2. His providence.
Baasha now, to save his country, and make head against his enemies, is forced to leave Ramah; whereupon Asa, who watched his opportunity, seizeth the materials he had left for the fortifying of Ramah, and puts them to another use, ver. 5, 6.
Hanani the seer is presently sent by God with a threatening of war, because he applies himself to a heathen prince rather than to the Lord of hosts, ver. 7; his sin is aggravated by God's former kindness to him, and experience he had given him of his miraculous providence in his success against that vast army of the Ethiopians and Lubims, or Lybians, and that upon his recourse to or reliance on God; and that he should afterwards have recourse to the arm of flesh was a disparagement to God's providential kindness, ver. 8. He further aggravates his sin by the consideration of God's general providential care of his creatures, and the particular end of it, and of all his providences, viz., the good of his church and people, ver. 9,
'For the eyes of the Lord,' &c.
Eyes of the Lord, in Scripture, signify, 1. His knowledge: Job. 34:21, 'For his eyes are upon all the ways of man, and he sees all his goings.' Heb. 4:13, 'All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.'*
2. His providence.
(1.) For good, so it notes his grace and good will; so his eyes and his heart are joined together: 1 Kings 6:3, 'Mine eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually,' viz., in his temple, the place which he had hallowed to put his name there for ever. Ps. 32:8, 'I will guide him with mine eye;' that is, I will counsel him, and direct him in a gracious and a favourable way. Therefore, to be cut off from the eye of the Lord, is to be deprived of his favour, Ps. 31:22, for none can be cut off from a simple knowledge of God; so Zech. 3:9, 'seven eyes upon one stone,' that is, the providence of God was in an especial manner with Christ in the midst of his passion.