THE
PULPIT COMMENTARY, EDITED BY THE
VERY REV. H. D. M. SPENCE, D.D., DEAN OF GLOUCESTER;
AND BY THE
REV. JOSEPH S. EXELL, M.A.
WITH
INTRODUCTIONS BY THE
VERY REV. F. W. FARRAR, D.D., F.R.S., DEAN OF CANTERBURY. RIGHT REV. H. COTTERILL, D.D., F.R.S.E. VERY REV. PRINCIPAL J. TULLOCH, D.D. REV. CANON G. RAWLINSON, M.A. REV. A. PLUMMER, M.A., D.D.
NEW EDITION.
FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY LONDON AND NEW YORK 1907 P&IN't&D BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LU.UTEO. I.ON~N AND BECCLES.
(Tiu rigl,ts of trt1Mlatjqn and•/ nprodu&ti,m are rt1en,ed.J THE
PULPIT COMMENTARY, EDITED BY THB
VERY REV. H. D. M. SPENCE, D.D., DEAN 01" GL0UCES'l'ER;
AND BY THB
REV. JOSEPH S. EXELL, M.A.
II. KINGS. <!!xposftion an'b ~omibtfcs BY REV. G. RAWLINSON, M.A., CAN0JII 01" CANTEIWUBY,
~omflfH b!! J:;Tarious ~utbors. REV. O. H. IRWIN, M.A. REV. J. ORB, D.D. REV. D. THOMAS, D.D,
l\"EW EDlTION.
FUNK & WA.GNALLS COMPANY LONDON AND NEW YORK 1907 THE SECOND
BOOK OF THE KINGS.
INTRODUCTION.
THOUGH tbe two Books of the Kings "were originally and are really but one work, by one writer or compiler," and though most of the points which need to be touched on in an "Introduction," being co=on to both books, have been already treated in the Introductory section prefixed to the Commentary on 1 Kings, still there seem to be certain subjects more particularly connected with the Second Book, which require a more general and consecutive treatment than is possible in a running commentary on the text; and the consideration of these will form, it is hoped, a not super- fluous or u.nwelcome "Introduction" to the present volume. These subjects are, especially, (1) "the difficulties in the Chronology," and (2) "the interconnection between sacred and profane history during the period of the Israelite monarchy."
I. DIFFICULTU:S IN TIIE CHRONOLOGY. The difficulties in the chronology attach almost exclusively to the Second Book. In the First Book we find, indeed, that portions of years are counted for years in the estimates given o-f the length of kings' reigns, and that thus there is a tendency in the chronology to exaggerate itself-a tendency which is most marked where the reigns are shortest. But the synchronisms which enable us to detect this peculiarity are a sufficient safeguard from serious error; and it is not difficult to arrange in parallel columns the Jewish and the Israelite lists in such a way that all or almost all the state- ments made in the book are brought into harmony; e.g. Rehoboam reigned seventeen full ye, ~s (eh. xiv. 21), when he was succeeded by Abijam, whose first year was parallel with the eighteenth of Jeroboam (eh. xv. 1), and l(. KING8. i't INTil0DUCTIO~ TO
who reigned three full years (eh. xv. 2), dying and being succeeded by Asn in Jeroboam's twentieth year (eh. xv. 9). Jeroboam, having reigned twenty-two years incomplete ( eh. xiv. 20), died in .Asa's second year, and was succeeded by Nadab (eh. xiv. 25), who reigned parts of two yearn, being slain by Baasba in Asa's third year (eh. xv. 28). Banslm held the throne for twenty-four incomplete years, his accession falling in Asa's third, irnd his death in Asa's twenty-sixth year ( eh. xvi. 8). Elah's "two years" (eh. xvi. 8) were, like Nadab's and Baasha's, incomplete, since be ascended the throne in Asa's twenty-sixth, and was killed by Zimri in Asa's twenty. sev-enth year (eh. xvi. 15) . .A.t the end of a week Zimri was slain by Omri, and a straggle followed between Omri and Tibni, which lasted £oar years -from Asa's twenty-seventh year to his thirty-first (eh. xvi. 23). Omri's reign was reckoned by some to begin at this time, by others to have begnn upon the death of Zimri. It is from this earlier event that his "twelve years" are to be dated, and those years are again incomplete, since they commenced in Asa's twenty-seventh, and terminated in his thirty-eig·hth year (eh. xvi. 29). Ahab's "twenty-two years" (eh. xvi. 29) should, apparently, be twenty-one, since they ran parallel with the last four years of Asa and with the first seventeen of Jehoshaphat. The entire period from the accession of Rehoboam and Jeroboam to the death of Ahab and accession of .A.haziah in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat was seventy- eight years. TABULAR VIEW OF TIIE CHRONOLOGY OF l KINGS.
Year Year of the before Daviilic King of all Isro.el, Cbrjst. kingdonl. ----- 1012 41 SOLOMON, 40 years (1 Kings xi. 42)
Kings of Judah. Kings of Israel, . 972 RI Rehoboam, 17 years (1 Kings xiv.21) Jeroboam, 22 yeo.rs (1 Kings xiv. 20) 955 93 Abijam, 3 yeo.1·s (1 Kings xv. 2) 18th yeo.rof Jeroboam (I Kings xv. I) 952 IOI Asa, 41 years (1 Kings xv. 10) 20th year of Jeroboam (1 Kings xv. 9) 951 102 2nd year of A,a (1 Kings xv. 25) Nadab, 2 years (l Kings xv. 25) 950 10:-l 3rd year of Asa (I Kings xv. 28) Baa.aha, 2-l: years (1 Kings xv. 33) 927 12G 26th year of Asa (1 Kings xvi. 8) Elah, 2 years (1 Kings xvi. 8) Zimri {l Kings xvi. 10) n2G 127 27th year of Asa. (1 Kings xvi. Tibni (1 Kings xvi. 21) 10, 21) ~Omri (I Kings xvi. 21), 12 years (1 l Kiuga xvi. 23) 922 l3l 31st year of Asa (l Kings xvi. 23) Omri ulone (1 Kings xvi. 23) 915 ll:!8 38th year of .Alla (1 Kings xvi. 29) Ahab, 22 (21 ?) years (1 Kings xvi. 29) 911 142 Jeho•ha.phat (1 Kings xxii. 41) 4th year of Ahah (I Kiugs xxii. 41) 895 158 17th year of Jehoshaphat Aliaziah (l Kings xxii. 51)
The chronology of the Second Book of Kings is far more ~omplicated. The following are some of its difficulties. 1. Two dates are given for the nccession of Jehoram of Israel, viz. the second year of Jehoram of Judah 'ITm SECOND BOOK OF TII i;; KINGS.