  word  of  the  Lord  comes  to  Huldah 
with  the  arrival  of  the  messengers,  or  per- 
haps previous  to  it,  and  she  is  at  once  ready 
with  her  reply.  It  divides  itself  into  two 
parts.  In  vers.  15 — 17  the  inquiry  made  is 
answered — answered  affirmatively,  "Yes,  the 
fiat  is  g(me  forth ;  it  is  too  late  to  avert  the 
sentence;  the  anger  of  the  Lord  is  kimlled, 
and  shall  not  be  quenehid"  After  this,  iu 
vers.  18—20,  a  special  message  is  sent  to  the 
king,  granting  him  an  arrest  of  judgment, 
on  account  of  his  Belf-humiliation  and  abase- 
ment. "  Becaiise  his  heart  was  tender,  and 
ho  hati  humbhd himself  before  Jehovah,  the 
evil  should  not  happen  iu  his  day." 

Yer.  15. — And  she  said  onto  them.  Thus 
aaith  the  Lord  God  of  Israel.  Huldah  ia 
the  only  example  "f  a  prophetess  in  Inraol, 
wlio  Bcoms  to  rank  on  tho  namo  footing 
witii  the  prophetH.  Miriam  (Kxod.  iv.  20), 
Dohorah  (Judg.  iv.  1),  Inaiah's  wife  (Iwi. 
viii.  2),  and  Anna  (l.nke  ii.  S6)  are  calhd 
"  pr"]ihete.>H(»H,"  but  in  a  Horondary  B<>nHe, 
UH  holy  women,  having  a  certain  gift  of  nong 
or  prediction  from  (ioil.  Hulduh  has  thu 
full  prophetic  allhitUH,  and  deliver'H  Ood's 
oraeh  H,  jiiHt  an  Inai  ill  and  .leremiah  <in. 
The  eiiKO  \H  a  lemiirhahle  exeeplion  to  tho 
general  rub'  that  women  hIiouM  "Keep 
Hilenrn  in  tho  {IhurehoH "  Toll  tho  man 
that  Hinit  you  to  mo.  Tin'  eonlruHt  lM«twu«'n 
tliiH  uneereiiioiiinni  nhnimi  and  that  ummI  in 
vur.   IH  U  l>o«t  nxplalntMl  by  Tbuniua,  mh» 


Bia  1— la]    nn  WKom  book  or  thk  KoioiL 


•li««ii^ 


laC  r    Ai  >  a 


tt^oii,  I 
^  I  «.  JrfttM- 

1  an^  upon  lb*  innftDiiaca  ift*rMC«TMi 

»Uik»ww4»tt  tha  hook  w%iak  tb»  Htm  tt 


ihmvat,  evMi  aii  (JU  «mrm»  Uhal 
M«  «ritu«  la  Uw  book  wlii«b  thrj  havo 
Mod  Mbn  Iko  Klof  or  JwUb."  The  pu- 
oiflo  vIdBli  Meal  tOwtgly  olTt^led  Ju^ah  wm 
ftobMj  Ihot.  olrviKly  maoUuDMl.  lo  l>raL 

XXViiL,  Vkleb  UtpUl  «ith  O  MTtM  uf  CUTMM. 

▼or.  17.  ~  Bocmw  iktj  kov*  fbroakoa  ■•. 
Tkb  «oo  the  iiM  "f  ttM«r  offrttMs  U)<*  thiai; 

Airiituit  tiiia  wffv 

ia  tito   l.aw   (l>rut. 

-'  -      '■■    17  ;   niji. 

-    X    13;   1 

'J  .   iL  33  ; 

\«iiL  lb.  le«.  I.  4:  Uv  11  :  Jt-r  L  16;  ti. 
IS,oic.X  It  WW  '•^'i  mrrrlr  t!:a!  thrr  l>r>k« 
UiO  eotuoMk!  from 

Uud  oltut;«t  -.tMfir 

bMk."    Aadi^av 
go4i  (eoap  oh.  i 

t  18:  Tii   9     XI  :.    >         __; 

tk«7  ai^kt  provoke  m*  to  uigtr  viih  all 
Uu  work*  of  ikctr  kaadj;  i.«.  **  »iUi  tlic  ul"U 
UiOt  thr>  L.tte  luodo  fur  Lbt-iuachto  "  (Kfil) 
1    Kiupi    xvi.    7).     Tkorefor*    my 


UMlVMBt 
oB  Ikoobi 
sILW;  T- 
IS.  atr 


iSt 


1««oma*  tki 


(A*  LmC    ■aidiac  ite  p<iwti  («w  II) 

•  m  ft  .  •Mitward  oot  of  k«i»niAiiaa.     Jootek 
b-  k«d  it   t«  (iMUikOO 


1^ 


B>  ■•  (•««   Um  U*l    CUOM    b«(  ••«• 

o'  Wk«a  tbo«  bMr4ooi  wk*«  I 

m*«.  •«.u>«4  ikU   riow.    Tbo  bvA  «w^ 
ttMrafDM.  »  rwoH  of  mtmt  OoJ  b«l  n^y 

•{■'k'-n.   boi  A   frmuii   iuiKMoi    u^   i)./-    ^ioc 

(1  - 


tk*  ImbAkitoMa  a«roo<. 

UiOrt.    ID     LtTi  iTTlKbt   IntiL' 

on 


t>y 


U   like   U.«t 
18:  xliT.  t-i. 


On 


;  J 

Al 


:    ikf  olotkao 

Tbu 

.bt 

at 


jU 


•kali  '  '   i  againat  tku  plaoa 

agai:  r.  u— and  akall  not  ba 

I  r  whole  puiiit  i.f  Um 

auaacr      G<-  lUK^a^iuM  uatiooa 

ar«  fur  ikr  i  •D(1iUuu..1.  aud  may 

bo  ««niiitxl.  liiejr  falfllmyt  may 

be  dc  frrrrd  .by  ivpontoneo,  aa 

We  Inu^n  frv>  itio  rxaiuple  of  Kioefob 
(Jotiali  111  I  — lu)  liut  if  a  '  atiou  )•■  raiota 
kxig  lu  avil-doiuK,  tboro  ttjmtw  a  time  wboa 
tko  aaoioaao  ooa  bo  bo  loagor  owttod.  A 
Nol  ro|ioBlaaoa  boa  boeoMO  tmpnooiblw,  oml 
»  moek  ame  6otm  bat  orofoko  Uod  the  mora. 
For  tmek  m  #tal«  or  tkinjri  tb«*rf   «•  "t^y 

the  atiie  o/ 

qi..      •  «4. 

\   r   18.-l«ttatboXiarorJoiok  wkitk 
••at  y««  to  laqaira  of  tb»  Lord,  thai  :  r 
ya  aay  ta  kia  (aee  the  eocniu<  ut  uu  «rr    . 
TkM  HUk  tko  Lori  Oo4  of  lamoL  A  <■  I. 
IM  t^  vorii  vkkk  tbo«  hart  kca.-i    . , 
tbo«raf«laUiatv«Mi«HllotboobT  - 
(««r.  10>-4bo  owftu  tkfooU  vbi 
flk«  to  reod  tky  obitLoa  and  to  .  ^^     ._ 
foiry  of  m*  I 


SX     I  ai*v>  Lav*  keaxU  iu- 
The  gvurral  aLOar  .,f  ten.  l>.  |y  i- 
nntao,  "homuao  tbou   ha«l 
Uke«  bood  lo  MT  timvla,  I  » 
tboe.  and  will  daloT  titcir  fulL^xu^ 

Ver  2U  -Bobold  tkorofbra.  I  vi. 
tkea  iiato  tky  flatkon.  aad  tko«  >  l 
gatkorad  lata  tky  grara  ia  paooa.  lO' r«  la 
a»^mtBf  roaLr«dutioo  betwooa  tbrw  worte 
Caol  of  Joaiah'a  rioUot  d<ath  la 
.aiaot  Phonob-Noebob  (ck.  xxiii. 
..>;  ^ut  Ibo  — tiadiotiiwi  ia  wit  a  iwal 
one.  Haldob  woo  ■nmmiaiiiioid  ia  mhuw 
Juoiiih  tbot.  tbui^  tho  daalnMtitm  et  bio 
kitiyinm  and  tha  dtoolattoo  of  Jodrn*  aad 
Jenutalam,  Uir'-«tpn«<d  tn  :hr  Law,  woie  at 
band,  yot  ib«^  ^  ^  io  bk  day. 

Ho  woold  IM>'.  0.     Bcdbrt-  it 

cuMbowoali  Whrnn'— 

'••'^•d,  C*,  ill  .een*j«« 

bod  boetl  A-].  rrt»4  u# 

iQtA  i^a} '  or 

r'vt-fl  -  '.  .^ 

<J.r. 
-M  fal. 


440 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KTNQa      [ew.  xxn.  1— 2a 


temple  and  city  by  Nebuzar-adan  (ch.  xxy. 
9,  10),  the  deportation  of  the  bulli  of  the 
inhabitants  (ch.  xxv.  11),  and  the  calami- 
ties which  happened  to  the  remnant  left 
(ch.  XXV.  22 — 26).  Josiah  did  not  witness 
any  of  this.    He  was  "  taken  away  from  the 


evil  to  come.**  And  they  brought  the  king 
word  again;  i.e.  Hilkiah,  Shaphan,  and 
their  companions  (ver.  14)  reported  to  Josiah 
the  message  wliicb  Huldah  had  sent  bj 
them. 


HOMILETIOS. 

Vers.  1 — 13. — A  righteous  branch  from  a  wicked  root.   Josiali  Is  the  most  astonishing 

instance  that  is  contained  in  Scripture  of  goodness  springing  up,  and  attaining  high 
perfection  under  the  most  extraordinarily  tmfavoui  able  circumstances.     Jo>iah  was — 

I.  The  son  of  an  extbaobdinarily  wicked  father.  Amon,  Josiali's  father,  did 
eril  in  the  sight  o.  the  Lord  to  an  extent  scarcely  equalled  even  by  any  of  the  Israelite 
monarchs.  "He  forsook  the  Lord  God  of  his  fathers"  (ch.  xxi.  22),  and  gave  himself 
wholly  up  to  idolatry.  And  he  did  this  notwithstanding  the  example  of  his  lather's 
fall,  punishment,  and  repentance.  As  the  writer  of  Chronicles  says  (2  Chron.  xxxi  ii.  23), 
"  he  trespassed  more  and  more."  Every  idolatry  of  every  neighbouring  country  was 
adopted  by  him  and  reintroduced  into  Judah ;  the  temple  was  defiled  afresh  ;  the  fires 
of  Tophet  were  relighted;  sodomites  polluted  the  temple  precincts  (ch.  xxiii.  7). 
Wickedness  of  every  kind  was  encouraged,  not  only  idolatry  and  debauchery,  but 
"violence  and  deceit"  (Zeph.  i.  9),  profane  swearing  (Zeph.  i.  5),  luxury  in  apparel 
(Zeph.  L  8),  covetousness  (Zeph.  i.  18),  oppression  (Zeph.  iii.  1),  injustice  (Zeph.  iij.  2), 
treachery  (Zeph.  iii.  3),  and  utter  shamelesshess  (Zeph.  iii.  5). 

II.  The  gbandson  of  a  still  more  wicked  grandfatheb.  Manasseh  was 
worse  than  Amon  in  that  he  set  at  nought  all  the  restraints  of  his  bringing  up,  the 
example  of  his  saintly  father,  and  the  instiuction  of  Isaiah,  whom  he  is  said  to  have 
executed.  He  was  worse,  again,  as  the  original  introducer  of  many  most  corrupting 
idolatries  which,  but  for  his  example,  Amon  might  never  have  thought  of.  And  he 
was  worse  as  enforcing  his  false  and  impure  religion  on  those  who  were  reluctant  to 
adopt  it  by  means  of  persecution,  and  so  "filling  Jerusalem  with  innocent  blood  from 
one  end  to  another  "  (ch.  xxi.  16)— a  sin  which  is  never  laid  to  the  charge  of  Amon. 
If  heredity  be  indeed  the  strong  predi3i)0sing  cause  which  modern  biologists  assert  it  to 
be,  what  depths  of  depravity  might  not  a  prince  have  been  expected  to  sound,  who 
had  such  a  father  as  Amon,  such  a  grandfather  as  Manasseh! 

III.  Brought  up  in  a  cobbctpt  court.  Manasseh's  court,  even  after  his  repentance, 
was  probably  but  half-purified.  Anion's  must  have  been  a  sink  of  corruption.  Childish 
innocince  is  soon  lost  in  an  atmosphere  of  profligacy;  and  Josiah,  ere  he  was  eight 
years  ol  ago,  had  probably  been  made  to  witness  many  of  the  worst  forms  of  human 
depravity.  "  Nil  dictu  foedum  facture  haec  liraina  tangat  intra  qua?  puer  est "  was  a 
niaxirn  not  likely  to  obtain  much  observance  in  a  palace  where  the  rites  of  the  Syrian 
goddess  were  apjjroved  and  practised. 

IV.  Without,  so  fab  as  we  know,  any  religious  instbuctob.  Isaiah  haa  Deen 
martyred  in  the  earlier  portion  of  Manasseh's  reign.  Micah  had  gone  to  his  rest  even 
earlier.  Jeremiah  did  not  receive  his  rail  until  Josiah's  thirteenth  year  (Jer.  i.  2).  Ha- 
Ijakknk  ami  Zciihaniah  lived,  perhaps,  under  Anion,  but  are  not  likely  to  liave  been 
allowed  access  to  his  court,  much  less  opportunity  for  influencing  the  heir  to  the  thrun(>. 
Josiah's  ollicial  tutors  and  instructors  under  Amon  must  undoubtedly  have  boon  persons 
devoted  to  the  court  religimi,  which  uas  the  syncretic  idolatry  eoneeived  by  Manasseh 
and  maintained  by  his  successor.  It  is  not  (piite  easy  to  see  how  the  young  princo 
would  come  into  contact  with  any  of  the  professors  of  truo  religion,  or  obtain  any 
knowledge  of  the  Johovmtic  worship. 

Such,  however,  was  the  natural  purity  and  strength  of  character  by  Qod'g  grace 
imi)lant<;d  in  thc^  young  prince  from  the  first,  that  to  none  of  the  evil  inflncncos  within 
him  or  witlioiit  him  did  n«  Bucciimb.  It  Ih  d(<;lared  of  him  in  the  infallible  Word,  that 
"hts  did  that  winch  was  right  in  the  HJght  of  tlio  I-nr<l,  and  walked  in  aW  the  way 
•f  David  hie  father,  and  turned  not  aside  t<t  the  right  hand  or  to  the  l((ft "  (ver.  2). 
At  ■oon  tM  ho  had  any   power  to  show  what  his  iucliuatiomt  were,  na  louu  (that  ih)  tm 


■mn.  1-X.]       THK  BBOOND   BOOK  OF  THE   KINGB  441 


Im  wwt  ttm  from  thr  Umn)ro«N  wV,i/.»,  ,,...  «,  -^  ,  !-«!.».  ..,;. —  a..^^^  y^  aiinoritr,  ha 

Ooor)i|aoo«lj  Mt  himaolf  Ir  i,  tier  had  6ou9,  lo 

kl>   lt^ll    OlC   ■ir.lliL'C    rilOB      Ltl    <  ^   I  >  ••    tft.r.l    II.   .,^ 

'              '      ■  .1 

tiii;;iit«  aooumiiig  to  mi  the  ijiw  i>t  Mi'or*;    iiciti.rr  alN  '  " 

(cU.  xxi'w.  2f>).      Wn  may  It-atn  fn»m  lbi»  liUt^ry  uot   •  » 

m^ti'a  ku"                 ,  but  Ui  tiolil  liriii  to  tli<   \<-  licf  thai  iit>-ni  w  n  i 

Ibrw  <■(  •                     ifvi  wi!!  t-.  f  »h!r  h---,  if  h-  *:rar'  bo  ert                                         -i 

my 

evt .                                                                  .  ,. .^ 

MKl  MUlcii  llic)  ulIqI^:  Imvi.  t^euiui-d  lo  lukve  :  .  y. 

▼arm.  8 — IS. — A  ^tmngt  ton,  and  a  ttr  .  The  losa   bj  a  oatiuo  id 

ita  Mcrad  bo<>k  ia  a  btniii^c  and  «xtrHur!iiii  Booka  daemad  aacM  ara 

naturally  »•  hi r' '              l  aad  m)   '  f 
them.     Goii'  ^                       are  inulli 

whiV  •' ■■                      '  \ 

novk 


;.      To  u  .     had  lak'  • 

f'.      ■.  y   I'A   :■    -  .    .  ;liH  thr,,i,,  , .^.l^-r  tho  j^^ ....^...      ...   -a 

ot  tha  Jewiab    eng  •  u,  nu  .ujich  "the  book  of  Law     oocup  ed  in  it.     'Ihe 

following  poiiiis  art' e!)|«c.  I    \   ^s     i    y  if  uot«. 

i.    Tub    OKIUIKAL    book    or    THK    Law   WAH    OEPOtilTKI)    BEKIDB    tub    AKK,    and    KEfT 

there;.  "It  came  to  {lasB,"  we  are  told,  "  wht-n  Mobca  had  uiade  an  eu  i  •  !"  ^.iuug 
the  worda  oi  this  I.rfi\v  m  a  book,  uijtil  they  were  fiuiahed,  that  Mows  c*>ii.  o 

Leritotf,  which  hare  the  ark  of  the  covioant  of  the  Lonl,  »a\in^.  Tiike  this    ■  o 

I.AW,  and  put  it  in  the  side  of  the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  the  Lord  your  (Jwi,  luat  it 
may  be  thi-re  for  a  vutueos  againat  tlieni  "(Deui.  xxxL  24— HU). 

IL  Thbrk  waa  hu  PBovibHts  kok  makino  cdpikh  or  it  until  bcch  time  as  Israkl 
anouLDBAVK  KiKus.  Then  iudoi  lach  kiuu'  was  lo  **  write  him  a  copy  o'  th  Law  in 
a  book  oiii  of  ti  at  which  whs  before  tiie  prie»U  the  Levites  "  (D.-uL  ivii.  18).  But, 
excel  t  ou  kuch  oc<.  aai' >ua,  the  book,  it  would  aeem,  remained  in  the  ark,  .  ud  waa  not 
lent  aloMt  to  l>e  copie-i. 

III.  The  I)K«io.s  was  to  make  the  Law  knowh  to  the  pbopui  bt  bkaoimo  it  to 
THEM  rtJULicLY.     .^^  ii^  waa  pr.        '     •     noe  in  each  b«Ten  veara,  in  the  ».*l>- 

batical  yiar,  at  th  laberna  .  ixxi.   10—13).     Under   Neh- u.iah 

certar-v  '  V-i.    v<>'  "•' at  t-t^a-.  ..  ....■^,  the  precept  waa  acted  on. 

^^  ^  AH  NUT  NKKUKD  rOB  STVAOOODB^  WHICH  DID  XOT  AS 

TET  ,1,1  V    t-  ..      .-,•  i,.    t.  1.11. 1«  -.....»,    v.„,«  I..,.  _      '  ••  f. 

Aha:- 


a  oi'py  ;  auu  u  i*  nut  even  cerwiu  iJiut  ^  kinga  wouM  earrr  out 

David,  whoae  de  i  '!.t  was  in  the  Law  '  771.  A-a.  Jehoahai.hat    .' 

kiab,  wu  ill  a!: 

nor  Ai.itzlah,  t.' 

witli  the  I<aw  aa  iii.j...e»  toi.-  aiii  niaay,  ii  tiwiy  v» 

!*heta  "  Were  In  po».scaiiiiiu  of  ».  lui-  o'   the  r  v  .1  »■:• 
lave  beau  allowed  aiveas  aa  often  aa  the 
the  Law,  aa  the  Oaralo^ie  and  <>tht<r  pr«^ 
made  t<  •  the  (u  i 
kni^iwii,  beins  i 


:d*j   ha\ 
in  the  u 


i'  I  '  1  :.  .^    wk  III  :.    •» 

the  .  ru^t,  It  oiay  U 

the  u. .,,..,  „ .-  .,f  the  Law,  t^.  i,.c   u  ..^nr  c- 

thtn  waa  uo  vary  roady  way  of  replacing  iL     S'ur,  perh^p^. 


442  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS,      [ch.  xxn.  1— 20. 

absolute  necessity  of  so  doing.  Except  once  in  seven  years,  the  reading  of  the  Law 
does  not  appear  to  have  formed  a  part  of  any  temple  service.  The  precepts  o  f  the  Law 
were  inculcated  orally  by  priests  and  Levites,  who  had  received  them  from  their  pre- 
decessors. Hilkiah  and  the  priests  generally  were  probably  content  to  carry  on  th<j 
traditional  teaching,  and  did  not  feel  the  need  of  seeking  the  water  of  life  from  the 
fountain-head.  But  suddenly  a  discovery  was  made.  There  had  been  no  wanton  or 
malignant  destruction  of  the  book  of  the  Law.  It  had  merely  been  thrust  out  of 
sight,  and  then  forgotten.  As  the  repair  and  restoration  of  the  temple  proceeded,  and 
even  lumber-rooms  and  closets  were  searched,  that  the  whole  building  might  be  brought 
into  proper  order,  those  employed  in  the  work  came  upon  the  lost  volume.  It  was, 
probably,  very  easily  recognized.  As  Bahr  says,  it  may  have  been  "  distinguished  by 
its  external  appearance,  size,  material,  beauty  of  the  writing,"  etc.,  as  the  Samaritan 
copy  of  the  Pentateuch  at  Nablous  is  distinguished.  Or  it  may  have  had  for  its  title, 
"  The  Book  of  the  Law  of  the  Lord  hy  the  hand  of  Moses"  (2  Chron.  xxxiv.  14).  There 
may  even  have  been  priests  living  who  had  seen  the  book  before  it  was  lost,  and  knew 
it  as  the  volume  with  which,  fifty  years  before,  they  had  been  familiar.  At  any  rate, 
priests,  king,  and  people  unanimously,  though  with  much  grief  and  fear,  accepted  it. 
The  prophetess,  who  was  God's  mouthpiece  at  the  time,  confirmed  their  view;  and  it 
remained  for  nineteenth-century  critics  to  throw  a  doubt  upon  the  conclusion  thus  come 
to,  and  to  brand  the  wc  rk  as  a  forgery  of  Hilkiah's,  or  as  a  chance  production  of  a  chance 
author,  who  had  amused  himself  by  composing  a  code  of  laws  for  a  Utopia. 


HOMILIES  BY  VAKIOUS  AUTHOKS. 

Ver.  1 — ch.  xxiii.  30. — The  reign  of  King  Josiah.  The  last  days  of  Judah  as  an 
independent  kingdom  are  fast  hastening  to  a  close.  The  people,  in  spite  of  all  God's 
merciful  dealings  with  them,  in  spite  of  all  the  judgments  and  warnings  which  he  had 
sent  to  their  fathers,  in  spite  of  the  influence  and  example  of  good  kinss  and  holy 
prophets  whom  he  had  raised  up,  were  becoming  worse  and  worse.  More  tlian  a 
hundred  years  before,  God  had  already  abolished  the  kingdom  of  Israel,  when  the  ten 
tribes  were  led  away  into  captivity.  And  now  for  their  great  idolatries  the  destruction 
of  the  kingdom  of  Judah  also  is  close  at  hand.  In  the  midst  of  this  period  of  decline 
and  decay  Josiah  came  to  the  throne  to  redeem  for  a  time  the  history  of  his  nation,  and 
for  a  time  to  save  it  from  its  im[)ending  doom. 

I.  Josiah's  early  dkvotion.  We  read  that  in  the  eighth  year  of  his  reign,  while  he 
was  yet  youni,  he  bcjian  to  seek  after  the  God  of  David  his  lather.  He  was  then  six- 
teen years  of  age.  1.  He  began  to  seek  after  God  in  a  time  of  almost  un  iversal  godlessness 
and  corruption.  It  is  almost  impossible  for  us  to  conceive  the  depth  of  degradation  to 
which  the  nation  had  sunk.  Two  wicked  kings  in  succession  had  undone  all  the 
reforms  of  good  King  Hezekiah.  The  first  of  thesf;  was  HezcUiah's  own  son,  Manassch, 
the  second  was  Manassoh's  son,  Amon.  Manasseh  worshipped  all  the  host  of  heaven, 
and  built  altars  for  all  the  host  of  heaven  in  the  two  courts  of  the  house  of  the  Lord. 
He  set  up  thr;  worship  of  Moloch,  which  is  almost  too  terrible  to  describe  (see  above  on 
ch.  xvi.  1 — 20).  lie  made  his  own  son  to  pass  througli  the  fire  to  Moloch.  Ho  intro- 
duced not  only  the  horrid  cruelty  of  lieathonisra,  but  also  its  most  filthy  lusts.  The 
reign  of  Amon  was  no  better,  but  worse.  He  revived  and  continued  ail  the  idolatries 
and  all  tin;  corruption  of  his  father's  rci'^n.  It  was  at  such  a  time  as  this  that,  when  Amon 
diid,  hiH  son  JokIhIi,  then  only  eight  years  old,  came  to  the  throne.  At  sucli  a  time  as  this 
bo  l)Cgan  U)  seek  nlUtr  the  Ijord  liis  God.  2.  Moreorpr,  he  laas  the  son  of  d  f/odfrsn  and 
uncketl  fafh'r.  All  tlui  influences  which  surrounded  him  s(hmu  to  luivo  been  unlavour- 
able  to  the  ./rowtli  of  true  religion  aud  the  foar  of  God.  But  Josiah  dotermincd  tlat,  is 
for  him,  ho  would  not  how  down  to  i<lolH,  that  ho  would  servo  tha  Lord  only.  And  (!od 
gave  him  Hlrength  to  serve  him,  aii'i  crowned  his  Hnhsequent  ofTortH  with  blessing  and 
BUCCOHH.  Learn  horf  thr  folly  of  excunlrui  y<nirself  from  serving  Godhy  the  rirfuinstancra 
in  whitfi  you  an-  pluad.  You  are  r<  Hponsilih!  to  God  fur  your  ot«n  life,  and  for  your  own 
conduct,  no  iiiatt<r  how  others  may  act.  It  may  cost  uh  many  a  hard  struggle  t<i  resist 
the  t<;mjitationH  that  nurround  uh  on  every  sldii ;  hut  it  always  Huccoeds  in  the  end.  You 
may  ^m  children  of  ung'xily   pap  titn  ;  you  may   \m  at  lurvloe  iu  ungodly  huuHobMlds} 


OH.  ittLi^-jQi]    m  nooHD  BOOK  or  tui  kimo& 

ywi  BHiy  b«  ikrowB  by  jtmt  hiidB«M  ^uKtut  uiuruiil*  eowfiiii<M  and  ■imjun-im^ 

Bo  MMMr!     Oud  «l|<c<rU  juu   iu  ) '  him.       YuuAi;   Utrt. 

bjU.>  utoii  la  ui  uui    . 

Kni  I  He  lo  Krv«t  i      . 

'.rnjca  in  lli«  « 


to   (l«<l    Ui 


r  •'  ll,  fur   tkie  a-iko  uf  truth   aiKl    ; 

to  Msrvr  G>^   He   l>rtirr.       Vuv^    -u.   i^v^.    x^.c;   >k 
u  thf  dAy«  <>|  thy  yuuili.'' 

uATiuM.     (Vvr.  S— cli.  xiiiL  2&.)     Her*  &lao  he  bacAB 
"r  .  i^  to  l«  ri^Lu     It  waa  iu  th*  IimMA  Mar  of  hi*  reigii 

.r*  o!d — that  be  bigau  to  purge  Judah  sAtl  Jvnumlem 
f  Then  in  the  eigijteentb  year  >f  L.»  rr  ko — wh«a 

!U)  to  r<  («ir  the  huuM!  ul  the  l>iiri,  vki.ub  L^i  b«an 

'U.      Gud    r'     I  '        '  red    hiai    iu   this    Work,    that   tie    l^^^f^ 

I  y  for   T*  t    •       I.:  !  i;  of  t*  e  t«i:  i  le.      It  waa  wi  t-u  ti  ia  vac 

.    «i.   (Jte   trt:  ''  tkt  Lav.      Thrfr   it 

.    c  uuuin-d  ].  ...rne,  a  tileut  rrj  r'^^.f 

tu  liiubc  uLi  ftL>....w  Luvc  kui^uu  mLai  waa  right  but  Jiu  uoi  Uu  it.  Wbeu  the  l««jk  of 
the  I^w  waa  rru!  to  the  king,  be  rent  hia  clothes,  iu  sorrow  aud  in  »ha!!!e,  wbeu  h« 
tiii'U>;ht  of  bow  the  I^w  of  God  bad  bt-eu  broken  aud  liC^^lect^i.     It  >  .  uad 

thai  It  ikhould  Ite  bo  uo  lunger,  nud,  i.aving  galht-reii  all  the  |«opl  -  u.-^c '.  vl  m 

tneir  can  all  the  worda  of  tie  Law.     Then,  ^'  :i  a  pi  Ur,  l.e  iha  .<:   . 

that   they   Mould   berve  the  Lurd  and  keep  i  iidinenta,  aud   all   i 

a  *        <    -   -  (),ij  ^,^  di'Ue,  he  ajpoiuii^:  a,  solemn  PaaauTer  to  be  kej  i    L'.   an 

■  la  said,  "S'lrely  there  waa  uut  holdao  auch  a  PaaaoTor  fruni  tha 

»:»  •  '■••    •    — in  all  the  daya  of  the  ki"  ■-    '  '  - -nel,  nor  of 

v..y  [i  year  uf  K.u<;  Jobiab,  w:  -  Paaauvar 

^  I-  V,.-  Jc. ......      ^^h.  ixiii.  l.'"J, '_'3).     It  was  ..  .   .w.    .^^-work 

'a  '  .ive  aooomplibhtid  in  ihe  tweuty-ai&tb  yeair  y.>i  1  ia  a^'e.     lit  i^kumI 

t'.'  tiry  and  ourruptiou.     But  he  bad  already  pulled  di>A!.  : i  <  ai-a'a, 

,  aud  a  wept  away  tbi-  denn  of  rioe.     He  fouiki  tht^  -icd, 

ntf-  ■  cay.     He  had  already  repairtxl  it  and  re»tort<l  th«  tie 

true  «^>od.    He  fmind  the  Law  uf  G<d  fur^<>tt«'n,  fur&akeu,  and  i:  knuwn — tL<  : 
I  f  it  hi^'.Jti  away  .nt  .  f  <  /l.t.     He  had  already  re»U>rcd  it  lo  ita  irvj^ 

eut  and  of  the  nation'a  U:e.     Truly  a  u.  -  44 

We  aee  here,  as  we  have  aeau  iu  the  li.'-  a^. 

x$  rtifht.     Jc«uth  waa  uot  cx>nteDt  iiierel>  u-   ^ 
waa  drtermiued  tiiaL,  ao  far  aa  he  ba<l  mt'.y 
God  too.     He  uiigbt  bare  aaid,  in  the  ^     ' 
tin,ei«,  "What  n.atU-f»  it?     Th.y  have 
a  . .  '    '        iut  a  ruler,  be  had  nothing  u^  <i  ■  wu:.  t::a 

i  ^a  membera  of  tha  atate.     Nut  ao.      H» 

;-..  Muieh  luakea  or  mara  the  hat>tanea»  aod 
;  that,  aa  a  aerrant  of  God,  he  waa  bound  lo  baar 

lii*  L'..  ..  i.e:.i.e  iu  iiia  powar  agaioM  aia  and  in  fiivoor  ol 

wliat  wae  •(  with  balf-meaaoraai  not  with  balf-bearlrd  beat* 

tAtiou,  but    .....  &A,  |c<>m|>tnaaa,  and  datenniaatiun,  aa  bccomra  ooa 

who  ia  duiuf  the  work  of  God.     Aod  ao,  aiau,  Oarf  alacrf  b^  ktm,  attd  gave  him  au 


444  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS,     [oh.  xxn.  1—20. 

in  all  his  work.  Such  an  example  is  full  of  instruction  for  our  modern  life.  Never  be 
&  consenting  party,  even  by  your  silence,  to  what  your  conscience  tells  you  is  wrong. 
Never  consent,  even  by  your  silence,  to  anytliing  dishonouring  to  Gkxi  or  not  in  accord- 
ance Tvith  his  will.  Never  be  a  consenting  party  to  anything  that  you  would  be 
ashamed  of  in  the  sight  of  God  and  men — to  acts  of  injustice  to  others,  to  dishonesty 
or  unfairness  of  any  kind,  to  profanity,  to  neglect  of  Sunday  observance,  or  any  other 
form  of  prevailing  wickedness.  "  0  my  soul,  come  not  thou  into  their  secret;  with  their 
assembly,  mine  honour,  be  not  thou  united."  Like  Josiah,  we  can  never  begin  too  soon, 
not  only  to  serve  God  ourselves,  but  also  to  bring  others  to  him.  Like  Josiah,  let  every 
servant  of  God  show  the  reality  of  his  and  her  religion  by  deeds  of  usefulness,  by  bearing 
testimony  against  sin,  and  by  unwavering  firmness  in  the  cause  of  Christ  and  duty. 

III.  Josiah's  early  death.  Josiah  died  at  an  early  age.  He  was  mourned  for 
with  great  lamentation.  Sorte  think  that  it  is  of  him  that  Jeremiah,  in  his  Book  of 
Lamentations,  speaks  when  he  says,  "The  breath  of  our  nostrils,  the  anointed  of 
Jehovah,  was  tat  en  in  their  pits,  of  whom  we  said.  Under  his  shadow  we  shall  live 
among  the  heathen."  The  passage  perhaps  indicates  how  great  was  the  influence  for 
good  which  Josiah  exercised,  and  how  much  the  people  depended  upon  him  as  their 
leader  and  defender.  His  early  death,  before  he  had  completed  his  fortieth  year,  must 
have  caused  many  to  wonder  at  God's  mysterious  providence.  But  his  work  was  done. 
He  had  really  done  the  work  of  many  lives  in  one.  And  so  when  servants  of  God  are 
taken  away  in  the  prime  of  life — or  prematurely,  as  we  say — let  us  remember  that 
God's  ways  are  not  our  ways.  In  his  sight  their  work  is  done.  They  have  fioished 
the  work  which  he  gave  them  to  do.  Let  us  so  use  the  precious  time  which  God  has 
given  us,  that  in  our  dying  hour  we  shall  not  have  to  look  back  upon  a  wasted  life. 
But  let  us  live,  as  Josiah  lived,  a  life  of  holiness,  of  usefulness,  "redeeming  the  time." 
And  then  when  we  are  drawing  near  to  the  gates  of  death,  we  shall  feel  that  for  us 
they  are  the  gates  of  heaven.  We  shall  be  able  humbly  and  thankfully  to  say,  "  I  have 
fought  the  good  fight,  I  have  finished  my  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith :  henceforth 
thero  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness,  which  the  tiord,  the  ri^jhteous  Judge, 
shall  give  me  at  that  day." — C.  H.  L 

Vers.  1 — 20. — A  monarch  of  rare  virtue,  and  a  Ood  of  retributive  justice.  **  Josiah 
was  eight  years  old,"  etc.  There  are  two  subjects  in  this  chapter  that  arrest  our  atten- 
tion, and  which  are  fertile  with  suggestions. 

I.  A  MONARCH  OF  RARE  VIRTUE,  "  Josiah  was  eight  years  old  when  ho  began  to 
reign,  and  he  reigned  thirty  and  one  years  in  Jerusalem,"  etc  In  this  monarch  we 
discover  f  jur  distinguished  merits.  1.  Belu/iousness  of  action.  "  He  did  that  which 
was  right  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord."  This  is  the  testimony  of  the  historian,  whoever 
he  may  be,  and  we  are  further  told,  "Josiah  walked  in  all  the  way  of  David  his  fatlier," 
Elsewhere  we  have  given  the  biblical  account  of  David's  life.*  From  that  account  it 
might,  pel  haps,  be  questioned  whether  to  "  walk  in  the  way  of  David"  was  a  m<  rally 
creditable  life.  But  imdoubtrdly  in  the  opinion  of  this  writer,  Josiah  was  a  man  whose 
activity  was  inspired  by  true  religious  feeling.  Here  we  find  him  providing  for  the  repairs 
of  the  temple.  "  And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  eighteenth  year  of  Kin?:  Josiah,  that  the 
king  sent  Sha|)lian  the  son  of  Azaliah,  the  son  of  Meshuliam,  the  scribe,  to  the  house  of 
the  Lord,  saying.  Go  up  to  HilUiih  the  lii.^h  priest,  that  he  may  sum  the  silver  which  is 
brought  into  tiie  house  of  the  Lord,  which  the  keepers  of  the  door  have  gathered  of  the 
jeople:  and  let  thorn  deliver  it  into  the  hand  of  the  doera  of  the  work,  that  have  the 
oversight  of  the  house  of  the  Lord  :  and  let  them  give  it  to  the  doers  of  the  work  which 
U  in  the  hf)UHe  of  the  Ijord,  to  repair  the  breaches  of  the  house."  The  king  who  provides 
for  the  religiou.s  iimlrurJion  and  nornhip  of  his  people  jiroves  thereby  that  he  is  iirnlor  the 
influence  of  the  religioun  heniirnent.  In  repairing  the  temple,  Josiah  honours  his  people, 
lint  only  by  allowing,  but  by  ennonra.;ing  them  to  co-opirate  with  him  in  th<!  nolilo  work. 
He  Cf>TreH  none;  all  were  left  free,  anil  they  did  their  work  honestly  and  honourably, 
"  Ilr)wlH;it  there  wai  no  reckoning  made  with  them  of  the  money  that  was  delivered 
Into  their  tian<l,  bceause  they  dealt  faithfully. "  2,  DodJity  of  mind.  "Andliilkiah 
th<-  h\^\\  pri'Ht  Maui  unto  Sha|)h,iri  the  scriho,  I  have  found  the  b(K)k  of  the  Law  in  the 
kouse  uf  the  Lord.  Ami  Iliikiah  gave  the  Innik  t«>  Shnphan,  and  b*  read  1^  Aod 
>  8«M  '  (}nmiaoDl«ry  :  Book  of  PuuIiiih.'  v<tl.  iii. 


«.xxn.l— la]      THE  BEOOND  BOOK  OP  TUR   KINOA.  446 


Ite  loKkt 


to  tkf  Mafr  tmA  IvmMbi  Um  kfaf  wm4  cprfB.  .  .  .  Aa4 
I  u.e  kiuc.  Mvi^.  HilUab  tU  ffl«l  Wib  <rflwrf  ■•  • 
koelL  AbH  Bhsphu)  rMd  it  Mura  IM  king.  ^  '^  '•  -wm  to  pMa,  vkM  lk«  kiflc  Wd 
kotrtl  U><<  ««>nis  uf  tb«  book  of  Um  Law,  li  III*  elotha.'    ?nM»  book  wm 

UuaT    UU  uom  buiW  Um  ekok««t  tx-k*    «  .^t  ooe*  mov)  <>  •-   ■'"'^r^-t' u^i 

trad  Um  b«an«  o(  bmb  ar*  •imk  iu  '  >  • '  •  uf  oblirioo.     I 

book  b«i«wa»  Ui«  Pen Ut«uch.U>e  ti\r  i.  !  '>'   m«.     Aooffot 

laid  ha»ul«  th«  ark  in  ihr  ui<wt  h>>iy  pi .  ■  iiL  20, 2* 

r,  duriiiir  th""  f•1'^i    'icf>f  the  t»m|'le.  it  »  \  ■  rod.     Wa* 

Ifa>\«b>  '   ir  >  ivr  aullartxl  It  to  have  i«t«  kial,per'  '> 

A  huinau  u  t.f  j-  w. t  tn  jirrvrnf  i',  wi'It'*!  T:r)t  ttiffipr  hi- 

mill  Bucba  ui«.     i>i.i  II  ' 
writtrn  oo  the  pafTPb  of  uh 

how  tiiii  •loaUtli  act  ti>WHria  iL.»''.t.~-cuViitxi  h^X'(  i 
t4>  it?  Na  **  Ii  c«iii«  to  i<«uw,  when  tlie  kitit;  bft<i 
1  he  n-iit  liu  cloilioa."     llert-in  hew 

it  alix*  tu  iirtliiiiiry  kiii^l     lluw  u   . 
ii,:!it  '     Ar«  thfT  iu>t  f>>r  t  iuiloiii;    . 

Ui«?  luliuiaaioii  i>r  a  urw  tr  .;oshible? 

WiHi       »     •         iverKilly  i>\<-i   i  *'  old  trui 

flaali  c*ir  ^nkVfo.  all  <  ;  :  ceaj»«,a'  ' 

frw^iuiii  tw.u  ..^liU     **  Bt-  wise  u   «  i    •■.■',■'••'■    '  .   n.r 

earth."    3.  I'cuJertiesM  o/ heari.    Seebuwthe'.  **  He 

r..n»  v,i.  .1.  •    ,  *••     It  JK  alM)  said,  iu  tpt.  19,  "  ....  • "     f 

I  worth,  and  jj<->wcr  to  iutelliTt.     Wf  . 

\  •  Cut    ,  I'..    '  i.iri.  t,  r  is  defottivB,      ^^  ..... 

t  "ine  a  luc  :  or  a  nxr. 

t  ,  :  i<>  the  (^'  t''.f  man   i-  i 

I  ■  mg  IU  the  tn<;id  al«t ructions  of  i    -  .lO.     But  wnere   loih  aro 

J  i»<i,  you  have  a  mau  6t  fur  great  tl  .n  who,  if  be  be  a  fri-^r.  i, 

v«iii  give  cvuuaela  that  will  t«ll  alike  on  yuur  ui.  '.   LearL     "" 

fiHthfrs  tde  arruwB  uf  a  ::uini'ni,  givea  }io«tr\  and  [•   ^  i.     4.  A' 

ff(  convict  um,     Wheu  tins  discovered  docunieut  cauii  Ui..;«f  J   -la:  *b  at  s 

iMiiiort  was  realised,  he  wait  aeiti-d  with  a  ouu\ictioD  Uiat  he,  bi.'>  faihtTis 
had  diaregarded,   and  eveu  outraged,   the  writi«u  j  r«ce|.>t8  of  Ut-aveu.     II- 
"Great  Is  the  wrath  of  the  Lord  that  in  kindled  it^uiiist  n*,  beiauac  our  f.:  ^c 

D't  hearkeufd  unti'  tin   wtIs  of  thi*  biok,  to  do  aoc  .•->  ail  that     vt.Kt)   ta 

written  concerning  u^."     With  thia  new  ooDTiction  bur:  .  him,  what  Jora  be 

•in?     Does  h«  strive  to  quench  it  ?         '        '      allow  it  to  uura   u>t*lf  uut  wiih.'Ut  any 
effort  on  hie  uart  ?     No;  he  at  one*  bU  wrvantH  to  make  an  t.T'rt  on  l>  h.ilf 

of .' iiiiself  and  h'  '        "<■-  •   ;he  Lord  for  ;ne,  an<l  for  tl.f  people,  ai»d 

fur  all  Ju'lah,  -ok  that  i^  found."     The  nrw  emotioi.a 

that  ruabcd  i  .i     ..  e  i..  ...   ...... i   |i   ...,.  u   him  to  berk   immediate  ooun&d   how  t> 

arert  the  curhc*  undt-r  which  hia  kingiiom  lay.  They  ol^^ynl  his  liehaatt.  **  &>  Hi!- 
kiah  the  priest,  an^i  Al.>k<«ni.  ^  .'  \r  Ix.r,  ..n  :  .Shaphat.,  a;  i'.  A^ahiab,  went  unto 
Uuldab  tb«-  profih"  t«  sh,  ih«-  v-  lum  the  aon  of  'likTah,  the  roa  of  Il.irba*, 

keeper  of  the  wanlrol*  (now  i  Jrr  :ii.i!> m  in  the  ojUfgc);  and  th.  .  .   i;^- 

hiuned  with  her.     And  she  ts.  the  Lord  God  oi   I 

the  n.an  that  aent  you  t>  me,  i  \,  I  will  trins  rv  ' 

]>laot!,  and  ui><jri  the  inhabitantb  tL    «.»(,  •  '  the  book  ^^ 

<f  .Tfidah  hat>'    -f^*:  hf<-:\n<e  they  hnri  vera.  14- 

;,  Tiz.  ii.*t  wht-r'W- 

c  truth  of   thf    >r\' 

n   :■  \s   ::.  ;.    ;.;:,:   i.e.",    i.-   Ui.il  thi  ..'Ud  man   tra-  • 

artK't.$,     Ilr  ili.i  not  n!   'W  hi*  n«w  '  , aa*  awaj  a*  t : 


Well  would  11  L.   1  r  a;:  l 
.  iiodof  l|]iritual  proeraaa.     It 
J  »:]0  :r^  ..  <aa  that  tl- .  " 

TiTi   jis  oh    a   Ood  'oaU. 


4M  THIS  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS,     [oh.  xxn.  I— Sa 

^I^Tis  saith  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  Tell  the  man  that  sent  you  to  me,  Thus  salth  the 
Lord,  Behold,  I  will  bring  evil  upon  this  place,  and  upon  the  inhabitants  thereof,  even 
all  the  words  of  the  book  which  the  King  of  Judah  hath  read."  The  government  over 
us,  and  to  which  we  are  bound  with  chains  stronger  than  adamant,  is  retributive ;  it 
never  allows  evil  to  go  unpunished.  It  links  in  indissoluble  bonds  sufferings  to  sin. 
Sorrows  follow  sin  by  a  law  as  immutable  and  resistless  as  the  waves  follow  the  moon. 
•'  Whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap."  In  this  retribution  (1)  the  wicked 
are  treated  with  severity,  and  (2)  the  good  are  treated  with  favour.  In  the  name  of 
God  this  prophetess  declares  concerning  Josiah,  *'  As  touching  the  words  which  thou 
hast  heard;  because  thine  heart  was  tender,  and  thou  hast  humbled  thyself  before  the' 
Lord,  when  thou  heardest  what  I  spake  against  this  place,  and  against  the  inhabitants 
thereof,  that  they  should  become  a  desolation  and  a  curse,  and  hast  rent  thy  clothes, 
and  wept  before  me ;  I  also  have  heard  thee,  saith  the  Lord.  Behold  therefore,  I  will 
gather  thee  unto  thy  fathers,  and  thou  shalt  be  gathered  into  thy  grave  in  peace  ;  and 
tbine  eyes  shall  not  see  all  the  evil  which  I  will  bring  upon  this  place."  Thou<Th 
righteous  judgments  were  soon  to  descend  upon  bis  country  on  account  of  its  manifold 
and  heinous  sins,  he,  Josiah,  who  had  proved  faithful  amongst  the  faithless,  would  be 
spared  the  terrible  storm.  He  should  neither  feel  it  nor  see  it ;  his  body  would  be 
sleeping  in  the  quiet  grave,  and  his  spirit  be  gathered  to  his  "  fathers,"  with  all  the  true 
men  of  past  times.  We  are  prone  to  think  of  death  as  an  evil ;  it  is  an  event  that 
often  appals  us  with  the  ghastly  aspects  that  it  assumes  betore  our  imagination.  There 
are  circumstances  that  make  it  appear  especially  sad.  For  example :  when  a  man  like 
Josiah,  of  immense  influence  for  good,  dies  in  the  zenith  of  life,  and  in  the  midst  of 
usefulness,  we  deem  it  an  occasion  of  special  sadness.  But  it  is  not  so,  either  to  the 
man  himself  or  to  his  generation.  He  is  taken  away  from  the  evil  that  is  coming,  and 
the  circumstance  of  his  death,  and  the  loss  caused  by  his  departure,  tend  to  rouse  his 
contemporaries  to  serious  and  salutary  thought.  Death  is  no  respecter  of  persons.  The 
Divine  government  of  the  world  is  like  a  stream  that  rolls  under  us ;  men  are  only  as 
bubbles  that  rise  to  its  surface ;  some  are  brighter  and  larger,  and  sparkle  longer  in  the 
snn  than  others :  but  all  must  break,  whilst  the  mighty  current  rolls  on  in  its  wonted 
majesty.  We  are  shadows,  and  following  shadows.  There  la  nothing  real  but 
God.— D.  T. 

Vers.  1 — 7. — Josiah :  the  temple  again  repaired.  The  reign  of  Josiah  affords  another 
example  of  the  law  of  action  and  reaction  in  national  life.  Dr.  R.  Payne  Smith  says, 
**  The  nation  itself  had  gradually  swung  round,  as  nations  now  do,  and  had  begun  to 
be  as  dissatiseed  with  Baal  and  Moloch  as  their  fathers  had  been  with  Jehovah" 
('Introduction  to  Jeremiah ') ;  and  Dean  Stanley  remarks,  "The  popular  election  which 
placf  d  Josiah  on  the  throne,  of  itself  marks  some  strong  change  of  public  feeling  "  (Jewish 
Church,'  vol.  ii.  p.  435).  It  is  safer,  however,  to  infer  this  change  in  public  feeling  from 
the  support  afterwards  given  to  Josiah  in  his  measures  of  reform,  than  from  the  mere 
fact  of  his  accession;  for  as  yet  liis  disposition  was  quite  uncertain.  The  craving  for  a 
change  of  some  kind,  with  a  secret  weariness  of  the  policy  and  extreme  doings  of  the 
pagan  party,  had  perhaps  more  to  do  with  the  young  king's  popularity  than  any  real 
desire  to  serve  Jehovah. 

I.  Threk  BKQiNNiNOfl.  1.  2%e  legivning  of  a  reign.  Josiah  was  but  a  boy  of  eight 
Tears  old  when  he  wan  placed  upon  the  throne.  At  this  age  he  was  in  danger,  like 
Din  grandfather  Manassih,  of  being  a  mere  puppet  in  the  hands  of  the  godless  aristo- 
oracy.  liut  O'kI'h  providenofl  sopmn  to  have  watched  over  Josiah,  and  to  have  caused 
some  care  to  be  taken  to  guide  the  young  king  right.  The  queen-mother,  Jedldah 
("the  iHjIoved  of  God"),  daughter  ol  Adaiah  ("the  honoured  of  God"),  "may 
perhaps  have  deserved  her  lofty  name,  and  given  her  boy  the  priceless  benefit 
of  a  ]i(x\\y  mother's  (-xainplo  and  couiihoIh"  (Qeikie).  She  may  even  have  acted 
as  retrofit  during  ids  minority,  and  in  that  capacity  have  ;^athoiod  around  her  the 
worthy  fxirsoni  who  afterwards  figure  in  the  narrative,  Shaplian  the  scribe,  etc.  2. 
The  fjetjinning  of  grace.  Josiah  from  the  first  must  have  shown  good  dispoBitions, 
and  a  wiilingneiw  to  be  guidwi  and  taught  by  g<Klly  counsollora.  But  it  is  to  the 
eighth  year  of  his  reign,  that  i«,  his  nixtoenth  year,  that  the  B<wk  of  Ohronicloa 
altributea  the  first  decided  svidence  of  his  determination  to  seek  Jehovah.     "  Fur 


eiL  xxu.  1— SOl]      THK  second   B<X)K   OF  TIIK   KINGS.  «▼ 

Ib  the  eighth  jt^r  of  hli  rein,  while  he  wvt  etltl  joung,  he  hcfpn  lo  eeek  dier  (h«- 
D«vM  bU  (Mhrr*  ('.'  Ohrun.  ixxiv.  3).     Krua  ihU  period  bie  cm 


Oodof 

hftre  haea  e  Bli>gul*rl.v  ■tmi^htforwanl  and  oooeUleot  one:  ^'Qe  vdked  t'>  « 

w»7  of   I>ftrid    his   fath<r.  aixl   turnixl  uut  eelde  to  the  riglit   hand  ic  t' 

What  \n\  U>  thii>  <l(->  01  "11  It)  tuM  iK.'hth  \(«r  we  cannot  trll.     The  age  at  w 

now  arrlvt^   luarkt   tin-    •  .t   whirh    ii,<l<'|«-iicl<i.i  th'>ii;;i,t 

poerihir  eoiue  iuciciuie  i<  lity  l<xi  h  tu  u>  dr^iK-r   re!i' 

that  h»i  iiiiud   h:ui   li'i.;;    !■         ^..M''      '  II    r<ll^;l<>n,  an;    !.• 

public  itep  which  »h»>vv<<i  ill  oii(^lly  ^.-vbhu.      N  •t.'ii!.;;  ^ 

a>  earlj  Jiietjr.     A  charml<  r  lik<- Ju-i  i./  •  afttr  r-  • 

and  Amoo  i*  aa  a  ■nowdrup  at   the  clotic     '  It  ia  t)i< 

that  lasta  lou^e>«t,  and  shows  the  ni<«l  \  r..^..,.\      \ 

la  s|M'«ia11y  )«auliful  in  thoac  who  oocui 

nx^i'.  i.,'   ,,  1,.-^.     With  many  young  11  ■ 

in  a  '  rictiim.     Ji>«i:ih  then  "  1  tiie  Ijutii. 

p*^  .  .  t' e  r<«»itraiiit«  of  home  reli^  ■      ofT.  ;iii>l 

.111  act  for  thfiusflvea  in  forhitideu  waya.    3.   Tftt  I'- 
I  :    gives  ut  ani'ther  dnt*,  Tiz.   the  twilfth  je\T  of  . 

which  he  l>egan  to  efiVct  a  rfhjiious  refonnaticjn  in  the  land.  "In  tue  tw' 
he  be;:an  to  purgt*  Ju>iaii  and  JeruKalent  Irum  the  hi^ti  paces,  and  the  Aj-' 
the  prav«n  lma>;es,  and  the  molten  images,"  etc.  He  was  then  twt-nty  yeirs  a^j.-, 
and  the  reiorras  meiit)one<1,  though  Iw^jun  in  that  year,  eite;.ii--'i  on  till  .»  t.  nu 
ei'.:hU'etitli  year.  He  bad  {irobahly  to  l>egin  cautiously,  dealing  wtii  tie  luun  ot>viuua 
abuse*,  and  gra'lually  feeling  his  way  to  l>  Ider  clianges.  A  fctr lh.'  pirty,  no  ib>uht. 
Wire  opiosfd  to  his  reloruis,  and  it  is  dilTicult  to  aiy  how  far  they  ha  1  ati^auo  .i  l-f  .re 
the  repair  of  tb ••  temple  and  the  finding  of  the  Law-book.  The  najraivc.-.  ,,f  ii.-ith«T 
Chronicles  nor  Kings  adhere  strictly  to  chronolo^cal  order,  but  we  luay  si  w' 

before  the  projected  ri-^iairs  on  the  temple  buitdine  were  undertak'  ti,  l>oth  : 

and  the  house"  had  been  purged  of  their   .  \x'..v.  ,».;. 

The  Biial-altara,  idols,  and  Aahcrim  would  ;>  <>q  tb* 

high  places  stopiied,  though  the  people  may  hw  :  Kavr  m  i.h  a  ■•u  lucm,  a«  in  the 
latter  dars  of  Manasseh,  "yet  unto  the  Lord  their  0<hI  oulv  "  (2  C'hron.  xxsiii.  17); 
the  sacrifices  to  Moloch  in  the  valley  of  Hinnom  put  an  end  to.     If  ih'  "     it  ia 

certain  that  the  temple,  in  which  the  worship  of  .letiovah,  with  a  p  <.  o.i<tU 

at  its  head,  had  been   restored,  would   not  be  left  uncie^tred  of  its  1^...  '9 

hon>ee  of  th-  sun,  its  pro^titut^-s,  etc.  (ch.  niii.  6,  7,  11).     Things,  in  shor 
hrought  back  to  the  state  in  which  they  had  been  left  at  Maiiasiv  "i/h  d-i' 
xiiiii.  15^18).     'ITiis  Josiah  nii^ht  safely  attempt,  thouh    ;  a— l 
show  that  much  idolatry  still  r<  luained.     Earnest  religion  invar..  n 

appropriate  fruita  in  zeal  for  tiie  honotir  of  Ood,  the  puhticattioa  of  his  wunuip,  aod 
the  purging  away  of  evils  and  abuses. 

