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. 22. — he said, The Lord look upon it, and require it.] The Prophet resigned his breath without any the least reviling word; only telling them that God would not fail to punish such outrageous impieties. The words, "The Lord look upon it, &c." are not an imprecation, but a prophecy: they are to be taken in a future sense, "The Lord will look upon it and require it." Pyle. Assuredly, his zeal for justice, not the uncharitable thirst of revenge, drew forth these words. God heard his dying words, and soon called Joash to a severe account. His crime made him odious when living, and deprived him, when slain, of the sepulchre of his fathers, ver. 25; as if this last mark of royalty were too good for him who had forgotten the law of humanity. Bp. Hall. 23. — all the princes of the people] Those who had advised Joash to restore the worship of Baal. Bp. Patrick. 25. — buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings.] Because he had been a notorious idolater. Bp. Wilson. The fate of Joash was like that of other bad kings. God delivered him up to the Syrians, though they "came with a small company of men," ver. 24; he was killed in his bed by his own subjects, and buried with disgrace: whence we are taught, that they who provoke the wrath of God by their sins, will experience sooner or later the severity of His judgments. Ostervald. Chap. XXV. ver. 2. — but not with a perfect heart.] It is said at 2 Kings xiv. 3, that he did that which was right, but "not like David his father." He did in fact what the law required but not with a sincere and solid piety. Bp. Patrick. this.] God, who is the Lord of the whole earth, has the earth, and every thing which it contains, at His disposal. "Every beast of the forest is His, and the cattle upon a thousand hills." "The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine, saith the Lord of hosts," Psal. l. 10; Hag. ii. 8. He could have at once extended the dominions of Amaziah to the widest bounds promised to the children of Israel; from Lebanon to the confines of Egypt; from the Western sea to the great river Euphrates. He could have rendered this king an object of respect, of admiration, and of dread, to all the surrounding nations. At the present hour, all the kingdoms of the earth, and the glory of them, are at the disposal of the Son of God, our Lord and Saviour. All power in heaven and in earth is given unto Him. Every article, in which worldly prosperity consists; every event, which contributes to worldly greatness; every outward circumstance in any respect advantageous to men, is in His hands. Well therefore may we be assured, that whatever we lend to the Lord, by resigning it for His sake, He is able beyond measure to repay to us again. Gisborne. 5. — three hundred thousand choice men.] We here discern how much the iniquities of the people had now diminished their numbers since the days of Jehoshaphat, that is, in the space of about seventy years; for this king could bring only 300,000 men to the field, and Jehoshaphat brought nearly four times as many; see chap. xvii. Bp. Patrick. 6. He hired also — out of Israel] In hiring these Israelites, the king acted rashly and presumptuously. For, in the first place, he "enquired not of the Lord" upon the occasion: see Judges xx. 27; 1 Sam. xxiii. 2, 4; 2 Sam. ii. 1; v. 19, 23; 2 Kings xvi. 15; 1 Chron. x. 14, &c. He sought not, as, upon concerns of importance, David and the other religious kings of Judah had constantly sought, those special directions from God, which, under the existing dispensation, a dispensation, into the texture of which miracles were interwoven, were always to be obtained by an immediate reference to the Most High before His altar. And, in the next place, he knew that the people of Israel had long been open idolaters; and that the heaviest calamities had fallen upon his own ancestors, in consequence of connexions which they had formed with idolatrous Israel. He could not then look for the Divine blessing upon this proceeding: but he had reason to expect that his sinful misconduct would be made the instrument of his punishment. Gisborne. 7. — for the Lord is not with Israel, &c.] The Pro- shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin. 8. But if thou wilt go, &c.] If thou wilt go to fight against Edom, do it only with thine own men; for, though they are not a numerous army, yet God will make them to be strong enough for the battle, so as to conquer the Edomites; but, if thou take the forces of Israel with thee, "God will make thee fall before the enemy:" for God hath power to help or give thee victory by a small army, and to cast thee down or cause thee to be conquered, even with the greatest army. Dr. Wells. 