The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 265

Vers. 8-22.-.Anm·cliy in Ismel. With rapid descent the kingdom of Israel, whioh had risen to great exteraa.l prosperity under Jeroboam II., hastened to its fall. The rrophets give us vivid P!ctures of the corruption of the times. The bonds of social life were loosened, oppression was rampant, the fear of God seemed to have died out of the land; there was no confidence, peace, or good will among any classes.in the nation. As a consequence, the throne was a prey to any adventurer who had power to seize it. I. THE FALL OF JEau's HOUSE. 1. The shadow of doom. With the accession of Zachariah, Jeroboam's son, the fourth generation of Jehu's dynasty aRcended the throne The shadow of doom may thus be said to have rested on this ill-fated king. A prophet had spoken it to the fonnder of the house, "Thy sons shall sit on the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation." That word had its bright side of reward, but it had also its dark side of penalty, and it is this which becomes prominent as the predicted te1m nears its close. Yet, a.s we can now also see, there is no fate in the matter. The reason why Jehu's sons were only to sit on the throne till the fourth generation lay in their own character and actions. God's decrees do not work age.inst, but in harmony with, the existing nature of things, and the established connection of ea.uses and effects, Jehu's house was a.bout to fall (1) because Jehu's sons had been ungodly. None of them had sought God's glory or ta.ken any pa.ins to promote godliness in the nation. On the contrary, they had continued sowing the wind of disobedience to God's will, and the nation was now to reap the whirlwind. (2) Under the rule of these kings, irreligion and immorality had spread fast, and struck their roots deep and wide in the kingdom. This will undermine any dynasty, will overthrow any empire. Rulers make a great mistake when they fix attention solely on external prosperity. If the foundations are rotten, the structure will sooner or later inevitably come down. (3) Zachariah himself was a feeble king. This is implied even in the brief notice we have of him. It may be he who is referred to by Hosea, "In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine," etc. (Hos. vii. 5). In any case, we know that he was not only weak, but wicked-" He did evil in the sight of the Lord." 2. T!te prophetic word fulfilled. A brief six months of the throne was all that was allowed to Zachariah. He seems to have been held in contempt by the people. His feeble character wonld appear the more feeble in contrast with that of his energetia and victorious father. We have a similar contrast in English history between Richard Cromwell and his father, Oliver. But Zachariah was more than feeble, he was worth- less. Therefore, when the conspirator Shallum smote the king in the light of public day, "before the people," no hand seems to have been raised in his defence. He perished, and the house of Jehu was extinguished with him. Sinners do not live out half their days (Ps. Iv. 23). In due time the words of God are all fulfilled. II. THE REIGN OF MENAHEM. We may pass by the brief reign of Sha.Hum, which lasted only a month, and of which no events are recorded. He was slain by Mena.hem, the son of Gadi, illustrating the truth of which this chapter affords other exemplifica- tions, that they who take the sword shall perish by the sword (Matt. xxvi. 52). In respect of Mena.hem, we notice: J. His violent usurpation. He too possessed himself of the throne by violent means. He smote Sballum in Samaria, as Sha.Hum had, a few weeks before, smitten Zachariah. The effect of these revolutions on the more.ls of the people and the administration of law may be imagined. What respect could be felt for royalty established by such methods? Shallum, indeed, was a murderer, but Mena.hem was no better. Neither by sanction of God nor by election of the people, but solely by brute force, did he set"himself upon the throne. His rule was thus, in its inception and essence, a tyranny. - To this had Israel come by rejecting their true Ruler-God. "'l'hey have set up kings," said God, "but not by me" (Hos. viii. 4), He who rejects God as his Sovereign must bear a. heavier yoke. 2. Bis sickening c1"1u,lties. The fact that Menahem kept the throne for ten years shows him to have been a man of no small natural ability. But his disposition was savagely cruel. Not only fild he smite Sha.Hum-a deed which might be pardoned-but in his. war w~th 'l'iphsah he was guilty of brutal atrocities on those who refused to submit to him (cf. ver. 16). In this he showed hill1self a. man of a fierce and unscrupulous cha- racter. The people had become fierce, godless, and violent; and God gave them 11 king after their own image. 3. His league with Assyria. 'l'his is not the first C?ntact or lsrael with Assyria, but it is the first mention of that contact in the sacred history. on. xv. 1-38.] T8E SECOND BOOK OF TBE KINGS. 811