2 Chronicles 21

NOw Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city o... David: and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.

And he had brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah Two Sons called by the same Name, though doubtless distin guished by some additional Title, which is not mentioned here, because it did not concern succeeding Ages to know it. Though indeed there is a Difference in their Hebrew Names, the one being Azariah, the other Azariahu, hu being the last Syllable in his Name, as in Elihu, and others., and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah Two Sons called by the same Name, though doubtless distin guished by some additional Title, which is not mentioned here, because it did not concern succeeding Ages to know it. Though indeed there is a Difference in their Hebrew Names, the one being Azariah, the other Azariahu, hu being the last Syllable in his Name, as in Elihu, and others., and Michael, and Shephatiah: all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel So he is called either 1. Because he was so by Right: Or 2. Because he was... ing not only of Judah and Benjamin, but of a great number of Israelites, who had come into and settled themselves in his Kingdom, in his and in his Predecessours days; who being a considerable, and the purest and best part of Israel, may well be called Israel, being mo... e truly and properly Gods Israel than their Apostate Brethren, who were no longer worthy of that Name. Or, 3. Because all his Subjects were Israelites; and therefore he was King of Israel, though not of all Israel. Or, 4. With some reflection upon his Memory, for making so strict an Alliance and Friendship with the King of Israel, whos... Cause he defended with his own and his Kingdoms great Hazard, as if he had been the King not so much of Judah, as of Israel. And this may be the rather noted here, because here speedily follows a sad Effect of that wicked and cursed Match. Some say Israel was... oisted into some Copies by the Transcriber instead of Iudah, it was first written..

And their father gave them great gi... ts o... silver and of gold, and of precious things, with... enced cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram, because he was the first-born Whom he conceived that he ought to prefer by virtue of that Law of God, Deut. 21. 15. though otherwise he would not have done it, having probably ere this time perceived his perve... se and wicked Inclinations, and how much he was swayed by his Idolatrous Wi... e. Now he saw his Errour when it was too late..

Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself He took Courage and hardned his heart, as that word sometimes signifies. and slew all his brethren with the sword Partly because they either did, or he knew that they would, oppose him in his Wicked Designs: and partly for his own Security, lest his People, who, as he believed, would be highly exasperated with the Execution of his Counsels, should advance any of them to the Throne and depose him., and divers also of the princes of Israel Either 1. of Judah, here called Israel, of which see the Notes on v. 2. Or. 2. The Princes or Chief Men of Israel, properly so called; not the Princes of all Israel or of the several Tribes thereof, but the Chief of those Israelites who out of Love to God and to the True Religion had forsaken their E... tates and worldly Advantages in the Kingdom of Israel, and were now incorporated with the Kingdom of Judah. These he especially struck at, either 1. Because his Wife instigated him thereunto, both to punish them for their Revolt from her Father, and to deter others from following their Example: Or, 2. Because he justly and truly thought these would be most firm and constant to and zealous for that Religion, which he was resolved to oppose, being both by their Conscience and Interest obliged to it..

Jehoram was thirty and two years old Of this, and v. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. see the Notes on 2 King. 8. 17, &c when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD.

Howbeit, the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David For which in 2 King. 8. 19. it is for David his servants sake... i. e. Not for Davids Merits, but for Gods free Promise and Covenant, as it is here explained., and as he promised to give a light to him, and to his sons for ever.

In his days the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king.

Then Jehoram went forth with his princes, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compas... ed him in, and the captains of the chariots.

So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. The same time also did Libnah revolt from under his hand; because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers To wit, public... ly and avowedly, setting him at Defiance, as the next Verse shows. And this is mentioned, either 1. As the Reason why the Priests, whose City Libnah was, forsook him, because he had forsaken God: Or rather, 2. as the reason why God raised up so many Enemies against him, both from abroad and at home.,

Moreover, he made high places Not to the Lord, whose sworn Enemy he was, but to Baals or False Gods. in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Je... usalem to commit fornication Not only by his Cou... sel and Example, but, as it follows, by Force, by Threats, and Penaltie...., and compelled Judah thereto.

