EXPOSITION. OHAPTER XXVII. which may be Englished "the swelling ground," It was the extreme south end of This chapter of nine verses is pe.ralleled by the spur which gradually narrowed south- the seven verses of 2 Kings xv. 32-38. It ward, and which was the continnation of consists of personal particulars respecting the Bezetha hill, bounded by the brook Jotham (vers. 1, 2); bis building and his Kedron on the east, and the Tyroprnon on wars (vers. 3-6); a reference to his further the west. This extreme south part called doings (ver. 7); an exact repetition of a part tothe Ophol sank into the bounding valleys the Kedron precipitously and to the of the first verse (ver. 8); his death, burial, Tyropceon gradually. Pp. 328-335 of and successor (ver. 9). Conder's 'Handbook' (2nd edit.), and spe- Ver. 1.--J'erushah. This name in the cially pp. 332-334, well repay o. thorough parallel is spelt with a final aleph instead etndy. A ditch was cut across the narrowest of he. Nothing else is known of Jerushah, part of the ridge, which separated the nor of her father Zadok. temple hill itself from the Bezetha hill. In Ver. 2.-Howbeit. This word purports to these parts fortifications were built, and no render the Hebrew p'J, which might find doubt to such it is our text calls attention. Ver. 4.-The mountains of Judah; He- a more telling reproduction in such e. phrase brew, in~; Revised Version, hill country of as '; and moreover." It has been said, Judah, tlie Hebrew text being in the singular wherein his father did right, so did he; and to his clear advantage, where his father went number (compare particularly Josh. ix. 1, where the Bar is evidently placed in con- wrong, he did not. The people did yet trast with the Shefelah), Castles; Hebrew, corruptly, The parallel, in its ver. 35, speci- fies in what this consisted, viz. that they n\•~7:l) (so eh. xvii. 12). The meaning is continued the high places, burning incense that he built forts (Isa. ii. 15 ; Hos. viii. H). nnd sacrificing at them. The early chapters Ver. 5.-He fought ... the King of the of Isaiah depict forcibly the exten I of this Ammonites. No allusion is made to the national apostasy, and the heinous offen- matter of this verse in the parallel, which siveness of it in the Divine sight. contains a statement of the Syrian Rezin's Ver. 3.-The high gate. In the pR?allel, attack or threatened invasion of Judah, as rendered in the Authorized Version the well as Pekah's, son of Remalfoh King of Israel. Of the Ammonites' defeat by Uzzfah "higher" gate, the Hebrew (]i'~ll/l) being we have just heard (foregoing chapter, ver, the same in both places. The R~vised Ver- 8). A general statement is all that is made sion shows "upper gate" in both places, there of the gifts or tribute they then had It was probably the gate whioh led from to pay. The present tribute was a heavy the pulace to the temple's outer court (see payment, and enforced for three years. The eh. xxiii. 20, and note there). On the wall "wheat" an<l "barley," in which payment of 0phel; Hebrew, ~~P~; i.e. the ophel, was largely lllll,u,e bespeak the fertile arable 82€ '!'RE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. [err. xxvn. 1-9.
qu11lity of the Ammonite le.nd, e.nd this is of Iarael and J'udah. Note co.refully the noticed by trRvellem to the present day. p11.rollel, ver. 36, e.ud also ver. 6 of same Ver. 6.-The virtue of the reflection of chapter, entries of Judah kinge, e.ud comp. this verse is e.ppe.rent. Prepared; Hebrew, vers. 11, 15, 21, 26, 31 of BRme ohe.pter (2 r::m ; Revised Version, ordered; with some Kings xv.), entries of Israel kings. others (euoh 11,11 "set stra.ight,'' eto.), a good Ver. 8.-This verse is identioal with so rPndering in keeping with other Old Teste.- much of vcr. 1 as has to do with sume sub- mmt renderings of words betokening moral ject; the.t it is no mere careless repeated habitude. insflrtion, however, is evidenced by the uawe Ver. 7.-.1.ll his wars (see note on ver. 5, Jothe.m in that verse, in the place ocoupied and plll'&llel, ver. 37). The book of the kin,a by was in this verse.
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-9.-The blameless reign of a son who followed all that wa9good in a father's Qample, and took warning of what was wrong in it. The preacher me.y te.ke occasion, from the apparently scant contents of this chapter, 'to enlarge on the general subject of example as a force in human life, pointing out its strong points and its weaker side; what is requisite to give it a steady and equable influence, and how there is only one perfect Example-an Example always and in all things and by all worthy to be followed. Point may be given to the subject, as based on this chapter, by observing how it reminds us that- I. No HUMAN EXAMPLE CAN BE WORTHY TO BE FOLLOWED AND COPIED IN EVERY l!.ESPECT. The most filial son may not look to the wisest, kindest, and most religious father as an absolutely safe guide and model in everything; and so, through the whole range and operation of the relationships, and the influences in them for good even, which affect our character and are prone to dominate our life. JI. THE EXA.MPLES 011 THOSE WHOM WE BEST LOVE-OF GREAT MEN, OF THE SAINT- LIEST-KNOWN CHARACTERS, OF THOSE WHOM WE DESERVEDLY ADMIRE AND VENERATE- MUST NOT BE MADE ANY SLAVISH MODEL, MUCH LESS PERVERTED INTO AN IDOLATROUS Oh"'E. Nay, how very common it is, in such cases, to see that errors, defects, peculiari- ties, mannerisms, are what are copied first, while the weightier qualities and objects of imitation are overlooked! As if we imitate perfectly our human model, much is still wanting of Divine perfection, and which in our measure it is quite possible to incorpo- rate; so, if we imitate slavishly, we are putting in what had better be left out, and are often caught putting it in, even at the expense of omitting the worthier things. fil flIDIAN EXAMPLE GIVES THE HELP OF WARMTH, SYMPATHY, AND AN ENCOURAGING Th"DUCEMENT TO ATTEMPT WHAT WE KNOW FROM IT THAT OTHERS HAVE DONE 0B ATTATh'ED. It offers our thought and our moral nature a stepping-stone; it leads us on by the analogy to take the advantage of higher endeavour and of a higher model. IV. FoR THE DISCRIMINATION ABSOLUTELY NEY.I.ED, WHEN WE ARE FOLLOWING HUMAN EXAMPLES, SINCERE ENDEAVOUR, CONSCIENTIOUS THOUGHT, AND HUMBLE PRAYER WILL DO VEIIY MUCH To FIT us. .As in so much else these three moderating and directing forces reap God's bleseing and gain safe practical results, so assuredly they will here, in what is a delicate grace to bloom and flouri11h in any circumstances, viz. that of discrimination. Jotham was me.de wise in this respect above many others, and his brief but very expressive and unique biography is therefore written without one single reproach or blot.