Is mentioned, who came in the direct order of succession. 4
JosUih Destroys Idtilatry, 2 ki Kgs xxiy. and Defiles the Ifiyh Place*, tlie hill on the right hand denotes the soutlirrnniost peak. Josiali Is said not to have destroyed, but only defiled, "the high places on the hill of corruptitjn." It is most probable that Hezekiah had long before demolished the idolatrous temples erected there by Solomon ; but, as the superstitions people continued to regard thi> spot as consecrated ground, Josiah defiled it, 14t. filled tht-ir places with the bones of men—Kvery moiiunient of idolatry in his dominions he in like manner destroyed, aiid the places where they stood he defiled by strewing them with dead men's l)ones. The presence of a dead carcass rendered both persons and places unclean in the eyes both of Jews and heathens. 15-30. Moreover, ihe altar tliat was at Beth-el, &c.—Not satisfied with the removal of every vestige of idolatry from his own dominions, this zealous iconoclast made a tour of inspection through the cities of Bamaria and all the territory formerly occupied by the ten tribes, destroying the altars and temples of the high places, consigning the Asherim to the flames, putting to death the priests of the high places, and showing his horror at Idolatry by ransacking the sepulchres of idolatrous priests, and strewing the burnt ashes of their l)ones upon the altars before he demolished them, according to tlie wortl of n»e I/ord, wliich the man of God proclaimeil, &c.—In carrying on these proceedings, Josiah was prompted by his own intense hatred of idolatry. But it is remarkable that this act was predicted 326 years before his birth, and his name also was expressly mentioned, as well as the very place where it should be done (1 Kings 13.2). This is one of the most remarkable prophecies contained in the Bible. 17. what title is tl»at that I seel—The king's attention, it is probable, had been arrested by a tombstone more conspicuous than the rest around it, bearing on an inscription the name of him that lay beneath; and this* prompted his curiosity to make the inquiry, the mti\ of the cUy—not the Assyrian colonists—for they could know nothing about the ancient transactions of the place—but some of the old people who had been allowed to remain, and perhaps tho tomb itself might not then have been discoverable, through the effects of time and neglect, had not some " Old Mortality" garnished the sepulchre of the rigliteons. ill-ZS. the king commnniled all tlie people, saying. Keep the passover unto the Lord your God, <tc.—It was observed with great solemnity, and was attended not only by his own subjects, but by the remnant people from Israel (see on 2 Chronicles 35. 1-19). Many of the Israelites who were at Jerusalem might have heard o/,if they did not hear, the law read by Josiah. It is pitibftble that they might even have got a copy of the law, stimulated as ^liey were to the better observance of Jehovah's worship by the unusual and solemn transactions at Jerusalem. 36. Notwithstanding, the Lord turned not from the fierceness of his vnrath, (fee. The national reformation which Josiah carried on was acquiesced in by the people from submission to the royal will; biit they entertained a secret and strong hankering after the suppressed idolatries. Though outwardly purified, their hearts were not right towards .God, as appears from many p'assages of the prophetic writings; their thorough reform was hopeless-; and God, who saw no sign of genuine repentance, allowed his decree (ch. 21. 12-15) for the subversion of the kingdom to take fatal efl Tect. 29. In his days Pharaoli-uechoh— (See 2 Chronicles 35. 20-27.) flre-worshippers, distinguished bj' a girdle (EzekicI 23.
