Bible Commentaries

2 Kings 15:1 In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign.

Ver. 1. Began Azariah … to reign,] i.e., To reign alone, after the death of his father, with whom he had reigned twelve or thirteen years before: or else there must be granted an interregnum, a vacancy in the royal seat of Judah, for so many years.

2 Kings 15:2 Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name [was] Jecholiah of Jerusalem.

Ver. 2. And he reigned two and fifty years.] He reigned still, though a leper for his curiosity and insolency; the disease of his forehead did not remove his crown. So, if we be once a royal generation, our leprosies may deform us, they shall not dethrone us.

2 Kings 15:3 And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done;

Ver. 3. According to all that his father Amaziah had done.] This is no great commendation: for neither of them did so well at last as at first, but apostatised.

2 Kings 15:4 Save that the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places.

Ver. 4. The high places were not removed.] No, not in his best times. This, if it did not loose, yet it lessened his crown of glory.

2 Kings 15:5 And the LORD smote the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house. And Jotham the king’s son [was] over the house, judging the people of the land.

Ver. 5. And the Lord smote the king.] For his arrogancy and impudency in invading the priest’s office; God spat in his face, that he might be ashamed and humbled, and that others might be warned.

And Jotham the king’s son was over the house, &c.] He did not thrust out his father: but ruled all as his substitute. This was some comfort to the diseased king.

2 Kings 15:6 And the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

Ver. 6. Now the rest of the acts of Azariah.] Called also Uzziah.

Are they not written?] Written they were also by the prophet Isaiah. [2 Chronicles 26:22] Of the earthquake in this king’s days, see Amos 1:1, Zechariah 14:5.

2 Kings 15:7 So Azariah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.

Ver. 7. So Azariah slept, &c.] When this king died, the Philistines rejoiced, because "the rod of him that smote them was broken." But "out of the serpent’s root came forth a cockatrice" - Hezekiah - "and his fruit was a fiery, flying serpent" (Isaiah 14:29, with 2 Chronicles 26:6-7). He stung them worse than his grandfather had done.

And they buried him, &c.] In some by-corner of the king’s burial place, "for they said, He is a leper." [2 Chronicles 26:23]

2 Kings 15:8 In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months.

Ver. 8. Six months.] So soon God despatched him out of the way, and with him the whole house of Jehu, for their great wickedness.

2 Kings 15:9 And he did [that which was] evil in the sight of the LORD, as his fathers had done: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

Ver. 9. As his father had done.] He filled up their measure, [Matthew 23:32] and was therefore soon cut off. The bottle of wickedness, when once filled with those bitter waters, will sink to the bottom.

2 Kings 15:10 And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.

Ver. 10. And slew him, and reigned in his stead.] After whose death followed these direful calamities foretold by the prophet Amos. [2 Kings 7:9] Never did the kingdom of Israel so flourish as under this king’s father - viz., Jeroboam II. The greatest prosperity is oft followed by the greatest misery. Periculosa est, secundum Hippocratem, summe bona corporis valetudo.

2 Kings 15:11 And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold, they [are] written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

Ver. 11. And the rest of the acts.] See 1 Kings 14:19.

2 Kings 15:12 This [was] the word of the LORD which he spake unto Jehu, saying, Thy sons shall sit on the throne of Israel unto the fourth [generation]. And so it came to pass.

Ver. 12. And so it came to pass.] God keepeth promise with his foes: shall he fail his friends?

2 Kings 15:13 Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth year of Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned a full month in Samaria.

Ver. 13. And he reigned a full month.] Heb., A month of days: that is, a month to a day.

2 Kings 15:14 For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah, and came to Samaria, and smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.

Ver. 14. For Menahem the son of Gadi.] Who was general of Zachariah’s army, saith Josephus: ^(a) as Omri was of drunken Elah’s. This Menahem is by Sulpitius Severus called Manes: as was also the first founder of the Manichees, those ancient heretics. The name signifieth Paracletum, a comforter: but they proved nothing less.

And slew him.] This was interitus tyranno dignus.

2 Kings 15:15 And the rest of the acts of Shallum, and his conspiracy which he made, behold, they [are] written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

Ver. 15. And the rest of the acts.] See 1 Kings 14:19.

2 Kings 15:16 Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that [were] therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah: because they opened not [to him], therefore he smote [it; and] all the women therein that were with child he ripped up.

Ver. 16. He smote it, and all the women he ripped up.] Opening their wombs crudelitate immani et barbara, because their husbands opened not the gates of their city unto him. ^(a) This abhorred cruelty Josephus mentioneth not; as being ashamed that other nations should be acquainted with it. The like was done, [Hosea 13:16 Amos 1:13] and at the Sicilian vespers, by those pseudo-Catholics.

