2. Chronik 15:19 Kommentar

Asa and his army were now returning in triumph from the battle, laden with spoils and adorned with the trophies of victory, the pious prince, we may now suppose, studying what he should render to God for this great favour. He knew that the work of reformation, which he had begun in his kingdom, was not perfected; his enemies abroad were subdued, but there were more dangerous enemies at home that were yet unconquered - idols in Judah and Benjamin: his victory over the former emboldened him vigorously to renew his attack upon the latter. Now here we have, I. The message which God sent to him, by a prophet, to engage him to, and encourage him in, the prosecution of his reformation (Ch2 15:1-7). II. The life which this message put into that good cause, and their proceedings in pursuance of it. Idols removed (Ch2 15:8). The spoil dedicated to God (Ch2 15:9-11). A covenant made with God, and a law for the punishing of idolaters (Ch2 15:12-15). A reformation at court (Ch2 15:16). Dedicated things brought into the house of God (Ch2 15:18). All well, but that the high places were permitted (Ch2 15:17). And the effect of this was great peace (Ch2 15:19).

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 15 Asa returning from the battle, and with the spoil of the enemy, was met by a prophet of the Lord, who encouraged him to go on with the work of reformation, promising the presence and help of God with him, Ch2 15:1, which inspired him with fresh courage, and he went about the work with great alacrity; and having offered sacrifices, he and his people entered into a solemn covenant with the Lord, to serve him, Ch2 15:8 upon which he destroyed his mother's idol, brought the dedicated things into the house of God, and the effect of this was peace for a long time, Ch2 15:16.

And there was no more war unto the thirty fifth year of the reign of Asa. That is, from the Ethiopian war to that time; after that there was no war with any foreign enemy; there were animosities and discords, bickerings and hostilities of some sort continually between Asa and Baasha king of Israel, as long as he lived, see Kg1 15:16. Next: 2 Chronicles Chapter 16

Azariah's prophecy concerning Israel, and his exhortation to Asa, Ch2 15:1-7. Asa completes the reformation which he had begun, his kingdom is greatly strengthened, and all to people make a solemn covenant with the Lord, Ch2 15:8-15. His treatment of his mother Maachah, Ch2 15:16. He brings into the house of God the things that has father had dedicated, Ch2 15:17, Ch2 15:18. And he has no war till the thirty-fifth year of his reign, Ch2 15:19.

The five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa - Archbishop Usher thinks that this should be counted from the separation of the kingdom, and that this fell on the fifteenth year of Asa's reign. To settle in every respect these chronologies is a most difficult undertaking; and the difficulty does not belong to the sacred books alone, all other chronological tables of all the nations in the world, are in the same predicament. With those of our own history I have often been puzzled, even while I had access to all the archives of the nation. Probably we should read here the five and twentieth year. See the note on Kg1 15:16.

JUDAH MAKES A SOLEMN COVENANT WITH GOD. (Ch2 15:1-15) Azariah the son of Oded--This prophet, who is mentioned nowhere else, appears at this stage of the sacred story in the discharge of an interesting mission. He went to meet Asa, as he was returning from his victorious pursuit of the Ethiopians, and the congratulatory address here recorded was publicly made to the king in presence of his army.

Ch2 15:19 is different from Kg1 15:16. In the latter passage it is said: war was between Asa and Baasha the king of Israel כּל־ימיהם, i.e., so long as both reigned contemporaneously; while in the Chronicle it is said: war was not until the thirty-fifth year of Asa's reign. This discrepancy is partly got rid of by taking מלחמה in the book of Kings to denote the latent hostility or inimical attitude of the two kingdoms towards each other, and in the Chronicle to denote a war openly declared. The date, until the thirty-fifth year, causes a greater difficulty; but this has been explained in Ch2 16:1 by the supposition that in the thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign war broke out between Asa and Baasha, when the meaning of our 16th verse would be: It did not come to war with Baasha until the thirty-sixth year of Asa's rule. For further remarks on this, see on Ch2 16:1.