2 Kings 15:20 Komentář

In this chapter, I. The history of two of the kings of Judah is briefly recorded: - 1. Of Azariah, or Uzziah (Kg2 15:1-7). 2. Of Jotham his son (Kg2 15:32-38). II. The history of many of the kings of Israel that reigned at the same time is given us in short, five in succession, all of whom, except one, went down slain to the pit, and their murders were their successors. 1. Zachariah, the last of the house of Jehu, reigned six months, and then was slain and succeeded by Shallum (Kg2 15:8-12). 2. Shallum reigned one month, and then was slain and succeeded by Menahem (Kg2 15:13-15). 3. Menahem reigned ten years, or tyrannised rather, such were his barbarous cruelties (Kg2 15:16) and unreasonable exactions (Kg2 15:20), and then died in his bed, and left his son to succeed him first, and then suffer for him (Kg2 15:16-22). 4. Pekahiah reigned two years, and then was slain and succeeded by Pekah (Kg2 15:23-26). 5. Pekah reigned twenty years, and then was slain and succeeded by Hoshea, the last of all the kings of Israel (Kg2 15:27-31) for things were now working and hastening apace towards the final destruction of that kingdom.

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 15 This chapter begins with the reign of Azariah king of Judah, Kg2 15:1, and then gives a short account of the several kings of Israel, to the last of them; of Zachariah, Kg2 15:8, of Shallum, Kg2 15:13 of Menahem, Kg2 15:16 of Pekahiah, Kg2 15:23, of Pekah, succeeded by Hoshea, the last of them, Kg2 15:27, and is included with the reign of Jotham king of Judah, Kg2 15:32.

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord,.... Not only in committing the above crimes of usurpation and murder, but idolatry, and particularly the worshipping of the calves, hinted at in the text. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord,.... Not only in committing the above crimes of usurpation and murder, but idolatry, and particularly the worshipping of the calves, hinted at in the text. 2 Kings 15:29 kg2 15:29 kg2 15:29 kg2 15:29In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglathpileser king of Assyria,.... Into the land of Israel; he is called by a Jewish chronologer (c), Pul-Asir; so Phul-Assar by Metasthenes (d), who says he reigned twenty five years; he very probably was the son of Pul the Assyrian king, mentioned Kg2 15:19, and is thought to be the same that Aelianus (e) calls Tilgamos; some think he had the first part of his name from Diglath, or Diglito, by which the river Tigris is called in Pliny (f), with which Assyria was washed; and that Pil, or Pul, is Baal, Bel, Jupiter, and Azar is Mars (g); of all which his name is composed: and took Ijon, and Abelbethmaachah; of which see Kg1 15:20, and Janoah; a city in the tribe of Ephraim, Jos 16:6. and Kedesh, and Hazor; cities in Naphtali: Jos 19:36. and Gilead; a country beyond Jordan, which belonged to the Reubenites, Gadites, and half tribe of Manasseh: and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; that is, upper Galilee, which lay in Naphtali: and carried them captive to Assyria; which was the first captivity of Israel in which half their tribes were carried away. (c) David Ganz. Ut supra. (Tzemach David, par. 2. fol. 3. 2.) (d) Ut supra. (De Judicio Temp. & Annal. Pers. fol. 221. 2.) (e) De Animal. l. 12. c. 21. (f) Nat. Hist. l. 6. c. 27. (g) Hyde Hist. Relig. Pers. p. 65, 66.

Azariah begins to reign over Judah, and acts well, but does not remove the high places, Kg2 15:1-4. He becomes leprous, and dies, after having reigned fifty-two years; and Jotham, his son, reigns in his stead, Kg2 15:5-7. Zachariah reigns over Israel, and acts wickedly; and Shallum conspires against him and slays him, after he had reigned six months, Kg2 15:8-12. Shallum reigns one month, and is slain by Menahem, Kg2 15:13-15. Menahem's wicked and oppressive reign; he subsidizes the king of Assyria, and dies, after having reigned ten years, Kg2 15:16-22. Pekahiah, his son, reigns in his stead; does wickedly; Pekah, one of his captains, conspires against and kills him, after he had reigned two years, Kg2 15:23-26. Pekah reigns in his stead, and acts wickedly, Kg2 15:27-28. Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, carries into captivity the inhabitants of many cities, Kg2 15:29. Hoshea conspires against and slays Pekah, after he had reigned twenty years; and reigns in his stead, Kg2 15:30, Kg2 15:31. Jotham beans to reign over Judah; he reigns well; dies after a reign of sixteen years, and is succeeded by his son Ahaz, Kg2 15:32-38.

Each man fifty shekels of silver - Upwards of five pounds sterling a man.

AZARIAH'S REIGN OVER JUDAH. (Kg2 15:1-7) In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam--It is thought that the throne of Judah continued vacant eleven or twelve years, between the death of Amaziah and the inauguration of his son Azariah. Being a child only four years old when his father was murdered, a regency was appointed during Azariah's minority. began Azariah . . . to reign--The character of his reign is described by the brief formula employed by the inspired historian, in recording the religious policy of the later kings. But his reign was a very active as well as eventful one, and is fully related (2Ch. 26:1-23). Elated by the possession of great power, and presumptuously arrogating to himself, as did the heathen kings, the functions both of the real and sacerdotal offices, he was punished with leprosy, which, as the offense was capital (Num 8:7), was equivalent to death, for this disease excluded him from all society. While Jotham, his son, as his viceroy, administered the affairs of the kingdom--being about fifteen years of age (compare Kg2 15:33) --he had to dwell in a place apart by himself (see on Kg2 7:3). After a long reign he died, and was buried in the royal burying-field, though not in the royal cemetery of "the city of David" (Ch2 26:23).

To collect the requisite amount, Menahem imposed upon all persons of property a tax of fifty shekels each. יצא with על, he caused to arise, i.e., made a collection. הציא in a causative sense, from יצא, to arise, to be paid (Kg2 12:13). חיל גּבּורי: not warriors, but men of property, as in Ruth. Kg2 2:1; Sa1 9:1. אחד לאישׁ, for the individual. Pul was the first king of Assyria who invaded the kingdom of Israel and prepared the way for the conquest of this kingdom by his successors, and for the extension of the Assyrian power as far as Egypt. According to the thorough investigation made by Marc. v. Niebuhr (Gesch. Assurs u. Babels, pp. 128ff.), Pul, whose name has not yet been discovered upon the Assyrian monuments, was the last king of Nineveh of the family of the Derketades, who still ruled over Babylon according to Berosus, and the last king but one of this dynasty. (Note: It is true that some trace of his expedition has been found in the monuments, since an inscription has been deciphered with tolerable certainty, stating that king Minikhimmi of Samirina (Menahem of Shomron or Samaria) paid tribute to an Assyrian king. But the name of this Assyrian king is not determined with certainty, as Rawlinson, and Oppert read it Tiglat-palassar, and suppose Tiglath-pileser to be intended; whereas M. v. Niebuhr (p. 132, note 1) imagines it to be the full name of Pul, since no Assyrian king ever had a name of one syllable like Pul as his official name, and even before that Hincks had detected in the name Minikhimmi the king Menahem who had to purchase the friendship of the Assyrian ruler Pul with 1000 talents of silver. (Comp. J. Brandis, uber d. histor. Gewinn aus der Entzifferung der assyr. Inschriften, Berl. 1856, p. 50.))