C H A*'P. IIL *choram followeth the Sin of Jeroboam : He with Jehoſhaphat and the King of Eaom goeth to Battel againft Moab, 1= 81 They in Difireſs for Water obtain it by Eliſha, and a Promiſe of Viftory, 9 === 20, The Moabites decerved by the Colour of the Water, coming as to Spoil, are overcome,
20 25. Fhe King of Moab, by ſacrificing his Eldeft Son raiſeth the
Stege, 26, 27. .
Nt Jehoram the ſon of Ahab began to reign over Iſrael in Samaria, the eighteenth year of Jehoſha- phac king of Judah a, and reigned twelve years.
# Queſt. How canthis be true, when 4haziah, Jehorams Predeceſlor, who Reigned two Years, began his Reign in Jehoſbaphats 17th Year, 1 Kings 22.51. ? Anſ. Either, Ahaziah Reigned the greateſt part of two Years, to wit. of the 17th and 18th Years of Jehyhaphat. ( parts of Years being oft called Years in the computation of Times, both in Scripture and other Authors) and Jehoram began his Reign towards the end of his 18th Year : or, Ahaz:1ah Reigned part of this two Years with his Father, and the reſt afrer him.
2 And hewroughtevilin the fight of the LORD, but not like his father, and like his mother : for he put away
the f image of Baal, * that his father had made b.
b Not from any Principle of Conſcience ( for that would have reached the Calves alſo - ) but either, becauſe he was ſtartled at the dreadful Judgments of God inflited upon his Father and Brother for Baal-worſhip : or, becauſe he needed Gods help to ſubdue the Moabites, which he knew Baal could not do: or, to gratifie Jehoſbaphatr, whoſe help he meant to crave, which he knew he ſhould never obtain without this : and for this reaſon, it ſeems, Jezebel was wil-
' ling to conmave at it, as a trick of State.
Nevertheleſs, he cleaved unto the ſins of Jeroboam c the ſon of Nebat, which made Iſrael to ſin; he de-
parced not therefrom. «> e- The worlbip of the Calves: which all the Kings of 1ae/
= EN & 8
kept up as a Wall of Partitioh between their Subjefs and thoſe of
Judah. Thus he ſhews that his Religion was over-ruled by his
Intereſt and Policy. 4 4 And Meſha king of Moab was a ſheep-maſter 4, andrendred unto the king of Iſraelan hundred thouſand
lambs, and an hundred thouſand rams, with the woo.
a4 A Man of great Wealth ( which in thoſe times and places conſiſted much in Cattel ) which enabled and emboldned him to Rebel againſt his Soveraign Lord.
' F But it came topalſs, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled e againſt the king of Iſrael.
e See of this chap 1: 1. Tt is here repeated to make way for the following Story. Ahaziah did not attempt the recovery of Moab; either, becauſe he was a Man of a low Spirit and Courage : or, becauſe his Sickneſs, or the ſhortneſs of his Reign, gave not oppor- tunity for it.
6 Q And king Jehoram went out of Samaria f the ſame time, and numbred all Iſrael g.
f To ſome place appointed for the Rendezvous of his People: g To wat, ſuch as were fit for War.
7 And he went and ſent to Jehoſhaphat the king of Judah, ſaying, The king of Moab hathrebelled againſt me : wilt thou go with me againſt Moab to batcel ? and he ſaid, I will go up : I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horſes as thy horſes h.
h Of which ſee on 1 Kings 22:4. He joins with him in this War; partly, becauſe the War was very juft init ſelf, and convenient for Jehoſhaphat, both in the Fray” that Rebels and Revolters ſhould be chaltifed and ſurpreſled, leſt the Example ſhould paſs into his Dominions, and the Edemites ſhould be hereby encouraged to revolt from him, as they did from his Son; and in particular, that the Moabites ſhould be humbled, who had with others Invaded his Land before this time, 2 Chron; 20. 1. and might do ſo again if they were not brought low ; for whicha fair opportunity was now offered to him; and partly, becauſe Jehoram had reformed ſome things, and Jeh:ſhaphat hoped by this means to engage him to proceed further in- that work.
8 And he i ſaid, Which way ſhall wego up? And he auſwered, The way through the wi:derneſs of Edom &. z Either, Jehoſhaphat : or rather, Joram: for the followine anſwer may icem to be Jehoſhaphats. k Which though it was much the longer way, yet they thought it beſt ; partly, to ſecure the King or Vice-Roy of Edow, of whom they might have ſome Suſpicion, from that Paſſage 2 Chron.20. 22: and to carry both him and his Soldiers along with them into the War, both to ger their Aſſiſtance, and to prevent them from making a war of diverſion againſt Judah,whilſt Jehoſhaphat was engaged againſt Moab ; and partly that they might invade Moab on their weakeſt ſide and where they leaſt expe&ed them. God alſo thus diſpoſed their Hearts to make way for the following Miracle. 9 Se the king of Iſrael went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom / : and they fercht a compaſs of {even daysjourney mm: and there was no water » for the hoſt, and for the cattel F that followed them. + Heb:
[ i. e« The Vice-Roy under Jehoſhaphat, 1 Kings 22. 47. here called their fea! king ; either, becauſe he was ſo called and accounted by his own people : or, becauſe that word is ſometimes uſed for any Prince or chief Ruler. See Deut. 33.5. Judges 18. 1.and 21. 25. 1 Kings 20, 1. m Becauſe thy made a great Army, which could move but ſlowly ; and they fetched a greater Compals than was uſual, for ſome advan«
tage which they expe&ed by ir. » A frequent want in thoſe hot and deſart parts 3 and now, as it ſeems, increaſed by the extraor- dinary Heat and Dryneſs of the Seaſon.
Io And the king of Iſrael ſaid, Alas, that the LORD hath called theſe three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab o.
0 So he chargeth his Calamity upon God ; and not upon himſelf whoſe Sins were the true and proper cauſe of it.
1x But Jehoſhaphat ſaid, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may enquire of the LORD by him p? And one of the king of Iraels ſervants anſwered andſaid, Here is Eliſha the fon of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands cf Elijah 9.
Þ This he ſhould have asked before, when they firſt undertook the expedition, as he did in a like caſe, r Kings 22. 5. and for that neglect he now ſuffers : but better late than never : His AfliQtion brings himao the remembrance of his former Sin,and preſent Duty, q i. e. Who was his Servant : this being one office of a S-rvant : and this Office was the more neceſſary among the 1/raelites, becauſe of the frequent Waſhings which their Law required.