die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin. 5 Moreover, Amaziah gathered Judah together, and made them captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, according to the houses of their fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin: and he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them three hundred thousand choice men, able to go forth to war, that could handle spear and shield. 6 He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel for an hundred talents of silver. 7 But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for the LORD is not with Israel, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim. 8 But if thou wilt go, do it, be strong for the battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy; for God hath power to help, and to cast down. 9 And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the "army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The LORD is able to give thee much more than this. 10 Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army that was come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again: wherefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in great anger. Num. 1.3 fc. 20. 6. Ps. 62. 11. Ec. 9. 11. • band. g Ps. 24. 1. Prov. 10. 22. Phil. 4. 19. t to their place. I heat of anger. §ons of the band. I send them back, I shall lose that; but what shall we do for the hundred talents?" This is an objection men often make against their duty, they are afraid of losing by it. "Regard not that," says the prophet, "the Lord is able to give thee much more than this; and, thou mayest depend upon it, he will not see thee lose by him. What is one hundred talents between thee and him? He has ways enough to make up the loss to thee: it is below thee to speak of it." Note, A firm belief of God's all-sufficiency to bear us out in our duty, and to make up all the loss and damage we sustain in his service abundantly to our advantage, will make his yoke very easy, and his burden very light. What is it to trust in God, but to be willing to venture the loss of any thing for him, in confidence of the goodness of the security he gives us that we shall not lose by him, but that it shall be made up to us in kind or kindness. When we grudge to part with any thing for God and our religion, this should satisfy us, that God is able to give us much more than this. He is just, and he is good, and he is solvent. The king lost one hundred talents by his obedience; and we find just that sum given to his grandson Jotham as a present, (ch. 27. 5:) then the principal was repaid; and, for interest, 10,000 measures of wheat, and as many of barley. 4. His obedience to the command of God, which is upon record, to his honour. He would rather lose his money, disoblige his allies, and dismiss a fourth part of his army just as they were going to take the field, than offend God. He separated the army of Ephraim to go home again, v. 10. And they went home in great anger, taking it as a great affront thus to be made fools of, and to be cashiered as men not fit to be employed, and being, perhaps, disappointed of the advantages they promised themselves in spoil and plunder, by joining with Judah against Edom. Men are apt to resent that which touches them in their profit or reputation, though it frees them from trouble. 5. His triumphs over the Edomites, v. 11, 12. He left dead upon the spot, in the field of battle, 10,000 men; 10,000 more he took prisoners, and barbarously killed them all by throwing them down some steep and craggy precipice. What provocation he had to exercise this cruelty toward them, we are not told; but it was certainly very severe. 6. The mischief which the disbanded soldiers of Israel did to the cities of Judah, either in their return or soon after, v. 13. They took it so ill to be sent home, that if they might not go to share with Judah in the spoil of Edom, they would make a prey of Judah. Several cities that lay upon the borders they plundered, and killed 3000 men that made resistance. But why should God suffer this to be done? Was it not in obedience to him, that they were sent home; and yet shall the country thus suffer by it? Surely God's way is in the sea! Did not the prophet say that God was not with the children of Ephraim, and yet they are suffered to prevail against Judah? Doubtless, God intended hereby to chastise those cities of Judah for their idolatries, which were found most in those parts that lay next to Israel. The men of Israel had corrupted them, and now they were made a plague to them: Satan both tempts and torments. V. 14-16. Here is, 1. The revolt of Amaziah from the God of Israel to the gods of the Edomites. Egregious folly! Ahaz worshipped the gods of those that had conquered him; he had some little colour for that, ch. 28. 23. But to worship the gods 11 And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to the valley of Salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand. 12 And other ten thousand left alive did the children of Judah carry away captive, and brought them unto the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, that they all were broken in pieces. 13 But the soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto Beth-horon, and smote three thousand of them, and took much spoil. 14 Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them. 15 Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet, which said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand? 16 And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Art thou made of the king's counsel? forbear: why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath "determined to destroy thee, because 'thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel. 17 Then "Amaziah king of Judah took advice, h c. 28. 23. i Ex. 20. 3, 5. Is. 44. 19. k ver. 11, 12. Ps. 96. 5. 11 Sam. 2. 25. m 2 Kings 14. 8, ốc. counselled. of those whom he had conquered, who could not protect their own worshippers, was the greatest absurdity that could be. What did he see in the gods of the children of Seir, that could tempt him to set them up for his gods, and bow down himself before them? v. 14. If he had cast the idols down from the rock, and broken them to pieces, instead of the prisoners, he had discovered more of the piety, as well as more of the pity, of an Israelite: but, perhaps, for that barbarous inhumanity, he was given up to this ridiculous idolatry. 2. The reproof which God sent to him, by a prophet, for this sin. The anger of the Lord was kindled against him, and justly; yet before he sent to destroy him, he sent to convince and reclaim him, and so to prevent his destruction. The prophet reasoned with him very fairly, and very mildly; Why hast thou sought the favour of those gods which could not deliver their own people? v. 15. If men would but duly consider the inability of all those things to help them, which they have recourse to when they forsake God, they would not be such enemies to themselves. 3. The check he gave to the reprover, v. 16. He could say nothing in excuse of his own folly; the reproof was too just to be answered; but he fell into a passion with the reprover; (1.) He taunted him as saucy and impertinent, and meddling with that which did not belong to him; Art thou made of the king's counsel? Could not a man speak reason to him, but he must be upbraided as usurping the place of a privy-counsellor? But, as a prophet, he really was made of the king's counsel by the King of kings, in duty to whom, the king was bound not only to hear, but to ask and take his counsel. (2.) He silenced him: bade him forbear, and say not a word more to him. He said to the seer, See not, Is. 30. 10. Men would gladly have their prophets thus under their girdles, as we say, to speak just when and what they would have them speak, and not otherwise. (3.) He threatened him, "Why shouldest thou be smitten? It is at thy peril, if thou sayest a word more of this matter." He seems to remind him of Zechariah's fate in the last reign, who was put to death for making bold with the king; and bids him take warning by him. Thus he justifies the killing of that prophet by menacing this, and so, in effect, makes himself guilty of the blood of both. The prophet who had ordered him to send back the army of Israel, though he contradicted his politics, and lost him one hundred talents, yet he hearkened to, and was ruled by, v. 10. But this prophet, who dissuaded him from worshipping the gods of the Edomites, he ran upon with an unaccountable rage: which must be attributed to the witchcraft of idolatry. He was easily persuaded to part with his talents of silver, but by no means with his gods of silver. 4. The doom which the prophet passed upon him for this. He had more to say to him by way of instruction and advice; but, finding him obstinate in his iniquity, he forbare. He is joined to idols; let him alone, Hos. 4. 17. Miserable is the condition of that man with whom the blessed Spirit, by ministers and conscience, forbears to strive, Gen. 6. 3. And both the reprovers in the gate, and that in the bosom, if long browbeaten and baffled, will at length forbear; so I gave them up to their own hearts' lusts. The secure sinner, perhaps, values himself upon it as a noble and happy achievement to have silenced his reprovers and monitors, and to get clear of them; but what comes of it? I know that God has determined to de and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of | spiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us see one Lachish: but they sent to Lachish after him, and another in the face. slew him there. 18 And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, This chapter gives us an account of the reign of Uzziah, (Azariah he was called in and trode down the thistle. 28 And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of ** Judah. CHAPTER XXVI. 19 Thou sayest, Lo, thou hast smitten the Edomites; and thine heart lifteth thee up to boast: abide now at home; why shouldest thou meddle to thine hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee? 20 But Amaziah would not hear; for it "came of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom. 21 So Joash the king of Israel went up: and they saw one another in the face, both he and Amaziah king of Judah, at Beth-shemesh, which belongeth to Judah. 22 And Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to his tent. the Kings,) more fully than we had it before; though it was long, and in some respects illustrious, yet it was very briefly related, 2 Kings 14. 21. 15. 1, &c. Here is, I. His good character in general, v. 1-5. II. His great prosperity in his wars, his buildings, and all the affairs of his kingdom, v. 6-15. III. His presumption in invading the priests' office, for which he was struck with a leprosy, and confined by it, v. 16-21, even to his death, v. 2, 23. THEN all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah. 2 He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers. 3 Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. 