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29 So the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, went up to Ramoth-gilead."

his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.

35 And the battle "increased that day; and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syridis-ans, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot.

30 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, *I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel guised himself, and went into the battle.

31 But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.

32 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.

33 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.

36 And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country.

37 So the king died, and **was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.

38 And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood, (and they washed his armour,) according unto the word of the LORD which he spake."

39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

34 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of or, when he was to disguise himself. ≈ 2 Chr. 35. 22. y Prov. 13. 20.† in his and the breast plate. & made sick. ascended. ¶ bosom. z ver. 17, 28. simplicity. 2 Sam. 15. 11. came. a c. 21, 19. b Am. 3. 15.

the prison whence he came, but to be fed with bread and water, coarse bread and puddle water, till he should return; not doubting but he should return a conqueror, and then he would put him to death for a false prophet, v. 27. Hard usage for one that would have prevented his ruin! But by this it appeared that God had determined to destroy him, as 2 Chr. 25. 16. How confident is Ahab of success! He doubts not but he shall return in peace, forgetting what he himself had reminded Ben-hadad of, Let not him that girdeth on the harness, boast; but there was little likelihood of his coming home in peace when he left one of God's prophets behind him in prison. Micaiah puts it upon the issue, and calls all the people to be witnesses that he did so, "If thou return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me, v. 28. Let me incur the reproach and punishment of a false prophet, if the king come home alive." He ran no hazard by this appeal, for he knew whom he had believed; he that is terrible to the kings of the earth, and treads upon princes as mortar, will rather let thousands of them fall to the ground, than one jot or tittle of his own word; he will not fail to confirm the word of his servants, Is. 44. 26.

V. 29-40. The matter in contest between God's prophet and Ahab's prophets, is here soon determined, and it is made to appear which was in the right. Here,

I. The two kings march with their forces to Ramoth-gilead, v. 29. That the king of Israel, who hated God's prophet, should so far disbelieve his admonition, as to persist in his resolution, notwithstanding, is not strange; but that Jehoshaphat, that pious prince, who had desired to inquire by a prophet of the Lord, as disrelishing and discrediting Ahab's prophets, should yet proceed, after so fair a warning, is matter of astonishment; but by the easiness of his temper he was carried away with the delusion (as Barnabas was with the dissimulation, Gal. 2. 13,) of his friends; he gave too much heed to Ahab's prophets, because they pretended to speak from God too, and in his country he had never been imposed upon by such cheats; he was ready to give his opinion with the majority, and to conclude that it was 400 to one but they should succeed; Micaiah had not forbidden them to go; nay, at first, he said, Go, and prosper; if it came to the worst, it was only Ahab's fall that was foretold, and therefore he hoped he might venture.

II. Ahab contrives to secure himself, and expose his friend; (v. 30,) “I will disguise myself, and go in the habit of a common soldier, but let Jehoshaphat put on his robes, to appear in the dress of a general." He pretended hereby to do honour to Jehoshaphat, and to compliment him with the sole command of the army in this action; he shall direct and give orders, and Ahab will serve as a soldier under him; but he intended, 1. To make a liar of a good prophet; thus he hoped to elude the danger, and so to defeat the threatening, as if, by disguising himself, he could escape the divine cognizance, and the judgments that pursued him. 2. To make a fool of a good king, whom he did not cordially love, because he was one that adhered to God, and so condemned his apostacy; he knew that if any perished, it must be the shepherd, so Micaiah had foretold; and perhaps he had intimation of the charge the enemy had, to fight chiefly against the king of Israel, and therefore basely intended to betray Jehoshaphat to the danger, that he might secure himself. Ahab was marked for ruin: one would not have been in his attire, for a great sum; yet he will overpersuade this godly king to muster for him. See what they get, that join in affinity with vicious men, whose consciences are debauched, and who are lost to every thing that is honourable. How can it be expected that he should be true to his friend, that has been false to his God?