II.  Thk  EiOHTEERTH  TEAR.  Hitherto,  whatever  Josiah  had  done  had  been  more 
or  leas  the  re<«ult  of  his  individual  action.  The  conscience  of  the  nation  hail  not  been 
touched,  nor  ha^l  any  enthusirism  been  awakened  in  favour  of  the  new  refunna.  On 
the  contrary,  these  had  probably  Rr<ju«e-1  fot  a  little  bitterness  and  sullen  h<»>tiHfT. 
At  the  head  of  this  narrative  in  Ki'  -  re,  is  placed  the  date  of  "  the  ■ 

year  of  King  Josiah,"  when  the  ::.  enters  on  an  a  t  >jether  new  , 

swells  to  national  di  The  nnmciiate  occasion  of  this  change  waa  ilc  ;.    i   .4 

of  the  I.AW-book  in  ,  and  this  again  was  owing  to  the  rejairs  wnu  h    h  -  king 

had  oniL-red  to  l>e  ex-cu.M  on  the  sacred  edifice.     G>aocing  at  pre-.  r.   the 

narrative  of  these  n  purs  on   the  temple,  we  find  that  they   wt-re:   1  -tdai. 

There  is  no  record  of  rej»airs  on  the  temple  si-  -    •'  '    '-'      -  "  -..a. 

xxii.  3).     In  the  interval  the  buildni'.;  ha.  .     i, 

and  idolatrous  kings  h.id  ma<le  changi-«  in   .1-  1. 

There  were  "breaches*  to  re[«ir  (ver.  5),  r<-<{>  ti.  ht  wr.h   " 
11),  and  much  carpentry  and  maju.n  «    'I    t.     •,    «  ■-    f  ■    (.  - 

out  the  house.     It  is  strange  how  i 

hooses"  can  often  be  to  the  btate  .  f  .  ^.--^-  ..  i^ 

It  is  the  sign  of  a  tnis  seal  fur  Ood  when  there  u  a  proper  desire  anown  to  m^tnfjj 


448  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS,      [oil  xxa.  1— 2(X 

even  the  outer  fabric  of  ecclesiastical  buildings  in  »  decent  condition  of  repair.  2. 
Already  collected  for.  The  means  for  executing  the  repairs  on  the  Lord's  house  had 
l)een  obtained  by  voluntary  collections  at  the  door  of  the  temple.  It  is  by  the  kina's 
order,  sent  through  Shaphan  the  scribe  to  Hilkiah  the  high  priest,  to  sum  up  the  money 
which  had  been  thus  gathered,  that  the  matter  first  comes  before  us  in  the  nanative. 
These  collections  from  the  people,  which  must  have  been  going  on  for  some  time,  sliow 
*hat  the  worship  of  Jehovah  was  now  regularly  conducted.  They  als<i  afford  us  a 
lesson  as  to  the  mode  of  meeting  the  expense  connected  with  church  building  and 
repairs.  (1)  The  money  was  raised  before  the  repairs  were  commenced.  This  was  a 
sound  principle,  and,  if  more  frequently  acted  upon,  would  save  a  good  deal  of  troulile 
with  Church  debt.  The  temple  was  sorely  in  need  of  repair,  and  it  might  have  been 
pleaded  that  the  case  was  too  urgent  to  admit  of  delay  till  the  money  was  collected. 
It  was  resolved,  however,  to  collect  the  money  before  a  single  workmau  was  put  upon 
the  building.  (2)  It  was  raised  by  voluntary  subscription.  The  people  were  not 
taxed,  or  forced  in  any  way,  to  give  this  money.  It  was  their  own  free-will  offering. 
Yet  apparently  the  sums  required  were  raised  without  difficulty.  The  modern  Church 
expedients  of  bazaars,  etc.,  are  surely  inferior  to  this  Old  Testament  plan,  if  the 
appeal  to  voluntary  liberality  sometimes  does  not  yield  all  that  we  could  wish,  it  is, 
on  the  whole,  the  surest  source  of  income  to  rely  on,  and  reacts,  as  no  other  does,  on 
the  heart  of  the  giver.  3.  After  a  good  precedent.  Alike  in  the  collecting  of  the 
money,  the  distribution  to  the  workmen,  and  the  reliance  placed  in  the  fidelity  of  the 
overseers,  those  in  charge  of  this  business  seem  to  have  followed  closely  the  precedents 
of  the  reign  of  Joash.     It  is  good  to  learn  from  those  who  have  gone  before  us. — J.  0. 

Vers.  8 — 20. — The  finding  of  the  Law-hooh.  The  finding  of  the  book  of  the  Law  by 
Hilkiah  in  the  temple  marks  a  distinct  turning-point  in  Josiah's  reformation.  It  is 
admitted  generally  that  this  Law-book  included,  if  it  did  not  exclusively  consist  of, 
the  Book  of  Deuteronomy.  As  it  is  further  allowed  that  some  of  the  main  narrative 
documents  of  our  present  Pentateuch,  and  the  book  of  the  covenant  (Exod.  xxi. — xxiii.), 
if  not  also  collections  of  priestly  laws,  were  then  in  existence,  and  had  long  been,  we 
see  no  reason  to  doubt  that  the  '*  book  of  the  Law "  discovered  by  Hilkiah  included 
the  bulk  of  the  writings  which  make  up  "  the  five  books  of  Moses."  Several  legitimate 
inferences  may  be  drawn  from  the  narrative.  1.  A  *'  book  of  the  Law  "  was  known 
to  have  been  once  in  existence.  Hilkiah  sp 'aks  of  it  as  "  the  book  of  the  Law" — a  book 
long  lost,  now  found,  and  at  once  recognized.  2.  The  copy  found  was  tlio  complete, 
standard,  authoritative  copy.  It  was  this  which  gave  it  its  peculiar  value.  3,  It 
would  seem  as  if  no  other  copies  of  the  book  were  then  known  to  exist,  at  anv  rate 
none  were  in  poss*  ssidU  of  the  parties  named  in  this  chapter.  If  they  had  been,  we 
can  hardly  doubt  that  tiie  contents  would  have  been  in  some  way  communicated  to  the 
king.  This  last  inference,  however,  must  not  be  pushed  too  far.  Complete  coi)ios  of 
the  F^aw  would  at  all  times  be  rare,  and  amidst  the  troubles  and  persecutions  of 
Manasseh's  long  reign  may  wi  11  have  been  lost,  especially  as  there  do  not  seem  to  have 
been  in  Judah  or^'anized  projilietic  guilds  such  as  existed  in  Israel,  or  at  least  the 
prophets  we  know,  Jeremiah,  Zephaniah,  lluldah,  etc.,  did  not  belong  to  them  (cf.  tiie 
Ktate  of  matters  before  the  Kcforniation  in  Europe,  and  the  finding  of  the  Latin  Bible 
by  liUther  in  the  convent  at  Erfurt).    I'ut  it  does  not  follow  that  in  proiihotic  circles  no 

{)art8  or  fra„'mentaof  the  Law  were  in  existence.  The  narrative  parts  of  the  Law  would 
K!  more  frequently  copied  than  the  legislative,  and  abstracts  or  sumu'irios  of  the  Imok 
of  the  cov(  natit,  or  of  the  laws  in  Deuteronomy,  perhaps  selected  passages  from  these 
books,  may  have  been  in  circulfJion.  There  was  evisn  an  order  of  "scribes"  whom 
Jeretiiiah  acruHes  of  using  their  fdse  pens  to  falsify  tlie  Law.  **  How  do  ye  say,  Wo 
are  wise,  and  the  Law  of  (ho  liord  is  with  us?  But,  Iwhold,  the  false  pen  of  the  H(Tibi'« 
hath  wrought  falsely"  (Jer.  viii.  8).  TIk;  HcribcH  m.ay  have  fa!>iiic(l  the  i-aw  itself, 
altering  its  text,  expunging  its  rienunciations  against  idolatry,  or  making  nnautliori/.ed 
a/lditiouH  ^  it;  or  they  may  liavo  filsifled  it  by  tluiir  conimentn  and  iiit{ui)rotal.ioiiH  of 
itH  meaning.  'I'lic  only  thin,'  <a;rtain  is  tliat  the  portions  of  the  Law  which  80  a.  jClod 
the  cuinei'TiW)  of  the  kiri',^  wer«  not  in  any  enrreut  HummarioH  or  copies. 

I.  KisniNO  (Jon's  VVoiin.  "And  Hilkiah  tlw  high  jirioBt  (laid  unto  Shaphan  th« 
■cnbo,  I  have  (bund  the  book  of  the  Law  lu  the  house  of  th«  Lord."    Thu  Law-book  - 


•■.mil -to.]      Tni?  PFOOICD  BOOK  OF  THK  KrifO\ 


449 


**tlM  h'vA  of  ■'  f4  VcaM*  (eh.  x\w.  sy—hmi  ■sAflrtoM  unafv 

W«  Mr  II  :   1  Imt.     Wb«l    trnMura,  ooc  would   thkak,  ■• 
«i<r '                <  tioQ  throofb  tbair  ;■ 

M»'.  •  ikWii  h»  bad  or^«T> 


rhkb 

1 


.  •';..  .xj  .L 


hi»U>ry,  it  i»  ■■ 

AS  ^n«t  Iir.Uxl. 

Ut  the  other!  Mu 
Ukdm  m<<re  have  1 
mimia*;  in  the  m 
book  wei< 

rrii.  . 


li     it  mw  M  i( 
1/  k>-4iay 

>l  liM  lUbie  UMOg  loit  M  al  autiM  |« 
•nr  «!»••-«  there  if  not  &s  •trnif;  a  ha: 


'  ^r   kuv*  '. 

.remter  mi 
-t.      ■-.    t'rovi  i'- 
•au  in  tbe  ca  ' 


If  I 

ablr   1  . 

i>re|u-  .-.         f- 
tbfl  1 1...  r 
was  (mu 
d«iiti>tl  H- 

of   t    •         ;     i         n 
jllbt   r.   ■.  1  ,.     (■■  ^  N  . 

&li  tbiag«  tit  t<.>g<-uit-r  lu  tunr 
bix>k  wb«u  bt*  Kiw  it,  a  J  '  < 
b*  witli  U9'.  ' 
ibe'a  pruf«- 


ba  aiT  a^ 
i'«  I'ruTidt 
ver  the  » r 
;0  neglect  a-.i<i 
lin  reYiTod  .it 


OT«ry  here ;  ai. 
_'  iiiuvf.'ii.rit.     1 
nined. 
,  ind  b< 
:iapbaD  turne<d  over  tbc   pag 
iinaelf  that  this  waa  the  rer: 


tha  Law.     Ti*ku.)(  ii  miIu  uiui,  uo  rti^l  it  mora  lei«urelj,  Dct 
parts  '»f  it,  th-w"  i«ari!»  *-;<.Tia!ly  wbicb  wen:  iww  to  him. 


Ui.ki.tij  knrw  tbo 

road  It       it  wvKild 

a,  axid,  with  Lu 

aMe  !..»:  .    ;  v  ./ 
t 


tnM 
knu 

ou  -  1  :.■ 
tuaoD«r 

(•1 

ii 
th« 

D    t 

'i  Lt  i-.-v«»  v»^i. 
and  b«  was  u  . 

thereforr,  ri..' 
make  tl. 

bag  ii».  V 
of 

•  tudlUUMj     Bl 

laUj,  ia  tbe  ; 
at  otiea  a»iikiu..>a, 
bflgau  U>  rra-t    )«^. 
ixia.,  a  ' 
waa   luatA 

11.   K1J1  <•. 


>'>\ 


I  auxiety,  if  we  puaaeas  the  » 
i  ajiealt  to  ub  (Pi^.  Iixi».  M)      ( 
O  J  the 


lug  the  Word  «.: 

•  T  OuD*a  WOKO. 
book  f  .r 
He  i«««?ii 


of  the  Word 


A  u 


1.  KAapAoa'a 


Having  aaerrtaint^i 


.cX.   b 
-ibd. 


Q  loat  SO  tiflM  ia  bringing  it 

e  naad  of  ear*  in  bia  luauDrr  of 

A  terribla  tkraatoniugs  (et  Douu  ixt  u  ,, 

oaiT«  tb«  ■■oiant  maiaga.    Ha  r«aolvr«l, 

any  aUtamaoU  of  bla  own,  bot  aiut{4v  to 

id  laara  tha  book  to  a^mk  for  i'.»«lf.     He 

f  bia  oooimianion  in  ragard  u>  •   -       >  ^a 

e  king,  aajin4  wmnHj,  "I  .   o 

>>r  detracted  »abile  nM«ii  a 

Qcr:  .ent  ia  m*  c;    but    the 

'  '•'*fok  rtad.      ibc  kiug,  wh<«a  ..  »* 

u>  iiavr  |«rt  of  the  l^jok  read  tu  him.     tihaptiaa 

(«iu  toward*  the  duaa  of  tiM  roU— DvuL  xxtiii., 

e  read  «c  are  aei  iafanaaJL,  but  ika  aflHl  prodoeod 

Oux  aim  in  raaLLag  tka  Sor^cvraa  AaaM  ba  to 

1« 


450  rHE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS,      [ch.  xra.  1— 20. 

ascertain  from  it  the  whole  counsel  of  God.  We  must  not  dwell  on  the  promise  to  the 
exclusion  of  the  threatening,  or  think  that  any  part  is  without  its  use  "for  doctrine,  for 
reproof,  for  correction,"  etc.  (2  Tim  iii.  16).  3.  Conviction  hy  the  Word.  "The  Spirit 
of  God,"  say  the  Westminster  Divines,  "maketh  the  reading,  but  especially  ihe  preach- 
ing of  the  Word,  an  effectual  means  of  convincing  and  converting  sinners."  Kemark- 
able  revivals  of  religion  have  often  been  produced  by  the  reading  of  the  Word  alone. 
It  was  80  in  the  case  of  Josiah.  The  book  of  the  Law  was  the  only  preacher,  but,  as 
Shaphan  read  it  aloud,  its  words  went  like  sharp  swords  to  the  heart  of  the  king.  He 
knew  previously  that  the  nation  had  committed  great  sins,  with  which  Gjd  was  dis- 
pleased, and  he  had  done  what  he  could  to  institute  reforms.  Now  for  the  first  time 
he  learned  what  direful  woes  were  predicted  on  those  who  should  commit  such  sins, 
and  he  saw  the  enormity  of  the  nation's  evil  as  he  had  never  before  realized  it.  In 
deepest  emotion  he  rent  his  clothes,  and  sent  at  once  an  honourable  deputation  "  to 
inquire  of  the  Lord  concerning  the  words  of  the  book"  of  the  Prophetess  Huldah.  We 
Bee :  (1)  The  power  of  the  Word  to  convince  men  of  sin.  This  power  belongs  to  the  words 
of  Scripture  as  to  those  of  no  other  book.  "  The  Law  of  the  Lord  is  perfect,  converting 
the  soul,"  etc.  (Ps.  xix.  7).  "  The  Word  of  God  is  quick  and  powerful,  and  sharper 
than  any  two-edged  sword,"  etc.  (Heb.  iv.  12).  The  fact  that  it  is  so  is  an  evidence  of 
the  divineness  of  Scripture.  The  power  of  the  Bible  is  derived  from  the  nature  of  the 
truths  it  declares,  firom  the  inspired  grandeur  of  its  utterances,  from  the  "  thus  saith 
the  Lord"  which  stands  behiud  them  and  drives  them  home  with  authority,  aud  from 
the  inward  attestation  which  its  words  find  in  the  conscience  (2  Cor.  iv.  2).  Great 
reformations  have  always  been  accompanied  with  an  extended  circulation  of  the  Bible 
(Wickliffe,  Tyndale,  Luther,  etc.).  (2)  An  example  of  the  right  rece[)tion  of  the 
Word.  Josiah  did  not  act  like  the  profane  Jehoiakim,  who,  when  God's  threatenings 
were  read  to  him,  took  his  penknife  and  cut  the  prophet's  roll  to  pieces,  casting  it  into 
the  fire  (Jer.  xxxvi.  20 — 24).  He  trembled  at  God's  Word  (Isa.  Ixvi.  2).  He  was, 
like  Noah,  "moved  with  fear,"  when  he  heard  of  the  dreadful  evils  God  would  bring 
upon  the  nation.  He  did  not  dispute  the  justice  of  God's  threatenings,  but  acknow- 
ledged that  he  was  righteous,  and  the  people  wicked.  He  included  himself  in  the 
general  condemnation:  "Great  is  the  wrath  of  the  Lord  that  is  kindled  against  «.s, 
because  our  fathers  have  not  hearkened,"  etc.  This  is  how  God's  Word  ought  always 
to  be  received — with  humility,  with  faith,  with  trembling  of  heart  at  his  threatenings, 
if  also  with  joy  and  hope  at  his  promises. 

III.  Light  6(iuqht  on  God's  Word.  1.  A  holy  woman.  The  king,  as  above  stated, 
sent  "  to  inquire  of  the  Lord"  at  the  hands  of  an  accredited  prophet,  with  the  view  of 
ascertaining  wiiat  means  should  be  adopted  to  reverse,  if  possible,  the  curse  which  the 
sins  of  long  generations  had  brought  upon  the  nation.  The  persons  sent  were  five — ■ 
liilkiah  the  jiriest,  Shaphan  the  scribe,  and  his  son  Ahikam,  Achbor  the  son  of  Michaiah, 
and  Asahiah  a  servant  of  the  king's, — an  honourable  deputation.  The  person  to  whom 
they  went  was  a  prophetess  named  Huldah,  who  dwelt  in  Jerusalem.  This  holy 
woman  was  no  recluse,  but  the  wife  of  Sliallum,  the  keeper  of  the  royal  (or  priestly) 
wardrobe.  In  the  distriliution  of  Gdd's  gifts,  woman  is  not  less  honoured  than  man. 
We  If  aril  from  Uulduli  that  religion  and  the  duties  of  common  life  do  not  stand  apart. 
2.  Ttie  WortJ  conjirmed.  On  the  general  question  the  prophetess  had  little  to  give 
them  in  the  way  of  comfort.  Probably  she  had  already  learned  the  tenor  of  the 
threatenings  in  the  s;icred  b<x>k,  or  its  words  were  now  read  to  her;  but  she  could  only 
Bpeak  to  give  the  tlireaienings  emphatic  confirmation.  "Toll  the  man  th;it  sent  you, 
'I'huH  saith  the  Lord,  Behold,  I  will  bring  evil  upon  this  placi;,"  etc.  Tlio  words  of  the 
Law  would  l)(!  fuiriiicd,  because  tlio  i)eo|)lc  had  committed  the  sins  wliich  the  Law 
denounced:  "'J'liey  have  forsaken  me,  and  have  burmd  incense  unto  other  gods,"  etc. 
Tl.ii  iM  not  contrary  to  .Jeremiah's  word,  "  Jf  lliat  nation,  ni^'ainst  whom  I  have  j)ro- 
nounced,  turn  imm  tlnir  evil,  1  will  repent  of  tli(!  evil  that  I  tlioujht  to  do  unto  them" 
(Jor.  xviii.  H;  cl.  ch.  xxvi.  ',i).  It  was  thi;  knowledge  and  foresi  'ht  that  .Judah  would 
ri'jt  truly  r«j|K;nt  which  ^iive  tho  al)Holiit(!neHH  to  the  pro[)liecy.  Jeremiah,  while 
exhorting  In  repontanco,  alHo  [.'ivuH  (iX|in^HHioii  to  the  oilier  Hide  of  the  truth,  that  the 
uaiiou'M  condition  jh  hojieleHH  (.Jer.  vii,  \(t;  xv.  1,  etc.).  3.  Mercy  to  the  kin;/.  To  the 
"mm  "  Hulduh  ha<i  no  mcHHBge  of  comfort;  but  to  "the  King  of  Jndah  "  alio  hiu\  a 
word  of  moruy  to  send.     Becauju   Josiah's  heart  v/om  tender,  and  he  had  humbled 


XXIII.  1     ST.]     THE   SEOOXD   BOOK  OF  THE  KISOS. 


451 


blmv'f  w»  r  h"  Vifti  hmni  of  Ik*  dMoUiloa  and  lh«  oanm  ikat  woild  mom  vpoa  tiM 
Imi  bad  br«rd  him,  aod  would  tuAr*  blm  ihm   rxp«1«oo«  ol  Um  vtU 

lllai    ,  .  Ho  would  he  Ukeo  •way  "from  th«  •r\\  Uj  ouom*  (Im.  Irti.  l). 

Qj^i  ite  Dslioa  M  •  wbolo  repnl^d  in  like  lumniw,  wo  canuui  di*ubt  tb»l  U  woold 
ha**  bwo  winiUrlr  Bitit^i  <»  •<  •»«>Tfr  r»-j.vi«  ihe  bumUe  and  ^uifiU-  baarl  (lak 
Izvi  SX     1^  ''  ^  ^'^  lullill»1   in  a  w»y  which  vxUrnAily 

WM  a  grmt  c^  -  >'•  defoat  and  d«a'b  at  Maflddo,  lo  hmuim 

wilb  Pbaraoh-.No^i-u^  ;cU.  lim    .:.',  ^>      Uud«  iMfCJ  T«U«  UmU  MStkr 
guiMa      J.  0. 


IX  POSITION. 


CHAPTKU  XXriL 


▼era.  1 — S7  — JooAB'a  Kai(KWA.L  ovTma 

ODTEMAVr.         iiU       ReVOBJU      and       DSATtt. 

Kuds    uF  Jbuoauas.      Aockmuum   or   J»- 

■OtAUM. 

Yen.  1— A— /(MiaJk'a  rwM»al  of  tkn  eom- 
wmmL  The  flnl  oarv  of  Joeuh.  oo  leoeiving 
Haldidi'a  OMMuge,  wbieh  atamped  the  book 
foait J  ai  tho  true  **  book  of  the  eorenADt," 
was  to  call  together  a  ^t«t  aae- mblj  of 
the  nati'm,  which  ihuald  be  aufflciently 
rvprueentiaire  of  it,  and  rt^aew  the  eoT»- 
■aat  b-  twt-en  God  aad  hia  people  made 
ong:inally  at  Uot«b  (Ezod.  xix.  i—S;  xxir. 
8 — 8),  wLieh  it  vaa  apparent,  by  the  worda 
«f  the  book,  that  he  and  hia  pt^>ple  liad 
bRdEBB.  HJa  proeeedinga  may  be  fitly  com- 
pared with  tboae  of  Jehoiada,  the  high 
prit«t  after  t'le  reign  of  the  idolatroua  Aiha- 
liah,  r«>r>rd<d  in  ch.  xL  17  ;  but  they  were 
■till  mure  formal  and  ailt-mn,  iuai«moch  aa 
llie  recent  alienation  of  the  people  from  Je- 
hovah had  been  ao  muou  more  proloDg«d, 
•od  ao  mooh  more  complete,  than  the  alieua- 
tion  andar  Atbaliah. 

Yet.  1.— ABd  the  king  Mat,  and  tkay 
gatkerad  ante  him  all  the  aldart  of  Jmdak 
•ad  af  Jarvaalem  ;  Le.  all  tho  elden  of  Jem- 
aiilnm  and  of  Ujo  rt«t  uf  Jodah.  (On  the 
important poaitioo  h^  by  **tbe  elder*"  in 
the  nndinded  kingdom,  aae  1  Kiagi  nlL  1, 
and  the  oumcuc^t  <id  loe. ;  aud  <jo  their 
pu»iii<>it  in  the  tli%idt-<i  kintrdxma  of  lantel 
and  Ju  laii.  aee  1  Kauga  xz.  7,  tt;  xxl  8, 11; 
eh.  X.  1.  etc  ) 

Vcr.  i.-Aad  the  king  vaat  ay  Into  the 
kaaaa  at  tha  LacA.  No  place  oould  be  ao 
•oitAblx  for  tiiA  ri-aowal  ^^  the  eoTenant 
bi-t '  liia  (lOi'i'le  aa  tbt<  h'Uae 

of  <  i  wa<  in  a  fxxuliar  way 

ai  H   •  i..      J  ■   «     .,    ,;  '•  tu  the 

temple  rrutn  die  rujai  ualaae,  « inch  waa  on 
a  lovm  laval  (oamp.  1  Kia^  a.  f  >    Aad  aU 


tha  man  af  Jodak  aad  aS  tka  lakakttaaii  iff 
Janualaa  vUk  him.  Not  only  the  "  eidan,* 
who  had  beaa  aammooeii.  hot  of  the  paopf^ 
aa  amoy  ao  eboaa  to  atu-od,  bmd  «.  TIm 
pUbarinf  waa  ou  doubt  gr««t :  but  tb*  *z- 
ptemkna  aaad  are  (aa  with  the  Oriantala 
geoerwlly)  brpavboiieaL  Aad  tba  priaaca, 
and  tba  propaata.  Tba  roproatntatioa  woald 
hare  beaa  tnaomplate  without  tboaa  tww 
elaaaea— tba  P>ic«U^  tba  ordinary  and  raga* 
Ut  readt-n  (Dent  zxaL  11)  aud  taaatiiaa 
(DeuC  xxxiiL  10)  of  tba  L«w  ;  and  th*  pR>> 
phett,  the  extnordinary  and  oecankmal 
teaohera,  inapired  (r  ax  time  to  time,  aud 
oommladooea  tu  enforce  the  Law,  and  far- 
tht-r  to  deelarv  Uod't  wiJ  to  thr  («opla. 
And  all  the  p«opla,  both  email  and  great; 
i^  withuot  diauuctioo  of  ela*«a— all  aaka 
of  the  people,  high  and  low,  riah  aad  poai^ 
noble  and  baao  born.  Ail  were  anaoiirrir<1, 
nay,  eoooemod  equally,  in  a  matter  *hi<  b 
touched  the  natiunal  life  and  the  protprcta 
of  c«<-li  indiriduaL  And  he  read  in  ihair 
aara.  There  ia  no  ruajou  fur  tnuulaMijg.  witk 
Keil,  **  he  oniutrd  to  be  rvad  in  thcu  earn,* 
aa  though  eithtrr  the  Jewiah  kia^i  eoold  aol 
read,  or  would  be  usurpiug  the  fuoetiaaa  «f 
the  (•rie»ta  in  publicly  mldiug  tho  Law  la 
the  people^  If  a  king  uatrht,  like  Si>l'>moa 
(1  King*  tUL  2S— «1X  l«ad  tba  paayom  af 
the  congregation  of  lara«l  in  tba  templa^ 
moeh  more  might  he  read  Uie  Law  to  thc-m. 
The  readeta  in  the  Jewiah  ayiiagognca  are 
ordinarily  lay  paopla  All  tba  worda  of  tha 
book  of  tba  aoraaaat.  Parbapa  tbera  ia  bora 
aooM  eaaggatation.  aa  in  the  vh  r.L»rai,  *  aU 
the  men  affjodali,"  and  **  i  .bitanta 

of  Jemaalem.*  The  entir  <  •  could 

aearoely  be  rr-ad  through  in  U^  '.:-an  tea 
boora.  Pi«aibly,  the  Book  uf  LVutcraooaj 
waa  alooe  read.  Wbieb  waa  found  la  tba 
booM  of  tba  Lord  (aee  abo«r.  ih  xxii  8). 

Ver.  i. — Aad  tba  king  atood  by  a  pUlar — 
-T^syn  Sp  la  not  **  by  the  pillar."  l>ot  (m  ia 
rh  xi.  14)  **ea  the  pUtf  rm  "  (aee  the  eeaa- 
mmt  on  that  pl^iv  > — aad  aad«  a  aoToaaat 
before  tb*  Lord ;  liu-rally.  Mod*  fiU  eo«MMe4 
(aa  in  eh.  sL  17) ;  i  a.  uad«.  or  retMwoi,  tbo 
old  coTeiia'4  with  0<«1  ^llxuu.  xxif.  S— t^X 
which  had  breo  brahaa  by 
aaflaot  of  tba  Law,  aad  tba 


453 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.    Coh.  xxra.  1—37. 


tries  of  Man  asseh  and  Amon.  He  renewed 
thia  covenant  "  before  the  Lord,"  i.e.  from 
his  platform  in  the  court,  directly  opposite 
the  entrance  to  the  temple,  through  which 
he  could,  perhaps,  see  the  veil  hanging  in 
front  of  the  holy  of  holies — at  any  rate 
being,  and  feeling  himself  to  be,  in  the 
immediate  presence  of  God.  To  walk  after 
the  Lord — i.e.  to  be  his  true  follower  and 
servant — and  to  keep  his  commandments  and 
Ms  testimonies  and  his  statutes.  (Ou  the 
multiplication  of  such  terms,  see  the  com- 
ment upon  1  Kings  ii.  3.)  They  are  intended 
to  express  "  the  totality  of  the  Law,"  all  its 
requirements  without  exception.  With  all 
their  heart  and  all  their  soul— obedience 
was  worthless,  unless  paid  from  the  heart 
and  eoul  (see  Deut.  iv.  29  ;  xxx.  2  ;  Joel  ii. 
12,  13)— to  perform  the  words  of  this  cove- 
nant that  were  written  in  this  book.  And  all 
the  people  stood  to  the  covenant.  The  repre- 
sentatives of  the  people,  one  and  all,  were 
parties  to  the  promise  made  on  their  behalf 
py  the  king,  and  signified  their  consent, 
probably  as  they  had  done  in  Horeb,  when 
**  Moses  took  the  book  of  the  covenant,  and 
read  in  the  audience  of  the  people ;  and  they 
said,  All  that  the  Lord  lias  said  will  we  do, 
and  be  obedient "  (see  Deut.  xxiv.  7). 

Verd.  4 — 27. — Josidh't  reformation  of  reli' 
fion.  The  reformation  of  religion  by  Josiah 
next  engages  the  writer's  attention,  and  is 
treated,  not  chronologically,  but  rather  geo- 
grapliically,  under  the  three  heads  of  (I) 
reforms  in  Jerusalem;  (2)  reforms  outside 
Jerusalem,  but  in  the  kingdom  of  Judah ; 
and  (3)  reforms  in  the  territory  which  had 
belonged  to  the  kingdom  of  Samaria  (vers. 
4 — 20;.  The  celebration  of  the  Passover  is 
then  briefly  noticed  (vers.  21 — 23) ;  and  the 
section  concludes  with  a  eulogy  of  Josiah 
(vew,  24,  25),  who,  however,  it  is  noticed 
oould  not,  with  all  his  piety,  obtain  a  revo- 
cation of  tlie  sentence  passed  on  Judah  in 
couMi  quf-rico  of  the  sins  of  ManasBeh.  The 
fate  oi  J  uduh  was  fixed  (vers.  2G,  27). 

Ver.  4. — And  the  king  commanded  Hilkiah 
the  high  priest,  and  the  priests  of  the  second 
order.  Not  the  "  (hiputy-liigh  priests,"  of 
wlioin  tliore  seemH  to  have  been  f)Mly  ono  at 
thiu  period  of  tho  history  (ch.  ixv.  18);  nor 
tlie  "  hwiilfl  of  tho  <;ourHi'«,"  wiio  were  not 
rfM'-o^iizod  as  a  diHtirmt  cIuhh  of  pri<  h(h  till 
uiiicii  lat<ir;  liut  merely  tho  coiniiiciii  prii  hIh, 
an  diatingiiished  from  the  high  priiHl.  (So 
Knii,  h<k\\T,  and  othon.)  And  tho  keepers 
of  the  door;  lit«rally,  lli^  kfijmm  of  the 
OtTfiiluM  ;  i.e.  the  lyevitcn,  whomi  duty  it,  wim 
I"  k»«p  vatoh  and  ward  at  the  ouUir  Uinplu 


gates  (see  1  CJhron.  xxvl.  13 — 18).  Their 
importance  at  this  time  appears  again  in  ch. 
XXV.  18.  To  bring  forth  out  of  the  temple 
of  the  Lord  all  the  vessels  that  were  made 
for  Baal.  The  reformation  naturally  began 
with  the  purging  of  the  temple.  So  the 
reformation  under  Jehoiada  (ch.  xi.  18)  and 
that  of  Manasseh  (2  Ohron.  xxxiii.  15). 
Under  "the  vessels"  (a^^an)  would  be  in- 
cluded the  entire  paraphernalia  of  worship, 
even  the  two  altars  which  had  been  set  up 
in  honour  of  Baal  in  the  outer  and  the  inner 
coui  ts  (comp.  ch.  xxi.  5).  And  for  the  grove 
(see  ch.  xxi.  3),  and  for  all  the  host  of  heaven. 
The  three  worships  are  here  united,  because 
there  was  a  close  connection  between  them. 
Baal  was,  in  one  of  his  aspects,  the  sun  ;  and 
Astarte,  the  goddess  of  the  "  grove  "-wor- 
ship, was,  in  one  of  ner  aspects,  the  moon. 
The  cult  of  "  the  liost  of  heaven,"  though, 
perhaps,  derived  from  a  different  source, 
naturally  became  associated  with  the  cults 
of  the  sun  and  moon.  And  he  burned  them 
without  Jerusalem  in  the  fields  of  Eidron. 
The  Law  required  that  idols  should  be 
burnt  with  fire  (Deut.  vii.  25),  and  likewise 
"groves"  (Deut.  xii.  3).  It  was  enough 
to  "  overthrow  "  altars  (Deut.  xii.  3)  and  to 
"break "  pillars.  But  Josiah  seems  to  have 
thought  it  best  to  destroy  by  fire,  i.e.  in  the 
corapletest  possible  way,  all  the  objects,  of 
whatever  kind,  wliich  had  been  connected 
with  the  idol-worship  (see  vers.  6, 12, 15, 16). 
The  burning  took  place  in  "  the  fields  of 
Kidron,"  i.e.  in  the  upper  part  of  the  Kidron 
valley,  to  the  north-east  of  Jerusalem,  in 
order  that  not  even  the  smoke  should  pollute 
the  town  (comp.  1  Kings  xv.  1 3).  And  carried 
the  ashes  of  them  unto  Bethel.  This  was  a 
very  unusual  precaution, and  shows  Josiali's 
extreme  scrupulousness.  He  would  not  have 
even  the  ashes  of  the  wooden  objects,  or  the 
calcined  powder  of  the  metal  ones,  remain 
even  in  the  vicinity  of  tho  holy  city,  but 
transported  them  to  a  distance.  In  selecting 
Bethel  as  the  place  to  convey  them  to,  he 
was  no  doubt  actuated  by  the  circumstance 
that  that  village  was  in  somo  sense  tho  fount 
and  origin  of  all  the  religions  impurities 
which  had  overflowed  the  land.  That  which 
had  proceeded  from  Bethel  might  well  b« 
taken  back  thither. 

Ver.  5.  And  he  put  down  tho  idolatrous 
priests;  WivrwWy,  Ike,  ohimnrim.  Tho  same 
word  iH  UHod  of  idolatrous  prii-sts  in  ilos.  x 
5  and  Zcpli.  i.  4.  It  is  bout  connuetod 
with  the  Arabic;  root  chamnr,  oolere  <U'un%, 
and  with  tho  Syriao  riimro,  "  prieKl. "  or 
"Hacrifleer."  Tho  Syrian  prio^tH  were  |iro- 
baltly  HO  calliid  ut  the  time, and  tho  llolinnvh 
took  tho  word,  and  a])plied  it  to  all  falHO 
pricislH  or  idoliilrouB  priests,  rc.sorvinj;  tlicir 
own  rnhiinim  (D'yilD)  Cor  tnio  JclmviHtio 
priiiMta  only.      WWai  th«  kingi  of    Judah 


oa.xxui.l~.ST.]      TBK  BEa)Nn   BOOK   OF  TliR   KINOfli 


kai  •riftlaa  te  ban  Ibmm*  la  tk«  klfh 
fteMt  la  tk«  dtiM  sf  J%AMk,  «ai  la  tk«  pUtM 
lMa4  aWat  Itxwmltm.    T*"*  •"     ■■—  '--v* 
•oi   l«0a   BteiittoB«'d    prr 
•HMtipIv  tuiT*  bpklO|t«d  U' 
doai  o/  JadNh,  whrn  "ttm  ;>r.>»>  '  («■  «»« 
•r*  k>t<i  an  oOnt)  **  wor*lii|i|««]  ntvl   txtr'it 
lMi«m««  in  th«  InKii  pUof*."     1 
la  bariaoiiv   witii  Ute  oii<er  <l 

•ImI    Anion,   ih     •      -'   -       •    .•   1     ir-t-Bwui- 

tlw  bigh  pi*  S.  SIX  (baj 

•boald   havr   folluM     ;  .xiom  of  th« 

lw«elil<-  tnonarrh*  at  Dan  aiKl  lV»t)iFl  (1 
KiB««  xil  t8  St),  and  bave  "  onlNioMl 
■rlHto  "  t^  cmxiurt  t!i«>  wonihip  Kt  Uicin. 
IWm  &1*o  that  baruad  luccnso  unto  Baal,  to 
tkt Ma, amd  to  tba  moon  (un  tli<-  Itnal-wunUp 
ot  MaMMeb  and  AtiKxi,  b.  ,•  cb  xxi  M;  »a 
thaoaa^wormbip,  ootnprirf  )»  I  w,  vir.  11  :  tb« 
atooe-wunbip  waa  pnlMlly  m  funu  uf  tbe 
^etabip  of  .\«tart«),  and  to  tho  planata; 
ratlier,  to  the  liclrf  $iffn*.  Tbo  oouatulU- 
tiuna  nr  »\eu»  of  tb.  i^kliao  ar«,  no  doubt, 
iatrii  '  V  ii.  32,  wlicjv  tXus 

tenii  d  aa  a  ai<  re  Tari- 

ant  fi'iiii  •^■i  iiie  .  -  I'i  ibU  piawge).  Tbe 
pivjpar  moaniDg  of  the  t'  rm  U  **  manMona," 

»•»  "* "■s,"  tbf  e-  '        i    -•  ••  -   I- 'iitj  re- 

vhe  "  mu^  -  by  tbe 

v'18  (Si-O  'A  8,'  ToL 

ilk.  p.  41;^).  And  to  ail  ib«  boat  uX  heavaa 
(*«•  tbe  oommciit  on  cb.  xxi.  3). 

Ver.  6. — And  he  broaght  out  the  frove 
from  the  house  of  the  Lord.  Tik'  .Aaiierab 
•c-l  up  by  >I»  .tsali  (ob.  xxi.  8  iiii>l  7),  and  if 
ri'Ui  iTi-d  (ii  Cbron.  xxxiii  15X  tb«.u  n  jibictxi 
Lt  Auion  C^  Cbrcvi.  xxxiii.  22),  ia  iniLudtnL 
(On  ita  priibablc  f  rm,  aee  tbeomaieut  upon 
eb.  xxi  7.)  Without  Jeiosalem,  onto  the 
brook  KidroB  (»•  e  tbe  rmiim.  i»t  ou  rer.  4), 
and  bumpd  it  at  the  brook  Kidron.  After 
tli<'  px.iiiip  e  of  Asji.  who  biid  tretitM  in  tb« 
•Miijf  WMj  tbe  idol  of  tbe  qoex  n-iuotber 
>Iit«<"  M'  (iKiiu'-T\  ]H\  An*  I..I  ...>od  the 
•xai..  wbeo 

ba  U'  .\       '^.umpod 

it  ima^  u  pwwd«r.  Mi  i^la  u^y  U  t  .Joined 
by  iutoiiae  beat,  and  it^lurtxl  into  a  etttic  ia 
vuicii  H  Twy  Biuall  apj.licntion  oJ  foroO  will 
critab  tbtui  into  a  ti.f  pi>wder.  It  ia  eloM 
frim  tb<-  [.r.  ~  •  ..■.-.,.  II -t  M  'tMeh'a 
A«'.»-nib   »  .  .'ate  in 

pa/L     Anj  .•>on  Iha 

griLwm  of  iLe  cbiidicu  ut  lb*  p«upia;  i  r. 
*  upon  tbo  gravee  of  the  oooiiu  >u  jioopU  " 
(eotnp.  J*-r.  xxfi.  'iH,  wbare  tbe  exprtMeioQ 
•••il  in  tbo  llebrvw  U  tbo  aame).  Tha 
«««iiini<m  poiiplo  wt-re  aut  buried,  lika  tlia 
bct'.cr  aort,  in  rirk  beva  Mpoldiraa,  bat  la 
graxea  of  tbe  ordiiiury  dooeriptioe.     Burial* 

Siae**  aen.'  rega.dfl  at  unclrdn,  and  wer« 
lua  fit  rt<i^<ei>lArlaa  for  any  ktud  of  luipuntj. 
Ver.  7.     And  he  brake  dovn  the  hovaa 
•odoaitoai    burwUj.    ^    U«    tm^ 


*'  '     .aa.    (8a«  tho ooauaaoA aa  1  Kingi 

d  aota  thai  tbo  aMio  pmotiiuu-a, 

-alod  ttlllMlfai  to  tb« 

^  and    ■oeeni^iii'-  i     i 

■  tivfi'Vrr     It     waa     inlr<4l(i<-c^. )  r 

tn*»   (' Ji«w  afid    (•♦•(I'tif,'    riA 


and  Ihaefi 

ao'oiiiiiaiix 


UuiUl,  an4   I  .   ^   Uiu.  <■  r<    to 

larer»to  tb>  rnwi.ra,  ■:  >   ■  of 

Uieir  manb'ot  \\  !:.•  .    -  ,» 

remly    for    tbe    |      ■      •         , 

ran    «itb    iiiv  u.ui  .»'  i    ; 

city,  and    r«->t  ivt^i   fr  m    : 

tb'  r  tbrtw  tlnni  ini  ,  a  m  i 

eba.-titj,    but   burr^nnera.    «aa   .  > 

tbe    oiutilatiun.       In    this    tb^  v 

deaired     to    be    likt- 

r«  lution  of  foul   lust 

foi « anJ    f*'^    .    ..  I     . 

ganlt-d  a«    .  1 

by  bual-an  >  ,  j 

the  honae  of  tbe  Lord,      ibe  nrar  Tirinity 
ia   an   iudioMii'>n  tbat  tbo  Cialli  t^x>k   pan 
in    tbo    foreign   rit<a  intn^lui^od   iutu    tbo 
t«niple  by  Manaaofb  and  Aro-n.    TliO  awful 
piofanatiou  of  tbo  boube   uf  ii<tl    by  aucb 
or^'tLv  La  too  terrible  to  dMiU  o.i.     Whore 
the  women   wove  hasgijig*  f  r  t^  •    ?-  \» 
*•  TliB  woiuBU  "  ari  no  d  i. 
of  tbe  D(-a  Syra,  who  arc 
tioQed   with   tbe  OallL,   and,    i 
with    tbeni.      Tbev    •ropt.ive.l 


Kz«k.  xvt.  IG  tl.at  tLe»<-  "OuVt.tkugM"  werb 
diiiuty  fabtioa  of  n^a  <y  c  1  "ura. 

Ver.  8. — And  he  broaght  all  the  phe*u 
oat  of  the  eitiea  of  Jndnh.     Here  ti.     »    -..  r 

dlTtr^rea  from  liia  prc>|irr  8mI  jivt—  • 
in  sfis!  nt'ar  Jen!«i!-fii     t    ?•-:. 


■1 


And  dtflled  the  hi^h  piAc&s  uLc:e  i^e  pnc»La 
iMd  boraad  tneonee.     llr£<-&  .ih   ba.1   *- r»- 

n>ken    llio 

•     tiin>ot:b- 

'     -*   b  m1 


MoTod  tha   high   pli> 
iBagoa.  aad  out  down 

oat  biodoMioiooa  (ob.  i  . 
B<>t  in  any  way  "  :  tiled  i. 
and  thireiure  u>>  ^•  ur^  di 


.kc  • 


1   tho 


different  new  ef  bi*    ititie*  tiik..  lUv  w<««biw 

SX   aU 


vaa    at 


rnatorad    (oh.    XJii 


454 


THE  SECiOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS,    [oh.  xxiu.  1—37. 


flourished  as  before.  Josiah  conceived  the 
idea  that,  if  the  high  places  were  "  defiled," 
it  would  be  impossible  to  renew  the  worship 
at  them.  From  Oeba  to  Beersheba.  Geba 
takes  here  the  place  of  Bethel  as  the  northern 
limit  of  Judah.  It  was  situated  at  a  very 
short  distance  from  Bethel,  and  was  made 
to  supersede  it  on  account  of  the  idolatries 
by  which  Bethel  had  been  disgraced.  The 
exact  site  is  probably  the  modem  Jeha^ 
on  the  southern  edge  of  the  Wady  Suweinit. 
And  brake  down  the  high  places  of  the 
gates.  The  high-place  worship  had,  it 
would  seem,  invaded  Jerusalem  itself.  In 
some  of  the  gates  of  the  city,  which  were 
"large  open  buildings  for  public  meetings 
and  intercourse"  (Bahr),  altars,  or  more 
elaborate  places  of  worship,  had  been  estab- 
lished, and  an  unauthorized  ritual  of  the 
high-place  type  had  been  set  up.  That  were 
— rather,  that  which  was — in  the  entering 
in  of  the  gate  of  Joshua  the  governor  of  the 
city.  This  and  the  succeeding  clauses  are 
limitations  of  the  general  statement  con- 
cerning the  "high  places  of  the  gates,"  and 
indif  ite  that  two  gates  only  had  been 
polluted  by  high-place  worship,  viz.  "the 
gate  of  Joshua,"  and  the  gate  known  nar' 
e^oxhv  as  "  the  city  gate."  Neither  of  these 
can  be  determinately  fixed,  since  they  are 
only  mentioned  in  the  present  passage. 
Which  were  on  a  man's  left  hand  at  the 
gate  of  the  city;  rather,  and  also  that 
which  was  on  the  left-hand  side  in  the  gate 
of  the  city.     (So  Thenius,  Keil,  and  Bahr.) 

Ver.  9.  ^Nevertheless  the  priests  of  the 
high  places  came  not  up  to  the  altar  of  the 
Lord  in  Jerusalem.  Though  Josiah  recalled 
to  Jerusalem  the  Levitical  priests  who  had 
recently  been  attached  to  the  various  high 
places,  yet  he  did  not  attach  them  to  the 
temple,  or  assign  them  any  part  in  its 
services.  Their  participation  in  a  semi- 
idolatrous  service  had  disqualified  them  for 
the  temple  ministrations.  But  they  did  oat 
of  the  unleavened  bread  among  their 
brethren.  They  were  allowed,  i.e.,  their 
maintenance  out  of  the  priestly  revenues, 
as  were  priests  disqualified  by  a  personal 
blemish  (Ia:v.  xxi.  21,  22).  Practically 
they  lived  on  the  altar  gifts  intended  for 
the  j)riehtH  (F/Cv.  vl.  9,  10,  22),  in  which  it 
waH  nriltiwful  to  mix  leuven. 

Vor.  10.  And  he  defiled  Topheth.  "To- 
phcth  "  or  "  'i'oph«;t  "  was  tho  name  given 
ii>  tho  place  in  tho  valley  of  llinnom  whore 
the  MiicrilioiH  were  olfered  to  Molotrii.  'J'ho 
root  ol  tJK!  word  is  thought  l)y  somo  to  be 
tajih  (~|~),  *'a  drutn,"  brcauwi  thcj  cries  of 
tho  chil'Iren  burnt  there  were  drownoij  by 
the  Ix-atin;,'  of  drumH.  OIIhth  HiiKk''«t  uh 
the  ro'it,  tnjih  (^v^),  "  to  •j<it,"  becuUMo  tho 
pliio'i  w(i«  "  M[>rtt,  lit"  by  tlie  orthodox.  But 
Gim^mimM  and   Bottcber  derive  It  from   an 


Aryan  root,  taph,  or  tap,  "to  bum,"  whence 
Greek  daTrreiy,  r4<ppa,  Latin  tepidus,  Mod. 
Persian  tdftan,  Sanskrit  tap,  etc.,  aad  regard 
the  meaning  as  simply  "  the  place  of  burn- 
ing" (see  the  comment  on  Isa.  xxx.  83). 
Which  is  in  the  valley  of  the  children  of 
Hinnom.  The  valley  of  Hinnom,  or  of  the 
sons  of  Hinnom,  is  generally  allowed  to  be 
that  which  sweeps  round  the  more  western 
of  the  two  hills  whereon  Jerusalem  was 
built,  in  a  direction  at  first  south  and  then 
east,  uniting  itself  with  the  Kidron  valley 
a  little  to  the  south  of  Ophel.  The  origin 
of  the  name  is  uncertain;  but  it  is  most 
likely  that  the  Beni-Hinnom  were  a  tribe 
of  Canaanites,  settled  on  this  side  of  Jeru- 
salem in  the  time  of  Joshua  (Jo.sh.  xv.  8). 
The  "  valley  "  is  a  ravine,  deep  and  narrow, 
with  steep,  rocky  sides.  When  the  Moloch- 
worship  first  began  in  it  we  cannot  say ; 
but  it  was  probably  before  the  time  of 
Solomon,  who  built  a  high  place  for  Moloch 
(1  Kings  xi.  11),  on  one  of  the  heights  by 
which  the  valley  is  enclosed.  (On  the 
horrible  profanatious  of  the  Molocli-worship, 
see  Jer.  vii.  31,  32 ;  xix.  4 — 13 ;  xxxii.  35.) 
After  the  Captivity,  the  valley  of  Hinnom— 
Ge-Hinnom — was  reckoned  an  accursed  and 
abominable  place,  a  sort  of  earthly  counter- 
part of  the  place  of  final  punishment,  which 
thence  derived  its  name  of  "  Gehenna " 
(Vievva);  (see  Matt.  V.  22,  29,  etc.).  That 
no  man  might  make  his  son  or  his  daughter 
to  pass  through  the  fire  to  Moloch  (see 
the  comment  on  ch.  xvi.  3). 

Ver.  11. — And  he  took  away  the  horses 
that  the  kings  of  Judah  had  given  to  the 
sun.  The  custom  of  dedicating  horses  to 
the  sun  was  practised  by  many  ancient 
nations;  but  it  is  only  in  Persia  that  we 
find  iiorses  and  chariots  so  dedicated  (Xen., 
'Oyrop.,'  viii.  3.  §  12).  The  idea  of  the 
sun-god  as  a  charioteer,  who  drove  his 
horses  daily  across  the  sky,  is  one  common 
to  several  of  the  Aryan  nations,  aa  the 
Greeks,  the  Romans,  the  Hindix)B,  and 
others;  but  we  do  not  find  it  either  in 
Egyi)t  or  among  tho  Semitic  peoples.  The 
sacrifice  of  tho  horse  to  the  sun  was  more 
general  (Herod.,  i.  21(j;  Xen.,  'Ovrop.,'  viii. 
8.  §  24;  ♦Anab.,'  iv.  5.  §  'Afy;  Rig  Veda, 
vol.  ii.  pp.  112,  ff  «er/7.,  etc.),  but  tloes  not 
seem  to  have  b(  on  adopted  by  tho  Hebrews. 
It  is  not  at  all  clear  whence  tho  "kings  of 
Judali" — i.e.  Ahaz,  Manasseh,  and  Anion — 
derivcid  tho  idea  of  maintaining  uacred 
cliai  iota  and  horsoH  to  bo  used  in  their  sun- 
woruhi{>.  'i'hcy  certainly  could  not  have 
received  it,  as  Koil  tliinks,  "  througli  tho 
AsMyrianH."  At  tho  entering  in  of  tho  house 
of  the  Lord — the  horses,  i.e.,  wtiro  kept 
near  one  of  tho  ontninw^B  to  tho  toni^do, 
to  bo  riiudy  for  use  in  nacrod  prowwHiont 
— bj  the  ohamber    of   Nathan-melooh  th* 


mil,  l-a?.]      TUB  SISCX)ND  BOOK  OF  THB  KI!f<Ml 


Tliat*'  «irf  luKUV  "  rhiiiitM  ra  **  ktUcltad  lo 

Um   Irli  -                    a  URoi   M 

•ia|»•^  '  (I  C'hniM. 

11.  »  '.     1     SH ; 

xlU.  A  lai. 

7).     li  '  .  lb© 

cbamUiriititi,"  ui  i«itt<  r  "  IW  rmHttrk,"  <«vu. 
plt<d  on«  ot  Uk-ms  It  Wilt  •iitiiiimi  0"<;^3 
— ••|M  \h«  fMitakirU  "  or  •' imrlirtiB**  o(  II. e 
teu>|>l<'  And  burned  iho  rhaiioU  of  xht 
•an    wiih   flro   (■  '    '     1'    iV-.X 

J<«uili    burnt  nil  <   Ihmi 

bad    Ufii  li-  K.  .  .    tiiO 

|iiTai>ii«  «ii<l  **  t^ 

iu<'»«<l,"  or  •!' 

Vcr.  12.  Aud  iho  ajtAT*  lU^i  Mtff  on  th« 
top  of  iha  upper  rhumlivr  of  Ah&a.  It  «oiilii 
■win  lli»l   •■ '.  .  uIxT  of   A   ax" 

WM  withiu  t  .icui,  •ii»c«  tlitt 

pdltiti'-"  111   U^ur«  aud  after, 

mn  \*  i  .^'  to  the  t<>ni|>It>.     It 

Ejkv  li  i  on  Ike  flut  r<><>r  of 

oue  of  Uiv  tPkU  8,  ur  uti  the  top  of  m  aturo- 
rliatuber.  Almrv  iifoit  rtwfa  were  a  uew 
form  of  iinlutry,  uj'pnr.  iitlv  con  t-ctej  with 
the  wurfcliij)  of  tl.c"hi«l  «.f  luuveii"  (st-e 
Jet.  xix.  1:H;  Z-ph.  i.  5)  Which  th«  king* 
of  Jae^ah  •«••  Maiiusx-h  nul  Amoii,  [h  rli  >i>«t 
al»«  All  -z— had  made,  aud  the  altara  wh;ch 
Manassth  had  irade  in  the  two  ooortJ  of  the 
house  of  the  Lord  (mv  ulxtvc,  eh  xxi.  4,  5). 
As  Maiia.'-tit-h,  on  liia  rfpt-ntaiiOf,  uiervly 
••CiuJt  tii»-«-  altars  out  of  tlie  city"  (2  Clirun. 
xxxiii.  l.")),  it  wiw  fu>\  for  Amou  to  rfpl.iee 
them.  Tliey  Ulo  -«-«i  to  tbe  woriJiijj  of 
the  "  boat  of  bt-av.  n."  Did  the  king  beat 
dowB,  and  brake  th< m  dovn  from  thenee, 
and  ea«t  the  dust  of  them  into  the  brook 
Kidron  (comp.  vt-r.  6,  aud  the  oommeut 
ad  U>e). 

