The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Chronicles — Section 313

under Jehnshe.phat (eh. xvii. 10-13), had the word wcmted is angle. Tho alto or this lifted up their heads repeatedly sinoe, e.s on ge.to oe.nnot very certainly be pronounced one oeee.sion in e.llianee with Aritbiane (eh. upon. Perhaps the angle that marks the xxi. 16, 17) against Jehoram. Brako down gate is that at tho sout.h•eo.st corner of the the wall (see eh. xxv. 23, the first occasion temple plateau. The hrngungo of Noh. iii. of this exaot expression). Gath (soo the 19 is our best clue: "Next to him Ezer parallel to our eh. xxiv. 23, 2!l in 2 Kings repaired ... a piece over against the goiug xii. 17). J'e.bneh. A city on the COaBt, north- up to tho armoury at the turning." west of Judah, now Je1:ma(see Josh. xv. 10- Ver. 10.-Towers in the desert; Hebrew, 12). Ashdod. Also on the coast, about eight ,~:n;i~ ; the rendering should be the usual miles south of Je.bneh (Josh. xv. 47). It is one or "wilderness." This was the cattlc- now a large village in Philistie., cit!led Esdud, po.sture west and south-west of the Dead Seo.. answering to the Azotus of Acts viii. !lO The towers were needed for forts of observa- (sec Topogre.phice.l Index to Conder's 'Hand- tion age.inst marauding nnd cattle-robbing in- book to tlie Bible;' and Dr. Smith's • Ilible cursions,e.s well as for shelter in some attacks. Dictionary,' sub 1ioc., i. 119). Built cities Me.ny wells; Hebrew, n\i.i. These were not about A&hdod; Revised Version supplies in springs, but ro.ther, as in the mo.rgin, tanks italic type" in the country of Asb.dod." How- and cisterns. Carmel. It is not probable that ever, the force of the preposition ;i before this is the proper no.me. The translation of "Ashdod" in this case speaks for itself; on Carmel iB "fertile field." As a proper name account of the great importe.noe of the place, it occurs about twenty times, from Josh. xii. in respect of its situation, on the road to 22; xv. 55; xix. 26; on to Amos i. 2 ; ix. 8; Egypt, the strength of its position and and perhaps Micah vii. H ; and as not a. perhaps the memory of the fact that, allotted proper name it occurs a.bout twenty times to Judah, it had never really been appro- also ; the "fruitful field," e.g., of Isa. xxix. priated by her, and incorporated with her, 17 and xxxii. 15 shows in the Hebrew text Uzziah saw it expedient to surround it with ',1;r:i~~- The aspect of this Yerse is very other fortified cities, or strong forts, which picturesque, and the picturesqueness vel'y should be a watch upon it. pleasant, with its low country and pasturing Ver. 7.-Gur-baal. Though nothing is cattle, its pi.a.ins and their herds, its hills o.nd known of this place (the meaning of which their vines, all quickened into life by the is " abode of Ba.e.l," perhaps from some mention of towers and wells, husband.men temple of Ba~.l), yet its companion Me.on, and vine-dressers, and finished off by tl10 the city of the Mehl1llim (eh. x.xi.i.. l; Judg. home-touch that this king's partiality looked x. 12), shows whereabouts it was. to agricultural and pastoral pursuits. Ver. 8.-The Ammonites. This nation Ver. I I .-That went out to war by bands ; lay east of Jordan, north-east of Moab. Note Hebrew, i1ih N:?¥ •~~i'. The last of the~e the interesting references, Numb. xxi. 24; words occurs thirty-three times, and is Deut. ii 37. Gave gifts. This expression rendered " troop" ten times, "company" was found in our eh. xviL 11 ; I Kings iv. four times, " band" fourteen times, and (too 21 ; x. 25. The reference to tribute-payment generically) "army "five times. The middle is evident. The entering in of Egypt. This, word occurs above four hundred times, is of course, marks the breadth of tile land, and rendered "host " au immense preponder- describes the breadth of Uzzia.h's sway or ance of these times, and probably should iu.fl.uence. have been so rendered without exception: Ver. 9.-Built towers in 1erusalem. The The first word is the peel participle kal excellent map, above alluded to ( eh. xxv. 23), of the familiar verb N¥~, and compels the in Conder's • Handbook to the Bible' (2nd translation (given literally) "the goers out edit.), facing p. 334, furnishes a. very clear of the host by bands." Meantime, if the idea alike of these towers and of the we.Us persons here spoken of were leaders, e.e of J erosalem, as we can make them out, for seems poHsible, the hiph. participle is Uzziah's times. For the corner gate, see required (which would postulate an initial onr note, eh. xxv. 23. Valley gate. This is mem for the present initial yod), and a most called by some the Gehenna gate. As many typical example among some thirty others as three sites, reducible perhaps to two, are essentially similar way be quoted from lee.. proposed for this gate: (1) the west gate, xl. 26. Their a.coount by the haud of J'eiel ; ea.lied somewhile the "Je.:ffa" gate; or (2) i.e. their muster tabulated by Jeiel, whose a gate over the valley of" Hinnom;" or, if office is mentioned before in our eh. xxv. 11. it be not the se.we, (3) that at the valley of Under the hand of Hananiah. That is, Tyropwon. And at the tnming;. Hebre:,v, Hananiah was head of iho whole wo.ttcr of J7\i:;-:?:>n. - I'. - TLill word occurs eleven tunes, VIZ. the registering, etc. twice in Exodw four times in Nehemiah, Ver. 12.-0f the mighty men of vo.lour. four times in Ez~kiel, and in this place, and Tho " of" here is incorrect; the former sub- ie 11.l ways rendered "comer" or "turning;" stantive ill not necessarily in construct state. 011. xxv1. 1-23.J 'fHE SEUOND BOOK OF THE CHRONIULES. 315