14-17) or belt of wool and camel's ha,ir, twisted round the body twice and tied with four knots, which had a symbolic meaning, and made it a defence against evil, them also tltat 3i>ui-ned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and (o the moon, &c.—or Baal-shemesh—for Baal was sometimes considered the sun. This form of false worship was not by images, but pure star-woreliip, borrowed from the old Assyrians, and—Rather, even to all the host of heaven. 6. brought otit the grove—t. e., Asherah, the m.vstic tree, placed by Manasseh in the temple, removed by him after his conversion, and replaced in the sanctuary by his wicked son Amon. Josiah had it taken to Kidron, burnt the wood, ground the metal about it to powdei', and strewed the ashes "on the graves of tlie children of the people." The poor were buried in a common on part of the valley of Kidron. But reference is here made to the graves "of those that had sacrificed" (2 Chronicles 31, 4). 7. hralcc down the houses of the sodomites—not solid houses, but tents, called elsewhere Succoth-benoth, the booths of the young women who were devoted to the service of Asherah, for wliich they made embroidered hangings, and in which they gave themselves to unbridled revelry and lust. Or the hangings might be for Asherah itself, as it is a popular superstition in the East to hang pieces of cloth on trees. 8. he brought all tlte priests out of the cities of Jiidah, and defiled the high places, &c.—Numbers of the Levitical order, finding in the reigns of Manasseh and Amon the temple worship abolished, and the tithes and other of Teriugs alienated, had been betrayed into the folly of officiating on high places, and presenting such sacrifices as were brought to them. Tliese irregularities, even though the object of that worship was the true God, were prohibited in the law (Deuteronomy 12. 11). Those who had been guilty of this sin, Josiah brought to Jerusalem, and, regarding them as defiled, debarred them from the service of the temple, but gave them an allowance out of the temple revenues, like the lame and disabled members of the priesthood (Leviticus 21. 21, 22). from Geba to Beershebo—the most nortliern and the most southern places In Judah—meaning all parts of the kingdom, the high places . . . wliich were in the entering in of the gate of Joshua—The governor's house and gate were on the left of the city gate, and close by the entrance of that civic mansion-house were public altars, dedicated, it might be, to the true God, but contrary to his own ordinance of worship (Isaiah 57. 8). 10. Topheth—so called from Toph—a drum—the prevailing opinion among Jewish writers being that the cries of the terrified children made to pass through the fire in that place of idolatrous horror were drowned by the sound of that instrument.
. 11. took away tlie horses which the kings of Jndah had given to the sun—Among the people who anciently 'worshipped the sun, horses were usually dedicated to that divinity, from the supposed idea that the sun himself was drawn in a chariot by horses. In some cases these horses were sacrificed; but more commonly they were employed either in the sacred processions to carry the images of the sun, or for the worshippers to ride in every morning to welcome his rise. It seems that the idolatrous kings, Ahaz, Manasseh, and Amon, or their great officers, proceeded on these horses early on each day from the east gate of the temple to salute and woi-shi p the sun at his appearing above the horizon. 12. tlie altars that were on the top of the upper chambers of Ahaz— Altars were reared on the tlat roofs of houses, where the worsliippers of "the host of heaven" burnt Incense (Zephaniah 1. 5 ; Jeremiah 19. 13). Ahaz had reared altars for this purpose on tlie oleah, or upper chamber of CHAPTER XXIV.
