The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Chronicles — Section 119

EXPOSITION. nine years, n.c. 726-697) ; of Amaziah CHAPTER X. (twenty-nine years, B.O. 838-809) ; of This chapter begins the fourlh and last Jehoshaphat (twenty-five years, B.c. 918- great division of the work once called in 893); o.nd of Rehoboam (seventeen years, its unity, "The Chronicles." This fonrth B.c. 979-962). The last of the mournfnl anrl lost division, therefore, will see us to procession was Zedekiah, who was mocked the end of our eh. xxxvi., where we find, with the title for eleven years (B.c. 598- by an historical anticipation of ubove fifty 587). In the dates of this chronology, years, the memorable proclamation of Cyrus, though slight differences are found, there i3 which authorized the return of the captive little room for variation when once the Jews, and sanctioned the rebuilding of the initial and, in consequence, final dates are temple. This stretch of history, divided in fixed. The line of successio11 fa hereditary our Authorized Version into twenty-seven throughont, and almost entirely oi strict chapters, covers, therefore, e. period of about lineal descent, i.e. from father to son, if we four hundred and fifty years; it ignores al.most except, first, the interruption caused by the totally the career of Israel, and, in olearest Queen Athaliah, mother of her predecessor accord with its post-captive and prophetic Almziili ; secondly, J oash, her gr,mdson and objects, abides uninterruptedly by that of the successor, who was son of Ahuziuli ; thirdly, sacred dynasty of Judah. The kings are Jehoiachim (so named by the KingofEgypt, in number twenty, beginning with Reho, but formerly named Eliakim), who was boam, ending with Zedekiah, of whom, how- brother of his predecessor J ehoahaz; o.ud, ever, the last four can be credited with but fourthly, Ze,lekio.h (or l\fattaniah), who was little eemplance of independent e.uthority, the paternal uncle (2 Kings =iv. 17) of his for they were the alternate v11ssals of the predecessor Jehoio.chin, and who was put l'ival o.nd antugonistic powers of Egypt and on the throne by N ebuclrndnezz,1r, against Assyria. The longest reigns of the twenty whom he in due time rose in rebellion, and were those of Manasseh (fifty-five years, B.c. by whom he wns sent captive to Babylon, 697-6,12); of Uzzio.h or Azari!th (fifty-one after seeing his sons slain, and having there- years, n.c, 809-758); of Asa (forty-one upon bis own cye3 put out. After biw tbcre years, n.o. 959-918); of Johoosh (forty was no more a king in Judah. It will be years, n.o. 878-838); of Josiah (thirty-one obvious thu.t, if the years 1uarkiug the dura- yea.re, n.o. 640-609); of Hezekiah (twenty• tion of the succeeding reii;ns Lo sulll!lled  '1'13:E SECOND BOOK OF 'l'I1t CHRO~ICtES. [ott. x. 1-19,