9. — But what shall we do for the hundred talents &c.] Amaziah was confounded at the message of the Prophet. He could not venture to retain the Israelites to go with him to the war, when he was assured that his own destruction would be the consequence. But he was far from possessing that singleness of heart, that true and lively faith, which would have taught him to obey the command of God instantly and cheerfully, whatever present sacrifice might be inseparable from obedience. His heart hankered after the money which he had advanced. Was that to be relinquished? If not, how was it to be recovered? If compliance with the Divine will would not have cost him any thing, he would readily have obeyed. But an expensive proof of obedience was required. He pondered therefore and hesitated; and "said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the 13. — the soldiers of the army] That is, the Israelite army. — and smote three thousand of them.] Thus Amaziah was punished for having entered into an alliance with idolaters, although at the Prophet's reproof he broke it off: and God, it is probable, also suffered this calamity to fall upon him, because he used his victory over the Edomites with too much cruelty. Bp. Patrick. 17. Then Amaziah — took advice.] Although he would not be advised by the Prophet, it appears that he consulted others, who led him to destruction; for he proceeded, without first desiring to have satisfaction made for the injury done to him, to make war on Joash king of Israel, and provoke him to battle. Bp. Patrick. He is slain by conspiracy. Uzziah succeedeth him. shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to † the corner gate, four hundred cubits. 24. — with Obed-edom.] Who had the chief care of the treasures in the temple. Dr. Wells. 27. — after the time that Amaziah did turn away &c.] He survived Joash several years; but it appears he grew more and more hated by his subjects, and at enmity with God; so that at last a conspiracy was formed against him, under which he fell. Pyle. In obedience to the command of God, Amaziah resigned the hundred talents; yet he lived in calamity, and died by violence and treason. Did the Lord God, the God of goodness and truth, forsake His servant? No: the Lord forsook Amaziah, because Amaziah drew back from being His servant. Amaziah, when he had destroyed the Edomites, brought with him to Jerusalem their idols; and with the infatuation, which belongs to presumptuous wickedness, set them up to be his gods, and burned incense to them, and worshipped them: yet the sword of Divine justice paused in its scabbard. "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." The Lord, instead of immediately cutting off the king in the midst of his ingratitude and impiety, was mercifully pleased to send a Prophet, to rebuke him and call him to repentance, ver. 15. How did the king receive the message from God? When the former Prophet had delivered his message, Amaziah obeyed his command. But he now refused to humble himself before his Maker. His heart was obstinately fixed in apostasy. He charged the Prophet with insolent obtrusiveness for daring to reprove him; and ordered him to be silent on pain of punishment, ver. 16. Then the Prophet, perceiving him not to be reclaimed, pronounced his doom, "I know that God hath determined to destroy days of Zechariah prospereth. 16 Waxing proud, he invadeth the priest's office, and is smitten with leprosy. 22 He dieth, and Jotham succeedeth him. THEN all the people of Judah took * || Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah. 28. — in the city of Judah.] In Jerusalem, "the city of David," as it is stated at 2 Kings xiv. 20. Bp. Patrick. And as the old versions read in this place. Dr. Wells. Chap. XXVI. ver. 5. — in the days of Zechariah.] This is not the Zechariah, whose book of prophecies is extant in the Bible, for he lived 300 years afterwards; nor Zechariah the son of Jehoiada, who was slain some years before; but probably the son of the latter Zechariah, who was called after his father's name, and was eminent for his divine wisdom. It is not here said that he was a Prophet, but that he "had understanding in the visions of God," by which is probably meant, that he was skilful in expounding the ancient prophecies, and giving instruction out of them. Bp. Patrick. 6. And he went forth and warred &c.] From this verse to the 15th, the sacred writer shews by several instances how excellent a prince this was, and what prosperity God gave him while he was truly religious: for he shewed extreme solicitude for the welfare of his people; he was skilful in husbandry, but at the same time extremely active in warlike affairs, inasmuch as he prudently demolished the fortifications of his enemies on the frontiers, and provided his own frontiers with works, He is smitten with leprosy. He dieth, and Jotham succeeds. Before CHRIST about 765. o Hand. 30. 