4 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did. 23 And Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah 5 And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoa-who had understanding in the visions of God: and haz, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusa- as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to lem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, from prosper. the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits. 24 And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obed-edom, and the treasures of the king's house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria. 25 And Amaziah, the son of Joash king of Judah, lived after the death of Joash, son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, fifteen years. 26 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and of Israel? 27 Now after the time that Amaziah did turn away from "following the LORD, they made a con or, furze-bush, or, thorn. ↑ beast of the field. n 1 Kings 12. 15, c. 22. 7. ver. 16. smitten. o c. 21. 17. § gate of it that looketh. p c. 26. 9. 2 Kings 14. 17, &c. r c. 15. 2. Il after. conspired a conspiracy. i. e. the city of David, 2 Kings 14. 20. stroy thee; it is a plain indication that thou art marked for ruin, that thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened to my counsel. They that are deaf to reproof, are ripening apace for destruction, Prov. 29. 1. V. 17-28. We have here this degenerate prince mortified by his neighbour, and murdered by his own subjects. 1. Never was proud prince more thoroughly mortified than Amaziah was by Joash king of Israel. This part of the story was as fully related, 2 Kings 14. 8, &c. as it is here-The foolish challenge which Amaziah sent to Joash, (v. 17,) his haughty scornful answer to it, (v. 18,) with the friendly advice he gave him to sit still and know when he was well off, (v. 19,) his wilful persisting in his challenge, (v. 20, 21,) the defeat that was given him, (v. 22,) and the calamity he brought upon himself and his city thereby, v. 23, 24. Now this story verifies two of Solomon's proverbs; (1.) That a man's pride will bring him low, (Prov. 29. 23;) it goes before his destruction, not only procures it meritoriously, but is often the immediate occasion of it. He that exalteth himself shall be abased. (2.) That he that goes forth hastily to strive, will, probably, not know what to do in the end thereof, when his neighbour has put him to shame, Prov. 25. 8. He that is fond of contention, may have enough of it, sooner than he thinks of. 6 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 about Ashdod, and among the Philistines. 7 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. 9 Moreover, Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem, at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and "fortified them. a 2 Kings 14. 21, 22. 15. 1, &c. or, Azariah. b c. 24. 2. Gen. 41. 15, 38. may be read, v. 27,) the hearts of his subjects departed from a NOTES TO CHAPTER XXVI. V. 1-15. We have here an account of two things concerning Uzziah: I. His piety. In this he was not very eminent or zealous; yet he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord; he kept up the pure worship of the true God, as his father did, and herein better than his father-that we have no reason to think he ever worshipped idols as his father did, no not in his latter days, when his heart was lifted up. It is said, (v. 5,) He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who, some think, was the son of that Zechariah whom his grandfather Joash slew. He was one that had understanding in the visions of God; either the visions which he himself was favoured with, or the visions of the preceding prophets. He was well versed in prophecy, and conversed much with the upper world, was an intelligent, devout, good man; and, it seems, had great influence with Uzziah. Happy are the great men who have such about them, and are willing to be advised by them; but unhappy those, who seek God only while they have such with them, and have not a principle in themselves to bear them out to the end. But there are two passages in this story, which we had not before in the Kings. [1] That Amaziah took advice, before he challenged the king of Israel, v. 17. But of whom? Not of the prophet, he was not made of the king's counsel; but of his statesmen that would flatter him, and bid him go up and prosper. It is good to take advice, but then it must be of those that are fit to advise us. Those that will not take advice from the word of God, which would guide them aright, will justly be left to the bad advice of those that will counsel them to their destruction. Let those be made fools, that will not be made wise. [2] Amaziah's imprudence is here made the punishment of his impiety, v. 20, It was of the Lord; he left him to II. His prosperity. In general, as long as he sought the himself to act thus foolishly, that he and his people might be Lord, and minded religion, God made him to prosper. Note, delivered into the hands of their enemies, because they had for-1. Those only prosper, whom God makes to prosper; for pros saken God, and sought after the gods of Edom. They that will not be persuaded to do well for their souls, will justly be given up to their own counsels to do ill for themselves even in their outward affairs. 