Vcr. 1-7. Jeiioiakim Procures HIS OWN Ruin. I.Nebuchadnezzar—The son of Nabopolassar, the founder of the Chaldee monarchy. This Invasion took place in the fourth year of Jehoiaklm's, and the first of Nebuchadnezzar's reign (Jeremiali 2.5. 1; cf, 46. 2), The young king of Assyria being probably detained at home on account of his father's demise, despatched, along with the Chaldean troops on his border, an army composed of the tributary nations tliat were contiguous to Judea, to chastise Jehoiaklm's revolt from his yoke. But this hostile band was only an instrument iu executing the Divine ludgmenitv. his palace, and Manasseh on some portion of the roof of the temple. Josiah dexnolished both of tliese structures. 13. the high places . . . which Solomon had builded (See on 1 Kings 11. 7.) the right hand of the Mount of Corruption—The Mount of Olives is a hilly range on the east of Jerusalem. This range has three summits, of whicn the central one is the Mount of Corruption, so called from the idol temples built there, and of course
Jerusalem Taken hy Nebuchadnezzar. 2 KINGS XXV. Zedekiah 2'txken Captive,' heart towards God was thesarae as that of Jehoiakim, Impenitent and heedless of God's word. '^0. tliroiigli the anger of the Lord . . . he cast them out of liis presence —i. e., in the course of God's righteous providence, his policy as king would prove ruinous to his country. Zedekiah rebelled against tlie king of Babylon-Instigated by ambassadors from the neighbouring states who came
2) denounced by the prophets against Judah for the sins of the people; and hence, though marching by the orders of the Assyrian monarch, they are described as sent by the Lord {v. 3). 3. the Lord ivould not pardon—(see on ch. 23. 26 ; Jeremiah 15. 1). 6. Jelioiafcini slept witli his ra;thers—Tliis phraseology can mean nothing more tlian.that he died; for he was not buried with his royal ancesto congratulate him on his ascension to the throne (cf. Jeremiah 17. 3, with 28. 1), and at the same time get him to join them in a common league to throw off the Assyrian yoke. Though warned by Jeremiah against this step, the infatuated and perjured (Ezekiel 17. 13) Zedekiah persisted in his revolt. tors; and whether he fell in battle, or his body was subjected to posthumous insults, he was, according to the prediction (Jeremiah 22. 19), not honoured with the rites of sepulture (Jeremiah 36. 30). Jelioiacliin liis son reigned in liis stead—The very brief reign of this prince, which lasted only three months, during which he was a humble vassal of the Assyrians, is scarcely deserving to be taken
CHAPTER XXV. into account, and therefore is no way contradictory to the prophetic menace denounced against his father (Jeremiah
Ver. 1-3. Jerusalem Again Besieged. 1. Sfebmhadnezzar . . . came . . . against Jerusalem, and pilcliod against it—Incensed by the revolt of Zedekiah, the Assyrian despot determined to put an end to the perfidious and inconstant monarchy of Jndea. This chapter nan rates his third and last invasion, which he conducted In person at the head of an immense army, levied out of all the tributary nations under his swa.v. Having overrun the northern parts of the country, and taken almost all the fenced cities (Jeremiah 3-1. 7), he marched direct to Jerusalem to invest it. The djite of the beginning as well as of the end of the siege is here carefully marked (cf. Ezekiel 24. 1; Jeremiah 39. 1; 52. J-fi); from which it appears, that; with a brief interruption caused by Nebuchadnezzar's marching to opv>ose the lOgyptians who were ooming to its relief, but who retreated without light-
36. 30). 7. tlic king of Egypt— i. e., Pharaoh-nechoh.
8,9. Jehoiachin Succeeds Him. 8. Jeholacliin—i. e., Ood appointed, contracted into Jcconiah and Coniah (Jeremiah 22. 21). eigliteen years old wlien lie began to reign —At the age of eight liis father took him into partnership
In the government (2 Chronicles 36. 9). He began to reign alone at eighteen. 9. lie did tlint tvliicli «ns evil in the sight of the Lord—Untaught by experience, and deaf to the prophetic warnings, he pursued the evil courses which had brought so many disasters upon the royal family as well as the people of Judah. This bad character is figuratively but strongly depicted (Ezekiel 19. 5-7).
