10 And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not with you, even with you, sins against the LORD your God?
11 Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you.
12 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 them that came from the war,
13 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 there is fierce wrath against Israel.
14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation.
15 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 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: then they returned to Samaria.
16 At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him.
17 For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives.
18 The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Bethshemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof: and they dwelt there.
10 And now ye purpose H559 to keep under H3533 the children H1121 of Judah H3063 and Jerusalem H3389 for bondmen H5650 and bondwomen H8198 unto you: but are there not with you, even H7535 with you, sins H819 against the LORD H3068 your God? H430
11 Now hear H8085 me therefore, and deliver H7725 the captives H7633 again, which ye have taken captive H7617 of your brethren: H251 for the fierce H2740 wrath H639 of the LORD H3068 is upon you.
12 Then certain H582 of the heads H7218 of the children H1121 of Ephraim, H669 Azariah H5838 the son H1121 of Johanan, H3076 Berechiah H1296 the son H1121 of Meshillemoth, H4919 and Jehizkiah H3169 the son H1121 of Shallum, H7967 and Amasa H6021 the son H1121 of Hadlai, H2311 stood up H6965 against them that came H935 from the war, H6635
13 And said H559 unto them, Ye shall not bring in H935 the captives H7633 hither: for whereas we have offended H819 against the LORD H3068 already, ye intend H559 to add H3254 more to our sins H2403 and to our trespass: H819 for our trespass H819 is great, H7227 and there is fierce H2740 wrath H639 against Israel. H3478
14 So the armed men H2502 left H5800 the captives H7633 and the spoil H961 before H6440 the princes H8269 and all the congregation. H6951
15 And the men H582 which were expressed H5344 by name H8034 rose up, H6965 and took H2388 the captives, H7633 and with the spoil H7998 clothed H3847 all that were naked H4636 among them, and arrayed H3847 them, and shod H5274 them, and gave them to eat H398 and to drink, H8248 and anointed H5480 them, and carried H5095 all the feeble H3782 of them upon asses, H2543 and brought H935 them to Jericho, H3405 the city H5892 of palm trees, H8558 H5899 to H681 their brethren: H251 then they returned H7725 to Samaria. H8111
16 At that time H6256 did king H4428 Ahaz H271 send H7971 unto the kings H4428 of Assyria H804 to help H5826 him.
17 For again the Edomites H130 had come H935 and smitten H5221 Judah, H3063 and carried away H7617 captives. H7628
18 The Philistines H6430 also had invaded H6584 the cities H5892 of the low country, H8219 and of the south H5045 of Judah, H3063 and had taken H3920 Bethshemesh, H1053 and Ajalon, H357 and Gederoth, H1450 and Shocho H7755 with the villages H1323 thereof, and Timnah H8553 with the villages H1323 thereof, Gimzo H1579 also and the villages H1323 thereof: and they dwelt H3427 there.
10 And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: `but' are there not even with you trespasses of your own against Jehovah your God?
11 Now hear me therefore, and send back the captives, that ye have taken captive of your brethren; for the fierce wrath of Jehovah is upon you.
12 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 them that came from the war,
13 and said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for ye purpose that which will bring upon us a trespass against Jehovah, to add unto our sins and to our trespass; for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.
14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the assembly.
15 And the men that have been mentioned 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 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, unto their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.
16 At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him.
17 For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives.
18 The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland, and of the South of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, and Aijalon, and Gederoth, and Soco with the towns thereof, and Timnah with the towns thereof, Gimzo also and the towns thereof: and they dwelt there.
10 and now, sons of Judah and Jerusalem ye are saying to subdue for men-servants and for maid-servants to you; but are there not with you causes of guilt before Jehovah your God?
11 and now, hear me, and send back the captives whom ye have taken captive of your brethren, for the heat of the anger of Jehovah `is' upon you.'
12 And certain of the heads of the sons of Ephraim (Azariah son of Johanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai), rise up against those coming in from the host,
13 and say to them, `Ye do not bring in the captives hither, for, to guilt against Jehovah on us, ye are saying to add unto our sin and unto our guilt? for abundant `is' the guilt we have, and the fierceness of anger on Israel.'
14 And the armed men leave the captives and the prey before the heads and all the assembly;
15 and the men who have been expressed by name rise and take hold on the captives, and all their naked ones they have clothed from the spoil, yea, they clothe them, and shoe them, and cause them to eat and drink, and anoint them, and lead them on asses, even every feeble one, and bring them in to Jericho, the city of palms, near their brethren, and turn back to Samaria.
