9. — as the sword, judgment.] Some translate "the sword of judgment." Bp. Patrick. Otherwise "the sword, or any other judgment, even pestilence and famine, &c." Dr. Wells. 14. Then upon Jahaziel &c.] Jahaziel seems not to have been a Prophet before this time, but now to have Before CHRIST $00. a Chap. 6. 28. 33.—for as yet the people had not &c.] The reason why the high places were not taken away is here given; namely, that the people could not bear it; for their hearts were not disposed to serve God exactly according to the law of Moses; they had renounced indeed idolatry, but vah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the LORD hath broken thy works. And the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish. # CHAP. XXI. 36.—to go to Tarshish: &c.] See note at 1 Kings x. 22. Chap. XXI. ver. 2.—Jehoshaphat king of Israel.] He was king of Judah; but, as all the tribes had the common name of Israel, he may here be called king of Israel, by a latitude of expression, as Asa also is at chap. xxviii. 19. Pyle. But almost all the ancient versions have "king of Judah" instead of "king of Israel," and "Israel" seems here to have been written for "Judah" by a mistake of transcribers. Houbigant. Chap. XXII. ver. 2. Forty and two years old, &c.] See note at 2 Kings viii. 26. — the daughter of Omri.] The grandaughter of Omri; for she was daughter of Ahab. — and when they had slain him,] The circumstances of Ahaziah's death are mentioned here a little more particularly than in the book of Kings; see 2 Kings ix. 27, 28. 3.—the kingdom gave he to Jehoram;] Jehoram was made partner of the kingdom with his father, 2 Kings viii. 16. Afterwards, at ver. 3, when Jehoram "began to reign," it is meant, in consort with his father. Bp. Lloyd. 4.—he strengthened himself, and slew &c.] He first "strengthened himself" that he might slay his brethren without danger to himself, and then proceeded to the act itself. Bp. Patrick. 509. a 1 Kings 22. 50. 5. Jehoram — Joram.] It should be observed, to prevent confusion, that Jehoram and Joram are the same name; and that the Joram here mentioned was son of Ahab, and king of Israel, as another of this name, father Nimahi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab. 11. — the daughter of the king,] The daughter of the former king of Judah, Joram. Bp. Patrick. Before CHRIST 884. a 2 Kings 9. 7. a 2 Kings 9. 27. 884. f 2 Kings 11. 1. 878. a 2 Kings 11. 4, &c. 14. — with a great plague will the Lord smite &c.] No calamity can be thought of, which did not befall this wicked prince; his kingdom being destroyed and depopulated by the fiercest nations, his treasures ransacked, his wives carried into captivity, his children slain, himself labouring for two years under a sore disease, and deprived at his death of the honour of royal sepulture, ver. 19. All these calamities were denounced against him in the writing sent to him in the name of Elijah, that he might not think they came by chance, but by the special direction of Almighty God, as a punishment for his impieties. Bp. Patrick. 19. — his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness:] As was observed of the disease of Asa, ch. xvi. 12, so it may be observed on this disease, that the symptoms related do not determine it. Some physicians suppose it to have been the dysentery; others have suggested other disorders. Script. illustr. Expos. Ind. — so he died of sore diseases.] These words seem to imply that he died of a complication of other diseases, besides a severe dysentery by which his bowels fell out. Bp. Patrick. 20. — without being desired.] His people not desiring Ahaziah's wicked reign. He is slain by Jehu. Before CHRIST 885. Howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings. # CHAP. XXII. Chap. XXIV. ver. 3. And Jehoiada took for him two wives:] That is, recommended to the king, when he was come to an age fit to marry, two wives. Dr. Wells. 16. — because he had done good in Israel.] "In Israel," that is, in the part of the land of Israel, over which he VOL. I. reigned, namely Judah. This shews a good disposition then subsisting in the king and his people, that they paid honour to the memory of Jehoiada, "because he had done good toward God, and toward His house," having been the instrument of restoring the Divine worship, and of repairing the decays which had taken place 17. — came the princes of Judah.] Some of the principal men, who in their hearts continued devoted to the worship of Baal, "made obeisance to the king;" that is, made their addresses to him with great reverence, pretending devotion to his service, and requested leave to worship the idols which Jehoiada had destroyed. Bp. Patrick. The great change now wrought in Joash shews of how great importance it is for men in eminent situations to have about them wise and virtuous persons, and for the ministers of religion to be endued with zeal and prudence. The death of persons of this character is a great loss; and evil counsels are ever fatal to those who follow them. Ostervald. 21. And they conspired against him, &c.] So degenerate was this prince grown, that he suffered that very temple, which he himself had piously repaired, to be profaned with the blood of a virtuous man, the son of his best benefactor, to whom he owed his life and his crown. Pyle. To what extremities of wickedness will not wretched man proceed, when deserted by his Maker! King Joash is turned, not idolater only, but persecutor; yea, which is more horrible to consider, persecutor of the son of that Jehoiada, to whom he owed his own life. Zechariah, his foster brother, the only issue of those parents, by whom Joash lived and reigned, is, for his conscientious rebuke of the idolatry of prince and people, unto Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of † Damascus. Before CHRIST 840. Darmstadt.