III. Jehoshaphat, having more piety than policy, put himself into the post of honour, though it was the post of danger, and was thereby brought into peril of his life, but God graciously delivered him: the king of Syria charged his captains to level their force, not against the king of Judah, for with him he had no quarrel, but with the king of Israel only, (v. 31,) to aim at his person, as if against him he had a particular enmity; now

Ahab was justly repaid for sparing Ben-hadad, who, as the seed of the serpent commonly do, stung the bosom in which he was fostered, and saved from perishing; some think that he designed only to have him taken prisoner, that he might now give him as honourable a treatment as he had formerly received from him. Whatever was the reason, this charge the officers received, and endeavoured to oblige their prince in this matter; for, seeing Jehoshaphat in his royal habit, they took him for the king of Israel, and surrounded him. Now, 1. By his danger, God let him know that he was displeased with him for joining in confederacy with Ahab; he had said, in compliment to Ahab, (v. 4,) I am as thou art, and now he was indeed taken for him; they that associate with evil-doers, are in danger of sharing in their plagues. 2. By his deliverance, God let him know that though he was displeased with him, yet he had not deserted him; some of the captains that knew him, perceived their mistake, and so retired from the pursuit of him; but it is said, (2 Chr. 18. 31,) God moved them (for he has all hearts in his hand) to depart from him; to him he cried out, not in cowardice, but devotion, and from him his relief came; Ahab was in no care to succour him; God is a Friend that will not fail us, when other friends do.

IV. Ahab received his mortal wound in the battle, notwithstanding his endeavours to secure himself in the habit of a private sentinel. Let no man think to hide himself from God's judgments, no, not in masquerade; Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies, whatever disguise they are in, v. 34. The Syrian that shot him, little thought of doing such a piece of service to God and his king, for he drew a bow at a venture, not aiming particularly at any man; yet God so directed the arrow, that, 1. He hit the right person, the man that was marked for destruction, whom, if they had taken alive, as was designed, perhaps Ben-hadad would have spared; those cannot escape with life, whom God hath doomed to death. 2. He hit him in the right place, between the joints of the harness, the only about him where this arrow of death could find entrance. armour is of proof against the darts of divine vengeance: case the criminal in steel, and it is all one; he that made him, can make his sword to approach to him. That which to us seems altogether casual, is done by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God.

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V. The army was dispersed by the enemy, and sent home by the king. Either Jehoshaphat or Ahab ordered the retreat of the sheep, when the shepherd was smitten: "Every man to his city, for it is to no purpose to attempt any thing more,' v. 36. Ahab himself lived long enough to see that part of Micaiah's prophecy accomplished, that all Israel should be scattered upon the mountains of Gilead, (v. 17,) and perhaps with his dying lips did himself give orders for it; for though he would be carried out of the army, to have his wounds dressed, (v. 34,) yet he would be stayed up in his chariot, to see if his army were victorious; but when he saw the battle increase against them, his spirits sunk, and he died, but his death was so lingering, that he had time to feel himself die; and we may well imagine with what horror he now reflected upon the wickedness he had committed, the warnings he had slighted, Baal's altars, Naboth's vineyard, Micaiah's imprisonment; now he sees himself flattered into his own ruin, and Zedekiah's horns of iron, pushing, not the Syrians, but himself, into destruction. Thus is he brought to the king of terrors without hope in his death.

VI. The royal corpse was brought to Samaria, and buried there, (v. 37,) and thither were brought the bloody chariot and bloody armour in which he died, v. 38. One particular circumstance is taken notice of, because there was in it the accomplishment of a prophecy, That when they brought the chariot to the pool of Samaria, to be washed, the dogs (and swine, says the Septuagint) gathered about it, and, as is usual, licked the blood, or, as some think, the water in which it was washed, with which the blood was mingled: the dogs made no difference between royal blood and other blood. Now Naboth's blood

40 So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah | his son reigned in his stead.

41 And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.

42 Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.

43 And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the LORD: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places. 44 And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king

of Israel.

45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he showed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

46 And the remnant of the Sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took out of the land.

e 2 Chr. 20. 31, &c. d 2 Chr. 17. 3. e c. 14. 23. 15. 14. 2 Kings 12. 3. f 2 Kings
8. 18. 2 Chr. 19. 2. 2 Cor. 6. 14. g c. 14. 24. 15. 12. Gen. 25. 23. 2 Sam. 8. 14.
was avenged, (ch. 21. 19,) and that word of David, as well as
Elijah's word, was fulfilled, (Ps. 68. 23,) That thy foot may be
dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of thy dogs
in the same.
The dogs licking the guilty blood, was perhaps
designed to represent the terrors that prey upon the guilty soul
after death.