2. Never was poor prince more violently pursued by his own subjects; from the time that he departed from the Lord, (so it perity is his gift. 2. Religion and piety are friendly to outward 10 Also he built towers in the desert, and *digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country and in the plains; husbandmen also, and vinedressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry. 11 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 Maseiah 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 two thousand and six hundred. 13 And under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy. 14 And Uzziah prepared for them, throughout all the host, shields, and spears, and helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and "slings to cast stones. or, cut out many cisterns. tor, fruitful helds. I ground. $ the power of an army. stones of slings. went forth. A Deut. 8. 14. 32. 15. c. 25, 19. then he triumphed over the Philistines, those old enemies of God's people, demolished the fortifications of their cities, and put garrisons of his own among them, v. 6. He obliged the Ammonites to pay him tribute, v. 8. He made all quiet about him, and kept them in awe. (2.) The greatness of his fame and reputation. His name was celebrated throughout all the neighbouring countries, (v. 8,) and it was a good name, a name for good things with God and good people. This is true fame, and makes a man truly honourable. (3.) His buildings. While he acted offensively abroad, he did not neglect the defence of his kingdom at home, but built towers in Jerusalem at home, and fortified them, v. 9. Much of the wall of Jerusalem was, in his father's time, broken down, particularly at the corner gate, (ch. 25. 23;) probably his father had repaired it, but he, to prevent the like mischief for the future, fortified it, and built a tower at the corner gate. But his best fortification of Jerusalem was his close adherence to the worship of God, which if his father had not forsaken, the wall of Jerusalem had not been broken down. While he fortified the city, he did not forget the country, but built towers in the desert too, (v. 10,) to protect the country people from the inroads of the plunderers, bands of which sometimes alarmed them and plundered them, as ch. 21. 16. (4.) His husbandry. He dealt much in cattle and corn, employed many hands, and got much wealth by it, for he took a pleasure in it; he loved husbandry, (v. 10,) and, probably, did himself inspect his affairs in the country, which was no disparagement to him, but an advantage, as it encouraged industry among his subjects. It is an honour to the husbandman's calling, that one of the most illustrious princes of the house of David followed it and loved it. He was none of those that delight in war, nor did he addict himself to sport and pleasure, but delighted in the innocent and quiet employments of the husbandman. (5.) His standing armies. He had, as it should seem, two military establishments. [1.] A host of fighting men that were to make excursions abroad, they went out to war by bands, v. 11. They fetched in spoil from the neighbouring countries by way of reprisal for the depredations they had so often made upon Judah. [2.] Another army for guards and garrisons, that were ready to defend the country in case it should be invaded, v. 12, 13. So great were their number and valour, that they made war with mighty power; no enemy durst face them, or at least, could stand before them. Men unarmed can do little in war; Uzziah therefore furnished himself with a great armory, whence his soldiers were supplied with arms offensive and defensive, (v. 14,) spears, bows, and slings, shields, helmets, and habergeons; swords are not mentioned, because it is probable that every man had a sword of his own, which he wore constantly. Engines were invented, in his time, for annoying besiegers with darts and stones shot from the towers and bulwarks, v. 15. What pity it is that the wars and fightings which come from men's lusts, have made it necessary for cunning men to employ their skill in inventing instruments of death! m Num. 16. 40. 18. 7. i Prov. 16. 18. k 2 Kings 16. 12, 13. 1 Chr. 6, 10. n Ex. 30. 7, 8. Heb. 5. 4. o 1 Cor. 5, 5. p 1 Sam. 2. 30. burn incense upon the altar of God, for which, it is likely, he pretended an extraordinary zeal and affection. See how hard it is to avoid one extreme, and not run into another. 1. That which was at the bottom of his sin, was, pride of heart, a lust that ruins more than any other whatsoever. When he was strong, v. 16, (and he was marvellously helped by the good providence of God till he was so, v. 15,) when he was grown very great and considerable in wealth, interest, and power, instead of lifting up the name of God in gratitude to him who had done so much for him, his heart was lifted up to his destruction. Thus the prosperity of fools, by puffing them up with pride, destroys them. Now that he had done so much business, and won so much honour, he began to think no business, no honour, too great or too good for him; no, not that of the priesthood. Men's pretending to forbidden knowledge, and exercising themselves in things too high for them, are owing to the pride of their heart, and the fleshly mind they are vainly puffed up with. 2. His sin was, going into the temple of the Lord to burn incense; probably, on some solemn feast-day, or when he himself had some special occasion for supplicating the divine favour. What should move him to this piece of presumption, or put it into his head, I cannot conjecture: none of all his predecessors, not the best, not the worst, attempted it: the law, he knew, was express against him, and there was no usage or precedent for him; he could not pretend any necessity, as there was for David's eating the show-bread. (1.) Perhaps he fancied the priests did not do their office so dexterously, decently, and devoutly, as they ought, and he could do it better. Or, (2.) He observed that the idolatrous kings did themselves burn incense at the altars of their gods; his father did so, and Jeroboam, (1 Kings 13. 