Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
Asa's League with (he Syrians. 2 CHRONICLES XVI, XVII. Jehoshitphal Rcifjns WeH.
risen again, and as Asa Is pronounced a goo<l man (ch. lok temple as votive offerings to Him wliose right hand and holy arm liad given them the victory.
17), it may be presumed that he als" was restored to a better state of mind. 14. they bxirled him in his own sepulchre—The tombs in the neighl)Ourho<Kl of Jernsalein were excavated in the side of a roc'k. One cave contained several tombs or sepulchres, laid him in the bed . . . filled with sweet odours and divers Iciitdsof spices—It
CHAPTER XVI.
Ver. 1-14. Asa, by a League with the Syrians, Diverts Uaasha fko.m Building Ramah. t-G. In the six is evident that a sumptuous public funeral was given him as a tribute of respect and gratitude for his pious characaufl tlkirtletli year of the reign of Asa, Baaslia came lip—Baaslia had died several years before this date (1 Kings 15. .33), and the best biblical critics are agreed in considering this date to be calculated from the separation ter and patriotic government. But whether "the l)ed" means a state couch on which he lay exposed to public view, the o<loriferous perfumes tjelng designed to neu'nvlof tlie kingdoms, and coincident with the sixteenth year of Asa's reign. This mode of reckoning was, in i/.e tlie offensive smell of the corpse, or whether it refers to an embalmment, in wliicli aromatic spices were always used in great profusion, it is impossible to say. thejr made a very great bnmlng for him— According to some, for consuming the spices ; but according to others, all lilielihood, generally followed in the book of tlie kings of Judah and Israel, the public annals of the time (r. 11), the source from which the inspired historian drew his account. Baasha . . . tonllt Ramali—i. <?., fortiit was a magnificent pile for the cremation of the corpse—a ussige which was at that time, and long after, prevalent among the Hebrews, and the omission of whicli in the case of royal personages was reckoned a great indignity (ch. 21. 19; 1 Samuel 31. 12; Jeremiah &i. aAmos 6. 10).
fied .t. The blessing of God which manifestly rested at this time on the kingdom of Judah, the signal victory of Asa, the freedom and purity of religious worship, and the fame of the late national covenant, were regarded witli great interest tliroughout Israel,and attracted a constantly increasing number of emigrants to Judah. Baasha, alarmed at this movement, determined to stem the tide; and as the high road to and from Jerusalem passed by Ilamah, he made that frontier town, about six miles north of Asa's capital, a military station, where the vigilance of his sentinels would etleclually prevent all passage across the boundary of the kingdom (see on 1 Kings
CHAPTER XVII.
Ver. 1-6. JEHOSHAI'HAT Reigns wet.l, and PitosrERS.
1. Jehoshnphat strengthened himself against Israel the temper and proceedings of the kings of Israel rendered it necessary for him to prev>are vigorous measures of defence on the northern frontier of his kingdom, and these consisted in filling all the fortresses with their full complement of troops, and establishing military stations in various parts of the country, as well as in the cities of Mount Ephiaim, which belonged to Jehoshaphat (ch. 15.