Ver.  13  —And  the  high  place*  that  wtra 
before  Jerusalem.  The  hit^li  jtiiiot^  which 
Solomon  establ;-lu*l  in  thi  ■  ■  '  :  lioo.! 
of  Jfru:«lem  for  the  umj  >  :  ttiid 

in  ill'-  «•  r^liip  at  which  lie  L     _  .ubflf 

e!  1    his   old   tt^e,  apiKmr  to  have 

U  I  ou  tlio  rid|^  of  tiiu  mouutMiu 

•  hicli  ihtm  over  a^inst  JcriLoaU-m  tu  thu 
•kjit,  a  (Mtri  uf  which  is  Olivet.  The  suuthcru 
»i.  ..d     muHt    ujTmtiimi*, 

*  h  plact-  of  Mol.*-h 
(y.  .  -'  ■ "'  -ru  summit 
(dow  '  .isu>  M>mc 
elaim  v.  :j  place  of 
Cheiuuah.  <Su  lir  cardua  ta  a.d.  l'ii*0 ) 
The  *it«  of  the  hi|{li  place  of  Afehtorvlh  is 
d-'uhtful  Which  wer«  on  the  right  hand 
of  the   mount   of   eormption.      Tne   unm« 

-  mount  ol  I .B  to  havo  lit^n 

^ivfii    nfior  to  the  entire 

ri'i^e     -if     I  r    over    against 

JrruiMit-m  Wl>  the  rast,  ou  tM'ouuut  i>f  the 
nlas   which   he   httd  ailowwl   h>   be  aat*b- 


Ikbffd  oa  It      The  -  r  i  "  of  Um 

nwwinteJB    would,   •erv;  wt*h    t%)». 

tiooa,  be  tba  nore  aout   rm    j«.'v      X^     ^ 

lele»c«  tke  Eimg  ti  larael    rat     - 

of   ttnul,   dntm   thrre    »     '•'     -• 

builded   for  Aahtoreth 

the  Zldoniani  r»r«-  i  K 

A>htijr<  Ih,  CI  i>o« 

8jn^  was  ».  "it 

Pbaiuiri  . 

yet  she 

nation  oi   w. 

to   whom   th- 

de<li<-«t'd   (»• 

of  Eshtiiuiiitx 'f,  pu'iii-tiot  tn   tlte  '  iiroiria 

of  the  Past.'  vol   ix   pp    1  IS,  1 1 4 )      Asd  ton 

Chemoeh  th*  abomination  of  "^    ,   .:«• 

CheniObh  appears  its  tttc  ij'  tha 

M'«hiU«i    on    the    famous    ' 

iu    ell  ven    placm.       '1  lie    i-: 

dedicate  I  to  Chemosh  (Hue  :-i>     ... 

ar«  k|K>ken  of  a*  **  the  |«<>[ile  of  * 

(linea   5,  6).      Sucoi^s*  lu    war  n- 

him,  and  d<  ft-nt  is  the  reeult  of 

Oneof  his'lisi'/n  .tioiis l»** As:  tAt-t 

(liiu-  17:  

Ashtar  I-  .d- 

inp    to    •  -.1  .tih- 

And  for  V  1  by  the 

J.ws     •  '.-i  "  It  .    r 

king" — ve.  liie  king  <>f  tb<'  .\ 
(xoplei,  aiiioe  he  wa*  thi-  aol'-  v 
they  acknowled;.^  iat-e  1  Kiu^pi  xi.  5; 
Jer.  xlix.  a  ouuiiiarvd  with  Jer.  xlviiL  7; 
Amne  i.  15 ;  Zepli.  i.  5)  The  abcminatioa 
of  the  children  of  Ammon  (p<^v  1  Ki:igs 
xL  5.  7 :  «:id  oo(u|«re  tht-  c»<UiUi<  tit  on 
1  Kings  in  the  '  I'ulpit  Ommentarv,'  p. 
222).  Did  the  king  defila  The  mno'tirr  ot 
the  defilement  is  sUtted  iu  the  next  \erae. 

Ver.  14. — And  he  brake  in  pieee*  th* 
image*  —  or,  piUar$  (m^-  the  comment  on 
1  Kings  xiv.  23)  and  cut  dovn  the  groves — 
i^.  the  attterim,  or  ^  s  .ci.  d  trv<«  "—and  filled 
their  place*  vith  the  bouts  of  men.  Wh  li- 
ever  sp<ike  of  d<-.ith  and  diseolutjon  wa>  a 
sp-oial  detilomi'Ut  tu  shriues  wh-  re  the  g>>ds 
Wurehlpptxl  Werr  deitlf?  of  prxiuotiVlly  and 
generation.     I  had    nl»>    the 

actual  iaint  -  .t  litem.     Th« 


of 


•r-  .'  decay,      ibe  itotiou  was  pn>- 

bu  *\lh  dt«tli  it*  If.      It  rvortred 

a  r  f  Law,   whii-h   ma«le  it  a 

h  loueh  a  e«^ir}>w  (N'umb 

XIX  il.  !(.-;,  a:i'l  i'i.>u'<nl  under  a  aentfDCr  of 
uui-leauuewa  all  tii  it  was  in  the  tviit  where 
a  ma  I  died  (Nuiiii'    iix    14.  15) 

Ver.  15. — MurcWcr  the  altar  that  wa*  at 
Bethel,  and  the  high  place ;  raUier.  ikr  tUUtr 
UUl  MM  tit  Ifrtkel,  tkf  htjk  ylae*,  without  aaj 
"and."     r:^n  i*  in  ai>{ioaitk>n  with  74^'V 


t56 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS,    [oh.  xxin.  1— 37> 


By  Betting  np  an  altar  at  Betliel,  Jero- 
boam constituted  Bethel  a  "high  place." 
Which  Jeroboam  the  son  of  Nebat,  who 
made  Israel  to  sin,  had  made  (comp.  1 
Kings  xii.  33;  xiii.  2),  both  that  altar  and 
the  high  place  he  brake  down.  "  The  high 
place  "  is  liere  equivalent  to  the  "  house  of 
high  places"  in  1  Kings  xii.  31,  and  desig- 
nates "t'lie  buildings  of  this  sanctuary" 
(Kcil).  At  such  a  national  centre  as  Bethel 
a  temple  would,  of  course,  accompany  the 
altar.  Whether  the  temple  and  altar  were 
in  use  or  not  at  the  time  when  Josiah 
destroyed  them,  is  uncertain.  The  mixed 
race  which  had  superseded  the  Israelites 
in  tlie  country  (ch.  xvii.  24 — 41)  may  have 
continued  the  worship,  or  may  have  set  it 
aside.  And  burned  the  high  place,  and 
stamped  it  small  to  powder.  It  is  not  clear 
that  this  latter  clause  applies  to  the  high 
place.  Pi-rhaps  we  should  translate — And 
gtamped  small  to  powder,  and  burned,  the 
grove.  It  is  for  the  most  part  only  com- 
paratively small  objects  that  are  "  stamped 
small  to  powder"  (see  vers.  6,  12,  and 
comp.  2  Chron.  xv.  21). 

Ver.  16. — And  as  Josiah  turned  himself, 
he  spied  the  sepulchres  that  were  there  in 
the  mount.  '1  he  Israelite  sepulchres,  exca- 
vated in  the  rocky  sides  of  hills,  are  every- 
where conspicuous.  Th'ise  of  Bethel  may 
have  been  in  the  low  hill  on  which  the 
town  stands,  or  in  the  sides  of  the  Wady 
Suweiuit,  a  little  fuither  to  tiir  south.  His 
occ/ii'n^i. '/(/'■  spying  the  t-ijiulclires "  gave 
Josiah  tlie  thouglit  of  comiikting  hia  dcse- 
cnition  of  Bethel  by  having  hones  brought 
from  tliem  and  burnt  ujioii  tlio  altar — 
whf-reliy  he  exactly  afcompli.slied  thu  old 
pruphfcy  (1  KiugH  xiii.  2),  whicli  was  not  at 
all  in  liis  niiii<l.  And  sent,  and  took  the 
boncB  out  of  the  sepulchres,  and  burned 
theni  upon  ihe  altar,  and  polluted  it(.sri;  the 
cfininii.iit  on  v.  r.  11),  according  to  the  word 
of  the  Lord  which  the  man  of  Cod  proclaimed, 
who  proclaimed  these  words;  rathi  r,  who 
projilitui' d  theio'.  tliiiujH.  TIk;  riforonco  is  to 
1  Kiri^^'M  xiii.  2,  iinJ  the  meaning  in,  not 
tiiiit  .IfMinb  acli'd  UM  Ik;  did  in  (ihU-.t  to  fullll 
the  |ir>ipliicy.  I*iil  tiial  in  liiun  acting  ho 
unrvirit<ci<HiMly  rniliihMJ  it. 

V.r.  17.  -  Then  ho  said.  What  title  Ih  that 
that  I  see  1  mlher,  Wlmt  pillar  in  lluU  Uud 
J  ti-f.1  .I'wian'H  «v<)  citii^^lil  Higlil  of  a 
*•  pillar"  or  oU)li^lt  (j.'v)  finmng  tiio  tonil)'<, 
nr  In  tlnlr  tMsii^lilMiurliixHl,  und  \w  had  llio 
rurK.Hity  to  ank  vsiiut  il  w^im  And  the  men 
of  the  city  told  him,  li  ih  the  Bopulchru  of 
the  man  of  Uod,  which  camu  from  Juilnh 
(■<•<•  ]  K'iii|;it  ziii.  1/  'I'lio  "  jnlhir  "  conld 
not  have  Um-ii  th<'  itrtniil  "  Hi<]in|c)irii,"  Init 
wan  IK>  doubt  a  nionuhieiit  (ronii<'<  UmI  willi 
U  Mniiy  "f  till'  I'hfiitiji'inii  (•xruvnliMl 
loiiii'X   •»•  K<'0<iiri|n(iiii><l  liy  iii'iiHitiMiiiU  itlx'Vii 


groand,  which  are  very  conspicuous  (see 
Kenan's  'Mission  de  Phenicie,' pis.  xi.,  e( 
eeqq. ).  And  proclaimed  these  things  that  thou 
hast  done  against  the  altar  of  Bethel  (see  1 
Kings  xiii.  2).  According  to  the  present 
text  of  Kings,  Josiah  was  prophesied  of 
hy  name,  as  the  king  who  would  defile  the 
altar ;  but  it  is  possible  that  the  words, 
"Josiah  by  name"  (iDK*'  irij^N'),  have  crept 
in  from  the  margin. 

Ver.  18. — And  he  said.  Let  him  alone; 
let  no  man  move  his  bones.  Josiah  re- 
membered the  circumstances  when  they 
were  recalled  to  him,  and,  in  order  to  show 
honour  to  the  "  man  of  God  "  (1  Kings  xiii., 
passim),  commanded  that  his  tomb  should 
be  undisturbed.  So  they  let  his  bones 
alone,  with  the  bones  of  the  prophet  that 
came  out  of  Samaria ;  i.e.  with  the  bones 
of  the  Israelite  prophet,  who  had  taken  care 
to  be  buried  with  him.  The  reference  is  to 
1  Kings  xiii.  31. 

Ver.  19. — And  all  the  houses  also  of  the 
high  places  that  were  in  the  cities  of  Sa- 
maria. The  writer  of  Chronicles  enters  into 
more  detail.  Josiah,  he  says,  carried  out 
his  destruction  of  the  high  places,  the 
groves,  and  the  images  "  in  the  cities  of  Ma- 
nasseh,  and  Ephraim,  and  Simeon,  even  unto 
Naphtali "  (2  Chron.  xxxiv.  6) — i.e.  to  the 
northern  limit  of  the  Holy  Land,  which  was 
occupied  by  Naphtali  and  Asher.  By  what 
right  Josiah  exercised  sovereign  authority 
in  the  old  kin;^dom  of  Samaria,  which  the 
Assyrians  had  conquered  and  attaclioil  to 
their  empire,  can  only  be  conjeiturcd. 
Some  have  supposed  Ihut  the  Assyrians  liad 
enlarged  his  sovereignty,  and  placed  Sa- 
maria under  his  rule;  others  regard  him  as 
having  transferred  Ins  allegiance  to  Nabo- 
jinliissar,  and  having  been  made  by  him 
viceroy  ovi  r  Palestine.  But  it  is,  j>orliap.s, 
most  probabh)  that  lie  merely  took  ad- 
vantage of  the  piilitical  commotions  of  the 
time  lo  extend  hia  dominion  so  .ar  as  it 
seemed  ^afo  to  do  so.  Assliur-bani-pal,  iho 
last  energetic  King  of  Assyria,  apiioars  to 
have  ceated  to  reign  in  .losiah's  fourtei  iitli 
year,  wlien  \w  was  succeeded  by  a  wi'ak 
monarch,  A Hslinr  ebil-ili.  (ireut.  lriinlil(>H  i\iiw 
liroKo  fiut.  'llio  Scylliiiins  iavaf;cd  \\'esl(<i  ti 
Asia  far  and  wiile.  Assyria  was  attacked 
by  the  Modes  and  ItaliyJiMiianH  in  eoni'dnii- 
tion.  Under  thcKo  circnm-laiiceH,  .loHiaii 
found  hiniHoir  piiielically  indcpendont,  und 
began  to  enl<'rtain  nmliilioUH  jirojectH.     Ilu 

"extended  bin  dnlnininll  Ironi  .IcrilHalcIll 
over  Saniariii"  (lOwnld).  AHHViia  was  lno 
iiiiicli  iiciMipicd  lo  tiikit  any  nolico.  Baliy- 
loniii  WIII4  in  the  thick  iif  thu  Htrilgglfi.  .lo- 
viaii  loiind  himmdf  ul)lo  Ui  roiiniln  under 
liin  own  lieudMiiip  all  tlio  Hcnlterod  portidtiM 
(if  ili»  old  Inritolito  kingdom,  oxci  pt,  pcr- 
liit|>H.  ih»  Lruiui-Juniaiiio  diatrint      ili>  Itivinil 


m  itm.  l—ar.]     TUB  tiKOOND  BuOK  OF 


Uoe  of  h«     .1 
ftjif«r.     'lite 

•itrp'T   alio«<  . 

Iioiil    »r:,> 


'f    ttiul 


^-ii-uc..  but    i.;^^  < 
^^«l.   Dana,  mtad 

:<wi  of  imimk,  rnM  HAIii^i  to  Uu« 

I  :liO    rUv  Uc.  (Li    of    J  ^    k        !l    U   •• 

J 


t).i« 


T<-t     iJf. 


.a 

i-aif  "  •«<  up 

ff  (Mo.   X. 

new    bo» 


I'"  •»•    t"  i    liiin 

Aud  een»tuu:...£.  Au<l  l-:»ed  u^cu't  boaot 
>p«i  UiMi  (.^vuip.  fw.  io>,aiid  r«turB*d  u 
JmrmamXuiL 

Ver-  21— And  the  kiiiff  imwniti  all 

the  IXXDie.  kavini^     Knon  iKa  P>K&/ivMr        The 

•  nukrh 

^'v.     In 

•     U     .^C*^^U,  u     trFM*     of 

HIT.      W,  (*h  ..,.i.|«« 


.  a 


■  ui-i, 

•trill 

ti..,.. 


Kiair    Jn«i«h.    w>>  r>- 

kold*:. 

on  U. 

'  14;,  ui  |i«rt  to  t  ■_, 

1 

Vif  2«  -  MorMvar  tk«  verkcn  witb 
fkmiiur  vpiri'a,  aa4  tk*  v.nrds.  P.  »  ci« 
ofth-  ^bMOet 

MMt!  iiMraics 

molktoii  ■•>  .-iiujo  (eti. xzi.  si  I  ^^J  *ikti 
dedgiiAj  •  tkrweogk  rsfcrvMitioe.  it  vm  b^ 
eaMarr  for  iiiiu  U)  i>iii  ib««i4|nv>>  *"'<  '^^ 
imkffM;    1  l*r^pUm 

kiHueltold  gula  Ui  a.:. 

froai  m  varr  aaaitai 

li>— S8X     Tke  •aBamti'n  «  om  rxocv 

penutoat    Wa  tad  Ift  mkr  tha  < 

fJu.Ii^    trill     I4V    iii..t_r   h.  ,1   /I    n^..' 


x.xir 

i<  it  is 

Iba 

f    llie 
dr   la 


&-io>. 
-h    lf-««   fulut 

■  eova- 

•rftiia, 
i-1   '..ua  v,K«  Ullov, 


e-  .-i-.   ...  ^...^ 

»ar  "^) 

Ver  ?.'  — •arely  ther*  vma  aal  koMaa 
9mA  a  Paaaavar  Craai  tha  day*  of  ih«  jadfaa 
tkat  Jadfed  braal.  mor  ta  aU  tk«  dar«  of 
lk«  kia^r*  af  laimal,  aar  af  tka  kiafi  af 


'  *-     2>         111'      •U(>rr^U:        I 

,     Beb»  !    •  1  .•!    (  ^:t«•k      11 ; 
'iiy,  aiii  f.r   u^fii  frcwi  I  r  o.'   i)  c  <**  • 

by  Ihe  faiuily  of  Ab»«'  .m      Iw-.  !  •   (. 
r«rc»i\l^  M  'booaabaU  ^uO^  ii>c  h.««i>bi« 
va(«  aaad  ia  difiaatta^     Ami  tka  Ual^ 
aad  aU  tka  akoataalfaaa  tkat  «•.'«  >i»I*d 
Tka  *•  idoK*  fOUlitm,  arc  pioU> 

aa  aaittlrta   of    •.. 
KatkM,  tka  «t  r 
By  tka'abinic 
it  aem4  dr  ■ 


{bo  Tkauat  a»d  Uaur ) 


l«actii>ea   in  ko^^ 
ea  aMr«4ad  mmL 


458 


THE  SECO^T)  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS,     [oh.  xxm.  1~B7. 


In  the  land  of  Jndali  and  In  Jerusalem. 
Not.  apparently,  in  tha  cities  of  Samaria, 
where  such  a  rigid  inquisition  would  per- 
haps have  provoked  a  stubborn  resistance. 
Did  Josiah  put  away,  that  he  might  perform 
the  words  of  the  Law  ;  rather,  that  he  might 
establish  the  words  of  the  Law.  Laws  against 
Buch  practices  as  Josiah  now  put  down  w.U 
be  found  in  Exod.  xxii  18 ;  Lev.  xix.  31 ; 
XX.  27 ;  Deut.  xviii.  10—12.  "Which  were 
written  in  the  hook  that  Eilkiah  the  priest 
found  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  (see  ch.  xxii 
8). 

Ver.  25. — And  like  unto  him  was  there 
no  king  hefore  him  (see  the  comment  on  ch. 
xviii.  5).  The  writer  of  Kings  cannot  be 
said  to  place  Josiah  above  Hezekiah,  or 
Hi  zekiah  above  Josiah.  He  accords  them 
the  same  degree  of  praise,  but,  in  Heze- 
kiah's  case,  dwells  upon  his  trust  in  God ; 
in  Josiah' 8,  upon  his  exact  obedience  to  tlae 
Law.  On  the  whole,  his  judgment  accords 
very  closely  with  tliat  of  the  son  of  Sirach 
(Ecclus.  xlix.  4).  "  All,  except  David  and 
Ezekias  and  Josias,  were  defective :  for  they 
forsook  the  Law  of  the  Most  High."  That 
turned  to  the  Lord  with  all  his  heart,  and 
with  all  his  soul,  and  with  all  his  might. 
Ttiis  triple  enumeration  is  intended  to  in- 
clude the  whole  moral  and  mental  nature  of 
man,  all  the  energies  of  his  understan'iing, 
his  will,  and  his  physical  vitality  (.-^ee  the 
comment  on  Deut.  vi.  5— a  passage  which  is 
in  the  writer's  mind).  According  to  all  the 
Law  of  Moses.  This  is  an  indication  that, 
in  tlie  writer's  view,  the  whole  Law  was  con- 
tained in  the  book  found  by  Hilkiah. 
Neither  after  him  arose  there  any  like  him. 
This  is  but  moderate  praise,  since  the  four 
kings  who  reigned  after  him — .Jehoaliaz, 
JeJioiakim,  Jehoiachin,  and  Zedekiah  — 
Were,  one  and  all,  wicked  princes. 

Ver.  26.  —  Notwithstanding  the  Lord 
turned  not  from  the  fierceness  of  his  great 
wrath.  It  waH  too  late,  not  for  Gnd  to  for- 
give u|K>ii  re|  pen  lance,  hut  for  tlie  nutirpn  to 
r'-|»eiit  ninccrely  and  Iwartily.  Sin  had 
become  eni^Tiined  in  tiu;  national  clmractcr. 
Vain  were  the  warnings  of  Jeremiah,  vain 
were  hiH  exIiortatioiiH  to  repontanco  (iii.  12 
-14,  22;  iv.  18;  vii.  3  7,  etc.),  vain 
hiH  prorniHOn  that,  if  t\uf  would  iiirii  to  (iod, 
they  would  Ix;  for^civ<Mi  iuhI  H[):ired.  Thirty 
yeiirM  of  irreli^^'ion  uml  idnjatry  under  Mii- 
Iiiut^eli  had  Hap|M'd  tlie  n:ilion;d  vl^'our,  and 
made  true  re|,<tnlance  iin  iiniioH.sibiliiy.  How 
weiik  and  lialf-hi  firt^'d  muHt  Inive  licen  Iho 
f'  lurn  U>  (iixl  towurdM  tin-  cluHe  of  Mb- 
naw^jh'H  roign,  tliat  it  nliould  liave  had  no 
titr«Mi:.'tli  in  reniMl  Arnori  a  youth  of  twenty- 
twr>,  but  Mhr)uld  liavi)  diHii|i|ieii.re(i  wholly  on 
bin  Hri-i-Hniiiu  }  And  li'iw  fiii  TriiMi  hhh'ito 
ruUMt  hiivo  l«-<'ii  the  |ireHi-ul,  ciMlurniiiy  to 
tJa«  wUbM  of  Jotiah,  the  ynotvunvd  rennwul 


of  the  covenant  (v«r.  3),  and  revival  of  dis- 
used ceremonies  (vers.  21—23)  !  Jeremiah 
searched  in  vain  through  the  streets  of 
Jerusalem  to  find  a  man  that  executed  judg- 
ment, or  sought  the  truth  (Jer.  v,  1).  The 
people  had  "a  revolting  and  rebellious 
heart ;  they  were  revolted  and  gone  "  (Jer. 
V.  23).  Not  only  idolatry,  but  profligacy 
(Jer.  V.  8)  and  injustice  and  oppression 
everywhere  prevailed  (Jer.  t.  25 — 28). 
"  From  the  least  to  the  greatest  of  them, 
every  one  was  given  to  covetousness  "  (Jer. 
vi.  13);  even  the  prophets  and  the  priests 
«  dealt  falsely  "  (Jer.  vi.  13).  The  state  of 
things  was  one  which  necessarily  brought 
down  the  Divine  judgment,  and  all  that 
Josiah's  eftbrts  could  do  was  a  little  to  delaj 
it.  Wherewith  his  anger  was  kindled  against 
Judah,  because  of  all  the  provocations  that 
Manasseh  had  provoked  him  withal.  Ma- 
nasseh's  provocations  lived  in  their  conse- 
quences. God's  judgment  upon  Israel  was 
not  mere  vengeance  for  the  sins  that  Ma- 
nasseh had  committed,  or  even  for  the  mul- 
titudinous iniquities  into  which  he  had  led 
the  nation  (ch.  xxi.  9).  It  was  punishment 
rendered  necessary  by  the  actual  condition 
of  the  nation — the  condition  whereto  it  had 
been  reduced  by  Manasseh's  evil  doings. 

Ver.  2r. — And  the  Lord  said — God  sa'd 
in  his  secret  counsels,  came  to  the  determi- 
nation, and  pronounced  the  sentence  in  his 
thougiits — I  will  remove  Judah  also  out  of 
my  sight,  as  I  have  removed  Israel  (comp. 
ch.  xvii.  18,  "Therefore  the  Lord  was  very 
angry  with  Israel,  and  removed  them  out  of 
his  sight").  The  sins  of  Judaii  were  now 
as  great  as  those  of  Israel  had  been  ;  there- 
fore her  punishment  must  be  the  snine,  as 
God  is  no  respecter  of  persons.  And  I  will 
cast  off  this  city  Jerusalem  which  I  have 
chosen  (comp.  1  Kings  viii.  44,  48 ;  xi.  13, 
:i2,  3(!,  e<c.).  God  "  chose  "  Jerusalem  when 
he  put  it  into  the  heart  of  David  to  bring 
up  the  ark  thither  (2  Sam.  vi.  1 — 17).  And 
the  house  of  which  I  said,  My  Name  shall 
he  there  (kci^  Dout.  xii.  11;  1  Kiiit;8  viii. 
21),  etc.).  A  visible  contirmation  was  given 
to  all  that  David  and  Solomon  had  done  in 
CHlablishing  the  temjilo  at  .TcriisahMu  as  tlio 
hea(i-(juai  ter.s  of  the  national  religion,  wlien 
"  flr(!  came  down  from  heavcMi.  and  coii- 
Bumcd  the  burnt  nfl'ering  and  the  HacrilieOH" 
iniide  tlirre,  and  "  the?  glory  of  the  Lord 
lilhid  llie  house"  (2  (liiniii.  rii  1;  ooinp. 
2  t;hr<)n.  v.  13,  14). 

VerH.  28  30.  The  evonts  of  Joniah'H 
rnign  frfiin  hiH  eit^ht.oeuth  to  liiH  thirly-lirHl 
year  aro  left  ii  hhiuk,  hutli  hero  find  in 
ChronieleH.  ruliticjilly,  (he  tinio  wim  a 
Htirriug  one.  'J'iin  ^real  invaHJun  ul  W.  nt(<ru 
AhIh  by  the  l^ythio  hordei  (llerod.,  i.  108 


nm.  t-47.]     TUB  BtlOiND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGIL 


pojiMpt     bj    ^<|l.»   uti    (U     6).   pfolmUy 

k«lo«l.:,-«  to  II :    M  «1bO  Ihf  mlUfk  <>f  I'MiBAlik 

1  ajKiu  ri..t'^.  »  H  t.i  II  luA),  the  rail 
ol  liio  Au^  '<v  »A  617).»0(1 

tho  licstrui:.    .  «*>"  ~t*Wimh- 

•i«iil  of  Ui«  Id  >.  »U(1 

h«r    rfa*  to  ITT'--       -     i  r ■■    ^'^   *^» 

(f«t»rar  of  puwer  is  lb*  cviitml  part  of 
\^'<«tira  Asia,  fioiu  the  A^avrtaaa  to  tha 
MiHlra.  Amiii  the  >litti^i  i*  which  braet 
Ltin.  Jttai.tli  ,.{i|<«r«  t>>  liAvo  ouiiduelod  hiin- 
•pU  prUilc  itlj,  KTmduallj  eXtcOtliDg  Uia 
(uMRT  over  SiHiM-ia  auii  Cialilt«,  wiUiuut 
ct'iiiitiK  into  hastilo  (<olhBioo  with  any  uf 
tba  o«i|;;>U>uriiig  u;ili>>ui>  iititil  atmut  th« 
jtmt  B.U.  t'>(Kt  or  <.iis,  wl  •  bla  1  >uil  waa  iu- 
Tailed  bj  1'  N<-hoh,  the  N'tku  of  tha 

K^jptinu  :  :=      Jc«iah  felt  hiin»<  If 

eLtlird  uiMMt  tu  i\-«.«t  this  itiraai<>n,  aud.  In 
doing  ao,  oii't  hU  ii«k>th  (vera  '£if,  'M) 

V«r.   28 —How  tha  raat  of  the   acti   of 

J..1.V1         .      .i     >'l      T>->I      h«     did  J.    -    itll      WMI 

kiuK. 
The 

»fil<f    ui    <  XXXT.     2C) 

CrMIlT!!' !!KV  '"    Of     **  hi» 


InlwHtnr  ef  fka  *arrH^n  MBflfa.  •»  '-^^arf 

|i  ,  .  ,       •        ■     . 

(I 

li;i'.   . 
Knphrn 

||.«! 

I, 

tl    . 

hU    iiu>>i|(U      Mb*  r 

Hyria,     wh-  mi  .   •  j 

»  .  ■   ■  " 

ti.-i  *.  ;.-. 

JoiUh  was  I 

that  Joaiah  ' 

ItnbTlOQiMI     tnlruUkt;    «  Urr 

AMjrriaa    kittp'i"*«.    a't^     i  t     f 

Louud  to  rer 

Or  be  laaj  « 

tioa  u(  hi*  Veil  I  i<.  «>ii-     ■ 

by  •  IbcvigB  mimj.     Oru 

ailowad  th«  free   paaia.-o  ' 

tr>a.>|ta,    t>»<kMiLnl«   anl    '.• 

\ii»  (vuntry.  he  would  in  » 

loat    eTt?u    til-    •hidow     of 

Nechoh'a  ajMUrm  >cie  thai  L >  '    • 

Ikol   a-/  ■  '         (Jtwiah),  ■  " 

Aasyt  n  •Q    xixv  ^ 

thit»g  u  .  ^   .  .    J  upun,  m:i\  _  .      M 

dc^l.tr.aiou  that  Gud  h»d  ooauuatHlMi  kia 
rx(Hxlitiuu.  And  he  slew  him  at  Xcfiiia^ 
whea  he  had    aeaa  him.     y.  -.   h*- 

vniid   aII    itoul.t,  th«  jir-*'  K  oo 


"jut 
X.  i     . 

rioe  and  opul<  ticc.  "     Arr  ihey  uvl  written 
tta  book  of  the  dironlolet  of  the  kin|^ 
al  J»dak1  (aee  2  l  hn>n.  xxxt.  27). 

Ver.   t9. — In   hia    daja    Pharaoh-Neehoh 

King  of  X|7Pt  V  -• .    .  .V  -  Km*  of 

Aaajria.    Neku  b^of 

Ui"  iHiA^at?''.  K'  <lotaa 

,  >'.ik  I.. 

I  .    ruue  of 

Lp'.kpL,  yt  iu.     lie  »aa  ooa 

ofiii<iD<«t'  I  .e  luterE^irTP*'" 

\  •     t'.ia  ox- 

I  The 

..  -a  aflcr 

:all  of    tha 

an  oppor- 

tUii>l>     lur     i^\  ^     U>    Ha     .  !d    do- 

iiiiiaon  oter  Kvra  and  M'  Tha 

'  \  a(aoh> 

-bopiv 


tufin'l 
ao  f  ar  I 

ilultW,     all     J  uOa-o,     t: 

m.iv    haTc   ti.uu-ht    I 
poeitiuo  such  aa  t    - 
to  thf  Jud.iao  < 
of  (Xjune,  have  icii  ten: 
aa  Kril  and  Ukhr  aapi- 
eoureved  Lia  truoiis  t 
aea,  and  Lave  U 
eloae   to  the  PL. 
eaae  Joatab  vol: 
b«  opooaed  tha   1 
muat  nava  bm(  i 
KadraaloB  plaiB. 


aii  1, 

iut  ha 
f     f  tb« 


to    liM^ 

in  la*' 
eiiu»ti 


.Y    ut    ACTr, 

la   tlija 

• .  but,  if 

->•  ,    at  all, 

.   i,  in  tha 

I  from  Ik* 

-rranta  earrlad  kim  ia 

!  anot,"  nMwidinfC 

.  Chma.  xx.x«. 

k'\H  in  r«iae«Ta 

.hie* 


r ! 

(•  iitfixmii  uf  U.*  I'aal,'  »uL  «  p.  iU.  l.u<^  :^i; 
fol.  Tti.  p.  71,  line  6 :  p.  7&,  line  V) ;  but  the 
Jawa  not  aaaatujadj  rogarUad  him  aa  Lha 


(Mtn  an  am>w, 

(S  Chiuo.  rxxT    ■ 

«f  it  oa  kia  *v  ^  Jontfclenv,  u(  daacli/ 


MO 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE   KINGS,     [ot.  xim.  1— S7. 


after  his  arrival.  And  brought  him  to  Jem- 
Balem,  and  buried  him  in  his  own  sepulchre 
(eomp.  ch.  xxi.  18  and  26).  The  writer  of 
Chronicles  says,  "  in  the  sepulchre  of  his 
fathers,"  apparently  meaning  the  burial- 
place  in  which  were  interred  the  bodies 
of  Manasseh  and  Ainon.  We  learn  from 
Chronicles  that  a  great  lamentation  was 
made  for  Jo^iah,  the  only  King  of  Judah 
Blain  in  battle,  the  last  good  king  of  David's 
line,  the  pious  prince  whose  piety  had  not 
Bufficed  to  avert  the  anger  of  Jehovah. 
Jeremiah  "lamented  for  him"  (2  Chron. 
XXXV.  25),  perhaps  in  a  set  composition  (Jo- 
Bephus,  '  Ant.  Jud.,'  x.  5.  §  1) ;  though  that 
composition  is  certainly  not  either  the  Book 
of  Lamentations  or  the  fourth  chapter  of 
that  book  He  was  further  mourned  by 
"all  the  singing  men  and  the  singing 
women  "  (2  Chron.,  I.  $.  c),  who  "  spake  of 
him  ill  their  lamentations,"  and  "made 
them  an  ordinance  in  Israel,"  and  entered 
these  "  lamentations,"  apparently  in  a  book, 
which  was  called  'The  Book  of  Lamen- 
tations,' or  'of  Dirges.'  And  the  people 
of  the  land  took  Jehoahaz  the  son  of  Josiah. 
Jeiioaliaz  was  otherwise  named  "Shallum" 
(1  Chmn.  iii.  15;  Jer.  xxii.  11).  On  what 
grfiiinils  the  people  preferred  him  to  his 
ehltr  brother.  Eliakim,  we  do  not  know. 
Perhaps  Eliakim  had  accompanied  his 
father  to  Megiddo.  and  been  made  prisoner 
by  Nechoh  in  the  battle.  And  anointed  him 
(see  the  comment  on  1  Kings  i.  34,  and 
tufira,  ch.  xi.  12),  and  made  him  king  in  his 
father's  stead. 

Vers.  31—33. — Short  Rkign  of  Jehoahaz. 
Pharaoh- Nechoh,  having  defeated  Josiah, 
left  Jeru-salein  and  Judaja  behind  him,  while 
he  pressed  forward  on  his  original  enter- 
prise (see  ver.  29)  into  Northern  Syria  and 
the  district  about  Carcheinish,  or  the  tract 
north-east  of  Aleppo.  It  was  three  months 
before  ho  had  ajmpleted  his  conquests  in 
iheue  qujirters,  and,  having  arranged  matters 
to  hi«  Hiiti  fiction.  Sit  out  on  his  return  to 
Kgypt.  During  tlieso  three  tnonthn  Jehoa- 
haz )>i>T(-  rul<!  at  Jeiusalera  (ver.  81),  and 
"  (lid  evil  in  the  sight  of  tliO  Lord"  (ver.  32). 
K/tkiel  compares  him  to  "a  young  lion," 
whi'h  "  lt;uriic;il  to  catch  the  prey,  and 
dovoun^l  men"  (six.  3).  It  may  be  huh- 
fMiliA  thiit  ho  re  CHtahlish' (1  the  idoia- 
trieH  vsliicli  Jfwifih  hud  put  down;  but  this 
U  unc4^itain.  I'lmrii'ili-Ni  choli.on  liitt  return 
frr»m  GarclieiiiiHli,  1<  urnitig  wlmt  Iho  Jewa 
bad  'liiii«,  M»i)t  etivnyH  to  JeruHJilom,  and 
nmmonid  .lelonbiw  to  hin  proHonc^i  at 
>Ub|*h,  In  thn  torritr>rj  of  Hanuitb  (»«r.  88; 


comp.  JosephuB,  '  Ant.  Jud..'  x.  5.  5  2).  Je- 
hoahaz obeyed  the  summons ;  and  Nechoh, 
having  obtained  possession  of  his  person, 
"  put  him  in  bauds,"  and  carried  him  off  to 
Egypt,  where  he  died  (ver.  34 ;  comp.  J«r. 
xxii.  10 — 12 ;  Josephus,  I.  «.  «.). 

Ver.  SI. — Jehoahaz  was  twenty  and  three 
years  old  when  he  began  to  reign.  He  was, 
therefore,  younger  than  his  brother  Eliakim, 
who,  three  months  later,  was  "  twenty-five 
years  old"  (ver.  36).  His  original  name 
seems  to  have  been  "Shallum,"  as  above 
noticed  (see  the  comment  on  ver.  30). 
Probably  he  changed  it  to  "  Jehoahaz " 
("  Possession  of  Jehovah  ")  on  his  accession. 
And  he  reigned  three  months  in  Jerusalem — 
three  months  and  ten  days,  according  to 
Josephus  —  and  his  mother's  name  was 
Hamutal,  the  daughter  of  Jeremiah  of 
Libnah.  The  father  of  Hamutal  was  not, 
therefore,  Jeremiah  the  prophet,  who  waa 
a  native  of  Anathoth  (see  Jer.  i.  1). 

Ver.  32. — And  he  did  that  which  was  eril 
in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  (see  the  comment 
on  vers.  31 — 33).  Josephus  says  that  he 
was  acrefiiis  Kol  fitaphs  t6v  rpSiroy  (I,  f.  0.) — 
"  irreligious  and  of  impure  habits."  Ezekiel 
(xix.  3)  seems  to  call  him  a  persecutor. 
According  to  all  that  his  fathers  had  done. 
As  idolatry  was  the  chief  sin  of  his 
"fathers,"  Jehoahaz  must  have  been  ao 
idolater. 

Ver.  33. — And  Pharaoh-Neohoh  put  him 
in  bands  at  Eiblah.  "Riblah,"  which 
retains  its  name,  was  situated  in  the  Coele- 
Syrian  plain,  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
Orontes,  in  lat.  34°  23'  N.  nearly.  It  com- 
manded a  ford  over  the  river  (Oonder, 
'  Heth  and  Moab,'  p.  17),  and  is  in  the 
midst  of  a  rich,  corn-producing  country. 
Hamath,  to  whicli  it  was  regarded  as  belong- 
ing, is  situated  more  than  fifty  miles  further 
down  the  river.  Riblah  was  well  placed 
as  a  centre  for  communication  with  tho 
neighbouring  countries.  As  Dr.  Robinsou 
says  ('  Researches,'  vol.  iii.  p.  515),  "From 
this  point  the  roads  were  open  by  Aleppo 
and  the  Euphrates  to  Nineveh,  or  by  Pal- 
myra (Tadraor)  to  Babylon,  by  tlio  end  of 
Lehanonaiid  tho  coast  to  ralestine(I'hilistia) 
ami  Kgypt,  or  tlimugh  the  liuka'a  and  tlio 
Jordan  valley  to  tho  centre  of  the  Holy 
Laud."  N(bu(^lnidnezzar  follow«id  the  <'x- 
aniplo  of  Ncclioh  iu  making  Uiblub  his  l.nail- 
quartoiH  during  hib  BiegeMol'i'yre  an«l  Joru- 
Halem  (m<!o  di.  xxv.  21  ;  Jor.  xxxix.  5;  Iii. 
9,  10,  2(),  27).  In  the  land  of  Hamath. 
'I"ho  "  land  of  Ifamiith  "  waH  tho  uppor  part 
of  tliH  CIudn-Hyrian  valley  from  lilxmt  1*1. 
81°  to  lat.  'M,°  30'  N.  that  ho  migkl  not 
reign  In  Junusalcm.  NiK'hoh  might  miturmllf 
distrust  til*  pMipU'aoboioe.     H»  ■kijfbt  alto 


«.Eifn.  1-^0      T1!K   BBOOND   BOOK  OF  THF   KnCO.i 


Ul 


Mprd  t^  Mttin?  ap  of  nny  klnjt  •!  J«r« 
MM    vilbuUt    bla    aattCUuli    ms    mm    •ri    i>t 

coataaacj  ae  Uio  twrt  of   «  naii'ti  wb»«-b 
plurti.-^Uv 
iirl<at     iif 

-      O'lldllOl       III       r.       .        .^ 

-•   hllU  It'  •  lyilifrtriii^ 


mapicto 


nf  Mlijrotloa  (en(B|»   Omi    iN.  41:  Kcf*  f. 
H.    ItMi    L    7;  SI*.!   •!•>  H^.    t&i«.    17).  b«l 


.1  lh« 

:i.a   laloaU  of 
(S>  JuM>phaii, 


laa4  to  a  lnLuv«  uf   a^  h> 

idlvw,  and  a  ulani  of  ir<^l(i 

I  •.«.)  Tho  I    '  - 

A  century  c* 

a  trib<iU>  of  ,■ 

HU.l   tJttrlf  •  '  14). 

Wt>  iiiiiv  n>!  1   bo 

OoOciluiU)     Uiu    JeMk,  u     Ml 

raj«bl«  of  rviuU-niiK    !  "  io 

tiir  Btrugglo,  ou  wUioli  Ua  Lmd  vuuuiU,  wilii 

Uabjloo. 

Vaim.  84— 37.  — AocBBHOii  un>  Eamlt 
TkaU  or  Jkuuiakim.  rUankuL-NKlioh, 
«bt-n  be  do^iOMtJ  Jcb'^khiu,  at  ouce  aupplied 
liU  place  bjr  auoibor  kiug  Hit  b*!  do 
intontioD  of  alUfiog  Ute  goTt^rumeiital 
•jkteiii  of  I'alceiiuc,  or  of  ruling  bu  ooo- 
qui.«U  in  anj  other  wuy  tbau  through 
di-peiideot  mouarcba.  llia  choice  full  oo 
.Kteiiib's  cl'leat  aurviviog  mm  (I  Chn>ii.  iii. 
15),  Uiakiui,  who  waa  the  natural  auoeuaaor 
of  bia  fialher.  Eliukim,  on  aacending  the 
thruDc^  ohang<ed  hia  uame,  m  Jehoahas 
apfiean  to  have  duue  (aee  the  eommeut  ud 
ver.  SIX  *°*1  reigneil  aa  Jelioiakiiu.  Fur 
thi«e  jrvant  (•.c.  GOH  -Ou5)  he  coutiuut^l  a 
•  '  A&Bkl  of  Uii<  K^'vptiaii  muiiarch, 

a  .  .  liuii  bis  tribuie  rt^^ularly  (ver. 

U»>.  Uui  laa  rule  waa  lo  all  rcapoi-u  an 
eriliioe.  He  "did  that  «bich  waa  i-vil  in 
tbe  ti^'bt  of  tl>e  Lord  "  (ver.  37).  He  U«iit 
tuwarvla  idolatry  (2  Chroo.  xxxvi.  8);  be 
waa  opp.'i-aaivi'  aud  irnligioUD  (Ju*  piiua, 
■  Abl  Jud.,'  X.  5.  §  8):  he  **  tbed  iuu<c^Qt 
blt*«l  "  (Jer.  zxii.  IT):  be  wua  luxuitoua 
(Jer.  xxii.  14,  15),  ©■•Ti'U>ui  (Jer  xxii.  IT). 
And  lyrauni<ml  (Eiek.  xix.  t}> 

Vrr  M  — And  Pharaoh-Heeboh  made  Ella- 
kim  the  aon  cf  Jonah  long  in  ihe  room  of 
Joaiah  hi*  f^'  '     the  g^u<  m!  Uicliua- 

tirto  '4  Of..  .'i-ba    to   siii.|«.rt   the 

1..  •    ■ 
i: 
t    ■    -   '-      • 

H..--1.  Ill 

■«quu\)d  kuB  lu  l*iM  a  iMW  uaiBr,  aa  a  tuark 


la  »ny   f»ij-.ful. 
— ^  earrted    bin 


KJS 

I-cl). 

a  away 
P»    (aee 


- -  .     1 1     •  l'.;euje 

acver>tii«  and  ha  oaaa  to  K^ypL  and  Aied 
thera  (aee  Jar-  xxu.  i'L,  muim  liiU  la  pr- 
pboaiod). 

Vtir.  SS — And  Jekalakiw  fmva  tha  allver 
an.l    '■  ?'..■,       ■  I  *., 

,..  .„! 

(*<' ^- ■      ■  ■'-^ 

[■ay  it  out  of  ti.e  K'.a'.  aa 

exbaiialoi     Bui    be  tajit  ■   .  ^ive 

the  money  aeeordin^  to  ih«  aoftiHiaadaaal 
of  Pharauh :  ka  axaetad  the  aUTcr  aai  tka 
gold  of  the  people  of  the  land,  of  every  one 
•eeording   to  hia   taxation,  lo  (fiTa  it  aato 

Phn-  ^    V-   ■     ■        -.-'-.'    -V    Ir^^i 

»,.;  ■  .  vM 

tb^  -  ^  ,  ,      ,         :   ;ue 

laud,  of  every  one  aooording  u*  tiu  eai«a- 
fio»." 

Ver.  36. — Jehoiakim  waa  twenty  and  five 
year*  old  when  ha  began  to  raig^n  he  waa 
therefore  t«o  yearn  older  t  'an  bia  brcAhcr 
Jeboaliax  (ik^  tbc  cOfniii'  it  ou  ver.  SI)- 
and  ^'^  '^  !-'r!od  alaven  yean  in  JanualMi 
—  ,  '4n  n-u  Ui!>  \o  a  I'.  5'J7  — And 

hi:  name   ^iu»  Zebodah — he   w»^ 

tlu'ft  (ufr,  otj.  '    er  to  Jebiakbaa  lOd 

/.xKknili,    »•  r   »aa    "  Hmhiui*!  " 

(i»ec  vir.  31  (til  :         vii>.  IS)  :     ^"aier 

of    Pedaiah  of  Rumah      "  it  ,'ro- 

bnbi\  ibe  ■muk'  city  aa  tLe  .^i  .  :.>ii  '  uf 
Jtt  i^  IX.  41,  whieh  waa  in  the  rtetuity  of 
hbiv    oiu. 

Vt-r  ^  —  And  ha  did  that  wbub  wwa  avll 
in  the  fiph*.  of  '.he  Lord,  trcordiaif  ta  all 
W  «>• 

of  .til 


I... 

au>l   It 
Ci^llnd 


•  •II 

nt. 
la 


WM  w«il   wUh  hiUi     *aa  i*u4  titia  M  kia*if 


462 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS,     [en.  xxiii.  1— 37. 


me?  eaith  the  Lord.  But  thine  eyes  and 
thine  lieart  are  not  but  for  thy  covetous- 
ness,  and  for  to  shed  innocent  blood,  and 
for  oppression,  and  for  violence,  to  do  it" 
(Jer.  xiii.  IS — 17).  Josephus  calls  him 
"an  unjust  man  and  an  evil-doer,  neither 
pious  in  his  relations  towards  God,  nor 
eqxiitable  in  his  dealings  with  his  fellow- 
men  "  ('  Aut.  Jud. ,'  X.  5.  §  2).  His  execu- 
tion of  Urijah,  the  son  of  Shemaiah,  for 
prophesying  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem 
(Jer.  xxvi.  20 — 23),  was  an  act  at  once  of 
cruelty  and  impiety.  It  is  suspected  (Ewald, 
♦History  of  Israel,'  vol.  iv.  p.  252)  that, 
besides  reiutroducing  into  Judab  all  the 


foreign  rites  extirpated  by  bis  fatbor,  be 
added  Egyptian  rites  to  their  number.  The 
tyranny  which  he  practised  was  likewise  of 
an  Egyptian  cast,  including,  as  it  did,  the 
exaction  of  forced  labour  from  his  subjects 
(Jer.  xxii.  13),  an  old  custom  of  the 
Pharaohs,  and  it  is  quite  possible  that  his 
"  passion  for  building  splendid  and  costly 
houses "  (Ewald)  was  awakened  by  his 
knowledge  of  the  magnificence  which  cha- 
racterized the  monarchs  of  the  Saitio 
dynasty,  who  revived  in  Egypt  the  archi- 
tectund  glories  of  the  Bamessides  (see  Herod., 
ii.  153, 175, 176). 


HOMILETICJS. 

Vera.  1 — 3. — Standing  to  the  covenant.  "With  a  heart  stirred  up  to  Intense  zeal  for 
God  by  the  words  which  he  had  heard  read  out  of  the  newly  found  book — the  precious 
••  book  of  the  Law,"  thrust  into  temporary  oblivion  by  his  wicked  grandfather  and 
father — Josiah  felt  that  a  great  act  of  national  repentance  and  national  profession  of 
laith  was  called  for ;  and  summoning  "  the  men  of  Judah "  by  their  representatives, 
and  all  the  whole  mass  of  the  people  of  Jerusalem,  he  proceeded  to  call  upon  them  to 
"  stand  to  the  covenaat."  The  idea  was  well  conceived  and  well  carried  out.  After  a 
national  aix»stasy — an  open,  evident,  and  flagrant  turning  away  from  God,  and  adoption 
of  idolatrous  worships  most  abominable  in  his  sight — it  was  only  fitting,  only  decent, 
that  there  should  be  a  sort  of  public  reparation  of  the  wrong  done — a  turning  to  God  aa 
open,  evident,  and  manifest  as  the  turning  away  had  been.  Accordingly,  this  was 
what  Josiah  determined  on  ;  and  the  public  act  of  reparation  resolved  itself  into  three 
parts. 

I.  A  PTTBLio  BEoiTATioN  OF  THE  COVENANT.  Afl  the  Law  had  been  put  out  of 
eight,  neglecied,  forgotten,  during  the  space  of  two  reigns,  or  the  greater  part  of  them, 
so  now  it  was  solemnly  and  publicly  recited,  proclaimed,  declared  to  be  the  basis  of  the 
national  Ufe,  the  law  of  the  c< immunity.  The  utmost  possible  honour  was  done  to  it 
by  the  king  reading  it  himself  in  the  ears  of  the  people — reading  it  from  first  to  last, 
"all  the  words  of  it,"  while  the  priests  and  the  prophets  and  "all  the  people"  stood 
attent,  listening  to  the  words  so  long  unheard,  so  long  forgotten,  so  long  treated  with 
cjntempt. 

II.  A    DECLARATION    OF    ASSENT    AND    CONSENT    TO    THE    WORDS   OF    THB    COVENANT 

BY  THE  KINO.  The  king  was  the  federal  head  of  the  nation,  and,  in  pledging  himself 
if)  th<!  keeping  of  the  covenant,  performed  not  a  mere  personal,  but  a  representative 
and  federal  act.  lie  pledged  the  nation  as  a  whole  to  the  acce[)tanco  and  performance 
of  the  c<jveiiant,  undertaking  for  them  that  they  should  "  walk  after  the  Lord,  and  keep 
bin  ajinniaudmonts  and  his  testimonies  and  his  statutes  with  all  their  heart  and  all 
their  boul." 

III.  A    DKCLARATION   OF    ABSENT    AND    CONSENT    TO   THE    WORDS   OF    THE    COVENANT 

BY  THK  I'Koi'i-K  T1IKMSEI-VK8  I N'Di vii)ijAiii,Y.  Nations  Cannot  be  saved  in  the.  lump. 
]i  is  ncces-ary  that  each  individual  come;  into  persDual  relations  with  his  Maker  and 
l{e<lcciiior  and  Saviour.  So  "all  the  people,"  each  of  tliem  severally,  with  one  aecord 
and  one  acclaim,  "  Ht(XKl  to  the  covenant" — pledged  thomHolvos  to  keep  all  the  words 
of  it  henwjforth  with  all  their  heart  and  with  all  their  h(juI.  A  great  wave  of  religious 
fii'.iwH^  He<;mH  U)  have  i>aH.so<l  over  tlio  people,  and  with  a  sincerity  that  was  for  the 
mom-nt  quite  real  and  nt. feigned,  tli<y  declared  their  willing  acceptance  of  the  whole 
oovriant,  of  ilH  Urrrible  threjitn  aH  well  aa  of  its  gracioiiH  promiHUH,  of  its  Ktern  commands 
no  UvA  than  of  its  comforting  itHHuranenM,  Tiny  bound  thomHelves  individually  to 
obwir^f  all  tlio  wordK  that  were  written  in  the  book  ;  hi>  ronowing  their  lederal  relation 
with  (i"<\,  nnd  aj^aiii  V>e<;oiiiiti>^ — -wluit  thoy  had  well-niRh  o<5nBed  to  Ixv— his  [loople. 
Hut  ■'jixiulhiQg  more  was  wanting.     It  is  in  uo  eaito  uuuu^h  to  make  a  rosulutiuu  uuloM 


<m.  Kxm.  1-^0     TBI  BBOONI)  BOOK  Of  THI  KINOA.  I« 

V*  k(v(>  u>  IL  PaHbrauDM  mwl  Ibllov  apoa  prniiil—  Tk*  p*ufit«  *•'•  bcmik«l.  aal 
tiMcrlT  u>  'BU-Kt  k>  Um  ooTvauil,"  ia  Uf  w»y  u/  prufciiijii.  Jual  woe*  la  Umu  hf^ 
ttit  (  tfnrt '  t  t'.  (n  th«>w«r  of  ftctiuQ,  lbaoo»r>r«aAl  pvrpaiuAllj.  If  wM  b«f*  t^At  tk»/ 
!>  >u»|  ouaiaKMily  hU.    To  r«»>l«  c4  lo  oar 

rr  )«•  *4  J«r»Mil«b   (iruve  to  (M  v«ry  few 

5 '  alCblcMlUi    «    ^  '  ^vofx'*  of 

•  '  .itW 

ID    io«    111"!  Dci.niog  »:u>r    oii   actijriDuur  a    «.:r         ''.<■,">       A 

ngblMMiG  i**TkUfar  ttMMtJU^|C.eoakl  Qui  bufUftTcufad^.^.* 

▼•ra.  i— 'J7.—  71U  ino^ki/iry  </  a#  ^r«<  <iU««<i4MM  and  (A«  aUnmyMf  mS  to  OMMrt  • 
aaMMi  (Aaf  u  eorruyt  tu  t\«  nvrr.  Juaiah'i  rafurm&li<>u  wm  tha  laaat  «BartMk  »ad 
Um  BK»t  (h>>ruu^it-^uiog  that  w*a  crar  oarriad  out  bj  uij  Jvwkii  kiti^  It  (ar 
iranaoaiMiad,  d<.>i  uoljr  lb*  effurtt  mad*  bj  Jchoiad*  In  i\u!  tlms  ot  Jua*b  (cb.  iL  17— 
21;  xiu  1  —  10),  ao<i  tb«  forble  aU«iD|>U  ot  Maoaawh  uo  blc  rvturn  frum  Babylon 
(t  Cbrm.  xixdL  15 — Iti),  but  arro  tb«  oarneat  eudcaruun  uf  U'tckub  at  iba 
M$nBBing  of  tiu  re'gu  (ch.  xvii.  3 — 6).  "It  •xlcndrd  liut  uoly  t-.  l*.c  k:u,;iii>m  o/ 
Jiitlab,  but  also  to  tbr  fMnnor  kiijg(l<>m  uf  UraeJ ;  Dut  uulj  U>  the  p  .  >  so  to  tba 

t.iv.t'-,  !ifr  uf  the   t«x)pl«.     Tiie  evil  wm  erarywhrre   to  be  torn  Aod  aU. 

S  loh  oould  pt-r)«tu«t0  the  mamorr  ■    ur  uf  Ult-t^iUiu*&o  Jehovah- 

M  jUu^I  »'.in  <  n.'.     AM  the  plaoM  oi  u  .  I  the  Lxnagaft.  all  th«  uteoiili^ 

were  u  i  uuJy  dr-'  '  l-d ;  even  i:.(;  j*.'m»  war*  thruwo  uiiu  the  nvcr  (?) 

at  an  uucloao  plu  .  be  bums  aw»j  for  erar.     Tha  idui-pnaaU  tikaB* 

•flTaa  were  tla  n,  .'v:^ :  iliJbe  who  were  alroadj  dead  wore  takeu  out  ot  tha 

gfavM  and  buruL     T:  >{  Jehuv^,  wiiu  hai  |«dbnBMl  thrir  fun<  tiuu  upo« 

tha  bri.  i«fir  uffio-  aitd  diguity.aud  wx-n  Dot  aII  -wc*!  tu  aachfioa 

aa^  Hi  -ixh'  (U&LrX      It  mar  be  added  to  tLi>  aoouuat  that 

pnvatc  tuj-  .'-    .    ', i    .    .     '  •'•■*•'  ;     .  :    c   of 

wilohermi  a  .  .  >^a 

rrti^wo  rt*i'  i<.-i  a^a  fc-i»i,iu.  ^  ■.  t-  uiin  wk  »  in.i;^'-»i  a;.  era 

24,  I'j).     Jobiah  did  all  that  a  .  ouuld  do  to  check  the  >:  u/ 

hi*  natkm  aud  racall  it  to  piety  a.. .o.     Aad  for  hi«  eff<jru  ti.e  -  .  .va 

him  (he  kigheat  praiw  (ch.  xxiL  2;  xxiiu  S5;  S  Chrou.  ixxiv.  2  ,  .a«. 

xiuu  1—8).      It  h*«  br*-    ff.v  rved  for  im^leni  eritieUn  to  iiij«..v.r  -,  • 

own  and*  bj  the  viul  ^  luethoda,  aud  lojartxi   '.  r 

makibg -i  Vio  k — "esjir  •      .  an  iiiii«r   ct  la*-l.  -  k  .» 

