Matthew Poole and continuators on 2 Kings 15

IN the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel , began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign .

Quest. How can this be true, seeing Amaziah, the Father of this Azariah, lived onely till the 15th Year of Ieroboam's Reign, chap. 14. 2, 23? Ans. This might be either, First, Because Ieroboam was made King by, and Reigned with his Father eleven or twelve Years, and afterwards Reigned alone; and so there is a twofold beginning of his Kingdom; by the former this was his 27 Year, and by the later, his 15th Year. Or, Secondly, Because there was an inter-Reign for eleven or twelve Years in the Kingdom of Iudah; either, through the prevalency of that Faction which cut off Amaziah the Father, and kept the Son out of his Kingdom; or, because Azariah was very young when his Father was slain, and the people were not agreed to restore him to his right till his 16th Year, chap. 14. 21. 2 Chr. 26. 1. And yet these 11 or 12 Years of inter-Reign, in which he was excluded from the exercise of his Regal office, some think to be included in those 52 Years which are here ascribed to Azariah's Reign, ver. 2. which may well be doubted.

Called also Uzziah here, and v. 13, 30.

Solely and fully to exercise his Regal power.

Marginal references: Heb. reigned.

2 Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem, and his mothers name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem.

Besides the sixteen Years of his minority last mentioned.

3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done ;

i. e. In the same manner, unsincerely, and but for a time.

4 Save that the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places.

Understand this, as howbeit, chap. 14. 4.

5 ¶ And the LORD smote the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house : and Jotham the kings son was over the house, judging the people of the land .

The cause whereof see 2 Chron. 26. 16.

Separated from conversation with others by vertue of that Law, Lev. 13. 46. which being the Law of the King of kings, bound kings no less than subjects.

i. e. He governed the Kings Court and whole Kingdom, in his name, and as his Vicegerent.

Marginal references: 2 Chr. 26. 19.

8 ¶ In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah , did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months.

Of which see the Note on ver. 2.

10 And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people , and slew him, and reigned in his stead.

One of his chief Captains.

Openly and impudently: which he presumed to do; either, because he remembred that the promise of the Kingdom made to Iehu, was confined to the fourth Generation, chap. 10. 30. which he observed to be now expired: or, because he perceived that the people were generally disaffected to their King, and favourable to his attempt.

Marginal references: Job 34. [illegible: 1+ letters]6. Amos 7. 9.

16 ¶ Then Menahem smote Tiphsah , and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah : because they opened not to him , therefore he smote it, and all the women therein that were with child, he ript up .

Either that Tiphsah mentioned 1 King. 4. 24. or another City of that name.

i. e. All the people dwelling between Tirzah and Tiphsah.

Because they refused to open the Gates of their City to him, and to submit to him as Conqueror.

That by this example of severity he might affright all the rest of the people into obedience.

Marginal references: Chap. [illegible: 1 word] ▪

19 And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land ; and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him, to confirm the kingdom in his hand .

Called by Heathen An[illegible: 1+ letters]hors Pul-Belochus, who by the help of Arbaces the Mede, vanquished Sardanapalus the last Monarch of Assyria, and translated the Kingdom to Chaldaea, and was the first King of Babylon and Assyria; Arbaces being made King of the Medes and Persians.

To wit, of Israel, as the context shews.

i. e. Agreed or promised to give, as the next Verse explains it.

That he might assist him against all that did or should oppose him. By which it appears, that his cruelty to Tiphsah was so far from establishing him, as he expected, that it weakned and endangered him so far, that he was forced to call in a Foreign Prince to his aid.

Marginal references: 1 Chr. [illegible: 1 word] Isa. 9. 1.

20 And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty men of wealth, of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria: so the king of Assyria turned back, and stayed not there in the land.

i. e. Of each of those wealthy Israelites. But as each of these were not equally Wealthy, so it is not probable that he taxed them equally. Others therefore render it, to or for each man, i. e. for every Assyrian Soldier: which Interpretation is favoured by the placing of the words in the Hebrew Text, which differs from that in our Translation.

Marginal references: Heb. caused to come forth.

25 But Pekah the son of Remaliah, a captain of his, conspired against him, and smote him in Samaria, in the palace of the kings house, with Argob, and Arieh , and with him fifty men of the Gileadites : and he killed him, and reigned in his room.

Who might be either Pekah's Partners in this Treason: or, the Kings Courtiers or Officers, who were now slain with him.

Who assisted him in the execution of his Treason.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] were.

29 In the days of Pekah king of Israel, came Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abel-beth-maachah , and Janoah , and Kedesh, and Hazor , and Gilead , and Galilee , all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria.

Or, Tiglath-pilneser, 2 Chron. 28. 20. called in Heathen Authors Phulasar, or Phul-Assur, the Son of that Pul or Phul above, v. 9.

Of which see 1 King. 15. 20.

A City of Ephraim, Jos. 16. 6.

Two Cities of Napthali, Jos. 12. 22. and 19. 36.

All the Land beyond Iordan, which was nigher to the Assyrian than the rest.

To wit, the upper Galilee, as may be gathered from the following words, all (or, even all) the land of Naphthali: which seem to be added by way of explication or restriction, to shew what Galilee he meant, even the upper, in which Naphthali's lot fell. See the Notes on Isa. 9. 1.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1+ letters] Chr. 5. 26.

30 And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and smote him, and slew him , and reigned in his stead, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah .

Which he did more easily effect, because the people were enraged against Pekah, as the Man who by his murder of King Pekahiah the Son of Menahem, whom the Assyrian Monarch set up and favoured, and by his unnecessary War with Ahaz, had brought the Assyrian upon them, and caused the loss of one half of that Kingdom.

Quest. How could this be, when Iotham Reigned onely 16 Years, below, v. 33? Ans. The meaning is, That he began his Reign in the twentieth Year after the beginning of Iotham's Reign; or, which is the same thing, in the fourth Year of Ahaz, Son of Iotham, as appears from chap. 16. 1. But the Sacred Writer, having not yet ma[illegible: 1+ letters]e mention of Ahaz, thought it more proper to number Hoshea's Years by Iotham, of whom he had spoken, than by Ahaz. Besides, as Iotham did Reign divers Years in his Fathers life, so might Ahaz in Iotham's life, and Iotham might for divers reasons (which it is needless he[illegible: 1+ letters]e to enquire) resign up the Administration of the Kingdom wholly into Ahaz his hands some Years before his death, and therefore might be said to Reign but 16 Years, though he lived longer.

33 Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign , and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and his mothers name was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok.

To wit, properly and alone: for he had Reigned before this, as his Fathers Deputy and Vice-Roy.

35 ¶ Howbeit, the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense still in the high places: he built the higher gate of the house of the LORD .

Not of the Temple, properly so called; but of one of the Courts of the Temple, probably that which led to the Kings Palace, 2 Chron. 23. 20. called also the new gate, Jer. 26. 10. and 36. 10.

37 (In those days the LORD began to send against Judah, Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah)

i. e. Towards the end of Iotham's Reign.

i. e. Disposed their hearts to unite their Forces together, and to make preparation for a War against Iudah: which yet they did not execute till Ahaz his Reign.

Marginal references: Isa. 7. 1.