Vers. 4-11.-A royal reformer. I. AN OLD WORK RESUMED. The reformation of religion (ver, 4). 1. The reformer. Jehoshaphat. Whether the work was done by special plenipotentiaries, ns in the former instance (eh. xvii. 7, 8), or by the kine, in person, or, as is most probable, by both, the mainspring of this movement, as of the fo~er, was Jehoshaphat; and for a sovereign of Judah it was certainly much more becoming occupation than feasting with Ahab or fighting with Benhadad. Such as are kinc,s and priests unto God should study to walk: worthy of their name and vocatio□ (Eph."iv. 1; Phil. i. 27), and, for them, furthering the interests of religion amongst themse.l ves and others, at home and a.broad, is nobler employment (1 Cor. xv. 58 ; Gal. vi. 9; Titus iii. 1; 3 John 8) than revelling and drunkenness, chambering and wantonness, strife and jealousy (Rom. xiii. 14), after the example of the world. 2. The reformed. The people from Beersheba to Mount Ephraim, The king's efforts, though doubtless begin- ning at, were not limited to Jerusalem, but extended through the whole country from its southern to its northern limit, So Christ commanded his apostles, though beginni □ g at Jerusalem (Luke xxiv, 47), to go into all the world and preach the gospel unto every creature (Mark xvi. 15). 3. The reformation. A return to the worship of Jehovah, the God of their fathers. This work, auspiciously begun some time before (eh. xvii. 3-9), but interrupted by the Ra.moth-Gilead expedition, was now re8umed by the bumbled, presumably also enlightened and repentant, monarch. A good work in itself, it was likewise e. right work, since he and his people were pledged by covenant to worship Jehovah (eh. xv. 12); a necessary work, if the kingdom was to be established and prosper; and a work which should neither be interrupted nor delayed, but com- pleted with convenient speed. II. A NEW WORK BEGUN, The est:i.blisbment of courts of justice in the land (vers. 5-11). 1. Provincial courts. (1) The seats of the judges. The fortified cities throughout the land, because these were "the central points for the traffic of the dis- tricts in which they were situated" (Berthean). (2) The work of the judges. To administer justice, not for man, but for Jehovah, i.e. to dispense not merely what man might reckon equity, but what was truly such in God's sight---cases submitted to them to decide, not at man's dictation, or in compliance with man's wishes, but " in the name and according to the will of the Lord" (Keil). (3) The duty of the judges. To act couscientiously, as in Jehovah's sight, having the fear of Jehovah and the dread of offending him constantly upon their spirits (Exod. xviii. 21; 2 Sam. xxiii. 3), espe- cially shunning injustice and corruption, remembering that with Jehovah is no respect of persons or taking of bribes (Deut. x. 17 ; Job viii. 3 ; uxi v. 19 ; Eph. vi. 9 ; 1 Pet. i. 17). (4) The Keeper of the judges. Jehovah. As the judgment they should give should be practically his judgment (Prov. xxix. 26), it must be beyond suspicion, commend itself to all who heard it as righteous (Ps. cuix. 137), and be accepted by them to whom it was delivered as final (Rom. iii. 4; ix. 14; Rev. xvi. 5; xix. 2). Hence, if they entered on their duties in a right spirit, Jehovah would be with them to guide them in forming, speaking, and maintaining their judgments (Ps. xxv. 9; xlvi. 5; Prov. ii. 8; iii. 6). 2, A supreme tribunal. (1) Its locality. Jerusalem, the capital of the country, the proper seat of such a court. (2) Its object. For the judg- ment of the Lord and for controversies (ver. 8), or for" all matters of Jehovah," and "for all the king's matters" (ver. 11); i.e. for the hearing ofappeals, and the settlement of disputes referred to it from the lower courts concerning religious or ecclesiastical affairs, as e.g. causes depending on decisions " between law and commandment, statutes and judgments," or on the interpretation and application of the laws of Moses; and, again, for similar verdicts in purely civil cases, as e.g. cases of murder and manslaughter, of consanguinity and inheritance, etc., all of which may be included in the phrase "between blood and blood." (3) Its constitution. Three orders of members-Levites, priests, heads of fathers' houses. Its courts two-an ecclesiastical, or religious, and a civil. Its presidents two-in the ecclesiastical court, Amariah the high priest, "described in 1 Chron. v. 37 as the fifth high priest from Zadok, the contemporary of 238 THE SECOND BOOK OF THE OHRONICLES. [011. xx. 1-37.
David" (Bertheau), though this is doubtful (Keil); in the civil court, Zobadiah the son of I~hmael, the prince of the house of Judah, i.e. the tribal prince of Judah, Its assistants and servants, the Levites, i.e. such of them as had not been elected judges, (4) Its working. When a cause came before the judges, these were to warn the liti- gants not to trespass against Jehovah (which would practically be the same t.hing as putting them on oath to tell the truth), lest by sinning against Jehovah they should bring wrath upon themselves and their brethren; whilst the judges were themselves to dispenBe judgment in tho fear of the Lord, or reverentially, faithfully, with a perfect heart or sincerely, and courageously-four qualities indispensable for an ideal judgo- in which case the Lord would be with them to uphold their verdicts. Learn: 1. The precedence that belongs to religion even in a commonwealth. Jehoshaphat cuts down idol-groves before he erects courts of law. 2. No administra- tion of justice ca.n be trusted that is not based on reli~ion and the fear of God. 3. He that sits in a judicial chair should be sage, saint, and soldier, learned, devout, and courageous, all in one. 4. No system of dispensing equity can command confidence that does not admit of appeal from inferior to superior courts, 6. Judges should remember that they themselves a.lso must one day be judged. 6. How much the jurisprudence of modern times is indebted to the Bible !-W.