— iha  ■*'.  law  ot  tha  natioQ  .  m 

jalak*  •<  .  oaiah's  mathoda  wer>  a  :  ^ 

xxiL  30,    LKtuU  xiiL  5,  9,  15X  much  Ws  Ui*i  uijury  u  duue 

latigioa  bj  the  a:  j'ti -n  of  •  tacrad   buuk   m   the   aUudanl 

moralitj.     The  r  for  tha  failure  uf  hia  wArmatioo  w 

of  the  lo-ipla.*  y  proftaMd  io  luru  to  Ood,  thaj  did  !H>i 

whole  haart«   but  Ic.guo^ly  "  (Jer.   iii.  10) — at  any  rate,  wit' 

— orad  by  a  tm»t  of  aeutimeat,  nut  by  any  deep  atruDK  lidr  <>f 

■0  they  auoo  rtlapoad  into  thatr  old  waya     Tha  aeTorv  ■ 

wkiflh   Juaiab   aougbt  to  impoaa,  had  oo  attractioa   for 

MoHim  aa  euld,  harU,  austere.     They  prafcned  tlka  rr ' 

lax  morality,  tkair  gay  riua,  Hvir  c«>aMeratkMi  of  *d. 

by  a  |«rpacual  backaUding"  (Jer.  tul  5)  ;  they  rainu  -a^ 

they  ainoed  in  aecret  when  they  were  unable  lo  a  n  in  l>  . 

aril  to  evil"  (Jar.  ix.  41      It  hat  beau  ar>:ued  (Kwaid. 

p^  U2,  '.'43)  u.al  if  Juakh'a  life  had  Dot  bcvo  cut  ahurt  » 

aadartakiog  the  great  oatiooal  rvfurm,  if  ha  had  bM 

yaara  longar  la  the  aaiue  a^-iru  the  work  which  ha  ha.. 


)    tu 
of    r 

.  .<?ir 

\ad 

IJ. 

a  oocnptala  raaioral  of  all  the  aiicirut  and  deep-roL> 
■igkft  have  baaa  aada  upuo  tha  chara«.lar  of  the  a 


aUa  i«k>iaa     but  wdm  aac^u*  loa 


464  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS,     [oh.  xxm,  1— 37 


fevourable  a  forecast.  The  nation  was  rotten  to  the  core ;  the  "  whole  head  was  sick, 
and  the  whole  heart  faint ; "  '  '•from  the  sole  of  the  foot  even  unto  the  head  there  was 
no  soundness  in  it ;  but  wounds,  and  braises,  and  putrefying  sores."  When  such  is  the 
case,  no  human  efforts  can  avail  anything — not  the  strongest  will,  not  the  wisest 
measures,  not  the  purest  and  best  intentions;  the  time  for  repentance  and  return  to 
Grod  is  gone  by,  and  nothing  remains  but  "  a  certain  fearful  looking  for  of  judgment 
and  fiery  indignation,  which  shall  destroy  God's  adversaries  "  (Heb.  x.  27). 

HOMILIES  BY  VARIOUS  AUTHORS. 

Ver.  31^-ch.  xxit.  7. — Two  royal  hrothmrs :  the  reigns  of  Jehoahaz  and  Jehoiahim. 
L  They  webb  brothers  vs  wickedness.  Of  each  of  them  it  is  said,  "  He  did  evil  in 
the  sight  of  the  Lord."  What  the  particular  sins  of  Jehoahaz  were  we  are  not  told. 
But  the  sins  of  Jehoiakim  are  fully  and  fearlessly  stated  and  denounced  by  Jeremiah. 
"Woe  vmto  him  that  buildeth  his  house  by  unrighteousness,  and  his  chambers  by 
wrong ;  that  useth  his  neighbour's  service  without  wages,  and  giveth  him  not  for  his 
work ;  that  saith,  I  will  build  me  a  wide  house  and  large  chambers,  and  cutteth  him 
out  windows  ;  and  it  is  ceiled  with  cedar,  and  painted  with  vermilion.  .  .  .  Thine  eyes 
and  thine  heart  are  not  but  for  thy  covetousness,  and  for  to  shed  innocent  blood,  and 
for  oppression,  and  for  violence,  to  do  it "  (Jer.  xxii.  13 — 17).  Injustice,  fraudulence, 
selfishness,  covetousness,  oppression,  violence,  murder, — such  were  the  main  character- 
istics of  him  who  should  have  been  an  example  of  the  people.  Selfishness  and  cove- 
tousness were  at  the  bottom  of  all  the  rest.  And  are  they  not  common  sins  ?  In  the 
rich  they  lead  to  injustice  and  oppression;  in  the  poor  they  lead  to  discontent  and 
envv  and  violence.  The  spirit  of  the  gospel,  by  promoting  unselfishness,  would  lead  to 
fair  and  upright  dealing  between  man  and  man. 

II.  TniiT  WERE  both  wicked,  though  the  sons  of  a  good  father.  Even 
a  good  man  may  have  bad  sons.  Perhaps  the  home  training  they  received  waa 
defective.  Josiah  may  have  been  so  much  engrossed  with  the  cares  of  his  kingdom, 
and  the  ref<jrmation  of  his  people,  that  he  neiilected  the  state  of  his  own  household. 
But  nevertheless,  they  had  a  good  example,  which  they  neglected  to  follow.  Jeiemiah 
reminds  Jehoiakim  of  this.  "  Did  not  thy  father  eat  and  drink,  and  do  judgment  and 
justice,  and  then  it  was  well  with  him?  He  judged  the  cause  uf  the  poor  and  needy  ; 
theu  it  was  well  with  him  :  was  not  this  to  know  me?  saith  the  Lord"  (Jer.  xxii.  15, 
16).  Tiie  privileges  and  the  example  they  had  received  increased  their  guilt.  "To 
whom  much  is  given,  of  him  shall  much  be  required."  If  we  have  great  privileges,  we 
have  also  great  responsibilities.  Those  who  have  been  brought  up  in  a  Christian  land 
or  in  a  godly  home  will  be  expected  to  know  better  than  those  who  have  been  brought 
up  in  a  heathen  country  or  amid  careless  and  godless  surroundings. 

III.  TnEY  wkre  both  wicked,  though  the  one  had  the  other's  fate  as  a. 
WAKNiNO.  Jehoahaz  was  sent  into  exile  for  his  sins.  Yet  Jehoiakim,  who  succeeded 
liiiii,  did  not  profit  by  the  warning.  None  of  us  are  without  many  warnings  against 
hin.  We  iiave  the  plain  warnings  of  (Jod's  Word.  We  have  the  terrible  warnings  of 
his  provi  fence.  How  fearful,  even  in  this  life,  are  the  consequences  of  many  sins  1  We 
have  \varninj;s  against  putting  i)ff  the  offer  of  salvation  to  a  more  convenient  season. 
"  Sec  that  ye  refuse  not  him  ihat  spcakelli." 

IV.  Thkv  both  had  a  MiHKRAni.E  end.  Jehoahaz  died  in  exile.  Pharaoh-Neclmh 
put  him  in  iiriwui  at  Uiblah,  and  he  died  in  captivity.  Sjieakinj;  of  him,  Jen  miah  says, 
•' Weej)  ye  not  for  the,  deal,  neither  bemoan  him:  hut  wetip  sore  for  him  that  goeth 
away  :  for  he  shall  return  no  more,  nor  flee  his  naLiv(;  country"  (Jer.  xxii.  10).  What 
a  pathetic  Htrain  1  'I'he  love  of  the  Jews  for  tlieir  native  land  was  most  intcjnso.  "  IIow 
iihail  w«  Mng  tlio  Lord's  nong  in  a  strange  land?"  "  Yea,  we  wej^,  when  we  remem- 
Vjercl  Zion."  But,  after  all,  what  a  i)rofiti()SB  kind  of  patriotism  theirs  was!  They 
lovp/1  their  native  land,  but  they  were  lilind  to  its  best  interosts.  Thciy  did  not 
rememlx'.r  the  nccret  of  tru*'  proHperity  and  W(  ll-bning.  'I'luy  did  not  roniomber  that 
"  rif^htKonnnesH  nxniieth  a  nation,  but  hIii  -k  a  repro.aeli  to  iny  people."  They  forsook 
hiui  who  wftH  th«ir  nation'n  beHt  Defender  and  unfailing;  l*'riend.  A  ])atriotism  without 
rightBOUiincMH  will    not   Ix.-nefit  h  nation  much.      Jehoiakim  died  at  Jerxuuilem.       Uut 


«LMin.1-4n]      TIIR  SECOND   IV)OK   OF  THE   KINGII. 


4« 


»-»  ■'    -r     ■  —  — t-f— T    '-;?» 

»i 

K...    .  ..  ,  ,.       .. 

(J«r.  It  It  w&^ 

Wrtr     m       .  i«  >  r  In     .  f 

r 

u. 

d9«troy  It.    Tlie  ■ 

tl)0   prt  I'r       ••  !•    ; 

t«.abliUi^ft.     C  11.  L 


..I    1.-  I   #  .-. 


wb«t>   he   "•^■* 

•     '.--..'    ... 

.:,r    r..J!   .M 

■    -r         .Ir- 


and  6(xi 
nil  ire  III' 


^•7 

*.A 

I  to 

to 

to 

■•'• 
>t 
u 


••  AD'1    Ifte   k!:K   •rnl,"  ett       Ihd   ttc 
:>t  ihau  that  u!  i:ie  Joab?      W'rii  we 

y. 


VL-ns  guilty 
depravity.      1 

"ftj^ay*    r^-^l^l    thr 

tru«  **  Clam  i 
DMlioQ  "  the 


.f  t] 


wera   •    l«u<'D   kto-pMi    in 

_    .  .:i  h-  «rt  Attd  (san  ;  "  tfiry  did 

<  .\itM  Til.  51).     No  d'U't  then*  wm  a!wji>t  a 

'.  .iiiun  (1   Kiri^^H  xix.  \k);  I)  it  to  call   the  wtK»i« 

"  IS  a   uiiMiioiiitT.  aii'i  lar   fn>iu   a  liariuleA.t  imi«l     I'.    ba« 
us  to  fabhiwij   tht-ir  o<>iiiiuiiui(i<-a  after   the  J<  uiah   model 
instead  of  atvt   lite  i'iiri>iiau  one.     The  veraas  I  hftve  aclecitMl  record  and  illu»irat« 
jfoo'l  aim»  aini  bad  inft/uxU. 

I.  Goou  AlMa.     Jobiah'ti  aim-^.  as  h<re  |>rf>eiitai),  ^v    -  '.,  ooblo,  and 

good.     1  ofltrr  two  n-mark*  <•««■.,  ..mi,, a  i^u  j>ar|«««>  a^  r«-».      1     Tb 

rtduot  hit  ptojJe  to  a  I'  ■  fse  to  I/euoen.     IIi.s  o-.ii  .^.i.-  Uj  a*cc^.  c  .« 

ol  religious  erri>r  aud  e   from   hu  dotniuioii.     'Iriily,   what   v  '  le 

pur|)i«e  could  auy  iiiau  u.k>(    Wiui  thi8,  iu  crusli  all 
It  uoi  oqIj  iu  it«  roriii  but  ID  iu>  c»>rLice?     Thi^  ^nn 
liiiwIoD   li>   th 
Qmemtfl  t^ 

»ir-  ■■■    •■  -  ,■'.•-   I"  B.   .1 

Jt  l<«t  in  ti.e  Xt: 

the  ...^  .ai  diaouvered  it,  u.  .  ■       » 

What  ie  ttte  reault?     lis  is  aeiied  with  the 
IK  gouf  wrong,  and  foriK  .\i!h  ht-  sttks  tu  ' 


-.a 

~t'a 

1 

raa 

rha 

•a. 


bis  pix>ple.     ".And  the  and  ihey  . 

and  uf  Jeru&ali  m.     Ai.  v^ti.:    i: 

of  Judab  aod  all  the 

pro|'bflt»,  and  all  the   |- 

words  of  ih«?  Ixiok  of  '. 

tkc  kiiig  t,u>'\   by  a   ; 

Lord,  and  tu  k<-t^|  .»  ai^ii  i^.- 

tbtfir  heart  and  a.    .  !n  th^  w< 

in    this   boi*k.     And   a 

!'Ur|ii>M.      It  waa  ti-t  a 
t  waik  rooted  In  an   eti.i^. 
iounded. 

IL  Bad  urnioua.     H--' 
nMthod  alau.     Saul  k> 
his  in«tbod.  Tir.  iliai  o!   ,..  .„.  ..     . 
lo  radlM  Lis  por^uM  to  si  t^y 
n.  K»M. 


And 

■  iha 

aU 
«n 

■la 


'a  good 
.   bat 

-       »;».«»«         i  ;  II       ■  ^i     -.»:,     DOW 

;aiiy  fruu.  the  Uca  Ol  bia  oouciry  ^     .Sol  ^ 


«M  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS,    [oh.  xxm.  1— S7. 


argument,  snasion,  and  moral  influence,  but  by  brute  fwoe  and  violence  (vers.  4 — 28). 
**  All  the  vessels  that  were  made  for  Baal,  and  for  the  grove  "  (ver.  4),  that  is,  all  the 
apparatus  for  idol-worship,  these  he  ordered  to  be  burnt  outside  Jerusalem,  "  in  the 
fields  of  Kidron."  He  "stamped  it  small  to  powder,  and  cast  the  powder  thereof 
upon  the  graves  of  the  children  of  the  people.  And  he  brake  down  the  houses  of  the 
sodomites"  (vers.  6,  7).  He  also  "  brake  in  pieces  the  images,  and  cut  down  the 
groves,  and  filled  their  places  with  the  bones  of  men  "  (ver.  14).  Moreover,  "  he  slew 
all  the  priests  of  the  high  places  that  were  there  upon  the  altars,  and  burned  men's 
boaes  upon  them  "  (ver.  20).  In  this  way,  the  way  of  force  and  violence,  he  essayed 
to  work  out  his  grand  purpose.  I  offer  two  remarks  concerning  his  method.  1.  It 
tMM  unphilosophic.  Moral  evils  cannot  be  put  down  by  force ;  coercion  cannot  travel 
to  a  man's  soul.  The  fiercest  wind,  the  most  vivid  liglitnings,  cannot  reach  the  moral 
Elijah  in  his  cave.  The  "  still  small  voice "  alone  can  touch  him,  and  bring  him  out 
to  light  and  truth.  After  all  this,  were  the  people  less  idolatrous?  Before  Josiah 
was  cold  in  his  grave  idolatry  was  as  rife  as  ever.  You  may  destroy  to-day  all  heathen 
temples  and  priests  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  but  in  doing  this  you  have  done  nothing 
towards  quenching  the  spirit  of  idolatry— that  will  remain  as  rampant  as  ever  ;  pha3nix- 
like,  it  will  rise  with  new  vitality  and  vigour  from  the  ashes  into  which  material  fires 
have  consumed  its  temples,  its  books,  and  its  feasts.  Ay,  and  you  might  destroy  all 
the  monastic  orders  and  theological  tomes  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  and  leave 
the  spirit  of  popery  as  strong,  nay,  stronger  than  ever.  Truth  alone  can  cone]uer  error, 
love  alone  can  conquer  wrath,  right  alone  can  conquer  wrong.  2.  It  was  mischievous. 
The  evil  was  not  extinguished ;  it  burnt  with  fiercer  flame.  Persecution  has  always 
propagated  the  opinions  it  has  sought  to  crush.  The  crucified  Malefactor  became  the 
moral  Conqueror  and  Commander  of  the  people.  Violence  begets  violence,  anger  begets 
anger,  war  begets  war.    *'  He  that  taketh  the  sword  shall  perish  by  the  sword." — D.  T. 

Vers.  26 — 37. — Lamentdbh  unshil/ulness  and  incorrigibility.  "Notwithstanding 
the  Lord,"  etc.  lliis  short  fragment  of  Jewish  history  reflects  great  disgrace  on  human 
nature,  and  may  well  humble  us  in  the  dust.  It  brings  into  prominence  at  least  two 
subjects  suggestive  of  solemn  and  practical  thought. 

I.    The  W0BTHLES8NE88  OF  UNWISELY  DIBECTED   EFFORTS   TO  BENEFIT  MEN,  HOWEVEB 

WELL  INTENDED.  Josiah,  it  seems  from  the  narrative,  was  one  of  the  best  of  Israel's 
kings.  "Like  unto  him  was  there  no  king  before  him."  Most  strenuous  were  his 
efiforts  to  improve  his  country,  to  raise  it  from  the  worship  of  idols  to  the  worship  of 
the  true  God.  He  sacrifices  his  very  life  to  his  endeavours  ;  and  what  was  his  success  ? 
I^U.  "  Notwithstanding  the  Lord  turned  not  from  the  fierceness  of  his  great  wrath, 
wherewith  Lis  anger  was  kindled  against  Judah,  because  of  all  the  provocations  that 
Mauasseh  had  provoked  him  withal.  And  the  Lord  said,  I  will  remove  Judah  also 
out  of  my  sight,  as  I  have  removed  Israel,  and  will  cast  off  this  city  Jerusalem  which 
I  have  chosen,  and  the  house  of  which  1  said,  My  Name  shall  be  there.  Now  the  rest 
of  the  acts  of  Josiah,  and  all  that  he  did,  are  they  not  written  in  the  book  of  the 
chroi.iclea  of  the  kings  of  Judah  ?  "  All  the  efforts  of  this  noble  king  seemed  to  be 
abortive.  But  why?  Because,  as  shown  im  our  preceding  homily,  while  his  motive 
was  gofjd,  his  methods  were  bad.  Instead  of  deixjnding  upon  argument  and  suasion, 
moral  influ(  nee,  and  the  embodiment  of  moral  goodness,  ho  usc^s  force.  "Ho  slew  all 
the  priests  of  the  high  j)lace8  that  were  there  up6n  the  altars,  and  burned  men's  bones  upon 
thern,"  etc.  Hero  is  a  j)riuciplo  in  the  Divine  government  of  man.  No  man,  however 
good,  can  accompliHli  a  g(Kxi  thing  unless  ho  employs  wiso  means.  The  Cliurch  of 
Kome  in  an  example.  Its  iiim,  the  bringing;  of  the  world  into  the  one  fold,  is  sublimely 
gocxl,  but  the  means  it  lias  (imployod  not  only  neutralize  the  pMr]ume,  but  drive  largo 
masHeH  of  the  /wpubition  aw.iy  into  the  wilderntSH  of  infidelity  and  careless  living.  It  is 
not  enough  for  a  Church  to  h;ivo  g<x><l  aims  ;  it  must  have  wise  methods  :  not  enough 
for  praacherB  to  desiro  the  Hiiivation  of  their  peojilo;  tlioy  must  use  mcMins  in  hurmony 
witii  the  lawH  of  thought  and  fecrlin^;.  Hence  fiiuatical  (Jhurches  and  preachern  have 
alwayn  don«  more  linrm  than  ^ixkI.  "If  the  ir(»n  be  i)lunt,  and  he  do  unt  whot  iho 
wij^< ,  thoB  niimt  ho  put  to  more  Hirength  :  bul  wiwhjm  in  pn)li(nl>le  to  direct."  Indeod, 
thJH  manV  iinwino  effort*  not  only  liiihrl  to  IwDofit  hiH  c<iuntry,  thoy  brought  ruin  on 
Liuisoil.     He   lo«t    hill   Ufo.     "  Ln    Lii*  dnya   Ph*r»<>L-NecLoli    King  of   Kgypt  went  up 


aLum.l--S7.]      THE  BROjND  BOOK   Of  THE  K1N(ML 


kn{Md  lM«l0M  -u  be  htti  Mao  bun.      At.<l  UU  MrraM*  aam*tl 

kirn  to  -  •'-•••       •    •      •       -  No  dodi-'  I- >■    "  ».  ■  .  if.i  ..o.  .•ir^acio 

a^  r»i                  ^iMM  1b  f{«>ing  furtk  •fc«loi*  te 

pf»»—.<              - i  uf  •  liluudv  I)  nuit  aii<!  a  )i  «'■  ..rime 

V    •                 King  of  Am\tI%.     Bui  «  ^j  h«  to 

b'.                          -     .  h     •  fo;.:    -     .i'   'i-     i:.^:\^i                                                                       '                                                 .i»-inir, 

br  Ul 

ha.      .            .           :      .  .         ^      .          a? 

11.    iUSAMAXIN  -UAiUftUim 

<rf  Urarl  w.-'t-   in.;  --.k»?     N»y. 

Tbcy  ^  ^«. 

wbo  w»-  ^ 

bia  reigu   Lc  "  i.i^i   t:.al  wLicL  w  1    l:.c    ly-.'il ,  IM 

r.rxick  down  ftiii.lher  kuq  of  Jo  .  ■  u  aft^rwar..*  i.  m, 

ivoeived  the  throne,  and,  after  a  rt.jju  "I   iw- ijI.\   :.^e  J'  ■  -ir  <im1 

that  which  u  evil  in  the  «is;hl  of  the  Lord."     Here,  then,  .  'yl     la 

all  hiki   :       .  .  TU,  1  know  no  p«x>ple  v»h<.ii»o  .:  "  •   «. 

With  a  '-»  which  thej  had,  and  with   l   '  o 

vuuchaa  1  1   Ul  ii.  ; ...  wit-v  »  eiued  to  prow  worse  from  a;^o  x*<  fi,c  .^^m  o( 

deprAvity    that  broke  f>rth   from   their  grvat   aiioBtors,  Atnuiain,  J<o>h, 

•eemed  to  dtt-iien,  awtrll  in  volume,  aiul  widen  a*  tiint-  '  :<-i     •        i'.  ■-■■*. 

of  Stjgian  i'team.     You  can  scare*  ly  point  to  one  {• 

It  was  foul  from  top  to  Uatotn.      liow  wdly  have  i ,.  

misinteruret«-d  Jewisn  hut««ry  !  So  much  so  that  they  have  Judjtizrvl  the  verv  ^•••(■l, 
and  maufl  Judaism  a  model  a:i«r  which  they  have  shapod  oouimuuitic*  prv^fcmeciilj 
Christian. 

CowxcsiOK.     1.  A   w..rd  to   (\''^r  '  \o  rl<-f\, ^   to  he  uiefxJL.     Unless  you  practically 
reoogiilX0  the  tru! .  ^  lo  i-iia-,  aiid  ui.Ucnu  .ii  i!..c  eternal 

principlea  by  whik.:  »  y  mfl  .eiici.  !,  >■  i    .  il  "  1 1-   ;r  in  rain, 

and   spend  your  strength  lor  uonjiiii."     Thtie  is  uu  way  t.y  wi  .'el 

to  a  man's  aoul,  no  way  by  which  crueities  and  pers<cu!i'  iis  c.<:  ra, 

and  flonoble  soul «.  2.  A  word,  next,  to  thuie  tcho  dfsirt  to  U  i'...'j.ud,  Vou  may 
have  aeon  from  heaven  working  among  you,  eudaavuuriu^  lo  im|  r  \e  you  and  ele\ate 
you.  But  unless  you  yield  to  the  indueuces  atid  atund  t-.)  the  ci<u!.b<-la,  you  will  ^ruw 
worse  and  won>e.  Pbaraob't  heart  prew  har<!er  under  the  uri.iritrv  of  M<«as  oo  the 
banks  of  the  Nile  ;  the  Jewish  i-  .  onse  and  worai  '    -y  yean* 

niibi>Lry  in  the  wildtrruesa,  and  i  I'-s  of  Christ  t  itnn  vt 

iniquity  under  his  benign  and  em  gtji- 1..  g  i  uustrationflL  The  inui^a  iL.ai  uakmg  to 
jour  p«ao0  may  become  tb«  elements  of  your  ruin. — D.  T. 

Yflra.  1 — 14. — Jo$iah'»  grmi  r^formaHon.     Th«  narratlTe  of  Josiah't  refonns  eoo- 

taine^i  in  this  chapt«-r  i-  -  '•- --  .^v-'  i  ■«rticulars  which,  if  the  Book  ct  Chnviicieo 

it  to  be  regarded  as  :  >nology.   b«luMg  to  an  eAiiiar  penod.      U 

ia  next  to  incredible  -  Jc ...a  worahip  had  been  regulariy  .-^L»>>rr' nd, 

•uch  Scandals  as  the  u  alluded  to  in  v«r.  7,  and  the  horaea  ai.  •   >( 

the  sun  in  ver.  11,  hL .  been  allowed  to  coMinue.     The  nairat  •  ^a 

•eema  apecially  des:^ed  to  bnng  all  Jiwii.ih's  ref  !iu>  •  '.w.     We  have — 

1.  SoLXMit  ooTBSAimsQ.     After   th<r  eiaiujlp  u.'  .  in  t^e  n-jr.     f    '  -\»n 

(S  Cbrun.  xxiiL  16X  aiui  tlio  still  more  ancient  » i  ^  :  M      -    I '     ■  .'i 

cuuwued  the  |«ople  together  to  reuew  the  c  ve    .   •  •  •    t      ..     .  *i 

(Kxo«L  xxiv.  1 — 8).     The  cov.  nautu  g  to  .    m  lum 

Lord — another  evidence  that   the  w  r^t  n'  it  tifve  *- 

from  the  temple.     All  ela.—      -  -.a,  an  i 

peopU.     In  pr^i  'iitxg  to  f  ..  be  see 

them   the  exa:iiplo:    L    TKr  ;    t*^r'»   u>  c^.   a  n  U   wm    Israel's 

disMiKtii^j  anion;!  the   |*»  :  e*rth  that   th«-y   e-  >  r-uanl  with  0>.A 

Ood   iia<i  ch<<i>en  them  as  a  iii.Mrif,  that  they  ah>.ri  a  terve  him  nkrae  in  tho 

laud  he  had  givaa  tkeu^  .  >d  tailed  lo  do  ihia,  and  now  rafaotod  nt  thttt 


t€8  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS,     [oh.  xxra.  1— 87, 

dfaobedience,  it  was  meet  thiit  they  ihould  acknoide^e  their  transgressions,  and  ane'w 
pledge  themselves  to  be  the  Lord's.  This  was  what  Josiah  desired  Judah  and 
Jerusalem — "  the  remnant  of  God's  inheritance* — ^to  do.  Standing  on  a  raised  platform, 
he  set  them  the  example  of  covenant.  It  b  a  good  thing  when  nations  have  leaders 
who  are  themselves  conspicuous  examples  of  godliness,  and  who  point  the  way  in  what 
is  right  to  their  people.  The  propriety  of  national  covenants  is  a  question  to  he  settled 
by  the  circumstances  of  each  particular  age.  The  individual  Christian,  at  least,  is 
called  to  frequent  renewal  of  his  vows  to  God,  and  such  an  exercise  is  peculiarly 
suitable  after  seasons  of  backsliding.  2.  He  did  it  on  a  right  basis.  The  covenant 
was  based  on  the  declarations  of  "  the  book  of  the  covenant,"  the  words  of  which  were 
first  read  in  the  hearing  of  all  the  people.  Then  the  people,  following  the  example  of 
their  monarch,  pledged  themselves  to  walk  after  the  Lord,  to  keep  his  commandments 
and  his  ttstimordes  and  his  statutes  with  all  their  heart  and  soul,  and  to  perform  the 
words  that  were  written  in  the  book.  Their  covenant  thus  rested  on  the  right 
foundation,  viz.  God's  Word.  It  is  God  who,  in  his  Word,  draws  near  to  us,  declares  to 
us  his  will,  holds  out  his  promises,  invites  us  to  engagement  with  himself,  and  laj^s 
down  the  rule  of  our  obedience.  A  covenant  means  nothing  save  as  it  springs  from 
faith  in,  acceptance  of,  and  submission  to  the  revealed  Word  of  God.  Our  covenanting 
Is  to  be  (1)  intelligent — based  on  the  study  of  God's  Word,  and  understanding  of  its 
requirements;  (2)  cordial — with  all  the  heart  and  soul;  and  (3)  dutiful — in  the  spirit 
ot  obedience,  "  to  perform  the  words  of  this  covenant  that  were  written  in  this  book." 
3.  Vet  the  engagement  was  not  sihcere.  It  was  so  in  the  case  a(  Josiah,  but  not  in  the 
case  of  the  people  generally,  though  it  is  written,  "All  the  people  stood  to  the  covenant." 
In  lip  they  honoured  God,  but  in  heart  they  were  far  from  him  (Isa.  xxix.  13).  This 
is  evident  from  the  descriptions  in  the  prophets.  The  movement  was  not  a  spontaneous 
one  originating  in  the  hearts  of  the  people  themselves,  but  came  down  to  them  from 
above  tlirough  the  king's  command.  The  formal  ceremonies  of  covenanting  were  gone 
through,  and  some  temjx)rary,  and  perhaps  genuine,  enthusiasm  was  awakened.  But 
there  was  no  real  heart-change  of  the  people.  Their  goodness  was  hke  the  morning 
cloud  and  the  early  dew  (Hos.  vi.  4).  This  is  too  often  tlie  fate  of  movements 
originating  with  kings,  princes,  and  those  in  high  positions,  and  not  springing  from  the 
jieojile's  owu  initiative.  They  are  popular  and  foshionable,  and  draw  many  after  them 
whu  have  no  real  sympathy  with  their  aims.  But  the  effects  do  not  endure.  Rank, 
fasliiuu,  royalty,  the  adhesion  of  the  great  and  mighty  and  noble  of  this  world  (1  Cor. 
i.  -(i),  do  Qot  of  themselves  make  a  movement  religious,  thoui^h  they  may  secure  for 
It  eclat.  'ITie  Lord  looketh  on  the  heart  (1  Sam.  xvi.  7),  and  if  the  essence  of  religion 
IB  wanting,  impusiug  external  forms  count  for  little. 

11.  The  temple  cleansed.  In  the  covenant  they  had  just  made,  the  people  bound 
themselves  in  the  most  solemn  manner  to  rid  the  land  of  all  visible  traces  of  idolatry 
(Hxoii.  xxiii.  24  ;  Deut.  xii.  1 — 3).  Josiah  took  this  work  in  hand  more  systematically 
than  any  king  who  had  gone  before  him  (ver.  25).  He  began  with  the  tiinple,  the 
thoruugh  purification  of  which  had  probably  been  left  over  till  tlie  repairs  above  referred 
to  (ch.  xxii.)  could  be  overtaken.  Similar  zeal  for  the  destruction  of  idols  was  mini- 
fe«te<i  at  the  conclusion  of  the  previous  covenant  under  Joash  (2  Chron.  xxiii.  17). 
1.  A  clmiisinij  uvjuy  of  the  trace*  of  Baal-worship.  In  the  first  place,  a  careful  clearing 
out  wax  made  of  all  tiie  vchucIh  and  utensils  that  had  been  used  in  the  service  of  Banl, 
or  of  th<;  Ashorah,  or  of  the  host  of  heaven.  These  were  buino<l  in  tlie  valley  nf 
Kidron,  an!  the  uIkis  of  them  carried  to  Bethel,  as  the  appropriate  source  of  this  idolatry, 
'i  h<- Hacred  tree  iiMJf-  the  Aflherah — was  theu  cut  down,  burned  in  tlw  saim^  valley, 
ami  itH  hkHih  B[irinkl<'(l  un  the  (graves  of  the  |)eople,  many  of  whom  had  shared  in  tliu 
guilt  ol  its  worBhip.  Afterwards  the  altars  erected  to  Baal  in  the  temple  courts  wer; 
broken  down,  and  the  dust  of  them  cast  also  into  the  valley  of  Kidron  (ver.  12).  Possibly 
the  AmIk  rah  and  them-  altarH  had  bettti  removed,  and  treated  (u<  described,  at  an  earlier 
dai«.  2.  A  rleansing  avxiy  of  I  lie  traas  of  Venus-worthip.  The  Asherah  was  devoted 
Xa>  the  lic'-ntirfiiH  AsLarte,  and  riluu  the  most  shameloHH  and  abominable  had  Iwou 
r^iD'lucied  JTi  ihe  Ksmpio  conrtn  in  honour  of  thlH  gMddcss.  IIousoh,  oven,  had  been 
rear<<l  cIom«  Up  the  wicred  erK^loHun-  for  the  ItJUidH  of  dejiraved  men  and  women  who  t(H)k 
]iart  in  them-  orgieM.  DuubtlsaH  the  svorHhip  cru  tliis  had  beon  Htoi>p«<l, and  the  filthy 
■cton  drivun  out,  but  Uut  Louam  whicb  ruuiaiued  >U4  a  riuuiiuiur  of  itji  exjjttuuce  were 


M.zim.1-^.]     THK  nOOKD   BOOK   OF  TBI   KWOtL  IM 

»0W  tookaii  down.    t.  A  dmmatm§  a«r«>  >,mm  ^f  mm-monkim.    To  '       - 

of  Um  Mttt  Mid  ct  th«  hoKl  u#  bflSTOO  l>  MC/*J  hciTMa  aaJ  «k«ri 

pivjbiibiT  «r»  UiU  MiHTcwl.  And  iho  e)i .  « 

«Bptr  eonraher  u(  Ahai,  wliioh  moBtm\  f 

■■a— nh,  w. '  ,  Aod  lh«ir  r 

illjw  0/  ki  ■>  eUnnaod 

*  In  J»ru«llr    .   ..        '   ,     •       •    S%rrr^  ( 

IIL     IlKU  Alll>     l-l  T     AW  it  J  f    G'J    (I    P»c   l».    17), 

but  U  tiirt*!!  <   .     .  !t         .      f   .  ../ #1-  ,.      T.J 

Iniid  appnr*' ' 

vbldl  were  v>  J 

wbum,  I-  o 

of  dUbr'  ti 

of  Ik*  p'  1     .         .  .1 

doaoaot  U  ail,  but  Mr  •  « 

Ugjb  plMW,  and  !!?aT  h  .  i 

uf  Uto  people  " 

•arvin^  bim,  | 

nod  plaBeu.    'ill'. 

•opfirMBiDL'  their  . 

Prif-   ■  '  ■,  t"il  t'iiv  in  u;  tec.-:  at   tLc  ;  ; 

DDi:  '  s    to    Jerustilem,   and    there    { 

r»veiiui>.         :     \    were  noi,  bowever,   |«riiiitt«Mi   to  tuiwi'i-r   s;    i.'.e   a 

tboogh,  like  iLv  other  priests,  they  rcceirod  tlxir  tupp-rt  frum  the 

These  it" ..'-.;-..     •»    :  iiliy  broke  the  pL.«   -     '    ' 

ci>untrv  V  ft  ptin-  iKiDiKiry.     J 

The  Liex:  ,^. .  .tdii  to  dtn"   ■   ^    ' 

i  *ne  way  ill  ^' :  e  was  bj  co\ 

iei;:  dead  l>i>:-.  )if  1  1  -Vi  t.  il,,-  ...  ..;   .-^^  ^ 

hateful  t  fDt  are  Ui-  : 

of  "the  ;  CV)  th     i  , 

at  the  eotmuoe  ut  a  ;  ani  (.'J 

<'f  Uinnorn.      The  r-  wnt  iu  iLe  1  :     . 

tiieite  plac«e  were  a&Bociiio;,  but  Jusiai  put  a  b|<ci:U  brmod  of  |«.>iiauuD  00  tbe<i  ,  ftod 
atttiJped  ttiem  as  hjola  to  b«*  held  m  abhum-ncr  lor  thHr  vil<-ness.  3  T^.e  d  /H-f  .mt 
of  "  tKe  im/unl  o^  cvrruptu  n."     Such  waa  the  a(  u 

whicli  Solomon,  loug  beiure,  had  reared  altan  to  :  .    .^ 

wiv«» — Akhtoretb,  Chemoh,  Moluch,  etc  The  hi^ii  i  .**.<-*  U  i;.*i  u. -uui,  »Lkh 
dir<rtlj  <.'verl'>L>k<xl  Jenii^U-m,  did  jotoah  now  deiile.  Id"  ittrr  is  nooe  the  lr«* 
peruicioua  that  11  ha»  the  aiuciiou  of  a  great  natne,  and  Aa  .  r-r  the  guiae 

of  a  ^[•un>.Kls  tolentti' 'U.     Anr  spot  wi.ere  God  iu  not  Wl•^^.'  .•  are  set  up 

in  his  pi .  '  s  ■    '      ■■  "  ifjliou. 

GodleftB  <  .    rn  to 

muUDta  i<i  OT     ij     I    u    11    .         .  t   .;   l.j   tn-     : 

IV.  I.JKS.INB  up  TUB  !  N'.     1.   /'  tpliak.     Joeiah'*  wme 

»  ir;-   ■•  —      .    '  ....  t    ..  ^  ,  .    ,  i  :..        .  ...  ftiy 

by  He 

wr  .  •    - 

iuti 

(1)   .    . 

Ou<l'ft  work. 

We,  lw>.  have  ■  •, 

and   the    spread    oi    iruo    mi^^i'jn. 

litermture,  sciei.ce,  ftrt,   have  all    t  . 

wtAdlth-idolairy,  art-itioUlry,  the  id...»«u»  of  |{euiu»,  au 

Our  own  bearu  are  abodes  ol  idols.     W'e  do  well  to  n.  .      ■.    1 

thorougbiiak*   w<tb   which   be   laboured   u>  D|>n>>l   tb»»«   i^x   .  cAv       W.  « 


470  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINOa     [oh.  xxm.  1—37, 

or  tendencies,  we  discover  in  ourselves.  Let  high  thoughts  be  mercilessly  brought 
low,  and  proud  imaginations  abased  (2  Cor.  x.  5).  Wherever  sin  is  detected,  let  it  b« 
judged.  Thus  it  was  with  the  Corinthians,  "For  behold  this  selfsame  tLLng,  that  ye 
sorrowed  after  a  godly  sort,  what  carefulness  it  wrought  in  you,  yea,  what  clearing  of 
yourselves,  yea,  what  indignation,  yea,  what  fear,  yea,  what  vehement  desire,  yea, 
what  zeal,  yea,  what  revenge ! "  2.  From  what  it  did  not  accomplish.  This  reformation 
of  Josiah  wrought,  after  all,  only  on  the  exterior  of  the  nation's  life.  It  lacked  power 
to  reach  the  heart.  Therefore  it  failed  to  regenerate  or  save  the  nation.  We  are 
thus  pointed  to  the  need  of  a  better  covenant,  that  which  Jereraiah  predicts  in  ch. 
xxxi.  31 — 34  of  his  prophecies,  "  Behold,  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will 
make  a  hew  covenant  with  the  house  of  Israel,  and  with  the  house  of  Judah.  .  *  .  I 
will  put  my  Law  in  their  inward  parts,  and  write  it  in  their  hearts,"  etc. — J.  0. 

Vers.  15 — 20. — The  altar  at  Bethel.  From  Judah  Josiah  passed  on  to  Israel, 
continuing  his  work  of  idol-demolition.  Everywhere  he  went  he  proved  himself  a 
veritable  "  hammer  of  God  " — levelling,  defacing,  dishonouring,  destroying. 

L  An  ancient  peophecy  fulfilled.  1.  Iconodasm  at  Bethel.  Bethel  had  been 
the  chief  scene  of  Israel's  idolatry — the  head  and  front  of  its  offending  (cf.  Hos. 
iv.  15 ;  X.  4 — 9,  etc.).  On  it  Josiah's  zeal  first  expended  itself.  Hosea  had  prophesied 
its  desolation,  the  destruction  of  its  high  places,  the  carrying  away  of  its  calf,  the 
cessation  of  its  mirth  and  feasts,  its  abandonment  to  thorns  and  nettles  (Hos.  ii.  11 ; 
ii.  6 ;  X.  8,  etc.).  But  an  older  voice  had  foretold  the  end  from  the  beginning. 
Scarcely  had  the  schismatic  altar,  with  its  calf,  been  set  up,  when  a  prophet  out  of 
Judah  denounced  Jeroboam's  sin  to  his  face,  and  proclaimed  that  a  future  king  would 
stain  the  altar-stones  with  the  blood  of  the  priests,  and  defile  it  by  burning  dead  men's 
bones  upon  it.  A  sign  had  been  given  in  confirmation  of  the  truth  of  the  prediction 
(1  Kings  xiii.  1 — 10).  That  oracle  stood  at  the  head  of  the  way  of  transgression, 
warning  men  away  from  it;  but  its  voice  had  been  unheeded.  Now,  centuries  after, 
the  pr^iction  was  fulfilled.  Idolatry  in  some  form  still  held  its  ground  on  the  ancient 
spot,  but  Josiah  put  an  end  to  it.  The  altar  and  high  place  he  broke  down,  and 
burned  the  high  place,  and  reduced  it  to  powder,  and  burned  tlie  Asherah.  The 
idolatry  at  Bethel  had  wrought  out  its  effects  in  the  ruin  of  the  state.  That  evil  was 
i  I  remedial  lie,  but  Josiah  could  show  at  least  his  detestation  of  the  sin,  and  his 
determination  that  no  more  evil  should  be  wrought,  by  totally  demolishing  the 
sani  tuary.  Special  regard  should  be  paid  to  the  removal  of  centres  of  wickedness.  It 
is  useless  to  capture  outworks,  if  strongholds  are  left  standing.  We  should  not  rest 
content  till  the  very  name  and  memory  of  sin  has  perished  in  places  that  were  con- 
spicuous for  it.  2.  2'he  sepulchre  invaded.  Josiah  would  have  no  half-measures.  It 
was  part  of  his  settled  policy,  not  simply  to  break  down  the  high  places,  but  to  defile 
them,  and  unfit  them  for  future  use.  In  looking  round  him  at  Bethel  for  means  to 
accomplish  this  end,  he  spied  the  sej^ulchres  that  were  in  the  mount,  and  sent  and 
took  bones  out  of  the  sepulchres,  and  polluted  the  altar  by  burning  them  upon  it. 
His  immediate  design  was  to  defile  the  altar,  but  in  taking  the  bones  to  bum,  he 
dishonoured  also  the  ashes  of  the  dead.  "In  his  consuming  zeal  against  idolatry  he 
felt  that  no  resfwjct  was  due  to  the  bones  of  those  who,  by  their  sins,  had  brought  death 
u[)on  the  nation.  It  is  easy  to  blame  the  act,  and  to  compare  it  with  the  ruthless 
violations  of  the  sanctity  of  the  grave  of  which  persecutors  have  often  been  guilty.  It 
seems  a  paltry  and  vindictive  proceeding  to  wreak  one's  vengeance  on  tlie  dead.  To 
JoHiah,  however,  no  sanctity  attached  to  these  graves,  but  only  a  curse.  His  very  ohjcct 
was  to  do  deedh  which  would  make  men  feel,  as  they  had  never  felt  before,  the  hateful 
nature  of  idolatry,  and  the  certainty  of  a  Nemesis  attending  it.  In  having  their  boiioa 
dragged  out  and  burned  ujKin  the  altar,  the  doad  idolaters  were,  in  a  sense;,  making 
atonement  Vj  Gfxl's  insulted  majesty  (cf.  Jer.  viii.  1 — 3).  The  feeling,  nevertheless, 
iH  one  which  might  easily  go  too  far,  and  be  mixed  up  with  mean  and  purely  spitoiul 
motives.  However  it  might  l)e  under  Jewish  law,  it  can  hardly  l)o  right  now.  None 
the  IchH  iw  it  the  case  that  a  ciuko  rests  ujnm  the  very  imnoH  of  tlie  wieked  dead 
Death  U)  them  is  the  penal  stroke  of  God's  diHj)leasuro,  and,  when  they  rise,  it  is  to  th4 
renurreclion  of  (lainnation  (John  v.  2!)). 

IL  'i  UK  BONKS  OK  THK  pwiVHKT  iiKHPKOTBD.     1.  A  monument  in  a  wicked  place  tm  « 


m.  xxm.  1-^.]    THB  8I00VD  BOOK  OF  THK  KINO&  471 


fi-od  man.     Among  the  tombs  which  Jc«iah   Uheld  «  ha  mOBUMBt  tidtBi 

I.      llo   Mftked   wbuM  U  WM,  aoil   waa   U>1.1  ii  wju  the  t  o(  tb*  MM  of  Ood 

«bu  pruubMiad  of  iIkwo  thingit  which  h  id  bctrti  doijo  ui  ine  ai-ar.  That  nymnmiit 
bad.  parbAia,  been  built  \>y  the  hand*  u(  iho  very  titcu  wli<>»<  tii.»  t^r  prophet  bad 
del)  •tinooii,  au  t;r««t  oA«utirii«M  u  human   luroiuiaicncy  (c(.  Mutt,   xi  ).      Ln 

Auy  CAM-,  It  Bt4.>ud  there  fur  ot-iiturioit  a  •  leut  witncsaa  a^mi>t  the  na  ,  a  w«r« 

{MT|>rtrHlMl  lu  lU  preaeooe.  MuDuinoDU  lu  pr\>pliel«,  martyr*,  mh  t»,  »LiU  c/-  wd  oar 
mnai  iiiiJ  public  plucce ;  wr  i«y  extrriml  h<iii.  ur  U>  their  mem.,r  e»  ;  tnit  «»»•  Ood 
will  ask  of  MM  IB — l)u  we  Imitate  their  •jurit  ?     Aa  great  jueu  rix»:e  ;        •  -'aoc«, 

It  bMximea  eauy  Ui  {^y  them  reTeranoe.     Thene  i«lolatn»ua  Ur»elit*»  i».  uified 

their  demx'ut  fr>m  Abraham,  aud  UJ&^ted  of  their  ^rtu'   Uwgiver  &1  ••  Tery 

time  that  ihey  Mrrebrnakui;^  iiis  coii.maij  itueuta.     When  the  pit.phela  w  theiu, 

they  fKiunht  lo  kill  th«-m  ;  tjjcn  ihey  built  muiiumenta  lu  their  huQour.  z.  a  nJilaiy 
witneu/or  truth  jusli/Ud  by  tht  event.  'Ihia  j-rophet  in  hia  day  aloud  alone.  Kven 
amoUK  the  dead  he  lay  alone.  The  multitud>-a  aruuud  him  w. n-  not  thoae  who 
believed,  but  thoee  who  ha»l  diar^tjardo  i  bis  word.  If  evt-r  m,in  Wiia  in  a  tmbority,  he 
waa.  Century  aft«r  ctutury  roiled  by,  aud  still  the  word  he  l<ad  apokiu  rvmi'id 
uufultilled.  Did  it  not  ht-eiu  aa  if  the  oracle  were  about  to  fail?  llut  Wu»dom  lu  the 
end  is  justified  of  her  children  (MatU  xL  19).  The  pn  phel'a  word  tame  tiue  ;»t  la.-L, 
and  it  *a«  seen  and  acknuwlixljiwi  of  all  that  he  was  right.  Ihiuj  i»  it  with  all  <i  -i  • 
true  aeivant*.  We  should  nut  conoern  ourHelvea  too  much  with  man's  gainsay i..-. 
We  have  but  to  bear  our  testimony  and  leave  the  issues  with  God.  He  will  at  Uii^'ih 
▼indicate  us.  3.  Discrimitiution  between  good  and  bud.  When  Joeiah  learned  wL-se 
the  ^epulchre  was,  he  gave  c  mmand  that  his  hones  should  not  be  touciieti,  nor  yet  the 
bones  of  the  old  prophet  who  was  buried  along  with  hiiu  (1  Kings  xiiL  31).  The 
righteous  waa  discriminated  from  th.-  einnerB.  So  shall  it  be  at  the  UlU  day.  No 
confusion  will  be  m;ide  in  the  reniirreciion  bttwtjen  gu<jd  and  bad.  While  the  wicked 
come  foith  to  the  resurrection  of  ju«lgmeiit,  the  gi>od  shall  come  forth  to  tbe  rwurrvciioQ 
of  life  (J^bn  ▼.  29),     A  gracious  Saviour  watchee  over  thiir  dust 

III.  The  hi^DOHTKB  or  ihk  PRittTa.  1.  General  denujUtion.  The  wave  of  de ■.••■: c- 
tiou  sprtad  Irom  Bethel  over  all  the  other  high  places  in  the  cities  of  Samaria.  Jo.-^n's 
proceasiou  through  the  laud  was  the  si^'nal  for  the  overthrow  of  every  sjni  j«i>  of  idoUtry. 
**  So  did  he,"  we  are  told,  '*  in  the  cities  of  Manasseh,  and  Ephraim,  and  Sin  eon,  even 
onto  Naphtjali,  in  their  ruiua  round  about"  (2  Chron.  xjtxiv.  6).  2.  fnaU  >.>/ the  kigk 
places  tluin.  In  connection  with  thia  progress  of  J...siah  through  larael  is  mentioned 
the  fact  that  "  he  slew  all  the  pri^sUof  the  hi.;h  pLces  that  were  there  upon  thciiliAra,* 
If  this  btern  policy  had  been  confined  to  Israel,  it  wunld  ha\e  been  dtlicull  to  excul|«t« 
Jo.>iAli  from  {airtiality  in  hia  carrying  out  of  the  provisioUB  of  the  Law;  but  the  wurda 
in  Chronicles  imply  that  the  like  was,  at  least  in  aome  place*,  done  in  Judah  also  (2 
Chrou.  xxxiv.  6).  In  what  he  did  he  was  no  doubt  strictly  wit  in  the  letter  of  the 
Law,  which  he  and  the  people  had  sworn  to  obey,  for  that  unoeniablv  denounced 
death  agaiuat  idolaters  fDeut.  liii.,  etc).  To  equal  his  act,  therefore,  with  Manaaaeh'a 
shedding  of  innocent  blood  is  to  miaa  the  essential  fact  of  the  siti.ation.  This  was 
not  innocent  blood  by  the  fundameiiUl  Uw  of  the  constitution.  It  is  prokiblv  wiin 
refrrence  to  this,  as  to  other  jarts  of  his  conduct,  that  Josiah  gets  sjx-cial  j  raise  f  r 
the  fidelity  ol  hia  obedience  to  the  Law  of  Moties  (ver.  25).  It  .i.***  mt  f  i;  **  •  .:  i,.* 
conduct  is  such  aa  Christiana,   living  under  a  imlder  and  U  tter 

now  imiUte.     It  d^jes  not  even  follow  that  every  m.iivuinai  act  ss  .j 

beyond  blame,  llis  human  jud.;ment  may  have  erred  at  times  on  tin-  sioe  ii  Kver  y. 
The  holiest  movemmta  are  not  free  from  occasional  -xceases;  but  we  should  judg* 
the  movament  by  the  aou!  which  actuate*  it,  and  not  by  iu  superficial  axcivacaooM. 
— J.  O. 

Vera.  21—28.-7^  r^ormation  eompleUd^  f«t  Itraatt  tin  tu4  pardoned.  Ws  haw 
In  these  verses — 

I.  TuK  OKEAT  Pab^tm.  1.  A  tnl  </ tht  eovmamL  Tbia  great  y«v  of  r^onnatioa 
bepan  witi.  uveuant,  and  ended  with  a  PaaiK^ver.  The  cereiuoniea  of  the  oocaaioo  ar« 
fnliy  deacni*d  in  2  Chron.  xxxv.  The  I'assover  in  the  O.d  TeetAoient  wa»  in  some  re»«ct« 
▼•ry  much  what  the  Lords  Supper  la  in  the  New.     It  took  the  puopla  back  k>  tba  ocupa 


473  THE  SECOND  BOOK   OF   THE   KINGS,     [cb  xxm.  1—37. 

of  their  history,  revived  vivid  memories  of  the  deliverance  from  Egypt,  and  ratified  their 
engagement  to  be  the  Lord's.  It  reminded  of  the  past,  set  a  seal  upon  the  present, 
and  gave  a  pledge  for  the  future.  The  Christian  sacrament  seals  God's  promises  to  the 
believer,  and,  at  the  same  time,  seals  the  believer's  covenant  with  God.  It  establishes, 
nourishes,  and  strengthens  the  life  received  in  the  new  birth.  2.  An  historic  celebra- 
tion. "  Surely  there  was  not  holden  such  a  Passover  from  the  days  of  the  judges  that 
judged  Israel,"  etc.  A  true  religious  awakening  shows  itself  (l)m  increased  interest 
in  God's  ordinances ;  (2)  in  stricter  fidelity  in  observing  them ;  and  (3)  in  joyful 
alacrity  in  taking  advantage  of  them. 

U.  Fidelity  to  Moses.  1.  Cleansing  away  the  concomitants  of  idolatry.  Together 
with  the  idols,  Josiah  cleansed  out  of  the  land  the  tribes  of  wizards,  necromancers, 
soothsayers,  etc.,  who  found  their  profit  in  the  ignorance  and  superstition  of  the  people. 
Where  Bible  religion  returns,  sanity  returns.  The  hideous  spectres  begotten  of  fear 
and  supcTStition  vanish.  Josiah  further  carefully  eradicated  any  remaining  traces  of 
idol- worship  that  could  be  "spied."  2.  Pre-eminent  fidelity.  In  these  deeds,  and  by 
his  whole  course  as  a  reformer,  Josiah  earned  lor  himself  the  distinction  of  being  the 
most  taithful  king  that  had  yet  reigned.  He  and  Hezekiah  stand  out  pre-eminent  the 
one  fur  trust  in  God  (ch.  xviii.  5),  the  other  for  fidelity  to  the  Law  of  Moses.  "  Like 
unto  him  was  there  no  king  before  him,"  etc.  Like  gems,  each  of  which  has  its  special 
beauty  and  excels  in  its  own  kind,  these  two  kings  shine  above  all  the  rest.  Only  on« 
character  exhibits  all  spiritual  excellences  in  perfection. 

III.  Israel's  sin  yet  unpabdoned.  1.  God's  unappeased  anger.  "Notwithstanding 
the  Lord  turned  not  from  the  fierceness  of  his  great  wrath,"  etc.  The  sole  reason  of 
this  was  that,  notwithstanding  the  zealous  Josiah's  reforms,  the  people  had  not  in 
heart  turned  from  their  great  sins.  The  spirit  of  Manasseh  still  lived  in  them.  They 
were  unchanged  in  heart,  and,  with  favouring  circumstances,  were  as  ready  to  break  out 
into  idolatry  as  ever.  The  outward  face  of  things  was  improved  as  regards  religion, 
but  social  injustice  and  private  morals  were  as  bad  as  ever.  Hence  the  Lord  could 
m it,  and  would  not,  turn  from  his  wrath.  It  is  real,  not  lii),  repentance  that  God  requires 
to  turn  away  his  anger  from  us.  We  see  :  (1)  The  posthumous  influence  of  evil.  '*  One 
.^miier  destruyeth  much  good"  (Eccles.  ix.  18).  Manasseh's  deeds  lived  after  him. 
Iliri  repentance  could  not  recall  the  mischiel  they  had  done  to  the  nation.  They  went 
working  on  after  his  decease,  propagating  and  multiplying  their  influence,  till  the 
nation  was  destroye<l.  (2)  The  righteousness  of  individuals  cannot  save  an  unright- 
eous i)eople.  Not  even  though  these  ri-hteous  persons  are  Idgh  in  rank,  are  deeply 
concerned  for  the  revival  of  religion,  and  labour  with  all  their  hearts  to  stem  the  tide 
of  corruption.  Their  piety  and  prayers  may  delay  judgment,  but  if  impenitence  is 
I'ersisted  in,  they  cannot  finally  avert  it  (cf.  Jer.  xv.  1,  "Though  Moses  and  Samuel 
^x-xxl  before  me,  yet  my  mind  could  not  be  toward  this  people").  2.  (Jod's  unshaken 
purpose.  "  I  will  remove  Judah  also  out  of  my  sight,"  etc.  Terrible  is  the  severity  of 
Otxi  when  his  forbearance  is  exhausted.  Moral  laws  are  inexorable.  If  the  spiritual 
cnnditioriR,  by  which  only  a  change  could  Joe  effected,  are  wanting,  they  work  on  till 
ii:i'  rtinnor  is  utterly  destroyed. — J.  O. 