Lastly, The story of Ahab is here concluded in the usual
form, v. 39, 40. Among his works, mention is made of an ivory
house which he built, so called, because many parts of it were
inlaid with ivory; perhaps it was intended to vie with the
stately palace of the kings of Judah, which Solomon built.
V. 41-53. Here is,

47 There was then no king in Edom: a deputy was king.

48 Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they went not; for the ships were broken at Ezion-geber.'

49 Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships: but Jehoshaphat would not.

50 And "Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.

51 Ahaziah "the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.

52 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin :

53 For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.

2 Kings 3. 9. 8.20.
or, had ten ships. i 2 Chr. 20. 35, &c. k c. 10. 22. c. 9.
26. m 2 Chr. 21. 1. n ver. 40. o c. 16. 30, &c. p c. 12. 28-33. g Judg. 2. 11.
the kingdom of Israel. If Jehoshaphat reigned not so long as
his father, to balance that, he had not those blemishes on the
latter end of his reign, that his father had, (2 Chr. 16. 9, 10, 12 ;)
and it is better for a man that has been in reputation for wis-
dom and honour, to die in the midst of it, than to outlive it.
2. Yet it was one of the best, both in respect of piety and pros-
perity. (1.) He did well, he did that which was right in the
eyes of the Lord, (v. 43;) observed the commands of his God,
and trod in the steps of his good father, and persevered therein,
he turned not aside from it; yet every man's character has some
but or other, so had his; the high places were not taken away,
no, not out of Judah and Benjamin, though those tribes lay so
near Jerusalem, that they might easily bring their offerings and
incense to the altar there, and could not pretend, as some other
of the tribes, the inconveniency of lying remote; but old cor-
have formerly had the patronage of those that were good, as the
high places had of Samuel, Solomon, and some others. (2.) His
affairs did well; he prevented the mischiefs which had attended
their wars with the kingdom of Israel, establishing a lasting
peace, (v. 44,) which had been a greater blessing, if he had
contented himself with a peace, and not carried it on to an affi-
nity with Israel: he put a deputy, or viceroy, in Edom, so that
that kingdom was tributary to him, (v. 47;) and therein the pro-
phecy concerning Esau and Jacob was fulfilled, that the elder
should serve the younger; and, in general, mention is made of
his might and his wars, v. 45. He pleased God, and God bless-
ed him with strength and success; his death was spoken of,
(v. 50,) to shut up his story, yet, in the history of the kings of
Israel, we find mention of him afterward, 2 Kings 3. 7.

I. A short account of the reign of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, which we shall have a much fuller narrative of in the book of Chronicles, and of the greatness and goodness of that prince, neither of which was lessened or sullied by any thing but hisruptions are with difficulty rooted out, especially when they intimacy with the house of Ahab, which, upon several accounts, was a diminution to him; his confederacy with Ahab in war, we have already found dangerous to him, and his confederacy with Ahaziah his son in trade, sped no better; he offered to go partner with him in a fleet of merchant ships, that should fetch gold from Ophir, as Solomon's navy did, v. 48. See 2 Chr. 20. 35, 36. But while they were preparing to set sail, they were exceedingly damaged and disabled by a storm, broken at Eziongeber, which a prophet gave Jehoshaphat to understand was a rebuke to him for his league with wicked Ahaziah, 2 Chr. 20. 37. And therefore, as we are told here, (v. 49,) when Ahaziah desired a second time to be a partner with him, or if that could not be obtained, that he might but send his servants with some effects on board Jehoshaphat's ships, he refused; Jehoshaphat would not; the rod of God, expounded by the word of God, had effectually broken him off from his confederacy with that ungodly unhappy prince. Better buy wisdom dear than be without it; but experience is therefore said to be the mistress of fools, because they are fools that will not learn till they are taught by experience, and particularly, till they are taught the danger of associating with wicked people.

Now Jehoshaphat's reign appears here to have been none of the longest, but one of the best. 1. It was none of the longest, for he reigned but 25 years, (v. 42;) but then it was in the prime of his time, between 35 and 60, and these 25, added to his father's happy 41, give us a grateful idea of the flourishing condition of the kingdom of Judah, and of religion in it, for a great while even when things were very bad upon all accounts, in

II. The beginning of the story of Ahaziah the son of Ahab; (v. 51-53,) his reign was very short, not two years. Some sinners God makes quick work with. It is a very bad character that is here given him; he not only kept up Jeroboam's idolatry, but the worship of Baal likewise; though he had heard of the ruin of Jeroboam's family, and had seen his own father drawn into destruction by the prophets of Baal, who had often been proved false prophets, yet he received no instruction, took no warning, but followed the example of his wicked father, and the counsel of his more wicked mother Jezebel, who was still living. Miserable are the children that not only derive a stock of corruption from their parents, but are thus taught by them to trade with it; and unhappy, most unhappy parents, they that help to damn their children's souls.

