6 ! Is. 14. 23. mor, in the country of ch. 17. 11; 2 Sam And he went forth and 'warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities 7 about Ashdod, and among the Philistines. And God helped him against "the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gur-baal, and the Mehunims. 8 And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly. Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the P2K14 13; 3 10 valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them. Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells [or, cut out many cisterns]: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel [or, fruitful fields]: for he loved husbandry. 9 11 13, 19, 32; Zech. 14 10. Moreover Uzziah had an host of fighting men, that went out to war by bands, according to the number of their account by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains. 12 The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men of valour were 13 two thousand and six hundred. And under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with 14 mighty power, to help the king against the enemy. And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and habergeons, see Ex 3 15 and bows, and slings to cast stones. And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong. ch. 19; Dea & 11-14 80 2 KL. 16 12, 12 15 12 33; 1 1 Chr. 6. 10 16 But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he Dec. 32. 15 19 2 Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead 20 before the priests in the house of the LORD from beside the incense altar. And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself 21 hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him. And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD:4 and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land. Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the 23 son of Amoz, write.5 So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings; for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead. Jotham's prosperous reign; his defeat of the Ammonites. Num. 16 40; 18. Z. 27 JOTHAM was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and heel, reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jerushah, the 2 daughter of Zadok. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah did: how beit he entered not into the 3 temple of the LORD. And the people did yet corruptly. He built the high. 15 3 gate of the house of the LORD, and on the wall of Ophel8 [or, the tower] hech 33 14; No. 3 X built much. 1 The mention of wells, cattle, etc., shows that these towers were built to shelter his shepherds and their flocks in times of danger, as well as his husbandmen and vinedressers. 2 These were probably similar to those used by the Greeks and Romans under the names of catapultæ and balista. Uzziah's engineers are supposed to have been the inventors of these machines, which Pliny distinctly states to have been of Syrian origin. 3 He was elated by his prosperity; and, instead of giving God the glory, assumed a lordship over things sacred, in imitation perhaps of neighbouring sovereigns; and thus incurred the severe chastisement which confined him for life. 4 This was a very remarkable punishment. Aspiring to undue honour, he was smitten with a degrading disease. Invading the priests' office, he was subjected to their control, and ejected from his kingly functions. Intruding into the holy place, he was expelled even from the outer court. › 5 The prophecies in the first six chapters of Isaiah were probably delivered in the latter part of Uzziah's reign. 6 See note on 2 Kings xv. 7. 7 This probably means that he imitated his father in | all that was good, but did not, like him, profanely enter the temple. 8 Ophel is the lower ridge south of the temple, between › the valley of the Kedron and the Tyropson. Jotham's buildings enlarged as well as strengthened the city. 4 Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah; and in the forests he built 5 castles and towers. He fought also with the king of the Ammonites, and prevailed against them. And the children of Ammon gave him the same year an hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. So much did the children of Ammon pay unto him, both the second 6 year, and the third. So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared [or, 7 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways, lo, they are Reign of Ahaz; his wickedness; and his chastisements by the Syrians, Israelites, And i see parallel, 2 Ki. 15. 38. * see parallel, 2 Ki. 16. Ex. 34. 17: Le. 19. 4. 28 AHAZ was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the 2 LORD, like David his father: for he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, 3 and made also 'molten images for " Baalim. Moreover he burnt incense [or, offered sacrifice] in " the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in 2K 23. 10. the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out 4 before the children of Israel. He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree. 5 Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the 6 hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter.5 For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their 7 fathers. And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king's son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah that was next to the king. 8 And the children of Israel carried away captive of their 'brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria. 9 el. 33, 6. Le. 18. 21; 2 Ki. 16. 3. Is. 7. 1. 2 Ki. 16. 5, 6. 2 KL. 15. 27. eh. 15. 2; Den. 6. 14, 15. ch. 11. 4. "Judg. 3. 8; Ps 09. y Le. 25. 39, 42, 43, 46. Jam. 2. 13. But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven. 10 And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bond women unto you: but are there not with you, even with you, 11 sins against the LORD your God? Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce 12 wrath of the LORD is upon you. Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against 13 them that came from the war, and said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for whereas we have offended against the LORD already, ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and 14 there is fierce wrath against Israel. So the armed men left the captives and the 15 spoil before the princes and all the congregation. And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them 2 Kl. 6. 22; Pro. 25. to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: 7 then they returned to Samaria. 16 At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him. see parallel, 2 Ki. 16. 