Vera.  29—37. — Pharaoh- Nechoh  and  the  Jewish  kings.  A  now  power  had  risen  in 
li^ypt  which  was  to  play  a  temporary,  but  influential,  part  in  the  evolution  of  God'.'< 
\^^r\)«WM  Upwards  Judah.  Assyria  was  at  this  time  in  its  doath-agonies.  The  sceptre 
of  empire  w!U4  soon  to  pass  to  IJabylon.  But  it  was  Pharaoh-Nechoh  who,  following  the 
ih^if^iiM  o(  hia  own  aml)ition,  was  to  set  in  motion  a  train  of  events  which  had  the  effect 
I  I  bringing  Judah  within  I  lie  power  of  th*;  Kin;;  of  l'»al)ylon. 

1.  'I'nK  DKATH  OK  .losiAM.  1.  (Jircwnslanr.<  H  of  hin  dc'ttli.  Taking  advantage  i.f  th'.; 
I  r.iubicM  in  the  KiiHt,  riiara<ih-Nc<;licili  was  I  enl  on  Hiciirin;',  liiRnwn  supremacv  over  Syria 
ftnd  •blending  it  aM  fur  an  the;  river  KnphrateH.  lie  diselaimcil  all  inlenlion  of  nilor- 
Uiririj?  with  JoHiah  (2  (/hron.  xxxv  21),  but  that  monarch  thought  it  his  duty  lo  opposn 
1dm.  It  w.-iM  a  p«;rilouH  v<iiiuic,  and  .JuHiah  wmmus  to  have  entered  upon  it  sumowhat 
rinhly.  lie  eertainiy  had  nut  |ir<iplietic  sanction  lor  Iho  i  tilcrjiriHo.  The  issue  was  ai 
ifDHht  havM  Ixfen  anticiiiated.  lie  oticoiinUtrrd  I'hanioh-Xechoh  at  Me;;iiido,  and  wan 
■  A;utruuMlv  (|<fnat«Ml.  Wounded  by  the  arolierH,  he  bade  his  servautH  carry  him  away, 
I'lacicg  biui  in  anotLwr  oliarw^  Uiey  drove  him  off.     It  is  to  \w  infurrud  from  Zucli. 


m  xxm.  I-W.3  TBK  SEOOWO  BOOK  Of  TOR  KfVOi. 


««f 


|»rt»©ti  ^oa  tb«  way  I ' 

«  ,  Ltxjoue  malar  uf  the 

«  1/ otber  BadaM.    2.  i/. 
O  ^  of  ODOMOplad    11 

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men,  yrt  uol  pr^'fit  by 

lik«-  ihem.     3    i*mr: 

Joaiah'a  death  « :> 

from  tha  aril  to  . 

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errur,  ha  {' 

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ft  tr.:     .'.r 

ho  «        .        »*  •    ■  K  . 

aibk,  api^uaauy,  Ut  lUu  { 


for  be  shall   m 


J' 

It  hava 

•(« 
-  It 

<^ 

'Mi 


>  a 
,  of 

m 

•  ■'■at 
if>a 
.ch 

:t  .1- 

:.-:■  >^- 

uf  the   .!'  fi-l  ut 

■    ■•- 

••u( 

.    Ml 

Kiel 

..uu 

t»i 

.^ 

«f 

'•!.•. 

liie 

me. 

ml 

lo 

ha 

iitm 
"  Weep 

'..*    hllD 

"  (ixiL 

!i  — the 

■<     .4 

>  .  .    -.1.  ".rr 


Aiivi  a  La^ci.i  v'f  gold. 


A^i^u  w«  ara 
faui  hom  imooa- 


474 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THB  KINGS,    [oh.  xxir.  1—201. 


m.  JiHOTAKra's  VASSALAGE.  1.  Egypt  dictates  a  king.  Once  again,  m  !n  the 
earliest  period  of  their  history,  Israel  was  in  bondage  to  Egypt.  Pharaoh-Nechoh  used 
his  power  unsparingly.  The  eldest  son  of  Josiah,  who  seems  not  to  have  been  a 
favourite  with  the  people,  was  willing  to  accept  the  throne  as  a  vassal,  and  him,  accord- 
ingly, Nechoh  made  king,  changing  his  name,  in  token  of  subjection,  from  Eliakim  to 
Jehoiakim.  How  bitter  the  satire — Jehoiakim,  "he  whom  Jehovah  has  set  up  "I  2. 
Jehoiakim  hecomes  Egypt's  tool.  Jehoiakim  had,  perhaps,  no  alternative  but  to  give 
"  the  silver  and  the  gold  to  Pharaoh,"  but  in  his  manner  of  exacting  it  he  showed  himself 
the  willing  tool  of  the  oppressor.  To  obtain  the  money,  he  put  heavy  taxation  on  the 
people.  His  rule  was  a  bitter,  ignominious,  and  oppressive  one  for  Judah.  Jeremiah 
says  of  him,  "  But  thine  eyes  and  thine  heart  are  not  but  for  thy  covetousness,  and  for 
to  shed  innocent  blood,  and  for  oppression,  and  for  violence,  to  do  it "  (xxii.  17).  But 
such  are  the  kings  men  must  submit  to  when  they  reject  God  for  their  Sovereign.  In 
a  moral  respect  Jehoiakim's  reign  was  '*  evil,"  and  in  a  temporal  resjpect  it  was  the 
gt-ambling  on  from  one  misfortune  to  another.---J.  O* 


EXPOSITION. 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 
Vers.  1 — 20.— Eeiqns  of  Jehoiakim,  Jb- 

■OIACHQ?,  and  ZeDBKIAH. 

Vera.  1 — 7. — Rest  op  the  Reign  of  Jb- 
HOiAKiH.  Troubles  now  fell  thick  and  fast 
upon  Judaea.  Within  three  years  of  the 
invaBion  of  the  country  by  Pharaoh-Necholi, 
another  hostile  army  burst  in  from  the 
north.  In  b.o.  605,  the  last  year  of  Nabopo- 
lassar,  he  sent  bis  eldest  son,  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, into  Syria,  to  assert  the  dominion 
of  Babylon  over  the  countries  lying  be- 
tween the  Euphrates  and  the  frontier  of 
Egypt  Nechoh  sought  to  defend  his  con- 
quests, but  was  completely  defeated  at 
Carchemlsh  in  a  great  battle  (Jer.  xlvL 
2—12).  Syria  and  Palestine  then  lay  open 
to  the  new  invader,  and,  resistance  being 
re;.'arded  as  hopeless,  Jehoiakim  made  his 
Buljmisaion  to  Nebuchadnezzar  (ver.  1). 
But,  three  years  later  (b.o.  G02),  subtained 
by  what  hope  we  know  not,  ho  ventured 
on  an  act  of  rebillion,  and  declared  himself 
Independent.  Nebuchudnczzar  did  not  at 
oneo  march  a;.'alnHt  him,  but  cauHid  him 
to  bo  attacked,  an  it  would  scum,  by  his 
noii^hbours  (vor.  2).  A  war  witliout  im- 
portant roHult  oontinueil  for  four  years. 
Then  Nchuchodnezziir  eurne  up  af^aiiiat  him 
Id  iM:rHon  for  a  fMMy>nd  tiino  (2  ('hron.  xxxvi. 
6),  Uxik  Ji-rus'AU'.tu,  un<l  iriach^  Jehoiakim 
prinotKT.  Il«  deHii^Mwl  at  lirHt  U>  rarry  him 
to  Mahylon  ;  but  Mn-nut  tf>  havr>  uftcrwardH 
deinriiiiui  (1  to  havo  him  OK^cuto'l,  and  to 
hitvi'  ^^l'lltl^d  hiH  nor|iHii  with  indiiMiilicH 
(Jur.  xiu.  30;    xxxvL  aO>     The  wnlur  uf 


Eongs  throws  a  refl  over  theee  transaotionB, 
closing  his  narrative  with  the  customary 
phrase — Jehoiakim  "slept  with  his  Others" 
(ver.  6). 

Ver.  1.— In  Us  days  XebnohadneEzar 
Eing  of  Babylon  came  np.  The  Hebrew 
ni'X.n?.??  {NebiccJiadnezzar)  or  ,"DfNp?ap 
{Nebuchadrezzar,  Jeremiah,  Ezekiel)  repre- 
sents the  Babylonian  Ndbu-kudur-usur 
("Nebo  is  the  protector  of  landmarks")^ 
a  name  very  common  in  the  Babylonian 
and  Assyrian  inscriptions.  It  was  borne 
by  three  distinct  kings  of  Babylon,  the 
most  important  of  whom  was  Nebuchad- 
nezzar UI.,  the  son  of  Nabopolassar,  the 
monarch  of  the  present  passage.  According 
to  Berosus,  ho  was  not  at  the  time  of  this 
expedition  the  actual  sovereign  of  Baby- 
lonia, but  only  the  crown  prince,  placed 
by  the  actual  king,  Nabopolassar,  at  the 
head  of  his  army.  It  is  possible  that  his 
father  may  have  associated  him  in  tho 
kingdom,  for  association  was  not  unknown 
at  Babylon ;  or  the  Jews  may  have  mis- 
taken his  position ;  or  the  historian  may 
call  him  king  by  prolepsis,  as  a  modern 
might  say,  "The  Emperor  Napoleon  in- 
vailed  Italy  and  defeated  the  AuBtrians  at 
Marengo "  (see  Pusoy's  *  Daniel,'  p.  400). 
Uis  father  had  grown  too  old  and  infirm  to 
conduct  a  military  expedition,  and  oonso- 
quently  sent  hin  son  in  iiis  place,  with  tiie 
object  of  ehaatiHing  Nechoh,  and  recovering 
the  territory  whoroof  Nechoii  had  made  him- 
Bclf  maHter  throo  yearn  bitforo  (boo  oh. 
xxiii.  '2'.) — 8.3,  and  oomparo  bolow,  ver.  7). 
And  Jehoiakim  became  his  lervant— t.a. 
Huhmitti'il  to  him,  and  became  a  tributary 
Icnig— throo  7oarB(froni  b.o. <j().'»to  no.  002): 
thon  ho  tumod  and  robollod  agamat  bim. 
How  Jnlioiiildia  4-umo  to  vcntiiro  on  tliui 
step   w«  aru   uut  told,  and  ouu  only  oon- 


Uiv.  l<-ta]      TIIK   SrOOND   BOOK   OF   TlIK    1IS01. 


I,.       *....      : 


J«bv 


1    C   f  1) 

r'   nil* 


I    auo- 
.1  -U»« 


K-rk    ill 


•I*.  1»1   •!»•  «««•  (I)   idoUU?.  »r 


mtrntmSUn 


Vtj.  i     AuJ  Uio  Lord  '  •'■    ' 

of  tKa    Ch*Idce«. 

did      not     pRMnpilr     luarvu      ■,;■<»■>• 

to  wppiwi   kk  MbaikM.  b«t 
,.  hiBMrir    villi   miMam   MiiMi 

IUb  •  few  **  l«ad«"  innf)  of  OhafcWM, 
•Bd  «xeitiB(  th«  MiiKhboafiBg  BjituMi, 
^ j^nniliM  and  lfo»btU-«  u>  iovBila  and 
l»T«cu  hi*  territorjr.  oau  K-nro^  ly  Iw  o(l>ar- 
wiM  Mocouiiled  fur  Uian  bv  •ufpuainf  that 
L«  WM  dc^juuod  in  Mi>ld[o  A«U  by  wan 
or  i«brUu>M  MMor  buUM.  ll  may  1mt« 
b««o  •  kuowled^  Ot  UiiiM  emharrowBieaU 

{  J-li.iiakitu  U>  U^nd  an   Mtf  to 

li'^iU.    And  bandi  of  th* 

uf    th«    Moalilra,    and 

Oic   <.l**.>ift)n   of    Ammon   (<t'iup 

M     •''I'lirll   UiP    natluIlB  afl    H^'ai   lot 

!if   i^iroviii'  fs,  and 
,  hf  w»a  inkrii  lu 

„..v,  i,.-.    _<.ai   agaiuii  Judak 
,    it — ic    to   brjfl"  ''' ''   w  lisle  mud 
J  :i  aliould  leriuiuatc  ulluuuU  ly  iu 

ii,e  ciouii>iel«  dl^lnK•llou  uuJ  i4.1iU lation  of 
iLo  Judamii  kiujdom— aaoording  to  tke 
vurd  of  tke  Lord,  which  ho  ipaka  by  hii 
•erranU  ihc  prophtu  A»  lokiaii,  Miiah, 
U»l*kkuV     '  /   •     ttiiitth.  nuJ  Uul 

d.ih  (xL-v  ■ 

Vor.  3..   ^_  i.mandmant  of  tka 

Lofd  Mm*  uub  upon  Judah;  lurrally.  oWy 
•/  tkt  mouth  of  (A«  Lijfd  did  Uki*  fvu  upon 
Judatt  i  I.e.  llii-r»  *it»  no  olber  caxim^  fur  it 
but  Lbe  aimpie  '  niuulh  "  or  "  »oni  "  of  tUo 
Lucd.  Tb«  LXX..  »bo  tr.iu»^att»  wX^» 
9i,^%  lti>pU*  <r  iwl  Tk»  l^i  5a>,  ac^  lu  to  baVO 
Itad  t)K  iu»U»J  of  "C  III  tl"»'  CMiUa.  To 
rcmoT*  lli<m  out  of  hit  ti^ht  (ix>mp  ch. 
»Xid.  87;  aiid  •««  al»o  liic  ooiuimnt  ou 
eU.  iviL  IHJ  for  Ue  •in*  of  ManaMok, 
aeeordlng  to  all  that  he  did  Tht>  mcauiug 
U  i*ot  tbal  lbe  nauoii  »a»  |>uniabcd  far  Um 
pifw>ual  •iiu  aud  rn  !.<•  of  Um  viekoA 
lUiti>M»b  forty  or  tifiy  y«*r»  pnrwadj, 
bat  thai  the  cl.  ■»  I'f  m  •  intrvAluoiJ  by 
Mn,MOh.  being  prfrut  d  lu  by  Lbo  iM^ijdo, 
bruttght  Um  atcsTU  ju>iKit.euia  of  GoU  u|wo 
thea.  Aa  W.  G  huiuuer  well  obnmrtflit 
-The  aiiia  of  Minoaanji  hftd  boeoMO  a 
4c«i(iiatioa  fur  a  eeilAiii  «Uaa  of  offeoeoa, 
•imI  a  porttBiUar  farm  of  puhlie  and  ooeial 
diVt»«i^  vktak  «M  iBUodMod  hj  Map 


h^rt 


by  iMxxilKHW  t\\m;  (V)  flhUd-«iur  Wi .  of 
•»<>riftw  vu  M.Uieb;  (S)  aadtaBj  (eh.  niiL 
7).  and  (4)  U»«  ••■  of  iThawftiU  a«4 
the  |»r»oac«  ••/  H«cMal  arto  («h.  tai.  <>> 

\«r.  i.— Aa4  aloa  far  tk*    -  •— =^t  wi««4 
thai   h»  ik*4  (outnp    ab    i^ 
Mmmtmt  md  U».).    Uk«  U. 

MAUMMh."  lb«  •hoddliig  of  .  i 


k     I  Uat  J  »        I'Ul       i"  •:».:.       '     ' 

im      it3>  ;       Jprriuiali     n*- 

For  k*  ftllad  Jarualaa  w.'.l 

which  tha  Lord  wvmXi 

"ones  to  (iod  frutn  t' 

it   fall*   (Oea.    Iv     11 

ot   tbo   kaitda  of    tb< 

ix.  3)  '.   '•         '        ^ 

of   mk\ 

and  ci->..  .     ..  —    11     .  -    ^ 

10;  XI.  IH;  i»i  6;  nx   A  eu-  >. 

Ver.   5  —Mow   tha    r««t   of    Ih*    »*•.» 
Jehoiakim,  and   all   that   ha   did.   art-    '.i 
not  wniun  in  iha   book  of  tha   #hrr'- 
of  tha  kin^  of  Jndah  1       ^ 
of    Jcboiakiiu    rt<ciirdt«-l 
()M    'rt»taui«til,    : 
tbo  follow  luj" ; 
the   BoD  of   i'^beu.-. 
bis  destxuCUoii  of   LUi-  lii^l 
forly    prupbc<>i«M    lu^iie    b} 
fit  of  an;,'«jr   at    beanuR    .'^ 
nxvi.   20-23):    (3)   Lu 
uiiab   Hud  liaru 
xiXTi    2t));  (4)   ■ 

•*lmtli)D»"       »bi... 

•tirr^Aj    up   a^'^u-l    !. 
tbe   baiitU   "'    '•'•^■ 
probably    a'. 
Dtrsxar  tivov 

Mya   (•  Atit    J  ,d  .    1    •-    J 
liiin  to  death,   and  ca»t   L 
boTood  Uio  walU  of  the  ca . 
bibliflol  BOtfaoa  w«  oan  on!  > 
diad  piWilTiilj  afUsr  a  r 
tb:iu  olovoD  Tt«n  (>.a  608  Uj  h 
•  a*  iinlamonfnd.  **  buried  wiih  t 
an  aH^  drawn  and  oaot   forth 

Siaa  of    Jomaalea''   (Jer    n 
■jeetwo  boo  iUad  ap  Um  bi 

the    t 


'    inio 

Ho«    N'burhad- 

■lam      J.aM^i.ue 

I 


kirtorj  to  aovomi   wan. 
iMOfiaalifO  boinf.  perbap 


[bo  aaTB  ('Ui«tory  of  larael.'  nA  i».  p. 
'162),  "When  the  c  Laidoao  armk«  pr«- 
aeotvd  thrmarlToa  at  tb*  galea  of  tbo 
Oapital.  Jiboiaklm  aeeaa  to  b««e  be** 
beoafed  tato  the  oame  onor  o*  kto  biuther 
(JoboahoBX  afaToa  jrt%  beiwo.  Ue  (afw 
oar  k»  a  «valty  lovitattas  of  the  oaaoij  lo 
rruur  far  aogouauotu  iu  their  ea■^».  *bot^ 


47« 


THK  SECOND  BOOK   OP  THE  KINGS,     [oh.  xxiv.  1— M. 


in  Bight  of  his  o-wn  city,  be  was  made 
prisoner.  He  offered  a  frantic  resistance, 
and  was  dragged  away  in  a  scuffle,  and 
miserably  cut  down;  while  even  au  honour- 
able burial  for  his  corpse,  which  his  family 
certainly  solicited,  was  refused." 

Ver.  6.— So  Jehoiakim  slept  with  hli 
fathers,  it  is  not  certain  that  the  writer 
means  anything  more  by  this  than  that 
"  Jehoiakim  died."  His  body  may,  however, 
possibly  have  been  found  by  the  Jews  after 
the  Babylonians  had  withdrawn  from  be- 
fore Jerusalem,  and  have  been  entombed 
with  those  of  Manasseh,  Amon,  and  Josiah. 
And  Jehoiachin  his  son  reigned  in  his  stead. 
Josephus  says  (i.  «.  c.)  that  Nebuchadnezzar 
placed  him  upon  the  throue,  which  is  likely 
enough,  since  he  would  certainly  not  have 
quitted  Jerusalem  without  setting  up  some 
king  or  other.  Jehoiachin  has  in  Scripture 
the  two  other  names  of  Jeconiah  (1  Chron. 
iii.  16,  17;  Jer.  xxvii.  20;  xxviii.  4;  xxix. 
2)  and  Coniah  (Jer.  xxii.  24,  28  ;  xxxyii.  1). 
Jehoiachin  and  Jeconiah  differ  only,  as 
Jehoahaz  and  Ahaziah,  by  a  reversal  of  the 
order  of  the  two  elements.  Both  mean 
"  Jehovah  will  establish  (him  )."  "  Coniah  " 
cuts  off  from  "  Jeconiah "  the  sign  of 
futurity,  and  means  "Jehovah  establishes." 
It  is  used  only  by  Jeremiah,  and  seems  used 
by  him  to  signify  that  though  "Jehovah 
establishes,"  Jeconiah  he  would  not  estab- 
lish. 

Ver.  7. — And  the  Zing  of  Egypt  came  not 
again  any  more  out  of  his  land.  Nechoh's 
two  expeditions  were  enough  for  him.  In 
the  first  he  was  completely  successful, 
defeated  Josiah  (ch.  xxiii.  29),  overran 
Sjma  as  far  as  Carchemish,  and  made 
Phoenicia,  Judsea,  and  probably  the  ad- 
jacent countries  tributary  to  him.  In  the- 
eecond  (Jer.  xlvi.  2—12)  he  sufiEered  a 
calamitous  reverse,  was  himself  defeated 
with  great  slaughter,  forced  to  fly  hastily, 
and  to  relinquish  all  his  conquests.  After 
this,  he  "  came  not  any  more  out  of  his 
land."  Whatever  hopes  he  held  out  to 
Judaea  or  to  Tyre,  he  was  not  bold  enough 
to  challenge  the  Babylonians  to  a  third 
trial  of  strength,  but  remained  peaceably 
within  his  own  borders.  For  the  King  of 
Babylon  had  taken  from  the  river  of  Egypt. 
The  n:n^p  "jnj  is  not  the  Nile,  but  the 
Wady  el  Arish,  the  generally  dry  wat(;r- 
t'iurse,  which  was  the  ordinarily  accepted 
l)Ouridary  between  Egypt  and  Syria  (see 
1  Kings  viii.  G.'i;  Isa.  xxvii.  12).  The  Nile 
is  the  on\p  inj.  Unto  the  river  Euphrates 
all  that  pertained  to  the  King  of  Egypt;  i.e. 
all  that  h(!  had  conqueied  and  made  his  own 
in  hi«  flrut  expedition  in  the  year  b.o.  (J08. 

¥«rH.8 — IC— BuoMor  Jbhoiaouim.    The 


short  relg^  of  Jeboiaohin  is  now  described. 
It  lasted  bat  three  months.  For  some  reason 
which  is  unrecorded,  Nebuchadnezzar,  who 
had  placed  him  on  the  throne,  took  offence 
at  his  conduct,  and  sent  an  army  against 
him  to  effect  bis  deposition.  Jehoiachin 
offered  scarcely  any  resistance.  He  "  wen 
out"  of  the  city  (ver.  12),  with  the  queen- 
mother,  the  officers  of  the  court,  and  the 
princes,  and  submitted  himself  to  the  will 
of  the  great  king.  But  he  gained  nothing 
by  his  pusillanimity.  The  Babylonians 
entered  Jerusalem,  plundered  the  temp 
and  the  royal  palace,  made  prisoners  of  th 
king,  his  mother,  the  princes  and  nobles 
the  armed  garrison,  and  all  the  more  skilled 
artisans,  to  the  number  altogether  of  ten 
thousand  souls  (Josephus  says  10,832,  '  Ant. 
Jud.,'  X.  7.  §  1),  and  carried  them  captive 
to  Babylon.  Zedekiah,  the  king's  uncle 
was  made  monarch  in  his  room. 

Ver.  8. — Tehoiaohin  was  eighteen  yean 
old  when  he  began  to  reign.  In  2  Chron. 
xxxvi.  9  he  is  said  to  have  been  only  eight 
years  old,  but  this  is  probably  an  accidental 
corruption,  the  yod,  which  is  the  Hebrew 
sign  for  ten,  easily  slipping  out.  As  he  had 
"  wives  "  (ver.  15)  and  "  seed "  (Jer.  xxii. 
28),  he  could  not  well  be  less  than  eighteen. 
And  he  reigned  in  Jerusalem  three  months. 
"  Three  months  and  ten  days,"  according  to 
2  Chron.  (I.  «.  c.)  and  Josephus  ('  Ant.  Jud.,' 
1. 8.  c).  And  his  mother's  name  was  Nehushta, 
the  daughter  of  Elnathan  of  Jerusalem. 
Elnathau  was  one  of  the  chief  of  the 
Jerusalem  princes  nnder  Jehoiakim  (Jer. 
xxvi.  22;  xxxvi  IS,  ?">).  His  daughter, 
Nehushta — the  Noete  of  Josephus  ('  Ant. 
Jud.,'  X.  6.  §  8) — ^was  probably  the  ruling 
spirit  of  the  time  during  her  son's  short 
reign.  We  find  mention  of  her  in  Jer.  xxii. 
26 ;  xxix.  2 ;  and  in  Josephus,  *  Ant.  Jud.,' 
X.  6.  §  3,  and  x.  7.  §  I.  Ewald  suggests  that 
she  "energetically  supported"  her  son  in 
the  policy  whereby  he  offended  Nebuchad- 
nezzar. 

Ver.  9. — And  he  did  that  which  was  evil  iu 
the  sight  of  the  Lord,  according  to  all  that 
his  father  had  done  (see  ch.  xxiii.  87 ;  and 
comp.  2  Chron.  xxxvi.  9).  Josephus  says 
that  Jehoiachin  was  <^ucr€i  xRVC'rhs  koI  5/- 
Koios  ('Ant.  Jud.,'  X.  7.  §  1);  but  Jeremiah 
calls  him  "a  despised  broken  idol,"  and  "  a 
vessel  wherein  is  no  pleasure"  (Jer.  xxii. 
28).  The  present  passage  probably  does 
not  mi^an  more  than  ttiut  he  made  no 
attempt  at  a  religious  refTmation,  bot 
allowed  the  idolatries  and  superititioiuf 
which  had  prevailed  under  Jehoahai  aad 


CB.  xxiT.  l-ao.]     THE  SFXONI)   UOl)K   OF   TllIC   KIVO«. 


*r 


Jehnlakim  to  rontinnw.     It  is  in  hla  fkvoar 
tliiit  b«  «liii  not  ikTtutily  pernor  11 1««  .litr«Miiiiih 
V(»r    10— At  ihttt    time  the  MrvAnU  of 
\  ufnar  King  of  Btibylon  o»m«  ap 

:  ua&lom  Till"  «i«>j;«  Ml  jintlwiMy 
iM  M.  *.'Hr  B  O.  .M>7,  w  hlrh  >»»«  "  the  ri;^''.!!! 
y.  ur  of  N»»luielin<l  <  titu"  (ver.  12).  Ni  Iju- 
olmdiieuMr  Itiiuiu'li  vtun,  ut  tiio  time,  ro- 
g»^«Hl  ill  llui  »i»!K"  of  Tyn,  which  had 
If  volt)  d  in  B.o.  S'.'S  (wh)  'Anriint  Mi»niir- 
ehii«.'  vol.  iii.  p.  51),  uml  tlnn-fi-nj  sout  bi« 
•*  xtviiiiIb" — i.e.  (^i-iiciuU  ii^'iiitiBt  .Iwruut- 
Ictii.  Aud  the  oity  wu  besieged.  Probably 
for  only  it  uluTt  tiiim.  Jo<<'  liuli  may  at 
tir»t  h;iVf  hiid  Honu<  bojKj  of  Bup|>ort  from 
Kj^ypt.  still  unii.  r  the  rule  of  Ntn-lioh  ;  but 
\viu<n  DO  lunvcineiit  wiia  ma>leiii  tliiii()uarter 
(bee  the  roiunieut  on  ver.  7),  he  determined 
not  to  proToko  liia  p«iwerful  enemy  by  an 
i>bd(inat4)  reniHtikuce,  but  to  |iri'|>itiate  biui, 
if  p^uible,  t>y  ti  pruiiipt  Hurriudir. 

ViT.  11.— Ami  Ntibuchadneuar  King  of 
Babylon  came  against  iha  city,  and  his  ser- 
v.^ut8  did  besiege  it;  r.ithtr,  hi*  arrcuntt 
\D9rehe»it(jiiig  it.  Wljile  the uiege  conducted 
by  bis  ^e-neralH  wus  titill  f^oiiig  on,  Nebu- 
obadnt  uur  niaile  bis  iipp«5«ir:inoe  in  person 
before  tlie  walls,  probulily  liringing  with 
liim  iin  udiiitioniil  force,  winch  made  a  suo- 
oeasful  resieiance  hopeUss.  A  council  of 
war  was  no  doubt  held  uuder  the  new 
circumst^inoes,  and  a  surrender  wad  decided 
oa. 

Ver.  12. —And  Jehoiachin  the  King  of 
Judah  went  out  to  tbo  King  of  Babylon  (tit 
the  UhO  of  tlio  exprcsbi m,  "  wont  out  to," 
in  this  8».nse  of  nmkia}^  a  surrender,  see  1 
Sura.  xi.  3;  Jer.  xxi.  9;  xxxTiii.  17,  etc), 
he.  and  his  mother  (see  thi  coinmcut  on  ver. 
8).  aud  his  servants,  and  his  prinoes,  a^d  his 
officers  —nitlur,  Ai'«eu«u<'/i»(!^ee  tlieeoiunjeut 
on  oh.  XX.  IS)— and  the  King  of  Babylon 
took  him  in  the  eighth  year  of  his  reign. 
Nel)nchadnetziir  su'-cec  led  his  father,  N'iilx>- 
poliuss:ir,  in  B.C.  1)05;  but  nis  first  year  was 
not  complete  till  lute  lu  B.o.  604.  His 
"  <  ij:hlb  year"  was  thus    bo.  597. 

Ver.  13.— And  ho  oa:riod  out  thence  all 
the  treasures  of  the  house  of  the  Lord. 
•"Tlionce"  imuus  "  fr<j:ii  Jurus.ilem,"  which 
he  entcHMl  and  plundered,  not witbsUinding 
Jehoi.iciiiii's  subiuiHsiou,  so  that  not  much 
was  f-ftinod  by  the  volnntitry  snrreuiler.  A 
beginning  Imd  Uen  iniide  of  tlie  c^irrying 
oflf  tiie  sacred  vefsels  of  tlie  temple  in  Je- 
boiakim'a  third  (fourth.)  year  (Uau.  L  1), 
which  was  the  first  of  Nebuchadiiezur. 
The  pluudi-rin'^'  wun  now  carrioti  a  step 
further;  while  tlie  final  ooinplete  sweep  of 
kU  that  remaiiie.l  came  eleven  yeunt  likti>r, 
at  the  end  of  the  reii^n  of  Ztvji  kiuh  (mi-  ili 
XIV.  lH-17).  And  the  treasures  of  the 
king's  house  (como.  eh  xx  13).  If  the 
ti«Mur«s  whleh   iiuMiuikh  showed  to  the 


rm^frn  «f  M^r-fa/'h  n*liMlan  w»«f*  <«*iTt^| 


.!.«.  Ji        A:  . 

jold    which  :...;■• 
made  in  the  icmplo  ot  the  Lora.     (Kor  ma 

mtxymui  of  iU  »•  m  -  .  I-.  >«•  f   I    Kinj.'*   vii. 

4H-50)      1  . 

of  furnilnr  I 

the  table  i»I  nlif  » 

<vivort<d    with    1  f 

VeMi<ls,    e!'-        "  • 

m<tal,  nM  f  ^  r '. 

siiiitri-ni,  I"  "v     I 

Ibii  like.  A«  the  Lurd  had  Mud  (ixitup  cb. 
XX.  17;  Ibh  xxxix.  6:  Jer.  xv.  IS;  xni. 
3  ;  XX.  5,  etc.). 

Ver.  14.— And  he  earned  away  all  Jerusa- 
lem.  The  expreesiou  ban  *.  ■>  '  •■  :l'»i  by 
what  follow*.     "AllJerii-  n*  all 

tliat  WHS  important  in  the  ,    ,  of  Je- 

rusaleiu — all  the  u|<percla.^*u»,  the  "uriuctai" 
and  "  uoblen,"  all  the  iue:i  trai  iod  V>  the 
UBi'  of  arms,  and  all  the  bkill*«l  crariemeu 
aud  artisans  of  the  city.  Th  •  («>or  and 
weak  iinl  niixkilled  were  left.  Th.-  number 
de|M>rU«<l,  accordinp  to  our  author,  whs 
either  ten  or  eleven  thou.'Mind.  The  whole 
population  of  the  ancient  city  h  is  been  eal- 
cul.tt«tl  from  itii  area  at  fifteen  lii<>aaaud. 
The  larifesl  estimate  of  the  population  of 
the  modern  city  is  Seveuteeu  tliousuBd.  And 
all  the  princes.  The  «<iri/n,  or  "  princi-a," 
are  not  males  of  ti.e  bluod  royal,  but  the 
nobles,  or  U|ij>t'r  rliihise-  of-Iernsnlem  (i-oinp. 
Jer.  XXV  IH;  xxvi  10 — 16.  eto.).  And  aU 
the  mighty  men  of  Talonr — i.e.  "all  tlie 
train«il  'ro.i(>s"  (EwaUl):  not  "all  the  nsea 
of  wralih,"  as  liabr  renders — ♦-veu  ten 
thousand  captives  As  the  soldiera  are 
re<*konb<l  below  (ver.  16)  at  scveu  lboua.uid, 
aud  the  craftsmen  t\'.  "Uv  thousau<l,the  upper- 
claaa  captives  would  m-em  to  havi  beeu  two 
thousaud  :  unl<  .-v-.  indi^d,  the  "  crkftsmen  " 
are  a<lditioual  to  tlie  ten  thouB-md,  in  which 
case  the  upj-^^r-clASs  captives  would  have 
numbere<l  lhre#-  thou-anil,  and  the  prisoners 
haveamonnt'-d  alto<^tber  to  eleven  thousand. 
And  all  the  craftsmen  and  smiths.  Ewald 
understands    **  the    tmlit'iry    workmen     and 

bieiTo  eiiL'ineers "   tu   ' •   '    i   (•  History 

of  Isniel,'  vol    jT     p  y) ;  but  the 

tt'rm  C'^";  in  Hel>n»w  ,;  .     workers  m 

stone,  metal,  i^r  wtK^xi  ((ien.  iv.  ;^2  ;  Is&  xliv. 
12;  1  Kings  vii  14),  and  there  is  nothing 
to  limit  it  here  tn  mililary  crafisiaen  It 
was  an  OrieM'al  ;>rH<'ti<<«  to  weakeu  a  state 
by   the  dt  i  f  nil   the  etroiij.  r  el«»- 

ments   of   i  t^on.      Hone  remained, 

save  the  puu^is.  :^  r:  of  the  people  of  the 
land.  These  words  must  !»•  taken  wilti 
some  latitude  T  ere  arr  still  •'prinoes" 
iu  Jeruaaiwn  uuder  ZadakiiUt  (Jer.  ixzvuL 


479 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS,    [oh.  xxiv.  1— 20. 


4, 25, 27),  and  courtieri  of  rank  ( Jer.  rxxvUL 
7),  and  "captains  of  forces  "  (Jer.  xl.7),  and 
"men  of  war"  (Jer.'lii.  7).  But  the  bulk  of 
the  inhabitants  now  left  behind  in  Jerusa- 
lem were  poor  and  of  small  account, 

Ver.  15. — And  he  carried  away  Jehoiachin 
to  Babylon  (comp.  2  Chron.  xxxvi.  10 ;  Jer. 
xxii.  26;  xxiv.  1 ;  lii.  31 ;  Josephus,  '  Ant. 
Jud.,'  X.  7.  §  1).  Jehoiachin  continued  a 
captive  in  Babylon  during  the  remainder  of 
Nebuchadnezzar's  reign — a  space  of  thirty- 
seven  years  (see  the  comment  on  ch.  xxv. 
27).  And  the  king's  mother  (see  above,  ver. 
12),  and  the  king's  wives — this  is  important, 
as  helping  to  determine  Jehoiachin's  age 
(see  the  comment  on  ver.  8)^and  his  officers 
— rather,  his  eumwlis  (comp.  Jer.  xxxviii.  7; 
xxxix.  16) — and  the  mighty  of  the  land. 
Not  only  tlie  "princes"  and  the  trained 
soldiers  and  the  skilled  artisans  (ver.  14), 
but  all  who  were  of  much  accouut,  as  the 
bulk  of  the  priests  and  the  prophets  (see 
Jer.  xxix.  1 — 24).  Tiiose  carried  he  into  cap- 
tivity from  Jerusalem  to  Babylon.  "  Baby- 
lon "  0?.^)  is  the  city,  not  the  country  (as 
Theuius  imagines).  It  was  the  practice  for 
the  conquering  kings  to  carry  their  captives 
with  them  to  their  capital,  for  ostentation's 
sake,  before  determining  on  their  desti- 
nation. The  Jewish  prisoners  were,  no 
doui)t,  uUiinatfJy  settled  in  various  parts  of 
Babylonia.  Hence  they  are  called  (Ezra 
ii.  1 ;  Neb.  vii.  t>)  "  the  cliiMreii  of  the 
province." 

Ver.  16. — And  all  the  men  of  might — i.e. 
"  th<;  mi^rhty  men  of  valour"  (or,  '•trained 
soldiers  ")  of  v.-r.  14 — even  seven  thousand, 
and  craftsmen  and  smiths  a  thousand,  all 
that  were  strong  and  apt  for  war — the 
craftsmen  and  smiths  would  be  pressed  into 
thf;  n.iiitary  service  in  the  event  oC  a  siege 
-  even  them  the  King  of  Babylon  brought 
captive  to  Babylon;  i.e.  he  bmuglit  to 
Babylon,  not  fniiy  tin;  royal  personages,  the 
oflicialx  of  tlio  court,  and  the  captives  who 
beloiig<;d  to  the  upper  claBses  (ver.  1.0),  but 
•Iho  the  eiitiri'  military  fon-t;  which  h(;  had 
deporic;)!,  an<l  thu  thousami  skilled  artilici.'rs. 
Ail,  without  exccptiou,  wuro  conducted  to 
the  capital. 

Vers.  17  —  20.  —  Karltkb  Portton  *ot 
ZrjjKUAn'H  Hkkjn.  N'-lmrhudnozzar  foun<l 
A  son  of  JoHiah,  nnrrifvl  Mattaiiiah,  Htill  Hur- 
vivini.^  at  JeruHnluin.  At  his  rulhrr'H  diath 
b«  muMt  Jiuvd  biM'ti  a  boy  of  U^n,  Ixil  h<'  wa^ 
now,  chiviii  yi-arH  hit^ir,  of  th<i  ago  of  twi  rity- 
onn.  Thin  youth,  only  tht«<<i  yoarH  oldor 
than  liifl  miphow  .Ir:lioiai'hiM,  \m\  ii|)|K)iiit<'(l 
kiiiK.  <it  thi^  wimo  timi)  re({iiirin[;  him  tf> 
ehnn((i'  liiM  tnnm,  wliir-h  lio  did  Iruiii  "  Mat- 
i"  to  •*  Zadukiah  "  (T«r.  17>.      Z<h1»- 


kiah  pnrsned  nearly  the  same   oonne  ol 

action  as  the  other  recent  kings.  He  showed 
no  religious  zeal,  instituted  no  reform,  but 
allowed  the  idolatrous  practices,  to  which 
the  people  were  so  addicted,  to  continue 
(ver.  19).  Though  less  irreligious  and  less 
inclined  to  persecute  than  Jehoiakim,  he 
could  not  bring  himself  to  turn  to  God.  He 
was  weak  and  vacillating,  inclined  to  follow 
the  counsels  of  Jeremiah,  but  afraid  of  the 
"  princes,"  and  ultimately  took  their  advice, 
which  was  to  ally  himself  with  Egypt,  and 
openly  rebel  against  Nebuchadnezzar.  This 
course  of  conduct  brought  about  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  nation  (ver.  20). 

Ver.  17. — And  the  King  of  Babylon  made 
Mattaniah  his  father's  brother  king  in  his 
stead.  Josiah  had  four  sons  (1  Chron.  iii. 
15) — Johanan,  the  eldest,  who  probably 
died  before  his  father ;  Jehoiakim,  or  Elia- 
kim,  the  second,  who  was  twenty-five  years 
old  at  his  father's  death  (ch.  xxiii.  36); 
Jehoahaz,  the  third,  otherwise  called  Shal- 
lum  (1  Chron.,  I.  «.  o. ;  Jer.  xxii.  11),  who, 
when  his  father  died,  was  aged  twenty-three 
(eh.  xxiii.  31);  and  Mattaniah.  the  youngest, 
wlio  must  have  been  then  agetl  ten  or  nine. 
It  was  this  fourth  son,  now  grown  to  man- 
hood, whom  Nebuchadnezzar  appointed 
king  in  Jelioiachin's  room.  And  changed 
his  name  to  Zedekiah.  (On  the  practice  of 
changing  a  kin'j;'s  name  on  his  accession, 
see  the  comment  upon  oh.  xxiii.  31,  34.) 
Mattaniah  means  "  Gift  of  Jehovah  ;  " 
Zedekiah,  "  Righteousness  of  Johovah." 
Jos. ah  had  called  his  son  the  first  of  these 
names  in  huml)]e  acknowledgment  of  God's 
mercy  in  granting  liiin  a  fourth  son.  So 
other  i)iou8  J(!W8  called  tlioir  sons  "Natiia- 
niel,"  and  Greeks  "  The.odotus  "  or  "Theo- 
doruH,'  and  Uonians  "  Deodatua.''  Mat- 
taniah, in  taking  the  s'cond  of  tho  names, 
may  have  hud  in  liis  mind  tho  prophecy 
of  Jeremiah  (xxiii.  5 — S),  where  blessings 
aro  j)romiHed  to  tiio  roign  of  a  king  wlioso 
name  nhonld  1k3  "  Jchnmh-tsiilhfnn"  i.e. 
"  The  Lord  our  Kighteousnos.H."  Or  bo  may 
simply  have  intended  to  declare  that  "tho 
riKhteousnesB  of  .leliovah "  was  what  he 
aimed  at  CHlahliHhing.  In  this  ease  it  can 
only  ho  Hnid  that  it  would  have  ix'on  happy 
for  his  country,  had  his  professions  buuu 
corroborated  by  liis  acts. 

Ver.  IK.— Zrdokiah  waw  twenty  and  one 
yoarn  old  when  ho  began  to  roign,  and  ha 
rcignod  olovon  years  in  Jurunalom.  I'mb- 
iiMy  fiom  H.o.  .')'.i7  tf)  ii.o.  .'iS(>.  II.'  wiw 
thuM  coiiliiiiiioriiry  with  Nohui-hadne/znr  iu 
Kahylon,  with  ('ynxarei  and  AHtvugxn  iu 
Mixita,  and  with  i'siuiiutik  IL  and  Xla-ap-ra 


m.  auv.  1-ia]     TUB  SROUNO  BOOK  OF  TBI  KIX(ML 


fTf 


•r  JarvBUk  ar  litokk      II*  «»•  UiW  f«UI 

broUlrT  of  J»ba^iaS  I  <-h  tllU  SI)  b«t  mIT 
lMlr-b««4i>««    Id    Jrbfiakia   (rh.    tttU.   16). 

te  tka  iitfkl  of  til*  L< :  .     idl 

Ikal  oT  bte  brolb  -  >  <u.  cicr^  i  tuai 

lnUHab  doM  •!>  (>•««  yniiiiii  rj 

M>  awk  iMtfy  f^"  '^>  ''^•^  «M  aiviL" 
He  ftllovt^  9m  pMpI*  IB  «a^aM»  (tMlf 
-  pollat^Ma*  awl  •'aboabMlkMM**  (t  Cliron. 
XisH.  H).  H»  IH  ih*  "prinow-  b«»e 
tlirtr  «^T.  and  <(««  «l:atPT(>r   Uiaj  i>lr«»d 


(-' 


'  titiuK 
ibeui. 


Llmaeir   villi 
and    (viuntcT- 


illii    A| 
av   a<-t 


.  at 


mi.  U'  ttK    «Ka 
a.cked- 


•rune  III-  .r 

«>.    B«fr 
tffvat   in  Ej. 
Btada   an    alliaikoe    ^ 
Ucpbra).  «Li  1.  wna 

la^itiVt  (i'd  n 

in.     Hf  »h 

Uiaa  wtpkoa 
••  raiaaw  lo  kis  r<>uuir)'  aa  acUt 

»f-"  « *  *'a»*  l*<rn. 

For  throofk  tka  asfar  of  tha 
I  .       u>  paaa  in  Janualam  and  Jodah. 

It  mm»  -  Uiiougil  Um  aa^rr  of  the   Lord  " 
at  the  piruatcBt  iaipaait<  iti-f  of  tlti-  iM-oplf, 
tiiMt  iKai  ctm*  to  mm  >  ' 
lu  J  tu«— the  f^i«euoB  ' 
•»a  (k»  cMiiaf  of  it  o' 
aafiered 
and  f« 
Btada  BB  attanpt  at  a  rrK>i  u  at 
••d  aUoved  din  t<^  rtiit  )<>  ■ 


mil    ;:<>.  17  ;  &xit.  I,  4X  >*7 


t  of 


•I  tfM  |M«  ut  tba  vf^lr  ■irf4M  aT  vvaaU,  Ml 
naMJM  ^aa'a  al*^  but  »]i<^«>nc  Uha*  lu  •• 
aawtU  tba  aw  uf  tlKU  «k<i«iti««  vm  fak. 
aod  tlM  tUM  bttd  am««d  f««  v^acMaaft. 
VbiU  ka  kad  aaa«  tkaa  aat  tt^m  kla >niian 
(euM^  ck.  I«a   U.  SO.  ■•Ill   77.  ti  «   fX 

To    b*    "r»*t    .  ul    u/   *•   •! 


baa  bU 

frnm  hi 


klAMl 


•   la 


r,  -< 

la  K  »i*^ 

e«  •• 

II  dd*k  •^ 

•aitadt  •- 

fl^Mlaaa^  '   ■^tt^i'  -mui  of 

■iU^iair  -n.  xxtii.  IS: 

KtrL  X  >  *  "»  nwanw  ; 

but  altti  '«  baeaa 

to  tath^u     -  utiaffMrt 
ot  troopa  b>  iiri(j  r*»uj:>iA  II    ut  bia  waia 
(WifldiemnBB.  *  <;^wh»«'»it.-     Vsm**-**.*    f», 
IMXaiMl  thi' 
mn  EcTptiai 

whiek  ka  Bi  .  •; 

vaa  paobabl)  >«^ 

tbaaa  aaU  ar  -^ 
bia  n'igii,  a  < 

(Jrr   li.  .''V*  .  V,  * 

...a 


nation.     G<^. 
xxi.  1(^— U; 


.■ourt,   c^jmiIt 

:biM 

}km.  aod 
:i.    _•   natural 


HOMILRIGBw 


TcTt.  1 — 4. —  Chnqmtriny  Hnyt  and  mat^cms 


U  99*$ 


Uwtrkmd 


The   ^udd^n  (liaa; 
of   Babylon    u|*>n 


Amt»u'»  faio. 
(Ua.  1.  6).     ^ 
wratll,witk  "a  charge,  u>  taie  tbp  aivii, 
like  the  njire  d  tkc  atrerU  "  (Iw.  r.  6). 
17,  IH),  tkair  MflOMi  kad  baaa  eootioiul : 


aifiaanitica 


••dadbja 


dcfltfvjadUM 


>  Md  tkiir  laad%  a&d  kavr  (~a» 


Ai<«7Ha  frotD  tke  acane,  and  cka  wiHiiia 
I  of  tka  buu-ry.  are  rrtj  lanarkaldc 
>  .  <  I'tmgkt  )i  aivut,  lite  vritar  ol  Kinpi 
^^  ooMM  and  gooa ;  tkat  ika  migbty 

:ca  ia  yo  man.,  aud  L»e  IsTrc  •utatw 

»rr.    "  In  klafJako ...  b«* 

.  r  th    •  frr»*iil«dU>  U-.  a— 

b««a  "  t:  '  «i't 

:  atkiD,  to  '  d'a 

;  rrv,  aod   U>  U'  ■  WM 

A     :  'r-'»<*l  iu  kia  }     .  i)». 

~Ul*u^  -ba  ktacaaf  AMjna  Aaa« 

;  iBlo  tka  fira.*  aia.     B«| 


480  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS.      [oh.  xxrr.  1— 2a 


why  and  whence  was  this  ?  Because  Ood  had  used  Assyria  as  his  instrument.  God 
had  brought  it  to  pass  that  Assyria  should  exist  "to  lay  waste  fenced  cities  into  ruinou» 
heaps.  Therefore  their  inhabitants  were  of  small  power,  they  were  dismayed  and  con- 
founded; they  were  as  the  grass  of  the  field,  and  as  the  green  herb,  as  the  grass  on  the 
house-tops,  and  as  corn  blasted  before  it  be  grown  up  "  (ch.  six.  25,  26).  But  this  time 
was  now.  gone.  Assyria  had  offended  God  by  her  pride  and  self-trust.  She  had  said, 
"  By  the  strength  of  my  hand  I  have  done  this,  and  by  my  wisdom ;  for  I  am  prudent : 
and  I  have  removed  the  bounds  of  the  people,  and  have  robbed  their  treasures,  and  I 
have  put  down  the  inhabitants  like  a  valiant  man"  (Isa.  x.  13).  The  axe  had  "boastea 
itself  against  him  that  hewed  therewith  ;  and  the  saw  had  magnified  itself  against  him 
that  moved  it  to  and  fro  "  (Isa.  x.  15).  Therefore  God  thought  it  time  to  vindicate  his 
own  honour,  and  Assyria  felL  Two  other  nations  were  raised  up  to  break  in  pieces  the 
proud  and  haughty  conqueror;  and,  after  a  short  struggle,  Assyria  sank,  to  rise  no 
more  (Nah.  iii.  19). 

IL  Babylon's  bisb  to  greatness.  Babylon  had  in  remote  days  (Gen.  x.  8 — 10) 
been  a  powerful  state,  and  had  even  possessed  an  empire;  but  for  the  last  seven  hundred 
years  or  more  she  had  been  content  to  play  a  very  secondary  part  in  Wet;tern  Asia,  and 
had  generally  been  either  an  Assyrian  feudatory  or  an  integral  part  of  the  Assyrian 
monarchy.  Bat  in  the  counsels  of  God  it  had  been  long  dt^creed  that  she,  and  not 
Assyria,  should  be  God's  instrument  for  the  chastisement  of  his  people  (ch.  xx. 
16 — 19).  Therefore,  as  the  appointed  time  for  Assyria's  fall  approached,  Babylon  was 
made  to  increase  in  power  and  greatness.    A  wave  of  invasion  (Herod.,  i.  lOi,  105),  which 

Eassed  over  the  rest  of  Western  Asia,  left  her  untouched.  A  great  monarch  was  given 
er  in  the  person  of  Nabopolassar,  who  read  aright  the  signs  of  the  times,  saw  in  Media 
a  desirable  ally,  and,  having  secured  Median  co-operation,  revolted  against  the  long- 
established  sovereign  power.  A  short,  sharp  struggle  followed,  ending  in  the  utter 
eoUapse  of  the  great  Assyrian  empire,  and  the  siege  and  fall  of  Nineveh.  The  two 
conquering  states  partitioned  between  them  the  Assyrian  dominions — Mi  dia  taking  the 
countries  whi-h  lay  to  the  north-west  and  north,  Babylon  those  towards  tlio  south-west 
and  south.  Tims,  eo  far  as  the  Jews  were  concerned,  Babylon,  between  B.C.  (i'_'5  and  b.o. 
608,  had  stepped  into  Assyria's  place.  She  hadbccome"the  hammer  of  the  whole  earth" 
(Jer.  1.  23);  God's  battle-axe  and  weapons  of  war  (Jer.  li.  20),  wherewith  he  brake  in  pieces 
natif.n.s  and  kingdoms,  man  and  woman,  old  and  young,  captains  and  rulers  (Jit.  li. 
20 — 23).  The  prophecy  of  Isaiah  to  Hezekiah  (ch.  xx.  16 — 19),  which  seemed  so 
unlikely  of  fulfilment  at  the  time  that  it  was  uttered,  foimd  a  natural  and  easy  nccom- 
pliKhment,  the  course  of  events  in  the  latter  part  of  the  seventh  century  B.C.  having 
tra  IS  furred  to  Babylonia,  under  Divine  direction  and  arrangement,  that  grand  position 
and  dignity  which  had  previously  boon  Assyria'a  When  she  had  servid  God's  pur- 
pose, Babylon's  turn  came;  and  she  sank  as  suddenly  as  she  had  risen,  because  she  too 
bad  been  '^ proud  against  the  Lord"  (Jer.  L  20),  and  had  provoked  his  indignation. 

Vf'rs.  1 — 6. —  The  leginning  of  the  end.  It  has  been  already  observed  (see  tli» 
bomileticB  to  ch.  ivi.)  that  God's  pvuiishment  of  a  nation,  though  often  long- 
dcfeir<-d,  when  It  comes  at  last  comes  Buddouly,  violently,  and  at  once.  Nineteen 
years  only  Intcrvenfd — a  brief  space  in  the  life  of  a  na(ion — between  the  first  intima- 
tion which  the  JuwB  received  of  danger  impending  from  a  now  enemy,  and  the  entire 
de«trucii«in,  by  that  enemy,  of  temple,  city,  and  nation.  Beril  first  showed  itself  in 
B.C.  60rj;  Jirnwilem  was  destroyed  and  the  .Jews  carried  into  captivity  in  ii.o.  r>S6.  l<'rom 
first  to  la«t  tliey  wore  scarcely  given  a  breath ing-spiicc  Ulow  was  struck  uiH)n  blow; 
calamity  fnllowod  close  \\\)^m  calamity.  "The  be|;inning  of  the  end"  is  to  l)0  dated 
fffiifi  N»jbucha<iii<Z7.ar'B  firnt  invohlon — when  "Keliuehadnez/.ur  King  of  I'liliv Ion  came 
up"  againHt  Jehi.iiikim,  "and  Jchoiakiuj  liecamo  liis  servant  thno  years'  (vor.  IV. 
when  an  iron  tchccI  and  an  earthen  one  come  into  contact  and  colliKion,  it  in  not  dim- 
cult  U)  f(ir«:»i:e  the  rcwulL  Nebuchadnezzar's  flrHt  ciirn|iiiigii  prove<l  Iuh  ulmipluto  HU|iori- 
ority  over  all  tlie  forc«js  that  could  Iw  brought  agaiiiHt  liiiii  by  the  nations  of  iho  wosi. 
C«*u1d  th'i  Jcwn  liRTo  a-c'i/ltxl,  hone.Hily  and  hjyally,  the  |x.Hitinii  which  Johoi»kira 
profonwlly  UxiW  uji — that  of  a  fuillitnl  viu^hrI  and  f(iuiliit(»ry,  who  woulii  kicp  watch  over 
the  intercstn  <l  his  snr^rikin,  and  kkI  him  to  thr  hoiit  of  his  iiower— a  prolonged  Uiougk 
Uii^lorkXM  exisVfliica  would  LaTr  W  n  |><>Mi)ilo  for  the  |)«opIe.     But  the  uatiwn  was  Um 


iBiY.  l-SX]       THE  MOOMD  BOOI  09  TIfll  %IS(ML  «« 


Mil 


■Mi  «•  nVirM  Mi^    VaHkOT  ktac  sar  ri«x^'  U  U4  My  t»twtfn«  «^  r*M«te«  m  ««k 

i^  the  mptirr*  '  -  ' 

t^ .     "  .oS  111  Ii«Lucli*diirAfc».- . 

«,  m4  i|»Ma  llMir  ttvi 

.4r  «ia««  -  (Kaek.  «i  "  brvn*^  ^ 

[iiiiUjin  to  BaWjIua  iittm  tbouMttd  moim  of  lk«  a  '  a/ 


u 
I 

r  dr'ui.-   « 


*  *« 


V«r».  8— Id^  -     A  reJM  woA  eoMllblorT  t*4W^  miehi ,  p>r**j*.  kav« 


» 

be  UoiU^ 

7    ID      !■ 


I.  ■ 


w    vk  a- 


J.  t    I       .ve. 


t!  i:.      ;;.;.  . 

ch,.::>   .:  ■       •      ••  :r  i  ■      :    ^  •^•<'^ 

^jc...,                      f  !i-i   o  '.■  1  •■  *-t-r«#X 

Bfac  •                     .  •' (LAUi.  I.  I ;  axiJ  •    w , ,  li*^ 

ber  I.  :  .MJS  «M  lagU  M  h«tML      >^    «  ' • 

U0M1LIE8  BT   VARIOD8  ADTHOR& 

Jlfjt«[Aiiifii       I  'f  1   rii      -  i/  >'  ^  ^  *ai.cuar.' ric.    la 

vargic?  •  *  '^» 

Aod  t.    '  »"•' 

tb«irn~  lAf 

eonift*  tie  u  *                              ui 


482  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS.      [oh.  xxiv.  1— 2a 

more  pregnant  with  practical  suggestionB  than  his — a  mighty  fiend  in  human  form. 
We  have  in  these  two  chapters  a  view  of  (1)  the  wickedness  of  man ;  (2)  the  retribution 
jj^  Heaven ;  (3)  and  the  supremacy  of  God.     Here  we  have — 

L  The  wickedness  of  man.  The  wickedness  here  displayed  is  marked :  1.  By 
inveteracy.  It  is  here  said  of  Jehoiachin,  "  He  did  that  which  was  evil  in  the  sight  of 
the  Lord,  according  to  all  that  his  father  had  done."  In  ver.  19  the  same  is  also  said  of 
Zedekiah  :■  **  He  did  that  which  was  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  according  to  all  that 
Jehoiakim  had  done."  This  has,  indeed,  been  said  of  many  kings  of  Judah,  as  of  all 
the  kings  of  IsraeL  What  a  hold,  then,  had  wickedness  taken  on  the  Jewish  people  1 
It  had  so  deeply  struck  its  roots  into  their  very  being  that  neither  the  mercies  nor 
the  judgments  of  Heaven  could  uproot  it.  It  was  a  cancer  transmitted  from 
sire  to  son,  poisoning  their  blood  and  eating  up  their  nature.  Thus,  then,  from 
generation  to  generation  the  wickedness  of  the  Jewish  people  seemed  to  be  a  disease 
hereditary,  ineradicable,  and  incurable.  2.  By  tyranny.  "At  that  time  the  servants 
of  Nebuchadnezzar  King  of  Babylon  came  up  against  Jerusalem,  and  the  city  was 
besieged.  And  Nebuchadnezzar  King  of  Babylon  came  against  the  city,  and  his 
servants  did  besiege  it."  This  is  seen  in  the  conduct  of  Nebuchadnezzar.  What  right 
had  Nebuchadnezzar  to  leave  his  own  country,  invade  Judah,  plunder  it  of  its  wealth, 
and  bear  away  by  violence  its  population  ?  None  whatever.  It  was  tyranny  of  the 
worst  kind,  an  outrage  on  every  principle  of  humanity  and  justice.  Sin  is  evermore 
tyrannic.  We  see  it  everywhere.  On  all  hands  do  we  see  men  and  women  endeavour- 
ing to  bring  others  into  subjection — masters  their  servants,  employers  their  employes, 
rulers  their  subjects.  Tyranny  everywhere  is  the  evidence,  the  effect,  and  the  instru- 
ment of  wickedness.  3.  By  inhumanity.  "And  the  King  of  Babylon  .  ,  .  carried 
out  thence  all  the  treasures  of  the  house  of  the  Lord,  and  the  treasures  of  the  king's 
house,  and  cut  in  pieces  all  the  vessels  of  gold  which  Solomon  King  of  Israel  had  made 
in  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  as  the  Lord  had  said.  And  he  carried  away  all  Jerusalem, 
and  all  the  princes,  and  all  the  mighty  men  of  valour,  even  ten  thousand  captives,  and 
all  the  craftsmen  and  smiths :  none  remained,  save  the  poorest  sort  of  the  people  of  th^ 
land.  And  he  carried  away  Jehoiachin  to  Babylon,  and  the  king's  mother,  and  the 
king's  wives,  and  his  officers,  and  the  mighty  of  the  land,  those  carried  he  into  captivity 
from  Jerusalem  to  Babylon.  And  all  the  men  of  might,  even  seven  thousand,  and 
craftsmen  and  smiths  a  thousand,  and  all  that  were  strong  and  apt  for  war,  even  them 
the  King  of  Babylon  brought  captive  to  Babylon."  He  rifled  the  country  of  its  people 
and  its  property,  and  inflicted  untold  misery  on  thousands.  Thus  wickedness  trans- 
forms man  into  a  fiend,  and  turns  society  into  a  pandemonium.  4.  By  profanity. 
We  read  here  that  Nebuchadnezzar  carried  away  all  the  treasures  of  the  house  of  the 
Lord,  and  cut  in  pieces  all  the  vessels  of  gold  which  Solomon  had  made  in  the 
temple  thereof.  We  also  read  here  that  "  he  burnt  the  house  of  the  Lord.  .  .  .  And 
the  jiillars  of  brass  that  were  in  the  house  of  the  Lord,  and  the  hases,  and  the 
brazen  sea  that  was  in  the  house  of  tiie  Lord,  did  the  Chaldces  break  in  pieces,  and 
carried  the  bniss  of  them  to  Babylon.  And  the  pots,  and  the  shovels  and  the  snuffers, 
and  the  spoons,  and  all  the  vessels  of  brass  wherewith  they  ministered,  took  they 
awfiy.  .  .  .  Th'j  two  [)illarH,  one  sea,  and  the  bases  which  Solomon  Iiad  inado  for  the 
house  of  the  Lord  ;  the  brass  of  all  these  ve.'Sils  was  without  weight."  Thus  this  ruth- 
less de.spot,  becoming  a  scourge  in  God's  hands,  desecrated  the  most  holy  things  in  the 
city  of  JeruHaleiii  and  in  the  memory  of  millions.  He  reduced  the  magnificent  pile  of 
buiidin.'H  to  aahciH,  and  rifled  it  of  its  sacred  and  priceless  treasures.  Wickedness  is 
tjBMentiaily  profane.  It  has  no  reverence;  it  crMshes  every  sentiment  of  sanctity  in  the 
•oul.  O  win,  what  liist  ihoii  done?  Thou  hast  quenched  the  divinest  instincts  in 
kuman  nature,  and  poi^one<i  the  fountain  of  religions  and  social  synipathies,  substituted 
cruelty  fur  lovu,  tyranny  for  justice,  blind  ■u^>orutitloa  and  blaupiiemous  profanity  for 
devotion. 

II.   Thb  RKTRrntjTioN  or  IIravkn. 

HI.   Th«  bupukmaoy  of  Qou. — D.  T, 

Verm.  I — 9. —  Thn  ofhient  of  Nrhuchadnetxar.  It  had  been  predicted  that  the  final 
Wow  on  Judah  wuuld  Imi  <!ulivere<l,  not  hy  the  AHHyriann,  hut  l>y  the  OlialdeaDn.  "  Th« 
4a/i  couie,  that  all  th^t  i«  iu  thiuu  houjM  .  .  .  Bhall  bo  carried  into  Babylon:  nothing 


xuT.  1— aa)       THF  8BtX>ND   TOOK  Of  THE   KINOS. 


b*  Ml*  (eh.  IX.  17 ;  ef.  Mioah  Iv.  10).    UmI  prvJirtiwu  a.j«r  L«si(«]  to  iu  aho. 

L       li4t>>  Ion    h»d   MUCC^tM)    M  tho    ■IICOB— nf    V  • 

at    ituivttAl    i>  it    I        lu    *a<i-«>U(l    k,ui    «&• 
ltt*Uutiirut  Kir  Ibe  i  .t  of  JuiIaIi  k' 

1.    jKUi.UklM'*    ^  1       'V     /''' 

Noobuli,  a*   i<revi<>uki> 
Jadah,  rr   xf'.i  iitvi  Ui>l  < ' 

tu    (  'i     UU     tl  r  .': 

mrt  .kttlc,  »'«l  ■  -• 

Bgjrpl  aud  the  Ku|>tira!< 
Babylon  (vor.  7).  K.>  i  •. 
drfftil  aro  thr  oi    I'luati  •11'- 

Johinakim  (Jcr.  xxt.  1),  Mini. 

tingout  u>  Uif  drfcatol  K^'V|  i 

Wv    1<  aru  fn>tu  oLhcf  jwu-vi^-- 

•ctuallv  inu  bMie^g«l«  k'>il  Jt 

U>  lUbylun.     Ti-  Wi,  ..  .  .v.>  ......     „... 

ii»  hacro'l  vr^- 

This  w  ihf  b  

Cr«'.  wrvWut/r.      Kur    i 
ylon,  aa  Uf  ;••   ■ 
ooderweDt  ac>  . 
peoule,  w&s  (>< 
Be  ouih 
rul>  wan  It .. 


wrr«   LakvO  aw 
XXT.    Ill 

kvv  yoke 


.  xxii.  lii — 17).      1' 
auti  ihrrw  jl  ;n  t^:- 


I   Jjuiacf»   by  fofvwl 
.  1.  Le  cut  it  Up  wilb  I 

20 — -3).  lie  itlew  Urijiih  the  p>ruphtft,  tkua  wouid  hare  put 
ka  had  dared  (Jer.  xxti.  12 — 24).  Uuder  his  rt-i.'U  ht-ai 
ravival,  and  tl>e  tuural  ooudiiiuu  <*f  tti*-  |>«uplf  rapilly  '1«rU-n<jr.vu>!.  J  . .:.,  ..Lc  U.-oci 
of  fumiar  day^,  had  l>ec<.>m0  a  ii<>|i(lc:vtly  ooirupi  caicas«,  and  uuthiug  rcu.aiuod  but  to 
reiuuve  it  fmiu  ibe  (atx  ut   tbe  earth. 

11.  JxuuiAKiu's  KKBKLUOH.      1.  Il$  mottvm.    Tbree  years  Jehoiakim  arrvod  the 
Kiu;^  uf  iiat'yUn,   then  "he  turned  aiid  rv'    "    '    <.    i  :i8t   him." 
tbruwn  on  lb«?  ni'tiTee  of  this  reUlhon  bey^  l  tha'   N 

this  tune  at  a  d  stance,  and  Jt*  -riay  iiavc  "  '  

denc«  Willi  imp  :uty.     Pbars'  wait  Htill  i:. 

■•  g*--l    ■•■■    —  ••■•  ■  ■ 

3 :  on  ihu  mv 

,   "T.   L'^  ;  and  ^ 

.  >h  (^ve  K 

«H-    v„  I  a  to  be  liiltii  ^  •.      » 

firitt  uiaddrn.     Jeuoiakiiu  wan  ^ivrn   up  to  the  d'  iiu  ovrn 

Doti<»ns,  and  the  people  chtruboLl  extravit.'ant  h'  :i  tl'  r  « 

tcuiple  and  the    I -aw  (Jer.  vii.  4;  viii.  H).      But  nt-ituer  '  <  wiii  avaii  in«iM> 

who  refuM)  to  **  lh<iruu.;hly  amend  "  tbeir  **  ways  "  :.  -  "  (Jer.  rn.   '■). 

Z.  Human  inUrutnentt  t'f  punu}iiKnt.     '*Andti.'  •^ 

Cbaldces,  and  hands  of  the   Syriaua,"  etc     Nt'i   .      . 
attend  to  Jehoiakiiii  in  p>  t»><.i  ; 
aod  th«*«  wrff  ordered   t"  k.-^j 
of    1  -  't«l>d&.       I 


were  alw 

Opl'Tfliix' 

aide   of  >it-   .       ._ 

•iicctii^  (cf.  Jcr.  XI 
unit»dml.    The  prn 


ht  w 
u  a» 


but  he  r>i>:ld  lay  hia u>uiUi.u^ 
np  a  e^llm'.^  and  haraaiung 


M'  I                    Amiiiniii'. 
by  Ji  r.  m.&ti  to  "  » 
Tfuublea  riMs  uLi   e\ 
the  **  Lord  "  wbt)  &«•:.■.  ;. 
tbe  oouiiuandmeni  of  *. : 
aght."     In  sacrnd  ^'•• 
¥t  in  •«•'  ■ 
>•  G'»i'«  "•e.- 


wu  CbaUleaoa 
in  no  paaott.     < 


•   s 

'       ^irf.   1..     ^>. 

;«r  aU.     it  waa 


I  lie   ihii 


XXTU.  4 — 7);  aod  what,  from  the 


point  of  Tie«,  at'  in*  a  iawl 


(xay 


4Si  THE  SECO>rD   BOOK   OF  THE   KINGS.       [oh.  txtv.  1—20. 

of  forces,  is,  from  the  Divine  point  of  view,  a  scene  full  of  meaning,  interest,  and 
purpose.  The  rejection  of  Judah  is  again  in  these  verses  connected  with  the  sin  of 
Manasseh,  only,  however,  as  before  shown,  because  people  and  rulers  made  these  sing 
their  own,  and  would  not  depart  from  them.  Heathenism  was  again  rampant  (cf. 
Ezek.  viii.),  and  Jehoiakim,  like  Manasseh,  was  shedding  "  innocent  blood  "  (Jer.  xxii. 
17).  Scripture  knows  no  fatalism  beyond  that  which  springs  from  the  iucorrigiblenesa 
of  a  people  wedded  to  their  sins.  Neither  is  there  any  sin  which,  if  sincerely  repented 
ot",  God  will  not  pardon,  though  its  temporal  effects  may  still  have  to  be  endured.  But 
there  is  the  a-.vful  possibility  of  getting  beyond  pardon  through  our  own  obduracy. 
Both  sides  of  the  truth  are  seen  in  Jeremiah — on  the  one  hand  exhortations  to  repent- 
ance, with  assurances  of  forgiveness  (Jer.  xviiL  7 — 10;  xxvi.  1 — 3;  xxxvr.  15);  and  on 
the  other  declarations  that  the  time  for  pardon  was  past  (Jer.  vii.  13 — 16,  27,  28 ;  xi. 
11 — 14;  XT.  1;  xviii.  11,  12;  xxxvi.  16,  17,  etc.).  It  was  not  because  the  fathers  had 
eaten  sour  grapes  that  the  children's  teeth  were  set  on  edge  (Ezek.  xviii.  2)  ;  but  the 
children  had  walked  in  the  fathers'  ways. 

III.  Jehoiakim's  son.  1.  Jehoiakim's  end.  Like  so  many  other  wicked  kings, 
Jehoiakim  came  to  a  miserable  end,  for  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt  that  Jeremiah's 
jirophecy  was  fulfilled  regarding  him,  •'  He  shall  be  buried  with  the  burial  of  an  ass, 
orawn  and  cast  forth  beyond  the  gates  of  Jerusalem  "  (Jer.  xxii.  18,  19).  The  circum- 
Ftances  are  nnknown.  2.  Jehoiachin's  character.  Jehoiachin  succeeded  to  the  throne 
of  his  father,  but,  like  Jehoahaz,  he  only  held  it  for  three  months.  Of  him,  ttx), 
the  record  is  borne  that  he  "did  evil."  He  is,  perl laps,  the  "young  lion"  of  E/.ek. 
xix.  5 — 9,  whom  the  nations  took  in  their  net,  and  brought  to  the  King  of  Babylon. 
Inhere  seem  to  have  been  some  elements  of  uobleuess  in  his  nature,  and,  after  a  loug 
captivity,  he  became  the  friend  and  companion  of  the  Babylonian  king  who  succeeded 
Nebuchadnezzar  (ch.  xxv.  27 — 30). — J.  U, 

Vera.  10 — 20. —  The  first  general  captivity.  Some  captives  had  been  taken  to 
Babylon  on  occasion  of  Nebuchadnezzar's  first  advance  against  Jerusalem  (Dan.  i.  1,  2). 
The  lull  storm  of  j)n^Ucted  juiigment  was  now,  however,  to  descend.  What  prophets  had 
ho  lung  foretold  aiiiidst  the  scoffing  and  incredulity  of  their  godless  contemporaries  was 
BOW  at  length  to  be  accomplished.  The  final  tragedy  falls  into  two  parts,  of  which  the 
fcrsi  is  before  us. 

I.  Jkhoiachuu  makes  bukrender.  1.  The  city  besieged.  'I'he  attacks  of  the  Chal- 
dean.'-, Syrians,  Moabitcs,  etc.,  mentioned  in  ver.  2,  had  served  an  inuuodiate  purpose  in 
weakening  the  strength  and  exhausting  the  resources  of  Judah.  The  great  king, 
wiio,<e  fame  was  already  eciualling  that  of  a  Sargon  or  a  Sennacherib,  was  now  able  to 
fcend  his  main  army  against  the  city,  and  soon  after  appeared  upon  the  scene  in  jierson. 
A^am,  as  in  the  days  of  Ilezekiah,  the  city  was  closely  invested  ;  but  this  tini.'  there 
va«  no  Isaiah  to  hurl  back  Kc<jru  for  scorn,  and  assure  the  trembling  king  of  the  com- 
j.loie  diHconihlure  of  the  enemy.  Neither  was  tlicre  a  king  of  IIozi  kiaii's  stamp  to  lay 
the  bla-spheniouH  nieBsages  of  the  invader  before  the  Lord,  and  entreat  hia  interposition 
(ch.  xix.  14 — 19).  It  waH  another  kind  of  message  Jerendah  the  prophet  had  to  lu>ar 
t4)  king  and  juiople.  The  ilay  for  mercy  was  past;  and  in  default  of  a  general  repi  nt- 
afio!,  which  wa«  not  to  be  «'Xin5Cle<i,  there  reniaine<i  nothing  but  "a  certain  fearful 
l«»king  for  of  Judgment  and  fiery  indignation"  (lleb.  x.  '27).  The  day  of  final 
riy.-koning  iinrely  conioH  for  every  Hinncr.  It  had  come  for  iHra(!l  a  himdred  luid  twenty 
yi-am  before;  it  wn*  now  come  for  Ihrael's  Hister  Judali.  2.  Jf/ioitirliin'a  rolutilari/  sur- 
ir-u'ler.  Si-c.n^  reHJHianco  to  be  ho|M;h*Hs,  Jehoiachin  did  wliat,  on  the  most  favotiraltle 
lnu-r|ir()tatii>n  of  his  uinduet,  wiis  a  noble  thing.  The  city  could  not  hold  out;  but  it 
he  «ii')  the  other  mem)>«!rH  of  the  royal  hoisD  went  an<l  made  voluntary  surrender  of 
ttirmiwlveii  u>  Nebnchmliie/./.ar,  the  worbt  horrors  niight  he  Hparcd.  This,  indeed,  waa 
«'|iiii  Jirrcininb  alwayH  eounMelled.  Jehoiachin  nccordingiy  went  forth,  with  MehushtA 
^i»  mother,  and  hU  mirvimlH,  prltweH,  iin<i  odicorH,  and  (U>livered  (hemm^lvcH  uj)  t>i  tin 
Ifitl'Vioniaii  king.  lie  mii;lit  re«!l,  with  the  le|M^rn  of  .Suniaria,  "  If  lliey  nave  nn  alive, 
w^  nhAll  llvn  ;  an'l  if  they  kill  iih,  we  Hhall  hut  liie  "  (eh.  vii.  4).  Or  he  may  have  hm\\\ 
iu;Mimi#!  by  the  n<'«hl«r  iminiln''  to  nave  tin'  i»e<'ple,  and  may  liavn  lhon;.lit,  "  It  ii 
eipt^lienl  (or  us,  that  one  iidiii  liould  ili«  fi^r  the  |M-ot)|i>,  nnil  that  the  whole  nation 
t«riak  Dot  '  (Joho  Lli«  auLuii  ni'Ti  till  itvi<rl   thu  wirHt  from  th«  nntinn       III* 


m«Sfv.  I-Sa)      TIIK   •<!*«t>XD  BOOK    Of  TIIB 


J«rHBUk*B  iwimmtem  I*  Ikw  ^ 

yaii»  •*  tW  MfliMt  hntttk  ot  .c4  Um  -  pmi  •■«                   .1 

lottlhwilkfKl,  flUl   «l<    I  — ihiW^,   »  »       '">       '-«   -r*  C0 

•nMd  to  cM«4  ikm' 

*^    ^  la    ' 

III                                                                                 J^r^-T.!*  I 

kit..                 ■'  .^ 

tfci     .  -                                                            -       .   .                     rf 


l«4),  AttJ  «c«ui  (Maof\ttat  to  mmm)  u 


If  JcMmIUb^  wrrMdar  Mv«d  tb«  f*f4* 'r<-^  •«•  f  •••rt 

U  cuuk!   D>  ■                             'roiB  plosfter.  Bar  lli  kah^tAnu  fnfn   .  i. 

tkadrnm-Mju  >                          ^aonqtMiw;  vWr«  bis  a«iM  hAi»d   r  t. 

"^                    rri>  t<.:  a.-:,  ..(  hiiii,aai  b«  voald  «fcB»n>:s  «4 

•  .rrnaii>U)(.  dr;  '  ••hog.  urf  WftlWBJf  U  to  tiir  »r 

»w.                  y  (Hi  ).!•  '  «u  rtxU,  3r«4  WMOMoionalj  Lr  r^ 

tkf  ftmncihu*  «(iuli  Gv«i'*  pfi*pb«ii  bad  baa  diao-  »> 

lit                         ■  All  i).p  Tram  i4  Ui«ir  >»*«ktlM^f  / 

t(                            f*i  %r*»fU     **  lir  o«m»l  o«(  tWoec  all  t  if 

li<'                             <  >»utt«  of  the  kiiiifa  boMM^  aad  out  lb  i .-  4 

«                                 I.I*.'  tuvlr,"  Fic     IthnJaMm  bad  rnvvA  hu  •■  •• 

vt                                        '    :■         r              '.Is  "  aivoiouklira* "  liaii  d.>-i't>l  • 

(J  / 

»  ^ 

ii                                                                        •  ..  7  — iU     ^  .a 

•<                                                                       d  tbt  aty,  tttr  ^< 

Wiktu   v>c.    lii.uu  <rjLi>>                        •t..al   puTorty    it    w»«    .-c  ■  .       .                         il 

/^•M^tr    mi   N^4/«i.     **  AiMi                      :   •«*««  Jt<h<>i«chio    !'•    Ii«    >  •-                        't 

!!•                    .b«  kui^i'k  •  ... 

t*"                              o   tioblott,  %ii 

r»|iraft 

i«  '     —  .r»     ^ 

•  >                                                                                               -                .              .  \jl    Ikf 

b.  •.   >.V 

W  -J. 


ft  ' 

'  **    H^        l>e>li1«« 

r 

V 

•  ti.'    *'"'Ucvl   U, 

h 

fAT  UA>k  a«*.                                                                                                       .« 

tl.r- 

!     '     It           H'     lr                                                                                                                                                                               • 

lla*  .  »'  u 

-r* 

<rf  anal    o~ 

» 

a/«  ibr 

:  iLc     a,                                                         .k 

them   I 

»:^  tncfc*                                                            -/ 

•varj 

.<il<l   U  1                                                 • 

|uj(«at 

>  a^tba  •- 

-^. 

- .     -^ni^m  gg  i:                                              .  a 

iitrra» 

i^ior.  iKa  lr  -   .                            .o 

Bal'tt 

-  •     s'sd  Uii*  k  - 

li 

<r    «bk4    ) 

aa- 

-.  »^>  lonit  \*r-  -.   . 

nakiy  aumnnd.                        >  i«  iM  «ancAu*«ai  AM  M««agUiaiiUif  of  «  aaaM«.  m  •« 

48«  THE  SECOND  BOOK   OF  THE  KINGS.       [ch.  xxv.  1— 3a 

an  individnal,  even  temporally ;  but  a  coarse  of  ungodliness  ends  in  the  loss  of  tem- 
poral and  spirit\ial  possessions  together. 

III.  Zedkkiah  made  king.  1.  Accession  of  Zedekiah.  Jehoiachin  was  a  man  of 
spirited  character,  and  Nebuchadnezzar  seems  to  have  thought  that  he  would  be  better 
served  by  putting  a  weaker  man  upon  the  throne.  The  person  chosen  was  au  unole  of 
'the  young  king's,,  a  brother  of  Jehoiakim,  whose  name,  Mattaniah,  Nebuchadnezzar 
changed  to  Zedtkiah — "  the  Righteousness  of  Jehovah."  There  was  little  honour  now 
in  being  Kmg  of  Judah ;  but  at  least  the  city  and  temple  still  stood ;  the  priesthood 
had  not  been  carried  away ;  there  were  a  few  nobles  left  to  grace  the  court ;  and  by 
ie;2rees  new  artisans  and  soldiers  might  have  been  got  in,  and  the  state  again  built  up. 
It  was  the  last  chance,  and  was  given  only  to  show  clearly  how  hopeless  the  moral  con- 
ditiiin  of  the  pt^ople  was.  For  if  anything  con  Id  have  sobered  them,  and  convinced 
them  of  the  truth  of  the  words  of  the  prophets,  it  was  such  a  catastrophe  as  had 
descended  upon  them.  Deaf  to  all  warnings,  however,  whether  of  mercy  or  judgment, 
the  people  only  went  on  from  bad  to  worse.  2.  His  weak  character.  The  outstanding 
feature  in  Zedekiah's  character  was  weakness — lack  of  courage  and  strength  of  will. 
He  was  not  without  good  impulses.  He  showed  a  friendly  disposition  to  Jeremiah ;  on 
various  occasions  he  Bought  his  advice  and  intercession  (Jer.  xxi.  1,  2;  xxxvii*  3; 
xxxviii.  14 — 17);  at  Jeremiah's  instigation  he  made  a  covenant  with  the  people  of 
Jerusalem,  pledging  them  to  give  liberty  to  their  bondmen  (Jer.  xxxiv,  8,  11),  and 
once  at  least  he  retrained  from  entering  into  a  proposed  league  against  Nebuchadnezzar 
(Jer.  xxvii.  3).  But  his  timid,  faithless,  unstable  nature  reveals  itself  at  every  turn. 
He  was  like  Herod,  who  did  many  things  at  the  bidding  of  John  the  Baptist,  and 
hearH  him  gladly,  yet  at  last  beheaded  him  to  please  a  wicked  woman  (Mark  vi.  20). 
Zedckirth  knew  what  was  right,  but  did  not  do  it  (Jer.  xxxvii.  2);  he  weakly  allowed 
himself  to  be  overruled  by  his  nobles — when  they  broke  through  his  covenant  he  had 
no  power  to  resist  (Jer.  xxxiv.  11) ;  when  they  urged  him  to  put  Jeremiah  to  death,  he 
consented,  saying,  "  Behold,  he  is  in  your  hand  :  for  the  king  is  not  he  that  can  do  any- 
thing a-ainst  you"  (Jer.  xxxviii.  4,  5);  then,  when  Ebed-Melech  pleaded  for  the 
prophet,  he  gave  orders  for  his  deliverance  (ver.  10);  he  disobeyed  Jeremiah  in  throwing 
oflf  his  allegiance  to  Nebuchadnezzar,  and  in  seeking  an  alliance  with  Egypt;  and  wheu 
Ncbuchaiinezzar  again  came  up  against  him,  he  sought  Jeremiah's  counsel,  but  did  not 
take  it  when  it  was  given  (Jer.  xxxviii.  14—28),  etc.  Meanwhile  idolatry  had  firmly 
establish'd  itself  in  the  holy  city,  and  within  the  very  precincts  of  the  temple  (Ezek. 
viii.).  Fitly,  therefore,  is  the  reign  of  this  last  king  described,  like  the  rest,  as  "evil." 
His  weal<ness  and  vacillation,  his  unfaithfulness  to  his  own  best  convictions,  his  sinful 
yiel<ling  to  others  in  what  he  knew  to  be  wrong,  were  his  ruin.  He  was  in  a  hard  and 
diftlcult  position,  and  he  had  no  strength  of  mind  to  cope  with  it.  3.  His  rebellion. 
At  length,  yiejdin','  to  the  solicitations  of  his  nobles,  and  hopeful  of  help  from  Egypt 
(Ezck.  xvii.  15),  he  Ijruke  his  oath  of  allegiance  to  Nebuchadnezzar,  an  act  which 
Ezekiel  strongly  condenms  (Ezek.  xvii.  16 — 10).  The  cup  was  full,  and  the  Lord  left 
hirn  thus  far  to  himself,  that  the  nation  might  be  destroyed.  Men  who  will  not  follow 
light.  1"S(!  light.  A  blindness,  as  from  heaven,  falls  upon  them.  They  are  left  to  the 
bent  (jf  their  own  hearts,  and  their  own  counsel  is  their  ruin.  Sin  ifl  the  supreme  folly, 
aji  rii^hleousueha  Lb  the  supreme  wisdom. — J.  0. 


EXPOSITION. 
OHAPTEIt   XXV 


V«ni.  1—30.— The  Laht  Sir.(»K  ok  .Tkuu- 

■AI.EM.         THK     JkWH     led     INTO    (JArTIVITV. 
HiMTOKT     or     TIIK     ReMNANT     I.KFT    ItKUINU. 

Ublkahe  riK.ui   I'ltiHON  or  Jehoiachin. 

V«r».     I        10.        I.AHT    HlBOK    ANI>    (JaITUIIE 

or  J  BinjHAi.Kii.     Tho  o[M)n  relxtllion  of  /<m1u- 
Uiab    wu    foUowod   timimX,  immediuUily   bjr 


the  advance  into  .Indma  of  »  Babylonian 
army  undcir  Nobiiclmdnc/zar  in  iMirson,  and 
tlio  Htrict  invfHtnicnt  of  the  capital.  Wo 
learn  tlie  circnniHtunccH  of  tho  siogo  fruni 
Jerciniuli,  in  the  pr(>])licRy  wliich  bcnrH  his 
iiuiiiu,  and  iu  the  iSook  of  liaineiitiitioiiH. 
It  liiHlod  ono  year  and  Bcvon  inonthH,  and 
was  iin<'<itii|>iiiii(id  by  a  blockiid?  *o  Htrint 
that  the  duleiidura  were  ruduc^Kl    -c  tlio  hint 


M.XTT.  1— SO.]       THK  SB00in>  BOOK  OF  THF   ICrXOfi 


in 


•strwBtty,  •ad,  m  ta  HaiMuia  vadar  Jtt»- 
fan  (oil.  Ti  ttf),  aitd  atpOo  la  Jeruaaleni 
daring  thr  aiiirr  hjr  Tttua  (Jowtpha^  *  Uell. 
JadV  VI  S.  i  i).  IB  then  mlr  thalr  flbildfaa 
(■aa  l4ua  il  '.H).  iv  lU)  Whaa  rt«iatarM» 
wa«  ao  l>>iiKt<r  poMiMr.  /^IrkUh.  with  hi* 
■aa>at-«naB,  »iti>mpu>d  to  cM^ipn  dy  oiKtil, 
•ad  A»i  MutWHnl,  l>ut  wpfr  oTrrtakoD  mini 
•aptavad  in  U><-  plain  of  J(ricli'>(J(»r.  sxxii 
4,  8),  Mr«tiwliile  th«  city  fell  ioUi  iL" 
anaoij's  h.u.i*.  mid  »«•  tnmtnJ  with  »ll 
the  hfr>uri  of  war  'I'h.-  U-mple.  tl>«  royal 
piilaoe,  an  I  tho  Knuit  huuatM  of  tlio  riih 
BMa  wrrv  flr«t  plundiTMl  an<i  then  d<«- 
livvft^  to  ihr  fl:itii».»  (Tpr.  9).  Th«  walla  of 
tb«  cit)  wrrx'  bn.k.  ii  liown  (rer.  10),  and  ths 
K»tiM  lai>l  eTfii  «ith  the  ^ruim.l  (I^m.  il. 
9).  A  ^rt-:it  iu:iiustrr«  of  tho  {M>pulatiun 
look  plaoa  in  tho  bU\.-vU  (.Lam.  ii.  3,  4). 

Ver  1  —And  it  earn*  to  pan  in  the  ninth 
year  of  hi»— i.i'.  Zt-lt-kiali's — roi^o.  in  iha 
tenth  month,  in  the  tonlh  >l«y  of  ihd  month. 
Kxir.im-  rij»ciuc»a  witL  ri-Bj>t>«'l  lo  u  ilalo 
iuill(«ti-»  tlif  rXtf'  luc  JliiJiorUucyj  of  Ihv 
•  vent  daUxl.  lu  ilit>  ahoK-  mugo  of  the 
hiat4>rv  conUititMi  iu  the  two  liook»  of 
the  Kinpt,  there  ia  no  iu«tano<-  of  tho  yt^r, 
month,  aitd  '\»y  Mug  all  given  exifptin;; 
iu  th"  pr»  "       i.r,  wh«-rw  wt«  fliiil  thia 

rztjviiic   .  '  iirtx*  tjiuea  (vi-n».    1,  4, 

ani  b).  1.,.  .1..1  ,11  Ti-r.  1  ia  o>iitiriued  Ijy 
J«?j.  III.  IU  »!iJ  Kiifk.  XXIV.  1  Ttiat  Heba- 
eh^duaizar  King  of  Babylon  cama,  he,  and  all 
hit  hoat,  against  Jerunlam.  AcoorUm^  tu 
tlie  diacripliuu  uf  tiit  e)e-«itti  8-  J(  r  miab, 
the  uriuy    waa  one   of  u:  >  i'^ 

Nel>uchj»<lu'  Xiitr  I'rougLt    .  u 

at  thia  tune  "■•  aU  Kit  armi,     .     .  ,.j 

<Umtt  of  t)^  eorlk  of  kU  d  ..  .  .  i  .  ;  all 
lA*  y«.'yU"  (Jer  xxxiT.  1  >.  i  :,i  Uiurv;.  uf 
the  army  wti«  not  iiti\«t  upon  JeruBukiu  ; 
il  at  dnt  aprt-ad  itetlt  over  Juilaa,  wustiug 
the  ouuitUy  aii«l  cttj.tiiring  tlie  aimUU-r  forli- 
fliti  tuwiia  (JuarpliUB,  •Alii.  Jud.,'  X.  7.  $  a> 
— among  iheui  i-uilii»li,  ■»  famomi  iu  liw 
war  agl^Ml^l  Seuijuht-nL*  (ch  xviii.  14,  17; 
XIX.  >>,  aud  .\i-  ■  ■''  T.,,.  -,  ii„ 
oapiure  of  th<  r  .i 

aa  iuterc<  pUii.-  , 

uktioa  with  Egy,.i  li»»iug  miulo  liima^lf 
Butat«r  of  tliem,  .S'ebuchadnezzur  pnicw«ded 
t«*  iarcat  the  i-ajntal.  And  pit«h»d  against 
\t^^~».  encmm[M<d,  and  oommeitoe<l  a  n  gular 
««f«* — and  they  bailt  foru  against  it  round 
abool.  It  liaa  U*o  arguad  tiiat  pn  ilvm  not 
awtto  a  "  fort  "  or  •*  tower,"  but  a  -  line  of 
eiroumvailatiou  "  (Michaelu,  lliixig,  Tb»- 
niua,  bahr>  Jeroaalim,  however,  eaa 
aoarody  be  aarrooaded  by  liac«  uf  niiiw 


viddi. 

pk>yad  la  tbetr  atfagcw  by  ibe  Or>eu  aU. 
Uiftk  (pq>  iniiias  tu  U  pruiiorly  a  *-  aalcti. 
tower."  f>"ai  pn.  upt^tn,  wbeikea  il  pa*M4 
into  llio  mcwiiing  of  a  "t-.wc.r"  K«wirral|y 
The  towera  uanl  la  aiPK*'*  ''v  iltr  AMtriata 
and  U«bylouiana  wrre  UiutAi^U  •>'«••  nttia 
of  |<luuka,    «htch   «er«    pual.ci  :    « 

walla,    ao  that    the   aa^kiU-.U   ii  k 

Iti.   If      •»      ».,i.^r    ...  .,  ,„|^     ^,^     ni«,ir# 


.  '  Moaomaola  uf 

.\i<.t««>u.'    tlr*i    •crtoa,  pi     19;   and   ouap. 

J^f    lii    4;    V.Vl\    IV.   1;  xviL   17;   »XTi,  i; 

•  Afil  Jud  .'  X.  «.  I  1). 

And  iha  eity  araa  baaiefad  aata 

'.h  yoar  of  Kiaf  ZadeloalL     TtM 

ta   all    the   deiaib  of  the   ai«-g^, 

t'  n  U>  the  final  caLu-'r  >r.ho       Fnxa 

Jervmiaii  and   Ks«>kit-1    «i  «'U-r 

tho  ai-  ^.'t-  h-t<l  f*tTil!!i'i'T!  n  .c.  \Ut3 

Kjfyi  :.".u-Jo 


Luol    tio    maxci.i»i     aL>uih«ar<i     .. 

balllf  lo  ihe  K^)puaua.     \N  hi  . 

ga^euteiit    loiik    phiCtr  or   jkH   is    uti 

Josephtia  afflriua  it,  and    aaya  that  .\^.v.s 

Wua    **dcfeuitvd    aod    drivt-i:    ■■•      '    -    -   .    ' 

(•Aut.  Jul.,'   X.   7.    §    3> 

Jervmiah  i*  thougLt  t«>  lii  ■ 

aiMertion      At  any   rat<-,  il. 

tifttl  (Jer.   xxxvii.   7)  an<l   •.  r 

part  in  the  Blrutrgle       I  :. 

turueil,    Mud    liu-    ait  _••       -  \. 

Complete    blockn<le  Wn- 

defeu  lent    of    ihe  Clt\  I 

from  fttuiine  (Jer.  xxi    . 

Erw    l«>utf,    aa  bo  often    liupj^ne   in    r 

famine  waa  foUoMcd  by  |ji«iiloiiCo  (J<  . 

6,  7 ;  Joacphua, '  Ant  JikL."  i.  «.  e),  aud  •  ur 

a  time  tiie   plaoe   waa    rtnlticed  to  th<-     ui 

extrtfmity  (Lam.  iv    :'     ^        "     >' 

longer  to  be  had,  and  : 

children  (Lam  iv.  lu>      .\.  .    .. 

waa   effecltnl    iu    ihe    dt- feijo» . 

poured  in :  and  the  city  fill  i,k> 

meut  on  ver.  4) 

Ver  S.  — And  oa  the  aiatk  day  ef  tke 
fourth  month.  The  text  of  King*  la  b(«a 
iuoumpU-te.  and  haJ  lu  be  reatored  froai 
Jer  III  >'•  <  'ir  ttaoalaum  have  aup|>liad 
the  li.  la.    Aa  Caaiae  prevailai 

in  the  ..d  eofBiaeBt  oa  ver.  tX  Aa  I 

have  eW where  ubMrrved,  "The  int^ikaitr  of 
the  auffering  eodur<-d  may  be  gaihertal  msm 
LAmeautiDoa,  Kiekiel.  aad  JosephM.  The 
ooaiplaxkMM  vt  tba  bmq  grew  bUek  with 
hoane  (Lam.  iv.  8 :  t  10);  their  akta  aaa 
•k««ak  and  parohed  (Laxd.  it   i) ;  tke  nru 


i8$ 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KING&      fen.  xxx.  1— «X 


and  noble  women  searched  the  dunghills  for 
Bcr»pB  of  offal  (Lam.  iv.  5);  the.  children 
perished  for  want,  or  were  even  devoured  by 
their  parents  (Lam.  ii.  20;  iv.  3,  4,  10; 
Bzek.  V.  10);  wat  r  was  scarce,  as  well  as 
food,  and  was  sold  at  a  price  (Lam.  v.  4) ; 
a  third  part  of  the  inhabitants  died  of  the 
famine,  and  the  plague  which  grew  out  of 
it  (Ezek.  V.  12)  "  (see  the  '  Speaker's  Com- 
mentary,"' Tol.  ii.  p.  147).  And  there  was 
no  bread  for  the  people  of  the  land.  Bread 
commonly  fails  comparatively  early  in  a 
■iege.  It  was  some  time  before  the  fall  of 
the  city  that  Ebed-Melech  expressed  his 
fear  that  .Jeremiah  would  starve,  since  there 
■WA»  no  more  bread  in  the  place  (see  Jer. 
ixxviii.  9). 

Ver.  4.— And  the  city  was  broken  up; 
rather,  broken  into ;  i.e.  a  breach  was  made 
in  the  walls.  Probably  the  breach  was  ou 
the  north  side  of  the  city,  where  the  ground 
is  nearly  level  (see  Ezek.  ix.  2).  According 
to  Josephiis  ('Ant.  Jud.,'  x.  8.  §  2),  the 
eaemy  entered  through  the  breach  about 
midnight.  And  all  the  men  of  war — i.e.  all 
the  soldiers  who  formed  the  garrison — fled 
by  night  by  the  way  of  the  gate  between 
two  walls  ;  rather,  between  the  two  walls,  as 
in  Jer.  lii.  7.  As  the  enemy  broke  in  on 
the  north,  the  king  and  garrison  quitted 
the  city  on  the  south  by  a  gate  which  opened 
into  the  Tyropoeon  valley,  between  the  two 
walls  tliat  guarded  the  town  on  either  side 
of  it.  Which  is  by  the  king's  garden.  ITie 
royal  gardens  were  situated  near  the  Pool  of 
Siloam,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tyropoeon,  and 
near  the  junction  of  the  Hinnom  with  the 
Kidron  valley  (see  Josephus, '  Ant.  Jud.,'  vii. 
11).  (Now  the  Chaldees  were  against  the 
city  round  about.)  The  town,  i.e.,  was 
guarded  on  all  side^  by  Chaldean  troops, 
BO  that  Zedi  kiah  and  his  soldiers  must 
either  have  attuckcd  the  line  of  guard,  and 
broken  tlirough  it.  or  have  slipped  between 
two  of  the  blockading  posts  under  cover  of 
the  darkness.  As  no  collision  is  mentioned, 
either  hire  or  in  Jeremiah,  tlie  latter  seems 
the  more  prolialilo  suppnsition.  And  the 
king  went  the  way  toward  the  plain;  lite- 
rally, and  he  went.  '1  lie  writt-r  suppusos 
thiit  his  n  ad'  rs  will  understand  tiiat  the 
king  left  the  city  with  his  troopH;  and  so 
regarflb  "fc«  went"  um  HnflieicMitly  intel- 
ligihle.  Jeretniiih  (lii.  7)  ha.n  "  llity  went." 
IJy  "  Ih'-  jiliiin  "  (liteiniiy,  "  the  Ariihah") 
the  Tdlli.y  of  the  .lonlun  in  int(Mnled,  and 
bj  "the  way  "  t<p  it  the  ordinary  road  Irom 
JnrUHiilerrj  t*^)  Jericho. 

V«r.  5. — And  the  army  of  the  Ohaldoea 
pomed  aftftr  tho  king.  When  the  cwapo 
of  Zed'  kiiili  and  tin-  H"|rli« th  >,(  the  f^ariinoti 
wu  dicruivereil.  hot  |inrHuit  ahh  made,  Hincit 
th««  honour  •<{  the  t'tiul  kin^,'  rei^mied  tlmt 
kU  *nfniln«  should    he   ))r<>iiKh'    ,<<i^)tlvr<    U> 


hit  presence.  The  commanders  at  Jeru- 
salem would  feel  this  the  more  sensibly, 
since  Nebuchadnezznr  had  for  some  time 
retired  from  the  siege,  and  left  its  conduct 
to  them,  while  he  himself  exercised  a  ge- 
neral superintendence  over  military  affair* 
from  Riblah  (see  ver.  6).  They  were  liable 
to  be  held  responsible  for  the  escape.  And 
overtook  him  in  the  plains  of  Jericho.  The 
"plains  of  Jericho"  (in.T.  nianj?)  is  the  fertile 
tract  on  the  riglit  bank  of  the  Jordan  near 
its  embouchure,  which  was  excellently  wa-  ^ 
tered,  and  cultivated  in  gardens,  orcharl-, 
and  palm-groves.  It  is  probable,  though 
not  certain,  that  Zedekiah  intended  to  cross 
the  Jordan,  and  seek  a  refuge  in  Moab. 
And  all  his  army  were  scattered  from  him 
(com  p.  J5zek.  xii.  14).  This  seems  to  be 
mentioned  in  order  to  account  for  there 
being  no  engagement.  Perhaps,  thinking 
themselves  in  security,  and  imagining  that 
they  were  not  followed,  the  troops  had  dis- 
persed themselves  among  the  farmhouses 
and  homesteads,  to  obtain  a  much-ueeded 
refreshment. 

Ver.  6.— So  they  took  the  king  [Zede- 
kiah], and  brought  him  up  to  th3  King  of 
Babylon.  The  presentation  of  rebel  kings, 
when  captured,  to  their  suzerain,  seated  on 
his  throne,  is  one  of  the  most  common 
subjects  of  Assyrian  and  Babyloniau  sculp- 
tures (see  '  Ancient  Monarchies,'  vol.  i. 
p.  292 ;  vol.  iii.  p.  7  ;  Layard,  •  Monumeats 
of  Nincv(;h,'  second  series,  pis.  23,  36,  etc.). 
The  Egyptian  and  Per-^iau  artisis  alst 
reiiresent  it.  To  Kiblah.  (For  the  situa- 
tion of  Riblah,  see  the  comment  ou  ch. 
xxiii.  33.)  As  Nebuchadnezzar  was  en- 
gaged at  one  and  the  same  time  in  di- 
recting the  sieges  both  of  Tyre  and  of 
Jerusalem,  it  was  a  most  convenient 
position  for  him  to  occupy.  And  they  gave 
judgment  upon  him.  As  a  rebel,  who  had 
broken  his  covenant  and  his  oath  (Ezek. 
xvii.  16,  18),  Zedekiah  was  brought  to  trial 
before  Nebuciiadnezzar  and  his  great  lorda. 
Tho  (acts  could  not  he  denied,  and  sentence 
was  thoicl'ore  passed  upon  him,  nominally 
by  the  court,  i>riictically  by  Ncbucluuluezzar 
(.ler.  lii.  9).  By  an  unusual  act  of  clem- 
ency, liis  life  was  spurtid  ;  but  tiie  judgment 
was  still  sulliciently  sovoro  (see  the  next 
verso). 

Ver.  7.-  And  they  slow  the  sons  of  Zodo- 
kiah  before  hit  eyes  (eonip.  Herod.,  iii. 
M,  and  '2  Maee.  vii.,  for  niniilar  aggravaiiont 
of  comh  nined  personH*  sufferings).  At 
Zedekiah  wii*  no  niuro  than  thirty-two 
yeiuH  of  ago  (eh.  xxiv.  IH),  hin  nous  must 
have  be(tn  minorH,  wlio  could  not  justly  Iw 
hild  reHpnuHihle  for  their  fntlier'n  doingH. 
It  wiiM  UHiial,  hiiwever,  in  the  I')iibI,  Hud  even 
unions;  the  dewn,  In  puni.li  eliihlreL  I'T  the 
■  nil.  of  Umir   lutlmra  (mm  Jimh.   vii    2<,  Ub  . 


•LUT.l-.Sai       TIIP.    HECUND   IWIOK   OP   THE   KlSQtL 


•   • 
till. 


ft  M).    Aai  9«t 

Tl<U.    loo.     WM 

I  l>«  I'l.  It« 


(X 

ai«  ...     . .      I  ....... 

p      :>lb        ll'     :-:.('       l'<r'  It     WUl     UUliI 

Wrr  Iftt'U.  ii»'i»l    f"'    It    <  11    Wit-   a  <  r*- 

•mn.  In  |i|io<l   all   >n>  "    it 

lii(<T   miirlit  lie  <ii'  ■      <■■■: 

n'b*  i.iJanitton  %tit«  c^ou  uue-J   iii 

INirsU    t>>    !!»«»•   of    a  oi     ^•.l 
(•M    lltr^kl  .    Til      IH)         Z.  a.  i...     .    luM    of 

•graaifrtU     reooitoittHl    the    tw<>    ap|Mirt-iilly 

•OBflirtiliL'     I  r       1.  -       liiiil     lii<     Wuuld     Ij* 

CMt'  loo   (Jar.    xiii.   5, 

•tr  lOver  ar*  it  ( Mznk. 

til.    1^^     iii    a    n.Ui.Ui.4iijl«    aiaiiiicr.      Aa4 
konad  him  with   fatt«n  cf  braM.  l.t<.>rmlly, 


if 


f.t 


•II. 


Oaj  •       ^  .  ..     ■    Iff 

•out.  >i    ma    Icilvii'l    Ui    U.t.     aCull'lUtUB.       And 

•ariiod  him  to  Babjloa.  Jert-miah  atlda 
(Iii.  H)  that  Ncbuoika<i uc/£;«r  "  yul  Liiu 
is    prifiii    till    the    da?    ol     hit    dtatli  : " 

-     ■    -       '   - -  '•  A-  •     Jud,'  X.  8.  I  7). 

t«lU  ut   that,   at 
.UI    iijonarrli    gave 
kiMi  »  rojritl  iuticru.  ^ix^>u4|i.  Jtr   xxxiv.  5). 

Ver.  8 — And  in  th«  fifth  month,  on  th* 
MVanih  daj  of  the  mouth.  Jitiunah  aaja 
(Iii.  It)  that  it  »a»  OQ  the  trfilU  liay  of 
the  moutli;  a     '  i       ••         '•  ■     h     Jud^' 

Ti.   4.    §    M)  y    aroao 

from  a  •-<•}>>  i»t  I.  (aevt-D). 

Aoeoitliu;;  to  JuavptiuB,  it  •»«  uu  the  aame 
day  of  the  aaiuc  moiitU  that  tlte  tiQ.I 
dfrtrui  ti'.ii  of  ttio  t«*tii|.Ie  l>y  the  aoMieni 
of  Titua  «&•  •ooouipl  aii-l  Which  la  the 
BiB«tMoih  jaftr  of  Kinir  Kebimhadi— ir 
Kiac    of    Babyloa.       Nci.ucd 

C«oT     i     ll.«     !Kl-li         !■,     Hi        t..l. 

the 

to   r 

Vi-u;  .  a^ivl>4  Id  u.o  wicveu  uf 

Zt^  thrtw    iDoiith«  of  J»- 

i.oia-iiiii,  I  r  •.ui' «  the  rr>ult  of  the  text  — 
that  the  l»*t  yeu  of  ZcUikiab  wks  th<« 
lite'-''  •■•        V.K,:    i.aiiiirllAf.  Cun* 

Ve:  ■  luitxar    had    B^ 

|>ni<  .      u.    buw    h«    •boold 

trtmi  J«(u*a4.  tu.  MU60  tMttily  »  BkmUi 
•<«p»d  botworij  th«  aa|>(ure  o*  th«  titj 
%aa    \U»    oouitutDoemeti I  '•>'     work    ot 

dMtruotioti       He  «•■  (>.■  :  tu  «it>- 

Hrnr  the  rity  by  th«  lruf^>«  «.»  ^^'C  naiH- 
MM»    AAd    U«    iMtaml    iln^Ul    of    tk* 


wiiirh     Hr«a 


pnatlton.        T^e     in—     Webai 
Iv    a    llpi.raiaai    i-rm   •>' 


r: 


llto- 

>  tb« 


>r\l  wero 


1      ll 


.eb   !>•    |«u- 

^<<r  w  -And  ha  bsrai  the  hoaa«  of  th« 
Lord  AfWr  U  h»l  at-ni.  a^n  .ti<ij(  in 
J<k«iihua  ('Aiit  Jud.,'  i.  M.  |  6>,  four 
liuiiiin»l  autl  MrTruty  yt«j»  all  a»i»tii>i»  aj.d 

U?u  •!  .  'I'  'ua 

to  ei  .a 

nor  I..     .  .« 

Eij      ol  fr, 

rnt  Ihi  •. 

an  1  u«m<4  oil   li^,    tu<v< 

victory.      In  thf  tJ-ini.l.-  .f 

vouttf  fit:  ! 

two  cht-» 

thi-V    I'fuU....,    ,..  •    u  .•  .. 

Iha    kmg't    hv.'aM     ( 

8— I'.':  cii.  xi   16).      ILe  r>>al   i^W-c  »  *«, 

urliii|ia,    aliuoat     aa    mi>inii:.<-,  ut    at     lit* 

laiii]ilo;    aiiJ   it^  Je«trurtiuu  w   •  ahn^**.  «« 

rrt^t  M  loaa  to  art     It  doubt!  - 

Doloiiiuu'a  ti  r>iie  of  ivoiy  (1    K 

tu  wtiioh  Uten*  waa  aa  aa<.-<:nt  >'>   >.! 

with    two    aruliilurtxl    \<-i<>   on    e».  h 

And   all   the    houses  of   Jenualem. 

•taU'taeiit    {•,   qunlifl  d  by  the   WonU  of  tb« 

folldwuip  ^lnll^«•,  wtiich  alj.w  thill  uu\j  thm 

h.'UM^a  uf  the   )>riiK-t-a   aU'l   kT-nt   tueu  «er« 

pur|ioafly    aet   uu    lir«i.       .Ma:i\    i>f    thr    re- 

maiuing  hibit  * 

the    C'.uda^'mi 

capod,   an  1    mvi      . 

of  the  liiud  "     And  ( 

burnt  ha  .vith  fire  i 

lU,  wberf   th'^  Cli  .1  i.^aa  mnt  ^«1 

turut  "all  the  |«'ar%-s"). 

Ver.  It).— And   ali  the  army  of  the  Chal- 

iaea,   that    «vrt>    »iui    the    eapiaia   of  lAa 

e^^rd,  braka  dowa  lh«  vk    -  -*   '   -  ulaa 

1  ahoat     A  •oaplel'^  i«  not 

•i<lt<i       When  thr  r\ 

eveu  ID  the  time  of   ' 

Bttrh  of  the  wall  »».- 

<■  »    eatatly    ir^  •■!        1  o 

>»   did    ool    <t»    tiKiT'  k 

i.iii-     '  I     iMu    hiTf^    t.r(-«<-:.<f«     111     l:.r     <  >.!      »a 

Joaah  hft.1  d»o<  (cL   xtv    IS)  wbra  L«  tuuk 
Jfnaalil  in  thr  tv\ga  of  AtuBi laL 

Vet*.  11— tl  —  AUe  o/  IA«  foJU^<ta•aJ  «/ 
JtMiaA,  and  o/  Ike  «iMf«ii4i  i/  Ikt  trmfU. 
Uavu.f  buriit  ihe  teMplo,  the  luyaj  (»U«e, 
aad  the  gi«»d   ratjeaaaa  if  the  |>^iaei|«J 


f 

T 

.r   ttie 

wbt.b 

And 

»u     I. 


