A Brighter Day Begins with His Word.

PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings

George Rawlinson [1812-1902] · 432,569 words · 453 reading sections

SECTION 421

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 421

good man. Among the tombe which Joeiah beheld was one with a monument before H. He asked whose it was, and was told it was the monument of the man of God who prophesied of these things which had been done to the altar. That monument had, perhaps, been built by the hands of the very men whose sios the prophet had denoun…

853 words
SECTION 422

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 422

of their history, revi\-ed vivid memories of the deliverance from Egypt, and ratified their engagement to be the Lord'.,. It reminded of the past, set a seal upon the present, and gave a ple<lge for the future. The Christian sacrament seals God's promises to the believer, and, at the same time, seals the believer's …

847 words
SECTION 423

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 423

zii. 11 that he died at "Hadndrimmon b. the valley of Megiddo," and that bis dead body was nfterwarils brou11ht to Jerusalem. By this defeat Judah was brought into sub- jection to Pharnoh-Nechoh, and the way prepared for its subjection to Nebuchadnezzar, when he, in turn, became master of the situation. It is wise n…

1,114 words
SECTION 424

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 424

CHAPTER XXIV. Kings throws e. veil over these transactions, closing his narrative with the customary Vers. 1-20.-REIGNS OF JEHOUXDII, JE- phrase-Jehoiakim "slept with his fe.thers" IlOIAClllN, .um ZEDEKIAH. (ver. 6). Ycrs. 1-7.-REST OF THE REIO:\' OF Jr:- BOI.AX.UI. Troubles now fell thick and fe.st Ver. 1.-In his d…

607 words
SECTION 425

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 425

jecture. It ls, perhaps, most !,robable that na~seh, but of which generation after (as Josephus eays, • Ant. Ju .,' x. 6. § 2) genemtion continued to be guilty." 'rbe he was incited to take thie course by the special sins were (1) idolatry, accompanied Egyptiaus, who wi,re still under the role by licentious rites; (…

994 words
SECTION 426

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 426

in Pight of his own oity, he wo.s made short reign of Jehoiaohin is now described. pri!OOner. He offered a frnntic resistance It lasted but three months. For eome reason and was dragged e.way in a scuffle, and miserably cut down; while even an honour- which is unrecorded, Nebuohe.dnezz11r, who able burial for his o…

926 words
SECTION 427

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 427

Jehoiaklm to continue. It is in his favom envoys of Merodaoh-Bo.Jadan were carried thut he did not aoti vely peraeoute Jeremiah. off by Sennacherib (eh. xviii. 15), still there Ver. 10.-At that time the servants of had probably been fresh accumulations made Nebuohadneoar King of Babylon oame up during their long reign…

986 words
SECTION 428

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 428

4, 21i, 2i), itnd courtiersofrank(Jer. xxxviii. kiah pursued nearly the Btime course of 7), nnd "capto.ins of foraes" (Jer. xl. 7), and action tis the other recent kiugs. Ho showed "men of ".mr" (Jer.)ii. 7). But the bulk of no religious zeal, instituted no reform, hut the 111hnb1t.ante now left behind in Jeruea- l…

936 words
SECTION 429

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 429

(Ph1uaob - llopbra) in Egypt. And his at the root of the whole series of events, not mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter causing men's sins, but allowing them to go of J'eremiah of Libnah. He wns thus full on until the cup of their iniquities was full, brother of Jehoahaz (eh. xxiii. 81), but only and the time had …

908 words
SECTION 430

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 430

why and whence was this? Because God had used Assyria as his instrument. God hed brought it to pass that Assyria should exist "to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps. Therefore their inhabitants were of 8mall power, they were dismayed and con- founded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green her…

866 words
SECTION 431

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 431

proud to submit itself. Neither king nor people had any Intention of putting up with the loss of independence or becoming loyal Babylonian subjects, however strongly the duty might be pressed upon them by Jeremiah and the other Jehovistic prophets. A profound antagonism was developed from the first. Nebuchadnezzar prob…