17 For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives. 1 To protect the people against marauders. 2 The connection between Jotham's might and his piety is very observable. 3 This must refer to a more detailed history than our 'Book of The Kings;' for in that there is less concerning Jotham's reign than in the Chronicles. It is supposed that the first portion of the prophecy of Micah (ch. i., ii.) was delivered in the reign of Jotham. 4 The Septuagint has 'twenty-five years,' which is more probable. 5 Compare the parallel passage, 2 Kings xvi. 5-9, and Isa. vii., viii., ix. 1-7. From these prophecies it seems that the war was professedly undertaken in support of a pretender to the throne of Judah. 6 Rather, the men of name,' the leaders, etc. 7 This beautiful and touching incident has no parallel in the histories of the wars of heathen nations, or perhaps even of such as are nominally Christian. 8 Or, as in 2 Kings xvi. 7, 'king;' who was Tiglathpileser. e 18 The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and 19 the villages thereof: and they dwelt there. For the LORD brought Judah low | because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he made Judah naked,' and transgressed 20 sore against the LORD. And Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came unto him, 21 and distressed him, but strengthened him not. For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the LORD, and out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but he helped him not. : kree ch. 25 14; 2 EL 16. 12. 13. Jer. 44 15-13 22 And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this 23 is that king Ahaz.3 For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that 'they may help me. But they were the ruin of 24 him, and of all Israel. And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, "and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors 2K 16 17.14 of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem. 25 And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers. 26 Now the rest of his acts and of all his ways, first and last, behold, they are 27 written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel.5 And Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead. Hezekiah succeeds his father; restores the worship of God, and offers great sacrifices of atonement. 29 HEZEKIAH 'began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Abijah, 2 the daughter of 'Zechariah. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done. see ch. 93% PHOL 12. IL see ver. 7; ch. 28. 2 ach. 3 6; 1 Chr. 15. 12 Jer. 2 13, 17. a Jer. 2 I; Em.8 16 ch. 28. 24 3 He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, "opened the doors of the 4 house of the LORD, and repaired them. And he brought in the priests and the 5 Levites, and gathered them together into the east street, and said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place. 6 For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the ch LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from 7 the habitation of the LORD, and turned their backs. Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor 8 offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel. Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he hath delivered them ch. 24. 18. 9 to trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing, as ye see with your eyes. For, lo, four fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our 10 wives are in captivity for this. Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant 11 with the LORD God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us. My 15 12, 13 sons, be not now negligent: for the LORD hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense [or, offer sacrifice]. 12 d Then the Levites arose, Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites: and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehalelel: and of the Gershonites; Joah the son of 13 Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah: and of the sons of Elizaphan; Shimri, and 14 Jeiel and of the sons of Asaph; Zechariah, and Mattaniah: and of the sons of Heman; Jehiel, and Shimei: and of the sons of Jeduthun; Shemaiah, and 15 Uzziel. And they gathered their brethren, and sanctified themselves, and came, according to the commandment of the king, by the words of the LORD [or, in the 16 business of the LORD'], 'to cleanse the house of the LORD. And the priests d Le. 26. 32; Des. 2 25. 1 KL 9 8: Jer. 18. / ch. 2. 5. 6AEL í ver. 5 ch. 31. 12 1 Chr. 23. S 5 Here, as in ch. xxi. 2, 'Israel' is put for Judah. 6 This was an auspicious commencement of Hezekiah's reign, and an encouraging pledge of what his after course was to be. As the temple at Jerusalem was the religious centre of the nation, to which the affections of every pious Jew were drawn; so the conduct of the kings of Judah, with respect to this sacred edifice, affords a good criterion of their real character. 7 This term designates everything which had been employed in, or connected with, idolatrous worship. went into the inner part of the house of the LORD, to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of the LORD into the court of the house of the LORD. And the Levites took it, to carry it out abroad into the 17 brook Kidron. Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of the LORD: so they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days; and in the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end.1 18 Then they went in to Hezekiah the king, and said, We have cleansed all the house of the LORD, and the altar of burnt offering, with all the vessels thereof, 19 and the shewbread table, with all the vessels thereof. Moreover all the vessels, which king Ahaz in his reign did cast away2 in his transgression, have we prepared and sanctified, and, behold, they are before the altar of the LORD. 20 b a ch. 28. 24 " Le. 4. 3-14 o see refs. Le. 1. 5; & 14, 15, 19, 24; Heb. 9. 21. ? Le. 8. 15. ch. & 14; 1 Chr. 23. 1 Chr. 23. 5; Am. Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and 21 went up to the house of the LORD. And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he-goats, for a "sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons 22 of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the LORD. So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and sprinkled it on the altar: likewise, when they had killed the rams, they sprinkled the blood upon the altar: they 23 killed also the lambs, and they sprinkled the blood upon the altar. And they brought forth the he-goats for the sin offering before the king and the congre24 gation; and they laid their hands upon them: and the priests killed them, and Le. 1. 