16 At that time hath king Ahaz sent unto the king of Asshur to give help to him;
17 and again the Edomites have come, and smite in Judah, and take captive a captivity.
18 And the Philistines have rushed against the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and capture Beth-Shemesh, and Aijalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho and its villages, and Timnah and its villages, and Gimzo and its villages, and dwell there,
10 And now ye think to subjugate the children of Judah and Jerusalem as your bondmen and bondwomen. Are there not with you, even with you, trespasses against Jehovah your God?
11 And now hear me, and send back the captives again, whom ye have taken captive of your brethren; for the fierce wrath of Jehovah is upon you.
12 And certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Hezekiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them that came from the war,
13 and said to them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither; because, for our guilt before Jehovah, ye think to increase our sins and our trespasses: for our trespass is great, and fierce wrath is upon Israel.
14 Then the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation.
15 And the men that have been 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 to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them on asses, and brought them to Jericho the city of palm-trees, to their brethren. And they returned to Samaria.
16 At that time king Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria to help him.
17 And again the Edomites came and smote Judah, and carried away captives.
18 And the Philistines invaded the cities of the lowland, and of the south of Judah, and took Beth-shemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Socho and its dependent villages, and Timnah and its dependent villages, and Guimzo and its dependent villages; and they dwelt there.
10 Now you purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondservants and bondmaids to you: [but] aren't there even with you trespasses of your own against Yahweh your God?
11 Now hear me therefore, and send back the captives, that you have taken captive of your brothers; for the fierce wrath of Yahweh is on you.
12 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 those who came from the war,
13 and said to them, You shall not bring in the captives here: for you purpose that which will bring on us a trespass against Yahweh, to add to our sins and to our trespass; for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.
14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the assembly.
15 The men who have been mentioned by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all who were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brothers: then they returned to Samaria.
16 At that time did king Ahaz send to the kings of Assyria to help him.
17 For again the Edomites had come and struck Judah, and carried away captives.
18 The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland, and of the South of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, and Aijalon, and Gederoth, and Soco with the towns of it, and Timnah with the towns of it, Gimzo also and the towns of it: and they lived there.
10 And now your purpose is to keep the children of Judah and Jerusalem as men-servants and women-servants under your yoke: but are there no sins against the Lord your God to be seen among yourselves?
11 And now give ear to me, and send back the prisoners whom you have taken from your brothers: for the wrath of the Lord is burning against you.
12 Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah, the son of Johanan, Berechiah, the son of Meshillemoth Jehizkiah, the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, put themselves against those who had come from the war,
13 And said to them, You are not to let these prisoners come here; for what you are designing to do will be a cause of sin against the Lord to us, making even greater our sin and our wrongdoing, which now are great enough, and his wrath is burning against Israel.
14 So the armed men gave up the prisoners and the goods they had taken to the heads and the meeting of the people.
15 And those men who have been named went up and took the prisoners, clothing those among them who were uncovered, with things from the goods which had been taken in the war, and putting robes on them and shoes on their feet; and they gave them food and drink and oil for their bodies, and seating all the feeble among them on asses, they took them to Jericho, the town of palm-trees, to their people, and then went back to Samaria.
16 At that time King Ahaz sent for help to the king of Assyria.
17 For the Edomites had come again, attacking Judah and taking away prisoners.
18 And the Philistines, forcing their way into the towns of the lowlands and the south of Judah, had taken Beth-shemesh and Aijalon and Gederoth and Soco, with their daughter-towns, as well as Timnah and Gimzo and their daughter-towns, and were living there.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 28
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 28 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign,.... These verses are much the same with 2 Kings 16:2, only in 2 Chronicles 28:2 it is said,
he made also molten images for Baalim; the several Baals or idols of the nations round about, as well as served Jeroboam's calves; see Judges 2:11, and he is said in 2 Chronicles 28:3,
to burn incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom; to Molech, the god of the Ammonites, who was worshipped there. See Gill on 2 Kings 16:2, 2 Kings 16:3, 2 Kings 16:4.
