16 And also concerning Maachah H4601 the mother H517 of Asa H609 the king, H4428 he removed H5493 her from being queen, H1377 because she had made H6213 an idol H4656 in a grove: H842 and Asa H609 cut down H3772 her idol, H4656 and stamped H1854 it, and burnt H8313 it at the brook H5158 Kidron. H6939
And also Maachah H4601 his mother, H517 even her he removed H5493 from being queen, H1377 because she had made H6213 an idol H4656 in a grove; H842 and Asa H609 destroyed H3772 her idol, H4656 and burnt H8313 it by the brook H5158 Kidron. H6939 But the high places H1116 were not removed: H5493 nevertheless Asa's H609 heart H3824 was perfect H8003 with the LORD H3068 all his days. H3117 And he brought H935 in the things H6944 which his father H1 had dedicated, H6944 and the things which himself had dedicated, H6944 into the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 silver, H3701 and gold, H2091 and vessels. H3627 And there was war H4421 between Asa H609 and Baasha H1201 king H4428 of Israel H3478 all their days. H3117 And Baasha H1201 king H4428 of Israel H3478 went up H5927 against Judah, H3063 and built H1129 Ramah, H7414 that he might not suffer H5414 any to go out H3318 or come in H935 to Asa H609 king H4428 of Judah. H3063 Then Asa H609 took H3947 all the silver H3701 and the gold H2091 that were left H3498 in the treasures H214 of the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and the treasures H214 of the king's H4428 house, H1004 and delivered H5414 them into the hand H3027 of his servants: H5650 and king H4428 Asa H609 sent H7971 them to Benhadad, H1130 the son H1121 of Tabrimon, H2886 the son H1121 of Hezion, H2383 king H4428 of Syria, H758 that dwelt H3427 at Damascus, H1834 saying, H559 There is a league H1285 between me and thee, and between my father H1 and thy father: H1 behold, I have sent H7971 unto thee a present H7810 of silver H3701 and gold; H2091 come H3212 and break H6565 thy league H1285 with Baasha H1201 king H4428 of Israel, H3478 that he may depart H5927 from me. So Benhadad H1130 hearkened H8085 unto king H4428 Asa, H609 and sent H7971 the captains H8269 of the hosts H2428 which he had against the cities H5892 of Israel, H3478 and smote H5221 Ijon, H5859 and Dan, H1835 and Abelbethmaachah, H62 and all Cinneroth, H3672 with all the land H776 of Naphtali. H5321 And it came to pass, when Baasha H1201 heard H8085 thereof, that he left off H2308 building H1129 of Ramah, H7414 and dwelt H3427 in Tirzah. H8656 Then king H4428 Asa H609 made a proclamation H8085 throughout all Judah; H3063 none was exempted: H5355 and they took H5375 away the stones H68 of Ramah, H7414 and the timber H6086 thereof, wherewith Baasha H1201 had builded; H1129 and king H4428 Asa H609 built H1129 with them Geba H1387 of Benjamin, H1144 and Mizpah. H4709 The rest H3499 of all the acts H1697 of Asa, H609 and all his might, H1369 and all that he did, H6213 and the cities H5892 which he built, H1129 are they not written H3789 in the book H5612 of the chronicles H1697 H3117 of the kings H4428 of Judah? H3063 Nevertheless in the time H6256 of his old age H2209 he was diseased H2470 in his feet. H7272 And Asa H609 slept H7901 with his fathers, H1 and was buried H6912 with his fathers H1 in the city H5892 of David H1732 his father: H1 and Jehoshaphat H3092 his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead.
There came G2064 then G3767 his G846 brethren G80 and G2532 his mother, G3384 and, G2532 standing G2476 without, G1854 sent G649 unto G4314 him, G846 calling G5455 him. G846 And G2532 the multitude G3793 sat G2521 about G4012 him, G846 and G1161 they said G2036 unto him, G846 Behold, G2400 thy G4675 mother G3384 and G2532 thy G4675 brethren G80 without G1854 seek for G2212 thee. G4571 And G2532 he answered G611 them, G846 saying, G3004 Who G5101 is G2076 my G3450 mother, G3384 or G2228 my G3450 brethren? G80 And G2532 he looked G4017 round about G2945 on them which G3588 sat G2521 about G4012 him, G846 and said, G3004 Behold G2396 my G3450 mother G3384 and G2532 my G3450 brethren! G80 For G1063 whosoever G3739 G302 shall do G4160 the will G2307 of God, G2316 the same G3778 is G2076 my G3450 brother, G80 and G2532 my G3450 sister, G79 and G2532 mother. G3384
And Asa H609 did H6213 that which was good H2896 and right H3477 in the eyes H5869 of the LORD H3068 his God: H430 For he took away H5493 the altars H4196 of the strange H5236 gods, and the high places, H1116 and brake down H7665 the images, H4676 and cut down H1438 the groves: H842 And commanded H559 Judah H3063 to seek H1875 the LORD H3068 God H430 of their fathers, H1 and to do H6213 the law H8451 and the commandment. H4687 Also he took away H5493 out of all the cities H5892 of Judah H3063 the high places H1116 and the images: H2553 and the kingdom H4467 was quiet H8252 before H6440 him.
