The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Chronicles — Section 216

tion ~rem~ to hn'l"e been carried to n further Ver. 30.-Onr had eommanded st&nds point than in JudRh, and considering its rendered in the p&r&llel not so explicitly weater ext,<>nt. its f81' inferior metropolitan "commanded," but in both cases the Hebrew force. its douhle place of worship and 1!8,(lri- text is the same (:'7.13!). Therefore, if the fice, these largely idolRtrous, and in all this place of vers. 29, 30 were inverted, what the undoubted degraded 11uthority of its reads like the cool suggestion of Ahab in central government, this is very explainnble. ver. 29 wouh\ seem more tolerable. lllcau- It is true the.t in both kingdoms history timo, Benhadad's command &rgues the speaks equally of snob offices and officers intensity of his resentment towards Ahab, e.s were distinctly military or looked that and not less ungrateful forgetfulness for way, but it can scarcely be without a roe.son the ultimate consideration that Ahab had tbRt for the numerous allusions in Israel e.llowed to him (1 Kings xx. 31-34). (1 Kings xvi. 8-10; xviii. 3; xx. 7; xxi. Ver. 31.-Comparing this and following 7-13; 2 Kings i. 8-17; iii. 6; X. 5) t.o verse minutely with the parallel (1 Kings councils of elders (well Jniown before the xxii. 32, 83), the exact correspondence of the disruption), e.nd governors of pale.ces, of Je.tter of esch pe.ir of verses only the more cities, of houses, and of provinces, there is clearly points the significance belonging to the sce.rcely one in the records of Judah. Hero two clauses of foreign matter interposed so pOBSibly enough the executive would be characteristically by the writer of Chronicles more vigorous. more oompe.ct, and more for his own unvarying special objects, viz. direct nnd close in its action from head- the Lord helped him ; and God moved them. quarters, while in both divisions of what What the ory of Jehoshaphat wa.s remains should have been the one kingdom, roye.lty nncerte.in; whether a cry to his own body- was by profession constitutional, and in its guard and soldiers, or a cry to those who devolution herodito:ry. were beginning "to oompase him about as Ver. 26.-Only the slightest difi'erenoes bees," to Jet them know e.t o.ny rate that he are noticeable between this verse and the we.s not the king they sought, or whether parallel, this Je.tter using the sign of the most improbably, a cry to the Lord is meant. objective ce.se (which in this inst.a.nee would The cry fulfilled its purpose, e.nd if J ehosha- probably lend some contemptuousness of phe.t had a sneaking Jove for Ahnb (see the expression), and using the word "come" significnnt "love them," etc., of Jehu in in.st.ead of return. second verse of next chapter), he evidently Ver. 27.-The coure.ge and :fidelity of had not e.ny idea of needlessly dying for Mice.ill.b., in not deserting either his prophet- him. The happy distinction of perceiving messe.ge or his prophet-Master, are admir- in next verse, as compared with seeing in able, and for his determined appeal to all this verse, is not warranted by the Hebrew the people, which was made in the very face text (in both cases niN:,~), though it is by of the king or kings, see ai,,,ain Mice.h i. 2. the gist of the connection and English Ver. 28.-It most remain doubtful which idiom. of the Icing's carried with him the nneasier Ver. 33.-At a venture; Hebrew, il!li:,1;,; heart. What Jehoshe.phe.t might he.ve i.e. "in his innocence." The root is tlie gained in less element of personal and familiar root expressive of uprightness, physice.l fear, he by rights should have lost perfectness, simplicity, and the meaning in sensitiveness of conscience. here is that the shooter wa.s innocent of whiit Ver. 29.-.Ahab does not seem disposed to e. distinguished deed he was doing, of the lose anything age.in for want of asking, and personality of the man at whom he aimed even vouchsa.:6.ng apparently (but it is ex- (for it is not necessary to suppose his shot ceedingly likely the.t this arises from our was quite at random), and of the skill that failing to e.ppreci.e.te exe.ctly the force of the gave the e.rrow to reach its ultimate destiny. Hebrew forms in the text) to use the tone Between the joints of the harness; literally, of directing, to his brother-king of the between the jointa and the harness, i.e. that bett.er part e.nd kingdom. It must be pre- part called the breastplate. The arrow went 11nmed that there we.s something t.o relieve through, or by the side of one of the actual Ahab's le.ngnage of the barefaced disregard articulations of the armour-mail worn. for the se.fety of J ehoshaphe.t e.nd regard for Ahab's direction to the chariot-driver at the his own, which lie on the snrfe.ce of the spur of the fust wounded moment to turn words he uses. Quite possibly, for instance, e.nd carry him out of the host, was evidently both knew that Ahab was to be tf.e mark of qualified, when he found that the wound the shooters. Also Ahab's disgui&e may was not immediately fate.I. As the heat of have mt:unt a heavy price to pay to his pri~e, the battle grew, e.nd victory did not e.t once while Jehoshaphat's dignity was saved rn- turn one way or the other, ho was the more t&ct. So, too, Ahab may have merely pur- anxious t.o give the moral support of his ported to say, "You c:m, without any sp8ciu.l presence t.o the last to his army, and, nno.blo rhlk, W{;ll.l your royal apparel; but I," etc. to stand by himBelf, he was 11upported by liis cm, xvnt. 1-34.) 'l'HE SECOND BOOK OF 'fIIE CHRONICLES. 217