788 words
SECTION 432

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 432

more pregnant with pmctical suggestions tbl\n his-a mighty fiend in human form, We have in these two chapters a view of (1) the wickedness of man; (2) the retribution of Heaven ; (3) and the supremacy of God. Here we have- I. THE WICKEDNESS OF MAN. 'l'he wickedness here displayed is marked: 1. By inveteracy. It is …

847 words
SECTION 433

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 433

shall be left" (eh. xx. 17; cf. Micah iv. 10). That prediction now hasted to its accorn- pli11hment. Babylon had emerged as the successor to Assyria in the undisputed pos- session of imperial power. Its second king was Nebuchadnezzar, God's chosen instrument for the chastisement of Judah and surrounding nations (Jer. x…

831 words
SECTION 434

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 434

of foroes, is, fro~ t~e Divine poi1;>-t of yie~, a scene full of meaning, interest, and pnrpose. The reJect1on of Judah 11 aga.m m these verses connected with the sin ol Manasseh, only, however, as before shown, because people and rulers made these sine their own, and would not depart from them. Hinthenism wae age.in r…

860 words
SECTION 435

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 435

own life we.s spared, though he we.a led away a prisoner; the city was not sacked and burned, as afterwards; and no massacre of the inl.abitants took place. A tender tone pervades Jeremiah's references to this unfortunaoo king (Jer. xxii. 24--30). Ezekiel likens him to II the highest branch of the cedar," which the "gr…

884 words
SECTION 436

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 436

an individual, even temporally; but A course of ungodliness ends in the lose of tem• pornl and spiritual possessions together. III. ZEilEKIAH MADE KING. 1 . .Acce..'ISion of Zedekiah. Jehoiachin WAS A man of spirited character, and Nebuchadnezzar seems to have thought that he would be better served by putting a wee…

802 words
SECTION 437

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 437

extremity, and, as in So.maria under Jeho- vallation, which, moreover, were not em- re.m (oli. vi. 29), 1111d o.go.in in Jerusalem ployed in their siegces by the Orientals. during the siege by 'l'itus (Josephua, 'Dell. Ddyek (p:1) seems to be properly a "watch- Jud.,' vi. 8. § 4), m0thers ale their children tower," fro…

978 words
SECTION 438

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 438

and noble women eearohed the dunghills for hie presenoe. The oommandcrs at Jeru- scraps of offal (Lam. iv. 5); the children salem would feel this tbo moro sensibly, perished for we.nt, or were even devoured by einco NebuchRdnezzor had for some time their parents (Lnm. ii. 20; iv. 8, 4, 10; retired from the siege, an…

1,944 words
SECTION 439

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 439

citi11:cn,i, Ncbuznr-adan proceeded to divide tage to a country. To be vinedrea■ers and the inhabitants of the city and oonntry husbandmen. Jeremiah adds that Nebu- into two bodies-those whom he would leave 11:e.r-adan "gave" these persons "vineyards in the land, and those whom be would aud field~ at the same time" …

941 words
SECTION 440

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 440

xii. 22; 1 Kinge vii. 50; 2 Chron. iv. 8). Mariseiah, of whom we hear a good dee.I in Of these Bolomou mndo onn hundred, all in Jeremiah (see Jer. :ui. 1; xxix. 25-29; gold. And auoh things as were of gold, in xxxvii. 3). And the three keepers of the gold. The "and" supplied by our trans- door; rather, and three keeper…

1,034 words
SECTION 441

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 441

epeak or hundreds l\ll thus executed, and our writer Ieav es them (ver. 26), without mention others e.s burnt in furnaoes, or touching on the calamities whioh befell them thrown t-0 wild beast.a, or oruelly mutilated. there, according to the prophetic Dnnounoe- Herodotus BRy!! (iii. 159) the.t Darius Hystas- pis crucif…

919 words
SECTION 442

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 442

the sonB o/ Epliai the Netophathite," by was attacked and killed without difficulty. which it would seem that some words he.ve And the J'ewa and the Chaldees that were fallen out here. By "Netophathite " is to with him at ll(jzpah (comp. Jer. xii. 3, be understood "native of Notophe.h," now "Ishmael also slew all the J…