If thy brother, H251 the son H1121 of thy mother, H517 or thy son, H1121 or thy daughter, H1323 or the wife H802 of thy bosom, H2436 or thy friend, H7453 which is as thine own soul, H5315 entice H5496 thee secretly, H5643 saying, H559 Let us go H3212 and serve H5647 other H312 gods, H430 which thou hast not known, H3045 thou, nor thy fathers; H1 Namely, of the gods H430 of the people H5971 which are round about H5439 you, nigh H7138 unto thee, or far off H7350 from thee, from the one end H7097 of the earth H776 even unto the other end H7097 of the earth; H776 Thou shalt not consent H14 unto him, nor hearken H8085 unto him; neither shall thine eye H5869 pity H2347 him, neither shalt thou spare, H2550 neither shalt thou conceal H3680 him:
The graven images H6456 of their gods H430 shall ye burn H8313 with fire: H784 thou shalt not desire H2530 the silver H3701 or gold H2091 that is on them, nor take H3947 it unto thee, lest thou be snared H3369 therein: for it is an abomination H8441 to the LORD H3068 thy God. H430 Neither shalt thou bring H935 an abomination H8441 into thine house, H1004 lest thou be a cursed thing H2764 like it: but thou shalt utterly H8262 detest H8262 it, and thou shalt utterly H8581 abhor H8581 it; for it is a cursed thing. H2764
And he said H559 unto them, Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 Put H7760 every man H376 his sword H2719 by his side, H3409 and go H5674 in and out H7725 from gate H8179 to gate H8179 throughout the camp, H4264 and slay H2026 every man H376 his brother, H251 and every man H376 his companion, H7453 and every man H376 his neighbour. H7138 And the children H1121 of Levi H3878 did H6213 according to the word H1697 of Moses: H4872 and there fell H5307 of the people H5971 that day H3117 about three H7969 thousand H505 men. H376
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 15
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 15 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 15
Asa returning from the battle, and with the spoil of the enemy, was met by a prophet of the Lord, who encouraged him to go on with the work of reformation, promising the presence and help of God with him, 2 Chronicles 15:1, which inspired him with fresh courage, and he went about the work with great alacrity; and having offered sacrifices, he and his people entered into a solemn covenant with the Lord, to serve him, 2 Chronicles 15:8 upon which he destroyed his mother's idol, brought the dedicated things into the house of God, and the effect of this was peace for a long time, 2 Chronicles 15:16.
And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded,.... The same with Iddo, as HillerusF8Onomastic, Sacr. p. 458. thinks; and some suppose this to be the name of the son as well as the father, but called Azariah, to distinguish him from him, see 2 Chronicles 15:8 on whom came, as the Targum, the spirit of prophecy, instructing him what to say to Asa; and the Jews sayF9In Hieron. Trad. Heb. in Paralipom. fol. 84. L. & 85. A. he is the same with Iddo, and he the same that was sent to Jeroboam, to reprove him for the altar he built.
And he went out to meet Asa,.... From Jerusalem, as Asa was coming to it:
and said unto him, hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; the principal inhabitants of which tribes had been collected, and went to this war, and were now returning:
the Lord is with you, while ye be with him; it was a clear case he had been with them, in giving them the victory over the Ethiopians; and as long as they continued in the service of God, and abode by his pure worship, they might expect he would yet be with them, otherwise not:
and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; you will see his face, and enjoy his favour, and have his presence, and help from him in every time of need, when they sought him by prayer and supplication, as Asa had, and attended his worship and ordinances:
but if ye forsake him; his laws and his service:
he will forsake you; and leave you to fall into the hands of your enemies.
Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God,.... The fear, worship, and service of him being greatly neglected by them for a long time; what period of time is referred to is not expressed, whether past, present, or to come, but left to be supplied; the Targum refers this to the time of the separation of the ten tribes, and the days of Jeroboam, when the calves were worshipped, and not the true God, and the teaching priests of the Lord were cast out, and the law of the Lord, especially with respect to worship, was not regarded, in which it is followed by many interpreters; others think it refers to time to come, and to what would be the case, should they forsake the Lord; and was fulfilled in the Babylonish captivity, see Hosea 3:4 and the JewsF11Vajikra Rabba, sect. 19. fol. 160. 4. say, that"Oded prophesied that the days should come, when Israel would be "without the true God", since judgment should not be done in the world: and "without a teaching priest"; since the high priesthood should cease, (see Hebrews 7:12) "and without the law"; since the sanhedrim should cease;'but according to our supplement, and which seems most correct, it refers to time past; not to the case of the ten tribes from the times of Jeroboam; nor to the case of Judah from the times of Rehoboam; but to times more remote, even the times of the judges, when they worshipped Baal and Ashtaroth, and not the true God, Judges 2:10, yet at the same time suggesting, that should the present inhabitants of Judah go into the same practices, their case would be like theirs, described in the following verses:
and without a teaching priest: as they were under the judges, from the times of Phinehas to those of Eli, which was a long space of time:
and without law; every man doing as he pleased, there being no king in Israel, nor any regard paid to the law of God, moral or ceremonial, Judges 17:6.