1 

.'[•a. 
Tbie 


tied  in 
ly   ee- 


,  hoaae 

XXX  n. 

to  have 


and 


490 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS,      [oh.  xxv.  1—30. 


oitUens,  NeVrnz^r-adan  proceeded  to  divide 
the  inhabitants  of  the  city  and  conntry 
into  t-wo  bodies— those  whom  he  would  leave 
in  the  land,  and  those  whom  he  would 
carry  ofF.  The  line  of  demarcation  was, 
in  a  general  way,  a  social  one.  The  rich 
and  well-to-do  he  would  take  with  him ;  the 
poor  and  insignificant  he  would  leave  be- 
hind (vers.  11,  12).  Among  the  former 
were  included  tlie  high  priest,  the  "  second 
priest,"  three  of  the  temple  Levites,  the 
commandant  of  the  city,  a  certain  num- 
ber of  the  royal  councillors,  the  "  prin- 
cipal scribe  of  the  host,"  and  sixty  of  the 
"princes"  (vers.  18,  19).  The  latter  were 
chiefly  persons  of  the  agricultural  class, 
who  were  left  to  be  "  vinedressers  and 
husbandmen."  From  the  temple,  which  had 
been  already  plundered  twice  (2  Chron. 
irivt  7,  10),  he  carried  off  such  vessels  in 
gold  and  silver  and  bronze  as  were  still 
remaining  there,  together  with  the  bronze 
of  the  two  pillars  Jachin  and  Boaz,  of  the 
great  lavor,  or  "molten  sea,"  and  of  the 
stands  for  the  smaller  lavers,  all  of  which 
be  broke  up  (ver.  13).  Having  reached 
Biblah,  where  Nebuchadnezzar  still  was, 
he  delivered  up  to  him  botli  the  booty  and 
the  prisoners.  Rather  more  than  seventy 
of  the  latter  Nebuchadnezzar  punished  with 
death  (ver.  21).  The  reit  were  taken  to 
Babylon. 

Ver.  11. — Now  the  rest  of  the  people  that 
were  left  in  the  city— t.e.  that  remained 
>>ehind  when  tin;  king  and  the  garrison 
fieri  —and  the  fugitives  that  feU  away  to 
the  King  of  Babylon,  with  the  :;emnant  of 
the  multitude;  rutlicr.  Loth  the  fwjilivcg  that 
liod  fallfii  mray  to  the  King  of  Jiuhyl/m,  and 
ihf  rcmtuiiit  of  Ikf.  multitude..  The  writer 
meanH  todividc-  "tin-  nstof  thrs  pe<iplo"  into 
two  clanHfH:  (1)  thoe.'  who  during  the 
m>\:<\  or  Iw-fore  it,  \\\<\  di  sf-rti  d  to  lh»» 
JJiihvloiiifi'iH,  iiH  no  (loiilit  many  did,  and  na 
Jorfrniah  w.im  iirrnHt*!  of  doing  (Jcr.  xxxvii. 
l.S);  (2)  tliOMi;  who  Wire  found  itiHi^ii'  tlio 
city  wh<  n  it  wkh  tiiken.  Did  Nobuzar- 
kdan  the  captain  of  tho  guard  carry  away. 

V<T  12  But  tho  captain  of  tho  guard 
left  of  tho  poor  of  the  land.  1 1  wuh  inon- 
TinWMit  Ui  di'i^irt  {><  tmomh  wlir>  jjiui  little  or 
ii'ithiiig.  In  11  '"  Ai'nyriiiii  iwiil|)lMrcH  wr  ■(<o 
thi'  r*|iliviii,  who  urn  rurric<l  off,  (.'xiicrilly 
fc/wiiiij^inHvl  liy  ilif  ir  own  l«g(:a><< -iniuiialu, 
Ktid  tiiUiri;^'  with  ill'  Ml  It  ci'rtiiiii  iiiniiiiiit  of 
th#^r  own  hoDMili'ld  BtiifT  I'mii"  r  iimni- 
gronte  would  Lot  hare  Ijeou  ol  any  iKlvan- 


tage  to  a  country.  To  be  vinedressers  and 
husbandmen.  Jeremiah  adds  that  Nebu- 
zar-adan  "gave"  these  persons  "  vineyarda 
and  fields  at  the  same  time"  (Jer.  xxxix. 
10).  The  Babylonians  did  not  wish  Judaea 
to  lie  waste,  since  it  could  then  have  paid 
no  tribute.  On  the  contrary,  they  designad 
its  continued  cultivation ;  and  Gedaliah, 
the  governor  of  their  appointment,  made 
great  efforts  to  have  cultivation  resumed 
and  extended  (see  Jer.  xl.  10,  12). 

Ver.  13. — And  the  pillars  of  hra*8  that 
were  in  the  house  of  the  Lord.  The  two 
columns,  Jachin  and  Boaz,  cast  by  Hiram 
under  the  directions  of  Solomon  (1  Kings 
vii.  15 — 22),  are  intended.  They  were 
works  of.  art  of  an  elaborate  character,  but 
being  too  bulky  to  be  carried  off  entire 
they  were  "  broken  in  pieces,"  And  th« 
bases.  "The  bases"  were  the  stands  foi 
the  lavers,  also  made  by  Hiram  for  Solomon 
(1  Kings  vii.  27 — 37),  and  very  elaborate, 
having  "borders"  ornamented  with  lions, 
oxen,  and  cherubim.  And  the  brazen  sea 
that  was  in  the  house  of  the  Lord.  Tliis 
was  the  great  laver,  fifteen  feet  in  diameter, 
emplaced  originally  on  the  backs  of  twelve 
oxen,  three  facing  each  way  (1  Kings  vii. 
23 — 26),  which  King  Ahaz  had  taken  down 
from  off  the  oxen  (ch.  xvi.  17)  and  "put 
upon  a  pavement  of  stones,"  but  which 
Hezckiah  had  probably  re,stored.  The 
oxen  are  mentioned  by  Jeremiah  (lii.  20) 
among  the  objects  whiidi  Nebuzar-adau 
carried  off.  Did  the  Chaldees  break  in 
pieces — thus  destroying  the  workmanship, 
in  which  their  value  mainly  cou.sisted  — and 
carried  the  brass  of  them  to  Babylon. 
Brass,  or  rather  bronze,  was  used  by  the 
Babylonians  for  vessels,  arms,  armour,  aud 
implements  generally. 

Ver.  14. — And  the  pots.  The  word  used, 
niTD,  is  translated  by  "caldrons"  in  Jer. 
lii.  18,  and  "ash-pans"  in  Exod.  xxvii.  3. 
The  latter  is  probably  right.  And  tho 
•hovels — appurtcuanci's  of  the  altar  of  burnt 
sacrilico  —  and  the  snuffers  —  rather,  th« 
knives — and  the  spoons  or,  ineenge-cnpn — 
and  all  the  vessels  of  brass  whorewith  they 
ministerod.  It  apiicaru  that  after  the  two 
previous  Hi>oli!itioiii  of  the  t(Mnple  by  Nebu- 
cliadni  zzar,  in  n.o.  (]i)C)  and  in  n.o.  5'J7, 
wlicnMii  HO  many  of  the  more  costly  voseelH 
had  iir-cn  carried  off  (Dan.  i.  2;  ch.  xxiv. 
Ill),  the  MiiniHtratinnH  had  to  ho  |M'rforiu(Ml 
mainly  with  vch.scIh  of  bronztv  Took  thoy 
away.  Sohliern  aro  often  r«>preHentod  in 
the  AHBvrian  Honlplun^H  aa  carrying  olT 
veHHi  Ih  friini  tctii|ileH,  a|ii)aronlly  <in  thoir 
own  arciiunl  (Heti '  A liolout  Monarch iuH,'  vol. 
i.  p    nr*.  2ii<l  edit). 

Vrf.  1.^.  -And  tho  flrnpane,  and  thebowle; 
rather.  Ute  unujf  iltii>if$  (lOmd.  xxv.  IW ;  I 
Klnge  vii.  50)  atui  Iks  txnel;  or  txtaint  (Kxod. 


m.  M».  l-^aa]       THE  MBOOND  nOOE  OF  THl  KINCML 


«a.  ft:  I  Ki»g»  Til  ao:  t  r^**-  ••  «> 

Of  lk«M  fUloMua  awtW  oM  )  la 

cold.     Aad  nek  tiitsf*  u  «  .         m 

Ut-««  ■iKJil  !■<  T(«  •nt.f 

■»c*tM  Utal  o' 
«M«    IB    (    Itl 

p«>t«IU«   i:  .  ., 

Aft4  of  I  n  •!  tte 

•a    <  '4«  oi»«  w»— 

-c<i(h  a. 

orfv  caxriod 

lakr-n  b«  Um 

:  M  oar- 

.    it   OS 


ut.« 

Wi.. 


VB.II'. 

f«ew-.    —  _  _   wj-f 

pwhtlna. 

V«r.  17— Tk«  ktifht  of  t^  •■•  flUar  *m 
•IfktMB  c«blu  (rotap.  1  KiBKt  TiiTlS  Mid 
Jar.  lu.  il,  lu  vhieli  Utter  pltt<«  kd  evea 
MOM  oUborsto  Mrouut  of  the  piUant  la 
CivwX  u4  tk«  shapiur  upos  u  mm  br*M ; 
r»ti>rr.  tnd  Qtmn  mu  «  elutpUw  (or  mmW) 

•k«pa«r  UTM  Mba*.  Th«  meteura  gittn, 
U>ih  tn  1  KiQ^»  vii.  16  aud  Jer.  lii.  22,  u 
"jlw  cubiiB,"  which  u  g«i»«ialljr  rvgairvlMl 
M  <v.m-ct :  but  tite  proportioa  of  S  tu  18,  or 
oor-uitii.  Ik  r&r  more  mitable  for  •  empiul 
Ui*a  Uiai  uf  5  kt  IH,  or  betveeo  a  third  aud 
A  fiiMDtJL  Aad  th«  «r«fttk«a  work  mtiier, 
mad  Ikcrv  •■■■  tprRitiM*  M<or4,  at  »rttf*jrk — 
•ad  pMUfr%aatM  njKU  ih«  e^apiter  round 
akou,  aL  of  braaa  ((».., p.  1  Kiu^u  vu.  Ig, 
19):  mad  Uko  unto  ih«M  had  tha 
pUlar  wiU  vnathaa  work  Th 
teiioD  of  the  taoood  paiar  _ 

thMoTUM  tnt  (m*  Jer.  UL  tt). 

Tor.  18.-  Ai4  tt*  MfCaia  of  tko  fwid 
took  Soraiah  tk«  aUif  mML     The  -flhirf 


fificai  "  u  :\  nrw  eiprrjoioii ;  f  nt  i:  raa  only 

■Ma  tb.  -  fOM  to 

ka««Ur:  ('hmo 

vi   U)  li>,   aiiu    a 

•r  mat-^nuMUathrr 

llAhod  aUytid  ot  h^  ^.  .  ^ 

lakoa.  oad  WM  BOW  MiftT:  a 

M    UBO   of  tho    OMMi    Ui^'   ■  .  r« 

wImmi  ho  fboad  in  the  rtty.  A»A  Z*ph*oioh 
tt«  tMMd  MiMt  Kotl  aud  b4hr  tranUolo 
*»  prim  at  UiO  aoeoad  otdor,"  Lb.  m  mtn 
milmtj  ptiaai:  b«t  aoaMUtiBg  bmm  tbaa 
ttiio  MMt  bo  iaHmiri  by  J«««^miah.  »bo 
oalb  laa  (liL  MX  H/fVO  V-^  ^  <i^ 
tiix-tW  -U«  aaatMid  prW**  It  U  ooajve. 
tar«»l  that  b«  «M  tlx-  liif;h  |>ri<>t'«  ootvti- 
tno,  eoap  •«r«^  to  art  lur  hint  -u  omMAoaa. 
Pbaftblj    tio    oaa    Xtm    *-fba-iiih.  «■  of 


M     ii*ik  <^  vb.na  «•  kmt  a  gM^  4«|  Ib 

Jfwvttiob  (•■•  Jar  Kit  I.  Ilia.  M— ti. 
iiivtl    I)      Aod   th*  thr««   k**pM«  «f  iko 

d»or;    r»lh«r.    mmd    Urr«     k,,     •»    td    ttm 

•^■■^^kcM  Th'  »»     W^n    \mr      •■     '■c         t*^^ 

«!•  "  tjf   li.r  J  I  >        i  ' 

»U  of  thati.  .; 

-'"  L>waot<«doO      aotCKlnl     W.  r«      o^t    of     tho 

twoalj-fcat  li  «M«uia.  uaaa  w«  ^to  ao 
•**■<——  Utol  iIm  laaipU  l«4.  aa  ilhl^  mto 
It  had.  '  thrao  aoia  ratraaot*  "    Jar  &Airilt. 
U  orfta^alj  doao  aol  pro**  thlai 
Vor  1»     Aad  oat  of  th«  ruy  ho  look  aa 

•Amt— ItrrmJIj,    o    rwa*  k      U.U     wao    ••• 

•'W  tb*  BOB  if  war— ooKiirtM  wort  «An 
MDloyad  la  lb*  Itert  ••  ni«»aailM*  «f 
oidilloaa  Wafnao.  gaactal  of  ti 
m^mnk,  Ooi.aa,  io  a  i^Jiad  ru 
!▼•  iMa  of  thaa  that  ware  ji  \£,  kiaf** 
woooaoo— hUYAilT.  «/  lA  .«   U« 

Mtn^ijami  ^-^  tW  ««>rr  .  »i«  iii 

tko  ooart;  Jnr— iol    .^  awca 

MMi  **  iMlaad  0f  tv»     .  .ad  ta 

«b*ittr-lbo  »■.'■— 

BO  doiM,  diopor  -  1 

vboa  Nrbuiar->  ^^^ 

tha  pilaeipal  aen^  of  Lb«  h.«t ;  r«i  rr.  m 
lu   the  luar^iu,  fJU  •rrt>^  '■'  'K-    rxtpt-nm  ^ 

l»f4^»mi,    LXX  >.  («    "aanw- 

tarioa"  alaaja  ■eoD*D|mutcxi  mo  ■arch  of 
AaoTriaa  anataa.  to  oaaat  aad  r*i<»d  lb* 
BBBbor  of  the  alain.  to  CMtAlogao  tbe  •vmi. 
perbapa  to  writr  ,,  utd  U«  Uko. 

Wo  Bkajgathtr  .      .  ah  co(tuiMad*ato 

wota  atmUarlv  •iiri.i.a  Wtiieh 
th*p**plo  of'ths  load  I  <■  :.r  llc«l 
or  OBtored  thnu  u(»  >a  ihr  kruv  liat, 
of  th«  "arnbe'a"  dutic*  aad  thr*a*Mffo  ■*■ 
•f  tko  p*opl*  of  tha  land  (at  «r-rp  foaad  la 
tboaity.  Protablv  u<>ubha  uf  .ur  kii>J  or 
aaotbor,  perwtia  rr^  i.d  m  a*p<xiailj  ro- 
*p<w»*ibto  far  the  ft  *u1l 

Vor.  10.— Aad  laboaar-adaa  capcala  of 
tk«  nard  took  thaoa.  aad  kroafhl  than  t* 
tho  tiaf  if  Babyloa  to  Bihlak(*c«  tka  ooa. 
DM-ut  on  Tt«  6X  Two  faatrbaa  of  |vi*««t« 
arem  U>  ha(f  l««n  bro««bt  bofero  Vahnrlwd 
r.t-TT%T  at  UbUi.— frat,  tho  mcmH  ioiportaal 
the  oaiitivaa.  y<»lokiab  and  hk  aowa 
d.  7):  tbeii.  a  aMBth  latcT.Soiakah  tbo 
uigD  pnaat,  aad  tho  other  petwaM  aaaao- 
imtad  is  vana  Id  a»l  19.  Tbo  ij^aialax 
nrioiMf'^'^  -■  *-  ao  doaU  hfoaght  ab*  bj 
S'ebii  RibUh.  bat  woia  Ml 

daeit-.  p«««»noo  of  tko  kiag. 

Vor  -^I.-AjU  tkt  KiBf  of  Bahyloa 
Ck*M.  aad  iUw  than  at  Rlhlah  u  tk* 
if  laiMik.    8r«r  !(!.•  (/  tki*  kiad  iba- 
roaliriMd  all   an  ir;,t    •mitu^     TW  A*> 
•ynaa  aealptarva  ai^o  aa  priaaara  of  aar 

bood  wUk  ■■■  I.  aad  lyi  Ibii  itoal  I 

oa  tbo  fivaod  aad  dayad.     Tk*  tBovi|4i    i. 


49f 


THE   SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE   KINGS.       [ch.  xxv.  !— 3a 


Bp«&k  of  hmidreds  as  thus   executed,  »nd 

mention  others  as  burnt  in  furnaces,  or 
thrown  to  wild  be;\8ts,  or  cruelly  mutilated. 
Herodotu-  s.iya  (iii.  159)  tl.at  Darius  Hystas- 
pii  cruciiied  tliree  thousand  prisouers  round 
about  Babylon  after  one  of  its  revolts.  That 
monarch  tdmself,  in  the  Bebistuu  inscription, 
■f>eaks  of  many  cases  wiiere,  after  capturing 
rebel  chiefs  in  the  field  or  behind  walls, 
he  execute'!  them  and  their  priuL-ipal  adhe- 
rents (ste  Col.  ii.  Par.  13;  Col.  iii.  Par.  8, 
11).  If  Nebucliadnt  zzar  contented  himself 
with  the  execution  of  between  seventy  and 
eighty  of  the  rebel  inhabitants  of  Jerusa- 
lem, he  cannot  be  charged  with  cruelty,  or 
extreme  SLVtrity,  according  to  the  notions  of 
the  time.  So  Jndah  was  carried  away  oat 
of  their  land.  Jeremiah  adds  an  estimate  of 
the  number  carried  oflf.  These  were,  he 
Bays  (Iii.  28—30),  in  tiie  captivity  of  the 
■eventh  (query,  seventeenth?)  year,  3023; 
Id  the  captivity  of  the  eighteenth  year,  832; 
and  in  that  of  the  twi  nty-third.  five  yeais 
later,  745,  nuking  a  total  of  4G00.  If  we 
■tippo-e  these  persons  to  be  men, and  multiply 
by  four  for  the  vsonien  and  chiMrea,  the  en- 
tire number  will  btill  be  uo  more  thau  18,400. 

Vert.  22 — 26. —  Ilinfory  of  the  remnant 
left  in  thf  land  by  \ebmar-adan.  Nebu- 
cha/li.czznr,  when  ho  curried  oflf  Zcdckiah 
to  Babylon,  appointid,  as  |.;nvernurof  Juilaan, 
a  certain  Gedaliah,  a  Jew  of  good  position, 
but  not  of  the  royal  family.  Gedaliah  made 
Mizpih,  mar  JciUKalcm,  his  rrsidonce;  and 
here  ho  wa.s  shortly  joined  by  a  imuibor  of 
Jews  of  importance,  who  had  e8Cji|K'd  from 
Jerusalem  and  hidden  thuniMelves  until  the 
Uabylouiani*  were  gone.  (Jf  th<-Ho  the  iiio.st 
etiiiiieut  weru  Jnlianun  thi<  mm  of  Karcali, 
•ml  iHhmnel,  it  nicnilKir  of  tli«  royal  house 
of  David.  Gt-vlaliali  urged  the  rufugi  us  to 
bn  K'kkI  lubjciotM  of  till)  King  of  Babylon, 
and  to  «■  ttl«  theinHolvca  to  agricnitnral  pnr- 
■tiita.  liis  advico  wuh  accepted  and  al  llmt 
followed  :  hut  priiwntly  a  warning  wnn  given 
to  Godaliali  by  .lolianan  that  Iiihmnul  de- 
■iin)<«i  his  >loNtriictl<in  ;  and  soon  afterwards, 
as  (iivlaliiih  I'Mik  nn  |iriTuulionH,  thn  niiinlir 
«a«  a/Tlimily  cirri'Ml  out  Oilier  nlroeitloa 
foll<>w<<<l ;  but  afU-r  a  tlnio  Jolmnan  and  tlio 
olhnr  bailing  r>  fu^ooii  took  up  urinn,  fornnd 
Islitna*!  Ui  fly  V>  tli«  Amnionitrx,  an  I  than, 
fmriiiK  that  Nobu'-lindin  x/.ar  wmild  Imbl 
Ih^m  rpai^iKaiMlt  for  IdIiiiiih  !'•  it>'t,  Rgnlnut 
J«rrttiiKh't  rem'iniitranc«<«,  flixl,  with  thn 
Ifrnat    ll>n.>«   '•(  lhf<  Jpwi   (hnl   had   Im^ii    loft 

ki  tiM  Uu<i.  trnu  Jud»a  Into  Kg)  pi.     lUra 


onr  writer  leave*  them  (rer.  26),  without 
touching  on  the  calamities  which  befell  them 
there,  according  to  the  prophetic  annotmo*' 
ments  of  Jeremiah  (xUt.  2 — 28). 

Ver.  22. — And  as  for  the  people  that  re- 
mained in  the  land  of  Jndah.  These  con- 
sisted of  Gedaliah  and  his  court,  which 
included  Jeremiah,  Baruch,  and  some  prin- 
cesses of  the  royal  house  (Jcr.  iliii.  6) ;  the 
poor  of  the  land,  whom  Nebuzar-adan  had 
intentionally  left  behind;  and  a  considerable 
number  of  Jewish  refugees  of  a  bettor  class, 
who  came  in  from  the  neighbouring  nations, 
aud  from  places  in  Judsea  where  they  had 
been  hiding  themselves  (Jer.  xl.  7 — 12).  For 
about  two  mouths  all  went  well  with  thie 
**  remnant,"  who  applied  themselves  to  agri- 
oultural  pursuits,  in  which  they  prospered 
greatly.  Whom  Nebuchadnezzar  King  of 
Babylon  had  left  (see  ver.  12),  even  over 
them  he  made  Gedaliah  the  son  of  Ahikam. 
Ahikam  had  protected  Jereniiah  in  his 
earlier  days  (Jer.  xxvi.  21);  Gedaliah  pro- 
tected him  in  the  latter  part  of  the  sii  ge 
(Jer.  xxxix.  14).  Nebuchadnezzar's  choieo 
of  Gedaliah  for  goveruor  was  probably  niado 
friMU  some  knowledge  of  his  having  sided 
with  Jeremiah,  whoso  persist(  lU  enili  avonrs 
to  make  tho  Jews  submit  to  the  Habyloiiiau 
yoke  seem  to  have  been  well  known,  not 
oidy  to  tho  Jews,  but  to  the  Babylonians; 
most  liki  ly  by  reason  of  tho  letter  he  sent  to 
his  oiiunlrymen  alre:i<lv  in  captivity  (.Irr. 
xxix).  The  son  of  Shaphin.  mlor.  I'robably 
not  "Shaplian  the  scribe"  (oh.  x\ii.  3,  12), 
but  nn  univiiowii  per-<in  of  tiip  ttaine  ii:\ino. 

Vi  r.  23.  And  when  all  the  captains  of 
the  armies;  ratiier,  the  cni>tain$  of  tho  force* 
(Kovised  Version);  i.e.  the  ciIHoith  in  ooni- 
niand  of  tho  lr<>op8  which  lial  def(>nd<'d 
J(<rii>nl<'in,  and,  having  oBoa|)ed  lV<>m  the 
city,  were  dispcrsi  cl  and  scaltorod  in  various 
dirietiouH,  partly  in  Juiboa.  partly  in  fori'ign 
oonntries.  They  and  their  niou  -appari  nlly, 
raoh  of  thoni  had  kept  with  him  a  certain 
number  of  tlio  men  umlor  IiIh  command^ 
hoard  that  tho  King  of  Babylou  had  mad* 
Oudnliah  govi^nor.  The  news  wan  grati- 
fying; to  idem.  It  was  Honn'iiiing  to  h  ivu 
a  •IowihIi  Milflr  net  r<ver  tiirni,  and  iii>l  w 
lialiylonian ;  it  wum,  |M'rhapH.  tveii  ni>>ri'  to 
huvo  n  man  noted  for  hie  iiiNtinit  and  niodo- 
nttion  (JoMrphuH,  ■  Ant.  .fnd.,'  x.  i).  §  12), 
wIki  bud  no  vi'IIIhIi  aimM,  but  doHlred  mniply 
tli<i  |iroiip<<rity  and  go<x|  gnM-iniiu'nt  of  (ha 
(viuntrv.  Thnro  nnnio  lo  OcdilUh  to  Mirpuh, 
•vnn  lihinanl  Iho  xiu  of  Ndlinninh,  and  Jo- 
hknan  tho  mn  of  Cnroah  .leu  nnuh  (il.  H) 
ha«  "  Johanaii  aini  .lonatluiu,  the  xnnM  of 
Karnab  "-and  Horaiah  tho  inn  nf  Tanhtunnlh 
the  Motophathile.  In  .let  il  K  w«  mad. 
"  Aud  bviratalt   iha  euo  of   ianhuuiatii,  and 


«.  tsv.  !• 


MOOVD  MOI  Of  TUB  UVOa 


OTI^  M^  9mm  mttSk  nJilLi.  •!  Mtef^ 


to  tkttr  AM.     A*  »i>ik  tlMir  Uv«i 


m4  Ikmmmtd  wmt 

•  hmt  af  MaktH^MiaMau,  «W 

•rOilill  i. 


MTVMta  af  U«  Ok^UMt :  4w*U  la  v 
•Bi  wrfv  ^  lUf  of  Bft^iwi  «a4  tt 
iiteU  to  ««tt  viU  jvm;  ^ikm.  mmd  mid 
m^»  tkmm,  Fktr  ml  ktmmm  ^  tka  mwhk  ^ 
i><CliNiwi.<ia.  **U>Mito«6iiM,*ift, 
•••r  (^•>...l»»  4Ae«ak«ad  g«M^(M. 

Vrr     2..  — Xji^   It  caa«  t»   |Mi  tai   Ik* 
tvvcaik   Bo»(^       tw    arsIL*    omij    »A« 

■•rrra.-r,   sLkIi   «u  I'l  li.r  ifUi  paaik<~ 


ailah  ( >  I  W  VM 

a  winlf  -^-^  '^•'>  -  '.■  ^^^•'.  •«>^4ani^ 
fc»ii«»if  Iwiaalii. had— 4g|faaMM» 
i«r&*  |>l*r«,  Md  i*4  fc«  •l.clwia 
Badia  J«f     U.  of 

u4  t*s  »««  vufc 


'.t 


^  *«ii« 


IL 


li   ■• 


m  lifi  M  a|ia« 
alltf^«aM  tap*** 
gill>w«l  mtilbw  Um  ■iii||i>  aa4  ■*!•  a 
MluainAry  rr<n«t  to  Cximhsm.  oaai  iMfc 


l*>«^ 


au«l4  k««a  baM  U««*4  la  4MmA 
br«««ca  tk<^  ae<  a/  aa  intUfidad  MN  «a»> 
i|iu«f  jr  oa  Umt  {mft  of  Um  fcaUoa. 


TM.tT 
•Hlw  af 

^M»t1n  IJMi  rf  III— bilk,  bM  I 

•ad  ^tftatta^  MM  IB  bft«« 
laraUaaia  Li*  Utaaty  la  a  au 
•mia.  Uo  U«nlM«  awMKn— .  a*  kb  lail 
ta«*ihiiiV  Ika  fcli  if  ltk<w><ik>n.  aha  afte 
llurtjr-^  jt^n  «f  a  waU  aa4 

"• 
•«    Il  —Il    ■       TW  kiag  «W 
M  tiii   il    I    I.  kte  «a.  K«tt. 


WHfiwl  (far.  a»>  TI4M  »lW«Uliaa  if  tW4i 
kia|>  MsdMM  «aald  aaft  hal  to  Iril  by  iW 
•aa  barf7  *■'<  ■  r»<  ■«  ^ 
Ai^  U  kM  «««U  toala* 
fdlWilMijbtymnii  irfi>il» 


494 


THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGa,      [oh.xxv.1— aa 


■ins,  wonid  relent  at  last,  end  put  an  end 
to  their  banishment,  and  give 'them  rest  and 
peace  in  their  native  country. 

Ver.  27. — And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  seven 
and  thirtieth  year  of  the  captivity  of  Jehoia- 
ohin  King  of  Judah.  According  to  Berosua 
and  the  Canon  of  Ptolemy,  Nebuchadnezzar 
reigned  forty-four  years.  He  carried  off 
Jehoiachin  to  Babylon  in  his  eighth  year 
(ch.  xxiv.  12),  and  thus  the  year  of  his 
death  would  exactly  coincide  with  the  thirty- 
seventh  year  of  the  captivity  of  the  Jewish 
prince.  In  the  twelfth  month,  on  the  seven 
and  twentieth  day  of  the  month.  The  ^re 
and  twentieth  day,  according  to  Jeremiah 
(liL  31).  (Ou  the  rarity  of  ench  esact  dates 
in  the  historical  Scriptures,  see  the  comment 
on  ver.  1.)  That  Evil  -  Merodach  King 
of  Babylon.  The  native  name,  which  ia 
thus  expre.-sed,  scema  to  have  been  "  Avil- 
Marduk."  The  meaning  of  avil  is  uncertain; 
but  the  name  probably  placed  the  prince 
under  the  protection  of  Merodach,  who  was 
Nebuchadnezzar's  favourite  god.  Avil- 
Blarduk  ascended  the  Babylonian  throno 
in  B.O.  5G1,  and  r<  igned  two  years  only, 
when  he  was  murdered  by  Neriglissar,  or 
Nergal-sar-uzur,  bis  brother-in-law.  In  the 
year  that  he  began  to  reign — the  year 
B.a  5C1 — did  lift  up  the  head  of  Jehoiachin 
B^ing  of  Judah  out  of  prison.  (For  the 
pliraae  used,  s^c  C  n.  xl.  13,  19,  20.)  The 
act  woe  prokiljly  part  of  a  larger  measure 
of  pardon  and  auine-ty,  intended  to  in- 
auf^iirite  favourably  the  new  reign. 

Ver.  28. — And  he  spake  kindly  to  him ; 
literally,  he  tpnh.e  good  thitigi  tcith  him;  but 
the  meaning  is  well  e.xprcssotl  by  our  ren- 
dcri  ;,'.  Evil-Merodiich  compafisionaled  tlio 
huUi  rings  of  tho  uuforlunato  monarch,  wiio 
ha'l  .Town  old  in  prison,  and  ttrovo  by  kind 
hj)'  •  rtj  to  make  uj»  to  liiiii  for  them  in  a 
cor'.iin  nif  isuro.  And  sot  his  throno  above 
thr:  ihrono  of  the  kings  that  were  with  him  in 
Jri'i.lon.  Kvil-M<r(Kiftrh  had  at  his  court 
(ti  r  capturod  kin/fl  bc4d<fl  Jolioinohin, 
viii'  "  f."  • 'H  n  u  iH  i'ri|ihi<iiTL-(l  to  euluinco 
hi*  di  ir  (comp.  Judg.  i.  7). 

An  l.<  II  and  prnbubiy  a  sr-iit 

of  hoii. ur  vi-.tt  lu-i^Hvfl  to  cuch ;  hut  tlio 
hi^;li<.-«t  \irm')l\<>u  iitii"tig  tln-m  whb  now  con- 
foin-'l    on   •'  Whilliur   ho    hud 

ftftimlly  »  I  t'  d  m-ikt,  in  (as  liuhr 

ol^wcrvin)  a  1-  h')  iriiiKPrtaiiro. 

V<T.  '/').— And  chKHKod  hli  priion  f^mr- 
Bent!  Th'-  Kiihjcot  t<»  "rhiinsr""!"  iinijr 
b«nt      '  r},in"or"K»llM.r.-l.M'h.*' 

Oar  |ir<T(irrr«l    tl<o    Inltor,   our 

H>  y\i>- r<  In    Mlirr    muni    tho 

KKTMral   fi.  c,  Mtiif.      I'-vil  Mi'iiH 

4/KaL   »xnn'  '!•    ganaeut*    to    Uut 


released  monarch  instead  of  his  ••  prison 
garments,"  and  Jehoiachin  arrayed  himself 
in  the  comely  apparel  before  taking  his  seat 
among  his  equals.  Dresses  of  honour  are 
among  the  most  common  gifts  which  an 
Oriental  monarch  makes  to  his  subject* 
(see  Gen.  xli.  42;  Esth.  vi  8, 11 ;  viii.  15; 
Dan,  V.  29 ;  Xen.,  'CyTop.,'  v.  1.  §  1).  And 
he — i.e.  Jehoiachin — did  eat  bread  oontinn- 
ally  before  him.  Besides  giving  occasional 
great  feasts  (see  Esth.  i.  8—9),  0>riental 
monarchs  usually  entertain  at  their  table 
daily  a  large  number  of  guests,  some  of 
whom  are  specially  invited,  while  otliera 
have  the  privilege  of  daily  attendance  (see 
•  Ancient  Monarchies,'  voL  liL  pp.  214, 215). 
It  was  to  this  latter  oletss  that  Jehoiachin 
was  admitted.  Comp.  2  Sam.  ix.  7 — IS, 
which  shows  that  the  custom  was  one  not 
unknown  at  the  Jewish  court.  All  the  days 
of  his — i.e.  Jehoiachin's — life.  Jehoiachin 
enjoyed  this  privilege  till  his  death. 
Whether  this  fell  in  the  lifetime  of  Evil- 
Merodach  or  not,  is  scarcely  in  the  writLVi 
thoughts.  He  merely  means  to  tell  ns  tliat 
the  comparative  comfort  and  dignity  which 
Jehoiachin  enjoyed  after  the  accession  of 
Evil-Merodach  to  the  throne  was  not  sub- 
sequently clouded  over  or  disturbed.  He 
continued  a  privileged  person  at  the  Baby- 
lonian court  so  long  as  he  lived. 

Ver.  SO. — And  his  allowance  was  a  con- 
tinual allowance.  Kcil  supposes  that  this 
"allowance"  was  a  daily  " ration  of  food," 
intended  for  the  maintenance  of  a  oertaia 
number  of  servants  or  retainers.  But  it  ia 
quite  as  likely  to  have  boou  a  money  pay- 
mtut.  The  word  translated  by  "allowanoi''* 
— 'X'^if — does  not  point  necessarily  to  food. 
It  is  a  "  portion  "  of  any  kind.  Oiven  him 
of  the  king — i.e.  out  of  the  privy  purse,  by 
tho  king's  command — a  daily  rate  for  every 
day — or,  a  certain  amount  day  by  day — all 
the  days  of  his  life  (soo  tho  comment  on  tho 
preceding  verso).  Both  the  privileges  no- 
cx)rdeil  to  Johoinidiin,  hi.i  snstenanoe  at  the 
king's  td>Io,  and  iiis  allowance,  whuth(<r  in 
money  or  in  kind,uontinued  tothodayof  hie 
death.  Neither  of  them  was  over  revoked 
or  forfi'ittMl.  Tiius  this  lust  repnnentativ* 
of  tho  Duvidin  monarchy,  after  (hirly-hix 
ycurM  of  chuHliHCHinnt,  experi<Mio«<d  u  happy 
change  of  circuniHt4in>'e.-4,  and  died  In  |M<uoa 
and  oonifiirt.  I'ndiiklily,  un  luil  nuyH,  "  this 
event  wiiN  intnnilnd  an  n  oonilortin^  nign  to 
tho  whole  of  tho  mptivn  |MHipl<\  that  th» 
I.iird  would  one  day  put  an  end  to  their 
I)  iiiiHhtniMit,  if  they  would  ii(<ltnowliMlgi(t 
thai  it  wiiH  a  W(tll  ineritixl  piini»liiiM>ni  lor 
their  siuN  thiit  they  hud  lie<<ii  driven  awny 
rr'iiii  beforn  hii«  r.ioti,  mid  would  turn  nf^uia 
to  \h»  Lord  Uieir  Ciud  with  all  Uiuir  tioart* 


«Luir.l-ja]       TBI  BBOOVD  BOOK  OF  TO! 


BomurrKm. 


«M  Mil  A  ■***N^  poww  iIm«  dlk«  Egj)'*  or  Amjii*  skaB  ta  iWir  piimm,    lW» 

li  1^  MMoa  ••  Wll>*#  thai   NabveWiaaBMr  VM  «   )'  l  t^r  ^c«>ark'  tL*^  Sra  •.ar>i«riV  «f 


k.  111. 


•VM  Ui*a  lUnk     TIm  gnwtkd  ul  l^  itiffi— bi  -  ik 

L    It  «A»   yOT  -  ....  .  f  sTBBMtV.  AS  OttmaAULT 


Ua  lacf M.al  C«^  (ul  aba  waU  Mill  nft 

into  ihm  iald  m  nany  tu«o  .  i^ra  •«*«  •  iiiiiiwttni 

Ib  Um  ovBbvof  kar  foofi^  Lr  lact  wii  i  uu  u«v«  Li^b  '^a  ol  B«ek  JMji  rt— na, 
bar  miliurj  mtoemm*  bad  oavw  baan  dapaadaftt  upam  tba  ••aarkal  fg^fantam 
bar  ova  fonaa  aod  ihoaa  of  bar  advaraahaa,  but  bad  baaa  aoat  mgiu^  »^ 
,  wbara  tba  <^^^o^lnrtfca^  bad  htm  tba  jfmtm  («a  Naak  xx&L  »— «7 .  Jod^ 
Tl'    -    •*•'     TiL  4--Ui   ST.  16;   1  Sam.  sir.  11— U;   I  Gbna.  ut.  »-!!;  ss. 

. .  -  M»  aor  fpoocry  n  nrrsBSAL  gcAaaaL  oa  Baaaanoa.  Rv>ld  attrlboiaa 
tfM  Ml  of  Jtidab  aad  Jarmahni  maialj  to  Iba  aalafiwiiii  baivaaa  tba  mnaawhy  aad 
tba  foffcitical  ordar.  aad  u>  thr  if>..lrttor  cmi  L.rad  by  aaeb  apJaal  Iba  atbar.    "Tba 


>iatinai  at  Jadab  waa  tori  a>  aad  kaa  bona  of  laaady,  by  tba 

aK*t  irrco^odUbla  latam&l  -  ilnrpaat  iiMwaoai  at  laactb  aaida 

t'  r                to  tba  aaactitj  vi  mrwj  buoac*  VtulcLoa  oa  tba  part  of  tba  kiafa  vaa 

Bk.               lioa  oo  tba  pairt  of  ihe  ;  -  j  hr:* ;  t-A  "  the  s»mA  laud  araat  to  rata  mmAm 

Iba  «*««Mfnat.t  i/  tba  alaaMSt  arl,'  vol.  iv.  p.  tH9X    It  b 

Mbah  la  Aaeorar  any  art<if4««'.  tba  ■acrad  barraiivat  vbkh 

ab<'W»  «ia  Baaakkb  ut    '  ^i,  J<Miab  oa  tba  aa»a  lanaa 

vtib  Uubkb,  and  Z«i<  laa  vUb  JcaaoMb.     la  tba 

okauf  aeaaa  tba  antAg  u  i-.^.  a  tuA  'ciarr  y.ai  oaoaartby,  bol  Wivaaa 

ptofdiaiiam  aad  ut  a.n>iuc  aucml  eBqaa    >  car  tbal  tba  iaal  laauit  waa 


aaroady  afcrtOii  by  tba  autiaonbo  m  ^^amiyjfx.  ii  zum\  baaa  aoeia* 
difcaoa:  bat  «•  caaaoi  poariblr  Ibmi^  tbai,  tf  tbara  bad  baaa  aa  di 
aa  atiarp  diMa*iiii«i,  a  aeoaaml  waiataana  eoald  bava  baaa  aada 


•''■to*, 
atiarp  diManiim,  a  •aeoaaifal  rcaialaBea  eoald  bava  baaa  aada  Tba  raaiouaaa 
■tbt,  larbapa,  bava  bam  praknMl  bad  all  iMaaliiaa  baaa  of  oaa  laiadt  bat  §10 
Babyloa  aowd  bava  |«milad  ia  tba  aad. 

in.  It  was  aor  raov  ast  TasAOBar  aa  >■■■■! ai  mi  raa  PAav  aa  ALua^ 
ADtaa  bad  aevar  duoa  Ji^tiaw  tuu  L  i^uud ;  aad  dapiadaaaa  oa  tbrn  «aa  rgaH'f  aa  aa 
of  waat  of  ;  ^h.     But,  lo  fiv  aa  iba  u-autr  at  ailianraa  avut. 


Judab  •wt  ia  a  •opart  *,    ■  ^  aa  inirtiat,  foaition  auar  than  tarmmij.     lit 

aaiaral    alliaa   la    aay  auvKgw  «ruii  tba  dnatlaaal  poaii  c^  Woalara  A*««   wm 
Pbaakia  aad  Bfrpc;  aad  at  ibia  uom  botb  Pbaakia  aad  Btsyai 
Tyia  vaa  b  ravUt  aeabat  Batjloa  tnm  ax.  6M  la  ac.  ftBft,  aad  gava 
a  eaaaiiii  labia  partioe  of  tba  IWbykauaa  (oreaa  abUa  J< 


Kgjpi.  uadar  tba  aatarpriMag  ILt4ra  (ApriaaX  took  tba  irid  aooa  aft«  tba 


aiMi  for  a  ttaM  aaenftM  in  mutif  ti.     Bal^kia  bad  to  eaaiaad  atlb  tba  tbiaa 
■Um^  7^  i«.  Ecypl,  aa '    '  :  tba  ame  tuua,  bat  provad  a^aal  to  tba 

Maia,  aad  ovarMaa  Ai 

Ja^^         *-   raa  la.T  !ii  II.I*     w...  ^  <•  oad  aCtadad  God.    Froai  tba  tlna  €#  Moara 
la  tbai  tb,  it'  vaa  aat  bar  ova  lab«^ai  MiWMlb.  ar  ^hmamt,  or  waiaj,  Ibat 

bad  |cu..  .■  <.  .V.  aaiiiiii  «<  bar,  Nit  tba  aitMvMtitic  baad  of  tba  Alau.bty.  CM  bad 
a*«r  "mm  ktik  vtib  bar  amka*  (Pa.  I&.  10).  G^  bad  givaa  kar  -  baip  bmm 
ttaabla^  Tbm«b  Ood  aba  bad  *■  *iu»<^  valkally."  H«  it  vaa  vbo  bad  "tr  Urn 
dava  bar  aaaaioa  *  (Fk  U.  U,  U).    Maay  «f  tL«r  daliraraaeaa  bad  haaa  tbiv^ 


4^  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OP  THE  KINGS,     [ot.  xxv.  1— 80. 


sctnal  miracle;  others  were  the  resmlt  of  a  divinely  infused  conrage  perradlng  their 
own  ranks,  or  a  panic  falling  upon  their  adversaries.  It  was  only  as  Qod  's  "  peculiar 
people,"  enjoying  his  covenanted  protection,  that  they  could  possibly  hold  their  place 
among  the  nations  of  the  earth,  so  soon  as  great  empires  were  formed  and  mighty 
monarchs  devised  schemes  of  extensive  conquests.  God's  arm  had  saved  them  from 
Egypt  and  from  Assyria ;  he  could  as  easily  have  saved  them  from  Babylon.  "  It  is 
nothing  with  God  to  help,  whether  with  many,  or  with  them  that  have  no  power  '* 
(2  Chron.  xiv.  11).  He  could  have  bridled  Nebuchadnezzar  as  easily  as  Zerah  or 
Sennacherib,  and  have  saved  the  Jews  under  Zedekiah  as  readily  as  under  Asa  or 
Hezekiah.  But  Judah's  sins  came  between  him  and  them.  The  persistent  transgres- 
sions of  the  i)eople  from  the  time  of  Manasseh,  their  idolatries,  immoralities,  cruelties, 
and  wickedness  of  all  kinds,  shortened  God's  arm,  that  he  could  not  interpose  to  save 
them.  As  the  author  of  Chronicles  puts  it,  "  there  was  no  remedy  "  (2  Ohron.  xxxvi. 
16).  "  They  had  transgressed  very  much  after  all  the  abominations  of  the  heathen ; 
and  polluted  the  house  of  the  Lord  which  he  had  hallowed  in  Jerusalem ;  .  .  .  they  bad 
mocked  the  messengers  of  God,  and  despised  his  words,  and  misused  his  prophets  " 
(2  Chron.  xxxvi.  14—16) ;  and  so  "  filled  up  the  measure  of  their  iniquities."  Under 
such  circumstauces,  God  could  not  spare  even  his  own  children  (Isa.  i.  4 ;  Ixiii.  16) — 
his  own  people.  Can,  then,  any  sinful  nation  hope  to  escape  ?  Ought  not  each  to 
feel  the  fate  of  Judah  a  warning  to  itself?  a  warning  to  repent  of  its  evil  ways,  and 
turn  from  them,  and  walk  in  the  paths  of  righteousness,  according  to  the  exhortation 
of  Isaiah  ? — "  Wash  you,  make  you  clean ;  put  away  the  evil  of  your  doings  from  before 
mine  eyes;  cease  to  do  evil;  learn  to  do  well;  seek  judgment,  relieve  the  oppressed, 
judge  the  fatherless,  plead  for  the  widow.  Come  now,  and  let  us  reason  together,  saith 
the  Lord  :  though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  they  shall  be  as  white  as  snow ;  though  they 
be  red  like  crimson,  they  shall  be  as  wool.  If  ye  be  willing  and  obedient,  ye  shall  eat 
the  good  of  the  land :  but  if  ye  refuse  and  rebel,  ye  shall  be  devoured  with  the  sword  : 
for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it"  (Isa.  i.  16 — 20). 

Vers.  27 — 30. — "  The  loving-kindness  of  the  LnrdJ'  God,  "  in  his  wrath,  thinketh 
upon  mercy."  The  captive  king,  and  the  captive  nation,  each  of  them  sntfcred  a  long 
and  severe  puiushnient.  Each  of  them  must  have  beca  inclined  id  sink  into  a  state 
of  hof>elessne88  and  apathy.  Each  may  have  thought  that  Goci  had  forgotten  them 
altogether,  or  at  any  rate  had  forgotten,  and  would  forget,  to  be  gracious.  Thirty-six 
years — how  long  a  space  iti  this  in  the  life  of  a  man!  Jehoiachin  had  grown  from  a 
youth  into  a  man  of  lull  age,  and  from  a  man  of  full  age  almost  into  an  old  man,  for 
he  was  in  his  fifty-fifth  year,  and  Jewish  monarchs  rarely  reached  the  age  of  sixty. 
Yet  he  had  not  really  been  forgotten.  God  had  had  his  eye  upon  him  all  the  while, 
and  had  kept  in  reserve  for  him  a  happy  change  of  circumstances.  The  Disposer  of 
events  brought  Evil-Merodach  to  the  throne,  and  put  it  into  the  heart  of  that  monarch 
i<j  have  compassion  upon  the  aged  captive.  Jehoiachin  passed  from  a  dungeon  to  a 
chair  of  Htate  (ver.  2b),  from  prison  food  and  prison  dress  to  royal  banquets  and  apparel 
fitting  his  rank,  from  the  extreme  of  misery  to  happiness,  dignity,  and  honour.  This 
was  the  doing  of  the  Alndghty  Father,  using  men  as  his  instruments;  and  it  was  a 
strong  evidence  of  his  loving-kindness.  Would  not  the  nation  likewise  experience  his 
mercy?  Tht?  pt-nal  Benteuco  passed  upon  it  was  well  deserved,  and  niiglit,  in  strict 
juHtice,  have  V>een  final.  But  would  Gfjd  exact  the  uttermost  farthing?  No.  By  the 
release  and  rcHtoration  to  honour  of  Jehoiachin,  he  sudiciontly  indicated  to  his  people 
that  for  thorn  Uk)  there  was  a  place  of  re[)i'ntance,  a  day  of  grace,  a  restoration  to  his 
favour.  A  ray  of  light  thurt  brol<<!  in  upon  the  long  d  irkness  of  tlio  Captivity.  God's 
(.'raciouB  jnt^iut  wan  indicated.  Tlio  nation  felt  a  stir  of  hojje,  and  woko  up  to  the 
m[X!ct.'itioM  of  a  new  life;  Inaiah's  later  jirophccioH  (xl. — Ixvi.),  which  had  soomod  a  dead 
IclU.'r,  Ixicaiiio  living  wohIh,  H|)«'akiiig  to  the  heart  of  the  people;  and  the  later  years 
of  the  (/'ajdivit}'  woro  clur<Tc<l  by  the  [)roH|)ect — ever  becoming  brighter  and  clearer — of 
a  rcinHtiti Kiont  in  G'mI'h  liivour,  a  return  to  the  Holy  Land,  and  a  restoratiuu  of  tUf 
ttauctuary  (Dan.  ix.  3—19). 


muxxr.l  -90}       TBI  SSOOHD  BOOK  Of  TRR   ICINCML  4tT 


UOMILIKM  BY  VARIOUH  AUTUOlUi 

▼era.    1 — Si. —  71«  last   </iiyt  </  JtrumtUm.     T^*  •h*a)«ful    •torr  Of  Judd)'*  dl*> 
eb«ii«ior  R-  '    ■     ■    ■         '-  •    -   ■'  II  -    ,-  I  ■■       ■,  •.   -B 


«M  t*ket 


llv  w.nt  Uiittiil   in   fi  ttrra 


pior  of  tba  U:  '.     i<   \  • 

ONUM-*  uf  thit  I  ^ 

doDf  eTiI  in  ti  ■  Mi^hi  i>f  till'  Lunl,    I.  7^/>y  </  1 

tbr  i(!i'!a!ry  :<•   \  -iie  tjccb  of  the  bMitlien.     '-'.  * 

mc!  and  ill-iriMt  0(»J'«  im-K.-  j 

lo  *>     .  y  are  Mind  to  llielr  own  ■  '^ 

PrxijiLel  JtrcLuiali  iu   fwrticular  r«M;«ivtil  ih" 
of  Judith  bad  t^Dk.     After  tlie  ;>ro|>het'B  f>  l 
xiiL — xix.),  Pasliur,  who  wao  cbivf  . 
him  iD  tbr  sUx  k8.  or  [Mllury,  that 

where  all  mfii  rui^'ht  nee  him  u    '  i 

cut    the  nil    of  Jt-reniinh'u 
' --  ■     ■.'  '"   '-.  •   ■■-•■:rs  at  JeruMi.  m  ".    ■ 

';t   liiiu  iu   !  lisou.      .  t 

,Li  I  wliere  be  sank  ill  tLt  W...V, ,  .- ,. .       .a 

offi< '  .,  tho  kiug  reM:ucd  him.      WicJMue**  in  high  placts  tuom  yrmr*  (o 

ku  I.  ...       i     ..... 

11.  Tjib  ooKBrrnoM  or  it-  pkople.     ''  ,  the  people  wrre  )r»t  as  ■ 

M  gudles8  M  their  ruIfiH.     A  Datun     •  a  for  itjt  irtii  <iiiil  sioa.  f 

Judah  cried  aloud  to  llcaveu   lur  And  iu  '  !   the  Ca; 

were  taught  to  feel  that  there  is  a  '  >  '^r  eth  in  :  We  le*r 

fate  uf  JuJah  and  Jerusalem:    1.    Thr  <jar»y^r  u//ar»..  Tier  f  i 

In  the  day  <.<{  tleir  proejierity.     And  when  the  hour  ol  i  '.'•'*,  t*-e  .■ 

they  served  were  not  able  to  deliver  tiieru.    2.   7^  danytJ  «/  . 
How  often,  in  the^e  later  years  of  Ju*l'»h*K  hi9f<>ry,  was  the  L.i 
and  forgotten]     No  life  can  be  tpi  >  >  is  not  ha^cd  ou  :: 

No  home  can   be  truly  happy  wi.'  .3   not   read.     No  d.-\  t 

prosjierity  which  disregards   the  \\  jIxI  ol    (J'«i.     3.   The  tUitn;er  t/  t 

vnri.itigt.     Etotv  mesaage  Qod  stnds  us  is  for  our  good.     If  it  i«  «  j 

■peak  to  us,  it  IS  worth  our  while  to  listen.  Ne4ect«5d  »aijiii|^» — w  t.  n  g  j  ii  ir.py 
InTolre!  what  danger  they  threaten!  "  Ikcauae  I  have  call'4,  au<!  ye  refu»<>l ;  I 
hare  stretched  out  my  hand,  and  no  man  ratfknied ;  .  .  .  1  aiao  will  laugh  at  jour 
calamity ;  I  will  mock  when  your  fear  cometK  — O.  U.  L 

Verm.  18 — 21. — Space /tT  rvpentanm.  "  And  the  captain  of  the  guard  took  S^raiah 
the  chief  priest,  and  Zephauiah  the  f^'  '  ^  '  •-<'-'  nnd  the  tbre«  kevprrs  of  the  deny,*  etc. 
Tbii«  piece  of  history  may  be  uaefu.  illustrate  that  space  which  llcavea 

alluws  to  be  given  men  for  iinjiroTe!  N'otit-e  Ltrp— 

L  SracB  ruB  m:  "Ana  .  .,"  etc    Though  w« 

have  reason  to  tbiii;.  •  army  of  <  .-e*!  »t;aIt.Bt  the  ci'y 

for  boklinB;  out  with  so  mucn  BtubiK>rnii»ii,  yet  they  Oid  u  :  '  o 

and  sword  as  soon  as  they  bMl  taken  the  city  (which  is  t<-  ii 

eases),  but  thrve  mouths  after   Nebusar-aian  was  sent  witii  e  ;  .• 

destruction  of  Jerusalem.     This  sjace  Oud  gave  thent  lu  rei< '  '.  ^:'.< .   »..   i.  r         ^'    -K 
days  of  his  natience ;  but  in  vain.    Their  hearta  were  sull  hsnlnaed.     Thus  wick.ad 
constAtitly  ignore  **  thin^  that  belong  to  their  peace.*' 
n.  Kimaa,  1  k 


498  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS,     [ch.  xxv.  1— sa 

IL  Space  fob  niPROVEMENx  neglected.  "  And  out  of  the  city  lie  took  an  officer 
that  was  set  over  the  men  of  war,"  etc.  lliese  men,  to  vThom  time  had  been  given  to  do 
the  work  required,  day  after  day  neglected  it.  Xo  effort  was  put  forth  to  avoid  the 
tlireatened  calamity.  It  is  ever  thus.  Men  are  waiting  for  a  more  "convenieut 
season."     The  cry,  "  Unless  ye  repent  ye  shall  all  likewise  perioh,"  was  neglected. 

IIL  Neglected  space  fob  impeovement  avenged.  "  And  Nebuzar-adan  captain 
of  the  guard  took  these,  and  brought  thera  to  the  King  of  Babylon  to  Kiblah."  "  Be 
sure  your  sins  will  find  you  out."  "  Rejoice,  0,  young  man,  in  thy  youth ;  .  .  .  but 
know  thou,  that  for  all  these  things  God  will  bring  thee  into  judgment." 

IV.  The  avekgement  of  this  keglect  was  tekeible  in  the  extbeme.  "And 
the  King  of  Babylon  smote  them,  and  slew  them  at  lliblah  in  the  land  of  H;i:nath.  So 
Judah  was  carried  away  out  of  their  land,"  The  city  and  the  temple  were  burnt.  The 
walls  were  never  repaired  until  Nehemiah's  time  ;  and  Judah  was  carried  out  of  their 
land,  etc.  The  history  of  this  calamity  is  too  well  known  to  record  here.  "  Because 
sentence  against  an  evil  work  is  not  executed  speedily,  therefore  the  heart  of  the  sons 
of  men  is  fully  set  in  them  to  do  eviL" — D.  T. 

Vers.  22 — 26. — Rulers  and  their  enemies.  "  And  as  for  the  people  that  remained  in 
the  land  of  Judah,  whom  Nebuchadnezzar  King  of  Babylon  had  left,"  etc.  By  this 
fragment  of  Jewish  history  two  observations  are  suggested. 

