37 In those days H3117 the LORD H3068 began H2490 to send H7971 against Judah H3063 Rezin H7526 the king H4428 of Syria, H758 and Pekah H6492 the son H1121 of Remaliah. H7425
O H1945 Assyrian, H804 the rod H7626 of mine anger, H639 and the staff H4294 in their hand H3027 is mine indignation. H2195 I will send H7971 him against an hypocritical H2611 nation, H1471 and against the people H5971 of my wrath H5678 will I give him a charge, H6680 to take H7997 the spoil, H7998 and to take H962 the prey, H957 and to tread them down H7760 H4823 like the mire H2563 of the streets. H2351 Howbeit he meaneth H1819 not so, neither doth his heart H3824 think H2803 so; but it is in his heart H3824 to destroy H8045 and cut off H3772 nations H1471 not a few. H4592
In those days H3117 was Hezekiah H2396 sick H2470 unto death. H4191 And Isaiah H3470 the prophet H5030 the son H1121 of Amoz H531 came H935 unto him, and said H559 unto him, Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Set thine house H1004 in order: H6680 for thou shalt die, H4191 and not live. H2421 Then Hezekiah H2396 turned H5437 his face H6440 toward the wall, H7023 and prayed H6419 unto the LORD, H3068 And said, H559 Remember H2142 now, O LORD, H3068 I beseech H577 thee, how I have walked H1980 before H6440 thee in truth H571 and with a perfect H8003 heart, H3820 and have done H6213 that which is good H2896 in thy sight. H5869 And Hezekiah H2396 wept H1058 H1065 sore. H1419 Then came the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 to Isaiah, H3470 saying, H559 Go, H1980 and say H559 to Hezekiah, H2396 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 the God H430 of David H1732 thy father, H1 I have heard H8085 thy prayer, H8605 I have seen H7200 thy tears: H1832 behold, I will add H3254 unto thy days H3117 fifteen H2568 H6240 years. H8141 And I will deliver H5337 thee and this city H5892 out of the hand H3709 of the king H4428 of Assyria: H804 and I will defend H1598 this city. H5892 And this shall be a sign H226 unto thee from the LORD, H3068 that the LORD H3068 will do H6213 this thing H1697 that he hath spoken; H1696 Behold, I will bring again H7725 the shadow H6738 of the degrees, H4609 which is gone down H3381 in the sun H8121 dial H4609 of Ahaz, H271 ten H6235 degrees H4609 backward. H322 So the sun H8121 returned H7725 ten H6235 degrees, H4609 by which degrees H4609 it was gone down. H3381 The writing H4385 of Hezekiah H2396 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 when he had been sick, H2470 and was recovered H2421 of his sickness: H2483 I said H559 in the cutting off H1824 of my days, H3117 I shall go H3212 to the gates H8179 of the grave: H7585 I am deprived H6485 of the residue H3499 of my years. H8141 I said, H559 I shall not see H7200 the LORD, H3050 even the LORD, H3050 in the land H776 of the living: H2416 I shall behold H5027 man H120 no more with the inhabitants H3427 of the world. H2309 Mine age H1755 is departed, H5265 and is removed H1540 from me as a shepherd's H7473 tent: H168 I have cut off H7088 like a weaver H707 my life: H2416 he will cut me off H1214 with pining sickness: H1803 from day H3117 even to night H3915 wilt thou make an end H7999 of me. I reckoned H7737 till morning, H1242 that, as a lion, H738 so will he break H7665 all my bones: H6106 from day H3117 even to night H3915 wilt thou make an end H7999 of me. Like a crane H5483 or a swallow, H5693 so did I chatter: H6850 I did mourn H1897 as a dove: H3123 mine eyes H5869 fail H1809 with looking upward: H4791 O LORD, H3068 I am oppressed; H6234 undertake H6148 for me. What shall I say? H1696 he hath both spoken H559 unto me, and himself hath done H6213 it: I shall go softly H1718 all my years H8141 in the bitterness H4751 of my soul. H5315 O Lord, H136 by these things men live, H2421 and in all these things is the life H2416 of my spirit: H7307 so wilt thou recover H2492 me, and make me to live. H2421 Behold, for peace H7965 I had great bitterness: H4751 H4843 but thou hast in love H2836 to my soul H5315 delivered it from the pit H7845 of corruption: H1097 for thou hast cast H7993 all my sins H2399 behind H310 thy back. H1460 For the grave H7585 cannot praise H3034 thee, death H4194 can not celebrate H1984 thee: they that go down H3381 into the pit H953 cannot hope H7663 for thy truth. H571 The living, H2416 the living, H2416 he shall praise H3034 thee, as I do this day: H3117 the father H1 to the children H1121 shall make known H3045 thy truth. H571 The LORD H3068 was ready to save H3467 me: therefore we will sing my songs H5058 to the stringed instruments H5059 all the days H3117 of our life H2416 in the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068 For Isaiah H3470 had said, H559 Let them take H5375 a lump H1690 of figs, H8384 and lay it for a plaister H4799 upon the boil, H7822 and he shall recover. H2421 Hezekiah H2396 also had said, H559 What is the sign H226 that I shall go up H5927 to the house H1004 of the LORD? H3068
Therefore will I be unto Ephraim H669 as a moth, H6211 and to the house H1004 of Judah H3063 as rottenness. H7538 When Ephraim H669 saw H7200 his sickness, H2483 and Judah H3063 saw his wound, H4205 then went H3212 Ephraim H669 to the Assyrian, H804 and sent H7971 to king H4428 Jareb: H3377 H7378 yet could H3201 he not heal H7495 you, nor cure H1455 you of your wound. H4205
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Kings 15
Commentary on 2 Kings 15 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 15
2Ki 15:1-7. Azariah's Reign over Judah.
