The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 238

fortified by Jeroboam against the Egyptillne him king fr.atea4 of his father Amazia.h. (2 Ohron. xi. 9). It wae besieged and '!'here are two forms of the king's name, takon by Sennaoherib(oh, xviii, 14; Layard, Aza.riah and Uzziah. The difference be- • Nineveh nod HBbylon,' pp. 149-152). tween them is not so great in the Hebrew, The po~ition ie marked by the modem Um- where they both begin with the same letter; Lalds, on "a low round swell or knoll," but still it is considerable. One name is between Gaza and Beit-Jibrin, about not a mere contraction of the other. Some thirteen miles from Gaza and nearly thirty- suppose that the king changed one no.me five from Jerusalem. But they aent after for the other npon his accession; others, him to Laohieh, and elew him there. So that he was called indifferently by either, the author of Ohronicles (2 Cbron. xxv. 27) since they were very similar in meaning. and Josephus (' Ant. J ud.,' ix. 9. § 3); but "Azariah" is "he whose help is Jehovah;" detaile are wanting. "Uzziah," "be whose strength is Jehovah." Ver. 20.-And they brought him on "Uzziah" is the predominant form, occur- horses; literally, on the horsu, wliich must ring fonr times in 2 Kings, twcl'l'e times in mean "on his horses." Probably Amaziah 2 Chronicles, three times in Iso.inh, once in bad fied to Lachish in the royal chariot, Hosea, once in Amos, and once in Zechariah ; nod bis body was now bronght back in it while "Azariah " occurs only in 2 Kings to Jerusalem. The conspirators were evi- ( eight times) and in 1 Chron. i iL I 2 (once). dently minded to treat the royal corpse with Josepbns uses the form" Oziaa" (equivalent nll respect. And he was buried at Jerusalem to" Uzzio.h),'' and eo does St. Matthew (i. with his fathers in the oity of David; i.e. 8, 9). the city on the eastern hill, which David Ver. 22.-Ke built Elath, and restored it took from the Jebnsites (see the comment to Judah. On the position of Elatb, or on 1 Kings ii. 10). Eloth, and its importance, see the comment on 1 Kings ix. 26. It had been the head- Vere. 21, 22.-Suc0ESBION 011' AZAIUAB quarters of Solomon's fleet (1 Kings ix. 26), AND RESUMPTION 01!' THE W AB WITH ED0M. and again of Jehoshaphat's (1 Kings uii. Though reserving bis account of the reign 48; 2 Chron. xx. 36) ; but had been, of of Azariah to the next chapter (vers. 1-7), course, recovered by tho Edomites when they revolted ( eh. viii. 22). Aznriah's re- the writer is led by the circumstances of occupation seems to imply an intention on Amaziah's death to mention at once the fact his part of renewing the old Red Sea trade. of his son Azariah's succession, and the first By" built" in this passage we must un,Icr- important act of his reign, the resumption stand "rebuilt," or (o.s in 2 Chron. xi. 6) or war with Edom. He then breo.ks off " fortified." After that the king slept with suddenly, in order to interpose an account his fathers. Keil is probably right in understanding this to mean "immediately of the reign of Jeroboam II., who was con- after he had ascended the throne," or " as tempol'Bry with Amaziah during fourteen soon as ever his father was deo.d" (sec the years of his reign. comment on ver. 19). His further military successes will be considered in the comment Ver. 21.-And all the people of Judah on his reign, 1111 sketched in the next took Azariah. This is a new expression, chapter. and implies o. new, perhaps e. tumultuary, proceeding. The people, uncertain probably Vere. 23-29,-REIGN 01!' JEROBOAM THE of the intentions of the conspirators, and SON OF JOASJI OVER lsRAEL. This reign, fearful that they might set up a king not or the most important of those belonging to the the house of Da.vid, took the initiative, went kingdom of Ismel since that of Ahnb, is to the royal palace, and finding there a son trea.tcd with greo.t brevity by the writer, of Amaziah-whether his eldest son or not, we co.nnot say-proclaimed him king and whose interest is far more in J udo.h tho.n plllced him upon the throne. 'l'he nuthor in Israel. Seven verses only are devoted to of Chronicles (2 Chron. xvi. 1) agreed. him. 'l'ho result of his wars is given with- Josephus is silent. Whioh wo.s sixteen out nny account of the wnrs themsel ve11,, years old. Young cel'to.inly, considering And the great fact of his ruling over that his father was fifty-four (eee rnr. 2), but not necessarily " a younger eou," since Damascus only eumes in by a sort of after- Amo.zio.h's earlier children may havo been thought (ver. 28). The usual formulas are do.ughters, or he mBy have married lo.te in followed in introducing his reign and dis- life. It is not doubted tbo.t :il'IanBsseh wos missing it. Hezekiah's eldest son, yet he wo.s only twelve when Hezekiah died o.t the same Ver. 23.-In the fifteenth year of Amaziah age ns AmnziBh, viz. fifty-four. And made the son of Joa.sh King of Judah-this nota of  284 THE SECOND BOOK OF 'l'HE KINGS. [011. XIV. 1-.ZO.