AN

EXPOSITION,

WITH

PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS, OF THE SECOND BOOK OF

KINGS.

THIS second book of the Kings (which the Septuagint, numbering from Samuel, calls the fourth) is a continuation of the former book; and, some think, might better have been made to begin with the 51st verse of the foregoing chapter, where the reign of Ahaziah begins. The former book had an illustrious beginning, in the glories of the kingdom of Israel, when it was entire; this has a melancholy conclusion, in the desolations of the kingdoms of Israel first, and then of Judah, after they had been long broken into two; for a kingdom, divided against itself, cometh to destruction. But as Elijah's mighty works were very much the glory of the former book, toward the latter end of it; so were Elisha's the glory of this, toward the beginning of it. These prophets outshone their princes; and therefore, as far as they go, the history shall be accounted for in them. Here is, I. Elijah fetching fire from heaven, and ascending in fire to heaven, ch. 1. and 2.

II. Elisha working many miracles, both for prince and people, Israelites and foreigners, ch. 3.-7.

III. Hazael and Jehu anointed, the former for the correction of Israel, the latter for the destruction of the house of Ahab, and the worship of Baal, ch. 8.-10.

IV. The reigns of several of the kings, both of Judah and Israel, ch. 11.-16.

V. The captivity of the ten tribes, ch. 17.

VI. The good and glorious reign of Hezekiah, ch. 18.-20.

VII. Manasseh's wicked reign, and Josiah's good one, ch. 21.-23.

VIII. The destruction of Jerusalem by the king of Babylon, ch. 24. 25. This history, in the several passages of it, confirms that observation of Solomon, That righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is the reproach of any people.

Ahaziah's Sickness.

CHAPTER I.

We bere find Ahaziah, the genuine son and successor of Ahab, on the throne of
Israel. His reign continued not two years; he died by a fall in his own house;

which, after the mention of the revolt of Moab, (v. 1,) we have here an account
of. I. The message, which, on that occasion, he sent to the god of Ekron, v. 2.
II. The message he received from the God of Israel, v. 3-8. III. The destruc-
tion of the messengers he sent to seize the prophet, once and again, v. 9-12.
IV. His compassion to, and compliance with, the third messenger, upon his
submission, and the delivery of the message to the king himself, v. 13-16.
V. The death of Ahaziah, v. 17, 18. In the story we may observe how great
the prophet looks, and how little the prince.

a 2 Sam. 8. 2. c. 3. 5. b 1 Sam. 5. 10.

NOTES TO CHAPTER I.

V. 1-8. We have here, Ahaziah, the wicked king of Israel, under God's rebukes, both by his providence and by his prophet; by his rod and by his word.

I. He is crossed in his affairs. How can those expect to prosper, that do evil in the sight of the Lord, and provoke him to anger? When he rebelled against God, and revolted from his allegiance to him, Moab rebelled against Israel, and revolted from the subjection they had long paid to the kings of Israel, v. 1. The Edomites that bordered on Judah, and were tributaries to the kings of Judah, still continued so, as we find in the chapter before, (v. 47,) till, in the wicked reign of Joram, they broke that yoke, (ch. 8. 22,) as the Moabites did now. If men break their covenants with us, and withdraw their duty, we must reflect upon our breach of covenant with God, and the neglect of our duty to him. Sin weakens and impoverishes We shall hear of the Moabites, ch. 3. 5.

us.

II. He is seized with sickness in body, not from any inward cause, but by a severe accident; He fell down through a lattice, and was much bruised with the fall; perhaps it threw him into a fever, v. 2. Wherever we go, there is but a step between us and death. A man's house is his castle, but not to secure him against the judgments of God. The cracked lattice is as fatal to the son, when God pleases to make it so, as the bow drawn at a venture was to the father. Ahaziah would not attempt to reduce the Moabites, lest he should perish in the field of battle; but he is not safe, though he tarry at home. Royal palaces do

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not always yield firm footing. The snare is laid for the sinner in the ground where he thinks least of it, Job 18. 9, 10. The whole creation, which groans under the burden of man's sin, will, at length, sink and break under the weight, like this lattice. He is never safe, that has God for his Enemy.

