2 Kings 15:23 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.

Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign,.... Alone, after the death of his father: and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and his reign, upon the whole, was a good reign: and his mother's name was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok; a person well known in those times; Dr. Lightfoot (h) thinks he was high priest. (h) Works, vol. 1. p. 100.

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.

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).

PEKAHIAH'S REIGN. (Kg2 15:22-24) Pekahiah . . . son of Menahem began to reign--On comparing the date given with Azariah's reign, it seems that several months had intervened between the death of Menahem and the accession of Pekahiah, probably owing to a contest about the throne.

Reign of Pekahiah. - Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign "in the fiftieth year of Uzziah." As Menahem had begun to reign in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah and reigned ten years, he must have died in the forty-ninth year of Uzziah; and therefore, if his son did not become king till the fiftieth year, some months must have elapsed between the death of Menahem and Pekahiah's ascent of the throne, probably cause, in the existing disorganization of the kingdom, the possession of the throne by the latter was opposed. Pekahiah reigned in the spirit of his predecessors, but only for two years, as his aide-de-camp (שׁלישׁ, see at Sa2 23:8) Pekah conspired against him and slew him in the citadel (ארמון, see at Kg1 16:8) of the king's palace, with Argob and Aryeh. Argob and Aryeh were not fellow-conspirators of Pekah, who helped to slay the king, but principes Pekachijae, as Seb. Schmidt expresses it, probably aides-de-camp of Pekahiah, who were slain by the conspirators when defending their king. We must take the words in this sense on account of what follows: וגו חמשּׁים ועמּו, "and with him (Pekah) were fifty men of the Gileadites" (i.e., they helped him). The Gileadites probably belonged to the king's body-guard, and were under the command of the aides-de-camp of Pekah.