“Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father's stead in Jerusalem.”
Cross references: : 2 Kings 23:30
“Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.”
For three months after the death of Josiah, came Necho to Jerusalem, and so the plagues began, which Huldah and the Prophetess forewarned should come upon Jerusalem.
“And the king of Egypt put him down at Jerusalem, and condemned the land in an hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. put: Heb. removed him”
To pay this as a yearly tribute.
“Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God.”
Because he and the people turned not to God by his first plague, he brought a new upon him, and at length rooted them out.
“Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and that which was found in him, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead. Jehoiachin: or, Jeconiah, I.Chro.3.16. or, Coniah ier.22.24.”
He meaneth superstitious marks which were found upon his body, when he was dead, which thing declared how deeply idolatry was rooted in his heart, seeing he bare the marks in his flesh.
“Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.”
That is, he began his reign at eight years old, and reigned ten years when his father was alive, and after his father’s death, which was the eighteenth year of his age, he reigned alone three months and ten days.
“And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the LORD.”
1 Kings 24:17 , 19 ; Jer. 52:2
“And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: by: Heb. by the hand of betimes: that is, continually and carefully”
By this phrase the Scripture meaneth, oftentimes, and diligently, as Jer. 11:7 and 25:3 and 26:5 and 32:33. Hebrew, by the hand of his.
“But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy. remedy: Heb. healing”
Till God could no longer suffer their sins, but must needs punish them.
“Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand.”
Whither they fled, thinking to have been saved for the holiness thereof. Which is not because God approveth him, which yet is the minister of his justice, but because God would by his just judgment punish this people: for this king was led with ambition and vain glory, whereunto were joined fury and cruelty: therefore his work was condemnable, notwithstanding it was just and holy on God’s part, who used this wicked instrument to declare his justice.
“And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: them: Heb. the remainder from the sword”
When Cyrus King of Persia had made the Babylonians subject.
“To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.”
Who threatened the vengeance of God and seventy years captivity, which he calleth the Sabbaths or rest of the land, Jer. 25:11 .
“Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,”
In the first year that he reigned over the Chaldeans, Ezra 1:1 . Jer. 25:13 ; Jer. 29:10
“Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.”
God had so forewarned by his Prophet above an hundred years before Cyrus was born, Isa. 44:28 , that Jerusalem and the Temple should be built again by Cyrus his anointed: so called, because God used his service for a time to deliver his Church.