Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
Joash Falls into Idolatry. 2 CIIPvONICLES XXIV, XXV. He ts Slain by his i>eriant$.
and especially their unwillingness to collect the money, as well as apply a portion of their revenues for the repairs of the temple, had alienated and disgusted him. [Leclbrc] 19. Yet he sent prophets—Elisha, Micah, Jehu son of Hanani, Jahaziel son of Zechariah (ch. 20,14), Eliezar son of Dodavah (ch. 20.37), lived and taught at that time. But all their prophetic warnings and denunciations were unheard and unheeded. 20. the Spirit of God came npon Zechariali, the son of .Telioiada probably a younger son, for his name does not occur in the list of Aaron's successors (1 Chronicles 6). stood above the people—Being of the priestly order, he spoke from the inner court, which was considerably higher than that of the people, and said nnto tliein. Thus salth God, pnt to death ; "anct they laid h .nds on tier, and she went by the way by the wliich lior.ses came into the king's house, and there she was slum" (2 Kings 11. Iti). "Now, we are not to stippose that horses caine into" tlie king's house "of residence, but into the king's (horses') house or liippodronie (tlie gate of the king's mules) [Josephus], lie had built lor them on the south-east of the temple, in tlie iinmediate vicinity of the horse-gate in the valley of Kedi-on—a valley which was at that time a kind of desecrated place l)y the destruction of idols and their appurtenances" ('2 kings '23. 2, 6, 12). [Bakclay's City of the (iREAT King.]
IH. Jbhoiada Restores the Worship of God, and SettIjES the King. 10. Jelioiada innde a covenant
transgress ye tlie commandments of the Loixl, that ye cannot prosper, &c.—His near relationship to the king might have created a feeling of delicacy and reluctance to Interfere; but at length he, too, was prompted by an irresistible impulse to protest against the prevailing impiety. The bold freedom and energy of his remonstrance, as well as his denunciation of the nation.al calamities that would certainly follow, were most unpalatable to the king; while they so roused the tierce passions of the multitude that a band of miscreants, at the secret, instigation of Joash, stoned him to death. This deed of violence involved complicated criminality on the part of the king. It was a horrid outrage on a prophet of the Lord-base ingratitude to a family who had preserved his
(See on 2 Kings 11. 17.) CHAPTER XXIV.
Ver. 1-1-1. JoASH Reigns Wei>l all, the Days of Jehoiada. 1-3. Joash began to reign—(See on 2 Kings
12. l-o.) .Jehoiada took for him two wives—As Jehoiada was now too old to contract such new alliances, the generality of interpreters apply this statement to the young king. 4-14. Joasli was minded to repair the liouse of tl»e Lord—(See on 2 Kings 12. 4-l(i.)
1), Hi. Jehoiada BEING Dead. 15, 16. Jaholatla waxed old . . . and died—His life protracted to unusual longevity.and spent intheservice of his country, deserved some tribute of public gratitude, and this was rendered in the posthumous honours that were bestowed on him. Among the Hebrews, intramural interment was prohibited in every city but Jerusalem, and there the exception was made only to thjB royal family and persons of eminent merit, on whom the distinction was conferred of being buried in the city of David, among the kings, as ii. the case of Jehoiada.
life—atrocious treatment of a true Hebrew patriot—an illegal and unrighteous exercise of his power and authoritjas a king. 33. when lie died, he said, TJie Tiord look npon it and require it^—These dying words, if they implied a vindictive imprecation, exhibit a striking contrast to the spirit of the first Christian martyr (Acts 7. fiO). But, instead of being the expression of a personal wish, they might be the utterance of a prophetic doom.