1-7. In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam—It is thought that the throne of Judah continued vacant eleven or twelve years, between the death of Amaziah and the inauguration of his son Azariah. Being a child only four years old when his father was murdered, a regency was appointed during Azariah's minority.
began Azariah … to reign—The character of his reign is described by the brief formula employed by the inspired historian, in recording the religious policy of the later kings. But his reign was a very active as well as eventful one, and is fully related (2Ch 26:1-23). Elated by the possession of great power, and presumptuously arrogating to himself, as did the heathen kings, the functions both of the real and sacerdotal offices, he was punished with leprosy, which, as the offense was capital (Nu 8:7), was equivalent to death, for this disease excluded him from all society. While Jotham, his son, as his viceroy, administered the affairs of the kingdom—being about fifteen years of age (compare 2Ki 15:33)—he had to dwell in a place apart by himself (see on 2Ki 7:3). After a long reign he died, and was buried in the royal burying-field, though not in the royal cemetery of "the city of David" (2Ch 26:23).
2Ki 15:8-16. Zechariah's Reign over Israel.
8-10. In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel—There was an interregnum from some unknown cause between the reign of Jeroboam and the accession of his son, which lasted, according to some, for ten or twelve years, according to others, for twenty-two years, or more. This prince pursued the religious policy of the calf-worship, and his reign was short, being abruptly terminated by the hand of violence. In his fate was fulfilled the prophecy addressed to Jehu (2Ki 10:30; also Ho 1:4), that his family would possess the throne of Israel for four generations; and accordingly Jehoahaz, Joash, Jehoram, and Zechariah were his successors—but there his dynasty terminated; and perhaps it was the public knowledge of this prediction that prompted the murderous design of Shallum.
13-17. Shallum … reigned a full month—He was opposed and slain by Menahem, who, according to Josephus, was commander of the forces, which, on the report of the king's murder, were besieging Tirzah, a town twelve miles east of Samaria, and formerly a seat of the kings of Israel. Raising the siege, he marched directly against the usurper, slew him, and reigned in his stead.
16. Menahem … smote Tiphsah—Thapsacus, on the Euphrates, the border city of Solomon's kingdom (1Ki 4:24). The inhabitants refusing to open their gates to him, Menahem took it by storm. Then having spoiled it, he committed the most barbarous excesses, without regard either to age or sex.
2Ki 15:17-21. Menahem's Reign.
17. reigned ten years in Samaria—His government was conducted on the religious policy of his predecessors.
19. Pul the king of Assyria—This is the first Assyrian king after Nimrod who is mentioned in biblical history. His name has been recently identified with that of Phalluka on the monuments of Nineveh, and that of Menahem discovered also.
came against the land—Elsewhere it is said "Ephraim [Israel] went to the Assyrian" [Ho 5:13]. The two statements may be reconciled thus: "Pul, of his own motion, induced, perhaps, by the expedition of Menahem against Thapsacus, advanced against the kingdom of Israel; then Menahem sent him a thousand talents in order not only to divert him from his plans of conquest, but at the same time to purchase his friendship and aid for the establishment of his own precarious sovereignty. So Menahem did not properly invite the Assyrian into the land, but only changed the enemy when marching against the country, by this tribute, into a confederate for the security of his usurped dominion. This the prophet Hosea, less concerned about the historical fact than the disposition betrayed therein, might very well censure as a going of Ephraim to the Assyrians (Ho 5:13; 7:1; 8:9), and a covenant-making with Asshur" (2Ki 12:1) [Keil].
a thousand talents of silver—Equal to £262,200. This tribute, which Menahem raised by a tax on the grandees of Israel, bribed Pul to return to his own country (see on 1Ch 5:26).
2Ki 15:22-24. Pekahiah's Reign.
23. Pekahiah … son of Menahem began to reign—On comparing the date given with Azariah's reign, it seems that several months had intervened between the death of Menahem and the accession of Pekahiah, probably owing to a contest about the throne.
25. with Argob and Arieh, &c.—Many commentators view these as the captain's accomplices. But it is more probable that they were influential friends of the king, who were murdered along with him.
2Ki 15:27-31. Pekah's Reign.
29. in the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglath-pileser—This monarch, who succeeded Pul on the throne of Assyria, is the only one of all the kings who does not give his genealogy, and is therefore supposed to have been an usurper. His annals have been discovered in the Nimroud mound, describing this expedition into Syria. The places taken are here mentioned as they occurred and were conquered in the progress of an invasion.
30. Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy … and slew him—He did not, however, obtain possession of the kingdom till about nine or ten years after the perpetration of this crime [Hales].
in the twentieth year of Jotham—Jotham's reign lasted only sixteen years, but the meaning is that the reign of Hoshea began in the twentieth after the beginning of Jotham's reign. The sacred historian, having not yet introduced the name of Ahaz, reckoned the date by Jotham, whom he had already mentioned (see 2Ch 27:8).
2Ki 15:32-38. Jotham's Reign over Judah.
33. Five and twenty years was he when he began to reign—that is, alone—for he had ruled as his father's viceroy [2Ki 15:5].
35. the higher gate of the house of the Lord—not the temple itself, but one of its courts; probably that which led into the palace (2Ch 23:20).
37. the Lord began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, &c.—This is the first intimation of the hostile feelings of the kings of Israel and Syria, to Judah, which led them to form an alliance and make joint preparations for war. [See on 2Ch 27:5.] However, war was not actually waged till the reign of Ahaz.