The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 9

BOOK OF THE KINGS. EXPOSITION. e.nd ciroumstances of this rebellion. Moab OHAPTER L he.d, we know, been subjected by David Vers. 1-18.-THE REVOLT OF MOAB. (2 Sam. viii. 2), and had been very severely THE ILLNESS, IMPIETY, AND DEATH OF treated. Either in the reign of Solomon, or more probably at his death, and the dis- .AHAZIAH. The narrative of the Second ruption of his kingdom, the Moabites had Book of King9 follows on that of the First revolted, and resumed e.n independent posi- Book in the closest possible sequence. The tion, which they he.d maintained until the history or Ahaziah's reign begins in 1 Kings reign of Omri Omri, who we.s o. warlike :nii. 51., aud is carried on, without e.ny real mono.rch, the greatest of the Israelite monarchs after Jeroboam, after settling brea.ii: or pause in the sense, to eh. i. 18. himself firmly upon the throne of Israel, How the two books came to be divided e.t attacked the Moabite territory, and in a this point is quite inexplicLLble. The divi- short time reduced it, making the native sion is most unhappy. Not only does it, king, Chemosh-gad, his tributary. At the without apparent reason, draw e. strong line death of Omri, Ahab succeeded to the suzerainty, and me.intained it during his of demn.rcation in the middle of e. reign; but lifetime, exacting a tribute that was feli it separates what it we.s evidently the in- e.s a severe "oppression" (Moe.bite Stone, tontion of the writer most closely to connect line 6; comp. eh. iii. 4). The dei<th of -viz. the sins of the monarch and their Ahab in battle an:l the defe6t of hls army punishment. Aho.ziah began his reign by encouraged Mesh6, who had succeeded his father, Chemosh-go.d, to raise the standard openly showing himself a devotee of Be.al- of revolt once more, and to emancipate his by "walking in the way of his father and country after a period of subjection which in the way of his mother," the wicked Jeze- he estimates roughly at "forty years." The bel: therefore onlamity immediately smote "Stone" is chiefly occupied with o.n account him-first Moe.b rebelle,1, threw off the of the steps by which he recovered his territory. After the death of Ahab. Pro- Israelite yoke, and re-established its inde- bably, as soon as he heard of it. In Oriental pendence; e.nd then, within e. short space, empires the death of a brave and energeti~ Ahaziah himself met with an o.ocident which mono.rob is conste.ntly the signal for 11 produced a dangerous illness. The writer genero.l revolt of the subject peoples. They relates barely the former fact, but enlarges entertain a hope that his succeasor will not inherit his vigour and capacity. on the latter, which gave occasion for one Ver. 2.-Ahazie.h fell down through a of the most reme.rkable of the miracles of le.ttioe; rather, through the lattice. H ia Elijah. implied the.t the upper ohe.mber he.d a single window, which was olosed by a single lattice, Ver. 1.-Then Moe.b rebelled; literally, or shutter of interlaced woodwork. The and Moab rebelled, but with an idea., not shutter may ho.ve been insufficiently secured; merely of sequence, but of consequence. or the woodwork may have been too wee.k 'fhe "Moabite Stone," discovered in 1869, to bear his weight. Comp,ue the fe.11 of throws cousido.·n.ble li~ht on the character Entychus (Acts xx. 9), where, however, ther .. II. KINGS, B 2 'l'HE SECOND DOOK OF 'l'HE KINGS. [en. 1. 1-18,