2 Kings 15:17 In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel, [and reigned] ten years in Samaria.

Ver. 17. In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah.] In this one year there were four kings in Israel, one after another: and those direful threatenings of Amos 7:9 began to be fulfilled.

2 Kings 15:18 And he did [that which was] evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

Ver. 18. And he did that which was evil.] See 1 Kings 15:26.

2 Kings 15:19 [And] Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand.

Ver. 19. And Pul the king of Assyria.] By other writers he is called Belosus, and Phul-Belosus: who, together with Arbaces, the Mede, besieged Sardanapalus, the last monarch of Assyria, who desperately burnt himself in his own palace, and left his empire to this Pul, the first Babylonian monarch, and Arbaces, who made himself king of Medes and Persians. Some hold that this Pul was that king of Nineveh which repented at the preaching of the prophet Jonah: and that here also the men of Nineveh rose in judgment against that nation, God stirring up a penitent Ethnic to take vengeance on impenitent Israel.

To confirm the kingdom.] Which this usurper held not without opposition.

2 Kings 15:20 And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, [even] of all the mighty men of wealth, of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and stayed not there in the land.

Ver. 20. And Menahem exacted.] Heb., Caused to come forth, sc., by his exactors, who received from his rich subjects no less sums of curses than of coin.

2 Kings 15:21 And the rest of the acts of Menahem, and all that he did, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

Ver. 21. And the rest of the acts.] See 1 Kings 14:19.

2 Kings 15:22 And Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead.

Ver. 22. And Pekahiah his son.] Eusebius ^(a) calleth him Phaceas.

2 Kings 15:23 In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, [and reigned] two years.

Ver. 23. Reigned two years.] Not ten years, as Drusius affirmeth. ^(a)

2 Kings 15:24 And he did [that which was] evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

Ver. 24. And he did that, &c.] See 1 Kings 14:22.

2 Kings 15:25 But Pekah the son of Remaliah, a captain of his, conspired against him, and smote him in Samaria, in the palace of the king’s house, with Argob and Arieh, and with him fifty men of the Gileadites: and he killed him, and reigned in his room.

Ver. 25. But Pekah the son, &c.] Phace, quidam eiusdem nominis, saith Sulpitius: but that is not so; Pekahiah and Pekah are names like, but not the same.

With Argob and Arieh.] These, saith Josephus, were slain, together with their king, at a feast.

2 Kings 15:26 And the rest of the acts of Pekahiah, and all that he did, behold, they [are] written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

Ver. 26. And the rest, &c.] See 1 Kings 14:19.

2 Kings 15:27 In the two and fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekah the son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria, [and reigned] twenty years.

Ver. 27. And he reigned twenty years.] Not without many troubles, and at last a violent death. [2 Kings 15:30]

2 Kings 15:28 And he did [that which was] evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

Ver. 28. And he did, &c.] See 1 Kings 14:22.

2 Kings 15:29 In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abelbethmaachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria.

Ver. 29. Came Tiglathpileser.] Which name of his signifieth, say some, the removing of captives: ^(a) others making him to be son to Pul, [2 Kings 15:19] say that he was therefore called Tiglathpulassir. Why he came now against Israel, see Isaiah 7:1, 2 Kings 16:7.

And carried them captive.] Whither they were carried, see 1 Chronicles 5:5-6. Neither ever returned they: see Isaiah 9:1.

2 Kings 15:30 And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and smote him, and slew him, and reigned in his stead, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.

Ver. 30. In the twentieth year of Jotham,] i.e., In the fourth year of Ahaz, to whom Jotham had resigned his kingdom, reserving to himself the title only.

2 Kings 15:31 And the rest of the acts of Pekah, and all that he did, behold, they [are] written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

Ver. 31. And the rest of the acts.] See 1 Kings 14:19.

2 Kings 15:32 In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign.

Ver. 32. Began Jotham,] viz., After his father Uzziah’s death. About this time, the prophet Isaiah saw that glorious vision. [Isaiah 6:1] In the fourteenth jubilee.

2 Kings 15:33 Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name [was] Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok.

Ver. 33. The daughter of Zadok.] Who probably was a priest, and father-in-law to this king.

2 Kings 15:34 And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD: he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done.

Ver. 34. And he did that which was right.] Both for matter, manner, motive, and end; a good prince he was.

2 Kings 15:35 Howbeit the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burned incense still in the high places. He built the higher gate of the house of the LORD.

Ver. 35. He built the higher gate.] Then, when the people doted upon high places; though he disliked their practice.

2 Kings 15:36 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all that he did, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

Ver. 36. Now the rest of the acts.] See 1 Kings 14:29.

2 Kings 15:37 In those days the LORD began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah.

Ver. 37. In those days.] But not till good Jotham was laid up in peace.