7 ts & In Judah, which was an eminent part of 1ſ-ael, and the only part of it which cwaed God, or was owned by God as his Iracl, to whom therefore he oft appropriates this name, thereby ſignifying that the other Tribes were unworthy of that honourable
py and had forfeited all their right in at to Judah, See on Cl» 21s 2.
17 Now after the death of Jehojada, came the prin- ces of Judah, and made obeiſance to the king »: then the King hearkned unto them. |
n In that poſture preſenting their requeſts to him, that they might nor be confined to unneceſſary and troubleſome journeys in coming to Jeruſalem ro worſhip, but might have the liberty, which their Fore-rathers enjoyed, of worſhipping God in the High-places. Which liberty, when once they had obtained, they knew they could then worſhip Idols without obſervation or diſturbance; which was the thing art which they aimed. And for the prevention of ſuch Abuſes, God obliged all ro worſhip kim in one place.
18 And they left the houſe of the LORD God of their fathers, and ſerved groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Hon, +1 for this their treſpaſs 0.
o By Hazael King of Syria: of which ſee 2 Kings 12. 17, 18.
19 Yet he ſent prophets to them,to bring them again unto the LORD, and they teſtified againſt them : but they would not give ear.
20 And the ſpirit of God | came upon Zechariah Þ Heb, the ſon of Jehojada the prieſt, which ſtood above the So people p, and ſaid unto them, "Thus faith God, Why "2g tranſgreſs ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye g cannot proſper ? becauſe ye have forſaken the LORD, he hath forſaken you.
f In an higher place, that his voice and meſſage might be the better heard.
21 And they q conſpired againſt him, and ſtoned him with ſtones ar the commandment of ihe king, in the court of the houſe of the LORD.
q i. e. The people to whom he preached, who were eaſily cor- rupted by theexample of their Apoſtate King and Princes. 22 "Thus Joajh the kingremembred not the kindneſs which Jehojada his father had done to him, but flew his ſon: And when he died, he ſaid, The LORD look upon zt, and require #t r. r i.e. Make inquiſition for my innocent blood. Which he did not wiſh from any deſire of private revenge, with which ſo wiſe and good a man would never be willing to die; b=t partly from a zeal to Publick Juſtice and the puniſhment of ſuch groſs wickeds neſs; and partly to deter them, if poſſible, from compleating their murderous intentions. But theſe words may as well be rendred ins dicatively as optatively, the Lord will look upon it, and require it, i. e, He will examine this Action, and require ſatisfaction from you for it- : + Heb. m 23 And it came to paſs F at the end of the years, ;je raw that the hoſt of Syria came up againſt him : and they tio of th came to Judah and Jeruſaiem, and deſtroyed all the”: princes of the people from among the people z, and ſent + Heb; all the ipoil of them unto the king of } Damſcus «. Darmeſch s So ſoon did God hear the cry of his Holy Prophets blond, and revenge it. # That it might appear they were ſent and directed by God, to ſingle out to deſtruction the firſt beginners and chief promoters of this general Apoſtacy. « To Hazael the King ef that
part of Syria called Syris Damaſcena, from its Capital City Das
maſcus. , *T 2y.26. 24 For the army of the Syrians * came with a ſmall ,
company of men, and the LORD delivered a very great Deut: 3 hoſt into their hand, becauſe they had forſaken the 3o- LORD God of their fathers. So they executed Judg- 113% 7 ment againſt Joaſh.
25 And when they were departed from him, ( for they left him in great diſeaſes ) his own ſervants con- ſpired againſt him, for the blood of the ſons x of Jeho- jada the prieſt, and flew him on his bed, and he died : and they buried him in the ciry of David, but they
buried him not in the ſepulchres of che kings. x 7,e, Of
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f Heb, i they pla, 7 Heb. beat of a ger,
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x 7, e, Of 7:cho rich hik fon : the pſural number Sos, put for the fingular $92,:5 1t 15 trequentiy beth in Scripture,as G2 46. 7. Numb. * 5. 4 8 ard {n Ciciro 3nd other prophane Authors Or he might L.11} other ſons of Jehojadsh with bim, either becauſe they own: ed him in what he hid id 3 or leaft they ſhouldrevenge his death. (Or. fo=5* 26 And theſe are they that conſpired againit him; || Zib:d the fon of Shimeath an Ammonireſs, and Jeho- ! . . . zabad, the fon of {| Shimrith a Moabirteſs. 27 Now concerning hisfons, and the greatneſs of the* ., burden /ai4 upon himy and the F repairing of the houſe 295 Of God, behold, they ; -itten i f R or God, benold, they are written in the || ſtory of the x 12, 14. Þook of the kings. and Amaziah his fon reigned in tHeb. Is {tead. funding. » Either the ſevere Propheſies againſt him, which are off called | Or C97® Buriens; of which one inſtance is Recorded, and there might be others that are not Recorded ; or the great Judgments of God upon him, both by the Syrians, v. 23, 24. and by great diſcaſes, v. 25.
CHA P. XXV.
Amatiah beginneth to reign well ; Naysth his father's murtherers, x <=n.ug, Hwuing hired an army of [ſraelitcs againſt the Edomites, at the word of a Prophet he diſmiſſurh them, 5 10, And with his own people overs throweth the Edomites : Toe Iſraelites in their return home Spoil, 1 1+<=-1 3. Amaziah ſerveth the gods of Edom, and deſpiſeth the admonition of the Prophet, 14 =— 16+ Hz provketh Joaſh to his over-throw, 17 < -«-« v4, His Reizu, Hels ſlain by C nſptracy, 25 ==—28,
Maziah * was twenty and five years old a when he
began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jeruſalem: and his mothers name was Jehoad- dan of Jerufalem. | a Of tis Verſe, and v. 2, 3, 4. ſee the Notes on 2 Kings, 14. I. &c. 2 And he did that which was right in the ſight of the
LORD, but not with a perfect heart.
Now it cams to paſs, when the kingdom was + eſta- bliſhed wo him, chat he ſlew his ſervants that-had killed the king his father. .
i But h= flew not their children, but did as it ;« writ- , ten in the law of the book of Moſes, where the LORD
Deur. . « f. .
4, io; commanded, ſaying, * The fathers ſhall not die for Kin, 14- the children, neither ſhall the children die for the fa- thers, but every man ſhall die for his own fin.
5 Moreover, Amaziah gathered Judah cogether, and
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