III. In his distress, he sends messengers to inquire of the god of Ekron, whether he should recover or no, v. 2. And here, I. His inquiry was very foolish; Shall I recover? Even nature itself would rather have asked, "What means may I use, that I may recover?" But as one solicitous only to know his fortune, not to know his duty, his question is only this, Shall I recover? which a little time would give answer to. We should be more thoughtful what will become of us after death, than how, or when, or where, we shall die; and more desirous to be told how we may conduct ourselves well in our sickness, and get good to our souls by it, than whether we shall recover from it. 2. His sending to Baal-zebub was very wicked; to make a dead and dumb idol, perhaps newly erected, (for idolaters were fond of new gods,) his oracle, was no less a reproach to his reason than to his religion. Baal-zebub signifies the lord of a fly; one of their Baals, that, perhaps, gave his answers either by the power of the demons, or the craft of the priests, with a humming noise, like that of a great fly; or that had (as they fancied) rid their country of the swarms of flies wherewith it was infested, or of some pestilential disease brought among them by flies. Perhaps this dunghill deity was as famous then, as the oracle of Delphos was, long after in Greece. In the New

Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron?

4 Now, therefore, thus saith the LORD, Thou "shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.

5 And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back?

6 And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. 7 And he said unto them, man was he which came up to you these words?

'What manner of meet you, and told

d Mark 3. 22. • The bed whither thou art gone up, thou shalt not come down from it. e Is. 41. 22, 23. f 1 Chr. 10. 13. Ps. 16. 4. † What was the manner

Testament, the prince of the devils is called Beel-zebub, (Matt. 12. 24;) for the gods of the Gentiles were devils, and this, perhaps, grew to be one of the most famous.

IV. Elijah, by direction from God, meets the messengers, and turns them back with an answer that shall save them the labour of going to Ekron. Had Ahaziah sent for Elijah, humbled himself, and begged his prayers, he might have had an answer of peace; but if he send to the god of Ekron, instead of the God of Israel, that, like Saul's consulting the witch, shall fill the measure of his iniquity, and bring upon him a sentence of death. They that will not inquire of the word of God for their comfort, shall be made to hear it, whether they will or no, to their amazement.

1. He faithfully reproves his sin; (v. 3,) Is it not because there is not (that is, because you think there is not) a God in Israel, (because there is no God, none in Israel, so it may be read,) that ye go to inquire of Baal-zebub, the God of Ekron, a despicable town of the Philistines, (Zech. 9. 7,) long since vanquished by Israel? Here, (1.) The sin was bad enough, giving that honour to the devil, which is due to God alone, which was done as much by their inquiries, as by their sacrifices. Note, It is a very wicked thing, upon any occasion or pretence whatsoever, to consult with the devil. This wickedness reigned in the heathen world, (Is. 47. 12, 13,) and remains too much even in the Christian world, and the devil's kingdom is supported by it. (2.) The construction which Elijah, in God's name, puts upon it, makes it much worse: "It is because you think not only that the God of Israel is not able to tell you, but that there is no God at all in Israel; else you would not send so far for a divine answer." "Note, A practical and constructive atheism is the cause and malignity of our departures from God. Surely we think there is no God in Israel, when we live at large, make flesh our arm, and seek a portion in the things of this world. 2. He plainly reads his doom; "Go, tell him, he shall surely die, v. 4. Since he is so anxious to know his fate, this is it; let him make the best of it." The certain fearful looking for of judgment and indignation which this message must needs cause, cannot but cut him to the heart.

V. The message being delivered to him by his servants, he inquires of them by whom it was sent him, and concludes, by their description of him, that it must be Elijah, v. 7, 8. For, 1. His dress was the same that he had seen him in, in his father's court. He was clad in a hairy garment, and had a leathern girdle about him, plain and homely in his garb. John Baptist, the Elias of the New Testament, herein resembled him, for his clothes were made of haircloth, and he was girt with a leathern girdle, Matt. 3. 4. He that was clothed with the Spirit, despised all rich and gay clothing. 2. His message was such as he used to deliver to his father, to whom he never prophesied good, but evil. Elijah is one of those witnesses that still torment the inhabitants of the earth, Rev. 11. 10. He that was a thorn in Ahab's eyes, will be so in the eyes of his son, while he treads in the steps of his wickedness; and he is ready to cry out, as his father did, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? Let sinners consider, that the word which took hold of their fathers, is still as quick and powerful as ever. See Zech. 1. 6. Heb. 4. 12.