10-16. Jerusalem Taken. 10. at that time—Within three months after his accession to the throne; it was the spring of the year (2 Chronicles 36. 10) ; so early did he indicate a feeling hostile to the interests of his Assyrian ing, tlie siege lasted a year and a hnlf. 8o long a resistance was owing, not to the superior skill and valour of the Jewish soldiers, but to the strength of the city fortifications, on which the king too confidently relied (cf. ,Teremiah 21.; 37.; 3S). pitched against il, and . . . built forts-Riither, perhaps, drew lines of eircunivallatton, with a ditch to prevent any going out of the city. On this rampart were erected his military engines for throw'ing missiles Into the city. on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevaileil—In conse(|uence of the close and protracted blockade, the inhat)ilants were reduced to dreadful extremities; and, under the maddening influence of hunger, the most inhuman atrocities were perpetrated (Lamentations 2. 20, 22; t. 0, 10; Ezekiel ,5. 10). This was a fulfilment of the proplvetic denunciations threatened on the apostasy of the chosen people (Iicviticus liege-lord, by forming a league with Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar sent his generals to besiege Jerusalem, as Jeremiah had foretold (22. 18 ; 21. 30), and soon after followed in person. Convinced of tlie hopelessness of making any efiectual resistance, Jehoiachin, going to the camp of the besiegers, surrendered {v. 12), in the exi)ectatioh, probably, of being allowed to retain his throne as a vassal of the Assyrian empire. But Nebuchadnezzar's clemency towards the kings of Judali was now exhausted, so that Jehoiachin was sent as a captive to Babylon, according to Jeremiah's prediction (22. 21), accompanied by the queenmother (the same who had held thatdignity under Jehoahaz) (ch. 23. 31), his generals, and officers. This happened in the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, computing from the time when he was associated with his father in the government. Those that were left consisted chiefly of the poorer sort of people, and the unskilled workmen. The palace.and the temple were ransacked. The smaller golden vessels had been taken on the tir.st capture of Jerusalem, and placed by Nebuchadnezzar in the temple of his god as tokens of victory, and used by Belshazzar at his impious feast, for the purpose of rewarding his army with these trophies, amongst which were probably the golden candlesticks, ark, &c. (cf. 2 Chronicles 36. 7 ; Daniel
26.29; Deuteronomy 28.53-57; Jeremiali 15.2; 27. 13; Ezekiel i. 16).
4-30. Zedekiah Taken. 4. the city was broken up— i. e., a breach was efl'ected, as wo are elsewhere int\)rmed, in a part of the wall belonging to tlie lower (^Ity (2 Chronicles 32. 5; 33. H). the men of ^vnr iled I>jnljvlit by the tvay of the gate lH'twe<'n two walls, which is by the king's garden— ''I'lie king's garden was (Netu-miali 3. 15) at the po{il of Silo.'ini. /. <., at the riioulli of (lie Tyr<))vT>on. A trace of tlie outermost of lliese two wiills ai>pears to bo
1. 2). Now the gold plating was torn oil' all the larger temple furniture. 13. as the Lonl had said— (cf. cli. 20.17; Isaiah 39. 6; Jeremiah 15. 13 ; 17. 3). The elite of the nation for rank, usefulness, and moral worth, all who might be still extant, in the rude pathway wiiieh crosses flio mouth of the Tyropieon, on a mound hard liy the old mulberry tree, which marks the tnulil lonal sjiot of Isaiah's nuirtyruseful in Babylon or dangerous in Palestine, were carried off to Babylon, to the number of ten thousand (v. U). These are fUJecilied {v. 15, 16), warriors, 7000; craftsmen and smiths, 1000; kings' wives, officers, and princes, also priests and prophets (Jeremiah 29.1; Ezekiel 1. 1), 2(XJ0; e(iual to 10,000 captives in all.
f HoiuNSON.] It is prolmhle that the Ix-sii-gers had overlooked this pass, tlie king went . , . towaivl the plain— i. e., tlio tlhor, or valley of Jordan, estiln.ited at five hours' distance from Jerusalem. The plain near Jericho is about eleven or twelve miles bioiul. 0. they tool< the king and tirough* lilm ... to KIblali—Nebuchadnezzar, hiivliiii gone from the slegii to opi>o.se tho auxiliary forivs of I'liara Dli-hoph ra, his generals to carry on the blockaiie, lic> himself v\iX returning to tho scenic of act ion, hut taking u|) his sla Moh at Klbliih in the land of Ilamath (ell. 2:S. 33). tlary gave Judgment upon him—They, /. c, tho council (Jireiiiiah 'iO. 3. 13; Daniel (i.