17-'22. Joash Falls into Idolatry. 17-33. Now iip came the princes of Jiidali, and made obeisance to tlie king— Hitherto, while Joash occupied the throne, his uncle had held the reins of sovereign power, and by his
23-27. He is Slain hy his Servants. 33. nt the end of tlie year tl>e host of Syria came up—This invtisioa took place under the personal conduct of Hazael, whom Joash, to save the miseries of a siege, prev.ailed on to withdraw his forces by a large present of gold (2 Kings e.'ccellent counsejs had directed the young king to such measures as were calculated to promote both the civil and religious interests of the country. The fervent piety, practical wisdom, and intlexilile firmness of that sage counsellor exerted immense influonce over all classes. But now that the helm of the state-ship was no longer steered by the sound head and lirm hand of the venerable high priest, the real merits of Joash's administration ap-
12. IS). Most probabl.v, also, he promisetl the pa.vinent of an annual tribute, on the neglect or refusal of which tho Syrians returned the following .vear, and with a mere handful of men inflicted a total and humiliating defeat on the collected force of the Hebrews. 35. they left him In sore diseases—The close of his life was embittered a painful malad.v, which long confined him to bed. his own servants conspl Mtl against him—These twi> conspirators (whose fathers were Jews, but tlieir mothers aliens) were prol)al)ly ci>urtiers, who, having (XMistanfc access to the l)ed-chamher, could the more easily execute their design, for the blood of the sons—read "the son" of Jehoiada. Public opinion .seems to have a.scribed the disasters of his life and reign to that foul crime, and as the king had long lost the esteem and respect of his subjects, neither horror nor sorrow was expressed for his niiserable end •
])( ar; aii<l lor want of good and enlightened principle, as well as, perhaps, of natural energy of character, he allowed himself to be borne onward in a course which soon wrecked I lie vessel upon hidden rocks, the king hearkened nnto tliem, >tc.—They were secretly attaclu'd to Idolatr.y, and their elevated rank allbrds sad proof how extensively and deeply the nation had become corrupled during the reigns of Jelioram, Ahaziah, and Athaliah. With strong professions of allegiance the.v humbly requested that they might not be subjected to the continued necessit,v of frequent and expensive journeys to Jerusalem, but allowed the privilege their falhers had enjoyed of worshipping God in higli places at home; and they framed their jxtition in this plausible! and least olfensive manner, well knowing that, if excused attendance at the temple, they might.—without risk of di.scovory or disturbance—indulge their tastes in the obsorvanco of any private rites they phastMl. The weak Tinlnded king griinted their petition; and the coii.seqvieiUM! was, that when they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, tlicy soon " served groves and Idols." wratli came upon Jndalk and .Ie«tsalem—The particular mention of Jerusalem as involved in the sin implies that the neglect of
CHAPTER XXV.
Ver. 1-1. Ama/,iah liEGiNS TO Ueion Well. 1. Amnziah was twenty and live ycni>i old, &c.— (See on 2 Kings 4. l-fi.)
Having Hired an Army of Israelitf.s against the Kdomites, at the Word oe a Pijophet hk 1a)se.s AN HlTNDRKI) TALENI-S AND DISMISSES THEM. 5. Amazlalt made ca]italns, Ac.—.Vs all who were capable of bearing arms were liable to serve, It was (juUe natural In making up tho muster-roll to class them according to their respective families, and to apjiolnt the olllcers of each corps from the saiui! (iiiarter; so that all the soldle-8 who formed a reglm(>iit wen; brothers, relatives, friends. Thus the Hebrew troops were doiel.v linked tcw Mher, and had strong Inducements to keep stead.v In their ranks, fouiifl them Ihrec hundred thoiisnnil choice men—This was only a I'ourlli part of Jehosliaphal's army lh<5 t('mi>leand tin; coiisetiuent idolatr.y received not only the king's toleration, l)ut his sanction; and It naturally occurs to ask how, at his mature age, such a total abandonment of a place; with which all his earl.v recolk'cllons W(!re assotdated can be accounted for. It has been suggested that what he had witnessed of the conduct of many of the priests In the cureless performaiiou of the worsliip,
(ch. 17.11-1!)), showing how sadly the kluttdum of Juduu