V. 9-18. Here,

I. The king issues out a warrant for the apprehending of Elijah. If the God of Ekron had told him he should die, it is probable he would have taken it quietly; but now that a prophet of the Lord tells him so, reproving him for his sin, and reminding him of the God of Israel, he cannot bear it so far is he from making any good improvement of the warning given him, that he is enraged against the prophet; neither his sickness, nor the thoughts of death, made any good impressions upon him, or possessed him with any fear of God: no external alarms will startle and soften secure sinners, but rather exasperate them. Did the king think Elijah a prophet, a true prophet?

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8 And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.

9 Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him; (and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill;) and he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.

10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire 'come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and *consumed him and his fifty.

11 Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly.

12 And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

of the man? g Zech. 13. 14. Matt. 3. 4. Num. 16. 35. Luke 9. 54. Heb. 12. 29. i 1 Kings 18. 24. Dan. 3. 25. c. 2. 24. Acts 5. 5, 9.

Why then durst he persecute him? Did he think him a common person ? What occasion was there to send such a force, in order to seize him? Thus a band of men must take our Lord Jesus.

II. The captain that was sent with his fifty soldiers, found Elijah on the top of a hill, (some think Carmel,) and commanded him, in the king's name, to surrender himself, v. 9. Elijah was now so far from absconding, as formerly, in the close recesses of a cave, that he makes a bold appearance on the top of a hill; experience of God's protection makes him more bold. The captain calls him a man of God, not that he believed him to be so, or reverenced him as such a one, but because he was commonly called so; had he really looked upon him as a prophet, he would not have attempted to make him his prisoner; and had he thought him intrusted with the word of God, he would not have pretended to command him with the word of a king. III. Elijah calls for fire from heaven, to consume this haughty daring sinner, not to secure himself, he could have done that some other way, nor to avenge himself, for it was not his own cause that he appeared and acted in; but to prove his mission, and to reveal the wrath of God from heaven against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. This captain had, in scorn, called him a man of God: “If I be so," says Elijah, "thou shalt pay dear for making a jest of it." He valued himself upon his commission, (the king has said, Come down,) but Elijah will let him know that the God of Israel is superior to the king of Israel, and has a greater power to enforce his commands. It was not long since Elijah had fetched fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice, (1 Kings 18. 38,) in token of God's acceptance of that sacrifice as an atonement for the sins of the people; but they having slighted that, now the fire falls, not on the sacrifice, but on the sinners themselves, v. 10. See here, 1. What an interest the prophets had in heaven; what the Spirit of God in them demanded, the power of God effected; Elijah did but speak, and it was done; he that formerly had fetched water from heaven, now fetches fire. O the power of prayer! Concerning the work of my hands, command ye me, Is. 45. 11. 2. What an interest heaven had in the prophets! God was always ready to plead their cause, and avenge the injuries done to them. Kings shall still be rebuked for their sakes, and charged to do his prophets no harm. One Elijah is more to God than 10,000 captains and their fifties. Doubtless Elijah did this by a divine impulse, and yet our Saviour wou'd not allow the disciples to draw it into a precedent, Luke 9. 54. They were now not far from the place where Elias did this act of justice upon provoking Israelites, and would needs, in like manner, call for fire upon those provoking Samaritans; No," says Christ, "by no means; you know not what manner of spirit you are of; that is, (1.) "You do not consider what manner of spirit, as disciples, you are called to, and how different from that of the Old-Testament dispensation; it was agreeable enough to that dispensation of terror, and of the letter, for Elias to call for fire; but the dispensation of the Spirit and of grace will by no means allow of it." (2.) "You are not aware what manner of spirit you are, upon this occasion, acted by, and how different from that of Elias: he did it in holy zeal, you in passion; he was concerned for God's glory, you for your own reputation only.) God judges men's practices by their principles, and his judgment is according to truth.