17-20. Zedeki All's Evil Reign. 17. thehingof llabylon made Mattanlah, Itis father's Itrothir, king in lil.s stead-Adliering to his former policy of mainlalnii\g a show of monarchy, Nebuchadnezzar app<)inli;d the third and youngest sonof Josiah (1 Chronicles 3. 15), lull brother of Jehoahaz, and uncle of the captive Jehoiachin. But, according to the custom of conquerors, who changed the names of the great men they look cjiptivcs in war, in token of tlieir supremacy, ho gave him the new name of Zedekiah— ('. e., "The righteous of Ood." Tli's being a purely Ilobiow name, it seems that he allowed the puppet king tochooBe his own name wiueb was coallhued. His 218
7, S, 12), regnrdliig him as a scdillous and rebellious vassal, condemned hliii for vlolat lug his oalh ainl nei{le<'tlng the annoniicement of the nivine will as iiiiuli' known Vo him by Jeremiali (<?f. Jeremiah 3'2. 5; 31. 2; 3S. 171. Ills sons and the nobles who had Joined in his flight were sliiln before Ills eyes (Jeremiah 39. 6; 52. 10). In conformity with Adams Line, to Noah. 1 CHRONICLES 1. Tlte Sons of Ishmad. em notions, which consider a blind man Incapable of such a crisis. Many of the fugitive Jews, as well as the soldiers of Zedeltiah who had accompanied tlie king In his flight to the plains of Jericho, left their retreats (Jeremiah 40. 11, 12) and flocked around the governor; who, having counselled them to submit, promised them on complying with tills condition, security on oath that they would retain their possessions and enjoy the produce of their land (Jeremiah 40. 9). 35. Islimael ... of tlie seedroyal cam'e, and teii men with liim, and smote Gedaliah—He had found refuge with Baalis, king of tlie Ammonites, and he returned with,a bad design, biding either instigated by envy of a governor not descended from the house of David, or bribed by Baalis to murder Gedaliah. The generous governor, tliougli apprised of his intentions, refu.sed to credit the report, much less to sanction the proposal made by an attached friend to cut ruling, his eyes were put out, and being put in chains, he was carried to perpetual imprisonment in Babylon (Jeremiah 52. 11), which, though he came to it, as Ezekiel had foretold, he did not see (Jeremiah 32. 5; Ezekiel 12. 13; 17.
16). 8-18. on tlie geventli day of the month . . . came Nebuzar-adan—(cf. Jeremiah 52. 12.) In attempting to leconcile these two passages, it must be supposed either that, though he had set out on the 7th, he did not arrive In Jerusalem till the 10th, or that he did not put his orders In execution till that day. His office as captain of the guard (Genesis 37. 36 ; 39. 1) called him to execute the awards of justice on criminals; and hence, although not engaged in the siege of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 39. 13), Nebuzar-adan was despatched to rase the city, to plunder the temple, to lay both In ruins, demolish the fortifications, and transport the inhabitants to Babylon. The most eminent of these were taken to the king at Riblah ofl" Ishmael. The consequence was, that he was murdered by this same Ishmael, when entertaining him in his own house (Jeremiah 41. 1). 36. and all the people came to Egypt—In spite of Jeremiah's dissuasions (Jeremiah 43. 7. 8), and settled in various cities of tliat country (Jeremiah 44. 1). 37. seven and twentieth year of the captivity of Jelioiachin—corresponding witli tlie year of Nebuchadnezzar's deatli, and his son Evil-merodach's ascension to tlie throne. Evll-merodach did lift up the head of Jelioiachin, and spnke kindly—gave liiiu lib- (v. 27) and executed, as instigators and abettoi's of the rebellion, or otherwise obnoxious to the Assyrian government. In their number were Seraiah, the high priest, grandfather of Ezra (Ezra 7. 1), his sagan or deputy, a priest of the second order (Jeremiah 21. 2; 29. 25, 29 ; 37. 3). the three keepers of the door—not mere porters, but officers of high trust among the Levites (ch. 22. 4; 1 Chronicles 9. 26). 19. live men of them that were in the king's presence i. e., who belonged to the royal retinue ertj' upon parole. This kindly feeling is said to have originated in a familiar acquaintance formed in prison, in which Evil-merodach had lain till liis father's death, on account of some malversation while acting as regent during Nebuchadnezzar's seven years' illness (Daniel 4.