944 words
SECTION 443

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 443

sins, would relent at l&Bt, 11nd put an end released moMrch insteCLd of hie "prison to their banishment, and give them rest and gN-ments," and Jehoiachiu arrayed himself peR08 in their native country. in the comely appurel before taking his seo.t an iong his equCL!s. Dresses of honour are Ver. 27.-And it oame to pasa…

941 words
SECTION 444

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 444

HOMILETICS. Ver8, 1-10.-The fal,l of Judah and Jerusabn a warnin 'I /01· all time to all nations. Jerusalem had defied Zerah with his host of a million men (2 Chrcn. xiv. 9-15), and had triumphed over Sennacherib at the head of all the armed force of Assyria ( eh. xix. 35, 36): why did she succumb to Nebuchadnezzar? …

1,643 words
SECTION 445

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 445

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vera. 1-21.-The last days of Jerusalem. The shameful story of Judah's dis- obedience and sin is now drawing to a close. Here we have an account of the capture of Jerusalem a.nd its king by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon. Zedekia.h, the, king, was la.ken prisouer, His sons were first put…

1,062 words
SECTION 446

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 446

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 thie fragment of Jtwish history two observations a.re suggested. I. MEN ARE SOMETIMES ELEVATED INTO RESPONSIBLE POSITIONS. Gedaliah, a friend of Jeremiah's, and ac…

567 words
SECTION 447

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 447

his heart and relieved this poor victim of tyranny. Corrupt as tbiB world is, the element of mercy is not entirely extinct. This mercy gave honour and liberty to the man who ho.d been BO long in confinement and disgrace. Let not the victims of tyranny-and they abound everywhere-despair. Mercy will ere long sound the tr…

867 words
SECTION 448

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 448

of the people be0&me extreme. 'fhe bread wa.s "spent" in the city (Jer. xxxvii. 21). The Book of Lamentations gives vivid glimpses of the horrors-the young children fainting for hunger at the top of every street (Lam. ii. 11, 19); crying to their mothers, Where is corn and wine? (Lam. ii. 12); and asking bread, and …

894 words
SECTION 449

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 449

holy day (Ps. xlii. 6). But idolatry and hypocrisy bad made "the house of prayer" into "a den of robbers" (Isa. lvi. 7; J er. vii. 11 ; Matt. xxi. 13), and God's glory had been seen by the prophet on the banks of the Cbebar departing from it (Ezek. xi. 22, 23). The temple bad been the special boast of the godless peopl…

860 words
SECTION 450

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 450

in the midst of bis reople, and that its stabilitv was secured by his presence. (2) The bru:es, with their lavers, for washing the sacrifices; and the molten sea for the use of t.he priests. (3) The common utensils connected with the service of the altar and sanctuary-pots, shovels, etc. These brazen pillars, vessels…

859 words
SECTION 451

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 451

ground down by oppression, and many of them bondmen; now they had liberty, land, the choice of fields and vineyards, and the advantage of keeping to themselves the fruits of their labour. II. G1rnALIA.B'B MURDER, AND THE FLIGHT UNTO EGYPT. What the people might have come to under Gedalio.h'd benevolent rule, time was …

1,141 words
SECTION 452

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 452

OHAPTER I, T'fIEltR l'-'GS rBl!HB PAGE Elijah taken up 36 The Short Reign of Ahaziah : his Sins, Seeking the Translated 38 and their Punishment 5 The Healing of the Spring... 39 The" Spirit we are of"-the Old Dis- The Mockers e.t Bethel 40 pensation and the New ... 6 Ce.rmcl ... 41 Seeking after Strange Gods : its Ca…

1,182 words
SECTION 453

The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 453

CHAPTER XI. CHAPTER XIV. Atho.liah o.nd Jezebel, the Wicked A Fnther's Evil Example no Justi- Daughter and the Wieked Mother 232 fication for a Sou's Misconduct 285 Johoio.da o.n Example of a Faithrul A Father's Sins not to be visited by and Wise High Priest under Trying the Civil Magistrate on his Chil- Circumstanc…

938 words
← PreviousPage 8 of 8

Source & rights

Public domain historical Pulpit Commentary. Source page identifies the volume as Public Domain; text extracted from its historical PDF.

Project Gutenberg source record →

Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.