Wherefore the Lord his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria,.... Whose name was Rezin, 2 Kings 16:5, though that is an after expedition to this, which is there related. The Lord is called the God of Ahaz, because he was so of right; he had dominion over him, and ought to have been worshipped by him; and, besides, he was so by virtue of the national covenant between God and the people Ahaz was king of; and moreover, Ahaz professed he was his God, though in an hypocritical manner, and he forsook the true worship of him:
and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus; whereas in a later expedition, related in 2 Kings 16:5, they did not succeed:
and he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel; whose name was Pekah:
who smote him with a great slaughter; as is next related.
For Pekah son of Remaliah,.... Who was at this time king of Israel:
slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all
valiant men; a great slaughter to be made at one time, and of valiant men, but not so great as that in 2 Chronicles 13:17,
because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers; this was not a reason with Pekah for slaying them, he himself being an idolater, but why the Lord suffered them to be slain by him.
And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king's son,.... Who therefore must have escaped being burnt in the valley of Hinnom, or only was caused to pass through the fire there, 2 Chronicles 28:3,
and Azrikam the governor of the house; steward or treasurer in the king's house, in the same office as Sheban was, Isaiah 22:15.
and Elkanah that was next to the king: prime minister of state.
And the children of Israel carried captive of their brethren two hundred thousand women, sons and daughters,.... Which was a very large and unusual number to be carried captive; but having made such a slaughter of the men, and the rest being intimidated thereby, it was the more easily done:
and took away also much spoil from them; wealth and riches out of their cities, and even from Jerusalem; for by the preceding verse it seems as if they came thither:
and brought the spoils to Samaria; or rather "towards Samaria"F11לשמרון "versus Samariam", Piscator, Rambachius. , as some render the word; for they were not as yet come to it, nor did they bring it and their captives thither, see 2 Chronicles 9:15.
But a prophet of the Lord was there, whose name was Oded,.... Not the same that was in the time of Asa, 2 Chronicles 15:1,
and he went out before the host that came to Samaria; that was coming thither; he went out of Samaria to meet them:
and said unto them, behold, because the Lord God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand; he let them know it was not owing to their wisdom and conduct, their prowess and courage, that they had got the victory over them, but because the Lord was displeased with them for their sins, and therefore gave them up into their hands:
and ye have slain them in a rage that reaches up unto heaven; that is, with an exceeding great rage and fury, and the cry of which reached to heaven also, and was displeasing to God; he suggests to them, that they had exceeded all bounds, and had not shown that compassion to their brethren, when fallen into their hands, they ought to have done, and which therefore was resented by the God of heaven, see Zechariah 1:15.
And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you,.... As seemed by taking and bringing captive such a number of them, contrary to the law, Leviticus 25:39.
but are there not with you, even with you, sins against the Lord your God? for which they deserved to be chastised as well as their brethren the men of Judah, and might expect it, and especially if they used them in a barbarous manner, and contrary to the will of God.
Now hear me therefore,.... And not only hear, but be obedient:
and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken of your brethren; their women, sons and daughters, even all of them, the whole 200,000:
for the fierce wrath of God is upon you; hangs over your heads, and will fall upon you, unless you do this.
Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim,.... Of the principal men of the ten tribes, whose names follow:
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 them that came from the war; who were bringing the captives and spoils to Samaria; but these princes, being influenced by what the prophet said, hindered their proceeding any further.
And said unto them, ye shall not bring in the captives hither,.... That is, into Samaria, near which it seems they now were:
for whereas we have offended against the Lord already; by exceeding in their cruelty against their brethren of Judah, as well as by worshipping the calves:
ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: by making slaves of those they had taken captives, which was against the express law of God:
for your trespass is great; which they had committed already, by their idolatrous practices:
and there is fierce wrath against Israel; which they perceived by what the prophet had said.
So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and the congregation. Which were come out of Samaria to meet them; such an effect had the word's of the prophet, and the princes, upon them, that they not only left the captives with them, but the spoil, to dispose of, as they thought fit.
And the men that were expressed by name rose up,.... Either those before named, 2 Chronicles 28:12 as Jarchi, and so the Vulgate Latin version; or such as they pitched upon, nominated, and appointed:
and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them; put clothes on their backs, and shoes on their feet, who either were taken or carried away before they could put on their garments, or had been stripped of them:
and gave them to eat, and drink, and anointed them; not only fed them, being hungry and thirsty, but anointed them for refreshment after travelling; the Targum is, "washed them", from dirt and filth contracted by travelling:
and carried all the feeble of them on asses; women and children that were not able to walk afoot so far back again:
and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren; a city on the borders both of Judah and Israel, and famous for the number of palm trees near it, see Judges 1:16 in all which these inhabitants of Samaria acted the part of the good Samaritan, Luke 10:33,
then they returned to Samaria: the prophet, with the princes, and the army, and the whole congregation.