It is probable that there were five at first, and that other two were found afterwards (Jeremiah 52. 25). sa-ae. Nebucltadnezzar . . . made Gedaliali mler—The people permitted to remain were, besides the king's daughters, a few court attendants and others (Jeremiah 40. 7) too insignificant to be removed, only the peasantry who could 32, 33). But doubtless the improvement in Zedekiah's condition is to be traced to the overruling providence and grace of Him who still cherished purposes of love to the house of David (2 Samuel 7. 14, 15). 39. he ate continually before him—i. e., according to an ancient usage in Eastern courts, had a seat at the royal table on great days, and had a stated provision granted him for the maintenance of his exiled court. till the land arid dress the vineyards. Gedaliah was Jeremiah's friend (Jeremiah 26. 24), and having, by the prophet's counsel, probably fled from the city as abandoned of God, he surrendered himself to the conqueror (Jeremiah 38. 2, 17), and being promoted to the government of Judea, fixed his provincial court at Mizpeh. He was W«U qualified to surmount the difficulties of ruling at
THE
FIRST BOOK OF
THE CHUONICLES.
CHAPTER I.
24-28. Shem'sLineto Abkaham. 34. Shem, &c.—This comprises a list of ten, inclusive of Abraham.
Ver. 1-23. Adam's Line to Noah. 1. Adam, &c.—" Begat" must be understood. Only that one member of the family
29-31. Sons or Ishmael. 33. These are their generations—The heads of his twelve tribes. Tlie greatnorthern desert of Arabia, including the entire neck, was colonized bj' these tribes; and if we can recover, in the modern geography of this part of the country, Arab tribes bearing the names of those patriarchs, i. e., names corresponding with those preserved in the original catalogue of Scripture, we obtain at once so many evidences, not of mere similarity, but of absolute Identification. [ForsTER.] Nebaloth—Gave rise to the Nabathaaaus of the classic, and tlie £cni Nahat of Oriental writers. Kedar Tlie Arab tribe, El Khedeyre, on the coast of Hedgar. Abdetl—Abdilla, the name of a tribe in Yt-.men. 30. Dumah—Dumah and Tema, the great Arab tribes of Ben! Teman. Thus tliis writer [Historical, GKOGitAj'HY op Arabia] traces the names of all the Iicads of the twelve tribes of Ishmael as perpetuated in the clans or tribes of the Arabs in the present day.
Is mentioned, who came in the direct order of succession. 4-/S3. Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth—The three sons of this patriarch are enumerated, partly because they were the founders of the new world, and partly because the fulfilment of Noah's prophecy (Genesis 9. 2.5-27) could not otherwise appear to. have been verified. 13. Caslulilm (ofwhom came the Philistines), and Caphtorlm—Better rendered, "And Casluhim, of whom came the Philistim and Caphtorlm ;" they were brethren, the sons of Casluhim, and at first dwelt together, whence their names are used Interchangeably; and the Caphtorlm are described as Inhabiting Azzah, or Gaza, the seat of the Philistines. 1*. th'c Jebusites, &c.—From this verse to v. 17 the names are npt thase of individuals, but of people who all sprang from Canaan ; and as several of them became extinct or were amdlgamated with their brethren, their national appellations are given instead of tlie personal names of their ancestors. 17. Vz, and Hiil, and Gether, and M«»hech—Or Mash ; these were the children of Aram, and ffranfltons of fihpm. (Genesis 10. 23.) 18. Arphaxad beat Selah—Cainun, the father's name, is omitted here. (See on I.uke 3. 30.) 19. Peleg—(See on Genesis 10. 25.) 23. Ebnl—Or Obal. (Genesis 10. 28.)
32,33. Sons or Keturah. 33. sons of Keturoh—Tliese became founders of nomadic tribes in I lie north of Arabia and Syria, as Midian of the Midianites. (Genesis 36. 35; Judges 6. 2.) and Shuali—From wliom Bildad sprang. (Job 2. 11.)