But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel,.... When being carried captive by neighbouring nations, and oppressed; and they cried unto the Lord, and repented of their sins, and turned from them to him:
and sought him; by prayer and supplication:
he was found of them; and appeared for their help and deliverance, of which there are many instances in the book of Judges.
And in those times there was no peace to him that went out nor to him that came in,.... There was no safety in going abroad for travellers from one part to another on account of trade and business, the highways being infested with thieves and robbers:
but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries; of the country villages, which were deserted, because of the plunders and depredations of them, Judges 5:6.
And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city,.... Or one tribe of another; as the Ephraimites by the Gileadites, and the tribe of Benjamin by the other tribes; and Shechem by Abimelech, Judges 9:45,
for God did vex them with all adversity; both with foreign enemies and civil wars; and now it is intimated that this would be their case again, should they not keep close to the Lord their God.
Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak,.... Be hearty, earnest, and vigorous, and not languid and remiss in reforming the worship of God, which Asa had begun:
for your work shall be rewarded; with peace and prosperity at home, and success against enemies abroad, of which they had had a recent instance.
And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet,.... Some think that besides the above words of Azariah the son of Oded, a prophecy of Oded his father was related by him, though not recorded; but rather Oded here is the same with the son of Oded; and so the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions read Azariah the son of Oded; and so does the Alexandrian copy of the Septuagint version:
he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin; which were abominable to God, and all good men; besides the images and statues he had broken before, he removed other idols that remained, being animated and emboldened by the speech of the prophet:
and out of the cities which he had taken from Mount Ephraim: the same which his father Abijah had taken from Jeroboam, 2 Chronicles 13:19 and which perhaps, upon the approach of the Ethiopians, revolted from Asa, or were restored by them to Jeroboam, and Which Asa retook upon his conquest of them:
and renewed the altar of the Lord before the porch of the Lord; the altar of burnt offering, which had never been repaired since it was made by Solomon; perhaps he anew overlaid it with brass that being worn out, or become very thin in some places.
And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them,.... The proselytes of the gate:
out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: out of all the places in those tribes that had come off to him, or had been taken by him; for otherwise these belonged to the ten tribes under the government of Jeroboam, and his successors, and the next clause explains it:
for they fell to him out of Israel abundance, when they saw that the Lord his God was with him; as was clear by the victory he gave him over the Ethiopians; after that time many in the above tribes came over to him; the Targum is,"when they saw the Word of the Lord his God was his help.'
So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem,.... By the order of Asa, 2 Chronicles 15:9,
in the third month; of the ecclesiastical year, the month Sivan, in which month was the day of Pentecost; and that very probably was the time of their gathering:
in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa; and which seems to be the year in which he fought the Ethiopians.
And they offered unto the Lord the same time,.... The Targum adds, on the feast of weeks, or Pentecost: of the spoil which they had brought; from the camp of the Ethiopians, and the cities of the Philistines:
seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep; partly for burnt offerings, and partly for peace offerings, by way of thankfulness to the Lord for the victory he had given them, and for a feast at the making of the following covenant with him.
And they entered into a covenant,.... Asa and all his people; that is, as Piscator remarks, they went between the pieces of the calf cut asunder, for the confirmation of the covenant, see Jeremiah 34:18,
to seek the Lord God of their fathers, with all their heart, and with all their soul; to serve and worship him most truly, sincerely, and cordially.
That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death,.... That obstinately refused to worship him, and served other gods, which by the law was deserving of death, Deuteronomy 17:2,
whether small or great, whether man or woman; without any regard to rank or dignity, age or sex.
And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice,.... As not being ashamed of the oath they took, and that there might be witnesses of it, and that it might be clear they did not equivocate in but expressed themselves in plain words:
and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets; showing that the oath was not extorted from them unwillingly, but that they took it with the utmost cheerfulness, and with all the demonstrations of joy and gladness imaginable.
And all Judah rejoiced at the oath,.... The greater part of them; for some there might be who were dissemblers:
for they had sworn with all their heart; in the sincerity and uprightness of their souls:
and sought him with their whole desire; none being more or so desirable as he:
and he was found of them: and favoured them with his presence:
and the Lord gave them rest round about; from all their enemies.
And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king,.... Or rather his grandmother, 1 Kings 15:10,
he removed her from being queen; the Septuagint version is, "that she should not minister to Astarte"; which was the goddess of the Zidonians; of this and the two next verses; see Gill on 1 Kings 15:13, 1 Kings 15:14, 1 Kings 15:15.
And there was no more war unto the thirty fifth year of the reign of Asa. That is, from the Ethiopian war to that time; after that there was no war with any foreign enemy; there were animosities and discords, bickerings and hostilities of some sort continually between Asa and Baasha king of Israel, as long as he lived, see 1 Kings 15:16.