The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Chronicles — Section 201

IV. To WHAT IT OONDUOTED. Seeming success. Wicked schemes often appear to prosper for 11. sell.Son (Pa. xxxvii. 1; xcii. 7). Three things resulted from Asa's state- craft. 1. Benhadad accepted the briae. (Ver. 4.) The golden and eilvern keys of m11mmon can unlock the doors of most hearts. Great grace is needed to resist the power of money. "Wealth maketh many friends," and "every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts" (Prov. xix. 4, 6). Sometimes others besides wicked persons are guilty of" taking gifts out of their bosom" (Prov. xvii. 23). Asa's present was too much for Benhadad's virtue. The King of Syria deserted his ally, the Kin" of Israel for the King of Judah, as he would by-and-by desert the King of Judah fo; the next highest bidder. Nor did he merely not assist Baasha, maintaining as it were an attitude of armed neutrality between the hostile powers, but he trea.cherously "sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon and Dan, and Abel-maim, and all the store-cities of Naphtali" (see Exposition). Had as Baasha was, and infamous as was hie project, the character and conduct of Benhadad were equally reprehensible and offensive. But it is no part of wicked men's creed that they should change not when they swear to their own hUit (Ps. xiv. 4), or that tbey should keep faith with one another longer than appears for their advantage so to do. Modern kings and statesmen are sometimes charged with acting on similar lines in the making and the breaking of treaties. If the charge is true, it is not to their creclit, and must ultimately tUID to their people's hUit. 2. Baasha desisted from hisfortifications. He left off building Ramah, and allowed his work to cease (ver. 5). Had Baasha been engaged upon a good work, upon God's work, the fallin~ away of Benhadad would have mattered nothing; but being a wicked man himself, and occupied with a wicked enter- prise, when the prop which supported him fell, he also was precipitated to the ground. When creature-arms fail the saints, the saints lean the heavier on the Almighty Ann; when wicked men are deprived of that in which they trust, they have nothing else to trust to. 3. .Asa despoiled Ramah, and turned its stones and timber to his own use. He built therewith Geba and Mizpah (ver. 6); i.e. he fortified them. Both were in Benjamin, tbe former two miles and a half north of Ramah, on the road to Michmash ; the latter thirteen miles and a half from Ramah, on the north road from Jerusalem. Thus what Baasha had collected for the injury, Asa employed in the defence, of Judah. So believers may legitimately use the arguments and learning of heretics and unbelievers to establish the truth which these seek to overthrow (Bossuet). Again, whereas Baasha intended to despoil Judah, he was himself despoiled by both Benhadad (ver. 4) and Asa (ver. 6). Mischief-makers often find their mischief return upon their own heads, and violent dealers see their violence descend upon their own pates (Ps. vii. 15, 16; Prov. xxvi. 27; Matt. vii. 2). LESSONS. 1. The lust of acquiring the true parent of war (Jas, iv. 1, 2). 2. 'I'he wickedness of bribery (Prov. :x:vii. 23) 3. The certainty of retribution (Numb. :x:xxii. 23; Gal. vi. 7). 4. 'I'he baseness of treachery (Prov. :x::x:v. 19; :x::x:vii. 6; Obad. 7).-W. Vers. 7-10.-The king and the prophet. I. THl!: PROPHET'S MESSAGE TO TltE KI~G. (Vers. 7-9.) 1. The prophet's name. Hanani, "Favourable" (Gesenius); otherwise unknown, though conjectUied to be the father of "Jehu the son of Hanani," who announced to Baasha the ruin of his house (1 Kings xvi. 1), and afterw!lrds appeared at the court of Jehoshaphat (eh. xix. 2), having probably been obliged to flee from the northern kingdom on account of his ill-omened communication. (1) This was the second time God had sent a prophet to Asa. God usually gives to men "line upon line, and precept upon precept" (Isa. xxviii. 10). (2) This was a second prophet God had sent to Asa. God has no lack of messengers to run upon his errands. When a word wants speaking to the Church or to the state, he can always find the man to speak it (Ps. lxviii. 11). (3) The message God sent by Hanani was different from that sent by Azariah. That was a word of counsel; this, of rebuke. God always suits his communications to the needs of his hearers. "Every Scripture inspired by God is profitable," etc. (2 Tim. iii. 16). (4) Those who serve God faithfully as his messengers are sure to find ample remuneration. Because of this mission well executed, Hanani has obtained a posthumous renown, which will carry his name throughout the world and to the end of time (cf. Mark xiv. 9). 2. The prophet's sermo11. (1) A great 202 THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. [ott. xvr.1-14.