And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet Qu. How could this be, when Elijah was wrapt up to Heaven in Jehoshaphats time, 2 King. 2. & 3. 11. Ans. Either 1. This was Elisha, or some other Prophet called Elijah, because he acted in the Spirit and Power of Elijah for which cause John the Baptist also is so called. Or rather, 2. This was really written by Elijah, who by the Spirit did clearly foresee and foretel the Reign and Acts of Jehoram, (as others did of Jo iah, 1 King. 13. 2. and Isaiah of Cyrus, ch. 45. 3. long before they were born) and in consideration thereof le... t this Prophecy with Elisha to be delivered in due time by him or some other person in his Name and as from his Mouth., saying, Thus says the LORD God of David thy father Whose Name he mentions either to upbraid him with his degeneration from so worthy a Parent: Or to take off his Presumption and Confidence which was grounded upon his being the Son and Successor of David, in whose Posterity the Crown was settled for ever by Gods special Appointment, and by the Approbation of the People., Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father Whose wise Counsel and good Example thou hast despised., no... in the ways of Asa king of Judah;

But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the whored... ms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy fathers house, which were better than thy self More Innocent, and Righteous, and Pious

Behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite thy people Qu. Why the People, for his Sin? Ans. 1. Because the generality of them sinned in complying with his Wicked and Idolatrous Commands through Fear, v. 11. 2. Because he suffered in his Peoples Destruction: For as the Honour, and Safety, and Strength of a King lies in the Multitude and Prosperity of his People, Prov. 14. 28. so when they are diminished and destroyed, the king is very much weakned and endangered by it., and thy children, and thy wives Whose Lives shall go for the Lives of thy Brethren, v. 4., and all thy goods.

And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out, by reason of the sickness day by day i. e. From day to day continually. Or, year upon year, i. e one year after another, or, for the space of two years, as the Event shows, v. 19. Heb. days upon d... ys. Days are oft put for a year, as Exod. 13. 10. Levit. 25. 29. Numb 9. 22. Iudg. 17. 10. 1 Sam. 1. 3. & 27. 7. Amos 4. 4..

Moreover, the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistins A People fully subdued and dispirited: but God now raiseth their Spirits and Courage to do his Work., and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians Heb. near the Cushites, i. e. Either the Ethiopians from whom they were parted only by the Red Sea, each dwelling upon the opposite Shores of it: Or rather a People in Arabia, frequently mentioned in Scripture, and so called either for their likeness in Colour and Complexion to the Ethiopians properly so called; or because the one of these People were a Colony of the other. But the Ethiopians above Egypt were far enough from these other Arabians, being separated from them by the Red Sea..

And they came up into Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the kings house, and his sons also and his wives Whom also they slew, ch. 22. 1. except Ahaziah and Athaliah; who possibly were hidden in some secret and safe Place.: so that there was never a son left him, save Jehoahaz Called also Ahaziah, which signifies the very same thing with... ehoahaz; and Azariah, ch. 22. 6. whose signification is near akin to the other, all signifying Gods taking or helping of him. the youngest of his sons.

And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable disea... e.

And it came to pass that in process of time, after the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died of sore diseases: and his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.

Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed Heb. went, to wit, the way of all the Earth, as it is more fully expressed, Ios. 23. 14. Or, to the land of darkness, as Iob 10. 21, 22. Or, to his long home, Eccles. 12. 5. Or, went away, to wit, out of this World; as this Word is used, Iob 14. 20. Eccles. 5. 15. & 6. 4. there being many such Words and Phrases used concerning death in the Old and New Testament, signifying that death is not an Annihilation, but only a Translation into another Place and State. See Gen. 15. 15. Philip. 1. 23. ‖ Heb. without desire, which may belong either 1. to himself; he had no desire of living longer, nor any pleasure in Life, but was heartily weary of it, through his excedive Pains: Or rather 2. to his People, who did not desire that he should live longer, but oft and heartily wished that he had died sooner: Which contempt of him they showed both by making no burning for him, as they used to do for Good and Landable Kings, ch. 16. 14. and by denying him burial among the Kings, as it here follows. Desire is here put for a person or thing whose life or continuance is desireable or desired by others, as Isa. 2. 16. Ezek. 24. 16, 18, 21, 25. Dan. 9. 23. & 10. 11, 19. And this is an emphatical Expression, because it is usual with Men to desire the deaths of some persons, whom afterward they lament and heartily wish that they were alive again as they may have cause to do. But for this ungodly and unhappy Prince his People did not only in his life time wish his Death, but afterwards they did not repent of those desires, nor wish him alive again, but rejoyced that they were delivered from so great a Plague as he was to them. without being desired: howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchre of the kings.