3l-(2. Po.sTEUiTY OF Abraham BY Esau. 36. sons of Ellphaz—The tribe Adites, in the centre country of the The Posterity, of Caleb. 1 CHKONICLES II. IIL The Sons of David. called (Numbers 32.41; Deuteronomy 3.14) "the son of Manasseh." This designation implies that his inlieritance lay in that tribe in right of his grandmother; in other words, because his maternal and adoptinr; great-grandfather was Machir the son of Manasseh ; and Saracens, so called from his mother, Adah. (Genesis 36.
10. ) Teman—Gave rise to the land of Teman, n ear th e h ead of the Red Sea. Omar—The tribe Beni-Amma, settled at the northern point of DJebel Shera (Mount Seir). Zeplil —The tr'be Dzaf. Gatam—Katam, inhabited by the tribe Al Saruat, or "people of Sarah." Kenaz—The tribe Afnezes, a tribe whose settlement lies in the neighbourhood of Syria. Amalek—The Beui Malak of Zohran, and the Beni Maledj of the Shat el Arab. 37. Reuel—A power-
Jair, inheriting his property, was his lineal representative; .and accordingly this is expressly stated to be the case ; for the village group of " Havoth-Jair" was awarded to him in that tribe, in consequence of his valiant and patriotic exploits. This arrangement, however, took place previous to the law (Numbers 30.), by which it was enacted that heiresses were to marry in their own tribe. But this instance of Jair shows that in tlie case of a man obtaining an inheritance in another tribe it required him to become thoroughly incorporated with it as a representative of the family through \Yhich the inheritance was received. He had been adopted into Manasseh, and it would never have been imagined that ho w;is other than " a son of Manasseh " naturally, had not this passage given information supplementary to that of the passage in Numbers. 33. he took — rather "he had taken." This statement is accounting for his acquisition of so large a territory ; he got it by right of conquest from the former possessors. Kenatli—this place,. along with its group of surrounding villages, was gained by Nobah, one of Jair's officers sent by him to capture it (Numbers 32. 1, 2). all these belonged to the sons of Machir—In their number Jair is included as having completely identified himself l)y his marriage and residence in Gilead with thetribe of Manasseh. 34. Caleb-ephratah —so called from uniting the names of husband and wife ful Ijianch of the great Aeneze tribe, the Rowalla Arabs. Shanimah—The great tribe Beni.Shammar. In the same way, the names of the other kings and dukes are traced in the modern tribes of Arabia. But it is unnecessary to mention any more of these obscure nomads, except to notice that Jobab (v. 44), one of the kings of Edom, is considered to be Job, and that his seat was in the royal city of Dinahab (Genesis 36. 32), indentified with O'Daeb, a well-known town in the centre of Al Dahna, a great northern desert in the direction of Chaldea and the Euphrates. [FORSTEB.]
CHAPTER II.
Ver. 1, 2. Sons of Israel. Ver. 3-12. Posterity of JtJDAH. 3. The sons of Judali—His descendants are enumerated first, because the right and privileges of tlie primogeniture had been transferred to him (Genesis 49. 8), and because from his tribe the Messiah was to spring. 6. Zimri, and Ethan, and Heman, and Carcol, and Dara —these five are here stated to be the sons of Zerah, i. e., of Ezra, whence they were called Ezrahites. (1 Kings 4. 31.) In that passage they are called "the sons of Mahol," which, however, is to be taken not as a proper name, but appellatively for "sons of music, dancing," &c. The traditional fame of their great sagacity and acquirements had descended to the time of Solomon, and formed a standard of comparison for showing the superior wisdom of t hat monarch. Jewish writers say that they were looked up to as prophets by their countrymen during the abode In Egypt. 7. the sons of Carml—He was the son of Zimri, or Zabdi, as he is called. (Joshua 7. 1.) Achar—or Achan. (Joshua 7. 1.) This variety in the form of the name is with great propriety used here, since Achar means " troubler."