1;) an ambition of which honour was perhaps one thing that tempted them from the house of God, where it was not permitted them; and he, being resolved to cleave to God's altar, would try to break through this restraint, and come as near it as the idolatrous kings did to their altars. But it is called a transgression against the Lord his God. He was not content with the honours God had put upon him, but would usurp those that were forbidden him, like our first parents. 3. He was opposed in this attempt by the chief priest and other priests that attended and assisted him, v. 17, 18. They were ready to burn incense for the king, according to the duty of their place; but if he offer to do it himself, they plainly let him know that he meddles with that which does not belong to him, and it is at his peril. They did not resist him by laying violent hands on him, though they were valiant men, but by reasoning with him, and showing him, (1.) That it was not lawful for him to burn incense: "It appertaineth not to thee, O Uzziah, but to the priests, whose birthright it is, as sons of Aaron, and who are consecrated to the service." Aaron and his sons were appointed by the law to burn incense, Ex. 30. 7. See Deut. 33. 10. 1 Chr. 23. 13. David had blessed the people, Solomon and Jehoshaphat, had prayed with them and preached to them; Uzziah might have done this, and it would have been to his praise; but for burning incense, that service was to be performed by the priests only. The kingly and priestly offices were separated by the law of Moses, not to be united again but in the person of the Messiah. IfUzziah did intend to honour God, and gain acceptance with him, in what he did, he was quite out in his aim; for being a service purely of divine institution, he could not expect it should be accepted, unless it were done in the way, and by the hands, that God had appointed. (2.) That it was not safe. It shall not be for thine honour from the Lord God; more is imlaw runs express against all strangers that came nigh, (Num. 3. 10.-18. 7,) that is, all that were not priests. Korah and his accomplices, though Levites, paid dear for offering to burn incense, which was the work of the priests only, Num. 16. 35. The incense of our prayers must be, by faith, put into the hands of our Lord Jesus the great High Priest of our profession, else we cannot expect it should be accepted by God. Rev. 8. 3. V. 16-23. Here is the only blot we find on the name of king Uzziah, and it is such a one as lies not on any other of the kings. Whoredom, murder, oppression, persecution, and especially idolatry, gave characters to the bad kings, and some of them blemishes to the good ones, David himself not excepted, witness the matter of Uriah. But we find not Uzziah charged with any of these; and yet he transgressed against the Lord his God, and fell under the marks of his displeasure for it; not, as other kings, in vexatious wars or rebellions, but an in-plied; "It will be thy disgrace, and it is at thy peril." The curable disease. I. His sin was, invading the priest's office. The good way is one, by-paths are many; the transgression of his predecessors was, forsaking the temple of the Lord, and flying off from it, (ch. 24. 18,) and burning incense upon idolatrous altars, ch. 25. 14. His transgression was, intruding into the temple of the Lord, further than was allowed him, and attempting himself to 19 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 before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar. 20 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 hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him. 21 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; and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land. 22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write. 23 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. c. 25. 16. 2 Kings 15. 5. 4. He fell into a passion with the priests that reproved him, and would push forward to do what he intended notwithstanding; (v. 19,) Uzziah was wroth, and would not part with the censer out of his hand: he took it ill to be checked, and would not bear it. Nilimur in vetitum-We are prone to do what is forbidden, II. His punishment was, an incurable leprosy, which rose up in his forehead while he was contending with the priests. If he had submitted to the priests' admonition, acknowledged his error, and gone back, all had been well; but when he was wroth with the priests, and fell foul upon them, then God was wroth with him, and smote him with a plague of leprosy. Josephus says that he threatened the priests with death if they opposed him, and that then the earth shook, the roof of the temple opened, and through the cleft a beam of the sun darted directly upon the king's face, wherein immediately the leprosy appeared. And some conjecture, that that was the earthquake in the days of Uzziah, which we read of Am. 1. 