4; 4. 15, 24. they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar,' to make an atonement for all Israel: for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the 'sin 25 offering should be made for all Israel. And he set the Levites in the house of 1 Chr. 16. 4; 25. &. the LORD with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, "according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet: 26 for so was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets. And the Levites ch. 30. 12. 27 stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also with the trumpets, and 28 with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel. And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this 29 continued until the burnt offering was finished. And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and 30 worshipped. Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And 1 Chr. 16. 17-36. they sang praises with gladness,5 and they bowed their heads and worshipped. 31 Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the LORD. And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as 32 many as were of a free heart burnt offerings. And the number of the burnt offerings, which the congregation brought, was threescore and ten bullocks, an hundred rams, and two hundred lambs: all these were for a burnt offering to the 33 LORD. And the consecrated things were six hundred oxen and three thousand 34 sheep. But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests. 35 And also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the 36 house of the LORD was set in order. And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly. e 1 First the priests and Levites together cleansed the courts of the priests and of the people, which occupied eight days; and then the priests cleansed the interior of the temple (which the Levites were not allowed to enter), and brought all the dirt and rubbish to the porch, whence it was carried away by the Levites to the brook Kidron: this occupied eight days more. 2 Instead of cast away,' the Sept. has 'profaned.' 3 These sacrifices were unusually numerous, because they were offered on account of multiplied sins of a wilful and aggravated kind. The sin-offerings were presented first for the kingdom, i. e. for the king and the royal family; secondly, for the sanctuary, which had been polluted, and the priests, who had been negligent and unholy; and finally for Judah for the whole mass of ech. 20. 18. Le. 7. 12. eh. 35 11; Num. & 15, 19. K ch. 30. 3. Ps. 7. 10. Le. 3. 15, 16. * Num. 15. 5, 7, 10. the people, who, following these examples, had committed every kind of wickedness. 4 Including the ten tribes, though still deeper sunk in apostasy and idolatry: thus preparing the way for the large-hearted plan which Hezekiah immediately afterwards carried out. See ch. xxx. 5 Not only was the right ceremonial observed, but it seems to have been accompanied with right affections of the heart. The gladness of these services forcibly suggests the importance of a cheerful Christianity. 6 Peace-offerings, and some others, the Levites might flay and dress; but the whole burnt-offerings (i.e. those which were entirely consumed on the altar) could be offered only by the priests, except in a case of necessity, such as that mentioned here. Hezekiah causes a great passover to be celebrated for all Israel and Judah, and the idols and high places to be destroyed. 30 AND Hezekiah sent to all Israel1 and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim 6 Jer. 41; Joel 2. 12. 13. 9 Fze. 20. B Den. 10. 16 So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of 7 the kings of Assyria. And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, K. 151, which trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, who therefore gave 8 them up to desolation, as ye see. Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but 'yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, "that the fierceness 9 of his wrath may turn away from you. For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead P them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him. 10 y see ❘ Chr. 29. 24 ch. 9. 10. # Jer. 29. 12-34: S cb. 36 16 d vers, 18, 21; eh. IL 16 So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked 11 them. Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled 12 themselves, and came to Jerusalem. Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the ch. 29. 25. word of the LORD. 13 ch. 29. 36: Jer. 2 30: Phil. 21 And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened 14 bread in the second month, a very great congregation. And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they ch. 28. 24. 15 away, and cast them into the brook Kidron. Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the 16 house of the LORD. And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites. 17 For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was 18 not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD. For a multitude of the people, even 'many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But 19 Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one that "prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be notch. 19. 3 20 cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people. 21 And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD. 1 This is the first recorded attempt on the part of any king of Judah to bring back the people of the ten tribes to the true faith. 2 According to the law, the passover was to be celebrated on the fourteenth day of the first month; but, in case any man was unclean, he might keep it in the second month (Numb. ix. 10, 11). This was the case of the people at this time; as the temple was not cleansed, and the people themselves could not be prepared before the second month. 3 Or rather at the time; that is, the time fixed by the law; for they did keep it in the second month. 4 It does not appear that either Hoshea or Hezekiah • Ex. 12 15; 136 regarded this act of obedience to Jehovah as inconsistent with the allegiance of the people to their temporal sovereign. It is observable that those who came up to Jerusalem lived, for the most part, at a distance from the confines of the two kingdoms, and had therefore probably less of national jealousy than the tribes on the frontier of Judah. 5 From this and many similar passages we learn that, even under the Mosaic dispensation, God regarded more the state and dispositions of the heart than the external purity of the worshipper. |