19), and supposed to be the same as was afterwards called Bethlehem-ephratah. Aslmr, tlie father of Tekoa —(2 Samuel 14. 2-4). He is called the father, either from his being the first founder, or perhaps the ruler, of the city. 34. Sheshau had no sons, but dangltters—either he had no sons alive at his death, or his family consisted wholly of daughters, of whom 'Ahlai (o. 31) was one, she being specially mentioned on account of the domestic relations about to he noticed. 35. Slieshan gave his daiiglnter to Jarha Ills servant to wife—The adoption and marriage of a foreign slave in the family where he is serving, is far from being a rare or extraordinary occurrence in Eastern countries. It is thought, however, by some to have been a connection not sanctioned by the law of Moses. [Michaelis.] But tliis is not a wellfounded objection, as the history of the Jews furnishes not a few examples of foreign pro.selytes in the same manner obtaining an inheritance in Israel; and doubtless JarhiX had previously embraced the Jewish fuitli in place of the grovelling Idolatries x)f his native Egypt. In such a case, therefore, there could bo no legal difficulty. Being a foreign slave, he luul no inheritance In a dilt'erent tribe to Injure by this connection; while nis marriage with Sheshan's daughter led to his adoption into the tribe of Judah, as well as his becomti\g heir of the family property. 4SJ. tl>e song of Caleb—(cf. v. IS, 25.) The sons here noticed were thi> fruit of his union with a third wife. 55. the fainllieg of tlie gerlbes—either civil or eccl(!siastlcal officers of the Kenite orlgfn, who are here classed with the tribe of Judah, not as being do Kcended from it, but as dwelling within its territory, and In a measure incorporated with Its people. .Tabez— 13-17. Children of Jesse. 15. David the seventh As it appears (1 Samuel 16. 10; 17. 12) that Jesse had eight sons, the presumption is from David being mentioned here as the seventh son of his father, tliat one of them had died at an early age, without leaving issue. 17. JTether the Ishmaellte—(cf. 2 Samuel 17. 25). In that passage he is called Ithra an Israelite; and there seems no reason why, in the early days of David, any one should be specially distinguished as an Israelite. The presumption is in favour of the reading followed by the Sept., which calls him "Jetra the Jezreelite." The circuni Btance of his settling in another tribe, or of a woman marrying out of her own tribe, was sufficiently rare and singular to call for the statement that Abigail was married to a man of Jezrcel.
18-5.5. Posterity OF Caleb. 18. Caleb the son of Hezyon—The notices concerning this pei-son appear confused in our version. In v. 19 he is said to be the father of llur, wliereas in v. 50 he is called " the son of Ilur." The words in this latter passage have been transposed in the copying, and should be read thus, "Hur the son of Caleb." begat children of Azubali his wife, and of Jeriotli—the former was his spouse, while Jerioth seems to have been a secondary wife, and the mother of the children whose names-are here given. On the death of his principal wife, he married Ephrath, and by her had Hur. ai. of Hezron place In Judah (cli. 4. 9). ICenlteg that eaiue of Ileiiiath —wlio set tkHl in Judali, and were thus distinguished from another division of the Kenite clan which dwelt in Manasseh (Judges 4. 11).
CHAPTER III.
Ver. 1-9. Hons of David. 1-3. Now tliege were the gong of David which were born unto liiiu in Hebron —It is of consequence for the proper understauiilng of events In the domestic history of David, to bear In mind the pla('o and time of his sous' birth. The eldest son, born. . . daughter of 3Iachlr, fatlier of Gllend—». p., chief of that town, which with the lands adjacent was no doubt the property of Machir, who was so desirous of a nuile heir. He was grandson of Joseph. The wife of Machir wasof the tribe of Manasseh. (Numbers 20. 29.) 'Z'Z. .IolIv, wlio Iiad three and twenty citieg iit tike land of Gilead —As tlie son of Segub and the grandson of Hezron, he was Of the trioe of Judah ; but from his maternal descent he Is 250
Ills father's accession to the sovereign autliorlty, Is according to Eastern notions, the proper heir to the throne. And hence the natural usplraliouB of ambltlou