7. burn incense unto the LORD, but to the e priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God. 19. — and while he was wroth, — the leprosy even rose up] While Uzziah yet speaks, God strikes. Ere the words of fury come out of his mouth, the leprosy appears in his forehead. Had it broken forth on his hand, or foot, or breast, it might have been hid from the eyes of men; but now his forehead is smitten with this judgment, that God may proclaim to all beholders, 'Thus shall it be done to the man whose arrogance hath thrust him upon a sacred charge.' The hand of God hath now done in an instant what the tongues of men had attempted in vain. Bp. Hall. It is a rule established beyond all controversy concerning the office of the ministry, that "no man taketh it unto himself," Heb. v. 4. Internal gifts and graces may qualify a person for an office, but they cannot put him into one. No man, however righteous and holy through faith and the sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit, can have authority to act in the name of Christ, till Christ gives him that authority. Before that is done, let his life and character be what they will, his ministrations can have no validity. Whatever he may be in other respects, in this particular he is a grievous offender, and will be found guilty before God of sacrilegiously intruding into an office, to which he can have no pretensions: a crime, for which "the leprosy" once "rose up in the forehead" of a monarch; and Korah and all his company, holy as they said they all were, "went down alive into the pit." And that none in the Christian church might imitate the presumption of Uzziah, or "go in the gainsaying of Korah," even t hrist "took not this honour unto Himself, nor glorified Himself to be made an high priest," (for a glory it was to Him,) till he was "called of God," by the visible descent 21. — dwelt in a several house, &c.] He dwelt in a separate house by himself, being excluded from all conversation with others, and from all management of publick affairs; thus "he was cut off from the house of the Lord," that is, precluded from entering it for religious worship, as a just punishment for his daring entrance into the most holy place, and his attempt to perform there what belonged to the high priest exclusively. Dr. Wells. Uzziah withdraws with a dejected countenance and heavy heart; and wishes to be hid no less from himself, than from others. How easy is it for the God of heaven to bring down the highest pitch of earthly greatness, and to humble the most stubborn pride! Bp. Hall. 23. — in the field of the burial] He was buried in a sepulchre by himself, and not in one where any former king had been buried; (Dr. Wells:) for it was not deemed proper or lawful to defile the royal sepulchres with a leprous body. Fyle. The year of Uzziah's death was distinguished by the remarkable vision of Isaiah, on his designation to the prophetical office. Is. vi. 1. Dr. Hales. Chap. XXVII. ver. 2. — howbeit he entered not into the temple] It is the opinion of some, that he was so alarmed by the punishment which had befallen his father, that he did not so much as enter into the court of the temple, or that he never offered sacrifices there, but only in high places. But a preferable meaning seems to be, that he imitated his father in all that was good, but did not profanely enter the temple to offer incense as he had done. Bp. Patrick. — And the people did yet corruptly.] A better Jotham subdueth the Ammonites. Ahaz reigneth wickedly. Before CHRIST 758. lower. substituted. about 742. house of the LORD, and on the wall of || Ophel be built much. Chap. XXVIII. ver. 3. — of the son of Hinnom,] That is, of Molech, who was so called as being worshipped in the valley of Hinnom, close to Jerusalem. See note on 2 Kings xxiii. 10. 3. — the wall of Ophel] The meaning of this is uncertain; some understand by Ophel, "a palace;" others, "a high place or cliff, where there was a tower;" and others again understand from this expression, that he beautified and repaired the porch of the house of the Lord. Bp. Patrick. 5. — the Lord his God] The Lord is called his God, from the peculiar dominion which He exercised over the Israelite kings and people, and from the kindness which He shewed to him for his father's sake. Bp. Patrick. 6. — because he prepared his ways before the Lord] Because he directed his counsels and actions according to the rule of God's word. It has been observed, that Jotham is the only one of the kings of Judah who has not some evil laid to his charge. David, Solomon, Rehoboam, Abijah, Jehoshaphat, &c. all committed some trespass of greater or less magnitude; but of Jotham no fault or error is recorded. Bp. Patrick. the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim. 9. — because the Lord — was wroth with Judah,] He thus warns the Israelites not to be too much elated with the victory, which was not to be ascribed to their valour and means of strength, but to the anger of God against the people of Judah, which induced Him to abandon them to the fury of their enemies. — a rage that reacheth up unto heaven.] Meaning, a rage that hath no measure, and that crieth to heaven for vengeance. Bp. Patrick. Judah is captivated. CHAP. XXVIII. Ahaz sendeth for aid from Assyria. Before CHRIST about 741. and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven.