12 And alſo * Maachah his mother, even her he re- moved fronr being Queen o, becauſe the had made + an idol p in a grove, and Aſa | deltroycd her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron 9. |
05. e» He took from her either the name and authority of Queen- Regent, which ſhe, having been Rehoboam's Wife,and 4bijam's Mother, took to her ſelfduring 4/s's Minority, and abuſed to the Patronage of Idolatry ; or, the Dignity of the Queen-Mother, and thoſe Guards, or other Enſigns of Honour, or Inftruments of Power, which, as ſuch, ſhe had enjoyed and miſemployed. Otherwiſe, he removed her
. from the Queen, 1.e. from his Wife, that ſhe might not be infe&ed by
her, and afterwards infe& his Children: which was a prudent and neceſſary care,for the prevention ofſo great and publickaMiſchict, p Heb.a terrer,or horrer,i.e.an horrible Ido]; which it may be he ſo called, either, becauſe all Idols, though for a ſeaſon they pleaſe, yer in the end will bring dreadful efſe&s upon their Worlhippers : or, becauſe this was an Idol of a more horrible or terrible ſhape, more abomi- nable than ordinary, and not to be ſeen without Horror : whether it was that filthy Idol, called Priepus, which was commonly placed in Groves or Gardens ; or, Pan, or ſome other Heathen god, to whoſe Service ſhein a ſpecial manner devoted her ſelf. q That when it was burnt to Powder, it might be thrown into the Water, and be untit for any Uſe. See Exod. 32. eo. Deut. 12. 3.
14 But the high places were notremoved 7 : never-
theleſs, Aſa his heart was perfe&t with the LORD / all
his days. r 0bj, He did take theſe away, 2 Chron+ 14. 3. Anſw. He took
away thoſe which were devoted to the Worſhip of Idols, as1s there |
ſaid, he took away the altars of the flrange gods, and the high places, to wit, where they were worſhipped ; but as for thoſe high Places where |
K 1 NG Sv.
——— —
up to Jeruſalem near Neighbours, formerly their Friends, were become their Enc. mes, and watched all opportunitics to invade or molcſt them,
a up to Jeruſalem 3. and partly, becauſe the people were ſo ob. : inately bent towards them, that it was, or ar leaſt, ſcemed to Mm, 1Mpoſſible ro remove them without grear Offence, or ſuch
and the things which himſelf had dedicated, into the houſe of the LORD, filver, and
# 4:jam, to wit, when he was in diſtreſs, and going to fight with Jeroboam, 2 Chron. 13+ though afterwards he did not pertorm his Vows, nor bring in what he had Devoted ; whether becauſe he wos prevented by Death, or bacauſe he afterwards relapſed to Idolatry 45 May icem probable from the 12th Verſe of this Chapter.
I6 © And there was war between Aſa and Baaſha
King of Iſrael all their days ». # So long as they two Lived and Reigned together. Which is not ſo to beunderſtood, as if there were a ſolemn and declared War continuing all that time ( for 4/s was qgrzict in a great meaſure for his firſt zen years, 2 Chron. 14. 1. till the 1ſraelitechad recovered them- lelves from that dreadful Blow given them by Abijam, 2 Chron. 13s and Baaſha began to Reign in Aſa's third Year ) but ſo that there were many private and particular Hoſtilities praiſed among them; in which ſenſe the ſame phraſe is uſed, Chap. 14+ 30. 17 And * Baaſha king of 1ſrael went up againſt Ju- * Cr
dah x, and built y Ramah xz, that he might norſuffer any 16 ::
to go out or come in to Aſa King of Judah 4.
x Perceiving Aſa's great Succeſs ; of which ſee 2 Chron. 14.and r "A and the defeCtion of many of his ewn Subje&s to him upon that occaſion, 2 Chron. 15: g. he began to beſtir himſelf, and commen- cetha War againſt him y i,e. Repaired and fortified. z A City of Benjamin; which cither belonged to the Kingdom of 7ſael, from the Diviſion ( as ſome other places ofthar Tribe are ſuppos'd to have done ; of which ſee on 1 Kings 11.13.) or belonged to Judah, but was now Invadcd and taken by Baaſba,and Fortified. a Therefore he choſe this place, becauſe it was in the way from his Kingdom to Jeruſalem, and, as ſome add, in, ornear the ſtraits of the Mountains, where they could caſily diſcover and hinder all Pafſengers that way.
18 Then Aſa took all the filver, and the gold that were left b in the treaſures of the houſe of the LORD, and the treafures of the kings houſe, and deliver'd them into the hand of his ſervants : and king Aſaſent them to * Benhadad ec the fon of Tabrimon, the fon of Hezion king of Syria, that dwelt at Damaſcus, ſaying,
| 6 Theſe poor Remainders, which either Shiſhak had left at that time, chap; 14: 26; or, Abijam, 0: Aſa, or others, both of iſrael and Judah, had dedicated ; which probably was not inconfiderable, be- cauſe 4/a had got great Spoilstrom Zerah, 2 Chyon: 14: and he and his numerous and proſperous People did at this time expreſs a great Lea! for the Houſe and Worſhip of Gud. c Wherein he commirted three great Faults,among many others, Firſt, hc Alienated things conſecrated to God, withour neceflity. Secondly, He did this out of Carnal Fear and Diſtru& of that God whoſe Power & Goodneſs he had lately experienced. Thirdly, He did this for an ill intent, to hire him to the breach of his League and Covenant with Baaſhs, v. 19. and to take away part of that Land which by Right, and the ſpecial Gift of God, belonged to the [ſraelites.
I9 There is a league betweenme and thee, avdbetween my father and thy father d: behold, I have ſent unto thee a preſent of filver and gold : come, and break thy league with Baaſha king of Urael, that he may + depa:t + Heb from me EC. 40 Hp.
a Whereby it appears, that albeit he was an Adverſary to I/acl all Solomon's days, chap. 11. 25. yet after the Diviſion of the Kingdoms of [ſrael and Judah, he was in League with both of them, either,
* + Che
16: 2,
- becauſe his Deſigns lay upon the enlargement of his Empire other
ways ; or rather, becauſe he thoughtirt his Wiſdom and Intereſt to leave them to themſelves ro undo one another by their inteſtine Wars, and ſo to prepare the way to his Conqueſt of both ; whereas his invading of either of them might have made up the Breach, and forced them to unite againſt their common Enemy. And therefore as ſoon as he was free from this fear, and one of them necded and earneſtly deſired his help againſt the other, he gladly embraced the opportunity. e That being called to defend himielf, he may be forced to depart from my Territories, :