1. and Zech. 14. 5. Now this sudden stroke, CHAPTER XXVII. Here is a very short account of the reign of Jotham, a pious prosperous prince, whom one would wish to have known more of, but we rany better dispense with the brevity of his story, because that which lengthened the history of the three last kings, was, their degeneracy in their latter end, which we have bad a faithful account of; but there was no occasion for such a melancholy conclusion of the history of his reign, which is only an account, I. Of the date and continuance of his reign, v. 1, 8. 11. The general good character of it, v. 2, 6. II. The prosperity of it, v. 3-5. IV. The period of it, v. 7, 9. JOTH OTHAM was twenty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok. 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he entered not into the temple of the LORD. And the people did yet corruptly. 3 He built the high gate of the house of the LORD, and on the wall" of Ophel he built much. 4 Moreover, he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers. 5 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 Miriam's case, is compared to her father's spitting in her face, Num. 12. 14. (5.) He invaded the dignity of the priesthood which he had no right to, and is for that deprived even of his royal dignity which he had a right to. They that covet forbidden honours, forfeit allowed ones. Adam, by catching at the tree of knowledge which he might not eat of, debarred himself from the tree of life which he might have eaten of. Let all that read it say, The Lord is righteous. NOTES TO CHAPTER XXVII. V. 1-9. There is not much more related here concerning Jotham, than we had before, 2 Kings 15. 32, &c. 1. That he reigned well: he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord; the course of his reign was good, and pleasing to God, whose favour he made his end, and his word his rule, and (which shows that he acted from a good principle) he prepared his ways before the Lord his God, (v. 6;) that is, He walked circumspectly and with much caution, contrived how to 1. Ended the controversy between him and the priests; for shun that which was evil, and compass that which was good; when the leprosy appeared, they were imboldened to thrust him he looked before him, and cast his affairs into such a posture out of the temple; nay, he himself hasted to go out, because the and method as made the regular management of them the more Lord had smitten him with a disease which was, in a particular easy. Or, he established or fixed his ways before the Lord, manner, a token of his displeasure, and which he knew seclud- that is, he walked steadily and constantly in the way of his ed him from common converse with men, much more from the duty, was uniform and resolute in it; not like some of those that altar of God. He would not be convinced by what the priests went before him, who, though they had some good in them, lost said, but God took an effectual course to convince him. If pre- their credit by their inconstancy, and inconsistency with themsumptuous men will not be made to see their error by the judg-selves. They had run well, but something hindered them. It ments of God's mouth, they shall be made to see it by the judg- was not so with Jotham. ments of his hand. It evidenced some religious fear of God in the heart of this king, even in the midst of his transgression, that, as soon as he found God was angry with him, he not only let fall his attempt, but retired with the utmost precipitation. Though he strove with the priests, he would not strive with his Maker. 2. It remained a lasting punishment of his transgression; for he continued a leper to the day of his death, shut up in confinement, and shut out from society, and forced to leave it to his son to manage all his business, v. 21. Thus God gave an instance of his resisting the proud, and of his jealousy for the purity and honour of his own institutions: thus he gave fair warning even to great and good men to know and keep their distance, and not to intrude into those things which they have not seen: thus he gave Uzziah a loud and constant call to repentance, and a long space to repent, which we have reason to hope he made a good improvement of. He had been a man of much business in the world, but being taken off from that, and confined to a several house, he had leisure to think of another world, and prepare for it. By this judgment upon the king, God intended to possess the people with a great veneration for the temple, the priesthood, and other sacred things, which they had been apt to think meanly of. While the king was a leper, he was as good as dead, dead while he lived, and buried alive; and so the law was, in effect, answered, that the stranger which cometh nigh shall be put to death. The disgrace survived him; for when he was dead, they would not bury him in the sepulchres of the kings, because he was a leper, which stained all his other glory. Two things are observed here in his character: (1.) What was amiss in his father he amended in himself, v. 2. He did according to all that his father did well and wisely; howbeit, he would not imitate him in what he did amiss; for he entered not into the temple of the Lord to burn incense as his father did; but took warning by his fate not to dare so presumptuous a thing. Note, We must not imitate the best men, and those we have the greatest veneration for, any