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IV. This is repeated a second time; would one think it? 1. Ahaziah sends, a second time, to apprehend Elijah, (v. 11.) as if he were resolved not to be baffled by omnipotence itself: obstinate sinners must be convinced and conquered, at last, by the fire of hell, for fire from heaven, it seems, will not do it. 2. Another captain is ready with his fifty, who, in his blind rage against the prophet, and his blind obedience to the king, dares engage in that service which had been fatal to the last undertakers; this is as impudent and imperious as the last, and more in haste; not only," Come down quietly, and do not

13 And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious "in thy sight.

14 Behold, there came "fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight.

15 And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him; be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.

16 And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron, (is it not because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word?) therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.

17 So he died, according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had spoken: and 'Jehoram reigned in his stead, in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son. 18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

• bowed. o ver. 6.

[ Is. 66. 2. m 1 Sam. 26. 21. Ps. 72. 14. 116. 15. n ver. 10, 12. † the second year that Jehoram was Prorer, and the eighteenth of struggle," but, without taking any notice of what had been done, he says, "Come down quickly, and do not trifle, the king's business requires haste; come down, or I will fetch thee down." 3. Elijah relents not, but calls for another flash of lightning, which instantly lays this captain and his fifty dead upon the spot; they that will sin like others, must expect to suffer like them; God is inflexibly just.

V. The third captain humbled himself, and cast himself upon the mercy of God and Elijah. It does not appear that Ahaziah ordered him to do so, (his stubborn heart is as hard as ever; so regardless is he of the terrors of the Lord, so little affected with the manifestations of his wrath, and withal so prodigal of the lives of his subjects, that he sent a third with the same provoking message to Elijah,) but he took warning by the fate of his predecessors, who, perhaps, lay dead before his eyes; and, instead of summoning the prophet down, fell down before him, and begged for his life, and the lives of his soldiers, acknowledging their own evil deserts, and the prophet's power; (v. 13. 14,) Let my life be precious in thy sight. Note, There is nothing to be got by contending with God: if we would prevail with him, it must be by supplication; if we would not fall before God, we must bow before him; and those are wise for themselves, who learn submission from the fatal consequences which others entail by their obstinacy.

VI. Elijah does more than grant the request of this third captain. God is not severer with those that stand it out against him, than he is ready to show mercy to those that repent, and submit to him; never any found it in vain to cast themselves upon the mercy of God. This captain not only has his life spared, but is permitted to carry his point; Elijah, being so commanded by the angel, goes down with him to the king, v. 15. Thus he shows that he, before, refused to come, not because he feared the king or court, but because he would not be imperiously summoned, and would not lessen the honour of his master; he magnifies his office. He comes boldly to the king, and tells him, to his face, (let him take it as he may,) what he had, before, sent to him, (v. 16,) that he should surely and shortly die; he mitigates not the sentence, either for fear of the king's displeasure, or in pity to his misery: the God of Israel has condemned him, let him send to see whether the god of Ekron can deliver him. So thunderstruck is Ahaziah with this message, when it comes from the prophet's own mouth, that neither he, nor any of those about him, durst offer him any violence, nor so much as give him an affront; but out of that den of lions he comes unhurt, like Daniel. Who can harm those whom God will shelter?

Lastly, The prediction is accomplished in a few days; Ahaziah died, (v. 17,) and, dying childless, left his kingdom to his brother Jehoram; his father reigned wickedly twentytwo years, he not two; sometimes the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power; but they who therefore promise themselves prosperity in impiety, may, perhaps, find themselves deceived; for, (as Bishop Hall observes here,) "Some sinners live long, to aggravate their judgment, others die soon, to hasten it" but it is certain that evil pursues sinners, and, sooner or later, it will overtake them; nor will any thing fill the measure sooner than that complicated iniquity of Ahaziah; honouring the devil's oracles, and hating God's oracles.

NOTES TO CHAPTER II.

V. 1-8. Elijah's times, and the events concerning him, are as little dated as those of any great man in scripture; we are not told of his age, nor in what year of Ahab's reign he first appeared, nor in what year of Joram's he disappeared, and VOL. I.-110

CHAPTER II.