15. lG-22; also Jeremiah -41. 9). 4. Beiihaclud . . . sent the eaptains of his armies . . . and they smote . . . Abel-malm—"Tlie meadow of waters," supposed to have been .situated on the marshy plain near tlie uppermost lake of tlie Jordan. The other two towns were also in the northern district of Palestine. Tlie.se unexpected
S). 3-5. He walked In the iirst ways of his father David—He imitated the piety of his great ancestor in hostilities of his Syrian ally interrupted Baasha's fortlftcations at Uamah, and his death, happening soon after, prevented his resuming them. 7-10. Hananl the seer came to Asa . . . and said—His object was to sliow the king Ills error in forming his recent league with Benhiidad. The prophet represented the appropriation of the temple treasures to purchase the services of the .Syrian mercenaries, as indicating a distrust in God most blameable witli the king's experience, and he added, that in consequence of this want of faith, Asa had lost the opportunity of gaining a victory over tlic united forces of Baasha and Benhadad, more splendid tlian that obtained over the Ethiopians—a victory which, by destroying their armies, would liave deprived them of all power to molest him in future; whereas by his foolish and worldly policy, 80 unworthy of God's vicegerent, to misapply the temple treasures, and corrupt the fielelity of an ally of the king of Israel, he had tempted the cupidity of the one, and increased the hostility of the other, and rendered himself liable to renewed troubles (1 Kings 15. '.i'i). Tills rebuke was pungent and, from its truth and justness, ought to l>ave penetrated and attlicted the heart of such a man as Asa. But his pride was offended at the freedom taken by the honest reprover of royalty, and in a burst of passionate resentment he ordered Ilananl to be tlirown into prison. 10. Asa oppressefl some of the people the same time—What was the form or lU'gree of tills oi)pressl()n, is not recorded. The cause of his oppressing them was, probably, the same olfence as Ilananl—for a strong expression of their dissatisfaction with his conduct In leaguing with Benhadad, or it ni.ay be his niallrealnieul of the Lord's servant. I'i, Asa was . . . diseased In tlie early part of his reign, before he made those unhappy lapses which dishonoured his character, and sought not nnto Baalim—a term used for idols generally in contradistinction to the Lord 0(x\ of his father, and not after the doings of Israel—he observed with scrujiulous fidelity, and employed his royal Influence to support the Divine institutions as enacted by Moses, abliorring that spurious and unlawful calf-worship that formed now the establislied religion in Israel. Being thus far removed, alike from gross idolatry and Israelitisli apostasy, and adhering zealously to the retiuirements of the Divine law, the blessing of God rested on his government; for, rulint; In the fear of God, and for the good of his subjects, "the Lord established the kingdom In his luind." all .Tudali brought . . . presents—This was customary with the people generally at the beginning of a rei-jn (1 Sanuu>l 10
27), and with the nobles and high functionaries yearly afterwards. They were given In the form of voluntary oll'erings, to avoid the odious Idea of a tax or tribute. 6. his heart was lifted tip In the ways of the Iord—full of faith and piety, he possessed zeal and courage to undertake the reformation of manners, to suppress all Iho works and objects of Idolatry (see on ch. '20. 3:1), and held out i)ublic encouragement to the pure worship of God.
7-11. IlK Skni)8 IjKVite.s to Teaiii in Judah. 7-11. Also ill the thlixl year of his reign he sent to his princes, to teach In the cities of .Tiidah—The ordinary work of teaching devolved on the priests. But extraordinary commisslonin-s were appointed, probably toa.scertain whether the work had been <lone or neglected. This deputation of five princes, assisted by two priests and nine Lev lies, were to make a circuit of the towns in Judah ; and
Ills feet—Probably the gout, his disease was exeeedln great — Better, "moved upwards" in his body, wbi<!ii proves the violent and dangerous tyi)e of the malady.
It Is the llrst practical measure we read of as being adopted by any of the kings for the religious instruction of the
In his disease he sou{(ht not to the Iord, Imt to the physicians — Most probably Kgyptlan physicians, who were anciently In high repute; at foreign courts, and who pretended to expel diseases by charms, incantations, and mystic arts. Asa's fault consisted in his trusting to such physicians, while he neglected to supplicate the aid and oiessing of Ood. The best and holiest men have been betrayed for a time into sins, but tlirough repentance have
])eople. Time and unbroken opportunities were airorded fori-arrying fully out tills excellent plan of home education, for the kingdom enjoyed Internal traiuiulllty n( well as freedom from foreign wars. It Is conformable to the pious style of the sacred historian to trace tills profound peace to the " fear of the li Ord having fallen on all kingdoms of the lanils that were round about Judah." the book of the law—1. c, either the whole Pentateuch