further than they did well; but, on the contrary, their falls, and the injurious consequences, must be warnings to us to walk the more circumspectly, that we stumble not at the same stone that they stumbled at. (2.) What was amiss in his people he could not prevail to amend. The people did yet corruptly. Perhaps it reflects some blame upon him, that he was wanting in his part toward the reformation of the land. Men may be very good themselves, and yet not have courage and zeal to do what they might do toward the reforming of others. However, it certainly reflects a great deal of blame upon the people, that they did not do what they might have done to improve the advantages of so good a reign: they had good instructions given them, and a good example set before them, but they would not be reformed; so that even in the reign of their good kings, as well as the bad ones, they were treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath; for they still did corruptly, and the Founder melted in vain. 2. That he prospered, and became truly reputable. (1.) He built. He began with the gate of the house of the Lord, which he repaired, beautified, and raised. He then fortified the wall of Ophel, and built cities in the mountains of Judah, (v. 3, 4;) took all possible care for the fortifying of his country and the replenishing of it. (2.) He conquered. He prevailed against the Ammonites, who had invaded Judah in Jehoshaphat's time, (ch. 20, 1,) triumphed over them, and exacted great contributions from them, v. 5. 3. It was a punishment that answered the sin, as face does to face in a glass. (1.) Pride was at the bottom of his transgression, and thus God humbled him, and put dishonour upon him, (2.) He invaded the office of the priests in contempt of them, and God struck him with a disease, which in a particular manner made him subject to the inspection and sentence of the priests; for to them pertained the judgment of the leprosy, Deut. 24. 8. (3.) He thrust himself into the temple of God, whither (3.) He became mighty (v. 6) in wealth and power, and the priests only had admission, and for that was thrust out of influence upon the neighbouring nations, who courted his friendthe very courts of the temple, into which the meanest of his sub-ship, and feared his displeasure; and this he got by preparing jects that was ceremonially clean, had free access. (4.) He his ways before the Lord his God. The more steadfast we are confronted the priests that faced him and opposed his presump-in religion, the more mighty we are both for the resistance of tion, and for that the leprosy rose in his forehead, which, in that which is evil, and for the performance of that which is good. This chapter is the history of the reign of Ahaz the son of Jotham; a bad reign it was, and which helped to augment the fierce anger of the Lord. We have here, I. His great wickedness, v. 1-4. II. The trouble he brought himself into by it, v. 5-8. III. The reproof which God sent by a prophet to the army of Israel for trampling upon their brethren of Judah, and the obedient ear they gave to that 6 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 fathers. 7 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 reprout, v.9-15. IV. The many calamities that followed after to Ahaz and spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria. his people, v. 16-21. V. The continuance of his idolatry notwithstanding, v. 22-25; and so his story ends, v. 26, 27. HAZ was twenty years old when he began rusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father: 2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also 'molten images for Baalim. 3 Moreover, he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. • Thia. b c. 25. 5. tor, establishe1. c c. 19. 3. a 2 Kings 16. 2, &c. b Ex. 34. 17. Lev. 19. 4. e Judg. 2. 11. Hos. 2. 13, 17. or, ofered sneriace. d 2 Kings 33. 10. e Lev. 19. 21. c. 33. 6. Ps. 106. 37. Jer. 32. 33. Ez. 16. 20, 21. Mic. 6. 7. f Is. 7. 1. t Darmesek. g2 Kings 15. 27. I sons of valour. 3. That he finished his course too soon, but finished it with honour; he had the unhappiness to die in the midst of his days; but, to balance that, the happiness not to outlive his reputation, as his three last predecessors did. He died when he was but forty-one years of age, (v. 8,) but his wars and his ways, his wars abroad and his ways at home, were so glorious, that they were recorded in the book of the kings of Israel, as well as of the kings of Judah, v. 7. The last words of the chapter convey the painful intelligence, that Ahaz his son reigned in his stead, whose character, in all respects, was the reverse of his. When the wealth and power which wise men have done good with, devolve upon fools, that will do hurt with them, it is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation. NOTES TO CHAPTER XXVIII. V. 1-5. Never surely had a man greater opportunity of doing well than Ahaz had, finding things in a good posture, the kingdom rich and strong, and religion established; and yet here we have him in these few verses, 1. Wretchedly corrupted and debauched. He had had a good education given him, and a good example set him; but parents cannot give grace to their children; all the instructions he had, were lost upon him, he did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord, (v. 1;) nay, he did a great deal that was wrong, a wrong to God, to his own soul, and to his people; he walked in the way of the revolted Israelites, and