At that time did King Ahaz send to the kings of Assyria to help him. To Tiglathpileser, and his son, see 2 Kings 16:7, and the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions, read in the singular, and so the Targum.
For again the Edomites had come,.... As in the days of Jehoshaphat, 2 Chronicles 20:10,
and smitten Judah, and carried away captives; taking the advantage of the weak and low condition Ahaz was in, and which was the reason of his sending to the king of Assyria.
The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country,.... Which lay nearest to them, as Sharon, Lydda, Joppa, &c. in revenge of what Uzziah had done to them, 2 Chronicles 26:6, and of the south of Judah; they penetrated as far as that, from the west to the south of the land:
and had taken Bethshemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho, with the villages thereof and Timnah with the villages thereof; of which see Joshua 15:10.
and Gimzo also, and the villages thereof; which though nowhere else mentioned in Scripture, yet we frequently read in Jewish writingsF12T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 21. 1. Sanhedrin, fol. 108. 2, &c. of Nahum, a man of Ganizu, which perhaps is the same place with this:
and they dwelt there; kept them in their hands, and inhabited them.
For the Lord brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel,.... Because of his impieties and idolatries, which the people by his example went into; he is called king of Israel, because he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and because he ruled over two of the tribes of Israel, and of right was king over all Israel, as David and Solomon his ancestors were; though the Vulgate Latin, Septuagint, and Syriac versions, read, king of Judah; and so the Targum: "for he made Judah naked"; stripped them of their religion, and the worship of God, and so of the divine protection, whereby they were exposed to their enemies, see Exodus 32:25 the Targum is,"for the house of Judah ceased from the worship of the Lord;"
transgressed sore against the Lord; by committing gross idolatry the same Targum is,"they dealt falsely with the Word of the Lord.'
And Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria came unto him,.... Not to Jerusalem, but to Damascus, where he made a diversion in his favour, and took that city, and where Ahaz met him, 2 Kings 16:9.
and distressed him, but strengthened him not; exhausted his treasures, and laid a tribute upon him, but did not help him against the Edomites and Philistines, or recover for him the cities they had taken from him; and, in taking Damascus, he served himself more than Ahaz, and paved the way for seizing upon the ten tribes.
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,.... A part out of the treasures of the temple, and a part out of his own treasures, and another which he levied upon his nobles:
and gave it unto the king of Assyria; sent it to him as a present, to engage him on his side, and assist him against his enemies, 2 Kings 16:10.
but he helped him not; See Gill on 2 Chronicles 28:20.
And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord,.... By increasing his idolatries, as appears by what he did, in imitation of what he saw at Damascus, where he had an interview with the king of Assyria, 2 Kings 16:10
this is that King Ahaz; that monster of iniquity, than whom there was none worse, nor any so bad, of all the kings of Judah.
For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him,.... As he foolishly imagined, that they might do him no more hurt; as it is said of the Indians, that they worship the devil, that he may not hurt them; but that a king of Judah should do this is monstrous stupidity; rather therefore the meaning may be, that he worshipped the gods of those that smote him, those of the men or soldiers of DamascusF13So Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. see 2 Chronicles 28:5 for the Spirit of God would never ascribe the smiting of him to idols, though he himself might:
and he said, because the gods of the kings of Syria help them; which looks as if this was before Damascus was taken by the king of Assyria, and when Rezin king of Syria prevailed over Ahaz:
therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me; against the Edomites and Philistines; wherefore rather to this, his idolatry, respect is had in 2 Chronicles 28:22,
but they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel; the worship of them was the cause of all the calamities that came upon that part of Israel of which he was king.
And gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God,.... And converted them to his own use, sold them, or melted the gold and silver, of which they were, and made money of them, his treasures being exhausted:
and shut up the doors of the house of the Lord: that the people might not come and worship there, but on the high places he made:
and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem; that the priests might sacrifice there, and not in the temple.
And in every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto the gods,.... The gods of Damascus, and other idols; this he did to prevent their coming to Jerusalem to worship.
Now the rest of his acts,.... Of these two verses; see Gill on 2 Kings 16:19; see Gill on 2 Kings 16:20.