I.  Men  are  sometimes  elevated  into  besponsible  positions.  Oedaliah,  a  friend 
of  Jeremiah's,  and  acting  under  the  piophet's  counsel,  took  the  government  of  Juda?a, 
and  fixed  liis  court  at  Mizpah.  He  seemed  on  the  whole  qualified  tor  the  office  he 
assumed.  The  people  committed  to  his  charge  were  those  who  were  left  in  the  country 
after  Judah  had  been  carried  away  into  Babylonian  captivity.  Tliey  were,  perhaps, 
considered  too  insignificant  to  be  removed.  However,  being  peasantry,  who  could  till 
the  land  and  dre-ss  the  vineyards,  he  counselled  them  to  submit  to  his  rule,  promising 
them  that  they  should  retain  their  possessions  and  enjoy  the  produce  of  the  land.  Such 
was  the  resp)nsible  position  to  which  this  Gedaliah  was  elevated.  In  every  age  and 
laud  tiiere  are  souje  men  thus  distinguished — men  that  rise  to  eminence  and  obtaiu 
distinction  and  i>ower.  Sometimes  it  may  be  by  the  force  of  ilioir  own  genius  and 
chaiacti  r,  and  somttinies  by  the  f  >rce  and  patronage  of  others.  Hence  in  Church  and 
state,  literature,  commerce,  and  art,  we  have  rulers  ecclesiastical,  imliiical,  scholastic, 
Biid  mercantile.  This  arrangiment  in  our  social  life  has  many  sigual  advantage.-*, 
altliough  often  exposed  to  many  terrible  evils. 

II.  Malignant  enmity  8()Metimi:8  khdhtbatkb  the  pubpose  of  buoh  men. 
"But  it  came  to  pass  iu  the  seventh  month,  that  Islimael  the  son  of  Natlianiah,  the 
son  of  Klishama,  of  the  si-ed  royal,  came,  and  ten  unn  with  him,  and  sm>le  Gediiliali, 
that  h<;  oied,  and  tlio  Jew.^  and  the  Chahlees  th  it  were  with  him  at  Mizjiah."  Thus 
envv  iH  always  excited  by  Hupern'rity,  and  one  of  the  mo.st  cruel  of  human  passions 
t«'niiiti;itc<l  the  hfe  of  Gedaliah  and  the  purpose  of  his  mission  i«  few  brief  months 
afL<;  hi«  elevation  to  olHce.  Knvy  murdered  Gedaliah,  and  drove  back  those  poor  scattered 
JewM  U>  Kfypt,  wlii'h  iliey  loailicd.  Thus  envy  is  ever  at  work,  hhusting  the  reputa- 
tionii  and  m-^rvuVin'/,  llie  |>M./ilionH  of  distin^^uished  men.  "Envy  is  the  daughter  of 
I'rid"-,  the  author  of  murder  and  rovengo,  the  Ixiginnor  of  secret  swlition,  and  th© 
jjeri^"  ftial  tormentor  of  virtue.  Envy  ih  th'  lilthy  HJinie  of  tlm  soul  ;  ii  woini,  li  iH)iHon 
or  quickHiivcT  which  conHuuieth  the  Uush,  and  driuth  up  the  marrow  uf  the  bonus " 
(fiocrat«ii;.— D.  T. 

Vwrii,  27 — 30. — Jehninrhin  na  a  virtim  af  tyrannic  'Ifspntium,  and  a»  an  ohjWt  of 
drhvrrinii  mrrry.  "  And  it  came  to  ynw.i  in  liui  kovcu  and  ihiitielh  year,"  etc. 
Tiie  lit))  of  tliu  man  han  l>c-un  already  Hkutchud.  The  incident  hero  recorded  prosonla 
blm- 

I.  Ah  a  rvnn  or  tyr amnio  nrnroTiHU.  Hn  hiwl  boon  In  prinon  r»r  thirty-noven 
jr»>*r<i,  and  whh  l)lt\-nvn  yearn  nf  :n^,..  It  wan  Nebnclridni'/./ar,  th«  tyrannic  King  uf 
B«)iyl<iii,  thftt  Htripixvl  thlN  niriu  ol  lilM>rty  and  freedom,  and  hIiui  him  u|>  in  n  dnng<<OD 
for  thin  ion(^  |iorio<l  of  tlino.     Sucii  il<'H|><>iiHm  liai  preMiiled  in  all  n^m  and  landH. 

II       Ak    AH    «)|1JK'T    or    DBt,lVEUIN«*     Ml  IICT.  W«l     AXit     lold      tlltlt     IMi     IKJOIl      IIH     thtQ- 

IdmvtLMJi  uiiiis  to  liiu  ibiuue  uu  the  diuili  of  hm  faihor  Nobuciiiitlueiuar,  murcy  Hluied 


m.  nr.  l-JflL]      T&I  SROOTTD  BOOK  OF  Till  KT90L 
klilMW««i4i«IWv«4tyi|nar««rtlB«f  t  «v«yl  m  tkb  vorli  K  fU 

•f«r  all  111*  IfUkL    **Tb«8|Mniu#  I  *»a  Ui«  graal  B«fera«  «f  iL  na^  *  m 

Im  \Mh  4ao4fttad  ■-  »^h  iW  fOMl  Id  lU  toori  U  ImU  «bl 


%la  IB  Ite  WumI.  to  aK  M  ttlvnj  IkM  Umi  ara  hvute^*— a  T. 

irlKg*  «f  JiniMlw  by  NitiimlniU— r  »bo(Ud  b*  tamfmnd  tkm  mmur^  of 

I  by  TMm  (a.a.  10^     HlMorr  ^om  m4  altnj*  r«f«a  Itarf/i  \  • 

borT«  ,  iW  iMidMiU  ol  lb«  o»f««i«,  lb« 


Mrikii^  BMlkb  ia  v  tk«»  mra  ni^nryMOM  ttal 

aiooo«r,tt  vwoBllir  -  ^  xh»  matuk  m  mhkk  ihm 

Ml  bwMd  by  N«bQc'  *m  ir«d  by  ito  aoMiMa 

f>'*i^mfc  TIm  «wttar  4«alrurtK^ ^  " -'.JmU;  ikaki 

lioB*  of  ow  Lord  (lUtL  XltT.X 

'  torribb  ity  cf  Kaliur  bailnw  M  if  ato  yiMMCo 

oiaUifMHr*  of  Z*i«kUn.  "Id  tS«  trnth  >/ 

|i««MirbadBcnar  eaoM,  be  lb*  riiTMib 

\rx^  rf  JWeViih  ••  on  th«  t  r«:!«d  ia  iba 

■  hraac^  »**  •dvcU-  '.!i  d»7  oi 

a-  niai  laiotb  yaar  vi  ^oA*ihm 

^*  »««  Utfuad  by  Nebmar^adaa  (ver.  6>.  J  d^Uaf 

.      ci.  xxxix.  1«S;  Hii,  12(iBtkcbatar  paMat^  *  ^  al</f  vX 

TbcM  van  datra  vbkb  tumad  tbamMlvca  i:  u^  mtwtckmi 

paopla  uiowda<  a  tba  cuj.  and  eould  aawar  t  ay  tcaufy  la 

Um  tnt—aity  of  ibmwt  vbtcb  araa  aadaradi  ' 

Tbay  vara  obaarnd  ahcrvaids  aa  lafahr  da 

?    "^  laaif  virfcaat,    Nebucbardaasm'c  ' 

1  >- Md  U,  Mfl'tias  fprta  againat  It  rooi.  :  ftvfhagj  ii 

>>  Ai  via  ahoBi  to  W{>paB.    Tba  FfopL<  -•  'rra  of  ika 

botveky.    A  iwtvd  «aa  ferUabad  »bk  BwkW 

ia  duaoiadi  Io  mark  off  tvo  vaya  akittf  vL  i^^'iiaf 

W>  JaraMlaai.  aad  tka  olbar  to  Babtvlk  aM 

tba  Ki^  of  Babvbm  alaodi^  ai  tba  he*.  VI 
oliuaMk     Ha  abakta  tba  anova,  aoftf 


&i  nil.  19X 


Tha  dadikB  ^vao  b  far 
la*  gata^  aad  baa  app^tad  eaplaii 
tba  voiea  with  iiboBtiBj:.  to  appoiat 
aad  la  boild  a  fort  -  (Raik.  xzi.  i 
•aafy  atafa  dnfi: 


vbaa  aaai  U  »aa  ouMorad,  tber  eutt  s.xfv.7.     iu 

aa  a  vivid  Fjf^**>*  <■  l^  cilj  ounc;^  From  the  ^ 

•o  booa.     Wb«B  ^Wkiab,  at  tha  '.<■  iiaf*  aai/«*w 

pray  tta%  of  Iha  Lord  far  oa,"  Jarr  J  biai  ibat  the 

to  iba  CfcaVlaana>  and  IfcMU  K«b«h^  i  > 


(Jar.  xxL  1— TX  t>ova*«r,  t 

aan«»^«r  ikaaMl*«a  to  iha  re  — 

la  ate  af  lapfteMaaal,  ihra> 
it(H.  1— 4t  voIt.  1— 7;  li- 
ft mj  eaaa  farth  a^nat  '. 

\  *  !•  tha  pMpto  aet  4>eri  -c. 

U^7did.lBipitaafalic  ^7, 

M  lA  iha  yrafioua  k«g  ^  ^  .mrf 


BOO  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KOrOS.     [ch.xxv.  1— 3a 


of  the  people  became  extreme.  The  hread  was  "  spent "  in  the  city  (Jer.  xxxvii.  21). 
The  Book  of  Lamentations  gives  vivid  glimpses  of  the  horrors — the  young  children 
fainting  for  hmiger  at  the  top  of  every  street  (Lam.  iL  11,  19);  crying  to  their 
mothers,  "Where  is  com  and  wine?  (Lam.  it.  12);  and  asking  bread,  and  no  man 
breaking  it  to  them  (Lam-  iv.  4) ;  the  delicately  nurtured  lying  on  duughilk  (Lam.  ir. 
6) ;  women  eating  their  own  offspring  (Lam,  ii.  20),  etc. 

IL  The  fate  of  Zedekiah.  As  the  vigour  of  the  defence  slackened,  the  besiegers 
redoubled  their  energies,  till,  on  the  ninth  day  of  the  fourth  month,  a  breach  was 
made  in  the  walls,  and  Nebuchadnezzar's  princes  penetrated  as  far  as  the  middle  gate 
(Jer.  xxix.  1 — 3).  The  stages  that  follow  are,  as  respects  Zedekiah,  those  of:  1.  Flight, 
The  besiegers  had  entered  by  the  north  side  of  the  city,  and  the  king,  with  his  men 
of  war,  feeling  that  all  was  lost,  made  their  escape  by  night  through  a  gate  of  the  city 
on  the  south — "  the  gate  between  the  two  walls,  which  is  by  the  king's  garden  " — and, 
evading  tbe  Chaldeans  in  the  darkness,  fled  towards  the  Jordan.  By  a  symbolic  action 
Eaekiel  had  foretold  this  flight,  and  the  actual  manner  of  the  escape,  down  to  its 
minutest  details — a  singular  instance  of  the  unerring  prescience  of  these  inspired 
prophets  (Ezek.  xii.  1 — 16).  What  the  king's  thoughts  were  as  he  fled  that  night 
with  beating  heart  and  covered  face,  who  can  tell  ?  Jeremiah  had  been  vindicated, 
and  the  prophets  who  had  buoyed  the  people  up  with  so  many  false  hopes  were  now 
shown  to  be  miserable  deceivers.  2.  Capture.  The  flight  of  the  king  was  soon 
discovered,  and  a  contingent  of  Chaldeans  was  despatched  in  pursuit.  It  was  not  long 
ere  they  overtook  the  fleeing  monarch,  no  doubt  faint  with  hunger,  unnerved  by  fear, 
and  exhausted  with  the  miles  he  had  already  traversed,  unable  therefore  to  make  any 
defence.  If  his  followers  made  any  stand,  they  were  speedily  scattered,  and  the  king 
was  taken  on  the  plains  of  Jericho.  His  hopes,  his  plans,  his  intrigues  with  Egypt, 
all  had  come  to  nothin;;;.  He  stood  there,  a  prisoner  of  the  Chaldeans,  as  Jeremiah 
declared  he  would  be.  It  is  God's  Word  that  always  comes  true.  Would  that  Zedekiah 
had  believed  it  in  time  1  8.  Punishment.  The  late  which  awaited  Zedekiah  was  not 
loni  deferred.  With  his  eons,  and  the  nobles  who  were  with  him  (Jer.  xxxix.  6; 
liL  10),  he  was  taken  to  Riblah,  to  have  judgment  passed  on  him  by  Nebuchadnezzar. 
Little  mercy  had  he  to  look  fur  from  the  haughty,  infuriate  king,  who  had  given  him 
his  throne,  and  whose  covenant  he  had  broken,  entailing  on  him  the  trouble  and  delay 
of  a  sixteen  months'  sirgo.  Tortures,  perhaps,  and  death  in  protracted  agonies.  Tho 
wonder  is  that  Zedekiah  escaped  as  mercifully  as  he  did.  But  his  punishment  wa% 
nevertheless,  heart-breaking  in  its  sevc  rity.  (I)  He  saw  his  own  eons  slain  before 
his  eyes.  It  was  the  last  spectacle  he  ever  beheld ;  for  f2)  his  own  eyes  were  next  put 
out.  Then  (3)  ho  was  Injund  with  fetters  of  brass,  and  carried  to  Babylon,  whore  ho 
reniainfe'l  a  prisoner  aU  the  rest  of  his  life  (Jer.  iii.  11;  cf.  xxxiv.  5 — 8).  Tho  noblca 
of  Jiidali  were  at  the  same  tlmt;  slain  (Jer.  xxxix.  6;  Hi.  10).  Life  thus  ended  for 
Zedekiah  when  hu  was  yot  a  young  man  of  little  over  thirty  years  of  ago.  His  sous 
muBt  have  l>c<'n  rnc  re  IxjyH,  and  their  pitiable  death  would  be  a  pang  in  his  heart 

f;re.»tcr  even  than  tlio  pain  of  the  iron  which  i)ierced  his  eyes.  Tho  joy  of  life  was 
out  Ui  him,  liki!  tho  datknoKS  which  had  now  fallen  for  over  on  tho  outer  world.  Tlie 
drfiary  livin(^  duith  of  the  prison  wan  all  that  was  left  to  him.  Mmerablo  man,  how 
bitterly  he  hail  to  expiate  his  sin,  and  mourn  over  past  errors  and  seif-willed  courses  I 
Will  It  Ixj  othorwlho  with  llione  who  stand  at  tlio  lnHt  bi-foro  tht'  juilgnient-soat  of 
Ocxl,  If  tholr  lives  are  H|K3nt  lu  disilxxlieuctf?  If  It  wa.4  hard  to  face  Nehuohaduei'./.ar 
when  he  was  ''full  of  fury,  and  the  form  of  his  vinage  wan  changed "  (Dau.  iii.  19), 
Low  rIibII  rn' n  en  inro  "  tho  wrath  of  tho  Lamb"  (Kev.  vi.  10)? 

III.  Jkrubalim  DKhTBoYKU.  A  month  uUiPHcii  lieforo  tlin  deHtniction  of  the  now 
••ptured  city  wu  carried  ouU  It  wan  ])rolial)!y  during  this  interval  that  Joremiali 
0om|io«od  hlii  |«fiKi<.tiftlo  anil  patlKtio  Latnontatinnn.  When  at  length  tho  work  unn 
taken  in  hntui  hy  Noi>ii7.Mr-a<lKii,  nn  ofllcur  deputed  for  tho  piirpomi,  it  was  done  with 
«hanu:t<'riilic  tlixrou^itieHii,  umid^^t  the  gleo  of  .luilnh's  hnieditury  eneinieH,  winiHn 
shout*,  •«  lOuM)  it,  fMfl  It,  I'Ton  Uj  tha  foniidatioiiN  iherooft"  (I'm.  cxxwii.  7),  Hlimulalod 
ths  Work  of  doMiolitlon.  Ws  neo  :  1.  'I'tte  Umple  burnnl.  "  llu  burnt  the  Iiomm  of  ths 
LoM,"  «to.  'ihuH  cams  tu  an  n\*\  th<-  ^nnt  and  lieautifiil  hniixn  of  Ond,  built  by 
H>  Uxn  n,  0"BiiM;rftti'<l  \<j  wt  many  (MTiimonliii  and  prayiirH  (L  KingN  viii.),  and  wIioho 
mruu  hsd  so  ofUn  rMoutidxd  with  tho  |NiMlniN  and  shouts  uf  tho  mullituiiu  that  ko|i| 


•I.  itv.  1-«]L]       TUB  K  ur  TUE  Rinoa. 


My  4«t  (I**.  tHi-  ft).     B««  UaWlry  mmI  kfpamim  W«4  a»A*  *  i»^  kawa  a#  pvsyw  * 


lalytM  ««4s  «fli«  "TU  i»tt|iU  «>tf  lU  La«<  TU  itaiab  • 
•r  iWlU<M«  ilM«»-(J«r.  vtl.4).    Tbto  •«  to  ••k*  lU 


lanMrf.    "  TV  kiMfk  ImiM,  MBi  •■  iIm  Jtmal—.  — a 

kMW  bim<  Im  «tf  if*.*    Wk«  Ik*  er  _      .  •(  lU  dif  k»  •z 

tad  Immm  waU  Bot  »sp«l  lo  —ampm.    iWy  alao  *•*«  aH  » 

,,,.,..  .ll 

■-««. 

-All  He  »       .  . 

1  '  l»   pi'it.j    '  •' 

H    lu  (k<M  bic     Iff   ilL«UI.->' 
au»rtrn    at    Mlipfth    (v«r 

Jvnmtan  had  b«ao  '  ma  oin',  wiuiog    i,  ■  » 

■nUa^owa*  (eb.  xi  lad  at  as  aooipUi*  •  •■-  "     ^7 

«MliOadk«l«M»  )  '-fwo/ bi«abaa«kMd  1--  - 

iMkd  4Ma  mtk  ivaal  i  Mia  w«  w«  lo  Wani  fros   ' 

a^^k'Bf  aaa  rwr"^  •  .•  iwnbk  la  bM  )a<riea  -^ . 

•  l<r»ua  ur  |  i^cr  d,"  fvi  vUl  Im  piack  U  tfciaca^ 

U  »i  fthaudooa  lu*..  -^  _  ^-  _.  _  .      ,  -  J.  O. 

VenL  ll^tl.—  1U /mml  rfy ui  tatim.  An  aod  k«Tioc  baw  mm/kt  ai  iba  «lty,  ika 
•ast  mtf  was  to  Boniahn  th«  tx«qaMl  Vy  4apor<tog  to  BabjV«  Um  laaMaai  a/  ito 
Mmlalinn.  and  Miijlf  awaj  tba  apolL    Ta  tbk  toak  KabMar-adaa 

L  Tbb  raorLB  c&kueo  awat.     1.  TV  fUamimft  taAm.    T*e  or  •!•««■  tk 
■MMM  teid  b«aa  eaniod  away  in  Um  aarUcv  ea|>u*itj  (ak  »iv.  14).  ladadlag  aa 
Ibm  tfc*  bw«  |wt  «f  Iha  popttUUob  (c£  J«r.  iiiv.  S-IO).     TL«  i— ■■>  bad  mmm 
hmm  tbiMMd  bf  hailM,  MtUmeev  aad  «w  r '  0«  tba  toSift 

pvttbBbkTiawof  Jar.ULS8C**eTcMii«rnth"fuf  •  ^aportalias 

e#  fpilTM  II Tw  tbia*  ibewawi— toek  plaee  a  jc*x  oriutr  tuo  c^boueMw  al  iba  iMpw 
Now  iWa  vara  ooly  lb«  glaaalaft  to  toke  uw*y.  tA  Umm  aawtod  to  Wl  ^gU 
ktM^vi  tad  ibirty-two  Mnoaa  (J«r.  UL  S9>  Tbay  wwa  bat  a  mnB  ba»tral  aato|«iad 
vMh  Ibato  «bo  bwd  partdmi,  bul  Ibav  •oiild  aotopriM  all  iba  fuofkt  <4  aay  posiua* 
•ad  laitti^fc  l*bay  ewriiHil  of  tlMto  vba  vaia  la  tba  alty,  ot  tbow  vka  bad 
■artoiMiy  dwirtod  to  Iba  ClliildtoWi.  ud  af  tba  |drkic«i  af  tba  muliaA^da  o«toid^ 
IWMavraiM  aad  latofMaliM  aetoaloaad  by  ibaM  aapurltka  i«  fei\a''v  ^nc  natod 
If  T  I  fill  la  tba  w«U4na«tt  iwmahfUkm  al  Baabal  «a»f>i  ^ad 

N/uilaC  to  ba  euasfuitod,  M  aba  aa«  tba  kmg  Iralaa  da&l*  •»  I. 

Tkt  foar  10  A»  t  r-ra,  11  va»  aftly  tba  Moraal  of  tba  UU,  Uhm  "  Miu^  baA 
aoiLiug'  (Jer  tixi&.  10)  wba  wwa  lafl  babiad,  to  tiU  tba  talda  aad  car*  far  ib« 
vtaajrank.  Wtib  tba  awwiHiiw  af  tbaap,  tba  aaaaiiy  «aa  dapopaUtad.  Tba  baal 
•raa  at  tbk  pL«rw  eUto  bad  baaa  iaatova4  la  tba  laat  akftiog  af  tba  pLfMlauo^  ao  tbat 
tba  rMdaa  atMt  bawa  bata  poor  iadi4  Tbaj  fciiiil  bat  a  aaat  nNaaaat  i  kai  *«aa 
tbap .  aa  ara  aball  aaa^  w«ra  oaabla  to  baU  topMbar,  aad  wwn  aaua  to  ka  aftp»inatod» 
kaviBK  tba  Und  aitarij  dfwdata 


11.  luB  Ba*iB)i  T— ■!!  aAsaaaa  awat.     TU  Im/da  ftmmdrr.    Tba  B»(«a  val» 
baaa  earftod  avaj  la  tba  in*  eaptivliy  (eb.  stiv.  1J\ 


abU  »f  tba  tnapio  ... 

bat  tbaM  latoaliad  a laiaa aambv al attieUa  aad  alaarili af  hiwm,  %t^xhM  m»k 


ttf  the  practaoi  laataia  fvar.  I8X  «t*^«r  hrm»t\j  efafiaokad  or  aubMqaaetlj     , 
Al.  '.:.*m  bad  kaaa  yitanl  uai  brfura  tba  toctpla  mm  barat,  aad  vMa  mom  earriad 
,.«    ...-.41.    Tkn  waaiaul  f      ''        i-r  Vnaaa  |i|lani  '--*-'i  --'  **    -    m't^ 
foitk  J  tba  lasji;  ■■•it  ■yiabiilMl  aaatoa,  **  Ba  »>  ■.* 

- .  ;ca^tk,*wiii  I  mi  u.  .       xiat  Oud'a  daaltt^>plaOi  aas  a.  >  >^:M 


fi02  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KINGS,     [oh.  xxv.  1— 3a 

in  ike  midst  of  his  people,  and  that  it*  gtaWlity  w»g  secured  by  Mb  presence.  (2)  Th« 
bases,  with  their  lavers,  for  washing  the  sacrifices ;  and  the  molten  sea  for  the  use  of 
the  priests.  (3)  The  common  utensils  connected  with  the  service  of  the  altar  and 
sanctuary-:— pots,  shovels,  etc.  These  brazen  piUars,  vessels,  and  utensils  were  the  work 
of  Hiram  of  Tyre,  and  were  wrought  with  the  utmost  artistic  skill  (1  Kings  vii.  13 — 51). 
The  pillars  were  masterpieces  of  strength  and  ornamental  beauty  ;  the  sea  and  bases 
were  also  exquisitely  carved  and  adorned  with  figures  of  cherubim,  palms,  and  flowers. 
They  were  the  pride  and  glory  of  the  temple,  and  as  mere  works  of  art  stood  in  the 
highest  place.  2.  Treatment  of  the  vessels.  The  more  grievous,  for  the  above  reasons, 
was  the  treatment  to  which  these  beautiful  objects  were  now  subjected.  Not  only 
were  they  torn  fi*om  their  places  and  uses  in  the  temple,  but  they  were  ruthlessly 
broken  to  pieces,  that  they  might  be  the  more  easily  carried  away.  Hiram's  master- 
pieces had  sunk  to  the  level  of  common  brass,  and  were  treated  only  as  such.  The 
lesser  vessels  were,  of  course,  taken  away  whole.  What  could  more  significantly  tell 
of  the  departure  of  God  from  his  house,  the  rejection  of  its  worship,  and  the  reversal 
of  the  promises  of  stability,  etc.,  he  had  given  in  connection  with  it,  than  this 
ignominious  treatment  of  its  sacred  vessels?  They  had,  indeed,  when  his  presence 
was  withdrawn,  become  mere  "  pieces  of  brass,"  as  did  the  brazen  serpent  of  Moses, 
when  men  turned  it  into  an  occsision  for  sin  (ch.  xviiL  4).  Their  house  was  left  imto 
them  desolate  (Matt,  xxiii.  38). 

III.  The  slaughtkb  of  the  chief  mew.  A  final  act  of  vengeance  was  yet  to  be 
perpetrated.  SingUug  out  a  number  of  the  chief  men,  Nebuzar-adan  brought  them  to 
^.■ebachadnezzar  at  Riblah,  and  there  "  the  King  of  Babylon  smote  them,  and  slew 
thcin.'*  The  victims  were  contributed  by  :  1.  The  temple.  "  Seraiah  the  chief  priest, 
aii'i  Zephaniah  the  second  priest,  and  three  keepers  of  the  door."  2.  The  army  and 
court.  "An  officer  that  was  set  over  the  men  of  war,  and  five  men  of  them  that 
were  in  the  king's  presence  .  .  .  and  the  principal  scribe  of  the  host."  3.  The  citizens. 
"  Three  score  men  of  the  people  of  the  land  that  were  found  in  the  city."  All  classes 
were  thus  represented,  and  bore  their  share  in  the  expiation  of  the  common  guilt.  The 
eiaughter  was  no  doubt  partly  intended  to  inspire  terror  in  those  who  were  left. — J.  0. 

Vers.  22 — 26. — Oeddliah  and  the  renmant.  Nothing  could  more  effectually  show 
the  hopeless  condition  of  the  people,  and  their  unfitness  for  self-government,  than  this 
brief  narrative  of  events  which  followed  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  The  detailed 
hiHtmy  is  given  in  Jer.  xl. — xliii. 

I.  Gedaliah  made  govebnob.  It  was  necessary  to  appoint  a  governor  over  the 
land,  and  for  tiiis  purpose  Nebuciiadnezzar  choso  "Gedaliah  tlie  son  of  Ahikam,  the 
B'-n  oi  Shaphan,"  The  country  was  desolate,  and  had  been  robbed  of  its  chief  elemen ts 
of  ptic-ngih;  but,  had  the  people  chosen  to  hold  together,  they  might  still  have  sub- 
sintcd  with  a  reasonable  degree  of  comfort,  and  gradually  again  built  up  a  prosperous 
coriirriuuity.  1.  They  ha<l  a  good  governor.  Gedaliah  was  one  of  themselvos,  a  man 
of  an  honourable  and  gcjilly  stock,  a  nincoro  patriot,  and  of  a  kindly  and  gomrous 
nature.  Under  his  rul-  tlicy  had  notliing  to  fear,  and  were  assured  of  every  lulp  ;uid 
encouragcmeiit,  2.  They  had  a  good  company.  In  numbers  the  populiition  was 
prohably  Htill  not  inconsidoriilijo,  and  it  was  soon  reinforced  hy  many  Jews,  "who 
rr»tiirrif5d  (jut  of  all  plar<'s  wliith>'i  they  were  driven,  and  came  to  the  land  of  .1u>lah,  to 
Gf'liliah,  unto  Mizpali"  (Jor.  xl.  12).  They  came  from  Mi  al»,  from  Amnion,  from 
Ixloiii,  and  "all  tho  couiitiies,"  attracted  by  the  prosjicct  of  tiie  fields  and  vim  vard» 
which  were  to  he  had  for  tlie  a-kinj^  (Jer.  xxxix.  10;  xl.  II).  A  iiumlK-r  of  ci>i)lain.s 
with  thfir  men  sIm*,  who  liad  Ix  on  liidin<^  in  the  ficlils,  camo  to  (!o<hiliah,  ami  took 
r^.Mf.'Hflioii  of  tho  citicH  (cf.  Jrr.  xl.  lo;.  Tlioir  names  arc  f;iven — iHlimacl,  .lolianaii, 
fe'Tiifth,  Jaazaniah,  etc.  Tliorc  were  lure  the  elumonlH  of  a  community  which,  with 
profKT  c'lhttiion,  mi  ht  noon  have  como  tunomelliing.  3.  'J'/iey  h<iil  tjood  pminisrs.  To 
thriM<i  who  cam'!  to  him  Gndaliah  ^^avn  ready  welcome  and  ruaHsming  promiHos.  Ho 
fwori'  t<j  tho  rajlainH  that  thny  nccil  f<  ar  no  harm.  Let  thorn  dwell  in  thn  land,  and 
wsrr*  the  Kinj^  of  Hihylon,  an  I  it  wniild  Imi  well  with  them.  Let  tliom  gather  wine, 
and  Niirnrrior  friitx,  and  oil,  and  dw<  II  in  tiie  ( itien  ihoy  had  occupied  (.)or.  xl.  10).  U 
Dnav ,  in'h  <yl,  I")  anirme<i  ihiit  (ho  hulk  ol  tho  ]i(ioiile  now  loll  in  tho  land  woru  l>fltt«r  off 
Batenallj  than  tLsj  had  \iwyu  for  some  timo.      Furuiurly  tbuy  wur«  poor  and  ■Larvlng, 


m.  XIV.  1-^J      TUB  8B00KD  BOOK  OP  THB  UKO& 


Si««MM«rMaaMi4vte^rMiU.atiaiiM  '  /      .      /.      . 

«f  U^rir  lafaoar. 


•dvaatofi  ti  k*rp4af  lo 


u> 


lk»  ImAcCV  Uffr  «-  ^ 
MM*  of  mU 
•r  klflMT   •• 

Twtaow  wart  murr  ckl 
•f  iImm  mp»«iiii^  bbttx^ 
raHMliid  tM  •Irrfttkm  m   ■  c\.:uiuun' 
lartigftlad  bj  BmU*   Kinc  of  lb*  .^ 
— — inrtion,  aad  with  Um  pdp  of  tao 
ih«  uDSu^Mooi  foranior,  but  «U  ih« 
with  kioi  M  M, ,,..».  /r*    T.r  ,1   it- 
tNOobanr,  for 
(Jw.  ili.  II 

be  rr  . 

0«.'t: 

Ml»    ^br^-      ^"^    :.&!!& 
CbifaWn*.  **  all  tie  po. ; 

and  c&mv  !c  E.'Tpt.       i 
kultnl   Ihc    |>  u:>iir!   M  t 
duvctio!..-  » 

go  duW:  ^ 

i««.>i  » 'journ  there" 


•  KT  tfTu  RorvT.    WW  lb*  pao|Jo  alfbi 

«M    Dot    fivW)  to  ftlkio*.       It  HMO 

•  of  BuiiQf  iik«  bwt  «#  tbair 
y  fa«>iiMr  for  Um  |wm1  food.  Aioaog 
^^vB,  o#  prtofltpU :  oa»i«g  iJm  peopio  tbo 

]eleu  «»tit  of  c  hOMO  OM  obMMOO 
'  W  </  <?W<»/t^A  Torbokot  efMls 
aotifo.  u>A  were 
0,  tf«ocberj,  ead 
rerameoL  Ooo 
^,  eod  wUerally 


i   too 

arctac^ 


.  1— 7X 


Ue 

ow!i.     i.. 
tceo  tLi 


CO(4.    .    . 

lt«  tnub 
IL  A 


,  it  WAS  fureiL. 
(Jar.  xlii.   !'■' 
y  did.     !■ 

,  •    :.  tbe  Und  v..  ^ 

.;  luhabitauUk. — J.  i>. 

^ — Jekoiaekim'i  rtttoration.     We  ho  re  here 
ArriTiTT.      **  Id  iLe  thmj-eereiitli  jvmr  uf  tbe  rel^  of 
"     L    ITeory  wean.    Thirtv-««vcn  jnrt  »\j  e  locg  timr  to  iprod  !• 

'H?  WM  hot  OigLtcVB  7»>r«  of  A?-  wh^-:   be   "»«  UkrU  aWA<  .  M  iMt  OOW 

vflu     Fitoooor  ^  •eUeii.jreC  boweot  c4i  eodartof. 

vA  Bkon  for  L  r  tbe  oottoo**  ita^  tUa  far  hie 

'  'i^?  .V  >o  of  it  ie  oovbore  omt*  ■IiimmIj 
<der  ouoditk>o>  wbiob  misbt,  if  oojrtbMf 
-  it  1  ic  »  riQ  liriog?"    J^rhuiecbta  moal  bovo  bad  • 
1  A  ekoaoe  ^vyikrt.    Kcbucb«lDentf  ol  loa«tb  dle^ 
-  '-i  tbotarooe.    Prnii  illj  i'  ■  prinne  imj  tmi  fteiind 
•Ml,  oad  ihio  Boj  bevr  eoeifibotid  to  oortoio  tbo 
^ c    U  guTifBaMBi  wooUjr  bnofo  mtaj  otbor  nhaojjM  \m 

-M    jW  •tVtaiSI    AT  Tits 


L  At  tK4  tUm  ^  JJknmAim*»  1^ 


604  THE  SECOND  BOOK  OF  THE  KmoaL      [oh.  xxv.  1— 30^ 

The  new  ruler  treated  Jehoiachin  as  a  human  being,  a  friend,  and  a  king.  (1)  He  took 
him  out  of  prison,  changing  the  policy  of  harshness  for  one  of  kindness.  (2)  He  set 
his  throne  above  the  throne  of  the  kings  that  were  with  him  in  Babylon.  It  was  a 
shadowy  honour ;  but  is  any  earthly  throne  more  than  a  shadow  ?  Evil-Merodach 
himself  kept  his  for  only  two  years,  and  was  then  murdered.  (3)  He  gave  him 
snitable  provision.  The  ignominy  of  prison  garments  was  changed  for  honourable 
clothing ;  the  scarcity  and  hard  fare  of  the  dungeon  was  altered  for  the  royal  bounty  of 
the  kin2'8  own  table.  Jehoiachin,  in  short,  had  now  everything  but  freedom.  But 
how  much  does  that  mean  !  He  was  still  an  exile.  All  he  enjoyed  was  but  an 
alleviation  of  captivity.  2.  At  the  close  of  the  book.  It  is  not  without  purpose  that 
the  Book  of  Kings  closes  with  this  glimpse  of  brightness.  The  story  it  has  had  to  tell 
has  been  a  sad  one — a  story  of  disappointment,  failure,  rejection,  exile.  But  there  is 
unshaken  faith,  even  amidst  the  gloom,  that  God's  counsel  will  stand,  and  that  he 
hath  not  cast  off  his  people  whom  he  foreknew  (Rom.  xi.  2).  Jeremiah  had  predicted 
the  exile,  but  he  had  also  predicted  restoration  after  seventy  years  (Jer.  xxv.  11,  12  ; 
xsix.  10).  That  period  had  but  half  elapsed,  but  this  kindness  shown  to  Jehoiachin 
geened  prophetic  of  the  end,  and  is  inserted  to  sustain  faith  and  hope  in  the  minds  of 
the  exiles.  The  history  of  the  world,  like  the  history  in  this  book,  will  close  io  peace 
utd  brigbtnees  under  Christ's  reign.--J.  0. 


UOMILKTICJIL  INDEX 


THE    SECOND   BOOK   OF   THE    KINGS. 


Tk*  Bkait  Ifriga  af  AkMbk :  kb  Maf^ 


lV*0pMt  «•  w«  (/"-Um  Oi4  Di» 


Firt  ft»ai  llcttvoa...  ^  • 

Ak. 

TV 


Barik  ... 
fMllkftfK  ^.  « 

OaiiMiM  lialUrtna 

TW  MfMof  •  i«««iMt  aMM  fewB  Ood 

A  rttiat  lat^il 

IWMFMMa* ^ 

TU  Bi^Mi^  if  laiA*  •  Work     ^ 
Tk»  WaiM  ki«Ui  ...  -. 

twn^it— <#Qoadlfaa  ^ 

Vk*   rmtm  Ipua   kr   Tliwliginl 


f 

II 

IX 
IB 
IS 
U 
17 


M 

U 
M 
» 

n 

ao 


S(«kii«  Ik*  Tm«ia*4 

TW  UmUm  of  t<«  t^fUM;- 
Tk*  Mt«k<w  »i  bctW 

OVMl    ...  ^ 


<aupTi«  m 


rwfMVtiv*  to  Tw  ■■!■!>■■  ^  «. 

•TksttoMflfik^Pfvckcto*  « 


llilf  iiylii     -  Ml  ■!, iiliiil  hf  QmA 

R»t*rUiaa      Dot      lO     b*     MllMVd      «pM 

with  a  Light  llt*rt 
Futk  •«!  UbUiik  Matod  hj  Ihagta 

•od  DiflatUty    ... 
Thm  SwTMl  of  Ool  U  tk« 

•r  tk«  Ormi  of  tk«  EAftk 
Q«l't  fariln   r««MUfld  •IW« 

P«MVTiAff  ...  ~. 

T^c.                             ...  ^ 

F'«r                            •  E«»«ilu  ^ 

Eiuk^Uii  ti.c  >l.^u«l      ...  ^ 
IV  V»iW]r  Full  oT  Diicka* 

Tb»  qi»»tk^>  «>  of  tt»dk  ilii  .«. 
Kva-4k«  MM  la  PruiiiU  IkMgk 

MttoFrto      ~.  ^ 

W««yi7  Eakm-Mea  !•  ThJ  »<Bk> 

tag  Bdf  9mm  •  Uodt/  lUa 

A^Mli«r»OodJt  M«a    ...  ^ 

J«k«*Bt  «r.  QiiiliJH  Mini  . 

EiM  llMi»**  ■*>■»»■     -.  ~ 

1V»  Alltoa—  af  thr  TLM*  EAat*  ~* 

Aa  B^Oii  ^mu 
TWDdkiAiflfMk 


«1 


CT 

a 


fti 
•s 

M 


•i 

M 


«1 

•I 


INDEX. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

raun  rAGS 
The    Seed  of   the    Righteous    neTer 

forsaken  by  Grod               ...             ...  70 

Godliness    has,   to  a  Lnrge    Extent, 

the  Premise  of  this  Life,  aa  well  as 

of  the  Life  to  come           ...            «.  71 

Limits  to  Inspiration           ...            ...  72 

The  Widow's  Oil  increased...            ...  72 

Kindness  requited                ...             ...  75 

Death  and  Restoration         ...             ...  76 

Death  in  the  Pot:  a  Sermon  to  Young 

Men    ...             ...            ...            ...  77 

The  Loaves  multiplied       ...             ...  79 

A  Prophet's  Widow  and  a  Prophet's 

Kindness            ...            ...            ...  80 

Hospitality            ...            ...            ...  81 

Great  Trials          ...            ...            ...  82 

The  Eektion  of  Prayer  to  Secondary 

Causes...            ...             ...            ...  83 

Miai^tries  to  Man,  Grood  and  Bad     ...  83 

The  Miracles  of  Elisha  :  tliePotof  Oil  84 
Tlie    Lady   of  Shunem:     L    A    Son 

given  ...             ...             ...            ...  86 

Tlie   Lady  of  Shunem:   2.  The   Son 

taken  and  re.-tortd          ...            ...  87 

The  Deadly  Poltag..-             ...              ...  90 

The  Twenty  Larley  Luavea               m.  91 

CIIATTKR   V. 

Tlie  IyO«Bong  taught  by  the  Story  of 

Xa^iinaD  ...  ...  ...        99 

The  Iammoub    taught  by  tliu  Sin  and 

PuninhmtTDt  of  Oohazi     ...  ...     101 

Tli',-  Captive  iHrntlitiHh  Maid  ...     102 

NiiAriiaii  ti.e  Syrian  ...  ...     lOt 

Eliiiha  find  Ccbiizi  ...  ...      106 

lliat/>ry    of    Xiiainaii'ii    DinrnRx    and 

Curo,  Illuitriitiv"-  of  CcrLiiu  Forcoi* 

in  tlie  Lifu  of  Mmi  ...  ...     100 

TTif  Kt/iry  of    Niinrnan :    1.  Tlio    Dl»- 

lnUTP*t4»l  .Miiidi>n  ...  ...     113 

'I'hn  Ktnry  <>f  Nuninnn :    2.   Tlin  Hu^f- 

l^f^tivn  Curo       ...  ...  ...      lis 

Ihr   Htory  of    N.iaman :    li.  (;<lm7.i'i 

Kal».i.rod  ...  ...  ...     117 


(11  AT  11,11    VI. 

Mutnal  1/nrK  and  ll<lfi  Ihn  ll'-*!  \\nw\ 
'if  Fill! -i'iti*  Ciiinrniiti  III*  ...      125 

Wir.knl   Mcu   vaiiily   AlU'Uipt  U)  »iit 

wltUwi  ^  ^  ...     120 


nn3(B 

The  Spirit- World,  and  the  Power  to 

Discern  it          ».,             ...  ... 

Half-heaitedncsa  ... 

Princes   may  be   resisted   when  they 

are  bent  upon  Wrong-doing 
An    Early   Theological    College;    its 

Life  and  Lessons              ...  m. 

God's  Pit  sence  with  his  People  ».. 

Eyes  closed,  and  Eyes  opened  ... 

Samaria  besieged ...             ...  ... 

A  Church-Extension  Enterprise  ... 

The  King  of  Syria  and  Elisha  ... 

Invincible  Helpers  of  tho  Good  ... 

Subjects  worth  considerii'.g  ... 

The  Borrowed  Axe              m«  m. 

A  Bootless  Invasion            .m  m* 

The  Siege  of  Samaria          m*  — 

CHAPTER  VII. 

The  Sin  of  the  Soofifer,and  its  Punish- 
ment   ... 

The  I'lenitude  of  God's  Power  to  do- 
liver  from  the  Extremost  Dangers 

Afflictions  may  aliemite  Men  from  God 
instead  of  brinij;ing  them  Ninir  to 
him     ...  ...  ... 

Unseasonable  Distrust         ...  ... 

The  Unbelieving  Lord        ...  151, 

A  Diviiio  Toucher  and  a  Ilaui^hty 
Sceptic  ...  ...  ... 

Tlie  Koroo  of  Will  ...  ... 

Thu  Right  and  tho  Prudent 

Tile  IIol|>  that  comos  to  Distrcs.'^od 
Jlen  from  Without 

God'H  Pn)niiso  realized  and  his  Trnth 
vinilioatod  ...  ...  ... 

Tho  l''our  I^p<«ra  ...  ..<  ... 

Thu  Good  News  voriilod     m*  cm 


127 
128 

129 

129 
131 
133 
134 
135 
136 
138 
141 
142 
143 
145 


151 

152 


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154 
159 

156 
157 
158 

158 

159 
169 
1U2 


OHAPTKR    VIII. 

•*  All  Thincn  work  toj^cthor  for  Good 

to  thorn  thnt  lovo  God"  ...  ...      172 

Tim    I'.Hvnr  <>r   Calikinity   U>  h"nd   tho 
S|iirit  of  til"  I'roiid  ...  ...      172 

llii/.iu>l  Kud  i:i  Mint  ...  17:i,  IMR 

174 
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IHl 
111 


Till.  I*..w..r  of  Mill  Women  for  Kvll 
Tho  Shniinininll"'*  l.rwid  miilorod 
KliNlm.  IIakhoI,  aim!  Ilcnliiiditd 
'\'.>\>\i>  fur  |{i  n..-lii>n 
Sink  iii>;  ( 'huriw'lrra  ... 

liVMuus  from  the  Lifo  of  Jehuntm 


GDArm  DL 

fWfii|tii— 4IU 

V .t«».n»»    I  .t>nn«       ,,.  ,^       IW7 

^t  tleub^.  ..  .>.^;  M  M.  IM 
TW  lkc«tU  at  Jmkanm  Md  J«aiibal{ 

«r.  liM  IhTtB*  UworiUuilMUtea^  IM 

TU  llUlDry  oT  J<4i«            ^            —  tOl 

Ml*  »»^t«  KtiMC  ^            ...            ^  >0S 

i«li«  M  Afwngvt  ^             ^             m^  tM 

CIIAPTKB   Z. 

Ibe  Ik  telcU  mad  WurUljr  lii^a 

lk*r\arorOod  ...  ...   tis 

TW  Wlak»J  Wf«  SmU  B««iirJ  to 

thA  H«l|Mn  m4  OobMmmm  .^  tlC 
Jak«  aad  Jrk<«ft>Ub~«lM  M>a  of  lb* 

We«M  Md  tba  lUdMB  A*rMis  ^  tl7 
IlilfhMi^itBiiii  p«ytUi  bj  Oo4  M 


tl8 

tlS 

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Trm  B^iglM  ...  ^  ». 

Abftb'a  8«M  pirt  In  Dmtb  .^  ... 

AWiiab't  Bc««ki«a  put  lo  Ueatb      ... 

Tb«|fMlarJrh«l.aailU  Lr«MM      ... 

P»iii»«iwi  •!  Ab«b'a  Hmm  ... 

D-twwriM  af  ttw  Wnffiblpyw  of  B>ai 
Tb*E>i<B«rJ«k«  ^  ^ 

CHAPTKB  XL 
AdMBbk  uKl    Jra»b<  tU  Wlakii 

D^fbiw  Mkd  tb«  Wtakjed  MoUmt 
Jrtnfaifa  aa  KuafU  •t  m  F«itbr«l 

•ad  WiM  High  PiiMl  madw  Trywg 


MIlB  Ibto  UKlbM«k  ma  timn 
Iktytm  ithu\lUft»mlJhh»jm4 
(WO»««         ». 


TWHMl«r7«rAlb»lfab    ...  ... 


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Ob«M .  Mliwltow  •  iimU  ««%.  < 

Tb«  Ui«*>«  •/ •  Wm*  OMa«-IW» 
Tb«  lafirtt  «f  Um  T«iB^  wmd 

TV»  LmI  IMt*  •(  Jdtab     ... 
Tb.llM*«7«f  JoMb  .. 

A  Mli«l  OiWilM  ... 


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Obifc  0*j«  to  J»Uk         _  . 

OBArrsB  xiu. 

•lib*  d^««  la  lit*  Uiakiry  ut  ImmJ 


Tt    Tirilflr  J    '^-"      ...           —  W7 

Tb*  CbMiac  ^""^  ^  IU*b»'*  LUb  ...  W7 

lifciaDMU        ...           M$ 

Tb*  lUiffM  •#  J*b«ab*a  *Mi  J<«*k. 

Kiiic*  «f  I*»mI -.  Mi 

A  Bojml  VkH  I*  *  Dji^  FWf^il    .~  17* 

A EtMnwCiM  *m1  Hi  Lm— i         ...  tit 

Tb*  Vomik  of  ffliAi           ...           ...  tn 

I«*rr«  BwBilktios  «*a*v  J«to*k«a  tJ% 

J<Mb  aW  CUalk*  ...            ..            ...  ITS 

^wm  hi  Tkmd  Bmm         ...           ...  STT 

J«B*b'*  YialuM*  ...           ..           ...  tit 

CBAFTEB   XTT. 

A  Fbtbai^  Brfl  Kiaapl*  a*  Jatfl- 

liMlhn  to  a  Boa'*  MuatadaM      ...  Mt 

A  Falbl"*  Bta*  ao«  le  b«  Tt«la4  by 
lb*  avil  lUc'aUaia  oa  bi*  Cbil. 

dim -.           >.  Mi 

•  Prvla  get*  bald**  *  Fan  *              _  VT 

ifci  Or— ^araw    ^  WT 

hty    ...        -.  m 

r*fll*  la  Omf*  0>*wmw 


Btcb*         -. 


Tb* 


laTva 


INDB3L 


C5HAPTEB  XV. 
tmoCT  "«* 

The    Leper-King    •    Patteru    »nd  • 

Warning  ...  ...  ...    302 

Worldly  Prosperity  not  unfrequently 

the  Enin  of  Kingdoms     ...  ...    303 

Prosperity  and  ita  Dangers  ...     305 

Borne    Lessons  firom    the  History  of 

Kings...  ...  ...  ...     308 

Another  King  beginning  Well,  ending 

m       308 

Anarchy  in  Israel...    '        •.•  ...     310 

A  Gk)od  Eeign      ...  ...  ••»    81 1 

CHAPTER   XVL 

The  Godliness  of  Parents  does  not 
secure  the  Perseverance  of  their 
Children  in  Well-doing,  but  in- 
creases the  Children's  Guilt  if  they 
take  to  Evil  Courses        ...  ...     818 

God's  Punishments  of  a  Nation's  Sins 
are  oftened  long  delayed,  but,  when 
th<y  come,  it  is  not  by  Degrees,  but 
suddenly,  violently,  and  at  once    ...     319 

A.  Wicked  King  allowetl  to  have  his 
Way  by  a  Weak  Priest 820 

Steps  in  a  Downward  Path :  the  Reign 
ofAliaz  ...  ...  ...     821 

A  People's  King  and  Priest;  or,  King- 
hoc!  and  Priesthood        ...  ...     323 

The  WicktilncHs  of  AIimz    ...  ...     326 

The  Syro-IcraolitiMh  War    ...  m.     827 

Religious  Iniiovutioiis  ...  ...     828 

CHAPTER  XVIL 

Tho  Unwisdom  of  Worldly  Craft  and 

Policy...  ...  ...  ...  810 

Tho    LfcSJtona  to  bo  lenmt  from   the 
Doolructinn  of  tho  Kingdom  of  8a- 

maria  ...  ...  ...  .»  811 

Thi)  AbH-irdity  and  UsoluBMntss  of  ft 

Mn<-*1  IMi^ji'.n...  312 

Tho  IU-Ikii  of  I!r.«h<Mi  ...  ...  iUH 

Cajilivity  and  itit  (mum      ...  ...  313 

Haiiiiiriit  niid  ilH  U'di^non    ...  ...  34  > 

Ax|M>ct(t  of  i»  <:<>tru|»t  Niitlon  ...  345 

A   HrcKt  I'rivile((o,  Wick<!<in<ai,   und 

Htiln 317 

Hii)'j' rLi  worth  tliiiiltiiiK  nloxit  ...  34!) 

Thn  KmJ  of  Dm  Kitit'd'iiii  of  I,  riwd    ...  n.')',; 

lioTirw  of  t)M'  ilmtory  of  ImiMil  ...  3:iri 

Beftlhm  Owiij'unU  of  Uiu  Lnnd       ...  U£5 


CHAPTER  XVin. 


9MW 


loonoclasm   Eight    at   Wrong,  Judi- 
cious   or  Injudicious,  according  to 
Circumstances  ...  ...  ...    366 

God's  Service  not  really  a  Hard  Ser- 
vice    ...  ...  ...  ...    367 

The  Danger  of  Trusting  to  a  Purchased 
Peace ...  ...  ...  •••     368 

Bruised  Eeeds      ...  ...  ...    868 

The  Secret  of  a  Successful  Life ;  or. 

Trust  in  God,  and  its  Results       ...    369 
Captivity  and  its  Cause      ...  ...    872 

Hezekiah's  Weakness         ...  ...    372 

The    Tempter    and    his    Methods: 
Rabshakeh's  Address  to  the  Lead- 
ers  and  People  of  Jerusalem         ...    872 
A  Striking  Reformation,  a  Ruthless 
Despotism,    and    an    Unprincipled 
Diplomacy         ..•  ...  ...    873 

Hezekiah  the  (Jood  ••■  ...     876 

Sennacherib's  First  Assault  ...     877 

Rab;:>hakeh'8  Boastings       ••«  ^..     378 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

The  Wisdom   of  Trust  in  God.  and 

the  Foolishness  of  Trust  in  Self    ...  391 

A  Good  Man's  Prayers  sought  ...  892 

Our  Difficulties,  and  how  to  deal  with 

them 893 

A    Nation's    Calamities,    CouDsellor, 

and  God  306 

Hezekiah  and  Isaiah  ...  ...  399 

Sennaoherib's  Letter  ...  ...  400 

Isaiah's  Oracle      ...  ...  ...  401 

The  Mighty  Deliverance    ...  ...  404 

CHAPTER  XX. 

AspectB  of  Death...             ...  ...  410 

Tho  Sunshino  of  PniHiiorlty  a  flrmti'r 

Dnnpcr    than    the    Stornis   of  Ad- 

v.rHity...            ...             ...  ...  412 

lIczokiah'H  Piokn.BS           ...  412,416 

n*-/.(>liiah  and  the  AmbasBudors  ...  413 

D.ftth      ...             ...             ...  ...  414 

Tho  liubyluuian  lCnibaa*y  ...  ...  418 

CHAPTER  XXL 

Tho  T/OHB'in  of  ISTiiiinHHf'irB  Llfo,  thfti 
it  In  fur  iMiMinrto  ilo  than  to  undo 
KyII ...     <*« 

llauauoh'a  Wiokod  Ilol|{u  .m  »«     ^ 


IKDBZ. 


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M^l 

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OBApm  XXII 

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mtm  HnMk  tea  •  W^k^ 

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A  8lt»nf«  LoB^  »ad 


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flilk*0»v«MDt  ... 
Tl«  iMMHf  «r  Ite  BmI  UimUom 

.Vau  a  UMtliOi«r«|)«toth«Oon... 
T«*  Bo.rml  BMtlMn:  th«  Um^m  of 


441 
441 


TW  Rrtf*  of  Xlac  J<«Uk  ... 

A    Muttarak  aT  BaM    Virtue.   Md   • 

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IraBiaiilahU  Uaakd/aluoM  a»d  laaar- 

rtr*«"'7            •••             ~-             «.  4«6 

Jcai^'s  Ur«al  V  *--aia!lT                «.  M7 

T   -  Ajur  at  U^Jtal             ^             ^  470 


IWBali 


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ORAPTKB  XXIT. 

Eli«>aMNattB 
Ib  Ood**  Baada  to  vatk  aat 


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1W  B*|t»Bi^  «r  Um  Mad  ^ 


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•aaaar'a  Ia«Miu«  «f  Jadak 
Tlta  AJvaal  ol  Nt^MMtedMnu 
Tha  ITim  GaMfU  OH^ivtly 

CllAPTKB  XXT 


Um  PaU  of  Jo  laii  and  J 

Wwnlac  far  aU  Tlaa  to  aU  NaUoM  4M 

•TWLovti^JLiadMai  of  tka  Laid*  4)<4 

Aa  Lu4  Da  ja  of  Jaraaalaa  ^  4tf7 

Bpaaa  for  Bapvtitaiiaa  ^  .^  4V7 

Buian  aoJ  th«u  Kjwiitaa  ...  ^  4M 

Jabntarkia  aa  a  Tietiia  of  Tjf^Bato 
Raapoliam.  a»d  a«  aa  Ob}(«i  of  D»- 

ttrarac  Mcrvy  .^  ^  ...  4M 

Till  Fill  lal  Pi  tfiiHia  if  Tiiw  \m  4M 

The  Final  Dapoflaltoa        ^  ^  Ml 

Gad.U.^h  >    I  th«  Kaanaai  ^  MB 

Jahwrhin*  iu^wutauaa      «  ^  £09 


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