In this chapter we have, 1. That extraordinary event, the translation of Elijah i in the close of the foregoing chapter, we had a wicked king leaving the world in disgrace, here we have a holy prophet leaving it in honour; the departure of the former was his greatest misery, of the latter, his greatest bliss: men are as their end is. Here is, 1. Elijah's taking leave of his friends, the sons of the prophets, and especially Elisha, who kept close to him, and walked with him through Jordan, v. 1-10 2. His rapture into heaven by the ministry of angels, (v. 11,) and Elisha's lamentation of the loss this earth had of him, v. 12. 11. The manifestation of Elisha, as a prophe in his room. 1. By the dividing of Jordan, v. 13, 14. 2. By the respect which the sons of the prophets paid him, v. 15-18. 8. By the healing of the unwholesome waters of Jericho, v, 19-22. 4. By the destruction of the children of Beth-el that mocked him, v, 23-25. This revolution in prophecy makes a greater figure than the revolution of a kingdom.

AN

ND it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.

2 And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Beth-el. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Beth-el.

3 And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth-el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to-day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.

4 And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul

Jehoshaphat, c. 3. 1. a Gen. 5. 24. b 1 Kings 19. 21. c Jer. 4 2. d 1 Sam. 1. 26. ver. 4. 6. c. 4. 30. e 1 Kings 20. 35. ver. 5, 7, 15. c. 4. 1, 38. 9. 1. therefore cannot conjecture how long he flourished; it is supposed about 20 years in all.

Here we are told,

I. That God had determined to take him up into heaven by a whirlwind, v. 1. He would do it, and, it is probable, let him know of his purpose, some time before, that he would shortly take him from the world, not by death, but translate him body and soul to heaven, as Enoch was, only causing him to undergo such a change as would be necessary to the qualifying of him to be an inhabitant in that world of spirits; and such as they shall undergo, who will be found alive at Christ's coming. It is not for us to say, why God would put such a peculiar honour upon Elijah above any other of the prophets; he was a man subject to like passions as we are, knew sin, and yet never tasted death. Wherefore is he thus dignified, thus distinguished, as a man whom the King of kings did delight to honour? We may suppose that herein, I. God looked back upon his past services, which were eminent and extraordinary, and intended a recompense for those, and an encouragement to the sons of the prophets to tread in the steps of his zeal and faithfulness, and, whatever it cost them, to witness against the corruptions of the age they lived in. 2. He looked down upon the present dark and degenerate state of the church, and would thus give a very sensible proof of another life after this, and draw the hearts of the faithful few upward toward himself, and that other life. 3. He looked forward to the evangelical dispensation, and, in the translation of Elijah, gave a type and figure of the ascension of Christ, and the opening of the kingdom of heaven to all believers. Elijah had, by faith and prayer, conversed much with heaven, and now he is taken thither, to assure us that if we have our conversation in heaven, while we are here on earth, we shall be there shortly, the soul shall, (and that is the man,) be happy there, there for ever.

II. That Elisha had determined, as long as he continued on earth, to cleave to him, and not to leave him: Elijah seemed desirous to shake him off, would have had him stay behind at Gilgal, at Bethel, at Jericho, v. 2, 4, 6. Some think, out of humility; he knew what glory God designed for him, but would not seem to glory in it, nor desired it should be seen of men; (God's favourites covet not to have it proclaimed before them, that they are so, as the favourites of earthly princes do;) or rather, it was to try him, and make his constant adherence to him the more commendable, like Naomi's persuading Ruth to go back in vain does Elijah entreat him to tarry here, and tarry there; he resolves to tarry no where behind his master, till he goes to heaven, and leaves him behind on this earth; whatever comes of it, I will not leave thee; and why so? Not only because he loved him, but, 1. Because he desired to be edified by his holy heavenly converse as long as he stayed on earth; it had always been profitable, but, we may suppose, now, more so than ever. We should therefore do all the spiritual good we can, one to another, and get all we can, one by another, while we are together, because we are to be together but a while. 2. Because he desired to be satisfied concerning his departure, and to see him when he was taken up, that his faith might be confirmed, and his acquaintance with the invisible world increased. He had long followed Elijah, and he would not leave him now when he hoped for the parting blessing; let not those that follow Christ, come short by tiring at last.

III. That Elijah, before his departure, visited the schools of the prophets, and took leave of them; it seems that there were such schools in many of the cities of Israel, probably, even in Samaria itself; here we find sons of the prophets, and considerable numbers of them, even at Bethel, where one of the (873)

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