the devoted Canaanites, made molten images, and worshipped them, contrary to the second commandment; nay he made them for Baalim, contrary to the first commandment. He forsook the temple of the Lord, and sacrificed and burned incense on the hills, as if those would place him nearer heaven; and under every green tree, as if those would signify the protection and influence of heaven by their shade and dropping. To complete his wickedness, as one perfectly divested of all natural affection as well as religion, and perfectly devoted to the service and interest of the great enemy of mankind, he burned his children in the fire to Moloch, (v. 3,) not thinking it enough to dedicate them to that infernal fiend by causing them to pass through the fire. See what an absolute sway the prince of the power of the air bears among the children of disobedience. 2. Wretchedly spoiled and made a prey of. When he forsook God, and, at a vast expense, put himself under the protection of false gods, God, who, of right, was his God, delivered him into the hands of his enemies, v. 5. (1.) The Syrians insulted him, and triumphed over him, beat him in the field, and carried away a great many of his people into captivity. (2.) The king of Israel, though an idolater too, was made a scourge to him, and smote him with a great slaughter. The people suffered by these judgments, their blood was shed, their country wasted, their families ruined; for when they had a good king, though they did corruptly, (ch. 27. 2,) yet then his goodness sheltered him; but now that they had a bad one, all their defence was departed from them, and an inundation of judgments broke in upon them. They that knew not their happiness in the foregoing reign, were taught to value it by the miseries of this reign. 9 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, 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, sins against the LORD your God? A Deut. 31. 16, 17. Josh. 24. 20. Is. 1. 28. Jer. 15.6. § the second. i c. 11. 4. * Pa. 69. 26. Ís. 10.5-7. 47. 6. Jer. 50, 17, 18. Ez. 25. 12-17. 26. 2, 3. Ob. 10, &c. Zech. 1. 15. 1 Gen. 4. 10. Ezra 9. 6. Rev. 18. 5. m Lev. 25. 39, &c. n Jer. 25. 29. Matt. 7. 2-4. V. 6-15. We have here, I. Treacherous Judah under the rebukes of God's providence, and they are very severe. Never was such bloody work made among them, since they were a kingdom, and by Israelites too. Ahaz walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and the king of Israel was the instrument God made use of for his punishment. It is just with God to make those our plagues, whom we make our patterns, or make ourselves partners with in sin. A war broke out between Judah and Israel, in which Judah was worsted. For, 1. There was a great slaughter of men in the field of battle: vast numbers; 120,000 men, and valiant men too at other times, were slain, (v. 6,) and some of the first rank; the king's son for one. He had sacrificed some of his sons to Moloch, justly therefore is this sacrificed to the divine vengeance. Here is another that was next the king, his friend, the prime minister of state, or perhaps next him in the battle, so that the king himself had a narrow escape, v. 7. The kingdom of Israel was not strong at this time, and yet strong enough to bring this great destruction upon Judah. But certainly so many men, great men, stout men, could not have been cut off in one day, if they had not been strangely dispirited, both by the consciousness of their own guilt, and by the righteous hand of God upon them. Even valiant men were numbered as sheep for the slaughter, and became an easy prey to the enemy, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers, and he had therefore forsaken them. 2. There was a great captivity of women and children, v. 8. When the army in the field was routed, the cities, and towns, and country villages, were all easily stripped, the inhabitants taken for slaves, and their wealth for a prey. II. Even victorious Israel under the rebukes of God's word, for the bad principle they had gone upon in making war with Judah, and the bad use they made of their success; and the good effect of this rebuke. Here is, 1. The message which God sent them by a prophet, who went out to meet them, not to applaud their valour, or congratulate them on their victory, though they returned laden with spoils and triumphs, but in God's name to tell them of their faults, and warn them of the judgments of God. (1.) He tells them how they came by this victory of which they were so proud; it was not because God favoured them, or that they had merited it at his hand, but because he was wroth with Judah, and made them the rod of his indignation. Not for your righteousness, be it known to you, but for their wickedness, (Deut. 9. 5,) they are broken off; therefore be not ye highminded, but fear, lest God also spare not you, Rom. 11. 20, 21. (2.) He charges them with the abuse of the power God had given them over their brethren. They understand not what victory is, who think it gives them authority to do what they will, and that the longest sword is the clearest claim to lives and estates; (Jusque datum sceleri-Might is right;) no, as it is impolitic not to use a victory, so it is impious to abuse it. The conquerors are here reproved, [1.] For the cruelty of the slaughter they had made in the field. They had indeed shed the blood of war, in war; we suppose that to be lawful, but it turned into sin to them, because they did it from a bad principle |